Friday 30 August 2013

A time for Reflection

You know how live gets sometimes and you just need to sit back and think about things.... Well this week a friend of mine sent me one of those emails... you know the ones with a nice message and hen if you don't send it onto 15 friends in 5 minutes blah blah etc. etc..
Well this day I read this one all the way through... and it struck a real chord with me... despite all the  chain mail stuff at the end the message itself was really important.... and is something that has had me thinking this past week....  It rang so true to me that I thought I would share the story with you all... so here it is... a little long, but worth the read, I think....

A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and visiting with her mother. As they talked about life, about marriage, about the responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a clear, sober glance upon her daughter.
'Don't forget your sisters,' she advised, swirling the tea leaves to the bottom of her glass. 'They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may have, you are still going to need sisters. Remember to go places with them now and then; do things with them.'
'Remember that 'sisters' means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your other women relatives too. 'You'll need other women. Women always do.'
What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'
But she listened to her mother. She kept contact with her sisters and made more women friends each year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came to understand that her mother really knew what she was talking about. As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a woman, sisters are the mainstays of her life.

After more than 45 years of living in this world, here is what I've learned:
THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favours.
Careers end.
BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her can reach.
When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you, intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the valley's end.
Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you....Or come in and carry you out.
Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters, daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers, aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family: all bless our life!
The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.. When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much we would need each other.
Every day, we need each other still.

So like I said this really rang true for me.... and I have been reflecting on the strength that we as women give to each other... and all I can say is Cherish your sisters...

till next time
xC

Wednesday 28 August 2013

Busy Busy Busy

Well, I had forgotten how much time it takes when you are regularly teaching..... 

The last few months with only the one class a week was a nice slow pace that I was really getting used to....but now with the teaching gig at The Quilters Cafe, I am teaching Monday nights and Wednesdays all day on top of what I was already doing...WOW, it's really taking some adjusting to.... The hardest part is no longer being able to just sit and create at will, anytime the fancy takes me, and having to plan and schedule my creative time...
Despite all that, I am loving teaching so much again!!! Just love teaching, nothing compares to helping people and seeing the look of achievement on their faces....
So I don't have any work ready to share today but I have several pieces on the go that I will be sharing as soon as I have completed them... so until then, here's a series of three pieces "Analysis 1" made by Deb Layt that you can learn to make at The Quilters Cafe.... I just love the colours and textures...

"Analysis 1"




All for all of you papercrafter's out there, I hope you find the colours, form and shapes inspiring!!

till next time
happy creating
xC

Friday 16 August 2013

BLOG HOP!!

WELCOME to a very FUN and creative next few days here, as our designers from Scrap FX join Ruby Rock-it's amazing talent in a 2 day BLOG HOP! 

Each day, there will be 11 - 12 blogs to visit using our gorgeous products, along with Ruby Rock-it's products! 

Follow through to the end of this post for full details on the prizes up for grabs and how to enter for your chance to win!!!

This is the first layout I created using the Bella paper and matching tags, Scrap FX Art Nouveau Frame and the Scrap FX Graffiti Alphabet, along with whatever junk pieces I had lying around.


Here's a close up of that fantastic Scrap FX frame


Next I created a layout of my beautiful furbaby
Tiger Lily....




For this layout I used several different prints of the Bella papers and white washed them as the colour was too strong for my photo's. I used the Scrap FX Paw Prints stencil to create a themed textured background. I again used the Scrap FX Graffiti Alphabet for the title, and I used the Scrap FX Graffiti Numbers for the subtitle.
I used a Scrap FX Art Nouveau frame (frame set a) to highlight my photo.

Here's a close up of the background stencil work and the Art Nouveau frame.


Well, hopefully I have inspired you to get creative with some of these great products.
Now keep reading for details on the prizes on offer and how to win.

Here's today's participating designers:
Cindy Porter <<< you are here!
And now let's check out those prizes



Here's how you can win: ** Visit each participating designer's blog each day on the hop & leave a comment. There are only 11 - 12 blogs each day, so it's VERY do-able! {make sure you include your email address so we can contact you if you win}

For additional chances to win: Head over to Facebook and *LIKE*  us and leave a message telling us you came from the blog hop. The deadline to leave comments for prizes is 11:59pm EST, Monday, August 19th.
Winners will be announced on Ruby Rock-it and Scrap FX blogs on Tuesday, August 20th! 

If you get lost along the way, you will be able to find a complete list of participating blogs each day at Scrap FX and over at Ruby-Rock-it!

Good Luck
till next time, happy creating
xC

Sunday 11 August 2013

Exciting News!!!

It's time for me to share with you all some news I've been keeping mum about! 

I have great news for the craft lovers in the Werribee area there is a new crafting store opening up at
4a Pyke Street, Werribee on the 19th August!!


"The Quilters Cafe"


I will be teaching regular classes there on Mondays and Wednesdays to begin with commencing on  August 19th
Mondays 7pm - 9.30pm
Wednesdays 10am - 2.30pm


So if you'd like to get back to regular classes with me.... stay tuned the phones are being installed this week, or if you can't wait to book in.... email me at: ascrappetiger@gmail.com

Hope to see all the locals there!!


Monday 5 August 2013

Forever Art

Hi everyone, today I want to share with you a layout I created using the fabulous new Art Nouveau pieces from Scrap FX.  I absolutely fell in love with the new flowing designs and curvy details of these latest pieces  so, so much fun to work with.

For this layout I started with a gaudy orange cardstock and went about creating my own background with the help of the circuit board stencil and some gesso.  Once I had the texture sorted I needed to get the colour right, so lots of sprays in shades of orange, brown, yellow and even red, finished off with some distress ink and I had the perfect base for my layout and these wonderful new art nouveau pieces...


The Art Nouveau pieces where coloured with Silks acrylic glaze to give amazing shine and colour blending.


I love how you can manipulate the midi title range because they are so fine.... I was able to adhere it around the Art Nouveau frame to create a cohesive title.


Products used to create this layout:

till next time, 
happy creating 
 xC

Do you Tweet??

Recently I stumbled across a great article by Theresa Cifali about the great benefits of twitter for a creative business...definitely worth reading....  Her post was so compelling that I have taken the plunge and I have now created my own twitter account!!!  It's an interesting platform to connect on, and if you would like to follow me.... you can find my twitter account  here https://twitter.com/ascrappetiger .....
Happy Tweeting peeps!
xC