it's the final countdown

The final countdown is now on for those that want to do my journal class!

Class starts Fun starts on April 2nd!

Students that have already registered to play are stocking up on chocolate and bubbles as we speak!

Come join the fun!

Drop me an email if you have any questions :))

Carole

two sides of work

I've been out and about for work recently.

I went with a group from work to visit the pine forest.

There were lots of these all ready for export markets.....

and a few of these too!

And then I had to go to Wellington for work and when I stopped to admire the view from my room, 

all I could think about was earthquakes!

Hope you are all having an interesting week!

Carole :)

The fourth winner

Congrats Sharon!

Let me have your address and I'll get your gift in the post to you!

Thanks for all the lovely birthday messages I've had this month and the lovely comments. I have met some lovely friends this month and I noticed tonight I have over 300 followers which blew me away. 

I love you all to bits!

It's a real fun journey we're on isn't it? 

Oh and I don't know if you got to read any of the comments from the last post, but it looks like we blogging girls need to start a "Secret League of Procrastinating Sisters"

Anyone want to join??

  Have the very best week,

Carole :)

Do you procrastinate?

I am my own worse enemy when it comes to procrastinating.

I have so many projects I want to get done, in fact so many I don't actually know what I should start first!

I having sewing projects to start and some that need finishing. 

I have some wool which seriously needs knitting into something creative I can wear to work. (I have already designed the pattern)

I have swap projects that are sitting on my desk and wave at me each time I pop into the room.

I have new ideas I want to try out and old ideas I want to re-jig!

I have decided I am the world's best procrastinator.

(If anyone knows of any competitions running, let me know, I would win hands down.) 

Yesterday, being Saturday, I decided to get the housework done. 

I started with the vacuuming, in the kitchen, which led to...

cutting some roses for a vase to place on the kitchen table, which led to...

cutting back some of the overgrown shrubs in the garden, which led to...

washing the few dishes on the end of the bench, which led to...

clearing things of the benches and washing them all, which led to...

making a cup of tea, which led to...

grabbing my book and finishing the last few pages while I drank my tea, which led to...

finishing washing the dishes(!!) which led to...

making some banana and white chocolate muffins from the browning bananas in the fruit bowl, which led to...

vacuuming the lounge, which led to....

phoning my mum and dad to see how they were, which led to...

Dennis finishing the dishes for me, which led to...

more rounds of tea, which led to...

sitting in my sewing room looking at everything waiting to be completed, which led to...

making some space on my desk so I can actually work on it, which led to...

picking things up off the floor in my sewing room, (so I could vacuum it!), which led to...

finishing the vacuuming!

Of course by this time it's almost time to get dinner on and it had taken me an incredible 7 hours to get the vacuuming finished and I don't even have a big house!

I need to get into my sewing room.

But I thought I'd ask you - do you procrastinate?

Carole :)

A weekend of painting (or trying to!)

I spent this last weekend at a beginners watercolour painting class here in town. 

Loads of fun, a touch of frustration now and again, and loads of drooling at others works of art!

I got loads of practice at apples and mushrooms :))

The top painting is india ink and water.

The bottom painting is india ink, watercolour and water.

I did have lots of fun and am very encouraged to keep painting! (or trying to paint LOL)

After all I have got quite a few journals to fill!!

Hope you're having a fab week!

Carole :))

Our third winner and the last giveaway for march!

All the little bits of paper tossed up and down and around and around (you'll have to excuse me, I'm a very tactile person, no random generators for me! LOL)

Anyway, all the little bits of paper with all the names from comments left since last Sunday got chucked around in a hat, (because a plain old bowl just didn't seem elegant enough),

and the name drawn was.........

Marlynn!

Congrats Marlynn, please email me your address and I will pop a lovely piece of spoon art in the mail to you!

So, this means there is only one more giveaway left for my birthday month.

This week I am giving away a book.

The cover is right at the top of this post and as some of you may be able to guess, 

it is a Japanese book.

It is a paperback with 280 pages and I know there are loads of people out in blogland who love Asian themes, I am not that keen, so I thought I would give it away.

I have been told it's a novel, but I can't read Japanese either so I will never know! LOL

But it will make for a great resource, tear out the pages to use for collage, use the cover, it has that fantastic picture on it, or just keep it as it is. 
Don't forget all you have to do is leave a comment on my blog over this week and next Sunday I'll make the final draw. The more times you comment, the more times your name goes in the draw.

What would you use it for if you won it?

Hope you all have a great week,

Laughs and hugs,

Carole :))

filling another journal

I have been busy filling another journal in preparation for the upcoming journal class.

This cover has a cute wee pocket and I've slipped in a gorgeous wee ATC that was made for me by the adorable Linda. Thanks Linda this is just the perfect display case for it!

I'll be back this afternoon with another winner and will announce the final giveaway for my blog birthday month!

Have a lovely day all!!

Carole :)

Spoon art in my etsy store

Carole :)

Who is that person?

Yes, you'd be right in thinking that's my gorgeous daughter!

I got to spend the weekend with her in New Plymouth, and we spent quite a bit of time on the beach enjoying the sun.

This pic is looking south towards the city of New Plymouth and the coastal walkway.

This is taken from the coastal walkway looking north.

 

We decided the beach looked far too good to ignore.

 

A huge tanker heads north from the Port of Taranaki.

 

While walking on the Coastal Walkway we came across this new bridge. I'm not really sure what I think of it. It doesn't blend into the environment that much.

But I guess it could look like carcass of a whale with all it's bones.

Or maybe it looks like a dinosaur laying in wait with it's long tail?

The water was lovely. Peaceful. Soothing even. 

Calm after the night before when it raged in Japan.

It was a lovely mini break, and a chance not to think about the natural disasters Mother Nature is throwing at us.

Carole :)

Week 2 winner and another giveaway!

And we begin with a drum roll as the piece of paper is drawn .........

and the piece of paper reads........

JENXO!

Congratulations Jen, you have won the birds and the fish!!  LOL

Let me have your snail mail address and I'll pop your winnings in the mail to you.

Now for the exciting part.

The gift that's up for grabs for week 3 is a little something I made.

Using a wee snippet of tape and a very old spoon,

here's your very own art spoon.

All you have to do is leave a comment during the week. At the end of the week

I will draw a name from them all to find a winner!

It's that easy!

Good luck!

Carole :)

what some of the girls said about my journal class.....

 

“This is the best on-line class I have taken. Your attention to detail is outstanding. Besides, it was nice being among cyber-acquaintances. It made it even more fun! Thanks Carole!!!”   Dotti

“BTW I have absolutely loved your class and when I say it has been the best one that I have done I am not joking. The videos were fantastic very easy to follow”  Doreen

“Carole, I can't think of one even slightly negative thing to say about this workshop. You are a skilled teacher, quite organized, creative and just an all around lovely person. It's nice to be in such good company!”  Jan

“Seriously, this is my 4th online class and it is by far the best because of your ability to generate a great atmosphere among the students!”  Dotti

“I have now started my first journal and I want to say 'thank you' for such a good course.” Sharne

“Carole, thank you so much for the lessons here and the inspiration and motivation this lovely blog gives me to get off my butt and do something!” Julie

“I want to thank Carole for teaching this class.  I have had tons of fun and I definitely got carried away!!  Carole - you are a GREAT teacher.  Every step was described in excellent detail and yet you left a great deal of room for individual creativity.  Being able to use what was in my stash was pretty incredible.” MA 

“Carole, this is just a blast!!” Maggie

“Carole this class was such a blast and I really had so much fun creating my journal.   I already am thinking about all the future journals. :-)  Thank you for putting together such a super class!” Gail

“I want to thank you, Carole, for the chance to take your course. It is the most fantastic journal and just suits what I wanted to do. Your instructions are excellent! What a great teacher you are.” Carol K

“I am having the most amazing fun - thanks to Carole's course.” Lottie

“I echo everything that has been said about this course. Carole you have been fantastic and having had a couple of bad classes lately you have restored my faith. Inspirational! And a huge thank you.” Maggi

 

Would love to have you join us this year for some creative goodness! 

Carole :))

last years journals

My journal class will be starting soon, on the 2nd April. I was taking a wander through the blog for last years journal class and I am still blown away by the incredible talent and the stunning journals that the girls made.

Here are just a few examples.

Handmade by Magpie's Mumblings

Handmade by Yitte

Handmade by Gail

Linda's journal in the making

Handmade by Penny

Handmade by Doreen

Handmade by Val

There were so many beautiful journals and the inside pages were stunning too.

Some I would consider far too nice to write on! 

Thank you for letting me share a glimpse of your journals here, they are too nice not to share!

Carole :) 

A winner and week 2 giveaway!

We have a winner for week 1 of my blogging birthday month!

From all the comments left over the first week..........

QUEEN OF DREAMSZ!

Congrats and please email me with your postal address and I'll get your gift in the mail.

If I don't hear anything by next weekend I will make another draw.

Now, moving right along....

Time for week number two gift.

a ten metre spool of my fantastic bird tape plus

 some good old kiwi chocolate fish to keep your energy levels up! LOL

All names left during the week will go in the draw for these :))

Carole

I think someone might like these....

Thanks to everyone who left me a Happy Blogiversary message, you are all far too kind for you own good! LOL I am sure I don't deserve it!

ANYWAY, 

I have been searching for something little to give away during my birthday month and found these.

I thought someone may like them.

A fabric pencil case, but I think I would use it for something else, 

What could you store in it?

What about some paper clips?

I will draw a name from all the comments posted on my blog this week and that person will win these two items.

Carole :)

Something a little more festive....

On a more festive note, it's the 1st of March today and that means one thing only...

I am celebrating 4 years of blogging!!

That's right and I want to say thank you to my followers and those friends who leave comments for me on a regular basis. 

Thank you to those who have followed my blog since the beginning, 

and to those who have joined me along the journey.

 

I am giving away some wee gifts every week during the month of March.

I love reading your comments, they make me smile.

 

At the end of each week, I will draw a name from all the comments left 

during that week and one person will win something special.

 

Hope you are able to pop by and help me celebrate.

Carole x

**cup cake image borrowed from www.lawmemo.com