HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
I hope that you have a wonderful 2012....full of fun and happiness!
Let's start the year off with a fun Crafty Challenge!! Not everyone goes away over the Holidays so let's get those crafty minds activated and those hands busy!
I was nicely surprised a few days ago when the FED EX man drove up our driveway with a HUGE BOX!
Thanks to LEAD FISKATEER Rebecca Peck I now have some of these fabulous Fiskars Special Edition Winter Punches.......and in true Fiskateer spirit I'm going to share some of these with you all.
I am keeping some being the PUNCH QUEEN that I am......LOL! Thanks Rebecca!!!!
ok...........to be in the draw to win one of these Winter Special Edition Punches all you need to do is to put together a little project that could be used to celebrate Australia Day......and email through to
fiskarscraft@yahoo.com.au
With AUSTRALIA DAY Challenge in the title
It could be a card,LAYOUT,canvas,photoframe,mini album,journal,gift box,party favour ,etc,etc.....you might have friends around for a BBQ or dinner...maybe have a famiy get together...so I'm sure you can think of something crafty you can make..................could even be little cupcakes with flags,etc....just have fun with this challenge.
If you use a Fiskars Tool then you have an extra entry into the draw.......sound easy?
If you don't live in Australia...no probs...you can still enter by just sending through a fun party type project that you have made especially for this challenge......party favour,invitation,party hat,present idea,etc.etc.....that could be used at a CELEBRATION PARTY!
Have fun with this Challenge everyone! What better way to bring in the NEW YEAR than a Crafty Challenge!!
AUSTRALIA DAY is celebrated on JANUARY 26th........
So let's close this Challenge on JANUARY 25th with the winners announced on AUSTRALIA DAY!!
That gives you a little over 3 weeks to get crafty these holidays!
Can't wait to see what you all come up with......shall be choosing at least 3 random winners!!
PS.
This post shall also be going up on the Fiskars Craft Blog later today!
FAMILY NEWS
Rod is home from hospital after an ambulance trip to Maroondah Hospital in the wee hours of Friday morning......turns out he had a Kidney Stone.....he was in soooooo much pain and they gave him the maximum amount of morpheine.....he is now back home and back working.....on medication to dissolve the stone and for any pain......and a trip to a Specialist soon to find the cause.....but for now........he is back to his cheery self......and welcoming visitors to the BLUE LOTUS WATERGARDEN!
WOWIE.....it's been a hectic few weeks around home so I'm finally slowing down and catching up on my photo edits.......we had Ryan's Wedding on Dec. 23rd......and Sam was a Page Boy/Ring Bearer....he did such a great job....and considering it was about 30 degrees....he didn't complain about being hot in his gorgeous suit.....aren't both boys so darn cute....Sam is only 3 and 3 months.....
I also managed to get some great family pics with the kids....
Rod and I enjoyed our time there and then we brought SAM back home with us for the night!
It's hard to believe that SAM was able to perform his role so well at such a yong age....but he did a fabulous job....
He loved all the rose petals that the little flower girl dropped from her basket......he wanted to go back and pick them up......LOL! So darn cute.....he loves flowers and has since he was very young.....
Gemma looked gorgeous in her lovely white dress.....and so did mum SALLY!
I'm now all finished editing my Wedding Pics and have placed them onto a DVD for the kids to have....so now it's on to our Christmas Eve and Christmas Day family pics.....................back soon once I have edited them and downloaded.....we also had Rosemary and Shane here last night so another get together.....we have done this each BOXING DAY for over 35 years.....
The BLUE LOTUS WATERGARDEN has now opened.....so it's a busy time around here for the next 3 months!! Rod is working 7 days and I start working weekends from Jan 1st....NEW YEAR'S DAY!! Once the buses start coming...................it's all hands on deck.......
I have put together a little Video showcasing some of the NEW things you can see this Season.....here's the link http://youtu.be/uM7MgYIr4MM once I have a chance to take more pics I'll add them in.......back in a few days................you can also just scroll down to see the Video in the Post below.............................
THANK YOU also to TONI for this gorgeous handmade Christmas Card that arrived last week
Love how Toni used the Fiskars Halloween Border Punch and also how she made this card using a Photo she took of the Christmas Bow she made at the Aussie Fiskateer Christmas Party....so darn creative!! THANK YOU TONI!
Looky what I received in today's mail from fellow Fiskateer Anna......thank you Anna....it's so pretty! I love how you have used your NEW Fiskars Border Punch......lovely!
I feel so spoilt this week with all the lovely handmade cards I have been receiving......here's afew more from Dianne, Lyn and Debbie...................thanks ladies!
Debbie Green sent me the lovely Step Card.....and Anna gave me the Open Door/Wreath Xmas Card last Friday...................aren't they clever little chickies!!
Thanks also to Dianne Whiteside and Lyn Smith for these wonderful handmade cards......just realised I forgot to photograph Wendy's Card....thanks Wen...I love it!!
These ladies know how much I love creating my own cards so to receive a handmade card just brightens my day as I know the work involved in creating them and the thought behind them....
THANK YOU!!!!!
I've spent yesterday and today helping Rod set up in the GARDEN SHOP and NURSERY at the BLUE LOTUS WATERGARDEN......having a bit of time off tomorrow to go grocery shopping...then back at it....only 6 days until OPENING.....................BOXING DAY from 10:30am - 5:30pm! The Season then goes through until March 31st.....OPEN everyday ...7 days a week
What a fun day we had last Friday when 9 Aussie Fiskateers got together for a Fiskary Christmas Party full of laughs and fun.......some Harmonious singing.....LOL! .......fun games and yummy food!
It was great to see everyone getting into the Fisk-a- mas Spirit dressing up and wearing plenty of Orange and Green and Christmas Colours! We started the day with a little Introduction Game.......when in came this gorgeous Fiskary Elf....aka Kathy!!
Isn't she just the cutest Fisk-a-Elf you ever did see!! Kathy made this entire costume from scratch for the day.....and took out the prize for BEST DRESSED!!! Well done Kathy!
We then played NAME THE 9 REINDEEER GAME ....with a 3 minute time restraint....and Kathy finished in about 10 seconds flat.......LOL! Think this Fiskary-Elf had an unfair advantage seeing she works with SANTA.....LOL! As for the other Fiskateers......well let's just say there were some strange names emerging.....he,he.
We then asked Kathy to sing her answer.....which she did beautifully....another winner and a dip in SANTA'S PRIZE BAG!!
Next game was RUDOLPH BALLOON ANTLERS GAME
The Fiskateers were divided into 2 TEAMS of 4 and had to blow up 8 balloons each team....then TEAM LEADERS had to stuff the ballons into the Stocking Legs in sequence....red,green,red,green,etc.etc.......until all 8 balloons were inside....then TEAM LEADERS had to put the RUDOLPH ANTLERS on their head and stand up........
The idea is to not blow the balloons up very far......as Anna's Team soon realised......so darn funny...
Dianne's Team were worthy winners working very well as a Team and Dianne made a lovely RUDOLPH!
Anna's Team also finished their ANTLERS....and she also made a great RODOLPH!
We then ventured outside and the Fiskateers paired up for the next game
WRAP THE CHRISTMAS PRESENT
Each pair had to put one arm around the other and only use one hand each to wrap.......
Judging was done by some of the other Fiskateers.....and we even roped in my hubby Rod for his opinion......LOL!
It was a lot of fun........it's not easy only using one hand.......LOL!
Toni and Lyn managed to wrap their present....
Their ribbon wrapping was very creative.......LOL!
Tracy and Anna certainly Teamed up well to wrap their present....they worked out right from the start...who was right handed and who was lefthanded....very clever ladies!!
Sandra's task was to unwrap the presents using only Stove Mittens and Glove.....
and that Fiskary Elf.......Kathy had even painted her nails Orange and Green enamel
After about an hour of fun and games we moved back inside to enjoy a lovely lunch ........all Fiskateers brought along some yummy food to share......
Tracy's hubby Anthony made these yummy choc chip cakes and Tracy created the fun Fiskary Toppers.....................putting her Fiskars Punches to great use!
We had so much food........we were all bursting by the end of the day.......LOL!
Kathy instructed us all to make sure we ate the correct rum balls.....the ones in the GREEN wrappers had alchohol in them......LOL!
After eating ourselves silly with the savouries....we had a little break to work up some more appetite to eat the yummy SWEETS.....so what better way than to sing the AUSSIE JINGLE BELLS SONG......OMG.......the Harmonious singing was just too much for me........I was video taping it.......and just totally lost control...........so darn funny!!!
After lunch we had a fun HAPPY HOUR where I taught a little fun MAKE'N'TAKE using the Fiskars BOW MAKER.......some bells,holly,berries and wired ribbons...........each Fiskateer then created one or two fun BOWS.....
It was lovely to see the Fiskateers all helping one another and chatting way having some crafty fun!
Everyone made a different Bow......and we had a little SHOW AND TELL at the end.....
Sisters Anna and Toni created some gorgeous BOWS......Kathy,Tracy and Rosemary all chatted away creating fun BOWS by adding in some fun embellsihments to the wired ribbon before they used the Fiskars Bow Maker to attch the clip!
It really was a fun day and Rod and I loved having everyone up here at our home....
Tracy not only wore a gorgeous handmade Fiskary Flower.....she also presented me with one....
THANK YOU so much Tracy.......I'll wear it with Fiskary Pride!!
I really loved Rosemary's colour combination for her Christmas BOW!
Lyn Smith presented me with this gorgeous handmade Card and Gift Box House filled with yummy chocolates.........thanks Lyn! She had used several Fiskars Punches and Scissors to create it.......I love it.....
At the end of the day Anna presented me with this gorgeous THANK YOU STAR DECORATION she had made and had got the other Fiskateers to write a little message in.....
Thank you so much Anna and everyone......I shall treasure this...and it's now on our Christmas Tree.....
It folds up so neatly......very creative and clever......
Thank you to Fiskars Australia for providing some fun surprises in the Fiskateer Gift Bags
It was such a wonderful day being able to all get together and share our love of crafting and sense of humour,friendship and Fisk-a-love!
Thanks everyone for making it such a fabulous day!!!
Hi everyone,
Well the day is finally here.......I'm so darn excited to be sharing a fun day with some Fiskateer friends!
They shall be arriving soon.....I'm just doing a final check to make sure I haven't forgotten anything!
Will be back later tonight with some pics and a party report if I'm not too tired......LOL! Might be over the weekend......
All participants shall get one of these Party Favour Bags Christmas Cracker and Place Card
and looky what's inside......sh.........sh.............sh................one green and one orange choc ball!
See you later tonight..................I hope.......LOL!
xoxo
Lyn Dwyer
Turn up your sound before you press the arrow!! ENJOY!!
I have finally finished this year's Christmas Floral Table Arrangement.....I've put this little How to Video together for readers who may wish to try making one......
For further Step by Step Instructions on creating a Christmas Floral Centrepiece you can go here http://lynd.typepad.com/lyns_thoughts/2009/12/xmas-floral-arrangement-step-by-step.html
If you make one this year....send me some pics....I'd love to see what you create.....it's so theraupeutic and such fun to create!!! I used all plants from around our garden.....
Here's a few from the past 3 years.....
Only 3 days now until the Fiskateer Xmas Party that I'm hosting....woohoo....can't wait to have some fun with another 8 Fiskateers from Victoria!
I've had fun preparing for this day....I love to craft for Christmas....working on my Floral Table Arrangement today.....and setting the tables!!
....and thanks to Fiskars Australia for supporting this day.....with a few surprises arriving this week!
Just a quick and easy Xmas Card using up some more of my stash.......I forgot a couple of people this year...so had to make a couple more cards......
Helping Rod tomorrow with product buying for the WATERGARDEN and then I'm making my Xmas Table Centre Piece using flowers from around our garden....something I look forward to doing each Christmas........need to have it finished by this coming Friday in time for the Fiskateer Xmas Party......
I'm thinking of putting together a HOW TO Video showing how I create it....is anyone interested in seeing it?
