Cards for men

As I only have 3 men in my life, I don't often make these, preferring to make envelopes, pockets, bags etc with gift cards inserted!

At craft group last week we were encouraged to use stamps suitable for a male card.

I didn't realise I had so few, but will try to find some more and blow off the dust!

The shirt card was shown to me by one of the ladies, who bought one, to copy, but I've adapted mine.

Black inchie box

Here's another one, ready to fold.

You can see how simple they are to make and fold together!

(Yes, the flower/face one is upside down :o) )

Kookaburras in our yard!

It's amazing the trust completely wild birds have when they want food!

We've had a few kookaburras hang around early morning and late afternoon and have been offering them ground meat as tit bits.

See here for more information http://www.birdsinbackyards.net/bird/37

As well as meat, they do catch caterpillars and beetles off the plants, so are helpful in the garden.

For fans of Blue!

Blue is my 9 year old cockatiel who has the run of our house and is my constant companion and at times, art critic!

He is very curious and quick to learn.

Yes, he eats most things, including - meat, prawns, peanuts, bread, spaghetti, baked beans in tomato sauce, green grapes, peas, corn and salt crystals.

He whistles tunes, but unless I keep him at it he tends to forget and gets them muddled .. bit of a laugh!

He also talks and has a good vocabulary, although there appear to be some sounds he's not able to master.

Inside the cage is just for eating and talking to his mirror, preferring to sleep on the perch on the outside of the cage.

In my craft room he knows which side of my desk he's allowed on and is contenet to chew paper/card or eyeball plastic containers of beads, brads etc.

On occasion he's picked some out and sent them flying!

Usually though, he's content to sit on my shoulder and preen or doze until I'm ready to move.

He's a great companion and certainly has a personality!

Unfortunately, I've never been able to handle him, although he will step onto my outstretched flat hand to be moved from me to cage or into his cage from outside it.

An Inchie box/cube

I came upon this through friend Carol who pointed me here http://www.craftstamper.com/

Look under Free Stuff -Templates and then for Inchie Cube, 3rd from bottom of page and click on the PDF file.

It was fun to stick already made inchies onto the cut-out, but hard to photograph them!

It's just a tiny box that you could use punched pieces, beads, photos, whatever, instead of inchies.

Retro stamps ATCs

Some time back I was given a set of retro style ums and made ATCs with 4 of the letters.

They are all a different shape/size and what I thought would be so simple, actually turned out to be more of a challenge!

I've recently joined a small Aussie ATC group which will present more challenges also, in the form of original [handmade] backgrounds and more thought provoking themes.

I'm looking forward to a change this coming year and really need to stretch my artistic talents !

It's that time of year...

..when I am least creative and with the hot weather of late, I am even less so!

I have joined a group of ATC enthusiasts and hope to be more challenged and creative next year.

To all my followers and those who just pop in, Season's Greetings to you and I hope you will continue to look at my blog.

Thanks for your interest and comments in 2009 :)