"The Skaters Edge"...and More!

 This is one of the ANZAC Poppies that I got from the display at Titirangi.  (See post below for more info.)
There were 1000 of them - all hand made and very pretty and colourful!

 Below are my new roller skates I just got!  Many years ago I did artistic skating and never lost passion to skate again, in spite of all the local rinks closing down and one even being made into a fruit and vegetable store!  (Roller skating was my 'first love!' and I began at the age of four!) I recently found a home based company called "The Skaters Edge" who sell skates.  The card above is the card I made and sent Rachael and Philip thanking them for all their help.  Such nice people.

 Less than a week later these are the beautiful skates that arrived at my front door, with NO charge for courier service!!  How good is that!  (And even the courier guy was nice & friendly!)  I still have my old skates from many years ago, however they were always a size too big and were not easy to skate in.  So I decided to buy these new ones.

As I said, the company is called "The Skaters Edge" and is run by Rachael and Philip.  If you want great, efficient, friendly and knowledgeable service, this is the place to go!  You  can email them at info@skatersedge.co.nz and they will be able to help you find the right skates for you.  Rachael made sure she showed me all my options and made sure that I was completed happy before my final decision was made.  There was no pressure to buy at any time, just a lot of helpful knowledge to make sure I was satisfied.  And I was!  Please check them out if you need new skates.

The skates I chose are basic skates as I just want to skate for pleasure at the moment.  The skates are softly padded for ultimate comfort and are much lighter than my old skates. So now I just need to get to the actual skating rink which unfortunately is miles away from me!  I'll find a way to get there I am sure!  The kitchen floor is my "rink" at the moment & I can tell you, I am rusty!!  I can't even manage a "bunny-hop" at this stage!!  I have not skated for about 15 years!  But hey, old skaters never die they just keep on rolling!  (And get new skates!)

Why have I given this company such a good review on my blog?  Because they deserve it for all their help & knowledge.  They genuinely want to help you get the right skates & the correct size.  If I get good service from a company or store, I will tell people.  Equally if I receive poor service I will let the company or store know, so it goes both ways.

So to Rachael & Philip...thank you!!!  I am one very happy customer!

 And this is "Ro-Ro" watching me from a safe distance!  He was fascinated when I put the skates on for the first time (in my pajama's as the courier called early before I was dressed!) and followed me around the kitchen!  I can only imagine what he thought of me!  "Bella" completely kept her distance and watched from the dining room!  There was no way she was getting her tail run over by a mad woman in her pajama's, on wheels!

"Ro-Ro" keeps an eye on me from a safe distance - on the top of their climbing tree!  He was more interested after I had taken the skates off & could play with the laces!

Okay, that's me for today...got to put my skates on now & have a few spins around the kitchen floor!!

Watch this space for some photo's of me on skates, hopefully at the actual rink!  My old skating teachers are still teaching - and they remember me from all those years ago!

Thanks for visiting - {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

"Anonymous"

To the person who signs in as "Anonymous" and who asked for my permission to use my photo titled "Paw Prints" as background.  Because you sign in as "Anonymous" I know nothing about who you are or what your intentions are in wanting to use my photo.

Please note, my permission is NOT granted to use any of my photo's.  All my photo's are copyright to me and only me.
If you are genuine at least reveal who you are.

 

ANZAC Day 2013

 This is what I saw when I walked up the road to Titirangi Village shops this afternoon. The traffic roundabout is at the top of the road and someone (or several someone's!) had "planted" 100's of gorgeous hand made Poppies for ANZAC Day.  They are made from what looks like felt material with black buttons sewn in the centers.

 I had been to the supermarket and my way home, just past the traffic Island I met a lady who had been taking photo's of these Poppies.  We stopped and chatted about how beautiful they were and how, if you came back on Sunday you would be gifted a Poppy with the promise that you had to do something kind and peaceful for someone.

 I told the lady, her name was Carly, that I was going to walk home and get my camera (We both have Canon camera's) and come back to take some photo's of the Poppies.

 She insisted that she drive me home to get my camera.  So that's what she did.  I only live about 2 minutes drive from the Poppies but it is up a very steep hill.

 Carly stopped outside my place and told me go and get my camera and she would drive me back up the (horribly steep) hill so I could take some photo's.  So I did.

 She then dropped me back at the Village and these are some of the photo's I took. (I went overboard and took heaps!)  I don't know this wonderfully kind lady, but I do know that somewhere along life's highway she will be rewarded for her kindness and generosity of spirit.

 I gave her my business card with my blog address so one day she might have a look at my art work  and also see these photo's I took.  And she will get to know me a bit more by reading my blog.

 It is a very busy road and there are five roads converging on the traffic island where the Poppies are.  

I have no peripheral vision so it was a big challenge for me to keep crossing the roads to get photo's from all angles!

 Another very kind lady whom I do not know, came to my aid and kindly helped me cross so I could some close up shots of the Poppies.

I am so grateful I live in a country where total strangers will reach out and offer you help  if you need it.
Thank you so much to both wonderful ladies, especially you Carly!  You are truly a wonderful, kind person!
I hope our paths cross again sometime!

And thank you to all those wonderful Anzacs who fought for our freedom.  I am where & who I am today because of your courage & belief in our beautiful countries.  Both New Zealand & Australia.

And last but not least this is Bella sitting on one of my new chairs I got free from the side of the road a few weeks back! They are very comfortable, and in great condition, and I am going to put some flat cushions on them.  Those tie on ones.

And that is Romeo in the background, sitting on top of the tv!  His favourite place to watch the birds from as he can see them up close when they land on the top of the carport roof which is close to the window he is looking out!  I tried to get Bella to look at the camera but she was busy having a wash!  Anyway, it was the chair I was focused on!  Funny how both cats seem to get into all my photo's, no matter what it is I am photographing!  (In their eyes they are celebrities and I am the PAW-parazzi!!)

Thanks for visiting, {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

You Were Seen!

On the afternoon of Wednesday April 24th 2013 you entered onto my property and deliberately dumped your full, smelly bag of rubbish on my front lawn by my front door. 

You were also caught on security camera.  Your personal details were found in the bag of rubbish.

Karma is a wonderful source of revenge!

Enjoy your life:-)

"Do Not Disturb!"

This is "Romeo-Valentino" asleep on his climbing tree!  His back legs sticking out one end & his head at the other end!  Not to mention hi tummy hanging down in the middle!  There is a large hole in the centre of the bit he is asleep on & usually I have a piece of carpet over it so he doesn't fall through.  However this day I had taken the carpet out to clean it.  Before I had finished Ro-Ro" was back on the climbing tree & fast asleep!  I was sorely tempted to tie an elastic belt around him in case he slipped right through the hole!  (Bungy jump anyone?!) He would not have been amused at all!  I was also tempted to hang a sign on his foot!  (I didn't do that, either.  I know my limits!)

He is the 'character' (aka goof-ball) of the family, "Bella" is more 'refined' and doesn't often do stupid things like "Ro-Ro" does!  

By the way, the little pink cushion hanging there, says, "Cutie Patootie", and that is what I have always called him!  "Bella" has one that says, "The Princess Sleeps Here", and she has always been called The Princess!

Me??  I'm the Drama Queen, but have yet get myself a sign!

Okay, that's me for today!  Thanks for visiting, {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

"Owl Be Thinking of You!"

 Here are two "owls" I made today!  I found the instructions on www.homelife.com.au 

They are both about 6 1/2 inches by 4 1/2 inches in height.  I first made the felt owl using scraps of felt I had.  Instead of sewing him/her together, I used my hot glue gun.  Oh boy!  What a mess I got into!  Hot glue everywhere!  I even managed to get some in my hair!  Having long hair  it was a challenge to un-glue myself!  I will hand stitch the next one!  I want to enlarge the pattern & make them about 8 - 12 inches and use them as decorative cushions on my sofa.  You could stitch a piece of ribbon on the back of this and make it into a hanging mobile for kids!  Even put some scented powder inside it!  The possibilities are as endless as your imagination:-)

I lightly stuffed him with two layers of batting.  If you over-stuff him, he looks bloated!

Having accomplished that, I decided I could also make him into a card!  So here she is!

I cut the same pattern but used card instead of felt.  I used my Swiss Dots embossing folder on her wings and added as butterfly & heart to her.  I also changed the eyes on this owl.  This isn't a good photo as it came out too bright.
Okay, thank you for dropping by, {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

Cat's, Flying Pigs and Some Other Stuff!

 These three little pigs flew in from USA last week!  They are "The Pink Squadron" from Penny Black. (2602K)  Lorraine http://papervernissage.blogspot.com has them on her blog and I just had to have some!  Thanks Lorraine!  I stamped a chimney (Good Stamps Stamp Goods) then a few tree tops first.  The on separate card I stamped the 3 pigs, cut them out and put sponge tape under the left & right pigs.  I added some glitter and some dimensional magic on their wings and they were ready for take off!  I love the expressions on their faces!

 The same three pigs in full flight!  I inked up the negative side of an embossing folder then embossed it.  I added the pigs last, with a touch of glitter.

 I just love love love The Cat in the Hat books!  I stamped the three cats (each a separate stamp), typed the words and by chance I found a picture of the real CITH hat!  I cut that out and glued it to the cat with the hearts.  The red hat is from some that a friend gave me some time ago.  This card tickles my sense of humour!  I am hoping to find a stamp of the CITH hat, otherwise I will have to draw it if I want to make any more cards like this.

 This little bird ornament has a story behind it!  In the Boxing Day Sales I found some really cheap Xmas baubles.  This one was one of them.  When I un-packed them one was broken.  Well I wasn't about to throw it away so out came the hot glue gun, some sparkly tinsel stuff the gold Kindyglitz and of course, the bird!  I found a small twig and glued it to the inside of the bauble (you can't see that bit) so it was sticking out.  Then I stuffed the sparkly tinsel stuff inside the hole & clipped the bird onto the twig.  The bird is on a spring so he bounces around when you touch him.  The bird is more sparkly than you can see here.

I liked him so much I have not put him away yet!

 This is one of the cups I made recently.  I buy the cups from the Op Shop and fill them with plaster of Paris.  Then I make the wire bits and insert them into the POP.  When the POP is dry I decorate the top, this one has baby things on it.  The wire bits hold small cards or photo's, or anything you like.  I also hung tiny baby toys on this one.  I just need to find saucers for them then I will sell them. 

This is my door stop for my back door.  It too has a story behind it.  Many years ago I carried this stone (it is really heavy!) for some distance across the sand dunes and then crossed the estuary in a boat and finally got it home!  It was quite an adventure but I just had to have this stone!  It came from a place that is very special to me, a place where I spent most of my childhood.

Fast forward many years & it was time to actually "do" something with it.  I had the urge to decorate it.  I painted it pale pink then glued this tiny cat on to it and then glued the tiny flowers and hearts around the cat. 

So that's me for today!  Hope you have enjoyed your visit!

{{HUGS}} from me to YOU-)

I like the end result!