My Piano!

 Here I am with my piano!  I've wanted a piano all my life and finally I have one!  It isn't new and it needs tuning but it's mine!

 ...and it was free...

...so I got dressed for the occasion!  I took the photo's myself:-)
Thank you to my Angels for answering my prayers:-)
Thanks for visiting, I have not blogged for over a month due mostly to health issues but I AM still doing crafty things!
Enjoy your day and NEVER give up on your dreams:-)
{{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

Butterflies

I went to SENZ last weekend and this is a card I made using one of the dies I bought.  It is an Elizabeth Craft Designs Die.  It is a bit hard to photograph because of how the card folds in and out.

Had a GREAT time at SENZ and  got some new dies/card/stamps etc.  

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

What Brand of Die Is This?

Does anyone know which brand this die is?  This one came from the Brisbane Paper Craft Show in Australia at the beginning of June this year.  It has no brand name or anything on it.   If you know which brand it is could you please email me at sapphirerose@orcon.net.nz    Thank you so much!  
Update!  The above die is from a company called "Fancy That" and the die is called, "Wildflower Head 2".  The code is Pch057.
Thank you to Robyn D for this info:-)

"Trouble and Trix"!

 In the top photo "Romeo-Valentino" has wrapped himself inside one the drapes!  All I could see from the outside of the drape was a large round shape! 

Here he is trying to sleep on top of the foot stool.  He doesn't fit too well so I put another big cushion thing beside the stool for him to stretch out on!  He is a great source of amusement!

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

Bookmarks # 1

The first few book marks I made for the local hospital to sell.  I have quite a few hospital appointments and each time I go I try to take some cards and/or bookmarks I have made for them to sell.  The money they get from them goes to the Hospice.

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

Bookmarks # 2

These are a few of the bookmarks I made for the hospital to sell.

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

Rolled, Modelled and Baked!

 The blue ear-rings match a necklace in one of the posts below.  I had a blitz on making some jewelry recently and in this post and the ones below you will see what I made!  Sooo much fun!

These are some of what I made.  "pasSHONAte"!
Thanks for visiting;{{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

Hand Made By ME!

 I had FUN making these!  As you can see, I love bright colours!

It was very relaxing sitting here rolling clay and making these!  I am sure I will make some more one day!  Thanks for visiting; {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

My Jewelry

Here's another necklace I made using Sculpy modelling clay.  The clear gem on the bottom was/is part of a cheap Xmas decoration I got in the Boxing Day Sales.  Thanks for visiting; {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

Handmade Jewelry

 These are some necklaces I made using Sculpy modelling clay and some beads.  Lot's of fun!  Thanks for visiting; {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

Free Stuff Again!

 This was a cabinet my neighbour was getting rid of.  She asked if I wanted it.  Another "bargain" at a price I could afford!

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

Is It Easter Yet?!

 These are some Bunnies I made and have on display in one of my windows.  They are the same bunnies as in the post above, oops, below!  Don't they look happy! 

This is a soft toy bunny I got from the Op Shop for $1!  He was brand new!  The carrots and coloured eggs were from the $2 Shop.  The basket was one I had and I sprayed it with some copper coloured paint and then stuck some flowers on to it.  

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

Bunnies

 The top photo is of one of my front windows that I have decorated with flowers and bunnies I made!  I used some dies to cut out the flowers.  The bunnies were made using a Stampin' Up! template I have had for many years. Unfortunately there's a huge tree reflected in the window which was hard to avoid. 

The bottom photo is of the same bunnies as in the window, these ones in the jar were some I took to the local hospital for them to sell.  There was about twelve in the end.  Lot's of fun to make!

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

Two Purrito's!

 Top photo shows Bella-Rosa sitting (nicely!) on what she perceives to be her foot (bum?!) stool, and down below...

is Romeo-Valentino on what he perceives to be his foot (bum?!) stool!  Of course I perceive it to be my foot-stool seeing as I was the one who walked across the road and carried it home from my neighbours when she was throwing it out!

"Your perception is your reality."   Perception is everything!

Romeo likes to roll all over the stool and scratch it (he's allowed to) and generally have a dam good time on it!  His bum hangs off one side while his head falls off the other, but it's all part of the game for him!  Bella-Rosa sits nicely on it, scratches her claws then tucks her front feet under her and looks like a neat little racing car!

As for me??  I just like to put my feet on it when it's possible!  It will be good in winter because then I can put my toes under which ever cat is sitting on the stool - we'll all be happy!

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

Thank You Card

This is the thank you card I made and sent to the hospital after I spent a week there recently.  The two main nurses I had were amazing and took great care of me.  Thanks to everyone concerned!

I used an SU punch and matching stamps for the flowers.  Some I stamped on vellum, some on white card.  I used the SU Scalloped Tag Punch for the dark blue tag.

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

Umm, What Was THAT?!

 I was watching the ice skating on tv last Sunday afternoon when I heard a loud 'sound'.  It had been very windy all day I had been up and down every time I heard a noise thinking something had broken.  Each time I could see nothing out of place.

 So when I heard this loud noise I just figured it was something on the neighbours place and I didn't get up to look.  The ice skating was too good to miss!

However half an hour or so later when I did get up THIS is what I saw!  One of my neighbours huge tree's had come down in the wind and landed in my back yard.  In the first photo you can see their place behind my garden shed.  What you can't see is the chair I sit on in the sun with all the cats!  Lucky I wasn't sitting there when the tree fell!

Where I live in the Waitakere Ranges there are thusands of protected Native tree's that you are not allowed to cut down.  The council here are super-strict about it and if you don't abide by their laws you can end up with a very hefty fine.  

So, I called the Council and told them what had happened.  They said "DO NOT TOUCH IT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES,  and go and see the neighbour who owns the tree and tell them to call the council".  "You may need to get a PERMIT to chop the fallen tree up and cart it away!"  Pardon?  A PERMIT to chop up a dead (non Native) tree??  Isn't that a bit OTT???

So off I went to see the neighbours whom I had not met before.  Told them the story and they too were like, "A PERMIT to cut up an dead tree, really?!"  Yep, really.  So they contact the council and tell them the story.  Tree fell on the neighbours place, can we chop it up and remove it?

"No way", said the council, "You need to wait until a PLANNER comes out to look at the tree and checks if you need a PERMIT to chop it up and take it away!"

OMG, my poor neighbours were gobsmacked, like me!

So we wait.  Another call to the council and guess what?  We can chop it and do what we like with the tree and no permit is required!  This council person was as gobsmacked as we were that we had both been told not to touch the tree until a council Planner had been to see if we needed a permit to chop it up!!

Honestly, what a hoo ha over a dead tree!  

So now my neighbours are coming to chop up the tree and dispose of it.  In the meantime the cats have been having a great time climbing the fallen tree!

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

I Went Shopping...

 ...and got everything in the next five posts FREE!!  My neighbour is moving house and was getting rid of all this furniture.  They helped me across the road with it...now I have to decide where in my stamp room does it go, and what goes in each set of drawers/cabinet. The above photo is the cabinet open and the pic below is it closed.  It also has a lock on it.

"My son will help you move it into place when you decide where you want it," said my lovely neighbour.

So what did I do?  Moved it myself, an oh boy was it HEAVY!  Especially when I discovered one of my cats having a free ride in it as I desperately tried to move it!!  

So I had a good shopping day that day and it was all free with a smile!

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

More Stuff For Free!

 The four drawer set above has rollers on each drawer so they open and close easily.  At the moment I have this one under my trestle table that I have my Cuttlebug on, and other things I use often.  I have pencils,pens and rulers in the top drawer so when  need them they are right there.

Not sure where I will put this set of drawers or what I will put in it, but it will be arty farty stampin' stuff for sure!

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

Shelves and Drawers

. 

 The top photo is a set of two file drawers.  Not sure what I will put in it but if I need 'sides' on it I can put sheets of corrugated card along it.

This bookcase is, at the moment, in one of my spare bedrooms as I am not sure where I am eventually going to put it.  So far both my cats have claimed it as 'theirs'!

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

Carpet Anyone?!

 This roll of carpet is about 5 metres in length and I will cut it in half and make two large mats for my kitchen floor for the winter.  This house is very cold and wet in winter so the carpet will come in very handy and maybe cut down on my power bill:-)  It appears to be brand new carpet too.

This little foot stool is SUPPOSED to be for MY feet but both cats adore it and it is a scramble to see who gets it first!  Usually the cats win hands down!  I was thinking of making a new cover for it. 

These items were also free from my neighbour.

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

Last of My Shopping Spree!

 The last of my free shopping spree!  A chair for the garden and a ceramic top stool which now happily resides in my bathroom!

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

Bird Talk

 I went for a hike through the Cascades with some friends awhile ago and when we had lunch I noticed this Magpie watching me as I ate  my lunch.  I was able to get right up close and hand feed him some crusts of bread.  In the top photo he was more interested in what I had in my cup!  I'm sure he would have tasted it if I had offered!   After these were taken he flew off up the hill and disappeared.  About twenty minutes later I went up the hill to the golf course and called him.  (No, I didn't know his name!)  From out of the bushes he came, running & skipping along the grass and came right up to me to get some more bread!  Other Magpies came too but none of them would come close to me except this one.  I think he was sorry to see me leave!  Thanks for dropping by: {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

My Furry Friends!

 This cute fluff ball above is my friend Sarah's cat, "Chi".  She is absolutely gorgeous!  Love that fur coat she has!

This gorgeous bloke here is Sarah's dog, "Chunky".  Look at those beautiful eye's!  'It's time for a nap', he says'!  He's such a big softie and wouldn't hurt a fly!

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

My Favourite Flowers

 These are my all time favourite flowers at the Auckland Domain.  Anytime I visit there in the summer, these are the flowers I always photograph.  The white one above was in the indoor pond, and the purple one was in the big pond outside.  The white one has a slight pink blush which fades to white as it opens out further.  

The one thing that bothered me that day was, there was a big sign by the indoor pond asking people to please NOT put their hands in the water.  There are fish in there and as well as that the oil and grease form your hands affects the plants and also the fish.  I saw many people choose to ignore this sign and put their hands in the water.  Shame there wasn't a shark in there, people might have taken a bit more notice of the sign then! 

I had taken a train into the Auckland Domain last week as it was such a gorgeous hot sunny day.  It's not far from here by train and is a very pleasant ride.  There are acres and acres of lush green grass with gently rolling slopes; tree's galore and of course, the gardens which I love, and the Museum too.  Although it was busy there is plenty of room for everyone.  It was so relaxing and peaceful and great to get away from it all for the day.  I came home feeling very relaxed and chilled out - slightly sun kissed and very happy!  I will go again sometime this summer as it is such a beautiful place.  If you visit Auckland you must go here!  Google Auckland Domain and see for yourself!

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

Cat Monument

 The cat was on top of a very tall monument thing at the Domain.  Although I have been here many times, this was the first time I noticed the cat! It is beside the pond at the Winter Gardens. 

This interesting looking thing is actually a big bud from one of the waterlilies which is in the pond inside the Winter Garden.  It would have been great to go back in a day or two and see if it was open!

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

Cooling Off!

 While I was sitting by the lake having lunch the sparrows were busy keeping cool in a shallow pool which was on the side of the lake.

I have to say, it was very tempting to join them as it was so hot that day!

Mr. Blackbird took shelter in the shade of a fence.  He had his beak open to keep cool. Thanks for visiting, {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)

A Day At The Domain

 This blackbird was feeling the heat and sat on the grass with his wings and feathers spread, and beak open, to keep cool.  He was not at all worried at how close I was and posed willingly for my camera!

"Which is my best side," he seems to be saying, as he turns from one side to the other! Thanks for dropping by, {{HUGS}} from me to YOU:-)