Wednesday's Word of the Week

Hey there bloggers!
As part of my plan to keep up my blogging momentum I thought I'd try out a (hopefully) fun concept.  I'm sure you've heard of the 'Wordless Wednesday' blog posts, well mine is going to be a 'Word of the Week' Wednesday.  Now, I'm not the most erudite of people but I do like to read an awful lot and English was one of my favourite subjects in High School (Theatre and Art being the others - yes, yes, very surprising ;) Anyhoo, part of my obsession with the english language is a complete despisement of incorrect spelling (drives me INSANE - especially deliberate shortenings such as nite, aaarrrghh, and don't get me started with texting - I use complete words - yes, I am one of those ;) and also secretly wanting to re-expand the repertoire of words that we all use day-to-day.  We need to stop dumbing ourselves down and instead smarten ourselves up!  So, I thought that each Wednesday I could post my favourite word that week, complete with definition, example of use and visual interpretation....ie make a card or layout or just find a pic that I think depicts it.  So, bear with me as I embark on this mad mission!
So, without further ado, this weeks word is:

dir·i·gi·ble

[dir-i-juh-buhl, dih-rij-uh-] 

noun

1. an airship.

adjective

2. designed for or capable of being directed, controlled, or steered.

Example of use:  

' "What ho!" said Boots.  "Can I be of any assistance, Lady Maccon?"  The basket-shaped gondola of Lord Akeldama's private dirigible came down out of the sky like some kind of fat and benevolent savior.' - Heartless, Gail Carriger.

'Auto-gyro's rush in where dirigibles fear to tread.' - Dion Shepherd.

Here are a couple of images I found on the web: 

I particularly like the addition of the chicken on top of this one ;)

 

And here is my card offering:

So, your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to work the word dirigible into a  conversation this week - let me know how you use it!

Thanks for stopping by!
B

Hello 2012

Hey there Bloggers!  Did you miss me? ;)
Sorry for the tardiness, but I'm back and raring to go! I've decided that 2012 is the year for taking the bull by the horns!!  So I invite you to join me for the ride!
So, the news so far for 2012...
Shop for Sale.  Yep, just in case you hadn't already heard, Fiona has put the shop (Stamp and Scrapbook Madness) up for sale.  Her husband, Justin, has been given a promotion at his work, unfortunately this involves them moving to Perth. So, if you know of someone that has always dreamed of owning a fabulous and successful Scrapbook shop....complete with kooky staff ;) (I keep telling Fiona that she needs to put a caveat in the sale agreement that I am included (like the stock and the racking ;)
Frankly I'm trying not to think about it too hard.

Meanwhile, it's business as usual at the shop.  Fiona keeps ordering more and more stock like a crazy person (which we love) and is still constantly sourcing new stock and suppliers (which we also love).  She's abandoning me next week to go to CHA so I'm sure she'll come back with lots of goodies that I will covet ;)
(and a signed copy of Compendium of Curiosities 2 for my Birthday if she knows what's good for her ;)

I have 4 classes this schedule - Paradise Cards, Jumbo Stamps Cards, Birthday Book and the upcoming Kaisercraft paper pad class.
Here's some pics:

    

 

I've also spent half the day updating the work blog, so if you haven't checked it out yet, the link is here

Anyway, I'm off to read Dr Seuss and brace myself for tomorrow (I've got a BIG day at work tomorrow)
Thanks for dropping by,
Barbara

Spellbound in Pink and Very Vintage

Hey there Bloggers!
Look at me go - 2 posts in a week, people will talk ;)
Just thought I'd very quickly share a couple more of the classes I'm teaching this week.  I warn you though - the first one is very pink!

 

These are the cards for my 'Spellbound' class - ie they use Spellbinders dies.  I've used 3 of the newly released dies as well as a couple of Tim Holtz stamps.  The flower is actually a Martha Stewart punch (Chrysanthemum) but I just love it so I snuck it in there ;)

I'm not normally a pink girl (I can hear a few of you saying- 'der!') But these papers are so pretty that it wasn't a hardship at all to use them ;)

 

These are my 'Very Vintage' cards.  They are a lot busier and girly than my usual stuff-I pushed myself out of my comfort zone a little with them.  I used a lot of the fabulous new embossing powders, glitters and Mica from Stampendous.  LOVE the new stuff, it's so addictive.  Everyone was mocking Fiona when she confessed that she was more in love with them than anyone should ever love an embossing powder, but seriously, once you use them you HAVE to have them and you get a bit twitchy if you can't ;)

Anyway, I don't have time for this sort of nonsense, I've got to get ready for work!

Thanks for peeking,

B

Barbara's Birthday Bonanza

You gotta love the names given to some of the classes we run at the shop.  Fiona's mission is to get 'So You Think You Can Stamp' on the schedule, whereas mine is 'Fun With Flock and Glitter' (try saying that 3 times fast) so far we are at a nil-all mexican stand-off.  Although we are all so tired at the moment they both may end up in the next schedule just because we can't think of anything else ;)
So, after having a semi-frantic phone call yesterday reminding me that I had a class this Friday involving 6 cards and the one card I had actually already done was lost somewhere in the chaos that is my craft desk I then proceeded to stay up until 2am this morning making cards in time to be put in this morning's newsletter.  Ah, such fun. Check out those moustaches though - I HAD to have that stamp set when it came in.  Anyone who has known me for 5 seconds or longer knows that I compulsively turn all manner of objects into moustaches.

Not too shabby really.  The wheels spin on the bike and you pull the icing part of the cupcake up to reveal the birthday message.
Only 11 days until Operation Tregenza (yay!) I am a little worried that I am going to freeze, so I may just have to wear every item of clothing I own at once. (I hear the Michelin man look is very in this season ;)
Anyway, I'm off to wrestle the chocolate from the children, and finish cleaning out the car.  It's off to the 'Car-Doctor' (Hamish-ism) tomorrow for an indetermined amount of time (sniff). Fingers crossed it wont be too long.
Have a great night,
B

Life, The Universe and Everything

I'm warning you all now that I'm in a bit of a weird mood today. 
I don't know whether it's 1. the freezing cold (I mean really, 4 degrees?  Couldn't it make the effort and warm up a little?) 2. the consistent lack of sleep (mostly my own fault - I've become addicted to Craig Ferguson's late, late show - honestly, I'm powerless against a mad Scotsman with a sleazy gay robot side-kick ;) or 3. the fact that I'm coming to the conclusion that I must have accidently set off some catastrophic Mummy curse at some stage (my only logical conclusion - I mean, now someone reverses into the front of my car?  Has it not suffered enough?)
Anyway, that's enough whinging.
So, I've been driving my poor gal pal Rachel mad by torturing her with my complete lack of computer savvy.  If you witnessed the weird-looking appearence of my blog for 12 hours or so - that was me torturing Rachel to help me change my blog, failing miserably and then ringing her at an un-godly hour begging her to teach me how to change it back ;)
So, any ideas or tips for revamping my blog without losing my header (or making it green) please, bless me with your wisdom ;)
You may have also noticed the little BublTree etsy store jigger on my blog (if the whinging didn't scare you away ;)
The aforementioned Rachel and I have just opened our own etsy store together where we will be selling all manner of crafty goodness. 

 

(check out my super fuzzy crocheted coathangers ;) we are still slowly adding the items we've made so bear with us.

It was Hamish's birthday last week - he turned 5 (eek) and is very cross that he isn't going to school now.  

Check out the awesome Dino cake that my gal pal Lyndal made

I've also been super busy at work, teaching lots of classes.  Most recently my 'Creativity Journal' which is really just a fancy name for a folder that you can use for organising stuff.

We also had our all day Christmas in July class yesterday.  Where there was far too much laughing and guffawing going on.  (let's just say that I'll be suspicious now whenever Dion cooks dinner ;)

Anyway, I'm off to make 19 sets of dog-tags for a 7yr old's birthday party (fun) and need to get off the computer before Connor's head explodes with impatient fury.

Thanks for stopping by.
B

The Immortal Class

Hello!
Yes, I'm still alive.  I know that some of you may have wondered if I'd fallen off the face of the Earth, but rest assured I am still here.
For those that have been into the shop or went to the show, you will know that I have been working like the proverbial!
 One reason is the ever-popular Vintage Journal Class that I've been teaching.  I can't take the credit for the popularity though - the class is one that I did with the fabulous Jane Tregenza.  I'm particularly giddy with excitement at the moment as I'm off to Adelaide in July with one of my gal pals Rachel to stay at Jane's for a couple of days and do an all day crop at her store.  (yay!)

 The other classes that I have been teaching alot has been the Take-Away menu folder (one of my favourite creations - it's a spiral bound book that you make with pockets to put your T/A menu's in!)

 I've also been teaching my Tree-mendous cards (that Fiona loves a pun ;)

My favourite is the card with the girl on the swing, the set also comes with a boy on a tyre swing that you could add instead (very cute.)

Anyway, I'm off to have a hot shower to attempt to warm up (it's freezing! And apparently last night was the coldest night in 2 years - brrr)

I'll try not to be such a stranger ;)
Thanks for stopping by!
B

Long Time No See ;)

Hey there bloggers.
I've decided to ignore the 'flu I'm battling to post some pics of some cards I've made for the new schedule.  They are very cute and easy to make.

The only trouble I've had with them is that people keep pulling the tag out on the one filled with mini M&M's while it's hanging up and M&M's go everywhere!

I've almost finished the Take-Away Menu Folder that I'm making and will post some more pics soon.  Anyway, I'm off to finish all of my instructions before I'm beaten with a stick ;)
Have a great Monday!
B

What's in them?

Papers: Echo Park -Little Boy; Playground 

            Cosmo Cricket- Salt Air

Stamps: (cupcake) Stamps by Judith

Clear Compacts: Tattered Angels
Ribbons: Vandoras

Getting There

Hey Bloggers, long time, no see ;) Sorry it's been a bit since my last post, but I've still been feeling a bit off-colour (walking around like the Hunchback of Notre Dame is never attractive.) But I'm getting there. I thought I'd share some show and tell today.  The first card is another one for the Technique Trio class that I'll be teaching, it's using Tim Holtz's Cut'n'Dry Felt (as seen on his 12 tags of Christmas).  I cracked out my new Designer Woodgrain stamp for this one (I am so obsessed by woodgrain)

 I'm still playing around with my photography so don't mock me too much ;)

This next was just me mucking around - trying to cull some of my scraps by making some quick cards.  The stamp is a Tim Holtz that I bought ages ago and still hadn't used (shameful)

The final one is a layout that I did because this LYB paper just arrived in the store and I fell in love!  The baby is my eldest Connor when he was just a few hours old.

Not a terribly good pic of it, but you get the idea.  Anyhoo, I'm off to make dinner, can't wait for tomorrow, I'm going to another trade class with Jane Tregenza (yay!)
Have a great Sunday,
B

What's in it?

Stamps: Hero Arts; Tim Holtz Distress Inks and Re-Inkers;Ribbon:Prima; Button: Kaisercraft

Stamps:Tim Holtz (Urban Grunge); Pattered Paper: Collections

Stamps: Stampendous (small leaves)
Patterned Papers: Little Yellow Bicycle, My Mind's Eye
Flowers: Kaisercraft (paper) Prima (resin & fabric leaves); Ribbon:Prima; Acetate:LYB