I have always been a lover of Stampin' Up - their products and their ideas.

That's why I was so excited to receive their new idea book & catalogue for my birthday from my youngest sister - bless her!

I immediately flicked through it and one night I wrote down all the products I would like.The following pictures show some of my favourites...
^I especially love the bunting stamp here.

Yes, some more of my doodly designs!

Since I have to keep my hands busy, this is a great activity to undertake while watching telly or just chillin' on the couch. Feels like the time just sitting around was worth it.

Yesterday it was my birthday.

The picture shows some of the lovely cards I got.I was allowed a Sunday sleep in.

I skyped my family back in Tassie and opened the presents they had sent me while they watched on the webcam.

Hubby, little Sprout and I went out for lunch.

On the way home, we called into a welcoming party for the newest arrival in our community where we live. It was nice to catch up with people from around the place and have a cluck over a new little baby!!

When we got home, Hubby made us pizza for tea.

All in all, a laid back but enjoyable day!

Now I'm 28!!

With Sprinkles of Sunshine...

I am acquiring quite a collection of really nice business cards from the Etsy shops I purchase from . Some of them are really pretty and need to be kept. I thought that I would devote a notebook (which was purchased on Etsy!) to them and doodle pictures and patterns around them. Here is some of my doodling...

With a little over 10 weeks until Christmas (Oh my gosh), I thought I'd better get into making some decorations for the tree (which we still need to buy).

I have made these before and used as decorations last year for Christmas but they are packed up in a container back in Tasmania so I have to start again and make some more! You can't have enough of these gorgeous looking baubles anyway!^The supplies : sequins, beads, styrofoam balls and bead/sequin pins.
^The start of the first bauble (sorry about the blurriness - I so need a new camera. A digital SLR would be great!)
Basically, you just place a sequin on the ball, get a pin with a bead on it and stick it into the ball through the hole in the middle of the sequin. Keep going like this layering the sequins as you go until it is all covered. You can make them with ribbon loops too so you can hang them.

I did mention in a previous post that I would give you a quick run through how to make these really groovy rugs. It really is not hard and will only take three easy steps to complete.

1. You need 2 bits of fleecy fabric (polar fleece, coral fleece - whatever), obviously cut to the same size. [As a general rule to get an even sided square you get the length cut to whatever the width of the fleece is.] You can make it bigger and smaller if you so desire. I have seen a really cute one of these made for a baby pram/capsule and you could even make it a rectangle size. Whatever you want - go for it!

2. Lay out the two matching/co-ordinating pieces of fleece on the surface you are using (I use a good space on the floor) - wrong sides together. Make sure it is laid out nice and flat with no ripples or anything so it doesn't pucker or bubble out in a weird angle when completed!

Cut strips right around the edge about 15cm long and 3cm wide.

3. Start wherever you like and double-knot each top and bottom strip together all the way around.

And there you have a really snazzy looking rug. They are really warm for the colder weather and great for a picnic rug in the warmer months. They are also an easy-peasy, quick gift that doesn't cost heaps either. And it's useful (says me who is predominantly a practical gift giver - I love knowing that people get a gift they benefit from in a useful way! I guess I like gifts that I receive to be something I can use as well - never really thought about that, ha!).

Anyway get some fleecy fabric and go wild!

I will be back soon with some Christmas stuff I'm doing at the moment!

With Sprinkles of Sunshine...

I am SOOOO forgetful.

I was totally excited when I found out that I had been nominated for a beautiful blogger award!

I was on holiday and had made a 'mental' note to do this blog post (yes - I agree that it should have been a WRITTEN note)!!

While on holiday, I thought that I would have a quick squiz at some of my favourite blogs and check in with my blog and found a comment by the lovely Gail Lindner. Her blog 'After All These Years' is one my favourites on my 'check every day' list!!As part of the Beautiful Blogger Award, I must pass on the favour to 10 other bloggers I like AND I also need to tell you 10 things about myself. So here it goes...

Apart from Gail's blog which you should check out, I also like:

1. Melissa Goodsell

2. Janelle Wind
3. Jodie Butler

4. The Clip Cafe

5. Sharmaine Kruijver

6. Danielle Medwin

7. Tania Brown

8. Amy Smart

9. Kari

10. Anna

And now 10 things about me:

Hmmm, well - it would be completely obvious to you that I LOVE creating so I shouldn't include that because you already know it! So here goes...

1. I love reading

2. I have false teeth. Three of my front teeth are not my originals. Two are on a plate and one is a cap on another tooth. This was due to an accident when I was in Grade 2 where a baseball bat met my mouth and knocked out one of my front teeth. After many years of root canals on the second one, it was unable to be saved so that went too - hence my false teeth!

3. I used to work in an Aged Care Facility as a Nursing Care Assistant. And loved it!!

4. I would love to write a book or two one day.

5. I worry too much!

6. I am passionate about photography! And scrapbooking the memories I photograph (when I get the time - Aaaarrrgghhh!)

7. At the moment, I am really addicted to sending/receiving postcards via Postcrossing.

8. I love anything vintage or pre-loved. Op-shops, second-hand stores and flea markets are all major attractions to me lately and will continue to be for quite some time I would say!!!

9. I love Love LOVE receiving mail! And sending it too actually! Ever since moving to a fairly remote area where 'normal' services and such are further away than what I am used to, I have relied on the mail to keep me in contact with everyone I know and love back home or wherever. And it also just keeps me entertained. That's probably why I am currently addicted to online shopping at the moment - not only do I get to increase my craft stash or wardrobe or whatever, it is a BIG thrill to find a parcel/letter/postcard in the mail box. I LOVE IT!!!

10. I named this blog 'One Big Sunshine Spritzer' cos I absolutely love the word sunshine - it is so happy and bright and friendly. The word spritzer just sounds cool. I had always heard that word used in movies when some posh lady calls the waiter and orders "a white wine spritzer please"! And I have always liked the sound of it. Dunno what one of them would taste like - never tried it! But when I was thinking about a blog that would sum up my life and what I want it to be like it was definitely ONE BIG SUNSHINE SPRITZER!!!

So there you have it! Make sure you check out the blogs I have nominated for a Beautiful Blogger Award listed above. You might be able to get to know them a bit more when they write 10 things about themselves!!!

With Sprinkles of Sunshine...