my ramblings

very random ramblings

I feel the silly season is here. Not much spare time at the moment for blogging. There's lots going on in the Carter household and many end of year activities at the girls' school. Christmas shopping hasn't started yet, although I've seen a few Christmas "wish lists" around the house.

I'm busy making table decorations for Emily's graduation dinner coming up soon (will post photos when I have some). Emily has just over 2 weeks left of primary school. She is so excited about starting high school next year, which is great.

There have been quite a few "proud mummy moments" lately. Here's a few:

Yesterday we attended Presentation Day for the girls' school. Both girls received awards. First up was Phoebe who received the Academic Book Award for her class. After the ceremony she was allowed to choose a book and have her certificate placed on the inside cover.

And Emily received the Public Speaking Debating Award for the school. She was so excited. She speaks beautifully and can speak in front of an audience with ease, which is such a fantastic skill to have. We now lovingly refer to it at home as the Argument Award, something she's particularly good at, and obviously a requirement for debaters :-)

A few weeks back, Phoebe ran in the State Relay Carnival out at Homebush. She was part of the Under 10's 4 x 100m relay team for her Little Athletics club. They ran well, finished third in their heat, but missed going onto the final. She was happy to be out there and part of the action. That's her below just starting her run.

We were up at Hawks on the weekend. The weather wasn't great, but it was so nice to be away for a few days. Not much photographic evidence that we were there apart from these photos of the girls.

{mental note for next time, remind Phoebe to remove white socks before we take photos}

We've been visited by a few kookaburras in our back yard recently. There seems to be more around than in recent years. I took this photo while standing in my kitchen, looking through the shutters. He sat on our clothes line for ages (we think he was stalking the bunnies!). It's so nice to hear them too, laughing away so close to the city.

Are you still with me?

Paper Salon has released some new collections recently. Visit the Paper Salon blog to see lots of creations from the DT. I've created a few things with the new papers.

Above layout and the book cover below use the KN Sorbet papers. Some Maya Road products have also been used, the scalloped rick rack on the layout, and the chipboard letters painted with Ranger Distress Crackle paint. Paper Salon has also released Alphabet Rub-ons which are on the book below too. They are a really good quality and are easy to apply.

The next three layouts use papers and letter stickers from the Glad Rags collection.

I should mention that here in Australia, Paper Salon is distruted by Bumble Bee Crafts.

These are a few Christmas cards made as part of my latest on line class. The patterns and instructions are included in the class, and I've used Paper Salon papers again, this time it's the Christmas range, Ornamental Holiday.

 

And keep checking the Maya Road Design Team blog for lots of new projects.

That's about all for now. Thanks for visiting and reading my blog.

Hope you all have a great week.

Cheers

Fiona

x

Christmas scrapbooking class

My latest on-line class is now open. This class focuses on creating a double page, multi photo layout with a Christmas traditions theme, as well as a bonus step by step for creating some fun Christmas cards. For more details please visit my website.

Thanks for visiting, and I hope you're having a great week.

Cheers

Fiona

x

Same Path online class & Ribbons Galore news

I have been receiving requests for this class to be re-run, so I have opened up registration again. The class will now remain online until 12 November (which can always be extended if you need extra time).

Details of the Same Path mini book class can be seen HERE.

RIBBONS GALORE news...

Christmas ribbons are now in stock

The "oh, Christmas" collection in the Ribbons Galore store is now well stocked with Christmas themed ribbons ready for all your Christmas packaging and craft projects. Here just a few of the ribbons in stock.

Hope you have a great day.

Cheers

Fiona x

The "oh, Christmas" collection in the Ribbons Galore store is now well stocked with Christmas themed ribbons ready for all your Christmas packaging and craft projects. Here just a few of the ribbons in stock.

Hope you have a great day.

Cheers

Fiona x

weekly catchup...

Weeks come... and weeks go.... we've had another busy week here in the Carter family.

I've had a few scrapbooking projects which I've been working on. A few have now been posted and on their way to the US to be displayed at Memory Trends. I'll share these when I've been given the all clear!

Emily had her 12th birthday party last weekend, which was a challenge to the ears with twelve 12 year olds (and a couple of little sisters) squealing with delight on a jumping castle. Yes, you read right.... Emily decided she'd like a jumping castle for her party. And I have to say, the girls had a ball. Inside it had a "mouth" that opened and closed, taking the girls to the top of the slide (which you can see on the left).

The girls also decorated cupcakes. I made a huge batch of cakes, provided icing, decorations and 100's & 1000's and let the girls ice their own cakes before eating them. Here's the before and after shots:

 

 

All the girls had a fun time. It was nice to have them all together as this is their last year at school together before moving onto high school next year. The party girl was VERY happy too. The party finished with an ice cream cake which we made with layers of chocolate ice cream with meringue and vanilla ice cream with mini marshmallows.

The registration for my latest online class closes this Sunday. The class will be open to students for another month after that, giving unlimited access to the online instructions. Thank you to the ladies who have already signed up for the class.

And finally one of my super favourite stores has opened in our local shopping centre. I found myself in a SMIGGLE store a few years back in Melbourne. I fell in love with the funky designs and colours of their products (mainly stationery). Well, it seems SMIGGLE has crossed the border and headed into NSW, and found their way into Chatswood Westfield. The stationery lovers of this family are very happy indeed! I just couldn't resist a little purchase when we visited the store.

That's about all. We are heading into a long weekend here in Sydney, thanks to APEC. So looking forward to some relaxing and family time!

Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona x

online scrapbooking class q&a's

Thank you to the ladies who have registered for the Same Path mini album on-class.

I have received some emails with enquiries regarding my latest online class. Here's some questions and answers. Let me know if there are any other questions.

Do you know where I can find the Maya Road binder book used in the class?  I did a quick Google search for the book, and found the Maya Road 6"x 6" binder books stocked at the following online stores in Australia:

• Scrapapple
• Scrapbooking Wonders
• 123 Scrapbooking
• Scrapper's Warehouse
• Scrapbook Divas

There were several other on-line scrapbooking stores that stocked the books, but were showing them to be 'out of stock' at the time of my search.

If I can't find the Maya Road binder book, can I use another album? Yes. The Maya Road binder book is a blank book for you to build your album. Any mini album will work, for example a plastic sleeved mini album can be used, you just use a cardstock base instead of the chipboard page.

What forms of payment do you accept? Payment can be made through PayPal. You will be directed to the PayPal site during the checkout stage of class registration. You can pay with your Credit Card using this method. For people wishing to take the class within Australia, I also offer Direct Credit, and our bank account details are shown during the checkout stage of class registration.

Thanks for visiting, hope you have a great week.

Cheers

Fiona

my latest online class is now open

I'm pleased to announce my lastest online class is now open. In this class you can create a mini album using a Maya Road Chipboard Binder Book. Please click here to read more about the class and register.

Just a reminder, my classes are available on demand. The classroom has been designed so you will be able to work through the class steps whenever you have the time, rather than at a specific time slot. Look forward to your visit soon.

Have a great weekend.

Cheers

Fiona

x

last week for the Journal Jottings online class

My latest online class is now in it's last week. It will be finishing on Monday 11 June.

If you'd like to read more about the class details please visit my website.

When you register for the class and your payment is received (which is within a few minutes if you use PayPal), you will have access to the detailed class steps on-line, as well as the downloadable resources. You can then enter the on-line class room when ever it is convenient to you and as many times as you like until Monday 11 June 2007.

Everyone is welcome to join the class. If you live outside Australia, please use the currency converter on my website to convert the Aussie dollar to your own currency.

Thank you to the ladies who have taken the class.

Hope you're having a great week.

Cheers

Fiona

x

Looking back...

Well, I really should be working on the final details of a band workshop I've been organising with a couple other mums from school. The workshop is tomorrow, and I will be glad when its actually underway.

But I got a bit distracted while sitting here at the computer...

I've been receiving newsletter emails from US stores about their Memorial Day weekend sales, and I thought, we were in America on the Memorial Day weekend - two years ago. So I went looking through our photos and went on a little trip down memory lane...

Two years ago today we'd been in San Diego for a week.

We'd been shopping during the day. Here's Phoebe showing off her new purchases, new shoes, new skort (a skirt and shorts in one), new poncho and I'm sure there's a new t-shirt under there somewhere:

We were going to La Jolla for dinner.  We found the most fantastic little Thai restaurant and had one of THE best thai meals ever. (I loved all the street flags, so colourful) :

And it was the Memorial Day weekend holiday. There were American flags flying proudly EVERYWHERE. (That's Emily at the bottom of the flag pole):

That's it, that's my little trip down memory lane! LOL

Thanks to everyone who has booked into my latest online class, Journal Jottings. The class is open for another two weeks, so you can join in at any time, visit the online classroom at anytime to view the step by steps for the class layout. Look forward to you joining me. Here's a few sneaky peeks:

Hope you're having a great weekend

Thanks for visiting.

Cheers

Fiona

x

journal jottings : new online class is now open

My new online class is now open and my first newsletter has been sent. This class will run from today until Monday 11 June. Once you have registered and your payment has been received, you can enter the online classroom whenever you please, as many times as you like.

Here is a sneak peek of my class, JOURNAL JOTTINGS. You can find more details at FionaCarter.com .

I've had a few emails asking whether international visitors can take the lesson. The answer is YES, with payment via PayPal. You'll be directed to the PayPal site once you've ordered the class on my site. I also have a currency converter on my online lessons page so you can convert Aussie dollars to your currency.

Thanks for visiting. Hope you're having a great week.

Cheers

Fiona

x

update : online classes, ribbons galore sale & bunnies

Firstly I'd like to thank everyone who has left comments and emailed about the mini moopy bunnies. Quite amazing. You are all in the draw to win a mini moopy bunny RAK! Please a comment by Sunday night for a chance to win a bunny. Carly at Nest Studio has her pattern for sale and has updated her blog with the information you need. I've had a few emails from excited ladies telling me their pattern is on the way. Looking forward to seeing your work!

Now for other updates

ONLINE CLASSES AT FIONACARTER.COM

Classes are being planned. I have listened to the comments and feedback you have sent and my site is having a couple of little adjustments made to the classroom. Nothing major, just little things which will hopefully make it easier for you to use. Thank you again for your feedback.

Information about classes and registration will be available firstly through my newsletter. So please pop over to FionaCarter.com and add your email address to the newsletter sign up box (top right corner of the site) if you'd like to be the first to hear about my classes.

The free sample class is still available for you to take over on the site.

RIBBONS GALORE EASTER SALE

From now until this Sunday, 8 April, we are taking 20% off all ribbons by the metre.

{I've also added a couple of ribbon handbags which I made. These are not included in the sale.}

AND A LITTLE TEASER :-)

Guess what I made last night..... Would you like her? Would you look after her, and give her a new home? Make sure you leave a comment in the post below ;-)) And don't forget to visit Mel's blog too.

AND LASTLY......

HAPPY EASTER!

Wishing you a safe, happy and relaxing time with your family and friends. Hope the Easter Bunny visits.

Cheers

Fiona

x