Jikana Damaru: 04/20/11

Easter chocolate break

Aaaaah... it's holiday time in Maxabellaland. I respect that Easter is an important religious holiday for many, but for me it's all about the chocolate and the mini-break just when I'm altogether flagging. Mostly flagging because we spent yesterday at the Royal Easter Show... Man! Next year I'll get stuck into a training programme six weeks out before tackling that marathon of fun, fun, fun again!!

Today we're off down to Fibrotown to spend Easter with the Grands. Delight!

The pic above was taken on my iPhone last Sunday when we got together with LOML's family for a little Easter loving. After a scrumptious Italian feast, Zia Lucia, the BEST AUNTY IN THE WHOLE WORLD (no, seriously, there is no competition on this one!) organised an 'Egg Hunt' for the Tsunamis. But this was a Best Aunty In the Whole World-style Egg Hunt so the Tsunamis came away with little trinkets and prizes and chocolates and new Autumn jackets and novelty sunglasses and invisible ink notebooks and... see? Even I can't compete!

Enjoy yourself. I'll return on the night of Friday, 29 April with our Grateful linky. Join me then!

♥

Hotel Chocolat Easter Egg Winner

My contest ended yesterday and I just picked a winner using random.org and I am delighted to announce the winner of the Hotel Chocolat Giveaway is...

Drumroll please? Without further ado, the lucky winner is...

Michelle, of Crafty Learner a sweet blog about making jewelry amongst other treasures, who was loving the Eggs and Soldiers. Please e-mail me your details.

Congratulations Helen, you will receive a Your Eggsellency™ Extra Thick Easter Egg from Hotel Chocolat.

Thank you to all of you sweets that entered, to my loyal followers and new friends.

Have a sweet day!

Blue Flowers for my Easter tree

Easter Blue Flowers for my Easter tree

Earlier today I showed you the paper pink flowers I am using on my Easter Tree and now here are the pale blue ones. I used the Bird Trail fabric as inspiration for these flowers too!

Easter Blue Flowers
What you will need:
Petal Pairs Box Set 2
Pale blue Card
White sequins
PVA glue

Instructions

Cut 1 pale blue flower from one punch
Cut 1 pale blue flower from the other punch
Fold in petals on the petal punches, tuck one petal punch into another
Dab a small amount of PVA glue in centre of flower, press sequin down, leave to dry

Have a sweet day!

Passion, Courage, Forgiveness

Passion, Courage, Forgiveness

In the month of April, all things seem possible - even forgiveness. With the courage to forgive, we can rediscover our passion. As you work through your feelings in a caring and constructive manner, as you learn to release yourself from negativity, you will feel a resurgence of positive emotions. These emotions reignite the passion that lovers share for each other.

When you hold onto your anger and resentment, it is you who misses out on love. Find the courage to release your negative feelings, and you'll discover that genuine state of love and forgiveness that is so essential to creating a lifetime of love. It takes courage to love, but it is worth it. The greatest tragedy in life is not the loss of love but those who not open their hearts to love again.

Even though this book is about 'enriching your relationship' I kind of read the book and relate it to all of my relationships in my life. Not only my marriage with Rob but with my friends, work and family. I'm a very big believer in forgiveness. Even though I would LOVE to hold grudges I just can not bring myself to. Life is too short to not forgive. I never want to live with regret. People make decisions in their lives that sometimes are not the best. Some may call them mistakes. I call them life lessons. It's only a mistake if you do not learn from it. We all stuff up at times but you never know what tomorrow will bring. So I am very big on forgiveness. This has challenged me this month as a dear friend has hurt me tremendously and let me down which has left me feeling very hurt and confused. However I know, I hope, that she has good reasons for this. She is going through a big change and weather she is doing it on purpose or pushing me away so it's easier on her, either way, at the end of the day, I will always be there! Even though I'm getting hurt, I'm her friend and I will be there. This is hard and as I write this Im screaming at myself...get angry, how dare she...but ultimately that's not who I am. I believe in the good in people. My mum has always taught me this. Even though it's been tough...I forgive.

Is there someone you need to forgive today?

Let go of those negative feelings!

x S.K.K x

Make each day count

On our recent holiday to Springbrook Mountain we stopped in at a little cafe for lunch. An old country cafe that was filled with old photos and souvenirs and little treasures they have kept over the years. This was my favourite though! A cork board - literally made out of corks - with this very simple but powerful message.

I think we should all remember this and live for today and not for tomorrow!

Make every second count!

x S.K.K x

Getting Crafty - Pretty Paper and Japanese Tape

It was time for a new notice board in my office so this gave me a great opportunity to get crafty after spotting this great idea at our bloggers catch up a few weeks ago.

First of all I started with this white Ikea frame I had sitting around looking very lonely. I also had some great sheets of patterned paper that I had picked up at my local art store - you know the type of paper you see in one of those cute bins near the counter - you like the colour and the pattern but don't want to use it to wrap a present with because then you wouldn't have the paper any more! This one was perfect for the project at hand!

I took out the mount and covered it with my pretty paper. Looks cute so far!

Next I found my latest obsession - tape!

Pretty coloured paper tape!

I found these ones in Typo.

Now to make it in to a notice board - somewhere I could stick a reminder - a saying that I liked - a picture I fancied, but not one that I stuck a pin in - one that I used tape on.

Perfect. Job done.

And finally a great place for Jordan's print (get yours here)

I think I will be spending my easter weekend finding pretty things to stick on it!

My New 'Fluttering Butterflies' Range for Gorgeous Girls...

Dear blog. Sorry I have been a bit scant of late... I know I rarely write; I never call... but I've been thinking of you...

...I've just been thinking of other things a bit more.

Like my brand new 'Fluttering Butterfly' clothing range, for example...

I love butterflies. Who doesn't? Soft, fluttering creatures flitting about the Spring garden; bouncing from flower to flower. Fern tries to catch them, but luckily for them (and me) she doesn't get close. We just watch them, and marvel at their innocent and irreverent beauty.

There are a lot of butterfly inspired creations out there; I have quite a few strewn about my home including artworks and ceramics! But although I've seen butterfly prints adorning clothing, I'd never really seen anything that captures the beauty of a butterfly in flight. After playing with a few ideas... I finally came up with this:

It's a design that - I hope - captures that beauty! My butterfly is made from fabric and felt and is designed to actually lift up from the clothing in a two dimensional fashion. These moveable wings actually flutter in the breeze; I wish I could capture that movement in these photos! Each butterfly features a unique print and is appliqued by the stem onto a piece of clothing, then handsewn for added strength with a little button adronment. I am so proud of this design, because I have never seen it anywhere else!

These designs are available in my Etsy shop, and I will be adding more to the range over the Easter break. I'd love to know what you think and if you know any special little princesses that would look pretty as a butterfly in these designs, please do do pass my details on! x

Pink Flowers for my Easter tree

When I saw the paper punch petal pairs on the Tonic Studio website I just had to give them a go! I made loads of different varieties with them just to see all the combo's. I then had the idea of making some paper flowers for this year's Easter Tree. I used the Bird Trail fabric as inspiration for the flowers I would use on my Easter Tree. First up are the pretty pink paper flowers with a dark pink centre.

Easter Pink Flowers
What you will need:
Petal Pairs Box Set 2
Petal Pairs Box Set 1
Pale Pink Card
Dark Pink Card
Flamingo Fun pink paint

Instructions

Cut 2 pale pink flowers
Cut 1 dark pink flower
Fold in petals on the three petal punches, tuck one pale pink petal punch into another
Paint the pale pink flowers, stick dark pink petal in centre

Have a sweet day!