I had the loveliest day with my FDAA painting friends at our end of year meeting! Our activity today was making a gingerbread house from a kit. I found myself wandering the supermarket aisles last night, seeking lollies that would give me a Pintrest worthy gingerbread house. After all ... there was a prize up for grabs!

So, I decided on a pink & white theme, packed my piping kit (that hasn't seen the light of day for over 5 years!), and tackled my kit with gusto! At first I wondered why anyone would do this, but about 1 hour in, I was really enjoying it! I will definately make one again, and I've already started planning days for my girls to invite friends over to make gingerbread houses as well :D

I was very humbled, and excited to receive first prize for my house. Wow!

For some reason I can't upload a photo to Blogger today, so you can see it by clicking here!

Hello Dollies giveaway!

I'm very excited o be having my first ever giveaway on Hello Dollies. To enter, it's really easy ... just go over to the Hello Dollies website and click on the 'giveaway' tab. You can click here for a shortcut ;)

Open to Australian residents only.
Entries close 2 November 2011.
See details on how to enter on the website.

Facebook is the new word of mouth!

So, I've been spending a LOT of time on Facebook lately. No ... I am not playing Farmville, Mafia Wars or some other kind of 'ville' game. I am connecting with some other lovely mums, aunts and grandmothers who fancy owning a dolly or two, constructed by me. It's like going to the markets without having to pack up all my gear, unpack, set up, stand around, pack up, cart home and unpack again! Loving it!

Normally I would show some lovely dolly photos, but blogger isn't playing nice tonight. Instead you can go check out the action here ... Facebook/Hello Dollies.

Kenny K Krafty Girlz Challenge #50

This week's theme is CHECKS ... use checks in some form on your card! The other bonus is to use a Kenny K stamp and be in the winning for a $15 gift certificate from Michelle's scrapbooking store. There are also 5 digital Kenny K stamps up for grabs!

Now, if you're feeling a bit poor (like my good self), why not rifle through your scraps and use up some of those leftovers before cutting into a new piece or card or paper!

Here are my ingredients:
Kenny K stamp - Club Kid
Greeting stamp - Darkroom door 'All Occassions'
Background motif stamp - Kaisercraft
Inks - Stampin' Up
Pattern Paper - K & Co
Ribbon - Autumn Leaves
Gem - Kaisercraft
Copic markers - Hair E13, E15, E17, E19, Face E50, E51, E53, YR02, Belt C9, 100, Eyes YG63, YG67, B0000, B00, Pants YG63, G94, G99, Shirt/shoes Y21, Y23, Y26, E13, Tie/jacket/shoes YR00, YR02, YR04, YR07, clear spica, sand spica

So, get on over to the Kenny K shop, nab yourself this month's freebie and pick up a fave or two while you're there. Then get on over to the Kenny K's Krafty Girlz blog and enjoy the rest of the amazing cards the DT has for you!

Also, this is my final post as a Kenny K Krafty Girl. Sadly I have had to step down from the DT as I have a whole bunch of 'stuff' going on at home that take up a lot of my time. Doesn't leave me much time for colouring I'm afraid :( I have really enjoyed being KKKG, and a great big thanks goes out to all the girls on the DT who have made me feel so welcome :)

I'm also entering this card in the Mad 4 Markers challenge - brown hair.

Hello Dollies is taking unlimited custom orders!

If you are seeking a beautiful handmade doll that will stand up to enthusiastic play by your little one, then you are definately in the right place! It's all happening over at the Hello Dollies Facebook page, where I am taking unlimited custom orders this week! Sure, I will be taking custom orders right through to November, but if you have a birthday or christening to buy for, just drop me an email at dlewis71@aapt.net.au and give me some details. You can get to the Facebook page via the button in the right column, or via my website www.HelloDollies.weebly.com

Here are some of the lovely dolls I make from Bit of Whimsy Dolls patterns.
And some made from my own patterns.

Kenny K Krafty Girlz Challenge #48

I LOVE sketches ... and card sketches are no exception! For those times when you just want someone else to tell you how to throw it all together quickly, or desire a challenge of interpreting a sketch in your own unique way ... they're gold! This week's Kenny K's Krafty Girlz challenge is no exception to that rule! The lovely Donna presented the DT with this sketch, and I found this card incredibly quick to put together. PLUS, this is one of the gorgeous new release stamps

Our challenge to you ... use a Kenny K stamp (digi or rubber) and see what you make of Donna's sketch! Why? Because there are lovely prizes up for grabs, and you gotta be in in to win it!
There are 2 digital kids from Bearly Mine Designs, and 5 digi images of your choice from the Kenny K shop! Why wouldn't you want all that digi goodness????

So ... first things first ... get over to the KKKG blog and check out the rest of the DT's amazing interpretations of this sketch. Next, grab yourself a Kenny K stamp from the shop (if you haven't already) and get going!

Lastly ... here's my list of ingredients:
Stamp - Kenny K's 'Wedding Garter'
Greeting stamp - Darkroom Door 'All Occassions'
Navy Ink - Stampin' Up
Flowers - Prima
Brad, ribbon, doily, gem - stash
Lt blue dot paper - unknown
Dk blue dot / stripe paper - My Minds Eye
Copic Markers - Skin E50, E51, E53, Hair Y11, Y21, Y23, Y26, E13, Lips R00, R02, R05, Eyes G21, G24, Dress & Garter B0000, B00, B02, B05, Tiara Gold Spica
Distress Ink - Tumbled Glass

Princess Pointy Shoes prints for sale

I did a trial print run with a new printer today, and I am very excited to finally say that I can now offer 10x8 prints of my Princess Pointy Shoes canvas paintings!

You can find them in my Etsy shop, Hello Dollies, including:

PPS - Let them Eat Cake
PPS - Hippy Chick
PPS - Hazy Shade of Winter
PPS - Hippity Hop

They are currently at an introductory price of $10 each, with either a matte or gloss finish.

Kenny K Krafty Girlz Challenge #46

This week's challenge is to create a WOW card... no, not your normal WOW,/fabby cards, but WHITE ON WHITE, so I would like to see a white card, with a coloured image, (will allow coloured sentiment), if you want the chance to win the fabby prizes below, make sure you use a KK image !

http://www.craftyemmasstore.co.uk/

is offering a fabby (lol) new stamp called FABULOUS, to the lucky winner,

http://www.kennykdownloads.com/

as always, 5 fantastic digi stamps, of the winners choice.

Ingredients for this were all grabbed from my stash. The big label is Martha Stewart, I used my Cuttlebug embossing die for he dotted embossed cardstock.

Santa's Little Helper stamp - Studio G
Sassy Santa - Kenny K, Mrs Clause
Copic colours - E50, E51, E53, R02 (skin), R20, RV21, RV23, RV26 (outfit), R00, R02 (lips), C1, C3, C5, C7, 100 (hair), G24, G28, R37 (holly), E31, E33, E35, E37 (sack), gold spica (bells)

Now, get on over to the Kenny K's Krafty Girlz blog and check out the amazing white on white cards the rest of the DT has made!

Less housework = more time to bake!

So, with hubby home for the last 5 weeks, he has been taking care of the basic stuff that needs doing around the house like dishes, floors & laundry. That has left me a bit more time to bake up a storm. Since I'm budgeting like a crazy lady, I figured I'd go through the goodies I'd stored up in my shelf of tinned goods. OMG! I had berries, pie apples, refried beans, 3 jars of salsa ... what the? So, I started finding recipes that use the ingredients and we've been eating better meals and home-baked goodies for a month! Delicious! Today I also made a pear & raspberry bread, we're making air-popped popcorn for after school and Princess #1 learned how to make vegetable fritters at school, so she's having a go at making them for us for dinner tonight!

Kenny K Krafty Girlz Challenge #44

Ok people ... Let's Go Retro!!

Here we are, it's Kenny K's Krafty Girlz challenge #44, and we want you to break out some funky moves and go retro! Why? Well, because you could win 5 Kenny K digi stamps of your choice ... that's why! To be in the running, enter a card (or something awesome) made using any Kenny K image, and you could win! And our sponsor this month is Fantasic Ribbons offering up a scrummy bag of buttons as a prize!



Ingredients for my card:
Stamp - Kenny K's Glam Gang 'Soho'
Design papers - Grace Taylor stack
Flower - Maya Road
Greeting stamp - Darkroom Door 'All Occasions'
Copic markers: Skin E50, E51, E53, YR00, Hair E13, E15, E17, E19, Eyes E71, E74, E77, B0000, B00, Dress/boots YR00, YR02, YR04, YR07, Lips R00, R02, R05, Belt BG01, BG05, BG09
I also used black spica and clear spica pens.
Ink on greeting stamp is SU's Really Rust.
Corner rounding punch - CM

This card will be for sale on my Facebook Page ... just click this link and type SOLD underneath if you wish to purchase it :)

But right now, if you seek inspiration, then get on over to the KKKG blog and check out what the DT has in store for you. Amazing!

Blissful break

I've been dealt rather a complicated hand in 2011, and although I do believe we will come out ok at the end, the middle bit is less than fun.

So, my awesome dh insisted I take a few days and go and have some R&R. So off to Barrington Tops I did go for some peace & quiet. Apart from the fighter jets breaking the sound barrier 5 times yesterday, and a couple of boys chasing ducks around my cabin, it was bliss. Wallabies came to visit me, and there were satin bower birds, king parrots and kookaburras. I could just paint on without having to stop to answer the phone, pick kids up from school or cook dinner (unless I was hungry). I read a book and drank moscato in the big spa bath. I think I should do this every year!

So, I revisited my notes from the Fabulous Faces & Portraits course I am doing with Willowing (Tamara Laport), and cracked open the acrylic paints and canvas. Happy is kind of an understatement ... I am really really thrilled with these paintings. I did them from absolute scratch (and let's just say, I'm really not great at drawing), and tried some bold colours. I think they work :D

Kenny K Krafty Girlz Challenge #42

Don't ask me how it happened, I can only put it down to needing a new blue ink cartridge in my printer. That floral paper is supposed to be blue ... not pink!!!!! Sorry Donna!

OK ... so our challenge this week is 'Spring Time', and although autumn is setting in, I was able to use my beautiful flowering camelias as inspiration. Our sponsor this week is Bearly Mine Designs with 2 digi sets up for grabs as well as 5 digital images from the Kenny K shop. Why would you NOT enter???

So, ingredients for my card:
Kenny K stamp - Troublemaker
Ditial papers - Bearly Mine Designs (I added the scallop circle & greeting in Photoshop before printing the design papers).
Copic markers
Distress Ink - Wild Honey
Tiny flower stamp - Darkroom Door, All Occasions, stamped in Wild Honey

I have had a sneak peek at what the rest of the DT has for you and it's awesome (as usual). Get on over to the Kenny K's Krafty Girlz blog and check it out!!!!

This card will be for sale via my Facebook page ... click here to go to the card folder!

A special Hello Dollies sale!

Do you love to buy handmade?
Do you have little boys and girls who need a special friend to cuddle?
Do you love a good sale?

If you answered yes all round, then get thee onto Facebook and 'like' the Hello Dollies page. Sunday 17th April, 7pm (EST, Australia) you just need to type 'sold' into the box of your favourite dolly and they are ready to go to new homes! Well ... except the custom spots, only 2 available at a discounted price, and I'm sure they'll go fast!

Click here to go to the Hello Dollies Facebook page.
Click here to go to the Hello Dollies Etsy shop.
Click here to go to the Hello Dollies website.

Help for Japan Blog Hop

Hello and welcome to a very special blog hop today! You may have been on the first hop that Whimsy put on for this special cause. Well, there were so many who volunteered to join in that we had to do a second one! The illustrators of Whimsy Stamps have come together to draw a special set of digi images for the purpose of raising money for the relief effort in Japan. All proceeds from the sale of these images will be donated to that cause. Kenny K, Raindrop Echo Designs, Meljens Designs, and Crissy Armstrong all contributed art work.

For the whole month of April, you can purchase the images as a set or individually (your choice) by visiting this page on the Whimsy store site. Please consider helping this special cause by purchasing one or all of the digital images we are offering.

If you have landed here from Jackie's blog, you are right on track. If you have come here randomly and would like to start hopping from the beginning, please go to Ann's blog. She has the blog rotation order posted if you need to refer to it.

The amazing ladies of two design teams have come together to host this blog hop for you! Ann's team from Sentimental Sundays and the Kenny K Krafty Girlz have joined forces to design some amazing jaw dropping creations for you. You have seven days to hop through all the blogs and enjoy all the lovely creations from these talented people.

The hop runs from now through til Sunday April 17 at noon. There will be several opportunities to win blog candy! Four random commenters will get a chance to receive one of the three individual images or Ann's sentiment set. So be sure to leave comments all along the way for your chance at a free digi! Also, if you post the "Help for Japan" button on your blog's sidebar, you can enter into the draw for the grand prize! The grand prize will consist of the entire digital set made just for this cause as well as a gift certificate donated by Ann of Raindrop Echo Designs worth $10 to use at the Whimsy Stamps store! To enter, you must help us advertise for this cause by posting the "Help for Japan" button on your blog's side bar (just grab it from my side bar or from the top of this post) and then get your name on the Inlinkz option on Ann's post so we can be sure to find the winner.

Now on to my project:

I have used Anime DJ by Kenny K in my project today. This is such a fun stamp to colour, and as eager as I was to get to it, my 12yo dd had her copy coloured well and truly before I did!

Here are my ingredients:
Copic Markers: Skin E50, E51, E53, Tongue E93, E95, E97, Whites B000, B00, Hair RV21, RV23, RV25, RV29 & Pink Spica, Shirt YR00, YR02, YR04, YR07, Pants G24, YG63, YG67, G94, G99, Tshirt R00, R02, R05, Star Y06 & Gold Spica, Black C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, Deck Y21, Y23, Y26, R27, R29
Distress Ink: Worn Lipstick
Pattern Paper: Grace Taylor stack
Greeting: Darkroom Door, Alphabet Medley

Next you'll want to visit Vicky's blog to continue hopping. Thank you so much for stopping by, and for your support of this very worthy cause.

Watch out for the blog hop!

This week, our wonderful sponser is,

Crafty Emma

http://www.craftyemmasstore.co.uk/

who is offering up a £10 voucher (p&p not included),

http://www.kennykdownloads.com/

and Kenny as always, 5 super images of the winners choice.

So onto this weeks challenge, set by moi.. :) and the challenge is,,,,

SPICE IT UP.

We would love to see all the hot and spicy colours on your cards/creations this week please... really looking forward to this one :)

I have used a scrapbooking layout with Victory Kid from the Kid Nation collection. Nothing's spicier than mustard (my new fave colour), and though I haven't written down all the colours I used (well .. I did, but I can't find them right now LOL), if you really want to know just message me and I'll hunt it out for you!

So ... what are you waiting for? Get stuck in and put your entry in for this weeks' awesome prize with the Kenny K's Crafty Girlz!

It's blog feature day!

Today I am the featured artist on the Joyful scraps blog. This is a project I created using the embellishment of the month pack. The saying around the frame is ...

What if ... you were proud of how far you had come, and had faith in how far you could go?

You can see the whole blog article here .... and if you leave a comment you can be in the running for a Martha Stewart prize :D

Thanks LeAnne for featuring me!!!

Kenny K Krafty Girlz Challenge #38

This week's challenge is aquamarine!!!! It's also new release time and this is my fave from the 3 (though the other 3 are my faves too LOL).

Just a little reminder people, if you want the chance to win the wonderful goodies our lovely sponsers put up each week, make sure you use one of Kennys images,
and on that note... this week our fabby Sponsers are....our very own Donna, of Bearly Mine Designs, who is giving away, 2 digi sets of the winners choice.

http://bmd-creations.blogspot.com/

plus Kenny is offering 5 digi's (of the winners choice)

Here's my list of ingredients:

Kenny K Stamp: Bathing Beauty
Copic markers: BG01, BG05, BG09, E13, E15, E17, E19, R00, R02, R05, BG10, B00, G21, G24, G28, Gold spica
Text paper: photocopied text
Pattern Papers: Bearly Mine Designs
Greeting: Darkroom Door, All Occasions
White Ink: Stampin' Up
Flowers: Prima
Gems: Kaiserkraft
Ribbon from stash

Now it's time to get on over to the Kenny K's Krafty Girlz blog and see what the rest of the Design Team has in store (awesome stuff!). And if you're loving the new pinup girls or easter accessories, then get over to Kenny K store and buy up!

Hello Dollies is back on Etsy!

Yes ... Hello Dollies is back in full swing on Etsy. Not only can you find me at the Handmade Craft markets held quarterly on the NSW Central Coast, you can also shop online. Etsy even has Australian dollars now!

Bringing you handmade dolls for play and display, crochet cuties like owls mushrooms and teeny tiny hearts & flowers for your own crafty endeavours. Please also check out Hello Babies ... tiny knitted booties in sizes from premmie up to 6 months in soft cotton for those tiny toes. Cards for all occasions and bookmarks as well.

Follow Hello Dollies on Facebook by clicking here.
Visit Hello Dollies on Etsy by clicking here.
Visit the Hello Dollies website by clicking here.
Find out more about Handmade Craft Markets by clicking here.

Kenny K's Krafty Girlz challenge - Week 36

Not that my card is very girly or festooned in bows, so you wouldn't know that this week's challenge theme is ....

RIBBONS, LACE & BOWS - use one, two or all three!

Our sponsor this week is Michelle's Scrapbooking Store, and she's offering a $15 gift certificate to this week's winner. That's on top of the 5 digital images of your choice from Kenny K's store. Wow! Who wouldn't want to be in it to win that lot??!!


Here's a list of ingredients I used in my card:

Stamp: Kenny K, Dancer (Kid Nation collection)
Quote: Made in Photoshop using 'Tweed' font
Papers: DCWV nursery boy set
Tim Holtz Distress Ink, Wild Honey
Kaiserkraft droplets
Ric rac & white mesh from stash
Double sided tape and foam tape

Copic markers: Skin E31, E33, E35, E95 / Hair & Eyes E71, E74, E77, E47 / Lips E93, E95, E99 / Eyes & ipod screen B0000, B00 / Yellow Y21, Y23, Y26, E13 / Aqua BG10, BG13, BG15 / Shoes W1, W7, W9 / Ipod C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, Spica black, spica gold

I've had a sneeky peek at the other DT's cards and ... WOW! So much inspiration for you this week. Get on over to the shop if you want to pick up some of the new Kid Nation stamps. I love these stamps ... they're super age appropriate for kids & tweens.

Click here to go to the challenge blog.
Click here to go to the store.

This card is now for sale in my Facebook shop ... Click here to go to the shop, then click on the shop tab in the left column.

Time to get organised!

During my travels around some of the amazing pages there are to 'Like' on Facebook I happened across Build a Little Biz. I have spent a good portion of today reading their blog and finding some amazingly good advice on how to turn your hobby into a little business.

So ... I decided it was time to get my act together and pull my various online presences into order! Today I built a little website using Weebly and now Hello Dollies has it's own little website. Granted ... it's nothing flash quite yet, but I'm still working on it LOL. You can click here to go to the website.

Kenny K's Krafty Girlz challenge - Week 34

How much are we loving this sketch, people???!!! This week's challenge over at Kenny K's Krafty Girlz is to use this sketch with a Kenny K stamp, and you could be in with a chance to win some cool card candy from Crafty Emma's Store! Here's my take on the sketch using the Kid Nation freebie 'Holla Back Girl'.


Ingredients:
Stamp: Kenny K 'Holla Back Girl' - Kid Nation freebie
Copic markers: Skin E50, E51, E53, Cheeks & Lips YR00, YR02, Shirt & Shoes YG00, YG03, YG06, Eyes & Teeth B00, Jeans & stripes C1, C3, C5, C7, C9, 100, Hair E31, E3, E35, E37, E47
Bazzil Bling
Prima flowers
Brad
Ribbons
Greeting: Darkroom Door 'Alphabet Medley' stamps
Gems
Copic fine liner .01, Black

I cut the oval & Frame using the Cricut. Everything else is from my stash, and I am loving that I can use it to make fun cards!

Don't forget to head over to the Kenny K's Krafty Girlz blog here, and check out what the rest of the DT has for you ... it'll knock you back on your heels!!!!

New Cousin provides dilema!

My cousin's daughter had a son on valentines day! Awwwww ... isn't he cute?!

However ... this leaves me with a dilema. I know my cousin's daughter is my 2nd cousin, but is her son my 3rd cousin, or my 2nd cousin once removed? And how about my kids? Are they my 2nd cousin's 2nd cousins? How are you supposed to know these things? LOL

Regardless of the dilema, we were able to visit said tiny cousin at 2 days old, and take some lovely photos. He just looks so new!

Budding artist

I'm such a proud Mum! My 12yo dd has really started to develop some amazing skills at drawing anime, manga and chibi style characters. This is her latest offering (from the swimming carnival today LOL) and I suggested she call it "Running with Scissors"! Personally I think this would make a great digital stamp. Perhaps when I get the computer fixed we can get the graphics tablet plugged in and she can work on some digi stamps!

Her blog is called KateDoodlez, and you can visit her by clicking here. She would love some comments and a few followers ... it would really make her day.