SALE SALE SALE - before boxing day!!!!

Hi girls
Look what I have been up to... I have been so busy preparing these little guys for a photo shoot. I am happy to report they all behaved themselves and are now ready to be adopted by you to add to your layouts, cards, ATC's OTP projects or where ever you like.... within reason of course...

Please have a looksie and let me know what you think....

More Bottle caps ... these ones are Big Birdies {3 for $3.25} and are a beautiful chocolate brown with stunning other muted colours such as blue, apricot,yellow and beige. These are a stunning addition to a more traditional page...But for a bit more fun... here are the Little Birdies playing in the garden - lots of bright coloured flowers and sweet little birdies.. again they are 3 for $3.25.For both styles of bottlecaps - the above is just a guide as to what you can expect, I will randomly choose the birdies and flowers that you will receive - but I assure you, they are all VERY cute!!

Ladybugs on pins {well.... he was miss behaving....} are $1.50 each and are 4.5cm (roughly) high but the bug is 1.5cm diameter

caterpillars {screamapillar because they have ears???} are L2.75 x H1.5cm and $1.50 each

Daisies - little black one near the icecream smiling nicely - are about 1cm diam and are $1 each

butterflies - L2cm x H1.25 and are $1 each

Flat yellow Daisy - 2 cm diam. are $1.50 each

Apples - {2x2cm} $1.50 each

Ice creams - $2 each {L1.5 x H2.5cm}

Gingy {H 1.75 x w 2cm} 2 for $2

Big cuppy cakes $1.50 each {2x2 cm}

Swallows $1.50 each {3cm wing to wing and 2.5 beak to tail}

The plane..the plane... $1.50 each { L2 x H2.5 cm}

Strawberries $1.50 each {1.5cm diam.}

• Because each of these are handmade, some slight imperfections in shape and colour are to be expected.



• They are not toys and so should be kept well away from children and irresponsible adults as they are a choking hazard.



• Please also be wary that they are not acid free so don't place them directly on precious photos. They are however, non-toxic.



• Postage within Australia is $1.20 for up to 3 items and .40c for each items after that.



• Payment is by DD.



• To order please leave contact details {email} in the comments and I will contact you

Thanks for looking!!!!!

For all you Non believers

Click here for the proof
Sit the kids down and show them this Santa page - all of us here read through this official Santa site each year, its very informative and explains how exactly Santa crosses the world in one night. It even explains the time zones.
To all of you who don't believe.... BAH HUMBUG!!!

I am leaving my little home very soon after the new year so blogland will lose its local loony for a few weeks as I don't think the cardboard box under the tree that we will be living in ( my daughter told her kinder teacher that's where we will be living....) will have internet access.... I will be stalking from afar with the free internet at the library from time to time... so stay in touch and I will be back soon {yes... that's a warning...}
In the meantime - everyone have a wonderful Christmas with your families, thankyou for being great "friends" and for the laughs and the gorgeous comments throughout the year, I love it, and the inspiration from all you gorgeous girls.
Have a safe and happy new year, I will contact you from my cardboard box from the tin can attached to a piece of string... cross fingers it works...

Merry Christmas Bloggians!!!

down in the valley...

In the summertime -you might be lucky to meet some of my very sweet new friends.

We did a little photo shoot and their images are now available on the funky bottle caps for you to add to your scrapbook pages, cards, journals or whatever you like.

In your pack you will receive a random batch of three Valley Friends bottle caps to enjoy. They dont have the creatures names on them when they arrive BTW...

They are $3.25 and $1.20 postage.

Let me introduce them to you....

This is Sheldon the Owl ... he is a bit of a "know it all" if you know what I mean... but still super cute!!
then we have Fergie the Flirty Fox....
she is quite hard to get a hold of as she sleeps most of the day and is out flirting all night, she may look all shy and innocent but her favourite game is "hard to get" with the fellas of the valley...
Heidi and Hubert Hedgehog... they are in love, Heidi thinks its funny when Hubert balances mushrooms on his spikes... they are really quite sickening when they are together... so I have separated them for these photos, Hubert is in the next photo.


Fergie loves the camera.... but here is Hubert, showing off as usual, and Nigel the Gnome - he is a bossy boots - he thinks he is the boss of the Valley

next, let me introduce Pablo the paranoid Squirrel... don't make any sudden moves around him... he is quite skittish, like he has a secret to hide... strange... personally, I heard from Gidget that he is a kleptomaniac and somewhat of a hoarder... see below...

Gidget... don't tell her any of your secrets... she is the biggest gossip and flies of to tell Nigel everything... she is a lovely person..but remember, NO SECRETS she has alot of friend I will introduce you to soon...

And then there is Bambi... she is Fergies best friend, they get up to all sorts of mischief, if you want details, just ask Gidget... she will tell you everything...

Also in the valley... I found Pablos stash of cloth patches and milk bottle lids and other vintage ephemera that he has collected, and so have put together a vintage set of bottle caps for those of us who love vintage... I think Pablo should share his stash don't you...
Again 3 for $3.25 with $1.20 for postage... here are some examples of what you might receive...
Leave a comment below to order...
an email is also handy... I will risk my fingers from bites and scratches to get the vintage labels to you... that's the type of girl I am...

gotta run before I get caught...
Mad Mel xxx

Another Year on...

After 6 full years of Kindergarten, my time has finally come to an end. I am sad to be no longer a kinder parent, but with all the kids just next door at school, we can still pop in to say hi whenever we like.

So my baby girl graduated kinder yesterday - and I was very brave and didn't cry!! She was so excited and the kids all put on a little concert before the certificate ceremony and then we had a party ... then we came home and had some of her sweet little friends over for a play - love having little girls in the house, so much quieter playing dolls and tea sets and babies than the boys racing in and out with dinosaurs, trucks and footballs...

Here she is proudly displaying her certificate Another of my friends Daughters graduated primary school on Monday. Natasha is such a sweet girl and is always friendly and smiling and is the type of girl any mother would like their own daughters to be like at her age... so, using my Old Favourites Vintage paper pack {yes... its STILL going - such great value} I made this cute little gift box to put some hair clips I made her in...

and packaged it up with twine....

Congrats to you Tash, we know you will do well in high school, and to my baby girl!! :(

be good

Mad Mel

Lollipop Ladies hidden suprises...

mmmmm... I like biting into a block of violet crumble... to get to the honeycomb on the inside... ohhhh yeah...

I eat mine by biting off the chocolate on the outside first... much to my hubby's annoyance!! I eat party pies the same way... I eat the "lid" then the filling.. then the base... only when I am home, never in public... or if I have to .. under the table at a party when no one is watching....

Anyway... the lollipop ladies challenge this fortnight was to use the choc honeycomb as inspiration... but we had to add hidden journalling.

I love hidden journalling, especially in little envelopes, but I found this gorgeous Kraft envelope with the twine twisty thingo sealer and HAD to use it on this LO of my gorgeous little man wrestling a crocodile at Taronga zoo. I stamped it and made it a feature of the LO and inside the envelope is drawings he leaves lying around the house of crocodiles.

And because it was honeycomb - I stole a bee eraser that was also lying around next to the pencil box and pictures of crocodiles, vikings and dragons... and used it as an embellie on my LO... at least it wont be lying around now, and a little BG bee and he monopoly money is the same colour as honeycomb.... and the cardstock is actually chocolate brown...

If there is going to be another like Steve Irwin ... this little guy is going to be him ...or he is going to marry Bindi Irwin...no ALI!!! Don't say it!!! some of Jinxy's drawings of crocodiles... tucked away for the future... so head on over to the Lollipop Ladies for some sweet inspiration and play along this fortnight, we would love to see you there!!!

not many sleeps to go so be good for goodness sake ... yes even you Ali !!!

Mad Mel

happy birthday big boy ... and a secret revealed!!

Yeah yeah yeah.... I know one and a half hours afterwards I am writing about this little mans birthday and yeah yeah yeah... because he is the first born he gets a blog post on his birthday instead of a couple of days later like his third born sister.... BUT... he is the first born and therefore the best... the middle child will always be the middle child... never better than the oldest and never cuter than the youngest.. the earlier they know that the better....

SO ... this morning we welcomed the Zinga's into the year 2010... yes we finally have a piece of technology in the house that dates after the year 2000.

We don't have a plasma, a wii {except on the bathroom floor after the boys have been there}, an X-box, a playstation, i-pods, i- phones, anything with the letter "i"... my mobile phone is analogue.. so is our little box of a telly... so today... we have a DSi ... finally something with an "i",

Yep. think he is stoked about that!! and this is not a posed photo.. seriously, this was his reaction... love it!! And yep - that's me on the right in desperate need of an underarm wax, arm wax, eyebrow wax and lip and chin wax too... but check out my guns!!! {sorry babe.. love the face fluff... its not me girls... really..}

Happy birthday little man!! 9 years old!!

now i can share my little secret... finally... Miss Shell over at Challenge heaven has finally posted my LO on her blog because I am honored to be the December Guest Designer for Challenge Heaven!!! dont believe me?? Check THIS out {happy dance ... happy dance...}

Here is my LO of my gorgeous daughter... who is pure sugar and spice... all in the matter of minutes... cant wait for the teenage years when I send her off to the tallest tower of the tallest castle until her true love arrives.... with mood stabilisers...

Love how this LO turned out.. love these papers

and close ups ....

and one of my flowers which are available real soon

head over to Challenge Heaven... every month there are new challenges, sketches and prizes to win and the girls are just the best, I have made so many great friends here and won a couple of comps too... just watch out for that cheeky Shell editing answers to bio questions to make you appear quite strange...

Picnic time for teddy bears...

well after winter, I look as big as a bear and with this heat ... I am as grumpy as a bear, and with all this packing, I want to hide in a cave and sleep like a bear.....

So lets go on a lovely picnic and skip through the wild flowers....

There are no flies or ants in this kit.. just butterflies, sun-shiny flowers, ladybugs, hedgehogs, frogs, caterpillars {with ears???} and I even kept you a cupcake - chocolate swirl.. yummmmm...

... I'll bring the wine {yep, our fave one Sue, some for you too Mel..}

$7 a pack and $1.20 for postage will have you on your own little picnic... well you can dream.

OMG - SHE SCRAPS!!!

As you would probably know... my mojo had been boxed up in the millions of boxes scattered around my house waiting for the big move... well guess what I found!!
Yep ... my scrapping mojo came out of the box last night to visit... and my OF vintage paper pack got another turn at the spotlight.

Featured here on this untitled LO s the vintage book page, ticket, playing card, soft drink label, blue shipping tag, puzzle piece, vintage clothing pattern and my fave... the bakers twine in blue and red...Oh, isn't he sweet sitting there colouring with his little crayons squished in his chubby hands and the dinosaur right there in front of him... closely guarded of course... I love this photo but until now have never scrapped it ...This little man turns 9 on Wednesday

here is a beautiful OF hat pin ... so many colours to choose from.....

woopsie ... tilt your head sideways for a better view of my OF vintage soft drink label, puzzle piece I covered with vintage paper, and .... OF twine


I saw this LO by Louise Nelson and thought it was a great idea to subtly add this "daggy" chipboard dinosaur and make it funky...

I also made this funky little gift wrapping idea again from the goodies in the vintage paper pack from Old Favourites

and another photo because I can...

ok ... be good because you-know-who is watching...

{do I mean Santa?? I am affectionately called "stalker" by some...} at least I think its affectionately... Kerri?? Ali???

written your Santa List yet???

If not - why don't you head over here and ask Santa to fill your stocking with these gorgeous kits from Lea and help out a good cause at the same time.

Christmas packs sold out

The Chrissy packs have sold out and I have 2 vintage packs left....

More goodies on the way.

Stay tuned yowall here!!

Deck the halls...

well at least the tree!!

In this house - the tree decorating is such a big deal... and I love Christmas... so we like to put up our tree early enough to be enjoyed for the entire Christmas month or two..or until I get sick of finding decorations in weird spots around the house...But our tree is not one of those "magazine" designer trees... with everything colour co-ordinated and beautiful ...its more of a mismatch of bits and pieces from school, kinder and just because .. but to me its memories of happy little kids getting older each year and adding their own personal flair to our tree.

So this year its my turn to add some flair to our tree - with these Bakers twine decorations...

and some funky fabric buttons

and my hand dyed doilies...

Happy Birthday Baby Girl

Yep..... Finally .... she has reached the age of wonder and amazement... after a whole year of watching her best friends turn 5 ... she has finally turned 5 herself... the magic age where she can go to school.

I was woken up at 6am with her standing beside me.. arms stretched out at her sides... "So Mum.... do I look any bigger???" Of course you do baby...

Well this all happened last Saturday ... Lucky her god mother posted a happy birthday message for her on the day.

Well she is my third child... so she will have to get used to being left behind a little...Such a crazy day... I had to up to work on the polls at 7 (in the rain), the kids had swimming at 7:30 and she had to wait until 10:30 to open her (much anticipated) birthday presents. then its Dad's birthday too {Happy Birthday to you too Dad...} then visitors popping in all day until VERY late ... so these are the only 2 decent photos I have from the whole day.

If only I knew someone with a new SLR..... *wink wink*

I feel a little sad about her turning 5... innocence lost once she goes to school, and I will miss her even though she drives me crazy sometimes - like right now she has her big brothers MP3 in her ears and singing SUPER LOUD. I know she will survive school without a trouble - she is a very tough little cookie and I love her soo much.

Happy birthday baby doll - we love you!!

old favourites chrissy card

Remember that cute little Christmas Playing card I showed you from Old Favourites???

Weeeeelll.. I have made this cute little vintage Christmas Card using the playing card and other goodies from Old Favourites and of course my fave ... Bakers twine also available from here...

As you were...

still some left!!

But selling out fast!!
For all the details click on the images in the side bar.
Just over > there
OK!! Just click here for the Chrissy Pack
and here for the vintage pack... couldn't be easier

Monster under the bed....

I absolutely swear to you - this is not a set up photo.
I was in the kitchen doing the dishes....
Mr 8 was cleaning up the lounge,
and Mr 7 was sneaking in here on the computer watching a photo slide show
and so the princess, slid this spare mattress under her brothers bed ... and called out to them to hurry up and come to bed.... I was yelling from the kitchen that they were on the way... then it occurred to me it was quiet...
we couldn't find her anywhere until....this is where we found her!!
She had given up waiting and had fallen asleep under the bed!!!

too funny

It is my 10 year wedding anniversary today - I received a gorgeous watch this morning from my beautiful hubby - I will post pictures tomorrow. I got him ........... hmmmm, 10 years is aluminium or tin ..... do you think a tinnie of beer is OK?? Or a can of soup for dinner???
He is out at a launch party while I am home with the kids.... ahhh... 10 years....

And a Chrissy Pack

And another one - this one is a Christmas theme pack of red, white and a touch of green.

In this pack you will receive.....

4 red doilies

4 red snowflake doilies

4 white snowflake doilies

1 candycane puffy

1 "feeling seedy" green puffy

1 pack of mini red flowers

2 beautiful silver backed red roses.

There are 5 of these packs available for $6 (backorders are welcome!!)

Leave a comment below with your email address and I will contact you