Do you want the good news, or.....

the good news....or the other good news???

*Warning - rather long post ahead*


After the crappy couple of weeks that I've had, I can't believe how things have turned around this past week :)

Firstly, about 4 weeks ago I discovered this lovely friendly online forum & scrap shop.....called Red Earth Scrapping that is run by a lovely lady named Helen.  They had announced that they were  having a DT competition for a new DT member, starting 16th January....so I thought I'd give it a go :) . 

Part 1 of the competition was to take inspiration from the Red Earth Scrapping banner.....

I took inspiration from the gorgeous earthy colours - the rusty red earth - the beige, greys & blues in the patchwork of corrugated iron - the colour of the wheat - and of course, the wheat itself.....and this is what I came up with...... 

"Captain Cook's Cottage" - pics taken from our weekend in Melbourne back in Sept last year.

I just LOVE how this turned out....and I LOVE the banner that I drew inspiration from :)

2nd part of the competition....was a sketch challenge with some extra criteria :-

To use red - as little or as much as you like

To use ribbon/lace/trim - as little or as much as you like

To have a handcut element/embellishment

And to journal - more than just the who, what, when & where

And this is what I created for part 2......

(but this part of the comp didn't end up counting - as poor Helen had forgot to post the criteria before going away for the weekend...LOL - so most of us just did part 2 anyway, just for fun)

$14,000 art piece - I covered all the criteria, including the journaling - telling the story about the art auction on board our cruise...and this piece of art that really caught my eye, just totally gobsmacked me when the opening price was $14,000!!!!  LOL - needless to say I sat there speechless & gobsmacked.

Apparently it's street value was $25,000 - I think I must have expensive tastes!  OMG I soooo would have loved to buy it!  If only it wasn't sooooo expensive....LOL

SOOOOOOOO

the first part of my "good news" is that Helen has chosen me to be the new DT member!!!

OMG....lil old ME?!?!?

When I first found out I was shocked....and excited!!! with my mind racing at a million miles per hour!  hahaha

I am really looking forward to working with Helen & the other RES DT members, Mistra & Susanne!

The amazing & coincidental thing is........it turns out that Helen only lives about 30 minutes from me....how amazing is that!!!  It really is such a small small world :)

I should be receiving my first RES kit some time this week....and can't wait to start playing with it - it really is a gorgeous looking kit!

Now for my 2nd lot of good news....

A few weeks ago I got an email from Kristy at Scrapbooking Memories - inviting me to be a part of a display - The Papercraft Showroom - that will travel around most of the Craft Expo's in Australia in 2011.

OMG I couldn't believe what I was reading....just so totally stoked!  Of course I said YES....and after much agonising over which LO to send in - I finally decided on the "Captain Cook's Cottage" layout as shown above!  I'm hoping to try to get to one of the Craft Expo's...so really looking forward to seeing the showcase of work that they will have on display :)

And because things, apparently, come in threes......

My third bit of good news is that I have won these gorgeous little beauties......

Sue has recently started up a new little venture called - Lovely Bug Bits & Bobs - where she makes these gorgeous little buttons!  She had a giveaway on her blog....and by some amazing miracle, I won!!!  hahaha

Thanks so much Sue!  I can't wait to receive them & I'm really looking forward to scrapping with them!

Okies......that's all from me for now - & if you're still with me on this super long post....thankyou, you deserve a medal! Thanks for dropping by :)

Hmmmm....I wonder if that "things come in threes" theory could be stretched any more???

You'll have to keep checking back to see......