Extremes of the Outback

It is over 35 degrees here already at just after 9am. Today is expected to be 42 degrees and catastrophic fire danger! We were going to go out and do something nice like go to the library, but I think that we will give that a miss!

The Kids cubby house that they got for Christmas as a family gift is coming along nicely. At tools down yesterday, all that was left was a couple of final trimmings and the windows and planter boxes. When I download my photos I will post some progress shots. They are loving it already! We have revised where we are going to put it. It will be going between the house and laundry, which we decided the kids will be more likely to go to. Also, the spot near the shed gets no shade in summer, which is a huge issue.

Fun with Christmas Goodies

I wanted to post some creative stuff for a change!

The canvas below is one that I made at the end of November when my friend Bec gave birth to her fourth baby girl! It is only 10cm square, so is very cute!

I love gel medium image transfers and have wanted to use the image of the fairy for ages, so I applied it using an image transfer onto this little canvas. There are heaps of layers of paper, paint, gel medium and spritz on the canvas and I have dyed some gauze and also some paper flowers to add to it. I used a good dose of glitz spritz over the whole thing for some great shimmer. I also used some of my favourite Collections chipboard for the butterfly hanger and the butterfly embellishment, sprayed with a huge dose of glitz spritz (did I say that I love that stuff?). It was heaps of fun and I hope that my friend liked it.

Now for a mini tutorial on faux wax seals. These little blobs are so much fun and very addictive.

1. Using your hot glue gun, squeeze out a blob of hot glue about the size of a 5-10 cent piece. Use a teflon craft sheet to work on, or if you don't have one, use a piece of baking paper. You don't have to work super fast because the glue stays pliable for quite a while.


2. Choose a stamp with some detail in it. I have used proper wax seals and an assortment of rubber stamps. Be cautious using acrylic stamps because they are not as resistant to heat (hot glue!) as rubber ones, so may melt.

3. Ink up your stamp with Versamark (my preference) or a coloured ink. I have used black Versafine and this worked well, but I think Stazon would work best if using coloured ink.

4. Push your stamp into the blob of hot glue and squash it down a bit. Don't use too much force or you will squash too much glue out from under the stamp, making it too thin and also a weird shape!

5. Give your seal 30 seconds to cool a bit and then peel it from your craft sheet. Your glue blob will be stuck to the stamp.

6. Ensure all glue is set and then peel the glue from your stamp. Don't leave the glue on your stamp for too long, perhaps not even until it is completely cold, as it will stick to any areas of your stamp that don't have Versamark on it (ie, the most indented areas) and will increase its grip on your stamp as it cools!

Here are some finished examples. Clockwise from the top are: 1. hummingbird wax seal, 2, 3, 4, 5. Tim Holtz Ultimate Grunge unmounted stamp set (mesh, crackle, dates, bubble wrap) and 6. Stampington & Co Temptress stamp (clocks on her head only). If you are in Kalgoorlie, all the supplies I have used are from Keepsake Krafts except from the glue which is from Chez's Crafty Affair.


I love how the impressions are shiny where the stamp presses into the glue and mat where the glue pushes up into the indented areas of the stamp.They look great with some coloured paper behind them and I also think they would look good with some Stazon rubbed over the high spots to give it a bit of definition. I think you can also get coloured glue cartridges, so seals made from melted coloured glue would be very cool.

The glue is really flexible when dried, so it attaches to your layout or art really easily with glue or staples, brads etc.

Hope you have fun creating faux wax seals!

Christmas with Team Slater

This year was so much fun on Christmas day in our house. Caitlin was getting so excited before the big day and we expected her to be out of bed to check if Santa had been at about 5am. She was really considerate and actually stayed in bed until Callum woke up (I couldn't believe it - bet it never happens again!!). She said she was awake and waiting for ages!

Caitlin was all eyes when she was faced with her Santa sack full of presents.


We shifted the coffee table so we could sit on the mat and look at what Santa had been generous enough to leave for us. All Caitlin really wanted was a Hannah Montanna microphone that records your voice and then plays it back. Santa's elves must have been listening because Santa left one for her.


Caitlin got make up and dress ups and a new summer dress. This is a pic of her giving a fashion parade.


The biggest hit was a fantastic kitchen that Craig and I bought for the kids as a joint present. They both love it, but I think that Cal will be getting the most use out of it! He also got some kids pots and pans from Santa, so they are a hit in the little kitchen.


And of course the biggest hit with the littlest man of the house is the little person sized garbage bin. You can't believe the amount of joy one garbo bin can bring one little man (actually, Mum and Dad, you probably have some idea!)! All we heard on Christmas morning when he ventured out to the living room was "ooooh, biiiin"! I think we may have to have daily "what's in your bin?" photo shots!


Christmas night was a hit too. We had Leoni and Gary and their kids and also Kylie and Gavin and their kids around for tea. It was such a great night, we all got on well, there were no kid arguments and all were happy and merry! I must say tea was pretty yum too, with each of us chipping in with some food.

Hope you had a great Christmas too and that Santa was kind!