Only 2 days till its New Year’s Eve. What are planning? As I do every year (and my dad does too) I make a whole lot of Oliebollen. They are a dutch tradition and eaten on New Year’s Eve / Day. As its a lot of work to make the dough etc I normally make way too many. Let me know if you would like some 🙂

Oliebollen translated means “olie” = oil “bollen” = balls, The most similar food here would be dougnuts. But instead of Cinnamon sugar we put icing sugar. There are also a couple of different varieties, with raisins or apple. Yummy!

During the winter months you will see lots of Oliebollen Kramen dotted around as seen in the below photos.

I had better add the ingredients to my shopping list so I don’t forget anything important (like yeast…)
Wishing everyone a fantastic Year ending and a fabulous New Year!

Everyone has more than likely seen the news (although I haven’t as that is the kids dinner, bath & bed time) and the devastation that has happened just 470km north of us.

My parents won’t be able to come down for Christmas, which has already changed our mood / spirit.  It just won’t be the same. Although I have spent many Christmas’s away from my parents in the past as I spent 5 years on a cruise ship…but this is the first time since I’ve had kids. Even when we went to Goa for Christmas my parent came along.

Anyway, South Perth Council is collecting money for the people of Carnavon who have lost their homes etc and you can donate via any Bank West branch. Every little bit helps!

Here are a few photos:

I know I have been pretty slack with the blogging, but life got in the way 🙂

End of the year brings along extra busy days in the shop, end of year concerts, school parties, Day Care parties, work parties etc etc

School holidays are here, which means I don’t have to be out the door quite as early in the morning but I now do have a 6 year old shop assistant :). She loves it in the shop and if you come in, she is sure to show you all the new products and even demo some tools.  She will make the perfect assistant when she is older.

The days have been getting warmer, or is it only because I spend the whole day in a nice cool shop that I get hit by the heat all the harder when leaving in the afternoon? (yes, we are now fully air conditioned!)

Anyway, enough idle chit chat – given a chance I could talk all day! (maybe why I love it in the shop so much?)

We have lots, and I mean lots planned for 2011….

To start off with we are holding an Open Day on Tuesday 28th December from 10am till 1pm. Come in and try out some tools, have some morning tea and create 3 cards for free. There will also be a sale, so come in and spend those gift vouchers a number of you will be lucky enough to receive.

On Tuesday, we will also have most of the Term 1 classes on display as well as all the kids classes for January. Making it easier for you when booking classes.

From next week the New Passport to Scrappiness will be available for purchase. (At the moment there is only a junior version, but the adult version will be available in the coming weeks.) What is it? I hear you ask…Kids will receive a stamp for every class attended, and for skills learnt to earn certificates and free gifts. More details at our open day.

Our Cricut Club will be up and running from 5th January. Its costs $50 per year to become a member, but as a member you can can borrow from our Cricut Library as many times as you like through out the year. You will also receive special Cricut discounts and challenges.

Starting in January, and then every 1st Tuesday of the month, we will have a new Scrap Challenge and a Card Challenge. Scrap Challenge Kits will cost $15 with over $20 worth of products in the kit, and the Card Challenge will cost $10 with over $13 worth of products inside. all challenge entries will be due by the 25th of every month, and voting will take place between the 25th and 1st Tuesday of the month. Prizes will vary monthly and be anounced at the same time kits become available.

Sorry but our website is out of date, there are approx. 400 products which I haven’t had a chance to load up yet, but this will updated over the Christmas break. And as we now have internet in store it will be continually updated as new products come in. (that’s the plan anyway 🙂 )

All classes held over the summer include either morning or afternoon tea. Schedule is available in store. Places have been filling, so please e-mail me or call in if you would like your son / daughter to do any. Prices start from $10. All layout classes have a boy option and a girl option.

Tuesday 28th December: 10.00 am  – 1.00pm
Wednesday 29th December 10.00 am – 2.00pm
Thursday 30th December 10.00 am – 2.00pm
Friday 31st December 10.00 am – 12.00pm
Saturday 1st January – Closed
Sunday 2nd January – closed
Monday 3rd January – Closed
Tuesday 4th January – 10.00 – 1.00pm
Wednesday 5th January open as normal

As its school holidays, and I have 3 small kids (1, 3 and 6 years old) in January for 3 Tuesdays I will be open only from 10.00 – 1pm to give me some time to take them to the beach etc as my husband works away a lot of the time and I want to give them a bit of a holiday. Thank you for your understanding.The website will be open 24/7 though, and I can deliver orders on Mondays and Tuesday afternoons.

Finally I would like to thank everyone for making the first 3 months of our shop being open a fabulous 3 months. I couldn’t have done it without you! I have met some wonderful people. I would also like to wish everyone a fantastic Christmas and a Fabulous New Year.

Take Care
Marijke

Good Morning Everyone!

Its 6.30, the Sun is shinning and I have already done 3 loads of washing. And it will probably all be nice and dry before I go to the shop. Gotta love the Geraldton sun and wind!

Last week I wrapped / decorated some gifts to have on display in the shop but have received so many comments and requests, that I am currently working on an instruction sheet. I was thinking to do a quick workshop and if enough sign up for it I will do 1 on Wednesday afternoon and on Saturday morning. It will cost $5 which includes the paper bag, cellophane bags, toffees and brads. You will need to bring your own block of chocolate, bar of soap, papers and embellishments (or they are also available in store 🙂 ) Let me know what you think….

Here are a few images:

This is a beautiful smelling soy candle hand made by Gemma. If you would like to order any I have her cards in my shop :). They have a nice strong smell – as the whole shop smelled wonderful all day!

If you are looking for a great Christmas gift for someone or just looking for Scrapping goodies for yourself at great prices – come and visit us in store or online.

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend!

Marijke

Good Morning Everyone!

I know I have been a bit slack on the blogging side of things…due to the overwhelming response to our sale I have been flat out packing everyone’s parcels. The last of them where posted off yesterday….phew!

Now onto the new products we received this week. Firstly my new favourite tool – The Sew Easy from WeR Memory Keepers. I just love it! No need to drag out the sewing machine…just put the attachment on the handle for the sewing stitch you would like, run it across your lay outs or cards – this pierces the holes ready for you to then sew by hand. Too easy! We have a weekend special on this too – they are listed individually on the website or as a bundle pack. When you buy the bundle you save $12.43!

Head over to our website and look under the category “Sew Easy” to see and / or purchase this great new tool.

Click here to view a You Tube video showing how its used.

Also new in store is the absolutely beautiful new range from Echo park – Little Boy. The papers and colours are just simply stunning. For a baby room, if you bought 3 canvases measuring 12×12″ each, and just stuck 1 of the patterned papers on each and hung them up – it would look amazing! I don’t often gush about new lines, but I just love this collection. I already have a few layouts in mind that I will be making for my 2 little boys albums. Here are a few images of the papers, all the images are on our facebook page (click here)

There are more new products, and I will do my best to get them all uploaded on to the website this weekend. There are lots of new cuttle bug folders, Fancy Pants papers, Music Sheets, Shrinky Dinks, Shrinky Dinks for the printer, Hero Arts Ribbons, lots and lots of brads + more.

For those of you in Geraldton – We will be at the Baby and Kids market tomorrow from 9-1 so come and say hello!

Hope you have a great weekend.

Marijke
P.S I think I can hear rain! Yeah!!

After a couple of complaints (you know who you are lol!) I have now changed the settings that any member of this blog can comment. No need to have a google account.

Let me know if you have any further problems….

Today we made Doll Houses. I have only got photos of one as I forgot to take more photos as we were too busy talking…But this 1 is a bit special.

The lady making it has gone all out and has put in wooden flooring, tiled bathroom and Kitchen and even ordered furniture from America!

Her mother has even gone further and has all antique furniture and even a maid….(she is making it herself at home but I can’t wait to see it!) My doll house is pretty plain in comparison, I’ll show it to you next week when I have finished it, as I may just nip down to bunnings this week to get some flooring….

 

This is the Bird House one of the girls made this week using the Lilac Avenue papers. Isn’t beautiful? When its embellished I’ll post another photo.

Hope everyone has a creative week!
Marijke

Below are a couple of photos of the mini bookcase with 12 books which we will be making in a workshop on the 26th November. You can easily change the theme, for example “The Year That Was” so a little book on each month for a particular year, or do 1 of each member of your family…options are endless.
There are still a couple of places left. Cost $92.50 which includes everything. (papers, pack of co-ordinating embellishments, paint)
If you were making one, what theme would you choose?

Have you visited our website lately? We have lots of new products including 3 ranges from Prima Marketing as well as 3 Christmas ranges at 30% off. Click here to have a look.
Hope you all have a fantastic day!
Marijke

Have you seen the wonderful new tool that WeR Memory Keepers has designed? You roll it along the paper and it makes the holes ready for you to stitch. No need to pull out the sewing machine! And the sew easy is “so easy” to take along to crops.
I have already ordered a certain amount, and not sure how long it will take to get a 2nd order as this tool is a very popular item. If you would like to be one of the first to have it – and before Christmas head over to our website and order it. I anticipate it to arrive mid to end November.
Click here to see all the different stitches.

What do you think of this new tool?