Return from Paradise

 Poolside Flora, Lautoka Hotel, Lautoka, Fiji Islands

Sunset, Treasure Island, Mamanuca Group, Fiji Islands

Leaves in the Light, Nausori, Fiji Islands

I have recently returned home from a short trip to Fiji. My sister and her husband chose to be married over there and had the most quintessential beach wedding (and honeymoon!) possible. As I was a bridesmaid, I didn't have the chance to snap too many pics on the day :( but can't wait to see the professional photos when they emerge. Due to the overall schedule of the trip, there weren't copious opportunities to take photographs but I tried to keep an eye out for interesting subject matter and managed to take a few decent shots. I'm hoping that a couple of shots will make successful photographic cards for my market stall.

Fiji is a beautiful country. I love the way in which any form of travel forces you to reflect and, in some ways, creates a mindshift within you. It's because you're away from the humdrum and routine of everyday life (not that my life is particularly routinised since leaving teaching). I haven't quite returned to 'reality' yet. Having neglected 'Green Gifts' for the entire month of June, I'm dreadfully low in stock and in no position to visit potential stockists who, undoubtedly, will not wait for me forever! I'll just have to hope for the best. Fiji was worth it...

So encouraged!

Well, I'd be lying if I didn't acknowledge that the Global Financial Crisis has affected the 'markets' scene over the last 12 months. It has been a slog for myself and many of my fellow stallholders. I've been hanging in there, determined to make even cuter products and putting excessive time and research into sourcing cheaper, higher quality materials. However, things have been picking up for me lately, bolstered by the fact that I have been fortunate enough to have indoor stall spots during some rather chilly winter mountains' days. This may be shortlived, as regular stallholders vie for larger spots, relegating me to whatever space is left :(

Last weekend was extremely encouraging, as the market organiser gave me a particularly large spot on Saturday and I had the opportunity to really display the range of cards I stock. I sold numerous HANDMADE CARDS that day, which makes me very happy because a) I love making them, and b) This is the part of 'Green Gifts' that I am aiming to expand. And guess what? I received a call yesterday from a prominent Sydney-based independent bookshop who may be interested in stocking a range of my cards! A staff member had purchased a handmade card or two from me on the weekend and had shown them to his boss. This is one of the most positive developments for 'Green Gifts' in 2011, and the kind of thing I would like to embark on.

My beautiful sister...

I was googling some things about Leura, Blue Mountains today when I stumbled upon a photograph of my sister. It is still being used as part of Spa Sublime's advertising after all these years! I don't think my sister received much money (if any) for this shoot (I believe there are some other photos too) but it is a lovely shot and kudos must also go to the photographer who took it. My sister currently works in the beauty industry in Bondi Junction and has been a great help to me in terms of facial skin treatments. I had moderate to severe acne for 17 years, and was taunted daily for many years, which affected my self-confidence immensely. She has really been a great support in helping to reduce scarring and skin damage on my face. Thank you beautiful Chervonne!
 

So Cute--Little Monster and Panda

I just couldn't resist posting pics of two of my latest handmade cards. Sometimes I get a little gaga over the lovely images available for cardmaking and scrapbooking, especially after they have been cut and altered to form a fresh image (as in these cards which contain self-made titles, and have been dry embossed, inked and 3-D mounted). For $3.50 each, I think they will sell quickly. If you would like to order some handmade greeting cards, I can make practically any design you're after with the large supply of materials and tools I've bought over the years. Please drop me a line...

Green Gifts Personified!

These cards truly represent my love of nature and style of cardmaking. The backgrounds are scenes reclaimed from an old calendar, brought to life by embellishments such as paper/silk flowers, brads, resin, diecuts and, my favourite, a ladybug. I love being able to create a visual image out of virtual garbage (as well as a few other pretty things). A reasonable amount of effort went into each card, so these are priced at $3.00 each. They're all one-of-a-kind, so I thought I'd take a few quick snaps before I put them out for sale.

Colour Me Happy!

I'm branching out with a few more boldly-coloured cards lately. It's really enjoyable trying to make a diverse range to cater to different peoples' likes. Things have been very busy, both personally and with Green Gifts, so I haven't had much time to blog. If you've visited my market stall lately, feel free to drop me a line. All feedback and suggestions are welcome :)