Gallirallus phillipensis

In our front garden, what's more!

I finally have photographic evidence of our buff banded visitor - I'm NOT imagining things.

All a flutter - add a butterfly!

This was the subject of the latest challenge at Scrapbook Boutique http://scrapbookboutiquenews.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/a-new-challenge-has-started.html
plus this photo:

I've used my Spectrum Noir pens (CT,1 CT2, CT3, PP3, TB2, TB3 & BT2) plus my Tonic Butterfly Strip punch, Nestabilities Circles and an adorable Penny Black stamp ('frolic') to make this:

I can't help but smile whenever I use this stamp :-D

Breakfast Coffee

As an extremely CRAFTy person (one that can't remember a flipping thing) I thought I would share my morning coffee experiences. Those people that come to my lessons at Crafty Capers know that I try to make all possible mistakes BEFORE a class. Here are my coffee mistakes ...
Before starting, make sure you own at least three coffee measuring scoops (that way you should be able to find one of them).
If you are grinding your coffee beans, make sure grind is moved from espresso machine setting to plunger setting (unless you like a fine sludge in your plunged coffee).
Fill kettle with filtered water and turn kettle on. (If you have a gas cook-top check you have turned on and lit the correct burner.)
Move filter jug away from coffee plunger (to minimise chance of pouring cold filtered water into the coffee plunger after this next step).
Measure a scoop of coffee into the plunger. It is wise NOT to measure your three tablespoons of muesli at the same time (this avoids having to get the muesli out of the coffee plunger (which IS however easier than getting ground coffee out of your muesli)). It is also wise to pour the milk for your muesli well away from the coffee plunger (you want hot water, not cold milk on the ground coffee).
Pour freshly boiled water onto the measured coffee (not onto your muesli), stir coffee and let it sit for 1-2 minutes. (Best not to start other jobs during this time or you will inevitably forget that you are making coffee.)(If you used gas to heat your kettle make sure it is now turned off.)
Pour coffee into pre-heated cup. (Don't forget to empty hot water out first to avoid diluting your coffee.)(Hopefully you have moved your bowl of muesli away from the coffee cup.)
Add milk to coffee.
Congratulate yourself if you have a hot coffee and a bowl of muesli with milk. Sit down and enjoy!

Spectrum Noir Poppy card

I recently taught a variation of this to my Tuesday craft group. I wanted to try the Spectrum Noir reds to try to get some light and shade onto the poppy petals.

Don't Laugh!

Managed to miss a way to mess up the coffee routine! Discovered it yesterday morning whilst my mind was on other things (trying to recall a macrame knot, if you must know). It is also possible to add the ground coffee to your muesli AFTER you have added to milk to it! I think now that the only combination I haven't 'tested' is pouring the hot coffee into the muesli :-P