Week #201 - 31st March - Sponsored by The Craft Barn

Good Morning, it's the start of the Easter holidays for many of our kids here in the UK, but I'm hoping that you still might find time to take part in our challenge this week which is being sponsored by our friends at...

The Craft Barn

"We are a UK business selling a wide range of craft supplies including stamps, dies and embossing folders, punches, an extensive range of items to alter and decorate and much more for your scrapbooking and card making projects. We are committed to providing the best, most up to date craft products at great prices, coupled with first class service.

We have over 10,000 products, some of the leading brands that we stock include: Sizzix, Ranger, Tim Holtz, Crafty Individuals, Katzelkraft, Crafts Too, DecoArt, Copic, Viva Décor, Spellbinder Nestabilities, Impression Obsession, Tando Creative, Marianne D and Cosmic Shimmer to name but a few. We are constantly adding new products to our range of craft supplies so be sure to add us to your browser favourites so you can pop back and see us."

The Craft Barn offer a wide range of goodies for all crafters from all things 'Cuttlebug' to grunge paper, from cottage cutz dies to cosmic shimmers, then there's your essentials like cardstock and papers and adhesives.

Not forgetting their HUGE stock of clear and rubber stamps to tantalise you!

There really is something for everyone :)

For all the latest products that have been added to the site PLEASE CLICK HERE

Easter opening hours at The Craft Barn

Open as usual on Good Friday and Easter Saturday

then closed Easter Sunday and Monday

Next free event: Minifest on Saturday 7th April

Liz Welch, Jenny Mayes, Helen Meighan,

Carol Cockbain, Kay Carley, Helen Chilton

"Come along and be inspired"

If you do have the time to go to any of their FREE demo days, then please do. They are very popular events, and very worthwhile, you may pick up some crafting tips and meet up with fellow crafters too

And of course you will be able to see the full range of wonderful products available in store.

This weeks challenge winner will receive, as always, a generous prize from The Craft Barn

Here's this weeks sketch...

Cor* (GD For March)

This is Cor's last week with us! We've enjoyed having her and seeing all her wonderful card creations! Big thanks and big hugs to you Cor! :)

Jilli

Steph

Donna

Lizy

Susie 

Tracey 

Bente

Terry

Jen

Jo

Please show us your crafty creations and be in with a chance of winning this weeks fab prize !  Just leave a DIRECT LINK to your work with Mr.Linky below .... x

Winner of challenge #200

The winner of SEVEN single digis of their own choice, courtesy of Bugaboo Stamps is...

Emily L (scrappy sweet creations)  prize claimed

Congratulations Emily! Please Email Me (Jo) so that I can give you details of how to claim your prize :)
Thank you.

Jo xx

WELCOME AGAIN

SUNDAY IS PALM SUNDAY. The church I was associated with most of my life did not observe Palm Sunday in any way. I'm happy to say that for the past 20+ years we have been blessed by an observance of this special day. There are many many palm trees in our area. We have a few in our own yard. I love the account in the Bible where the children waved palm branches as Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the

The Visit of the Episcopal Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney.

This afternoon we welcomed to Papa Stronsay

the Right Rev. Dr. Robert Gillies,
of the the Scottish Episcopal Church.
Bishop Gillies was elected to his position
over the Episcopal diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney
in April 2007.
On his episcopal ring the bishop has engraved
the image of the Papa Stronsay Cross.

Dr. Gillies was accompanied by the Reverend David Bowen
our friend and neighbour on Stronsay.
David and his wife, Ruth are semi-retired;
their house looks across Papa Sound to Papa Stronsay.
The visit was for about an hour and a half and
during this time the bishop himself took responsibility
for the beautiful weather!

Passiontide's Feast

The early morning of the
Feast of the Annunciation
Monday 26 March.

Expectation.
The sheep we pass on the way to meditation.

~Passiontide Waiting~
And I lay down my life for my sheep.
(Jn 10:15)

Morning Meditation.
~ The Feast of the Annunciation in Passiontide. ~
Since yesterday the images are veiled,
an atmosphere of shrouded sorrow tinges the feast.

Passiontide purple mixes with the flowers of the feast.
Since Adam's fall, the world, purpled in mournng
awaited the coming of salvation.
The Blessed Virgin Mary,
the only Lily of our vale,
is by a singular privilege raised up by God
to receive into Her spotless womb on this feast,
the Word
through Whom all things were made,
the Saviour of the World - Salvator Mundi.

It was a splendid morning as our boat left Papa Stronsay
for Mass on our neighbouring island.
Nature reflected the season and the feast.

The sea was calm,
the sun on the horizon
announced itself, majestically present indeed,

Yet, like the images on the altar,
it was present in the sky all veiled, restrained,
brilliant through a cover of haze.

Markets - March 26th to April 1st

SATURDAY 31ST MARCH
Boorondara
Echuca
Hume Murray
Myrtleford
Torquay Central

SUNDAY 1ST APRIL
Castlemaine
Flemington (ex Melb Showgrounds)
Heathmont
Hurtsbridge
Lilydale
Maffra
Mulgrave
North Melbourne
Tallarook

#312 - The Rest of the Story

What is the rest of the story?

Week #200 - 24th March - Sponsored by Bugaboo Stamps

Good Morning sketch fans!

It's a special week this week at Sketchy Towers, for 2 reasons.

Firstly, we have reached week 200, WOW!

and some of you are still joining in after all this time aren't you?,

A HUGE THANK YOU, you know who you are! xx ;)

Secondly, we are taking part in a DT swap with our sponsors of this weeks challenge, Bugaboo Stamps. 

More about the swap after this message from Bugaboo...

"Everything That You Ever Wanted to Know About Bugaboo Stamps:

As if raising five children in the frozen land of the North was not enough of a challenge, Jodie Mackrell decided to dip her cold little Canadian toes into the world of papercrafting by opening an online store full of her illustrations. That was two years ago. Today Bugaboo Stamps is one of the leading companies in digital images, and we're still growing!  From seriously snarky to sugary sweet to sublimely soulful all the way over to the other side of the super sexy spectrum, you're bound to find all that you need and more to create your paper projects.  Jodie works very hard to provide New Releases and Freebies every week! 

 If your taste runs to rubber (and you know who you are), you can find Bugaboo Stamps   at Totally Stampalicious. And finally, join the Bugaboo Stamps DT  for weekly challenges at Catch the Bug."

If you are our challenge winner this week, you'll get to choose 7 free digis to add to your Bugaboo collection! Thank you Jodie and everyone at Bugaboo xx

About the DT swap...

2 of our Saturday Girls (Jilli and Faye) are Featured Bugaboo Guests this week, and have designed the most fantastic cards for Bugaboo's Catch the Bug challenge.

We in turn are joined by 2 of Bugaboo's DT, Jackie and Yvonne who are featuring their cards as Guest Saturdays for our sketch challenge.

Here's the sketch...

And here's what Bugaboo's Jackie & Yvonne have made for us, adorable cards ladies!...

Jackie using Lily Ladybug - log

Yvonne using Bugaboo Brats Bugs - snail

More inspiration by Cor* (GD for March)

Her card is super gorgeous!!

and the equally gorgeous cards by The Saturdays...

Jilli

Faye using Fancy SB easter

Jo using Gus Birthday - Recount

Susie using Gus Birthday - Recount

 Paula

Steph

Jen using Gus Fishing

Lizy using Gus Birthday - Recount

Donna using Summertime Peekers - Flower Pot

Tracey using Hoppy Occasions - easter

Bente

Terry

Well, there's another fantabulous sketch for you crafty lot to have a play with!  If you do decide to play along with us and want to win this weeks amazing prize, please leave a DIRECT LINK to your work with Mr. Linky below .......x

Winner of challenge #199

The winner of a £10 shopping spree, generously donated by Bunny Zoe's Crafts  is...

Janice! (Stamping-Mad Blogspot)  prize claimed

with this delightful easter card...

Congratulations Fluffles! :)
Please leave a message below, then EMAIL ME so that I can let Nikki know your email address, and she will contact you with details of how to claim your prize :)
Thank you.

Jo xx

Happy Spring

We had such a mild winter here in Arizona this year that it seems like it has been spring almost ever since Christmas, but now it is officially here. Easter is not far away. This is a wonderful time of year. Next to fall spring is my favorite season.

Again I want to thank everybody for their faithfulness in supporting this blog. You inspire me as I know you do others by the posts you share

Ite ad Joseph!

 I thought that you might like to see these photos from the traditional Redemptoristines in Sao Fidelis, Brazil. They are subjects of the Apostolic Administration St Jean Vianney in Campos. These photos were taken on the feast of St Joseph.  The Sisters prepared a beautiful bier in honour of St. Joseph.

 Sister begins construction of the bier.

 Arranging Flowers.

 The bier, almost complete is placed in the Church, and the finishing touches applied.

 "I took for my advocate and lord the glorious Saint Joseph and commended myself earnestly to him;...I do not remember even now that I have ever asked anything of him which he has failed to grant." - St. Teresa of Avila

 St. Joseph is carried in procession.

 An altar in honour of St. Joseph.

 Ite ad Joseph!

The Redemptoristine's grill can be seen on the left of the bier.