Happy New Year!

Flower stamp from 'Embrace Life' set by Stampin' Up!

Although I dream about living in the tropics, I have had to be true to myself and give up on the idea. It would simply be too hot and humid! I shouldn't confess this (due to the scorn it will undoubtedly bring), but I have been loving the wintry 'summer' weather up here in the mountains. I used to live by the coast in Sydney, which was wonderful in many ways, but I've come to enjoy the cooler climate over the past decade.

The handmade greeting card pictured above is a recent creation and reflects my idealisation of tropical living alongside palm trees and bright flowers. I've been to the South Pacific Islands a number of times and it's been such an amazingly beautiful and aesthetic experience every single time. I used to have a little photo album of favourite tropical shots on my desk at school. Whenever I was feeling a little down, it always made me feel so happy to flip through these photos.

The inspiration for this card came from a photo I took in Fiji last year (below). I was walking along the road in Namaka, near Nadi, and snapped a few shots along the way. The picture below features Bougainvillea flowers and I love the foreground and background layers captured by my rudimentary camera.

There were so many beautiful things to photograph in Fiji, some of which I will share here another time. Sometimes I think I should invest in a better camera as mine is so basic, but then I realise I wouldn't have the time to really focus on this hobby alongside all of the others I have! For now, I'll just have to focus on the image rather than the technicalities of the tools. Even with a simple camera, you would be surprised at the quality of shots that can been achieved :) I'm just a novice in the real sense of the word but my photographic cards are quite popular as an alternative to handmade cards, so it is worthwhile for me to continue to add new images to the collection.

Hope you're having a Happy New Year and I look forward to seeing you at my market stall in the oncoming months. Alongside my regular stock, I am always creating new cards and gifts, available at affordable prices, incorporating that handmade touch :)