Welcome to Sweet Sketch Wednesday! This is Kathie from the design team posting this week from Auckland New Zealand. If you're a new visitor here at Sweet Sketch Wednesday, we extend to you a warm welcome and our open arms of online friendship. If you are a returning friend, we greet you with a hearty smile and hugs - pull up a chair and spend some time with us!
Now before we get to the sketch this week, I'm going to continue something I started a few months ago. A lot of us that read this blog are from different parts of the world and I think it's lovely to get to know where your design team are from. One of my best subjects at school was geography and I've travelled extensively through out the world and before my husband a I met he had also travelled extensively, he's Irish but lived most of his working life in Ireland, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand. Both my boys love travelling with us, by the age of two years old my eldest had travelled to England and Ireland twice and other European, Asian and South Pacific countries.
My Little Neck of the Woods
The main city closest to where we live is Auckland, the biggest city in New Zealand which I featured a few months ago, we live about 45 minutes from Auckland in a small country town call PUKEKOHE which has a population of around 27,000 thousand which I know is small to some counties but the population of New Zealand is only 4 million. Did you know there are more Sheep in New Zealand than people???!!!
If you click on Franklin in Red that's the region I'm from scroll down the page and you'll come across a video clip on my little part of the world where I live. Franklin. Franklin is very well known for it's Market Gardening, Horse Racing, Training and Breeding, Dairy and Sheep Farming.
Another favourite part of New Zealand is Queenstown they call it "The Adventure Capital of the World". Getting 1.9 Million visitors there per year. It's situated near the West Coast of the South Island and surrounded by beautiful Lake Wakatipu and the Remarkable Mountain range, international skiers come to Queentown for the winter ski season and summer hiking and tramping. There's always A J Hackett's Bungee Jumping, Sky Diving, White Water Rafting and with it's amazing climate they grow some of New Zealand's best grapes for wine. During the summer you can always visit some of the many Vine Yards for wine tasting and tours.
Queenstown
An evening shot of Queenstown
A view during Winter
Queenstown by night during the winter.
Gibbston Valley Winery one my favourite.
Inside for a tour and tasting
The TSS Earnslaw Steamship that tours Lake Wakatipu
The Earnslaw at Walter Peak Sheep Station situation at the far end of Lake Wakatipu
Some of the amazing adventure you could try
Skydiving
A J Hackett's Bungee Jumping where he originally started in Queenstown
over the Kawarau River on the Kawarau Bridge
Jet boating on the Shotover Jet on the Shotover River
White Water Rafting
Now on with the show.
Now on with the regular post. It's time to announce the Grand Prize winner and Top Three for last week's sketch challenge #107. Drum roll please.....
The Grand Prize Winner is:
Congratulations!
Please contact Arlana at sweetberrydesigns@hotmail.com to claim your prize! Be sure to grab your Grand Prize Banner along the sidebar to proudly display on your blog!
And the Top Three are:
1. Jo (#31)
2. Rhonda-Bumblebee Creations (#9)
3. Ninarsku (#2)
Be sure to grab your Top Three Banner on the sidebar! Congratulations to you too!
We have a wonderful sketch this week for SSW108 and our wonderful sponsor Jodie from Bugaboo Stamps. Take a look....isn't this a great sketch and it's wonderful to work with.
Our wonderful sponsor this week is Jodie from Bugaboo Stamp.
Jodie is offering Grand Prize Winner
7 Digi images
worth $21.00
Please have a visit to Bugaboo Stamps there's a selection of amazing images for everybody you won't be disappointed in fact you won't stop smiling.
http://bugaboostamps.blogspot.com/
Now hang onto your hats - it's time to see the creations of the design team using the fun digi stamps from Bugaboo.
Now hang onto your hats - it's time to see the creations of the design team using the fun digi stamps from Bugaboo.
Prepare to be inspired....
Sharon from Inklined to stamp.
Patti from Paper Creations
Nancy from Mulberry Station
Linda from Stamper Touch
Judi from Sweet Bloomin Scraps
Jeannie from Dragonfly Journey
Jacki from Paper Moments
Genevieve from Genevieve's Creations
Arlana from Sweetberry Designs
Kathie from Kathie'z Kardz
To play along this week, it' simple:
1. Create a card using the sketch of the week. You may use any stamp or element you have to create your card, however, if you have any Bugaboo Stamps, we'd love to see what you do with them.
2. If posting to an on-line gallery, please use Sweet Sketch #108.
3. Add a link on your blog to Sweet Sketch Wednesday.
4. Post your card along with the link.
5. Sign in to Inlinkz and add a direct link back to your site.
6. Be sure to LEAVE A COMMENT HERE AS WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU. YOU MUST DO THIS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE GRAND PRIZE.
The most important thing of all is to have fun and enjoy your crafting.
Hugs to everyone
Kathie
Kathie, those pictures are breathtaking! Thanks a lot for your story and all these wonderful pics and informations!!
ReplyDeleteI read about New Zealand in a trilogy from Sarah Lark. The story is about sheep farmers in the middle of the 19th century. Now I´m in love with Nez Zealand...
Have a great time!
Edith
Hi everyone and congratulations to all our winners this week. The design team have worked their magic again I just love your cards this week girls. Jodie thanks for being our sponsor again I just adore your images and I love working with them especially with JJ. Arlana thanks for another wonderful sketch to work with this has to be one of my favourite. Wishing everyone a wonderful week and a great week crafting and I'm looking forward to seeing all your cards.
ReplyDeleteHugs
Kathie SSW-DT
Congratulations to the winners of this week. I hope I can participate this week with this nice sketchchallenge.....I have a very busy week...but I will try to do my best to make something nice. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteGreetings Elise
Congrats to all the winners....great cards last week and looking forward to see what you create for us this week. Kathie, what a wonderful post this week, I am loving learning more about where all of us live and your country is so beautiful. Gorgeous cards ladies and looking forward to visiting and learning all your details. Have a blessed week everyone!!
ReplyDeleteI always look forward to Wednesdays so I can read these posts, and Kathie, you did not disappoint me! Love it!!!! My Phillip is in Ireland right now and says the views are absolutely breath taking. I hope to have some pics to post...maybe on my next SSW post!!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats winners, you all make it so difficult to choose because your creations are so wonderful. Love this sketch Arlana, I plan to use it often! And Jodie, I love, love, love your images so a big shout out of THANKS for sponsoring us.
Linda
What fun pictures Kathie! It makes me want to travel there and see it for myself! Thanks Arlana for another wonderful sketch. I sure had fun with it! Also, thanks for the fun ideas that the DT shared. Great cards, Ladies!
ReplyDeleteErika O
Wow Kathie, the pictures are breath taking. I don't know if I can top what you have posted this week. It is so fun to see all the different areas of the world. Thanks so much for sharing them with us. The DT cards are fabulous this week. Wednesday is my favorite day of the week too. It is so fun to see all of the wonderful creations. Thanks you Jodi for sponsoring us on a continued bases. We love your images. Thanks for the sketch Arlana and it was so fun to spend time with you and Judi this past weekend.
ReplyDeleteI just want to leave a little message to all of our followers. Please leave us a comment on SSW so that you will be entered into our grand prize drawing. I can't even begin to tell you how disappointing it it not to be able to include some of your wonderful cards in our drawing. You are all inspiring to us too. have a great week everyone!
Nancy
What a lovely sketch for this week and the DT creations are fabulous...so many different ideas to inspire!
ReplyDeleteI always make a beeline for the challenge an of course the pictures and the story its fantasic. Makes you just want a holiday!!
ReplyDeleteFantastic sketch and thank you for letting me play along. Congratulations to the winner.
Anne-Marie x x
Stunning DT examples and a fab sketch as always! Hugs Rebekah xx
ReplyDeleteHello here I am again with a card. I have been very busy. And this sketch is so beautiful!! And I love the cards you all have made!
ReplyDeletegroetjes Tinie
Wonderful challenge, always a pleasure to join in. Beautiful cards from the DT as usual. I also really love the picture of Queenstown in the night, in the winter. So christmassy. xx
ReplyDeletewowza ~ awesome pics kathie! yep...i'd definitely love to visit there! thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeletecongrats to last week's sketch winners ~ you go girls!
another fabulous sketch this week and great inspiration ~ it was fun gettin scrappy happy and creating again using the sketch.
Wonderful projects!!! You girls are so talented!!! I just entered my card for the challenge.
ReplyDeletebrigitteetleschats at hotmail dot com
Thank you for the fabulous challenge! DT, you guys rocked it as always!
ReplyDeleteHey there.. I'm a Brand New blogger and this is my Very First take on a challenge ever & am Super Excited! I simply loved the sketch Arlana. Kathie I loved the pics n info U shared with us about NZ and Aus..it brought back so many warm memories of my vacation there about 7yrs back.And yeah I lovedddd the Shot Over Jet Ride..was just awesome!! Well Congratulations to all the Winners!!! Am so excited...woo hoo !!!Mail me at riti_x@hotmail.com OR
ReplyDeleteRitibanka@gmail.com
My blog details- alilpieceofheaven17@blogspot.com
Best Regards,
Riti
Love your Challenges. Just had to come back this week for the fun.
ReplyDeleteI am so inspired that I have to keep coming back!!!!!! Beautiful work again ladies!! Kathie, your photos are lovely!
ReplyDeleteDeanne :)
This is my first time taking part in your challenge. Wonderful DT inspiration and fab pictures of NZ.
ReplyDeleteNikki x
Kathie, your post is way too inviting! I love the pics of Queensland! What a beautiful place where you live! Thanks for sharing so much with us! Arlana, the sketch is so fun this week! I love the oval on it's side! The DT cards sparkle as usual and I am enjoying looking at the cards from our players this week. I just returned home from a wonderful week with Arlana and Nancy and my neice, Elisa! Thanks so much for the fabulous time! It's always so nice to be able to relax and enjoy all the fun Arlana has planned for us! I am still not caught up on my sleep. Not as young as I use to be but Arlana and I did finish the 11 mini albums. Nancy finished hers months ago! Thanks, Elisa, for the Miche madness! Now back to SSW...a very special thanks to Jodie for your incredible images and frequent sponsorships! We love your images! Thanks so much for your support! Congrats to our winners this past week!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kathie for sharing your photos with us - wow - what a gorgeous part of the world!! And DT - your creations were all so inspiring - thank you!!
ReplyDeleteOkay....so I loved your sketch so much - I made 2 cards with it!!! I didn't see anywhere that there was a limit on the entries, so I hope it's okay - I entered both cards :-)
ReplyDeleteAwesome challenege! Thanks so much for this great blog
ReplyDeleteHappy hello to everyone this week. Kathie what a sweet post. I love seeing all of those fablous pic. Sounds like a fun place to visit. Special thanks goes out to Jodi for her sweet digis. Yes we did have a blast at my house crafting and a Michi Party for sure. Sister and Nieces are so sweet. I am lucky to have some of the best. Have a sweet week everyone enjoy the fourth of July.
ReplyDeleteI just love how a sketch can be taken differently depending on who looks at it. I saw a frame around the card instead of just paper. Thanks for the inspiration
ReplyDeleteAnother great sketch to play with. I'm had fun with this one, thanks! Lovely examples from the team too :)
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed this week's sketch, and the DT samples, thank you!
ReplyDeleteGreat sketch to work with great DT cards
ReplyDeleteJust love popping past to see the latest sketch and DT inspiration:) Sandy x
ReplyDeleteGreat DT cards, there are some lovely bright ones there. I love the feature you are having where the DT show where they life. It is fab to see do many countries and areas of interest were you live.
ReplyDeleteLove Mandy xxx
Wow your photos are so inviting looks beautiful. Also the DT did great job on the inspiration. Love the bugaboo's. Thanks for the chance to play along.
ReplyDeleteLove the sketch this week--I have entered my card. I am so excited to see my name in the top three! I am so enjoying seeing all the places you live--the DT has done another awesome job this week!!
ReplyDeleteHi Ladies! I loved this sketch! I had so much fun working with it! I did have to turn it on its side in order for my image to fit, but I am happy how it turned out, I hope you like it too! Great work from your DT too!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Phew, that was close but I made it. The DT cards are fabulous. Loving those pics of New Zealand. An awful lot of Shetlanders have emigrated to NZ over the years.
ReplyDeleteBeryl x
Thanks for the great sketch and the wonderful inspiration from the DT!
ReplyDeleteAnd your NZ pics got me so excited - we are booked for our trip to NZ in March, so you've definitely whet my appetite! ;)
Thanks again and have a great week!
Hugs, Shannah (South Australia)
Another great sketch this week! And at almost the last minute I made my card for you...I would not skip this nice challenge. I also used a sweet bugaboo.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a very nice day,
Greetings Elise
Great sketch. Happy to be in time.
ReplyDeleteWish you a happy and nice summer
Hugs
Gro :-)