A huge weekend

Goodness me, we have been busy!Ay first glance this weekend, it seemed as though we weren't going to be doing much at all- my kids and myself were on the tail end of the flu, and didn't have any plans.So I had kind of settled myself into the idea of a huge scrapping weekend. i had grand plans of cleaning my room, now that all the back to school stuff was sorted, I could work on the other half of my room.....alas, that all changed! I did, however, stay up 'till the unearthly hour of 1am on friday night,and completed two layouts.Both of these were for the cybercrop that the wonderful Louise Nelson has set for us. The first was to use an altered photo,to become the main focus of the layout with minimal embellishments.The pink one Starting To Blossom, was my interpretation of this.We also had to use postage stamps on a layout, I used this photo of mum and dad, and made a cover attached to the layout, to look like an envelope, and addressed it to my dad, in heaven.I was really pleased with how it came out-I have wanted to scrap this photo for so long, as it is probably the most recent photo I have of my dad before he passed away.Lots of tears creating this layout:( Oh, I miss him, he would've adored my girls......
The last challenge was to create three 3x3 inch layouts, and use at least two non-conventional techniques, not normally used in scrapping... I struggled with these! In the end, I stitched, used watercolours, folk art painting techniques(stippling and filler flowers) and came up with these mini layouts of Bianca.I love 'em now!

For Australia Day festivities, we wnet to Archerfield Speedway in Saturday night! The girls thought the Caravan races were funny, and loved the rollover cars too. The feature race of the Sprintcars was awesome... such a bogan thing to go to!I enjoyed it, but we forgot to take jumpers, adn my back was playing up merry hell by the end of the night!I'd like to take the girls to see the monster trucks next time. Bianca was fascinated that I used to race in Speedway when I was younger, and asked lots of questions.It was nice to have a conversation with her about my younger years, and for her to be actually interested too!

Sunday was spent shoppimg for new shoes- another moment of excitement for me- Amart had Iron Maiden playing!!!! I was elated, walking around a shop , singing, "Run To The Hills". I thought it was neat, and dragged out shoe selection for as long as possible:) rofl..... Bianca got some new shoes, a few sets of clothes for the girls, and lunch out too. Then off to Malissa and Scott's, where another musical highlight took place- Adam Brand's new film clip.... oh heavenly day!!Late night though, and too wrecked to achieve much.

Well- off to scrap the night away- never know, I might get another two done tonight!!

A happy scrappy weekend....

I have had a fabulous weekend of scrapping! Firstly I went to a crop at Created By You on Friday night....many laughs were shared, pizza devoured, and chico babies flowed freely too:)What more could a devout scrapper ask for? I completed some layouts there, this first one was a challenge set by the magical Amie, on forever always....the colours to use were brown,lime and red.....after a bout of skepticism, (and a mild bagging too, lol) I decided to take the challenge....and this was the end result. Thanks Amie for a great challenge, and I do solemnly swear that i will NEVER think a colour scheme odd again!I also had a go at the latest Scrapjack challenge, which was to "jack" a layout by Kim Archer.I must say, I love the way this turned out-some of these photos of Aleisha I have wanted to use for AGES, and this was the perfect layout for themIt was all made a little easier by Kim's wonderful layout to begin with:)

In other scrappy news, I recently joined Karen's Scrapping Kupboard forum too, to meet even more lovely scrappers, and do even more challenges-stretch the scrapping learning even further still....and I have definitely done that!They have just started a new 2008 "Little Book Of Everything", which is to be scrapped in 6x12 format.This week's task was to create your cover, and use an eclectic mix, paint/fabric/metal/inks etc.Here is my cover. Totally me in so many ways-music is such a huge part of who I am, and I really love the papers in the Marah Johnson range, though finding the right layout can be a challenge.And let's face it-red and black are timeless together, and edgy.I'm itching to do the next task now!!!!Will kepp posting as the album is created... the idea is to focus on the everyday, and the little details that define who we are,love the concept.

I also did this one, again with photos from yesteryear,lol! This one was to use Christmas papers in a non-Christmas layout.

Oh, and if you haven't seen enough yet-this is a loooonnnggg post- I finally managed to get my second clock uploaded.This was one I created in my weekly sanity session at Created By You.Jody's sample was sooo much more detailed than mine, but I am sooo happy to have a clock in my scraproom now!:)

Then, for me the pie'ce de resistance' (I dunno if that is spelled correctly!) This is my take on the monthly sketch at Ksk.When I printed this photo,it was originally a F@*# up-learning to drive my new printer, I accidentally printed an A4 page size...ooops!Well, as luck would have it, I needed a big photo for this sketch, so, with some trimming, I happily used it! Jacob is a little embarassed about having his photo on a scrapping site, but shit happens,lol, and he is now indicating that he is a little flattered that the focus of this layout is his love for our kids.He truly is a fabulous dad.Of course, he is a man, and he wouldn't be caught dead scrapping....but I think he likes it!

Other than that, we had a really quiet weekend at home, in the garden, on the playstation, and generally farting about here.I have stepped up my exercise regime a tad, now doing 40 minute stints instead of 30.The scales are still groaning at me, but my clothes fit differently, so I guess I will have to wait for the scales to be kind!I am actually enjoying the walker now too....maybe there is a closet exercise junkie locked within me..hahahaha... not likely!Anyways, I have some Tim Holtz grungeboard waiting on my scrap desk,I think it needs me:)Ciao for now!

Surprises to share!

I have been meaning to share these pics of my Krissy Bear-made for me for Christmas by my gorgeous friend Krissy! I absolutely adore her , and she is hand-made by Krissy. She is soo talented,I can scarcely sew, unless it is for a layout, lol, then I can stitch a little! I LOVE HER KRISSY!Here is the expression on her card too.GRRRR Blogger won't let me move it! Isn't it stunning?

WOW what a week!

This week has been slightly hectic,and I for one, will be glad when Friday rolls around.I am going to a crop on Friday night, and I can't wait.....my kids are driving me INSANE, andall they want to do is fight and quarrel.The rain is becoming very irritating for them.:( Bianca went to stay with her grandparents for two nights,and has come home with mega attitude,at present she thinks she is thirty, not seven,lol.Grrrr, so over it!

On the scrapping front, I have been absolutely ploughing through work, and it's fabulous!

This layout of Meg is for Sara's STUCK! sketch challenge, I finally feel as though I have found a scrapping groove.My Autumn Leaves stamps would have to be one of my most favourite scrapping purchases,I use them sooo much! I also finished this one too:-

OMG-Aleisha has grown up soo fast-Krissy pointed out that she still thinks of Aleisha this way, and she is nto alone there! This layout was for Forever Always , for the January sketch! I finally got to use my Heidi Swapp crowns- they are so cute!The layout up the op, which I juat added, and can't seem to move, was my entry for this month's 123 Challenge, for this one you needed to use your craft knife, red on the layout, and your title had to be a part of you journalling. I think I fulfilled the criteria!

I joined up on Karen's Scrapping Kupboard this week too.I love to do online challenges, and to see some of the work that is out there is amazing! Lots of clever layouts everywhere!My online friend, Nicole, is on their design team now, so I thought I would go and check it out-I have been a member on a couple of forums, but some of them are real duds-no-one chats, or if they do, you are excluded as you aren't part of the "in" circle.So, I now will divide my time between a few, mainly the fabulous Forever Always( everyone there is just wonderful!!!!) , Karens' Scrapping Kupboard, and just check in on others todo their challenges, like Scrapapple, with their Weekend Workouts, which are great fun! I love to try something new, and meet new people too!:)

Sorry if this has been a boring post readers! Just stuff to get down, and share some layouts this time around!Keep safe!

More scrapping fun

was had this week-in class we created a beautiful clock, which I forgot to take a photo of yet! Der! I have it up in my scrapping room, I can now keep a tab on the hours I while away in there....hehe.It was completed during my weekly fix at Created By You.I absolutely love it!

Well, this week I have done just sooo much scrapping, and at present I have another layout sitting on my table, mid-way through.It has been a productive week!

This one of Nichole and Jakob was created for the Weekend Workout, on Scrapapple.The challenge this weekend was to use a one word title, beginning with "A". I was really pleased with how this one turned out, and oh so grateful to the talented,kind Nicole Finlayson for her invaluable stitching lessons! The little bits of stitching really finished the page.I am becoming addicted!!!

I completed this layout, with one of Nicole's stitching classes.Isn't the layout divine? I was over the moon with the way it turned out-THANKYOU NIC!!!-I am so glad to have done this class, and can't wait to try more stitching;)

Today we went out shopping for a new couch! Yay- except the service assistants were really slack, and people kept pushing in, and we left with nothing ...:( I was so looking forward to a new couch too, the one we have is hideous, it is a mushroom colour, it was a hand -me-down, which is great, except I have red and blue feature walls, and pink just looks feral!!!! I plan on repainting the lounge wall, once we have a new wall unit, as the one we have at present is too hard for me to move myself! Then my wall will become a lovely chocolate/taupe colour, which should look alot better, as the couch we want is brown too.Fingers crossed, Jacob will go back on Tuesday, and that will mean a new mattress too-oh my aching back will finally be relieved somewhat!

In other news, I have managed to track down a long lost mate of mine, who I have known since i was 16. His name is Rob, and we used to generally runamuck, get drunk(LOL) and have funtogether! He was my then boyfriends' best mate, and we used to have a blast, talk about anything, and share a passion for Commodores! I rang his sister, whom I had to trace via another old friend, and another, and she had Rob ring me.I know time has passed, but it feels nice to have reclaimed some of my lost past, and I aim to catch up with a few more people before the end of 2008.Due to my moving, and breaking up with said boyfriend, it just got hard, but now it is all great-I have missed the laughs we shared, and can't wait to catch up on lost times.

Thanks for reading, and I'd best go and finish my layout! Take care, and don't do anything I wouldn't do, lol!

YAY - I FINALLY SCRAPPED AGAIN!!

After a brief drought in the scrapping department, it appears that normality has prevailed, and I am now scrapping with a passion once again:) I have missed it so! The layout with my foolish hound, Meg, was completed in a class on Wednesday night, with the talented Jody, at Created By You. I was really pleased with the colours-I normally struggle with brights! It was fabulous to get back to class, and catch up with all the ladies! I have another one to complete from the class-Nichole "donated" her page, as she didn't like what she had done, I am hoping to print her photo today, and finish it for her, and give it to her next week-if all goes well, she will love the end result, and not abhorr the colours anymore.Silly sausage!

The layout of Jake is a challenge I have set on Forever Always. I have to set the new challenge, as I won the last one, so I have set using a slang term/word, and bright colours too. I did this layout of Jake last night-BasicGrey Giggles, and Doodles papers-I love the frogs! I couldn't bear to use them all , so I will have some left for another layout.:)

Hard to believe that we are now halfway through the school holidays....time is flying again.I am planning on venturing out to get Bianca's school things early next week, unless I can convince Jacob to hit the shops with me on Sunday, that is!

Jacob has been very supportive of my New Year Resolution to lose weight-I got a lovely surprise the other day- he bought me a walking machine-YAY!!!! So far, I have been vigilant, and hopped on for a half hour preset cycle each day, and yesterday( my second time) actually did feel easier than the night before. I'd like to lose about 10 kilos or so, I plan on rewarding myself at the 5 kilo mark, I think a new cd will be in order!

Well, housework is calling, better go, so I have it all done, ready for the next walk workout later:)Thanks for taking a peep into my corner of the world!

CELEBRATE 2008!!!!

Well-it's here-2008-OMG where has the last 12 months gone? Or , for that matter, the last few weeks? I have lost total track of time-it has passed in a blur.I haven't scrapped for over two weeks( sure to feature in the latest edition of Guinness World records!, lol) and have scrarcely had time to scratch! Christmas was fabulous, the girls had me up at a most ridiculous hour,3.45 am for Aleisha, followed by 4.12 for Bianca.....I was absolutely exhausted come the end of the day! A good day was had by all, I was utterly spoilt, Jacob, girls, and PIL, all pitched in for a HP Photosmart printer, which is FABULOUS!!!! Ialso received chocolates,(yummy), a Steam Mop( another coveted item) and odds and ends. Jacob loved his monitor,and I must say I do too, as it is lovely to sit here and type without the high-pitched squeals from the old one:)
We took the family to Movieworld on Sunday.I have to say, the Scooby-Doo spooky coaster is brilliant! We queued for over an hour to go on the ride, but it was awesome,very speedy, dark, and fun! I was peeved that I didn't get my wish, to go on the Batwing, but it seemed that all was against me:( Oh well, it will still be there in a few years time. I must confess, I totally chickened out of the Lethal weapon ride, and now gladly so, my B-I-L came off with bright red ears from being thrown about on the ride, so i am glad I didn't have the guts toi get on.My partner in thrills, Richie, wouldn't go on it or the Superman Escape, as his son was too short, so I didn't go either....... I hear clucking, lol!!!
I started a book yesterday, which I couldn't put down, I read James Patterson's " Judge and Jury". I loved it, a gripping read...... it seems like an eternity since I have read, well, since the last Harry Potter installment that is! They had a Harry shop at movieworld, and I could've spent a fortune in there!They had miniature wands, and cauldrons, and Hogwarts Express trains..... oh, I was in heaven! The outside was done to look like Diagon Alley, it was fabbo:)
Other than that, we took the new motorbikes out for a ride too.It was fun, Bianca has mastered the 110cc quad quite well. It was blowing a gale though, so I didn't take any photos, so my camera didn't fill with dirt. Maybe next time:)
HAPPY NOO YEAR readers, I hope that 2008 is a prosperous year for all!!!! I have a resolution or two..... lose weight in 2008( it rhymes, like Kevin07, lol) and to be published,somewhere, with my scrapping...fingers crossed! I think that calls for a layout....I am off to scrap, I feel-YAY!!!! Time to break the drought!!! Seeya:)