Oh What a Day

Today was my first day working in the design section of Kaiser and man... was it a totally awesome day.
I arrived about 30 mins early.. haha.. i figured that i best show the boss that i had the ability of arriving on time for atleast something. ~LMAO~ Anyway.. the bosses were all in a meeting so i was wisked away by Mel, one of the girls i work with and shown around. My goodness, i did not know that the place was as big as it was. Kaiser is huge and is responsible for so many things in the crafting industry.
Within i'd say about 10 mins of putting my bag down (before being whisked) i was given papers, embellishments and photos to work with and informed that these were deadline items.
Nothing better to wet a girls feet than to be tossed in the deep end! ~L~... Though.. god, im not complaining... Everyone knows that i love a challenge and this was fun.

The commute was not as bad as i thought it may be... traffic!? What traffic... The girls were talking about Peak hour... hahah.. they don't know what it is. The drive to Geelong was a walk in to park opposed to the normal traffic that im used to driving in. Im talking bottle neck horror.

Anyway.. im hoping that sometime soon i can give a little sneak peek at some of the stuff i have been and will be creating.
Otherwise.. i guess your just going to have to get yourself a copy of the Kaiser Mag huh!?

D Day

hey hey... its D day... I Had the interview this morning...
After a huge hiccup (insert pulled face here) of me getting totally lost, i made it to the interview... 15 MINUTES LATE...
I used to work in the corporate secotr and one of my roles at time was sitting in on interviews... with each "shit" "bugger" "#$%$" that came from my mouth i was saying to myself.. i wouldnt hire you.. YOUR LATE... which was not helping my stress level, especially in an unfamiliar city, which i may add was not well sign posted, and traffic at 9am was horendous.

Anyway.. after finally getting there, the interview lasted an hour where i was interviewed by the manager, the head of the scrapping design team as well as the head graphic designer.. Talk about getting shot questions from all angles.. ~L~ It was fast paced.. though totally fantastic.. they were so awesome.. After getting a quick tour of the design teams office, I left thinking i had done a VERY good job.. anyway... went off to spend the day with a girlfriend, Wendy, in the city for the day, having lunch and just hanging out. Left at about 4pm to get a phone call from home saying that i had to call the company.. WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO.. i start tomorrow.. im so so so stoked!!!!Thanks to everyones well wishes and belief in me...
Im now a member of staff for the scrapping division for Kaiser Australia..
How excited do you think i am!? ~L~
Its going to be a super week if this is just monday!

Gob Smacked

I have been quietly plodding away on my RAK for my blog presents as well as a new mini book that i have decided to make especially to take to my interview on monday.. Finally... Mirandas 6th birthday book is almost here. (pictures to come)... Anyway.. i decided that i should probably go and check the mail and tucked behind a pillar of our verandah was a box with my name on it..
The familiar hand writing brough a huge smile to my face immediately.. though it was quickly joined with total confusion as to what could be since i was not expecting anything, had not lent anything that could need returning.. sooooo.. i came out here to my scrap room in search of a craft knife to open all the tape that held the box shut.
Ofcourse, as soon as i opened the box the tears started..I have been spoilt beyond belief by the most thoughtful wonderful generous lady that i have the pleasure of knowing.. and better still, calling my friend.
Inside the box, not only was the most adorable miniture snow globe christmas tree ornament (glass) but a carefully wrapped gift in christmas paper, boxes & little bags. for each day through til christmas. Not because she had to... not because we had planned to do anything like this... simply "just because she thought i may need to polish my unwrapping skills before christmas." The girl has the best ability to blow me away and make me cry... in the best way possible only ofcourse...
I must have done something super special at some point in my life to be blessed with her presence in my life.. honestly.. I can't imagine what.. though I'm so happy that i do.
This was totally unexpected which i think has made it just that much more special. I feel so special... Cathy, you spoil me so much.. a girl seriously could not ask for a more beautiful friend.
Love ya babe.
xxx

Toot Toot Chugga Chugga

haahhaaah... woooooo woooooo!

I just went into the newsagency this morning to see if issue 61 of for keeps had hit ths shelves ... I knew that i had two things being featured in this months issue though when i opened up the magazine.. wow... totally blown away.Not only did i make it onto the index page, but 3 times on the actual section title page, a page for one of my books with a HUGE photo and a DOUBLE page for my christmas book.. Talk about stoked... That is 7 times in one magazine.. admittedly, its only the two mini books.. but.. ITS SEVEN TIMES!!!

I am sooooo excited. Anyway... i had to call my man and let him know since he had been waiting to hear if it had hit the shelves... a lady overheard me talking to him and reading the blurbs to him that went along with my books ... when i got off the phone she stopped me and asked for my email address and phone number. She is a professional photographer who is asked constantly if she knows someone that can put the photos she takes into scrap book styled albums.. Talk about over the moon happy!!! I could get work from her scrapping other peoples payouts as well..

Today is going to be a GREAT day!

Dreams are coming true..

OMG OMG OMG.. i have to tell someone before i bust...

I applied for a job within the scrapping industry with an Australian company whos office is right here in Victoria. I sent an application as well as a virtual portfolio off to them a few hours ago.. anyway... i just got off the phone with the guy that was advertising the position telling me that he was totally blown away by the quality of work that he had seen and that he would like me to come into their office with more of a portfolio on Monday for an interview....

How freakin' fantastic is that!?
I cant start to tell you how excited i am....

Just had to share!
xxxx

Its beginning to look a lot like christmas

Well.. the silly season has struck me... thankfully not like the mack truck that hit me about a week ago.. (i have a sinus infection which feels like a truck hit me)... though none the less... if i had a voice... i think... right now, id be singing some silly season song...

It truely is beginning to look a lot like christmas!
The neighbours are hanging lights.. there is a wreath on the door across the road and carols were playing in the supermarket earlier... decorations are now hung brightly from the lights on the roads and hanging from the roof in the stores..
its exciting.. i love this time of the year.. i love that in just a few weeks time families will be together... love will be spread and laughter will be heard..
Now... just to get feeling well enough to get the christmas tree up so that it really looks like christmas in our home too..
Maybe tomorrow... Yeah.. thats a plan.. I think no matter what, when the kids come through the door tomorrow afternoon we will make a start on the tree and decorating.


oooooh.. how exciting!!!

I love this time of the year :D


_________________________________________________
26 sleeps til family arrives!

Day Trippin'

Have you ever just jumped in the car and driven? Not really sure where you would end up though just went anyway? That is what we did today... We set the alarm at 8am so that we could be out the door by 9am. Our only real thought was to get to a place called Split Point at the bottom of Victoria, on the Great Ocean Road.. Anyway.. when we got there, we decided that we had not driven long enough and that we were sure that at the early-ish hour that it still was that we could see so much more... so on we drove... Apollo Bay in our sights. We have once before, about a month ago visited here and fell in love with the beach side town.. it had a home-y-ness that we were used too... an atmosphere that we find ourselves so often craving, since we have all grown up living only minutes from the beach. We stopped, wandered through the most trendy little market.. (which is on every Saturday morning) which we will be going back too.. then, headed to get some fish and chips for lunch. Sitting by the beach, under the shade of a gorgeous tree surrounded by grass filled with wildly growing seaside daisies, we wondered what ever in the world the "poor" people were doing. It was over those fish and chips that we decided that since it was only midday and there were still so many hours in the day since its day light saving, that it was the twelve Apostles or bust!!!!
Anyone that truly knows us would know that we have this crazy tendency just to get in the car sometimes and just drive.. one day, literally going interstate just for ice-cream. (about an 7-8 hour round trip)...
So.. back in the car we climbed and on down the great ocean road we drove.
Lyn... i was thinking of you all of the day. You would have been in your glory... the sea, the sights.. it was fantastic. The great Ocean road by the way, for the most travels right along the edge of the ocean between Torquay in Victoria and ends in South Australia. (though i don't know where). We will tell you one day, im sure... hmmm.. wonder if they have any good ice-creameries!!! ~L~
Anyway... about 40 mins down the road we saw a sign for Cape Otway Lighthouse, and since that is where we were meant to go and made the mistake of telling Miranda .. she by this stage was really starting to get on our nerves with
Miranda: "are we nearly at the lighthouse?"....
Us: "no, we passed it hours ago."
Miranda: "When are we getting to the lighthouse?"
Us: We aren't. perhaps on our way back if its not dark. We want to show you something way better."
Miranda: "is it a light house?"

Alright already, whats with this lighthouse thing? She was like a broken record.. You'd think she liked them or something..huh? Anyway... in an effort to try and satisfy her, not to mention shut her up, we made the turn off.. a detour... Who was the wise guy that didn't put a distance on the sign to the lighthouse? 20 mins of driving we get to the gate of the light house only to find that it was $35 for a family entry. What the!? I didn't pack the cash, Matt didn't pack the cash.. a day trip should not cost anything but time, fuel and camera battery charge!!
Of course, you guessed it.. we didn't see the lighthouse and Miranda's questions started again... by this stage we saw signs indicating that there were Koalas, Kangaroos, Echidnas and COWS (WTF?) for the next 15 km.. (spot the odd one out! ~L~)...in a last ditch effort to try and distract the light house obsessed kid in the back we decided we would koala spot... only seconds after i suggested it I'm screaming at the top of my lungs in an excited retards attempt to get the words "stop.. KOALA" out... There was a mama koala (new only by the size) sitting in the long grass at the side of the road... Matt stopped JUST in time to have it give us the evil eye as to say "pfft, I'm trying to walk here!!!" and it started to walk directly down the middle of the road... planning a quiet stroll.. (with Matt quickly in toe taking photos).. It was TOTALLY amazing.. by now.. others had stopped and everyone wanted to have a look.. she sat and just watched all these weird humans until one got stupid and got too close and scared her off.
Funnily enough, Miranda forgot all about the stupid lighthouses as we drove on.. spotting one koala after another lazing in the trees. For the non Aussies, koalas are not a plentiful everyday occurrence and after 33 years, this is the FIRST time i have seen one in the wild.

So.. finally... about 6 hours after we left home, there it was... what we waited all day to see... the Twelve Apostles... Aren't they just amazing?
These are limestone rock stacks which over stacks of years have been eroded from the mainland heads. Leaving these magnificent TALL towers in the water. Over time, a few have fallen, so there are no longer Twelve.. though what we discovered yesterday, that one of the platforms we were standing on, had a apostle, in the making, beneath.. and one day in the future, it would become another stack.. standing freely in the ocean.. Isnt Mother Nature amazing?

On a high still.. though ofcourse, photos already looked at and some edited, we are home... totally exhausted from the day, the winding roads and the excitement of the sights... though.. totally thrilled that we decided to deviate from our initial plans..

PS: We stopped about 3 hours from home at Wye River/beach to let the kids out and stretch their legs and splash in the water for a while.. of course, Matt had the camera out again... This picture of Jamie i think is just gorgeous... he could be anywhere in the world... on any postcard perfect beach in paradise.. though instead, he was almost on our back door step..

Life is great! I wonder where we will end up next weekend!!! Goodness only knows.. though... where ever it is.. it will have big shoes to fill in being better than today!!!

sickness = delays = :(

To the three lovely girls that have been waiting ever so patiently for their RAK, please dont think that you are going to be forgotten or will miss out...
For the last few weeks, we have had sickness dancing around us all here in our home and even while mummy has been sick as well, has had to cope with three children all sick, one after another and a hubby with reoccuring tonsilitis..
Life is always interesting.. though when trying to scrap and create... it can become more so.
I would like to thank you for your patience where these are concerned.. and to know that i would rather make something worthy, and have a slight delay, than to slip-slap something together in a hurry so to get it to you quickly.
I perhaps should have started these while the RAK was running.. though.. shoot me.. ~L~... i didnt think of that!

Trust me though... i think you will like what will head your way.
:D

Patience is a virtue

I'm not the most patient person in the world when it comes to some things, though with other things.. have all the patience in the world. Wating for issue #61 of For Keeps is one of these times where to have patience, would be a good thing....
Im getting so excited at the realisation that in a very very short time i will have two of my works in one magazine at the same time. This is a first for me.. and very very nerve wracking while i wait.. i tell you.

I figured that after being told rather bluntly to get my arse on here and start blogging again that i better do what i was told.. afterall.. i am to have lunch with this person on friday and my god.. i would never hear the end of it if she found out that i had not blogged by then. You know the kind.. nag nag nag... hahaha.. JK. You know i love ya.. right Al!? ~L~
Really.. it would be more like.. nag nag.. hahaha... Again.. im just teasing her..
If it was not for her nagging me, i would not have bothered submitting anything for the call in For Keeps which has seen two of my mini books accepted.. simply.. well.. because i would bot have bothered. ~L~... Sometimes i need a case of explosives set on fire under my arse to get me happening.. though im so greatful for the push that time..

I cant wait to share one of these books with you all.. its a christmas one.. the other, a summer one.. some of you who have seen my work while i was on the design team at FTC would remember perhaps my summer "remember this" book..

Hmmm... soooo.. where have i been that is more important than prattling on here?
Really... i could not tell you what has kept me away for as long as i have been.. i know ive not been scrapping... it seems that my mojo has once again departed.. though i must say, i NEED it to come back in a rather big hurry!!! I have so much that i have to do.

I think i have a few entries drafted though not posted yet so i will go see what i cant find.. i think from memory i have some pictures of the kids on Halloween..

OOOOh.. i know some news!!

Im now a dark red head. I decided to go into the hairdressers for a trim and something else.. (which i was not too sure of at the time) ... I ended up coming out with half as much hair (which has been fabulous on these hot days) and red hair with platnium blode highlights..

haha. A change is as good as a holiday.. so they say.. right!?

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

I know that i have friends that dont follow any of the halloween traditions, weather it be because of their religion or for other reasons, though we have celebrated Halloween every year with our friends in the states (long distance of course)... and every year..make decorations, fill little bags with goodies and answer the door to the children that come trick or treating.. and enjoy the excitement of our own children as they dress up with the spirit of things and go for a walk with either mum or dad as they trick or treat themselves...



Dad drew the straw to walk this year... lucky me gets to sit here with a stash of candy and halloween cookies that we created yesterday and wait for the door bell to ring!



Anyway... to those of you that doooooooo.. Happy Halloween..



Lyn... Cant wait to see Billie's costume this year!

xx

Pay It Forward... RAK WINNERS!

Well.. i may be an hour late, though better than never.. right!? ~L~

The lucky winners were pulled out of a tin on my desk by my Man....
They are as follows...

Madonna Dunn
Estavalia
Wendy

Congratulations girls.

I'll be in contact in the next few days for your mail address.
When you have recieved your RAK from me, then you need to put the same RAK on your blog!

:)

PS: If you have any really hated colours, could you please drop me a note here and let me know ASAP?
thank

Happy Friday!!!

Its grey and gloomy outside which means that it is a sucky day to get through the pile of washing that seems to have been breeding overnight, though a PERFECT day for listening to music while i scrap! Wooohoooo.

I hope that everyone elses week has been has been as good as mine. While i have not had anything super happen, been any where but to pay bills, do gorceries and see the doctor.. my week has been great none the less.. Ive been scrapping and playing at my desk for most of it.. though so far, nothing is complete enough to show here.. so ... i have to say,y'all wil lhave to wait a little. ~L~... though my list of things i wanted accomplished is slowly but surely being touched upon. I have no doubt that i will be well and truely fixed and ready for christmas way before. (though... i better not get cocky, right!? I know very well how that goes) I under estimated grandly on the paper required for one of the projects that i had to do..Don't you just hate it when you do that? sooooo.. it looks like im either going to have to compromise or find the same paper in a scrap store somewhere over the weekend. (i dont want to mail order just for a few sheets of paper).

I have lots of ideas in my head for what im going to do for the pay it forward RAK.. this morning after i set the kids out the door for school im going to put those ideas down on paper as we all know how shocking my mind is! ~L~

xxx

pay it forward... Happy mail ...bump

hi guys, i am thrilled to see that i have so far had 5 people who would like to play along in my pay it forward draw. Though, i have extended the time in which you have to put a message on the pay it forward entry (or this one).. i will keep from drawing 3 names until the 31st of October. That is one week away. Even though im in australia, i dont mind if girls from other countries join in.. the more, the merrier i think.. its all about spreading the love of our crafting around.. right?
All you have to do is leave me a message on either two Pay it forward blog entries.. by doing this you are agreeing that if you are drawn out to win something hand made by me, that when you recieve it, that you will then put a pay it forward RAK on your blog and create for three more people, in turn.. passing on a little happy mail.
Everyone loves happy mail.. right!?

If i get enough response i may just do a few more lil things for the fun of it.. who knows! ;)

PS: when i do the draw, i will contact you if you have won, as well as announce it here. Make sure to stop back often. :)

PPS: IF YOU DONT WANT TO COMMIT TO MAKING SOMETHING, YOU CAN ALWAYS PAY IT FORWARD IN THE WAY OF A SCRAPBOOK RELATED RAK

Nanny Naps & Christmas Scraps

and not an ounce of house work. Um mah! ~L~
Ive just woken up from the best little nanny nap on the sofa.. My sweet man came home from work with tonsilitis again.. to which, this time they are going to remove once they have un swelled. eeek. Though, thankfully.. no more snoring will be one of the outcomes.. and for him.. no more pain. Yay... anyway... i was so coy, snugled to him watching movies i drifted off to a lil nana nap... movies were well over.. and the day is over half done. haha. soooo.. i thought, it was time to get up off my lazy but and come out to my room and play with my scraps...

Ive been playing with the first of my christmas gifts for this year. My list is rather long, thus saying that i have a bit of work ahead of me is an understatement. I know.. i probably should have started a little earlier, though.. trust me, its not as late as the year that i was still working on my mothers mini album while i knew she was on her way down. I had my neice who was driving her down giving me updates, all the way so i knew just how much time i had left. This, i may add was only 2 nights before christmas. oops.
I didnt intentially leave things late.. infact id been working on it for quiet some weeks before hand.. and that, appart from a little gift that i had made for the lovely Cathy and Gail, i had no other OTP to do.. but... im a little bit of a perfectionist... (just a little.. haha.. NOT) so i tend to keep at it until im 200% happy with it. Thats my excuse.. and im sticking to it.. hah.

Anyway... so far im working on a 6x6 book for my mother in law.. its made with the cutest papers.. though, silly me used the piece that has the info on it so im going to have to source those details from my LSS a little later i think. Its got the cutest cupcake, jam jars and chocolate cake pattern on it with a pink background with black polka dots.... Its very cute..
Since my MIL has self declared what we have all known for a while that she is not the worlds best cook, i thought i would fill it will tonnes of blank pages, as well as some of the recipes of mine that she always wants and that my father in law loves.
While im sure mine (since i have enough paper left) will be a little more funky, hers, i think will be kinda plainish, since she is really a "country" interior sort of gal and as it is, im not too sure that this will match anything else.. though.. you know what? Its cute.. i will tell her its cute and MUST go in her kitchen and she is just gonna have to deal with it! hahah.
And.. no.. she doesnt read my blog. haha. nor am i the littlest bit bossy!

I'll pop up a piccy of it when im done.. let you see what you think.
Though.. since there are a few that DO read this blog to who i plan to make gifts, i may very well just add pics and not tell you who they are for.. makes it safer for them.. huh!?

Ohhh.. i FINALLY got some of my work back from that shop.. (insert rumpled brow and grr here).. some, would you believe, they damaged or plain outright lost at Paperific? Im so so mad. Though, alteast i have some of it back safe in my hands now.
I will post a few pics of some of the things a little later.

hope you are having a fun day..
xxx

Come fly with me..

I have to say that im writing this post with the biggest grin on my face. I have had my blog since 2005 and in that time, other than the friends that left notes to say they had stopped by, i had no idea who had come to visit.. not that it was a real concern, since my blog was created for me, foremost.. you know? Though, this morning, i woke to find that i had been visited from a lady all the way in Chile; Hello Estivalia!!! ~waves~ This in itself was excitement x 100 since it was really my first offical sign that my lil green blog had started its overseas tour.
Soooo.. After reading Jodies blog and seeing that she had this nifty lil gadget from FeedJit that lets you see where people have come from etc, i thought i would give it a go.. thanks Jodie for having it first so i could see it! :) Anyway... i have had more overseas visitors... im so excited.
I really don't know why.. i guess.. in a weird little way its rather cool to think that my blog has left the shores of Australia.. Since it seems that it will be forever before i physically leave again, perhaps i can live vicariously through my blog! ~LMAO~

Anyway.. to my visitors from Illinois, Virgina, and Oklahoma.. WELCOME! :)

Happy Birthday to a Gorgeous Girl

Well.. today most definately would not be complete without me stopping in here to wish a very very gorgeous lady a very very happy birthday.

KYLIE ... HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY!!!

By now you should very well know how much you mean to me.. what it is to have you as part of my life and be aable to call you a dear friend..
Wish that i could be there with you today to help give you a great day, spoil you rotten and watch you blow those candles out, though... rudely, there is a whole damn state stuck between us! :( Sorry Babe.. i just didnt have the strength to shift it.

To a beautiful, soul, mind and lady... Happy birthday Sweetheart.
Love to pieces girl, today and every day.
Hope you have the best day ever!!!

xxxx

He is Live

Finally... Matt has taken his photography live through his own website. I cant tell you how proud i am to see his dreams becoming a reality.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT

While His website is still in its infancy and pages are still building up, its up..

If your looking for a photographer that knows what he is doing... spends as much time with the post production as taking the photos so that all you get is 200% quality and dont want to pay gob loads like some of the photographers out there, definately.. look him up.
Ofcourse.. im sure that if you were to mention my blog when you give him a call he could work out even a better rate! ;)

I know.. im bias, though seriously.. i think the imagery speaks for itself.

Matt, I love you!!

one proud lady
xx

Pay It Forward...

Well... after a wonderful surprise in the mail today, its my turn to pay it forward.
Have you heard of the "pay it forward" thing that has been going around blogs!? I was lucky enough to be one of three people who posted on a Nannascraps blog and recieved the lovliest handmade surprise.
So... its now my turn... what do you get if you post a comment!? Goodness knows at this point. I have the worst headache ever..ears that feel like ive been in a plane too long, a blocked nose that i fear will errupt like Mt Vesuvious (EWWW) and a throat coarse enough it feels, to grate cheese. Yuk..

Though.. i promise, what ever it is.. it will have 110% of my heart and soul put into it.

Are you game!?

All you have to do to be part of this is leave a comment for me on this thread. By leaving a comment on this thread you are binding yourself to the commitment of blogging & paying it forward with hand made creations or a scrapbook related RAK once you recieve your surprise from me.

Generally it is the first three that leave a comment that will be chosen to recieve a gift, though.. im thinking, i would like to do a spin on things and leave this open until WEDNESDAY 31st October. 5pm EST, and see how many comments i recieve, place them in a hat and pull out three lucky people.
Why!?
Well.. i have been to so many blogs where i have seen this pay it forward, though the comments have been made so quickly after the post was made that it was a little unlucky for the slow pokes (like me) to partake. This way, i think its giving everyone a fair go..
what do you think!?

Well... here goes, who wants to play!?
I don't care if your from Australia or anywhere else around the world... i just want to see a lil love spread!! So.. come on... join in :)




Have you heard of "Pay It Forward"? This has been going around the blogs at the moment and now it's my turn. I was lucky enough to be one of the first three people to comment on the Scrapbook Nook blog and now I will receive a handmade gift from Tammy. And now I must keep the challenge going and this is how it works: The first three people to comment on this post {who would like to be involved in the Pay It Forward Challenge} will receive a handmade gift from me. All you have to do is keep the fun challenge going by agreeing to create three handmade gifts for three more people, hence the term "Pay it Forward". So what are you waiting for?

SHES HERE!!!!

Welll.. SHES HERE!!!!!

She is sleeping.. but... hahahaha... shes here.. shes here!!!

no more sleeeps..

i soooooo sooooo can't wait until tomorrow.. how ever am i going to sleep!?
We have just made ourselves name tags for today.. just incase we bump into anyone from the forums.. I may pop a pic up tomorrow..
Caths taking her camera to paperific so im sure there will be piccies to share later.


its going to be soooo cool.

mwah mwah

So Excited

Up in the air
she flys...
zoom zoom a zoom zoom zoom
up in the clear blus sky
zoom zoom a zoom zoom zoom..
zoooom zooom
zooom zoooom a zoom zoom zoom
zooom... zooom.. zooom zoom a zoom zoom zoom!!!

AGGGGHHHHHHH... im so excited... Today is the day that Cath and i have been counting down too.. this afternoon.. she will finally be here again.. i so cant wait.
The kids are already preparing themselves for sugar rushed woman having chair races..

i say.. bring it on.. and let the time go slow

love ya gal... travel safely!
XXX

The Call to The DarkSide

It has finally happened..

I knew that it would happen one day.. and tonight.. it has happened... Ive given into the call to the dark side. As some would know.. before i moved up to the Northern Territory where it was toooooooo hot to house a quilt in my lap to work on, i was an avid quilter.
I have been going through Mirandas clothes and sorting what she needs bought for the up and coming summer and what can be handed on to another little girl. While doing this, i have been looking at the print on some things thinking.. oooooh..

i could use this for an accent on a page

or..

i could use this as a fabric stripe

or..

this one as the background

&

ooooh... this was her favourite.. or.. i loved her in that!...

etc

but even more so.. i have been seeing these gorgeous prints, ruffles, pockets and zipper fronts as panels in a quilt.

For one birthday, b1 and b2, each got their own throw size quilt to tote along with them when they stayed at grand-mas, or to use in the living room of a night to snuggle under.. though, through our living in the wilderness and my obsession with scrapping, Miranda has somehow missed out. So... while i was ultimately sorting clothes and considering pieces for use on scrap pages.. i have some how half created my next quilt in my head.
I am a methodical scrapper.. making sure that one quilt is complete before starting another.. though.. THIS WILL STOP.. IT HAS TO STOP.. as i think that this new quilt design will send me crazy if its call is not answered.

I have always been one to pass things on.. to recycle the childrens clothing.. Knowing that someone, somwhere would adore the gorgeous clothing that my children have in their wardrobes.. the thought of cutting it up, until i became a scrapper would have never crossed my mind. What an appauling thought!!! Though.. scrapping has opened my eyes.. so much so.. that this quilt will not just be a quilt.. though a warm.. usable scrap book of memories.. of not only when Mea was little.. but the pretty things that she adored will be able to go along with her even as she grows.

How ever will i be able to juggle scrapping and quilting.. how ever does Janelle Wind do both.. and for magazines no less!?

14 year olds + singstar = bleeding ears

~LMAO~ What can i say that my title has not said? Really.. what sad sick soul was it that thought it would be fantastic to create a game that allowed tone deaf people to sing into microphones like Divas? Really... OWWWWWWWWWWCH!!!

B1 has her darlin' best friend over.. they are having the best time in the living room with the stereo turned up loud, punching out the lyrics of the songs they barely know.. though even with two doors shut and our own music up loud in my scrap room Matt and i are not safe. B2 and mea are in there as well...it appears from all the cheering that MEA is kicking butt... you go girl!
Bai on the other hand, well he disapeared about a hour ago.. when the ruckus started... im sure he is somewhere hiding and hoping that we will rescue him soon.

God bless the man that invented aviation ear plugs!

The over stimulated thoughts of the sugar starved.

I'm just sitting here.. eating a bowl of Sherk the 3rd giant fruit loops.(with out milk).. pretty much simply for the fact that they are green.. (L) but also for the fact that i am dragging my butt big time this morning and thought that perhaps the copious amounts of sugar in those things would wake even the dead.. Not that it will change how i look as a result of dragging my butt.. the miss matched clothes... = pink tweetie flannelete PJ top matched with a pair of Matts track pants simply because i could not be buggered. Besides they were the first thing in arms reach wheen i fell out of be to my stupid phone waking me to remind me of a class at a shop that i no longer work at... dumb phone... surely i got rid of that wake up call. ggggrrrr.

Now that the sugar is finally kicking in it has got me to thinking... im writing this... though for who... ultimately it is for me... to remind me of the days past... and make me laugh on dark days when i read back in search for answers to what ever trivial question that my mind seeks answers for.. though.. i know that people do come here.. why? its beyond me.. something about them liking me? (foolish.. aren't they!? hahaha).. for my friends, whom i am teasing.. you know i love you!! xx

I have been to blogs... spent hours surfing the links that they provide.. which takes me to atleast a million and a half other blogs.. which sends me to surf further into the deep dark depths of cyber space.. Through this journey i have discovered that many promote RAKs through their blog. If you leave a message you are in the running for a RAK... though.. why!? What is the point.. I mean.. yeah, sure.. i love to give things to friends though most of these people are drawing people to their blog whom surely they know are ONLY there for the chance of something for nothing.. i mean.. how many of these freebie-hunters will give a rats and come back to check out the blog at a later date!? So.. what is the point!? Why do they do it!?

Is it in the hope that they will get more people reading their blog? Again.. i say why!? This is my little square of cyber space. A place that i reside.. a place where my friends will always feel welcome. Much like my kitchen table in my bricks and mortar home.. though that doesnt mean that i will welcome every door knocker in for a cuppa.
Is it the inner need to be liked!? The need to show the world what they are capable of? Weather it be scrapping, sewing, quilting, button making, photography...what ever it is that their passion is for!?

Now.. my rambling is simply that.. my sugar high thought processes running in overtime.. My words here are not intended to offend or upset anyone.. (except perhaps for the button maker, whoms i sure i offend, simply by existing (ha).... i am curious. That is all. Surely others have had the same thoughts as me at some point. Surely you have asked "Why!?".

I will just add that i totally understand the reason that stores have blogs.. and why they offer up lil prizes now and then.. though... the rest of the populations blogs.. come on.. why!?

Sooooooo.. Should i be worried that its only my dearest friends that seem to drop in and say hi... that i have lurkers here that dont feel the need to let me know they are there? (You know that is a crime in the bricks and Mortar world. haha) or that my blog is not perhaps reaching the 6.5 trillion people out there in cyber space!?

I wonder... if i was to add a RAK to my blog... just for shit sake.. who would come and knock on my door..

Perhaps... for halloween, i may do that...
Trick or Treat!?

haha.

__________________________
EDIT: I would like to just say.. before i get lynched by anyone that the above thoughts were those of which the title expressed.. they were my thoughts at the time.. i did say that i did not wish to offend anyone.
It has been public knowledge that Jodie & I had issues.. this post was in no way a direct poke at her, nor was i baiting anyone in anyway. I was not degradating the fact that she makes buttons.. or any other such thing.. to be totally honest, i think her buttons are totally fan-friggin-tabulous! ;)
As i have stated in PM on SM where this thread was addressed, i would like to just say.. as i did there, if i have said anything to offend... its simple that the only option you have is to not read. I will not sensor my posts, as i should not have to.. in my own little part of the web-universe. :)
Instead, take them with the grain of salt in which they were first intended. :)

On a roll..

Well... what a productive day i have.. ive been bopping around my room listening
to all manner of music.. and currently listening to My Chemical Romance (bows to the Gods) while i blog
instead of thinking of the horrid mess that both the desk.. and the floor have become. Productiveness comes at a cost.. right!?
As i have said yesterday (?).. i am totally loving these 12x6 sized layouts..
while you dont have tonnes of room.. they are perfect for the bundance of 6x4 photos that i have.. Boxes of them will now be scrapped way faster than they have been which will get me up to date a little before the 22nd century im hoping. hahaha.

Im so stoked that in the last few days i have been able to scrap all of us, save for Bailey, though i will be getting to him soon hopefully.. Just have to get a photo printed of him since ive scrapped his others. Loving using up my offcuts of papers.. makeing pretties out of every little..
Though.. for now.. i must away and be a better mother since B2 has just come out to tell me that HE had to put clothes in the dryer (godess forbid) because he didnt have any PJ pants. Um Mah..

See what scrapping has resulted in!? Father forgive me for i have sinned.. i took time out for me, made a mess and scrapped up a storm and loved it! Mahahaha.
XX

PS: The journalling on the Layout of myself was way easier to write and admit to, though doing it.. now there comes the struggle.. hah. We will see how i go. I plan on scrapping another Photo of me with some true-be-tolds in a few months.. hopefully i will have practiced what i have preached and it will be a little more uplifting! I scrap the good with the bad.. i think everyone has discovered that by now.

____________________________
10 Sleeps....... Zoom zoom a zoom zoom zoom!!!

its a nice day for...

Lounging in loose fitting flannelette PJs and scrappin... haha.. and... you know what? Im sitting here happily in Matts Angry Monkey PJ bottoms and a T, scrapping... eating chocolate cake and listening to loads of music, tossing messages back and forth with a new friend and having the best time.

It makes me wonder what others are doing.. do they have the pleasantries of their favourite music, the over indulgent flavours of something yummy... are they relaxed & comfy...have they talked to someone they like... and... most importantly... are they happy!?
Anywho... MEA has come out with the chocolate cake and is requesting a slice for herself.. soooo.. you know what? I may very well go have a second slice.. i'll worry about those scales tomorrow! ~L~
This is what i've so far accoplished today...
Its a photo of Kiera and Jamie (my B1&2).. they were upon a huge rock out in the middle of a rock platform at the base of Norah Head light house... Even though Jamie looks smothered and you cant see his face all that well.. it makes me warm... reminds me of how all hugs ought to be!
This other, is of my sweet Jamie D.., my boi child.. It was taken by me at Jerrabombera Duck Pond near the ACT boarder (just across the street from where we were living at the time)... I took one of each of the three kids on a post like this one... love how they turned out. I first envisioned that they would all three be scrapped side by side on the one layout though that has not been the case. oh well.. these things happen.. right!? ~L~

Loving the 6x12's and 11x8.5s!!!

And... lastly.. before i go and watch Manly Kick The Melbourne Storms arses in the 2007 NRL grand Finals... a COOOO-EEEEE to Lyn.
Don't know what your up to.. but i miss you girl. Hope that if you and Dave are still up at the camp that you are having a ball and safe.

Regardless.. Hope your well. Love you girl xxxx

GO THE MIGHTY
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAGLES!!!!!!!
i know.. i know... Bailey looks rediculous and no animal, no matter what it is, should not be subjected to the ludicrest dressing in human clothes.. no matter what the occasion... I'm sorry my sweet Bai-bee, buuuuuuut...in my defence... this one time... when the eagles have made it to the grand finals.. ive not had a little person small enough to put into this gernsy, given to Kiera when she was first born by her Manly Supporting (insert me bowing) Grandfather..

I know.. im going to hell! HAHA.. but when i do, it will be with another premiership under our belts! woooooot wooooot wooooot!
_________________________________

11 sleeps and counting!!!

a Lil Saturday Share-sy

Scrapping was the last thing i thought i would be doing today though since dinner plans were posponed so i figured what a better way to fill in a saturday afternoon then a little scrap-therapy..

I have been wanting to try a layout using 12x6 for a while and today, i finally did it..
(and used some of my sacred stash of prima rack blossoms - well worth it)
Anyway... here it is..
Hope your saturday is seeing you spending it woth those you love, eating yummy food and perhaps sharing a glass of something as well..

For us... its BBQ ... First one of the season and hopefully, far from the last!!
Yipppeeee!!!!

Spreadin' the love

Not only would i like to stop in for a moment and spread the love with you all, but i will also be adding this wonderful lil find to my pimpin' list!!

Finally, i have got my self the long saught after tool of tools... the Making Memories instant setter.. (insert cheers and excited claps here)... While admittedly it is not in my hot little hands.. yet, it has been committed to and paid for by using the "buy now" option in ebay.

Why is this such a big deal? Well.. simply because this is definately the buy of the century (when not won at rediculously cheap ebay prices)... and including postage is cheaper than wholesale prices.. Anyway, here is the link... Scrap -n- crop check it out.
Obviously, because i cannot vouch for this seller as i have not recieved my goods yet, though from all that i read, and what my gut tells me.. she is above board and the genuine article.. so the old rule of buyer beware must always be forthmost when shoping on ebay as we all konw..

Anyway... thats it for me... too excited to think.. .and other than weeding an entire garden bed today, have nothing of interest to share with you.. sooooooo..

Love n hugs

me.

xxx

_______________________________

14 sleeps til my scrap-shop-n' be silly with mate arrives..

Hurry up and get here already!!! haha.

xxx

The well of positivity

Want to help make a difference? Mount Franklin has started a well of positivity in order to help raise money for the breast cancer foundation. Want to help and get closer to being able to find a prevention as well as a cure to this brutal disease that takes so many lives of women all over the world...Here is your chance.

Click the link to e The well of Positivity and simply leave a positive note and for each postive note left Mount Franklin Pure Water will donate $1 and while you are there, why not add a little extra by way of monetry donation yourself..

Come on.. help make it happen!

:)

err, Houston.. we have a problem..

Ha.. Matt told me i had an obsession with ribbon though i never really believed him, instead laughing and thinking of Alisons ribbon stash and how it would always put me to shame.. *bowing to the almighty Ribbon Stash Master*
although, today, after again running out of the dozens we r memory keepers, american craft and franchville ribbon spools that have been generously donated to me by Al, i have again run out and still have a huge amount of ribbon to roll.

You know what i have discovered!? That.. um.. err.. *cough cough* *whisperin'* perhaps the man is right!!
How many rolls does one actually need to have to be considered a ribbon junkie!?

At a rough count i have 174 spools... (insert pulled face here) omg.. when i actually say that out loud.. its like.. my goodness girl.. that is not an obsession.. that is a serious addiction.. and.. that is not counting what would be rolled if... i had not run out of spools... nor the ribbon i envsiage that i will return from paperific from.. or the ribbon that i have been eyeing off at The Ribbon Palace and the many that i recently saw up close in person after peeking in at the Ribbon Stash Masters new catch and saying "i want i want too".
Have you seen the ribbon that Simone has there!? That place is dangerous.. though... last month i discovered a place at DFO at Essedon which i would happily forever sit on a shelf in an urn, BUT.. now... wrap me in ribbons! hahah.

It has got me to thinking... i wonder how much ribbon every one else has.

Anyway... i got sidetracked ... i actually started this post while i tried to get myself motivated to scrap something. I have been visitng Caths blog tonight and felt oh-so-lazy after seeing all that she has been scrapping.. and figured that i best do something.. though.. this post has only inspired me to count ribbons, look at the basket that houses all the spooless ones that are helplessly looking at me... and totally mind-tracked away from scrapping. ~L~ Oh well.. perhaps its time to go look at more ribbons online!

Night..

21 sleeps til Paperific...

woooohooo!

Hey Hi Hello...

Well... the absent-minded blogger returns again.. haha.

can you believe that with everything else that is happening in my life at the moment that i totally forgot about blogging!? Well... not entirely... but.. it seems that i forgot time somewhere, because there hasn't seemed to be any left over for me to drop in here and leave my mark..

I've been trotting back and forth between Scrappit with classes and home, doctors and even a trip or three to the hospital to visit with my pre-geriatric man who hurt his back and found himself laid up for a few days. I just don't seem to be able to find enough hours in each day.. and to top it all off, B1 & B2 now do rock climbing on monday nights.

They are loving it and i've been told that i have two fair dinkum spiders on my hands with the say that they scale the indoor rock walls. palease, tell me something that i didn't already know. I discovered that atleast about Jamie when he was just walking and decided that the back yard was not enough of an adventure that he had to explore the screen door until he got to the op and then could not figure how to get himself back down.. not long after, i found him attop an 8 foot high wall... Falling from tree's at school, busting lips that required stitches were not even any feat for him as he would find himself falling out of the very same tree the next time he got back to school.

Miss M was even showing a keen interest in wanting to go vertical.. even though she was not hooked to a rope let alone booked into a class she was climbing the first of the walls every time we took our eyes off her for a second.... so, i'm thinking that we will have three kids doing their best spiderman impressions soon.

Anyway... thought i would share my latest Layout with whom ever is bored enough to be prowling at ab-imo-pectore.. (for those that need a translations... that means.. from the heart! ~L~).. even though i think that its rather different for me, Alison picked it a mile away as my work..

I'm thrilled with how it has turned out.. its bohemian, moulin-rouge-i-ness reminds me of a olde french hat box!

(I just need to find the right y-o-u to add beneath the "adore" and it will be totally finished and in the mag in-boxes. Even if it is rejeted all round, i have to say.. this layout is one that i am really.. truely happy with and will love no matter what happens.

Love..

ME :)

PS: Paperific is getting closer... which means... Miss Cath.. Have you started to pack yet!? :D

Sneek Peek

Well... i did it... finally.. though the lighting is not that good, being that it was well after 5pm this afternnon when i got around to it.. i have got a few piccies to show of my reno-in-progress. ~Laughs~
See that horrible busy fabric of the sofa? That is the biggest thing on my reno target list... and the colour that my now oh-so-yummy cream chair in my scrap room WAS. What a transformation huh!?
The long cabinet originated the same colour as the lamp table is (though not for much longer).. so it too has gone through a huge transformation.. I have to say.. i love love LURVE the door handles on it now.. sure beats the timber that they initially were. The small cabinet is a delectable provincial beige.. and the long one with the yummy handles is the same colour, though has the slightest tint of green. (could not help myself! hahaha)
I so can't wait for it to all be done and over now so i can just enjoy it!
:)

Just a quicky..

I know.. i know... im the worst blogger ever lately..
Will saying that i have been flat out busy compensate for anything!? ~L~... Just check out my class schedule... i promise... im telling the truth! hahah.

Just thought i would say hello.. and wish you all a wonderful weekend... (even though its officially now half way over).. and let you know that i have not slipped off the face of the earth...

Ooooh... and guess what!? Finally.. the furniture Renos are coming along nice enough that we have one piece fully finished... (i'll get some piccies to show it off).. and another, almost ready to bring back inside.
There have been tonnes of dramas with the suade that i am using for the sofa and chair in the living room.. though hopefully before long it will be in my hot little hands... though not if Spotlight keeps up the way they have been going.. i swear.. what a bunch of idiots. Grrr..
Well... have had a huge HUGE HUGE day so im gonna call it exactly that and say good night before i crawl off to bed to hybernate.

~hugs n loves~

xxx

Beauty comes in all forms..

The postal courier just arrived at my house... totally totally TOTALLY unexpected i must add. I have just had beauty delivered to me in the most wonderful form of a stunning mini album, filled with the most gorgeous quotes. decorated with divine little bits.. From velvet to glitter.. to butterflies and tags.. it has it all.
It is now taking pride of place on a very empty top of a set of chipboard filled drawers.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to the beautiful lady that sent it my way..
Love you to pieces.. though you know that already..

counting down the days angel.
xxx

Sausage Dog Sausages

Tonight was a quick easy dinner since by the time o got home from Scrappit, and dropped into the supermarket to do my grocery shopping, it was rather late. (6.30) so, it was hot dogs!! Yummmmm. Anyway.. while i was making them, Miranda was sitting with Matt while they were talking to me and Matt was editing some new photos, Miranda asked her daddy the funniest question. "Where do sausages come from!?" "Sausage dogs?". Matt by this time trying to stop laughter.. sadly, i didnt even hear the quesion. Because we were having "hot Dogs" she put two and two together and came up with the thought that sausages for hot dogs came from sausages dogs. ~LMAO~ what the!? Aussies done eat dog! ~L~
Matt was just amazed that she was thinking so deeply about how what where and why.. you know?

Re my scrap teaching... im thrilled.. the owner of the store is thrilled and all the ladies that i have met since becoming the store teacher the ladies that pop in love me... my classes so far have been welcomed with open arms and seats are filling up quickly.. so so chuffed!

Just a quicky tonight..
~hugs~

Honk Honk Toot Toot... Beep Beep

and a SQUEAL even...

Soooooooooooo...... what is the secret??? Is that all that you are hanging around for!? ~LMAO~... Well... Since its obvious that you need a hobby, i will tell you all so that you can get on with life... haha...

I GOT A JOB!!! Not just any job.... I got a job teaching in the local scrapping store... im totally over the moon... seems that my stars are all aligned for once... and what a wonderful alignment its appeaing to be...
publications, acceptances, job offers...

but that is not the only great thing that has been happening in my tiny corner of the world... Kiera has been asked to continue a writing task into a short story for publication through the school and Jamie has made it to regionals for High Jumps...

Im such a proud mama...
who wouldnt be.. right!?

okay... well.. im off to continue my play with Paper.. my first Class is at 10am tomorrow morning and i have to finish off the final touches of my latest work..
(atleast this "work" business will keep me out of trouble and scrapping again, huh!? )

Irony.. or is that fate!?

Why is it that when you are glued to a deadline your printer decides to run out of ink!?

Perhaps its fate instead of Alison giving me a kick up the bum tonight.. haha.. i seem to have a habit of leaving things right to the very last minute...
Like the Christmas Book that i subbed to For Keeps the other night.. i had aaaaages to complete it, though here i was... around about this time of the night, the night that it had to emailed to them by, working my ass off to actually get it there.
Nothing moves you like time.. thats for sure...
what can i say... i work well under pressure... though its harder to work when your cartridge is empty.

The moral of this story is... make sure that you have a sparey tucked away for such an emergency.

Why am i stressing!? Ah.. no reason other than i have to catch the morning mail!!! ~making msn shocked face~

I guess... im going to have to do a mad morning dash next door with a good cup of coffee to butter up the neighbour! hahaha.

Well.. im gonna get back to finishing what i can.

nighty night.
xxx

Secret Stuff

gah... i have a secret... anyway... i am the best secret keeper if it is someone elses secret... though... when they are mine.. i suck.. totally, right royally SUCK.

I'm so excited i could bust... and almost busting because... i want to tell someone.. though.... its a secret so i can't really tell anyone... yet. You know!?
But.. at the same time.. i had to write something... for the sake of doing something so that i don't spill the beans... hahah.
At christmas time, Matt normally knows well before time what he is getting.. because i can't keep the secret right until the day.. though last year i surprised him big time.. i kept the best secret EVER... (but had to sms him to tell him i had a secret!) go figure!?! ~LMAO~
Fathers day is normally celebrated with presents to replace the presents to replace the presents that i have bought him prior and given him because i could not keep the secret. Im totally freakin' hopeless, huh!?
oooh.. ~light bulb moment~ hold that thought!!!! i kept two secrets recently.. Kiera with the Harry potter book that i bought her for her birthday and Jamie with the two matrix ps2 games he desperately wanted.. though.. it was tough.. i tell you.
Perhaps i'm getting better!?

Anyway.. just wanted to say i guess, I HAVE A SECRET!!!!!

hahaha.

PS: We have been renovating our furniture instead of buying new stuff.. anyway.. the reno's so far are coming along very nicely.. the sideboard is almost done... looks fantabulous.. coffee table has its undercoat.
Have to go and buy some bees wax for the table top, some timber beading for something ive decided to add to the side board and screw the hinges back on tomorrow.. and then.. its onto the next thing... two huge book shelves!!! :S
Will have to post a few pictures i feel to show you what we have been up to! Maybe tomorrow..

xxlove ya!

and again....

What a week!
As you would have read i submitted a few things to For keeps. Two things to be exact.. Well while i recieved a congratulatory note in my email about the summer book i was still waiting to hear back about another one.
Dissapointment at reading a Thanks but no thanks from Scrapbooking Memories suddenly turned into squealing all round when i re opened my inbox after closing the note from SM to find a CONGRATULATIONS letter from For Keeps.
Im so so so so over the moon right now.. i cant explain the rush.. from a great start yesterday comes a continuation of wonderfulness..
Here is a sneek!
;)
In total, there are 46 photos, 17 hidden areas & only 7 board pages including front and back cover = 12 scrap pages total... all this in 7.5 x 5.5 inches!

I have to say a huge huge thanks to Alison for kicking my arse enough to get me to complete this for the call out.. as well as her generous, open invitation to her ribbon stash... the home of most of the ribbons used and that glorious beaded trim! I owe ya!!!! Thank you sweetheart!
PS: This one will be in the Christmas Gallery in the same Edition as the Summer one, #61

Anyway.. here is to wonderful Fridays... hope that you are all having one.. i know that i am.. and its just getting better.
I got two movie tickets the other day from the sweetest Lady (she knows who she is) and Matt has just suggested that he take me out to dinner and then go watch a movie... so... 2 layouts accepted and a date night and its not even my birthday... how cool is that!?
hahaha.

love n hugs~
me :)

Miss You Much....

If i could tell you anything today.. it would be that you are missed dearly.. that your little girl still, after 14 years thinks about you every day and wishes things were different and misses you beyond words.
Though... things sadly were not different...

You are there and i am here and all that i have are the memories of the best father a little girl could have ever wished to have.
You have missed so much... so many things that i know.. you would be proud of... exciting milestones that i know that you looked forward to though never got to experience.. three children every day demonstrate the gentleness, compassion and love that they have inherited from you..though, through my eyes.. i hope that you do see... and dont miss a second.

My children, your beautiful grand children know all there is to know about their poppy and even they did not have the opportunity to know you nor meet you.. they are rich still for the memories that i have. and for what i can tell them of the man that will always be my hero.
I can't promise no more tears though i can promise to continue to be the mother that you would have hoped me to be, I hope that i make you proud.
Miss you much dad...and love you for always.
Your little Girl.
xx

Chasing Storms...

Ever since watching Wizzard of Oz as a child i have had a fascination with storms and cloud formations.. and after watching the movie Tiwster many years ago have said that i would before i die love to go storm chasing.. Ofcourse, its not something i would do just by myself... id happily pay to join one of the teams that chase storms across the Unite States... after seeing these pictures that Matt sent me via email this morning (he knows me WAY to well!), my dream of doing such is even stronger than it was.. how amazing are these pictures!?
Some people want to bungee jump, some people want to climb huge mountains, some people want to swim with sharks..
Give me storms, white water Rapids, a parachute and plane, or better still, some serious G's in a fighter jet and i will be a happy happy camper!


Check them out!!!! Aren't they just spectacular!?

Just sharing ...

Wooohooo... I thought i would share my excitement of the morning with you all... I'm being published again, though this time, its For Keeps that has picked me up.
I didnt check my mail yesterday and this morning when i woke and checked it.. there it was... an acceptance for issue 61 later this year - Summer Gallery.
I will give you a sneek peek of the Album that is being published... when i send it off, i will replace it with the published banner.. k!?

Just had to share my excitement...

In Print!

Well.. its official... i'm in print. My first ever accepted Layout has become magazine print!
I got the sms message on friday last week at 6.45am from one very very excited Cath to let me know that my Layout was looking gorgeous on page 32 of this months scrapbooking Memories Mag (i think that is the page)...Thank you sweet heart.. only one other way better to be woken up.. hahaha.. although, it wasn't until last night, courtesty of Alisons wonderful hubby whom brought a copy all the way across town did i actually see it. WOW.. im so so excited... even more impressed. The colours are perfect! I could not be more excited unless ofcourse, it was being used as the picture to the title page of the swirls and flourishes gallery or on the from page itself. Now.. just to get my hands on my own copy of it..

PS: Its ALLAN, not Allen! ;)

PPS: I dont know if i can put the picture back up here yet.. anyone know the protocol!?

a chip in the eye is worth...

well you know the saying.. a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush... i dont know if a chip in the eye is worth anything but lots of laughter and tonnes more stinging from the salt that was on it.
It was too funny not to share and im sure that my purple headed giggle pot of a friend will be laughing her arse off at my stupidity... so.. here i am... still blushing from embarrassment, eyes wet from tears of laughter... and red from salt reaction.
Tonight we decided to have an easy dinner since Matt and i got out into our front yard, did some weeding and mowed the lawns that were well and truely in need of some TLC. So... just for those that see easy as ducking to the fish and chip shop, let me clarify.. we are talking box fish and mc cains crunchy fish and chip shop style crunchy chips.. tossing them in the oven is easy... means i can toss the kids into the bath and shower while its cooking and then there is no waiting for people to come eat.. ANYWAY.. (im rambling)... i quality control tested these so called crunchy chips tonight.. and... you know what!? They are super crunchy. For some unknown reason.. (i do lots of dumb things after all)... i held the chip between my thumb and fore finger at each end and pushed hard... the thing just was not going to snap in two.. (and it was not over cooked)... then.. all of a sudden.. snap... wham... OUCH... it snapped...& hit me right in the eye ... while it was open still no less... thus the ouch!
Hope you get as much of a laugh as the guys did... they thought it hysterical.. didnt matter that my eye was on fire with the sting of salt and i couldnt see because my eye chose the moments after to snap shut and refuse to open again! ~L~

It made me think almost immediately to the Book of me challenge that i have set over at Froggy Todd. "Through these eyes" & "behind these eyes".
Jamie definately thought i should get my picture taken and scrap it... i think not! ~L~
I seriously dont think i need to document for future generations ALL my stupidity, besides.. i have no doubt there will be many other oportunities.. dont you?

Scrapboxx & a Scrap Box

Well....
yesterday i did it... i broke the drought! Would you believe that the last time i REALLY played with paper and did anything more than a card or two was in MAY!!!!????
Yesterday i recieved the latest scrapboxx newsletter (which i have to say i look forward to every month. Thanks Maria :D) and fell in love with a LO that Kim Archer had done for the back to Bassix challenge.. i had to have it... the first time ever i have scrap lifted in entirety a LO, but since its for my own personal use, wont be published online.. not even in my blog, i didnt think there was any harm... and i have given the artist full credit. I hope that she see's it as the greatest form of flattery... today, i love you Kim!!
Without this newsletter and this gorgeous (i hope it is going to be published) LO, i would have still been deep in drought.
I had all the items to create the layout & make the embellishment... i didnt go any further than my scrap-box. (no pun intended)
It has been the longest time since ive created anything and it felt so good. In April i got sick and by May i was unable to scrap... as i started to get better, i had to see my doctor about my hands since they were hurting around the clock and it got to the stage that i was almost unable to hold a craft knife let alone hold a ruler still. To a scrapper... and a serious scrapper at that, this was a nightmare. I became depressed about the thought of not being able to do one of my favourite things again.. my other, is quilting... just as depressing was the thought... i found it harder and harder to be inspired, to be creative as i knew that even if i was inspired, i could not do much because my hands would ache so badly and i would regret it days after.
Anyway... my worst nightmare became reality when i was diagnosed with Rheumatoid athritis... but it doesnt stop there... after a series of xrays was taken, it was discovered that while i dont have serious degenerative changes yet, i have a god aweful cyst in my wrist (on the hand side) that is pressing on muscles and restricting movement in my fingers.
I also found that i had a deficiency in b1, b2, b12, a low white blood count and was iron deficient which was associated to chronic tiredness, i have two bone growths on my left foot that are growing into soft tissue.. While, this means that i cant walk very far some days when the pain is so bad, it means that i should be able to sit and scrap.
Medication has eased the effects of the deficiencies, pain medication and anti-inflamitories are helping with the pain and Kim Archer, it seems is helping with the inspiration.
Between them all, i think i will be okay!
:)
Happy humpday everyone... i have some scrapping to do!

Birthday wishes for the birthday Girl.

Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday to you...
Happy birthday my sweet lil lady..
Happy birthday to you!

I cant believe it.. my first born is 14... i dont where the time went. You know..i still remember every detail (well.. all but what was blurred by huge doses of drugs)... i remember how i felt (other than numb and sick! ~L~) what she smelt like..(beautiful) what the weather was like.. (hailing).. like it was only yesterday that i held my gorgeous baby in my arms.. even though she is now, quiet litterally, a young lady.. she will be very much, like Jamie and Miranda, my baby for always.

You make me proud with everything you say and do.. your tollerance of those around you.. your beliefs and determination and the wisdom beyond the years..
Love you baby girl.

Craeeeeeeee-zeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

:-o

As a few people know, my mum has come to visit.. and ultimately become my warden for a few weeks... this is NOT good. While i love my mum... i love my space, my quiet and my own time way too much to share an ounce of it with anyone outside my immediate family for more than say... a week.. though, why is it that the visit span of mum's should never be any longer than the shelf life of fresh meat!? ~lol~
i say two days maximum.. that is a weekend visit that would normally fly by, though 2 weeks? What was i thinkin'!? Not that i really had a say in the whole warden thing.. but... you know.. right?
Insane.

i made a poem up that explains the situation completely..

Crazy's taken her crazy pills and boarded the crazy train. Crazy is no longer crazy she totally insane!

5 sleeps and counting..
hahaha

ground hog day... almost...

Happy Birthday to you...
Happy birthday to you..
Happy birthday my mini hunka hunka man...
Happy birthday to you!

No... im not losing my mind and singing birthday songs again for Matt... Besides.. he packed up this morning and went to the snow :( leaving me at home for 7 sleeps... though... its my other mans birthday today.
If i get too reminiscent, im going to cry... though, it's hard to believe that 12 years ago today, born in the wee hours of the morning our boy child graced us with his presence.. i was a new mama to the sweetest little boy that i had ever laid eyes on... 12 years though.. how did that happen!?
The girls are sick sick sick... i think im not far behind... its blustery cold outside today... so while this is not going to be the best, funnest out doorys type birthday... it will surely give him way enough time to try out all the playstation games that he got last night at his lil family birthday party we had.
Sometimes, just doing what you want to do on your birthday makes it a birthday to remember.. huh!?
Anyway...
Happy birthday Sweet man... so proud to be your mum... Love you to the moon and back! x

Since Matt was going to be away, we did birthday dinner, cake and pressies last night.. though... Matt has take the pics with him on the camera i think so i will put up pics later.

Hope y'all have a great sunday!
Stay warm!!!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to You...
Happy Birthday to You.
Happy Birthday my Hunka-Hunka Man
Happy Birthday to You!

Let me say.. that my man is so lucky that he is at work at the moment when i am in the totally crazy mood to want to sing to him. Lucky for him, lucky for his ears... lucky for the neighbours to.o.
Though.. even though i sit here and joke...(when i should have on my mummy face and be in the kitchen doing lunches and supervising 3 drag-m'-bottom-in -the-mornin' kids to get dressed, i hope he knows what he means to me, how much i love him and how glad i am, after ALL these years to be beside him to share yet another birthday with his birthday-aging butt. (even now that we have to alert the fire-brigade to birthday activities).

Love you Baby.. you mean the planets to me, as well as the world. HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

xxx

Got her head screwed on straight...

I have to share this... it is too brilliant to not. Her thoughts... her hate for stuff says it all.... exactly how i would love my house some days... Matt and i have a real issue with stuff just hanging around... the kids how ever... obviously see it as interior decorating skills... bra's hanging on bed posts, shoes not on their rack, school bags dumped at the front door... notes strewn across a perfectly clean, spotless, BARE bench.. BLEH.. not me... i see it... as annoyance..
My scrap room on the other hand... now... that is one place sacred that is allowed to have... stuff..
I have to say though, that i dont have photos on display, though it is something that i long for a moment or two in my ever growing list of "projects" to do... but minimilistic is definately the way to be.

anyway... This is written by Erica Glover... in my eyes... a genius in her thinking! ~L~

"I HATE STUFF. Especially piles of stuff. Paperwork, washing & folding, toys etc. You get the drift. I hate it. In my house, everything has it;s place and everything had better be put back in its place. Or else! Clutter terrifies me. I have nightmares about it. Seriously. So i throw things out. And i delete. A lot. Too much probably. If it hasn't been used in a while, it doesn't need to be in my home. Piling up, needing to be cleaned, or washed, or dusted, or put away, or replied to, or filed, or backed up. I am the ultimate deleter/disposer. I don't save emails. I don;t save documents. I don't save bags or boxes or receipts or mail. I hate stuff. Come into my home, open any drawer, open any cupboard, and what will you find? A whole lotta shelf! And maybe one or two items, or three or four. Neatly folded, just the way i like it. Sure, the kids follow me around, like a shadow undoing all that i do. But i persist. Clothes that haven;t fit in a while, toys that havenn;t been placyed with, things that are too dirty to clean, anything that doesn't make the cut turf turf turf. My kitchen bench is totally bare. No mil on the bench, no toaster nor kettle available for easy access, no photos or nik naks on display. Nothing on the windowsill. Nothing anywhere. I crave a clear head. But my life is hectic, I can't keep up no matter what i do. I am constantly chasing my tail, constantly playing catch up, constantly trying to keep my head above water and constantly failing. And failing sucks. So i delete, and i spring clean, and i remove anything that i possibly can that is unnecessary. If it doesn't fit properly, or it has a stain, or it doesn't match, give me any excuse and i will turf it. I know i am anal. I know i am a nightmare to live with and that there are far more important things in the world than a clean bench, a bare fridge and an empty inbox. I can't stop. I don't think i want to. I really hate stuff".

How many of you have ever wished your house to be so simple... so crisp, clean and fresh!?
I do... atleast daily.

Tag Time.

The Crazy Kat hastagged me,... a tag of any kind is a first for me... so here goes...

The rules:
Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about their seven things, as well as these rules. At the end of your blog, you need to choose other people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them that they have been tagged and to read your blog! (it is meant to be seven, though.. since i don't have that many to tag, im not worrying about trying to find 7)

The Facts:
1- I'm Obsessive. Weather it is cleaning or my routine of how things are to be done, or what ever... i can't help obsessing... totally a pain in the arse at times... i swear..

2- Im a list writer. I don't seem to function unless i have a gazillion lists happening. I guess it would help if i read them more often than just writing them. Taht way, i definately would not be the woman standing at the checkout of the supermarket doing a great impersonation of a blonde as i try and remember EXACTLY what i had to go in there for and instead being the well organised woman that is not buying all the "just incase" items! (no offence to my blonde friends)

3- I'm not a very trusting person. While i rate myself highly as being extremely trustworthy, it takes me a long long time to trust anyone. Not because i think there is or may be something about them... i just find that its an easy way not to be let down.

4- I Adore butterflies, but am totally phobic of moths! I once had a huge (im talking two hand span in size, no kidding) moth fly up under my dress and was flapping around. I seriously thought i was going to die!

5- As a child i wanted to be an astronaut. Even as a teen i wanted nothing more than to become a NASA astronaut.. brains let me down. :( The of such though still fascinates me. Perhaps in another life.

6- I used to be a serious planner. If i was going somewhere, i had to know every little detail and plan accordingly for it. I could not just fly by the seat of my pants. I would stress.. These days, while i still stress, im trying to be more easy going and just follow my feet and see where the day takes me apposed to planning every aspect of it. (again.. i guess that falls under obsessive, huh?)

7- A day is not complete without millions of kid-kisses, three kiss kisses from Matt, wet kisses from Bai and Music..

Now... for my unsuspecting victims...
Miss Cath, Miss Nance, Lisa (S-Witch), Tara
....
:P

Rollercoasters, Rain Clouds & Pink PJs

By now, you guys are possibly thinking that im one of the slackest bloggers of our time... ha, i do... though you know what!? Im here now.. and really.. that is all that matters.. right? hahaha.

So... where have i been since last time i blogged? I dont know... my memory sucks... though i'm trying hard to play more regular blogging again.. okay?

This i promise is not going to be as gloomy an entry as the title may suggest... quiet the opposite... for the most.

The one thing that i didnt add in my title was SUNSHINE... because... well... it didnt sound good in the title...(haha) THOUGH.... i have had sunshine in the form of one gorgeous Cathy... and her darlin' family whom surprised me last week and dropped in on me for a lunchtime visit with a present no less... may i add... they came all the way from New South Wales to give me a "hug"!!!!

While the visit was short... and very tear jerking (on my part) saying goodbye after a few hours, it was absolutely wonderful. This is one lady that knows how important she is in my life, and one lady that i thank my lucky star every day for knowing. A lady that whispered something in my ear as i got my last hug before she left that put a HUGE smile on my dial... she is coming for a sleep over play date again very very soon!!!!! i cant wait!!!!!
I love ya sweety... (and thanks for letting me steal our pic off your blog! ;) Mwah!!)

I think that i have seen as much rain in the last few months as what i did for a wet season in Darwin. While it is not monsoonal, or terential like it was up there, its regular... and its good soaking rain.. just what we all need to pull us out of the drought. I have a lawn! When we moved here in December, as Alison could vouch, our newly laid turf crunched!!!! Well... its now got to the stage that you can walk on the grass though i am not game enough to stand still just incase i sink and vanish! ~L~
While i love winter... love the ability to just snuggle up and stay warm and cosy... i have to sadly say that this year.. im getting over it and looking with excitement to spring... Canberra was chilly, though i think because we live near the water here.. its a different chilly entirely... moreso because of the horendous winds that seem to blow almost constantly. Nothing worse than feeling like you have walked through a wind storm just to retrieve the mail. ~laughin~
So... to make those winds bearable i think that winter needs to come to an end... i love my slippers, though i found a pair of my thongs (flip flops for Lyn ;) ) in the wardrobe this morning and had this yearning to wear them again.. hurry up summer!

As my friends would know, ive been riding a rather icky rollercoster over the last few months.. well i wish i could say that its stopped and i can climb off, though it seems that some where... when i was not looking, i was given a double ride pass.. Bleh.
On top of the other things that i have been dealing with...routine blood tests turned into regular... i am now having to learn to cope with weekly blood tests and more medicine than i think i want to ever take. :(
Hopefully on Thursday i will have some of both mine and the doctors questions answered as to what the hell is happening with me...
For now though... i will just keep taking my medicine like a good girl and hope that with every dose that im closer to being able to stop that and the tests.
~L~ Did i tell you how much im scared of needles!?

Through all the nastly pathologists there has been an Angel in Pink PJs, weather its via 4.25 hour long phone calls or in person to make me laugh and take my mind of everything.. to whom im forever, eternally greatful... though... i swear, i am going to educate that girl in the way of music if its the last thing i do!!! MAHAHAHA. >:P

You know those days where you just wish you could just stay in your Jammas all day and not worry about anything!? Well... in my neck of the woods, that has become an official day of the week.. while so far, its been a monday, the day is negotiable.. though the attire isnt... its pink Jammas... no... ifs... no buts.... hahah.. and i have to say... im sure we are a dashing site to see... specially the on lookers when we have ventured outside of the house.. fluffy pink sox t'boot!
Though.. you know what!? I think everyone should have a day where PJ's is the uniform... there would definately be a lot more relaxed happy people in the world.
Alison... my Pink Pyjama companion... you broaden my thoughts.. widen my scopes and show me that anything is possible if i use my imagination.

And... last, but not least... ive even done some scrapping. I have promised Wendy that i would have it in the gallery for you to see... promise you will all get a squiz soon.

So... there you have it... i will leave you with this quote, since its starting up at me from some Chatter box transperancy tags that i have left to scrap for the FTC DT.



Smile to yourself until you have warmed
your own heart with the sunshine of
your cheery counterance. Then
go out - and radiate your smile.

~Bruno Hagspeil~