Saturday, 10 February 2007
I'm moving...!
I got persuaded to give the other site a go - so far I'm liking it. you'll find all the familiar stuff so come visit and say hello!
Friday, 9 February 2007
Weekly Dare for Ink-Stains
Bottleneck!
A RAK
Wednesday, 7 February 2007
The First in the Aussie Circle Journal
It's been a while since I actually completed a layout - it seems I've been doing a lot of cards lately. All fun so that's all good. I have a couple more to do for upcoming birthdays so look out for them here.
But last night and tonight I worked on the second of my circle journals that I have signed up for. To get this finished, I'm actually very HAPPY {there's that word :)}
Although I picked the topic, when I came to put something on paper, the concept was quite elusive. I never intended for there to be a photo on this page - put somehow by putting one on, a couple of things came together. I think it's come together quite OK.
I actually need to get this posted on teh group site. Hopefully the computer will play nice.
I have a mountain of pics to be thinking about - I got them into be printed this morning. When they arrive there will be some fun! But in the meantime, the gals over at SE have been putting some cool challenges up. The Fortnightly challenge at teh mo is to use a white background. Took some picutres of PEGS for that....... so hoping that's going to come together in time.
On top of that, one of my aims for this year was to scrap more about me. Janine has got some good thinking and challenges going so I hope to be working on one of these too.
Ohhhh how the creative juices are flowing. Well, they ARE doing that around my head. We just need to get time and space to co-operate!
Monday, 5 February 2007
Who'd've thought?!
You Belong in New Zealand |
Good on ya, mate You're the best looking one of the bunch Though you're often forgotten... You're quite proud of who you are |
And apparently, Dublin is the European city I should be living in - "Friendly, Down to earth without snobbery - able to enjy a pub crawl as well as biking around the country lanes." Hmmmmmmmmmmmm - 85% there....
As for the food I am......... apparently Itlaian...
Ok - so who else has been wasting a few minutes alongside me??!
Actually, I kinda liked all of the responses so there you go!
Sunday, 4 February 2007
364
It's not. That is the number of photos I've just gone through and put on a disc to get printed. wow! OK so I won't be scrapping EVERY SINGLE photo - but wow! I thought I had a few to catch up on. Have I said it enough yet??!! Wow!
We only have dial up. I'm NOT going to be putting them through to DigitalMax in time to take up their special offer of 15c a pic. Bummer - 'cos that would have saved a wee bit!
These photos are all the ones from last year that have been put neatly into folders on the computer, waiting for me to come back and sort out which ones are the ones I really, really want to scrap. I still ended up with that HUGE number! A lot are still duplicates - I find it too hard from looking at one photo and then another and deciding which of the two I actually want. So, I'm taking heart that the majority of these will be sent to other homes of friends and family that are always demanding to see actual pics.
I thought I was going to get a couple of layouts done tonight - instead it has taken me best part of 2 hours to get this lot sorted. Clearly though, it's been a good 2 hours. In theory, I think it means that I will not have to go back to 2006 for scrapping sources. That is a good thing: I have a LOT to do from well before then! And I'm thinking that it might mean I can keep up to date with 2007. That's a good thing!
Mind you - I now have the photos - I'll need to get creating won't I?!
Saturday, 3 February 2007
Super 14
DCM Challenge
This week we're joining forces with the wonderful team of Scrapbookers over
on the Everyone is Speshal blog. We're daring each other and you to make a
Really Romantic Scrapbook Layout - but on a card!Scrapbookers are challenged to downsize your usual a 12x12 LO onto a teenyweeny one - maximum of 6x6, which can be sent safely through the mail.
Cardmakers - you're used to working on a small
space, and you know all about the ribbons, brads and other bits and bobs - but
can you take on board all the other little touches that are used on a scrapbook
page - the titles, the journalling, the photographs etc?
My card is a 4x4 layout - the first time I've worked on something so small! It was quite fun - only just enough room to do what I wanted! I chose to do a photo-less lo as I felt the title and the journalling explained all.
Anyway, I know someone that was definitely challenged by this one - and she did a great job. Go on over and take a look at all the lovely cards the DCM girls do. Then why don't YOU have a go too?
Friday, 2 February 2007
Lists
I'm not really. Ok, I'll make grocery lists and To Do lists - but it seems that the only time I refer to them is at the end of the task / day to see what I missed. Somehow the actual act of writing things down puts those things in my head. The important stuff sticks - mostly. The not so important stuff often doesn't stick. I think this is called "Volcano Management" !
Anyway, a couple of fun lists via Ali Edwards looked interesting so I thought I'd try and make them.
THE ESSENTIALS
These are the items that you reach for time and time again - the things that you absolutely must have in order to create.
- My paper trimmer - it's the only way I know I'll cut a straight line!
- Scissors - I finally got some sharp, pointy ones so I can now cut in nice and close
- Inks - chalk ink is becoming a must have, but I would use ink somewhere in almost every page I think. The absolute minimum colours for me would be black, platinum, and sepia.
- Photos!
- Pens - i'm doing my best to "love my handwriting" - I use a black zig, and white pigment ink pen
- Adhesives - i have a few but the two I use most are double sided tape and Henzo glue
- Cardstock
- Patterned papers - I have to have some
OK, so with that list I could create. Don't know if I would be happy with every page. Probably would like to have a list of things that I'd like access to even if I couldn't bring them myself.... ribbons, brads/eyelets, rub-ons. Yeah, I think they are almost on the Essentials list!
The second list was "THE GOOD STUFF" - those things that you're using lots at the moment and are making your brain zing!
- Flowers - yes really! With two boys I haven't been doing many girly pages so with a few challenges and a determination to get some sort of "pink" in there, I'm getting flowers on many things!
- Rub-ons - ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes! Titles, swirls, Big swirls, stitches.... yes please gimme!!
- Buttons - I'm a newbie to buttons - and I LIKE
- Chipboard - I'm liking lots. Still a little restrained as I figure out what to do - but I'm wanting to use it quite a lot.
- SERIOUSLY patterned paper. I'm trying not to be scared of mixing it up. The couple of pages I've down wit more than one bit of pp I'm liking LOTS. More experimentation coming up.
- paint - yet another "new" thing for me - but I love the effect I'm getting. i got a bottle of texture paint in a kit last month. Have no idea what to do with it at this point so feedback on some ideas would be welcome!
- Serviettes - I got put on to this by a friend for card making .... and now I see it creeping into a couple of my pages. All to do with the FUN serviettes I've been given!
So these are my lists. What would be on your ESSENTIALS and your GOOD STUFF lists?
[Will post some pics once I've organised (!)]
Wednesday, 31 January 2007
Some boy cards
My two monsters have a birthday party to go to over the road on Friday - Their eldest boy was 8 on Monday, their youngest turns 4 on Friday. Think it will be lots of fun - they love to get together when they can.
So, as a *responsible* mum, I thought we should be turning up with some cards. Here they are. Thanks Keryn for bringing your sizzix toy too - I like!!
Tuesday, 30 January 2007
Re-enrolled
This year my plan is to do the first year of two papers. I asked my supervisor which pairing I should do - and inevitably it's the two that appear to be the "hardest" of the six :( I did think about not heeding the advice and pairing them differently. BUT the reality is I need to do them - and it DOES make sense to do them quickly after the intro papers I've already done. The theory being that I should still remember the groundwork info.
I did say "Theory"!
Anyway, I did it last night. I've re-enrolled. I'll be doing Business Law Practice and Property law Practice. Yeah, I'm pretty sure they are the hardest two of the six! By the end of this year, however, I will be just one year away from finishing a Legal Executive Certificate. I've been doing this part-time so I can prepare myself for when Mr 2 starts school.
Now all I have to do is make sure that my timetables are done - I must make sure I schedule in my study time and not let my crafting time spreeeeaaaaaaaaaaaadd. :)
Monday, 29 January 2007
Circle Journal beginnings
I signed up for a circle journal via Scrapbook Essentials earlier this month and the date is fast approaching. I kind of knew what I wanted to do when I decided to have Friendship as my theme. Thought that would be easy! However, come the time to actually commit something to paper -- YIKES! Turns out that although I have many faces that I want to include on my pages, I don't actually have a photo of everyone. How does that happen??! There's yet another mission to be completed this year: "Take More Photos!" So, anyway, here is a peek at the first pages of my circle journal.
It's been a busy couple of days round this place - not exactly doing much but busy all the same. We've been trying to get ORGANISED for school starting next week, get back into the rhythm of non-holiday living, and also getting some quality family time in. All to often we find ourselves rushing in our own directions - or at times - the directions of one or other of the boys. Some weekends the four of us sometimes only come together to eat - or exchange parents before heading off to get something else done. No wonder our section looks like it's owned by vagrants! Must get on to that - but that isn't on today's To Do list!
DH tried his hand at fishing on Saturday night. He didn't catch anything but he did take the time to enjoy the environment. It was a lovely calm night and there were quite a few people walking or fishing along Petone Wharf. DH remarked on how having a fishing rod in his hands meant he felt able to just sit and take it all in. No wonder people like to fish so much. Personnally, I can handle the sitting around, taking things in, the quiet reflection the time gives to you. But then what happens when you actually catch something. Ugh! no thanks!! This will be a Dad and boys activity I think!!
[BTW, I should mention that Gillian was the inspiration behind stamping my big flower!]
Wednesday, 24 January 2007
More cards
The first card is for Dad - again thanks to a serviette from Keryn's collection. I had to (well, I wanted to - my mod podge jar that is MIA is less than a 1/4 full anyways..!) get some more mp from Spotlight today. I sooooooooo have issues with that store - but I will be kind and spare anyone reading those dramatic (painful / boring!) details...
Anyway, I am truly happy with how this turned out. The end result is quite different to what I thought I was going to do with it. Wven better - I got some ribbon in there!
Tuesday, 23 January 2007
Birthday flowers
I was MEANT to be doing my Dad's card.... couldn't find my Modge Podge! Grrrrr - I have so many "safe places" that I never find things again! So, while I AM trying to get into that organisational mode, I seem to shoot myself in the foot a little now and again!
Being organised is one of my "Resolutions" this year. Truth is, it's usually a resolution EVERY year for me - I never quite get the hang of the concept. This year is a bit different - I'm still thinking about what it means to me. I found a definition on The Free Dictionary as: Methodical and efficient in arrangement or function. Yep, that sounds like what I need.
I am managing bit by bit (yes, it's baby-steps for me at the moment) to organise some things, but in the bigger picture I still manage to clutter and lose things. That old phrase "A place for everything and everything in its place" is really true.
So after a bit of time spent (unfruitfully!) looking for my modge podge, I was getting very frustrated. Nowhere near my HAPPY word for a while. Something reminded me that this was the very thing that I was striving to fix within myself this year - I don't want to be getting grumpy at the little things. So I took a big deep breath, realised that I wasn't going to suddenly get organised in order to complete the cards I WANTED to get done, and wondered what else I could do this evening, in the same vein, that would focus me back on getting something done. Then I remembered that my sister's birthday was also coming up. Et voila!
Adding a tick beside the list of cards I need to do - yep, makes me HAPPY!
Oh, yeah - I also managed to send away two of my SE swaps today - both on time. AND, I managed to tick off all but two tasks on my daily To Do list. Not too bad for she who is completely DISorganised! Baby steps are helping :)
Really me?
Monday, 22 January 2007
Home again, Home again!
We've just had a small family break to the shores of Lake Rotoiti. DH has a colleague who has a bach on the shores and it was LOVELY to get away. Found where the sun has been hiding too - so managed to get all sunburnt. Oh Joy! Actually, it wasn't that bad - only hurt for a couple of days (!!) DH tried the dinghy as well as almost daily kayacking adventures. Mr's 5 & 2 LOVED the boating experience. not quite so sure about the fishing lark. It was their first time .... and I'm pretty sure they don't have the concept of paitience quite nailed!
I managed to get away for a few hours to one of the spas..........soooooooooooooooooooo nice!!
We have arrived back earlier this evening - and I have to say I am GLAD to be home. My own bed, my e-mails (I know, I'm so sad!).
Anyways, just wanted to say hello to you all. Will try to put up some of our fun pics soon. Yep, it'll keep me busy in my scrapping space!!
Friday, 12 January 2007
ROAR!!!! Little Lion
Last night while scrapping with my friends, I re-did a layout that was done in a "lesson" environment. I really didn't like the lo at the time - the style of the lesson was too plain and quite rigid and just wasn't me. I'd been wanting to start over for quite some time.
Then after reading Ali Edwards book on Patterned Papers, I got all inspired when my box of SE arrived last week. I am so pleased with the result - I think I am MUCH more a colour girl than I am a plain girl!
The lovely items I used are BG blush papers, and Heidi Swapp Newspaper chipboard letter.
That makes me 2/52 and on track for one of my goals for the year!
That makes me HAPPY!
Wednesday, 10 January 2007
Family Ties
Sparkly glitter
Sunday, 7 January 2007
Happy, Happy, Joy Joy
I've chosen to accept the challenge and my word to live by for the year is HAPPY.
There have been a number of set backs for us over the last year or so, some big, some not so big. I've found myself at the end of last year realising that the drag of those and in a way just plain, old everyday living meant I was feeling pretty worn down. I wasn't taking the time to enjoy the pleasures that were there to be enjoyed. The family, my friends, blue skies (when they actually made an appearance!) etc etc. I've kinda gotten a bit over having the feeling of general down trodden-ness hanging around and what I want most from life now is just to be HAPPY.
A few of the places that I've dropped by have also been thinking of this and have picked up the challenge. There is some great thinking and some of the words people are living by this year are amazing. To choose just one is hard - but worthwhile. Why don't you have a go and figure out which word really speaks to you at the moment?
Saturday, 6 January 2007
First Layout for 2007
PP: SEI; Cardstock: Bazill; Ribbons: various from my LSS; Eyelets and HOHOHO jelly are from two different secret santas. Kindiglitz was also used here and there but I don't think it shows in the photo.
Anyway, I had fun doing this one. It was super quick. I've got lots of pics taken over the hols, lots of ideas - just need to get organised and on to it!! We won't mention all the other photos already taken and printed will we.....? Not just yet.....!
A christmas present
I quite like the format of mini albums as gifts. It's kind of nice to be able to present something of you as well as the actual photos. I think it's also able to give the information behind the picture too so when you can't be there, the albums tell the stories just the same. Actually - isn't that the whole point of scrapbooking full stop???
Thursday, 4 January 2007
OK, here's my first pic being added...
Mr 5 is also joining the crafty ranks. After coming with me to find the fabric for a "Vet Vest" yesterday he also wanted to get a stamp, stickers and some paper. Plus a few other things.... I said no the others, but he got a skater stamp (I'll be able to use that!) and some monster stickers. he also joined the creatives club and has me downloading some projects for him. Oh Boy!
Right, need to go make a pie for picnic tea.
Kelly