Freestyle was fab!

I have just had the most awesome-ist weekend! The freestyle tutors were absolutely fantastic. I loved every one of them and each class I did was the 'best yet.' I think I was most impressed by Tia - she was just so neat.

These photos are of Emily Falconbridge and her Altered State class. We altered a photo by wetting it, sanding it, painting it and bleaching it oh and then doodling on it. Very messy but very fun. The white/orangey dots on the photo are from the bleach. This was a class I was helping in so I didn't have the black and white photos everyone else was using. Just happened to have these printed for a different class so thought I'd give it a go. It's not finished yet. The writing was supposed to be about yourself, I think - didn't get a chance to write down the journaling prompts she gave out. So last night I was just playing and wrote down some of my impressions of freestyle 07 and the different tutors. If you can read it - it makes a good summary of the weekend!


Helping in the classes was a lot of fun and kept me totally busy - a good thing. But I now have a whole bunch of projects half started cause I didn't get as much time to work on stuff as the others in the class. (Not that many people actually got stuff finished.)

I will need to go through the photos I took and do a longer post later when I get back from seeing Dad in Dunedin.

Going for the Mum of the Year title.

I sent Rebekah to school with a container of Easter egg biscuits.


And Alexander went to school with this gift for his teacher who is leaving to have her first baby.


Rebekah had a shared lunch. She wanted to take a packet of chippies, I decided to decorate biscuits with her. She made the icing and decorated them mostly by herself ... with the help of her siblings ... I showed her how to make them look like Easter eggs and then let her go for it. I had to let go of that desire to see them all done perfectly! And after school, when I asked what everyone else brought she said 'I'm glad I didn't bring chippies, most people brought chippies.'

It's probably a little early for sneak peeks, but I've used the April kit from SE to cover this tin for Alexanders teacher. He chose the doggy to go in it ... all kids need a doggy right? You'll see more of that later in the month.

It's Easter weekend and the plan is to relax, maybe do a little cleaning of the house - inside and out, maybe a little scrapbooking, a little chocolate eating, I suppose I should do a little exercise too. Hope you all have a fantastic Easter weekend and you keep safe.

Something to think about:

In 1361, a monk named Father Thomas Rocliffe made small, spicy cakes stamped with the sign of the cross to be given to the poor.

Ever since then, Hot Cross Buns have been a very special Easter symbol. Here is what they mean:

• The bread reminds us of Jesus' last meal with his disciples and how they broke bread together.
• The raisins are dried grapes and can be a reminder of the cup of wine Jesus and his disciples shared.
• The cross on top is a reminder of Jesus' death on a cross and a symbol of God's love for and desire for justice among all people.
• The spices used in the dough recall the spices the women brought to the tomb with which they planned to anoint Jesus' body.
• The buns are round and remind us of the stone that was rolled away from the tomb.

Freestyling

Well, I had a go at lifting a freestyle layout. Just laughing now at my inability to actually freestyle. Even a layout that looks 'freestyle' is planned and thought out as carefully as any other. Gotta practice a bit more, loosen up and just freestyle it!

Here's the layout I lifted, by Rhonna Farrer.


And here's my take on it.


As you can see I wasn't even very adventurous with the lift - more of a copy really using my own papers and photo. But it was fun, I love the brightness of the Rouge De Garance papers. Oh and I'm not sure on the 'rules' of using quotes - the vast oceans thing is sort of part of a quote that I changed by Isaac Newton. But he didn't actually say it like that so I didn't write his name under it...

Oh and thanks for all the support and comments with the weight loss thing - of course you were all right and I lost 1.1kg this week! Next week will be a different story with all the chocolate eggs and hot cross buns around at the moment!

Nothing

Well, yesterday was Monday and that meant weigh in at WW's.

I lost nothing ... absolutely nothing! After all that water I drank and two deep water exercise classes and counting points without cheating and still ... nothing!

Feeling just a little ripped off at the moment, let's hope next week is better!

I've been busy trying to get some layouts done for the SBO Get Real comp. I've been doing it kinda half heartedly ... not really sure if I'll have time to finish it and also I have issues with the products I have available to use. But anyway, I'm getting layouts done so we'll see on Saturday just how many I've got that fit in the rules.

Then on Saturday night Scrap of Faith had a cyber crop. So I had a go at the two challenges there. The first needed to be in by Midnight Sat and had to have the word faith in it somewhere. I had this photo of my brother and Gracie walking somewhere in England that I've been wanting to scrap for ages.

The second I had until Monday to do - it had to be a scrap lift and the topic was forgiveness. Well I spent ages looking at Ali Russells work and decided on one of her layouts to lift. She does amazing work and such fun to lift.

Thanks

Just wanted to say thanks for all the nice comments I've received about my creations - so thanks.

And ... big news ...

after thinking and considering and researching and thinking some more I have now booked tickets to Auckland for the end of May and tickets to SENZ. Haven't booked any classes yet but I'll be at the Crop and I'm expecting to meet some of you Auckland chicks - oh and Meg from Invercargill.

It's gonna be fun.

March Kit from Scrapbook Essentials

Well, I can't believe how fast the days go by. It's already the 15th of the month and our work with this months kit is up at Scrapbook Essentials .

Seeing as the days crept up on me real fast, I did my sneak peeks last night at the Wellington SE crop. Had a fab time by the way with a few ladies I've got to know on-line and I actually managed to complete 98% of a layout for the 'swap your scraps' swap at SE. I got a great pile of scraps and managed to use just a few for this layout. I even had enough to cut out that flower from one piece and the little vellum 'determination' word. With a word like that it just had to be a layout about Jessi.


As for the kit work - I've tried to keep mostly to what was in the kit, cause I believe that if you are going to buy the kit then you should be able to make layouts out of it without having to add too much of your own stuff.

So with this one I have used some alphabet stickers from Making memories - but I stamped them with the gold ink pad included in the kit before I peeled them off the sheet. This idea might need a bit more experimenting - cause the ink is still coming off on my fingers! And I also used some Heidi Swapp chipboard letters from the previous kits. Oh and there are a couple of gold brads there which weren't in the kit ... but everything else was!
This is the layout I did while away last weekend - so I kinda had to stick with the kit contents cause that's all I had with me. Love those scenic route rubons. Oh and I've added some gems which I just bought ... hey they were new, I had to use them. When I first got the kit I put the orange papers away, cause I don't do orange, but then these photos kinda needed orange so I got over that little hang up.

Lots of stitching on this one - and those new gem thingys. And I ended up with a kinda lonely empty bit to the right of the photo so I had to find some basic grey rubons to go there. But the rest of the stuff is from the kit. Oh but not those 'about' letters, they are scenic route though so I thought they'd go with the rubons. The 'what I love about you' words were printed in a straight line - I thought I was quite creative to cut them up and turn them into a title like that!

And I made a card this morning. I had to look up the 'daring cardmakers' for a bit of inspiration and found a sketch to go from. This is what I came up with. Gotta love how double sided papers give you twice the options for colours and patterns.



And after all that I still have enough stuff to keep me going for a whole lot more layouts yet. So if you haven't already, check out the Scrapbook Essentials Kits and order next months kit. And as an extra special - it's my turn to provide instructions on how to complete a layout using next months kit!

Well, hello

One of these days I'm going to update my blog more regularly. Maybe if I do it before I check the e-mail and the forums and the blogs ... I wouldn't run out of time and that would be good.

Elsie - again.

This was her one week challenge. We had to scrap about a day in our life. I honestly did not realise I did so much in one day. So much, in fact, that I had to narrow it down and cut stuff out. Seeing as I've just officially become a real, paid up, member of weightwatchers I took the weightwatching aspects of my day and wrote about them.

I used my new top as the inspiration of the layout and dragged out my puff paint and kindy glitz. I should really have practiced doodling with puff paint before I tried it on a layout which had wobbly bits! Never mind.

Speaking of wobbly bits - I've been walking before breakfast most mornings. It's surprising just how many people are out and about at 6.30am. Apart from the getting up bit, it's a great time to walk!

I've tried Aqua Jogging once too. Is that not the most insane form of exercise ever?! A bunch of 'larger' people, with floaty belt thingys, doggy paddling around and around and around and around.... in the diving pool. But - it's exercise and it works my arms as well as those other wobbly bits, so I guess I'll be back there next week.

Well, anyway, weigh in is on Monday's. Last week I'd lost 2.2kgs, this week won't be quite so successful - those easter eggs and girl guide biscuits just seem to jump out of the cupboard at me!

I'll let you know....

NZ Dare LO

Well, I actually managed to get this one done on time. I had no idea when the deadline actually was - all the days seem to blend in together at the moment. But the idea of a black and white layout with one colour was haunting my imagination. And also the idea of adding colour to an already printed black and white photo was simmering away there too.



So - I have no black and white patterned paper, but I found these yummy ribbons I've been hoarding for some time now. I had to drag out and dust off my water colour pencils to find just the right shade of blue to add to the photo - I mixed the 'paint' on a scrap first then painted it on the photo with a dryish brush. Quite pleased with the results - will have to do it again sometime.

And I'm back to beads and dimensional magic again - love playing with beads but I think it's time to stock up the bead supply again!

Well, anyway - I had fun, thanks for the dare!

Wow - have I just had fun!

Over at Scrapbook Outlet we've just been cyber cropping with Elsie Flannigan!!!! So very fun.

She set us a challenge to doodle on a photo, then stick it on a layout - in 30mins. Well, I don't think I've scrapped so fast ever!

I had a photo of Jessi, which I've been pulling out and then putting back in the too hard basket for ages. Tonight I grabbed it and started doodling. Slapped it on a layout with a flower that somebody rakked me once and time was up!

I'll go back and finish doodling at some point and take a better photo of it in daylight. You should see some of the layouts that people did - amazing with such a short deadline.

A short post, I know, - just wanted to brag about chatting with Elsie!

And the real thing...

Our work is up at SE so that means I can share the real thing here.



I love this photo of Amanda singing/dancing/acting. Most of the photos turned out real bad cause of the stage lights in behind her. There is an amazing one of her off the ground doing some kind of graceful dancing leap - but of course it's blurry.

I've just been at Michelle TW's blog and I'm thinking I've really gotta improve my photography. So I'm gonna put the time into composing shots properly and editing them better before getting them printed. No more doing photos in a rush!

What I'm really sad about is the lack of stunning photos of Jessi's birthday. They were all very average. Oh and the camping photos - they prove we went camping but they're not stunning.



Anyway, back to the layouts. This is Alexander starting school. I thought it was an appropriate topic given the recent going back to school thing happening. That bling cardstock doesn't photograph well but I love the shiny look.

And the gift bag - not used for valentines day, but there's a few March birthday's coming up. Just gotta find a present just the right size.


And a card - this one isn't actually in the SE gallery, I wasn't happy with the one that I did put in so made this one today - the fabric techniques are the same, this one just works better.

I have sooo much stuff left over - lots more layouts I could still create with the kit. I even have a whole red scalloped edge heart, which I kinda forgot about, until I saw the other dt layouts! So now I'm working on a heart layout!

Well, I'm in for an early night tonight. I've been meaning to get up at 6.30am and go for a run/walk, but it just doesn't seem like a good idea when 6.30 comes around so soon after I go to bed!

Sneak Peek Time Again

So I'm a bit slow this month.

A combination of being busy and I think my mojo went on holiday... but anyway, I had an awesome kit to work with from Scrapbook Essentials.

Lots of yummy papers again and fabric - I haven't used fabric in ages, and buttons, lots of buttons.

But my favourite ... bling bazzill cardstock. Love the shiny stuff - but it's kinda hard to take a pic of the finished product.


Full layouts will be up on site tomorrow so not too long to wait.

In other news apparently Up 2 Scrap is out ... and the design team is in it. A nice big ad about Scrapbook Essentials and the design team. Might just have to get a copy ... just so I can show my Mum.

She's Three

My baby is three.

The hair cut doesn't look too bad, it wasn't much. She really just gave herself a fringe in the front there. I guess it is about time she had her first hair cut - but I'd kinda wanted a hairdresser to do it!

We've been at the zoo today. I figured there really wasn't much point in having a party cause she only has one friend. So we took that one friend to the zoo and had a really neat day out.
I made them little zebra purses and filled them with plastic animals and lots of animal themed snacks and a drink. It was so cute watching them walking round the zoo together. Each time we stopped at an enclosure they'd get out their little plastic animal and match them up. We saw the baby sun bear and fed the giraffes and got fairly close to the tiger even.

I'd so love to take her to Auckland Zoo!

Then tonight we had our 'adult' friends and family over for a BBQ, ate lollies and chippies and did the cake thing. She's had a big day!

Look what I just found:

Two days before she turns three and she gives herself her very first hair cut.

Stuff I learnt about camping

1. Tents are heavy and take up lots of room but our new car is big enough to handle it!
2. Setting up a tent takes organisation, co-operation and referring to the instructions is also helpful.
3. It pays to check out the neighbours before putting the tent up - 6mth old babies do not sleep quietly through the night and wake at 6am!
4. When it rains - stuff gets wet. (O.K. that one is obvious!)
5. When you sleep against the side of the tent and it's raining outside - you'll wake up wet.
6. Plastic knives do not slice fresh bread easily.
7. Showers are not reliably warm, reliably pressured or reliably even available.
8. It pays to pack a mirror if you want to know what you look like while camping.
9. Kids can play for hours on the playground, only coming back to be fed or apply a sticking plaster.
10. Taking the tent down and putting it back into it's little bag also requires a special talent.
11. When faced with no scrapping supplies and no computer one can still be accused of 'scrapbooking' just by taking a few (hundred) photos.

Circles

Well, I've actually finished a layout for NZ Dares - before it's too late. I seem to have a problem of not getting them done in time.

Anyway here it is:


Not really a 'circle' topic - except maybe that Alexander is a well-rounded individual. But there are lots of circles there - yay for my 1 inch circle punch and my fiskars circle cutter!

I also put this layout:


in the Scrapbooking by Design monthly comp. I came up with so many ideas on the 'time' theme but finally settled on Jessi's 'noon tea time.'

I've so got to do a layout on 'time out' - just gotta remember to grab the camera next time one of my delightful little darlings needs some 'time out.'

My Scrap Space

I'll show you mine, if you show me yours...

Over at Scrapbook Essentials people are sharing their scrap spaces. And boy do some people have some neat areas - and lots of very cool stuff!

I've been scrapping for a few years now, at first I had a little bit of stuff which I'd get out and use on the floor, or on the bed. Then we got a coffee table - so I'd scrap there, in front of the t.v. at night. Each night I'd pack up my stuff and take in back to the bedroom till next time I felt like dragging it all out again. Eventually I got a cropper hopper thing, so that made it easier to put all my stuff away.

When we got a heat pump and stopped using the fire - my stuff sort of got left neatly in front of the fire, then the pizza boxes started arriving, they were stacked on top of the cropper hopper, then the mantle piece became a good place to store stuff like paints and flowers and ribbons and tins - scrapbooking was taking over! But I still had to put stuff away each night so that the coffee table could be used during the day.

Well, now that I'm a grown up scrapper I decided it was about time I had a grown up scrap space. I reorganised the dining room, thinking I might put a table by the computer, but then I thought it would be dangerously close to food and drink and sticky fingers. So then my sights got set on the kids play area - which is really just the other half of the lounge, divided by a couch in the middle. So the kids toys have been moved over and put back in their bedrooms and ...

As from last weekend I now officially have a 'scrap space.' It's still unorganised and rather messy but atleast I have something to take a pic of. Michael scored the bench from his work and screwed it to the wall at standing height, to make the most of the view from the window and also to put it slightly more out of reach of the kids. There's a $12 bookshelf from The Warehouse in the corner. I have all the space under the bench for storage - just gotta figure out how best to use it - I think I want enclosed storage - drawers or cupboards - not open shelves.

I'll get some upright cropper hopper storage thingys for my paper and cardstock - currently in a purple portable thingy on the floor. I guess things will evolve as I go, I'm happy with that. The kids art/craft table is there on the right and Jessi's dress up chest on the left.

The light situation is the next thing to sort out and a more comfortable stool - for when I'm feeling too lazy to stand up. The light is great during the day, that window is on the South side and doesn't actually get direct sunlight.

That's Wellington Harbour you can see out the window, I can watch the ferry come in on a good day - and also tell when the airport is closed because of the fog out there on a bad day.


So that's it. Definately not neat and organised and probably never will be. But it suits me.

Simple

I put together a very quick layout yesterday, for a gift. I think it's the simplest layout I've done ever! Once the photos were on and the title it didn't really seem to need anything else.


Still - I sat back and felt like I was cheating - but not everything has to be complicated and take a lot of time does it?

Speaking of not taking lots of time - I've done a couple of cards for the daring cardmakers weekly dare. Raid your wardrobe ...

The original idea - hanger and dress - came from a friend, so I can't claim the credit for that. But I picked the colours myself - out of the Scrapbook Essentials Jan Kit of BG Blush papers! And I made the coathanger myself using my new round nosed pliers I had to buy so I could make the necklace I'd been meaning to make for ages...

Well, Jessi has gone to play at a friends house, Alexander is watching t.v and Rebekah is 'scrap-lifting' my hanger cards so I might just sneak of and flick through my new mag.

I found summer...

It was in Palmerston North. Michael took me on a surprise night away for our Anniversary. He had planned to take the kids too but Nana Harding offered to have them instead.

So we tried out the air conditioning in the new car - it was amazing to see the temp outside rise as we drove away from Wellington (and then fall again as we returned!) We had a nice break away, dinner out at Lone Star - just time together without the kids was nice.

While I was there I looked up an old friend. She has seven of her own kids and one foster kid at the moment - they've just bought a new car that seats ten! And life in their house is so much more organised than in mine - what was I thinking that three kids was busy???? Try eight - and the oldest is not quite 13!


No more complaining about my three ... maybe none of their's has a personality like Jessi.....

Wonder

Well, like everybody else in the scrapping world - I too have a word for 2007.

Wonder

I want to slow down a bit too - to take time to wonder at the world around me. To wonder at the abilities of my kids and how they are growing and changing, to wonder at all that I have in this world - rather than what I don't have. To wonder in my ability to create. To basically see things as wonderful.

I've been playing with the Basic Grey Blush papers from the January Scrapbook Essentials Kit. I'm absolutely loving them and with the chipboard and Li'l Davis 'Marshmallow' paint - well, I've just been in scrapping wonderland! Here's a little of what I've been doing ...



The full pics will be up in the SE gallery on Monday.

Another thing to wonder about - how is it that tomorrow I will have been married for 11 years?! Where have those 11 years gone? - it doesn't seem like that long. Looking back at the photos - I guess it has been that long - we look so young!

Speaking of where the time has gone - I'm wondering where the morning has gone - it'll be lunch time before I know it and I haven't done anything yet! Gotta go.

Happy New Year!

Well the new year has snuck up and passed me. I'm in holiday mode - staying up late (that's normal) and sleeping in (well, as much as you can with little kids in the house). Just wish the weather would be more summery! Hope you are having a nice holiday and that 2007 treats you well.

Thought I'd finally share my c.j. with the world. I love how it turned out and thanks to everyone who participated in it.