Tagged again....

...this time by the lovely, and now happily pregnant Alicia Barry...all the way from NYC these days.

Here's the deal:
1-post these rules
2-each person tagged must post 8 random(... hopefully interesting) facts about themselves
3-those tagged should write a blog post of these facts
4-at the end of the post, 8 more bloggers are tagged and named
5-go to their blog and leave a comment telling them they're tagged


1. I have a large birthmark on the sole of my left foot that changes colour with the weather (like a weather owl)
2. I travelled the Northern Hemisphere on my own from March to September in 1992
3. I like to hang clothes on the line with the same coloured pegs
4. I have never been published (I know… HOW SHOCKING– rotflmao!!)
5. I am a fan of music that keeps me awake. That slow, soulful stuff puts me to sleep (including Missy Higgins, sorry!)
6. I would prefer to live by the ocean than the bush and Michael is the opposite.
7. I have a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary). Put myself through Uni (with Michael’s help) and used to fit Uni around work just to pay the HECS.
8. I’ve never been part of a RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) swap, until this month!!

I tag: (sorry if you have already been tagged)
Bon
Charmane
Tanya
Bec
Sheree
Beth
Rach
Caz

Wow, I know 8 people who would probably be okay with being tagged!!

Other interesting tid-bits....
School holidays are FINALLY over and I can almost see the floor again and the furniture (although the dust through the sunlight keeps Rainer occupied).

Whenever I blog I always seem to have done much more scrapbooking than I actually FEEL like I've done. Maybe there's something in that????

Bon's Cyber Crop:
Challenge 1: hand stitching, machine stitching (different colours), a quote and a photo of a friend. Here's me and the delightful Angela at my birthday last December.

Challenge 2: (by Fran Tynan) scrap a 6x6 area on a 12x12 layout space, and journaling strips. Me and Michael at the Breast Cancer Ball last October.

Challenge 3: (by Sheree McGee) use at least 4 photos, 3 brads, and your own handwriting. Actually used about 15 photos, 9 brads, and yep, my own handwriting for the title.


And here's the inspiration for the layout which has inspired a few more on the site too. Thanks to the creators of this advert.


Also moving ahead with the Book of Me. Haven't done one for a while. Still taking topics from Scrapbook City and materials list from Bon's. It's working for me and I'm getting more done this way. Thanks to both sites for this.



Also at Bon's, we're doing a mini book named "Just for July". I'm taking a photo each day in July and journaling something poignant about that day. Again, really easy to do.






Amelia (neighbour)has dropped in today to show off her new boy, Griffin, who is 6 weeks old. They are the most gorgeous couple and he is the most peaceful baby. He even puked on my jumper!!! Haven't had that happen for a while....after a bit of a grizzle, he DROPPED off to sleep. Couldn't stop laughing....couldn't believe her luck!! He was still asleep as she stepped out in the beautiful sunshine to walk him home. NEW BABIES....JUST LOVE THEM.

Doing 2 classes with Ngaire Bartlam at Inkredible on Saturday. Can NOT wait....as you'd expect.

BE STRONG.

End of Year...

Well, okay. Maybe it's the end of the FINANCIAL year but it's a good time to revisit my New Year's Resolutions and re-frame a few goals for the next 6 months. I am committed to doing another Resolutions layout just to stay accountable.

The school holidays are half way through so very little scrapbooking has been happening. I achieved almost all my goals for the month with only the Book of ? challenges, Loretta Grayson's class work and one of the 123 Cyber Crop challenges left behind. Unfortunately, the 123 challenge I DIDN'T do was my Kitchen String layout so I was a little embarrassed about that. But I did use kitchen string on my "Go Wild" layout, so not all was lost.

Heard that my Circle Journal that was started at Scrapboxx in August is nearly home. We were supposed to have it finished in February, but life gets in the way and one of the participants had a baby during the journal's journey, so we all got a little behind. I think mine's the last one to come home. Can't wait. (Come on Toni.....you can do it!!!!)

Michael and I had a great day at the movies on Saturday. Although Michael was extremely hungover (grrrr, end of financial year party...a huge one at his work each year) I managed to get everyone ready and to Mum and Dad's and then straight to Garden City's Gold Class to watch the new Fantastic 4 movie. Love Love Love Marvel Comic movies. Escapism is very healthy.

Scoured the shops afterwards and spent a heap of money on Michael. He desperately needed new clothes and I was only too happy to throw lots of items at him while he was a little hazy (hehe) and wouldn't put up much of a fight!!

I bought 2 coats for the park, shops, etc and a new pair of boots. Mine died last Winter after 10 years of loyal service (including getting married and 2 pregnancies). Could have bought more but was thinking about more scrapbooking supplies that I need!!

What had I finished this month??? Here's Ngaire Bartlam's class minibook from the Expo. Really like this concertina book - quick and easy with not much mucking around with fiddly bits. (Slider isn't playing nice, so here are 2 shots of the cover)



The 123 Cyber Crop Challenge 1 was to use a sketch from Forever Always (love that place too), a song from the Cyber Crop Bingo List which were all from the 1980's, and white cardstock. Good to have a double page spread to use up more photos from when Mackinley and Tristan were at the Museum in January.
(this is the left hand side)


(the right hand side)


123 Cyber Crop Challenge 2 watned the coolest speech bubbles from Buzz and Bloom (these are the best value for money...you get HEAPS), 2 or more fads/fashion/slang terms from the 1980's, and flourishes.




In hindsight, could have entered this one into Bon's Monthly Layout Challenge. Oh well, maybe next month I'll be luckier ;).

Not bad for a week's work. Looking forward to a miriad of different challenges next month. Charmane's already got our "To Do..." list up at Bon's (she cracks me up).

Speak of the devil....look at the Happy Mail I got from Charm this week!!!!





I think this was for one of the games at the 123 Cyber Crop. I won the second round of Bingo too, but don't know what I win for that yet...it's always a pleasant surprise!!

Clearing out the old stash now and looking forward to working with new stock and new inspiration.

Be Strong...and organised (yeah, right!)

Happy Anniversary and Happy Birthday Babe!!

Tuesday was our 8th Wedding Anniversary and Thursday (today) is Michael's birthday!! Double reason to celebrate this weekend. Can't wait to have some time on our own Babe.....love you.

From him....



And for him...

Leenie the Legend and more stuff...

Oh oh oh oh......
Pauline Rossi

You are the Queen of Digital Scrapping and I'm so honoured to be your friend...because it means I can get cool headers like this one!!!!

Thank you
Thank you
Thank you

And now for more visual stimulation (but nowhere near as good as Leenie!!)

This was for Bon's Scraps Cyber Crop LAST month, but got it in late...seems to be the story of my life at the moment HAHA!!!
Rainer pinched the "U" so I had to put a flower in there instead (grrrr)



This is for Bon's Monthly layout competition using ROYAL COLOURS and GEMS. The winner gets to be guest DT member for a month with a cool play pack!!! I just enjoy the challenges..but a freebie wouldn't go astray LOL!!


This is for the Cyber Crop at Scrapbook City (only managed one challenge)


Can only show a little of this one because it's for the Chinese Whispers at Bon's. Pollybaby has the full version and her layout will be passed onto one other person before we look at the entire journey.


This is for the ScrapFix at Scrapbook City...week 2 I think...late again!! Won these papers at the Scrapbook Expo...noice!!


FINALLY..... my Book of ? page at Bon's...still behind on that one too (and Scrapbook City's PMSL!!)


Rainer said THREE words very clearly the other day. He came into bed and said "COME" then "CUP". So I asked, "Do you want a drink Rainer?" there's always a glass of water next to my bed....and he said, "No!" but I still grabbed the glass and offered it to him, and he said, "NO!"

HOW THRILLED AM I???? But in true "Rainer-style", it's not been that clear since. Oh well, small steps. At least I know he HAS the language, just probably not enough incentive for him to use it because his mother always knows what he wants before he asks for it!! Need to stop doing that!

An AEIOU Mum gave me a disc of the Oprah show about Autism and I wish I'd never seen it. It was as a result of the Autism Speaks documentary in the USA and I think I started crying in the first 5 minutes. I just looked at these children and thought, "He's 13!! He's no better than Rainer!! There's NO HOPE!!"

But then I slap myself REAL HARD and remember that he doesn't "stim" and he HAS eye contact and is affectionate and responds to others, so there IS HOPE!!

I need to say it, hear it, believe it, and live it...

BE STRONG...

Just pretty pictures today....

So much has happened since last post so I'll just upload all the scrapping to-date and some photos with a couple of gorgeous ladies I had the pleasure to meet in person....finally...

Did a Cyber Crop "Purple Challenge" at Forever Always which was based on the novel "The Colour Purple". I love working with purple and found an old wedding photo which fit the requirements perfectly. Love the result. Based on a Zina Wright layout.


and a layout for their Random Challenge. Buttons...that was certainly a challenge. But it did make me buy a mask...finally...from the Scrapbook City Garage Sale. Only $2...love a bargain!!


From chilli (Tania Davey) for the photo swap at Scrapbook City. Thanks Tania. Just gorgeous.


and the layout I did for Tania. Started this one at Scrapbook City's Midnight Madness. I think she likes it?!!


My 123 Challenge entry for June. We had to use polka dots, acrylic stamps and a bird. Luckily, this IKEA pillow has a cute birdie, so I enlarged it and made a birdie to highlight. Lots of scraps used here.


Some MME Everyday Tango papers from Bon's Scraps. Had to wait for the sewing machine to finish it off. Love bold colours...(can you tell?)


Scrapbook City's Scrap Fix entry for May Week 4 based on a sketch by Alicia Barry. I was late but really like the result. Bought the framedangoes from their Garage Sale (nice and cheap).


...and some cards I made with the left-overs from May's Kit




Scrap Fix June Week 1 (late again). Love how Rainer pops out of the photo.


And these lovely ladies I spent time with at the Scrapbook Expo on Sunday:
Tanya Reedy with Ngaire Bartlam(didn't get one of the 2 of us Tanya!)


Me and Ngaire (what a fun class!!)


and me and Loretta Grayson (gorgeous soul and another inspiring class)


Go have a lie down now!!! Can you believe there's another layout, but I can't find the file!! LOLOLOLOLOL!!

Be strong!

Happy Birthday Mackinley

Yes, much fun had by all!! Include me...it's been a long time since I've actually enjoyed my children's birthday parties. I've been way too tired and suffering from the devil known as PND while they were younger.

All went well. The Mums stayed to help with the supervision of their own kids while Michael cooked the sausages and I ran after Rainer. Lots of great presents which we are thankful for because Rainer has a habit in the past of commandeering all of Mackinley's cool toys - Thunderbirds especially, so it was nice to see him get HIS stuff.

It's now June and I'm a little peeved that I didn't do what I "wanted" to do in May, but I knew this week was going to be a tough one, so in that respect I did well.

I managed to do little in the way of scrapbooking. Some "Book of Me" things. Well, there's the cover that I finally finished ...












...and some layouts to go inside. This is to scrap at least 5 photos (I think I managed that one well) about an everyday event. I did photos from one day and cut them up and arranged them onto 1.5 8x8 page. Used a big blossom for a hinge and sewed like mad to keep it all together.












This "today" layout is a BOM entry and part of Charmane's Funky Friday challenge at Bon's. I'm mixing up stuff from Scrapbook City and Bon's at the moment - whatever takes my fancy - which is making for some interesting entries. It had to contain wings and a journaling block. Well, the closest thing I have to wings is some paisley from some old WRMK pp. That'll do!! The journaling block is Fancy Pants which I am LOVING at the moment. Michelle Coleman is a wizard with design.








This FF Challenge is to use a colour combo not normally used (I did blue and orange) and rub ons. Had these rubons for yonks and just made a background and some on the photos. Having fun with my sewing machine too. Have also begun altering my sewing machine with the winning name. Won't post pics until finished...it's a work in progress (haha).





Mind you, I've had to re-think my strategy on the BOM pages, because the cover looks MUCH better than the clean and simple layouts inside!!

Still having fun at Bon's and she gave us a challenge to scrap things that our Mum's used to say. Here's my "Mummy-ism" (with some detail). Still using her MME Everyday Tango pp - delish!!!

Enough for now. Collected my June Kit from Scrapbook City today and a couple of items from their Garage Sale. Still good stuff on the tables....lots of Creative Memories stuff too LOL!!! Oval City -- what were they thinking!!!???? Have to finish Alicia's sketch challenge by the weekend (thank god they extended the deadline) and then a random challenge at Forever Always and then back to Bon's.

I might have to slow down a little.

Be strong....