announcement postponed *** Mum's Night (again)

Michael's been in Sydney the last 2 days so I'll announce the winner in the next day or so. Surprisingly, all 3 of you who posted fantastic lists, have girls, hmmmmm, so this may be a good opportunity to off-load some girly bits and pieces of which I have NO USE for LOL...

Trish hosted another fabulous Mum's Night Out on Saturday night. We were encouraged by the SPC Mum's Night Off last year, and frankly, she couldn't help herself!!! Unfortunately, there was a Red's match on at Suncorp, so it was hideously busy and no live band (boohoo). Managed to run into 2 ex-Villa boys who I haven't seen since 1999 (see, I still look 10 years younger!!!!) and they are doing great. Always nice when that happens.

Also bumped into a very old acquaintance who hadn't heard the news about Dad. Poor bugger. Had to buy him a drink - was completely shell-shocked. Dad must have been this "larger than life" figure to most boys my age. Snappy dresser, always in the mix, a little aggressive/assertive/obnoxious (take your pick LOL), wonderful conspiracy-theorist and great dancer!! For a time, even I thought he was indestructable!!! I'm sure it won't be the last time this is going to happen.

This time at The Caxton, an interesting age-mix. Lots of younger people (20's) and then pretty much nothing until the 40's/50's! Obviously the old rugger-buggers left wifey and the kids home to go out with the boys. Typically, some were complete gentlemen, and others, well, let's just say I had to put my "teacher voice" on at times. Bloody pests!!!! pmsl........

Got home at 3am and had to wake at 5am with Rainer. I'm sure my children have a sense of when I've gone out and enjoyed myself, just so they can wake early and really rub it in. Actually, it was probably my saving grace. Had a quick lie down in the afternoon and I was fine after that.

BUT......
promised myself one CC this month and here it is. Scrap Therapy had a TV themed CC with some very cool challenges. Mind you, a real departure from my usual style, but like the outcome. Picture of (L-R) Tess, Trish, Lena and me at last year's SPC Mum's Night Off.




I admire these 3 so much and always value their counsel (ie, they're not afraid to tell me I'm wrong!!! LOL....VERY brave indeed!!)

That's all. Working on some classes for Inkredible next month. Some of my all-time fave techniques and maybe something different.

brighter and buoyant......

calm blue oceans.....calm blue oceans...calm blue

Take a breath!!

It's been another busy week but I'm pleased to report that I did make it to the gym 3 times this week. Mind you on Monday and Friday I had to go AFTER drop off which gave me precious little time to do much else. **sigh** but at least I looked clean at pick up (heehee)

THE BLACK BALLOON

What an unreal movie!! Got a freebie invite via AEIOU and have been raving about it since Wednesday. I had to stop myself from going on all the forums and plugging it to death, but hopefully the word is getting out and people will go and see this movie. It's a great story, not just a movie about a family - and particularly a teenage boy - dealing with ASD.

If you live in Brisbane, the Wintergarden is donating all funds from the sale of their Blue Bags. Minimum donation is $2. I have one! They are cute and look very chic!!!

And still on all things ASD, the program of fundraising events for AEIOU came in the mail last week. Some new sponsors this year which is great news. The theme for the Trivia Night is ROCK N ROLL!! Should be a hoot!

Mackinley won a colouring in competition in his class this week and got this HUGE poster which now covers the entire wall in his room (okay, maybe that's an overstatement!!) - we are proud of him. Then yesterday he tells me that he won the class raffle - a glow stick! Then got peeved because it was only ONE stick, not an entire box --- had to chuckle a little and then did the "sympathetic Mum" thingy.

Dropped in at Scrap Therapy last night for their CyberCrop. It was nice to touch base again after such a long absence. Ode to all things TELEVISION. I plan to finish one challenge by Monday midnight.

I did, however, finish my 123 challenge page for March!!! Haven't done anything for WEEKS, so it was nice to dust off the cob webs.

Used up lots and lots of old and new stuff. Have been itching to use the Fancy Pants pp and stamps, the Grungboard, and the Autumn Leaves transparency!! Yummo to all!!

Here are some closeups




Rainer news:
He just seems to be getting better and better. The key to his communication is motivation, and if it's strong enough, the little blighter will speak!! This week we've had PLEASE DOWN HELP THIS CLAP ROLL BYE HI and not just once, but over and over. He's even set the table!! Sometimes I feel that these improvements in Rainer are a sign to me - an opportunity to take hold of and run with. I've perhaps been too cautious in the past but I'm stronger now to deal with the fall-out if what we try causes him to regress a little.

Does that make sense???

To Melanie and Tamara who both managed to make me LAUGH OUT LOUD with their list, you'll both be receiving some scrap-lovin' from me if no-one else dares to divulge! I'm sure they're out there....just not brave enough (heehee).

Lastly, thank you to the motorist who had this on their rear windscreen and taught Mackinley yet another "catch phrase" for that day.


yes, that is the view from the top of the main road. i really do love where i live :)

**brighter and buoyant***

Mackinley's play list + parties galore + RAK

HAPPY AUTUMN and it really does feel like Autumn today. The breeze is cooler and the sun wasn't so harsh this morning....NICE!!!

Believe it or not, my boys LOVE listening to Triple J in the car and lately I've been keeping a list of Mackinley's favourites and some that Rainer really responds to.

Today, for Mackinley it was the following because we spent so much time traveling between 2 parties. Crazy days.....

Kaiser Chiefs (such an Indie LOL)


and my personal fave too - The Killers (it's good when it/he LOOKS as good as it SOUNDS - wink)
When he hears the line ... "he doesn't look a thing like Jesus..", Mackinley used to ask if it was a hymn!!! They are precious, aren't they?

And Rainer really likes Foo Fighters "Long Road to Ruin" (and the clip is way too funny).

Had a party for Lily in the park and then Aiden's crazy party at Little TiGrrs. Next time it'll be BYO ear plugs!!! Indoor play centres are never too quiet. Luckily a cafe was nearby and they're old enough to do the "dump and run" for a while (hehe).

The VIP night at Inkredible was a heap of fun. Tamara and Kathleen gave the DT the job of being "team leaders" at each table of activities. Cherie and I thought it would be more exciting if we could see whose team finished each design first. Well, I don't think I have to say whose team won, do I????

NER NER NER CHERIE!!! (love you babe. better luck next time) Although big hats off to my team - Tina, Dina, Lyn, Carol and Esther (who is leaving for the UK for 12 months - have a great time Esther!!) who got stuck into the spirit of competition and rubbing it into Cherie.

FunkStreet Designs March kit looks really interesting!!! And I must have the Lusi Austin "It's a Date" stamp. I'd definitely use that one over and over again. Now I just need to find that money tree that people keep telling me about......

I'm off to buy some gouache next week. Yes, more painting things. My walls are really boring. I decided yesterday as I lay on my CLEAN (and let's leave it that way) couch, I need to do an "AE" and remove all of 2007's artwork by the boys and start a-new!!! And Easter is fast approaching so what better excuse for NEW BEGINNINGS.

And (a little late in posting) Mackinley has given up "evil black drink" (ie Pepsi) for Lent. I don't believe mothers should have to give anything up over Lent. We've sacrificed enough already!!!!
(I'll list.....my teeny tiny waist, slender calves, luscious locks, firm buttocks, career, intelligent coversation.....OKAY, NOW YOUR TURN!!!)

The best list (chosen by Michael LOL) will get a yummy pack of new things from me - because we Mums need a lift now and again (and I don't mean the "cosmetic lift" kind).

I'll give you all one week (because I know how busy you all are) and in the meantime I'll get the goody bag together and put a sneak on the blog.

brighter and buoyant.....
p.s. thanks to everyone for your supportive messages after the last rant. It really does fortify me. xxxx

blessing for the trees + good newsiness

I am swamped!!!

Beneath what USED to be my scrap space is a mountain of another kind of PAPER. It's not the paper we all love and go "oooooohhhh" and "aaahhhhhh" over. It's the OTHER, UN-kind paper that has NO manufacturer's or designer's name or logo that I love....in fact, it has NO yummy-ness to it at all!!!!

{{I'm praying for all the trees who suffered greatly just so a heap of people could tell me what to do next.}}

My heart has skipped a beat - but again, not in the nice way when a pizza box is delivered by Aus Post with a web of packing tape over it - MY NAME emblazoned on the front.....

.... no, this irregular heart beat is caused by fear, panic that I'm not going to have enough time to finish everything that everyone wants ON TIME.

I've had one reprieve - thankfully, and I guess I have to LEARN to reach out and ask more people for help. I'm really no good at that. I don't like to be disappointed, but then I get angry when people don't offer to help, but then again, they have no idea what I've got on my plate.

I'm digging a hole here, aren't I????? LMAO....I really need a PA.

Good news
big project nearly off the ground (fingers crossed)
Tonight Inkredible have another VIP NIGHT!!! Yay, love these!!

The mini book class went well. They actually FINISHED the book in 2 hours and just had to stick photos and embellies on. I think that was well worth the effort. And the papers looked gorgeous!!!

{I still get giddy thinking about all the stuff coming from CHA....but I'd better get my backside into gear and finish this mountain of paperwork, otherwise no time for play.}

And sorry to the ladies at Forever Always for bailing on the Circle Journal. Very cranky that I couldn't get myself sorted, but just thinking about a monthly commitment and deadlines was sending me into panic-mode.

I'm glad I vented now. Everything seems a little less onerous when you put your problems on cyberspace and make someone else read them - so if you've made it this far without screaming and hitting the ESCAPE button, I thank you from the bottom of my paperwork!!

BETTER NEWS...
Mackinley has completed another sticker chart

and got his remote-controlled suped-up monster truck, completed with monster tyres with lights in them!!!!

And before you ask, YES, Michael DID choose the toy. Well done my No.1!!

EXCELLENT NEWS....
Rainer is not just counting to 10 with us, he can now count objects, match colours and follow commands (that's called Receptive Language for you speechy types). I sacked his bio-med GP because he made me wait for 30 mins with Rainer, for an appointment HE a made because he canceled the previous one, and he was only on a phone consult!!!! Hate un-professional professionals!! I walked out of the surgery and he was STILL talking on the phone!!! All the other Mums were shocked when I told them I walked out - it seems they all hang around for longer - CRAZY!! Luckily a new bio-med doc is opening up close to home, so will keep doing what we're doing until she sets up shop and then..... SWOOP!!!! hehe

Congrats to Charm whose first FunkStreet Designs kit went OFF!!! Yes, OFF!!! And she tells me the next kit is ready (almost) to go. Well done chikkie!

brighter and buoyant {well, trying....}

mini book ~ canvas ~ coughing

The canvas class was a little amusing. The ladies just got "in the zone" with the intricate cutting and survived. The beeswax behaved and all was good. Michael forgot the time and the place (der!!) so I had to meet him at Inkredible --- and I was not a happy camper!!


Tomorrow I'm teaching this cute little mini book made from scratch. I got some Fancy Pants MOD stamps and am just IN LOVE with them. I stamped a few throughout the book and then on transparencies for some cool frames, journaling blocks and accents. YUMMO!! Can't wait for the papers to come in from the CHA release.





The paper is Kaisercraft. I just love using non-traditional colours for Christmas, but if you look closely, the paper range is still red and green - just different!! AND I got to use some things for the first time - Cricut, Cuttlebug, Paint Daubers, BindItAll. I'm in love with all these things, just don't have the room at home at the moment. (yes, all "boo hoo" at once please)

Rainer and Mackinley are still coughing and spluttering. I keep getting called up to collect Rainer early which kinda makes me wonder why I bothered driving back home some days!! Problem was, he'd be fine in the morning and as soon as I dropped him off he was crying, wanting cuddles and sleeping lots. All of which he never does at school. So they're both off to the Docs tomorrow morning for check ups and plan Rainer's 4yo immunisation schedule. Apparently, slow and steady, each injection about one month apart should avoid his system being overloaded. So many variables to consider. My brain is in EXPLOSION MODE.

Oh, and I got 3 hours sleep last night because I was up finishing the mini book till about 12.30am and then Rainer decided breakfast should be at 4am this morning!!! Can you believe I've only had ONE COFFEE today??????

ME NEITHER!!!

brighter and buoyant (providing the sleep is adequate!)

True Love...

Those who know me - know that I don't ventrue near the "lovey-dovey" scrapping. Michael and I have a great, challenging marriage/relationship/friendship but it's not crowded with false sentiments and over-the-top romanticism. Others often comment on whether we are ACTUALLY married because the coversations can be quite volatile and heated at times. But that's how love grows...for us. Sometimes you need to push some boundaries to find out what you're made of.

And when I hear a concert series on Rage with Joe Camilleri, I just knew one of his songs would be the title of a special project.

TRUE LOVE travels on a gravel road


This is the photo I'm using and also some {surprisingly} gorgeous K&Co (yep, so NOT me) from their Urban Rhapsody range, loads of cutting and layering and of course some beeswax and crayola crayons.

What the....?

Yes, indeed. And because the cherubs have all been sick from very EARLY Friday morning (thanks to the staff at Wesley Emergency centre) I haven't finished my sample. But you KNOW it's going to be unreal. If you would like to be pushed a little out of your comfort zone to see what you're made of - book in today.

Thanks to Katherine, Helen and Noelene for playing on Saturday.

"You want me to do WHAT to my photo????!!!!"

and didn't the photos turn out great!!!!!?

Always a hoot at Inkredible.

brighter & buoyant....

Yikes...where has the time gone?

Firstly, need to do some shameless "self-promotion" and neglect my very demanding tribe for the moment....

TODAY AT 1.30PM AT INKREDIBLE (see link in sidebar)

come and get wet and paint!!!!

I've done THREE...count them again.... THREE samples so you can decide how adventurous you want to be today (hehe!!).

Some really cool techniques that you can use over and over again. One sample is the "Celebrate" layout I did for 123 Challenge in January, another on the Inkredible website newsletter and here are some sneaks of the third.

I've also been playing with the Kaisercraft mini books, papers and some 7Gypsies Texture Rubbing Borders. NOICE!!!! I've seen them in the shop, but wasn't sure how to use them, but so easy and so very GORGEOUS!!


My "Remains of a Day" is in the current Scrapbooking Memories magazine and I don't think I can put into words how satisfying it is. The DT work and all the other side projects I've been doing are also very satisfying (especially being involved in the forums) but there's something special about being published. But I know now that I'm only as good as my last layout/project, so I've been madly searching for new inspiration to challenge me more. I can get a little bogged down in the "now" to forget that there are some great artists and great products coming out.

Yes, terribly excited about the CHA releases!!

This Wednesday night at 6.30pm I'm back teaching at Inkredible for a BEESWAX CANVAS CLASS. I saw the wonderful work Jenni O'Connor did in Scrapbook Creations and just had to give it a go too. Then my Claudine Hellmuth Collage Art book arrived from Amazon.....and I think I'm hopelessly hooked. Michael wants me to open an etsy shop already LOL..

Last Monday I met with Nikala and the lovely Charlotte for coffee to buy her Xyron 900. I met Nikala ages ago when she did some family photos in Roma Street Parklands via Scrapbook City website (back in the day). We hadn't spoken IRL since then (August 06 I believe) but had exchanged complimentary comments on the net. It was the BEST 2 hours I've spent with a new friend in quite a while. It's lovely when you begin talking with someone and you say a lot of this.... "YES, I KNOW!!!" Much common ground shared and I hope we can get together again soon.

Have been very preoccupied with an "exit strategy" for Rainer as this is his last year at AEIOU but we have his IEP meeting this Wednesday and we're hopeful he'll transition into regular Kindy and Prep with great success. He's showing unbelievable progress so far this year so my spirits are soaring at the moment.

be brighter and buoyant.....