Ho Ho Ho

So, everything went smoothly this year...delegating out food made it a lot easier..plastic plates and cutlery made it a WHOLE lot easier..tacky- I know- bad for the environment- I know, but sometimes taste and politcal correctness has to make way for sheer exhaustion.
Everyone seems happy with gifts etc,,YAYAYAAY all over for another year...

Except now we have DS's birthday this Saturday. Crappy time for a birthday.
Anyway - 1 minor detail - I did not take one single photo on Christmas day.
Bugger.
I will take some this afternoon - it is still Christmas time isn't it?????
Lucky the tree is till up - I tend to get into a frenzy and tear it all down as soon as Boxing Day is over.
Oh well I will just fake it - I mean who will know???

Jolly Bollocks

Ho Ho Ho - is it over yet???
really - I am very festive, just a bit over it (but in a seasonal way).
I have been erecting Xmas trees at work since end of October....kinda drags it out a bit.
So what do you give to the kid who only wants (quote) "to meet the real Santa, and go for a ride on the sleigh" ?
When asked "but do you want Santa to bring you any toys/"...."no - I just want to meet him"
I think she is suspicious....very crafty that one. It's a bit self destructive though...if only they realized that in their quest for the truth - they destroy the fairytale. (still get the goodies though- except you can complain about them when they are from Mum and Dad and not the big S!!)
Another 2 birthdays this week - why did everyone in family celebrate Easter by Shagging???- the whole family is born in December!!!
Here's Jeff waiting for turtles at Mon Repos.

this time I mean it!!!

yeah - well my intentions are good!!! Still trying to get into the rhythm of working full time - two kids - housework etc and still find ME time.. Hmmm...any suggestions???
December has come and with another birthday.35. That's OK. I feel fine about 35. It's very grown up though!!
I have been considering my news years resolutions. So far I have decided that I need to have more fun...and the kids and hubby need to have more fun.
(remember fun?)
How hard can it be to have fun??? Not the contrived, spend a fortune on a day out fun, but the spontaneous fall about laughing kind of fun???
Well, I'm working on it.
I think I should eat better exercise more..blah blah blah blah spew....
who cares? I WILL NOT join a gym I WILL NOT count bloody calories....and I WILL NOT give up anything with chocolate, sugar or alcohol..I WILL NOT spend my only day off as a slave to housework. (as long as you wear shoes inside so stuff doesn't stick to your feet - you can hardly notice.)
I WILL stay up late, I WILL give the kids Maccas sometimes..and I WILL give myself a break.
Hey - that's new years reso's almost done.
probably need a few more positives in there. I WILL be positive..
OK> that works for me. Maybe this year I will actually KEEP them!!
hahahahahahahaha...(the chocolate and alcohol one is no prob!)

By the way - this is Trevor the Frog. He joins us and watches TV through the window most nights...

what's wrong with people???

I am amazed to hear the goings on on some Aussie blog sites!!! All the criticism of scrapbookers work and personal life> people should mind their own business!! If you don't like someones work...so??? They didn't make it for you!!! If you don't like someone's personal choices...so??? Comments that say " well they are public figures so blah blah..." is rubbish. These ecrapbookers share very personal pages about their private lives with us...if you don't like them, I suggest you turn the page!!!
Anyway I feel better now. :)
Well I am back in the swing of things now - I will be blogging again on a regular basis...
These photos were of a holiday at the English seaside!!

I am so slack!!

Where have the last months gone??? I have started a new job - and still trying to settle into a rhythm...but I am back to blogger!!! I haven't had much scrapping time - but that is going to be sorted out too... The job is great - good hours and great work environment. It's so nice to be working for people who aren't chasing the almighty dollar all the time, but who are actually trying to help others..
here is a LO done last Scrapping Sunday...

Shaving Foam

I have tried the shaving foam technique from hot-scrapbooking-idea.com and come up with this layout - it was great fun, and turned out much better than I thought>>

If I was a fishy....

Sometimes the photo that isn't quite right is the one that really catches the moment. DD is always in the water when we are at the beach - she comes up for air with a huge gulp - and then the face goes back into the water!!

Hot - Scrapbooking-Idea

Yay - I am on the design team of a great new scrapbooking site called hot-scrapbooking-idea.com
it's all free ideas and tips for scrapbookers - with monthly challenges and reviews. We'd love to hear any great tips or ideas that you would like to share. There is a forum coming soon - so check it out!!!

Changing...

It's amazing when I look back how my style has COMPLETELY changed over the last year. I think I have finally settled into "my" style....for now anyway. There was a time when nothing went onto my LO's without ink on it - and certainly no bright colours!!!
I think basic grey can be held responsible for bringing me out of the browns and into the brights - their ranges are just gorgeous, and seem to work for any theme or style..
still love polka dots though - except now they are everywhere!! yay!
K

Recycle, repaint, reuse

I just LOVE old things..my whole house is full of treasures that I find at the dump and charity shops. I love the feel of old things - they are like old friends!!
This pile of my beloved suitcases (one of a few..) is all from the dumpshop - even the gorgeous old enamel pitcher and bowl. How could you throw that away??? I prefer this to any top of the line Harvey Norman furniture anyday!!
(poor hubby - he puts up with a lot!!)
K

More Everyday Moments

Life really is great..I love these photos of the kids - the really do capture their personalities.
These are my latest efforts for the Everyday Moments Comp..it's great fun. Sometimes it really helps to have restrictions and deadlines - it really makes you be creative.
K

my lttle clown

ah...yet another day of fancy dress.
It is amazing what you can do with some charity shop overalls and a foot supporters wig. She had a BALL!!!

{Quote of the month}

"If you want children to keep their feet on the ground - put some responsibilty on their shoulders." Abigail Van Buren

Third Time Lucky!!

It took me three goes at this one..you know the layout that just won't work for you??!! Well I put away for a month and when I went back to it..voila...easy!!!!!

{Sweet Cheeks}

I'm very slowly making my way through these old baby photos..makes you realize how quickly time flies..

Double Layouts

Hey, I'm back onto doubles!! I had a little stint with single LO's and now I'm back...you can get a lot more photos done on doubles!!

My Chooks

I get such pleasure out of little things - collecting eggs from my chooks everyday and watching the kids scoff them for breakky is so satisfying. you can't beat fresh eggs - when I make quiche it looks like custard - the yolks are so yellow!!

In the Zone

What a great day - sun is shining - the sky is blue - I spent all day at a crop!! No washing, stacking dishwasher etc etc done AT ALL ..DH made dinner...
I had one of those scrapping days where everything flows..not the quickest mind you - Petrina did 8 LO's today at the scrap!! Very impressive. I did 3 and finished 1 UFO..that's fine by me..
It's a good life.
Here's my last Lo for July's comp..I used "everyday" photos..not the "hero" ones.. I can't seem to get the colour right in the photo...oh well - you get the idea!

princess for a day..

my beautiful daughter - I got such a shock when she was all dressed for a birthday party on the weekend - she looks so grown up!!! Hard to believe that she is only 5!!
I can't wait to scrap this photo!!!

Scraphappy

Already it's the end of July - I'm sure time speeds up as you get older!!! I have been busy busy..work is very busy this time of year, and I have got my scrap mojo back..I have entered the Everyday Moments Comp that For Keeps and Blue Bazaar are running, and it has really made me look at different ranges and challenge myself - I am having a ball..Here are the 2 LO's I have done so far..only one to go - by the end of July..I had better get a wriggle on..

just another day..

Just another day in Bundy...get up, kids to school, clean the house, go to work, pick up kids, make tea, bath, stories and bed...watch the news and get depressed by all the idiots in the world, and the poor families who pay the price...
How do I still find energy to sit and scrap...It's tempting to go to bed...maybe I'll just have one early night...
LO of DH and DD - isn't she the spitting image of him!!!
night night...

Whale season.....

I had to put a jumper on for the first time today - it's freezing!!! Amazing how you acclimatise..I think it was still about 16 degrees, we used to have picnics in England at 16 degrees!! We finally had some rain which was wonderful - I feel like hibernating..but kids,work, husband, house work...you know....
We have whales going past the coast at the moment. I watch these magnificent, gentle animals, and simply can not understand how anyone could kill or even harm them!!!There was a mother and calf at Bargara today - they frollicked close to shore for hours, cuddling and playing with each other.. What is it that draws us to marine mammals??? Why do we feel a connection to dolphins and whales?? Is it because of their intelligence, or that we, too are mammals - or is it simply awe?? You have to wonder who is the superior species!!!
Anyway - how priviledged are we to have this at our back door... This photo was taken from a friends backyard...yes backyard!!!

Christmas in July - WHY???

I just don't get the fascination for "Christmas in July". Christmas in December comes around quickly enough!!! I am just happy to be cool - positively freezing for us - down to 15 degrees..
Everyone in Bundaberg has a fleecy jumpy and woolly hat on. It is quite funny for those of you who live in cold climates. Great weather for scrapbooking though - pyjamas on, music on...scrapbooking Christmas photos in July..maybe...

{Quote of the month.}

Two may live together under the same roof, yet never really meet; and two others at first speech are old friends.-
Mary Catherwood

My Boys

What a handsome pair!! I have scrapped this photo about 5 times for various albums..amazing how different the LOs turn out. Once again - love the photo. Scrapbooking is so easy when you love the photo!! I have created a little doodled viney thing..not sure about it. Great to try new things though. I love the Lil Davis spotty flower. I started this whole lo with the photo and that flower!! It's a bit like buying the shoes before the dress.
K.

How time flies...

I can't believe that it is July already - it sort of sneaks up on us up here because we don't get cold...all of a sudden it is the second half of the year..
Well school hols are nearly over. I will be glad to get back into a routine - especially a children's bed time routine. It seems to have gone out of the window over the last two weeks. Having children up late eats up my scrapping time.. but I have managed to get a few layouts done.
I just love this photo - she was laughing at her Uncle on Christmas Eve.. I was working on it and went to bed, and when I came back to it the next day, I thought I should just leave it...pretty simple, but with a great photo subject - maybe less is more??
This colour card is in huge piles on my desk at the moment (thanks Petrina!!) Gumbo - it even sounds yummy. Looks great with colour and black and white. Thankfully I don't scrap my photos in order, or I would have a whole "gumbo" period..(very renaissance in a New Orleans sort of way..)
K.

Big School Girl

This is my big school girl! So proud to be in Year 1 - and we are so proud of her- she loves school...It's amazing how kids just absorb knowledge..
K.

June already!!

I can't believe it is already June.. where has the year gone? I was going to be organised by now!!
Well Jeff has started a new job, so we are all getting used to a new routine..V. early mornings!!
I haven't had time to scrap for 5 days!! And now I have 2 circle journals that need my attention.

It's a tough old life!!

It is actually cold here today..down to 10 at night - that is freezing for us!!
Hope winter is kind to you wherever you are.
K.

Beautiful old photos

I love the old tinted photos..this one is of my Mother in the 1940s..she had a special outfit made by her mother for every occasion..how times have changed!!
K.

Big {Z}

What a day - I have a clean, really clean house!! I have scrubbed, washed, moped, dusted..finally done the big spring clean. I don't hold out much hope for keeping it this way, but it feels good while it lasts..
Anyway, I think I will reward myself with a night scrapbooking!! Here is Big Z..my little boy..
K.

deck the halls..

Hey, only 5 months behind with my photos!! This is my daughter with her Uncle Andy, or "The Uncle" as she called him when she was little!!
I'm having a bit of a star thing at the moment..
K.

...tip....

if you need corner rounders, and don't have any..(or have lost them!) have a dig through your bathroom cupboard for toenail clippers. Wash them (!!) and sharpen them by cutting through tinfoil a few times, and off you go- they do the same job, and you already have them..
....don't you love freebies!
K.

My brown eyed girl

What a gorgeous girl..look at those beautiful brown eyes. I wanted to remember the quirky questions that Tilly comes out with. I toyed with the idea of an album, but it seemed like too much work, so I decided to just scrap them as they happen, and put them in her album. She still asks me "Where does you name go when it is not written down?" how do you answer that?? It's right up there with "Why is that river there?" (age 3).

Too bright for her own good!!
K.

My daughters scrapbooking.

These are a couple of layouts that my 5 year old daughter did today. I know I am biased, but aren't they amazing? I love the way that kids look at things. She just uses things in a different way- I would never have thought of using photo corners as hats!! It makes me lok at things in different way - which is always great.
She came up with the title "B5" on her own for her 5th birthday photos. What a treasure!
K.

{Woodgate beach}

Beautiful Woodgate beach..as usual, no-one on the beach but us!
K.

My beautiful home...

I thought I would post some photos of the beautiful beaches that we have close by - we really are lucky.

These are taken of Lady Musgrave Island, about 2 hours off shore. It is the southernmost part of the Great Barrier Reef. The snorkelling is amazing. Green turtles, reef fish, coral..the last time we went out, we saw dolphins, whales and manta rays!!

More rugby...

I have yet another night of rugby..all night... It's more than I can stand!! My husband thought it would be a great idea to get Austar, so he could watch the rugby at home, instead of spending money to go to the pub and watch it. So there went my lovely Friday night scraps in a quiet house!! The sounds of him yelling abuse at the TV doesn't do much for my creativity!!!
Anyhow.. I have been scrapping at a rate of knots. This layout is of my daughters' first footprints the first time she went to a beach. We were living in London, and came home to visit my Mum and Dad at the Sunshine Coast.. of course she loved it. It really brought home to us that we had to get out of cold old England!!
K.

.....well I promised some tips

Here's a great idea to make your own photo corners.
Simply cut the corners off envelopes with a pair of
straight edged or decorative scissors. Decorate, and use
where you like...why let the designers have all the fun??

{The simple things...}

It really is the simple things in life that are the best, I woke early this morning, and had one whole hour in my scrap room before anyone else woke up..heaven!!! Its amazing how much enjoyment I get from glueing and sewing bits of paper together!! How lucky are us scrappers?? I feel like I have had my therapy for the day and can face anything now!

I have finally started on my wedding photos..only been married for 11 years..I don't want to rush into them!!
What is it about our wedding photos that makes them the last ones we scrap??
Well I have done one 1 wedding LO, goodness know when I will do the next one!!!
When you look back on your LOs can you see your style change and waver???

I have to resist the urge to redo some of my early LOs - they are pretty tragic..
Well there are about a zillion hours of rugby on today- my husband goes into the zone when it is on, so the kids and I are off to the beach (we shouldn't be able to hear the shouting at the referee from there!!!
K.

{more baby photos}

look!!! Yet more baby photos out of the big scary box in the cupboard and onto layouts!! Thank goodness for digital cameras..the millions of unscrapped digital photos are not quite so intimidating somehow!! In the little book at the bottom I have written the story of my daughters birth..for when she is old enough!!!
K.

{where does the time go??}

Wow!!! Where has the last month gone???? I have been on a creative roll! I have even made inroads into my daughters baby photos. I am loving polka dots at the moment. I was at my LSS and had picked up a few sheets of paper, and when I went to the check out, 8 out of 10 were spotty!! doh! Oh well, you have to go with what you like! It seems ages since I went on the Retreat. The girls are running a Sunday session this weekend, so I am really looking forward to catching up with everyone. I will be organised for this crop. I am going to prepare my WOP folder with photos, embellishments, ribbons, papers, all ready to go.. It's a great idea in theory.. I tried it for the retreat, and found I just changed everything anyway. Maybe you need some practice at it!!
I am trying to stay up later to get LOs done...but I must be getting old. By 9.30 it's pretty much all over creatively. I can sit and stare at the T.V. Or read a mag..or web surf...but I really can't focus on a LO. I'd love to be one of those all night scrappers!!! My little boy is up every morning at 5.45am and I don't stop all day. I don't know how you late nighters do it. Here is a layout using some of those spots!!
K.

Holidays over!

Thank goodness school has gone back. The last 2 weeks have been my daughter's first experience of school holidays, and she is not impressed. Bored is an understatement!!
We had a lovely Easter and I have just come back from a 2 day scrap retreat...what a treat.
I feel so lucky to have few days just to scrap, with nothing to do but scrap!!!
(and eat..and eat.)
I feel about 3 kilos heavier, scrapbooking doesn't use too many calories..maybe I could
invent scrappercise.. how to excercise and scrap at the same time. {Could make for interesting lo's.}
We had a ball though, thanks to Petrina and Cassie for all their hard work in making the weekend a success.
But back to the real world..
K.

Happy Easter

Hey, I have been busy over the Easter weekend...far too much chocolate to talk about!!! But I actually managed to get three layouts done! yay! I feel like I'm on a creative roll.. Looking for the right idea for my Chatterbox entry, it just hasn't come to me yet.
We have had some lovely rain. We really need it up here, great weather to scrap by, unfortunately it is school holidays, so I have bored kids stuck inside instead!!! I have actually finished my Mum's Mother's Day gift..what a first!! I Feel like I should do something else as well, I am so organised..Last year I had a brainwave on Mother's Day morning..spent all day doing her mini book. So I am relieved to not have that pressure this year. I hope she likes it..if she cries then she loves it.. you know how Mums are!!
K

Palm Island

This is where my nanna grew up - her father was the superintendant on Palm Island. She spent her childhood here in the early 1900's. What a life!! THis photo really evokes another era.
K.

My stylish nanna!!

I'm having a great time creating with the goodies I bought in Sydney.. I have uploaded some more goodies, this photo is of my nanna, great grandmother, and mother attending the Pittsworth Show (no less!) I love how ladies used to dress so beautifully!! My Mother had a new outfit made for this very auspicious occasion. It's a shame we have lost that old fashioned style.
K

New Layouts

This is my little boy, I love this photo, scrapbooking is so easy when you love the photos!! Here's a tip: If you do a layout that you like, and are looking for a design to go on the other side of the double page, simply turn your existing layout on it's side!! Works every time, and looks really balanced..
K.