Happiness

Hiya Chicks (buk buk). I have had some tech issues with the printer this last week -basically it has pooed itself so am waiting on my A3 to turn up. (whoo hoo). Meanwhile I have been able to finish this one off.

Journaling says 'Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you. - Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Have been sooo busy lately with so much stuff lately. Might have to start saying no to some things - but I doubt I know how to.

Bookings for the 5 Loaves scrap night have filled very quickly. Its on Friday July 11 and I only have 2 tables left at the time of this post.

I finally fell off Jerry at the hunt yesterday. He slipped and lost his balance just for a sec, but enough to spit me off over his left shoulder. I had enough time to say 'oh shit' on the way down before my bum hit and ground and rolled over my shoulder. I reckon I was on my feet as soon as bounced off my bum. Jerry kept going and jumped the next jump on his own. He looked so good so I gave him a loud cheer, then I ran up to the jump and jumped it as well. One must take every jump that the Master does. I just did it without the horse. That got a cheer from the field. Didn't hurt at all. My first buster ever with Jerry and it wasn't his fault at all. He is my heart. I should do my man page on him.......hmmmmmm...... now there's a thought

I'm Published

WOW. My first one. The anticipation was fantastic. I was texting my local PO for the last week or so to see if it was in (Scrapbook Memories). I even had a false alarm (wrong mag) but I still ran it for it before I knew it was the wrong one. I had Janice play with my camera (SLR) which is different to her digital camera so we could catch some 'action' shots.

Well I finally had a txt saying "it's here, it's here!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Luckily I was dressed and ready to go out for the day so I didn't have to shock em in the PO with my PJ's and tweety bird slippers.

Vol 10 Number 3.

Annie helped me peel off the wrapper and we found the page in a jiffy.

It was worth the wait. There it was, my LO and my name in print. I am officially published.

Like I said WOW.

More surprises were store. Amanda wrote an article as part of her Master's obligations and she based it on hybrid scrapping. Stuff me, Cry was the LO used as her example. Its a pic of Sean with tears welling up but not yet spilt.

And another surprise. Amanda, Meredith and I grabbed a quick photo session with the kids a while back and Amanda had used one of me and the kids on another LO. The rascal. She didn't tell about this one. Wonderful surprise.

Journaling says ' you find such delight in your children. It is a beautiful thing to see and a great privilege to be your friend and share that joy.'

I bloody near had a tear and I did have a lump in my throat. As soon as I saw it I had to ring her and tell her she's a rascal......the best sort. Thanks A ;)

So how lucky am I. One LO from me and 2 about me and the kids by a close friend in the same mag.

Talk about value adding.

challenge from Escape2Create.

Phew. finally done it. I've bent the rules a little - after all there are no rules in scrapping - ;)
I was really taken by this amazing shot and so used it for my challenge idea. I have created an embellishment for a layout. It's a butterfly (surprise, surprise). It's based on an actual real transparent winged butterfly. So after numerous hours on Photoshop - I cant tell how many, i forgot to count -
Here's a pic of what started me off

and then this is what I came up with the Photoshop magic

I thought it turned out really well. I was too impatient to wait till morning to photograph it, so forgive the shadow in the background.

sharing's caring

this was such a moment for both Sean and Annie. I actually had Annie reoffer the Paddlepop to Sean a second time and that's when I had the camera ready.

their

The basic layout of this one was from a sketch in my Scrapper's Block Buster notebook. Any sketches I see on line I copy and paste in Publisher and resize down to fit my little book. I was having scrappers block and lots of repetition of the same thing. I found sketches on www.littlescrapbookshop.com.au and also www.pagemaps.com
The last site is fantastic. You can subscribe to it's monthly newsletters and behold new sketches are there for you without any effort to find them. Tooooo easy.
No reason not to start a page with their ideas and then it will usually change as you put it together to make it your own.
In case you hadn't noticed (ha ha) I have used lots of the 7Gypsies journalling tags lately.
I scan it into Photoshop, text box, journal and play with the size and move the text around to fit the tags perfectly. I also usually also scan in some element on the page that I want to use as the colour of the text. I then use the eyedropper tool to pull the colour and then the text is that colour. Saves guessing the right shade and co-ordinates perfectly. Print a copy and use it as your template to place the tag. Click on the eye on the layers palette to remove the background to leave only your text showing and print the template with the tag on it again. Just the text will print this time. I just about never use publisher or word any more.

outback

Another trip to Buckalow Station for Annie and Kym in September 06.

Tag on left says : as rare as an echidna. Dad's favourite quote. And then, lo and behold there one was. How lucky to see an echidna in all the vastness of Buckalow Station and in broad daylight. Lucky girl Annie. Dad gently picked it up so you could feel how prickly they are. What a moment.

Tag on right says : we were driving along and we saw a roo. There was a loud bang and he fell over. We chopped him up, put him in nets and put him in the dam and we caught yabbies. LOVE YABBIES, - Annie's description of catching yabbies. 5.9.06

I used Kraft Card, basic grey archaic rusty PP, american thickers alphas, 7 gypsies tags, sewing thread and Photoshop CS3.

Simple, clean, great colours. Catches the outback feel.

Laugh

I found this LO a bit difficult as the photos were dark (before Photoshop CS3 days). After a bit of dicking around it came together.Another one that has Paige involved in it in some form. She will be in a lot of them in some way or another

buckalow

when DH went up to Buckalow Station for the shearing run in 2006 he took Annie with him. the photos are not the greatest (Kym had an ol snappy film camera) but you get the gist of the place

nose

For those of you who know me, I am a fairly grounded person. Don't mind getting dirty, got a couple of muscles in my arms and can tie a truckie hitch with the best of em.

So doing a really pretty page is a little out of character..... but fun




I'm not sure what exactly appealed to me with these papers, perhaps as the photo was black and white it gave me freedom to choose whatever papers I liked rather than co-ordinate with the photo itself. I usually struggle choosing PP or Bazzil with BW photos but I'm learning.

I like florals but they can overwhelm so easily, so I find a little is more than enough as an accent.

So.... I enjoyed putting this page together.... released the girly girl in me.

Journalling says : when down came a blackbird and pecked off her nose.
Last line of sing a song of sixpence. 10.10.2006

Tiff

tangle

I just love how the hair of Paige and Annie is flying in the breeze. Love the two colours and just love the two of them so much.

Journalling says : as the breeze gently tangled your tresses together, your love for Paige will always be forever and hers for you. 10.10.06
Paige is a very special member of my family and I know she will always be there for my kids if I can't. You have no idea just how reassuring this is to me.

Paige has future plans with Annie to help her in her teenage years, much the same as we helped Paige in small ways with hers

Love you Paige.

ALWAYS be there for you.

xXx

remember...first school photo

I am just loving butterflies (still). The butterfly in the bottom corner is a HS ghost shape with a couple of photos xyroned to it and beads to embellish. Pretty snazzy I reckon. I also attached a little bit of wire for antennas and beads to finish them off.

Card stock is bazzil with the holes in it, PP is Daisy D's. Journalling strip is the flip side of the DD PP. Prima blooms, Making Memories hat pin, Kaiser Craft beads, Heidi Swapp ghost butterfly, Basic Grey rub on, Hunter Leisure Craft Fibres, large bling brad

this is a bit hard to see but its a transparent page. I had to lean it up in a door panel to photograph it as it scanned very poorly.
This was lots of fun and a bit challenging. There it actually 2 transparencies to make up this layout. The first one is a thicker one -heavier weight but the printer ink wouldn't dry on it. I was in despair. There goes my idea. Then I had a light bulb moment. I could use the transparencies that I know work with my printer and put it on top. Hey presto. The brush I used ( the red page frame) can be all exposed with the photos not covering it up.
The photos are sandwiched between the two layers. I popped out a little mirror from a powder compact and TA-DA, layout is complete.
Transparencies, American Craft thickers Alphas, Basic Grey papers, red and green threads, black brads, mirror, dymo, CS3.
Layout inspired by Kim Ogden in For Keeps Issue 66, pg 74.

Hi-5 Birthday for 4 year old Annie

I had to photograph this double layout as it was a bit too lumpy to scan well. Too many shadows. Journaling says :

what a 4th birthday party you had. we invited heaps of your friends ( mum doesn’t remember exactly how many - probably nearly 20)around to the kindergym hall. Rayleen Foster (kindergym leader) was amazing. she had set up the hall with the kindergym equipment and stayed on to supervise. lucky you. mum brought Spike in for pony rides. everyone brought their bike helmet with them to ride him. Trish Stevens was lovely enough to take care of the riding department. dad cooked up a mess of snags for tea on the bbq. Paige organized 3 others (her brother Tom, Gaby Arancelovic and Scott Edmonds) to be the HI-5 dance group. they had been rehearsing the words and dance moves for weeks. they did a 20 min bracket. they were fantastic. they were actually asked if they wanted a gig at a swimming pool function. how cool is that. mum organized a HI 5 hand for your birthday cake. it was very yummy. there was none of that left. totally awesome party.22.9.06

The Hi 5 theme idea was Paige's. Thanks chick. You did all the hard work. I just held the video camera. I actually didn't get any shots with my camera. All these photos have come from other Mums there. Thank goodness.

OMG. Paige, this is beautiful. I c u have mastered those actions I sent ya. Will show Annie in the morning. Just got home from the hunt and haven't even had a shower yet (phew). Just had to check the inbox and blogs first;)

me & mine

A colour combination that I would not normally put together but these were the dominant ones the photo. And bugger me, it works brilliantly. PP is Making Memories Noteworthy, American Craft Thickers Alphas and Kaiser Craft fozz felt. I really like how this one works.

Great Night

scrap night @ 5 loaves Bakery was a hit. Black Friday as the theme, come dressed in black, 13 scrappers. All the ingredients for good fun. Katy baked an awesome Black forest cake and had little black cat lollies and Chico babies on the tables.
Lots of fun, chatting and sharing of layouts, not to mention wonderful meals and coffee. Next one is tentatively set for Friday July 11th.
Cant wait.

Mum

Not very often I get to scrap a page of myself and Annie with a good shot. This one was taken by Paige just after the wheat was baled up out in the paddock. Fantastic props.
This layout was a blue/brown challenge on escape 2 create blog of which I am co-author, along with Amanda Hall, Meredith Treloar and Sue Parsons. Better friends and confidants could not be found.
Thanks Girls.
;)

Vexed

I am a bit ticked. We had a tenant leave our Tumby Rental Property and I did the final inspection with her. There were what I thought just a couple of small things to fix up. No big deal.

Then when Kym went over today to do some small maintenance jobs, he came across things that I hadn't picked up on. Like 2 window screens totally missing of the windows. She told me of one that she said was never there and as I didn't recall if it was there or not, I could not dispute it. Well today Kym found both of them around the side of the house. She lied to me.They were both ruined and it looks like she had put them there. Another screen was wrecked and I talked with her about that at the inspection. It was agreed that she would have it repaired at her cost. She has left the house unlocked since then (a week) for the tradesman to do it. He hasn't been and the house has been left unsecured. GRRRRRRRR. And just to top it off, Kym also found one the security screen doors totally removed and the wire on that wrecked. That was also tucked away.

Christ this makes me angry. I have been lied to and deceived. I do not tolerate this very well at all.

Deep breath.

On a lighter note I finished this layout last night. Love it.

Journalling says : 20.9.2006. How lucky you are to have a friend like Paige. She just loves coming across to stay (she actually asks to come, not us asking her). Her love for you both is very real and she will always be there for both of you. We love her so much.

done it

I have finally done it. Found the courage and the time to create my own blog. Wow.

I thought this may be an easier way to show the family who are spread around a bit, what I have been up to, been creating when I should have been doing other things - like housework or even sleep.

That's it for now. Is late and am yawning.