52Q - 4

Still up to date... miracles never cease to amaze me! I am really enjoying these questions... and making these tags. Emily puts them up at the beginning of the week, and then I think of them all week long, collecting bits that appeal, thinking of an answer... and then on the weekend I create whatever is created. I'm having such fun playing and experimenting!




I have no idea where this thing for purple has come from these last 2 weeks... guess it's part of the journey!


So this weeks one was very scrappy and not very arty farty techniquey {don't ya just love my tech talk there}... but that's ok, that's the mood this week. Sleep has been evading me and my creativity is struggling, will be having a nanna nap today for sure... Scrappi Dais is tomorrow and I have to have some 'scrap wit' about me!!

I went to be at 11 last night... excited that it was for once before 1am... only to then wake up at 1am. So played on Facebook... joined my cats up onto Catbook {thanks Dizz for yet ANOTHER addiction}, tidied up some photos then crawled back into bed about 3am to stare at the ceiling until 4am... little bit over it as I LOVE my sleep!! Blaghhhh! LOL!

Oh guess what I can see out the front door... 2 oh so cute little kitteh's playing on our grass {trust me, it aint lawn}. They are 2 of a litter from a cat up the road and they are black and white and oh so cute... and one looks remarkably like our Shadow... hmmmm! LOL!!! Wish I could get a pic to share... but they run as soon as I get near the door...

Okies... I have some greeting cards I've almost finished as well to share with you, will finish them later and pop them up.

Until later... take care of you!

Mis xo

Awwwww

I saw this tonight over at Cute Overload... go check it out, it's my fave site when I'm needing a serious awwwww moment!! But do... go check it out because the post that goes with it is classic!!

Do You Believe in...

FAERIES!!

Still working on Emily's 52Q... not patting myself on the back yet though as this is about as far as I got last year with my One Word attempt!!


This weeks question: Do You Believe in Fairies? I thought this was the BEST topic, such scope for fun! I ended up playing with Fusible Film. I've used it in the past, but not the way it was designed to be used... so I did it the 'right' way this time and fused the layers together with an iron {shhhh yes I know it's the "i" word there, but it was used for art and not housework, you can relax!!}, it all wrinkled and shriveled and created stunning patterns and colours! Then I cut out the fairy wings!

I found a site full of ephemera links, with free images for artist use, which is where I got that cute pic of the fairy kids. Have bookmarked it now!!


Unfortunately the camera can't quite catch how pretty these wings are, I'm really pleased with them. I've also realised I have winged things happening through my little album, butterflies, angel wings and fairy wings... wonder if this mood stays with me through the year? About time, I'm only about a year behind the rest of the scrapping world with the fascination for all things winged!!

Fly... be Free! LOL!!!

Had Jules, Chrissie, Jen, Vicki and my ma over yesterday to scrap... was a lovely easy going day, productive as well!! Jen created a name badge, Chrissie scrapped working on a fabbo mini album, Vik created a canvas {it was stunning using wicked Rose Moka papers... very noice}, Jules sorted through about a million photos, mum scrapped like a demon and I moved paper around... LOL, ok I did one LO and started another one which is now finished. I've also finished the 2 CJ's I've had here for about a decade... so Sharon, some more will be coming your way soon!

Today I was going to go up to Nev's but it's 37 here today and her place will be at the very least 41... so staying home was a better idea. So we spoke for a couple of hours on the phone instead though, and she's not alone up there as Arthur is at home still. The mines are laying people off... atm he's just been told to have another week off... so fingers crossed he's back up there soon. Luckily he has a trade and isn't just general labour atm... hopefully that will help them weather through these tough times here in WA for now.

Until next time... take care of you and enjoy life!!

ATC's

I finally finished last years ATC's from the ATC Club @ Sharon Mannings site, thanks to Jen telling me I had to finish them last week {nothing like a deadline is there}. I got 4 sets done in a week and had such fun creating them.

Winter Theme: "Winter Solstice"

Home Theme: "Home is Where the Heart is"

Starsign: "Cusp of Power"

Christmas Theme: "All Wrapped Up"

So we're finished up now, sadly. However I have all these gorgeous ATC's from everyone and really want to have them up for display somehow. The work and thought that goes into them all needs to be seen... I was thinking a mural of sorts, but still want to see the backs so I don't forget who created what, so will have myself a think! It was a great learning journey and I still have much learning to do... but what made it easiest was feeling comfortable in my learning and not being judged for not having 'perfect' ATC's with these wonderful ladies I can call my friends!

First... thanks everyone for all your comments and kind wishes re MaD's going bye-bye's! I'm so ready for a new era in my life now... full steam ahead!! Everything in the store is almost flying of the shelves... it's so great to see and I'm glad that atm it's people I know are benefiting from it!

Second... more scrapping! Yayyy...

This one is KarenM's little honey Ellie, isn't she gorgeous!?! These were taken when she wasn't talking to me because I was a stranger... about 5 minutes later we were best friends {think it was the camera that did it}!! This one was for a challenge at ScrapWitch CC that Heather set, based on using a magazine ad as inspiration {wicked challenge btw}



And this one is a Challenge that I set, to scrap the constant's in your life, instead of the new things and changes that we are all scrapping atm... so of course mine has housework, and my gorgeous cheeky sod of a boy!! So simple though... if I'm losing my mojo heads will roll!!



I have yet to do Jill's challenge, hers was a great one. To make a kit up with certain things, and then scrap 2 LO's and 2 Cards... but TV won out instead of scrapping!

Third... I have 16 ATC's {4 lots of 4} to do before the weekend... shite!!!

Fourth... I accidentally just posted this at the Scrappi Dais Blog... what a tool!!

And Last... that gorgeous kid of mine is doing the dishes as I type, because "he's bored and I've worked hard all day"... love him!!

A Choice...

A few days ago I made a HUGE decision that MaDs had run its course and done its short-lived dash. I know new business needs time to get moving, but 6 months ago I made a choice that it had to start holding it's own, even breaking even would be fine... for a short while it did and I was so very happy. And then it didn't and didn't and didn't... and so, in keeping with my promise to myself for the year to move forward and leave the negative behind I will be closing it down, and hence I will be able to 'breathe' again and hopefully reduce a little bit of stress in my life! I'm sad it didn't work as I had dreamed, but I did have so much fun with it... I may not have made the money I dreamed I would with it, but I learned a lot and the joy of playing in the shop and packing an order never went away!

So my very talented creative team Vicki and Karen have been told... and then a few scrappy friends... and now you my blog readers! I'll be sending a newsletter out at the beginning of February announcing it to all my subscribers and then over the next few months wind it all down.

But the good thing... there's a HUGE SALE on! There is 40>80% off the lot until it goes.... so I'll be open for a little longer to clear it all out! So pop on over to MaDscraps and grab yourselves some MaD bargains before everyone else does... LOL!!

Darren thinks he's going to get half the crop table {it splits into 2} for his gaming... LOL, silly man! I'll be having Scrappi Dais crops here from time to time as well as my monthly crops... I really enjoy these days! Having crops here also allows me to socialise IRL but still be with my family, it's a great balance so I won't be giving that up! I think we might move the house around a bit though and move the family room into the shop and the 'crop room' into the family room... and the dining table into my scrap room. OK, getting ahead of myself here... need to move well over 1000 lines of stock first!!

So anyway... that's my big choice!! I'm a little sad {hate to give in, stubborn sod that I can be} but I'm also feeling very relieved and free already... so I know it's the right choice!

52Q - 2

Week 2 of Emily's 52Q... Am I afraid of change? A simple question at first... until you think about it!!

Simple designs today, had fun though... glimmermists and inks again, dragged out some stamps and found these gorgeous wings in my mixed media stash, iddy bit of "bugged" card, having a ball with all the iddy left over forgotten bits. Looking forward to next week's question!

I am looking forward to the weekend... it's going to be a hot one, but I get to hang out inside all weekend scrapping because it's CC time at ScrapWitch and Jill's challenges usually get me going! I am really enjoying my scrapping atm... was so worried that I'd lost the passion, but think I just needed to relax, create and not think about it!! Oh I forgot to say my "blog @ Aussie" days have ended for a bit, I just needed to step back from the "have to do's" for a while, although... I LOVED writing stories for Jill and Gabi, was such fun to be a part of it all!!

I should take a pic of the mess surrounding me though... atrocious... but it's creative bliss for me!! Actually I will... make you all feel better about your scrap spaces!

OK... to my right:

and to my left:I love creating a mess!! Hmmm... I have glue on my mouse, that can't be a good thing can it???


Oh and I was given a blogging award by the ever inspiring Sharon... thanks so much, I was very touched and appreciate your kind thoughts!!

This blog invests and believes the PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of the prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attentions to these writers! Deliver this award to 8 blogger’s who must choose eight more and include this cleverly written text into the body of their award.

I'm supposed to deliver to some bloggers, will have a hunt through my rounds later!!

Finally got around to scanning a layout I did last week... did nothing scrap-wise over the weekend though, funny how it works like that!


Today thanks to the Aussie Scrapbooking Blog I found Emily Falconbridge's new challenge for the year... based more around journaling... so I'm going to try and keep up. Last year and the one before were very sad efforts on my behalf! This year I'm doing them on some Kraft Tags I've nicked from the shop and will scrap and play on them... no ideas in mind to try new techniques or be arty... just have fun and answer the weekly questions. Hence Emily's name for this one "52Q" being 52 Questions!

So here I go... Simple Front Page: {it needs a little flourish, but I have to find one yet}


Question 1:



And my answers... I've left them as words as I think they say enough, and this is for me, so I know what I mean by them.


Breathe... to take control of my eratic breathing {my stress indicator}... breathe, relax, chillout.
Make Progress... to move forward, get over hurdles and get somewhere financially and emotionally... even if an iddy bit at a time.
Family First... a given, they always are... but last year I feel I spent too much of my time away from them, this year I belong to them.
Let Go of the Negative... I'm generally a positive person, but for the last say 10 years {yep... that long} I find I've been surrounded by negative energy; with some friendships, in the workplace, even in the scrapping world... and I finished 2008 feeling somewhat disillusioned by my world. I'm letting it go and trying to not let it affect me, burying my head in the sand on some occasions! Yes we all have down times... and I'm there to lend a hand/ear/nostril whatever is needed LOL... but that's not what I'm talking about. by letting go of the negative.. it's about the conversations where constantly there's nothing happy, where everything is everyone elses fault, the times where you are used for the time needed but left behind afterwards, when you are only spoken to when someone needs something, where everything is a complaint etc, and also the negativity I have within myself now... I used to only see the good in people and I want that back. This is a hard one, but I think if I can manage it... then my health will improve, and so too my good friendships that I am blessed with {they deserve more of me}, even my position at work and time with my family {who definately deserve more of me}... and yes, it has hurt {is still hurting} making this decision... and I hope I'm moving in the right direction... but sometimes you have to do what you have to do... we will see!

Phew... well that was a bit for a Monday night! If you finished reading that sorry if you're feeling somewhat tired and depressed now! No more after this... we're moving forward... MAKING PROGRESS!!

Until I scrap more... take care of you!!

Still scrapping!

I've been doing some in the evenings from my little kits I've made up... keeps it simple and allows me to get them done in under 2 hours. My chillout from work time hopefully... also helps me stay awake until bedtime!

This one is of the book I read in one day, 10 hours to be precise. I was pretty proud of myself... even if it was a very easy reading book!!


And this one is for a sketch challenge at ScrapWitch... was a doozy and I've moved a few elements around and left some totally out to get it to work with these funky retro papers... love them!!


Dizzy spell tried to happen at work today, could feel my breathing get all stupid again... so need to sort something out there. It wasn't even a bad day workload wise, even doing 2 jobs again {just for the week... phew}, but it's from frustration and anger... a certain person's attitude infuriates me atm and I've obviously not dealing with it... so need to address that when my boss gets back, he can sort it out!

So Wednesday tomorrow... almost Friday!!! Am looking forward to the weekend, off shopping/lunch with mum and Kel on Satuday, and might take Kel to see Bolt afterwards... and then Sunday I'm hoping we can run off to the N.Dandalup Dam for a swim and picnic... or at least up to Bilgoman pools... but I'd far prefer the dam, it looks so beautiful!!

Okies... bedtimes for me now... have a good day tomorrow... and take care of you!!

Scrappi Dais Scrapping...

Our 1st Scrappi Dais for the New Year, and we all scrapped... pretty sure that's a first!! I've done 3 today... really happy with that!

Again have used some Pagemaps sketches for inspiration... with a bit of changing around!!

It was a lovely day... not too much to eat for once, cold meat, salad and yummy tiramisu for dessert - just right! Kim bought me some flowers, I love flowers and rarely get them, so that's such a great treat!! Am ready for a big nanna nap now I think, but need to stay awake so I can sleep early tonight... back to work tomorrow for me... wish me luck!!

...and more!!

I've still got the mojo flowing. have scrapped and created for most of today... even made something for the shop newsletter {when I get around to writing the darn thing}! But at the moment I am taking advantage of this creative spell!

These are both based on the latest PageMaps sketches... am really needing them for the doubles lately, but hey... she draws them so we use them!!



Scrappi Dais here tomorrow... looking forward to it. Likely won't scrap a thing though knowing me... but there's always a first time! The house is still a mess, but I'll get up early and get the dishes done and hope the girls keep their eyes shut for the rest of the house!! Crop room is tidy though...

Well... guessing I should get to sleep, but there's another LO calling to me!!

Another LO...

A Scrappi Dais challenge from Kim, to scrap a Christmas LO with a 5x7" photo.

I have used Basic Grey Wassail PP's, Basic Grey Chipboard Alphas, Collections Chipboard Branches & Doves, Prima Flowers, Rhinestones, Stampin Up Ink & Moon Glow Moon Shadow Mist. The chipboard is all shimmery and pretties IRL, didn't translate so well in the scan!

LO inspiration from a PageMaps Sketch.

Another post already!!

Well not much to say, just sharing some more layout's I've done!

This one is one Kel wanted me to take a photo of and scrap, so it's done. His NutMan... he has a great imagination and can always see what we can't...

Sadly NutMan did not survive far past his photo shoot... he was eaten!!

This one is for a colour challenge Jill @ Scrapwitch has set for January, and this pic I snapped of Lily on NYE was perfect.

I adore this kid... she's so chatty and cute, exhausting... but cute!!

Welcome to 2009

Happy New Year!! I hope 2009 holds much joy for us all... 2008 certainly held a few rollercoaster rides for many people I know, myself included. But we survive and move on... and here we are with a fresh new year ahead of us... full of hope and promise, life {most times} is what we make of it... so hang onto that hope and promise!!

This year I am focussing on keeping my stress levels to a minimum, might mean sticking my head in the sand on a few occassions... or fighting for what I want on other occassions... but I have to do it for my health. No NY Resolutions though... I never keep them anyway!!

2008 certainly taught me a few life lessons... some of them hard ones {most lessons are aren't they}. But I'm glad I can look back and learn from them and grow. Trust became quite a big issue for me in the last half of the year... I'm still trying to let go there... but it will happen. What will be, will be... I have learned that not all friends have to be my best buddies, and it's ok to have all levels of friendships... so long as there is give and take in all of them then we shouldn't need to look further into them and enjoy them for what they are... so I am! Strange lesson to have learnt at my age... one would think I'd have figured that one out ages ago... LOL!!

The last day of 2008 was pretty full on for us... we'd planned a nice easy day, it was Kel's B'day so it's all about him. He's 12 now... time has certainly flown by!


However... early afternoon I get a call from my sister, her car has died 5 minutes out from Sawyers Valley, which luckily is only 20 minutes or so from me... but country enough to be annoying for her! 40 degree heat... no shade... no RAC... so I get her joined so the tow truck can get the car, then I go and collect her and the kidlets while poor Arthur waits for the tow truck to get there... and whalla, full house for the night {they live in Northam... too far to go home on NYE}. But it was great... the kids are getting much better behaviour wise and we all had a good night!

Had to drop Arthur at the airport at 5:00 this morning as he works on the mines... so that was a shocker after staying up until 2am... but I did get a sort of sunrise pic!!

So today I drop Nev and the kids home... and came home and crashed well and truely! But was all worth it...

Back to work next week... am finally over the boredom of being at home now though, so am not ready to go back. But there's a few more days to enjoy the freedom... and I'll be happy to see everyone at work again, payday will be good as well LOL!!

SD gals are coming over on Sunday... am really looking forward to that as I missed the December one as I was over East, will be a good day!!

So now the sun has set on my first day of 2009... wonder what tomorrow brings!!