More Christmas Fun

How excited was I to get an email from the lovely Em to ask if I would like to take part in her Christmas special over at Page Maps?? I couldn't say yes fast enough, and when I see the other very talented girls she has lined up, I feel very privileged!

Em has a number of sketches up and after much deliberation I choose this one -

All the sketches are so much fun and so versatile - I find Christmas themed pages quite hard (although looking back at recent posts, Christmas has been dominating...) so these ideas can help kick start many pages. I can see me using these to help document Christmas day itself.

 

Henry is my only child left who will help assemble the tree, the other two are hiding until the fun bit starts. So no presents for them!! (ok maybe that threat is completely hollow..).

So drop by Em's site, pick a sketch and show us the result - can't wait to see what you come up with. And admire the gorgeous Lo's from her friends - wonderful!

 Have just finished my christmas shopping (hooray) and are now preparing for the trip to Mum and dad's - It is going to be 40C there on Monday - luckily they have a pool - all ready to go - can't wait.

Oh and if you are here for the Child's Play Blog hop - go here - some nice prizes to be had. xx

 

 

A very Christmassy Child's Play Blog Hop

 

Last Stop on the blog Hop after admiring the lovely and talented Rita's work  but you have made it!! yay!!

- (you know I am last not because I'm special, but because I like to leave things until the last minute - this I'm afraid, is no exception....)

The DT girls have made their Christmas Lists and we're hoping Santa will leave all sorts of fun goodies under the tree. And in true Child's Play Challenge form, we're scrapping about those toys too!! (If you get lost along the way, you can head on over to Child's Play Challenges for the master list.)

I am a very disappointed girl if I don't get a book under the tree - One of my first chapter books I received was one of the Anne of Green Gables series - I had made Mum's originals my own and desperately needed the rest - finishing with Rilla of Ingleside 

This year I am guaranteed at least one book (that I purchased myself..) and I do know my main pressie and it will involve the purchase of many more - I will say no more as it will ruin the surprise for me (ok, so I may have gone and helped pick it out with Geoff and maybe loaded some things onto it ready for Chrissy but I will say no more...)

Now to make things more fun, and I love giving our pressies, I have my own little gift to give one lucky person somewhere -

to go into the draw just leave me a comment on your fav book, or maybe what book is next on your list to read or anything booky really. And I would love it if you would become a follower over at Child's Play, we want lots more people to come and play, such a fun challenge site! That's it.

For the rest of the blog hop there is a cracking prize Tiffany is offering -

Here's what you need to do to enter:
1-check out each blog along the hop and leave a comment so we know you were there!
2-post about the hop on your blog
3-link your post on our special "Blog Hop" linky in the sidebar by December 31st
4-BONUS!! Create a layout based on any of the DTs inspiration items and post that link for a second entry!!
Now, I would of course love love love for you to be a follower of my blog too- I'm on 8 different design teams, so you never know what kind of inspiration I have up my sleeve!!

Have fun!!

Christmas 1971

it wasn't that long ago was it???

Anyway, Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge has it's latest sketch up -

Do anything you like with it, any topic that catches your fancy, love to see them all - the DT have put together an astoundingly wonderful array of pages.

Mine hearkens back to my long lost childhood of dress ups and bride dolls.

I'm obviously very impressed with myself - must have been very early in the day because my socks are pulled up and they are still white...

All quiet here before Christmas. Henry is at school still - very excited as his year is going  to see Wreck it Ralph tomorrow in a special preview.

Back tomorrow with a special blog hop - see you then xx

I am beyond heartbroken...

I am so angry, and full of tears.

I feel so lucky to be here and drop Henry off at school and know he doesn't have to walk through a metal detector, he doesn't have to practice what to do if a gun man  comes to his school to inflict damage to the community, he doesn't have to deal with a friend being hurt or killed while playing with the family gun.

I understand and support hunting.

I understand and support gun club members.

I do not understand the need to have semi automatic weapons in the home.

And to do something  I normally would never do in this, the crappiest year of political maneuverings here in Australia, I will paraphrase one of our federal politicians, Chris Bowen.

The right of a 6 year old girl to go to school safely far outweighs the right of anyone to have a semi automatic weapon.

I know that there is nothing I can do about another countries' gun policy but I could not stay quiet on such a tragic weekend.

Hug your children as we all have been doing over the weekend. I cannot imagine a Christmas without them as so many will be doing in Connecticut next week.

Back to normal blogging tomorrow.

2 New Challenges

Ok, not as new as I would have you believe - these challenges have been up for a while. But the good news is you have until the end of the year to complete them!

Firstly, over at Child's Play, we have a Christmassy Challenge - using "Twas the Night Before Christmas" Book as inspiration -

 

Last year we had Christmas at home and spent Christmas eve looking at Christmas lights around Canberra. This year we will be at Mum an Dad's so a quick walk around town to check out mighty Mulwala's lights (not too bad actually) and then if the weather continues the way it is, an after dinner swim...

And then over at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge we have a generation theme happening -

show us your generation layout - maybe you have a wonderful 3 or 4 generation photo that you treasure?  If so, feature it.  Maybe a nice photo of your grandparents?  Then scrap it!! An object that belonged to them?  Scrap it or scrap a photo of it!

 

This is a much younger me, visiting my Nan with baby Matt in tow. She was able to feed him and have a good cuddle, she passed away when Meaghan was a little baby so she didn't get to meet her.

I've got a few interesting things happening in the next few weeks that I have to get on top of - but all good fun. Henry is the only child left at school for the rest of this year, everything is slowing down before mad Christmas rush. The house is starting to take shape, the first of the frame is going up but the builders spend an awful lot of time looking at plans and shaking their heads is ominous ways...

Have a great weekend. xx

 

Scrap Friends - so excited

I am one of the GDT's at Scrap Friends for the sketch this month - love their sketches, always a bit grungy if you want it to be - no straight lines - just my style..


Here's the sketch -

It can be very christmassy but I went a girly route instead.

Nabbed a photo of Meaghan and her friend Sophia off Facebook and  ripped and inked to my heats content and i have to say I'm very pleased with the result -

Meaghan even likes it enough to have it in her room - and Sophia liked it as well - always good to get approval from 16yo girls...

We had an interesting day here yesterday. Geoff had decided to quit his job a couple of weeks ago, yesterday was his last day, it was also Meaghan's last day of year 10 (very happy with that although she got out of uniform before I could get a photo..) and Matt came home with the news that he had quit his job as well (very unhappy with conditions at work). Hmmmm maybe I could give up on the housework bit as well... At least Henry will be back at school on Monday and Meaghan has work experience for the week.

Drop on over to Scrap Friends and  catch the rest of the DT's and GDT's work - just gorgeous stuff there - love it!!