AFSC - it was a very good year

Third Lo in a row where the date is important - starting to look a bit obssessive I know...

Anyway this one is for Another Freaking Scrappy challenge.

The challenge this time is to scrap your birthplace and year – incorporating at least two things that were popular in culture that year as an embellishment (song title, historical event, movie, hero or heroine) – you can include baby photos instead of photos of your birthplace if you wish. Please include a link to another scrapbooking challenge website in your blog posting for this. If you are shy to scrap your year of birth, then why not try some hidden journalling????

And the prize is a $25 gift Voucher from Scrapbookers.com!! Well worth recording a bit of your personal history for!!

Here is my year and me as a wee little one (apparently I was very good at projectile vomiting - probably didn't need to know that, sorry).


But the year I was born, 1967, was the year The Monkees were huge (how I loved them later in life), Elvis married Priscilla, Sgt Pepper's was released and Twiggy burst onto the scene. Talk about the height of the swinging 60's! Although I do suspect the place I grew up in was a little less hip...

I was initially a bit overwhelmed by this challenge but once I started on it, it was so much fun! So give it a go and also go check out some of the other ladies on our new design team, they are oh so talented!!

And as a bonus you can enter at Southern Girls Challenge as well because this theme would be more than suitable for the latest challenge over here. Two for the price of one!

I am completely behind on my scrapping. Matt is leaving for his overseas odyssey on Friday and that is consuming most of my spare time and energy at the moment. I think it has reached the stage where I will be sad but just relieved to get him on the plane. The weather in Moscow is slightly warmer than here so that is good for him. Although it is a worry when he says in all seriousness " The weather will be getting warmer because I am heading west..." Meaghan let out the longest 'oh my god' I have heard. West, south all the same direction...


Ok more of The Monkees as this song makes me happy and that is a good thing.

xx

One for the Decades

It's time for the latest Southern Girls Challenge. This week it is choose a decade theme for your Lo/card/anything. Although the 80's was tempting - I still have not published any of the truly scary photos from our 80's Trivia night...), I went with the photo I put on my blog a few weeks ago.For the photo, I went with the theme of the 1960's country dress code. Viv mentioned they looked like Aunties off to a wedding and that was indeed where and what they were. One is my Mum (with what was apparently a very short skirt for the day, practically at knee level - scandalous!!), one is my real Aunty and the other three were called aunty as were most of Mum and Dad's friends.

But an event on the weekend made me reevaluate the photo. One of dad's closest friends died unexpectedly. Dad talked to Brian every day, either in person or with a quick phone call. Brian spoke at all our recent family events, lastly at Dad's 80th a few weeks ago. Brian drove to Melbourne to pick dad up after his heart operation when it was impossible for any of us to do it. He had just become a grandfather for the first time and was looking forward to his second grandchild early next year. There was an age gap of 20ish years - give or take - between them, but they had so much in common that it didn't make that much difference (although I'm sure they drove each other crazy over some issues..). He was such a good friend to the family and will be missed every day.

He was also the son of one of the ladies in the photo. And I look at these ladies and remember that the life they lived hasn't been the easiest of lives. One of them has passed on and all except Mum have been widows. They have all lost either children or grandchildren or very close relatives. And there is a wider group of friends that although not pictured all had equally big parts to play in each other lives. Most of them still live close to each other and have regular contact, the blessing (and occasionally the curse) of living in a small town. But when I go home, I appreciate more and more a feeling of belonging and I feel a bit sad because my kids won't have quite the same feeling about where we live - although they do get a sense of that when we visit Mulwala, I think it spooks them a bit that all these people know their entire up to date history...

Anyway enough reminiscing, I have just realised that it is book week and the hat parade was today and I forgot. Sigh. But I blame the late email newsletter that would have reminded me if it was put out yesterday as normal instead of 8 o'clock this morning (and not read until after 9).

And go and check out the Southern Girls Challenge, the girls have come up with some amazing projects, I would love to see what you can do for us. cheers xx

How lucky am I??

I love being involved in the online scrapping community. This year especially I seem to have made some rather wonderful friends. The other day I received an unexpected package in the mail from one of my lovely very talented friends - Li-bee-ti. And look at the goodies contained within -

A very cute card - have I mentioned I love embossed card so much??


some beautiful handmade flowers (oh how much do I love these..)


and this very special mini album that I admired so much when Li-bee-ti put it up on her blog (see here) - it is so clever! I have planned the photos of my nieces that I will put in here, maybe in a sepia print that will suit the gorgeous pinks and browns. mmmm.

here it is all opened up -


So thanks you very much Libeeti - you completely made my day, I had a big smile on my face for such a long time. xx

Another Freaking DT - Hooray!!

Very excited to be asked to be a member of Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge DT!! And check out the talented ladies I will be sharing this with -

Beverley Cunningham
Donna O'Leary
Sarah Groen
Sandi Taloumis
Mia Montalvan-Castrillo
Anne Pennington

{little happy noises again..}

The second challenge is still up, come and play with us. xx

Moderation Day

The kids have a pupil free day and it was a very rainy day so nice to have a bit of a sleep in and stay indoors. Geoff is off skiing (quite miserable weather) so I got a couple of LO's done.

Second warning of the week - contains mention of rude boys bits...

Scrap the Boys August challenge is to use the following piccy for inspiration.


I took the colours and the stripes. Totally fab room.

The story behind the pictures occurred while I was in the shower, it was strictly a boy thing. Every night (despite a nagging mother who would prefer a calm child going to sleep), Henry has a major tickle war with his father and his big brother. On this night, Henry got a bit rough and kicked Geoff in a tender area.

" Arggh, you've got me in the ghoolies "(Henry's spelling - yes that's how much it has been discussed this week). And Henry completely lost it - tears of laughter and seal like laughs. Boys and names for personal areas - never ending source of humour.

Anyway onto more girly matters. This is my very cute niece who was intent on showing me how good she was at standing on one leg (a song from Play School that is now stuck in my head). Get Creative has this sketch up for offer -

Although I have only noticed the rough edges which I would have loved to have used but this is a relatively neat and tidy Lo for me. No inking!!


Just about all the products used for these two Lo's have come from the latest Cocoa Daisy Kit - it is about the best kit I have received. I think I was making little happy noises with each item that I pulled out. I especially love the little calico banner pieces in the first Lo, I have stamped these ones but they are equally cool left plain. I can't wait to use the rest and there is the best banner stamp that is crying out to be used now!

Off to bed - eventually - ok realistically going to watch TV in a slovenly manner now. xx

PS Go check out Another Freaking Scrapping challenge site - fun challenge this week. x

Another freaking scrappy challenge sketch

Warning - this post contains images and descriptions of a younger and slightly more reckless me...

This one I love!! The sketch is so very cool - I will use the kites in the future - love the shape of them -but they didn't really suit the LO this time so a blob of glitter will have to suffice. And the criteria for your sketch is

'Please scrap something fun or humorous - we all need a laugh once in a while, and when there's nothing at all funny happening in our lives, it will be nice to look at our layouts and smile! You are not obligated to use clouds or kites in your layout - they just make me happy - so I put them in the sketch!'

How could I go past my blue jumpsuit??


I went shopping in the usual second hand stores with one of my (male and easily embarassable) friends for something to wear on our pub crawl. Anyway, we went into Vinnies, and I found the blue jumpsuit. Dixon about died when I tried it on. I was a size 10 (sigh) and this was a size 8. The very helpful lady in the shop said it would be just the thing for doing housework in(!!!).

So shiny. So veloury. So Attractive.
With my hair big and luxurious, blue eyeshadow and probably even blue mascara - I was ready to hit the town...

By the end of the night, in our fav nightclub - Cocos - I was pretending to be Irish and I don't do good accents.

"Tequila sunrises, hmm we don't have them in Ireland, you must buy me one so I can try it out...'

'No I can't go to a party with you on the weekend as I am flying home tomorrow' - This was my near undoing as the lad I told this one to turned out to be painting the outside of our next door neighbours house for the next couple of days - I was pretty much housebound.

Oh dear...

And that is my darling Hubby next to me - this was before we started going out - and
Batman behind us, our inspiration for everything!

And I still have the jumpsuit but fitting into it again is a mere dream.

Anyway - pop on over to Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge Site check out the other girls work - and there are some stunning and highly entertaianing works there. I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

Today...

Our garden/jungle is looking like this (there is actually a house not too far behind this tangle -


but making me very happy is the promise of spring -

and my fav white camillias - (glorious pink ones are about to explode soon)-


and making our front entrance smell sweet, gorgeous daphne always lifts the spirits...

my first winter rose that hasn't died on me -


and my little patch of happiness -


Have I mentioned that I can't wait for spring???

A fun Lo now for the latest sketchy Thursday sketch. Heavily reliant on The Neighbourhood collection from Crate Paper (mmmm) with a half flower made from Tattered Angels tissue paper.




Busy week ahead with lots of visitors - must have clean house (ha!!).

Have a great day and will be back tomorrowish with the latest challenge from Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge - this one I am looking forward to so very much (i will just say one piece sky blue velour jumpsuit with bell bottoms!!). Until then xxx.

Dad's 80th

It's dad's 80th birthday at the end of this week, but the local football team had the bye last weekend so the footy club was available etc etc. This is dad's 2nd (or some may say 1st..) home. It keeps him - and Mum - sane. he meets with like minded friends where they talk about all things football and potter around helping out. I shouldn't say potter because they work hard at keeping the club running and it does make a nice little profit.

Anyway , as I was saying it was Dad's party last weekend. Nobody was quite sure who would turn up as no official invitations were sent out and Dad was always walking in saying "oh, I've just invited so and so.." so we figured anywhere between 40 and 150 would turn up. Interesting catering for such an event...

In the end about 120ish people turned up and it was such a fun night. It is always good to catch up with brothers and rels. Dad got to make a speech which he loves to do - the trick is getting the microphone away from him!

It was well worth the trip.



This Lo is Dad cutting the cake, accepting one of the presents and cards from the football club (money to be spent on a holiday) and with Mum. I have used this sketch #167 from Creative Scrappers.

And here is myself (I know an actual up to date photo of me..) with Henry. He had a great time as there were lots of kids to run with and run they did - luckily there was lots of room. I was going to enter it in black with two that I have recently discovered but it is specifically with no flowers - must learn to read! So it is one of those rare beasts for me, a Lo with no associated challenge but I am pleased with the way it turned out.

Anyway please don't forget to go check out Another Freaking Scrappy challenge site, come and have some fun with us - love to see your work!

have a great day xxx

Busy week

Phew, I feel a wee bit tired after a bit of a full week. Fun though!!

First up was this major event -

My biggest baby is 19!! I spent most of Tuesday wandering the shops wondering what to get him for his birthday. I settled on Mario cart for the Wii from his brother and sister- huge hit - a good family getting together game. It was so nice to come home on Wednesday after Henry'; tennis and hear Matt and Meaghan chatting away while they were playing. Geoff and I are going to help him with some of his travel costs - mainly a rail pass around Europe.

I have used the latest sketch from Sketchy Thursday.
And my prize for winning My Fav things a while ago arrived (we miss you!!) . I got to choose some things from Noel Mignon (so much to choose from, I spent many happy hours viewing on this site) and ended up with the Neighbourhood collection from Crate Paper (ahh feeding my addiction..) and the Manila pack from Basic Grey as well as buying a couple of extra things - how could I not?? So I had a bit of fun playing with my new supplies on this Lo.

Then on Friday we headed down to dad's 80th birthday party - a 900 k round trip over three days. Photoshop is playing up at the moment and I'm too tired to fuss too much so will have photo's tomorrow. It was a very good night!

Now we can concentrate on getting Matt organised fro his big trip - if you see a long haired lad wandering around Europe holding a map - more than likely upside down - please be nice and show him to the nearest train station..

have a great night and hope GFC versionII doesn't bite too hard...

xx