In Transit

Another photo from our holidays. A bit of an unusual one, not your typical tourist photo..

We had about 10 hours to spend in Kuala Lumpur on the way home from Vietnam. We had planned to deposit our bags in the appropriate place at the airport, and then head into town. Upon arrival at the airport, we discovered that the bag drop off area was not attended and a sign up saying they wouldn't be accepting bags until after 4pm. Ok, we were stuck in the low cost airport (no interesting shopping or nice places to lounge), with a great pile of luggage for 10 hours. Not ideal. Especially before a very long overnight flight home.

So Geoff and Matt did some reconnaissance and found a hotel nearby that rented rooms in three hour slots. they managed to score the last room available (yay) and we headed on over. The room was tiny, only enough room for a double bed and possible less than 1 metre extra around the bed. So we piled the bags in and found space were we could (hence Meaghan in the shower...). Thankfully they also had a really nice area downstairs with cold drinks. So we took it in turns to have showers and resting on the bed. Bizarrely, it was the most comfortable bed AND the best shower we had come across in three weeks of moving around.

And they had a decent restaurant, so by the time we had to go to the airport, we were well rested, well fed and showered. All a bonus.


I have used this weeks Sketchy Thursday sketch -

Hope you had a great weekend. We looked at more houses (fun and confusing) and went for a lovely picnic to welcome a new family to Geoff's work. All catered. love that!!

And my most lovely friend Jo sent me this to look at -

Adventures in Depression

it is the coolest blog post I have seen in an age - funny and sad at the same time. Go check it out esp if you have suffered or know someone from depression.

xxx

prepare to be amazed...

Last night I went to visit a friend who had just moved into her brand new (and very beautiful) house. This was both for research purposes but more to have a chat and a glass of wine (and chocolates) in her very lovely new lounge room. Sigh, I want my new house now...

Anyway, I had a little house warming present for her but no card - So I MADE A CARD!! yay! A very simple card, lets face it but a card none the less.



The chip board tree and house are form Bella Blvd, so cute. And of course some Twinery twine, finally got to use the Maraschino reddy one- it is about my fav I think.

And today I finished a lo that was inspired by this weeks A-Z challenge at Scrapbookers Anonymous, this week bought to you by the letter 'C' (now the kids are big -I miss sesame street). And as I had a huge stack of Crate Paper (I love Crate Paper so much), I did another unusual thing for me, this lo is just about all matching lines -Neighbourhood and Emma's Shop - coincidentally as this Lo is about my very cute niece, Emma and her excitment at using her favourite cousins umbrella! I usually mix things up a lot more, I did add the little basic grey yoyo and the alphas are from BG as well and some very. very old Pink Paislee


And now that I am no longer on the DT for Southern Girls, I can enter this weeks challenge, Polka dots and Stripes. How cool is that?? They are after some more Australian and NZ entries for this week, a very cool prize awaits someone.

I really need to housework now so I guess that means I will be scrapping a lot (ok avoiding housework is what I do best...). have a good one. xx

Ps still a couple of days to go in Another Freaking Scrappy challenge site's two October challenges, not many entries yet so you would be in with a really good chance to win something very cool - head on over and check us out! x

Cocoa Daisy love

It has been a very slow month regarding craftiness. It has all seemed too hard, too much trouble and really not much has inspired me. Not anyones fault but my own. still in holiday mood. Plus the added distraction of Matt being overseas (Spain now - me not sleeping...) and after waiting 10(!!) years to finally start redecorating the house we have decided to pull this one down (hopefully after recycling the better bits - floorboards anyone??) and build a new one that works for us. We have had no where to actually sit down with visitors/friends, our main lounge room has three doors and a staircase leading off it as well as being long and narrow. We have to go to our backyard though the laundry (very not ideal..) and the entrance is through the kitchen (oh so very not ideal!!!). We have had renovations drawn up but they are still a big compromise and we are at a stage were we need more space. (Ros, I am just about to email you for advice!!). Wish us luck - and patience! oh and cash...

Anyway back to the crafty issue - my creative flow was rekindled with the arrival of the latest Cocoa Daisy Kit (I' m afraid to say that the latest Studio Calico kit arrived before it and my reaction was completely flat, a bit of a dull one this time). Cd however came through, as it always seems to at the moment. Even though it is full of autumn stuff, it is so versatile - love it!

first up is a lo for Scrap the Girls, use distressing (like I couldn't..) and the word love in the title. Used some photo of Meaghan and one her best friends, mucking around in her room. I think just about everything I've used except the little round alpha and ribbon, is from the latest CD kit.




And then one of Henry looking esp cute in his dad's hat that he wanted to wear while we playing cards one night. Again most things are from the latest kit. I made the little felt and button flowers all by myself (yay), the washi tape and the yellow alpha are from the Studio Calicao kit.



I have used one of the design Team's sketches at Cocoa Daisy (this months challenge).

time to stop talking now, have a great day xx

Busy holidays

First up I will share my latest Sketchy Thursday Lo with you and then those who wish to can leave before my ramblings...

Loved this sketch and it came together so quickly digi style. I smile every time I walk into Henry's room and see his pile of half read books on his bed side table. It is so very cool that he loves to read just like his big brother.

Just about all the elements are from Lauren Reid Designs, love her shop. And I am about to get this, will suit my style I think.

Oh and this is this weeks sketch -


And now for non scrappy stuff , it may be long and boring, you have been warned...

This was Matt's room at the start of the holidays - ok, so it after i had started to work on it so his big wooden bookcase that was behind his desk is gone and his desk is pulled away from the corner but the level of messiness and crowded feeling wasn't much different to normal. And the carpet was (originally) cream, so not good for us.


This is it now - still not quite finished but just rearranging of little things plus another bookcase to go along the bottom of his bed but the room feels like a brand new space - and it is huge!! And I ripped up the carpet - one of my favourite activities. If you are reading this Matt, please pretend to be surprised when you get back - hope you like it...


And then we had to move on to Henry's room, no before photos, but he has inherited Matt's large bookcase and he was desperate for a red wall. And here's a tip - red paint is so much harder to get right than purple, three coats plus touching up required, a bit of a pain but not bad in the end.
Meaghan's room is next, carpet comes up and she wants a lime green wall. Hers will be a bit easier as she purges her room every now and then which Matt is incapable of...

I was going to complain about a number of things that happened over the holidays (Meaghan severely chipping her brand new itouch, someone attempting to steal our credit card number. Matt being out of contact for a week and us not even knowing what country he was in - there was a sleepless couple of nights..) but everything is ok and life is good. I especially bless our bank (very rare but they deserve it!) because they picked up on the credit card fraud before any damage was done, clever people!!

ok I'm off outside as it is finally a lovely day here. xxx

Torvill and Dean - almost

I feel like I haven't scrapped for an age. The kids are on holidays - back to school tomorrow - and we have been dealing with lots of house style decisions. I will share some of my handiwork in the kids rooms this week and the rest is a matter of time and money (and probably a lot of stress) , I will let you know when we know...

But the one bit of scrapping I have done this week is for Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge and it is a fun one. And it incorporates this sketch - always love that.

Anyway this is the challenge this week -

"For this game we challenge you to feature yourself in costume, or a costume that you have made or inspired, incorporate the colour purple somewhere in the layout, place a surprise somewhere in the layout . If you do not celebrate Hallowe’en where you are - scrap about dress-up – either for a formal affair, or for play!! Now - you are welcome to play along and post your layout even if you are stumped on any of these requirements - we encourage you to play along regardless!! We don't penalize - we like everyone to have some fun and play along in the spirit if they are able to!"

And here is my interpretation - not rapt in the end product but it's ok. When some of our closest friends got engaged back in 1991 they had a themed engagement party - well known couples. Bizarrely enough they came as a pair of jellyfish...

Geoff and I went for Torvill and Dean complete with roller skates. Luckily they had covered their floor with thick wrinkly plastic so it was smooth but not too smooth, I really can't roller skate and any hard floor would have done me in! And I made our costumes back when I used to sew more than now - lots of sequins! A very fun but cold night.

Come and play with us - and our school challenge is open until the end of the month, loving the work done so far (Mitra and Tina - I'm waiting...)

Ok, school has started back today because our internet is playing up again!! And blogspot is doing something funny with my fonts because through no action of my own they are all over the place.

Henry spent last night working himself up to being stressed about school starting but thankfully was OK today. The house is very quiet, mmmmm peaceful. And Matt is in Naples trying to work out how to get to Barcelona by the 20th to meet his girlfriend there. Very long train or ferry trip ahead I think...

ok maybe I can get some scrapping done today, will be back later to show off what I actually did get done over the hols. Have a fun day xx

My (maybe) last Southern Girls Challenge

Well, the time has come to step down from Southern Girls. It has been a bit over a year and I have loved becoming friends with all the girls on the team. The DT message board is so active, it is just a lovely team to work on.

Currently (as in right now!!) Lou is in labour with her latest addition (known to us as zippy but not being very zippy about his/her appearance...) so I may be staying on for a couple more weeks as she will be need rest rather than choosing the new DT members. I can't say I am unhappy to stay as I was feeling quite sad now the decision had been made.

Anyway onto the latest challenge - slugs, snails and puppy dog tails - all about the men in your life. I have chosen Henry when he was 4 doing his best karate poses. It's what 4yo's do best...




Come and play here, I would love to see your work.

And don't forget about Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge school days challenge, I am really looking forward to seeing these entries!

Back off to paint the second layer of a feature wall in Matt's room - very pleased with the way it looks so far, will show pictures when finished (ie after ripping up the carpet, buying a new bookcase and reassembling the furniture that I had to take apart because it was the only way to move it.. hmm could be a while). And now the other two want the same in their rooms, what have I done??

Update - Lou gave birth to a healthy baby boy - William - 7lbs 2oz - yay.

A restrained LO

For me anyway.. no inking, no misting no twine and the photos line up!! It is harder than it looks.

All inspired by this weeks Sketchy Thursday sketch. I like the way the clean style highlights the photos, and with a view like that, I guess they should be the centre of attention.




We only live a couple of hours away from Sydney, an easy drive but we never seem to make it there. When Matt caught his plane from the airport, we decided to spent the weekend looking around. This is the photos we took on the ferry to get across to the zoo. the opera House never ceases to amaze, wonderful, bizarre but beautiful building that it is.

And thank you to the folks at Scrapping the Music for choosing this LO of Meaghan for this weeks winner. Always, always nice to see your work up. yay.

The kids are on holidays at the moment so we are off clothes shopping for Meaghan now. sigh.

And Matt is about to hit Vienna. So far his favourite place has been Krakow in Poland, he has just spent a week in Prague but has been a bit sick. His blog work has been less than exemplary, a source of frustration for us (seriously how hard can it be to write a few lines, esp for someone who wants to be a writer!!) but skype continues to be wonderful. It never ceases to amaze us that we get free wifi whenever we have travelled OS and Matt has the same in Europe, but if you want Internet access in your hotel room in Australia you have to pay through the nose. So annoying and embarrassing as well.

Ok off now, see you in a day or two for my very last Southern Girls DT LO. If you are quick you can still apply to be on the team. It is a wonderful team and I am desperatly sad to be moving on, but I needed a bit of a break (the last challenge had at last count over 370 entries..). Pop on over if you are interested and wish Lou luck as she is currently in hospital hopefully having her forth baby very soon. xx

My school days

Ok, my turn to have a school report aired in public. The latest Another Freaking Scrappy challenge is up -

scrap your school days – your own school days incorporating three of: a photo of you back in the day, or a momento from those years , perhaps: a song title, lyrics or album cover from that era, your favourite school subject, or a page from one of your texts, diaries or notebooks , a scan or your yearbook – whatever is representative of your school days. Maybe you could include a memory of those days in your blog posting. We'd prefer if you scrap your own school days - as we like to encourage our followers to scrap about themselves to leave a legacy for their family - but you can scrap your children's school days if you prefer.

So here I am in all my youthful cuteness, with my report that was to follow me all through primary school, academically ok but really, really untidy.

I was the last girl to get my pen licence (and I think it was a sympathy licence rather than any real improvement in my writing).

Things hit a bit of a disastrous point when my year 4 teacher decided it would be a fun idea to use old fashioned ink pens for a term. I'm pretty sure the parents would have been unamused at this little experiment. Open ink wells on desks, that the teacher made us fill ourselves out of a much bigger container and ink pens that leaked every where - I spent a long time with very blue fingers. And many a uniform permanently stained.

After I had finished typing in the journalling, I was showing Henry and he was highly amused because in my initial draft of "my spelling is Ok' I had in fact spelt Spelling wrong... sigh. And after i had sent off my Lo to Anne, I realised that I wasn't in fact in grade 2 in 1974, I was only in grade 1 - sigh again. Messy and careless. Still.

It is freezing here today, we had a lovely taste of spring a week or two ago but this week has been vile. The kids are on holidays now and our local govt, in their infinite wisdom has put on two long weekends in a row which means Canberra will be deserted all of this week. Not that I mind that but having your long weekends spread apart is a better idea I think.

Ok so come and join us At Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge, I would love to hear about your school days. xx