Finally Back

My blog world has been ignored since before Christmas, now we are back from various trips. This last week has been spent at Mum and Dad's. It has been a very hot week, not coincidentally they have a pool so we spent most of our time swimming. It reached 43 C, not quite as bad as Sydney but still...

Cool change came through and was even a bit col last night.

While I was away, two new challenges that I am involved with have been published.

Firstly, my second guest designer spot at Get Creative. (Have I mentioned how much I love this site??)

I love this sketch, so much to my style.

Henry has always been afraid of dogs, somewhat of a problem when staying with Geoff's sister as they have a dog who lives inside. Henry was wary but slowly he became more and more intrigued with Mannny. He loved the idea of being able to give the dog a command and he would (mostly) obey.

By the end of a few days together, Henry loved taking him for runs (Manny had to be on a leash as we were in the country and he would take off if outside, as happened on new years eve were he went straight for the ducks in the dam and took half an hour to get him back). So good for Henry to spend time with him.

And then over at Another Freaking Scrappy Challenge, another sketch. This was trickier for me as I don't feel comfortable doing lots of photos, but quite happy with the end result.

I flipped it, and changed some of the photo styles. all ok...

So now I am settled in, I would love to come by and visit your blogs.

And I still need to draw the winner of my Christmas blog hop for Child's Play - so this week will be busy.

Ps - while I was away the carpenters came back to work on the house (yay) and we now have a good part of the second floor under way (windows- eek!!), man it is starting to look big...

Will update house blog this week as well. 

Have good week xx

Raggedy Ann and Andy

I always wanted a Raggedy Ann Doll when I was little. Not even sure how I knew about her, never saw a book or tv show with her  but I guess like all kids, toys are a universal knowledge base. You just KNOW they exist..

Child's Play latest challenge is to base your Lo on this picture

I went with the colours because I never did receive a doll (sigh)

 

 

This is my little niece at Questacon our local science museum. Very inquisitive little girl.

Weather wise, you know it's a hot summer when you are relieved that the temp is only forecast to get to 38C today. Sydney is going for the second hottest day on record. It is currently 35 at the moment and the wind has just started, going to be a bad fire day, hope you are safe where ever you are.

We are off to a friends, catching up with their pool  other friends there (and ok, they might just have a pool as well...) so that will be fun.

Have a good day. xxx

Holiday fun

While we were away over Christmas, we caught up with an old friend and headed to Healesville for the day. First to The Healesville Sanctaury (more on that another day) and then to a little maze/mini golf/frisbee golf place. Lots of fun.

And 'Holiday' is one of the Bird is the Word topics at the moment, seemed like a good place to start. Frisbee golf finished off the day nicely with lots of laughter happening -

We'll it is certainly heating up here in Aus. I'm not complaining yet, memories of last years non summer and a very long winter are still fresh... So we sit in our wading pool or sit in our lovely cool house and venture out only occasionally. Will head back down to Mum and Dad's soon to take advantage of their pool (and their company... let's face it, pool first!) but they are having a week of plus 40 temps (104F+ in old temp) so may wait until next week, that is getting a touch extreme...

So far no hint of bush fires around here but they tend to happen in late Jan so fingers crossed no bad ones this year.

xxx

Happy New Year!!

Finally back in town and I have to say, scrapping wise, I have already messed up the start of the year. that must be some sort of record...

Two sites, both with a topic relating to New Years Resolutions. One I forgot to do before leaving on our Christmas hols (sorry Anne xxx) and the other I thought I had sent off but hadn't - Doh (sorry Irini...).

So at a two for one price here is my New Years Resolution -

This was designed for my Guest design Spot over at one of my favourite sites, Get Creative. 

Today's challenge....
 is all about freedom and expressing our thoughts
 we want you to  journal about the year that passed 2012 
and the year to come 2013!.....
feel free to make a layout with or without a photo....
go crazy with paint or mists collage, 
stickers, different mediums, pencils, 
doodling zentangling....
your focus is the journalling!...

but equally I think could cover Another Freaking Scrappy Challenges first challenge for the year -

What will be your new year's resolution this year. What do you wish you could resolve and stick to???

If you have not made a resolution for this year, scrap about your resolution from another year. Were you successful? Would you do it again??

 Of course the house is going to be the dominant theme this year, must remember to breathe occasionally.

So feel free to do better than I have done and join in!!!

On a happier note, our trip away was fun and we caught up with just about our entire family, lots of fun. Lots of yummy food, many swims in the pool and walks along the beach as it was too cold to swim by the time we headed south. Lots of photos to scrap, all good.

I will draw my blog hop prize next Monday so if you want to join in, there's still plenty of time.

Off to take Henry to see The Hobbit now, looking forward to that. xxx 

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