Quintessentially Me

I miss him.....

My dear old buddy

We lost him this week.  I had to make the decision to put him to sleep, and it was dreadful.  I have dreaded it for a long time and always put it out of my mind.  I figured when the time came John could deal with it and I would have to just get used to him not being here.  But when I got home from a day out with my sister on Tuesday, He did not come straight away when I called.  I could hear him under the deck, but he wasn't coming.  So unlike him, he would bound up desperate to get in to me to say hello.  I looked over the deck and saw what I never wanted to, my dear old loyal dog stumbling and falling trying to make his way up to me.  It was horrible.  He was quite a big boy and I raced inside to ring my neighbour to help me lift him...I had no idea how I could do it on my own, but they did not answer, so I had to.  I almost collapsed my self once I made it up the ramp and around by the back door to get him onto his bed.  He was ice cold and breathing really heavy and slow.  I was a mess...i couldn't find the vet numbers I was trying not to lose it, and the doorbell rang, and my next door neighbour took charge and rang  around and found a vet who would come to my house and treat him and help us get him to the car to take him to the vet.  A circulatory collapse he said.  No blood circulation which is why he was so cold.  we filled hot water bottles to try to warm him up so the vet could give him the medication.  Long story a little shorter, john was away and I had to deal with taking him in and making the decision to not let him suffer through many tests and treatments to find out if he had an abdominal tumour that had ruptured....blah blah blah.....It was disgusting and I never wanted to be the one to do it.  It's 2 days gone now and I can still blubber.  I loved my dog....Since we had kids he was out the back a lot more, but he still had his bed inside, and way back when I was single he slept on the bottom of my waterbed with me....Till he got too big!  He was 14.  It was very sudden.... He had no idea he was old and would tear around up and down the rocks in our yard like a mad dog.  He still thought he was a puppy.  No sign of age accept going a bit grey in his face the last year or so.

So yes...a bit too sad this week. 

I miss his company already.

How time flies....

It is June already.  Man this year is going quick.  I feel it is going so fast because the year is being broken up into terms for school.  The terms go so quick!  This is the middle of Denver's 2nd term in school..and he is loving it.  He has changed so much.  A real little man now.  He is more independant, and loves to read!  He reads and spells out everything!  "Do you want some of this in your lunch denver?"   "Y-E-S  P-L-EE-S Mum!"  Too cute!

I have been doing a bit lately on the scrapping front...Most recently a bunch of things for classes.

A new card set

 

A Little tin set, which turned out very cute.

There is also an art LO class using Paint, masking fluid, texture paste, mod podge and the like....That is nearly done, I just have to take some photos of them.

The Home series class is also on it's way.  Its a series of 3 classes, with lots of extras, ideas and motivation sent via e-mail before the classes.  There are OTP  projects and Layouts in this one.

These are all available through Scrapbook Station, and some will be available as kits if people can't make classes.

The latest thing I have been working on is designing some brushes and stamps in Photoshop using my wacom tablet.....I have been having so much fun.  It is very time consuming, but satisfying!  I have also been designing printed papers and elements to print out and use on my layouts....I have also been incorporating them into a couple of my classes.

Well it appears as if typepad will not let me upload anymore pics at this present time.......  Will not co-operate....

My DH is away again, just a couple of nights this time,  He got back from America about 3 weeks ago, which was a much longer stint.  I never like it!  The kids hate it.  But we survived.

Well should go and get the cherubs in bed....They are having a bit of a treat and staying up a little longer tonight due to Daddy being away....It eases the dissatisfaction a little!!!  Mazzie is most affected these Days....She is still reacting badly when John goes to the shops without her after the america trip.

STOOPIT AMEWICA she calls it, the other one is STINKY PERS, which is where Daddy is for a coupkle of days now (Perth that is!!!)  Is the tears weren't falling it would be quite humurous.  Anyway.....

Bye for now!

 

My Little Man started school this week.  Wow!

He is so very ready, and had no anxiety about going.  He actually asked every other day throughout January, when the 'end of January' was.  He looks very cute in his uniform, and has taken it all in his stride.  He is even very happy to sit down and do his homework.  Which I might add...I totally enjoy.  This is what I know how to do!  It is so exciting watching your child be so eager to learn how to read.  It is all he wants to get from school ATM.

Just before School started My DH took a few days off work ( just after he returned from holidays ( lucky me) and stayed with the kids for 3 days while I went to my sisters and had some time to scrap, and be without children for a few days ( well, my children, she has two of her own!)  It was lovely....

I have just bought a binding machine, the cute little scrapbooking pink one!  I have a big one, but this one has more flexibility on where you punch the holes.  I love it, and have made several albums already ( all given away so far....) But I have gotten through quite a few pages of mine, titled "The Daily Grind"  Have a look.....                                            

Thats it so far.  It was fun!  Ran out of photos!!  Need to take more of daily stuff that has to be done around here.  On a slightly different note...Finally my DH has taken an interest in cameras.  I bought mine quite a while ago now, and love it,  But the megapixels leave a bit to be desired compared to cameras these days, and is only a 4.  I must say though, it has been a fabulous camera ( Panasonic FZ10 as close to an SLR as can be without being one) I have been really happy with the quality.  In saying all that though, DH actually has a very good understanding of photography and had a film SLR back in the day, but took no interest in taking photos when I got into scrapping.  Very annoying.  Now he is all interested in the new Canon that has just been released in the US.  While yes, it does mean I will have no idea how to take a general photo, after being the sole photographer in our family...it does however, mean he may take an interest in what I do, and give me material to work on! (I may even be in it for a change!)  He goes for another work trip to the US in April, so maybe around then, we will have a few more megapixels up our sleeves!

Well..I have been on an organising, sorting and decluttering mission throughout January, and man am I on fire.  I threw out everything I don't need or use, especially in the kitchen, linen closet, main WIR and kids wardrobes.  I just have the downstairs room to do.....and she's a doozie!  Not at all looking forward to that one.  It is a guest room/storage/ & remainder of when it was my scrapping room, room.....whoo hoo!  It will take some time, and make a huge mess in the process.  It will be nice when it is done though.  Then I just need to sell some baby stuff and a sofa bed futon lounge and all the stuff we don't need will be gone!!!  Looking forward to that!

Must go....TFL

Lydell x

Tell me it's over!

That pretty much says it all I believe.  Sounds a little anti Christmas I guess....We have just finished off Christmas in our emalgamated family.  Honestly...I have had a migraine since Christmas Eve.  It's January 2nd, and now we can get back to 'normal life'  I even took down the tree and got the christmas out of the house yesterday....moving on!  We had 3 BIG family Christmas get togethers.  Which was nice in theory, but each of these required food, christmas presents for at least 15 + people ( each party) and in one, motel stay.  There are several things I could have done to alleviate stress, but chose not to......

1.  'Purchase' presents for adults instead of dreaming up interesting things to hand create...May have needed to remorgage the house, but I wouldn't have had to sit for hours upon hours creating the night before EACH party.  This would have required more shopping though, and with 1 attempt to go shopping with two young children, under my belt, (vowing NEVER to undertake that particular endeavour again in my lifetime) I had already organised John to take a day off while I went shopping for the bulk of just 1 of these parties,  any more and he would have had to take holidays.  I came home slightly frazzled!  Not nice.

2.  NOT try to make special little nicities for the dinner table, to make Christmas a bit more special.  I made a Christmas tree cake, (which was cute, but needed to be done Christmas morning, which made us late, and added more stress to an already rushed morning) and cute little decorated star biscuits with each persons name piped on, which doubled as place seating thingies.  Very cute, but again just something else to get done!

3. NOT agree to a time Christmas morning which does not allow for a casual relaxed Christmas breakfast with my own immediate family.  This is one I regret most.  I want to start our own family traditions, not just race off here and there and not get our own time to celebrate Christmas.  11.30am at a destination more than an hour away ( as it turned out -1hr 20mins with 19 traffic lights.....trying to balance a melting towering Christmas tree cake piled high and held together with only wooden skewers on my lap....mmmm!)

4.  Suggest that all these family get togethers start a fortnight before Christmas, and finish a fortnight after christmas.  Create space between parties!!!

5.  Try to minimise travelling.  We spent 10 hours travelling in the car over less than a week.  For us...that is excessive! (especially being in a confined space with two kids that don't like travelling!)

6.  Start now for next Christmas!

In saying all that...It was lovely catching up with people we hadn't seen for a long time, even though at the final party we were on a farm which recorded the temperature out in direct sun at 50 degrees I believe.  EWWW.  It was extremely hot, but.... we got a motel in Loxton and it had VERY good air conditioning, so when we could retreat to our room for the night each day over the weekend, we were cold, instead of sweltering!

Here are some pics.....

An advent Calendar I made for the kids for the month of December.  It was a hit.  I got the idea from a family craft website and a link to an ETSY shop.  someone had made a calendar from toilet rolls.  Very cute!

Our Christmas cards for people who live away from us.  It included a letter about our year 2007.  I have tried to do this for years now, and never actually got to it.  They were sent AFTER christmas, as a holiday card, but they were sent!!!!

I made a coupon booklet for some couples (with kids mostly) for the couples to use to give each other 'space' or 'mental health time'!!! (well that is what we call it in my home!!)  I dreamt up all the things I like to occur in my house for me to get relief here and there.  'A coffee out with a friend', or 'a meal You did not cook', or ' put your feet up with coffee and a biscuit for half an hour -child free'  'Pizza and a movie tonight - when kids are in bed!"  There were 30 coupons in each booklet, and I got to use my perforating tool for the first time ever.  I like it a lot!!!  Made them look very professional!

                                                               That cake!           

And our family Christmas photo. One of the better ones!  Man, that was a mission!       

Well That's it.  Now I just want to do some creating!  Lots of new stuff to use,  Lots of fun ahead,  as long as the kids will allow it!!!

Till next time....

Lydell x

This month.....

Back again for what has seemingly become a monthly event!!!  Not a great deal has happened from memory.  I did turn 35!  John finally finished the stairs out the back to get up into the back yard, with out mountain climbing.  The thing I am most excited about though, is not so much soaking in nappy-san trying to remove the dirt stains from the butts of my kids clothes.  (They would slide down the incline!!!!) 

Denver has his assessment day at school, it was nice to be back.  Shane ( Principal) took great pride showing me all the things that have changed over the last 5 years.  I let my registration lapse, and when I got home I looked in to what I needed to do to re-activate it, and It is harder than I thought.  Looks like more study will be involved, which seems rediculous when I taught for so long,  If I had done more relief teaching while I was pregnant (ie- 200 days)  I could have gone in front of a board and plead my case ( not sure I want it that badly!!!) So I am a bit annoyed about that, but I am pretty happy teaching classes and doing the occaisional shop hours for Janine and Karen. (Scrapbook Station) Anyway Denvers orientation day is on Wednesday.  Can't believe he will be off to school next year, and in my old classroom I taught receptions in!  I think it will hit when I purchase all the school uniforms. They look so cute in their brand new crisp grey, white and blue!

Not nearly enough scrapping going on here either!  I have done some things, although not layouts.  Lots of Christmas stuff, for an event at church that was not overly successful I hear, and I think I will be getting a lot of it returned.  I have started an album for a friend who recently got married, I enjoy book making, so it is from scratch, and while it looks lovely, there were quite a few hours spent on it, without much to show in the way of actual pages.  I am getting there!  I did make some cards for a card class,  Shaker cards, which ran Tuesday night. 

Janine and Steph came to visit last week, and between us we had 8 children in the house.  ( two were imobile!)  My sister and her 2 were here as well.  I had not seen Steph since Madison was born.  So we had two dear little girls laying on the floor goo-ing and gaa-ing, one little man crawling AND 5 bigger kids running around!  It was lovely, and all the kids did very well.  Mykenzie and Emma hunted for bugs, and gathered containers full.  Mmmm nice!

I still have the christmas shopping to attend to, which I am putting off....But if I don't get onto it, It will be a much harder task than it should be!  Blah!  I did promise the kids we will put the tree up this weekend, that should shake me out of my denial, that I do actually need to go shopping!

Well....

I think that is pretty much our month!

Hope you are all well. xx 

Three!!!

I can't believe my Baby Girl is three!  It has gone so fast.  We celebrated her birthday on Saturday with family.  It was nice.  Lots of work, but it was nice.  I have a couple of photos to share, for the benefit of other family who could not be there, and some work I have done recently.  So here are some pics.

 

She enjoyed herself anyway!

As for Layouts....I have done a few. 

This was my first attempt of using paper napkins/surviettes (?) to create paper, using liquitex medium to adhere the tissue to the cardstock.  It certainly is fun, and I will do it more!

This one is a very simple one for the beginners class at Scrapbook Station.  We will do the LO first, and then try several techniques on smaller projects. 

The Contacts one is a little flip album which sits on your bench for Phone numbers and addresses.  It is also a class.                     

The blue one is another class using one of my favourite boy quotes! Certainly suits my boy anyway!!!

Well that's it for now,  I can tell you though, that when your scrap space is shared with your living space and you host an event of some kind, and are expecting people, you tidy up any residual mess left by previous scrapping projects....So I now have this perfectly tidy scrapping table!  Just lovely to get onto another project!

See you again soon x

I Know...I know!!!!

I have been told enough lately how slack I am....And I know it!  I have not been sitting about twiddling my thumbs, but it seems if I don't make distinct efforts to keep track of this blog, It can go by the wayside.  I have not even visited anyone elses blogs either.  I really have not even scrapped since my last entry!  I did do the project for the Whalers retreat, which I taught on Sunday just gone, and that was fun!  I have another class on the weekend to finish off, and I have all the classes for the next schedule to do yet, and they are meant to be well and truely on the way by now, probably even up on the wall already.  Yes I am juggling!  I really should not even be blogging now!  I have done the Kindy drop and pick up thing and both kids are in my care again, so maybe I can get some stuff done.  I do have the washing to do, I have cleaned the house, but not my scrapping area. (which really needs to be clean before I can start!)  It is always something.  I have a list as long as my arm of things that I should be doing, but I could have that every day.  hmmm!

One thing I do need to do is take a photo of my completed bathrooms,  That many people have said they would like to see it completed, without the water damage and mold everywhere!  I will do that now.....

Denvers room all patched up.....They had to cut out the bottom part of his wall and replace it.

So there you go!  Completed and looking much better!  The different tiles are not too obvious....Much better for little wet slippery feet straight out of the bath, ( they are not glossy!)  And most of all it is oh-so-nice to have my house back.  I got quite tired of sharing it with work men all day every day.

Anyway  that's that!  We put in another claim for the wodden floor boards out side the bathroom, and got a settlement for them, finding matching floorboards was going to be a nightmare when we didn't evenknow the manufacturer.  On with life now!

well should get back to it....'life' that is.....or maybe the scrapping element of my life!  He he he! 

Chaos..but Bliss!

Well since that last post, we had about a week of sanity with two working bathrooms, with the ensuite complete and now even bigger mess....They have begun the main bathroom.  SOOOO much dust it is incredible.  The floor boards are covered in a film of fine white dust, even after being swept.  Not to mention all the furniture throughout the entire house....Even though the bathroom door has been shut the entire time!  It's a pain having workmen in your home all day every day too!  You can't do anything you want to do cause they are walking in and out all day!  And the noise....Jack hammering and drills Blah!

What I have been able to do , and about all I can do is scrap!  (Whoo-hoo)  BUT.....I am very conscious of them thinking it's all I do, with Mykenzie sitting in front of the TV!!! ( Her bedroom is off the hallway past the bathroom, and I don't really want her getting in the way)  Every time they go past I am sitting at my table creating away!  ( Good for me, not having had the time lately to get anything done at all....) I have done about 4 double LO in the last two days, since these guys have been working in my house.  It is actually work, as the LO's need to be done to show at the Birthday at the Scrapbook Station on sunday.  It's promoting a Class on at the moment, 'The Vintage Series', which as the name suggests is Heritage.  It is also available in Kit form, so all this has to be done....I am not just scrapping all day for pleasure!!!!  (Although it is pretty liberating after not doing it for a while.)

Anyway....Should make the most of this time while it is available to me.....  Scrap time!!!

Another month gone by

I can't believe a month has passed again.  I can't believe the lack of time I have to scrap either!  I have done so little lately it is depressing!  I have well passed due deadlines.  I am working on them.......Not like me at all!  We have been sick for what seems like a very long time.  About 12-13 weeks.  John is just getting over his version of the flu.  Hopefully that is the end of it.  That is far too long.  I even went and bought us some multivitamins.  It is just silly.  Denver just kept bringing germ after germ home from Kindy.  He is there 4 days a week now, instead of the two he did last time.  Lots more exposure I guess!

Well my bathroom is looking better than it has looked over the last two weeks 

So that is starting to look like a bathroom again.  The Guy is in laying the tiles as we speak.....Yay.  That is actually a saga in itself.  Our tiles had been discontinued and I had to select a different tile for the floor.  Hope I chose right, I didn't want a plain colour tile ( The floor and walls were matching)  The house is only 4 years old, so I was not sick of my choices yet. But they are nearly done with the ensuite now, and the main bathroom is next.  ( Yes I know the plumber/tiler who did the job only 4 years ago should not be helping to build houses.  They have had to rip out the floor for all the water damage.)

Anyway....Apart from Illnesses, that is about the size of things in our life ATM!!!  Now I am off to scrap!!!!  Whoo-hoo..Now just hope the kids will let me!

Hi all the way over there in America

Well that was written about a week ago now, and while there have been moments, it's not been too bad since.  I think they were both reacting to their Dad being away.  Denver is now at kindy and I have a moment to post, which has been few and far between lately.

Honestly...I do not think my child is a terrorist, although she certainly has a streak!  (that she also came by honestly!  I gave my Mum a run for her money too at this age ( 2)  She is lovely most of the time, but Kity would disagree!!!)

Hope you are enjoying dinner!  We have just had breakfast!  A little late I know, but it's quiet now!

Hope you are all well,

Love Lydell x

What a day!

Well I must have done something pretty awful in a past life. I have officially had the day from the deep dark depths of somewhere nasty. Mykenzie has been on the top of her game to say the least. On top of the general duties of washing, folding, sweeping, emptying and re-loading dishwasher, making beds, sweeping again, sweeping and mopping all the hard floors ( Why I chose today to do this stuff I will never know.) Making loads up and downstairs to organize my new cabinets in the lounge/dining room, Mykenzie put some of her soft toys in the mop bucket water and dragged them all over my newly mopped floors then after telling her off for that I go looking for her and realize there is also water all over the place in the lounge room, I got really cross and then Denver tells me Mazzie put the cat in the water, and it all becomes clear, Kitty is saturated shivering under the lounge and dripping where ever he has run to escape the two year old terrorist we have residing in our home. So I bath the cat because the mopping water had washing detergent in it probably not at all good for a kitten. After I finish this I call the littlest one off the naughty chair and when she does not come I go to get her and find kitty litter all over the laundry on my newly washed floor. Not new kitty litter either, the litter straight from the tray. So I tell her right off again and proceed to clean it up. Then I go to scrub dry all the wet splotches from the saturated cat through out the entire lounge room and into my bedroom….actually probably the trail left from a petrified kitten running for it’s life. Now I have noticed the terrorist has not been in the lounge room while I was cleaning the carpet, so I go to look for her and she is back at it in the laundry. This time a half bag of kitty litter straight from the cupboard. ( Fresh this time at least.) But spanning the entire laundry. Ok deep breath. So now I clean the laundry for the third time. I am a little frazzled by now and am not responding well to any child requests. I go to clean up the kitchen table from residual playdough left to dry and Denver tells me that stealth Moo has re-entered the laundry and tipped all the kittens biscuits into the newly refreshed water and then all over the floor of the laundry. Kittys munching away on some softened biscuits as I clean up the mess and mop the floor for the fourth time. The floor is so very clean in there. Now how to keep her out. I banish them both out side and after I can no longer stand the cries from outdoors, I bring her in for a shower. These in themselves have been challenging as she thinks the drain is a monster and with shrieking and yelling and gnashing of teeth we wash and get her out in record time. We put a face washer over the drain hole and she is better at showering. Ok with one clean child and the other child showering, I go in to finish dinner and serve theirs up for it to be cool enough to eat. When I am done, believing the littlest one has been watching TV, I go to get Denver out and find she has stripped off and headed on into the shower herself for the second shower of the evening, but decided she wanted to come out was wandering about my bedroom dripping wet, trying to dry herself with her ‘rug’ Mummy looses it once more and tells the childen that Mummy needs them to go to bed so she can regain an ounce of the sanity she had yesterday morning when their Father left. What…only 2 weeks and 5 days to go. EASY! Note to self ….Maybe I should ring Hilcrest now. she is now angelically sitting like a mouse infront of the TV looking incapable of making her mother tear her hair out wailing …… Now they are snug in bed. Hopefully they stay there. I am exhausted. Its 3am in Denver. Their Father has been soundly asleep for hours.

A little slow on the uptake....

but this is the challenge that was set on the Scrapbook Station forum.  Taking photos of things you love in your home.  There will probably be another one up now ready to do, and I have just gotten around to this one.  I know...SLACK!  I have been sick, so I have a semi excuse.  Anyway, I glanced around this morning and snapped these pics of things I love around my home.

I am in the process of eliminating things that are of no use, or have been around for ever without a reason why!  I am just starting to buy things that actually tie the decore together.  We really have had no time to actually do this.  We get married and were both working, then within the first year we had our first bub, and then sold and bought houses with a 1 year old.  So things just got put where they got put, and nothing had changed since!!!  I am getting there.  Sorting through unneeded stuff when you are a 'keeper' is a big job!!!

I love my coffee and our coffee machine.  It grinds, brews, froths, Just doesn't make toast.  (Someone should think of that)

These flowers just make me Happy.  Have no idea who dreamed up the idea to make a rose out of feathers...yep feathers, but they are awfully pretty and I don't need to water them!

And this is my embellished monogram.  It was actually my entry for scrapbooking Masters last year.  It has soooo much work on it.  All the design on the paper is stitched over.  My name is handwritten in silver a million times around the inside of the letter and the mini book was a project in itself. 

(I liked it, even if they didn't!!!)

Well that is done now.  Now I have to get going on my own challenge!  Now that one really is just slack.  I have had plenty of time to do this one, and I just haven't!!!  I have the 'April' challenge to set to.  It will be done soon!

Last few weeks....

Well DH is off to America again.  For 3 weeks this time.  It sounds fine saying it now....but 3 weeks when he is away feels endless.  And...he goes away just in time for our scrapping evening at Scrapbook Station  Leaving me with the fear that I may not be able to go.  I will try though!!! 

Nothing really exciting has happened of late.  "It has been 1 month since my last blog....."  sounds like the addiction it is!!!  I surf very regularly, just the posting part is a little sparce.

A few friends of mine are expecting their second and fourth babies!  I am surrounded by pregnant people.  I know 6 to be exact.  That's far too many all at once.  Maybe there is something in the water.  (Note to self.....don't drink the water.)  It is lovely though.  I love bubbies.  Just more when I am not the one getting up all through the night to feed.  Those memories are still strong!  We are really only recently, sleeping through the night.  I have never had that much luck with sleeping babies.  They were both far too hungry to sleep!  My Sister on the other hand has had very good sleepers.  Her first let her sleep all the way 'in' in the morning.  Now her 7 month old is letting her do the same.  And he has been sleeping through for months.   I am hoping all the people I know who are expecting, have good luck in the sleeping department.  I am sure most people already know Janine and Steph are two of the glowing 'mum's to be'.  Such good news on both fronts.  Both have had heavy hearts waiting.  I am very happy for them, for their anticipated bundles have been so yearned for.  Not too far apart either.  (This will undoubtedly increase my teaching schedule at the shop!!! LOL)  So long as they bring the babies in for a cuddle...all will be well!  I am also excited for the abundance of baby LO's we can all expect from these two particular 'very talented' girls...  Now- we know the orientation of Janine's pages....."10 years of repressed pink" will come out significantly with floods of pink, frilly and floral covered works of Art. We know not what Steph will be drawn to as yet....Will it be some soft shades of Blues and greens, or more of the same beautiful works she has lavished on us in the past?....I don't believe she is telling! Any one guessing.  She sounded very excitied when she told us on the SS forum....So I was thinking maybe a boy??????? (I am not the betting kind though!!)

On a sadder note....I have had a couple of people on my mind regularly this last week or so.  Neither of them I know, but I know the pain they must surely be feeling at losing people they love.  One is a 'friend' on the SS forum ( one whom I have not met but have chatted with regularly over the last few months)  She lost a friend far too young, and all of a sudden life is not quite the same.  It takes a long while for the heaviness to subside....but it does eventually.  The other family is one I read about on Melody Ross' blog (The 'Chatterbox' founder)  About five years ago they lost a little girl, when a friend of theirs accidently ran her over (not being able to see a toddler when reversing)  That in itself is just horrendous...But a couple of weeks ago they lost 3 more of their children in a car accident.  Apparently in Utah the driving age without an adult is 15.  Sounds like something they need to rethink.  To think of some of the 15 year olds kids I know being behind a wheel is just...oh my goodness!  They have four other children who have lost their older brothers and sister.  Two other kids from another family were killed also.  It just tears at me...the thought of losing one child is something that scares me so very much.  But to lose more than one is just unimaginable.  I have sent up lots of prayers for the remaining families having to live through these few weeks without their children, siblings, grand children and friends.  Just too hard.

We have recently lost two people from both sides of our family.  Neither of which were close.  But they were family.  One was an skiing accident, the other  a suicide.  Both around 50 years old,  Just too hard.  The suicide was the worst to handle.  Our family is no stranger to accidents.  We have almost been waiting for the next one.  The space between them was getting too far.(Sounds morbid I know, but there has not been a good track record)   But when Peter took his own life,  it was the worst kind of shock.  He was such a happy man.  I still can't believe it has happened.  It just doesn't fit the person I knew.  He was very high up in the police force, and took such pride in his work.  The commissioner said "Adelaide has lost a fierce protector" in the newspaper obituaries.  He has a wife and two daughters whom he adored like you wouldn't believe.  Just doesn't fit.

But I guess this is life.  We just have to survive our way through it.  There is still a lot to be thankful for.  Just a bit harder for those affected at the moment to see.

Well now that I am feeling a lot more somber now than before, I can't got to sleep, with my mind thinking on such things.  So I think I should check out Two Peas.  Am needing as much motivation as I can muster up.  Tomorrow is a kindy day and I am hoping, a scrapping day!

Wow- this was a lot longer than I had planned, so sorry about that.  Nice to get things out though.

Night all. x

SCRAPBOOK STATION has recently gotten their forum up and going, and we already have a really nice community over there.  AND the Gallery.....more inspiration...just what I need!

Speaking of inspiration...On the forum today a site was listed to show the CHA releases.  I have seen them all before, but where I saw them, it was a little tedious,  but THIS one is great.  Pick your manufacturer and drool!  mmmm-mmm.

Well DS has gone off to Kindy today......Still not used to it, as I am savouring every minute....( As you can tell by my DD still in her PJ's with the TV on and me tapping away at the computer!!!  And yes there are dishes on the sink, and washing to be done....(Is there ever not washing to be done???)

It was DH birthday yesterday, and we got him a homedics massage cushion.  It is a whole seat you attach to your own chair and plug it in and away it goes....MMM.  It is technically his....but when he's not home....IT"S MINE!!!  You can't actually sit on it for too long as it leaves you very sore. It is a fairly intense massage.  He had a nice day, and Denver and I made him a cake.  His parents came out to visit, so the kids got presents too, they loved it!

Well I guess I should actually do something other than enjoy my partly free day.  I should be able to do both shouldn't I???

Bye for now.

A cure for lack of Creativity??....Just maybe!

Having two little ones at home I don't get as much time as I need to Scrap or more precisely....to be a productive scrapper. ( I am sure though, I am not the only one)  My two are 22 months apart, and the older one has been challenging!  Needing lots of attention.  I find it draining sometimes and even when I might have time to scrap, I really can't.  My creativity is just not at my beck and call when I am exhausted or frustrated. I almost feel that if I am not able to continually create, then my creativity suffers!  I need to get back 'into the zone' before I can get going, which wastes far too much precious time, then I end up frustrated even more that I wasted my time and created nothing!!!  A viscious circle! 

I have been investigating a 'Creative' or 'Art' Journal.  It sounds really appealing to create something that challenges your creativity and exercises it enough to get those creative juices flowing.  It really fits with my 'the more you use it the more you have it' thing I have going here!!!    Now, I love Art, and playing with all kinds of different media, but the idea of a 'Creative' journal as a scrapper sounds really exciting.  The idea of being able to use magazine cut outs, clippings from catalogues and the like, to record what I find inspiring, not to mention the lovely scrapping supplies to add to the inspiration....Just sounds divine.  Below are some of the completely inspiring things I found.

At This site the description was as follows......

"A painting creativity journal is a collection of the ideas you have and things that inspire you. It's a place to record ideas that you can't use immediately -- you may think you'll remember them, but one can't remember everything, so it's better to make a quick note and put it into your painting creativity journal. Don't think it's for only finished ideas or well-planned projects, it's definitely not! It's the place to record those quick thoughts before you get distracted, those images lurking in your brain, and for building up a personal image library."

This quote was also very motivating for me

"Starting an art journal is a powerful way to move beyond words in your daily writing practice. Not only does working with images access a different part of our brains than words, making art is a source of playfulness and creative joy.

When we make pictures in our journals, we often come to deeper insights about ourselves and the world around us than we can when we carefully shape our thoughts and write them on paper. By adding color and form to the pages of our journals we illuminate them and in the process we illuminate ourselves.

Here is the site I pulled it from with much more on the details on how to actually create your journal.

They really can be a form of inspiration and motivation.  I am forever seeing things I love,  shapes that appeal, colours combo's that are visually striking, advertisements that grab me, text and fonts that I adore....And I look and "oooh" and "ahhh", and think to myself, that looks so great, I will remember that...." and I am dragged out of it with the 'Mum-meeee, He hit meeeee....." and it is gone, along with any inspiration the item brought me, (even if just for a fleeting moment....It was there!)  By all accounts it does not need to be a hugely time consuming thing that I first thought it would need to be  "I haven't got time to scrap, let alone put all my efforts into a book, which is not much good for anyone but myself"  In truth I may do alot of it already just in no real 'creative' form.  I do have a sketch book in which I jot things down in and draw and doodle things, practice writing different fonts....ETC, it's just fairly ugly!

I believe I will give this a try.  If it exercices my creativity enough to use my time productively, then it is worth it.  If it creates a bank of ideas I can draw from when doing my next LO...then all the better.  Any excuse to decorate something!!!  Now I am all excited.  Anyone else motivated to start a "Creative Journal?"

New February resolution???

Right.  Now I am going to make an effort to keep my blog up to date a little more!  I have not scrapped for a while, so have not blogged!  Seems to go hand in hand.  Might be something to do with the fact I feel a little like I should share something each time I do an entry.  If there's nothing to share I tend not to blog!!!  I have just purchased a new laptop too so that might get me motivated!!!  Just need DH to add my photoshop to it and it will be fully usable!  Can't seem to do too much without my photoshop!

In the way of news.....My sister had her first baby this morning.  Jayden Shane.  He is having a little trouble, has too much insulin in his system.  Cindy had to be put on insulin with gestational diabetes a few weeks ago, and now bub has too much!  Hope it is easily fixed.  Don't know too much about it.  He is only a few hours old.

Denver started Kindy last week.  (sigh of relief)  I love it!  He is such a full on little being.  It is just me and Mazzie two days a week.  Lovely.  What makes it easier for me to love it, is that he adores going.  He is so ready.  He brings home little things he has made each day!  It is quite exciting, as I was a Teacher in my past life, and I sent home all these little things kids had made, now I am the parent picking up the treasures!!  Wierd!  It is still so new, I am treasuring every minute I am alone, as I am so not used to it!  (Mazzie still has a two hour cat nap in the middle of the day....mmmm)  I am still determined not to do any washing or cleaning in 'MY' time!!!  Surfing the internet is allowed!

I have done a LO this morning ( From start to finish...whoo-hoo!  For the challenge in the Scrapbook Station newsletter (coming soon)  (Just need that photoshop to get it to you Janine!)

I have also done most of a mini-album for Denver on Dinosaurs.  He is so inquisitive and thrives on information about things.  He loves dinosaurs and DH went to London on one of his business trips overseas and took some pics of dinosaurs at the London Museum for Denver.  So I have included these pisc with info from the net, and some other pics downloaded, along with Denver playing with his own vast collection of toy dinos.  I am going to be really happy with it I think.  It is sitting in a pile on the dining table unbound, and awaiting some extra untaken photos to complete it.

Well I believe that is it.  It is such a beautiful day (slight break from the heat)  Maybe I should hang out some washing.  If I enjoy it it should be ok to do in 'my' time shouldn't it!!!  Just this once.  No folding though!!!

Well I was going to post the work I have done lately, but the new DT layouts are not yet posted on the site, so I should hold off for a bit.  Sorry!  And without photoshop I can't really manipulate anything else I have done.  Soon though!

Well consider this an update!  More to come though!, should I aim for daily?  Who knows, maybe that will mean a few times a week!  I will get back into the habit though.  I miss it.

Thanks for visiting though.  X

I have not blogged for so long!  Shame on me!

I have not been blog surfing either, so don't know much about anyone ATM.  Not good.  I miss it every time I get busy and neglect the online world!

Can't believe it is only a matter of days now before Christmas!  Last Christmas still seems not all that long ago.  There is also the fact that I still have gifts to buy and organising to do.  We are having 17 here for Christmas Lunch!  AHHHHH!  That's a lot huh!  It will be fine.......(Nervous laugh!)  Hopefully John will get the decking finished in time.  My Dad is coming tomorrow to help for a bit.  Driving from two hours away.  Good ole Dad.  The kids love him visiting.  He has just been on holiday in Melbourne visiting my step sisters.  Cindy is 32 weeks pregnant and they have just bought their first home which needed some work.  Apparently she has been washing dishes in a bucket, as they pulled out their sink to get the new kitchen installed, and then it was a while before anything appeared to happen with it.  Dad ended up putting an entire new kitchen in for her.  He came back utterly exhausted.  He gets home and I ask him to help us with the deck!  LOL!  Poor Dad. 

I have not done too much in the way of scrapping.  Just organising Christmas gifts ( of a scrapping nature!)  I did complete an 8x8 album for dad for his 60th birthday on the weekend.  It took every ounce of scrapping ability I had!  All fishing photos of waders, horizon, net, orange corks and plenty of blue/green water.  It looked good in the end, and I was happy with it, but every single page I started, I packed it up at least once, 'cause I couldn't do it!!!  It really did take a long time!

Any way I might go take this opportunity to blog surf!  Catch up on the world!

Bye!

Can't believe a month has past!

Wow, It has been a while.  Just the normal everyday stuff, which tends to keep me very busy.  Had a few classes, which were good.  Went and stayed with my Mum for a week, which was also good.  Change of scenery.

John has started the decking out the side of the house, he has just had a fortnight off work to make a start on it.  It looks a little closer to a deck, but not enough like one!!!  All the steel is there, but it is quite a way off the ground, so it can not be any sort of uasable deck until walls go up as well.  Me thinks it is still a way off.  Oh well I have waited this long!

I have done a few layouts.  Had lots of fun doing them.  There was a time not so long ago where all my layouts were a marathon, and they took days to complete.  I have no idea what has happened, but I can complete one quite quickly lately.  Go figure!  I am enjoying it though.  Quick satisfaction.  I am still talking a few hours though, not 15 minutes like Heidi Swapp once stated!  Can't work that one out!

Watching Australian Idol tonight, Marcia made mention of Rove McMannus losing his wife,it was a shock.  I totally missed Damiens performance.  Very sad.   She fought for so long.  8 years ago she was diagnosed with breast cancer, and at 32 she lost her fight.  Far too young.  She didn't even get the chance to be a mum. (don't think they had any did they?)  I am guessing she was sick for too long?  My heart goes out to her family.

Well I will upload a couple of the layouts I have done.  Then I will hit the sack I think.  Both my little ones are sick with the flu, and are miserable, which makes me miserable, so I need my sleep.  Far too cranky with grizzly children otherwise!

My little future scrapbooking partner at it again!  But oh so cute.

This one was for the last newsletter challenge for the Scrapbook Station newsletter.  People use the fortnightly blueprint sketch and do their own version of it, and if your layout is chosen you win some goodies! 

Another Scrapbook Station DT Layout.  Decorative borders this time.

O.K that's it for me. Till next time.  Wont leave it so long this time!  Very slack!

My baby girl was 2 yesterday.  Where did the time go?  I waited for every stage with Denver.  I have missed most of them with Mazzie.  All of a sudden she is speaking in sentences.  ( Deciphering still needed!)  On the otherhand, she is more independant and can wander outside for a while without assistance.  It gives me a chance to mop the floor without her attacking the water, or putting on a load of washing without her adding inappropriate items in without me knowing.  I could not find my phone the other day, so as you do, I rang it and heard it ringing in the distance.  I eventually located the distant ringing.  In the washing machine.  I had almost started a load earlier and had to gather more clothes, so it didn't happen!  Thankgoodness.  My history with phones is unfortunate.  I would have had to fight DH for another new one.

Anyway I have a 2 year old baby.

On a scrapping note, Janine rang the other day and asked if we could swing it to get together without children (what????) to scrap for the afternoon.  My word was it nice!  I did one layout for the DT this coming week on decorative borders.   I will put this one up when the change over happens on the Scrapbook Station site this weekend.  It was so good to scrap together (have not done this at home before, just at the shop.)  that we got together again yesterday, this time with kids....ALL OF THEM ( school holidays!!!) They were actually pretty good.  But I couldn't relax until lunch was over and done with, and the cake Janine brought over was eaten ( with a coffee of course!)  Janine cruised through it with her Layout....When she is in the zone!!! (Stunning Layout though!)  She truely is the Patterned Paper Queen.  I just watched in awe.  She had like 7 sheets of 12 x 12 printed paper.  I need therapy if I try to incorporate 3. 

I drew around some hearts...But I saw a genius at work!!!

I got a layout done after all had gone to bed last night though.  That is pretty impressive for me...and I went to bed at 11.30pm.  Anyway.  Here is this weeks productions.  After the drought! Permission slip reads....

" Lydell ( Mum) is hereby granted permission to Slip on the fluffy slippers, make herself a coffee, run a bath, surf the net for scrapping stuff and blogs, reas books and magazines and SCRAP to her hearts content!"

Journaling reads....."If only!  It would be pure bliss to be able to scrap and relax anytime I wanted too!...But then it wouldn't feel so good!!  It's true, I don't get much done, and I barely meet my deadlines, but all too soon these little ones of mine will not need me so much and will grow to be independant and I will miss them needing me....On the other hand. imagine all the scrapping I will get done! "

This is the one I drew around the hearts of!

Journaling reads....."So unbelievably cute, that perfect little face laughing back at me when you do something naughty so that mummy might not be so cross...It works every time!  Mummy can't resist, you are just far too cute for my own good!!!

This one I did last night after everyone was in bed!  Didn't take long at all!

Journaling reads...  "I really hope this obsession you have with my scrapping stuff means that when you're older you will share my passion.  But for the moment all it means to me is the ruination of many a scrapping product.  You have drawn on completed layouts, emptied embossing powders, cut up papers, I could go on..."

On that note.  I have a few more hours that I can leave the stuff I brought out of my downstairs scrapping room to our dining table upstairs ( The key to which I have been able to work this week!) before I need to return it all to its rightful home.  One more layout??  Who knows!

TFL and have a great weekend all!

Lydell x

Getting on top of things

Another week gone by.  Man they are quick these days.  I have had a week of organisation this week.  So much has gone by the wayside while the kids have been small that now that Mazzie is getting a bit bigger, she is able to entertain herself a little more and I have had time ( and motivation) to get stuck into their rooms.  We packed up Mazzies cot ( we couldn't keep her in it anyway!) and put her in her big bed ( and we still can't keep her in it!)  and I packed up all their clothes they had grown out of.  OODLES of clothes!  Then I bought Denver a couple of shelving units and some clear plastic tubs with lids on them and organised all his toys.  He has so many, they get all muddled up and he can't play with any of them properly cause they're all lost amongst a mass of toys!  A lot of his 'little kid' toys went on in to Mazzies room, and I am in the process of making that a little more 'girly' too.  I want to paint some butterflies on the walls.  She is so obsessed on drawing on the walls and anywhere that she can, I dare not do it while she is around! 

We just went to NSW for the weekend for a wedding and we stayed with DH's sister.  She has two little bodies, about a year older than ours.  I have been so caught up in just managing to get through each day, with lack of sleep brought about by a 3 year old not sleeping through ( He is much better as of the last few months, but I thought it would never happen!) That we had not taken too much notice of setting up things out and in doors that could stimulate development.  Being a Teacher in my past life, I have been hanging out for the day they both reach an age that they can draw, paint and make without eating or painting/defacing something they shouldn't.  I went out and bought an easel and chalk and got a little table that I have covered with a plastic cloth for playdough when ever they want to use it, not in just organised playtime.  We have a split level back yard too, so until now it has been very difficult letting Mazzie outside.  I had to follow her around the yard, but she is 2 next week and she manages the rocks very well.  She even gets herself onto the trampoline and zips the zip shut and jumps on her own whenever she wants.  It's a dawning of a new time for me, as I could not let her out of my sight not too long ago, and I had not a second to myself, unless DH noticed I was a bit narky, and told me he'd have the kids for a bit.  It probably still does not help with the scrapping dilemma, as Mazzie just loves to scrap ( but only what I am scrapping)  This is not a good thing....YET!   hopefully in the future she'll love to scrap with Mum, without ruining something I am working on when I turn my back!  And I can't leave her outside while I am downstairs scrapping,  but it will come soon enough I guess.  Someday soon I will be able to scrap at my every whim! (Dreaming I think!!!)

Anyway all that said I should take some time while Mazzie is asleep and organise my class for tomorrow.    Bye!

                                                                                                                                    

 

Try try again.

I thought maybe I should get right out and open up Typepad again.  Lets see if I am allowed to upload any pics now! 

Just a few pages from the calendar class I am teaching at scrapbook Station.

The calendar is a desk sized calendar.  !0 x 15 cm so the pages are not too big.  Just a nice size to scrap away and get it done relatively quickly!  Great to get the creativity flowwing, if there is a blockage!!!

This one is one of the LO's in the class I am doing using Scenic Route Chip kits.  The other LO uses the other half of the kit.  Can't seem to locate a photo at this point.  Will update at a later date!

Anyway after all this effort, I am ready to call it a night!  If only things could be easy!

TFL!

Lydell x

News for this week!

Mid August already!  Time goes so fast these days.  Unfortunately not too much has happened in the way of scrapping, but I do have some news!!  I entered the Masters Competition a few weeks ago now, and heard nothing back,  Janine knew someone who had had a call saying they had made the top 100.  So I knew I wasn't one of them!  Oh well, not too disappointed.  Just try again! A couple of weeks go by, then this week......I was called by SM to say they had not received my work yet.  "What work"  I know I have a LO in Scrapbook Creations soon, but not SM.  "Your Masters Entry!!"  Oh!! - I was on the phone one day a few weeks ago and missed a call.  I did the *10# thing and got a Sydney Number I did not recognise, but thought they would ring back if they really wanted me.  ( Must get call waiting switched off...I feel too rude taking another call if I am on one, so I never use it.)  Anyway.  Just as well I hadn't started to use what I had made for the BTP project!!!  I had thought about it, just not gotten around to it!.... So that was a bit of excitement in my week!  I have since packaged it all up and sent it off.  I must admit, I really don't expect it to go any further, but it's nice to get this far!

Our other news is that I am an Auntie once again!  Siann had a little boy 8 lb1.  Emerson Joel.  Have to share a pic or two.  I have tried to stay away for a bit while Siann heals and gets used to another body in the house.  My little boy and her little boy are 6 weeks apart, and they on a bad day, are like fuel and fire!  They feed off one another, yet they love each other dearly.  3 1/2 year olds seem to have so much trouble sharing their things!  Sometimes it is incredibly stressful all being together if they are at one another.  We refuse to let it stop us spending time together, but If we are trying to do something, it does get quite difficult.  So I have not got more recent photos of the little man.  His little face is not so puffy now by all accounts and he is the perfect baby so far.  Is sleeping all night, and is proving to be much easier for Siann out rather than in!!!  I told her not to get used to it, as it could well change!!!

Thought I might just share one of the LO's that is for the class schedule at Scrapbook Station, one of several I am due to have finished!  Must get going on them!  Had a bit of a scrapping drought is all!  It is one of two for this particular class.

It is actually straight IRL  Looks like the black cardstock is askew on the orange, but it isn't  really!!!

Well should really be scrapping, rather than blogging!!!   TFL

xx

Next DT LO for Scrapbook Station.  Chatterbox this time.  I enjoyed this one.  I quite like chatte