Sunshine Princess

Dream a little

2009-11-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

Sometimes dreams do come true even if it just for a little while. That sure is nice to know in a world filled of so many things. Change always brings about so many challenges, most incredibly difficult. How does one capture that all on a page in a small space to journal. You don't. Maybe that is the point, embrace it for what it is and make the most of it, even if it was just a little chance to dream a little dream.

So proud

2009-10-12T03:43:00.000-07:00

Who wouldn't be when your boy brings home the floating trophy for good behaviour. Especially when it is a new school and you are trying to fit in with your peers. You were so very proud of this award (but not really that happy to give me some photos.) This is the best we got in between the tears of whose flower had fallen off the stalk for spring day.
:0)

I used a sketch from a million little things blog. Sometimes it just takes the pressure off to do a sketch to record the memory you want.

My Autumn leaves stamps are out and in action again. Like rediscovering hidden candy.

Some white thickers with some inked edges so that they stand out. Got to love these letters. Best alpha's ever. Mind you, CNA does a cheap version in smaller size that work great too.

See those stamps are getting more attention these days. Yes I am a proud mom.

Last laugh is on me. Yes I love this paper pack by scenic route. I have used it quite a bit in the past and am still using it. Love the bright colours. But I just cant get my mind around wasting a whole sheet to just back it up. LOL. So sometimes when I make borders I cut it out and stick it together. Have no idea why I do this because I have enough paper to last me a life time. Just something I do.

Waiting for Summer

2009-10-09T18:41:00.000-07:00

Listening to the rain and running water. It is dripping. How many drips in a minute? Will it be raining when it is waking up time. Will it be a day for gumboots, pretty yummy marshmellowy ones. What will we do with the kideroos inside again on a raining day. How much is too much TV. Are the games they play OK for their age, does bashing Mario on a screen release frustration or make it a social acceptable practice. See what listening to the rain does to me.... Ever since I was a little one, I could not sleep when it rained. Just had to listen that first drip, that was me, gone on a train of thoughts.

It is 3 in the morning. Life is so quiet except for the drip and the rain. Internet seems incredibly slow and hanging too. Why wouldn't it, it is 3 in the morning and we should all be sleeping. And I will have to tell Luke that the water outside now will be on the cold side and probably totally green from the rain. So yes, we are still waiting for summer to roll on in.

For the title, used some paint, stamped it, cut it out, backed it up and then got rid of some of my eyelet stash.

Luke helped me make these stamped
out 100 percent Boy embellishments. (They are from autumn leaves). He helped me colour them in a bit too. I did give them a once over after him. He does like art, drawing and colouring in so he is always encouraged to help out. Makes it a little bit more personal too.

Don't you just love that face of mixed emotions. He was so happy to be able to be allowed into the water even though it was not warm enough. But then shouting "AHHHHHHHHH its too cold".

So as much as he wanted to swim he realised it was still a little bit too cold.

Sunshine

2009-10-08T01:16:00.000-07:00

I have been doing some happy pages in the past week. Using lots of yellow which is something different for me. Maybe it is because we have spent the whole of the school holidays watching the rain coming down, waiting for the sun of summer. Hopefully will upload and post in the coming week.

Using some paint, my old rubber stamps, pens and glitter on the paint while still wet.

Layers of paper, stamped background, tearing and eyelets. Happy sunbeams.

Lots of bright colours. Just be nice to play with stamps again. I must say these Autumn leaves stamps with the doodles and words are one of my favourite.

Hello, have to you learnt something today

2009-10-04T00:18:00.000-07:00

I never really know what to put in this title box. But I am always trying to learn new things, even in scrapping. You can see this from my style as I bounce around. It is mostly dependent on my mood and the time I have for art and as I call it, my colour therapy. So I try things, it might not necessarily be what I like, but I give it a shot. Sometimes it works out and sometimes well, lets just say it might get tossed or put in that bottom draw for another try. It is only paper after all. Yes true, but in many ways its an art too and an expression from our hearts.

So what have you learnt that is new or have seen and so wanting to try?

I have been pondering digital templates for awhile. Someone else has already put them together in a balanced and workable way. I like being creative and starting a project from scratch and that is perhaps why I battle with sketches too. So I managed to get some time in front of my PC while the kids were watching some tv. So here is my learning for the weekend. I gave digi templates a chance. Must say, its easier than I thought.

Looks hard getting all those different coloured papers lined up like that with a shadow at the bottom. Not really. If you know how. That is the beauty of this digi template. Its already done for you.

Want to know how.....
Template is a freebie from "with love from Mushy". I love her work. See her stuff at Little Dreamer Designs.

The digi paper I used is from Happy go Lucky kit from Shabby Princess. Its free as well. And has some really great kits that are free if your starting out with digi and don't yet want to commit to buying. I am sure to use this kit over and over again.

So how do you take the kit and put it into the digi template.
I use photoshop
Open the template, its already populated with all the layers.
Open your paper then move it over to your template page. Put it directly over the layer where you want to transform the grey into the beautiful patterned paper.
Select the two layers (ctrl and click on the layer) then push Ctrl and G (this should group them together)
Then on the coloured layer - right click and select create a clipping mask.
Magic happens and your patterned paper changes into the grey box shape underneath.

Yes its that easy.

Sometimes it just takes a moment out to try something new. Doesn't always have to be hard and complicated. And makes for having some fun to watch your page come alive. I am glad I gave it a try.

OLW # 60 - Invincible

2009-09-17T07:33:00.000-07:00

In my house that word is reserved for Joel, has his name stamped all over it.

It is a raining, misty and a grey day. My children are happily sitting inside watching Shrek and I am sitting by my computer which is in the same room. So I am happily playing about, doing some admin, answering some mails, chatting to the kids and completing this page while on the other table I have some paper scrapping going on. Miserable day outside, nice and warm and happy right here inside too.

Digi credits: elements by Jackie Eckles

OLW # 59 - BEAUTY

2009-09-04T07:26:00.000-07:00

This word made me think of "Inner beauty" and straight away I will say my mom has it. Most that know her will tell you that she speaks straight from the heart and her love for life and people shines right through her eyes. She is an amazing remarkable woman. A true beauty in my world. A great quote, I think says it all. My mom sure does vibrate at a different frequency.

Around each letter I wrote words that describe what I think my mom's inner beauty is all about, like Joy, wonderful, peaceful...

ps - somehow I always seem to finish my challenge just in time no matter how early I begin them. This time I wanted to try something different and use up lots of patterned paper all together. I normally do boy pages so this was so refreshing for me. Thanks again Bee, your butterflies make me smile. I will have to place an order for some more soon.

Memories Warehouse challenges

2009-09-01T23:44:00.000-07:00

I wanted to support TMW and take part in the challenges Amelia is running on the site. On Sunday I found some time to give it a bash. Digi it is because it wouldn't have been a good time to take out the paper and already have some work in progress. I am so glad I got to do this story about my Granny's butterflies. It has been on my list of stories I want to capture because of it being a very special day for me.

The Sketch

A special story. I want to do a heritage album because it is the stories that matter behind the photo's.

The other sketch. I had a bit of extra time, so put together this one too. More just having fun on my PC. I took the pictures on Sunday. We had spent the morning at the beach. Just some really happy snaps of Joel. Can you believe he is just 3. He is one strong child. Must be that German blood in the platelets he received when he was so sick. LOL. So wonderful to see him so healthy and happy. My superstar kid.

Digi credits:
Granny's butterflies - Vintage dreams - Lori Barnhurst & Michelle Coleman
Superstar kid - Cool denim kit by Monica Larson

My Minds Eye Challenge

2009-08-20T01:12:00.000-07:00

I actually did a sketch. No wonder its raining here today.

Was looking on the net and came across My Minds Eye challenge.
Challenge:Your challenge is to create a layout using this sketch from PageMaps as your creative spring-boar. The rules: Use ANY My Mind’s Eye products (current or past) you’d like as long as your project has at least 80% My Mind’s Eye products.

Challenges of product sites are difficult especially when they always ask for pages from their new ranges, etc. So I smiled when I saw this one, have quite a bit of my minds eye paper in my stash and I was going to do a page with the pictures of Bee and me with the butterfly poem we found. The reason being, she gave me a packet of punched out butterflies when I saw her, she sat and punched out butterflies for me before making the trip to see me. So special butterflies indeed were used.

Reworks

2009-08-19T21:34:00.000-07:00

Oh the joys of reworks...yes I know its just paper. Have been working on this for some time, taken it apart, built it up again and now I AM GOING to stop and just leave it be. Do you ever have one of those days where nothing works, comes together or you just want to try the page again but differently? Be nice to hear your stories of - oh its just paper after all! Not exactly just paper :) is it ever.

23 year Kitti Skitti Marriti

2009-08-13T00:31:00.000-07:00

Isn't that something special. She is 23 human years this year. She has been part of most of my life and has been with my child since he was born. She often snuggles up close to him to. I always say she has lived so long because she was smart enough to make her humans her slaves. The other theory is if I ever come back to this life I am coming back as my mom's pet.

She talks non stop. If she wants to go anywhere she will meow until she gets her own way. Even if it is at 4 in the morning. You will open up the window and she will look at you in disgust and tell you, "no I am not going out the window, that is for lower class...I used the door."

Still think its pretty amazing that Skitti Marriti is now so old and still so full of life and bringing my kids joy too.

Why we do it...

2009-08-11T05:12:00.000-07:00

You ever think about it, why we scrap book, why we blog, why we collect stash like no tomorrow. Well I came across this paragraph browsing Ali Edwards site. Its a great article - so worth the read.

"Eventually I discovered for myself the utterly simple prescription for creativity: be intensely yourself. Don't try to be outstanding; don't try to be a success; don't try to do pictures for others to look at - just please yourself."- Ralph Steiner

Being seen as selfish or extravagant for indulging yourself in scrapbooking. There was a great quote from Elizabeth Gilbert (author of Eat, Pray, Love) when she was on Oprah recently. A woman had asked her about being seen as selfish for creating a list of things in life she wanted to do and actually doing them; in essence, focusing on things she loved. "In Mandarin Chinese, they have two words for selfish," Liz says. "One means doing that which is beneficial to you. The other means hoarding, greedy and cruel." She talked about how we as a culture have meshed the two meanings together and made the word into something very negative. She suggests you simply ask yourself, "is this beneficial?" Is it beneficial to tell the stories of your family? Is it beneficial to participate in a hobby that combines your love for your family and your love for photography or words or creativity? (Note: even beneficial things can become negative when driven to the extreme. Striving for balance in all things is usually a good path forward.)

My friend Bee is running a RAK, go post your favourite quotes.

This in one of mine
Above all else, it is about leaving a mark that I existed: I was here. I was hungry. I was defeated. I was happy. I was sad. I was in love. I was afraid. I was hopeful. I had an idea and I had a good purpose and that's why I made works of art.
Felix Gonzalez-Torres

And my friend Tertia posted me this award

Ok I am supposed to name 5 things that I would like to do. Only 5? You have got to be kidding me, there is so much I want to do. how do I limit it to 5?

1. ) Be the best mom that I can be. Single momhood leaves you with so many shortcomings, its hard to keep up with it all and not beat yourself up too much. So where I can, I want to know I am giving it my best.

2.) Be more spiritual. Finding ways to bring me closer to my faith. Sometimes this is challenging when life gets so busy.

3.) Be a better friend. Find ways to seek out good things in my friends and make them feel good about themselves and find ways to let them know I care lots.

4.) Take more photo's and maybe one day find away to make some extra money so I can buy a new lens. But also to bring joy to people and capture something special.

5.) And of course the selfish thing, I would really like to go back to Paris.

Now I am going to change the rules, instead of sending this off to 5 bloggers, if you are reading all this, then the award is passed onto you.

Have a blessed week
V

Shoe! As in where did time go not what you put on your feet

2009-08-07T09:11:00.000-07:00

It is scary when you look at your blog and think, oh my word, was that when last I updated.

So much happened since the last post...

Ireland (lots of great memories)
U2 (Totally frikking mind blowing experience - wow)
Seeing Bee (ah, see below)
Kids back to school, 2 kids party nogal too.

I will blog another post another day and share some Ireland pictures. For the time being they are on my PC, collaged and waiting for the "TO DO DAY". Its easy to collage in Picasa and if you play around you really get a great way of putting together lots of holiday photos. I am so impressed with how they all came out. Also so impressed I could show Bee how she too can quickly whip them up. Watch this space - I am sure she is going to use some of these soon soon.

What can I say about my friend Bee. So totally awesomely fantastic to see her. Laughter just flows. Here is the collage she did especially for me.
And I had a visitor, I don't know it the cheeky bugger is going to stay around as we have been debating my current status of creativity and what I want to do, says knitting is repetitive and brain deadening or that fact that I have too many watchables recorded on the PVR. Anyway the Mojo dude stayed around long enough to entertain me with some paper, glue and glitter. Got to love it when he visits and 4x6 photos all just work and line up the way you want with not too much debate. Or maybe its the whisky (as in Ireland do as they do) inspired talk that helped us get through a double page together. Or maybe its just the desire to have the sun back and the swimming pool to burn lots of kids energy.

Happy long weekend everyone. If that mojo man pitches up at your place, just feed him whisky me thinks.

Baby girl book

2009-07-17T10:04:00.000-07:00

One of my dearest friends, Vilosh had a little baby girl in June. I have not been able to visit because of the pesky flu germ. It gave me at least some time to put together this little book for her. A few pieces of scrap paper, a sticker sheet and a rub on. Basically all I had out.

I had to use yellow mixed with the pink. She was in denial that she was having a girl, so yellow is the colour to balance the pink with.

I got to see baby and mom yesterday. Aw how very precious and so very cute. She loved her little book too.

Captured moments

2009-07-15T11:09:00.000-07:00

All the toys in the world, and the box is the most entertaining.

I did tell you that Luke is now making his own sandwich. I happened to walk past this in the TV lounge. Don't you just love the fact that the crusts are cut off first.

Oh, an we have an invasion in our house. Where on earth are all these dinosaurs going to...oh you know "Mommy, they going to the Ice Age" Ok, if you say so.

Who said bath times are dull

2009-07-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

This one, he makes me laugh lots. He reminds me so much of me in strange and funny ways. Who would have thought you could bath with your goggles on just to see the bottom of the bath underwater. Hope it made you smile too.

My inspiring quote for the weekend

2009-07-10T00:30:00.000-07:00

To vibrate, to accept, to expand… this is the new duty. To give oneself as is, to let life meet us as it really is, to live for the moment and extract from each moment all that it holds of truth, beauty and goodness, without scruple, without vain questioning, in the spontaneous desire of life, in childlike purity of heart… to be able to be oneself, to dare to be happy and at last allow one’s soul to spread its wings.

Jeanne de Vietinghoff

OLW # 55 JOY

2009-07-10T00:09:00.000-07:00

I love the word Joy. That word is used a lot in my house. Not only is it my favourite name for Joel, its the sweetest song I know. Luke sings this song with such gusto and love, you can only feel that special joy in your heart when you hear it. (For friends go see on my FB video page 2nd one, go see the joy - sorry cant load here due to some technicality reason)

I am still waiting for a chance to unpack my paper stash. Itching to do paper, but pacifying that part of me that needs a dose of creativity with some digi work. Soon soon....I keep saying. Sanity is just around another week or so.

Smile for the day

2009-07-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

You have to believe that mischief is going to boil over.....

Crazy week

2009-07-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

The words "Pay attention to the everyday stuff around you, it matters" comes to mind tonight. Where did this week go, it evaporated in sort of a blur. So much happened to.

I think I was sposed to pay attention to my flu that would not go away and left me with a nasty sinus infection. I wasn't paying attention to how miserable I was feeling. It is school holidays after all. So I agreed to go to the doctor only because in 2 weeks time I will be taking an overseas flight and kind of gathered such a stuff nose will not be conducive to long flights. So the doctor took one look at me and shook his head and said "you need x-rays I suspect you have a bad sinus infection that probably is going to need to be operated on to remove". So after running around to doctors and x-ray departments and hospitals where CT scans work, the ENT doctor scheduled me in the very next day. Abscess in my sinus best I sort it out asap. How did I forget to pay attention to ignoring the pain and everything else that went with it. That is a scary thought. Like the receptionist said "You so calm, you know you going to have surgery tomorrow, you ok with that", I smile back and said "I have had lots of practice at being calm".

In between that, I sneaked a much promised trip to the movies with the boys. They have been on their best behaviour so that they could go see Ice Age 3. What a joy to see, 2 boys holding hands to get to the movies. Luke saying "I'm so exited" and really you can see it all over his face. Joel happy to get pop corn and coke. Listening to the two of them laughing their heads off in the movies. Even Joel shouting so loudly that every one turned to look, "Mom look there is a T-Rex". I am so glad I got to sit there and watch the two of you with such a big goofy smile on my face.

Lying on the couch, post surgery to stuffed to really do much, I watched two little boys go by with a plate and a sandwich on. "Huh". My mom was not around. Then I realized my boy has just made his first sandwich. Totally all on his own. No one told him. Just they were hungry and so they made a sandwich. Thinking I would get to the kitchen and it would be a mess. Surprise. All neat and tidy. "Huh" Two boys making their own first sandwiches and no mess. Luke turns around and says "Its all packed away where it belongs". I just paid attention and realised my little boy is now longer such a baby anymore. He is now almost self sufficient, you are almost when you can make a sandwich.

Got to love this one, look how dirty and big he is getting too.

Hopefully this week I find better feet, get some much needed to do stuff sorted and hopefully a little bit of inspiration. Have a happy blessed week.

Still under the cover

2009-06-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

I know I am feeling very fortunate to be able to be at home for a little bit before I have to go out into the big scary world and find some work. But somehow I am still so overwhelmed and no where. I don't seem to get enough hours in the day to finish unpacking, settling, finding my feet, getting to do some fun stuff in between. I am still boxed in and wondering if I will ever see the last of a box. (all my scrap stuff in a little corner). I now have a couch where I can just plop on and look out at the pesky monkeys or some traffic.

The entire family has been totally taken out by the flu, me included. I am feeling weak and not myself. Sometimes, I forget I am human, like getting to the doctor with the little ones and him telling you, you are very sick do you know you have a temperature of 40 yourself. By any chance, you guessed, I am so frustrated because I can't build Rome in a day.

Today we had a scary visitor. Not so fun when you walk into the kitchen and find your mom and the cat on one side of the kitchen and a monkey on the other side.

We have no idea how he got into the kitchen as we have been keeping the windows closed to prevent this. And here he was, trapped, angry with the dogs barking at him too.

Lucky we managed to get a window open so he could escape. Luke is now telling Joel, "Monkeys are dangerous and carry disease".

I was holding my camera because I was taking some much needed updated pictures of the kids. Must say this was a point and shoot and just get this thing with the scary teeth right out of the house.

Here are some pictures of the boys. Luke is so over the camera and such a boy. All he wanted to do was show me how he could blow the stuff right out of his nose.

Sometimes we are just different because we can be. Got to love this face.

OLW # 53 - YES

2009-06-12T00:40:00.000-07:00

My scrap stuff is still in boxes, my PC got connected a day ago (yay, I have photoshop), Im feeling so full of flu just in time for the weekend, a good dose of some creative inspiration good for the soul. Thanks OLW for the challenge. My little ones run around shouting, "Yes we are...in these photo's it happened to be the day for super heroes."

Hopefully soon I will be back to some normality. That my scrap stuff can find a home. For now I am happy to settle with some digi work. I have just taken a serious dose of medicine and going to climb into bed with the older of these super heroes as he is also down and out with this flu.

Credits: An assortment of fonts, some free star brushes I have from somewhere? They have no name attached.

OLW challenge # 52 - Reflect

2009-05-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

My scrap stuff is now officially all packed away. Somewhere lost in boxes. The prompt word for this challenge is special for me, because May is my month where I take time to reflect a little bit more than any other month of the year. Two years ago we were watching my baby fight for his life in a coma. I am so glad that God sent him back to us. Just look at him now. He is an amazing 3 year old. Love this boy, I couldn't imagine my life without him. I always say he is so fearless because he did go visit the other side and they sent him back because they knew it would be easier for me to look after him. :o)

So I still have my PC and maybe it is a good time to digi scrap. I used the kit - Shabby Blooms by Beth Nixon.

Ps - I think I am going to get very addicted to these challenges.

OLW Challenge #51 - challenged indeed

2009-05-15T12:52:00.000-07:00

I have officially packed all my scrap stuff away into sealed boxes. For the very reason I need to pack and not have distractions. I am easily distracted and have a serious dislike for packing. What happened then? My friend Bee challenges me to do an OLW with her. In the frenzy of moving, although my move date has been moved a week earlier, eek, I agree, because she is my friend. Secretly I agree, because I have left this page out for my last scrap club get together. And I know it will work perfectly - "Wings 2 Dream". So much fun with paper cut outs, paper tearing and rolling, painting and doodling, flowers and raised elements. I love this paper and the colours. Makes me happy.

So here is my first attempt at an OWL challenge and I am happy to say I am now officially a "Wordster" too. Bee this is for you. No more challenges until June, k.

This is my "Oh My Word" page. I did not realize I had to make two pages. So I rushed home, evaluated my non existent scrap stash and just got down to doing a page with white cardstock, some pens, the kids stickers and their paints, lucky me they are not yet packed.

Brainwave idea (pressure does this to me). Artwork has the letters TWO in it. Did you know that? A different way to bring the word two into a page. In our house there will always be some sort of art work or creativity going on. I love watching my children develop a sense of pride when creating their own special pages. Luke is a crocodile and Joel is convinced he is not naughty but a monkey, rather a chip-monkey. Hence the very appropriate stickers for this page.

Now no more distractions I am told. Go and pack otherwise we will leave all your scrap stuff behind too. And that what would I say.... I can't even think about.

Getting some mojo back

2009-04-21T23:34:00.000-07:00

Just a teeny little bit, isnt it always like that when you have many other things to do. Stress brings out loads of creativity. Or maybe its procrastination and takes my mind of the enormous tasks ahead. I was under the weather last week and forced to sit still. So managed to fit in these two layouts. Yes we all have dinosaur names according to Luke. I make a pretty lovely diplodocus. I have a love neck. He he.
Thanks Sam E, this was for a challenge, nice to have these photos at hand.

Love and hate mini books thing

2009-04-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

Mini books and me. Never seem to get to make any for myself. Always for gifts. But this paper by My Mind's Eye was just to yunmy to not use, and use it all. Thanks Gillian. I will blame you. :) The rub on - eyerday wonderfuls became the theme through out the book. I wanted to record many things about my every day life at the moment. I think the reason I love to hate mini books is because they take a long time and the repetition, oh, I battle to keep it focused. LOL. Dont ya just love the little crocheted flowers made just by me. (Kept the boredom away a bit)

Cape Town, I love that place

2009-04-01T00:15:00.000-07:00

Always in my spirit, I will feel like an exited girl that feels alive when ever I go back to Cape Town. Something about the vibrancy, the colour, the life, the air, the people, the beauty and maybe just the magic it brings into my heart. How special it was to share my stepping back there with my special love, thank you Justin. I cannot thank you enough. And to good friends too, I am so blessed to have you in my life and share a little bit of love, warmth and energy with.

A wonderful little journey I took too, learning to accept the past and embrace those memories of a past life and the opportunities and blessings that have come my way. Just a slice of heaven and if I could taste it, I would say absolutely fantastically delicious. Yum.

I think I am too busy

2009-03-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

It has been a very very busy and emotional week. My little boy, Joel had major surgery on Thursday. He had a hydracoele and his thumb operated on. I was so nervous as I have major hospital phobias (considering he spent about 3 months in hospital when he was one) He came through with flying colours and was discharged the same day. Who would guess from these photo's that about 5 hours previously he was waking up in hospital. He bounces back so quickly and was helping me make about a hundred plus cupcakes for his brothers school the next day.

I love his t-shirt that says it all....been no where done nothing. Right, so not Joel... he has done more than a lot of other almost 3 year olds. I am so proud of him and so in awe of how brave he was. Way to go Joel.

So creativity this past few weeks took a little bit of a back seat and was on the run. These were invites I made on a late Sunday night. I am so glad I can photo shop. It helps wonders when you need a quick fix.

Luke is a crocodile and Joel is a monkey. So its not suprising when asked what type of cake do you want. "Oh you know, just a crocodile cake" . Ok so this is our attempt. Perfect is for shop cakes, I like to involve my kids in art especially times like this. So this is Lukes and my attempt of a crocodile. Not too shabby, great teeth Luke.

And just in case you didn't believe me when I said we made over a 100 cupcakes to go. I spose I am a strange mom, my mom taught me. We cant eat in front of others and if you give one you give all. And how can one child in the school have a cup cake as the kids classes at little school are all sort of interlinked. So we just made cupcakes for the school.

For those friends that know I cant cook, genuine these are all hand made by me. Sometimes I come out with suprises. My mom and I make a pretty darn good baking team dont you think.

So maybe, maybe, next week I will get to that mini book thats half done on the dining room table. For now, its tea, cupcake and left over crocodile cake awaiting.

Having fun

2009-03-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

I think I would be totally bored if I ever stuck to one pattern and way of doing things. So I try things and mix it up. Sometimes artistic impressions are also just because of how you are feeling on any specific day. I do think my moods dictate my passion and creativity.

Lately, there has been lots of work with trees, owls and birds. Its been sitting in the back of my head to try it.
I think of all my styles I do enjoy "Fun and whimsical" the best. It comes easily together for me without too much thinking. On a week night where I has a need to kill some of my PVR recording as its almost back to 100%, I started to cut out little hearts to stay awake. So if you wondered how this page started, it all started with little red hearts and then little things just got added. I must say its turned out happy, fun, bright and I think so me....and will be one of my favourites for awhile.

Answer to busy lives and book clubs

One of my best friends, Gillian, she scraps. But life is so busy and we seldomly get to meet up. So to try and solve that, we said instead of creating a book club we will have scrapclub and meet up once a month. So in theory we get to meet, see, snack, drink, chat and scrap. Wonderful combination dont you think.

I can remember back to the first crop sessions, trapesing across the country with my friend Bee, with a boot full of stuff. We could really add colour to that phrase: Everything but the kitchen sink. How on earth did we do that. And yes, man we had a lot of stuff. And it was like important to have it close by otherwise you could not scrap. It did take about an hour to pack it and an hour to pack it up again. I think we kind of realised what we were doing when one fine day we had a puncture on the way to a crop and it landed up in not such a great part of the woods. We had to unpack the entire chocoblock boot. All we could do was giggle and think of all the wives driving past with their husbands and saying: you think I had stuff, just look at those two and thats just what they have hidden in their boot.

So I have grown up. I go to crops now with literally NOTHING. I take my scrap file and a some cardstock and my carry all-tool thingy a mi-jiggy. No fuss at all. No photos. Just something to keep hands busy and putting something together. Complete with photo at home. Anyways this my book-club page. One finished easy simple page.

I did shabby chic...

2009-02-17T07:28:00.000-08:00

Yes I did. Its not something that is a natural process for me, I tend to prefer the cleaner fun lined approach with not so much stuff on a page. But you know me, I get a buzz and then out of the blue challenge myself to something different. If not why not I have a whole lot of stash to work my way through to eternity. Lets just say my printer ran out of ink found and old photo and havent done a girly page in a while. So here is my take on shabby chic, pink and blue, I love you.

There is stamping, inking and sewing on this page. Looks different in real life. Did I tell you I thought I would take out my sewing machine so I could, yes sew on paper (most my friends dont quite get that, let alone the thought that I own a machine and might even sew) but the darn thing was so much trouble, didnt want to work and almost got thrown down the street (but I was reminded that is literring). Do you ever get so mad with things that dont work when they should. So I walked around for the rest of the afternoon, not scrapping but cursing my machine that did not work. I think I solved the problem of throwing the machine down the road and just burnt out the motor instead. Far much a suttler death. Death by heat.

Just for Valentines day.

2009-02-13T07:21:00.000-08:00

I found this layout I did sometime I think in August. It says a lot and I still feel very much the same. Its a good day to share it.

Sunday scrapping

2009-02-01T08:51:00.000-08:00

Slowly getting back into playing with the art of moving photo's around and playing with paper. It is fun after all that is why we do it. Memories captured. Precious moments recorded. Photos for albums with little stories that will make me smile for a life time.

Happy faces. Thats my boys. Luke's first day of School. Joel does not smile for the camera, Luke thought he would help him along and show him how. Its really rather funny watching the two of them, sometimes they just get on and do these funny things together. Happy Sunday.

Just an {Extra}Ordinary Sunday

2009-01-26T10:15:00.000-08:00

I love my family very much. When we get together we always have so much fun, loudness, crazy times and just thrive in the amount of energy we all bring into the equation. So lazy Sunday afternoons on {Extra)ordinary days look just like this in our house. Even the cat and dog love each other long enough to snooze together. Welcome to the crazy madness of my family, Justin.

My Stars

2009-01-20T12:10:00.001-08:00

Absolutely no bribery involved in this photo. One of those rare moments where there is peace and love in the house. Where the older brother just hugs his younger brother for no particular reason and smiles back at me.

home is always where the heart is

2009-01-17T22:46:00.001-08:00

I finally finished a layout. Wow, its been some time. Hope it makes you smile.

Catching up

2009-01-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

Always catch up....those that know me, know........she be late.

5 January
I like being busy. So I haven't scrapped much in the past year. So this is my joke with my friend Bee, who is not convinced that I knit seen she thinks only old ladies and her sister knit. So Bee what do you think of Emma's to be pretty scarf?

4 January
I love these heart ornaments I received from Germany. Like old world heavy pieces of glass. Tie with a bit of ribbon and hang by the window to catch the light. These remind me, 3 hearts, 3 sisters, that love each other very much.

3rd of January

2009-01-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

I am sure I am the only girl in the world with WORM WEE sitting on her kitchen shelf. My mom acquired some very delicate gardening magic potion. How many worms do you think it took to wee in this bottle? I dont know, but my mom, she managed to find all of them to do it. No its not a herbal human drink. Apparently its the magic potion you give those struggling little plants when they been given a good talking to. I can imagine her saying "Yes, dammit, you will grow now, otherwise you will get some more wee." Maybe just as bad as castor oil for kids. She is indeed a special lady.

Photo: 2nd January

2009-01-15T12:40:00.001-08:00

Two sentimental hearts, tied with a bit of red ribbon, add a bow, hung by the window catching light so that the magic is allowed to dance.

Project: Everyday I am blessed

2009-01-15T12:13:00.000-08:00

So this is kind of my New Years resolution. I don't do resolutions very well and some just never seem to be very goal driven. I haven't scrapped much or at all for the last 8 months or so. So its a start. Its a challenge with my friend Bee to take a picture a day or if not a picture a day then at least put down some words that have meaning in our lives. I know we wont always keep up with this challenge or be perfect as we both live in organised chaotic worlds where other things seem to take priority in order for survival. But at least there is a seed, and with that, well hopefully we will grow something from it. It may be a little neglected at times, but I figure well if we count our blessing just a little, we still will have something to show and a keepsake to the madness of our lives.

So I take pictures. I am not organized as yet, the goal is to keep trying. So I figure if I keep posting my photos on my blog with some key notes, its a good way for me to remember, keep up to date, the key word I love to hate ORGANISED, and when I have that rare moment and some mojo, it will be ready for scrapping. If all else fails, print blog and stick in book.

1 January 2009

New Years morning sitting at my favourite spot at Justin's house. I love sitting in this corner of the house looking over the valley. New Years morning, soft gentle rain falling. Maybe the best omen to start a new year. Rain to wash away the past hurts so that one can step forward into 2009 with new beginnings and a new approach to many things. I was glad for the rain, it made good sense to me.

Hello Blogging world

2009-01-13T10:39:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok, I finally have a creative blog. Or so I want it to be that. Who knows what it may land up to be. But at least its something which is better than nothing much Maybe it will be lots of things, bits and pieces of my life. Mainly shared in pictures I suspect cause thats what I do. I do take alot of pictures.

Maybe the real reason is if I have a blog, it might just get me to be creative, start scrapping again. Find the beauty and the joy in dong the stuff I love.

My first project for 2009 is a little book I did for my www friend, Gillian. She has 2 new kitties that are her fur babies. So for her birthday I thought it be nice to have an itty bitty brag book. Well it never made her birthday on time, but it made first project of 2009.