One crafty little chick :)

So. It would seem while I am sitting around moaning about how little time I have to create, my little girl is getting on with the job! She puts me to shame sometimes :)

Lydia is one very crafty little girl. Her favourite craft item is probably sticky tape...she loves the stuff! She spends her afternoons drawing, and creating, and quite often rummaging through the recycling bin to find cardboard boxes and other "good junk" that she can use to make something...she's VERY resourceful. She wants to be an artist when she grows up...or a vet (but that's a story for another day!)

She has been itching to have a turn on the Slice, and when I found a link to a cute Christmas decoration the other day, I knew it would be a perfect project for us. Look at what she made..


Very noice! She chose all the papers and ribbon, and I cut the first one for her, but after that she made it herself...not bad for a 7 year old.

The kids have also been busy working on their Santa lists...reading these are one of my favourite parts of Christmas :) I found Lydia's sitting on her desk, and couldn't resist photographing it!


She wanted to know if she could send Santa a present to say thank-you. I told her that Santa would really appreciate her saying thank you in her letter, but I noticed when I picked up the envelope that it is quite heavy, and has a bump shaped suspiciously like a 50cent piece...how cute! I love this time of year!

Have a great day...less than a month to go now!

TTFN xxx

Cartwheels...

You'd never guess that this little girl once had major hip problems...

Look at her cartwheels...she has been working so hard on getting them "just right", keeping her legs straight and up. I really don't know how she doesn't get dizzy!

She practices all the time, so I thought I would take some photos. LOL...she made me delete all the ones where her legs were crooked! Just goes to show that miracles can happen :) (those were the words of her specialist!)

It must be getting close to the silly season, because I seem to be doing A LOT of running around lately. The older kids have been doing dance lessons at school, so I have spent the last couple of days at their performances. (I would have loved to show you the photos, but had better not as I don't have permission from the parents of their dance partners...but SOOOOO cute!)

I'm trying to make a dent in my Christmas lists, so have been at the shops far more than I care to be lately...and they are starting to get busy. I've been working on some projects for the kids for Christmas, which I will share when I'm done. Other than that....well, life is just busy I guess!

Every day I like to think that I will do something creative, but every day comes to an end before I can get to it.

Maybe today....

Hope you are finding some time for the things that you love to do

TTFN xxx

Checking in...

....but nothing that I can share with you today, I'm afraid :(

I HAVE been working on stuff, but mainly "secret Santa stuff " that I can't share. Christmas goodies for under the tree, a new stitching project that I have begun with a friend, and lots of works-in-progress. My head is brimming with ideas for the Slice, I have cards (and more cards) to make for Tomorrows Memories, Christmas cards to make and LOTS of shopping to do this week. So what do I spend the afternoon doing?

Baking. Yes, I have been baking all afternoon. Patty cakes, chocolate fudge, slice and biscuits, just because it's rainy here, and the kids needed a distraction, and my to-do list was looking overwhelming. Now it's just the mess in the kitchen that's looking overwhelming! LOL.

Enjoy the last of the weekend

TTFN xxx

Simplicity...

There is something very satisfying about making a quick and simple LO...I'm not sure why :)
It could be that I haven't sat here for hours( that I don't have to spare) deliberating over paper placement etc, which can get very frustrating. Or that a simple LO reinforces to me that each page doesn't have to be a masterpiece with lots of different techniques, and lots of $$$ worth of product to tell the story I want to tell.

Any way you look at it....it's all good!

Maybe I'm happy because I have finally broken into my October Afternoon Hometown pack, which has been sitting on my desk for a while now :) I also used the MM Slice to cut out "got" for the title...yep, DEFINITELY all good! (sorry Linda)

In the spirit of Christmas, I thought I would share a bauble that I decorated last year. It's just one of those papier mache balls, painted in maroon, then glazed with one of the MM Specialty Glazes. The words are felt stickers that MM released a few years back.

The white furry circles on the ball are just hand cut from the ribbon and applied with a glue dot.

A nice little addition to the Christmas tree!

I picked up one of those little "alterable" snow globes today at Rabbit Photo...you can pop a favourite photo inside, and I plan to add a few little embellishments to the outside too. My kids are going to love it! If you have no idea what I'm talking about...stay tuned....I'll be working on it over the next few days, hopefully, and will share when I'm done.

Have a great Thursday...my "taxi" is very very busy today :)

TTFNxxx

Denial....

I have been trying very hard to convince myself that this kid is simply NOT old enough to start Kindy next year. And then a photo like this pops up on my camera, and I realise that denial is futile...

So much attitude for one so small :) Still trying to convince myself that it's the roller skates and the i-pod that's making her look so grown up. Yep....denial.

As I mentioned yesterday (or was it the day before?), this weeks Copycatcard challenge is to create a card using aqua, brown, and a metal embellishment. I really should have been paying more attention to myself, because I had taken the photo before I realised that I had no metal embellishment...

...so if it looks a little strange with the silver brad in the flower...well, now you know why ;) I used some Making Memories Noteworthy for this card, which is still one of my all-time favourite collections. I've embossed across the lower edge with a Cuttlebug border design, and it's mounted on a brown card. All criteria met....LOL....phew!

Must be off...I have a new toy to play with...

...will keep you posted!

TTFNxxx

Happy feet...

Are these not the cutest little sock thingys you have ever seen? LOL. I picked them up at Coles the other day when I was doing the grocery shopping (and a pair for Lydia too) and we love them! Cool. Comfy. What more could you ask for?

Sorry...couldn't resist showing you! I was taking photos of the LOs that are to come, and was admiring my fun new sock thingys with the lens of the camera, and got a bit carried away (as you do).

Onto some LOs? Yeah, I think so too :)

Last night I attended Tomorrow's Memories for the next class in Tracey's Me , Myself and I Create series. Our assignment was to take photos of things around the house that represent us, that say "I live here".


Had lots of fun, as usual. Thanks for another great class Tracey!

I've made another double LO too...this is getting to be a bit of a habit :)



The colours aren't so great in the photo , but it's white cardstock edged with yellow paint (I told you, it's my new favourite!) with some Basic Grey Urban Prairie papers and embellishments, and some October Afternoon paper and a journaling card. Nothing too earth shattering going on technique-wise, but my husband noted that there were 10 photos on the page...this makes him happy ;)

New Copycatcard challenge (now located at the Scrapsidaisy forum) is to create a card using aqua, brown, and a metal embellishment. There are already some stunning cards posted on the forum...why don't you make one too?

TTFN xxx

Abracadabra, alacazam....

...let there be TWENTY of them!!!!


And magically, twenty appeared :) Complete with the most perfect green envelopes!

Hahaha...if only it worked that way. Reality: I worked on these yesterday, made a trip to Officeworks and found the green envelopes as well as far too many other office supplies which I didn't really need (as you do :))and finished all but 4 (which are not in the photo hee hee). I would have stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing them, except I had to be up at some ridiculous hour to take my bouncing (LOL) boy to a trampoline comp.

I am SOOOO not a morning person...especially when they expect me to be a scorer as well! However, by the end of the morning I had woken up enough to see my boy take out 2 gold medals (one for double-mini and one for synchro) and the silver medal for tramp! Yay!!!!!!


Here he is showing you his medals :)

Watching him compete is such a mixture of emotions...gym sports are very unforgiving. One boo-boo and you're out of medal contention, and all your hard work seems like it is in vain. It is so heartbreaking to watch kids who have trained so hard make one mistake...I guess if you've watched the Olympics you know what I'm talking about... but watching your own child is so much harder. Thankfully, Riley had a great comp today!

Best be off to finish off these last few cards...did I mention that I'm a bit over them by now? LOL Must be time to move on to the next design....

TTFN xxx

This post comes with a warning...

WARNING: IF YOU USUALLY RECEIVE A CHRISTMAS CARD FROM ME....LOOK AWAY NOW!

First of all, can someone please tell me how it got to be the middle of November? I had planned to be so organized by now....sigh. With this thought in mind, I realized I had better get some sort of plan happening for the Christmas cards. Sure, I've made a few random ones here and there, but my list has blown out a little in the last few years (a move across the country will do that LOL), and I'm feeling the need to knock some over :)

I do a couple of different types of cards. I do the "letter card" which is usually a typed letter placed inside a handmade card with a photo, for those friends that I haven't talked to in a while. I do "just a card" for the friends that I see regularly and know all my family news. And I do the "photo card", which is for friends that I talk to regularly by phone , but may like a photo of the kids. Confused yet? hee hee

My plan as it stands...to attack the letter cards first! I saw a great idea in one of my Making Memories ideas books, which is like a handmade fold-out type card, where you attach the letter inside...LOVE IT!

So this is the prototype, made with the brand new, limited release line from Basic Grey...Mistletoe and Pear. The colours are just beautiful. I've kept it fairly simple, as I have quite a few of these to make, and I plan to replicate the design for all of them...why reinvent the wheel, hey? I've stocked up on all the cardstock and other supplies , and am ready to start mass production!

If you don't hear from me for a couple of days...well, you know what I'm up to ;)

Have a great weekend

TTFN xxx

P.S. I took Merryn to her Kindy orientation today...sob sob...I am going to miss my baby next year (thank goodness it's only 2 days per week!)

Something to think about...

" You decide what kind of day you are going to have. You can choose to be happy no matter what comes your way today, or you can decide to sit and grumble. But either way, it is a CHOICE."
... as said by her mother to C.D.Muckosky


I read this in Creating Keepsakes magazine today, and it's message stuck in my mind. There's definitely some truth there.....


TTFN xxx

Ssshhhhh......I have a secret...

...I think I love my postie! LOL!!!

Look what he brought for me today...

I am so very lucky to have a sister who owns a scrapbooking shop :) also lucky that she is as addicted to the latest and greatest scrapbooking supplies as much as I am! You can get your hands on this yummy stuff too...head to www.scrapsidaisy.com ...it's all there!

Speaking of scrapbooking..I have been doing a little...



This divine diecut is from a range by Jenni Bowlin...very yummy! I thought I had done ok with the journaling, but Riley informs me that he was in Year 3 NOT 4 when he did his butterfly project...oh dear. Looks like I have some fixing to do. It was a bit tricky to make this LO not girly, as butterfly stamps and papers are pretty popular at the moment, but tend to be a bit feminine. So...I cut the butterfly "embellishment" straight from an extra photo that I had taken that day...makes it the perfect match for the main photos, huh?

A special birthday wish for Vicki today (check out her birthday wishes at www.tomorrowsmemorieswa.blogspot.com ...if she hasn't deleted the post LOL)...hope you have a wonderful day xxx

TTFN xxx

Blog on the blog :)

No...you're not seeing double LOL. I wanted to do a page about the blog, and how surprised I am that I'm enjoying it. You see, for a procrastinator like myself, it's a good thing to have a blog because it makes me finish stuff....stuff that I would normally put into my UFO (unfinished object) pile, and never pull out again. So instead of leaving things, I complete them so that I can show you :)

So here it is...

... and I couldn't resist using that photo, since it's the one that I see when I look at the blog.

I've used paper from the gorgeous Scenic Route Sonoma range (the red pattern...and the back of it is gorgeous too!) and a touch of the Basic Grey Urban Prairie...it would seem that yellow is my new favourite colour. The flower centre is embossed with the Cuttlebug, and there's lots of distressing happening along the edges of paper.

Have a great day!

TTFN xxx

It may just be...

..that I am easily excited, but I have had another LO accepted into the Basic Grey gallery!
Check it out at:

http://www.basicgrey.com/

And that's all the news I have for today :)

TTFN xxx

Afternoon sunshine...

Today, after a VERY rocky start to the morning (but we won't go there LOL), the kids and I spent a beautiful afternoon at a semi-local park. This particular park was one of the first that we visited when we moved to WA, and holds a special place in my heart. It was the first place I had ever seen a black swan...love black swans :)

Great to get out in the sunshine...

...have a play on the equipment...

...do a bit of roller skating/blading...

...pose for Mummy's camera ( a surprise opportunity which I grabbed with both hands!)

and a spot of tree climbing! A most beautiful way to spend the afternoon.

I broke out my paint and papers last night and did a bit of creating...

My daughter is lucky enough to share her birthday with our very dear friend, and usually have a cake each on their special day. I was lucky enough to get a photo of them together this year :)

I have stamped the black title with foam stamps (!!!!!) as part of a challenge that my dear sister came up with...I had almost forgotten how tricky they are to line up! The flowers I made with some gorgeous MM ribbon and some Kaiser Wish Upon paper, rhinestones and pearls.

Thanks for popping in, and taking the time to leave a comment....I really appreciate it!

TTFN xxx

Cinderella syndrome :)

I'm feeling a bit like Cinderella at the moment. You know the syndrome...everyone else gets to go to the ball except you? Poor little sad sack that I am. Before you start feeling too sorry for me though, I probably should admit that it is my inability to get off my butt to organise a babysitter that prevents me from going to the "ball" in this instance (hmmmm, only myself to blame really). For those of you who know what I'm talking about (that IS some of you, right? LOL) have a great night, and a couple of drinks for me!

Enough dribble! Onto some cardmaking...

This week's Copycatcard challenge is to create a card using red, black and white, AND some ribbon.


I fought my Christmas urges (LOL) and made a birthday card instead....despite the fact that the red polka dot diecut is from Teresa Collins Christmas line, and I SOOOOOO need to make some more Christmas cards! Ah well...plenty of time before the silly season :0

TTFN xxx

Everyday moments...

This was one of those little everyday moments that just HAD to be scrapped...even my darling son has suggested that I "do a page" about Merryn's lunchtime antics!



I guess when it comes right down to it, this is my favourite part about scrapbooking (although I DO love the shopping LOL!)...recording these little things that happen every day, that I know won't last forever. It makes me sad, too, that I didn't scrap all the "little things" about the other kids, but unfortunately you can't turn back time :(

I've used Basic Grey's Urban Prairie for this page, and I am loving the bright colours! The chipboard shapes make pages come together very easily, which you've gotta love, right?

Have a great weekend,

TTFN xxx

Just quickly...

...thought I'd share a LO I started at the Melbourne Cup Scrap yesterday, and finished last night. The stars are covered in the most delicate glitter, which I love but am not so fond of using IYKWIM! I end up with glitter EVERYWHERE...the girls who were at the shop yesterday can vouch for that ...hee hee (that's why I did it AT the shop, not at home).

I've used the New Kaiser Christmas line called Wish Upon for this one. It suited the photos perfectly, with all that pink! The "07" is also glittered.

While I was completing it, I realised that this particular photo is the 10th Santa LO I've done, but the only one with all 3 kids in it, and not me! A real breakthrough in the history of our family photo album, I think!

I ended up spraying the stars with hairspray in an attempt to hold the glitter in place. I'm sure there must be a product which is acid free which would do the same job, but haven't come across it so far. Anyone know of anything? I've used Dimensional Magic before, but it gives it a glossy, hard finish....something I didn't want for this particular project.

Have a fantastic Wednesday...how fast are the weeks flying by lately!

TTFN xxx

Cardmaking frenzy and Melbourne Cup Scrap

This week's Copycatcard challenge is to use "dots, stripes and the colour pink" to create a card, and just for a change....I didn't make a Christmas card!


I dug out some of my very last pieces from the MM Animal Crackers range...such a gorgeous release that was (sigh). Copycatcards has moved over to the Scrapsidaisy forum, as there were some issues with uploading into the slideshow. Now all you need to do is photograph your card, upload it to www.photobucket.com and copy/paste it straight into the designated section of the forum! Too easy! If you want to take part, but are unsure what to do, just leave me a message in the comments section here on the blog together with an email address, and I'll give you a hand :)

Once I got started with making cards...well, I just kept going :) My cards have been selling really well at Tomorrows Memories, so I need to work on restocking in the next little while, so started with some baby girl cards.


I'm planning to do some baby boy ones with the last of my Animal Crackers stash!

I spent today at Tomorrows Memories for their annual Melbourne Cup Scrap...always a fun day! Can't say that I got very much scrapping done, but managed to finish this double LO while I was there...

...which is from Mothers Day this year when we went to the chocolate factory in the Swan Valley....yuuuuuummmmm! I'm trying to get into some doubles, otherwise my pile of photos will NEVER get any smaller. Also want to get a few pages into my "events and places" type album, as there is talk of a trip to visit the rellies next year, and I like to show them what we've been up to!

So, had a great day (thanks girls xxx) and have come home with lots of inspiration!

Talking of inspiration....I came across a blog that is devoted wholly to Cuttlebugs at www.cuttlebugchallenge.blogspot.com . I haven't had a chance to have a REALLY good look, but there looks to be a few ideas that might be useful...check it out and let me know :)

Hope you had an enjoyable Cup day, and were lucky enough to back a winner!

TTFN xxx

Girly day out and some scrapping...

Spending time with a child, one-on-one, is such a great thing. You get to really appreciate the wonderful little person that they are, talk about what's going on in their lives, what's worrying them and what's making them happy.

Having said that, it can be a very difficult thing to achieve in our busy little household. In between sport and school and housework and hobbies, not to mention the fly in/fly out routine, it can be hard to find the time to spend with JUST one child.

For a long time now, I've been wanting to go to the Kalamunda markets which are held one Saturday a month in the beautiful Perth Hills. When dance lessons had finished for the morning, and since the sun was shining so beautifully, I decided to take Lydia on a little "mystery" outing to the markets. Kalamunda is such a beautiful place, and the markets were fantastic! We ate homemade fudge, bought a flowing black velvet cape from the costume stall, spent hours in the quaint little shops, drank iced chocolates in the cafe, and had a lunch date.

The shops in Kalamunda are just SOOOOO me :) There are little craft shops, toy shops with not-your-average toys, homewares shops, and even a shop that is jam-packed with the most beautiful Christmas decorations you have ever seen! One that I hadn't seen before was "Little Miss Cupcake"...

...the most DIVINE little shop, filled with cupcakes and tea sets and everything pink, right down to the pink cyrstal chandeliers. Lydias's eyes nearly fell out! The photos weren't so great (the sun was really really bright!) but it is the most beautiful little shop!

What a great day out. I love spending time with my little girl....it's the simple things, huh?

Now...to the scrapping :)

This is a simple page I've been wanting to do for a while, about our Saturday night catch-ups with our dear friends (who are really NOT that orange in real life LOL).

I've used Pink Paislee papers for this one. Simple, but something I wanted to document.

I had some papers left from my DT pack from Tomorrows Memories, so created another LO...yep, Christmas again :).

I've had a vision in my head of some little 3D Christmas presents wrapped with ribbon under a Christmas tree, so decided to go with that. I've embossed the papers and the tree with some Cuttlebug Christmas folders, then decorated the tree with some bling.

I could remember seeing some quotes about Christmas trees and presents, so did a search through my favourite quote sites and came across the perfect one...don't you love that?

I wonder if you'll be sick of seeing Christmas stuff soon? I still have LOTS of photos to scrap, and cards to make, and Christmas gifts to create, so you may have to bear with me for a while :) I do SO love Christmas....less than a month till the tree goes up!

TTFN xxx