Procrastination...

...is a wonderful thing! It is something that I can quite confidently say that I am very good at :)

Right now, I am supposed to be packing to go to Brisbane. Instead, I have been scrapbooking, and now I'm blogging...see? I'm getting it down to a fine art.

This is what I've been up to...

My Design Team pack from Tomorrows Memories this month included some of the yummy new My Minds Eye Breaking Free papers...have you seen them yet? Lovely turquoise, pinks and reds, which is my favourite colour combination right now. The piece I've used is called Fruit Flavoured So Pretty Flirty Flowers, and the flowers are printed all the way down one side.

Too pretty to cut, of course, so I highlighted the printed flowers with paper flowers and brads to give them some lift. The alphas are American Crafts thickers, and the rubons are from one of the Creative Cafe Swatch Books...amazing value, as you get LOTS of different coloured alphas in LOTS of different fonts! All these goodies are available at the shop.

I was flicking through my journaling book (yep, procrastinating again), and came across some thoughts I had written down about our old house in NSW, so whipped up a LO about that.

No photos this time, just journaling and machine stitching and some random alphas. The paper was far too pretty to cut anyway :)

Do you have a place where you write down thoughts as they come to you? These words were written in March 2008, but I had no idea how I was going to incorporate them on a layout until I bought this new Fancy Pants On A Whimsy paper :) Writing down stuff is also a great way to procrastinate when you should be doing something else! Ha!

Better go back to that packing. I'll be missing for a few days...catch you next week!

TTFN xxx

Not quite Donna Hay...

...but close enough :)

Merryn loved her birthday cake, and when I called her over to show her the finished result, she exclaimed "That's IT Mummy!" , which is good enough for me! Our kitchen was buzzing with birthday party excitement this afternoon...we have a little tradition that my friend who celebrates her birthday with Merryn brings her kids for a little party to celebrate, and I make her favourite cake...

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. It doesn't hurt that it's one of my favourites too :) I made her a card too...

...using Fancy Pants On a Whimsy papers, which are very very nice.

Thank you to everyone for your birthday wishes for Merryn...she went to bed a very tired but happy little girl! Speaking of bed....

TTFN xxx

The birthday season.

Another birthday coming up for my littlest one...

Tomorrow is the big day, but in true Merryn style, she has been celebrating for the last week or so :) She shares a birthday with my bestest friend, so when "the girls" took my friend out to lunch last week, Merryn of course had to join in and blow out some candles. Then there is the little mini-celebration as the postie arrives with a new parcel or envelope for her. Not to mention the play dough cake ceremony at her kindy today (so cute...I was on roster so I could watch) and cakes to share with her friends...

....all with 5 mini marshmallows. Who knows what her actual birthday might bring?

She has chosen this as her proper, have-on-your-actual-birthday cake...

...which is sort of a relief, considering the challenging choices of recent years! I've convinced her to have cake as opposed to rice bubbles (a la the Donna Hay cover)...watch this space!

TTFN xxx

A birthday wish...

...for a VERY special little nephew of mine who is turning 5 today.

Hope your day is as special as you are Jordy xxxxx

The card features Bazzill Swiss Dots (is that what it's called..mental blank!) and a Doodlebug cardstock sticker decorated with Kaisercraft Rhinestones. The white diecut was cut on the MM Slice. I find cards for boys so difficult :)

TTFN xxx

Temptation in small glass jars.

I swear....today I went to Tomorrows Memories only to buy a jar of white paint....I swear it's true. I can't even say that I wasn't warned that there was a heap of brand new papers and goodies, because I was. Seriously though, who can resist cute little glass jars....

...filled with the most yummy colours of flocking powder? Evidently, not me :) I also caved in to the temptation that is new Basic Grey, new My Minds Eye, new Making Memories and new Daisy Bucket. Yep, I was warned.

The good news is that I have used some of my flocking powder already!!! It was just what I needed to cover the chipboard which I needed the white paint for (that led me into temptation in the first place!) Continuing with my Riley challenge....


...with a very crooked photo with bad colour representation :) but nevertheless...A LAYOUT!
I found this photo in my reject box (photos that I have already scrapped, repeated photos,blah blah) and it illustrated my story perfectly.

This LO covers the last of July's challenges on the Scrapsidaisy forum

which is to use fabric on a LO, and to scrap a LO with an animal on it. The Peter Rabbit is actually machine embroidered onto calico, mounted on some chipboard, then remounted onto a chipboard frame which is painted then flocked with white flocking (just for you, Jo ...see, I really
did need it LOL). The navy spots is also fabric, which I trimmed with scallop scissors. The paper is called Cocco Periwinkle, an older piece from Kaisercraft. The stitching and buttons carry on the haberdashery-feel of the LO...well, that's the plan, anyway :)

Can I just say how perfect flocking is for baby layouts? It has a lovely texture...reminds me of Bonds Wondersuits, all soft and cuddly :) I am already formulating plans in my head for the pink and green!

TTFN xxx

Drowning in paper...

...and not the pretty patterned kind either :(

I know it's the end of financial year, but seriously....school notes, tax stuff, bills...it's a bit over-the-top. Needless to say, there has been very little (actually, none at all) crafting going on around here.

A few things though...

Rosalie Quinlan is having a giveaway on her blog....and the prize is some of her very own range of fabrics that are due to be released in a few months, and they are to die for! If fabric floats your boat, get over there!

Cosmo Cricket are having a giveaway of one of their brand new lines too, if scrapping is more your thing. Their new ranges look divine.

I have it on very good authority that Tomorrows Memories have received lots and lots of new and scumptious goodies in the last two days...again, if scrapping is your thing.

My Christmas Belles quilt has officially left the building :) I dropped it off to the quilter earlier this week, but it was raining when I tried to take a last photo...so you won't be subjected to looking at pics of it for a while :)

Hoping and praying that I feel the urge to create something soon....and that you do too!

TTFN xxx

A book lover...

I am a book lover from waaaaayyyyyyy back. I love the smell of books, the feel of books,and always loved to read. I have often thought that I would be very happy being a librarian...or at the very least, working in a book store :)

The funny thing is, as I have grown older, my passion for childrens books has taken over from my love of novels. My kids have lots and lots and lots of books....just because I love to buy them :) This is what we're reading at the moment...

Little Miss M loves Charlie and Lola, and let me assure you that a lot of her attitude comes directly from the pages of these books LOL! Gotta love a girl with a bit of sass :)

Miss L has discovered Charlie and Lola's "big sister" Clarice Bean...this is the third one she's read, and is loving them. I have just started on my first so that we can compare notes :)

Master R is engrossed in Twilight, and wants me to read the story along with him. Unfortunately, I know myself far too well...I wouldn't be able to stop where he is up to, and then he would be angry that I overtook him (this happened with Harry Potter, and he has not forgiven me yet!)

I'd love to get back into reading novels for myself, but while ever there is thread or paper to be used, or a scrapbooking mag on my table, that is probably not going to happen. Unless you can recommend a book that I just have to read? I'd love some suggestions.....

TTFN xxx

A simple photo...

...is not going to do justice to these gorgeous projects, but I'll show you one anyway :)

I was lucky enough to attend a Christmas in July workshop at Tomorrows Memories all day today with the lovely Maxine Hazebroek and Audrey Underwood and a great bunch of girls, where we created this divine Christmas tree and stunning bauble. I felt so spoilt to have a whole day to myself, and even luckier to spend it with such lovely company!

The tree took the most part of the day...the detail in it is amazing. We glued, we embossed, we poured hot wax, we tied, and we glittered, and ended up with a tree that I can't wait to decorate my house with this Christmas! The bauble was very cleverly constructed with folded rectangles and pins in a foam ball...so very clever. When my fingers recover from the pin-pushing today, I will be making more of these.

Linda was my partner in crime today, and thank goodness she came! Not only did she help me out with her hot glue gun and other supplies that I forgot, but had the foresight to bring lollies and the most delicious white chocolate slice! YUM! Thanks Linda xxx

Enjoy what's left of your weekend...hopefully this will be the beginning of a scrappy one for me!

TTFN xxx

...and a matching card!

While I had all the greens and blues out for my LO (see previous post) I thought I'd make a card to complete another challenge for this month over at Scrapsidaisy! Hope challenged us to create a LO and then make a card using the scraps.


I already had most of the circles cut out, so it was just a matter of stitching around the border, stamping in the centre circle and adding some bling. Papers are all the same as the previous post :) It's such an easy thing to create a card while you have all the matching bits and pieces pulled out....why don't you give it a go next time you do some scrapping? (or even join in the challenges...would love to see what you create!)

TTFN xxx

Scrapping in Circles

I'm really loving using circles in my LOs at the moment...can you tell?


Maybe i'm just missing all the girly bits and pieces that I usually use when I'm scrapping my daughters, and circles have become the "flower substitute" :) This is LO number 5 of my "scrap 20 Riley LOs challenge", and I was inspired by a LO by Jaime Warren in an old Memory Makers book which I borrowed from my local library...I love her use of circles :)

I had lots of fun flicking through older papers to find just the right colours...there is some Chatterbox, Amy Butler by K&Co, Basic Grey Two Scoops, Melissa Frances, and some American Crafts...talk about a mixture! I even used up the last of my pack of Heidi Swapp Jewel Circles...love it when that happens, because it makes a bit more room in my embellishment drawer :)

Have a great weekend

TTFN xxx

Random stuff...and jelly.

Quite by accident, todays post appears (once again) to have a theme....that being "jelly"....hmmmm.

Riley whipped these up in the kitchen yesterday...


...he is taking his culinary skills to a new level! Jelly layers, with custard and marshmallows sandwiched in between. The children say they were delicious...I still haven't sampled mine :0

This yummy jelly roll arrived in the post today...

...such divine colours! A thoughtful and totally unexpected pressie from my sister, which put a smile on my face for the rest of the day...thanks Leisa xxx. I really want to open it up to feel all the fabrics and get a good look at them, but they look far too cute wrapped up like that.
It will get the better of me soon!

Tracey and her gorgeous kiddos came for a visit today....we chatted crafty stuff for hours in between cuppas, and she went home armed with a very quirky little stitching project. Keep an eye on her blog...I have a feeling she has been bitten by the stitching bug (insert evil laugh)!

The lovely girls over at www.threadsoffriendship.blogspot.com are having a giveaway....pop over and leave a comment for your chance to win.

And finally...

... a random photo that I took this afternoon that I love to bits!

TTFN xxx

CUPCAKES!

This is the result of letting your children loose with a batch of uniced cupcakes and a spray can of icing....

I still can't believe you can buy icing in a spray can...lots of fun for kids! Check it out at www.cakemate.com .

In a complete coincidence, I created a birthday LO of my boy using Basic Grey Cupcake ...


This is another challenge over at Scrapsidaisy, to create a LO about a birthday-yours or otherwise. I chose a Riley birthday...you know why :) (see previous posts)

I've added some buttons to the Kaiser Fozz Felt to add a bit of dimension. The journal card is by Collage Press, and the borders are machine stitched. The cute birthday banner is from the Cupcake range element stickers.

TTFN xxx

Ticking the boxes....

...of things I wanted to get done this weekend. Love it when plans come together :)

The July challenges over at the Scrapsidaisy forum are up, and one is to create a double LO and include the colour red (using a sketch if you like). I made mine about Riley's class assembly so I could tick another off my "20 Riley LO's" challenge (and just for the record, I count double LOs as 2 hee hee).

I used Basic Grey Lime Rickey again, just because it is so bright and colourful. I kept it fairly simple because the photos are very busy...why do simple LOs always seem to take the longest to finish? It looks a little crooked...oops!

I've punched some circles straight from the patterned papers, used stamps for others, and even used some rub-ons. The punched border is highlighted with Lime Rickey brads.

In other news...

...we are keeping up with our holiday lucky-dips, and they have been a godsend on these rainy days we've been having lately! Today was Lydia's turn, and she pulled "bake lots of yummy goodies to eat"...so we've been baking white choc-chip cookies, chocolate cake and some cupcakes which are cooling as I type. Guess we'll be icing and cake decorating later this afternoon! Don't you just love the smell of the house when you've been baking? Yuuuuummmm!

Have a great weekend

TTFN xxx

Friends Old and New

There is nothing quite like spending time with like-minded souls....people who share interests and ideas and have a common love of fabric :) I don't know that I have ever met a fabric lover that I didn't like...

...and these girls are no exception! Blogging has opened up my world to so many wonderful people, and yesterday I was lucky enough to catch up with these inspirational ladies...fellow bloggers whose lovely stitches inspire me so much! I left with a very full tummy...

...thanks to the culinary expertise of Linda and Bec, and just itching to create with fabric thanks to Janelle, Jenni and Linda (of course). What a wonderful way to spend a day :)

TTFN xxx

All about him.

Do you ever get so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of photos that you want to scrap, that you don't actually scrap anything at all? I've been in that sort of rut lately :(

So one day last week I sat and looked through my albums, read the stories, and basically just enjoyed the pages that I have created so far...and felt grateful for what I have recorded, rather than what I haven't.

What I also realised is that there are years of my dear sons life that , so far, haven't even had a look-in as far as scrapbooking is concerned, and that his albums are so much thinner than his sisters'. With that in mind, I've decided to focus on Riley for the next 20 layouts that I create, just to even things up a bit, and to give me some direction.

Number 1 of 20 :)



This one has October Afternoon Hometown papers with a bit of Scenic Route thrown in. I also had a play with some Technique Tuesday stamps....fun fun! The black border is machine stitched.


The tree is by Collections and I left it raw on purpose. The leaves are handcut and raised with foam tape. The little bird is cut from some older paper by Dream Street.

Moving on to number 2 of 20....

TTFN xxx

Busy bees!

It's the first day of the school holidays here in WA, but already we have been busy little bees!

One of our favourite things to do in the holidays is to make a "lucky dip". Each member of the family gets 5 strips of coloured card (a different colour each) and we write down 5 things that we'd like to do in the holidays. We then take it in turns to draw one of our lucky dips, and then we all do that activity. These range from picnics, to golf, to baking cakes, to visits to Scitech, and everything in between :)

Today was my pick, and I drew "visit a toy shop that we've never been to and go window shopping". So we pulled out the Yellow Pages, found a shop, and off we went! We did LOTS of "window shopping", tested out some new toys, and I made a couple of secret purchases (there's a certain little girl's birthday coming up this month), including this...

...which I broke open upon arrival at home, and it kept us all busy, all afternoon!

So now our house is decorated with Pokemon,

and lovehearts,

and flowers :)

We also managed to fit in "a treat at Macca's" which was on one of Riley's lucky dips, so the holidays are off to a great start! Hope yours are too!

TTFN xxx