Long Lost

I don't normally celebrate Halloween, but when a long lost 4th cousin (who is just about MY AGE) invited me to her party, i just had to say yes! I really wanted to meet my cousins who, while they are only distantly related to me, are the only relatives i have that are CLOSE TO MY AGE. As someone who has hated being an only child and being so generationally challenged in my extended family, it was a hugely big deal to finally get the chance to know family around my own age. I went all by myself knowing NOBODY and had a fantastic time with Kat, Jase, Jessica and Mark as well as some of their mates.

Me & Jessica... she's been trying to tell me that, from my photos on facebook at least, she thinks we look alike. I was like nahhhhh i don't see it.. until we had this photo together on Saturday night. I sort of see it now :)

Jason & Mark

Jessica (devil), Me (minnie mouse) and Kathryn (witch)

Let's Get Shabby Sketch Challenge

Here is my entry for the current LGS challenge.

This month it involved a sketch and "something vintage" so i used some of the lace i found at the op shop a week ago and some random bits and pieces i got off ebay or as gifts as well as gorgeous prima flowers, heidi swapp alphas and journaling tags from both Daisy D's and Bella. Phew.

Uploading Layouts

Here are some recent layouts.

The wedding ones were completed during the month of September. There is one in there that is based on the current 'sketch to inspire' over at Pinkalicious Sketches. Can you guess which one it is? The ones that are of normal, everyday life were completed... TODAY! I finally did some more scrapping after taking a bit of a break from it for a few weeks.

They're pretty average, but... meh.

Yikes, it's been a while!

Life has been... busy in a fun way. I really REALLY enjoyed my school holidays this time.
I resigned from my job at the end of last term. LONG STORY!

Here are a few photos of some recent happenings at our place and around here somewhere :)


Meet Cocoa & Vader, our guinea pigs.
We got them just under two weeks ago and it's been love LOVE LLLLLOOOOOVE ever since.
I had originally named Vader "MILLIE" but that lasted all of about 3 hours, and then Ben came home and decided he looked like Darth Vader. Hrrrmph. Cocoa is my baby and I just adore him.


I went up to Atherton and killed two birds with one stone. Originally made plans with Antonella but, look who else was in town!! Frank (who i went to uni with and who is Ant's good friend as well) was up from the Isa and so he joined us for our catch up sesh at the Coffee Club.

Oh, and a few weeks ago we had to dog-sit the Dog-In-Law, Milo, for a night. He's such a pleasant pup. Love him.

Riiiiiiight at the beginning of the holidays, the ROSHC girls came over to my place and we had a little morning tea. It was sooo good to catch up with the girls. We're going through a similar sort of stage of life at the moment... Karina and her boyfriend just bought a house, as did Katie and her boyfriend a few months ago.

Chloe was up from Townsville last week and so we caught up and made things right. It only took a year, some chocolate cake and a random op shop hop to make everything better. Here she is, pictured with a random "kool" car we saw at the shops.

Ben bought these BEAUTIFULLY scented roses at a road side stall on the way home last week, just because. Isn't he just awesome?!

Oh, and I had a tupperware party a few weeks ago too. Ben's mum just started demonstrating Tupperware a few weeks ago and so I had a party.

And here's a pic from our Housewarming which was a while ago now. It's just Stephen, Katharine and Benny pictured here. It was a good night with about 20 of our mates over for a BBQ and quiet drinks. Good times.

This was just Saturday night. The usual crew, our fantastic five. My best mates.

Annie & I being posers.

Adam's ute yesterday at Ross & Locke. He managed to drain the battery by playing music the whole 3 hours or so that we were there so we had to push start it to get it going again. I'd like to think that my awesome wheel turning, braking and then finally "pushing" actually did help the boys get it going again. Cocoa and Vader having a look in the mirror and just playing around during their Very Secure free range time in our room teh other day. I was completely anal about making sure they didn't poop on the carpet and surprisingly they held it in. Well done, guys!

And finally.... the hutch that Ben has been working on for the last week or so is finally finished. Well done, Ben!! :D

...I haven't done any scrapping in a while. Just haven't had the time or inclination for a few weeks. Lots of photos and great stories to document so i should probably get onto that when I get days off!

Alive & Scrapping...

That's my entry for the new Let's Get Shabby challenge. I've always liked the lacey lumps on other people's layouts but have never felt confident enough to give it a go myself. Today I thought, meh, might as well give it a go.... it's a huge stash of op shop lace i bought for some incredibly low price a few months ago and haven't had the inclination to use so... there it is. Whacked on my shabby layout in a Lace Lump. By the way that is Vanilla cardstock underneath... it's just incredibly poor lighting for some reason.

I've been at home sick today so I decided to take some photos of my more recent work... I haven't uploaded ANYTHING for over a month because we've been so busy moving into our very own home. So here is four weeks' worth of scrapping work:

Phew... that's a lot of uploading. Thanks for looking.

:)

My Scrappy World at the Moment

It's a jumble in here!

This isn't the most coherent post ever:

At the moment my scrapping world is all over the place and partially boxed up.
The settlement date has been moved forward to the 7th of August so we will be moving in approximately 2 and a half weeks if all goes well. We've started packing and I started with my scraproom!

I started to scrap wedding photos in an album very similar to that which i used for my Kitchen Tea album but i very quickly lost interest in any attempt to scrap using the white/red/black colour scheme even though i had started to stock up on papers and embellishments of those colours. IT'S JUST TOO HARD TO SCRAP IN RED! I don't like it :( SoooOOo I've decided against sticking to the colour scheme and am scrapping the more neutral photos (black & white OR ones where the red colour scheme isn't too apparent) in pinks and blues and other softer colours. I enjoy that a LOT more and it is a LOT prettier, in my opinion.

A lot has happened within my local community in the last few days and it's left a lot of people feeling very shocked and saddened and, while i'm not directly affected by any of it, I work with people who are in the thick of it and it's rough going at the moment so my scrappy world has been a great escape for me. I love that I have this hobby that can allow me to reflect and relax and just shut off from other stuff for a little while. To take my mind off things, I've set myself a personal challenge:
5 days, $5, 5 op shops.
For those who don't know, i am a MAD KEEN op shopper and pride myself on the fact that I have visitted EVERY op shop in the Cairns area and could literally write a review on each and every one of those on demand if anyone ever asked. :P I rarely get the opportunity to go on an op shop hop these days but when i do... ohh i love it.
This afternoon was Day 1 and I spent 80c at the Red Cross Op Shop in Raintrees. I purchased 2 4m x 8cm strips of vintage fabrics... one was white with blue flowers and the other was white with pink flowers. I suspect they are off-cuts from old sheets as the pink pattern looks vaguely familiar... I think nanna might have those sheets at home!! The lady behind the counter absolutely beamed at me when i told her i intended to use the fabric for my scrapping. YAY!

Anyway, enough random rambling from me. Have a great day whenever you read this :)

Too Good To Use

True Romance is a layout i made with this week's STM challenge in mind. We were to use lyrics from the song "That's What I Like About You." It's my first time doing a layout for STM!

Lee-Anne over at Scrap Therapy set a long weekend surprise challenge to use stuff from our "too good to use" stash. I've been doing just that.

Prima flowers, Heidi Swapp Letters, laces i won from the Let's Get Shabby first ever RAK.

Mmmmmm it's fun using the good stuff! :)

Shabby Shabby Shabby!!

Some recent layouts...

One is for the Pinkalicious Sketches Blog where I am a DT.

Another is for the July Challenge at Let's Get Shabby.
Can you guess which is which? All will be revealed later this weekend when Ant announces the new sketch for the month... it will become very clear which one is based on that.

I just got some PRIMA stuff from Lee-Anne over at Scrap Therapy so I'm going to keep on scrapping tonight... I might add some more layouts later this evening!

Wedding Photos

The Boys

The Reception Venue

The Table Settings & Bombonierre

Ben with his siblings

mmmm cake!

oooOOooo

Pretty Cake... tastes amazing too... we have heaps leftover!

With our mate Azza's car (he did stacks of "amateur" photos for us on the day out of the goodness of his heart and did a FANTASTIC job), love that guy! Champion.

The Bridal Party: Adam, Russ, Me, Ben, Annie, Hannah

My 2nd cousin & I

Our guests

ooOOoo

Signing the register

Ben came to meet me halfway down the aisle... he was crying, i was grinning.

Me stepping out of the lexus

Me looking like i'm about to lay a pavlova egg. Mmmm meringue.

Photos are a combination of our pro photos and Azza's photos.

This was truly the best day of our lives, we had a BLAST! Absolutely loved it.

Going to the Chapel of Love

"I'm going to the chapel... and i'm... gonna get maa-aaa-aaarried!"

*squeals*

3 Sleeps to Go!



I will post mid/late next week with PHOTOS and GOSSIP and STUFF... have a great weekend!

Let's Get Shabby!!

YAAAAAY! :D I won the first RAK on Let's Get Shabby.... soooo exciting, I can't wait to play with the pretty bits & pieces that are on their way.

"oh yeah, i have a blog!"

Life has been ridiculously busy lately. No time for scrapping and certainly no time for blogging! Last night I managed to get a coupla layouts completed... one is for Pinkalicious Sketches (which is now moving to monthly challenges, in case you were wondering) so I won't post it up just yet and this other one was just for fun.

The photo is of two of my mates, Karina & Katie, at my Hen's Night last weekend. It is now exactly TWO WEEKS until our big day. Most things are organised, all we're doing now is confirming our details and paying stuff off. My dress is almost ready... they just need to take the hem up a bit more (i was still tripping on the length at the front) and steam clean it and then it's MINE to take home. YIPEE!

5 Days left of the school term. I am soooo glad report cards are over, I never knew just how time-consuming they were. I can't believe I've been full time teaching for a whole semester... it is so cheering to see the changes in my kids in this time. It makes it all worthwhile :)

Anyway, it's a busy saturday so i best be off to run some errands. Take care!

Two Recent Layouts

I was home sick today... eventually the scrapping itch hit and i scrapped one single layout (the one of Ant & I). Here it is, along with another layout I scrapped a few days ago for the first challenge in Scrap Therapy's Make Believe Masters Competition.

I have two lots of exciting scrapping news:

Firstly, I am just one member of a very talented team of girls designing at Pinkalicious Sketches. Read the announcement here.

Secondly, I have been picked to be a DT Member for the month of June over at Scrap Therapy. I am running an INSPIRATION challenge and cannot wait to share it with you all!

RETREAT!

A whole day of scrapping, 7 layouts, 1 collaboratively-made card and a LOT of talking with new friends later and I am absolutely wiped out... however, i am ALSO really hyped up on chocolate sooooOOOooo I am up and unable to sleep! LOL. Here's pictures of just some of what I got up to today:

The girls surprised Annette & I with Bride to Be packs full of lovely, awesome goodies including these little cuties! :D

Thanks ladies!

Annette & I looking a bit worried about what could happen next... What's Lee-Anne got planned?

The little ones... myself, Ant & Annette.

Thankyou for a lovely day :D

Clean Out....RAKs up for Grabs

I have a whole heap of older KaiserCraft, American Crafts & Sassafras Lass Papers i'm keen to pass on to someone else. Some papers are whole 12x12 sheets in good condition, others have bits cut out of them but are still pretty big chunks of paper.

Is anyone interested in a pre-loved paper RAK?

If so, leave a reply about your favourite older paper....

Counting Down!

Scrap Therapy Retreat is THIS COMING WEEKEND!

I've had so much trouble deciding what to bring with me.

I'm almost all packed up.... is this too much stuff?

Yes, I realise I am a local so the whole "packing" thing is not quite as full on for me as it is for the out-of-towners coming along to scrap, but STILL!

Here are some layouts I've managed to squeeze in during the last week and a half. I've been very busy and there's a lot going on here at the moment so this is about as good as it's going to get until the retreat.

Yup, after a busy game of Taboo, Cat & Hannah fell asleep in our loungeroom. But lookout - Graeme is about to squeeze the squeaky purple french guy at them. They will awake, shamed & cranky.

The photos in the following layout are from approximately four years ago. They desperately needed to be scrapped. I think i did alright using pink on a layout of "my boys" and I.

And finally, the Redlynch carpark back when I used to work there and you could tell which staff members were present and accounted for simply by reading our personalised plates.

Have a good week!

Pinkalicious!

Ohhh! I won this fortnight's challenge over at Pinkalicious Sketches! How exciting!!

Thanks Ant!!

If you haven't already checked out Ant's Sketch Blog... you should! There's a new sketch each fortnight and prizes to be won. Lots of awesome layouts are contributed each time too, so heaps of inspiration can be found in the gallery. You will find the blog HERE.

Day Tripping

DID YOU KNOW THAT LACE IS REALLY CHEAP IN ATHERTON?!
I did not know this.
From now on, I will buy lace in Atherton.

Ant, you'll be seeing more of me.


I hope you don't mind! :)

Sneak Peak!

I had my hair & make-up trial today... I actually feel REALLY pretty right now!!

AWARD!

Awww Christine made me blush by giving me (just ME!) this award for my scrapping journey (ahem... this blog is turning about a year old as we speak!) and so I am passing it on... to absolutely everybody in my blog list... recognising that not all the blogs I visit are even ON my blog list. It's too hard to pick favourites!

On a side note, i picked up this beautiful (old! VERY OLD!) "fashion trim" lace from the Salvo's shop this arvo for just 50c.

AND ANOTHER ONE

Woot! I am catching up on the mail (and RAKs) I've been meaning to send so expect them some time soon. Sorry to Ant, Christine & Sarah for the delay. I'm doing a biiiiiiiiiiiiiig scrapping cleanout today... if it's too dodgy to swap it will end up in the craft cupboard at work.
One more layout for you all:

Wishing you a fantastic week and, for those of you to which this applies, HAPPY SCHOOL HOLIDAYS! :)

Two More...

I'm on FIRE!

School Holiday Madness

The LOVE IS Box is the (latest version) of our "guest book box" (we've changed our mind about the guest book about 3 times now).

Here are some entries for my "one year in 60 pages recipe book diary"

Here is a page I've been hanging out to scrap for a while:
I used an embellishment (by Lisa) which came in a pack I received as part of a swap I was supposed to contribute to (long story!).


Here is a layout I was really excited about until i wrecked it with random rhinestones and scribble.... urgh.. i should think before sticking! But a bit of cutting fixed everything....

It's just not 12 x 12 anymore...

I am absolutely obsessed with this red dotty paper from American Craft's new Craft Fair range. It reminds me of the dress i wore to our engagement party.

Look, I've used it more than once in a single weekend!

Here is a photo I scabbed off my cousin's facebook... it is him with his baby girl, his first born only a few weeks ago! They live interstate so this will be as close as i get to this cute little baby for a while.

Isn't she just the cutest? I used a sketch from Antonella's Challenge Blog... Pinkalicious Sketches.

As you can see, I've only been on School Holidays since Friday.

I have gotten a LOT of scrapping done. Most of what I'm showing in this post was created while the boys were LANning in the living room and i was hiding in here, my scraproom, with the music blaring.

The LAN Widow

From midday yesterday until one this morning, my DF had his 2 closest friends over for a LAN (Local Area Network) aka a NERD PARTY.

While this was going on I achieved soooo much because I was trying to stay out of their way. I got 2 loads of washing, the dishes, 2 scrapbooking layouts (not very exciting, can't be bothered sharing them), two beautiful boxes (one for the wedding guest "cards" and the other for recipes) all done AND i painted the back of the "something borrowed something blue" album i started the other day. I managed to get small smudges of paint on the wrong side too. :( I also added a bundle of little stickers and some Bella journaling spots and away we go. All done. I also did the Red Arrow walk then I went over to a friend's place and a bunch of us girls had dinner together and then watched P&P (it was my first time watching it) and I am a newly converted Mr Darcy fan. Came home from Cat's place to the scene above (not much had changed since I'd left several hours earlier other than a few empty pizza boxes). At least it'll give me something to scrap! :)

Today, etc...

Today:

I spent 3 hours at school getting miscellaneous bits of paper ORGANISED...ie; I spent the morning filing.

Ben, Russ & I went up the hill to the Kuranda Candy Kitchen and watched them make wedding lollies.... and now Ben & I are seriously considering getting them too. We also had a nice late lunch together at the only place we could find that hadn't closed its kitchen by 2:30 LOL.

Tonight:

I did some hardcore scrapping... it is now after Midnight so it's not even "tonight" anymore it's "tomorrow."

I realised that I've completely forgotten to mail out those RAK packs... :( I've still got P/T interviews this week so I guess I'll be mailing them during school holidays. I am sooo sorry to those of you who won them and have been waiting patiently to no avail. I have had my head in the clouds as I have been so incredibly busy with work!

Thought I'd share what I scrapped tonight and also the COROLLA layout I scrapped a while ago for the APRIL BW2 Challenge.

25%

Just a quick note to say HELLO and let you know that I'm still ALIVE.

I have been so incredibly busy with work... on top of the usual school stuff I've also been marking tests and assessment pieces and preparing for my very first set of parent teacher interviews which started today. So far it's not nearly as scary as I had anticipated and THERE'S ONLY ONE WEEK LEFT! This term has been a MASSIVE learning curve and I'm constantly learning new things and I still have sooo much to learn but I'm getting there slowly and I'm really enjoying the journey. My kids surprise me all the time and it is truly inspiring. I love my job.

I am 25% of the way through my first full school year!
("Year Sevens... what is 25% as a fraction? ONE QUARTER. YES! That's right! How about as a decimal?")

ANYway, I haven't had time to scrap anything *but* I do have some very exciting scrappy news to share. I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE UPCOMING SCRAP THERAPY SCRAPBOOKING RETREAT. It's only a month away now and and and and and ANT IS COMING.... I'm so excited to finally meet her. YAY! YAYAYAYAYAY!

Graduation

Today was my university graduation ceremony... I wasn't overly enthused about it all... i mean, I completed my course last August so it all seemed a little redundant. BUT ANYWAY:

Hmm... starting to wish I *had* invested in some professional photos today cos the ones I've got are rather dodgy... and I missed photo opportunities with some of my closest mates with all of their grad gear on too. WHOOPS. Oh well.

Here are some of my pics from today... hopefully the ones my aunties took are of better quality. That's my mum, me and 2 of my aunties in the photo above.

This is Carla, Me & Bernadette... we all graduated today and we all teach at the same school this year.

This is Hannah's hubbie Graeme... getting ready for next year's ceremony a little bit early!

This is Melissa M & I. We go to church & young adults group together.

Yes, here I am posing with my Degree. By this stage I'd had about a million pics taken with this thing and I was seriously over it.

Russ even came along to my grad... so here I am with my favourite guys.

And here's one last crazy not-posing-properly photo of me in my Harry Potter get-up.

Busy Weekend

Me, Katie & Meg

Today the old ROSHC girls got together for a lunch at the cafe for the very last time before Meg leaves for Brisbane tomorrow. The layout titled "My Girls" which is a few posts below ended up being my gift to her. It was great to see Amanda and baby Jazzy again too. Then tonight we all went out to say goodbye and, of course, take some awesome photos!

Tomorrow the Young Adults Group is running the service at church as part of Youth Week celebrations. So exciting, can't believe a year's gone by since we last did it. Heaps fun and this time the group is absolutely thriving so it will be awesome! We're having everyone over for lunch afterwards too. Good times.

It's been a tough weekend for other reasons but I'm trying really hard not to think about it too much and focus on the good stuff and hope that the not-so-good-stuff sorts itself out soon.

Around 2009 is 60 Pages...

Well, I wasn't going to participate in a 365 Challenge...

"Too hard" "too much effort" "not enough time" were some of my excuses.

Then, just over a week ago, it started. I was in Spotlight when IT HAPPENED... I came across this cute 60 page recipe book. Recipe book my foot!

I decided I would start scrapping the highlights of the year, as captured in photos, in the 60 pages of this book. This would mean I would be trying a whole bundle of new things.

Firstly, I've never done a "whole year project" before.

Secondly, this is only the second "Really Big Album" Project I've done (the Kitchen Tea Album being the other).

Thirdly, I've never done A4 Sized Scrapping before. I always do squares and they're almost always 12 x 12s.

So uh... what do you think, so far?

Oh yeah and finally, I am trying to use a more "shabby chic" style... with mixed results. I feel like i'm repeating the same basic layout formula on all the pages so if anyone has any shabby scrapping links they'd like to share PLEASE do... i need ideas!

ANYway... the "boys" page shows my favourite boys on the planet (my darling fiance Benny and our best mate Russ), the "in-laws" page shows Ben & I with his siblings and the "Christening" layout is about my baby-2nd-cousin's recent christening.
Thanks for looking :)

A bit more...

Oh... and here is another layout i made tonight.

As you can see there is some hidden journaling and also some photos poking out from behind the featured photos. It was my first attempt at using KRAFT cardstock and i think i pulled it off with this layout but i'm not very happy with my "doodling" that i did on the pink paper... kinda wrecked the look i was going for. :(

Here is a new photo I cannot WAIT to scrap:

It is quite possibly BEST photo of Benny & I for quite a few years now... he's looking gorgeous after all his weight loss (and his goatee!) and I scrubbed up alright too. We took this photo of ourselves last night before we went out for dinner with our mates.

RAK Pack Winners & Some New Layouts to Share

The winners of my 3 RAK PACKS are.... Sarah, Ant & Christine. Congratulations, girls!

I will mail the RAK Packs out to you over the next week or so, when i get a chance to go to the P.O during its open hours... *sigh*...could be delays if this cyclone hits, though.

Here are some new layouts to share... have been messing around with a more "shabby chic" look and am really enjoying it.

Here is my latest for the BW2 Challenge Blog. The challenge was to use red & white with dominant black as well as a rub on AND some form of distressing. This is Amanda's gorgeous little bubba, Jasmine:

RAK Give Away / Brad Challenge

I cleaned out my "Bits & Pieces" in my scrap stash today. You know, all the "other stuff" apart from paper and cardstock. Amongst the ribbons, buttons, flowers and all the rest... I found an incredible amount of BRADS!

Brads: split pins with funky little bits of awesomeness attached.

I nearly passed out when I found my stash of brads... there were SO many and there were even some un-opened packets! What a waste! ANYWAY... I have a challenge for you.

Make just ONE card using at least ONE brad in an interesting way.

Here is my take on the challenge:

To be in the running for one of three RAK PACKS (yes they do include brads, yes there is other good stuff in there too, don't worry IT'S NOT JUST BRADS!) you will need to either:

1. Leave a Comment in reply to this post ALL ABOUT HOW MUCH YOU LOVE/HATE/ALWAYS USE/NEVER USE BRADS.

or

2. Leave a Comment in reply to this post which links us up to YOUR CARD that you made using a brad.

There are three packs to give away and you've got to be in it to win it! I can't wait to hear your brad stories and see your braddy cards!

Hope you're having a fantastic weekend.

Today's Layouts

Still Alive!!

Yes, I am still alive & still scrapping.
Between the RAK that Ant sent me, the stuff that I should pick up from Lee-Anne over the next coupla days and the photos that I am picking up from the shops this afternoon I will definitely have some new layouts to share within the next week or so.

Sorry I've been slack in posting comments on your blogs... rest assured i am still reading most of them!! I'm still around. LOL.

Happy Valentine's Day! :)

I almost forgot HOW?!

Well, it is CYBERCROP weekend all around!! Scrap Therapy & Scrap Budz ANDDDD the first challenge went up over at BW2 (where i am a CT Member) so I've been scrapping like mad... for the first time in weeks! I feel like I've forgotten how to do it :(

PINK is a card for the INCHIES Challenge over at Scrap Budz.

That's My Girl is a layout I did for Scrap Therapy's Stars & Jewels Challenge.

LOVE is a card I made for a card challenge at Scrap Budz.

To Me, You Are Perfect is a layout based on the inspiration of LOVE ACTUALLY that Relsi put up for a Scrap Therapy Challenge in this month's Cyber Crop and last but not least is my rushed example for the BW2 Challenge using the colours Pink & Teal. It is me back when I was 20 and still so young & naive!! Haha.

Toot!! Toot!! - CT MEMBER WOOHOO!!

I'm really excited because I've been announced as one of the Creative Team Members for a new challenge blog run by the lovely Eve from Scrap Budz.
Check it all out here: http://blackwith2challenge.blogspot.com/

So Much Love

I love my class. They're far from perfect, but I love them to pieces already. It's going to be a great year. 26 amazingly different personalities. They're mine. I'll do my best to get the best out of them because they deserve it. I am soooo happy to finally FINALLY be doing what I've been working towards for so very long. This is IT! :D

ANOTHER award

Well, I've had my first few days hanging out at school, setting up my room and going to professional development sessions all over the place. We've got more of the same until Wednesday when we get... CHILDREN!
LOL!
That's what it's all about... hahaha.
So far so good, I feel like a part of the school already and everybody's been really nice! :)

Anyway, I received this blog award from both Ant & Eve soooOOoo I'm passing it on to:

Ant

Eve

Sandra

Lea

Sarah

Congratulations to these FIVE lovely ladies!

It's the End of the World as We Know It

It's the end of the world as we know it... and I feel fine!!

There are a LOT of things changing in my life at the moment, but the biggest one is that as of tomorrow, I have my first full time teaching job. This week is only professional development and setting up the room and what-not but it is the start of something really different and big and comes with a new set of people, experiences and challenges and i'm sooooo excited but soooo freaked out about how time-consuming it will be. After five years of the uni/casual work laidback lifestyle I've now got a "real job." I've been warning my non-teacher friends (assuming that my teacher-friends will understand!) that I'm about to drop right off the planet cos I'll be so busy.... so I guess I should put that on here too.

I may be a bit slow on the updates for a while, especially as I get used to my new routine!

I'm usually fairly organised (even if i seem stressed and chaotic, i know what i'm doing!) and this time it is no different... I've got a plan of attack for how to manage housework, wedding plans, scrapbooking, fitness & fun as well as work... now I've just got to implement it and hope it all works out for real.

*jumps in the deep end*

*waves*

Seeya!!

More Layouts...

The "Together" one is a lot more visually busy than most of my more recent layouts. Not sure if i've pulled it off alright. Polka dots... well... i just love them. :)

No Escaping It...

There was no escaping it. Today was GOING to be a Scrapping Day for me!
I went to the Post Office and had received 3 items:
1. A present from Ant (yes, scrapping related!)
2. My first subbie copy of Scrapbooking Memories (courtesy of DF's thoughtful Christmas gift)
3. An envelope full of spotlight ads.

All signs pointed to scrapping!

I really love the three bright layouts i did today... and i'm not too fond of the Christmas Eve Eve double layout i did last night. I STILL HATE SCRAPPING CHRISTMAS STUFF. *shudders* I typed up my journaling for that one, just for something different! Anyway, hope you're having a fantastic week :)

Back Together Night

Well, due to the flooding we experienced yesterday morning, Ben & I cancelled the Young Adults Group get together that was supposed to be at our place. THEN as the weather let up a little, Hannah suggested we continue on with the night but hold it at the church. So we did that and ate pizza, played pictionary (my first time!) and also played twister (my first time!). It was so much fun catching up with everyone after a lot of them went away for holidays. I love this photo of Cat & I playing twister... props to Stephen for grabbing my camera when i wasn't looking and then standing on a chair to take this.

Ooooohh and yesterday Ben & I organised readers for our wedding ceremony. Nicole is reading the poem "The Art of a Good Marriage," Cat is reading "With God As Your Partner" which is the poem that she gave me along with her recipes for inclusion in my Kitchen Tea album annnnndddd, of course, we're having the Love chapter from 1 Corinthians 13 and Ben chose Stephen to read that one. YAY so exciting!! Everything is falling into place :)

Flooded In!!

Here are some photos from just around the corner from our place...

I might have to make a mad grocery dash later on... not sure whether i should go to the supermarket the long way or to the corner store the ridiculously long way. Yes, i'm serious, i think the corner store is now further away than it should be.

Yikes!

I haven't done any scrapping in the last few days, have been too busy cleaning the house.
Young Adult's Group is starting back up again tomorrow night AT OUR PLACE for a casual catchup session involving Pizza & the Nintendo Wii. Hopefully the catchup will inspire the others to get back into the regular meetings at church... it's been too long, this holiday break! I'm having serious YADs Group withdrawal!!
The next few days will be my last days of freedom before... professional development and... EEP!...SCHOOL! I wish the weather would get better soon so I can make the most of the last bits of summer.... i want to go swimming, i want to go walking... there's so much i want to doooooOOooo but meh... i'm just having a whinge.
I'm starting to get really excited about having a class of my own and am even getting used to the idea of having year 7s. It turns out that another girl i know also got a job at this school so that will be nice, having a familiar face in the staffroom. Anyway, I best get back to cleaning... yikes!

L.O.V.E

I'm currently working on some bits & pieces for the wedding...

This, along with (hopefully) a photo of us (with a frame i'll decorate) and a pretty box full of note cards for people to write to us on (instead of a guest book...that way I can take them and glue them and turn it into a SCRAPBOOK!) will all go on a table somewhere at our reception. That's the plan, anyway.

The Proximity Award

Thankyou Shimano (Christine) for giving me this award... now, what do I do with it?!?!

Pass it on! :D

This is called The Proximity Award."These blogs invest and believe in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships! These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers, who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

1. http://antonellar.blogspot.com/

2.http://annieandrex.blogspot.com/

3.http://buttonsandbowsandmore.blogspot.com/

4.http://scrappinshimano.blogspot.com/

5.http://ramblings-of-relsi.blogspot.com/

6.http://alliecollyer.typepad.com/stuff/

7.http://sarward.blogspot.com/

8.http://theycallmethescrapnut.blogspot.com/

Congratulations Ant, Annette, Sandra, Christine, Relsi, Allie, Sarah & Julie! :)

Cupcake Challenge for YOU!

I'm not good in the kitchen.

I have never been good in the kitchen. Ask my high school home-ec teachers and they'll only be too happy to share the details of just how 'not-good'

With that in mind, I'll tell you a secret. Today I bought another cupcake book. I say another because I already own a few. I like looking at cupcakes, I think they're very cute and the epitome of innocence... and they're usually pink! The Australian Women's Weekly Easy Cupcakes by Colour showcases all sorts of cute cupcake styles and gives instructions on how to make them... that will come in handy if I ever feel that way inclined.

ANYway, i was particularly taken by this page.... and was inspired to create a scrapbooking layout. I used a lot of pink & white as well as a butterfly flourish! So, my challenge for you is to draw some inspiration from this page in my new cookbook and create a layout.

If you take up my challenge, please post it up on your blog and link it back to this post so that I can see what you've come up with!! Have fun :)

Challenge Four is MINE. ALL MINE!

Happy New Year!!

Just thought I'd give the January Cybercrop at Scrap Therapy a plug seeing as I am a Summer DT (for this month only, while the REAL DT members are on holiday). My challenge is a card challenge. http://www.scraptherapy.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5872&highlight=

I had a stupid moment and ended up making TWO sets of cards for the sample. Here is a peek at one of the sets. Can you work out what the requirements for the challenge are, just by looking at them? Probably not. So you better go click that link above and check it all out, hey. And while you're there, why not join in on the other challenges that are going on at the moment?

Scrapped This... and this...

Wow, you can tell when i'm having a rather scrap-happy day and haven't really done much else, hey? This is my 3rd post today!

I've made these items as part of the Scrapping with Kaisercraft Competition over at Scrap Therapy:

OH AND THIS IS JUST MY BLING BOX! The gold box had choccies in it for Christmas. I begged and pleaded with Ben to let me transfer the choccies so that i could have the box... and so I added some thickers & pearls and ta-da... BLING BOX!

BEN IS A LEGEND!!

My darling fiance` Ben is a deadset LEGEND. As part of my Christmas present he got me a subscription to Scrapbooking Memories. Today I got an awesome pizza box of free Kaisercraft goodies as the free gift for subscribing. WOOHOO!

It will be a challenge, that's for sure! They're not my usual colours or styles to scrap with. BUT THEY'RE FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. Yippeee!!!

We're all going on a SUMMER CLEANING SPREE!

We're not going to Tinaroo this year... I'm a bit sad about that (it was beginning to be a tradition to go to the platypus campsite at the dam for NYE) but I honestly don't care what the awesome foursome does at this time of year, as long as we're together. I really do like spending NYE with those guys. It's a special night... remembering the year that was and looking forward to the new year... and what better way to do that than with your best mates who were there for the best and the worst and will continue to do so the following year.

No, instead of going to Tinaroo we're going to a Taipans game (Annie's a newly obsessed fan!) and then apparently coming back to our place for quiet drinks. OUR PLACE?! eEEEEeeep!! That means cleaning!! I'm sick at the moment too so it is quite difficult to suck up the energy to clean at this time but it sooooooo desperately needs to be done. I figure if i tackle little areas at a time it'll all be fine. I hope!

Boxing Day

Here are some recent layouts. Some I made today and others I made on Christmas Eve.

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and didn't get totally wiped out at the sales today!

I'm currently working out who to vote for in the Triple J Hottest 100. I love this time of year!

Cast your vote here:

http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/hottest100/

The Fantastic Five

Apparently it's physically impossible to get a nice photo of the five of us in the dark by ourselves. That's okay. LOL. Our numerous attempts are rather funny but definitely not our finest photographic moments. WHO CARES?! This lot... *sigh* ...getting sentimental here. These are my best friends in the whole world EVER and i'd be stuffed without them. When i talk about my mates who are closer than family IT'S THESE ONES that i'm talking about. So much love!

It's Christmas-Eve-Eve!!

I would just like to wish everybody who follows my blog (the whole like, um, one or two of you) a fantastic Christmas-Eve-Eve. This is by far my favourite day of the year....hmm... okay, second favourite, to my birthday. C.E.E is an annual tradition involving Ben, Russ, Annie & I (and sometimes Russ's brother Adam as well) exchanging gifts and usually having dinner out together as well.

It's the holiday made for spending time with, giving gifts to and sharing a meal with best mates who may as well be your family...

I have a mission in mind for tonight. I MUST GET A PHOTO OF THE AWESOME FOURSOME. Deadset, 2008 is almost over and there is not one photo of the four of us together in this calendar year. It's a keen scrapper's nightmare.

ANYWAY:

In the last two days I've scrapped three layouts and an OTP album.

Two of the layouts are with photos from the wedding we just went to on the weekend and the other is a photo of Ben & I being silly together a few weeks ago when we were in town with our best mates. The OTP album is going to be a Christmas present for the minister at our church. It's not very Christmasy and I'm not 100% finished the journaling (i still feel like there's something missing) but I think it's pretty cool considering I did the whole thing on Sunday night... stayed up pretty late, I was on a roll and there was no way I was leaving it so that I could forget my plans by the morning!! Have had that far too many times before. I am entering the OTP album in the Scrapping With Kaisercraft competition over at Scrap Therapy. I can't wait to see all the entries, I have a feeling it's going to be HUGE.

Weekend in Malanda for Melissa & Damien's Wedding

This afternoon we got back from a weekend away for Melissa & Damien's wedding up on the Tablelands. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding and very, very true to THEM. Loved it. I cannot WAIT to get these photos developed and to start scrapping them... very exciting stuff!

I caught the bouquet and Ben caught the garter...I wasn't sure if we even qualified as "single" seeing as we're ENGAGED and have been together for 5 and a half years but our mates insisted we were fine to enter and well... I didn't even TRY to catch it... the flowers just came hurtling towards me and i extended an arm and plonk. Mine. Epic moment :)

Impressions of a Beginning Teacher...

I spent this morning in my room. My classroom.

I was trying to make it a bit more "mine" but there really wasn't that much I could do considering that a) pest controllers & cleaners are still going to come in between now and when we go back and they will move everything around and b) the teacher from next door has all her stuff in my room cos she's waiting on someone else to move out of her room so that she can move in. Basically all i did was move some furniture around (ripped up some skin on the tip of my big toe in the process...YOUCH!), set up my desk, spray&wiped the cupboards behind the whiteboard as they were absolutely filthy with dust and then sat and ate chocolate while reading over syllabus documents.

Feeling Very Special!

Awww i'm feeling all special cos i got a blog award from Ant. SoooOOoo I'm passing it along...

For the award:

1. You have to pass it on to 5 other fabulous blogs.

2. You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions.

3. On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link back to their blog.

So heres my five fabulous addictions:

1. Chocolate... even though i'm lactose intolerant. Don't think about this too much! :)

2. The Internet... I spend far too much time on here.

3. My fiance` Ben.

4. Scrapbooking

5. Driving... broom broom!

Five Fabulous Blogs

1. Antttttttttttttttttttttonella

http://antonellar.blogspot.com/

2. Belindaaaaaaaaaaaaa

http://belindasescape.blogspot.com/

3. Annettttttttttttttttttttte

http://annieandrex.blogspot.com/

4. Reeeeelsiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

http://ramblings-of-relsi.blogspot.com/

5. Tamaraaaaaaaaaaaaa

http://princess-tamara.blogspot.com/

Have a fabulous day! :)

FINALLY!

Four & a half years of uni, a couple of months of relief work and now finally FINALLY I have a class of my own for the first six months of next year. Year 7. LOL. I can't wait! :D

Christmas Presents I've Made Recently

Here are Annie & Russell's Christmas presents I've made for them.. i'll get them something bought as well but yeah... i wanted to try making something just for a more personal touch, i guess. I'm only posting these up cos i am fairly confident they don't know I've got a blog and consequently won't see them... Annie's looks better but Russ's is more personal... the white bit of folded cardstock is a letter... it's not so much that it's private but rather cos there was so much of it it didn't FIT!

Annie's album:

Annie's Frame:


Russell's Album:

Yeah that's one and a half of those albums... i wish i'd planned russ's album better before i started it.. i stuffed it up so badly and didn't have spare paper and oh, it was drama after drama making it. I had to put it away for a few weeks so that i couldn't see it and wouldn't be tempted to change it again!

SO yeah... those are the "personal presents" my best mates are getting this Christmas...

The Prize Box

Clearly I have no life... I just spent half an hour cleaning out my prize box for school... LOL.
I merged the two (the one i take with me and the one i leave at home with the back up stock) into one in the hope that I will have a class of my own next year and won't need to lug it around but instead can leave it at school in my classroom. Wishful thinking?

Pink Shoes!!

I've been debating the pros & cons of buying a pair of Converse All Stars for the last FIVE YEARS. I always wanted an orange pair but they were hard to find in my size. I went to the Converse shop in the new DFO here in Cairns and found that these pink babies were only $50 reduced from $80. How could i say no? Seriously, in the last few months (especially since the lead up to my VERY PINK Kitchen Tea party!) pink has slowly been overtaking orange as my favourite colour. I don't drive "The Corolla With The Pink Grille" for nothing!

I also got some scrapping done this afternoon...

I'm also umming & ahhing over the DT kit i received yesterday... the one for the "member's month" challenge i'm in charge of in January. Not too sure how to work this stuff in with the challenge and examples i had in mind but i'll figure something out!!

Should be fun to play with, anyway!! :)

I hope my throat starts feeling better REALLY soon. I'm so over it! I've been sick for over a week and a half now. It's ridiculous. "Rest & Get Lots of Vitamin C" said the Doctor. :P Uh huh.

I hope to have some new photos by next week... over the next few days I've got:

Mel's Hen's Night

Church Christmas Carols

Young Adults Group Christmas Break Up Party

and even some time spent with the in-laws...............

THEN after that we have a weekend away up in Malanda for Mel & Damo's WEDDING and and and and and then shortly after that it's CHRISTMAS (oooh I best start planning Christmas-Eve-Eve then hey!?!) then... not too sure what the plan is for NYE. We've gone to Tinaroo the last two NYEs in a row but not real sure what the go is this year.

Scrappy Happenings all around... should be good :D

Nicola, Jamie & Tilly

Here are half of my second cousins... in layout form!
Tilly, Jamie & Nicola.

Nanna-isms

A while ago I started to write down a list of Nanna-isms... things that my 84 year old Sicilian grandmother says that aren't quite italian but aren't quite english either. A lot of them are partly my fault... i grew up with mum, nanna & nanno in one house together and i tried to teach my grandparents english and nanna would try so hard to impress the friends that i brought home with her "enga-lish-y"

Debida - Tepid/Warm
OOOOOM *shouting and putting lots of emphasis on the ooo cos she can't quite get the W sound happening* - warm
i buuuuuunnns - the bones (as in chicken bones... most commonly used to tell guests to place the chicken bones in a particular plate in the centre of the table)
u cricketi - the cricket
u capitano di cricketi - Mark Taylor (usually when he appears in a fujitsu ad... reason being, I was obsessed with cricket back when Tubby was the Australian captain so i went through a stage of trying to "teach" nanna about cricket circa 1998 and yeah... he was my hero!)
garro/carro - car
gecko/cecko - cake
sprayare - to spray
bookare - to book
pushare - to push
spreadare - to spread
(seems we should just say the english word and add "-are" to make nanna verbs)
tatsamidi - geckos
gesso (J-ess-oh) - toilet (this made for fun times in year 3 italian class when i tried to convince my italian teacher she was WRONG and that "chesso" was NOT CHALK but TOILET! hmmph.
chipisi (chip-izzy) - chips
bogesi - boxes
beggi - bags
ass-a-screama - icecream (ass cream? nice. nanna. NICE! she's lucky my friends were always too polite to point this out)
chewygummy - chewing gum
macadonali - Macca's
Jaffali - Jaffles
Come-y Onni - Come on!
I awfendi - i'm offended (the face she pulls with this one is hilarious!)
No wanti - doesn't want
SooFA - sofa

Friends Names...
Benny - Ben
Rossolli - Russ
AnnaMaria - Ann Marie
LOL there are definately more but yeah... we have a lot of fun paying out on russ for his 'name'

Things that ARE Italian but i'm probably spelling incorrectly:
Giufa`... Giufa` is a guy.. i'm not sure if he's for real or not...but he was in a lot of stories my grandparents told me when i was little....he was basically the biggest idiot ever and did stupid things like when his parents told him to help bathe his sister with warm water and they said it was too hot he added MORE hot water and burnt her. WHOOPS. And like, he had to carry a heavy load of supplies on his shoulders and when he realised it was heavy... he went and got MORE stuff to carry! But basically, Giufa was this warning guy... if you were about to do something stupid as a kid, you'd be warned to not do a Giufa. Or something. Google It. Seriously, he's not just a nanna-ism, he's a wog-ism.

"Christo per cundo so`" (i'm pretty sure i spelt that all wrong) Basically means someone is acting as though they have a God of their own and are acting as though the world revolves around them and what suits them best.

"Quando Caccano Iddi" Literally translates to "When they poo" BUT Nanna (and now Ben & I) use this to refer to the waiting around that has to be done while someone else gets their act together... basically, the world revolves around that persons poo schedule and it's bugging you. That's when you say that.

Phew...that's all I've got for now.

Summer DT Member!!

Wow, so exciting! I've been picked to be a DT member at Scrap Therapy just for the month of January (Member's Month) while the real DT take a break!

AND... did you notice the new look of my blog? What do you think?

Lessons for next time...

I've been playing around with a few different ideas & styles in my scrapping lately... with mixed results. I'm not 100% happy with them...hopefully i'll learn from my mistakes. It's funny how you can see what's wrong with a layout AFTER when it's TOO LATE and it's all GLUED down. Perhaps i need to start laying out the whole page before sticking ANYthing and before STICKING anything i should really really look to see if i like the overall look of it all.

Lessons from my own Disaster Layouts:

1. Keep it simple, stop adding stuff... It's like that principle about accessories... "before you leave the house, take one item off."
2. Keep the extreme brights to a minimum.... no more than 2 crazy extremely bright colours per layout!
3. Black & White Photo + Black Background = Dodgy Layout :(
4. Learn from previous mistakes... it's like when you're in school and you rub something out with your eraser only to write over it with THE SAME THING YOU JUST RUBBED OUT.
5. Think Before Scrapping: What is the purpose of this page?

Yes, these are all lessons i've learnt in the last week or so. I had originally posted the layouts up but i'm that ashamed of them that they are gone. They seriously look worse than my first layouts when i was starting out (scroll down to see my old layouts).

Okay, i'm going to stop being so hard on myself and share some other recent layouts, ones that i don't think were total disasters!!

"Shabby Chic" Attempt #1 This was my layout for Mandy's Blind Scrap Challenge a week or so ago. Initially i wasn't happy with it, but i grew to really like it. How couldn't i? It's got PINK and it's got SPOTS.

I (L) Cairns....

This is one i actually did a few weeks ago but somehow got lost in the crowd and never got uploaded... I repeated the idea from my t-shirt in the title, used co-ordinating journaling spot & patterened paper (sassafras lass) and kept it pretty simple. I also wrote the names of all (i hope, i did it off the top of my head!) the suburbs of Cairns around the edges. I love journaling in this way, by going around the edges, have done it on a few layouts and i'm always happy with the result.

That's all for now... will have more in a few days as it is.... CYBERCROP WEEKEND over at Scrap Therapy!!

I'm having a mini-sook about changing my name in July next year when Ben & I get married. My surname tells people i'm local, tells people i'm a wog, tells people that yes i am in fact related to my cousin who is also a teacher. Oh and yes, I am related to Mick. But only just... he's like my fourth cousin. So that is what THAT layout is about above.

The following is just a pic of me and Nay-nay (Ben's 18 year old sister) hanging out just the two of us for like the first time ever.

I'm feeling a lot more comfy with my scrapping style these days...

Have been discussing what our scrapping THINGs are on Scrap Therapy tonight and i have decided that mine is vibrant colour. What's your thing?

Yes, I Would Match Stripes & SpOts...So?

I'm happy with how I scrap.

I've been scrapping in some way or another my whole life, scrapping "seriously" (with actual scrapping materials) for the last year and a half and scrapping well... for... well... about a week?

I'm finally happy with the way i scrap. My style has matured. I think, anyway. What do you think? Seriously... scroll down and take a look at what i was passing for serious scrapping some 9 months ago. I'm not doing too badly now, am I? :P

There's some urgency in my scrapping at the moment... i know that my leisure time will be significantly reduced if I get a full time teaching position next year. Yes, that's right, I *still* don't have a job lined up. I am a-ok with continuing relief work though, but would much prefer a class of my own, obviously. ANYway, there's a sense of a chapter of my life closing and i feel like i have to get it all sorted and scrapped now while it's still relevant in case i get to the next chapter and can't remember what the last one looked, smelled and felt like.

Some November Scrappy Happenings:

This is a 4 tabbed journal thingo that i'm hoping to use as a date-planner for next year... 4 tabs, 4 terms. I've had it up to HERE with everyone pointing out how not practical it is and how it is way too small and will never get used for its original intention. I think it's cute and i will use it. End of story.

These are the cards i made for Challenge 4 for the November Cyber Crop at Scrap Therapy... They were featured on the blog. STOKED! :D

I've been thinking about how my style's matured so much and so quickly over the space of a few months... I think i owe a lot to the girls at Scrap Therapy for their support, encouragement and most of all their inspiring challenges! It has really got me hooked on scrapping and yeah... it's just... fun. LOL. I'm having a gammin' time writing this, i'm hungry and not thinking too "well." Hahahaha. Have a good weekend :)

Scrappy Happenings

After the epic Kitchen Tea album was completed a few weeks ago, i took a break from scrapping. I turned my attention towards work and on my days off i spent my time de-cluttering our unit, watching Dr Phil and Oprah and getting really clucky for no good reason. It was strange. Anyway, clucky stage over, I reverted back to scrapping. This is what i've made lately:

These cards are for the Scrap Therapy ROCKTOBER ATC swap this month.

This is my "shopping for the dress" page in our "engagement" album.

The Kitchen Tea Album....

I FINALLY FINISHED THE KITCHEN TEA ALBUM! It has taken 12 days of almost undivided attention but here are my favourite pages (there are some dodgy ones where i either had NO idea what to do with the dodgy quality -but still important- photos OR where the recipe was presented in such a way that I didn't really have any ideas on how to tie it in with the album theme so i didn't and pretty much just stuck it in with a few minor embellishments).
I'm feeling really accomplished right now... I've never ever done anything like this before in my life... it's HUGE and i love it and it's so filled with love. There are still more recipes to come, apparently, and they will go into the "late entries" envelope on my 2nd last page. So far, there are 25 recipes. Not all of them are presented on a page (clashing colours, etc) some are tucked neatly into little envelopes i stamped with my Kitchen Tea stamp. :) ANYway, enough talking... here it is:








There are over fifty pages in total... mind you, many of them were simple "just glue in the recipes i was given" pages. I'm really proud of my efforts... I'm beyond caring whether i'm any "good" at this... i just love scrapping so much, i don't care! It's for ME and for my loved ones to enjoy.

Random Ramblings

The kitchen tea party went off brilliantly despite a few...hiccups. I have thanked Annie x 1 000 000 for what she did to save the day. She was so nervous about public speaking especially to a bunch of strangers (all MY friends and family) but she really stepped up to the plate and organised and ran some games and I'm so glad she did. She's the best! I'm so proud of her and I hope one day i get to return the favour somehow.

It hasn't been the best week... I don't want to go into the negative details here but i'm now down a "best friend" and my maid of honour. Position Vacant? :P Nah, we're seriously not dealing with the practical side of how this impacts the bridal party situation just yet, it's too sore a point right now. Friendship-wise though, i think this is for the best. We're probably better off without eachother, unfortunately. We had some great times though, Clo & I. We're just too different now as adults and yeah i'm so not going into it here. Apart from that, it has been a tough week in other ways and I am soooo thankful for the support of Ben and close friends, namely Russ & Annie. They have been absolute angels and i love them soooooooOOOOoooo much and hope things get better soon.

OH, school holidays are nearly over. I've got 7 random relief days spread out over the term already booked at one of the local schools but apart from that nothing planned yet, work-wise. I reckon the first week or so will be pretty slow (what kind of teacher chucks a sickie on the first few days back after the holidays?) but it should pick up a little. I'm getting a tiny bit nervous as the end of the year draws close. I haven't got anything lined up for next year yet. It's getting closer!! Oh well, God will provide... one way or another.

In scrapping news, it's the ROCKtober Cybercrop at Scrap Therapy this weekend. I've already completed 3 of the 4 main challenges. I must admit I didn't put as much effort into them as I usually would. Firstly because I've resigned myself to the fact that I'm never going to be as good as the extremely talented girls on there and secondly cos my scrapping attention has been focussed on working on the Kitchen Tea Recipe & Scrapbook which I won't show you too much of until it's finished.... Maybe i'll give a sneak peak?

Nahhhhhh....
Anyway, hope you have a fantastic week! :)

Kickin' off the Girliest Week Ever

It's school holidays.

These are my first school holidays as a real teacher and i am looking forward to two weeks of sleeping in, catching up with mates and not having to do all that much at all.

The first week is choc-full with specialist doctors' appointments and all sorts of other errands I didn't have the time or inclination to do while relief teaching. Annie & I have an all-day-all-night girly extravaganza planned for Tuesday... this will involve some bridal shopping (she can't make it to Saturday's appointment cos she'll be working), lunch, op-shop-hopping, scrapbooking, facials, manicures & pedicures and probably watching a girly dvd or two.. AND she's sleeping over! I've only ever been to one girly sleepover (last YEAR) so this is a HUGE deal for me. Poor Ben's going to have to put up with us! Hahaha. On Saturday, Chloe (my best mate and maid of honour) will be up from Townsville and so she and Hannah and myself are going to go to the bridal shops and try to sort out the dresses for the wedding...yeah...good luck with THAT! I am feeling so indecisive about the dress! Then the next day, Sunday, it will be my Kitchen Tea Party at Mum & Nanna's house where i grew up. IT'S THE GIRLIEST WEEK EVER.

To kick it off, i made the front cover for my Kitchen Tea Recipe Book........

Cairns Crop!!

Today I went along to my first Scrap Therapy Crop. Fun!! :) I had been feeling sick all morning and didn't think i'd make it but i felt a bit better after lunch so off i went; cardstock and patterned paper tucked under my arm! Here is a layout i did when i got home from the crop, using letters i cut out with the sizzex machine.




I am in love with the Sizzex Machine... just thought I'd add that here. Big Big Love.

What I've Made Lately...

I've been sooo busy.. I've started relief teaching at a few local schools. There's lots of variety, huge challenges and lots of fun. I'm loving it! Every day is an adventure! :)

In my spare time, I've made lots of crafty stuff... this is what I've made lately:

1. Teaching Diary: Where i keep notes on which schools i've been working at and what dates i worked there so that i can cross check my payslips.

2. Kitchen Tea Party invites... well, someone's gotta do them! :) I know that the shower should be held by my girls, but meh... I'm scrapping inclined and i LOVED making them so what's the bid deal?

3. My entry into the Scrap Therapy Thickers/Leftovers Challenge.

4. The completed Bridesmaid Boxes. WOOHOO!

5. Re-scrapped the night Benny proposed to me (almost a year ago)

Lately

I HAVE FINISHED MY DEGREE!

I AM A REGISTERED TEACHER!

I had my last day working at after school care... I hope to be teaching in some way or another by September!

In other news...

The Scrap Therapy site is down... well actually, it is apparently only down for some but I am one of the unlucky ones. :(

Anyway, I've been scrapping my little heart out this month so here are some of my latest bits & pieces...

The first layout is one with hidden photos & hidden journaling. The next is one i did for a ST challenge regarding "my greatest achievement." The thankyou card was for my supervising teacher on prac. The ATCs are my very first (very dodgy) attempt at participating in an ATC swap. The CD Magnet Card is for Mel's 25th (still haven't given it to her!). The bear is a WOW promo bear altered to be... super ROSHC bear... a teddy i gave my workplace to hopefully soften the blow of me leaving with little notice. The Treasure Box is my belated birthday present to Nanna. The pink flower card is for Mel & Damo's engagement which is coming up soon. Leaving ROSHC is a pretty self explanatory layout based around the R.E.M song lyrics "leaving new york." The next layout is of Amanda's beautiful baby girl when we all went to see her when she was only ONE day old! And last but not least, the BUGLET layout is my first attempt at the poppet style... the photo is from the day i rocked up to vacation care dressed as a lady beetle when nobody else was in costume... i had read the program all wrong. WHOOPS! The little note is a badge thing Meg had made me the following vacation care when she was making play-badges for herself, the other staff and some of the kids. Anyway i best be off to tutor little Nicole.

Happy Scrappy Days

Last night I was bored and turned two "cigar boxes" from Spotlight into themed sticker boxes for my scrap collection... will make finding "baby" and "birthday" stickers that much easier when I go to make cards!
I also tidied up my scrap-table... my cutting mat is absent as it is still sitting over HERE in the computer room after a maths-related prac frenzy where i couldn't find anything with 1cm x 1cm grid lines on it so that i could attempt to solve a stoooooooooooooooopid problem involving a billiard table before i taught it to the extension maths group the following day.



Oh, and the other day I scrapped this little beauty documenting "my current job" ... the first page i've completed for my "welcome to my life - 2008" book.

The Bible Verse Book

It's rather random... there is NO continuity from one page to the next... so... aesthetically, there are no design principles at work with this album.

BUT i love it because it is a work in progress featuring some of my current favourite bible quotes.

It's been awhile...

I haven't written an entry in SO long!
(I'm not too worried, I have it on pretty good authority that nobody actually reads this as nobody i know knows that it exists!!)
I've been soooo busy over the last two months. Sadly, in early June, Ben wrote off his car when we had an accident on the Smithfield Roundabout on our way to Young Adults. :( We were very lucky to get out of there more or less unharmed. Basically, we were going around the roundabout at a normal/slow speed in the wet and we lost control, slid out and somehow ended up hitting a pole and then facing the opposite direction to which we'd been travelling in IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GRASSY PART OF THE ROUNDABOUT. We're pretty lucky we didn't roll and i'm pretty lucky the pole fell where it did and not a few centimetres closer in my direction. There was Vacation Care (we went on excursions to the movies, the zoo and sizzler). I've been really busy with getting my job applications in and have started the interview processes involved with getting a teaching position. There was the jo-vo swap with my buddy Russ (part 2 is still pending Boofhead finding the time to come along) where we had a "cultural exchange" of sorts.
I am currently on my final teaching prac (FOUR WEEKS TO GO!)


Craft-wise, I have made a bazillion of those CD-Fridge-Magnet-Cards for friends lately but keep forgetting to take photos of them before I gift them. ARGH! Haha. I also made a cool round box for my sister-in-law-to-be when she stayed over our place the other night, and again, I forgot to take a photo of it first! I've been participating in the Make Believe Masters competition on Scrap Therapy forums and have found it very challenging but exciting. My favourite task was the calendar. I made a calendar in a BOX for 2009. Something different, anyway. Hehe. I've also been sifting my way through various photos (new & old, mine & mums) and scrapping away happily. I started my little book of random favourite bible verses (it is very random... there's little continuity in this album but i love the quotes and i love making each page different so i really don't CARE!)

Calendar in a Box:
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m192/bella_bambina1986/103_0156.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m192/bella_bambina1986/103_0167.jpg
http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m192/bella_bambina1986/103_0169.jpg

Recent Layouts:

Ben & I at our Year 12 Formal, 2003.
Ben's Car after the Crash aka Barry the Magna's Untimely Demise (June 2008)

Zia's Awesome "Reach for a Peach" shirt at the beach in the early 90s

My year 12 Senior Induction Day, 2003

The ROSHC Club

I'm always joking about how our workplace is a lot like the Baby Sitter's Club... i thought i'd give a ROSHC Club Layout a go. Inspiration taken from old school BSC book covers :)

Me & Karina at our Mug (and TREE) ceremony at JCU. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Cards I Made for the July CyberCrop Card Challenge:

(Challenge: Cards must include triangles, hearts & at least one card must be square shaped)

More layouts...

Just some of the layouts I've done recently. I believe my style is really starting to develop. I've come a loooooooong way.

Please leave your comments....

When Two Interests Become One...

Since I was 17 I have loved op-shopping for a bargain. Several times over the years I've actually taken the time to sit down and write reviews on all the op shops I've been to around town (all but one of them... it always looks closed when i drive past). I've gone through phases with my op shopping over the years. I looked for trendy clothes. I looked for random, funky clothes. I looked for party costumes. I looked for retro orange kitchenware. I looked for deer statues. I looked for little treasures incorporating cute little kids with pigtails and strawberries. I looked for books and magazines. I looked for stuff i could use at school in my prac classroom. I looked for stuff i could use at home. I looked for furniture. I've looked (and found) just about anything you could think of in an op shop. At present, i op shop for little bits of bric-a-brac that i can use in my craft. Scrapbooking can get so expensive so it's nice to know there are other options out there.

Today i found & purchased:
2 x small wooden craft "crates" (one plain wood, the other painted black, decorated and gifted to someone named "Juliette" for her birthday in 2003: i will have to sand this one back before i make it mine).
1 x jar full of buttons
5x 80s Style "Queensland" fridge magnets
1 x House Shaped "Home Sweet Home" fridge magnet
1 x Flamingo Pink nylon knitting ribbon (i hadn't seen the stuff in YEARS and all of a sudden it's popping up everywhere i go... my mum recently gave me cushion covers out of the family glory box and they were made of the same stuff but in these wicked fluro colours!)
3 x ladybird maths books circa 1982 (if my interpretation of roman numerals isn't failing me!)
1 x little 21st key
1 x bright yellow belt buckle
2 x really really old books of sheet music
All up this cost approximately $17

Scrapbooking Space

This is where my scrapbooks come to life...

Yes, that is our dining table.

No, Ben doesn't mind... we eat in front of the telly anyway!