Oh My GOSH.....I'm so excited....

...a lot has been happening around here. I've decided the only constant I can rely on in my life....is change. Last week Tracey moved home to live with her parents again, which is really cool for her and them. She is keeping in touch with us so far so although we miss her (especially Toby) we are coping. Nikki's mother lasted 2 weeks in Perth and got homesick so she has come back, so Nikki has moved back in with her.

Upshot of all this is I NOW HAVE MY SCRAPROOM BACK. And it is all decorated and set up and I LUV, LUV, LUV IT!!!

Can you tell I'm excited....I've already done 3 layouts in it!!

Here is some pics.....






I'm not sure if my family will ever see me again. Now the challenge is to keep it tidy....yeah right.

TFL

Ciao

Edited to add: Oh have you noticed an orange theme happening here???
Edited to add again: Oooops, pics are a bit out of focus. Getting used to my new little Canon PowerShot A550 :-}

Catching up with old friends....

...is such a good thing to do. Last night I had a friend from my 'uni' days over for dinner. She was my bridesmaid (24 years ago) and we have maybe 'seen' each other 4 or 5 times since then. It was really great to just chat about kids, life and all those other things. Thanks Vanessa for putting 'my house' on your itinerary.

Yesterday we closed a chapter in our lives...we had sold our caravan and it went away yesterday. I was really attached to it, I guess partly because we had had a really cool 3 weeks at Ohope in it not long before Olly died and it had been (at Ohope) a very 'healing' place in the few years following. But it had to go and we have plans to do something different (maybe a motorhome) in the longer term future. Gosh, I wonder how I will feel when we eventually sell our house and move....we have been here 21 years.

Starting to get used to having 'that man' (aka DH) around a bit more. Working only 8-9 hour shifts at a time he feels like he is permanently on holiday at the moment lol.

Thanks for dropping by :-}

Grabbing a few.....

...moments to blog while I'm cooking tea for the crew. Update on whats going on in my life:
- scrapcamp last weekend was a blast. I got my scrapping mojo once I got there and power scrapped through 3 layouts on the 1st night (including the challenge) Classes on Saturday were both brilliant. I was a bit dodgy about the modpodge/serviette thing but it looks so cool and is so easy it will definitely be used again. The Creative Planner we made with SJ was awesome and just what I have been wanting. I looved the colours too.
Retro night was fun with some GORGEOUS outfits.
This is me!!!

It looks quite hideous really but it was such fun to wear. Bring back groovy clothes I say.
I got a few more layouts done Sat and Sun and was sad to have to pack up at the end. I really enjoyed the time at my table with my best scrapping buddies Raewyn and Julie, with Sheryl and her sister Raewyn and neice Tracey, and Stella and Elaine. Chatted with quite a few others round the room too...Donna, Trina (nice to meet you in person), the lovely Aussie Chris Miller, Andrea (from SBO), Ilka, Kelly, Michelle TW, Lynda, Kate and Barb and Kates lovely friend Rachel who gave me a cool little felt needle folder, Denise, Sheryl and Carol from Bookem and all the other Bookem ladies and lots of other people (please don't be offended if I haven't named you). It was a special treat also to see Vicky and the beautiful little Arlo on Sunday and to be allowed a cuddle (he's only 2 weeks old!!)

A HUGE THANK YOU to Yolande and Lianne for organising such an awesome event.

I so love this hobby. Not only do I get to shop for and create lovely stuff but I also have this huge network of wonderful friends and aquaintances from all over NZ who I would otherwise never have met.

Otherwise things are just as normal here. DH has started his new job so is home more. The boys are saying "who is that man who keeps hanging around here now?" LOL
Better go and sort some veges out.

Edited to add: A 'quick plug' for Nic Howard's book "That's Life" released on July 4th. She's our own famous Kiwi scrapper and now she has her own book filled with her own unique (Kiwi) style. Go and buy one....NOW!!!!
Laters