Another layout

Well I did manage to get 1 layout done, so far, this week. For the Scrapbook Outlet Weekly challenge. The challenge was for summer photos and I love these ones I took of Elliot playing on the skimboard at Ohope in February. Me playing with Steve's wondercamera!! Each layout I do at the mo I'm challenging myself to try something and this time it was stamping. Got a bit of an orange thing too at the mo. Planned on scrapping last night but felt a bit under the weather so blobbed in front of TV instead. Mildly mad at myself now.
However, do intend to try and get some done while participating in the Scrapbook Outlet cybercrop tonight. I've never done anything like this before so it should be fun. My kids think I've gone a little crazy. Won't hurt them to think that.

5 windows out of 12 done upstairs so far...What a mission.

Thanks for the comments...especially the ones about throwing stuff out. My biggest problem is DH being the hoarder...not me. I'll have to try really hard to get him to buy into it. I know you'll all suggest I chuck stuff out while he's not here but I'm not quite up to that yet.

Wellll....maybe I could.......maybe I should......

Progress

Well, this week I had 3 "at home" days planned to get some serious sorting done. So far I have tidied and cleaned (ready for a bit of painting) 1 bedroom. Oldest DS went flatting (again) last week and let's just say his concept of 'leaving a clean room' and mine are VERY DIFFERENT!!
Have tried a new way to revive old silver aluminium joinery - CRC, a cheap scotchbrite pad and lots of elbow grease. Not fun, hard work, but works a treat. Only got all of upstairs to do LOL. that's 4 bedrms, lounge bathroom and toilet. Done 3 rooms so far. Must do some more sorting today. Problem is...where do I put stuff once it's sorted. My DH is a chronic hoarder and we have a huge house.
For those who don't know, Flylady is a website for people who live in CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) Its a way to get your house under control (and get an awful lot of e-mails) Not doing the whole thing this time but toying with the idea of making up my own.
Would much rather be scrapping!!!
Cheers

Monday and so much to do

It's monday...and Lorraine won the dancing last night...YAY!!! She was awesome. Anyway, I have so much I want to achieve in the next 2 days (cleaning, sorting etc) I can feel myself getting overwhelmed and not starting. Might try the flylady 15minute thing and see if that gets me started. I will be mad if I don't start coz there is so much to do I don't know where to start IYKWIM. Am promising myself a night scrapping tonight if I get a decent amount done.

Job in Sat nights paper I might enquire about/apply for. Going back to work is a terrible thought but then I might have some $$$ to spend on scrapping. That's tempting.

Must go and start sorting. Progress report later.

A new leaf..

This morning I decided I was going to turn over a new leaf....yep, another one. Not sure if it's a new leaf it I'm talking about the cyberworld but you get my drift. I have got very lazy and into a bad habit of visiting forums and blogs but not logging in first. So I end up only lurking and never joining in (much). I think it is just laziness coz I'm not usually shy. I am quite a 'people' person and sometimes find it hard 'talking' to people I haven't met or who aren't in front of me. However, I have dicided to 'get over myself' and (in the words of that well known company) JUST DO IT. So expect comments from me (even just a hi!! sometimes) or you can challenge me if they aren't forthcoming (Oh no!! What have I just said!!) My name may appear on blogs it has never appeared on before. So, my aplogies if I've visited your blog and not commented...I'm determining to become a changed woman



On another note. I am starting to plan some scrapping around some things we say around our house. Not sure what form it will take yet, but took these piccies for a layout.
The quote (which is oftern heard said around here...even by the boys friends) "My mum has nice buns".
Tee hee

Ta raa

More pages

Here are a few more pages I have completed recently.....I still haven't got the hang of taking good photos of the pages, they always look better IRL. Am really into scrapping BIG photos at the moment.

Inspired

Well I haven't been blogging but I've been busy scrapping and altering (this is new for me) I was so motivated at scrap camp and I have been churning out some pages...some I started at camp and some I started at the beach last weekend.

I went to Gilmours with DH and bought takeout boxes (little ones) - 50 for about $8 - and have been playing with decorating them. I've never got into this before and it has been fun. Now I'll have to fill them with goodies and give them away. Haven't done many yet but I'll just keep playing.
I've settled into a bit of a routine now, with not working and all. Mon and Tues is 'do around the house' sort of days, sorting stuff and tidying/cleaning (there is heaps to get done, believe me), Wed is DH's day off so I spend it with him which I couldn't do before, and Thurs and Fri I do worky things (I have some private clients and am facilitating a parenting program till the end of next term) Then I will have to look for a real job again I guess. Unless we win lotto, fat chance, we never buy a ticket. I'm definitely enjoying being a SAHM again, baking and doing all sorts of stuff.
Will look up my class listf for CC06 this week and start to get stuff sorted for them. Must go out and see if the money tree I plantd is producing yet - ha ha ha

Cheers

A very tired bunny....

That's me. A very tired (but happy) bunny. Scrapcamp was great. Enjoyed everyone's company, got scrapinspired, cut out lots of flowers!!!, caught up with Kate after 15 or so years, didn't go to bed till after 1am each night and generally feel like I could do it all again next weekend. I think I am hooked on this scrapping thing. Thanks for the company Julie, Sheryl and Kate and it was awsome to meet Tina and Barb!
Here is a photo of out group, dressed up for the P party on Sat nite (I hope you don't mind me putting it on the net...ooops) and the layout I did for the scrap challenge. I must admit, when I opened the pack I thought "yuck" but I'm pleased I completed it and I like it. This has taught me something about the usefulness of challenges.
Yolande (I love your number plate) and Lianne did a wonderful job of organising the camp and thare was some lovely goodies to be bought and prizes to be won. I am superhappy with the 1 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION to FOR KEEPS that I won. Woohoo. Just the ticket for a girl who's just stopped working for a while.

Thanks everyone. Can't wait to November and Scrapcamp Matamata. I have CC06 in August first......OMG.....I must be hooked.

I'll be coming down to the beach this weekend so I'm up for a coffee if anyone is interested. Maybe you could come to my wee slice of paradise before we lose it..boohoo.

See ya.

So many feelings

Hi

I'M GOING TO SCRAPCAMP TODAY!!! (and yes, I did mean to shout)

I'm feeling mad (with myself as I'm not as organised as I wanted to be), excited (coz I've got a whole weekend to scrap), nervous (coz I'm going to be with 70 people and I only know about 10 of them), petrified (about scrapping alongside all these people who I know turn out amazing pages), hopeful (that my friend I am bringing will enjoy it coz I suggested she come), eager to leave (even tho I'm not packed yet lol), and lots of other feelings I can't think of the words for.

Then DH says to me....Of course, I want you to note how they (the camp) do everything and tell me when you get back (he is Hospitality Manager and chief caterer at another large campsite)

On top of all the above....YEAH RIGHT!!!

See you there if you're going, otherwise I'll check in when I get back.

What to do????

Well, no blogging for a week. Where does time go??
I've finally finished my job and am now officially a SAHM. I'm not sure if that's how it might be for a while coz I really need a regular (good) income but I need to get into a decision making headspace etc, etc. There is so much to take into consideration that I am finding the decision making hard even if the numbers say there is no decision. Sounds confusing or pathetic but it's how it is. I haven't been 100% healthwise so I need to be able to get well too.

On a positive note I can't wait til scrapcamp this weekend. I'm not going with any huge expectations of getting lots done, but to spend the weekend with lots of people who enjoy doing the same thing as me will be fun. I'll just have to not get too depressed if I can't buy all the latest stuff...no job...no $$$....etc. Will start packing my tote tomorrow and have a bit more photo choosing work to do for the workshops etc. As for a 'P' costume....have to think creatively about that one. Karen, if you read this, I may be with you in my pyjamas.
I am looking forward to meeting some other bloggers and putting 'real people' to blogs/forum posts. Maybe we need a time to formally do that. Sort of an own up to lurking time.

Cheers

On a scrapping roll

Go me!! Today I have finished 3 pages. My puppy redo so inspired me that I've just done a RS to make it a double layout so it reads 'our fluffy puppy became a shaggy sheepdog'. And I finished 2 layouts that I've been uninspired by for ages. I'm not that happy with the journalling on the Hanging Out one, but I want to do some in my own printing, not lettering or the computer. In the Nine one there is a personal letter underneath the flap. I have kept no records of years of photos or anything, so remembering and journalling is a challenge. So much has happened in our lives....the memory in my hard drive feels like it has been deleted a number of times (or the system has crashed!!) Those of you who have been scrapping since your children are young are sooo lucky.
Happy Mothers day to all the mothers. I find it a hard day cause since losing Olly I'm still trying to find my place as a mother. I'm sure I used to have 4 young children and now, suddenly (well over a period of time but it feels very sudden) I have 3 strapping young men who are trying their darndest to cut the apron strings.
Ciao

Posting in a gallery

What a buzz. The Scrapbook Outlet forum had a challenge to redo your 1st layout so I thought I'd have a go. I've never done a challenge on a forum before. I've done it and posted it. These are the 2 layouts. I'm happy with the redo. The photos aren't so great as I had to scan them off my 1st layout and then printed them at home. Not so happy with the colours of them but I'm buzzing from having done a challenge. Will wait and see them come up in the gallery now. I hope I loaded them right!! Here is the forum link - www.scrapbookoutletnz.co.nz/bboard/
Am a bit inspiered to do some more scrapping now so might have another play this afternoon.

I need to sort out some photos for scrapcamp and may need to get them printed elsewhere as not too happy with the printer at the moment. I don't know whether its the paper DH bought for me or the ink cartridge we've just put in. Will try and print some more off and see how they come out.

Ciao

Frustrated

I'm trying to set the date and time for my posts so they are correct. Everytime I go to post-create it appears at the bottom for a few seconds and then dissapears. Do I have to be real quick or is there something else I can do? Help please anyone!!
Thanks

No scrapping but

Did manage to flick through a load of old scrapmags this weekend. Took Elliot and Java (the lovely Labrador) to the beach for Sat and Sunday. Caught up with Dianna and Arwen from Whakatane, Andrea will call you next time I promise. Am feeling a bit sad and annoyed about the beach. The camp has put the prices up so far for the next year (July 1st) that we will probably have to lose our site. I haven't got another job yet and we just aren't able to use it enough with rowing in the summer and DH's job (works lots of weekends) It is a special place and holds lots of memories for us of special times with Olly. Here are a couple of piccies of "our spot".
Can't wait to scrapcamp. I've started thinking about what I want to achieve and getting (a bit) organised. Usually I'm frantically printing off photos the morning of a crop so I want to be a bit more sorted for this. I am bringing 2 friends from my (soon to be old) work and I'm really hoping they enjoy it.
Best go and sort dinner out. 2 sick teenagers today (fluey symptoms) so the house is dark with the tele on and lots of coughing sounds. I'm not very good at Florence Nightingale impersonations but I'm trying.
Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment.

Dull days

Don't know why, but when the weather is dull, I feel dull. We have a cold and not very sunny house, which is nice in the summer, but not very inspiring in the winter. Today was a dull day, grey and damp, and I have achieved very little. We have the rowing prizegiving tonight, so I will have to liven up a bit, find something decent (not gay and embarrassing according to my teenagers) to wear and go and be sociable. Then will wake up tomorrow and see what the weekend holds.
Cheers

I did it!!!!

Well, here it is. It hardly looks like I've spent weeks on it but sometimes that's how it goes eh. There's a few new experiments here for me too so thats a bonus... handstitching, no matting (I have discovered I'm so attached to matting everything) and using flowers.
Would just like to post the following to 'publically' remind myself:

Why I scrap:
Mostly just coz I like it - the colour/design/ittybitty embelishments and shopping parts especially!!
To leave my children a record of their/our/my stories
To create something that is uniquely mine/theirs
To honour them both now and in the future
Cause it's 'healthy' to have a hobby
Coz I've found it very 'therapeutic' since losing Olly (I'd like to research the why's and wherefores of that someday)
Coz it's much more fun than other things I should be doing...like cleaning the house, sorting out stuff, exercising etc. Delys I am so with you on that one!!

Not why I scrap (iykwim):
To keep up with everyone else
To be liked/famous/ admired
To be trendy/fashionable and only use the 'latest' products
To have my pages/projects look like everyone elses
To earn money (or to spend lots of money either-although that sometimes happens)
To finish all my photos..(that is so never going to happen lol)

I's sure I'll come up with heaps more reasons once I've published this but that is a start. Perspective has now returned and I will (hopefully) move on....just doing my thing.
Cheers

Scrapping support required...

Is it called 'scrappers block' when you get halfway through a page and can't finish it?? I started a page a while ago and I'm stuck now. I spent ages yesterday, embossing individual letters for the title and now the colour of them isn't right. I've already spent ages doing some handstitching on the page..my first attempt at this....and have planned to put some flowers on it too which is very novel for me having 4 boys. It's just not coming together. I'm feeling a little low on motivation because of it and can't even bear to go in my scraproom. Ending up on the computer doesn't help coz then I get overwhelmed by the volume of pages everyone else seems to churn out and feel useless coz you are all so good and do such lovely work (and have all the yummy products that I am coveting - not good) Blah, blah, blah!
Real pity party here. Any ideas to get me out of it....HELP!!!
Have just made savoury muffins which I am good at doing. They smell yummy and I might go and eat those instead!! Won't make me feel good about my page tho.

Back blogging....

Well it has been a long time since I last posted. We have had a wonderful holiday in the beautiful South Island. 1 week of non stop rowing at Twizel - gorgeous weather, stunning sceanery but no medals (2 out of 3 aint bad) and then 3500 kms of road trip around the bottom and west coast of NZ. Great time of year to go too, the Autumn sceanery (sp??) was spectacular. Highlights would have to be Speights and Cadbury factory in Dunedin, revisiting my old uni haunts in Dunedin (I can't believe Potpouri and the Govenors still exist), the Ice bar in Queenstown, Kingston (I want to live there...I just fell in love with the place), bluff oysters and chips in Bluff and revisiting the Antartic centre in Chch again. Teenage boys got a bit sick of lakes, trees and mountains but hey...they'll appreciate it when they really realise they have now seen ALL of NZ!!!! It was great just hanging out together, even if it was only 2 of our boys not all 4 that got to be with us. I took a little Mickey Mouse with us in honour of Olly.
Got back to more difficulties at work and have made a big decision to resign. Have decided my job needs a set of skills and knowledge that I don't currently possess. Haven't got another job to go to yet but have resigned anyway. Not an easy time. Looks like scrapping on a budget again!!!
Today I am attending a funeral of a dear past work colleague. I will need to do some serious 'self care' tomorrow.
Will try and update more often now. Feel like I have been in a bog with all the job stuff and there have been some health issues in there too. Now to find a way out of it all!!

Gosh my job is hard....

I think I am coming to the conclusion that my job is really hard. Well, some of the things I have to do are. Enough said, except I don't like having to be the big meanie at all.
Here is a page I did at the last R n S with Yolande a couple of weeks ago. I don't know how much scrapping I will get done in the next wee while coz I'm off on holiday in 1 week. DH, me and 2 DS's are off to Twizel (yes, Twizel) for the Maadi cup (rowing again!!) and then we are road tripping it for a week and a half doing the bottom of the Ssouth Island and the West coast. We have always had a dream to show the kids NZ and it's the only bit we haven't been to. Unfortunately big DS is working and really doesn't want to go away with ma and pa anymore. Even 16yr old is a bit toey but he will enjoy it once we get going. We've promised him we'll do the speights factory tour in Dunedin to keep him happy. Now, any hints on good scrapbooking shops anywhere??? Especially where I can send blokes off for testosterone filled activities like jet boating and I can just shop!!! We will spend some time with MIL in Chch too. Should be a good break, especially as hubby usually works 70 - 80 hour weeks. He needs a rest. And I'm really looking forward to spending some time with him.
Must go and hunt out my thermals and winter woolies.

Another early morning...

Playing on the computer at 6am is getting to be the norm for me at the moment. It's 6.07am on Friday (can I shange the day and time on the posts so it gets it right for NZ???) and I've dropped the boys at school....they're heading to Karapiro for NI Sec Schools Champs. 3 days worth of rowing so I know where I am Sat and Sun. Very important meeting at work today and I was woken at 3.11 by police sirens attending a domestic in the next street. I could tell it was a domestic coz when I opened the window I could hear it. Of course I couldn't get back to sleep after that. Aint that always the way. Haven't done any scrapping all week but whipped up a scrapcanvas for my sons girlfriends 18th birthday today. Now my scraproom is a tip and I need to tidy it...shouldn't do things in a hurry. And my big son has just moved home again. It's lovely to have him back but I have to learn not to ask him where he is going or been all the time coz he hates it and he has left home and moved back twice already and he's working and he's not a little boy anymore. LOL. How do mothers learn to let go??
Must go and shower and get on with the day.
Cheers

More scrapping....

Well to not upset my boys, here is more of my favourite layouts. This time it is of Elliot, my 3rd youngest boy. I just loved the paper. Went to a crop with Yolande on Saturday and got a few more layouts done. Will upload photos another time. Very excited about scrapcamp and CC in August. Lots of scrapping!!! Will have to save hard for the cost of it all but also to buy lots of goodies. Best not give up work then. I do a pamphlet run every week which is my scrap money, and usually have some private supervision clients on the go too. Now, what more could I fit in?...or sell?...or something. Am loving those huge chipboard letters (Pressed Petals??)...must have some of those.