END OF MONTH CATCH UP!!!!

Beautiful "Gift of Love" award!

Thanks soooo much for my award given by both Julie and Jane - thanks so much you gorgeous gorgeous girls TAGS:using Basic Grey Over at Scrap Therapy the design team used some Basic Grey Stamps on TAGs. I used 'Fourished Edges' in the form of a flip tag to give a theatre ticket as a present. (Hannah is performing in 'Pirates of Penzance' which opens next Friday night!!) I've also used BG's Granola paper. This is the cover where I've embossed with a heat gun in gold. A little brad holds the flip part closed.And this is the inside where a cut out of the embossed stamp holds the ticket in place. AND this one - a newly released Stamp from the Porcelain collection called 'Aviary'

26 FEB JOURNAL PAGE

Just look at this!!! Blacky watches my every move!! Interestingly he sat on the 'music' paper!! He's such a big cat and he did his best to fit as much as he could on that 12x12!!!!

27 FEB JOURNAL PAGE

I drew a random RAK over at SCRAP THERAPY for the girls who took part in my step-by-step Shabby Chic LO! (scroll down if you go looking) They filled the folder in the gallery with such fabulous creations with my step by step, jacking one of my LO's and their own. Anyway as you can see Trish won the RAK!

28 FEB JOURNAL PAGE

Yep - all will be revealed one by one......but I will say that 2 are little ones.....but no less important because I've SOOOOOOO love every minute! And one is a bigger one......something I fell instantly in love with and knew this was for me!!!! (ssssssshhhhhhh) teehee

123 CHALLEGE

Here's a little note from 123 Challenge Blog:

Here's the HEADS UP>>> for March 123 Challenge... We're going to do the criteria differently again this month, SOOOO for something different.... this month we want you to EMAIL us @ challenge_123@hotmail.com with chosen criterias - one criteria each email.... THEN on March 1st {Sunday} Karlene and I will choose our favourite THREE and give you the March 123 Challenge.... good idea? not a good idea? We would LOVE to hear about what you think or any ideas that you may have.... Love Charmane & Karlene

I think this is a fab idea!!!! Sooooooo you have until midnight tonight to upload those Feb LO's and after midnight you can email a criteria !!

Coolio - I think!!

AUSSIE SCRAPJACK (and 24&25 Feb Journal Pages)

AUSSIE SCRAPJACK (and it made a FAV!!!!!!)
This is my interpretation of Kate Mason's LO at Aussie Scrap Jack.
Paige at Wineglass Bay where the beach just fell away deep within a couple of metres. Just a beautiful beautiful beach!! Hmm, thats twisted piece of fabric is gold and sparkly, though it doesnt show up here. Not sure why. I loved all the little elements on Kates LO so I kept adding to mine!! Loved the blue in hers as well......blue just means sky and sea to me!


24th FEB JOURNAL PAGE This makes me soooo totally sad. I've got a tiny little orchard out the back of my yard...and amongst the trees is a lovely apricot tree which had finished fruiting. I went to check on the apple trees and the apricot tree had been vandalised. All the branches on one side of the tree had been cracked at the joints to the trunk and lying horizontal to the ground. We have had no storms to blame this on, or overbearing of fruit because it had already been picked. So dh has to trim it back to nothing and hopefully it will recover without disease getting into the wounds.


25TH FEB JOURNAL PAGEThis is my fabulous prize I won with my 'Retro Girl' page of Hannah with Creative Type This is a kit from Sweet Twee I could not believe just how much was in this kit and the most fantastic little bits and peices - little bags of delightful things!!! Totally love it!!! Thanks sooo much to Sweet Twee!!! PS: I even did an order with Sweet Twee's etsy when I got home from work tonight......I know what I've got coming I could do HEAPS with!!! Just different different different!!!

CREATIVE TYPE (and 23rd Feb Journal Page)

A fab challenge this week at Creative Type because it's a photo of choice (LOVE those types of criteria!!) and to frame it with journaling, fonts, words etc.

Sooooo here's what I came up with:

(bushwalking at Coles Bay- my goddaughter Tara took this photo)

23rd FEB JOURNAL PAGE

I'm still enjoying doing my 20min journal pages. (and yes, if time gets away, I'll just pop the photo in with journalling directly onto the photo or reverse!!!)

I took this this morning when I saw the rope swing of the kids blowing in the wind. The first pears are just starting to drop but arent quite yet the gorgeous yellow they become. These pears just drip juice when bitten into! I stew them, freeze them for deserts - with absolutely no need to added sugar!! They are sooooo sweet enough!

USA SCRAPJACKED, DESIGN EXPERIMENT (and 21&22 Journal pages)

USA - SCRAPJACKEDI took one look at this challenge and all I could see was FABRIC!!! I love working with fabric - sooo this little creation kinda developed! There was no planning, it just all came together! This was Hannah when she was two yrs old. Such an angel - sooooooo sweet!

DESIGN EXPERIMENT #42This challenge was to scrap about what makes you comfortable -what gives you comfort. I could probably name a number of things.... but walking through those doors into my scraproom energises me! Its definitely the place to be when the world gets too much!

21st FEBRUARY JOURNAL PAGE

What is it about little girls and tutus!! This is my Saturday morning

22ND FEBRUARY JOURNAL PAGE

Just ripening and being picked! I've made sure that dh doesnt chop down 2 special clumps growing out of the way in my top garden. When the vines have finished fruiting, they will get cut right back....all ready for next year!! The berries are sooo delicious and one of Hannah's favourites. I love them too! They make the BEST jam!

OLW, OTP STEP BY STEP (and 19th & 20th Feb photos)

The word for this week at OLW - is 'FUN'.

Over at Scraptherapy I've done an easy step-by step for this little project.

If you would like to see how its done - click here

I sooooo need reminders like this to get through jobs I dont normally do everyday! Nothing like a nice little hanging with a wad of sticky-notes attached!!
19TH FEB PHOTO

Here's my little red car that I got back today after being without it for FOUR days because it was in being fixed. I had tried hard to get past dh's ute in our drive and managed to put a long scratch (weeeell just a bit deeper than a scratch) along two panels!! I was horrified and upset! Its the first time on my 3 decades of driving that I've ever put a scratch in anything!!! Not a scratch on dh's ute! I didnt even take a photo of the scratch - didnt want to be reminded of it!
20TH FEBRUARY PHOTO
Look at this juicy peach! Last year this poor little tree blew over in the wind and I tied it up, clipped it right back to almost nothing to repair the broken damage. It always fruited little peaches...but this year, there was 3 of the biggest peaches left on it - the wind blew most of the young fruit off. I've eaten 2 and have 1 left!!!

LIFE'S A BIT BUSY! (and check out the NEW STOCK at SCRAP THERAPY

Life has been a bit busy at the moment. So in the next couple of days to a week, I'll only be able to post a little here........photos (instead of my 20min journalling pages) which will still have holes punched in them and writing directly on photos or the reverse side. I dont mind doing this for my journal folder from time to time because it gives a bit of an eclectic 'look' - a gathering of all kinds of bits in there. I'll get back to my pages as soon as I can. I'm scrapping what I'm able in between times as well. Life is just in the way at the moment! So to my photos: 17TH FEB

Yep - a rotten headache kept me opening this packet of Panadol to keep the pain at a minimum to get me through teaching! The best solution was when I finally arrived home from work at 8.30pm was to go to bed! I did feel better in the morning. 18TH FEB Dont you hate it when the light blows......and its got to be replaced and there arent any extras globes around! This hangs over me while I'm on my computer. Isnt it a gorgeous Leadlight! They are gum leaves and gumnuts......reminds me of 'Sam' the koala! I replaced the globe today!

ALL THE SCRUMMY NEW CHA STOCK IS STARTING TO ARRIVE:

New Basic Grey at Scrap Therapy Lee-Anne has just loaded the new Basic Grey Marrakesch and Porcelain ranges and as it is the MAN of the Month, all Basic Grey goodies have 20% off!! New CHA papers are $1.24 and the rub-on books are $11.96 - so much cheaper than anyone else. Scrap Therapy's prices are the cheapest I've found and it has the service to match so if you haven't shopped there before, head on over http://www.scraptherapy.com.au/categories.php - you will not be disappointed

SCRAPPING THE MUSIC (and15 &16th Feb Journalling Pages)

I've used some of the lyrics this week for STM's song. It fit Sam the Koala's recovery so well! Isnt she so cute!





I dont know how many times Paige comes out of her room after going to bed! This time I grabbed my camera and took a photo - and she wasnt even in her PJ's yet!! I've even made a bet with her that she cant just go into her room and stay there at bed time - and she loses EVERY TIME!!!!






Grrrrr my photoshop elements program is really getting to me. Since I've uploaded it, it just will not let me email photos! I get two error messages and I dont understand them!!
As much as I've tried to follow complicated instructions to fix the problem - still nothing - AND hours upon hours gone!
As a result of my 'fiddling' I cant upload 'recently changed' photos (because the prompt 'recently changed photos' is GONE) to my photobucket without exporting the image to another already established file first!! I'm running in circles!!
And while I'm in the middle of a pity party in my head...........why is it that some images here on my blog can be enlarged by clicking on them.....and some wont???
Grrr! I'm just not technical enough for this stuff.....it should just 'work'!!! (rolling eyes)

AD THIS Challenge (and my USA Scrap Jacked LO made 1 of 2 FAVS!!)

Loved the challenge of Ad This

Using recycled products and go-green theme....its still about the ocean for me!! (big smile)! USA SCRAP JACKED I'm sooo thrilled to get a FAV mention for my LO at Scrapjacked (usa) It was my first time of entering there - and with a style that is completely different to what I normally do!! I'm SOO excited!!! Lou from Aussie Scrap Jack got the other FAV!!! So there you go.....two Aussies!!

123 FEB CHALLENGE CT SAMPLE (and 12,13,14th Journalling pages)

The criteria for 123 Challenge is: Use a shaped base to your Layout - not square or round. No hearts Nature as the theme Naturally being completely in love with the sea - here's my nature unshaped LO!! LOL! You wont find any lovey-dovey hearts in this creation!! teehee!




12TH FEB JOURNALLING PAGE Just as I was looking out the kitchen window, I saw both my little finches being terrorised by two big butcher birds!! I was horrified and ran at them like a raging monster! I hope I scared them never to come back! Poor little Scrappy and Booky were shivering little messes and took a long time to calm down. Scrappy ex-wild instincts told her to huddle down underneath her nest and dont move while Booky's aviary lack of experience had her bouncing off all walls in sheer panic! I'm mindful not to put them into that part of the garden again!!


  13TH FEB JOURNALLING PAGE
The time had come for me to go to work and prepare to start the next day. I always underestimate how much time it takes!! I was exhausted by 9pm last night!! But I have a wonderfully tidy workplace!!


14TH FEB JOURNALLING PAGE
First day back! I actually didnt mind being back -it was just all the preparation that was the issue!!! (as usual)!!

SCRAPPING ACROSS THE UNIVERSE #8 (and an update on a bush fire arsonist...)

SCRAPPING ACROSS THE UNIVERSE challenge was about love notes! Paige writes me love notes all the time, I need to scrap them - I keep them, they are all tucked away - even her little 'sorry notes'!!! They are soooo cute!

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I know that a lot of my international friends are so interested and concerned for the bushfires, so here's an update - the police have charged a man with arson - and evil evil man !!!

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25048880-661,00.html?referrer=email

REUNITED WITH SAM THE KOALA (and 11th Feb Journal Page)

It was hard not to journal about the bushfires and other than Sam the Koala, this story also caught my heart - Bellerine the possum, who was found in Healesville with third-degree burns on her feet. She was given her name, which means "little shoes" in French, after all of her feet were bandaged. (Photo by Stephen Harman) David Tree is reunited with Sam

(as reported in Herald Sun) reported byMegan McNaught February 12, 2009 SAM the world's most famous koala came face to face with her saviour in gold yesterday, Country Fire Authority volunteer David Tree. Mr Tree was close to tears when he was reunited with his new furry friend at the Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter in Rawson, where Sam is recovering from third degree burns to her paws. The pair became accidental faces of the devastating bushfires when Mr Tree gave an exhausted Sam a drink from his water bottle in the middle of burnt-out bush in Mirboo North. The photograph has been picked up by major news agencies around the world. "Who knows if she recognised me or not but I would like to think so," Mr Tree said. "I got a bit choked up because it has been such an emotional week. It was just good to see her doing well." Sam was having her dressing changed by carer Colleen Wood when Mr Tree arrived. He said seeing her in pain hit home the damage that the fires were inflicting on helpless animals. "You could see where the black soles of her paws had been burnt off and they were pink and looked sore," he said. "She's been through a lot." He said animal carer Colleen Wood told him the koala may not have survived if he had not given her water at such a crucial time, because she would have been suffering severe dehydration. "This has been a really tough week for everyone so it is good to have one happy ending," Mr Tree said. "She was pretty friendly, she gave me a bit of a sniff and we touched noses." It will be about 5 months before Sam can be released back into the wild.

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Anyone wanting to donate to help animals - here's the RSPCA website

http://www.rspcavic.org/campaigns_news/news_bushfires.htm

MIX IT UP (and 9th &10th Feb Journal Pages)

MIX IT UP challenged us to use bling in a not so orginal way. I've used bling on the musical notes within this music paper.

9TH FEB JOURNAL PAGE
Yes - that time to start the school year. Paige's new uniform being named and hemed!

10TH FEB JOURNAL PAGEPaige was soooo excited for her first day at highschool - she was up at 6am!! So here we are....back in routine (sigh)

FIRE UPDATE

The lastest update is:

181 perished (50 unidentified, many of which may never be identified) 80 known to be missing

440,000 hectares burned

78 injured with 32 critical

1,033 homes have been destroyed

33 fires still burning

As of this morning (11th Feb) this is the toll......It incredibly hard to fathom the height and speed these fires have been. The pain and suffering has rang through the world. America is in talks offering 35 fire fighting chiefs, aviation managers etc, New Zealand has sent 99 men, and Singapore has offered a fleet of super Pumer helicopters.

93 of our finest Tasmanian men left yesterday - they are used to fighting fires in very mountainous areas.

I just cant show photos of the pain of people - its just tooo terrible. But I will show you these - for I think they bring some comfort -

And working well into the night....night after night. These are wild animals that have never been touched by human hands - the trust is incredible.

And this.....here's the video clip and some news on 'Sam' the Koala who was given a drink by the Fireman

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,25038828-1243,00.html?from=public_rss

Its heart warming, as the story written beside it is too.

Total Devastation.....Bush Fires..

I had to post this here. We've had such a terrible disaster with Bush Fires raging through Victoria. Our state has just sent over a huge team of fire fighters to help along with 35 fire vehicles. As it stands tonight 5000 people are homeless, over 130 are dead and the toll is rising. Over 750 homes destroyed - that number is still rising too. Many are critically injured, some not expected to live. Over 40,000 hectarces are burnt. Not only human loss, pets, livestock and our wildlife. Its too sad to relate so much so, I had to turn my tv off Then this tiny little moment (photo by Russell Vickery) A blessing - look at the trust, a wild animal - the eye contact, an understanding, hand holding hand - comfort

ADD THIS (and quite a bit more!!)

Here's a wonderful blog challenge Add This - I love this kind of a challenge! It called for distressing and using a format from an advert! I used a fair amount of gold paint for this.....aside from distressing - love that paint too. The paper is embossed too!

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BASIC GREY (Man of the Month at Scrap Therapy)

is 20% off! Click here

My Nana who is now 95yrs old.

Hannah is an AMAZING bush walker - she's our leader and sets the pace. She can walk for days and encourages everyone to keep up.

Need I say anymore??? I love them!!! (big smile)


And who doesnt just love dining out!! Lots of trim and lace fabric gives a feminine touch while the greys in the papers gives a feel for 'ties and suits'!!

Love the shabby chic-ness of stella ruby - it has a serene quality

My little bird bath made from periphery papers......I had NO idea how this was going to turn out....but it did!!!

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SCRAPPING THE MUSIC #72

Here's my DT sample for 'Lullaby' by the Dixie Chicks! Here's Paige fighting to stay awake New Years Eve. Watching the TV (being serenaded by an ABBA special) she sank lower and lower on the couch - and was in bed asleep when the New Year rang in.