Motoring along for June in the scrapping department

I doubled my LO goal for June to 10 LO's since I seemed to be on such a roll. Here's the 6th and 7th ones and no. 8 is still sitting on the table awaiting the finishing touches. If I manage all 3 challenges this weekend for the Divas CC that will be 11/10 (yes, you read that right!). Not a bad effort for me if I may say so. I think I'd even say I was a serious scrapper now (hehehe). Ok, so here they are ...

I fiddled around with this one and am still not happy with the result but I asked the Diva girls for some help to finish it off, especially the chipboard (which I daubed with walnut ink then dry brushed with the green paint) so I've yet to try their helpful suggestions.

I do like the title though which is based on the Lee Kernagan song.

This LO on the right I scraplifted from one of the lovely gals over at Scrapboxx who goes by the name of "pinkscrapper" (I'm sorry I dont know your real name but I hope you dont mind that I've done this and mentioned you here). The original LO is very striking in green with a B&W photo but I dont think I've done too bad a job with this pink effort.

On a completely non-scrapping note, I seem to have fallen off the wagon in regards to PND or perhaps it's just depression in general although it all seems to stem from me trying to cope with the whole motherhood thing.
I'll spare you the boring details but knowing I had to do something about my state of mind I actually went to the Dr last week and despite NOT wanting to take "happy pills" he somehow had me walking out of there with a script for said pills AND an appointment with the psychologist in July which I am also not keen on. I actually went straight to the chemist then to get the script filled but when it came time to take that little tablet on Friday morning at breakfast do you think I could do it? Well I sat there frozen like an idiot for a good 20 minutes, trying not to cry in front of DD, before DH packed up the tablet and put it away to try again another day. I felt stupid all day long, for so many reasons, and if anything got more depressed about the whole state of things in my world.
So on Saturday morning I forced myself to take it. I still feel uncomfortable taking it but I have another appointment with the Dr this Friday so will discuss it more then.
I am contemplating investigating Naturopathy but one that's been recommended is a 200+km round trip away and heaven knows what the cost would be (consultations, herbs/potions etc).

I am hoping that by mentioning this whole "thing" (depression) to people that it will become easier for me to accept because right now I do not want the horrible label put upon me. I dont want sympathy or anything like that, I just want to be MYSELF but I really dont know who that is anymore. Since having the kids I seem to have lost my identity yet I couldn't really define my "identity" as such pre-kids. You see how confusing this all is? I need to be happy, comfortable and accepting within myself, be calmer and more content.
I'm not entirely convinced that taking a bunch of happy pills for a year will let me achieve that. Sure, it might alter the chemicals in my brain to supposedly "normal" levels again but ... hmmm, I'm getting worked up and confused right here actually so I think I'll go do some scrapping (or mail art actually - see Divas for all the detail on this addictive new slant on scrapping, its so cool).

If you haven't fallen asleep reading this far THANK YOU (and my apologies for such a long spiel).

Happy scrapping all ...

My second swap ...

Well, this is only a ric-rac swap on the Divas site, but hey, it still counts. I am seeing how swaps become addictive but I am going to be good and only do those I know I can manage.

Ok, so nothing exciting happening in my world but I have been scrapping away, doing a little each day if I can so here's a couple for your viewing pleasure.

I have been looking at my work lately and trying to figure out if I have a defined style or something that is obvious about my LO's. What do you think?
I cant really pick anything because I'm always trying to do something different for each page.

Well, I'm just finishing a cuppa now and then we'll be off to the Dr's - we're all snotty here so time to do something about all this sickness in our house me thinks!!!

My first swap ...

Yep, I've finally got involved in a swap having been curious for some time.
It's a recipe card swap with the lovely girls at Scrapboxx. Ayway, here's my efforts ...


Sorry it's blurry - the recipe theme is movie munchies and I went with drinks - Coffee Liqueur w/ vanilla & cinnamon cream ... doesn't that just sound DELICIOUS!!! I actually haven't tried it ... yet ... dont tell the girls (oops) but I know I've had something similar and it's yummy.

The stamp is a MM foam one done with Versamark and I printed the recipe title over the top. I used Walnut Ink around the edges too.


And I am soooo loving that "itty bitty bag" of prima flowers I got from Michelle (Scrapbook Divas) a while ago. I am finding them very handy because I'm not stuck with a heap of the same style/colour-range/size - they're all different. A few here ... a few there ... you get the idea I'm sure.

For anyone interested, I have a little challenge going for the month of June over at Scrapbook Divas - check out the forum - and I'll put all participants names in a hat and the lucky one drawn out will receive a little RAK. My challenge is simply to set yourself a goal for the number of LO's you want to complete in June and as an extra optional challenge do it just from stuff in your stash. My goal is 5 (you all know I'm a slow, procrastinator scrapper LOL) but I've already done 3 so I might need to review.

I am currently side tracked from LO's though having done the recipe swap (note to self, get them posted ASAP) and I've started a mini album for me about my 20's - I've got a cool Maya Road chipboard ring binder album from Divas and can do a double spread for each year 20-29 (I'm getting quite retrospective as my 30th approaches in December this year).

I am so loving the Divas site - it was the first scrapping site I got involved in and they embraced me with open arms. I have found confidence I didn't know existed when I comes to sharing LO's and all things scrapping. And by the way, they've just announced 2 new DT members whose work I have admired since I first got involved in the site - Jode and Rach. Congratulations (again) girls if you happen to read my uninspiring little blog here!!!

Anyway, thanks to anyone who happens to be reading this - I appreciate it. Bye for now ...

Quick Share

Here's my latest effort for your viewing pleasure. "Whipped" this one up yesterday morning while DS had a nice long sleep (DD is at day care on Wednesday's).
The tag says "4th June '07 How cute is this face! A lucky quick snap while snuggling on Mummy's lap. Gorgeous!".

I used BG pp, tag and rubon and HS bling, flower and ghost alphas. There's a bit of Kindy Glitz there too for good measure.

Am off to the hairdresser shortly (with both kids in tow - DD needs a hair cut badly, she's going wool blind!!!) and hopefully I'll get a bit of scrapping done this afternoon if the kids nap together. I caught up on all the washing and folding yesterday.

On a roll ...

I must admit I haven't been the most pleasant person to be around this week. And I've been feeling really down about myself and struggling to cope with all the trials and tribulations motherhood brings.

However, on the other hand I have had real enjoyment from scrapping this week (pushed the guilty feelings aside that I should be doing stuff around the house) and completed 3 LO's. That's pretty impressive for a slow old scrapper like me.

And, despite the frustrations with kids, I had plenty to laugh and smile about with them, like Ciaran walking - getting better and going further every day. He's really got a development spur on lately not only physically but mentally too. He was off and walking before 10 months, he's mastered waving and clapping too as well as hide and seek - he puts something over his head then pulls it down and giggles like mad. He's also into wrestling with his sister - god help me when they're bigger!

Caitlin and I are each so stubborn and headstrong ... I dread the teenage years if I dont learn to chill ... but she's been doing lots of imaginitive play lately, like cooking and serving, feeding her doll and teddy, wrapping them and putting them to bed complete with dummy, taking them to the doctor cos their sick etc. In many ways she's so mature for her age, yet she's still a typical 2 year old at times.
Last night when I put her to bed she said "I love you Mummy" all of her own accord. It's not the first time but was just lovely, especially considering we'd had a few clashes earlier in the day.

DH and co are going well getting the crop in. He's pulled 3 really late ones now but (aside from a few breakdowns) it's all going well and I know he feels good working hard and being busy. This time last year we hadn't had any rain and were umming and ahhing about dry sowing. At the last minute we had a bit of rain but it was all but a waste of time last year with almost complete crop failure.
This year we've got the best break in 5 years for sowing - there's nothing like a bit of mud to lift your spirits!

So here's my scrapping efforts from this past week ...

As you can see, 2 more LO's for Ciaran's album and something different for me is this one on the left - it's for Cyberscraps May challenge about mistakes. I couldnt' come up with a suitable LO idea for a specific mistake I'd made and learned from (that was the challenge) but I found lots of sayings about mistakes so I scrapped them.

I have been finding that participating in the challenges and cyber crops (so far only with Scrapbook Divas and Cyberscraps but have been checking out more sites and plan to join more) is making me do a lot more scrapping because the ideas are flowing faster. I dont sit there and waste so much time thinking about where to start, I find I just get in quicker because I know there's certain products or techniques I need to incorporate.

Since getting right into the whole online scrapping thing (browsing sites, joining forums, doing challenges and cyber crops) I feel I've made a whole bunch of new friends despite never meeting any in person. It's not that I doubted I would, but I'm amazed at what this craft/hobby has opened up for me.

Anyway, I need to finish up this post because the kidlets keep running in and out so we're going outside for a bit before it gets too cold. Til next time friends ...