Any idiot can face a crisis ...

... it's this day to day living that wears you out!!!

Yes, that is my phrase of the moment and oh, how true it is!

*** I have deleted my personal ramblings here as it seems they have been misunderstood, misinterpreted and misused so this blog shall be focussing once again on just my scrapping ***

No!! Stop!! Enough!! Apart from the fact that I shouldn't be disclosing personal business here, it does me no good at all to whinge and whine. I have to buck up, deal with it, and make the most of what we DO have.

And that is each other. And we have a roof over our heads (for now, haha) and we are warm and well fed (even if it is all home brand LOL).

And I am blessed to have a wonderful hobby I can still pursue (albeit with no new purchases of course) and that creative outlet - when I have time - is a godsend.

So here's what I've squeezed in over the last few weeks, creatively speaking ...

This grungy LO was inspired by a sketch challenge over at Twiddleybitz actually and I really enjoyed doing this page, something a bit different for me and it was challenging to keep the grungy theme happening and find the right embellies but I think it turned out ok in the end.

I also joined in the card swap over there and made this one ...

This next page was actually for Mistra's May Challenge over at RES ...

And I whipped up a couple of "just because" cards using up those scraps ...

Totally non scrap related, these are the newest members of our family (and they're gonna have to learn to feed themselves pretty fast cos the current cash crisis is squeezed even more having to now buy cat food LOL). Aren't they cute? even for farm cats? They are brothers - the kids named one each, Darkie and Sammy - and they are for mouse hunting. I hope they're quick learners.

And there's been some seriously cold and horrible weather lately too ... including a few ripper frosts like this one.

And back to the scrapping ... a few pages to get those pics scrapped, memories recorded and stash used!

Ok so I'm off to finish cleaning and sorting out this office/scraproom, have a bite to eat and if I can drag myself out of the money doldrums I might try and get creative again.

Thanks for stopping by :) Hmmm, next time I might make the post a bit more cheery 'eh.

Thanks to Windows Scheduler ...

I made some vague comment last time I blogged, I believe, about doing it more regularly ... so I organised for Windows to pop up with a reminder each Thursday morning. So far so good, except it is now afternoon, and I really dont have time ... bit sad really.

But here's why ...

• The house is a mess (yes it is, really, and no, I'm not going to ignore it cos that will then make me cranky having a dirty, unorganised

• I have just finished doing some (not all I wanted to but some nonetheless) farm office work ... which was scheduled for yesterday (one of my kid-free days) but which I didn't get to do because I ended up helping hubby pull the tractor and spray rig out of a bog ... which incidently I didn't mind doing and really quite enjoyed a wee bit of tractor driving, especially when I was so highly commended on my tractor driving skills and the perfect execution of the pull-tractor-out-of-bog manouvre ... but which then put my whole day out of kilter and I ended up rushing to town to the PO and to do some errands

• I have a heap of new stock to upload to the RES site ... but I have now run out of peak internet usage time (we're on satellite out here, no chance at getting these lovely cheap "unlimited" plans - gggrrr) ...

• I have some sorting and pricing to do of various household goods which I'm selling at a garage sale on Saturday ... which is actually my friend's garage sale but I am helping and taking the opportunity to sell our stuff (and I cant tell you how handy a little bit of cash would be so cross your fingers for me ok)

• I also have baking to do ... why? you ask ... well let's just say I had the brilliant idea of baking cupcakes and the likes for my 2 kids and my friend's 2 kids to sell at their own little table at the garage sale - bit of pocket money for them and will hopefully keep them out of our hair

So that's why I haven't got time ... and why am I still here? Dunno really, other than to attempt to actually update my blog in an entertaining way ... trying to, anyway.

Best get busy now. See ya :)

Bad blogger

Yes, yes I know, bad blogger, slack blogger ... why would anyone read a blog that's never updated LOL.

So perhaps I need to schedule a day each week, just like other regular activities, to update the blog, what do you think?

Anyway, here's some creating from recent weeks, not much but something at least.

First up this was a "just because" LO and also using some old MME papers from the Red Earth Scrapping shop (which I thought were gorgeous but didn't sell well LOL). I also threw lots of embellies from my stash on there too although I'm not sure I got the placement quite right, looks a bit like someone threw up on it in places, but oh well, it's another memory recorded I suppose.

Then there's this one also using products from the RES shop (which sold better though LOL) - Cosmo Cricket "Togetherness" range ...

So next up, using yet more old stock from RES, I wanted to try painting a background to "soften" the base pp so I swiped this Fancy Pants pp with white paint but really thin so you could still see the colour and patterned behind. I splattered a bit of trust Maya Road Mist there too and used some scraps of the FP paper from the same "Wishful Thinking" range, popped on an odd assortment of embellies and there you have it. Just not happy with the buckling paper from having painted it though.

 

 

I've also been doing some card making workshops at home with some wonderful local ladies and here's what we made recently (focussing on using just 1 sheet of patterned paper and utilising our Cuttlebug machines and folders/dies etc) -

Having had 2 successful and enjoyable sessions we're now going to try and meet every 6 or so weeks on a Saturday afternoon. Next time we'll be doing some male/masculine cards so I need to get my A into G and get the samples and instructions done.

Dont you agree part of the beauty of hobbies is sharing with other like minded crafters? I get such a happy buzz from creating with others who enjoy and appreciate the same things. I love introducing people to the joys of paper crafting and seeing them create their own masterpiece of which to be proud of.

So that's the creating news from me, but what else has been going on? Well, the children have started their very first season of soccer! And there's a story with this too ...

which I put on a LO (funnily enough) ...

 

I hope you can read the journalling, it's a great story of how Caitlin's first week's efforts (i.e. chucking a wobbly and not playing a single second of the game) turned completely around for the second week (i.e. joined in training AND played the whole game AND had fun .. AND ... received her team's player of the week trophy!).

Here's my little soccer star (week 2).

And here's my other little soccer star (from week 1). Ciaran took to it like a duck to water and had so much fun. I was so proud of him too, going off happily with the group of little 5 year olds, listening very intently to the coach and doing every thing he was told. They have a fun skills training session followed by a mini game. The second week's little game was hilarious as the kids were all running intently after the ball, kicking it along but neither team realised they were suppose to be aiming for their goal, they just kept running and kicking, all the way along the entire length of the soccer fields, past (and even through) about 3 other little games ... it was just too funny and cute.

Well there's the update for you, perhaps I'll set that weekly task now 'eh.

Thanks for stopping by.

KEITH!!!

I know I am married - happily - to the love of my life, my soul mate, my everything - MARTY - but ... OMG Keith Urban sets my heart all a flutter too LOL.

We (the family - hubby and both kids) went to his Sydney concert on Thursday 14th April and here's just a few pics I took on the night having smuggled my DSLR in my handbag (sadly not the big lens but I am so glad I did take the camera because they didn't have a souvenir program).

First up was the awesome group Lady Antebellum and wow, do they have a fantastic sound and great songs.

Then it was the great man himself, my Keith ... LOL, I'm sounding a little obssessed dont you think, whoops. But really, honestly, truly, it is his music, his musicianship, his musicality that I love and admire and respect. The music he creates and how he delivers each song, each performance, is something that makes my heart sing and stirs the soul. Plus he's pretty hot!!!

And look how close he got ... he came up our side of the arena and I skipped down the stairs from where we were sitting to get these pics, he was just metres from me ... bless his sweaty cotton shirt, he was just so wonderful.

So that was Thursday night in Sydney. On Friday we wandered around Darling Harbour and the kids and I went to the Aquarium while Marty went over to the Maritime Museum. After a late lunch we headed out to Parramatta (OMG I dont know how people live in the city, honestly, the traffic on that relativly short drive drove us totally NUTS and it probably wasn't what a local would call busy) and did a bit of shopping before checking into our hotel there. On Saturday we went to the Royal Easter Show - it poured rain almost the whole day but thankfully I packed rain coats for the kids and we had umbrellas so we were actually pretty dry and warm and had a fabulous, fun, interesting day.

The kids had their first Merry-Go-Round ride ...

And first Ferris Wheel ride ... thankfully this was a very modern one, fully enclosed and even air conditioned which, considering it bucketed down while we were on it, was very nice indeed compared to the old fashioned one.

They had ice creams, fairy floss and got a show bag each and the night finished with a great fireworks and laser display.

So that was our school holiday get-away and now we're just hanging out at home for the rest of the holidays and Marty is getting ready to start sowing this year's crop - the oats are in, the barley is going in and shortly we'll get stuck into the canola then all the wheat.

I have lots of Red Earth Scrapping "work" to do plus I am desperate to get some creating done for myself too. I'll be back with some of that next time.
See you then :-)

Scrap With Red

Come on over to RED EARTH SCRAPPING this weekend, we're having a Cyber Crop - our theme is all about the inspiring women in our lives. Lots of fun, awesome challenges, plenty of chat and of course there's always prizes up for grabs. Please come and join us, everyone is most welcome!

Here's some more of my recent efforts ...

Just a quick post today but thanks anyway for stopping by.

Busy, busy, busy ...

That's life for everyone these days isn't it. No exception here.
I took things pretty easy after my little op the other week but suddenly life is once again full on, lots of things to do each and every day (although my list is not always "done" LOL).

So apart from the usual house work, kid wrangling and running around a mother and farmer's wife does, here's what I've been able to squeeze in creatively speaking.

Sunset photography ... I played with the various settings on my DSLR to get some beautiful shots. Still working out all the settings and numbers, too confusing for this little amateure sometimes though LOL.

I pulled out some Echo Park "Summertime" papers (there are still stocks of these in the Red Earth Scrapping shop - go to the next page for this range as well as "A Walk in the Park" which is equally gorgeous) and scrapped all the pics from Australia Day which we spent at our friends, mostly swimming, eating and drinking LOL. I did 3 pages but 1 was snapped up for publication by Scrapbooking Memories mag (happy dancing here) so here's the other 2. Aren't they so bright and happy.

This one is for our Red Earth Scrapping March sketch challenge using Stuck?! Sketches March 1st sketch plus our CT member, Linda's, extra criteria of white/black/green AND the handmade fabric spiral flower.

Pics are of my 2 with Susanne's 2 girls taken at the Orange Adventure Playground when we met up for the day in January this year.

This one is for March Scrap The Girls challenge which was to use one of the "she" quotes ... so once again using summer pics (when Susanne & I met) and the divine Echo Park papers, I came up with this.

This page is, yes, very different LOL, all distressed and a bit grungy, but it's for the March Scrap The Boys challenge - this challenge blog has just started up again - and you had to use a "moment in time" as your subject and heading.

And lastly, this one is for the March 123 Challenge challenge.

I've got a couple more projects in the pipeline ATM so when I get some pics I'll do another blog post to show you. In the mean time, thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll leave me some love :)