RES Closing Down SALE!

Welcome to Red Earth Scrapping!

You will recall way back in October I shocked many of you with an announcement about Red Earth Scrapping being offered for sale. Since that time I have had a few enquiries from people interested in the business, but sadly the timing is not right for them, and I have now made the decision to close Red Earth Scrapping.

This truly breaks my heart as it was less than 3 years ago I started the process of turning my dream into reality. I've put so much time and effort into the business - and honestly, have enjoyed it immensely - but in those few years our family circumstances have changed too, and I simply dont have the time and energy to put into RES. As you know, I married a farmer and have embraced all things about living and working on the land. My husband and I now run the family farm business which is quite an undertaking, and we have huge and exciting plans for our future. This is where I now need to focus my time and energies, along with being a wife and mother, and picking up work at the local highschool to supplement our income. Having somehow survived 10 years of drought, the farm business requires all our efforts to once again thrive, especially in such tough economic times.

And so it has come that RES will be closing its doors on the 31st January 2013, exactly 2 & 1/2 years after opening them. But what a great ride it's been!

To CELEBRATE those years and the fun, inspiration and precious friendships shared, we are having a sale - 33% off everything for the entire month of January. And then the doors will close, the website will be offline.

 

33% OFF ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN STORE

1st - 31st January 2013

No code required, discount applied at checkout

Payment via PayPal or Direct Debit (select "other" in payment options)

Usual postage charges/options apply to all orders

First in, best dressed

(I will do my best to keep stock numbers accurate however if something is sold out I will offer an alternate item or refund)

Why I scrap!

I recently made the long trek to Newcastle to attend a crop day.

So? Big deal!

Well for me, it was a big deal, and it reaffirmed for me why I scrap, and what I get out of it.

So, if you would please indulge me a little and read on ... 

What do I get out of scrapbooking?

My blog post is largely inspired by this post by the lovely Kate. She posed the question and once I read through her beautifully written and thoughtful post, I felt the need to answer the question too - answer it for myself as much as everyone else.

I love this quote from her - "I think with anything you are passionate about, you can get so caught up doing it, thinking about it, dreaming of it that you forget to ask yourself why you are actually doing it and what you hope to achieve out of it. "

Speaking of that crop day in Newcastle, and Kate ... well, we FINALLY got to meet in real life.

She was just as I expected, absolutely lovely - mwah to you my gorgeous friend xxx.

And I also got to see my dear friend Michelle again (since her shop, Scrapbook Divas, was hosting the day).

*** waving to Michelle too ***

So back to the trek to Newcastle ... it was a good 6-7 hour drive from our place to Newcastle but that didn't bother me. Originally I was just going to go and bring the children (which Michelle's husband had so generously agreed to mind) but then Marty was able to squeeze in a few days off so he took the chance for a quick family break which was fantastic for us. He and the kids fended for themselves, went 4WDing on Stockton Beach, swam and played and wore themselves out!

I spent the entire day however surrounded by creative, crafty ladies feeling very inspired and relaxed.

The crop day was in fact a fundraiser for breast cancer research in memory of a local scrapping lady, Amanda, who was known in many circles and who I had the pleasure of sharing with on many online scrappy sites, as well as meeting in person at Michelle's Scrapbook Divas retreat back in early 2008.

Hahaha, look! Just found a pic of the Divas (website) girls from the retreat - Amanda is in the centre back.

Sadly Amanda's very long battle with cancer ended earlier this year. She was just 49. She was, quite simply, a beautiful soul. And while her passing has obviously left a huge hole in the lives of her family and friends, she left a precious legacy, especially for her children, in the form of her scrapbooks.

So, why do I scrap? What do I get out of scrapbooking?

Firstly I guess, doing somthing creative or arty/crafty is something I've always done, always been interested in, right from when I was very young. It's part of who I am.

As many of you know, my first foray into "scrapbooking" was collecting all the ephemera during my 9 months living and working in London and travelling throughout the UK and Europe (back in 2001). I bought some art journals and literally made scrap-books of all I did. 

I guess paper and glue was my calling ... fast forward to 2004 when I was pregnant with our first child, Caitlin, and I discovered scrapbooking via Creative Memories.

 

Perhaps starting our family was the real catalyst to want to record and preserve not just photos, but memories and feelings and information.

 

That is still the basis of why I scrap. I whole-heartedly believe that future generations need to know, and will hopefully want to know, the details about their family and friends before them, just as I love to flick through the photos and notes of not only my parents (who are now in their 60's) but also my grandparents (all now passed away) and back it goes. When parents and grandparents, and other family and friends are no longer here to talk about times gone by, a record of who, what, when, where and why is not only interesting, but hugely important. Well, so I believe.

Of course not everyone may agree, but that's just my opinion.

Then of course, comes the creativity. And I think the 2 go hand in hand beautifully.

See that quote at the very beginning of this post? Perfect!

 

I want to preserve and record things in my life.

I love photos and photography

I love being creative.

 

Put it all together and I've covered all bases I reckon!

 

 But ... what if my romantic notions aren't seen in the same light by my children and future generations? What if those albums are tossed, memories lost, details forgotten?

Well, it will be their loss! I just hope that if my children/grandchildren want to chuck my scrapbooks then it wont be til after I'm long gone from this earth LOL.

So I dont dwell too much on the future because, realistically, it's not my problem, it's beyond my control. I know that what I create now give me great joy, great pleasure and a sense of satisfaction. 

Sometimes I dont scrap for any other reason than to create. Scrapping is my hobby of choice, creatively speaking, so it should never feel like I *have to* scrap this or that picture or event or place or memory.

 

My husband loves motorbikes. That's his personal interest and hobby. He loves nothing better than getting on his dirt bike in all the gear and roaring off for an afternoon bashing through the scrub with a mate. He also doesn't mind a Sunday cruise on a Harley Davidson either (and cant wait for the day he'll have his own Harley). To him that's his "creative" escape and he has to try and fit that hobby time into his incredibly tough work schedule.

For those who dont know, Marty runs/manages our rather big family farming business which is pretty much a full on, flat out kind of "job" for most of the year. There's no Monday-Friday. There's no 9-5. The farm is his life, but he also knows that it's not everything in his life which I think is hugely important.

 

 For me, it's creating. Something. Anything.

Paper and glue and pretty things are fabulous. I am starting to dabble in patchwork. I consider myself a bit of a creative cook too (but by no means a masterchef LOL).

I am finding it very hard these days to get time to create. Just like Marty finds it hard to get time to go for a ride. But, I think it is hugely important that we do find time, make time, make the effort to follow our creative pursuits, whatever they may be.

 

That's why I went all the way to Newcastle for a crop day, albeit a rather special one.

I believe a hobby can make you a better person. It gives you something else in your life. It challenges you. It creates all sorts of opportunities for learning, for growing, for interacting and friendships.

It gives you purpose, perspective, and joy.

Scrapbooking makes my heart happy.

Important RES Announcement

"The time has come the walrus said ... for RES to move ahead."

After much soul searching and some serious debating (both practical and emotional), I have decided it is time to allow someone else to continue the Red Earth journey, and take my baby to the next level.

The last 2 & and half years have been the most wonderful experience - my dream of combining my passion of scrapbooking with a business venture became reality and flourished. I achieved my goal of creating a warm and friendly community, developing beautiful friendships and providing great products, at great prices with great service. The "work" is always enjoyable and easy to manage.

They say all good things must come to an end, but I see this as the next chapter for RES, and for myself. It's not the end, it's really the beginning, an opportunity for YOU to now take on the business and make it your own, take it further and keep Red Earth Scrapping alive and well in the industry.

It's time for me to focus on our farm business, our family and my new job.

So I now extend the invitation to you, and the Australian Scrapbooking community, and am calling for Expressions of Interest for the sale of Red Earth Scrapping.

We have an excellent online presence, an established name, image and fully functioning website, and a huge database of customers.

Please contact me directly at helen@redearthscrapping.com.au for details of business facts and figures and other information. All enquiries will be treated confidentially.

In the mean time however it will be business as usual at Red Earth Scrapping.

With the arrival of spring there's been an influx of gorgeous new products in the shop. Our monthly challenges are all happening as per usual and the daily chit chat, forum swaps and gallery inspiration continues.

happy shopping & happy scrapping!

~ Helen ~

4 months ... SLACK blogger!!!

Totally slack, yep I know. But there's been so much happening in our lives that blogging has been the least of my priorities. However this evening I plan to rectify that.

So ... things have been super busy on the farm (yeah I know, what's new), but we were also busy holidaying in June/July. Sounds great I know ... and it was great. Seriously great. It's the longest break Marty and I have EVER had and all our hard work in saving and organising and preparing for our fabulous RED CENTRE ADVENTURE (4WD and camper trailer tour) was worth it. 

5 weeks, 8,000km, 1,600 photos and priceless memories and experiences.

Here's a pictorial overview plus some details of our Red Centre Adventure. 

And just a couple of pics for the blog ... just cos!

(OK so it's more than a couple ... it's so hard to chose when we went to so many awesome places lol).

On our return it was straight back to work on the farm for us - me in the office (plus Red Earth Scrapping work) and Marty with spraying (weeds) and spreading fertiliser etc. Our crops are looking fantastic this year. Cross your fingers for us we have a bumper year, we're sure overdue for one.

It's only been the last week or so that things have slowed just a little and I felt caught up and organised enough to do something for me - SCRAPPING! Gosh it had been so long it was very strange indeed, but I was so thrilled to get the mojo happening on the weekend and I churned out these 4 LO's.

They're nothing fancy but I am so pleased to have used up lots of scraps and odds & sodds in embellies, plus got photos and memories down on a page. So here goes ...

The first page is actually for Susanne's challenge for our Cyber Crop this month over at Red Earth Scrapping - to use no more than 12 elements in total on the page, yup, including the base and photo! It was actually easier than I thought although I confess I totally scraplifted Sue (thanks).

The other pages are "just cos".

 Yes I even did a double using all scraps and left over bits (except for the 2 pieces of white c/s).

Now this LO I've been working on for a while, a bit here, a bit there and finally it all somehow came together. I've used white paint, lots of misting, swiped some ink and then assembled a variety of different embellishments (oh and more scraps of c/s plus some REALLY old pp lol) that * I think * turned out ok. I do love this photo though (I played with it a little in Picnik before it closed down) and seriously hope that the rainbow was a good sign for us this year.

So that's a bit of a catch up from me for now. Perhaps I'll blog again one day soon ... hahaha! 

Thanks for stopping by :-)

I hope you're sitting down ...

... cos I've scrapped! Yep, over the last few weeks I've squeezed in a little bit here and there (sometimes at the expense of housework lol) to create these layouts and cards.

These cards are all made using scraps only, yes even the cardstock was left over pieces and I dug through my stash pulling out bits of patterned paper, odds and sods of embellies etc and this is what I managed to whip up.

And then I managed these few pages ... some inspired by a sketch or challenge at Red Earth Scrapping.

  

 

Thanks for dropping by ...

The Year for Us

Remember this post earlier in the year?
Well I created a LO on this idea for the next round of Stuck Sketches applications ... which although didn't get me a spot on the team for the next round, I absolutely love nonetheless so I thought I'd better finally share it with you.

Leave me some love if you like it, thanks :-)

Farewell to Stuck?! Sketches :'(

What a fabulous albeit short 6 month stint with Stuck?! Sketches!!! Gosh, I cant believe my time is up already, but it's been so much fun.

I've always loved Sara's sketches, and over the last 6 months especially when I really haven't had time for any other scrapping, my CT commitment has kept me going. I hope in some way to have inspired people with my samples, even just a little.

Red Earth Scrapping will continue to be a proud sponsor each month at Stuck so I hope you'll continue to support both this great sketch challenge blog, and RES too.

So here's the final sketch for February and my sample page ... I really loved how this page came together after a shaky start, once I got the product combo right the rest was easy. And the title? Inspired by Lady Antebellum's "Heart of the World" ...

 

 

Thanks for stopping by, hope you'll leave me some lovin' so I know you've been here :-)