HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!

Children See, Children Do

I think this would have to be the most powerful bit of advertising I have ever seen.....

This is an Australian add for NAPCAN, Australia’s National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. It brought tears to my eyes.

Shark Attack!

I just had to share Boos latest work of art.....

Here it is the deserted beach (with deck chairs abandoned and washing out to see) and three fair sized sharks in the water. This masterpiece was a gift to me! Aren't I lucky? I think this one I am going to frame and hang on my office wall.

My Show and Tell

As I mentioned in yesterdays post...I have been scrapping up a storm here in the past few days. Some I can share, some I can't just yet. I have hit a wall though, I AM OUT OF DOUBLE SIDED TAPE!! Oh well...pay day tomorrow and I can feel a trip to the LSS coming on.

This weeked just gone was a cybercrop weekend at Chookscraps. Wow! There were a lot of people participating this time and the quality of work if fantastic! If you haven't already been to look make sure you go check it out.

The first challenge was to create a layout that has a monogram, beads and some curves. The curves could anything from circles to rounded corners to swirls. This was my take on the challenge.Sorry bout the dodgy scan but the chipboard flowers and the beads have made it a little lumpy bumpy.

The second challenge was to make a layout using the colours green and gold - it could have other colours in it but green and gold need to be the main colours You also had to add some colour to the layout using either chalk or coloured pencil and your layout had to have some dots on it.
I have had this paper for a while now wondering what to do with it. I love the colours (not what I would normally use) and I love how they have worked in well with the photo of Boo and Lolly.

For the third challenge we had a sketch to follow. I had these very bright photos of Boo to use and was tossing up weather to convert them to black and white or not. I just couldn't do it.

This weekend was also the weekend of the EMM crop. I spent some time there working on my design team commitments...I swear I will show you as soon as I can. I was a little nervous doing these LO's but it was good to have Kathy and Fran on hand to reassure me. LOL.

Yesterday I got busy on my recipe cards for a swap I am involved in at EMM. These have been a lot of fun. I've signed up for two groups so that means two sets of five recipe card for the next twelve months. I can't wait to see what I get back. These are the two I've done for this moths theme Dips and Starters.

I've also started on a mini album for a friend of my mum's. I purchased a Aussie Scrap Source class kit by Melissa Goodsell. This is my first attempt at making a board book from scratch..and I don't think it will be my last. I am happy with how this looks...I just need to scrap the insides now. I love these papers...so bright and girly and they are working beautifully for this pair of red haired cuties.


Now for the last bit of scrapping news. This weeks prompt for Emilys deck of me was "I AM..." My I Am affirmataion is...I am learning to let go.

Sorry for such a long post...but I really wanted to share. I really want to go scrap shopping too, but that has to wait a day or so.

Show and Tell...Zoo Style

Well we took up Andrea's challenge at A Peek Inside The Fishbowl to have kiddie show and tell. The girls have thought long and hard about what they want to show you today and this is what they have come up with.


Lets start with Boo.

She wants to introduce you to Baxter and Bunny. These are Boo the Wonderkids sidekicks. Baxter on the left there was given to Boo by my parents when she was just a few days old. He was put in the crib and they haven't slept a night apart since. Bunny was our present to Boo for her first Easter. She quickly joined Baxter as a night time companion.

These two daring sidekicks help to keep Boos room free of monsters and ghosts and whatever other scary things are out there in the night. They like to party hard and are extremely noisy at times. Bunny likes to swear and Baxter loves to bite. They wake Boo up every morning by jumping up and down on her. One of their latest missions was to keep Boo safe on her first flight interstate. By all accounts they were very well behaved on the plane and seeing as Boo made it back in one piece they did an excellent job.

Now for Lolly.

This is Bindii...my dog. She is a black and white Staffordshire Terrier. She has a very waggy tail and lots of energy. She is a very good listener. We like to play tug of war and chase each other. We like to lay in the shade. She loves to eat, her favorite things to eat are lollie snakes. Last year Bindii had 7 puppies, we wanted to keep them all but we couldn't. Bindii has very good manners, when we feed her treats she knows that she needs to sit and put her paw up before she gets anything. Bindii also loves playing dress ups, bouncing on the trampoline and sliding down our slide.

Feel free to ask the girls any questions....tomorrow will be my turn for show and tell. Lots of scrapping has taken place here in the last few days (and I am planning on more today!)

Show and Tell!

Andrea from A Peek Inside The Fish Bowl made a very good point about how our blogs are an adult version of our kids show and tell. So on Monday (Tuesday for those of us below the equator) she is holding a kiddie show and tell on her blog. Her two gorgeous girls will be showing things that are special to them and she is encouraging others to do the same on their blogs.

Go here and read all about it. I have Boo and Lolly already thinking about what they are going to show and tell you all about.

Death and Stuff

I apologize in advance if this post depresses anyone. On Monday a freind lost his battle with brain cancer. This was his second battle with the big C...after fighting and winning a round about five years ago...he was diagnosed with the brain cancer last August. Doctors gave him a six to twevle months timeframe. He was hospitalized on Christmas morning and sadly he didn't get to come home. May you rest in peace K.

Yesterday the girls and I went to the funeral...K's wife and his now grown children had organized a lovely service. I looked at these four young adults just starting to make their ways in the world and thought how sad that they have lost not only a dad but a good mate to them all. I thought of his future grandchildren growing up not having ever known their grandad...not hearing his stories...not having that part of their past their for them.

It got me to wondering...isn't this what scrapbooking is all about. Passing on our stories for not only our children, but their children and the children of their children. I came to realise though that although I scrapbook a lot of Boo and Lolly's lives very little is scrapbooked of mine and Crockets. I think it's about time I rectified this. I think it's about time I start scrapping details of our childhoods...details of our lives right at this point in time...the stories of our lives.

I also thought about what I would like when my turn to say goodbye to this world comes around...and I swear I wasn't joking the other week when I said if they buried me wearing a bra I'd come back and haunt them. So yesterday I planned what would be my ideal burial outfit...I WANNA BE BURIED IN MY PJ'S!! Nice soft flannies in some outrageous color/pattern...say pink froggie pj's! And defintely no shoes!

As I said...I apologize if this post has depressed you.

Lots of Scrappy Chat

I have been bitten by the scrapping bug! It is amazing what a clean desk will inspire you to do. I started scrapping last weekend and I was determined to get the challenges that I set each month for Chookscraps done this month. I've done that and my card for Emilys challenge as well as my first DT layout.

This is my card this week....Emily's challenge was to scrap "What is Powerful to You"

I've scrapped about the power of my mind. During the past few years I have come to realise just how powerful the mind can be. It has the power to blow things out of all proportion and shut you down, the power to take you to far away places where nothing can hurt you,it also has the power to allow you to dream big dreams, create wonderful legacies and to believe in your future.

These next four layouts are from the January Challenges at Chookscraps. Ever since I started setting the challenges I have found it hard to get them done. This month though I was determined to finish them. So here we have it....

I got my first Chookscraps Design Team kit today....and oh man I am in scrapping heaven. It is full of all sorts of yummy goodies. I spent the afternoon drooling over them and scrapping, but until I am allowed to upload them the layouts will remain a secret.

I am looking forward to the Chookscraps cybercrop this weekend...and to catching up with Kathy and Fran at the EMM crop day on Sunday. It is always nice to share layouts and idea with fellow Chooks in real life.

Another MeMe

Oh don't groan...I liked this meme...and just nattering with a few of the questions with Rebecca on YIM had me giggling. So here it is....I tag you all!

If you could choose one vice in exclusion of all others what would it be? Swearing

If you could change one specific thing about the world what would it be? I would make everything that tastes good good for you!

Name the cartoon character you identify with the most? Daffy Duck

If you could live one day in your life over again which would it be? The day I had Lolly..I would love to go back and rid myself of all the pain I put us both through.

If you could go back in history and spend a day with one person who would it be? Da Vinci

What is your one most important contribution to this world? Boo the wonder child...we always say that kid is destined for something big. Weather this is greatness or prison we still aren't sure. LOL

What is your one hidden talent that nearly no one knows about? I can make up alternate song lyrics on the fly - my kids love it!

What is your most cherished possession? My family

What one person influenced your life the most growing up? My mum!

What one word describes you better than any other? Stubborn

What is one thing you lost or sold or threw away that you wish you could have back? My sanity!

Disney Crack!

Ugh...if I was to pick one good thing about going back to school at the moment it would be that I would not be subjected to the Disney Channel! Living in a house with two pre-teen girls we are constantly being bombarded by Hannah Montana, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, Phil of the Future, Raven and that damn movie High School Musical! It makes me feel ill...the shows are sugar coated, life is all rosy, kids are brats but never get in trouble smack for kids.

It's bad enough watching them once, but oh no, the Disney people play them over and over and over and over again. Seriously how many times can you watch Zack and Cody destroy the hotel that they live in? How many times can you watch Hannah and Lilly fight over something only to make up? How many times can Phil's parents fix that damn time machine only for something else to go wrong? And if I hear Raven say "Oh Snap" one more time I think I will.

So I am begging...PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DISNEY CHANNEL FIND SOMETHING NEW TO PLAY OR GO BACK TO THE CLASSICS!

A Big Shout Out

Congratulations to Natalie on the grand opening of her new store/forum/gallery Scrap Therapy.
Go check it out...the link is off to the side there....tell her Jibii sent you!

Emily Falconbridge, RAKs and other stuff!

One of the many blogs I read on a regular basis is a blog by the extremely talented Emily Falconbridge. Earlier this week Emily threw out a challenge to her readers. You were to take a ordinary pack of playing cards and turn it into an art journal. Each week Emily will set a challenge/theme...one card for each week of the year.



I love this idea. The cards are small and quick to complete...and they are going to be a fantastic affermation of all that is postive in my life. I want to try some new techniques while doing these cards...so this week I painted the card in two colors (blue over red) and then sanded patches so the under color showed through. This weeks theme was "Something I am proud of..."
If you are interested in taking part in this challenge there is a link to Emily's site in the list of links to the right there. The site is called *e*.

Today I was hit with a RAK (random act of kindness) from a person at Chookscraps. I am pretty sure I know who you are and I know you read this blog. I just want to say THANK YOU! It was a lovely surprise and the book will be well looked after.

It was a strange feeling (a good one) to know that someone out there reads this blog and was thinking of me while doing their own spring cleaning.

Speaking of spring cleaning....mine is officially over! We had the valuation yesterday and I have to say that I was shocked at what they quoted us. I didn't think our house was worth anywhere near that much. Now we just need to sit back and wait for confirmation of our loan from the bank.

I am getting a little excited about my DT role at Chookscraps. Lorraine let me know yesterday that my first kit is on it's way. I am hoping that one of the January Chookscraps challenge packs are in there. If you haven't checked this pack out yet...do so! It's got papers from the ever so yummy Fancy Pants Mulberry Road range. I am fast becoming a fan of Fancy Pants, the papers are gorgeous and the rub ons are so delish.

School holidays are almost to a close. WAAAA! I do enjoy holidays but eight weeks with no pay makes life a little hard. We have spent the last 6 weeks just blobbing around the house...oh it's been bliss. I really needed the rest and the fact that I didn't have to think to hard about anything, but now it's time to get back into a routine. I'll be glad to get back, get my hours and get my life back to some kind of normal.

TAKE A GOOD HARD LOOK!

MY DESK IS CLEAN!!

Once this valuation is done this morning I am scrapping....two weeks with no scrapping has nearly killed me!

I was so desperate last night that I tried digi scrapping for the first time. I got a cd with a digi kit on it free with a magazine I brought recently and this is what I did with it...

I am happy with it...but there is no way I would want to scrap like this all the time. I love the texture of normal scrapping...the feel of the paper, the smell of the glue, the ribbons, the embellishments, the rub ons....all of it. I might make more use of it for adding frames to photos and for making tags though.

Not So Happy Feet

We saw the movie Happy Feet recently, and I have to say, for a kids movie I thought it was terrible. Sure the soundtrack is fantastic, and yes the baby penguins are cute....but this is not the cute movie that the advertising is pumping it up to be.

I found the whole thing more than a little depressing. If you haven't seen it and are planning to and don't want spoilers....STOP READING NOW!!!

I found the segregation of the Mumbo (the main character) hard to take. The treatment he received at the hands of not only the other penguins in the flock...but also from his father made the whole movie sad to me.

I have always reinforced in Lolly and Boo that it is ok to be different...that if you are your true friends and family will love you and support you know matter what. This movie blew all that out of the water.

It's not a movie I would reccommend for littlies, and if you take your kids I think you will need to do a lot of explaining as to the penguins behaviour. I am yet to see March of the Penguins, but I have been told that Happy Feet is the cute, kids version of it.

If I had to rate it....I give it a 2 out of 5....the two being for the scene where the Albatross gives his speech about alien abduction.

THE BEST PRESENT EVER!

Yesterday I received a package....a very long awaited package. You see my friend Bluemmbabe finally sent out Christmas presents from the Christmas before last! I knew she was doing some sort of project involving Bret...but just what I wasn't sure.

I received this fantastic digitally scrapped album with pics of Bret. I know Blue is still fairly new at digi scrapping and this is a testament to her skills as a scrapper...I really would like to see what she could to with "real" paper.

Look at this stuff....

Blue also took four of these pages and transfered them onto a pillow case for me! But the best present of all was this......

Blue finally sent me Bret!!!

He is currently sitting atop my monitor surveying the going ons in my scraproom...but I have a feeling the Bret may be off on some adventures real soon. He is going to need some more clothes to. So if any of you have any suggestions on where and what Bret should do....or if you know where he can get some more clothes...leave a comment.

UGH!!!

I just have to say....I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HATE CLEANING!! My arm is aching from scrubbing walls and cupboards, my allergies are playing up because of the cleaning products and dust, and even though yesterday was bin collection day our bin is full because I tossed a heap of stuff....and that was just doing the kitchen!



I really want to scrap, but the house needs doing first. Instead I'll share a few layouts that I did on the weekend. I'm not really happy with any of these layouts...but that happens sometimes. I'm in a bit of a scrapping funk, that could be cured with some new playthings, but until I head back to work, new toys are out.


The Sydney to Canberra layout started as a challenge that was posted at EMM. It ended up not meeting the criteria so I didn't submit it. Lolly is very happy with it...so it will end up being one for her album.

Celebrate Sisterhood was done for challenge 1 over at Chookscraps impromptu cybercrop. You had to have some stamping, some green and the word "celebrate" on it somewhere. I love this photo of the girls.

You was the second challenge at Chookscraps. Your layout needed to include buttons, a quot and scallops. This is a new photo of Boo...I was trying to get a good shot of her new haircut when she poked her tongue out at me. Sooooooo Boo!

Feeling Extremely Anxious!

About two years ago when my depression hit rock bottom I started having what could be best described as "panic attacks". Mostly I'd wake from sleep with this unexplainable feeling of something either being wrong or that something bad was going to happen. These attacks still come and go...now usually when I have a lot on my mind or I do have some outside stressors. All this week I have woken with these attacks!

At least this time I know what is causing them.....Crocket and I had an appointment with our bank manager yesterday. We are looking at refinancing our house to get some much needed work done to our bathroom. The manager doesn't think we will have any problems with the amount we are refinancing for but I am still stressing about it. Stressing that we will be refused and worrying about what direction we should take then.

Why can't I just be "normal"....why do I need to do this....go through all this stress? I hate it!! I hate not having any control over these feelings of doom!

Oh well....I'd best keep spring cleaning for when they come to do a valuation....this is the perfect excuse for washing walls and tossing the accumulated crap thats in our house!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Well here we are at the start of another year....2007! Man where do the years go? It's true isn't it...that the older you get the faster time goes.

I know I have been a bit of a slack blogger recently, so this could be a bit of a long post while I catch you up on whats been happening here at the zoo.


Lets start with Christmas day...Lolly woke extremely early (can anyone say 4am?) and was promptly sent back to bed for a while. She resurfaced an hour later and was quite content to sit and look at the presents while we waited for Boo to wake. Boo, who has a tendency to sleep in, woke at 5.30 and by 6.15 the presents had all been opened.


Santa was very happy with the girls this year and they got what they asked for and a little extra. Lolly nearly hyperventilated when she opened her mp3 player...and was worse when she found The Sunny Cowgirls CD in her stocking. Boo who is very easily pleased was over the moon with all the art stuff that Santa left for her. The present that she was most excited over was a little mini Roboreptile! This kid rarely asks for anything, but for the past few months she has gone on and on about how she wants a Roboraptor for her eighth birthday...a green Roboraptor! I found the baby Roboreptile on special at Dick Smiths just before Christmas and figured it would be a good test to see if she really liked it before we went and spent an obscene amount of dollars on the real thing. She adores Robi...it's really sweet actually...he as joined Baxter and Bunny in the must haves in the bed for sleeping. We went last week and put a green Roboraptor on lay by for her birthday. LOL!


Good friends of ours invited us for Christmas lunch. We had a lovely relaxing afternoon eating way to much, having a few drinks and bobbing around the pool. We didn't get home till late and I still had to pack the girls bags for their trip to Melbourne! Needless to say it was a laaaaaaaaaaate night for me.


We woke early on Boxing Day as we had to be at the airport at 6am!! The girls were so excited and more than a little nervous about this trip. They so miss my parents, but they have never travelled alone like this. Lolly could barely remember the flights she took when she was a toddler (not good experiences) and Boo had never flown before. They handled it well though, and to see them arriving at the airport you would have thought they were seasoned travellers.


It wasn't till we were up on the flight deck that they started to look a little unsure....

<- Lolly showing a nervous smile.

Boo looking very apprehensive ->

They boarded the plane with no tears from either of them. We stayed and watched the plane take off....and I bawled like a big baby. I knew that they would have a blast with my parents and that they would be well taken care of by the hosties...but it was the thought that they were inaccessable for two hours. What if they needed me...what if they were scared...what if...what if...what a nutter.

They got their in one piece and spent the next four days being totally spoiled. We went and collected them yesterday and I swear they have grown in the time they have been away. Lolly dubbed herself AP (attitude princess) just before Christmas, but I have been calling her a "Paris Hilton Wannabe" since she got back. The pre-teen years are coming to a close and we are starting to get a real insight as to what the next few years are going to bring. Gone is our little tomboy and emerging is a beautiful young lady who has a real passion for hair, shoes and handbags (god knows where that comes from!).

Well you saw the girls I sent off to Melbourne...these are the girls I got back...

As part of their Christmas gift from my parents both girls got a mini makeover, including new haircuts (and in Lollys case a color and foils) and new clothes. Mini divas!!

Crocket is back at work tomorrow...and the girls and I still have another month of holidays. We aren't planning much. I am in need of this down time...the last twelve months saw me better deal with my depression. I like to use the school holidays as a time to recharge my batteries so I can cope with the times when things start to get me down.

Today is the official start of my time as a Chookscraps desing team member!! See my little blinkie over there ----> in the sidebar? I have some huge shoes to fill and I hope that I am up to the task. My scrapping mojo has taken a little break...maybe the impromptu New Years crop at Chookscraps will get my creative juices flowing again! I was on the ball this month and I've posted the January challenges already....why not head on over and check them out!