Happy Mothers Day ...

to all the lovely Mums out there. I had a lovely day, which actually started last week with my precious hand made gifts from creche and carried into today with the mothers day kinder concert and picnic. This was heaps of fun. We have such a cool bunch of Mums and we all know each other pretty well by now, so it's a nice social get together for us as well. I think this was what I was looking forward to living in a community such as this.

Busy 6 weeks ahead, as I am doing 'Business Boot Camp' for my Stampin' Up! group. We have such an awesome team leader and great support from the other demonstrators in our team, so there's many opportunities like this. I feel the need to get creating again with my Stampin' Up! supplies. so thought I would upload the last of my 'other' layouts for a while. I did these over the last couple of weeks, scrapping just for me and adding to my albums of memories. This one is one of my many trips to Great Keppel Island when I lived in Rockhampton in Queensland in 1995. It was just 1/2 an hour away, how cool :)

This one is a memory of the great weekends I spent with my two closest girlfriends when we lived in Kalgoorlie. These girls have been my closest friends since high school, so you will see them (and now their children) in lots of layouts. Kalgoorlie was such an interesting place to live. So much history and so much to do. A lot of partying as I recall as well :)

This one is a log of the cuts and bruises Sam managed to accumulate over the last few months!

Goodnight my lovelies :)

Hello lovelies ...

Bit of a catch up post as it's been nearly a week since I posted. Now let me see what I've been up to..

Friday Di and Jacinta came to play and scrap. We mostly scrapped but managed a visit to the scrapbook shop and the swings at the lake for the kids (it was soooooo cold). Jacinta plays so well with the boys. I think she would have slept for a week after that day!

I did a lot of finishing of layouts, but managed one new one. Here's one I did on a weekend away a few months ago but finished on Friday.

This is the new one. I took this picture at Josh's birthday party last week, and scrapped it Friday.

Saturday I worked and then Saturday night and Sunday we had at home family time - it's been ages since we have had quiet time at home. Monday I was back into the kinder routine (no I am no better at getting up Jen) and then Tuesday Sam and I went to the open morning at Josh's school (next year) - it was great to have a look around and hear what they had to say about their policies etc. I really like the place and am pleased that he will know other kinder kids too. He is very excited to be starting the orientation sessions this week. Today was creche. The boys have both settled in nicely now and are very happy to have their one day at creche. Sam especially has managed to charm all his carers and half the parents. I have been doing some volunteering work for the creche reviewing some menus and their nutrition policy. I am also doing the kinder nutrition policy and offered to help the school as well if and when they need it. I had a much needed me day today including another massage from my little chinese man. This one didn't hurt nearly as much thanks goodness!

Here's another layout I finished off. This is an older one (I may have already even posted it ages ago?) that I addd a few bits and pieces to. These are my 2 nieces and my nephew at our wedding waiting to go to the church. They were so excited! This was 10 years ago now and they are now all teenagers!

Night lovelies. Have a happy Thursday.

Claire xx

What do you think ....

of the new banner? Colours and style are very me, which is what I wanted. Next project is to tackle the 'will finish later' pile of layouts. Mine has got a bit out of control, so have decided I will finish those before I start any more projects. Most of them only need a little bit of journalling or a tweak here and there, so it shouldn't take me long. Then to sort out my photos into my Memory Dock photo storage, and I will be set to go with creating again!

Then again I hope I can actually lift my arm tomorrow. I have had some trouble with pain in my left arm and shoulder for quite a few months now. I have seen a physio with little improvement, so today I thought I would get some more intensive work when I made my regular visit to my little chinese massage man at Knox. OUCH it hurt! He really got in there and was shaking his head and finding pressure points left right and centre. I am going to be so sore tomorrow (I can already feel it) but it was worth it (I think).

Something lovely happened today. I got a phone call from a friend and even though I wasn't home she left me this amazing message about how inspired she was by reading my blog and how she had started making plans to simplify her life too. Thanks for taking the time to call me. It made my day. The little things really do mean a lot don't they.

My sister Kate has started a new job this week - I know she reads my blog regularly so yeah for you Kate. I hope it turns out to be a great job for you and that you are managing to get your head around everything in your first week.

Night lovelies. Happy thoughts to you all.

Still catching up ...

on uploading my creations. I made this for a friend as a secret santa gift last year. I loved how it turned out and will have to make myself one soon too I think. I have used texture paste on the end to create the motif. I also crackled the paint finish and distressed it a bit, then modge podged over the whole thing.

Still working on my banner - I promise. I keep getting sidetracked by new found energy for scrapbooking and my supplies. I spent last night sorting out all my alphabets and chipboard. Then I was all ready to start scrapbooking and a possum decided to end it all on the transformer accross the street so there was a humungous bang and then the power went out, so I rang the power company and went to bed.

This rain is so nice.

Claire

Catching up and sorting out ...

Great to have my layouts all back in the one place at home. Has given me a chance to get things organised into albums etc and update some of the online albums I have here. Next stop is my scrap supplies - I have so much stuff I will never use - things I have won or been given to promote on pages etc, so they will be going to a good cause soon as well.

I have resigned my place on the Scraptacular design team. While it was a great opportunity, I have found the travel hard since I moved out to Lilydale and I am looking forward to the freedom to use whatever products I want on my pages, rather than things I could only get from there. Stampin' Up has a lot to offer scrapbookers and I am also looking forward to tooting the horn of some of my fave companies, online shops and ebay stores. First stop will be some of the great custom made laser cut chipboard designs that are available at Remember When, especially since my good friend Rach will be working there as soon as she gets back from China.

Have been busy scanning this afternoon, and here's just a few of the layouts you haven't seen. This is my friend Sharyn's little girl Celeste when she was just a few weeks old. How cute is she :)

This is my dad with his firstborn grandchild, Toby, who is now in his twenty's!

and this is me holidaying in Broome nearly twenty years ago. I'm the one in the white t shirt with red and black on it. These pics were taken on Cable Beach.

I've had a lovely day at home today. Paul has taken the next 3 days off to give me some 'me' time, so I slept in until midday and then pottered around with my scrapbook stuff. Heading out for a massage tomorrow and maybe even a movie and then Friday the lovely Di and Jacinta are coming over for the day.

Sam had a better night last night - fell asleep really quick, but still on the mattress on his floor. Viv called and he was so excited to show her the big boy bed. Just not to sleep in it, lol. Will be doing a layout about that soon. I have started my new banner and layout and hope to upload those tonight.

Just sent off tow more commissioning letters for layouts and have accepted an offer to teach some classes starting next month. Exciting times :) I am looking forward to sharing my passion for scrapbooking and what I think  it's really about.

K, time for getting tea together. My boys and DH are home with my new keyboard so I will be able to type capitals again without caps lock!

Have a great night :)