Speed scrapping & Mia's important day

I whipped up this page in under an hour today (incredibly speedy for me......)

...I like the circley bits.....simply scribbles on white cardstock, cut out.  And I added colour to my cardboard thickers with a quick swipe of inkpad.  Done!  When I showed Beth, she said she doesn't remember me taking the pictures....no wonder.....look how totally engrossed she is in that tomato sauce-covered dish!

Finally got around to scrapping our October happenings....close up.....

....and the whole layout.......

....it's fun to combine those odd leftover photos on the one double layout as a kind of 'monthly review'.  November is next on the list.

Ballet concert is in full swing.  Four performances down (since Tuesday!) and four more to go.  It all ends Sat night with the big presentation.  We will all be totally wiped out by the end of it.

Here are my two beauties in their makeup just before leaving the house....

....(remember my other beauty has switched from ballet to karate this year!!)  And here they are in costume ready to go.......

.....the production is Cinderella.....Mia is a Night Fairy who leads Cinderella home after the clock strikes 12.....Kate is one of the Townsfolk and is involved in two different scenes.

Mimi is dreadfully impressed to be in a tutu.....how cute are her golden wings and tiara?

A huge day for Mia today....following her ballet performance this morning, she arrived late to preschool for her final day EVER.....we brought along a plate of 'Reindeers' to share.....

......had icy poles outside in the shade, then the mums and dads chatted while watching the kids play happily....

.....a lovely way to spend an afternoon, delighting in the way my little girl has grown - not just in size, but in confidence and sense of self.  Was kind of a sad moment to say goodbye to preschool - but also exciting knowing that this little person has a big and happy future ahead.

Nite nite.
xxx.

Our hectic life

Life is simply crazy at this time of year, isn't it!

Here's some of what's been keeping us busy.......

Kate modelled for the life drawing class at the art gallery - a real test of her ability to keep still!  She held the final pose for nearly an hour....ouch!  It was so interesting to watch the artworks unfold - people are so talented.

Bethie earned her yellow belt in karate....she takes it all very seriously - this is definitely a girl with black belt in her sights......!

Mimi had her kindy orientation....so cute!  She insisted on going in full uniform....a shock to the system to see my little baby ready for big school.....

The last weekend of November (yes, that horrible blustery stinking hot one) we met up with my side of the family at Nambucca, which is kind of a halfway point for us, for a pre-Xmas Xmas.  Camping, pressies, food, beach....what more could one want?  Slightly more bearable temps would have been nicer, but in typical Budden tradition, fun was had by young and old.......

.....boogie boarding at the lovely sheltered Shelly Beach.....

This is my Granny....we were delighted to have her along too. Although not very mobile, and with an uncooperative hearing aid, she loved being surrounded by the grandkids and feeling the sand between her toes for the first time in 20 years! Gran turns 95 this January, pretty amazing huh.

The girls with their cousins Amarah and Jake.....played happily together all weekend!

Not much happening at the scrap desk, apart from my online class and some designing I'm doing for Totally Addicted to Sketch this month.  Hope to do some more pages soon.........but I can see life is going to get in the way!

Ballet concert rehearsals and performances will be happening almost every day this week, a Xmas get together with my Thai Cooking group on Sunday, and going to work in between......and I still haven't even got to the movies yet to see New Moon!

Come one and all...

Hey you!

Just this minute finished running an online class at the Scrapawhile forum.  Want to see?

The ladies are busily cutting, pasting and sewing as we speak!

The steps are here and are open to all and sundry to come and have a go whenever you get the urge.

There are still some kits available to purchase for $10 (see the Scrapawhile shop), or you can use your own stash.

If you do decide to play, please share your page with me!  Either upload to the gallery given in the tutorial, or just email it to me.  Pretty please?  It's the best part of the whole experience.....for me anyhow!

Have lots to catch up on, so I will post again soon.

Night night for now.

xxx

Free Online Class

Will you join me in a few weeks time for an online class I'm running?
I hope so!  I think you will really love it - and I always find them to be so much fun!

First, a couple of glimpses of the project......then the details......

WHEN: Saturday evening, December 5 @ 7.30pm (NSW time)

WHERE: Scrapawhile forum

WHAT: Bring on the Sunshine - a workshop all about injecting life into your pages with

handmade embellishments and lots of quirky little details

HOW MUCH:  It's free!

Find out how to join in here.

Hope I see you there!

P.S. To all worried friends and family who watched the news tonight.....the bushfires here are fairly close by in Gilgai (about 15 kms as the crow flies).  Crews and planes from all over have been fighting it, so far Tim has avoided being called out, but expects he will have to go out there tomorrow to relieve.

Happy List

Right now I'm loving:

1.  The Barnyard Buddies papers and stickers I got to play with for my guest DT spot....read my full review and how I created this page on the Scrapawhile blog.

2.  A day off work when Mimi and I get to do fun stuff like.....cook pikelets.....

3.  Thursday nights cos I get to watch my latest obsession......

4.  The handmade oatmeal soap I got at the Bellingen markets......mmmmm....so good!

5.  This little guy....

....Kate and I sewed our own version of him on the weekend out of the book "More Softies"......so many cute critters in there!

6. Kate's reply when I asked her if she had thought about her Christmas List yet....."the draft is in progress" she said to me.....god love 10 year olds!!!

7.  This movie......why hadn't I seen it before now???  Totally beautiful, heart felt and original.....you won't believe this one made me cry even more than The Notebook.  Still sobbing during the credits, had my shower....still sobbing.....cried myself to sleep.....no, it's OK, I LOVED IT!

Well, that's seven things making me happy right now.....how about you?

Chat soon xxx

What's happening...

First of all, I'm doing some Guest Designing this month for Scrapawhile.....playing with the extra-cute Barnyard Buddies range of products by Reminisce.  Have a fun challenge coming up as well as an online tutorial.  Keep an eye out!

Had my "Home" page published in Scrapbooking Memories last month (Vol 11 No 9).....I taught this class to my Gum Flat ladies a little while back.....love this layout!  One of my ladies had a layout published in the same issue......very exciting!  Yay Libet!

....actually, I still have one of these kits as a Class-in-a-Box if anyone wants it.....and heaps more "Little Guy" kits left as well (see last post).

This weekend was pretty much all about ballet.  Saturday Kate had exam practice with the pianist, and today was the big day in front of the examiner......my beautiful Grade 4 ballerina just before going in.....

....she came out smiling....relief!  Now the long wait for the results.....

I tidied my bedroom!  No more books and mags laying around everywhere, I have a huge box of old For Keeps and Scrapbook Creations mags to take to the library, even my jewellery box is neat and sorted......now just to get hubby to clean up his side.....!

Watched Slumdog Millionaire on DVD finally......love the way this tale was told.   Sad, scary, violent, tender, funny, sweet......I tell you, I am so grateful to be born in Australia.

Thanks for calling in........talk soon. xxx

Grab Yourself a Boy Kit...

The class-in-a-box for November is here....

So fun.
So cheeky.
....and so BOYISH!

You like?
Drop me a comment here, or email me to nab one.
$15 plus $5 postage and packaging

You get Fancy Pants Rough & Tough papers
Glitter cut title
Cardstock
Templates
Instructions & photo of my example

I love love love this layout!!!

Purple, Aqua & Lime on Kraft....

...don't you think it makes a nice combo?  This was our visit to Armidale the other month with buddy Linda and her sister Fiona (whom we have not seen for like....15 years!).  Now Linda, don't hate me but I had to include that photo you intensely dislike - I needed your dark purple shirt for the whole balance of the layout, you see....

I am so disappointed that the quality of the photos I print at home has gone downhill since I got my new Dell computer.....my printer is exactly the same......go figure!  SO, I've gone back to having my photos printed at the lab.....the upside is that I am saving money on ink and getting better quality prints.....the downside is having to drive to town for my photos and no longer being able to have any weird and wonderful size I want. 
Thank goodness I can get those half size pics I used on the Gara Falls LO - very handy for double pagers.

Are you scrapping this weekend???  I'm working on my class project for the Gum Flat Girls next week....using these yummy-scrummies from Fancy Pants....

....YES!  A boy layout is on the way......what a change!  Will be showing you a sneak peek of the layout next week.....and I WILL have a few spare kits this month if you are interested.

What else is happening around here?  Bethie had a friend over for a sleepover last night and tonight Kate's friend is here.  Tim is working on our trailer we are setting up for our big camping trip.  He didn't get home from that fire last Sunday until 11.30pm!!!  Black as soot from head to toe and stinky and exhausted......what a hero!

Earlier in the week Linda and Chilli Wombat were here at Gum Flat School to teach the kids about our native animals - it went down very well and cheeky Chilli was absolutely LOVED.  The rest of the week I worked....another funding submission....they take up so much time!  Will need to work on it over the weekend as well, its due to be posted Monday.

OH!  I almost forgot the most exciting news.....IT RAINED!!!!  Can hardly believe it myself.  Had given up on it.....had come to believe we'd had all the rain we were ever going to get forever and ever.  OK, it was an inch....but made me do a happy dance all the same.

Well, looks like that's it from me....have been requested to go play PS2 with Bethie - she is feeling left out now her friend has gone home and Kate's is here......with Kate.....in Kate's room.....with the door firmly closed on little sisters.....

Til next time..........xxx

A Scrappy Smoky Sunday

I always worry when Tim goes fighting fires with the local brigade.....he was out all yesterday arvo into the evening......was restless all through the night in bed......then went back out to the fire first thing this morning......and he's still there!  He texted at lunch time to say everything was under control and he wouldn't be long.....BUT now I look outside and see this.......the wind has really picked up this arvo and obviously restarted the blaze.

To keep my mind occupied I decided to scrap today........I did this one using Cosmo's Girl Friday, a couple of handmade flowers and some Elle's Studio tags.........

......and this one of Kate's 10th birthday party last month.......I used Fancy Pants Kraft Kutz, a few buttons, plus those Girl Friday letters that I just adore.......

.......a bit of a blurry pic cos my sun has disappeared.......HURRY UP AND RAIN AND PUT THIS FIRE OUT!

I've Found Paradise...

.....here, at Ridgetop Hideaway in Dorrigo!  This is where we spent last weeknd, and it was the most perfect setting to relax, unwind and get away from everything.  The house is fabulous.....

....you get to stay by yourself in this absolutely charming stone and timber house that has 3 bedrooms, a MASSIVE timber kitchen, wood fire, spa bath and swimming pool....and that first photo is the view from the front verandah!  Lots of lovely homely and unique touches like stained glass windows, mosaics and the handmade stair rail....

We were so envious of the green rolling hills......which were apparently "dry and terrible" according to the locals!

What is there to do in Dorrigo?  Heaps!  We went to the magical Dangar Falls, which is practically right in town.....

....and wandered around the quaint shops, including the Dorrigo Sweet Shop where we stocked up on all kinds of handmade chocs and goodies.  We visited the Rainforest Centre and were on a mission to find the elusive lyrebird.......

....no such luck....but we loved it all the same.....fun, fresh air, exercise and education all in one!  The girls decided it was the best part of the holiday, especially the bit where they pretended to be monkeys in the vines....

We took a drive down the mountain to the gorgeous little "hippy" town of Bellingen where we mingled with an array of interesting characters at the Markets.  Boy, this place is HUGE!  Hundreds and hundreds of stalls and all kinds of intriguing little knick knacks to be found.

I fell in love with these toadstools......

...and bought a family of 3 for my garden......now just waiting for the fairies to visit me!

Such a relaxing little getaway for us.....even for me.....I got to finish reading this.....

.....just in time for the release of the movie!

Don't think I've ever had a nicer two night break and had such a feeling of peace, calm and health afterwards.

Thoroughly recommend going here people!!!

Chilli the Wombat

Look who came to visit our house last week.........a beautiful bouncing baby wombat!

....she is the most amazing and adorable creature we have ever seen and we feel very lucky to have had such a special visitor.  The girls, of course, were besotted....

Chilli is being cared for by our wildlife expert friend Linda, who just happened to be visiting over the school hols......lucky us!

Apart from the missing tips of her ears, you would never know that poor little Chilli was rescued a couple of months ago from the side of the road wandering around near her dead mummy, suffering badly from frost bite and exposure. 

Of course, being only a wee bubba (8 months old) she spent almost all the time snuggled in her "pouch".....but we got to enjoy her short bursts of playtime running around our kitchen and loungeroom....and even a few cuddles.

Aaaaaawwwwwwwwww........

Just in case you don't know....tomorrow is WOMBAT DAY.....so go ahead and talk about them, look them up on the net, wear a wombat t-shirt, or give one a cuddle.....I've just done my bit!

Layout and My Birthday

I fiddled with Sketch 155 from Pencil Lines on the weekend and this is what eventuated.....

....the Rose Moka paper and splash of white paint were perfect for the "grafitti" look.

The family surprised me with lunch out yesterday for my birthday here....

...at the Riverwalk Cafe.

Another customer kindly offered to take our picture at our table on the verandah.  But soon after the chilly wind sent us inside....the food was very yummy and afterwards we strolled around the gardens looking at a display of gorgeous vintage Morgan cars which happened to be passing through town.  When I'm retired that's what I want to do!  Go touring around the countryside with Tim in a very cute and impractical convertible sportscar while wearing a scarf and a funky woollen hat....!

Notice the Pandora-style necklace I'm wearing?  That was one of my many pressies!  Lucky girl I am.

On the way home we called in to our friend's place and I was doubly spoiled with a black forest cake and too many glasses of bubbly.  A fabulous end to a fabulous day.

Making a beef and red wine pie and its in the oven right now smelling SO good..........!  What's for dinner at your house tonight???

Ta ta for now and thanks for calling in. xxx

All by myself!

ACDC Rock and Roll Train is blaring....no little voices to interrupt my thoughts....and its bliss!  The fam are off on secret birthday business (yep, it's my BD tomorrow....!) and having lunch out together without me.

Wanna see what I did yesterday?

....the girls over at Home and Scrapped very wickedly challenged me to create a page with NO DOODLING!  How mean is that?  I still couldn't resist outlining my lettering to make it stand out....but that's not counted....is it?  Here's the whole layout.........

How adorable is the new Nutmeg range from Cosmo Cricket? Yummy yummy scrumptious I say....

Another fun school holiday activity we love is making PIZZA........the girls love to watch the dough rise and then have turns at kneading..........

...and they taste oh so good!  Have you tried making your own dough before?  You should!  So much better than bought ones.  I'll give you the recipe we use.........

HOMEMADE PIZZA DOUGH

Makes 4 bases

Mix: 2 x 7g sachets dried yeast,

20g caster sugar,

a good couple of pinches of salt,

and 1 tbsp olive oil

in 250ml lukewarm water.

Cover with cling wrap and sit for 10 mins until foamy.

Sift 3 cups of bakers grade flour (I use Lighthouse brand Bread & Pizza flour) in big bowl, pour in yeast mixture and bring together with hands.  Turn out on floured bench and knead until smooth.  Place back in the bowl, cover with a teatowel and stand in a warm place until doubled in size.

Punch air out of dough, divide into quarters to make 4 bases.  Knead each blob until nice and smooth.  Roll out to about 5mm thick (thin, in otherwords!).  Place on hot pizza stone (or tray), prick all over with a fork and add all your toppings quickly while tray still hot.  Bake 220 degrees about 8 mins until crust is golden and crisp.

Here's a big hint - put on your pizza sauce, then your cheese before all the other bits AND don't overload with too much topping!!!

Happy munching and see you next time!

xxx