A Good Day For.....

.....sitting in front of the air con with a pile of good books I am thinking. We are heading for 38 degrees apparently.....38!!!! Summer has finally hit it seems....

Talking of books, here's what I've read so far this year.....(no wonder there's not been much scrapping happening.....)

The 1st of the Sookie Stackhouse series....I'd heard others rave about these vampire books, but honestly.....not that impressed. Doubt I'll read any more.

Tim borrowed this Nevill Shute classic from the library and passed it to me....apparently one of his most widely read and controversial novels. An end-of-the-world story set five years into the future....1964. I found it sad, disturbing and thought-provoking to see the way people coped and chose to spend their last days. The author himself was upset with the movie that was made from his book.....so if you saw it and were disappointed.....go ahead and read the book.

Another library book about a completely ditzy (and selfish in my opinion) 20-something who can't decide between her brand new husband or her long-lost "soulmate"......a crazy lighthearted comedy of errors and a nice quick read.

A workmate lent me this one.......and I loved it!!! It's the latest in the Shopaholic series. Lots of LOL moments (I totally identify with her wicked shopping ways and how she justifies all her purchases to herself!) and I read it in a couple of days.

I am so in love with air-head Rebecca Bloomwood now, and her kooky family and friends.....I went to the library so I can start from the beginning....

I have 4 pages to go of the first book (also released as The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic)......I know.....I just couldn't keep my eyes open any longer at 2am last night when I was trying to finish it!

....and I have the next one waiting for me on my bedside table.

Yep, off I go to read away my afternoon......and I don't even have to feel guilty.....being a public holiday and all....

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY!

Leaving you with a pic of our first born lamb - very appropriate for Australia Day don't you think!

Making the Most of the Holidays

Isn't it horrible having to go to work during the school hols?

Up to now I've been fortunate to have time off and/or work from home for the whole of each holidays. But since I've taken on a new position, things are a bit different.

It's not too bad I guess - Tim's work hours mean that there's only 2 days a week where we need childcare....but still....it makes me feel guilty somehow.

So, we try and make the days fun, no matter what our work schedule.....like on the weekend we set up the tent and the hammock in the backyard and the kids camped out for 3 nights in a row.....

.....by the 4th night however, I insisted they sleep in their own beds.....the lack of sleep from the excitement, giggling and torch ganes was a little too much to bear.

Hasn't it been HOT lately!

The kids were hinting strongly about going to the town pool (it's heated.....and crowded......and IN TOWN......so you can see why I wasn't so keen).

I had a better Mummy-idea.

Go outside and play with the hose I said......while you're at it you can wash my car I said.....I'll even give you $5 each!

.....it worked!

Sometimes they can get on so nicely together....warms my heart.

Then they hit up Dad for the same deal (clever too, my girls!)

Mia climbed to the top of her cupboard on the weekend and dragged down the playdough tub. Plenty of tools and cutters....but oh dear.....playdough was rock hard!

So Mia and I busied ourselves in the kitchen cooking Microwave Playdough......a great recipe, nice and simple, makes lovely smooth and soft dough.  Just a tad messy.....we had so much fun, even though there was a ton of washing up....one bowl per colour, you see.

......anyway, I thoroughly recommend it as a school holiday activity - even the bigger girls spent hours making all kinds of weird and wonderful things with it.

The strange weather seems to have brought out the fleas....they aren't usually much of a problem here.....but poor little Milly was beginning to be driven crazy by them....stopping to scratch mid-gallop....often while half hopping along on 3 legs....quite funny really.

So into the bath for Milly-Pup..... 

....not impressed....but fluffy and flea-free!

Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays....what's left of them.....and finding time to have fun with your kids/grandkids.

P.S. Heartfelt thanks to those who signed up for the "Smile" workshop (see last post)...if you're thinking about it, don't wait too long....only those before 24th Jan will go towards the Flood Appeal.

SMILE...and make a difference

I'm sure you are as shocked and upset as I am about the floods happening all over Australia right now.

Here's something quick and easy you can do to make a contribution.....

Sign up for Kim Archer's "SMILE" workshop....

HERE....

for a tiny $5 and not only will your $5 go straight to the Premier's Flood Appeal.....you will get instant access to downloadable instructions to create one of Kim's gorgeous and unique mixed media masterpieces.

I've just downloaded mine - and it looks fun and fabulous!

I urge you to do the same....

Three Generations of Bloggers

Blogging is a spreading craze in our family!!

I helped Mum...

... set up a blog over Christmas when I was there.....

OLD CHOOK SCRAPS

And yesterday, my 11 year old daughter Kate...

...decided she needed one as well.....

BOOKWORM

I know it would make their day if you called in and left a comment!

A fun and busy weekend.....despite our cancelled trip to Brisbane.....photos to share soon.

Good night !

xxx

The First....

....layout of the year....(at last!)....is my contribution to the SHOW US YOUR STUFF January Challenge #2......

 

The brief was to include:

*STITCHING - hand, machine or faux (I hand stitched around my misted clouds)

*MISTING - Delphinium Glimmer Mist over handcut clouds

*BUTTONS - from my bright colourful stash plus flower and ladybug from My Little Bit of Whimsy and some cute dotty fabric-covered ones

*4 OR MORE PATTERNED PAPERS- a grid print for my photo mat, orange dot, yellow plaid and a mushroom and a cloud cut from My Little Shoebox, and a flower from Bella Blvd

*SOMETHING HANDMADE - the pink and purple blossoms donated by Pretty Petals....

.....my felt grass and paddle pop stick fence!



 The photo was not what I intended to use.... but as my printer decided to run out of ink I just grabbed the nearest one out of the pile.

A fun project using some of my fave techniques.

Have a go!

Cows Sheep Dogs and Kids

This weekend seemed to be all about adding to and subtracting from our menagerie.....

1. A 4 hour drive to the coast and back again (all in one exhausting day) to rendezvous with Mum and make a swap - 3 girls for one puppy dog! It was lovely to see our girls after a long QUIET whole week without them (they had stayed on at Mum's after Xmas and were totally spoilt while Tim and I returned to go to our jobs).

We had a very nice lunch at the Nambucca Club.....



....then said goodbye to Spike the pup as he drove away with Mum, who kindly offered to deliver him to his new owners for us.....such a cutie pie - and one of the happiest dogs I've ever come across....

2. The next day we gave away our last puppy, gorgeous Lila Lou, to her new family.....



3. And also Duffy - the Daddy dog who is responsible for all these litters. A man who answered our ad too late to get himself a pup was happy to get a fully trained working adult....a trip to the vet is apparently planned for the Duff Man real soon!



4. Bought 9 sheep, freshly shorn and looking rather cold and naked....hopefully all pregnant and due to lamb soon.....a paddock of bouncy baby lambs to look forward to!

5. Mustered the cattle and chose these beauties to send off to the saleyards.....16 fat shiny heifers.....

6. Enjoyed time with our new little girly, Milly.....yes, we kept one.....Mia and Milly are as thick as thieves.....so how could we not?

Hoping and praying for the rain to stop. Watching footage of the floods tonight was heart-wrenching......I can only imagine the terror. My heart goes out to the families evacuating from their homes tonight, and all those who have been affected.

The Best Kind of Xmas

....is one where fun times are shared with family and friends.

Which is exactly how our Xmas went....I loved every minute!

It all began with an eventful trip to the coast - with a trailer full of secret surprises

....and puppies.....(we couldn't very well leave them at home now, could we!)

The Chrissy tree.....before....

....and after....

.....Santa was generous to everyone.....including my 96 year old Gran....

.....I got a beautiful guitar!!!

....heaps of lovely kitcheny stuff....

.....and lots more (spoilt in other words).

Thankfully the weather improved on Boxing Day and this is where we spent it....

.....right by the river entrance, relaxing......swimming......playing cricket.....eating......fishing.....

.....and tubing.....

Other holiday activities included the beach..... ....and shopping (of course).... New Years Eve we gathered at the riverbank with the rest of the town...

....for live music, rides....

.....huge choc tops....

....and the main attraction....

Fun FUn FUn!!!

And the perfect end to a fabulous year.

Ten Faves

Another year over, another bunch of layouts to add to the pile.... Here are my top ten fave pages I completed in 2010 (in no particular order).

Poppy & Kate - one of my first sketch challenges during my Design Dollies DT stint.

Sunshine & Rainbows - my entry for a Pencil Lines sketch challenge.

Picnic Time - another one for Design Dollies - using a sketch by the lovely Kristy. Happy - a poppet challenge for Home & Scrapped (thanks Josie!) Adorable - this was for a Scrapawhile cyber crop. Twenty Ten - my first DT project for Show Us Your Stuff.

Treasures on the Beach - a Get Challenged Now for Home & Scrapped.

You Glow - a page I created for one of my Gum Flat Classes.

Ready Set Go - a "just because" double layout of my gorgeous Mimi Rose.

Poser - yet another Design Dollies sketch. Common themes I'm noticing with these....

rainbow colour palette

doodled edges

flowers

crochet flowers

freehand scallops

handwritten word tiles

and a continued love affair with buttons!

See you soon with family update and Christmas holiday photos.

xxx