Red White & Blue

Another for SUYS that I forgot to show you last month....whoops!

It was the Blue-White-Plus-A-Dash-Of-Red challenge.

I'm enjoying:

bunching stuff on the edges

using wallet size pics as embies

smudges of gesso

random hand stitches here and there

staples

coloured paper clips

mixing up different alpha styles

Do you like?

Yearly Tops

Top things I saw, did and read in 2011!

Book that deeply moved me:

Best "couldn't put it down - finished in a weekend" Book:

Most Hilarious-in-a-really-gross-way Movie: 

Most Anticipated Release:

Bestest Best Movie Ever:

Fave-est Show of our Whole Family:

Best "quick-all-kids-to-bed-Mum's-show's-on" Can't Miss An Episode Show: 

Best Documentary Series:

Cherry's Body Dilemmas

Cherry's Parenting Dilemmas

Cherry's Cash Dilemmas

I love this chick!

Best Weekly Laugh:

The Graham Norton Show 

And finally my Top 5 Layouts of 2011:

What are your "bests" of 2011?

I'd love to know!

Squishy Heart Tutorial

I came up with this kinda quilted-look paper heart today. Here's what I did:

1. Cut out heart freehand (mine's about 2 inches square)

2. Stick some foam adhesive on the underside (not too near the edges)

3. Adhere to your background card or layout and sew around the edges with embroidery floss. Pre-punch holes with sharp needle first to make things easier

Cute huh?

Oh - how about scrunching your heart first?

Or tearing the edges.

You could do any shape you like!

Ooo I know - middles for flowers!

I am gonna have so much fun with this........

:)

Local Heroes!

Kate - 2nd from right, back row - and six school friends made the local radio news this week after they presented the Inverell Breast Cancer Support Group with a cheque for an incredible $3700.

They raised the money by producing the Gum Flat Kids Calendar, and holding a photography exhibition and auction.

Proves that amazing things can be achieved if you have the will!

THE GUM FLAT AND INVERELL COMMUNTY IS SO PROUD OF YOU GIRLS

XXXXXXXX

Our Weekends

....have been rather full - and if you have kids who do stuff I'm sure yours have been just as crazy!

I tell you - kids have the best social life!

We've had a Blue Light Disco, a birthday party, a sleepover, a "just because" party, and there's more to come!

A few weekends ago we planted our vegie beds.....

Then it flooded. This is the causeway we have to drive over to get out of our property - more like a river!!!

The Macintyre River broke it's banks. Water came up into the park in town.....people were bracing themselves, but thankfully it stopped short of businesses and houses....

A planned fishing trip and picnic for a friend's birthday was kinda ruined by all the rain - we ended up at their house instead. The kids were determined to get in the water - and there was plenty of that to keep them happy....

Sometime in the middle we went to the launch of the Gum Flat Country Kids Calendar....the Year 5/6 girls designed and photographed the calendar, got a grant from Community Mutual to print it, and decided to give all the proceeds to the local Breast Cancer Support Group.

The calendar looked fabulous, as did the photography exhibition they held, plus they raised over $2000 for their chosen charity!!!

A truly amazing and inspiring effort by 7 young girls and their wonderful teachers.





Beth performed in her end of year guitar concert on Sat night....

She did "Rockin Robin" with 3 other kids - and she was also on vocals! So beautiful! She inspires me to keep plugging away with my guitar. With her help I can now play about 3 chords quite well! Whoopie!

Speaking of concerts...a certain someone in our family is counting down the days for this....

This weekend we have a Little Athletics Zone Carnival, dance concert and Archery Xmas Party....more photo opportunities!

Hey, remember these organza flowers with the melted edges that were all the go a while back? I bet you have some hanging around the place.

Dig them out (or make some new ones!) and stay tuned for the SUYS Try This Challenge annoucement. The sketch challenge is already up.....check out details here.

Catch you soon!

xxx

Breaking Dawn + Layout

OK I admit it - I was one of those Twilight crazies who was at the cinema Wednesday night in the early hours for the Breaking Dawn premiere....

Eclipse was first at 9.30 (good to get a refresher) then Breaking Dawn Part 1 began at midnight. My friend Polly and I came prepared with our pillows and so glad we did! The film twisted up and broke down one hour into the movie so we sat from 1am to 2am waiting....waiting.....waiting.

Can you believe in this day and age the projectionist had to painstakingly unwind then wind on metres and metres of film to correct it?? You'd think it would all be digital, hey?

Anyhow - it was such a fun vibe in the cinema - and the movie didn't disappoint.

The 4th instalment had all the elements we love about the Twilight films.....

Spectacular scenery.

Corny jokes.

Spunky wolf boys.

Wooden acting.

Weird facial expressions.

Swoony romance.

And this one had the added extras of a gruesome birth scene, corpse-like anorexic Bella and a demon baby!

Bring on BD Part 2!!!!

Oh, here's my layout I promised you....

Join in the fun here!

Blanket Stitch + Share

Blanket stitch looks really cute when done on cardstock as part of your layout. I like it best when it's a little bit wonky (translation - I can't sew neat!)....

It's the Try This challenge during November over at Show Us Your Stuff and above is a peak of my DT layout. I'll reveal it tomorrow!

If you can't remember how to start off your blanket stitch - or you've never tried before, this link takes you to a tutorial on YouTube.

I think I forgot to show you my "stuff" for last month's SUYS challenge.....we had to use circles, flowers and misting. My misting was more like sponging and blobbing paint all over the place - but there you have it!

"Bran Nu Dae" was the track Gum Flat School danced to for this year's Eisteddfod, hence the title for these photos of the girls dressed up for their performance. 

Enjoy today's heat!

xxx