A2Z Scraplets sketch challenge,

 Hello dear friends, firstly I want to apologize for absence from the blogger scene, I have a new computer now so hopefully no more technical problems and my job is in full swing now so I will be able to go back to my original 3 days per week next week.

The above layout is one I made just on Sunday for the A2Z scraplets sketch challenge, I did the awesome blog hop with them and this is the challenge for the month, I was fortunate to win last month and this is the awesome frame that was in the gorgeous stash I was sent as a prize. I used some amazing Ranger Distress crackle paint I got from Tracy at My2angels, and used the Toy box papers from Crate, again I layered everything and was happy with the result.

Here are Ambers gorgeous twin girls born 2 weeks ago, Issabella on the left and Matilda on the right. They are so cute, Amber is well but instead of a planned caeser she had them naturally,  oh the pain briefly enters my mind. But all are super well and happy.

Lynnda Hosni you are a naughty girl sending Nate these amazing gifts of Lego but can you see from his face how much he loves them. Thanks Lynnda you are an awesome blogger friend. I might add I picked up the gorgeous Playground kit from Echo park from the Post Office from  this arvo from this amazing girl and thanks Lynnda you have motivated this girl to no end.

Nate says a special "Hi" to Matin who is Lynnda's son, he says he is his bestest friend....

I just wanted to share how excited I was this morning to pop into "Bird is the Word" and find my layout (left) was featured this month, oh wow, it has been an amazing week. Work is full on, but so fulfilling. Life is good this end, tonight I will be hopping over to all your blogs, I am so sorry I have been out of action but I have so missed each and every one of you. Love Melxx

Bird is the word, cracking nuts

 Hi everyone, a wonderful sunny but cold day here today, this is my Bird is the Word layout using the word AMAZING, when waiting for a meal never fear Nate will find a way to occupy himself....lol

It was Ipswich Cup Day today and I always love this day as we are only 1 street away from the Race Track and cars line our street, you see the gorgeous suits and ladies fascinators and dresses (short was the fashion this year...) walking to the races but the trip home is a different story, often the girls are not wearing their shoes but holding them. And whilst they await taxis and Limos they are always jovial and merry......We instead went shopping, and spent the arvo at my friend's house, her mum carries oxygen and whilst shopping she was so impressed how Nate held her hand and carried her oxygen bottle for her....boy this made me proud. We are home now, super cold tonight and just going to put Transformers on....he loves this movie.

Here is my boy after we collected Macadamia's from our tree, he has been cracking his own nuts for over 18 months and has got very good at it. Yes I do cringe a little but I have told him how to secure the nuts and hold the hammer and the rest they say is experience.

This is his prize, he loves them and gets so excited when he gets a full one out of the shell whole. These are the things that I hope he will remember doing with me in years to come.

Okay, I will be over to check out your blogs soon, but Transformers awaits and I bought some popcorn so we could make it even more special, although I have watched this movie with him about 3 times before.....

Tonight it is just the 4 of us on the lounge, Max, Stan, Nate and I.


Love to you all dear friends. Melxx

Bird is the Word Challenge

 Hello everyone, hope this posts finds you well, this is my layout for Bird is the Word this month, you have to use the word LIFE, LIVE OR LIVING. I made the flowers myself, some spray mists, bit of tape measure, and had to scrap Nate telling us everytime we swing him"Go higher mumma" he is such a maniac, except when I am driving, you know when you go down a hill and it seems you are going faster! my little back seat
driver says, "Going too fast mum" immediately I look at the speedometer" and I am the one with the Rav 4 with the Baby on Board sticker still on the back window.......

This is him with his Bax (Max) this 16 yr old Hog has a dear friend with Nate, he loves him. poor old Stanley (max's son) is second best....

Granny and Grampsy went to Cape York recently and this is Nate with Cranky Croc and his new t-shirt, I know I am super biased, but he is so beautiful.

I started work today, paperwork mainly, security cards, credit cards, lap top and mobile phone applications, but the job is going to be a challenge but very rewarding as it is starting from an vacant school class room at Leichhardt School, no phone lines, no carpet, just a bare ugly room and once we are up and running it will be awesome to look back and see how far we have come. I rang him this arvo and he said "mum you've been away too long" how cute, but my mum was with him and she told me Charlie from next door was over all day so I am sure he had heaps of fun with her. I missed my little man today so am going to sit with him and try to get a movie in (Cats & Dogs 2) before I sneak it over the see Queensland beat New South Wales for the 6th year in a row....lol. May the best team win...Love to you all.

Mel and Natexxx

Show us your stuff, A2Z,ArTastic.

 Hello dear friends, this is my layout for Show us your stuff this month, firstly their was a gorgeous sketch by Sara, who hails from my area and I did one of my first classes with, apart from the sketch you had to scrap a winter photo, this is Col and Jan and me....on a cold day of recent weeks, I cooked them dinner and it is a rare photo of us just being together, these guys are my family and Nate loves them very much. Ipswich had it's coldest day on record last Thursday with a maximum of 13 degrees....our winter is here......gorgeous Rachel Funnell is the Guest DT for them this month too.

As you all know I have just recently printed out my blog and although sometimes looking at my gorgeous son doing some crazy things may not be scrappy creative, the book I received is a recap of my last 2 years so now I feel propelled to add a little photo of him each post, I am usually with him, but as I start work next week the whole routine we have had until now will change no doubt. He is so cute, even toothless....

I was stoked to find I won the DT Artastic layout for last month, what an awesome sight, so many great prizes each month, I am proud to be on this amazing DT.

The criteria for this month is HERE, check it out, the sponsors are amazing.

And I had the honour of winning the A2Z scraplets sketch challenge for May, I am again honoured to win this great challenge. Might I add, it has been a while since winning any challenges. lol

They have an awesome Blog hop starting tomorrow night at 8pm....I love a good Blog hop.

Hope you are all well, been dreary, overcast and at times rainy here today, thank goodness for scrapping and my favourite thing, blog hopping. Looking forward to your inspiration...Melxx

What flood, meet Edward,

 Hello everyone, I have had these photos above for over 2 years and finally decided it was time to use them, we had flash flooding back in Nov 08, and whilst we did the clean up Mr. Nate just slept.....I used my echo park papers and some older sass lass, my MM corrugated and gorgeous purple pumpkin flower.

Two weeks ago we took Nate to the Ashton's circus tricks activities held in Laidley, he had a ball and so did we, just watching him in action. Here he is doing the human pyramid. 

And here learning to walk the tightrope, this is one of the only shots I got of him looking where he was going, lol their was so much action he didn't know where to look first.

This boy has no fear of trying new things, you should of seen him on the trapeze, my camera battery of course went flat but he is a monkey I swear.

I printed out my blog and received it in the mail last week, so photos of other things we do on here seem so important, you know it is an awesome book and Nate and I are reading it at bed time now. Totally recommend it, it cost about $80 but is just amazing to see 2 years of journalling and layouts in a book format. Pics next post....

Meet Edward, he is helping me to get fit.....I got him last week and so hoping the novelty with Nate will wear off, they are so huge and it sits in my dining room so I can watch the tv, wish me luck....I don't like walking outside, I always feel like when we go for a walk, Nate might get tired and last time we went a dog came out of its yard and I picked Max and Stan up immediately .....just too scary.....

Hope you are all well. Melx

Do more with less challenge, Us shots

Hello everyone, hope you are all well, I created the above layout using some new Fiesta papers from We are memory keepers. Over at Yvonne's blog - Do more with less, she has a challenge each month, this month we were inspired by the stunning work of Elizaveta Danenkova from Russia, the idea was to create a vintage style layout, I still wanted to use these bright colours though....I hope you like it. 

Above is my toothless terror, looking at me when I am a little further away, I do have to get a better photo but since I printed my blog out in book form, photos like this will be awesome to look back on. (By the way, I have him booked in for a eye test) he does this quite often like he cannot focus unless he used his hands like binnoculars....but probably just a phase, worth the check though...

This is us on the balcony of our unit we stayed at whilst holidaying at Burleigh Heads.

He had his coffee (cammomile tea) and I had the real deal and we would sit out on the patio on what we called Poodle alerts, anytime we saw one (and there were heaps) someone would sing out....POODLE ALERT.

We had so much fun.....

Just a shot of my boy with his gorgeous teeth in tact, I know I am so bias but this photo melts my heart. Melxx