He says "Col fix"

Hello everyone, it is a beautiful day here, was really hot last night though, hope you enjoyed your Anzac Day yesterday, gave me lots to be thankful for, and grateful to live here in this great country.

I made this layout last night and thoroughly enjoyed doing it whilst Nate fell asleep on the lounge, I used some gorgeous papers and journalling spot and owls and burlap buttons sent to me from Emeline Seet Ng, she creates the most gorgeous work and I have been stalking her site for quite a while, and then Amanda Taylor gave me some great papers and well I just used them all. These photos are so special to me, shows me how much Nate respects Uncle Col's knowledge when learning things, here he is showing Nate how to use the remote control ferrari he just brought for them to play. I hope you all have a truly wonderful day, just popping out to take a dvd back and then home to maybe read a book or maybe even a nana nap.

Love to you all. Melxx

Australia Day 2010

Firstly, thank you so much for your wonderful blog posts, I woke this morning and I was not sad, just a little bit numb from Nana's passing, but I feel wonderful now, sharing experiences with your friends is such a wonderful therapy.

I hope you like the layout I did of how Australia Day visit to Redcliffe with Col & Jan, used my mist and all bits are from the Noel Mignon kit from last month. Jan is coming over this morning and we are actually getting ready for a garage sale we are having here tomorrow. I am actually not looking forward to it, but a good friend Malinda needed to get rid of some things and lives in a unit, so I also had some things that someone may feel they need. So pricing and arranging and then the onslaught tomorrow morning.

Soccer is on the agenda for this afternoon, Master Nate is still in bed right as I type this, 9.37am, he is such a sleepy head. So he will be on fire for his soccer this arvo. Once again thank you dear friends, I love you all. Melxxx

Creative Scrappers sketch #99

Morning all, there is a competition over at Creative Scrappers, you do the 5 sketches for the month and you could win a "Scrapbook Nook Kit" they are so gorgeous, I wish postage wasn't so high, I went to order some papers they cost $34.00 and the postage was $43.00 and you know I just cannot do it.

The pics are of the drive home from our Wynumn trip with Col and Jan recently and as we drove from the carpark Nate yelled bye park, it was so cute, if you notice in the waving photo he is doing a wave that looks like the Queen's wave, and then within a few short minutes Nate was out to it, he had an awesome day and you are I'm afraid going to see the photos of this day on the next million layouts, lol I can never pick just a couple of photos to replicate the day, have to do several layouts with them.

It has been raining consistently last few days which is nice, but nice and sunny today, I haven't mentioned this but I have been going to Prince Charles Hospital in Brisbane every 2 days to see my Nana in palliative care the last month, well she died yesterday morning, but instead of being sad I am rejoicing, she is at peace with no needles now for pain, she was 93, and over the last 2 weeks she was delirious and didn't know me, and Nate was at her bedside saying "I'm scared" I guess this shows how pale and terrible she must have looked to him. I was a little quiet yesterday reflecting over things and you know I am so happy to be where I am right now in my life, I have a roof over my head, my family, great friends (you guys) and money to buy food and clothes. So I hope wherever you are and whatever you are doing today, you have a great day, catch up with you all on your blogs. Love Melxx

Creative Scrappers sketch #100

Nate and I went out to Wivenhoe Dam to meet some friends that were fishing out there, Malinda and Aaron, of course he just had to have a go, and in these shots he looks very patient and at ease, but as he has no patience yet, lol, we're still waiting for it to come, he had a ball just winding the line in and catching bits of grass on the end of his rod. I had this older Scenic route paper and cut the fish out, put my rub-on to acetate so I could sit it over the fish and used those coral? looking bits out of some basic grey paper, the spotted background is Lilly Bee design paper and it is super cute and the sparkly letter alphabet is "Dear Lizzy" from American Crafts, just love them. Have got so much mileage from them.

I have been struggling the last week to do scrapping, so tired at nights when the opportunity of time has arisen, add in some lack of mojo, and women's monthly events and well that is the excuse. I have finished my committments for the DT's for next month so I can relax and get some "ME" scrapping done, I got some photos developed yesterday, some of the photos are blurred, think it may be because we have had overcast weather here but sometimes it is still a bit of light so I haven't used the flash. Need to go over my instructions again!!!!

Nate is 3.3 years old and although he is getting better every day I have booked him into get assessed at Speech Therapy, I just want to be sure he is at a suitable level for his age. So that is the appointment this morning, and them as it it rainy here, home to scrap sounds good to me.

I have got some wonderful awards over the last year from dear friends for my blog and well I have to tell you I never knew what to do with them, but my friend Wendy has just tagged me and well this seems a little easier to do as their is nothing to add to the blog. Thank you so much Wendy, I love you and all my blogging friends and have missed you all even though it's only a couple of absent days, that's how much you all mean to me. I have to tell you 10 things I love and 5 trivia things:

10 things I love

Nate and Max and Stan
Blogging friends
Baskin Robbins chocolate ice-cream with peanut butter
my car - Rav4
Scrapping (of course) and watching a good DVD whilst doing so
taking the dogs for a walk
going to the beach
snuggling up under the covers in winter
watching Nate's face when he has knew experiences
Op Shopping

Trivia

I was an aerobics instructor and ran my own business
used to be a boring accountant
Risked my job once by asking Phil Collins for his autograph & ended up sitting next to his wife and new daughter Lily at his concert next night
Loved roller skating when I was younger
Have been single (and set in my ways now) for almost 4 years.

Now I have to give this TAG to 5 dear blogger friends:

Michelle, Tanyah, Amanda, Teru & Annmaree (cannot wait to hear your trivia) Love to you all and have a great day. Melxxx

Design Dollies Colour Challenge

Black, yellow and pink is the colour challenge over at Design Dollies and this is my DT layout, I cut the outline out of a die cut pink paislee pp, and I used some older rub-ons from Fancy Pants, and this little man in the picture whith me is "Marty" well that was the name I gave him for the 3 days I had him, a neighbour from up the road found him in her yard, he was mangled and dirty and riddled with fleas, so she had to pass him on, my dogs didn't seem to mind (guess it was because he was so little) he was so starved and bony, so I bathed him several times, cut all his hair off as it was matted together and gave him lots to eat. He was such a little cutie, I phoned up a friend who has a big property and basically takes in animals that the pound gets, trains them and then gives them to good homes, at this time she had 10 dogs, 11 cats, 1 possum and a small kangaroo. Wow she is such an amazing lady, when she came to pick up "Marty" I was sad but 3 dogs are not allowed in suburbia so I will keep in touch and see how this little ray of sunshine goes, but as luck would have it, Marty has taken over her household and sleeps on the end of her bed now. Lucky doggy.


Once I receive my layout responsibilites for the next month, I find it so hard to do any layouts for myself until they are finished so bear with me, going to be finished by tonight and then going to do some "just for me" layouts, I don't seem to put any pressure on myself with these and finish a lot sooner, although in the scheme of things I am a slow scrapper.



Nate started Soccer on Friday night, wow, sooo cute. all the little guys and girls on the field, about 125 of them, but although he struggled with the actual staying with his group, he will get better as time goes on. He looked super cute in his big socks and shin pads. Will show some pics soon.


Have a super wonderful day dear friends. Love Mel..xxxx

Noel Mignon Kit - Artiste

Gee I just love this kit, guess because it's not pink, I used some spritz on the newspaper flower, although it's a little hard to see, and these days I put all my rub-ons onto acetate first, guess because I may change my mind where I am going to put them, so I spritz and background paper and added some rub-ons (green flowers and paisley leaves) used an old MME transparency to cover the 2nd photo, used those gorgeous new thickers and I am happy with the result. If you pop over to the Noel Mignon blog she was kind enough to put my last layout up for show with some others, I felt so excited when she asked me. So looking forward to getting her new kit. Called playtime.

Today I have an errand to run, then home to Aunty Jan and Nate to scrap all day, so looking forward to it, I have had some slack mojo days since returning from the camp, put it down to recovering from it. The sun is shining here and looks like a beautiful day, hope you all enjoy what today has in store for you. Love Melxxxx

Challenge Heaven Word Challenge

Morning all, I have to tell you, it must be getting cooler, I woke up at 8.45am this morning, yes I cannot believe it, Nate was still fast asleep and 2 poodles on the end of the bed, usually only 1. The weather is changing because everyone wants to stay snuggled in bed. But I am usually up well and truly by 6.30am, so not sure what's going on.

This layout is my attempt at using a Heidi Swapp butterfly mask, just put it on the paper, then used my pinecone ink pad and then peeled it off, I really liked the effect, once I had placed the photo and matting down though it looked like it still needed a border around the edge, so I just doodled 2 lines, added liquid paper to the inside of the lines and then went over with a tombow. This made me happier. This is Grampsy and Nate having a cuddle. I love this photo. It actually read "Relax with Grampsy" but somehow the relax has been peeled off by little hands, so later will have to get the dymo and make another one. I asked him if he peeled off the sticker and he said "Yes mumma" so proud of himself, he is even cute when you want to chastise him. But I am a super softy.

Raining again, just enough for a 3 year old to get cabin fever inside the house, so off to the Chemist and bank this morning, hopefully this will get him some fresh air and perhaps a movie purchase will do the trick, gosh I cannot help spoiling this gorgeous child of mine.

Love to you all. Melxx

Screen to Scrap entry

I created this layout using the wonderful papers and embellishments in March's Noel Mignon kit, I fell in love with Crate paper, gorgeous patterns and colours, the stickers and chippy bits are gorgeous too. I love the new thickers too, so cute, these gorgeous photos are of Nate holding his fist candle, he is so proud feeling like big boy, even posing with the model head on the side in the first photo.

It's raining here today, but have to go to the post office, have to post another layout to Scrapbook Creations, the excitement has dissapated a bit, guess when I finally see the layout in their mag I will get super excited again. Cannot wait to show Nate. So after some maintenance housework, cleaning up this mornings destruction....will take a short drive and then home to another scrappy arvo. (well as you know that is the plan) but not always works this way. Hope you all have a fantastic day. Love Melxx

Design Dollies Sketch Challenge

This is my DT layout for Design Dollies sketch this week. These photos were taken when we went to a friend's little boy's birthday party at Lollipops. Nate and I had a ball playing this, he is really good at it too. So glad I am in the photos with him too as when he is older he may?? remember the fun we had together.

Cloudy day again today, not as hot as yesterday I hope, going to watch a dvd and do some scrapping after I do the usual housework, I am also starting to clean the house so wall by wall as it is a bit house. So by 10.30is I hope to be scrapping.

Was very tired yesterday after the camp caught up with me, went shopping yesterday arvo and picked up my reserved copy at the newsagents of my "Scrapbook Trends" I just love this mag. So might jack one of these today. Hope you all enjoy your day. Love Melxxx

Creative Scrapper Reader Reveal

Morning everyone, hope you are well, cloudy and looks like rain here today, isn't that just perfect to just scrap...I did this layout while I was at Amanda's house the other day, I got a wonderful email from Kristine at CREATIVE SCRAPPERS, asking me to participate in their Readers reveal for their birthday celebrations, they provided a wonderful sketch and I just had to use these photos of Nate using my Ipod for the first time, he just loved it, the last photo is of him singing along to the music.

The camp was awesome, I thought at first that 2 1/2 days would not be very long but with the wonderful cramb packed activities they provided, proved just too much for this little 3 year old, he had a melt down as his body must have been exhausted, he managed to hang out until the bus ride home and just slept all the way back to Ipswich, the beach is gorgeous at Currimundi, we went canoeing, made sandcastles, learnt circus tricks, beach games, board games, and pool time, wow and the best thing was no cooking and cleaning for mum.

I did miss my scrapping though, so although last night was just out of the question due to fatigue, today is a different story, give me some time dear friends to catch up with you all on your blogs, hope you all have a truly wonderful day. Love to you all, Melxx

Camp

Hello everyone, just letting you all know Nate and I are going to a camp this morning until Friday afternoon. It's only 2 nights, Aunty Jan is staying down here so she can look after Max and Stan. Look forward to catching up on all your news when I get back. Love to you all, miss my blogging already, hope that isn't sad. Love Melxx

Challenge Heaven sketch challenge

This is a picture of Amanda (on the right) and me taken by her husband Pat.

This is my entry for the Challenge Heaven Sketch challenge this month, a gorgeous sketch too, perfect for these pictures of Nate doing a performance for me on his drum set he got for his birthday. He is such a natural, rocks with his head, sings and has wonderful hand movements..What am I in store for.....I used some old fancy pants paper for the background and it had the perfect colours in it.

I did this layout yesterday, I visited Amanda, who I have met whilst blogging, isn't the internet fantastic, our boys played all day, Nate was so exhausted he slept all the way home, I think Conner was tired too. He has woken up this morning saying "Con" and "big truck" which he loved riding. Amanda has the most amazing supply of stash I have ever seen, OM Goodness you would be amazed. I watched her put together 2 layouts effortlessly, I on the other hand agonise over positions for embellishments etc. She is a natural. We had a wonderful time, I met her husband Pat, who is lovely and her dog "angel" who is just a big black angel, so gentle and cuddly. I wish I could meet some more of you too.

Hope you are enjoying the easter holidays for those of you with kids and god bless you all. Love Melxx

Design Dollies Sketch Challenge

This is my sketch take for the Design Dollies challenge blog it's Nate and I in those dreadful but fun teacups that spin around and around whilst your moving around, he didn't seem to mind but boy....the things we do for our dear kids. I cut out some mesh for this, and the insides of some circles. I just had to doodle around the outside edge as it just felt like it needed an outline.


Happy Easter everyone, I have just put the eggs and choc bunnies in the easter basket at the special spot Nate picked for the Bunny, so I am guessing it has to be chocolate for breakfast, lucky he enjoys the opening of them over the actual eating of them. I hope you and your dear family have a wonderful relaxing, time today. I am off with my mum this morning to visit Nana in Prince Charles Palative care, she is 93 and so dear to me, Nate just loves her, so will take the camera and cheer her up and take possibly some last photos of this dear and special lady to me. Nate is still asleep, it's been a big weekend for him, we went to Wivenhoe Dam with a girlfriend and her husband and 2 kids fishing yesterday and he came home and had a sleep then Jan came down and stayed to watch a movie and scrap with us. So he has had lots of excitement, so he may even just relax on the hour drive to the hospital.

Once again a joyous Easter to you all. Love Melxxx

DT layout for Artastic Challenge blog

Okay well the criteria for this month was had to have: Bridge, Gazebo, lamp post, house and sign post, so well lets just say this just threw me, this is what I came up with. This is probably not my favourite layout I have completed but I did accomplish all the criteria. Well it's Easter holidays over here, yesterday we went for a fantastic picnic to Wynnum, wow, just lovely, huge water park, Nate just wrecked himself, lots of shade under gorgeous huge fig trees, a coffee van close by, shaved ice and Mr Whippy van too, what more could a 3 year old want, the best thing was everything was in close proximity to each other, so I sat down and just kept my eye of DS and watched him have a ball. Great day was had with our dear friends Col and Jan. I hope you are all having a truly wonderful weekend and a blessed Easter to you all. Love Melxxxx Ps. Hope the easter bunny finds you all.

Creative Scrappers Sketch #97

I entered the Creative Scrappers blog sketch #97 challenge this week, some more pictures of Nate openning his presents and blowing out cupcake candles. He had a wonderful day, I can always tell, if he has a sleep without me having to encourage him, he is wrecked, this gives me great opportunities to scrap uninterupted. I just finished shearing my poodle, Stanley is so good, just stands and stares at me with those gorgeous brown eyes, Max I have to do over a couple of days, he struggles with me, but he is 15. This is the last time before about August, I got out their little jumpers yesterday and got them ready as it has been surprisingly cool in the evenings. Jan has just come down to scrap with me and she has just joined Amanda's Scrap Swap group so will be busy do that whilst I do another layout or two (maybe). I hope your Wednesday is wonderful dear friends. Look forward to checking out your blogs later today. Love Melxxx

The Racos

This is the crazy family I went to vist late last year in Sydney, I just love them, I have given them an album and send them layouts to fill it, I got this paper in a kit from The Scrappin Kats and well as I have no sewing machine just decided to use the pricking method and was really happy with the rsult, the gorgeous rub on is from Autumn Leaves. Thanks for looking. Not a big day today, going to pop out and run some errands, hopefully will go for a walk, we walk to the 5ways and back which ends up being 6.2kms, we only went once last week so aiming for twice this week, funny last walk we made, had to put my old dog in the pram and Nate walked, poor Maxi had decided it was just a little too hot for him, I saw all the people looking at us with a smile on their faces but he is 15 years old and hopefully the walking we do will make him live lots longer. He is my faithful eldest poodle and I love him. I hope you all have fantastic days, love Melxx

Random Me

I am not sure if I even like this one but was challenged to do a layout on myself so just used some bazzill, and DCWV papers, pink Paislee chipboard, some sequins, pink paislee letter stickers. AC thickers and my threading water punch which has been idle for too long.

The 5 random things I put are: My dogs are very special to me, I was an aerobics instructor for 17 years, I was school sports captain, I am a car seat safety nut, I am addicted to Nate and chocolate.

We are off to a Church fun day at 17 Mile Rocks Water Park today, should be lots of people, lots of kids to wear my little one out, and then while he comes home and sleeps I am going to scrap, I am so addicted hey.... Finished all the challenges for the Artastic DT challenge blog and Design Dollies so it's time to scrap for just little old me. I want to thank you again for all your wonderful birthday wishes and of course to all of you who have given me the best confidence re: my aging process, you mean the world to me, my love to you all, Melxxxx

Design Dollies Elements challenge

Hi everyone, I just want to say a huge thank you for the lovely well wishes for my birthday yesterday, you have truly made this day special for me, I had to also laugh at the "there is no way you are 42" comments, I am certainly going to keep this camera, sounds like it does wonders.

The above layout is for the Design Dollies Element challenge this week combining 3 types of bling, I used a diamontee photo corner, glitter in the "farmer" title and some kindy glitz on the circle embellishment. I backed some of this gorgeous paper with cardstock and then placed the photo on it and used some odd bits of older Sass lass paper, Nate's friend Cooper lives on a big property so when he visits he loves to ride on all the farm type toys out there.

A friend came over and cooked a beautiful tea for me last night, chicken breast with lemon salt and balsamic salad and then apple pie and cream for dessert, oh I was out of the diet for today, I have been so good though....but Nate fell asleep on us, then Malinda stayed, and we watched a movie. So I had a wonderful day. Today I took Jan shopping, she needs some help getting groceries and we help, nothing exciting to tell, Nate is having his arvo nap and I am catching up on blogging and checking out all your gorgeous blogs. Thanks dear friends. Love Melxx

cards

Okay, I visit some fantastic card blogs of my dear friends and I just had to give it a go, here are my attempts, I cannot believe how many you can do in the time I usually do one layout, they are heaps of fun, I have a few birthdays coming up so this should be enough to cover the occassions. Windy, Amy, Liz, Deb & Shell you must let me know how I went first time, your blogs are divine for cards and you have finally got me to make some.

It's my birthday today, I'm 42, where where has the time gone, I know I sound like a broken record but it astounds me, happy birthday for yesterday Teru, I am not sure what we are up to today but my wish is to stay at home and scrap but a few friends want to go to lunch somewhere, we'll have to see. I hope you all enjoy your days and I hope they are truly wonderful...Love to you all, Melxx

Design Dollies Colour Challenge

This is my entry for the colour challenge at Design Dollies and this week the colour combination is black, white & yellow. I used my Creative Imaginations black holey cardstock, and then added little bits and pieces of stash using these colours, some voille, rubons and Hambly transparencies.

This is a picture of Grampsy helping put Nate's helmet on. He looks super cute in the whole outfit (his knee pads & elbow pads) on his little scooter. I have been offline for just 1 day and it was horrible, my modem decided it was time to update, it was 4 years old so that is okay. So after getting that this morning and now trying to catch up on your wonderful blog posts, can you believe the day is almost over, time is amazing hey. Going to do a layout tonight (hopefully) so I will share that tomorrow. Until next time stay happy and healthy. Love Melxx

Design Dollies Sketch Challenge

I did this layout for the March Sketch challenge comp, I just loved the sketch, I turned it and cut some flowers from some old fancy pants papers and added it to some Kaiser paper, and I guess it turned out heritage style. Not so long ago we had a scrapping session downstairs at my house and my little boy brought his Grandma (she is grandma to him) some flowers, she wasn't well at the time, but put them in her hair and he just laughed. She is a dear friend to me, and fortunately only lives 8 houses up the road. I hope you like this layout. Today is Hi-5 day, a friend got us some tickets to a concert in town at 2pm, so we have to run an errand and then home for a wee rest and then get ready for a great time, I am so sure he will enjoy it, for all my friends overseas, this group performs for kids, gorgeous trendy bright outfits and are major hits on our tv's over here.

Also yesterday I mentioned I went op-shopping and my dear friend from USA Michelle asked what this was, well it is 2nd hand odds and ends, clothing, charity shops. Funny how we take this word for granted but the proper word is Opportunity Shops, not sure if this is its proper name but you can find bargains, brand new and used.

This boy loves art

Usually whenever I am doing my scrapping at the kitchen table Nate is either painting, cutting or colouring, he loves doing art, this was a sketch and I possibly over embellished it (I have this problem of not knowing when to stop, but I do love the bright colours in it. Another overcast but hot day here, we are going op-shopping today, I haven't been for ages, so I am looking forward to it. Never know what goodies I may find for future layouts. Thanks again for all your wonderful comments, you don't know how much it means to me, you have all become dear friends, and I enjoy finding out things about your lives. Love to you all, Melxxx

Charge

I actually don't have any new layouts to share today that are just made, so I thought I would show you one I did last year, we went to Alexa's dress up 5th birthday party, Nate went as mini Ghangis Khan, such a gorgeous little outfit, I have had this outfit for quite a few years, bought it from Lifeline actually and just thought I would buy it for the future, hope he gets to wear it again.. Very simple layout but I love the way he has his arm out, looks like he is saying "Charge". It's overcast here today, going to do some cleaning on top of cupboards today, in this old house the dust is amazing and right on top it turns feral, will do some scrapping this arvo ???? hope to anyway, being on the Design team is going to be a heap of fun, but whilst doing them for next month, I actually cannot show them until them, so I am going to do a challenge for this month this afternoon, so will show you tomorrow. Love for now, have a great day, Melxxx

Challenge Heaven Number challenge

I know another pink layout, but I love the colour, and well he doesn't see colour as gender based (and it shouldn't be) in this early stage, so I am going to milk it. lol. This is a picture from our Australia Day drive to Redcliffe (a seaside town north of our states capital) and here Nate is looking out to see eating an aussie potato scollop, he just loves the sea. For this challenge you had to have a 3 word title, 2 staples (holding the ribbon ends) and use just one photo. Today we have some errands to run, then home to do some scrapping as Jan is coming down for the arvo. I am going to get started on some of my projects for Design Dollies, I am still very excited, you know the usual, "I hope I do a good job" "I hope they will like the layouts I do" but I am sure they picked us all for our different styles and levels of talent so I am going to do my very best. Love to you all, cloudy and looks like rain here, great scrapping day. Love Melxx

Design Dollies Design Team

Oh wow, I got this amazing position for 3 months on this fabulous site, I found it when a friend Sarah Lou was a guest designer and I am so glad I did they have great challenges. Oh this certainly has made my day. I still cannot add things to this site eg. awards or badges, does anyone know whether I may need to change the format of my blog to get them for down the side, I will keep playing though. Love to you all, I hope you have a great day and I so look forward to looking at all your blogs, you are the reason for my inspiration, and the friendship I have with you all means the world to me. Love Melxx

I did the above layout to show the whole process of Nate's scooter, opening the box, grampsy putting the helmut on him, the thinking about the ride, and the first ride.