Design Dollies Design Team - Sketch

This is the layout for the sketch challenge at Design Dollies, I just love their sketches, Kristy is so good at creating them. This is a pic of Nate laying on the floor and I was tickling him, I quickly grabbed the camera to try and catch the totally contagious laugh he has.


Well it's Sunday over here and a very bleak, overcast day, so I did some experimenting with some stamping and flowers and will show you a photo in the next couple of days, Jan came down and we were going through all your flower tutes and beautiful card ideas. We got full of wonderful creative ideas...I love these type of days.

On Thursday night Nate was playing with Stanley (poodle) and fell into our coffee table and well let's just say their was blood everywhere, I got a towel to the back of his head and took him 8 houses up the road to Col & Jans house and he seemed so excited to see Uncle Col that it was hard to stay worried. I think I suffered the most here, I didn't sleep all night, just laid and listened to him breathing, I had called the Hospital and they told me that I would have to endure a 4 hour wait at least because of an accident also. He is totally fine, all okay, took him to the GP Fri morning. So that is my excitement for late last week.


Haven't done as much scrapping as I would have liked, I have been watching Shrek with Nate, he just loves the movie and is asking lots of questions now. I think the little accident threw me a bit.


It was so interesting to hear the differences in what we call togs and sunnies pretty even depending on the area you live.

We missed soccer because of Nate's little accident and then Saturday went to the Handmade market, Aunty Jan spoilt Nate with a ride on the big cars, and took him to see the steam train, (no wonder he adores her) then got my new issue of Scrapbook Trends and have been dogearring pages in it when I get to read it.

I haven't blogged since last Thursday so I am going now to catch up with you all and see what you have been up to. Have missed it so much. Love Melxxxx

Noel Mignon Kit - Singing in the Rotunda

A few weeks ago I took Jan to an appointment she had in the centre of Ipswich, in the Mall, we don't usually go there, Nate spotted the Rotunda and just had to put on a performance for all to see. Sometimes he has the most amazing confidence, he was singing this song "Looooovvvveeee Muuuuummmmm" and "I cryyyyyyyyy" and please don't tell him but it is more of a wail, but super cute to watch. This is another layout I got from the Noel Mignon kit, I cannot wait for the next one, I have had to tighten my reigns the last few months here so getting her kit once a month gets me through each month and I still feel like I am getting new stash. Also buying the kit gets me bits and pieces of new products that if I was to buy the whole packet would work out super expensive for me. I see you all advertise such wonderful specials on your blogs from your great DT stores and once Nate is at school this mum is going back to work and then I am going to have a stash explosion buy, but I guess then comes the "no time" bit, it's super hard hey to balance time these days hey.

Nate is much better thank you very much, he just has the runny nose slightly, gee he gets over colds quickly, he hasn't (touch wood) been vommity sick for over two years and that was when I had it also, so I am very lucky, he is running a muck here with 2poodles with their jumpers on (yes jumpers are coats - that's for my dear friend Jocelyn who lives in USA) and in this case dogs are wearing fleecy lined ones as it is getting a little cold here. Funny how the english language seems to differ from country to country, even state to state over here, an example is:

Do you say: SUNNIES or SUNGLASSES

Do you say: TOGS, SWIMMERS OR BATHERS

or you may have another word completely for them.

I say sunnies, and togs and because I have learnt that as I was growing up just never thought of the differences in words like this. I'd be interested in hearing what you all say and perhaps if you do decide to mention, just put the state, country you are from beside it and I will mention the differences in our areas tomorrow.

Thanks so much for your wonderful friendship, I love you all, have a great day. Love Melxxx

Design Dollies Elements challenge

This layout was for last months DT challenge over at Design Dollies, this is the elements challenge, I love their challenges and they have such wonderful prizes. It's hard to believe June is the last month already there, doesn't time just spin you out. Nate woke up a little better this morning, had a good night's sleep, took him to the Animal Zoo here in Ipswich, and then to McDonald's where he and his little friend Hayley had a rage. Then he came home, I gave him a warm bath and then he went down for a nap. Bit whingy and clingy here tonight though and I was so looking forward to doing some scrapping tonight, hopefully going to get out some of my mags and do a lift, cannot wait to get my monthly kit from Noel Mignon, as I have been on a budget due to my bills, and this option has been great as I get all month from her wonderful kits.

Over at Rita's beautiful blog - Let's Embellish I won her mother's day RAK, so excited, you know how sometimes you think you may not have much of a chance, just do it anyway, this is such a wonderful surprise. Thanks so much Rita.

Over at Michelle's blog she has this fabulous giveaway candy to celebrate he 500th post, wow that is a lot, but if you have a look at her fabulous style and layouts she does you can understand why. Here is the link, I love Scrapping.

Design Dollies Sketch Challenge

Good morning everyone, we didn't have the best night last night here, Nate had a slight blocked nose and it must be so scary when he goes to breathe through it and it is blocked, so he was cuddly/whingy/restless all night. I love to see his face when we go to mini soccer but it is so cold down there on the open field and doesn't start until 5.45pm and dark now, and he won't wear a jumper because whilst he is running he gets hot but it's when he is still and the cold catches up with him that I worry about, a lot of mum's are in the same boat and I have seen dwindling numbers because of children's colds, guess I am lucky at this stage it is just a blocked nose so far. So a quiet day for us today, this mum is going to do some housework including washing (I hate this part) and then at quiet time after lunch, going to endeavour to scrap a bit.

The above layout is from the DT sketch challenge at Design Dollies last month, this is Aunty Jan and me, and I enjoyed this layout because I could use flowers, but I must tell you it is a bit girly for me. A short post today, hope you are all recovering from a wonderful Mother's Day. Love to you all. Melxx

Gotta Love his style - Noel Mignon

These are older photos of Nate, (pls excuse the terrible cropping - I am having trouble with this at the moment) when he was approx 14 months old, but I used the gorgeous papers in the Noel Mignon kit and now almost 2 years later he brings out that same guitar and sings to me, I usually dance to it (hope you can get that image out of your head) and he gives it his best shot but it really sounds like he is chanting like the Hari Krishners do - but I tell him how well he sings. I guess this is the reason for Mother's Day, the things we do for our kids that usually go unrewarded, the little white lies we tell them to boost their confidences and the food we have to bring ourselves to waste or chance becoming huge whilst they are developing their likes and dislikes. But to those of you that don't have kids, if you have a pet you love (Annmaree) happy mum's day to you too, your pets would be lost without you too and I think you deserve the title too.

Wow thank you so much for your advice with my posts, I have now looked and yay an "edit html" button, where did that come from, I am sure that I have been blogging almost a year and only noticed it when you all told me, for those of you that suggested just cutting and pasting without using it, my blogger just doesn't allow me to do it.. but I am so blown away so many of you, my dear friends, were their to help me with my computer problems, I usually am no help to anyone with these things.

Sounds like it is pretty half and half re: Edward and Jacob, but some of you have mentioned I may shift teams once I have seen the movie, and as good friend Tanya Tahir put it, give me "tanned and muscly over pastey and thin anyday" so not too hard to work out which team she is on what she has said definately offers food for thought.

I had plans to watch New Moon tonight but after Nate and I did the mowing, Aunty Jan got her new computer desk so I connected her devices back for her, then a little nap with Nate, now going to make some ATC's for Amandas Swap blog tonight, and just watch what's on tv.

I would like to share a dear friend's Rak of amazing goodies on her site. While your there have a look at her scrapping style, Samantha was one of the first people I met whilst blogging and she gives me awesome inspiration, not to mention the best blog candy.....She is also in Scrapbooking Memories this month.

I hope you have enjoyed this wonderful Saturday and tomorrow is equally wonderful for you. Catch up soon dear friends. Love Melxx

First and last layouts

Just worked out how to do this copying of candy etc, but if anyone knows how to change the insertion of your photos so they go underneath each other it would be great, this is the end of my blog post and it has popped up at the top, help.....
Anyway this is the candy Tracey Feeger has on her blog, I am not a dedicated stamper but this is awesome. Now I know how to do this I will show you some more when I see them.

Okay the top layout is the last layout I have done and the bottom is close to my first ever, well I can see a bit of a change, I think this was great to do Caz, thanks for setting the challenge out.

Wow quite a few Jacob fans in the comments too, look, honestly I think Edward is a nice boy and loved the tricks he can do, like climb to the top of a tree in 3 seconds, and I found the movie was one I could actually escape in, I find that hard to do, I am always saying to Jan, " I don't get that" whilst watching movies and she know me now, and explains away. So I found I did this myself with Twilight and looking forward to seeing "New Moon". I think I would love Avatar too, it looks like something I could escape to another world in too.

We went to the Plaza yesterday and I got my Coral Fleece Teal throws, well 2 actually, just to put away...I just love the feel of them, had a muffin and coffee at Muffin Break, and Nate must have exhausted himself because he had a sleep. Today I have some errands then to Hungry Jacks (it has a super play area right where we eat, so I can watch Nate super easy) I meet a friend there every Friday for lunch and he plays with her 2 kids. Then it is mini's soccor tonight. Then home to scrap........

I have met ScrapperCaz (caroline) through a blog site and she has a little challenge going on her blog to display your first ever layout, and then your last. So that is what I am doing today. How about those super huge letters. OM Goodness. It is fun, she has a wonderful prize for doing this too.

Sorry my posting is out of sequence but if anyone knows how to add the photos to go under each other rather than on top, please help... I hope you all have a wonderful day, I am going blogging this arvo so cannot wait to see what inspiration you have for me today. Love to you all. Melxxxx

Twilight - Edward Layout

Morning all, it's a beautiful day here today, sun is shining and all is well in this house as I hope it is in yours. Today we are going to Redbank Plaza, I bought this Teal Coral Fleece bedspread/throw about 4 years ago and I just love it, it has held up so well with a 3.5 year old and 2 poodles on it, so am going to buy myself another one, may buy some new cushions too. Aunty Jan came down yesterday and I did 2 layouts so I will show you them soon.

Twilight is the only movie besides Pretty Woman that I have voluntarily watched over 3 times so I thought I would document the fact so in the future Nate will know what his mum liked to watch. I have read New Moon but unfortunately not seen the movie yet so Saturday night is the night. I guess you could say that so far I am on Team Edward and this is my favourite pic of him captured from the side. I am not a fan like some, don't have any memorabillia to name but just enjoy looking at his gorgeous angelic lol face. I may be 42 but I can still admire.

I am still experiencing some computer glitches so bear with me, apparently my computer is over 4 years old now, and things are starting to wear out, isn't that disgusting considering the money I paid for it. Anyway I am excited for some of my blogger friends and get so excited when I see their layouts in the mags, Samantha Hauzer is in the latest Scrapbooking Memories and Amanda Taylor in the current Scrapbook Creations, I get so excited and proud for you when I see you. I love my blogger friends, you know how much you mean to me. Have a great day, love Melxxx

Yay! It's fixed

It was a new video card and fan problem, and $202.00 but I had to smile as I actually didn't care, just wanted to get back on and into the action. To recap the weekend we had, Sunday we had one of our wonderful drives with Col and Jan, went to Maroochydore and we sat on the beach (calm part) and just relaxed under a big tree as Nate found some friends to play with in the water. It was awesome and he had a ball, fish and chips for early tea, and early to bed when we got home. Then on Monday I went down to Amanda Taylor's house and scrapped up a storm with her, finished 2 layouts and really actually liked them, I seem to find so much mojo when I am scrapping with her, the boys played really well and we had a beautiful aussie bbq for lunch.

Took Nate to the speech Therapist yesterday morning and he is in the right place in his speech so put this mum at rest. He seems to be getting so talkative, drives you a little mad sometimes, but you know it won't be long before I am missing it. The computer man (Vince) told me his older boy was 8 before he stopped saying Love you mum, Love you dad, and still cuddled them, so I figure I have 4.5 years left and going to make the most of it.

I am now off to see all your gorgeous creations and see what you have been up to. Missed you all, love Mel.

By the way the above layout is for this months Artastic challenge Blog, the criteria is to take inspiration from the painting and add an Australian animal somewhere on the page. I did this page of my little man, although the shirt he is wearing looks like a dress, watching his Uncle Col do the whipping at our house. He wakes up at the moment saying "mum I go to work" great ethic Nate although apparently by the time he is old enough to go to work this has worn off. lol

Computer Broke

Hi everyone, I am sitting on a friend Amanda Taylor's laptop, my computer just decided to not turn on for me Saturday morning and because of the Public Holiday today I cannot get Vince (my computer man) over until tomorrow (Tuesday) night. Please bear with me, I am having blogger withdrawals here, but asap I will be back to see what you are all up to. Can't wait, keep well. Love Melxxx

Creative Scrappers Sketch #101

Morning dear friends, it is a beautiful looking day outside, a little cooler this morning, and I have to go out this morning, so Aunty Jan is coming down to look after little one for me, hopefully I should only be 2 hours so I can come home, do a little more housework, and then scrap, scrap, scrap. (You know I say this every post but 9 out of 10 times this doesn't go to plan) but at least the thought is there.

Nate is at the stage now where he is just so much fun, he says the cutest things, the Speech Therapist I took him too, asked me some questions I said "no" to him doing, but since then he has started doing them, so I may have been a little premature with my worries, but glad I checked it out anyway. We go again on Tuesday for the results. He is just making me laugh all day, asks a million questions or should I say the same question a million times, it's like I just don't give him the answer he wants. I have asked him to stop growing and stay like this always, but he just says, "oh mumma" and of course I just melt.

Anyway, about the layout, this photo wasn't posed for, must have just caught him turning during the shot, but I just loved it, he had his hair cut on Friday, and it looks so different now, I just want to take photos of everything, even that bit of hair he has at the top of the photo sticking up like turkey feathers is super cute. This layout took me about 2 hours to complete, so I am a slow scrapper, I usually don't finish in the same sitting either, usually get my bits together and place them loosely on the page then have to take it off the table because it is tea-time etc then come back and ink and stick down. I love using the spritz mini's by Shimmerz, they are gorgeous, but if anyone can tell me what to do about how it warps the paper slightly.

I will be blogging this morning and then this arvo again, so will catch up with you all today my friends. Looking forward to the goings on in your lives, love to you all. Melxx

Creative Scrapper sketch # 98

This is my entry for the #98 sketch at Creative Scrappers, I just love their sketches. This is a close up of little man concentrating, yes you heard it, it was wonderful to see, I love the intense look, Uncle Col has been teaching him how to use the remotes of the ferrari and 4wd, he loves them. I am back to creating with my original style which is 8.5 x 11 layouts, in this one, I used one of my fiskars rulers and drew the lines and then coloured in with liquid paper, I cut some circles out of American Crafts paper and did a frame using the same technique with liquid paper added some strips and cut out a Jenni Bowlin frame. I am so not a journaller, it's just me, a date and a little bit is it for me, because I do so many layouts I think, but if I am doing a layout on something really important I would like to tell, I write on a piece of paper and stick it to the back of the layout, I have heard people do this with leftover photos of the same event also.

It's overcast here today, time to go to the video store and grab some weeklies, Nate would like Shrek again, then to Aunty Jan's, she is not well at the moment and I am going to do some general cleaning for her. Nate only got up at 8.35am and is now lying on the lounge like a lizard with his lamby (he calls her Merr) and a cup of tea (he doesn't know he has green tea). I actually bought him a tea set recently and he is always making me a cuppa. We did have one little misshap though, he made a cup of tea in the kitchen, when I came out he had used every bit of sugar and 1/2 tin of coffee, mum wasn't impressed. So now I make the tea in this house.

I hope whatever you are doing today, you are well and happy, I look forward to catching up with what you have been up to when I go blogging. Love Melxx

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.