Noel mignon kit/cards for mum's b'day

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a wonderful day. Dreary weather here, just took Nate out for a bit, went to Lifeline op shop and picked up this steering wheel (computer game) thingy, and he is here driving the car and honestly, we are going to have lots and lots of lessons before this boy drives his first real car..... but it was 50c and I got the lady to cut the computer cord off it there and then for me. I so have to do a layout about the best 50c toy we have found to date...

The above layout is one I created using motivation I found when I purchased an e-book from ella publishing, I haven't attempted a double page layout in ages, and definately never finished one with only 2 photos on it, so this was nice to try. Again I used the gorgeous Noel Mignon July kit goodies.

The cards you see above are 8 of approx 15 I am making for mum for her birthday, I just thought this is something that she may possibly like presented in a decorated box as she has everything else she could possibly want for. My friend Jess also mentioned she pre-stamps them when she does this too, which sounds like a great idea. I have so many great inspirational card makers that I visit, Jess, Deb, Liz,  & Amy - to just name 4 this time around. Thank you as visiting your blogs I have learn't so much.

A good blogging friend Lisa has asked if I would share with you all some embellishment flowers she has for sale at the moment, she does some gorgeous really great valued kits too. You can find her kits and other goodies for sale like the pic below right HERE.

I seem to be on a scrappy roll at the moment, and loving it, I really hope it keeps going, you know what the mojo is like, in today gone tomorrow, lol. Tomorrow is Friday again, where has this week gone, shopping tomorrow and my fav show "Trial & Retribution" tomorrow night ABC. Off to see what you have all been up to. Love Melxx

Noel Mignon - Challenge (no patterned paper)

Morning everyone, hope all is well at your places, it's crazy weather here at present, overcast, sunny, showering, sunny again, you know just enough to send you batty when you have washing to do and 2 poodles and a 3 yr old who love to be outside for a short while and then want to come back and lay on the lounge......

The layout "Sweetness it's in your eyes" is one I did for Noel Mignon challenge site this week, (no patterned paper) it was heaps of fun, her challenges I enjoy doing and well using the gorgeous kit with all the DeLovely goodies in it (sorry they are pink Nate) I love. If you are curious to see her August kit, have a look here, I cannot wait to get this one. 

I just love the Heidi Swapp black Glimmermist and once again I used my trusty liquid paper around the edge of the layout - just to frame it. I made the circles mask using a 12 x 12 already cut out chipboard piece, not sure where I bought it from.

Okay, so today is our lady's day, boy the week comes around super quick, and then I am going to come home and do some more scrapping, gee I wish you could come over for a coffee and scrap with me, as it is now, I will probably have Toy Story 2 which I borrowed from the video store on for the 20th time whilst I am scrapping here. Thankfully tomorrow is Wednesday Scrap day with Aunty Jan and I look forward to it. I think it is so nice to do what you love whilst chatting and of course as we will be downstairs, Lightning McQueen will be playing also.

Oh, I almost forgot, dear friend's Cathy and Sam gave me beautiful awards for my blog, thank you ladies, both of these lady's are awesome scrappers, but you probably already know that but you can click on their names to go straight to their blogs, the conditions were I had to tell you 5 things about myself: You may already know these things, but here goes:

1. I will be 43 next March (feel so much younger though)

2. Drive a 2006 Rav4 4wd - white in colour

3. Next goal is to be on a Manufacturer's DT

4. Used to be an Accountant during the day and aerobics instructor at night

5. Love coffee (about 3 - 4 cups per day)  and chocolate (especially together)

Thanks so much for the beautiful awards dear friends, but I would like to give all of you an award so if you want to share some things about yourself, I would enjoy reading.

Love to you all, have a fantastic day, somehow blogger seems to have changed again and can only upload 1 photo at a time, so will share another layout Thursday. Love Melxxx

My Minds Eye layout

Nate and Uncle Col


Good morning everyone, hope this Saturday finds you all healthy, happy and relaxed (yeah right) lol we are having a dvd morning here, watched New Moon Tanya........but after reading the book was just a little let down, I guess I had formed my own little movie in my head.  Nate is now watching Hot Wheels car thingy dvd, so I am trying to concentrate here on what I am doing.


The above layout is one I did using the gorgeous June Nook kit, I just added a Fancy pants word heading "everyday" and some Tessa Buys flowers (corrugated ones), I made the brown button myself using some of Nate's play dough and putting it in the oven.


I entered this layout in the My minds eye challenge and was actually really happy with how it turned out, but when I was reading this I must of only had one coffee as I forgot one of their criteria, put the word HOPE on the layout, but after I notified them they were gracious enough to still ask if they could put the entry into their gallery, which was nice.


Can you believe it is the end of the month already, wow I am just getting through my challenges for this month. We are going to Nate's school in 2012 fete tomorrow, the theme is Craft this year so looking forward to seeing the inspiration. Hard to believe my boy goes to school soon. This thought inspires me to scrap all the things he is up to right now, as before too long I won't see him during the day........Love to you all my friends, off to check out your days. Melxx

Scrap the Boys

Hi Dear friends, hope this has been a great week for you all, been very busy this end, last Saturday was the Handmade markets, caught up with Michelle Jamieson which was nice, (Scrapbooking Master 2009) she sells her brand of merchandise which is called Chelley Bean there. Then Saturday night was to Sizzler for Uncle Col's birthday, Sunday I did some scrapping, Monday to Amanda Taylor's for our scrap day, Tuesday had our lady's morning tea and then some appts, and after a scrap day with Aunty Jan today, I think it's MasterChef and then to bed with my new Scrapbooking Memories Mag.

The above layout is for the Scrap the Boys Challenge blog and this month they have supplied a sketch which is totally optional to use and the criteria is use stamping on your page, the star stamp I have used is a Studio Calico one, I stamped onto some brown Kraft and matching colours on this layout, lots of fun. Oh and I opted to use their sketch also.

This is the new look Nate with his super short haircut, we found a hairdresser that he really likes, his name is Ashe and the day after he got it cut he went in and gave him a freddo frog and gave him a hi - 5, so hallelujah....

That is it for me, have another layout almost finished so I will share this over the weekend. Love to you all and your dear family's. Mel and Natexx

Noel Mignon - Challenge, Nate's 3rd b'day

Hi everyone, hope you are all being crafty, happy and healthy. I know I sound like a broken record and know I am not the only one, but wow doesn't the time just fly, not sure where this week has gone, looked this morning and its been 5 days since I last blogged. To tell you a little about our week:

The layout above is for Noel Mignon Challenge, This "Party Sunny" Kit has been my favourite kit so far, gorgeous with lots of the DeLovely range by Cosmo Cricket, this is my very favourite range at the moment. The challenge was to create a layout indicating when you feel your independence started, mine was when I told Nate's dad I was pregnant and he left me and fled to another state, lol - I laugh now but you know I have stayed single since this day, and since this day I became very independant and love it, I know one day I may meet someone special but am super happy as "just the two of us" for now. I often say, where on earth would I find the time with a 3 year old, 2 poodles, scrapbooking, housework, mowing, gardenning, friends.....blogging...super busy as it is.

The layout below is a layout "just for me" I took so many photos of Nate for his 3rd birthday, and am still seeing some I want to scrap, again the papers were from Noel's kits. Tonight is soccer after the school holidays, I enrolled Nate into Prep school for 2012 and was 46/70 so glad I got in early. Had our lady's day on Tuesday, and Jan and I had Scrap Wednesday together, shopping today and took Jan to get some stitches out, (melanoma) she is fine. Uncle Col's b'day tomorrow, dinner and fete Sunday so that is the weekend gone and off to Amanda's for our fortnightly scrapfest on Monday.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend. Looking forward to seeing you all, I got a gorgeous blog award from Cathy Cafun (will do the questions next post) and received a beautiful RAK from Julie Lakose today, thank you this totally made my day. Sarah Lou, still no package and surprising as it is Julie lives in USA and the post is received fine and you are the next State and it hasn't turned up. Crazy hey.

Love to you all. Melxx

Screen to Scrap and Kraft it Up

Hi everyone, hope this post finds you all well and happy, the above layout is my entry for Screen to Scrap this month, taking some inspiration from "Sherlock Holmes" screen poster as I have not seen the movie, I used my very own Detective, following the criteria of Teal in the layout, something metal and a block title. In the days when taking photos of Nate suited him, (only a few short months ago) I managed to snap these photos of what he does when you ask to take his photo, he is a born model, smiles and tilts his head to one side and then the other, now I get a hand straight out and he says "NO mum" I mean I hear some mum's saying their kids don't like photos being taken but surely I thought I would get a few more years in before this happenned. Looks like I will be taking more candid, "I got you" photos from now on.






This is my entry for Kraft it Up this month, the criteria was to use 4-6 photos, and of course use Kraft cardstock. These are some pics of Nate servicing the mower, or should I say his mower as everything is "Mine" at present, he did have a big learning curve here as just after these photos were taken and I was thinking just how gorgeous "The Help" is around the house, I put the camera away and came back to see him putting grass that he had just cut using (not my faves thankfully) my scrapbooking scissors into the poor Victa's petrol tank, thankfully I caught him quickly and only a small amount was in the tank, he is certainly quicker than the eye, but I put it down to the imagination of a 3 year old. Will have to get better help. lol.



Good friend Wati Basuri sells these gorgeous flowers they sell for $3.50 SGD which is approx $2.75 AUD and can be purchased through paypal. I have just ordered some and cannot wait to receive them. Just click on HERE to see more gorgeous colours in these flowers.

This week looks busy again, follow up Speech Therapy appt today, Lady's morning tea tomorrow, bring on Scrap Wednesday lol as for apart from cutting out bits and pieces I probably won't get paper to page until then and let me know what you think but for the mum who has everything I decided to make her 15 or so birthday & anniversary cards & bought a nice box to put them in, I got this idea from Stacey Cohen.

Hopefully, I will have no more eco friendly fuel experiments in the lawn mower to report, until then dear friends, I will visit you all and see what you are all up to. Love Melxxx

Scrap the Boys

Hi everyone, hope you are all well, really cold and rainy here again, wow this is a horrible winter, but in saying that it is nice cuddling up with the gang of poodles and the small boy here at nights. Still doing my cutting out and I just went and got my favourite scissors sharpenned and they are back to brand new again. Do you have a favourite pair of scissors or is this weird?

The layout above is my "Scrap the Boys" entry for this month, I am so glad this great challenge site is back, the layout is not my usual style but I just had to find a way to document some of the crazy things that go on here in this house. I used numbers to dot point some of the funny/crazy occassions and some cute photos of Mr. Nate with the title "the one and only you". I am so thankful I am a scrapbooker. It is just like Aunty Jan says, "there is never a dull moment at your house" and this mum wouldn't change a thing, well I would like a break from the damn "Cars" movie that seems to be on whenever he takes time out to sit on the lounge.....If you would like to see the new "Scrap the Boys" challenge site, please CLICK HERE

Boy there are some sales on at the moment and some gorgeous stuff I really want, notice I didn't mention need, I think that would be fibbing....I placed an order Tuesday night with Tracy at My 2 angels and wow received it today and that is just awesome service to me and I cannot wait to get stuck into my goodies, I bought some Black Magic Glimmer mist and some Ranger Red Puffs embossing powder which are just dying to be opened and some awesome little charms that will add that finishing touch to my layouts - sooo cute and some papers, glues, pens and inks..... To check out her great site just click on the shop name above or CLICK HERE

The layout below is my first page I did with the Studio Calico June Kit, and my attempt at a simple, lots of negative space layout. Nate has Aunty Jan's glasses on in the photo here and this mum thinks he looks super cute.



The blog candy below is to celebrate Samantha Hauzer's new Blog "Purple pumpkin" she is just awesome at making these divine buttons,flowers and all sorts of gorgeous handmade embellishments..just click HERE or on the blog name above and put your name on the post to win these.



Lastly, I got the shock of my life when a great blogger friend Julie Lakrose used 2 of my layouts for her Scraplift Saturday, seriously humbling Julie but at the same time a great feeling to think someone would want to scraplift me, thanks Julie, I really love what you did, if you would like to see the 2 layouts she scraplifted just click HERE.

Okay, time to get the tea out here, made Lasagne, Nate's favourite, and Max and Stan love it too. Will be off to check your blogs later tonight and tomorrow. Look forward to catching up. Love Melxxxx

ARTastic, Studio Calico, Design Dollies

Hi everyone, bad blogger this week, been a busy week, hope you have all been well and keeping cool or warm depending of where you are in the world.

A few layouts to share this week, "Not the full deck" is my submission for the Design Team at ARTastic this month, the criteria being, you have to have a playing card, a feather and shades of brown, the pictures here are of Nate and I being silly with his bunny ears this last easter.

I got the gorgeous Studio Calico kit this week, so the layout "Operation" is from the kit with the exception of the silver camera which my good friend Amanda Taylor gave me. I based my layout on the inspiring works of Sasha Farina, (love love her work).

The layout "at the Beach" was one I did for the Dollies DT and haven't had a chance to show you yet. April 2010 Nate and I went on a camp and this is us at Currimundi Beach on the Sunshine Coast. I think this paper was from Pink Paislee, and the canvas material is prima printed canvas, it is divine.

Been a busy week this week, an older friend and I started a small older women's group, we meet every Tuesday at 10.30am and we had 7 attend this last week. The ladies are all over 65, and don't get out of the house very much, I take Dawn (83 years young) and she is gorgeous with lots of great story's of times past, we all have a coffee, laugh and chat and Nate enjoys playing with kids in the cool play area. I feel so enriched to have these older ladies in my life, and it makes their week to get out and chat.

Wednesday was scrap play day, got a layout completed for upcoming ARTastic DT and watched "Cars" the movie another 3 times, Nate leaves and goes and plays on his trampoline or bike and Jan and I are left to watch it, however, if he pops back in to see us and notices we have changed the channel to normal tv, B....so we just leave it on. I almost know the words off by heart.

Went for our walks on Thurs & Friday, and Saturday went to a small park (we walked) and their was a great children's fun day, Nate played with play dough, card and craftmaking & dress ups. We had a great day. I hope you are all very well, I have my scrap day with Amanda tomorrow so hopefully will have some layouts to share with you later in the week. Love to you all dear friends. Melxx

Just for me layout

Hello everyone, wow it is freezing here, been 0 degrees all day, wow I wore a scarf today and have a pair of socks and slippers on, wow it is so not a pretty site, I forgot to mention the pink flanellette pj's with bears on and a hot pink dressing gown....but I am warm.

I just created the first layout for me, I loved this gorgeous paper and have had some Little Yellow Bicycle transparency overlays for ages so I cut up the words and they read, I will love you today, tomorrow and forever and the pic is of Nate sitting on a openair mini train at the Ipswich Museum, it is one of my favourites of him.

My friend Teru, who I got to meet being on Design Dollies site, asked me to share the page in the Scrapbook Creations this month, so Teru here it is my friend, I hope you like it, if you get a chance, click on his name, he is so young, lives in Sweeden - and is such a talented scrapbooker, he does his pages in 8" x 8" size, and whilst your their, check out his two gorgeous boys (well they are real to him and you know what I have come to know them as real little boys also).

The bottom layout is really old, but I thought I might share it with you, probably about 18 months ago, it is one of the ones I feel comfortable sharing as some are just shocking to me now days. I still love the memories in the old ones but well - you may know what I am trying to say....

Just a few things to share, Nate had his first horse ride (I didn't have my camera can you believe), went to the Handmade markets on Saturday and bought my farm produce and homemade cakes & Monday Nate rode his bike while I walked the dogs. Well that's about all the news, will pop over to your blogs and see what you have all been up to. Love to you all dear friends, Love Melxx

Noel Mignon White space layout, soccer boy

Good morning to you all hope this post finds you happy and healthy, well it's Sunday morning here, rugged up and it's cold and overcast, and I am guessing you are sweltering over the other side of the world. Wow the cold has slowed this scrapper down heaps, I still sit and cut out at night time but the actual finding of the photos and glueing down is eluding me, after checking out your blogs I am sort of thinking whether it is stinking hot or freezing cold we are all feeling the effects of the weather in our lives. Thank you so much for the gorgeous comments you all leave me, I read them over again and they make me so happy to know I have so many gorgeous friends.

Nate was awesome at soccer on Friday night, but unfortunately two weeks holiday now as school is out for two weeks. I actually enjoy soccer as I feel so proud watching him on the field.

Uncle Col had a little windfall last week on lotto, he won $860 and because giving makes him so happy he gave Nate and I $100 to spend, the Handmade expo was on Saturday so I bought us all a little something with the money, Max and Stan got handknitted jumpers, Nate got a car from the "Cars" movie and well I bought a Studio Calico kit. After the markets where Jan and I purchase handmade cakes and farm fruit and veges we came home and to watch this little boy jump out of the car and run to Uncle Col is just so beautiful, money really is nothing, time is everything and Uncle Col dedicates his full attention to Nate when he comes for a visit, they roll on the grass, play tricks on Jan and I, throw balls to Max and Stan, garden, mow, it's just beautiful to see how this man who has never been able to have children of his own, loves my little man with all his heart.

I forgot to mention I was published for the first time in this month's Scrapbook Creations, in the Blue section. I got the biggest thrill showing Nate his picture in the mag, he must be so used to me reading the mags at first I think he didn't even notice. He rode a horse yesterday also at the markets and now says "I ride the horse mumma" how cute, I am so in love with my 3 year old.

The above Easter layout is a white space challenge on the Noel Mignon challenge blog, I love the challenges here.

Love to you all, you mean the world to me and your comments always touch my heart. Melissaxxxx

doing tacos, poodle cuddles

Hello my dear friends, hope this post finds you in good spirits, not too cold if you are in Australia and not to hot if you are like some of my blogger friends in the USA. Wow I am in a bit of shock, this happens when you don't watch the news and when I went to bed last night we had a man as Prime Minister of our Country and this morning upon waking find out we now have a lady Prime Minister, yay for the girls, I have always liked Julia, saw her story on tv one night and she seems very down to earth....anyway just hope things work out for us all, not really into politics...

The layouts today are one of myself and dearest Stanley Poodle, he is 8 now and larger than his dad Max but is still my baby, how sad hey, as they are starting to get on in age I do worry I have enough documentation to look back on to remember them. I have Nate and 14 year old max here right now running around like madmen. Sounds like a heard of elephants, when we go shopping Nate always wants to buy Max and stanley a toy and so they have almost as big a collection of toys as Nate himself. I am struggling putting a page together at the moment, just so content sitting in front of the tv and cutting things out, but this is coming to an end as I just have so many cut outs and I have to stick them on to a page.

Hope you like the layouts, used some old Luxe papers on the layout of myself and stanley and the 2nd layout is one I just had to create with photos I took of Nate eating tacos for the very first time. Bit of doodling on this one, not sure exactly if I like it or not, you know how you have those ones. But it's all about capturing the memories and looking at these photos just make me smile.

I have been a shocking blogger this week time has just flown for me here, will check in on you all and see what you have all created and look forward to catching up. Love to you all. Melxx

Kraft it up, Noel Mignon

Morning dear friends, wow a little chilly here this morning, and I am off for my fortnightly scrap day with Amanda Taylor, the photo above shows Amanda's boy Connor doing sound for Master Nate while he sings, he is so excited to be going and has been saying all night "I go to Con's now?". I just try to explain he has to sleep first...

The layout titled "Beautiful Grins" is my entry for KRAFT IT UP this month, the criteria is you have to use a Kraft background and utilise heaps of white space. The layout titled "While you were sleeping" is using a Noel Mignon technique where you use the default letters from their casings and mist. I just love this idea and am actually going to use this again today. When we come home from our day trips with Jan and Col, we always bet how long before Nate falls asleep, he is usually so quiet, which is just the opposite on the going to trip, he now yells 'DUCK' when we go underneath every bridge, which Uncle Col taught him to say, but this day he just crashed and it was my turn to have a little fun without him knowing.

Well I must be off, time to leave for Amanda's, heaps of traffic usually, and so many bridges to DUCK UNDER. Hope you all have a great day. Look forward to catching up with all of you soon. Love Melxx

Screen to Scrap entry

Hi everyone, raining here today, wow this is just perfect weather for staying inside and scrapping hey! wish I could. errands to run this morning, but this arvo I have to put some finishing touches on some layouts. The layout above is for SCREEN TO SCRAP challenge this month, the criteria is white rabbits, a fob watch and a "drink me" bottle, I used my favourite perfume photo, the theme is "Alice in Wonderland". I used a template and misted the background and then doodled some black circles randomly and traced around a scolloped shape to get the yellow and pink cardboard shapes. I handcut the letters for the "my very own" part of the title and everything else came in the gorgeous Noel Mignon kit this month.

The photo of Nate and his old dog happenned the other night, tried to watch the State of Origin, Maxi had his Bronco coat on and Nate his State of Origin pants, but neither could make it, I thought it was so cute both of them on the end of the lounge. Stanley poodle sits with me which is this side of Nate and I cut out things and he has his head on my lap. Well that's our nights here everyone. And I wouldn't change a thing.....Have a great day everyone. Off to check out what you have all been up to. Love Melxxx

Just for me layout- Action Jackson

Hello my friends, hope everyone is well and scrapping up a storm, been a bad blogger last couple of days, mowing needed doing, dr's visit, Amanda's for a scrap day, lots of things on. But all seems back to normal today, so back into the routine. Had a great day at Amanda's house, I did 3 layouts, but with a few little things to add, this is a milestone for me, the layout I am showing you today is a "just for me" I call Nate Action Jackson, and just wanted to put this on a layout somehow.

Nate runs on all 8 cylinders all day until he drops usually, but he says the cutest things, yesterday he came out of the blue and said to Pat, Amanda's husband, "Excuse me man" and well we just cracked up. Wrote it down immediately so I would remember it. Oh the fun begins, we were in Bunnings the other day and of course, Jan and I turned around and Nate had his pants down doing a little wee in the ferns in the garden section there, omg how embarrassing, what can you do, no toilets around for mums with kids toilet training and they have little control I believe at 3, when he has to go, he means "now".

Starting to get a little colder here at nights and mornings, 3 degrees yesterday morning, but it is still gorgeous during the day. Jan is coming down tomorrow, all day (Nate keeps reminding me) so I should finish the final touches to my layouts to share with you all. Love Melxx

Creative Scrapers Sketch #107

Hi everyone, hope you are all healthy and happy, it's a long weekend here in Queensland for the Queen's birthday!!! I have just got home from soccer, turns out it wasn't on tonight. I am sort of glad, Nate is in bed, it's almost 8pm and I am not far away myself, quite cold here tonight too.

The layout above is for the Creative Scrappers blog sketch #107, my dear blogger friend Wendy Turner the guest designer this week and I just had to try this sketch, had heaps of fun with Jillibean, October Afternoon and Pink Paislee's patterned papers from the last Noel Mignon kit. I don't actually measure anything I do, so am every so glad things are pretty even with the front page panels. This is Nate's superman outfit and we made some playdough this day and he had heaps of fun with it. You know I cannot remember my mum doing any of those sort of things with me.

The weather is slowing my mojo down at the moment, hope it's not affecting you in the same way, hopefully my Monday scrapfest at Amanda's will kick start the week for me. Planning to scrap tomorrow with Jan, so hopefully will have another layout to show by Sunday night. By the way, dear friend Cathy Cafun mentioned an event this weekend she was going to, I have realised that event she was referring to is the Scrapbook and Craft Fair, thanks for the reminder Cathy, not sure if I will be going as yet will let you know if I go and we can possibly meet up.

Have a great weekend everyone, I will be spending this weekend catching up on visiting your great blogs. Take care. Love Melxx

Noel Mignon - Challenge

Good morning everyone, hope you are all well this morning, I have a layout to share with you I am submitting for the Noel Mignon Challenge this week, you had to use one sheet of patterned paper, I used a piece of Jenny Bowlin and I have to tell you this layout took nearly a week with each night a little more achieved. I cut all the frames out, then black zigged around the outside, then liquid paper and frame doodled, but I had heaps of fun. I used this opportunity to mention some of the funny things Nate says as he is getting a handle on our language, a lot of what he says he just misses the pronunciation of the first letter, but it is all in the learning process.

The other pic is of my little boy (oh I just cannot believe the rate he is growing) right before my eyes, he loves to climb, loves extreme sports, has so many scars already, oh wow what next...... he enjoys everything he does, until you here the "Mumma Mumma" and you have to rescue. I love it but at the same time recognise he has no fear factor, he tries everything then realises it might be a littler harder than he thought, wow, I wonder if I was like that once or have I always stood back as it looked just way out of my comfort zone?

I have some beautiful candy to share also, Amanda is giving away some beautiful lollipop flowers she makes, they are just gorgeous, all you have to do is pop to her blog, (just click on her name here....Amanda) and it will take you there, become a follower and leave a comment, super easy, no advertising on your blog for those that struggle with this part. The candy will be drawn on Monday by me at her place for our fortnightly scrapfest.

Hope you all have a wonderful day, we are off to Sizzler for my dad's 70th Birthday, I missed going on Sunday as I was sick, so mum, dad, Nate and I are off their today. Will check out what you have all been up to when I get back this arvo. Love Melxxx

Soccer boy

Hello everyone, I am feeling great today, and it is a lovely sunny day here, the weather says it is coming in rain so I hope my washing machine man fixes my machine today, I bought a new large water saver in the upright style and have to say I have had a couple of things wrong with it, just glad it is under warranty but just wish I had taken out the extended warranty. Have lots of washing to do but he has just called to say he is on his way....

The layout above is another layout just for me, using some very old Pink Martini papers, I love the bright colours on the papers and the bits of bling are some Doodlebug ric rac I bought ages ago at a shop sale. Alas, no shops left in Ipswich, except Spotlight and I don't go their much, so I just get the Noel Mignon kit these days and that does me for the month.

The pic of Nate is his first night at Soccer, he is wearing shin guards and hasn't got his bib on here, but I just wanted to show you what a 3 year old soccer player looks like, I thought this was fairly rare but a lot of you are telling me your children/grandchildren start playing at this age. It is so cute watching them on the field, Nate has the attention span of a green ant (lol) and so sometimes just goes off on his own and other times joins in someone else's team, and just cannot make the full session, we leave about 15 minutes before it's finished. He is just so tired poor kid and is usually so worn out he falls asleep in the car on the way home, and we only have a 2 minute drive home.

Hope you are all enjoying the cooler mornings and nights, and for those of you that are starting your summer, lucky you, a good friend of mine mentioned in an email this morning how she didn't realise how much her blog meant to her, I have to agree totally, you guys mean the world to me. Thanks for sharing my life with me. Love Melxx

Creative Scrappers #105 and #106

Hi everyone, have woken to a wonderful day today, missed 36 hours as Nate and I both had the vomitting and diahorrea that is apparently going around, wow missed Wednesday completely, but we are just fine today (fri) and although staying home from Soccer tonight I think, just don't want to risk it.

I have just put the finishing doodles and journalling on my Creative Scrappers Sketch's #105 and #106. I have been doing more of my original style of late, usually when I just have the one photo, not sure the reason just enjoying the change. By the way the titles of the layouts are YELLOW CAB AND I THINK IT'S LOVE, PUPPY LOVE
Not so much to tell as we have been out of action but a funny thing happenned last night as Nate was playing "Going to work" he did the usual putting on his helmut and came over and said "I go to work now" and puckered up and then off he goes but he hit his hip on the protruding indoor garden holder (it's used now for storing his toys) and he turned around and was upset and he said "I can't go to work now" and I just laughed as he came back for a cuddle. I couldn't help laughing and know that I have to document this little game as it is too gorgeous, by the way, I have actually had some time to rethink how I do my journalling (or not) because I never seem to add much more than a date, well I have to change, their is so much I have to tell him. So stay tuned for the new style of showing my handwriting on my pages, going to be hard at first but too many great stories to tell him.

I hope you are all well and having fantastic days. Love to you all. Melxx

Noel Mignon Kit - Camp

Morning everyone, hope you are having sunshiney weather where you are, we truly are lucky, it's the first day of Winter today and it is just glorious outside, and we get to pick up our new DVD player which was playing up and they have just replaced it for us. Nate just loves to watch a DVD each day, and Toy Story is the DVD of choice at the moment, and each day for the last week I have had to show him their is no DVD player their for him to watch it. I bought him a Buzz Lightyear torso play suit and it had blow up wings also, so he puts these on and just looks super cute in it. The other night he got out the Police helmut and his suit on and made a makeship door next to where I was scrapping on the coffee table and said "I'm off to work now, and puckers up for a kiss, just melted my heart and then closes his helmut and off he goes, problem is he is back within 60 seconds and saying "Home from work now and puckering for the next kiss" and then this scenario gets repeated about 30 times. But I have to tell you Nate and my older dog - 15 year old Max, have just formed a bond like I cannot believe, they play out in the yard, upstairs and it's like Max is a puppy again, he runs and his tongue is hanging out and Nate is belly laughing with him chasing him. I guess he is like a brother to Nate.

The layout above is my attempt at a block sketch using the gorgeous October Afternoon, Pink Paislee and Lillibee patterned papers in the Noel Mignon kit, everything I have used here is from the kit. I really enjoyed doing this one, and of course the gorgeous Melissa Frances frame is just divine, I had to put a little mist on it though to highlight the ornate edging as it blended into the white background. The pic is of us at Currimundi for the camp we went on, I went for a canoe ride and when I got back Nate wanted to have a little try.

Went to Amanda's yesterday and had a great day. Accomplished 3 layouts and am super happy with all of them, got to watch her complete a fantastic layout, my favourite so far using the gorgeous new Kaiser papers, not a big fan of Kaiser but wow they are now bringing out some "Wow" stuff, the boys played together and Nate was asleep within 60 seconds of leaving Amanda's house, the proof that a great day for mum and boy was had.

Off to check out what you have all been up to now. Take care and stay well. Love Melxx

Screen to Scrap May entry

Hi everyone, a wet soggy rainy day here today, but there is a glint in my eye because it's perfect scrapping weather. Jan has said she will come down and do some scrapping so about to do some routine housework and then some blogging and then some scrapping and I can't wait. I just do not know how I fulfilled my life before Nate and Scrapbooking!

This layout is for this month's Screen to Scrap Challenge, I used a cropped photo of Amanda and myself, I go to Amanda's Monday for our fortnightly scrap day and I thoroughly look forward to it, Nate plays with her son Connor, and usually starts saying "Play Con" or "Go Con" Sunday afternoon and Amanda says Connor says "Gate come" so the boys amidst a bit of normal sharing issues with toys just love their play day together so the mums can talk scrap all day. And we do too.

Having been doing the DT layouts for next month this week, Mojo has been a little better, I actually changed scrapping to the big coffee table I have in the lounge and this is working out a little better, more room to spread out. Have you ever thought about how wonderful the internet is, at this very moment I can say I have scrapping friends in Sweeden, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Malaysia, England, and all around Australia, I am not sure how I would ever have met any of you if it wasn't for this ingenious invention?

Nate played Soccer last night and was just so tired, he misses his arvo sleep and sort of loses his attention span completely by 6pm, he fell asleep in the car on the way home and mind you it takes all of 90 secs in the car to get home. I sort of wish it would be on Saturday mornings as he is so alive then. Anyway, looking forward to catching up with you all, watched "While you were sleeping" again for the 60th time (lol) last night and then read for an hour so I am super tired, need another coffee and a good scrapping session to aliven me. Love to you all, have a wonderful weekend. Love Melxx

Just for me layout

Hi all, I have been really slack this week, at nights I have been sitting down and cutting out from my papers instead of actually putting them together as a layout, this has been really nice, but today was Scrapping Wednesday and that means Aunty Jan comes down (well 8 houses actually) and we scrap all day - in between playing with Nate. I placed all my embellies on the page but never got to stick it down so that is a tomorrow job.

A friend Tanya Tahir is having a great candy give away, (the picture is at the bottom of my post) I just love these gorgeous papers and she is giving away the whole matching set. Very generous hey. If you would like to be in with a chance just click on her name and it will take you right to her blog, a couple of posts down and your there, while you're their check out her amazing gorgeous work. (I am definately a fan)

I have to let you all know something funny that Nate said today, well this afternoon we were out playing with the dogs and he had his hand over his shoulder blade and was scratching, I said "what's up" and he said "I have an itchy crack" well Jan and I just cracked up, firstly that he actually said that and then wondering where on earth he has picked this up from, the only thing I can think of is he watches the Simpsons sometimes at tea time. I knew there was a reason why I said I would never let him watch it. Was super funny though.

I received the most beautiful award from Ange too, she said some humbling things about me and I just wanted to let you know that it meant the world to me Ange. You made my day my friend.

The layout is using the gorgeous Lillibee, Jillibean Soup and Pink Paislee papers, these all came in the Noel Mignon Kit I get each month from the States. This layout is about Nate always saying "Come Col" whether it be at home or when we are on one of our trips away. And Col being the kind, generous "grandfather" figure he is always does what Nate wants. He is one lucky little boy to have Jan and Col in his life. I hope you like the layout. Will visit all your blogs over the next 24 hours, hope you are all well and happily scrapping up a storm. Love Melxx

Creative Scrappers sketch #103

Hi everyone, I hope you have had a great weekend, will go blogging soon to see what you have all been up to. Well I took Nate to Soccer on Friday night, it was boggy and threatened to storm, but we made it home and then had some beautiful rain. Nate did well at Soccer and each week I see improvement with his attention, he did quite a few of the set activities this time.

He is actually going through a stage at the moment where he imitates his dogs, he gets on his hands and knees and pretends, a little scary but he is only 3 and he has such fun with Max especially (the old one) they play and he just laughs his head off, you cannot hear anything else as they sound like a herd of elephants running in the house, so the above photo was him pretending....to eat dog biscuits. It is very funny to watch him though. I used the Creative Scrappers sketch#103 for my layout but as usual I think I deviated slightly.

Congratulations Adina from Design Dollies she had a gorgeous little boy this week and all is well even though he was born premi, Nate was premi also, he was 4wks and 3 days early.

Aunty Jan came down last night and we scrapped and talked and Uncle Col gave Nate a long piece of pine wood and put several types of nails and screws in it, I bought him a set of screwdrivers and he takes the screws in and out and is really quite good, we joke he is going to be a carpenter, so we had fun watching him and yelling yay everytime he gets a screw out also. And another big yay, he went his first night with no nappy on, we have been great during the day for ages but nights not so good. Jan and I didn't get to bed until 12.45am, we just talked and created, it was awesome. Pretty slow today, just pottered around, usual housework and washing. Might not scrap tonight, maybe Masterchef and then read in bed. Time to now go and check what you have all been up to. Love Melxx

Creative Scrappers sketch #104

Hi everyone, the above layout is for the sketch challenge at Creative Scrappers #104.
This is Nate reading to Puppy, pig (guinea pig) and Merr (lamby). Isn't he so cute, I just love him at this age, he is so funny the questions he asks. I used the papers from the last month's kit from Noel Mignon, and added some prima bling and 2 other hambly transparency bits and the gorgeous cut outs are from Sei.

I had the most frightening thing happen last night, at 9pm my bank phoned me and told me their was an unusual transaction withdrawal from my credit card, I felt sick, $1065.00 using Western Union. Of course I hadn't withdrawn this, but they were so good they stopped my account immediately as this isn't something that has ever occurred in my account. I have today filled out paper work, spoke to the police and I am not worried at all but wow how scary these things can happen, I did a very silly thing, I got an email from PayPal yesterday saying that my credit card had been cancelled and I had to fill out the details again, I swear everything looked so legitimate, but it wasn't. I have learned a valuable lesson and now have a new card coming and fortunately the fraudulent activity transacted from Ireland so my bank was super quick to pick up on it, anyway I feel super better tonight and my bad headache has dissapated, just proving I have been super stressed since hearing this.

Nate is fine, has a bit of a cough but is totally running a muck, and thank you so much for your shrek replies, I had no idea he was so popular. I also got a phone call this morning and Big W, gee they have been wonderful with customer service, and they said that they have the Shrek box set for me and are getting it sent to the store for me. Nate is one lucky little boy. Whilst I was there I couldn't resist buying a talking buzz and dress up buzz suit for him for Christmas. I know this sounds super early, but this is just what I do, usually I have all my Christmas presents by July.

If anyone can tell me how many weeks to Christmas, I think we will all be surprised. I am doing some scrapping tonight, need my daily dose of creativity. So hope their is something good on tv. By the way Tanya, I still haven't seen New Moon, but I will soon. Gee life seems so busy, always so much to do. Hope I am not the only one to feel this way. Going to do some blogging tonight and tomorrow morning so I can catch up on your latest news, which has become something I look so forward to in my daily routine. Love to you all Melissaxx

Design Dollies Sketch Challenge

Hi everyone, hope you are all well and happy, thank you so much for the wonderful well wishes for Nate, he is just fine now, he still has a large scab (sorry) where the gash was, but I was told by the GP this has healed up very quickly. Yesterday I went and spent the day with fellow scrapper Amanda Taylor, as usual we had a great time, kids fought on and off all day, but Amanda finished two gorgeous layouts and I I fully completed. (But I am a slow scrapper).

The layout you see above is for this month's design team for Design Dollies, this was the 2nd of my layouts for this sketch challenge, the layout you saw of mine last was the one I decided to go with.

We went on the search for Shrek today, I got the movie's out over the last few weeks and he just loved them, he asks every day for them, but apparently because of the 4th movie release, they have recalled all of them, so looks like he will just have to wait. I must admit, I love the movies too, I find myself laughing at the double meaning parts, especially from the Donkey.....

I am off now to read all your wonderful blogs and be inspired by your amazing creativity, then tea and some scrapping for this lady. Cannot wait. Love to you all. Melxx

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