The cleaning avoidance continues....

My house is still trashed, there are toys EVERYWHERE, I have no idea where they will go. So I am avoiding it. I am staying downstairs, in the scrap room where I only have to deal with MY mess and not everyone elses. I know, this can't go on for much longer....but for the next few days at least and come new year, I need to get myself motivated, organised, healthy and all that stuff I tell myself every new year. Wish me luck....

Some scrapping to share, I've been busy.

This was a just because LO of my Dad with Georgia. I love the colours in this, this BG range is one of my raves of late.



This one is for Bon's Colour Challenge for last week's CC at Bon's Scraps. Can you believe I didn't have anything to do a page blue, black & white with bling? Well I probably did, but not that suited the photos I wanted to use. Luckily Scrapbooking Delights was having a sale last Tuesday and I picked up exactly what I needed.



This is for Stuck Sketches and is sketch #68. I bought this paper but then had no idea what to do with it, without covering it up or cutting it up. This sketch was perfect and I'm pleased with how it ended up.



And this one is for this months Puzzle Sketches. I didn't think I'd get many challenges done this month with Christmas and all, but I'm doing pretty good I think.



So yesterday I met the lovely Malinda who I met on the forum at Bon's Scraps. We will both be going to the Bon's Retreat next August, so it was nice to meet up before that and put a face to the name. We chatted in the sun for about an hour, before we gave up and went home before we melted. Malinda being from Melbourne is not used to our muggy hot weather in Wollongong!



It was another hot one today and this afternoon, after getting home from a lovely chinese lunch with my Mum & Dad, I filled up the little seashell pool for the kids to have a dip. Bronte's first swim and she wasn't sure, but had fun in the end.




So Em is here again, think she is staying for a few nights so we'll have more scrapping to show in days to come.

Oh before I forget, you HAVE to see the gorgeous mini album my friend Linda made me for Xmas, my god. And she told me we were only doing 'something little' for christmas...grrrrrr. I feel bad now about the box of chocolates I bought for her!



Whats everyone doing for new years? We're going to a party at our friends Anth & Linda's. Will be a pretty quiet night I think, all of us taking our kids, but it will nice to just have a catch up and take it easy. Hope you do something good!

Cheers,
Sar

Xmas Photos for Mum!

Just for my mum, xmas morning photos of the kids opening their pressies. See you soon, mum!

Xmas Eve after Santa had been...


Cooper opening his sack


Georgie's first presents


Bronte's first presents


Bronte eating paper


Mummy getting a dustbuster from Santa - pretty lucky considering Daddy broke the last one!


Bronte with her Santa hat


Wishing everyone an awesome xmas!! Have a wonderful day with family and friends. Cherish each moment.

Cheers,
Sar

Xmas Eve and STILL scrapping!

I know, I know....I should be getting my house organised for xmas, but come on....thats not FUN! And scrapping is...so I'll just keep scrapping while I can. LOL!

Here's one I did a couple of days ago, just because. About my gorgeous niece Emma and me not wanting her to grow up, for my own selfish reasons. The colours are a bit off in this pic, but you get the idea.



I joined in the CC at Bon's Scraps on Monday night, had a great time as usual and even managed to get the blind scrap done on the night. I just LOVE this one (again, of Miss Em). Thanks Sandie for the instructions, they were great.



Then I did Peta's sketch challenge yesterday, just cause I was in the xmas mood I scrapped photos from xmas two years ago when I was pregnant with Georgie. Used papers out of my new Sissey kit for this one.



I'm up early on xmas eve, Bronte girl didn't want to sleep in so that has forced me to drag my butt out of bed and get moving. The plan today is to clean this house....I MUST stay out of the scrap room today! Catching up with friends & family later this arvo and tonight, so looking forward to that. We finished wrapping the truckload of pressies after midnight last night, so thats one thing we don't have to worry about tonight. And we took the kids for a walk last night to check out the xmas lights as well. They were so excited and so cute, we were smiling the whole way just listening to Cooper & Georgia chatter away excitedly to eachother in the double pram.

Best go, the girl is grizzling. Hope you ALL have a wonderful and merry xmas, don't eat and drink too much (like I will)!!

Cheers,
Sar

Time @ Home, Finally....

I have spent a lovely couple of days at home this weekend, no plans, no appointments, no 'have-tos'. Its been wonderful and I feel like my kids have had a good time with me not having to run around like a lunatic. We need more of this, time for us. I wouldn't say my house is 'clean' but its much improved to the standard of last week. My ironing isn't all done, but I'm doing bits & pieces as I can. The washing is up to date, which with three kids is an achievement in itself. And, the best part of this weekend....my scrap room is kinda sorta organised.

I have decided to move my computer from the loungeroom into my scrap room, the main reason being that I am CONSTANTLY checking the computer and not fully engaging with my family. When I am upstairs, I need to be focused on them, not my 'scrap-life'. As much as I just LOVE my scrap world (and you guys, my readers!), I don't want my real life suffering for it as it has been. This doesn't mean that I won't be blogging, or won't be scrapping, nothing is going to change EXCEPT that I will have times during the day to check the computer....not every five minutes as I walk past the damn thing.

SO, the computer is moving as soon as Daniel puts powerpoints and phone lines in for me, hopefully in the next day or so. Em & I rearranged my scrap room last night and did a massive cleanout, putting in place some new organisation. I have a big box of scrap goodies waiting here for my friend Justine who I have just recently gotten hooked on this 'scrapbooking thing', so I'm hoping there are a few things in there that she will like and actually use.

And after all this organisation, I scrapped two pages today, really easily and really enjoyably! My desk was clear between pages and I knew where everything was. It felt great!

Here I have the current sketch, Sketch #6 on Inspired Blueprints, you HAVE to give this one a go, there have been some amazing takes on this already and I'm sure more to come.



Then this one, just because, using the GORGEOUS Webster's Pages PP again, love it. This photo is of Cooper and our bestie's daughter Charlotte, taken in August 2006. These two kids just adore eachother, but the funny thing is ever since we found out that Ben & Alicia were having a girl all that time ago, we said that Cooper would marry her one day. You never know, I guess..... ;)




Four sleeps till xmas, I can't believe it. I suppose I should start wrapping presents tonight instead of scrapping....but do I really feel like it? I know, I'm running out of time...okay, I'll wrap SOME and THEN I'll scrap....hehe...

Bye for now, my boy wants a cuddle before bed,
Sar

My big week in pictures!

So it all started on Tuesday morning with The Wiggles, what a great show as usual, and the kids had a ball. Here's a couple of pics of the kids (and Daniel) in action!




That night I headed to my fave restaurant ever, Mylan, with Justine & Amanda and we spent the night at the Ibis. What a blast, I haven't laughed so hard for such a long time. Or been as drunk...but I'm not dobbing myself in too much here....

Here's a before and after pic of us, might give you some idea....





So got home before lunch on Wednesday, only to go out again that night for Daniel's work dinner. A nice night, but a bit of a hassle running kids around here, there and everywhere.

Thursday, OMG, I don't even know how to describe Thursday. I MET HEIDI SWAPP! I'm just a bit excited about that, can you tell? She is just amazing, awe-inspiring, a little bundle of pure energy. Her thoughts and theories just blew me away, and I'm hoping they have some impact on my life. I want to be like her, I want to be positive, and happy, and know that I can be WHATEVER and WHOEVER I want to be, I just have to create my own path. I have lots of steps to put in place, but I know what I need to do to make myself 'happy'. And appreciative of what I have, cause shit, some days I just take total advantage of how lucky I am and do nothing but make everyone around me miserable. This needs to change.

Here are my pics with Heidi, so happy to have these, can't wait to scrap them!





A day that I will remember always, not only for meeting Heidi but for spending time with my scrapping friends Lisa & Loz. Gorgeous girls, thanks for being there for me.

Oh and where did I meet Heidi, I hear you ask? At Scraploot of course. The opening of their store was marked with this special event, and I have to say it went off without a hitch. The store is just awesome and I wish it was closer. You want it, they're got in, in scrapbooking supplies. Its just unbelievable.

And I may as well finish off with some scrapping. Not too much done this week for some reason. LOL! Anyone would think I've been busy...

Here is my take on Sketch #67 at Stuck?! that I did the other night whilst cyber scrapping with Loz.



And this one is for the December 2008 Sketch Comp at Anna's Craft Cupboard. Love this one, one of my recent faves actually.



Way past my bedtime so I'm off, fingers crossed for some scrapping this weekend, but with a trashed house to clean and way too many xmas pressies to wrap, its not looking good.

Bye for now,
Sar

Warning: BIG WEEK AHEAD!

My god, I'm tired just thinking about the week I've got ahead of me!

Tomorrow we are taking Cooper & Georgia to see The Wiggles at WIN Entertainment Centre, I just can't wait for Georgie's reaction, she will be so excited! Cooper is a 'big boy' now so we'll see how he likes it....

Then after that I have lunch at my Mum's with the Scquilter ladies and exchanging our xmas gifts, should be fun. Then an orthodontist appointment (not so fun). THEN out for the night with my girlfriends Amanda & Justine, all night, no kids, at a hotel, sleeping in, dinner out, brekkie out...woo hoo!! Can you tell I'm just a tad excited? LOL

Then Wednesday night we have a xmas party dinner for Daniel's work - and wives are invited, how nice of them.

Then Thursday....I'm going to the opening of Scraploot and will get to meet Heidi Swapp!! Woo Hoo!! Another major excitement in my life this week. And I get to spend the time with my scrapping buddies Lisa & Loz. Can't wait.

Friday night xmas dinner with my cross-stitch girls, then I think the weekend is pretty much mine. Think I may just need a rest by then, what do you think?!

So here are my LO's I did at Scrapbooking Delights on Friday night, couldn't really find my mojo at the crop night, but they're ok.





Last night I joined in the Blind Scrap by Princess Tamara at Scrap Therapy, and this was my take. Quick and easy LO, but was good for this photo that I'd sorta been looking at for awhile not knowing what I was going to do with it.



Well my cyber-scrapping buddy Loz has FINALLY decided to join me online, so I'm off, probably to do more chatting than scrapping, but either way it'll be fun!

Bye for now,
Sar

In trouble again...

...for not updating the blog often enough! In trouble off my mum that is....had the phonecall today, 'I thought you would've updated your blog?'. So here it is, mum... ;)

I have a few LO's that I haven't photographed yet from last night's xmas crop at Scrapbooking Delights, so I'll show those ones tomorrow with the TON I'm going to do tonight. Note the sarcasm, I've been trying to get downstairs for half an hour, Georgie thinks its really funny to keep getting out of bed, naughty girl.

This is Sketch #5 for Inspired Blueprints, not one for the DT yet, but its this month's first LO so give it a go. The new one will be up on Monday so be sure to check it out!



And this one was the kit challenge at Scrapbooking Delights, once again not real sure of it and how it turned out, but it'll do. Its handed in already so it HAS to do!




This afternoon I have been making fun little xmas gifts for my quilting friends that I'll be seeing on Tuesday. My god, I've got a hard task living up to these girls and the things they handmake though. Check out this GORGEOUS pin cushion box that Margaret made for our Illawarra Scquilters get-together, and I was lucky enough to pull this one out of the hat!



Thanks again, Marg, its just gorgeous. And no, my homemade pressies won't be ANYTHING like this...LOL!

Alright, past Cooper's bedtime, best get him moving then get scrapping with my girl Em who is keeping me company tonight.

Cheers,
Sar

PS. Three more sleeps till my BIG NIGHT OUT with Amanda & Juzzy, just the girls, dinner, drinks and overnight at the Ibis, so excited!!!! Woo!

Masters Day!

How excited was I today to open my mail and find the Scrapbooking Memories Masters special edition mag!! Congrats to the girlies I know....Mellany Ams, Alice Fettling, Anne-Marie Cox & Michelle Jamieson!! Other names I know as well, but don't actually KNOW, if you get my drift. Way to go girls, what an awesome achievement!

Just want to say though, I REALLY think that Nic Pomeroy should've made it....just my opinion, but anyway.....

Now that the Scrapbook Divas CC is finished for this month, I thought I'd show my whole LO on here. My challenge was to scrap an OLD xmas photo in a traditional way, but you had to use white space on your page. Here is my example:



And this is what I managed last night for Challenge #3 at the Scrap Therapy CC this past weekend. Uploaded it at like 10.45pm last night, so only just made the deadline!



And just to keep the xmas spirit of this blog post going, how cute are these three babies of mine??







Thanks so so much to my gorgeous buddy Loz for these pics, and all the others she took of me & my little family when she was visiting. You all need to keep an eye out for this girl, she is amazing and an up & coming in the photography world, let me tell you. I already have numerous friends wanting her to do pics for them next time she's visiting me!!! Oh well, more reason for you to come more often, eh Loz? ;)

Thats it from me today, I'm getting distracted blogging when I SHOULD be talking to my msn friends, keep getting accused of falling off my stool...so best go chat... LOL!

Cheers,
Sar

Off days....

...are here again. Not sure why but feeling very out of sorts these last few days. Kids aren't themselves and neither am I. Feeling a bit anxious and cranky. Feel like I'm not coping. Maybe I should go and see the doc tomorrow and see what she thinks...I hate feeling like this.

Anyhoo, here is a page I completed at a class with Lisa Warren last Thursday night at Scrapbooking Delights. Its courtesy of Loretta Grayson, a page that Lis did with her a while back.



I'm about to head down to my scrap room, see if I can 'level myself', I need some me time.

Seeya,
Sar

My challenge @ Divas

Go check out my challenge over at Scrapbook Divas, its an awesome one and a good reason to bring out those OLD xmas photos!!!

Here's a sneak, but head over to Sar's Challenge for a better look....




So finally I'll upload the other LO's I did while Loz was here, ended up with ten in the couple of days she was visiting, so beat the nine I did while at her place six weeks back.

This one is Sketch #66 for Stuck?! Sketches, too late for submission but I'm loving it nonetheless.



And this one is the December Sketch at Bon's Scraps. This is my fave of my LO's this week.



Then I did the December Paper of the Month Challenge for Bon's Scraps. I had one piece of this paper so Loz & I halved it, you better get yours done soon Loz!!



And this one 'just because'. I wanted to use my new Websters Paper I got from Scrap Therapy, its just gorgeous!!



So today was another scrap day at my place. Was a shitty day with cranky kids, but besides that the scrapping was getting done and we were having an ok time. UNTIL I went downstairs and discovered that while the kids were apparently playing outside, they'd decided to pull a whole tin of paint out of the cupboard, which was then spilt all over the garage floor! Not a good way to end the day, let me tell you. Cooper was in BIG trouble and was in bed very early for him.

I ended up doing one complete LO today, not too bad considering Bronte was really unsettled and screamed for alot of the day.

This is for Mel's Challenge at the Scrapbook Divas Cybercrop this weekend.



So thats all the scrapping I have to share, did plan on having another one done tonight but its not looking good, I'm on my 3rd Strongbow and chatting with my msn buddies. See if I can pry myself away.... ;)

Cheers,
Sar