Love my blind scrap layouts!

Always love the end result of my blind scrap layouts at SFS, whether I leave them as is or add to them at the end. Such a great starting point, and one more layout off the to do list. :)

Here's my take on last night's blind scrap #67:


And an older one that I've just realised I haven't showed you yet!


A big day coming up with kit release at Scrapbook Savvy tomorrow, and so many positive comments on our kit sneaks released today, check them out here! Pop me through a message if you'd like to sub to secure your choice of kit. :)

Happy Birthday Cooper!

This time six years ago I was sitting in the hospital with a 5hr old baby, doting over him and feeling so very proud of myself & Dan for what we'd accomplished. Dan & I were in awe of him, this precious little miracle we had created. Our lives changed that day as we became a family, and as we were given this amazing little life to look after. Now my little boy is six...and we are still very much in awe of him. In awe of his uber personality and his amazing capability to make friends so easily. In awe of his energy and neverending yearning for adventure and fun. In awe of him starting school and being an overall successful student, reading well above standard, lapping up his lessons and learning so much each day. In awe of his natural ability on the football field, which he proved this year with his first season. In awe of his love for his little sisters (most of the time!). Some days we are in awe of his smarty pants comments and quick comebacks....but I guess that comes with the territory of raising a boy, eh. ;) All in all, this boy is our shining star, our eldest, our only boy, and we adore him just as much as we did on that first day together six years ago.

29 August 2004 - Cooper the day after he was born


29 August 2005 - 1 year old and getting his first bike


29 August 2006 - 2 years old and loving Thomas The Tank Engine


29 August 2007 - Our very cool 3 year old dude!


29 August 2008 - Very cheeky @ 4


29 August 2009 - Dragons boy is 5!


And today, so grown up at 6 (eeeek, I just realised he is in the same pjs two years in a row!!) ;)


And now a tradition, our early morning birthday photo while we're all still in our pj's, with the camera balancing on the top step!


Happy Birthday Coop! Love you! xoxoxox

Proud of My Man

I really am, he's done so well to get to where he is today. He works so hard, studies hard, does his best all the time to better his career and in turn better our life. Last night his Mines Rescue team was once again announced the WINNER of the Southern Mines Rescue Competition (two years in a row!) which now sends them off to QLD for the National comp in October. You can't wipe the smile off his face, all the hard work by Dan and his team has paid off again. Congrats babe! Love you. xoxo



So a big weekend for the Ward house, with last night and tomorrow being Cooper's 6th birthday. I can't believe he'll be six! So preparations are all systems go for his party tomorrow. He is nearly as excited as his Daddy today. ;)

And just cause I can and also because I very coincidentally (but appropriately!) scrapped this page during one of the SFS Blind Challenges this week, a scrappy share.


And yes, Dan MADE me put that sticker on the page... ;)

Can't live without...

...sketches! When I'm needing to get moving on a page quick, I pull out the good 'ol sketch folders I have printed out here. Always get a page started for me quicksmart, and if I end up going on another path by the end of the page thats ok...but I just love having that starting point, you know?

This one is an old Stuck?! sketch, not sure which one it is, Sara?


And this is the current Got Sketch? which is another sketch site I frequent when I get the chance.


What do you do when you're lacking motivation and inspiration? What gets a page going for you? Would love to hear what everyone else does to get themselves scrapping!

OMG doubles....eeeek!

So I don't know if I've told you before, but what I do when I sit down to scrap, what I do is this...I have a bag full of page kits and do a lucky dip to choose which page to scrap. First up at the retreat on Friday night? A double...and not just any double...a Xmas double!!! THEN a double footy page! Was a major bloody struggle, let me tell you....but they turned out kinda ok in the end. Used some old Pagemaps sketches for these.




Fingers crossed these are the last doubles for a little while, its just too much pressure!!!

My last night with Donna tonight, off to make the most of it. :)

Retreat Photos & A Bonus Sketch

OMG, I cannot believe that the Savvy Delights Retreat came and went so quickly! An awesome time had by all and we have had so many positive comments on the lovely bunch of girls we have at Scrapbook Savvy & Scrapbooking Delights. We were so blessed to have so many interstate girls join us including the amazing Sara Noendeng, Kerryn Fry and Wendy Smith...as well as everyone else who travelled from near and far to spend the weekend with us. Thank you ALL for the weekend, it was amazing, I can't wait to do it again next year! Here's a few pics that I've stolen from my facebook friends. :)

The Scrapbook Savvy forum girls but missing my gorgeous friend Ezz who must've been off brushing her hair or something! :(


And us again, being a tad crazy! :p


Me & my gorgeous friend Peta


And me & Wendy, was so happy to finally meet you in real life Wends, and I'm still cracking up when I think of you! Such a funny and happy lady!


Thanks again to everyone for making the weekend as wonderful as San & I hoped it would be. xoxo

While we were off retreating, a new bonus sketch was released over at Stuck?! which I just happened to get done. Here's the sketch:


And my take, of my beautiful bestie Alicia's cherubs using the new Sass Lass Indie Girl range.


Make sure you link your layout over at this post to be in the running for an awesome prize from the Stuck?! sponsors!

Will share some layouts as soon as I get a chance to photograph them. Its approaching midnight AGAIN and I need to get to bed...my gorgeous cousin Donna is still staying with me and we are just trying to make the most of every minute!

Till next time. xoxo

Retreat Fun & A Class with Anthea!

We are halfway through the Savvy Delights Retreat and having an absolute blast! Awesome to meet so many amazing scrapbookers in real life and to spend time with my Savvy girls.

Here is me & Miss Emma yesterday when we stopped for lunch at the Tahmoor Inn, the food was delish and the company even better. :)


This morning I was lucky enough to be able to do the class with Anthea, who shared her amazing techniques with us including paper curling, hand cutting and lots of layering. I still have a few class kits here, if you would like one. You will receive the Class Kit using the Bayberry Cottage line from Pink Paislee plus step by step instructions for two layouts. Kits are only $35 each, leave me a comment here or on facebook if you would like one. First in best dressed, I will contact you so leave me an email addy if I don't already have it. :)

The original page will be uploaded to the Savvy forum when I get home, but here's a look at my page with some closeups of the techniques, and remember there is another page that I will pop up when these girls stop shopping and give me a chance to scrap! :P




I'm off, lots of girls to catch up with, lots of scrapping to do and LOTS more fun to be had. See you when I get home!

3 More Sleeps!!

I cannot believe that there is only three more sleeps until the Savvy Delights retreat! It seemed so far away for so long, and all a sudden here we are! Tomorrow I have Donna arriving from QLD, then Thursday Sara from QLD and Kerryn from SA. I can't wait to see Donna & Sara again....and meeting Kerryn in real life is going to be so exciting!!! Plus we're still getting last minute bookings which is just awesome! There are still a couple of spots so get in touch with myself or Sandra from Scrapbooking Delights if you'd like to book in and join us THIS WEEKEND!!!

Now for some scrappy goodness - this is my take on this month's Scrapbook Savvy Sketch which has the usual awesome prize of $25 to spend in the Savvy store. Here's the sketch...


And here's my take that I did at today's Savvy crop using the new Echo Park Sweet Summertime range.


Upload your take to the Savvy Gallery by the end of the month for your chance to win!

Tomorrow the (not so much) fun starts when I begin to pull the shop apart to take to retreat...wish me luck! Eeeeeek!!

Thank you friends!

Thanks to everyone for the support and lovely comments I received on my last post. I wasn't talking about anyone in particular, but just the general stuff that myself and everyone else in the scrapbooking industry goes through at times.

If you thought I was talking about you, my sincere apologies but as a great quote says 'A guilty conscience needs no accuser.' ;)

Enough said, onto some scrapping! :)

I have nearly gotten myself back up to date on the 52 Week Challenge I'm doing with some of the girls over in Scrapbook Savvy forum. Am still loving this and keep surprising myself that I've actually made it this far....and actually keep going!

Week 27 called Footy Mum - the journalling on this one is a MUST READ and in case you can't see it, it says:

'The story behind this picture is a funny one! Seeing all the Under 6's footy jumpers on the line, I felt a bit like a 'footy mum' so took a photo and told Dan of my plan to do a 'footy mum' page. His response? BUT I WASHED THEM & I HUNG THEM OUT!! So okay...I admit it...I'm not really that good a footy mum but I do love going to watch Coop play! :)'


Week 28 called Train Trip - our day trip to Kiama on the train during the school holidays. Such a good day with our babies.


Week 29 called Molly Moo is 2! - a beautiful day out for our niece's birthday.


Week 30 called Wii Fit - me & Georgie wii'ing it up and doing the boxing. Don't you love Georgie's 'balance board' (aka a chopping board!). :)


Week 31 called Happy B'day Poppy - Dan's dads birthday with all the kids, love the pic of them all kissing him and the expression on his face when he opened his present, was a huge hit!


Alright, thats enough of a blog post for today, I'm off to watch a movie and have a few drinks with my hubby. Love that we can hang at home together on a Saturday night now that he's off the weekend shift. xoxo

Share the Love

I believe in this crazy industry of ours called Scrapbooking that we are all in it together. All shops (online or bricks & mortar), all forums, all challenge sites...we're all on our own little journeys to keep scrapbooking alive, not just for ourselves but everyone around us who needs that little bit of inspiration.

People sometimes questions the motives behind store owners being friends and not being enemies working against eachother....but for me, we are a all one big team and if we can work hard and build up the scrapbooking community then its a win win situations for everyone involved.

On that note, I do check out other stores (and buy from them too!), I do check out lots of challenge sites and I do roam around the internet blog hopping for my own inspiration's sake.

I have always loved the Sketch Challenge over at Anna's Craft Cupboard and especially love that the very talented Wendy is designing them at the moment (who I get to meet IRL at the Savvy Delights retreat NEXT WEEKEND!). I sat down the other night and gave the current one a go and it turned out like this:




Scrapbooking doesn't need to be the bitchy and sometimes nasty industry that I've seen it be at times, we are all in this for the same reasons and really are so very lucky to share a passion as worthwhile as this one, in which we are creating memories for our family and future generations, and in some instances creating an out for those of us that have this hobby to keep our sanity. ;)

Ok, getting off my soapbox now, have a great day!!

Stuck Bonus Sketch #1

Another way to celebrate Stuck's birthday....BONUS SKETCHES! And here is the first one:



We have some awesome Guest Designers joining us with their amazing examples, head over to the Stuck blog and check them out.

I got busy and did my take on this one today though, hope you like it!



Head over and link your page for the chance to win some awesome sponsor prizes. :)

Another weekend just about over here, its flown and been a good one. Hope yours was too!

Tagged

Thanks to the lovely Anthea for tagging me!! Mwah!



Here are the rules that go with it:

1. Put the Swap Sisters Bonny Blog Award on my blog.
2. Share 5 things about myself.
3. Pass the award onto 5 other Bonny Blogs.
4. Add links to my 5 chosen Bonny Blog Winners.
5. Let them know they have been chosen to win the Swap Sisters Bonny Blog Award by leaving a comment on their blog.

So 5 things about myself:

1. I am a yoyo dieter from way back....hot or cold, up and down, all or nothing...I find it hard to have a 'balance' and REALLY need to start working harder on this.

2. I am the youngest of three children but my brother and sister are 9 & 11 years older than me. My sis & I didn't get along for many years...but these days she is one of my best friends and I know I can rely on her for anything. xoxo

3. Before I was a scrapbooker I was a quilter, and before I was a quilter I was a cross-stitcher. I love my hobbies....but omg, I NEVER realised quite how much this scrapbooking thing could take over one's life. :o

4. I love my friends so much. I think I'm a good friend. Real life friends and online friends, I am SO lucky to have lots of really good friends and lots of people to turn to when I need a shoulder, a hug, or just a chat.

5. I'm very disorganised. Now especially. I forget things, I don't write down important dates, I fly by the seat of my pants and its REALLY not doing much for me at the moment!!

Now I chose to tag the following:

1. Peta
2. Erin
3. Tina
4. Del
5. Leesh

Some scrapping to show really soon, I promise! :D

August Random Kit Challenge @ Savvy

This is the competition to enter for your chance to win one month as the Guest Designer for Scrapbook Savvy, your own FREE We're Savvy kit to play with as well as a generous discount for the month of your term.

Your criteria is as follows:

- string
- bling
- lge & sml alpha
- scalloped/punched edge

And here's mine using the gorgeous She's Savvy Kit for August (there is still ONE available if you're real quick!).




Enter your page into the relevant gallery by the 25TH OF AUGUST for your chance to win!

Happy Birthday to Stuck?!

Hip Hip Hooray! It's August which means it is birthday month over at Stuck?! Sketches. So many exciting things happening this month.

In addition to our two regular sketches, we will be having two bonus sketches. These will be revealed on the 7th and 21st of this month. We have some exciting guest designers lined up to provide samples for these sketches, so be sure to check them out.

We will also be hosting a blog hop WHICH STARTS TODAY! Full details are over on the Stuck?! blog but here's the basics.

You must collect each of the letters from the Creative Team members blogs. Unscramble them and then send an email to stucksketches@optusnet.com.au with the winning word by midnight September 10th. You must also comment on each of the blogs to be eligible for the prize drawing.

The letter which you need to collect from me is....

'R'

So, does all of this sound like fun? It's going to be a great month and I am so excited to be celebrating with you all.

Speaking of Stuck, the 1st August sketch has been revealed and looks like this:


And mine of my Georgie girl moving up a level at swimming lessons, using some of the gorgeous Echo Park papers now available at Scrapbook Savvy:


Make sure you head over to the Stuck blog and upload yours to be in the running for some awesome sponsor prizes.

Its all happening at Stuck, isn't it!! The place to be this month, if you ask me. :)

Kits are On Sale Now!

...and selling fast! Only 1 We're Savvy left and still a few each of the He's Savvy and She's Savvy. See them all here in the New Arrivals section at Scrapbook Savvy. :)