Computered Out!

I have been sitting in front of my computer for such long hours this week, getting things completed for the launch of Scrapbook Hub, that I have had enough of concentrating - so I am computered out! There are so many ends to tie up and although I am generally quick at doing most things, the little bits and pieces are taking me ages! But I can't complain when it all helps me to get one step closer to launch day!

I feel withdrawal symptoms right now! I am so looking forward to going to a Scrap Together tomorrow night - I need to let my fingers get into paper and ribbon and flowers and chipboard and .... all things scrapbooking! I'm worried I have forgotten how to create! Hopefully I should have something to post after this weekend.

Saturday will be a quiet day in front of the TV watching the AFL Grand Final. Even though I'd love the Bombers to be playing, it's also good to be able to sit back and not worry about who wins (although I always end up barracking for one team anyway!) So, who will it be - the Cats (or Pussy Cats as my 3yo grand-daughter calls them) or the Hawks (or the Dorks as we call them to my 5yo grand-daughter who barracks for them).

On a lighter vein, I found this video on another site and even though I have seen it before, I thought it was worth keeping. Enjoy it and remember to give someone a hug today (even if it is yourself!)

Till next time ...

Wow - where has the time gone!

It's been one week since my last post and it has been a whirlwind week! I actually got to catch up with Chris today to celebrate his birthday - one week late! All the family went to a fantastic little Greek restaurant in Swan Street, Richmond called Agapi. The food was absolutely delicious and I feel so full and it's six hours after I've eaten!

I have had the pleasure of having all my beautiful girls with me over the past week - until Friday night, Rob has been the only male in a house of five girls (six including the cat!) It has been an absolute delight to have so much happy energy around - it has also been very tiring! But I wouldn't swap it for the world! The house will be very quiet after tomorrow - but then again, it is school holidays ...

I did get some layouts completed last weekend for the NCJS Challenges - just as well because I haven't been able to do anything else this week. I love doing the challenges, they give me some motivation and guidance - even though I have heaps of photos to get organised. I also managed to complete the ATC Swap - The Olympics - we had to do a set of 4 cards. Kept me thinking!

The first one is of the gorgeous Sophie who is such a character! Rain has been something she has seen very little of in her short life so the chance to use her umbrella was so exciting for her, even if it was in her backyard, all by herself!

This next one features 'The Fish' structures that decorated the Yarra River during the 2006 Commonwealth Games. Their colours were magnificent in the darkness of the night, combined with the reflections on the water and the fireworks, made for a wondrous sight every evening of the games. I wish I had read an article I found recently about how to photograph fireworks - they are not a sharp as they should be.

The journalling is unreadable due to the scanning process (red and black, love the colours but always have problems with them being scanned) but it tells of the 72 structures and their nightly exhibit.

Last week also saw me busy with Scrapbook Hub's completion (well getting very close to completion). It has been a massive job and it's all fallen into place. There are loose ends to tie up and then it will be ready for first stage public launch on 1st October. I'm getting very excited now that I can physically see the 'working product'. Before, it has just been pictures of the pages, now I can actually do things on it - Yay! I have also enlisted the talents of some amazing women who will feature on the initial launch ... but stay tuned to find out more ...

So, I will keep you informed of Scrapbook Hub's launch - until next time ...

Happy Birthday Chris!

It's my baby boy's birthday today! Well, he's not really my baby as he is 36! But, for all mums, we know that our children will always be our babies no matter what age they are! Chris is my eldest and my only son. He is now married and I am waiting to hear the big news that he is going to be a father.

Here is a layout of Chris aged 4 - he only rarely had a sad face but it usually meant he felt really sad!

This next layout is one page of a double - I am still waiting for Chris to give me back his baby photos so that I can scan and scrap them. It shows his growth over 35 years.

I spent this afternoon at Paper Heaven, with my wonderful friends, doing some scrapping. Each month, for the past 20 months, we have been meeting to focus on an album that is about our lives - we are the About Me group. So, it has been a natural progression for all of us to get to know each other very well and to become buddies! I was doing some photos of 70's weddings! Love the fashions! Will share them when they are complete.

I'm off to complete two cybercrop challenges, courtesy of No Crap Just Scrap and the generous Anna Costello from Anna's Craft Cupboard. I always love a good challenge!

So, till next time ...

Busy, busy, busy!

Just a quick post before I head of to a meeting with my website developer ... things are now starting to speed up in regards to the web launch after quite a frustrating period of snail pace (well it felt like that to me!) So things have been quite hectic over the past week!

I am now in the process of sending out invitations to some very talented crafters, to join Scrapbook Hub's community. I am also seeking sponsors for a variety of activities and competitions so there is alot of admin work to be done also - oh I wish I had someone who loves doing the detailed stuff that I dislike!

Anyway, it all has to be done so we keep plugging away! I plan to get some scrapping done this weekend - I have some ideas after my Stampin' Up Demo on Monday night. Lots of goodies there to play with and I'm looking forward to my stash arriving!

Hope to have some shares over the next couple of days.

Till then ...

A Happy Father's Day!

Father, husband, brother, son, son-in-law - to all those males in your life who are 'fathers' - this is a day to honour their influence in our life. At times it will feel positive and at times it may feel challenging, but their influence has a profound effect into developing us into the person we are, right now, today.

I have had the pleasure of sharing today with my father, my brother and my husband and when I reflect on how each of them have shaped my life in some way, I am grateful. Not every moment has been happy and joyful, life is not like that - but I am grateful for the times I have felt challenges because they have provided me with the situation to become a stronger person. I am also grateful for the caring and supportive times because it is in those times I have felt worthy and I have felt loved.

So, today has been the culmination of a busy weekend! We rushed to the hockey final on Friday night (it took us 45 minutes to get from the city to the hockey ground) and the girls played a fantastic game. It went into extra time and the other team (top of the ladder) scored a goal 2 minutes before the final whistle! So, we have no Friday night hockey till next year!

Saturday morning Grace played netball and the team were outstanding, winning very comfortably. Grace played such a solid game in GK! Very proud! I caught up with a girl friend Saturday afternoon. It's so nice to have someone to completely relax with and just chat! Saturday night I spent watching football with my wonderful husband.

Today consisted of time with the men in my family (I have eaten so much!). So, I didn't get the time I anticipated to do the ATC's or any scrapping! But, the personal time can never be re-created, the scrapping time will be!

Here are my shares for tonight - a Paper Bag Baby Album I made a few months ago -








Getting the colour right is still a challenge for me! As I have mentioned before, I scan the layouts and then 'stitch' with PE6. But, even when I play with the colour, it just doesn't turn out to be the vibrancy or tone that it really is. One day I'll get it right!

I love the versatility of the Paper Bag Albums - they can be created into anything! I was having a play with this one and the challenge was to make it neutral so when it is given as a gift, the user can add whatever they need to make it their own - journalling, photographs, memorabilia ... whatever! I am making a Pregnancy Album at the moment - I shall share that when I have completed it!

So, until next time ...

ATC's - Minature Art

I have been busy - or at least my mind has been busy - working on an ATC set for a swap organised by my amazing friend Joyce, also ATC Swap organiser for the No Crap Just Scrap Group. I participated in one last month which was called 'A Pocketful of Friends'. In this one we made a card representative of our self - this was relatively easy!

Here is my card - on the back I put my details. I haven't received the others' cards yet, they are in the mail as I write!
This month's swap is themed the Beijing Olympic Games. Now this also sounds relatively easy, but we are required to make a set of 3 or 4, which shouldn't be too difficult either. But, being me, I wanted to make sure that I don't duplicate what I anticipate the others will make so I have pondered over how to make my cards differently! I have been told that I make things too complex and I am beginning to believe it!

But, I have decided that it doesn't matter if they are similar to someone else's as my interpretation will be different anyway! I have almost completed one set and I think they look good. I will share when the swap has been completed!

I did get some scrapping done over the past couple of days - with nights in front of the TV (there are some good shows on right now!) in my scrap room are just what the doctor ordered. I am also finding that I am getting my layouts done quicker than I have before so that helps get more completed.

Here are a couple of shares for this post -

This first one is part of the heritage album I am completing about my parent's lives. I don't have all the information about my mother which is a shame. She was an only child and I don't have access to her ancestry as she was Italian and I don't speak the language.


This next one is a Grace layout - she loved performing and is really a Diva!

I hope to get my ATC cards completed this weekend - in between Hockey finals, Netball and Fathers Day Lunch.

So, till next time ...