Happy Australia Day and A few things to share

Happy Aussie day!!!! Have my Australia flag tattoo on, and that's about it.I am very lucky to live in such a gorgeous country.
Leone posted her challenge for Scrap-pile on Saturday night, and miracle of miracles, I actually got stuck into it straight away.Nearly had it finished that night.I love, love how it has turned out. Have used the new ZVA Creative studios chrystal flourishes, and the Little Yellow Bicycle " Love Letters" PP.Yummy...love this range.

The beautiful silver butterfly was given to me in an RAK late last year.I am very sorry, I think I know who it was, but not sure....my apologies.Those Maya Road felt flowers are just beautiful, such quality to use on something as special as a Wedding LO.This photo was taken in July 1995 at Alans and my wedding.So young, and so many things happened since then.

Here are a set of cards I began last week when I was staying at Justines.Mum and I decided to create cards.I got one done that night and then finished the other two later in the week.I just love the CUPCAKE tags from SHABBY CHIC CRAFTS.I have a few so they will be seen again, as well as some other different ones on future LO's.

Well, my delightfully looong holiday ends tonight, as my boys head back to school, and I back to work.I am looking forward to it...they aren't..LOL.

I am very happy, as I really didn't think I would be getting many hours this year, but I have already been asked to work 4 full weeks in a prep/grade 1 class and a full Grade 1 class.I work as a Teachers Aide in my sons school and have for 3 years now.I am only casual, so my work hours are dependent on number of children/teachers.I just love working with the little ones, so I am very excited about going back to work this year.I am pumped.

Some very exciting news, is that FINALLY, we are having our first Scrapping RETREAT for SCRAP-PILE up here in Far North Qld this year in July.I am really looking forward to seeing many of the girls from the forum, and meeting new faces as well.Getting it all organised though, takes some planning.

Well, that is about all my news for now, oh except I cleaned my stove after about 18 months....disgusting I know.I abhore cleaning ovens .It surprisingly wasn't too bad.Hope you are all having a great Australia Day weekend.

Check out this blog

Veronica at SHABBY CHIC CRAFTS is busy, busy, busy with creating gorgeous bits and pieces for Valentines day using her new yummy VALENTINES journalling tags and paper.Pop on over and take a look, and you can also win some of those yummy tags .Don't forget that Scrap-pile has a few of Shabby Chic designs in store.

Barrack Obama

A name on every ones lips, especially today.Wednesday the 21st January in the Southern Hemisphere/20 th January in the Northern Hemisphere.
I was choked with emotion today to see such raw emotion on so many American peoples faces, looks of hope for the future and determination to help this one man make their Country and the world a better place to live in.
Such a humble , kind man, which you can see every time he smiles as his eyes truly light up.He has such a huge task ahead of him, but I know in my heart that he and the American people can do it.They have seen in him, what they have needed for a very long time....a real LEADER.
I love that he holds hands with his wife Michelle and includes her in everything.It shows how in love and close they truly are.You don't see that kind of union much anymore.Perhaps they will inspire with their relationship as well.
Sitting watching the Inauguration on TV today, it brought me to tears many times.When he raised his hand for the Oath and stumbled on his words, when he and Michelle got out of their bulletproof car and walked down the road , watching the American people show off their traditions during the parade.
When I saw the NATIVE AMERICAN people come riding down on their horses, so proud to be there, I cried, tears of joy, as they had been invited to be a part.Then to see more tribes walking, holding their heads high, walking down the road waving.I truly hope that after such a long time for these first peoples of America, that they will finally be treated as they deserve.I am typing away, quite choked up about this.It means a lot to me,and I believe that after all this time THIS MAN, can and will make a difference in so many ways.
I wish you well Mr, President, not only do you have your own countries people behind you, but many from other countries as well.Good luck and I pray you stay safe .

Which now leads me to our own country, Justine and I were only speaking of this today.We need our own Barrack Obama in Australia now, someone young and energetic, someone who has known what it is like to live with not much money.The politicians in Australia have no idea, as they are all in high paying professions.They have no idea how hard it is to live week by week.To scrimp and save to put fuel in our cars, food on the table.Not too mention, now being able to afford to buy our own home.....it is unattainable for so many now.Everything seems to be going up in price except our incomes.It makes you wonder just what is ahead of us in the years to come.
Well, I got that off of my chest...phew.Hope you all were able to see the Inauguration today.It truly was a historic moment in time.

Hugs to you all

Lo's to share

It might look I have been busy scrapping, but this is since the beginning of the New Year.My first one however is from my challenge I set on Scrap-pile last SATURDAY night, which I actually involved the first 8 girls that logged on.They each had to set one element which had to be used to create a LO, as well as a fairly recent photo of ourselves and title starting with the words" This is......".I was going great until I had to do Hand stitching, which Deb posted as her element.I then thought why not stitch on the buttons , which was Leone's element, and so I finished it in the timeframe I gave myself.

I am really looking forward to seeing what the girls in Scrap-pile create with this challenge too.

Next are just some of the pages I have made over the last couple of weeks.

This was me in Grade 1 at Mirriwinni Primary School, near Innisfail.I used a range of papers from Kaiser, which matched perfectly.

This was a photo taken at Mums place on Christmas day '08.It was a lovely ,relaxing family day.I used the new Basic Grey Wassail papers and embellishments, as well as a few extras.

This is my last DT LO for Scrap-pile.

The gorgeous Fancy Pants paper I used here as a base ,matched beautifully with the wrapping paper of a gift under the tree...so just had to use it.I made it very simple, with adding just a few embellishments from the FP chip embellishments , as well as a Journalling card.

Thanks for dropping by.

A day with Helen

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of meeting a great lady, who lives about 2 hours drive north of me.I had met her briefly at the Brisbane Scrap Convention last year with Shan.I must admit I was a tad nervous, reason I know this, cause I had to go to the toilet numerous times on the 2 hour drive down there.I get there, and don't know why I was nervous, cause she is a top chick.

William and Steven came with me and were quite excited.Helen has two older boys, aged 12 and 16(?) who were such a laugh, especially Jake with his voice changes.I must say though, there are many cages with a few different pythons inside...Olive , Black -headed, and Childrens Pythons.Seeing them and touching them, actually helped us to realise how beautiful they really are.....not the Venomous ones though.

The boys got comfy and played on the Wii( now they want one), while Helen and I went to her scrap room( which looks awesome BTW).I really enjoyed just sitting , chatting and getting to know one another better.We had a play on the cuttlebug, and I sort of started to make a card.

Time went by wayyyy to quickly, and before I knew it, it was time to pack up and head home.Before we left, we got a photo of the boys holding Jakes baby, his Black headed Python.As Helen said, William looked like he was packing it...LOL.Steven loved it and said he can't wait to see the snakes again.

And also got Jake to take a photo of Helen and I before I left.

Thanks Helen for a terrific day, and I look forward to many more days like that one in the future.

Some cards to share

Firstly thanks for all your heartwarming comments you all left for me after my last post about my gorgeous Uncle Barry.I will always keep a special place for him in my heart, and I appreciated you all taking the time to leave such special messages.Meant a heck of a lot to me, I can tell you.

Onto something a bit brighter.Linda our new Card DT member at SCRAP-PILE, placed her challenge over the weekend, and I actually did it...shock of all shocks.I am pretty terrible at doing challenges, but I think I just needed to do something and Linda it was a great challenge.It also helped that I knew I had to make 3 Valentines cards for my boys.So here is the first one which was for Linda's challenge, to have a decorated edge and use hearts.

And here is the inside, as we had to bring parts of the outside to the inside.

Then there is the other two I made to make a set of three. Just quickly wanted to share a couple of pics of my two boys with our latest pet addition STORMY

Hope you are all having a great start to the week.

My Uncle Barry

Arrived home this afternoon, Friday 9th January, from Townsville after attending my Uncle Barry's funeral yesterday.The drive down was good, and we arrived at Bev and Win's with plenty of time before we had to go into the city to the chapel.


I walked in and saw his casket on the trolley and couldn't believe that his body was inside, as it just didn't look big enough.He was always so tall and muscular( as he loved all sorts of outdoor activites).They showed many photos of his life, with some of him and my dad when they were youngerand lived in Victoria.It was hard even to see photos of my Dad, as he has been dead for 28 years now.My only comfort is that they will now be together again.


Aunty Marg looked quite good, I guess she has had a long time to get used to the fact that her soulmate will one day be gone.It just happened sooner than we all thought, which really is a blessing for both Uncle Barry( he won't be in pain anymore), and for Aunty Marg and her DD's Susie, Jackie and Evie.


The minute I saw the girls it brought back so many memories of times spent together as a child and early teenager.Evie and I especially( being the same age) used to be so close, but hadn't seen each other for about 20 years.Lots of things have since happened in our lives, but it was great to see her yesterday.I even got a photo of both of us.

I sit here typing this with tears streaming down my face , because it has finally hit me, after finding a beautiful photo of him at my wedding 15 years ago.....that I won't be able to sit and talk with him anymore, chat about life and my Dad etc..... He was such a huge part of my life, especially after my Dad died when I was 7.He was always there for us all, Aunty Marg as well.I will always have a special part in my heart for him.

I also sit here, berating myself and feeling guilty that I didn't go to see him over the past 18 months.At the time , I thought I was doing the right thing, as I wanted to remember him the way he used to be and not the shell of a man he became.I wish now that I had, so that I could hold his hand and talk about when he and my Dad were younger.He may not have really remembered , but it would have helped me I think.Dementia is such a cruel, humiliating disease, not only for the sufferer but the family that have to sit and watch their loved ones slowly become weaker and weaker.That they don't remember them and their personalities become a total opposite of what they used to be.

Uncle Barry was an Engineer, and was head of the Townsville City Council for years.He loved his job, and his family even more.He loved the outdoors, whether it be camping, hiking, fishing, skiing , boating, amongst many other pursuits.They travelled extensively around the Northern part of QLD as well as many other parts of Australia and the world.I am so pleased that he was able to retire early, and be able to spend that time with Aunty Marg doing the things they loved together.

He and Aunty Marg would have been married 45 years in May, and he was 66 years old.

I love you Uncle Barry very very much and you will be missed terribly.

I leave you now after such a big, emotional couple of days .Cherish every moment with your family and good friends.I know I will be.

What a week it has been!!!!

After the rush of Christmas and New Year, things are finally slowing down and I have had a chance to sit and scrap,which has been nice.The other day I was going through my chest of drawers and found some old school photos, and so that got me started.

The first one is of me in Grade 6, using the BG Recess range of PP, Kaiser bling flourish,JB calender card, and the newest Green Tara flowers.They are just gorgeous IRL.

The next one is of William and Steven when they were much younger.I used Bazzill Kraft CS as my base and Bo Bunny red dot paper.The corners are a Prima felt gate which I cut in half and placed to frame the photo.You can also see the new Shabby Chic journalling tags I have finally used for the first time.

Then onto my first ITEM for my january DT kit. I bought a clear Kaiser Album, inked the edges and covered mostly in Pizzazzill.I used 2 of the album pages as the front and back of a calender I made for my SIL. I also embellished with Fancy Pants transparency OWL, My Minds Eye friends card, Prima flowers and leaves as well as unknown chippie numbers.

For the calender pages, I used the New Jenni Bowlin 2009 calender cards, but mounted them onto different colours and patterns of Pizzazzill again.And on the back of each calender page ,I covered with plain CS so that my SIL could write any notes down to remember things.

Well that is about all for now, but will be back with more soon.Take care