New stuff....

Just because we did not already have enough stuff in the shop (NOT!), we have more coming. I'm excited about Basic Grey 'Curio' arriving this week - here's a preview...

And Cosmo Cricket 'Circa' also arrives this week - another heritage range which I think will be versatile....

And Becky Flecks new Page Maps will be turning up any day as well!

How will we ever be able to afford Christmas presents with all these yummy new goodies rocking up?! You could buy them for yourself for Christmas (just in case he doesn't)!

I have been scrapping like a mad woman - not for myself though - I am working on a commission album for a 21 year old guy. It's a challenge for sure, but Amy and I completed 17 layouts in 3 days - yeah I know we could have done better than that but it was all done between serving customers, and I taught at Newdegate for a day. Speaking of which, here is one of the layouts I did for the girls, using new Basic Grey 'Jovial' - love that range too...

That's all for today. Thanks for looking and thanks for the nice comments about Dean. I agree that we look alike but my eyebrows aren't as bushy as his in recent years! Check this out..it was taken in the 80's before waxing and plucking...

My spunky brother, Dean...

I have had a few comments about what a spunk my brother, Dean was lately. In the past I have shown photos mostly from when he got sick but in the layouts I am doing for his album I have been scrapping old photos of him - and I agree - he is a spunk! Check out this photo of him at Gayle Smith's wedding...

And I meant to show this photo power point of Dean at the retreat and forgot too - I'm disappointed I missed the opportunity but hopefully this link works and you can see what he was like...i laugh and cry when I watch this..you'll see why... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0E3LHQW0Ug&feature=player_embedded and there's a couple of other videos of dean here..http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HydWAOOaVw and here...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36ccLJOUggM. Thanks for looking.

A new look...

Unpacking the shop after the retreat was a massive job but rewarding as we cleaned and sorted everything again. We have made some changes around the floor and the major change is putting paper racks against the wall and hanging products coordinating with the papers above. It look so much better and has got the thumbs up from those who have seen it so far. Here's a (not so good) pic of the wall...

We have a little more new stock in store, namely Lost and Found by My Minds Eye. This range is to die for and has something for everyone as there are both boy colours as well as girl colours. Here is the full range, of which we have quite a bit of.

Speaking of new ranges, I am in love with Sweetness by Pink Paislee which we got before the retreat and I am having my first play with it...will show the LO when it's done. Thanks for looking!

All over for another 6 months...

The retreat, that is. We had a ball! Our 11th Wave Rock Scrapbooking Retreat was a huge success, safe to say 'the best yet' I think. I was the most organised I have ever been (despite having a little break with the family) and with my team - Amy, Ann Smart, Ann Smith, Sharon Morton, Mum and DH (dear husband) we pulled off the best one ever with all the trims. I am pleased to say that the food was great, the classes were awesome and the company was exceptional! We had 7 classes in total that all ran smoothly (well almost) and were enjoyed by all. I taught for the first time at one of my own retreats and my classes were well received, in fact we sold a record number of kits for the 'One of a kind' class, and here are the layouts - very 3D and better IRL...

Then I taught a class using an 'old' school photo from the 70's (love that era - not!) of my baby brother Dean in Pre-primary - he's so cute...

and another sample, my year 12 photo, very simple but some technique in there that the girls soaked up...

We registered the Saturday of the retreat for 'A Girls Night In' breast cancer awareness fundraiser and my target was to raise $500 (small I know, but times are tough) and surprisingly we raised $1346 - a record for us and far exceeded our expectations! So well done girls on money well spent. I asked everyone to wear something pink for the day and everyone did, even one lady - not mentioning any names - who when I asked her where her pink was, showed my her undies! We didnt make a competition out of it but Kylie took the cake for dressing up, with pink rubber gloves, pink swimming goggles, pink t-shirt and a pink tea towel around her waste! Donna rocked up in pink jammies later on in the day, sporting a pink shower cap also and pink toothbrushes in her hair! One other lady worth a mention was Trish, who was wearing pink shirt, capri's and pink unmentionables! I challenged a few ladies to be daring as I had worn a pink shirt with pink bra's on the outside (made my husband laugh and my Dad blush!) so a couple of wags - Belinda, Anna and Sara - also wore their underwear on the outside. Well done girls for raising heaps and making it fun...love ya.

There is so much more I could say about the retreat but it must be very frustrating if you werent there!

On a personal note; I mentioned at the retreat that Friday the 22nd of October was my brother, Dean's birthday, who passed away in June. I spoke of this at the retreat as girls who have been coming to my retreats for years have shared the journey with me and have known of Deans illness and then his passing. Once again I would like to thank everyone for your support, love, prayers and thoughts through this very difficult time. It is far harder dealing with the loss than I ever imagined and it helps to know people care. I was such a bittersweet occasion on Friday but Mum and I were in the company of many friends - our scrapbooking family - then Dad joined us on Saturday - poor bloke had to wear undies on his head! - and my older brother Paul dropped in Thursday night to check out the set up, so we all got to see each other for this 'first birthday without Dean' occasion. Mum and I agreed that being amongst friends was a like medicine and the retreat was a welcome distraction, but didn't go without a tear or two.

Check out the tutors blogs for their class layouts and some awesome photos of the retreat. The next retreat is on the 25th of March 2011 so mark your diaries. Bye for now.

Having a break...

I decided after the last school holidays which we worked through that we would not do that this holidays as the kids miss out the most. So a little break as a family was due and we are two days in so far...and having a much needed rest. We found a few things of interest; firstly a van with this phrase on the back that made us chuckle...

then further down the road we found this little guy...super cute...

then we reached our destination and we are sampling the attractions.

We'll be back on deck by the weekend and ready to face another term. Hasnt this year gone fast? I cant believe the silly season is on the horizon and before we know it, it will be January! But theres quite a bit to get through before then..like a retreat...cant wait!

Madly making kits...

Class requirements for the upcoming retreat are now out so if you have booked in and don't have them or would like to book in for the retreat then let me know. We have had bucket loads of product arrive this week to make kits up and its a huge job but fun...we have been enjoying playing with all the components and its especially good that we are on time for a change in preparation. Here's a peak at the goodies we are playing with - eye candy!

Enjoy the school holidays and sorting your photos!

One last sneak peak...

I have a second sample for my 'School Photos from Yesteryear' class at the retreat. I have used the same range of paper as the first sample so if your buying the full paper pack you can get more bang for your buck! This layout is a more mature looking one as it is of my Year 12 school class photo. All I have done is adjust the embellishments and made the layout a bit less busy, for a different look although the sketch is the same...anyway here's a look...

This is the range I am using which I love...




I am so excited about the new product ranges arriving at the moment. It seems that all the releases from Summer CHA are just to-die-for and I cant get enough of them. I have a huge range of Prima crystals coming and all sorts of other goodies. Cant wait to share them.

This range 'Curio' by Basic Grey will arrive before the retreat hopefully...

I am about to send out class requirements so stay tuned to your email to see the classes for the retreat...you wont be disappointed but remember the layouts always look better IRL (in real life). Bye for now.

More sneak peaks...

I have 2 more sneak peaks to share. The first is my masculine sample of my 'One of a Kind' class which is very manly - something even a bloke would be proud of...

Then lastly my 'School Photos from Yesteryear' sneak peak. I'm using papers that suit photos from the 70's and had just the right photo to match.

Also, I cant wait to show all the new stock that's been arriving for the retreat - my favourite range by far is this one from Prima...

and I also have this range by Prima too...

And there is loads more to come...YAY!

I have almost completed the class requirements and class kit order form so will have that out sometime this week which will give everyone 4 weeks to prepare. If you haven't got yourself booked in yet be sure to do so as places are filling fast! Bye for now.

More Sneak Peaks...

I have a couple more sneak peaks to reveal. Gayle's done 2 samples of her double page class, a Zoo layout...

And also her double page Travel layout...

I'm all for cramming as many photos on to a layout for particular themes or events and Gayle's got that covered in her class.

Then there are 2 samples so far for my first class 'One of a kind' - it's very blingy, feminine, flowery and all that girly stuff....

However, I am working on a masculine version of this very detailed layout (when I find the photo I am looking for!!!) which will satisfy those of you who have boys in the family...so watch this space for a sneak peak (warning: it may take a while to locate the photo!).

My second class as I mentioned in my last post will be a school layout but I am using a

photo from the 70's of Dean when he was in preschool so it works well with the earthy colours of the paper range I am using. As usual though, the layout can be adapted to other themes or paper ranges. I'll show a preview soon. I am thinking about a third class...depends how much brain space I can make! Bye for now.

Retreat update...

It's well and truly time for an update about the coming retreat on the 22nd of October which is only 6 weeks away...scary but exciting! I have been busy making plans and coming up with new ideas, collecting new stock, talking to tutors about there classes and planning my own classes. Yes, that's right, I'm teaching at this retreat which is a step I decided to take and hopefully wont live to regret! I am excited though about what I have planned...more on that soon when I take a 'sneak peak' photo.

You may have noticed over on Julie Van Oosten's blog her wrap about the retreat. Thanks Julie! What an honour to have you coming all this way. Here's a sneak peak of Julie's class project which is, of course, 'off the page' and absolutely stunning! I cant wait to do this project myself...

Gayle, due to moving house and towns, soon has completed all her layouts for the retreat already and here are the sneak peaks for her first class 'Pinwheels and Bunting' in both a girl and boy sample...

Lis has also completed her first class which is based on Heritage photos and you can see sneak peaks over on her blog - a huge challenge for Lis but well executed I think!

Some of the new goodies I have in store are the new ranges from Basic Grey - Wander and Pyrus, Lis will be doing a sample using Pyrus, and the new ranges from Crate Paper - Restoration, which Lis will also be using for a sample, and School Spirit which I will be using for a school layout. Here are the Crate Paper range samples...

And I have loads of kits in for Gayles first layout - thought I'd get in early and order a stack of paper packs so we don't miss out!

Be back with more to update on soon.