More sneak peaks...

I've been busy today finishing projects for my classes this Wednesday in Newdegate. It's the first really productive scrapping I've done in ages. I had a class in Ravensthorpe on Saturday that went well and some mad girls travelled all the way from Condingup to Ravy to attend the class. Hope you weren't disappointed girls! I did start a layout at Ravy using some new Noteworthy II papers and when it's finished I'll show and tell. I still haven't finished a double page layout I started weeks ago...where does the time go?!

I have Sharon's first sneak peak to show. She is doing a single page layout using some really awesome die cut paper and her theme is Sunrise. The layout works well for sunset photos as well and because everyone I know has sunrise or sunset photos I know this is going to be a much loved class. It is stunning I'm sure you'll agree, but you can only see a snippet for now...

Sharon is also doing a tutorial on Wedding albums. Some theory on how to plan a wedding album and the option to do a layout using her suggestions. More information will be available to applicants very soon. Lastly, Sharon is working on a mini album that I'll show previews of at a later date.

But that's not all...Gayle has been a busy girl creating layouts for the retreat as well and Gayle will be focusing on teaching ideas using the Provocraft Cricut and Cuttlebug machines. Her layouts are going to be of great interest and she has prepared 5 layouts in total using slight variations in papers. Here are some previews...

That's all for today folks but there is more to come so stay tuned. Thanks for looking. By the way...Dean is doing it tough with the side effects of chemo but all is well otherwise.

Sneak Peaks...

The count down is now on. There is only 4 weeks til the retreat...AHHH! or YAY! as some of you would be thinking.

Firstly though, do you like my new blog background? Gayle put it there for me and apart from being quite busy I think it suits the rustic theme I go for.

I have some sneak peaks to show for the retreat classes. Lis has both of her classes ready and she is busily doing some bonus layouts using the ranges. Here are her snippets...

I'll show some more sneak peaks shortly. Sharon's layout is to die for and you can see her sneak peak on her blog and I'll upload it soon. Plus there's more to come from Gayle so stay tuned!

I've been everywhere man....

This time to Geraldton for a family break. 5 days in total which is not long, but long enough. I feel as though I haven't been home for a month so I wasn't at all disappointed to be coming home. It's a bit like that at this time of year, otherwise you have to sit and wait for rain which is like watching paint dry in the last couple of years. Cant complain though, the crops are looking pretty good, which is fortunate. I spent the first 4 days while we were away battling the stomach wog. I was looking for the silver lining, hoping I would loose a couple of kilos but it didn't work. Oh well.

So i dusted of my supplies yesterday and had a crack at scrapbooking. I started to finish off a layout but I still haven't finished! I will get it done this week I hope. I've had lots of jobs to catch up on...one being to stock up for the retreat. I have had a look at a couple of class projects that the girls have been working on and they are great - very diverse. I'll be sending out class requirements very soon.

During one of my rare days at home this month I put up a new shelf to store some of my supplies. Its a cute Making Memories shelf that I pre-ordered a while ago. I felt that I needed to get stuff up in a decent eye shot view so I could use things up. It seems that when things are stored in boxes you tend not to use them as much. This little beauty costs around $180 and has to be pre-ordered, if anyone is interested drop me a line at scrappinoutback@bigpond.com

I also got a cube unit from Officeworks to hold my personal supplies. I love the size and it feels great to have everything within easy access. I cannot get started with scrapbooking until my stuff is in order, but then once I'm on a roll it starts to get very messy, but I don't clean up until I'm done or out of creative juices.

My brother, Dean, is having his transplant tonight so I'm praying all goes well. We wont know for a few weeks how effective it is, so although it will be painful waiting for the result we will just hope and pray for the best.

Hopefully I will have a layout to share sometime this week. Thanks for looking.

A little to share...

Thought I should share the layouts I did for my last class in Newdegate. I used 3 ranges of paper with coordinating embellishments and all three almost sold out. I have reordered the ranges to put back in stock. Here are some of the layouts. Firstly the Vita Bella range by Little Yellow bicycle...

...and the Zach's life range also by Little Yellow Bicycle which is not new but very popular and versatile.

Also, I thought I'd show the party favour boxes I used for Phoebe's party. I cannot take the credit for these. They are pre-made by K & Co and they are to die for. There are a few styles and I used 2 - one for the girls and one for the boys. I filled the girls with fairy lip balm, butterfly stickers and a bracelet. The boys got dinkies and car stickers. All the kids loved them.

I did make the invites with pre-cut cards that I stamped and embossed, embellished with 3d stickers and typed the message inside on the computer. They are simple but cute. I love making my own invitations now - something I haven't ventured into before.

Then there's the party girl in her butterfly outfit with her Jesse and Woody dolls we gave her for her birthday (the kids love Toy Story 2). It was so much fun and I loved making it a themed party with all the trims including the butterfly cake with candles that had coloured flames!

I was hoping to get into the studio today to do a layout so here's hoping. I'll have to dust off my stuff its been so long! Thanks for looking.

Catch-up

Hi there folks, I'm back in the land of the living once again...finally! I've had a couple of huge weeks and it was very successful. I was in Newdegate this last week for the annual field days and had a ball meeting new scrappers and chatting to old ones. Many thanks to my friend Ann who helped man the shop and did a little shopping herself! I was exhausted, but elated with how it went. Previous to that I was in Perth for my Mums birthday and that was a great success as well. Mum enjoyed a low key family gathering at Kings Park overlooking the city of Perth, eating fantastic food and enjoying great company. Happy Birthday Mum - you are a gem! If any of you wonder how I manage all that I do, I have one very inspiring role model who is the mother of organisation and has fit a lot into her life - Mum. (OK Mum, I'll stop going on now!)

My Phoebe turned 5 on Friday and we managed a party at home with friends. She had the time of her life dressed as a butterfly, flitting around and enjoying all the attention - wonder where she gets that from? My husband always turns to me and says "APPLE - TREE" which is derived from the saying "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree" and I always turn to him and say "there's more than one tree!". I made a few bits and pieces for her party which I'll show when I upload the photos.

Also on a personal note, my brother Dean who has been battling with Luekaemia has just had about 8 weeks break since he was released from hospital. He has been gaining strength and weight - in preparation for a bone marrow transplant which will take place this week. I cant believe it has finally come around. This transplant, if successful, is his ticket to immunity for life from the disease. The next 6 weeks are critical and may be brutal but hopefully it will all be worth it and he will be on the road to recovery and a happy and healthy life. I have been making the most of his wellness in the last few weeks, spending time with our family and making more great memories together. Hence the reason I've been a bit slack on the blog posts. Spending time on what matters most. Dean and Cassi are very positive and have faith that they will get through this and that Dean has many more years ahead. I am gaining strength and faith too. Thanks again to those of you have been concerned and supportive.

I have bits and pieces of new stock coming in dribs and drabs, some of which I wont show yet as we are preparing for the October retreat with new products and great ideas and techniques. I am so looking forward to this retreat. We'll be showing sneak peaks in the coming weeks.

I hope you all have a great week and I'll post again soon with pictures...I promise!

Sorry...

I am sorry its been so long since my last post. I have been away, came home and now I'm away again! All is well though, just very busy at the moment and may be for a while yet. I'll be home on Monday then I'm off to Newdegate Field Days on Tuesday to Thursday, then my eldest, Phoebe has her 5th birthday on Friday. That's scarey, my first born is 5! Tomorrow is my Mums 60th birthday so we are having a family gathering which will be great - cant wait. I've got lots to show in future posts of layouts I've done and other creative projects I have squeezed in between trips, so stay tuned. Hope you have a great weekend. Cheers!

Announcing...

SCRAPPIN' OUTBACK

presents

the 7th

Wave Rock Scrapbooking Retreat

@ Hyden, Western Australia.

17th - 19th October 2008

Featuring talented tutors

Lis Cassey, Caversham, W.A.

Sharon Manning, Bullsbrook, W.A.

& Gayle Smith, Narrogin, W.A.

Brochures and applications available shortly.

MARK YOUR DIARIES!

Where I've been...

Sorry to be gone for so long. I don't like to do leave it too long between posts but I've been away which was unplanned and since I've been home I've been struck by the stomach bug.

I went to Perth last week for a training course to become a child advocate for Compassion, a child sponsorship program. I have been wanting to undergo training for 12 months and finally decided that despite the hassle of going to Perth at such late notice, I should go anyway and get it done. I am so glad I went although I am ruined...not the same person because of what I now know about poverty and how it affects children all over the world. I have done so much soul searching and thinking since doing the course that it's taken me some time to process all I learnt. The good news is that I am now qualified and equipped to sign people up for child sponsorship as well as having the knowledge to pass on to anyone who may be interested and show that there are many ways you can support children in poverty even without sponsoring a child. It made me think most of all about how children are defenseless and cant speak out about the injustice that they bare, and be heard. Therefore I consider it my responsibility to speak for them and be their voice. I admit that there are plenty of corrupt ADULTS out there in the world who cause poverty and even some parents who don't deserve to be helped because they are corrupt to. But its not those adults who I am advocating, its the children who are affected by the corruption or even environmental problems like famine and drought. I also am aware that we have poverty here in Australia and homeless people who have nothing. Compassion supports the poorest of the poor though and those people are spread over 25 countries across the world and in this day and age of global awareness and the global communications like the Internet that we have, I feel that we cannot ignore the problem because it wont go away. And the problem is huge and overwhelming but every little bit of support can make a difference. There I go...up on my soapbox...I am rather passionate about this at the moment. And changed. I wont be preaching to anyone who does not wish to listen and I wont be twisting any ones arms when I see them face to face, so don't avoid me when you see me next. I promise to be gentle! If you are interested in finding out more about Compassion and what I've learnt you can contact me at my new email address; scrappinoutback@bigpond.com

I think I'm coming good from the stomach bug so I got out and unpacked another dozen boxes of new stock and managed to clean and reorganise the scrapbook room. I even managed to finish a couple of layouts I'd started a week or 2 ago.

The first I mentioned in a previous post. It's about Jett and his latest favourite activity - scrapbooking. I used Love Elsie papers.

The second is a double page layout of Phoebe's class from school. I recently received her school photos back and being the first time, I ordered the whole pack available, not realising that the whole pack included all the same photo apart from her class photos. Duh! I know this may seem like an overkill but I have decided to start a school album for her as I have 3 layouts already and can see myself doing more. For this layout I kept it simple and used Little Yellow Bicycle "Zach's Life" papers and chipboard arrow, adhesive sticker strip by Making Memories and letters by Scrapworks.

For some reason this photo will not upload so I'll post it later.

Hopefully I'll be able to create over the next few days at home to prepare for classes in Newdegate on the 27th of August. Be back soon.

A layout to share...

Hi folks! Not much scrappin' get done around here...but I did manage to finish the layout I started on Tuesday. Firstly, you should know that my friend Carla should take the credit for the sketch I used to base the layout on. In fact Carla has 6 layouts using this sketch and they are all different and ALL good! Thanks Carla for sharing your ideas.

I have had company these days while scrapping. My kids have joined me and they love it. They are messy of course, and use too much glue, but they are delighted to be scrapping with Mama and getting to use my stuff. They both have terms for it...Phoebe calls it scrapaling...always has...and I'm proud to say my 2 year old Jett can say scapbooking (no r) and he's very proud of himself too. I came across a scrapbook in a book sale so I nabbed it and thought it would be a good place for Phoeb's to start. Up until now she has scrapped in a big paper book with all sorts of stuff. So, as a scrapbooking Mama I had to take photos and this is the layout I put them on. I used all sorts of goodies on this layout. I like the speech bubble stamp by 7 Gypsies I had in stock and thought might be useful (got more if anyone wants one), and I used felt brads - my new favourite product! So here it is...




I have also begun a layout of Jett scrapbooking and will show soon. Other than that I have been printing off photos for my new class series and planning the layouts and kits for them. It's fun but I cant wait to sink my teeth into the layouts themselves.

Retreat plans are coming along and I have been discussing ideas with the tutors and they are really exciting. It's going to be jam packed I can tell you that.

Toodle Pip! and thanks for looking.

Catch-up

Classes went really well in Newdegate and Ravensthorpe on Friday and Saturday. As usual the girls are eager to learn and are very enthusiastic which makes it worth the while. Since then I've been home and doing a massive clean-up ( I think it's become a never ending story - sorry to bore you with it). And today the weather was nice so I planted some hedging plants in my garden that I purchased a while ago and were being neglected. I always find it hard to get time to do things like that but the results are so good I wonder why I didn't do it ages ago.

I did a little scrapping on Tuesday with the locals but didn't get to finish anything so when I do I'll show and tell. I do have a couple of layouts to show though. One I did for the Condy retreat and one I did quite a while ago but they are the same sketch so I thought I'd show both. I love the simplicity - of course - and how the sequence of photos tell the story. Gosh I love my kids - they are so funny sometimes! So here are the layouts - the first, Phoebe doing a fairy dance in the outfit she got for her birthday and was wearing for the 10th day in a row. Then Jett talking on the phone to Nanny, pacing the backyard in Phoebe's sparkly shoes with a saggy wet nappy...priceless...

I've been sorting stock for up coming events such as the Newdegate Field Days (3rd and 4th of September) and classes I'll be holding at the end of August and mid September. I'm working on a series of 6 heritage layouts that can be converted to layouts with current photos using 3 ranges of paper and embellishments. I'm really excited about this class because its a series and can be used for so many themes. I'm using heritage themed papers, classical all occasion papers and the third is a masculine range. You'll have to stay tuned for more details and to find out where and when the classes will be held.

Of course there's always new stock arriving and more on order. I'll be receiving the 3 new ranges of Basic Grey this month hopefully and lots, lots more. Plans are now coming along for the October retreat and tutors are currently designing projects. I'll announce the tutors shortly and have more information then. Looking forward to it -it should be a goody!

Thanks for looking and take care.