FIGJAM

A Public Announcement...

2010-01-24T19:39:00.002+11:00

I would like to make it publicly known that I am officially on a Scrapping No-Buy for the next six months.
*sob*
Smallprint: Disclaimer: Apart from adhesives, cardstock and basic supplies.

Why?

Because I have too much stuff!! And I keep buying more STUFF! And it's exploding out of my desk and there is no more room in my scrap space for more STUFF!!!!

So, I have made the decision that gives me the jellywobbles and cancelled my subscription to The ScrapRoom. (Love, love, love their kits. Alas) I often buy scrappy goodness from Blue Bazaar but I am trying to be strong and not visit the store to drool over new stock. I will not buy. I will not buy.

I am determined to use up ALL the kits I have sitting on my shelves. I am determined to use a whole heap of my embellishments. I am determined to at least halve my stash to a more manageable size. I know what I like to use. I know the style I love to own. I don't need (repeat, I don't need) all the 3000 gazillion different lines I currently own. I have the tools I like to use, over and over. I need to downsize!

This is my goal. It makes me nervous.

On a different note:

I spent a few days in Canberra last week. It was good to just be able to hang with Geek. He went to work. I did some of my business stuff from the laptop, made phone calls, etc. We went out for dinner. We went to the Art Gallery and saw the French Artists exhibition they have showing. Very impressive. It was nice to be an adult and not be responsible for children. I so will not suffer from Empty Nest Syndrome. I know it makes me sound heartless, and I dearly love each heathen, I mean, child I have, but I do enjoy doing adult things. And not being constantly called on to rescue or pay for this overdue, must be paid today bill or answer the constant, what's for dinner??? I like the concept of doing what I want, when I want, eat where I like. I enjoy putting a $50 note in my wallet and still seeing it there 5 days later. That's unreal!! (I pulled it out today for the ironing lady but it was in my purse for a whole week!!)

It was good to get away and remember why I love my Geek. And remember how well we get along. When there are no arguing kids to separate or messes to clean up. Again, sounds selfish when I see it in print but I guess some of my dreams and goals are a little selfish. I want to travel. The World!! I want to live in a city apartment and have shiny appliances without fingerprints and dirty dishes in my sink. My kitchen will be clean and stay clean - all day! Ahh the dreams.

Anyway, I just jumped in quickly to get my Scrappy Determination down in black and white. Something to hold me to the commitment. I can't back out now. It's out there. For all to see. (Or for me to see)

There's quite a few hours of scrappy time to work through all that stash. I may never see daylight again!!! If you don't hear from me in a few weeks, it may pay to send in a Rescue Team!! Look for the trail of adhesive backings! And bring food!

I AM HERE

2010-01-19T09:06:00.002+11:00

But I don't know who I am or where I belong or even how to get to where I want to be.

The Adventures of Bubba (or the Case of the Missing Calculator Keys)

2010-01-08T15:33:00.002+11:00

Text from dd: "Found my calculator yesterday minus all but 2 buttons. Thought the bunny ate them. Changed bubba's nappy n found them all, about 15 of them. hahaha"

Now I'm thinking all we need to do is to teach him to shoot out $50 bills and we are sweet!!

A Quick Share of some recent Layouts

2010-01-05T16:00:00.004+11:00

Why can't we CHOOSE our family?

2010-01-04T20:56:00.003+11:00

Like our friends. If they're toxic, dump them. Shame you can't do that with family. Well, I guess you can in a way. But they're always 'there'. kwim?

Geek's dad hasn't been well lately. He decided he should see him. Catch up. So he booked two tickets to Queensland. In December. Right when life and business is Super-busy. But we took a week out of the crazy schedule, left new admin staff to struggle through with only the phone for support. To stay with his dad. And his crazy wife.
I was on my best behaviour. I really was. I smiled. I agreed. I kept our room immaculate (I'd been forewarned she was a neat freak and I'm not messy but geek can be)
For 3 whole days. And I listened to the crazy wife complain, judge, criticise and form opinions based on her own thoughts (not factual evidence). And I smiled. And I agreed.

Then we escaped and came home to play catch-up on client enquiries, bookings and all the stuff that makes a business run.

Christmas came and we relaxed into a coma.

Today is sorta the day back after vacation. I went to the Post Office and there was mail from the crazy wife.

Apparently, she has misplaced a scarf. She says it's misplaced in my possession. Actually, she said I stole it. And if I return it, no more will be said.
But I don't have it. I don't even know what it looks like, or where it was supposed to be (in the room she let us stay in but where? *shrug*) She came into 'our' room on a daily basis while there. Opened windows. Closed windows. What else I don't know. I thought it was geek. He thought it was me. We concluded it was her. Creeped me out a bit as I'm a very private person. (Really, I am)
I'm quite taken aback by this openly hostile letter from her. No questioning about did I see it, did I open any drawers. Just, You stole it. Return. No more said.

Hmmm. So I said. More.
4 pages more.
And I took photos. Of all MY scarves. I like scarves. I buy a few new ones each winter. They're a bit like shoes. Addictive. And we have a boutique that sells some funky scarves. But I digress.
So, I took photos. Of my scarves. Laid them all out, nice like on the floor. Then I printed them off and wrote on the backs, detailing when I bought it, where and how much I paid for it. Like it? It's yours. Pretty colours, don't you agree? Gifted to me by a sweet friend, but I'll part with it.

And I attached said photos to the 4 pages of FACTS. Told her I can buy 6 scarves if I so choose. Why would I steal one? She stopped by the road to pick up a broken pair of sunnies - I offered to buy her a pair if she wanted some. But I'd steal a $10 scarf. Yep.

I wouldn't mind being a fly on the wall when she opens the fat envelope, thinking to herself, "padded, see? She took it and is returning it" Only it's full of photos. And I'll mail her as many stinking scarves as she wants.

I've never met a more critical, judgmental, negative person (made my ex look angelic). Are miserable people happy being miserable? I've never worked it out.

On top of this, geek's ex is stirring the pot again. Seems she wants more money. Than the bucketload she is already making. (According to her tax return details on CSA paperwork) Poor geek is having a bad day. Seems you can't divorce exes or family!!

(And my ex wants to friend me on Facebook!!! eek.)

Ed's note: I am not normally pro-active in responding to crap that family say or do. I ignore issues rather than confront. But I've just dealt with ongoing issues with my side of the family and this is ridiculous. Sometimes, you just gotta stand up and say it as it is. My letter was firm but polite. And factual. With a packful of pretty photos. Now, I'll just cower in the corner and wait for the fireworks.

New Year Commitments - How long do they last?

2010-01-03T21:03:00.003+11:00

It's been lovely since Christmas. I have been flat out since about October right up to Christmas Eve, like a lot of people. I got through Christmas and hit the wall. I have been utterly bone tired. I think I spent a full 4 days on the couch, unable to move, just surfing the net. Soooo, sooo tired. Still am. But the last few days have been b/c I've actually been doing things. Like exercise on my Wii. ugh, I don't *mind* it, I almost enjoy it. It's the starting part I don't like. And the sweating and hard work part. The finishing is pretty good. The shower and coffee after is the Best Part.
Then I decided now was a good time to purge the house. New decade, year, all that stuff. My boys are visiting their father in Perth for a couple of weeks; leaving on Wednesday. So as I had to help pack their suitcases, I figured now was a good time to go through their drawers and toss out all the old clothes that don't fit, yada yada. Son number one obliged, then I moved onto every other crevice in his room and did a total toss out of crap. Found a few lost socks that didn't make the vortex (or wherever it is lost socks disappear to).
Today I tackled son number two's drawers. He doesn't have much in his room, (he's very neglected if you go by the number of toys/gadgets in his room) so it wasn't too overwhelming.
I also tackled the kitchen. I cleaned, rearranged and purged every cupboard. Oh how sweet it is to see order, space and cleanliness in my cupboards! Now I just need to work our way through some of the food in the pantry! I swear we could survive a holocaust for 6 mths with all the staples and food tucked behind those white doors. It's because I'm a foodie, a chef, in hospitality. At least, that's what I keep telling myself! But I have had friends who had a tiny baby jar of vegemite and a box of 25 teabaqs in their pantry. And survived. Not sure how, but they did. I don't think I could. I'd be sitting in the corner rocking back and forth, wondering where my next meal would come from. (What buy it? Fast food? Heathens!)
The Christmas Tree came down today too. De-decorated. I now have nakedness in front of the bay window. Nakedness! Space! Until I vacuum all the pine needles up and put my grannies chest back anyway.
I've scrapped heaps. I'm actually attempting to scrap all our Christmas Photos into an album. 12x12 because I couldn't figure out how to make 80 photos fit on an 8x8 page.
I've had Keshia and family here too, having some down-time. That's a fulltime job, having extra bodies in the house. Not in a bad way, just in a busy way.
So, for all my exhaustion, I've had a busy week. But it's been so refreshing to not be governed by my Inbox or my calendar. Shame it's Monday tomorrow and back to the grindstone. I think I could happily while my days away just gardening and scrapbooking.
Theo even got busy and got the hedgetrimmer out to cut back the manic forest pretending to be a garden today too. Except he cut through the new tv antennae lead, so now no-one has tv access. Not that *I* care! But others do. We'll have to wait till the 11th to book the Antennae guy out to fix it. Ah well. My vines, bushes and garden look a little tidier now! He was a maniac with that hedge trimmer! If it was green, it should be cut back to ground level. At least I think that was the mantra I heard being muttered.
Now to dispose of it all! I have big bags of clothes for Goodwill, old school uniforms to sell, Christmas rubbish to get rid of, green waste. But the place does look tidier for it all.
Now, to find the mojo for work again! Holiday mode is such a nice place to be!!

2009-12-29T07:50:00.003+11:00

Christmas Pic Share

2009-12-26T17:56:00.002+11:00

Boxing Day Sales were disappointing and rather inconveniencing. Non-existent actually. My planned "pj day" was interrupted to go Laptop Shopping with the Rudd Small Business Capital Tax Rebate in mind. Geek and I had decided to upgrade both our laptops so headed out to Domayne. Shut. Tight. What??? :s Most of the shops, Harvey Norman, Bunnings, Godfrey, all the bigger stores were closed. ugh. We were/are also in the market for a new car. Again, nothing open and wont be on Sunday, so we have till Dec 31 to find a new car and make a decision. Time is fast running out. *WE* were organised! It's the stores that let us down! Better luck tomorrow, I hope.

Christmas Day was a pearler. No major dramas, no huge hissy fits. Everyone was happy, well fed and well gifted. It was a 180 degree on last year. I'd rather never remember last year, although it's a good barometer. This year has been quiet but absolutely full of family love and mushy stuff! Everyone got along, helped prepare lunch, geek and I attended church, nothing went awry. A perfect Christmas! Thanks guys!! I love you!

Has it been that long?

2009-11-05T19:54:00.005+11:00

August? That was my last post?? Man, I keep saying my life is too busy. This proves it. Not to say I haven't thought longingly to post to my wee little bloggy but I simply haven't had time or I've been passed out comatose from exhaustion.
Tonight, I just wanted to do a quick share. I 'yoinked' some gorgeous pics of my grandson, Keegan off from my daughter's facebook and felt obligated to share a couple with the interwebs.
He is 11 mths old now and growing up so fast as they do. He has just started walking. Nana *knew* he'd be walking before Christmas!!
Here's a brag or two...

So I survived the 2 weeks of grandbaby sitting. Just. Man, I was done in by the time that little rugrat went home. I'm too old for babies fulltime any more! But man, I love him.
Geek and I escaped for a long weekend in Bowral (Highlands) at the beginning of October. 3 days of trying to relax but not because we both had hectic schedules to go back to. I think I need a week to unwind - it takes me that long to slow down. It's so hard to NOT think of work. There's always a new idea to discuss, plans to work on, marketing ideas to expand on, phone calls and emails to respond to. sigh, it just goes on and on. Gotta love life!
I'm busy at the moment looking for Admin staff. I need an Admin Assistant. Anyone?? Just to help me step back a bit and work 'on' the business a little more instead of constantly 'in' it. I never catch up, so having someone in to do the deskwork would be ideal. If you know someone who is a whiz at Admin - let me know!
I can't believe it's nearly Christmas already. I am so not ready. I don't want to know. I'll stick my head in the sand and hope like heck I'm flat out with staff in bookings. Back to the marketing. I am fast running out of time.
Scrapping: Yes, well, again another neglected hobby. Love it. Want to do it. Have done a little but not nearly enough. Especially when I keep getting such gorgeous photos of my grandbaby! It's the usual chant - too many photos, not enough time!
I'd love to have my sewing machine out too - yet another time issue (and space issue).
We are hoping we might get the two rooms downstairs over Christmas to use - they are currently padlocked and full of the owners' belongings. The rooms would be ideal for expanding the office into. Then I'd bring all my crafty stuff up where the office is now and take over the top floor! It would give us so much more space.
Well, that's enough from me for now. Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day. :)

Somebody come hold my hand??

2009-08-04T11:04:00.002+10:00

Eek.
I'm Scared.
Big Scared.
Deer in the Headlights Scared.

I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew. Geek has said it too. It's confirmed. I may have just totally lost my mind.

DD21 is of to New Zealand on the 15th of this month. For two weeks. I get to be a nana and babysit Keegan (aka bubba). Not so bad - guess I'll run the business around nap time and feed time and nappy change time and play time and walk in the pram time. I'll survive. I raised 5 kids, right?
Not too scary.

I got an email a couple of weeks ago from the local community college, saying there was a free hospitality course coming up. I must have misread it, cos I thought it was a 5 week Barista course. I've been wanting to do that for a few years now. Great opportunity. WRONG! Anyway, I sent in my application and was one of the successful 10 people chosen to do a 15 week Hospitality Course with 5 weeks Work Experience. Ahhh, ok. Starts tomorrow. For the next 15 weeks, I am now missing my Wed and Thurs from my week. Hell. What did I just sign up for???? :s

So the eek part. I have a handover for a staff member to a new client tomorrow. In the middle of my new study day. and then NEXT week, I have bubba for two weeks. And I have other business commitments too. Crapola. And I have to fit all this in around Wednesdays and Thursdays.

I'm scared I am not going to make it to the other side. I am always busy. No argument there, except now, I just killed any hope for a minute to breath. *gulp*

Please, can someone hold my hand and tell me, it's gonna be all right.
*sits in corner and rocks gently back and forth*

New mantra: Left foot, right foot. Left foot, right foot. Left foot...

And a Quick Share while I'm online...

2009-07-24T16:02:00.006+10:00

Told ya I'd been busy!!
And this is just a SAMPLE of what's sitting in my pile waiting to go in the album.
So why am I HERE?? The mojo is just flowing from my fingers. Think I'll head downstairs and get busy on a new layout!
I wonder if I can sweet talk geek into cooking dinner tonight?? lol

Barista Search for The Scrap Room - Are You In?

2009-07-24T15:44:00.002+10:00

So it was a last minute decision but I've thrown my hat in the ring to see if I am 'good enough' to be on a design team. It's not something I do lightly as I have seen enough of the scrapworld to know there are too many Scrap Divas out there and damned if I'd want to become one of them!
But I have been getting kits from The ScrapRoom (otherwise known as TSR) for a couple of years now and apart from being the only kit I get now, it has literally replaced my $500 a month habit. I find TSR kits so complete that I don't need to shop for scrap-crap anymore, apart from adhesives and the odd ink here and there.
Besides, like any other addict, I have so much stuff to work through that I really don't need to buy another thing for the next 10 years. But we do. Because we are ADDICTED. And we need that New Scrappy Stuff hit. We need to smell the newness of it all and stroke it lovingly before tossing in a box with all the other hundreds of dollars worth of scrap-crap we have accumulated.
Aah, but TSR kits are different. They are so co-ordinated and I can get a good 10-12 layouts with each kit. And cards from the leftovers.

If you follow my ramblings at all, you will remember I've had the roughest 12 months. Life is finally settling down to a normal madness. Sweet sweet normal madness. sigh. Because of the crazy 3 mths it took to move (let alone the 18mths it took to find a home large enough and in the right location!!) and because of the 6 mths without work and a multitude of other crap I've gone through - I actually have a backlog of kits that I am now working through.
It's been great to be set up in my new area, not a room to myself per se, but my own little space. And I seem to have a mojo working overtime because lately, those layouts are just falling onto the page. I've got a pile of about 20 pages waiting to go in the album at the moment.

All the above has been said to let you know, you too can submit to TSR and try out to be one of the Design Team Barista's! But you better hurry. Like I said, I've been thinking about it and nearly tossed the idea but submitted last minute. Apps close 25th July (but if you're Aussie like me, I bet that is 25th July USA which means you could sneak it in on Sunday!!) Ha!

Here are the details (as copied from TSR website)

SCRAPROOM 2009 “BARISTA” SEARCH:

After another inspiring year, we are getting ready to say goodbye to most of our current Design Team members, and we’re looking to add three new permanent Baristas (aka: Design Team Members) to our 2009-2010 team. Brenda Carpenter will be staying on as our Barista Coordinator and as the layout creator of our always-popular “Month In Review” Recipe Cards. But, she’s going to need some help to keep our online gallery bursting with creative ideas and inspiring layouts!

So, if you LOVE fresh scrapbooking products in the form of KITS – and if you’re a big fan of layout kits in particular, then you might be just what we’re looking for to round out our “BARISTA TEAM!” Please read through the benefits and expectations as they are outlined below, and if you think your scrapbooking style might be a good fit for our team, then enter your submission by following the submission guidelines below. The deadline to enter is July 25th, and the new Baristas will be announced on July 31st.

Send the following in ONE e-mail to the our e-mail address at: tammy@scrap-room.com
(Please type your name and the word “BARISTA” in the subject line of the e-mail.)
Include a short paragraph telling us a little bit about yourself and your scrapbooking style and loves. We want to know why you scrapbook, where you get your inspiration, and why you think you might be a good fit for our Barista Team. (Don’t forget to include your name and where you live. )
Also include a link to an online gallery or blog that you post to where we can see a larger sampling of your work.
Attach (1) 2-page layout (can be sent as two separate images, if desired) AND (2) 1-page layouts that you have created recently that showcase your style.
*Be sure that your images are no larger than 350 x 350 pixels and 75 dpi, as larger images require too much downloading time and storage space.
*The ability to take good photographs or create good-quality scans of your layouts/projects is “KEY” to being on our Barista Team. We are looking for clear and clean images for our online gallery each month, so please keep that in mind when sending your images.
WHAT OUR BARISTAS CAN EXPECT FROM US AT THE SCRAPROOM:

1. Every month, each Barista Team member will receive (at not cost to you, including shipping) the next month’s “Flavors of the Month” Kit, Embellishment Kit, Bazzill Kit, Patterned Paper Kit and Stamp Kit free of charge (over $57.95 value, including the shipping). Baristas will be required to complete the Assignments as outlined below and to submit their designs to us via e-mail by the deadline.

2. In addition to free kits and shipping on a monthly basis, Baristas also enjoy additional discounts on bonus kits and other ScrapRoom store purchases.

3. Baristas are free to submit their layouts and projects created with their free ScrapRoom kits for submission, and all designers retain the publishing rights to all of their own designs. **If you are published in a nationwide scrapbooking magazine and you get our web-address (www.scrap-room.com) into the credits, then we will give you a $50.00 bonus!

4. Baristas will have access to our private Administrators forum on the message board, where you can keep up to date on all of the latest happenings and get acquainted with or ask questions and get answers from other Design Team members and Moderators.

EXPECTATIONS OF A SCRAPROOM BARISTA:

1. On a monthly basis, Baristas will create scrapbook page layouts and other smaller projects (cards, mini layouts, etc.), using ALL four layout kits included in the monthly kit, as well as items from the (4) monthly add-on kits. Each designer will be assigned one “RECIPE” layout kit each month (see specifications below). All page layouts/projects must be scanned and stitched or photographed with a high-quality digital camera (if too lumpy for scanning) and submitted to us via e-mail by the deadline.

Gallery Assignments: Using the kits, create at least 6 scrapbook pages (any size) and 2 smaller card/projects for the online gallery each month. When designing for the gallery, you are free to use other items from your own stash, but we would ask that you keep the main focus on the items included in the kits.
(1) Recipe Assignment: Using your assigned Recipe Kit, create (1) 2-page layout (size 12x12) or (2) 1-page layouts (size 12x12) primarily using the items in the assigned LAYOUT KIT. When creating the Recipe Card, you will also need to submit step-by-step directions for completing your Recipe Card layout, including cutting instructions and placement of the layout elements.
2. Each Barista will be responsible for updating the ScrapRoom Blog (1) time each month. This will give you an opportunity to showcase your main gallery designs with more detailed images, descriptions and how-tos.

3. Each Barista should plan to participate in our Anniversary Celebration in October 2010 on our message board and on our blog. Participation will entail preparing a mini-class and handout, which will be uploaded to the message board for our customers to enjoy.

4. All Baristas must commit to The ScrapRoom for a length of one year (September 2009 –August 2010). During your time as a designer for The ScrapRoom, we would ask that refrain from holding a design team position with any competing kit club or online store that sells monthly kits. Manufacturer design team appointments and teaching at your LSS are acceptable. Your main function as a Barista for TSR is to help us to market our kit club, whether it be through your layouts and project using our kits, word of mouth, etc. We do not want our designers to advertise for competing kit clubs.

5. All Design Team members should post their monthly designs to at least one other gallery and/or personal blog after the designs have been revealed on our website. Please just state that you created the layout/project using kits from www.scrap-room.com. I am not looking for you to do heavy-duty advertising, but posting your designs created with our kits is good exposure for you and for us.

Get your scrappy hands on and get moving. Come on. Have a go!

Finally an upload

2009-07-09T12:46:00.006+10:00

I finally got my butt into gear and have taken some pics off my camera and got them on my computer.
Mind you! I got my laptop back yesterday!! A happy day. I *think* he's fixed. (I call him Tristan but that's another story)
so now Tristan is back on deck - it's easy for me to get pics up.
Here's a sampling of some of my latest creations.
Go make a cuppa and come back tomorrow if this bit is boring!

It's a busy thing this Life -

2009-07-07T20:42:00.002+10:00

I've been meaning to post for a while now but it's pretty busy around here!
Things are finally settling down in our 'new' home. I think there is only one box left unpacked and that's office stuff. Nothing that can't wait.
I bought a new filing cabinet for the office as our old one didn't like the move. I think I killed it. I have that effect. So it got replaced with a new model. Today has been transfer day. And it's not a matter of just hoiking out files from one drawer and shoving them in another. Ooooh no. Everything has to go in neat and tidy, in new manilla folders, labelled correctly and in alphabetical order. Yeah, I can see this is going to take a while. Good job I'm not busy with clients about now. Funny how I can live with 'disorder and chaos' until I change something. Then it's not about a simple change - it's a drag it all out, dust it off, polish it, OCD change. sigh. But it will be a nice tidy filing cabinet when it's done!

Poor Nathan got the rough end of the pineapple when he came to visit. Helping me move. And it's pretty much taken to now to get everything kinda how I like it. I'm still moving bits of furniture around, trying to find the 'right' spot for it all. The weekend just gone, even Geek got bitten by the bug and Karcher-ed the glass atrium we have on the back patio. The house was left in a pretty grotty state - which is why it's taking me so long to settle in. I'm not only unpacking and finding new homes for everything - I'm deep-cleaning too. Walls, ceilings, atriums. I got out in the garden while Geek cleaned the atrium. I bought a new rake Friday. Saturday Geek had to replace the handle. I snapped it. I bought new garden gloves too. They're dead. Sunday, I snapped my second rake handle. Luckily, we weren't long back from Bunnings and I'd picked up a rake with a steel handle. It's still intact! Yay. So, I raked leaves. Lots and lots and lots of leaves. I thought of USA in Fall with the huge leaf piles I see in pictures! Yeah, I still have 4 of those piles in my back yard waiting for me to put into garden bags. Good job it's not windy about now! lol
I've had massive computer issues since moving. Two months now and I'm still having 'issues'. A fortnight ago, my laptop finally died after giving me lots of pretty colours - right before it would crash. Then slowly reboot. To crash again. sigh It's at Benq right now, getting medical attention. Then 3 days later our router died. So I was a whole week with no internet at all! eek.
But Geek has it all fixed now. Still waiting for my laptop to come home to momma. But at least I'm connected to the www now. (((hugs))) *sings - I feel the power*
It seems to be one thing after another. And it always seems to disrupt business time. So I am waaay behind.
DD18 wants to get driving hours up so she can sit for her licence. So she wants to drive to Cronulla, Sydney - visit her sister (and bubba) and then drive back again. Another day of business lost. And I've just had an argument with Geek about it and feel guilty for not wanting to do this. He is cranky that I am giving up *another* day of business for kids who keep asking and think that because I work from home that I don't really 'work'. I see his point. But my argument is: get her hours up, she can sit her driver's test and then I get the car (and my life) back. Fast. I think there's 17 or so hours left to do. Tomorrow to Cronulla would take a good 5-6 hours. That's a good hit. But I dread the thought of being in the car that long. I hate driving anyway. I detest being a passenger. I ABHOR being the parent sitting next to the Learner child. UGH!!!! So I am caught between a rock and a hard place.
Theo is not well tonight. Maybe I can use him as an excuse and put it off till next week!! (Naughty, yes. Desperate, yes. Guilt-free, no)
Because I am on the desktop, I need to find my camera lead to upload photos but I have been very busy scrapping too, which has been great. I'm trying to get on top of the never ending supplies I've built up. I will post photos as soon as I can find the lead. *Got a good idea where it is, but it's late so I will happily procrastinate till tomorrow.*
If you've read this far, congratulations! It's an epic post when I don't stay on top of it all!
(Oh and WW is working for me! I've lost 5kg so far but I'm struggling this week with enthusiasm. I'm finding every excuse in the book NOT to diet! Why do I do that??)

They're Wrong You Know

2009-06-04T22:16:00.002+10:00

It has been said that the hardest word to say is sorry.
They're wrong you know.
Today I learnt (again) the hardest word to say:
GOOD-BYE

Good bye is the hardest word. Because it brings with it not only grief or sadness but the ending of something that is precious to you.

Ok, so this is a pretty morose post thus far. It's also pretty blurry thanks to the tears that wont stop falling. You see, 10 days ago, I was at the Sydney Airport to pick up my eldest son who was visiting from Perth. We hadn't seen him in 2 years or so. Possibly longer. Longer for some of the kids. At least I caught up with him when I went to Perth for work commitments.
... But today, I was at the Airport to say goodbye and send him back home to his fiance. And his work. And it has near broken my heart. Because somewhere over the last few years, my eldest baby grew up. And became a man. And I missed it. But today, I realised that I must be the proudest momma in Australia. He was making some huge bad choices a few years ago. His life was a mess and I had to use some tough love on him. But today. Today he is a new person. A man who makes good choices about his life. Who admits his faults easily and is prepared to do his best to correct them. A man with a goal and vision.
And I doubt that I had much to do with that change. It happened while I was on the other side of the country, busy with my own life and choices.
And when you see how one of your kids can turn their life around and become something truly special - boy, it is so hard to say goodbye.
I want him to turn around and come live on *this* side of the country. I cant even say if that is a good thing for him to do but it is selfish. I want to see this man again. To enjoy his company and know that he is close.
Ah well. I need to be happy with the days we had and hope that one day, in the not so distant future, one of us can get to the other side for another visit.
Bloody distance. Why does it have to be so far?
And why do Good-Byes have to be so hard?

I'm Trying, Really I Am...

2009-04-21T12:13:00.003+10:00

I am trying so hard to get my life back on track. I kinda fell off for a while. (Still not on.) Part of it is the perimenopausal thing going on.
I have kicked in a handful of healthy supplements each morning (one is remefemin).
I push myself to get a certain amount of things checked off my list each day. (Got to the stage that getting out of bed and staying awake was a major tick)
I am trying to consistently get back into my gym routine of an hour a day. Went last night and again this morning.
I plan to walk into my first Weight Watchers meeting this Thursday morning and join. I need to lose 10- 15kg and I keep trying to do it alone but I just can't. I truly get bogged down trying to keep kids happy while I am eating salads and fall back into old habits.
My business has been so slow but yesterday I had three calls to follow up on. That's today's agenda. And filing from yesterdays tax input.
I hope to look at my assignment and finish another couple of questions. By then it will be time to get dinner and go out to a business meeting.
All the while trying to sound positive and energetic.
I also plan to visit the dr on Thursday afternoon to get a thyroid test. Last time I saw the dr he mentioned it could be a factor to my tiredness. I doubt it but best to rule it out I suppose.
I just seem to be in a huge slump I am struggling to get out of.
I am hoping that if I can make some positive changes to myself that geek will follow and get fitter too.
I a going so far as using a food/exercise diary! I am truly trying to get on top of this lethargy that is dogging me. I gotta see improvement. Surely!!
Anyway, I'd better get back to that list. I can't blog all day!! Cheers!

2009-04-20T16:30:00.000+10:00

2009-04-20T16:29:00.000+10:00

2009-04-20T16:23:00.001+10:00

We, Geek, Theo and I, went for a Sunday Drive to kill a few hours. I've always wanted to look through the Museum at Hampden Bridge, Kangaroo Valley. We headed out in icky weather, dressed for winter and had lunch at the Kangaroo Valley Pub. "Pub Grub" as Theo announced with enthusiasm. We passed a farm selling fudge so stopped to pick up some nut brittle, which Theo and I hogged into as soon as we headed off again (this is pre-lunch)!
After lunch, we went to the museum then took the long road home.
Rather uneventful but better than being stuck at home on a Sunday, I guess. So, just a quick photo share!

Did I get sucked into a black hole?

2009-04-16T11:32:00.002+10:00

I love technology. When it works. We had a very boring Easter. I actually had time to blog - had my piccies and everything ready to go - and gremlins visited. Grr. Took Geek a day or so of farting around to change something in my settings.
I have started grumbling about Vista. I liked it at first. But the last couple of months or so - Vista has been getting crazier and crazier. When I'm in IE it crashes. A lot. The other day, I was trying to do some studies and pull up pages for referencing. ugh, darn thing just wouldn't load and/or crashed. Not once, not twice, but every freakin' time. I had a one hour study time slot. I wasted the lot. No, correction. VISTA wasted the lot.
I'll pay a couple of bills instead I thought. Wrong. Vista kept crashing.
So I grumbled to Geek. He took off Vista and put IE8 (?) on. The latest and greatest from Mr Gates. (Whatever, don't ask me the hard questions) Which changed settings. Which meant I couldn't post pics on my blog. Which frustrated me yet again! Why so hard????
And that my friend is the long story of why it has taken me so long to blog. (And I dont have any pics today due to it not being Easter anymore and I'm in a Nothing Zone.) sigh

So yeah. Black hole. Still surrounded by packing boxes. Had Easter with Geek's older boys staying a night. Grandson dropped on my lap for the long weekend because he wont stop screaming and momma is going crazy. (He was very good for us - lots of distraction I guess). Geek's car in for a service on Tuesday and picked up today (Thursday). Walking to meetings and grabbing taxis or rides when I cant walk. Utterly, utterly bone tired. Brain wont function because I am so tired. And I feel like I am walking in a fog of a time warp where everything has stopped and I am going nowhere.
Please tell me it's just a phase.
I have no business to run at the moment. I took a couple of weeks off to pack the house and move - and now there is nothing coming in. No enquiries, no bookings, nada. I guess I will have to shake the cloud of doom off and get out there to knock on doors or figure out some marketing schemes. Let people know I am here. And I want some work! But I don't.
I'd rather just hide at home. Not good. Not good at all.
I am trying to spend as much time as I can studying. But it's not a breeze. This one is full on please dont interrupt me study. The get your head in the zone study where I need blocks of time to work it all through. And when I finally get the block of time - I can't study.
I have lost my momentum. My mojo for living is gone. I can barely be bothered getting out of bed these days. The only reason I do is because the coffee machine is upstairs! Maybe if I moved it closer to my bed...
When I am done moaning here; I plan to grab paper and pen and write a long list of what needs to be done, what should be done, what I want to do. Rewrite my life. Work out new fresh goals. Try and find some energy and then start working through the list.
I want to be busy again but honestly, I am just too tired. Is this life at 44? Does it get better or is it 'just me'?? oh my, I need a new direction. I wish I knew when it gets better. IF it gets better. We need a new home. How long do we live in limbo surrounded by boxes? I need some work. It gives me direction; something to be busy about. I need structure. I think I got lost somewhere. Can someone throw me a GPS??? I need to get out!!!

Still looking

2009-04-07T13:40:00.004+10:00

Thought I'd pass through and say we are still looking for a new home.
There is nothing available. Not at all.
We looked at another home in Gerringong - 10 minutes from here.
Two applications went forward to the landlord. Ours and another one.
The other family got it on the grounds they were already a Gerringong family. So they knew them? Not sure. But we lost out because we lived 10 mins away and not directly in Gerringong. Poo!! arrrgh! So frustrating. The house was nicer than the first one we applied for and cheaper. I was so wanting it.
Ah, what can you do? There is one other house in Kiama for $700 week. Bit out of our desired price range but again, someone else has applied (not accepted yet mind you) and it's only a 6 mth lease. So we'd move and still have to be looking for another place as the owners want to move into the house in a few months. What a drag.
So we live surrounded by boxes. Disorder and chaos. (Next line: My job here is done.)
No home to move into. No idea of when we might move. Made the commitment now (we have been procrastinating the move for so long), gotta go forward. I am NOT unpacking those boxes!!
Business on my side is dead quiet. I could chase up a client but I really don't enjoy driving to Sydney and the headache I get from it. That's ok because I ahve spent two days studying my Real Estate Assignment questions and it's frickin' hard! I actually have to use my peri-menopausal brain and concentrate. The answers need to make sense. It's taking me 3 times longer than it would any other (sane) time but I think I'm finally getting in the zone and 'getting' it. It's been a long time since I studied Laws and Regulations so the brain is struggling a bit.
I think once I get past learning all the Regs and Laws pertaining to management and RE that the filling in the forms and how you actually do the stuff will be a cinch. That's what I'm telling myself anyway. Hey, any half wit can fill in a form. (I think I'll retract that. I've seen a form or two and half wits dont do too well.)
Anyway, I finally got the gist of Q2, so instead of blogging, I'd better get back to answering. It would be great to get one assignment completed and sent off before Easter. Wish me luck with that!! ugh.

Oh and a prayer or two for a new home would be greatly appreciated. I dont care if it's the Heavenly Father, Allah, Buddah or who it is. Just leave a fruit sacrifice and I'll be smilin'! (Maybe I should up the sacrifices to something more carnal.) ;)

Tax Time! aka The "Hidden Costs"

2009-04-01T17:02:00.002+11:00

No, I don't do it. I pay my Accountant to do those icky jobs!

But I did have to sit down and add up the interest I have paid on my Credit Card over the last financial year.
07/08 Tax Year CC Interest - $3,525.67
08/09 CC Interest Paid to Date - $2,887.11
All up, over the last 18 months, we have paid $6,412.78 for the privilege of swiping the card instead of paying cash!!!
Ladies and Gentlemen! That is a lot of dough!

I am so determined to clear that darn card this year. We still owe close to $30k on it and it is driving me nuts. It holds us back on so many decisions we could make or things we could do. ugh.

That's it. My apologies to all that I buy scrap supplies from but I have GOT to go on a NO-BUY until this is cleared. I'll keep the one scrap kit I get each month, so I don't go stir-crazy but I really need to hold back the High Living and live on a cash-only system.
The banks can find some other sucker. This one is retiring.

And now for the kicker...

2009-04-01T15:34:00.001+11:00

I had a couple of meetings this morning. Came home to answer a missed call - it was the property manager for the house we are moving into.
Being a small town, Ashley knows we have been looking for a while for a new rental. She also knew we wanted long term. The owners of the rental took their house off the market after some discussion when we expressed interest in a long term rental in their property. Only now, they have told the r/e agents they plan to put the house back on the market to sell 8 months after we move in. Oh and by the way, when you have these new tenants signed up and they're in, we will drop you as Property Managers and do a private lease.
Whoa! Bad business ethics in my books.
I spoke to dh (who as you know is in Canberra, so I am handling everything my end) and we agreed that the owner was a dirty scoundrel and we were pulling the pin. We don't want to move twice in 12 months.

So now I have a house that is 80% packed. Boxes EVERYWHERE. Phones, power, removalists, etc all booked and organised. And we aren't going anywhere. Or at least... I guess we will if we can find another large home in a hurry.
It took us over a year to find this place. And there is still not a lot on the market for rent. Nothing large enough to house 3 teenagers and a business anyway. Ruh Roh.
So now I am in a kind of shock. Not knowing what to do.
Do we run around like headless chooks (sorry, chickens) and find an alternative, not so perfect, place? Do we stay here? And for how long? Do I unpack? I am not sure what to do. Dh is a lovely guy, but not always the one to 'take control' and sort out messes. And I am at a loss on what to do right now myself! arrgh!

I think I should go to the store and buy a big box of chocolates!! That will fix everything! (well, maybe not, but the endorphins will thank me)

A Packing We Will Go

2009-03-30T17:05:00.002+11:00

Got the quote from the Removalist today. $250 per hour. I give it 6 hours. That's a lotta money to move 3 streets away. Bugger of it is - we have a very steep driveway and you can't get a truck up it. Being split level, there are also stairs at the front to the driveway (where it bends so no truck can turn in it anyway!!). Poor guys are going to be huffing and puffing up and down the driveway unfortunately. And my wallet will pay for that.
I have been madly packing (and am taking a quick break before getting back into it). I am organising the packing into 2 sides. One for the men to pack on the truck and one side for me to load up and do 39 trips in the Commodore. I figure if I do a few trips with all the smaller boxes I can save a $$ or two. Besides, the heavy stuff is what I need help with. Not all the smaller boxes. I can transfer those over a few days.
Where is Geek do you ask?
Aah. He is sweating over a computer in Canberra. I get to do the move alone.
BUT. He will be home for 4 days over Easter and man! Am I gonna whip that geeky butt setting the house to rights!! :) He wont get away with it THAT easily. NO Siree.
Do you know? This man is highly intelligent and yet hasn't/won't pack a thing because he says he "doesn't know where to start?" It's all too overwhelming for him. Ahh, pardon? Pick up a box. Go to any cupboard. Pack the freakin' box and label it with a pen. Move to next box. Repeat. Ugh. Men. And I said they were only good for moving furniture. ONLY UNDER INSTRUCTION! Obviously.
Ok, time's up. Gotta go do some more. (Dont wanna pack my scrapstash. *said in whiny voice*)

WE'RE MOVING!

2009-03-26T23:39:00.002+11:00

FINALLY! After 15 months of searching, we have finally found a home that is suitable for us to fit a family and a business in! We submitted an application for a 4 bedroom home, still in Kiama, 2 mins drive away and it was accepted today. It also has a one bedroom granny flat we will use as the office. Heaps of room, plenty of yard and grass. So much space! It will look empty compared to what we are in at the moment! I'll have to go shopping to fill it up!
We move on April 8th. Right on Easter. Which isn't all that mad as geek is working f/t in Canberra (3 hrs south) so wont be available during the week but will be home for 4 days over Easter. I have a whip with his name on it - "donkey". I'll get removalists in to move the big, heavy stuff to the new rental. I'll move all the smaller stuff in the station wagon. Then geek can put furniture back together/in it's place at the other end. And help me do some heavy cleaning at this end when the place is empty.
It's near midnight and I can't sleep for lists running through my head of how to pack the house; what order to do it in; what to organise for the removalists; on and on and on. Oh brain! STOP!!!
The kids are excited. They all get their own bedrooms. It will be the first time the boys have ever been in a room alone. Josh is 12, TJ turns 14 in June. So it will be a big thing to have their own rooms. There are bets going on who it is (between the boys) who will have the messiest bedroom. I say TJ. He's a real slob. Almost as bad as his sister! She is massive messy. A shopaholic who owns far too much "STUFF". Just stuff. Not a lot of useful stuff. Just Stuff. There is a car sitting in her bedroom if you added up how much she has spent buying crap. Now she can spread it all out (on the floor as she usually does)instead of just piling it.
The granny flat will house the business/office. The granny flat bedroom will be my Scraproom. Noice. I'll be able to have my sewing machine set up too so I'll be able to do a lot more crafts as well as scrapbooking. It will be heaven. And as it's seperate from the house, I *could* lock the doors and be in solitary confinement! Woot! Paradise! A girl, a craft room and coffee. What more could I want?

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On another note: I have been sitting on the fence about my blog. Which is why it's been so long between posts. I thought maybe I should shut it down. Go private. There are things I'd like to 'journal' but not necessarily have published for all to see. And then the argument of "who actually reads my blog anyway?" ran through my mind a lot. As well as, "what benefit/ego trip do I get out of doing my blog?"
I have more questions than answers right now. But until I can decide 100%, I will leave my simple, insignificant blog up and running. I'll possibly start saving some posts to Drafts to keep some private. We'll see. I certainly type faster than I write, otherwise, I'd be writing in a journal in bed each night. But that is too slow and I am too lazy. Typing is so much easier!

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Back to the Moving Topic. I have downed a hot milk and honey drink to kick in some sleep hormones. Let's hope I can wind the brain down a tad to get some sleep. Before morning comes - it's not far away already!
I'll try and keep things updated on progress but when I think we only have 2 weeks! EEK! I don't know how I will do it all.
Any such thing as moving fairies?? I could use a few this end right about now!

Do Not Disturb

2009-02-18T14:05:00.005+11:00

Someone please explain to me why I am so darned tired!! I have a load of work to do, as we all do, I'm sure. But this week is dragging it's arse. It's Wednesday and I am wishing it were Friday. Except I have a Dinner for 14 on Saturday which means work. And a late night. But this week...All I want to do is SLEEP!I suppose there is always work to be done. I have my Correspondence Studies in now, so there's that to do. I've ordered some business books that are now waiting to be read. There's the new customer management system I want to install and must learn (and need to read the manual first). Customers are waiting for staff to be allocated. But frankly, I dont care!! I just want to sleep, dammit!I smoojed around the computer this morning, answering emails and slipped out before the repair man came to fix my dishwasher - missed him by this much. I flicked through my spanking brand new Edmonds Cookbook for a minute's distraction and saw a muesli slice for the kids and then I spied a ginger cake recipe. The slice is made and the cake is in the oven. I'm done in!
If Josh comes home begging to go to the gym, I think I may manage to drive him there but please, God, don't make me have to do any exercise! I dont think I can manage it. Not today! So there you have it. I hit the wall. Who is that Nod dude who slept for a hundred years? I want to be him. Just for a decade or two. I'll set the alarm.

QOTD

2009-02-14T12:29:00.002+11:00

Ka-ching!!

2009-02-12T13:31:00.002+11:00

We got PayDay early!

Oh what a feeling!!
A great lump of money fell into our account for the latest contract and I spent 2 hours online paying overdue accounts. Such a sweet, sweet feeling to be rid of a pile of debts and know we are up to date.
We aren't out of the woods yet. We'll need another pay to do that.
We also received the good news that geek was extended another month. That makes a 3 month contract which will certainly help me put a dent in the Visa debt! Yay.
Still looking for the elusive long term contract but by mid-April, we are well into the year and I am hoping companies are far from nervous and well into Projects by then. Thereby, NEEDING a long term Project Manager!
To celebrate - we are taking Josh out for dinner to celebrate his 12th birthday tomorrow. He is hoping for a mobile phone. Momma had better go out and buy one! ;)
Then geek insists we go out for Valentine's Day. I am wanting to hold on tight to the $$$'s but he wants to splurge. ugh. ok. Just this ONCE.
So, wanted to share the brilliant, fantasmagorical news that I am paid up and no one can knock on my door wanting what I dont have!! Yay!!!

A Quick Monday Morning Share

2009-02-02T10:10:00.000+11:00

Just a quickie while procrastinating designing menus for a client and sorting through piles of paperwork on my desk.
This photo has been in my photobox for ages. Decided to play around with the bright colours of Cosmo Cricket's Hello Sunshine line.
I like the 'whiteness' and space on this page. TFL
Now I should get back to work!

12 Days to Go and Counting!

2009-02-01T12:25:00.003+11:00

We have been without a pay check since mid-August. I've kinda missed having money deposited into our bank account every fortnight.

FEB 13th is our first payday in SIX MONTHS!!!!!!

I am dying to kill a mountain of overdue bills.

Telstra alone are going to fall over in shock.

Doing the mantra: *cant wait till pay day cant wait till pay day cant wait till pay day*

It's Getting Hot In Here....

2009-01-31T19:50:00.002+11:00

This is Momma's Drink of Choice in the hot summer heat. Not the cheapest beer on the planet but I do enjoy my BeezNeez in summer.
I had to take a pic because I liked the beading on the bottle. Kinda typified a hot summer day's relief. tssssss Sweet sweet honey beer.

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Its been a hot January. My office gets like a sauna during the day to the point that I am drained by the end of the day. It makes it hard to concentrate. We dont have air con here in the house. I do have a fan but all it really does is push hot air around. Because my scrap stuff is in my office - it means that although I have had TIME to scrap, I sure haven't wanted to even be in the room a minute longer than I have to.

But I spent some time messing around with glue and paper today. Despite the heat. Refreshed by a beer or two, lovingly served by my Beer Bitch DH. Thanks babe!

I made this for one of my Staff. She had wisdom teeth removed this week and ended up with 6 stitches! Ouchies. So I want her to know I'm thinking of her. (And ready to offer Paracetemol if required during shifts!!)

These are just a few pics of a mini album I am hoping to spend the year on. Instead of the 365 pics popular atm, I thought I'd go easier on myself with a month by month documentation of the drearies that we quickly forget make up our day by day family life. Due to the heat, I haven't finished as many tags as I hoped to, so if it's hot in February; I plan to bring my bits and pieces inside and scrap on the kitchen table. Because it's funny how quickly the days go by and how we forget what happened two Mondays ago. I can't remember what I ate last night! Let alone what actually went down in our Family 9 days ago!

See! I can get off the Internets!!

In Retrospect

2009-01-26T19:47:00.002+11:00

I think I'm boring. I think. To me anyway.

I dragged dh to the movies today. We can count on one hand how often we go to the flix in a year. But I did want to see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. It was an interesting movie. I guess it's a Chick Flick but not really. It's kinda deep too in ways. And historically interesting. It has me thinking about things so it wasn't *that* light and fluffy. And I think dh enjoyed it too.

One of the things I'm pondering is: how do you fit all that into a life?? I mean, really? Lucky ol' Benjamin had his father leave him his button factory, which he later sold and then travelled all over the world. I can't see my father leaving me anything. He doesn't even like to talk to me, let alone leave me anything in his will. Mind you, he has already informed me that, even as his eldest child and only daughter (I have another brother and 3 half-brothers through dad), I wont be getting anything. Nice. Thanks Dad. Like you ever gave me anything. Ever.
But it gets me thinking... How do you do stuff like travel? I know I'd love to. I love travelling on planes and staying in hotels, eating out, seeing new locations, meeting new people. The Whole Deal. But I can't afford to do it. I can't afford to take time off work. Who pays the rent and the bills while I'm gallivanting off around the world? I can't afford to do both. So how do you do that? I can't exactly leave 3 kids at home either. Sure as heck can't afford to take them with me!

Hmm, I don't know. There must be a way to have more of a life than just working and staying in the one place!

And how do you know that the person you are with is *the* person you want to grow old with? I don't have the answer to that one. I don't really care if I am old and alone. True. I just want to be reassured I can afford to live alone. Especially if I'm old. Because obviously I will be too old to work and sure as eggs is eggs, the government ain't gonna support me!

So this is what I ponder. How to fit more into life. When I barely have enough hours to do everything I want to do now! Maybe it's about Organisation. Time Management. Not being lazy. Seeking Out Opportunities.

Oh, and a byline. I made the last payment on my car loan today. Hopefully in a week, I will get the final papers which will allow me to do the official Happy Dance! One down, one to go. And then there's Visa. But I have plans for that too. Oh yes, I do. :)

Some Days Should Come With A Warning...

2009-01-03T11:27:00.002+11:00

I will preface this story with the fact that I have a head cold, therefore, I conclude that my brain cells are just clouded with cold germies...

Had a shocking night last night - couldn't sleep. Got up, went back to bed sometime after midnight. Got up. Stooged on the computer, checking emails while waking up and thought, "Hmm, I'm hungry, I feel like buttermilk pancakes." So, I stepped away from the computer (hey, that's a big deal in itself) to head for the kitchen. Therein lies my first big mistake. I shoulda kicked the husband out of bed and ordered him to make the pancakes.

I went to the pantry to grab the flour and noticed that a mouse had been into the bag of pasta flour that had kinda been 'dumped' in the cupboard. We live opposite an empty field, so we get the odd mouse or two, so it's not that my house is dirty or anything. Which is why I try to put everything in containers rather than just the original packaging, but pasta-making is the Man's job, so he isn't as particular as myself. See, in my daze, I figured if I carefully picked the bag up, I wouldn't spill any flour and I could just 'toss' it in the bin. Ha!
No. I dropped it. Flour hit the carpet and went all through the pantry. I clean it up.

I continue grabbing items for pancakes. Sugar. I need to fill the sugar jar. (Brain thinking lemon juice and sugar sounds nice.) Darling son has his bag of mouse pellet mix on top of the bag of sugar I need. Oh, says brain, there is a hole in the bag of mouse food - I shall carefully pick it up and empty the contents into the Mouse Food Container. Bad move number two (or three if you count the original mistake of wanting pancakes). Brain didn't realise there was a BIGGER hole where son poured the mix under the bag, so I carefully pick up the bag and pellets, grains, etc go pouring out through the pantry and onto the carpet. Again.
Again. I clean it up. This is getting ridiculous!

All this for a couple of lousy buttermilk pancakes!!

Then the kids walk in and see the mix. Breakfast time again in my house!

This story does have a happy ending. I did manage to score a couple of pancakes. And I did manage to cook them without burning the house down or breaking anything. (Apart from the egg, but that was mandatory.)

Some days should really come with a warning. I could have stayed in bed and missed all that! And it's not even lunch time. Oh man.

The Last Day of 2008

2008-12-31T08:16:00.000+11:00

I spent the last morning of 2008 getting up with the sparrows and went for a walk for 45 mins with a friend this morning. We walked along the coastline (as you do when you live 2 feet from the ocean) and had a good gasbag. Trouble is, my friend wants to do it again and I am not the most enthusiastic person as 5:30am!! I have to force myself up, even though I'm awake! Still, it's nice to chat to someone while whipping the ol' cellulite into shape. I wont be walking tomorrow, maybe Saturday.... I will get myself back down to the gym in a week or so and renew my membership. I really need to get my life back on track. I feel like everything has been topsy-turvy since August and I want some of my ordinary, boring life back.

So, here's a dilemna for ya! I went out yesterday and did some marketing for the Agency, knocking on restaurant and cafe doors. I got one very enthusiastic response wanting 2 kitchen hands for NYE, tonight. Great! I get back in the office and phone those on my list and everyone is either away on holiday or partying and not available!! Eek!! I get a booking and I have no staff!! *hits head against the brick wall* I threw up an ad on seek.com.au to get more cv's for KitchenHands next year but I may lose tonight's booking due to no available staff. Anyone want to clean pots and pans and chop veges for 4 hours tonight?? Call me!! $25 an hr!

Today: I plan to Hunt for Staff and go thru cv's (they are already hitting my Inbox). Panic. Stress. Drink too much coffee. I *might* take the kids to see the fireworks at 9pm tonight at the beach. Apart from a bit of office work, I have no real plans. How sad. We usually end up watching the Sydney Harbour Bridge Fireworks on tv at midnight. That sums up our social life for New Years!! hohum.

Honey Weets Anyone??

2008-12-04T11:55:00.003+11:00

Before the lectures start, Yeah, I know puppy dogs dont eat Honey Weets!! But this dog thinks it is person, so if persons eat Honey Weets, then Bobo's eat Honey Weets!

And this is what you get....

IS IT TIME??

2008-11-27T14:29:00.002+11:00

This may just be a RED LETTER Day!

My eldest daughter, Keshia, called me out of a workshop (thank you, I needed an excuse!) to tell me she has been having pains all night and just been to the Dr. He has told her to go home, grab her stuff and head to the Hospital. I am waiting for the Yell for me to get my butt down there and hold her hand.

I might be a Nana tonight. Or Tomorrow Night. But very possibly this weekend.

Drat. Kinda. I have a booking this weekend, cooking for 8 - Dinner Friday, Lunch and Dinner Saturday and Lunch Sunday. Couldn't a baby wait till Monday!!!! This weekend is going to be so busy and now I am spending half of it in the Labour Ward. I'd rather cancel the cooking to be with my daughter. (Just in case you thinking I'm bitching about the baby coming!)

I'm trying not to be too excited. Just in case it's a false alarm. Anyway. I will be back with either baby news or Hold'em news.

.... Watch This Space....

Oh and Nana (2b) has the camera! There WILL be pics. :)

Because we gotta lighten up this place!!

2008-11-26T12:42:00.004+11:00

Accountant becomes God.

2008-11-25T11:21:00.002+11:00

Well, not really, but I did say I worshipped him before he left!

We are so blessed to have the best accountant. He is very good at what he does. I thought our position was all doom and gloom, but he has taken numbers and information away with him (he visits us in our home! He comes to us, how cool is that?) He doesn't believe it's as bad as it could be, because we called him early, and with some heavy budgeting and sweet talking to creditors, we should be able to slowly dig ourselves out of the hole we are in. Of course, if Dh gets a job then all the pressure is off. Kinda. Cos I am planning on having a tighter rein on those financials - dh wont be able to play so much anymore. He is going to learn yet again, how to live within his means. (One of the first things I did when we met was set him a budget and sort out his $$$ mess. He has nil budgeting skills)

So, although we are no closer to a job offer and the bills still roll in, at least we have taken some steps to manage and correct the situation. We wait for approval of a bank loan; we have an appointment tomorrow to get some government assistance coming in; and I am scouring the net and applying for jobs as well. (And still trying to keep the business running.) At least we dont have to close the doors yet. Anyone need a chef??? ;)

Just another Manic Mondayyyyyy

2008-11-24T15:58:00.003+11:00

Today:

We applied for a personal loan and a credit card (transferring funds to get a zero % interest for 6 mths) at the bank. It will take 2 days for them to process it (and reject us, no doubt. I dont hold my breath)

Got the interest reduced to a reasonable amount on my Visa.

Rang to get balance figures on the Laptop accounts. Scaaary.

Applied for jobs online.

Waited to hear back on jobs that people are still deciding on.

It's all about the Waiting. My life is on hold while we Wait. And Wait. And Wait. Everything seems to be in Wait. ugh.

Got one more meeting to attend and then I can relax.

If the energy is there, I might just do some crafts. Not sure if I feel like knitting or scrapping. Both really but I only have one set of hands, so I have to choose. How much more productive could I be if I could order another set of hands?? ;) Dread the thought.

At least I dont feel so stressed today. Like it's the inevitable and you accept it and just go through the motions step by step. Finally got hold of our Accountant this morning. We informed him we wanted his advice on going into receivership. He said 20% of his clients are in the same boat. Now, I still feel like crap that we might have to go down that path, but at least I can stop whipping myself thinking it was just poor financial management on my part. Small comfort to know that we are not the only one's struggling to make ends meet. Anyway. Many successful businesspeople have been bankrupt at least once! I am sure we can always start again some day.

In the meantime, we look for work. And wait.

Who Opened the Lid on the Can of Worms!?

2008-11-23T12:11:00.008+11:00

So much I could say: not sure how to say it.

Ever have those days where you just dont want to know the next few days/weeks?? ugh. I have one of those week's coming up. Tomorrow I am dragging dh down to the bank (something I wanted to do MONTHS ago) to see if we can get a loan and consolidate a couple of loans. We have half a dozen loans out. Two for the cars, two for laptops, one massive Visa debt, blah blah. I have been saying for a year or two that it would be easier to manage if we consolidated it all and only had to worry about one payment coming out of the bank each month. So that is tomorrow's exercise.

Dh also hopes to hear back (positive news please) from 3 job apps he has in. These are jobs that want someone starting nexting beginning December - Please God, Have Mercy on the Poor!

Wednesday, we are going down to Centrelink to start some unemployment payments. Something I hoped we wouldn't have to do but at this stage of a maxxed out Visa and absolutely zero income, we have no choice but to ask for government assistance. We still cant contact our Accountant (have a funny feeling he is overseas on holidays. Oh such luck) so we dont know how to move on the business - ie going into receivership/hanging in there/magical solutions and ugly Godmothers with slappy big wands in bright red stockings and garte..... oh sorry, my mind wandered for just a moment. No, it wasn't a fantasy. Well not mine at any rate! ;)

Anyway, it's a week to be a Growed Up and face hard Reality. She's a bitch at the best of times. (Reality) Time to take stock of why and how we got to where we are. Funny, but I tried to tell Dh we were headed down this path 12-18 mths ago and he wouldn't listen. Said it would be all right. I let him go. Knowing deep inside it wasn't a good path to take but wanting to let him be the 'boss' and all that shit. sigh. I'm to blame too cos I should have been stronger and just done the stuff I thought we needed to do to protect us from this happening. Next time...

But today is Sunday. I actually got a weekend off!! No work commitments! Yay. I am working next Friday, Saturday and Sunday. So I am trying to ignore the coming week and the stresses and just relax. Today I scrapped. And read blogs. (Man, I Love, Love, Love Google Reader. You just gotta try it. - I spent ages yesterday adding my favourite blogs. Now I can SEE when someone has been busy and added a post! Makes life so much easier than flicking thru each blog) I wandered thru Etsy. I took my baby (11) to the Pony Club for his St John's activity. Stooged and taken it easy. Big sigh. So nice for a change. I feel like I have been running at top speed since about July. And not stopped till now. Truly. I am an emotional wreck! I seem to always be running to a meeting/prepping for a job/worrying about finances/looking for more work. And the Centrelink girl had the balls to ask if I work 35 hrs a week! HA! Double that and you might be closer to the hours I put into my worklife.

With all that going on. I was rummaging thru my scrappy goodness looking for *something* (as we do) and I found some Marah Johnson rubons. Hmm, I could do something with those. So I did. I grabbed some black card, found a half-decent photo of myself and created a simple layout. Bits and pieces are from a Q-Tea kit I got recently.

It's probably too small to read, but the rubons on the photo say: "Perhaps you are stronger than you think." Bottom right corner: "Live your Best Life"

That's my advice to myself for today.

I think the afternoon can be spent on catching up on overdue Circle Journals (Sorry RAK friends!) I still have guests staying in my spare room/office/scrap area. I often wake up before the sun and scrap (on weekends) but I dont like to disturb them, thus my scrap agenda is waaaaaaay behind. THAT and I totally lost my mojo with all that has been going down. But today - today I scrap. Because I can. And I need to. And I have the world on IGNORE. Until tomorrow the world can talk to the hand cos today I am Me and I will do Art. Today, I treat me gently.

*Change of Plans: Since the weather is so crappy outside - the girls (Ronnie and I) have decided to do a Movie afternoon and kick dh off from the cricket. Elizabeth I and II. Chick flicks! :)

Arrgh! Another week closer to bankruptcy.

2008-11-14T18:43:00.002+11:00

Yet another week passes without dh finding a new contract. Luckily, I have had a few small jobs booked with the personal cheffing, otherwise, we'd be totally screwed. We should pull enough $$$ in to keep the wolf at bay for yet another week. Dh has been out of work since mid-August. Savings are gone. May God extend my Visa credit, as that is all we are living on right now. Dh sees yet another head-hunter on Monday and is still waiting to hear from numerous applications he as in the pipeline, but as yet nothing is positive. I think I have another week left in me before I start thinking about throwing my body into the Blowhole. (natural Kiama landmark - look it up. Good suicidal jumping point)
Ugh, can life get any better?
I am glad for the couple of jobs I have booked, otherwise I would be really feeling like the pits.
At least I have some distraction.

On a brighter note; I have baked 50-odd cupcakes for my daughter's Baby Shower on Sunday. She only has 2 and a half weeks to go before she makes me a Grandma. I *think* I am looking forward to being a Grandma. Let's put it this way: I am looking forward to the Baby hugs and kisses without the sleepless nights! This time I dont have to be the one getting up umpteen times to breastfeed or change nappies or soothe crying babies. I get to hug and cuddle and hand the little brat, I mean, darling back when he needs a nappy change.

I am actually looking forward to the baby shower. I have chosen a blue, white and silver colour theme. Games are chosen. Menu is organised. It's all a matter of putting it all together and then waiting for the big moment. It feels weird being on the 'other' side of pregnancy. I mean, I have had 5 kids. It was aways ME who was pregnant. Hard to believe my first little girl is having a baby. Gee, am I getting old this soon?? Damn, hand me another cocktail! No, not me. Hang on. This is coming from someone who has joints that freeze up in winter these days. ugh. I need a toy boy.

The next few days are bedlam with work thankfully. Maybe if I can get my day organised early enough, I will get time to scrap. *beg, beg, beg.* Please, Lord, make my life *normal* again. I want a regular income and a normal life again. I dont do poverty well.

It is finished!

2008-11-10T18:03:00.002+11:00

Yay Team Me!!
I FINALLY pulled finger and completed my two assignments due for my Hospitality Course! That's it. Finished. Done. No More.
Talk about deadlines! All OTEN assignments need to be submitted before Nov 14. I mailed them this evening - gee, I hope they arrive in time.
I still have two assignments due for the Admin Course I am doing too. But somehow, unless I get them both done tomorrow and fastpost them, I doubt I will make the deadline. I'll give it a shot. Even if I get one done and mailed off. That would be something.
So, I feel half good. Kinda. Bad cos I left it so late and it wasn't like it was hard or anything, just time consuming (something I need more of). Good, cos it's now done.
Off to look at the Admin now. Toodle-loo!

Linkie cos it's naughty....

2008-11-07T08:36:00.002+11:00

http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com/

Julie Jackson has added some new cross stitch patterns in time for Christmas. Click on the link above to check them out.
She also has a special on where any purchase includes a free Obama x-stitch pattern by Shepard Fairey!
Love this girls' stuff! Check it out.

What I Did Today:

2008-11-02T19:23:00.001+11:00

Man, life gets busy!! I cannot believe how much I can cram into a month!

September 30^th saw the AGM for the Kiama Chamber of Commerce. A week or so later a meeting is held and I am nominated as President. Since then it has been a whirlwind of meetings on top of the fact that I have finally kicked off my Hospitality Temping Agency. And have a daughter about to have a baby. And, and, and....

Arrrgh!! Too much!

Today I:

Had a Family Day. Kinda. I had a very slow start due to the fact that I went out last night to a local event as a Guest of Honour (with the Mayor) and was just durn tired. I was up at 6am to see Josh out for his St John's event in Wollongong. Thankfully he was being picked up, so I got him organised and went back to bed for a couple of hours. Then I had a cuddle with Theo and the phone started. I finally got my shower and staggered upstairs around 11am. Unheard of for me!

I stooged around for an hour or so, Mark picked up Josh and I had a coffee. The afternoon has seen me trim Bobo's fur; he needed a haircut and darned if I felt like organising a doggy day for him. So I grabbed the scissors and gave him a haircut myself. At least he looks less woolly. I won't say it's the *best* job – but he does look tidier. Now I need to bath him. Another day.

I got this idea in my head that I *HAD* to have a vegie garden. Now, we live in a townhouse. We don't have a back yard. We don't have a front yard. We don't have ANY yard! But we do have a strip a metre or so wide that moves into the neighbours' yard. So I got Mark to build me a square with some planks up the side of our driveway. The boys and I got busy this afternoon and filled it with earthy goodness. We got our worm factory and skimmed off the top layer and added the vegie scraps and worms to the middle section and then filled it with more earthy goodness. We now have a box full of yummy, healthy soil for a few select vegies.

Now we have our Vegie Garden filled with 3 Rhubarb plants, a Rosemary, heaps of basil, 4 tomato plants and 6 capsicum plants. Yummy!! By Christmas, we should be picking fat tomatoes and harvesting plenty of basil for pesto. Mmmmm!

After all that hard work, I needed a shower and a beer. And THAT, friends, was my Sunday. After a clean up, I downed a well-earned beer and got onto phoning the list of names Keshia gave me to invite to her Baby Shower. I have that mostly underhand. I will get busy tomorrow and make up invitations to send out. The menu is fairly organised. I need a couple of prizes and need to organise Treat Bags. Other than that, I think we are on our way!

Before I leave, let me share a pic of my boys – they helped with the vegie garden and had a ball.

Here's Josh. Good looking kid, if you ask me!

And Theo. Poor kid. He is 13 and I think puberty is kicking in. He is having some 'issues' but nothing a bit of love and hugs can't fix. He looks sad. Poor TJ. L

We also had the opportunity to watch some black cockatoos eating out of the tree out the front. Let me share what I caught...

He's a beauty!! There were 3 Black Cockatoos eating in the tree. They seemed quite ok with us walking around and not too afraid. I managed to get quite close to take this pic. Gorgeous, eh!

Till next time!

Dedicated to Moose

2008-08-12T17:21:00.003+10:00

Who just happens to be warped enough to hang out with my dd and crowd.
(Or maybe it's the other way 'round)

So, to Moose.

Who reads my boring scrappy blog!! This is for you. Five minutes of fame.

We love you, Moose!

Get a Room, Moose!!!

2008-08-12T17:19:00.000+10:00

Nice smile baybee

2008-08-12T17:18:00.000+10:00

MooseKiss

2008-08-12T17:14:00.000+10:00

Moose in the back seat

2008-08-12T17:12:00.000+10:00

Hey Moose!

2008-08-12T17:08:00.002+10:00

This one's for you!!

moooooooooose

mooooooooose

(dontask)

And the Mother of the Year goes to..... not me

2008-08-12T17:08:00.001+10:00

Yes, I gave the Mother of the Year Award back....

ds11 just did the splits on his ripstick. Poor kid hurt his 'pride'. Momma sat there and laughed till she near wet herself. Why? Cos he was wearing his clown costume when it happened and it looked like he 'meant' to do the splits. (I knew he didn't) He sat there crying, holding onto his, well, you knows, and I just say, "dont go thinking I'm kissing THOSE better!!" :blink: "Give 'em a rub" :laugh:

And for the record: Yes he is ok. Thanks for the concern. (Well more than I had!!)

A history lesson:

2008-07-22T18:38:00.005+10:00

(Last weekend's efforts. My bestie, Cheryl and I)

I've always enjoyed scrapbooking. I think I was born crafty. I wish I was more creative though. You know, able to just let go and do. Just get the ideas out of my head and onto something more tangible. Who cares about the medium. I loved Art class at school but was always too scared to do something dramatic. You had to colour in in the lines; live in the box. Goodness, you didn't want to be known as one of those 'arty farty types' just because you designed something magical.

My nana was a seamstress before she had a life. I mean, grandchildren. I remember literally growing up in her sewing room. She had this tiny little 5 foot by 10 foot room with an industrial sewing machine and all her bits and pieces. I could recognise my clothing by the patterns pinned on her wall. And the scraps in her box. And sometimes even by the colour of the threads in her drawer. I loved that room. The smell, the patterns, the 'stuff'. I loved her stuff. My nana grew up in the Depression - she used to keep all her thread ends. Wrapped them around the wooden cotton spools. God knows when she thought she'd use that 30cm of red thread, but she kept them all. I spent many hours just sitting in there, looking at it all or watching her sew.

My nana taught me how to knit and crochet. Kids would be out doing 'exciting' stuff. I'd be sitting there crocheting away... like an old lady!

So where is this all going? I am finally entering a stage (age?) where I am finally feeling free enough to experiment with my scrapbooking pages. I've always enjoyed my scrap time but felt guilty a lot of the time because I felt I should be doing something more 'productive' like office work or running the business or being a mum. I'm finally 'allowing' myself to scrap whenever I darn well feel like it. So there! *insert foot stamp and hands on the hips here* And allowing myself to experiment and just do what feels good. It's taken half a lifetime! Maybe I should join a Poet's Group! (nah, just kidding) I'm finally 'allowed' to be creative, crafty, arty-farty, just because it makes me happy. And if Momma aint happy, aint nobody happy! Agreed?? So just go make me another cuppa and let your momma scrap. It's MY playtime!

(Joshua's mice with their curly tails)

Ya Gotta Watch This All The Way Through - It's Awesome!

2008-07-20T14:13:00.001+10:00

Letting Go

2008-07-14T11:21:00.010+10:00

Now see what happens when you let go of the stress and just 'do it'?
I think I have scrapped up a storm the past two weekends. I thought I did great two weekends ago, but this weekend just gone? I pushed out 6 layouts! Most of them I did Saturday evening and two more on Sunday.
Sunday lunchtime, we took the boys to the movies to see Hancock. Not bad. Not a chick flick. Definitely not a chick flick. But Will Smith is still easy on the eye, so no complaining from this department!! ;)

Now the boring bits. I'm going to share my latest layouts. Oh and by the way, I ordered 220 prints off snapfish which are currently winging their way to my Post Box. Five years of photos! I have decided that I need to 'refresh' my stash. And how do I propose to do this? You may well ask! I guess the rest of the year will be a Scrap-A-Thon!! I want to put all those photos with all my current stash. On Pages. In Albums. Filed Away. (For future viewing of course)

THEN!! I get to refresh my stash and go shopping again! I have subscriptions to two kits a month so I still get my hands on new goodies but I would like to use as much of my stuff as possible. The less I have; the less I have to pack when we find a new home to move into. And it may help with tidiness/organisation if there is less of it.

I have been scrapping long enough now to know what I will use and what I buy just because it screams "Buy Me" as I walk past. So I am on a mission to use as much as I can. And restash. Good theory?? Let's see how it stands around Christmas Time!

Oh, layouts. Yeah, here's some...

These are the first preggy photos of Keshia. She's now at 19 weeks.

Took me a while to come up with a title for this one. I decided on Play Hard.

I quite like the effect of this one. I got the Making Memories clock face in a Scrapperie kit and for the life of me couldn't think of what to do with it. Funny how the 'right' paper and the 'right' photo comes along. Whammy, a decent connection.
"Time is not Measured in Minutes" is the sunrise one crazy Sunday morning at Werri Beach, when TJ and Justyn entered a Surf Comp. The orange triangle is attached to a journalling card and tucked behind the clock.

"Life's a Beach". Another of TJ. Mark takes decent photos. Maybe the sunlight was kind.

"Rip It Up" The kids at Werri Beach Surf Comp

Not done as a double page but it could be with the other: "Ride Your Own Wave"
Another of the kids at Werri Beach.

Josh did this while I was scrapping on Saturday evening. His page of Bobo the Bichon.

This was my take on Bobo. The letters and ribbon were a RAK from a 2P's friend.

Phew. Still with me? See? I told you I was busy!! And I still had time to go to the movies! I'm on a roll!
Now to finish a Circle Journal entry. That has to ship out this week.

Week Two of School Holidays and surviving. Hope you are too! Cheers!!

2008-07-07T15:13:00.003+10:00

I am trying the impossible: Catch up on scrapping the photos! I managed 4 layouts and 2 cards this weekend. Above is my latest production. TJ went punk/goth to his last High School Disco, so he was trying to act tuff. ahuh. Gotta scrap that, right? ;)

And 'our' RAK Group on 2P's had another "Show Me Your Scrap Room" request. Well, I dont have a room per se, I have a space. Directly opposite my scrap desk is my office desk with my handy-dandy laptop; so I am always close to my internet friends and inspiration. Thought I'd share it with the world as well as my RAK friends. I have several projects on the go (dont we all?!) but there is a system to the chaos. I'm halfway through making some cards as well as doing some more Christmas layouts. Hey I'm tackling 2007! Anyway, enough yak. Here's my hidey hole...

School Holidays and I got the boys into their room to tackle the lot this morning!! Took half the morning but we did it. Pulled out 3 large rubbish bags of garbage and 3 large rubbish bags of unwanted clothing for the Op Shop. They have space. They have tidy. They have carpet!! No more "I cant find my assignment" because it's tossed on the floor with 4 weeks of other rubbish. It still needs a vacuum and TJ mainly supervised while mum tossed and sorted but it looks so much better! Now for the rest of the house!

Next on the list is the main bedroom: I keep trying dieting. Guess what? It doesn't work, I get grumpy and I lose 30 days. Time to embrace an older, cuddlier me. I aint never gonna look like I did when I was 25, so now my wardrobe needs a good cleanout. And the Geek admitted he had half a wardrobe of shirts that were too small for him. (This coming from a man who says he is the same size as when we met?? Miracles will never cease! Oh my sides, they ache from laughing) (Geek also says he is not "going bald; he is just thinning".) ahuh. Toupe anyone?

Ya know? I should have chosen a word at the beginning of the year. Does it count if I choose it now? It should be Simplify. I want to declutter, reorganise and simplify what we own, what we do and how we live. Just a random thought...

Here's an Update!

2008-07-06T13:59:00.008+10:00

OK, will someone please tell Father Time to slow down!! I cant catch my breath here!
*runs around madly like Grover with his/my hands waving in the air*

I am hearing it a lot and I'm saying it too - Where did June go? And why is it already July? And why am I so far behind when all I do is run from one Monday to the next?? ugh. I must be getting old! :)

It has been pretty crazy in this house on weekends. Last weekend was the first one in about a month where we had no commitments to be anywhere. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and scrapped. I am finally 'letting go' and trying not to think or stress over the 'perfect' layout. Pagemaps is a wonderful resource for not thinking. Pick a basic sketch and just 'Do'. And my other great de-stresser for my layouts? KITS!! Who woulda thunk it?
I have a bag of monthly kits building up here. I do a layout here and there when I get the kits, but they are mostly untouched and building up. So I have been trying to get them used up so I can then integrate the leftovers into my stash.

I've tried Scrapperie which are totally divine. Drawback: There was SO MUCH goodness; all together; that my little brain went into overload and I couldn't just grab and paste. It was a little overwhelming.

ScrapRoom is another good one. I've just finished a 3 mth sub there and extended it another 6 mths. They have 4 kits in seperate bags with everything ready to go. They also include a sketch and password to download more ideas. I can grab a bag, find a photo or 3 and just sit down and go. No brain pain, no spasms, no endless, mindless gazing at coloured paper and wondering what the heck to do with it. The pages are just flying out! It gives such a sense of accomplishment. And they supply a little sachet of yummy flavoured coffee with each month's kit! I keep them on my desk and have a good deep sniff while working away! (It's ok, the White Coats are on speed dial) I looooove the smell of coffee and it would seem such a waste to actually drink it!! So I sniff. Regularly.

My name is Maggie and I am a Coffee Sniffer Addict. Step one. Admit your Addiction.
Aaaah sweet sweet coffee!

Just to prove that I have been successfully scrapping my weekends away; here are some pics. Yes, I do simple layouts. I'm looking for volume and ease. Not a trophy.

Would you believe I have never done a Christmas Layout? EVER?? This weekend I did 3! And I am in the process of finding Christmas paper, embellies and photos to do Christmas 2007. I'll put it in a 6x6 album so it's not daunting. More a case of record and do it; rather than keep all these pics on my laptop where no-one can enjoy them.

Here's another Christmas layout. These are from 2005 and 2006!! I'm a bad girl.

This photo, titled "Cute" is of Keshia at the age of 5, I think. It's been sitting around all this time! Keep in mind this sweet thing is now 20 years old and has her first bub on the way!

See? I told you I need to catch up!!

This one is of Rebecca's Year 10 Formal which only happened last year, thankfully. No, I dont do Chronological!! What a mess I'd be if I did!

My Boys are two photos from a weekend drive we did last year.

That's just a sampling of family pages. I have also scrapped 16 - 8x8 and 24 - 6x6 pages for the Scrappintology group I participate in on 2p's. And then there's the Circle Journal and Card challenges from my RAK group on 2p's. I haven't started July's CJ layout yet! I'd better get a move on.

It's School Holidays!!! Yay! (I think). I am not doing any Admin contract work; just concentrating on my own stuff. My goal over the next two weeks is to get a pile of Agency work completed, as well as complete 2 (or 3) subjects in my Admin Studies. If I still haven't fried my brain and there is time; I'd also like to finish another Hospitality Assignment.

Keshia gets her 20 week scan of bubs this Wednesday. Of course, they want to know the sex. Which is fine by me. I've had my eye on some awesome wool. I'll be able to choose the right colours and start clacking! woohoo!

Yeah, I know. Feast or Famine with me. I *mean* to blog regularly - life just gets in the way!! lol Ok, off to sort this Christmas mini-album. Thanks for stopping by!

Create Invisible Shelves - wikiHow

2008-05-09T10:15:00.000+10:00

Create Invisible Shelves - wikiHow

Life is like a box of chocolates...

2008-05-04T12:12:00.001+10:00

...so why am I getting all the nuts??

Make a Baby Romper from a T Shirt - wikiHow

2008-05-01T06:47:00.000+10:00

How to Make a Baby Romper from a T Shirt

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

If you're tired of the ho-hum pastels and puppies for your baby's clothes, you can easily make your own rockin' duds for your little stud from vintage tees or band shirts. Here are instructions on how to make a romper (also known as a onesie.)

Steps

Get a youth-sized t-shirt and a pre-made romper (aka a "onesie").
Turn your t-shirt inside out. Fold both the t-shirt and the romper in half and lay the romper on top of the shirt, lining them up at the fold. Trace.See how the crotch on the romper puffs up because it's in a shorts shape? Ignore that. You'll have to fudge a bit for the bottom part, because we're ignoring the romper's reality and substituting one of our own. Use the image as a guide.You should narrow the sleeves (or take them off altogether, up to you). So basically you're cutting a chunk out of the armpit and then letting it widen for the legs.
where the orange line is; click to enlarge image.]]Sew on the armpit line only. Don't close the leg area.
Unfold and cut just outside of the line you just sewed. Go ahead and cut your bottom line too, just make sure you leave enough to hem or you'll get an underwear shape.
Fold it over and trace what you've just cut onto the other side. Don't let your cat help, he doesn't have thumbs.
Sew the armpit line on that side and cut.
Attach your closure. If you use snaps, reinforce your fabric with something that doesn't stretch so they hold up better. Make sure your closures are so that the flaps point toward each other when you go to close it. So both sides should be facing up when laid flat.
Stop here if you don't mind a homemade appearance. Otherwise, you'll want to hem. Cut that little diagonal slit between the crotch flap and the rest of the leg so your corners don't bunch.
Turn the finished romper right side out .
Dress your child.

Tips

Using a youth t-shirt will minimize bulk in the shoulder area. If you want to use a larger shirt, you will need to make the neck smaller. A seam in the back will do this for you.
For a larger shirt, it's best to avoid using sleeves unless you're willing to do a major overhaul.
If you don't use sleeves, you can hem the armholes for a more finished look.

Things You'll Need

Youth t-shirt
Sewing machine or needle and thread
Pen
Scissors
Closure (snaps, snap tape, hook&loop tape)

Related wikiHows

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Baby Romper from a T Shirt. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Inkurable Stampers

2008-04-10T16:06:00.001+10:00

Come and have a look at this new site I found! If you love stamping (and I do but I am still learning!) and you like prizes, then shuffle your butt over there and check it out! Sydney-based! Rock on Sydney!

It has monthly challenges with some cool sponsors offering prizes and the opportunity to share your talents with the rest of us.

See you there!

Inkurable Stampers Enter Here!

Inkurable Stampers

A few Children's Books that didn't make the cut:

2008-04-08T10:08:00.001+10:00

1. You Are Different and That's Bad
2. The Boy Who Died From Eating All His Vegetables
3. Dad's New Wife Robert
4. Fun four-letter Words to Know and Share
5. Hammers, Screwdrivers and Scissors: An I-Can-Do-It Book
6. The Kids' Guide to Hitchhiking
7. Curious George and the High-Voltage Fence
8. All Cats Go to Hell
9. The Little Sissy Who Snitched
10. Some Kittens Can Fly
11. The Pop-Up Book of Human Anatomy
12. Whining, Kicking and Crying to Get Your Way
13. Pop! Goes The Hamster...And Other Great Microwave Games
14. Eggs, Toilet Paper, and Your School
15. Places Where Mommy and Daddy Hide Neat Things

From Chef Gordon to You

2008-04-08T10:01:00.001+10:00

A few random layouts

2008-04-07T14:31:00.001+10:00

I know, I know, it's been a forever lifetime since I blogged. And right now, I should be doing Office Procedures and running a business but I'm all runned out. I'm brain-dead right now; see me flat line? ugh. So I am procrastinating with a cuppa.

I have far too much going on right now. I got me a wonderful mentor to help me set up the Hospitality Agency. Except she is a work-a-holic and I'm not. And I am busting my beehind and not getting weekends and getting tired. Fast. I just want to sleep. But she says the pain is worth it and in 3 mths (3 mths!? I wont be alive then), in 3 mths, I will look back and wonder how I did it all. Bloody Oath!! I will wonder how my family put up with my screaming, abuse, temper tantrums and hair pulling. (Can you tell I'm not good with Office Procedures. Vista changed everything and I'm still learning how to make it all work!)

So the layout... Well the top one is a quickie of Keshia. The photo is from a competition she entered through High School. She came second if I remember correctly. She tells me she loves cheffing. But the last few months, she has been doing nothing at all. And now she tells me she wants to open a Body Piercing shop. Ahuh. Words every mother wants to hear. I used parts of a kit on this layout. And I'm ok with it. The layout, I mean. I love the kit!

This layout is of Mark and his oldest son, Dan. D for Dan and Dad, I guess. Anyway, we took him out to celebrate his Uni Graduation, no mean feat when he did a double degree. He is just like his dad, a brainiac. And a geek. Definitely like father, like son.

Dan is now working for a firm in Brisbane and doing very well on his own. Not that he ever needed us. Unlike my kids. But that's another story.

This is page two of a layout I did for February. I threw a pic of Josh in there cos February is his month. He turned 11 this year. Last year of Primary school. High School next year.

I love this pic of him. It was taken during his school production and he looks so serious! He just cracks me up. And the little pic is of me with short hair on the day I got it all chopped off. I'm still ok with it short, but I do kinda miss the length. Ah well, grow it again.

Ok, that is all for today. Just wanted to hang here for a bit and hide from the workload. Better get some more done or I start beating myself up and then take it out on the family. Not the best Anger Management strategy! Better to get the work done and feel a sense of accomplishment! ugh, dont make me go!

I haven't scrapped for weeks now. I would much rather do that than paperwork! Who's with me?

Out Of The Box Challenge - RAK Group - Dolly Mama

2008-02-08T16:49:00.000+11:00

This is my 'entry' into our RAK groups Challenge.
Those of us in the challenge all received a stamped image of 'Dolly Mama' and had to create a card to be uploaded to 2p's.
I like how she turned out. This girl has 'tude!! lol

And the Inside:

Finally a Tutorial for the Photoshop Challenged.

2008-01-23T08:55:00.001+11:00

http://photojojo.com/content/tutorials/funny-photoshop-tutorials/

This is kinda wrong...

2008-01-03T16:35:00.000+11:00

But it's good for a laugh! Check it out.

http://listoftheday.blogspot.com/2007/09/great-olan-mills-photos.html

And if I dig deep enough, I think I could compile a similar list!! Ack.

2007-12-28T17:53:00.000+11:00

2007-12-28T17:05:00.000+11:00

How the holidays have flown!
Today is our last day in Port Stephens. Tomorrow morning we pack up the car, clean the unit and head back home to Kiama. Funny thing is, I really missed Kiama!! Everyone I spoke to about Port Stephens said how lovely it was. At the risk of being flamed - I disagree. It's ooook. But Kiama beats it hands down. Oh how spoilt we are.
I am looking forward to getting back home. I had to go to Big W and buy emergency scrap supplies! I just 'had' to create something!! As I do every year around this time, I spend the few quiet days thinking about the next year and new goals/dreams. I have a To Do list running thru my head. I want to de-junk the house, rearrange the office and the garage (which involves moving furniture and heavy objects - enter the usefulness of husbands) We have 'stuff' under the stairs that hasn't been touched since we moved in. And we have been there 4 years!! Do you think we NEED it?? I dont think so. So out it goes. I want to rearrange my kitchen drawers. We need more cupboards! (Can I do a swap of junk for more cupboards?) Why do builders make a house with very little storage space?? Unbelievabubble.
I want to put Mark to work and pick his brains before he goes back to work and is forever unattainable and make sure I have everything in place or organised for the Agency I want to start.
And I want to scrap. Oh, I want to scrap. I want to paint and alter and create. Just do stuff and play with messy things. Ya know? I didn't realise how much I would miss playing with my scrappy stuff. I will never leave home without a scrapkit and basic tools again. I promise! It cost me a fortune buying 2nd rate stuff at Big W!
Can you tell we dont go on many vacations??? :) I really must be a homebody. How boring.
Oh and I want to buy some new plants and create a little garden on my windy, dry, hot patio again. I would *like* to have a few herbs growing, too. I have a tendency to forget to water them regularly. Funny how such a small thing can be vital to growth. But it would be nice to get some new plants growing and maybe eventually, possibly, have some colour again.
So I am busy with new plans, new goals, ideas and hoping I can succeed in 2008. I am already working on the mountain of debt we still have. I am taking my Visa card out of my wallet when we get home. (We needed it for the Real Estate Agents to take a copy for the bond, but we haven't used it while away.) I am using cash or debit cards this new year. I'm gonna be a good girl. No more Visa! (Gawd, that's hard to say.) You know how 'the' scrappers that be have a 'word of the year'? Ha! I think mine should be RECOVERY. But you will be dragging me to that word. See those tracks in the dirt? Yeah, that's me being dragged to RECOVERY. Recovery to debt. Recovery to over-spending. Recovery to over-eating. Recovery to whatever it is that keeps me constantly losing my focus and goals.
Note to self: *make a business plan for the HA* See Wendy F for business procedures and implementations.*
And I am ready to go home and do this stuff. Holidays are over!! Back to the desk!

2007-12-21T11:49:00.000+11:00

Well you cant deny Christmas is nearly here! The last few days are manic, there is not ONE parking space in all of NSW!! and everyone seems to be running at full pelt trying to get everything finished, wrapped, baked and ready for Christmas Day!
It reminds me of Weddings. I mean, it's just a day!! Yet we put so much emotion and energy behind that one day. And it's important, dont get me wrong. But oh, so tiring and exhausting and manic. Just manic. It seems to be my 'key' word, these days. I feel like I have been going at top speed all year. Especially since July. It never slowed down. Once I got over a hurdle, there was another mountain to climb.

I am soooooo looking forward to our family holiday in Port Stephens. One whole week of stooging. No business. (I know there will be - how addictive is it?) No phones to answer - I hope. "I'm sorry, our chefs are fully booked out till Jan 2nd." No scrapping. Oh no! How will I ever survive the week?! Just cooking, eating and bludging. Nice. Our bags are packed. Mark finishes work early today, I hope. So we are loading up the car tonight, buying asian take-away for dinner and opening presents. (Cos I am NOT loading up a car with presents to take both ways when they can be left here and make more space in the car for the important things. Like coffee machines and commercial Breville juicers!!!!)

Oh the juicer! Yes, our newest possession. Such a thing of beauty. I am trying so hard to change our diets so they are full of healthy vegetables, fruit and wholegrain goodness. So we invested in a commercial Breville juicer. It takes pride of place on the bench. I have a new job now. To regularly skin oranges and chop up veges in their labelled containers for juicing purposes. The kids are loving it. They are mixing up flavours and trying different juices. Becca is a girl after my own heart! She loves experimenting with the different flavours. I bought a new book on juicing - and she even found one for PMS and Acne. She wasn't too sure about the ingredients for those! lol But I am hoping I can get Mark to try something braver than pure OJ. (I slipped a slice of ginger in his OJ the other morning - he said it tasted nice. It's a start!)

Mark also bought a Spin Bike. I can see that gathering dust!! He will assemble it when we return from holidays. I am assuming it's for his benefit! Considering I already do Spin classes 3x's a week at the gym. It's quite an enjoyable class now my level of fitness has improved. I prefer it over weights. Although, next year, I really have to get back into serious weight training. There's a bit of weight to lose and muscles to find! So, between his spin bike, juices and a wife feeding him new healthy foods, he may lose a couple of kg's. He'd better!

I have everything ready to go, so now I am off to do a little scrapping. I am not sure what but I feel I need to do a layout before I go. There's some new product that came in a kit and it's crying out to be used.

Mark and I have photos of Minus5 that can go in our album. Shame I didnt get photos of us going to the Ballet. We looked gorgeous, dahhhling! Did you know, no one really gets dressed up for the Ballet anymore?? Damn shame. We did and we looked and felt special and not Speshal (thanks Kai).
Mark loved it so much he has bought tickets to the Opera on 26th Jan to see Carmen. He has the hotel booked and is so excited. The boys will be in Perth till the 28th Jan, so that is OUR weekend away in Sydney doing growed up fun. I insisted the hotel have gym/training facilities and a pool. This one even has a spa. I am definitely THERE!!

I will try to blog while on hols but not sure if we will have internet access. I want to 'clean up' my Outlook and other files - get it ready for another busy year ahead. I cant imagine not having my laptop by my side.

Things I cant live without:

Scrapbooking supplies (it's my place to escape)
My Laptop (even if I only zone out on Spider Patience but it's my connection to the world)
Dishwasher
Coffee machine
Juicer (I've always had one, but now I have the King of Juicers! yay me)
My Kenwood Major mixer
Mark and my kids (naturally. Otherwise, who would I scrap and who would finance it all?? j/k)
My mobile (I remember sitting on the train in Perth as a teenager wondering how you could take a phone with you and imagining this looooooooong cord!! Little did this blonde know that it was technology in the making. Here we are a smidgen of time later and the mobiles are so tiny - not a cord in sight. Unless you're charging!)

Yep, these are the things I would hate to live without. I can but wouldn't want to. Choice is a beautiful thing.

What can you not live without? What's important to you? Without sounding materialistic, just realistic. Hey it's the 21st century after all. Isn't that what it's all about? Loving the technology?? :) Share with me your list of favourites.

YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN AUSSIE WHEN...

2007-12-07T07:35:00.000+11:00

1. You're familiar with Neighbours, Home and Away, Playschool, A Country Practice, Norman Gunston, Barry Humphries, Blue Heelers, Ray Martin, Bert Newton, Lisa McCune, Jon Burgess, Number 96, Molly Meldrum, Kerry O'Brien, and of course, Kerry Packer and Rupert Murdoch.

2. You know that Burger King doesn't exist. It's Hungry Jacks.

3. You know that snow is a memorable and freakish occurrence. Sometimes it's even fake.

4. You know the difference between thongs and a G-banger

5. You know that "stubbies" are either short shorts or small beer bottles, a "gimp", "bogan" or "geezer" is a random idiot, someone in trouble is in "strife" and you're liable to burst out laughing whenever you hear of Americans "rooting" for something.

6. You know how to abbreviate every word, all of which usually end in -o: arvo, combo, garbo, kero, lezzo, metho, milko, muso, rego, servo, smoko, speedo, righto etc.

7. You know that some people pronounce "Australia" like "Strayla" and that's ok.

8. You know that there is a universal place called "woop woop" located in the middle of nowhere... no matter where you actually are.

9. You know that while we call our friends 'mates', we don't use terms like 'shiela' and 'shrimp on the barbie', contrary to popular belief. 8. You know that none of us actually drink Fosters beer because it tastes like ****. But we let the world think we do. Because we can.

10. You know that if a man has sex with another man, he's a homosexual, and (until recently), a criminal in Tasmania

11. You resent people who succeed over others- everyone should do the same thing, so we all get a "fair go"; a kind of 'American-dream' in reverse. This is why we actively like not liking Americans.

12. You've seen Gallipoli, Crocodile Dundee, Young Einstein, Muriel's Wedding, The Castle, Beneath Clouds, Strictly Ballroom, 40,000 Horsemen, and maybe even Wolf Creek.

13. It makes you happy when someone in Hollywood is actually Australian... Mel Gibson, Nicole Kidman, Russle Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Baz Luhrman, Elle MacPherson, Olivia Newton-John, Midnight Oil, ACDC, INXS, Greg Norman, Cathy Freeman, Dawn Fraser, Pat Rafter, Ian Thorpe...

14. One word: Skippy.

15. You know that Sydney 2000 was one of our proudest moments in history. We just fucking rock.

16. You know that you are not going to die of cholera or other Third World diseases (remote Aboriginal communities are a different matter)

17. You know our country has never been conquered by a foreign nation (you don't count 1788).

18. We know that the Metric system will always be better than anything inches, feet, pounds and farenheit will ever offer

19. You drive on the left-hand side of the road.

20. If you're a pedestrian and cars are stopped at a red light, you will fearlessly cross the street in front of them. 'Hit and runs' just aren't cricket. Because aussies stick together.

21. You think of Australia as being somewhat out of place within the Asia-Pacific region; surrounded by unstable ex-colonial nations who regard you as racist, imperialist, and unfairly wealthy.

22. You know that New Zealanders are basically our naive country cousins, who have a weird fush-and-chups accent, and for some bizzare reason, think that they invented pavlova. Bastards. They are to be pitied and laughed at. They have no hope of gaining the upper hand in the endless sporting rivalry between our two nations.

23. You know that you can't eat Fantales alone... Otherwise who will you play the 'Who am I...' game with when you're reading the wrapper?

24. You know that Sydney should be the capital because Canberra is a hole.

25. You know that Americans think we're all Steve Irwin clones. And crickey, they couldn't be more wrong.

26. You know that Lawyers wear wigs and gowns. And we make it look good.

27. You have some time in your life slept with Aeroguard on in the summer. Maybe even as perfume.

28. You feel obliged to spread salty black stuff that looks like congealed motor oil on bread... and actually grow to like it. You've also squeeze Vegemite through Vita Wheats to make little Vegemite worms.

29. You believe that democracy means the freedom to draw caricatures of good ol' Johnny Howard

30. You think footballers dressing up in drag on TV is funny (but your son being gay isn't).

31. You have the ability to compress several words into one - ie 'g'day' and 'd'reckn?'. This allows more space for profanities.

32. You've ever used the words - tops, ripper, sick, mad, rad, sweet - to mean good. And then you place 'bloody' in front of it when you REALLY mean it.

33. You know that the barbeque is a political arena; the person holding the tongs is always the boss and usually a man. And the women make the salad.

34. The private lives of footy and cricket players become more important than local and national news stories.

35. You say 'no worries' quite often, whether you realise it or not.

36. You know what fairy bread tastes like, and you can't imagine your childhood without it.

37. You know the first verse to the national anthem, but still don't know what "girt" means. And you're ok with that.

38. You've drank your tea/coffee/milo through a tim tam.

39. You know that backyard cricket is a nice way to bond with family and the rubbish bin. And the 'one bounce, one hand' rule always applies.

40. You know that we are home to the just about all of the world's deadliest of animals. That's why if anybody messes with us we'll get some funnel webs on their asses.

41. You see people walking bare-foot on the sidewalk and don't scorn.... because you're doing it too.

42. You know what trop-fest is and it makes you happy.

43. Sausage rolls and meat pies. End of story.

44. You firmly believe that in the end, everything will be ok and have offered advice that included the words, "she'll be right, mate".

45. You have a story that somehow involves an excessive consumption of goon... but you can't remember.

46. You own a Bond's chesty. In several different colours.

47. You've ordered a steak the size as your head and only paid $5 at your local RSL

48. You know that Italy should never have been granted that fateful kick in the 2006 Soccer World Cup.

49. You know how to slip, slop, slap like it's nobody's business.

50. You've heard the Prime Minister dismiss anyone who disagrees with him simply as 'un-Australian', and that's enough to make us sit down and shut up.

51. You know that the value of a public holiday is measured in terms of alcohol. God bless the Queen and her 4-day birthday.

How slack!

2007-12-06T13:18:00.000+11:00

Oh my! How time flies.

I have been rather amiss in my posts. I have been meaning to get on here for ages but man, life has been busy. I promise to be more attentive over the next few weeks. I have gotten over the busiest hurdle and can now start to breathe a little easier now it is nearly Christmas.

So there is heaps to catch up on but I will be back to fill in the gaps later.

Right now, I thought I would share a pic or two of some of my latest work.

Art first, chat later!

This is a layout that just came together so easily. I know it's a simple page, but it didnt seem to need anything but the journalling. And I love it. One of my 'new' favourite pages!

And I have been busy making Christmas gifts. This is what I put together for Joshua's teacher, Mrs Quill. Her name is...

Gotta run. BBS.

Because I'm the Mom!!

2007-09-21T15:38:00.000+10:00

Check this out on You Tube! I say it all but I couldn't remember it all in this format! :)
It's good for a Friday chuckle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlY8STkhopc

Cook Up Tuesday!

2007-09-04T19:08:00.000+10:00

I got busy in the kitchen today due to a Cyberscraps forum request for Deep Dish Quiche. It's been a while since I threw one of those together, so I thought I had better get it down on paper to add to the forum. I took the obligatory pics as I was going. I made the ol' favourite, Quiche Lorraine and a smaller Smoked Salmon and Camembert Quiche for my 'foodie' blog.

I made an Asparagus Salad to go with the quiche and washed it all down with a nice Pinot Gris.

Hopefully, I will upload it all tomorrow for all to critique!

Here's a preview!

Smoked Salmon and Camembert Quiche with Asparagus Salad

Deep Dish Quiche Lorraine

Well, that did dinner tonight!! Yum!

I luuurve Saturday Mornings!

2007-09-01T09:03:00.000+10:00

Just passing through...
I wanted to link to a site that I thought might be helpful to us scrappers who like to use transparencies. I am sure this would work on vellum too, but as I have just 'fallen' into the site, I haven't tried it yet.
This site has some downloadables - have a look here. Enjoy!
And for those of us who are Ribbon-Addicted!! You are gonna love this place!
And then there's Paper... Can't live without paper!

Just a sample of where I have been this morning! I love Saturday mornings... Mark is sooo tired he sleeps till 10. I am usually awake early still, so I get up, make a cuppa and sit down with grand plans in my head. Then I usually get mysteriously drawn to my Notebook and end up surfing the net for hours on end. The boys usually go surfing, swimming, hanging out with friends and the house is quiet. So love Saturdays.
Saturdays are usually the day when we 'experiment' with our food and cook new recipes. Try this and that. And spend too much money on seafood or exotic food items. Our tummies dont seem to complain too much - apart from the occasional groan that is is so full it will explode if one more mouthful comes by. I can handle that. I just tell my body it is going to be exercised!! Then it shuts up and just takes it like a b****, I mean, it just accepts the warmth and comfort of good food! Hmm, do I sound hungry??
So how did I get from scrapping to food?? :s Seems to be my two passions! Maybe I should scrap food!!
Sorry for that wander of the mind! Ok, what other delights can I find??

My first 'official' Photo Shoot!

2007-08-31T09:42:00.000+10:00

Mark keeps talking about getting some exercise - it rarely happens. However, last weekend it seemed spring had sprung and was ready to leap straight into summer! So I made myself gorjus, grabbed the camera and the 'boy' (Mark) and walked down to the beach to get that exercise. We did our 'usual' route and I am looking for an interesting backdrop for some pics other than the ocean. Then I looked at the horse sheds used when the show is on. The rust and colours were great for a shoot.

Now Mark is betterer on the camera than me. I need to learn apertures and all that technical stuff so most of the pics are of me but this is ok as I dont get in front of the camera very often and I needed some new material!

Below is a sample of some of the photos we took. Dont you just love the backdrop??! It's so good, I am going back with the kids one day to do some more shoots! Hey it even makes me look passable!

On Monday night, 27th August, we had our First Anniversary for the South Coast Business Women's Network at Waves at the Beach Restaurant in Kiama. We had a great turnout of about 40 women (with a couple of men from Rotary trying to poach for their group!). A few of the businesses put up displays. We had piles of finger food, champagne, white wine and soft drinks. Networking was done with a pile of prizes given out via numbers in helium balloons. Everyone went crazy for 2 mins bursting balloons to get their numbers and collect prizes! We had 'funny' awards for a few of the members who have made an impression on the group with their personalities! All in all, it was a successful night; organised mainly by Liz, Denise and myself.

We hope to get a few more people committed to assisting with the running of the group in the future. It is too much for just the three of us.

I took Keshia along and she looked gorgeous, as usual. She had a minor panic attack though and I had to race her home to get into her chef gear. She couldn't handle being on the 'wrong' side of the kitchen. That girl has 'security' issues!! She was much more comfortable hiding in the kitchen, serving food and then hanging off my arm near the end of the evening rather than looking stunning with a group of women she didn't know. Here's my girl...

And then a couple of photos taken of us together, which doesn' t happen often enough!

The Monday, 20th August was MARK'S Birthday. Happy 48th Babe!!

Mark and I went into Sydney to have dinner at Kai's restaurant (where she works), Pony's in the Rocks. That girl would NOT relax and enjoy the meal!! She was constantly watching the kitchen staff, maitre de and goings on. We had pre-dinner drinks at the Shrangri La, top floor...

$20 a cocktail. Guess you do it once. Next time I go, I want some high flying company to pay for it other than my own!!!

Keshia had a surprise organised for Dad's birthday. Do you like it? Mark cracked up when he saw it!! Very funny, I thought. (This is a man who shops at pimp.com after his wife gave him the link!!)

It has been a very busy couple of weeks. There is more I could bore you with but really, I am busy, so I really need to get into some office work and follow up on some client enquiries and my chefs. Just a sideline; I have nominated myself for the Board on the Chamber of Commerce. I went the AGM this week and it was an interesting meeting to say the least. A whole other post!! The new board was nominated and it's all men! It needs some unbalancing!! A little estrogen input - so I put myself down. It will be another week before I hear if I have been successful. If I am, then I have a busier 12 mths ahead. If not, I dont care too much. The rejection will be welcome. I just oppose a certain member nominated and feel he needs a closer eye on him. I can do that on the board and also assist in promoting Women In Business in Kiama as well as Home Businesses. But, as I said, another post. Oh, boy.

Sigh, Friday's. The day you need to wrap up the weeks' work and all your brain thinks about is 5pm and drinkies. The weekend. Relax. The beach and walks. No pressure. But before all that, must come work. So I shall be off! I hope you enjoyed my new pics! First time in a long time I actually have something worth showing off!!

Oh, I have some new layouts I must post too. That can be weekend work!

Have a relaxing and safe weekend!! Cheers, mate!!

Like - A Baywatch Remake

2007-08-16T09:30:00.000+10:00

Kai and friends went to their local beach to mess up and be kids. They decided to take Baywatch pics! She is a scream. If you think I'm wacky, maaate, you ain't met Kai. She is my prodigy. It's great to see her finally settled in her job, flat, and with new friends. We dont catch up much anymore due to work committments and distance but it's good to hear her stories. She is as much a hell-raiser as I was at her age, except I think she has a few more active brain cells than I did. I taught her well.

I like who she has become and is becoming. I enjoy her company. And I dont think parenting can get much betterer than that when you can say "I like to be around them" (in small doses! She is Full On!!) I am getting to old to keep up with this Energizer Bunny, so I have passed the Rebel Mantle to her. She has to go off and have the fun I cant be fagged to anymore while I sit on my butt and scrapbook or surf the internet!

Then again... she makes me feel like pulling my finger out and getting out there and having a second delinquincy. All those over 40 - Who's with me???? *groan, ok, after one more cocktail. Then we can discuss our options. ;)

2007-08-15T15:15:00.000+10:00

1-Post these rules.

2-Each person tagged must post 8 random (... hopefully interesting) facts about themselves.

3-Taggees should write a blogpost of these facts.

4- At the end of the post 8 more bloggers are tagged and named and released back into the wild.
5-Go to their blog and leave a comment telling them they're tagged*.

OK, so my Tag-Cherry just got popped!! sigh, here goes, I'm just warnin' ya - I'm not very Brunette at these darn things....

1. I enjoy the 'naughty' side of life, just for the 'shock-value' I see on other people's faces! If it's taboo, chances are I will find it and throw it in your face to see your reaction! (Does not necessarily mean the author supports the opinions herself. Or does she??)

2. I am not a 9-5 girl. Never have been and doubt I ever will be. I hate the very idea of having to race out the door at the crack of dawn for work, leaving behind my kidlets to defend for themselves. I am much happier being able to "work from home", be my own boss and choose my own hours and make my own public holidays.

3. I love to cook and try new recipes. I make the best sticky date pud, a mean pav, a totally rad apple pie. I dont have the sweetest tooth, but I am very good in the dessert dept. But I cook the lousiest roast!!! I leave that to my dh, ChefMark.

4. I'm a Jeans girl. Unless I have to dress for business, then it's a suit. With trousers of course. (*whine* Do I HAVE to shave my legs every coupla days??) If I ever get to the stage that I have office staff - every day will be jeans day.

5. I am a late bloomer. I am in my 40's and only now am I working out "what I want to do with my life". I am learning bass guitar, french and japanese. I am thinking of learning how to surf this summer, cos my 12yo ds keeps bugging me to. And I think I would look hot in a red bikini and wet suit! (Just kidding. My wetsuit is gonna be a neck to ankle job holding all the fat bits in like a girdle! har har)Some one get the camera.

6. My music genre is Chicago Blues with a dash of R&B. I adore BB King, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, and the like.

7. I am on my 2nd marriage. We both have 5 kids. Yes, we all lived together at one time. Until we ran away. Now we only have 3 kids at home. And if my 16yo doesnt stop her sassin' and rebellin', we will be down to 2.

8. I have a fetish for all things bdsm, including the shoes/boots, clothes and tools. My bedroom is kinda dungeon-ish and my kids think it's 'normal'. My 12yo ds cracks me up when I clip him under the ear and he says, "Thank you Mistress, may I have another?" Dang that kid has my sense of humus. Now if I could just get me an obedient boy! (Me? A control freak?? Naaaah!)

Gawd, now I have to tag someone??
I tag: Lea
Lisa
Jodi
Michelle
Sheri
SmileymamaT
Shell
and Sandy

Ouch, that hurt.

I'm a Gonna!!

2007-08-11T16:07:00.000+10:00

Groan.
I keep promising myself to apply more time to my blog but life seems to just get in the way. I gotta push some stuff out the way to make more room.
I have returned from my 2 week's in Perth doing my Neogene work. It's where I get to 'play' Group Manager (I'm like a den-mother to 14-18 Japanese exchange students and their leaders and the host families and show them around Perth). I am exhausted. But then I always am when I finish the job. I run on chocolate, coffee and adrenelin. Lucky for me, my host school, Maranatha Christian College has the best 'real' coffee on tap. None of that instant nasty fake stuff. Pure caffeine. Mmmm.
So I'm home. Catching up on sleep. Catching up on cooking yummy meals. Catching up on my hugs from my kids. Noice. Life is good like that.
But I have some good new ideas I want to work on. (Weeeeell, I think they're good) And that means, if it all works, less time for blogging... or maybe I just need to be more organised and make MORE time by being more efficient. Now there's a fresh approach to my life!! Organisation. *shiver* Must I? Procrastination is such a prettier word and soooo much easier. Kinda. Except when people start growling at you cos you 'forgot' to do stuff. Mid year resolution: Practice Organisation.

Pssst. Wanna know what I'm excited about? I know it's boring if you're not a Foodie but it makes my calories burn faster just thinking about this stuff!! (Thanks, JoJo, I 'know' not everyone gets this stuff, but I love food. Go Donna Hay!)

So! I want to add a Blog to our website. (That's here for the uninitiated.) That way, I can take some pressure of my techy slave, Mark, (also my dh, but he wears the hat I tell him too. Yeah!) He can have some weekends back and I can sit on my computer butt adding my latest recipe find, making it up, taking pics from pretty angles and upload it all myself. All he has to do is put in a link to the website. That's here if you missed it the first time 'round!
I figure it can be our News Desk. I can keep our clients up to date on new ventures; new recipes they can get us to cook or they can try; bore them to tears on any subject really! Whaddya think??
Ah well, I'm Excited! Big Kev Style!!

The other 'venture' is a Chef Agency. Just local. I know we have the big boys, Chefs on the Run covering all major cities, but apparently there is no-one in our little area. (not so little) I figure, if I can do this right, I can have a range of experienced hospitality staff available for relief work from Wollongong through to Nowra. I will start small in Wollongong but if it works, then I will expand it as required. Lots of foundation work on this one. I hope to have it up and running in the New Year. I guess that would be one for the Saint blog.

If it's any consolation on the Organisation side - I wrote up 3 pages of To Do Lists this morning. It covers The Office, Scrapping and General To Do. Oh, I am going to be a busy girl. Someone get me the Yellow Pages so I can outsource. Ahhh, there's a word I love... Outsource. It must have been the touch of summer we have had today. The sunshine just brings out the Spring Clean Machine in me. I want to see everything sparkly and shiny for the warmer weather. I hide in winter, let the wind and rain crash about me while I hide indoors with my scrappy and foodie magazines under a blankie and hot chocolate only to emerge like a dusty butterfly, shaking off the cobwebs and grabbing a cloth and Spray 'n' Wipe when the sun comes out!!

August is a busy month for me. I have meetings and appointments everywhere. I dont know whether that makes me important (NOT!!! rofl) or jsut plain exhausted. It's also Mark's birthday on the 20th. I can't say anything too much about his gift yet but let's just say that I am doing better than last year. What a disaster last year was. *cringe Yes, there is definitely something to be said for *drumroll* Organisation!! I already have his Christmas present tucked away safely waiting for December. Oh, aren't I so clever!! And he is going to LOVE it. I put some hard thunkin' into his gifts this year. Lordy knows how I top it next year. I can safely say we are going out to dinner at Pony's. Keshia is doing her 2nd yr apprenticeship there under Damien Heads, lucky girl. She has a surprise worked out for him. (I cant say that bit yet) She will be doing some of our meals on the night and it will be a buzz to watch my babygirl be a real chef!! She is so humble about it all, but her momma is beginning to feel inferior. Kai is getting a much better start than I ever did. But that's good too. Ya cant knock that. Your kids are supposed to do better, aren't they?
Oh, dear. I am away for ages and then I talk forever. I have more to say, however, I think I should work on getting the new blog started. I can come back and swing in my hammock here another time.
Till then, dont let your martinis get low!

Kid dials 111 to get help with Math homework.

2007-07-08T21:48:00.000+10:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jF-yU7Rq2XQ

This is so cute and funny to boot! Ya gotta share the funny stuff! :)

Live Brightly Project

2007-07-08T21:09:00.000+10:00

Thanks to Ali Edwards' blog for linking to this amazing project. Like Ali, the guy who takes 2 sandwiches every day really touched me. I have always tried to live by the 'karma' philosophy of what goes around, comes around. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Just be nice, polite and helpful to others. Not hard, is it? Seems sad that we need to have a 'project' to promote something we should be doing automatically.
Anyway, check out this awesome link and be inspired. What can you do to make the world a little brighter?
http://www.sunchips.com/main.html?pageId=3.1

2007-06-26T14:42:00.000+10:00

I have been telling people I have lost 2 months of my life this year and logging in it seems to be true.

After feeling very blah and icky and having lots of complaints but not 'really' being ill, I dragged myself off the the dr's to find I had Glandular Fever. Not pleasant. And I think, because I didn't 'cave in' and rest that instead of being sick for a little while, I was sick for a looong time. It took me ages to feel better again. Not only did I lose my energy levels but I lost my ability to concentrate for any period of time and also basically think. Out of all of it, I think I missed my mind the most. It's good to have that back. I dont think I would do dementia very well. I'm too impatient! I got cranky trying to remember a kids' name and going thru the list of names. Poor kids, they even got called Bobo (our dog's name). They just laughed at me. Cruel monsters they are!

So what have I been doing apart from dragging a dead body around? Well, since being sick, I have been picking up the pieces of destruction I managed to create by being "away with the fairies". I had a pile of paperwork to fix up and work through for the business. I have managed to do a couple of scrapbooking layouts (I knew I was really sick when I couldn't even be bothered scrapping! ouch)for CyberScraps forum challenges.

Last week, I spent a day in a workshop for the business - about funding or finding investments for your business. We have a long way to go before we are ready for that I think but it was very interesting and at least I now know where to look when we are ready.

I survived a 12yo birthday sleepover. TJ turned 12 over the long weekend (Queen's Birthday) and managed to have a sleepover last the whole long weekend. Boy, only 12 and the kid can par-tay! Just keeps on going. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I had the benches lined up with prepped bowls of ingredients and all the boys (10 or so) lined up and made their own pizzas. Went down a treat. They watched dvd's and mucked around like 12yo boys do. Boys were lined up on mattresses, fold-out beds, couches, sleeping bags in the lounge for the night. Chaos but fun. They were all well behaved and TJ had a ball.

Had a dirty weekend away just out of Nowra the weekend before which was lovely. I forgot my scrapbook mags so had nothing to do except fish in the river. I caught a decent flathead (which Mark threw back) :( I caught a heap of bream and took some home, but really they were a little on the small side with too many bones for the kids to enjoy. It was lovely to just stop for a while and have no reason to do anything. We took heaps of yummy food and wine. Had champagne in the spa with the glow worms (fairy lights) over the spa. I was just getting into the swing of the relaxation thing when we had to pack up and go home. I spent more time looking for things to do than relaxing but then I'm highly strung!

I fly out to Perth in a couple of weeks to do my Neogene work with Japanese exchange students. I will stay with my friend, Ronnie and get a rental car again. Wear myself out on adrenaline and enjoy every minute of it.

The same day I fly out to Perth, July 24th, TJ flies out to New Zealand with his mate from Perth, Tony for a snowboarding holiday!! What gives???! I never had that opportunity when I was TJ's age but then times are different, I guess. He is so stoked. We are rushing passport applications through so he can go. Lordy, I hope there aren't any glitches. There's a lot of stuff to be done for both TJ and myself to get ready for these trips. I have a pile of meals to make for the freezer - dont want anyone starving while I'm gone. I am trying not to worry about this side while I am on the other side. Guess there is not much I can do anyway, so I might as well enjoy myself.

I have been wanting to do some more layouts in my BOM for ages too. I finally got organised on this one. It's about 5 Pivotal People in my life. A Dr Phil concept. There's more to come but this is where I am up to at the moment. They will all have lots of journalling and herein lies the challenge - to make the page interesting to look at without boring everyone with the details I want to record.

I never like my handwriting but somehow I dont think I have any control over that anymore!

OK, better get some more work done and less blogging. I was feeling bad for neglecting this part of me. Gotta keep blogging, eh!

2007-05-04T15:48:00.000+10:00

I have had one of those weeks where I haven't stopped until I fall into bed. It pretty much started last Friday, prepping for last week's night of hell aka Geoff's 60th birthday bash (bil). On Saturday, I made myself some lunch. OMG! I went into ecstacy. I love my food but this just hit all my senses. It was fresh, zesty and so, so yummy. Here's the recipe - you have to make this!:

Avocado and Prawn Couscous with Lime

Ingredients: (serves 6)

250g couscous (I used Ainsley Harriot but it's all couscous to me)

4 shallots, trimmed, sliced

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped

12 cooked prawns, peeled, deveined, halved lengthways

1 large avocado, halved, stoned, peeled, chopped

Lime Dressing:

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 Tbspn honey

2 limes, rind finely grated, juiced

salt and freshly ground pepper

Method:

Boil 2 cups of water with a touch of salt. Take off heat and stir in couscous. Leave for 10-15 mins or until the liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to seperate grains.

Stir in the shallots, tomatoes, coriander, prawns and avocado.

To make lime dressing: combine the oil, honey, lime rind and juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over the couscous mixture and toss well. Serve immediately.

*for those allergic to crustaceans - try substituting scallops. mmm.

Here is one I prepared earlier:

So there you are. My yummy lunch! and so easy too!!

To prove that siblings can actually get along - here are some photos of my boys having a tickle fight. I can't remember the last time I saw ANY of my kids having a tickle fight. Usually it's serious punch-outs. I had to take photos so I can look back with fond remembrance of the day they got along.

See? It's possible!!

2007-04-18T13:44:00.000+10:00

OMG OMG, SHE'S IN LABOUR!!

I have a bestie (dont faint, I do!) and among her children, who are all grown up now, is Lizzie. I always felt a connection to Lizzie and love her as one of my own. She is 17 now and just beautiful. She hasn't had an easy life or had it easy being a teenager. She has been down the drugs/alcohol/runaway road for years but has settled back down at home and met a lovely guy. She went back and finished her high school cert; got a job; amended her ways.
And fell pregnant. I am not sure if it was planned or not but today at 1pm she was in labour.
I rang her mum, Ronnie and spoke to them both. Lizzie does not deal well with pain, so this will be one hell of an experience for her!
I was so excited, I just started bawling. I can't believe she is having her baby and here I am - stuck on the other side of Australia. (Did I forget to mention? They are in Perth, me in NSW)
I just want to run onto the Qantas tarmac and jump on the next flight out to be with her.
It's tough just doing it with love and prayers so far away.
I will keep the post updated and post a pic as soon as I get one.
*jumps for joy*
Go Liz!!
(btw, we know it's a boy and she has the name all picked out)
How exciting!!!

2007-04-14T13:24:00.000+10:00

What was he thinking???!?

Mark was about to go out IN PUBLIC dressed like this?? What goes through a man's mind that says a loud hawaiian shirt and blue boardies co-ordinate?? Oh, they both have colour?

I had to scratch my eyeballs out! The pain was horrific when he walked into the office to say "I'll be back soon". OH MY GOD!! The colours just burnt my retinas to ashes!

I grabbed this quick photo after ordering him to change because "I wouldn't see him in a wooden box dressed like that and he sure as h**l wasn't leaving the house alive looking like that!!!"

Lord knows what the neighbours thought when I started screaming! He looked hilarious! Ah, the joys of Saturday mornings!!
Ya gotta love 'em!

2007-04-12T11:14:00.000+10:00

There are a couple of things I want to share today.
When you have more than 2 kids, you see how different each child is, even though you believe you raise them all the same.
Out of Mark's boys (5) - Stephen is the 'cook'. He loved to cook when I met Mark and apparently he still gets in the kitchen and is quite the confident cook.
In my brood (5) - I have Keshia who is 18 and nearly into her 2nd yr as a chef apprentice. And Joshua who is 10 who loves to be under my feet every evening to help me cook dinner. He is also our "fatty boom-balada", so to encourage his love of cooking and 'teach' him good food choices, I decided he needed to cook at least one meal a week of his choosing. It had to be healthy and he had to help from start to finish, including the clean-up! (errr) Well, I am not so sure his first choice was healthy, but dayum, it was delicious. Josh's first creation was guided by Mark, cos he cooks on the weekends while I lose myself in scrapping! Good deal, eh.
Here is the result of Joshua's first 'healthy' meal choice - Lasagne, green salad and garlic bread.

We all thought he excelled. And he looks mighty proud of his efforts. He is going to be a master in the kitchen, I reckon! (I think he enjoys the mummy time with one on one attention, but he does like the food!) This should make an interesting page to scrap.

Also, there has been a change in the air. I have been growing my hair for what seems forever. Nearly 10 yrs I think. So I decided I needed a change. My hair was so long now; when I sit in a chair, I 'lay' on it, or when I sleep, I get tangled in it. It just seemed to be in the way and all I ever did was pull it back in a boring pony tail. Well, yesterday I took the plunge and had it chopped off!! Mind you, I didn't dare tell Mark for fear of divorce. I am always hearing the story of how Mark fell in love with Kelly when he was 5 years old. She had beautiful long hair. (May I add, this is said with violins playing in the background) The day came when Kelly cut her hair - and Mark's first love was crushed. He broke up with her. You cant 'date' a girl with short hair! (End music)At the end of the day, Mark arrives home, starts chatting away, looking at me. It must be a full minute of looking at me before he asks what was with my hair!! And cos I left some 'long' bits, it didn't look "too short" to him. Phew. He still loves me! Actually, he said he likes it and it makes me look younger. Bonus!! It's looking a little tired at the end of the day, but here's a before and after shot -

LONG SHORT-ER

I haven't woken up and regretted it - yet. Takes a little getting used to but I think I am happy with it. I know I 'hide' under my hair - it's my safety blanket. Having it cut means I am taking the big step of exposing myself. Weird - yes, but that's how it is.
That's my big change. It's a big thing to sit in the chair and say "cut it off"!
Now all I need is a face lift and liposuction to suck the fat outta my thighs and into my boobs! Oh yes! Just kidding folks. I am far from perfect, but I dont think I could go that far. Besides, how much MM, Heidi Swapp and BasicGrey can I buy with $10k?? A shop! Scrap supplies or thin thighs?? *Buzzer* "Ken, I think I will take the scrap supplies" My man loves me, so he says!! haha And if he didn't, I still have my stash to lurve! Priorities, priorities.
That's it for today! New hair! Big step for me! New day!
(it's gorgeous outside, let's go swimming! Last one in is a jellyfish!!)

2007-04-08T14:42:00.000+10:00

Mark, Josh and I went for a beach walk last weekend while TJ surfed. I just love Kiama. It's in my bones. And for a Perth-girl, that's an achievement.

So I want to do some layouts with Kiama landscapes; the lighthouse, the waves and rocks, just the place in general. This is my first one of many, I hope. It was a neat photo of Josh, too. I have a bit of shine off the transparency over Josh's pic. Oops.

2007-04-08T14:14:00.000+10:00

Just thought I would share a photo of my 'bestie' Cheryl and myself. Cheryl came and spent a glorious week with me last month. Her first time out of NZ! She was so brave! I loved having a whole week doing 'girly' stuff, catching up on chat and laughing like teenagers. Having someone accept you, warts and all is a beautiful thing.

Cheryl, you just add so much to my life. Thank you for being my friend!

2007-04-08T13:45:00.000+10:00

Easter Sunday: Kinda like Boxing Day. A day to kick back and have no guilt about doing nothing at all.
I have spent most of the day so far learning how to jazz up my blog. Any suggestions gratefully received by this pooh bear of little IT brain. I want to have a gorgeous banner like in the many scrappy blogs I read, but darned if I know how to do it. *sigh Will just keep looking and learning.
I *plan* to scrap today. Whether I actually do anything... I have chosen the papers to go with the photos; it's a start.
I want to explore the 'artist' in me this year. I am sure she is in there. Crikey, I have dabbled at just about every craft there is on the planet, owned a craft shop and spent ridiculous amounts of money on crafty stuff. I know I enjoy creating things; food, a home with ambience, photo albums, etc. But I am so afraid to let go. I have to have everything compartmentalised and looking just so, otherwise, I feel there is no 'order'. But on the flip side, I am messy. My desk is always a mess. Even if I have tidied it, 2 hours later there are piles of papers, mail, bits, pens, you name it. So how do I let the artist/create me out?? HOW? Do I even dare? What if I scrapped 'real' pages of how I feel? Oooh, there's a challenge in my BOM. Scrap the REAL me. The me who is afraid to be excited and stress free. And if I didn't stress and worry - who would? What about my interests? If I scrapped that - what if I shocked someone? (Who would really see my BOM but me I guess but what if I die and someone found it? omg. shock, horror.)
I have this 'thing' that life has to be perfect; never is but I strive for it. But what if I was happy and 'let go'? What then? Will I really get to 80 and look back and wished I had just enjoyed each day as it came and filled myself with joy, thankfulness and not worried so much about the "what ifs"? How do you not worry? See, now how do you scrap that? I see how it should be in my head, but I have this difficulty getting it from my head to my hands and onto paper or whatever medium. I WANT to create. I want to be this mad artist with furious inspirational creations, just letting the 'stuff' inside me come gushing out. But what if I did? What would happen? Omg, I am so anal. And afraid to be ME. What if I dont like me? Someone please tell me I am not the only 40+ year old still out there trying to work out who she is and giving herself permission to just be who she is!!
I read a lot of blogs, there are so many good ones. I would love to be able to be as free with my creative side and as accepting. Ahh, self acceptance. Such a tough issue.
Self challenge number one:
Take time out of every day life to scrap ME. Just me. What I feel at that moment. Let it flow and see what happens and file it away in my BOM for no one to see but me.
Self challenge number two:
Dont be so icky about having my own photo taken. Learn to like the 'other' side of the camera.
Self challenge number three:
Let go a little. Dont be so uptight about what 'everybody else' thinks. So I didnt make the bed today. meh. My floors are clean enough (?). So? The kids have to reheat leftovers for dinner. Gee, does that happen every day? Not in this gourmet house!
Three is enough for this week. Now to try that page ready to scrap. Just sit and scrap, sit and scrap. Dont think, just scrap.

2007-04-08T10:35:00.000+10:00

Myspace Graphics

2007-03-04T17:33:00.000+11:00

We got the pleasure of Paula's company for two weeks before she got so homesick for Brazil that we had to put her on a plane for home.
I was sorely tempted to take Rebecca with me and do a quick swap at the gate. sigh. Dreams are free.
She was a pride to her parents. She was a delight and it was a shame she missed home and family so much. Ah well, so much for our foray into long exchange students. I am not sure if I want to try again or just continue on as is. Rebecca IS an embarrassment with her outbursts and untidiness. If we just had the boys it would be a breeze. Unfortunately, Rebecca comes with a Disclaimer. I wish I could say her temper and personality is just a 'phase' but it ain't. It's just her.
Anyway, we hope Paula is back on track in Brazil with school and caught up with her friends. And is raving about Sydney. We got to show her a little of the countryside, but not a lot. Cie la Vie.

2007-03-04T17:30:00.000+11:00

Looks like another riveting weekend!

2007-01-06T19:46:00.000+11:00

What an interesting day! Nothing much has happened and yet, I feel much progress has been made.
I woke early as usual. The house slept on. I got busy working out finances. It seems to be a subject that gets my juices flowing in the early morning, filling me with hope and desperation! I worked out a plan to pay out Visa by July. A month later than I had originally hoped but the best I can currently pay is $1500 a fortnight - which takes me to mid-July. That will leave me 11 weeks to Christmas at $1000 a fortnight to pay off the Commodore (although I am sure there isn't that much owing on it). Then I filled in the years' calendar of accounts owing ( so exciting, but for a libran who loves lists, so fulfilling! Yeah, go figure.)
After this, a shower and an early start to the doctor for Joshua who is not well with a rotten cold. After a slow delay there, I call into Spotlight and grab some New Year bargains with quilt covers for the kids.
The progress comes with the afternoon. I have been so frustrated with the office procedures in the office and wanted to streamline everything. I may be backward/blonde but it has taken a lot of thinking and thunking to work out that Access is the best way to record EVERYTHING in the business. This afternoon, I finally managed to nail Mark down to discuss how to put it all together in a workable package. The man is a genius. In a couple of hours work, he has put together a 'package' using Access that allows me to record client enquiries, client data, chef data, products, services, the whole kit and kaboodle. In one program. Then he turns to me and says, "if this works, we can package it and sell it to the chefs". Ahuh. So who gets the credit here? The original thunker or the IT genius who made it happen? sigh. No credit to the thunker, I bet. At least now, I have a program that makes running a business a breeze. Or at least it will when I get the data in! Oh the days ahead!
So, for a rather dull day, I feel I have made some great leaps in streamlining the business. Coming from she who feels she know absolutely nothing about running a business. But that is another entry...

2006-12-28T13:56:00.000+11:00

Nothing fancy or OTT but I spent some time yesterday doing a page for my BOM. I want to fill it with memories and am thinking maybe a book needs to be purchased. For the life of me, I dont know where to start.

I got a RAK yesterday, which worked in perfectly with this page. I used the orange bazill, the pp and flower from the rak.

Having my new scrap unit (Horn MySpace: just fantastic!) in the office is absolutely bloody wonderful. I 'hid' in here all day yesterday. I swing from side to side, on the computer - chatting, surfing, checking emails, and then push off to the scrap desk to do a little more scrapping. Back to the computer to print photos, grap said photo, then back to scrap desk to get busy again. Love it! It's going to be one helluva distraction when I have to do some serious officework! Or maybe an incentive... do BAS, invoices, banking, emails then scrap as a reward.

I am also going to get back into my cross-stitch this new year. I bought a subversive cross-stitching calendar and it is out of this world. So me. Click on the link to have a peek. Totally hilarious. I am already working out next years Christmas gifts with them. There is a perfect one for my ex but does he really deserve it? I think not. Rebecca phoned him last night to 'gripe' about the $2 gifts he sent the kids. He complained he didnt receive any gifts from them. Hello Asshole!! I sent him an 8x8 album with a year's full of photos of the kids, totally scrapped. He insisted in the Orders that he receive and "annual photograph"; he got a year's worth!! And he says he didnt get anything?! Whatever did I see in him? Ah, yes, desperation. More fool me.

Looks like 2007 is going to be a busy year. Scrapping to my hearts content (and being able to leave everything out during a layout! Oh Bliss!), cross- stitching abusive wall plaques, exchange student from Brazil till Nov., the business, getting Neogene up and running in NSW, kids, etc. I think I need to buy shares in the Panadol company! I HAVE to get myself organised this year. I kinda fluffed my way through 2006 and feel less than successful with myself. Next year, I have got to get a routine and stick to it. No procrastinating. (This is a Libran fault, right? I can blame the stars?)

And Visa... I have GOT to clear Visa. It's starting to drag me down, knowing how high that has got. sigh, and then I am balloon paying the cars off. That bit will be the easy part. The mountain is Visa. Gotta climb that bitch first. That and the $15k tax bill in March. sigh. It's all fun at the coal face.

The fun part will be the shares. I need to finalise my choices for the first part of my portfolio and then I can sit back and watch with delight and total fear as the prices go up and down with MY money.

Yes, it will be busy, but I have good vibes about 2007. Bring it on!

2006-12-26T11:32:00.000+11:00

Boxing Day. The day after Christmas. Disaster day.
Why do we even have to have Christmas anyway.
I tried so hard to make it wonderful for everyone and it seems I am the most ungracious, unlikable person on the planet. I wished I could have spent Christmas alone yesterday.
Trust me to be 95% organised. I got Keshia to put all the presents under the tree and forgot about the bag hiding under the stairs, didn't I? I was so upset when all the gifts were unwrapped and Mark still hadn't received anything from me? Why?? I was sure everything had been put out. He had given me some lovely gifts and the dvd's I had chosen for him, I was sure he would like. And he had nothing. I was distraught and beside myself. How could I lose his gifts??
Instead of going downstairs and crying like I wanted to, I got straight into "hostess-mode" and organised breakfast. Unfortunately, I had 2 boys constantly in my ear wanting batteries and this and that. I lost my temper, swore at them and threw batteries at them. I upset the boys and the family and ruined Christmas Day.
Daniel didn't help. He was his usual miserable self. The children got him some really thoughtful gifts. He didn't get them one. Not a one. Turns out, this is because Mark told him "not to bother". Nice. Just nice. He is SUPPOSED to be a part of this family. However, this excludes him from having to buy presents and be involved with everyone. He just sits on the lounge all morning, not smiling, not saying anything to anyone, not wishing anyone Merry Christmas. He just drives me nuts with his "unavailable" attitude. I cant stand it. Not today.
So. I get a wonderful breakfast made. By this stage, I am unable to eat due to the stress of not being able to locate Mark's gifts. I scour the house. It must be a good hour and a half to 2 hours before I remember that there may still be gifts under the stairs. Yes, there they are. I am so ashamed of myself, of my behaviour. My god, how stupid can I be? Can I get any worse?
Yes, apparently I can.
I give Kai her extra 'lost' gifts, throw Marks to him as he is resting on the bed. Oops, I hit him, didnt mean to do that, but he explodes at me anyway. I go upstairs and clean up after everyone like the good hostess should. Get the dishwasher on, clean tables, benches, etc.
Everyone is off doing their own thing, so I decide I need space and time-out to re-gather myself. I have managed to get myself worked up into such a state, I am thinking I just want to get on a plane and emigrate to another country. Just me. No kids, no husband, no business responsibilities. I could start again. So I slip out. Seems I cant even go for a walk without Mark having to be my shadow. I cant even breathe alone. He is 'in my face', asking me questions, in my 'space', nagging me constantly. I eventually tell him "I fucked up Christmas, now leave me alone". Finally he leaves me. I hate myself even more because I WANT to tell him how I feel, but I hate myself so much I cant stand even admitting how much a failure I feel. And so we jump on the old cycle again. I shut down, Mark feels rejected, he reacts badly, I react badly. Around and around we go.
I slowly trudge home and hide in the bedroom where Mark constantly comes in and out, lecturing me, then leaving, coming back for another lecture then leaving. Same ol', same ol. I just shut down completely wanting to be anywhere but where I am. By the end of the evening, I cant stand it anymore, so check my emails and at the same time, write Mark a letter, explaining my behaviour and why I felt so bad all day. Not good enough for him. If I cant "tell him face to face then dont bother". Fine. Suits me. We end up having a major row and again, all I want is seperation. If only I could. Except everything, EVERYTHING, is in my name. I cant afford to pay a $20k Visa debt or loans on 2 cars or the APVC bill or any of the many other committments we have taken on in the last 2 years. I cant do it. So I have no choice other than stay. I hate myself, I hate where I am at, I hate my behaviour, I am disgusted with myself. And yet, I have to get up every morning and do this 'life' every day. And every day I get a little worse at it. One day I will be so horrible that the only solution will be to jump off the rocks. Till then, I need to get things in order. Get debt free. Get my 'life' in order so that when that day happens, people dont have to be overwhelmed with all the mess in my life, it is all orderly and easy to 'sort through'.
So that is going to be 2007.
I already have the family 'committed' to certain things that I would dearly love to back out of: a foreign exchange student for a whole year, for starters.
I have business commitments. I have people I would hate to let down, just because my life is spiralling out of control. Always thinking of others and still fucking up. My life.
I see my epitaph now: "Always trying, never succeeding. Her gift? Fucking up."
The best I can do apart from hate myself more, (is that even possible?) is just get things in order. Sort things out. Pay things out. Put one foot in front of the other. Feed people. Clothe people. And fuck up.
I would love to do some scrapbooking; do something creative, but all I feel right now is black and grey. Can you do black and grey layouts? Can you scrap how your soul feels? In black?
What a Christmas. I hate the season. I hate myself. I remember how in the end, Nana would book herself off for holidays all around Australia and England, just to avoid Christmas and family. What a fucking excellent idea. I really should try that next year.
Till then...
Welcome to 2007 and the year of misery...

2006-11-02T15:42:00.000+11:00

Where does the year go? I cant believe it's November already. Strike, I am so behind in the year. So much for plans to be super-organised and always staying on top.
I haven't scrapped half as much as I have wanted to. I have this fear of failure. I constantly buy products and have layouts running thru my head, but when I sit down to scrap, it seems to fizzle into thin air. I have completed a Santa swap for lc's, a forum I enjoy. And I have started doing 'profiles' on each member of the family after buying a Simple Scrapbooking magazine which had quizzes at the back. It has been interesting asking everyone questions about their favourite food, tv show, dreams about growing up, if I hadn't ... then I would have... etc. I think my New Year resolution for next year will be to do at least ONE layout a week to overcome my fear of 'mucking it up' and doing lousy layouts. Besides, I have so much stash to work thru!
As for the business; I need to really get stuck into inputting some fresh new recipes into the database so they can go on the website. As well as that, we really need to get moving on APCN and getting memberships organised. It seems to be taking forever to get the ball rolling.
Mark and I are looking forward to the Burlesque Ball in Bondi tomorrow night. We have spent waaaay too much money on new outfits but we dont often get the chance to go out on the town, so I'm not too worried. I hope to get some cool photos and will have yet another project to scrap but too afraid of stuffing up. (What's with that fear anyway? It would probably help if I could scrap in a group more, maybe. sigh. ) I feel a little guilty that Josh is going on a camp this same weekend but then again, at least he is being well supervised and having a ball. He wont even miss me! Gotta get moving... lots to organise and pack before the weekend and I have a Cub Scout meeting to attend tonight. I have no idea what to do for dinner! Dilemna! And I call myself a cook! sheesh.