Green....

I am not a greenie as such...but I do care about our world...and wonder what it will be like for our kids...and I do not think I do enough to say I am even environmentally responsible...but I have been thinking about it more recently and trying to make decisions in my everyday life that might be positive ones...

so here it is...my list...10 Green Things I am Trying to Do:

Open the windows
Take shorter showers
Use lower energy florescent bulbs
Recycle what I can for school...and give unwanted stuff to charity
Conserve energy by turning off lights, appliances etc
Use reusable cloth shopping bags
Buy more environmentally friendly cleaning products
Use Enjo type cloths
Reduce the size of the garden
Get some chooks to eat the kitchen scraps!

Some of these I have been doing for a while :) But others are my new goals...I figure if I just do a little bit more it must help....

There are other things I would like to try and reuse our grey water in the garden but that may have to wait until we renovate. Ben wants to get a water tank which I think is a great idea. We have a big shed to catch water on. So little steps...and certainly not hard to do...most take no effort at all! But it does make you feel good.

Hope you have nice plans for the weekend. We do - mum and dad are visiting today. Then tomorrow Alli and her family are meeting us for breakfast and then coming for a photo shoot here. And I had really really yummy Thai Red Curry last night from our local restaurant, when my friend Jo came over to visit! E had fun doing Jo's hair - kind of a Pebbles look - and she took photos (she is getting quite good at this) but I will not be so mean as to share them here!!! And I hope to do a little scrapping sometime today...have a good one - Lissy

Phew....

Gardening is hard work....well it is when the garden is large and has been largely unattended for two years...It is cooler here today so I did a lot of clearing, weeding and tidying up...with dad helping...THANKS DAD!:) .

We had the tractor in action to fill the bucket full of really big dead daisy bushes and weeds and so on! E had fun having rides on it! And I was getting very big wheel barrow loads as well... Even though it is tiring it is very satisfying! There is a lot more to do but I am making progress. Ben is sure to be impressed when he gets home in a few weeks! My aim is to simplify the garden and reduce it in size. I do not have time to tend it but also I am considering the water factor as we all have to these days.

Question - photo storage....what do you do?? I need some system of the photos I have printed out ready to scrap...

I am currently ignoring all the thousands old photos in boxes from my pre digi days.... I have taken 51, 000 digi photos in a little over 3 years so you can imagine the number of other photos I have...I have always LOVED taking photos so was delighted to discover scrap booking just before E was born! PERFECT!

So has anyone got a good system for photos of all sizes that are ready to scrap and makes the easy to find, see....something for on my desk...I don't want them really hidden away as I tend to forget about them if I do!

And lastly I have been scrapping and stuff this week but I cannot show you here....it's a secret...no not really! Chris M has been badgering me (in a very nice way!) to enter the Scrapbook Outlet NZ design team challenge...so after a flash of inspiration on Monday I got creating and have posted my entries (Poppet Town, Goats and Budding Photographer). It is always good to do something to give you a creative boost and a bit of a challenge whether you win or not. You can go and see my entry in the gallery but I will post them here at some stage too. The fab Rach H is on the design team there so check out her stuff too!

And OK so that wasn't the last thing I had to say...this is...the above mentioned Chris M is doing VERY well in the MM Idol competition at the moment! She is in the last 15! This is a WORLD WIDE competition...YAY!! So go and have a look and get voting!

So that is it now for this Thursday! Take care - Lissy

Motorbikes

I really love this site Inside the Black Apple....her stuff is seriously cute! I have a few of her prints and would love one of her sculptures!

We have a dead mouse in the ceiling which is very smelly and not at all pleasant! It is in the hall way near my scrap room...yuk!

It is so nice having my dad around everyday! He comes out most days to do his car and truck and tractor restorations in the shed here...And most days he has lunch with us. Mum comes out sometimes too. Each night he drives his motorbike home and gives E a ride around the paddock and then to the gate. We wave as he goes down the drive and then close the gate! She loves it!
I remember dad taking us for rides as kids...around the dam, to the bus stop, to bring the horses in and chasing us around the house yard! I did this layout last year when I found this photo...perfect timing for one of the fabulous Kim Archer's online classes...Anyway that is about it for this Monday...hope your week has started well - Lissy

more....

yes you guessed it...layouts with felt...I seem to be into pretty simple layouts at the moment...but at least it is quick and I am getting some memories recorded! And there certainly is no shortage of memories to record and photos to scrap!

I hand cut the flowers on this first one so they are a little wonky but I rather like them less uniform...and finally used the jumbo bazzill brads I have had for quite a while!

I have impressed myself on this next layout...lol...I hand cut this frame....I just marked the corners then cut out the middle and then stared cutting a scalloped edge! I figured if it didn't work I could just throw it out! BUT it worked! Confidence is the key...just start cutting! And I used all my favs on this page...Heidi Swapp letters and decorative tape, Scenic Route paper and word strips! The frame was actually pretty straight before I stuck it on...it doesn't seem to look so bad in real life...but oh well! I tried to take it off and straighten it but I think it was stretching so gave up!
And then this one was supposed to have felt but doesn't....lol..what I had in mind didn't work so I did something else...back to stitching and photo corners! This is E making her first letter to Ben!
This last one has the felt circles I cut for the layout above but didn't use... this page was inspired by a recent layout of Kim Archer's...she had no patterned paper and circles on hers...rather like the effect I have here with the felt and the stitching...
So that is it for layouts for the weekend...just realised they are all pink and blue layouts!!

I have been looking at Carole Janson's blog and boy does she do some amazing stuff...such detail...makes my pages look so plain! She must have incredible patience...I cut out one or two flowers and think I am doing well!!!

Other than scrapping E and I went to a birthday party yesterday, had her cousins over to play this morning and then went to see Alli and family for a very yummy roast dinner...scrumptious!! So a good weekend....Anyway hope you have had a fabulous weekend - Lissy

I am besotted...

…with felt….I know...I am a bit behind the 8 ball with this having only had an obsession with the stuff for the last couple of months when it has been very popular in the scrapping world for 6 months or more! I am like that with most things…it takes me a while to give it a go…like doodling! And believe me when you give it a go you realise what fabulous stuff it is…I am trying not to use it on every layout but at the moment I am using my upcoming class at the retreat and needing samples as an excuse! If is fast becoming one of my favs along with Heidi Swapp letters and decorative tape!

So here is a layout I did last night…I was a bit stumped on how to do school photos...for a start, uniforms are not usually very attractive….and I had quite a few photos I wanted to fit on…but saw this paper the other day (Cherry Arte) and thought that if I threw in a few felt stars and some fab scalloped ledger paper by Creative Imaginations and by Jove we might have a layout! And I managed not to line everything up straight!

Anyway stay tuned for some more layouts and such soon...the house is still in a mess but I cannot unpack all day! And I did cart away about 6 barrow loads of leaves from around the garden yesterday… and that was only in half the garden …we sadly have about 5 trees that have died this year…I think it is a combination of the dry year and the water table going down…anyway this has meant leaves everywhere… …will do more tomorrow as gardening is a nice break from unpacking too! Happy Friday all - Lissy

Sneak Peeks.....

OK - so here they are as promised some sneak peeks of the classes I will be teaching at the Hyden Retreat in a couple of weeks...check out Alli and Sharon for sneak peeks of their classes which they will be putting up this week also...

We are each teaching two classes...so the six classes will comprise of four layouts and two off the page items...and a real range of styles and techniques across all classes...girly, boy stuff, heritage, single photo layouts, multiple photo layouts...it's all there and lots more!

My layout class is"Fun with Felt"...felt is such an easy and fabulous way to make embellishments to suit your layout...the page can have either a single photo or several photos...will suit boy or girl photos as you choose your papers and make your embellishments to match...and I will also have other examples of ways you can use felt!



What you need for this class is...
Scraps of felt to coordinate with your photos and papers (Karen will have a range of felt in stock)
Buttons (optional)
Embroidery thread and needles
Patterned paper – one main and some scraps for
2” strip… you will need more scraps if you are not
using extra photos (see below)
Background cardstock
Lettering for title
Black Pen (for journaling or doodling – optional)
Shape templates if you have one – flowers, hearts, stars etc
Cardstock scraps for journaling strips (optional)
Photos:
Main photo – 5 x 7”
Optional smaller photos 2” high….width can vary….two or three photos works well...or if you only have a main photo these small photos will be replaced with patterned paper...

My other class is Frame It! An off the page project which is almost a cross between a layout and a photo frame! These will make a wonderful Mother's Day gift...I have made one for my mum and one for me! When selecting papers for this project think about the decor or person it is for....The frame will take a 5” square photo. NOTE - Print your photo 5 ¼” or 13.5cm to allow it to fit the frame.

For this class you will need...
2 sheets of coordinating patterned paper
ribbon or ric rac to match papers
flowers or other embellishments such as stars…one large and several small if you have them…
button and brads for centres of flowers etc
embroidery thread
Paint to coordinate
Sand paper
Craft Knife
Modge Podge
Foam brush

Don't panic if you do not have everything for classes as there will be most things on hand to share and of course Karen has a fab range of stuff in her shop Scrappin' Outback!

If you have any questions just leave a comment and I shall get back to you! Lissy

Birthday...

Well today is my birthday and I have had a rather nice day! Ben is away so we went to breakfast on Sunday....E took this pic of us!

Then this morning I had a present from my sister to open...some lovely photo frames...and an envelope from E with a picture in it! And my family always calls me too! E sang happy birthday to me while talking to dad and mum on the phone!
Then I went out for a late breakfast with Alli and Sharon to the Old Cottage Cafe...and was spoilt rotten with lovely presents...fab cushions for the bed form Alli and a super duper felt bag handmade by Sharon and a very cute fairy as well! I tried to take a decent photo of my presents but didn't succeed! But got some nice pics with these two fab friends!
Mum and dad came over with lunch and presents after I had picked E up from school.
Dad put the doll seat on E's big bike so she could take her doll for a ride so we did laps around the garden...the garden is big here with lots of paths perfect for bike riding!
And I have had a few phone calls and messages from other friends too...all adding up to a fab day !
So that is about it for the day...I think I will relax and watch a DVD tonight. I have nearly finished the samples for my other class at the Hyden Retreat...then I will be putting up sneak peaks! Hope you have had a good day too - Lissy

waving goodbye...

We took Ben to the international airport this morning and stayed a while but did not actually see plane leave....but we now live on the flight path and you can work out flights by the time it goes over...so at 12.25 we ran outside as Ben's plane went over to wave goodbye!
Hope you are having a happy day - Lissy

a picture for daddy...

It is an amazing thing watching your child grow and learn and get such enjoyment out of life...

E has just started drawing people this last week...you know...the picture of heads with legs and arms, big eyeballs and E has feet on hers, and sometimes hair...fingers, toes and bodies and belly buttons will no doubt appear soon...

She has started writing letter Es for her name...I have pointed out Es to her sometimes (we have big paintings of all our names that I painted which she has looks at and knows which one is mummy, daddy and her name)...She did lots of squiggles and lines first as all kids do now the Es have appeared as well...although she goes to a Montessori school, they do not actively teach letters and so on at this age...so it is wonderful to watch her naturally develop as she becomes more aware of language and words around her. Tonight she was asking what the road signs like 'airport' were.

Anyway Ben flies off to Singapore tomorrow to join the boat again for another 5 weeks. E has drawn him a picture, put it in an envelope,written on it , and wanted a ribbon wrapped around it! It is her first picture of our family with our 'names' below! We only have one eye each! Great isn't it! She was so pleased with herself! And she was so excited to give it to Ben...he is saving it to take to work.

Hope your week has started well - Lissy

This is what makes it all worth while...

Ben and I moved all our stuff over a couple of days in 42'C heat but this is what makes it worthwhile...a view from our garden in the morning...we now live on five acres amongst the vineyards...And then in the evening after a horrible day moving stuff we sat by the pool and had a nice cold drink while E swam around and terrorised the cat.....nice view isn't it! The house and garden need some work and we are in a BIG MESS at the moment but it is worth it!
Today E and I took a break from unpacking and such at lunch time and met some of our mums group down the park for a picnic...the kids had a ball and it was great to catch up with my friends who are now only a few minutes down the road again!
So needless to say the scrap room or should I say Scrap Studio....lol... is in a BIG MESS too so no scrapping happening... but Ben has put up my new book case which is fab :) And he is getting onto the other one! But as I have to get my classes ready for the Hyden Retreat in two weeks I had better get cracking!

Hope you all have had a good week - Lissy

Moving.....

Oh what fun.....well we have about 1/2 moved our stuff - or more...and have screamed and shouted a bit but are still together...lol...remembering we are a team is the secret!

I had hoped to get painting and such done before we moved but it is not to be...not enough time before Ben goes back to work...so we have knocked out part of the kitchen wall etc so the mess can be cleaned up...and we moved a lot of stuff yesterday...

Today we have moved more stuff and some furniture...loading up when it is 40'C....sure felt hot! Ben and I have loaded the trailer twice and the cars!

Then we have friends lined up later in the week to help move the big heavy stuff...but we may just move it ourselves as we did well today! But 42'C forecast for next two days....But maybe tomorrow we shall be moved...I will move any left over small stuff in the next few weeks...

I have decided to have a BIG purge of stuff...it is crazy - I am moving stuff back that I moved two years ago and have not looked at...so although I am moving it back I am chucking out stuff as I go and I am determined to go through it all and clear out! The thing is even if you have the stuff saved you cannot find it when you need it usually so you go and buy it anyway!

I have moved most of my studio over and it is piled on the floor...I would like some new shelving and tables so do not know whether to leave it all piled up and wait until we can get some or put the old furniture in...but then it is such a drama to swap it over...there will be no scrapping for a few days...

On a creative note - I was emailing some friends to tell them of our move a couple of nights ago and that we now have a cat...and decided that instead of just sending a photo of the cat I would do a quick layout...it is pretty simple and only took me 20 minutes including printing the photos :) And I satisfied my felt fetish at the moment!

So that it about it for now! Hope you are all having a good week - Lissy