My Exciting News!!

I have just been BUSTING to share the news that I'm on the 2012-2013 Kaisercraft Design Team!!! I'm so excited!

At the end of last year, I finished up on the design teams I was on because I just wanted to scrap 'for me' for a while...but after a little bit, I found that I really missed being on a design team. So when the Kaisercraft design team call came up, I knew I just had to give it a go. I'm so happy to be on this fabulous design team, with so many talented scrappers! If you haven't seen the DT announcement, you can check it out HERE.

Now I'll be stalking the postie for my box of design team goodies. I can't wait!!!

Hope you have a great week!!

Today's the Day! - 12WBT

Yes, I've signed up for 12WBT!

I'm always 'planning' to go on a diet, and I'm always 'planning' to exercise, but I never actually do. But I bit the bullet, and actually signed up, and now I'm actually raring to go. Actually, I didn't realize quite how unfit I was, until I did the fitness test yesterday, and nearly coughed up a lung! And I only had to run 1 kilometer! I pretty much collapsed at the end of it, so that was a bit of a wake up call, and now I'm looking forward to being a lot healthier from now on :)

So before I go and do my workout DVD, I have a quick layout to share...


Another old photo, this time of Jack and my mum, when Jack was around 4. I used My Minds Eye papers, and some Purple Pumpkin buttons. Love those heart buttons!!



Well, it's workout time for me now!! Eeeek! Hope I make it through the whole hour or so!

Hope you have a great week!

Kaisercraft Saturday Sketch #3

Good morning! I should be busy working right now, but I just wanted to stop in quickly and share this layout I did for the Kaisercraft Saturday Sketch...


I was lucky enough to win last months sketch competition, and my prize was the gorgeous Magnolia Grove papers and embellishments. See that background paper? Well, it's got this gorgeous velvety texture, and it's so pretty that I almost didn't want to use it! But of course I did, and I love how this page turned out. That's one of my favourite photos of my favourite people - my parents and my babies :) :)


And here's the sketch I used...


I turned it upside down, but other than that, I kept it pretty much as it is :) I'm hoping I get a chance to finish off the other Kaisercraft Saturday sketches tonight, because this month they were all fabulous!!

Hope you have a great day!

Happy Place

Yes, I'm still here! We had a busy weekend, starting with a full day at the kids school fair on Saturday. I was working at the Trash & Treasure stall, so I hardly saw the kids all day, except for when they needed more money. I only took 4 photos that day, and they were on my phone, so I'm still trying to figure out how to get them onto my computer, lol. I've been doing LOADS of scrapping too, none of which I can share just yet, but I do have this little page that I whipped up the other day...


Just a quickie page, using an old, old photo of Jack. I think he was around 3 or 4 here. At our old house, we had one of those plastic cubbie things (actually, we had two joined together), that the kids just loved. Jack used to love putting a blanket on the top, and putting a chair in there, and he'd stay in there for ages by himself, reading the toy catalogues. He used to read the Thomas the Tank Engine catalogue for hours too, until it completely fell apart. So cute. I miss those days when the kids were tiny.


Well, I've got a busy day ahead of me, so I'd better stop procrastinating!!! Hope you have a great week!!

We're Back!

Our camping weekend was so much fun! The kids had an absolute ball, exploring, roasting marshmallows, and all that other fun camping stuff. The days were beautiful and sunny, but the nights were freezing cold. We all went to bed with about 4 layers of clothes on, but it was still hard to get warm. I really wasn't expecting it to be quite that cold! Once the sun came up it was just perfect though, and it was just the right temperature to go out hiking without getting too hot. I didn't take quite as many photos as I'd planned to, but there were around 230 all up, and here are just a few of them...


The kids were all rugged up here, for an early morning walk down the creek. It was so cold, and it looked like steam was coming up off the water!


Emily in her favourite spot, right in front of the fire. (and yes, they are Jack's hand me down pj's! I didn't want to take her nice girly pyjamas camping, and poor Em kept thinking people were giving her funny looks for wearing boys pj's!)


Climbing around the boulders at the underground creek. Such an interesting place, with water running underground, and then coming out in little waterfalls over the rocks.


Jack loves his cups of tea! I think he drank more tea than I did while we were camping!


This one makes me laugh. Em found this birds nest, and was planning to take it home to keep some of her toys in!


I love this one too. Jack had a huge meltdown on one of our big walks. He just sat down and refused to move...but he got over it eventually :)

Well, I have a mountain of smokey laundry to tackle, then hopefully some scrapping time later on. Hope you have a great week!

We're Going...

Camping this weekend! It's going to be freezing, but the kids CAN.NOT.WAIT!!! It's been years since we last went camping, so I'm looking forward to getting lots of nice outdoorsy photos, and making some wonderful memories with Jack and Em. And I've already got the PERFECT papers to go with the photos I'm going to take :) :)

Hope you have a great weekend!

Laugh - HBS May Sketch

Nearly Thursday already? How did that happen? Monday was a public holiday here, so I guess that always makes the week go fast. I've been so sick and fluey, it's amazing I know what day it is! The poor kids, when they went back to school on Tuesday, I sent them with morning tea only, and I'd written out their lunch bags for tuckshop. But it was only when I was heading out to pick them up in the afternoon that I suddenly realised that I had the wrong day - I was thinking it was Monday, not Tuesday! Tuckshop doesn't open on Tuesdays! The poor kidlets, they were starving when they got home! Although they both still had an apple in their lunch boxes, so that made me feel slightly less guilty. If they were hungry enough they would have eaten it, right?

So anyway, today I finally started to feel a little bit better, and finished off a layout that I started last week. This one is for the May sketch challenge at Handmade By Suzanne...


These are the types of photos I love the most. Not posed, not forced, just capturing the moment. I snapped this one while the kids were watching a magic show at Currumbin. I didn't really watch the show, but watched the kids faces instead. It was so funny, the looks of extreme surprise, with huge open mouths, and then bent over in fits of laughter. They loved it!


I used Bo Bunny Ad Lib papers, and the chipboard alphas are from Kaisercraft. And here's the sketch I used...


I actually stuck pretty much exactly to the sketch, which is a bit of a change for me, but it was just so easy to put together :)

Well, I've got a nice crafty day ahead of me tomorrow (after I do a bit of housework that is!), so hopefully I'll have some more layouts to share very soon :) :)

Thanks for stopping by!

And The Winner Is...

Thanks to everyone who stopped by on The Scrap Kitchen NSD Blog Hop! And a big hello to all my new followers :) I wish I could give everyone a prize, but there can only be one winner...



Congrats! Please email your address to samjackem@yahoo.com.au and I'll get your prize out to you :)

And to everyone else...stay tuned!! I have a HUGE giveaway coming up VERY SOON!

Future - BITW Challenge

Will you take a look at Jack in this photo? The poor little guy was trying sooooo hard to do a nice smile for his school photo, I think he must have almost strained something, lol! And he's really stretching his neck out there too! I still love it though, he was such a little cutie when he was in grade 1. Sometimes I almost can't believe he's now in grade 6!! Where did that time go?!


So this layout is for a word challenge at the moment at Bird is the Word. To use the word 'Future' in either your title or journalling. I want this page to be a sort of title page for Jack's grade 1 photos in his school album, so I have used the word 'future' in my journalling...


Did you spot those cute definition badges? They are from Greatest View, and I just love them! And the papers are all Bella, from a few different ranges. I've decided to keep the school albums very simple, so this was a nice quick page using up my scraps.


And I just have to post this photo on here too. This happens all the time...


Some of you might have seen on facebook a few weeks ago that a stray cat wandered into our home, and decided she might move in. From the very start she acted like she'd lived here all her life! We were never going to get a cat, because poor old Jack is super allergic to them, but this little critter has other ideas. Still not quite sure what to do with her, I know we shouldn't keep her, but who could resist that sweet face? And EVERY time I try to photograph a layout she jumps on top of it and just stares at me. A bit of a camera hog, I think! Or maybe scrapbook pages just feel nice to sit on, LOL!

Hope you have a great day!

It's Not Often...

It's not often that I get photos of the kids with their dad. It's even rarer that I get photos of the kids with me. I have plenty of photos of the kids with my mum and dad. And heaps of them with their friends, but I really need to make a point of getting into more photos with them, and snapping more pics of them with Patrick. I'm sure they'll really appreciate it someday.

So when I took this photo of the kids with their dad at a wedding we went to last year, I knew I just had to scrap it! They don't always see a lot of their dad, so this was just a really nice moment...


I used Kaisercraft Bonjour papers for this layout, as well as a heap of Kaisercraft flowers, but my favourite thing is that wooden 'Cherish' word. I love it! I got it at Spotlight the other day, and I think I just might have to duck down there and see what else they've got.


Well, it's the start of the month, so I've got a bunch of scrappy challenges I'm hoping to get stuck into. If you know of any great challenge/sketch sites, I'd love to hear about them!

Thanks for stopping by. Hope you're having a great week!

Kaisercraft Sketch #3 April

Happy Monday! Here's another layout from my weekend scrapping, this time for the Kaisercraft Saturday Sketch #3 April...


And here's the sketch...


I have to admit, when I first saw that sketch, I nearly put it in the 'too hard basket'. It looks so tricky! But I did a bit of a mirror image flip of the sketch, and changed some of the elements, and I love how it turned out. I used mostly Sweet Nothings, with a bit of Hunt & Gather for this layout, as well as some of the wooden flourishes, and an A2Z Scraplets chipboard word. Here's a few close ups...


I love that photo of Em. It was taken by a local photographer, and unfortunately it was one of the only decent photos from the whole shoot. I was so bummed, but at least there was one or two good pics.


Well, it's time for me to start making those school lunches. Hope you have a great week!

Weekend Scrapping - Kaisercraft Sketch

Well, I didn't get quite as much scrapping done this weekend as I had hoped, but I got 2 layouts completely done, and another 2 half finished. And I've got a pile of about 15 now waiting for journalling!

This layout is for the Kaisercraft Saturday sketch #4 April...


Love, love, LOVE that Fine & Sunny range! Although the weather here at the moment is dark and dreary, and very wet, so photographing this page was quite a challenge!

I just had to pinch some more of Em's googly eyes to pop onto the cute little sun again...


That girl of mine is skateboard crazy at the moment, and is constantly out on the road riding her 'Penny'. Luckily we live in a nice quiet little cul-de-sac, which is full of lots of little girls her age, so on weekends and after school, they all play out there. I love it because I can see her the whole time, but she thinks she is out doing her own thing. There are no boys in our street though, apart from a couple of toddlers, so poor Jack is a bit left out, although he does join in on the odd game of tiggy :)

Well, I suppose it's time for me to go and tidy up my scrapping desk so I've got room to maybe squeeze in another layout today. I'm a bit over all this rain, but it really is the perfect weather to do some scrapping!

Hope you had a great weekend!

Outback Spectacular!

Here's another of our photos from the Outback Spectacular. I just smile whenever I look at this photo, it was such a fun, happy night! This was taken right before we went in, and the kids were getting pretty excited!!


Em was determined to wear denim to the show, so she suited the cowboy 'theme', and I'm glad she did, because it goes just right with that hat, lol.

I used Bella papers on this page, and a cute Handmade Halo glass pebble for the centre of the chipboard circle. Here's a little close up...


And this is the sketch I used. This layout is a little bit different for me, but I really like how it turned out.


Well, I've got a scrappy weekend coming up, and hopefully I'll be able to finish a few more challenges before the month is up.

Hope your weekend is wonderful!

Fun in the Sun Layout

Good afternoon! It's ANZAC Day today, so the kids are home from school, which means a nice lazy day for us. The kids had a special Anzac assembly at school yesterday, so they are full of talk about it, and Jack especially knows a lot about it, and has been telling us lots of interesting little facts, (like how anzac biscuits were sent to soldiers, and were made to last a long time). We are going to be cooking some Anzac slice later on (or maybe cake), and have been munching on Anzac biscuits this morning.

The weather is a little dreary here today, but it's perfect weather to get stuck into some more scrapping! This layout is for the Mad About Scrappin April Sketch Challenge...


I used the Kaisercraft Fine & Sunny range for this page, it's so cute, I just love it! Perfect for these photos of Em lazing by the pool.


I couldn't resist putting some 'wobbly eyes' on the little sun...



Well, it's back to the craft room for me!! Em's already in there, working on an off the page project. That girl is as craft crazy as her mama, (and I love it!)

Hope you have a great day!

Kaisercraft Saturday Sketch - #1 April

I'm on a bit of a scrapping roll at the moment, and I've got another April challenge done, this one is for the Kaisercraft Saturday sketch comp...


I just love this photo of Emma! It was taken when we were on our Seaworld holiday, and we had a night out at the Outback Spectacular. It was such a fantastic night out, and the kids just loved the show. I was a bit worried about the food they served, because there was no kids menu offered, and the kids are such fussy eaters. When the first course was served, I just knew they wouldn't like it. It was some sort of cold vege tart, which was really yummy to me...but the little rascals wouldn't touch it. Thank goodness that the main meal was good old steak and veg, and they had no trouble gobbling that up!


They really got the audience involved, which was so much fun for the kids. When you go in, you get one of these hats, either yellow or red (I think), and that tells you what side you were on, as the show was kind of about two different farms, and there was a bit of a competition between them. It looked like our side was going to lose, but in the end they won, and the kids were thrilled. Jack actually said that going there was the best part of our whole holiday :)


I dug in to my Hunt & Gather stash to do this page. I was actually planning on scrapping some fishing/camping photos with it, but it just suited this photo perfectly.


Here's the sketch I used...


I stuck pretty much to the sketch, although I made mine a mirror image, as that suited the photo a bit better.

Well, I've got a pile of layouts I'm hoping to finish off before the month is up, and hopefully I'll get a chance to get some more done tonight. Hope you have a great week!

Mixed Media Mini Canvas!

How has your weekend been? Ours has been very lazy, with lots of movie watching and crafting happening. The kids were out for the day today, at the beach with their grandparents, so I even got some lovely peaceful child free time :)

So as I was saying the other day, Em and I spent Friday night making canvases. I can't believe how much I loved it! So messy, but so fun too :)



I didn't even have to buy anything to make these. I've had the canvases laying around for years, as well as an old pot of Mod Podge, and everything else I've used is actually Kaisercraft. Sure is a different way to use the old scrapping supplies!

Look how teeny this canvas is!...


I made this other one too, which is a bigger size. I'm thinking I might make a set of these to hang up together, all with different little quotes on...


A bit of a size comparison...


I just loved the whole process of making these, and I think I will definitely be making more. I just love how much texture they have! I've got a few scrappy layouts that need finishing off first though, you won't believe it, but I've actually done another two challenges. I don't know what's wrong with me, lol!

Hope you had a great weekend!

2 Layouts...Imaginisce Bon Voyage

It's the weekend! We all had the best sleep in this morning, and didn't get up until almost 9am! That might have something to do with us staying up until midnight watching movies, with Em and I getting crafty and making canvases too. I just love lazy days at home with the kids :) Em got right back into it this morning, and before she'd even woken up properly, she was back at the craft table, starting on her second canvas. She is hooked! I'll take some photos of our canvases soon, but I thought I'd share a couple of layouts I did a while back, but never posted on my blog.

These are a couple of layouts for our Sydney album. Mum and I took the kids to Sydney for 5 nights last September, and we had the most amazing holiday. We packed so much into our time there, and the kids are still talking about it!


These photos were taken on our first full day in Sydney, sitting on the window ledge of our hotel room. We stayed at the Shangri La, and our room had the most amazing view!

And here's Em with her beloved 'Buttons'. Buttons just had to come on our trip with us, and waited patiently for Em in our room while we were off exploring every day :)


And now for a little piggie update! No, these aren't our girls...these are some of our foster guinea pigs, who were rescued from a backyard breader. Unfortunately quite a few of them were pregnant, but we have been spoiling them with lots of love, and the kids adore having them here.


The kids were SO EXCITED to see newborn baby guinea pigs, and are loving thinking up names for them. Here's a couple of little sweethearts that were born last week. Emma named the little black one Despereaux (because he's got big ears), and Jack has named the little brown and white one Scampy.


And here's Coco...


We have 14 foster piggies here at the moment, who will all be available for adoption at the Australian Cavy Sanctuary in the coming weeks, so if you're thinking about getting a guinea pig, make sure you check them out :)

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!