It’s a Matter of Scrap

I was seriously lucky and seriously fortunate enough to have secured seats at the Melbourne Concert Hall for Friday night’s amazing performance by Josh Groban.   I purchased the tickets back in June.   His first concert sold out in under an hour.  Cherie and I had incredible seats, centre stage and only 10 metres away…it felt like I could reach out and touch him.   Which I really wanted to do, but I’m a good girl (snigger).   But oh my gosh….or should I say…oh my josh….what an awesome voice this man has and he’s goofy and playful and such a joy to watch…a bit of eye candy too.   OK, I’ll shut up about it now….but here’s a layout anyhow.

 

Oh, and here’s the layout that I promised late last week.   It’s a double, but this stupid blog doesn’t allow the layouts to be made any bigger so I’ve shown it in two halves below.

 

And finally,   I will be shutting this blog down in a couple of weeks.   Even though I believe in the “blogging without obligation” theory that has been well publicised, I find it’s still a bit of a chore and I feel anxious if I haven’t updated, so I’m going to take this anxiety out of my life for a while.  My life has just got so busy lately with so much going on that I don’t want scrapping and updating blogs to become a job…I want to keep scrapbooking as something I enjoy as a hobby.  I may start up another blog at some point, maybe not…but if I do I won’t be doing it with damn Wordpress as I’ve had several complaints that it takes so long to load.

I would like to say a HUGE thank you to all of those that have left comments over the last 13 months.   I seriously appreciate every one of them and…. well, just thank you.

So….see you round like a rissole!

Deb x  x  x

After a break from scrapping I was really looking forward to a full day crop on Saturday.   But what do I have to show for it???   One layout.   One.    Just one!!    After a 7 hour crop???   Although, I did get another layout well and truly started, but it’s not finished yet.   I even had two more layouts in my bag, planned, sketched, journalling prepared….and I thought I would get them all done?   I should have known better.   Now maybe if I had stopped chatting and actually sat at the desk more, I could have possibly been more productive……..but, heck it was a good day out.

Scrapping time has been limited recently.   There seems to be something on just about every weekend…..but now the football has finished (sigh, at Collingwood’s “close but no cigar� performance last Friday)….maybe some extra time could be found for playing with glue and photos.

Anyway, here’s the layout.   I’d been wanting to do it for a while.  I love my music so I wanted to do a layout about my favourite songs.   These songs have been in my ‘all time favourites’ list for ages and while the order may change from time to time, they will always be in the list.   I thought it might be fun to look back on in 20 years time !   In a time when I’m listening to elevator music and wondering what on earth I found appealing about Greenday’s Jesus of Suburbia !Will be back hopefully later in the week with the other “started but not finished” layout.

6 days late, but the gorgeous Sharon has had her bubby.

Little Benjamin James was born at 5.11am today.   All I know is baby is healthy and Mum is tired. 

I will go visit them in the next few days, however I’ve been quite sick with a yucky head cold so I will be keeping my distance and waving from the other side of the room.

Happy Birthday baby Ben !!

Congratulations Sharon and Mark ! 

 

 

It’s a new era in the Kingston household.   My baby boy has got a good job, earning good money and he’s now just bought himself his first car and is Mr. Independent …. he doesn’t need me anymore… sob sob.   I haven’t got a photo of him with his car yet… he’s never home for me to take one !!  I did however manage to snap a photo of him with his new girlfriend.    So with a new car and new girl… I think I lost a son.

 

 

 

While the house was pretty quiet over the weekend, I managed to get a project done for SM using the Cosmo Cricket Dutch girl range.   A couple of sneak peaks below….

  

 

The football season is nearly over which means more time for scrapbooking.   Collingwood have made the finals, but I can’t see them getting to the grand final so one more week….two if I’m lucky and I can let go for 2007.

 

Scrapsidaisy have opened up their new website and shop !!   My son Matthew designed Daisy the cow, so I have a sentimental connection with the site also.  Leisa is one amazing woman, so pleasant and generous and kind and considerate and I could go on and on and on about this lovely lady.   Hope you can go check out the site and give her some support getting this venture off the ground.

 

And finally…..hurry up Sharon and have this baby will you !!

 

Deb x x  

Not a lot to share this week.  Work has been very busy and I’ve had a number of other things requiring attention so I haven’t had much of an opportunity to scrap.

I did, however, manage to have a lovely evening with Sharon on Wednesday night and completed a couple of pages.    The first is a double and it is a ’re-scrapped’ layout.   It amazes me that I only had enough photos for one double layout of our family holiday to Queensland in 2002 (before my love of anything scrapbooking) when we were there for a week and then I have an ENTIRE album bursting at the seams with layouts from our two week holiday last year to the same location.   I certainly didn’t take many photos back then !

 

 

I think I mentioned a few posts back that I had got myself a part time job as well as my full time one.   I decided to scrap about it.    

 

 

I didn’t think I’d ever get involved in party plan, but this is just so much fun, I couldn’t knock the opportunity back.   I have such a good time at these parties and …. well I think I’ve learned a thing or two as well (wink).

Tickle Your Fancy sells lingerie and adult toys so you can imagine the giggles and shocked faces when I hand some of the products around to the guests.   It’s a great way to earn a bit of extra spending money for the cruise too….which is now only 125 sleeps away !!

Till next week….

Deb x x

 

 

 

I had a bit of a rest.  A bit of a break from scrapping and all things scrap related for a couple of weeks.  It was a welcome respite.  

 

But now I’m itchin’ !!  Had a scrap day all day on Saturday which I really enjoyed.   Didn’t achieve much, mainly due to a hangover from drowning my sorrows at Collingwood’s disappointing loss on Friday night, but nonetheless I did get a double page finished.

Apart from the front and back covers….Matthew’s baby album is now all “re-scraped !!”    These were the final inner pages, the first pages actually.  When Matt was born he had to go into the special care nursery for a few days because they gave me pethadine too late in labour and he stopped breathing when he was born.   No flash photography was allowed, hence these photos are seriously dark.   Not making excuses…..as a wise lady told me on Saturday….that’s the way it was back then…no second chances, we just have to accept our shots as they came out before the digital age of deletion and editing (thanks Angela, I needed that).

 

 

Now, with this next one….. I had this photo sitting around for absolutely ages.   It’s my mother wearing her Commonwealth Games gold medal.   Look at the colours of the uniform!!  How was I supposed to scrap that????    Anyway, I’ve done it now, happy with it that it’s out of the way and I got my journalling done.

 

 

And finally, to finish off, I was asked to be involved in a paper challenge with Stamping & Papercraft magazine.   I’ve just received my copy and have scanned the pages below.    My two cards are on the bottom of each page.    

I didn’t know I’d moved to NSW.

 

‘Till next time….

Deb x x

What a blast !   Physically exhausting but oh so much fun.

Here’s what I set up on Wednesday…

 

 Apart from one wonky layout that kept slipping until I fixed it good and proper (see top left in photo), I had a problem with chairs going missing.  I started out with six and everytime I turned my back I seemed to lose one !  By the time the show started though all the little thieves must have been satisfied so I just went out and ordered some more from the front office….now why couldn’t they do that !!

 

One thing I HAVE to comment on though was the quality of the work that was up on the wall.   I had the pleasure of putting up all the finalists for the Scrapbook Creations Colour Comp and lots  of work from the current Scrapbooking Memories Masters and…well…what can I say… WOW!   This is not just a fluff paragraph with me feeling I need to say something in the order of acknowledgement, but I was just blown away from the awesome talent that was on these walls. 

 

Thursday the show was PACKED out !   I guess all the ”crafty” people were coming in early on the first day to hopefully scoop up some early bird bargains.  I was just praying that I was going to get some people to teach so I wasn’t sitting twiddling my thumbs.  I needn’t have worried, within five minutes I had my first sucker…I mean student and from that moment I never had an empty table until the show was almost closing.   I actually wore a pedometer on the first day just to see how much exercise I’d get.  I’m standing at the front door to take this photo so it shows how far my stand was from the door…not far at all.  I never left the stand and I still managed to rack up over 14,000 steps…I guess that means I did over 1000 laps of the table !

There were lots and lots of visitors to the stand to view the work on the walls.     Some of them were so overwhelmed, I had to try to console them !!   LOL !!  No, seriously I did have to repeat over and over again when any visitor was commenting on her own inadequacies on seeing this work, that the work they were looking at was from scrappers at the top of their field.   Hmmm… that sounds like I’m big noting myself, but putting my few layouts aside, the work was truly inspirational.

 

Friday was a great day.  Rachael Scholz joined me on the stand and we took turns doing the make and takes.   Gosh she’s a lovely gal.   Very down to earth, no airs and graces, just one cool chick.  Thanks Rachael for a great weekend.   This is Rachael with one of her students at the table…

 

Saturday was by far the busiest day of the show.  The aisles were so full it was surprising how people were able to see anything.  Our stand was very busy again with a busy table all day.

Rachael and I often had returning customers too, after they had done one project they would come back to do another later in the day…we had several people stay to do virtually all projects we had on offer.  They were obviously enjoying our methods of teaching and must have been learning something to want to come back over and over again which was extremely heartwarming.

Rach and I managed to pose for this photo that Sharon took when she visited Saturday night.

 

 

Sunday was definitely quieter than Saturday but still busy on our stand !!  Lots more willing students and lots more laps around the table.   At the close time of 5pm Sunday Rach and I almost collapsed.  Our legs were aching so much and our feet were about to drop off.   The soles of my feet are so very tender at the moment, I think I’ve worn most of the skin off!

 

It’s back to regular 9-5 work now and sometimes it doesn’t pay to take a few days off….there’s just so much more to do when you arrive back at the office!

 

Thanks for reading all the way to the end.   Have a fabulous week.

 

Oh….and only 150 sleeps to go !  Sam and I have our order in for a pair of these…..

 

And one final thing to finish up on… I got tagged…

 The Rockin’ Girl Blogger idea originated from Roberta Flanaghan . It works like this … you have to give her credit, put up the badge and finally, add 5 other rockin’ girl bloggers to the list.
I rock  Sharon Sanna, Rachael Scholz, Leisa Barwell, Gabbie Coburn and Philippa Barr. 

If you’re still reading….you can go now !!

 

Deb

 

The Melbourne Craft & Quilt Show is nearly here.   July 26-29th for those that are wondering.

 

Rachael Scholz and I have been busy preparing make and take samples for the show.   There will be a small cost involved for all the make and takes as we are wearing the cost of the materials ourselves.   They are starting to charge for make and takes in the United States now, so it probably is only a matter of time before it becomes the norm here.  

Timetables are being written for what Rach and I will be doing at the show, but here’s a few samples of some of my make and takes.

 

Tags - I will show how to get perfect tag corners without using a template and some doodling tips and techniques.  Cost is 50 cents.

 

 

 

Cards - We will be using a corner punch to get a scalloped border and play with a few simple stamps and some 3D mounting tape.   Cost $2

 

 

Mini Clipboards - these are cute and easy to make.   We will have some fun with distressing and inking here as well as using a little bit of bling.   Cost $1.00

 

 

 

Stamped Fan with Tassel - this is my favourite.   Using some fabulous stamps from the Stamping Queen, an easy fan can be made to compliment a layout as shown here.  Lots of colours/variations to pick from to make your own fan.   Cost $2.

 

For those that are able to get to the show, please call in and say Hi !!

 

Deb x x

Haven’t meant to be slack with my blogging duties….but life gets in the way sometimes!

No time for any proper scrapping over the last few weeks.  Preparation for the Melbourne Craft and Quilt show later this month has taken up any spare time.

Ron and the boys were away last weekend so I was hoping to catch up on a few things at home.

Saturday I got up early (6.am…..yep, I’m maaaaadddd!!) and got stuck into the housework. Went down to Scrapbook Lady in the morning to pick up some stuff that was ordered especially for the Craft & Quilt Fair. On the way home I got a DVD and a bottle of wine for the evening and got back to the housework duties. I finished at 3pm just in time for the football to start and while watching the football I started bagging up some of the make and takes. At three quarter time things weren’t looking too good for the Collywobbles so the wine got opened early. I downed a couple of glasses quickly and then the football started getting really interesting….we came back from behind to win !! I was really merry!

My cruise buddy, Sam, came over in the evening and brought dinner with her which we had arranged because I knew that I wouldn’t be in a fit state to cook and we ate and chatted and then watched a DVD. I had hired Music & Lyrics but she had seen it so we watched one of hers that she’d brought over…..bloody awful !! Don’t EVER waste money on the movie called “Just My Luck”….a new one with Lindsay Lohan….I don’t know whether it’s out in Australia yet….it was a pirated copy. Stupid movie!! Half way through the movie, Sam got a call that her alarm was going off at home so we jumped in the car and headed back to her place….turned out it was the clothes on the clothes airer flapping in the hot air from the heater that she had programmed to come on at 10.15pm !! Her poor pooch was shaking all over from the commotion…probably deaf by then too…so we took her back to my place with us to finish watching the movie. Well the excitement must have got too much for poor little Sierra who promptly pooped over my floor !! Talk about an evening of adventure!

Anyway, movie was over eventually (it was sooo painful, I honestly don’t know why we sat through the whole thing) and Sam took her poopin’ dog back home.

Sunday was spent doing the shopping and watching the DVD that I didn’t watch on Saturday. I really loved Music and Lyrics, but then again I am a bit of a sucker for Hugh Grant and then I spent some time in the study working out more make and takes for the show.

Ron and the boys got back around 7pm….hungry and tired….awwww….I think they missed their mum’s cooking!

I promise to share some pictures of make and takes with you soon.   I ordered and received some AMAZING stamps from The Stamping Queen which I will use at the Craft Show….they are simply D.I.V.I.N.E !! Have a great week !!

Wow….check these out!!

Shameless plug here, but these packs from Scrapsidaisy were certainly worth breaking my scrapdiet for (I was going so well too)!

The pack in the front is the new “Some Like it Hot” pack.  The one behind is the “After Dark” pack.   The other blue/green one is all sold out now.  There are only a few “After Dark” ones still available, so if you are interested, you will need to be quick.

For $15 each these are certainly great value.   There is so much ribbon, bling and flowers in each pack that I can’t see how Leisa can be making a profit on these.

If you are after great value on ribbons and flowers head on over to here for more information.

 

On the home scrapping front, I have STILL been playing around with Matty’s baby album.  I was hoping to have it finished last weekend, but didn’t get as much done as I’d hoped.

Here are a couple anyway….

 

 

 

 

 

Congrats to Sharon who will be celebrating a birthday Thursday 21st!!

And another Congrats to Kell for this little beauty !

Welcome
Jacob !!

 

 

 

Enjoy the rest of your week.

Debbie x x