Australians

It's the last day of our Australia Day long weekend. At last I have done a layout about being Australian (well, my kids being Australian, anyway!)

The challenge at the Scrapapple Weekend Workout this weekend was to make your own embellishment. Here it is - a cute little Australian flag which I decided, half way through sewing on the beads, was totally mad. Glad I didn't have to make it any bigger.



In case you didn't already know, I love the English language and I love mathematics. Put them together and this is what you can do...

Take the Australian flag (the one that I made) for example. Okay! Douglas and I have British heritage (we are Australian though) - that's the Union Jack. The seven pointed star represents the seven children that we have had. The four bigger stars (jewel brads) of the Southern Cross represent our four big kids and the little star (heart brad) represents Billy-Jean (more about her next month.) The beads? May we have many grandchildren!!!

And then, for the second part of the Weekend Workout challenge, we had to use the embellishment. So I did. I decided that it was about time I tried a Poppet-like creation but I didn't get around to cutting out pieces of paper for the clothes - maybe another time. Maybe not.



Questions.
1. Can you spot the birdie?
2. Who is wearing thongs(flip flops)?
3. Who has rabbit ears?
4. Who knows all the words to Advance Australia Fair?

I love Australia! Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! :)

Moi!

I suddenly felt inspired to do a self-portrait. After a shaky first attempt (which I won't show you) here it is.



I did it all with Stampin' Up's Watercolor Wonder crayons and my aquabrush which Stampin' Up also has (but I didn't know that when I got mine.)

I'm planning to put it in the Uralla Show, which is next week, but I won't be there because I (and Sophie-Lee, Susannah and Annelise) am going to The Cat Empire concert.

2 Peas Chalk and Cheese

This layout was inspired by the title on Nic Howard's layout Thirty Seven in her book That's Life - besides the photo, of course. Then I saw Jen Hall's Sunday Prompt and decided to make it a watercolour background .

Declan and Hudson are so alike that people think they are twins - two peas in a pod, they say! And yes. They are alike, especically when they wear the same clothes.

Declan and Hudson are the same height, wear the same size clothes, and Hudson copies just about everything Declan says, does and wants.

But Declan and Hudson are quite different - chalk and cheese. Even though Declan is 15 months older than Hudson he is smaller. He is light and wispy where Hudson is solid and heavy. Declan is soft and loving and Hudson is tough and stubborn.

One thing is for sure - they are both loved equally and unconditionally.

A couple of things

Firstly, I scraplifted myself!!!

Janelle and I are helping each other to stick to our weight loss plan by supporting each other, being accountable to each other, and encouraging each other as much as possible.

I did this layout as a happy reminder of our friendship, our goal, and our ability to be successful.



And secondly, the Weekend Workout at Scrapapple. The challenge is to use Christmas paper/s on a LO but... not for a layout about Christmas. I have been on a roll using up paper scraps and so this challenge is right down my alley.


Watch out Vogue, here comes Hudson!

Usually when Hudson goes quiet it means he's doing something naughty like playing in the car or climbing into the cupboards. This time Hudson was quiet because he was concentrating very hard on getting Reuben's socks and shoes on for a great fashion statement.

Hudson marched very proudly up the hallway saying, "Hey Mum!" Then he posed and said, "Coolness!" Ya gotta laugh :)

A Little Fun

This is the layout I did for the Scrapapple Weekend Workout. The challenge was to do a layout with a single word title beginning with the letter A. Do you think I cheated?

I am obviously influenced by Jen Hall lately. Thanks Jen. And I totally adore the Stampin' Up Watercolor Wonders



We had 21 people over for Christmas 2007 and we all had a fun time together. A little highlight of hilarity was when we brought out the superman masks and the funny glasses. There was a bit of competition to see who could look the funniest. The glasses are put away now until the next need for a hearty laugh.

1 bike 2 boys

The other day Malachi was holding the red bike up while Hudson and Declan had a go at trying to ride it. Then Caitlin remembered that there were training wheels for the bike so as soon as Daddy arrived home the kids asked him to put them on.

From 2 trikes to 1 bike on our new very ridable driveway. Miraculously, I reckon, Hudson and Declan were happy to take it in turns riding two circuits of the drive and then handing over. Hudson only recently started pedalling on the trike so he was pretty pleased with himself on the bike. And Declan is a bit of a speed freak but he didn't know how to stop - he was just jumping off. This is what he looked like.



Anyway, I did a layout on the subject.

Just pretend

Hudson is in a lovely mood this morning - probably the aftermath of his sneaky eating binge yesterday. He has always been a great actor and mime artist but today he has coupled it with little squeaky noises and crawling around acting like a dog.

Daddy told Declan to take "the doggy" outside to play fetch, so out they went to play their little game. Declan came back inside a minute or so later and said, "He fetched it once."

Daddy said "Well that's not a good dog," to which Declan replied "It's okay. Someone gave us a hundred dollars." (Why that has anything to do with it, I don't know!)

"Why did they give you a hundred dollars?" asked Daddy.

"Because we needed it," replied Declan.

"I wish someone would give me money cos I needed it," mused Daddy out loud.

Declan asked "How much money do you need?" to which Daddy replied "Twenty million!"

Declan went outside and then came back and said "Here's Twenty million dollars."

Daddy said "Fantasic! I'll never have to work again."

Declan said "Dad! This is fake money!"

So Daddy said "In that case I'll just have to pretend that I'll never have to work again."

Jacking Kim

I got in early this month for Aussie Scrapjacked and really enjoyed doing this rare (for me) Christmas layout.

The first thing I saw was that Kim Archer's layout had lots of photos.



And that was my aim - to fit in all the people who were with us at Christmas 2007 to celebrate the birth of Christ. I think I have a new personal record for the number of photos on one layout - 26 and this is just a single page! TFL

Catching Up

Finally, I am getting to put some stuff up on my blog. I've been tossing up whether to put it all in one post or spread it over a few - decided on the former. So here goes...

Firstly, I found this round leaf on the back path - it's the second one I have found in our yard and I think they are quite amazing.



When I showed Susannah she nabbed the leaf to do her artistic impression of it. Next thing I know I have a present on the table next to my bed, all wrapped up with a card.



And what a beautiful card! Susannah is a sweetie. I just love little surprises like this and she knows it.



So I open the present and there is a lovely watercolour drawing of my round leaf all presented in a colourful frame that can stand on its own. How beautiful!



Jessica gave me an art journal for Christmas. It is full of beautiful soft handmade paper. I have no idea at all if it is acid free (and I don't think I care) so I will take photos of my pages as a back-up of them - we'll see which lasts longer :)



I was going to fill it in the style of Teesha Moore but the paper is totally not conducive to being washed with watercolour so I am experimenting with all sorts of styles, techniques and whatever takes my fancy. So here are the first few pages that I have done.



My sister gave me some gel markers which are nothing like gel pens. They are actually like crayons. I tested out each colour and rubbed them in a bit. I wanted a colourful page cos I was thinking of my kids at the time. originally I had different plans for this page but it suited me to write out Ephesians 4:17-32 in the New Living Translation.



Many years ago I wrote this out in calligraphy with the same idea of having the nice things in green and the horrible things in black. Here it is again - no calligraphy this time.



And finally, some photos from my garden - I was just testing my new camera.

Chives grow heartily in my garden and I like their flowers so I just let them go. The eating ones are in pots so they grow a bit smaller.



I bought a 'black' lily at the Eumundi Markets a couple of years ago. I think it was called "Pot Black". The lady said that it would be even blacker in our climate here. I don't know if this is it. I thought I planted it in a different pot. Maybe I didn't and this is it or maybe this is the red one that is darker in our climate - I don't know. I hope it is Pot Black cos I paid money for it :)



And this is one of my miniature roses. All my miniature roses have memories attached to them. This one I bought after I had a horrible miscarriage and nearly died from haemorrhaging. Hennyway, the chooks have been eating every new shoot on this normally profusely flowering bush. This season I only have two little buds - that is my baby fingernail to give you an idea of the size. Sweet.



Okay, I've decided to put my Aussie Scrapjack in a new post.

HA (un-something-or-othered P) ppy New Year

I am an idealist and then a realist - so ideally I would like to make beautiful resolutions and then fulfil them throughout the year, but the reality is that it just won't happen (maybe a bit pessimistic there too.)

I am aiming to be thankful each day (is that a resolution?) and maybe record it in the art journal I was given for Christmas in the style of Teesha Moore (or not!).

I've heard it said that being ungrateful is the first step away from God. Something to think about.

Romans 1:20-21 (New Living Translation)

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused.

Aha! That's it! Unreleased P! I love Google!!! And the fact that Annelise, the linguist, told me what it was called so I knew what to Google.

It goes like this... (remembering the whole time that you are saying "Happy New Year".)

A short, staccato sounding 'HA' without finishing of the "puh" bit in the 'P' and the emphasis on that first syllable with a brief pause for effect :). Then 'py' quite normally (well maybe 'normal' is not the word) except it is joined to 'New' quickly, and then 'Year' is normal.

So..

HA'pinnew Year (whatever that means anyway)