The Height of Preparation

We've been doing some painting in our house and one of the last places to be painted was the laundry. That is significant because the laundry houses (well it did) one special wall that has 10 years' worth of height records for 13 people!

Even though I knew we were going to paint the laundry, I still was not prepared for the actual moment when DH said "Quick! What are you going to do with this wall?"

I grabbed my camera, took a few snappy shots and started thinking about how I would do a layout about it. DH happily painted over the wall in undercoat and I sat with 4 relatively useless photos and regretted that I didn't take a better record of our height records. Oh well! What's done is done. On a different day I might have cried about it.

So I promptly measured the kids (those still left at home, that is) and did this layout - a record of the height height chart we once had and the height of the kids for one moment in time.


Products:Making Memories White Stripe; Reeves paint; my stamp that I made for an Aussie Dare: 7gypsies stamp; Felt; Love You More brads; Prima Got Flowers; Marbig note paper; Dymo; Zig Millennium Pen; Random Ric Rac; Date Stamp. I got the idea of using Dymo over the top of lined area from Peg.

Random Acts of Kindness

Random acts of kindness, or RAKs, are becoming more popular in the scrapbooking world. And the lovely Lusi, who (or is that 'whom'?) I have had the pleasure of meeting IRL, is doing a big one.

Why don't you pop on over to Lusi's blog to find out how you can be a part of the fun.

Ephesians 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Speaking of acts of kindness... Elizabeth helped 6 of my kids to make ANZAC biscuits on ANZAC Day. They had super fun and the results were fab. Thanks E.

Purple Layouts

Okay. I'll just show you my purple layouts and then I'll leave it alone. :)

Autumn is my Favourite Season

Yesterday, when I was on my way home from down the street, the light, the clouds, the trees... they all inspired me to go and take some photos. Check out the colour of that tree - I haven't done a thing to it.



Today we went to Alma Park, again! And I took some more photos, of course.

Aussie Scrap Music

There's a new scrapbooking blog - Aussie Scrap Music - and I am one of the Design Team Members! I've never been on a DT before so this is something very new and different for me.

Renae started Aussie Scrap Music after being inspired by Swedish scrapbooking challenge blog called Music Makes the People Come Together.

If you like scrapbooking, love music - Australian music, and are in for a challenge then Aussie Scrap Music is for you. Check out the sponsors.

Keep checking in at Aussie Scrap Music cos it will be updated regularly. Watch out for the new Design Team members.

The first Aussie Scrap Music challenge which will be posted on the 1st May.

What is this post about? Aussie Scrap Music :)

Rocks Rock!

Rocks are amazing.

At Christmas, Annelise wanted to show Alan one of the many things to see in Uralla so we went to Thunderbolt's Rock. I wish I had photos of the trip there - driving in the SAAB with the roof down (not one of my favourite things to do - but I was driving so I was in the best position) and hair blowing everywhere. Annelise has them.

Hennyway. Here's my layout.


The verse is Psalm 95:1 - Come let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the rock of our salvation.

Products:My Mind's Eye Signature Suite Beauty of Life; Reeves paint; Zig Millennium pen; Tim Holz Grungeboard Alphabet; Stazon; Making Memories Tiny Type; Dymo.

Sisters

I found this quote by Isadora James "A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life." and knew that it had to go on a layout some time.

If I had a photo of my sister and I, I would've used it. But I don't. I could also have used the quote for a photo of any of my sisters in Christ. I don't have a recent one of them either. And then there are my scrap sisters...

I have this beautiful photo of Sophie-Lee and Annelise taken on Christmas Day. They were experimenting with these headband things (don't know what they are called) and I managed to capture the moment.

So I combined my inspiration with two of Nic Howard's layouts - this one and this one - for the Aussie Scrapjacked challenge this month.


Products used: Bazzill; Ledger paper (I said it out loud so that I would remember but no, I cant and it is all stitched securely onto the page. I should've written it down. It had a zig zag edge.); Crate Paper; Making Memories scalloped edged cardstock and Tiny Type; Dymo; Love You More gold brads; Prima flower; Uniball Signo gel pen; Brilliance, Stazon and VersaCube inks; and a bit of ric rac from Finishing Touch ideas that I never thought I would use.

The Colour Purple!

The Weekened Workout at Scrapapple is "... something around cropping photos.... showing the bigger picture and then just a small section of it in another part of the LO." I was expecting the challenge to have something to do with purple... I wonder why. :)

Although purple is a pretty colour, and I actually like it, I find it difficult to do a layout using purple. Purple is supposed to help creativity and inspiration. Sorry - not with me!

Hennyway. I decided to put purple to good use and do a layout about my amethyst ring. I have a friend who has a photo of someone in her family history. The lady in the photo is wearing a brooch that my friend now owns. Unfortunately noone in my friend's family knows anything about the history of the brooch. What a pity. So I am inspired to record the stories behind some of the things in my life that may get handed down through the generations and I won't be around to tell about.


My darling husband gave me this amethyst ring the day after Billy-Jean was born. The ring was a present for my birthday but for me it reminds of Billy-Jean. The present inspired a poem about B-J.

Around the edge of the layout I have written all the words associated with purple. So you wanna know what they are?

Royalty, mystery, nobility, intriguing, lavender, precious, creativity, imagination, good judgment, spiritual fulfilment, peace of mind, Thursday, inspirations, fantasy, luxury, ambition, power, wealth, extravagance, wisdom, dignity, independence, rare in nature, feminine, romantic, nostalgic, sumptuous, amethyst, orchid, most children like purple, lilac, violet, dark purple can evoke gloom and sadness.

Products used: Bazzill; Haymes paint swatch; Stamp by Zina Wright (Thanks Karen); VersaCube - grape; Uniball Signo Gel Pen; Zig Writer; Prima Got Flowers and Daisy Crazy; Bazzill Brad; and Ribbon - I know not what.

The Dress

The Aussie Dare this month is monoprinting. I love the examples that are shown and couldn't wait to have a go myself.

This is what I did..
Took a plastic bag that came with scrapbooking supplies in it.
Painted it with Making Memories acrylic paint and a foam brush.
Pressed a paper doiley onto the paint - if you look closely you can see roses.
Then I pressed the painted plastic onto the cardstock.

I did take note that I needed to work quickly but my quickly wasn't quick enough. It doesn't matter though. I like the result.


The journalling reads:
I want you to know about the dress that Caitlin Rose is wearing.
I went to Macarthur Girls' High School in Parramatta for a couple of years in my life. During that time I had a wonderful sewing teacher. Her name was Miss Forster. She taught me many things which I remember to this day.
One of our assignments in Year 10 was to make a baby dress with smocking on the front and sleeves. We could choose from expensive Swiss Voile or cheaper material. And we could choose from white, pink, blue or yellow. I decided to go neutral with white and a silvery grey embroidery.
This is probably the most beautiful garment I have ever made. I even did a counted thread hem (Italian Hem Stitch - click on the picture)- counting 3 threads of this exquisitely fine material!!!
Unfortunately the sleeves ended up being too tight which made the dress uncomfortable for a baby to wear for a long time.
If you look back through our family photos you will find one of Annelise wearing this dress and this photo of Caitlin which we took before church one Sunday.

Products used: ColorMates cardstock Light Chocolate Malt; Making Memories Acrylic Paint; making Memories Ink; Inque Boutique Nightingale flourish stamp; Basic Grey Two Scoops paper; VersaCube Ink Orchid, Prima Press N Petals flowers; Kaisercraft Rhinestones; Uniball Signo Gel Pen Gold; Stampin' Up Stampin Write Cameo Coral; Making Memories Rubons Heidi.

An Autumnal Afternoon at Alma Park

I'm all for alliteration - just not too much of it. So there you go!

The days are short, the afternoons are cold, the kids need to "let off steam" (as my Mum would say), so we headed off to Uralla's "award winning" park - that's what the sign says on the New England Highway.

I was going to sit and read while the kids ran around, climbed and generally tired themselves out, but... I took my camera with me. Fortunately I took my camera bag with me too, cos the card was in the card reader at home and I had a spare one in the bag. It is a much smaller card so I had to cull as I went along.

Here's a collage of the happy event - click on it and you can see a slightly bigger version. :)

Be Aware of Wonder

Live a balanced life -
learn some and think some and
draw and paint and sing and dance and
play and work every day some."

That's what Robert Fulghum says and that is what I put on this layout with a gorgeous photo of Susannah balancing on the wall at Gostwyck.


I did this layout for the Colorstory challenge. It came easily once I gave up the idea of using Patterned Paper!

So what did I use? Bazzill; Heidi Swapp flower painted with Reeves paint; 7 gypsies laundrie clear buttons painted with Reeves paint; American Crafts Memory Writer; Inque Boutique See D's Nightingale stamp; Derwent Inktense pencils; and Waxy Flax - remember that stuff? I have a lifetime supply!

Do you remember...

...when petrol was only 11 cents per litre? And diesel was cheaper than petrol? I also remember petrol strikes and petrol rationing. As a kid I thought it was kinda fun - bet my Dad didn't though.

Well here is a totally out-of-character layout about that. The challenge is from White With 1 - use white with Autumn tones and a Joker card.


I used parts of the Open Road Magazine (which you can now get online - I love that!) from NRMA, took a few photos at the South Uralla Petrol Stop, and slapped it all together (don't say anything) for this layout showing that diesel now costs 163 cents per litre. WOW!

I used Making Memories paint for the background and a border idea from Jill and Louise.

Here is a joke that I got from here about petrol price increases. I found it amusing - it goes on a bit. So do petrol price increases!

OPEC INCREASES PRODUCTION - Petrol prices rise. This is based on a fundamental tenet of our market economy. The heightened demand for tankers disproportionately increases transportation charges.

OPEC DECREASES PRODUCTION - Petrol prices rise. Again, economics at work. Undiminished demand for a scarcer product means prices go up.

THE MIDDLE EAST IS TEMPORARILY AT PEACE - Petrol prices rise. Peace has to be illusory, so storage tanks are filled in anticipation of the worst. Heightened demand raises prices.

THE MIDDLE EAST IS AT WAR - Petrol prices rise. Hoarding increases demand, which means prices go up.

CONSUMERS CONSERVE - Petrol prices rise. Reduced consumption means the refineries are operating well below capacity. This means the unit cost is raised - an increase that must be passed along.

CONSUMERS SPLURGE - Petrol prices rise. Oil companies are rendering society a signal service by raising prices in an effort to curb consumption, thereby reducing Western dependence on oil.

CONSUMERS TURN TO SUBSTITUTES - Petrol prices rise. This proven petrol substitute, disturbs the refining process, which means higher costs for all distillates.

THE DOLLAR IS UP - Petrol prices rise. All oil prices are measured in dollars. It doesn't take long for the impact of a stronger dollar to be felt.

THE DOLLAR IS DOWN - Petrol prices rise. Not all contracts sealed on the spot market in Rotterdam are in dollars. Furthermore, it takes a while for wholesale costs to work down to the consumer.

STORAGE TANKS ARE FILLED TO CAPACITY - Petrol prices rise. Large inventories have a depressing effect on profit margins. Oil companies make an enormous contribution by volunteering to store such quantities for potential emergency use. It is only natural that consumers bear some of this cost.

STORAGE TANKS ARE DRY - Petrol prices rise. Huge storage losses were formerly carried as a debit by the oil companies. That is no longer possible.

THE AVERAGE NET PROFIT OF THE OIL COMPANIES ROSE 300 PER CENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR - Petrol prices rise. The figures don't tell the whole story. Actually, the market situation was a bit gloomier, with losses here and there that had to be carried by other divisions.

THE AVERAGE NET PROFIT OF OIL COMPANIES IS ON PAR WITH THE PREVIOUS YEAR - Petrol prices rise. In a free-market economy an entrepreneur can survive only if he maintains an appropriate profit margin.

AN OPEC NATION CUTS ALL EXPORTS BECAUSE OF INTERNAL UNREST - Petrol prices rise. There is less oil in the marketplace, which means prices rise.

AN OPEC NATION THAT HAD BEEN OUT OF THE MARKET RESUMES EXPORTS - Petrol prices rise. The companies, contrary to all free-market laws, had absorbed the inflation this caused. That cannot go on forever.

NEW OIL RESERVES ARE DISCOVERED - Petrol prices rise. To insure future oil supplies, enormous investments have to be made. Production costs are soaring.

SOME OIL FIELDS RUN DRY - Petrol prices rise. It is getting ever more expensive to keep up with demand, which keeps increasing even as oil reserves dwindle.

TWO OIL COMPANIES MERGE- Petrol prices rise. The merger is proof that present prices are an insufficient incentive for companies to go their own way and still survive.

TWO OIL COMPANIES DO NOT MERGE - Petrol prices rise. In stopping the merger the Government has prevented certain economies that joint operations would have entailed. The consequences must be borne by the consumer.

It is interesting to do a Google search for Alternative Fuel.

Hello 'roja!

We have lived next door to Saroja for nearly 17 years. During that time Saroja has seen each of the children grow and change. In the same way we have watched the walnut tree grow from a small tree that didn't produce any fruit to a large, child friendly, climbing tree that produces walnuts galore.

Over the years each of the children have called out "Hello 'roja!" to Saroja, and lots of variations of pronunciation, from our back yard to hers - from our walnut tree to her back door, swinging in the tree, running through the yard or balancing on the fence.

Today I decided to capture and record that memory - for us, for Saroja, and for the Scrapapple Weekend Workout.

It took a few photos to get a reasonable photo of all the kids smiling but I succeeded eventually.


The challenge was to use black and white, and colour photos on a layout.


The owl represents 'watching' and the numbers represent the years and the children. And the heart... well we all love Saroja - we'll miss her when we move.
PS:I got the numbers idea from Meredith who said she got the numbers idea from someone else, she can't remember who.

Here's a close-up of the owl - the first, and probably the last, time I have used an owl. No, hang on! I have another one.



products: Sassafras Lass Patterned Paper and Stickers; Collections owlet and branch; Maya Road Noah Alphabet; Basic Grey flourish corner stamp and Alphabet Stickers; and a few pens and ink.

Do I do any housework?

It seems (doesn't it?) that all I do is take photos and scrapbook. Hi Mum! Let's just stop and think about that a moment...

And while you're thinking about it you can look at my latest page, whipped up to use the Basic Grey April Sketch (which is in their Newsletter which, it appears, you have to register to get) and Basic Grey products, and incorporate my fave photo from the lantern parade and a quote from an old man who used to come to our place for Sunday lunch after church when I was a kid.


The journalling reads: Time flies. Money flies. Blow flies. That's what Mr Hubbard used to say. I'm still not really sure what it means but it is stuck in my memory and I say it often myself.

I also used my beloved Craft ROBO for the "Flies" bit of the title. Every time I get my Craft ROBO out I am a bit nervous about using it and every time I use it I am so pleased at how easy and usable it is.

That's all. I'm off to do some more housework! :)

Playing With Paint

The other day I did a little bit of playing with paint. This is not something normal for me. In fact, some people would be very surprised at how much I have been playing with paint recently.

I arranged the paint (Making Memories acrylic paint - great stuff) on a big baking tray and then did a bit of mixing and squiggling with my b'gloved fingers. I took my cardstock and placed it down on the paint and then lifted it. I did it with three pieces of cardstock in various ways and then placed them in a preheated and turned off oven to dry.

I've used one piece, which I can't show you yet (early May) and here is the second piece. It just so happened that the paint colours I used were perfect for the Lantern Parade and Fiery Finale of the Get Off Your Arts Festival in Uralla.

Lanterns and Firelight

The other night we decided to go and look at the Lantern Parade and then watch the Fiery Finale of the Get Off Your Arts Festival in Uralla.

It was a bit of fun walking around the streets in the dark following funny looking lanterns to goodness-knows-where. I felt like a bit of a nutcase, actually.

Malachi desperately wanted to be 'hugged' by the big man lantern - he got his desire and I managed to capture it in pixels. The two little ones wanted to have a 'hug' too, and they got one - right at the time that dh and I were swapping lenses on my camera. Missed them both. Oh well.

Here's a little collage of the pick of them. Out of 72 photos I have ONE that I really like and will prolly scrap soon. It's there - can you pick it? If you click on the collage you can see it slightly bigger.

Take this

and these

from here.

Then make these,



and fill it all up like this



Ta dah!!!

To make the tags... (which I didn't take photos of being made)

Firstly I covered a 12x12 piece of Bazzill with gesso applied with a scrap of cardboard. Then when the gesso was dry I did this.

In my desperation to have the paint and salt dry quickly I put the painted cardstock in the oven (it was off - the oven, that is - but hot) and it dried the paint very quickly. Not without a yukky smell though.

The next stage.
I chopped up the cardstock into 12 tags, stamped the gold flourish with VersaMark and heat embossed with superfine gold embossing powder.

It was a bit of a trick trying to decide what alphabet I would use, but I settled on a no-fret, use-up-my-stuff, Basic Grey Die-Cut Alphabet.

And the result, with a bit of ink, distressing, pen work and floral embellishment, is this.



I had a couple of spare tags so I made a card for my daughter's piano teacher :)

Pirates and Moustaches

I just found this post as a draft - planned to be posted months ago - so here it is now.

It all started with Jessica, really. Jessica gave Reuben a make-your-own-pirate-hat kit for Christmas and Reuben pulled it out the other day (January!) when Jess arrived and they made it together. With the leftover bits of black cardboard the kids made many and varied moustaches.


Reuben had great fun pretending he was Captain Jack Sparrow and was very clever at catching Jack's mannerisms.