Cars, Cars, Cars

Hudson is SO obviously into cars and it just happened that way. It's not like we encouraged him, or discouraged him, for that matter. If he is not playing with cars or looking out the window watching cars he is drawing cars. While we are out he is constantly spotting cool wheel trims or exhaust pipes. Limos (he nearly passed out with excitement when we saw a stretch Hummer with multiple exhaust pipes) and emergency vehicles get him SO excited he almost pops with the fun of it! So I just had to capture a little bit of Hudson's car fun.

This layout is for The Colour Room palette 3


and is scraplifted from Kathie Link's layout of the same palette.

I am ever inspired by Kathie. I love the cute scenes she makes on her layouts. I said to DH "Can you draw me a cute car - about this big?" and off he went and drew me a cute car about that big! There it is in purple. I love this palette and I must confess, I even dressed Hudson up to match. It just so happened that he has a purple shirt so I wasn't pushing it really. :)

Another thing I love is changing the colour of the paper with ink and I tell you what... Maya Mist is FTW (which, for the uneducated(!), means For The Win).

Dance Hall Days

I haven't quite worked out when The Color Room puts up their new palette so here I am just finished palette 2 when palette 3 is out. If I'm really quick I might get palette 3 done before palette 4 comes out, eh?!

So here's palette 2


and here's my layout.


You wouldn't believe how long it took me to do this layout - talk about agonising! Anyway, it's done.

What a fabulous photo! That's my Dad and Mum in the middle. They're at a dance in Surbiton (a town next to the River Thames in London), which is where they met and, according to Mum, that photo was in about 1959 and they were probably engaged then. The other two girls are Mum's sisters.

That's all for now.

Magic Mirrors

A few years ago now, Peg gave me one of those daily inspiration calendars, you know, where you read the quote each day. I'm not good with monthly calendars let alone daily calendars so this calendar has gone the way of many others - sitting there out of date. But there's one difference - I am still using it for inspiration. Every so often I read a few of the notes - some I keep and some go straight into the recycling. I'm up to September :)

Hennyway. September 24th said "Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future." -- Gail Lumet Buckley, journalist. I thought that quote suited the photo of Susannah nicely so I cut it up and stuck it on my layout. Ta da!!!

It's true you know - the quote, that is. This morning I was looking through Douglas' childhood photos and there are the magic mirrors. Pictures of Douglas and his brothers and sister - magic mirrors looking through the generations and giving hints for the generations to come. So many family likenesses that I can see over 3 and even 4 generations. (I might get around to scanning some one day. Might not.)

Oh and by the way. I'm a fan of Finnabair and her scrapbooking and I heard from her, along with quite a few others, about The Color Room. Finnabair's layout for the first palette at The Color Room caught my eye (actually all the layouts did) and I decided to scraplift it. Ahh! Scraplifting - very satisfying,

Slanted

It has been a while since I have done a layout for the Building Pages classes at Get It Scrapped. I actually started this layout weeks ago. For some reason I just wanted to have some denim sewn onto it but when I went to my sewing machine and plugged it in the lights came on but nothing worked. :(
My sewing machine is fixed now - and running happily - so now I have finished my layout for Lesson 10.

"Slanted" reminds me of layouts I have done in the past. They're some of my favourite layouts too.

This was a Scrapper Challenge at The Scrap Trap all those years ago! And my first ever slanted layout, I do believe.



This one was my first "arrow" layout - tricky but fun. If I remember correctly it was also one of the first times I stooped (in those days) to using my own handwriting on a layout. :)



Back in the day when Declan was obsessed with playing Memory. This layout was published in a scrapbooking mag - can't remember which one. Obviously, I am over using my own handwriting!



This is one side of a see through layout - hence the washing line and washing in the background.



Another "arrow" layout - Gosh it was hard making sure everything was lined up. It's all done with cardstock. I know it would be much easier to do digitally but like I said, I don't do digital.



This is in the day when I was ever-inspired by Kerrin Quall (remember her?) and her beautiful hand-stitched layouts. I love the photo too - it makes me smile.



That's all for now.
:D

Nonchalant

I reckon 9 out 10 injuries in this family have happened at dinner time - cooking dinner time. As was Hudson's yesterday. And 4 out of the 4 injuries that have happened in the last 4 weeks have happened on a Sunday! As did Hudson's.

Triage Nurse: So little man... what happened?
Hudson: Well. I was playing with my little brother and we both kicked at the same time and I tripped over the ball.

Nurse: What happened to you?
Hudson: My little brother, what's older than me but smaller than me cos I'm younger but I'm bigger...
Hudson: We kicked the ball at the same time and I tripped over the ball.

Another Nurse: What happened to you?
Hudson: My little brother, what's older than me but smaller than me cos I'm younger but I'm bigger...
Another Nurse: What did he do to you?
Diane: Nothing, he's just making sure you know that his little brother is older than him. :)
Hudson: Well I tripped over the ball.
Another Nurse: Was your brother sorry for you?
Hudson: Yes.

Later that evening...
Diane to Hudson: Maybe, when people ask you what happened, you could say "My brother" instead of "My little brother". Whaddayareckon?
Hudson: Mmm Hmmm.

Hudson is happy, nonchalant (The Free Dictionary describes nonchalant as "seeming to be coolly unconcerned or indifferent". In a sweet way), and not in any pain at all.

Here's to happy healing (and finding a decent parking spot when I have to take Hudson for another x-ray and to see the Orthopaedic Surgeon at the end of the week.)

Creative Caitlin

While I was out today (I'm a soccer mum again) Caitlin helped herself to my art room and this is what she produced.



How cute is that?!

Clouds by God

Yesterday as I was hanging out the washing I was impressed by the cool cloud formations. Not wanting to miss the opportunity, I decided to take photos straight away. The clouds reminded me of bubble wrap printing and were all blown away by the time I had finished hanging out the washing.

So I had this I idea. Glenda and Jess were coming over to do art so I printed out the photos, we each picked one and then we did some bubble wrap printing and produced a layout. Oh what fun we had with the paint, the sewing machine, our black and white pens and lettering!!!


And then we had fun taking photos of each other.



Revelation 1:6-8 (New International Version)

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."

If at first you don't succeed....

Every once in a while I get stuck. That's what happened when I wanted to scrapbook this picture.


I did a layout and I hated it. So much so that I didn't just put it in my 'Duds' album, I dismantled it and started again. Not only did I dismantle it and start again, I didn't use any of the original pieces - even including the photo.

If I reprinted the photo in black and white I probably would have had no problem at all, but I really wanted the colour. But the colour was the problem. At the same time I was being inspired, as always, by Louise's stuff. Louise scrapbooks like no one else I know. I love what she does. I believe her scrapbooking is actually another art form - not scrapbooking, not mixed media. What to call it!?!

Hennyway. I started to "dismantle" Louise's artworks and really look at the elements on her pages. I came to some conclusions: the page did not need to have journalling, the picture says enough; the title needed to capture something but not everything and; I would have to get over the colours in the photo if I was not going to print it in black and white. After quite some studying (and those conclusions) and a certain determination to make this page work (and use that swirly thing!), I managed to produce a layout that I don't mind. "Don't mind"!!!


I really had great fun splashing the paint onto the black cardstock. I managed to get it everywhere except on me :)

BTW I did take a photo of the aforementioned disaster page but I am not going to show you.

Quick + Simple Clutter Control

Quick + Simple Clutter Control - that's the name of the class I am doing (believe it or not) over at Simplify 101.

People tell me I am very organised (either that or they suggest emphatically that I must be), and I suppose I am, but I still need ideas. I still need motivation. Most of all I need a place for everything and everything to be in its place.

I think I got my organised genes from my parents and it seems that only one child (maybe two) has those genes. Only ONE. One out of nine. You know what that means? Organised genes are recessive genes (I'm talking on a very simple basis here) and I'm living in a mess!!!

I also have a bad case of AFSS - Any Flat Surface Syndrome. From the kitchen to the computer, from the bathroom to the bedrooms - any, and every, flat surface is covered, including the floor in a lot of cases. I got that from my parents too :) Yes I did!

So anyway, I'm doing that class and the first little creative exercise is to decorate a clipboard - so I did. Mine's a mini.


The little house rub-on says "Home is where you hang your heart" and I didn't even think about that one bit when I tied all those hearts on the top - no lie. A serendipitous creative moment!!!


PS I wish I had thought about the way I cut the paper - the flowers and bees are predominantly sideways! Oh well. Dozen madder!

Bolga Basket

I was totally inspired by Christine Drumheller's page when I saw it on the Aussie Scrap Source blog - that place is full of inspiration - and I just knew I was going to scraplift it. And indeed I did.


If this Bolga Basket could talk it would have many things to say. It started its life in our family by having a soak in the bath just like the instructions from Community Aid Abroad (now Oxfam) suggested. Soaking it softened its fibres so that we could shape it after being flat for postage. Since then it has travelled many miles with our family.
The things you can see in the Bolga Basket are the typical contents whenever we go out - water bottles, Red Rock Deli chips, pink bowls, and Sakata rice crackers. Sometimes there's a plastic chopping board along with butter, rice syrup, bread and hopefully, a knife.
The Bolga Basket has seen better days and will be in need of some major repairs very soon. I hope we can extend its life just a little longer before we have to get a new one. We've had this one for years.

I had fun fishing around in my bits and pieces and using up things on this layout that I may never find a use for otherwise. I'm going to have to trim some of those rimmed tags to get the layout into my album - that'll be fun.

I absolutely LOVE Hambly Screen Prints' Rub-ons - they go on like butter. They're fabulous. I'm also a fan of Heidi's rub-ons but I don't know what was wrong. Either they were seriously too old, or they just didn't cope with the seriously old paper I was rubbing them onto. They were a cause of stress. Nevertheless, they're on now and I like the look.

Oh and my sewing machine is not working and I didn't feel like hand sewing so I did fake sewing - I make the holes with a piercer and then join the dots!

P.S. I shan't be cutting of the edges of those metal rims - too hard. Fortunately I have side-loading page protectors. :)

MACRO Monday

Whenever I speak of moths I tend to have the same accent as Henry Clouseau from the Pink Panther, and in particular, the time when he is talking about moths (I think it is in A Shot In the Dark but I can't find a clip of it.)

The conversation goes like this...
Clouseau: And... they were your fingerprints!
Benjamin Ballon: Well, why not? It's my house. I've often been in that closet.
Clouseau: For what reason?
Benjamin Ballon: Last time was moths.
Clouseau: "Meuths"?
Benjamin Ballon: [very clearly] Moths!
Clouseau: Yes, "meuths."
Benjamin Ballon: Maria was complaining of "murths."
[frowns at himself]
Clouseau: "Meurths"? Is that right, Maria, that - that you were complaining about these "meuths"?
Maria Gambrelli: Yes, I did complain about moths.
Clouseau: Oh, you mean "meuths"!

I love it. And it brings back a memory.
Mum and Dad went and saw a Pink Panther movie and when they came home they had themselves in stitches retelling all the funny bits. Deborah, a friend and I went and saw the movie too and didn't laugh a lot during the movie but when we got home and were retelling the funny bits we had ourselves in stitches!!!

Oh and another memory...
On the day that Annelise was born (by Caesarean section) Mum and Dad were recounting some Pink Panther funny bits and I was in PAIN from laughing. Cruel much. :)

Happy Easter

Easter Sunday is a joyous remembrance and a present knowing that Jesus is alive!!! Jesus, the Christ, the Messiah, has conquered sin and death. Yippee.

All around the world life is celebrated with chickens, eggs, bunnies and whatnot. I thought today might be the day to show you pictures of the wonderful passionfruit (that's how we spell it here in Australia) flower and its produce. We have it growing in our back yard. I've heard it said that the passionfruit flower has a representation of religious things hence the word 'passion' in its name.

Here are the beginnings of a passionfruit flower. What a glorious thing it is!!!



Now you can see the stigma which symbolises Jesus, the Triune God, and the anthers which represent the 5 wounds (hands, feet and side) Jesus suffered on the Cross for my sin and yours.


Apparently, the hairy looking things (I think they are actually part of the petals) around the outside represent the crown of thorns and the petals and sepals represent the 10 faithful apostles.


The vine in our back yard, which is growing heartily over the gardenia bushes surrounding the pool, is covered in large round fruit.



So there you go.
I loved doing the anatomy and reproduction of flowers in science at school.

I'm a novice when it comes to knowing when a passionfruit is ripe. So far we have just waited and they fall off the vine. They are purplish and not at all wrinkly so we put them in a basket and wait.


Apparently they are ripe. We cut one or two open and they look just like passionfruit pulp inside!

I have some memories of passionfruit cordial as a kid. When we first arrived in Australia I had never seen the likes of passionfruit and I had a hard time dealing with the black seeds in the bottom of the Cottee's cordial container. Ha ha. This memory is linked to a picture in my mind of the fridge in our house at 15 Ely Street, Hamilton Hill, WA.

Here's a recipe for passionfruit cordial that sounds very makeable if you can have that sort of thing. Just pop around and get some passionfruit from our place.

Also I remember having a bit of a passion for Passiona as a teenager. I used to get it at the corner shop right next to Engadine Station (I think it's now a plumbing store) on my way to, or from, school.

You know what the sad thing is? We can't eat them cos they are very high in both salicylates and amines.

And while we're on the subject of salicylates and amines...

Chocolate! Also can't have. So Caitlin and I tried our hands at making carob Easter Eggs.


There's nothing worse than unsweetened carob as a substitute for chocolate so we added sugar to the carob buttons, melted them in the microwave and stirred it all together. Then Caitlin and I spooned the carob into the Easter egg moulds. We were questioning how we could make hollow ones but haven't worked that out yet. Nevertheless, we made them slightly concave in the middle so that we could fill them with marshmallow. Which we did. The marshmallow proved to be useful cos it stuck the halves together. :) I don't know how you are supposed to stick them together. I might go and look for some instructions on Easter egg making, particularly hollow ones.

PS. Do you like the juxtaposition of Christmas and Easter? I did that on purpose and also because it was the only suitable size bowl to put the eggs in.

Looking forward to rounding off our Easter Sunday by going to church tonight.