Where the heack have I been ? Busy Busy Busy

Sorry it;s been so long since I posted on the blog, I have just been so busy busy busy, arent we all though, amongst other things, I have been preoccupied planning and creating for all the upcoming classes before christmas. 
We had a fab melbourne Cup day of craft food and fun, and as such have been asked for a christmas party so, never one to say no to a challenge, the planning is underway.

In addition as a response to my Twilight pages, I have been begged by all yuo addicts to do a class, knowing that the pages were quite expensive in the materials department.....not that I have access to lots of spoils! there was no cost spared there, it would prove to expensive to hold a class on the pages, as they were really only for showcasing products and of course Edward Cullen! ...............  so I have come up with a
 'My book of Twilight' instead.... I really enjoyed doing it as it is not something I do on an everyday basis, and I am sure that all of you booked in will be suitably impressed with the result.    This has all been made from scratch cover and all....I had to scratch up on my book binding skills that was for sure! he he
So without further adieu fellow Bloggers ! I present the ..........

'My book of Twilight'

It all happened at TWILIGHT..Then the NEW MOON set in!

Well its official I have gone totally mad!  nah only joking! This months challenge for the FACEBOOK group is 'All things spooky'  as its the month for all Hallow's.  and well I have been badgered for quite a while now by lots of you mad Twilight addicts to do a 'TWILIGHT' page,  so I succummed, on the understanding that it would only be Edward I scrapped and not any of the other Characters..... whilst doing it I think I worked out the attraction, he does have an uncanny resemblance to James Dean!  only as Edward Culen though and not as Robert Pattinson! hahaha   so anyway there they are..... the results of a Girls night Scrap! we had loads of fun.

Once I had finished that one I could not resist moving onto New Moon,   hey who knows I might just go ahead and do Eclipse & Breaking Dawn... why the heck not! hahahaha

I took full advantage of our well stocked workshop and went to town on Red Velvet Glimmermist, & Silver Bells.  Heidi Swapp Mask, Prima Flowers (just oh so appropriate for these pages)  Creative Imaginations Papers, Embossed the stamped flourishes, Basic Grey Bling Heart, Scrapbooking Bitz E C Bling Initials, and 2 crafty chipboard accent, as well as Kraft carstock, and Core'dinations new Gemstones range, Jasper ( how appropriate!hahah) and Black Tie. 

Hope you liked viewing !  until the next time    Simone  X

PS: why not head on over to Facebook & join in on this months challenge you could win a goodie pack!

Another year older, another year wiser? or just more ideas?

Well I celebrated yet another birthday yesterday the 11th, and I had a fab day, my lovely hubby and kids treated me to a day at the spa, back massage, facial, I came away feeling very relaxed.... then an evening meal at my favourite restaurant in Port Noarlunga....so all in all I was very blessed.... but back to it all today!

I have quite a bit of background in computer originated designs & imagery, and as a result I have been having a play with a few digital elements which until now I have tried to limit in my scrapbboking mainly as I know I would be addicted in a blink of any eye.   So what's happended ,  the addiction has started, here is a share of an embellishment I have created for an upcoming page kit.  
Whilst I am happy for any of you to print out and use on a non commercial basis, please note that the quotation is my own Quotation and therefore any republication is Copyright to me. :)   

Until the next time 
Simone X

A Day of Scrappin!

2 out of 3 of my babies have ear infections, after years of surgery with tonsils adenoids and countless fittings of grommets... and one had his grommet fall out on saturday because of the pressure of the infection, (i thought it was a piece of bone at first! haha they are a lot bigger than I thought), so I have had a few blissful days of only going out if necessary, and staying home.

It has been a great family bonding time, for 2 solid days, my little crafters have been 'creating' again.
As they grow older each day it really is apparent that I have a family of scrappers, even my husband sits down with us and 'creates' usually painting models of something, but we are still crafting together.

I can tell you though when there are 5 of us fighting for an inch of space this is the look you get in your lounge room! Good Job the camera doesnt show you the floor!

My baby girl created a page with me helping her, of our trip to The Gold Coast at the beginning of the year. she loved helping me cut some shapes with the Making Memories 'Slice', I think we did a good job together.. & the new Kaisercraft Pina Colada range just seems to fit perfectly with the colours.

She then went solo and just got on with it, using the stuff from her own 'stash'. Considering she is only 4, I think she is already a budding Scrapper, and good things are still to come. I am so proud of all my babies for there creations.

On Saturday night, for the first time in a very long time I caught up with some friends and we all scrapped and chatted all night till silly o'clock the next morning, we had a great time, and well I had a play with some Websters Pages, RW Laser Cuts Chipboard, Core'dinations Chocolate Box, and Prima Build a Swirl stamps. Here is the result of a night of giggles, strange happenings and a good time from all. LOL

There is lots more to share as well as some ATC's for an upcoming swap, but thats for another time..... sleep well..... fello night owls!
Until the next time
Simone X

Getting caught out

Last night (fri) it suddenly occured to me that I had forgotten to make a keepsake for my Godsons birthday! and its this sunday, so I raided the shop stash and pulled together a quickie using Basic Grey's Lime Rickey, it really is great colours for a young and funky little man... only 1 almost and already he has style! Love Ya little man XX

For this I used 3 sheets of Bazzill Bling, cut into 4 ( each one measuring 6x6").
Added covers to the front and back with 6x6 pieces of Lime Rickey, ( I used 4 different colours in the range) Isaac's name is and embossed Scrapware wooden I, and saac has been cut on the cricut shadowed, and then embossed with 3 different embossing powders.
Once all pages have been decorated and embellished I bound it all together with the BIND IT ALL. I love this baby, it makes those last minute whip ups quick and easy with basic tools.

Busy..Busy...Busy

Wow what another totally amazing week, Sunday was the Scrapbooking & Stamping Fair at Wayville Showgrounds, we had an absolutely exhausting, but euphoric time, I taught classes & so did Belinda, the feedback we received was awesome.

Not only that I have received some lovely emails from customers to tell me how great a time they had at our stall, how they loved that we had such different things to the others, and how friendly polite and helpful we are. That really does make me want to beam from ear to ear, and makes all the hard work worthwhile. I want to thank my fantastic helpers though, who out of love, support me and the shop into succeding, without them I could not do all that I have so far. So thanks girls.

So to make my week even more spectacular I found out of Friday that we have made it into the finals for the Southern Times Messenger Small Business Awards! YIPPEE.... not only that we were mystery shopped, and as a result we have been put forward for the Gold & Silver awards in outstanding customer service...... OMG its just fantastic!

I have a few pics to post soon.... and I promise I will start blogging a little more....:)

Until the next time !

SimoneX

So Excited !

After a pretty hard week, I received a phone call from the Southern Times Messenger, and thanks to all the lovely people out there who support us we have been shortlisted into the top 6! for the small business awards..... hooray..... I am keeping everything crossed now, to make it into the final 4 and then who knows!
YIPPEE...... Thanks Tammy for voting for us in the first place and giving me the nudge to register us. :)
I really appreicate you all and thanks for your support, I am feeling humble....grinning from ear to ear and if we win, you know where the money will go! back into our obsession, for even more goodies! tee hee.

There are no Words...... when the journalling needs to say it all.

An interesting weekend I have had, what with the finalising of BAS returns, writing the new Aug Newsletter etc, preparing for classes, and being inspired by the new Kaisercraft storage options to finally sort out my scrap space/ stash. Ultimatly finding stuff that I had forgotten I had! :)

I came across a picture of when my eldest son was born, and fondly remembered how precious that moment was and I have not quite been able to scrap that picture for some time, a miriad of reasons, but in a nutshell just too many emotions..... I am sure that there are many of you out there who have had a sick child at birth who required intensive care...and well if you are one of them you will totally understand where I am coming from.

Well I took a step forward in my healing .... I found the picture, followed by the perfect piece of paper, frame, flowers swirls.... they all just fell into place.... it was time, I sat down to write a few feelings to include in the journalling and as I was writing I felt a calm peace....that I have finally come to terms with the grief, and pain of it all, and just look back with absolute blessings that my precious little man is still with us.

When I got up to print the journalling on the computer, there was a feather on the floor behind me, in my eyes just another confirmation that no matter what happens we always have an angel on our shoulder.

So this brings me back to the post title, when the journalling needs to say it all. As the type is a little small in the picture, here is how I captured the way I felt on the day this picture was taken.

There are no words.....

to describe how I felt on this day, you were finally out of the Neonatal unit & exclusively with me, I found the separation unbearable, it was hard to see you connected with tubes and wires, when all I craved was to hold you, hold you close & feel your warmth, your scent, your heart beat, your innocence, & remember how very special it was to carry you inside my body & have you with me all day for 36 cherished weeks.

Our prayers were answered when the angel was gifted from heaven. Our precious baby boy, we will love, adore & cherish you always xx

You may notice from the picture a ribbon pull, in here I have journalled a tag explaining to Ain what I want him to know.... & detailed how it took me 5 1/2 yrs to scrap the photo.

Time really does heal :)

Simone XX

Caught out for all of eternity

Well its been a while sorry about my slackness, we have been really busy at the shop this week which is what it is all about, but as you know end of financial year, and 24 hrs seem to have to become 36! hahaha

Anyhoo, there has been lots and lots of planning for some great upcoming classes and of course there is the new newletter in progress and that takes time. But inbetween all of that I had a play with the new release Home accents Cricut cartridge, and borrowed an idea from one of Kerry's page's, great work chick! and this is the result.

On another note
Isan't it funny the things that kids take pics off when they are let loose with the camera? well i have finally finished my affair with Edward and the twilight saga, and that 'stupid book' as my kids have called it, and I downloaded the camers pics today and look what my little darlings framed for all of eternity !




I guess I gotta go scrap that now! .............. until the next time S XXXX

Just Perfect... Pearl!

Well in between reading book 2 and book 3 of Twilight ( will be starting book 4 tomorrow!) I managed to come up with some extra babies.... ATC babies that is! hahaha

I recently held a class painting with Perfect Pearls.. and well somehow the monster was unleashed within! that's the supressed Michelangelo monster within.... It had not been let out since my drawing and painting days some time ago, when I ditched the finer arts to pursue the Graphic stuff.... which in turn has landed me here somewhere.... funny how things work out! anyway enough of the rambling.

It looks like there is more painting to come... now that the monster is out...and so to get you started here are some of my 'experiments'....

Some left over Prima Paper, a K & Co stamp from the Madeline range, a paper flower from my stash (lulu's I think) some scrap Maya Road Sheer Ribbon ( Bra strap ribbon as I call it!) hahaha and a little imagination, not forgetting the new Tim Holtz Tiny attacher stapler...love it... and Voila... Just Perfect...Pearl

More left over Prima Papers... and a sprinkling of Perfeft Pearls, and Tim's Tiny attacher again..

& just a simple Hambly Screen Prints stamp... or not so simple it's one of my fav's. Extremely versatile.

Until the next time..... I'm off to read more of Edward...... S X

BIG Slack Arse!

I have not posted for a while and for that I appologise, I have been creating on the shop BLOG and pulling together some extra design Team members, as well as nursing a sick baby, who had his tonsils and adenoids out and grommets fitted, along with a sore throat myself..... and it goes on and on and on! hahahahaha so I have plenty of excuses, but none I am sure you are interested in! But my main one, at least until I have finished the last book is this...................

Bloody Tammy & Leeann! thanks for getting me hooked! to the extent that I have eyed a perfect paper to scrap a 'Twilight' page! how sad is that! hahaha Luv YA! ;)

Some things look best in Black & White

Somehow, I managed to create an ATC trilogy yesterday whilst the kids were 'creating' supposedly with me.... we crafted together for 4 hours, and I really love that special time we have together, but despite all the punches and shapes I let them play with, they still want me to draw them things for them to cut out... yesterday was a horse! and a snake tongue to go into there cardboard tubes that they had used to make a snake with..... its amazing..... they even built a house .. forest... car park, bed you name it all for there cardboard snake, that doesnt bite.. apparently...hes a nice snake... (are any of them nice....yeeuugghhh, I try not to show my fear in front of the kids!).
In addition this lucky snake's penthouse mansion has been spread all over the lounge room floor, he even has a hopscotch playground! wow what a lucky snake... they have been so creative.... but to the untrained eye..it looks like the recycle bin has been emptied all over the place! Clever babies... love emX

Time -- Gesso

U know I have all these ideas buzzing around my head, and when do I ever get time to do anything with them? hahahaha............. no wonder there is this thing called INSOMNIA.... or is that just something the doctors invented to give a name to 'not enough hours in the day?' Someone turn back the clock where does the time go??

I was teaching a 'not so shabby' class today, and in the blink of an eye it was over.. I spent the rest of the day playing with Gesso or Texture Paste as some of you may know it... its great stuff, but another messy one... and I hate getting my hands dirty. not LOL.....
I had to leave the shop early to pick up the kids, so it was still drying.. once its dry and I get the chance to take a pic.. I will load some so you can see what I managed to create with it.
SLEEP WELL........... I'll be thinking of all you lucky people while I am wide awake planning .... LOL
TC S XXXXXXXX

Facebook ATC SWAP GROUP

Well I have gone ahead and done it, our first ATC group took place on tuesday and what a Buzz it was.... I have set us up on FACEBOOK, so come on why not join our ATC Swap group? here is the link

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=95063666704#/group.php?gid=95063666704&ref=mf

Open to anyone and everyone from anywhere (all over the world also encouraged!)

You may want to sign up as a friend of me.... as there are more challenges and groups coming! watch this space....

Tatty Old Muse

Isan't it funny that often the best pieces of ART come from the mess you make on your scrap paper? On a recent play with Glimmer mist for an upcoming class look at the ATC I managed to get from the sheet of Scrap paper? dont you just love it....its all around us we just need to open our eyes.......

Hi Ho Hi Ho its lots of work I need to get done....

Somehow I felt the need to kick back a little this weekend, and just 'do' something that has been lingering.... funny how it didn't take much persuading to follow 'the craft' those little people were in my head saying housework...scrapping..housework...scrapping... and well this time I let the Scrapper win the fight! and I managed to finish off my middle sisters album I promised her for her 40th! well she is almost 41 so I didn't do too badly..........& what did she say, ahh thats beautiful than k you so much, OMG you can really see that tooth in the front that needed filling! hahahaha
Life is great.........art is great.........there are no mistakes if it makes you happy! and boy...doesnt it make it all happy... my little piece of inner peace and SANCTITY....

A dog lover I am of 2 beautiful and very naughty Dalmation's I just could not resist posting this email that was sent to me, it kind of reminds me of when the children were younger....I know the boys looked everywhere for peace and quiet! although not necessarily Scrapbooking related, My dogs Biggles & Woof are often the subject of my pages and inspiration. & are always with me.... mostly the hair on my clothes! u just gotta love there smiley faces !....

An older, tired-looking dog wandered into my yard; I could tell
from his collar and well-fed belly that he had a home and was
well taken care of.

He calmly came over to me, I gave him a few pats on his head;
he then followed me into my house, slowly walked down the
hall, curled up in the corner and fell asleep.
An hour later, he went to the door, and I let him out.

The next day he was back, greeted me in my yard, walked inside and resumed his spot in the hall and again slept for about an hour. This continued off and on for several weeks.

Curious I pinned a note to his collar: 'I would like to find out who the owner of this wonderful sweet dog is and ask if you are aware that almost every afternoon your dog comes to my house for a nap.'

The next day he arrived for his nap, with a different note pinned to his collar: 'He lives in a home with 6 children, 2 under the age of 3 - he's trying to catch up on his sleep. Can I come with him tomorrow?'

ATC (Artist Trading Card) Bella! Challenge

Bella! have bought out a cute range of ATC cards, just waiting to be dressed, so this weekend, Yvonne and myself split 2 packs between us and set a challenge to see how many ATC's we could get out of the packs. & well here are mine. Already to be swapped in our new group DO YOU ATC?

My Minds Eye Bella Bella & Prima Marketing Artistry Flowers

Well as promised here is the Page I managed to Scrap, I just couldn' wait to play with the new Prima range, My Minds Eye Bella Bella, and a touch of Gllimmermist, Oh and for good measure there's my favourite Heidi Swapp transparency and Christina Rei border punch! Perfect Pearls and my cuttlebug.........what fun U had with this one, oh and the cute picture helped!

Some of my favourite pics of my Babies..... well not so baby's anymore, but they will always be... in my heart.......... :-)
.

Blimey I even managed to change to time zone to reflect AUS time and not US! and all for free ! tee hee

Getting there

Well I have managed to customise the Blog a little, its slowly getting there !

I also managed to Scrap a page this weekend ! wonders will never cease, I will take a picture of it, and add it in...............

I thought it was time I had my own as well as the shops one!