paper, glue and stuff

photography

is on my mind. i have had a little play this morning with taking some photos of izzy and her friend who slept over last night. morning night is not ideal i know but with the plans we have for today, there is no time for any playing later. so here is one of my favourties.

izzy had her hair straightened and a fringe cut in yesterday. she looks so much older. i love that she can change the look of her hair. as she gets older she is going to love being able to wear it curly or straight. right now she hates curly hair. we have quite a few tears about it. i think she is just beautiful. 

last night i hang out with my buddies. i love you guys. so easy. so much fun. 

busy day ahead. time is flying.

cheerio b.

insomnia again

man i wish i could just have a normal night sleep. been awake since 3.00am and just can't stop my mind from spinning. mick is not here and i think that may have something to do with it. i don't sleep well at the best of times, but especially when he is away. there is something comforting knowing that he is right there. when he is away, i am not afraid but i am just so much more aware of every little noise and making sure the doors are all locked. living out where we are now it would be unlikely for anyone to be around, but on the other hand, there is so much space around us and so many windows, i sometimes think it would be dead easy for someone to get in or watch us at least. i am not however, one of those people who barricades themselves into one room and shuts all the blinds. i like to be able to see what's going on as well. i

anyhoo, the computer is a great salvation, especially when early morning tv only has those paid/selling programs on. so i've spent some time checking out blogs, cause like what else would i be doing at this hour of the morning. 

heres another lo. loads of hand cut elements here including the corner rounding of the actual pages. no templates for the cutting of the patterned paper or the photo. i don't usually cut the photo into a shape, but the background served no purpose here. now that i've done my photography course with janine, i would now take this photo with a shallow depth of field (listen to me, sounding like i am all professional and stuff he he) to blur the background. 

ok i am off to check out some more stuff on the net. happy weekend. b :)

a good report

mick had a great report at the docs yesterday. still requires some dressings, not as many as before. just a little area thats not quite ready yet. he had a little set back last week where he split a small part. on the whole though the doctor said it has been a success. we were quite shocked to hear yesterday that if this didn't work, it meant a major operation. the doctor had only performed what he did to mick 4 other times. apparently there is a very fine line as to wether they should do to mick what they did. majority of the time it would not have worked and they go straight for the bigger operation where they cut his calf open and take a muscle from the back of the leg and put it at the front of his leg. it would have meant a nasty scare on his calf and a horrible one on his shin and 10 days in hospital and a longer healing time. so we are counting our lucky stars. 

so looking foward to some creating time this weekend starting with card making with cass and then to janines for scrapping.

some more scrappy stuff

signing off b.

work is getting in the way

of what i want to do right now. i am in real need of a break. i haven't had a break since 5 days i had off in october last year. i am thinking i may have a week of in the next school holidays. i may even push for two if the boss lets me. i could do some accounts work from home and then i wouldn't feel so guilty and i have to do the wages. so while i was on a break, i'd still have some work to do. i am just so over the routine of my life. i really would just like to focus on taking izzy on playdates and going to the park or beach. going to the library and having a coffee out. spend some time at home and have pj days where we don't do our hair (just brush our teeth) no makeup for me, no ironed clothes, no shoes (oh how i love to go barefoot). home cooked meals every night cause i've got time to cook and sip on a big glass of wine while i do it. the freedom to go to bed and get up when ever we feel like. no time frames. yep i've talked myself into it. i am having at least 1 week off. it will be one of my favourite times of the year too. i love spring. i have a garden out the back that is begging for some attention. i really want a big herb garden. i am so over buying lifeless herbs at the fruit  & veg shops. i use some many fresh herbs in my cooking. 

we have an exciting project going on at home. we are converting a covered outdoor area in our home into a home office/scrap room. at the moment we have our computer in a tiny room which doubles as my scrap area. it's too small to fit more than 1 person in at a time which frustrates mick if he wants to use the computer while i scrap. infact the area is so small i havent' unpacked all my scrap stuff from when we moved. there just isn't enough room or storage space. i will have to share the new room with my husband, but that is ok cause i have designed a desk that will have enough space for both of us. he will have his side and i'll have mine. you will see the imaginary line drawn down the middle lol:) we will have twin computers. that way he doesn't have to wait for me. i am a computer hog. my daughter has become the same way (that's why she got her own yesterday)  i hate other people using my computer. computers are a very personal thing. i like my preferences just the way i like them. izzy and mick have a way of moving my stuff around and it really bugs me. the best part about this room, it will also be way big enough for me to scrap in and room for a table for my friends to come over and scrap too. i really like the idea of hanging out in this room. it will have an outdoor feel as the roof is remaining that clearish roofing stuff so plenty of light in the day time and i am having louvre windows (cause i can) which over looks the creek partially and a beautiful big tree in our yard. i am inspired thinking about being out there. i have before pics which i will share when i reveal the finished room. dad started last weekend and the louvres arrive today. i love the idea of finding cute things to decorate. this space will be a real haven. and the best part is that is going to be very bright. i am just deciding what colour scheme to go with. i love the idea of turquoise and pink but because we are overlooking so much of mother nature, i am leaning towards apple/lime green with red??? janine i am probably going to need your help here. i have visions of a little round white table with white chairs with read cushions. i think one wall should be a apple/lime green colour. there will be white cabinets, roof rafters and windows. i dunno really. i am not an expert in these matters.

anyhoo another layout share (sorry about the horrible colour)

 

mick goes to the plastic guy today (the surgeon that is). we are looking foward to seeing what he has to say. may stop in at hq on the way back. we have to go to st george private hospital to see the fella. 

over and out b.

quick update

past weekend was super dooper busy. 

* friday stampin up party

* saturday visiting family

* visiting with family/photoshop course arvo

coming weekend just as busy

today we bought some more mac goodness. a laptop for izzy. she is so excited.

a couple more los to share

first one is a class with janine and the second is one i made a couple of weeks ago and yes the photos are more of janines. i can't help but scrap them. i love them so much.

 

great weekend

i had a great weekend. nothing planned for the first time in ages. izzy and i went shopping straight from school on friday and continued with a girly night. we painted her nails, watched tv snuggled together on the lounge, danced and then scrapped booked. 

i made a couple of layouts and then i continued to scrap on saturday night. i'm not sure how many i made all up. 

but its been ages since i showed any scrapping so i thought i share a couple i made at the newcastle fundraiser 2 weeks back. the first one was from a class with janine and the second one i made at the crop. i must confess that the photographs in each of the layouts are not mine (although i wish they were) they are actually janines. she is an amazing photographer and anyone considering a photoshoot should talk to her.

i have others but rather than overload the post i will share later. 

i love that feeling when you feel like you've accomplished something. i also took the time to arrange my scrap stuff. most of it was thrown in a bag that i was hauling around to crops etc. since our local scrapping shop has closed, i decided to unpack everything and give it a home. much better to see what i've actually got and can now find uses for everything. 

today i had a wonderful day with mick. we watched izzy receive an award at her school assembly. we were so proud. we had heaps of stuff to do today and it was so nice being able to do with him. i had my eyes tested, ordered new batteries for my camera, organised to send my camera away for servicing, take a load of rubbish to the tip, catch up with some customers, work stuff, lunch out together and had to take roxy dog to the vet. now i am ready to settle down for the night.

here's hoping tomorrow is another great day.

started a project at art this week

and i am really happy with it. it is a mixed media piece incorporating a canvas, news paper, flymesh, mirror, textured paste, WORDS and paint. i have done all the messy bit of putting down the layers and lastly siliconing the mirror on. i have left it at the studio to dry so i can start painting it next week. i am yet to decide on the colour combo. i have put a red wash over the newspaper print and i think i am going to paint it brown. anyhoo, i am feeling inspired about it none the less. don't really mind how it turns out. i am just glad to be doing something. i was struggling again in class feeling inferior to the rest of the artists. so this idea popped into my head and i can certainly say it has generated interest in the class because it so different to everything else being done in class. there is one girl however, who does the most amazing portraits. i wish i had half her talent, she is so amazing.  also super excited about the photography class i am taking with janine. i have been reading photography books every night before bed and am looking forward to doing my challenges she has set this week. i need more hours in the day. i've tried sleeping less but the few hours i get each night is barely enough. better go to get izzy organised for school. she is so not a morning person (like her dad) they are more night owls than morning people. me, i love early mornings. happy friday. friday's are my favourite days. i love knowing the weekend is just around the corner. 

i know i should not have a blog

because i never update it. however i have an excuse this time. almost 3 weeks ago mick had an accident. a piece of glass slid down his shin and basically skinned him back to the bone and a tendon was exposed. lucky the tendon remained in tact but he required a skin graft,  which meant some time in hospital and has been at home incapacitated since. no walking or moving, until last night that is. he actually put his full weight on his leg. yay. it was so go to see him in the upright position as well as being able to give him a proper cuddle. 

you know those vows "till death do us part" yeah well i've decided that i wanna be the one that dies first. man i've felt like a single mother these past few weeks. running around to doctors and hospitals and doing sponge baths and looking after izzy and the house and running the business by myself and getting up super early to keep on top of everything. my mum stayed with us for a week and i cannot tell you what a god send she is. she cleaned my house from top to bottom literally and did the entire yard too. then she went home and it has gone down hill from there. 

enough whining. mick is doing much better. he will be back to work next week, but only office duties until his dressings come down. although he has had a graft, the wound is still fragile and very open. we have had so much support from friends and family dropping in to visit and sending cards and well wishes. we are so lucky. but not lucky enough that mick keeps injuring himself. man he is such a frank spencer. that's our nickname for him anyway. when i rang mum from the hospital to tell her, i said "mum frank's at it again" she said, "what's he done this time". so its kind of known in our family that he is accident prone. 

anyhoo in other news i went away with the girlies to new castle last weekend (yes i left my poor husband and child at home even with his injury, but we had help, i have had enough of coming to terms with feeling guilty)  started back at art class this week as well as doing janines extended photography course. i came home from the photography class all inspired and can't wait for the weekend to get started on the challenges janine set. 

well that's a quick up date. i need to get moving before i waste the entire morning on the computer. 

let's see

yesterday was wonderful spending time with izzy, mum and nan. it was a real girls day out. lunch, coffee and shopping. i wish i had more time to chill out like that.

yesterday i took on another project. like i need any more lol.  i am such an old fashioned kind of chick. i bought a heap of wool and i have started to crochet a rug for mick. i had to fight an old lady for a packet of the wool i wanted. she was so dirty i picked up the packet she wanted and went on and on about how she wasn't going to be able to knit the jumper she wanted to make. oh well to bad so sad for the old duck. i don't intend to have the rug finished anytime soon, it's just something to do if and when i get time to watch tv. it's nice to unwind and relax.

today was super busy. point form what i got up to and the day isn't over yet

• at work by 7.00am
• meeting at 9.00am
• meeting at 10.00am
• answered a bazillion messages from yesterday
• paid bills
• met with a customer at 12.00
• quoted all afternoon
• went to the bank 4.30pm
• back to work by 5.00pm
• finished another quote
• checked emails
• updated blog

and still a list a mile long. today was an easy day in comparison to some. looking forward to sleeping tonight. last night was terrible, freezing and so windy. i think i am getting another cold. got stuck into the codrals to try and reduce the effects. it was only 2 or 3 weeks ago i was sick as a dog and i feel the same way it started back then. can anyone hear the violins lol!

anyhoo back to the grind

catch ya later alligators.

it's been so long i forgot my password

to get into typepad. i usually have the remember me thingo ticked so i don't have to type my password etc in. since moving onto the mac, i hadn't ticked it. anyhoo, moving right along it's been ages since i blogged and i am finding that keeping a paper journal is working a bit better for me right now. i don't have to turn the mac on and log in etc. i've got 2 journals and i just pick one up, which ever is closer, and jot down a few notes. 

so heaps has been happening and i have just updated my diary and realised how much stuff we've got on in the coming weeks. man we are a busy family. it certainly doesn't help that work is flat out too. mick and i just got settled in our new factory and spent so much money to set it up, only to be told that we have to move again, by december. 2 factory moves in less than 12 months. my jaw hit the floor. panic hasn't set in yet. so trying the run the business stuff day to day and now plan for another move. logistical nightmare, not to mention the financial burden. enough of the depressing stuff.

needless to say the blog and scrapping and art has suffered. not much time for anything other than work related stuff. but my mind is abuzz with all things creative. i am so inspired right now, with no time to create. i have an art journal full of ideas waiting to become finished projects. i love feeling creative. it makes me happy inside. i think it really helps me to cope with the craziness of my life. when i'm feeling inspired, i cope a hell of a lot better. it's like it a counter balance in my mind. it calms me down. i've been exhausted. i normally wake up super early, but this past week has seen me getting up at 5.00am instead of 4.00am and the past 2 days i have stayed in bed until 7.00am. i just haven't had any energy.  Izzy is on holidays. last week she was at mum's. The past 2 days she has been at home with us. She had a playdate with some of her school friends yesterday. We went to see Kungfu Panda on Monday night. We loved it. We took one of her friends with us. This morning up at 5.00am to get washing done and tidying up the hut, our hut gets very untidy quickly when we are coming and going. I am taking the day off today to take izzy back down the coast to mum's. we are going to have a girls day. this will be the only day off i get with izzy in the 3 weeks she has off. izzy is loving being on holidays, a break for the normal routine. monday she came to work with me and she was so good. we took her computer and stuff for her to do. i have a spare office near mine, so we set up there. she was such a good girl. the best part of the day for her was the coffee guy coming in the morning and she got a hot chocolate. she's just started drinking hot chocolate and our coffee guy makes the best hot chocolates. yesterday she came to work with me before going on her playdate, and the first thing she said was "will the coffee man be coming in time for me to get a hot chocolate". so funny seeing her sitting up at her computer with her hot chocolate in hand. 

scrapping wise, i went to a crop night a couple of weeks back and made some stuff. 

not my best lo's, quickly put together but glad i got to create. need some new photos. will try to make some time this weekend for some photography. got a book order delivered from amazon last week with 6 books all on photography. been reading a few pages each night before bed. like to try out some of the stuff i've read about. 

anyway better get motivated, need to write a grocery list a mile long, pack izzy's clothes, bath roxy dog (she had ticks on her last night, need to put some advantix on her), make the beds, breakfast, tidy the lounge room, kitchen, dining room and generally kick myself in the bum to get moving. i think sometimes i feel so overwhelmed with what needs to be done i can't actually get it done. i makes me feel tired thinking about it and i don't do it. i put it off. i need help with that i think. i think i might be going mad. anyway looking forward to my girls day.

brige.