Look two days in a row!

I thought I would write again today because Sara has released a fantastic new kit... I told you she was prolific didnt i? Now this new kit is called Under the Sea. And it is got some really fun elements and beautiful papers. Of course i had some cute beach photos of Lucus just waiting to be scrapped! here is the kit: Click here to go to the shop and buy it, only $4.00
And here is what I did with it:
Isn't he gorgeous? And the kits is too!
Then I made this one, just coz I thought it was funny.
This photo is taken at Townsville looking out to Magnetic Island.
The other girls in the CT also did some amazing pages too, so have a look in the gallery at Scrapthatidea.
I have heard a whisper that there might be a very bold, bright, funky collab kit coming out way soon....so keep an eye out, because it looks pretty darned goood. I am working on my layouts now... and packing and getting organised.

Where have I been?

I started off blogging really regularly but like many things it now is something that I keep having to squeeze in when I remember... and I am not remembering as often as I would like. Certainly life has been shockingly busy and I haven't been getting much besides working and sleeping done. However I do finally have a couple of days off before we go to NZ so I thought I should make an effort and do some blogging.
I can't tell you anything much has been happening in the family. Greg of course turned 17 on 27 March so that was important, but aside from that life has been fairly routine. Mike's course at Uni is quite challenging so that is adding a lot of stress! It is quite putting me off studying ever again.
I have done a reasonable amount of scrapbooking, as Sara has been quite prolific and been creating some great new kits. The latest one is called In the Jungle and has a great colour scheme. Here is a preview
And here is what I did with it.

These pictures were taken on our first Christmas day in townsville. We went for a beautiful walk down by the river and being such keen photographers we got the kids to climb up this huge tree that hung over by the river. You can see by Caitlin's face that she didnt think it was that much fun! Then I scrapped another Townsville photo. this one of Libby.

It is a really gorgeous kit... i do love the colours and as always really reasonably priced. Check out Scrapthatidea to pick it up.
In addition there is another kit due out any day now..... and I do think it is time I knocked up a qp so stay posted. Not only that.. but wait there's more. Yesterday i created my first template. I have never made one before but I was trying to work out how to lift a layout that I had admired. Now it isnt entirely finished, I am still putting the words on the top, but I think it should be ready to give away in the next couple of days too.
So now back to what I should be doing, getting myself organised for my trip. I know we are only going for a short time but it still requires organisation. I am trying to get the washing up to date and make sure meals are organised. We just have to book a rental car and then we should be all set.
see you later

Looooooong week

Suddenly it is Wednesday. If you are wondering where I have been all week, it is really very simple. at work. Nights... again! i dont seem to have seen daylight for some time, but finally the run of nights is over and I am back in the real world! One day off today and then back to my other job tomorrow. But next week we are off on our trip to NZ, so I am calling that a holiday! Even though it looks like it will be a really busy trip, I am really looking forward to seeing everyone. I guess I am also looking forward to just being in New Zealand, it is still home!
This is going to be a quick note. I am pretty tired, just wanted to reassure you that I am still alive. I do hope to get back online in the next day or two so I can show you the pictures of Sara's new kit, and the cute pages I have made with it already. I am thinking there must be a qp coming up soon too, so keep your eye out. Just got to find a few spare moments in my day!

Days off

Wow This is my 3rd day off, in a row. It is so great. I have been incredibly lazy, scrapbooked, been out for lunch, gone to a couple of photography things... and just tried to relax. Amazingly my agency hasn't rung to over me work so I havent had to try and turn it down. They rang today to offer me a night tomorrow... that works! I mean, I love working coz I really do like getting paid. We have decided to go to Ikea on Sunday and spend some of our hard earned cash on the furniture we have been wanting for Ben's bedroom. It has been in the planning stages all year, so we decided it was time that Ben got his upgrade. Poor boy, he has been making do for the last 2 years with a divan bed from the Salvos and a dodgy chest of drawers which don't open and shut too well. So off we go on Sunday for the big shop, new bed, new drawers, new desk! I might even splash out on some new sheets... although to be quite honest I bought him black duvet covers (those are doonas if you are Australian) about 3 years ago at Target and they still look great. They match everything and sort of work for a teenage boy. That was when I went for the black and red theme and bought the most fantastic bright red sheets from Big W which were NOT colour fast and now years later they still make everything else pink. I am sure they are at least 4 years old and still they run!
So.. Sunday shopping trip, definitely looking forward to that. I love Ikea, it is a real passion for me. I wander for hours. It is great that they have food and toilets because it means we don't have to leave the shop at all. And in the restaurant they have maple pecan danishes which are also one of my favorite things.
Once I have done Ben's room, then we are getting close to finishing the inside of the house. I do need to curtain the rumpus room, and it has such large windows! I had the fabric all picked out so maybe I will make that my next saving goal. Then of course I need to do some finishing in the family room. We have curtains to put up on the sliding doors, but need to buy track, consequently curtains are still in a cupboard - i was thinking it would be nice to have them up for winter. They are nothing flash, but were given to us by someone who didnt want them any more. And then there is my big project. Recovering my bargain couches. You may not know this about me but I Love to junk shop. I adore charity shops, jumble sales, garage sales, demolition sales, I have even been known to rescue things from the dump. I just can't help myself. So we have two of the most disreputable couches in the world in our family room. They were once cream or lemon (not sure which) but they are discoloured and marked and faded and they look awful. But I picked the pair up for $40 at a junk shop and they are originally Freedom couches and are really comfortable. On another of my bargain hunting shops I found a roll of upholstery fabric which cost me $20. So all i have to do is recover them. Piece of cake huh? I have done a little bit of upholstery in the past and am hoping i remember how it is done.
I have made a couple of layouts to show you. First up my St Patricks day layout with some pictures of my trip to Ireland.
Not sure that it is my most inspired work, but i wanted to do something green and Irishy! Here is my other layout for today. Now this one I love. I think this is the most gorgeous photo of Lucus.
wow.. the earth just moved again. Freaky. The other day when we had an earthquake it was the first for 10 years. And now we had another! That is kind of bizarre. The whole house shook for about 10 seconds.
Last night we officially finished our photography course. Now I think we just have to practice, practice, practice. Am looking forward to going to NZ so I can take tons of photos.
I think that is all the excitement I can share for this sunny wednesday. see you later

My day off

So here I am having a day off. Children at school. By staying in bed with the laptop, I can't see the house, or the mess or the washing. Pretty soon though the need for coffee is going to drive me out of bed. The weather is wet and windy. And I have to say that after all these months/years of drought rain is very welcome. So I have sat here and finished my layout that I have been working on for the word up challenge at scrapmatters. Here it is.
I used a new kit (told you I had to use some of the new ones that I have been busily buying) called The walk of the lovers. It is by Choubinette who is a French designer. It is a huge kit with lots of interesting elements, I liked the filmy red fabric and the net edging. And of course I have to say that I love this song so when I had to find a title in a foreign language this was the first thing that came to me.
Yesterday I finished up another layout, this time using a template I found over at we are storytellers. I thought it was a bit different and for this one I used the huge freebie kit called Endless Love by Mimilou Forum, another French group of designers. This kit was massive, there is over 400 pieces in it!
I have been trying to get a bit of scrapbooking done, despite being completely exhausted, so at least I feel like i achieve something besides go to work, sleep and be a terrible mother. (not at my best when i am tired).
Now no freebies from me today, but if you went off and signed up for the newsletter at scrapthatidea like I did, then you will have the links for your qp album today! So that should give you plenty to play with. There are a few other cute little bits and pieces too, but I won't ruin your surprise. Enjoy! I am.