Love your smile

Went for a family picnic today to Tahunanui beach - while your sister was playing on the playground I took to heart everyone saying I wasn't taking enough photos of you - I took about 15 today and this was my favourite. What a blessing you are. No wonder your Auntie Marena loves you

Berry picking the day before Christmas

Christmas blessings from Christ

I love this time of year and the excitement and all the good that people do. Loved spending time with my family - children, sister, brother and parents. Roast turkey and, stuffing and cranberries is my favourite thing. We had picked raspberries the day before - she picked 4 - none of which were very ripe - she enjoyed the boysenberries as we picked - calling them sour - which the majority were. Mum made a lovely raspberry and white chocolate dessert I love and always associate with Christmas. She loved her wings from Auntie Marena and doll from my parents and beanbag from Uncle Jeremy. She did finally have an afternoon sleep though. I really like this thought expressed by the late Neal A. Maxwell - "Each of us is an innkeeper and decides if there is room for Jesus." I feel that although nice the commercialism detracts from the importance of Christmas. I am so thankful for my beautiful children, must post more photos of my son too:)

I could not live without you both

Loving being a mother of 2 even though some days are kind of trying - but they bring so much joy that I feel completely and utterly blessed by Heavenly Father that loves us and wants us to have joy. Here are some pics taken lately - he is growing like a mushroom almost 2 months old and she will be 21 months. Each day and moment is precious.

November almost over

Another photo Amanda Haynes took. Hape left today for 3 weeks. She hasn't had her daytime sleep and he is all hot and bothered. Took them to Santa Parade today - 21 degrees - this hot weather doesn't agree with me

November - family photo

Taken by Amanda Haynes of Rangiora - fantastic photographer - lots of fun - look forward to future photo sessions - taken in school holidays in 2008 about April? Travelled down especailly really and also visited inlaws. Our girl was a bit distracted but really pleased with photos

Joy in the simple things

Our little girl seems even more grown up now that she has a little brother.
She has been sick but seems to be feeling better and more like herself again. Vocabulary increasing every day. Recent words have been chocolate, bucket, blanket, milk, milo, dinner, toast.
This dress is a bit big for Jordan but its been such a hot day - she loves dressing up as a girl.




Jacob is such a settled baby a lot of the time - unfortunately his long sleeps are mainly during the day - him and Jordan cry at the same time - he gets upset (hungry, wet, starving for attention) and then she gets all sad and cries. But they are awesome and love having them in my life. Jordan loves being outside - here she is sitting out with her grandparents (not in photos) drinking their drinks saying "nice" - Jacob is 2 weeks and 2 days now - time goes really fast.

Another Precious gift from God

He arrived at 515pm October 2008.Worth the wait.Went into labour Friday 10 about 0530am. Had forgotten what that was all like! Dropped Jordan off at mum and dads Saturday when Bronwyn them midwife said to meet her in at the hospital about 1030 am.
I didn't see Jordan again until the Sunday morning. Really missed her while I was in the hospital - the special times we share together in the mornings and evenings.

Jacob in the car seat on the way home - the same one Jordan used. He was 8 pounds when he was born and 50 cm in length - Jordan was 8 lbs 4 oz and was 54cm. First pic of Jacob in theatre - mum and Marena watched from the window. I could feel the stitching and everything this time around.

Well he came a week earlier than expected into our lives - he was nameless from the time he was born on Saturday 11 October 2008 until on the ride home at the roundabout around the corner on Wednesday 15 October when we agreed upon Jacob Samuel - he is well behaved and sleeps fairly well around the clock - just hope it continues along those lines and even improves - feel so blessed to have blocks of sleep overnight - wheras Jordan would wake every 1 - 1 1/2 hours. She loves having a baby in the house/family. She is not jealous at all but full of love - so grateful for that.

There's no one like you - 7 October 2008

This LO was for the sketchbook competition - we had to use a minimum of 3 different sized circles to represent a target (the theme was archery) - as well as include an arrow - pretty basic but harder to put into practice - I wasn't very original and I did it the day it was due on the Monday - sadly I only entered 4/6 LOs but it was good because there wasn't the pressure. I really want to add some more journalling though to make it more personal.

Its 425 am and seems to be the only time I get to sit down and focus and I am up because I can't sleep. I can hear the nice pitter/patter of the rain but it doesn't seem to have helped. Strange, when Jordan has been in the bed I can't sleep - tonight she really didn't want to settle so I told her if she turned the light on one more time I would put her in the cot so emptied the cot and she went in and didn't make a fuss and flicked through some books and eventually fell asleep - this is amazing considering the fact that she would cry when she went in - am I too soft when it comes to her? Perhaps. Yesterday (6th) we had my second obstitrician appointment just to see that things were still in a positive sense and that it appeared safe that I try and have a normal birth and not book in for a c-section and he feels that the benefits at this stage outweigh the c-section. Jordan came with us this time. She has developed this habit of shaking her head no and then grinning when she knows she shouldn't touch something - and then picks it up. Very endearing. She has such a great understanding of things too - little things but she follows what we mean. She'll go and sit at her little table when I say its time for food and she just seems to understand what we are saying even when we try and say things cryptically. I am counting down - 10 days til I am due. It is hard not knowing when it could happen. Bronwyn my midwife is working night shifts that weekend so hopefully she will be around as I really value her experience. Here are some cute pics of Jordan that I took while dad was visiting the other day when he started off watering our herbs and then Jordan wanted to water them and kept saying more and after using the tap outside she was relentless and could have gone on all day - she got completely wet but had the best time.

25 September 2008 -

What a beautiful day it is here today. Here is my latest Lo for sketchbook olympics - track and field event - we had to deisgn a LO with an outdoor adventure/outing. It is week 5 and I have only submitted 3 and now up to the last one - archery -has to include a target/bulls eye with at least 3 different sized circles and at least one arrow - the arrow parts easy not so sure on the rest - this was of our girl on her swing outside - she loves being in it - used to only last in it about 10 minutes now it's more like 30. She is such a happy kid. Loves life. She is always on the go and I feel so tired - I am 36 weeks tomorrow. TFL

18 September 2008 also

This was my other LO for sketchbook comp - had to use flourishes and/or swirls as well as ribbons. Tracy kindly sent me some things I used - check out her blog www.redheadtracy.blogspot.com - very inspiring

18 September 2008

Just thought I should update this - I have been terribly slack - she has turned 18 months old - seems like such a big gap between when she was born and now. I am also a month away as of yesterday to having our second child. Feeling really tired. Have entered the sketchbook olympics - so far out of 4 challenges I have only completed 1 or is it 2? I have been leaving it til the Monday its due and this week when she was sleeping and wanted me beside her and then woke up crying and my 2 Aunts were arriving and we were having dinner I thought I would still get it completed but was so tired it just didn't happen so it is still in pieces. Here is my one that we had to do using no more or less than 10 elements - I can do simple but am trying to expand on that and try other things. The photo is taken 10 April 2007 so she was almost a month old - I used the quote SHE just has this way of brightening the day - celebrate her radiance was the rest of the quote by Kobi Yamada that I didn't use.

29 August 2008 Moving in a sense

Today my parents and brother moved house. This is the house I had lived in since I was 3 months old. I feel really sad and find it hard for it to seem real yet - I can't imagine someone else living in it that isn't our family - our daughter loved it - loved the garden, loved the neighbourhood. Hard to let go - but sometimes you just don't have a choice. I think part of it is that we don't have our own home and the entire time we have been married we have moved about 10 times so this was one stability in life - this was where our girl spent her first month or so and this was theoretically her first home. She seems unfazed by thing at the moment - I am worried if I go tomorrow to the house that I will get too upset. So many memories - nothing feels like home like that place did but I am hoping one day that it will. Here are some shots of her taken on Wednesday - 27 August. We went with mum and dad out to lunch and she fell asleep on the way home. The first photo is her dancing to the music in her car seat. The next photo is when she got into the milk powder and shook it around and got it on her face.

SYTYCS your own style

These were some ideas Meeks posted to help when defining your own style.
Write up a new list of favourite things if it helps...here are the prompts I gave to help you define your style at the beginning of the comp....write it up again and see if its changed...

What size photos do you like to scrap...
who or what sort of subjects do you usually scrap....
what colours do you tend to use the most....
do you like to mix up the pattern paper or use complimentary patterns and colours....
whats the first thing you reach for when you start a layout....
how do you journal....
are you a embellishment girl...do you like a lot or a little....
Simple lines or lots of detail....
What size layouts do you do the most...
Do you like to scrap single photos or multiple photo's
You need to do a title...whats the first thing you think of....alphabet stickers, computer, free hand, stamps, chipboard....
Paint or ink?
Whats your favourite trend or technique?

Meek

SYTYCS challenge 7 - last one - Sleeping Beauty

Friday 11 July 2008

This week you are scrapping in YOUR OWN STYLE!!

For the last 6 weeks you have tried on the different scrapping styles of our DT but now we want you to dig up that piece of paper you defined YOUR style on at the beginning of the comp and go for it with no restrictions…total freedom….there is no theme, no elements set by us….we want to see a totally original layout by YOU!

At first I was wondering what am I going to do - then I found this photo sorting through papers and chose it and ended up keeping it really simple - which could be my style (???? who knows?)

SYTYCS challenge 6 4 July 2008

Welcome to the Gorgeously Grungy, Shabby Chic with an Edge style of Louise.

Louise cleverly mixes her graphic designer skills with a love of shabby chic, giving her pages their own unique twist.

She embraces Hybrid scrapping, seamlessly mixing digital elements onto a traditional paper layout…sometimes altering her photo, maybe printing digital embellishments or often using the computer to journal the story.

She likes to draw you deep into her layouts creating intriguing dimension with shadows of chalk, ink or paint….creating a well loved, care worn look in the process.

Louise gets rough with those richly coloured papers, tearing, ripping edges, folding down, scrumpling…its all about creating texture and contrast. Her signature is to layer up her embellishments, grouping together items she loves in fabulous clusters bursting with swirls of foliage and flowers.

Louise is all about attention to details…If you look very closely you will see the carefully layered up strips of patterns and trims, the sheer or clear elements….gauzy ribbons, transparent overlays, the sprinkle of bling and brads or a sweeping swirl of hand stitching that appear effortlessly beautiful but which have been created with much care and thought.

Ahh ha..yes.. so you think you can Scrap!! Well we KNOW you CAN!!! We have seen the amazing layouts you have come up with in previous weeks so dive on in and rock out a lovely layered Louise masterpiece... Heres what you need to include on your page…

Distressed paper
Ink and/or chalk
Layers…at least 3!
Rich colours
Digital – (this could be a printed embellishment, journaling or altered photograph)
Leaves
Clear/sheer element
Brads

If you havn't already...(come on out from under that rock !!) you must check out Louise's galleries and blog....

Blog
http://louisewilliams.wordpress.com/

SYTYCS challenge 5

This challenge was set by Lisa at Scrapbooking by design (Friday 27 June 2008)
A whole piece of patterned paper as background
birds and/or butterflies
foam or chipboard alphabet
fabric
pink or teal or lime (or use all or a combo of 2 if you wish)
And no matter what it is .. include on your LO the newest, scrappin supply you have bought recently

I really enjoyed this challenge with the colours although could have been more adventerous

SYTYCS challenge 4

This challenge was set my Heidi
Black and white with bursts of colour/s
Doodling
Bling
5x7 photo
flourishes/swirls
rubons and/or transparencies
cut work from pattern paper
flowers (either in pattern or otherwise)

I really enjoyed this challenge. Used a photo that Amanda Haynes, photographer frm Rangiora took - wondered afterwards if that was okay as it never said it had to be a photo you had taken and I don't really have many other 5x7 photos

SYTYCS challenge 3

Lianne's style - you must use at least one example of each of the following -
fabric/ribbon/lace strips
paint used with an object to stamp
strip journalling
labels (bought or found)
mixed alphas
hand stitching
and something unexpected. Something you wouldn't usually think to put on your page (think outside the square)
I liked this challenge a lot and didn't find it too hard

So You Think You Can Scrap competition

Thought I would try my photos medium instead of small because they look too small on the page. Recently Scrapbooking by Design held a 7 week SYTYCS challenge that was a lot of fun - I ended up with some pages I wouldn't have otherwise done. Some challenges were easy and the others not so and sometimes I completed them the day they were due in - I can't even remember what days the challenges were posted now.
Meeks week 1 -
at least one of each of the following -
penwork
handwritten journalling
a mix of pattern paper
scallops
stars or hearts
buttons or brads
4x6 photos showing candid everyday-life shots
I don't really like the page I made for this now as I think it's a bit structured

Can't currently find the pic so this is challenge 2 Kelly's style
use at least one of the following elements -
paint
torn paper
stamps
ribbon or trim
a flower (or more if you wish)
clustered embellishments
mixed photo sizes -one of which must include you

Out of the running

"Listen to your dreams - those are the sounds no one else can hear."
Not so much my life motto but fitted with the picture and I really liked the quote. Enjoyed those that entered and brought spiritual meaning into it too.
This was my take of challege 3 - the requirement was to scrap a life motto - done ons some material other than 12x12 paper - which is kind of what I did because I used vellum - only did it on Friday the day it was due because I had been struggling with what I was going to use - a pizza box, transparency? Loved Lissyk's one - her quote was SHE took a leap of faith and found her wings on the way down - like mine also by Kobi Yamada. It was fun while it lasted. I didn't make it to round 4 - you needed more than 5 votes and I got 4. Round 4 was to use stitching to adhere ALL of your elements to a page (includes photos, paper, title, embellies). We want to see a minimum of two different types of stitches. You must have at least 1 photo, title and a little journalling. What I love about these challenges is that the photo size etc is up to you. My likes have changed a bit scrapping wise lately. I like plainer papers to accentuate the photo and journalling. Like Debee Campos's style. I seem so fickle with styles. Anyway if you are reading this check out round 4 - very impressive - a real stand out for me is MarniT's Heaven sent an angel of her neice. www.embellished.com.au - go to gallery and round 4 for embellished idol.

Time for scrapping?!!

I entered Embellished Idol - go online to see at www.embellished.com.au - their great range of scrapbooking at the shop - the forum has some great challenges and the gallery has lots of inspiration - we have just completed round 2 - this is a picture of it - the challenge was to: Make your own arty background - spray, splatter, drip or smear some paint, it must include at least one photo, journalling, a title, you must use a mask.
I struggle with paintwork as I haven't really used paints but I was happy with the overall effect. Looking forward to seeing what others have done for round 3 - you can vote on the entries too!

1 July 2008 Growing into a little girl and not enough time to blog

Today was Jordan's last day at SPACE. This was our 4thterm - 3 here and one in Dunedin. Today she played a lot with the water and mixed in the face paint (teal coloured from lux flakes) and took thepaint brushes over and splashed it and then wanted to drink it. Yuck.
Challenge 5 of So You Think You Can Scrap has had me stumped - I think a big problem was the fact that this week is Lisa's style and has to include:
a whole piece of patterned paper as a background
birds/and or butterflies
foam or chipboard alphabet
fabric
pink or teal or lime (or use all or a combo of 2 if you wish)
circle/s
And no matter what it is....include on your layout the newest scrapping supply you have bought recently

Sounded great and I couldn't wait to get started - got a bit stumped with my backgroundpaper so got another only to discover really that my photos wouldn't really suit pink or lime with the way they were and the red and teal I had chosen for my background. Most of my photos are of Jordan at space or playcentre and she usually has lots of strange colours on.

7 June - about 3 & 4 June 2008 at SPACE and Playcentre

Love watching Jordan play - she has so much fun sometimes and is very busy transporting things from one area to another - loves to take the paintbrush over to the cornflour mix and add the paint or paint the playdough.Photos with hat are from Applyby playcentre on Wednesday 4 June - while sitting drinking milo and eating toast with vegemite.

7 June 2008 time flies

Where does the time go? How come Jordan is growing so fast? Jordan is enjoying Playcentre and SPACE - especially loves to paint and get wet spending time at the water areas pouring water from one thing to another and loves to carry around paintbrushes and paint pots and transport them from one area to another. She jabbers a lot - some real words thrown in - she is also trying to jump. Also taking her to music on Thursday where she runs around most of the time and then they play afterwards. Love her more each day.