happy new year to you!

Wishing you all a Happy New Year

Love Donna, Craig, Kirsten and Amanda xxx

*squeal*

Well today is the day.... we are off on our first overseas holiday! Craig has been overseas numerous times but this is the first time that the girls and I have been out of the country... to say we are excited is a little bit understated LOL!

We are going on a Family Adventure with Intrepid Travel to Vietnam and Cambodia. We have a six hour stop over in Singapore on the way, which will be a nice break in the trip to stretch our legs and then we are off again and landing in Hanoi, Vietnam. The tour goes for 15 days and we finish up at Siem Reap in Cambodia. Then we head to Koh Samui in Thailand for 5 days before we head home just in time for Craig to go back to work and the girls to start back at school.

see you when we get home!

to you and yours

october afternoon 'farmhouse'

Are you ready for the fat man in red suit to arrive tonight? I think this has been the most stress free Christmas that we have ever had. We are going to my parents for Lunch and then Craig's parents for dinner. Every year all of us girls rotate to do a different course for Christmas Dinner... it's always a traditional Christmas Feast. This year I am baking the ham.... easy peasy! I have the glaze all ready to go and all I have left to do is score the ham and I am good to go. My friend Katrina has a boutique patty cake business in town called Katty Cakes and this year she decided to do some gingerbread houses, I couldn't resist as my FIL is a HUGE fan of ginger. 

Cute hey?


Now for some scrappy shares. I couldn't wait for this range to arrive in the Savvy store... I think that October Afternoon has certainly become my favourite scrapbooking line at the moment.. I am loving the muted colours and there is always a fantastic range of embellishments to go with each range that can also be used with other ranges as well.


This layout is of Alicia and I at Longpoint Retreat in June when the girls and I drove down for a surprise visit.

I have done a couple more layouts with this range but blogger seems to have a mind of it's own this morning and is loaded all my images sideways. So I will have to share them with you another day.

Merry Christmas to you and yours


D xx

I {heart} you

Kirsten is my first born, my baby.  She will be turning 15 in a few short months and she is growing up to be a beautiful young lady both inside and out. I love this photo that I stole off her laptop... it isn't the clearest, but it has captured her personality beautifully.

I have used some Jillybean Soup 'Hearty Barley Soup and some Huey's mist and a Crafters Workshop Template.... I am loving the browns, pink and white of this range.

Thanks for dropping by

D xxx

some merry savvy kit shares

I am not usually a Christmas scrapper... I try to avoid it at all costs. But after receiving this months
 Merry Savvy kits I went digging through my photos until I found one of the girls.

Amanda wasn't too happy that I scrapped this photo... but it's a memory! right??

In my usual style I have used a savvy kit for not is designed for LOL I loved the muted tones of this kit so I decided to do a layout about Kirsten. I wanted to document things about her at the age of 14. Boy they do grow up far too quickly :-(

I want to thank you all for the congratulations that I have received on the last couple of blog posts... I am so excited to be a part of these magnificent Design Teams. 

thanks for dropping by

D xx

Soooooooo!

I can finally tell you all some news that I have been trying to keep secret for the last couple of weeks. I have been chosen to be on The Challenge Heaven Design Team... I am soooo excited to be joining some fantastic girls in beginning this new adventure.
Thank you again Becky for the opportunity xxx

some scrapbook savvy shares

 I have absolutely smashed this months She's Savvy kit. Yep, there is nothing left but a few embellies and the alpha! I just loved the colours in this one... bright and girly.. Just perfect for my girls. There is still a couple in the shop if you would like to get your hands on one of them.
The photo that I have used for this layout is of Amanda's last performance in the Senior Choir at Primary School. I am hoping that she joins the choir next year in high school as she loves singing.

The next layout is for Kerryn's Manufacturer Challenge... it was for Lilly Bee Designs and lots of layering on your layout... I have most of their paper ranges (are you surprised???? LOL!) so this was an easy challenge for me to do.

I love this photo of the girls... Amanda is nearly 2 and Kirst is nearly 4... we always had our summer holidays at the Gold Coast and spent 3 weeks in our tent or caravan, this made it affordable to take the girls to a theme park every year... Seaworld was definately their favourite. Not that you can tell by the look on Kirsten's face bahhahahahaha!

Today I am off on a road trip with Sarah and all of our kids out to Lauren's farm for a scrappy sleepover, and I haven't packed a thing. Which is soooo not like me at all...... I am always super organised... I think these new meds are working wonders as I am soooo laid back and casual now.. I would have been running around like a chook with its head cut off before lol.  I'm kinda liking the new me :-))

Thanks for dropping by

D xxx

my minds eye 'funday'

Sar from Scrapbook Savvy asked me to use the gorgeous new MME Funday range for my GDT spot for this month... WOW it is so easy to work with! I thought I would have to add lots of bits and pieces to it, but with all the embellies that come with the range, all I have added is some black cardstock. The papers are quite thick, which I love... Not a big fan of flimsy ones as they bend and warp when you add mists to them, but in this case they didn't!

As you can see they can be used for a variety of different photos. The middle one is a gift for Kirsten's best friend Katie... I hope she loves it as much as I do :-}


Thank you for leaving such lovely comments on my blog, Its nice to know that someone out there is popping by.


D xx


ps. I'm still on 75 likers... I wonder if I am going to get to 80 by Christmas???

A nice Suprise

Most of you know that I am a Scrapbook Savvy fan. I love the friendly forum, where I have made many life long  friendships. And without the love and support from these girls I wouldn't have got through some pretty dark times in the last couple of years. They are always there to support me when I need them the most... even if they are thousands of kilometres away .


One of my favourite parts of the shop is the monthly kits. I started off with just getting the She's Savvy, but that didn't last long lol. I had to get them all! 


So, it was a lovely surprise today when Sar asked me to be a guest design team member for December! Yay! of course I said yes! You might have already seen some of these layouts that I have used for last months kits. I have absolutely nothing left of the She's Savvy Kit and enough left of the He's Savvy and We're Savvy Kits to do a couple of more pages which I will try and get done over the next couple of days.

We're Savvy

She's Savvy

He's Savvy

He's Savvy

She's Savvy

She's Savvy

She's Savvy

Sar still has some of these kits available in the shop if you are quick!


I will be back soon to share some layouts from the new MME Kraft 'Happy Days' that Sar has given me for this months DT kit.


Thanks for dropping by


D xx

Getting the 'Gist' of it

Of my new iphone 4s that is! I was a bit excited on Monday when I received a call from my local Telstra shop to say that my new iPhone had arrived after a very long 6 week wait. I didn't care what colour I got, I just wanted one! LOL


And what made it even more exciting is the new cover that I had ordered (and had received last week) do you want to see??

 (Sorry about the photo being on it side, damn blogger won't upload it any other way)

My gorgeous Friend Giovanna Scott is a mixed media artist and have been very busy making canvases to sell, and oh boy is she selling them. She has expanded her business into selling Iphone cases that you can order here and prints of her canvases that you can buy through her blog here.


I was lucky enough a few weeks ago when Gi came out to my retreat to receive one of these prints as a gift.

Isn't she clever??? I love it! Now I just have to find the right frame and hang it on my wall, I even have the right spot picked out :-)

Gi is having a birthday soon so she has decided to have a sale on her blog. I wonder how old she is going to be??? LOL


Oh, my followers has reached 75! I think we might just make the 80 by Christmas!


I will be back soon to share some layouts with you


Thanks for dropping by


Dxxx

A Lauren Bell Creation

Lauren arrived in town early for my retreat, so after doing the grocery shopping we came home and waited for everyone to arrive. Lauren's car was in getting a service, which was only going to take a couple of hours, so she left all of her scrap supplies in the car. Well.....the car took longer than we thought, and we were getting itchy fingers so I gave Lauren some paper to scrap a layout that she could add a photo too later... but, she wanted to do it for me. She chose a photo of my bestie and I at my birthday party earlier this year.  I love  it!

After my post yesterday about my followers it has grown to 73! Do you think we will make it to 80?


thanks for dropping by
D xxx

Are you a follower?

Are you a follower on my blog or do you subscribe through a reader? I have just noticed that my followers has grown to 71! Wow! that is amazing! I wonder if I could make it to 80 before Christmas? I am planning on sending a RAK (picked randomly) if I can make it to that magic number :-)


I am going to share a layout that I did at my retreat a couple of weeks ago using the He's Savvy Kit that you can get here .As usual I have used it on a girl layout, I love how adaptable these kits are.

I have also used one of my flowers that I have made from patty cake papers and a doiley that I have cut out of Kraft cardtock with my cuttlebug.


Everytime Lisa and I get together we seem to forget to go to bed... this photo was taken at a retreat that we went to a few years ago on the Gold Coast... from memory it was about 4am lol


Don't forget to become a 'liker' here on my blog to go into the draw for a RAK from me


Thanks for dropping by


D xxx

Stuck?!

I must admit that the sketch this month at Stuck?! scared me just a little.. all those banners...aarrrrggghhh... and then I had a think and decided that I didnt need to put the banners on it... I could just put something else in its place... so out come a mask and some glimmermist. I love this photo that my daughter Amanda had taken off Lisa's daughter Tahlea when they were out here for my Whitehouse retreat. Isn't she beautiful? I really think that Manda needs to do something with her photography... she always take such amazing photos.


here is this months sketch

 and here is my layout

I have heaps of layouts to share from my scrappy day/night that I had on Saturday... I will share just as soon as I can find where I put the memory card :-/


Thanks for dropping by


D xx

Another Scrappy Weekend

This weekend Craig was away for work, so I invited some of the girls over to scrap the night away. And that is what I did... I was still scrapping when the sun came up. The other girls didn't stay that long though LOL.  I crawled out of bed around 10 and moved all my stash back into my scrap room, and have pretty much stayed on the couch all day. But that's ok hey? 

I want to share a layout that I did last week with Echo Park 'Country Road' I have used a photo of our 'retreat kids' They had such a great time that weekend :) 

I will have more layouts to share soon... once I find my memory card... Damn Kids grrrrr!

thanks for dropping by

D xx

She Makes me Smile on the Inside

I love this photo that Lisa's husband took of us when they came to visit in August. I am so lucky to have her as a friend. I remember nervously pulling up to her house nearly 3 years ago to join her and a few other girls for a crop. I had 'met' most of them online but this was the first time 'in real life' and since then she has become one of my bestest friends..... It doesn't matter how I am feeling, she always makes me feel better....she makes me smile on the inside! I know that she is always available if I need to chat and get things out when I am feeling down. Our families also mesh well together, we love having them come to visit us.I just wish that they lived close so we could get together more often.


I have used this months She's Savvy kit for this page. I love it when a layout comes together on paper just as you imagine it would. I have also uploaded it to the Savvy gallery hoping for a chance to win Sar's Random kit challenge.... this gives you an opportunity to win one of next months kits as well as being the guest designer for the month.... Well worth throwing my hat in the ring don't you think??

Thanks for all your lovely comments and well wishes from my post earlier today... it helps get my through the day knowing that you all care

Thanks for dropping by

D xx

Challenge Heaven

Challenge Heaven a new owner! And Becky has big things planned for the new year, including some new DT members. I haven't played along with their challenges for a while so I thought I would pop in and see what this months challenges were. I have managed to do Becci's sketch challenge

I have used a photo that my gorgeous friend Sandie Mallon took of me in late October and a SFS kit, which sadly, Peta doesnt have any left

On more of a personal note, I am starting to feel more like myself again. I had a visit to a psychiatrist last week and he has added a mood stabiliser to the meds that I was already taking.  He has cut down on the Advanza that I was taking at night time to make me sleep as well.. I am finding that I am waking up in the early morning again... but I can get through the day without too much tiredness. I actually want to get up off the couch and do 'stuff' now.

And I have been creating lots,YAY! and spent a lovely day with two beautiful friends yesterday and we scrapped the day away...... three o'clock came all too quick. We are going to have another day later in the week before school breaks up on Friday.

Thank you all for your beautiful comments... I love reading them 

thanks for popping by

D xx

Rainbow Splendour Pretties

Good morning!

The latest trend in scrapbooking at the moment is beautiful handmade embellies. I have several friends that have created some lovely goodies and have been selling them through their blog. My gorgeous friend Chloe has been busy creating for her end of Year Christmas sale at Rainbow Splendour. 

I was lucky enough recently to win some of these beautiful embellies at a give away on the Rainbow Splendour Facebook Page

I have used one of Chloe's felt pinwheels on this layout of my girls.. It went perfectly with the October Afternoon " Sidewalks" range. Oh I miss the age of innocence in this photo *sigh*

.

I hope you pop over and check these out for Chloe's sale... I know I will be

Thanks for dropping by

D xx

December Show us Your Stuff

The weekend just gone I finished my HUGE clean up of my scraproom. I cant believe the amount of scrappy things that I have hordered over the last 8 years or so... but it is all organised now :))

When I had finished I decided to scrap as Craig was away on the motorbike with his 'Mates' for the weekend. I did a bit of challenge blog surfing and thought I would play along with 'Show us your Stuff' They had a great sketch to work with and I found this photo of Kirst and Manda from when Kirst's preschool had a photography company come and do portraits for one of their fundraisers.  One of the joys to me of scrapbooking is living those memories again while I am creating my page..... aren't they cute??

I have used a handmade purple flower and a music paper covered button.

Thanks for dropping by

D xxx

Friends

I was lucky enough last weekend to have 13 amazing friends come for far and wide to spend the weekend with me for my first Whitehouse Retreat. Lots of laughs, chocolate and the odd drop of alcohol was had as well. It was certainly what I needed!
Here is some happy snaps from the weekend

our group shot :)

I told the girls that I wanted this wall full by the end of the weekend... we had it done by Saturday afternoon!

I told you there was chocolate!

double trouble!

 we were entertained by Gioanna on Sunday morning LOL!

We were also joined by some of our kids for the weekend... they had a great time down at the dam catching Yabbies and swimming

Thankyou girls for making it a great weekend. Love you all to bits xxxooo

December Scrap the Girls

I couldn't believe the criteria for this months Scrap The Girls challenge... BABIES! I don't have many of the girls baby photos left that I hadn't already scrapped but I did this one last Sunday that fitted the criteria perfectly! Boy  Amanda looks so much like my husband in this photo!

I have used some of the new Jillybean Soup 'Hearty Barley Soup"  I{heart} the pink and chocolate together. I have used some Hueys Mist(suprise suprise!) and a Cosmo Cricket Mask

Are you going to join in with Scrap the Girls this month?

Thanks for dropping by

D xx

it's retreat time!

Yay! Friday has finally arrived and I am (im)patiently waiting for the girls to arrive at 3 o'clock this afternoon. I have moved all the furniture and the tables are set up ready to go. I have to do the grocery shopping this morning when Lauren arrives and then we are DONE. Can you tell I am just a wee bit excited! I can't wait to spend the weekend scrapping, laughing, eating and drinking. I think this is just what I need :)

And whats a blog post without some layout shares? I still have heaps to show you from when I was at the SFS retreat and the week after at Sar's. I will get there eventually :)

I have used some Studio Calico with this layout and of course a Crafters Workshop Mask with some OA sprinklers. Sar took this photo of me with her phone... awesome camera, agree?

I looooove this little girl so much! This photo of Bronte shows just how much she wants to be like her big sister Georgia.

I am going to leave you with a quote that I found on Pinterest this week. I am going to print this one and stick it to my fridge, I think we all need to be reminded of this occasionally. (if you need an invite to pinterest let me know and I will send one through to you)

thanks for dropping by

D xx

Some EP times and seasons

The new Echo Park 'Times and Seasons' range is a bit different from their usual releases... I am loving the  vintage colours of this range. I have managed 4 layouts from my order and I have heaps of papers and embellies left over for more layouts. As you can see I have used some Hughies Mist and another of the Crafters workshop templates in my stash.. Oh I {heart} these!

This first layout is of Craig and I at my 40th birthday party... my birthday is always special to us as Craig asked me out for our first date on my 16th Birthday and we got engaged at my 21st.... somedays it feels like yesterday and others it feels like a life time ago!

  The next one is of Lauren and I at my party... I love this girl and I am so blessed to have her in my life.. love you honey mwah!

 I don't have many photos of my grandad, and I dont even know how I came about this one, it is quite pixilated but I wanted to scrap it anyway.

 I also thought this range was quite fitting for a photo that I took when we were in Mackay for a trade show last year... oh to be sitting on that beach right now *sigh*

I have a busy week ahead of me as I have approximately 12 ladies coming to stay on the weekend for my first Whitehouse Retreat... I think they are all as excited as me! I cant wait to spend the weekend having lots of laughs (and drinks of course) and to scrap, scrap, scrap! I am planning on have a couple of these a year, very laid back and casual... if you live nearby and want to join us dont hesitate to let me know!

I am about to head into my scraproom to tidy it up so I can at least get in there to find my stash ready for the weekend... at least I dont have to pack lol

thanks for dropping by

D xx