Poor hubby

Oh dear he's in the wars this week. He came home from the bush on Saturday (sans gold mind you) and his hand was twice the size it usually is. He didn't even have any knuckles, and it looked so painful. He'd like people to think he went a couple of rounds with some biker dudes, but truth of the matter is that he got bitten on the hand by a March Fly. Because of no open doctors in town we ended up ringing Nurse on Call. What an awesome service. We were most impressed. She got us through the night and by the next morning it had started to recede but he still couldn't make a fist, but gradually over the day it got better. All is well now, but who would have thought a little fly could inflict such a wound.

Then tonight I get home from work and I see a black eye starting to emerge. Again with the biker story!!! Feh, tried that one before. This time it was the cat's fault. Bo had managed to catch herself a bird and hubby got the bird from her and as he put the cat back inside so as to give the bird a chance to escape, the cat sprung loose and the bird flew to a nearby branch. Hubby went chasing the bird (yes, it's starting to sound like a AAMI advert isn't it?) and ran slap bang into a branch. Lucky he didn't take his eye out. He swears there's no damage and it's now half opened but getting nicely dark above the eye. Oh the stories I'm going to be faced with in this little town, ha! I know I'll get the blame here somewhere.

And no way no how was he allowing me to get a camera anywhere near him. Hmmmmph.

Woe is me :-(

I decided that I was going to strip the beds today and wash all the sheets and doona covers. Good plan. Until the washing machine stopped and I went to get them out and found bits of tissue EVERYWHERE! Even though I was at home alone I was about to fume, started ranting and raving, smoke coming out my ears ... until I sheepishly remembered taking a tissue to bed with me the other night because of a sniffly nose. It must have gotten caught up with the sheets or pillow case.

Well, the secret stays with me and the cat right, oh and anyone else who reads this. No one needs to know that I was about to blame everyone except myself. Right? We can share a secret can't we all? Deal?

Speaking about the cat, I know, I have an obsession with my dog and cat so bear with me. Here's a layout I scrapped today. I knew in my head how I wanted it to look, kind of opposites but the same. It didn't quite turn out how my head had it, but I like it just the same. I think it all works. Would welcome opinions, because these layouts are just flipping out of my head and I am not sure of the "rules" of layouts, where pictures are best suited, etc etc.


Credits : Beautiful background papers – from Mono-Pack Essentials by Gina Cabrera of Digital Design Essentials. Spotted paper and notepaper from Bohemian Poetry kit by Tracy Collins, Retrodiva. Doodle (the cream one was recoloured) and stitching from Bluish Dream kit by Lively. Staples form Shabby Fall kit by Shabby Princess Kristie. Font- Antique Type.


Now, back to household chores. I bought a new ironing board cover yesterday and I'm quite excited about it. Which really depressed me. Since when did I turn a corner and get to the point of being excited about an ironing board cover?!? That just sounds so wrong doesn't it. But anyway it's made out of a cross between t-shirt/windcheater material and fits the board beautifully. I've never seen an ironing board cover made out of that kind of material before, hence my excitement!

Sad really, isn't it? Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Cheers.

Weekend awaits

I have the house to myself tomorrow so I will back Aliza's blanket with the minky. I can't stop stroking the darn thing, I think I'll wear out it's softness. Have I mentioned, I bought the minky online, from USA, and even with the exchange rate and postage it still worked out cheaper than buying it from Australia. Online shopping rocks!!!

So all being well there will be a picture of a finished baby blanket over the weekend. Promise.

So my digi scrap offering for tonight is hubby. Took the camera into the sacred zone yesterday (cue "oooooohs" and "aaaaaaahhhhs"). Amongst some stupid faces he pulled, I got these two normally serious ones. Now I tell you that man LOVES his shed. It was enough just to get him to go on a one week honeymoon with me, of which I jokingly took a picture of the shed packed in our bags, just in case he missed it too much! It comes from working from home I guess, his shed is his office. To me though it's just a place with lots of machines and sawdust! Urrrrgh.

Credits

Background paper – Sprung by Kim Christensen. Dark Border – Sprung by Kim Christensen. Light border – Charmed by Amber Clegg. Stitching – from Bluish Dream kit by Lively (love that scrappy stitching!!!). Staples from Shabby Fall kit by Shabby Princess Kristie. The screw was a freebie download which I’m not sure from where now (sorry). Font – Antique Type.

I should be in bed

And fast asleep. It's nearly 1am but it's too hot to sleep. I just had a stone cold shower and now I'm wide awake. Thank goodness it's a sleep in day tomorrow ... or I should say today! Hubby is asleep in the bedroom, I can hear him quietly snoring (or it may be the fan whirring, I'm not sure).

The heat has really knocked us all today, it's been horrid. And for a house with no air conditioning, I preferred driving in my car today, but couldn't do that for too long. Aaargh. We need to go AC shopping quick smart.

So here's my latest layout, I'm having so much fun documenting our life here. For those that don't know, my dad is quite ill so can't travel, and of course mum won't leave dad. So even though they are only 2 hours away, they've not been here for a visit for probably it's 3 years now, so they don't get to be part of my "life" here in this little town. So that's a reason I'm kind of documenting our life, so they get to share a bit of it.

So this pic was taken on the way to the supermarket. I tend to take my camera everywhere now. Yes ... even to the supermarket! Well it's a 35 minute drive to the nearest decent one, who knows what you're going to see. And see I did - this lovely lady laying ever so elegantly in the paddock, being a big camera tease!

Thanks for looking and being able to be in a small part of my life too.




Credits : Beautiful background paper – Katie Pertiet Ad Challenge Paper Pack. Folded ribbon by Tabby Lewis. Kelly S white daisy. Notepaper by Katie Pertiet. Staples from Shabby Fall kit by Shabby Princess Kristie. Font – Neville Script.

When life throws you lemons - make lemonade!

My motto has always been to look on the bright side, the cup is always half full, a frown is just a smile upside down. Sickening I know! I'm exhausting to be with, but I can't help it.

So in thinking of my next digi scrapping project my mind went back to Christmas. I had desperately wanted to take a good photo of my niece and nephew. I wanted them to be sitting still with big smiles and shiny faces, looking like the sweet cherubs they are (hmmm, well most times anyway!) But no ... Sean was into pulling faces that day with Jessica egging him on, and the resultant photos have been tucked away since that day.

Until now. I thought they would be perfect for this project and I'm thrilled with the result. I'll probably get this page printed off and even framed for their mum and dad. So it's true then - when life throws you lemons - make lemonade!

CREDITS

Gorgeous freebie Kit – Love Notes by Vintage Charm from Megan Leeson, downloaded from ksharonk’s blog (big thank you for this). Tears from Stephanie Krush. Staples Basic Set from Valeri Brumfield. Stitching freebie. Font Antique Type.

Woops

Posted the pics and then tried to resize and they won't go smaller. Sorry!

How positively awesome is this?

Hubby and I went to visit a farm in the area yesterday so we could work out the camera once again. Apparently these Scottish Highland Cattle were here all along and I had no idea, firstly where they were and secondly how magnificent they are. Then hubby mentions he knew the fellow who owned them and as a coincidence he was there tending to them as we drove past.

What a delightful man he was, he took us in and showed us around. I was walking in amongst them in the paddock. I was also in the paddock with the BIGGEST DARN BULL YOU'VE EVER SEEN!!!

They are amazing animals. Very curious and will follow you, although just quietly knowing there's a big animal behind you with horns the size of those was a little disconcerting. But the minute you turn around and look at them they get very skittish and back away. It was just the greatest hour learning all about them, here's some pics I took yesterday. The babies just wanted to make you melt, they looked like ewoks (is that what you call them???)

I can't get enough of it

I am loving this Digital Scrapbooking. I just can't get enough. I swear I'm even dreaming about layouts, is that strange? I don't think I've ever been so passionate about starting a new hobby in my life. I'll always quilt and stitch, I can't not do that, that's a thing in front of the telly. But even earlier I heard myself say to hubby that I need to save for a laptop so I can still be doing this but join him in the loungeroom so I'm not stuck away here in the office.

So my question is, do people have a definite style with their layouts? I seem to be going from busy to simple back to busy again. I'm not sure what I like the most. Simple perhaps. Not too much. Really display the photo. Arrrrgh, it's messing with my head!!! But who knew that something like this would give me so much pleasure.

Anyway so here are my latest layouts...

Hubby gets a guernsey in the first one.

Paper: Sand & Water by Valeri Brumfield. Staples: Basics Set by Valeri Brumfield. Scrolls: Andrea Victoria. Stitching: Not sure, was a freebie from somewhere.

Paper: Urban Kiwi Shabby Princess (dots) and Seventies Free Pea Kit, Tia Bennett (timeline). Swirl: Andrea Victoria. Staples: Valeri Brumfield Basics Set. Fonts: Fabulous 50's and Century Gothic.

Paper: Vintage Charm Love notes Megan Leeson (cream) and Family Time Sande Krieger Two Peas (brown and striped). Tears: Stephanie Krush. Stitching: Freebie. Staples: Valeri Brumfield Basics Set.

So all I keep doing lately is looking, I swear I don't go anywhere without the camera now. Just waiting for the perfect picture to scrapbook. Is life going to be like this from here on in?

Hungry hungry hungry

I'm sitting here smelling the delicious honey soy chicken wings I have in the oven and getting hungrier and hungrier and contemplating ripping into the new raspberry Tim Tam packet taunting me on the kitchen bench. Shall I? Perhaps I'll wait.

With Bo not to be outdone, she now has a digi scrapbooking layout finished so best post it so hers is up on the blog too. Don't worry, I will do other layouts, they won't ALL feature the dog and cat! Oh and Tracey asked about what program I used - Photoshop CS2. Get into it Tracey and get those favourite photos scrapbooked - you'll get hooked, I promise.




Also, how is this for summer fruit. We had a nectarine tree out the back and it never did too good and the birds would get to all the fruit before us, so hubby cut it back really really hard last year. So imagine our surprise when this year we have an abundance! And the birds have left them alone. Probably due to Molly deciding to keep guard and doing her job around the tree very well!



Still awaiting the Minky I have bought from ebay so will be delighted to get Aliza's quilt finished and given to her.

And I've decided it's pretty good form being married to a nerdy computer loving man! Hubby put a DVD burner in my 'puter last night and a gazillion more gig. Yes ... life is bliss!

Now off to check that chicken...