New blog header!

This is the first one I've done.... with my own work! I used a kit I made this week, called Melody... will be giving you that one in about 3 weeks!

RebeccaB has released ANOTHER kit! "One Scoop or Two" is available now, for the taking! Go grab it NOW... its free!!!

If you're looking for my freebie "Garden Scraps"... its in the post below!

Caio!

Layout madness & freebie links!

Well Heeeellllooooo there, good friends (and strangers!)

FIRSTLY - a friend brought to my attention, that I had the blog comments set up for "registered user only" - WHOOPS!!! I've fixed it now - so if you don't have a blogger or google acct - you can still comment, just select "Anonymous" from the "Select Profile" drop down menu. Make sure you put your name at the end of your comment so that I know who's left the comment!!! :) I love to hear your feedback... so please leave a quick comment! :) Ta!

Its been "scrapping bonanza" at my house! I bought a couple of kits from the genius designers at Scrap That Idea - and its been non-stop scrapping ever since!!! I'm also working on a new kit - with a "musical" theme... I'm pretty impressed so far... but then, I'm easily impressed!!!

So, for your viewing delight (or not?!) here's what I've been making!

I bought Sara (Sweet Blossom Designs) Bohemia Kit - ONLY $1!!! its gooorgeous!

I bought Vicki's new kit "Old Macdonald" - on sale for the next couple of days for $3 - its sooooo CUTE!

And Sara has her "Ladybug" kit out for only $2 this week as well! I entered this first layout (I'm So Lucky) into Cheryl's Weekly Recipe Challenge (the winners are picked using an online random picker thingie! so there's no stress about yours being the absolute best or anything! so go ahead... submit a layout this week!!!)

I found this Puzzle Sketches site - where they issue "pieces", as a challenge - and you can use them anyway you like, to create a layout! Cool idea, hey?! This is the page, I submitted... (I used Vicki's "Land of Make Believe" kit)

OK... enough about me! Here are some freebie kits I found for ya

Stacey has "Hawaai Lau" (not sure if I spelt that right?!)

Vicki & Mel have a collab called "Uptown Girl" - but don't worry, Mother's of Sons! There are some yellows and blues in there!

Nicole & Nibbles Skribbles have a collab, as well, called "Take A Dip" - fantastic light refreshing feeling colour palette

And don't forget to keep your eye on RebeccaBs blog - she'll be releasing her next kit soon!

And last but certainly not least... here is a sneak peek of my next kit for you... (it's called Garden Scraps)! Will release (sounds like we're hunting "RELEASE the hounds!") later in the week :)

Latte Skies

RebeccaB has outdone herself again -and has LATTE SKIES freebies! Amazing colour palette - very original and gorgeously bold!

I've put together a couple of layouts to give you a little taste...

I've also discovered the Scrap 'n Art Journey blog (see post below, for my challenge entry) - and followed a link from that blog, to Songbird Scraps for more (very interesting!) challenges! I entered this page for the first lot of July Lyrics. Not my greatest page... but I do love pink and brown together! I was feeling a bit "uninspired" the night I made this one!

Stacey is retiring some kits for only $1 at Scrap That Idea, and if you spend $8 you $3 OFF! See the SCRAP THAT IDEA BLOG for details! Also, on the Scrap That Idea Blog - is Sara W's latest challenge! (make a "boy" layout using "girlie" elements!!!) I found this to be a "challenge" indeed!!! I like boy pages to be BOYISH! So really struggled with this one! Here's what i came up with... (I guess I didn't really make it too girlish, after all?!)

Lastly, but not leastly! My friend had a beeeeautiful tiny baby girl on Thursday night - here's the card I made for her. I used RebeccaB's Staple n Spots papers, alpha & ribbons - and pretty much the rest was from Doodle Me This kit by Stacey, available at Scrap that idea.I just love Staples n Spots!

Its Layout time!

I weakened and bought Stacey's Cherry Chocolate kit (only $2 from Scrap that idea), and Vicki's bling bling alpha (only $1 from Scrap that idea)this week! I know there are HEAPS of freebie's around - but I think its important to support those who are always so generous (like Stacey & Vicki!) I also downloaded Stacey's freebie "Tutti Fruitti" and Vicki's freebie mini kit "Sent with Love" and Rebecca's freebie kit "Winter Sun"

Anyway... a torrid of layouts has ensued!!! (what a surprise?!!)

This first one is my "tutti fruiti" page, freebie from Stacey

I used every paper in the kit, and almost every element! I was just going to feature one photo (as it was already so "busy")... but, figured, hey! There's a lot goin' on, it won't matter if there's a few more smiles in there!!!

The next two, I used Cherry Chocolate, by Stacey. Lovin' the colours in this kit! So many different options - it was so hard trying to choose what I'd use first! This first one, is Tari in the bath (I'm never a fan of exposing my children in public!) but figured, this was pretty modest - and the gorgeous blue swirlies in this kit, give the page a "shower" effect (well that's what I was going for, anyway!!)
This is my best friend (forever!) - gorgeous Lisa & I have been friends, almost as long as I can remember. I was actually "best friends" with her sister... but Lisa always managed to wiggle her way in to our sleepovers etc!! Her sister would fall asleep early, and Lisa and I would stay up half the night talking, watching tv, and getting her sister to talk in her sleep!!! Lisa has been a wonderful, supportive, treasured friend ever since. ((hugs)) girlfriend!!! (and don't get mad that I posted your picture on my blog!!!.... don't worry, only a handful of people read it!!!)This one is my "postal" page, using Vicki's "Sent with love"... hubs didn't get it - do you?! The photos of the kids, represent stamps, but also that they are the ones "sent directly from heaven" - then I addressed it to us. I didn't think it was that complicated... hubs still didn't get it. Maybe its coz I made up the address? Still... I didn't think it was that hard to work out?!!!!

I love this page. (I really feel weird, saying I love something, that I made!!! I feel like such a "bragger"!!!) Its not the layout - its the reason behind it. This kit is perfect for our situation... as our beautiful third baby, did in fact, come via the mail!!! This page was also made with Sent With Love, by Vicki.

I used Rebecca's freebie Winter Sun, for this one! When I started playing with the papers, I started to stack them... then I thought "hey, what if I get a photo (or make one) of the kids "stacked"... I really wanted to use Rebeccas gorgeous frame, so I just layered separate photos in that one (and not really that well, I might add!) - and I took the "freestanding" photo of the kids, this arvo!

And I love Stacey's Tweet Heart kit, I wanted to use it again!! I found this funny photo of the kids & cousins - and knew that the "sunny" Tweet Heart" kit was perfect! I just love that little blue birdie too!

So - what have you been doing?!

Oh yeah! Thanks to everyone (all 229 of you!) who've downloaded my Silvery Moon kit! I was stoked - I've never had more than 200 downloads before!! :) HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING IT!

EDIT: Urgh. I've just dragged myself in, from the HOSPITAL! At 4pm this arvo, Tari & Harrison were on the trampoline (one of the safe, enclosed types) - Harrison jumped, and Tari must've been all stiff when he did, she looked liked she got "whiplashed". She was crying really hard, so I took her inside, and sat with her for about 10 mins, til she calmed down. When I put her down, she didn't stand up. I picked her up, and put her on her feet, but she couldn't stand on her legs. OMG. I felt so sick. I took her out to my husband, who looked her over, we tried to stand her up again, she actually stood, but her right leg gave way. So... off to the hospital I went. FOUR hours later, we finally got to see a Dr, had xrays. Waited another 45 mins to see Dr again, to be told, its all clear. While I was waiting in the waiting room, I did take her out of her pram, to see if she could stand/walk - which she did, gingerly. I'm guessing (so was the Dr!) that she may have strained something. Nothing showed on the xrays. I'm taking her to my Chiro tomorrow morning - he'll have a better idea. I just hope we don't come down with some other virus now - everyone in the waiting room, was coughing, sneezing, puking. Just glorious. At least Tari is ok. I think we'll go easy this week, and let her rest up. I've had better Sunday afternoons - let me tell ya!!!

Newest Freebie Kit!

Introducing

Silvery Moon (Preview of freebie below)

OK, so its not your "Run of the Mill" kinda kit. One may think that its kinda dull? BUT I'm a huge fan of black and white photos - and reckon this kit is perfect for 'em! I had lots of metal elements I wanted to use, and thought that a "silver" kit would be the go? I actually dreamt about this kit... how kookie is that?!!

So, download and have a play- I'd love to know what you think, so leave your feedback in comments (if you don't have a google or blogga acct, you can click Anonymous - but make sure you leave your name at the bottom of the comment, so I can see who are!) HUGE THANKS to those who've been commenting... you really encourage me! THANKS!!

Download PAPERS HERE

Download ELEMENTS HERE

Download ALPHA HERE

Here are a few LOs I whipped up earlier...

I used the cookie cutter on the papers for this one... I reckon it turned out pretty good!My 3 monkeys, muckin' around...Aaahhhh.... my baby is growin' up waaaay too fast.

Tari has a funny look on her face in this one, coz she was chewing a biscuit! But OH! I just wanna eat her all up!!!ENJOY!

And just a reminder to check out Stacey and Rebecca B's blogs for more freebie kits!

Busy Bee!

It appears that getting Vicki's kits - has really inspired me!!! I've been scrapping up a storm, here!!! Maybe its got something to do with the weather?! Yes, that sounds weird, I know... but its flippin' FREEZING here! I just checked the weather thingo - and it said it's only 4 degreesC!!! Brrrrr! No wonder, I'm frozen to the core!

OK, you don't wanna hear about the weather - here's some pages I whipped up last night - using Vicki's kits again! I'm really loving "From my Window" - its such a gorgeous simple kit - and I love Navy. So the next two, I used From my Window - (the string/bling frame was from the Land of Make Believe Kit)I used Colour Me Happy for this one... (how alike are these girls, and they're cousins, not sisters! The little one is my niece, she has often seen photos of my daughter when she was younger, and said "when did you take that photo of me?"... and it's not her... it's Mikayla!This one, was a bit of a challenge to myself! I used the "land of Make Believe" kit, which is really quite girlie. Lots of pink pages, fairies etc. My challenge to myself, was to make a "boy" page out of the kit. This is what I came up with. (the "tag" alpha was made by Stacey, called itsy bitsy black on white), the font is Turtle Club by kevinandamanda

This next page, I made for Cheryl's recipe challenge, on Scrap That Idea Blog. She is going with a "nature" them this week. See the blog for details. Upload your photo to Cheryl's album, by Sunday, to be in the running for a $5 gift voucher. I totally recommend that you bookmark this blog, as the girls put up some excellent tips and tutorials etc. As well as displaying their amazing pages, to snaggle ideas from!!! Anyhoo - this is my LO for the Challenge. I used a big fat eraser to run around the edges of the photos to give them that smudgey look.

For those foreigners (not Australians!!!!) Queensland is Australia's tropical paradise. Most Australians head there at some stage for a holiday. Its warm, has theme parks, lots of tourist stuff, and Australia Zoo (home of Steve Irwin, the Croc Hunter). The Quote I've used "Queensland, beautiful one day - perfect the next" is from Queenslands tourism advertising campaign!! The "wildlife" pics were taken at Australia Zoo. The beach pics & sunset, are of Palm Beach (our apartment was right on the beachfront), and the parrots used to sit on our balcony - we fed them bread soaked in honey water!!! At one stage, we had about 20 parrots come to visit!!!

Just discovered STacey has a new freebie called Tutti Fruitti - SO GO GET IT!!!

I'm still excited

C'mon sing it with me! "I just can't hide it! C'mon, C'mon You know you want to!" Are they the right lyrics?!! I watch that TV show, about guessing the lyrics, and I'm hopeless!!

Moving right along... Vicki gave me my $15 of points to use in her store - so I bought

Over the Moon

Colour Me Happy

From My Window

Winter Wonderland

Land of Make Believe

Oooo!!! So much scrappy goodness!!!

I was busting to give them a crack, so here's a few pages I've made this morning (while I was meant to be cleaning my house!)

These first two, were made using "Land of Make Believe"

Lovin' the elements in this kit! This swing bridge is awesome! I gotta take some more pics of my kids running!!!
The next two were made with "Over the Moon". This first one is a bit silly... but hey, "silly" and my kids go hand in hand (guess they get it from me?!!!)
The sheep were actually part of the paper, so I couldn't move them... but loved the look of the paper - so I decided to make my kids "ride" them!!! Although Harrison is doing kung fu on his (coz he's so clever!)

Next is the delicious Dirty Harry! Made with Winter Wonderland! Great colours for "boys"! And its only $2! So why wouldn't you buy it?!!Next we have "room with a view"! Or Lovely View as I've named it (why didn't i think of Room with a View earlier?!!) This is made with "From my Window" - gorgeous unique kit. Once again, nice "boy" colours, but with some pretty elements so you can "girl" up a page too! And I saved the "pretty" one for last! "Colour Me Happy" is a total drool worthy kit! (if you like cute and pretty!) I've been lusting after this kit, for quite a while now, and was going to buy it in the 4thJuly sale... but remember I had a gift voucher coming, so held off!!!

Last night, I was looking through my "kits" folder, and realised I hadn't played with Vicki & Charlie's "Bright Lights of Summer" kit yet! Gorgeous bright contrasting colours with a bitta bling -love it!

...I really love digi scrapping... had you noticed?!!

Busy Weekend!

WELL! We're very excited (my hubs said he almost poopped his pants he was so excited!) - we saw a local builder, on Friday - and his house plan has come in about $40k CHEAPER than the other plan we were all keen to build. Yes... FORTY THOUSAND dollars! SO we may be able to have our inground pool now!!! Did I say, we're excited?!!!

Here's the new plan... its got a bit of scribble on it, coz we're doing a couple of minor changes to this plan... but you get the general idea. Sorry its wonky - the original is A3, so I had to squeeze it onto my scanner, and reduce a bit...

We want to put Jarrah floorboards, through the middle main living area (how huge is it?!!)... I'm a bit worried its going to noisy as anything in there... but I'm such a sucker for hardwood floors!!! I figure we can always put in a rug or two... and send the kids to the Games Room, or outside?!! Check out how big the laundry is... I could have laundry piled up in there for weeks, and still not fill it up!!

I'M EXCITED! I think the excavation dude is cutting our driveway, and leveling the house site, next week. We hope to get the final quote on the house next week, sign & pay deposit... oh yeah, AND this builder reckons it'll be a 6 week admin period (council approval etc) then a 20 week build... that's only SIX MONTHS and he reckons we'll be sipping lattes on our alfresco, taking in the gorgeous country hills view!!! Ahhh....

I WON!!!

I nearly chucked, when I read THIS! I WON!!!

My Babysitter LO won Vicki's July "scraplift" challenge... and I scored a $15 gift voucher to spend in Vicki's store at Scrap That Idea! WooHoo!!!

I used Vicki's freebie "Out and About" for the layout, so I feel kinda bad, that I won a gift voucher, by using a free kit!!! I hope you got to download the kit, from Vicki's blog, because its a fantastic kit! I've made about a dozen pages with it, already! Actually, come to think of it, it was a collab with Mel - and Vicki keeps those links open on her sidebar... SO GO GET IT NOW if you missed it!!!

Rebecca has her freebie "A Must for Rust" kit out now too! Rebecca's papers are simply amazing - a work of art, in themselves!!! Because I loved the papers so much, I tried to keep the photos & elements to a minimum! I made 3 pages, from our holiday on an outback farm, Easter 2007.