And another year winds down....

Can someone tell me what happened to 2014 as I really have no idea.
It still feels like it's January, let alone a full year gone past.

Reflecting on 2014 though, it's been a very big year! Looking back I think I need to try to acquire a few more time management skills... for some reason there hasn't been time for a lot of things I'd like to do and I really don't think things are going to slow down much more in 2015. I think this is the new normal (not that there has anything being remotely normal here!)

So in summary of this past year....

• Work has taken off with flying colours, whether my new graphic design business or barista at McDonalds! I'm loving it, and even though I know why I didn't do it all before, I still wonder how I managed to hang on so long at the Express. The stress is so much less, even though I do have some tight deadlines sometimes. I've met some really wonderful people working at Macca's and even though you get some less than polite people, the majority really are great!

• Of course hockey has played a big part - Nicholas was selected in the WA State Country side that played in Queensland. Tshumba's (Nicholas) and Cascade (Kristofer) played in the Men's senior grand final here in Esperance with Cascade coming out winners of a very 'rough' game - I've actually never seen one so bad here! Kristofer and Jonathan both played in Bunbury and Narrogin carnivals, and were playing 2-3 games each week from juniors, U17s and seniors. And, of course, Nicholas came home at the end of the season with the Highest Goal scorer trophy!

• For the fourth year running, Nicholas was nominated for Esperance Sports Star of the Year Award. The luck must have been in this year as finally he won! Very proud moment and I will always keep the articles as he actually thanked his parents for their support - I have it in writing!

• Kristofer started high school - found all about being in a big school. We've had some trouble getting him to actually knuckle down and do the work, but I think we might have got somewhere by the end of the year. He's also started his first job at Macca's and absolutely loves it - not sure if that's the job or the fact he's earning some money but he's learning about responsibility!

• Jonathan spent his last year in primary school as Head Boy - from all reports he conducted himself very well and they've all told us how sad they are that he's going. At the graduation awards he came home with the Leadership Award. Yes all the boys are now finished at primary school and are all growing up!!!

• Nicholas finally got his driver's licence and with a girlfriend (Liv) he's never home! I think he's found his freedom.

Well that's 2014 in a nutshell... 2015 is looming and looks like it's going to be even busier than 2014!
Already we have Nicholas heading off to uni, Mum and Dad's 50th wedding anniversary and a wedding to attend in Northam - all before March!
Let's throw in a holiday somewhere and work and I'm certain we're going to be busy little Vegemites!

So here's to a New Year, may it be busy, but hopefully plenty of time for creating!!!

It's getting a bit busy...

So much going on right now it must be the lead up to the end of the year and Christmas.

In the next month (besides Christmas!) we have Junior State Fire Brigade Championships, Cadet wind-up dinner, friends birthday, year 7 graduation as well as working and I have a couple of design jobs on the go so not really much time for anything at all....

But on the up side, Chook Scraps had a CC a week or 2 ago which I actually managed to find some time to scrap...

This one was a scraplift (still one of my favourite photos of Kristofer!)...

Can't remember the criteria for this one but I remember it had lace, birds and a dry medium)... but a nice simple one anyway...

And then a card challenge using a new technique using salt resist. I actually had to google this to find out what it was but did have a lot of fun. The leaves on the card have been cut out from paper I used the technique on. Basically it's wet media (stains don't work well unless you're very quick!) and then sprinkled with salt. Rock salt is the best. The salt absorbs the colour and you get the 'tie-dye' look.
The leaves came up really well....

And I even managed one of the 12 weeks of Christmas challenges.
This weeks challenge included using 7 ribbon... OMG!!!! I actually had to use some of my stash of ribbon... I'm still hyperventilating... lol

So besides working, there's not much been happening. I have managed to work out a new way to hang layouts for display though and will share that next time.

Otherwise if you find a housework fairy, please send them my way... I'm in desperate need of help!

lalalalalalalala....

Yeh my reasoning is it has been a very hectic couple of months!!!
And of course, because I mentioned it, the mojo ran away again... *sigh*

But we've had the Esperance Show, Mum and Dad were here for a visit and work has been flat out! Who would have thought people would want so many coffees????
And I've had a declutter, clean and reorganising of my studio....
Not a lot of reorganising, more just sorting out the paper into collections as it had all been mixed up, and getting rid of things I know I will never use.
But I decided to pick up some new baskets rather than the plastic tubs I did have and groups things together properly.
Another thing I have done, is sort out my 'colour centre' with all my stamps, inks, stains, paints and tools so they're all in 1 spot and easy to access.
I was going to make up a new stamp index, but I saw a suggestion for digitising them into Evernote, loved the idea and a couple of days later all of my stamps are now digitised, as well as my masks and stencils, stains, distress markers, colour washes and my new purchases - dies to go with my new BigShot... oops one happen to fall into my studio from somewhere... :)
I'm also slowly adding in sketches from PageMaps, and with everything labelled with any word I can think of to search for it should be easy to search through for something that will fit in with what I'm looking for!

And pictures... of course I have pictures...

My new Colour Centre...

Paints are still in the diamond in the middle, Stains on the left, Sprays on the right...
On the top of the bookcases I've run a piece of wood for a sehlf to hold my masks and stencils (in a letter holder), the holder for my distress markers, and my Big Shot.
In the bookcase on the left I have my dies on the top shelf, Stamps are all on the shelf in the middle (in numbered folders), and cloths in the basket at the bottom.
In the other set of shelves I have all my tools and inks, all within easy reach.

I still have my large shelves...nope they're not going anywhere! And my chipboard are still sorted into my drawers on the top. I haven't done anything with them as I like they way they are sorted, the same as my ribbon and flowers.
I've replaced the plastic tubs with the baskets as it does look better. All my BTP projects are still stacked at the bottom waiting to be sorted, though I'm finding it hard to consider getting rid of any of them.... Maybe I'll just do them and give them away...
The biggest declutter was all of my pattern paper and I now have a pile to give away. I have to say I was fairly ruthless, but still have plenty to play with.

One thing I did come across is an inspiration jar.... it's a jar with numbered sticks. The idea was to use them to complete unfinished projects but as I don't normally have them, I've instead set it up to use my stash more... stamps from a particular set, a sketch, a collection, or to do an BTP project.
I can update and change it as I use I've set the challenges up in Evernote. It's pretty my my personal challenge jar which I hope will help kickstart the creativity!

I shouldn't say it...

and fingers crossed it stays... but it seems my Mojo has made a return to the house!
I've managed 4 layouts in the past week... OMG!!!!
But shhh..... we don't want to scare it away!

So this week I've managed 2 singles and 2 doubles, so my to-do list for entries for the show has now been reduced...

And I'm actually very happy with the way they've all turned out and I haven't even purchased anything to complete them which is good. Slowly using my stash up.

And apart from these 4 layouts, I also managed to make another baby mini album, so that one's all set for when my niece has her baby.

So onto the next project... though really I should go and get the shadehouse all cleaned up...
But then... the Mojo is home!

A little bit creative...

Slowly getting the mojo back and I've managed a couple of little projects.

A double page of photos from Helm's Arboretum. These photos were left over from the mini album I made.

And even though it took me a while, I managed to do this little Twiddlybitz Birdhouse Moneybox.
One thing I learned... cut all of the paper and stick it down BEFORE you put it together. Was a very fiddly little job but I'm happy with the way it's come out.
I do have another little one to do too....

It wasn't originally going to be the blues and greens, but that's the way it turned out.


Well I have a rare day off and the washing is all done, so I'm heading back to my scrap table to tackle another layout. At this rate I might just have some things to put into the show this year...

Spoiling myself...

I got a nice tax return this year, so decided it was time to spoil myself with a new craft table instead of the trestle tables I've been using.
So this baby rocked up on my doorstep....

 

It's a nice square table with plenty of room to scrap for me by myself or with friends!
Even room for me to check proofs for work! :)

But of course a new desk required a new desk caddy. Though I love my tote given to my for my birthday a few years ago now, I don't really travel anywhere to scrap, so when I saw this one from Kaisercraft decided it would be good to have a permanent caddy for my desk and I can load up the other one when (if) I go anywhere!

I really loved this paper from Prima and wanted to use it but I only had the 6x6 papers so it required a bit of creativity.
Do love the way it has turned out and it's that big that 3 of the drawers haven't been used yet. I also put the dividers on only 1 side instead of breaking both sides into 2 which was a better fit for my pens and tools etc.
And I've put rubber feet on the bottom so that it wo't slip on my desk either.

Baby Boy

Last year a friend of mine had a baby boy and I promised her a little baby book.
This year my niece had a baby boy as well... so I figured I'd better get my a into gear and actually get a couple of baby albums made.
I used up a pad of paper I had here from Kaisercraft - one of their older ranges, and picked up some of their new cards. These things are so handy for mini albums.
Here are the pics of one of them, though both were very similar...

The photos aren't too good due to the lighting because one side was always in shadow, so discount the yellow shading...
I actually have another one to make as another niece is having a baby boy later this year...

The question is... who is having a baby girl so I can use the baby girl papers?

Some pages

Let's all die of shock as I've managed to actually finish some layouts!!!!!

Here are a couple I managed a little while ago...

They are just because layouts...

But Chookscraps had a cybercrop on last weekend and I even managed 2 of the challenges...

Both of these are special photos... and I'm really happy with the way they came out.

If I'm lucky I might actually get some stuff finished for the Esperance Show this year...

A Daughter's Promise

My niece asked me recently if I could do a frame for her with some photos of her mother.
Looking online for something appropriate, I came across this poem and thought it would be a perfect centrepiece.
This is the final product...

I really must remember to put hangers on the back BEFORE I finish the front of frames...

Altered Clock

Let's all die of shock will we... 2 posts in a week! :)

I did say I would be back to share one of my projects that I've done in the last 6 months and here I am!
This time with an altered Tim Holtz clock I did....

 Lots of little details and bits and pieces. I do love the way it turned out, especially as I painted it about 6 times before I got the finish I wanted!

No Comment..

The time has gotten away from me... days, weeks and months.
Who realised it had been so long since I posted. Whoever said that I would have more time when I finished working at the Express lied... really lied! I don't think I've stopped in the last months.
And now I look back it's been nearly a year since I finished at the Express.
And life... it's busy!
The business has taken off in leaps and bounds.
I've survived the busy summer period at McDonalds, and now it's a little quieter in winter. But that said, I seem to always get the busy shifts (or someone knows when I'm on and they all come in!). But I've loved it and continue to do so...

The boys are being boys (of course...)

Nicholas is now 18 (I'm still trying to come to terms with that!), and he's all set to follow his dreams. The big news is he's been selected for the WA State Men's Country Team, heading off for the National Championships in Toowoomba in August.
And though he's having a gap year this year, next year he's heading off to Perth to uni to study Sport Science.

Kristofer has started high school... just need to get him to actually knuckle down and work. Not happy with his last report as he's not working to his potential. Just need to get it through to him. He's loving cadets this year, and making me proud there. Just got to get him to work harder at school.

Jonathan is in his last year at primary school and is Head Boy this year, and revelling in it.
Yes they're all growing up!

As far as scrapbooking there hasn't been much of that. I've done a couple of things, though mostly I've worked on this Bo Bunny mini album with the pocket pages.  Really quite simple to do, though it has taken me 6 months to get finished (and there's still a couple of little things to do to it I think...)
But anyway... enjoy

 Just a short glimpse of my boys growing up. I have another 3 albums to do like this... 1 each for the boys. It was originally going to all go into 1 album, but there was going to be too many pages!!!

I do have another couple of projects to share... 1 of which is a Tim Holtz clock I did which I love!!!!
Fingers crossed I can learn to start balancing everything I want to do with everything that I have to do...