What? You want a title....

It's been a busy week really...
Even though I had the week off work, I spent most of it running around to doctor's appointments and cooking and baking.
Think I did pretty well with 4 cakes, 3 batches of sausage rolls, 1 of pinwheels, 2 zucchini slices, 2 lasagnes and a pasta bake all stashed in the freezer now.

And I even managed to get some scrapping done....

These 2 layouts are for the Life challenges from Nic Howards book.. love them!


Yeh I'm turning 40... but it's not for another 9 months, so we can ignore that one for the time being can't we? lol

I also got a lo done for the SNC fortnightly challenge...

I actually really like this one... love this Cosmo Cricket....

And I got this one done for an online class yesterday over at Scrapbooking 4 Less with Sine....


And I did some more... DT work for Shelley over at Scrapbooking 4 Less but I can't share that just yet... soon.... But I can give you a hint.... go look at Shelley's Valentine's Day kits... just absolutely gorgeous.
And on S4L... don't forget to register with the forum to be a part of the Scraptacular 2008! There's over $300 in prizes up for grabs... it's going to be totally awesome!
And there's also Scrap Bingo starting as well as a cybercrop this coming weekend, Feb 1-3. Unfortunately I doubt I'll get any challenges done, but I'm setting one and I've done the sample layout for it....

And that's really all that's going on here.... Operation on my hand tomorrow, so I know there won't be much scrapping from me for the rest of the week :(
Take it easy... and I'll catch you later!

Well....

this week went all pear shaped that's for sure!

I got the cortison injections in my back and it's all feeling much better now. But tomorrow I have to go in for some ultrasound treatments on it as well.... then Tuesday is another trip to the doctors to see the anaesthetist for my op on my hand next week.
So it's all go there!

But the trip to Perth has been put on hold due to a credit collection company. Did you know a credit collection company can have a credit file on you and because they haven't updated their files, it can stop you from getting a personal loan? Well we didn't until this week and even though we've proven we've paid out these debts in full, a credit collection company hasn't updated their records and it's given us a no go on the shortfall for the camper trailer.
I can assure you I wasn't a happy camper.... and certain people heard about it no end. It had better be fixed tomorrow or there'll be more polite phone calls...not!

So I'm having a quiet week at home with the kids... yeh I know... quiet isn't exactly the right word there... but I'm having a week at home.
This is a chance to catch up on my scrapbooking before my op and also get some cooking done and in the freezer.

So onto more pleasant things...
If you haven't checked it out yet, you'd better head on over to Scrapbooking 4 Less and register for their the competition Scraptacular 2008. There's over $300 in prizes up for grabs so it's definately worth it! And you'd better get a move on... registrations close Feb 1!
And on that line here are the creations I did for the January DT pack for Shelley... loved these papers ... so bright and colourful. Worked beautifully with the pics of Kristofer when he met the Windy Wizard a couple of years ago.






And here are some cards I made with some of the leftovers....

So if you want this gorgeous pack head on over to Scrapbooking 4 Less!

But otherwise it's been a quiet week. I've spent most of the week doing up the 50 odd tags for the Boxx retreat in March. I am so looking forward to this.. it's a lot of fun... and a great girlie weekend away from DH and the kids...
It's taken me a week... but the tags are all done now.... phew...
so now to check out what's next on what I have to get done...

And I haven't forgotten the "Pay It Forwards" yet... I'll get onto them sometime this week too...

So have yourselves a wonderful week won't you!

Beware...

The pirate's are on the prowl....

"Off with your arm" he said....lol

Doesn't Kristofer just make the perfect little pirate... so watch out!

And that's my first layout for 2008!

I really need to learn how to do one of those slide thingamajigs for my layouts now don't I.... anyone know....?

I just finished another one tonight, but need to take a pic tomorrow. I need to get stuck into some layouts because in a couple of weeks I won't be doing any for a few weeks.
I have to get my left hand sliced open (carpal tunnel).... that wouldn't be too bad in itself but I'm left handed so I won't even be able to write! and worse any scrapping is going to extremely difficult.... OH NO!
At least I can still surf the forums...

So that's all that's going on here atm...

Stay safe and enjoy life.... catch ya later
Toni

Okay...

I just have to share these pics of DH's Christmas present.... this is Busta Jim!




How's that for relaxed...lol


and how am I meant to scrap?

So tell me.....

Where did 2007 go???
Do you perhaps have it hidden in your back pocket?
Your back shed perhaps?
Maybe it's hidden in your tote with that long forgotten pattern paper?
Cause honest... I'm sure it should only be July....
No definately not 2008... nope most definately NOT 2008!
WHAT? you telling me it IS 2008... gawd these years are going by faster and faster and faster......oh well....

So what happened in 2007.... it was a big year for me really...

It took us a lot of work but finally we got our loans consolidated and now we have the home loan to pay. For the first time we have no stress about getting the bills paid, we have the money there to pay it. It's a good feeling!

I went to the Boxx retreat again this year and met some fantastic people... some for the first time. Another great year and I will never forget the drive through the forest discussing serial killers with Tess and Donna... thank you so very much girls for a wonderful trip and I'm so looking forward to it again in less than 10 weeks! woohoo....

So what else.... well a dream came true and I was accepted to a design team.... For me this was just such a totally big big big moment. I have so loved working with Jenny at Really Just Ribbons for the last 6 months and I hope to continue working with her gorgeous ribbons... I tell you.... a girl can never have too many ribbons!
And at the end of 2007 I was accepted to the Scrapbooking 4 Less OTP Design Team. I am so looking forward to this this year and being able to share my creations with everyone. So 2008 is looking at being a major year for me scrapwise....
And one of the big things this coming year is I will have to teach my first class... ok now I'm seriously scared....breathe Toni... you can do this!

So back to 2007....
Well all the boys are now at school so at the start of 2007 we dropped all childcare! After 10 years of paying out childcare it has made things so much easier. And this is one of the reasons we could consolidate the loans.

I also started researching the family history in 2007 and this is going to be one of my main projects this year. I'm now the family historian..lol... so to that end I've done up a Journal Jar for mum and dad to start recording their memories before we lose them. I'm going to use the guilt trip on them when we go up in a few weeks, as dad had said to me that he had asked Grandma to write down her memories before she died and she didn't so now they're all lost to us.
So I'm getting in early.

And also on the family history side of things, I had a second or is it third cousin contact me from Scotland and they're researching the family history too, so this was fantastic to get in touch with them.

The boys have all grown and been pretty healthy this year which for us has been fantastic. Fingers crossed that this will now continue.

And for the first time in 12 years we all went on a holiday in 2007. Up to Port Denison. For all the trouble with the blow up mattress it was still a lot of fun and there's another holiday in the planning for this year to Shark Bay.

And finally Christmas... a great day but gawd I was stuffed by the time it finished! and this weekend is the first chance I've had to just sit and relax without having to worry about what and were we were going....

So it was a wonderful end to a wonderful year.

Here's for 2008.... I have no resolutions, but this year I've decided to cut back on the amount of scrapbooking challenges I enter and concentrate on my design team commitments and to also spend time on the family history. Don't get me wrong... I'm still going to scrap... but I'm cutting back on things that I agree to get done and just remember what my scrapping is about... the family!

So on that note... have yourselves a wonderful 2008 and never forget why you scrap!

BTW... here's the first step on our family history journey....
Mum and Dad's Journal Jar!