Out of bed...

For the past few days, this has been the centre of my world - my cosy bed. My laptop plugs in right next to me, I sit my morning coffee on my bedside table (not Ash's milk bottle as in this pic), I get stuff done in comfort and warmth with small children intermittently climbing all over me. It has the benefit of being able to lie down whenever my energy becomes too depleted to function.

Don't get me wrong, I've gotten up - first thing to get the kids toast and milk, at other times to fold washing, do dishes, take my medicine, make afore-mentioned coffee. On Wednesday afternoon I even took the kids out to the shops, which I deeply regretted half an hour into the experience. But I've been so tired from this head-cold, my left ear has been blocked for 4 days now (today is the 5th), that bed has been the only thing that gets me excited.

Today I am feeling a bit better, physically and emotion- ally, though my head is still stuffy, I am up and dressed, and actually feeling kind of motivated. At least until I run out of energy ;) I got early mail today, around 8am (bizarre), including a new issue of my favourite-est magazine Real Living, yay! Then at about 9:45 I got a parcel delivered for a DT assignment - this fab kit from Paper Pesto! All this Making Memories Funky Vintage goodness has me really wanting to scrap today.

Also some really fun new papers from Rouge de Garance got delivered yesterday to Kiti Q and to me - thanks Kell! - and I have already stuck photos on two of the Urbaine papers, ready to finish into complete layouts.

I want to say THANK YOU for all the lovely emails, chats and comments I've received this week - dark days come and go, but it touches me deeply to see the empathy and support that bubbles forth in response to a very small paragraph about not feeling great. I always have that thing of assuming my emails etc annoy, or mean little, to the recipient, whereas their communications mean a lot to me - that double standard that some of us apply (negatively) to ourselves. If you know what I mean. So it astonishes me and warms my heart (it feels like a literal thawing out and warming up, despite being a kind of cheesy saying, just as a black or empty heart also feels so real in my chest) to be the recipient of such caring thoughts. Thank you.

Fireside

Over the last week I've been helping Pauline over at Fireside Crafts refresh her website design, check it out here! It's been fun playing with html and graphics again. While you're there, check out Fireside's 'Candelit Kits', the first is my fave so far, but then I am a sucker for Scenic Route at the moment :)

Caden

What a cutie, hey? Another shot of Caden from a few weeks ago in SA, which I've yet to edit all the photos from yet. Just decided to pick one to make me smile, when my own kids are totally doing my head in.

don't let go

by Kate Miller-Heidke

"First of all I apologise
for this long period of silence
Being busy it no excuse to pull away and lose touch with all my friends.
Last time we met on the net,
maybe you didn't like those things that I said.
But the day I sent you that sad mail,
not one, not two but three couples of friends just split up.

Please don't start your reply
with 'sorry, I was busy too'
It's the busyness that brings us to our knees
Who invented all these things we have to do?
Cause if I don't have you babe...
What I'm trying to say is
Don't let go

And as for me, the snow's returned
The cat is scratching at cotton buds on his fur
Mum never calls
Laura's going to Spain
The ethics teacher killed herself last Saturday

Please don't start your reply
with 'Sorry, I was busy too'
I know you're busy
we are all busy
We've got such important things to do"

Meet Tam...

Well, maybe you already know Tam. But now meet Tam Milborn, Kiti Q DT Member! Yay! The official announcement will go out in Kiti Q's newsletter on Thursday, but it's not a secret ;) It's just that the DT re-invention is not quite ready to be revealed yet. Or something. LOL.

I made these two layouts for a new layout kit for Kiti Q, featuring Love, Elsie ranges Roxie and Betty. Add some Splosh paint, Heidi Swapp florals and Crafty Matters word tiles, and you will get full images and instructions for both these layouts. The total price for the double layout class kit will be about $22, and they will be available by July.

Exciting decorating news, for me anyway, is that we are getting a new bed - yay again! The most essential thing is that it doesn't have a big foot of the bed frame thingy whatsit, which I constantly bruise my thighs on while walking around our current bed in our squishy little bedroom. Also it looks cool. And I got it for $400 less than full price! I had really liked it in the Freedom catalogue, but thought it way too expensive, so when I saw it reduced I was like hmmm.... It is called 'Sienna' too, how funny is that.

Despite all these 'yays' I am feeling pretty crap today. This evening anyhow. I am pretty sure I want to cancel / close / whatever my photography business, the uncertainty gets me down. Misdirection. Or something. So I will be back another day in chirpier spirits I hope.

Thank you Iben (Finding You) for sharing this song!

Gorgeous lady

My sister Kell. Took this today as we were trying to escape four children in my small house. Didn't last long, LOL.

Who's coming to Scrap N Chat, 14 July? As I hear it there are only a couple of spots left, it's been very popular this time! It's always fun, a bit of hanging out time. Cool.

Love, Elsie

Yes, I am catching up! I've been doing Deck of Me cards while watching Veronica Mars in the evenings during this past week, and have almost caught up. I haven't posted week 16, even though I have it, because I can't find it to photograph. I know it is on my desk somewhere. Hmm.

Love, Elsie has arrived at Kiti Q, with the exception of 13 products which were, for some unknown reason, not sent. Despite the fact Kelly was informed the entire range was sent, and had arrived, only to find during packing orders that there was a miscommunication. Bummer.

Anyhow, loads of it has arrived, and I have a lovely lovely stack of papers, gel accents, chipboard buttons, ribbon and fabric paper (which is so cool). I did this layout today for Kiti Q during a scrapbooking afternoon at my friend Donna's place. We kind of let the kids run wild - my 1 year old and 3 year old, her slightly older 3 year old, and 5 year old. I don't envy them cleaning up, LOL.

Digi

I am a paper scrapbooker - not a digital scrapbooker. Not that I won't sometimes use digital elements, but my pages are always put together with paper and adhesive. The textile nature of it is a large part of the appeal.

But I do digital photography and I do graphic design. Which, combined, are kind of like digi scrapping but for a different purpose. So I had fun making signature graphics for Kell and I that we use on the Essential Baby scrapbooking forums. Mine I did the other week, Kell's was the only decent thing I achieved during the whole day at her house yesterday!

Kate Miller-Heidke

Finding You

I have gotten totally behind with this workshop (like, 8 weeks behind in a 12 week workshop), but overcame the hiccups and continued with it today. Here are my layouts for weeks 4 and 5. This first one I should scan - the colours are actually a bit brighter. It is about defining what stops me.


The second layout is about self-acceptance. News flash - I am not perfect! LOL. No surprise here ;) Am happy with these, they came quite naturally and casually together.


And this is the beautiful necklace my dad chose for me and gave me on the weekend. An Austrian crystal dragonfly. It came as a set, but my ears aren't pierced, so Kell will score those ;)
Isn't it sweet? Mum was worried it was too bling-y, when I'm not really a glamour kind of girl, but a touch of bling will do me good :)

Mango Tree

Happy happy, joy joy

Wow, big day. Little day but big day :)

Just home with the kids, cold and wet outside, cold and dry inside. Can't wait to get the ducted heating fixed, but that is another story. I did the dishes this afternoon, but that was it for housework - the rest of the day I just looked after the kids and scrapped. This first layout of Ben and his brother Toby is from the weekend at Ben's folks' place. One of my quickest layouts - about 45 minutes.

After lunch the postie came, and luckily I heard so my post didn't get too wet before I grabbed it. It included a lovely surprise from sweetie Vita, isn't this so cute and funky? A card and this felt photo folder, with one of Vita's owls on it. Love it. Thank you Vita!


Then just before 5 or about then, Kell dropped off a copy of the new Scrapbook Creations - issue 43. It came out officially today and neither of us could wait for our contributor's / advertiser's copies! I was nervous and excited to check out my very first article - well, the second one I wrote but the first published. The first one I wrote is actually in next month's SC, they got swapped. Anyhow, my article is called "Create an Echo" and the editorial and photography team did a fantastic job with the whole mag, my article included. It looks great.

I've included some photos of the article here, just humour me - this is all such a thrill for me. I promise I won't do it next month. Or maybe I will, LOL. Definitely not the month after.... I think. Hehe. There is also a pic of the mentions about next month's SC, where my article on using children's books illustrations for inspiration is being published. Just FYI, of course ;)

If you pick up the mag, check out Viv's articles - they are awesome. I am particularly inspired by the article on using pigments, it just made me want to go get some straight away and start playing. Would you believe, Viv, I checked that link you sent and they are apparently stocked by the LSS in Upwey! That is only a two minute drive, if that, ten minute walk. How cool. I hope they actually do have them in stock - will check in the next couple of days.

This last layout is from today, for the Aussie Dares blog, but mostly just for fun. Normally I might say that background is too full-on to have that text, or whatever, but it was fun and I like it. It's good not to forget that sometimes, you know, just to not worry about rules or end results, and just wing it. Scrapbooking is a hobby, it's fun, it's satisfying (usually). All good.

A scene plays itself out...

This layout is inspired by a Mel Goodsell sketch, for the Sketches Oz blog this fortnight. Photos are of Bec about 6 years ago, with a poem I had written about that time that kind of suits the mood.

I love Donna

Donna Wild, gorgeous lady, photographer and scrapper extraordinaire, came to Reedy Creek on Saturday to do a family photo shoot for us. I am always behind the camera, so we rarely get pics with all four of us in them, especially in the more casual style I prefer. I wanted to take advantage of our *relative* proximity to Donna while we were in SA, since I love her work.

She just posted these sneak peeks and I am loving them! Can't wait to see the rest!

Weekend Away

Here are a few quick photos from our weekend at Ben's folks place in country SA. My parents, little sis Hayley and her bub Caden came on Sunday from Adelaide so we had a great big family weekend. I took lots of pics of the little guy, of course. He is such a cutie, and really content and cuddly as well. All soft and squishy to hold like Jude was as a bub.

Ben's step-sister Abi, who is 6 months pregnant, also came over on Sunday, and it was great to catch up and snap a few shots of her as well. Ben's brother Tobe was also staying there for both Saturday and Sunday. T'was all good :)

More photos to come later, and a couple of layouts.

Notting Hill

This layout is for this month's 123 challenge, and doubled up for Blue Bazaar's informal felt challenge - gotta love multi tasking!

Kell tagged me so here goes...

Name three things that scare you: snakes creep me out, violent/psychotic films give me nightmares, I am scared of something terrible happening to my kids

The daggiest thing in your music collection: um. Robbie Williams - Swing When You're Winning (the jazzy one).

Your three favourite clothing items: Temt wide-legges jeans, Vintage cheongsam top, Calf-length leather jacket that was Ben's mum's when she was in her 20s.

Your partners most annoying habit: technical correctness

What stresses you out: talking to people. in real life.

If I could change the world I would: cure everything

Your favourite household chore: cooking

If you had fifty bucks to spend at Target which section would you head straight for: books

In my next life I would like to come back as: a cat

Your least favourite celebrity: Paris Hilton - the only one I can think of as I really don't care.

Am not going to tag anyone this time :)

Have a great day everyone!

A walk to the playground

Mini Album

When I was in Sydney I made the cover for this little mini album, I've been planning on doing it for awhile. It is for my little sis Hayley of her bub Caden - the little photo shoot I did in hospital when he was a few days old. I made all the inside yesterday, was an all day project while watching the kids (Sienna, Ash, Alannah and Jude).