Be back soon

Any moment now we are about to leave the lovely quiet of the country and head for Christchurch..boo hooo

Andrew is booked in for scans and tests on Monday and Tuesday. Will be good to get him checked over and a few issue hopefully ironed out, just a shame it cannot be done here though.

I have a little kit of scrapping goodies packed to take with me, just in case I get some down time, wishful thinking no doubt!

On the subject of Wishful Thinking, I was visiting Rachel's blog last night and saw this....

..isn't it a cool idea!

Thanks for sharing Rachel :-)

One mans rubbish...

...is my treasure!

Dear hubby saved this cubby hole shelf from being buried by uncle David because he was sure I would find a use for it...

As I dragged it inside and grunted and groaned as I struggled to fit it into the lift, Andrew made mention that is was too heavy, and was going to look ugly in my room, and really he should have let David bury it....

...but of course I got it upstairs, cleaned it and painted the edges and spent to the wee small hours of the morning rearranging my craft space, and fulling up the cubby holes....

Andrew was very surprised when he come upstairs the next day to view the results! My new set of shelves look awesome and my work desk is a whole lot more spacious now all the bits and pieces are off it!

Thanks Uncle David for your rubbish ...I LOVE it!

This past week has been another busy one. For the first time since starting my teacher aid job at the beginning of the year I was called home on Wednesday as Andrew was having a dysreflexic attack, my poor dad who was with Andrew was not far off a heart attack himself with the worry of it all!! I usually walk to work which I see now is a big mistake as I had to run for home asap...if dad had not come racing down the road ( in the van) to pick me up I may well have had a heart attack myself...that would have been all three of us !!
Anyway, long story short, all was delt with and all three of us have lived to see another day.

Yesterday I went to a Teacher Aid course in town, while David loooked after Andrew for me (thanks again brother in-law) The course was rather hard to stay awake through, and all that I really got out of it was that Duntroon School does everything right! Couldn't help but feel privileged and lucky to work there, with such a great team of people.

Today I went to town again, this time to the hairdresser who hid my grey hairs for me...always a bonus to have them gone!

I only managed to squeeze one

scrapbook page into this week, its my example for this weeks Kiwiana challenge at Scrapbook Outlet, the challenge this week is to create a page leaving lots of 'white space'.

This is what I come up with...

Now as many of you know I'm not a huge fan of 'white space' I love to spread out and full up my whole page!

So. I have squeezed a whole heap of bits and pieces into one area of my page

The photo shows our lovely daughter, who had come straight from the hairdresser's after having her hair styled ready for the school ball... this is her image in the mirror..as she removes the newly set curls from her hair...LOL!!! For the ball the following year she did her own hair!!

To view more details of this weeks challenge over at Scrapbook Outlet click HERE

Wishing you all a wonderful Saturday, and thanks for dropping by. xx

Happy Birthday Dad

Another busy day almost down.

Today was dads birthday, so we had birthday tea at our house since my mum is still away.

Yesterday I managed to whip up a card, really need to work on building up my card stocks, so I have one on hand when I need it!.....

I have turned this photo of my Dads motor car, his pride and joy into a 'stamp' in PhotoShop, I then embossed the printed image four times with clear embossing powder , and used the shinny image to make my card.

Today, for the first time, I was called home from work , by my stressed Dad. Andrew decided to have a dysreflexic attack while I was at work, not at all good timing! Last night he had one at 1 am, so things are going a little hay wire with him again. Lucky we are off to Burwood on Sunday for an 'over haul'.

Tomorrow afternoon I have a Teacher aide course in town, so there will be no scrapping time yet again!

Here is a LO I did a little while ago, using the August Monthly Kit for Scrapbook Outlet...

Thankyou to everyone who pops in for a visit. As soon as I get a bit of spare time I will be stopping by to visit you :-)

Take care xox

Bright!

One more week before my mum is back home, have to say I'm looking forward to having her back on deck. I am feeling rather tired tiring to juggle Andrew, work and the house work into my days. Sounds like no big deal I know, but I have to get up extra early to allow time to get Andrew feed, showered, dressed, his physio and tilt table done and have him in his wheelchair so I can leave for work at 10 .15...and make the beds, do the dishes, hang out the washing, wash the floor, sweep the duck 'poo' away from the front door etc etc.... Andrew takes about three hours to get organised so my house work is getting done at the speed of light almost!
All weekend was pretty much catch up on the washing, ironing, baking and cleaning in the 'corners' ready for another busy week. FUN!!

Onto brighter things...

Here is a page I put together a few weeks ago, using the August monthly Kit from ScrapbookOutlet

I love the fun colours, and really enjoyed

using purple along side orange!

I mounted most of the stickers in the kit onto cardboard so they popped off my page!

At last I have a gap!

My Up2scrap work has been sent away.

No school for me tomorrow ( I don't do Fridays, except for a couple of hours helping out our budding mechanics at Mechanic Club tomorrow afternoon).

My mum is still in Auckland so I do have to do all of the house work myself, but the extra exercise is good for me! And really I'm quite happy to do it, I don't really mind house work too much.

Thought I pop one of my latest pages on my blog tonight, just to get myself back into blogging mode.

This is one of the pages I put together using the August Kit from Scrapbooking Outlet.

I love the bright colours, and feel of summer that this kit sure has plenty of!

Thanks so much to everyone for your caring comments regarding our lost pets. They sure have left a space in our lives. Your kind words mean so much.

Life has been crazy again this week, so much happening that I can't keep up!
Tonight I'm tiring to make head way with my Up2scrap assignment while tiring hard not to look in the direction of my very large work load from SBO...its waiting and time is ticking by!
I had planned a big weekend scraping but now Saturday will see us heading for Christchurch airport. My sister is sick in hospital so my mum is heading to Auckland to help out. There seems to be one event after the other these days...I wonder if life is ever going to level out!
Back soon with some scrap booking photos...maybe not tomorrow though as its going to be a very busy day also.

Remember.....

Start by doing what is necessary, then what's possible and suddenly you're doing the impossible.

( I hope) :-)

Win goodies from Cannon with Up2scrap

How cool is this!
Louise designed this for a tee shirt for da man in her life, she also used the same design to create a matching tag and CD, complete with cover. Check out the latest up2scrap mag to see exactly what this very clever lady has done... (that's the same mag with the photo of my scrapbook page on the front...har-har...just thought I'd add that! :-) and...
pop to the Up2Scrap blog to download Louise's deign for free!


If you feel like your up for the challenge to create a logo for the man in your life then check this out....

Email an original T -shirt design for da man in your life to Blog Chief, Louise Williams by midnight on the 31 of August 2010.
The first 10 entries received will receive a T-shirt transfer pack from Canon
and ...the overall winner will receive a Pixma Creative pack, also from Canon

So ... get creating now!!

You can check out all of the details by clicking HERE

Bye Bye Chopper

Its hard to believe that within seven days of our little dog Biddy passing away, poor old Chop' is now gone as well.

A few months ago I took Chopper to the vet as he was getting very slow and appeared to be in alot of pain when he moved. After xrays and scans and a rather large vet bill we were told Chopper had arthritis of the spine, which was also fussing together. His hip socket had also 'had it', all in all his life spent hunting had taken its toll on his body.

Chopper had been put into semi retirement when Cody brought him home about a year ago and he quickly went form being an outside hunting dog to a pampered, inside on the couch pet. Chop had the most beautiful nature, and eyes that you could not help but fall in love with.

Anyway, the vet recommended that Chopper be put to sleep as there was nothing at all that could be done for him, except to be kept on painkillers. So, me being me said I would try the painkiller option. The painkillers gave Chop a reasonable quality of life, until Friday when his back leg stopped working, but today both legs failed Chop. He was a pitiful sight tiring to walk, it really was so heartbreaking. I knew the kindest thing I could do for Chopper was to take him to the vet and do what maybe should have been done some time ago.

So tonight, Chopper lays buried on a nearby hillside beside Biddy. A hill side that was their favorite hunting ground, according to Cody, and we are left with a bank full of memories, empty food bowls and much sadness in our hearts.

We love you Chop.

May brighter times lay ahead!

Want to win a Slice Machine....

Celebrate New Zealand by entering our Kiwiana competition...register now...

... and get set for nine whole weeks of fun and inspiration!

Look forward to seeing you there!

There are lots of goodies up for grabs and three Slice Machine's to be won...WOW!!!

ps...you dont even have to be 'kiwi' to enter

Attitude is Everything

I know it may not be the 'done thing' to be on the Design Team at one web site and to take part in a challenge, or competition at another web site and I'm sorry if that upsets anyone, but quite frankly I do not care .... it all about Attitude!!..

Attitude is Everything that is the theme for the competition on this month at Scrapbooking by Design

I know exactly the stage of my life when attitude become so much more than just a word.

After Andrews accident and after many days and nights of sitting beside Andrews hospital bed in the ICU ward the hospital social worker decided it was time I went for a visit to Burwood Spinal Hospital. I had been told that this was the place we would be going if, and when the time come that Andrew was well enough to leave ICU. IF was a word used alot by this particular social worker, whom I come to despise very quickly. I am not a hateful person, in fact I try hard to find the best in everyone but.... 'Social worker man' had this attitude ...always expect the worst. He kept telling me that the chances of Andrew surviving were not good!!

I had made up my mind of course that Andrew was going to be just fine, and I did not want to be told any different! Looking back now, I guess that man was just being extra careful not to build up false hope.

Anyway, my visit to Burwood was like a slap in the face! There were people 'lots of people' in wheelchairs, on beds and trolleys. These people could not walk, or move much at all for that matter. I will remember for ever that sick feeling as reality hit me in the face... this was going to be our life, my Andrew was not going to walk out of that hospital bed, jump into the car and drive us home. And even more horrific and incomprehensible to me, at that time, was this thought..."Why are these people smiling and laughing and looking happy, what have they got to be happy about...nothing at all as far as I could see. I felt my life was in shatters at this stage.

When we did move onto Burwood it soon become apparent that Attitude was what life was all about. Having the right attitude and being brave enough to believe in your attitude made everything okay. I got us through so many trials.

Here are a few photos from our 'Attitude collection'

A skinner me feeding a skinner Andrew his lunch.

Early days at Burwood, Andrew was attached to this breathing machine for months!

We will never forget the staff, or their wonderful, cheerful, caring attitudes.

This photo was taken as Andrew was being prepared for an ambulance ride back to ICU. One of his lungs collapsed. Life is full of little hurdles to be overcome!

Andrew getting 'better' . What freedom it was when Andrew was able to sit in a wheelchair. We were caught several times sneaking to the Fish and Chip shop, breathing machine and all. I used to work up quite a sweat getting Andrew in his push chair and his breathing machine there and back, all the time taking great care to ensure the breathing tube did not fall out of Andrews 'neck hole'

Our 'can do 'attitude caused a bit of concern for several of the doctors at the time!

A good attitude was a must when our children were with us during school holiday time. Moral had to be kept on a high for the sake of our family.

Getting back to SBBD's competition...at last!! Attitude really is everything . The right attitude can get you so far in this life.

No one I know has a better attitude to life than my my husband so this page is for him...

This LO had to have fabric, chipboard, paper cutting and ...

...my favorite, stamps.

The young man next to Andrew broke his neck playing College rugby. His break is at the same level as Andrew's, C3/4 . Anaru will never move or have feeling below his neck either, but just look at the smile on his face... that guy has attitude as well!

For anyone out there who read this long rambling post I apologise for the length! I should really have two blogs, one for craft and one for personal ramblings!

and remember... If you don't think every day is a good day then just try missing one!

Bye bye Biddy

Today was a somber day at our house. Cody was in yet another Pig Hunting competition this weekend so was out hunting with mates into the wee small hours of the morning.

We awoke this morning to the sad news that our beloved Bid had been killed by a pig.

Bid was Cody's pride and joy, and like all of the animals that venture into our life, was a much loved pet by all of us. She has spent the afternoon's tucked up on bed with Andrew these past few weeks,while Andrew has been recovering from a pressure area.

This is not a great photo, but it gives a pretty good picture of the close bond between Cody and his dogs. Bid is dog whose face is up against Cody's.

This is Bid in her early days...last year. She had a very short life Bid only made it to 14 months of age.

Here is our Biddy again, (photo taken just last weekend) doing what she loved , hunting.
Even with the protection of her wide neck safely collar, and her tracking collar (that insured she would never be lost in the wilderness) a pig still managed to stick its tusk deep enough into her throat to kill her.

Bye bye Biddy. We will all miss you xoxo

This week it's my turn to provide the Friday Sketch Challenge for Scrapbook Outlet.
I almost spent longer creating my sketch design in photoshop than I did creating my example page! Then of course, after creating my page I had to go back and alter my sketch, because Id made a few changes along the way.

Here's my sketch...

And here's my example...

To check out the details head over to the forum ..here

Hope you get a chance to give this ago.

All entries need to be posted to the gallery by mid-night Thursday.

Wishing you all a warm cozy weekend fulled with all the things you love !

Like a Slice??

Stay tuned to Scrapbook Outlet if you would like to win one of these little beauties!

A new first for me

For the first time ever I have made the cover of a magazine... well, not me exactly, but one of my scrapbook pages. I now have my fingers crossed that many copies of the magazine are sold... LOL, I will feel personally responsible if they don't!

Going back two weekends ago I forgot to mention that eldest son took out first and fifth prize's in the Oamaru Club Pig Hunting Competition. Even though I hate animals being killed I was thrilled for Cody as he puts every spare moment into his hunting and never misses a competition if he can help it. He always goes along to the weigh-ins and watches everyone else take home the prize for the largest pig, so GO Cody, good for you!!
(I wont add a photo because I'm sure that a dead pig does not make exciting viewing for most of us...sorry Cody!)

I had the best time at senz. My high lights were meeting so many of you talented ladies, thank you so much to those of you who took the time to stop and say hello, I'm terrible at recognising faces and am honored that so many of you knew me! I bumped into a few faces I did know, that was great as well, and while on the subject of people I know pop over to Dianne's blog to see what she created at one of the senz classes she attended....its well worth a look!
Thanks to Karen, Kristi, Robyn P and Kathy for your company, the whole point in going to senz was to meet you all and you really did make the whole trip worth while.
Have to say I did not buy much, I was too busy absorbing the atmosphere, and chatting to lovely people!
Tomorrow I will photograph the pins I received and the 'Spooky Canvas' I received from Kristi. All are super cool!

Celebrate NZ

.... and be in to win
keep a close eye on ScrapbookOutlet!!!!
If you haven't registered on the forum yet nows the time to get it done...so you're ready.... !!

New Day Kit from ScrapbookOutlet

This morning it was pretty much business as usual here in Duntroon. I was back to work, at school. Camden was back to school also. Cody and Hannah were the only ones who got to sleep in today.
Its nice to have Hannah back in the country.

Here are the scrapbook pages I completed using the New Day Kit from Scrapbook Outlet

This plain bazzil card has a wonderful surface for stamping on, so of course I got my stamps out and took advantage of it!

For my next LO I took apart the Prima spray from the kit and layered some of the paper flowers between the chipboard flowers.

I'm now a huge fan of paper tape, which I had not used before. My roll of tape is still going strong so it really is great value. Check out the different brands, patterns and colours that are available here

Bedtime Story was the last page I created from the New Day kit.

I looked at my small pile of left over paper scraps and could not bring myself to throw them away, so instead I got busy with my cuttlebug and added texture to these tiny squares. I hunted out this photo, passed onto me from my sister. The back ground was busy so I had to work a little photoshop magic to ensure some of the focus was on the bed quilt, I needed this photo to work with my patch work scraps!
In between my scrap patch's and the photo I have added a felt layer, just to soften things up a little.

I enjoyed scrapping with the New Day Kit. I still have lots of font stickers, some chipboard shapes, some tags and plenty of left over paper tape. That's after creating seven pages using only a few bits and bobs from my own supplies, so the kits from Scrapbook Outlet really are good value. Check out the bright kit available to order now, if you have not done so already

I had a lovely time at Senz, and the visit to Christchurch restored my sanity, that really was feeling like it was on its way out! More on that coming up soon.

Up Date

Here are a few morning photos from our place, we have one crisp, frosty day after another at the moment!

After another long week and lots of tossing coins we have decided to hope for the best and head to Christchurch tomorrow. First we have an appointment in town at the Doctors to get Andrew checked over before we do go. Andrew is still having frequent Dysreflexic attacks and his pressure area is still with us, only faintly though.
I'm thinking that there will not be any shopping going on in Christchurch, just a wee visit to Senz. Also, a visit to the Allen Bean Centre, at Burwood for the formalities of the Wine Picking. Anne has a small party organised so we can do all of the official 'stuff' (for want of a better word!) that needs to be done.

Hannah arrives back in New Zealand on Saturday so we will be at the airport to greet her and bring her home. Unsure at this stage if we will return home Saturday night, or Sunday morning. At the moment we just have to take each day as it comes.. any more than that is more than I feel I can cope with just now!

I have lots of scrapbook pages to share so stay posted. I have to finish packing tonight so will add them when I can. In the mean time you can check them out over at The Scrapbook Outlet

Looking forward to catching up with many of you at Senz!