New Scooter

I haven't had time to do much scrapbooking this last week but this is a layout from a few weeks ago using some Studio Calico kit products and again some very old product from my stash.

This layout also uses another Bite Size Scrapbooking inspiration layout, number 40. I had a little trouble bringing this one together but it has grown on me and it is another special little story remembered.

I have the new December Harvest Moon kit sitting on my desk and a page half way finished. Hope to make time tonight to finish it up so I can start sharing some sneak peeks...they have put together another fantastic kit, more for the boys this time.

The Simple Things

It has been another very busy week with me spending two days traveling overseas for work. So, we took some time out in the weekend to go Christmas decoration shopping as I had promised Ashleigh we would buy some more decorations this year to add to our new red, white and silver theme we started last year when we brought a new 6ft tree.

In addition to the decorations we brought this new wreath for the front door which Ashleigh chose the bits and pieces for together with the shop assistant and then she made it up for us. It is just beautiful....Ashleigh did a great job.

The excitement for Christmas is building here and it is starting to look a lot like Christmas. I have been putting together a calendar of activities for the month for Ashleigh because Christmas is her favourite time of year and she loves everything about it.

Like Sunday when we spent most of the day preparing samples and kits of Christmas decorations for the girls to make at Brownies this week. We both had a great time together planning and preparing and there wasn't one complaint from Ashleigh about being bored or having to clean up as we went.

This week is December 1st and time for the Christmas tree to go up...and time for me to get some Christmas shopping started.

The Simple Things

Last week was very busy and the weekend was just the same. Ashleigh had a sleepover birthday party on Saturday night and went the the Nutcracker ballet with Nanny on Sunday afternoon. After a busy week she was absolutely exhausted by Sunday night.

It has become a weekend tradition to make pancakes and when Ashleigh poured the maple syrup out in the shape of a fish she was so excited I had to snap a photo. It does take a little extra effort to make these but when I get comments about how this weeks are the best yet and so yummy how can I not make a little extra effort at least once a week.

MME So Sweet

It has been a very busy week with little time for playing in my scrap room but I did manage to get my layout for the My Mind's Eye Challenge finally finished. And I love how it turned out.

I used the My Mind's Eye product from the Harvest Moon November kit and the Studio Calico Mind the Gap kit as well as some MME bling. I also used a very, very old Autumn Leaves authentic tab from my stash and I tried the other misting technique I mentioned last week which I love the look of on this layout.

It has been so good to be using little bits of my very old stash on each of my last few layouts rather than it just sitting there gathering dust...I just need to keep it up.

Mists and Masks

Harvest Moon now has Studio Calico Mister Huey mists and butterfly mask in the shop and I thought I would share some layouts using both. I really love the added dimension misting gives to my layouts.

This layout uses a combination of the September and October Harvest Moon kits. Before I laid everything down I randomly misted the background to tone down the white cardstock a little bit. I love this collage of photos and the banner along the bottom is one of my favourites.

This one uses just the October Harvest Moon kit. I placed three circle masks on the cardstock and misted the complete page with grey and white mist then with my circle cutter I cut the patterned paper to fit in the circles leaving a frame of plain cardstock. This was one of the first photos I took on my iPhone and played with in Instagram....I do love that app.

This is an older page using a Heidi Swapp mask that I placed on the background, misted and then layered the photos, journalling and other product over, which added a fun touch to this layout of Ashleigh and her friend playing in the sprinkler. The new Studio Calico butterfly mask will give you a similar look by placing the masks from largest to smallest up the side of your page.

Here is a flower mask used on the cover of a chipboard mini album and then painted over. This is another great look and another example of the many ways these masks can be used. I made this mini album in an Ali Edwards class when she came down under to Wellington, New Zealand a few years ago....all the classes were so much fun.

I have also been learning some other techniques with mist to give you more of a paint splatter look which I can't wait to try.

The Simple Things

I have found myself taking less and less everyday photos each month which I miss so I thought I would join up to Rebecca Coopers The Simple Things, where every Sunday you post a photo of your favourite simple moment/thing from the past week and link up to the Simple as That blog.

I love my daughters spring flower garden that she got first place for at Calf Club and has been nurturing ever since...she is much better at growing flowers than her Mum.

My Mind's Eye Challenge

The latest blog challenge is up at My Mind's Eye. For this challenge you must use brown and you can use any My Mind's Eye product but the layout must include at least 80% My Mind's Eye products. Here is the sketch.

If you purchased the November Harvest Moon kit there is some great My Mind's Eye product in this kit. I have already completed three layouts with the kit but I still have a ton of product left so I am going to give this challenge a go. I will post my take on this sketch before the deadline on Sunday November 20th.

Whether you have the latest Harvest Moon kit or you have a stash of My Mind's Eye product I hope you can join me and I look forward to seeing your take on this sketch.

Move More...Eat Better

After seeing that photo from my 40th birthday I was more determined than ever before to change my habits. I had slowly but gradually put on more and more weight over several years and that photo shocked me into finally doing something about it and changing my ways.

I did some research and found an iPad app to track and monitor my calorie intake and exercise. To provide additional motivation I set myself an eating and exercise goal. Goal one was to lose 13kg and get to my goal weight by the end of January 2012 and goal two was to participant in the Sculpt 6k walk and run on December 4th.

Well, I have been on this new me journey for just over three months and I am almost at my goal weight, I only have 2kg to go and I feel so good. I am fitting into clothes I haven't worn in a very long time. I am wearing more fitting clothes rather than the tunics and tights I was wearing that covered everything up. I had to go and buy a new pair of shorts last weekend because all my others had got too big...and they were a size 10...woohoo!

I started my exercise training with the cross-trainer I had at home but I knew if I wanted to get fit and lose weight faster I would need to do more, so I joined a gym about two months ago. I joined a small women's gym that I can call into on the way home from work so I would have no excuses for not going. I am really enjoying it. I try to get there three or four times a week and train for 40 minutes to an hour. And I am feeling so great for it.

Last night I finally got around to signing up for the Sculpt 6k walk and I am really looking forward to accomplishing this challenge with my sister joining me for support...even though she will be 6 months pregnant.

Exercising more (or at all) has been on my goals list year after year for a very long time. I am happy that I am enjoying it so much and I am confident that this is now a habit and exercise will always be apart of my life in one way or another.

{Sushi Making...}

We had a very busy weekend with a funeral, Guy Fawkes and everyday chores but in between all that I did manage to get a layout started and finished, and not just a single page but a double page spread. It came together very quickly with the use of a layout/sketch by Laura Vegas from the September 2011 issue of Creating Keepsakes and the Studio Calico kit 'Into the Woods'. 

I also used some very old product from my stash...the 'love' letter stickers by Making Memories and the chipboard and felt hearts. I always feel good when I use some of my very old, very large stash, even if it is a very small amount.


Although I find event pages such as birthdays and christmas the most difficult, I think just because of the number of photos you take and trying to narrow it down to a handful of photos to get on a page, I do love doing double page spreads. I love getting lots of photos on a page that come together to tell a story.

{Pippi Longstockings...}

It is almost time for the Harvest Moon November kits to go on sale and here is my third layout with the kit. By adding a background cardstock that matches the t-shirt Ashleigh is wearing in the photos it has produced a totally different look from my previous layouts with the kit.

I also misted the background with Mister Huey white just to tone it down a little bit and I added from my stash the Jenni Bowlin circle title spot and the bling on the butterflies. I inked the butterflies to match the background and photos and to help tie it all together.

I love this page but it is definitely busier than my normal look.

This is also my take on the Sketchy Thursdays sketch for 10.27 that Caz posted on the Harvest Moon facebook page this week. As always my final page looks nothing like the original sketch but I do find it helpful having a sketch to start from.

{You are my sunshine...}

So excited to share my second peek of the Harvest Moon November kit. I really do love the colours in this months kit, the yellow/lemon and teal do work so well together.

I kept this page very simple as I didn't want anything to detract from the photo, which I adore. Everything on this page is from the kit and I used one of my favourite punches from EK Success, Double Embossed Dotted Edger.

On Thursday I will share another peek, this one is a totally different look and it does double duty as my take on the Sketchy Thursday sketch Caz shared earlier this week on the Harvest Moon facebook page.