Saturday

I am completely loving this song and video right now - one to download and put on replay on the iPod! Fireflies

noting too the physical version of Becky Higgin's new kit Project Life is available to order - but at over $170 shipping I'm having to decline! Just as well she's bringing out a digital version :)

today's project - scrapping an altered tin

Got a bit bored today - the intention was to clean out my stash. Instead I got sidetracked (as you do) and here's the result. I'm quite pleased with it - my first attempt at altering anything.

What you need:

• a clean tin (mine measures 5.8 x 9cm)
• strip of paper - I've used a 8.5cm wide strip of Bazzill. I then measured and concertina foldered this at 5cm spacing, with one space being slightly larger than the others - this gives 10 spaces for phots/journalling and one for the title (I chose to use the largest). I've inked this (Versa color 174 charcoal), punch a hole in the centre of the largest sheet and instead of ribbon, I've used twine as the pull tab. I also used the corner rounder on the pages, as the edges of the tin are rounded.
• photos - here I chose 13 random ones from some of the places we've been as a family so far this year.


• Rub-ons - using from the stash Making Memories Heidi
• Pen - a plain black Zig marker
• Glue - I just used plain PVA that was in the boys stash and to decorate the lid simply, a Pebbles, Inc sticker that's been in my stash for a few years too.

I have seen some other altered tins that are highly decorated on the outside but that's just not my thing. I have been thinking about how I could alter some other tins - maybe tags in one of those mint tins with the hinged lids? I can see myself buying Fisherman's Friends and tipping out the contents...

Well! And Good Intentions...

Had a "catch up" meeting today and walked away feeling very unsure. The HR person was from AU I think, and didn't even know the laws relating to my situation and redundancy. Hmm.

Thank goodness for the Department of Labour.

My good intention is to spend time tomorrow with Z (off school, another eye infection) and get this project 365 album up and running. I think I have figured out how to create my own pocket protectors and have asked Megan (Sugar Spice blog as listed in my "following") to confirm. Of course this does mean that I will need to get my Nana's bernina record 730 serviced...which it hasn't been for 13 years, but hey. The struggle there will be keeping it in my hands and not MOTAT's!

Simon would probably like to point out that I should be completing the curtains with the machine. Or mowing the lawns if they have dried out some more - which is something I like doing, as the chamomile smells soooo nice...

CK project 365

This is something that has me so excited! I was about to go onto Becky Higgins' blog and complain that my email to the CS still hadn't been answered when I saw this post - they are offering free downloads to people who couldn't purchase the kit before it sold out! Yay!
Download zip file here (Mac and PC):http://beckyhiggins.com/blog/
and it has jpg elements that you can open in Photoshop, type over, save again as jpegs and print like normal photographs - I like that! Her post is Jan 10th.
All I need now is a 12*12 binder, some divided page protectors and I'm all go. But thinking of waiting this until Surprise is born as it would be kinda cool looking back over his/her first year.

December Daily - day three

Simon spent some time with Gloria, Carolyn's flatmate and packed some essentials on Tuesday night. He passed the bag onto HR, who passed it on to an Andrew, whom I met at AKL airport - just like in a spy movie!

The quote is Christmas is not so much about opening our presents as opening our hearts. Janice Maeditere

December Daily - Day 2

Zachary's turn to unwrap a book today - it turned out to be the one Brandon's school class are performing in the end-of-year concert!

December Daily - inside cover & Day 1

Here's the inside cover. The envelope has a photo of Murray and my thoughts about the days immediately leading up to December first; in an envelope because they are very personal, but as Maureen pointed out, this is part of my December and I need to document it, as hard as it is. I used an obvious quote but still one that means a lot to me: some people come into our lives and quickly go. some stay for a while and leave footprints on our hearts. we are never, ever, the same

And Day one - the text reads " Before Daddy flew back to CHC, we started our new tradition - reading a Christmas story together. Eventually I want 24 stories but 14 isn't a bad start. Bran chose A Kiwi Jingle Bells."

December Daily cover

I'm trying to catch up on all the pages (yes, I know it's supposed to be done daily!) and I've done 5 of the nine, and am waiting on day nine's photo to dry out. Mass image posting tomorrow!

I must admit it's fun, and keeping to a limited pool of stuff means I'm not fussing too much - four pages done yesterday, and one was just the text written on the back of the premiere ticket. That I'm not spending forever angsting over the content and look is helping too...

a few things...

I haven't written in a while - life has been quite busy! Simon came back to Auckland to spend last weekend with the kids and we ran around like mad things for three days solid. I even managed to (probably, according to the physio) detatch part of my tendon from my hip. OUCH! Sitting, walking and driving are all a little uncomfortable right now. I'm just glad the second car is an automatic.

Speaking of cars, I still haven't heard from the insurance company as to if they have found my car as yet. Yes, my poor little Legnum that was damaged in June, then finally taken away in October. I rang for an update a fortnight ago and was told that the file had been closed off. So I asked what the resolution was. Sorry miss, can't tell you. Pardon? Sorry miss, there's nothing written down. So, can I speak to a supervisor? No miss, but I'll speak to one for you. Ten or so minutes of stewing later, she came back online with the same answer. I rang the ASB customer helpline and vented. I have the email of one of the reps in Wellington but keep getting fobbed. I am seriously pi$$ed and once this is over, taking my business and the MIL's away from IAG. It's bad enough that I had to argue for several months that I had full cover insurance, to finding out that the agreed value (my bad, I never looked at the papers fully) was about four times the resale value - they tell me that I'm not important enough to warrant a loan car or repayment of any associated costs. If anyone can recommend a company please do let me know. I would really appreciate it!

I finished the cover and major interior pages of my December Daily - I'll try to remember to post some pics. Thanks for reading!

Jessica Sprague - free course!

Hi - in my regular update from Jessica Sprague (digital scrapbooker) she is offering a free course. You don't need to be a scrapbooker or to use Photoshop to do this one - it's all about the stories in you and how to find your voice.
See here for Jessica's blog entry: http://spraguelab.squarespace.com/blog/2008/10/10/new-class-stories-in-hand.html
And here for her website to register: http://www.jessicasprague.com/

I'm loving the quote that's on her blog. "Time stands still best in moments that look suspiciously like real life." Brian Andreas.

dare 53

well I posted to the Flikr site and hope that it's traceable, but here is is just in case! I'm such a nana...tag is "nzdare53"



the comment hidden is:
Giving Bran the camera, I expected a range of action shots from Zac's game against Northcote Tigers. Mostly, that's what I got. But this one? Stood out.

My kids are weird.

Dare 52

Well, here it is, very quickly done last night amid realising that I still have at least half my tools, papers and so on packed in the garage. Along with the scanner, printer and some of my sanity - so it's a lot simpler page than I intended. Couldn't find the brads that reminded me of stipper's pasties so that portion is drawn on...for now.