One mans trash.....

I was taking photos of my layouts, when I realised that I hadn't shown my roadside treasure!
On a Betherday ( one a month Beth and I try and do something fun - that month was a big bush walk to see waterfalls)  we drove past a huge pile of council pickup joy.  - We love a good roadside pickup and we slowed down and were gobsmacked someone threw out this beauty!

There is a lil wear and tear on the bend of the seat, and there is talks about recovering it, but truthfully I love it just as it is for now.

And it makes the perfect entrance table.

Sometimes you just need to run away.

My poor husband works hard.
At work, At home, At Teaching Guitar and Playing gigs
And for the most part he is easy going. Doesn't believe in getting angry, says it gets you no where.

So when the cranks start to eek into our life, and they are cranks that getting sent to his studio does not get rid of. I know its time.

We run away.

We are fortunate that his sister has a holiday house. No where fancy and the house is basic. But it's not home, and its near the beach and near a place that sells pizza bigger then my baby girl.

Once I finally persuaded him to take the week off, he started making plans.
He wanted to work on his deck — which worked for me, (I had my last barista class and I teach cake decorating on a Wednesday), but Thursday and Friday - clear and free.

And he knew how much I had been wanting to take the kids to Cockington Green. Plus in his mind, it was ONLY another 2 and a half hours to the snow and it was the start of Aussie snow season!

Cockington green was fabulous. I often struggle with finding things that will keep my range of ages happy ( I have one in every age gap at the moment, except baby), but this was a happy medium. There were things to find ( Jason is alive and well chasing people with his chainsaw still, and the grim reaper waiting for his next victims)

We did talk about doing the dinosaur museum which is next door but they had enough outside for the kids to see that kept everyone happy.

 And then the next drive. We made it to perisher just as the sun was fading and — the worst start to snow season ever. We found just enough snow to throw a snowball, at charlottes pass where the wind blew so hard it pulled the car seat lose when we opened the door. Thats just enough snow for us I think. No photos, it was quick, fast and furious out there!

Being a beach house — the next day there was no way we could leave without a walk to the beach. And maybe on the way to the beach I might of passed a couple of op shops......

So a walk to the beach it was — which is how my water addicted boy managed to throw snowballs and swim in the surf in less then 24 hours.........

Oppa Bushman style

There are not enough words for green to describe to australian bush. 

We went rain forrest style on Anzac Day
( why yes, I do mean the ANZAC day that was a month ago)

What better way to respect the fallen diggers then to enjoy what they helped keep safe

Ps i know its been a bit since Anzac day - but this post was brought to you by Rain lots of Rain, chilled noses and a cake running about - oh only 12 hours behind.  So this is my hot cuppa and make me smile post!!

bunkered down

The last week or so for us has been about bunkering down and holding on. It included an er run with our sweet Tyler ( how is it I had never visited an emergency room for a child until I had him?!?) and dramas with the refinancing ( which we are still waiting on settlement - it would blow your mind if you knew how long we had been dealing with it. Bunkering down required softer crafts - crochet to be exact.

And for the first time I have had a lil girl to crochet for ( the boys are not so much fans.....),

And little girls require two things - granny ripple rugs and silly hats.

And the silly hats must only be photographed by the iphone while you are pulling silly faces for the smile and therefore paying no attention to the actual photo you are taking. but as you have your mummy goggles on it looks really cute anyway!!

Ps teething sucks!!

key to my heart

Out for publication

He looks really sweet right? Innocent? happy?

What they dont tell you is he is DANGEROUS!

This kid could trip over a tree root on the moon.

The extra horrible thing - he gets it from both of us. The Poor kid never stood a chance...

Ps Today Joshua forgot his lunchbox and his timetable - he gets that from me as well!

PPs - what the heck does this layout need, I know it needs something. To early to figure it out though.

PPPs - ok think I worked it out, now just to find time today to change it!

Love Lives Here ( all year long)

In Australia we dont really do Valentine's Day in any big way. The kids dont give each other Valentines they dont do a big thing of it in school etc ( though I do remember getting a rose or 2 in high school — they sold them to raise money for the year 12 formal). And that makes me a lil sad.

After all how could a day that celebrates love be a bad thing?

( Plus I really really really love chocolate!)

Maybe it will come about like Halloween - the last 2 years my kids have been trick or treating and I have gotten to great the cutest lil witches at my door. I hope so.

But I wanted a touch more love in my house. And a lil something I could have year round.

So I made some. ( Crafty People Rule!) And guess what I needed nothing fancy!!!!

Yep Im not about to tell you to go get photoshop , etc.

The fancy program I used is....

wait for it...

Open Office people!!

Hell you could even do it with stamps if you didn't have a printer!

All I used was

* Open Office ( or Microsoft word. Im a Mac and choose not to pay for word when there was this amazing free product to fill my need)

*An old magazine

*Scraps of black cardstock

* An old frame

* a free font and a free clipart from here

( insert stamps here if you dont have or dont want to use a printer)

I went with Love Lives Here as it did not scream valentines, but was still on the mushy side

(Apparently this is important for Valentine's Day..)

and played around with the size of the words until I was happy ( size 72 I chose)

and inserted my free clip art heart and played around with that size to fit comfortably underneath

I printed it on my old magazine ( my magazine paper fitted perfectly in my printer, but I have used a bit of double sided tape to stick cardstock on printer paper for my journaling)

As it had a bit of a sheen I gave it a few minutes to dry.

I cut around the words and mounted it on black card stock and coloured the heart with a touch of watercolour paint that I had lying around from earlier in the day.

And then I placed a new sheet of magazine paper on the backing board of my frame and placed ( I dint stick it down incase I decided I wanted to swap it out for other holidays.)

And closed it up.

Add a heart candle a cute little girl gave you for sewing her preschool sheets and a heart origami you found when looking for some jumping frog origami for racing with the kids and wallah! A touch of Valentines!

Easy right! It probably did not need a tutorial, but as I have a sleeping baby on me who is cranky whenever I move, so you got one.

P.s I dont have a p.s. for you today. Dont cry Im sure I will next time!

linking to HomeMaker on a Dime

The Girl Creative

Todays Creative Blog

Someday Crafts

Whipperberry

Super Mega Famous Baby

Ok - warning Mumma brag ahead!!

You all remember my super mega cute baby girl, right?!?

Yep she creeps in to your heart and tugs hard on those strings.

Now she is super mega cute on a national level!

And because even they think she is mega cute, they added an itty bitty one, on the contents page.

Ps - Autographs are available - they come in dribble flavour only though.....

The Streets are Still

The streets are still,

My house is quiet

One lonely little boy is wiping away his tears

He does not like, he left his brother there.

Have a great first day back my darlings ( My Josh to high school)

Cant wait to hear all about your adventures.

Ps - its neary 10, surely thats long enough and I can go get them now? Right?!

PPs - was excited to surf across this year long free art journaling workshop. Though some of you might be as well.

PPPs - scrapping to come, I promise.

All the Tea in China

Somedays I want to create, be messy and just do.

Today I just want to make this lil girl chuckle.

She is developing her first chuckles and I can bearly drag my self away from her. I just keep doing incredibly silly things just to hear her.

Is there anything better then baby chuckles?

I love her more then all the tea in china

(And I also wanted an excuse to use this photo from the markets {Parklea of all markets as well! - heads up for the locals} this am, kicking my self for not going back like I planned to before I left. Im craving some tea now. I badly need a teapot...)

Ps - yep, you guessed it. I have developed the instgram love. Horrid husband made me give up my old sticky taped phone and get a "real phone [iphone 4s]". Im loving the camera but I miss the sticky tape. But on the other hand - I can now have apps. What do I need??

PPs - Did a google to see if I could get the Tea online and apparently they ( Green Valley Spices) are at Hay and Paddys markets as well as Bankstown and on line.

PPPs - what the buggery did we do before Google?!? And plus its just darn fun saying it.

Google, google, google!!

PPPPs - Im sorry, my mind wanders a lot, and sometimes I just have to take people along for the ride.

PPPPPs - you are all feeling very sorry for my family and friends right now aren't you........

A Revelation or Two

Today tv provided me with 2 new revelations.

One a new show called Hillbilly Handfishin - umm hello, crazy people!!!

Im sort of tempted to send Rod though as it looks kind of fun in a sick twisted way and really, my twinkie lil toes are far to precious and cute to use as bait, so ill just watch him from the bank. - Wait, are there alligators there?!?

Two - a few posts ago I made fun of my husband for his debilitating condition,

Dadjokeitis

( ok slightly fun of my self as well, but as I also let you know about the teenage secret code that is eye rolling. So you know im really cool right?).

Well while watching the pilot of New Girl ( can I save love love love), I realized that I myself suffer from a debilitating condition

Wierdgirlsingitis....

(As you can sufferers look totally normal....ish)

Shortly before watching said show I made some sweet crisps ( can I say love love love) and whipped some cream to go with it, which caused me to sing Ahh Ahhh whip it, Whip it real good. Loudly. Very Loudly. At the top of my voice Loudly.

My microphone

Watching the show, where she randomly sings, my husband gave me that look ( now I know it was just cause I was singing so awesomely). I thought oh heck, I sing a lot, at random times at random things, from random words to start me off and give myself awesome theme songs. So I self diagnosed....

Wierdgirlsingitis

I dont know if its something I can come back from, or if I even should try and cure myself, cause really I would be just denying the world of such beauty as my voice. But Im a sufferer. Its something that will probably effect me for the rest of my life. Im sure my friends will be glad that I am coming to terms with this and will show me love and support.

The thing is though, Im sure I ant be the only sufferer, right?!? Come on 'fess up!

Ps - The television did give me another gift today - Grease. Rod was horrified about how much I can quote it. Does he not understand that that sums up good times in my early teenage years with my girlfriends?!?

PPs - I really promise you that I am a terrific singer, that whole voted worst singer in my final year of high school ( unfortunate true story...) - total jealousy, and the reason Rod wont let me sing in his band - he just does not want to lose me to international stardom!

PPPs - Layout is one I did last night, with awesome wallpaper from the opp shop, that Scrapbooking Master Beth and I found yesterday on our jaunt. Isnt my sweet Ty utterly kissable!?

linking at get your craft on at Todays Creative Blog

THREE!!

It has been a big week this week

This sweet lil guy turned three.

Im happy and sad at the same time - my last little boy is no longer a baby!!!

But three year olds are lots of fun!

Even if they have to make faces at photo shoots!

( Actually thats one of my favourite things of him! He makes the best three year old monster faces ever!)

Happy birthday my sweet Cooper. I love you a million.

Serious Affliction

My (hottie) husband suffers from a serious affliction, its one I find that a lot of men my age are getting and one that even I, on the odd occasion ( like long car drives) suffer from.

Dadjokeitis.

Thankfully this condition is not fatal. Its just one we all have to learn to cope with. I have hope that one day a cure will be found for the millions of sufferers around the world.

Rod has had this affliction from years, you know when it is in full force as its almost always followed by groans ( and the occasional eye roll from younger members of the family). And as I mentioned, Even I occasionally suffer from it. And as I mentioned, usually on long car trips.

We might of went away for a short trip this weekend. And we might of suffered this on the way there and back....

The symptoms might have looked like this

First we lamented the fact we would not be driving through Berry, as it was a berry good town, but it was berry far away so we should berry much get the use out of saying Berry as it might be berry offended.

You can imagine the joy on my preteens face as we went through this.

And even more so when we went through this...

Then as we passed by Kanahooka ( choose appropriate answer here depending on the age of your occupants - I dont know can she? /depends on how much you pay her... boom tish! - [that was a drum and a cymbal bash just incase you dont speak boom tish!])

Thank fully mine is only temporary - Im normally very very very funny - just ask said preteen - I know that eye rolls from him to me are just a secret code for - Gosh mum you are really funny I cant wait to share that with my friends. I hope you say/do that when we are out in public next.

Ps he also uses that code when I sing and so does my husband - except my husband secretly hopes ill offer to join his band as the singer......

PPs - Why does a cowboy wear boots?

So he doesn't hurt his feet when he kicks the bucket - feel free to insert your secret code eye roll here

Sharing is caring

My husband has a sacred spot — his studio ( originally our garage) and this has been his own space to get away from us all ( actually when he is in a foul mood I order him in there to play his guitar [ the other woman in our marriage] he comes out the other end much nicer!).

And just because he is the best guy in the world, he knew how much a lack of permanent space was bugging me ( I think part of the reason for my move away from craft last year) he gave me a section of his sacred space!!!!!!

And it's working!! I have been in and out of there can leave part finished projects etc, its just perfect — plus I get an added guitar music background, by a really hunky guitarist.

I love it. And I have been playing to my hearts content.

out for publication

See.

Ps - I was not compensated for this post, God provided him and I have given a review based on my own experiences.

PPs - see total hottie.

PPPs cant believe I just wrote the word hottie. I am sorry english language, I momentarily forgot I was not a 13 year old girl.=( Do thirteen year olds even still say it) , but you know its not my first time.

But I wanted to make a butter sandwich...........

Or alternate title -

Why toddlers should never be left alone for even a minute!!!

He did enjoy the game we made of cleaning the train though!

Ps excuse bad photos, was laughing to hard.