LET'S GET SHABBY CHALLENGE SIX!!

First of all, I havent been able to blog for a couple of weeks!! This non-scrapping/blogging time is killing me!! Sad sad sad, but life gets in the way especially with my work. I've been on planes, making deadlines, and working some dreadfully long long hours sometimes into the wee small hours of the morning. This is going to be the way until the 5th of December is over and then its HAPPY HOLIDAY time for me!! I cant wait! I'll be able to scrap freely(I'm missing entering my fav challenges!), blog and bloghop (I miss you all!!!) and sort my house out for Christmas!!

In the meantime 'LET'S GET SHABBY' has just revealed Challenge Six!!!

Its all about creating an inspiring project....

'A SHABBY CHRISTMAS'

Here's my DT sample - A Wall Hanging


What a lot of fun!!! Oooh who doesnt love 3-D!!!!

Last Christmas Shimano sent me a lovely Xmas Rak (just because -bless her) of a little cardboard kit to build a Xmas village where the buildings stand alone. But instead of building a village, I've drawn inspiration from it and created this wall-hanging and added my papers and embellishments. The green bead-trim, trim on the roof-line (which I've inked red) and the two little centre pine-trees came from the kit too. Though it doesnt look anything like what it was originally intended - I love how this has turned out and the process was sooooo much fun!!!

Now pop on over here to check out 'Let's Get Shabby' Challenge Six, the DT creations, Sponsor and Prize!

I promise I'll get out and about after the 5th December.......I'm just a bit overwhelmed atm.

PS:Ooooh and thanks Michelle for your lovely comment - I miss you too!!!!

CREATIVE SCRAPPERS AND WHAT'S AD ABOUT

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CREATIVE SCRAPPERS

Here's the latest sketch from Creative Scrappers. I love the elements in this sketch. I've used some gorgeous bits and pieces from Ruby Street and created the 'circle' shape with masking chipboard and spraying Glimmermist. The pics are Hannah enjoying a day out on a lake boat. It was magic. She just 'becomes' nature when we are amongst it. Its a joy to watch her.

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WHAT'S AD ABOUT

Check out the inspiration.

I loved the pic they've used!! The colours are amazing. The patterns are ancient. There had to be masking involved as well. This is Meaghan amongs some decorative ruins in Turkey.

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10TH NOV PHOTO

In costume - Paige as 'Alice' in Alice in Wonderland. This is the first official photo. So with that in mind I was sooooo pleased when these (below) turned up today...........

11TH NOV PHOTO Ooooooh oooooh oooooh!! A scrappers dream for the photos that are going to come!!! Arent they just PERFECT! I was just soooo thrilled when I stumbled upon ------

Pinkcherrymama's blog and her fabulous etsy

And I won a rak from her blog!! Double YAY!!!

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LETS GET SHABBY XMAS RAK & SCRAPPING THE MUSIC

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LET'S GET SHABBY XMAS RAK

Would you like to win one of these two raks?? Go see the here!!

Dont you just love Christmas!! I cant believe that its speeding up sooo fast! I have a wonderful memory of the smell of pine! The days of real Christmas trees. It takes me right back to childhood days. I smell pine and I see tinsel in my mindseye with presents packed around the base of the tree. I miss that..............sigh. (mine are the ones with the black reigndeer) We still have a couple of cards on their way to us to add to these.
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SCRAPPING THE MUSIC #111

Check out the song this week! Lots of scrappable lyrics!! I love this pic of Hannah that Paige took - check out the reflection she caught in the photo! This was taken bushwalking at one of our most fav places Cradle Mountain.
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9th NOV 09
A day spent at the studio - with my fav friend artist - she is incredible, to get such large perspective right - its a little more than LO size of 12x12!!! These are the beginnings of the backdrops for Alice in Wonderland.
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AUSSIE SCRAPJACK, GOT MOJO & METHOD PLAYGROUND

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NOVEMBER AUSSIE SCRAPJACKED

Check out the challenge here! There are two fab LO's to lift! I chose Ann-Marie's, it was probably because I knew it would challenge me.....and YES it certainly did!! I STRUGGLED! I'm not sure I'm 100% happy with it, but I am happy with the journey of having to find the elements in her LO that I needed to meet! Thats the 'growing' part for me!

I try to see every movement/section within a layout and interpret it creatively iykwim?
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GOT MOJO It's all about what therapy is best to suit you to relax and de-stress.....and PAINT!! Oh how I love paint!!
I was whipping paint onto those stamps of mine and bang down on the page it went!!
Its higglety-pigglety - just how I like it!! No clean cut lines here! Put me on the beach anytime - and I'll can feel every muscle in my body go calm. There's something in the warmth of a sea breeze and the smell of the ocean. Check the challenge out here
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METHOD PLAYGROUND
This is the first time I've played along - and I really loved the challenge of finding a page from a magazine and using the design to form a LO. This was a bit different for me and it took AGES to find just the right subject to use!!
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6TH NOV PHOTO Nothing much happing for outside today mores the pity, I have too much preparation for rehearsals to do for tomorrow (sigh). Look at our beautiful weather!! This was just a little keyhole out to sea with a honey-suckle/cottage rose frame.

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7TH NOV PHOTO Last night I had a mess everywhere!! Look at this entanglement!!

Time to tidy up!!

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8TH NOV PHOTO
These big monster Humpback Whales have been gracing our waters lately. I get to play with my binoculars from my veranda, sit and marvel for ages at these creatures breach and splashdown! I swear its a competition to see which one can do the biggest belly/back/side flop to cause the biggest splash!! Arent their tummies so texturised that it makes you want to reach and and touch it!! It's so lucky here also that all the boats leave them alone, and let them play. I feel so blessed to see such creatures.

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CREATIVE SCRAPPERS #76

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CREATIVE SCRAPPERS

I stumbled across a fab sketch on Gladie's blog - only to find out that she created it for Creative Scrappers - first time I've seen this Challenge site. So went and had a look-see and wow talk about fab!!! I was definitely inspired!!! Check out the GDt too!! So this above was the result!! I really love how the LO turned out of gorgeous Hannah!
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5TH NOV PHOTO
Thanks so much to Brigette for this lovely lovely card!!!

Isnt it beautiful!!
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AWARD FROM SHIMANO and JULIE

Here are my one worded answers heehee....

1. Where is your phone? Handbag
2. Your hair? Brown
3. Your mother? Creative
4. Your father? Lovable
5. Your fav food? Italian
6. Your dream last night? Bizarre
7. Your fav drink? Tea
8. Your dream/goal? Retire
9. What room are you in? Study
10. Your hobby? Scrapbooking
11. Your fears? Loss
12. Where you want to be in 6 years? Holidaying
13. Where you were last night? Rehearsals
14. Something that you aren't? Mathematical
15. Muffins? Blueberry
16. Wish list item? Kitchen
17. Where did you grow up? Vic,Qld,Nsw, Tas (how do you put that in one word???)
18. Last thing you did? Washing
19. What you are wearing? trackies

20. Your TV? Constantly
21. Your pets? cats
22. Friends? Fabulous
23. Your life? BUSY
24. Your mood? Overwhelmed
25. Missing somebody? Always
26. Vehicle? Lancer
27. Something your not wearing? make-up
28. Your fav store? Ruby St!
29. Your fav colour? green
30. Last time you laughed? yesterday
31. Last time you cried? ????
32. Your best friend? always
33. One place you want to go over and over? garden
34. One person who emails regularly? Julie
35. Fav place to eat? Home

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LET'S GET SHABBY

And if you want to know how Julie made this lovely, then head on over to 'LET'S GET SHABBY' and see how!!

Totally fabulous!!!

FAVE THINGS,KIDDIELIT & SOME RUBY ST!

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MY FAVOURITE THINGS

It's all about favourite vacations over at

'These Are A Few Of My Favourite THings'

One of our favourite times for us three girls is riding along the beach when on holidays.

Its just great to get some 'us' time together in our very busy life.

Its a favourite time.

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KIDDIELIT

I'd love you to join me because this is about my favourite book childhood book
'The Secret Garden'
I'd just LOVE to see what you can do with this challenge!!! Let me see your names turn up!! LOL (no pressure!!!) hee hee!! You can find the challenge criteria here (big smile)
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RUBY STREET
A little bit of Halloween at Ruby Street!! I had such a privilege to work with one of the 'Those Doris Days' lovelies! And a little birdy tells me that there's some updating going on this weekend!!
Blacky served as a wonderful subject for this little booklet FULL of perfect go-togethers!!

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3RD NOV PHOTO

'I see a bird'!! LOL - that's as far as the drama goes for our 17yr old!

Then he'll sit back down! It's written all over his face 'nah, cant be bothered'

He's gone really really deaf lately.
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4TH NOV PHOTO

Paige highlighting her times for when she has to be at 'Oliver' rehearsals.

We are just tooo busy!! Bring on Christmas!!
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Ooooh yes.........and I was a 'grinner' at AUSSIE SCRAPJACKED

with this LO of Jonathon!

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SCRAPPING THE MUSIC & ADTHIS

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SCRAPPING THE MUSIC #110

The challenge this week is a TV theme song 'Happy Days'!! Very scrappable!

This is a fun LO of a pic catching of my mother (in her 70's!!) skipping into the water!! Having a laugh and a joke. What you dont see is that another group of her friends are standing a little off to the right laughing as well! (couldnt put their faces in though) but what a priceless photo! The whole lot of them (dolly ladies as they are referred to - create reproduction porcelain dolls) paddled around with trousers rolled up and skirts hitched! Oh and I used a couple of the pieces Petra and Chris sent me (for my prize in TAAFOMFT) just as finishing touches!!! Cant wait to use more of these goodies!!!

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ADTHIS Check out the challenge here. I thoroughly enjoyed doing this one.
I just cut out some elements, and substituted some of the shapes and lines from the ad and moved them around until the LO just fell into place. That was an interesting process!
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2 NOV PHOTO Jobs needing doing!

NOVEMBER 'WHAT IS OLD IS NEW' SKETCH!

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Wow....two posts in one day!! Life is busy!!

Head on over to 'What Is Old Is New' to check out the new November sketch!!

I really love this one! There are some fabulous prizes to be won!!!

And while you are there.....check out the new kits !!!

1ST NOV PHOTO

And I just have to show you this photo of my two girls sing duet today in concert!Soooooo proud and just beautiful tones!!!

A sneaky photo grab!! So couldnt help the quality!!

LOL Julie T-W !!! They were singing 'My Favourite Things' here!!!

NOVEMEBER 123 CHALLENGE...

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Charmane from 123 Challenge had a brainwave - since she is on the Creative Team at Stuck?! Sketches she thought she could combine 'Stuck? Sketch' with the 123 Challenge'

SOOOO..... the criteria is:

1. Use a November Stuck?! Sketch {there are two- 1 uploaded on the 1st, and 2nd one on the 15th}
2. Use a baby/pregnancy photo {seeing as Sara (from Stuck?) and Charmane just have had bubs!}
3. Use a diecut on your layout
Email your layout to : challenge_123@hotmail.com
and make sure you join and upload your layout to 'Stuck?Sketches' too!

This way you can with double the prizes!!

Here's my CT example

Baptism day May 1997

Loook at those stunningly gorgeous smorgeous vingtage doilies from Ruby Street!!

I just cant get enough of them!!! Look how precious they've made this LO!!
Here's a direct link to the doilies!

Happy birthday for Mum too for the 31st
Yes on Halloween!

31st OCT PHOTOPaige posing with the 'Mad Hatter'!!

THEATRE CHALLENGES and CREATIVE TYPE

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THEATRE CHALLENGES

Choose any song from the musical Les Miserables to inspire a scrapbook page, card, or project. even by the poster. I picked the poster as this pic of Hannah really worked well with it. You can go check the challenge out here.

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CREATIVE TYPE

I was so thrilled that Creative Type is up and running again! I feel this blog really pushes the art side of me. Its all about negative space and the making a statement. After the black of winter here in Tasmania (black background)- and now into spring (trees)....I just want to get into SUMMER!(photo) Just ADORE the hot weather!!!

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27TH OCT PHOTO
Paige leaving violin practice
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28TH OCT PHOTO
Yay!!! Happy mail from Petra!!! Ooooh there was SO much stuff!!
I couldnt believe so many things could be in one postal packet!!
Thanks so much Petra!! I LOVE my Dutch goodies!!!
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29th OCT PHOTO
MORE happy mail!!! Thanks sooooo much Chris!!!
Just stunningly gorgeous!! Again...much more than I ever thought and very generous!!
I love love love them!!!
hugs

30TH OCT 09
Meaghan rang me today from Hervey Bay to say that she WON a SCHOLARSHIP to travel to LONDON for her work!!! We are soooo proud of you Meaghan!!!
xxxxx

THREE LOTS OF LO'S TO SHARE...

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SCRAPPING THE MUSIC #109 Fabbo song this week!! The song 'Our House' has so many great lyrics you can scrap to! You can find the challenge here. I found this photo of Hannah and Paige at the end of the path at our front gate ready to leave to go to Playgroup when they were little. So the perspective is looking from my front door out to the gate.

ADTHIS You can check out the ad here. It was a pretty interesting one with many tiny facets to it I thought. This was taking when we were in Cairns last month and Lee-Anne and Danny from Scrap Therapy took Hannah, Paige and I out for some sight-seeing - and my oh my, we saw some beautiful places!

MY FAVOURITE THINGS I sooo love this blog!! I call it my 'break-out' challenge blog cos I seem to try new things!! Its all about fav seasons - and its SUMMER all the way for me!! We are sliding towards in now and I cant wait! I took these pics of Hannah being tossed around in the surf at Port Douglas (Far Nth QLD) and it was perfect to glue her into my waves here!! LOL!

25TH OCT PHOTO

Another buried treasure!!! A HOE! Love it and it still works a treat!!!

26TH OCT PHOTOOld boy Cosmo checking his boundaries! He's VERY territorial!

LET'S GET SHABBY CHALLENGE FIVE!

Challenge Five is ALL about a focal embellishment! You can check out the challenge and fabulous DT examples here. My handmade is the 'stage'. I wanted to do a LO about Paige embarking on her first principle ballet role in Alice in Wonderland as 'Alice'. So I've got her photo 'looking' at the 'stage' of what is to come. The stage itself is simple enough with a little golden lace 'curtain' rising with two little red stars either side. I've used a semi circle of red tissue paper underneath the stage with the main ballerina, so it could be view as Paige standing on the stage looking through the curtain as it rises towards the audience and the line of ballerinas waiting in the wings. The perspective is simply interpretive!

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PRIMA Build-a-Page Sketch.

Yes I actually entered this. And I will say that finding the codes that had to accompany submission is difficult! Nevertheless - I love PRIMA products and loved having a go at the sketch!

ADTHIS

I'm late with putting this up! Its been a very busy, almost impossible past week!

You can find the ad here

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20TH OCT PHOTO

Look at the King of the Castle!

Feeling much better now that antibiotics for his foot are kicking in

(pardon the pun!)
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21ST OCT PHOTO

Look away if reptiles eek you out! My garden is full of bluetongue lizards, and we dont suffer the onslaught of snails or have snakes because these little fellows make sure of it!

They are totally docile slow moving creatures. Look at him peeping out behind the fairy statue!

22ND OCT PHOTO

Happy mail for winning Aussie Scrap Jack!!

Some very fabbo Christmas goodies!

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23RD OCT PHOTO

Okay, so by now you must be thinking...is this ALL this cat does!!

Weeell, yes, its is!!

But it is sooo photographable to me!!

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24th OCT 09

What is this? Weeeeeell like in previous posts about the creek running through our garden and being like archaeological dig! We've managed to uncover under heaps of dirt, a rough cement pathway almost down to the water!! Still have a lot of work to do!

SCRAPPING THE MUSIC, AUSSIE SCRAP JACK

SCRAPPING THE MUSIC#108 The challenge this week is the song 'Beautiful Dawn' Here is the view from the side garden of my house's veranda. I've used webbed cardboard as the backing, where its partially peeled back (brown paper covering), framed it and the rest is really Prima! It sure was 'different' to create with and a whole lot of fun!

AUSSIE SCRAPJACKED
So many jacks to jack over at Aussie ScrapJack !!
I always fall head over heels with Lou's art!! SO, my decision to jack her interpretation was made in a micro-second!! I so loved doing this LO of 'Jonathan' (story below) strutting! It seemed perfect for it.





16th OCTOBER photo
Patiently waiting for me to come home







17th OCT photos
The very first time Paige was invited to play violin in the adults Stringed Chamber Orchestra!
I managed to sneak a couple of photos...not the best...but at least its something!!!

Standing for applause! How proud was I...there was a little tear in my eye.
They were playing Vivaldi's Gloria and with full choir.
She was very proud of herself too.

18TH OCT PHOTO
Named 'Jonathan' after 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull', he or she found its way into my garden(as birds and animals seem to when they need a little help). Jonathan is old, knarled-knees and unable to fly any longer, came down to land for the last time, to see out the end of his days. I couldnt leave him to be killed by cats or whatever else, so I picked him up and made him safe in the cat pen (without the cats) so he could see himself out peacefully. He is eating the fish I give him, and happy to drink, and be still and quiet. He seems thankful even, though doesnt make a sound. I dont think he has long.


19TH OCT 09
Off to the vet! Poor Blacky looked so 'betrayed' that I would stick him in the carry basket to take him to that awful place. He's been limping, and I thought it was his old hips...but when he was laying down, Paige caught sight of the underneath pads of his paw and they looked infected - white even (they are normally black) Its the big pad, and a little one next to it.
Anyway, Blacky behaved perfectly! And the diagnosis - he's BURNT his foot....now how could that happen? He doesnt go outside, so its either from our open fire somehow (but its the back foot??) Or the vet said that he's probably jumped up on the stove while its still been hot? Hmmn, then he'd be very sneaky because I've never seen him do that.
It's a nasty infection now so he has antibiotics and anti-fungal medication. $95 thank-you!
Ah well....it could have been worse....Paige wanted us to take Jonathan to the vet!
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*edited*
Jonathan passed peacefully today.
It was how it should be.

RUBY STREET...

OOooooh get those purses ready ladies.....

Check this out...

Something Wicked This Way Comes ..... (blog)
Halloween inspired papercrafting goodness.
Available instore Sunday 5.00pm
Trick Or Treat Limited Edition

and here's only one little example!

The Lovely Goodies (shop)

WHAT IS OLD IS NEW

The Embellishment Kits are ready to be bought over at 'What Is Old Is New' and my fav one is the Vintage!!!! Gorgeous colours, gorgeous bits and pieces!!! And the ballerina fabric is just stunning and classy!!! I really debated over putting it into a LO or wall hanging. The photo really doesnt do it justice at all! Like most scrapping - it looks better in real life!!

Anyway, I went for the wall hanging..... for part of the kit, I divided the kit in two. All I've added extra here is a bit of ribbon to hang it with.

This is Hannah....the photo makes her look like she is kinda sitting up away from the fabric.

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And this is the other part of the embellie kit....the dressmaking part I call it!!

The only things I've added are the background paper and the alpha;

My Mum ALWAYS made her own cothes.

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YAY!!! My Garden LO won over at 'These Are A Few Of My Favourite Things'

How lucky was that!!! So many beautiful LO's there!
Cool Cool Cool!!
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13TH OCT PHOTO
Paige running off to violin practice, she performs in a big concert on Sunday

14TH OCT 09
The art garden in glorious bloom!!


15th OCT PHOTO
I found a costume Paige wore when she was littler!
Its still had her name tag in it. She was a 'wood nymph' , seeing it brought back some lovely memories.