Down to just one

Hi all,

in order to make life simpler for me and you...all blogging will go through Create for A Cause for now.

http://create-4acause.blogspot.com/

See you there!

Cheers,
Jane

Sisters, not twins!

Hey...someone thought Bin & I were twins!




Yeah, we look a bit alike, but really! Here we are last week accepting the Certificate of appreciation from the Royal Brisbane Women's Hospital Foundation. Amelie looks less than impressed, but she wanted to eat and play, not pose for another round of photos.



I dyed her hair this Wednesday. Lots of blonde & copper foils with a deep red base. Yummy... I did Sharon's Thurday. Dark red and caramel foils with a dark brown base. Rocking! Mine looks dull now. Darn.


Hope you have a nice weekend,
Jane

Need some old stuff?

Sometimes my powers of description (or lack thereof) amaze even me!

At class last Saturday Glenda mentioned she was after sheets of old music to use in a project. A few of us mentioned looking in second hand stores in the magazines and books sections as this has proved very successful for a few of us, me included. The Lifeline booksale at the Convention centre is another goody.

Then I tried to say a knew a website with vintage resources - which came out as "old stuff". The ex-english teacher in me shuddered, the busy, distracted scrapbooking teacher in me laughed.

Anyway thanks to Gwenyth who put me onto this one YEARS ago! Thanks Miss G.

Try http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/vintageresources.html

There are plenty of old postcards, ads, etc and the site is extensive so you need browsing time to find just what you want. There is some very cute "old stuff" there!

Happy being vintage,

Jane

Aunty aunty aunty! Oi oi oi!

I was woken this morning by "Aunty! Aunty! Aunty!"


Amelie was calling out my name because she saw my photo on the fridge and I wasn't out of bed to see her. Apparently when Belinda enters our street she starts saying the same thing.


Ahhh, these are the joys of auntyhood.



Needless to say I got up. So far we've done all the normal stuff - breakfast, talking, animal noises, singing, playing, reading and inspecting our jewellery. Yes, she has her own bangles. She is, afterall, MY niece. All this before 9.30am.


Bub is going into the city with her grandparents today. Aunty might go for a rest later on the aforementioned bed so she can cope with the afternoon session of play.


Have a great day whatever you are doing,
Jane

Feeling the vibe!

Saturday's classes at Stamp Art Studio were fantastic fun! Thanks to all the ladies who attended - though I only took 2 photos in the first class - we were very busy scrapping our 'art' out all day.

I love the comment "I got 7 pages done! It takes me a month to get one done by myself!" My pleasure.

I look forward to getting on with a bit of new scrapping for me this week...I have ideas swirling around in the ideas box and I've got that creative vibe!

Feeling the call,

Jane

Come scrap with me on Saturday!

Hey there scrappers! Feeling you need a scrap fix or dare I say it, a 'Jane' fix?



This page is an old layout sample from a previous class with my cousin Chase.

I'm teaching 2 classes at Stamp Art Studio, Aspley on Saturday (Shop 14, 1370 Gympie Road, Aspley, 4034. Down from Aspley Day and Night Pharmacy Ph 07 3863 0833) If you click on the title on this post it will take you right there to the store.



I'm running 2 of my students' favourite sketch classes - Scrap Express 18 and Multi-photo Madness No. 4 :


Scrap Express 18
So many photos. So little time and/or inspiration? You need the Express lane: up to three layouts in 2 hours! We’ll provide design drawings for 3 pages with matching samples for each and help you pick paper too. Make any one, two or three of the layouts provided. Suits beginner to advanced. Bring your paper trimmer and your photos cut & ready to go.

This is another old fave layout from a previous class. I love this pussy willow photo at Waarnambool from our Great Ocean Road trip - just ask Lindy & Sharon!

Multiphoto Madness No. 4
Multi photo pages can just look messy, but with a bit of thoughtful design something fabulous is possible! You can create up to 2 double page multi photo layouts in this class. You will be offered 2 layouts with sketches, samples and a helping hand to choose paper and card. Please bring the required photo sizes for each layout.

I'm also teaching on Friday 26 June. Those of you who've seen my ribbon bag will not be surprised to hear its theme -

Ribbon Wrap Up
Ribbons are a big part of my scrapbooking. Come to this fun class and see why! You will make 1-2 pages inspired by my love of using ribbon in a variety of ways. Class includes samples, sketches and inspirational tips. Please bring a variety of photos both landscape and portrait to play with on the day. Don’t forget your ribbon stash if you have one!

Have a great day,

Jane

Drunks at the driveway

Well, we had some interesting visitors this long weekend..not just my family and friends either.


The rainforest tree at the top of the driveway was host to quite a few drunks.


This photo shows one of the visitors peering down in blurry splendor as the rainbow lorikeet flock get higher than kites on the nectare.


They had a great time.


The weaving and bobbing and raucous bird cries together with the stiff wind and oncoming rain meant not too many of the photos look focused. Darn. But this is a nice one.


Cheeky beggars. Love "em.


Hope you are relaxing this long weekend,
Jane

Back to my drawing board

The feedback has been so brilliant from the premmie baby charity crop that we've decided to run another fun day most likely in September.

It will be different, giving you all something else to try! I'm organising ideas and sketching and having brainwaves. All this creativity means I am a bit scattered on the less important things and I did try to put the bread in the egg container and lost my mobile phone in the house. (So glad you can ring them to find them!)

For more info feel free to pop on over to the Create For A Cause blog http://create-4acause.blogspot.com/

So my home still looks like a bomb hit it and we are still unpacking and so on. Clean up Sunday didn't take as long as we thought thankfully. We did find a few lost brads and gave them to a good home.

You may notice I've added a blog list to this blog. I don't follow heaps, I'm more of a pop in and out kinda gal.

Hope your day is beautiful,
Jane

New Friends are Fab

Wow! What a fantastic weekend. I am exhausted, but it was worth it.

Of course our team had help! Besides Lindy, Sharon & myself, my sister Belinda , brother-in-law Stu, Dad Ken, Mum Val and friends Chris & Gay all did something great to help us out. Thanks so much.

We raised $1536.25! Yay!

I enjoyed meeting new like minded creative people. That was fantastic! I feel like I made new friends I want to see again. I also caught up with some 'old' students & friends too. I hope we don't have to wait until 2010 to see each other again...

Friendship is fab,
Jane

Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater

Actually, it's more pumpkin peeler, not eater...


Lindy popped in and helped me peel nearly 6kgs of pumpkin to use in making 10 litres of pumpkin soup for lunch Saturday at the Create For A Cause charity crop. We even roped my Dad in to help us out. Thankfully there was only 3kg of carrots to do.




All this lovely vege came as a donation from my local shop Burpengary Fruit and Vegetables. They are lovely people.



Mum grabbed the camera, so thanks mum. She was busy making desserts for us. Yum. In fact the oven is still going and the smell of baking and vanilla is delicious.


Amelie kept us entertained with her crawling around the floor and finding noisy things to play with. She particularly likes cookie tins. Very telling that. Soon as she's old enough she'll get cooking lessons from her Aunty Janey.


Can you get RSI of the wrist from peeling veges?


Pass the pumpkin please,
Jane

In a whirl of lists

True confession. Okay so I am a list gal.

I have such a busy brain I find it one way to organise it all. My friends & family know this & sort of laugh but also find it endearing. If you asked me what I'd do with a million dollars, the answer is "Make a list of all the things I'd want to do with it."

I have soooooooooooo many lists for the charity crop Saturday that I bought a folder just to organise them. Even I smile at myself for that. When I was a high school teacher I used colour coded folders - you know, geography was green , english red, history yellow etc

I find I use folders in the comupter too. Big broad sweeps of info tucked into categories. Too bad they aren't colour coded too. That would rock!

Scrapbooking could be pink, books could be red, business paperwork could be a calming blue...

Whirling away,
Jane

Things I Like

Well, I really love this photo because I am surrounded by things dear to me - Amelie, my cat Elliott, books a comforty chair (yep, it's red with a pink throw!) and time together. It's a real photo - not posed I mean. I haven't done my hair or got makeup on or even nice clothes. Amelie & I were just reading together when Elliott popped up for a cuddle. He's getting very brave where Amelie is concerned- as is she with him.

So many nice moments to treasure...

Smiling,

Jane

Command Centre mode

Ha! This place is usually pretty crazy and busy but it's really moved to a new level with the Create For A Cause charity crop only 1 week away.

I was glad that downpouring of rain didn't come on our crop day! Water & paper don't mix well! That's a park in Morayfield near Sheepstation Creek. Normally there is no water, only grass.

I felt like adventure-woman this week with having to ford rivers, cross streams bravely going forth in my parents' all wheel drive! (Wasn't game in my little tiny Ford Festiva) Hope you are okay & stuffered no lasting damage.

And so like a commando I'm gathering the team together this weekend for our last big preparation before the big day. Hope you have a great weekend.

Over & out,

Jane

10 days to go!

Can you believe it? It's only 10 days before the big day.

Create For A Cause's Premmie Baby Charity Crop is looking fantastic with every ticket sold, a waiting list just in case and a heap of donations to add more fun to the day.

It's been fun being the 'post box' for the donations. Taking in the deliveries and opening them has been very Christmassy. We've been thrilled with the generous contributions of individuals and businesses.

Thank goodness for email and telephones. I've been ill the last week or two and it's technology that has driven the wheels of this charity crop bus! Donations are winding down but one arrived from Kerry at Scrap in the Box this morning. It's a fabulous kit worth $60 in shades of blue, green and brown. Did she read my mind? Those are one of my fave combos for travel photos, especially beach and forest. Have a squiz at http://www.scrapinthebox.com.au

I liked the kit so much I promptly went to her online store for a browse and ended up buying College Press papers in 3 shades. I couldn't help myself, honest!

Bring on the inspiration,

Jane

The Frog & Arty

Last night we caught the frog!

He was back, but not behind the shampoo in the shower cubicle. No. He was in the hallway in front of the linen press.

What possible reason could that frog have? Not being an amphibian aficionado I can’t say. Having rejected the leafy courtyard for a home, we have placed him in the front garden near the door. Here’s hoping...

Part 2 of this chat revolves around the sheer brilliance of my niece Amelie. No, of course I’m NOT biased. Perish the thought!

She has finally chosen a name for me. We say Aunty Jane, she says “ARTY”.
How’s that for accurate in the literal sense? I’m very excited. It’s going to be a page.

My Dad is playing with her as I write. I think they are being pirates because there's lots of "Arr!" noises mixed with bits of singing. I've read her a small library of books and sung half of the nursery rhymes known to mankind. (I like a little exaggeration!)

Frog free again,
Jane

One Special Moment

This layout reminds my family just how far we've come. Amelie is 3 days old here. That is my sister Belinda's hand. So precious and precarious is a premmie's life that only Mum & Dad may touch the baby - and later grandparents.

I had to wait 3 months before touching Amelie. When I held her in my arms the very first time I burst into tears and tried NOT to sob. The relief, the joy, all my feelings were overwhelming. I have explained how I feel or what we've done together in my layouts. When she's 18 there will be a mountain of pages!

Thanks to all those who have supported the Create For A Cause charity crop for premature and seriously ill babies. It will be a fantastic day. You can visit our site at http://create-4acause.blogspot.com/

Happy day,

Jane

Monday means Top Gear

Being Monday, it means my Dad, and no doubt 100s of other blokes and car lovers, will be watching Top Gear tonight. I'll watch it sometimes if there's a fun challenge on.




Tonight I'll be reading my book. Most of the time I'd rather read than watch TV.

I'll read all sorts of stuff, but at the moment I'm getting into the paranormal genre that seems to be sweeping the country. I already loved Harry Potter so this seems a distant cousin to that.


I really enjoyed the Twilight series of books by Stephanie Meyer and so does my mum. I even bought Mum the movie for Mother's Day! She was thrilled.


For the grown ups I recommend Charlaine Harris and her Sookie Stackhouse series and J R Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. These are definitely NOT for children or young teens.

Obviously I'm not the only one finding the idea of vampires and other paranormal beings fascinating if the best seller fiction lists are anything to go by.

Truly I just like imagination and being in someone else's world for a while. It's fun!

Explore another world!
Jane

Return of the Frog

So I'll start by mentioning how short sighted I am.

Really short sighted.

So short sighted I only remove my glasses to sleep and shower. Yes, I wear them in the pool or ocean. I've even made the hospital let me wear them until they put me asleep before any operation.

Right - get the idea??

So I get in the shower - la la la lah - reach up for soap...
.....and ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

My hand touches moist and clammy that moves.

My first reaction is a girly scream & jumping backwards. The clammy thing jumps onto my leg and is attached. More squeals, bashing my back into the shower door, etc Okay I know I have a frog & calm down even though I can't see anything too well.

I wash my hands and try to gently capture the frog in my palms so I can take him to his natural habitat. No. He likes it there and wants to stay in the shower cubicle.

I get him - eventually. Frogs are quite strong, slippery little suckers and he's got soap on his tummy. I gently run water over him and take him into the courtyard garden amongst the lush plants where I believe he belongs.

My question is - how long before the return of the frog?

I'm leaving my glasses on until I check the shower every night BEFORE undressing! You wait first time I forget, that little green froggy will be there waiting, hiding behind the shampoo!

And NO - I didn't get a photo.

Happy bathing,
Jane

Card class tomorrow

Tomorrow I'm off to teach a card class at the Burpengary library. This therefore combines a few of my favourite things -

-something crafty
- teaching
- giving a little back by volunteering my skills
- talking to others about craft & life
- being in the library

I love books. I love words - words are amazing things.

They can comfort, amuse, entertain, persuade, hurt and anger.
How lucky I am to not only have free access to so many wordsmiths (authors) creations through the library, but to also have a bit of the gift of the gab.

This afternoon I'm meeting up with my gal pals for coffee & there will be 'some' conversation involved. We will talk, share and laugh non-stop for 1-2 hours. Yay!

Cuppa & a chat anyone?
Jane

Looking like Christmas

Yes, I know it's ages away (though I have started putting pressies away for it), but it's been like Christmas at my place.

Boxes of goodies are turning up from all over the country for the Create For A Cause charity crop. It's been great fun unpacking them to discover the generosity of people who are moved to contribute in some way to a very good cause.

Pop over to the blog for a sneak peak at items for the goodie bags, lucky door, bingo and raffle prizes- http://create-4acause.blogspot.com/

I know I'm optomistic but it's lovely to know that people DO care.

May you all have a wonderful day - I can't help smiling.

Totally chuffed,
Jane