Christmas Eve greetings...

The hustle and bustle of buying and preparing for Christmas Day is all done, parcels wrapped, food cooked, visitors here and now just for the excitement of the morning to come!!

I want to wish you all - my very dear Friends and visitors- a Very Merry Christmas, if you are travelling - drive safely and i look forward to seeing what you all got from Santa on your blogs in the coming weeks or in the New Year!!

Eat, Drink and be Merry for 2011 is another year yet to come....and we can all begin diets then!!

Love ya all,

Sue xx

gift card holder inspiration..

Thanks to Meredith over at escape2create who keeps finding cute ideas for decorating and all things Christmasy, i have made these very cute gift card holders and the tag garland. Pop on over and have a blog hoppsie around to see what else she has found.

Not many sleeps left now, hope you are all feeling all in the Christmasy mood,

Sue xx

a few more cards...

Just when Meredith thought i wasn't going to use these cutters....taaadaaa!!!

I happen to be looking after the grandies the other day...... & we got creative in my craft room....oh, the grandies love to get out in my room!!! So we put to good use Meredith's Christmas tree cuttlebug die and made some quick & easy Chrissie cards.....and the end result = cuteness!! (i am allowed to brag ey??) Evan very proudly took some home to share with his mum, and i thought i would send some off too.


Hope you all have a nice Sunday,

Sue xx

Xmas cards...

I was inspired by a recent Scrapbook Creations magazine to make this this years Christmas cards. Particularly Kirsty Piper's use of a Apron Lace punch to make a lacey effect with paper.

Here are my cards:

And now here is my pile of mail to do, Christmas card list, address book and note pad out ready to go!! I love to get mail but i always leave my run to send mail so late this time of the year!! My OS mail is all gone except a couple quick ones to do this morning, but the grand plan is to do the rest this weekend!! :)

Hope you are all going well with your Christmas plans,

Havew a nice day,

Sue xx

Rob's pics

Very early this monday morning, while i was on night shift, you could see in the sky that something big was brewing, the clouds and the colours .....and then an amazing thunderstorm blew in over Cummins. Rob was up early watching it and took some photos (which, i smile at, he's catching the bug too...heehee!!....) and i love the colours and the rainbow that he has captured....i just have to share with you!!

All straight from the camera too:

All taken looking north towards Cummins- normally seen Mickan's/ Dahlitz's Hill, but covered here in rain cloud and rainbow.....maybe the pot of gold can be found there!! :)

Thanks for looking,

Hope you are having a nice week!

Sue xx

so Lucky

I have use this layout for the December sketch over at escape2create . Pop over for a looksie and join in the fun over there!

Happy December....last month of the year, the month of craziness and fun!!

Enjoy!

Suexx

bon appe'tite

I have used some old stash with this LO....old Basic Grey papers from the 'infuse' range. But i still love the multi coloured/ worn look plain background papers of the old BG....and this range felt like 'Europe' to me.

One thing we all have in common across the world....is we still all have to eat, and in Europe they sure love to do it in style. I just loved all the outdoor eateries, with their umbrellas and blackboards out on the paved pathways. And NO bothersome flies over there....just wonderful!! Oh, i can still taste that ultra strong iced coffee!! (the black one in the photo).....best iced coffees are still home here in Oz!!

Thanks for popping by,

And have a Great Day!!

Sue xx

Splash

I have used the OA range 'Seaside' on this page....little bits & bobs of it anyway, goes perfect with these sea shots of Evan enjoying a Splash with his Dad. And tried printing onto masking tape....after a couple tries got it to work....in a fashion!!

Have a nice Saturday,

Sue xx

East Side Gallery

Well today i have acheived two challenges to myself. 1. scrap using a different size 2. scrap using these photo protectors.
I decided on more travel photos, which with these photo protectors is a good quick way to scrap a story with many photos with minimal embellishing.... The size is 10" x 12" in total and this page will fit easily into my normal scrap album.
East Side Gallery was another amazing place to visit in Berlin. Alot of 'impressionistic' artistry on display here that is for sure....loved it!

Hope you've all had a happy Wednesday,

Sue xx

fun in the Wool

Another layout from the shearing shed....fun in the wool! Handwritten journalling says " Jumping in the wool....good o'le fashioned fun....and kids still love to do it!"

I wanted a splash of red with this page & photos, so i made a paper ruffle using tissue paper that i gathered and sewed. I also have some fabric yo-yo's here, which i have had in my sewing cupboard (from quilting days) for many many years!! See.....hoarding can be a good thing, if you hang onto things long enough, eventually they will get used!! :)

Have a good weekend,

& thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

shearing time

I just love shearing time!

I have used more Basic Grey papers here, this time the 'Max & Whiskers' range, which has nice earthy colours and works in well with these photos taken at shearing time......as well, i have used some Jillibean corrugated alphas.

Thanks for popping by...

travel mates..

yet another travel layout....this one is for a challenge over at E2C using some not so perfect photos of fun times with friends.....and we had plenty of them while on our holidays.

This page i have used the 'Wander' range from Basic Grey, so perfect for these travel LO's. And some more misting, i have some new Mister Huey's colour mists....and they are lovely to use!! This one is Applejack a very nice green.....i can see i will use this one alot!!

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

Market Square

Another page from our travels. I just had to scrap the memories of the Markets.

The markets throughout Germany were just amazing. Fresh fruits, vegetables and buckets & buckets full of flowers..... just sooooo beautiful. The strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries all tasted so deliciously yummy, the best i have ever tasted.....and so cheap. I loved the markets!!

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

a little baby no more..

One more that i started on the last day of the mini retreat and just had to finish off once i got home....it's taken me awhile to post it here.

When i had these photos developed i realised that Mace had all of a sudden has lost that baby look and that he is now a little boy, and quite a trick he is!!
I am sitting here listening to the rain pitter patting on the roof....reminds me of the weekend down at Trinty, us all scrapping our little hearts out..... this weekend might turn out to be another one of those, if only all the other 29 girls were here too......hope we don't get too much rain though.

Have a good weekend everyone,

& Thanks for popping by..

Sue xx

more scrapathon layouts

The rest of my layouts from our e2c Scrapathon weekend.
This one using Meredith's lovely new scallop punch by EK, and a touch of glimmermisting.

I just wanted to use some of those yummy new rose ribbons.....and with this girls layout i could do just that!! Oh, the fun of using some pink and florals! And these girls are truly inspiring to me.....i have so much fun with them.

Then onto some travel pages... Kali, Croatia..

And then to play with some more florals and prettiness....meeting our AFS daughter, Angi and her family in Nurtingen, Germany.

and more florals, butterfly punches and all things pretty for Paris..

It was really nice to scrap outside of my norm....i love the look of shabby chic, florally, anything olde worlde....and it was nice to do a touch of them.

So that's about all for now,

Thanks for stopping by and leaving any comments,

Have a great day,

Sue xx

a Fab weekend scrapping

Have just had our escape2create Scrapathon at Trinty Haven camp with 30 enthusiastic scrappers and what a great weekend it was!! Scrap, shop, chat, friends, laughter, & loads fun all under the one roof....what a perfect place to be!! ....and i managed to get 8 pages completed, the most i have done at any retreats. I did more than read magazines this time, so i was very pleased!!!

It was just the Bestest weekend! Thanks to you all for your lovely company and inspiration!

Here's a couple of my pages from the weekend:

Birthday pages of two special little boys.

This was my first go at making a special birthday cake in over 10 years, actually i made this very cake for Daniel when he was 5...i had it written in the old Woman's Weekly birthday cake cookbook....now Jacob's name is next to his Dad's.

Dear little Eli was just delighted with Granny's very simple animal cake for his birthday. the joy on his face was just priceless, it almost bought a tear to my eye! I'm having fun making the occassional birthday cake for the grandies....i always loved to do special cakes for my kids.

I had fun making these cakes, seeing their faces and even more fun scrapping these pages.

Thanks for popping by...

Sue xx

Old Town Dubrovnik

I just loved Dubrovnik, Croatia....the old town with it's century old walls that you walk around on, and all those red roofed homes & buildings. It's steep narrow streets which were lined with shops, boutiques, eating places, little quaint bars ..... just paradise for a tourist really!

When i use to see pictures of Dubrovnik in tourist brochures....i'd think ....'i want to go there, i want a picture just like that....with all those red roofs'..........and finally I HAVE!!

Can't believe that i have actually been now!!

Thanks for popping by,

Suexx

Shearing Shed

It's been a busy week with shearing and school holidays....but i had some great photo opportunities to snap the grandies in the woolshed. Kids just love to bounce in the nice soft fluffy wool!! It brings back memories when i was a kid....what great fun!!

Maybe i will get a free day to scrap these memories soon.

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

the catch

One more from that fabulous fishing day that we had with the grandsons back in March.
Page inspired by Meredith who has not long done a 'the catch' too.

I am just loving the new 'Seaside' range by October Afternoon.

Thanks for popping by.

Sue xx

Saturday is Scrapper-day

With the football finals all finished, it means that Saturdays are free for a little bit....so i actually indulged myself amongst all my new papers and SCRAPPED!!

Day OUT fishing....is using the lovely October Afternoon range 'Seaside'....very suitable for these fishing photos. This was such a great day, the boys caught heaps of fish and were so excited. Ethan said on the way home "Granny, that was the best day!!" ....oh how beautiful!!

Great Grand Father's day....is using the new Cosmo cricket 'Togetherness' papers....very nice colours!! A great opportunity to get photos recently when my parents were over....with all the kids!!

I was quite happy with my day scrapping....and better still i used new stuff!!!

Thanks for popping in...

Sue xx

Balloons are just...

Aunty Clara won the prize for the best present...LOL!! Mace just loved the helium filled balloons she bought along for his 1st birthday....it was just the most perfect present!!

A moment that needed scrapping for sure!

Sue xx

my lot

When i saw this LO of Emily Pitts in the latest Scrapbook Trends magazine....i had to lift it. Totally!! Loved the colours and those birdhouses are so cute. A perfect way to scrap photos of me with my 5 beautiful grandsons... they are my lot!!

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

Parcel fun

This one didn't really need any journalling...as the title says it all!!

It was great having a sleep-over at Rachel's the night before Evan's birthday....or i would have missed all this early morning parcel fun and excitement. When you are a parent you don't quite see the funny side of 5.45ams like you do when you are a Granny..... i was all go with Evan, it was sooo much fun!! i see though i have missed placing a date....ooops, must go do that!!

Thanks for looking,

Sue xx

Vacation

When i re- found this Little Yellow Bicycle range 'Traveller' amongst my stash, along with all the yummy embellishments....i was inspired to paw thru my photos!! A very yummy range!

Oh, Luzern is a beautiful city to visit!! Would love to go back there one day!!

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

Currently - i am

This LO was for Meredith's 'currents' challenge over at escape2create and i usually find scrapping myself difficult.... 1. because normally i am the photographer so not in photos...and 2. journalling about one self does not come easy to me. But once i got started this page just fell into place. I found this photo...i had to crop it down, then fiddled with it by changing it to B&W, which gives a dodgey photo a different perspective.

I have been loving using my glimmermists lately too....just going gun-ho with them!

I enjoyed fiddling with all bits n pieces to put this page together!

Thanks for popping by,

Suexx

last weeks scrapping

I did a couple pages last week....to complete a couple challenges over at escape2create. These have been really good to get me back into scrapping and inspired!

Firstly, a page with my penfriend from Berlin. We had such a great week with her and her partner....and seeing lovely Berlin!

Then i did something totally different for the sketch LO....i tried my hand at alot of glimmermisting to give the 'graffiti' effect to go with the pictures. I was totally taken in by the graffiti art throughout Berlin.

Have my parents here from Adelaide, so no scrapping this week....maybe next week i will get more inspired!

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

One day in Paris

Finally, finally i have scrapped a page!! It has been sitting on my desk for a week....nothing popping out at me....and finally i cut and pasted yesterday.

It was for a the 'page 100 challenge' over at escape2create blog....it was ideal for putting together a quick page with a few photos from our day in Paris..

Now to get inspired somehow to do some more!! This cold wet weather is not doing it for me,.....after 5 weeks of beautiful sunshine in Europe....i can hardly wait for spring to arrive here.

Oh so many photos.....and not sure where to start! :)

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

Home again...

Well, it has been a week today since we arrived home.....

I think we are finally starting to feel back to normal again....whatever that is??!!

I have been over and over my 1300 photos and had some 700 developed....and i still can't believe that it actually has happened! What a wonderful trip we had!

Here are just a couple quick photos from our trip....i also have posted some at facebook, if anyone would like a gander.

I was just captivated by the Eiffel Tower...just amazing.

Beautiful Luzern, Switzerland.

Salzburg and Vienna..

Meeting my penpal Sabine in Vienna, we have been writing for over 15 years, and it was wonderful to meet her!

Oh, this is too hard....i haven't got to the south of Germany, Berlin or Croatia yet!! ...or our meeting with Angi and her lovely family...our AFS daughter from 8 years ago, as well as two more penpals.....so many great times, wonderful memories and lovely photos to share!!

Stay tuned....i will pop a few more on here in a couple days...

Thanks for popping by,

Sue xx

Hello from Singapore

A quick hello from Singapore airport...Rob is off having a massage, same as Tony & Sandra, so i decided to stroll the shops....and came across this internet bar....so couldn't resist checking things out on the blog and pop in to say hello...:)

Not long now and we will be home....can someone tell me how the hell does 5 weeks so go damn quickly??? We have had the most amazing trip, seen alot of beautiful places in the world...i still can't beleive that we are actually on/ or at the end of this dream. Dreams do come true....i know that now, one just has to be patient!!

I will post some photos as soon as i have caught up with family and sleep...it has been one hell of a long trip home....we left Zadar, Croatia 4pm Saturday, it has been airports or airspace ever since....and hit Lincoln Monday,... will be glad to see everyone, and my pillow and bed!!

Catchya all soon....thinking of you all,

xx Sue

1st Birthday - fabric challenge

One more LO.... this one was done for the fabric challenge over at e2c
i have used the Dear Lizzie fabric paper - banner, and also have used up the last of the orange cardstock that i bought for the colour challenge also at e2c.....i am so not a frequent user of orange, but it happened to work quite well for this little fellows 1st birthday photos.

Boy, i am going to miss them all dearly!! Actually i better not start thinking about all that.......there's lots i'm gonna miss!

xx