Thursday, October 26, 2006

Our first Cybercrop!

Well, only one more sleep until the first SYS cybercrop and I' excited but nervous at the same time! I've never been a part of a cybercrop before so I'm looking forward to seeing what what goes on, but on the other hand, a girl who was "hosting" it for me - setting the challenges, giving hints etc, hasnt been in contact with me for quite a while. I think shes got "stuff" going on, so I'm not sure where she stands with tomorrow night.

Crissy, one of the SYS Creative Team members may help me out a bit (or alot! lol) so thanks Crissy in advance, if I do need you!

Also hope my family will be well behaved enough to leave me alone to participate in it all!! :)

Picked up some cool doubleside paper/cardstock from the Reminisce range today, and some rub-ons from Scrapbook King. Pre-orders some packs from My Minds Eye Bohemia range, and some Everlasting Keepsakes chipboard stuff, which is due mid November, so can-not-wait for that! Can start to look more like a real scrap shop and not just craft! LOL!!

Kane drove me bananas today! Went to wholesalers to pick up the scrapping stuff, and he was a *#&@)&)!. Went grocery shopping and I ended up sounding like "one of those ranting and raving mothers"! Then he freaked out about a fly in the car on the way home! (which is sorta cute and funny now I think about it). When we got home, he was lovely! Men!

Still a bit sore under my boob actually from my op, so may need to check that out.

Had a bit of a catch up with Tan on the phone today; we normally see each other every school hols, but they went away up to the Gold Coast and Hervey Bay for 2 weeks. While she was up there, in HB, see ran in to my old school bud Vanessa Williams. Van and I were good friends for a while, until I ended up going out with the guy she was madly in love with. It makes me sound mean, but it wasnt an intentional thing, because firstly, she decided to break our friendship, and 2, the guy (Jamie Jewiss) and I were together for more than 4 years so it wasnt a fling thing. Annnnnyyyyyway, I dither. I didnt get around the getting Vans number off Tan, because John needed to speak to me urgently about the grocery budget. Yep, Im rolling my eyes too.

So, thats it.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow night.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Nothing Much

Am pleased with how business is progressing, as new members register at the main part of the site daily, but it would be great if they joined and partipated in the forum...

Anyhow, have managed to work out a couple of important features, and this will better enable things like "How To" to display better.

Plastic Baubles
are really popular at the moment - I guess people must be getting in early to make their own for Christmas?

Kane's temperment has improved 100% compared to what he was like, since he had his grommits done last week. He has his his tantrums everynow and then, but hey, he's 2! I even heard him "singing" yesterday. "da da, dadada, da-da-da da dah!" You had to be there I guess! lol

Kathryn and I went to the "free" scrap last Friday. I got there around 8.30 but wasnt overly motivated to do much. I took my time looking around the shop, which was really enjoyable to be able to do that with no kids! And I punched some stuff out for my girls for when they scrap. I started on a page; Kanes 1st hair cut, and got a Basic Grey matchbook kit, because theres about 13 photos I want to use.

Not much else happening, except that it occurred to me yesterday that in just over 3 months, my baby girl starts Kindy, and my biggest baby girl starts High School!! Man!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Things are busy on the site front. Always good to see.

Need to get more organised on a personal front though. I stay up so late of a night that I sleep in of a morning and dont get up til about 7.30. Not good for the kids, although John has been up with them for most of that time. Still...

Mel, hope you're feeling better soon.

Going to a "free" scrap night with Kathryn Friday which am looking very forward to. Free as in "do what ever pages you like". Wont get there til around 9.oo though, but it's only a few minutes away...

Spoke briefly to my dad yesterday who didnt sound too chirpy. He had called to ask how my appointment with the Specialist went, and while he "said" all the right things, he just wasn't himself. He says he thinks he just needs a break for a few days.

Also finally got an msn message from my bro in San Francisco who is an Editor at PC World. Sorta a message anyway. What a bugger he is. His girlfriend has joined him about a month ago now (after a year of being apart) and they both havent contacted me really. I mean, how E.A.S.Y is MSN? They're on it often, but don't bother letting me know how things are, or where theyve been touristing at etc. And then yesterday, my bro asks for a receipe of something our mum used to make. *rolls eyes* Slack Jack, he is.

Kane also had his grommits done yesterday. I couldnt believe how happy he was. He was home just after lunch, and was just lovely. And today - chatter chatter chatter all day. Okay, shhhh for a bit! LOL.

Gotta iron or something else domestic now, so ciao.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

All clear!

Woohoo! I got my results this morning from my Specialist and I'm all clear. No cancer! Yay!
I'm not a very excitable person (I "feel" it on the inside, really, I do!) but I feel like having a party to celebrate!

Kaney-boy is in hospital today having grommits in his ears so, I'll wait til he comes home first. :)

Sunday, October 15, 2006

SYS October Challenge Layout



This is the layout I did for the SYS October Challenge (not that Im doing it for a prize or anything *wink*) but it's good to have extra motivation to scrap!

It came out totally different to what I pictured, and I dont really like it... it's starting to look a bit shabby chic sorta. It's missing something yet starting to look overdone. I like more simple pages. Anyway, there you go!

What the?

Been feeling alright after the op, just a little tired. Today's heat didnt make me want to do much either. John and his bro, and Andrew, and Johns Dad were all here putting the frame up in poppys extension. John wanted me to run around after everyone with drinks all day. I did it for some of the day, but am not the maid that runs out every 20 minutes. I made them all beef burgers for lunch. This evening, John mentioned he was looking for this little thingy. Literally a piece of plastic tubing but quite small. I happened to know that Kane had been playing with it earlier in the day, but it was at the bottom of the bin, and I'd been through the fridge since then and thrown things out. So I told John I thought I knew what he was after, but "did he really need it?" (because of its location (at the bottom of the bin). Off he goes then, about what right did I have to throw it out, and why didnt I check bla bla bla! Anyway, I found it (lucky it wasnt too far down in the bin ewwwww!) but of course no thanks or anything, just more critisism about how I didnt look after everyone enough today, and I didnt do anything all day, just sat in front of the 'puter!

Kids certianly take in arguements - Kayla says to me while I was bathing them "Dad says you just talk to yourself". Hmmm. Obviously.

Friday, October 13, 2006

Last few days

On Wednesday I went into Concord hospital for a microdechtomy (sp?) which basically is removal of some breast tissue for which to do a biopsy. Ive had some discharge for a few months and had an ultrasound a few months back, but then it was bloody, so had another ultrasound and mamogram, and the specialist then said they should remove the tissue to find out if it was cancerous or not. Great. This is really common apparently, and 90% of these things are fine. So its me being in the 10% that obviously worries me.

I wont find out til Tuesday what the results are, but intuaitively I feel okay. And even if it is cancer, well, it's very very early so thats gotta be a good thing.

I'm not very sore from the op; in fact my hand where they had the needle is sorer. I reacted a bit to the morphine, and was a bit sick and nauseated but apart from that Im okay. I slept most of the time, and even when John got me home, I slept from 6pm until 6 the next morning.

The kids have said I seem happier which is quite bizzare. Maybe sub concoiously i've taken it as a new lease on life?

Monday, October 09, 2006

Whata day!

Far. Out.

Could yesterday have been any busier? Here's what happened.

* Kaney boy (Mr 2.5) woke at 5.30 and laid in our bed for a little while but didnt sleep
* The brickie came as normal, and the concreters came to frame up out back ready to our the slab today
* Johns dad came too to help out
* I left at 9am which is am-az-zing for me
* Dropped Kayla at preschool
* Made it the optomitrist in time for Paris (Miss 9) yearly checkup
* Met up for coffee with a lady called Barbra who was my mums best bud for years!
* Let the kids watch a show while Barbra watched them
* I did a quick zip to get groceries
* Ran home and Kathryn came over while I was still packing things away to help choose from the submissions for the Creative Team
* 2 minutes after she left, both my boys woke from the midday sleep, so we zoomed off to drop Melie and Paris to their Nans...
* Took Kane to get his haircut
* Took car to Mechanics 'cause it keeps back firing when first driving off
* Drove around Parramatta looking for a particular scrap shop that I thought I would just "stop by" to buy some stuff I need to do the SYS October Challenge, but I couldnt find it...
* That put me behind with getting dinner and baths etc
* Turned out I had opened a virus from Steph's msn and then spent a couple of hours fixing that
* During that time I was meant to be posting updates and announcements in the forum about the Creative Team
* Had to find new batteries for my keyboard - where are batteries when you need them???
* Kane fell over while running about and has a fat top lip and crusty bloody right nostril!
* Then while racing him to the bathroom to brush his teeth, he fell again! And all-but took the top of his 2nd toe off! Poor little guy!
* Finally announced 2 of the 4 Team Members 1/2 late! Oops.

Plus all the other in between stuff that happens - phone calls, mealtimes, washing, faxes, orders, etc etc.

And today is a new day!

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Creative Team Search

Some sites call it Design Team, I call it Creative Team, because to me that encompasses a broader meaning of what our talented members will be doing. Not only designing, but creating.

Our search for our first 4 members is almost over. We've had a number of submissions which I'm really pleased about, but some have been from people who arent members of SYS or our forum, so I'm not sure about them...

Tomorrow I am going to catch up with a friend of my mums. They went to school together, and when my mum passed away 4 months before the birth of my 3 bub (4.5 years ago now), my mums friend was the first to visit me in the hospital, out of everyone I knew. I took it as a sign that my mum couldnt be there so she sent someone who would make it meaningful. I havent seen her since then, but she lives 10 minutes away, so I called her last week and we'll catch up. She's a lovely lady, and crafty too - teddy bears, quilting etc. So I am wondering if she now scrapbooks, or dabbles in anything else, and perhaps she may consider a spot on out team... I've got plenty of applications for scrapbooking and OTP, so really want someone involved in more general crafts, and being nearby that would be perfect!

I'm sitting here shivering typing this out, which is amazing (the shivering!) considering its October but am ungluing myself from my puter soon as I'm about to iron (yay - NOT) and look for some pics that I can do for the October Challenge at SYS. Why not, hey?

Scrappy weekend!

After Friday nights frenzy, yesterday I was all set to do some more scrapping, but ended up "being there" for 11 year old and 4 year old dd's to help with their scrapping. And after 4.5 hours sleep from the night before, I just couldnt stay awake to do any last night. But today I did a page (after my 11 year old and 9 year old did a page!!), so I'm quite chuffed. As my scrap "stuff" is downstairs, and my desk and puter etc is upstairs, I don't wanna pack everything away properly, as I'm on a bit of a roll, and can't wait to do some more tonight.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

OMG! I actually scrapped!

I can't believe it! I actually scrapped 3 pages! I havent scrapbooked since I did my "Dad" layout in March last year... well, actually, I did do a double layout in a class I went to a few months back, but that doesnt count as it was a beginners class 'cause I thought I would go back to basics and learn from the beginning (but I disliked the layout so much I never finished it!).

Anyway...

Here they are!




















This one is my dd number 3 and me taken at the zoo last year. Apart from looking a little tired (I was 6 months pregnant with Josh), I really like this photo of me.

(Pink cardstock, ricrac, blossoms and heart brads are available from Scrap Yourself Silly.)





















This layout above was inspired by one out of a mag. The letters are a cheap version of chipboard letters. The chipboard is fine, the shapes of the letters are not. :)

(Blue background cardstock and paint used on letters available from Scrap Yourself Silly).




















And this one of my dd number 2 is a typical Paris photo. She's always sucking her thumb. I tried printing out the journalling but the printer didnt work, and I then wrote it out 3 times before I was happy with it. Kinda.

(Background Nu Lime paper, white and green cardstock available from Scrap Yourself Silly).
They're very simple, but at least I'm getting back into it - thanks to a few things!

1. Mel. She knows who she is. This lovely lady has been through so much in the past year, and yet still manages to find time and strength to scrapbook. If she can I can. (Thanks Mel).

2. Simple Scrapbooks Magazine. I like looking at "busy" pages, but just can't seem to scrap them. Simple is more my style, and saves me time too. I picked this mag up yesterday for the first time and loved it (even though it's marketed to US scrappers).

3. Kathryn. She went to a Friday scrap last week and I just didnt feel organised enough to go. What an excuse! I shoulda gone! So when she rang me yesterday to tell me about it, she mentioned a class she wanted to do, and was I interested, and I didnt hesitate... as soon as I finished the phone call with her I booked and paid for my class!

Thats it for tonight as its 2.02am and I dont function too good with minimal sleep. I wish I did though, then I could scrap some more...

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

At Scrap Yourself Silly we have a "Creative Team" search on at the moment. All very exciting. To be honest, we've had a better response that I thought. I mean, we're only small fry (at the moment). It's going to be hard to choose, but having said that I think I have an idea of my picks... such talented ladies! I wish I could show you their work!

The hardest thing for my site is deciding what products to get next. I had the initial investment that John "allowed" me, and the rest has been up to me to fund. But the lovely people that have joined us seem to know that I intend on sticking around, and am aiming for bigger and better things. Thanks guys!

First day of school hols!

Today is the official first day of our school holidays...

We went out yesterday mid morning to a little beach called Riddle Reserve. A very compact kinda place near a yacht club. Grass area and shallow beach, the kind where you dont have to walk for 5 minutes across the grass just to touch the sand, and then another 5 minutes to get to the water. It was nice. Then we had drinks at Newport Arms Hotel. There are 3 playgrounds there so the kids had a good time. John and I roughed it sitting on a patch of cool green grass, as Josh wasnt happy sitting in the pram, and wanted to crawl his way around.

Must go back some day.