Smashing Good Happy Mail

Look what arrived in my mailbox today. Thanks to Tracy at The Scrap Heap for letting me layby all these Smash goodies. I can barely wait to get started but I wont touch it until tomorrow, I know what would happen, I would be here all night playing lol. Truth be told I don’t want to ruin the newness of it all lol.

You know what its like when you get some new goodies, you cant wait to play but at the same time there is that lovely newness that you don’t want to remove.

So I need to decide what I am going to do with it, I need to decorate the cover super funky so I think I will start at YouTube. My favourite place to start any project that’s new.

I have made  a couple of art journals before but never a smash book. I love doing new things

Also I have done a few layouts this last week that I want to share. One was just because the inspiration hit me and the other is for the Challenge Me Happy challenge which closes on the 15th May.

Believe it or not this first one all came about because of the sock monkey which is a Silhouette cut file, I loved it so much I had to use it straight away lol. So I pulled out this photo of Katie which I took last year and some Amy Tangerine Sketchbook paper, washi tape, a cloud cut file from Silhouette and a whole bit bunch of stars, some chipboard, some rub-ons and some stickers. Add in some Bella Boulevard chipboard alphas and some mini alpha stickers and a heap of flowers and its all done. And now Katie wants me to do a big monkey for her bedroom wall lol.

And this one is the one I did for Challenge me Happy, which was scraplifted from a layout done by Marie Johansson. I don’t often do scrap lifts so it was nice to do for a change.

I used kraft cardstock (I am getting a lot of mileage from the 25 pack I brought at Spotlight a few months back) some Prima paper from 2 different 6×6 pads in my stash, washi tape, some scraps of felt ribbon, hearts cut from another Silhouette cut file, a boarder sticker from Basic Grey and various stamps (I keep my stamps in folders so never remember which was made by who) Thickers letters and October Afternoon mini alphas and finally a little glimmer mist.

 

So that is the full sum of my scrapbooking this week though I do want to share these little charms I made from goodie I have got from EBay lately, not sure what I am going to do with them yet but they were inspired by some I saw online, I think from Webster’s Pages, not sure. My DIL and Son think I should add a pin or something to each one and use them as brooches.

I have some of the charms I used for sale on Trademe if your interested, my user name is vicky12.

Now I think I will have a little bit more quality time with my new smash goodies before bed. I have several new books on my Kindle and my electric blanket is heating up as we speak so I won’t be staying up late lol. Its sooo cold tonight…you can feel winter in the air that’s for sure.

have a happy and warm weekend one and all

hugz

V xxx

Castles in the clouds

Today I spent most of the afternoon making an alter canvas I have had in the planning stages for a few days. I think its finished but I am not to sure yet. have a look and tell me what you think…I would really love some feedback on this one, its called “Castle in the clouds”  and I still feel its not completely finished.

it was pretty much built around the castle which I brought as a necklace (way to heavy to wear but great for this project) I am not sure what it needs.

also I finished a another couple of layouts in the last few days that I want to share

This one is called Fabulous and was done for the Purple Pumpkin April sketch challenge and this next one was for a challenge that I forgot to enter it in, mainly because I couldn’t remember which site I did it for. its called So Cool.

my memory is becoming a real issue for me now, I am constantly forgetting things or getting appointment times muddled up and I never use to be like that, I have always been so organised. I know its the fibro but it doesn’t make it any easier to live with. its frustrating, especially since I am trying to find a job and preparing to retrain and I cant remember simple things. I was filling in a form yesterday and couldn’t remember how to spell my name.  It might sound funny but it is very frustrating, I use to make my living using 90% brain power and if  my brain is full of fibro fog how can I ever get back to that sort of work?

anyway that’s a moan for another day, chances are I will forget about it in 10 minute’s time anyways lol Yes I make jokes to lighten the stress….it helps me get through the days. I went to a pre-employment course run by Workstar yesterday, everyone there had some sort of disability, most with where, non-visible  diseases ,as I call them, things like RA, fibro and bi-pola, diabetes, deafness…and it was good to talk to other people in the same boat as myself.  Trying to cope with a major life changing disability, particular an invisible one, is hard and trying to find work in an able body world…that’s even harder. Workstar are brilliant, very caring and dedicated people but unfortunately not all potential employers will be the same and its something we need to learn to deal with and that’s what a good part of the course was about, learning to adapt in order to get a head in life. I came away feeling a lot better than i have in a while. I still feel I need to up skill before I take on a job, I don’t want to fail and let anyone down by not having the qualifications or skills I need because they got rusty and fell out of my foggy old brain.

oh man I am really ranting tonight….must be because I am tired…been looking after my darling wee fluffy headed granddaughter a lot of this week while her parents settle into their new jobs and racing after a 2 1/2 year old as well as a 7 year old is hard work! I forgot how easy it is just having one child to look after, especially if that one child is very independent like Katie is. Lily is a sweetheart and always behaves for me, but as soon as her Mum walks through that door, bye bye angel hello monster (and yes that is her nickname lol) you can almost see the demon tail and horns come out as Mum’s car pulls up the driveway lol…Don’t be fooled by the ringlets and sweet smile, this wee darling is anything but an angel lol…except when she is with Nanny, she is my little darling when Mum isn’t around. Thank heavens she starts day care next week, I don’t mind looking after her occasionally but all day is a bit much for this ol bod of mine can handle. Love her to bits though, and I love being Nanny at long last.

Hope everyone has a fun filled weekend, and hope its not to wet were you are.

hugz

V xxx

Oh—kay

Evening folks…so I am tired and have sore hands so this will be short and maybe not so sweet (you did note the “tired” right? my sweetness walks straight out the door when the tiredness walks in. and when my body is achy as well…it doesn’t walk, it picks up its skirts and runs for dear life!!!)

so anyways the reason I am here is to upload this layout for the Scrappin Patch monthly sketch. I sort of turned it sideways and pushed a few boundaries but I like it. I am still sticking to my new rule of use my stash before I buy anything new. so the papers are a couple of ones that have been sitting at the back of my paper bin for a bit and I cant remeber who they are by so if anyone recognises them please let me know. like wise the title card. I used a technique I saw Elizabeth Kartchner (of Dear Lizzy fame) do for 2 Peas in a Bucket and just had to try it myself. I love the framed look it gives the layout. then I let Katie pick out her favourite Tinkerbell chipboard embellie cos it just seemed to need it, add a little Flair from American Crafts, a die cut from Bella, a patchwork patch that was in my stash, like wise the alpha stickers (been in my stash forever) some bling and flat-back pearls, a little  washi tape, a chipboard button and some twine and TA DA…ok not TA DA, it took me 3 days of it sitting on my desk until I actually got it finished, I got busy and kept going back to it and moving this and that until I went, its fine leave it alone and take the picture already! (ok sometimes in my head I have a New York accent, not sure why but there you have it..I am more than a little kwerky at times.)

ok if you want to check out the video for that technique, here it is

Dear Lizzy 2 Peas Video.

and so on that note….I gonna go take a painkiller and curl up with my kindle. (but not before I link that layout to Scrappin Patch cos I have the worst habit of forgetting to do these things.

niters one and all, have a fantastic weekend!

hugz

V xxx

Right Here, Right Now…

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?

the exact thought? I hate my hair, and then, where did those wrinkles around my eyes come from?

2. How much cash do you have on you?

Not a cent, my wallet is in my bag and has about $5 cash in it.

3. What’s a word that rhymes with DOOR?

core

4. Favourite planet

Galifery…the planet of the time lords, Doctor Who.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?

I have no idea, it was a private number.

6. What is your favourite ring tone on your phone?
at present its “Beer for my horses” by Toby Keith.

7. What are you wearing?
Jeans, long sleeved T, sleeveless cardi, slippers

8. Do you label yourself?

Others do, and I suppose I do too though I try not to.

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing?
Pink Fluffy Slippers (is that a brand?)

10. What does your watch look like?
I lose watches like you wouldn’t believe, or wash them in pockets. the last one I had was a silver hello kitty one…it was cute and I am sure its around here somewhere, probably in a handbag in my wardrobe or a coat pocket

11. What were you doing at midnight last night?
reading in bed, wishing I was asleep. gotta love insomnia

12. Who was your last text message from? Oldest Son, Jodi

13. Where is your nearest dairy?
in the Wakefield Village, about 5 mins drive away.

14. What’s a word that you say a lot?
Bugger

15. Who told you he/she loved you last?Katie when I tucked her in tonight, I love her goodnights, their so sweet.

16. Last furry thing you touched?
our cat, Fatty girl…coming in out of the rain…wet fur..nice!

17. How many drugs have you taken in the last three days? what an impossible question, let me see, its Friday so it would be…20 on Wednesday 18 on Thursday and 18 tonight plus extra 2 tramadol I took yesterday….58. that’s about average for me on any given 3 day period…sometimes more, never less…oppps forgot to add in the injection I had yesterday, the same one I have every week Enbrel…so that’s 59. I just love having RA and Fibro…life is never dull…I miss dull lol. Before I got these diseases I could go 6 month without having a single pill now I live on them. someday I want to flush the lot but needs must. I am by birth right partially British…stiff upper lip and carry on and all that lol!

18. Favourite age you have been so far? I would have to say early 30s, although I had a wayward teenage son at the time I had a lot of fun, and met some awesome people and saw more of NZ than I had before or have since.

19. What is your current desktop picture? this picture of David Tennant, thou it changes every 5 mins so its probably a different one by now. I don’t see my desk top much, normally covered with open windows lol
.

 

20. What was the last thing you said to someone? “Its raining” to Mum as I walked from the kitchen to my wee lounge half hour ago.

21. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?

A million bucks probably but I like the idea of being able to fly, just not sure how I could market it so I could make the million bucks. will have to think on that for a bit.

22. The last song you listened to?

“who wants to live forever” by Queen….it was just on the TV, must be a Highlander movie on, Dads watching it not me.

23. What time of day were you born? don’t know, Mum’s never said

24. What’s your favourite number?10, its always been 10

25. Where did you live in 1987?

in 1987 I was 16, living in Hanmer Springs and having the time of my life, getting my heart broken every other week, and doing all sorts of things I shouldn’t have, as you do when your a teenage girl lol

26. Where were you when 9/11 happened?

Asleep…I didn’t find out until I got to work that morning and found everyone grouped around a TV set in the classroom that wasn’t there the day before. I thought it was a preview for a new movie or something. the first thing I did was email 2 friends from the states, one that was in the National Guard and ended up working at ground zero. He wont even talk about it to this day. the other was a kiwi guy who was driving trucks over there and he had passed the Pentagon an hour before hand.

27. What do you do when vending machines steal your money?
swear quietly and shake it.

28. Do you consider yourself kind? I think so, others might disagree

29. If you got a tattoo, where would it be? it would be on my right shoulder and it would be two intertwined daffodils in remembrance of my love, it was our flower and still my favourite. but, even though my son is a tattoo artist, I cant get one because of the risk of infection.

30. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?Welsh, the only reason being is my brother likes to speak to me in Maori which he knows I have a limited understanding of so I would love to be able to answer him in Welsh as we are as much Welsh as we are Maori and he doesn’t like to acknowledge that part of our ancestry. personally I think our family history is what makes us the people we are today.

31. Would you move for the person you loved? I have in the past but I don’t think I would now, I am in the place I love, surrounded by the people I love and I am happy here at present.

32. Are you touchy feely? Not really, I hug when I must but now days I am a bit scared of being hurt to be too touchy feely

33. Name three things that you have on you at all times? painkillers, laptop and kindle are always handy when I am at home, when I am out, wallet, sunnies, painkillers…..and sometimes I remember to take my cell phone, I hardly use it but in case of emergencies I like to have it.

34. What’s your favourite town/city you have visited?

Sydney is lovely, and Christchurch is my favourite kiwi city 

35. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?

I cant remember, maybe 10 years ago since I wrote a real letter. I have sent cards occasionally does that count?

36. Can you change the oil on a car? If I must but Dad does it better lol

37. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? last October for my great nephews funeral and I wore a black top and skirt.

38. Does anything hurt in your body right now? knees, wrists, fingers, ribs and right hip. at this moment anyways…these things are subject to change without warning.

39. Have you been burned by love? Oh hell yes!!!!

40. What book are you reading right now?

**checking Kindle** Infection LZR-1143: by Bryan James. another zombie, end of the world book. I do love the apocalypse stories. Did you know that you can even buy zombie proof houses in America now…amazing huh?

anyway that’s all about me, right here, right now. thanks Hannah and I hope you get better soon. and right now…this little chick is going to bed. there is lighting flashing here and I don’t much like it. Tomorrow I will share my latest layouts. have a nice night where you are

Niters all

Hugz

V xxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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What a time we’ve had!

its been such a long month…Dad had his op and came out cancer clear but is still pretty sick…its going to be a long recovery for him and we have had a few backwards jumps, he got a bit of pneumonia while in the hospital and had trouble after they took the staples out of his stomach last week, his wound popped open a little and had to be re-stitched and put in a special corset thing to stop it happening again. He gets a little better every day, he’s having a little trouble remembering to rest, typical kiwi bloke, He doesn’t take being told to stay still easily lol.

my big brother Shane came over from Aussie for Dad’s op and stayed on for a few weeks to make sure he would behave lol…it was so good having Shane home, I don’t mind saying that he is my favourite brother, I don’t have to pretend when he is around, i can be myself. He doesn’t judge and expect anything from anyone. one of the most uncomplicated people I know. I was sad to see him go home on Saturday.

So life around here is slowly getting back to normal. Mum is tired and stressed from looking after Dad but my DIL Tracey has been a great help, she has been working as a caregiver in rest homes since she left school so knows what she is doing. She has started working in a rest home in Nelson but doesn’t start until 3pm so is home to help most of the day. Jodi isn’t working yet so he looks after Lily in the afternoons. its a good arrangement for now. They want their own place and Jodi is still looking for a bakers job so things will change again before much longer.

meantime I have done very little scrapbooking, I have to admit that the stress has got to me too, I have had flair ups and a lot of pain lately but keep it to myself and hide out in my wee lounge when it gets to much. I have learnt the best thing to do is pop some pain killers and park up on the couch with the laptop for a while. I can’t get in to see my specialist for ages he is so booked up that I will be lucky to see him this year at all,  so I just have to roll with it for a while and keep popping the painkillers which are getting less and less effective as so happens with me.

But…I did win a RAK for the layout I did for Scappin Patch last month which made me feel good, its the little things the make the day worth while, right?

And I sold 2 mini books on Trademe and made the cover of another one, which has plain white pages (I think it was one of the Glitz ones I got as a rak ages ago)

as well as another one I put together using Asian inspired Rosie’s Studio paper I picked up a while ago and forgot I had. The cover has been sitting in my stash for ages.

They are both listed on Trademe as well as some others that I made a while back and some things I brought off Ebay in bulk and am selling off the ones I don’t need. so please feel free to check me out on Trademe, my user name is vicky12. I will be adding more stuff when I get around to cleaning out the mess that is my scrapbook area at the moment.

thanks for visiting. nice to see you again

hugz

V xxx

 

2 layouts to share

I have a little scrappy lately, not a lot because I have been sick and busy with my family and stuff. but I managed to complete one for the Challenge Me Happy challenge and one for the Scrappin patch sketch challenge. I really enjoyed doing these two. the next challenge is for the Purple Pumpkin challenge if my order from there arrives in time. I know its not a requirement but I need some more washi tape and couldn’t resist theirs.

so first the CMH challenge, using white space. I used some very old photos of my Mum and her family taken in Picton in 1945 when she was just a baby. I used some DCWV paper from a stack I have had forever, flowers, small tin badge, resin heart, cameo and some mini alphas. and a die cut title cut with my Silhouette.

 

This is the  Scrappin Patch, sketch challenge, this one was made using kraft cardstock, some old Fancy Pants pp, washi tape, sparkling glitter ribbon, studio calico wooden word, buttons, wooden embellishments, flat back pearls and a journaling card and silhouette cut snapshot tag. These photos are a bit old, but I just love them.

I am making a real effort to use up my stash at the moment. I am rapidly out growing my craft corner and need to get my stash under control so I can justify buying new stuff, not that I need it at the moment. I really need to do a clean out but never seem to have time and am so easily distracted that I end up playing instead of cleaning lol. my storage is not working for me and I need to find a way to keep my sweet darling granddaughter out of the corner. Its a work in progress, she loves all the shiny things on Nanny’s desk, a scrapbooker in the making? I can but hope.

now its time to go help Katie with her homework, maths…uh oh my weakest subject…wish me luck lol

hugz

V xxx

Random things

I just read this on Hannah’s blog and thought it was a great idea so decided to do my own.

Watching :: Switched at Birth.

Eating :: Not, Drinking a cup of tea

Listening ::  Katie chatting to herself instead of going to sleep

Waiting :: For a chance to get into my scrapbook space to give it a good clean. It looks a bit like this at the moment, the photo I took on Monday and it still hasn’t been cleaned. The cup has been removed and that’s about it, I have added to the pile though…Yay me lol.

Doing ::Lazing on the couch thinking I should be doing the above lol

Loving :: felling the summer evening flow through the door

 Planning :: To go to a pre employment course tomorrow. I plan to study this year, starting tomorrow I am making a plan of attack…I have put it off long enough

Buying :: buy school supplies tomorrow. I love buying school supplies I am just weird like that.

Wearing :: 3/4 jeans that are too long for me and a t-shirt that’s to big.

Reading :: The Omega Point, which I started last night after finishing Alice in Zombieland which was great but not sure about this new one. it isn’t grabbing me. So far this year I have read about 6 books. I am calling this my reading year. And I say again….I love my Kindle!!

and now…time for beddy byes for this ol girl…did I mention I turned 44 last week…I dont think that number is right somehow…I still feel like I am in my 30’s…my body feels like its in its 90’s but my head is still back ten years or so lol….but I know I getting older because………..My granddaughter is coming  down from Taranaki to live on Saturday!!! Omg I so cant wait…ohhh and she is bring her Daddy and Mummy as well and yes I am excited about having my son home at last, he always planned to come home once he finished his bakers apprenticeship and he finished in November and so here he comes….hoping to get a job in a bakery and his partner Tracey (more commonly known as young Tracey since we have 3 Tracey’s in our family, my sister (big Tracy), sister in law (little Tracey) and now daughter in law…how weird is that??) is looking for a job in Elderly care. She is already applying to jobs all over Nelson and Motueka. I cant wait to have them here. even though Jodi is now almost 24 and if anything makes you feel old its having grown up kids lol. This my beautiful curly haired wee angel and her Daddy, who once had hair just like that except blonde not red.

anyway off to bed…..night night

hugz

V xxx