Whats up??

well with me not much at all!!!................thats why my blog has not been blogged!!!!
Firstly though thanks for all those well wishes for super MIL to get well. She now doesn't look like the elephant lady...........lol. Bit scary though!!! Hopefully she's on the way back to been healthy again...........and she hopes as they are jetting off to SA in 5 weeks!!!
Today its SUPER Kev's BD......the BIG 35!!!!...................HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEV!!!.............I have to say there hasn't been much of a celebration as I have (well feels like it) been knee deep in spew!!! And washing!!! Ruby + Taidhg must have a nasty tummy bug!!! Hopefully tonight will be a lot calmer + everyone sleeping through the night!!! Cause I'm soooooooooo over with dealing with spew + washing!!!!
On the scrapping front checkout www.scrapbookoutlets.co.nz new challenge for April + be in the chance to win $25.00 worth of Basic Grey range of your choice.
and lastly its FRIDAY and its 6's so time for a drink!!!
have a great weekend everyone
Rach

WOW + thanks girls........

for the lovely congrats on my DT position on www.scrapbookoutlet.co.nz . I'm very excited + look forward to working with the very talented Donna, Shani + Lara. The team at SO are fantastic so I'm sure we will have a great time along with all the wonderful members that have joined so far.
We have got lots of great things planned to happen soon - so make sure you check out the forum.
A congrats to all the girls that are getting their work published in Up2scrap!!! Jo has been busy making lots of girls do the happy dance around the country!!! :)
And some not so good news at my end........... super mil had been admitted to hospital with Cellulitis {sp} yesterday. She has it in her face + is not well at all. Ok for those that don't know this infectious disease it effects the legs or face + causes both areas to swell up + become very very red. Its uncomfortable + itchy!! So poor Shirl looks like she has been beaten up but without the black + blue look. Hopefully she will be home soon as she is missed by all of us.

And lastly my last 2 LO's. Now since doing these I have infact have a couple of more favourites but you will find them in the www.scrapbookoutlet.co.nz gallery.
But this LO is a HUGE favourite as I won a comp in the States with this. I was one of the 15 International winners for the Junkitz comp last Dec. Ok I just realised I'm really repeating myself as this LO has featured on my blog before but toooooooooooo bad bloggin babes you are going to see it again!!!























And the last one .......which is another to bad you're seen it but I was very nervous doing this LO as it was my first assignment for Up2scrap. Poor old Nic had me emailing her all night for her thoughts, my other mentor went out for dinner - how rude is she!!! Infact she went away again at the weekend so I couldn't put out a S.O.S to her + if you check out her blog again you will see what she was doing instead + she's that naughty DTer from www.scrapneeds.com Chris Millar. Got to love her though................hehehehehe. Ok digressing here!!!
Yep you guessed it 's "My Home Town" LO. Donna does it make you homesick??.....lol. I bet not when i tell you its raining + windy here today!!!

OK I promised Miss Ruby to make chocolate brownies today, so off I go to make them!!
And YAY its Friday!!!
Have a fantastic weekend every one
Rach

Dribble .......and a few more LO's!!

Well if you are coming to Scrap camp be prepared for lots of dribble........lol.
Lucky it's not the wet kind just verbal dribble!!!! thanks for the smart fart comments by the way......very amusing!!!!
so here they are the next 2 LO's.
I love NO.7 because of the photos of my baby boy + me. He's so big now - this pic was taken in Feb last year. Have to give credit to my funky little sil for taking these pics - hi ya Steph :). And look hardly any pp, so unlike me!!


And this LO I just love cause its of my big boy Finn, who I love so much + who's my hardest child to work with {mmm maybe cause he's so much like me}!!! And also this LO was picked off 2peas to be used as a scraplift challenge back in Jan this year.

Now sorry if I haven't got to your blog or owe a email of late but I have been a bit {buried....watching Jack} busy working on my assignment for Up2scrap LO + I used a lovely pack from www.limetart.com for it.
So keep your eyes peeled for this in the next issue!!!
And oh want to see what the Aussie scrappers get up to at there scrap camps - check out the lovely Chris Millars blog............oh my lots of fun to be had!!!! Good on ya girls.......love it ;)
Rach

5 + 6 and a tag!!

Right I'm doing a massive jump for LO 5 + 6. When i was expecting Taidhg in 2004, I had bad morning sickness + could not scrap or go near the computer. Everytime I went to do either of these 2 things I thought I would throw up everywhere...............it was very strange!!! So I probably didn't scrap for 6mths, so not many pages at all for 2004. So lets go to 2005.
OK this my VERY proud LO - my 1 + only published LO {have to admit I'm a bit lazy chasing the submissions atm}. But it's another major favourite in the photos stake............look at my 3 gorgeous kids!! Makes me want to freeze that moment in time forever!!


And here's LO 6. One of my girl Ruby. This sits high in my favourite list. I loved how the photos came out + catching her so natural + her little blonde curls being whipped around in the wind!!
























I was tagged by the very talented Carole {someone plz tell me how to link ppl's names here}.
You can check out Caroles work on www.limetart.com

What scrapbook lines/products etc do you dislike?
I can't think of any that I dislike cause sometimes a company might have not have great pp's but their embellishments might be fantastic. The only thing i'm probably not big on is stickers.

What is the hardest thing you ever had to scrap?
about my brothers death.

What technique do you use more than anything else?
Inking, inking + more inking!

What is the smallest scrap of paper you save?
I'm like Carole + save all my scraps for Finn + Ruby's pizza boxes.........they make the best cards!

Have you ever had any scrapping related injuries?
yep cut myself with one of those cutters from CM.

Finish this sentence, “If I wasn’t a scrapbooker/stamper, I would spend my money on… shoes, shoes + shoes and lots of treasures from second hand stores + NZ art.

Give your best storage or organisational ideaI would have to say my wooden pegs that sit below my shelves + then they have bull dog clips + they have got all my rubons hanging from them. {not my idea saw it in Ali E's room}

You just won a week long scrapbooking cruise for 5. Who is going with you?
I wish i could be clever like Chris + take everybody but I would have to say Chris as she is a awesome person, talented + very supportive to me, next would have to be 2 other ppl that have being very supportive + if it wasn't for them I wouldn't of meet Jo + Steph from Up2scrap - Nic + Evana. Nic also dribbles like me when she drinks.............LOL, + Evana would give lots of cuddles + look after all of us. Next it would be Carol as she tagged me + she is super talented! Then my gorgeous friend Lissy in Perth who is also a very talented scrapper. OMG thats 5 already!!! But really i would take you all as the prize included the whole ship!!!!

When you received your first publication notification, who did you tell?
Kev + Chris Millar.

Now I would like to tag…Donna, Delys + Nic - cause she loves to be tagged!!! (unless they have already had a go) enjoy.

If I haven't added you to my bloggin babes I will do soon + I must sort out poor Delys hanging off Chris.......lol.
ok I'm off to Finn's school assembly. I made capes for their wee act + Finn is doing a speaking part. {don't you love it when the teachers find out you scrapbook} How cute are these 5yr olds going too look - all 11 of them.

take care
Rach

look out it's 3 + 4!!

I wasn't nearly go to blog tonight as I had a very late one last night........ooohhhh not good for a Monday night - got home right on midnight!!! But was a great night catching up with our friends from Perth Kylie + Rachael. Also putting out a BIG hi to Evalina!!
Ok so onto No.3............this was my first non CM LO + my first purchase off the internet. {never looked back since} Boy I was sooooooooo nervous doing it + worried that I wouldn't get my product. And this little number was from a Aussie shop called "The Scrap Heap". They have fantastic products + the girls are real helpful. I use to get these mthly packs called 'aussles' and at the end of each mth everyone got to vote on them but sadly i never won one but I know someone who won a few + you won't be surprised when I say who this talented little chick is........the one + only CHRIS MILLAR. And thats how Chris + I met through this site!!! So yep I was proud of this brown number + I thought I was quite cool doing the old tearing down the side.............no one teared at CM!!...........lol. Love the photos + super Kev took those!!! I have to say its strange to look at photos + Taidhg's not in them.
Now No.4 was another 'aussle'. Now the reason i love this LO is because when i was expecting Taidhg we all went on a winter hoilday over to Taupo, Hawkes Bay + then down to Wtgn. This has to be one of the best family holidays I have had so far. We did lots of cool things + we were so spontaneous, and this LO is one of those moments. We drove out to Havelock North + keep driving out to the coast + came upon this beach with the coolest kiwi baches, it was called Ocean Beach. It was a beautiful winters day + we all got out on the beach + ran up + down it {well not me with my tummy filled with arms + legs}. Also I know why i loved this hoilday as I was OVER morning sickness finally at 22 weeks!!!
Excuse the spazzie scans!!!
And thx again girls for stopping by to comment on my work. I love it + appreciate it!!! And I would love to have a wee chat with Miss Anonymous who stopped by the other day. Plz do email me!!!
OK bloggin babes my bed calls me
Rach
ps can some one tell me if Chris still has Delys hanging off her in my links?
cheers :)

my 10 FAV LO's......starting from today!!!

Hey a HUGE thx for all the wonderful ppl that have popped onto my blog to say hi!!!
Ok what a slacker i have being................it's being a whole week between post but i have to say life is pretty normal here + have nothing much to report. No recent LO's as I have got very low engery this week for some reason!!! And I can't find my scrapbook room...........its a HUGE MESS!!!................washing, toys, bills, paper work for the farm + of course the MAJOR MESS 'me' not being a tidy 'kiwi' and putting my product away after I use it!!
But today i have had a major clean out as I have had a few pizza boxes arrive this week + so, I decided that if i have had the pp for a year into a pile it goes for either the kids or Trade Me. I haven't got to the embellishments.
So today i start with my 10 fav LO's. This first one was a CM + I did it at my first CM crop April 2003!!! I was so excited + off i went by myself with all my gear new CM gear I brought waiting to be used!! The reason this LO is a fav is because it was our first xmas as parents + the first xmas in our new house, and we were having all the family for lunch + also the beginning of a tradition of getting a live tree from the xmas shop in New Plymouth. I was so proud of this LO.


Ok on to my second fav LO, still in 2003. This is another CM + one for my in memory of my brother Tim, who died coming up 5 years in April. I'm doing this album for my parents but I do struggle with it emotionally + also for the fact that I'm trying to do from my parents view point. Now also I did this as a example for one of CM workshops for customers {yes I was a CM consultant}. I was trying to breakout of the line or triangle down the side look. Now get this I took this along to a CM mtg with other consultants in my area + I was so proud thinking i had worked the products so well + trying to suit the photos blah blah blah ............... and you know what I got "Oh that's wallpapering". I was so hurt + it felt like a slap in the face + it was the beginning of me knowing that CM wasn't for me anymore. I thought CM was all about Creating Memories but NO in fact it's all about how much money can you make!!! I know all CMers aren't like this.
And see its a 8.5x11 I was ahead of myself then!!!
So have you guessed the next 2 won't be CM!!!!....lol
And on a VERY exciting note I have BOOKED my classes for CC with kiwiscraps.................wooohoooo. What a fantastic year of scrapbooking in NZ with Scrapcamp {yes Yolande the chq will in the mail on Tuesday - its a holiday here tomorrow Naki Ann. YAY for me}, in May {which we are turning into a family holiday} and then CC in August.
I can't wait to meet all these girls I chat via email, forums + blogs. They will have a face + a voice.....lol.
hey BIG hugs to all those that need one.
Rach
ps I will now go + update my links :)

supermarkets, kids + links!!!

OK kids + supermarkets are NOT a good mix!!!! So, why do I do it + take all 3????
I always give Finn + Ruby the talk about don't ask me for everything + you will only get a treat if you are good!! So good means - NO running around the supermarket squealing, yelling out each others names, NO putting your sister into headlocks + dragging her around!!! AND lastly NO GETTING BALLS OUT!!!!
So I get 'yes Mummy we will be good cause we want a treat' {who doesn't want a treat - aye Nic ;) }. So off we go + it starts with a head lock in the fruit + vege department!!! Then they do a runner over to the next lane. I can hear them laughing + giggling. So I come around the corner + what do I see???.......................after telling them not to do this................balls being kicked up + down the lane like its football field!!!...............OMG do i own these kids??? What makes it worse is when i bang into ex parents from the kindy where i use to teach + they laugh at me!!!!! So they both get a very stern talking too + Finn is guided by a tight grip to the trolley where he is made to hold it all the way around. {and don't you love it when they yell ouch you are hurting my arm}. So we carry on but by then Taidhg decides he wants a piece of the action is throwing things out the trolley as fast as I can put them in!!!! So while this is all happening Finn makes another run for it!!!! He's gone but I find Ruby doing gymnastics off the side of the freezers!!!! I try to pretend she's not with me but of course I have to the right parent thing + tell her to get down. Starting to feel the stress levels rising but still in control of course - I think anyway...........lol. So, 3 more lanes to go. Food is flying from my trolley left + right - Taidhg's having a ball, but where are Finn + Ruby???...................I find them rearranging the butters + mixing all the brands up................OK almost there, only the bread, milk, yoghurts, cheese + eggs to get!!! Finally I make it to the counter only to have 2 very grumpy kids, who decide to shut down and not listen to anything I say. And to make matters worse they are short staffed at the supermarket, so I have to pack my own bags + struggle out with a HUGE load + 2 bags in my hand!!! Did I mention how they asked 50 million times for treats!!!!
SO the moral of the story is NEVER TAKE your kids to the supermarket. You know that I already know this but everytime I go I think they get a little bit better but to be honest its getting worse + I'm sure oneday I will look like that girl off The Exorcist movie, where my head spins around + my hair all stands on end but I will have steam coming our of my ears too!!!!
On another note - OK I'm going to admit I'm a lazy linker!!! I just go to ppl's blogs like Nic H' s {thats why you have so many hits Nic}, Chris M's, Lianne G's + just click away on all of their links. So thanks girls!!! ;)
Also I still can't work it out + now Donna is new to blogging + is showing me up cause she has linked me + others!!!
I have being working a new LO over the weekend for the last DT I was applying for. I was doing a LO on Kev skateboarding but it wasn't coming together as well as I thought, so I moved onto another one about Ruby - a xmas one. So I will give you a wee tease - NO REASON but just cause I can!!! And I've done a Chris M shot!!!! I used those cool Blitzen BG pps I got from www.scrapbookoutletnz.co.nz late last year. And also go + checkout their new range of Threee Bugs in a Rug..............very cool. I'm just about to order some.

And lastly some exciting news - I'm going to be a guest DTer on a US site in May.
www.scrap-tastic.com Its so new that it hasn't opened its doors yet but Becky the owner seems really lovely + super FUN!!! see if I could link I could link you to her blog!!!!
And just a wee note to my friend up the road - I hope she survived the night + got her assignment done + woke up feeling OK???? That Creme Egg Fairy might have to send you more eggs for inspiration!!! But next time dude get rid of the evidence.............LOL
oh nearly forgot YAY to Scrapcamp + Yolande + Lianne for organising this fantastic weekend away. Ok I have never being to one but i know it will be good - look at the tutors - Nic H, Wendy R + Faye G + also Michelle TW will be clever showing us how to use photoshop!!! This will be awesome as I have the lastest version in my hot little hand waiting to be installed......woohooo.
ok going to blob out with my family + watch a DVD as I'm one very tired chicken from hanging out on the computer last night with Nic + Chris. Also for those here in NZ + have digital sky -see Shark 's Tale is on tonight!!! Cool as I haven't seen this.
catch ya later + man its freezing today I went out this morning wearing jeans, boots, + a woollen cardi!!!! Too crazy!!!
Rach