time just keeps on ticking by!!

wow where did Easter go??

and what a fantastic weekend it was.

surrounded by friends + family all weekend!

I loved it!!

but you know what the best bit was .........................seeing Jack johnson playing at the Bowl here in the Naki! What a venue............its gotta be the best place to have a concert in EVER!!!

that man is just heaven. Beautiful vocie + lyrics + what a night ..........the stars were out + there was a slight chill in the air. And to boot just sitting on the grass + hanging with friends chatting.

But what even made it better is that I know how much kev can sound like jack................so I get to have a free concert every night in my backyard if I want!! ;)

the kids got to have there Easter hunt on Sunday morning but do you know what some cheeky birds did?...............they stole + ate 3 of the eggs!! I blamed kev at first + then I discovered the half eaten egg further down the garden!!.............lol

my little hunters!!

so not a lot of scrapping getting done from me lately but here is some of my lastest work using the SBO kit.

Love how this one of Ruby turned out.

She blew me away how awesome she is on that boogie board..........she could ride those waves well. And she sure looked the part with her boogie board parked on her hip as she walked up the beach.

Fantastic colours in this kit.............really enjoying it. Working on a canvas atm............will share that after the weekend.

and then I made some cards for the Easter challenge over at SBO..................using up some of that older stash to make way for the new!!

these were simple + fun!

we are off to Wellington on Sunday for my mum's birthday. We are only going for the night.

We are going to be going to Wellington quite a bit now.

We found out at the beginning of Jan my mum has cancer of the pancreas. A huge shock to us all. Things moved along very quickly for mum in the beginning as in getting into the hospital + seen by the cancer doc's in Wgtn hospital............but then things slowed down + we waited + waited to hear when she was able to have her op. Well finally 2 weeks ago she got to have her op but sadly the operation was not a success. The cancer had spread around her veins + made it impossible for the doc's to remove. At this stage we are taking each day as it comes. She came out of hospital on Easter Sunday. The life line for pancreas cancer patients are not long. So my life is turned upside hugely. my mum will be 67 on Sunday.

my mum + Ruby last time we were down in Wgtn at the beginning of March.

have a fun weekend everyone!

rach

just sharing a few!

its all pretty quiet on the home front here!!

Kev had the weekend off + it rained LOTS................which is good as I turned the tap on Sat morning there was NO water!!

SBO had a cyber crop on Friday ...........sadly I didn't join in much as I had to finish my LO for my challenge...........and btw you still join in on the challenge as you have until Friday.

My challenge was to take a photo of something you might use everyday. I went with the letterbox!!

My letterbox does not sit prettly on a fence or set into some lovely brick work but it sits against the bank that runs below our house right on the roadside...........and btw for those that don't know it I live rural hence the native bush look!! And my posite comes in a van + he just drives right up to it!! But if you send me really BIG BIG parcels he delivers them to my door!! :)

Used lots of my FAV scenic route.

Here's another LO I did using the Feb kit from SBO. That boy was a bit unsure about getting into the smaller pool down at the old school pool. *sigh* love those Fancy Pants stamps!!

Thank you for the congrats on our 10 year mark!!

We were meant to go out for dinner + a movie but sadly Finn was ill + we had to cancel the babysitter right at the last minute. As well we did have a trip planned to go to Hokatika (sp) to the "Wild Food Fest" ( this coming weekend) but our friends we were going with are having their very wanted + longed awaited third baby!! So maybe a trip to Queenstown in June might make up for it all!!! ;)

But hey this week its dinner + movies + we want to go see "Bucket List" or "No Country for Old Men". I know they are both so different but has anyone seen either?

And finally have you seen the lastest Ezine from SBO ?

if you haven't go check it out..............very impressive with the pages flippin + such rockin + inspiring work in there.

Sadly nothing from me as I've got a few non related scrapbooking things going on in my life atm to deal with.

and just to end with this crazy quote I found at a cafe in New Plymouth yesterday(which btw Donna you would LOVE).

Those of you that drink lots of coffee might relate to this!!

"You haven't had enough coffee until you can thread a sewing machine while its running"

Jeff Bezos

have a great week!!

rach

I DO!!

I said this 10 years ago!

Happy 10 yrs to us!!

CHA madness!!

as scrapbookers we all love it + probably wish we could all be there - looking, touching + smelling all that new YUMMINESS!!
So we are all seeing sneak peeks around the place.
Andrea has being putting up some pics of the new lines that she will be getting in. Love the Fancy Pants..........it has got the cutest felt monkey!! Go checkout it out here.
And as well check out this fantastic blog from some girls in the US that are there + sharing it with us all.
The Fiskars girls here are going to be on FIRE with all the new FISKARS products!! Skull + bones on scissors!!
Also Miss Howard is sporting a hangover.........ooppps I mean some super delish LO's using the new BG lines!! Loving them Nic!!

right busy day tomorrow
gotta get me some sleep!!

rach

next round

so I moved onto the next round for the Scrapinstyle Fashionista call.

the talent is amazing crazy + I'm feeling completely honoured + a little bit stunned to find myself in this group of 42 woman, who just aren't amazing in their work but who are supportive + a super caring bunch. Good luck girls!!

And a BIG whoop whoop to Michelle Tan who also made to the next round!!

go the kiwis!!

so this was my LO I submitted in the last round. You basically had to say why you wanted to be a Fashionista.

so now I have got my thinking cap on really hard for the next challenge!

So yeah we are having the most amazing summer this year.........like to the point we are almost our of water again!! And if we don't get anymore rain we will have to dry the cows off..........thats not good as normally we milk right through to mid May. Prayers, thoughts + finger + toe crossing is really good atm for us to get some rain please!! And not just us............there are far worse off places than us in NZ atm!! Feel super sorry for the dry stock farmers down South!

I hope all you townies are being good with your use of water?? Fixing those leaks, running water when needed, having super low pressure showers to the point its almost like a dribble + you feel like you are back flating (yep thats us atm) + only using your washing machine when you have a full load.

Even though its a pain in the bum having to limit our water use (yes atm we are only flushing when we really need to) its doing our kids the world of good - we talk about ppl in Africa (or like the Lion on the Telecom ads says Afreeca) + even other countries that have no water supplies that have to walk up to 2hrs to get water + then back again.............and sometimes children the same age as Finn (7yrs) have to do this job. Finn's comment to this was "and I wouldn't be allowed to spill a drop as its too precious"!! He didn't like the idea that you would have to carry it on your head as well in a big container. Love these converstations with the kids.

WOW! So who noticed the Easter Buns for sale in the supermarket like 3 weeks ago?? I've being buying them every week as Finn loves them. But it just seems crazy to be sold only like 4 weeks after xmas. Easter is way early this year!!

So a couple of weeks ago we spent the afternoon at one of the beaches in New Plymouth at the rock pools. We have amazing rocks pools here + they run for miles!! And I took this awesome photo of a kina (sea urchin) that kev found (he put it back). Have you tasted them? I have + yuck!! Its like eating a mouthful of salt..........but then again I'm not a huge seafood eater!!

I've been meaning to upload some of Ruby's LO's. In the last half of last year Ruby finally realised she could scrap with photos. She has being scrapbooking since she was 3.5yrs but she only did collage style with pattern paper + embellishments. I always asked her did she want to use a photo...........always got a no. So this is about the 3rd LO she has done so far.........pretty cute eh?? I just love she just does it + doesn't over think + knows how she wants it!! Will admit in this LO the scallops were already pre cut for a class that I taught at SENZ last year. I love how she put the swirls on her letters like that!!

And finally have you checked out the SBO blog of late?? I see Vicky has put up a fantastic challenge for you.

And what about the NZ Dares..........checked them out of late?? I'll be adding mine later today!!

Well I got a fantastic kit yesterday that needs some dealing done to it!!

Enjoy the weekend! :)

rach

so the routine begins!!

and ecck the alarm went off at 7.00am!!
feed kids.
kids got uniforms on + T dressed.
cleaned teeth.
I made their lunches.
they packed their bags with their lunch boxes + put their beautifully covered school books in their book bags. (can i just mention how much i dislike cover seal - a man must of invented that, surely!!).
me showered.
faces washed + hair done.
sandles on.
into car.
drive to school.
take T to the dental clinic.
home for coffee. (oh so important).
hung washing out.
vaccumed part of house.


yeah so the rountine has begun!!
it feels good!


tomorrow the kids will catch the bus.




so here is my lastest LO using the jan kit for SBO
always feel good to play a bit of catch with older photos.........I so work out of order.........LOVE that!!
me + my boys back in 2005. Love this photo!!...........also the photo is blurry irl.

and here's a LO that I did while I had a few days in Wgtn by myself visiting my parents.I have used one of the collections from SIS
+ I have to say its my fav collection!! A simple LO for me but I LOVE!

We had a fab day at the beach a week or so before xmas + I took this photo of Kev while I was lying on the beach + he didn't know I took this pic...........hehehe

so back to routine

time to start dinner!!

hope everyone who had kids going back to school today had a good first day back + all the best for those starting on Thursday! :)

rach

good intentions........

I promise........ I did have them for the New Year!!

anyway here I am!!

welcome back to my blog!

so yeah lots going on in my life atm...............some good + some not so good!!

just want to give a little shout to all the awesome girls out there for all their love + caring!!

it means so much to me atm!!

so THANKS!!

so as we know its the last week of the summer hols!! As much as I find them long I always start to get a bit sad when I know they are coming to a end!! I'm going to miss my kids when they go to school next + i know 1 little guy is certainly going to miss his big brother + sister!!

so this week is filled with lots of swimming + having playdates + sleepovers!!

Kev + Finn spent the night on the mountian last night with some friends! what a adventure!! Ruby volunteered to sleep with me................arrgghhhh what a bad idea!! Do you realise how much kids move around in their sleeps + at one stage she was kicking + scratching at me like a dog...........but in staying that she has being playing alot of dog games..........so maybe she was playing them out in her dreams..........but not in my bed please!!

So OK last week I go food shopping + nearly die when I see the price of the cheese!! $14 for a kg!! Far out wasn't it only like $9 last year!! And then today I read in the paper its $16. in some places.......well holy flying cows thats just pure madness!! I truly considered for a minute I might make my own cheese.......that minute was short lived I tell ya!! I guess for some families cheese will be off the menu!! It also makes me realise how lucky I am to be able to afford food for my family!

and now some goodies to share!

these 2 LO's are from the lastest SBO kit - designed by Donna + Trina. Really enjoying this kit!

One of me + Miss Ruby. Trying to take more photos of myself + then the kids + I together!!

I just LOVE those Fancy pants stamps!! (to note they weren't part of the kit)

and my lastest LO using the kit. And another little challenge for myself to take more photos of my kids with their grandparents.

My dad + Taidhg.

until my next post!! ( no smart comments plz) :)

rach

catch up!!

yep well SENZ was great!!
it was fantastic to catch up with the girls from SBO.................lots of laughs + good times!!
I really enjoyed teaching + had a lovely bunch of girls each time!!


So it was that time again last week to go a Trick a Treating!!
So I rang around a few of the neighbouring farms to see if the kids could come a knocking!
And even Mr T joined in (he just can't miss out on anything).




This year Finn + Ruby dressed up in their own outfits (don't ask me what Finn was)..........and check out in the background a certain short stuff witch!!





and while they were out playing Trick a Treating I just couldn't miss out.





so just got a few LO 's to share that I have done lately.

this one i used the yummy collection from SIS - designed by Kristina Contes

and this one for my lastest DT work over at SBO

using some Love Elise, SEI pp (that range is just YUM with its browns + oranges) + MM buttons! Another LO for the Hawaii album!

and if you're keen for a good comp pop on over to SBO

to see our BIG Gala Bash!! Lots of great challenges running for all of Nov + what great prizes!

1st prize - a 6mth sub to our kits

2nd prize - a cuttlebug (and if you already have one you can have dies or embossing cards instead)

3rd prize - $60 voucher

so hurry on over there join in on the party + read up on the comp details + challenges.

We would LOVE to see you there!!

and oh here's my challenge LO. You have to complete a LO that had anything to do with food at xmas time. And you have till this Friday to complete it!! Vicky has already got her challenge up too + hers ends on Friday!!

here's to a good positive week!! :)

rach

everyone loves a sneak peek!!

so finally here are 2 sneaks of my mini album classes at SENZ!!

and yep holy cow its this Friday!!

so if you're lovin my sneaky + know you're going to be in CHCH............and haven't signed up for it.................get your sneakers on + sprint over to SBO + sign your life away!!

so on Thursday I will be winging my way down to CHCH. Yes you just heard me yell 'yehaa'!!

Can't wait to catch up with everyone + plz come + say 'hi' to me if I haven't meet you.

so yeah roll on.........

and hey look out for this weeks DARE its mine!!

nothing like to get you in the mood!!

and I hear there is a fantastic prize!!

so get your scrap on!!

OK so its over + out for me 10 4 big buddie!! ..............yeah so we have being playing walkie talkies here + this mama things she is pretty cool at the truckie talk!!..................hehehehe

rach

hhmmm oh my!!

a whole month has passed!!
and yes Steph I can hear ya "update your blog"!!

and Nic.........see I have updated!!

Ok so lets start with a little sneak peek for my class at SENZ.

Its quite pretty for me, even with some pink in there too!!

So if you are thinking of signing up...............run over to SBO + sign your life away...........cause we are going to have some FUN!!

so now I'm working on sneaks for the BG mini's!! Now thats going to be FUN + some more!! :)

So my big boy turned 7 2 weeks ago!! YES 7 ............wow where has that time gone??

anway he got himself a new bike, along with a few other goodies..........check him out checking it out before the school bus came!!

and then the first Sat of the hols we had a bunch of rowdy boys + Ruby for a party. YAY for the beautiful hot Spring day we had!!



and checkout in the background the Hurricane..................waiting to do his damage...............LOLwe also had my parents here for the BD for a week + then I had a op on my teeth (nasty) + tomorrow I have the last lot of work done...................I so dislike the dentist......its fear for me!!

and just wanted to share some work.........which I guess most have seen but these are for my sil.....who we don't get to see very often + miss a lot more than she knows!!!

my LO of Ruby in the lastest Up2. I love this photo + how i used the HS bling to emphasize her jumping!

and my magnet board. I had so much fun making this! Oh i put black paper in there so i wouldn't get a glare off the metal middle.

and this one is for Steph just so she can she what FUN she is missing out here with the Hurricane!!

Nothing like mixing up a bit of SR + Elsie Love together to get this creation!!

and I just one more. I love how this came out + if you're at SENZ you will see this for sure, along with a few of my other goodies!!

and who's that Frog??

why its the Hurricane himself!!.............but how can you not love that little face!

well thats me ppl.

so yeah I don't come on here for weeks + then it like I have pure diarrhoea............lolso on that happy note I leave you for my beauty sleep!!

god knows I need it!!

sheep!!

did i say it was my dream to marry a farmer??

and then wish to have a pet sheep???

HELP...............what was I thinking!!

so I do live the dream + I do have a pet sheep........2 in fact!!

Pepper + Sonny!!!

and lets just say they think they are human + think that they should spend their days playing in our garden!!

so today I quickly duck out to get some firewood + Pepper who is quite crafty for a sheep!!............pushes me out of the way as I walk through the gate + makes a mad dash into the garden!!............lucky I was smarter + ran (YES I ran) around the other side of the garage + chased her back into the paddock!!!

I think she thinks she is like 'Shaun the Sheep'..............anyone seen that wee TV programme???

And with Spring just around the corner........YAY!!!!.................it looks like we will have 3 new lambs to care for 'Mission Day' that will be coming up soon at school.

so yeah besides the sheep dramas in my life we are getting busy with the cows calving + I will be feeding calves this week!!

Kids are busy training for cross country 0r cross crunchy as Ruby calls it!!!.........atm.

The days are slowly getting longer + wow before we know it will be daylights savings!!! YES its fantastic we have had it extended here in NZ but oh boy do I feel for Kev...........as he will be crawling out of bed at 4.00 instead on 5.00 every morning!! But then again he's a huge fan of daylights saving!! And he's getting a new toy - which I know he's hanging out to play with!! Once I find a pic of it I will share.......................its a new + very popular water toy that he spied in Maui!!!

Busy with scrapping + trying to play catch up with some projects.

one of my lastest was for the DARES . I had fun doing this one. Go over + checkout the other girls...............there are some beaut ones!!!

and a LO for my DT work over at SBO

I got to play with some new CA + Tink ink this mth with a few other bits + bods.

Loved how this came out. kev planted those sunflowers + the kids loved watching them grow.

So hopefully we will plant some more this summer!

and have been trying to load up a pic of the lastest kit Vicky + I designed. (but can't get it up for some reason.......so go checkout SBO for a lookise) So can't wait for this kit...............its filled with so much yumminess!! And holy flying cows wait till you see the stamp that the very clever Miss Vicky designed!! I think we get this kit sometime this week to play with............yippee can't wait!!

Also have been busy planning my classes for SENZ. I see SBO have got them for sale on the site + I heard that some have almost sold out. Sorry not many sneak peeks due the product not here yet but you girls won't be disappointed as I have seen most of the teams other creations in irl + they are all so super talented but just not that such awesome ppl + lots of FUN!! And we like FUN don't we!!!????

oh yeah I keep forgetting I got this from the lovely Gigi about a mth ago but as we can all see how hopeless I am at blogging I never got it up + after seeing others in my list have also got one I have decided that anyone that leaves me a comment or even checkouts my blog deserves one!!

well its nice to be back in blogging land..............but I must leave to tend my batches of anzac biccies I have got cooking in the oven!!

rach

do wish you were here right now??

I DO!! Just imagine lying on that beach in the warm sun!!! A photo from Kev's wee trip to Maui, Hawaii. He got back to this freezing place yesterday!! He had a blast!!

Here's a pic of what he did 4 to 5 hrs a day................he was in heaven!!..........lol

and then check out this pic he took from a helicopter ride........................look at all those crazy windsurfers!!

so life is back to normal as I hear him out in the paddock behind the house in the freezing wind splitting wood!!

so while I've been so quiet + away from my blog I have created a few pages for a challenge I had entered on a US site.

you know it had been really nice to do some challenges + make me use some photos that I have had printed for awhile + use up some of stash!!!...........or was I making room for some new stash!! ;)

so for one challenge we had to use more than 5 photos. Perfect for my New Years Day from 2006. I took the title from a song by 'The Kooks' - seaside. (great CD by the way). And I finally used some of my BG phoebe..............that I had for a few mths!!

then we had to do a LO using one word....................like OLW.

Mine was Pick!! Say no more!!...................lol

then we had to do a LO leaving 50% white space..................now that was a challenge for me!!

and for this one we had to use a orange title. This just a crazy silly one!! Don't you just love doing a page for NO reason!!!..........I had some fun taking these pics + then creating the LO using some Elise + those very funky Hambly rubons!!

got a few more Lo's but planning on using them else where!!

hey so who is loving getting the scrapbookoutlet inspiration newsletters on Friday nights??

aren't they the best + full of thought provoking ideas!! If not go + sign up for the newsletter!

well can't wait for this weekend to see all my girls at scrapcamp!!.......esp the talented Miss Chris

+ the wonderful owner of scrapbookoutlet - Andrea. Its going to be a blast!! nothing like great company, food, a few drinks + scrapping!!....so good for the soul !!

and hey here's one for you!

last mth we went through the process of looking for a new worker................so that meant lots of ppl coming for interviews. And there was this one guy whose name sounded familiar. So anyway this guy arrives - all of 17 + I knew I knew him .....................I taught him at kindy back in 1995!!.........eecckkk how did I age so quickly!!

I swear I'm only 28!!!.................what ashame 36 is around the corner!!

well I could pretend I'm going to be 30 like a certain Miss Howard!!........hehehe

also go checkout this place SIS - super friendly + some mighty talent + just gotta checkout the little extras they have!!

meeting some cool girls + doing some cool swaps!!.............apart from all the Tim Tams I keep buying cause I don't normally buy them but somehow they keep finding their way to my mouth..........lol

oh look at that................coffee time!!

N.E.W.S.F.L.A.S.H.

checkout this new + exciting blog !!!!
they would LOVE you to submit to inspire others as well.....................run, skip, sprint over + check them out..................NOW!!

And HIGH 5 girls for setting up another inspiring blog!!!!

rach

Friday!!!

yep thats another week!!.................man where are they going???!!!

hey thx for all the lovely comments about Ruby.

And yes the cake was home made..............but not by me..............by one of my mum's friends.........she's very talented.

and HEY waving a HUGE wave to Nana + B ..................who reached Ayres Rock (sp) today in Aussie!!

oops I know its not called that anymore.................but for the life of me I can't remember it!!

and Finn is feeding Oscar everyday for you.............and he even came home with extra's.................lol.................some ice blocks in his pockets!!!!................Nana you taught him well. ;)

not much to share as in words but got a few made things to share.

my lastest LO for the 'childhood dare'

and watch out there is a new DARE going up soon .................its a goodie too!!

I made Andrea, from SBO some invites for her 3 cute boys.................who just all celebrated birthdays recently....................mmmm May has been a very productive mth for some of the DT on SBO all having may babies......................Vicky might even join us..............no hurry Vicky just when baby is ready!!!

Morgan's invites - who just turned 4

bad photo...................see what happens when you are in a hurry!!!!

and invites for the twins - who were 1

thats all folks

have a good weekend

I'm scrapping tonight + got me vices in for the night!!!

rach

ps eckk just looked at the first pic of the invites + I took that shot on a manuel mode.......playing after Mandi's online class..............those BG colours look yuk + my bedroom wall looks olive instead of brown...............like the below photo.

ok got that off my chest......lol ...............off to find a drink!!! ;)

she's 5!!!

my baby girl is 5!!

wow what a busy time we had leading up to this BIG birthday!!

4 parties!!

she has had 3.5 days at school + is LOVIN it!!................and even caught the bus on Friday!! (ok gotta get me some pics of her getting on the bus)

time to show off some celebration pics!!

I LOVE this pic of her at her last day at kindy - sharing her party food out with the kids.

first day of school + OK real bad photo but we were in a hurry as we got a bit late due to all the pressie opening!!

she looks ssoooooooooo tiny!!

just had to sneak in this pic of her giving Taidhg a thank you hug for her wand he gave her...........lol...........he looks more excited about that wand.........see that wee hand creeping forward!!

and lastly Ruby + her doll cake!!

and these the invites i made for her party................bad photo again but I was such a dork I gave out all the invites before I took some pics.................lucky I got 2 back to get some pics!! They looked really pretty irl.

I used the April kit from SBO

I thought I would be really sad..............but I surprised myself + there were no tears!!
she was so happy + confident on her first day at school. It was so different from when Finn started school...........I bawled like a baby in the car. I worried all day for him...........who would he play with + would he remember not to eat all his lunch at playtime + what about the loo........would he know he had to ask the teacher first!!!...............and you know he coped!!........lol

Ruby told me the cutest thing after her first day at school. I asked her who she played with.....she said "some girls + Finn. And you know Mummy he took me to the park to play". She meant the playground!!!...............too cute!!

Last night we had a cyber crop at SBO
Boy did we have some FUN!! The DT made up a few different challenges.

And as we are working on our BOM's I decided to tie my challenge into that ............ nothing like a helping hand!!!...........so my challenge was to complete a LO as a teenager.

here's me in all my glory at 18!!.................and yes I made a mistake with the date.............its meant to be '80 not '98. Easily fixed!!

Once again i used the April kit from Scrapbookoutlet

hey Megan i know I haven't done your tag but will on the next post.............I need some sleep!!nite

rach