Welcome to Shania Daniela Narcis!

Everyone....an announcement........my clever sister popped out a baby girl last Friday. Meet Shania Daniela Narcis born in Brunei at 11.15am on the 27th October weighing 3280gms (majority of that weight must be in her chubby cheeks). She is absolutely perfect and we can't wait to meet her! Must buy a lotto ticket this weekend.

Ok...it has been a while since I blogged......there truly wasn't much to blog about....lol. I got my layout done in time to mail off to Scrapbook creations for their cover comp. I won't win so am posting it on my blog for all to see. I do like it though...but it's not cover material....why? Coz someone who has a cute kid layout will win the comp....I'm not cute....my son said so....my layout does not scream buy me buy me buy me. LOL...but that's ok....I tried and that's good enough for me. Jannah if you are reading my blog....you are most welcome to prove me wrong....rofl!!

Photography by Susan Darcy


Ok....other layouts done are my EDM layouts for October....sigh....truly mojo ran for the hills....this months theme is Home and sponsor is Michael Miller....who make fabric paper. Secondary sponsor is Basic Grey and coz the fabric papers were pale pink, bright pink and bright orange....Romani just really suited. I think I may be in quite a linear kind of mood ....tee hee!




Asides from that....other highlights....

Dylan Hartung Fundraising Crop Day was a huge success as the organiser Jody raised more than $10K that day!!!! Fabulous effort!!! We got to meet Dylan's Dad Tim and hear him talk about Dylan.....I had quite a few teary moments.....for Dylan & his family....and will pray for his recovery. Jodie and Danni from Arty Pants were there demonstrating the Cricut too ....fabulous machine!!

I had an absolute ball that day!!! Never been to a crop before....truly never.....and my scrapping tote has been initiated....it was packed and it has travelled! Did I scrap that day??? Nope....didn't even finish a layout because I had a splitting headache....so I couldn't concentrate on scrapping....I could shop though...funny eh?? I had a good time catching up with friends...and meeting online friends for the first time and making new friends. I donated my Scrapbook Creations prize ($200 worth of Derivan Matisse Kindy Glitz & Paint Minis) to the event for the fundraiser as I won the same prize a while back - there's only so much kindy glitz a gal can use! Wendy from Paperdoll bought it and a new friend was made that day.

Then, last Saturday was Paperific.....I had so much fun shopping!!!! Shopped till I had no more money left with Mich and Shirley. I bought Twinkling H2Os....never used them before and I was assured that $2.50 for a small pot was great value....got 4 to try. Bought stickers to make cards because there was one clever lady who made awesome cards with silver stickers. Bought more collections chipboard....I can't get enough of collections stuff!!! And.....I made ATC cards for the first time the night before paperific. I made 9 thinking that I could trade....thinking that I would be the only one without ATC cards....lol....don't laugh....within 2 mins of walking in...a lady wanted to swap and then...that was it...no one else asked and I didn't see anyone else with ATCs....so now I have 8 left....what do I do with left over ATCs??? Anyone want to swap???? Please don't laugh at my ATCs....I've never made them before....they're sooo amateurish! Thought I'd post a pic of the ATCs....although I've used different papers.....they've all got the same theme though....funny scrapbooking sayings. The one on the lower right hand corner has gone....it said...Born to Scrap, Forced to work.

The things he says !!!!

My son cracks me up big time with the things he says....this latest one is soooo hilarious he had his parents in stitches. I still get such a good giggle when I think about it.

Yup.....Jeromel's nickname is Stinky Malinky....and of course his mother had to scrapbook about that.....totally love how this page turned out with the transparencies and the Heidi Swapp mask.....very simple to do but effective. Did the journalling with my new Zig Photo Signature pen....I have been hunting for this pen since Shirley told me about it....and finally found it when I happened to stumble upon a stamping shop!! Fabulous pen!
Oh No is a half hour challenge layout set for me by myself. LOL.....all night I had been online and had tidied up my scrap table and not scrapped....so I decided to do the HMITM blog challenge to use 25 stamps on one layout.....tee hee....I stopped counting at 30....lol. I really like how it turned out. Love my new Autumn leaves journalling, ledger tab and Golden moments stamps. So glad I ordered them from USA.....sooo much cheaper!!!

This is my layout for the Aussie Dares blog challenge set by yours truly. One manufacturer...I chose Autumn Leaves.....aren't these papers and rub ons fabulous????

hmmm........what else have I been up to.....let's see....

Did the never ending housework, worked, we had the hottest october day in 100 years last thursday when it reached 38 degrees, and on Friday after school, Jeromel got sick with Asthma and as a result...I've been housebound with him for the past 4 days...only went out this afternoon to take Jordan to work at KFC...then quickly ducked out to the supermarket and fruit shop to replenish essentials. I took today off work so that Jeromel could have an extra day to recover and he still needs his puffer quite often.....but seems stable enough...so we are off to work tomorrow as Orlando's Mummy has an early morning meeting....but has a quiet afternoon...so will see how we go....we can just work for half a day if Jeromel gets too tired.

Is anyone doing the Scrapbook Creations Cover competition? It's due this friday and the layout is still on my scrap table.....slack slack slack....mojo ran away again I think....lol.....I think I need to bribe it back with some Weis Mango Sorbet....or some Durian. Mich???? Saturday??? Durian??? lol...let's see if she reads my blog.

I challenge YOU

I was thrilled to be asked to set the new challenge for the How Dare You blog.....and I came up with a 'from one manufacturer' challenge. Go visit the blog to see my layout and for the details of the challenge..........and now issuing a challenge to those who visit my blog to do the challenge!!! Email your layouts to wjohannes@iprimus.com.au

I did it...I did a poppet layout for my Arty pants DT challenge. Sigh....I didn't think I could...and it's not GREAT...but it was the best that I could do as I was born without the drawing gene...but I LOVE IT!!!
Now for my September Everyday moments album layouts....this months theme is Celebrate and sponsor of the month...if you haven't guessed is Sassafras Lass.

Absolutely love this layout I did of baby Emma....isn't she absolutely sweet? Adore the dreamy feel with such a pale pale layout. I have never done a layout this pale before. I absolutely love Susan Darcy's photography. Susan is just so talented....absolutely adore her preggy and kids photos. Between Kylie and Susan....I am guaranteed to get given girls photos when I am in the mood to scrap girly girl pink layouts.

Jeromel must take after me...he is creative...he loves to cut and glue and paint and draw and goes through sticky tape like his father owns shares in it. He created this playdoh creation of my mother....complete with glasses....and if you squint..you can see that he has even made an 'adam's apple' on the throat. It is a totally wacky creation and the details he made just amazed me. I had to celebrate his creativity!I love birthdays....love to celebrate birthdays because it means I get to have cake!!! LOL....and coz it meant that I got to use the Sassafras Lass stamp on this layout..in the middle of the flower.

ok....excitement aside.....

I'm back at work...yah....u read right....I got asked to work for another 6 weeks while O's family prepare to move back to SA. He wasn't settling in at childcare and unsettled at home......so a lot of my plans have been put on the back burner for a few more weeks.

Yes! yes! Yes!

Yay for F-play ......I got a few good 'O' layouts..... ;P

My O layouts were my FK Awards layouts ....so relieved that they are done and sent in. I am a tad annoyed with myself for deciding to enter the comp so late and then with mojo deserting me, and my printer playing up big time, I had a week to do 5 great layouts....they were very varied and overall I am happy with the way they turned out. I've had so many people tell me that I should enter and that I should at least 'try'....so i tried. I don't expect to win as it is my first big comp. Ok...let's move on....

I finished Jeromel's ABC album....and even decorated the little window in his 8x8 ki memories album.....one completed project. The little man is just over the moon that it is finished. Now what am I going to do for my F-play layouts??? I don't think the two teenagers will like to have ABC albums!!! Any ideas???


Yesterday, we went to pick up our new printer ....a Canon Pixma ip4200...love it heaps!!! While researching for a new printer...I discovered that while most of us will print on good paper...we don't give a second thought about the inks.....we will stick with original inks but don't really know how long it lasts. There is a difference gals...check it out. I ended up with a Canon as it suits our budget and needs....and even across their huge range of printers....only SOME are able to use the ichroma inks which will last 100 years. So scrapers....keep inks in mind...do you research before you splurge on a printer. We scrap to preserve those memories and will easily spend at least $5 on a layout.....we surely want those photos to last more than 20 years. Oh and how much was my printer? $128....lol....I'm not kidding...brand new!!!

Once I printed off my small photos... I sat down and tackled my Arty Pants DT Product challenge.......we got given Urban Lily sugar cube kits which were just sooo much fun to work with and very fast to do. I think they're great as pressies or even as Christmas tree decorations. Let your imagination run wild!!!













LOL......I'm still on a roll.......so tackled my EDM layouts....I hadn't done any....a few more days till the end of the month...panic....I have a confession....I am not a huge fan of sassafras lass. OK....maybe that was exaggerating it a bit....I'm NOT a fan of Sassafras Lass at all.....AT ALL. But the two layouts were ok....just ok....one more to do and I will be done with my EDM September layouts...so gotta be thankful for that.

Scrappers....Arty Pants have a fabulous challenge on every month to win a $20 voucher. This month's challenge is just a sketch challenge...nice and easy. Come on and enter.....coz you know what you could buy with your win? Arty Pants have the Fancy Pants biggest chipboards in stock!!! And they have Foofala buttons....and they have albums...they have heaps of stuff and they have free shipping for orders over $50...........with the new shop opening.....Jodie hasn't updated their online shop.....but you can always call them and ask for something if you are after something in particular.

Ok...that's it....toodles and take care!!

Foreplay!!!!

Foreplay I hear you all say? Scroll down all you like...there are no rudey nudey layouts!!! Let me explain...when mojo takes off on a holiday.....I take a few days off from scrapping and when it's time to get scrapping again...I do a few 'foreplay' layouts....to get me into the groove and hope that after these foreplay layouts...what will follow will be GREAT mind blowing layouts. LOL My foreplay layouts are Jeromel's ABC album layouts.....so here are a few ....












I have only U and Z left to do in his ABC Album which is due at the end of the month...so will have to figure something else out for my 'foreplay' layouts next month!!!

Ok....those layouts were all done Thursday night...and then Friday night there was a cyber crop at Scrap-pile. 3 layout challenges were set through the course of the night and I managed to do 2 layouts the same night...i think I was the only one scrapping while the others played games and chat!!! I managed to win an impromptu quiz prize and I won a pack of HS bling borders....wooohooo!!! Thanks Cass!

First layout is titled Berember. Berember???? Well that is how Jeromel says Remember. This challenge was set by Katie Toland.....and we had to use only one piece of CS, one piece of PP (only one side)...and one pen. Wicked challenge and it was challenging. So, I did a berember layout and journalled in the circles with words the he mis pronounces. Becase (Incase), I look hungry (I'm hungry), I'm a magenius (I'm a genius), Naybe (maybe) and have since added a few more.

My Soul Mate layout was done for the challenge that Mich set (layout of a man, at least 3 lines of journalling and 5 facts).....totally love this layout...love these A2Z papers.......totally no regrets about buying them from America.........I think I did well for this layout considering I did it very quickly. And I used blooms on a bloke layout!!! LOL....welcome home Mojo!!!!

Tagged!

It has been a quiet week on the scrap front....my mojo has gone awol. This is just not ON!!!
I think Mojo may be sleeping though.....ok...last Saturday...my darling DH made plans for us to go out with friends...at first it was just to our friend's house...but last min, they said....no let's go out to Crown instead. They came and picked us up and to cut a long story short...we didn't come home till 5am!! I grabbed 3 hours of sleep and had to be up because I was having Mich and Jane over for a crop session. I just made it because Mich arrived just as I got out of the shower...and I was very thankful that I had made our lunch the day before....beautiful Beef Rendang. We had a great time chatting while scrapping and over about 6 hours.....I got one 8x8 layout done...yah...one 8x8 layout!!! Tee hee....that'll teach me never to do this ever again!!!

Anyways....I got tagged by the super chickadee Chrissy

1. If you could build a house anywhere, where would it be? Right here where we are living....we love the area but could do with a bigger brand spanking new house.

2. What’s your favorite article of clothing? At home..my tracky daks and tshirt.

3. Favorite physical feature of the opposite sex? Nice butt

4. What’s the last CD that you bought? ooooh.....long long time ago.....do blanks count?

5. Where’s your favorite place to be? On the Chiro's table

6. Where’s your least favorite place to be? Dentist chair

7. What’s your favorite place to be massaged? Shoulders and neck and back and head and ....can you tell I love massages???

8. Strong in mind or strong in body? Mind

9. What time do you wake up in the morning? 6.45am

10. What is your favorite Kitchen appliance? My dishwasher....don't know how I lived without one for so long

11. What makes you really angry? Suicide bombers and bombs in general....war...bloodshed...hunger

12. If you could play an instrument what would it be? Guitar

13. Favorite color? Red since black isn't officially a colour - so my son tells me.

14. Sports car or SUV? SUV (people mover)

15. Do you believe in an afterlife? Yes

16. Favorite children’s book? Enid Blyton

17. What’s your favorite season? Autumn

18. What is your least favorite household chore? It's all bad bad bad....but the worst would be ironing!

19. If you could have one super-power, what would it be? Umm....to predict the tattslotto numbers just for one big draw.

20. If you have a tattoo what is it? I'd love a dragonfly...but have a needle phobia...

21. Can you juggle? Nope

22. The one person from your past that you wish you could go back and talk to? My paternal grandfather....he is my only grandparent who I didn't get to know.

23. What food do you hate the most? Oatmeal

24. What’s in the boot of your car? Tarp...jumper leads.....air pump....picnic bag & rug

25. Which do you prefer, sushi or hamburger? SUSHI!!!!

There wasn't a question 23 !!! So I made one up....lol

Ok...I am tagging Shirley and Mich

I QUIT!!

One week into spring and what do you know???? Winter is back in full force...past few days it has been sooo cold.....lots of rain...lots and lots and lots of rain. It was not fun for two days a twork being stuck in the house....we couldn't go to the park...we couldn't go to the shops....we were stuck at home. Orlando and I got cabin fever....we did a lot of dancing and marching up and down the hallway.....the 16 month old little cutie pattotie can spin and groove!!!

I have one more day left with Orlando next week and then I won't be his nanny anymore. I quit because I am needed at home.....with two high school boys (Year 11 and Year 9) and a pre-schooler......it isn't easy....Joseph and I were finding that we were constantly hurrying them....chasing them to get up....rushing them off in the morning...barking instructions etc.....then after work....I'd be rushing home to either drive one to work, pick one up from work and pick one from Grandma's...and rushing to cook dinner. All they would see was one stressed mother who would destress all over Dad when he finally got home. Enough is enough.....something has got to give and my sanity was worth more than my job. LOL

I've had a fairly stressful week....so have been collapsing into a heap on the couch every evening. DH thinks it's great because we have been snuggling and watching telly together. We watched the 9/11 special ...and we even watched Memoirs of a Geisha....beautiful beautiful movie. So...no scrapping done at all.......nothing much to show except for the canvas which I did last week.

Ok....12x12 canvas for Miss Hannah's 3rd birthday...same photo...but this time teamed it up with Mod Red Gerbera papers. I absolutely adore the Technique Tuesday Petal stamps and petal tiles.
Next is a little explosion album which I made for Kylie's new baby Emma. Love the cover!


Ok....to tell the truth...I did one layout last weekend....but it was snapped up by Scrapbooking Memories....4th one accepted in a fortnight! Very happy!!

1st day of Spring!!

Yay....officially the end of winter ...and what better way to celebrate Spring than with an explosion of flowers!! Layout at the top is of Kylie's gorgeous daughter Hannah. I've also done a canvas of her for her 3rd birthday using the exact same photo...so I will post it later.

The Nature's Gifts layout is the most pinkest and flowery layout I have done on my son. Again, another photo of him in our magnolia tree. DH loved this photo so much that he printed off an A4 size copy and gave it to me to scrap with. What a challenge. I do love the outcome...and so does Basic Grey because they accepted it into their gallery!
Dream layout - love the photo of Jeromel daydreaming while looking out the window...and I changed it to b&w so that I could use my new Capetown papers. I've done hand stitching, some beading and stuck 7 gypsies stickers onto chipboard to make them 'pop'...and used my last black petaloo flower!
And then two more small 8x8 layouts for Jeromel's ABC Album....can't believe that there are only 6 more to go before the album is complete....we've just been told by Sri that we have till the end of September to finish it. Yikes since they're the toughest....UVWXYZ!!!


Yah...all in all...I've had a very very productive week scrap wise. Asides from these layouts...I've also done an explosion album and a canvas....so very pleased!!

But wait....there's more!!!

LOL...two more layouts for my Everyday Moments Album....theme is Snapshots, sponsor of the month is S.E.I. and the onsert is iron ons which I used for both layouts.... one more layout for the EDM before the end of the month.

I haven't been idle....

LOL...long time between blogs...but I haven't been idle....am back to finally post my layouts from last week. I'll start off with a couple more layouts for Jeromel's ABC album.

Q for Quiet time....Jeromel suffers from excessive ear wax in his ears...his ears are not self cleaning at all. When he was little...he had speech problems....he couldn't say F and S and had to have intensive speech therapy. It was found out that he had loss of hearing....nothing major....just that his ears were chockablock full of wax. I swear...the ENT dude pulled out wax plugs nearly an inch thick.....of clean white wax...like candle wax....I had my own little Shrek!!! Anyways....to keep his ear canals clear....we have regular ear candling sessions...which Jeromel really enjoys. R for ride....first time riding after his training wheels were taken off his bike. He was quite excited about the prospect of them coming off....but wasn't quite ready for Daddy to let go of him.
Oh...this layout...I absolutely adore. I made it through the first round of the Effer dares and the next challenge was to do a layout using exactly 13 photos....gosh...as if I haven't done enough multiple photo layouts lately!!!

We have this gorgeous magnolia tree on our front yard ..a truly magnificent tree....full of green leaves in summer, autumn starts growing flower buds and leaves go brown and drop off, winter...the flowers bloom (no leaves on the tree)....so just big magnolia blossoms....then by spring..the flowers have fallen and the tree is bare naked.

Jeromel has taken a liking to this tree because it's the right size for him to climb and being 5...he's very much into climbing trees. So I decided to capture his antics and the blooms on the tree. The photos were taken over about 2 weeks...so the tree is in various stages of bloom.

For this challenge....I decided to use my hambly overlay and my Kodomo Inc paper....it took me a long time to align the photos so that the swirls weren't covering up Jeromel's face...and it's a simple layout...but I adore it. And I didn't get through to round 3 of the Effer dares.....competition was very stiff and the layouts that progressed were fantastic.

Amazing Scrapping kids...

Yesterday..I had a little crop session at home with Mich......while we are scrapping...Jeromel decides to get out his craft bag and so some scrapping too. I was a tad pre-occupied with my layout and during the course of the afternoon...he comes and begs for a few photos...which I gave him ....so that he would leave me to scrap in peace. To my amazement....he produced some lovely works of art...in fact....he did 7 layouts compared to the one that I did!!!

Shirley popped by as well for a visit and Abby got into scrapping with Jeromel as well...enjoyed herself so much that she didn't want to leave! What do you think of his scrapping work? I might have to wrangle him a spot on Arty Pants junior DT!! Does he qualify Judy?

I'll be back later to post some of my own layouts...stay tuned.

Fantastic end to the week!

I've had a fabulous weekend... Friday was a lovely lovely productive day....chores after kinder drop off...then went to the park in the afternoon to catch up with Ann, Robbie and Claire....whom we haven't seen for about 6 months.....sort of lost touch when playgroup disbanded...and recently discovered that they are now just living up the road from us. Friday night I actually got around to scrapping my Arty Pants first DT challenge layout which was to use 6 or more photos on a layout....I adored the layout I did.....finally got around to using the SEI Petals and Paisley papers...and did some beading on the layout...and kept adding more stuff....lol ...and i multi tasked and scrapped while watching a movie...Tristan and Isolde...beautiful movie.

Saturday night...we had a fabulous time. MIL and FIL invited themselves around for dinner, then a friend said he was coming too...and more friends said they might pop in for a visit.....so when I mentioned it to Mich...I invited them too and to my surprise....Mich said yes.....although...I thought she was sort of kidding since they live so far away. We had a nice dinner....half of it was takeaway chinese food....crispy roast pork and bbq pork. MIL brought some pasta and filipino crispy 'internals' (I'll spare you the details - but it was tasty), I cooked Pan fried soy ginger salmon, some stirfried garlic shoots n sugar snap peas and baked honey soy wings. Can't remember what else...but we had more than enough to eat and then we started on poker...had lots of fun......Mich's first time ...beginner's luck didn't kick in until her last hand!!! We'll have to organise another poker night.

Jeromel, Ellen and Phaedon had lots of fun as well. Jeromel was kind of bossy with them...as he is with other kids...but when it was time for bed...he was sad that Ellen and Phaedon had gone home...he wanted them to sleep over. I don't know about Phaedon...but I think Ellen wouldn't have minded. Right Mich??? rofl!

Today.....was the Arty Pants little afternoon tea where I got to meet the other DT members...Steph, Chrissy, Connie and Carrie. So nice putting faces to names.....esp Chrissy as she will be moving across to the other side of the country to WA!! And while I was there...DH took the kids and got Krispy Kreme!!! Woo hoooo!!! What a way to end the weekend....hot cup of coffee and a fresh Krispy Kreme! Yummo!!

And I just checked my mail and I won the Scrapping with Scraps blog competiton. Thanks Jilly, Sarah, Lusi and Chrissy!!!! Off to bed now before I turn into a pumpkin!!

What a week!

Seems like it has been forever since I have blogged and scrapped....lol....my mojo went on a holiday to mojo island and is only reluctantly returning after lots of prayers from me. Ok...layout on the top was done for the Scrapping the Scraps blog competition. Showing support for my Arty Pants fellow DT members Chrissy, Jill and Sarah. *waves*

Next layout was done for the Effer Dares - Last Scrapper Standing Challenge #1. Did this layout today...did the journalling while at work and quickly assembled the layout after a dinner party for Mum's birthday. Loved doing this layout as I absolutely adore the photo and I've been threatening to do a layout on DH's mid life crisis. I didn't let him read the journalling until I was done and I'm glad that he likes it...journalling and all.
Finally.....I'm published!!! After months of waiting...it's in the For Keeps magazine!!! Absolutely thrilled to see my layouts in print. Now I guess I have to pull up my socks and try to get more work published....must admit I have been rather slack in submitting layouts consistently.




















Asides from scrapping....I've had a fabulous week...had a fabulous 5 hour lunch with Mich and Shirls on Monday. I had promised to make Chilli Crab for Shirl's birthday lunch...but after my mad dash to Springvale....I was told by fishmonger after fishmonger...it's Monday...no crab. Sigh..turns out fishermen or crabbers don't work Sundays....and they come from Darwin.....so Melb only gets crab about Wednesday onwards...sigh. So after a panicked phonecall to Mich...we agreed that Chilli Crab with sandcrabs or blue swimmer crabs just wouldn't be right and decided to make laksa. And since we all like oysters....two dozen oysters were added to the basket too! Jeromel and Abby enjoyed fish tofu and banana milk.

Of course I can't leave you imagining the food...here are the foodie pics....compliments of Shirl's new camera.