I’m back in the scraproom and feeling inspired.  It had been a month since I created a page and I was feeling uninspired.  I had gorgeous product.  I had awesome photos.  Because who goes to South Africa without getting awesome photos.  I just.didn’t.want.to.scrap.  Don’t tell me I’m the only one that feels like that sometimes.

I finally got a page done yesterday.  And three cards.  All for assignments.  Pleased to have got scrapping and I feel like the inspirational floodgates have opened. 

Thank goodness for that!

So, today is Wednesday.  Voting closes for the local elections and thank goodness because if John Banks rings me with a pre-recorded message one more time, I might pre-record him a nice message and send it along.  Just so any budding politicians out there know, sending pre-recorded message is top of the list of the reasons to NOT vote for you.  Just sayin’.

Right now I’m off to browse a few blogs and check the 2peas gallery.  I’ve found South African friend Candice Greenway on there.  If you aren’t familiar with Candice already, check her gallery out.  She’s an amazing talented scrapbooker and a warm kindhearted person on top of that.  I’m losing myself in your gallery, Candice!

Right.  Scraproom is calling again.  I’ve got a giveaway planned for the next blog post, so check back 🙂

Leaving you with a card I created for a Scandinavian mag. Created with Prima of course…. It’s a gorgeous mag, pity I can’t read it, but fun enough, my neighbour can!  laters!

We all have a favourite colour, right?  One of mine is teal.  Even better is teal with a pop of red. Love it.  I steer towards the teal in the scrapbooking products.  Find myself browsing the teal aisles in the clothing stores.  Editing my photos to include teal somehow.  Now the pic in the layout below was edited by extremely-talented-you-must-check-out-her-blog-if-you-don’t-follow-it-already, Lady Grace.  LG is a world of inspiration, she is an amazing scrapbooker, she has some fabulous technique like the faux pleat one I share in my new Big Picture Class, and she edits my pics sometimes.  Just a little shout out to a lovely lady that deserves a little recognition sometimes.

Anyhow.

As some of you have seen on facebook, I was looking for a website designer.  I have found one, but it led to a lot of questions.  Yes, the website is scrapbooking based.  It will have a few purposes but one will be that it’ll be a way to bring Autumn Escape on to the web where it should be.  I also have other projects in the planning stages.  I’m not one to jump ahead too soon, I have some meetings to attend this coming week, details need researching and I’ll let you know in due time if it’s all go!

So I’ll leave you now with dreams of Autumn Escape websites and a layout I created for a Scandinavian Magazine.  This was a Prima layout  and my technique was based around the circle of flowers.  And teal of course.  Don’t forget the teal.  ..

Laters.

(Oh! FAQ updated in the post below for those interested in taking my 6-week full on fun class at Big Picture Classes!  Scroll down for details!)

I’m home and over the jetlag.  It took me 8 days to get over it in South Africa, but I was right after 2 nights at home.  Happy for that.

My next project.  Big Picture Classes.  Previously known as Big Picture Scrapbooking.  Details of my next class…

Colour! or is it Color? (edited to add more FAQ!)

The Class Description:

Do you love colour? Do you want to immerse yourself in a workshop that takes you through a whole rainbow of possibilities? Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet… colours are all around us! They reflect our mood and fill our scrapbooks; it’s time to celebrate the colours we use!

Join Nic Howard for ‘Colour! or is it Color?’, an exciting 6 week workshop that will be a true celebration of the gorgeous colours all around us. Nic is known for her beautifully detailed projects, and in this workshop you’ll get the added bonus of learning some of Nic’s favourite techniques as well as building a library of valuable colour theory!

You’ll learn a variety of things from the way colours affect the mood of our pages, to how to use colours together effectively, to RED hot techniques! Nic will bring you this and more in step by step format with plenty of examples, tips and techniques, week after week. From the smallest of details, to the largest of projects, we all need to know how to enjoy all the gorgeousness the rainbow has to offer, click here to learn more, you won’t want to miss this class!

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can you tell me, what will we be doing?

As mentioned in the class description, we do everything from colour theory to practical, hands on, good old creating layouts!  The class includes a large amount of sketches, guest artists, challenges, giveaways, step-by-step instructions, videos of me dancing to old 1950’s songs… you know, just the usual…

Is this class project based, or layout based?

This is a layout based class.  You will receive instructions for the occasional other project, such as the tags above, but in general, the weekly assignments and step by step instructions are for layouts. 

What if I can’t keep up?

Big Picture Classes have forever access.  Participate as much or as little as you wish.  All the materials are accessible forever, you can come along on a crazy colour-filled 6 week ride with us all, or do it at your own pace, it’s up to you!

Do I need specific materials?

I supply materials lists for many of the layouts, but nah, dive into that stash, use up product you already have, unless you really want to go shopping?…

If I completed Dimensional Details with you, will I be repeating things by joining this class?

No – this is new stuff.  I do cover some of the Dimensional Details techniques in pre-class but that is just to get those that didn’t sit that class up to speed with a few techniques.  Join in, I’d love to see you!

Will this class suit the digital scrapbooker?
My class teaches colour theory, which translates to both digital and paper scrapbooking, but all of the assignments and all of the techniques are paper based.  There are no digital templates in my class.  Whether or not you think it will suit yo, as a digital scrapbooker, depends on how well you adapt paper techniques to digital scrapbooking.  Let me know if you are a digital scrapbooker and you join in, I'd love to keep in touch to see how you go!

Are the layouts 12×12"or smaller?
The assignments are all for 12×12" layouts.  Some of the examples are 8.5×11" though!  Although I use the bigger size, I would hope that if you scrapped in a smaller size, that it would be easy to convert!

Nic, can you give me information on what kind of techniques you cover in this class?
Oh my goodness, there are many!  Mostly techniques that are not difficult.  Just interesting techniques that can be adapted to be used a whole lot, of just add a small touch to your page. 

Ok.  I’m just about convinced.  Give me one more reason why I should join in…

Just one reason?  Seriously.  I have hundreds of reasons in the form of testimonials from those that sat in on my last class.  Please, ask around.  I’m a perfectionist.  I love detail.  I pack so much into these classes that my family eat 2-minute-noodles and tomato sauce for weeks while I work on it.  Please make that worthwhile for them.  I’d love to see you there! 

It’s time to leave South Africa.  I taught an enthusiastic bunch of amazing Capetown-ians yesterday and today it’s time to head off.  Cape town was fun, the ladies were keen and the layouts were superb.  It’s always satisfying to walk away from a class with so many layouts finished, and looking so good. 

Spier Estate was beautiful.  This place is set in wine country and the accommodation is like old French style blocks of villas, just beautiful.  Everywhere you turn there are squirrels and owls and African culture of some sort. 

There is a place here called Moyo, African music plays constantly, they paint your face as you walk in.  It’s a place to eat, sit, talk, laugh and drink the bar dry of Amarula. 

Anyway, it’s time to head back.  I was sad leaving New Zealand after the earthquakes and I know it hasn’t got any easier with the weather being so atrocious. 

Although I feel like I still have so much to learn here and I’m scared that when I leave I’ll forget some of the amazing things I’ve learnt about this diverse culture, it’ll be nice to hug my kids again.  

I hope to come back one day.

laters

It was sad to leave Kichaka, our game reserve where we spent the majority of the time eating, sleeping, relaxing in the heat or tracking animals.  I have never been anywhere like it.  I learnt more than I think I could ever learn watching animal documentries on TV or reading books.  I watched the behavior of animals at arms reach.

I only dived under the seat once… when this grumpy elephant (notice the way her ears are forward) came at us to show us she wasn’t happy. 

I still find it hard to believe that I was out in the game parks with the animals drinking Amarula while I watched an African sunset. 

Finding it hard to comprehend leaving.  We have three nights to go with some amazing things to do but already the saddies are setting in.  I teach again on Sunday to the large Capetown group. Really looking forward to it.  I’ve learnt so much about this country since I arrived that I think it’ll make teaching here in Capetown an even better experience.

As we toured Capetown yesterday I think I could literally feel my mind expanding.  Understanding South Africa more.  Understanding the South African friends I have at home more.  Seeing how different things are. Seeing what this country has been through.  Soaking in it’s beauty from the top of Table Mountain to the bottom of the coastlines.  The vast wildlife and beaches, the city and the shanty towns.  I think I may have come back to the estate here a little overloaded.  This place is so rich in culture it is mind-blowing.

We are missing home but so sad to think we have to leave soon.

And then the first class was over.  And it was awesome.  South Africans are an amazingly talented bunch of scrappers.  It’s always hard knowing the level of scrapping in a different country, how things work, even the little details down to what adhesives are commonly used in a country.  It was awesome though, it really was.  And I’m so grateful that the All Blacks were not playing the Springboks today!  It made things a whoooole lot easier!

Anyway.  I teach again tomorrow.  Jacob has discovered a time-zone type place that charge next to nothing for tokens.  He is in spacies heaven and he asked to move his bed in there. 

Paul turns 40 tomorrow and so far he has had about 200 ladies say Happy Birthday.  Each time someone does, he gives me the ‘you totally told the whole class that it’s my birthday tomorrow, didn’t you’ look. 

Um
Of course I did. 

Off to take a sneaky peek at Candice Greenway’s class.  Candice is someone I admire in a huge way.  I was excited to see her in action. 

Leaving you with a layout I did for Prima for CHA, using the Road trip collection.  (Miss you, Brady-bear!)

laters

Who woulda known.  South Africa.  In a blur of activity before I left I didn’t even update my blog.  I managed to clear the pantry of all food items  with sentimental value – yes there are such things – so that the house sitter didn’t accidently use something they shouldn’t, and I managed to clean the whole house beautifully – actually that was kinda silly really since it won’t look like that when I get home – but I didn’t update my blog. 

So we are here.  Paul, Jacob and I.  We flew 3 hours to Sydney and then it was a 14 hour flight to Johannesburg.  That’s the longest I’ve ever been on a plane at once and lookie, I still look sane. 

I’ve met with some of the other teachers here, Jacob has taken quite a warming to Jeri, Jodi and Joanne. Together they are the four J’s, Jacob being J4.  I see trouble brewing in the next week.
  This event is amazing.  Sold out to a huge number with a huge waiting list, and just seeing the little details, I’m not surprised! 

It’s been a relaxing day today with a little helping package some stuff, a little sleeping, and a little watching the Warriors play via a cool sports site on the web (watching a NZ team, playing in Australia, via a US sports website in my hotel room in South Africa, there is something incredibly global about that, huh?)

Jacob also tried to swim in the hotel pool but really it was colder than a cold thing that is really really cold and it was one minute short of hypothermia I think.  The highlight of that little excursion to the pool was this bird… it made a huge loud cry which scared the pants off us all, we don’t know what it is, but it can be known as the scare-the-pants-off-the-unsuspecting-kiwis-bird.

Alrighty, time to meet the last of the teachers and get ready for my first class tomorrow.  There are 286 in this first class.  YES all at once.  Epic, huh?

Laters

There’s something cool about being out and about at 5.30am.  Firstly, it means you don’t have to make the bed.  Last one out, makes it, right?  Secondly, it’s really quiet.  There is something cool about being out and about when everyone else is sleeping.  Lastly, and this is the coolest thing, you get to drive over round-abouts instead of around them.  Just the flat ones, mind you.  Not the ones with plants and signs in the middle.  They aren’t as much fun.

For those of you that started on the epic training-to-beat-all-trainings about 6 weeks back… I gave it up.  I gave up the running-the-roads-with-10km-as-a goal.  I still go to the gym 5 or 6 times a week and I have been known to take advantage of the guy taking the spin class (the sentence does not stop there, carry on…), specifically the way he has the music twice as loud and yells encouragement to the people in the class makes me carry on running on that treadmill while the class is going on in the next room… I’m up to 6km… and on the days I don’t run, I do weights.  I have the cutest.  little.  biceps.  If there were a cute little biceps competition, I would seriously win it.

Onwards though.  I just found the niftiest little button maker machine thing.  Epiphany Crafts.  Have you ever wondered what happened to the owner of Lil’ Davis Designs?  This is what happened… she started making button makers.  I like this page here cos you can play with the button maker.  Virtual button making.  Who woulda thunk.

A week til I go to South Africa.  Busy busy busy wrapping up my next Big Picture Scrapbooking class which opens for registration in the next few days or so… I have my twenty million immunisations which apparently were unnecessary and probably just a revenue seeking venture on behalf of my doctor.  The good news is that I am now immune to Hep A, Hep B, Typhoid, Polio and my tetanus is up to date AND I am on a 6 week course of antibiotics incse of malaria and because of that I am keeping the probiotic companies in business as well. 

Cool idea for father’s day on Tamar’s blog.  I might be giving something like this a go… Actually it’s Paul’s 40th while we are in South Africa.. for anyone attending the event, he thinks he is so darn smart inviting everyone he knows to his 40th… hahaha it’s in South Africa he says… yes. very. smart.

 

My inbox – has anyone seen it?  Me neither.  If you emailed me and I haven’t emailed you back, that’s because it’s overgrown with ivy and if i try and go near it, bats fly out.  It’s a nasty overgrown, neglected word pit right now, and I apologise.

Time to go – it’s an early morning start for me and I still have a heap to complete tonight… I did want to point you this way though. After 3 1/2 years I have given up Tarisota.  I haven’t given up on the girls though.  They will always remain some of the most special girls in scrapbookey land.

Laters

 

Welcome! If you have been sent here from the Prima Blog, welcome, I know there is some blog hopping going on today!  I’m taking time out from writing my new Big Picture Scrapbooking workshop, which will feature in Nov/Dec this year, to update my blog.  It’s long overdue!

It’s official.  I’m growing webbed feet.  It’s so wet!  We travelled to the Rotorua Tough Guy and Tough Gal competition last weekend and apparently we got 12 inches of rain over the course of the few days.  HOLY MUDDY WATER HOLE BATMAN enough already!!  Lucy and I were soaked and we didn’t even take part in the competition!  When I get my camera back off my hubby, I’ll show you the state he got himself into… crazy thing that they do!  It hasn’t stopped raining since and I’m about ready to fire the God of all things Rainy.

The plus side to all this rain is that I go the gym, so I don’t have to run in it 🙂

I’m leaving you with some pics of the Canvas Birdhouse I created for Prima, CHA.  The birdhouse opens to reveal about 6 pages which you can decorate.  It’s been 6 years since Evana took these amazing pics of my bubba when she was born.  The pictures were so amazing that I’ve never known how to do them justice.  I finally put them in this album and just love it… Abby loved it too! 

oh!  Just a note – I’ve been asked about the font I use a lot in my newsletters… the typeface font is usually either AL Worn Machine (and I believe the AL stands for Autumn Leaves) or My Own Topher, or LoveLetterTW.
Good luck!

Alrighty – back to content – enjoy the blog hop – laters.

The face of a little girl that has just won the Eureka T-Shirt competition…

Fresh home from school with her hair in a scruffy ponytail and pen all over her hands from drawing.  She’s a happy girl!  A sincere thank you to all of you that voted for her.

Being the third child means Abby doesn’t always get to ‘do’ stuff.  Her two older brothers are allowed on their bikes around the street alone.  They go to bed later at night.  They play together, often excluding Abby from their imaginary Pokemon games. 

So when her ‘boys’ sat down to create drawings for the Eureka competition, Abby really didn’t think she had a chance.  The boys spent hours on their creations, discussing the whole time whether theirs would win.   Abby decided to draw something too, and her first instinct was to draw strawberries.. eating healthy was something they have been drumming into them at school, so it was a strawberry “Who’s eating healthy” creation that she made.  We put her entry in with entries from “boys” and off they went.

Imagine the giggles of delight at seeing her design as a finalist and Abby’s ‘boys’ weren’t.  Oh. The. Power!!

So thanks everyone.  Thanks for making a little girl’s day.  It really was fabulous to see her giggle and dance around the room knowing she had beat the third-child blues and succeeded at something that ‘her boys’ had not. 

Thanks to Eureka as well.  They have just rung and are sending the certificate and prize.  I look forward to handing it over to Abby!

 

Alrighty – an update with the running thing – am I running?  Sometimes.   Last week I threw my hands in the air at the weather and the dark and joined the gym in efforts to do something else.  And then couldn’t move for 3 days afterwards.  I was back at it on Thursday though, and have gone pretty much everyday since.  My focus has shifted.  I’ve been at this new fitness game for over a year now and it took me ‘til about 10 days ago to realise I’m never going to be much of a runner.  So I’m happy with my 5km fitness, and I hit the gym for toning. It’s a happy middle ground.  Except when I have to get out of bed at 5.15am to get there. 

Prima Build A Page for August has been released, this is my version.  This time the photo is of Skye and her Momma.  Such a sweet pic, I was thrilled to be able to showcase it!

Have a good one!

Laters