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Today was a strange day. It was cold enough to put the fire on. So I did.
My excuse being that paul had filled up the fireplace with scrunched up paper. Yep. I had to get rid of that paper ;o)

And my computer came home. I purchased a new computer at the end of August and it’s spent more time having parts replaced than it has here. The last visit to computer hospital was 5 weeks long. Everybody cross fingers now that it is perfect. I’m crossing mine but not holding out much hope. I bought a new computer because I feared the old one would crash and die soon , just to have my new one crash and die, not once but 3 times – 3 new hard drives… that has to be the definition of irony.

The Aussie Scrap Source blog has been updated – I did a small article (for want of a better word) on one of my favourite manufacturers – BasicGrey. You can see the post here.

These are the layouts I created for the article. (note the stampin up spiral punch!)

These are the layouts I showed you the sneak peek of a month or so back.

Talkin of Stampin’ Up! – I received an email today that might interest those of you in the Rotorua area. They are holding a free open night in Rotorua next Tuesday night. 13 November 2007. 7 – 9pm

They will be making free projects on the night and there will be demonstrators over from the States especially for the event.

Rydges Rotorua
272 Fenton Street

Registrations can be made by calling 0800 202 722, visiting www.stampinup.com or even emailing Sarah sarahw@porternovelli.co.nz.

So there you go. Free stuff. Open night. Rotorua girls. Be there.

Count down til Sydney is on. After the beautiful 10 degrees we had today I’m looking forward to a little more warm in Sydney? Well as warm as 3 days in a convention centre with the air conditioning set at 18 degrees can be. lol.

laters.

So I dropped off the kids at school and carried on driving around the block to drop Abby off at “Nannie’s School”. Abby often goes to see Nannie June and Grumpr for the day, she packs her bag with lunch and other random essentials, you know; a barbie, the occasional toy she has picked up that the boys wanted to play with but she decided to hide, various pieces of ribbon with no real value to anyone other than a 3 year old… and she goes to Nannie and Grumpr’s house. So. I was driving past another school, and the road is narrow, and I pull over a little to let a car past. There was no noise except for the radio, which was quietly playing some random song. Then out of the back comes this huge voice. “You STUPID COW!”
I’m like.. “You WHAT?!”… and she says … “Grumpr says it all the time. you Stupid COW!” and she yells it again. I hope she was talking to the car coming the other way.
That trip to Canada I took was educational for all, it seems.

It’s November 2nd. Happy Birthday Ms Goree ;o) and congrats on becoming an Auntie!

This time next week I’ll be in Sydney. That’s pretty cool. I’m already missing the kiddos though. They are all such fun at the moment. Abby has finally finally dropped that tough 2yr old exterior she has been carrying around like protective armour for the past year or two. She has dropped the attitude a little and decided to let us near her and actually be friends. It’s cool. She spends a lot of time on my back. No really. Literally on my back. She’s a real monkey. She sees me getting up and she leaps on my back and we walk around like that – to do the washing, clean up the kitchen, whatever.
I see a layout in that.

I have pics but photobucket is doing some sort of site maintenance. So we shall be pic-less.

For those of you participating in the ScrapBoxx ‘That’s Life’ challenges – I have just posted month 2’s winner. See the forum. Look out for next month’s challenges posted soon.

ok. still photo-less.
tomorrow.

I saw it tonight. The very first Christmas advertisement on T.V. I thought we might get to November before seeing them, but actually it’s OK by me. I like Christmas time. It was quite fitting that it was on T.V. tonight. Today truly was gorgeous weather, the kind that reminds me what its like to drive down the road with the windows in the car down and the radio up loud, hot air blasting in the car and all of us singing the completly wrong words to the songs we hear. Abby spent a lot of the morning in her togs, lazing on the deck under a sprinkler. Warm deck, cold water, hot sun. Summer is on it’s way and if that means Christmas ads on T.V., then bring. it. on.

Did you know we had a train derailment in Pukekohe last week? The kids thought it was incredibly exciting. I admit I was keen to go down to the station for a look as well. Noone was hurt in the crash, just feelings I suspect, and perhaps the occasional can of peaches ;o)
The sight of the peaches and the resulting conversations with the kids firmly embedded this song in my mind (vaughan if you are reading this, make sure you click the link – talk about bring back memories!).

Ok massive Crafting Connection update… I’ve been working my tail off with these classes and have a few updates.

Confessions – I was really specific on the photos you have to bring and have heard a few people are worried about getting it right – don’t worry about it! Just bring along 6-8 B&w pics and we’ll crop them in class! No stress allowed. I need you as refreshed and rested as possible because this is a seriously fast paced class. LOL.
If you have a Crop-O-Dile, bring it along.
If you have one of those cheap $2 shop silver type 1/4 inch punches – bring it along.
If you have a scoring blade for your trimmer, bring it along.
Acrylic blog and ink.. bring them along.
If you could pass the word around about these things – please do so.

BTW BasicGrey and CherryArte gave me tonnes of wicked cool prizes for this class. Love prizes LOL.

Conversations: Again, if you have a crop-o-dile, bring it along.

Constant reminders. If you are having trouble coming up with 6 pics that are YOU.. ask your kids or your hubby. I asked my hubby what it was around the home that were dinstinctly me and he listed about a dozen things in 3 minutes. Including the vaccuum. And the rum bottle. What’s he trying to say?!
Again, Crop-o-dile if you have it.
Important – the adhesive must be a tape runner – and best of all is the see-through type, not the type that puts down’tabs’.
Again, if you can, pass this info around blogs and groups of those you know that are taking my classes.
A preview of the Constant Reminders Class.

OH – By the way – I got an email from Kelly Rotherham today – during the Crafting Connection events she will be doing a heap of Mini-classes etc FREE – so there is like a crop room that is open all the time and freebie make n takes, classey things.
Link here.

Just a little over a week to go before I’m on the way to Sydney.
LAters

Ya know, when I figured my little timetabley thing for when I got home from Canada (yes, I’m a list maker) I figured since i flew home on Monday that I’d need Tuesday to recover. Here it is on Friday and I’m still chasing my tail. I’m going nowhere fast. That’s Ok. I’m enjoying it – that’s what counts. The kids got cuter and better behaved while I was gone. I didn’t. Seems a little unfair. ;o) lol

In my mail when I returned home was this gorgeous creation by Loretta Grayson. It was created recently for a kit cub, and Loretta gifted it to me – perhaps she knew the sad state of my walls… lol… this one will definitely be going on my wall. I love love love it, because it’s a gorgeous piece of work, but also because it is so inspirational. I will never look at my sewing machine the same! happy to be me!

Also in my mail – the new Scenic Route Salem line. I have told layle we don’t do halloween, but I love the oranges etc in this line so will be using them anyway!
Talking of layle, she has another giveaway on her blog where she has also released pics of the new Scenic Route Loveland range… they just keep on comin, huh?.
Click the link, you have to be in the win, right?

Some of you know that keeping the Queen & co blog up to date is one of my little jobs – I’m updating about every 2-3 days with new tips, tricks, prodects layouts etc. I’m really pumping through the projects more than ever, so be sure to stop by.
The main reason I point this out now though is to show you this… OK Johanna Peterson wins the crazy inspirational person award for this tic Tac Toe board.
HOW does someone think to do stuff like that?!!!!!

Ok – back to work, which today is writing powerpoint shows etc for Crafting Connection. It’s under 2 weeks away. So happy that some of my classes are filling up and closing off. Smaller classes are cosy, but nothing beats a full class pumped and ready to rip into a project!

laters

One last day and one last city before jumping a plane – or two – and returning home. It’s been a simply amazing trip full of meeting incredible people, seeing incredible sights and since my hubby is with me, paying incredibly large bills for the beer at restaurants :o)
We arrived in Vancouver on Thursday. I have landed in Wellington a few times. Sideways. As you often do when you land in Wellington. But I have never really landed in torrential rain. As we did in Vancouver. Ok I exagerate a little, but I’m crossing that one off the list of things to do. (and since starting this blog post I can now add ‘sitting through a thunder storm whilst on the 15th floor of a hotel block on vancouver harbour off the list also).

Arrived at our hotel – beautiful place to stay – Shame on you vancouver for not putting on better weather. We discovered today when the rain cleared that there is a harbour and ships in the view right where Paul is standing. Eating an icecream. In the rain. lol.

So anyway the rain cleared long enough today for us to head out to Stanley Park and go to the Aquarium. I had instructions from Jacob to see the beluga whales. Freaky things. We also saw lots of squirrels in Stanley Park. This pic is for you, Jakey.

Here are the tired travellers.

And those leaves are exactly why we don’t call this season ‘Fall’. The leaves were amazing. I guess NZ (well the area where I live anyway) will stick with the-leaves-don’t-really-do-much-exciting Autumn title.

Ok so we leave in about 14 hours. My mind is already on Crafting Connection and that tour,which happens in under 3 weeks. I have just checked the schedule and see some of my classes being closed off as full. I LOVE the full classes!

I’m scrapbooking my travel journal – anyone that took pics in Canada… Anam, Trisha, Sarah, Kelly…anyone…anyone… send them my way pleeeeeeeeeease so I can throw them in this journal and call it done?

Here is another one from the Prima Blog.
I’m posting this one cos it has pics of our 3 gorgeous kiddos. Can’t wait to get home!!!
I’ve talked far too much – will post more when I’m home.
laters.

Wow. That went fast. The teaching part of the trip is over, I am off to a few stores here in Edmonton tomorrow and then the scrapbooking part is over! Seems the rumour about time flying when you are having fun seems to be true.

Thanks to the ladies in Toronto and London – I had an awesome time.
Main lesson learnt from my trip to Canada? When I want something in the middle of the paper, I shouldn’t ask for it to be centred. Or I get a lot of confused canadians tryin to make their paper smell nice :o)
(a little centred-scented issue there – I hear ya repeating it to yourself – NZers, you are the only ones that have those 2 words sounding the same….)
Here is me giving away some Everlasting Keepsakes Chipboard…

One of the highlights of my trip there was meeting Barb, whom I have talked to online forever…

I also met another online friend that I used to chat to 9 years ago – havent downloaded those pics though yet Tracy :o)

Talking of flying. I had the crappy crap crap flight from crapland yesterday. Only because I was tried, but determined not to sleep. And I was in the middle. And the guy on the aisle and the girl at the window were flirting. We landed in Edmonton though and it got better pretty quick. I found 6 of the Edmonton teachers at the venue and talked til the wee hours. Fun. Met the designers of some of the products at Prima. And Johanna Peterson who is on the Queen & Co DT- there were a few other girls there too. Fun.
(oh and talking of Prima – here is the Prima blog link – check it out, I have a few projects just posted on there :o)
Here is one of them.
You’ll have to go to the blog for the others :o)

SO today Kelly and I (who have never met – love new friends! or old ones that we meet for the first time! lol) wandered the streets of Whyte Ave in Edmonton. Fav purchase of the day was a random metal picture for $40. Paul just wants to see how we go through the x-rays at Auckland airport. It’s really a decoy for the dozens of friendly canadians we have met along the way that we are taking home with us :o)

Here is Whyte st in Edmonton, Kelly and I (excuse the incredibly squinty pic – the sun is a little low in Edmonton this time of year!), and a pic of my hubby sitting in a cafe in Whyte st. I looked up and saw that he had a sign that said ‘filthy mcnasty’s’ behind him, and it just seemed perfect to take that pic.

Anyone that I owe emails to – I can only email to xtra addresses.
I have tried.
Love the internet.
When it works.
Will email when I get home.

laters

Ahhhhhhhhhh Canada. What a crazy trip so far – 12 hours to LA, 5 hours in LA, 3 hours to Vancouver, 12 hours in Vancouver (we got to go to a hotel in this one – but that’s a whooooole another story), 1 hour to edmonton, sit in the plane for 30 minutes and then 4 hours over to Hamilton, Ontario.
What day is it?

I’m teaching tonight, I’m just catching a bit of quiet time before heading out.

I have to say. The funniest flight was the flight from LAX to Vancouver. Food? Who needs food on a plane. Our plane had just been painted in Mexico. We had the pleasure of travelling in the prettiest plane in the sky. Food? Drink? nuh. Those were luxuries we just didn’t have. We did have ice however and the captain decided that perhaps we could hav 3 ice cubes each and that we needed to make them last 3 hours.
Funny flight. Captain joked all the way. Including when we landed, we touched down, roared down the runway, stopped, and we had barely peeled ourselves off the seat in front and he comes on the speaker and says “Right, grab your gear, get off.” lol. Thanks for flying Alaska :o)

Anyway – just a quickie post. It’s a full on few days coming up for me. I was on the local radio this morning. Yea yea those that know me are peeing their pants right now, I don’t think on my feet and I had no warning of the questions. I figured they had no idea what I was saying so I just recited nursery rhymes. LOL. Nah. I’m kidding. But it was an experience! Little radio studio, mic, earphones and everything!

Ok, last thing.
Miss my kids – hi kids!

(ooo.. look at that hair colour! It doesn’t look anything like that now! I figured..ya know…canada….doodlbops, I’d fit i if I looked just like Moe?
Bad plan? lol. Abby loved it. (That’s me, Shanna and Paul at LAX Denny’s on the 5 hours layover – I look terrible but I had just travelled a 12 hour flight – you know how it is….)

Laters.

Ahhh Murphy. Murphy has a lot to answer for. You know – Murphy’s law.
Wait. Wikipedia.
Murphy’s law is an adage in Western culture that broadly states that things will go wrong in any given situation, if you give them a chance. “If there’s more than one possible outcome of a job or task, and one of those outcomes will result in disaster or an undesirable consequence, then somebody will do it that way.” It is most often cited as “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong” (or, alternately, “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way

So of course when I’m trying to fit 6 weeks of work into 2 weeks and I’m nearly there – the computer shall stop. dead. and never go again. I think I win the kill-a-computer-in-the-quickest-time-possible award. I got that new computer on the 22nd of August. It died 10 days after I got it. It died again on Friday. This time it is fatal.
“I think you had a dud hard drive in there” the computer IT guy says.
Iflippin hope so or I seriously better get some sort of award for killing innocent computers in the shortest amount of time.

So meanwhile.
I type on a laptop.
Which I hate and I am useless at.

So said computer death means I’m extremely slow off the mark letting you know about the amazing Tarisota birthday sale. Sorry.
Tamar has some amazing bargains – 2nd Birthday Sale – Past collections at 40% or more off Limited Editions – Treasure Boxes – jam-packed with patterned paper and embellishments, Bargain Ribbon, Fabric Packs and Bargain cardstock.

All listed on the Limited Edition page of the site.

That was the official speeeel :o)

The gallery must go up today? Question mark because I have no idea what day it really is. LOL

laters

I must be one of the only Mums out there that loves the school holidays – I’ve said it before. Love the company, love the lack of rigid routine, love pancakes for lunch and the noise of the kids playing in the house. Sad to see it end.

Today was a warm day, the kids went outside and made potions out of chalk and water. Cool colours. They ended by colouring in the playhut. It was a cool end to the holidays.

I’m not sure how Jacob was holding the camera here, it’s going to be hard to scrap this one since I need to have everything so beautifully perfectly square.
Love the non-posed nature of it though. Accidently colour co-ordinated. no really. It was an accident. lol

I’m excited about the next month, but nervous too – the next 6 weeks are going to fly. I have only a month-ish til I travel over to Sydney so I am able to give away more details of the Crafting Connection event now. *warning, shameless self promotion follows*I’m going to pump my classes because a) I love them all and b) because I’ve been asked a few questions about homework etc so I’m going to kill two birds with one stone here and give you all the details :o)

Ok so Conversations – this is the 60 minute class – relaxed, easy going , cool project. No homework, no photos needed. Sponsored by Fancypants designs and finishing touches. This is going to be by far those most relaxing walk-out-with-a-cool-project-and-smile-on-my-face class.

Constant Reminders – You need to grab 6 photos that are distinctly you. Make them black and white if you can, and able to be cropped down from 6×4 to slightly smaller would be perfect. Basically this album can be about anything really. Relax, take some pics of your fav things/fav people – the things that we can associate with YOU. No other homework. *the crowd goes wild – yeeeeeeeeea!*
This class is perfect for anyone wanting to dabble in the clear album arena :o) It’s fun, it’s learning how to assemble an acrylic album, its smothered in Scenic Route and Queen & Co felt. It’s GOT to be good for you. lol

And finally – Confessions. I could just about say that this is my fav of the three. This is by far the more involved class. It uses a new 6×12 album and we play around with various techniques to create something interactive and downright flippin fantastic actually. lol. It’s an ambitious class but if you want to play with the 6×12 size this is a great class to start with. Although its so much more. Love it. BasicGrey. Love that too. lol. Lots of product. Great end result. Extremely proud of this one.
Homework – just photos. But I’m picky with this one.

Photos: all of yourself. They dont have to be great pics, just a range of fun pics of yourself, give the camera to your kids or hubby, neighbour or perhaps some confused complete stranger. See the tickle pic above. Dont stress about this. Any pics will do – you can always replace them later anyhow.
Black & white preferred.
6×4 portrait orientation x 2
6×4 landscape orientation x 1
2 x 3 landscape orientation x1
2×3 portrait orientation x 1
A smaller photo, around 2×2 inches.

As I said, I’m proud of these classes and the last thing I want is to hear people say “Oh I saw your… class and I wish I had sat in on it” – well seriously people, the chance is there now. Yea I’m ranting and raving, this is probably the last teachig gig I will do for a long while so I want sellouts, dammit, so go book. LOL.

See my new links? Ginger williams – awesome photography. Just came across Ginger recently. I love to find cool new blogs etc, not that I actually cruise them much, I’m a catch up once a month kinda guirl, but send me links of your fav ones if you have some cool ones to share :o)
laters

School holidays keep a girl busy. I’m in the process of trying to get ahead before I leave for Canada, yet I seem to be falling behind. I always have a list of the scrapping stuff I have to do, today I started a list of the very-important-yet-non-scrapping things too. Already it feels better knowing this stuff is getting written down. I used to have the best memory ever. Now I’m terrified something will fall out every time someone tells me something new. lol.

The weekend was busy with friends to stay and a huge scrappink crop.
Challenges, games, giveaways, raffles, etc etc. Scrappink is a worldwide event and I think our own effort here in Pukekohe raised a good amount of money for Breast Cancer Awareness. Here is one of the highlights of the day.

The shortbread was particularly yummy :o)

So back to Canada – I’m 8 sleeps away from leaving. One of my biggest dilemmas is whether to leave the 4 frogs (newly turned from tadpoles) in the care of my mum, or the housesitter. I know I’m more comfortable sending my Mum down to the shop to buy flies than someone I know less well. Neither will be particularly pleased. Perhaps this is really the issue. lol.

Janine did the Stampin’ Up! Draw and the winner was Vanessa MacKereth.

I’ve been working with BasicGrey Figgy Pudding this week. A favourite already.
(Actually the pink is old Lollipop Shoppe)

Tarisota – I’ve done my bits and pieces but gallery doesn;t load til the 8th. Inklination details have loaded though.

Ok short and sweet – back to commitments and ticking off that list before I go away.

laters