Look at this wee fella

I was over at Meg's last week and Max was showing me some new product ... got the camera out and took these pics. Printed off a swag of them and left them with Meg the very next day when I visited ... again. He is just too cute. A lad on a mission - knows what product he likes as well ... look forward to seeing the layouts that Meg puts together as well.

[hope Meg doesn't mind that I have posted these pics of her wee man] ...


Julz and Rach and the kids came out to visit this afternoon. Rach dropped me off two CJ's - two of them, one a week late [and that's okay] and one a week early. Crikey ... this is going to test me.

So Christi, I have your CJ - what a challenge and I think I had to pic the biggest challenge of them all. I have racked my brain this afternoon thinking what on earth am I going to do ... the light bulb just blinked quite literally in the last few minutes while I waiting on blogger to load my pics and I have come up with a plan. Shot down to the lounge and mentioned it to DH and yep, I'm going to go for it ... must remember to write down on my list of things to do, to take a pic and have it printed and put together a layout and that's all I will say on said subject so as to not spoil the surprise of others to follow on the CJ round. Will keep them guessing for ya Christi.

Second CJ belongs to one of the Kelly's - so this one is safely in my hot little hands - so will look at that one after I have Christi's done and dusted.

Had to laugh to myself the other day at Harvey Norman's while getting pics printed ... one of the girls said to me something along the lines of ... you're the scrapping lady and I don't have to trim your photos do I ... I'm thinking that I go there too often for pics to be printed - ROFLMAO. Was in there again today - different staff member working - thankfully!!!! Same checkout chick tho ...

I'm back to the office tomorrow - it's been great being a little creative the last week tho ... talk to you later.

Time to play catch up

Haven't bloogged for a couple of days - have been just a wee tad busy really.

My sister flew down from Christchurch on Monday night - al cheapo air fares with Air New Zealand - a return flight for $98 - and trust me on this one - that doesn't happen very often ... my sister flying anywhere or Air New Zealand having flights that cheap - ROFL!!!!

Anyway, I picked her up from the airport on Monday night and we came home and had a real good natter as you do when you haven't caught up for quite some time.

Tracy had the privilege of sleeping in my scrap room ... the room that I had to 'tidy' or should I say 'shuffle around the scrapping supplies' so that we could find the bed - lol.

Tuesday we went shopping for scrapping supplies. Danielle met up with us for lunch along with Aunty Judy and the four of us had a good old chat and catch up over lunch and hot chocolate and cups of tea ... as you do!!!!

Come tea time I dropped my sister off to stay with a friend overnight and I picked her up again on Wednesday morning. We eventually arrived home yesterday afternoon and started to play, to scrap, to be creative, whatever you might like to call it ... last night had to visit Meg again for some more supplies ... crikey ...

We played until around midnight last night before calling it a night and then we were up and at it again before 9 this morning.

Just after lunch today I took Tracy back to the airport and right at this particular point in time she is probably landing at Christchurch airport.

But there was another trip back to the airport prior to her departure. I dropped her off and had just arrived in the door, phone rung - she had a funny feeling that her cell phone could be in my car and could I check. Back to the airport I went - just as well the airport is only 3 minutes down the road [in traffic] - lol.

When I dropped her off at the airport, she was telling me that she got hit for excess luggage - more than a little unfair ... it wasn't that extra box of supplies that I sent her home with [I hope] - ROFL. Well that's what I will keep telling myself.

It was great to catch up with her. I will be seeing her again in October when it will be my turn to fly in for SENZ - roll on October I say.

Now a little bit of creativity from the last couple of days ... time to share a layout or two ...


This first layout - Endless Love came together the way it has for two different reasons ... a double challenge ... Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz has a challenge this month - your title is to be lyrical ... hence the name Endless Love ... and over at Country Papercraft www.countrypapercraft.com.au they had a challenge as well and you had to incorporate a little bit of this and a little bit of that ... chalking, hand journalling, journalling block, so I've done that as well - in my hidden journalling tag. This pic was taken either the day of our wedding or the day before we got married on the ski slopes in Queenstown - we went away to Queenstown skiing and came home Mr and Mrs ... I used the Bazzill heart cardstock as a template to cut out the BG papers, which I love ...





I put this 'Cherish' layout together today using the monthly kit from Country Papercraft. I love the way it has come together. The pic of my sister and I was taken back in the 1960's - perhaps either late 1967 or some time in 1968 - we're unsure of exactly when.


And I also put together two 6x6 layouts for Hannah's CJ - albeit it a day late - finally got this put together yesterday afternoon. So here's a wee sneak peek for you Hannah... Your first love could be your true love ...

Your CJ is now safely residing at Miss Meg's ...



On that note ... it's time to fly the coop ... must go and pick up my son from the bus stop - a real novelty as I am usually at work ... it's freezing cold out ... so wrap up warm.

Take care.

Relaxing weekend

Well that's it ... the weekend is kaput ... the working week is underway again tomorrow. The weekend has just flown - what have I done, not a great deal really. Have I been creative ... not a great deal really ... I'm starting to repeat myself, better stop that right now!!!

But I tell you what I have done ... the bed is now ready for my sis who arrives down tomorrow night. More importantly she will be able to walk through the doorway and to the bed and not stand on my scrapping supplies - ROFLMAO.

I have had to move stuff ... I mean big time ... move stuff. I have pizza boxes stacked. I have scrapping piles temporarily removed from the bed. Scary really. We will be scrapping while she is here and the chances are, I won't be able to find anything ... crikey!!!

Haven't caught up with Tracy since we met at the airport in Christchurch last year - a flying visit, a coffee and a natter at the airport while I was on my way to the big ol' US of A last March.

So it will be great to catch up with her ... I can only hope that I will be more creative this week than I was this weekend. Cos this weekend just wasn't a happening thing in the creative department. Still working on two layouts - dithering is a good word.


Tonight I caught up with a scrapping buddy. We met up with NanJules [AKA Julie] and her family at Big Willie Rustler's for dinner this evening. Haven't been there for dinner for something like 20 years, sad ... but true. Now they have a set up overe there where you go, you pick the meat you want, you have a choice of three salads and you also receive a baked potato. You then toddle off with your meat and go and cook it yourself inside on a bbq grill plate. I kid you not. Well in our case, Russell went and cooked our meats, Leo and Stephen [excuse the spelling] Ashleigh's partner were cooking for the troops as well ... it was great ...

I had a ham steak and and a slice of pineapple, salads and potato. Russell had a huge t-bone steak and Nathan had a rump steak ... I enjoyed mine. Poor old Nathan didn't eat his salads, he was NOT impressed with the choice of salads ... but you win some, you lose some. Frizz enjoyed his t-bone steak.

I had a coffee and dessert to finish. Yummy!

While we were dining the place filled up big time ... I couldn't believe the number of people that chose tonight to dine out for whatever reason. No idea how many people were there, I did a quick head count at some of the tables, but I'm thinking all up in excess of 180 - 200 by the time we left.

We then went back to Julie's for coffee/tea afterwards.

Thanks Julie and Leo for your company - I enjoyed myself ... actually that's not true - we enjoyed ourselves. We don't dine out very often ... when we arrived back at Julie's, Josef and Nathan disappeared up to the bedroom and entertained themselves playing on Josef's Playstation.

A very pleasant evening. We will do it again at some stage.

Getting geared up

Another week has whizzed by and it really has whizzed.

This weekend I am hoping to be more than a little creative. Have heaps of ideas running around in my head ... I've been playing with a layout this week to do with the opening weekend of duck shooting [from last year I might add, just quietly] and then I've just started having a play with the double side of a layout to do with my wedding ... some 20+ years ago.

I made mention of my wedding pics being not so flash in an earlier blog post, read between the lines ... major understatement. But we did have a pic taken either on the day we got married, or the day before we got married that I absolutely adore. The pic was taken on the mountain, albeit at the base of the Remarkables in Queenstown. Russell and I went away to Queenstown skiing and came back married. Yep, we eloped. I plan on scrapping one of those pics.

When I finish both layouts I will share - they both come under a challenge as well.

It's amazing sometimes what we scrap and how we scrap them ... we sometimes really do think outside the square and challenges for lots of different reasons, can push our boundaries.

Looking forward to completing them.

I have another couple of layouts, well more than a couple, rolling around in my head at the moment, and with my sister arriving down on Monday night, I plan on being more than a little creative while she is here.

I've still got to get some pics developed between now and then.

No rugby tomorrow ... whoop, whoop. I get to have a lie-in tomorrow morning - the boys were playing each other this weekend from the same club, so they played their game last night at practice. Absolutely wonderful ...

Sunday morning Nathan is supposed to be trialling for the Under 65 kg team, well he is according to the names the selectors have put forward that were published in the paper earlier this week. When I first got the phone call, I was asked his weight and apparently he weighed in at 52 kg. Well hello, there is a huge difference between 52 kg and 65 kg. The coach said that he would put his name forward for the under 13 team and I was quite happy with that ... not the weight division team. Russell's comment, well he will just have to run faster ... lol.

Out on the wing he can do that, run fast. But once you get some of the those big boys land on top of you ... well that's just plain OUCH!!!

Not keen on this at all. Will see what happens ...

Between now and Monday night I have to tidy my scrap room MORE. My sister is sleeping in the bed that is at this present point in time still buried in scrapping supplies ... I must admit the floor does look better and you can now see the carpet, well most of it and you can now actually walk up to the side of the bed ... but, that's as good as it gets.

I've got to find some more cubbie holes between now and then.

If you are being creative this weekend, have fun ... if you are travelling anywhere, safe travels. Whatever you are doing, do it well and keep warm and dry.

Take care.

Easier to play catch up

Okay I have finally figured out how to put Feedblitz on my blog - so that you can pop your email address in and then have updates sent to you [well I sure hope that I have done it right - lol].

Perhaps I should put my email address in as a test to see if it works. Time will tell.

Still haven't figured out yet why it is that my music vid won't work - tearing my hair out over that one. I keep it there in the meantime, so that one day I will actually perservere and work my way through the glitch inthe system. On the list of things to do, like the layout sitting on my scrap table at the moment ... wonder if I will get the chance to look at it again tonight.

There is a wishlist swapon the forum and I was going to go and fill up a few envelopes and send them out as RAK's - so might just do that tonight. I'm sure that the recipients will like their envelopes of treats - a nice surprise in the mail to brighten their day.

Whatever you are doing, hope that you are warm. Take care.

It's cold

Well it's been cold out for the last few days. A real cold snap has arrived in the deep south, but then hey it was made for sharing and the bad weather has been heading up the country as well. So we aren't alone, and why should we be when Mother Nature isn't too happy with everyone.

Friday was absolutely miserable, hail showers like I haven't seen for quite some time, sleety looking stuff as well and talk about windy. Brrrrrrrrhhhhhh!!!!!

I got home from work and DH was home. Both fires were lit, the Yunca in the lounge and the wood burner in the dining room ... just beautiful inside, if I recall a balmy 25 degrees. I thought to myself, yep, I can cope with this ... lol.

Friday night the rugby coach rang to say that rugby was canned for Saturday. They had already made the decision to can it based on the weather. Do you think that I had a problem with that decision??? Not on your nellie I didn't. I'm thinking yahoo - lie in, in the morning. So the rugby stands at the moment with ferrying the young man ... Mum - all games that he has played, oops, no tell a wee fib, unintentionally, I did miss one game and one of the coach's played chauffeur. DH a big fat zero, cos he's a shiftworker and his shifts have invariably crossed over when Nathan has been playing ... charming ... so it has been me getting out of bed early on a Saturday morning and not DH cos he hasn't been here ... that's not fair at all and then from next weekend onwards, DH will be back on shift every Saturday for four weeks. Grrrrhhhhh!!!!! it was the boys that decided Nathan was going to play rugby this season not me!!!!!!

Friday heading out the driveway, a quick stop at the mailbox and woohoo, I had a courier bag sitting in there. I was gobsmacked when I opened it ... there was a set of beautiful pens inside and a delightful card from my scrapping buddy Tanya ... thank you so much. It really did brighten my day for me, it truly did. I have been meaning to take a pic and show them off, but this remains on my list of things to do.

I've got a week to go ... my little sis is coming down from Christchurch for a few days and we are going to be creative. There were cheap fares advertised last month for travel during a certain period and I flicked her an email and she took advantage of the flight price. It will be a flying visit tho, but hopefully we will have the opportunity to scrap a little, well scrap a lot. I'm taking a few days off work for when she is down here.

Must also remember at some stage this week to look at flights for myself for SENZ in Christchurch in October ... first time that I will have been to anything like it. Tracy has already booked the Friday off work herself so that she can attend the big scrapping extravaganza with me. Should be a lot of fun. Looking forward to seeing the class lists go on line to see what is available. I'm thinking that I will be coming home with a few purchases ... funny that we know these things in advance - ROFLMAO.

On that note ... take care.

Long overdue

Quite some time ago I said that I would complete an 8x8 layout for a scrapping buddy and it was something that I didn't get round to for lots of reasons.

Well now I have ... unfortunately the pic isn't the best ...

Quite some time ago, nearer to the start of the year we all had to pick a word or words that we would try and work with this year - this person's word was 'simple' and there's not much in her life that I would say was 'simple' ... so I put together - this 'simple' layout for her to add to her collection.

She has no idea that I have this pic ... it was one on her blog absolutely ages ago and I thought, I'm going to do something with it ... and I have.

I believe you, I do Dad ... honest!

Wonder what the wee man was thinking ...

I've been tagged ... another round of taggings is underway. I'm supposed to blog about what I am happy about today ...

So, what am I happy about today? Best I be positive ...

Every time I think about my web cam catch up with family on Sunday, I think to myself, yippee, I can show a little bit of our southern paradise to my family who are coming out from the States for Christmas and that makes me happy. Something I didn't think would ever happen ... well I knew that one day my big sis and my BIL would venture down to the bottom of the world, but I sure didn't think that Mom and Dad would or should I say ... could [for medical reasons]. So every time I tell someone else, that makes me happy [and I'm doing a whole lot of telling]. I'm sure that Mom and Dad will have a little smile to themselves when they read this part of my blog. Hi y'all over there in Yankee land [said in the nicest possible way].

I could say that I am happy cos there weren't any bills in the mail for me today ... but then I didn't get any mail at all - lol.

I'm happy because I don't have to go out tonight - not that I have got the energy or the inclination ... but I can stay home and stay warm ... the weather is miserable out ... oops, got to remain positive.

I'm happy that my DH was home today and had tea cooked for me when I arrived home tonight.

So much going through my head at the moment ... but I am supposed to be positive and take it easy. I'm thinking that's easier said than done!

Something else that makes me happy ... every time I think about this little hand bag ... isn't it cute ...

I was checking out a few blogs last month and was reading Evana's blog http://evanawillis.typepad.com and she had posted about these cute little suckers, one very creative and talented lady ... at the time that I ordered this one, there was another one in off white and pink - so cool - but I opted for this one. I just about got both ... but ...

Well it arrived Monday last week and with everything else that happened that afternoon at work, it was left on my desk. It's now safely at home and hanging on the door in my scrap room until required. Hmmmm ... a night out ... wonder when that will happen.

Keep warm and dry.

Another post - two in one day

Two posts in one day - I'm on a mission ...


Sometimes we put together a layout that doesn't always do it for us and sometimes we put together a layout that is so in your face and you are actually more than just a little bit proud of it. Well this is one of those layouts. I love the way that this particular layout came together. What's not to love ... my wedding vows ... Mr Friz and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary last year and I have now scrapped my wedding vows, just for me.


I love BG papers, I love Prima flowers with a passion, right into circles at the moment as well, add a few ribbons, a little bling and rub-ons. I don't mind scrapping pinks and greens either, just quietly.


This was challenge number 2 over at www.countrypapercraft.com.au - but there's no way that I am going to get another challenge done tonight.


I'm more than happy with my creativity over the last couple of days.


So there you have it ...

Queen of hearts ...

I have been having a wee nosey looking at what the girls have been doing over at www.countrypapercraft.com.au. Why is that you might be asking? Some of the girls in my [figure of speech only] scrapping forum hangout over this side of the ditch have been in the biggest user competition and I signed up so that I could have voting rights.

This weekend they have had a Cyber crop. Now I've never been involved in a Cyber crop before. I even played Cyber bingo yesterday for the first time and that turned out to be a hoot albeit frustrating. But it was all in fun. Talk about DS getting annoyed with me when I wanted to check to see the latest Bingo calls at approximately 30 minute intervals. He was SO NOT impressed.

But anyway I thought to myself, might even complete a layout in one of the challenges. And so I have. This layout did not turn out anywhere near the way I envisaged it in my head.

The challenge - to use the word 'Queen' in your title - mixed font and the colour[s] to be used - predominantly blue or purple - well it is Queen's birthday weekend after all.

I was originally going to use some pics from our trip to Queenstown at Easter, but then that would have meant a trip into town for some pics to be printed ... so thought nope. In a way I'm pleased that I didn't do that ... a couple of the Australian girls have used pics from visits to Queensland ... amazing what people can come up with in the name of scrapping and creativity, even with the play on words.





I have hidden journalling on heart tags hidden under the big hearts on the RHS which reads ...

A few health isues atm.
A trip to A&E in an ambulance. Xrays and an ECG booked.
The doctor wants to know how big my heart is ...
DH comments, no worries she's got a huge heart. x

So that's the name of my layout ... Queen of hearts.


Don't know that I am going to get any of the other challenges completed.


I'm more than a little tired today.

For some reason I didn't get a great deal of sleep last night - the mind was more than a little overactive. Wonder why that was ...

Just for the record, I'm still excited ... did I tell you that my big sis Terry, and my BIL, Daryl are coming out and wait for it ... so are Mom and Dad. Woo hoo ...

Catch up with family

A couple of days ago my big sis and I were emailing one and other and she said that it has been a while since we hooked up on the web cam with Mom and Dad. Too true! We decided to have a chat on line today. Technology is amazing, little old New Zealand, Texas and West Virginia - all talking to one and other and we all had our web cams working as well. Mine took a little convincing with the headphones, only cos someone you know couldn't figure out what she was doing - okay, it's been some time since I used everything all at once ... lol. So for quite some time I could listen in on what everyone was saying, I could type messages using the keyboard, but no one could hear this kiwi accent.

Anyway, Frizz finally gets inside and plugs in another set of wires - duh me ... anyway ... on with the story.

We are having a great conversation and then Dad's connection craps out [excuse the expression] periodically. Daryl is talking to me and asks me whatcha doing in December? Well hello - working of course, the big man in red comes to visit and then I hear, will let Pop ... didn't hear the next bit, Dad starts talking - then losing his voice connection - it all becomes rather intermittent really and starting to get more than a little frustrating ...

Anyway ...

Guess what ...

My big sis and brother-in-law are coming to New Zealand to visit ... neither of them have been here before ... they arrive mid December, Daryl needs to catch a flight back earlier than Terry, but Terry can stay for a bit longer ... I'm thinking yahoo ... but wait there's more ...

My Mom and Dad are coming to visit as well ... well about now, I think that I go into a little bit of shock. In fact I know that I do and more than a little bit ... the tears were rolling down my face.

I don't know anyone that cries prettily - looking at me on that web cam must have been horrible ... it can't have been a pretty sight that's for real.

I'm sitting here thinking, where am I going to sleep them ... four of them, that's two vehicles every outing. It's going to be summer, I hope it's warm. Daylight saving - long drawn out nights ... Woo hoo, they are going to be here for Christmas ... I'm sure all these things went through my mind in the space of about twenty seconds or thereabouts.

Then I'm thinking, Nathan's cricket tournament ... I know I asked the question when are you going back home - I'm told a date in January ... crikey, middle of cricket tournament ... all these things are going through my mind ... I'll work through everything ... as I do.

My sis tells me, tickets are already booked and paid for ... we're coming!!!!!! They had gone and done everything without telling me ... crikey!!!

The word 'schedule' comes to mind - and I'm thinking more than one ...

You have absolutely no idea how excited I am, nor how surprised I was a few hours ago when they told me. I was gobsmacked actually.

My MIL and daughter both came out to visit this afternoon and I told both of them that we were going to have visitors for Christmas, all the way from the big ol' US of A.

Lots of things to sort out between now and then.

When I got off the computer and was telling Russell about our visitors coming over for Christmas, I said to him, don't suppose you want to buy another house between now and then ... but we're not going to have time ... buying another house will have to wait until after Christmas.

So my week started with a health shock/scare and finished with another shock, a far better surprise/shock.


Did I tell you how excited I am ...

Thank you

It's just on tea time last night and I am heading out to the laundry ... a van pulls up our driveway. Not recognising the vehicle I went to the door and I get a hello, are you Michelle? Well yes, that would be me ... these are for you.

Now they are without all their decorative wrapping paper and mesh and they still look absolutely stunning.

Flowers were delivered from work ... thank you Gareth and the management team. They are beautiful and the freesias in amongst the orchids, lilys and carnations smell absolutely delightful.



I get a text last night from my friend NanJules saying that the family would be out our way today and that she was going to call in for a coffee. Lovely to see them all. Young Josef heads up to the bedroom to play on Nathan's X-box and Nathan is on the computer, when I thought he was on the other X-box controller with Josef. Sorry about that wee man.

Ewww, I made plunger coffee for Julie and I and it was disgusting ... that went down the sink in a hurry and out came the latte coffee - much better.

Leo and Russell were yabbering away in the lounge and us girls were in the dining room having a wee natter.

Little Miss Jess ['J.J.'] gave me this wee clip. She is an adorable young lady. So Jess I have decided that I am going to use it for my list of 'layouts to do'. She decorated it herself - lots of bling, too cute. The photo doesn't really do it justice.

And ... I get this gorgeous wee fella as well - isn't he cute.

Whatever you are doing, I hope that you are keeping warm. It is bitterly cold in the deep south today. Enjoy your long weekend.

Another recipe

Another recipe arrived in my inbox overnight from the email recipe swap, does that make my tally five or six now? I'm sharing with one and all ...



Chunky Chickpea & Herb Dumpling Soup

1 T oil
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 t ground cumin
1 t ground coriander
1/4 t chilli powder
2 x 300gm cans chickpeas
3 1/2 C vege stock
2 x 425gm cans tomatoes
1 t dried coriander
1 C self raising flour
25gm butter
2 T grated parmesan or normal cheese
1 T mixed herbs: parsley, coriander
3 T milk

Heat oil in a large pot & cook celery for 2-3 mins, or until soft.
Add the cumin, coriander & chilli powder & cook for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add the chickpeas, stock & tomatoes. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat & simmer, covered, for 10 mins.
Stir in the coriander.
To make the dumplings:
Sift flour into a bowl & add the chopped butter. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
Stir in the cheese & herbs.
Make a well in the centre, add the milk & mix with a flat-bladed knife until just combined. Bring together into a rough ball, divide into eight portions & roll into small balls.


Another recipe that I haven't tried in my own kitchen yet ... time will tell. If you do make this recipe, let me know how you get on.

What do you do when ...

you have a bit of a health scare ... part of you shuts down I guess. That's what's happened to me this week. I haven't been running on all eight cylinders and I've been at home since Tuesday. But I'm not going into that on my blog. Onwards and upwards and thinking positive.





This is the first time I have blogged all week so must be feeling a little better and I had the camera out before. Now I can cross off something on my 'to do list'.


In the mailbox, my very first ATC card from the very talented Gillian over the ditch. Click on my blog links and you will find Gill. This lady is one very talented paper crafter. She comes out with some amazing creativity. A big thanks Gill - I love it ... I absolutely adore it.

Here is a layout that has been sitting waiting to be photographed for a wee while now. So today was the day. This is a layout that I was going to enter into the monthly competition over at the forum where I hang out. Something borrowed, something blue, something old, something new. 'A forever kind of love'. Two very special people in my life, my Mom and Dad. I hope that they know how very special they are to me. This pic was taken last April, and I'm not actually sure if it was taken in Arkansas or in Texas to be honest ... but it was taken at a pit stop on our road trip from West Virginia to Texas.

I love you both ...

I've been involved in another CJ round - this one was on weddings.

Russell and I went away to Queenstown skiing a few years ago - a first for us and not something that I plan on repeating - the skiing that is - lol. [Love going to Queenstown].

So back in August 1986 as a result of our skiing trip, we came back as husband and wife. We eloped.

Do I have any regrets marrying my darling husband the way I did. Not really. Okay sure, I don't have heaps of pics, I've got a couple and trust me on this one, they aren't pretty. They are downright disgusting really. We were married by a marriage celebrant at a private residence [in his lounge] in the evening. No digital cameras back then, the lighting wasn't flash, just about non-existent. I never got married in a white dress and that's okay.


What I did do was marry the man of my dreams.

I love him, I'm in love with him and I will always love him ... Mr Friz, that would be you that I am talking about.

So why am I even sharing this, well as I said this particular CJ is about weddings and some of the layouts are absolutely stunning, gorgeous pics, gorgeous dresses and the whole scka-bang.

I opted to do mine just a little differently. My pics aren't of my wedding day, but they are of something very important to me on my wedding day - my vows. I guess what I could be trying to say is, it doesn't necessarily matter how we look or what we wear, or what the pics look like [not quite so sure about this one - lol - I think I am kidding myself a little], I will always remember my wedding day and my vows - and that this man loved me enough to marry me.

Last year we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary and wouldn't you know it, we didn't even get the camera out - duh me!!!!! We went to a wedding a few months later and I've used pics from that event.

I love the way that my double layout came out and want to keep it myself.

Last year I typed up my wedding vows and starting putting a layout together - that never got put together - another one of those work in progress layouts. So I'm thinking that I am going to do something similar to the CJ, just for me ...


Can't share it with anyone else I guess for a wee while - well not until Alice gets her CJ back. But this is a wee sneak peek of one of the pages that I have put together for Alice's CJ.





Take care. If you are planning on travelling somewhere for the long weekend, safe travels my friends.

Let's get ready to ...

Cook!!!!!





Bet you were all wondering what I was going to come out with weren't you - lol.





I have received another two recipes in my email recipe swap ... one comes from a scrapbooker as well ... so here they are ...

and here is another recipe ... this sounds absolutely divine ... will check the ingredients against what's in the cupboard and write down anything we don't have on the grocery list for next time DH goes shopping. I plan on making this one ... hmmmmm hmmmmm.

Apple & mixed berry crumble

Filling
2 med granny smiths peeled cored sliced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup white sugar
2 cups frozen mixed berries

Topping
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup plain flour
1/4cup brown sugar
4 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp orange juice

Method
Preheat oven to 180°c and lightly grease 31cm x 21cm baking dish.
Mix sliced apples with lemon juice, cinnamon and sugar.
Spread apples evenly over dish base and sprinkle frozen mixed berries on top.
Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over fruit mixture.
Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown.

Serves : 6

Ooh-la-la - I can taste this one, this should tempt the tastebuds of a few of us.

Lost ...

At school ...

DS says to me on Thursday night that he can't find him PE top ... natural comment from a mother would be, why not and when did you wear it last.

His answer ... on Wednesday at school, rugby trials at lunchtime, PE class in the afternoon ... but I brought it home, I know I did.

So you do the have a look around the house thing, all the while thinking to yourself, I bet he has left it at school - but you give them the benefit of the doubt. Washing baskets emptied and clothes folded up - nope, not there. Dirty laundry basket checked - nope, not there. Washing machine and clothes dryer checked and the answer would be - no, not there. School bag checked and no, not there either.

I question DS, do you think that perhaps you might have accidentally left it at school ... a resounding, no! I brought it home, I know I did.

I'm losing my patience here, just a wee tad.

Well hello, where do you think the bloody thing is then ... by this stage I was starting to get more than just a little angry.

If DS had said to me, Mum I think I left my PE top at school - a natural reaction would be of anger, but then as a mother you would make contact with the school and have the lost property box[es] checked.

I ring the school on Friday and late afternoon I get a return phone call. If clothing is named and finds its way to the lost property box for some reason it is then sent back to the boy's classroom and makes its way to the rightful owner.

The school says, where did he get changed - well I'm thinking to myself stupid question, he had PE, the gymnasium I guess. Well no, that's not always true, he is part of the junior school and quite often they get changed in their classroom.

Okay I'm thinking, it has to be in his classroom.

She goes on to say, that perhaps because it is Friday, mother's will be washing their boys PE gear over the weekend and they will realise they have an additional piece of clothing and return it to the school on Monday.

DS gets home from school last night with no PE top. I find out from DH that DS has checked some of the tops yesterday at school. I'm thinking good on you son. He apparently told his father that there aren't too many boys in his class that have the 'new' tops.

Monday isn't going to come soon enough ...

T.G.I.F.

Another working week kaput ... time to play and be a little creative. Well, that's what I am hoping to do this weekend, be a little creative. Haven't done much this week and that's not like me at all. I've read a couple of paperbacks - romance novels - 1800's and in the slums ... I'm so pleased that I didn't live in that era. I would have had to have had serious money back in those days. Can't see myself with a coal scuttle or down on my hands and knees scrubbing flagstones and having red raw hands - that is so NOT me! I'm thinking that I would have had to be gentry, definitely upper class - I could handle the hoops but not the corsets.

This afternoon, late afternoon, the weather packed a sad big time here in the deep south. It bucketed down, the heavens really did open and dumped on us. The wind picked up. It turned very nasty, very quickly. I was not impressed. It's gone all quiet outside at the moment, so let's hope that's it for the weekend. Wishful thinking ... perhaps!

This weekend quite a few of our scrapping buddies are in Auckland, scrapping to their hearts content, attending scrapping/creative classes and no doubt having a ball.

I on the other hand being more than a little geographically challenged will be at home, but I will still be a little creative [hopefully]. So to one and all attending SENZ in Auckland this weekend, have fun. Enjoy the comraderie and the creativity. Don't forget to share your pics.

Take care.

Recipes

Yesterday I have an email sitting in my inbox and it involves sending emails to a number of people [chain letter style] via email.

This chain email involves recipes ... I thought to myself, yep, I can do this - will be great to have some new recipes sent to me.

Tonight I get home from work and my very first recipe is sitting in my inbox ... woo hoo.


Just thought that I would share.


Tattie Scones

2 cups cold mashed potatoes
1 egg
finely chopped onion
herbs (optional)
bacon bits/ ham/ coldmeat (optional)
tomato/ vegetables (optional)
Salt/pepper
milk
1 heaped teaspoon of Baking powder
flour
Combine all ingredients together to a thick consistency not dry or to wet.
Put dessertspoonfuls of mixture onto flour and roll into balls and slightly flatten.
Fry or bake as desired until golden brown. ( Yummy)


Now I can't take any responsibility for how this recipe may turn out, cos I haven't whipped it up ... yet ... but sounds like a winner to me.

I love to shop

I'm honest!


Today during my lunch break I popped away from the office for a few minutes. One of the jeweller's shops in town was having a sale - their annual sale. 50% off jewellery ... I mean hello, talk about waving a red flag at a bull ... I love shopping - I love jewellery!!!


Did I mention that I love shopping ...


I buy gold jewellery [for me], silver jewellery [for my daughter], handbags, shoes and I've been known to purchase the odd scrapping supply - lol.


Today I bought some jewellery and not for myself I might add, just quietly. Must remember to go back and have a look for something for myself - tomorrow's another day!

A visit ...

Tonight after work I shot over to my scrapping buddy's place ... I grab the CJ out of the car that I am dropping off [the CJ, not the car -lol] and head up the driveway. Get to the back door and I am greeted by one gorgeous little boy - did I say gorgeous - well he is!!!!!


Wee Max is standing at the door looking out, he is looking at me and has a grin on his wee face from ear to ear, he's doing the balancing act and lifts one hand off the door likes he's waving at me and he is still grinning. By this stage I'm down on my haunches still on the other side of the door [just as well it's not raining - lol] and I'm grinning at him and pulling faces and I tell you what, I seriously reckon that I was there for a good 5 to 10 minutes before Meg even realised that her son was being more than a little entertaining ... too cute ... would have so loved to have had my camera in my bag, but nope, it was sitting on the bench at home.

He's a wee cutie ...


Meg realises that she has got a visitor at the door and lets me in.


The girls are watching Mickey Mouse on TV and totally engrossed, but I get a hi Shell from little Miss Paige and a wave and a hello Shell from Miss Amelia as well and they both turn back to the TV.


While I'm there Paige shows me her new gym shoes. She looked a wee cutie pa-tootie with her two wee ponytails up high on her head ... hope Meg got the camera out at some stage today.


After a poke around Meg's scrapping room and a natter, I thought to myself it was time to make tracks, I'm heading out the door with my latest scrapping supplies tucked under my arm, say goodbye to the girls and I hear a 'bye Shell'.


The McKenzie's have three adorable little children - so very precious ...