Wow - still going strong ... just

Well another day and another pic on the Frisby's blog. It's been a full day on today - a day at work for me. Nathan has been playing in a cricket one day match with a school exchange visit to Southland Boy's High School then after school he had cricket trials for the Southland cricket team - scheduled to run between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. I had to nab Nathan and take him away around 6:00 pm and head to the athletics track - second night of club athletics champs and wouldn't you know it he injured himself - it's the business end of the athletics season. We have been injury free all season and it had to happen tonight ... bugger!

Tomorrow of all days is his school's athletics championships day - all day and then he has another three hour session at the cricket pitch again between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm.

This weekend both Saturday and Sunday the Southland Athletics Club championships are being held. We've just got in the door and I've run the bath for him, told him he isn't moving for half an hour and then I will massage something into his ankle - so he injured one ankle and then injured the big toe on his other foot - kids ... and somehow or other it's my fault - I don't think so ... just thought that I would share that with you ... grrrrhhhh!

Mad rush

Well it's a mad rush tonight - not enough hours in the day at the moment. Rush home from work, a quick bite to eat, back into town, pop into Meg's pick up some stuff and drop off one 'CJ' and RAK her some pics of her delightful children that I have been meaning to drop off for absolutely ages and then head away to an athletics meeting ... all sorts of things running through my head and then thought - oops - pic, camera, blog ... it's full on - I need a Berocca to give me back some b.b.b.b. bounce - lol! Full steam ahead.

Talk to you later ...

A dahlia today

Well it's dahlia day today - love dahlias in the garden, I love dahlias in a vase - but what I don't love about dahlias are the bleedin' earwigs that seem to come out of them ... I always try and remember to give them a good shake upside down to let them drop out before I bring them inside ... they seem to come from nowhere and I so do not do bugs and creepy crawlies ...

We had some beautiful dahlia bulbs at the first house that we owned [I'm talking over ten years ago and we were there for ten years] and one of the bulbs flowered and the dahlias were almost a black colour - they were absolutely stunning. The bulbs had been planted by my mother-in-law and had been gifted to us by an elderly aunt if I recall. At the time never thought to lift the bulbs before we sold the place and when I remembered about them and went back - they had already been pulled up and disposed of ... a shame really. They were amazing to look at and we received lots of comments about them.

I love peony roses as well and we have some stunning varieties in the garden - but unfortunately it is the wrong time of the year for them to be flowering, so can't share pics of them at the moment.

Enjoy ...

Rachel's wedding

Here's some pics that I took yesterday at our scrapping buddy's wedding. After the wedding ceremony we were introduced to Mr and Mrs Jones.

Rach [kiwkrach] looked absolutely stunning and our very own Nan Jules looked sensational in pink and her head was adorned with curls - both ladies looked fab. The boys scrubbed up well ... and Brendon and Rach's three boys did them proud.

I couldn't resist sharing the pic of Jess blowing bubbles - little miss photogenic herself. The two youngsters having a cuddle was precious.

I know that both Rach and Julie will blog at some stage and I don't wish to steal their thunder with too many pics on my blog, although I am so tempted to share more with you ... I admit that I was snap happy yesterday - but in saying that I took some brilliant pics. Memories are forever, but as a scrapbooker - we need the pics!!!!!!!

It was a cracker day weather-wise - in fact the sun had some serious heat - and I feel reasonably certain that a few would have suffered from a little sunburn.

So to Mr and Mrs Jones, thank you for allowing me to share your special day with you.

Sunday's pic

Another garden pic ... just thought that I would share this one with you all.

Have been busy playing with pics from the Jones' wedding yesterday - hopefully I will get to share a couple of them with you at some stage ... if nothing else I will post a pic of some of the girls ... lol

Day 13

Still going strong - Shania sings that ... but another day, another pic - this is one of our Japanese lanterns sitting in the roundabout - I think there are two ... this one is nestled amongst the tussocks.

Lavender it is ...

Another day, another pic ... lavender it is ... I was asked by a scrapping buddy if we had any lavender in our garden - and the answer to that is 'yes'. Quite a few lavender bushes around the place actually. We had another bed of lavender, but late last year it was all pulled out - it was past its used by date. Had started going woody underneath. Looked wonderful when it was flowering, smelled even better, but in the end just had to go.

Another day, another pic

Tussocks thrive in our garden and this pic shows just that - a thriving tussock.

This particular tussock is growing in our roundabout. We've got quite a few tussocks and they are all healthy looking specimens.

A splash of colour

A little colour to brighten your day ... love colour in a garden and I'm loving playing with the highlighting tool to give the fuzzy edge as well.

Another day, another pic on my blog ...

Welcome to our garden ...

Another pic taken and blogged ... I'm quite proud of my efforts and everyone else is getting a good look around our garden.

Perhaps I should have blogged this pic first - lol!

I should say that while everyone is looking at the garden ... a gardener I am NOT! My husband and my mother-in-law [who is a month shy of her 78th birthday] can take all the credit for the wonderful care of our garden. My thanks to both of you. I will cut roses and put them in a vase and put them on the table, but that's about it ... we have got just over an acre, so it keeps them busy. And of course I have been out taking pics ...

We have had a cracker day weather-wise today - brilliant. There has been some serious heat outside and I'm sure that there will be a few burnt bodies around.

That's it from me ...

Day 8 ???

I think???? Day 8 sounds about right.

A pic of the roundabout in our driveway - so you can now see the fountain in relation to where the wagon wheel is sitting. Nothing like listening to the tinkling of the water fountain when we have it going, normally when we are expecting visitors.

Another pic

Well I can't remember what day it is that I am up to - but I am still remembering to take a pic and upload it to share ... it took absolutely ages to upload this one today tho and I was very tempted to walk away from it.

Back to being creative of a different sort. I'm putting together a layout at the moment and I truly believe that this is my best effort to date ... I am LOVING it!

Think purple tones - have been using some of the goodies in my kit as February's guest designer over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz. Don't know how much I should tease you with, but I have used purple flowers, a little lace, working on perhaps a little leather, have even had the sewing box out [scary really - sewing and I do not go hand in hand - even if this was a little hand sewing] ... that's all I'm telling ...

So when I am able to share my layout, head over to Meg's website at Scrapbook Essentials and buy yourself a little scrapping treat.

Another day - another pic

Just thought I would have a play with a pic I took of one of my roses that my DH sent to me on Valentine's Day.

I am going to have to get 'the book' out at some stage to learn all the tricks of taking pics up close and personal. We have a great camera and I have to learn how to use it to its full potential. A learning curve.

Second post for the day, didn't know if my sneak peak would count as a pic as such, but I guess it should really.

Sneak peak

A sneak peak of my introductory page in my circle journal [or more commonally known as a CJ]. This the first time I have ever been involved in a CJ and I am looking forward to it - big time. My own CJ is in pinks, greens and mauves, so ladies if you are reading this blog, take note - although I didn't actually stipulate the colours in my do's and don'ts, but I have left the girls tags in those colourings. Hopefully they will continue along the same theme. Anyway we are now underway, my own CJ is now on the move and I have one of my fellow CJer's CJ's in my possession. Must have a think about what I am going to do with it ... lol. I will see my own back in something like 28 weeks - may it stay safe on its journey, travel safely and I look forward to its return. Look after my CJ girls.

Day 5 pic

Okay so it's not the best photo as far as photo's go ... but I've posted on my blog and I haven't forgotten - YET! I think the garden furniture needs a coat of paint looking at this pic.

Day 4

Another day, another new pic on my blog ... quite self explanatory really. A pic of a bird bath in one of the garden areas.

Happy Valentine's Day

Well I hope that your male friends, partners, hubbies or whatever remembered you on Valentine's Day. Whether it be them saying Happy Valentine's Day darling, cooking you a meal, doing something nice - just for you, a hug, or whatever ... it's the thought that counts. Yes, I know it has become very commercialised. Cupid should be doing his thing every day ...

Let me share with you ...

I had flowers delivered to my desk this morning and was rather spoilt really and then ...

I got home tonight, albeit a flying visit ... got changed and sitting on my pillow was a CD and I have only just now had the chance to have a look at it. He's gorgeous and I do love him to pieces [that's my DH that is] ... okay we have our moments, but I wouldn't trade him in [most of the time] ...

I have the most beautiful collection of romantic things on my CD ... So think of music playing in the background and pictures of roses and the following verses ... the screen fading in and out ...

10 roses just for you ...

You receive this because you are a special person.

I send you 10 roses.

1st for friendship

2nd for love

3rd for financial wealth

4th for happiness

5th for success

6th for knowledge

7th for beauty

8th for family

9th for honesty

and the last one - for a long, healthy and prosperous life

And then it goes on to another clip

Just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day

and the last one ... a video/music - I love you ...

It is absolutely gorgeous and yes I guess I am skiting a little bit - this is absolutely gorgeous [I know that I am repeating myself] ... it truly is and brought a tear to my eye .

Just thought that I would share that with you ... Don't know how he managed to put it together ... but it is very special and he has it on a continuous play ... it's beautiful and I shall treasure it ... I'm thinking a layout has just got to come together.

So to my darling husband, I love you, I'm in love with you and I will always love you. Happy Valentine's Day darling.

Day 3

Short and sweet blog post tonight - our Italian crushed marble fountain in the roundabout in our driveway.

Day 2 of our take a pic challenge

A pic of our weeping cherry tree at the end of our deck - this is absolutely spectacular when it is in blossom - well it is until the wind destroys the blossoms.

A photo a day

It used to be 'an apple a day, keeps the doctor away'. These days I would be better off saying - a photo a day keeps the challenge junkies at bay [or something].

That's the latest ... I need to take a pic a day for 30 days and post my pics on my blog. Wonder if I'm allowed to take a pic every day and then post a few at once - not sure on that one. This might be a way to encourage us all to blog more do you think? I'm thinking I spend way too much time on the computer as it is [my husband would probably agree with me as well] ... but I'm up for a challenge. No idea how long I will last - but I'm game ...

So day 1 pic is here ... I'm thinking to myself that I could probably take enough pics around our property without having to take pics too far afield ... so that's the plan. Rain, hail or whatever [perhaps I shouldn't suggest the rain or the hail - sunshine will do nicely thank you very much], I will try and remember to take my daily pic - you might have to remind me, just in case someone you know forgets to get the camera out ... lol. Battery is charging as I whip up this blog - already for tomorrow's pic.

Back to school

Here's my latest creation - Nathan's first day back at school for the year and he is in Year 8 - or to my way of thinking [from the old school] - form 2.

I'm putting this one in the fortnightly challenge over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz. Well that's the plan, but it's not letting me upload it for some reason. Technology - grrrrrrhhhhh! The challenge was to use white cardstock as a background and I don't normally have a problem with using white cardstock, but I struggled with this one for some reason. It was driving me batty. Perhaps it is because I have been creating layouts that have had flowers and bright colours, don't know what it was, but I'm pleased it's now done - I had to walk away from it and say to myself,enough is enough is enough. I may have had another scrapping tragedy otherwise.

I haven't shared what happened earlier this week - but I did have a small catastrophe earlier this week in my scrapping room. I am in love with the daubers / paint dabbers, whatever they are called. But this week my expressor dauber was just a little shall we say ink challenged, in other words there was no ink coming through the sponge/dauber thing [great expressions here - but you will know what I mean] ... any way I felt that it needed just a little assistance from moi [and it did honest!], but my little assistance was in the from of a poke through the top with my scalpel blade, which I'm now thinking was perhaps a little sharp, but I didn't know that at the time. I then shook it a little upside down, as you do, to get the ink flowing again and trust me on this one, she floweth over - all over my layout. Now had I had my wits about me, the camera would have been handy - but trust me on this one ... I just wanted rid of the ink, the layout, the whole lot - I mean I had some serious expresso coloured ink/paint whatever it is --- everywhere ... just thought that I would share that with you all ... the word tragedy comes to mind ...

That particular layout now rests in scrapping heaven [namely the rubbish bin] ...

Looks like you are all going to get a kink in your neck reading this ... lol.

Over on the forum at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz we picked a word that we were going to use for the duration of the year and I in actual fact picked two words and I have blogged about them before now - just to remind everyone, my two words were 'take time' ...

I went to visit my scrapping buddy Nan Jules today, oops ... I should say I went to visit my scrapping buddy Julie today and had a coffee and she gave me a lovely gift [on the forum we would call this a RAK - a random act of kindness]. My plaque is going to be sitting in my scrapping room - I've taken a pic and this same pic is doing silly things [sitting side-ways] on my post for some reason ... but it says ...

Take the time

Take the time to be friendly

It's the road to happiness.

Take the time to dream.

It's hitching your wagon to a star.

Take the time to love and beloved.

It is a privilege of the gods

Take the time to look around

It is too short a day to be selfish.

Take the time to laugh.

It is the music of the soul

- Anon

Thank you Julie ... I love your RAK ...

Some times ...

Sometimes it hurts and no, I'm not being rude ... I promise ... it's like I'm in mourning and why is that ... I have just parted with my Reebok's. These Reebok's have been in my company for nigh on 16 years and I've decided that it is time for them to move on to wherever the rubbish man takes them. Today I decided to be lethal and I have had a clean out of the bottom of my wardrobe ...

My wardrobe has been in a state of chaos for quite some time and I decided that something had to go ... talk about a clean out and I'm not talking clothes here, I'm talking shoes, boots, gym shoes, sandals ... it's amazing what I have kept in the shoes department over the last few years, just because I might one day wear them ... I kid you not! I've thrown Reebok's, Slazenger's, un-named gymshoes, slip ons, heels ... they are gone! KAPUT! but I just had to take a pic or should I say pics of my Reeboks - these have been the most worn of my footwear for many years - in fact they are so old it's not even funny - but I tell you what, they are still comfortable - but they are gone ... in saying that, the scrapper in me had to remove the labels, just cos I can - and they will one day appear in a wee something or other on a layout - just cos I can - lol!

So today the tally of shoes going in the rubbish is as follows :

16 in the wheelie bin - that is 16 pairs - 32 pieces of footwear

1 pair to DS, cos I got him a pair last year of the same sort

2 pair going elsewhere [which could end up in the bin as well]

and 1 pair on the I'm still not sure list - if I put new heel things on them, they would do another season - but hey you can buy cheap shoes these days and if I get a season out of them, I'm happy ... most of the time.

That still leaves me with more than enough shoes to fill two of those big racks - so that is 18 pairs of shoes as well as at least enough to fill another rack - truly!

Now on to the handbags ... grabbed a couple of handbags that had been quite literally buried amongst the shoes - work handbags and just general handbags really - well there comes a time that you think to yourself, what am I doing with all of these ... [as you do - well think to yourself that is].

I opened one handbag and it still had a Lotto ticket in it dating back to 2002, what on earth is that telling you - I obviously haven't used it for quite some time ... a shortage of hankies over the years ... many found in many different handbags and now out in the washing pile.

Outdated telephone lists dating back to 2003 - crikey ... two expensive bottles of perfume and not in the same handbag either, just quietly. I found pens, shoe laces, notepads, chewing gum, perfume, lotto tickets, hankies, hairclips, buttons, sanitary products [going in the bin, just cos they can] receipts [some of them have dates on them that I am SO NOT GOING TO TELL YOU - let's just say that are a little old and leave it at that ...].

It's scary real what you can find in the bottom of your wardrobe ... well it was in mine!

Are you still awake ... I'm out of here now.

Scrapbook Essentials

Well I've got to share this pic with you all ... yummy ... scrapper's heaven. I'm so excited I get to play with all these goodies compliments of Meg over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz. I've got to be more than a little creative and share my creations before the end of the month. Crikey, there's only how many days before the end of the month and it is a short month as well. Thinking cap on ...

So how come I get to play ... well if you join up on Meg's website and post over 40 posts, you let Meg know and you get to go in the monthly draw to be the guest designer - and woo hoo - Mrs Frizz is the guest designer for February ...

You would have thought that I had won Lotto when I found out that I was the guest designer this month - so a big thank you to little Miss Amelia [aka Millie] for drawing my name out of the hat, the box, the pot or whatever it was ... I'm rapt ... now I just have to do something with all my goodies.

There's always something going on in the forum. I'm currently involved in a CJ, for those of you don't know what that is - it's a circle journal. I probably don't know much more than you do, to be honest. It's my first CJ ever and I am doing my journal on desserts - yummy - now they don't have to be big flash time consuming desserts. I don't expect anyone to spend hours slaving in the kitchen whipping up their recipe - I didn't [honest] - but it has to be 100% tried and true. So in a nutshell what happens is, well in my case, you put together your CJ, your rules etc, a sign in page and then your own layout. You send it to the next person on the list [or in my case drop it off], they have their turn and then it gets sent to the next person on the list and so on - well in approximately 28 weeks I will have my CJ returned to its rightful owner - moi! Full of glorious layouts and yummy recipes. Looking forward to it. A huge thank you to Tanya Leigh for organising the CJ's and getting them underway. It has been absolutely nightmarish for Tanya ... nothing is ever simple and she has done extremely well - a big hug and my thanks as well to you Tanya.

What else am I doing - well I have just signed up for a recipe swap - don't know much about these either, but it sounds like fun. I have until the end of March to put together 12 identical layouts of my recipe and then send them on to Megan [yep there are a couple of Megan's on the forum] in Auckland and she will whip up a cover and bind them and send them back to each of the participants - there will be 12 of us ... so a big thank you to Megan for organising the recipe swap.

Then as well as that, there is the monthly swap and I will be putting together a layout with flowers - now flowers and I go hand-in-hand - there's not too many layouts that I do that doesn't have a floral something or other somewhere on it - perhaps that should be my signature trademark - a flower - lol. We had to send in some flowers for the flower swap, Meg then onsends them and we put together a layout and post it in the gallery before the end of the month.

There's a monthly layout competition, fortnightly challenges and I think the card swap must be due to start up again as well. Always something to do, so pop over to Meg's website and have a nosey.

So to Meg - a pat on the back, you have a wonderful website - there's a whole lot of creativity going on, some very talented ladies showing their paper creations ...and a whole lot of new friendships being formed, because of YOU!

My handbag

Well I've been reading Janine's blog [as I do] and thought to myself I'm game enough to post about the contents in my handbag [gulp ... I think - lol]. Janine is involved in a daily challenge, check out her blog by clicking on angelgurl on the side of my blog [haven't worked out how to put it in the middle of what it is I am typing - but I will one day].

So here goes ... the contents of my handbag ... are you ready ... don't know that I am ...

2 pieces of ribbon
1 camera [have been out visiting today]
OMG two pair of sunglasses and only one in their sunglasses case
Perfume - Provocative
Scrunched up tissue - ewwhhh - now in the bin
A packet of clean tissues, unopened
Perfume - Anais Anais
Megasticks lip gloss
Revlon lipstick
Oroton wallet and all its worldly possession [and I'm NOT delving into that to share its contents - out of bounds]
Whitcoulls receipt
Pen
Wee notepad
Scribbled note [with address details on it - RAK for someone - lol]
Tampax
OMG - Pak'n'Save receipt from last month
New ATM card and letter accompanying it - have to see if it works
Annual leave request paperwork for holiday
Old payslip
AA bill
Receipt from Scrapbook Essentials
Lotto syndicate money and red wallets
Old Whitcoulls reward paperwork
OMG an old work email dating back to start of January
KFC chicken fillet garden salad voucher
Crazy dollar deal from Pizza Hut voucher [since expired] - now in the bin
Ha ha - note with Jenny's details and even what she was going to be wearing the day that I met her at the park ... lol
Another note - something that I haven't followed through on either, just quietly
Paper Plus bonus offers paperwork.
Old stamp
Details of motels for holiday
Note for man at chemist
A special wee card and envelope from my wee friend Jess [Nan Jules - nztreasure's daughter]
Another coupon from Paper Plus for fly buys special - how much money do they think I am going to spend there
ATM receipt - must check to see if I have written details in the cheque book
Two Spotlight brochures
OMG another receipt from Meg at Scrapbook Essentials
Business card
Receipt from jewellers
Telecom Virtual Rugby printout - well what a waste of time that was with my picks from last week

Now into the contents of the zipper pocket ...

Throat lozenges
Chewing gum
Pen
Throaties
Wrigley's Extra - two packets
Lipstick
Another pen
Nurofen
Panadol
Sewing kit
Lots of sanitary products
Another lipstick

Now I've just found another receipt - Meg, I visit you way too often ... it's another one of yours ... OMG

And guess what ... what makes this even worse, I only swapped to this handbag this year - it's not even a month old, in fact truth be told if I look closer at another couple of the receipts [probably sitting in the out of bounds wallet] it's probably on one of them ...

I was going to take a pic, but I am so amazed at what is sitting in this handbag, it's not even funny. In fact, I can't believe I am still sitting here posting the contents ...

Horrendous ... will leave it at that ...

Two more sleeps

Yahoo ... two more sleeps and school is back and I bet that I'm not the only parent around the countryside saying the big 'yahoo'. Well and truly overdue, getting kids back to school. It has been a long holiday break.

School uniform has been all named - all the new additions that I have had to purchase due to yet another bleedin' growth spurt. Quite an expensive exercise really. School socks were something like $11.95 a pair [if I recall] and that figure x 3- school shorts were $59.95 a pair [x 2] forgot the new school shoes at $119.95. They were only new additions as well - and DS only started at junior high school last year. The wee fella is just about eye balling me and still no sign of stopping any time soon ... Constantly reminding me of his height as he passes with a smart comment - not long to go now [or something similar] and he's right ... it won't be long and he will be taller than his mother and I'm not a wee shorty either, just quietly.

This pic is of Nathan's school books - all covered and named today - missing from this pic, new felt pens, new colouring pencils, the compass set and his fan-dangled calculator and pencil case [all in his bedroom].

Whoever said the words 'free education' were dreaming ... nothing cheap about going to school and knowing what I know, having been there, done that ... before the week is out the first of the school bills will be home for something or other ...

It's quite a costly exercise getting them underway for the school year ... but in two more sleeps, he will be there - YAHOO!

A little bit cheeky ...

Since I have been involved with the forum over at Scrapbook Essentials www.scrapbookessentials.co.nz I have met some lovely ladies who are all involved with scrapbooking and paper creativity in one form or another.

A new found friend [Julie - aka nztreasure] has two lovely little angels [well she has more than that actually - she has a cute wee guy, her son, Josef and her eldest daughter, Ashleigh]; but these layouts feature her two youngest angels - her youngest daughter, Jess, and her new grand-daughter, Brooke and both girls are featured in these layouts.

Jess came to visit pre-Christmas and after a little encouragement from someone behind the camera - I caught these delightful shots of her - a little bit cheeky, but ... oh, so cute ... and she is. The other layout has both Julie's two little angels - I have once again deliberately left off any journalling and I thought that Julie can do that - or leave it blank. She has no idea that I have made these layouts and they are both gifts to her - from her new scrapping buddy - moi!

I hope that she doesn't mind that I have posted pics of the layouts on my blog before I have even told her about them ... I enjoyed putting them together and I like 'giving' - so Julie, one of my new found scrapping buddies - enjoy ...

Take care.