Amazing generosity

Once again I am reminded how the scrapbooking rallies together for a friend in need.
Emily Falconbridge has put together a number of auctions to raise money for our friend Kimberly. My heart jumped with joy when I saw what the amounts where up to already. Please go here if you are after some amazing artwork made my Emily.

Why do the good ones always seem to go first?

Not the happiest of posts to revive this blog with but being across the world from a friend in need this is all I can do at the moment. I am part of a small and very close knit scrapbooking community and our little world has been rocked by the tragic and unexpected death of one of my dear friend's husband and soulmate. He was only 38 and leaves behind his wife and two young boys aged 4 and 7. To say that we are all in shock is an understatement. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain she must be experiencing. She always said he was the best thing that ever happened to her and now she is faced with raising their two boys alone. I cannot even type this without the tears starting to stream from my eyes again. She just doesn't deserve this. It is not fair.
We are all spread out across the world and are trying to do our bit to help. We've all made donations to help ease the financial burden she will be faced with. But we want to do more. Lisa Pace is having an auction on her blog to help our friend. Please follow this link to the auction. It's all we can do for our friend, for now.

PSA

Buzz and Bloom is turning five and to celebrate we are having a 12 hour crop. Come and join the Design Team on Sunday 21 September from 10 am to 10pm Melbourne time. So for us in New Zealand that would be 12 to 12. It's promising to be a great day with prizes, live chat, scavanger hunt and sneak peeks at new product! Click here for full details.
Also the DT search will be open from that date. Closing 30 October. Helene and Devorah are amazing to work for so go for it!

roll call

yep I'm still scrapping, but not as much as I'd like to. Life has been crazy busy. Hasn't the year just flown by?

It's encouraging to see that there are still a few 'die-hards' that visit my poorly neglected blog on a regular basis. Now that is commitment! Thank you, whoever you are. Can I call all you lurkers out of the shadows and do a roll call? Please leave a comment. I'd love to know who hasn't given up on me yet. :-).

Scrapping. Hmmm, other than my Buzz and Bloom assignments nothing much has been coming out of my hands lately. Which is a shame really as I do love creating so much. But a new venture has been taking up the little spare time that I have. More later.

I really love my latest Buzz and Bloom projects. Can't show you the most recent ones on my blog. You'll have to go here to see all my entries to the blog. But I can post projects from the last few months so here you go. (flood alert)

style folio to keep clipping in of things that inspire me and clock for my study:

couple of layouts:

reversed canvas (like a shadow box really) and a wall hanging:

guestbook I made for a work collegue's weekend house and layout about her orchard there.

Now for my new venture.

I have been a photo enthousiast for many years. There were times that the camera sat forgotten in a drawer but it would always find a way back into my hands again. I used to have a film SLR many years ago. Then the digital camera's came along and after saving for it I bought myself a "high-end" point and shoot that allowed some manual settings. But eventhough the picture quality was great I very quickly got frustrated with the enormous shutter delay on it, especially when using manual settings. For my 38th birthday I bought myself my first digital SLR, a Nikon D80, on a 3 years interest free deal. Yes I am still paying for it. The remaining balance is about the same as that camera now costs new... but that's the way it goes with electronics.

My interest in and passion for photography bloomed again and I started reading - LOTS. Oh how I love the internet. And I practised what I'd learned. And from there the idea of going 'pro' popped up again. An idea I'd toyed with, but never seriously persued, when still at uni.

I have just taken the first step towards my dream. I am portfolio building! I am exited and nervous at the same time. I have invested some money and endless hours of my time in this. I bought a pro lens second hand and the photographer I bought it from practically gifted me her old Fuji S3 Pro with it. And opportunity too good to pass up. Even my dad has pitched in an gifted me a flash. Thanks dad!

My new venture can be found here. Not totally sold on the name yet, Kaleidoscope Images, but without a name I couldn't move forward. The blogsite is a work in progress and I'll work on it to make it 'mine'. In due time I'll have to get a proper website but for now the free blog option will have to do. Tell me what you think okay?

Eh.......

A good 2,5 months later..... and I can say I haven't done a whole lot of scrapping. In fact everything I've done in that time you can find right here. Easy right? All in one spot for you. All for Buzz and Bloom. That's it. No more, no less. How pathetic huh?
I cannot find the inspiration or motivation to do much. I sure hope I'll snap out of that funk soon. Can't have a room full of supplies just sit and collect dust now can I?

Buzz and Bloom still rocks my world. The latest release has some pretty cool stuff with it. Personally I think I love the Head Start stuff the most. And that 3D stuff is right up my alley too. Think I'll need to get me that Retro vine too and Up the Garden Path and.... uhm well you get my drift.

I'm finding my patterned paper stash doesn't appeal that much whenever I do reach for my supplies. I gravitate towards my paints and inks. Love experimenting with it. Do get a bit sick of certain people commenting on what I'm doing when I go to a crop these days. No it's not conventional scrapbooking what I do but that doesn't give you the right to ridicule my work. Sigh.

I'm busy with all sorts of stuff. Studying a bit. Researching. Working towards setting up my own business. Not enough hours in the day to do it all. There's my 'real' job too. It's only part time but seems to take up the better part of the day anway. And the kids seem to take more of my time as they grow older. How does that work? I thought it would get better? But there is the hockey for T and swimming lessons for both and Pippins for A which takes us to the end of the week. And somewhere in between I'm supposed to do the housework and provide them with regular nutricious meals. LOL

T is getting so big. He told me the other day he wants one ear pierced. Eeeek! I told him he wasn't allowed that until he was 14. But this same boy also proclaimed he never wanted to learn how to drive because he thought driving was "freaky" (his words). ... I'm sure that will change by the time he's allowed to make decisions about piercing ears (and preferably not other body parts).

M

Playing catch up

Let's see if blogger wants to play nice tonight and let me upload some recent layouts...



February and March Scrapgal newsletter layouts:




Big shock to learn that Scrapgal has been sold to a new owner. Not sure what that means for my position on the Design Team to be honest. Time will tell.

I'm loving my spot on the Buzz and Bloom DT. There is no greater pleasure than receiving an enveloppe every month stuffed with stuff you would have bought anyway! One happy girl here. You should really check out the blog on a regular basis as every couple of days there will be a new post up filled with inspiration. My latest one can be seen here.

I've been struck by the worst tummy bug so am about to head back to bed. One of the hazards of working in a couple of Kindergartens: you catch just about every bug that goes around in the community. Ugh.

Ahem... is this thing on??

Uhm... so it's been more than 2 months. What can I say? This is always a busy time of the year? Mind you I'm not one to just post for the sake of posting so when I have nothing to say I just stay quiet. For two months if I have to, LOL.
So 2008 eh? I'm another year older, can't say I'm getting any wiser. What's been happening? I'll give you the short version.
1. Got selected for the Buzz and Bloom Design Team.
2. I'm no longer with Lime Tart.
3. Got my pride hurt. Oh how I despise hypocracy and the hidden agendas in this industry.
4. Moved my scrap area (ongoing process - still boxes of stuff everywhere. may have something to do with changing the kids' rooms too)
5. Photographed my first maternity session as a portfolio exercise - boy do I have a lot to learn.
6. photographed my first new born, again as a portfolio exercise - boy do I have a lot to learn.
7. Created my first blog post for Buzz and Bloom, see here.
8. Created some layouts but have been in a bit of a 'low'. Haven't been nearly as productive as I'd planned to be. Small sampling to follow the bottom of this post.

Must say I'm somewhat surprised to see my blog still gets visited every day even after not posting for so long. *insert puzzled look here*

Not feeling chatty tonight. Just thought I'd better get around to throwing some layouts on this blog of mine before the account got pulled for inactivity (just kidding!).

Nope, this post remains without pictures. Blogger doesn't let me upload tonight. Grrrrr.
'Night all.