Finally finished a layout for me!!!

Well after last week's chaos I'd like to say it's all calmed down but I still have more typing than I know what to do with (hopefully knock that over in the next day or two) but I did finish the commission album today and the lady came in to Cyberscraps to pick it up. Apparently she was absolutely thrilled and I'm so glad. It's always hard to do layouts about other people, especially people you don't even know but I probably put more time and effort into it than actually converted into the dollars I was paid but I knew it was a surprise for this lady's mother's birthday so I wanted it to be great. Now the only pressing thing I really have to do is a new Father's Day tag album for the August classes at Cyberscraps. I did an original set but SM had them for something so I wasn't sure I'd get them back in time so I'm going to do a second set just to be sure. I'm hoping the August timetable is online today, tomorrow at the latest.

Well I took some time today to finish that layout I started A WHOLE WEEK AGO of Caeligh - the altered pic of her I did. I used the Klic & Kut for the title and even though it's meant to be Christmas papers and embellies they just seemed to fit. So what do you think? I'm very happy with it but it wouldn't be nearly as good without that picture. Have you taken any time to play with your pics yet??? Hmmmm????!!!! Now that I've got a little more spare time I'm going to start going through older photos that I like but for whatever reason were not really great to scrap and I'll see what I can salvage.

There are also some great challenges going on around the blogsphere at the moment. How Dare You's (how Michelle of BB is that? How Dare Yous!!!!) current theme is spirituality and I guess how you interpret that is entirely up to you. I've got a couple of ideas but nothing solid yet. Spirituality is a bit of a slippery customer for me. I'm still pretty new at it but learning to accept God's love in my life and learning to trust that He knows what I'm supposed to be doing here! (I'm really glad somebody knows cos I don't!!! lol).

All About Eve wants you to get away from it all and scrap your escape. I have a few ideas about this one too - do I scrap the lss where I work and love to be? Do I scrap the beach which is where I feel most centred and distant from the worries of life? Do I scrap my bed because when I feel the worst all I want to do is sleep?

One Little Word for this fortnight is "automatically" - now for me that's easy - I'm pretty scatterbrained most of the time (well duh says the peanut gallery!!! lol) and when I learned to drive I literally could not get the hang of having to use a manual car. I totally sucked at it no matter how many driving lessons I had!!! I just could not wrap my brain around having to use the accelerator, brake and clutch, as well as remembering to change gears, plus concentrating on the road and remembering to use my mirrors. I eventually gave up and decided that as far as other road users were concerned, I'm guessing most people would prefer that I focus my attention on where I'm going and what I'm doing, not faffing around with gears and clutches! So alas I drive only an automatic car. I think I could drive a manual in an emergency cos crikey knows I've had enough lessons but don't hold me to that!

I'm also going to take some time to look at Scrapdragons and their challenges. I know I have plenty to scrap already but there's nothing like someone throwing a curve ball at you to really bring out your best (or worst if that curve ball hits you in the head!!! lol). Anyway all I know is that some of my best layouts have come from challenge blogs and I'm really getting into them in a big way!

We've been doing tons of ordering at Cyberscraps this week - going more than a bit nuts at CHA!!! But how can you not I ask!!!! Just so you know what's coming in the next weeks we've ordered Marah Johnson's new ranges of Rock Star, Coffee House, Marquise and another one I've forgotten the name of (ooops), KI Memories gorgeous lace cardstock, some of the new Love Elsie ranges, Prima pretties, a truckload of new Basic Grey and so much other stuff that I'm glad the sale is going so well otherwise I don't know where we're going to put anything!!!! lol I think there's some new Hambly rub-ons in there somewhere and I'll be sure to update as stuff arrives. That poor FedEx man should probably get himself some protective equipment and a helmet!!!! lol

On the ol' home front stuff is busy crazy as usual. Blayd is determined to eat anything and everything he can that isn't on his diet and it's driving us all insane as we have to deal with the moods/temper/overall crankiness when he gets home from school. He's supposed to be going to the Ekka next week with his class and Doug and I are taking the other three with us and meeting him there. It's meant to teach him independence and responsibilty but I just cannot trust him right now to make the right food choices and I don't want to have to put up with his bullshit for three days if he just eats whatever he wants. So I will bring my phone and meet up with him at snack times and when it comes to buying his showbags so I can at least control some part of his diet. I can only imagine how much sharing of food will be going on but I've got to do my best to limit the nasties because home is where we end up having to deal with the fallout for mistakes in his diet at school and while he's out. I love the Ekka, it's something I used to do ever year with my friends and then it's only been every few years with all the kids. We did go last year with Cass and Kelly and their four kids so we had eight kids between us from 12 down to 1! It was a logistical nightmare and true to fashion only one kid got lost - my wanderer Lachlann. You know how every family has that kid who disappears every time they go out somewhere, just wanders off for a look and then poof!!! Totally gone!!! Yep that's him so this year I'm thinking about getting a big roll of gaffer tape and taping him to the pram by the arm or something....... At least he has a phone this year but knowing him it will be flat or turned off!! lol I only buy one thing each year at the Ekka (sorry I forgot to mention that it's like a county fair or Royal National Show type of thing with livestock, showbags, sideshow alley and scary rides) and that's the Bertie Beetle showbag. It's dirt cheap at $2 or $3 and I always get a few. I love those things so that's my little tradition. I think I'll try to scrap it this year!

Poor Lachlann overdosed on dairy on the weekend, having most of a big block of dairy milk chocolate plus pizza loaded with cheese. He only really thinks about milk when he thinks about his dairy intolerance so sometimes forgets about all the other places milk is hiding! He woke up Sunday morning with running itchy red eyes so off to the chemist for a stupidly expensive teeny tiny bottle of antihistamine eyedrops for him. Lesson learned.

James went to Pirateball yesterday - it's kind of like an introductory camp to basketball for primary school kids and it runs each Monday after school for four weeks. He had a great time even though he is so small that one of the coaches had to make a hoop with his arms for James to aim at!!! lol He'll be going back next week and it's a good reason for him to eat more so he'll have enough energy.

Caeligh has had a mixed start to her week. She has her moments, spectacular ones at that where she turns off Doug's computer mid-install, digs up all my eyeshadows so she can use them, tips Milo over my computer keyboard while she's trying to climb on the desk, gets into fisticuffs with James over the smallest things and had a monumental dummy spit on Sunday at the shops because all the boys got Ben 10 toys and she wanted one too but then she saw a miniature kitchen utensil set and decided she wanted that. We even asked her about ten times if she was sure she didn't want the Ben 10 toy but she seemed certain (at that time!). We left the shops, got the kids into the van and as we're strapping her into her seat she wants to know where her Greymatter toy is. We explain how things went down and that she did say she wanted the cooking set instead. HUUUUUUGGGEE supermega wobbly ensues until she falls asleep in exhaustion from screaming so loudly. She even had her bottom lip stuck waaaay out, like she was still cranky even in her sleep!!!! lol Then she woke up just as we got to the lake at Forest Lake for a picnic lunch. The first thing out of her mouth was a little whiny voice going "I want Greymatter!!!!". Thankfully ducks were a welcome distraction so we got over that pretty fast.

Doug and I have our grocery shopping "date night" tonight so I need to go and get something worked out for dinner for the starving masses and the MIL who is coming to watch over said masses. Have a fab evening whatever you're up to. Check out the Cyberscraps sale if you're interested in 30% off everthing in the store (except the already deliciously cheap 70c Bazzill - our regular everyday price). I think I'm going to try to watch NCIS but I don't even remember if that's what's on tonight!! Etch-A-Sketch brain I have!!! lol Chat again soon (really I will try to!). Love, Lu