Layout share

Firstly a big HELLO!!!!! to Leone who came into the shop today - we've talked over the net in various places but today was the first time Cass and I got to meet her for real. There's one very talented lady there and a lovely lady as well!!! And she brought mini-muffins - the crowning glory of her loveliness!!!! Leone, it was fab to meet you and remember to drop in any time for a coffee and a chat!!!!

I did another BG Infuse layout yesterday although it wasn't my intention when I started it but it all goes together so nicely so I kept going!!! lol I scrapped my new found love of my life - my uggies! I wasn't ever going to buy any due to the daggy connotations but it's been so cold this year and my feet have been freezing even in socks so I relented and picked up a gorgeous pair of pink ones at Target on sale and they have become my favourite footwear - but only inside the house!!! lol

This layout is one of the classes at Cyberscraps next month, focusing on masculine layouts in preparation for Father's Day in September. This one is the intermediate, not too hard but a bit more interesting than a beginners' layout. He looks like a happy camper doesn't he?????? I can't remember why he's looking like such a bloody sourpuss but I think it was at Indy last year and maybe the sun was in his eyes (and knowing me I probably ambushed him by surprise with the camera!!!).

I spent most of today in the shop doing a commission album that's due at the end of the month. It's for someone's 50th birthday and while it's a little weird scrapping other people's photographs I am enjoying creating something hopefully very special for the birthday lady. I've even been entrusted with some very old photographs to incorporate into the album. My biggest challenge has been finding ways to incorporate journalling space without leaving too many empty spaces on the page so tags, hidden journalling and pockets are making a big comeback in my scrapping today!!! I will have to make sure I explain to the girl when she comes in to pick it up that I've had to leave that journalling space because I can make a pretty album for her but what will really make it special is the words that her family will put with my layouts. I don't know why the photos she chose are special to her mother and I don't know the memories that go with them so I've done my best and I hope they like the end result. It's also nice to be able to step back a bit and not have to put hours into every layout. I've had a chance to try a few techniques and elements that I like but that I don't often do in my own layouts. So that's going to keep me pretty busy for the next week or so until it's finished. It's a full 40 layout album and I'm not a quarter of the way through yet!!!! Hmmmm I see a pattern here of leaving myself not a lot of time to do quite a lot of scrapping!!!! lol

Doug is off to High Octane tonight with his mates for his monthly racing league. That's the place he took me to last month where I got to play on the driving simulator for a couple of hours and it was surprisingly really fun! It's a little more serious with the fellas do it apparently - they all get there an hour early for practice laps before the real racing starts. He should be home by 11pm hopefully so tonight it's me and the shorties! I'm doing the cheating mama thing of chicken strips and a jar of Chicken Tonight with some rice and then I have homework to check, a sick child to check on (Blayd went to school today and straight to his bed again when he got home), a grade one home reader book to listen to, a card to make with my baby girl before she goes to bed (apparently she's just feeling arty today and wants to make a card for her Gran) plus Lachie's english homework to go over with him. I have to try to remember to record House and Medium on the computy for Doug as he won't be home in time to see them and I have to do a few more layouts for the commission album if I have time/inclination. You know how it is though - by the time the babies are all in bed I would much rather flop on the couch in my jammies with a blankie over me and enjoy a glass of wine than sit at my desk and scrap cos I've been doing that all day.

Oh hey does anyone want to come to the shop and crop with Cass and I on Friday night???? We're open from 9.30am Friday morning for a daytime crop until 2.30pm and then I'll be keeping the shop open past our usual closing time of 4.30pm and staying open until midnight! We lock the doors once everyone is in, trade our shoes for our uggies and slippers, put on some tunes on the radio and get settled with a hot coffee, tea or Milo! At half time -or before if we're starving - we order pizza and have a break. You can either work on your own stuff or catch up on reading your scrap mags or you can shop if you like! I forgot to say that everyone who comes to the crop night automatically receives 10% off anything they buy during the crop so if you need to stock up then come along and save a few bucks! Cath will be at the shop tomorrow so if you'd like to come then just give her a ring on 07 3274 5522 and book your seat. We'd love to see you!!!

I haven't been typing long and already my fingers are freezing!!! lol I'll hold them over the heater for a minute now and burn them for a few seconds........okay can type a bit longer now!!! Okay the children are strangling each other so maybe I don't get to type for a bit longer!!! Time for me to kick ass and chew gum at the same time........

Talk again soon. Love, Lu