Spring tomorrow - officially!

Forget the weird weather because tomorrow it is officially Spring!

Welcome flowers, sunshine, and hay fever.

Not long until Floriade! Yay!

Got the computer 'doctored' today so cross fingers all will be well...

I wish you could barter services more. I'd love to swap baking for computer services or massages or waxing, haircuts etc etc Or I can do hair foils, tutor english, geography or junior maths, or make a layout, housesit...jack of many that's me!

Look at gardens tomorrow!
Jane

Missing the Great Ocean Road

I'm missing the fabulous travels and photography of the Great Ocean Road trip we did in January 2008! Lucky we're off to Floriade in Canberra in October for a few days...

So, I'm going to have to get out all the photos I haven't scrapped from that trip - and there are hundreds! Here is a pic of a layout I've already done and the original sketch. It works really well with lots of different styles so give it a go!

Had a great couple of days staying over with my sister Bin & niece Amelie. All girls together. Love how Amelie calls me "Aunty Daney" now. And I had a great afternoon with the gals at our cuppa catch up. It was fully dark when we left!

Hope you're all NOT having computer problems like me!

Happy technology,

Jane

Wedding count down

Weddings! No, not me...my cousin, in January 2010.

Have been to so many stores to find the papers etc that Chase wants for her wedding invitations - you know how that can be. It's made harder by the fact that she is in Melbourne & had no specific idea of what she wanted.

So here's a rough trial based on her email pictures...this is not to be it though. I have a few more suggestions from her.

Mum on the other hand has been making someone's wedding cake and they are popping fresh purple irises on top. It's very delicate and sweet.

Another cousin is getting married in a couple of weeks time and mum's making that cake too. Ivory roses for that one.

Meanwhile I've had NO CHANCE of being creative since I returned home. Too busy with visitors, Amelie and getting ready for work tomorrow. I'll be creative then!

Happy weekend,

Jane

Goodbye Newmarket

Had a great time at my girlfriend's 40th - yes, got the book done, whew! Took photos and then my camera 'seized up'is how I'll put it. Now I can't get anything off the memory, even in another camera.

It's been a fantastic camera, it takes great pix too. So...no photos for this post! (Was going to add photos of the mini book.)

It's my last full day housesitting, I'm back home tomorrrow. Goodbye Newmarket. I enjoyed you. It flew so quickly. Where did the last 8 weeks go?

It feels like winter is over and spring is here already. I can't believe how hot some of the days have been. Winter has been short changed! Bring it back for a few weeks please!

Jumper still out hoping for cool change,
Jane

Turkey time

Scrub turkeys drive the inhabitants of this home a bit crazy, but i've enjoyed seeing them around. They are messy, there's no doubt about that. This bird dragged every single one of those leaves from the very far corner of the yard.

I've been trying to get a mini book done start to finish today in between appointments. It's for a friend's 40th. I can finish it off tomorrow at home because I need my crop-o-dile punch! I made a little card to go with it and the scan is awful sorry. The colours match in reality.

No more work today, my scrapper's neck is just not up to it!

Enjoy the birds,

Jane

A little birdy on my page

Well, I'm just loving the new A2Z Scraplet of a little bird. Added it to my page today & it finished it off perfectly.

I haven't decided if the page is for class so this is just a bit of a look. I'm still scrapping photos from our Roma Street Parkland photo shoot. Now THAT was a great inspiration!

Can't believe how fast this week is disappearing! My housesitting job is nearly over. Will have to hunt up another one!

Be happy,

Jane

Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince

Spent time with my sister Bin and Harry Potter yesterday. Yay! Finally got to see the movie. Enjoyed it very much, but it is annoying when they change films from the book.

Yes, I know they can't show EVERYTHING, but changing things is different. That's why books are better than the film usually. Bet you have a favourite book made into a movie that drives you nuts..

We saw a preview for New Moon, the next film in the Twilight series and they have definitely made some changes. Grrrr. I really enjoyed the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. her books have been in the Top 10 for over 2 years now. That must be very satisfying.

Back to Harry...people are complaining it's very dark in mood - well, hello people! If the dark lord is trying to take over the world and kills anyone in his way, there's not too much giggling in that. There are lighter moments. At least it stays true to the book in many ways.

On another note Bin reminded me that the last time we went to the movies together it was to see Mamma Mia. What a pair of slackers! Now THAT was a fun movie.

Popcorn anyone?

Jane

The weekend that was

Friday the power shorted out in the older style home I'm housesitting.

10 minutes checking appliances in house.
10 minutes finding the fuse box.
5 minutes feeling woefully inadequate as a modern woman (what the hell was I looking for?).
2 minutes brain burning thought...
3 minutes crossing to neighbour where fence being built and conning to male builders into coming over and checking the fuse box out for me. (Cheeky hey?) How could they resist with my opening line,"Could I be really sexist please -because I'm a woman, you're a man, and I need you to look at my fuse box please?"
10 minutes discussion & checking fuses, switches, etc
Finally success! Yes!
Thanks to the guys.
THAT"S problem solving...

Saturday off early to the Cherish Your Friends crop at Burpengary, a 14 hour crop raising money for cancer research. Made 4 single, 1 double page and started another double page layouts. Talked, laughed, ate, etc

Got to sleep after midnight, woke 6.30am Sunday.
Visited with family, extended family popped in for a visit, went to visit a friend and had a cuppa.
Grabbed a few essentials at the shop & travelled back to housesit. Unpacked mountains of stuff and dragged it back upstairs.

Opened freezer (under the house) for something for lunch.
Disaster!
Found the appliance that caused the power short.
5 minutes getting big bin around front of house through gates, doors and under house.
15 minutes emptying freezer full of rotting, wet meat, seafood, bread etc.
Over 1 hour cleaning freezer, drawers & floor with periodic stops to go outside for fresh air.
5 minutes removing bin to original spot.
4 mintes showering off stink.
5 minutes popping clothes, etc into washing machine.
3 minutes hanging out washing.
2 minutes to trudge back upstairs & collapse.

Had apple for lunch. A baked potato for tea.

What I learnt -
whatever life throws at you, cope 1 moment at a time.
When it's over, laugh at it & turn it into a story....

Sharing my story,
Jane

A Visit to the Met

Lindy & I popped over to the Queensland Art Gallery today to see the American Impressionism & Realism exhibition. It closes the 20 September & I hate to miss these things...


Normally I'd say, "When will I ever beat the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York?", but I have actually been there! (Name dropper, travel bragger, etc) That was over 10 years ago.






We had a lovely time viewing the paintings, themes and ideas and couldn't resist a few photos around the immediate area of the gallery, bridge and wheel. Next on the list is Da Vinci's drawings at Southbank. Must check when that closes before I miss it.

My newly dyed hair really stands out in this photo! Good candid photo Lindy!

With head awash with art,

Jane

Sounds of heavy machinery

The house behind here is doing some major renos with a grader EARLY. I'm not fond of early UNLESS I have somewhere fab to go.





I took this morning to make another layout to the lilting sounds of constant heavy machinery. It is loosely inspired by a Prima sketch. Check them out at http://prima.typepad.com/prima/2009/06/julys-build-a-page-is-here.html



The colours of the photo were bit of a shocker, but who could resist such 'messy' photos? I chose the orange & yellow to bring out the sauce and because I get tired of scrapping in pink!



Very rare for me to scrap in yellow or orange so it made a nice change. I'm planning some 'green' pages next. However this afternoon's photos of peach blossom mean another pink page is only a step away!



Happy scrapping all,
Jane

Creativity is messy

A successful day.

A messy day, and therefore...

...for me, very creative!

Got this layout completed and a double page multi photo layout almost completed. Lindy liked her birthday gifts, the cake and lunch was yummy AND we had a lovely time.

What more can you ask for?

Hope your Saturday was good for you,

Jane