june is here

I made 2 layouts, a card and a sample for our monthly accordion kit. Veronica, our part time maid came. She is cheerful and positive. I'm glad. Gets a bit old when people around you are gloomy. Sometimes I feel gloomy too. But, thankfully, that old cloud gets shaken off. I should have finished doing payments instead of making stuff, oh well, they'll get done tomorrow. I have a pile of photos I've been meaning to scrap of last year's trip. I plan to work my way through like a bulldozer.

June is here. Before long, another quarter, then Christmas.

Sarah attended the graduation ceremony at her school tonight. Next year, it will be her that's graduating. Class of 2012. A year from now. I wonder what life holds for me in the next 12 months. No more disappointments I hope. it can only get better, right? Please...

I used some really nice paper from The Girl's Paperie for the layout above. You can't really see much here, I'm saving the rest of the pics for my new blog. It's almost ready. So is the newsletter for the store. Been working hard on it, just a few days more to launch day. Yay! Happy things in sad times are all the more special. Creating stuff helps too. So glad I discovered scrapbooking!

happy tired

You know how it is when unexpected things happen? And you get so busy trying to put out fires... well, a lot has happened lately, in our world. But sometimes change is good and even though it gets messy and tiring and you walk around without enough sleep or having no time to eat, and you're tired down to your bones and still, even though you think you're sad and there a lot of people around you that are making life complicated, but then you have a moment to think about everything, and you realize all things happen for a reason and this messy change is actually a pretty good thing.

Well, that about sums up today . And I'm looking forward to a very busy and fun weekend, knowing that next week is going to be a real big challenge, but I think it's going to be ok. After the weeding and the pruning, there has got to be a beautiful new garden just waiting to bloom.

Happy weekend people. This card is for all of you who keep me wanting to keep on. =)

Oh May!

How did you sneak up on us? I'm hardly on to my New Year's resolutions and here you are. Come to think of it, I don't remember making any resolutions. 2011 came on quite suddenly too!

But here you are, ready or not, which makes me think, if we don't slow down, the rest of the year will sneak up and disappear too. So maybe, stop. Look around. Look back.
Hmmm, what did the year bring so far? Lots of surprises? Disappointment? Happy things?

Just sit for a while and think of one amazing day in the last 4 months. Stay there. Do you feel a smile? Time flies and yet sometimes things that happened just last month seem like they happened such a long time ago.
I look back and I remember this day. I wasn't sure if I would go at all, quite sure that it would be too sunny. In the end I decided, just go. I have never seen the ocean so blue. The sun was bright but our faces were freezing with the bite of the artic wind. But it was glorious just being there.

I'm thinking it's pretty good being here too. I hope that May brings you great blessings!

making the best of my everyday

Things change a lot from one day to another. The mundane , though, is something to be cherished. Cucumber sandwiches & tea on an outdoor terrace, being surrounded by 100 year old trees. An easter greeting from faraway. Watching kids grow. Enjoying their visits. Cycling at dusk. Ordinary, everyday kinds of things.
Busyness impairs our ability to translate these everyday things into beauty, treasure.


So one day you may be pouring tea out of a chipped antique pot, and another you may be sitting atop a hospital bed. (not without all the gadgets of busy life tho') heh!
But even grim events may have some little joy wrapped in them. I came in armed with a stack of decorating magazines, some journals, an assortment of pens...all ready to dream, be inspired, plan and create my new study. And maybe later, sort my photos, in this little 'peaceful place' that I've carved out and I am relishing the forced 'free time'.
To be honest, tho' I was mildly kicking and screaming coming here. Don't laugh! The point is, making the best out of my every day. =)

On the creative side, I have been on a vintage spree, topped with teal, yellow and pink, and a whole lot of white paint distressing. This time I've been playing with canvasses and oh, how much fun I've been having. The mini ones above, I'm saving for the debut of our brand new newsletter. *wink* and this bigger guy down here is a labor of love, in celebration of our upcoming anniversary. The idea was to merge two completely different collections/ personalities and see if they could live in harmony on the same canvas. I'm liking the way it's turning out, so far
I'm totally liking the feel of paint and gel mediums under my fingers and I'm looking forward to keeping up the momentum with a few more projects. It really gave me a good warm feeling doing this and I think the feeling has carried itself over here and it's trying to trick me into thinking that this little 'getaway' is actually a renewal retreat. Ha ha! Think it'll work?

So now, vintage decor, here I come...
(I can hear Sarah saying " Ma, you and your vintage!" )

stuff

What happens when a scrapbooker makes cards? Lots of layers. I guess the usual scrapbooking style and fancies carry through to the cards and it's always hard to stop adding more stuff.
The battle against stuff continues , and since I haven't been well I find myself with a little more time to sort, weed and organize. Ming is home and he suggested putting them in grab bags to give away. So if anyone is in need of some scraps and supplies, this is the place.
In between resting and organizing, I made some cards. Except for one, I stamped generic well wishes, so while they would be ideal for Mother's day, they would also work for other occasions. I keep all my chipboard pieces in a storage bin instead of on the sheets they come in. Makes it easier & more fun to find an appropriate piece for a project. Almost like digging into a toy box.

I have another project in mind. Somewhere to keep the cards. Hmmm...

vintage crazy

Funny how things change. Not just things but one's taste. I used to cringe at lacy, pink, flowery anything but now, I seem to be overtaken by shabby vintage madness. Oh, I still love Ikea. And nicely modern organizing things but I am seriously thinking of redecorating my office in this 'old' style. I'll do it in shabby, vintage, eclectic , contemporary style.
Distressed white notice boards, old fashioned cake trays to put my stamps and ink, a sturdy wing backed chair...
I had to clear my scrap room, you know, make some space for, oh, the odd birdcage...=)
Anyway, I made progress and when I was done for the day , sat down to make a card for my Mum for mother's day. I do hope she likes the shabby result.

of buttons , birdcages and owls

I did not realize how beautiful these buttons are. They're from Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe collection. Swoon!
Slight detour from my desk...


Peeping from the back of the layout you will see 2 of my favourite treasures from Melbourne.
The antique birdcage, which we found on our date to St Kilda's beach. I have pictures of Philip choosing it for me and then carrying it all the way, from tram to tram and trudging along new roads. Makes me smile. The other fella, we'll call him Melvin, I stumbled across at a quaint bookstore by the river. They were closed and I wanted to go back there and get it , even at the ridiculous price it showed in the window. On an art and literary walk, Ming made his way there and got it for me. I was really surprised when I opened the brown bag it was in, wondering what treasure lay within. It's meant to be a bookend and is rather heavy. Funny , the things we consider treasures. =)