When is a card game not a card game?

When my imaginary relatives are playing it, that's when! te he. Oh dear, they're up to highjinks yet again. Whilst hubby was at a meeting tonight I decided to crank up the fire, get into the flannel jim jams (yes, very sexy I know!!) and scrap a day in the life of two of my "relatives".



Still loving the big wide flat screen. Oh my gosh, everything is so clear and bright and ... well ... flat! LOL

Credits
Grunge Delight Paper Pack by Luciana Designs
Vintage Large Photo frame by Katie Pertiet
Frames with Flourishes by Katie Pertiet
My Ace playing cards by Leora
Natali Circle Stitching
Miss Mint Doodle Arrows (Peppermint Creative)
Digitally Pressed Petals No. 3 by Katie Pertiet
Fonts – Mom’s Typewriter and Festus

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure how this works but what do you think of this...

I knit hubby a beanie.
He instals for me an awesome 19" flat wide screen computer monitor.

Fair swap don't you think?

I came home tonight from work and walked into the office here to check my emails and the squeal of delight must surely have been heard half way down the street. What a surprise, I completely didn't see this coming. Not my birthday. Not any special day. It's just a Wednesday.

I think he loves me. :-)

The Beanie

A lovely day off today, just been knitting and scrapping and I've made a huge pot of pea and ham soup. Mmmm mmmmm. It's an easy dinner tonight, we're having the soup with a cheesy knotted bread which will be oven warmed. Yummo.

So Victoria says she'd like to see "my main squeeze" LOL in his new beanie. I need to say, if you haven't deciphered by now from reading this blog, that my husband is a comedian, pure and simple. And there's no such thing as snapping a quick decent photo (insert rolling eyes here!) Every time I had him perfectly in the viewfinder and it snapped a second later I'd look at the result and well these are a select few of about 10 similar shots!! Until finally FINALLY I got a decent one.

So this will teach him, he's now on the web for all the world to see, ha. And thank you once again Bells for the pattern.



Credits
Paper – Classic Cardstock Paper pack by Katie Pertiet
Polaroid Frame by Katie Pertiet
Alpha – RetroDiva Newsprint (Tracy Collins)
Fonts – Festus and Century Gothic

I really like this new Classic Cardstock paper by Katie Pertiet, I think I'm going to get a lot of use out of it. Love Sunday nights, Designer Digitals have a 25 cent sale of two items for two days only which usually get put up about 9pm our time. I don't think I've missed a one. This Cardstock was part of last nights booty!

Antz

Oh my, I feel like I'm in the middle of the movie with a starring role at the moment. I've just come back from the supermarket in the next town and about to embark on my most hated job (well one of them anyway!) to put the groceries away and I open the cupboard and there are ants. A zillion of them. All in the pantry. I've just had everything out, cleaned and back again. What a job. I wasn't particularly planning on doing that today.

Does anyone else get ants like we do? It's a small plague at the moment. Is it the weather doing this? Tracey? You're the closest to me in this neck of the woods, is it a problem for you too?

In a recent comment Bells asked about my 'Things that Never Really Happened' layouts.

Got a question for you - how long do you mull over a photo before you come
up with story? Do they just tumble out of your brain or do you agonise for
ages?Can you do a post on your processes? Pretty please?

Hmmmm, let me think on that. I only started doing them after seeing some really quirky layouts from lhanks and Spidergirl and now Victoria in the Designer Digitals gallery. Oh they have all just cracked me up and really appealed to my sense of humour.

So I guess my process with the ones I've done is to find a picture that has something different about it. Kind of like how a cartoonist hones in on something from his subject when doing a caricature. Like a big nose or funny hair or a strange outfit. I guess I am looking at the pics like that and trying to find something about it that tumbles about into a story.

For instance the layout I'm about to show you that I did last night, just the way the two people have their cheeks pressed to each other. And not just pressed, it looks like they're touching really hard, like they are glued together. Hence the journalling I came up with. Nothing overly magical about the process, it's just finding the quirky pictures. I guess having an overactive imagination and a wicked sense of humour and being able to spot the ridiculous in every day events somewhat helps, LOL.

Oh and somehow my imaginary family members all cheekily and by sheer coincidence mind you have the same names as those of my friends. Fancy that.

(Oh except TomKat or Brittany and Kevin. I don't really know them, LOL).

Credits

Scraplift of Dagmar’s “You Will Never Know” for Lifts with a Twist

So Lovely paper by Meredith Fenwick
Butterfly – Ad Challenge by Dana Zarling
Natali Stitching
Postcard Journalers by Katie Pertiet
Frame – Vintage Frames No. 5 by Katie Pertiet
Swirls from Grandma’s Attic Kit by Michelle Coleman
Lace from Don’t Forget Autumn from Kasia of Scrappy 3 Friends
Buttons – Lindsay Jane Designs Spring Buttons
Sticky tape – Tape It by Liz Pike of Strawberry Wine Designs
Font – Antique Type and Jefferson
Photograph – art e zine

Bad Blogger!

Oh gosh, I think I've used that heading before. How did the week go by so quickly? That's what I want to know. Is it feeling the same for everyone else too?

I had an overnighter for work in Melbourne, so got put up at a motel in the city which lead me to the fabulous DFO (direct factory outlets to those not in the know). I spent a good two hours just in and out of every single shop, twice! ha All fabulous brands at low costs. And at the end of it all I only bought one top from Jacqui-E. Very nice too I might add. But how majorly disappointing that was for me on a shopping expedition. Not to worry, there'll be other chances.

Being stuck in a motel room I finished yet another beanie, this one is for Mike which he is wearing right now working out in the shed. He says it's nice and warm, warmer than his other beloved beanie and in a 12 ply grey colour which knitted up just wonderfully. And I've already started on one for me, all lovely shades of purples and pinks, right up my alley! I've turned into a Beanie Knitting Maniac, that's all I can say.

I've been hankering to start on another 'Things' layout, but thought first I'd share my favourite cookie recipe. Truly, this cookie has been known to save marriages. It is absolutely the easiest and yummiest chocolate chip cookie ever. I dare you to stop at one.

Credits

Chocolate and Sugar Sugar kits by Anna Benjamin of Paper Moons
The Ultimate Stitches by Lisa Whitney
Fonts – Susie’s hand and Century Gothic


I urge you all to check out Anna's fabulous Paper Moons site, she regularly gives out freebies of the highest quality and it's such a treat. I think she's a Designer Extraordinaire.

Well the fire is pumping and I'm just about to put a big pot of spaghetti sauce on, mmmmmm spaghetti bolognese, fresh parmesan and herb bread for dinner, what more could one want on a cold winter's night.

Hmmmm ... so who is she?

Ha! As mentioned we went to the Mind Body & Spirit Show today. Blink and you'd miss it. But Mike thought he'd test out their skill and plonked down a good $45 to see a psychic. Now don't get me wrong, I've seen a psychic before and was overwhelmed with how good she was. Oh gosh, but this guy was truly just giving very very general statements. I've listened to the tape, and let's just say if he may have been having an off day! (understatement).

But hmmmm, one of his comments (being that Mike didn't have his wedding ring on! doh!) was that Mike would be meeting the love of his life soon, or words to that effect. So I wanna know, who is she?

So I've finished two beanies now. The bluey coloured one was the man's size and it's awfully tall. The pattern picture now that I look at it is not overly snug on the head, so I might make the next man's one a bit shorter, because this does look a little bit boofy when it's on. The lady's size beanie is shorter on the head, that was a 12 ply with such delicious pretty colours. Hmmm, I wonder who in the family has a big enough head for me to offload the blue one onto? haha

(L. Riordan Funky Floral Frames)

Ahh yes, and breakfast out this morning. Delicious! I had Eggs Benedict and Mike had a very fluffy omelette and toast. Great coffee. Morning papers. We will be doing this again.

Brrrrrrrrr

My goodness it is cold tonight. Actually as I was driving home from work, the fog had started rolling in. Very eerie in the dark. Quite scary too as wayward cows sometimes break through fences down here or koalas decide it's time to cross the road just when a car is zooming by, so add that to the dark and the fog, it wasn't pleasant driving home tonight.

Mike is up watching the footy in the loungeroom with the log fire pumping. I'm down here on the computer with the blow heater on. Except Molly has decided to join me and has plonked down right in front of the heater and is hogging it all!!!!

Tomorrow we've decided to go out for breakfast. That NEVER happens around here, hubby would much rather have breakfast at home. Can you hear it now ... "why pay $5 for toast and coffee when we can get a whole loaf for that!!". So this will be a treat. We're going into the 'Bool (locals will know what I'm talking about) to a Mind Body & Spirit Show. A much much smaller version of the fabulous one in Melbourne I'm thinking, and decided to have breakfast at a fun little cafe in town. I shall report back with what we ate tomorrow!

I was sent a kit from Christina Renee as I had signed up to her mailing list, a lot different to what I would usually use. Christina is known for her use of a lot of grunge, so I wanted to try it out, and what better time to use it than another layout of my imaginary family!! Here is "Things that Never Really Happened #9". All I can say is that Donna has really got it goin' on !!!!

Credits

Lil’FANfair Kit by Christina Renee
Natali Stitching
Swirl City by Scrappicnic
Curled Paper edge by Anna Aspnes
Journal spot – Ad Challenge by Kellie Mize
Fonts – Antique Type and Docteur Atomic
Photograph – art e zine

Oh and before I go, my friend from work was absolutely delighted at the Emma layout. Over the moon delighted. She couldn't wait to print it and give it to her friend. What a buzz that was. I find scrapping photos a true joy and to be able to do something so simple for someone and know they really really like it, well it's just a really warming thing.

Happy Birthday Queen Lizzie

Probably disrespectful calling her Queen Lizzie, but heck, I'll never meet her. Although there was that one time she toured Australia and her and Prince Philip were in an open top car driving down Moorabool Street in Geelong. The streets were lined and I swear she saw me! ha. But yes she is our Queen, like it or not, and we do get a day off for her un-Birthday. Well I think her birthday is really in April, but if the whole Commonwealth got the same day off, half the world would stop operating right. So June it is for us.

I have been watching on and off the Trinny & Susannah marathon on Lifestyle today. Oh how I adore these fashion gurus. And even though they are all repeats, wonder of wonders, I did happen to catch one episode that I have not seen before. Regardless of the repeats, you do pick up on things every time you watch.

Having said that, I'm just waiting for Mike to come home. Last call he had found 5 bits of gold this weekend, his best ever camping trip. I just keep telling him to find that bit of gold the size of his head so I can retire. But that particular bit is still out there!!

So now I've knitted up two beanies, just ready to sew. I'm very excited about this pattern Bells, it's really easy to make and the two different wools I've chosen have knitted up superbly. This last one I've made in Patons Jet (30% alpaca, 70% wool) in gorgeous multi-shades of pinks and greens and blues, all vintage looking. Picture forthcoming once it's sewed.

Lastly a quick layout I have done today. One of my work friends gave me an assortment of pictures to pick from to scrap one for her friend so she could print it off, frame it and give to him. As it happens Designer Digitals had a quote challenge, and I thought this quote fitted it perfectly. Love the pinky/red paper too, matches in with the quote picture. Anyway I hope she likes it.

Next I have another friend's picture to scrap for her brother and new fiance. It's a lot of fun using other people's pictures, so friends, bring them on!!

Credits

Designer Digitals Quote Challenge by Jen Adams Donnelly
Papers – Anne Made Washed Out Papers and Flower Dream Scrap Picnic by Annie and Pett
Newspaper Swirls by Lemonaid Lucy (recoloured)
The Ultimate Stitches by Lisa Whitney

Lazy long weekend

Well it's turned into a lovely lazy long weekend (all hail Queen Lizzie and her birthday!). Hubby is out camping overnight up bush, looking for the elusive yellow stuff and I'm just hanging with the gals (Molly and Bo who are having afternoon snoozes right now). Think I might need to go start that fire though, it's getting rather chilly. Think Mike might have a coooooold night in the tent!

Yesterday, oh dear what a day. Oldest stepson was umpiring his 100th football match so we all rugged up, coats and scarves, and made our way to the football. He was so proud, even invited us to join others on the upstairs balcony of the umpires rooms (the inner sanctum!!). So out he struts with the other umpires ready for the game to begin. The two teams run onto the ground, whilst the umpires do a quick lap to warm up. Much anticipation whilst stepson does the coin toss for the teams, players run to their positions, he steps backwards whilst the ball is thrown to him ready to start the match and oh ...... a collective oh is sounded ..... his foot catches on the ground and he falls straight into the mucky turf with a thud on his backside and pops his knee out. And he hadn't even bounced the ball yet.

Poor guy, I really really felt for him. He kept a brave face as he limped off the ground whilst the emergency umpire went on. It was heartbreaking for him, particularly with all of us there watching. I know in time he will look back at yesterday with a grin, but right now he's strapped up and healing.

Knitting update - I have finished the blue beanie, just need to sew it up now. Plus, I've already started another, this time a lady's size. Very pretty vintage colours too. Picture forthcoming. I still am yet to felt the kitty pi, I'm a bit anxious and nervous to do this, but I think it might be a tomorrow job.

My latest layout in my Things that Never Really Happened Series. Poor poor Julie, how will she ever compete?!?

Credits

Good Ole’ Days Kit by Carla Gibson Designs
Curled Paper edge by Anna Aspnes
Katie Pertiet Vintage Storyboard Frames
Tags-n-Pins by Amy Wolff Designs
Ledger Frames by Katie Pertiet
Fonts – Bookman Old Style and Antique Type

This is such a beautiful kit which I purchased after I read a very sad report that Carla Gibson the designer had passed away on 2nd June after complications from an aneurysm. So I urge you to visit Oscraps and buy up big as the proceeds of "Friends and Family" (a digiscrap community project) goes directly to Carla's family. What an amazing community the digi scrap community is.

It's groundhog day!!

I don't know what I was thinking last night when I posted. I wrote that "tomorrow" (as in today) was Friday. HUH? Where did that come from. I seriously thought that today was Friday. I even woke up thinking it was Friday, what a major disappointment that was.

Just quietly, it might have had something to do with my boss actually having Friday off work, so I'm looking forward to going in tomorrow. Who knows. Shhhhhh, don't tell anyone!

Now I mentioned that my gorgeous friend Bells from the famous Bellsknits blog sent me a beanie pattern. Probably one of the very few patterns out there that doesn't call for those dreaded dpns. I promised a work in progress shot Bells, here it is. I'm knitting with a very delicious Cleckheaton Naturals wool, a very nice shade of almost dark denim blue with a fleck. It's knitting up beautifully. But all that ribbed band, whew! I'm almost up to the shaping, it's actually getting quite heavy, so looking forward to that.

I think for future beanies I'm going to have to order wool online. We (I say "we" collectively, as in the town I work in) only have 2 shops that sell wool - Spotlight and a hideously priced wool shop. The town I live in, well not a wool shop in sight. So I'd rather pay postage and get something superb sent to me for future beanies.

(Frame by Welli Designs)

Well hubby has gone to a meeting tonight, I have the house to myself, well me and the girls (Molly and Bo) so I might just sit and scrapbook. Night all.

Such fun!

Friday already tomorrow, how on earth did that happen? Life is surely whisking by (hmmm, that was a Freudian slip, I initially typed whiskey by, hahahahaha).

I'm surely loving doing these "Things that Never Really Happened" and now I have another partner in crime doing them too. Check out the two layouts that Victoria has done, too funny. I adore the watermelon one. If only these people of days gone by would have realized they'd be resurrected like this.

I've been working on this layout for a while, but it's the journalling that took the effort. A bit of a collaboration between hubby and myself. Check out the newspaper generator, fun fun fun!

Credits

Papers – Savoir Faire Eclectic Chic by Michelle Coleman
Scalloped Edge – Border Template (altered) by Katie Pertiet
Vintage Photo Frame by Katie Pertiet
Rose – Digitally Pressed Petals No3 by Katie Pertiet
Staples – Boy Basics by ksharonkdesigns
Stitching by Tracey Blankenship
Stamp (words altered) – Vintage Blocks by Katie Pertiet
Guest Check – Kristy Ann Designs
Newspaper – The Newspaper Clipping Generator

And in case you can't read the fine print!!

Journaling on newspaper:

Rose Widow Bandit Strikes Again

“Police are currently on the lookout for the Rose Widow Bandit aka Lucienda Champagne, who is wanted for questioning regarding the alleged seduction and abduction of Lord Marcus.

Lord Marcus disappeared from his riverside mansion three nights ago, following an evening of alleged debauchery with the said Rose Widow.

Along with Lord Marcus, a number of jewellery items and the family silver are alleged to be missing from his home. As in previous cases which are believed to be linked, a rose was found left at the scene.

Past victims of the Rose Widow Bandit have usually been found within the trunk of various stolen vehicles left abandoned on the side of lonely country roads.

Police warn to approach this woman with caution as she is believed to be armed and extremely dangerous. If anyone has any details regarding the location of the Rose Widow Bandit, please call your local law enforcement agency.”

Journaling on Guest Check:

“Lucienda sits patiently on the trunk and decides if she should buy 2 more bunches of roses … or 3. She had some more stops to make!”

Yesterday ... what a day!

Well I survived. Remember I was spending the yesterday afternoon with the in-laws (or out-laws as has so delicately been put!!), husband's ex-wife, all her family, and the kids. Trying times I think for any sane person. Step-daughter number 1 had a lovely 16th birthday get-together, and it was a really lovely day.

Although it didn't start out so. FIL (father-in-law) turned up in a bit of a mood and declared he'd been pulled up for speeding ... ouch! $240 fine ... double ouch!! He was in a bit of a mood with my MIL because she decided she wanted to question the policeman and see what exactly was on his radar (every man's nightmare I guess when being pulled up, is his wife questioning the policeman!!). Oh dear. So it was a bit of an expensive outing for them.

But it was a lovely afternoon, everyone had a nice time. Oh and here's a hit for any future parties - a chocolate fountain! We had lots of cut fruit, marshmallows and the like, and we dipped them in the chocolate fountain. I swear the looks on the kids faces, it was like they'd died and gone to heaven. There was chocolate everywhere! (actually, come to think of it, you shoulda seen the look on my face!!!! A chocaholic's dream!!). Plus so that she had something to blow out there was a small cake with the most gorgeous candles on it. They are called "angel candles", have you seen them? They actually burn their flame the same colour as the candles. Looked absolutely gorgeous and can highly recommend them as a real treat and something a bit different.

Well must away, as I have some pumpkin cooking and am going to make pumpkin scones for the very first time, a bit of a challenge a few friends are doing. We're picking a recipe from the great Stephanie Alexander cookbook and each making them. Except instead of buying 250 grams of pumpkin, I ended up buying 2 and a half kilos of it! Urrrrgh. I thought it looked too much, ha!

So before I go, here's another layout on things that never really happened.





Credits
Papers/Swirls - Grandma’s Attic Kit from A Little Dreamer Designs by Michelle Coleman
Overlay by Kirsty Wiseman
Flower – Welcome back kit by Tracy Collins
Stitches – The Ultimate Stitches by Lisa Whitney
Vintage Photo Frame by Katie Pertiet
Hung Up Tags – Katie Pertiet
Flashwords – Katie Pertiet (words altered)
Envelope Tie – Misty Cato
Font – Mom’s Typewriter

Another week gone

How on earth does a week go by so quickly? I can't believe it was Monday I last posted. Good gracious.

It's been raining almost non-stop here. Weeds are sprouting up everywhere. And driving to work, oh it does you good seeing everything so green. So lush. I am not complaining (except of course if I get caught without my brolly!!) as we're in drought at the moment. Such a freak of weather after not much rain for a while.

First day of winter today though. So out come all the woolly coats and jumpers, and my darling friend Bells has given me a great beanie pattern, so I'm going to knit beanies for presents. Yes yes, though I will admit, I am a big ol' cheat. It's not using dpns. I am terrified of them and really just can't manage them, or at least not the casting on section. It just doesn't work for me, I don't "get it". I need another face to face lesson Bells!!!

So what's planned for the weekend? Well to be honest I think I'm going to go straight to heaven in the express lane when the time comes, after tomorrow! I'm spending the afternoon with my in-laws *AND* my husband's ex-wife plus my darling step-children. Does that send shivers up anyone's spine? I'm only kidding, we all get on very well. Step-daughter number one is turning sweet 16 so a family gathering is in the offering.

Okay, I'm mixing these about a bit, but here's another layout from my "Things that never really happened" series. Loving doing these, what can I say. I have a warped sense of humour! I loosely dedicate this to someone, she knows who she is!!!! LOL




Credits
So Lovely paper by Meredith Fenwick
Vintage Photo Frame by Katie Pertiet
Ledger frames by Katie Pertiet
Archaic Journal Tagset by Anna Aspnes
Stitches - Wild Stitches by Tabby Lewis and coloured stitches by Kari Q
Telegram - QOTC Goody Bag Kit by Krista Mettler
Fonts – Antique Typewriter and Suzie’s Hand
Photograph – Vintage Lady from Designer Digitals