2012 Reflection

I decided to try something new in 2012 and give myself a focus word (think Ali Edwards and her one little word) - I chose FAITH, in the sense both of a trust and confidence in myself and my religious beliefs. So I embraced 2012 with a new found faith. 

 

 

I returned to my local church parish and asked for help in my journey towards renewing my faith. Not only did I find the RCIA program (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) but I was welcomed by so many kind parishoners and other curious people on the same journey as me. We have a long way to go as we travel toward Lent and our sacraments, but we are on this path together and we are making steadfast progress.

Like so many mums, mothers and carers I have struggled with trying hard to do it all. I know now after trying unsucessfully to be everything to everyone that I need help. I have relinquished some of my obsessive/control mamma behaviour and accepted the love, help and support that my husband always had offered. I'll admit it was hard, but I have put more faith in Scott than I have before. No, he doesn't hang the washing out like I do - but it still gets dry. Maybe the childrens' lunchboxes are not quite as balanced as I would make - but the kids don't go hungry. And Yes, I sometimes I still struggle with the new dynamics of our household - but I'm dealing with it and love my husband all the more for what he does for us.

I have also put my faith in my skills. As much as I love to scrapbook for myself, I so desperately wanted to put my work on the line and try to get onto a design team. This is such a giant leap of faith for me, submitting my work -which is oh so personal- to criticism and scrutiny. So I applied, and was rejected, and rejected again, and still I applied. Success! Finally a scrap team that wanted me on board. Funnily enough, with my focus on Faith, the blog that offered me a design team position was Scrapping Everyday Miracles.

Is that just luck or divine intervention? I do wonder.

Sure, there are many other aspects of my life where I could renew my faith. The list is limitless to be honest, but I am working on it. At least I know that what I set out to achieve this year I have put my all into and made some progress. Where will 2013 take me? I haven't decided on my focus yet, but have some ideas floating around in my head.

Have a wonderful evening ringing in the New Year.

May 2013 bring you all health, happiness and prosperity.

SEM December Sketch Challenge

Beach

I took some photos at the beach in September, we just stopped for a while after visiting family who live nearby. The kids had so much fun collecting shells and skimming the flat ones out into the bay. They found a jelly-fish, chased sea gulls and had a lovely time, although it was too cold to even dip a toe in the water!

I decided to scrap this photo in particular because it captures the relationship that my kids are sharing right now. They are still children but rapidly becoming more independent of me and their Dad, and turning to each other for company, comfort and support. It is a beautiful transition to watch, and I don't feel sad that my babies are growing up - instead I feel blessed. They have each other, and I think even they are beginning to realise this now. They have each other.

Sherri set the sketch challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles this month, and as always I took the sketch that we had to work from and changed it... turning it 90 degrees clockwise. I didn't find three photos I wanted to use so instead printed a pic in a larger size and sliced it into three. On my canvas I used lots of distressing, ink and glimmermist to get my background just the way I like it and then I added lots of paper layers, flowers, hessian, ribbon, shells... pretty much whatever I could find. These are actually some of the shells that we found at the beach on this day, neat huh?

Now it wouldn't be an SEM challenge without a twist * use a punch* I have used a border punch along my paper layers.

I can't wait to see what you create! Don't forget to link up @ the post for your chance to win!

Thanks for looking x

December WW1

The search for the perfect tree

1. Gather friends

2. Start the search

3. Find the tree

4. Take it home

This has become a new tradition for our families, spending an afternoon at the Christmas tree farm carefully looking for that perfect tree. It can't be too big or too small, can't have a crooked trunk or any gaps in the foliage. I am almost certain that we could choose a tree within 5 minutes of arriving, but where would the fun be in that?  Our afternoon adventure normally leads to a bbq feast, lots of chatter and laughter among friends, and a very, very late night!

White with 1 set the challenge-

WHITE + RED + CHRISTMAS PHOTO

Thanks for looking and a Ho Ho Ho to you!

December Let's get Shabby #41

Believe

I have taken my inspiration from Let's get Shabby challenge #6 - AShabby Christmas.

To me shabby is an antique style frame, worn paper edges and old music paper all tied together with ribbons and bows. A shabby Christmas is a photograph with Santa, some delicate holly and the truly beautiful sentiment 'Believe'.

Believe in what? The goodness and magic of the season, the jolly beared man in the red suit and the birth of our saviour Jesus Christ. Wherever your beliefs lie embrace this silly season; wear a smile for friends and strangers alike; sing Christmas carols even if you are out of tune; remember the gift is in the giving and count your blessings.

Thanks for looking x

Sophies Corner December challenge @ SUYS

Christmas Gifts - by Connor

Connors wish list reads:

Nerf (guns and bullets)

Lego City

James Bond for the Wii

sneakers

jeans

slip on shoes and

a flat cap

And the handmade element he has included is the little fabric flags.

Thanks for looking and a very Merry Christmas to all x

December in Sophies Corner @ SUYS

Wish List - by Savannah

This month Sophie set the challenge to scrap your Christmas wish list.

 Savannah's wish list reads:

sewing machine and material,

Scooby van,

Smiggle gift card,

some Trashies,

a souvenir from Italy and

a skipping rope

In true SUYS style the included a handmade element is Savannahs handcut and decorated Christmas tree.

Thanks for looking and Merry Christmas x

SEM Decmember Challenge #23...

Joy

Psalm 32:11 Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;
sing, all you who are upright in heart!

Tracey set the challenge this month - scrap where you find joy in this holiday season.

These smiling little faces are pure joy to me!

The joys that Christmas brings my family are simple. We celebrate our beliefs at Mass, we bake delicious treats to share with neighbours, we scour for the perfect Christmas tree with friends, we feast heartily with family and give gifts to those we love. All the while, we try hard to remind our children just how lucky they are, and always remember to wrap some gifts for those families not as fortunate as ours and keep them in our prayers.

As always there is a twist - include glimmer and/or sparkle on your layout.  I have lavishly layered my snowflakes in fine silver glitter and incidentally worn a lot of it myself! I am loving the Mint Twist papers by Kaisercraft - they are fun and funky albeit a little bit too wintry for us in the land down under.

Wishing a Merry Christmas to you all x

Comments greatly appreciated!

Use it Tuesday... Ink it up!

2012

Use it Tuesday dared me and I took that dare, and will come back for a double dare! Challenge #44 was to take that un-inked stamp that you have been holding onto and, wait for it, USE IT! I purchased this little twig christmas tree about 3 years ago, thinking it would be perfect for making my own cards (which I have never done) and so it has remained untouched, unloved, even unseen ever since.

Now like all good challenges there is a catch and Use it Tuesday not only promote the use of your stashed and hoarded supplies, they insist. So, apart from my very old twig stamp I have used some sequins and glitter that I purchased back when I required all the bling I could find. Like many scrappers I never used it and I actually located these in the kids 'useful' box. I stitched my cardstock into any acrylic sheet and added the bling like a shaker card.

Some years ago I read about Elizabeth Kartchner making a little folder to keep all of her received Christmas cards together in. This is my third year of making this keepsake, and already I love that I have a record of my children's classmates and notes from old and new friends alike. At the end of the Christmas season I take all of our cards and bind them into the little folder - I have used binder rings and twine before, this year calls for ribbon - and then I have a compact little treasure to bring out next Christmas and reminisce.

Thanks for looking x

ScrapFriends Chrismas Candy Giveaway

Wanna win candy?

ScrapFriends are having a Christmas Giveaway

Simply go to ScrapFriends and follow the directions

Includes:

• 1 ring-bound album (20x20cm);
• 3 tabbed dividers;
• 10 designer pages;
• 3 die-cut sheets;
• 1 memorabilia envelope;
• 21 tags & misc. die-cuts;
• 16 paper & 4 glitter die-cut borders;
• 31 pieces of decorative brads;
• 14 acrylic stamps
• 3 washi tapes.

November KIU - Minimalist

A hundred hearts

I loved this quote when I read it and couldn't wait to use it on a layout. This little pic is of my sweetie back when she was only 2 years old. For Christmas Santa left a beautiful fairy costume under the tree and she lived in it - literally - for months and months.

Novembers challenge at Kraft it up! was to create a layout and show a large amount of white space. I decided to cut my 12x12 in half and treat each side as a mini page which created a complete layout when combined.

I pulled out the paint and randomly dry brushed my kraft with black and pink. The slide frames were picked up at Spotlight, the alpha stickers are by Prima, the chippie hearts are very old and from 7 gypsies and the sweet little kraft embellie is from Journal It's by Star (you can find her very beautiful bits and pieces at D-lish Scraps as well as the black butterfly). Some Kaisercraft rub-ons and handmade flowers completed my layout. I found a great tutorial at Nancy's blog so had a go and was really happy with the results.

Thanks for looking xx

SEM November sketch challenge...

18 selfies

 

 

Love, love, love these photos of my son!

 

My journalling reads: Usually it is hard work to get you to smile for the camera for me, so when I found these selfies on your ipod I was a very happy Mum!  

Each and every photo makes me smile :)

 

And it is so true - you are an absolute nightmare to photograph, but these natural poses are priceless!

 

I loved this paper from the AC Amy Tangerine range, and thought I could try to mimic the design on the sketch. Yes, I know I have taken a lot of liberty with this particular sketch and it doesn't look too much like the original, but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do! I got so excited when I saw all of the dimension I could add with just a few circles and some brads, and I had sooo many photos to choose from that I couldn't decide! Instead of the three photos in the sketch I have included 3 rows of photos and incorporated the twist in my title.

Just remember that if you are printing photos from an ipod or smartphone that the quality is not always fantastic. Don't discount the opportunity to print them though, just opt for a smaller photo size and think outside the square when you use them on layouts.

Nicole used a sketch from Sassy Sketches for the challenge, and the twist was to use a number on your layout... it could be an embellishment, the date, a stamp or part of the title... let's just see a number used!

 

Why don't you have a go at this months sketch challenge or our main challenge "Family ties" for November? We would love for you to share one of your everyday miracles with us - it doesn't have to be a grand or life-changing miracle, just a little blessing that put a smile on your face. This month we are lucky enough to be sponsored by Peace, Love and Scrapbooking - which means they have put up a great prize and are offering a discount to readers of the SEM blog.

As always, thanks for looking xx

SEM challenge #22

Family

 Cara set this main challenge

 FAMILY TIES...meaning I want you to create a project about your family
*Scrap Twist: To go along with the "tie" theme...and in honor of me being a horrible ribbon-hoarder, I am asking you to use some ribbon on your project.

I'll see you your ribbon Cara, and raise you some ric-rac! I loved this BoBunny paper the moment I saw it, and it was perfect for a layout showcasing photos from the 1970's - the colours are exactly what I was looking for and the busy pattern is a real sign of the times.

 

Having only recently rediscovered a photo album from my childhood, I was struck by what I remembered about each photo as I shared the stories with my husband and children. I remember Mum always knitting or sewing, creating for us the most fashionable outfits (for the time!) and being extraordinarily thrifty as she went about it. I recall dresses being made from old curtains, a dressing gown created from a bedspread and our jumpers being unravelled when they no longer fit us, only to be revamped into something new. What a clever woman! It took Mum 30 years to teach me to knit a square, and my sewing will never be up to her standard - with beautiful smocking and embroidery that would send most people blind, but I have learnt her skills to some degree, and am teaching my own children the same skills.

Now when I look back at these pictures I don't see the same home made clothes that I saw as a child, I see a labour of love. The garments you created were beautiful, but the lesson you taught me is priceless - be grateful for what you have and always make the most of it.

Thanks Mum, today you are the subject of my Everyday Miracle, but know that in my heart you are my Miracle every single day!

Thanks for looking xx

Sharing an everyday miracle...

Its my turn to share an everyday miracle at SEM this month, my first post in my DT role and I am so nervous that I have done something really wrong - spelling and grammatical errors will abound!

I took some time out to think about the everyday miracles that have touched my life, and one that I far too often take for granted is acceptance. I am blessed to live in a diverse family who have been exposed to the very multicultural mix that is modern Melbourne. Here is a little sample of my post...

This is my Grade Prep photo, taken in 1979. I am in the front row seated 2^nd from the right, with my home haircut and pretty dress that Mum sewed for me.

In this class of 31 children I can distinctly remember having friends who came from Greece, Turkey, Egypt, Italy, Israel, Finland, Vietnam, Cambodia, New Zealand and Yugoslavia (as it was known then), and they are the nations that come to mind over 30 years later, there may have been more. We shared our cultures, stories, our food and languages. This was our normal.

My family embraced this multiculturalism that my brother Adam and I lived amongst. 
Adam has learning difficulties and special needs. Cahn accepted him as his friend. Adam never noticed that Cahn was Vietnamese. He accepted him as his friend. My parents ‘adopted’ Cahn, since he was living in the care of the Wesley Mission, but what he really needed was a family.

Galations 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Please drop by  Scrapping Everyday Miracles to read the rest of my post.

 

Thanks for looking xx

SEM October Sketch Challenge

We will ROCK you!

 

My kids had their school concert last month, a rock musical set to music by ABBA and Queen. The songs they had to sing were "Money, money, money" and "Princes of the Universe".

Can you guess who sang what?

I really wanted to scrap these photos, they capture so much personality! I started out with some pretty paper but decided I needed to grunge it up a bit. I used glimmermist over washi tape as a mask, a grid stamp, scrunched it all and then added some doodling. The guitar was a lucky find when searching for music clip art.

Einat set this months sketch challenge with a lovely sketch from PageMaps.

and the Scrap twist: Since this is the season of the Jewish New Year the twist will be to use red or green colors and shades on your layout (like the colors of an apple). One of the New Year's traditions is to eat an apple with honey: an apple so the year will be round, whole with no bumps or obstacles, and honey so the year will be good and sweet.

 

(Sorry Einat, I didn't intend to take your beautiful sentiment and mess it up so much, but that's how the sketch worked for me!)

 

Be sure to check out the DT samples at SEM and have a go at using the sketch this month.

 

Thanks for looking!

Kerri's October Challenge

Meeting Nudge

This was a particularly memorable moment on our Gold Coast holiday over summer. 

We had the opportunity to swim with a beautiful, clever juvenile dolphin named Nudge.

Nudge came to Seaworld after being found on Nudgee Beach (hence his name), tied in fishing nets. When he rolled over for us we could see the scarring under his belly from the carelessly discarded nets that were left by irresponsible fishermen. It took months of intensive rehabilitation to get Nudge swimming again, and yet here he was, trusting us implicitly, following instructions from his trainer impeccably and demonstrating just how important it is to care for our environment.

I am so grateful that I had this opportunity and got to share it with my family - without doubt this was one of the most incredible things I have done in my life - a bucket list moment for sure.

Kerri @ Home and Scrapped challenged us to use chevrons and a large title on a layout.

I have completely fallen in love with the Echo Park 'Everyday Electic' range and its gorgeous summer colours and funky chevrons. I have made so many projects from it I have a lot of scraps so I thought I could cut them into strips and weave my background - I know, I know, all of those chevrons make for a very busy layout but I still love it!

Thanks for looking xx

SEM Challenge #21 - Miracles of Fall

Nicole set this months main challenge at Scrapping Everyday Miracles.

Hi Everyone it is Nicole writing you from above the Arctic Circle in Norway.  Well Fall is in full force around here. For this months Main Challenge I want us to be inspired by the Fall season and to look for those everyday miracles around us at this time of year. I want to challenge you to really look for a special moment from the fall season.... maybe something that you could have overlooked or taken for granted.

Scrap Twist: This challenge I would like if you could use PAINT on your layout!  I know you might be afraid that you will mess it up but that is part of the charm of using paint on your layout!  Have fun and get creative!

You've got a friend

I have taken up your challenge, Nicole, and run with it! 

I took your inspiration and immediately thought of the Carole King song lyrics;

You just call out my name,
and you know where ever I am
I'll come running,
oh yeah baby to see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
all you have to do is call
and I'll be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend.

Now, this layout is not particularly about Autumn,  but more about the feelings and memories that this song brings to the fore. This photo was taken over 20 years ago (ugh, that seems so much longer than it feels) at my dear friend Sherri's 18th birthday party. We had a lovely evening at a fancy restaurant, pretending we were all grown up - although at the time I am sure we thought  we were. Lots of years have passed, and we certainly don't see each other or call often enough, but that doesn't mean that we are any less friends now than then.

This is just a little message to remind these special ladies that it doesn't matter the time, the distance or the season, you've got a friend in me.

Do you like my pretty paper flowers? They were made from recycled brown paper bags and my background corrugated card was the packaging from my new frypan! Don't discount anything when you are scrapping, I know that I can't afford to buy all of the fancy new products - as lovely as they are and as much as I'd like to - so I have to work with what I've got, and the results? Not perfect, but effective, and it leaves me a little cash to splurge on the things I really want.

Don't forget to check out the other DT blogs and link you own project back to SEM for your chance to win! This months challenge is sponsored by Boys Rule kit club, for those of us who have a dirty, grungy, smelly little man to scrap about!

Thanks for looking xx

Scrapping Everyday Miracles - A New Chapter Blog Hop

Welcome everyone! It is great to have you here. We are so excited about a new chapter at SEM! We have recently added a few new design team members and we thought a blog hop would be the perfect way to introduce them. Each of the Design Team members and our Guest Designer have created a project with the theme of starting "A new Chapter".

The hop starts September 28 and ends Sunday September 30th  11:59pm PDT. Remember in order to qualify for our grand prize you must be a follower of SEM and leave a comment on all the blogs.

So, what are you waiting for...hop to it!

 SEM
 Svetlana 

Felicity - you are here!

  Elizabeth

  Kelly 

  Nicole

  Sherri

  Marjolaine 

  Cara

  Einat 

  Tracey G 

Dolores

 and back to  

SEM

to let us know you have visited all of the blogs and go into the draw for the major prize!

And without further ado, here is my "New Chapter" project, an art journal style mini-book using a fabulous kit from Eve at Evalicious.

So Grateful

I have been spending a lot of time reflecting on my life and what's important, really important to me over the last few months. So in order to start a new chapter I thought it relevant to evaluate the last chapter. My mini-book is a journal about what I want to take with me in the future, the things I hold most dear, have opened my heart and mind to, and am truly grateful for.



I have incorporated the *twist by cutting definitions out of an old dictionary and highlighting them as part of my journalling.



So grateful...to be part of a loving family, who care for each other and respect each other. To have an extended family that we can turn to for support and friendship, and for good friends - the family we choose for ourselves



So grateful... that our baby boy has grown into a strong, healthy young man. So clever, so athletic, surrounding himself with good friends, with maturity beyond his years



So grateful...that our beautiful little girl has so much spunk! Yes, sometime we butt heads, but at least you know what you want, and we love you for it



So grateful...that you are free to be whoever you want to be. This truly is the lucky country. Run, play, imagine, learn, just be free for a while



So grateful...for the simple things in life. Gathering shells at the beach, watching the sun rise, hatching a baby chick. The small everyday miracles that occur wtihout our intervention, but sometimes, if we just open our eyes we can see them



So grateful... to renew my faith in the church, in myself and in others. I feel blessed to be welcomed into our parish with open arms, and know that I have lots of support at home



Don't forget to leave a comment before you hop-along to visit Elizabeth!

And as an added bonus, become a follower of my blog to go into the draw to win this delicious bundle of Kaisercraft 'Mint Twist' Christmas goodies - including a 6 1/2" paper pad, wooden star flourishes, printed ribbons, cherry red mini alphas and a package of collectables with over 50 die cut shapes.

 And now its your turn to play along...

We would love to see you create a layout or mixed media project that represents a new chapter in your life. Whether you have already begun this journey or you are thinking about it, we want to know about it.

*Twist: Use book pages or book text on your project...be creative!

Linking your project back to SEM before October 5th, 11:59 PDT will give you an EXTRA entry to win our grand prize generously provided by Art Freckles

Our grand prize winner will win a prize pack valued at $25 CAD

  In addition, Art Freckles is offering 15% discount to our blog hoppers on all purchases made between Sept. 28th and Oct. 5th.  The coupon code is 'SEMHOP'.  Please note however, that they are currently only shipping to Canada and the United States but have graciously offered to send international if the buyer is willing to pay the international shipping.

Winners will be announced at SEM on Saturday October 6th, 2012.

Make sure you also stop by our facebook page  for games, conversation and lots of fun! Please don't forget to come back Monday  for the October Challenge and another chance to win a prize!