Here is my entry for the latest challenge over at Scrapbook essentials. We had to create a layout using no photos. I decided to use a family recipe, my Nana's traditional Christmas pudding. I wrote how she has for years made these delish puddings and now I have taken over the tradition and create two puddings each year.

Not a very long post, it's much to nice to be inside on the computer. I'm heading out for a coffee and walk with Mum. Enjoy your day and I hope it's sunny where you are.

Another weeks gone by... where are they all going?

Just thought I would share my latest creations.

This is my take on Christi's beautiful page for the Kiwi Jack me up blog. I have often admired her work, well worth a visit to her blog. I'm so happy that I finally got these photos scrapped, they have been sitting around waiting for the perfect layout. I have also been admiring the fab Fancy Pants papers for ages and now love how it's turned out.

Below is my entry for the second challenge at Scrapbook essentials. We had to create a layout about an everyday event in our lives. I choose to scrapbook the daily conversations my Mum and I have. It was such a struggle to come up with a concept and then put it all together, but in the end I am happy with how it has turned out. I would never usually use these colors but like them on this layout. On to the next challenge now, a layout with no photos. I have a idea for this already which is pretty quick for me. Now just to make it happen! hehe

On to other subjects, I was wondering how many of you out there read books regularly and what sort of genres do you read. I only have a handful of friends who are readers. I enjoy to read "Chick Lit" anything that is easy to read and lets you live life through over woman's eyes. At the moment the book I'm reading I'm thoroughly enjoying. I don't think it's the story line so much as the fact that I haven't read in awhile and I'm being reminded how nice it is to read in bed at the end of the day. I found out that the author of this book has written several others that I will have to get reading after this one. It does amaze me how many Chick Lit books are set in the London/New York regions and seem to be based in either advertising or broadcasting, or at least most of the books I seem to read are.

In other news Craig came home the other day and told me he thought it was time to sell his car and get something different. I was a bit blown away by the news, it was sort of out of the blue. We had talked about changing cars earlier in the year but he didn't seem keen. I wanted him to make the decision, as it's his pride and joy or at least was. It's no longer very practical for us with wanting to go camping etc. Anyhow we spent hours on Saturday getting it looking like new with a wash, polish and vacuum and it's now listed on Trademe. So we now wait nervously for someone to want to buy it, so we can get something else.

Warm Weather and The Good Life

Just a quick little entry today, I wanted to share my layout for the Scrapbook Essentials competition. Most readers of my blog have probably already had a squizz at the entries in the gallery at S.E but I thought I would upload it here for anyone else. :)

We had to use at least two homemade embellishments on a layout, so I choose to make some ribbon flowers. This weeks challenge is to scrapbook a moment from everyday life, including a photo and some journalling. I have an idea of the moment I want to capture but at present I'm not sure how to arrange it. Keep posted next week to see what I come up with.

For a blast from the past, Craig and I hired some DVDs of "The Good Life". What a funny old series, I used to love it as a kid and still think it's a good laugh. I totally recommend it if you are just after a laugh.

Well I hope everyone is having a good week and that you are getting as nicer weather as we are here in Christchurch ( I think it was 18C here today), hope it lasts for the weekend.

I've got my mojo back!!

Finally yesterday I felt like really scrapbooking. Craig came home from work sick, and so I could hang out with him I set up all my things I wanted to get done on the coffee table and scrapbooked all afternoon. I got 3 layouts done and I'm so happy I feel creative again! I'm leaving the mess out and hope to get a little mini album I am working on complete this afternoon. I can only post pictures of two of the layouts I have completed as the third is for Scrapbook essentials ultimate champion competition.

This layout is of our day trip to Hanmer Springs in the weekend. We had it planned for weeks to head up there for a picnic and have a soak in the pools with some good friends. Unfortunately the weather wasn't so kind, it rained heavily all day. We did persevere and ended up picnicking under some fir trees, we must have looked so crazy!! After a few hours of soaking in the pools and some good conversation we headed home, stopping on the way for a much deserved hot chocolate. The rain didn't wreck the day, we had loads of fun and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

This other layout is using some of the pictures from our picnic last weekend with my sister. I wanted to capture the new addition to their family.

I wanted to say a big thanks to the lovely ladies who suggested some ideas for feeling brighter. My appointment with the nauropath went well and I have a range of things to do and take and I shall hopefully see them working over the next few weeks. Spending time with good friends and scrapbooking are certainly good ways to feel better!

It's been awhile.....

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted a blog entry. I really just haven't felt much like posting lately. In fact I haven't even really felt myself at all. I've been putting it down to the grey and dreary weather getting me down, but I feel it's more than that this time. Since I was a teenager I have suffered with depression on and off again. It was quite serious when I was younger, but of late I have had it under control. As I've been feeling up and down lately I have decided to get it sorted, so have got an appointment tomorrow with a naturopath. It will be good to get some help, a bit of a health revamp is needed I think. This got me thinking about what other people do when they feel a bit blue, if you have a great pick me up idea please post it on my comments and I will randomly RAK a few comments.

Anyhow on to brighter news, on Saturday we headed out with my sister, her fiance and their new little dog to Port Levy, a small bay with a picnic area. The weather over the last days of last week were so lovely and warm that we decided to make the most of it. It was great fun to get out and have a play with Oscar the dog, he's such a cutie.

On Saturday evening we were invited to dinner at our good friends. What a lovely meal they put on for us. It's been a real treat to be invited over for dinner to several friends places lately. We had a good laugh listening to the "You choose 40" on c4, it was 90's hits. Our other Saturday night thing has been to watch the Star Wars movies on TV3, in fact I have hired Episode 3 to watch tonight as we haven't seen it. As I never saw them as a child I have had to have help to indentify all of the characters, I think finally I might have sorted it out in my head :) hehe

On Monday I was very lucky to be asked to go wedding dress shopping with a friend of mine. There certainly are some stunning gowns out there! As most know I loved every minute of planning my own wedding and it's so much fun helping with her plans. I sometimes think that wedding coordination would be a fun job for me, I love every aspect of them.

I've finally made a start on our wedding album, I have done the first four pages and are happy with most of it. I have found it so difficult to scrap as I want to keep it really classic and simple, yet I also want to tell the story of our special day. To keep the simplicity of it I have chosen to stick with just black,white and the teal of our wedding. I will post the layouts when I have finished the album, all 30 pages!!! I also got the layout for Junes altered tag swap finished just in the nick of time yesterday. I know it's meant to be anonymous but a huge thank you to Beverley for the beautiful and bright tag I received. Today the first challenge at Scrapbook essentials has been released, to create a layout using homemade embellishments so I better get my thinking cap on.