Wow talk about slow scrapper lol

I started this layout 2 days ago, I finished it last night an I have just gotten around to uploading it. It's not even a really complicated layout and I am furious with myself that I have spent so long doing it and I am still not happy with it lol. My creativity seems to be on extended leave and I miss it. I miss being able to sit and actually make layouts. The frustrating part is it's not really inspiration that's missing. I have ideas, and I have a massive to do list I am trying to work through. What I am lacking is the energy or the motivation to actually do them. Mark did make a doctors appointment today though for Tuesday morning. Maybe they will be able to help at the very least they might be able to make some suggestions of how to fix something. I would be happy with them just fixing one of the problems at the moment. Right now I would be happy for them to just reissue the presciptions I have on file so at least I would stop rubbing my eyes and making them even drier and more painful than they were to start with lol. Anyway onto the layout. I have some really cute (in my opinion anyway) photos of Lukas. Just random snapshots taken for no reason other than to play with the camera. I find them really hard to scrap because they don't really have a story they are just Lukas being Lukas. I am liking the rectangle size a lot more than the square at the moment because at least then they can be used for Lukas's book

Credits: 4 The Boyz 4 SEBS Dream by Royanna Lea Fritschmann, Layered template by Trish Jones (Letter Blueprints Set 7 Template 3) and Add It Up Wordart by Audrey Neal. Font is DJB Teacher by Darcy Baldwin.

Journalling reads: Whenever I get out the camera, I usually get you either being silly, poking out your tongue, fidgeting, squirming and generally being a pest or I get you being a grump and refusing to cooperate. But sometimes even I get photographs like this one, where your eyes are shining so brightly. In these photos you really are just 2 Cute 4 Words.

Enabling: 4 The Boyz 4 SEBS Dream by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and Add It Up Wordart by Audrey Neal available here. The template set by Trish Jones isn't currently available anywhere I got it from her closing down sale at Scrapbook Graphics.

So uninspired.

I just can't seem to find any motivation to do anything lately. I have lots of great templates to work with (Thanks Chrissy) and tonnes of amazing kits (Thanks Royanna) but somehow I seem to have misplaced the ability to put the two together to make layouts with. I open Photoshop and I stare at a blank screen or a blank template or a kit for a while. I organize some stuff in ACDSee, I go back and stare at the screen for a bit longer. After a few hours I either get bored and close the program all together or I just walk away and leave it all there mocking me, waiting for the inspiration to suddenly whack me around the head and say put this paper here, and that paper there, add that embellishment just there and use this photo and that font to finish it off.It's not just scrapping either I feel like this about everything lately. I look at clothes and I have no desire to wear this top or that pair of trousers. I either just put on whatever happens to be at the top of the towering pile waiting for me to find a place to put it, or I don't bother getting dressed at all. Let's just say I am very glad that 99% of the clothes I wear to bed were intended to be normal clothes anyway. Long dresses are my friend lol. I put programs on the television and just end up staring into space while they play in the background. I can't even be bothered to take photographs lately. I know that I have been ill for the last week and that I have spent a lot of time either sleeping, trying to sleep, taking painkillers or just being driven insane by the pain. But I should be used to being ill by now. I just feel so fed up with everything and I can't think of any reason for feeling like this. I hate feeling like this. *sigh* maybe it's just January blues.

Hail to the mummy porn!!!!

The winner of the Royal Rumble, the man who is hopefully going to kick Randy Orton into a bloodied pulp of a man, Mr John Cena. Otherwise known as the mummy porn lol. Lukas has his poster up in his bedroom and I want to steal it for over my desk, there's just something about a man with rippling muscles who can beat the living crap out of people that rings my bell. If you don't know who he is just admire those rippling muscles while I explain. Ever since I was a little girl I have been into wrestling, I was raised in a family of wrestling nuts. Heck nan even got thrown out from wrestling matches on more than one occasion. We used to collect videos of it and when I was growing up I remember how we always used to be waiting for the next pay per view event, we used to pay friends to tape it for us and then go straight and buy the videos. As it's painfully obvious I really love wrestling. Well my favourite wrestler is him, I think he's hot, he's half naked and he's inflicting pain on other men and to me that's heavenly lol. He got injured a while back and I have been missing my weekly dose of Mummy Porn. Now he's back and Monday nights can go back to being my favourite of the week again, because that's when I can see John Cena on RAW. Now Randy Orton on the other hand is an egotistical prat, who is currently holding the WWE Title. He won it from John Cena after he inflicted the injury that has kept John Cena out, that was after he assaulted John Cena's father for no reason other than the fact that he could. I have been waiting to see Randy Orton get what's coming to him. I want to see that smug smile beaten off his face, and what could be better than seeing it done by that gorgeous hunk of a man, with his rippling muscles. Swoon!!!

Just a layout share for now

I will be back with a proper post later. This one was for the Double Trouble Sketch Challenge with Amy Bleser at Digital Freebies. Twice monthly (1st and 16th) a new template is posted, all you need to do is download the template, scrap a layout using it and post to the gallery then place a link in the thread letting her know you have taken part.
Credits: Layered template by Amy Bleser (Jan2DF Template) and Rock Candy Valentine by Royanna Lea Fritschmann.Fonts are VTKS BEAUTY,Sliced Juice, Shelley-VolanteScript and 101! StaR StuDDeD.

Enabling: Rock Candy Valentine by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here. The Template is for the 16-31st January Template Challenge all the details can be found here. If you are interested in the fonts you can get them here VTKS Beauty, Sliced Juice and 101! Star Studded you can click on their names to be taken to dafont to download them. As for other one Shelley-VolanteScript, I can't remember where I got it from sorry.

Computers are evil!!!!!

They really are, every time I make a layout that I am actually proud of something goes wrong. Either it doesn't save right or the computer randomly shuts down, we need to reformat the machine and it gets lost or something else computer related. But I suppose if I could make that one layout that I can print out and keep for me where's the motivation to carry on scrapping trying to make it lol. It's depressing though if your wondering what prompted this I started a layout about 4am this morning, I worked hard on it and I really really liked it. Then I was just about to save it as a work in progress file at about 9am and poof the computer just closed down for no apparent reason, no warning, nothing. It was going to be a gift for Mark for Valentines Day and I really don't think I can recreate it. *sigh* oh well nothing I can do about it now. I suppose I could try and recreate it tomorrow. But I know it won't be the same.

A new challenge layout

But i'll get to that in a minute. I forgot to mention this before Nan has gone away on holiday with Lisa, Gary and the kids. They have taken her to Gibraltar, Nan used to live there and when we were little she took us quite a few times. I have been really looking forward to her going because I have been so fed up with the nagging and moaning. I need a break from Nan because she really has become too much to put up with. But I stayed up until she left at around 3am this morning so I could say goodbye to her. I have a confession to make though, I am missing her already lol. I have spent ages waiting and looking forward to the peace that will be in the house and now I miss her. I know I moan about her but I really do love her and I would be lost without her. I hope she has a nice break and comes back a bit more cheerful and relaxed but I am going to worry about her while she is not here. I can't help it if I am a bizarre creature can I lol. Anyway onto the challenge layout. As you have probably gathered by now I have a bit *snigger* of an addiction to layered templates. I make almost every layout using one. You may also remember that I posted about wanting to try more scrapping challenges this year, I want to be inspired and scrap more. Template challenges have and probably always will be my favourite kind of challenges. This one is for the Sketchabilities with Hetty DeBoer at Divine Digital. Each week she posts a sketch or layered template, all you have to do is scrap a layout using it and post to the gallery. Couldn't be simpler really could it. So why do I usually never manage to get around to doing it lol. This week I have managed to create a layout and I am quite pleased with it lol.
Credits: Layered template by Hetty DeBoer (2008_04 Template) and 4 The Boyz 7: Soda POP N' Bubbles by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Font is AL Cleanliness.

Enabling: 4 The Boyz 7: Soda POP N' Bubbles by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and this week layered template can be downloaded here

Two in one day?

guess the boy's photos are more inspiring than ones I take myself lol.Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (Sample Pack 1 Template 1), Celebrate with a bang by Royanna Lea Fritschmann and Big Bad Stencil Alpha Brushes by Gina Miller. Fonts are 2Peas Flower Pot and 2Peas Oatmeal Cookie.

Enabling: Sample Pack 1 Templates by Chrissy W available here, Celebrate with a bang by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and Big Bad Stencil Alpha Brushes by Gina Miller available here.

Finally a new layout

The last few days I have just not been able to get motivated to scrap. I have spent a lot of time opening various templates or kits and then closing them again because I just couldn't be bothered to actually use them, I have done quite a bit of organising in ACDSee though and last night I spent the evening trying to make some space on my main scrap drive. I am even worse at downloading things more than once than I thought lol. I know that my scrapping is kind of crazy because some are rectangle, some are square, some are loud colours, some are pastels. But I honestly can't wrap my head around the concept of a coordinating album it just seems so dull to have everything looking like it's supposed to go together, and I can't work in any sort of order. Sometimes I want to scrap something pink and girly (yes I did say pink!!) because I like to indulge myself with glitter and flowers and sparkly things. Sometimes I like to scrap something that means something like documenting an event or an emotion but mostly I just like to create something. I don't care what the process of scrapping pictures is therapeutic for me, on the days where I don't scrap I am a lot more depressed and moody. I have noticed a lot of people lately promoting the notion of actually printing out your layouts and to me that just doesn't appeal I like making them when they are done, I usually decide that in my opinion they aren't good enough to be printed. But the other day I got a reality check from Lukas he saw me making the shutterbug layout and repeated his usual request of a desire to have a copy printed out (or as he says scanned out since he can never keep scanning and printing straight in his head). I said I would just to get a few minutes peace. I thought I would be able to get away with printing it and putting it in his baby album that he spends a lot of his time looking through, honestly next to the word vain in the dictionary their should be a picture of my little guy he loves to look at photos, especially ones of him. But I am getting away from the point, the picture was the wrong size and rather than resize, reprint etc I decided that the easier option was to use one of the 6x4 leather photo albums I picked up cheap with the intention of printing my wedding photos out for the grandparents. Then I noticed that they had 36 spaces and knew this was not going to end well, he was not going to be content with just one layout of him when he could have a whole book full lol. So I started going through some of the older layouts and found that actually I had quite a few 6x4 layouts. I had made some when I guested on FreestyleMama's CT and some when I had guested for Jennifer Schmitt, there were some that I had done using Royanna's kit just because a smaller layout had seemed to work better at the time. But as I went through them finding fault's and dismissing them for this or for that, I found a few that I thought weren't too bad. Realising that I had now left myself with the job of making another 30 layouts for this book was a really depressing thought. Then Lukas wondered in and asked for this layout or that layout, now he's my boy without a doubt because once he makes his mind up about something there's no chance of changing it. He wanted these layouts and my problems with them were just not valid as far as he was concerned. After we argued over it for a while he said something to me that I will never forget for as long as I live. He said "I like all the layouts you make, because you make them and I love you". That was when it clicked that it doesn't matter what I scrap, it doesn't matter why I scrap it only matters that I do. If sitting here and creating something levels out my mood so I am a better person and a better mummy because I am less miserable or stressed that's a bonus but it's about the process of making the layouts rather than the end result. I need to remember that next time I look at the layout I have spent hours on and wonder why no-one else gives a damn, or I wonder why I spent hours working on something only to get a grunt or a that's nice comment from Mark. It really doesn't matter what anyone thinks about the layouts I create and that includes me, I am doing them for Lukas and he will love them no matter what. Wow that ended up a lot longer than I was intending, oh well here's the layout that I made this morning using some of Lukas's photos he took with the camera.
I have to do another page to go with it containing all of the journalling.
Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (Sample Pack 1 Template 2), Haiven's World and Label Brushes 01 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann and Sponged Canvas Atomic Cupcake Action. Font is 2Peas Blueberry Pie.

Enabling: Sample Pack 1 Templates by Chrissy W available here, Haiven's World and Label Brushes by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and here.
If you haven't heard Atomic Cupcake is changing their pricing from next month all actions, kits and templates will be available separately instead of as part of the club packages. I have had membership to both the Atomic Club (actions and templates) and the Cupcake Club (kits) from not long after I started scrapping until now, I liked the club pricing but a lot of people were always asking about actions being available separately because they didn't want to purchase a membership just for the few items they didn't have. Doesn't matter which way you run it you can't please everyone. I won't be purchasing the actions separately though because I just don't use them enough to justify the individual cost per action.

Little Shutterbug

This is the first layout of a set I am working on about Lukas's obsession with the camera. I have at least one to do using the pictures he has taken and one about his desire to be in every single picture as well. This was a lot of fun to do but it's took me all day lol I just couldn't seem to find what I wanted to use and ironically what I ended up using is a christmas kit lol. Just shows how versatile digital kits are doesn't it.
Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (I'm No Square 8.5x11 Landscape Template 3), Tis The Season, Time Of My Life and Tweet Baby Alpha by Royanna Lea Fritschmann and Photoshape 1 Template by Tracy Blankenship. Font is DJB Lorraine bold by Darcy Baldwin.

Enabling: I'm No Square 8.5x11 Landscape Templates by Chrissy W available here, Tis The Season, Time Of My Life and Tweet Baby Alpha by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here, here and here. DJB Lorraine Bold by Darcy Baldwin was a pay for font I think try Darcy's store at The Digi Chick or her blog and the Photoshape 1 Template by Tracy Blankenship was part of her Toolbox Bonus Freebie she gave away and is no longer available sorry but her blog is always worth a look she often has gorgeous freebies on there and it's a also a really interesting blog to read (well I think so anyway) you could also check out her store at Scrapdish.

Why???

Now before I start rambling away to myself, this post is on an entirely different subject there are no hidden digs at the dh (no the d still isn't for dear lol) I am just ranting away on a completely unrelated subject. If your reading this and you are American you probably won't understand exactly what I am on about but you can follow the main flow I expect if not leave me a comment and I'll try and explain what I am on about. Right now that we have that out of the way we can move right onto this morning's rant. Ok so as you have guessed from the title something has annoyed me and it's not even 7am this day is off to a real good start lol (although I suppose technically the day hasn't started yet since I haven't been to bed yet lol). When Nan went shopping she saw this new Dairy Milk chocolate on special offer knowing that Dairy Milk is my second favourite behind Galaxy (I think it's called Dove in some places) she bought some to cheer me up sweet wasn't she. Thinking that the label double chocolate could only mean good things. Actually I agreed with her thinking anything that's labelled as having double chocolate can't be a bad thing right I mean it's more chocolate. Only it's not, if anything it's more like the most disgusting of all chocolate fillings - Caramel only it's chocolate coloured. Don't get me wrong not all Caramel is disgusting Galazy Caramels are yummy (I got a liking for them when I was pregnant with Leo those and Milky Ways lol) but they are an absolute pain in the bum to find. You only seem to be able to get them in vending machines see there is an advantage to Mark working in a hospital lol. The caramel in the purple quality streets isn't bad either. But anyway I have gone off on a little sidestep again and I am trying to swing back to the original question of why??? Why would you ruin perfectly good chocolate and then falsely advertise it as Double Chocolate. It's bad enough they already have the usual ways of ruining chocolate like fruit and nut yuck, raisins aren't meant to be in chocolate it kind of defeats the purpose doesn't it I mean chocolate isn't supposed to have fruit in it it's supposed to be indulgent and melt in your mouth not melt and leave gooey gross raisins behind lol. Then there's the rest of the range I mean come on Cadbury's what were you thinking with the Turkish Delight bars? If I fancied eating something that was sickly, sweet and tasted midly like perfume there's a perfectly good fruit soap in the bathroom rofl. I tolerate the whole nut but I still think it's better when it's just chocolate because let's be honest the nuts are usually slightly soggy and stale tasting. Now in all fairness they do get it right sometimes, Cadbury also make Bournville which is pretty yummy, Double decker which tastes great from the freezer (yeah another trick I picked up while pregnant but not with Leo), don't like crunchie's very much although they will do if there's nothing better and flake's although they do taste good the crumbling all over the place drives me insane. I would rather have a galaxy ripple any day lol but if I couldn't get that a Twirl is definitely better than a flake. I'm also very partial to Boost's another one that needs to come from the fridge at the very least. Curly Whirly's and Freddie the frog bars are a blast from the past but the ones I miss and swoon have just noticed on the website are being relaunched is Wispas mmmmm. Look I got all wrapped in reminiscing and fantasising about chocolate and I forgot the point of the post, Cadbury's ruined what could have been a perfectly nice way to spend my sleepless night eating chocolate, organising stash and listening to my music the fact that the reason I can't sleep because I am hurting kind of got pushed to the don't bother me I am indulging in chocolate mindset and then when you bite into it and it's not double chocolate it's chocolate with a crappy caramel-ish centre it's disappointing. Oh well guess I will have to go downstairs and raid the Christmas supplies that don't seem to be disappearing in fact I am pretty sure I can hear those Celebrations calling my name and best off all there's Galaxy Caramel minis in there lol. If all else fails there's still selection boxes and various other chocolate substances that I can substitute like that tin of Cadbury's biscuits.

Does a year make a difference?

This time last year I was doing exactly the same thing (well almost) as I am doing right now. I was sat here with my stomach in a knot, feeling sick and wondering if everything was going to be ok. Only this time last year I was doing it while putting my make-up on and drinking Smirnoff ice out of a champange glass. Have I confused you yet? This time last year I was getting ready to get married and in about 3 hours time I would have been walking down the aisle in the registry office and just for the sake of irony I will point out that I was doing it without my bouquet which I had accidentally forgotten in the mad rush trying to get there on time turned into to. While I was getting ready Nan and Mark were trying to clean and decorate the hall after the Burns Night celebration the night before. I'll let you in on a little secret I was miserable on my wedding day I feel utterly alone and abandoned and do you know something that's how I feel today. Mark's at work and last night we had a fight and I asked him to leave. He doesn't trust me and I have done nothing to deserve being mistrusted. He's the one who is always telling lies, he's the one who "borrows" money and things without asking and me well I am the stupid fool who always has faith that things will change. No amount of screaming, shouting, arguing or crying ever changes him he always remains the same old senseless pig who could give a damn that he's breaking your heart by acting like a complete jerk. I spent the night before my wedding staring at the ceiling and wondering why I was actually doing it. I spent last night staring at the ceiling in between sobs wondering why I am still doing it. The answer in the end is really simple I don't want to be alone. If he leaves it won't change the situation between me and my family. They aren't suddenly going to decide to be normal and speak to me again. It's a sad truth really that Mark and Nan are the only family I have and they both break my heart over and over again and it's usually because I get caught in the crossfire between them. The only thing I have in my life that makes it worth living is Lukas. If anything happens to Nan or Mark I will still have him, but he deserves so much better than this wreck of a mummy that he has. So today I have the same choice I had a year ago do I try my hardest to make things work with Mark or do I just turn and walk away? I guess it really doesn't matter which choice I make does it because I will probably be here next year asking the same question of did I make the right choice. I don't know what the right choice is since I seem to get hurt either way. I end it and I hurt because I am alone, I hurt because I feel like a failure and Lukas hurts because he ends up with nothing but me, the waste of space mummy who never has the energy to be the mummy she wants to be. I stay with him and I hurt again because I am living with a man who doesn't trust me, treats me like dirt and doesn't seem to give a damn that he's doing it. The phrase stuck between a rock and a hard place comes to mind right about now. It's times like this when I wish I was more like my mum she doesn't have any feelings and right now that looks like a really nice option, not being able to feel anything. *sigh* but I just can't do it. I am emotional and I always have been guess I can't change anymore than Mark can. I suppose I could always just relive the reception and have enough alcohol to wipe away all the feelings if only for a while lol.

Another layout to share

I guess sleeping most of the day makes me more productive than trying to be awake does lol.
Credits: Snow Princess and Studio Styles 3 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann and Layered Template by FreestyleMama Creations (Elegant Brag Book Cover Template). Fonts are Scriptina and Swenson.

Enabling: Snow Princess and Studio Styles 3 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and here, Elegant Brag Book by FreestyleMama Creations available here. Fonts are available here and here

Sweetie Pie

It's not often I say that about Ella lol. But she does look kind of sweet in these pictures from my wedding.
Credits: Layered template by FreestyleMama Creations (Elegant Brag Book April Template adapted slightly), Paper Cutters Small Scallops (Scallop Paper Rectangle and Scallop Frame Rectangle) by Chrissy W, Photo Blankets Set 1 (Texture 5) and Photo Blankets 3 (Texture 5) by Traci Reed and Sweetie! by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Pink Glitter Styles by Flergs.

Enabling: Elegant Brag Book by FreestyleMama Creations available here, Paper Cutters Small Scallops available here, Photo Blankets Set 1 and Photo Blankets Set 3 by Traci Reed available here and here and Sweetie! by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here. The Glitter styles were a freebie on Flergs blog and they are no longer available sorry.

Migraines, Allergic Reactions and A New Layout

Lately I am starting to think that all those old horror movies you know the ones where Dracula is made out to be some devilish fiend etc got it all wrong. Poor Dracula wasn't a blood sucking demon he was just a guy who suffered from migraines lol. He didn't want to suck people's blood or kill anyone he just wanted people to leave him the hell alone so he could lay peacefully in the dark. I sympathise with poor old Dracula because these bloody migraines are getting worse and they are driving me batty (see the Dracula reference now lol). There have been times lately where I could have quite cheerfully ripped out someone's throat to get them to shut the hell up. I am used to having headaches constantly, I am used to them being so bad I can't function properly. I have found ways to work around it but well I can cope with headaches I can't cope with these. Especially when things like what happened today happen. This morning when I got up I felt sicker than I have in a while. Mark and Lukas got that who the hell are you and what are you doing in my bed look, they are used to that too they just repeat slowly and repetitively who they are and that they love me until my brain decides to engage itself and remember that the one licking my face that's my 5 year old, and the one trying to touch me up that's my husband. Sometimes that takes a few minutes, sometimes it takes a few hours occasionally that process takes a few days. But anyway I am getting away from the point. This morning not only did I draw a complete blank on who these two guys staring at me were I couldn't move my neck, I was burning up and confusion mixed with pain is never a good combination. We keep some decent painkillers in the cupboard for mornings like these, 2/3 of those a few hours sleep and it usually works itself out I get back to being normally ill lol. This morning the painkillers weren't going to cut it, and we have found that painkillers combined with something to take the temperature down works quicker and is more effective. We keep something in the cupboard for that too they are called Kool 'n' Soothe. They are strips of cooling gel designed to help take sick kids temperature's down. They do exactly the same thing marketed for migraines but at triple the price um no I don't think so. So anyway we've done this many many times before but this morning things didn't exactly go to plan. Mark handed me three of the super kickass migraine painkillers and a drink, so far so good. Opened the window, sorted it so I was vaguely comfortable and then applies a Kool 'n' Soothe thing and goes downstairs. Big mistake! Since we bought these last they have obviously changed something in the way they make them because I had an allergic reaction to them. Now imagine being unable to breathe and knowing why you can't breathe but not being able to left up your neck or having the strength in your arms to rip it off. It was like laying on that operating table with the anaesthetic not working all over again. I couldn't shout because I couldn't breathe, I couldn't fix the problem and I am just very lucky that Mark came upstairs when he did. So today I am thankful for being very very allergic to wasp stings and latex. Bizarre as that sounds they meant we had stuff to hand that would help. I am also very thankful for Mark coming upstairs when he did! He knew straight away what the problem had to be and he took the steps to fix it he even thought to make sure he wiped over where the Kool 'n' Soothe strip had been so there was no residue to cause further problems. Then he left me for the day to sleep it off. I'm not exactly thrilled that he went to work after that but nothing else happened so I guess it's not really a big deal. He did think to leave a drink, the mobile phone with his and nan's number on speed dial and sort out arrangements for Lukas before he went though. So 9/10 hours of sleep later I was feeling a bit better, apart from being completely drained and wiped out. I spent the evening with the main light off and had a bath and then I got the inspiration to create something since the painkillers have worn off and I don't like taking more than one lot a day (don't ask) I was going to be up all night anyway so I thought I may as well be useful. I am thinking it might make a nice anniversary present for Mark's Mum and Dad. The original wedding photo is crappy but I think I made it a bit more presentable. I have to check the date they got married Mark is a bit useless he says they got married in 77 I have a feeling he is wrong but I always save the layered file so it's no big deal to change it. Anyway onto the layout let me know what you think this is another layout that is a bit outside my comfort zone.
Credits: Layered Template (Don't Be Square 8.5x11 Portrait Template 4) and Paper Cutters Large Scallops (Huge Scallop with Holes Paper Rectangle) by Chrissy W, Love Stories Volume 4 Wordart by Sue Jones and Kindred Spirits by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Font is Selfish.

Enabling: Don't Be Square 8.5x11 Portrait Layered Templates and Paper Cutters Large Scallops by Chrissy W available here and here, Kindred Spirits by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here. The wordart came from ScrapQuick before it discontinued selling digital products sorry.

Another layout

using patterned paper, strange I know. But anyway here you take a look and let me know what you think.

Credits: Layered Template by Chrissy W (Forum Challenge 3 Portrait Template), My Love, My Life by Royanna Lea Fritschmann and Bloomies by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Lightroom Presets by Traci Reed (Pop Starrs Black and White Pop 2) Photos found online by Yorik (Rio de la Plata from flickr.com) and Stenic (Around the dead sea from fotocommunity.de) and the Mount Everest photo came from Caingram.com no author shown Fonts are Clingy and Century Gothic.

Enabling: My Love, My Life and Bloomies by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and here, Pop Starrs Lightroom Presets by Traci Reed available here. Template by Chrissy is for the newest Template Challenge over at Digital Candy you can find all the details here, just pm Chrissy for the rockin template (in 12x12 and 8.5x11 formats).

A new layout to share

I haven't felt like scrapping for a few days, I have been busy being ill and trying to keep me eyes open lol. I started this earlier and as you have seen many times, I don't like patterned paper, patterns intimidate me. But this kit by Royanna doesn't have any solids. So I had to step (kicking and screaming mind you lol) out of my comfort zone. When I left to pick Lukas up from school it wasn't exactly a layout I was pleased with but when I came back and looked at it, well it looked pretty damn good lol. So I am thinking maybe the layouts elves came and waved some magic on it while I was out rofl. So anyway I have rambled enough about it take a look and judge for yourself.

Credits: Layered template by Michelle Swadling (Scraplift 9th January 08), Distressed Alpha Brushes by Heart2Heart Designs, My from Grungy Wordart by Barbara LeMay Heralds Place and My Love, My Life by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Lightroom Presets by Traci Reed (Pop Starrs Black and White Pop 1&2) Font is Dymo Font Inverse.

Enabling: Distressed Alpha Brushes by Heart2Heart Designs available here, My Love, My Life by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here (get it before tomorrow night's crop and it's a bargain price of $2), Pop Starrs Black and White Pop Lightroom Presets available here and the Layered Template by Michelle Swadling is for the Scraplift Challenge at Gotta Pixel all the details and the download link for the template can be found here Grungy Wordart by Heralds came from here but the link says expired now sorry.

Time to make a few confessions

It's supposed to be good for your soul right lol. Ok so here goes I have always had a little bit of a tendancy to at least attempt to fit in with "normal" people. I know damn well that eventually my personality will let me down because no matter how hard I try my mouth won't stay shut. When I see people acting in my opinion like an ass I am 99.9999% likely to tell them I think so. As you are gathering I am never going to win any popularity contests lol. But it's not just the whole speaking my mind thing I am noticing it a lot about everything in my life lately. I don't quite fit with the way that things are supposed to be done. At the school gates I feel like the old one out I am not toting around some snot nosed whining child who is constantly launching their bottle, dummy, blanket, or other random object across the playground while their mum stands, I am not one of those talkative mums who everyone seems to gravitate towards, I am not one of those super cool well dressed mums who look like they have just come from work/college, I don't fit into the cliques, I have nothing to talk to them about. I feel like one of those sick covered exhausted mums with a young baby whose kept them up for nights on end without the baby. I hate doing the school run because it makes me feel alienated and depressed. When it comes to scrapbooking I can't make layouts that people gush over, I can post in lots of different galleries even those promoting lots of praise on all your layouts and get about 3 comments in total. I can't do those artsy teeny tiny pictures with a million embellishments layouts, I can't do those one photo, one background, one title (if your lucky) layouts they aren't me. I am 23 years old and if you ask me to name one song in the top 40 you would have no chance of me naming one of them. I used to know what position every song held, I used to know what dates everything was being released on. Now I can't even remember the name of the last actual CD I bought but I can remember (just about lol) the last thing I bought on ITunes and that was a Brad Paisley CD. I always used to think country music was for old people. But I really like it I have always had a weakness for music that has words you can actually understand and sing along albeit badly lol to. I still wear maternity jeans and I haven't been pregnant since April of last year the last baby I actually had was in 2004. I used to be one for clothes I used to love pretty clothes, now don't get me wrong they weren't sexy clothes but I actually cared what I put on, now I could care less what I wear and some oh alright most days I don't even bother getting dressed. I often wonder if any of the scrapbooking I do will matter to anyone, will lukas remember how happy he was on so and so day or will he remember that was the day that mummy took him out and couldn't come and play with him because she felt too ill, couldn't run around because she felt too tired? Will he remember that his mummy was that crazy crafting woman who made presents for his whole class for Halloween/Christmas/Valentines Day or will he remember that his mummy was the one who was too tired to come and collect him from school. I feel like no matter how hard I try it's not good enough for anyone. I can't do the traditional mummy/wife activities because of my medical issues and because of living here. When you aren't allowed to cook, you can't clean or wash clothes what is left that makes you the Mummy? Sometimes I think that if we moved out of here things would be easier and then situations like this week happen and I know that we can't. When I went to pick Lukas up on Thursday I came over feeling really ill. I was nauseous, having really bad pain across my chest and my stomach, I felt dizzy and lightheaded. When I came home I asked Nan to watch him for a little while. I passed out and I haven't left my bed since. I posted from bed using the laptop and I was only awake because the pain was too bad to sleep. I scrapped because it was soothing and a better alternative than staring at the walls all night. Today I am back to my normal kind of ill lol but I am drained from the last two days. I was just lucky that Mark was working the 7:30pm finish shift on Thursday and had yesterday off. I don't want to be a bad mum or a bad wife. I don't want to be the person that causes them to be embarassed by me. It used to really suck being the only kid whose mother wasn't at the school things and I am trying my hardest to always be at Lukas's but sometimes that one motherly duty means he loses his mummy for a few days is it really worth it? I am tired out, I am frustrated and I feel like the harder I try to be "normal" the more being sick is putting me firmly in my box of complete failure. Today is just another one of those days where I wonder if they would all be better off without me. I don't know how to be anything but me, but me is a waste of space, an embarrassment to the ones she loves, a medical mystery that baffles the doctors, but most of all me is just a sad 23 year old woman trying to have a normal life and failing miserably. What a depressing way to start a day!

I Dare You - January 2008

2 challenges in 1 day from the same site, that's odd even for me lol. This one was for the Digi Dares with Chaos (Jen) at Digital Candy. Scrap one of your resolutions, must use 1 photo of you, journalling about what the resolution is, a ribbon, a frame, a button, 3 different flowers and your title had to have an alpha and a font. It was a lot harder than it sounded to get all that one on layout lol but it was a lot of fun.

Credits: Layered template (Don't Be Square 8.5x11 Template 1) and Zigzag Paper Cutters (Big Zigzag Frame Rectangle and Tiny Zigzag Rectangles) by Chrissy W ,Kindred Spirits, Kindred Spirits Alpha and Button Box 06 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann and Funky Flowers by Laura White (Princesslala). Fonts are You Are Loved and KGD Amber Print by Kimberly Geswein.

Enabling: Don't Be Square 8.5x11 Portrait Templates and Zigzag Paper Cutters by Chrissy W available here and here, Kindred Spirits and Button Box 06 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and here, the Kindred Spirits alphabet was a crop freebie last night but I am sure it will be added to the Divine Digital store soon (I will update when it is) and Funky Flowers by Laura White (Princesslala) available here. As for the fonts You Are Loved can be found here but KGD Amber Print was a paid for font and Kimberly doesn't design anymore so you can't buy that one anymore sorry.

Candy Jar Challenge 6

One of my goals for myself this year was to take part in more digital scrapbooking challenges. I quite often found myslef downloading mini kits and templates with the intention to take part in certain challenges and then not getting around to it. To be honest I felt like this was bad for a lot of reasons but mainly because
1. I was spending time downloading things,
2. Those downloads were then taking up valuable space on my harddrive,
3. They were being forgotten about,
4. I was spending too much time trying to find something to be inspired by when I already had some really cool inspiration right there on my machine just waiting to be used,
5. I felt like I was doing wrong by the designers. They had taken the time to make this stuff and host a challenge and I had never gotten around to letting them see their work in use. I used to host challenges when I was on the CT for dedicated2digital. I would spend time creating something I thought would inspire people and then see one or two people take the time to participate and it honestly used to depress me that I was making all that effort and no-one wanted to take part. I never got why no-one could be bothered to make a layout for a cool prize. I was only on the one CT at this point I spent the majority of my time on UKScrappers and I never knew how vast the digital scrapbooking industry was. You learn a lot in 2 years lol. This year I thought that if it appeals enough to me to take the time and effort to download, unzip, tag in acdsee, I need to make the time to actually scrap with it. I want the designers to know that I appreciate the time they are taking and I want to do more with my own scrapping time than just download, unzip and tag files. This year I want to try and start justifying why I have so much stash lol. So on that note the first challenge that I have requested the mini kit for, downloaded and actually scrapped with is for the 6th Candy Jar challenge at Digital Candy hosted by Angela Niehaus. The Candy Jar challenge requires you to use all of the items provided in the "candy jar" this time there was three papers, a fibre, a brad, a blank journal strip, a torn flower, a frame and a flower doodle. You can use anything else you want as well. Completing it earns you 20 Candy Points. Here's the layout I made. (I have no idea why it has come out slightly distorted it's never done that before on here oh well if you want to see it as it should look you can always go look at it in the gallery at Digital Candy here will have to check my blog settings and see if I have knocked anything or maybe it's just because I am posting on Mark's Craptop lol)

Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (Mini Me Brag Book Template 7), Candy Jar 6 by Angela Niehaus and Beachcomber Alpha Brushes by Mary Ann Wise. Fonts are DJB Lorraine bold by Darcy Baldwin and Vrinda.

Enabling: Mini Me Brag Book by Chrissy W available here, Beachcomber Alpha Brushes by Mary Ann Wise available here. You can pick up the Candy Jar 6 by registering at Digital Candy going to the Candy Jar Challenge thread (linked above) and then sending a private message to Angela for the download link. This challenge runs until January 24th.

Have nothing much to say today

I could tell you how I spent my day but I don't think it's really suitable for my blog lol. Let's just say that snuggling with the hubby is much more interesting than fighting with him lol. I think it may have finally dawned on him that his actions were going to make him lose the two people who adore him even when he is being a pig lol. It's been a nice day I like to be held close, I like it when I glance over and he is giving me that smile that says he likes what he sees, it's just that look that says he loves me. I don't know why the sudden change and I don't really care being content is good, you know what they say make love not war lol. So anyway I have a layout to share using Royanna's new kit Kindred Spirit, I meant to post about it before but I forgot lol. It was this week's Divine Diva Deal at Divine Digital. If your wondering what that is, every week a kit is featured for the whole week at a special price of $2 on wednesday night at 10pm EST (Yes that is 3am in the morning for me lol) Royanna also has next week's Divine Diva Deal My Life, My Love that will be $2 until next wednesday. Right enough rambling onto the layout.

Credits: Layered Template (Blog Freebie Template 1) and Paper Cutters Scallops (Huge Scallop Paper) by Chrissy W, Kindred Spirits and Gettin Floral 01 Overlays and Gettin Floral 03 Overlays by Royanna Lea Fritschmann and Alpha Masks with Class Alpha Brushes by Shandy Vogt. Font is Papyrus.

Enabling: Blog Freebie Template 1 and Paper Cutters Scallops by Chrissy W available here and here, Kindred Spirits, Gettin Floral Overlays 01 Overlays and Gettin Floral Overlays 03 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here, here and here and Alpha Masks with Class Alpha Brushes by Shandy Vogt available here.

Well that was quite a bit for nothing much to say lol. Back later i'm going to try and get some sleep the insomnia is starting to get annoying but I refuse to get fed up about it today.

Absolutely gutted!!!

My camera fell off the shelf earlier and I checked it over and felt very relieved that it appeared to be fine. I just got the sudden idea to photograph something (yes I know it's 6:02am I get notions at bizarre times) and right now I want to cry. The image stabalization that I have come to rely on is screwed. It's ok if I keep the camera upright in portrait or landscape but any over the top shots are a definate no go. I take a lot of shots like that because I put things on my desk move the lamp and photograph them over the top it's easier than trying to stand them up and move all the crap on my desk lol. I do have other cameras but none of them are anywhere near the quality this one does. The biggest problem I have is if that doesn't work what else doesn't. I am really fed up about it. It's kind of my fault as well which makes it worse. I had the camera on my new tripod I wanted to see how I had to arrange it to make it stand up, I played with it for quite a while because it kept looking like it was tipping over then I finally thought I had it right and it looked really stable and then it just toppled off. Now the tripod is taunting me because it's standing perfectly upright and I could quite happily snap it's legs off lol. The 5 Mega Pixel Camera is ok and so is the 6 Mega Pixel but they eat batteries I can only get a few shots on rechargeable batteries before they decide not to work anymore. My camera lasts for days and sometimes weeks on one set of rechargables. The 3 Mega Pixel is reliable but the pictures look so crappy after mine. *sigh* I guess I will just have to keep my fingers crossed that there is nothing else wrong with it and have the vague hope that maybe it will work itself out like the 5 Mega Pixel did after I dropped that one on the concrete.

Ride! Layout

Credits: Layered template by FreestyleMama Creations (Actions Live, Love, Laugh Paint Template with Ride wordart), Frame from Casual Friday by Shmooangel and Birthday POP by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Font is JPaige_TonyPrint by Jeanelle Paige.

Enabling: Actions Live, Love, Laugh Templates by FreestyleMama Creations available here, Casual Friday by Shmooangel available here, Birthday POP by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and JPaige TonyPrint font available here

Climb! Layout

Credits: Layered template by FreestyleMama Creations (Actions Live, Love, Laugh - Climb Template), Explore Your World 1 and Button Box 02 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Font is JPaige_TonyPrint by Jeanelle Paige.

Enabling: Actions Live, Love, Laugh Templates by FreestyleMama Creations available here, Explore Your World 1 and Button Box 02 by Royanna Lea Fritschmann is available here and here and the JPaige_TonyPrint font by Jeanelle Paige is available here.

Jump! Layout.

Credits: Layered template by FreestyleMama Creations (Actions Live, Love, Laugh - Jump Template), Paper Cutters Zigzag by Chrissy W (Pinking Edge) and 4The Boyz - Playtime by Royanna Lea Fritschmann. Font is JPaige_TonyPrint by Jeanelle Paige.

Enabling: Actions Live, Love, Laugh Templates by FreestyleMama Creations available here, Paper Cutters ZigZag by Chrissy W available here, 4TheBoyz - Playtime by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here and the JPaige_TonyPrint font is available here.

No layout yet today but I did make a card

Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (Speedy Greetings Template 2), Stroke of Midnight by Annie Manning (Paint The Moon) and Jofia Devoe and Alpha with Pizazz shadowed by Christina Renee.

Enabling: Speedy Greetings Layered Templates by Chrissy W available here, Stroke Of Midnight by Annie Manning (Paint The Moon) and Jofia Devoe available here and Alpha with Pizazz shadowed I think came with this kit Cocktail Hour by Christina Renee and Amy Hutchinson (Ah! Designs) but I could be wrong my Christina Renee file is huge and in desperate need of organizing.

A layout for Nan

Credits: Layered template (Just The Two Of Us Template 4) and Scallop Paper Cutters (Huge Scallop Edge) by Chrissy W and A Mother's Love Collection - Soft by Amanda Rockwell. Fonts are DJB Kylie2 and DJB For Annie by Darcy Baldwin and Vivaldi.

Enabling: Just The Two Of Us Layered Templates and Scallop Paper Cutters available here and here, A Mother's Love Collection by Amanda Rockwell is now retired. DJB Kylie2 and DJB For Annie are available here and here. No idea where Vivaldi came from though sorry.

Today's layout

I haven't done anything at all today, I have been asleep all day long. I am really starting to get fed up with being ill but today was nothing to do with being ill it was a mixture of migraine, pain killers and lack of sleep last night. I feel much better now that I have had some decent sleep but I really need to make the doctors appointment soon.
Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (I'm no square 8.5x11 landscape template 2 flipped horizontally), Knowledge Journey by Royanna Lea Fritschmann, Wordart by Dani Mogstead and Messy Staples Neutrals by Kate Hadfield. Font is Patient Paige by Kimberly Geswein.

Enabling:I'm no square 8.5x11 layered templates by Chrissy W available here, Knowledge Journey by Royanna Lea Fritschmann available here, Messy Staples Neutrals by Kate Hadfield available here. I can't remember where I picked up the wordart by Dani Mogstead.You can find Patient Paige by Kimberly Geswein here.

Why is it

that the layouts that seem to take forever to finish are the ones that I am always not entirely pleased with in the end lol. I never know what exactly is bugging me about them though. Oh well at least it's finished now, I might rescrap the photo when the mood takes me though because I think it's cute.

Journalling reads: Whenever we buy gifts for you, we buy a helium balloon to release for Leo. I take you to the park and we light a candle and sing Twinkle Twinkle little star as we let it go. When I went to buy one for Christmas you wanted one too. All they had left was this ugly Christmas one and a plain black one. I bought them both andyou were thrilled that you had your very own balloon. When we released Leo’s you even told him all about it. I thought it was socute that you were so busy playing with it you forgot it was thenight for Santa to come. You went to sleep holding onto it’s string.

Credits:Layered template by Chrissy W (I'm No Square 8.5x11 Landscape Template 4), My Favourite Boy Combo by Jill D-Zines and Journalling Prompt December by Leora Sanford. Fonts are DJB Erika by Darcy Baldwin and TM Mama Wresh Pen by Terry Maruca.

Enabling:I'm No Square 8.5x11 Landscape Templates by Chrissy W available here, My Favourite Boy Combo by Jill D-Zines available here, Journalling Prompt December by Leora Sanford available here, Fonts are both pay for DJB Erika by Darcy Baldwin is available here (it's free with the brag book templates) and TM Mama Wresh Pen is available here.

Finally started scrapping Christmas

This is the first one I have made, I'm thinking it might make a good cover page, but I love that photo of him so much I have no doubt I will scrap it at again at least once lol.
Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (Forum Challenge 2 8.5x11) and Xmas Magic by Hollie Haradon (Holliewood Studios) and Annie Manning (Paint The Moon). Fonts are Love Ya Like A Sister by Kimberly Geswein and CS Funkybet by Carrie Stephens.

Enabling: The template is currently free over at Digital Candy it' s January's template challenge with Chrissy and being the lovely lady that she is, the template comes as 8.5x11 (what I used) and 12x12 so two templates for the bargain price of free lol. Xmas Magic by Hollie Haradon (Holliewood Studios) and Annie Manning (Paint The Moon) is available here, CS Funkybet was a pay for font by Carrie Stephens you can still pick it up if you hurry over here the store closes on the 15th January and just because I think this font rocks you can pick up Love Ya Like A Sister and all of Kimberly Geswein's other free fonts right here.

It's pouring down outside and Mark will be home any minute, he's promised to bath Lukas so I might even be back later with another layout.

PayPerPost

Have you heard about this company? PayPerPost is all about spreading the word out about companies via blogs. Basically they want bloggers to write about their opinions of certain products and services, and they offer cash incentives as your reward. I saw them advertised on some of the blogs I regularly visit and it seemed a bit too good to be true being given money to make blog posts. My little brain started whirring away and my female logic came up with blogging about certain subjects = $$$, $$$ = more stash lol. So from the way I see it I am earning more digital stash to add to my collection by doing what I do best, rambling away on my blog. How cool is that! So over I went and signed up thinking there would be loads of forms and details I would have to provide but it was really simple. A few digital scrappers must have been thinking along the same lines that I was because I have seen PayPerPost logos on Heather Manning's blog and on Kristine (Wenchd Grafix's) blog. After signing up I got to thinking, It's very clever marketing on their part because they are tapping into something people are already doing without trying. How many times have you seen me writing about things I love on this blog, linking to sites that I love. I am giving these sites advertising and site traffic simply because I think they rock. I can't wait to check out all the things they have for me to blog about, after all it's got to be better than reading yet another, sorry I haven't posted for a while or Mark is a pig blog post lol.
blog reviews

Let's talk addictions

I admit I have a bit of an addictive personality, I buy something and I want the whole set I hate to buy Papers without Elements and vice versa. If I find a designer I like I am only content when there entire store resides on my hard drive. I hate having kits missing from my collections. If I see something I like I buy it in as many different varities as I can find until I get bored and move onto something else or until I own all of the available ones. So do you want to know my biggest addictions? I am a digi scrap hoarder, I scrap a lot but no where near quick enough or in vast enough quantities to account for my stash of digital goodies. So on that topic I will tell you exactly what I have the biggest weaknesses for. Alpha Brushes and Layered Templates are easily my biggest weaknesses. Closely followed by my new addiction to wordart and gorgeous papers. I wonder if I will be able to change any of my bad spending habits this year? (now where's that smiley that is violently shaking it's head No, No, No lol) I am going to try though. I also have an addiction to music I love to listen to that or audiobooks while I scrap, so more decent music means less time spent having to look for a decent cd that isn't scratched. I love my ipod I plugged it into an old set of speakers and it just plays away to itself without me having to do anything, or at least it does when I remember to charge it up lol. I have a weakness as far as clothes are concerned as well or more accurately shoes, I love shoes. Can't wear them for very long without wanting to cry because of the pain in my hips but I have quite a collection platfroms being my absolute favourite because I hate heels but I love height. I don't own a really comfortable pair of shoes but I do have quite a few different pairs that I can wear for a while. I buy quite a few clothes because I am still searching for the elusive perfect outfit. Wondering what that is? A top that doesn't ride up, or show too much cleavage with long sleeves that can be pushed up and will actually stay up without cutting off the blood flow lol. A pair of trousers that are long enough (not a very common find unfortunately) tall ones are too long, normal ones are too short, that don't have buttons or a zip because they hurt my stomach where my scars are but a pair that doesn't have a fully elasticated waist or huge gigantic pockets that make no sense, they also need to not slide down constantly or have that awful fabric change (denim to lycra is a bad idea!!) I learnt that from maternity jeans if you are wondering, they come apart at the seams! I would also be ecstatic if they came without belt loops of if they have them that they didn't come off I have lots of jeans with holes in them where the belt loops have caught on something. A pair of knickers that do not ride up my backside while sitting at the desk, that are large enough not to cut off the circulation but small enough to not resemble granny pants or a parachute from the local army surplus store lol. A bra that pushes the boobs up with trying to shove them far enough up to make them escape the confines of their cage, without underwire because that cuts under my arms and in a perfect world with no lacy crap on them to make my tops looks awful (bumpy bras anyone) or to make me want to rip me skin off lol. Finished off with a gorgeous pair of platforms or boots that do not hurt. See I have unattainable goals, what I want never exists and then the substitutes just take up more and more space before eventually they over run all available space and I end up well right here roflmao. Tomorrow (or later if I get around to it) I will tell you about my obsessive behaviour especially the behaviour to do with digital stash and my attempts at organising that stash.

Today's layout

I've just finished this one, and it really made me think how many important events I need to scrap about still. I am very greatful for my little blog when it comes to trying to journal about things and I am especially greatful when it comes to the rescue and saves my butt because Mark never bothered to change the date on the camera and it reads some random date like 1st January 2003 (um no those were taken in 2006 when Lukas started school) I like to date my photos, because it helps me remember why I am scrapping them it's kind of oh yeah September/October 2006 that would be Lukas's first year at school kind of thing. (Actually as you can see he never actually went to school until November because he started after the half term and he was ill for the first week back but that's a whole other layout lol). But I think I have rambled enough let's get on with the showing bit. My photography has improved a whole lot since these photos were taken but the top photo in particular was taken with the old camera and let's just simply say I didn't have as much of a handle on either the functionality of the camera or my own person bribery tactics as a parent. I have learnt a lot and by the time I took the second one it was almost close to be not blurry, what can I say the rapid shot function on my new camera is my very best friend lol and you can't go wrong with a combination of chocolate, trades and threatning every punishment you can think of if they don't sit still lol. I personally think that those peace organisations should try bargaining with a 5 year old before they moan that they have difficult jobs, all they are aiming for is world peace bet that's a lot easier than a little kid sitting still for long enough to take a 1st day of school or last day of school picture lol.
Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (Just The Two Of Us Template 3), 1st Day Jitters by Kate Hadfield and Ashley Olson and Just Another Memory by Jessica Bolton. Font is Cheryl.

Since I am unsure if you can read it journalling reads: When you started school you were so excited. You couldn't wait to ready for another school day.That novelty wore off after a few days, you moaned about getting up in the morning, and made every little thing take so long to complete. It didn't take long for you to assert your own independace and refuse to wear a white top to school, you would only wear blue ones. I saw a lot of changes in you in your first year of school. Some were not so good and some were great but when it comes to school photographs, you are still a fidget who can't or won't stand still. It's nice to see some things never change!

Enabling: Just The Two Of Us Layered Templates available here, 1st Day Jitters by Ashley Olson and Kate Hadfield is no longer available and Just Another Memory by Jessica Bolton is no longer available either (actually I think that one just might have been a newsletter freebie but not sure.

Right I am off to try and get some sleep, yeah I know I will more than likely be back because I can't but a girl's gotta try, especially since this particular girl fully intends on avoiding her mummy duties for much more fun scrapping orientated ones until the dh leaves for work at 4pm tomorrow, although I will happily settle for the much more probable hour or two at maximum I will get before they wake up before I spend every available minutes seperating them, shouting at them and nagging at least one of them to pick up something from the floor. Oh the joys of living with a pig and 5 year old lol.

it's come to my attention

that some people may actually be reading my blog lol. It's also suddenly occured to me that sometimes when I write blog posts I write them like I am posting on a messageboard oops lol. See what I mean, so I thought a quick list of the common abbreviations I use might help. If it doesn't help anyone out it will at least serve as a reminder to my senile brain (which is already well on it's way to being around full time) of what I was typing actually moaning about.
lol = laugh out loud, I use it when I just want to try and laugh at the situation I am typing about that little lol is usually my attempt at humour (or at least making the situation not look as crappy as it actually is)
rofl = rolling on the floor laughing, or pml = peeing myself laughing I use those when I actually do think something was very funny there isn't an attempt at sarcasm there (well usually lol)
dh = usually on messageboard the d stands for dear or darling on here it usually stands for dumbass, dirty, or some other deragatory term about my husband because if you read this you all know what he's like. I make no attempt to try and pretend I have a perfect marriage or a perfect life, or that my husband is anything but a pig most of the time.
I can't think of any others I use often, if I am talking about websites there is usually a link in the post somewhere.
I believe on occasion I may have used the term BIL = usually means brother in law over here i'm not usually that nice about Mark's brother and his wife they are the beastly in laws or the much less polite term that I don't want to type lol.
Along the same lines MIL usually means monster in law not mother in law and that bloody old perv means the father in law.
But if anyone does read anything and they aren't sure what the heck I am on about email me or leave me a comment, I would be happy to try and explain where my rambling mind took me lol.

Sharing my 1st layout of 2008

I decided to start sharing my layouts here on my blog again, at least posting them gives me something to talk about lol. So here is my first layout of 2008, Lukas's Thank You card for sending to everyone who bought him gifts or gave him cash for christmas.
Credits: Layered template by Chrissy W (Just The Two Of Us Template 1) and Festivities by Amy Hutchinson (Ah! Designs), O.N Designs and Angela and Emily Powers (Two Sisters Designs), Greetings Set 1 by April Staker and Glitter styles by Flergs.

Enabling:Just The Two Of Us Layered Templates by Chrissy W available here, Festivities Collaboration by Amy Hutchinson (Ah! designs), O.N Designs and Angela and Emily Powers (Two Sisters Designs) available here, Greetings Set 1 by April Staker available here and Glitter Styles by Flergs were a previous freebie here

First off I just wanted to say

Happy New Year and share a card I made.