Get Picky challenge

A new inspiration prompt is up at Get Picky this week:

I loved this quote and almost used it in its entirety on my page. In the end, though, I decided to focus on the phrase “happy girls are the prettiest girls”.

Journaling: ... my morning runs, parcels to collect from the post office, warm hugs, coffee, Jamie's giggles, FreshFM on the radio, 35 degrees celcius, painted toe nails, shady back garden, old friendships, solving problems, ABCkids in the afternoon, evening walks, creating at night... these are the things that make me happy... and happy girls are the prettiest girls.

I am conscious that my life will change in a few short weeks. Jamie will be at school. I will be working more days a week. I want to remember what life was like now, as I've really enjoyed this last five years being home with Jamie. It has made me so incredibly happy, this phase of being a mother to a pre-schooler. I never want it to come to an end. But it will. It's inevitable.

I’ve taken the blue/white colour scheme from the inspiration image. The little black knobs on the dresser inspired me to add some black splatters to the background. The black frame on the mirror and the wrought iron ornament in front of it inspired me to add some further pops of black – black grid overlay, some black and white gaffer tape, and those gorgeous Pink Paislee chipboard letters.

The other interpretations from the DT are amazing, and Iris Balbao Uz and Julie Winks are playing along this week too. Go have a look here.

Kathie xx

A five year old perspective

We were decorating our Christmas tree this morning. I gave Jamie the camera. As well as numerous photos of the corner of our carpet square, here are some of the gems I found on the memory card after:

I didn't realise I looked so tall to my five year old! Gulp. It gives you a whole new perspective, doesn't it!

And here are a few I took:
And finally....
I love finding little scenes like this around our house :)

Kathie xx

Christmas artwork

We're getting into the Christmas spirit around here...

Artwork by Jamie, age 5

This is his first homework, hee. Here he is, at the kitchen table. I love this scene.


As part of Jamie's homework we had to list our Christmas traditions. I hadn't really listed them before and didn't think we had any, but after thinking about it we actually have a few:

- We have our friends over for a party on Christmas Eve - Phil is of German parentage and that is when they celebrate.

- We have an Advent Calendar that we use to countdown to Christmas. I made one last year, as one of my Masters challenges in Scrapbooking Memories magazine, and I'm looking forward to getting it out again this year.

- We visit Father Christmas with Jamie's Grandma and Grandad leading up to Christmas, and then go and have afternoon tea with them.

- We always have Christmas lunch at my parents, with a hot roast midday meal.

- We always, always wear our silly Christmas paper crowns out of the bon-bons :)

What are your Christmas traditions?

Hello hello

Hello to the girls from Bons Scraps who are passing through on their blog train at the moment. I'm stoked to be part of the fun. Thanks for visiting!

The Color Room palette #34

When I started wrapping Jamie's birthday present last week, I noticed that the wrapping paper adopted the same colour palette as this week's palette at The Color Room. Which was remarkably fortuitous seeing as I hadn't found a birthday card for him yet, and it was now 9pm on the eve of his birthday.

So, at 9.30pm I started making a card. Using this color scheme:

And by 11.30pm when I dragged myself off to bed, this is what I had made:

And this is what Jamie saw when he woke up on his birthday:

Perfect!

Head over to The Color Room to see what the other designers have made. It's a knock out gallery this week!

Kathie

Young Love

Jamie was upset when he came home from childcare last Thursday. Both he and his little mate had wanted to sit next to the same little girl. Jamie loves this little girl. When I ask him whether he loves her, he cocks his head coyly to the side, smiles so I can see that dimple of his and agrees. Yes, he loves her.

So.... I understand both he and his mate love the same girl.

Ah, a love triangle at the tender age of five.... lol.

Anyway, I think the story ended with the little girl being removed from the scene ..... before the boys resorted to a duel at dawn. She got to sit on the couch, while the boys had to sit next to each other on the mat.

Life's cruel.

The fifth birthday party

We have had a fun, fun day.


It was a little difficult to pin down the birthday boy for a photo though...

And I have a whole series of these photos, with Jamie looking everywhere but at the camera, and talking up a storm!

Now we have visitors arriving for tea. Better be off. My photo break is over :)
Kathie

The Color Room palette #33

Look at the new color palette that's up at The Color Room today:

Fabulous!

I have been too busy this week with beach trips, school transition visits, fifth birthdays and birthday party preparations to do much scrapbooking. There is, however, always next week....

Check out what the other design team members did with the palette here.

Overheard in our house

Mummy? How many cwimogwams am I?
LOL, he's so cute. And, for the record, he's 20kg (or cwimogwams, hee hee) in his clothes and shoes ;)

Work in progress

My blog is a blank canvas. I've decided to revamp. Bear with me while I make it pretty :)

A birthday boy

We have a fifth birthday boy in the house. Wow. My little boy is five.

Oh what a face. I cannot get a photo of him these days. He just looks away. Or puts a totally goofy look on his face.

He got totally spoilt all day, little possum.

I had given him the choice of what he wanted to have for tea, seeing as it was his birthday. And this was the reply:

“corn, carrots, broccoli and peas…”.

That was it! A plate of boiled veggies. What a precious boy, lol. What more could we want – a little boy who, when given the choice of anything in the whole wide world for his birthday tea, asks for a plate of boiled veggies!!!!

We ended up settling on pizza and garlic bread. Oh, and a birthday cake. Yes, he did remember to ask for a birthday cake!

I am Thankful

Aussie Scrap Source is now stocking Lilybee scrapbooking collections. This layout is up on the blog at the moment, and features the Catching Fall range.

Journaling: This afternoon I had one of those "aha!" moments when something clicked in my head with realisation. I have long wished for a sibling for Jamie. I've had a vision of two children, running around in the backyard laughing and giggling. I has been a source of grief, that the vision in my head will never be a reality. I have longed to hear that laughing and giggling twosome and I greived to see my lonesome boy by himself. But today, I had a realisation. As I stood in my kitchen preparing snacks I looked out across the yard to see Jamie playing with his friend who had come over for a playdate. I heard their laughter and gleeful giggles float across the garden. And in that moment my mental image and my reality aligned. Wow. The Universe does deliver! Just not always in the preconceived manner we may be holding on to. Sometimes what we want is really there in front of us all the while.


The journaling is taken from my blog post here.

It has been a hard thing to let go of my dream of having more than one child.

But slowly I feel myself moving forward, and out of that space I was in for a while. Gradually I make new plans and set new goals. And then, like this particular day, I find myself not at all sad, and in fact whole heartedly grateful. It's a good place to be.

Kathie

Jovial Cards

I have been making Christmas cards for Aussie Scrap Source.




These are simple cards, and would be easy to make on a production line. I talk about how to make them on the Aussie Scrap Source Blog.


And some close ups:



Super effective, and really really easy. Head over here to see just how easy.

Get Picky Sketch 2

This is the new sketch up at Get Picky this fortnight:

And here is my layout:


Journaling: From the moment I enter that gate in the wall, I feel a calmness descend. This is my parents' garden. It's a sanctuary. They have lived here their entire married life. The garden's cool and shady. Peaceful. It's filled with bird song. Winding paths meander. It's my retreat - from the physical bustle, or from emotional turmoils. I just walk through that gate and I am at peace. Safe. Sheltered. It is my idyll.

We spent this morning down at the beach for a kindy excursion. It was freezing! Now we're home again, have done a huuuuge grocery shop, and I am in the middle of baking biscuits for Jamie to take to kindy this Wednesday as he will be turning.....five!!!! OMG.

So, lots to do this week. We are having a huge birthday party on the weekend. 20 kids invited. Am I insane? Probably. Or if not now, I will be after the weekend ;)

See ya
Kathie

Christmas pageant

Yep, it's definitely starting to feel like Christmas around here. We spent the morning at the annual Adelaide Christmas Pageant:



Ah, I love a good parade. I lost count of how many photos I took. Each float seemed bigger and brighter than the last.


There was face painting. Jamie, of course, chose to be Harry Potter.


I love the clowns. There were plenty of clowns to keep me happy.


And marching bands.

And Father Christmas!!!

xx Kathie