A favourite !

I haven't posted a layout this week but I have been creating quite a few. They'll be available soon as part of a Cyber Crop that ScrapChat is having next month and also with Scrap 'n Craft with T. I have a few kits coming up - maybe I can share some sneak peaks here - I'll ask the girls first.

I wanted to share a favourite photo that I captured at the wedding on Valentine's Day. Isn't she gorgeous!



Apart from that, no other news but I do believe I have some new visitors to my blog - word gets around and my Dad (proud Dad) has been spreading the word. So for those of you who don't know how to leave a message .... now's the time and I'd love to hear from you. Simply click on the word COMMENT at the end of this post. Choose ANONYMOUS and write your comment - making sure to leave your name at the end of your comment. It's always nice to know if you dropped by.

Have a good weekend!

Crumpler bag for sale! SOLD

I received one of these gorgeous bags in the mail today from Canon - it was part of my purchase of my new camera and lens - a promotion from Canon. I really don't need another bag - I have my old one plus a huge new one that Manuel gave me for xmas. If anyone's interested ... it's for sale - feel free to leave me a message and I'll give you some details. It's still sealed in the plastic bag with all tags on.

I will try and check out the details but I think it might be along the lines of their '5 million dollar home' design - yep, that's what Crumpler call their bags - cute hey?

here's the link to the 5 million dollar home details.

I managed to scrap a photo I've had since Xmas Day - for some reason I was finding this one a little tricky and I'm not sure why. But, I was pleased with the end result. Love the sassafrass red stripey paper and the Autumn Leaves Manhattan flower paper/embellishment. I just wished I hadn't used permanent tape to adhere my journaling strips - may have looked better if they were bunched up a bit closer to the title ... oh well, it's done now.

I

Photos, photos and more photos!

Yesterday, my baby turned 3!
Where did the time go?

I managed to snap a few photos of him alone - he's a beautiful boy!

And today we had a party with the family - he had a ball!
Being the Thomas the Tank fanatic that he is, I went all out with the theme. Oh and before you all comment on how clean my floors look (LOL) .... they certainly were before the party - when daylight hits them tomorrow after today's chaos, they should look very ordinary and there will be no need to praise me.

The gorgeous Thomas cake - he couldn't stop showing everyone. The fondant decorations were made by a talented friend of mine, Naomi, who I met on flickr and lives in Newcastle. I asked her to make them for me and then she mailed them. They arrived safely and were a real hit with Joshua.

I made the cupcakes and cake myself and simply added the decorations.

The lolly bags.

The birthday boy.

My 2 boys - oh the darlings! I think they'd had enough of me trying to take a photo before the family arrived and they started to hug each other - of course, I whipped out my camera just in time to capture their love.

And one of the favourite pressies.

Hope you're still awake after all these pics, but it was such a lovely day for us all and I wanted to share.

Good news !

It's been a great day - the house is clean and I had time to scrap a layout for my next Keeping It Simple Article. For those who regularly visit my blog, I used a photo from my Grandmother's 95th birthday (which actually turned out later on to be her 94th ... but that's another story). I asked her heaps of questions, some of which were suggested by you and that is featured on the layout. Sadly, you'll need to wait until Issue 67 before you get to see how it turned out. I can't wait to show her on Sunday. When I asked my grandmother if I could ask her some questions and interview her, I explained that it would be published in a magazine and people would read about her. I asked her if that would be OK and she replied in her gorgeous broken english ...

"You think they want to read about me?" - how cute hey!

I also received 2 layout acceptances from Scrapbooking Memories today, so that was great.

And a couple of days ago, I received my copy of Simple Scrapbooks (USA) in the mail - this was no ordinary issue for me. I'm pretty excited actually. I'm a huge fan of SS and I was so excited when they accepted a layout from me to be featured in this issue. It is so sad that this will be the second last issue that goes to print - they cease printing after the next one- so very sad!

Here are some pics of the magazine - and if you get a copy you'll find 2 other aussies in there (nicole and dianne) as well as a few other well known US and Canadian scrappers that I'm fortunate to be friends with - way to go girls!

All in all a good day for scrapping news!

Chris & Melissa's Wedding Day!

I quickly put together some images from Chris and Melissa's Wedding Day - they are a such a lovely couple and I had a great time taking some photos for my Dad and Mum - hope you like them Dad - this is your sneak peak!

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope everyone had a special Valentine's Day - I did - a gorgeous red heart card from Ethan and Lindt chocolates from Manuel and the children (had to go on a secret hunt for them).

I also got to photograph a beautiful wedding today - a special request from my father. The couple had organised a photographer but my Dad and Mum wanted some images of their own.

Here is one I really liked.

Hopefully I'll post some more over the coming days - my little pinkie finger is cramping from using the mouse so much - lol! Time for an early night I think.

Another one!

Well, it may just be a first for me ... 2 layouts in 2 nights - woohoo!

I absolutely loved these papers the minute I saw them at FLOURISH and of course I adore the AMerican crafts FLAIR COOL buttons given to me by my dear friend, Severine (former American Crafts DT member). I love creating collages with my photos - makes it so much easier to place on the page and looks so precise.





I was asked about the alpha stickers used in my last layout by Mandy - they are actually Pink Paislee and they come in a huge choice of colours.

No excuses!

I was telling Michelle today why I haven't been scrapping much these last few weeks. You see, I keep heading to the study after dinner to check emails and blog surf and then the time slips away. I even explained to her that Ireally should scrap as soon as dinner is over and then go and blog surf later. I had a solution to my own dilema. I even went as far as to show her my latest papers and embellishments that I purchased from Flourish as well as a gorgeous kit I'm going to be creating for Scrap 'n' Craft with T. So tonight there was no way I could not create something to share ... especially since we see each other at drop off and pick up time at school every day!

This one's for you Michelle!




Oh and this layout was definately inspired by heaps of previous blog surfing ... just not exactly sure where or who though ! :)

Keeping It Simple Article

In this month's Scrapbook Creations, I was asked to write about Paper Layering - Simple Style.

Here is the layout I created about Ethan last year and his costume for Book Week at school.

I had a few seconds to glance through the magazine and also at Helen Karanfilovski's and Belinda Venable's layouts for the same article - so many great layouts! Hopefully my copy will be in the mail soon and I get some inspiration.

Lots and lots and lots ....

... of photos of my stay at Gwinganna Retreat.

This is where we would eat our meals and it overlooked some lovely herb gardens on one side,

as well as this on the other side - a beautiful infinity pool that looked out to some breathtaking scenery.
This was the Valencia Suite that I stayed in - there were 8 separate rooms in this home and quite a few more of these villas dotted around the property.


This was part of the verandah in the villa I stayed in.

The Day Spa was a beautiful new building only 1 year old - great modern Australian architecture. I indulged in a couple of massages while I was there.

I loved the mirrored front doors.

... and this is the back of the Day Spa where you would be taken into one of these villas to have your treatment.

No, that's not me but I did go into that room.

The bathrooms were pretty special,

... and so were the surrounds.

This is the view we all had,

when we woke at 5.30am for 6am Thai Chi - glorious!


Delicious organic fruit, vegetables and herbs grown on the property.

And to show you I was really there .... a bad timer photo of me lounging around

in one of those cute chairs.

This is the view from the other infinity pool that is part of an

amazing gymnasium on the property.

... and one of many huge copper pots scattered through the gardens that can be lit in winter time to keep you warm.

But back to reality now like everyone else.

A full day ...

of school drop off and then toddler gymnastics,

followed by a visit to the organic store and Coles,

lunch and a nap for Joshua,

a dash to school for pick up time,

prepare afternoon tea,

some baking with the boys (Carob and Banana Balls - a recipe from the Gwinganna cookbook),

shower them both and dress them in their PJ's,

heat up some home cooked pasta from my Grandmother for their dinner,

and then put them to bed at 7pm.

All in all,

an ordinary day in the Stamatellos home.

I'm back !

I had a great time at Gwinganna and feeling quite energized now.

I can't wait to look at my photos and share them here.

It's been a tough 4 days away .... rest, rest and more rest - LOL!

.... so off for an early night and I'll be posting tomorrow with all the gorey details.

Goodnight!

Time away!

I'm sneaking in a quick minute to say I'll be away from my blog for the next 4 days. This is where I'm going - woohoo!!

http://www.gwinganna.com/

Hopefully, I'll be relaxed and energized when I get home to my beautiful family.

Oh, and thank you all so much for leaving your 'threatening' comments to not touch that previous layout - I've tucked it into the album because I'm too nervous what one of you might end up doing if I change it ... but then Nicole did have the same idea that I did (maybe some Basic Grey red/orange paper)!!!

Uncertain!

I snuck in a bit of scrapping while Joshua was napping today and managed to complete this layout about the day I turned 40! I can't figure out if I'm happy with it or not - it started off being clean with crisp red edges and finished off a bit bohemian with all that gorgeous Basic Grey Ambrosia range. Not sure whether to redo this - I've never done a redo before but something doesn't feel right. All you girls out there that ink, can I rough up the vivid red cardstock with some ink or should I just rip it off and replace it with some Basic Grey red paper? Thoughts ... anyone?



Oh, and it's great to see so many friends adding their name to the list of 'followers' on my blog. I've been doing it too and it's so easy - just click on 'follow this blog' and fill in the blanks.

More details about Flourish!

Here are some more photos from the opening of Flourish.
I know some of my 'simple' friends (LOL) will be drooling at the wall of bazzill.

http://kathrynmarkrubymax.blogspot.com/

and the previous link on my last post has heaps of photos too.

Oh and Katherine, the opening night was by invitation - that's how I found out about it ... definately worth a visit. Both Ruth and Jan are 2 stylish girls - they are the owners of Flourish!