Just Because really.....

I wanted to quickly update and Yes OK brag a little bit. Do you remember this layout I did for my girlfriend Sue's daughters 16th. Well if you're flicking through this months For Keeps magazine thumb over to page 25. I'm little excited, this is my first layout published in For Keeps.





Then today in the post I got another commissioning letter this time from Scrapbooking Memories, they have chosen to print the layout I did called Good Mates. Whoo Hoo!!!!
It's the one with Neil and his two friends Mark and Norm, talking about their passion for music. The layout will be in volume 10 issue 3.


OK that's it for now sorry for the blatant bragging, I better head off now and pick Madeleine up from School. I'll update again after the weekend.


Cheers


Leeanne x

Busy Busy Busy.......................

Busy Busy Busy.... that's life at the moment. Of course that's the way it always is when schools back and all the after school activities kick in as well.

Madeleine is thoroughly enjoying H.S. so far, she has made lots of new friends and is enjoying her classes (well most of them anyway) . There is a fair bit of homework that goes along with it but she is more than coping so far. Monday she tried out to be in a school production later in the year and although it won't be officially announced for a week or so, feedback from those in the know suggest that she got in. Fingers crossed that, that is the case. One of the girls in her textile class this week has invited her to a Youth Group on Friday night, which apparently is awesome and lots of fun. So she's off to that on Friday night to check it all out and see what it's all about.

Last Saturday we let Madeleine go to the movies with a group of friends (boys and girls) to see Definitely Maybe. It's the first time we have let her do something like that and I was a bit nervous. They were taken there and picked up straight after the movie , and they all had a ball. I'm not sure that the boys loved the movie the girls chose though. Next time the boys will have to have first choice.

In sporting news Netball kicked off properly last Saturday after 3 weeks of grading. Madeleine's team had a convincing win and were all pretty happy with themselves. Big news is that tonight she played in a Semi for Basketball and her team will be playing off in the Grand Final at 10am Sunday morning. GO TEAM!!!!!!

On the job front my contract has now been extended until the end of April, and they are saying that will be last extension. You never know though in the Public Service things change every week, every day, every hour, every minute. So guess what I'm saying is there is a slight chance it may get extended again.

Saturday night we went out to dinner at Mark and Jasmine's place, they have a lovely home and the food was just beautiful. Another friend of ours was there with his new girlfriend who none of had met before, and it turns out that her and Neil went to the same primary school. He knew her face as soon as she walked in. Well when I say he knew her they had never actually met he just knew she grew up in Cheltenham and went to OLA. She is younger than us (only a few years) so they never socialised together. Small world sometimes.

Sunday we went out to lunch at the Mentone Hotel for Neil's dad's birthday. The food is quite nice there and we always end up in this little nook, which is nice because it's a little more private. Then it was back to Bob and Norma's for coffee and cake.

A friend of mine's Mum passed away early of Monday morning, she had been sick for along time and has certainly been in intense pain for the last few months. So at least she is not suffering anymore. My thoughts go out to Karen (not mckeown) and her family at this sad time.

In good news.... Shaun, Amanda and baby Charlie are coming down to Melboure from the Gold Coast this weekend. Whoo Hoo!!!!!!!!!! we can't wait to see them. Although we will have to wait until Sunday to actually catch up. They arrive Thursday night, have a wedding on Friday, will catch up with Shaun's grandparents and family on his mum's side and then come and spend the day with us on Sunday. Charlie is now 9 months old, where did that time go.... stay tuned for photos.

Well I think I've rambled on enough for now

cheers until next time.

Leeanne x

FEBRUARY CHALLENGE

I hope you've all completed your layouts for the February challenge over at Wendy's BLOG, you have until Monday 25th February to get them in. Here's the sketch for this month the winner will receive $30 worth of product, gotta love that.

Here's my take on it. I've flipped the design to suite my photos. The title and journalling is from a Rolling Stones song "You can't always get what you want". When we went to see Mad Violet a couple of weeks ago they did a cover of the song, and it immediately hit me as an idea for a LO.

The journalling is:

You can't always get what You want

But if you try sometimes

You just might find

You get what You need.

I like the sentiment and to me it means you don't always have to have a lot of material things in your life but that sometimes the simple things in life (in this case the beach) are just as good if not better than a theme park for enjoyment. (simplistic view I know but you get what I mean)I've used some of the new tropical range of papers from Making Memories... Love the bright colours.

Paper: Making Memories (tropical),Alpha: Heidi Swapp, American Crafts, carolee creations and EK success; Rubon: Rhonna Farrer autumn leaves; Bookplates: Heidi Swapp; Hambly transperency, Embellishments: Making memory chipboard flower buttons, Heidi Swapp tape, Heidi Swapp corner, making memory hat pin, small tag. Stamp: Elsie Flannigan.

Cheers for now

Leeanne x

Layouts 2 Share and Tagged

Well today I finally finished the 3 layouts from Wendy's January No Scraps Class. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I really love these classes. If you haven't tried them yet ...what are you waiting for? give them a go, you won't be disappointed. I still have the card to make, No Scraps is really great value at $15 you always get at least 3 layouts and a card or two or three.







































TAGGED:-


I've been tagged by my cheeky friend Wendy
You must post the rules before you give your answers. You must list one fact about yourself for each letter of your middle name. Each fact must begin with that letter. If you don't have a middle name, just use your maiden name. After you've been tagged, you need to up-date your blog with your middle name and answers. At the end of your post, you need to tag one person for each letter of your middle name. (Be sure to leave them a comment telling them they've been tagged and need to read your blog for details).

My middle name is Therese... here goes:

THANKFUL..for my health & family
HAPPY…I choose to be happy so I am (well most of the time anyway)
ENJOYS.. the company of good friends
READING.. nothing like getting lost in a good story.
ENJOYS…good food.
SCRAPBOOKING ...love to create
ENJOYS…a drink or two with good friends along with good food

I tag;- Julie, Joy, I'm not sure who hasn't already had this tag. I think most people so if you haven't done it and would like to share... I tag you too.

Cheers

Leeanne x

February...what the?? What happened to January??

Well I can't tell you how nice it has been to have the last 2 1/2 weeks off work. The first week was fabulous in Tasmania. What a truly beautiful part of the world it is, the most spectacular scenery and coast line. We did over 1,000 k's in that week and only did the east coast, and we certainly didn't see all there is to see.

I've completed one layout since being home re Tassie. Here tis. I stamped the snowflake images on a transperancy and then added ice stickles to them, and also used a toothbrush to make the transperency for the main photo as well as using the toothbrush to splash paint around the edges of the blue carstock. Then I beaded the question mark and also added some ice stickles. Love that photo of Madeleine trying to taste the snow.

I can't even remember what I did last week, not a lot though...... which I liked. Madeleine was just happy being with her friends before they started school last week, so most of the time I had at least one to three friends here at any given time.


Last Saturday night I like many other mothers around Australia spent a few hours (Ok Ok lets say 6 hours Oh and I'm sure not every mother was doing it on Saturday night) covering text books, labeling folders, naming pencils etc etc....Should I fess up now?... I actually LIKE, yes like doing it. Theraputic some how. I couldn't get Madeleine even a little bit interested in it. She was too busy stressing out about actually going to Secondary School and having NO Friends!!


I can't tell you how scared she was about going, so not looking forward to it, she was also sick of every one telling her it was going to be fine.


We arrived and she found out where her class was and she lined up with the rest of them. As I left she was chatting away to the girl next to her. Good sign I thought, she only needed to meet someone she could chat to and spend recess and lunch with and she'd be happy.


Then at 11:50am I got a call from the registrar at the school asking why Madeleine hadn't turned up for school. Doh!!! What the???? I told her that surprised me as I had dropped her off and watched her walk away with all the other Year 7's and perhaps she would like to go and double check for me, that she was there and call me back asap. Now a few scenarios went through my head none of which Madeleine would do I might add. I was sure they had just marked the role incorrectly or something along those lines. Still I was a teeny weeny bit anxious. Anyway of course all was well and Madeleine was where she was supposed be. Apparently there is another Madeleine in year who hadn't turned up. Bit of a minties moment for all concerned really.


When I picked her up at the end of the day she had made not one but 3 new friends in her class, Paige, Rosie and Jess along with a few year 8 girls. She had had a great time and thought the teachers she had had that day were pretty cool. Her home room teacher plays netball and is a goal keeper like her and also barracks for Richmond, ( I think she's in there). She was given a very small amount of English homework that she has completed I'm pleased to say ready to hand in tomorrow. She's also completed her maths homework that is due in on Friday, so far so good.

Today she had meet quite a few other kids from the other classes in one of her specialist classes. So all in all it's been a fantastic start to High School. Phew!!! what a relief (for all of us).

Here's a couple of first day photos. I was kind to her and didn't really take that many, given how nervous she was, and I promised I wouldn't take the camera to school. Don't you just love the long white socks??

Thursday it's back to work so now I will be working 9:30 to 3:00pm so I can pick Madeleine up from School. I had a phone call from my Manager (and friend) at work today to let me know her Mum had passed away on the weekend. A very sad time for her and her sister and brother.

Ok that's it for now

cheers

Leeanne x