Discover | Custom art

This week as I was blog surfing, I landed on Cathy Zielske's wonderful blog (one of my regular reads). Normally I don't take much notice of her sponsor posts, however this one just struck a chord! We have loads of long walls to fill in our house, and I often search the web looking for unique bits and bobs to fill them.  LeAnne from Fritz Creative creates these wonderful wall art pieces using photographs of letters. I sent her an email straight away...and here's the letters I've selected...

How fun is that! I can't wait until its hanging on our wall.  Each photo measure 6"x4"..so it'll be approximately 32" wide.  There are so many letters to choose from, and it was so easy to mix them up and pick the ones that work best for our space and my style. Particularly love that key hanging off the "r".  Our lounge/dining area is finally coming together.

Cheers, Lis.

Tuesday | Ten

Today's category:  10 Songs You’re Embarrassed to Like

1. Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
2. Baby Got Back - Sir Mixalot
3. I Remember You - Warrant Skid Row (got my hair bands mixed up! lol)
4. Bad Boys - Wham
5. Rasputin - Boney M
6. Dirty Picture - Taio Cruz w/ Ke$ha
7. Umbrella - Rihanna
8. Islands in the Stream - Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton
9. I'm Too Sexy - Right Said Fred
10. The One That You Love - Air Supply

There...I've aired my dirty laundry. lol. How about you??

Cheers, Lis.

Mum stuff | Labour pains...

When I was growing up, my mum would often tell me that she was having labour pains...odd really, considering there is only me and my sister! lol. What she was referring to is that feeling of dread right in the pit of your stomach (or lower...lol) you feel when your child is doing anything remotely dangerous.  I guess its nature's way of telling us to protect our young.  After having children, I have long suffered from those same labour pains...and today I was experiencing the king of contractions.

You see...Seth, at only 7.5 years old, was off to drive go-karts at the racing track for a friend's birthday.  We only took the training wheels off his bike a few months ago, and here I was, putting him behind the wheel of a fast-moving vehicle!  Not only that...he is very very short...we were worried his feet wouldn't even touch the pedals!  Well, sometimes you've just got to let boys be boys.  He put on the smallest racing suit they had, and boy did he look cute!! Next up, the helmet, which when placed on his head, made him resemble a massive lollypop. lol.

First lap was behind the pace car. All was good when they lined up...he was driving like Driving Miss Daisy...until he rear ended the boy in front. Ooops, sorry, his little hand waved in the air.

Then he decided that following the pace car was for chumps and promptly overtook...oops again. After a few laps, he was right in the swing of it and having a blast!  My labour pains subsided after I could see that he was being (somewhat) careful.

Watching him go around the track reminded me of watching my Dad race cars out at Oran Park when I was a little girl.  I do love the sound of a race car zooming past at high speed...

I guess today was just a stark reminder, once again, that my boy is growing up!  Before I know it, we'll be teaching him to drive a car...please let that day be a long long way away!  Such a fun day out for the boys though and a birthday party to remember, that's for sure. Maybe we have a little Mark Webber on our hands!  I wonder if Mark Webber's mother still has labour pains...

Cheers, Lis.

Mum stuff | Party planning...

Two months from today, my baby boy will turn 8! I know!! Where did the time go?

Years ago, my hubby and I decided that we'd only throw a big birthday party for our children every second year. Sounds mean, doesn't it. On the off year, we take the kids somewhere special for their birthday as a family. For Seth's birthday last year, we went to Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, and the National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst. We had a fabulous weekend away and it made his birthday extra special.

Regardless of what we do, I always make an extra special cake as per the kids requests.  Last year it was Mario. Prior to that, I've made Seth bowling pins, an alien, a penguin, a tiger, dump truck and a whale.

On the weekend, Seth and I sat down to start planning. There was talk of having a Pokemon or Spongebob party, but the winner was a Scooby Doo theme! ZOINKS!! Talk about fun. Seth loves watching Scooby Doo (who doesn't?). We started googling away to get some ideas...who knew there was so much Scooby Doo product on the market!! I just know he's going to have a blast and so are his friends.  Time to start making invitations and planning food and decorations and games...we're going to have a Scooby Doo mystery to solve! Can't wait.  I think I might be more excited than the kids. lol.

Not to be left out...Eme has decided we need to plan her party too...which isn't until the end of September.  Patience little grasshopper, patience.  Mummy can only plan one party at a time. lol.

Cheers, Lis.

Scooby dooby dooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!

Inspired Blueprints | Sketch #68

Honestly, I can't believe I'm about to share this photo with you...lol.  Here goes. This week sees the release of Sketch 68 at Inspired Blueprints.  One of the most popular additions to layouts at the moment is the mini photo. Sketch 68 perfectly showcases how to use this size photo and still include loads of journaling, embellishments and title.

For my layout, I have used a series of 3"x4" photos which were taken by my sister recently.  The middle one is just horrible, but hilarious at the same time. She was asking us to act silly, so we did...not realising she was actually going to take the photo! I guess that's us really.  The rubon by Lily Bee Design describes us to a tee! The super cute lamp posts holding up my banner are brand new by Scrapware!

Here's the sketch for you to play along!

We'd love to see your takes in the Inspired Blueprints gallery. Head on over now and check out what the rest of the design team have been creating.

Cheers, Lis.

Scrapware | Mini album

Have you got a big project? Why not go mini?  I don't often create mini albums, but when I have a subject that calls for more than a double page layout, a mini album is the perfect answer.  This week on the Scrapware blog, the DT has been showcasing inspiring mini album projects that I know will get you creating!

I have used Scrapware's new bracket mini album to document a recipe. Not just any recipe, but my husband's grandmother's bunsa recipe.  What's bunsa you might ask? Its a Bulgarian dish made of feta and filo pastry that Andrew's family enjoys every time they get together...and its delicious!!  I love this recipe. Not only because the recipe has been shared in the family, but because of how its written. Andrew's cousin wrote it down one day while talking to Nanna, and it includes things along the lines of "this is how you make the filo, but you don't make it, you buy it...". lol.

I have used Lily Bee Design's "Domestic Bliss" collection including patterned papers, rubons and chipboard shapes.  I covered the bracket in a grid patterned paper by Rasberry, then added rubons around the frame.  All of the edges have been inked in Umber.  For the inner pages I have stuck to the formula of photo,  patterned paper and embellishments on the left facing page, and recipe on the right.

The back cover has been covered in patterned paper and a diecut shape. A Scrapware flourish sweeps across the back cover, extending out from under a Lily Bee chip shape. The flourish has been been coated in glaze only so that the other colours pop.

I love how this album turned out and I can't wait to pass it onto our grandchildren one day!

Scrapware products used:
ALB22 Bracket album
CH428 Alyssa flourish (large)
AZ01 Teen lowercase alphas
Chip flower (front cover)

Head on over the Scrapware blog and check out the other projects on display.

Cheers, Lis.

Scrapbook Creations | Cover!

Talk about a surprise!!  Early this month I received an fb message to say congratulations on my cover...um, what cover? lol. Turns out Scrapbook Creations chose my layout for the cover of this month's magazine (issue 86)!!! I kind of had an inkling because they had held it back for "colour matching", but I didn't want to get my hopes up. Here 'tis. Its in the newsagents now.

In this issue, I have a four page article titled "Scrapping in the moment - how to stay inspired", which is about scrapping whatever memories come to mind and breaking free of the need to scrap chronologically.  It starts on page 113.  In addition to the layout above, there are three other layouts which are about my son. I am so thrilled to get the cover! Still have to pinch myself.  Love the new look magazine too. Can't believe they colour matched the whole cover to my layout. Just awesome! Eme's pretty darned excited too!

Grinning from ear to ear...cheers, Lis.

Inspired Blueprints | Sketch #67

Sketch #67 has been revealed on the Inspired Blueprints blog...love a good one photo sketch!

Here's my take. I have used mostly Fancy Pants "Love Birds" collection, except for the Kaiser diecut.  The fun colours were perfect for this photo of Emeline and her cousin, taken just before Christmas.  Eme adores her "big" cousin. Just wish we could see them more often!

Here's the sketch if you want to play along! Share your takes in the Inspired Blueprints gallery...we love seeing what you do with the sketches.

Like what you see? Why not apply to be a part of the Inspired Blueprints design team!

Submissions close 15 March 2011, so act quick!

Cheers, Lis.

Discover | Turning 37...

I've said it before and I'll say it again, my age has never really bothered me. Its just a number...or so I thought. I don't know how, but I miscalculated my age and had been telling people I was turning 38! lol. Thankfully, a quick thinking co-worker set me straight. Yes, I only turned 37. hehehe. I was somewhat thankful to get that year back!

I had a great birthday and felt very spoilt.  Andrew and the kids let me sleep in...or more correctly, Andrew stopped the kids from jumping on me too early. They were super excited to give me my pressies - a cover for my new iphone, a dvd and some perfume.  Seth wrote the funniest message in my card about not telling dad that my iphone is better than his. lol.  After pressies and showers, it was off to Diggies for brunch.  It was absolutely delicious. I had the big breakfast, which was way too much food. Seth managed to polish off his breakfast, then part of mine and Eme's. I think he might be having a growth spurt soon.

After brunch, it was off to Freedom Furniture for part two of my pressies...two new bar stools. Nice! I've had my eye on the Mao bar stool for ages, and now they're mine! Yay!! Love them. They go perfectly with the vintage art deco buffet I picked up on ebay recently.

I had not one, not two, but five cakes for my birthday!! lol. One at work, one at crop, one during the day on my birthday, one that my mum brought as well, then the one Andrew and the kids baked! Thankfully I only had a small piece of each. I think we'll be eating cake for a while to come.

Love the dodgy, tired candle on the left. hehehe. So that's it. Another birthday done and dusted.  So what did I wish for when I was blowing out the candles?  That would be telling...  ;-)

Cheers, Lis.

bwt - My facebook page almost blew up with all the birthday messages pouring through. I felt so absolutely blessed and spoilt and loved. Thank you everyone!

White with 1 | March challenge

The March challenge at White with 1 has been revealed...and its oh so pretty!

White + bright pink + artisan shapes/products

These super cute photos were taken by my sister back in November 2010. Eme once again is rockin' the Australia's Next Top Model poses. That girl of mine is obsessed! lol. Beth just let her pose away while she snapped and I love that she caputured Eme's personality exactly.

This month, I decided to depart from the usual white background and have used hot pink instead, with loads of white layered on top.  The pretty diecut is by Ki Memories and has been in my stash forever. Its actually a red one and I've used the reverse side.  Eme picked it out for me and was adamant that I should add it to her layout. lol.  I have used a Pink Paislee artisan shape and one of Scrapware's Ornate frames (CH159) as a base for the clustering of embellishments.

Head on over the WW1 blog to see how the DT tackled this month's challenge.

Want to play along? Add your WW1 March entries on this post by the end of March. There's some great prizes on offer. Make sure you link direct to the post on your blog that your LO is in. You can also link to an online gallery, photobucket or facebook.

Looking forward to seeing your takes!

Cheers, Lis.