UR Beautiful LO

Would you believe I've managed to create a layout?!? It's taken me about two weeks to do, but I've finally finished (and at the last minute as usual!). This layout is for the Once Upon a Sketch August 15th challenge, but it's also one that I've been meaning to do for a while. I really love the lyrics to the Mercy Me song that I used, Beautiful and so the challenge was the perfect nudge for me to get the layout idea out of my head! Hope you like it! :D

Credits: Ten Reasons kit by TReed; Krafty Journal Spots by KPertiet; Words of Beauty by AEdwards;
White Frames by SSchmutz; Fonts - Pristina, Bradley Hand

*hugs*

A Lovely Day and the Play Chair

For the first time in about two weeks, I actually had an enjoyable day! I didn't feel as sick and tired today as I have been so we decided to make the most of that and venture out. Okay, so the main purpose of today was to go and get groceries, but sometimes the simplest tasks can lead to other more enjoyable things - like a nice brunch in a Katoomba cafe; a surprising lack of crowds in the supermarket (on a Saturday morning); everything I needed to buy being in stock(!); sunshine on a gorgeous autumn day (which then turned to rain by the afternoon, but at least I saw the sun today!!); a lovely impromptu picnic lunch by Wentworth Falls Lake, finding a HUGE dog park (old unused golf course) that we could take the dogs to and then enjoying a nice, uneventful and peaceful evening. I definitely need to enjoy these moments as I'm sure I won't get much peace AFTER baby arrives! LOL

Anyhoo, here's another LO I did during the week:

Credits: Echo Park Walk In The Park PPs and ticket; Dog Moments rub-on and paw prints from Dog Gone Cute by Mindy Terasawa; Dog sticker, bone charm and staple from Dog Park by Katie Pertiet; Title font: An Accidental Kiss; Journalling font: SS Play; Template by Splendid Fiins. Created in PS CS4.

We've been really neglectful of the dogs since I became pregnant and virtually incapacitated most of the time. They haven't had their daily walks and are becoming a bit feral! In order to combat this (although I do know it's not the best solution), we play indoor fetch with them of an evening in addition to small training sessions throughout the day (when I'm not working). We started to sit in a chair to play fetch with them and being dogs, they picked up really quickly that whenever we sat in "the chair", a game of fetch would ensue. Unfortunately this means that we can't even touch the chair without the dogs going ballistic and thinking that they were going to get a game of fetch! Thus the Play Chair was born. LOL

Hope you're having a fantastic weekend!

*hugs*

Six (and a bit) Months

Wow. Can you believe it? It's been six months already. Well, a bit over six months as I've now just passed 25 weeks. I finally have a baby bump that makes me look pregnant instead of just overly fat! I've had to bite the bullet and buy some maternity wear as items in my wardrobe are becoming quite tight and uncomfortable. We've also been buying all sorts of items in preparation for the baby, and hopefully I'll fill you in on all this in another post.

It hasn't been the easiest journey to this point in time and I'm not optimistic about the next three months - emphasised by the fact that I'm feeling quite ill and exhausted as I'm typing this post. I'm impatient for things to return to normal even though part of me knows that once bubby arrives, NOTHING is going to be normal or ever the same again. In some ways I grieve that, even though I know I'm embarking on a whole new adventure which is going to take me waaaay out of my comfort zone! For reasons I don't want to share publically, I'm not looking forward to this new phase of life, but God knows what's He's doing even if I don't!

On a more positive note, baby has been VERY active and it makes me wonder if she's as impatient to be out in the world as I am for her to be?!? LOL So far all the signs have been good and I'm to present myself to the hospital next week for "booking in" - whatever that entails! If baby doing somersaults in my tummy isn't enough to enforce the reality of my pregnancy, I'm sure that the hospital visits and ante-natal classes will!

Now, is that a LO I spy?!? Oh my, it certainly is!! :D

Credits: Adorableness kit by Traci Reed; Template from Traditional Templates II by Scrapping with Liz;
Journalling font - Angelina. Made with Photoshop CS4.

This must be my first layout in about three months. I did manage a few digi layouts for the UKS Christmas Crop last year, which I didn't share on the blog, but you'll find them in my Flickr. I do prefer the touchy-feely aspect of physical scrapping, but in the absence of the energy and stamina needed to sit at my craft desk, digi scrapping is very handy indeed.

*hugs*

TILT - Things I Love Thursday

A recent blog post by Shimelle contained a link to a scrapbooker by the name of Joy Madison. I quite like her scrapbooking style and I'm really taken with her heartfelt and very honest blog posts.

Last Thursday she restarted her weekly posts, TILT - Things I Love Thursday. She invited others to participate too and I've put my hand up. It sounds like a wonderful thing to do and I might even incorporate some things I'm grateful for as well as things I love. TILT is going to be great therapy for me as I really do need to be reminded of the things I love and am grateful for rather than continually dwelling on the things I hate or things that annoy/frustrate me.

If you want to participate too - pop on over to Joy's blog, let her know and she'll add you to the list!

So, for my first TILT post*, here is what I love:

(Click for larger view)

Of course, it's my hubby - Gus!!

I've known Gus now for 11 years and we've been married for 9 of those 11 years. He is a gentle, caring man who loves me unconditionally - which makes it easier for him to put up with my ever changing moods! He has taught me to be optimistic rather than pessimistic; to think logically and practically instead of emotionally (although I definitely need heaps more practice with this one!); to see things from a different point of view; and reminds me to remain grounded when life gets too overwhelming.

Today I love my awesome hubby.

(PS. That's not to say that I don't love him every other day!! I do! LOL)

*hugs*



* Just for clarification, none of these TILT posts will be in any preferential order. They'll be in order of whatever I can think up on the day! LOL

"Computer Tricks for Cards" - a Jessica Sprague Class

Wrap-up of Week 1

Jessica Sprague is currently offering a free course to teach hybrid cardmaking called Computer Tricks for Cards. It runs for two weeks and we are currently in the second week of the course already.

As usual, I'm running really behind, so thank goodness that it's a self-paced course despite the classes being posted daily. Over the weekend I thought I'd better catch up, so amidst lots of procrastination, taking the dogs for walks and feeding us all, I managed to go through all the lessons up to last Friday. So without further ado, let me show you what I did:

The first class was to try printing on different papers to see what they all look like. The top photo was the original file and I printed it on matt photo paper. In the bottom photo, I used different digital papers (Shabby Princess Vintage Floral), but printed on normal 190gsm cardstock.

Still on the first class, but a different card. As above, the top photo was the original file and the bottom photo I used different digital papers (Gina Jane Butterfly Gold from Daisie Digitals. I printed the original file on gloss photo paper and matt photo paper.

The second class taught us how to "clip" papers to various digital elements. A simple card, but I did learn something as I didn't know how to use clipping masks. :D

The third class is where the card got a bit more interesting, and not so "flat". This one had dimension and I learnt how to use digital elements paired with real life supplies to create a great looking card. I used Fiskars Threading Water and Upper Crest punches, and I have no idea where the ribbon is from! I changed the greeting as the original was "Congratulations". I don't usually give congrats cards so thought HB was more useful. :D

I think this one is my favourite card so far. The making of it was a teeny bit more complex, but still very easy. The top photo shows the outside of the card, nothing special but quite cheerful and colourful. I love the pop up bit when you open the card (bottom photo) as I think it's really cute. I added the greeting and tree border in a moment of rare creativity. LOL

Finally, Friday's class. I learnt how to use Photoshop Brushes as stamps (the different camera images on the background kraft card are all from a Photoshop brush), which was pretty cool. The rest of the card was just basic assembly. The bottom photo shows the inside which is something different - not an element I'd think of to put inside a card, but there you have it!

Saturday's class was about making a card holder to hold all our cards, but I think I'll skip this one and make it another day. Sunday was a revision day - to go back over what we learnt throughout the week and see if we can apply it to our own cards.

So far I'm loving this course as I've learnt a few things about Photoshop that I didn't know before. The cards aren't really my style and I do kinda find them a little "flat", if you know what I mean. I still love the lumpy bumpy look!

Join me again at the end of the week for a wrap up of this week's classes. :D

*hugs*