MIA

I've really been neglecting my little space here haven't I? Sorry about that, I wont promise to change that because I'd hate to break a promise that I have no idea if I can keep it.

I have still been going with my 365 Day Project. I'm absolutely loving it. I tried putting it on the 'official' site for a while because... well... I crave comments ;) (hint hint) but alas I lost my nerve simply because I had to then do two different projects because I don't want to post pictures of DS (dear son) out into public cyber space. It gives me the willies. So back to word press we go and stay. Randomly changing the passwords as we go, just in case.

I know - paranoia...

In other news I have been neglecting here because I have been doing... stuff... lots and lots of stuff...

I'm part way through crocheting three different blankets (oh my) half way(ish) through all of them... I'm not a fantastic finisher. I start well.. really I do... I just loose my gusto.

Ive almost finished my first crochet beaded bag. I love it, looks awesome. Requires a sewn lining. Sewing machines hate me. I dunno what it is about them? They look at me and go, "oh its you again, yeah bugger that" and stop. Cold turkey, just stop working. My mum thinks its hilarious... until I struck her machine. She promptly stopped laughing. That'll teach her =P

I still have a half finished knitted jumper. I only have the sleeves and hand sewing to do. I'm procrastinating. If I keep at it long enough I should eventually forget where I'm up to. That's what usually happens. I have so many half finished knitted jumpers! Its terrible really.

And among all that Ive picked up the mouse (not really as its a laptop so it has a touch pad) and started digital scrapbooking again. My how I missed it. Well I did, until I once again realised the enormity of the task at hand and slinked away to a corner to sulk...

On top of all that my child refuses point blank to sleep. The experts say his behaviour is a direct result of lack of sleep (really who knew!) and that I just need to get him to sleep more and it should improve (you don't say!) and their solution is to remove part of the one good sleep he has during the day to make it shorter (oh god) and he will get tired enough to go to bed and go to sleep at night (HAAAAA!). I'm slowly going insane from grumpy child sleep deprivation.

No one believes me though, he is an angel in public (maybe I need to stay in public more often?) and the horns only come out for me... lucky me...

...It's not paranoia if people really are out to get you...


embellishments and digital paper courtesey of Digital Scrapbook Artist 2 and Daisytrail.com

My closest friends

It has been a tradition with one of my closest friends that we send one another a small gift for Christmas. Usually encompassing a magnet of some sort. This year I couldnt find one that said what I want it to, so I took my trusty camera outside and went looking for a nice shot. I took a few but only one really suited my purpose.

I have two very close friends, however they are close relationship and thoughts wise moreso than distance. Both are at opposite points of the country to me really. Oh well. With that in mind I thought it quite apt that for this years magnet present it be not only sent to my original friend but also to my other close friend so that she too knew what I was thinking and feeling...



I have no doubt that they will both like them.

Christening Card

After finally coming to the decision to allow my son to attend his estranged cousins christening, it posed the new question of gifting. The actual gift was not really a problem. I managed to find a very lovely children's bible from the online bookstore The Book Depository. I love their store, very competitive prices with no charge for freight. Granted I'm still waiting a week on for my book, but I'm in no rush, the Christening is not until January 2011.

Of course, with every gift is the card. Previous to this, I have been to a few other christenings and the cards for such occasions are very limited in stores and just don't seem to encompass the middle ground. They are either very child/novelty or religious, there is no even middle. So this time, I made our own.

The inspiration for this card was a little from Sarah Klass, Jak Heath and Lotus Art Studio. All found from google images.

The base of the card is a simple mottled cream card stock. The cross sits up on its background and then the background stands out from the card. Along with the written section. Overall, it turned out better than expected, especially with a toddler being carried back to bed every five minutes!!

Ho...Ho...Ho...

So it's fast approaching to be that time of year once again. The Christmas tree is in its box, the ornaments in another. I have however made our christmas cards. I love making them and this year was so much better than last.

Last year they were simple photo cards, shoved into envelopes and sent off. This year I used my digital scrapbooking program for the front image. It's my gorgeous boy playing outside, one of my favourite shots of him.

Inside I made simple christmas trees and used pre-printed stickers for the 'message'.

Now to find out how many I actually need (I suspect a lot less than usual given I'm no longer on forums) and to personalise them with a message, ready to be sent no earlier than December 1. And, yes, I have already gotten two Christmas Cards... It's still only NOVEMBER! Bah humbug! lol.

The Scrapbook

I've never been one to do digital scrapbooking. I mostly put pen to paper and scissors with glue, cross my fingers and be pleasently surprised at the end.

I tried once or twice on a very basic $14 digital scrapbooking program to see if I would like it. I did, however, due to the programs capabilities... or rather inabilities... I was unable to do anything with my created projects. They just sat there, unable to be looked at by anyone without the same program, unable to be exported for printing, what was the point?

At this stage I decided to look around for something that could do all that and more. I looked at the Creative Memories Storybook program and its lovely price put me off. That combined with the fact that I would still need to use my trusty GIMP program if I wanted to manipulate my photos. Not really an issue as GIMP is free, but still, if Im paying that price I want all the bells and whistles to boot.

I went to our local Hardly Normals (Harvey Norman) and had a look at their range. It was a decision between Serif Digital Scrapbook Artist and something not Serif Digital Scrapbook for slightly less. However SDS did everything I wanted it to do and more. It did everything Creative Memories did, plus some. I was sold.

I got it home and started right away, I couldnt help myself. I couldnt stop. Hours upon hours creating my sons story book. The story of his life, from conception to birth and beyond...

Then the unthinkable happened... my hard drive died...

I have a copy of the pages on a facebook album. Im praying that a copy of them is on my thumb drive, along with all the hundreds of embellishments that made up those twenty plus pages so that I can continue where I left off. I had a dreaded feeling that they arent. That I will have to start again. I cant bear to look on my drive to find out...

An example of one of the pages