A week in Brogo!

Well today was my first day back at work after my lovely week off. Jeremy and i went down to a little known town called Brogo - it's an exaggeration calling it a town actually. There's no town center! Not even a corner shop. Anyway, it's about 20 minutes from Bega. The place we stayed at was Rock Lily Cottages, which was a lovely little cottage on a property. We took our puppies along with us, and they had a lovely time too - especially sniffing around in the backyard and going for walks on the property.

So we drove down on Monday - we stopped in Mogo for a coffee in the afternoon, and i stumbled across Amanda's of Mogo - a fabulous scrapbook/stamping/art/craft store. I spent ages in there and i just couldn't believe how much amazing stuff they had!!

Tuesday we went for a lovely walk around the property with the puppies - they just loved that. In the afternoon we went for a drive down to Merimbula, which was a nice little town. We had a coffee there and a short look around the shops.

Here's the view from the backyard in the morning - so beautiful!

Wednesday we had a quiet day at the cottage since the weather was a bit ordinary. I did a bit of scrapping and Jeremy watched some DVD's.

Thursday we went to Tathra and took the puppies to an off-leash beach. Jeremy and i got fish and chips for lunch and the puppies wore themselves out while we ate. Then we went for a lovely walk before we went back. Here's some photos from the beach:

While we were at the cottage, the puppies were always at the door wanting to go out - they're use to having a doggie-door at home where they can come and go as they please. They looked so cute standing at the door:

Another great thing about the cottage was the fireplace. The puppies would lie in front of it at night - it kept them so warm!! Most afternoons we would put it on at about 3, as it was so cold down there!! It was lovely to keep us warm all night too!!

Back to reality now though. I've only got 7 weeks left at work before i go off on maternity leave though, so that's pretty exciting. I'm also off on the Scrapboutique Winter Retreat this weekend with my mum and all the lovely boutique babes. It's at Noonaweena resort - should be lovely!!

A couple of layouts

Here's a couple of layouts i've recently completed that i'd like to share with you.

The first is form the Scrapboutique June CC - Liz's sketch challenge. I've scrapped a couple of the photos from our 3D ultrasound - so cute!! Check out the middle picture - he's the spitting image of my dad!! These uber-cute papers are from the Little Yellow Bicycle range "Baby Safari" - actually a kit i bought from Scrapbooking From Scratch. I've also used some of the cute new foam thickers "rockabye" (my FAVOURITE font!! I have this font in every colour now!! Even glitter!!) and i've used some doodlebug frills as the basis for my strip along the bottom, which i've then painted and embossed using Tim Holtz "Distress Powder" - it's such an awesome medium - you emboss, then the crystals left in it can be rubbed away to create a distressed look - totally in love with this now!!

The second layout i'd like to share with you was created for the Embellished June challenge, which was to create a layout with a 'creative title'. I've used 5 different alphas for this title - thickers, carolee's creations, making memories and heidi swapp!! The papers are the new Bo Bunny "Allissa" range which are so cute and girly!!

3D Ultrasound Today!!

Well today we had a 3D ultrasound, and it was just fabulous!! Our little one was as busy as ever, moving his arms and legs around the place - he kept putting his foot in his mouth too!! Very cheeky. He was slightly better behaved than at our last ultrasound, but he's definately going to be a handful this one - so energetic and cheeky!! Here's a few pics we got:

This weekend is the June cybercrop at Scrapboutique, so i'm busy doing lots of pages for that. I'll upload them all Sunday night, as we're off on our 'babymoon' on Monday - just heading down to a quiet little cottage near Bega for the week. We can't wait!! It will be so nice to just do nothing but hang out together - no renovations or housework either!!

Isn't this the cutest little girl in the cutest little cardigan? This is my husband's cousin, Sarah wearing a cardigan i knitted/crocheted for her birthday. I just love how fun and cute it is - so colourful and playful. And the crocheted edging really gives it a bit of a lift and makes it so pretty in the pink!!

I've been busy with some scrapping and cardmaking lately, but i havn't gotten around to photographing any of it - it's too dark when i come home at night lately to get good photos!! I'll have to take some on the weekend. I just got back from the monthly Stampin' Up meeting we have for our group, and it was so fun to see everyone again - and meet a lot of new faces!! It seems that there have been quite a few people joining in the last couple of months - it's becoming quite popular down here!! It was very exciting to participate in some swaps with some of the girls there, and i recieved some lovely cards, that i can't wait to show you - i'll photograph them on the weekend too!!

I'm looking forward to a lovely break away next week - we're going down to a lovely little place called Brogo - about 25 minutes from Bega. It's a little cottage in the middle of nowhere with a fireplace and a backyard for the puppies - a chance for us to relax and spend some time together - and i think i might just take some scrapping stuff down with me too!! Before we head off though, we're having a '4D' ultrasound on Saturday, where we'll get to see some amazing images of baby - right down to facial features!! I am so excited about this - more photos i'll have to post!!

If you have already booked in your workshop for June/July, then you’re sitting pretty!

In addition to the fabulous benefits already available to Stampin’ Up! hostesses, this month and next, there are some extra $$$ up for grabs when your total workshop sales reach $600 or more.

Instead of the usual $70 free shopping dollars, you can walk away with $110 worth of product plus a level 1 or 2 free hostess set!
The good news is that I still have a few spots left for both those months when I can come and show you and your friends some great projects and we can create something fun using Stampin’ Up! stamps and accessories .

Did you know that you don’t need to host a workshop to earn all the benefits on offer to hostesses?

Host a Catalogue Workshop,  hand the Idea Book and Catalogue around, collect some orders to put together with you own and cross some things off your wish list for free at the same time!

Contact me on 4276 4089 or kylie.smith@mac.com to book your June/July workshop, receive a free Idea Book and hostess pack complete with everything you need to host a fun and successful stamping get together or Catalogue Workshop and start earning yourself some extra freebies today!

Today was a nice relaxing day for us - after a lovely sleep in, all 5 of us went out to check out the Domayne warehouse sale. I also got some photos printed at Harvey Norman, 2 of which i've used in the layout below! We went to the Open Hearth pub in Warrawong for lunch, and we were about to head down to the beach with the dogs when it started raining!! The boys all still wanted to go, but i wasn't in the mood for being drenched, so i stayed home and made this layout!! It's from the PageMaps Blog and i've used some Pink Paisley "Enchanted" PP, brad and alphas, along with a Crate Paper glitter die cut strip from the "Lemon Grass" range, and some doodlebug paper frills - finished off with a nice K&Co journal spot! I rather like this one!!

I'm so glad that it's a long weekend! We've got 2 of Jeremy's brothers here - Martin and Alex - along with one of his old school friends. All 4 boys have had a nice time so far, spending all day riding their mountain bikes down some of the Illawarra escarpment.

Last night i did a blind scrap challenge with Scrapbooking From Scratch - here's the result:

I just love this page! This photo was taken last November during a family photo shoot by Janine Kaye. The papers and chipboard are from Basic Grey's "Urban Prairie" Range, and the alphas are new Thickers "Rockabye" foam alpha - i just love this font, and i'm getting some glitter ones later this week, so that will be fabo!!

Today i did a Stampin' Up workshop at a customers house where i spend a lovely afternoon with some lovely ladies. Here are a couple of the cards/projects i taught:

The card above was made using a couple of Level 1 hostess sets - the stamp set, and the 6"x6" patterned paper. Colours used were Regal Rose and Handsome Hunter, with the 2 step stamping technique (using the "Thing a ma jig").

The card below is using 2 of the new 'in colours' - Kiwi Kiss and Baja Breeze, along with the stamp sets "Embrace Life" and "Polka Dots" - i love using the polka dots background stamp, it's one of my favourites!! The embrace life set is new, and it's such a lovely set to use - especially with the watercolouring technique. 

The cute little gift box above was made using one of the many patterns available to Stampin' Up demonstrators online - another great reason to join the Stampin' Up team!! I've used the "Priceless" stamp set in silver and Riding Hood Red on Pink Pirouette cardstock. The cute little tag is made using one of the metal edge tags packs.

The card below was made using the amazing new "Sweet Sticky Cuts" with Chunky Glitter. They come with 2 12"x12" sheets of double sided, die-cut shapes, like the lovely flower below. It's extra sticky so that glitter holds on really well - just amazing and so fun to use!!

A couple more cards plus, what i'm knitting right now!!

I finished the last 2 cards i had to do for the Scrapbook Capital "Build it up" competition today. Here's the first one: 

I've used some new Pink Paisley patterned paper, along with a Stampin' Up stamp "Hi" with a matching punch. I've used the Stampin' Up spritzer tool with a pink marker to give a lovely fine dotted effect along the green and pink section too. 

The other card i made was on some black Bazzil bling cardstock, with gave it some real sparkle!! I've then used some of the new Bo Bunny range "Alissa" for the patterned paper, sentiment and brads. I really like this one - it's going to go to someone really special!!

OK, now for what i'm knitting right now. I'm actually knitting something quite exciting for me - it's the first project where i've used cabelling, and it's a doosy! Check it out:

It's going to be a jumper for my husband. So far he loves it, so here's hoping that he still loves it when i'm finished (and that i finish it in time for him to wear it this year!!). I've almost finished the back now - i'm about to start shaping the armholes! This is a Patons pattern and i'm knitting it up with Patons "Wool Tweed" - it's just such a lovely wool to work with!!

Lots of Layouts!!

I've been home sick with the flu this week, which has been very annoying. Hopefully i'll be back at work tomorrow, as i just want to feel better!! I went in on Tuesday in the morning as i knew i had some rather urgent stuff that needed to be done. After about half an hour i was exhausted, and i went home after lunch. It's kinda nice to have some time at home though, even if i am sick. Gives me a chance to watch bad movies, bad daytime TV and get some knitting done!!

Here's a few layouts i've been working on lately. Enjoy!!

The first is titled "What's that on the Telly?" and it's all my ultrasound photos from week 19!! The poem on it goes:

"What's that on the telly?

Growing in my belly.

It's an angel sent from God

Like a sweet pea in a pod!"

Cute quote isn't it? I got it from Two Peas In a Bucket - it's a great site when you are looking for titles, quotes, song lyrics etc. for your scrap pages and cards!

I've used 'cuteworld' papers, some white bazzil, new rockabye thickers, alphas from carolee's creations, Pink Paisley brads, Heidi Swapp rubons, and some Heidi Swapp adhesive chipboard stars which i painted, then put some fozz felt on each corner - ultra cute!! Oh! I also put some cute little 'nappy pins' on the pages!

This next page, "A Whole New Room" was created using a Scrapbooking From Scratch blind challenge from May. I've used a K&Co 'Wild Raspberry' paper as my background, along with some scrap bits and pieces, including some SEI. Alphas are Pink Paisley and Thickers

This next page "Baby Boy!" was also created for a Scrapbooking From Scratch blind challenge. I've used the ultra cute new range from Crate Paper "Little Sprout", along with a few other bits and pieces.

This next page was created for last month's Scrapboutique cybercrop - i think it was for the Friday night speed scrap. I've used the very fun new range from Basic Grey "Lime Rickey". Note that the photos are matted on some white cardstock which i've put through my cuttlebug, then inked so that the dots come up really well!! Great technique this one!! The 'flower' is a new Sassafrass die cut.

I LOVE this last page so much! I created it for the last Scrapboutique cybercrop - i think it was for Kate's puzzle challenge. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket's "Girl Friday" range - so cute arne't they?!?! I also love the spinner - also from Cosmo Cricket!!

Cute Purple Cards!

I have two cards that i created for Scrapbook Capital in their "Build It Up" Competition.

Both cards use a lovely purple Doodlebug base cardstock, and Stampin' Up! punches and stamps. 

The first one uses some scraps from the Making Memories "Noteworthy II" range and some Prima bling and flowers.

The second card uses Basic Grey's "Euphoria" range papers, and notice how i've punched out the scalloped circle from the front of the card? Cute idea isn't it? That way, the scalloped bit is inside the card when the receiver opens it!! Love this idea. 

Finally a Blogger!!

Ok, i've finally started a blog on 'blogger', since so many of my scrapping friends are on here, and it seems so easy to blog and put up photos and pages!! So i'll be keeping you up to date with all my creations on here!!