Challenge (see previous post) - post your very first layout ever

Here we go as promised. My first ever layout.
Look familiar? Though it is quite cute I think.
From this moment on though I knew I had found the most amazing hobby. I went in search of anything acid free I could use in my scrapbook pages. I looked for ideas on the internet. How cool to record your past and be so creative as well.

You would think ...

if you had the whole weekend to yourself you would get lots done wouldn't you.
I was home alone for 3 days and did I do much, not really. It was too hot to even think. The humidity was terrible. I got a few things done including Dallas' RAK.
On it's way to you today Dallas.
But not what I had intended. I played a bit with Photoshop :)) and learnt lots more which was a bonus.
I only just finished this page today using the super cool Kaleidoscope papers.
And Emma's learning to surf at the mo so did this for her - a photo collage in Photoshop. Now to make a new banner hehe. Too much time on this jolly computer. Once I learn a new thing I have to keep going till I get it mastered. Lucky it's the holidays.
I thought of a good blog challenge too. Post your very first and it has to be your very first layout you ever did and your most recent layout. Come on, I dare you. Show them to me and everyone. I've just got to scan mine and I promise I'll upload it tonight.

Narnia - a must see.

Wow if you haven't seen Narnia yet, GO. And you have to see it on the big screen. What a wonderful movie. James and I went on Wednesday night and I loved it so much. Aslan is just awesome.
Love Keisha's stuff. Awesome.
Have been playing more in photoshop. Will add pics later. Have to take Emma shopping for her birthday today.

I shouldn't have but I had to ...

Start playing with Photoshop and brushes that is.

Yay Dallas guessed my middle name. It's Eulie said like Julie but with a 'Y' sound instead of the 'J'. Was my Granmothers first name. I think it's Scottish.

And, oh no, I've been playing with Photoshop and brushes. I knew once I started I wouldn't be able to stop. I wanted to ever since I saw what Yolande and Michelle TW had done and that was it, I was hooked. Soooo fun. I spent most of yesterday downloading all these cool brushes; well it was pooring with rain, what else could I do. Had a play and here are some results. Bit over board on the brushes I know but hey I was just playing around. Will get better with practise and practise I will.
And a page for Grassroots. I've done some handstitching at the top using the triangle pattern as a template. Papers are called Native Weave and are inspired by a textile design woven by Ho-Chunk Indians of Wisconsin, Nth America.

Rejuvenation

Nothing like a day at the beach in the sun and surf. Good for the mind I reckon. A sort of rejuvenation. Anyway Emma is learning to surf now so I went down with her, then James and all his friends came down and some of them are learning to surf. The water was just beautiful today. So it was lovely lying in the sun, swimming and watching everyone catching waves - it was perfect for learning today.
Emma and I visited my Mum's yesterday at Algies Bay ( 2 hours up north from us) and my uncle and aunt and family who are over from Australia at the mo. His 2 gorgeous daughters who are my cousins are about the same age as Emma and they are similar looking to her too - it was quite amazing. Had a lovely day and drove back late last night.
I cleaned out my scraproom on Friday in between going down to the beach for a swim - the weather's been just beautiful lately. So I think I can scrap better now LOL. I had gotten myself too closed in, a mess it was, so I cleaned it up and cleared myself a bigger space. It should be all good now - I hope.
OK I want to RAK someone - why you ask. I don't know, I just do. I just found out recently that I was saying it wrong. RAK is said Rack not Rark like I was saying ROFL(what a goon) - thanks Nic and Evana. So the first person to guess my middle name I would like to RAK.
OK get guessing.
And just another Grassroots project I did altering a Grassroots Platform Box to make a photo frame. I used American Crafts p/p, and it's tied with a piece of fabric from my RAK from Tamar

Another Grassroots sneak peek

Circle Connection - This paper is inspired by the symbolism of the Aboriginal people of Australia.

Sneak Peek

Grassroots is a wonderful scrapbooking manufacturer I've had the pleasure to be on the DT for the last year. All of their papers are inspired by different cultures from around the world. Here is a sneak peek of some of the new papers coming out at CHA. It's all very exciting. I totally love this paisley design inspired by 17th and 18th century Indian shawls.
More tomorrow.

Happy belated birthday Lucy

I really suck at remembering birthdays.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY
for last FRIDAY 13TH JAN.
Hope you had a great day.

I just can't scrap when my family are around esp DH. He gets grumpy when I'm always on the computer or in my little room.
But I managed to do this page yesterday - Yolande will be impressed I think - had my first try at handstitching, was quite pleased with it, only thing was I got a sore back does this happen to anyone else.
And if I don't get my orange layout done I realised I had this card I did the other day for Grassroots DT project. And I think I may have been inspired by Yolandes card for this though I didn't realise it at the time.
And I think I missed something. I read on Ngaire Bartlam and Kim Archer's blogs about hurtful stuff happening online somewhere. Can someone please fill me in, please. I like to know these things.

I'm back

Just got back from the most awesomest amazing 8 days away up at Ahipara on Ninety Mile Beach. It was so cool. The weather was amazing. James surfed so well though unfortunately got knocked out of the comp a couple of days ago. He was competing in the National Surfing champs in the Open Mens and U18 divisions (he's 16) so did extremely well and certainly showed he was a worthy competitor. We were so proud of him. He's a couple of photos. I took lots. Mostly of James surfing.
The first is a shot of Shipwreck Bay at Ahipara which is the bottom of Ninety Mile Beach. See the waves peeling in off the point and round further they get bigger. You can actually drive around the point over rocks and sand for miles. The second is James coming into a very good deep bottom turn and the 3rd is James just completing a re-entry, see the spray he's made with his board - that's good- that's called smacking the lip and he'll carry on down to the bottom of the wave for a bottom turn - the lower he goes the better. The waves he surfed in the comp were actually much bigger than these but I couldn't get photos cause he was too far out.

We had the funnest and funniest day at Nic's the other day scrapping, eating, drinking and catching up. It was the best day. Check Nic's blog for the group photo. Thanks Nic for an awesome day.
Anyway it took me all day to do this mini Xmas album and it's still not finished. Thanks Nic for the strano ribbon you said I could pinch from your scraproom, LOL, it's very cool and matched so well. So I've just got to add journalling and paint the tabs and add labels and it's done.
Happy New Year everyone.

New Years in Port Waikato

Port Waikato heats up again - literally. Yes this is the result of what the local fire brigade and many volunteers including Rob (who used to be in the fire brigade here) and Neil our friend dealt with late yesterday afternoon. The wind was blowing quite hard onshore and the fire just spread so fast through the dry grass. Man it was scary. The fire was where I go for walks with our dogs. You can see the track through what used to be over my head grasses toi tois and trees. The worry was a group of huge pine trees that if they had caught it would have been all on. So I went over this morning and took these photos. So sad and devastating. Emma and Rosie are walking on my track.