I'm a guest for Fryske's CT

How cool is this, I'm a guest on Fryske's CT (Creative Team) at ScrapDigiStyle.com, so totally unexpected! I participated in a template challenge on her blog Fryske's Digiscrap Design (here http://www.fryskesdigiscraps.blogspot.com/). She commented about how she liked the way I used the layout and asked if I would like to be a guest. I was totally floored as you can imagine, but it didn't take me too long to decide that I would like to give it a go. So here are the 2 layouts I have done so far and it sure has been fun...

credits:
Antique Love kit, papers and elements by Fryske's DigiScrap Design, available at Fryske's ScrapDigiStyle and
DigiScrapWarehouse,
Tearing using ScrapBits 'n Pieces by Fryske's DigiScrap Design too.
Green patterned paper, Run Kit by DigiTreats at http://digitreats.typepad.com/
Clear Gel stickers, my own design
LOVE WordArt, Lots of Love kit by InkedEdges at www.inkededges.com

Happy Valentine's Day Brian

Surprised my husband with a card and chocolates today, he wasn't expecting anything. I so liked the wording on the card (so did Brian) that I wanted to scrap it and here is the result. Am rather pleased with the result, especially how the faded/blended photo of Brian worked out.
We both worked today as normal but had a chance to unwind at our club's first social Thursday squash night. Still too hot here to run around, so hopefully it will cool down a bit more when interclub starts up again mid next month.

Credits : PageMaps July 2006 template ,
Papers, flower and border from Franziska Love Actually kit @ http://digitalscrapbookgrapixs.blogspot.com/,
Happy Valentine sticker from Flergs Love Actually kit @ http://flergsblog.blogspot.com/ ,

Gimp 'ed another layout

Seem to be on a bit of a roll with these Varekai layouts, but they do bring back such happy memories.
Will probably take a break from these for now.

Credits: Template by Fryske at http://fryskesdigiscraps.blogspot.com ,
After MidNight paper at PeppermintCreative.com ,
Varekai dvd image downloaded from the internet

New Varekai digiscrap layout

Just a quick layout post as it's Sat morning here NZ time. It was a short week at work for me as I was home the first 3 days of the week trying to get more home projects done. Partially successful I must say, but never mind. The fence looks great with a new coat of green stain and the fence cap has now also been painted a nice contrast brown.

In the mean time I managed to create this layout using a Shandy Vogt Twirly Template freebie.

Credits: Template by Shandy Vogt at http://digitizedcreations.blogspot.com/ , After MidNight paper at http://www.peppermintcreative.com/ ,Varekai image from e-postcard at www.cirquedusoleil.com/

First day jitters

Truth be told, I think I was more nervous than Colin... The new year 7s were formally welcomed in the newly completed auditorium after they all got their picture taken in front of their house flags. Colin's house is Rutherford which is also the principals' house, so a really good and competitive one.
Only the year 7's and 13's started today, with the whole school starting back on Tuesday 5th February.
When picking up Colin later in the day, you could tell that he thoroughly enjoyed his first day as excitement was written all over his face. And to top it off, Colin's old friend Archie from Silverstream school who had gone back to the UK these last 2 years, is now also attending HIBS.
Things are just getting better and better, bring it on.

NZ summer holiday coming to an end

Well, it's Colin's last day of his school holiday before starting HIBS on Monday 4th Feb. We now know his class is 7B, and he's very much looking forward to starting there. The uniform was bought last year, and as of yesterday the last of the stationery items were purchased too. Looks like the new year 7 boys will be kept busy with sports and a few classes with guidance from the year 13's.

Digiscrapping using GIMP 2.4

I've been digiscrapping only since August 2007 and started using GIMP since mid September when wanting to use a free image manipulating software. So far GIMP has come up trumps, with each new layout I'm learning more and more about it with the endless amount of tutorials available on the web. This latest layout was aided with a Photoshop Friday tutorial by Jessica Sprague to create the butter-fly overlay from a different coloured butterfly patterned paper by Shauna Burke-Smith at http://www.pineappleplantation.blogspot.com/. The end result, I was able to create this in GIMP by adapting the original tut. New things just learned have been to create text along a path, see curved text and the blue border (stroke selection) on the journaled tag.

Credits: paper created by petit moineaux at http://petitmoineaux.blogspot.com ,overlay created from Butterfly Garden paper created by Shauna Burke-Smith at www.PineapplePlantation.blogspot.com ,tag created from Scrap Girls freebie Naturescape Paper Special BlossomBlue ,layout created using the Gimp with help from Jessica Sprague's Photoshop Friday tutorial on creating an overlay from patterned paper.

A productive January

Well, we made great progress in Colin's room. He now has a new sound proof wall between our bedroom and his one. Brian has build a false wall, as a result we can now crank up the tv and home theatre system in our bedroom and Colin no longer complains about the noise! Our friend Neil came around on the weekend and wallpapered the new wall with Colin's pic of retro design and I must say he picked very well. His room is now set up now for the up and coming teenage years with a new glass top L-shaped desk and king single bed. We are all very happy with the end result.

Credits: Digitreats Run papers available at http://digitreats.typepad.com/, layout my own design based on idea from Jessica Sprague.

Jet Ski Fun on New Year's day

What a cool way to spend New Year's day on the water with the Gee's, Jamieson's & McCarty's. Barry supplied the power toy and fun in the form of biskit and knee board. With the food and drink supplied by all of us what we didn't manage to polish of the night before. The day was hot with no wind when we all met up at Pauatahanui jet boat inlet mid afternoon. We have loading up the van down to a fine art, that includes Sam's sea kayak and our little 3 burner bbq. Which Brian cooks our meat and sausages on, yum yum! Colin, Connor & Cameron now all knee board and even Lynn & I managed to get up, though mine took 4 attempts! The fun continued till 8pm ish when we all headed back home.

Credits: Multi frame template by Yin Designs at GDS

Happy New Year to you all...

Welcome to 2008, hope you all celebrated in style. We had a poolside bbq at Barry's who ordered the weather spot on again as per usual. The kids were in and out of the pool amuzing themselves, while the adults relaxed with continual grazing nibbles & drinks. The new year went off with kids jumping in the pool again on midnight and a small neighbourhood display of fireworks...

Credits : Quick Page Deacon's Closet by FlergsMissMint, AfterMidnight sticker & stamp by PeppermintCreative.com

4th Day of Christmas

Brian & I went to Colin's Year 6 leavers assembly at school last night were all the kids got their leaving certificate from Silverstream school. The evening was very festive with songs, dancing and musical numbers performed by the kids. Colin admitted he got a bit emotional realizing that he will go into unfamiliar territory next year at HIBS. Poor lad, but than again he is so looking forward to his new school too. Have made a mental note to take a photo of Colin outside the school on his last day.

credits: QP-wildflowerholiday-Petra2 from www.weedsandwildflowersdesign.typepad.com/the meadow

3rd Day of Christmas

It's just after mid-day Sunday here after an impromptu neighbourhood pre-Christmas get together last night. Numerous bottles of red wine were consumed, have lost track of numbers. A late 4am bed time, needless to say no early risers this morning. In fact looks like all is quiet here with peoples having taken themselves back to bed, apart from me!

My latest page is up, don't these two look cute. Little funny, Corey has taken a liking to the Christmas tree bowl/stand. I have caught him a few times licking the water out of it!

Credits: QP-wildflowerholiday-kenna2 from http://weedsandwildflowersdesign.typepad.com/the_meadow/

2nd Day of Christmas

Just love making these scrap pages at the moment with the freebies that are around. Just seems so strange to use our summer Christmas photos on winter layout pages. So felt the need to dig up some of our winter ski photos to use instead. We had a ball skiing the first time as a family. Colin had been once before as a 5 year old and wasn't skiing then. Well, this time round it took him one short half hour lesson, and he was away. He was keeping up with Brian & I no problems and even doing a few tricks. Kids!

Credits: 2nd day QP wildflower holiday at http://www.weedsandwildflowersdesign.com/

First Day of Christmas

Aaah, Christmas is finally here. We got the tree in on Sunday and started to decorate it straight after Monday night dinner. Nothing beats the smell of a real tree we think. And now that Corey has passed the cureous puppy stage, the tree is nolonger a fair target, LOL!

Credits: QP Wildflowerholiday annie1 from www.weedsandwildflowersdesign.com

A family birthday

I seem to be slacking already, no real excuse other than life is busy. We seem to be already over half way into the month and no entry made for November as yet! So thought to at least mention my sister in-laws Hellen's birthday at the start of the month and grace this blog with the scrap page made to date so far. Hubby and I decided to make it an extra long 5-day weekend up in Tauranga with reasonable weather to be had. The highlight was the birthday celebration at local Thai restaurant booked out for the occasion and the partying lasted to the late wee hour. Happy birthday Hellen, we hope you enjoyed your night with family and friends, we sure did thanks.
Credits : Mrs Wresh Template 54

Halloween Party Time

Back again, it's Sunday night here in New Zealand. Thought to better post this as I'm already on the computer and wanted to get at least a photo of the 3 of us up, all be it in costume! We don't celebrate Halloween here, but sure were looking forward to Saturday's bbq invite at Steve & Jade's. Jade being American, from San Diego, sure went out the full hog. I should have known from the party invite 3 weeks ago, that this was an experience to remember. The party house was decked out inside and out, and Jade must have been up till late finishing off the last of the baking. Anyway, we 3 made sure we turned up in costume, one witch, one monster and one scary pumpkin scarecrow! The weather let us down a bit, with the Wellington southerly keeping temperatures some what cool, brrrr. Would you know, the wind died down early evening in time for the local fireworks display, typical!
Our hosts were wonderful of course and sure gave us an experience to remember. Thanks S&J, for a wonderful afternoon/evening.

The 3 of us

Steve, with Brain Hemorrhage cocktail

Food, food, more food!

Our First Entry

Hello all,
welcome to our blog, we are finally online with the help of my dearest son Colin, aka DigiKid. We hope to keep this regularly up to date, so keep checking us out.