THe WINNERS are

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Originally uploaded by spgettie

I was so thrilled to have 16 comments for my little draw. Thanks everyone! And do keep commenting I love it. Mind you I also know that you don’t always have something to say LOL. I don’t always comment on peoples blogs!

SO I wrote the names on little bits of paper and got the boys to draw 3 names out.

SO the fisrst lucky winner drawn by Isaac

 

Mrs Frizz. You are gonna love the prima flowers!!!

And Tobyn drew the 2nd & 3rd winners….

 

Kelly and Debbie aka scrappygirl.

So could you guys please e-mail me on the gregory clan at xtra dot co . nz with you address and I will get your little parcels off to you.

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wonderful women award

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Originally uploaded by spgettie

So Kelly awarded me this a couple of weeks back and I have only just got around to getting it on here and awarding it to another wonderful woman. Firstly, thank you Kelly for this fantastic award. Secondly I would like to pass this award in to Debbie/ Scrappygirl. Debbie is such a fantastic person! So supportive and friendly. I don’t know Debbie in ‘real’ life but I can’t wait to visit Auckland sometime and meet this lovely lady! I love that she goes out of her way for her friends e.g shaving her head when her friend was going through chemotherapy, that is a sure sign of true friendship! So take this award and run with it Debbie!

My little comp sure did bring out all my visitors! Thank you, thankyou! It is so nice to meet you all. So 16 visitors makes it about a 1 in 5 chance of winning, still pretty good odds really. Good luck everyone.

On the note of comps, Annelie has an amazing prize going on her blog, go and have a look. You have until Wednesday to sign up for her comp.

We have had a quiet weekend here in Palmy. Tobyn had a friend to stay overnight. They slept out in the tent. We had nachos for tea, icecream and jelly and I gave them a bowl of sweeties as a ‘midnight’ snack. It wasn’t midnight when they got them but you get the idea. Steve and I have been having a ton of fun on sing star! And I have the pleasure of saying I am the Queen of singstar at the moment, YEEHAH!!! But Steve is VERY competitive and will persue until he wins, LOL.

We booked our tickets for Vanuatu today. We are going on a mission trip in July. There are still a lot of things to sort out but at least the tickets are booked now.

Well I think that is all for now, see you all tomorrow night with the winners.

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Jumphopper and something special.

Jumphopper

Originally uploaded by spgettie

I just love 2 year old talk! Isaac saw this katydid in the kitchen and called it a jumphopper. So cute!!! He was scared of it though, I asked him to stand by it so I could take a photo of him with the jumphopper but he was not going to go anywhere near it!!! The other thing as far as language goes with Isaac right now is his American accent! He says Mom, Aha, Mamma and he rolls his r’s e.g carrrrrrrrrr. MIL says he must have picked this accent up in the unit.

And now to the celebration of my blogiversary. I don’t have a lot of visitors but as a thank you to those that do visit I am going to have a little prize draw. There are going to be 3 prizes and below are the photos of the little packs. Considering I have about 6 regular commenters that gives you a 50% chance of receiving some happy mail. But of course it would be nice to have some visitors come out of the woodwork and go in the draw as well!

But you do have to do a little bit of work to go in the draw. Nothing hard so don’t fret….

If you are a scrap booker I would like to know your favourite manufacturer and the scrap booker that most inspires you.

For my non scrap booking visitors (which is probably just Fee and if you win you can give the prize to your Mum if you don’t want it, LOL) I would like to know what your favourite movie is and your current favourtie song.

So come on celebrate with me and tell your friends that might like to know as well.

 The packs have a variety of scrappy things in. All have 2 large prima flowers. There are stamps, acrylic stamps, embelishments, paper pad, run ons, velvet flowers etc. Click on each picture to have a closer look. You have until Sunday evening to reply to this post and I will announce the winners on Monday evening. Can’t wait to see if I get more than my regular few loyal visitors!

 

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Blogiversary

Yep it is my 1st year blogiversary. Yay me for keeping it up that long! I didn’t know if I would but I have. I am so pleased I havr too because I have got to ‘meet’ some wonderfully supportive people on here! And I visit some amazing, talented, articulate peoples blogs too!

I started it with the intention of putting layouts for challenges here. I have managed to do that but I have also been able to get down special memories of our family. These will not only be useful for future layouts but also for my memory, which can be very bad at times.

Sometimes I struggle and have a few weeks of no blogging but I hope to keep more regular this year…maybe a dose of metamucil for the blog…

Because I have had so much fun, I love my visitors and would love to ‘see’ more comments from my visitors and because it is my time to celebrate I am going to have a little give away. But you will have to wait until this evening to find out what it is….hehe, nothing like keeping you in suspense eh? So check back later on and see what will happen.

Off to take my big boy to the murder house now. Did you call the dental clinic that as a child? I wasn’t going to tell Tobyn that but ironically DH told him and later that day at the Amazing Maze in Maize there was a fact card that said this is what it was called in the 70’s/80’s. Lucky DH!

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The one Steph didn’t want!

Miracle BoyOriginally uploaded by spgettie

So, Steph Milne from up2scrap came around last night. I was nervous about showing her my pages, what if she was uncomplimentary. What if she …..well, lots of things going through my head. She arrived just as Steve and Tobyn were off for a walk to stock up the diet coke. We had a cup of tea and chatted and were surprised to find that we are both ex nurses and are married to ‘scientists’ my DH is technically a technologist, but close enough, although he would probably disagree, saying a technologist is a scientist, is like saying a pekanese is a dalmation…anyway I digress! Isaac was not settled and had to come and see who was here and because Daddy puts him to bed he was not going to settle while Daddy was not there.

I will have to finish this later as the little man I have just been talking about has just woken up! Back soon.

Righto, back to the scheduled program.

So Isaac got to meet Steph too. Tobyn was so cute, when he got back from the shop I introduced him to Steph and he said, “I know” and then went and got his scrapbook! Steph was so great with him and showed interest in all his pages. After Steve came back and took over with Isaac Steph and I adjorned to my scrap room. I showed her my most recent album, it seemed as if she liked some of what she saw. She particularly liked my rockstar layout and “weeeee” one of Tobyn at Disneyland. Both of these are faves of mine as well. She asked me what I thought my style was. I don’t know, I just do what feels right. I experiment with different things. I think that as I scrap more I am developing some sort of signature style and maybe people can recognise something of mine more than they could a few months ago. Steph liked my “loose” style. Never been called loose before, LOL She says I don’t have a linear graphic type style but it loosely does what it should, like getting the eye to follow a ‘z’ across the page. She talked about colour and how I use a lot of split complimentary, “what the heck is that?” She suggested I should get a colour wheel, LOL She also said I seem to have a naturally intuitive eye for colour and placement on a layout. WOW, I was so thrilled to hear some of the positive things she had to say!

Probably the best thing was that she did want one of my layouts. Just not the one I had submitted because they had so many submissions for the New Life/Baby section. So she wanted a layout I did on my Mum. So my Mum is going to be fanous in New Zealand scrappy world, LOL. I feel a little weird that I have an ‘in’ to the mag considering Steph lives just down the road. But I am sure that if my work wasn’t good enough for the mag she wouldn’t have taken anything.

 She wanted to see all my albums and I even let her see my first stuff. I was going to hide these away but hadn’t got around to it. But she was so lovely about everything.  So in the next week or so I will probably pop around to her place and have a look at her scrap booking. From early April she will be head down bum up getting the May issue together, so she said come around sooner rather than later.

Can’t wait until the May issue now!!!

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Celebrate her Spirit

Celebrate her Spirit

Originally uploaded by spgettie

My layout for the NZ dares blog. I loved the link to Kobi Yamada “She” quotes. There are many that I would love to use on future layouts. I knew I wanted to use this photo of Meg and found the perfect quote.

Meg is the daughter of my very good friend Pip. We stayed with Pip, Paul, Sam and Meg while we were in Christchurch. I have been meaning to blog about our time there but the words just were not coming.

We were so blessed to have the sanctuary of their house. They have only been in Christchurch for a few weeks, having moved there from Wellington. They have a lovely big house with room for visitors, though we did take over Sam’s room, but I think Sam didn’t mind. Whenever we spend time with these guys we always feel refreshed, relaxed and peaceful. This family know how to have fun, how to ‘be there’, how to welcome people into there home, how to eat and drink well and how to be wonderful friends! The children all got on so well. Tobyn and Meg are only 6 mths apart in age and they got on so well! By the end of our time there they were almost inseparable, to the point where Tobyn wanted to spend time with Meg not his cousin. Though that was a hard lesson for big cousin Sheridan to learn!

I was so thankful to have this house to come to after hard days with Dad or the family planning for the funeral etc! Pip was always there with a glass of bubbly, a shoulder to cry on, an ear to listen and wonderful wise words! Oh and great food.

Isaac loved both Sam and Meg, and Uncle Paul and Armpit, or Aunty Pip if he could say it right, but Armpit has stuck! Isaac was so at home. He loved patting Maya, going out in the back yard and playing with the cars Armpit had found for him. He had HIS seat at the table and no one else was allowed to sit there. And he chose who sat next to him, usually Mummy, but by the end Sam was the top choice. Isaac was happy to stay with Pip and Paul when I, or Steve and I needed to do something without the kids. And if you have read my blog previously you will know how clingy Isaac can be.

Tobyn grew so much while we were in Christchurch. I think a lot of it because of the confidence he gained being with Sam and Meg. I also think being in an environment where he is praised and told he is a fantastic kid, being listened to and appreciated, being encouraged and nurtured! He has come away feeling stronger in himself and believing in himself. Boy am I thankful for this!

I got to spend time with some very dear friends. We have not spent much time with them in recent years and that has to change. We always have such an awesome time with them. I felt nurtured and cared for and I so appreciate it. And we had so much fun! Oh and did I mention the great food? LOL.

Meg is an amazing young lady. She is 10 and full of spunk. At the same time she has a big heart and ‘got’ Tobyn. They totally understood each other. She could make him laugh when no one else could. They talked for ages, goodness what about but we don’t need to know. The photo in the layout shows her spunk. I was trying to get photos of the 2 of them together but Tobyn really wasn’t coming to the party so Meg pulled faces. In the end I got a lovely photo of the 2 of them smiling.

Sam is growing into a well adjusted young man. At 12 he is almost as tall as me, not hard though, he is doing well in school and sport and plays the drums. He is a smart young man and taught Aunty Yvette a bit about PSP, of which I knew nothing.

I found both these kids so easy to be around, so easy to talk and joke with. Pip and Paul are doing such an awesome job!!! And I know we all learn from each other.

Some of the most memorable moments for me…
Singstar!!! What a riot and especially when Pip’s brother Mark was there, totally rad. Meg and I were a great duo too, thanks Meg.

Pancakes on Sunday morning.

Picnics in Hagley Park.

Late night talks, often until midnight or later.

Bubbles

Did I already mention good food, in particular a delicious Chicken Laksa and a scrummy bacon and egg pie, mmmmmmmm.

Watching So You Think You Can Dance and yelling at the TV when amazing dancers went home.

Watching Dancing With the Stars and not yelling at the TV.

Walking down the Street at 11pm looking for my wallet that I left on top of the car when going to pick Steve and Tobyn up from the airport (a story for another post I think)

And many other wonderful memories that will probably come up in posts in the future.

Pip, Paul, Sam and Meg, we love you and your friendship, THANK-YOU!!!!!

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Evicted

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Originally uploaded by spgettie

Poor little Fluffy. Tobyn has been sleeping ion Isaac’s room since the holidays. They are both very happy with this set up. But for the last 3 nights Isaac has evicted Tobyn’s monkey fluffy from his bed. When Steve takes Isaac to bed he hops into Tobyn’s big bed has his bottle and stories and then goes into his little bed. I have been encouraging Tobyn to make his bed every day which means that Fluffy has been tidily put on the pillow. Isaac goes to the bed and says “what are you doing here Fluffy?” picks him up and takes him to the door and throws him out. Tonight Tobyn and I were waiting outside the door to see it in action. The camera light went so he knew something was up but he still tossed Fluffy out the door! POOR Fluffy, Tobyn says Fluffy is not happy with Isaac. I don’t blame him really, LOL.

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I can not believe it!

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Originally uploaded by spgettie

Said like Leo from Little Einsteins.

I have submitted a layout for consideration in the new life category in up2scrap. I have been patiently, well kind of, waiting to hear back. I went into my e-mail this morning to find a reply from Steph, but it didn’t have an answer….she said “did you know we are practically neigbours? I live at number 71. I would love to call you and see some more of your work.” But no answer, no yes or no as to the actual layout I submitted, ARGH, I want to know. But in saying that, the fact that she would like to come and see more of my work is very cool. So probably Wednesday evening she will come over.
On another I can not believe it tack…Remember I said about making new friends a while back? Well the playdate had to be postponed because Camden had a cold and then I had to go down to Christchurch. So this morning we finally got to have the playdate and it was awesome. Isaac and Camden got on so well. Debbie and I have a lot in common and know a lot of the same people. SO COOL. It was very weird how alike we are! They bought the house we looked at 9 years ago. We almost put an offer on it back then but were put off by the real estate agent. Debbie and family have been in it for 4 years and when I walked in I saw a clown cross stitch Debbie has made that I have made for Steve. Then when we were talking about crafts I mentioned scrap booking, well she has dabbled BUT she has a very good friend called Ange and then she said she does a lot of circle journals and it clicked for me, I have ‘chatted’ with Ange on SBO. Palmerston North is just WAY too small!!! I haven’t met Ange yet but may do tomorrow because Debbie is bringing her to play group.

I love that photo of Isaac! The mornings have started to get cool so the boys are wearing dressing gowns again. This one Isaac has on was Tobyn’s and I always loved it on him too, so cute. Isaac is really getting into imaginitive play. Here he was flying the plane, making the people get in and out and he was a fireman to boot, love it, love it, love it!!!

Tobyn has been training for his cross country. It isn’t until next term but we have been encouraging him to be well and truly ready so he can surprise everyone. Since he started about a month ago he has cut 2 minutes off his time. I was so proud of him tonight because I could see that he was really running hard, he actually had a red face and was really puffing! Normally he kind of meanders in not panting at all. So I can see him really giving the cross country a good go this year!!!

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When you know your kids appreciate what you do.

Tobyn as Arthur

Originally uploaded by spgettie

My big boy, Tobyn is so cool. I was finishing a layout for the Scrapbook Essential Cybercrop when he came in and said “wow that is really cool Mum.” Aww, made my heart melt. He loves what I do and is proud of me, yes my boy is proud of me. He also appreciates how much fun it is. He had over heard a conversation Steve and I were having about scrap camp coming up in April. He said, “what do you do at scrap camp” I said scrap lots. He said “how many pages will you get done” I said :”well that depends on how much talking I do” he then said ‘I wonder if there is a scrap camp for kids, I would love to go if there was one” So maybe I should look into this.
Regarding the layout I was making…..it was about him, which of course would be cool to him. I had just about finsihed and I asked him what he thought. He said, “I think you need to put something there it looks a bit much.” so I put some brads and we all love it, how cool is that?!

The photo here today. I took this yesterday morning, do you know the movie “Arthur and the invisibles”? We haven’t seen it but have the book. I thought he looked like Arthur here. The bad news was, he looked like this because I was treating him for the dreaded head lice! His cousins are riddled with these creatures just about all the time. Any time we spend an extended amount of time with them he will have the blighters! I don’t know if my sister doesn’t treat her kids properly or if they just keep getting reinfected from school. They must be pretty yummy tasting to the creatures.

We had a lovely weekend together this weekend. Saturday we lounged around the house and then went out for lunch. After lunch we visited Jo B at spotlight. Noyt that she knows who I am! But we enjoyed chatting wioth her and Steve was very interested in her album. I asked her to demonstrate the stamp press, LOVE it! They didn’t have any in store but that is deffinately on my wish list! In the afternoon I did a little scrapping, Isaac slept, Steve was out in the garden and Tobyn was playing the play station. In the evening we went to friends for dinner. We caught the eviction show for “So you think you can dance” can I just say.argh! Why are JD and Rhiannan still there? I don’t get it, but I am not a judge!

Today we went out to the Ohakea open day. Huge fun watching the big and small planes over head! Isdaac particularly loved it. The fist time the very loud jet went past we weren’t expecting it and it was LOUD! Isaac said “I got a fright, scary lion plane!” Too cute.

Here are my 2 layouts I got done for the cyber crop. Unfortunately I didn’t get all 3 done, busy spending time with my boys!

 

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I treated myself!

flowers

Originally uploaded by spgettie

I have been working hard on getting my house in order in the last couple of months. For me an ordered clean house is so nice to live it. I feel relaxed and at peace with it in order. But, my house has not been like this for a long time. On the surface it may have looked it but if you got deeper you would find the computer cupboard full of stuff waiting to be used some other time, the walk in closet had bags of clothes waiting to go to the clothing bin and unpaired socks. The boys rooms full of toys that some other child could benefit from. I have drawers and cupboards in the kitchen that could do with a good cleanout! So this is what I have been working on. In addition to this I want to make my space a pleasure to look at. While I was staying with my friend in Christchurch I noticed she had fresh flowers around the house so I decided that I would treat myself. I love what I chose and think they look perfect in my space and I love seeing them everytime I walk into my living room!

All this is still a work in progress but every day I get rid of some clutter and feel so much better for it! I have a better morning routine and am keeping up with the cleaning and washing. I am even making my bed every day, and this is a biggie for me!!! And I am now embaressed that I admitted my unmade beds of the past, LOL.

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