Couldn't Help Myself

I have absolutely no time to be mucking about and scrapping, but I just couldn't help myself today. I love these SEI papers so much and had ideas swimming around my head all night.... what else could I do??

So here is today's layout of Christopher. He is a little cheeky-chops. I've been meaning to do a layout in this design for a while. The journaling reads, "This smile may look like the smile of a happy, sweet 4yo but I know differently! Note the twinkle in Christopher's eye? See that smudge on his nose? I've just walked in on some sort of mischief... now just to find what you are up to!?!"

I had a busy day otherwise. I managed to wash five loads of washing (in my HUGE washing machine) and pack almost 30 orders. My lounge room now has five baskets of laundry to be put away, plus there are still two loads hanging under the house!! I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow!

Have a great week!!
xx S.

Elsie's Book

Okay, so I splurged last night and bought Elsie Flannigan's 52 Scrapbooking Challenges book. I have to say that I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!! I will spend a long time pouring over this book, me thinks! (How cute does Elsie look on the cover, too?)

...and so, after having a quick flick ...and after buying those gorgeous new SEI Doodly-Doo papers last night, too...

The photo is of Nicholas and his good little friend Kyan, eating muffins (made by the lovely Amanda) at Wynnum recently. Such a beautiful pic of such a beautiful moment.

(You have to check out the full range of these papers, too. They are so funky and cute.)

xx S.

Happy Birthday Nick

My baby had his second birthday today. He is so much a little boy now... gone are his baby days. Nicholas was totally spoilt and received some great gifts from his family. He has been grinning all day (except when Mia & Chris kept taking his new toys off him).

I made him a truck cake (designed from my head, as I did it - very dodgy, but he loved it). Unlike Christopher, Nicholas LOVED all the attention. It wasn't until after all the photos were taken that I realised I still had him dressed in his daggy skivvy! Oh, well. He's cute enough anyway.

I went to a crop last night at Scrapbook City and had a ball. I missed Jill, who didn't make it in the end, but had fun with Ang, Sara N, Tammy, Amanda & the Irish Dancing Queen (ROFL!). Kerri was great fun running the night - she is so lovely. I also bought some of the new SEI papers - YUMMY! Very kiddy-cute. I started four layouts and didn't finish any. I hope to get them done tonight. We also had a funny phone call to a little-bit-tiddly Zane celebrating her 30th birthday.

***Happy Birthday Zane!!***

When I came home, in the wee hours of this morning, I found Nick had fallen out of bed, but was still sleeping....

...how cute is that? He barely roused when I popped him back in bed.

I'd better dash to grab some scrap gear and watch the rugby. Go the Waballies!!
xx S.

Quiet But Busy Week

It's been a quiet week on the scrapping front. I've barely heard from my scrapping friends (other than catching up with some girls on Monday). My inbox has been very quiet. I guess we are all just as busy as each other.

I have finally installed my external hard drive and am now trying to work out the best way to keep it updated. I am relieved that it is finally installed, though. Now I can rest a bit easier about not losing all my data again!

I'm off to work this afternoon. I love Fridays. I spend the morning with my cherubs and in the afternoon, John comes home while I go into his work and do the accounts... it is my afternoon off (from being a full time Mum). After work I am heading for a crop at Indooroopilly to finally catch up with some friends again. My first crop with Jill!! We've been saying for ages that we should get together - well it is finally happening tonight!

I'll leave you all with a layout I finished last week. I love this photo of Amelia. The journaling talks about how she is always saying she's a little princess, but on this day decided she had to wear Nick's baby beanie out. The last line reads, "You insisted you are still a princess... just a princess in a beanie!"

My cute girlie. Yes, my scanner is on its way out, so the scan isn't that great, sorry.

Hopefully I will have more photos to share tomorrow.

xx S.

Ooops, and....

I forgot to add a huge thank you to the lovely Julie for my pressie for guessing the number on her blog. Julie gave me a gorgeous 'Forever Friends' notebook, which I just love! Julie doesn't know, but Forever Friends are my all time favourite characters/brand. All through school, when they first came out, and all the time since, my first choice for cards to give to people has always been Forever Friends. Great pick, Julie! I'll keep all my notes in it for all the Julie Love layouts I am planning on scrap-lifting!! (just kidding)

Let me tell you all, Julie's layouts IRL are so much more stunning than in the mags or on the net... but I supposed you guessed that.

xx S.

An Addition to Yesterday's Post

To add to yesterday's blog post.... Another thing that made my day so very wonderful is when I arrived home I had FIVE scrap-related parcels from my mailman!! ...and NO bills!!

Two of the parcels were from the lovely Cass at Scrap Pile, with my order (plus a few other goodies - you naughty girl, Cass). I now have a lovely set of Prima ribbons, lots more paper and embellishments and some yummy rub ons - can't wait to play!

One box was from the talented Miss Shirley with that gorgeous layout she created for me. Let me tell you how much more stunning the layout is IRL than in jpg!! Just beautiful, thanks Shirls!

The last two boxes were HUGE!! My orders from Aussie Scrap Source. Now I just have to upload the stock to the shop. I think I'll have a play first, though! I've been ordering some of WeR Memory Keepers albums and I am just in love with them! They are really lovely albums.

Sales are going well, but I look forward to setting my website back up again eventually. eBay is great for the moment, but I did love my website. You can check out my stock via www.sassiphotography.com.au There is a link to my eBay store from the site. (It is a bit bare at the moment, as I've just had a few really big weeks and haven't got more stock uploaded yet.) When I am rich (lol) I will do my Uni course and change the business back into a photography business. For now, the scrapbooking is too addictive and too good to me!

TTFN
xx S.

Meeting the Fabulous Miss Julie

Wowee (to coin her catch phrase), what a fun morning..... the Fabulous Julie Love is in town and I was fortunate enough to catch up with her and a bunch of other amazing scrap godesses this morning. We had a poke around Scrapbooking Emporium, then sat about a cafe for a while talking about all things scrapping (and other stuff, too).

Julie is just as lovely as she appears to be from her blog and I loved catching up with Roz, Carol-lea, Sandra, Rachelle and Andrea, too. We are always up for a photo session, so here are a few from the day.

I have to add that Jamieson, Christopher and Nick were generally pretty good, too. Actually, J & C were very good.... Nick had a bit of a run and scream (where did that come from??? It was actually more like a roar!), but he was very tired and did really well up until then.

So we have lots of lovely photos to scrap, but I have to admit, this is my favourite photo of all. Okay, I've played with it a bit to get that 'dreamy' look, but it is a bit more flattering this way.

Without her knowing it, I owe a fair bit of my scrapping to Rozzie. It's not just that when I was looking through her album today I could pick the many layouts I've scraplifted (lol).... it's that the kind of layouts I love to do (but don't always share on here) mostly seem to be similar (in element or design) to some of hers and it is because of this that I have felt more confident to do the layouts I like doing rather than change to a style that isn't me.

**Thanks Roz.**

I also have to add that I missed Alicia today. My right arm in scrapping and I was with all these lovely people and didn't have you to share it with. There'll be another time, though, Miss NY!!

xx S.

She's Leaving On a Jet Plane....

...don't know when she'll be back again. Who am I talking about? Well, if you blog-hop as much as I do, you would have already read that my sweetest, dear friend Alicia is heading for New York - soon!

We've known for a long time, now, that she and her little family were going to move to New York, but it has taken for ever to get the details and definite date. The details have come through and it all seems just a little bit too real. I am so excited for her and her family (oh, a white Christmas.... how wonderful!), but I wouldn't be human if I didn't feel a bit sad about it too.

Leish and I haven't known each other all that long, but it has been long enough to build a really strong friendship and I am going to miss her terribly! We still have email, blogs and, hopefully soon, the new Scrapbook City forums to keep up with, but I know I will miss her more thinking that I can't just jump in the car to go and catch up with her.

I figure we have about six weeks until they leave... that HAS to be at least five or six crops!!!! It is the PerFect excuse!!! Isn't it?

xx S.

Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday was our sixth wedding anniversary and John and I had a great day. We relaxed in the morning (which, for me, meant scrapping), went shopping with the kids in the afternoon, then went out to a quick dinner and movie last night. My MIL looked after our kidlets and it was so nice having some time to ourselves for once.

We ate at the Sushi Station (we ended up only having half an hour before the movie, so had to be quick) and watched the new Pirates of the Carribean movie. We both loved it and I can't wait for the next one.

I bought John a table tennis table and John bought me a keyboard. Unfortunately, when we went to get them, they weren't in stock, but we have ordered them in and are looking forward to receiving them both in early October.

Thanks so much for the emails and messages to wish us a happy anniversary.

No photos to share... I'm off to blog-hop, then I'll probably be back to share some more.
xx S.

Photo Swap and Aussie Dares

OMGosh!! Look at this gorgeous layout Shirley Chai created for me with our photo swap.... isn't it stunning? Thanks Shirls, can't wait to see it IRL!!



Also, did I mention I finally did my Aussie Dares layout for the first theme, "How Dare You..."? Well, I did, but I can't show you because it was snapped up for publishing within seconds! Quickest acceptance I've ever received! Funnily enough, I used the same photo as the above that I sent to Shirls.... must have been having a blonde moment, as I thought I'd sent her another one. Luckily, I really LOVE the photo, taken by Alicia Barry.

xx S.

Phew.... Still Catching up...

...from the "Great Hard Drive Crash of '06"!!

I am so stoked to be able to announce that I have finally, after nearly a month, rebuilt my accounts so they are up to date~!! It didn't seem that huge when I was doing my accounts daily, but six months of accounts is MASSIVE to have to do all at once!

My next step is to do a stocktake or have a Sell-Out sale. I think I prefer the sale option... too much fun! I will still have to count at the end, but not as much. I'm not sure how to go about it. I could have a local sale (like a garage sale) with local advertising, or I could have an online sale, which is a LOT of work. Even more work, because I don't have all my picture files anymore. The lovely Cass sent me a disc with lots of pic files on, but there are still a lot I need. :(

Maybe I could have mystery bags/boxes with $80 of goodies for $50... mmm.... will have to think about it.

Anyway, the good news is that I'm getting back on track.

Here is my latest layout, too. I love this one and had lots of fun doing it. The best part was when Alicia's MM ribbon glue exPLOded out of the tube and fell in a glob on the top of the photo!!! Um... yeah.... sorry about your glue, Leish!

The photo was taken by Ang O'Neale at the start of the year. Amelia insisted on the Heidi Swapp Flower Jewels on the clip (on the photo). She is really starting to want to have a say on the layouts I do with her in. I am loving her attention.

Congrats to all the gals who won the excellent raffles Ngaire held for NBCF. Over $7000 raised!! Good on all of you who donated prizes or money. Congrats to Margie who won a layout by me (sorry it wasn't someone more exciting) and to Moira Byrne Garton who won the Heidi Swapp goodie pack from me. As soon as I hear from you both, I'll get your prizes underway!

xx S.

Tagged....

...by the lovely Amanda.

Four Jobs I’ve Had :
1) Bar Tender
2) Hot Dog chick at a Strip Club (when I was very young) - lol, I kept my clothes ON, thank you!!
3) Newsagent
4) IT Support/Call Centre Operator

Four Movies I Can Watch Over And Over :
1) Memphis Belle
2) Pride & Prejudice (ok, the BBC series with Colin Firth in the white wet shirt)
3) Love Actually
4) Harry Potter (any of them)

Four TV Shows I Love To Watch :
1) Scrubs, Scrubs and MORE Scrubs - my all time favourtie show
2) CSI
3) Survivor
4) Lost

Four Important things to me :
1) Family
2) Friends
3) My computer
4) Scrapbooking

Four Tunes That Play In My Head :
1) Blister in the sun - Violent Femmes (lol - me too!!)
2) Round Here - Counting Crows
3) Superman - Lazlo Bane (theme from Scrubs)
4) Cigarettes Will Kill You - Ben Lee

Four Favorite Food Dishes :
1) Pad Thai Gai
2) A good medium rare steak with chips and veges
3) Yum Cha anything - especially Chicken Feet
4) Sweet Curry Chicken with Jasmine Rice

Four Websites I Visit Daily :
1) Scrap Pile
2) Craft Attic
3) Aussie Scrap Source
4) eBay

Four Scrap company's I like :
1) Basic Grey
2) SEI
3) Chatterbox (although, I am starting to go off them now)
4) Li'l Davis Designs

Four Favorite Colors :
1) Pink
2) Green
3) Brown
4) Blue

Four bloggers to tag:
1) Sara N
2) Jill
3) Crissy G
4) Ang O'N

Photo Swap for Shirley

I hope Shirls doesn't mind me posting this here, but this is the layout I completed with her gorgeous photo. I love the photo heaps and feel I didn't quite do it justice, but I love the layout nonetheless.


The beautiful photo is of Abby and her grandfather taken in the Lingering Garden in China. I couldn't resist a word play. I haven't journalled, as I thought it would be more personal for Shirls to do it.

Also, speaking of layouts, I am back on my layout challenge. Does anyone else want to take this up with me? I am doing twenty layouts before I go shopping for supplies again. I have so much at the moment that I may even be able to make it more than twenty.

Happy scrapping!
xx S.

Bye Bye, Baby, Bye Bye

For the first time in over five years, I once again have no cot in the house. My littlest Nicholas has moved into a big bed and is growing up too fast. I haven't been able to get a photo yet (I know - shock, horror!), but he is settling okay. He spent last night getting out of bed and climbing the cot and bunk like a little monkey. The cot was dismantled today to stop a repeat performance tonight. We needn't have worried - Nick fell asleep at the dinner table in his cup of milk.

I don't have any photos to share at all, as I haven't been uploading them to my computer. I am still working on rebuilding six months of accounts and haven't had time to install all my backup drives. I am backing my accounts externally - don't worry!

Scrapwise, I spent Friday night with Alicia. I didn't get anything finished and haven't had time to work on anything else since. The one layout I've finished in the past couple of weeks has been snapped up by SC, so I can't show it.

Well, here's to keeping baby's babies.
xx S.

Dinner Date

I've just had a fantastic night. My wonderful friend Vonn visited for dinner tonight. John was out at a meeting, which was a shame, but it was really nice having a catch up with Vonn.

We had yummy yummy Thai followed by Cold Rock ice cream YUM! I also had some Coke!!! I enjoyed it so much.... my first Coke since last year! I've done pretty well, really. I only gave up until Easter, but after Easter figured I didn't really need it, so didn't buy it. It had been six months, one week, five days, eighteen hours & thirty minutes - LOL!!! (Yes, I missed it!!) Now I get to finish the bottle (tee hee) as I don't allow my children to drink Coke and it gives John a migraine!! (There is only a little left anyway.)

Vonn is the sweetest person and I love that we have remained friends for so very many years. It is odd thinking I'm old enough to have been friends with someone for around 20 years! She is really special and OMG she can SING like an ANGEL!!

Another lovely friend I was lucky enough to see today, for the third day in a row is the beautiful Jenny, who is up from Sydney. Jenny is an amazing person who, I think, has a lot of love and patience. My children just love her and I love her too. Hopefully we'll get another chance to catch up with her and get some photos before Jenny goes home on the weekend. Kaye took a couple of photos today, which I haven't seen yet.

I'm off to bed - too much excitement this week and I can hardly keep my little eyes open!
xx S.

A Little Confession

Tee hee..... a lot of people who read (or at least comment on) my blog seem to also read my very good friend Alicia's blog. I have a little confession to make regarding her latest post.

I had Alicia's password and was fixing something up for her, so, with my off sense of humour, I made a post from her saying how wonderful I am. Alicia doesn't really think I'm all that great - lol. The spelling part was just a bit of fun, as I recently created a layout with the word 'steal' in the title, but in my tiredness (or whatever) I spelt it 'steel'.

So there you have it.

...and for the record, what I said jokingly about me, is how I feel about Alicia. I think she is a truly special and wonderful friend who I'll be very sad to see move to New York, NY any time soon.

Confession made.
xx S.

So Many Layouts for ' 06 !!

Wow, I can't believe I have completed 97 layouts so far this year! My target was only 100.... maybe I should change that to 200! It has been fun so far and I hope to create heaps more.

How's everyone else going?

xx S.

A Quiz....

Guess what weighs 18.5kg and just arrived at my front door???




$2500 worth of scrapbooking goodies~!!!!! ...and to think I was going to go shopping this afternoon!!! Thanks Aussie Scrap Source!!

xx S.

Edited to add photo and: There were so many items that they are all piled on top of each other, but you get the idea. Hidden under all the little stuff are some paper packs, albums and the QuicKut. There was a huge hole in the box when it arrived so I hope nothing fell out!! *Please excuse the couch.*

Edited again to add: Oooohh... and guess what was in there? One book I almost bought once, but was put off by the price.... Heidi Swapp's Love Your Handwriting! I'm okay with my handwriting, but I've heard how fab this book is and can't wait to have a play. *Tee hee.... I'm giggling like a school-girl!!** I don't usually win anything!!

Back to the Blog

Well, Nicholas is back to normal after a few hairy-scary days with Nutella-nappy. Thanks to all those volunteers for help - lol!!!

I've been busy and unwell, so no blogging for a few days. I've a tummy & muscle-achy virus and feel ordinary, but I'll be right as soon as I can eat normally again.

I have layouts to share, that I realise I hadn't shared yet. The first is from Alicia's class at the Scrapbook City University last month. The design is based on her gorgeous layout she received an Honorable Mention for in last year's Masters comp.

The second layout is from Karen Ridgeway's online doodling class last week.

The kids are making cup cakes, so I had better go and pull them out of the oven. I'm not even well enough to take photos!! How sad is that?

xx S.

Anyone Up For Some Babysitting....

...or at least changing the next couple of nappies?? LOL - I just found Nicholas helping himself to Amelia's jar of Nutella. I don't know how much he ate, but I do know that he will probably be sick later. I know that Christopher gave him the jar. I also know that the next few nappies are going to be yuk yuk yuk. Hopefully we can catch them with his toilet training!!

Think of me.... please!
xx S.

Failed Challenge

Last night's crop at Scrapbook City was a lot of fun! I had really hoped to get lots of layouts done so I wouldn't have to break my challenge (of doing 20 layouts before shopping). I worked on three layouts, but only got one finished (which I can't share yet). So, in total, I finished 14/20 layouts within two weeks..... then I shopped!! I didn't buy much last night, but I did buy, so I failed the challenge.

That's okay, I'll just have to start it again!! I'll check the calendar for any upcoming crops first - lol!

It was so much fun catching up with Alicia, Amanda, Zane & her mum, Sara & her mum and meeting Michelle & Kellie. Thank's to Leisa, also, for a fun night!

If you are looking for a fantastic challenge, check out How Dare You - Aussie Dares. Some fantastic Aussie scrapbookers getting together with fortnightly challenges for US... the other Aussie scrapbookers!! It's going to be loads of fun, I'm sure!!

xx S.

Quick Note before Crop

Yay - today I quietly finished off FIVE layouts! I now only have seven to get done tonight before I can shop! Can I do it? Yes I can!! (Okay, I watch too much Bob the Builder with the kids - lol.) Wish me luck!!

xx S.

End of Fin Year

Not much has been going on worth telling in the past few days. End of financial year has been extremely busy trying to even out my business accounts and round off John's business accounts. I have weeks of work ahead of me still, trying to redo the past six months of my accounts. I just have to get in and do them!

John's accounts are looking great!! The business is going very well and definitely has a future in it, which is positive. We are hoping to celebrate a successful financial year on Sunday - not sure what doing, but something nice.

I'm off to a crop at Scrapbook City tonight, with some ladies from Scrapbooking Memories' forums. I'm really looking forward to getting a lot done and will be cranky if I end up staring at my unfinished work!! My aim is to complete my last twelve layouts so I can have a shop - LOL - don't like my chances. I am taking seven nearly finished layouts with me, so I might be lucky!

Have a great weekend.
xx S.