Cybercrop Creations

I had fun the other night at a cybercrop with SBO. We were privileged to have Elsie Flanagan as a surprise visitor - exciting! I did a few of the challenges. It was interesting to attempt them even though I'm not totally satisfied with the results. I find it hard to be creative when there are particular "requirements" for a layout, but I thought it would a useful exercise to get me out of a creative comfort zone. As a result of this crop I don't really think doodling is a style I'm going to do much with but it was interesting to try.

The 30 minute layout was a real challenge because I don't "create" well under pressure and it was the first time I'd done doodling. I was however able to get something done and am quite pleased with the results of this particular challange. No pic because it's on the laptop and I can't be bothered re-photographing it.

The next one was to look for a colour combo around the house and create something inspired by it. I had a few options for this one but picked a mango because I love the colours. I didn't really have any great photos for it though so I'm going to have another go at this colour combo when I have some suitable photos. These were some my mum gave me and she really needed to use a flash or something. Pity they weren't digital and then I could have adjusted it.
I had another doodling attempt on this layout.

There was also a challenge to use something non-scrapbooking related on a layout. I struggled with this one - or rather, I struggled to find something that could be classed as non-scrapbooking! In the end I cut up a plastic mesh vege bag and used it as a background.


The final challenge is due at the end of the week, and is to document a day in your life. I suppose I will have to include doodling again if I want to have a chance to be a winner *sigh*. I have to remind myself that I scrap for myself and my family and not for any prize. But I like to win. Selfish ambition... need to lose it and be contented with what I have.

B &W with Colour Pop

For NZ Dare Competition... black & white with colour pop. Took me a while to find some photos I could work with!

Book of love

This little book I made for my sister who was one of my birth support team. I made it through SBO (Trina's online class). The original book is actually a Valentine book but DH is not the sort of guy who likes this kind of thing so I modified it to suit my purpose!

I also made some cards from the leftovers to put in the altered tin for my midwife; she was quite overwhelmed with the gift. :-) I like making people happy.

My Scrapping space

scrapspace

Janine challenged us to take a picture of our scrapping space... here is mine. I'd love to have more room; the picture doesn't show all the stuff stashed away or spread out beside the actual minuscule desk. How I envy those of you with more room!

The elusive first smiles

smile

DD has starting smiling and cooing - it's so sweet. It's neat how just at this time, (when you are starting to get a bit sick of the mundane feed/sleep/change routine), the baby's brain kicks in and you get rewarded with interaction! Somehow it just opens up your heart more, and the love gets bigger.

Trying to catch the first smiles is jolly hard! My camera is pretty quick but even so, I only have a few decent ones.

She is doing well; is over 5kgs now and has a nice chunky feel to her when I cuddle her.

I had an interesting conversation with DS this morning while getting him dressed. As I pulled the shirt over his head he said, "Don't touch the furry things!"
Eh?
Turns out he was talking about his eyelashes! LOL!

He has some amusing names for things - a recent one is "tangled eggs" for scrambled eggs. He will eat tangled eggs but not poached, fried or hard boiled eggs. *shrugs*

Steam Festival

Last weekend Glenbrook Vintage Railway had a steam festival weekend with lots of steam powered and vintage machinery on display. DH being a steam buff was keen to go, and DS of course was delighted to get another opportunity to go on the train.

We arrived as it opened and I'm glad we did because it soon became packed with people. DS was too scared to ride on the steam powered carousel (much to my disappointment)! But he was more than happy to ride on the trailer behind the traction engine. His current favourite from the Thomas & Friends series is Trevor the traction engine.

As I sat on the train and fed DD, I reflected how funny it was that last time she was on the train she was inside me!

Altered tin

box

I've made this for my midwife who will be seeing us for the last time this week. We get passed on to Plunket next week I guess.

I'm sort of ho-hum about the box. It's okay but I think it could be better. But still, it's going to have a gift voucher to L'Occitane inside it so I guess that makes up for it!

DH thinks it's dumb to get a gift for her since she is already getting paid to do her job, but as I said to him, it's nice sometimes to be thanked for doing a job anyway. At least, we always appreciated any thanks we got from our clients at work. It makes it worthwhile and gives everyone warm fuzzies all round.

Conundrums

Why is it that...

• despite there being 24 nursing pads in a box, and only 2 boobies to apply them to I always end up with one extra one left over?
• the sock demon who lives in my washing machine only takes socks belonging to DS?

3 weeks old

Heh - I do like Photoshop Actions :-) DD is going through a zitty stage and I was reluctant to take a photo but thanks to Duotone DreamVersion 2 from Action Central you can't tell.

This one is of the two of them. I forgot to use the portrait setting on my camera so the black sheet I used as a background is too prominent. I shall have to remedy that.

Plums. plums, plums

Plums

and more plums. Obviously there were some bees about because we had a bumper crop of plums this year. I've given away plenty of bags and we also preserved some, made plum sauce, plum jam, plum sorbet and plum cake.

Yum plums!

Okay - enough already... bring on the figs.
Note to self: move bird netting to fig tree.

First pink layout!

This one is for her title page in her album.

I have confess I spent hours on this one which isn't my usual practice. I'm finding moving into the girly layout mindset needs a bit of work - heh heh! But I'll get there... a good challenge for the old creativity and will stop me getting into a rut!