Cards. Gift Boxes. 2nd Pub. Sick.

HO HO HO!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

So... was Santa good to you this year? Or have you been good enough for Santa to be good to you? Apparently, I haven't. My husband told me on Friday, that we will go shopping on Saturday for my Christmas present. You could just about shovel my jaw off the floor. I told him, not to worry. If he hasn't bought me anything by now, just let all my scrapbook shopping (and other type of shopping) throughout this year be my Christmas presentsssssss. Now all I need is an apology, because everytime I had charged something "big-ish" to his credit card, he would frown and question me. So he had better take that back... cos now, those WERE my Christmas presents. I think I like it this way. Wouldn't that be Christmas all year round for me? LOL....

This year, I was very disorganised for Christmas. I did not plan to have parties at my place, I did not have many Christmas pressies to buy, and yet.... I left these to the last minute. I made myself make some Christmas cards this year. If you only knew how card-challenged I am, you would know that this is a great commitment. I bought these Delish papers to make Christmas cards... just a few, so I can now say that I've made Christmas card in my scrapbooking history. I didn't get to making them until the Wednesday. I only managed to make 6, and then in a hurry to send them off... I put all of them in envelopes and sealed 2 of them (I don't even know why I sealed them cos you don't really have to as they are only cards) without taking photos of "proof" that I made 6 cards! Anyway, I quickly removed them from the remaining 4 envelopes, and here they are...


Then I fell in love with these AMM Occasion-alls Christmas papers... I had to have them. Inspired by their ad in CK, I covered these papier mache gift boxes for 2 teenage girls, daughters of Jenny and Lyndon. I bought 2 tops for them and squeezed them with some tissue wrappers into these gift boxes. I'm amazed how they manage to fit... but according to the current fashion world, just about every single boutique sells clothes that are meant to fit young girls who are 10 sizes too tiny... and apparently that is normal. I bet one leg of my pants won't fit into this box. Anyway, these are it .... and they absolutely loved the boxes... and their gifts too.


Friday before Christmas, I received my subscribed copy of For Keeps Creative Scrapbooking Issue #50. This issue, they have the Introducing segment featuring,.... yours truly. kekeke.... A 2-page segment introducing scrapbookers who haven't been published in their magazine before. I was quite chuffed .... until I saw what happened to my canvas when it got photographed.


Wanna play Spot the Difference?

I'm a bit disappointed. Maybe because I have waited a while for this to be published, and it was going to be an "introduction" to the scrapbooking community that I exist. And now, what they are going to see, is a layout / canvas that didn't look quite right. I know there is nothing that can be done right now, so I'll just cover my face with a brown bag everywhere I go from now on. Sigh...


On a another note, there was a 3rd layout published in the same issue. I have loved this layout since the day I created it, and I still do.

In the health department, I pride myself for being a half healthy person. I don't normally fall sick easily. 2 days before Christmas, I got struck by tonsilitis. My whole throat was filled with pus spots, my glands were swollen. Where on earth am I going to find a doctor who can see me on this friggin' Saturday???!!!!! I left a message on my doctor's phone Saturday morning, hoping they might be opened that afternoon so I can get some antibiotics. No luck. I met a friend to drop off some things for her, who happened to have a course of Amoxycillin (a repeat prescription of antibiotics? ... hmmm). I discarded my morals and took them off her hands. For once, I thank this dodgy doctor.

And as if taking antibiotics throughout Christmas wasn't good enough, I was struck by some kind of tummy bug on Boxing Day. I swear to heavens, I wanted to live inside my toilet. I went so many times, I had nothing else to pass. And because I was in so much pain from the stomach cramps, I couldn't eat nor drink. And that also means, I don't have anything to pass! So I was just visiting the toilet when the pains strike .... every 1/2 hour. I had a dinner party planned and my husband had to go out to do the shopping, marinated the meats, get the house ready, ... while I laid in bed in agony. Finally at about 4pm, I dragged myself out of bed to start making the salads. Feeling a bit better but still weak, I did the little that I could. Only when guests started pouring in at 6... I started feeling better. Thank goodness, I survived the night without having to run to the toilet every 1/2 hour.

In any case, the dinner was superb..... a grilled butterflied lamb leg which everyone absolutely loved, barbequed Hoisin sauce-marinated pork belly (compliments of Ruey), teriyaki chicken kebabs, wasabi potato salad, prawn & avocado salad (with a yummy thousand island dressing), and Greek tomato salad.... and a Honey semifreddo for dessert. My husband was just over the moon that everyone loved HIS dinner. Yes, he is a crowd pleaser... and loves it even more when the crowd sings louder praises than he can hear from the voices in his head.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. We did (well, apart from the sickness I copped). Here's to a few quiet days before the New Year gatherings start again!

Happy Holidays.

Puffing Billy Day

We had a GREAT day out today. Peter's work place organised a Christmas party at Emerald Lake Park. This park is located near Lakeside station, which is one of those train stations in the Puffing Billy ride. Puffing Billy is one of Melbourne's iconic touristic attraction. This Australian century-old steam train is still running on its original mountain track in the scenic Dandenong Ranges. And we have a 3.5yo-son who is Thomas-the-Tank-Engine-mad, we could not give up the opportunity to take him on this train ride.

We drove an hour to Belgrave, where the Puffing Billy journey starts. From there, the train ride took an hour to get to Lakeside. Kids loved the ride. Of course my son threw a tanty when we had to get down the train. The party was, in all honesty, average. There was food, there was Santa giving away presents, but kids were just dying to get back on to Puffing Billy again.

It was such a wonderful experience for them. Apparently there is a REAL ride on Thomas the Tank Engine trains event in Feb 2007. I would have to book in for that one.

I'm really buggered ... I need to hit the bed. Can you tell I'm just blogging for the sake of it? I'm not even writing like my normal self.

Before I go, just sharing with you, some layouts I did this week.

A photo swap with Leah Littlehales. Her son, Toby.



My December DT layout for Scrap Pile. Using the December Kit Dasher #1, I created a non-Christmassy layout. This is the first time I'm using a foto folder, I wasn't quite sure what to do with them, had to confirm with Ruey. :) :)






Good night. Only 1 more week to go before Christmas!

Finally ... my first publication!!!!

FINALLY!!!! My first publication is now REAL!! It is in the magazine! I can see it now! You know how it's like being in labour for hours to no end..... this is pretty much like it - a 4-month labour. Man!! This is in Issue 37 of Scrapbook Creations. I did this layout for the Aussie Dare Blog's very first challenge.

Title/Journaling : How Dare U get lashes like that...


At the time I did the layout, I just wanted to cut out the swirls and swishes and swashes. Later on, someone told me I was very clever to make them resemble my son's lashes! Clever, I am .... i.n.d.e.e.d ........ I don't get praised very often for being clever, so I'm just gonna soak it in, and go along with it. LOL...

Also, a few months' ago, I entered a Scraproom Makeover Competition in Scrapbook Creations. I didn't win, but I am in the Top 20. The winner and runner ups are published in this same issue. But the other 14 layouts will be in the Scrapbook Creations website on 13 December 2006 onwards.

I have had a few comments on my blog about my bread story. Apparently many people have been amused by it. I'm glad I made some people laugh. :) Then perhaps I should share my thesis on salad.

I don't mind my greens, very selectively though. I don't mind salads but I've been tricked many times. I don't like it when they give a collective term on their menus and call it Garden Salad. What's that suppose to mean? How do I know what vegies you grow in your garden? Or the next chef's garden? Do you know mine? I hate rocket.... with a passion. It's bitter ... I don't understand people who likes bitter vegies. It's tough enough for people to like vegies. To serve bitter vegies is just cruel. I call that grass. Kudos to those people who worship their cool garden salads, but it's just not for me. If I ever order a salad in cafes or restaurants, a caesar is my best bet. I make a mean Caesar, so no Caesars out there are good enough, but I will still order one if my palate insists on some greens that day.

This is going to be a short entry. It's 2am and my bed is calling me. Very upset with my son today... changed about 5 pairs of jocks and pants cos he was too busy playing and forgot to go. The thing is, he gives me a hug everytime while I'm putting on his new pair of underwear, and says, "I love you too." ..... sigh

Good night.

What has happened...

I promise you, I haven't been lazy, just busy. I have just had a very busy fortnight.

End of November. It's that time of the month ........ to rush out the Everyday Moments Album competition layouts for this month. November's theme is Seasons. In a way, I don't like doing seasonal layouts because our winter doesn't snow (except in the mountains), our autumn is not as 'orange'.

I quite dislike this one....

I like these other 2 layouts better...



Friday, 1 December 2006
I had Jessica over for a crop. It was really good! We had a lot of fun chatting and scrapping together. She brought the Blush papers from Basic Grey which I just had to grab.

Saturday, 2 December 2006
We took the kids for their haircut. The salon was located in a shopping centre. Afterwards, we walked pass this Santa Claus set up in the mall. Seeing that there was no line waiting, I sent the kids for their photographs taken with Santa. I thought Phaedon was going to give me grief like he has been for the past few months on just about everything. Surprisingly, he gave the biggest grin when he sat next to Santa. The photographer was good too, making the kids laugh. Afterwards, Santa asked what they wanted for Christmas. Phaedon like a boy, said he wanted a truck; Ellen on the other hand, asked for a 'love heart'. I'm like .... what the?? We will pick the photos up on Thursday.

I finally decided to sell my Tupperware. I was a demonstrator for a year and a bit. Stuff that I have that are occupying my study cum store room, it's appalling. My study can no longer be a study. Neither can it be a store room as there's no more room. So I got Peter to help me take out everything, did a stock take, and list everything for sale. And they are going cheap. REAL CHEAP - $5, $10, $15, $20 for most stuff. If you are interested, send me your email and I'll send you the list.

I still couldn't finish the entire list that night, but manage to put some photos on paper to bring it with me tomorrow to the lunch with BB girls.

Sunday, 3 December 2006
I had Christmas lunch with the Blue Bazaar girls. It was a beautiful day with perfect weather. The restaurant was awesome. The company was great! Wendy, Coby, Kass, Ruey, Jessica, Melissa, Monk and Liz. We had the best time, eating, chatting, exchanging Christmas pressies. And in true girls' style, they shopped... for Tupperware. LOL... It was truly a fabulous afternoon.

Then my husband messaged me to say that my BIL and SIL are coming to visit that evening at 5.30pm. And me being the good hostess, invited them to stay for dinner as well. So after I finished lunch, I went and did some supermarket shopping .... came home ... managed to bake a Hummingbird cake while dinner was cooking. I made a Black Pepper beef for the adults, and a chicken stir fry for the kids. And if you haven't forgotten my previous blog entry, I made rice too. LOL....

I sometimes think I am a superwoman. Something I ate at lunch must be spiked, that made me THINK I am a superwoman.


Monday, 4 December 2006
I had my monthly chiropractic appointment, and then met Ruey for some scrapbooking damage. We went to Scrapbook Scene to submit my DT layout and did some shopping. This is it .... this was done with 3 sheets of MME Bohemian patterned papers, nothing else. The holey sheet was actually a chocolate background with pale blue large circles. But I had punched out the circles so I can still see the blue background. Title was traced and cut and matted, swirls are traced and cut. Oh.. just have to share the journaling...

"It's the way you walk. It's so stylishly casual, it's almost John Travolta-ish"


Tuesday, Wednesday .... Scrapping Blues days because I am scrapping with my children at home. Wednesday afternoon is also Ellen's swimming afternoons. Today, I made Peter come home early so he can watch Ellen swim. He hasn't seen her swim on her own since she went up the next level class. He was very very impressed, and proud of course, of his little princess.

Thursday, 7th December 2006
I went to the mall to pick up the Santa photos. They were great. They took a few extra shots, and I paid extra to get them too. Of course! I'm a scrapper... .. DUH!

Over the last week, I have been shopping... for clothes. I told hubby that I'm still a growing woman. Every year, I go up by one size. Seriously. So I had to buy clothes that are loose fitting now. I used to be able to get the largest size from teenage departments. Now I struggle to fit the large size in women's department. By the way, I'm not pregnant ... haven't been for 3.5 years now.

Friday, 8th December 2006
Cyber Crop night at Scrap Pile. We play Scrap Bingo everytime at our Cyber crops. But tonight has got to be the most hilarious. I think we would all have to be in stitches laughing. I was soooo dumb. I missed out on one of my words earlier one.... and here I was waiting and waiting for that last word to be called out. Ended up someone else won it! BUT OF COURSE!!!!! I was banging my head so hard.... you would have heard it. But we were seriously laughing our heads off when the 3 or 4 of us were waiting for the last word. Well.... in hind sight... if I hadn't missed that word I had, I would have won much earlier.... and we wouldn't have had so much laughter.

Saturday, 9th December 2006
We went to our wholesale butcher at Brooklyn and bought a butterflied lamb leg. Then we invited my BIL and SIL over for dinner again. Again, this time, it was cooked to perfection. Absolutely tender and juicy. Even little Athan had heaps of it. I also made a Wasabi Potato Salad....... deeeeeeelish!

Sunday, 10th December 2006 .... TODAY
Scrapped and scrapped.... I'm almost finished with my layouts. Have a couple more to go.

============================================

That's what that has happened since my last blog entry.

In general, we are toilet training my son. He is doing very well, I must say. Only a couple of accidents. He is still fearful of doing his number 2s in the toilet. Ellen was the same when she was first toilet-trained. She was constipated for days in a row, and the poor vegemite would be screaming blue murder everytime she needed to go but is too scared. With Phaedon, he doesn't like doing it in the toilet, but at least I could distract him and play with him to make him "forget". He eventually does it, but just takes a long time.

OK.. that's enough reading for you all to catch up on. Still trying to finish my layout. Blog again soon!

Ciao!