Well im back from my holiday and i have sooo much to catch up on in blogger land..

I will get and visit all the blogs on my list and drop in and say hi, see what you have all been up too.

I have some photos to share of our lights, which we only got up in time this year for xmas..

Our christmas started on christmas eve, with a party with friends at our house, so nice to be home this year. My elderly mother stayed for christmas with us this year also.

A few games of backyard cricket, volleyball , food, drinks and just catching up on the years..fantastic..

You know your getting old when, your teenagers drink more alcohol than you do and wake up chirpy and excited, and you wake up feeling terrible..lol..

Actually christmas morning didnt start till around 8pm, which was incredibly late for us. Yes we are all getting older..lol

The kids enjoyed their presents, and i was spoilt with my fav purfume, opium, a lovely handbag, and new nike joggers, for the gym..

And can you beleive i forgot to take photos!!!!! arghhhhh, bad scrapper i am..lol

Craig and i werent that hungry so the kids chowed down to christmas lunch with nanny and the rest of the day was help yourself..

As for scrapping, havnt done much at all, only this one for the EMM monthly sketch..

scary i know..lol

Well im off to scrap, and check out blogs, hope you all had a wonderful xmas!!!!

Well have been busy scrapping over the weekend, and it felt good too as i really have enjoyed it.

Craig took Jack out for a couple of hours to

his daughters birthday party.

With strict instructions to take photos with my

new camera and not to leave it behind..lol

Well he didnt leave it behind,

he certainly didnt frget to bring it home,

he just forgot to take photos..lol..

Definately not a scrapper..lol as i would never forget to take photos!!!

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Cyber cropping.

CHOOKSCRAPS had their cyber crop on this weekend

.Great challenges too Lorraine

This first layout was a challenge that asked you to create a layout using a photo of someone special, a tag and some ribbon:

This is my lovely sister and my darling Jack. Taken last xmas day 2005,

yes and its taken this long to scrap it..lol..

and now i look at it and the title is crooked...bummer..

oh well you get that..lol

This second challenge was a sketch challenge..

loved the sketch.

The gorgeous pp i used was from one of my secret santas

and still dont know who it is...lol

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Now i cant officially win any prizes at chookscraps,

being on the design team and all,

so i entered this layout over at

THE SCRAPPERS STASH weekend cyber crop.

Jackson feeding his bottle to his bear.

Also the newsletter is out over at chookscraps,

with lots of yummy things to look at.

And so now i can share with you my OTP using the

Novemeber pack which consisted of Reminisce halloween papers.

I made this cute little book from a maya road accordian book. love how it turned out..

More photos of it in my DT folder.

And i also completed another page for my pregnancy journal..which i will share when i have a few pages.

So im off to check out some blogs..

Oh and just to let you know i stumbled across a most

gorgeous scrappers blog. Mel Nunn,

over on my side bar of scrappers who inspire me.

Ive added her blog as her work is gorgeous, so check it out!

cheers

Well so much for my big scrappin plans this weekend..lol..

I did manage a couple of layouts but not as much as i had hoped for..

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I received my gorgeous CHOOK SCRAPS DT pack

on Friday and i just love the papers.
Thanx Lorriane!!!

So much so: im inspired to do an OTP project

with the gorgeous Reminisce Halloween papers.

Ive been in a scrapping mood all afternoon,

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I also had to take some more photos last night, yes i know more!!!
so i could complete an example layout for the competition.
Chookscraps Survivor competition.

Its getting very exciting on chook island.

We brought back six elliminated chooks:

to compete in a special elimination challenge.

From these six contestants two will be voted back

onto the island to compete once again in

CHOOKSCRAPS SURVIVOR ISLAND:

go check it out!

Here is my eaxample for the challenge

using a xmas layout

visible journalling of over 100 words

colour sheme predominately blue and silver.

I also managed to do a layout for Crafting in style with Jolene,
who sadly is leaving the chookscraps DT this month.
As she now has her own store crafting in style.
She will be replaced by the very talented Susan, better known as Jibbibear.
See her blog in my sidebar.

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Here is my layout for a challenge using the photo that

lifts to show journalling and another photo.
Also over at the scrap pile i finished a layout that showed journalling..
Love this one and did a double layout as

already i have many xmas photos and its not even xmas yet..lol

So ill just leave you with my favourite xmas photo so far.

It was a quick one as Jack wouldnt stand still. But i love how it turned out!

So cheers all, till next time!

Ok here are the last of my Embellished Idol layouts.

Before i start some serious cyber cropping over at

The little scrap book shop and

Crafting in style,,

And i will even have a peek at whats happening at

The scrap Pile!

ooohhh busy night i know!!

This was challenge five:
We had to use beading and the word dream..

I really love how this one turned out,,very soft and dreamy.

Challenge six:

Was to make up a layout using a photo sent to us by Ali..

Unseen until we received it, We

had a choice of three and i chose her gorgeous son to scrap.

challenge seven:

was a sketch challenge..

Used this beautiful photo of Stephanie from our halloween party..

Alas this was as far as i got in the competition..

didnt make the final three,

but i was very honoured to have gotten as far as i did..

Ok now off to the cyber crops..

cheers

well thought i would share my layouts from embellishes idol competition..

I had so much fun over there!!

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congrats to the final three Anthea, Amanda and to

Melissa who won overall as emebellished idol!!!

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challenge one: vintage

loved this one..not a big vintage person but took me out of my comfort zone.

challenge two:

scraplift..

wasnt very happy with this one..really not my style at all...but i got through..

challenge three:

3 or more photos..

I love these photos of Steph and Jack from last xmas..

also put in some bling, which i dont usually go for but these Heidi swapp bling are gorgeous.

challenge four:

minimilistic,

and this is my fav,,very minimal,

which was very hard for me to manage, kept wanting to put more on the page..

but i love how it turned out.

Ok blogger wont let me upload my final three layouts so might try later today..

Well had a great weekend..And once again before you know it its over..

to start :

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Friday night cyber cropping with Embellished. Always have a laugh and lots of fun to be had. Managed to complete two challenges, and am hoping to sneak in the third tonight..will see.

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My first is challenge one: a xmas photo using red on the layout.

These photos were from the earlier photo shoot with the kids.And dont you just love the basic grey christmas papers. I have used this weekend both papers from the dasher range and the fruit cake range..

The second layout is a sketch challenge .

Saturday morning saw me up bright and early to get Mike to a meeting at his work by 8am.

9am get Alex to army cadets and Happy birthday Alex. He turned 13 on sat 2nd December.

Get home and try and do some scrapping.

Pick Alex up at 2pm.

Get to shops to get his party stuff.

He is having a sleepover with some mates tonight..

Pick Mike up from work, put out treasure hunt.

Boys start arriving.

Pick up pizzas for dinner, try and scrap a bit more.

Sunday morning up bright and early to pack for the EMM christmas crop.

Oh yes, 10am till 5pm..And i had a ball meeting lots of new faces and chatting with old friends.

Also a wonderful thunderstorm to end the day..

Very nice and much wanted.

Get home, everyone had behaved themselves whilst i was away.

Dinner was cooked, roast beef and vegies.

Thanx Babe!

So that was my weekend..

Now back to the grindstone for another week.