Create...

Hi Everyone.  I am home again after a sad journey home.  I don't really know what to say or write, but I do know that I want to say thank you for all the wonderful and supportive comments left on my blog while I was away.  The best thing for me now though, is to get straight back into what I love doing.  And that's making special memories with my family and documenting them as we go.

I know my Dad enjoyed looking at the photos and stories shared here on my blog... and he especially loved the times where he was featured!  LOL!!  Like in this "gem" created for Storyboard Kits...

[Lil' Mate]

I'll miss you Dad.

...........................................................................

I have a little bit of housekeeping and some layouts to share.  Firstly, this is my take on Sketchabilities #51: 

 

[Dance]

This is also my first layout as a design team member over there.  I can't wait to see what everyone creates!!!

Also, Get Picky has a fun sketch to play with!

[Game On]

The DT even got to play with some fabulous Purple Pumpkin goodies!  Sam is sponsoring the prize this month and trust me!  You really need to be in it to win this prize!  Yum!!

Thanks again everyone, for staying with me.  :)  I can't wait to get back in and play with scissors, paper and glue!

"Was" is the hardest word to say...

Dear Friends,

I just wanted to let you all know that I am taking a short break from the blogging world for the next week or so.  This hiatus is sadly due to the sudden passing of my Dad.  I know my friends, you will completely understand and no doubt will be here for me when I find the strength to get through this.

For now...  I am in North Queensland with my Mum.  And slowly going through the motions.  Thanks for the love I know I have from you all, even though I haven't posted this message yet.

I'll be home soon....x

Louie, Louie!!!! Whoa...

Hi there!  Who's up for a little challenge?  Hhmmm... You are?  Awesome!  This is what I want you to do...

Go straight over to Storyboard Kits.  Right now.  Don't worry about the rest of this post!  LOL!  Because you could win a 3 MONTH SUBSCRIPTION!  How fabulous is that???!!!!  Just think of all the wonderful things you could do with these goodies!  And all you have to do is to enter a single layout into The Great Storyboard Challenge.  Easy-peasy!

Here's a little something to whet the appetite as well.  Introducing the latest kit - Louie!  You've gotta love a little French Flair!  hee hee..  And he comes with a friend too....

Yummy!!!!  Or should I say... bon appetit!  Don't miss out.  Because this kit is awesome.  Thanks for visiting...x (Now go and create.  Go on... I'm waiting to see your entry!!)

5063 kilometers...

That's how far we traveled.  A trip that started on the northern outskirts of Brisbane, followed the coastline south to Sydney, diverted to the Snowy Mountains and returned north to Canberra.  From Canberra (the land of FREEZING cold!), to the magnificent Blue Mountains, avoiding the destructive winds, only just, to find ourselves traveling through Central NSW, north to Dubbo.  From the fun and adventure of Taronga Western Plains Zoo, further inland and north to Moree and their artesian waters.  And finally.  Yes... Finally, home today.

We started off in the dark and came home in the dark.  Home. Sweet. Home.  Now we can shake the dust from our boots, shower where you know the water temperature will be perfect and climb into heavenly, sweet smelling, clean sheets... sigh....  It's good to be home.

Home.  Where I know I won't have to wake to the kids calling out desperately that they need to go to the toilet.  Where I  know they can happily take themselves 3m to comfort and I won't have to worry about them stumbling in the dark, or me stumbling around, to find my boots among the scattered clothes on the camper trailer's floor, just so I can walk them in the cold and wind to the nearest amenities block.

Home.  Where when Cam calls out in the night, I know I can navigate to his room, the kitchen and do a lap around the lounge, all with my eyes shut.

Home.  Where I don't have to climb into the back of the car and twist myself into a pretzel, just to have access to a bottle of milk from the fridge.

Home.... sigh.

We certainly enjoyed our holiday.  We made wonderful memories and will talk about them for many, many years to come.  We saw our beautiful country and drank in the splendours that were offered to us.



 

We had adventures unique to each and everyone of us.

 

Some of them a little more memorable than most...

And we celebrated milestones, not just in kilometers but in years.

So after 5063 kilometers, we have found our way home.  We're a little grubbier than we started.  Certainly a lot more tired.  Hahahaha!  I've lost more fingernails than I care to count and I'm sure it will take months to get the dirt out from underneath!  Would we do it again?  Absolutely.  Thanks for following along with "Our Little Family"...x

Happy Birthday Cammy-bear!!

This cheeky monkey....

Whoops sorry!  I mean this cheeky monkey is TWO today!

We love our munchkin to bits and he is absolutely adored!  Even with his grubby little face and puppy dog eyes.  :)  Hope you have an amazing day today Cameron.  We couldn't imagine life without you! Mwah!  Hugs?!

So.... Please excuse us while we finish our monkey business and party like animals at the zoo today!  :p  hee hee... I couldn't resist!  Thanks for visiting..x

And our travels continue....

Yes.  You guessed it.  We are still travelling along but rapidly our little adventure is coming to a close.  Just a few more days and we will be home.  (And just quietly... I think this is about all the travelling the kids can handle.)  They have been really good so far.  But they have their limits...and I have mine! LOL!!!

Let me catch you up.

We left Canberra feeling as though we hadn't seen much of anything really... We covered the basics, the "must-sees". I'm sure we will go back one day. But it most certainly WON'T be in winter!! hahaha!!

The Blue Mountains were definitely calling us. We stayed in Katoomba, very close to Scenic World!

These mountains are spectacular.  They are amazing.  And I keep referring to them as the "green" Grand Canyon.  Not that I've seen the Grand Canyon in real life, but it is how I'd imagine it to be....if it had lots of trees!  The place was magic.  Aided of course by the low lying clouds in the valley below.  :) 

 
 

I think it was the cable cars and vertical railway that sold us on the Mountains.  We spent the entire day at Scenic World and used our unlimited passes to travel up and down and from mountain top to valley floor.  We even went from mountain top to mountain top!  We saw lyrebirds, waterfalls and monolithic rocks!  Wow!  The Three Sisters enchanted us along with the legend itself.

The kids found the glass bottom floor fascinating!  Especially Cam! LOL!  The rest of us found it a little un-nerving.... :s

The vertical train however, was extremely entertaining! bwahahaha...

Unfortunately I was too busy holding on for dear life to take possession of the camera! LOL!  To punish ourselves even more we chose to go back up it (travelling backwards!) in the first carriage.  We had a definite birds eye view to the valley floor immediately below!  You try not to think about things like break failure, at a time like that.  LOL!  Scary. Scary ride!  And when they say vertical...they don't exaggerate that part!!

After an incredibly blustery night in Katoomba, we packed up in the rain and headed towards Dubbo.  That's where we are right now.

We had a mid-journey break in Orange, where I got to meet some lovely Ladies who are endearing regulars on The Boxx!  Hi Kim and Annette!  *waving from Dubbo*!!  hee hee...  It was unfortunate that I didn't get to catch up with Mary too.. :(  We had a great chat and I am very pleased to say I have now met them IRL!  (In Real Life - that's for my Mum!!  LOL!)

Today we spent our time at Western Plains Zoo.  We have a two day pass and plan to spend Cam's second birthday there tomorrow!  But here's a little look at what we did and saw today....

 Thanks for visiting...  I'll  be back soon...x

Create...

Hi friends.  Today I have a mixed bag of news to share!  LOL!  There is so much happening all at once, I'm not sure if I am Arthur or Martha!  hee hee...  But I guess I'll start with the easiest. 

This is a little "toot".  Today is the release date for the new issue of Scrapstreet.com, an online scrapping magazine.  A few months ago, one of the writer's asked if I could contribute to her article by creating a "top ten" layout specifically about journalling!  I was absolutely thrilled.  Swamped of course with plenty of DT commitments, but when has that stopped me before! And if you know me... well... journalling is a big part of what I want on my layouts. 

This is what I managed to create...

[10  truly amazing things about you]



I really enjoyed the process and concept behind this layout.  It will definitely be fun to create a similar one in 12 months time!!!

In other scrap-related news...

I am very excited to share with you all, that I am a new Design Team member with this wonderful US family based manufacturer... "Pretty Little Studio"!  YAY!!! They are fun and funky and a little bit retro and I LOVE what they offer!  I am one of 8 new members and completely shocked that I managed to get on the team!  LOL!  You can check out the other fabulous and hugely talented dt members in the announcement here.

I cannot wait to play with all these fabulous goodies!!!!!

At the moment we are still in Canberra.  This morning we woke up to this!!!

There was frost everywhere!!!  Pretty to look at but OMGosh!  Fffffrrreeeeeezzz-ing!!  Right now, it is minus 1.6 degrees!

But after the shock, we managed to go to Questacon today where the kids - all nine of them - had a fantastic morning learning about what science can offer....(and those of you who are new to my blog, please note that only four children out of the previously mentioned nine children, are actually mine!  LOL!  Three families travelling together raises some eyebrows!!)

We also visited the Royal Australian Mint and saw the process of how the Aussie dollar is made...

...And we finished the day off at Parliament House...

Yep.  Another busy day on the road.  Tomorrow we pack up and travel towards the Blue Mountains.  Woo Hoo!  Thanks for visiting...x