Bella BLVD | Mini Album...

Hello Everyone!! Today I am excited to share with you my little mini album created for Bella BLVD and the Basically Bare team up!  I am also a little aprehensive too because I don't normally venture outside of scrapbooking layouts.  But I figure, if I don't challenge myself every now and then, how will I know what I can achieve!  *grin*..  So here goes...

 "Home Away from Home"

My main objective with this mini was to create something I can keep all of our favourite camping memories in.  We go camping a lot.  And the kids love these adventures.  So... I really needed to create a space for these memories to be kept together and of the main camp sites we visit over and over again.

The first few pages are half the size of the Basically Bare album itself.  I wanted to document things we always do regardless of where we spend time camping - bike riding, bush walking, swimming and setting up the tent.

The mini album came with envelope inserts and in these I have kept essential information and details such as location, contact details and price lists. :)  It will be interesting to be able to compare these things in a few years time.

What I have found that I love the most about this mini, is that I can continue to add to it...  The more adventures we have, the more places I can document about.  Sort of a bucket list to tick off as we travel and explore.

If you would like to see more photos, please visit this blog post over at Bella BLVD.  Thanks for visiting...x

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products used: mini album - basically bare - bare Booklets; cs - DCWV, Kaisercraft; pp - Bella BLVD: Thankful, Finally Fall, Sophisticates; alpha - Bella BLVD; other - Bella BLVD: crochet flowers (juniper), ciao chips, designer tapes & flags, basically bare: chipboard embellishments (stack-a-bellies birds and happy little houses), kaisercraft: pearl flourish & ink, Tim Holtz distress stain, Greatest View: twine, chevron & sunburst badges, Mister Huey's color mists, versacolor ink, Fancy That Dies: mixed Leaves, recycled map.

home again, home again....

warning: photo heavy post!!! ;)



Hello Friends!  We are home again after a wonderful mini Easter break with good friends and a smokey atmosphere!  LOL!  Yep.  We went camping...again.  :)

 

And back to one of our favourite camping spots. Amamoor - Cedar Grove.  The creek here has been dramatically cleared of debris and made significantly wider  in some parts due to recent flooding that swallowed this little valley.  Still it is a beautiful place to camp... even if over 300 other people joined us for the Easter week-end...

So instead of joining the masses, that were trying to escape the heat at the main water hole, the kids and I went exploring and found this little secluded section. 

The water was freezing! But over the slight rocky rapids, the water was shallow enough for them to wade about. Keeping them happy and wet. :)

Of course, quite ironically, in a place where this entire area was going to be underwater with the proposal of a very controversial dam... the kids decided they needed to try their hand at building one too.  LOL!

And maybe some of the big kids got involved as well!! hahaha.. They even built a "spa" off to the side.  They used the bubbles formed from spilling off the dam wall to create a natural whirl pool.  And I guess they needed it after carrying those heavy rocks!

Other than exploring the creek, we got to experience the wildlife too.  There was the usual goannas and a few snakes... ummm.. yeah.  We avoided those ones, but we still saw them.  But a highlight was this little creature.

We also climbed trees... sort of... maybe it was kind of a tree!  LOL!!

And we even took a trip to Tin Can Bay...

The kids really love camping.  They are always quite excited but Cam seems to be extra keen to be outside playing and learning.

So... I hope everyone had a beautiful Easter.  We certainly did.  Even if the rain came down on Sunday while the egg hunt was happening!  LOL!!

Thanks for visiting..x

Create + DT call...

Hi Everyone.  It time for the new sketch reveal over at Sketchabilities! And if you wanted a challenge for scrapping multiple photos on a layout, then this fortnight is the place to visit!  Check out Karan's new sketch...

[Water Fight]

products used: cs - DCWV, Stampin' Up; alpha - October Afternoon; other - machine stitching, Tim Holtz ink, versacolor ink, foam tape, black pen (sharpie), fiskars circle template.

I love that I got to scrap these photos so quickly!  They are from our camping trip, in early October.  The water was freezing cold.  No.  It was actually ridiculously cold.  All the kids wanted to go swimming but no-one wanted to go in the water.  LOL!  I think it was one of the adults that started the water fight... Mark probably!   hee hee.. But the kids soon got involved and then it was just Tahlia and our camping buddy Liam R (note: not her brother Liam!). 

In the end Liam just picked her up, threw her over his shoulder and dunked Tahlia in the water!!
 

And then there were fireworks!!  LOL!!  Meanwhile... all of us (supposed) grown-ups were rolling on the ground with laughter!! Definitely a good day.  Well... for most of us!!

Sooo... If you would like to have a good day as well, head on over to Sketchabilities and give this sketch challenge a go.  And while you are there check out the details for Karan's new DT Call.  This is a such a fun place to visit and you will create some wonderful layouts.  Don't be shy.  Submit your entry now.  Good luck..x

Hello Friends...

Absence makes the heart grow fonder... right?! hee hee.. Well in my case I've been spending wonderful carefree days with my children during their school holidays... and now that they have returned to school I finally have a few minutes to share our family adventures.  :)

Week-end picnics and swims in the creek...

Arts and Craft...

Icy-poles...

 Camping...

And of course that doesn't include the sleepovers, building bases, decorating cubby houses, cooking cupcakes, drawing, visiting Grandma and Grandad, swimming in their pool, ballet practice, cricket games, playing at the park, watching repeated episodes of Play School, and movie nights at home.  I'm sure I've missed  a few activities because the last two weeks have been jammed pack with non stop holiday fun!!!

Now, I just need to recover!  LOL! I'll be back soon with the minimal scrapping I've managed to do!  :D  Thanks for visiting...x

Amamoor camping...

So.... We have survived a relatively uneventful, camping experience. Yay!! It was a relaxing and fun getaway with good friends. The best way to go camping. Now, if I could only make the clean up and mountain loads of washing disappear, I'd say it was a brilliant little break... but as it stands, it was still a lovely time. Sadly, if the Traveston Dam project goes ahead, this beautiful National Park and all it's surrounding will most likely go under water...

This camping trip was also Cameron's first time at going away. Not just camping but being away from home and all his comforts. We were quite concerned that he wouldn't settle at night and disturb the peace for other campers. We were wrong in that he wouldn't settle at night. He did a great job. It was just during the day where he didn't want to be parted from me for one moment. LOL!

I didn't take a lot of photos on this trip..(too busy juggling a baby!) but we did manage to go on a bush walk...with 14 kids in tow! Not all of them pictured here!

Some of us slept though it....

While some of us explored...

And we found the time for some swimming on a 33degree Celsius day. Actually, that was a must!

The only downfall (other than packing up and going home..) were the goannas. They are very comfortable with campers and travelling through the campsites without a second glance. They were quite pesky on our last day, breaking into the garbage to scavenge for scraps of food. I didn't want the kids to come out second best in a goanna fight! Especially since some of the goannas were quite large and probably more than capable of taking down a child or two...

Thanks for visiting.