WELL WELL WELL....

...does anyone even bother visiting anymore...???

it has been a while since last i posted. so much has happened - good and bad.
lots i can't and won't go into concerning my family but let me just say that the path has been a VERY rocky one these past few weeks and without the love and support of a few close friends, and one in particular, i don't know that i would have got through it all.
so thank you...you know who you are.

my birthday get together was a hoot.

surrounded by people i really care about, lots of laughs, giggles, good food, great conversation and WAYYYYY too much of the old "Asti Ruby" and a very very late finish but i had the best time.

even the hangover was worth it...LOL

matt is still recovering from his back injury, although the road ahead is still full of physio visits and learning to listen to his body. let me just say, i NEVER want another phonecall like that again from mark that starts "now don't panic darl, BUT..." nor to walk into an A&E and see one of my children hooked up to THAT many monitors.
i am glad to say that his coach is very mindful of his injury too and isn't letting him back on the paddock until he is 100% sure of matt's fitness and capabilities.

the EMM retreat was just SO much fun. despite all the giggling and laughing and chatting and singing AND that infamous sparkler run that NO-ONE got any pics of, i did manage to scrap lots. i was just so inspired by all the amazing talent around me. i learnt so much from the girls there, not only during the classes and demos but just be sitting next to the girls and seeing what they were doing. everyone was just so friendly and inspirational and encouraging.
i even managed to teach a few of the girls how to do french knots - and they all were doing them on LOs after that - i was kinda proud (and a little surprised...!!!) that i could actually impart some knowledge onto someone else.
so rondelle needs to have her baby and get the next retreat organised cause i can't wait for the next one now.

i have been scrapping heaps lately. since the big move from the scrapping "dungeon" up to our bedroom i find it so much easier to sit, even just for a few minutes and get some scrapping done.
i am currently on a 20 LO non-shopping challenge to myself - my stash is just SOOOOO huge and i honestly can't justify spending anymore money on scrapping supplies until my stash is somewhat reduced. i have given away some of my "older" stash to girls i know that are teachers and they are grateful for the supplies - just glad the things will be used and not just thrown out.
so unless i need to buy CS or one of the challenge packs for the EMMies i am planning on getting my stash reduced in a big way.
then i can go out and buy up big again....LOL

EMM is holding it's monthly cybercrop tonight so pop on over and join in the fun.
not too sure about the clues that the DT have given us but i am sure things will become obvious once we kick off.

and now some LOs to share.

a LO of my beautiful boy and his uncanny resemblance to a soapie character - LOL

using up lots of my PP scraps

a LO of my mum...used one of the old EMM challenge packs - kept it simple because i am not sure how to journal about the relationship i have with mum which, at the best of times, is very strained.


my interpretation of the EMM sketch for this month's EMMies. my biggest challenge is to alter the sketches to suit the smaller size i scrap in - sometimes having to do that is an advantage, sometimes it's not.

this is a pic of mark's darling Nanna taken in 1911. i love the serenity of this pic and even though it is almost 100 years old, i have not photoshopped the pic at all. it is amazing condition.
this LO is part of my EMMies entry too and i used the march challenge pack.

~~ thanks for looking ~~

have a great friday - i am having lunch with some of the mums from kait's school
look for the things in your life that make you smile
~~ and remember, let those you love, know that you do ~~

~*~ shazz ~*~
xo