Challenge # 20

Here is this week's challenge brought to you by Colette:

We all get them. Funny, outrageous, and sometime irreverent emails. Serious, thought-provoking, and spiritual emails. Your challenge is to use something you received in an email as your journaling.

Good Reasons by Colette Bate

I don't do windows because I love birds. I don't want one to fly into a clean window and get hurt.

I don't disturb cobwebs because every creature should have a home of their own.

I don't put anything away because my husband will never be able to find it again.

I don't pull weeds because I don't want to get in God's way. He is an excellent designer.

I don't iron because I believe them when they say Permanent Press.

I don't spring clean. I love all the seasons and don't want the others to get jealous.

I don't do gourmet meals when I entertain because I don't want y guests to stress out over what to make when they invite me over for dinner.

I don't wash floors because I'm terrified a guest will slip, hurt themselves. I'll feel terrible and they'll sue me.

(Hidden journaling in pull-out file folder)
I remember when we first started exchanging emails. We were amazed at the speed of it ... the ease of it ... the miracle of computers and the internet. It felt like Star Trek and we LOVED it. I would send Mom and Dad 'Chuckles From Colette' ... bits and pieces of humor and our daily doings. Mom would print them out and leave them for Daddy to read during his morning 'chores'.

When Mom learned that you could play games like Scrabble, Solitaire, Slots, and even do jigsaw puzzles online she was HOOKED! The computer quickly became Mom's way of keeping in touch with everyone. It was one of her best methods of support after Daddy died. She even started taking computer classes at the senior center in town where she learned just enough to get her in trouble.

The quotes on this page came from a humorous email she forwarded to me in the summer of 2004. Humorous? Yes. But, if you knew my mother you would know how eerily true these statements are.
Photo taken November, 2004.

Nicole's Sponsor Layout

Here is Nicole's sponsor layout with Cosmo Cricket products:

Nicole's take

Here is Nicole's take:

Journaling reads:

I vaguely hear the sounds of little feet padding into my room and feel 2 small bodies climbing into bed with me and my husband.

Tick, tick, tick. The day has begun. It’s 6AM.

Everyday I am racing the clock. It’s so cliché but there really seems to be too much to do with too little time to do it in. From the second I open my eyes each morning, I am being pulled apart everyday as I struggle to find balance in my life. I am torn between my husband, my children and trying to run my online business. I want to be able to do it all yet finding the happy medium is elusive. Is there some sort of secret magical formula that I just don’t know about or haven’t found yet? Or am I kidding myself that I can do it all? Most days I am running on fumes (or at least on the caffeine buzz of Coca-cola and/or cappuccino). I don’t want to be the absentee mother or wife but I want Scrapbooker’s Club House to be a success and that takes more time and effort than I ever knew it would. I am tired. Worn out and exhausted. I never feel rested. I have no idea what feeling rested means anymore. I got through bouts of insomnia for weeks at a time. I have been living like this for so long, it is almost normal.

Everyday I am racing the clock. For 16 hours every day I am trying to fit in all the work, love, and attention that my family needs while nurturing the growth of my small company. I have no concept of “me” time anymore. It’s been obliterated under a pile of other responsibilities that always seem more pressing. Like grains of sand in an hour glass, time keeps slipping away.
Everything is going too fast and I can’t stop it. Tick, tick, tick.

Stefanie's take

Here is Stefanie's take:

Journaling reads:

I started @ 8am at the Family Pick'nPay for our weekly groceries,

Collected kids from school @ 1:45 and 2:25 respectively,

Dropped Riska, the maid, @ the taxi rank to catch her lift,

Put in my weekly allocation of R250 @ Caltex,

Josh had appointment for new bands and elastics @ 2:45,

15 minute wait.Video store to get DVD "the Pianist" for Joshua's WWII homework,

Had to buy nephew Reuben a 4th birthday present: sword and guns,

3 ravenous and raucous Siamese @ home reminding me to buy food!

Challenge #19

Here is this week's challenge, brought to you by Beverly Todd!

My turn to set the challenge this week. I hope you'll all play along. When I saw the stash from our sponsors, Cosmo Cricket, it was a li'l bit scary as this is technically a Christmas range so I put it back in the box for a day or two. When I came back to it, the ideas just kept flowing. Everything on this page is from Cosmo Cricket apart from the basics (ink, journaling pen etc) rub ons, beige acrylic paint & a little bit of chiffon ribbon that I used to gather the lace.

So the challenge is ... We often devote a lot of time to scrapbooking and journaling the momentous occasions: weddings, new babies, holidays and vacations but what about the everyday? Whether it's a typical day in your own life, your family's or your friends' why not take some time this week to scrap an average day, week or moment (I scrapbooked breakfast once!) As always, hook us up in the comments if you join in - I'd love to come & see what you've done!
My journaling takes the form of a little 'timetable':
9am - Leave for school - I like craft the best.
Noon - Lunch at Nanny's and then ...
1pm - Playtime! Sometimes I watch TV, read stories or play with my toys.
4pm - Home again. Daddy & me play a while before he goes to work. If it's sunny we play in the garden.
6pm - Have dinner with mummy then watch TV, read or play on the PC until bed at 7pm

ACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so sorry ladies. I have been MIA. I have had a really rough week, my husband has been so sick and I have been so busy at work. It was just one of those weeks where you just hope you make it through ok. I will start posting again starting tomorrow. Sorry for the delay. :(

Nicole's Take...

Here is Nicole's Take:

My LO is called I Am and here is the journaling:

Like many women, I have multiple roles, most of them are very obvious like those of wife and mother. But I am also more than that. I am my husband's best friend and he is mine. To my children I am a teacher, nurse, and according to my daughter, even a chef! To myself I am an artist, an entrepreneur, a student of life. New challenges bring new roles to adapt to but they are combine together to make me who I want to be and into who I am.

Colette's Take

Here is Colette's take:

The Hat by Colette Bate

It seems to me my whole life has been spent being responsible for someone else. As a child I was the oldest of 3 girls and was often required to take my little sisters with me, which made me accountable for their safety and punishable for any crimes they might have committed. I became a wife and mother at 18, which was sort of the same as taking care of little sisters, so my role in life didn't seem to change much.

Most of my working life was spent being liable for the jobs others did. And, in retirement I found myself volunteering for a role in my community pledged to see that neighbors felt welcome, informed, and entertained. As a widow I've become the matriarch of my family and feel responsible for the happiness, stability, and financial security for my children and their families.

This hat of responsibility can be hard to wear. But, in hindsight, it seems to be my apparel of choice; whether I'm wearing it as a mother, sister, grandmother, daughter, an in-law, relative, neighbor, partner, employer, client, or friend. It's rare that I take the hat off ... even when I'm alone with my thoughts. And, although I'm often surprised that I'm capable of wearing it, I must admit that I don't like the way it messes my hair.

***NOTE: Colette used products by this month's sponsor Cosmo Cricket for this LO!****

Tracy's take

Here is Tracy's take:

WHO I AM

Journaling Reads:

I'm a babe. I'm a lover.I'm a sister. I'm a mother.I'm a sinner. I'm a saint.I'd race you but I cain't!I'm a teacher. I'm a tease.I'm a goddess of Chinese.I'm in debt and I'm in love.I believe in Jesus up above!I'm a liar. I'm a joke.Sometimes on grapes I choke.I'm a flying superhero chick.In my free time I watch flicks.I'm a rhymer, an old timer.I'm a missing sock finder.I'm a whiner, I'm a snot,and people think I'm Hot.

Challenge # 18

Here is this week's challenge, brought to you by Jamie:

"The Roles I Play"

Who are you? What are you? Life is about living out the roles we've made for ourselves...minor ones, major ones...they all add up to equal the person we are. What are the roles YOU play?

Stella's Take

Here is my take:

Journaling reads:

The best meal we have ever had has to be when we went to Victoria and Albert's at Disney World's Grand Floridian hotel. The atmosphere was refined, elegant and relaxing. The service was impeccable and the food, was absolutely fabulous and exotic.

Christian had Dungeness and King Crab with Spring Asparagus and Calvisius Caviar to start. Long Island Duck with Roaset Chiogga Beets and Turnip Kraut, then Seared Wild Turbot with Toasted Capers and Meyer Lemon, Herb Crusted Lamb with Heirloom Tomatoes and Potato Gnocchi. Comte Saint Antonie, Fourme D'ambert and Pierre Robert for the cheese course. For dessert, Pyramid of Tanzanie Dark Chocolate Mousse.

Stella had Seared Colorado Buffalo Tenderloin, Braised Fennel, Raishes and Satsuma Tangerine Vinaigrette to start. Pan Roasted Foie Gras and Fuji Apple Tart with Mostarda di Cremona, then Yellow Fin Tuna Tempura with Hijiki Salad and Carrot-Ginger Coulis for the fish course. Then, Herb Crusted Lamb with Heirloom Tomatoes and Potato Gnocchi. For the cheese course, Comte Saint Antoine, Fourme D'Ambert, and Pierre Robert. For dessert, Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee.

From beginning to end, a fabulous meal. Not a bite that was not enjoyed! The wine pairing was fantastic and certainly intoxicating. The presentation of the "Celebes" coffee was extraordinary. To top it all off, at the end of the meal we met the Chef de Cuisine, Scott Hunnel. We certainly can't wait to go back and experience it all again.

***Note: The green part at the back of the layout is the menu they personalized for me at the restaurant and gave to each guest as a souvenir.

Beverly's Take

Here is Beverly's Take:

the journaling reads:
Gotta love junk food! Most of the time we eat healthily but when it comes to parties anything goes! Pastries, chocolate krispies, cakes, biscuits and far too much icing - and food colouring - gotta have blue ised fairy cakes! There's something reassuringly indulgent about eating things that are bad for us.

Tracy's Take

Here is Tracy's take:

I *heart* Breakfast

Journaling Reads:
I just love breakfast food. I like it for breakfast. I like it for dinner. I like it anytime. I have always loved eggs in everway I've treid them. When we got our first microwave growing up I learned to makes on toast in the microwave. It's still one of my favorites. In the past couple of years I have finally learned to make good gravy! So...my fave food? Eggs, gravy, omelets, pancakes...



This layout uses some of the pattern papers and cardstock embellishments from Cosmo Cricket, our April sponsor.

Nicole's Sponsor LO and Challenge LO for this week..

Here is Nicole's LO with this month's sponsor product by Art Glitter (used on the big red flower):

Here is Nicole's challenge LO for this week:

Journaling reads:

Seafood was a mystery growing up. I was raised on a grain farm and we were very much a red meat and potatoes kind of family at mealtime. Hearty fare was the order of the day. We generally only had fish in the dead of winter when my Dad would go ice fishing. I often went with him when I was younger, waiting patiently on the ice for a Jack or a Pickerel to come and try to steal my bait off the hook.

I don’t recall the first time I had crab but I know I was an adult (my best guess is at Joey’s Seafood while dating the man who is now my husband). What I do know for certain is that, even though it is messy to crack open and dig out the sweet meat in the shell, there is nothing like it. Drench it in butter and drizzle some lemon over top and it is absolutely divine. Who knew that such an unattractive creature could give such a gift? If I could have the meal of my dreams, I’d have snow crab along with scallops, stuffed potato, corn and snap peas. Perhaps a chocolate mousse for dessert and a bottle of Barolo to sip afterward while chit chatting about the day’s events. Add a little French music to play in the background and I suddenly feel like this would be like living in the lap of luxury. I guess that is the secret of really good food: it transports you to another place even when you’re at home.