Another from me

We woke up at 5am to get ready for breakfast at 6, to leave for the airport by 6.30 I bought an eggnog latte at Starbucks and we boarded the plane at 8.30am. There was no food served on board, only complimentary drinks. We landed at 4.20pm, having flown east, balmy 23C. We hired a medium sized (Chrysler)  car with gps and started our journey to find the hotel. After numerous false starts and redirects, much frustration we stopped at Sea Breeze, Summer Bay resorts. Our hotel had closed it’s doors 2 weeks previously. Now they may have tried to contact us but we were on board the ship then and declined all private calls. After more waiting and phonecalls we learnt our new hotel, the Ramada Heritage was closed for a private function as it was the 31st! We booked into the Sea Breeze. I organised us pizzas from Pappa Joe’s, served by a very stroppy young girl. We had all managed 10 hours without anything to eat, talk about being hungry and stressed, yet surprisingly very well behaved. We rested a bit and then set off for Disney’s Magic Kingdom at 10.30pm. We didn’t have tickets and couldn’t get anywhere close, but the fireworks were amazing. We watched the countdown with 100s of others and then suddenly it was 2011.

Grown with love

You were so excited to bring your beans home from school. 

We transplanted them, CJ kept saying that they wouldn't last (just because his didn't)

However you showered yours with so much love, care and water that they are bearing beans!

Much to EVERYONE'S surprise!

I used Elise's Pieces kits - "resolution" and the staples from "What a catch"
The alpha is weeds and wildflowers sweet and simple set #7 alpha
The story board comes from Tracy Ann Littles freebie on the capture 365 challenge.

From Karen W

journalling reads

When I was young a celebration in our family was not complete without a barrel of beer rolled down the road from one of the pubs in our village.

We had bee for Christmas and birthdays, Dad had all the pipes to set up a bar at the kitchen table. c.1978

 

spring in the air

Design by Tina has released a beautiful mini kit just in time to usher in Spring in the northern Hemisphere at least. It is available now and on sale at 30% off in the Enchanted Studio Scraps shop.

These photos were taken at a family wedding last year, 

such a wonderful time to gather together and enjoy each others company, 

relishing time with family usually far apart.

Another from me

Happy 15th Birthday!

I did feel a little badly that we had no present for you when you woke up, but I did promise that I would take you to the mall after school to buy you the blue tooth thing you wanted for your birthday so that you could transfer data from your phone to the pc and vice versa. Shame Rosie had put together a small prezzie for you, including stuff she found upstairs and a tempo chocolate. The morning was pretty much the same as every morning, waking you up, you perched on the chair as you eat your 2 weetbix in hot milk. Passing the sugar back and forth.

Off to school where you did get a few envelope type gifts. When I collected you, both you and Josh were playing a cell phone game, making up meanings for abbreviations. Home for lunch –two minute noodles and then off to Incredible Connection. Pathetic service but you got the Bluetooth thingie.

Dad came home early and we went to the Spur. But one get one free burger special. I thought you’d be delighted to get a free ice-cream so I mentioned that it was your birthday. You had meant to tell me not to when we left the car. Oh well. You then threatened to tell them it was my birthday the next time we ever come to Spur. Joshua kept teasing you that they were coming to sing to you, even when they weren’t and you freaked out   e v e r y   s i n g l e   t i m e !

Rosie drew on your back while we waited and you got stuck into your caramel double thick shake. Then when the double rib burger came you were too full to finish it.

I really trust that your 15th birthday was a memorable one.

Love you very much.

My thanks to Janet Phillips for the LO that inspired me.
and to Elise's Pieces for the papers and digitreats for the birthday embellishments.

Debbie's challenge 100

100 Years

It has been a long year but at 20:10 20.10.2010, members of Gildguiding U came together at venues across the UK to simultaneously renew their promise. Our centenary finale celebrations were held at Evesham Country Park and this photo shows Charlotte & her friends - all in their comedy glasses enjoying the fun.

Olivia's challenge 100

This layout is a celebration of both a happy day out & spending time together as a family. But having just booked out summer holiday at the weekend I looked out this photo from our trip to Germany a couple of years ago. This is my favourite photo from that trip, taken on a day out to Neuwanschtein castle. Dad & I have always wanted to visit it so it was a dream come true finally being there, it's like a real life fairytale castle.

Sue's second challenge 100.

And here is a recent layout from my nephew's high school Graduation Open House. We have celebrated 7 of these and only have 3 more to go before everyone is out of public school! Really reminds me how quickly time passes and how fast everyone grows up.

Sue's challenge 100

This first layout is from our son's wedding reception. That was a magical evening for us all. We remember how happy they were to finally be married and celebrating with friends and family!

Journaling reads: "At the reception, it was obvious that Andrew and Jennifer were in their own happy world together. The waiting was over, the wedding was perfect and a honeymoon in the Florida Keys was their next destination!"

Celebrating my space.

My space

My haven, the place I find peace and fulfilment. My pc and PSE 9 are fantastic and having made the swap totally to digi it has been akin to rediscovering my passion for scrapbooking all over again.

I still love teaching the craft to my “clients” most of whom are fast becoming good friends. I love tweaking layouts and cutting out titles and having them be delighted with their completed pages.

Hubby got me the my space sign in Orlando, he felt it epitomised me.

I love my studio, the aircon in Summer and the heat in Winter.

The inspiration I find in the blogs I follow and even blogging, making friends all over the world, and documenting our lives. Initially I wanted to do that for friends and family across the globe, but now I focus on doing it for me. Keeping an electronic diary so that when I want to remember something, the itty bitty details to scrap or just to dwell on, its there, readily available.

The LO was inspired by one from Kayleigh Wiles as seen on Debbie Hodges masterful scrapbook design.

All elements By Elise's Pieces (her studio 365 and a stitch in time, alpha from her terra cotta kit) all sold at the Digichick.

Another from Karen

Happy Birthday

Nancy's birthday candle didn't fit into the cake and the candelabra only had space for three candles - so there's one on its own but Nancy seemed pretty pleased with it all

26.2.11

Karen's challenge 100.

birthday party

journalling reads

Nancy and her little friends playing in the ball pit during her 4th birthday

party- she was so excited to invite friends and get presents. She didn't even mind that she had to share the party with Arthur!  In the picture are Nancy 9 covered with balls) Lucy and Louise. They liked the baby area best  but Nancy was much more confident!

Not a celebration but a life's lesson.

My thanks to Joey Lynn Designs for this awesome template.

You can grab it free here too.

Thanks also to Elise's Pieces for her papers and flowers 

from her 365 studio and the alpha comes from her love me do kit.

My journaling:

Dad was away so I drove you to school, once there you came running back to me with the realisation that you’d left your ladybird project and Afrikaans oral notes at home. You begged me to drive home to collect it, but I knew that I’d never be able to make it home and back in the traffic before I had to teach my scrap class. Your eyes filled with tears and my heart turned over. I had a flashback to when I was a little girl and called my Mom, begging her to bring something to school and she also had to say no. I learned then to pack everything the night before and that I couldn’t really rely on my Mother to bail me out.

I gave you a hug and told you to pray and that I would be praying for you too that God would be gracious to you and enable you to do the oral on the next Monday. One little friend came alongside you and together you spoke to your teacher.  Hopefully this will be a positive experience for you that you need to be prepared and that God comes through for you, working all things for your good.

My challenge 100.

We are coming up for 23 years of marriage and I thought that would be something to celebrate so I created an "23 reasons I love you" LO.
My thanks to Elise's Pieces for her kit "love me do".
and the number 23 from her Friends and Family alpha.

1.I love the way your face lights up when you see me.

2.I love that you get me and think I am very funny, the things I say, my perspectives on life.

3. I love that you can remain calm and unruffled even in the face of my tumultuous emotions at times.

4. I love that you look for the good in people, you’re such a glass half full kind of guy

5. I love that you’re ready to paint anywhere anytime almost as soon as I can decide on a paint colour

6. I love that you buy me flowers just because you drive past the flower sellers

7. I love that you’re such a generous man, giving of your heart and your time

8. I love that you’re a wonderful provider and your wise financial decisions have blessed our family

9. I love that you’re willing to help out with hanging up the washing

10. I love that you’ve taken responsibility for driving the children to school

11. I love that you love spending time with me, calling me your best friend

12. I love that we can just sit together watching tv and you give me the remote

13. I love that you load the dishwasher every night

14. I love that you apologise when I wake you for snoring

15. I love the way you smell, see imprinting me with that “hangten deo” when were dating worked

16. I love that you can persevere even when knocked down by what others would term failures

17. I love the way holding your hand in mine feels

18. I love that you’ve made God central in our lives, and that going to church is what our family does

19. I love that when I have a cat on my lap I don’t need to do anything except go to the loo

20. I love your quirky sense of humour – unless it is directed at me or unless it involves Wackhead Simpson

21. I love your contentment, your happiness at just being at home with us all

22. I love that you support me in disciplining the children

23. I love that we have 23 years of shared years, that we’re stronger now though the trials and testing we’ve been through, the 3 children, the loss of 2 children, the pets, cars and ordinary, everyday joys of our lives together.

Spotlight

If you're interested its my turn in the spotlight at Elise's Pieces and there is a kit on sale in my honour.
http://www.elisespieces.com/2011/03/ct-spotlight-stefanie.html

Heather introducing challenge 100

I can hardly believe that Journaling Junkie has now issued 100 challenges.
In honour of that this challenge is all about journaling your celebrations.
Hip Hip Hooray~!

Journaling: What a fun day of playing, friends, family, bowling, and cake. 

How did you get to be 8?!?

 Love you!

Cherye Leah

Design by Tina has created a brand new kit.

SHe even created the alpha as per my request so I feel incredibly honoured.

It is on sale now at Enchanted Studio Scraps. 30% off.

I thought  that this kit would be just perfect for our Disney photos and I was right.

But then I did another with these more formal photos and played up the title and I think I love this one even more.

The journaling reads:

You got dressed up in your black boob tube dress, black pumps, nails beautifully polished and sparkly earrings in your ears, hair freshly washed. All because you wanted to go to the school with your older brother and see the outfits of the older girls. So dissappoionted that you couldn't join them, and then when we didn't even get out of the car. Never-mind my girl, very soon it will be your turn to attend and you'll have had the practice at making yourself SHINE!.

(I used a template by J Phillips - a new day.)

Another from Karen

Pushchair

journalling reads....

I have spent the last  8 1/2 years of my life pushing one of these around with my three in- we've got through six different versions in our time but its coming

to an end. Nancy turns four on Saturday and starts school on Monday- I won't need to use this on a daily basis any more- maybe she won't want the buggy at the weekend either. I don't know why I took this photo at the open air museum but it shows my life now before time passes

Like a fish

I am really enjoying playing around with my titles, hope you like?

My thanks to Elise for her wonderful creations.

One from me.

Elise's Pieces new kit - A stitch in time available at the digichick, on sale now for $4.40.

You told me you wanted to learn how to knit. I knew that there was no way I had the patience that my Aunty Peggy had when she taught me to knit. Luckily for both of us Aunty Anita offered to teach you. I was able to photograph and offer encouraging words and when you had lots of dropped stitches I pulled it out and 

re-knitted it while you slept at night - just like my Mommy did for me.