Oh computer, how I missed you.

Being with out a computer was to put it mildly absolutely horrible. It makes me realise just how much I rely on this little instrument for contact with the world outside my own little one. It does not seem that long ago that a computer held no interest for me at all. Back in the days when there was one lonely computer in the back of the maths classroom at my high school, probably one of the few in the entire school. I remember the teacher using it as a reward for those who finished their work early but with an antiquated form of space invaders and the net a thing of the future it held little appeal to me. Oh how far we've all come. Any way enough of my computer musings I am here to share a few layouts, one recent, two before Christmas and one oldy from 2005 which was an 8x8 I found in an old album and have just now put onto a piece of background card to make it 12x12. I had an hour and a half last night where #1 son was working, #s 2 and 4 where at the pictures and #2 was at a friends place. I ignored the dishes and went into my little nook to create this layout of Baby Xave. PP is 3 bugs in a rug, cardstock is bazzill flower is hero arts(love the texture of these) and the back ground stamping is done with a rollergraph (dots and spots or something like that) and embossing ink. I didn't think it showed out enough so I pulled out my very neglected chalks and rubbed it over with a green just a tiny bit deeper than the card, was much happier with the result.

Blogger has loaded these photos back the front, this one was meant to be under the LO below. Just a close up of the shrink plastic heart, I love this stuff', it's another thing that sat in my stash for years unused that I have found a new love for. Paper is by Kaiser, card by bazzill and background stamp is by PTI stamped with versa mark.

This is the old 2005 layout I put on a piece of 12 inch card. I stamped the background with a hero arts stamp and distress ink(crookedly if your mean enough to look that closely,lol) The music notes are deluxe designs, not even sure if they exist anymore back ground stamps are hero arts.

One of my darling taken at the Adelaide zoo last year, scrapped just before Christmas.

Bull ride

Tonight we took the two younger boys and one of their mates up to Mount Gambier to a bull ride. It was a great night and so much fun, the boys really enjoyed it. I took a heap of photos and just thought I'd share a few, won't bore you with too many as I took around one hundred and fifty. Not that it was easy shooting though, we were in the second row back with some tall people in front and a very white fence around everything. You can notice it on the edges of some of the photos. Still I didn't go just to take photos and it was a good night, something different from the norm and something I'm sure we will do again

On another note I will have no computer for a few days. My laptop is to go in to get the sound fixed. It hasn't been good since I first got it but is getting worse so I'd better get it fixed before the extended warranty is up. I just hope they don't take to long to fix it, I just hate not having access to the net.

so until next week,

cheers.

Xx

And the second one down

Today Brendan celebrated his 46th birthday. He had to work most of the day but tonight we had a yummy take away dinner from our local Chinese restaurant and a cake that I made and the boys decorated. An interesting concoction covered in frosting, hundreds and thousands and lolly snakes. I think by the look of it there might have been a little tasting went on as it was done. No matter, it tasted good in the end and Bren was happy. We bought him a new Ipod/CD/radio/clock/alarm thingie to go with the ipod he received at Christmas and also a 12 month subscription to his favourite outback magazine. I really liked his pressies which is a good thing.

That's a green snake he did not sneeze on his cake, looks ewwie hey?

Just stuff

firstly is my version of the 365 days album the who's who of the scrappin' world all seem to be doing at the moment. I couldn't get hold of a kit because they all sold out within the first few minutes of going on sale and with our dollar in the dismal state it's in at the moment it was for the best as it was probably going to cost me a million dollars ,lol. Anyway it all turned out ok because I decided that I possibly was not going to commit to a picture a day so I decided to do it my way with a premade album. I can do a minimum of one or two photos a week on one page if I want and just add journaling in one of the 4 x 6 sections and embellish one, or I can go all out and do one page per day with up to three photos or even spread that out over two pages and include six photos. I can use the little 4x2 sections at the bottom to either journal, place the 'week of' tags or even add a cropped photo if need be. Very flexible and no pressure. Even though it's only been going for the last couple of weeks the kids are already loving browsing through it. I was fortunate that Becky Higgins had downloads of some of the cards used in the kit on her blog so it has made it even easier, all I have had to do is a little bit of stitching here and there and add a bit of card, easy and it leaves me free to do the creative stuff I may or may not,lol, want to do. All I need to do now with the photos so far is add my journaling and it's done.

With yesterday being such a scorcher I decided I needed to do something close to the air conditioning so I pulled out my sewing machine and did a little mending, boring but necessary, and then decided to stitch up my little owl Hooty that has been laying in my unfinished projects basket. OK I admit that even now he is not quite finished as I have to stitch around his eyes and finish stitching the top of his wings to his body but it feels so good to be so close to something completed. the pattern was bought from here , they have the most gorgeous lot of things to make, it could get very addictive. I also bought the most adorable apron pattern too that I must get some fabric for next time I'm near a store.

I'm off now to go and watch Miss Potter, the story of Beatrix Potter for those of you who may not have heard of it. It's been out for ages but living with 5 males anything remotely girly seldom ever passes the door. I guess most Mum's out there who only have boys can relate. any way Bren has taken the two youngest boys down to Port with him as he had to work down there and has dropped them off with my Mum for the night and the other two are working until nine so I have the house all to myself until then, woo hoo. I grabbed my favourite prawns and avocado in a light chili sauce from one of the local restaurants and am about to kick back in 'the' chair, the one that there is usually arguments over who sits there because it is exactly the right position, face on to the new big tv, and no one is going to want to kick me off or share it with me.

Good night blog land.

Xx

One down

We celebrated the first birthday of the year with Paddy's 15th on Saturday. He had to work earlier in the day so it was just a fairly quiet little dinner with one enormous pav covered in yummy strawberries, blue berries and mango as his cake. Next is Brendan's on Friday.

Whoa Neddy

Just hold your horses there kid and slow down the growin'. It shakes me a little that my babies are growing so fast. It's a big year for us for birthdays with Jackson turning 18, Paddy 15, Joseph (in photo) turning 13 and Seamus hitting double figures, all that and Bren and I celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary.
Joey doing a little modelling in the back yard for me so I could try out my Chrissie present(my updated camera, the old 350D is off to ebay land).

A few more

shots from Port Fairy before I go and make the boys their lunch. Of course another of our gorgeous little Xavier looking quite daper in his cardie. Paddy and his cousin Eloise modeling(in rather a dorky fashion) their matching Coolingatta surf patrol tops.

And Paddy and cousins Eloise and Caitlyn, with Joey looking on, wrestling. It's a pass time they seem to frequently enjoy,lol, we often wonder if they will still be wrestling with each other when they are in their 40s, hope so. they have a great bond and enjoy each others company, it's just a shame that they only get to see each other a few times a year.

Bye for now,

Xx

X-man and Paddy

Aren't they cute together? The best thing about Christmas is catching up with family and friends and none better than little Xavey babe, just one of the many names our family seem to have adapted for gorgoues little Xavier. The youngest of the FitzGerald crew, he is very much adored by all his older cousins. This is just the first photo of many that were taken over the festive break but it's too late in the evening to put the rest up now. I should have made my new years resolution to try and get to bed at a more resonable hour. We had fun making our resolutions walking home new years eve, one thirty in the morning, each of the six of us made one. I'll list them all later when I have had some sleep.

Good night and sweet dreams.

Just popping in

to wish every one a very happy new year. I'm on limited Internet access at the moment so it's just a quick little message. Have lots of photos to share from a fantastically relaxing week back home but will have wait until I arrive home either later today or tomorrow.
HAPPY NEW YEAR...

Christmas morning joy

Wii fit anyone, Santa really came through this year. And boxing training gloves and mits.
Jacko not properly awake, Seamus woke us all way too early.

The face of a very happy boy, love getting this sort of reaction Christmas morning.

Seamus woke up before 5 this morning and tried to wake his brothers up too, and me(trouble is I couldn't go back to sleep, may need a Nana nap before driving home). He is so much into the whole Chritmas thing. Note the empty glass, cookies gone and a half eaten carrot in the background, love that he still wants to do this.

It's been a lovely morning so far but boy am I ready for a nap now. Wishing a lovely day to every one.

Photos from last night

Just taking a little time out from the Christmas day festivities to post a few shots from last night.

Ahhh, photos going the wrong way around again, this is the end of the service. all the kids came up to celebrate the birthday of Christ with a cake and ballons(they all fell from the ceiling, the kids thought it was really cool)Paddy with the cake. Mary, Joseph(Joseph, guess why he got the part,lol) and the Angels(so cute aren't they) and yes they do have blurred faces, didn't think to ask the parents if I could post these.
The sheppards (Seamus is the first one)

Do you think Mary and Joseph could sit any further apart? Joe looks a little apprehensive about the prospect of fatherhood.

Fr Vihn and some of the kids, wished I had a wider lens with me, there where heaps of kids all gathered there.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.

Just a quick post to wish every one a Merry Christmas. I have photos of the boys in their nativity costumes, Joseph as guess who and Seamus made a cute little shepard, but no time to post tonight, have other duties to tend too (wink). Better go and pull out that wrapping paper.
Joy to you all.

Guess who came to visit???

Thursday night landmark(the company my dh works for) had their family Christmas party and the big guy came to hand out pressies to the younger kids. I had to laugh at Seamus' body language here, don't you think maybe he thinks he is too old to still be sitting on Santa's knee? He missed that some of the other kids he is friends with weren't able to attend and he was one of the oldest and didn't really know the younger kids, still he had an good night and loved the billabong pencil case he received. He is right into the Christmas spirit at the moment and has been the one that has decorated the house and made lots of Christmas projects. I am going to miss it when the boys have outgrown the fun of preparing for the season or hopefully they never will.

More snowflakes

Stamps-butterflies are winter's snowflake, hero arts snowflakes- cuttlebug white and gold embossing powder

Scallop on the lid of box- fiskars threading water punch.

Just a little gift box I made using one of PTIs timeless templates for Joseph's Kris Kringle at school. they were only allowed to spend $2.00 and as there is not much around for that I made the box and he filled it with lollies, stuck to our limit and every one was happy, at least I hope Taylah was.

We're such dorks.

Friday I drove up to Strathalbyn to spend the night with Donna and family and indulge in our little Twilight addiction. What a fun couple of days we had. we watched the movie twice, yes I do know we are a little sad, but once was just not enough. the rest of the time was spent talking Twilight,eating out, more talking Twilight, giggling,computer time, mare chatting and very quick trip to her lss which is sadly closing down soon. We had very little sleep but a lovely time and it made me realise just how much I miss her, there is nothing like spending time in good company. On the Saturday, viewing two, we took young Cam with us and he was out official photographer for the day. Getting these shots took lots of embarrassed giggles and lots of "Oh we're so sad". I love the last one of Donna patting Edward on the butt, I forced her to do it,lol. Loved the movie, I know it had lots of things in it that I could say weren't right or exactly the same as the book but really it didn't matter that much, I just went along for the pure enjoyment and the eye candy of course. The only thing that I didn't rally like was that it didn't go long enough.
So Donna, thanks so much girl, there is nobody I wanted to see the movie more than you, love you. And can't sign off without thanking her DH for indulging us in our little twilight fantasy world and allowing to have some time together, thanks Andrew.

I made her do it...

Christmas projects.

Jumping on the snowflake band wagon even though we do not have a single snow flake any where near Christmas in this part of the world. It's is still such a universal Christmas symbol though and there are times during December when I would love a few feet of snow to cool us down. This is for a class I am doing this Wednesday. The large snowflake and snowflake embossing folder are by cuttlebug I purchased from Bizzybecs ,the snowflake stamp is hero arts(used with white embossing powder and rubbed over with tim holtz distress ink in china blue and vintage photo) and the greeting Kaiser from my lss..

My countdown to Christmas album/journal, messy writing and all. I generally tend not to

use my horrid writing on scrapbook projects but I really want to get this done and I figure it is quicker (and probably more authentic) for me to pick up a pen and write. I still have some blinging up to do on the cover, add a few charms, maybe some ribbons etc, but that will come. The main thing is that I am keeping up fairly well inside. It does help that I premade the whole lot before December. Next year when I do this though I will not bind it first, or maybe use binder rings instead of the bind it all all some things I have decided to change or add and that is difficult when it is all bound together, you live and learn.

Optio awesomeness-for Donna

Not the most flattering angle but the way the water is bending everything is cool, I held the camera under the water leaned over and shot up.

I am not an animal...the wind was blowing the water causing some weird distortion.

Today I took the two younger boys down to the lake for the first swim of the season, a bit cool for my my liking but they never seem to mind it. Any way I thought I(or rather the boys) would give my new little camera a whirl in the water and test out the underwater setting. I was really impressed. Not that it is amazing standard or anything but for a little point and shoot the clarity was pretty cool. These have only been re sized for the web, not PSed.

it's started

deep in concentration, cutting out the tree cover half way through completion
the final product, may add a bit of ribbon ,not sure yet though as this one Seamus made is for a male.

the official countdown to Christmas. Ill prepared as I always seem to be at least the school teachers gifts have had a start made on them, mainly thanks to Seamus not going to school today. not that he was really sick or anything, just worn out I think, I couldn't wake him this morning and he had been up a lot throughout the night with bad dreams. I know myself how hard it is to concentrate without much sleep so I'm sure a small person has even less coping mechanisms. He wasn't going to get much benefit from school the way he was and a day at home with Mum seemed just the cup of tea.

I took these photos and a few others for my countdown to Christmas album

inpired by the one ali edwards made. Mine's nothing as elaborate as hers but will still serve it's purpose, to keep a record of the events in our home leading up to Christmas day. I will post some photos of it tomorrow, hopefully with a few of these pics in them. I am so thinking maybe I need to ask santa for one of the little epson picturemates, just so I can print photos for these type of projects quickly at home without having to go to the trouble of always changing the settings on my main printer(that and a prepaid wireless mobile thingy)Mmmm, I wonder will he listen.