Fancy Pants @ Northridge Publishing

Who wouldn't want to win a Fancy Pants pack!???

I love Fancy Pants paper and if you head over to Northridge Publishing blog, you get the chance to enter to win!

http://create.northridgepublishing.com/giveaway-friday-fancy-pants/#

Hi October! ohhhh Hi November..... Bye October

Oh well, a month hiatus is ok, I had a great month! Went to Spring Edition (the first Autumn Escape event I've attended) and I loved it, been so long since I've seen friends and scrapped my little heart out. well I didnt really, but I thought I did ok at least finishing one layout......
The other fantastic bonus that happened in October is that on our way up north to Taupo, we were able to do a slight detour and see The Puppies! they were too young when we first saw them and we didn't want to choose straight away, so we were lucky enough to be invited back on our way home and when we did, we chose our new little girl dog! shes so cute and she is due to come home end of November, fun times ahead!

This is Table 10 - Dallas, Judy, Sharon and I - Photos by Andrea Ray - awesome pics from the whole weekend! 

Dallas, Paula Cheney! yes! THAT Paula Cheney of 7 Gypsies fame and now Creative Co-ordinator for Tim Holtz, I loved her classes, and her creativity was very cool (and she was a really nice person, realistic and not gushy) 

Jayme and I took Dallas to Huka Falls before he ditched dropped us off at the Waireiki Resort

And meet LAMBO, like Rambo, but a lamb. That was Jayme's creative name calling, hes very cute but a bit scaredy cat still, but pleased Micky has made a new friend :D

August tidy up!

A few things from August, firstly my attempt at the August Paperchase Challenge, was really hard! set by Angela Knight and it was as follows: cardstock only, (no pp) pens, and washi tape.. Oh and just to add to the pain, at least 4 photos.  All I can say is that this is not my favourite layout ever, but its another layout done.

 At the start of every month, I go through all my SD cards and make sure they are empty, if not, I empty /edit /save/organise so that I dont get confused with too many photos from the wrong month.  works for me mainly because I have a Special  folder called, wait for it now, its exciting...." 0000Photos to be printed"

Its got the zero's to keep it at the top, easy to find, and as I go through the month I throw the photos I want  to print (for scrapping and PL) into it and it makes life easier when it comes to edit and print time.  But anyway, what I was going to say is that I found this photo:                                                                                    its the Before to my after!

The messy Before photo

The tidy After photo

And then this month we had something cool, its called a Blue moon, and it doesnt mean the moon is blue!! It means that the month of August 2012 actually had two full moons, this is the second.

I'd like to say I see these pretty colours all the time, but I would totally be lying, I'm not the earliest bird so I often miss out on these stunning sunrises, but I got this one! 

And I think I might scrap this photo, I just like it, its from Sunday when Jayme and I took Micky to the beach - 7 mile beach I think, and it was SO windy and blustery and wet, Micky was very aware of the rush of the waves and I was pleased at his self preservation instinct of staying high up on the beach, those waves were harsh!, but this image was at the very end of the beach, and there is a ridge of stone cliff above the waters edge where it has been eroded out from under by the waves, just a neat geographical spot :D

BLOG HOP!!

Normally I don't tend to last long in a blog hop, I tend to get a little bit distracted, but THIS blog hop by Scraps of Elegance has really got me going - every site I have gone to has inspired me and its made commenting on them so easy!

AND as an added bonus, they are doing the odd giveaway at different blogs too, including a pack of goodness from Flourish with a Bling, totally worth have a look at!!

So what are you waiting for!?? get hopping :D

Happenings

Winter is easing off here, although it has been very mild! not at all like last year with snow excitement and long periods of freezing cold days.
We are back into some stunning sunsets, but I have been far too "busy" (lazy) to rush off to the beach to capture the colours, so instead I make do with pottering around home.

A snap of the colours from the back of the house.

The other time consuming thing I have been doing is my scrap room. After the whole rigmarole redoing some of the plastering and painting, and half moving my stuff out, I decided it was just too hard to keep going like that so spent several days putting my room to order.  I adore my new wee butchers block - $20!!! perfect for my cuttlebug.

This is from the door, on the left wall are two big pantry things that hold cardstock, card making stuff, my less favoured  pp, ATC's, albums, books/magazines, blank canvas' all those sorts of things.

Big baskets hold flowers and ribbons (according to colour in plastic baggies)  Radio on  a new shelf, the old suitcases have an assortment of cd's, chipboard and I think there might even be some lettering in one :D

The bookcase to the left has fabric, smash book stuff and most importantly, Project Life things, and the basket is for me to throw those bits in that I will eventually add to the album, on the right I have adhesives, inks, some fave stamps, bling and on top, some fave tools.

My desk, the pink has traditionally been my took box, but  lately its been  dangerous putting my hand in for fear of  having fingers sliced off so I've split my sharp tool and other tools, really on a daily basis I only use 4 things anyway!.  I love that I have surrounded my desk with a bunch of stuff that makes me happy, not necessarily things I have made but a glass cat from a childhood birthday or a framed smurf picture. on the spice rack I also have all my washi tapes and twine.

My paper racks with paper pads, and fave papers.  Bookcase has paints, glue gun/heatgun that sort of thing, oh and photos, and I love that cheap sewing machine, I just struggle to use it :(

A common occurance in our house, and the reason I tell Jayme its just not right for me to wash the windows (good excuse or what!?) birds often fly into the doors/windows but rarely do they injure themselves, and at worst they might sit on the ground for a few minutes to see straight again before they fly off into the bush again, the only impression they leave are a few feathers and the thump when they made the connection.  I love that Micky doesnt automatically run outside when he hears it, he goes to look out the window and just watches.

A 2012 goal completed!!! I wanted to get photos of a frog, and here one is! I have no clue what he was doing outside the front door, but I gladly snapped his portrait before he went off to do froggy things!

Brownies! I made brownies!!! and they're GOOD!

Perhaps I should start from the beginning, Last night we went to a neighbours house for drinks, and the hostess Maryanne showed me a jar that she had been given with a biscuit mix it! I thought it was a fantastic idea and then today I snagged this idea from Laura, and its AWESOME!
Chocolate Brownies in a Bag
1 Cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
*Add choc chips if you have them!!

Mix all ingredients above together, I just sifted it all into a ziploc bag.
Write on bag:
Add 2 eggs, 1/2 cup vege oil, 1 tsp vanilla.
Bake at 180 degrees celcius for 20-25 minutes

YUM.

Who's Fantistico!? Nina is Fantistico!!

For the NZ Paper Chase July Challenge :

Flamenco Dancer extraordinare!

(Thanks to Jo for letting me use Nina!)

Quick and easy

Thats what todays post is - quick and easy!  Jayme and I are going to Gloriavale tonight for the Cooperite Concert, I find it utterly fascinating and creepy at the same time but anyway, I took Micky to the beach to have a big run around so hes at least not too tempted to follow the car (I HOPE!)  He really is so different to Shilo, doesnt care about sticks or balls, likes trotting near us and LOVES other dogs (to the point he will run  on his little short stumpy legs for ages to get to another dog) and he isnt that fond of the water, he runs away from the waves but cant resist the moving stones, he reminds me of a pouncing cat and one day I must record it on video how he pounces on things! 

 This is the same beach, just the other day, the clouds had so many layers it was hard to capture!

Paroa Beach from the day before yesterday

A Mandy B inspired post

outside my window… heh With no curtains to impede my vision, I can see Blackness and raindrops on the window

i am thinking… I think I have to get up and stoke the fire again.

i am thankful for… My warm house and gorgeous boyfriend and happy dog.

i am wearing… Hahaha perhaps I should edit this question? because my Blue leopard print pyjama pants teamed with a black puffy sleeved long sleeve tshirt doesn't make me look at all "cool" does it?

i am going…  To Happy Phat next weekend!!!!!! (Maitai Valley, Nelson)

i am currently reading… At Graves End (Book #3 of the Night Huntress series) Jeanine Frost, 6 more after this one too (YAY!)

i am hoping… To tidy my scrap room.. soon! 

on my mind… Is the weather going to clear up against the weatherman's prediction!

from the kitchen… The dinging of a finished dishwasher cycle - this is fantastic because I usually forget to turn it on..I do that alllll the time!

around the house… I cringe because I really should vacuum! 

one of my favorite things…  a nice warm sugary sweet cup of tea in the evening

i’m creating… a blog post... AGAIN! I'm on fire!

a few plans for the rest of the weekend…Keeping warm and dry but knowing I have get the coal bucket refilled 

from my lens: This is Micky and Jayme last night, how cute aye? looks like Micky is giving him a cuddle, first time Micky has done this, he usually sleeps by your legs on the recliner bit of the couch, or curled up next to me on the couch but this photo is adorable.

Hannah's challenge

Hannah's Challenge was a recipe, and I love recipe's! this one was out there, 5 pp! yes! FIVE!  definately my favourite layout this week, and it helped that I had a beautiful photo of Annabel - Thanks to Christine!!!