The Little things...

Craft Fair

well Ive just spent 4 days teaching at the Craft Fair in the city for Scrapbooking Memories.  The drive in each day was a nightmare...the days were long...but I LOVED it...I sooooo love teaching...all the prep work, all the effort finally becomes worth it when you are standing in front of a bunch of ladies who "get"  what you are talking about and appreciate it.  You get the nicest comments from people...good for a girls ego too!   It was a fun 4 days.  Clair from SM is just adorable and it was great working with Renata.  I also got to meet for the first time fellow master Trish Reed.  Heres a pic of us all...end of the last day so I'm looking rather horrid......but at least they all squatted down for me so it gives the impression I'm the same height as them all rather than 2 feet shorter (well maybe not that much but shorter none the less!)

So I'm back at Uni now for one more week then off for 5 weeks of teaching...looking forward to it...just want it to start....

look at these handsome young men.......

Samuel has always wanted a suit for Church.  I have never been able to afford them for the boys.  The other day I was in Myer and came across them selling out the children's suits for $20 a piece....I was so excited....and so were the boys...you should have seen them...they thought they were the best looking fellas on Earth walking in to Church last week.....and I think they are anyway!

inspiring....

I know many scrapping blog surfers would have seen this because its on Ali's and Tara's blogs but if you have not yet seen this song clip you MUST go and watch and listen.

I can only Imagine by Mercy Me

unbelievable!!!!

I just had tears rolling down my face when I watched that 65 year old father and what he is willing to do to allow his son to realise his potential and dreams.....the complete and utter sacrifice of that dad..............I just sat there praying that I was would be willing to sacrifice like that and work as hard as that to allow my boys to find fulfillment................and at the same time I could not help but see the similarities of our Saviour, who is that for us.................willing to give all to see us find joy and reach our potential..........wow.............what gratitude fills my heart right now.............so go and watch and listen............you cannot help but feel the love of our loving Heavenly Father as you watch something like this.

oh and the inspirational story of this man and his son on their website.

wow - now that was a little serious hey....anyway its FREEEEEEEEEEEZING here in Melbourne right now.......the mornings are SOOOO cold...ugh.....

had a great week back at Uni....assignments are coming thick and fast but its all good.

now I must give a HUGE toot for a dear friend of mine....Angelia Wigginton  Today BHG announced their new Creative Team at CHA  and this wonderful lady is on it....I'm so thrilled for her.  She so deserves it...and guess what she is the only person in the entire world to have been on teams for ALL the big US scrap magazines....She was a Paperkuts Power Teamer with me (now the mag is gone but that doesn't matter)  She has been a Memory Makers Master, she is a CK Hall of famer this year and now a BHG Creative Team member....how cool is that....congrats Angelia...BIG HUGS.

now after all that fun I better go clean this house.

back to reality....

well I'm back to Uni tomorrow.....looking forward to it actually....the break has been lovely but I'm itching to get this course done...and I'm really enjoying it.  I got my results for semester one this week.....very happy!.....2 subjects were only pass or fail.....so I passed them...the other 2 were graded and I got 2 High Distinctions.....I was soooo happy!  Ive got 3 weeks back at Uni and then I'm off for another teaching round for 5 weeks.  This time I'm actually going to the high school I went to....mind you I finished in 1990....but some of the teachers are still the same....I'm really excited to be going back.  The school is Huntingtower and if you know me you know how much I LOVE this school....so I'm really looking forward to it.

got a bit of scrapping done this week...mainly for Scrapbooking Memories, but I did also manage this page of the most gorgeous angel...Jenna...she is a daughter of a friend in Utah, who I was a Paperkuts Power Teamer with 3 years or so ago now.....isn't she a doll.....I love being able to scrap girls every now and then...a rare treat!

well off to enjoy my last night of quiet before all the homework sets in again.

have a peek....

OK so here are the papers from the 2 new lines from Blue Cardigan being released at CHA in a couple of weeks. -  "Ornamental"  and " Prints".  A bit lighter and brighter than previous Blue Cardigan but we hope you like it.  All the new products for CHA from Imagination Project are up on the site.....lots of yummy stuff.

quote to live by....

well today I was interviewed by the local newspaper...dreaded it but it ended up quite fun.  I hate people asking about scrapbooking - you know the questions  "What is scrapbooking"  " How did you get started in scrapbooking"  "Why do you scrapbook"  I always think when I answer them people look at me like I'm some sort of idiot...but today was different...the journalist and photographer actually GOT IT.  They were asking all sorts of questions and looking through my stuff...they were really great.  So lets hope the photo turns out OK.  It should be in next week....I'll share when it comes out.  It was organised because I'm teaching at the Convention Center later this month for the Craft Show.

Oh I was blog surfing last night...you know when you end up somewhere and have no idea how you got there....well I came across this quote and it just struck me...I love it...I think I need to read this every morning first thing when I wake up...it just sums up everything to me that I want to do and be....just love it.

" To awaken each morning with a smile brightening my face; to greet the day with reverence for the opportunities it contains; to approach my work with a clean mind; to hold ever before me, even in the doing of little things, the ultimate purpose toward which I am working; to meet men and women with laughter on my lips and love in my heart; to be gentle, kind, and courteous through all the hours; to approach the night with weariness that ever woos sleep and the joy that comes from work well done - this is how I desire to waste wisely my days."

Thomas Dekker

sibling rivalry....

scrapped a layout today.... that colour scanned in quite pink...its not pink...more brownish in colour....loved this photo of Sam...I'm so glad he is still willing to pose for me...not sure how much longer that will last!

anyway to the topic of this post.  So today at church we were in Primary (which is what we call children's Sunday School)  My Isaac had an assignment to give a talk.   Each week a child is assigned a talk on a particular topic. Isaac had done his talk and done very well.  I was beaming with pride.  The lady running Primary was standing up the front talking about how well Isaac did and how clever he was reading his talk all by himself and what a great talk it was..yadda...yadda...so then Caleb calls out in amongst 50 people...very loudly...."So who cares!"  That said the whole room burst into laughter...and Caleb had obviously achieved his goal in taking the attention away from his twin brother onto himself. I must admit it was sooo funny at the time...the peaceful, reverent mood that was in the room went out the window... but it was funny.

I asked him later in the day why he yelled out like that....simply, and unashamedly he answered..."Because she was only talking about Isaac"   ......hmmmm....think I will have a few issues of rivalry and jealously to deal with during the twins growing up......

so once again the Matthews twins take the limelight and cause chaos in church!

just this and that

Well a Big Happy Birthday to my husband...and super dad to my boys...luv ya!

well not really much to report.  Having a nice week.  The boys are back at school and Ive got 2 weeks till I start back at Uni.  Ive had a nice quiet house these last few days. Ive finished off designing some products for CHA, caught up on what seems like a years worth of ironing...boy do I hate ironing....looked around on scrapbooking websites it seems years since Ive been on and I've even watched some TV...a luxury! 

Tomorrow I'm going to do some scrap shopping...something else I haven't done in months and I plan to do the new Aussie Scrapsource competition...the everyday Moments album comp....I like to enter a competition a year..that's been my thing the last few years..one comp...that's enough stress...this year I cant do anything that will require further commitment from me so I think this one is perfect...and I like the theme and the sponsors so its worth a go.....and if I get behind while back at Uni I'll have the Christmas holidays to catch up.

so that's my thrilling week....not much happening sorry.....got a few photos to share from this week since not much to say....

me and the boys....

my cutie Sam...

and look at the eyes on my little sweetheart nephew, Bailey.