Building Bridges

I have been on annual leave for most of October. I have spent some of that time seeing people I haven't seen in a while and catching up with family, old friends and new.

It has been a time of repairing and building bridges, re connecting with friends. I think I have done enough now, it is time to stop feeling like I have to explain, to stop feeling like it is my responsibility to help people understand, it is time to stop worrying about what others think of me. It is time for me to heal and move on. I am ready.
It is time to create a new life and to spend time re newing old friendships and creating new ones without fear of disapproval.

Christmas is coming and I am wholly unprepared. I love Christmas though I'm not sure what Christmas will look like for our family this year. However I still want to enjoy the build up.

Part of that is the SBO xmas competition on at the moment. Guest designers are setting the challenges and it is proving to be a great way to get into the Xmas spirit. Go check it out here



I have done a couple of lay outs with the beautiful Prima Specialty Papers. Gorgeous.

Again I quote Dr Seuss cos he rocks!!!

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

Kate.

Happy Birthday Baby Girl...

My youngest turns 7 tomorrow.

For some reason this seems significant. No longer a baby.

Today we had a little party for her.

Gorgeous Hawkes Bay day and friends to play.

Happy Birthday my Darling!!!



Also I did this lay out for SBO using the Bo Bunny range of papers.


Photo taken at the beautiful Ohope beach!!

Cheers

Kate

SOMETIMES..

Sometimes life does not go the way we imagined or dreamed. This happens for a myriad of reasons not always clear to us and certainly not to those on the outside looking in. It has happened to me, and to my family. We are in recovery mode. All at different stages. We have been in this mode before, sadly, for a wholly different reason, so we know the drill. Time and baby steps.



I have been absent, in many ways over the past few months but also over the past few years.


Lost for many years. Life however is not about finding oneself but about creating oneself and it is time to accept what has been created and know within myself that I am OK. And that I can be better!! It is never too late to re create!!



I am on my way back. Living is not easy right now but there are lots of little joys and happiness along this difficult journey. People and other little mercies have popped up around me and given me hope and the strength to move on in my own time.




SO what has happened that is good?





Lili sat her first ballet exam. So cute.

Brylee sat her first major RAD ballet exam. I am very proud.

My dear friend organised a dance class for just her and me. It was magical and fun and one of the best things I have done in many years. I think the body has a memory, I cannot fully express the joy I feel when I dance. I know it's not so pretty to look at anymore but wow it was incredible. The best birthday present ever!!

My beautiful eldest daughter went to her high school ball...

I have started scrap booking again. My creativity is still to get into full swing but I am putting glue to paper again and it is good. Significant I think!

Here are some lay outs I have done for SBO.

Two using the Cosmo Cricket Earth Love papers , found here, and the other a sample for the competition over at SBO right now.

Cosmo Cricket Earth love,

Sample for SBO competition, using Collage Press, Sweet Shop

another using Cosmo Cricket, Earth Love.

Through all of this I have had support from sources I never thought likely, new friendships have been forged and possibilities have opened up. I would like to say thanks to those who have been my strength and support, it has been invaluable and truly appreciated.
Most of whom probably don't read this blog but it is important to acknowledge these amazing friends.

Ok well that is me,

Dr Suess is probably the best person to quote right now....

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

On that note I shall say Au revoir cos I'm feeling a little parisienne right now. If there is such a thing!! :)

July at SBO.

Hey, she lives...



Here are a couple of projects I have created using the Collage Press Sweet Shop papers from SBO.
You can see them here


They are beautiful and great quality papers... so great to work with.



I tried my hand at altering this little box... yet to put any thing in it but was fun to give it a try.



And a layout, using the sketch provided by Ruth.

My challenge was to scrap yourself, and I used the beautiful Prima papers. Sadly when I up load it it appears sideways and that is not a good look. So go to SBO to see it if you are interested at all. It's in my gallery.

Sadly our months worth of band width was used up by 10th of July, so the computer is going snail pace making links nigh near impossible. Maybe next time. Ahh teens, you gotta love 'em.

I've also been doing a bit of knitting.. cool I know. I have finished a pair of socks and onto another... photos to follow when I can stand waiting for the computer to up load.

So get those layouts in for the challenges... and I think there may be a challenge coming up soon with a great prize. Keep a look out for that.

Love

Kate

Happy birthday Brittany...

Happy birthday to our first born..

They didn't have you where I come from

Never knew the best was yet to come

Life began when I saw your face

And I hear your laugh like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved

Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up



I slip in bed when you're asleep
To hold you close and feel your breath on me
Tomorrow there'll be so much to do
So tonight I'll drift in a dream with you



How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

As you wander through this troubled world
In search of all things beautiful
You can close your eyes when you're miles away
And hear my voice like a serenade

How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough, is forever enough
How long do you want to be loved
Is forever enough
Cause I'm never, never giving you up

Dixie Chicks.

Love you, so proud of you. Happy 17th. x x x

Two weekends ago..

I had a fabulous time in Ohope with some fantastic women.

We went to scrap book but we did so much more. Barb, a dear friend and I were there first so spent the Friday afternoon and most of the night talking, relaxing and laughing harder and for longer than I have in a long long time. We also DANCED... yep, I put the music on and started to boogie and two hours later we were hot, sweaty and hysterical with laughter at our very dodgy dance moves.

Anyway, thanks to Rachel, and Tarisota, I helped some of the ladies to create a little mini album inspired by Rachel Tuckers album she made for Tarisota this month.

Here are some of the creations...

Gorgeous!!!

So a very therapeutic weekend and was just what I needed with all that's going on in my life. The weather was amazing and I had a great run along the beach and a walk in the evening watching the sun go down.

Go to SBO and look at what the design team has been creating this month.

Here are a few sneak peeks of my layouts...

So go here for a look..

I had the pleasure of working with K & Company Madeline papers by Brenda Walton. Just gorgeous. Look here to see the product.

So that's what I've been up to. Got two more birthdays coming up. Brittany turns 17 on Saturday and Merlin turns 40 at the end of July. Looking forward to a huge party in Auckland, gonna dance all night!!!

Speaking of dancing.. watch this space cos this 40 going on 25 year old is going back to ballet classes. Sometimes you just gotta do something badly and just enjoy it. So that's my plan for next term.

Take care

Kate

Thursday Challenge at SBO

Hi,



it was my turn to post a challenge on the forum at SBO.



my challenge is for you to choose a person from your family. Ask them to choose the product for your lay out and the photo. The photo they choose must be of them.



Brylee was the only one in my family to co operate, and she chose some great product just not much of it.



Here is my layout...

It's pretty basic, also not great light to photograph it but it is a fun challenge not to be taken too seriously.

So join in at SBO and have a giggle.

Other than that I am busy having a mid life crisis. Dunno how long it will take to pass. Forty was easy, it seems 41 not so!!

Laters

Kate

Make a scene.

Yeah go on, make a scene. That's the challenge over at Scrap the Girls this month. I really struggled with this challenge but finally stuck something down and e mailed it off. Here it is...

It is a garden scene. The flowers are hand stitched stems with sequin flowers. I think we need a close up.
Any way, a bit out of my comfort zone but that's all good.

There is also a challenge over at SBO. You need to create a layout with 5 elements, each one chosen by one of the new design team members.

Elements Challenge

Raewyn: something circular (patterned paper, photo's, chipboard, brads or buttons etc)

Lesley: ink or paint

Kate: fabric

Lainie: use tearing BUT it can't be an edge

Ruth: stamping on flowers

Here's my go at it using the gorgeous Basic Grey Wisteria collection.

Well off to start cooking the birthday tea. Mikky has some girlfriends over for dinner, and she will open her presents, have cake etc. I cheated and bought a cake, first time ever. Kind of feel bad about that.

See ya.

Kate

16 years ago today

At about lunch time this gorgeous bundle of chubby red headedness came into our lives. Still shell shocked from the birth of our first daughter 11 months almost to the day earlier we welcomed her tiredly but with no less joy than our first.





What a joy of a child she has been, easy going and loving and intelligent, not to mention funny and cute. Growing from a chubby bespectacled little girl into a beautiful young woman.

Where has the time flown too, we all cry as our children grow up and surpass us in cleverness, talent and beauty ( as they should). It's an ache and a joy as we try to hold on, knowing it is actually time to let go and let them begin to make their way in this world.It has been so much fun, I have loved almost every minute of it. Would I change anything?? For sure, I would change ME but actually that seems to have been your first task in this world and I thank you for it.

Happy Birthday Mikayla Grace. We are so proud of you! We adore and love you more than you will ever know.

All my love xxx

My new challenge for 2009

It's been announced tonight. Exciting news. I am joining 4 other talented scrap bookers as part of the new Scrapbook Outlet design team.

The annnouncement has gone up with some of our layouts and a bit of a profile.


I was sent a Basic Grey collection, Wisteria, to create some lay outs and here they are...






( You really need to listen to the Edge radio station to get this one.)








I am pretty stoked to be on this design team and looking forward to working with Lesley Cooper (returning for another term), Raewyn Aldridge( another Hawkes Bay lady), Lainie Takawe and Ruth Ross.

A challenge is going up on the SBO forum to celebrate the new design team appointment.

So exciting times. Looking forward to a new challenge. Great to be working with a great team.

Keep you posted. Feel free to shoot over to SBO to have a nosey.

Kate x x x