Merry Christmas and See Ya 2009

To everyone who stops by over this Christmas period, blessed Christmas Wishes and best of luck as you see the end of 2009.

Hope you start 2010 with a bang.

See you then, for another year of creating, blogging, sharing and laughs.

Take care over the break, stay safe!

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Santa's Flight Path

Here's a bit of fun for those with kidlets or grand kidlets, who want to know when, where and how Santa is going to get to their place on Christmas Eve.

Track Santa's Plans with Air Services Australia

This is an interactive website for the kids, can work out if they have been naughty or nice and more (maybe thats for the adults!). It's a bit slow to load but well worth it.

No crafting this week, but I am going off to find some priddy papers today to get me inspired. Just so busy with the other house at the moment, this week has come to a grinding halt for everything else.

Have a great Friday

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Little Shabby Box Card Sketches

Doing some blog hopping, the gorgeous Kirsti shared a new sketch challenge on a blog called The Little Shabby Box.

There are two sketches and you need to create a card for each sketch and post by the 14th December (tomorrow). They are offering DT spots as well as card kits for prizes. Well worth the effort as the sketches were amazing.

I didn't deviate at all from the sketches, so here is my take on the two of them:

Give it a go ... they announce the winners at the end of the week. Got to be in it to win!

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Anya Ink Sunday

A quick visit today ... still entertaining and getting ready for a scorcher here in Perth. Yesterday was hot, todays meant to hit 40C .... hot is the only word you can use.

Sundays are Anya Ink day and this week we needed to use Acetate on our creation. I made a gift tag .... which I will use when I get around to wrapping presents!

Have a great Sunday, I'm off to find my spot in water somewhere to cool off.

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TGIF .... Again.

I think I can honestly say that I haven't felt this tired since DD was first born ... this week has been long and exhausting. But productive.

So far this week we have:

• waved off rellies, back to the UK :(
• welcome rellies from the east coast :)
• ripped out a bathroom, kitchen, laundry and house full of carpet and lino
• smiled as DD finished her school year with another academic award
• both hubby and I suffered major migraines (think vomit, yuck!)
• had the precious tenant hassle us again
• spent more time in Bunnings than I care to imagine
• processed, packed and sent a record no. of orders for The Stamp Spot

So thank goodness it's Friday. As you read this, I am on the beach, relaxing.

Have a great Friday where ever you are .... more chilling with family visitors this weekend and then hopefully, back to some sort of normality (as normal as being a house renovator can be!)

PS: and the simple fact that I hit publish instead of scheduling this post just confirms my week has been enormous! So I will be on the beach TOMORROW morning, not right now!

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New DT Position : Very Excited!

I got a very exciting email last night and spent a good half hour jumping around the house.

Last week I applied for a DT position with Sketches by Tamara ..... and I got chosen! The lovely Tamara emailed me to let me know and I was yahooing like you wouldn't believe.

Out of all the challenge sites I attempt, this is by far the one I have stuck at the longest ~ I love the variety of challenges. Each week of the month there is something different ... a bit of scrapping, some cards, a sketch and others .....

So add this one to your challege list .... we start back in January so make a note somewhere, anywhere, so you don't miss the first one.

Woot Woot!

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Anya Ink Sunday

I cannot believe we are one week into December already! Man this year has flown.

Well Sunday is Anya Ink day and this week really had my head in a spin. I battled a migraine for most of the week, never had one last that long so it really messed with me. It also meant I would sit down to do a card or something and wouldn't last more than 10 mins, it was so frustrating.

But, out of all of that came this little beauty ... Anya Ink called for Odd Shaped Cards, no squares or rectangles. I had grand plans for something elaborate, but had to scale it back when the head started pounding.... but am still happy with the result.

Theres a bit of everything on this card; Round doilie in the background, blanket stitching on the edge of the card, bling in the form of Stickles. Anya looks so sweet sitting there, the ribbon was made to look like a ledge for her to sit on. The ribbon was actually the inspiration for the colours in the card, they are gorgeous together.

Enjoy your Sunday, we are off to catch up with family who are here for one more day :( before they fly back overseas. One lot fly out, another lot of rellies flies in today also!

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Another Publishing Effort

Yep, I've been published again and made the cover again!

The latest Stamping and Papercraft mag hit the letterbox today and there my card was, showcased again on the front cover.

I had so much fun making these cards .... and am so excited that I got my work chosen again. I've made December's issue as well, with one of my TGF cards! Will be keeping an eye out for that one!

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A Magnolia Christmas

The challenge this fortnight at Magnolia's Down Under is Christmas .... so I decided to make a Christmas decoration.

I got given a little box of Ferrero Roche's the other week and after eating them all and not sharing any, I was left with this little clear box. Perfect for a Christmas decoration. Now I have had this idea since then and decided this would be the perfect time to use it.

I got my Magnolia Christmas stamps in the mail from Kellie earlier in the week - but have been battling a migraine since Monday and it has only been today that I have had the 'eye power' to be able to finish this.

No traditional Christmas here ... this one is an Aussie Christmas creation, down by the beach. Think she is a bit over dressed for the occasion, but hey, she's kinda dunking her feet and keeping cool.

Had a blast colouring her in and making this - thanks for the great challenge Kel!

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Teacher Thank You

There are officially only nine more days of school left for 2009, for the Princess. She is excited that school holidays are coming, but is really sad to leave her current teacher. And so are hubby and I. He is an incredible man, has complete respect for both the children and parents and it is returned likewise.

He is also a person with an amazing sense of humour ... and has told me how he enjoys the sense of humour our daughter has. He says she often just bursts into laughter in class, for no reason, with tears streaming down her face. And rather than bust her, he joins in. He enjoys the jokes she tells and can't believe a seven year old can be so quick of wit.

But for us, his humour has made an otherwise boring school year fun. So far this year he has:

• Implemented a potato chip tax - and the kids pay up when he comes collecting
• Spent the last five weeks teaching the kids to sing the song Boogy Creek, except the title is actually Boggy Creek ...
• Whenever he uses the word "Awesome' in class time, if the kids pick up on it, they get an extra 5 seconds of free play at the end of the day (5 secs!)

These are just a few. It has been such a laugh to hear what he gets up to each day.

Anyway, to say thank you for bringing such joy to our daughters life this year, we have put together a thank you present. And this is the card that is going to go with it.

I've shared the details of the card over on the Stamp Spot blog, given Mondays are my day to share. I wanted a card that was masculine but pretty at the same time ~ do you think it works? I just wasn't too sure about the butterfly.

Oh and how did I do the butterfly? I stamped one of the butterflies from Unity Stamp set Butterfly Beauty in Versamark and then outlined it with my silver gel pen .... that way I didn't mess up the printed or cover it, which would have happened had I embossed it.

Have a great Monday, whereever you are!

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An Anya Sunday

Take two on this post ... I published it in error on Saturday and that would have let the cat out of the bag, and we can't have that!

It's Anya Ink Sunday and this week the theme was Christmas. Well for me, the easy way out would have been a card. I was going to go a gift box until fellow DT member Tammy sent through her project and I knew I couldn't compete with her amazing box. So I did a bunting/flag/ thingy instead.

DD help with this one, she is getting right into the spirit of Christmas. She can't wait to put this up when we do the tree on Tuesday after school.

Okay, the deets: Paper is from Basic Grey Wassail, left over from last years cards. The letters are also BG, coloured to match the paper (they were turquoise!), The Xmas Sweeties from TGF are coloured with my copics and then Polar White Flower Soft has been used for the fur on their outfits.

Alright, you HAVE to go have a look at what the DT made up, some pretty amazing creations this week. Hop on over to Anya Ink and see if maybe you can be inspired to join in.

Have a great Sunday.

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Scrapbook Saturday: That Precious Smile

I made it for a Scrapbook Saturday ... yay. Might have had something to do with a wonderful friend coming over to scrap last night and us gasbagging until the early hours of this morning!

Anyway, here's my scrap share for the week....DD when she was a bubba.

Materials:

Papers/ Card ~MME, Basic Grey, WRMK, Alphas~Thickers, Making Memories, Ribbon~Melissa Frances, Flowers~Prima, Stamp~Kaisercraft, Button/Thread/Rhinestones from stash, Photo Corner created by me!

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Do You Ever Feel Like Screaming!?

This week hasn't stopped, my feet just haven't hit the ground. This morning I have been at the computer for about an hour, the longest time all week. I've had enough time to keep up with everyone's status on FB, feed my rose crop in Farmville (yep, DD is addicted), check emails, and then move away.

I'm halfway through everything ... my Anya Ink contribution for the week, my Magnolia Down Under effort, my Bloggers Challenge effort and working my way through the 199 Google Reader posts - gosh you guys have worked!

Updates on the house are on the other blog (give me a chance to put the post up!). This weekend will be a busy one too, they say it's the silly season, I reckon it has started early this year!

Have a fantastic Friday and slide into the weekend nicely!

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Okay, I Have to Laugh and Share

No project today to share, I am working on my Magnolia Down Under creation, just had a minor meltdown and am changing one or two things.

But I have to share this .... I've been blog hopping today and I got the giggles. You know the blogs set up with word verification, well some of the words you have to type in crack me up. Today I have had to type in 'fulltilt' .... 'ghecko' .... 'deano' ..... 'organisah'

I mean, aren't these supposed to be random words/letters. And the one that got me giggling, was the Organisah one ... it was on a blog I follow that is all about making your home life simpler, about home organisation. The post was about spring cleaning!

Okay, I'm being weird, but had to share. Hope your day has been a great one!

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Are You Ready for Christmas?

Not even close here! I tackled Toys R Us with the Princess on Saturday ~ we were there at 930am and it was packed. I'm just glad I got everything done there that needed doing, so I don't have to go back (I think and hope!)

Monday's are my day over at The Stamp Spot blog ... so in keeping with the fact we are four weeks away from Christmas, here's another Christmas card I have now made for the stash... 12 down, far too many to go.

Now in my many blog travels, I came across this lady's blog. She does some amazing card creations, not all stamped. Her style is very clean and simple, something I try and emulate from time to time.

This card here today is cased from one she has made, and you can find it HERE. So similar yet so very different. I think it was the layout more than anything I liked.

Want more details on the card? Head over to the Stamp Spot blog where I have the materials listed.

I have tradesmen here today and they will be making far too much noise. No eye candy, so think I will have to hide myself in the studio and work on my Copic practice!

Have a great Monday!

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Anya Ink Sunday

Well it is Sunday and that means Anya Ink time!

This week the theme is Vintage Cards - something that I struggle with, I'm just not the busy card type of person. But I enjoyed the challenge and I used it as a chance to try something new.

What I hear you ask? The Cracked Glass technique. I've admired it from afar and now I have actually done it!

My card is a mix, I wouldn't say super vintage, but it has the requireds on it - lace, ink, distressing, velvet, flowers, pearls.... you get the idea.

Hope your Sunday is a good one ... I have a sick Princess at home, but it was all made better by a trip to the toy shop yesterday, so she is occupied. I think the long school year, as it comes to a finish in two weeks, has taken its toll - and she has had enough.

We've got family flying from all over this next ten days - some from London, some from Scotland, some from around Australia. So it will be so good to catch up with rellies who have cute kids that we haven't been able to see for a bit. So if I am absent on here, that is why! I'm too busy wining and dining the 'lations!

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I'm So Excited!!

Just a quick one ... been dealing with vomit today (not mine, but DD).... she's finally asleep and I was just clicking into my google reader before shutting down for some well earned shut eye ... when I saw this:

Sketches by Tamara is coming back! Woot Woot .... she's been on hiatus for the last four or five months ... and I have missed her challenges, I love them. It's one challenge site I rarely missed and was even chosen to be Guest Designer back in April ~ not bad for a chickie babe from Australia!

So mark that blog in your readers, she's back with a DT call coming some time soon!

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Howdy

A friends little man is celebrating his birthday and this is the card I made for him.... it's a bit of an odd shape - 7" x 4" ... don't ask my why, just is.

Anyways, we did paper tole over at Anya Ink the other week and I really enjoyed it, so decided to tole his hat and clothes, the photo isn't so flash so it doesn't show it so well here. It's been raining for two days here so have had to resort to the OTT lamp for some light for my pics.

The printed paper is a scrap from the Stampin Up 'Outlaw' pack from last catalogue - perfect for Sheriff Ian, who's a bit of a dude.

Stuck home today, I have someone coming to pick up the Princess' dolls house, which she convinced me to sell on ebay - she doesn't use it anymore, I was over the monstrous size of it (yep it was 1.3m tall and wide) and she wanted more money to buy some DS games and a new scooter. It sold for way more than we were expecting, which surprised us.

So I am using today to start painting again, this time the kitchen, family/dine area... it's the biggest room in the house and I have left it to last. Two reasons, one coz everytime I looked at it, I went ugh and two, because hubby isn't around to whinge when I put in a feature wall. It's called forward planning, I figure once it is in, he won't want to repaint!

Have a great Friday, enjoy your cruise into the weekend!

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Okay, It's Raining

No post from me today - we have one heck of a storm coming across Perth at the moment so the computer is going off!

It started raining at 3am this morning and hasn't stopped, and they have put a road warning out for those of us who might be silly enough to hit the streets. That would be me!

Have a great day and I'll be back tomorrow when it has stopped raining, the lighting makes taking a photo easy and I am not out testing the brakes and tyres on the car!

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Some Scrap Layouts ... Finally

I promised I'd share, so here is some of what I got done on the weekend. How I got these done and looking anything like they do, I don't know. Too much wine and way too many grandma stories ...... as someone said on the Saturday night, we weren't scrapbooking, we were crapbooking because the wine was making everything look like a mess.

The Princess at 9 months : Printed Papers from Bo Bunny's Kitchen Spice range, Coredinations cardstock, Nestabilities (Peony and Labels 8), Cuttlebug alphabet, MM sticky letters

The Princess at 3 yrs with a Cruiser box on her head: Printed papers from Basic Grey (Bittersweet, Lemonade and Eskimo Kisses), Ribbons, Buttons, Bling and rubons from my stash

The Princess cooling off at age 3: Printed papers, glitter ribbon, dies all from WRMK Twirl range

The Princess at age 7: Printed papers from Basic Grey's Nook and Pantry, Thickers lettering, dymo tape, flowers from stash

The Princess as a bubba: Papers from Basic Grey Lemonade range, DMC thread, Bazzill Institchz template, butterfly from Prima, lettering from Basic Grey

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Did I have to come home?

Yeah, I guess I did, sometime, right? What a great weekend I had, scrapping up a storm with friends. There were defiantely some funny moments, the best were playing Balderdash with a few glasses of wine under our belts .... cannot believe someone wrote down that a 'Cockatush' was a 'lesbian cocky' and that the initials I.D.K.C stand for the 'I don't know club".

I managed to get eight layouts done and one card ... pretty impressed with that effort, given I left on Saturday for a few hours to head to a relatives engagement party. I learnt something there, don't give the camera to hubby's aunty if you want the snap to look any good ... we all had a great laugh at her knack to cut heads off.

Anyway, the card I made is over at the Stamp Spot blog ... I'm still unpacking all this:

and then we are off to Ikea to finalise the kitchen for the new house. One more week and then I get to start swinging a sledgehammer again. Think I have had plenty of practice in the last couple of months. I lost a heap of weight last time and given what I consumed over the weekend, the timing of the house renos and subsequent move couldn't come any better.

Oh oops, did I just let the cat out of the bag? Yep ..... I'll share some photos over the week of our new project. We have a tenant moving from one of our rental properties this week and have made the decision to move in. It's just around the corner from the Princess's school and her friends, so makes sense. We spend more time over that way during the week, some days I do over 60kms going back and forth to school and afterschool activities .... so we are renovating from head to toe and then will move in sometime after Christmas.

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Anya Ink Sunday!

Well this post is scheduled because I am away for the weekend at a scrap retreat with a bunch of great ladies, plenty of product and copious wine and laughter.

But Sunday is Anya Ink ... and this week's challenge was to create something for the men around here - Boy Cards.

Well, I stepped away from a card and created a gift card holder .... something different but very useful at this time of year.

Hope your weekend has been great .... have a superb Sunday and hope to back with some photos of the layouts I've created (advance thinking, I like it!) over this weekend.

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Saturday Scrap

That looks way too neat!

Oh wait .........

That's better!

Okay ... no Saturday scrap today - coz I am busy scrapping on retreat. A great group of friends are keeping me in laughter, while we scrap for three days straight.

Now I had the best of intentions to blog hop before I left and time got the better of me, so no doubt those who are in my Google reader will keep me busy when I get back next week.

Have a great weekend and make sure you find some time to ink something!

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A Kiss

One last post in before I head off for a weekend away.

We have an engagement party to go to for a relative and this is the card I made for the the blessed couple - these two are such nice people and this Sarah Kay image is perfect for them.

Still playing with my copics and loving them.

Quick post, details are: A Kiss for Chloe, by Sarah Kay, SEI papers (Poppy Foil), pearls and flowers from my stash.

PS: Note the shape of the card .... I finally made a square one! Wahoo!

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We Love You George

It's been a bit of a weird week. Got the washing machine back on Tuesday, and have to say, have been washing ever since. Three weeks is a long time without a machine and I can openly say I missed mine!

But our week was put on hold on Wednesday by George .... our beagle. He is such a part of our family, he is the Princess' best friend, hubby's sidekick and I am the 'surrogate' when no one else is home.

Well .... he ripped out his dew claw. So blood and bone, gross, think you have the idea. So off to the vets ... and a bandaged and sad looking beagle came home. But not before he had his annual needles and we had a lump checked out by the vet ~ one we noticed a couple of weeks back and put off as a hernia, thinking, we'll get that checked when he gets his jabs in November.

Well he has spent today back at the vets having some fine needle biopsies done ... and one of the seven nodes that made the 'big' lump has come back as malignant. So poor George isn't doing too well. Nor is hubby or me. We haven't told the Princess, don't think we will. We'll cross that bridge closer to the time of having to.

But at the moment, it's business as usual. On three legs (for the time being) he is still chasing birds and balls, still barking at frogs and bees. But to be told a member of the family isn't doing so well, it's made for a long couple of days. Some people will say 'oh he's just a dog', well he is, but a special one, very much part of our family. We love you George. He's pretty precious, even if he does dig up my back lawn!!

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How late are we this morning?

Think my Mondayitis has now become Tuesdayitis .... just so much to do this morning and so little time. So a short post, then we are off to get ready for school and everything else.

I was actually doing up some design team work last night when I had this awesome idea that was totally unrelated. So I downed tools and made this:

I thought Space Ian would look good in monochramatic colours. I have lightly shaded areas on him, especially his helmet.

So all in grey and white.

Alright, short post I promised ... I am off to get ready for a couple of appointments and then will be back later this arvo for some blog visits.

Have a great day

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Mondayitis!

I am having a really bad case of Mondayitis today ...... not good!

Over the weekend our house alarm was playing up so noone really got any sleep on Saturday night (us or the neighbours, oops) and I ended up crashing for a kip Sunday arvo ... which mean I couldn't sleep last night and it is now all catching up with me. Gosh, fifteen years ago it would have been alright to feel like this, I would have a few stamps on my hands, be sporting a hangover and probably have some fellas phone number in my pocket ~ I must be getting old!

Anyway, here's my Monday card for over at the Stamp Spot blog. I have actually loaded it up with a tutorial on how I made the scallop edge around the oval window.

Been a while since I did a window card and I love how they look. That's eleven chrissy cards down, only about a gazillion more to make. Oh well. I've got four weeks.

I'm off to Ikea for a wander and to look at kitchens. When hubby follows it is all to boring, so going on my own, without him pestering! Have a great day!

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Anya Ink : Hi There

Good morning ...... hope you got to ease into your Sunday like we have.

Sunday's mean a new challenge over at Anya Ink and here is the card I've done for this week's challenge - which was to use Blue and Orange on your creation.

I am still playing with my Copics, they are very different to my watercolouring that I love. Some of the concepts are similar but oh, getting the hang of the different nibs and how the colour number/letter thing works.

Stamp: Rock the Farm, The Greeting Farm and Everday Senitments, MFT

Paper: Earth Live, Cosmo Cricket, others unknown

Colour: Copics, TH Distress Ink Vintage Photo

Other: Eyelet, Distress Tool

I'm still painting, seems to be all I am doing in my 'spare' time at the moment - but it's all for a good cause. Only another week or so and I can share our new big adventure, exciting and a bit overwhelming but fun never the less.

Have a great Sunday, take care,

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TGIF (and no Bloggers Challenge again!)

I don't often look forward to Fridays, I think being at home all day every day, weekends are just another day of the week - but I do have to admit to loving having the Princess home from school.

This week is an exception though .... she has swimming lessons everyday at school for two weeks and she is TIRED and CRANKY and every night this week has been a battle. So rest up time over the weekend, a fave dinner tonight and she will recover enough to do it all again next week!

Now, no Bloggers Challenge again this week - my last week stepping in for Alex over at the Stamp Spot blog, so have created for over there. But I'll be back at Bloggers Challenge next week, promise.

I've been waiting impatiently for a delivery of Copic Markers ... and they have been sitting in my PO box all week. I hadn't checked it, forgot that I had had them sent their. Oops. I felt like such a nong, but hey, got them now and here is my first card made with them. Going to take some getting used to, but there are heaps of tutorials around and I am spending today playing.

Have a great Friday ... it's another warm one here, so bathers are on and I will be going for a dip very shortly. Take care,

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Blah!

I'm waiting at the moment for a delivery of copic markers from the US and they are taking forever! As a result, everytime I go to sit and make a card, I just go pfft! I just want colour with my new copics and watercolouring just isn't cutting it.

But being in a creative mood last night, I thought I'd work on a couple of challenges set for this month over at Challenge Heaven.... this one is the Ebony and Ivory challenge. We had to use cream and brown and no flowers. (Sorry about the dodgy photo, I need to wait for the light to get better, then will change it)

The printed papers are from Paper Loft (the plain brown one) and the reverse of one of the new Kitchen Spice papers from Bo Bunny. I've cut the shape out to make the strip across the photo. The photo had too much white in the background to use, so I cut the Princess out ... really makes all that pink pop against the neutral background.

Yes, this is the Princess when she was 2 1/2 being a grot. Going back through her photos at this age, there are lots of her poking her tongue out and being yuck. Must have been her thing.

Alright, I am off to paint some more. Finished one room yesterday, got all the furniture back in. Today, I'm onto the entrance hallway. Should be a hoot!

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An Award

The gorgeous Tracey added me to her awards list and this is what I got! But it comes with rules and the rules are to answer the following with one word answers:

1. Where is your cell phone? handbag
2. Your hair? dyed
3. Your Mother? loving
4. Your Father? patient
5. Your fave food? musksticks
6. Your dream last night? none
7. Favourite drink? water
8. Goal/Dream? happiness
9. What room are you in? craft
10. Your hobby? paper
11. Your fear? dying
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? here
13. Where were you last night? asleep
14. Something you aren't? tall
15. Muffins? blueberry
16. Wish list item? BMW X5
17. Where did you grow up? Perth
18. Last thing you did? Showered
19. What are you wearing? Clothes
20. Your TV? On
21. Pets? Hound
22. Friends? Caring
23. Your life? Good
24. Your mood? Tolerable
25. Missing someone? Yep
26. Vehicle? Berlina
27. Something your not wearing? Shoes
28. Your fave store? Colorado
29. Your fave colour? Black
30. Last time you laughed? Tonight
31. Last time you cried? yesterday
32. Your best friend? Deb
33. One place that I go to over and over? Bed
34. Facebook? Sometimes
35. Fave place to eat? Alfred's

Now I am meant to pass this on to five people, but I am gonna say, if you want it, take it, it's yours. It was shared with me, now I am sharing it with you.

Have a great day!

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