Banner me happy!!!

Today was 38 degrees!!! Sooo hot I lazed around all day doing nothing really but I did manage to finish off my shabby chic "peace" banner. I am making the last of my christmas cards and will focus on tags and wrapping over the next few days. I am eagerly awaiting my vintage christmas journal from evalicious ( etsy) so have been jotting down what I have been doing in relation to Chrissy since december 1st to fill out the pages!!

I was at the shops today...complete bedlam!! My aim will be to arrive at 9am and take 1 1/2 hours and then get the heck out of there before the swarms arrive on mass!!

An eventful day!!!!

Had a job interview today for my own job!!!  The interview itself wasn't too bad, my boss was one of the panel and she was as usual just soooo nice...it's not everyone that can say they really love their boss!! Just after I walked out of the interview I bit into a lollie to reward myself that the whole thing was over and my crown fell out of my mouth!!! Emergency call to the dentist, booked in for tomorrow to cement in the permanent one, unbelievable! i was just thinking over the years I have had some teeth disasters at the most inappropriate times- like splitting a tooth in half in the middle of labour!!! I am not even going to look for the symbolism here!!

Stu and i are looking at a lovely house to buy but need some advice on building reno repairs so we will wait until we hear about that on Friday. Oh and received a gorgeous card from meliss and Ivan today with some gorgeous pics of Corey...he is a real cutey, I can see both mum and dad in him!!! Off to watch Law and Order and down a Milo....

Mixed media madness!!

I have been creating up a storm lately.. have just framed 2 of my pretty girl prints. Am just about to sign up for another on line class using collage..very arty farty these days!!!

Antiquing through the Southern Highlands...

Maria and I spent the weekend trawling through some lovely bric a brac and french antique shops- we both scored some lovely items. The highlight had to be Maria's gorgeous antique french chandelier which took us ages to wrap it at the airport with bubblewrap, clothes and tape AND it arrived in New Zealand intact- we are amazing!!!! here are some pics...

My Fav flowers are in bloom!!

Every November, Stu buys me a huge bunch of my favourite flowers- Peonies- and they are all the more special as you can only buy them for a month here due to how hot it is here. They normally grow in colder climates. So full and gorgeous!!

And time simply rolls on.....

I cannot believe it is September... I think the world is getting faster and faster, spiralling upwards in a mad rush. Our first day of Spring was superb, couldn't have wished for a a more perfect day. However today it has not stopped raining for longer than 5 mins.... This always makes me slightly nervous after being flooded out last year, so every now and then I sneek a peek out of my bedroom window to make sure I can still see the road!!!!

Well I have been super busy with my new on line art course... will upload some pics soon. I have been actually quite ill for the last week so have been hibernating indoors.. perfect weather for it really! Dad has just finished his 4th course of chemo and is really sick, the last 2 courses have been terrible for him. After his scan on wed we'll know whether or not the chemo is to continue or not... the day after dad's birthday so I am hoping it is good news for him and the rest of us.

I have a new love- well besides my hubby of course!! Its paint!! Yep I have been going mad spending all my pay on all these fab art supplies and trying them out on paper, wood and canvas so stay tuned!! I'm getting right in to folk art... check out the pic!!

Oh July! How time flies!!

Yeah I sorta kinda know I haven't been blogging but you know life is what happens when you make plans! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. However life has been rather busy.... working full time teachingis not a walk in the park-I love it but man the hours of prep is pure madness!! I'm sure it will get easier though. Dad starts chemo soon so that will be another season- he's not real keen as he puts it and can't say I blame him! Stu is flying off to see his folks and bro in South Africa next week so I will have to update this for him if no one else!!!

Art Swap for PraireWillow

Well its finished!! I am involved in an international artswap where we were paired up with someone and had to paint/ paper whatever we just had to create something for this person after gaining some inside information on their fav colours ect... so this will be going in the post on Monday-- sure hope she likes it!

Scrapmojo Challenge 12!!!

This is the first time I have entered a scrapbook challenge like this soooo am a bit nervous but what the heck!! We had to use office lingo in our title or journalling and office supplies in our layout- so I decided to do my mini layout on a mini- clipboard using paper clips, staples, shipping tag, punctuation and date stamps!! The prize of yummy supplies was just too good to pass up the opportunity.

Surrounded by Stash!!!

My studio is covered in delectable glitzy, artsy pieces of patterned paper, fabric, buttons, ribbon, lace and paint so over the weekend I fully intend to whip up a creative storm.... watch this space for hopeful pieces of artistic genius ( well at least in my eyes anyway!!!)

Puppy is asleep... hubby is at work.... and I'm on line.... a usual sequence of events for this family!!!

Just like I promised...

Thought I'd include a pic of princess Jessie demolishing her latest toy- took all of 30 mins... hence why I only ever spend $3.00!!!!

Well here I am making a post just so I don't sound like a girl who goes back on her word!! It's so funny, Stu and I don't get to spend a lot of evenings together as he is usually working but he's home tonight!! and what are we doing??? I am surfing the net while he is playing play station- even the dog is in another room- I think we are going to have to reassess this situation..... There is something wrong with this picture!!!!!!!!

You wouldn't know it is Autumn as the weather has been so beautiful. lovely and warm although I can just detect a faint chill in the air at night. I guess I can't complain it's not like we really get freezing winters down here!!!

Check out my Slide Show!

Bad Blogger.......

I admit it!! I am a bad blogger- so I sincerely apologise for my slackness over the past month- I will attempt to write( even if I don't upload a pic!) something, however banal everyday!!! These are just a few layouts I have done over the past week.

We had a " black-out" tonight- power cut that is! I was on the computer and Stu was watching T.V. It lasted about 40 mins so we both sat outside , as it was going on dusk, and Stu jokingly said" Don't tell me we'll have to talk!!"- we were in fits laughing, but you know what was weird?? The entire street came out to chat- it was like God was up there saying- I'll show em down there- they might have to actually COMMUNICATE !!!!!!! Too funny...

Arabella's first day at school

She is growing up so fast- I simply cannot believe she is now at school and doing well, going to be the leader- I can almost see the next female prime minister in her you know. It was so cute she spoke with me on the phone and recited to me what she had learned that day- In the Name of the Father, the Son and " The Holy Innocent" Amen- couldn't stop smiling that's the name of her school and then she quickly corrected herself, I mean " The Holy Spirit" Amen.... I think God would excuse that little slip up in a 5 year old....

Happy Leap Year!!

Domestic Goddess rules again!!! Made this chicken, leek and mushroom pie for dinner tonight and the hubby said it was the best pastry he has ever said- probably an exaggeration but coming from a chef I was chuffed, none the less.....This won't be a weekly event however as I felt completely chained to the stove for hours - You have to wonder how all those pilgrims of old handled cooking all day, every day all year!!!

I bought the most fabulous cookbook whilst in NZ called The Best of Annabel Langbein " Great Food for Busy Lives"- fantastic, has absolutely everything in it that a fledgling Domestic Goddess needs!!

Domestic Goddess

I cannot believe the amount of rain we have had over this summer- we had 9- 15 mm of rain fall in Newcastle yesterday in 7 mins!! Our lawn is growing by the day and I haven't had to water the vege garden for well over a week!! I guess there are some benefits but I miss the sunshine and have had to dry all the clothes either inside or in the dryer which I hate- so not the same as sun and fresh air!!

Jessie is going spare because she is not getting all her much loved walks but today I bit the bullet and took her anyway- between drizzles.Have been doing lots of scrapbooking and art projects though which is quite therapeutic!!!

Have been eating constantly, which is not good- please bring on the sun so I can get the heck out of the house and out of the fridge!!!!!!!!!!!

Fear challenge

I was challenged to art journal one of my fears and although I wouldn't exactly say it was a " fear" as such it is certainly not something I am relishing at this particular point in time.....

Valentine's Day challenge

Deb and I via skype had a Valentine's Day prompt challenge going- both got into the groove and knocjked them over in just over an hour!Love to all xxxxx

LOve those Elsie papers!!!!

Had to get this layout of Charlotte done as after opening all her pressies on Christmas Day I asked her which was her favourite and she said, "my lollipop"-Maria can certainly save some money next year!!!!

Cafe Prince shots

Deb, Darren and the kids came to stay so we all went down to the prince and Deb was giving me some photography tips... The first pic of Stu and I was taken by Arabella, aged 5 so I think she is going to be quite the arty farty one!!!

artful expression

Decided to try and replicate a collage technique I read about in NOv/Dec Cloth/Paper/Scissors. It is just acrylics, charcoal and pastels with scrapbooking papers on canvas. Fairly pleased with the result and definitely keen to try some more....

Matarangi- NZ

IMG_3785
Originally uploaded by michellefield39

This pic was taken from Maria's family beach house in Matarangi where we stayed over the chrissy- New year period with all her and Stu's family. Such a relaxing holiday, playing darts, down the beach with the kids, reading, doing jigsaws... you get the drift....and lots of zzzzzzzz's.I have never seen Stu so relaxed in a long time!