Happy Birthday Princess

Today our beautiful Princess turned 12.  It's hard to imagine that twelve years have passed, where has the time gone!  In recognition of the digital age we now live in, we received her Birthday List via email.

My birthday list
1. The ultimate decorating set
2. Match Attax 2013
3. Craft stuff
4. Books ( Fairy books, I don't have-1, 9, 13-20, 23-29, 31-50, 57-58, 60-61, 63-65, 68-79, 81, 83-87, 89-93, 95, 98, 101, 103)
5. Panting stuff
6. Playstation games
7. Playstation romot (PINK or blue)
8. CD
9. DVD (the rise of the gardens and Scooby Doo)
10. Headphones (the ones from the smiggle shop it needs to be PINK)
11. Shoes
12. Cooking stuff

BREAKFAST
Pancakes

DINNER
Tunacasharoll
DESSERT
Cake- I am going to make it and decorate it too

In our family the birthday person gets to choose whatever they want (within reason!) for breakfast and dinner.  They also get to choose the type of cake/dessert they want.  Pancakes and waffles are the most popular breakfast choices with dinner usually being something more unusual.  The Princess' favourite dinner is Tuna Casserole and as we only have it on a rare occasion she has started requesting it every year.

I took the day off today and decided to make her a special layout for her own album all about her birth.  I haven't scrapped any of the kids early years yet and I thought she would appreciate it and it was a good way to kick start my crafting again after the shop closing.  I used an old favourite paper of mine that I now wished I had bought more of!  It was the 'Katlin Collection' by Crate Paper.  Add in a few newer pieces like the overlay and the glassine envelope and you would never know the paper was old.

The tag has writing on both sides and tells the following story ...  "Early in the morning on Wednesday the 23rd of May you decided that this was the day you were going to be born!  Grandma and Pops came and collected the boys while we waited for the contractions to get closer.  The Doctor had said to leave for the hospital when the contractions were 15 minutes apart.  As I was walking in circles around the backyard, your Dad decided to cut the grass while he waited.  He walked up and down with the lawn mover, I walked around and around.  Neither of us were really paying much attention to the time.  Thankfully the mower ran out of fuel or this story would have a very different ending!!!  That was when Dad decided to time the contractions, they were only 5 minutes apart!!!  We quickly got in the car and drove to the hospital.  Dad dropped me at the door while he parked the car.  The receptionist wanted me to wait for an orderly to come with a wheelchair.  I told her that I didn't have time and to let the ward know I was on my way up.  I got into the labour room and Dad arrived just as I was getting changed.  I hopped up on the bed and you decided you weren't waiting any longer!  5 minutes later and you had arrived!!!!"

The Princess chose to make carrot cake for her birthday and she wanted to bake it and decorate it herself when she came home from school.  We bought her a cake decorating kit for her birthday (number one on her list) and she can't wait to use it on her next cake.  I think there will be a few cakes and cupcakes in our future :-)

I couldn't resist this flannel sheet set and had to get it for her birthday.  Her pre-teen genes are kicking in and she has started to sleep in on the weekend.  She saw the funny side and as you can see they are already on her bed along with the soft, fluffy pink pillow from The Thinker.  We also bought her some more painting supplies (number 5 on the list).  She loved the canvas brush roll and the new brushes.

We have had a very special day.  Happy Birthday Princess!

King of the Castle

Did you ever find the need to climb to the top of everything when you were a child?  The Extrovert does!  And he always has to pose too :-)  I wonder if I was like that too????

I loved the papers from My Minds Eye's 'Indie Chic'.  I love the colours, patterns and texture so I just couldn't cover it all up.

Hope you had a great weekend,

Chipper

Sian's "Great Big Swap of Very Small Things"!

Most of you also follow Sian over at From High In The Sky ... did you sign up for the "Great Big Swap of Very Small Things"?  It is ever so exciting to be joining in for a big bit of fun in a small envelope.  It is a great idea as it fits in with my equally as small budget as it call all be sourced from your own stash :-)  The Flopsy Bunnies are on their way to Cate at Life Behind the Purple Door with a cute envelope of fun!

I even found a funky envelope to pack it all in!  Thanks Sian for organising this!!!  Everyone sends something to the person on the list after their name and Lou from In This Life has already contacted me for my address.  It will be a very exciting month for everyone involved!

Enjoy stalking the mailman!

Chipper

Latest News

I have started many posts in the past few weeks but none seemed right, so I am going to update you all.  A few weeks ago we finished up closing down our shop.  I thought I had distanced myself emotionally from when I started my new job, but it seems I was only fooling myself.  I am physically and emotionally drained (especially from hurtful comments by customers) and only now finding a new routine.

Here we are finishing things up ...

I am thankful for ...

my family

my friends

a roof over our heads

a lovely commercial landlord

my job

and the future.

After we handed the keys back we celebrated with the kids :-)

Onwards and upwards,

Chipper

Counterfeit Kit March - 2

Well March is now over and I do have few layouts to share that I made with my March Counterfeit Kit.  I still have a pile of stuff to use so this will also become my April kit, but as the most important thing is to USE my stash, that is all ok with me!  Still scrapping photos from that same vacation/holiday way back in 2000.  And if you don't know what a 'Counterfeit Kit' is, click on the link ----------->

I love this first layout and was so glad that I added in some teal and red to my Feb kit when I created my new March kit.  I even used more of my pre-cut Cricut cuts and these photos were the reason I welded letters together to spell 'squished!' LOL  We owned a very little Holden Barina and when we went camping (even to stay in a chalet) the car was packed to the brim with baby stuff, food, and other essentials.

This next layout was based on a sketch by Shimelle and came together quickly while I spent an evening crafting with friends.  I love that my Counterfeit kit enables me to travel for crafting and only take the one container that it fits in along with my tool tote ... allows for quickly grabbing my stuff and running out the door! (not a great photo ... sorry)

While I was making the next layout a HUGE part of the story returned to my mind that I had totally forgotten about.  I hadn't left enough room in the journalling block and so I think I will make a second page for it and fill it only with journalling.  I actually think that Glitter Girl's video this week is on this exact subject so that will fit in very nicely.

We were actually delayed a day in leaving for this vacation as we were both summonsed to court as witnesses for an incident that occurred BEFORE The Extrovert was even born.  We now had two children and this was only just coming to trial!  That is one very slow legal system!  There are more Cricut cuts on this one and I also used the stamp set from my original kit (LOVE that stamped lace).

This last double layout was a quick one to use up scraps and knock-off five photos quickly.  Normally when I have lots of photos I often insert a divided page protector and slot them in with some decorated paper scraps.  I thought that I would try something different as I only had five photos of this particular part of the deer park.  It is a bit plain for my liking so I will probably go back once I have finished all of the photos and use up some more scraps to finish it off.  I just didn't want to cut into any more whole papers yet as I am only about half way.

Well that wasn't too bad an effort for my very busy March!  I hope you had a fabulous Easter :-)

Chipper