The Travellers Road Test

http://www.travellersroadtest.co.nz/

Miriam sent this to me and I took it for a bit of fun. I was actually pleasantly surprised at the results as they are very true. While I haven't traveled a fraction of what I wish I could - it will happen. Leo and I were just talking last night about which tracks we plan to tramp this summer. And on our wishlist of family activities is to attempt the cycle trip of the Central Otago goldfields with our kids.

You appear to be a direct descendant of Ed Hilary, viewing all geographical landmarks as something to be conquered. Nothing makes you happier than lacing up your slightly pungent boots and heading for the hills.

You’re self sufficient and independent and prefer to travel alone or with like-minded people. Large regimented tour groups make you twitchy.

You’re prepared to take risks but you’re also equipped for any occasion. Pocket knives are a basic accessory of any outfit and you could create a tourniquet out of an old jandal. Even your pants are waterproof, wrinkle-free and flame resistant.

Travel essentials: The necessary Lonely Planet, insect repellent
Favourite souvenirs: A piece of rock from Everest or the Berlin Wall
Similar travellers: Vikings, Christohper Columbus

LOL - I don't have a piece of Everest or the Berlin wall - but I do have a piece of Vanuatu and I always want to go back there!

So whats your traveling style - do share...

Some of them seemed possessed of an incorrigible inner urge simply to explore,
to use whatever excuse was necessary to travel into country where no one else had been, to see where the rivers went, to find a pass through a mountain range that no one else had crossed. (David Thompson)

Time after Time

My layout for this challenge - I'm glad Neen extended the deadline as I have had such a busy month and I really wanted to do it.

So here it is....

“Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,
and think of you
caught up in circles confusion–
is nothing new
Flashback–warm nights–
almost left behind
suitcases of memories,
time after…”

“…If you’re lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you; I’ll be waiting
Time after time”

Cyndi Lauper

Whoa Jack!!

I was surfing around and realized I hadn't done this months Jack!! Okay so this month has had a life of its own and flown by. I know I'm a challenge junky and lately I seem to be a nick of time junky as well - LOL.
Anyhoo here is my Jack of the extremely talented Delys Crams layout.Buttons, stitching and the ever present glitz...and of course the gorgeous shot of Brooke - perfect ;o)

If I could sit on the porch with God, the first thing I would do is thank him for you.... author unknown

Layouts to share

Okay I managed to finish up a few layouts from SENZ.
This was from the brilliant Sequined Secrets class run by Kerrin Quall. I loved this class and I loved the whole idea of creating my embellishments with sequins and beads. Time consuming yes - but man it looks so good!!This is the Rocking Roxie Class layout. I really enjoyed the class - the new techniques and the doodling - all fun and bound to turn up in future layouts.And this was a layout I played with at the Saturday night crop at Tanya's old work. I played with the cricut and was suitably impressed by the way it cut me a big flourish without breaking into a sweat. Then I had oodles of fun doodling with an awesome Aussie Scrap Source DT kit I picked up at SENZ. The kit was Doodling Delight by Christine Miller. Not being a confident doodler this kit has really given me a fabulous taste of doodling.And these little beauties are the serviette canvases my sister Gaye taught me to make. With Christmas just around the corner they are going to make a stunning centerpiece. On the subject of Christmas the Scrapbook Essentials forum ran a 1 day challenge to make a Christmas card and tag. I made these. I had bookmarked this card a while ago in a Memory Makers magazine and figured I'd give it a crack. I doubt I would make these as the cards I send out to family and friends - it took ages and was as fiddly as heck!! LOL. But the tag was easy to whip up.The weather down this way has been positively awful. Yesterday was gale force winds up to 145km and today torrential rain and hail. I'm used to our totally weird unpredictable spring weather but these 2 days have been over the top even for Southland.

All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

SENZ

I know its been ages since I last posted and I do hope this is not a sign of things to come - but seriously folks - I am over rushing around and being so busy I don't have time to vege!

Before I get started HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHELLE!!! I hope you have a fabulous day.I flew up to Christchurch last Wednesday, and from the touch down till lift off it was a pretty full on weekend. I loved the SENZ experience and I would definitely be keen to do it again.

I think the best part of the whole thing was doing something with my big sister and developing that childhood bond that can sometimes get lost in the rush and chaos that is adulthood. I am so pleased that Gaye and I have a common interest that we can share. Congratulations Gaye - btw - for having your name drawn as winner of the first Scrapbook Essentials Sketch Challenge - its a fabulous layout and I thought it was a buzz to see you win something on your very first entry!!
Okay back to my Christchurch trip - I distract myself!!
I spent Thursday with Miriam - huge hugs babe!!! Thank you for putting up with me and I will be thinking of you tonight!!! Miriam's sister Hannah has been nominated in the Best Gospel/Christian Album of the year, and Miriam is going to walk the red carpet with her. What an awesome experience that will be.
Friday, Gaye and I headed into SENZ and did some serious damage to our bank balances - we shopped! I spent time watching a demo for serviettes on canvases and I tell you this is my next big thing - everyone is going to get a canvas made by me!! LOL!
I found Michelle wandering around up at SENZ - woohoo photo opportunities - and we did - we had fun playing!!!We then attended my favourite SENZ class - Sequined Secrets with Kerrin Quall. The detail and work in this womans work is just awe inspiring - she is talented and I was so badly bitten by the sequin bug - move over brads - I have to make room for my now growing sequins and beads collection! My layout isnt finished for this class - the sewing and beadwork is complete - but I need a title so its sitting in my pile waiting patiently for me to be struck by inspiration.Friday night Gaye's friend Barb came over and we played with canvases and serviettes - oh what fun fun fun!!
Saturday we had to be in at SENZ with the birds to make the first class of the day which was run by Chris Miller. This lady can doodle something wicked!! And it always looks so fabulous. We had a play with the Love Elsie Roxie range. The layout when complete was stunning and just the sort of layout to 'rock' me!
Then I went and played with stamps!!! I'm not huge on stamps - they annoy me - but they are so much fun when they do as they are told! We took a class on using the same stamp for different looks and I was surprised how versatile a stamp can be - we made 3 cards and got instructions for more. And we got to keep the stamp - yay!
The classes were awesome and I learnt some great new techniques. In hindsight more classes would have been fun but this was my first SENZ and I wasn't sure what to expect.
Saturday night we got together with a bunch of SE ladies - thank you so much Tanya for arranging this and the cake was scrumptious!! We cropped, we shopped, we talked and we laughed - what a fun night! Meeting Tracy, Mich, Lynda and Vicky from SE forums was really great. I have to finish this post with a massive happy happy dance - I'm going to go to the Scrap Retreat next March in Queenstown. Meg, Sue, Rachel, Janine, Megan, Mich, Tanya, Gaye, Michele and maybe JulieMaree - to name the ones from SE going.... how gosh darn exciting can you get??!!! I am really looking forward to meeting you Janine - that will definitely be a major highlight for me!

"I wish I'd known from the beginning that I was born a strong woman.
What a difference it would have made!
I wish I'd known that I was born a courageous woman;
I've spent so much of my life cowering...
I wish I'd known that I'd been born to take on the world;
I wouldn't have run from it for so long,
but run to it with open arms.
(from Excavating Your Authentic Self by Sarah Ban Breathnach)

Happy Memories. Happy Times.

Happy Anniversary.Its been a very very busy week in this house. Maria is over from America. We have had 4 birthdays - Mum, Dad, Oma and Me (yep I hit the big 21 yet again ;o) ). We have had lunch dates and supper dates. We all still have worked. And the kids have been home for school holidays.

But the biggest milestone I think is the massive celebration we had in the weekend to celebrate the 5oth Wedding Anniversary of Oma and Opa.I will have been married to Leo for 10 years next year and truly that seems so long - 50 years is such a wonderful achievement and we had such a lovely day - its such a joy to have the entire family in one place!!

One can only wonder at what it must have been like for Oma and Opa as newlyweds to say goodbye to their family and friends and climb aboard a ship to sail to the other side of the world to start a new life together. And what a life they have had, they had 5 children, they have mourned the loss of one of these sons. Opa built many houses in Invercargill in his day as a bricklayer. They have traveled back to Holland and many of their family have visited here. A crib built by Oma and Opa in Nokomai is still a favourite place for the extended family to vacation and see in the New Year with the traditional dutch Olie Bollens made by Opa.
I share a love of needlework and juicy thrillers with Oma so we often swap books and compare notes.
I wonder where Leo and I will be in 40 years time? What will the passage of years bring us?
I hate farewells, I want to keep my family close, but the world has become so small that we have scattered.
The sad part is saying goodbye, Angie and Teresa-lee back to Christchurch, Lynette is off to a new job in Te Anau (and her partner, Allen is away to The Solomons for a stint as a peacekeeper), Maria is heading back to the US next week. And my Ash tells me that her and her partner Steven are planning to move to Australia.

Fiftieth Anniversary

(Nancy Smith)

Fifty years ago we started our life.
It was the day we became husband and wife.
The years passed by and our children are all gone.
Now our little ones have babes of their own.
And sometimes it seems like the time went too fast.
When we reminisce of our life in the past.
But there is still one thing that I know I would do...
I would still spend another 5 decades with you.

Jess loves me

I already knew that - LOL, but she was busy creating today and made me this...Each little card says something so sweet and honestly put a lump in my throat.

Things about Mum
- You Rock
-You Are Always There
- I Love You
- You Never Let Anyone Down
- You Are One Cool Mum
- I Would Never Forget What You Do
- It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You
- You Are The Best

If nothing else Lord, please let this little girl always hold me in such high esteem and
don't let me do anything to break her faith in me.