Preoccupied

Yes I am still here, and no I haven't posted in a few days, have I?

I've been preoccupied - that cold I was whining about morphed into a sinus/ear infection that joined forces with or was heavily influenced by that nasty tooth I have been nursing for awhile.

It is highly probable that a doctors visit should have been involved, but wasn't, but I tell you what IS.  A visit to the dentisit tomorrow.  I am actually looking forward to it - that should indicate how bad things have gotten!  And the share price in Nurofen should drop dramatically after that visit - well I hope!

I've also been busy setting up for and cleaning up after our end of year school party and concert.  The kids are still at school this week (last day Friday) but it suited to have it on Friday night.

The kids did a little play based around Roald Dahl's Revolting Rhymes (how I love that book!) and Red Riding Hood.  I can't remember how the story went in  the book, but the kids version had Red Riding Hood wearing a Wolf Skin cape AND toting a pig skin carrying case in the end.  It was HILARIOUS!

Here's a sample of the show:

The three little pigs, obviously! Toby took his role very seriously!

Three fairies.  Now I don't think there were fairies in the original version :-)  but I think some literary adaptation was applied to suit the number of kids at the school (count 'em - NINE) and the ages of the children (there were five in prep & year one, so that restricts the roles somewhat!)

I was videographer, so I hope I managed to capture most of the scenes; my friend Mel took these photos for me.

Anyhow, best go and get the girlies from school right now, Georgie is excited that she has been allowed to spend this last week at school in preparation for full time prep next year!

Continuing the Theme

I got all excited when doing Mel's overlays (see last post) that I also quickly made her a little matching business card.

She phoned me this morning to tell me that she'd just made a letterhead and thank you notes to match (though not in colour) to put in with her packaging when she hands over the finished product to her clients.

I made the comment that we must get out more, considering that we are both getting so excited about dandelions and logos and the like!

And that's all I have to share - I haven't been doing much at all, apart from pretending I don't see the mess that is my office, and the unpainted wall - that and whingeing about the snot that is in my head and how my ears feel funny when I blow my nose.

Sorry, that would probably fall under the header of Too Much Information, wouldn't it?!  I'm all about keepin' it real here folks, just in case you were under the impression that it was all sequins and unchipped nail polish here in my part of the world!

That's where I will leave you, as I wander off to complain to my unhearing children about having a "notty nothe".  Let me whinge some more for a second - its stinkin' hot 40 degrees. And I have a cold. There is something Not Right about that!

Sniff.

Playing

My friend Mel and I weren't happy with the first very rough logo that I whipped up for her, so yesterday I sat down and made a new logo/copyright/overlay for her to use on her blog photos.  I just have to change the blog banner to suit this new look.

I am really pleased with how they turned out, and so is Mel (well, I hope she is!)

Because I have green on the brain at the moment (new in-the-mail camera bag AND soon to be painted office wall!)  I made the background greeen - but that's only so I could see what I was doing and so you can see the overlay.  When used its transparent obviously!

I've also been trying to do a little Christmas photo card to send out from our family this year, instead of using ordinary christmas cards.  Do you think I have been so inspired when doing that? Nope.  Back to the drawing board....

So, that's what I might do later on today, when the kids are watching a movie and the airconditioning is on (its actually a tad cooler today - just!)

Which One

Please leave a quick comment - I can't decide on the red or the green...tell me which one?!!  I like the red - I have a red handbag and shoes, but you know how much I adore green......

These Jo Totes have just gone on sale HERE and I am off to order myself one for Christmas - and they are so much cheaper than the Jill E ones I have been drooling over for ages.  I might even have enough change left over to get myself a new lens to go in my new bag! ;-)

I think I have nearly decided on the green....but please, if you have the time leave me your valued opinion!  Must order today whilst the Aussie dollar is high and before they run out of stock!!

And in other exciting news - my sister in law has started scrapbooking!! She came asking for some magazines for inspiration yesterday - so when I get my act together and desk clean I am going to clear out some of my excesses of paper and flowers (which I hardly ever use!) and send em her way - with a copy of Simple as well perhaps.  I think I might have a spare copy that I can bare to part with....

Internet Goodness

This post is for Juliane (who sadly doesn't have a blog!) who has my blog as her homepage and has commented via the phone that I haven't posted much lately. Pressure much?!

HERE is the link to download this free advent calendar! Very cute...I think this could find a home on my fridge!

So there you go Jules, you don't have to keep looking at my suprise anniversary earrings any longer!! And a belated Happy Birthday!!

Random Catchup

I am waiting for paint to dry so I can apply a final coat, so am quickly giving you a random catch up from my photo files.

A few weeks ago it was our 8th wedding anniversary, and the day afterwards Trevor had to go to the city to pick up supplies for our business.  He came home with this surprise for me:

Trevor is not one for surprises and gift purchasing is about on a par with having his finger jammed in a car door for him.  But he did  remember that I had broken/lost my favourite silver earrings like these some time ago, so off he went to the jewellers (where they nearly caused him to have heart failure when they tried to sell him some white gold ones..the price!). So this little parcel was a great surprise and I have happily worn them since.

While on the subject of gifts, what's on your Christmas Wish List?  If I want something I pretty much have to get it myself (see above!) but I DO make Trevor take the kids shopping to "get Mum a birthday present", as my birthday is just after Christmas and the kids really enjoy the process.  Except this year, they are not to select any perfume on the colour & prettiness of the packaging (pink, with butterflies!)...lovely perfume scent but so strong and sweet it gave me a migraine. So now, if perfume is what they want to get (its entirely up to Trevor and the kids what they get!), Trevor has to smell test FIRST and I have suggested that usually anything in green or nature looking packaging might be the go.

So, what's on your wish list this Christmas?! do share!!

Grumble Mumble

This is not me.

Nor am I that happy about what I am doing - yep, you guessed it. Painting.

I had forgotten what a horrible task it is.  The prep - taping and masking and making sure that the paint doesn't go in the wrong place.  Undercoat. Rollers - the b.a.n.e of my existance. So much so, after undercoating one wall with a roller, I've done the whole other one by hand with a brush.

Mind you, the fact that it is all tongue and groove doesn't make the whole excercise any quicker!

Tommorrow (as I haven't the intestinal fortitude to do any more today, even though the undercoat dried in about 10.4 seconds) - the first coat of colour.

Just to add to the joyfulness of the painting experience, add two cranky fighting children!

(which reminds me - I've just returned from another trip to the city - both girls coming with me.  I purchased three mini wheelie bins (those cute colourful 60L ones) , and at the checkout Georgie was being rather a pain in the rear end.  As I paid, I said, more to myself than anyone " I wonder if she would fit in there?...." looking at the little wheelie bin.  The checkout lady (an older lady) looked at me and laughed her head off.  As I walked off with my bins, and with Georgie still being a total brat, the checkout the lady called after me, still giggling away -  "I'm watching you - I know you want to!!")

Today I am thinking that they could both do with some time in a mini bin each, with a nice brick placed on the lid.

And that's all I have to say today!

Laying down with a cool washer

The girls are cleaningup/ out their room. They started at around 9am this morning - no Saturday morning TV.

They are still at it.  I think I need to go and lay down with a nice cool, wet washer over my face.

It would have been sooooo much easier and quicker if I had done it myself!

But that's not the principal of the matter is it?  They made the mess, they need to clean it up, so they remember how awful it was to clean up, when they go to trash their room again.

I have to say though, it is most exhausting cleaning their room via yelling and threatening and putting things out for the Salvos (much tears and nooooo's occuring!).

My girls don't have many toys, in comparison to other kids I know (and what they have is pretty crappy stuff, really! they break the expensive stuff - albeit accidentally or carelessly (a whole other issue...grrr!) just as easily as the cheaper stuff!) but the little they have seems to get spread e.v.e.r.y.w.h.e.r.e.

I don't have photos, but I guess this where you (ie. Di) will tell me to go and get my camera, and then turn this post into a scrapbook page.

Sigh. OK, I am off to take a pic.  They have probably got it tidy now I am going to take a pic!

A Post Totally Dictated by Low Blood Sugar Brain

I am running that far behind (and starving, incidentally) today that a quick blog post isn't going to make any difference to what gets done.

This just came into my inbox  - lurrve the colours and fabric pattern in this tankini. 

And bummer, I've not long purchased a very plain, demure and "supportive" (I so wish I wasn't on speaking terms with that word! Oh for small bosums!) black tankini (becuase black is slimming and hides a mulitude of sins, but I should have gone for ruching as well - according to Today Tonight last night! - as apparently that can disguise some extra bits as well! who'd thought!) along with some rather groovy black and silver boardies to cover the rest of the not so svelte bod.  And boardies without velcro and buttons that pop open to boot! (can I hear an angels chorus?!) They have a wide sort of shirred, but firm, elastic waist, and I love 'em.  Hopefully the tankini top and the boardies will stay together and no stray muffin top will see the light of day...so, as much as I love the colours and the body covering properties of this tankini (though my body isn't anywhere CLOSE to the shape of the model's!! cue hysterical laughter) , I won't be rushing out to get it.

Anyhow, where was I?  Oh the colours!  and the cute ruffles on the bikini (though who wears a white bikini, cute floral and ruffles or not?)  Delicious patterns, yummy colours and swimmers - does it feel like summer yet?

So, this post has gone totally ALL over the place and I have totally forgotten the point I wanted to make. If indeed there was a point to be made.  That's low blood sugar for you I guess!!

Have quite a few bits of photographic offerings to share with you, but of course it is SUCH a chore to download both cameras...one day soon, I promise!

Too much?

Quick post in between chores - no rest for the wicked, as they say!

Our local hotel, run by a very fashionable young-ish couple (remember the gumboot/fairy lady from our bike ride?) is running a little "do" for Melbourne Cup - nothing too flash or big, but still a nice get together of locals. And of course, being quite a few girly girls amongst us, we have to dress up.

My question is this, ladies,  as with your scrapbooking eye for colour - is this TOO much of a good thing?

I am not normally a skirt person, but loved this a line white and purple number (not normally one for purple either!).  I found a simple little sleeveless (bugger the fat arms, its HOT!) cotton tshirt, and then on ebay - a purple fascinator AND shoes!  (love the shoes, cute little flats, just what I needed to wear with jeans etc)

Obviously, they are all slightly different shades of purple, but when on, they are far enough apart not to notice.  BUT, is it all too much? Perhaps not the purple T, but a white one instead?  Or loose the fascinator? Or  save the skirt for another occasion and go back to my old favourites, the white linen pants?

Oh, the descisions that I have to make!  Lordy, hopefully this will be the biggest and most stressing decision I will have to make for awhile! 

Oh wait. I forgot.

Root Canal or Extraction?  Now there's a decision just lurking around, waiting to be made.

But until then - is too much purple too much of a good thing?