Scrappy Kea

Super simple, continuing with my current pleasure in white cardstock and OA 8x8 paper. Love the die cut journaling tags too. Make layouts so easy to put together. I created this while sitting beside Mrs Frizz at the Dunedin Scrap Retreat and her delicicious layering and prima delights. In comparison my pages were rather flat, but I decided I like it that way for everyday layouts. For something special - e.g. one of my sisters family and one of my family on mums birthday recently, I'm happy to add some more in the way of depth in my creativity but other than that I'll stick with simple.

And quite a few cards too. Really enjoyed using white cardstock as a base and love the October Afternoon 8 x 8 pads from Scrapbook Outlet . Such a convenient and less-waste size!

Only the 3rd layout of the 12 and I forget to post it up on time :-) I took this photo of 'March' a few weeks ago and when uploading it to my computer I ralised that I didn't have the layout set up right on the music stand....but I still haven't got around to taking another so this will have to do. Anyway, Can almost get on with Aprils layout...at the Dunedin Scrap Retreat next weekend, yay! I do have a growing list of things I want to get done at the retreat though so whether I actually do any layouts might be a whole other thing. Smiles.

Some cards. I'm moving back to the 'get rid of scraps by using them for cards' mode because all my scrapbooking stuff has to fit into my trolley and mm tote bag (except for tools like cricut, cuttlebug & slice of course)! I created these layouts on our last few 'sticking pretty bits of paper to other pretty bits of paper' nights in Queenstown. Am now considering what I want to get on with at Dunedin Scrap Retreat - album of my teenage years, a couple of recent photos - Ethan's birthday, Easter camp, Swimming 4 peaks day, Harvest Festival and lots of cards to see me through the year not to mention a few gifts that I need to make. The sewing machine is out and I'd better finish using it so I can have the table clear for dinner time!

Just back :-). Spent lots of time learning based in 'Romans' and enjoying the company of others! The following was one of the 'transition' movies as we started our evening programme. so was this one:

But since so many people were doing C25K , I thought I really should give it a try. I still am but at week 7, running (well not sure if it actually looks like I'm running...) 25 mins with only 2 weeks of the programme to go, maybe, just maybe I can do this running thing. At least with running I don't need to wear togs!

Didn't use the sketch this month...just didn't work with my photos relating to this Feb. Pleased another month is recorded.

Project 12 January Layout Was fun to just play and used the sketch a little...I had way more photos for January than the sketch indicated so as per usual I improvised! Smiles.

I'm home (start work at the new school tomorrow) and am quickly checking out the new releases before a guest arrives for dinner. Thinking about style, I love some of the examples with prima product especially but I have decided that I'm a 'flat' scrapper. I like my pages to fit comfortably in their protectors and not have to cut the base smaller and such like. However, I like to create canvas or altered projects that utilise the gorgeous dimension that prima and some of the maya road products give, these aren't as commonly completed as the layouts are though either, and I'm scrapping more 8 x 8 pages - good excuse to use only one photo per page and leaves good sized scraps for cards and additions to other layouts. All good. Linking my faves :-0 Crate Paper - Love Brook & Paper Doll Sassafras - love all three of these new collections! Scribble Scrabble - loving 'Nana's trunk' Cosmo Cricket - oh my! Studio Calico - yum. My little shoebox - so c...

Despite the rain & the wind, the tent has stayed up, the air bed didn't deflate and the company was good. Some of the highlights this visit was seeing both two seastars (star fishes) and a seal on the beach on the same day. We haven't seen them again despite watching out for them all. It seems like the term break is going all to quickly but I'm sure there's still some fun to be had :-)

I have loved peoples dedication to '365' but a photo a day is just too much for me to stick to. However, the idea of a layout a month might be perfect for me - especially in 2010 - and as I return to full time work all year. Love that this project also has a sketch for each month and doubles will be fun for a change. So Project 12 here I come :-).

Enjoyed time at the beach for Christmas day...unwrapping gifts in the tent, spit roast lamb and Christmas salad and not to mention our new 'Christmas breakfast' of toasted Christmas cake slices with lashings of blue cheese and strawberry jam! Water fights and water slides followed by left overs for tea. Family Camp in Queenstown was another highlight. K went on the biscuit at the back of the boat...A & E preferred to stay on the boat! Cherries by the crate load, games of tennis and soccer. Good times.

This recipe is from 'Better Homes & Gardens, Christmas 2009' Makes about 60 pieces Ingredients: 2 eggwhites 1/4 cup caster sugar 1 Tbsp honey 3/4 cup plain flour 1/2 cup unblanched almonds 1/2 cup dried cranbrerries 200g white chocolate melts, melted small silver cachous to decorate 1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease & line 26 x 8 cm tin with baking paper. Line two large baking trays with baking paper. Using electric beater, beat eggshites, caster sugar and honey until sugar is dissolved and mixture is thick. 2. Sift flour over egg mixture, add almonds and cranberries and beat until well combined. Spoon mixture into prepared tin and smooth top. Bake bread for 30 mins or until light golden. Cool in tin. when completely cold, remove bread from tin. Reduce oven to 160 degrees celsius. 3. Using serrated knife thinkly slice bread. Arrange on prepared trays and bake for 15 minutes or until crisp. Cool. 4. Line a tray iwth baking paper. Dip end of each ...

For Remarkables Primary School. Went for a walk onsite and then our 'surprise activity' was a helicopter flight up the Remarkables. Fantastic way to spend a Saturday and nice to meet the other teachers who I will be teaching with next year too. Smiles.

Fuel Breakfast Church Market Taieri Beach Family Friends Meeting Coco Enjoying my camera Mighty Waves Nice.

I am looking forward to some creative time this weekend :-) Feels like it's been ages since I had the opportunity to get stuck into making stuff! I will be running a workshop on Saturday and am just finishing the instructions for it...Need to put the class kits together tomorrow evening - I had a daughter up most of last night with a tummy bug....two sets of sheets later and lots of janola I am in hope that the rest of us don't get it but that would be rather amazing! I hope all the reatreat goers enjoy the goodies that I've put together with stuff from Up2Scrap , Scrapbook Outlet and my own ' LaraFUNalia ' bits & pieces. If they don't, I hope my darling husband's chef skills make up for it! Smiles, Lara

After a full on last weekend putting together an oral presentation for a job interview and an interview that I walked away from feeling very unsuccessfull, two sleepless nights waking thinking of what I 'should have said' in answer to the various questions I was phoned last night to be offered a teaching position on the Remarkables Primary School foundation team - a brand new school opening next year for year 1 and 2's and in mid year the year 3 & 4's then in 2011 the year 5 & 6's with it being a full primary in 2012. I have been teaching part time and more recently in a roll growth new entrant class at Queenstown Primary which I am thoroughly enjoying. It is reassuring to go into the next year with some job security. It will be a full on year with the school gradually opening and still being in various stages of completion but a fun challenge. The learning spaces, specifically designed tables and no teacher desks in classrooms, whiteboard also cupboard ...

So thought I'd post a collection of cards. Looking forward to some creating tonight! Need to make a few more for a mini market day next Saturday! You can check out the flyer by downloading it from HERE .

I got to play with some of the new Basic Grey Ranges for The Scrapbook Outlet last weekend...I love Nook & Pantry even more in rea life! I also had some My Little Shoebox papers and die cuts to work wtih...keep an eye out for the Scrapbook Outlet Ezine! Saturday Brunch. Best Pancakes! The Quince Tree. Yay, Term Break! I am going to an Inspiring Local Thinkers Conference in Invervegas next week, then do some work, then off to the Beach!

Really enjoying having my own classroom rather than teaching in a few each day - even if they were daily teaching times in the rooms, there's something about at least having a cupboard to keep my stuff in! My blogging for fun has been really useful with my class blog and as my class grows it will be fantastic to keep parents/whanau up to date and informed, am hoping the children in the class can do some of our videoing and photography for it so it's a real ICT experience for them too. Have some scrap creating to do this weekend - will be nice to take a break from school stuff and get paper everywhere. A bit of nook & pantry in there too....loved this stuff from the sneaks and cool to have it to play with for the ezine! Queenstown Scrapretreat Workshops and Day registrations are all go over there! Smiles.