Finally some LayOuts

After all the Christmas goodies I've been making (thanks for all the lovely comments about my button tree), it was nice to finally do some LO's again.

Two for my DT work on LSBS (unfortunately the gallery is still playing up there) so I'll upload here first.

I've also completed a paper bag album page for a swap but won't bother uploading it. TFL.

Button Tree

Christmas morning I was able to finally take some good pics of my purple button tree - to match our silver and purple theme this year. I'd also painted the paper mache raindeer silver and added the purple ribbon.

Hope you all enjoyed a wonderful Christmas day.

I was exhausted last night after a great day. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and like their gifts so that's a plus.

We've been for a drive in the country today - out to Boonah again. Don't think the girls are as taken with the area as we are. Now there's a surprise. Peter's Mum enjoyed the drive.

I'd made some cute little magnetic clipboards for my Mum and MIL - the plan is to give/send them new pics of the girls every so often throughout the year to change the photo that's on it at the moment. Here's the one I made for my Mum (the pic is a 4 x 6 size).

I also made another baking tray magnetic notice board (it hangs by ribbon not shown in the photo) for my girlfriend Sandy - who loves frangipani's - here's the finished product - which she loved!

I haven't done a LO for weeks (or so it seems) so tonight I'm doing some scrapping! A Christmas LO is in order me thinks!

Wishing you all the very best

Best wishes to one and all at this special time of year. I hope your Christmas is peaceful, relaxing and finds you surrounded by those you love.

I'm about to head over to my parent's place to start the traditions of our Christmas....Prawn and mango salad Christmas Eve at their place. Tomorrow, we will all spend the day here - my parents, my brother, Peter's Mum, the girls, Peter & I - eating breakfast, opening presents, eating some more, relaxing, playing with our new "toys", eating lunch, snoozing, eating, playing some more, and then eating dinner!!! Lots of eating for someone trying to watch their weight! Will test me out for sure!

Hope you all have a wonderful day too!

I've been tagged by Sara - so here goes....

A - Available/Single? Married
B- Best Friend? Sandy
C- Cake or Pie? cheeseCake
D - Drink Of Choice? Western Australia Wines
E - Essential Item You Use Everyday? Computer
F - Favorite Color? Orange
G - Gummy Bears Or Worms? Neither
H - Home or Homesick? Home.
I - Indulgence? Chocolate.
J - January Or February? January - I tend to have holidays with the girls then.
K - Kids & Their Names? 2 - Danah (11) and Tara (7)
L - Life Is Incomplete Without? My girls
M - Marriage date? 9 May 1992
N - Number Of Siblings? 1 brother
O - Oranges Or Apples? Both - but I like apples just a touch more.
P - Phobias/Fears? Spiders!
Q - Favorite Quote: Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old. (Franz Kafka)
R-Real Hair Color? Strawberry Blonde (red).
S - Season? Spring.
T - Tag 3 or 4 people? Chelle, Sara N, & Narelle.
U - Unknown Fact About Me? I left home when I was 12 (to go and live with my grandparents for a year before going to boarding school).
V - Vegetable you don’t like? Artichoke
W - Worst Habit? Losing track of time when scrapbooking & not getting enough sleep!
X - X-rays You’ve Had? Teeth, back
Y - Your Favorite Food? Chocolate, Thai
Z - Zodiac Sign? Cancer

I've moved to Beta

Well I finally got sick of skirting round the questions from BLogger about moving to the new Beta system and have moved my blog across. Hopefully it'll be better and you shouldn't see any difference on your end.

My work party was yesterday - at a beautiful winery near Boonah. A way better party than last year. Perfect location and lovely company. I relaxed my "diet" a little and probably paid for it about about 1am this morning when I was violently ill :( Too much rich fatty food (well more rich and fatter than I've had in 2 months). The food and wine was excellent I just wasn't used to it. Now, don't let anyone tell you that the copious amounts of chardy had anything to do with it...really it didn't.

We also celebrated a friend's upcoming 50th - without him knowing that we knew...and I took some great pics which I can't wait to scrap.

The girls are off for a day with Sara P and her three gorgeous children tomorrow. They are really looking forward to it.

I've been scrappin' bits 'n' pieces - cards, OTP etc - nothing to share ATM. Hanging out to do a LO real soon!

It'll be Christmas eve next Sunday so might try and blog before then - busy week this week -

Monday - personal trainer session!

Tuesday - Secret Santa, work lunch and then Peter's work Christmas Party @ the casino in the evening (girls with Mum and Dad overnight)

Wednesday - another PT session!

Thursday - WW weigh in day (hope to make that 10kg mark), dinner with Kay & family @ SouthBank

Friday - last day @ work for FIVE weeks - woo hoo!!! MIL arrives for five days.

Saturday - dinner at the pub with Sandy, Karen and families

Somewhere in amongst all that I'll have to do another grocery shop and finish off the present shopping!! Ekkk...don't you love Christmas time! I hope survive it all!!!

I'm still not feeling real flash tonight - so it's an early night for me (yes Ann - look it's only 9.15pm and I'm talking about going to bed!!).

Very pleased with myself...

Just had to say it....I can't stop smiling....I went to my WW meeting a day early (busy tomorrow at lunchtime) and was tickled pink to have lost 2.1 kg this week....Woo Hoo for me!

So my total is now 9.8kg lost in 7 weeks and I should be able to make my 10kg by Christmas without too much trouble!

It was soooo nice as I was met Zane for lunch today after the meeting. It was perfect to share my exciting news with her first up. Thanks Ms Zane. You're a big part of my motivation and inspiration :)

Yay for me!

A Day Late..

I've missed my usual Sunday night blog update...got side tracked last night.

Don't have anything new scrap wise to share - I've put up a step-by-step this weekend on LSBS on how to make a little gift card envelope - there's lots of other step-by-step's there too for Christmas "stuff".

After writing up half of my Christmas cards I've now found out that I've lost all addresses in my mobile phone (when I changed over to a new phone) - have the phone numbers but no addresses!!! Ekk! Will have to wait until I receive cards before sending out OR do some investigating on the net for addresses.

The girls have finished school (their teachers both loved their presents we gave them) and are on holidays for 7 weeks. They both have male teachers next year - Tara's not too sure about her new teacher - but I'm sure she'll love him by the end of the first week back. They're keeping busy at Nana & Pop's, Vacation care and the lovely Sara P's (for one day) until I start my holidays Friday week.

Went to Cath Black's Cocktail Party on Saturday night - Cath & I went to uni many (many) years ago. Our other uni friend, Joanne (now a teacher in Mt Isa), was also there with her new "man" before the jet off to Seoul, Prague & Denmark for holidays. We're excited about Jo and Bob - who are planning a wedding for next year! Here's some pics from later in the night - including a couple of Cath & I - self portrait style! I was trying to get a decent pic of just CAth (for RSVP) but should have done it earlier in the night I think. It was a great night - even though I only had 2 (& a bit) mango daquaries (sp?) and drove home (better for my weight loss that way)!!

Withdrawal Symptoms!

LSBS forum is still down tonight :( so I've finally had time to resize some photo's for inclusion on here.

First off - some of Danah & her friend Jessica - performing "Little Red Rhyming Hood" at the end of year drama presentation late November. Danah played the part of Gran (hence the very severe make-up!).

Here's the small magnetic noticeboard I made for Tara's teacher, Miss Reding (year 2). It's made from a small baking tin. A big hit today when she gave it to her apparently.

I've also "altered" some wine bottles for friends - no...not by drinking the wine first!!!

Finally - a pic of the girls trimming the Christmas tree on Sunday night.

I've been tagged!

The lovely Princess Tamara tagged me.....almost a month ago :( I've been a slack blog surfer and hadn't checked for ages...sorry PT!! But as the LSBS forum is down tonight (to move to a quicker server) I've had a chance to catch up on my favourite blogs! Anyway...here's the tag (which is very similar to another one I've done before) -

1. NAME: Amanda
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Not that I know of
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Watching a TV Soap - last Friday night.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yep - most of the time
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Ham
6. KIDS? 2 darling Daughters - 11 & 7
7. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yeah - I think so.
8. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Does my blog count??
9. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Probably too much!
10. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes - even though I had terrible tonsilitious as a child.
11. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? If someone pushed me...yes!
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Coco Pops! -- our holiday cereal!
13. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Yes - is that bad???
14. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY? No to both :( Working on the physical side of things ATM.
15. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Hokey Pokey
16. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Their eyes (unless it's a nice young man with a cute rear view!)
17.RED OR PINK? Not fussed on either - but probably prefer pink
18. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? Being overweight
19. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Hmmm....not sure about this one!
20. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? Yep - or let me know they've done it in their blog!
21. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES YOU ARE WEARING? Black pants and orange sandals
22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Orange - bright & cheerful
23. FAVORITE SMELL? Baby powder
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My husband
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Love her online persona yet to meet her IRL - next August I will and I'm sure I'll love her!
26.FAVORITE DRINK? WA wines
27. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? AFL footy
28. HAIR COLOR? Strawberry blonde
29. EYE COLOR? hazel
30. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Nope
31. FAVORITE FOOD? Love it all hence the answer to #18 ... probably Thai
32. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDING? happy ending!
33. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Video - Pirates: Dead Man's Chest
34. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White
35. SUMMER OR WINTER? Summer
36. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs
37. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cheesecake or anything chocolate
38. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Sara P
39. MOST LIKELY NOT TO RESPOND? Zane (who hasn't blogged in ages!!!)
40. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? The Enemy by Lee Child (been reading it for months...only do so when I fly with work otherwise I have no time to read-would rather be scrapping)
41. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? A map of north america and the words - Mouse Pad
42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST ON TV LAST NIGHT? Biggest Loser
43. FAVORITE SOUNDS? The ocean
44. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Rolling Stones
45. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Vancouver Canada
46. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Not that I'm mentioning here in case Dad reads this!!
47. WHEN WERE YOU BORN? June
48.WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Brisbane
49. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? Make the most of it...and enjoy the ride!

Okay I tag - Sara P, Sara N, Michelle & Zane!

Snowman Costume

No time to blog tonight...too busy making a snowman costume for Tara for tomorrow!! Yes, I know, I've had all weekend but here it is 10pm on a Sunday night and I'm still cutting black cardboard into a top hat and making fake black buttons for a white shirt!

Also making a card and altered canvas as farewell gifts for my boss who's transferred to Cairns. We're having afternoon tea and drinkies on Tuesday for his farewell. Just putting the final touches on the canvas and I'll be finished.

Whipped up a couple of cards this weekend for a SM forum swap but other than that - no scrappin' :(

My exercise routine has been non-existent this weekend! No walks unless you count walking around the shopping centre today with Mum & the girls!!! Lucky I've got an appointment with the personal trainer at the work gym on Thursday!!

Disaster of the major variety to strike this weekend.....the PlayStation has died!!! Ekkk! And guess what I bought on Thursday night....yes....singstar for the girls (& me!!) Mum tells me she's also bought Peter a game for it for Christmas. So, looks like I'll have to buy a new PS2 before Christmas!!! Don't suppose anyone knows anyone looking to sell their PS2???

Don't forget to drop into the LSBS Cyber Crop next weekend or to check out the daily sale with new reduced items added each day :)

Here's a LO from last week that Blogger wouldn't let me upload! TFL :)

Sale Time

LSBS is having a Christmas Sale - check it out here - new reduced items are added each day up until Christmas.

We also have a Cyber Crop starting next Friday (8/12/06) - hope to see you there!

Uploaded my weight loss LO - a group of us at LSBS are trying to get healthy - I'm adding a prima flower for each kg I lose. I've now got 7 flowers on my LO! Aiming for 10 by Christmas.

My scrapping friend, Michelle (chellejamo) has celebrated her birthday this week AND a spot on a local design team - way to go Chelle - love your work.