Amanda - grateful photo challenge

1. I am grateful for modern conveniences like electricity and running water to the house. This is truely appreciated when we have our regular black outs which leave me frustrated for hours. I cannot imagine living in a time when we couldn't reach a switch on the wall for instant light, throw a quick load of clothes in the washing machine or have communication with the other side of the world via TV, phone or (goodness gracious me) the internet.

2. I am grateful for this moisture that we can see both in our paddocks and also in our rain water tank. I am thankful that it is clean, accessable to the house, is free from the sky, tastes great and is my childrens favourite drink.

3. I am grateful for where we live. Firstly for the country that we live in and secondly for the area that we live in. Australia truely is the 'lucky country' and this is so obvious when you travel overseas. We don't need to live a daily fear of war, pillage, supression, rape or murder. I am fiercely patriotic and hope to instill this quality in my children as well. I love living in our little 'patch'. I am so not a city girl (although i do love a visit every now and again to remind me of how much i dislike it!) and love it that we are a good long walk or drive away from our next door neighbours, don't have to put up with anyone else (traffic or noise) and our way of life is incredibly peaceful.

4. I am incredibly grateful my daughters live in a time where a woman's voice is heard. Where she can do and be anything she wants to be. I am thankful for the equality that we enjoy and perhaps take for granted everyday. I am a strong believer in being accepting of any person no matter race, gender, religion or sexual orientation and hope that i can pass this onto my girls.

5. I am grateful that we have access to good, healthy food, both in our garden and in the stores. How lucky are we that if we run out of something we can quickly pop into the shops to restock? What luxury this must seem to others in 3rd world countries where there is NO fresh food or very little food full stop. Not only does our family have the privilige of store food but we also have a fabulous orchard full of fruits, nuts and vegies planted by my dear old Poppa all those years ago.

Michelle - Sue's sketch

Wowsers Michelle is right on the ball with all her challenges - i think that brings the tally up for all of them done this month is that right Michelle?

Great interpretation of the sketch. LOVELY arrow, and cluster on the left. Those puffy stickers are devine aren't they? Cute photo as she looks so pleased to finally have lost her wiggly tooth!

well done!

Music challenge ... Meredith

Michelle - grateful photo challenge

An email from Michelle with her photos for the challenge.

here are my gratitude photos - apologies for the quality and my husband took my Dig SLR today to take a photo of a home. Oh, I have six grateful photos.

Thanks Michelle

Rain

We so need the rain and I'm so grateful that this winter is turning so far into a wet one. Fingers crossed that our reservoirs are filling up so we can at least stop taking water from the Murray for a while.

Bed

I'm so grateful for a comfy bed at night to rest my body and mind, to recoup for the next day ahead and to take time to dream!

Carseat

Where would we be without one of these for the children. I'm so grateful that these were invented to protect our children in the car. Also so my daughter can see out of the window in the car.

Craft
Grateful for recycling, especially during the school holidays and quiet time - "when I'm bored" statements appear. My daughter loves making things out of boxes and all sorts of things. She loves to make things when I'm scrapping.

Friends
I'm grateful to my friend Fiona - someone I can call and talk to about anything, get wonderful feedback and inspiration.


Family
Where would I be with my Husband. He has been an inspiration and great companion and soul mate. I would be totally lost without him.
My daughter I'm so grateful to have made the decision to have a child. Despite all the complications and health issues surrounding her, she is a very beautiful child.

Fantastic Michelle. Great photos and definately things to be grateful for.

news from Sue in Port Lincoln...

Sue has asked us to pass on the info that Scrapbook Trends magazine - the UK version of the awesome (but frustrating) US magazine is in BEERS NEWSAGENCY.

Apparently they will continue to get it providing they sell and there is a demand for them. At $15 a pop they are not cheap but FAR FAR superior to any Aussie mag and half the price of the US version.

Digi layout by Jenny ...

Jenny has sent this layout in "just because"!!

"This one doesn't apply to any challenge but 'my hands' told me to send it in anyway'
Jen"

Jen's "hands" are a particularly great local scrapper!! ;-)

Jenny I am seeing a real change in your style lately and I have to say I am loving it!!

Thank you for sending in your layout ... look forward to some more soon ... please!!

Marika - grateful photo challenge

Marika has sent in these images that represent the things that she is grateful for today.

1. Grateful for lush greenery in winter again

2. Grateful that my kids have an imagination lego building has been a great way to pass away the rainy days (both kids had to have their photo taken)

3. Grateful for water in the rain gauge again

4. Grateful to have a scrap room without it I couldn't see myself doing much scrapping as everything is set up and can be left half done.

5. Grateful for my clothes dryer which I wouldn't be without especially over the last few days

These are great photos Marika = I can really relate to every one of those things. After having NO drier (or properly working washing machine) for so long i was totally nodding my head at that one! Great shots of the kids too - isn't imagination and creative play wonderful.

Sandra - music challenge

Sandra I am sorry this wasn't put up earlier. I have had somewhat of a 'big' weekend. Similarly i apologize if this post is full of typos and doesn't make sense. Whoops.

She says :

Hi Amanda
Here is my entry for the music challenge. Recently I read where someone Incorrectly called her work 'blerch'....Now this is Blerch....too much happening on the page, nowhere for your eyes to rest, Title gets lost in the pp But I have finished it, I am over itI am moving on. This is something I am trying to overcome myself.Stop over analysing my work,if it's not 'perfect' so what ?.... move on... I have tooo many photos I have yet to scrap, and no time to get bogged down on one layout. It is a hard process but something I am learning.. albeit slowly ;) Hope you stayed dry today at the footy... and I hope you are feeling a little bit better

cheersSandra

Hmmmmm this is DEFINATELY not blerch. The texture and layering is amazing. The peek-a-boo holes are absolutely incredible and really cool - not something i have seen much before. I really think this will be snavelled up quickly by mags as it is so different.

Really fantastic and inspirational work Sandra. You are too hard on yourself you clever girl.

Sue's Sketch ... Tiff

Tiff said ...

"My answer to Sue's sketch challenge. I have kept it nearly like the sketch with only a couple of small changes here and there. This one is for Sean's albums. I used some of the goodies from the roadtrip to Whyalla yesterday. "

Lovely photo Tiff, the transparency works really well as the third "piece" of paper too and that classic red and black always looks great!!

Gratitude challenge ... Sandra

Here is my entry for the photography challenge.

Firstly SORRY for the poor quality of the photos ... all taken this evening and the light was shocking.

1st photo is of the fire

... I am so grateful to come in out of the cold and just feel the warmth of the wood fire envelope me as I walk in the back door

2nd photo is of the computer with the E2C blog

... Grateful for the friends that the blog has helped me to make and for helping me find my scrapping confidence. (still working on it though lol)

3rd photo Holiday brochures

... Grateful that both Garry and I have work so we can save up and give our kids what will hopefully be a fantastic holiday to QLD that they'll both remember.

4th photo

... I feel so grateful every night when I tuck my kids in to bed. They are both healthy, warm and safe and just the most fantastic kids you could ask for. I am so lucky
5th photo and finally our rain water tank!

... Finally we have enough rain to bring the level marker above half way! (but think we have had enough for now, hey?)

Fantastic photos Sandra ... I was only thinking about the rain as a "grateful" thing today!!

Thank you for your photos and the wonderful explanations for each one ... by the way have a wonderful holiday!! Maybe a mini book to be made on your return, hey??!!

Music Challenge ... Annie

Well now I would like to give a very special welcome to our youngest ever scrapper for a challenge here on the blog!!

Come on down and welcome ...

Annie Firth!!!

Her Mum said ...

"This is Annie's answer to the music challenge. She sat and watched the video a couple of times and off she went. She had very little input from me (it ticks her off if I interfere, so I usually go to a different room in the house and come in if she calls out for help). TBH trees and birds just dont do it for me. Never have and probably never will. So I wondered for ages how I could support the blog with this challenge. LoL, I woke up with the answer this morning. Little blossom has asked me to sub it for the junior scrappers in SBM as well. ( I wonder where she got that idea from??) rofpmsl

Tiff and Annie ".

So here is her layout ...

Wow Annie ... love those clouds and the sun and its rays!! The trees are beautiful too with those little buttons! Like the A4 layout too!!

You have done a great layout ... I hope you can help Mum some other time with layouts that she might need to do!!

;-)

Sue's sketch ... Meredith's layout

I turned the sketch (again ... same as last month!!). My journalling is on the tag that is peaking out from the left side of the photo.

Made these pinwheels with instructions from Studio Calico.

The Studio Calico blog has lots of ideas and the shop side off it has a great gallery of there design teams' work.

be Carefree - Sue's musical page

After much pain staking thoughts....it came to me, and inspiration!!!

I went into the cottage yesterday hunting for some cloud papers and was inspired by the fancy pants papers called 'On a Whimsy'....... there were rainbows, clouds and suns....all that i needed for the muscial challenge.

I think i dreamt about this page all night....and i jumped outa bed this morning, dug out my water colour pencils...blew the dust off them.... onto the sewing machine to stitch a sun....and from there it grew!! I tried my hand at masking, and a little spraying with the glimmer mist....and finito!!

masking tape

If you are like me and LOVE the look of masking tape on your scrapbook pages then check these cute rolls of goodness out : They are from Japan originally and are available in the US. (postage to 5631 is between $6-12 USD..........yes i have asked already!)

happytape

and check out these cute projects made with this cool tape:

by Christen:

by Allibel:

Heaps more uses (and some very cute wedding decorations) on their blog.

Sue's - last months colour challenge

I've done it, i've done it!!.......SORRY, it's late though but i did want to share it with you all. I have used a red rather than the burgundy type colour in the challenge....

i just loved these photos of the boys at Evan's 2nd birthday. His little face was just precious when the candles got blown out!! Just gotta love it ey??!!

Michelle - music challenge

Michelle says -

Hi Amanda
Thank you for putting up a great challenge. Attached is my LO for
this challenge. I really enjoyed completing it and am very happy with the
results. The title is off the Fairies DVD -The Fairies Song - and is called Sing
your Way through the Day. This title encaptures what my daughter did in her
spare time back in October 2007 when she was so in love with them.
Cheers Michelle

This is great Michelle! Another fabulous use of a rainbow and what a cute little bird! The bit of tulle tucked behind the photo adds extra dimension to the whole page. I also really like how you popped the photo a little behind that great tree - it really looks like your daughter is walking out from behind it!

awesome job!

Maryanne - music challenge

Here is Maryanne's answer to the song challenge. Great tree (LOL at us all being inspired by the tree) Also love the dashes of red in this.

Great photo of you both! It is awful living far away from siblings isn't it? Please say hello to Jaki for me next time you have a chat :)

Amanda - Sue's sketch

Maryanne - photo challenge

Hi amanda
Heres my photos for the blog challenge. Obviously Im most grateful for my kids husband etc,but picked these 5 for the challenge. Have a brief description of each, but kept it to a minimum.
cheers
maryanne

FANTASTIC Maryanne. Really great photos and i love the descriptions of each. Really special.

Amanda - music challenge