Welcome Venice!!

There was big news in my family yesterday... we welcomed my sister Alicia's new little baby girl into the world!! Welcome Venice Emma!!

We raced home from our Beach Holiday at Minnie Water to make it to the hospital before visiting hours was over, and we made it with 15mins to spare! Talk about cutting it fine! But we really wanted to meet Venice on her birthday and get cuddles.

Boy I forgot just how tiny newborns are!
They didn't know if they were having a girl or a boy, but I think we were all hoping Alicia would have a little baby girl she could share her love of fashion with! And she did!

Jaimeson was sooo interested in Venice! I lifted him up to the bed so he could see her, and he pointed and looked excitedly at her! When I put him back down on the floor he said "Uppah! More ba!" He wanted to be lifted up to see More baby! So cute!

Here is Jai busily waving "Hello!" to his new cousin! Newborn Venice means that Jaimeson isn't the baby of the family any longer! {sigh- my baby is growing up!}

Venice has big soft chubby cheeks, super fair eyebrows and eyelashes (what eyebrows?!) and long long fingers! Just gorgeous! She evens out the numbers in the family too- 3 boy grandchildren, 3 girl grandchildren for Mum & Dad! Neat!

I was so happy we made it back and got to meet Venice on her birthday! Happy Birthday Venice! Great work Alicia & David!!

Thanks for the cuddles Venice! Aunty Charlotte is looking forward to many more!
:) C

A day out in Our City

Hi Y'all!
I realised I got so caught up in posting about my December Daily and Project Life, that I didn't share a little "Touristas in our Own City" outing Will, Jaimeson and I had just before New Year's! We took advantage of the $2.50 Sunday Funday pass (unlimited bus, train and ferry rides around Sydney all day sunday, as long as you have a child with you).
Jaimeson LOVES public transport (must be in his blood from all the Public Transport (PT) I've had to catch over the years. LOL! I am known as the PT queen- even overseas I find it no probs to be on PT. I'd be awesome in the Amazing Race!) so we knew he'd love  an adventure to the city!
We started out walking to our local Train station.

Jai got so excited when he saw his first train for the day!

 We parked him next to the door on the train so he had the best view through the windows! He loved it and kept pointing out all the other "tickas!" going past. He got more excited when we reminded him he was actually ON A TRAIN! {giggles}

We caught the train in to Circular Quay and had a coffee while marvelling at the "Radiance of the Sea" the giant ocean liner that was docked at the OVerseas Passenger Terminal.

We had a look through the Rocks Markets too, they haven't really changed much over the years. Except they're a bit bigger now. It's worth taking visitors to I think, they're quite nice!

 Then back to admire the Radiance of the Sea again, and play peek-a-boo through the holes in the New Year's crowd control fencing!

And a fun little play with the giant arrow at the Museum of Contemporary Art! How cool is it?!

 We had icecream at Circular Quay while listening to the whitest Aboriginal guy ever, play some pretty funky didgeridoo music with a dance beat background. It was actually quite cool!

Hey look, I found my Ferry!! I've always taken a pic in front of this ferry when I've seen it, since I was a little girl, visiting the big city from the country and thinking how cool it was that there was a ferry with my name on it!

Then it was on to the Rivercat Ferry, back up the Parramatta River to Meadowbank. Look Mum! A GIANT ship!

Jai is very well travelled for a 1.5year old! So this wasn't his first ferry at all! He still loved going outside with Daddy and feeling the wind in his hair!

He was most excited to see the Cranes for loading cargo on Cockatoo Island, he kept saying "Ticka Toot toot!" and then I remembered there is Cranky the Crane on Thomas and that's who he was pointing to. He saw Cranky! What a clever boy!

Off the Ferry at Meadowbank, then we walked up to the train station and caught a train to Strathfield, changed and caught and another train back home.

What an Adventure! We had an awesome day! And for $5 for the three of us, what a bargain!
:) C

Project Life Week 1

Here it is!! My first Week's spread for Project Life! Woot! {party poppers going off in the background!} Yep, I had lots of fun doing it too! It did take me a little while to do thought, I don't remember how long it used to take me to do a scrapbooking layout in the beginning cos the beginning was so long ago! But I bet it was forever. This took only slightly less long than forever, but it was fun! And I'm sure I'll get quicker at it as I go along too. {optimistically looking at scrapbooking supplies}
I've decided to do my week Monday-Sunday, rather than how I usually like to view the week on a calendar which is Sunday-Saturday. I'm doing M-S cos then if I have an all-weekend event, it isn't split across 2 week's layouts. I probably wont do any all-weekend events for the whole of 2013 and so this would have been a waste {giggles}. How ironic.
Anyways... here is Week 1!
Left Hand side

Right Hand side















What do you think?
:) C

Project Life has begun!

Hi y'all!
Now that the December Daily posts are all over, it's time for me to start posting about my Project Life Album! YAY {party hooters going off!}
I decided to do PL cos it was time to scrap a little different. I have been doing regular scrapbooking for about 12 years now, so it was time to try something new! Also, the cool divided page protectors with cards that slip right in, really appealed to me!
I am so excited that American Crafts will be making the Becky Higgins PL stuff soon, so hopefully Spotlight will get it. Yay, I love having the products just down the road so I can nip down and get new stuff any time! My aim though, is to use up lots of my stash too, so hopefully that will still come to fruition. I'm doing my usual New Year's Resolution of reducing my Patterned Papers by 20%. I still have just over 400 papers {eek! Slapping self on back of hand!} How did I amass so many, and why am I so reluctant to just give them up, and instead, I feel I have to use them! {sigh!} I swear I am getting better at not hoarding! Like lots of stuff on this title page I bought just before Christmas from Two Peas in a Bucket, and look! I've used them already! {giving self a pat on the back!}
So... here is my title page!

I had to include lots of stuff I'm really in to at the moment, so it was like a little visual snapshot of the beginning of 2013. I like Moustache icons, chevron, the fake blackboard look, the toilet people, washi tape, my favourite pic of us from Hawaii & smoochy cheek photos!
How do you like my Title Page? I was so happy when I finished it, and so keen to start PL! I'm doing a Weekly spread and I look forward to posting about it every week. Come start PL with me this year, it's never too late to start!
:) C

December Daily; Christmas Day!

Woo Hoo! The final installment of my December Daily album!

Day 25: Christmas Day! Jaimeson thoroughly enjoyed his 2nd Christmas, and not just for eating paper and ribbon like last year! He loved having his cousins around, they all got new Thomas trains, which Jai is currently obsessed with (hence, his most used word is "Ticka", which is his word for Train. Second most used word "more". So the phrase "More Ticka!" is what we hear A LOT!) He got lots of awesome presents and we ate a delicious baked lunch. {drooling slightly at the memory!}

 I had a lot of fun doing my December Daily album again; I also think it encourages me to get more festive too! I love all the mis-matched pages I used and how chunky the album ends up!

And here is the finished product! YAY! {crowd cheering in the background!}
Have I inspired you to do a December Daily album next year? I hope so!
:) C
P.S. This means Christmas is really over now, hey! My DD posts have finished!

December Daily 22, 23 & 24

Oh, nearly to the end of my December Daily posts! YAY!! Not that I'm excited that it's over, but more that I'm keen to start posting my Project Life pages! Sweett!! {fist punching the air!}

Day 22: Our extended family Christmas with my cousins. This was the first big event outside of home, where Jaimeson has been walking around, so I wasn't used to having to keep an eye on where he has toddled off to! Luckily my cousin has 2 teenage daughters who are awesome babysitters, and they kept an eye on him for me. Phew! {wiping palm across back of head} cos boy can Jaimeson move quick! Our 2nd annual cookie swap was just fantastic again! I'm already thinking of ideas for next year!

Day 23: I had to include some pics of Jai in his festive Christmas gear! I love the all in one Santa suit. I don't think they make them bigger than a size 2, so I'm so sad he wont be able to wear one next year! {Sigh!} my little boy is growing up!

Day 24: Christmas Eve!! It was HOT! So we swam in the pool (yep, I'm riding an inflatable crocodile... cos that's how I roll..) then Santa came around riding on the back of the local Fire Engine. And he gave us lollies. {high five!} We were in the pool when we heard the siren bleep a few blocks away so we all ran to the front of the house, dripping wet! I had to run up to the corner of the street in my swimmers with a hastely thrown around towel, to wave the Engine down Mum & Dad's small street; and so they gave me an extra bleep of the siren for it. LOL!
Thanks for sticking by me for my December Daily album! One more post to go!!
:) C

December Daily, Pages 19, 20 & 21

Hi y'all!
Another scorcher today wasn't it?! It was 37ºC here, and we're in for a hot one again tomorrow. How about you? I'm going to visit my sister Alicia and my 2.5yo nephew Xander and he & Jaimeson are gonna have an awesome time in the wading pool together, while we sip iced tea and relax (hopefully) in some cool air! That's how I see it in my head, anyway!
More of my December Daily album:

Day 19: The day we stumbled upon a lonely Santa, hidden away amongst the fake pines, at Chester Hill Square shopping centre. We just finished at the checkout at Woolies and were walking away when a voice piped up from amongst the greenery near the top of the escalators. To my surprise Santa was just sitting patiently there, watching everyone check out at Woolies and then pass him by without stopping! There was no photographer, just Santa, sitting, waiting for kids to come along and take pictures with him. It was the weirdest thing! I felt bad for not spotting him sooner! Well, we made his day anyway cos Jaimeson, dressed festively in a Santa outfit, gladly hopped up on his knee and babbled about what he'd like for Christmas (something about a Ticka and Peppa Pig).

Day 20: Our work, decorated for Christmas. One of my fellow supervisors puts SO MUCH effort in to making our department look beautiful. The new addition this year were the "chandeliers" made from tinsel and baubles, in the right hand pic. Just gorgeous! It seems a shame to waste it on a pathology lab, where we get no visitors! Rest assured, if you had blood taken during December, it was processed in a happy, festive environment. {giggles!}

Day 21: Will's Dad's annual trip to Mum and Dad's for lunch at Christmas. It's always a delight to see what weird Asian style thing he's gotten them for Christmas. Last year it was a giant resin choy. Yep, that kind of choy. A big resin lettuce statue. What the??? Prepare yourself to laugh...it was a replica of THIS. hahahahahahahahahahaahaha {belly laugh}. This year it was a GIANT silk painting. If he's getting bigger presents every year they'll need a new house for all the gifts!
Happy Weekend tomorrow! I hope you're doing something fun!
:) C

December Daily, Pages 16, 17 & 18!

Hi y'all!
Did you melt today? Yep, it was 40.5ºC when I got home from Mum and Dad's at 8pm today! That is simply outrageous! {dripping sweat all over the floor, even while sitting perfectly still}. I don't think I've ever felt it so hot, so late in the day. Like EVER! The house was an oven when I got home too, cos they didn't put on the air-con today. What the??!! Crazy peeps! {shaking head in disbelief!}
On to pages 16,17 & 18 of my DD!

Day 16: Willy's Meat & Mates 30th Birthday party. It was a super party, with lots of great family & friends over to eat some meat (we had Pork & Beef on the spit, BBQ chicken wings, little boys for Mini Hotdogs, Bacon & Spinach dip with a giant Crocodile bread, salami & cabanossi platter & party pies & sausage rolls. Lots of different meats!) Will & I both had T-shirts with a pig on them & some kind of smart-ass Bacon reference & Jaimeson had a little shirt with a box of Fries on it that said "Small Fry". Too cute! Twas fun!

Day 17: This year's Christmas Cards. I always try to include a pic of our cards in my DD, I think it will be fun to look back at and have a giggle at what I was in to at the time. This year's card has red chevron, bakers twine & I even used Sugar & Spice scented embossing powder. YUM!

Day 18: Some Treasure Hunting & lunch at our local noodle house. I hadn't had any Pyrex success for a while, so was really happy with this lot!!
Keep cool Peeps, and I'm looking forward to the cool change tonight!
:) C

December Daily, Pages 13, 14 & 15

Good Morning Y'all!
More pages from my December Daily album!

Day 13: I had a hard time choosing a cookie to make for this year's family cookie swap! I had too many ideas! Also one of my cousin's daughter's is highly allergic to nuts, so I tried to steer clear of them, which wasn't easy cos most of the recipes I wanted to make had one kind of nut or another in it! I settled on making these Pumpkin Spice Spritz Wreaths and Trees. They were supposed to be almond flavoured, but I switched it up and used some Pumpkin Pie spice, which is like Mixed spice. They were yummy, and after I bought one of those concertina squeezy icing bottles from The Reject Shop, they were heaps easier to ice too! I used my cookie press gun for the first time too, it was fun!
I love that "Merry" bunting sticker, Doodlebug of course, all my fave Christmas stickers have been Doodlebug this year! And the sweet little felt wreath sticker I got at Target USA.

Day 14: Willy's Birthday!! Morning presents, scrambled eggs for brekkie then ribs for lunch at Torque Bar & Grill. YUMMO!!

Day 15: A spontaneous date night to the movies for us! We watched Skyfall which was great, I do love action movies, and James Bond too. I love Date Night!
The little circle of Gingerbread Man paper is actually a piece of red foil on kraft wrapping paper. I just love it! So cute! That journalling spot sticker was one of my faves too, I'm glad I got to give it a home on a Layout!
Thanks for stopping by!
:) C

December Daily, Pages 10, 11 & 12

Hi y'all!
Happy Saturday! Hope you're doing something fun, and keeping cool!

Day 10: A Jaimeson's-eye view of the giant star decorations at Top Ryde City Shopping Centre. It's funny, Mum has a friend who's daughter is currently living in Africa, and mentioned that she missed the giant civic Christmas decorations this year, especially the giant snowflakes at Top Ryde. Well, here they are! We admired them :) Jaimeson said "Star!" frequently on this shopping trip! LOL! Isn't that little bird sticker so cute!! I love it :) It's by Doodlebug.

Day 11: Our last day at Playgroup for the year, Jaimeson wore his sweet Granny-made Christmas T-shirt with the snowman tie! Love it! It's a size 2 so I'm hoping he'll squeeze into it next year too!

Day 12: We got our first Christmas Card on December 12! It was a beautiful handmade photo card from Yvette :) Thank you! It was fun to include a pic of our first card this year, it will be cute to look back on! I only got 4 cards in the mail this year, but all of them handmade! So that should count for at least double a normal card {giggles!}
 Happy Weekend!
:) C

December Daily, Pages 7, 8 & 9

Hi y'all!
More pages from my December Daily 2012 for you today!

Day 7:  A little shopping adventure at Parramatta Westfield. I LOVE all the decorations they had at Parra, like the clear conical trees with products inside, advertising various stores. It looked so cool! And there were some beautiful sticker decals on some of the shop windows too. Oh how I love Christmas!

Day 8: A visit with Granny & Papa. It was a hot hot day on the 8th, so we headed to Wollongong for a dip in Granny & Papa's pool! It's only just over an hour's drive from our house to their's, so it's great to be able to drop down for the day, especially when it's a hot one! Mum always impresses with her desserts too, and her offer of a "bowl of icecream" turned in to an amazing sundae with mango, ice magic and a wafer biscuit!

Day 9: Willy putting up our Christmas lights at Hotel d'Lam. Jaimeson LOVES the star, and has learnt to say it, even with the "s" at the beginning (he started out saying "TAR!" and now it's become "STAR!" So clever!) The little string of lights sticker I've had for YEARS so hooray for using it! Woot! {party hooters going off!}
Hope you've had a great week!
:) C

December Daily Days 5 & 6

Hi y'all!
I hope you all had a super New Years Day off! We just had a lazy day at home, I do Love those sometimes! {resting feet up on coffee table}.
Here are days 5 & 6 of my December Daily Album.

Day 5: My new Christmas Wreath! I've been wanting a beautiful wreath for the front door for ages. I didn't have one when we lived in an apartment cos it would have been a waste to decorate that dank dingy hallway! But when we moved to Hotel d'Lam last year, I thought of it every time I walked through the front door! When I saw this one at Target this year I knew it was perfect! Unfortunately it gets the full afternoon sun, so the bright pink baubles are now soft pink and the red ones are now hot pink cos they've faded! Still pretty though {smiles}. The Happy Christmas Washi tape is from Kikki K, it's really pretty!

Day 6: My first Christmas baking for the season! I made these Mini Christmas Cakes using a recipe from the free Coles Christmas mag from 2 years ago. They were super yum! Packed full of fruit and I used pecans instead of walnuts, and I {heart} pecans! YUM! Isn't the little pudding on the stand cute? It's a Doodlebug sticker. I love it!
:) C

December Daily Pages 3 & 4

Hi y'all!
Happy New Year!!!! I hope you all did something fun last night, even if it just involved a delicious cheese & dip platter and some Apple Cider like ours!
On to pages 3 & 4 for my December Daily 2012 album!
I like getting to record our every-day events in December, as well as some of the more exciting, or Christmas themed ones. We don't "do" something Christmassy every day, but I still find stuff to do pages on!

Day 3: Jaimeson has really been enjoying all the Christmas decorations, but most of all he likes all the Christmas Horses that are around. I haven't had the heart to tell him they are actually Deers! Whenever he sees a deer he does the clip clop noise then neighs! It's just soooo cute! I can't tell him to make a different noise for the deers, after all, what noise does a Deer make?I love the deer pulling sleigh sticker from Doodlebug, so sweet!

 Day 4: Look who decided it's time to walk across open spaces on his own?? After a few months of cruising around furniture and walking while holding your hand, Jaimeson decided he can conquer the open spaces, and is running! I love his "zombie arms" in this pic :) He doesn't do Zombie Arms anymore, he got quite used to walking pretty quickly! Isn't this thumpity thump snowman so adorable?! Yep, just like Jai. {tongue in cheek!}
:) C