Mikaela's first year mini album...

We thought as well as a "baby-alive" doll (not the baby... a doll!), Mikaela may appreciate this little gift when our baby arrives. Its a mini album with 14 photos of Mikaela in her first year, basically month by month. I hope she loves it!
For more of the album... each page scanned, take a look at my portfolio HERE. SUCH a kewl new site Scrap in Style TV. I LOVE IT!! All started by the kooky talented Jeanette!!

I used my Sissey kit from the June collection. Love it!

What else?
* Loved chatting with Lusi last night...she is SO lovely!
** Delighted by this blog... as always.
*** I received the MOST STUNNING necklace made by one of my besties... I have to post that on its own, its just SO LOVELY! I am so lucky to have such talented gorgeous girlfriends. Seriously blessed!
**** Speaking of talented gorgeous girlfriends... this is the mini album that I did at our crop on Sunday, well half did. Only just finished. As usual... way too ambitious, which means I have other projects to get into. All good!
*****REALLY loving working from home... so I can get in a quick nap because my tummy is aching! {EDIT: didnt get the nap! Ha} I think the baby is having a HUGE growth spurt TODAY all at once. Hurts. 12.5 weeks to go... 12.5 weeks to go... 12.5 weeks to go... YIPEEEEEE! HUGE big perma grins going on around here now... and Nath is telling all his clients *grin* CUTE AS!! I am kinda beyond the needing to actually "tell" anyone LOL!!
Love and hugs...Bx

EAJC #25 and #18...

So this week Tara has set the challenge... as Ems had moved house and has no internet access AND MAY be in labour, I think Tara eludes to that fact. How exciting!!! If she is... here's to hoping for a wonderful labour and a perfect baby girl. Go Ems!!!!!

Here are my latest cards, which brings me totally 100% up-to-date (with Ems challenges, nothing else... still feels good) LOL!

EAJC #25 is a photo that means something to you
Background to this photo is that it is Nath and my first New Years together... Mikaela was in Europe with her Dad... we took of to Thailand. New Years was at the Vertigo on the 61st floor of the Banyan Tree in Bangkok. NOT SURE, but I am thinking we were a "little" bit tipsy! This was one of the best nights of my life... a night I realised and accepted that dreams DO come true. I have been nurturing the dream ever since... and I always will *sappy grin* I love you babes [insert here "pathetic sappy pregnant woman" LOL!!]

Also included my EAJC #18, Nature... 6 May (just a little late)
I love autumn... I love the crisp sunny days and it reminds me of when Nath and I fell in love.

I am totally loving my new scanner, makes life so much easier. I have a little mini album to share... a surprise for Mikki Moo when the babe arrives (pretty sure she doesnt log in, so surprise will remain till then).

Soon.
Later dudes.
Bx

My little ~artiste~...

So we were heading out the door to see Shrek 3.
Mikaela drew this.
In Microsoft Paint.
How cute is that?

Shrek 3 was funny... quite a few laughs for the adults too.
Home for a great roast chicken {I am loving winter food}.
We watched Tim Burtons Nightmare Before Christmas (aGAIN... I think Mikaela has seen it about 100 times, tis her favourtie)
Then some more Paint art (I will add the updated version of Shrek later... right now Little Miss needs my help)
Then its bed...

Happy Saturday JOY!...
Bx

Thank God its Friday!!! ...

I am so grateful its Friday for a few reasons:

Kaela and I get to hang out while the sun is still out... on this afternoon we collected "autumn" leaves... tho it is clearly winter... so should they be winter leaves? MMmmmmm!
My work actually respects that Saturday and Sundays are "NO WORK" days... whereas not so much with my Thursday and Fridays!

Kyle and I get to hang out for a bit.

SO looking forward to the weekend... the transition from spending ALL our time together to usual amount has been hard for me... I miss my guy and gal very much. Feels weird that we are apart for HOURS everyday. LOL!

Preparing for my scrap day Sunday... getting lots of projects organised and ready to go.

Kaela and I went to my favourite photographics shop this afternoon, so that I could have some photos printed. I was expecting them to be ready tomorrow. Eric, the BEST photography friend... says "come back in 20mins" .... YAH!

Which gave Kaela and I JUST enough time to have a hot chocolate and brownie...
Nath is cooking a lovely dinner, Kaela is watching Gilmore Girls and I am about to head down to the kitchen and annoy (chat with) my dear one...

Life is sweet!
Bx

MORE Challenges...

... I am getting into, came to my attention via AEZine (and is actually totally inspired by the AliSTAR herself!) AND the ever gorgeous Gigi is on the team… her work is so fabulous!! In fact the entire team ROCKS !! If you have not checked it out yet… go have a look at the “One Little Word” challenge site.

Since I was traveling… I was not able to do, or post, my challenge responses on time. I was able to sketch ideas and layouts so when I got home I was able to do them in a flash!

I have decided to use this challenge as an ART JOURNAL… total creative mess-about-fun stuff. I have created a 12x12 album to house these pieces.

Here are my first three challenges:
Word Up #1… GO ! This poem by Theodore Roethke has always “spoken” to me… I really love it !! Especially this line.. so immediately when I saw the word GO I thought of this poem, and maybe because we were GO GO Going on our holiday… it just fit and worked.

Word Up #2… STOP! Stop and smell the roses… it’s a cliché but oh so true.


Word Up #3… MY! Mikaela is so funny at the moment! Her latest “thing” is to ask me who my favourite in the family is, when I respond “both of you”, she says “No Mum you have to choose one, just one… me or Nath… I wont get upset” USUALLY I say her and we all laugh… occasionally I say Nath or the Baby … and we laugh!! (I figure it will be good material for her to tell her therapist one day). Geez… see how she goes when our wee babe arrives. Eik!

STILL working on my travel journal… it is rather HUGE. Its coming along nicely and I should be able to post some pics soon. My gal pal Kyle is coming over for our usual Friday get-to-gether… and Sunday we have a scrap day… whoooohoooooo. I am ALL OVER LOVING SCRAPPING LIKE A RASH AGAIN.

It’s a beautiful life.
Bx

EAJC #'s 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24...

I could do a post for EACH card, but thought it best to just do all of them at once!!

There is one missing tho, #18 - Nature... every time I think to collect some beautiful autumn leaves (there are still a few about)... I am inside and its warm and its dark and cold outside LOL!

EAJC # 19…SURPRISE !!
Our biggest anticipated surprise for 2007 will be whether our babe is a boy or girl…

EAJC # 20…CHANGE…
I would say I initiate change often, guess that is why I am a consultant contractor, I like change… but I’d much rather a holiday anytime. Which is what I was doing at the time of this challenge :-)

EAJC # 21… Redeeming qualities…
Mmmmm – I found this one a tough one… maybe the word “redeeming” put me off !! After some thought I came up with: I am the person you want beside you during an unexpected crisis, especially one where you need results quickly. I love deeply, loyally and passionately. I am courageous and brave.

EAJC # 22… what would you like to learn?
Mainly for Mikaela… I’d love to learn French, she is into her 4th year learning at school… and is quite fluent. I’d like to help and support her as much as I can. Nath wants to learn too, so hopefully this is a project for 2008!

EAJC # 23… Right Now...
I am totally loving and enjoying my pregnancy… its wonderful RIGHT NOW! I know I will be uncomfortable soon, so I am savouring this stage. I still have energy and the baby is really active. I feel really good and we are all so excited.
>
EAJC # 24… Remember when…
Me and my sisters Meeges and Lee all had REALLY BIG hairstyles LMAO!! REALLY cant believe this photo was taken almost 16 years ago! WOWsers!

And NOW I am up-to-date with Emily's challenges... whooohooo.
Still to share: Ali's and "One Little Word"... coming soon.

JOY!
Bx

Consumed, Enjoyed, Acquired of late ...

Just for fun, thought I'd share a few things making me smile right now:
Firstly, these slippers... warm and snuggly because it IS freezing here!!!

• Breaking and Stealing... I LOVED this movie SO MUCH and totally recommend it. Jude Law is terrific and Robin Wright Penn has always been fabulous, this is no exception.
• AYO's , Joyful... SUCH a sweet discovery, this woman has the most beautiful voice. Some of her songs take me back to the difficult days in my life (and some of our history is similar), which I like... reminds me of how far I have come and how grateful I am to be where I am today. Reminds me of choice and how blessed I am. Some days I need this kinda music! I just LOVE *love* Love her!
• Silver Rain (La Prairie)... OF COURSE one MUST get some perfume DutyFree on the way home (ha, this is the first time)... it is SO yummmmmmy!
• Oilily... A Netherlands brand. The patterns are beautiful. I got a new bag, makeup case and purse for my birthday. I am IN LOVE! The website is gorgeous too!
• Tomato Juice... CRAZY for it at the moment - only because I am pregnant, loved it with Mikaela too - hahaha! Yah for folate!
• Leather gloves and big fluffy & warm scalves are also making me MOST happy in our 6 degree celcius weather!
• Feeling the baby move about heaps, since I am sitting on my butt at my desk *smile* ... instead of my recent activities of cleaning frantically, walking or climbing for hours non-stop... My obstetrician STILL tells me I am big (and so is our baby) LOL! Oh, and for those of you who have been asking, our babe is doing wonderfully and we dont know the gender - we want a surprise.

Still have heaps more to share... my scrap room continues to undergo a major transformation, waiting on some furniture before I can post the before and after impact... its a while away (6-8 weeks).

Plus TONNES of projects which I aim to post tonight. IN FACT... I have SO many projects to share (some I did before we went away)... part of me figures, whats the point??? Only I will feel all outta wack if I dont post em.... mmmmm, how the mind works? LOL !!

So thats about it... we are back to work and school and life continues along as per (mostly) usual ...
Love and Peace...
Bx

I only took 4840 photos...

Finally, I have loaded them all to my computer, sorted them and even had a few printed for my travel diary, which I will share soon.

In the meantime, here are one or two photos from each place we visited.

Hong Kong…
London…
Belgrade… Family and kewl street art…


Paris…

Milan…
Venice…
Florence…

Pisa…

Cinque Terre…

Rome…

Singapore…

To take a look at HEAPS more... go here and enjoy. Since I only have two hands (and not the fastest computer ever made)... I am still in the process of uploading these photos, so keep checking back Dusan :-)

(hugs) and love...
Bx

How SWEET it is...

... to be home!
We arrived into Australia at 5am yesterday morning, with 2 hours sleep in the preceeding 24.
Got to our house at around 9am... pottered about, put on some washing and the HEATING!! SO strange to come home with a sunburnt (silly I know, its only slight) belly from floating in the pool... to WINTER ~ I love that~ !!

We all slept most of the day and just enjoyed being HOME ... SO HAPPY!

Mikaela was so excited to see Paris (our cat) and Nath was reunited with his other love of Foxtel :-)

I got stuck into my scrap room... sheez talk about a transformtion! This has enabled me to FINALLY get some things ready to post to Shaz and Jamaica... whooohoooo, it feels SO GOOD!

AND I got some BEAUTIFUL flowers from Nath's parents (thanks so much) for my birthday, they (his parents) are SO sweet!

AND I had the latest CK Mag... and Sissey May kit waiting for me in the mail... I WANNA SCRAP SO MUCH!!!

Alas there is work to be done.... MUST sort photos today - will post some soon.

We have an appointment with our OB today :-) Baby is going NUTZ... quite the mover and shaker... and BIG kicker!

Love and Peace out...
Bx

35 years old and 24 weeks pregnant...

WOW !!!
So here I am on my birthday {which was 30th May... and thanks for all the beautiful wishes from you all xxx} on the lawns of the Castle in Milan, which is were my grandparents on my mothers side are from, and the reason Nath arranged for us to be here on my birthday. LOVE HIM SO!!!

We then went on to Venice and we are now in Florence, which I adore. Our trip has been amazing... I have so much to share. My travel journal is bursting at the seams *grin* it has been good to have during the quiet moments [of which are few]... I have done SO MUCH walking, seriously.

Here are also a few photos in Venice, Mikaela with the pigeons which she LOVED, she was so excited and would have stayed there all day had we let her!!!





I have taken about 6G of photos so far... we have a few disks I will need to sort on to my computer when I return. All GOOD.

Today I took some especially beautiful ones of the Tuscan country side... and some of us all together, those will need to wait. Tuscany is my FAVOURITE!!! By far.

Best moments: walking to the top of Notre Dame, going to the top of the Eiffel Tower, having dinner and a show at Moulin Rouge, going to the top of the tower in Venice, church in Milan, castle in Florence... and meeting Nath's family in Belgrade *GORGEOUS* people!! Doing it all with Mikaela and Nath... sightseeing until we could walk, see NO MORE *smile*

Comical Moments: raining most of the day whilst at EuroDisney and having to buy kitchy cardigans to keep us warm LOL!! Nath and I with our matching Mickey Mouse cardies... how VERY cute. LMAO!!!

I miss you all muchly!

Love and Peace out...
Hugs and kisses
Bx