Thank You Vickie and Donna!

How much more special can a woman feel than when she stands before the man who loves her and publicly professes her love for him? I didnt think it came much better than that, but then I forgot to factor in the specialness of friends and designers who share their work so graciously! These scrapbook pages were made by one of those friends using the exquisite "Romance" kit from Donna at Scrap Designs by Donna .

We Did !!

credits: Summer Wedding from Bon Scrapatit

credits: Summer Wedding from Bon Scrapatit

credits: Altered Melody by Irene Alexeeva

credits: Mariposa by Irene Alexeeva

Yellow Ribbon - Here for Life

The Yellow Ribbon Program aims to educate youth so that they feel comfortable in asking for help within all kinds of typical, everyday situations; situations ranging from problems such as frustration, bullying, fears and phobias, family problems, school problems, homework, peer issues, sports problems, drug problems, anger problems, relationship difficulties, depression, sadness, grief to thoughts of self-harming behaviour. Yellow Ribbon also supports communities and families wishing to help young people through these difficult phases and times. And after I raised this issue at SBF during the International Suicide Prevention month of September some beautiful souls in the scrapbooking community have banded together to help Turn the Tide on Suicide by creating Charity Kits for the Yellow Ribbon Programme. To find out more about how you too can help go visit Leah at Leahs Frogs Creations Meanhwhile here's a preview of the charity kits on offer in return for a minimum $5 donation to the Yellow Ribbon programme.

oh and while you're there have your speakers on because Leah's music list rocks!

After observing Ramadan for the past month my beautiful friend Arsia is about to celebrate Eid ul Fitr so today's scraps are for her and all muslims around the world. Thank you Arsia for all I've learnt from you about the spiritual path you walk.

September Blue

As this time rolls around each year I feel the paradox of the joy of new life inherent in the spring equinox balanced by the sadness of the remembrance of times past. Each year I do a 'project' to honor Jason, some years it was spending time working at youth shelters, other years working with bereaved parents, but this year as a scrapper I decided to run a YELLOW RIBBON-HERE FOR LIFE challenge at SBF for the month of September which is International Suicide Prevention month. At the same time I entered an AWARENESS CAMPAIGN challenge in memory of someone we've lost, and I was incredibly emotional to find that one of my three pages had taken 2nd place in the challenge on Jason's anniversary of all days! But the most moving thing about it all is that one of my scrapper friends from across the ocean created a charity kit for suicide prevention on her blog. Please if you have ever been touched by or know someone who has been touched by suicide, pop along to Leah's blog for this kit. Make sure you tell her Sassy sent you and dont forget to show your appreciation for anything you find there.

Remembrance Candles

How blessed are we that share our love of scrapbooking with others around the world with the same passion. In my case I'm doubly blessed by the creativity of these people. Lisadee over at SBF helped me with the design for Jason and Darren's remembrance candle to be lit at our wedding and then of course at every family occasion where their absence is felt. (Darren is my partner Chris's son, and Jason is my eldest son)

The butterflies and doodles on the back of the candle are from Linda Walton's exquisite Summer Wedding kit, made for her own daughter's wedding just last weekend. Thank you so much for sharing your creativity too Linda!
Overlay is Heavenly Holiday (unknown origin)

More of the Divine Miss Chloe

This is an old photo but while I was on a roll yesterday I decided to do a QP for this one.

QP can be found at Bubbles Babbles

Little Miss Chloe

Miss Chloe Anne will have her first birthday soon and then her mummy will be returning to work, which we're all looking forward to but I'm not sure how Chloe or her mummy are going to cope!! Jodie sent me these photos of their visit to Featherdale Wildlife Park and I couldn't wait to scrap them. The expression on Chloe's face when she gets up close and personal with a koala is just priceless!

Both pages made using Flergs beautifully aussie themed kit "Gumnut Gully"

Recent Layouts

Soooooooo busy lately but these are a few of my recent layouts from challenges I've entered at SBF. In the meantime its 3 months today until I am handfasted with Chris!

1st Place in the "A Few of My Favorite Things" challenge at SBF

Irene Alexeeva "Hot Chick" kit

Petit Moineux "Tendresse"

alphaframe is "Antique Silver Pink" of unknown origin

lyrics attributed to Julie Andrews

1st Place in the the Indigenous Australia challenge, the quote is from Nganyinytja on Reconciliation ~ from The Spirit of the Land Foundation (translated by Diana James, who is writing Nganyinytja's biography)Nganyinytja also says: "All people whose hearts are open to understanding each other's culture should come together"

artwork: unknown origin

kit: NutkinTailz Aussie Kit

overlay: heavenly holiday

The Dreaming - this one was created as part of a challenged I was running to "SCRAP ANOTHER SPIRITUALITY (not your own)

artwork by Colleen Wallace Nungari

journalling from the Australian Museum Online

kit is Stonewashed by JulieO

lyrics sung by The New Seekers

tree: Come Out To Play by digiscrappingqueen

bees: Baby Bumble Bee kit

paper: Dream Whispers by Jofia Defoe

dove: digikeepsakes (thanks for finding them for me Alicia)

Web of Wyrd

"Wyrd, the old English word from which we gain our modern word, “weird” refers to a complex relationship between fate and free will. We are said to have our Wyrd, our destiny, but in many pre christian spiritualities it was thought we are obliged to work constructively with our Wyrd, seeking to understand it and seeking to work consciously in partnership with it. An understanding of Wyrd reveals that the true nature of time is non-linear. Behind apparent chaos there is invisible order, and behind randomness there is also order and design. All is interwoven, and this is the web of Wyrd."

These words from Russ Gardener sum up my deeply held philosophy about life. All is interconnected and all is as is meant to be. We are where we are meant to be when we are meant to be there, and if we are open to it, people come into our lives when we most need them to ... to facilitate lessons we are here to learn ... to share our joys or our sorrows ... to walk the journey we call life with us for a time. Whatever their purpose, there is a reason they are there at that time, as we too have a purpose for being in their lives at any given moment. I often use the term WoW, as in a WoW moment or I will hear a story and simply smile inside thinking "ah the WoW at work again"

Scrapbooking has been no exception. I came to this world just a year ago in response to a page my niece showed me of her daughter, and I began a journey that has had those moments of WoW. I've met people who I've learnt so much from, and I like to think my presence in their lives has had meaning for them too (in fact I know it has, but more of that another time). I do know that I will come across a designer or a kit or a QP at just the right time, or someone will contact me about a page I've published saying how it reflected what they were experiencing at that very time. But for now I just wanted to share today's scrap which depicts the WoW as I understand it.

The layout was created using a QP from Anita's "Simple Beauty" kit at Nana's Attic. You can get it and much more of her wonderful kits HERE

The Songmaster

Tonight I'm taking a break from scrapping and spending some time on my other addiction .. reading! After reading my first Tamara McKinley novel I've become addicted to any book with early australian settlement as a theme. Di Morrisey doesnt necessarily fit that category but this contemporary novel had me hooked from the opening lines in the prologue .."The man was not old, nor young, but of an age that knew wisdom, knew pain, yet still moved forward with bright eyes and a hopeful heart" ... something we could all aspire to. Stay tuned for more quotes from this insightful and thought provoking novel! For now I'm off to curl up with it and its wisdoms.

This layout was created using NutkinTailz magnificent "Aussie Kit" (a rare and unique find) and can be found HERE

Steps to Our Wedding

This weekend we again visited the site for our wedding ceremony and while we were there we got these impromptu shots on the steps where we will be married. Its so exciting to think in just 103 days we will be sitting there as man and wife!

This gorgeous QP is from Flergs and is called Cottage Chic. You can get it HERE

Nooks n Crannys at Experiment Farm

One of the things I adore about Experiment Farm is all the shady nooks and crannys to be found when you stroll around the property, and how lovingly the grounds are tended by the volunteers and the National Trust. It's so exciting to think in just 104 days we will be married in this setting!

Both layouts were created using "Natural Things" by Tamara Pahlke at Tamis Scrapblog and the wordart is by Tina Chambers at Digital Scrapbooking Place

An Historic Australian Site for Our Wedding

Experiment Farm Cottage stands on the site of the first land grant in Australia, made in 1789 by Governor Phillip to the former convict, James Ruse. By 1791 Ruse had successfully farmed the 30 acre site as an experiment in self-sufficiency, proving that a new settler could feed and shelter his family with relatively little assistance to get started.
The Indian-style bungalow there today was built by Surgeon John Harris, who purchased the land from Ruse in 1793 for ₤40. It is thought to have been built by c1835. It is one of Australia’s oldest standing properties, and features in an 1837 sketch and subsequent watercolour by Conrad Martens.
The house is furnished to reflect the home of Surgeon Harris, with simple but elegant pieces from the National Trust’s collection of early colonial furniture, the largest of its kind in Australia. In the year 2000, the National Trust landscaped and planted the immediate grounds, using evidence from early paintings, plant catalogues and photographs to recreate, as far as possible, an authentic setting for the cottage. Guided tours are available, and a permanent display in the cellar tells the story of the site in all phases of its occupation; indigenous and colonial to the present day.

We will be married on the front steps of the cottage followed by a cocktail party in the gardens or the courtyard.

This layout of Experiment Farm Cottage was made using the beautiful "Summer Wedding" kit by Linda Walton at Bon Scrapatit Designs.

Hambledon Cottage

This layout, also using Linda Walton's "Summer Wedding" is Hambeldon Cottage, another beautiful historic site we looked at for our wedding. The great appeal for us was the 200 year old oak trees, the one in the layout was planted in 1850 and is just magnificent even when bare of leaves!

You can download this kit over at Bon Scrapatit Designs and be sure to leave some love for Linda when you do!

Summer Wedding !

When Chris asked me to marry him just over 2 weeks ago Linda Walton at Bon Scrapatit Designs released her gorgeous "Summer Wedding" kit in the color of my dress so I've been busy creating layouts with some of the parts of it as I download them. This week I've done layouts for the three historic heritage sites we were looking at for the wedding. A bit more about the history of these beautiful sites later but for now here's the layout of Elizabeth Farm.

You can get SUMMER WEDDING at http://bonscrapatitdesigns.blogspot.com/
Thank you Linda for your generosity in sharing this with us especially at such a busy time for you!

Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time!

Winter Solstice is a celebration of the returning Sun and warmth to the world as it makes its cycle around the earth. It is a time to share with friends and family, for fun and feasting and gifts. It is the festival of the Promise, of new life and hope after the darkest time. I was born on the Solstice and this 51st solstice of my time on this earth has special meaning for me as I take the first step into the next chapter of my life. On that day I agreed to marry my best friend, my lover, my soul mate! What better time to start blogging!

In an ironic twist of fate, I'd recently come across this beautiful QP and was just waiting for the perfect way to use it.

"Fresh Cut Flowers" can be found at Bon Scrapatit Designs.

Be sure to leave a comment for Linda if you download it.