29.12.09

A few things, Christmas was wonderful. It was so much nicer than I imagined it would be. No, my house wasn't decorated like I wanted it to be and no, I didn't cook the massive big feast I wanted to, but you know, it was still perfect.

Steve's low salicylate, anime and glutomate diet has been going well. Except for the Christmas Day incident where the lure of BBQ sauce was just too great, apparently. But now we have the RPA Elimination Diet Handbook, it has made everything so much clearer to us and it has been great. Steve has even lost over 3 kilos.

I am just going to list 2 links to recipes here so I can refer back to them and also if anyone else needs them.

http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/information/recipes.htm

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~failsafe/recipes01.html

Ok, so I didn't complete my 25 Days of Christmas. It's all good. I only have 2 days left, and well, why not upload them today?

Day 24

Something special you can do with the kids. Lisa from The Red Thread has created these beautiful baubles.

Day 25

Well, I found the most cutest Elves. Just follow this link for the tutorial. This tutorial comes to us by way of the Make Baby Stuff . com site.

23.12.09

Day 23

Wow. Only 2 more sleeps. Isn't this time of year exciting? I am really looking forward to Christmas day!

I have got the cutest 25 Days of Christmas crafty item today!



See, I told you they were cute! Now all you have to do to make these is follow this link for the tutorial. The tutorial is brought to us by Leisl Gibson of the Oliver + S blog.

And here is the Santa photo:



I don't even care that the kids aren't looking at the camera, at least they are smiling! LOL!

22.12.09

Day 22

Today I took the kids to get their Santa photo. There were many protests, all by Kate of course because she did not like the shirt I wanted her to wear. Lucky I am bigger and older or the kids might not have had matching clothing. I will upload the photo tomorrow.

Today's 25 Days of Christmas is brought to us by Becky Oehlers of Hemidemisemiquaver Design blog. Her cards are just fantastic and a treat for any paper crafter. But it's her partidge ornament that caught my eye. Click here for the details. And please, for the sake of paper, check out her cards while you are there!

21.12.09

Day 21

Oh my, we are almost there, aren't we? Just 4 more sleeps! Only 3 for crazy people like me though.

For today's 25 days of Christmas goodness I have something very special. Yes it is an advent calendar, but it just oozes with festive cuteness. Click on this link to take you to the tutorial for mini pinatas. These have been made by Pam of Gingerbread Snowflakes blog.



In other news, if I hear the words 'but I'm boooored' one more time, I think I might go postal.

20.12.09

Day 19 & Day 20

It's not that I didn't want to blog yesterday, it's just that I did not have one spare moment in which to do it in. Sorry about that.

So, today, there are two Christmas crafts to share.

They are both awesome ideas. The first one is to make your own Santa Plate, which is made by Cathe Holden of Just Something I made blog. I really want to try this out, I think it's a wonderful idea that the kids wont forget as they grow older.




And the second craft idea is this gorgeous snowflake curtain which is made by Laura of Bugs and Fishes by Lupin blog. Stunning, huh?



Check out the links for all the details on how to make these projects. :)

18.12.09

Day 18

Some layouts to share from this weeks Scrapbook Establishment newsletter using the super cool Kaisercraft Rewind range.







And now onto the 25 Days of Christmas craft for day 18.

Some Salt Dough Ornaments. These come to us by way of Katy Elliott's blog Home, Art + Food. I was thinking that some special mummy and kids time is in order to create these. I think the kids would have a blast making these! Fun, huh?




And on top of this huge post I have another share. Every day we have been Google-ing pictures to set as our desktop background. So far we haven't got past 'LOL cats' because they are pretty funny. Here's the one I picked for today. Well, I thought it was cute/funny!

17.12.09

Day 17

I can't believe I am still keeping this up?!

Today's Christmas goodness can be either of the fabric or the paper kind.

I found the most adorable stacking fabric Christmas trees over on The Small Object blog. Cute, huh?



And then I found the tutorial was used to make paper trees over on the Bella Dia blog. Again, cute, huh?

16.12.09

Day 16

While typing I am eating my dinner. Tonight I made a low chemical side dish - rice and cottage cheese pie put of the Friendly Foods book. You know what, I wouldn't have thought it, but it is actually yum. Steve has an appointment with the RPA allergy clinic in january so there is much progress with that side of things.

Today I have the most special Christmas tree bunting to share with you. I think this would look great hanging across a mantel. I don't have a mantel. I have a buffet which at the moment is adorned with a ceiling fan that the electrician was supposed to put in about a month ago. I think I need to find a new spraky. Hmmm. Anyway, it would probably look good across my buffet too. The bunting is brought to us today by Sadie from the Sadieandlance blog. Follow the link to her detailed tutorial. Gorgeous, huh?

15.12.09

Day 15

Wow, by writing the date down every day it has made me realise that I have so much to do and not nearly enough time to do it all in.

Not to worry, everything always seems to work out.

So, onto today's project. I know I for one loathe spending money on things like bows because they only end up in the bin. Well, lookie at this tutorial to make your own bows for presents! The best part? It would cost next to nix! Thankyou to the very talented Jessica Jones of the How About Orange blog for this tutorial. I have been a huge fan of this blog for ages.

14.12.09

Day 14

I have spent the better part of the day at school as both Kate and Luke received awards. Kate's award was for 'excellent reading skills and contributions to class talking and listening topics' and Luke's was for 'being a quiet achiever'. Pretty proud mumma.



Today's 25 Days of Christmas craft has been made by Sunghee of Creativity in Progress blog. She has created the most divine bunch of paper flowers ever. Follow this link to see her tutorial. It really looks like it took a long time, the results are worth it though! Just stunning!!

13.12.09

Day 13

After Friday's 'incident' with carting Steve off to the hospital, we have now decided to get tough with the low salicylate, amine and glutamate diet. Tomorrow we will order the RPAH Elimination Diet Handbook and we will also go in search of the Friendly Food recipe book. I am not an adventurous cook and Steve is not an adventurous eater. I don't think he has much of a choice now. I am over being scared half to death every time he has an attack.

Now, onto nice things. Nothing nicer than using up some of your scrap pieces of paper. I know I for one horde every little piece of scrap paper going. For a couple of reasons, one, I use my favourite pieces of paper on my layouts, if I keep a scrap I can also use it on other layouts and two, because when my kids want to scrapbook with me, I give them the scraps and they have a ball and I don't have to cringe every time they pick up a new piece of paper I had plans for. Works for us. :)

Today we have a paper tree made by Kellie Fortin of Polished to Perfection blog. Click on this link to see how she made it. I grabbed some styrofoam trees last time I was at Spotlight. I hadn't worked out exactly what I was going to do with them, but I think this might be a nice was to spend a morning with Kate and Luke and we can make them for our table for Christmas day.




Did I tell you we are spending our first Christmas together at home as a wee little family? No? I am super excited!! :D

12.12.09

Day 12

Halfway there.

Today's 25 Days of Christmas craft is for those of you who like to use power tools. I don't. They kind of scare me a little and I think I am going to cut off a limb. For those of you who don't mind using them, have a look at this glass brick Christmas decoration tutorial. These come to us via Jilly at Scrap'n'Beads blog.

11.12.09

Day 11

Wow, I am only just going to squeeze this in before midnight as we had to make a trip to the hospital. Yep, Steve again. His symptoms came on so quickly and severe it was really scary. He is feeling better, although still not well. The problem is we still don't know the exact triggers for his reaction.

Onto something pretty and nice: here's a link to a tutorial for some felt Christmas ornaments. These come courtesy of the Fantastic Toys blog. And believe me, they are fantastic!

10.12.09

Day 10

And still going strong.

Today is something made out of paper. For the papercrafters in us.

A snowflake. Pretty, huh?

Brought to you by Liz at Perspicacious. Her tutorial is through this link.



I am almost finished this wreath. Steve said to me, "you're not going to put that on the front door, are you?" "Yes, why not?" I replied. He said "someone might set fire to it and burn the house down." Hmmm. Do people really do things like that?!

09.12.09

Day 9

I must say, I really am enjoying researching and blog hopping. I have come across so many inspiring projects. It really is fun and I think my bookmark list is way longer than just 25 links.

I found this tutorial for the cutest little Gingerbread Man. All credits must go to Elsie Marley. He is cute, huh? Not that he would match my tree colours this year as I went with purple, pink, blue and silver. I must share a photo when I get a tree topper that matches.

08.12.09

Day 8

Yep, an early post as I was late for work last night due to a road closure for roadworks, which means I am going to have to leave early tonight. And you wanna know what else bugs me, when I go to buy yoghurt and every single pack of the flavour I want is out of date. How does that happen?!

Now, onto the good crafty stuff. :)


I probably wont ever make these, well, maybe I might, but certainly not with glass balls. Not in my house. It wouldn't last one Christmas. But you know what? I really could imagine these on my buffet. Hmmm. I found these on the Better Homes and Gardens website and the link to the tutorial is through here.

07.12.09

Day 7

I have even shocked myself by keeping this up for a week straight. I am normally the flakey, but good intentions person. Although there are still 18 days to go. I haven't made it just yet.

This one is for those of you out there who love the wrapping process. I found this quite sweet and I might even use the idea myself.

A pom-pom present topper. Eco-friendly, even. Credits go to Ez of Creature Comforts and you can see the tutorial by clicking on this little ol' link.

06.12.09

Day 6

With the movie just released last week I thought this would be a cool little creature to make for your wild one, or for yourself. Either way. I am looking forward to seeing this movie with the kids. I loved the book and the movie previews have looked promising. If you have seen it, what are your thoughts?


Here is the cutest Max Christmas Stocking! He comes to us courtesy of Meet Me At Mikes and you can find the complete tutorial right through this link.




Meet Me At Mikes has inspired me to do a whole month on softies. Maybe February, or March, possibly April, hey, even May. Not sure, but I HAVE to do one!

Christmas: Cookie Bag Tags

Day 5

Today, it's something I actually made! I know. It's shocking to me too. I will take a better photo tomorrow when there is more natural light and in a better location than on my driveway. Ok, so it's only a slightly better photo, but better nonetheless.

This year for Luke's class I am making them little cookie bags so I made some tags for something different. I used Kaisercraft's Christmas Carnival range.





And this is what they will look like when I package them all up. I couldn't be bothered making sugar cookies, so I just bought a tin of the Danish Butter Cookies. They are one thing I love about Christmas.

04.12.09

Day 4

An advent calendar that's so cute you cannot help saying "awww", well, in your head at least. Or out loud, like me. Either way.


Created by Brooke Reynolds of Inchmark.


No tutorial, this time, just some gorgeous photos of a gorgeous project.

Blogged here and here and here.

03.12.09

Day 3

I am also working on a 25 Days of Christmas gallery. Whether or not I get around to making it into a mini album, well, time can only tell. The activity today was the kids writing out their Christmas cards. They had more fun eating the mini candy canes. Of course.

Onto today's project.



I love these birds and I can just imagine them hanging from my tree. Hopefully I will get at least 4 done before Christmas. 4, you ask? It's my favourite number. *grins*

The photo is courtesy of The Purl Bee.

You can click here to go to the tutorial.

02.12.09

Day 2.

Today I will share a quilled snowflake I found. The odd thing was that this morning I was flicking through the Christmas edition of Notebook magazine and I found this very thing. Hmmmm.



I was thinking of making a fw of these and hanging them on my Christmas card banner in between the cards. I will share when I do it.

All credits go to Tresa Edmunds of the Reese Dixon blog.

Tutorial link is here.

25 Days of Christmas

While looking for craft ideas for the kids and I to make this Christmas, I happened to come across some of the most beautiful craft ideas. So this year I have decided to do my own 25 Days of Christmas version. If only to serve as a place where I can come back to and check out the ideas I have saved.

Day 1. The most beautiful wreath I have seen. I have my book and styrofoam ready to go. I just need to finish off a class sample first so I can get stuck into creating this gorgeous wreath for my front door.



Photo credit to Lindsay from Living with Lindsay. Here is the link to her site and how to make this stunning piece.

Tutorial Here.

I will be back tomorrow with some more crafty goodness. :D

30.11.09

Just a card I made for the challenges over at TSE. It's using some leftover bits from the Pink Paislee Mistletoe & Co range.

27.11.09

Some Scrapbook Establishment layouts using Bo Bunny Delilah range. Talk about delish.







I guess that's it from me today. Not much else has been happening in my little ol' world. :D

25.11.09

Because you know what? Leaf races after a storm are awesome. Well, leaf races are pretty awesome, fullstop.

16.11.09

Well, I haven't scrapped in a while, but I have had some ideas running around in my head. I finally managed to get one of those ideas down on paper for this fortnight's Journal Challenges challenge.



I never took any photos of Luke when he went to speech therapy. At the time I didn't deem it appropriate. I was cleaning out a cupboard and I found his flashcards, so I decided to use them to tell the story instead.

Travel: Burralow Creek

Alot of things have been happening lately.

Firstly, we went Trick or Treating for Halloween.

Kate was a 50's rock and roll girl. Luke was an elf. Amy was a bumblebee.

We went with a big group of kids, about 13 in all. They had so much fun. :)



Steve got a new company car, so we took it for a spin in the National Park at Glenbrook. Kate didn't get carsick at all, which is wonderful. For us it means that we will be able to go for drives without worrying about her. Steve took this photo of myself and the babes at the lookout, overlooking the Nepean River.



We have also been camping. We bought a camper trailer about a month ago but we haven't used it because we haven't had all the equipment we need. So we finally had enough stuff to go for a camp. We only went overnight, up at Burralow Creek, which is up near Kurrajong/Bilpin.



Luke even learned how to ride a bike with no training wheels, it's just a shame for photographic purposes that it was his sister's girly bike. LOL.



We went for a bush walk to see Bulcamatta Falls.



Just a collage of some random vegetation photos. These photo's don't do the area justice. It is so pretty.



The kids were so excited by the campfire and they were loving toasting marshmallows.



We camped with a couple of families from Steve's work. Here is a photo Kate took of the campsite.



And lastly, since it was raining, the valley really looked spectacular. Although I think it would look beautiful regardless of sun or rain.