Happy Birthday to Thomas

Well yesterday my big boy turned 10! Hard to believe that I could actually have a ten year old and I have to say that I am having a hard time coping with it. It surely couldn't be that long ago and even more freaky is that I will have a teenager in just three years!

Thomas played cricket in the morning and then we had a family party for lunch. I made some yummy food (if I don't say so myself) - portugese marinated lamb racks, steak and sausages and ceasar salad(Thomas' favourite) and potato salad and roasted corn, plus usual salad items. We had birthday cake for dessert which was a cricket bat.

It was nice to have the family around - we seem to have them around every year for Thomas' birthday and to have my new camera this year was fantastic. The photos are great but I haven't had time to edit any of them so they are straight off the camera.

I have a few LOs that I can show now. Yesterday at Scrapbook City they had "Leisa's Favourite Things" and I did some LOs showcasing some of the product that people were receiving. Here are a few of those LOs.

Also very exciting news that we have booked our holiday to New Zealand. We are going to the South Island and skiing at Mt Hutt for 3 days and then motorhoming around for the next 8 days. We are all very excited. It actually worked out about the same as 7 days skiing in Australia with flights down and with the New Zealand $ being great against ours as well, we decided to go the New Zealand option. It will be the kid's first time on a plane and Brendan's first time overseas. We are going with another family as well which will be fun.

There's a new addition to the family!

.... and it's not human! I have finally, finally after years of wanting one got my Digital SLR Camera. I was supposed to be waiting for my birthday but I found a fantastic deal that I just had to take - told hubby it was going to cost him $250 more if he waited two months - that was the clincher! I ended up getting a Canon 450D with two lenses. My poor children (and husband) were definitely saying "NO MORE PHOTOS" by the end of the day. I did a lot of mucking around with the manual settings and then switched to auto until I can really sit down and read my manual properly. I would also like to do a little course somewhere - saw one on Extra last night called "Capture the Joy" - might have to look into that. I just need to know some of the basics about creating depth of field, white balance and all that sort of thing. Needless to say I am very excited and I will be taking it to cricket tomorrow to finally get a few decent shots of Thomas playing. It will also be good to have a great camera for Thomas' birthday next Saturday as we are having a few people over and no doubt they will be sick of me taking their photos as well!

Here are a few of my very first shots (I know I have a long way to go) - I was jumping up and down that I could take these just with auto on! I can't wait to use the Babooshka (?sp) Dolls photo with the new Kaiser papers with Babooshka Dolls on them!

On a scrapping front I am very busy doing up layouts for "Leisa's Favourite Things" that is on next Saturday - if you haven't bought a ticket yet - you have to - the stuff is amazing - if I could buy a ticket I would. I will put all those things up here once it is over. I also hope to get time to get some things organised for the Garage Sale which is also on next Saturday.

Just a Quick One

I am just doing a quick post today. I managed to finish a layout today that I love. It goes back to why I scrapbook. I am really trying to scrapbook for and about the memories. This is one thing that I didn't want to forget and I want my daughter to know about. I want to journal from the heart and have that be the centrepiece of the LO instead of just concentating on the new papers or the new embellishments. Of course that is part of it but I really need to get back to the core of why I do this wonderful hobby. Do I sound too soppy today? I think I am just realising some things at the moment - what is really important in life and I can tell you that it isn't getting that next LO published. Don't get me wrong, I love getting LOs published but it isn't what it is all about. I feel a kind of freedom at the moment - I can scrap for me - how I want, using what I want and using older papers and embellishments that I love. I am experimenting using things from all different manufacturers instead of just all from the one range - I must say it is quite liberating.

I'll get off my soapbox now - I have had a big verbal today and I feel better!

The Calm before the Storm!

I am taking advantage of a more quiet week this week to get a few layouts done. I have been trying to use up scraps from other layouts and older papers and embellishments. I get so caught up in using the new stuff that I am really naughty and don't use my older (still nice) older stuff.

The next few weeks are going to get busy as I am going to be doing a stack of DT work for Scrapbook City when the big shipment arrives from the US full of stuff from CHA. There will be lots of oohing and arring I am sure.

On a family note, Thomas' cricket team won their first game of the season and it was a big team. I took Thomas as Brendan had to work. Thomas was very proud of himself because he hit his first six. His bowling is getting much better as well - I was quite impressed.

I have also taken a photo of the outside of downstairs. It is a bit dark inside yet to take photos as we need to get the electrician in to put in some lights.

I have been really seriously looking into getting my digital SLR. I have been scanning prices everywhere and I have decided that I am going to get a Canon 450D with the twin lens kit. I have seen a great price on a website which includes a memory card, extended warranty and a bag and is around $350 cheaper than a similar package at Harvey Norman. Now to work out how I am going to afford it!!