Back from the Snowy

Here I am back from the Smowy's after what has been a very hectic few months and I feel like I haven't been all that successful in keeping things up to date (at all)....sorry!

It has been a culmination of work stress and the pressures of my ageing parents which have made this year a difficult place to be. However - now Mum is in a nursing home, and Dad seems more able to cope with the stress of it all - things finally may be settling down for us all as we get used to this time on our lives.

So I digress a little.......

In November Phil and I decided a break would be in order after Christmas and we booked into the cutest most isolated cabin we could find in the mountains. No phone reception, no computers and no one about!!! In one word absolute bliss!!!

The stone cottage on our first morning after waking
A misty day spent reading, enjoying the quiet and wine in the afternoon!

Here it is ........if you ever feel like a romantic couple type break - with books, wine, camera and TV in the middle of no where disturbed only by the wildlife and not anyone else for the time you are there.... Snowy Wilderness

Now a few pics to tell the story

This was our sleeping quarters - a lovely little nook with double glazed windows and a gorgeous stained glass window at the head of the bed..... electric blankets included though we didn't need it and a open fire - a bit hot for that though


Had to do this - with my akubra on the granite hook - I love my hat and I fitted right into the ambiance of the place.

The view from the loungeroom windows - 3 huge floor length panels of glass looking over pristine bushland and an outside fire place should you feel so inclined (we didn't)

Another view form our loungeroom window

At dawn on the third morning we were woken to the sound of horses outside our window - around 10 of then at least 15 hands high.... ie big!
One was looking in while the others chomped grass - of course this meant getting outside as soon as possible for pics and feeding carrots..... my camera had problems with the dawn light and the gorgeous horses - but hey - I had to prove it to you


Here is a pic of Phil (so not an early morning person) bare feet and rather sleepy with these early morning rousers!!
AWESOME!!!!!!

Lake Jinabyne!
Gorgeous

How cute is this place!
I want one please

So after 5 nights away we are back in Canberra
Rested, revived and a little more romantic (sorry kids - I can hear them groan)

We will go there again and if you love the bush like I do, please consider it for a getaway - it wasn't hugely expensive but worth every penny.

The wildlife was really kind too - on the 7200 acre property there are 70 wild brumbies - we saw 3, we fed several possums, enjoyed a wake up call by 10 horses, numerous birds, skinks, burrowing coachroach - only one, and wallabies.

Last thing..... Bluey has come into our lives a very large blue-tongue lizard - but this is the funnuest pic I think.... I have a pottery lizard I bought a while ago - and Bluey must have taken a shine to it - because here it is hugging the ceramic lizard - I kid you not!

It must be love!

My last post for 2009!

So may I take this opportunity to wish you a wonderful year for 2010
Full of joy, happiness, challenges and love
And friendship
Thanks for being there for me too

Bye for now
C

Christmas Hats and Silly Business

Well Christmas time is here again and we had a great celebration at Dads apartment full of fun and frivolity, silly hats and Christmas stockings

So here are some fav shots of the family (of course I had the camera so am not in the shots...... you will just have to imagine what I looked like!)

After lunch and the cleanup the kids and I arrived here for the evening - it was also great fun and we had more booze and a relaxing time

All in all a wonderful Christmas.....

Dad in his 'purchasing department' hat and his Santa tie

Mum intent on opening presents in her Christmas stocking

Phil and his pagoda (bonsai) that Jess and I purchased in Melbourne
Love the hat!

Matt looking not overly impressed with his Christmas tie (all the blokes got one!)

Hai Pei and her first Christmas stocking
I think she liked this bit most of all!

Not everyone gets a small skeleton from their husband for Christmas
But the joy on Jessica's face says it was the perfect gift!
(it is plastic and not real)
This goes with her collection of medical supplies

So from my mad family to yours

Merry Christmas

Love
C

Some NZ photos to share

Us at Lake Tekapo

Well we are back with literally hundreds of photos and I have spent many hours editing, deleting and cropping

I haven't got much time to blog but soon I will put several here with the diary of the trip..... if anyone is interested here in the link meadtravelblog (please give me a few days but I will do it soon......... promise)

And now for some photos - hope you enjoy and I will get back later with more info....

Hothouse water lillies at Auckland
Indian Gardens at the beautiful Hamilton Gardens
They have lots more countirs
and yes I have lots of photos of those too :)
Champagne Pool at Rotorua
(very hot, steamy and sulphurous)
Lady Knox Geyser
Rotorua
Rotorua Bay and the buildings are the Polynesian Spa
Where I relaxed with a thermal mud pack adn spa
Very Nice
Christchurch Gondola - fantastic place and views
Near Nelsen
How is this for a chocolate box pic???
Chinese Gardens Nelsen..... wonderful place
Beautifully done
Cheeky Blackbird (male)
These were everywhere - he is waiting til we finish lunch
Marae (meeting house)
Rotorua
The most photographed church in NZ
Church of the Good Shepherd
You can see why though
Sunset over Lake Tekapo
Wow factor.....
Oh and this is our view from the loungeroom window!

Lots of lovve
C

The aftermath of the LSBS Retreat

Last day before the shenanigans of the farewell bus

Well it came up so fast - after another year of waiting it seemed that it was Feb and we were talking about it and then it was time to say goodbye to the girls who I seem to know sooooo well from the past couple of years.

Scrapping bedlam

What is it about scrapping girls???? I think there is something about how we rejoice in the tiny moments - how we make things that are everyday into special memories but mostly how we have grown to know one another, our joys and our sadness, our passions and our longings. It is more about developing some close ties and supporting each other through the stuff that is the everyday, and those things that are more rare - the highest highs and the lowest lows.....

So on the weekend I trekked down to the old 'Hardly Normal' store and printed off 200 (plus some) photos and mostly these are from the retreat. Girls having fun.... sharing our passion, reliving old memories, sharing new ones and having a whole lot of fun!

Thanks to all the girls at my table - Helen, Lisa, Melinda, Janet, Marg, Jenny and Kristin for the giggles, chocolate and ginger beer.

Tracy and Marg

Jenny - you shy retiring violet you!!

Helen & Lisa

Jenny and Kristin
Melinda

Janet

To the wonderful Cath and Nic who bring this together each year and it grows better and better each and every time.

Cath - with the 'fro

Nic and Cath

Nic - on Saturday Night

To the design team Belle, Deanne, Helen, Tracy and Lisa who came up with fab designs.

The Design Team

And of course those girls who I have known so well over the year - Mel, Wirgie, Rachel, Gill, Lisa, Shellee, Smauge, Sam, Ali, PT, AT, Karyn and so many more..... love you all.

Deanne and Wirgie

Mel

Pepper - Rachel

There were so many highlights of the retreat......

• The balloon popping of Saturday night with Nic
• The great projects - thanks to Lisa, Helen and Belle
• The cute little giveaway - the tiniest tote in existence
  
• Winning the OTTLITE for the most productive - 24 layouts
• Getting Cath to order Prima brand papers and stuff
• Not spending too much (but going over budget anyway)
• The farewell on Sunday afternoon
• Catching the flight home 3 hours early
• Knowing that we will do it all again next year

Have I paid my deposit for next year - absolutely - wouldn't miss it for anything

I have a year to remember through scrapping and the same amount of time to forget too many bras at the farewell.

Love
C

Myers Brigs test

Well it is good to see some things don't change - this is the same as last time

ENFJ (Extraversion, iNtuition, Feeling, Judgment)

You are warm, empathetic, responsive, and responsible. You are highly attuned to the emotions, needs, and motivations of others. You find potential in everyone, and want to help others fulfill their potential. You may act as a catalyst for individual and group growth. You are loyal, and are responsive to praise and criticism. You are sociable, facilitate others in a group, and provide inspiring leadership. Famous people with your same ENFJ personality include: Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan, Dick Van Dyke, Diane Sawyer, Peyton Manning, Pete Sampras, Johnny Depp, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Love
C

Beautiful Bags

A while ago I wrote on the LSBS Website that I had bought some patterns from the very talented Janelle Wind - well from her collection ..... I wondered really if I was going craze as I need another thing to do like a hole in the head!!!

I purchased them from Patchwork Plus for $15 each - and they don't charge postage

The materials for Thelma's Day Out were purchased from Spotlight (which was okay but not a great range) but then I remembered a store nearer to me - called Addicted to Fabric.

So last Sunday I went to the store wondering if they had patchwork materials (I couldn't remember it had been so long since I had been there). Well their fabric collection was awe inspiring..... it took me 20 mins to figure out a few fabrics and I will be back for more.

But I have had such fun sewing these and they are really lovely and the patterns are so good Janelle writes them well.

So here there are..... my version of them

Holly's Bouquet
Black denim and red patchwork print

Thelma's Day Out
Japanese inspired prints and tiny green check

I have bought a couple of gorgeous fabrics for Hai Pei - my son's girl friend for the Holly's Bouquet Bag and I am still wondering about one for Jess ..... maybe I will cover an art journal for her instead which might be a lot more her style.

Thanks Janelle for such great patterns - what fun they are to do!

Love
Carol

I am third and so happy with that

When you are in a competition with the most amazing tallented scrappers in the universe (I was going to say work but it wasn't big enough)And you come third - you have to be pretty stoked!!!

So here are the places
5th - DebK
4th - the awesome Lisa Pate
3rd - yours truly - me!!
2nd - Kayla Renee
1st - the sublime Beccyb

I am over the moon that I came 3rd and really the work was so awesome I have to be delighted with that - and I am

Thanks Scrap Therapy for the awesome competition and congrats to all the winners - we did great

Love
C