Here we go... Scrapping catch-up:

Ok, so now that we are 'back up and running' with technology, here's a long overdue post with some of my recent layouts.  You don't realise how reliant you are on fast internet, and how impatient you become in your old age, until your patience is put to the test!  Oops!

Here's a quick layout that I did the other weekend.  Nic came round and we spent some time scrapping (well, mostly talking, if I'm being honest!).  This was J quite a few years ago.  Back in 2005 in fact.  What a cutie!  I LOVE the photo of him on the climbing frame (third from the left) that looks like he's thinking 'Um...oh crap!'  Ha ha ha :)

And a couple of close-ups... (sorry, terrible photos, taken at night, in my haste to post them.  Note the impatience theme here?!)

Then there are the layouts that I got done at Raincliff Camp...

The firs one is once again using older photos (cos I have SO many of them to use!).  Mr Mischief, hence the title 'Who Me?' ...

Then there was the layout challenge, using some of the YUMMY Kaisercraft Miss Nelly range, provided by Embellish It.  This time I used a pic of me with my Great Grandparents, the old photo had a vintagey feel to it, like the papers.  Love love LOVE that Miss Nelly collection - VERY me!

I made a few flowers using my Cuttlebug Quilled Flower dies (which, to be honest, I bought ages ago, and have hardly used), and even used some seam binding in amongst the flowers and bling to just finish things off.

And I also love these Maya Road leaf pins.  I tend to use them a lot!

Layout number 3 was a double layout with a handmade background.  Again, sorry for the rubbish photos, but you know me, patient as a saint!  I used the Tim Holtz Sprocket die for the Cuttlebug and cut out what seemed like a gazillion sprockets, in three different sizes.  Then I placed them all over the background, interlocking the cogs, painstakingly glued them all down, then covered the whole thing in a layer of gesso, to make a whole new, crisp, white (although slightly bumpy) background.

Once the gesso dried, I watered down some funky green paint and headed outside to splatter on the background.  Don't try this at home!  Well, not indoors anyway.  To be honest, I think you should try it, it was lots of fun :)  The actual layout is about J and his motorbike.  He was really keen to have a go at a local club day, so we took him along and got him all kitted up and ready to go.  BUT, when the other kids took off from the start line with a hiss and a roar, he wasn't so keen anymore.    Kids huh?!

Another Raincliff layout... one of the three of us taken by the lovely Cathie from Phunkey Photography.  A pretty simple layout.  Loving my whitespace layouts at the moment!  Did a bit of fussy cutting, made a cutesy fence with some chipboard, florist wire and paint, and added a couple of transparency pieces.  Too easy!

Now, going back even further to a pre-Camp crop day with Embellish It, here are two more layouts - one of my cute little nephew Tyler, and the other using another of Cathie's photos - just me and DH this time.

And FINALLY, here's a SENZ layout :)  This was a class taught by the gorgeous Rachel Tucker (and her lovely assistant Tana!).  The photo is one of my Ma and Pa.  They ARE cute!  They're away on holiday this week, and it's strange not having them just around the corner like they usually are.  Gem, you'll get a kick out of this... I've been feeding Rags, and Rags caught a Bunny Rabbit the other day.  I found it, lying stiff on the dining room floor, when I went round to feed him.  Eeeewwww!!!!!  I had to make D go round there to get rid of it!

I can't show you the other class (the Nic Howard one) cos I sent that back to Auckland with Squirt for her to keep.  You'll just have to trust me when I tell you that it was SUPER cute :)

So, other than the lack of broadband, what else have I been up to lately that has prevented me from blogging?    Thinking back, quite a bit!

Straight after Raincliff weekend (which was FAB by the way, thanks Tania), the following Monday was SPCA Cupcake Day.  I came home from camp, frosted all the cupcakes that I had baked earlier and frozen, then spent Monday's morning tea break selling them.  In the end, I sold 132 cupcakes and made $383.40 for the SPCA.  Wahoo!!! Most popular flavours were Orange with Kahlua frosting, and Raspberry Chocolate Fish.

The following week I made another 'sale' baking wise.... one of my bosses bought a batch of Ninjabread Men.  She just had to have some for her boys after she heard that was what I was baking that weekend.

The week after that was my turn to run a session at Keas again, and this one took some planning in advance. And a lot of phone calls :) We had a Wheels Day to coincide with Father's Day week.  The Keas brought their Dads along, and some lovely Timaru peeps brought along their cars to share with the Keas and their Dads.  We had 14 cars in all... a GTO, three Chev Impalas, a Dodge Charger, a Cougar, a Ford GT40, another late model Dodge, a vintage truck, a rally car, a race car, an HSV Holden, an Aston Martin, AND a Cobra.  Oh and Mrs Whippy!  The kids ate ice-creams, had a shared afternoon tea with their Dads, completed a couple of car quizzes.  We also had time for a wheels-themed version of the classic Port, Bow, Starboard, Stern...we played Driver, Passenger, Bonnet, Boot!  Ha ha ha.  There are a few photos on the HMV Keas facebook page - the kids were SO excited by all the cars... and it was AWESOME that the people I spoke to were willing to help out and bring their cars along, just to 'share the passion'.  All very much appreciated by me.  Each car owner got presented with a card (made by me, but signed by all the Keas), and a wee bag of chocolate fish and pineapple lump treats.  

Last week was my turn again at Keas... Head Office's session plan suggested we focus on photography and ask a local photographer along to talk... um....pick me, anyone?  Teehee!  I took along my backdrop, external flash equipment, and all my kiddy props, as well as some wedding photo samples and my portfolio for the kids to look at.  I talked to them about how a camera works, let them look at the inner workings of it, and talked about taking photos from different and interesting angles, and WHY I like to take photos etc.  Then I let them play with the props and took their photos.  I have over 100 photos to check through!  Man they had fun though :)

In between all of the above, there is of course the usual cooking, cleaning, washing and tidying... assisted by my boys.  No wonder the weeks fly by....  

Not to mention the EXCITING news... Tania from Embellish It has asked me to design a layout class, using the gorgeous Teresa Collins Christmas Home papers!!!  The class will be in Waimate on Saturday November 12th.  Time/cost still tba.  Get in touch with Tania if you are interested, as I hear she has had a lot of interest already, and there are a limited number of class kits available.

For now, it's time for bed.  I have more photos to upload, but this lot'll do for now.  It's getting late!