Boy's night in....

D has a group of mates that he plays poker with every fortnight. They all put in $20 each, and they take turns having it at each others place. Usually there's a few empties to go into the recycling otto when they're done. When I say 'a few', I really mean 'a LOT'. It can go for hours, starting at 7pm, and finishing around 11.30pm-midnight most of the time. I always heat them some savouries for supper. You should hear them. Sounds like they're having a blast. And the language gets more 'colourful' as the evening goes on! It's kinda cute how they all shake hands with whomever has just 'gone out'. How gentlemanly! Being the good scrapping wife that I am, I decided that I needed photographic evidence so that I could scrap an event that has become such a regular feature of D's evenings.

OMG, what a couple of POSERS!

There is no other explanation! Us grown-ups were out in the lounge, hanging out after tea, and the kiddlies were listening to "Now That's What I Call Music 18" rather LOUDLY in one of the other rooms. When I snuck in with my camera to see what they were up to, they weren't the least bit shy to show me their 'moves'. Oh dear. Wait until they discover alcohol. Trouble ahead, me thinks!

What am I saying? Me thinks? I KNOW! Ha ha ha.

Toodles, B x

More four-legged cuteness...

Meet Fletcher Holland. He is the best looking ginga I have ever seen! (Did you know that this Friday is 'Hug a Ginga Day', being run by The Edge? I think he's in luck!) We had tea at his house with his humans on Saturday night. Don't ya just wanna smoosh those cheeks?!



I have another set of photos of the littlies acting the goat, will post them soon. Toodles, B x

Gem's baby...

Yes, on MY side of the family, the only nieces or nephews I have all have four legs. Gem has a cat and a dog, Sarah a dog (well, if you can CALL a chihuahua a dog, ha ha ha!) Here's Nugget, Gem's baby....


"Mmm, that's a nice looking biscuit you're eating DJ"

"If I concentrate REALLY hard, maybe you'll drop it?"

"Aww, Auntie Beck, he won't give me any"


Ha ha ha. Look at that face. Adorable!

The many faces of Buzz...

"What, you want me to pose? Here's my good side"

"Is this going to take long? I'm a bit bored"

"Don't mess with me, man"

I won a trophy (and gave it back)...

I think I recall telling you all that I managed to be awarded Member of the Month at my gym for March. I even got given a statue/trophy to look after at home for the duration. It's one of those cool modern-looking things that you just have to look at twice. Very cool image of the female form. Small plaque on front says "Timaru Woman Member of the Month"



It's gone back now, but it was nice to have on display for a bit.

Who would've thought that I would be awarded recognition for EFFORT and ACHIEVEMENT at a GYM for goodness sake? Not me, that's for sure!

Speaking of the gym... remember a while back I signed up to take part in a Mamma Mia Movie Night at the gym? It ended up being a marathon 2 hour effort in the cardio room, non-stop. It was awesome. Surprisingly, although very sweaty and tired, I wasn't as knackered as I thought I'd be. This Friday they are doing it again. Dirty Dancing this time. Bring. It. On. So at 5.30pm on Friday evening as you contemplate dinner and have a wee quiet drink or two, think of me, on an exercise bike/cross trainer/rowing machine/stepper/spin bike/mini tramp/all of the above, sweating my arse off (well that's the plan, stan!)

A new toy...

As hinted as a while ago, I had a bit of a problem with my camera. In fact it was a lot of a problem. For some reason it didn't like bouncing down concrete stairs about 4 times. How rude. Needless to say, after picking myself up and dusting myself off, I picked up all the pieces of camera that used to be all together, and visited the insurance company later that day. Yay for insurance. So now I have a new toy. A Canon EOS50D digital SLR camera. Really great camera. Lots of fab functions. And a manual about a mile and a half long to read. I've had a couple of goes at it and am nearly halfway through reading about what it can do, and how it does it. It looks pretty too. See...


(please excuse the nasty hair - haven't done anything with it since I showered at the gym tonight - is a-la-naturel!)

Yup, so now's when you go "Oooohhhh" and "Aaahhhhh" and other similar suitably impressed noises.

I look forward to seeing you all on the receiving end of my new camera real soon :)

Got some mojo workin...

Ok, it was a couple weeks ago now, but I did manage to get my mojo workin at the last crop day (Anzac Day, April 25th). I got there early seeing as I had already been up to go to the Dawn Parade, so my the time most peeps arrived at 9am, I was already at the sewing machine, going nuts! This is me, aged about 18 months (ish?) with Ted. Ted is still with me today - he sits on my dresser and watches over my room for me each day. I think he's just about the only toy I have left from when I was little, tbh. Cool to have.



Couple of close-ups... I finally used my Cuttlebug Design-a-Flower cut and emboss set. Got it cheap a while back at Warehouse Stationery, but hadn't quite found the right time/project to use it for. Problem solved! I cut the flower petals, then embossed them and sanded tem a bit to make the embossed effect more obvious. Flower petals make FAB dragonflies, don't ya think?

And yes, that DOES say 1975. And yes, I did have WHITE blonde hair! No comments please on the length (or lack thereof) of my dress - my Mummy made it for me :)

I also got another layout started for J's 5th birthday party. Will post that another time whenever I get it finished.

I love crop days. They rock!

Ok, no surprises here...

I was GOING to say "Guess what I'm doing?" but there's really no need to ask that question, given the photo below!  This has to be my FAVOURITE homemade hot choccy - and as an added bonus it's only 1 point on the Weight Watchers program, so you can afford to add a few mini marshies :)



I am sitting in my lazyboy in front of the fire, getting some 'puter work done. I have blog updates to work on/finish, and a few mass emails to send out to promote the Pink Ribbon Breakfast on the 23rd. SO.... more updates on the way, tonight, I promise! 

Toodles, B x

Giveaways!

Hey, just a quickie post for now to say go and see Steph to check out her fantastic blog candy giveaway - with a twist!  What a GREAT idea.  Right, I have to go get the groceries, then I'll be back later with a proper update.  Toodles, B x

Oh me too, me too!

Yup, I too want the chance to win that lovely pile of crafty goodness that Rach was talking about, so go here and check it out!  Go on, what have you got to lose?  That's right, NUTHIN!

More to post laters, for now, it's off to the spare room to get some study done.... assignment due on 30th, yikes!  

Toodles, B x

Want a gift from me?

Want a gift from me?

Rachel is being crafty and is going to share her talents and she's inviting her readers to do the same. The deal is that I am supposed to follow these rules... This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!

2. What I create will be just for you.

3. It'll be done this next month.

4. You have no clue what it's going to be. I may scrap or paint something. I may bake something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!

5. The catch? Oh, the catch is that you must re-post this on your blog and offer the same to the first 3 people who do the same on your blog.

The first 3 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me!

Ya gotta be in to win! So, who's in?

Ooohhh - someone else's blog candy!

Ok ladies, if you haven't checked this out already, you so need to....  I want to win it, yessirree!!!!!

Well, today is Saturday, hooray.  Just had my usual Sat morning sleep-in, and have lazily eaten brekkie and read the paper.  All good.  I have to whip up a 5 year old's birthday card now, then at 11am J and I are off to said 5 year old's party at McDonalds for a couple of hours.  Well there goes my peace!  I might be pre-emptive and take nurofen BEFORE I go to the party!!! Ha ha ha.

Later today we have some friends coming in to watch the V8s and have takeout for tea (just don't tell the weigh-in girls, ok?!).  And speaking of the V8s....  GO THE BLUE OVAL!!!!!!

Right, on that note, I'd best haul arse and get this card made - we still have to stop off at the red shed to get a present on the way there!  Toodles, B x

Grrrr - here's what bloody gardening will do for you....

Long story short, we had a trailer load of rocks to unload at the in-laws. D can't lift them because of his back injury, so I said I'd do it. When I say rocks, I MEAN rocks. These were those large hunks of bluestone that people landscape their garden with. Well, as I was rolling one out of the trailer, because it was too heavy for me to lift, it twisted on it's side and just lept onto my toes. And it bloody well hurt! I have split the skin on the top of my big toe, bruised the top, sides and bottom of my big toe and second toe, and have a wee bit of trouble walking at the moment - I have to sort of 'hobble'!

Split toe, and bruising on side of it...

Left foot vs Right foot.

I have UGLY feet, and usually have large gaps between each of my toes (see left foot), but they are gone for the moment on my right foot! I also have funny toes that are fat at the end and get narrow in the middle (see left foot), but at the moment, my big toe and the two toes next to it are a bit 'rotund'. Oh and they are currently throbbing.... a lot. So that's what I get for helping tidy up the garden. I just KNEW gardening could be hazardous to your health! Ha ha ha ha ha. Beware of leaping rocks. Seriously.

Toodles, B x

Paper Quilling, The Good Jacob, and Wine!

I had a lovely day yesterday. J had been naughty the day before so he was not allowed to see any TV all day. Quite a punishment for a 5 year old on holiday. It was amazing. Evil Jacob left the building, and was replaced by happy, helpful, courteous Jacob! Fabulous!

I had to go into work for a bit, and my intended half hour visit turned into a two-and-a-half hour slog. Grrrr. Luckily J was reasonably happy to stay in my office and play with his toys. I say reasonably. After that we visited Grandad Jim at work, called past The Lolly Jar to get some icing flower decorations for future cupcakes, then headed home for lunch.

After lunch I decided it was as good a day as any to call on my friend Heather armed with a bottle of wine. We'd talked about doing it often enough, so why not I thought?! Before we could go to her place, J wanted to make her a card first. I had only just shown him what a quilling tool was ("What's vis fing for Mum?"), and he decided to make a quilled flower card for Heath all on his own. Honest, all I did was glue them onto the card for him... he did all the quilling himself. Check it out:

I think he did a pretty fab job, esp for a first attempt. Anyhoo, armed with a bottle of bubbles, I headed round to Heath's, and we had a lovely afternoon! Not a bad idea, this drinking thing! Ha ha ha. God, I must sound like an alcoholic, but I'm not, I promise! Honest.

Toodles, B x