did i do that?

Checking things off...

It seems that my life is a constant list of stuff that needs to be checked off.  For example, before I leave home I need to do a checklist and leave stuff by the back door and then plan according to level of importance, which route to take and while I'm out, I take out that list and shop, post, fill, feed, run, collect, purchase and last but not least, check it off the list.  That is on one of my organised days.  On any other day, I make 1/2 dozen trips out our driveway.  n case you didn't know, we live on acreage.  Our driveway is 80m long and we are a good 15 mins from civilisation i.e. council footpaths so if I leave the house, it's in my best interests to make it worthwhile.

This photo was taken at the yearly Scrapbooks etc staff Christmas crop.  Lots of laughs, food and great company not to forget talented bunch of ladies.

I even completed a couple of layouts!!!! AND scrapped for myself for the first time in... I think it's been a year.  Woot Woot!!!

Here it is.  Simple.  Not a lot of texture but I always enjoy working with Graphic 45.  It felt so good to get into my stash again, without product constraints and actually use it!  

I also completed January's Dimensional Pop class layout.  Look out girls, we're using my favourite paper line ever - Graphic 45.  It's a Christmas layout.  

Here's a couple of snippets:

The materials list is as follows:

• 3 x 3"x4" photos with a white border 
• Foam dots and/or tape
• Midnight and Jumbo Java chalk inks
• Edge distresser
• Free style paper cutter (Fiskars).  Handy but not compulsory.  We will be paper cutting and using one of these will take a fraction of the time that scissors will.
• Small alpha stickers and chipboard alphas for the title. 

Fun, fun, fun.

My January classes are:

• Monday 4th January 10am-12noon
• Thursday 7th January 6.30pm-8.30pm 
• Friday 22nd January 10am-12noon

On the photography front, here are a few randoms.  I've been having LOTS of fun!

So C.U.T.E!!!!  What a crack up this was.  Laughter is so contagious!

And these two... haaaah!  My bestie, Sherryn and her hubby, Veijo.  They went on to arm wrestle after this photo.  Sherryn won.  Haaaah! Good times...  Lots of lovely photos from this session.  I just LOVE that afternoon sun.  

And this gorgeous little Alexia.  She started out pretty shy but towards the end of the shoot she was jumping in on every shot!  =D

More to come... watch this space.

Well, it's about time...

that I updated you all on what I've been up to.  Photography, editing, kids, scrapbooking, Christmas shopping and housework.  In a nutshell.

My whole photography journey to date has been a huge learning curve and I am learning more and more every time I take my camera out and during post-processing.  I will post photos from the latest sessions soon.  I just need to get the last few sessions in and out again before Christmas.  Watch this space.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have whispered about My Lens and Me along the grapevine as well as Scrapbooks etc who have willingly promoted me and for all of the clients you have sent my way.  It's a whole lot of fun and thank you!!!!

Below are a few Christmas projects that featured in my article in Scrapbooking Memories this month. These  off-the-page gift ideas are well worth the effort and very easy to do.

 

I also had a couple of layouts and a card for the Masters challenge in this issue as well.  This first one was posted on here a while back.  

Girlfriend passed her RAD exam with Honours and achieved the "Most Improved" trophy for her dance school.  She scored a whopping 12% more than she did last year!!!!  So beautiful... sigh... I love classical ballet.

This was last month's Dimensional Pop at Scrapbooks etc.  Relatively quick and simple compared to what we have done in the past and what we will do for January!!!! **Insert evil laughter**

Going back to a couple of issues ago for Scrapbooking Memories - the Pink issue to be exact, I donated this wall hanging to a hospital.  I'm hoping this went to an oncology ward and that it will hopefully help lift someone's spirits at a time when they most need it.

Last week also had a very low point.  One of our pets - the 'Elle' part of the duo "Elle and Capone" sadly lost her life.  After a long bout with liver issues and then bladder issues, over the period of a day her state of health declined and around 11.30pm she left us for greener pastures.  She was only 5 years old.  So sad... 

These photos were taken in August when she was still full of energy.  Girlfriend used to do this often.  Just sit on the grass and the dogs would just lap up the love.  I remember thinking at the time I took these that I would be glad that I did.  And I am.  RIP our puppy.

December Dimensional Pop at Scrapbooks etc

I've been WAY late in coming up with this layout and the requirements for it, so please accept my humblest apologies!  

The sneaks... 

Haggith!!! If you're looking in, you're the star this month!

The layout consists of stamping, distressing, paper punching and, as always, inking.  If you have your own punches and would like to save time, please feel free to bring the following punches along with you:

• 2" EK Success scallop circle punch
• Fiskars scallop border punch with the hole (these things really should display a number)
• Fiskars half-a-daisy-looking border punch thingymajig.... = {
• Large EK Success corner rounder (purple one)

Please bring with you:

• 1 x 4"x6" B&W photo.  I have used a border. 
• Jumbo Java 
• Crop-A-Dile
• Edge Distressing Tool
• Black Pen 
• Small alpha stickers  
• Large alpha stickers or chipboard

and SASS baby!!

Diana, please don't feel obligated to travel out of your way to go get me a Chai Latte from Zarraffas.  If you are passing by the store and feel the urge to suck up to the teacher, by all means succumb to the urge because I wouldn't want you to blow a guilt gasket!  And besides, one can never do too much sucking up.  =D  And I'll forgive you for breaking my tools.  It's OK.  I love you. =D

ATTENTION!!!! ATTENTION!!!!ATTENTION!!!! ATTENTION!!!!ATTENTION!!!! 

FOR SALE

• Canon BG-E2N Battery Grip for Canon EOS 50D, 40D, 30D and 20D 
• Lithium Ion Rechargeable Battery for Canon EOS 50D, 40D, 30D and 20D
• Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Lens  This is a fabulous portrait lens!! SOLD 

(click to enlarge)

 

 

(click to enlarge)

Taken in the days when Project 365 seemed like a good idea...  

If you're interested, please email me for details.  

See you at Scrapbooks etc!!!

Been playing

I just HAD to have a play.  I couldn't wait for the next shoot.  These pics are all cropped. And then cropped and then cropped again.  Sigh... I love a good tool.

The girls had fun with the dandelion seeds... as you do...

So here we were out the back and the girls decided to slide down a ramp (it's a motorbike thing) and I helped them out by stopping the contraption that they were sliding down on with my right foot.  This fateful little exercise saw to it that the toe nail on my right foot was completely popped in the process. 

Frick. It got colourful. In my head. I had stars and birds in a holding pattern for a good couple of minutes. The girls were most concerned. Probably because I wasn't focusing and my pupils were like pin pricks. NNNNNGggggnnnn!!!!  

I'll have a sneak peek to post here in a couple.  

Nother quick one...

I've been so productive lately!!! On a high and everything is bright and sunny and... and... stinking hot! BUT I have all of my accounting up to date and stuff lined up ready for clients and I've even had time to hang out on Facebook!

Here are a few more photos from last weekend's effort.  The sun was high and hot and we were there for girlfriend's audition so what was a girl with a camera to do but snap away!  I played with a couple of actions/presets.  

How boring am I?  I think I will be purely domesticated tomorrow!  Crank up the air con, make my house spotless, do some grocery shopping and be the super mother/domestic Goddess my husband and kids fantasise about.  After all, I've been out and about and neglecting them for my camera, clients and post-processing of late.  It's the least I could do!!!!  

Thou shalt not look at Facebook!!   Who am I kidding... 

Just a quick update...

before life gets away on me again.  There's Christmas shopping to get through before the end of next week because #2 son finishes school NEXT FRIDAY!!!! EEEEEeeekkkkk!!! Where has this year gone???

 

I caught up with Haggith from the Netherlands earlier this week!  It is always exciting and nerve wracking and weird all at once when you finally meet someone you've exchanged online conversations with for a couple of years.   It was a short couple of hours but we talked, walked, shopped and lunched before we said our goodbyes.  It was kind of weird to end the goodbyes with a non-promise of catching up again.  We live on opposite sides of the globe!  The odds of meeting again are pretty dang slim...  

Anyway!  I loved catching up with you, Haggith!!!! 

Incidentally,  'Haggith' is NOT pronounced as it is spelt!!!! It has some weird dutch tongue action going on.  Even when Haggith said "van Barrelo" I kind of recognised the consonants but the rest of it was like 'Woh, Baby!!" I couldn't even repeat it.  Not that I didn't want to repeat it.  I just couldn't get my tongue around it.

   

 


I like the black and white ones...  Isn't she lovely?!?!?!?  

And this reminds me of a post that Kendra did a couple of years ago about finding something out there with your name on it.  I think she found some ribbon or a spool of yarn or some such thing that had her name on it.  Well, this is my claim to fame!!! How many songs/streets/famous people share my name?  

I wonder if I can get Brad to take guitar lessons...  After all a surprise serenade has its perks... 

Now... Is anyone on here checking for the latest materials requirements for my Dimensional Pop Class at Scrapbooks etc???

Here is this months...

• 1 x 5x7" B&W portrait photo.  Girly.
• Chipboard letters for the title
• Foam dots
• Dimensional Magic
• Distressing tool
• Gingerbread ink

and here's a sneak peek...

On the photography front, I've had 3 commercial shoots this week.   That wasn't something I considered doing when I began this thing so being approached in this capacity kind of gave me an awesome surprise!

Last weekend girlfriend attended a classical ballet production audition so I took advantage of the nearby locations to get some practice shots in.  It was a good family day out and it was hot!  

It's weird.  I hear Janine Kaye in my ear whenever the camera goes around my neck.  You know when you're crossing the street and you can hear your mother telling you to look right first, then left, then right again well, I could hear Janine Kaye (photographer extraordinaire) talking to me about frames.  I took lots of pics but I am in a distinctly B&W mood at the moment!

 

So there you have it for another week or so.   Have a great weekend!!!

It's always the little things...

that get in the way.  I have mountains of them.  Just thought I'd tell you that. 

Last week I took my camera out to see if I could take a photo or two of something... Hone the skills so to speak.  Anyway,  #2 son has a habit of playing football in his school uniform.  Because he has the 'homeboy' thing going on where his school shorts are hanging on for grim death around the widest extremities of his nethers and the crotch is flapping around between his knees he can't kick the ball or run with legs outstretched without stressing the inner seam of his pants.   So he rips his pants.  No. Not split.  Ripped beyond repair.  3 out of  3 $50 regulation school uniform shorts are cactus.  Turd burger.  3 more weeks left of school and he decides to tamper with my good nature.  Do you think if I bought him white Y fronts and made him wear the ripped ones he would learn a lesson? 

Why did I tell you that?  I have no idea.  It was on my mind.  That sort of stuff happens a lot these days.  It's like "OMG!  Who said that?" and it was me.  I know it was me because I was there when I said it.  

Now... where was I??? Ok, when I had my camera out I looked around for fresh meat. Hur hur... my kids do the old eye roll now and they look way sultry and sour when I take their pic so now I've moved on to people who actually give a toss how they photograph!  

Corinne.  Beautiful, sweet, blonde pure cuteness did not give a toss.

After a couple of these non-tossy shots this was the one where she was more interested.  The rest of them she's hugging Aunty Karleigh.  Soon however, Aunty Karleigh started to rock the camera.  The rest is history.

I do believe Aunty Karleigh and my camera have a future date.  Stunning.  The camera loves her.  I love her.  I love you, Karleigh.  There. I said it. In a purely professional, photographiticationalative kind of way.  

Can't work out which one I like the most...

So photogenic.

On the scrapping front for this month's Dimensional Pop at Scrapbooks etc. we will be scrapping a black and white 5"x7" portrait photo with a feminine touch.  I haven't done the layout yet.  I've been slightly distracted... 

I have an announcement to make...

I've been off tending to my new and exciting adventure...

 

True to form, I go off on creative tangents every now and then which is the reason scrapbooking has been a big part of my life for the last three years.   Whilst I am still scrapbooking and teaching, the main thing that is keeping me out of trouble has become photography.  

After doing a few family portrait shoots for friends, and at the insistence of my own family and friends, I decided to take the plunge and do a Nike!!

It is taking off!  So thank you to all who've encouraged me and had faith in me because doubting myself is the only thing that has held me back in anything I do.

Have a peek at the website  here.  There are forms on there that you can use that will go directly to my email if you are interested in booking a session.

I'm still learning and fudging my way along and post-processing is becoming a way of life.  I just know I'm going to look back on my earlier efforts and cringe.  Oh well... for the moment my clients are happy and that is the main thing.  Nothing wrong can come from striving to be better at whatever I do.

 Here are a few pics from a recent shoot...  Gorgeous family...

 

On the scrapbooking front, here is the layout we did last month for Dimensional Pop at Scrapbooks etc.

Now with all of that business out of the way, does anyone even visit my blog any more since I've been sorely neglecting it?

Does it mean that I can undo my top button and chillax for a bit?

Ok, just testing...

Just having a fiddle with some digi stuff. 

Pretty cool huh... Ok, over it.   Moving on...

Boy, oh boy...

I've been taking a few pics... and every time I do, I learn something new.  I am having a blast!!! I am getting bookings, bookings and more bookings.  Word of mouth and exposure is a powerful thing and now there is something brewing in the wings...  Watch this space!!!

I took photos of this wonderful family a couple of weeks back.  I love how they played the game and they were up for anything.  Great location too...

 

Lots and lots of pics... Here are some of the kids.

 


Mum and the girls...

I love the sunlight at this time of the day...  Thanks for being PERFECT subjects, Sharon and Family!!!

Anyway, Girlfriend and I went to see the Imperial Russian Ballet perform Swan Lake.  Breathtaking.  Beautiful.  We hung out at West End, South Bank and the Wheel of Brisbane.  Went on the hunt for locations and took a few pics.  Here are some of them...

Ooopppssss!!! Sorry folks!!! I snapped an unsuspecting but very cute nip...

We stopped for lunch in West End.  I love this girl!

I had to take this...
 
 

 

There are a few more on Facebook...

Anyway, I've been playing around and experimenting with a few actions... My cup of tea isn't exactly everybody's cup of tea so let me know which effects  you like best..

Or...  Same texture, different action...

Or... (He thinks either of these is the Shizz...) Haaah! Lesson #213 of "How to Get Your Teenagers to Think You are Cool"

Or... the grunged up, textured one...

Well???? 

Anyway, if you are in the Brisbane region and would like some family pics, kids, teenagers, pets, etc. Please contact me on the above email to arrange something.  BTW... I have just acquired a very cool prop that I am just itching to use!!! 

And for those of you who think I have given up the ghost in the scrapbooking arena, here is a sneak peak into this month's Dimensional Pop at Scrapbooks etc.  If you are attending any one of this month's THREE classes, your materials list and photo details are on the sidebar on the right.

I have many, many more shares to show you but I will call it here for now.  I have a holiday dance workshop to get Girlfriend to.

Au Revoir!!! Pipp Pip and toodles.  See ya Ron. Ciao. Haera Ra and Boi!