I've been pottering about my house prettizing and fluffing. I need to work on purging my wardrobe but that is a complete blog post on it's own.
I've always needed to create. It started out with pencils and crayons then as I grew it manifested itself digitally into design. Then I started to create children. It was that small thing (or rather big things) that got me onto decorating. I LOVE to decorate. I decorated bedrooms into nurseries, offices into bedrooms, loungerooms into offices, etc. We moved into a brand new home, lived there for 8 years and I think I repainted every wall at least 5 times. Pretty soon I figured I would have to find a new creative outlet because it was costing too much money and toddlers don't do well with paint drips through their hair. So I designed and landscaped the outside of the house. I ripped up what was there including all of the gardens and the grass and started from scratch. Even had to strap harnesses and a dog run on my twin toddlers so I could dig up the front gardens. The neighbours thought I was "mean", "cracked" and "very resourceful"!!! Haaaah! Oh well, the bubs were safe and happy with their 6m radius of play space, I was achieving what I set out to do and the gardens looked great! Even designed and requested the husband put in a swimming pool (seeing as that is what he does) and voila!!! Lovely home, inside and out. Then I wondered what to do next. Ho hum...
I know!!!! SELL the house!!! So we did. We moved onto acreage and a house that needed a facelift. Wheeeeee!!!! So get a facelift it did! We knocked down walls and put in a big kitchen and transformed a labyrinth of rooms into a lovely big living area where the family could gather without sitting on each other's knees. It was lovely. For a while. Pretty soon my fingers were tapping looking for something to do. That was when scrapbooking came in. That kept me out of trouble for a while although I have spent literally thousands of dollars creating an enviable stash with all the trimmings. It was also at this time I developed a love for photography. People photography. I'm still riding the photography wave and enjoying every moment of it!
But it has been 5 years since I did any sort of decorating and the bug is biting me big time. SOooooo... Enter Christmas holidays and a wall that had 3 mirrors... I know I have 'before' shots but I will need to look for them...
The centre frame is one of 3 vintage frames that I bought online and my lovely friend, Kristi was kind enough to send them on to me. LOVE these frames. The stitched piece in the middle was stitched by yours truly yesterday.
The frame below is part of the set of 3. I {heart} them!!!
I'm an eclectic collector of various pieces. I've learnt to obey my impulses. I know if I jump out of my skin at something, it's supposed to be mine. And that is exactly how I defend myself. I jumped at 5 out of 6 of these items. The one I didn't jump at was the tin - it came courtesy of my sister filled with cashews on Christmas day. She'd better not want it back.
I'm going to resume sanding and painting furniture in the next couple of days.... watch this space...
Well, today being the last day of 2010 has caused a lot of reflection. On Facebook some are glad to see the end of 2010 and are looking forward to seeing what the new year will bring. For me, 2010 brought about choices and changes and the realisation that I am a happier, more balanced person because of these changes. I'm looking forward to 2011 and building my photography business, meeting new people and enjoying change.
Scrapbooking will once again be something I can enjoy without product or publishing restraints and if it's in my more than ample stash I can and will use it!
Here is this month's layout for the December classes Scrapbooks etc. I love this photo of 3/4 of my kids. The missing 1/4 is hard to pin down these days...
December also marks the end of the dancing year for Girlfriend. She excelled in her RAD exams for classical ballet and her CSTD Jazz and Tap exams. Beverley Parker Academy of Dance 2010 Concert was such a sight to behold! The talent, choreography, costumes and of course Girlfriend's dancing skillz were awesome. Here are a couple of snaps from the show...
(2nd from right)
(far left)
(2nd from left)
I can't wait for BPAD Concert 2011!
I also have a shoot to post that I did back in October. But that is for next time!
This is the layout I had forgotten to photograph last month... so shoot me...
And THIS is the sneak peek for this month's class at Scrapbooks etc. It is also the one that I haven't forgotten to photograph!
Does anyone even look at this blog anymore???
Anyway, that's all for now. Must go. Lots to do... mwahahahaha.....
Well Christmas has crept up on me once again and once again I find myself unprepared for the onslaught of gift-giving, food preparation, social gatherings and of course having the kids home with me.
They're all getting older and that much more independent now. I can't help but look at them and get all warm and fuzzy. Their school reports were awesome and I feel so proud of them all.
So here is the second last shoot I can post before the silly season gets even sillier! Please meet the ever-so-gorgeous Waite Family! In a word - Fabulous! all the way down to their cotton socks!!!
This one is my favourite. It looks so pretty in the large acrylic I had printed. She is such a gorgeous little cutie! This was even a photo that was the photo between the photos. Get my drift? Look at that tongue... {heart} so cute! I could just eat her up!
I love them. I've known Bev and Randell for a few years now and although I've photographed each and every one of their small family individually and in pairs for the last few years, I have never photographed them all as a family. So when Randell approached me wanting a Christmas pressie for his darling, I was quick to oblige!
They are a gorgeous couple and so are their kids. SOooooo photogenic. All of them. Here are a small sample of them...
I've got a heap of layouts to post. OK. Not really. It's a small backlog. Actually it is really small. Ok, there are approximately... 3 layouts to share. OK. Forget I said anything. Here they are... These first two were for Aussie Scrap Source and were blogged back in October with the emphasis on clusters. Yes. Age old concept but so am I. I can't do a layout without at least a small, ok, a LOT of clusters. It's me.
Girlfriend is such an obliging model. I love to photograph her! Go figure... Big brown eyes, saucy demeanour, great hair...
This layout was done for my Scrapbooks etc November class.
Actually... I never photographed it. Watch this space...
No. Not really. I'm just a bit busy. Photography, workshops, family, housework, dance concerts and social gatherings. I'm still making time to socialise with the peeps so it's not all hard out.
My Mum and I paid a visit to my darling rellies last weekend. Uncle Charlie is Mum's first cousin. Their fathers were brothers. Or bros. It's not common knowledge to some of you out there but I have Maori blood running through my veins. A whole lot more of it than necessary in my bum, legs and feet... Oh! and occasionally those around me are reminded that my ancestors used to eat pakeha folk just like them and shrink their heads for fun. Husband knows this well. So do the in-laws. Haaaaaah!
Here's my lovely whanau. Uncle plays a very mean guitar and Aunty Miri has the voice. Together they make very sweet music. I could listen to their duet all day.
Ka aroha ahau ki tōku whānau mō ake tonu atu. XXXX
I hope that made sense... From left to right: Uncle Charlie, Cousin Iris, Aunty Miri and Cousin Rita.
I had a couple of shoots last weekend. Both of them very different but at the same location. I can only show sneaks from one of them though...
Susan, Greg and family...
Well folks, I just have to keep on moving so I can check a few more things off my to do list. Pip pip!!!
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