I'm Back ... I Hope....

Yoo Hoo!  Anyone there???  Yes its me!  I am back!  Firstly I must apologise on the lengthy absence.  I have had alot going on in the past 5 months.  As most of you would know my mum passed away suddenly at the age of 55!  Unfortunately she was suffering from anxiety and depression, and has struggled with both most of her life.  Life here on earth for her was way too hard, she just couldn't find her happy place.  On the 15th December 2009, she took her own life, and now I hope she has finally found her happy place.

My Beautiful mum and her beloved dog "Leroy".  Together forever!

As an only child, and very very close with my mum, it certainly rattled my chains.  Alot of inner questions were and are still being asked from myself!  How did I miss this, why didn't she call me, how could I have helped.  It was such a hard day in itself, with Dad having a heart stress test which ended in him having some sort of heart / brain side affect, which landed him in hospital.  Desperate to find mum all day, with no luck.  Here I was thinking I was going to lose my dad that day and stayed by his bedside all day, and good ole life played the worst trick possible and took my mum.

Mum & I - Our last mothers day together - High Tea at Bacchus - 2009.

It is now 5 months on, I am still struggling with the reality that I do not have my mum, my best friend, in my life any more.  Some days are copeable, some days I just want to stay in bed all day and hide, and cry and just lose it, but I don't and I can't.  So I just soldier on.  In saying that, the loss of my mum so suddenly, the fact that she took her life, and knowing that I have to live the rest of my life without my mum, her help, her support, her love, the joy my boys brought to her life, knowing that I have lost my best friend is the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with in my whole life.

           Travis & Nanny                                                                                        Cooper & Nanny

BUT, she would not want for me to put my life on hold like I have.  I felt that I needed to take time out, to make sure my dad got through this OK, to make sure my children were loved, safe, to look after my family, and most of all to take time out to heal, to get through the emotions privately.  If all that makes sense. 

So today was the first day that I actually put back on my creative hat!  Time to get back to the land of reality and the living.  So back to teaching Scrapbooking.  I  need to get back to my happy place.  As of the 29th June 2010, I will be back teaching what I loved best!  Scrapbooking!!  I am teaching back at Medowie with Creative Craft Shack!  The girls there are just beautiful and can't wait to catch up with them again!  Classes will run for 10 weeks, at $20 per class and a deposit of $40 to secure your place.  I will also be making up kits to go with the tutorials if you are interested to try and make life easier for those who don't have the time to get supplies, or are new to the addiction and not sure on how to co-ordinate everything together.  I will be teaching Tuesday evenings from 6.30pm to 8.30pm and Fridays from 10am to 12pm.  I have a few class tutorials all ready to go.  Please let me know if you are interested.  Would love to see you there.

So here we are, 5 months on, and I haven't picked up a single scrap supply until this morning.  I think the excitement of going back to teaching has brough back my enthusiasm and creativity!  So excited.  This morning I pulled out my papers, some pictures, started fiddling around and before you know it I have started and finished my first layout in 5 months.  I am so proud of myself as I am sure my mum is too that my creative hat it back on!

POPPY LOVE

Thanks to all my wonderful friends and family who have held me up, shown me the greatest love and support I have ever known.  I am truly blessed to have the most wonderful family, husband and little boys who provide me with endless comfort, & unconditional love.

So now the next chapter of my life begins....  Hope you join me on my journey!

Love Always

Lisa xx

Scraptime.....

I have been scrapping up a storm lately!  Creating layouts for up coming classes, a calendar for the end of the year to teach along with a Journal Jar, a Journal and a card for Travis's teacher.  Thought I would share with you what I have created..

Here is a layout I created about my Scrapping Studio using Kaisercrafts Distracted Papers. Scrapping really is my sanity, my outlet, my therapy, and of course what a great subject to scrap!

This is Trav's teachers Journal Jar, Journal and Card for end of year present.  The Journal Jar is all about being a teacher, alot of questions about her journey on how she became a teacher, why she became a teacher, where she has taught, fav things about teaching, etc...

This is my next years calendar using kaisers Lilac Avenue.  I am actually teaching this as my last class for the year on the 22nd december 2009.  If you want to create it too, make sure you book your seat ASAP, only limited seats and seats are booking fast.  Only 5 seats left.

Well thats it on the scrapping front.  Am also in the middle of completing Journal Jars for the girls at the scrap shop.  These Journal Jars are questions all about themselves.  At the end they will have a journal about the journey of their life.  A fantastic keepsake for their children / grandchildren to read in years to come about the person they are...  Will keep you posted with pics as I finish them.

Hope you have a truly fantastic day!  I will chat to you all soon
Love Lisxx

Tonights class is....

The Kaisercraft Pack your bags double layout that we were going to do last week. 

Also had a great night last night with the girls from the Salon with our monthly Scrapnight with Kaszazz.  So nice to get together outside of work, and Nyree and I were naughty on the way home and called into Macka's for a Hot Caramel and Hot Fudge Sundae!  LOL!  We even took the scenic route home and checked out some of the Chrissy lights on the way home!  Was really nice!  Such a fun time of year, as well as hectic!  LOL!

Looking forward to my class tonight, today I am staying at home, finish wrapping the Chrissy pressies, and working on a 2010 calendar to teach before the end of the year.  Yeh!!!

Just think Only 17 days until Chrissy!  Time is flying by!!!

Love Ya's
Lisxx

A Break Away.....

Grant decided during the week that we needed to get away for a weekend before all the madness started for Christmas. Now anyone who knows me knows that I am not a huge fan of camping but hey I went and guess what I really enjoyed it.

Thursday arvo after work I went shopping and grabbed everything we needed, spend Thursday night packing all our clothes and getting organised. Grant and I both had Friday off work and we let the kids have a day off school! They were both so excited. Charged their DS Nintendo's up and Friday morning we packed the car and headed off at 9.30am. We drove for 3.5 hours to Chaffey Dam near Nundle (Tamworth area).

Trav playing DS on our Road Trip

I really must say I was quite surprised at how dry and brown everything is once you pass Singleton. Truly heartbreaking. And its only November, whats it going to be like come January / February??? Going to be a bad year for fires I would think.

Once we got to Chaffey Dam, we set up camp and Grant got straight into fishing and we all settled in, only to be hit with not one but three thunderstorms, within about 1 hour of each other. Well the tent did not like the wind and Grant and I ended up holding up each side while the storms went through! LOL!

Chaffey Dam & some Fishing

I must also say, what is it with boys and rocks. As soon as we got settled and Grant set up his fishing, the next thing we know, the boys are at the waterside, picking up rocks and throwing them into the water. LOL! Cooper was entertained for hours doing this, it was great! He got so much enjoyment with throwing rocks in to the water. LOL!

Coop and rocks and our storms Grant managed to catch the heaviest fish - an 8kg Carp on 4kg Line, and it wasn't until that night we realised that he had a world record and we didn't save it. Bugger it, Grant was truly devastated! Looks like we will be chasing world records next year! LOL!

Other than the fishing, and the relaxing, kicking back, I read some of my book - Paulina Simons new book. The second day we moved camp, due to the wind and found a more sheltered spot which was much more secure. I think come the new year it will be time to look for a camping trailer, that you just pull out and away you go. None of this setting up tents, trying to hold them up in huge winds! Actually looking forward to the next trip! Though in saying that, I think March would be good. Not too hot!

Relaxing and Kicking Back

Late Sunday arvo we got home, unpacked and crashed! Mum and Dad came round to catch up on our adventures and Coop decided he wanted a sleep over with Nan and Pop! WOW, so excited, can't remember the last time nan and pop had one of the boys over night. Well that was my weekend all wrapped up! Back to the daily grind in the morning.

Did you get up to anything exciting over the weekend????

Chat soon
Love Lisxx

Christmas Carols

Travis's school put on a Christmas Carols. Each class had their own carols to get up on stage to sing and dance to. It was so cute to watch and such a great way to spend a night with the kids doing something Christmasy!

The school did such a wonderful job, there were sausage sizzles, cold drinks, lollies, glow sticks, flashing candles, raffles, a stage for the kids to get up and sing their songs complete with lights. This is one of the best shows Woodberry School has put on.

I was so proud of Trav up there on stage, singing and dancing, enjoying himself and having a wonderful time. He had stage fright to start with and really didn't want to go up, that old lack of confidence kicked in, but by the time he got up there, he ended up in the front row, dancing, singing and having a ball! It was so cute and I was so proud....

Can't wait for next years, was talking to Jo who was the mastermind behind the whole concert, and a bloody great job she did too, and next year they are going to add fireworks at the end of the night! WOW! This kids will go crazy!

Just love this time of year!

Lisxx

Unfortunately.....

Tonights class is cancelled. Please make sure that you remember to book in to avoid any disappointment on both your end and mine!

Had a lovely catch up today with Sandy! Really enjoy our get togethers. I am so lucky to have found such a loyal and great friend through the world of scrapbooking. And extra bonus she only lives 10 minutes away! Could come and visit with you every day Sandy! Its about time you had a cry on my shoulder instead of the other way round! Bout time I could return the favour! Love you!

I was a sucker today as well and let Trav have the first day of the month off. The boys have been hanging out to put the tree up, so we all did it today! Have a traditional tree this year. Last year was Blue and Silver, the year before Green & Gold, this year it is Red, Green and Gold. Love the traditional look! Even managed to put a few pressies under. Such a nice time of year bonding with the kids putting the tree up! We had so much fun!

Our Tree - 2009

Well tea is done and dusted, think I might settled back with a few Christmas recipe books and find some nice recipes for Christmas lunch. Going to have Christmas lunch with my parents and Aunty at my place this year instead of going to theirs. Give mum a break this year. Then go to Grants family for dinner! Though in saying that, haven't heard of their plans yet! Busy Busy!
Then our traditional BBQ on Boxing day for Coops Birthday! The big 4!!!

Have a nice night, I am going to enjoy the break, kick back, relax and go through some recipes. Glad I had dinner first. LOL!

Lisxx

Tonights class is

a double layout on a favourite holiday you have been on! We are using Kaisers Pack Your Bags Paper.

Why does FB keep putting my pics on the side??????

You will need:
* 2 x cardstocks
* Pack Your Bags Kaisercraft Collection
* Pack Your Bags Diecuts
* 4 x 4x6" Portrait Pics
* 2 x 4x6" Landscape Pics
* A Title for your layout
* Your trimmer, adhesive, scissors, etc

I will bring my circle punches and 3D foam if you do not have any!

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BOOKED IN! Or email me and I will book you in!
Creative Craft Shack - Leanne - 49817484.

Can't wait to create with you! Just loving these classes, the girls are fantastic!

See you tonight
Lisxx