Lyn's thoughts..........

Season opens today Nov 7th & Brian checks in from QLD

The Blue Lotus Watergarden Season opens today to the public! Gates open 10:30am -5pm

Best time to visit to see ALL the Waterplants out in bloom including the Lotus is January/Feb

Hope to see some of you there this season!

I took these pics last weekend late afternoon.......so I got lots of shadows.......LOL!

If you missed my earlier post of some sneak peeks at the Nursery Items have a look here make sure you have your sound turned on........

Just received some pics from Brian and Jess in Queensland.......looks like you guys are having a great time when you aren't working...... having hired this moke....I can just see you driving this Brian.....laid back and easy going....driving along the coast.....no cares in the world.......Oh what it is to be young and carefree.....LOL! Wait until Dad sees this fish you caught....he'll be so jealous.....LOL!

Precious moments in time~this is one of them

Not the best pics of Brendan feeding Samuel Lee two days ago......but it was a great moment to see......Brendan really is a great Dad...mind you the sport was on the TV....LOL!

Can you tell.......he,he. Look at how fixed Samuel is on his Dad.....he is now smiling and focusing on things....it's just magical to see.....in such a short space of time.....he is 6 weeks now.......hasn't the time gone quickly!

....and this is what I've been up today this afternoon......I have mess all over the kitchen bench....but it sure is fun......creating this decoupage dog for my Step Mum Lorraine for Christmas........sh.....sh.....hope she likes it!

Isn't the tissue paper pretty....? Brought this in Brisbane at the Craft and Quilt Fair.

I also brought another reindeer for at home....to go with one I made about 2 years ago...so then I shall have a pair of reindeer to sit in our family room.....better get a move on as I like to start decorating the house for Christmas on December 1st.

Some pics from Brisbane

I thought I'd share some of the many pics I took this past week whilst up in Brisbane.....we loved this city....so easy to walk everywhere....and we were amazed at the HUGE BUSWAYS they have up there.....so different to Melbourne.

Everyone just uses the bus....or they walk......many crossing the Brisbane River to work each day.....we walked from Wickhams Terrace each day to the Exhibition Centre which was on the other side of the river.....so we had a couple of kms to walk each morning and night.....but it was such an interesting walk....we loved it....passing many pretty flower gardens,city shops and of course the Brisbane River.....over looking Southbank on one side and the Treasury Casino on the other.      This building was amazing inside....so much character and charm about it!

ok...here are a few pics......most taken at night....

Rod and I went on this EYE in the SKY WHEEL at SOUTHBANK on the Friday evening.....but I took this pic from the boat on the Sat night.....below is the Storey Bridge which is lit up each night.......it is just beautiful at night...and the Paddle Steamer was just passing as I took this pic......

We saw so many Jacaranda trees out in bloom....including this one at Southbank...near the BIG WHEEL......and they have these "GO CARDS" in BRISBANE....that allow you to travel on the River Boats,train and buses ....a bit like the MET CARD here in Victoria......

....and it pays to look up when in a shopping centre in Brisbane......look what I found......

Catch up

WOW....home again now after a lovely week in Brisbane! SO I'm playing catch up now and trying to unpack,water hanging baskets,pick some of our roses that have bloomed in our absence.......catch up on emails...and return phone calls......you know the usual.......LOL!

Chooks are still laying ....which is great.....they sometimes go awol when we go away...but this time they have continued to lay....think Michael must have been letting them out each day....which is what we like to do with them....when we are around home.....they love the freedom to roam around the back paddock and our back lawn.......giving them lots of green feed.....and lots of opportunity to find some grubs.....etc......

Back tomorrow with some more pics I took in Brisbane...some at the Craft and Quilt Fair...and some of the sights of Brisbane.....such a pretty city....and a walkable city.......we walked everywhere.....loved it!

Out and About in Brisbane

We have been having a lovely time up here in Brisbane and I've been taking many ,many pics on our daily walks to and from the hotel where we are staying........check out the Museum at night.......so darn pretty! In the next pic I just changed the setting to see what effect I would get......

I just love walking past the Museum each day.......ok better be off......Trea,Rod and I are meeting Angela O'Neale and her hubby for dinner at the Treasury Casino tonight. Looking forward to working at the Craft and Quilt Fair tomorrow with the TEAM! I overcame my fear of hights to go on this..... the EYE in the SKY at SOUTHBANK.....OMG....What a fabulous view you get overlooking Brisbane!   We loved it!!

Lyn

What a cutie pie and RAK winner announced

I got the chance to take some more pics of Samuel Lee yesterday at Sally's 30th...... Check out those cute eyes....

Got to have some more Nana cuddles......gotta' love that!

AND finally....my first LAYOUT share of SAMUEL LEE.......this was completed yesterday...he was less than 24 hours old here.....

....would you believe that my grand child Samuel Lee is 4 weeks old today.......the time has gone so quickly and I haven't had the time to scrap any pics of him even though I have taken heaps of pics....but the main thing is I am taking pics when i can and loading them into Samuel's own folder(and a DVD) so that I can scrap them when I feel like it. No need to stess out....I find "scrapbooking" very relaxing and I love to do it when I want to relax....often scrapping when I'm really busy...just to have some relaxation and fun! "Scrap therapy"...is so much cheaper than other therapy........LOL!

So here is the first layout share......I thought it might be nice to use Debbie's October Challenge to inspire me to create! (Click on the layout for an enlarged view)

I thought I'd push myself to do something I haven't done for ages......and that is to make my tools work for me to complete this layout....and not worry so much about using "embellishments".....which is what I always use to do when i first started scrapbooking.

I also printed off a large pic to scrap....I usually scrap 6" x 4" pics....and tend to scrap a lot of Mini Albums now.....not so many 12 x 12 layouts.

I  wanted to  try some " Fiskars embossing" tools (Scrapboss and Texture Plates)and just try and create a soft lovely baby layout for Samuel Lee's first layout!

The journaling is "hidden" something I don't normally do.....I usally love hand writing on my layouts....so for me to "hide " this was pushing myself not to dooodle on the layout.....LOL!

I loved getting my Filigree texture plate and embossing on the back of the background cardstock....by measuring around the border and making a pencil line on the back..that way it acted as a guide for the embossing....make sense? This is where the Fiskars Texture Plates have it over the "Cuttlebug"....whilst I love my Cuttlebug....especially for Cardmaking to emboss with.....I just LOVE using the Fiskars Texture Plates to move around a layout......so easy to do...and you end up with an elegant border.

The "Baby Hands" are from the Fiskars Scrapboss...I knew these would look rather cute on here....and once again I just made up this embellishment using my Fiskars Tools! I used the Fiskars Threading Water Border Punch to complete this little embellishment......just one punch! The theading Water punch was also used under the photo...I just used an off cut in the same colour as the bazzill cardstock and reversed it....to make it stand out a bit from the background piece.....and slipped it under the pic.

Still trying to focus on using my "Tools" I couldn't resist punching out some stars with my Fiskars 1" star squeeze punch through the pic.....yep....I just went for it....LOL!

Fiskars Tools used:

Fiskars Personal Trimmer

Fiskars Scrapboss System

Fiskars Texure Plate (filigree)

Fiskars Texturing Tool and Stylus

Fiskars Craft Mat

Fiskars Squeeze Punch (1" star) and (Something Old.Something new Corner Punch)

Fiskars Border Punch (threading water)

ok....so there you have my first layout share of my gorgeous grandson...Samuel Lee....using Debbie's October Challenge to inspire me to create! So why not challenge yourself and "go outside your box"...push yourself to try something a little different....take a few risks.....and you'll be amazed at what you come up with! 

Send through your projects before October 31st to have the chance to win some fabulous Fiskars products!

Send to fiskarscraft@yahoo.com.au

The winners of my Craft Goodies RAK  on my Blog are

"Doverdi" who had this to say.......

Sounds like you're going to be pretty busy with the invitations & scrapping your adorable grandson. I can't wait to see you LO's of him.

Thanks for the chance to win some goodies. I so need some inspiration. My Mojo got up & left me in May when I started renovating my bedroom & hallway. During the renovations I couldn't get into my studio as it was used for storage. I finally got back into my studio a month ago & just got into reorganizing it when I picked up a virus. Now I've been sick for the past 2 weeks & haven't felt like doing anything. I haven't scrapped or crafted since May & am having a really hard time getting back into it.

Posted by: doverdi | October 14, 2009 at 10:19 PM

                                                AND

Kerri......who had this to say....

I would love the chance to win to stop my almost 9 yr old daughter asking if she can have my stash. thanks for the chance

Posted by: Kerri_fiskateer_1017 | October 14, 2009 at 09:21 PM

Thank you to all of you who left a comment...I have loved reading through them all...CAN THESE TWO LADIES PLEASE EMAIL THROUGH YOUR POSTAL DETAILS TO ME and I'll make sure your goodies from my stash are sent out next week....after I return from Brisbane!

and I'll leave you all with this little snippet.....

Treasure the one’s you love…

The memories you make are the one’s
that you will hold in your heart forever.

xoxox

Lyn

Happy 30th Sally!

Wedding Bells again ~ next one bites the dust....

Well Brian and Jess have set the date for their wedding....March 13th next year..woohoo.....so now it's Wedding Invitation time....yep......I have been asked to help with these...... So I'll be working on these with Jess in the coming weeks.....

They are getting married now at GUM GULLY FARM in SILVAN!

Take a peek by clicking on the link....it's gorgeous......I shall be going over to check it out myself in the next few weeks.

I'm hoping to scrap some BABY pics of  our first grand son on Friday....once I get some pics back from Harvey Normans tomorrow. I 've even had a few enlarged so that I can try scrapping some larger pics.....

RAK

I have also been cleaning up my craft room......OMG...what a mammoth job......I'm going to give away some supplies to anyone who would like some....so leave a comment to tell me why you would like to win some craft /scrapbooking product......and I'll draw winner this coming weekend.

Resting up this week and catch up

Well I've had an absolute blast once again working for FISKARS at the Melbourne Craft Expo but this week I'm resting up a bit before the next Show......shows are hard work....and very tiring....but such fun! From set up to pack up.......it's a long process but I love every minute of it.......I'm such a SHOW GIRL......LOL!

Off to Brisbane next week....looking forward to some Brisbane Spring weather.

I've also received an offer this morning to JUDGE the SCRAPBOOKING at the Whittlesea Show in November! I have heard so much about this show but I have never been.......so I'm looking forward to getting a little involved this year.....I believe it's a HUGE show and they have received many entries in the SCRAPBOOKING.

November also sees me involved once more at PAPERIFIC EXPO this time for the new owner....Naomi!.........November 13-15th at the Royal Melbourne Showgrounds.

November 10th I'll be in Bairnsdale at Spotlight's VIP Xmas Night from 6-9pm.......I'm bringing my very good friend Carolyn with me and we plan to have lots of fun crafting some fun Xmas Make'n'take Cards.......

I spent some time with our grandson ...Samuel Lee yesterday........didn't get any pics this time....just lots of cuddles!

We have Sally 3oth this Saturday so I'll make sure I take heaps of pics then......

Home again ,Home again jiggidy jig

Well I'm back...........just had a little Blog break and some R and R away from the hussle and bustle of our normal lives.......to re-charge the batteries and to also do some house maintenance.....

Guess where we have been the past week? It's coastal....it's sometimes windy.....it's by the Lakes.....yep....you guessed it......we have been down at our HH in Paynesville! Rod was painting.....and I decided to do some pruning in our garden down there....

...and a few more natives......

We do have many natives that we have planted and the amount of growth in the past 7 weeks has been amazing....and so nice to see when we rocked up....check out the Flowering Gum......isn't it just gorgeous!! We planted this about 3 years ago.

.....AND.......looky what we found on the banana palm we were given by our neighbour two years ago....some REAL BANANAS......yeh!! Exciting stuff to see this change of growth in our garden each time we visit!

I gave my trusty FISKARS CUTTERS a good work out.....LOL!

ok...need to get some house cleaning done here now as we have some visitors staying over night Saturday....my good friend Kay and one of her band members are playing at a Wedding and a 50th birthday over here Saturday Night....so need to get things organised....

I 'm so looking forward to catching up with Kay......we have so many laughs.....and we always have such a great time together....we met over 37 years ago at Melbourne Teacher's College and have both remained friends all that time.....we have a friendship that will last forever!!

...and between us we have 7 sons.....Kay 3 and Me 4......LOL!

We are looking forward to the Opening of the BLUE LOTUS WATERGARDEN Season in November....only weeks away now.......we have so many NEW Garden Ornaments this year....will post some pics in the lead up to OPENING WEEKEND!!

Rod and I are involved in a couple of Craft Shows with FISKARS before then(Melbourne Craft Expo being the first Show)......and Rod is trying to finish off our bathroom renovation....just the floor tiles to go...then the floor tiles in the laundry,toilet and hallway.....so plenty happening around home at the moment....we are also off to visit our Grandson on Sunday afternoon or Monday......so no rest for the wicked.....LOL!