Too long between blogs!

I love blogging but have just not sat down and updated my blog and profile for so long.  I look at the last time I blogged and think of how much has changed since then.
1. We have moved 700km away from our previous address.  After nearly a year at this new address I finally feel like this is starting to become home.
2. I have gone from a full time working professional mum to full time stay at home...and I love it. My husband has become a fly in fly out employee for a totally different company and has changed roles.
3. Our children have moved schools and gone from a busy lifestyle of dance, hockey, netball, basketball and swimming to just swimming all year round and one team sport.  So much easier and less hectic - despite the fact we are still at the pool six days a week.  They love their new school and new friends.
4.  We have moved from a 1950s character home (which I adored) to a 1970s home that needs a lot of work.  Perth house prices are not cheap and more affordable homes typically are further away from the ocean and my brothers house.  For us it was a choice of either concrete vs. nature and lifestyle.  We chose nature and lifestyle.  We liked the house because it is  only a few 100m from a large wetland in Perth's northern suburbs, quiet and larger old land sizes.  We have native trees in our back yard and we listen to kookaburras and lorikeets wake each morning.  We can ride/run around the local wetland and occasionally we have the odd duck on our front lawn.  We love it.  Our new favourite shows are selling houses Australia and any house renovation show - we have so much to do in this outdated house.  Love the big rooms though!  On a normal day the furthest I drive is fifteen minutes.

 

Ducks on our lawn - too cute

6.  I have more time to craft now but also need to mix it with maintaining this house and making sure it all runs smoothly.  Being a fifo wife means you have to be strong and organised for the entire family.  I have gone from full time work as an environmental scientist to part time casual work as a competitive swim coach.  I love to coach and it means I have more time available for my family.
7. I have discovered the art of furniture restoration, painting, drawing and my new love - art journaling!
So here are a few of my recent crafty explorations I have been engaging in:


Art journalling

My favourite sites are Daily Life Project on Art to the 5th and 21 Secrets.  

Renovations

Laundry before and after

Scrapping

Determined - Kaiser Craft papers

Cards

And on top of this I am still trying to finish a quilt from 6 years ago and learning how to paint and draw.  Loving life xx

Stuck Sketches

Two challenges in one month - this is amazing for me. 

I created a layout using the below sketch from Stuck Sketches. 

 

 

I used Bazzil cardstock and Doodlebug Springtime Collection paper and elements.  I also used a little stamping in the background with white ink. 

The photos are of our girls four years ago.  They have always been non-stop active girls so when they actually sit and relax I really treasure it.  So nice to see how much they love each other too (most of the time - haha). 

Enjoy your weekend

Tenaha x




 

Thankyou Once Upon a Sketch

OMG - I was stuck for an idea for a scrap layout - I came across Once Upon a Sketch.  Awesome sketch website with loads of inspiration.  Perfect to help those creative juices starting to flow.  This is what I completed...

 I made this page using trimmings and papers from Sassafras Las, Webster's pages, glimmer mist and rubons and see-through elements from Cosmo Cricket.  The journaling theme was "numbers".  I used the date in my journaling.

This is the sketch for July's challenge:

The website makes you link to a blog or online gallery - which made me look at my old blog site for the first time in over two years.  Tsk tsk.  Just goes to show -- with having full time work, tow growing girls and a busy sporting family - its no wonder I haven't had enough me and create time!  Thanks Once upon a Sketch - I am hoping this may kick me back into gear.

xx
 

Once upon a sketch...

Well it has been a few years but I thought I might take up a challenge just to get some inspiration back into me.  I found this lovely website http://onceuponasketchblog.blogspot.com.au/p/rules.html

Birthday parties 2012

Well I have been busy preparing for birthday parties - our girls recently turned 4 and 8.  It was so much fun  - we made paper flowers, a rainbow for the rainbow party and of course all the party food.  It was my first time making cakes with rolled fondant - I had so much fun.  I even made the insides of the cakes all different colours.

For Seekara's party she had a pink party - with a pink cake and 4 layers of butter cake inside in pink, light pink, orange and yellow.  She had a few of her friends over and they also made their own tiaras and button necklaces.

 Cheekah had her 4th birthday Rainbow party on Sunday. We had loads of fun making the party food and decorations. They played old fashioned games like pass the parcel, pinata (that wouldn't break) and musical bobs.

I have had a bot of withdrawal from craft lately so it was nice to put my craft hat on and put it towards the girls' birthday parties.  Was loads of fun and wonderful to see their faces light up on their special days. Hope you enjoy the photos
Tenaha xx

Well the challenge I gave myself in January to catch up on my albums isn't going so well - but I am getting there and still enjoying life in between family, house work, sports and work -  so that's all the matters.

Thought I would share a few digital layouts I have done lately.  I love using photos and putting them in a beautiful surrounding.  Digital is so much fun.  

 Cheekah - 2009

Cheekah - 2009

 Seekara - 2010

                                                                        Seekara - 2009

                                                                  Cheekah - 2009 

Overall I look at these and think of how different our tow girls are.  Cheekah so blonde and fair, hilarious but boisterous.  Seekara dark hair, warm heart and always wanting to help others.  I feel like it really show in these photos.

Love our girls

xox

2012 Challenge to myself

With 2012 now here I have made myself a challenge - I must try and catch up with my albums! I am now more than 2 years behind in my layouts so this year I want to make sure that a weekend does not pass without completing a layout. I need to look for the simple layouts and just do them before I forget what I took the photos for in the first place.

I have so much Basic Grey in my stash at the moment and I really love the new paper kits but I cant justify buying any more until I use what I have got. So here is some more Basic Grey layouts in my efforts of trying to use all these papers up...

Tree Friend - Basic grey papers, transparencies, cardboard and stickers, kaiser flowers, Creative memories journalling diecut, fiskars border punch
Family - Basic grey papers, letters, cardboard and transparency, Bazzil card.

Stop Eating the Dog Food - I love this memory. Very Cheekah - up to mischief! Basic Grey papers, flowers, stickers, letters.
BHP Christmas party - family shoot 2009. Not a Basic grey layout. Websters papers, German scrap, prima flowers and pearls.

Grin - Prima flowers, Basic grey transparency and chipboard, bazill card, paper by Cherry Arte and Carolees Creations.