It's been ages....

since I've blogged but life's been really hectic.
The roofers arrived last Monday morning and now we finally have a gorgeous new roof, just a bit of finishing to do(hopefully soon), the scaffolding is still up so they'll want to get rid of that pretty soon I guess. You know the old saying "One thing leads to another", well now we are waiting for a quote to have a window and a few boards replaced....we are on a roll.
Have been really busy at work, still doing reception as well as restaurant shifts so I find when I'm home I'm pretty shattered so still haven't been able to get into my scrap room and set it up. I stand in the middle of it, look around at all the stuff that's in there till we find it another home, roll my eyes and walk away.
Sadly it's really starting to affect me that I can't just sit down and play and chill out so I'm going to have to make a start. Also I need to start on Christmas stuff as well as do an album celebrating all the work around the house.
Gus has been hilarious while all the work has been going on, I planned to put him in a cattery while the roof was being done but they didn't warn us they were coming so he was here the whole time. I had to keep him inside because of flying tin and the poor wee man was terrified to begin with, so on the first day Faye put his carrier basket in my room and covered it with two duvets, leaving him an opening to come and go, clever wee man that he is he climbed in and went to sleep.
The next day as soon as the noise started he ran and sat beside my bed waiting for his "safe place", he's such a cool dude that's for sure.
Was just on Scrapbook Outlet's site and was blown away by the latest work on there, wow there are some hugely talented people on that site, the work is amazing.
It's such a grey horrible day today and they are promising snow....so much for spring.
However that's about it in my world at the moment, and considering everything that's probably enough.

My new scrapbooking/creative space (part 1)

Yeah I'm looking for inspiration.

My Scrapbook Room

OMG! Is this for real?????

Samoa

What a dreadful disaster in Samoa, the more I hear on the radio and tv about the devastating aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami earlier this week. It's hard to believe what it would be like to be in this horrible situation. We must all give what we can to disaster relief for these people and pray that somehow they will eventually be able to rebuild there lives.
On a much lighter note it's my day off and I'm thinking to go and start putting my scrap room back together, since moving it to another room it's been pretty much chaos, I've been so busy playing with the rest of the house I haven't ventured in there but the call of the paper is getting really strong so I feel the time has come to sort it out so I can get some scrapping done, starting to get heaps of ideas again so I guess the break has been good.
Work has been busy, been learning reception and on the whole I enjoy it but boy it's a long time since I've had to stretch my brain and remember so much....working in the restaurant is so natural it just happens but having to remember stuff is hard work, I guess it's been good for me though.
Anyway off to put the washing on the line....and yes they are predicting snow this weekend....ah spring!

Cushions

 

Last night I made some cushions for the sitting room, love them but wow can see I need more to get the effect I want. I'm going to make some bolster ones (cylindrical shape) and it occurred to me that since I don't have a pattern I'll cut large circles(card) on the Cricut to use as a template, cut in fabric and just gather long strips of fabric around the edges to form the bolster shape....mmm. I'll try that next day off. Anyway off to have lunch.

Little Shop of Sketches

Just been to the Little Shop of Sketches blog, some very cool and inspiring layouts on there today, very new and funky, liking them a lot.
Anyway off to the movies this morning, a friend and I are going to see "September issue, it's about the woman who runs American Vogue magazine should be interesting.
Ltr.

Priceless

 

This was one of those moments when I just couldn't resist the urge to turn the photo into an advertisement.
It started raining around lunch-time and got really cold, we were deliberating as to whether to light the fire or not, Gus, who had come in out of the rain and was wet, ran up and sat on the couch and looked at us as if to say "I vote yes", as soon as I lit it he just spread out ,blissed out and went to sleep...truly priceless.
Haven't been blogging much, been so busy. Working 5 days, still fiddling with the house etc etc hasn't left much time. Am definitely missing my scrappy stuff though so that room is next on the agenda, hopefully in the next couple of days, unfortunately it turned into the "in the mean-time room" so a bit to do in there.
have been learning reception at work so my brain has really been stretched over the lat few days, enjoying it though and it's another thing I can do....(when I finally get too old to run around in the restaurant,).
Anyway nearly time to get back to it so better go.
Ltr.

Starting to feel better...

and I'm so glad, it's been over a week now I'm definitely tired of this bug. I really don't have time for it either at work or at home, there just seems to be so much I want to do.
I'm still buzzing about my sisters surprise visit last week, that was so good to catch up.
Finally I'm starting to miss my crafty stuff still in a state of chaos in what is going to be my craft room, I was so involved in doing stuff to the house I kinda left it and then with not feeling great I haven't had the energy to tackle it but I must admit I am starting to get itchy fingers again. I hauled out a tapestry cushion that I've been doing on and off for ages, really keen to finish it now cos it will definitely match the curtains we are going to make for the sitting-room and it will go well with the couch out there. Over the past few days I've been doing a bit of applique, I have a cushion I'd like to make for a little girl I know, but today it struck me that sometimes things that were an un-dying passion are hard to go back to. I used to do patchwork and applique all the time but now even though I'm dead keen to go back to it everything I pick up seems "so back then" and I'm bored before I begin.
I did find some very "now" looking patterns on-line yesterday but they were in Australia, although I guess they could be sent over. I feel there's a yearning there to do some patchwork but it will have to be new, I used to be in to the very country fabrics and somehow now they just aren't doing it for me..... maybe it's this bug making me restless, don't know.
Off to find some inspiration.

Blown away....

Just been on Facebook and seen photos of Sam, (my niece) taken in Oz, such a teenager wow. It seems like no time since she was just a tiny baby,time sure does fly when there's kids involved that;s for sure.
Still feeling a bit miserable with this bug, just want to curl up under a duvet hope it passes soon.
Oh and yeah it actually snowed here yesterday, just briefly at our place but the hills behind us were really white and the car was frozen when Faye went to work at 7am. Thought that was all over it's been so spring like.
Been laying on the couch watching day-time talk TV, oh my God! Talk about a different world think, no make that I know I would much rather have my ordinary little life than the people on Jeremy Kyle and Dr.Phil, are those people for real????
Anyway back to the couch.
Ltr.

What a week it's been...

For surprises. Was at work on Monday night, just finalizing everything and a lady came to the front desk and asked for me....OMG! It was my sister, had no idea she was in the city I think my mouth was frozen open. Anyway we've had an awesome catch up, so much talking my jaw and brain hurts but oh wow what a treat! So so cool to catch up and to hang out, she came to work with me last night and that was so neat, she's in the restaurant industry too so she enjoyed hanging out and seeing what we do.
Anyway her Mum and sister have started an on-line scrap shop called "Craftbug" and they specialise is dies like Sizzix, Spell-binders and Cuttlebug, well worth a look. They also have "topic specific" scrapbooking stuff, so if you are looking for stickers, title blocks etc for a page about just about anything check them out, it's well worth it.
Today I feel realy off, not just cos Gaylene left this morning but I'm coming down with "the bug", been resisting all winter but I think it's got me now, damn it, don't have time.
I had the Cricut out this morning to show Gaylene and I really want to sort my craft room cos I want to play but don't think I've got the energy....shame.
Anyway off to make a coffee.
Ltr.

Gorgeous Dunedin

Well yesterday was amazing, went to the Early Settlers museum as part of the Tourism course I'm doing, I have been there in the past but wow have they and are they doing some work making some changes to this wonderful plus. Being shown around by the two experts there was an added treat, their knowledge is outstanding and they make it sound so interesting and in fact relevant, if you have the chance to visit do it, you won't be disappointed.
The afternoon involved a walk around some of the earliest buildings in Dunedin, it's amazing how something that's been there all your life, that you've taken for granted, takes on a new dimension when someone starts explaining the history and tells the stories etc.
The other amazing thing that happened was that while walking in the area of the city that, when I was a child was the main city area, the memories that flooded back into my head of being in that area with Mum, hearing her telling stories of things that happened there when she was growing up, walking the route that her and her Mother and sister walked to town, it was all quite a fantastic to relive those memories, hear those stories in my head, somehow I spent an afternoon with my Mum and Grandma, very very cool.
Anyway I'm thinking of going back this afternoon and taking my camera, duh! How did I forget it yesterday? I'm thinking that whenever I get into my scrap room photos of this area could be very inspiring.
This weekend is going to be a curtain-making marathon, looking forward to the next step of re-creating our house, so exciting.
Btw, has anyone reading this blog noticed that in the "Places I Visit" down the side, there has been an influx of sites that are "fabric orientated"? Some are Patchwork sites and some are sites which do some cool decorating things with fabric, I have always loved fabric and stitching and for a long time was an avid stitcher, be it patchwork or embroidery, it all came to end when the house became a "country folk art factory" and everything had to be packed away to protect it from the sawdust that came from living in a factory, but now that that era has come to an end I'm finding myself once again drawn to fabric, stitching etc. Ah so many toys so little time! And to that end I must move from this computer.
Ltr

Time to Breath...

but only for a moment ha ha. Am off to this course I'm doing at the moment through the Polytech. It's aimed at people working in the hospo industry to give them a better idea about the tourist attractions available in our city, I think it's going to be very interesting...well it would be if it wasn't my day off and I didn't want to stay home and make curtains. Things are happening very fast around here, we are still waiting for the new roof to be put on but the pellet fire has moved in and made it's self right at home, we have covered the very "60's" black vinyl couch (which I love btw), the front lounge (photo) has been re-arranged and is no longer my scrap room (in more ways than one), oh yeah about my scrap-room, that's in the spare room but unfortunately not unpacked yet so can't get to anything but then I haven't had time anyway. It seems that everything's changed and we've fallen in love with the house again and just want to bring it back to life.
Got material yesterday for curtains for the lounge,( great time for Spotlight to have a 20% off day I say) so hopefully they will get started tonight, can't wait.
Poor Gus doesn't know where to sit anymore, he used to know that I'd be parked out in the living room when he wanted a cuddle but now he's got to look for me, but at least
he's discovered that "cats love fires" and is often found curled up in front of it.
Well the clock's just beeped so time to go, another day another adventure.
Ltr.

Winter Afternoon...

and I'm sitting at the computer with the fire going perusing blogs, not the usual scrapbooking blogs, ah no, I've discovered all the "shabby chic" decorating blogs, vintage china and fabric mmmm, really into all this at the moment. Now that we are getting the house back to organised it's been so much fun finding all the things that have been stored away and have been enjoying decorating the rooms with them it's all been a bit like a new adventure.
Anyway enough ramblings, I actually can't wait to finish getting my scrap room organised, still a bit of unpacking to do but it will be very cool when it's done.
Gus has decided he loves the fire and sits on the armchair in front of it just soaking up the heat, he's such a real cat now.
Well it's getting dark so must go and close the curtains and turn some lights...
Ltr.

Wow!

Can't believe I'm sitting in our lounge....with our new Pellet fire roaring behind me, oh boy oh boy. Within an hour of it being on the whole house felt drier and warmer than it ever has...so happy,
Have moved into my new craft room, (not entirely unpacked and ready for action) but it sure looks very cool, can't wait to sit at my table and do something.
I took the net curtain down and washed it and it fell to bits so it's a bit exposed to the street when i sit there, (nothing will happen in this street without me knowing about it LOL), but seriously it's off to Spotlight tomorrow for some curtain net.
I planned to make a book of all the changes but I've been so busy I keep forgetting to take photos along the way, ah well it will be pages of the improvements, which will be very cool.
Gus is sitting on a chair beside me thoroughly enjoying the fire, it makes a bit of a noise so I thought he might be scared but nah, as long as you react like every thing's fine he just goes with the flow and he's loving that heat.
I must admit this house makeover bug has bitten me and I find it hard just to sit down and not be re-organising and titivating.
Long may it last I say!
Ltr.

The eyes have it...

well Gus's eyes sure do, problems that is. He has always had problems with his eyes and two years ago after countless rounds of sore runny eyes we had grafts done on his eyes and until now it has been really successful, until now and one of them has been really bad for about a fortnight. I've been to the vet three times, had drops for his eye but although it's improved it's still not right, so next week he's going to the "Eye Vet" who did the grafts for him to check them. Oh boy that poor wee man has been through so much, he might be beautiful but in his case beauty has come at a cost.
Anyway things to be grateful for this morning:
It's blowing a howling gale and I'm not worried sick about losing our roof. ( Although we are still waiting to have it replaced the guys came and did some emergency repairs until they can get here to replace it). Yah! Can't wait.

The curtain sample we brought home yesterday matches the Living room area perfectly and we love it so that's on the "go ahead list".
I'm going to have lunch with one of my best friends today, we haven't caught up for ages.

The cafe we are going to is right next door to a wee furniture?knick/knack shop :).

I am officially on holiday till next Wednesday.

Now just to achieve everything I have on my list by then and life will be perfect.