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Glen and Donna's Wedding sneaks

How's this for a cute 'first glance'?! So sweet. Donna and Glen got married two weeks ago, with photos taken at Cloudehill Gardens. It was a beautiful day, though the day before was one of the rainiest May days so there was a lot of glancing at the sky :) Here are some random sneak peeks... I will share more later.






Technique play

My first 'technique' assignment at Aussie Scrap Source is up - I made this layout using Tattered Angels masks. Click over to the Aussie blog for close ups :)

The light on the grass

And the girl in the middle. Sienna is very cooperative, when we hop out of the car on our way somewhere, and I say 'look at the light on the grass! Sienna go over there (please!)' and off she goes, making herself comfortable and changing position every 30 seconds or so. No cheesy camera smiles. She knows me well :)

She did insist that I had taken a picture of her lying down in the grass before she agreed to move on, though. Just looking at this photo makes me sleepy and warm...

I had two family photo sessions - two families of 5 who were all friends, so there were also a few combined shots - this afternoon up in the Dandenong Ranges. It's been a lovely, busy Autumn for photos, but the leaves are mostly on the ground by now, we have maybe another week or two that will still be good for shooting in. After that the light will still be lovely, but the trees less colourful. And probably a lot more rain happening. Which I don't mind. My lovely brother-in-law installed our new ducted heating unit last weekend, so we are all cosy in our little house now and set for Winter :)


This is the second Saturday in a row that I've been out shooting for much of the day and come home after / around 5:30 wondering what to make for dinner in a short amount of time. Tonight I stopped in at the shops briefly and picked up a 'Chicken Tonight' jar of sauce as they were on special. I find this completely hilarious, as I really don't ever cook in jars of sauce (it's pretty easy to cook from scratch, healthier etc!) and I always think of that stupid Chicken Tonight ad from the 90s, do you remember the one? Kind of like the chicken dance on steroids? Anyway, I still added some extra veg, do they seriously expect you to only have chicken in it? It wasn't too bad. But I still find it funny.

And I apologise if I've offended anyone who regularly cooks with jars of sauce. We also only eat free range eggs and meat, and cook regularly with native herbs, so things can be a bit left of centre in my kitchen ;)

Freestyle Whimsy

You might remember this post from the start of April and my question about styles... well, now I can reveal why I was asking :) Check out the latest announcement on the Aussie Scrap Source blog today! I am so flattered and inspired and excited to have been invited to join the Aussie DT!! For non-scrappers and non-locals, Aussie Scrap Source is the major wholesaler of scrapbooking supplies to Australia, and carry all my favourite brands, so I'm feeling pretty lucky at the moment :)


These are the two layouts I prepared for my first assignment - style lounge. Click over to the Aussie blog for close ups and the best bit that it is also a challenge for you. Submit a layout in my "Freestyle whimsy" style for a chance to win a pack from Aussie Scrap Source. The winner will be chosen by my style crush, Celine Navarro!

Do you think there are enough exclamation points for one blog post? Here are a few more!!!! LOL.

Other stuff around here is mostly photography, family and school stuff. Mum flew over from Adelaide on the weekend as all the kids - Kell's and mine - had 'Special Persons Day' at their respective schools, luckily on different days. So we all did the rounds, Sienna and Ash's school on Monday and Jude and Alannah's school was yesterday. They were all VERY excited to have Grandma there :)

I shot a very sweet wedding on Saturday and will show sneak peeks soon, have two more lovely Autumn-y family sessions booked for this weekend and am plodding through the art retreat portrait sessions from Byron Bay. I will share a 'creative women' post from those soon as well....

And tonight I'm roasting a free-range turkey breast with Sage, onion, pistachio and Mountain Pepper stuffing... mmm... before heading out to the kids school for a "family art night". I have a feeling Ben will opt out of that one ;) and after having many family nights at school involve some sort of competition - always bringing out the sensitivities in my kidlets who don't necessarily understand what is going on or why - I feel the need to support this new approach they are taking. Sport, no thanks, competitions, not my thing. Art? I can handle that ;)

Friendship and helping out

Lately life has been a lot about work, a lot about family (as always) and also a lot about friendship... more specifically my friendship with my cousin Bec. We've been friends since she was born, pretty much, so that's not unusual. She's been having a hard time for a few months now, part of which involved being suddenly left without income or support...

While Bec has a casual job now, and has had some interviews for others, with all security pulled out from beneath her, every little bit counts. So I've taken on the job of helping her sell things to raise money - so far, dvds and video games. Check out the list on ebay here and perhaps see if there's anything you'd like, I'd appreciate it so much and you'd also be helping Bec out. I'll be adding some gorgeous clothes, a pair of boots and a handbag within the week :)

(Bec and I earlier this year, at the kids Neverland party).

The Joy family








This morning I photographed these three sweeties at the Alfred Nicholas Gardens, in the beautiful Autumn leaves and by the lake there. Unfortunately the islands and ponds were closed for work, but there was still an assortment of beautiful locations around the garden, and lots of fun with props...

The way that I work


Or maybe I should say, the work that I do... Actually, the way that I work at the moment - website administration, graphic design, editing, etc - is on the couch with my laptop on my rug-covered knee. That isn't normally the case, when I am using my graphics tablet I need more stable space, and I move to the desk when I need to be really productive and the kids are up... I work in the afternoon (Cedar is usually asleep) if I can, and after the kids are in bed. Today I finished adding photos of Outback Pride herbs (Tanami Fire, above) to the food service section of their website ...


Last week I designed this logo for my gorgeous sister Kelly, of Polkadot Lane, and our friend (also gorgeous!) Kate of Sew Chirpy, for a collaboration they are planning. Love this colour combo!


I managed to pick up a whole pile of canvases in a sale, and they are now piled up by the dvd cupboard in the foyer. I should find a better spot! I will, I promise. In the meantime, they remind me to schedule in "mixed media" time in the next couple of weeks... 

And here (below) are some final favourites from last month's family session in the Alfred Nicholas Gardens, I have another session there tomorrow morning. Autumn leaves and children, what fun!






This last shot is so my new favourite.