SC and Sketches Oz

A bunch of layouts to share today, as the kids watch Winnie the Pooh in German in the background. They don't seem to mind that it's in a different language today, and it gives me a bit of variety ;)

OK so my article in Scrapbook Creations is about stepping outside your comfort zone, and here are three of the layouts, I didn't photograph the mini album (which is also a gift for Bec so I wouldn't show it yet anyway) and 'Beautiful Specific Details', the one of the lattes in Hamburg. My name is on the cover this issue, which is very exciting :)

This layout is based on Ngaire's sketch on Sketches Oz (link in sidebar, I'm feeling lazy today), kept pretty simple and based on the reverse side of one of the new Cherry Arte papers from Kiti Q.

Munchkins

Pity I had to use flash, but this little scene was too cute not to capture (despite the terrible lighting) - Ash wanting to give Sienna a cuddle, Sienna kept trying to walk while he was hanging on, soon they were both giggling...

Just remembered, Bam Pop arrived today at Kiti Q and it is so bright and fun! I started a layout this afternoon, since I was at Kell's anyway, but I think it is for SC so I can't share. Also it's not finished, LOL. Anyway am looking forward to doing MORE with the BamPop cos it is so cool!

Am trying to add all these kid's clothes to ebay this week and it is so boring, I have heaps to go. It is also kind of sad to see some of Sienna's gorgeous clothes move on, but can't keep everything. This one skirt I am thinking I will hang on to for a little while though, it is so sweet and she looked so cute wearing it last winter... not that I can find any pics right now.

Like this Chino kids oriental dress is just beautiful, hope whoever buys it loves it as much as I did. Never mind, all cute things must end, and Sienna has an absolutely stunning dress for this summer, which is why I have to sell her older stuff to make up for buying this new dress! Will post pics FOR SURE when she fits into it.

OK off to bed now, have a great week all!

Oh did I mention Q Tea sold out? Within the week! Am so thrilled. Also have lots of awesome things coming together for future kits too, and some things still to arrive for August, it is lots of fun :)

Photography - I will be in Adelaide for 5 days I think it is at the end of August if anyone wants a photoshoot I am thinking I may book some in. That is babies, kids, families, couples - no weddings! LOL. Just email me if you wanna know more, I think I have some examples in my flickr, should probably update that. Hmm.

Clarification re EB

Just a quick clarification regarding the EB forums - I was not attacking the moderators in my blog post a couple of days ago, I was expressing my hurt and confusion at being singled out. I know that a member of the forum 'pointed out' my (innocent and accidental) rule breaking to the moderators, hence the telling off. I still don't understand why a link to a personal blog is not allowed, to be honest, but my hurt primarily arises from the unknown member who must not like me for some reason. Otherwise, why not just say "Hey, Danielle, I'm not sure if you realise but that bit of your post is not allowed".

OK, so I am still hurt. But just wanted to clarify I was expressing my hurt feelings and, yes, irritation and also a bit of confusion. NOT attacking anyone. Apparently this has been misconstrued.

And on that note, I have continued to be amazed and - is there a word for 'heartwarming' but as in the result - 'heartwarmed' maybe? LOL. Anyway, you get the idea, at the response of so many sweet women who I had chatted with via EB, getting defensive on my behalf etc. I still won't be participating, besides that last post which I just had to say - Rach you are hilarious, and gorgeous - but I will be doing lots more blog-hopping and the occasional lurking instead!

OK MOVING ON NOW
I'll be back tomorrow with a cute photo from today!

Better

There is this song by Regina Spektor that I love, called 'Better'. I love singing along to it and the music, but I really love the lyrics. Part of it goes "And I don't understand, and I don't understand, but if I kiss you where it hurts will you feel better, better, better, will you feel nothing at all". Sometimes whether a person understands (or doesn't) is not the important thing, but that "kiss you where it hurts", expressing care and concern and empathy is enough to make it better anyway. If you know what I mean.

Thank you everyone for your sweet comments, it feels lovely to have people care. I'm sorry if my blog seems dreary too often. Kate, thank you for your hugs :)

Oh my goodness thank you blogger for autosaving, I lost it all but just cancelled the window and it was saved as a draft. OK as far as yesterday goes, Ash went on to: break a chinese dipping dish (he got into the crockery cupboard, found a bowl and a dipping dish and was whacking them together to make noise), get into the pantry cupboard and unscrew (??!?) the jar of instant coffee and distributing the contents over the kitchen floor, pull an entire roll of toilet paper off and on to the bathroom floor (I was showering, and couldn't see what he was doing behind the shower curtain), stuffed a doll down the ducted heating vent in my bedroom (the vent in the kid's room has been taped down for this reason) and after 3 tries, went to sleep in the afternoon. That was the highlight. But then - this (see photo) happened when I was putting on a dvd to placate Sienna - ouch! My poor little toe is all black and purple.

HOWEVER it was a good day in the end, because I scrapped! Yay! Also made a yummy turkish bread pizza for dinner, it was so delicious (even if a little too crispy). It had a mixture of chopped fresh tomato and tomato paste on the turkish bread, topped by mixed mozzarella and tasty cheese, smoked ocean trout, red onion, capsicum and broccoli florets and served with a dressing of Japanese mayonnaise. Mmmmmm. So I scrapped one page in the afternoon while Ash slept, and another in the evening.

This first page features another of Donna Wild's gorgeous photos from our photo session at Reedy Creek and is for this week's scrapjacked challenge, jacking Kristina Contes. This green fabric and the red label may be found in one of Q Tea's first few kits, you never know ;)

My evening layout was roughly based on Celine Navarro's sketch that is on Pencil Lines this week, and is about my 'itchy feet' that long to travel again. The only thing is my photos of these layouts are not perfectly in focus, was too lazy to find the best light, and it's annoying me. I might photograph them again.

Now I'd better check on Sienna - she seems super tired today, she had a late night last night, and has been sobbing uncontrollably because 1. I wouldn't give her more than 2 crackers at a time until she ate what she had 2. her cracker broke in half so she wouldn't eat it anyway, and 3. I cut the last banana in half before giving half to Ash and half to her - she wanted a 'big one' and refused to eat the half. Dramas dramas.

I also have to head out to the post office later to do Kiti Q's orders and check - this is the most important bit, LOL - whether BAM POP has arrived yet! It's due any day, seriously, and I am really looking forward to seeing the Volume 3 papers and the gorgeous new stamp. I can see rainbows making an appearance in my pages soon...

Almost 10am

By 9 this morning, Ash had poured half a cup of cold coffee down my back and on our bed - despite Ben seeing him reaching up to the high shelf above our bed and saying "No! Ash, no!", unscrewed his own bottle lid of milk (?!?!) and poured the contents over the lounge room floor and thrown the bottle on to the floor, (once refilled with milk a short time later) hitting my toe. Not impressed. Now he is crying because he can't climb backwards up the small plastic slide they have in their bedroom.

Yesterday I took the kids to Spotlight, where Sienna spent 10 full minutes, while I was at the counter buying fabric, screaming. It all started when I said she couldn't go on the mechanical car toy out the front of the shop. She was already upset before we got there, because we had chips for lunch and I broke hers in half to help them cool down faster. She burst into tears and refused to eat the 'little ones'. Back to the Spotlight scenario, whenever she calmed down enough to merely sob dramatically, Ash started crying instead.

Now Ash is trying to hit my laptop with the dustpan. I am so OVER how bratty these kids are right now.

Scrapping-wise, I have nothing to share, though I finished my projects for SC and sent them yesterday, so that was good. Q Tea has taken off well, since launch on Monday the first month are over half way to selling out, which is fab. And I am loving the process of planning and sourcing funky finds for future kits.

The bad news about that is that I have decided not to participate in the Essential Baby scrapbooking forums anymore. It's a shame, they are a really lovely group of women on that forum, and I enjoy reading / responding to the various threads. Well, I will still read it I expect. But it seems I have broken some rules by mentioning how excited I was about starting Q Tea, and I also have been warned about promoting Kiti Q or any other scrapbooking business there. Even if I am not being paid to do so, apparently.

Since the majority of my scrapbooking is linked in some way to a business or magazine, I don't see how I can "show off my scrapping" without INADVERTENTLY promoting someone or other. And if I can't share my excitement at my current projects, even for the few days where they are brand new (as Q Tea), I can't really be myself there. It's nothing to do with the women on the forum, they are fantastic, it's just I have enough emotional issues without being paranoid about every comment I make on a forum and whether it breaks rules. I don't understand exactly why I am breaking them whereas others are not (and I have no problem at all with anything anyone else has said or linked to - I usually just appreciate the info and look it all up) so I am likely to make a mistake again. And I hate the feeling of being 'told off', so it is easier for me to simply not participate.

On a forum note, Scrap In Style forums are a lot of fun, lots of interesting and also lighthearted topics to read, and LOADS of inspiration in the gallery there.

I think you can probably tell I'm not having a great day. But, hey, it's not even 10am yet, I'll just do some dishes and then hopefully do some scrapbooking or creating of some kind. That is bound to make me feel better, I figure. If anyone is offended by me having a little 'vent' on my blog, then I apologise. I feel the need to get it out and am trying not to be too negative, but find it difficult to explain the facts without also explaining my emotional reaction to them - I am a 'temperamental artist' type after all. I'll probably re-read and delete it later anyway.

Hope everyone else is having a great day!