and so the holidays come to an end...

we have had some fun. I had last week off work, and took Harry to see Despicable Me, which we both really enjoyed. Then I was lucky enough to take a little trip to Canberra to visit their hospital and Community Health Service to suss out their asthma services. They run things very similiar and have the same sort of issues (like getting referrals and funding).
On the weekend the kids enjoyed the company of their cousin and we had a family day out at Ashcombe maze. I was a bit freaked out and worried I was going to get lost, or lose them, hehe. But is wasn't as bad as I thought, and we had a wonderful time. The sun was shining too so that was perfect, because it has only been peaking out here and there. We had a visit from my sister too, and just spent time at home. Always nice to see her, and the kids just love her so much.
I have been at work this week, and had the opportunity to attend a lovely (free) dinner at Brighten Baths tonight, for a drug company sponsored presentation about allergic rhinitis. How funny when I sneezed right in the middle of the talk, hehe.

Oh and last Saturday i took the opportunity to be far away from a TV and the AFL grand final and headed to a scrap crop. I had a lovely time and completed 5 layouts and 2 cards. The layout above is my favourite layout from the crop. And I purchased a punch, which is now my new favourite punch, by EK success, which i will share with you next time...
This weekend is for regrouping, because with all of the above I have hardly been home, and feel like everything is a mess, and Mark is working 12 hour days, so I don't need any extra outings or visitors. Just want to chill with the kids, clean up and have time to get sorted for back to school and routine too.
Hope you are all well, thanks for stopping by
Cheers Karen

Happy Spring...

or is it, hehe.. It is raining cats and dogs in Melbourne, although I am finding it a little muggy..strange. and now it is sunny in the afternoon.

This is just a quick pop in as I am off to a HEN"S NIGHT. This could end in disaster...LOL. I am really looking forward to a girly night out.

A special Hi to Jo this time....thanks for stopping by my dearxxx


I have barely scrapped in between retreats this year, and mojo is lacking I must say. I forced myself to do this last week, and finish it off last night. I don't like it at all, but wanted to share it anyway, to just say, not every layout hads to be "perfect"

There was a bit of dirt on the bottom too, courtesy of my kids and this layout sitting in the loung all week, so I disguised it with some inking, lol!

Ok I have also set up a little card/invite store on facebook...just search it - Bunkaloo Design, I hope you 'like" it. Have a fab weekend, and pray my feet last the night in my killer heels.

xx Kaz

A special update...

for Deb....cause someone reads my blog....woo hooo. Thanks love xxx

I would love to update more, but I get soo bloody side tracked with facebook and life in general I forget I even have a blog. I forget that there might be people who are not my 'friends' on facebook who might want to see a card or layout, or even hear what i have been up to.



Well I haven't been up to anything much really. I have started doing Zumba classes on a Thursday night, which is really fun and I haven't worked up a sweat like that in a million years.. I am slowly moving forward to getting healthier, but my motivation is going at about a snails pace!!

Slow and steady, hey?
The kids are great...busy, interested and into everything, wanting everything...like most kids I assume. Emmy is 4 tomorrow. OMG she has grown up so quick, I mean really quick, she acts 23 already, LOL. Stay tuned for pics of her party

Mark's back is still playing up, and so finally an MRI revealed he has a bulging disc and a fracture. The GP is useless, and I am trying to get him to go back to a physio. And despite all of that he is still insisting on doing the Shep half ironman in November, and the New Zealand Ironman in March next year. Crazy I tells ya..

Ok I have dragged up two creative things for you.. The card was for a challenge with a scrap shop Brittanahlee, of which I won, yea...and the layout I did on my retreat with the same shop..in Heathcote recently.




ThAnKs for StOpPinG by xxxx Cheers karen

School Holidays

are a fairly new concept to me. With Harry only starting school this year, I am still adjusting to the whole routine of it. And school holidays are no exception...

What it basically means is my days off are not my own, and I don't mean because i have my children with me...but because it has meant I have an extra kid. And I reckon that third kid just tips me over the edge. I actually took 3 of them to day 1 of the KMart toy sale..Not sure what i was thinking...it wasn't mega terrible. But it was just tiring trying to keep 2 eyes on 3 kids going in different directions, in a busy store. I knew 3 kids wasn't for me!

The good thing about school holidays is I get to enjoy the company of my sister. We haven't done anything too exciting. More having fun with the kids. We took them to Toy Story 3, which I really enjoyed (Harry cried at the end, and that made me cry, hehe), and went out for lunch.


The kids and I also enjoyed an overnight stay in Ballarat, which wasn't too cold. We stayed at my brother Jon and his wife Leia's and had yummy noodle box for dinner. Love a good cheap feed..

I must go and get some washing on the line, although I am not convinced it will dry. It is only 9 degrees, but it is sunny..I don't generally waste my time hanging washing out in winter. But I don't think I have space today for all of my loads to hang around inside.

Right, I must get to it. I want to sort packs to take to my scrapping retreat in 2 weeks, and get Emmy's 4th birthday party invites done! Aaaagh, whenever there is a million things to do, I always reassure myself that it is okay because after this, it will all calm down. But there is always something to sort out, LOL!

This is a layout i did at a recent crop at my LSS. I decided to lash out for the day and took no papers with me. It was lovely to have new stuff for all of the layouts i completed. It helped freshen up my mojo!

Cheers to a great weekend peeps xxxx

Welcome back

well I will welcome myself back....LOL..

It has been awhile, but i know lots of my friends have not updated their blogs for a whole lot longer, so i don't feel as bad!

So news is, pretty soon I will no longer be a Stampin Up consultant..I have failed in keeping up with the minimums. I am happy though, because I still love and will use their products.

I am however a Chefs toolbox consultant. I saw the product (kitchenware - knives, cookware and silicone bakeware) recently and new I HAD to have it in my home. So the cheapest and quickest way to do this was to sell it. Give me a yell if you would like any details, or you can check out the products and order directly at -

www.chefstoolbox.com/my/karenskitchen/

You can find product specials, hints and recipes on facebook too, just search Chefs Toolbox Karen Yates

I haven't really scrapped since the retreat. Just haven't had the time or energy. But i have made a few cards. So here are a couple -

I have used my three favourite Stampin' Up! products of the moment..The Top Note die, the Robot Stamp Set and The Bird Punch.

I am excited because I am going to a spur of the moment scrapbooking retreat at the end of July with 1 of my best buddies and my sister. It will be awesome.

Family are all doing well, hubby hurt his back recently, after a wall fell on him at work, so he is slowly recovering, and keen to get right back into training, having registered for the Shepparton Half Ironman and the New Zealand Ironman in March. Emmy is her usual cheeky self, although has had a shocker of a cough for about a month. Harry is looking forward to school holidays. I had a gastroscope yesterday, because i have fairly persistent reflux. Turns out I have a hiatus hernia, which means control with diet and medications. (Losing weight would help too, which is really on my to do list, just need to find motivation and devotion)!!

OK, hopefully I can stay on top of this and share some family and creative info for you more often.

Life spins by..

I really can't keep up. It is April already and Term 2 of school. We had a wonderful trip to Port Macquarie. I wanted to just pop in and say hello. Here is a picture of me doing the giant swing on my recent scrap retreat. This is how life feels sometimes....just spinning. But alas I hold on tight to the rope and (try to) take control!

and one of my favourite recent layouts...


This picture is of Emmy at the beach in Inverloch. I love it..
Ok now I will be back soon with some new SU products.. Just had to get on the other computer to load a card I made with said product.
Enjoy your weekend
Cheers Karen

Perfect

We headed off on our road trip with no hassles. Here we are stopped just near home for a bite to eat. The bike is safely strapped to the roof, and we have heaps of room. Including a spot for taffy the golden retriever, who is going to her cousin Maisy's in Deniliquin for a holiday (thanks sis, love you). We spent a night in Deni to help break the trip up, and then headed to Goulburn. We spent a night here in a lovely motel which had a pool and delicious dinner. The beds were scrumptious with huge big fluffy pillows.

We visited Rambo the huge merino Ram before our final leg to Port Macquarie. All trips in the car were essentially hassle free. The kids were as good as can be expected when sitting in a confined space for 6-7 hours at a time. We saw the remains of a terrible accident on the M7 and were reminded just how careful you have to be.

One of the awesome sights we had on the way, was a wind farm. I am fascinated by these big constructions. I think they look so regal.

We are all settled now on Port, and the weather is perfect, which I am thankful for, as it rained pretty much everyday last year. The kids and I have just been for a lengthy swim whilst mark went for a massage. He is feeling a bit dodgy in the guts, so hopefully it passes before Sunday (he had issues Monday after what we thought was dodgy Subway or pizza but it seems to be hanging on).

I am just relaxing now with some trashy mags and a glass of wine. Which may not go too well with the sudafed I have had. But they are helping my snuffly nose and fuzzy head.
For those checking in for some creativity, here is a layout I did a couple of months ago.

Enjoy your weekend, take care and I will catch ya soon.

Cheers Karen xxx

Road Trip

Yes that is right we head off in a couple of days on a drive (about 15 hours, aaargh!)to Port Macquarie for the Port Ironman. Hubby claims this is his last one...Will have to wait and see if that is a true story, and if so what new hobby he comes up with. I am pretty sure it won't be scrapbooking.

Before we leave, and in the middle of packing, I need to have my new short high maintenance haircut spruced up, go out for dinner tonight with the prep mums, our first official night out. Looking forward to it. ALso going to see Daryl Braithwaite afterwards, should be fun. Then tomorrow night i have dinner with my friend Nicole who lives in Perth. And I haven't seen her for about 6 years or more...I think.. So that will be lovely. Goodness time flies and it is hard when you have our own busy lives...thank good for blogs and facebook (wish she would join, LOL).

These layouts are of Harry's first day of school and I completed them at the retreat.

Have a great weekend and i will catch up post holiday.

Wish me luck,

Cheers Karen

Weekend away

Well I had a lovely 3 and a bit days away with fellow paper crafters. I completed about 11 layouts and 8 cards. Plus the bases ready to go for Harry's party invitations. Our retreat was really close this time, only in Mt Eliza, which is about 45 minutes from my house. As always there was massive amounts of food, a little alcohol consumed, great company with many laughs and lots of creating done..

Now we are planning our big trip to Port Macquarie..So that will be an epic journey i think. In between that I have my first prep school mums night out to look forward to. Ok best go unpack. Take care and chat soon

Cheers Kaz xxx

Weekend rambling..

I am always a bit of a rambler, so I thought I would stop in on this warm weekend and say Hi. We have nothing much planned this weekend. Mark is still trainging for the Port Mac ironman, so spending hours on his bike and running. I am going to have a spruce up at the hairdressers this afternoon. Might even get a big haircut. I get bored with hair..it grows back!

Over Christmas we went to Cohuna and all had a wonderful time at the local pool on the waterslide, even me. It wasn't a particularly hot day, but since when has that stopped kids from water fun! Here are 2 layouts I did whilst in Inverloch at New Year. I thought these papers were too cute.

I have been having fun rearranging and roorganising my pantry. Tupperware have decided to discontinue the blue lids, which is of course the colour I have, sooo I had a few gaps that I need to fill up to complete my pantry. Unbeknown to me, after I rearranged things, I made even more gaps, and think I have tallied up $300 worth, hence decided to have a party in March so I can at least benefit. I also want some containers to put frozen vegies/chips/ etc in the freezer, as it really annoys me having them all in opened bags and boxes!

All is going well with the kids, Harry started school without any hassles, no tears from either of us, and he has not said he doesn't want to go yet! Emmy is doing ok at creche, fine once she is there, but a bit teary when I drop her off. Harry has been there with her, since she started, and she was in the same room as him for tha last 2 months. So a big change for her..

Ok I am off to tidy up, hang out some washing (that really never ends, in , out, fold and away, in out, fold and away)

Have a great weekend.

xxxx

A recent layout...
I did this whilst away over the New Year.

we are off to Ocean Grove to spend the night with a dear old friend. Because hubby is doing triathalon in Port Arlington tomorrow. He did the Geelong Half Ironman last week, his third time. He scraped 2 minutes off his time, so he was very happy. He is training hard for his second Port Macquarie Ironman in March.., We are going to drive up, eeek, that will be interesting!
Have a nice weekend.

Here is a card I made on behalf of the girls at work...for one of our lovely colleagues, who is setting off on a journey to Cairns for several months..

I love this Stampin'Up! set...with the clock

Have a great weekend xxx

A Layout too

This is the layout I completed whilst watching the DVD Space Chimps (which I really enjoyed) with the kids yesterday. I was very proud to get my still new Slice out to cut the 2 flowers and the words. Turned out great. Can't wait for my 4 new cartridges to arrive from the states. Now does anyone wanna buy a cricut, LOL...Seriously.
The butterflies are a Stampin Up punch which I have borrowed, thanks Gail. Very handy, might need it!! This is Emmy at her Fairy Birthday party. She looked so cute..
Enjoy your week...

Galiforce Stampers challenge

I am always up for a challenge. So when one of our team members chose this challenge out of left field I jumped on board...
The colours are from one of the DSP's in the Summer mini. They are so bright, but alas do look good together. We could also add Tempting Turqoise, but I didn't. I think it is perfect for a girls card, and will add an age somewhere with a bit of sparkle and I might add some bling to the 3D butterfly for antennas.

The colours used are - Pixie Pink, Pink Passion, Only Orange, Summer Sun and Green Galore. The cute butterfly (butterfly prints) set and punch are out of the mini too...

I hope you have all enjoyed your weekend. We have had a quiet one at home, with a nice dinner with friends last night. I got in a couple of movies, and completed a layout. And am looking forward to an extra day off this week. I also çan't believe in 8 sleeps I will be a school mum. I am so excited for the changes I will see in Harry, and for his new learning experiences.

catch Ya soon.

Cheers Karen xxx

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, I hope you are all well and inspired for a rewarding twenty ten..

I have had a lovely holiday in Inverloch over the New Year with my family, including my sister. We enjoyed going to the movies, the races and out for New Years dinner. I also had a chance to scrap while away, and then at 2 crops since new year. I have 2 to share from last night, and need to finish 1 layout and I will post the others too.







I bought a(nother) new tote last night, and I love it, so much of a better shape than my old one. Everything fits in much better and is easier to access. I am motivated to keep creating today..however I have to get washing done too. I am also keen to maybe go to Zoo Twilights tonight, but hubby may not be keen after his 120 km bike ride (madly training again for more Ironman events, crazy!!).
I was meant to go back to work this week, but had to take sick leave after Harry swallowed a coin last Saturday night, I have been on poo duty, and although I believe I have been thorough, it is yet to surface!!
Ok off to get the washing on.... take care