I’m exhausted!

And, I have another really busy day, ahead, with hot temperatures, as well.

I got into bed last night and replayed the day over in my thoughts … breakfast out with David, making a Desktop Calendar Easel Box, preparing for the Stampin’ Kids Workshop, facilitating the Kids’ Stampin’ Workshop, dinner out with old friends, into bed, restless sleep, boys late home …

The Highlight of breakfast was the lovely company ~ David and I spent time drifting through conversation about the things which we are involved in currently and how they are working, or not, and what we expect in the future.  Breakfast itself was a bit below par …

The Paper Crafter’s Library project of a Desktop Calendar Easel Box was challenging and great.  Thank Goodness for Video Tutorials!!!  I am such a Fan!  I was squeezing in this project when I really should have been preparing for the afternoon class so I may have not read the PDF instructions as well as I could have.  No worries!  Watch the video.  Very helpful!!  My Easel Box is nearly completed and I added the Stampin’ Girls Birthdays to it, during the workshop.

I LOVE Stampin’ Kids Workshops!

We had fun making up the 3 projects I created before hand … the Tri-Fold Card project was an opportunity to extend the skills a little further as I showed them how to use a craft knife for the first time.    I have the embellishment on my ‘Bow Box’ by Becky Roberts to finish and then I have a NEW trio of goodies to gift to someone.

And dinner.  Oh Wow.  It was LOVELY.  We sat outside, had the most fabulous Indian food I’ve ever had at that restaurant, and everybody had an opportunity to share what they’d been doing and what their plans were to do next.  The cool change came through and there was a gentle breeze keeping things fresh and manageable.  A few flies were the most we had to contend with!

When I thought back about the day I realised it was a very ‘satisfying’ day.  I did all the things that I enJOY most … and I had people ask me what I was doing: I shared about Kels beginning High School, the JOY of Stampin’ Kids, my trauma of recent weeks in response to the anniversary of my father’s death, the NaNoWriMo Challenge, and my Passion for Past Lives … every single thing I am interested in, I shared in conversation, last night.

I don’t remember the last time that happened.  In fact, it may never have happened before. 

It was such a JOY to be Authentic and Share my Passions.

Today, the girls are coming for the first Sunday Workshop of 2011 and I have some stunning projects organised!  I created the projects in 2 different colour combos mainly to showcase just how gorgeous the designs could be in different themes.

 First up, “Love Letter” Designer Series Paper.  This wasn’t one of my favourite papers when I saw it in the Ideas Book & Catalog but it’s grown on me.  I confess to be rather inspired by polka dots … they are bold and funky and have a great look in cards and 3D projects.

The Gorgeous Stampin’ Girls are going to create a Kit Kat Card, a “Friend” Tri-Fold Card, and a “Friend” Box.  The recipes for these projects came from Julie Davison ~ “Kit Kat Purse”;  Tracey Old ~ Valentine Tri-Fold Card, a project for UStamp With Love … 2010; and Becky Roberts ~ Bow Box from the 12 Days of Christmas 2009 Tutorial (I was trying for a Cupcake Box, originally, but the tutorials I had were so hard to follow, and wrong in some places, that I ‘ran’ to my “Becky-Stash” and found the cute Bow Box to make, instead.  We aren’t adding the bow, this time).

Isn’t this colour combo fabulous?!   I began with Pacific Point Cardstock and knew I wanted to use some of the Brights Patterned Paper … I added a little Melon Mambo for contrast and this cute set appeared!  I confess to making my colour choices according to the Ribbons I had in my stash.     I have some stunning Pacific Point Ribbon that I don’t often use ~ it was this ribbon’s turn!

All product is from Stampin’ Up!

Ok. 

I was blown away. 

A parcel was delivered, yesterday, for David, and when he got home last night (to an empty house ~ just ME here) he told me the parcel was for me.

I opened it.

Guess what it was?

30 MINUTE MEALS by Jamie Oliver!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, My God!

You probably know what we are going to be doing for dinner tonight, don’t you?!    Although, we are experiencing a bit of a ‘challenge’ over who gets to use “Jamie” first – Kels or me?! 

What a JOY!

Another wonderful happening is Kels and I had an excellent shopping trip, yesterday, and she is pretty much set for beginning school on Friday.  I need to buy the ruler and pencil sharpener, today, but otherwise, she is set.  And, her new clothes are just perfect for school.  She’s so grown up!

What a JOY!

Then, I decided that it was time to ‘get back on the wagon’ and made some calls to catch up with girlfriends … I’ve booked a lunch, a breakfast, a morning tea/brunch/lunch, and a cuppa, for the week the kids go back to school.  I’m going to dinner with old friends from the ‘past life reading indulgence years’, this weekend.  I’m getting my life back!  YAY!

What a JOY!

I realised, after waking up, yesterday, thinking about Tandoori Chicken, that David and I would be on our own for dinner.  What a rare occurence that is!  Of course, we had to make the most of that.  Take away Chinese, dinner amongst the household clutter, and LOTS of conversation.  I am loving the extra time and focus we are sharing at the moment.

What a JOY!

And, finally, I have really got my “Past Lives Brain” on (that’s an adaptation of a quote by “Jamie”!) with a Reading, this afternoon, and workshop ideas zipping through my thoughts.  It’s time to take notes and make preparations.

What a JOY!

I’m beginning my day with a Stamping Project from Paper Crafter’s Library, before grocery shopping and cleaning.  Ahh, a fabulous way to begin the weekend.

What a JOY!

I think that I have a fixation on food, at the moment. 

I woke up thinking about Tandoori Chicken.

For dinner.

But, I’m not fussed about Tandoori Chicken.

However …

I thought about the BBQ Cookbook we have, and Jamie Oliver’s cookbooks (at least one of them has a recipe with Tandoori Chicken in it – I think) and my thoughts began drifting towards naan … and yoghurt … and sprouts … and whatever else I can think of which will give the meal some attitude (I’m becoming a well trained Jamie operative ~ I am finding myself using his terminology!).

Hmm.  Might just organise Tandoori Chicken for dinner, tonight.

Our food this week has been wonderful.  I think having a theme makes meals more interesting and with Australia Day happening we did go all out on sausages and hamburgers for lunch on Wednesday (and, as a result, dinner Wednesday night, too).  The BBQ was an excuse to make up plates of finger food fruit, and vegetables, and indulge in some long rolls (I never buy long rolls!); and we sat outside, even though the weather was a bit dull.  A great family time!

Another great family activity ~ well, Kels, David and Michelle ~ was making up Jamie Oliver’s Berry Ice Cream (ooh, the recipe is on the website!).  It was FUN!

We have been watching 30 Minute Meals (alas, no recipe book – yet) and gathered around the food processor with our collective memories and opinions.

Greek Yoghurt, frozen Three Berry Mix, honey and Mint Leaves.  Excellent!

Ok, so not quite so excellent for Kels who doesn’t like Mint.  But fabulous for ME because I LOVE Mint, and added extra to the ‘ice cream’ (which is why Kels didn’t eat any more than the first mouthful)! 

The first night we ate it it was still a little runny.  The second night we finished it – after it sat out on the bench for a few minutes so we could actually get a spoon in it for serving!  Rock solid Berry Yoghurt Ice Cream!!

It really was a gorgeous dessert and one we’ll make again. Although, with less Mint.

Finally, on our week of JOY-ful Food, David took yesterday off, because it was the first anniversary of Dad’s death and I wasn’t sure how I would be (I was fine – thank God!).  We went off to do some shopping and then have lunch … “Pho” soup and Steamed Pancake Rolls.  YUM!  Vietnamese food is just what my body LOVES and this meal was fabulous!  In fact, we were seated so closely to our ‘neighbours’ that we got to check out what they were having, too.  I will be going back to this restaurant, and it’s only 20 minutes from here.  YAY!

Maybe Dad’s legacy has been to leave me with a Love of Food … after all, he was a great cook, took us to lots of restaurants when we were kids, and the first anniversary of his death allowed us to got out to lunch on a ‘school’ (work) day. 

Hmm.  That’s the first positive memory or thought I’ve had about Dad in a really long time.  Thank Goodness.

I’ve been eye-ing off the “On a Pedestal” stamp set, in the Stampin’ Up! Ideas Book & Catalog, since September.  I LOVE the project on page 33 and decided to try out the design using some Brights Patterned Paper and my favourite polka dot ribbons.

How cute is this card??!!  My newest favourite colour combo is Soft Suede, Rich Razzleberry, Melon Mambo and Daffodil Delight with a hint of Tempting Turquoise ~ I LOVE BRIGHTS!

Then, I wanted to try out the other cute stamp, “Happy Everything To You”, so switched the colours around to feature my gorgeous Melon Mambo Polka Dot Ribbon (which I stocked up on before it was deleted, last year) …

And, I have been able to indulge in my fabulous button collection!  Sigh. 

All product from Stampin’ Up!

We are enJOYing a mid-week break, today, in celebration of Australia Day (and Lovely Tricia’s Birthday ~ HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Tricia!).  It’s such a relaxed start to the day … I got up from a good night’s sleep and Daniel came home from – what I guess was – a good night out!  The birds are chattering, the garbage truck is doing its rounds and I’m waiting to see whether its ‘sunny’  or ‘cloudy’ weather. 

We’ve bought sausages, hamburgers, sausage rolls, long bread rolls, sliced white bread … all the essentials for a truly Aussie Barbecue!  I did suggest to the kids that we ate sausages and Minties for lunch but they didn’t seem terribly enthused!    I must say that I do feel a little patriotic, today.  Kels was enthused enough to find our Australian Flag and put it up, outside.  Josh, I’ve discovered, is not very patriotic at all and has been giving Kels the long-suffering ‘what on earth are you doing that for’ treatment. 

I’ve spent my morning coffee time planning a holiday … more out of curiosity than for any other reason.  We have talked about doing some kind of trip in the September/October Holidays as a break and distraction for Josh.  So, I’ve checked out Port Macquarie and Dubbo’s Western Plains Zoo.

The part I am most excited about is a website that tells you the distances between places:  I put in our address and David’s parents address in Sydney and the search delivered distance and time to get there!  WOW!  So, I continued on and scoped out the whole trip.  I am So Impressed!!!

The internet is an amazing tool for planning holidays and trips.  I have been able to check out availability of accommodation in ‘Port’ and in ‘Dubbo’, checked the details of Western Plains Zoo ~ they have carts you can travel around the zoo in, now, which I think might be new since we were last there.  And, I’ve discovered that the longest part of the trip will be from Dubbo to home but it’s only about 20 minutes driving time longer.  In actual distance, it’s closer!

However you are spending today, enJOY yourself.  Do something FUN and celebrate Australia Day!

… an attentive husband

… capable children

… a local business owner who always says hello to you when he sees you out and about

… air conditioning

… washing dishes by hand and having the opportunity to make conversation with the person who’s drying up

… Blues … lots of Blues!

… creating a new card

… being clairvoyant

… dessert!

One of our goals or intentions for this year of our marriage is to spend more time together … we really had so much family stuff to manage in 2010 that Nurturing the David & Michelle Relationship moved onto a back burner. 

This year, there will still be lots of family support needed but we are making US a priority.  So, we’ve already been to the movies – twice – and dinner.  Woo Hoo!

Yesterday was a day of chores and ticking things off the list, with ‘Self’ indulgence, as well.  David and I took Daniel to work then popped into Dick Smith to buy an “IC Recorder” ~ this is a tiny machine for voice recording … like the old tape recorders but the size of a mobile phone.  And, it doesn’t use cassette tapes.  It has a built in USB link which is plugged straight into the computer to upload your recordings.  Super, super cool.

I wanted a way of recording the readings I plan on having, this year, as part of my quest to Understand My Past Lives.  The incredible resource of 40+ readings on tape from 10-15 years ago has been of priceless value and I wanted to make sure I recorded this year’s research.

We spent some quality time having ‘intelligent’ discussions with each other and the fabulous sales assistant … it’s like a conversation that happens rarely because we usually talk kids or house things and not different things like what I need in a Voice Recorder!

Then we had coffee and morning tea, while we were still in the shopping centre, before heading to the Lighting Shop to pick up the fans/lights we’d ordered for the kids bedrooms.  Coffee-time, driving-time … lots of opportunity to talk – uninterrupted! – about everything.

Later in the afternoon, David dropped me off at my Reading (a lovely gesture ’cause I always drive myself and this was Very Companionable) then went on to play guitar with the band lead singer, for an hour or two.  We met up again to go to the movies and dinner.

It has been the best couple of weeks we’ve had, together, in a really long time …

Every relationship needs to be worked at ~ friendships, lovers, business partners & acquaintances ~ and they all need Time and Energy.  I am really enJOYing the time and energy we are putting into our relationship.  I trust that the same will happen with the ‘friend relationships’ I have, too, during the year.

Today’s song is an oldie but a goodie … check out Ella Fitzerald ~ Someone To Watch Over Me.

This is my version of Becky Roberts’ “Tote-Ally Awesome Tote” project.  While Kels chose a Monochromatic Theme for her project, I chose my most favourite theme for Being Creative – Bright and Out There!

I’d eye’d off the Sunny Garden DSP from Stampin’ Up! the first time I looked at the New Catalog … it was totally eye-catching and also made use of the simply gorgeous Cottage Garden Stamp Set.

However, I had none of the NEW In Colours.  What a pity!  Guess I’ll just have to BUY THEM ALL!!

I was loyal to Becky’s ‘recipe’ for this project, until I realised that I just couldn’t create all the cards in the same way as I didn’t have enough images in the stamp set to work with.  Fortunately, I began with this cute pocket card, which I LOVE!   I want to mention, here, that I really like working with the Designer Series Paper packs because there are so many options of patterns to use and they all co-ordinate!  I loved using the floral Poppy Parade patterns with the stripes.  And, it was Really Easy to do!

This was my second card and I confess to finding it a bit challenging … but I loved the look of the ‘blossoms’ by the end of all that stampin’ off process.  Funnily enough, this was the same process I used when helping one of the girls with decorating her envelope, at the Stampin’ Kids session.  She kind of got a bit stuck with what she was attempting to do – you know how it is when there is an idea in your head which doesn’t quite make it to your hand??!  If I was making this card again I would set it all a little further down so there is less of a margin from the main part of the image and the card base.

This is where I deviated from Becky’s recipe … I couldn’t make up an image like the one’s she had used on her 3rd card so went back to the original design and used the tag image from Cottage Garden.  It’s been fun using a different stamp set and being challenged to come up with ways to use the various images.    This card is definitely influenced by Kels’ colour choice!  It’s the most Daffodil Delight I used in the whole project!!

There probably isn’t a card style I like more, at the moment, than this striped Top Note card!  I LOVE putting the strips of paper together then rolling out the gorgeous finished shape. Ahh.    And, I was a little indulgent with my choice of using “JOY” as the sentiment.  After all, that’s what this blog is all about ~ Sharing and Expressing JOY! 

I didn’t make the bookmarks or decorate the pen (although we did have a pen, in our stash, which was Just Like Poppy Parade, in colour!) but I did get my envelopes decorated.  Unfortunately, our envelopes don’t fit into the Tote so when I’m running this as a workshop, the Ladies will need to take the envelopes separately … or maybe we will need to make them smaller.

Next week, Lovely Sabrina is coming over for a stamping afternoon and we are going to create one of Becky’s UStamp projects … it’s going to be So Much Fun.  Yippee!

Today’s Song About Love is thanks to Kels, who introduced me to this tune on our way home from dropping Josh at his girlfriend’s, last week … In Love Again ~ Rogue Traders.

How are you going to Indulge Your Love, today?

Today, I can Share the JOY of Feeling Proud, Mother Love and the JOY of Colour because I am showcasing Kels’ version of Becky Roberts’ Tote-Ally Awesome Tote Tutorial.

It has been decorating the Craft Cupboard for a few days as we have gradually made the different pieces of the tutorial and I have found my eyes drifting to this amazing piece of creativity, often.

I am so blown away by my 12 year old daughter’s ability to create and her interpretation of that creativity.  Wow!

I’m also amazed at how much I have enJOYed looking at the Monochromatic Colour Scheme she has chosen … I would never choose Yellow as a favourite colour but Kels’ use of Daffodil Delight with Whisper White is so appealing that I may have to revise my attitude.

This is a close up of the Tote, note pad and pen … would you believe we happened to have a YELLOW Post It Note Pad in the drawer and a YELLOW  pen??!

This was Kels’ first card … she was entranced with the Two Step Owl Extra Large Punch and chose that as her theme for the cards.

She also got really excited about using the Big Shot, especially when she realised she could use the Textured Impressions Folders, as well!

By the time Kels created this card we were giggling about the Owls.    She had the fabulous idea of sponging around the outside of a Scalloped Circle created using the Big Shot but got a bit stuck once she’d done the background of the card base.   A bit of a break from stamping and some other distractions gave her renewed enthusiasm and this amazing Owl was born!

As only kids and a handful of grown ups can do, this final card was just out of the box.  She giggled and enthused about the Textured card base, attempted the ribbon idea for the very first time, and created the stunning framed ‘wall’ display to finish the card.

Amazing!

I am ‘tote-ally’ proud and filled with JOY at my daughter’s ability and creativity.  This was all her own work and she has Inspired ME!  (Did I mention that she is 12 years old??!!)

I might just have to reconsider YELLOW as a colour to use in future projects! 

All Stampin’ Up! products used, except the pen and note pad.  Sunny Garden Designer Series Paper, Daffodil Delight & Whisper White colour theme.