Dancing is officially over for the year phew!!

Don't get me wrong - the girls love dancing and the concerts are brilliant I am just glad it is all over and done with!!! The last few weeks have been so busy with all the extra rehearsals - add to that the costumes, making sure we have everything from the shoes (x 3 different sorts), stockings that don't have holes in them (including fishnets), outfits, hairdo's and hair accessories - add to that Chionia danced for the first time this year and that equals lots of stress!!! As gary has said it is not Christmas - it is Stressmas!!

Anyway back to dancing - Chionia danced in her very first concert - she was going to either love it or hate it and dissolve into tears on stage.....she LOVED it!!! One big happy smile the whole time - she had 2 dances - a plum pudding and then a little bit later the fairy dance. She was so cute - at one stage she was towards the back of the stage and couldn't see us so she crept up to the front gave us a huge smile and kept on dancing!! I think she is hooked - there were a few tears the second night as I took off with Jess and Katelin to the second concert - the babies only dance on one night.

Jess as usual was in a few dances - first was rocking around the Christmas tree for Jazz and then change to ballet - mice - here she also did an extra little battle of the mice and got a wizzy dizzy by one of the older girls - her own little starring role! Backstage we then had to change 20 girls hairstyles from 2 buns to one bun - we actually sent home a note on the dress rehearsal requesting mums don't use too much hairspray to make our jobs easier!!! Next was the snowflake dance with nearly all the Grade 1 ballet girls upwards including all the seniors - beautiful with them all on stage in white tutu's! Lastly was her tap number - not sure what it was called but she looked pretty jazzy!!

End of the night are the main trophy presentations - here Jess once again got the trophy for Grade 2 Modern/Jazz for her group. THis is the thrid year in a row - it wasn't expected as such as we thought seeing she had won it the last 2 years that maybe it was someone elses turn but no it is based on exam results and she topped her year!!! GO JESS!! Katelin won the trophy for Grade 1 ballet and it was just gorgeous seeing the surprise on her face when her name was called out :)



So what else has been happening in our household apart from dancing - not much - no only joking - it isn't called silly season for nothing!

School has finished for the year and Jess did really well once more - smarty pants!! SHe got 3 A's - society and environment, science and art - the rest were all B's so she has done well this year :) Year 4 next year can't believe it!!! Chionia had her kindy orientation and just LOVES it - she can't wait to start next year - we even had a home visit by her teacher.

Work is busy - It never surprises me how people don't htink ahead - we are getting phone calls from people asking to seal their paving or pool etc in time for Christmas...it won't be happening - we are just tooo busy!!

A few bits and pieces of DT stuff - did a canvas which I just love the mini album BELIEVE is detachable and I will be filling it up with all the photo's of this year :)


And a Christmas ball!



I was lucky enough to do an all day class a few weeks ago sponsered by Printblocks - Lynnette Carroll came over from America (K&C DT member) and gave 2 of the 3 classes - Michelle from Printblock did the other class. I will take photo's of mine when I finish them as we didn't take any photo's on the day but here are Lynette's!





Well must make a move and start getting ready for Christmas here

getting there.................

Boy a lot has happened in the last few weeks....including my computer being taken away and repaired for virus's and a new hard drive - luckily we didn't lose too much info etc but bigpond are being PITA at the moment saying there is a problem with my email account and they may get it fixed within 4 days....grrrr.....

Also having problems logging into EB and 3AS now....will try and sort that out in a tic

First of all a HUGE congrats to this years Masters at SM. Unfortunately I didn't make the top 10 but life goes on and I love the work I did. My single LO got a HM so I can't show that (now that did surprise me as this was the one I was worried about!!! Thought they would have loved my keepsake...........)

so here they are in all their glory!!

Double LO












Calendar - I stamped inside each page with different stamps and used pearlex
powders :) A row for me and one for each of the girls :)








and my keepsake - a scrapping tote........ this was a LOT of work!

Virus PITA

haven't they got better things to do with their time than invent virus's that distrupt our lives.....grrrrr.....still sorting it out but for the moment the computer is working so here I am :)

Dancing rehearsals are in full swing - I think I am up there nearly every day a week atm for the next three weeks. Trying to sort out costumes - Chionia is a plum pudding and a fairy - the plum pudding is done so can tick that off and the fairy skirt isn't too much to do - will get to that sometime this week I hope. Jess's on the other hand omg - every year we have drama's trying to get costumes - Nanna makes them for Jess which she loves but we always seem to get the patterns or material late - well we have the material but was given the wrong pattern for it - two weeks later I am still waiting for the dressmaker/daughter to remember to bring it in so I can get a photo of the costume so we know what we are making!!! Grrrr as if I haven't got enough things to chase up.....

Chionia has had her orientation at kindy this week and loves her new teacher - Mrs Newton and Mrs Bartley. She can't wait till she starts next year.

Still no word on the masters - I think I am just about over waiting.....lol but then I think I could still have a chance hehe..

Scrapping - been busy - Twiddleybitz have had some new products which they launched last weekend when I taught the advent house to some Perth Store owners :) Great afternoon :)

hhmmm just noticed no button to add photo's .....brb once I work out what is happening! Nope have no idea - you will have to pop over to my gallery at 3 Angels :)

still no buttons - maybe PB will work for me

[IMG]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/Meljessie/Scrapbook%20LO/IMG_7049adjandsize.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/Meljessie/Scrapbook%20LO/closeupsofbeadwork.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/Meljessie/IMG_7039adj_and_size.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a315/Meljessie/IMG_7047adj_and_size.jpg[/IMG]

Christmas Lists.....

OMG It has been a while since I have found pp that I LOVE!!! The new Collage Press Scrooge & Marley range are just stunning and yes I am working on Di to get them in at the shop too ;)

Anyway since receiving them midweek I have been planning this weeks 3AS DT project - using a sheer Maya Rd album I have created a place to list all my Christmas stuff!!!

All the details you can pop over to 3AS gallery and check it out ;) Off to Nic's shortly to work out a class I am teaching next week to all the Perth stores that carry Twiddleybitz!!!

Fundraising Garage Sale

As you know Maurs has been quite sick for a while now on top of trying to beat this cancer. So we are holding a HUGE fundraising garage sale for her!!!!

What we do need though is donations - big or small - we will take anything from shoes and clothes and jewellery through to toys and then the larger items such as furniture and garden stuff. Everything can be delivered to Maurs place - 6 ZOLLNER CLOSE in CONNOLLY. If no-one is home it can just be left near the front door. Otherwise I can collect stuff from Di's shop if anyone wants to leave stuff there for me to take.

Garage sale will be held SUNDAY 7th DECEMBER from 8am - 1pm at the Sorrento Hall in Hillarys (just behind the White Salt restaurant). We will have not only a huge amounts of bargains to be bought but also facepainting, sausage sizzles and drinks, cake stalls, balloons etc......

So please come along and support us - we will all end up with a bargain or two I am sure.

Back again - two posts in 24hours hehe!!

Just a quick update as I have to clear enough room for all the Chrisco boxes arriving today!

Maur's is a lot better although she is refusing to eat the food at the hospital and Neil is bringing it into her lol! OK - the story is a mixture of things. She found it hard breathing last week and ended up having a chest Xray then a ct scan to determine what the problem maybe. They did find 3 or 4 small black spots on the ct scan where her lungs are. They don't know if these are - hot spots, pneumonia or blood clots. So she is on another lot of antibiotics (as well as the iv pick antibiotics which is still continuing), needles morning and night for the blood clotting and nebuliser for her breathing. She also discovered another lump in her boob on Friday just near the site of where the lumpectomy is - they are thinking it is scar tissue BUT just to rule things out she is having an ultra sound today and a fine needle biopsy at the same time. Also they are hoping she will be home today :) Will keep you all updated!!

Scrapping - this weeks 3AS DT work was to scrap a colour photo and a black and white photo - only just got Chionia's daycare photo's back a few weeks ago and got some in black and white and sepia as well - little postage stamp size ones so perfect for this challenge.





And cause I am feeling so excited about the shop opening up I am going to do my own little challenge for you guys with me picking the winner to receive a Basic Grey lunch pail tin.

An example of what you can do with one (please excuse the inside photo of the tin as I haven't finished it yet!!)








It must be brought into the store by Friday 28th November and left to be put on display - please pop your name and contact number on the back as we do have lots of LO's in store that are homeless atm..... I will let you know who the winner is by the end of November.

The Challenge for Scrapbooking to Di for customers is...........

12 x 12 LO
Subject: I am thankful for...........
Must contain
1) 3 photo's
2) Distressing - this can include inking, sanding, using a distresser
3) Must have a cluster of embellishments (minimum of 3)
4) Title and journalling
5) Chipboard

Please note I am running this challenge (not the shop!!) as they don't know about it yet!! hehe. Go start planning and scrapping and I can't wait to see what you all come up with - any questions just post me a message here!!

Life is busy and it isn't even December yet!!

So much has been happening but nothing really in the scheme of things hehe..

First of all Maurs is back in hospital. We were all around at the Ings on Tuesday for Melbourne Cup day and had a great day - Maurs looked great - even sporting a gorgeous pixie hair do now!! But she went downhill on Wednesday again. By Saturday she could hardly breathe once more - she had some xrays done during the week and Joondalup hospital called and told them to come in straight away. So it turns out she has either pleurisy again or pneumonia....not sure as we have heard 2 different diagnosis - I think Neil is a little stressed and has it mixed up from what we have heard but will head there today to find out what the hell is going on!

The shop - woohoo - is just about finished and not far off reopening - apparently it is looking fantastic - can't wait to see it ready to go - we have some exciting auctions and things happening and loads of new stock on order which I hope arrives asap!!

Me - been a bit quiet with scrapping - wii has taken over a bit! Had the nephews etc here quite a few times playing golf and bowling etc on the wii sports. But I do have some stuff I am allowed to share now!! Lots of dt stuff for Twiddleybitz and 3AS Twelve weeks of Christmas :)













Will be back later today with some more photo's!

Mr Mojo has returned...

I have really enjoyed scrapping the last day or so :)I Had a massive clean up of my scrap area - doesn't look much better on my actual table but everything in the shelves etc behind me is now organised - daycare will love me this week when I bring in all my scraps!!

Some new examples for the shop for when we move...... ;) sssshhhhhhhh




Well can't show you the rest - SM have picked my calendar up for an otp article :) :) YIPPEE :):)

If you wish for a miracle it may just happen.....

been a bit of a rollercoaster ride here in the forbes family the last few weeks - it seems like it has been forever since Maurs and family were told she had secondary cancer in her spine and hot spots in her ribs. Faced with the fact of knowing the breast cancer will finally beat her we were preparing for a future very different to what you think you will live.....

when you get old those words you wish it could be different - you wish they were wrong - well.....

they were.......

Maurs has been given another chance at life - the doctors got it wrong YAY - I could throttle them for what they have put everyone through and perhaps if they were on top of things in the hospital we may never have had the diagnosis we did. One of the last tests they ordered cause someone forgot to order it has shown that the black spot in her scans is in fact an abscess on her spine.... Gary called and told me and I was in the middle of some scrap shopping with a friend and it didn't seem right - a huge sigh of relief then disbelief then anger at Joondalup getting it so wrong. Then well how could they get it so wrong......

Anyway a pick line has been put in and Maurs will be on some pretty heavy antibiotics for a fair few weeks - she is having some tests this arvo to determine if it has shrunk since yesterday - and perhaps home for the weekend. YAY!!!!!!

Life seems a bit brighter now :)

Anyway onto us lot :)

School is back this week - meaning only 9 weeks till Christmas OMG!!! I think I had better start planning now cause I know come December it will be full on with dacning etc as well as the usual Christmas get togethers

Last weekend 3 Angels scrapping hosted a Girls night in and we have raised just over $400.00. We all had a challenge to set and mine was heartfelt journalling - I obviously had written it before we had the results this week so it summed up all the weeks before....

LO is called How do you Hope..
when faced with the possibilities.

When the life you had, you will never have again and in it’s place is a black ugly cloud that will never go away.


How do you….

Find the strength to face the future. To give hope to those who need it….


How do you……………

Live with cancer. And how alone Maureen must feel right now. And Neil, Telia and Jason – how I want to stop them from hurting? And tell them it will be ok..


How do you …………………..

help one of the most beautiful people in the world cope with what cancer will throw at her……..



BUT



There is hope – we have life and love, family and friends who all have one interest at heart. In numbers there is strength and in strength there is determination and will to live

“I believe that in life in general, every experience you share with another person adds to you as an individual. With every part of this journey you've shared with Maurs, you have given a piece of yourself to her, and she has given a piece of herself to you. In this way, even when she's gone, she will still be a part of you, and so by sharing her journey, you are giving each other the most precious gift of all - yourself. And this is true for each an every special person in her life.” Danielle

And it gives you hope when you most need it. To help give it to those who need it the most. Let’s live life for now and make those memories bright and happy ones full of love. Let’s be positive and help her live as near as normal a life she can. Take it one baby step at a time and day by day and it becomes easier to deal with. It will never take our spirits nor the love we all share. We will get there.

Oct 2008

and the LO...








Di's is moving at the end of the month so busy planning the move - it will be good - we settled out of court with the owners in regards to them breaching our lease on numerous occasions and part of that is we want out - we don't want to keep dealing with them for the next 2 years...so we are moving just a hop skip and jump down the road!! Lots of exciting plans and idea's and omg at all the new stock we will have - it will be Christmas come early for us all :) :)

Dinner is now ready so must run :)

take care all

Mini Post.....

I have a 10 minutes till we walk out the door back to the school/daycare/work run!! YAY - not a bad school hols - Jess went to Dunsborough for a few days by herself which she loved but then got homesick. Then it was a week of sleepovers etc which resulted in one very tired girl by Sunday.

Maureen is still in hospital - more tests yesterday and we won't know the results of the biopsy until Thursday I think...The cancer has appeared in her spine with hot spots on her ribs. The biopsy is to double check that the cancer is cancer - a MRI was done last Friday but inconclusive due to fluid..

3 Angels Scrapping had a Girls Weekend In just gone - you can still go to their site and make a donation to the Cancer Council. We have 10 fabulous challenges you can purchase at $2.00 a challenge - mine is heartfelt journalling :) Felt good to get it down on paper.

Not much else - not much time for scrapping.

Chionia got a princess bed on the weekend and loves her new frills and mossie net over the top :)

ok time is up - must run find my shoes and off we go :) Take care all :)

Life can be a right shit at times.......

yep it can - it is soooooo unfair.....



Breast Cancer


affects all of us at one stage in life - whether it is ourselves personally or someone we know.....


It is a disease that twists and turns and sends you and family on a rollercoaster...

It is awful

It is horrible

and I wish no one EVER had to deal with it but we do.


Maurs is in hospital atm and looks so frail. She was sooooooooo close (just days away) to the final treatment of her battle with breast cancer - she went through the chemo to be told it had vanished and it looked like it had gone - just to be safe she had the lumpectomy and then 6 weeks of radiotherapy. A couple of weeks into the radiotherapy she got knocked for 6 by a lung infection - developed asthma as a result and hasn't really recovered to the point she was admitted to hospital on Sunday with pleurisy - her lung has been drained and the tube taken out today. However they have been advised by the oncology department that all the signs and symptoms she has had lately indicates she now has bone cancer... Please cross your fingers for her, pray for her or simply wish her the best as we are all going to need it to get through the next few months now. All along Maurs has been a tower of strength - I don't think anyone really knows the lows she has gone through and how ill she has felt and only she knows what she will face again. Mwah....



3 Angels Scrapping is holding a fundraising weekend for the cancer council - please get behind this weekend - even if you don't scrap you can donate - simply click on the 3 Angels scrapping link in my sidebar and look for the Girls Weekend in link....


Just a quick update on the rest of things around here - Geelong lost :( although we did have a fun day






and some scrapping....








take care and give those you love an extra special cuddle....you never know what is around the corner..