Well what have I been up to....

I have been visiting here....



visiting Sydney for the 3Angels Scrapping retreat where I taught my fairy xhadow box class to my biggest class ever!!! From what I believe - they all got their hands dirty so they passed!! Great bunch of ladies - I hope they enjoyed it!



It was a long flight home - 6 hours due to the severe storm weather Perth had been experiencing that Vic and SA have had in the last few days.....so glad that is over with! Ocean Reef had the highest wind gusts recorded during that time - I swear the pergola was going to fly away!! A big thanks to mum who came up and took over mummy duties whilst away - this included a swimming lesson, a school disco which got cancelled at the last minute via text to me who then had to forward it onto 3 people as I didn't know who was taking Jess to her first senior disco! a piano lesson, ballet lesson, a visit to the girls new cousin Alice who is going great guns!! 2.5 weeks old already!!!



Then on Sunday Chionia had a ballet and tap exam - lucky mum!!!

I was suppose to be home by 8.30pm but it was nearly 10.30pm before I got my cuddle from the girls and Gary! SO ready for bed - mental note - fly qantas - much more leg room!!!

Had my last day at the shop on Tuesday - sad yes but i am enjoying not having the job of being there!! I miss all the gorgeous customers who would call througha nd thankyou to those who turned up to say good bye - it isn't goodbye I will still be teaching there!! Just getting priorities in order at home and enjoying it!!

Scrapping wise - done a few things - masters is due in a few weeks so busy finishing all of that off - yes I am entering again -I must be a sucker for punishment but as I have told others I love what I have done and if I can join along the ride then YAY!!!

End of the school term - both girls got awesome reports - just need to work with Chionia on learning how to sort out arguements - she can't do it like she does with Jess!!

Also proud mummy moment - a few weeks ago Jess was watching Random Acts of Kindness on TV where a girl her age raised a heap of money fundraising - unbeknown to us she wrote a letter to her school principal asking if they could do a free dress day and if they could give the money to her to donate to the hospital where Aunty Maureen went for her breast cancer journey. Mr Smith called me up and asked (obviously they couldn't give Jess the money but) where would we like it donated - the Breast Cancer Foundation. Well yesterday was the free dress day Jess had asked for and the school raised an even $550.00 :) :) :) and all it took was some guts and a letter.

Must run - have some birdcages which need turning and made white on the other side lol!!
Take care all :)

Something to share

Just a few projects I have been working on :)

Audrey's 80th birthday party yesterday so I made her a book for everyone to sign :) I also made a baby tips and Hints book for my SIL baby shower a couple of weeks ago - forgot to take a photo of it though!!


Just a few LO's I have been working on :)



and a sneak peak at a class example that I am teaching on Wednesday for TBZ :)

OK tell me what you think????

I have had too many emails and customers asking me what I think about the owl LO in the one of the latest mags.....Now I know what I think - what do you?? (remember you can leave a comment annoymously!)


LOL I have just had a phone call from the shop - thankyou about your concern RE Masters - if this affected my chances then I wouldn't want to be doing work for them if that is how they play the game - it should be based on your entries only - I enter the Masters for a challenge - I have always LOVED what I end up creating and the rest of the ride is a bonus!! I know what I think about the LO's - I am just after others opinions :) Thanks though :)

My Masters Entry....




and this Owl LO??


I haven't forgotten Bali!!! I will endeavour to try and do another update this weekend - Just been a bit busy with a mining contract!!!

Went to a seminar on Tuesday night by Odette at Additive Chaos and OMG I learnt sooooooo much. It was awesome and we are now (Jess is loving looking up all the numbers in the handout book) reducing the nasties in our food simply by choosing a different brand! I am really surprised at some of the things eg MSG can also be called Yeast Extract.......what is VEGEMITE made of????

Also did you know that all the lettuce for Mcdonalds stores is precut in QLD then shipped across the country so by the time it is being eaten in your burger it is 4-5 days old - now if you cut a lettuce up and popped it in the fridge - how long would it last before turning brown and yukky....certainly not 4-5 days - think of what chemicals and sulphites they soak it in to preserve it's current state.....Certainly food for thought!!

Must run now - have Miss C's room to tidy up - atm I can't even see the floor...sigh....!

Now I am another year older - am I wiser???

Perhaps not but hopefully less stressed in the future lol!

Life is still busy which is one reason why I have resigned at the shop - don't stress people I am still teaching - I just need to have more hours at home to have things in better order - also the business is going full steam ahead - BHP want us to do a heap of work up north and omg at their paperwork and courses we have to have in place prior!! I have one month left....I am really sad to not be part of it in that sense anymore but family and life come first - hopefully it means I will have more time to create instead of chasing my tail..... The Customers are wonderful people and I do love helping people create their memories - you never know one day I may be back!! But at the moment family is more important!! Hope you all understand!

Also on the scrapping front - Scrapbook Creations have picked up a heap of LO's of mine and want to do a Who's Who of Scrapping on me!! OMG!!! Seems a bit surreal!! There are a few double page ads for TBZ coming up as well and only a few weeks till I fly to Sydney to teach the wonderful ladies at 3Angels Scrapping - Can't wait!!!! Masters is on again - yes I am a sucker for punishment but what do I have to lose - nothing and every year I have created pieces I love.....

EB has gone so quiet - I really don't think it will ever be any where near what it was a year ago....Most of the regulars have slowly retreated and if you are all hiding somewhere LET ME KNOW!!!!! I MISS YOU LOT!!

Bali - lol - still heaps to tell!! Safari park is the next part of our holiday and to me the highlight of Bali - I mean how often do you get the chance to cuddle an orangutan or pat a (very dopey) lion or a young frishy tiger or Chionia's favourite - ride an elephant!! Just awesome experiences you can't miss....If you go to Bali grab the Leopard package from your travel agent or the hotel as this is the best way to complete the park....




Yesterday I turned closer to 40 than 30.....now that is scary - not is the sense of getting older - just I have never thought about being old!! Weird day all round - ran late for school with the girls, someone not looking just about ran me off the road (same coming home from work with someone running a red light - remember people - COUNT TO 10 after the light turns green before taking off!) but the night ended wonderfully - even with a birthday choc mud cake which I didn't have to organise - a few more pandora's for my 2nd bracelet which we will get in the next week or so - a dressing gown, perfume atomiser, Red Door collection of perfumes and creams and a MIX MASTER - YAY I don't have to hold my beaters anymore - any one want a hand held beater!!! ( Trust mum to remember me doing this at the preps for Chionia's birthday!!! Mwah Mum!!)

My texture paste is dry now and I have a project to work on...;) Will be back with another Bali update soon.

Toodles everyone!! :)

MOthers Day and Waterbom Park

MOthers Day I was awoken by both girls clambering to give me their little gifts made at school..bread biscuits and handbag cards - love these gifts more than anything else - told the girls that my Mothers Day pressie was the trip to Bali so didn't want anything (heh apart from a few Pandora charms but would get when I saw ones I liked and meant something to me).

A lazy day - lots of time spent by the pool and we all had a nanna nap in the arvo - I had a short one - awoke to find everyone asleep (can't remember the last time Jess had a day sleep lol!) so I filled the bath up with lots of hot water and bubbles, poured myself a glass of wine or two with our duty free bottle and enjoyed an hour of soaking in the bath with a mag before Gary awoke :) Just perfect!!

Most of the Forbes crew had another birthday gig on that night so only Tom (Bianca wasn't feeling well so stayed at the hotel) and Jason joined us at the Kuta Steakhouse - awesome steak but can't say much for the rest of it hehe!! Whilst there some locals popped their head over the front barrier asking if we wanted cd's - ok I said lets have a look - 31 cd's later for less than a $1.00 each and some fireworks as well it was time for them to leave and dinner was served! Not before they took this photo for us - I was ready to run after them if they took my camera!!




After dinner we walked back down Poppies 1 lane and I scored 3 Pandora charms - a monkey, a spacer and glass bead :) A quick swim once back at the hotel and then to bed as tomorrow was Waterbom Park!

Waterbom park was just down the road from us so we walked....Last time Gary and I went there it had just opened and only half the park had been completed - now it is an amazing array of slides and pools and stunning gardens!! Jess couldn't wait to go on the biggest and fastest slides with Gary (not for me - I wasn't even sure of the Maccaroni Tube - half of which was in complete darkness although Chionia loved it!)

The kids playground was awesome - at the top of it was a huge bucket which repeatedly filled itself with water which then spilt over everyone!!






We left around 3 to go back to the hotel and have a little quiet time before going out for dinner at Jimbaran Bay - a quick ride in the maxicab organised by Roy - boys were on their bemo's! I would love to have a restaurant here in Perth with a set up like this! Just loved having seafood dinner on the beach with the sand between your toes. The second bombing went off about 500m down from where we were eating. Makes you think....Beautiful dinner although my welcome cup of tea had a mouldy bottom.....Gary and I ordered the king prawns....YUMMMMMMMMM all whilst watching the planes land and the sunset.










More to follow :)
XX Mel

Part 2!!

lol I think there may be a few parts to our holiday!!

Straight back into busy routines now - Saturday morning Jess had Piano followed by Chionia starting her ballet on a saturday now instead of MOndays - we had a few issues with going on Monday arvo's for the last term - not quite sure why - I think there must be a new girl that she didn't like as I have since found out another couple of mums have had the same drama and have swapped days as well!! Anyway it worked and she had fun!!

Also discovered Chionia had brought something back from Bali quarantine didn't pick up - nits - grrr......so treated her even though I couldn't see any until I started to comb her hair with conditioner (best thing - immobilises any that aren't dead so you can get them!). All treated and 90 minutes later I then had to rush to get ready to drop them off to SIL's as we were off to a family wedding - my cousin Jo - who we use to take nightclubbing with us in our younger days!! Her boys are so grown up now - seems like yesterday she told us she was pregnant - As per usual with weddings you tend to catch up with long lost relatives - in this case all the cousins on dad's side of the family - all now are married with kids or kids on the way!! Jo looked absolutely stunning - the rain held out just in time for her garden wedding and a yummy yummy reception in Fremantle :) We left earlish as we also had our groomsman's 40th birthday!!

Back to Bali!!

Day 2 - started out with me intent on getting the girls hair plaited as I wasn't going to be doing their hair every time they went swimming etc!! Finally got them done and whilst waiting did our first bit of shopping - lots of clothes, bag (love my Louis Vuitton bag - it fitted everything I needed into it - hand cleaner, camera, purse, ninetendo x 2, mossie spray etc!) and some silver ware.





Back to the pool for a swim and catch up with everyone we missed the day before! Helen had arrived the night before so as her request we all met at our pool. Along came Maurs, Neil, Bob, Jas, Tom & Bianca and finally Shelby and Peta and Glenn!! The girls disappeared into the pool as soon as Shelby arrived and apart from the occasional drink or snack didn't see them! Bees were a drama so we moved closer to the beach and basically spent the afternoon drinking and enjoying Bali by the pool! Shelby bartered with the ladies on the beach to get the girls nails done for 40000rupiahs each so just over $5.00 each!! Then back to the hotel for a little quiet time before heading into Roys bar on the beach followed by dinner at Billies.....





Billies is an awesome restaurant - Very aussie themed! THe waiters love playing tricks on you and the kids just thought it was the bees knees!! Meet up with all of Neil and MAureens group that night too so we had about 30 people in all - we popped the kids in the front Cabana which they loved!! Street kids were happy to chat away and "play" although had to stop one of them from dragging out Jess to the street - will give him the benefit of the doubt! Helen went for a ride on Billies Harley... lots of cocktails (I fell in love with Billies 69 cocktail - gin, midori, contreau, lemon syrup and lime I think!). Girls loved the band and getting up to dance and play - no hard restaurant rules to sit and behave here!!! We went back to Billies several times - once Jess even got up and sang Mumma Mia with the band - must loearn how to load a phone video onto you tube - can anyone enlighten me???









Mothers day to follow!

What an experience!!

I had forgotten how much I love Bali - yes I was one of the people who have hesitated about going since the bombs went off nearly 7 years ago. So much so I had such an upset stomach a few days before we left wondering if I was doing the right thing taking my family there....

But I shouldn't have worried....We had an absolute ball and would do it again in a heartbeat if money allowed!!!

Noone found out - not even the girls knew - I picked them up from school on the Thursday afternoon with the promise in the morning that we would do something special after school if they had their rooms and lounge room tidy before they went....Go banana's was their choice!!!

So they walked into the kitchen and Gary asks where they would like to go (bear in mind they are standing right next to 3 suitcases and hand luggage without even noticing it!!). "Go Banana's" was the answer so we point out the suitcases and Jess screams QUEENSLAND!!! and promptly does a silly dance around the room - Chionia joins in on the act and they very quickly get dressed for the plane etc very excited!!



Once at the airport we discover the plane had been delayed - poop..... in fact it was nearly 2 hours late and by 9.30pm the girls were very tired of hanging around the airport and were over it - as was I!! Chionia was so funny - after checking our bags in we told them were we were really going and why we had kept it a secret.. Jess was excited as she would be catching up with one of her best friends Shelby but Chionia insisted she was going to Queensland and not Bali!!

Plane flight was good - once the girls finally fell asleep they had abut 90 minutes - Chionia slept through the landing and Gary had to carry her so Jess and I had all the bags lol!! First thing we noticed nearly all the airport staff were wearing masks due to the Swine flu!! Bit of a panic there - trying to rack my brain if Swine flu had hit Bali yet.... All ok and once we were out of the airport noone was wearing masks!

Finally got to the hotel and while Gary took the girls on a quick tour of the pool at 2am I unpacked pj's etc so we were ready to go in the morning. Our next surprise - the rest of the Forbes Clan. :)



Breakfast we had at the hotel Ramada Bintang every morning and omg what a selection of food!!! You hand in your coupons each day for the 4 of us and then pick what you like - Chionia settled on pancakes from the pancake station with strawberry jam on top and bacon with a glass of water, Jess - fried rice and cucumber and carrot with a glass of chocolate milk! Gary and I a mixture of bacon omelettes, eggs sunny side up croisants, fresh fruit and coffee - it was so nice not to have to go outside the hotel for brekkie.

A quick swim in the pool



then it was time to go surprise the Forbes........Neil, Maureen, Jason, Tom & Bianca, Bob (Maureens brother) and the Ings were all in Bali and none of them knew we were!! I organised with Peta (who had guessed way back on Chionia's birthday what we were up to) to meet everyone at the Barong Pool bar on the Friday lunchtime where Gary was going to do a big bombie and say Hi!!

Well things go in Bali time in Bali and it wasn't quite to be!! After discovering there was a back pool we snuck around the corner but there was noone..... Went back found out N & M room number which noone answered when loudly knocking... However there was a lady sunbathing at the edge of the pool (about 10m away!) who from behind looked like Maurs!!! Jess walked in front of her and she woke up a bit dazed and wondering if she was in Perth or Bali!!! It was Maurs hehe



But everyone else was out!!! Peta mixed up the days whoops!! Anyway they slowly filtered back to the Barong - Jason was first and then Neil - Jason then went and grabbed Tom and BIanca saying Maurs had a tattoo done! Bianca kind of guessed the day before but noone thought any more of it until we were there..


Some shopping followed at Rani's and then back to Bianca's pool as the boys had headed down to Roy's bar on the beach. Cocktails are a thing of Bali - wine too expensive omg!!! Girls soon used to eating french fries with tomato sauce most days lol!





Back home to the hotel for another swim (for me who didn't have her bathers on during our excursion to Kuta!) and then wait for everyone to come to the hotel before going out to dinner which didn't eventuate and we had room service instead - a bit of a let down on the first night but we were all very tired as well so perhaps a good thing.... Ready for our next full day!

More to follow - don't want to bore you all in one post lol!!

Another birthday done and dusted YAY!!

I have but one excuse - another birthday!! This time Jess turned nine and wanted a sleepover like last year. So we made it a glamour photo shoot sleepover. Lots of nieces and aunties to help do 7 girls hair and makeup and then I took heaps of photo's of them all. :)







The request was hungry jacks for dinner so after compiling the girls orders into a sort of list Tom Bianca and Telia went and got them for us - bbq for us :) A beautiful cookies and cream Ice cream cake :) Singstar Abba went down a treat - loved this one hehe!!!





I put the lights out and tv off at 1.30am lol and 3 were still awake - little did they know Chionia would be waking them at 7am!!!! A few blurry eyes but straight into bacon and eggs and pancakes for brekkie followed bby a class in making their own canvas using a group shoot and photo of themselves on a canvas - they had loads of fun scrapping away with bling and flowers and Cricut word Memories but omg the mess!!!!! Oh and cuttlebug was a huge hit with them all!! A few knew it from school where Jess has taken it a few times and LOVE it:) Then we basically finished those and home time - phew!!!!! Needed a nanna nap in the arvo then fell to sleep with Jess on her mattress which is still in the lounge room.

Monday night we were childless.....OUr old gorgeous neighbours took the girls for the night - it was so quiet - so peaceful - so relaxing lol!! we had a wine up the road and then went to look at the new Hillarys boat harbour (been open a few months now.. ;) ) and went to a fabbo restaurant for dinner and the best thing - the next morning I could sleep in!!! Yay !! THanks guys much needed :)

Then back to reality - busy with work and work! and home life has been busy playing catch up after all these birthdays and do's! Jess took off today for a few days in Dunsborough with mum and dad - she couldn't wait! Me - some organising to do which I have just about sorted another YAY!! BRB Jess calling on the phone XX Nite all


lol and before I forget - TWiddleybitz has a new challenge set by Ellen Woodbridge - fantastic idea!!! Can't wait to see what you all come up with - www.twiddleybitzdt.blogspot.com