Just a quick share!!!!

Hi everyone......

Well just a quick update and to share some recent layouts I have done......

The weather here has been as cold as .... freezing actually....The days are nice and sunny but its still really cold but guess we should expect this seeing its winter!!!!

I am getting so excited about the upcoming LSBS retreat in Sydney in august and cant wait for 4 days of fun and scrapping....Looking forward to catching up with old friends and meeting some new ones...Its always such fun and this will be the 3rd year in a row for me!!!!!!

Its been busy with birthdays in the Oliver household this past few weeks.....Last friday night dd Erin had a surprise 30th for her dh with a 'rock' theme....Really fun and we all got dressed up.....Had a great night BUT the next day was a bit of a right off!!!! (getting too old me thinks)Anyway here is a layout I did of the night.....one of many I think....

DH has his birthday on friday and he turns 50.....We are all going out for dinner then back here after for cake......I bought him a really good work watch so hope he likes it!!!!! The kids have all put in and bought him a ticket to do the 'bridge walk' at Sydney harbour.....He will just love that. It was also dil's birthday last week so its been full on.

I have caught up with all of the 52 challenges at LSBS and really quiet enjoying them all....
This is belle's challenge no 28 (so well over 1/2 way there) . I am determined to finish them all...

Anyway thats all for now!!!! I am working on 3 recipe books for the girls for christmas with all my favourite recipes....Will share when I finish them....

Take care..

Till next time...

luv marg xx

Back to it!!!!!

Well I know I have been very very slack of late and to be honest since coming back from Cairns in May I just cant seem to be able to get on top of things!!!!! Ohhhh well thats life I guess......

Anyway back to Cairns.........

I enjoyed '3 days in heaven' at the Scrap Therapy retreat in Cairns back in early may....It was just awesome and I got to spend some time with old and new friends.....It was great to catch up with them all BUT just awesome to spend time with the gorgeous helen and the beautiful lisa.......

I had a ball and got so much done I even amazed myself.......The lovely leeanne and her dh from scrap therapy had the shop there which was a bit dangerous BUT she had the most awesome goodies on sale and I think the whole group shopped till we dropped!!!!!

My dh came up on the monday and we then got to spend the next 7 days touring around some of north queensland.....The weather was a bit ordinary but we didnt let it stop us doing what we wanted.....Its simply just the most gorgeous country.....We snorkelled at the great barrier reef, saw crocodiles very very close and got to look at some amazing sites through the daintree....We both loved it......and hope to return some day!!!!!

My boys are growing so quickly that its kinda sad really!!!!! All of a sudden they have gone from little bubba's to little boys..... Both are walking everywhere so causing all sorts of chaos but all in all its great fun....

I have had some more cards accepted and I was lucky enough last week to send in 2 layouts and within an 1hr they were both accepted......Pretty pleased with that little effort.....

As mentioned in the post before this Mandy (who I met at the retreat) has set up her new blog 'Lets get shabby' and I must say I am in love!!!! I love the shabby look but never really had a go and must say with my first attempt I am hooked......I have loads of perfect photos for some more of this!!!!

Its freezing here of late so inside is the place to be!!!! We have had reports of snow quiet close by so its no wonder really.......Even though I like the colder weather I am looking forward to spring coming...

I will leave it at that for now and post a few piccys.....

Have a great day everyone and take care...

Cheers.....luv marg xxxx

This is for the 52 Pick up challenge no 25 by Tracy which was to use no adhesives......Pretty challenging considering we use our double sided tape all the time but I managed to use lots of staples and sewed on some buttons.....

This is another challenge from deanne and the challenge was to use the colour wheel which I did and chose red and green........Quiet happy with the results.....

Challenge at 'Lets get shabby'.....

Well I know its been like forever but life just seems to really get in the way sometimes.......

Anyway the gorgeous Mandy from 'Lets get shabby'has started a new blog and its just awesome....

I met Mandy at the Scrap Therapy retreat in Cairns in may this year and her work is just so inspiring.......I had never really tried the 'shabby'look before so this was a great chance to have a go and I am quiet happy with the result......

I took my inspiration from the colours and the fans.....This is a picture of my gorgeous mum a few months ago........

Thanks heaps mandy and team...

Thanks for looking and will pop by later and update on all my news .....

Cheers ...Marg xxx

Another post!!!!!.....so soon.....

Dont really know whats wrong with me with 2 posts within the week !!!!!!!(soooo not like me at all)....Anyway here I am again and just wanted to share the last of the challenges so far that I have completed for LSBS 52 pick up...... I am loving doing these challenges and so far have managed to keep up the pace BUT that will change for the next few as we will be away on holidays.....

This one is from the gorgeous Belle and the challenge was to use subtle colours, soft ribbon and a splash of paint.......A few of the girls did their layouts in a vintage style BUT this is so not me so this is what I came up with.......

In some other exciting news I have had another 2 sets of cards accepted for publication so pleased as about that....

We took the boys to the park last week for lunch and here are a few pictures of them and a couple from Lachies first birthday.....Cant believe how quickly they are growing up!!!!!

Gorgeous hey!!!!!

Lachie and Ryder.....

Lachie....

Ryder......Lachie.....1st birthday.....Lachie's 1st birthday.....

Okies no more to share right now so till next time......

Cheers...

luv marg xxx

Getting closer.....

Its getting so close now to our trip to Cairns......I leave next friday then dh will travel up on the monday......I get to attend a scrapbooking retreat for 3 days with some awesome friends and will hopefully meet some new scrapping friends.....I am soooooo excited....I really dont know what to pack BUT hopefully I will get there......I start holidays on friday so cant wait for that then next week I have so much to do to get organised then friday Im off.......I am looking forward to having a good look around with dh and cant wait to go out to the Great Barrier Reef.....

Ok what else has been happening.....not that much really.....

On the scrapping front LSBS had their monthly CC last weekend . Lets get physical was the theme and as always it was awesome......I managed to get neally all the challenges completed and was lucky enough to win the card challenge.....Now what to buy ?

This is what I managed to complete...

This was my take on the Sketch Challenge.....

This was Kerry'ns Challenge where you had to to do a layout of 'Physical attributes'.....

This was the guest designer challenge from Lauren......She did such an awesome job and the challenge was to scrap something from the 80's so as I had never scrapped any wedding photos of mine decided on these....

This was the Card sketch challenge and as I was quiet happy with how this turned out I was thrilled to be voted the winner.......Anyway that is about it for me this time round so till next time......Will catch you after my break away...

Take care and thanks for popping in...

Luv marg xxxx

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!

Hello my beautiful friends!!!!!! I hope you all have a safe and wonderful easter and just enjoy spending this precious times with the ones you love!!!!!! We have had quiet a busy weekend.......Friday we had all the kiddies over for lunch with Salmon patties and potato cakes on the bbq (bit of a tradition in this house!!!!!) DH went to work after lunch so I cleaned my house then went to dd's for fish and chips for dinner (yummy!!!!) Saturday we got visitors for the night...My neice and family from Canberra had a wedding in wagga so they all stayed here (2 cute little boys aged 3 and 18 months)......This morning all the kiddies came for bbq bacon and eggs and to catch up with the visitors......It was just lovely!!!!! I am buggered though this arvo so might have a little nana nap then its scrapping for me the rest of the day and for the next 2!!!!!
Just wanted to share the latest layouts I have done for the 52 pick up over at LSBS!!!This is such an amazing and inspiring lot of challenges and I just love to do them each week and am thankful that we have such a great DT over there......
I am looking forward to going to Cairns in May for holidays BUT while there I get to attend the scrap therapy retreat with some awesome friend so cant wait to catch up with them all again!!!!!

This is from Challenge 13 with Tracy (sorry trac but I soooo disliked this challenge!!!!) but its done......

Challenge No 14 from Belle......A recent photo of Ashley and Adam at a wedding....Another one done from out hols in New Zealand last year (getting there slowly!!!!)Love these photos of little Ryder playing with the pegs in his hair !!!!I recieved this awesome kit (which included the box and lid and all p/p's and bits and pieces) for my birthday last month and have only just found enough time to do it !!!! Love how it turned out....Take care.....

Cheers...

Luv marg xxx

Seems like forever......

Well it really does feel like forever since I posted here and I think my life has just got to be so busy of late that I just tend to forget......Since its been so long I cant remember a lot that has been going on BUT will try and remember ......
Firstly and the best of my exciting news is that I have another couple of layouts accepted for publication so all of those should start filtering through in the next couple of months.....One layout I submited was accepted by all the mags so that was a tough decision to make......I have some more cards coming up as well which is nice as I love these......
I was honoured last week at LSBS to be their 'guest designer' and although I was a little nervous at first the lovely nic helped me through....I was very pleased at the results and glad so many of the girls decided to take up the challenge...(I would of felt like a right nob if no-one had entered!!!!!)
52 pick up at LSBS is on fire and I have managed to complete all challenges set so far and happy with them all.....Some of the challenges really take me out of the comfort zone BUT love the idea that this is what is meant to happen.....All the girls work so hard to set great challenges for us and I thank them for that....

On the home front all is good.....DH and I are looking forward to our holiday to Cairns in May.....I am going up 3 days earlier (by myself) for this and then he will meet me there after.....So looking forward to catching up with all the girls again so it should be a great weekend....
My boys are growing like weeds and now every week brings on new discoveries for them...Its so lovely watching them grow and I love when they pull up in the car and their little faces light up with so much love...Its only a few weeks and Lachie will also be 1 (where does the time go??)
Anyway till next time take care and thanks for dropping by.....
I will post some pics of some layouts I have completed including the one I did for LSBS march CC.....
Cheers
luv marg xxxx

LSBS March CC ..... Belle's challenge was to cut and make a mitre frame then paint and crackle it......Loved how mine turned out!!!!

LSBS March CC .... This was Tracy's challenge and for this one you had to use circles.....Loved this one too....

Tara's challenge was to use a dr suess quote somewhere on the layout and I was lucky enough to have had this photo of Ryder reading a 'dr suess book'....Gotta be happy with that!!!!

This is my 'guest designer challenge'

This is the dr suess book that I used for my inspiration......