SCRAPBOOKING - A LIFETIME COMMITMENT - Sunday, 28 May 2006

Just in case some of you wondered - I am still scrapping. Scrapbooking will always be part of 'DOING LIFE'.

It has been a chilly Sunday afternoon and whilst downing numerous cups of HOT tea (accompanied by a few Spriggs Romany Creams), I created this layout of Leandri Fourie with pictures I took of her in mum-in-law's garden in Uitenhage during our 2005 December break away.

Her pretty little red dress got me going on the theme of layout being on the 'girly' side!

This was a case of good quality photos being half the battle won in creating a good layout.

- Scrapping Again Signing Off

BEADY EYED JEWELER - Sunday, 28 May 2006

Yes, I have definitely discovered that BEADING IS ADDICTIVE! It is really satisfying to see the end products - a suttle mixture of different sized, textured and coloured beads blending into one item such as a bracelet or watch. My new found hobby has culminated into a small business on the side. Yes the bracelets and watches have been snatched up by my bedazzled scrapbooking students. Libby, I am sure you will recognise your two items ordered!

To my PICK-OF-THE-CROP crew - brace yourselves for an exciting development in July!!! - Bedazzled signing off

BEADING FRENZY - Sunday, 21 May 2006 The weekend has come and gone leaving us with clapping teeth after temperatures plumeted to 10 degrees in Kloof. The winter of 2006 did not creep up on us but literally STRUCK us. We outlived a vicious hale storm Friday afternoon at work. Hale the size of golf balls came to down with brute force leaving its mark on some of our cars. Everyone at work stood at windows and doors staring out at white icy balls plumeting to earth in buckets full. The lawn were covered with a white layer resembling snow. With the cold front settling in for the weekend - it was the ideal opportunity to get stuck into my new hobby - yes scrapbooking is taking a back seat for the moment. Beads has taken over my lunch breaks. I hesitantly got hooked after a beading shop 'BeadMania' opened their doors about six weeks ago in the Village Mall Shopping Centre. I frequent this shopping mall daily during my lunch hour to do various admin jobs for my work. Needless to say, lunch hours are spent in BeadMania fine tuning my beading skills and selecting bead stuff.

It is quite overwhelming in the beginning when one is faced with literally thousands of different beads varying, in size, substance, colour, texture, purpose, etc. One also needs to get a grip on the terminology in order for shop assistants not to look puzzled at you.

Well, for nearly two years I was wondering what all the fuss was about - now I know - beads can creep into the tiniest crevices of your soul - causing your mind to scheme and dream new designs! (see my creations above) Will have to see whether yours truly will stay hooked indefinitely as with scrapbooking.

- Beading Scrapper signing off

THE HAMBURGER STENCIL Now don't get hungry now. I am referring to a plastic stencil (not edible) designed by me and Ellie for our scrapbooking layouts. I have done this layout with this stencil which makes us think of a hamburger.

We stayed in the honeymoon suite (yes I know you are thinking 'why always the honeymoon suite?') at the Tsitsikamma Lodge in the Eastern Cape on route to doing the Otter Hiking Trail during January 2005. It had to be the honeymoon suite this time around - couldn't miss out on the Jacuzzi!

- Honeymooning signing off

REGULAR THURSDAY SPECIAL - Thursday, 11 May 2006 My Thursday night regular scrapping students were up to ‘childish’ behaviour, being a BIG pain in the *%##% and generally good for nothing!

Just kidding, they have been super special to me. The Greek sisters spoilt me with belated good wishes, beautiful roses and 2 huge bags of ‘Jennings Fudge’. A big thank you to Stella and Nicola – don’t know what I did to deserve all this. Conroy couldn’t wait for me to finish teaching the ‘loud’ bunch so that I can open my fudge. Needless to say – he helped himself and his ‘sweet tooth’ generously.

Beverley joined the Thursday pets and made extra sure that she is not occupying a teacher’s pet seat – seriously wanted to keep her shares up or is it down now? – perhaps even competing for that Teachers Pet No. &^%$ spot. Her shares took a turn for the worse when the general layout of the evening was to ‘childish’ for her liking.

During a lesson with me in April, Libby (self-proclaimed TEACHER'S PET) snapped away with her Sony Cybershot during class - needless to say at everyone present's disgust - although this had lots of snorts, smiles, jokes, etc radiating from the 'Thursday Specials'. When she actually had hard copy evidence in hand at the next lesson - a kind of hush fell over everyone - whilst staring at their worst profiles! Nevertheless unperturbed by everyone's remarks we designed this layout. Everyone added their little message and 'Tha Teacha' applied the rub-on words.

Carol ('Nearly Self-Proclaimed Teacher's Pet') apparently the real 'Teacher's Pet' at her Quilting lessons brought her latest quilting work on 'STASH MANAGEMENT' to prove that she is the real Teacher's Pet as far as her quilting teacher is concerned. Everyone were unanimous on the fact that we cannot wait for Scrap Management Quilting design! Watch out Carol you have just been commissioned!

- Tha Teacha signing off

A VERY SPECIAL BIRTHDAY - Sunday, 7 May 2006

My Pick-of-the-Crop girlfriends organised a SURPISE birthday lunch at 'Olive & Oil' down at Umhlanga for me. Ellie, Jenny, Sophia, Charmian and Suzette were scheming with hubbie Conroy for the last three weeks and still managed to look me straight in my face - very devious!

Conroy mentioned that he felt like breaking our Sunday routine of breakfast/brunch and mentioned that he would like to take me for lunch instead to a very good restaurant a colleague at work suggested. Trusty me I thought - 'wow he is getting a bit adventurous these days!'

Walking into 'Olive & Oil' and while checking our booking my eye caught Ellie and I thought 'what a coincidence'. Ellie just gave a very slight wave which was not her manner. Knowing Ellie she would have waived vigorously and even jumped up to come and say hi - funny how one's mind kicks-in and I suddenly realised 'this was a setup'!

It was very special to have most of the husbands their as well. A pity Charmian's husband was out of the country and Suzette and her husband could not make it.

I was spoilt with a special 'lucky dip' birthday hamper containing a variety of 7 jams, lavender being one of the unusual ones; a packet of Biscotti Leone; honey and macadami nougat; an enormous paper clip - very handy for my diary; a bottle of Lavender Linen Spray which hubbie thought was some underarm muti; a mini book entitled 'Words on Beauty'; a book by Helen Exley entitled 'To a very special Friend' and a beautiful card created and designed by Sophia. The hamper was packaged in a nice little woven basket which will definitely be put to good use in my scrapbooking room.

Watch this space for the upcoming scrapbook page!

A big THANK YOU to all my special friends - you really made me feel special today!

Here is a quote out of 'Words on Beauty' by Helen Exley which I really can associate with:

'The hours when

the mind is absorbed

by beauty are the

only hours we live.'

- Birthday girl signing off

FREEDOM DAY & WORKERS' DAY 2006

With two days of public holidays and taking 3 days addition leave from work, we had a 7-day stretch of holiday bliss. Conroy's mum and dad, who hails from Uitenhage, was visiting for a few days. It was their second visit with us in Kloof, Durban since we relocated here from Pretoria during December 2001. We frequented numerous coffee shops forbreakfasts and lunches. We also did shopping trips to Gateway and the Pavillion which was a big treat for mum and dad who is not use to such huge shopping complexes.

We had an elegant and tranquil breakfast at Makaranga Garden Lodge,

An endangered species!

Ever wondered what a mole looks like??

just round the corner from us, on Sunday after which we took a long stroll through the beautiful gardens. We were all amazed at the abundance of beautiful and exotic flowers. Here are just few.

Mum and Dad really found the gardens very inspirational and could'nt believe that this piece of 'eden' was just on our doorstep. Here's some shots of them exploring.

I have also been a tiny bit productive and did this layout of our god children, from photos I took when were visiting them in Johannesburg during February this year. Their new house was stunning!

We at least watched two movies on DVD which I can seriously recommend i.e. FLIGHTPLAN with JODIE FOSTER in the lead (a nail biting thriller) and SHALL WE DANCE with RICHARD GERE in the lead (a feel good, soul rejuvenating comedy).

- Useless Signing off