OFF TO ERMELO

- Friday, 1 December 2006

We are off to Lenie and Ockie's wedding tomorrow morning. Here's the wedding card I made for them. Hopefully there will be a few good photo's of the wedding. I am making them a framed double page scrapbooking layout of their wedding photos, as their wedding gift from us.

A SPECIAL UNION OF 22 YEARS - Thursday, 30 November 2006

One cannot believe how terrifying fast 22 years can flash past. It feels just like yesterday when me and my bridesmaid woke up in my bedroom on our farm, Skuilhoek on Friday 30 November 1984. Lots had to be accomplished on this Friday and a few narrow escapes took place before I could walk down the isle and become Mrs Fourie.

The flower girls, Liesl (left) and Heidi (right), my sister's two daughters\s

My mum made all the dresses including her own dress she wore.

The first task on the list was getting that crowning glory? into tip top shape. That meant jumping into Conroy's red Volkswagen Beetle (on loan to me) and heading off with my bridesmaid Elaine to Uitenhage which was a 25km drive. Unlike these days there were no trial runs and we met the hairdresser for the first time the morning of my wedding (mmm this should say it all). We sat down in anticipation of being pampered and walking out feeling like a queen and princess. It took up half the day and we left the hairdresser around mid day.

Don't we look mighty fine! (1984)

The next task was collecting my bouquet and the flowers for the rest of the wedding party at the florist. This went smoothly. Running seriously late we decided to take a shortcut back to the farm, via a gravel farm road. Halfway the beetle were stuttering and spitting and came to an abrupt halt. Having been observant on previous occasions when Conroy (no serious mechanic) pushed, shoved and kicked pipes into their various positions, when the beetle were not co-operating, came to good stead. I opened the engine's bonnet, which by the way most of you will remember, was at the back of the car, not in front like these days. Shaking with nerves kicking in, I keenly observed the coil (don't ask what the coil is) pipe was dangling in mid air. I grabbed the coil and pushed it into a hole that seemed as if it had been made for it and anxiously turned the ignition to test whether my mechanical aptitude paid off. The beetle, huffed, puffed, spit and at last gurgled into life again. We sped off sporting oily black hands and fingernails, sitting on tender hooks until we reached the farmhouse.

I lept out of the beetle and rushed to the bathroom to attempt getting my hands white again. Whilst washing my hands I got a glimpse of my hair in the mirror and decided that I hated what I saw glaring back at me. Without thinking twice I washed my hair and blow dried it in a record time. Fortunately Elaine was happy with her hairdo and we did our own make-up (no make-up artist was required). The photographer was already stepping up and down when we finally made our appearance on the farm house stoep for the before photos. The photo shoot out of the way, we stood ready for my brother in law to bring my dad's Jaguar to the end of the stoep's steps, so that we could be on our way to the Elands River Dutch Reformed Church. Alas, another car hick-up made its appearance. My brother-in-law could not get the Jaguar started. We all stood around with tainted breaths each time he tried the ignition. After what seemed like an eternity, he at last got our wheels rolling and we were off and reached the church only 15 minutes late. Thank you so much to everyone for all the good wishes. It is much appreciated.

Us 22 years later. (2006)

- starting the next 22 years together

LATEST BEADING CREATION - 24 November 2006

Price R250

This is my latest design in necklaces. I am still wanting to elaborate on this design, time permitting. We are off to Candice Greenway's scrapping day in Umhlanga tomorrow and Sunday is put aside for wedding card creations. Here's wishing everyone a tranquil last weekend in November 2006.

"BEAUTY IS AN ECSTASY;

IT IS AS SIMPLE AS HUNGER"

- Somerset Maugham (1874-1965)

REMINISCE by CANDICE GREENWAY

Just a quick post to let everyone in on the layout we are going to do on Saturday with Candice Greenway. It is absolutely stunning! Thank you so much Candice for sharing and being willing to teach us this layout - me and my students cannot wait! The excitement is running feverishly HIGH!!!!

Here is Candice's comment posted with her layout:

"This layout is for a class that I will teaching in Durban, South Africa at the end of the month - very excited about that!! I haven't done a double page spread in ages, so this was quite a change for me! This page was totally inspired by the "R is for Remember" 7Gypsies 97% Complete sticker range. I used sepia photos & lots of inking & distressing to create a feeling of nostalgia about "days-gone-by". The file folder is actually a pocket with 3 index cards that slip inside with all my journaling & extra photos & keepsakes from my childhood. I still cannot get my mind around the fact that the focal photo is a school portrait of me taken almost 30 years ago - I really don't feel THAT old, lol! :o)Thanks for looking."

Email from Candice: 24 November 2006 at 4:00pm

"Hi Desire!Thanks so much for your sweet email :o)I'm so glad that posting the class layout at 2peas has been a help to you.It's always nice to know what you're going to be doing in advance so thatyou can prepare properly & it makes for a far more pleasant class experiencetoo.And, yes absolutely - you can have as many photos as you like, we arescrapbookers after all, LOL! I'm flattered that you asked, thank you :o)I'm off to the airport in a little bit & can't wait to meet all of youtomorrow.See you soon!LoveCandicexxx"

- Signing off on a HIGH

THA TEACHA AT LAST OFFICIAL - 19 November 2006 Just to keep the TP-Gang in suspense, the members are urged to keep an eye on DOING LIFE - for a very interesting turn in events. This blog entry's title is a slight clue to what is coming. It has been another wet and cool weekend in Kloof with the neighbourhood's gardens becoming lusciously green. We decided this Sunday morning not to do the Stella 15km road race and instead did some Pavilion therapy shopping. We bought a canon flash for my EOS 20D digital camera as well as another 2G memory card. I hope that this professional flash will assist me in taking my friend Lenie's wedding photographs. The wedding shoot will take place at 12:00 mid day which means that the lighting from the sun will be very harsh and there will be lots of shadows on the people's faces. This newly acquired flash should aid in filling in those shadows and resulting in better overall lighting of the subjects. Hold thumbs!

After Thanusha's birthday celebration a few weeks ago, I decided to do this layout of my work place. The main photograph was taken at Tala on 31 May this year when the firm celebrated a big win in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein. I enjoyed creating this layout. all the curves and circles ensures a great deal of movement and flow on the layout. This is definitely one of my recent favourites.

Robyn, I am posting a picture of your necklace and bracelet set I have made for you. Hope it will carry your stamp of approval.

Sold: Necklace R250 / Bracelet R150

- Weekend creativity signing off

HOMESPUN WEEKEND CREATIVITY - Sunday, 12 November 2006 With 42 days until Xmas and with one of my missions to be completed by the end of 2006 in mind, I have completed two more layouts and at the same time finished scrapping our Orange River Rowing Expedition during 1997. The mission being to design and complete 10 more layouts before the end of 2006, I am nearly halfway in accomplishing this mission.

It has been a coolish weekend with misty rain throughout, making being indoors very cosy. There has also been some activity on the beading side. Thanks to the real TP who permitted me to copy her bracelet design, I managed to complete the watch and bracelet below.

Candice Greenway's scrapping day is coming up and whilst searching for some photo's suitable for Candice's photo requirements, I seriously went on a trip down memory lane. Candice's double page layout is going to be about ourselves when we were young.

My parents being reluctant point & shooters when it came to photos, I have very little pictures of me being a child. And of course there is no documented baby photo's of me, since I was only adopted when I was three and half years old. I did however handed in some photo's of me growing up on a farm ('Skuilhoek') in Elands River, near Port Elizabeth, for scanning. I plan to adjust these scanned photos to sepia and print them on my Canon Selphy photo Printer. So watch this space for a 'Candice Greenway' layout coming soon.

- Sunday evening blues signing off

DESIGNERS NOTES

On another note, I thought I will make a snappy post to let everyone know that I actually came second in the October 2006 layout competition on 'Designers Notes' (http://www.designersnotes.com/newsflash.aspx?id=1) - much to my surprise. Designers Notes is a South African website hosting the concept of teaching scrapping on line. See quote below.

"LAYOUT COMPETITION - November and December 1 November 2006 Congratulations to our winner - Jennifer Starkey with Magens Bay - for the September October layout competition - enjoy your product hamper! Runner-up was Desire Fourie with Tsitsikama Lodge. I must be honest between the teachers it was difficult to decide so I converted our votes to points - for the teachers I am sure the results are not quite what they expected!"

- Very surprised signing off

ERMELO WEDDING ASSIGNMENT - Sunday, 5 November 2006 After a whole day of fun and scrapping at the Scrap for Breast Cancer Scrap Day (to read more visit: http://polkadotchicks.typepad.com/) hosted by Scrapbook Junction in Umhlanga, on Saturday, I completed the 41 table name cards for Lenie and Ockie's wedding, which is on 2 December 2006.

After digging deep into my creative side, I came up with this layout for the table placement cards at Lenie's wedding. Sjoe, it was quite hard to do something creative with a very uninspiring subject. So at last I can do a 'brain dump' after completing this project. I trust that Lenie and Ockie will be happy with my attempts. Lenie and Ockie have also commissioned me to take their wedding photographs - so everyone please hold thumbs that I can live up to this challenge!

- Nervous free lance photographer signing off

Back Sitting: Gerry Prior, Campbell Alexander, Julian Cox

Sitting on Wall: Heather Potts (left) and Jenny Mountain (Right)

Front Sitting: Thanusha Padayachee, Debbie Cox and Julie Dawson

Front: Yours Truly

THE INSIDE STORY ON THE REAL TP - Wednesday, 1 November 2006 The TP-Gang's legal advisor officially received her law degree on 20 October 2006 - so BH-Gang I am afraid there is no room for stepping out of line! - and my beloved TP-Gang, sorry, but no more illegal activities, everything above board from now on, till further notice.

A very proud and happy, Thanusha (TP)

Apart from becoming legal, the real TP also celebrated her 20-something (tip: 'seven is heaven') birthday on 2 November 2006. Being true to her loving and sharing nature she hosted a traditional Indian lunch for her work colleagues - right down to the T. She brought a punjabi outfit for each of the ladies. Now you can just imagine all the fitting on and swopping that went on - women are never happy when it comes to their appearance.

Julian Cox, TP's real Boss

Lunch was a very 'lani' affair (except for the imposter above) and enjoyed in the true Indian tradition by sitting, legs crossed, on the floor whilst enjoying your grub. We enjoyed the most divine layered chicken breyani with a dahl sauce which was rounded of by something sweet i.e. sogi (which is made of semolina, sugar, butter and cream topped off with almonds).

Now, the cherry on the top was that the real TP became the REAL, REAL, REAL TP after receiving a Pink AMM Tote-Ally Cool bag for her birthday - and was she extatic about it! She suddenly made herself eligble as an honorary member of the TP/BH Gangs. TP/BH-Gangs you need to act quickly on this one - remember the higher your membership the more say you have and the more pull you have on Tha Teacha's rubber arm! The REAL Tote-Ally Cool TP

- Overdosed Breyani signing off