And So I Don't Forget...

Birthday Card for Jo

This evening my Mum dropped round for a visit and we whipped up a card for one of her friends. 

Can you guess this lady is a teacher? :)

TBT: Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón

I find cemeteries fascinating. There is so much tradition and ceremony associated with how we honour the dead. So much care and attention to detail.

On my last day in Cuba, I walked to the Cementerio de Cristóbal Colón (Cristobal Cemetery) in Havana. So glad I made the effort to get there - it was beautiful.  

This Week

This week I bought up big on Hambly transparencies after learning the company would not be producing any more collections. Sad about that - love using them in minibooks. 

This week I finished organising my studio. It isn't all pretty and I'll probably continue rearranging and moving things about as I go but, for the first time since I moved, everything now has a home.

This week I attended a day-long training session on HR policy and legislation. It was incredibly boring. Mind-numbingly so. 

This week I had a Thursday night dinner out with friends. It was one of those wonderful nights that seem to sparkle - great Vietnamese food, stories and snappy one-liners. So many laughs. The highlight of the night would have to be Ben's not-quite-birthday. Suddenly the lights went out and there was a hum in the air as an inappropriately shaped banana fritter was brought out. The whole restaurant joined in singing Happy Birthday. Lots of jokes and Facebook posts at Ben's expense. :)

This week I had an emergency procedures drill at work. The wardens were based in my office and it was interesting to hear all the planning and organisation.

This week I ordered a couch. And a kitchen island bench. I'm feeling broke. :) I started looking at chaises before deciding that would be too imposing in my space.  After sitting in many, many couches this weekend and last, I decided to purchase the first one I'd liked. I almost ordered it over the phone but made the effort to go back in to the store. That's when I sat on this couch for the first time. I adored the design and was very surprised to learn it was actually really comfortable. And on sale. A grey version will be arriving at my door in 3 to 5 weeks.    

This week I finished creating the Sunday pages for my Week in the Life photobook. I'd be more pleased about that if it wasn't the first day I've really worked on. Only 6 more days to go! :) But, I'm really pleased with how it is turning out and I'm looking forward to holding the printed book in my hands. 

This week my guy came with me to the football. It's the second game he's been to ever. He meet me after work and we spend a few hours holed with from the wet and miserable weather at Hairy Canary before heading to the ground. It was a good match, fairly close with a Geelong win, and I'm pretty sure he enjoyed himself. However, I may have agreed to go to the Demolition Derby in return. 

Status Update

I have to be at work early (for me) this morning. I set my alarm for some ungodly hour then raced around like crazy getting ready. All to arrive at the train station 10 minutes earlier than I needed to be.

I could have had 10 minutes more in bed!

Weekend in Echuca

The weekend before last - yes, it has taken me this long to get organised and post! - my guy and I went to Echuca. The only thing that was definitely on the agenda - riding a paddlesteamer. :)

On the way we stopped in at Erica and Chris' house for lunch. And oh my goodness, we were spoiled! Erica made a lamb curry, mint and cardamon seed rice, raita and another spicy sauce. (I think I have that right.) It was all delicious and I ate so much. It was a wonderful visit, so nice to catch up with them, and I even came away with a couple of chairs. Thank you!  

It was only a half hour or so longer in the car til Echuca. Our accommodation was a great internet find, Acacia Terraces. Cute, 5 minute walk to the centre of town and cheap. They loved their dimmer switches. ;)

The historic port was quaint and lovely. Not a whole lot to see but there was a fudge shop - pretty much guaranteed to keep me happy. :) 

Next we wandered along the river a way and for once I wasn't the one holding the camera. He loved the paddlesteamers. :) 

For dinner we ate overlooking the river at Oscar W's. Crispy pork belly with scallops and an apple salad. Creme caramel with crystallised ginger and a chocolate sauce. Oih. We ate so much really incredible food that weekend! 

Sunday morning we were back at the port for our ride on a paddlesteamer. An hour long, it was really relaxing. He got to have a chat to the captain and I learnt that two rings of the bell was the signal for the boilerman downstairs to throw us into reverse. Nothing automated on these boats!  

As I looked at the camera after taking this shot, he commented 'Wow, you got it in one...And I even kind of looked too'. :)

We had some lunch and browsed the shops on the main street before taking one last stroll along the river. Then it was back in the car to head home. (I got to drive his car, Charles, for the first time!)

A really nice, relaxed weekend. Even the weather cooperated. 

TBT: Hong Kong Harbour

Incredibly cheap rides on the Star Ferry, towering sky-scrapers and a daily night show. What's not to love about Hong Kong harbour? 

Instagram

As I was completing this 6x12 layout, I had an idea for the layout to go on the back - an ode to instagram. :)

I created a collage of 1.5 inch square photos, leaving a strip of space for title, journaling and embellishment. The first product I looked for was a camera embellishment, and then let that guide my colour choices. After managing to get the sticker stuck on the photo - twice! - I ended up changing to a different camera embellishment but, I really enjoyed that change in process. Picking embellishments before paper is definitely something I want to do more of in future. 

This stamp was in my recent delivery - perfect!

I am loving this layout. That's not wrong to say about your own work is it? :) It's bright, cheerful, uses some great embellishments that I love buying but don't often use and includes new product. Buying stuff and then using stuff makes me happy! 

Weekends 17 - 19

My A Year of Weekends album is currently up to date! Ok, that is totally not true - I have about 4 weekends missing - but I am keeping up and have completed the last 3 weeks. (Haven't managed to blog last weekend, but have scrapped it here!)

I'll be honest, this isn't my favourite project to work on. The format has me too focused on not adding bulk - flat embellishments, flat letter stickers, limited layers - to really have fun. But, I do think it will be pretty amazing to look back on after the year is up and have this snapshot of my weekends. And, working full-time Monday to Friday, weekends are definitely my favourite part of the week!

9:30 Bedtime

I'm posting this from my phone, all snuggled down in bed. I had a great weekend that I'm keen to blog about but I haven't found the time to upload the photos to my computer, let alone edit them. And right now, it's only 9:30pm but sleep is way more appealing!

It's still Tuesday and already I'm dreaming of a restful weekend. Having said that, I have tickets to attend a Friday night footy game, dinner plans and a joint 91st birthday lunch. And I'm determined to finally start looking for a couch. Not sure how relaxing this weekend will actually be.

Today was crazy at work - just one issue after another - and it totally wiped me out. At the end of the day I stood leaning against my chair, staring at my climbing gear for about 5 minutes, trying to make up my mind whether to cancel or still go.

So by the time I got home after 9pm tonight, post-climbing, I was feeling pretty exhausted. As I walked up my driveway towards my front door I started to think there was a package waiting for me, but figured my eyes were playing tricks on me in the dark.

I was delighted to realise there actually was a Studio Calico parcel, and a postage slip telling that there is another package waiting for me at the post office. I'm pretty sure that's even more scrapbooking goodies. A lovely way to end the day. :)

Play. Fly.

Today I am officially ticking off another item on my 30 before 3o list,

18. Play on a swing.

Technically I could have called this complete back in January when I took these photos on a trip to the park with a 6 year old friend. But, I preferred to wait. To fulfil the spirit of this item. To play.

To fly as high as I was game. 

And the other week I did just that. Swinging my legs, leaning back and looking at the sky. Flying. Love that sensation, that freedom.

While I was swinging, a quite dour-looking older woman walked along the path right by the swing-set. As she approached, she looked up at 29 year old me playing on the swings. And she smiled. 

Never let ourselves think we are too old to play. To fly.

7 down, 23 to go.