Home made decorations

What do you do when you need to decorate for an 18th and none of the shops close to you have 18th decorations.
I could of driven a further 15 mins to other stores, but it was hot and I was sick of being out shopping (oh yes I did just say that) so I went home dejected.
After a bit of moping because I could t do what I had wanted it occurred to me that I was a crafter and had a room full of craft supplies, so why not make my own.
I did have a scrunched up happy birthday banner, so I carefully with a tea towel over it did my best to get it smooth. I then printed out some happy 18th signs and cut into circles, I was going to laminate them but ran out of time.
It needed something else, so I went old school with a pile of coloured paper and my trusty stapler. With my older sons help (mainly his lungs) we add balloons and got it all strung up in the doorway for when Jay woke up the next morning.
It might not have been what I originally wanted but I love how it turned out and the birthday boy thought it was cool.

Thanks for visiting
Lis :)

I am going to read more this year

Ever since I was a young Girl I have loved reading, I find it relaxing to sit down and get lost in the pages of a novel.

Over the last few years the amount of books I've read has been very few, whilst the amount of books I've accumulated that still sit unread is high.

I made the decision that this year will be the year that changes, I am going to make a determined fort to read more.

I pulled out all the books that I haven't read, I've done up a list in my planner as well as recording here to make it easier for me to keep track. Besides crossing things of a list is always a good feeling.

There are 13 books here and while I liked to say I will get them all read by the end of the year I think that might be a little unrealistic.

What I am aiming for is at least 7 books read, if I get more than that then it's a bonus! No doubt the pile of books will grow over the year too. I just can't seem to resist leaving a great book in a thrift store.

Wordless Wednesday

Its been a hell of a couple of weeks, looking forward to some positive. A few pretties from around our home.

 

 

Thanks for visiting
Lis :)

A new place to call home

Let me just say right from the start, moving sucks! All that packing and cleaning then unpacking would have to be one of the worst jobs around.
We are finally in our new place, a little less space than we were used to but alot more modern which is a nice change.

 The stress from this whole move is something I hope I don't have to go through again, it wasn't pleasant. Let me explain a little....We were to hand back the keys on the Tuesday, on the Thursday before we still hadn't gotten confirmation of a new place to live. Lots of stressing and yes there were tears too.

 We desperately applied for a place on the Thursday afternoon, thinking well if the others fall through (which they did) we can just put everything in storage and stay somewhere until this one is ready.
Enter an amazing assistant property manager from Ray White Loganholme, a bucket load of phone calls and we were approved for a place by 5pm Friday afternoon and could pick keys up Saturday morning!!
Relief beyond words!!

The next step was to finish packing and get everything in the new house. Imagine 4 male hoarders and a crafter and this job was going to be huge haha. We had some amazing helpers who went above and beyond and yet it still took forever (or seemed like it).
Now you would think everything from here on in would go smoothly right, uhh not for us, we couldn't get power on in the new house till the Tuesday.
So whilst trying to get the last few things to the new house and trying to clean from top to bottom we still had to live in the old house. Takeaway became our new best friend and the best way to get mum cranky over those few days was to ask her where something was....

Nearly a month on we are in, we have power and phone and Internet and have found all the computers and got them hooked up. Normality is starting to return.
The unpacking took longer than I though and is still not totally all done, the important things are unpacked and organised though. The kitchen, bedrooms and my craft room haha!!

Looking back at the last month I am going to seriously look at a removalist and hire cleaners for our next move. (sadly with renting there is always a next time)
I know I've said this before but this last time was hell and something id rather not repeat.

So back to normal now folks, there will be regular blog posts starting today so stay tuned for some crafty projects I've been saving up to share.

Thanks for visiting
Lis :)

Moving Day

What do you do when your sister and her family are moving house? You roll up your sleeves and lend a hand (borrowed from the latest Red Cross ad) and thats just what we did over the weekend!
We picked up  the truck and arrived all ready to get busy, Jim had is dad and brother and some mates arrive to help out too.
You know how when your moving you usually do a clean out get rid of anything you dont want or need anymore? Well they forgot to do that, OMG did they have a huge amount to move!
It did take 3 loads in the truck and various cars and their new driveway was almost vertical but they were only moving 5 mins away and we got it all done in te one day...well night seeing as we didnt finish till after dark!
Its what you do though, you just get in an help.

Oh and yes I did get in and help with the moving and stuff and not just wander around and take photos....I was banned from taking video, apparently they didnt want any records with audio!!

Thanks for stopping by
Lis :)

Books to read

I love reading, always have and over the years have read many books from a variety of different authors and genres. I don't really have a favourite, although in my 20's I did collect every Virginia Andrews book that came out!!
Since I started to get into all my different craft/art projects reading has taken a bit of a back seat. At the beginning of this year I made a list of all the books I had here at home that I have yet to read and my plan is that over the year I will get them all read (and hopefully more).
So far this year I have managed to read 3 books and am part way through another, for me that's pretty good seeing as though we have only just hit April.

 

My Sisters Keeper I sourced and read after seeing it on a few other blogs and WOW I'm glad I did. Although it was a little hard to follow at first with every chapter being through a different characters eyes, it was amazing and had in me in tears a lot of the time. Not sure I want to see the movie.....

Lucky Man, I had to force myself to finish, whilst I did enjoy it to start with it was very heavy on the medical facts about Parkinson's Disease.

 The Next Thing on My List I picked up at a thrift store because I like the cover lol. It was a fun light read.

 

 I have a whole list of Jodi Picoult books that i want to read, I really like her style so far. Jean Auel wrote a series of books of which I have read the first few, would love to find copies of them so that I can read again before I start on the last one.

My list of books to read

The Bourne Identity - Robert Ludlum
Jessica - Bryce Courtney
Marley & Me - John Grogan
The Last Juror - John Grisham
The Diary of Anne Frank - Anne Frank (re-read)
The Shelters of Stone - Jean M Auel
Wuthering Heights - Bronte
Keeping Faith - Jodi Picoult (currently reading)
The Pact - Jodi Picoult
The Forgotten Children - David Hill
Tandia - Bryce Courtney
The Valley of the Horses - Jean M Auel (re-read)
Picture Perfect - Jodi Picoult

I love browsing through books at thrift shops and picking up books for really cheap and I'm sure this list will have grown by the end of the year.

Do you read ? What books or authors do you love ?
Would love some suggestions for great reads.

Thanks for stopping by
Lis :)

2012 - What a year

 This year as I sit and type out my year in review post unlike other years I dont feel like this year has flown by. The year has been pretty action packed with alot going on in all our lives. There were some sad things that were hard to get through and there were alot of great things that made us all happy and proud.
Creative wise I had a productive year, branching out with a few different things this year, trying my hand at more mixed media and painting and taking my crochet to a new level.

 

 Football season got under way with  all the boys involved in some way. Jayden did the junior umpirinig course and spent the year umpiring the Puma junior teams as well as helping out with our senior group anyway they needed him. Dan started with Under 18's as well as filling in for quite a few reserve games and even a couple of senior games, he ended the year with the Senior clubman award. Josh helped out with runner and water duties until his come back part way into the season. His knee held up well and he had a pretty good season.

Josh started playing with basketball team which really helped with his jumping. John once again helped out with visiting Melbourne teams with AFL games at both the Gabba and Metricon as well as taking part in the Pan Pacific Masters Games again, this year a few different sports to last year and even getting to meet a few "celebrities". Dan had a great year with school sport making it to regionals for both cross country as well as Athletics and various other school sports earning him the coveted Senior school sports award.

Dan competed in his first marathon, running in the Bridge to Brisbane and getting a pretty good time for his first effort.

 Family wise was a little up and down, Josh had his first car accident and whilst we were so grateful he didnt get hurt his car wasnt so lucky. Dan switched jobs from the deli at Coles to nightfill and got alot more hours, making him alot happier with a bigger paycheck! Dan also had his first trip to hospital with a suspected spleen injury courtesy of football. Ended up being ok and after a couple of precautionary days in hospital and a couple of weeks rest he was back into it.
We sadly mourned the death of one of Josh's mates as well as an Aunty and a couple of close family friends.
On a brighter note we welcomed the beautiful Ashleigh into our family, her and Josh are a gogeous couple.

Once the footy season finished and we had our weekends back and time to do things we hung out alot in the yard the boys making good use of the pool with some really warm days. A few family trips out and about with lots of photo taking especially with Johns new lens he got for his camera.
Josh and I flew to Tassie to help dad celebrate his 75th Birthday and had a rushed few days catching up with everyone.
Daniel graduated from school with a flurry of awards nights, formals and valedictorian ceremony.
Christmas was celebrated at home again with the family and we plan on doing the same for tonight.
Seeing in the new year at home with family and a few close friends.

I hope that your year was memorable and that 2013 is just as memorable.
So Happy New Year, have a safe and fabulous night!

Lis :)

Its beginning to look like an Aussie Christmas

The Christmas season is here and every year we all try to get that perfect christmas photo of the kiddies. Im sure that you will all agree with me that this is one of the most frustrating tasks ever. Over the years I have cajoled and bribed and still not ended up with a decent photo.
This year however I told the boys that I wanted at least one decent photo, it was their choice where/when/how we did the photos. To my surprise Sunday afternoon Josh arrived home and said can we do the christmas photos now, in the pool!!!!
Hell yes, when they are keen you go with it lol it helped ALOT that his GF Ashleigh wanted shots for her family as well. Gotta love the girlfriends :)

So after editing and culling around 900 photos here are a few of my favourites.

























This would of made a fantastic christmas card, but by this stage I had already made and sent my cards for this year.

How do you get your kids to agree to chrismtas photos and what cute ways have you taken them, please share would love to see.

Thanks for stopping by.
Lis :)

As the sun sets...

A few weeks ago I was downloading the photos from my camera, which had been sitting on my desk for a few days. Imagine my surprise when I found these beautiful sunset photos.



Hubby had been sitting in the office one night whilst I was at footy training and saw this sunet out the window so just grabbed my camera and snapped away.



I love the way the sky looks like its so many different textures, might have to see what they look like blown up to maybe frame.



Might just have to leave my camera laying around more often, you never know what might show up on it.

Cheers Lis :)

My Sister's Keeper

It has been an interesting week and a bit, just before christmas I received a letter stating that I was being called for Jury Duty. Last Monday I headed into the local courthouse (thankfully it was 5 mins away and not the one in the city) and began my week long periods of sitting and waiting.
I was selected on the Jury panel so then was required everyday at the courthouse. It was pretty intense and mentally exhausting, there was alot of sitting, alot of listening and alot of waiting around.
Cant say that Im itching to go back anytime soon, but Im glad that I had the chance to experience it.

So with being locked up all day for a week I didnt get any chance to create or shop or really do anything, except read...
In those times when we had tobe waiting around (for the judge) and didnt need to be discussing anything I read.
I recently picked up a copy of My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult, it was quite a good read, it did jump around a bit and every chapter was from a different characters point of view, I think with all the medical jargon happening in the story it might of been a good thing, I didnt mind that and was still able to keep the storyline straight in my head.
A lady of the Jury panel said to me the first day "oh I saw that movie and I cried - and im not a cryer"
I thought I was doomed lol as I am a BIG sook when it comes to sad things and crying, but it wasnt until the last chapter when tears came.


My Sister's Keeper

Overall I enjoyed it and am on the lookout for more Jodi Picoult books to read.
Have you read any of her books, any reccommendations of other good books ?

Cheers Lis :)

Puzzles

I have this love of jigsaws, I always have. Sitting down to a box of bits that are all jumbled and you need to sort and put together isnt everyones idea of relaxing, but for me its something I enjoy. I have been doing them for years and always on the lookout for cute and interesting puzzles to complete.



I mentioned in this post that I had brought this jigsaw at my local thrift store, it was marked complete do I brought it. It wasnt until I got it home and started to sort out pieces that I realised the picture on the box was not the picture of the pieces.....
Confused ? Yep I was too.


It was what they called a futuristic jigsaw, you had to look into your crystal ball to see the outcome. The picture on the box is of ancient games, you had to predict the future and the finised jigsaw would be of those ancient games but 100's of years into the future.


It was defiantely challenging and at times frustrating (and im thankful I have somewhere to leave it and come back to it) but I kept at it and eventually ended up with a cool finished image.

I picked this one up a little while ago and it was still factory sealed, bonus!!
This one will be ALOT easier than the last and plan on tackling this in a few weeks.


Back soon with an art journal share.

Cheers Lis :)

Scuba diving 101

Last week we had some beautiful weather and spent alot of time out in the pool. John decided to get his scuba gear out and blow some of the cobwebs out, the boys of cause were all keen to have a go. Josh and Dan both started with just the snorkle and mask and then breathing with the tank before he let them under the water. They both caught on after some initial too quick breathing and loved it. I think there might be some scuba courses in the future.
Poor Jay really wanted to have a go to, but is still a little young so he sat and watched with me. Im the only one that isnt interested in having a go, the thought of something over my face like that freaks me, im quite happy to sit and watch.

A few pictures of their efforts...


Cheers Lis :)

A Place to call home.

It has been 6 weeks since my last post about hating to move, back then we were madly sorting and packing and making trips to the tip/thirft stores, as well as scouring every rental site around.
First week into November we were lucky enough to find a fab place, a little out of the area we wanted, but workable. Boxes have been unpacked (well mostly) and homes found for almost everything and its starting to feel alot more like home.
Whilst the whole move had us mentally and physically exhausted the new home is bigger than our old place, the boys all happy they have their own room, plenty of room inside and out for everyone tohave their own space (I get a bigger scrap space!!) and a pool which even though the weather hasnt been the nicest has had plenty of use.
I now have to try and get organised for christmas, I hadnt done a thing before we moved which is so unlike me.
Hopefully in the next week or so I will get back to regular blogging and some creating as well.

A few photos of our new home to share..



The front view, I really love the fact the access is from the bottom floor and the stairs are internal.


Deck leading of the dinning room, lovely cool space can see this getting alot of use.


Not only a pool, but a great big back yard as well and no back neighbours!


I think in the month we have been here there has only been maybe 3 days the pool hasnt been used, even yesterday with the rain and all Jay was out in it lol

Want to send out huge thanks to Christine, Bronnie and Jim for all their help with our move, couldnt of done it without you all xox

Cheers Lis :)

I hate moving

Blogtoberfest 2011 - day 29
Ive really fallen of with the daily blogging the last week, I just dont have the energy or time to come up with a post and I dont think Im going to get the next 2 days in either, oh well I gave it a good shot.

This is what our place is looking like, empty boxes, full boxes lotsof junk and trash, its stupid how much stuff we accumulate.









Actually packing is the easier part of the deal it seems, finding somewhere else to live that we can afford and that will fit us all (even at a squeeze) is prooving to be the major issue.

Oh well back to it.

Cheers Lis :)

Packing up the house - Blogtoberfest 2011 - day 16

A week or so ago the real estate informed us that the owner of the place we rent had decided to sell. They said they would try and find someone who wanted an investment property so that we could stay on, we have been in this house for 8 years.
Last weekend a young guy came and looked at the place then Tuesday the real estate informed us that a contract was in place and gave us notice of 30 days to vacate the place...
30 days OMG I freaked how can we find some where else and pack up this place in that time.
I have been scouring real estate websites, ringing around and visiting houses and so far we have found nothing that suits, I pray that we find something soo.

In the meantime we have started to sort and organise and pack, we decided that downstairs storage and workshop was the best place to start so we have spent the last week doing this. How the hell we accumulated so much stuff is beyond me.

We have alot of storage space here and havent gotten rid of any of the boys things since they were alot younger. After getting it all out on the front lawn and going though and sorting what we were going to keep, I asked my neighbour (who has young children) if she wanted to come have alook at it, she did and pretty much took the lot. I helped her take it all back to her place, the kids were so cute they were so excited it was like christmas.




We then emptied out the shed where all the bikes and skateboards etc are kept, Oh my why did we need this many lol they too got culled and we have only kept enough for each of us. Instead of like a shed full.



The garage/workshop has been the hardest and at this stage we are prolly only about 1/4 of the way through it. Two trips to the tip so far and most likely a few more to come makes me wonder why again do we keep so much stuff.
Should make a pact to not hoard so much lol not liking my chances though.

So that was my weekend, hope that yours was alot more relaxing and fun.

Cheers Lis :)

A little bit of the everyday - blogtoberfest 2011 - day 14

Our three boys have always been the outdoor type, loving to get out in the yard and kick a ball around or play some basketball or just generally muck about. As they have gotten older it hasnt changed, even with Josh at work now and the others in senior high school they still get out in the yard any chance they get.
I love the fact that (most times) they all still get on and are willing to hang out with each other.
Some photos from last weekend.










Cheers Lis :)