I'm Back

Here I am again, and I have no idea what to write about , but I promised myself that I would write.

Oh yeah, scrapbooking.....

A little over a year ago, my SIL introduced me to scrapbooking. I joined an online group, bought some mags, and started collecting scrapbooking products. I thought this was a great way to preserve the family history (as I have always been big into that), and start a new craft at the same time.

So then about 12 months ago we started the move to Sydney. The house got cleaned out and put on the market, and we had to organise ourselves. So nothing got done on the scrapping front.

We moved to Sydney in May, into temporary accommodation for a month. I took my computer with me, and a few supplies, but didn't get anything done. But I loved chatting with the girls on the Memories and More group, and perving on their layouts. I also kept buying magazines, and falling in love with this art. (I began calling it an art rather than a hobby, as this is how I started viewing these people's work - and still do).

We found a house to move to, and I started setting up 'my space'. Wherever we live, I have a room that is MINE. Generally the study. So now my study is also my scrap room. I came her with not a lot, and now have a room. Nothing fantastic, but it's MY space.

It wasn't until after Christmas that I relaly started feeling at home here, and felt like I needed a break. So I got online and Googled "Scrap Retreat Australia". From here I found Scrap Needs and The Scrap Heap, as both do weekend retreats. I joined both groups, and fell in love with the girls from Scrap Needs very quickly. I went to thier retreat on the weekend of March 17/18, snf had such a ball!!!

I roomed with Michelle Grant (set up by Chris Millar), and got to meet some wonderful ladies! I was so nervous before I went, as I was going to meet some 'names' in scrapping. Naes that I had seen published in the many magazines that I bought over the 12 months prior. And me being such a HACK was a bit intimidated. I had also gone through the SN gallery, and felt like I was so out of my league. But these women are gorgeous! No egos, just genuinely nice girls. Girls that I hope to spend more time with in the future.

So my fear of perfomring my HACK SCRAPPER routine in front of strangers is not as bad as it used to be. I just had to do it once.

I am also starting to appreciate that I am a beginner a bit more. Most of these people have a couple of years experience under thier belts, and scrap every day. I don't know where they find the time, as most of them have multiple kids!!!! So, I have to start somewhere, and I learnt a lot at the retreat. Even if I did only get 3 layouts done.

So I have decided that 2006 will be my year to really get into this. I have joined a few swaps with the various groups to make me scrap. Even if it's only a Circle Journal, or a photo swap, it's all practice. I have also made sure that I have got out of the house and met some of the people who I have chatted to online. I am even heading off to a local crop with one of them next week!

So that's my passion at the moment. It keep sme sane, and gets a little bit of my creative juices flowing. I don't have many, so it's good that they're getting some use. I will post some of my work soon. I have to try to work out how to work this Blog thing properly.

For those who are interested, I am now going to try to post a recent picture of Ardyn.
Here we go.....

This was just snapped the other day while we were playing with a balloon.


This one had to be quick, so it's not too good. Cal managed to get her tiara on her for more than a second without her ripping it off. Needed to get a pic of our princess.