a quick share....

Yep here is one LO....LOVE this pic of Miss P. You know, she use to drive me crazy....I love her (obviously) but I always stressed about her. But not any more! I did this amazing course and got a whole new outlook on life - especially my relationship with Poppy. Now I look at her through different eyes. I treat her differently - "better" to be honest. In return our relationship is so brilliant, she is so much easier to manage, to love, to be happy with, to just enjoy!!

Time flies.....

Well we have been busy busy busy...and this sad lil blog has been neglected. No scrapping has been done in this house due to mainly illness -

• a trip to Gero for the first week of the school holidays



• both girls got sick - for the following TWO weeks - we were stuck at home - missed b'day parties and play dates. It nearly drove me crazy!!!!



• one trip with Lola to PMH - she had Bronculitious(sp?) and was struggling to breathe(scary much???).Worked out it's viral so they couldn't give her anything to clear it!



• Dh got a mild dose of the flu and so did I.




• We had my brother's 40th - lots of fun!



• good news is I've got another half day of work which is excellent - I really LOVE my job!



• constantly trying to declutter and organise this house - does anyone else struggle with this?



• switching some rooms around - dining room into the formal lounge room which we never use and making the dining room into a playroom for the girls! The painter is here right now painting it all white! I'm going for a girly shabby chic look!



• Lola has decided to start toilet training - by herself! Clever chook - but she is constantly taking her nappy off - it's time consuming but great too!!! So different to Miss P - she took AGES!!!


• Lola is so busy these days - she thinks she is running the show!



• Poppy has started some fun Tiny Tots Tennis lessons - the guys running it are excellent! I really want her to try a range of activities and to find out what she really enjoys.


• We are all much better now and hopefully some creativeness will occur!Hoping to join in the CC at Scrapbooksavvy this weekend!

Hope all is well in your world....

Scrapping at Savvy

Last week I had a crack at a couple of the CC challenges at Scrapbook Savvyhttp://www.scrapbooksavvy.com.au/forum/...great lil forum with a very tempting shop!!!

And the very exciting news is that I WON the two challenges I entered, scoring a $10 voucher for each. More than happy about that as I haven't been in a CC for ages!!!

Here is one of the LOs - Yummo. It's Miss P at Easter, love these bright BG papers and those woodgrain letters ***sigh***! The other LO got picked up for publication!

And this is an enormous birthday card for Poppys gorgeous Kindy teacher! Her birthday is in a few weeks. I was sneaky and got each child to draw themselves and then I assembled the rest with bits from my stash. It's very bright and very big - poster size! I'm sure she'll like it!

We have been busy as always and life rolls along. Miss P has a cold that is lingering and lil Miss L is becoming more grown up everyday. I thought she was going to be far more mellow than Poppy but no...another wild, fun, expressive girl on our hands!

I have been surfing arty crafty blogs trying to round up gorgeous posts for the kids crafts blog. I just need to have made or find a blinky...if anyone can help please yell out - I've never had to do one before!

I found a few fabulous posts on creating a fairy garden so that is going to be our project in the next week! Very cute, very creative and full of magical learning and play - just the way we like it! I will post some pics when we are done!
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Dream.create.explore....

I have been toying with an idea for quite sometime. I have always loved teaching arts and crafts and all types of creative activities with my students at school. This year as I am teaching the Three Year Old Kindy program I find myself looking for lots of fun crafts, planned play and creative exploring for little ones. Poppy at 4 years of age has taken a keen liking to creating and drawing too! There are so many fabulous ideas, blogs and tutorials on the net. So I'm hoping to open a blog that bring all those wonderful ideas to one place.

I'm looking for crafty people who have been dreaming, creating and exploring with their children. Toddlers to teens - all ideas welcomed. Are you interested in contributing? What do I need from you? A clear photo of your craft item or activity for my new blog and a link to your blog post or tutorial so people can find out more from you!

Are you interested? Know of another crafty blogger who might be?

Please email me at -

dreamcreateexplore@hotmail.com

I would love to get this up and running so parents, teachers and children can start sharing their creative goodness!

Up and coming themes

• Autumn



• Birdies



• Painting



• Rain

If you have something to share please send me a pic and drop me a line!!!!

Growing great girls...

Quick LO of the girls from our holiday in Margaret River. The flower is from a tutorial over at the Studio Calico blog. Mine is a bit wonky but it's a first attempt! They have lots of great ideas on that blog!

I am reading this book at the moment...such an easy, sensible book on raising girls. Everything from toddlerhood to teenagers. With two precious girls to guide through this life I figure I can use all the help I can find! Poppy is a very highly spirited and strong willed girl and quite complex. We often clash to be honest. She is outwardly very loud, social and outgoing but as she is getting older I think she takes alot to heart and is starting to doubt herself. She overthinks things and because she is all noise and smiles publicly people assume she lets upsetting things "wash" over her, not so. I know I will really have to watch her as she gets older. She is all about extremes. Either deleriously happy and loving or devastated and low. And all this at four!
Last year I read this one and should refer back to it actually. Lots of really interesting info on kids like Miss P. I don't think books on parenting can solve all your problems but I think you can have a read, take what "speaks" to you and use it. Surely we should all be open to doing a better job with these little people who are entrusted to us?!!

She really is so special and wonderful I just want to guide her in the best way I can. She sang at "Mother's Day" at Kindy and made me a very "fancy" necklace. The best thing was the card she drew - the picture kinda does look like me! LOL! Not bad for four!
We had a lovely Mother's day with breakfast out, and then a play and an icecream at the lake in the afternoon. I got a gorgeous new bag, some Oroton earrings and some Leona Edminton tights( SIL works for Leona! YAY!). So very spoilt.

What did you do for Mother's Day? Any good books on your desk?

X

Oh she scraps....

Occassionally...LOL...wish it was more! Have some new sass, BG and delish October Afternoon to play with so no excuses!We had a lovely holiday over Easter - up to Gero to see my family. Lots of wine, chocolate, family and fun. Just love hanging out with my family. Poppy adores her older cousins and they take such good care of her.

Then we scored this enoromous house down south - Margaret River - absolutely STUNNING. Views of forest and ocean on every side! Tennis court, pool, the works and only 3 minutes from town! Poppy and I went for "cinno's" every morning while Lola slept. We hit some wineries, saw a friend on their farmstay and just had a lovely time!

Now we are all back to work and school and life is still rolling along...we are all happy, healthy, busy...life is good!

Girls from the last post who would still like those bunnies please email me your addy to

melba_1@hotmail.com.

More LO's in progress....

X

Battery problem...

Well the good news is that my camera only needs a new battery - will pick one up this week.

• Have been doing some extra teaching days and just don't have a spare minute.


• Have actually been scrapping but obviously have no pics right now.


• Have been decluttering - this seems endless


• Have been getting ready for Easter with lots of crafty fun with Poppy - including potato prints, paper plate Easter Hat, cards for her teachers, an Easter collage and some baking! She loves our time together when Lola sleeps!
• Have been watching Lola's walking improve and she now thinks she is running the house - she is a bossy boots!


• Preparing to travel to Gero for Easter to see my family - Poppy is VERY excited about hanging out with her cousins and wants to write a letter to the Easter Bunny so he knows where to find us! Too cute!
• Here is Poppy's Easter collage - we had a great chat about new life and the real meaning of Easter while making this!

If you a someone who is actually bothering to read this and has a toddler at home who would like some of those paper bunnies and some other "Easterish" small embellishments, leave me a comment and I will pick a couple of names out and send some to you for your littlest crafter!
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