01.22.09
CHA goodness
Gosh, it seems to come around quickly. Yep it’s CHA (Craft and Hobby Association) time again in the US. We scrapbookers get hit twice a year with all the fantastic goodness that papers, tools and embelishments our eyes can take.
Last night when I was looking for a specific few papers to launch myself into a project I’ve been meaning to get done for some time, I actually thought, “You know, Kelly, you really need to use some of this paper before buying anymore”. It seems a strange thing to have so much great stuff to choose from and still be tempted by the new stuff.
So I am going to resist. At least for a while. I know me….. there will be something I simply have to have right now. This is one thing:
For a start, those buckets are just adorable…. then there is the goodies held inside. Um, yeah, I’ll be first in line at the local for these ones. But what I’m loving more, wait – MOST, is the concept of “open product”.
Getting exactly what you want. No packaging. Man, this is good stuff. Not just in terms of scrapping, but merchandising fullstop. It’s a particular bug-bear of mine that soooo much product comes in far too much packaging. This is something I would like to see more of in general shopping.
But you know I’m just loving the product too, right??!
Oh, and they also have a wee giveaway going, so make sure you do take a peek.
That’s all from me today – I need to download some pics from our cool bushwalk for tomorrow.
See you!
01.12.09
Foray into the digi side of life
I had some time this afternoon to play around. The Mr’s were playing at the neighbours and that is a wonderful time to do something for me.
Now, I’ve had PSE6 for a wee while now – at least a year. And it has been bugging the bejeebers out of me. I’m not a computer dummy at all – for the most part, I’m able to work out what I’m meant to be doing for myself. Occasionally, i can’t see the steps in between and need to ask for help.
But PSE?
I felt like I’d met my match. Dummy territory for sure.
2Peas currently have a free course with video tutorials on how to use PSE. Yippeee! methinks and I head on over there. And wouldn’t you know it, it really is simple to get started!! I knew all I needed was someone to show me the ropes and if you are like me at all, you’ll find these tutorials a breeze to understand.
So I got to playing:
Details: DigiRosa’s Christmas Freebie from Eidou
Hey, speaking of creativity…..anyone doing the Project 365? I don’t get what the hoo-haa has been all about {there weren’t enough kits to meet demand} but poor Becky Higgins seems to have copped the worst of it. Sure does seem to be more than a little harsh and nasty. Still, I’ve seen around the traps that the kiwi ingenuity is right up there. Considering it was going to cost us mega-bucks in postage ($140-200!!!!) I doubt there would have been many Kiwi uptakes of the kit anyway. I know I got stung dreadfully with postage when I pre-ordered the school kits last year. Mandy is the girl that seems to be right on the ball – head her way if you were tempted to take part but didn’t know what to use without the kit.
Plus, she has actually begun the task, and has great examples. I’m not sure if I want to commit to the project myself, but I’ve been taking a photo a day anyway. You know: just in case 
……………………and no, I’m not going to make a habit of multi posts in one day….
Back from Napier
It’s always nice, isn’t it, to return to your own bed after being away for a while?
Our trip to Napier was by and large a good one. It was seriously hot – as I may have alluded to at least once in the previous post We learnt a lot of things about camping on this trip – it being the first one with our new tent. Things like, making sure you pitch on the right side of the site. We opted to be on the other side of the neighbours as they were right up on the boundary with ours. It meant we copped the full on afternoon sun and didn’t have any real shade for at least 3 hours each day. We fixed this by making sure we weren’t around the tent at that time of day – generally we used this time to explore a little bit.
Other pesky bits were related to a particular Mr’s behaviour. I really gets me down sometimes that he doesn’t seem to get that the world doesn’t actually revolve around him and his wants at any particular moment. We had to deal with this time and time and time and time again on the trip. The first morning started pretty badly as he refused to eat breakfast and spent the next 45 minutes at least screaming blue blimmin murder and crying at full volume. At 6.30am. And fabric between neighbours is not a good sound dampening device. It cut me to the quick to overhear another mother telling her child that it was annoying to be woken by someone that clearly wasn’t a baby.
Still, we moved on and dealt with each instance as we needed to. It was more than tiresome – but we did manage to have a lot of fun as well.
Time at Splash Planet: “No, driving the Jungle Jeeps does not qualify as sitting your driver’s licence, Mr 7!”, Bumper boats; enjoying real fruit icecream at the Strawberry patch (unfortunately no PYO on the day we turned up – but that ice cream was so very good!); the beach at Waimarama (what a fantastic beach!!); and making friends with the camp kitty. Camp kitty seemed to take a liking to our tent: we found him regularly waking up with us after spending the night under our fly.
The camp offered kid’s activities twice a day for a couple of hours each time. The Mr’s would do the morning sessions and that gave Hubby and I the chance to check out the local cafe scene for a decent coffee – as well as work out solutions to bedding arrangements as one of our airbeds failed. The pool and the playground at the camp were also fantastic ways to occupy the Mr’s. As were the bikes we hauled up with us. Mine even got a work out one day when I used to get to the minimart up the road!
We left the camp a day earlier than planned because we realised that it was going to take a while to actually put down the tent and repack the car, then drive back home and unpack. Hubby returned to work this morning and we both thought it a better idea to have a day off in between to just slob around the house. And it turned out to be an even better decision than we realised: it rained on the Saturday night and Sunday. I know Beverley is now up that way, so I hope the rain has passed and she and the family get to enjoy some of the lovely weather we did.
So now we are back and the usual holiday routine begins. Hubby is back at work, the Mr’s and I are yet to change out of our PJs…. but that should really get sorted, as we need to collect Angus from his holiday home this morning. Wonder what adventures he’s had this past week……?
01.08.09
Checking in…..
Ok, so I just lost my entire post I just wrote…. it’s what happens when you only have a limited amount of time!
We arrived on Sunday. We got the tent up – for the first time ever…. It only took a couple of hours to work it all out……!
We’re baking. It’s hot. Really, really hot. I need an ice-maker. I’m not moaning. It’s just hot. So hot I went and purchased an expensive top to keep cool – because all the cheap dundresses just looked butt-ugly on my bumps and lumps. The top looks good. And it is cooler than anything I brought with me. that’s all good.
We’ve visited splash planet, an ice-cream cafe and a honey display. Notice the links with cool wishfulness there??
That was the gist of my earlier, witty, well-written post. Thanks to the time limit, you’ll just have to make so with this little episode. And the speeling mistakes. Hey, did you pick up how HOT it is here???
Off to the pool with me. In a seriously hideous pink rash top. That was another we anecdote that got lost. Just as well!! 
01.03.09
So how’s the new year going so far?
Something we like to do on the 1st of January, weather permitting, is to head out for a picnic or something like that. It’s a great way to start off the New Year with a bang.
This year, we headed to Scorching Bay. It is, I think, one of the premium beaches in Wellington. We hadn’t been there for a while, and it was great to see the ramps and access ways the council have put in at some point. Luckily for us, we got there late morning: just prior to the lunch crowd all arriving. That plus the wind being up a bit {a very rare thing in these parts………………. 
} seemed to mean we got a park very easily as well as space on the beach.
We started with brunch at Scorch-o-rama – which used to be Chocolate Fish cafe. Yep, the one the LOTR crowd used to frequent. Great food, not bad prices (prior to the public holiday surcharge….), and definitely great views.
The Mr’s were up for a bit of rock climbing while they were waiting for their meals.
Then we went for a dip. Well, the boys did. I “chose” to apply a little sunburn to the fronts of my calves. Ummmm…. yeah. Not a great idea. Thankfully, it seems to have faded by today and I can slap my hands for next time.
Both Mr’s were having a great time becoming sand monsters, only to rush into the water to clean themselves up. Many attempts were made to “sneak” up on dad and get a “tickle-tack” in. Their sneaking needs a little work………… giggling from about 100m away tends to give the game up
The beginning of the year has therefore gotten off with a bang. My theory is that the sunny day on the 1st bodes well for a great year. Here’s hoping that rings true!
Hoping your 2009 has started off well too. 
