My new camera

Canon 600D with 18-200mm lens.









Arriving in 2-3 weeks as Harvey Norman was out of stock.

October 2011 Wave Rock Retreat layouts

Well I have finally gotten around to uploading my layouts from the retreat 2 weeks ago! (Thanks to a reminder from Lissa)

I was able to get 5 singles and 3 doubles finished as well as helping Karen in the shop.

It was such a great weekend once again with all new tutors!

These two layouts are from Mistra Hoolahan’s classes.  I LOVED getting dirty and learning some simple but very effective techniques.

 

These next 3 layouts were from our trip to the snow in Melbourne in July.  I have done a double layout for each of the girls albums and will do another double for our family album.

 

Here is Tayla with her ‘Think it over’ baby she brought home from school for Child Care..

And Bree’s Basketball team.  A very quick and simple layout…

Tayla and Ashlee mud skiing with Bindy at the Schroders in Victoria…

So that's it :)

I did really well in selling my hair accessories at the retreat with a total of 48 sold :)  I’ve just put some new Resin accessories on the blog today if your interested: www.twocanstitch.blogspot.com

I’m off to Lissa’s tomorrow and hope to get some more scrapping done :)

Next week I am doing ‘A Week in the Life’ by Ali Edwards (Google it to find out more).  I will be taking my camera with me where ever I go and taking photos of everything I do (minus the private things) and then at the end of the week I will scrapbook an album about my week.  I plan to upload my photos here each day so you can follow along if you like!

See you soon.

Gayle

Retreat Time

Only 3 more sleeps then I head off to Hyden again to the Wave Rock Scrapbooking Retreat.
I'm not teaching this year, but I am helping out in the shop as well as taking my Twocan Stitch accessories along. This is the first time I have sold my hair accessorises like this... Other then online.
I have spent the day making price tags, backing cards and a catalogue in preparation. I am working the next two days but hope to get some more products made at night before I leave.
I will be taking Hair Lackies, Hair Clips, Headbands and Necklaces with me as well as my catalogue for orders.



Www.twocanstitch.blogspot.com
Or find us on Facebook

If you are going to the retreat.... See you soon!!

New Look :)

I LOVE owls and clouds so when I saw this Blog in a Box I had to buy it!

It's by Zoe Pearn and I bought it at Sweet Shoppe Designs.

The instructions are easy to follow (but some experience is probably helpful)

I'm off to the Wave Rock Retreat in a few weeks so have to start thinking about photos to print and organise! Arrr.... I'm really looking forward to it as I didn't get to go last time.

Back Again :)

Mum, Suzie and I have just arrived home from our craft weekend together at the Duke of Orleans.  We all got heaps accomplished and had the BEST time together!  We weren’t ready to come home.

Mum and I arrived at 6.10pm on Friday night.  We didn’t do any craft and just sat and watched TV.  Here we are relaxing on the couch…

Then Suzie arrived at 9.30am Saturday morning and we got crafting!

 

and eating…

Suzie and I went for a walk along the beach and into the bush to try and find some wild orchids but weren’t successful.  I did get some nice beach shots though.  It’s such a pity that this beach is always covered in seaweed…

I did hair accessories for most of the weekend.  Here are some of the ones I got finished.  I will put them all up on the website and facebook tomorrow…

Princess Collection…

    

Amelia Headbands…

and I revamped my shopping list clip board I made 5 years ago.  It used to be in heritage colours but now its decorated in the new Miss Nelly range by Kaiser.  I have a notepad hanging on it…

We have all agreed that we have to do this again!

Gayle

Wave Rock Retreat is Nearing :)

I am going!! Can’t wait :D

TWOCAN STITCH

MIck (Murray’s sister) and I have just launched our new online venture called Twocan Stitch.

You can find us on Facebook or on our BLOG

We have been busy creating handmade accessories and toys for the past 3 weeks which at the moment include hairclips, head bands, kids and adults crochet beanies and baby rattles but have more ideas in the pipeline.  Suzie has also allowed us to put some of her cushions and a bag on there too to sell. 

If you have Facebook, we would love you to click the ‘like’ button on the Twocan Stitch facebook page to spread the word :)

Gayle

Baker

We had a scrap night last night with Lissa and Lisa but only managed to do this one layout.  It’s great catching up with friends though, even if it’s not very productive.

Bree loves to make up her own recipes…here is her Nutri Grain Surprise :)

New Online Magazine

A new online craft magazine by Kim Archer has just been released today. The first issue (July/August) is FREE and then $4.95 for each bi monthly magazine after that. I've just had a look and it looks great!

You can check it out here ETZCETERA MAGAZINE

(then click on the please enter tab down the bottom)

Getting Crafty

My sister-in-law Mick put me onto making these gorgeous zip flowers…I LOVE them.  This is my first attempt and attached it to a satin black headband.  I think I will make a brooch too.

The tutorial I used is HERE.

And Ashlee’s on a clip..

Ashlee recently bought some tiny coloured googly eye earrings from Diva and when I saw these larger googly eyes today in the craft shop I knew she’d love them as earrings.  It was a pack of 150 mixed colours. I just glued them onto earring backs…easy peasy hey!

So what have you been creating lately?

Believe

I love this cloud paper..and I had the urge to create today…so I did :D …and I liked it! haha

It is annoying me though how the dream writing on the the paper isn’t straight…hmmm..ah well.

Sophie @ 2 weeks

These photos were taken last weekend on our first visit to meet my gorgeous niece Sophie :)

I’m sure this will be the first of many ‘Sophie’ layouts.

Weekend Scrapping

These are the 5 grand daughters on Murray’s family’s side.  A while ago I did the 5 grand sons page.  These gorgeous photos were taken on New Years Eve last year. 

For Mother’s Day this year I wrote my daughters a letter and gave them each a piece of heart jewellery…

Our youngest girl Bree and the things she likes to do at 10…

 

Murray participated in Movember last year…

That was heaps of fun getting out the supplies last night for a scrap :)  I had to get up extra early today though and clean up all my mess I made ready for a meeting at my house at 9am…that's the good thing about Digital scrapping!!…no mess :)

Dan Paris Photography Workshops

I saw this advertised in todays paper and thought I'd love to go...if I'm allowed that is.
Anyone else in Esperance interested? Below the poster is an email I just got from Dan with more details :)

Hi Gayle,
I've attached a flyer with a little more detail. The idea of these workshops is to learn and have a heap of fun.

The beginners course is perfect for those with little or no experience. You don't need a fancy camera either... anything will do.
I keep the class size to a max of 15 so I can individually show everyone the functions on their camera and how to use them in different situations.

The advanced course is tailored ideally for those who have some experience and would like to learn more from a technical and philosophical perspective. A beginner would still fit in to this class quite comfortably, but less time will be spent on the basics and more on the creative side of photography.

The two day course is for all levels of experience but we spend time documenting the sunset, sunrise and night photography which is really great fun. It's best to have tripod for this one, but not essential. You'll need enough food and camp gear for one night, and of course a bottle of you're favourite.

Each day begins with a chat about photography accompanied with a few images, then it's hands on to put it all into practice. Depending on the weather, we'll set off to explore anything we can find from the coast to the wildflowers. And learn how to take great photo's of them.

The first dates are:

Beginners Sat 23rd of July
Advanced Sun 24th of July
Overnight Sat & Sun 30th & 31st of July

Once these fill we'll offer the same 3 courses again in august if these dates don't suit you.

Also, for those who would like to be involved, Esperance Community Arts and myself will run and exhibition of the favourite pieces taken by participants during the workshops. We were thinking of displaying this at the spring arts event at Monjingup Lake in september. I'll talk more about this during the course.

On the day, I'll have a few free seats in my car but if people could bring a vehicle and some lunch that would be great.

... I think that's it! If there's anything I can help with please let me know.

cheers
dan

Chillaxing

I snuck a quick double layout in last night before bed. We are off to Perth for the week so no more scrapping this week...maybe next week?

Scrapping in the Bush

We have just got back from camping in the Norseman bush for the Easter break. It was hot, dusty and fly ridden but I was able to get some scrapping done on Sunday. Mum brought a gazebo with zip on sides which I named the 'bubble' as it was the only place where we could escape the flies. Here's me scrapping (ignore the really bad camping/hat hair)...

and my 3 layouts...

I really enjoyed getting the supplies out again...hopefully these school holidays I will have time to do more.

Beautiful Kit

I found this gorgeous digital kit online today and just had to use it straight away! You can download it HERE. I used PageMap sketches from the 2nd book...loving those sketches.

Some Thoughts

I have this urge to scrapbook but can't seem to fit it in anywhere :(
I'm thinking I might take some supplies camping over Easter. Not sure how I would go in a tent but I think I might give it a go.
I bought some really cute cupcake papers and can't wait to use them.
So hopefully I will be back soonish with some pages completed...well that is my desire anyways.

No Scrapathon as planned

At the last Scrapathon we discussed having another one in April before seeding starts, but I have a lot on next month so have decided to give it a miss. There is also the Wave Rock Retreat and Belindas Scrap Camp so there is lots happening over the next months that some of the ladies are involved in... as well as seeding and Easter holidays.
So I hope you all have a great couple of months and I'll let you know when the next Scrapathon is :)
Gayle

New Layouts

Last night we had our Scrapathon. There were 14 ladies joining in on the challenge and Linda took away the prize money with 11 layouts completed. We have decided the next one will be mid-April. The girls have some new ideas for the next challenge so stay tuned...

I was only able to complete 1 single and 1 double last night as we had a bit of a family drama an hour before the scrapathon. Tayla broke her arm and I had to take her to emergency, but made it back not long after it started :) Thanks Lissa for helping out while I was away :)

 

This is Murray's parents. They are such a wonderful example of how a marriage can be, are awesome parents and fun grand-parents. We love them to bits :)

 

While we were in Melbourne, Murrays brother took us for a flight over their Mum and Dad's house...

These are the grandsons on Murray's side of the family... (the 5 Girls page is yet to come)

Esperance Scrap Night - NO SPOTS LEFT

Scrapathon Challenge

After our last Scrapathon the ladies were keen to have another one soon, so here it is!!

Do you want to get some layouts done REALLY fast?!
Are you ready for a CHALLENGE and some friendly competition?!
Well, I am holding a Scrapathon Challenge on
Saturday 12th February 6.30pm – 10.30pm (and later if you want)
Venue: My home in the township of Esperance (email for address)

So you ask, how does this work?
Well, everyone is asked to bring a $5.00 entry fee and the person with the most pages completed in the 4 hours wins the cash.

Rules:
1 - No cutting or starting your layouts before the set time. (picking papers and products, sketching your layouts, cutting your photos and typing journalling is allowed)
2 – At least 2 of your layouts must have journalling.
3 – Each layout must be completed.
4 – Each page is counted as 1 point, so a double layout is 2 points.

Included in your layouts completed must be:
1 – 1x double layout with 4 or more photos
2 – 1x single layout with 3 or more photos
3 - 1x mystery sketch challenge announced on the night
(need a 5x3" landscape photo)
any layouts completed after these are a bonus!

I will also be handing out a mystery product on the night to use on a layout for a bonus point.

So, what do you think??? Will you join me???
Start shopping for supplies, printing your photos and preparing because we are going to have a ball!!

Call Gayle Smith on 0429 886 680 or email mgsmith1@bigpond.com to reserve your scrapping space as seats are limited to 12 places .

1. Gayle
2. Linda
3. Belinda
4. Dee
5. Jill
6. Kylie
7. Lissa
8. Sally
9. Kellie
10. Mary
11. Lisa
12. Rachel
13. Naomi
14. Corrina

FULL