An Attitude of Gratitude

At the end of 2007, (around my 50th Birthday) I decided to keep a "Joy Journal" and do a layout a week for my 50th Year. 2007 was a really hard year for me work wise, and when I started the journal it was to help me focus on the good things in my life and to be thankful for them rather than get weighed down by the stresses occuring each and every day. In 2008, my work cirumstances changed and so did the stresses in my life - things were so much better and I actually loved going to work again each day. Whilst I was faithful in keeping my journal for the first 9-10 months, somehow I didn't quite finish it the last couple of months. I still have quite a few of the photos still sitting on my desk so this week I decided to get back into it and try and complete my little album. I have about 12 pages to go to complete my album. I really should have been doing it these past 4 months - it would probably have helped me put things more into perspective. Thought I would share the few layouts I did this week. Still have 7 or 8 photos sitting on my desk so hope to get them done real soon.
I've been playing with Photoshop again lately. Mostly I have been playing with photos adjusting the brightness and contrast, brightening eyes etc and having lots of fun. Also did a digital layout - pretty basic, just got to remember how to do it all again. Have also done a new banner for my blog which hopefully will get uploaded again soon.
Patterned Papers: Willro & Co Papers
Stitching: Willro & Co
Flourish: Will ro & Co
Brushes: Unknown.
Happiness Tag: Unkown.

Hoping to scrapbook tonight and make the cuttest cupcake. Will share once I have finished it.
I did come accross these couple of quotes on Gratitude that I would love to share.

20 Little Attitudes
of Gratitude

1. Mind your manners. Say please, thank you and excuse me.
2. Smile when you see your family. Turn your frown upside down.
3. Pick up after yourself.
4. Notice when others do kind things for you, show gratitude by action or words.
5. Say I love you before going to bed.
6. Give hugs daily.
7. Don’t worry about tomorrow. Focus on what you are happy about today.
8. Create gratitude journals to keep track of daily blessings.
9. Show thankfulness for even the little things others do for you.
10. Leave love notes in unexpected places like lunch boxes and under pillows.
11. Encourage someone with a compliment.
12. Verbalize what you are grateful for when you feel like complaining about life.
13. Keep a basket of small slips of paper on the table. Write notes of thankfulness during the week and read them to each other during a family meal.
14. Remember to thank God for blessings each day.
15. Surprise your family (or friends) with little gifts or treats to show you thought of them.
16. No grumbling about minor annoyances around the house.
17. Do special things to cherish time with your family. You never know what tomorrow will bring.
18. Reflect on happy memories regularly. Make inspiration boards of special times.
19. Help someone out without them having to ask you. Watch for someone in need.
20. When you are doing household chores, be grateful you have a home to clean.\

"How wonderful it would be if we could help our children and grandchildren to learn thanksgiving at an early age. Thanksgiving opens the doors. It changes a child's personality. A child is resentful, negative-or thankful. Thankful children want to give, they radiate happiness, they draw people." ~ Sir John Templeton

Finally a verse that holds special importance for me. A verse I try to model my life on daily although at times I do fall far short of this.

Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Finally some things I am thankful for this week:
1. God's provision and answsered prayers.
2. Lovely hot cups of tea made by my husband
3. great weekend with the girls
4. Finally getting some paper work in regards to my job.
5. Coming home to a clean living area - thanks to my precious daughter.
6. Karen and her thoughtfulness and the beautiful bunch of flowers she gave me on the weekend.
7. MSN chats with Ali.
8. Creative inspiration.
9. God's Word
10. Great friends

The Best Weekend

What a great weekend it has been. Two of the ex RLO's were in town and stayed with me and we had a totally girlie weekend. Some things never change, we managed to talk for the whole weekend as we caught up with all the family news etc. Had some very late nights, some good movies, some shopping thrown in, out to dinner, more talking. It does my heart good to spend time with these wonderful girls. We had so much fun, we figure that we need to plan a reunion with more of the girls. I would hate to think that I might loose touch with these great woman. Just a few photos to share.
We were going to go to the movies but since we had had a really late night the night before decided to come home and have a movie night at home where we had a bit of a tickle
put on a real good girlie movie "27 Dresses"
and cleaned up a box of my very favourite chocolates Ferrero Roches and consumed a good bottle of wine. Such a girlie night. Such a good weekend.

Some Photoshop Fun

I have had a lot of fun playing with Photoshop this week. I enrolled in Jessica Spague's free "Photo Editing - Frame ups and Special Effects" Course. Unfortunately I had problems with my computer and Steve had to reload Photoshop so I wasn't able to do the course until this past week. I have really had a lot of fun with the "Storyboards". I have always wanted to do these so have had lots of fun playing around with them and experimenting. Thought I would share some of the things I have learnt. Most of these photos have been shared just not in storyboard form. I still have a few lessons that I haven't completed yet.
First attempts at Storyboards. A little bit of experimenting with flourishes and grunge masks.


Multiply pictures and flourishes. Oh I so enjoyed doing these. PNG Files and Word Art
Using Brushes and Creating a Vintage hand painted look.
Clipping Masks
Edge Burn
Selective Spot recolouring.

There are still a few more lessons I need to do and play around with. Still need to do the lesson on Textures, Through the Viewfinder, and the Mega Challenge, and Type and texture. I have been really impressed with the course and think that I might actually sign up for one of her paying classes. This free course has been extremely easy to follow with video tutorials that you can stop and start as you work through the course.

Other News
Have heard no more re my position at school. It is supposed to be resolved but still haven't seen any paper work yet, so am praying that it will show up soon.

I am excited though because this weekend, I have two of the RLO's that I used to work with in my position with USQ coming to stay for a girlie weekend. Janet is coming up from the Sunshine Coast and Karen is coming in from Emerald. It will be SO SO good to have a weekend with these girls.

Also tomorrow afternoon the Ex Allies girls get together for afternoon tea so it really will be a full on girlie weekend this weekend. Lots of good fun.

I need to go clean up the guest room, and get to bed. I am sure I will be back again soon with photos from the wekeend.

It's been a huge week

This past week has been huge- back to work and finally there looks to be a resolution to all my work dramas. The State Manager for my union flew up and met with my Principal and the dept this past week and there looks to finally be a resolution. Mind you I am still struggling to quite beleive it and will feel better about the whole situation when I see it all on paper. You would think that I would be really happy but I have actually been quite emotional about the whole thing again this week which rather surprised me. I guess it has been going on for so long (4 months) that it is going to take a little time for me to adjust to it finally being resolved. At least I know now that I am to remain where I am and that is good news. It is not a period of my life that I would like to relive again in a hurry.

I've had a busy weekend - our monthly scrapbooking Saturday was yesterday. I managed to get this layout done.These photos was taken at Chloe's 18th Birthday Party - this was during a time that I was really struggling personally and just being around my family made me realize just how blessed I am and how much happiness these guys bring me. Just wanted to bottle it all up savour that feeling.

Also managed to make several prayer cards for the SofF "Hope Tins". Just wanted to let you know Gail that they should be winging their way to you tomorrow. Hope this is what you are looking for.

Our Scrapbooking group also got a new cartridge for our Cricut, so I had a little play with it and cut out an owl for my layout and printed out a "Thank You" using one of the new fonts and made a very simple thank you card, which I want to give to a friend tomorrowtoT.
Today Chloe's friend Katie had a Garden Tea Party to celebrate her birthday. We all wore hats and played croquet - it was different but we had a lot of fun. Took a few photos to share with you.
Picture of Katie (Birthday girl) cutting her cakeSarah enjoying a cuppa wearing her very pretty garden hat.Those girls enjoying a game of croquet.My beach hat with a couple of flowers attached.

Steve is away again this weekend. He has in Brisbane for the QSA State conference, tomorrow, but thought he would go a couple of days early and spend the wekeend with the kids. He has had a great time with them - I've missed him and I can't wait for him to come home tomorrow night.

Also looking forward to next weekend when a few of the RLO's are coming to visit. Looking forward to seeing Janet and Karen (and hopefully Helen) and having a girlie weekend.


Finally one last photo taken of the top of my piano - photos of all those that I love dearly.

Things I am thankful for this week
1. enjoying a cuppa in front of the warm glow of a fire in our fireplace.
2. the beautiful fellowship at church this morning
3. spending the afternoon with a beautiful bunch of girls.
4. God's faithfulness and provision in my work situation
5. For work collegues who have supported and encouraged me over the past 4 months
6. pretty beads
7. a warm cosy doona
8. Young Brendan who pumped up my tyres for me last night when one was going flat.
9. clear blue skies and a the coolness of the air.
10. my supportive family.

Our Week to date

It's been a great week and I have a photo overload to share. We have had the best day together today, but more of that later.

The only dissappointment this week is that we have not been able to spend as much time with Pete as we would have liked. He came with Sarah to pick us up from the airport but we have seen little of him since as he has had a good dose of the flu and has been at home in bed. A bit dissappointing all round as we were so looking forward to spending time with him and vice versa and he has spent the last couple of days in bed sleeping.

On Monday this week, I got together with a few friends and we had a card making day. It was a lot of fun. I am not a huge card maker, but this year we are doing secret sisters at church and I wanted to make a few cards to give to my secret sister throughout the year. I have taken so many photos this week, that I've decided to share thim in collage form.
Tuesday we had another lot of cabinetmakers come and measure up our kitchen to give us a quote on a new one. It was also the day to start packing as we left Tuesday afternoon to fly to Brissie to spend a few days with our oldest kids. Chloe was fortunate enough to get some time off so she was available to come with us as well.

Taken at the airport as we were ready to board our flight
Snapshots of us. Both Pete and Sarah met us at the airport and it was just wonderful to see these guys again

On Wednesday the kids had to work so we got to catch up with our good friends the Avenells. Dan and Jenni left Rocky this year to go back to full time study at Uni in Brisbane. I have really missed Jenni, so it was wonderful to catch up with them again and spend som time catching up with them
On Thursday my really good friend Barb had the day off so we spent a wonderful day together. We had such a great time. Barb is a scrapbooker like me, and Sarah had given us the names of a couple of scrapbooking shops she had come accross, so Barb and I hit the scrapbooking shops and both of us had a great spend up. We are not good together but it was oh so much fun and we really did get some lovely stuff
Can't wait to get home and have a play these these. After we hit the scrapbooking shops, we went to the shopping centre to continue our shopping spree. Barb bought new boots, we both bought a couple of DVD's and I managed to get myself a nice skirt, we found this gorgeous little coffee shop and had lunch together, picked up some medication for Pete and then headed around to see him. Poor kid looked awlful, could barely stand up. Thankfully he was able to get a doctors appointment and was at least going to see the doctor.

Thursday night we caught up with our good friends Ian and Kathy, and their daughter Linda and son in law Alan. We always have a great time with these guys. I did take some photos but had forgotten to put the memory card in my camera, so have to wait until I get home to download these photos as I didn't bring the connection with me. Will share them next time. We are so blessed to have such wonderful friends and our time with them went way way too quickly.

Today we caught up with my parents. They caught the train into Brissie to spend the day with us, Sarah took the day off work and we were to have met Pete for lunch but unfortunately he was still not a hundred percent and was still at home sick so he was unable to make it. Our day seemed to revolve around food. Most it was just catching up with Mum and Dad and enjoying their company. The girls took off and went shopping for a while and then Mum and I joined them after lunch for a while. Here are some of the snapshots of today.


The last couple of times that Chloe has been to Brissie, the girls have gone latin dancing on a Friday night, they took Steve for a walk to show him where it was held and they got these few photos whilst they were with him.
After this we left the girls to wander through the girlie stores whilst Steve and I and Mum and Dad headed for Myers. On our way we got a lovely surprise when we bumped into this pair. Noeline scrapbooks with me every month with her gorgeous daughter Katrina. She takes her grand daughter to Brissie each year on a special holiday, so Katrina this photo is for you. We caught up with your mum and Daughter, had a lovely chat and took a few photos.
We met up again for lunch and then the girls hit the shops.
The girls scored a few bargains and then it was time to walk Mum and Dad to the train station to catch their train home. We decided to go check out Southbank before heading home, so we caught the train to south bank.
The girls decided they wanted to get a 7 day tatoo and talked Steve into one also. They thought it was pretty cool, and I definately decided that it was a photographic moment - one to be recorded and scrapbooked. After this Sarah and I treated ourselves to Pandora bracelets and had fun picking a few charms to put on ours.
The girls also hit this shop and had fun trying to decide just what they wanted to fill their bags with.
By now it was dark - our feet were a little sore and we figured it was time to head for home. We were pretty tired and we still had a bit of a hike to get to the bus stop to catch the bus back to Mt. Gravatt where we had left the car.

Perhaps one of my most precious memories of the day was watching these pair walk down the street together just chatting to each other and enjoying being sisters. I feel so blessed, so incredibly blessed. This would have to be my most favourite shot of the day.
Tomorrow Pete is hoping to be well enough to join us. No great plans yet - just a little more of enjoying spending time together.

I'm finding it really hard to believe that the holidays are almost over. Where has the last two weeks gone. I just do not feel ready to go back to work yet. I have really enjoyed he break these holidays.

Get Real Post

Have scrapbooked another layout. I am still being totally inspired by this awesome scrapbooker, and this layout is pretty much a scraplift, although in saying that, it is also very much my style and I have done layouts a little similar in the past. Probaby why Pipp's work appeals to me so much.This week Lusi has issued us another "Get Real" Challenge.

So I guess my challenge to myself and to you too is to document your life as it is right now. Room by room. Memory by memory. I'm starting with the place that I am most often in and just basically went around the kitchen and took photos of things that mean something to me or that I might want to remember in years to come. But I want to emphasise that this is not an exercise in what the room 'looks' like as much as it is what kind of feelings and memories that we associate with the things in that room.

Ok looking around my kitchen I found these few things I wanted to share with you.

Really these canisters hold pride of place on top of my kitchen cupboards. They are over 100 years old and they belonged to my great great grandmother. My grandmother also had a set which she inherited from her grandmother and which my mum has now inherited. They were very special and precious to my grandmother, and she always had them on display in her kitchen. I felt very priviledged when she gave me my set, and although I didn't know my great great grandmother, these canisters hold special memories to me of my grandma and the many many happy times I spent in her kitchen with her.
Really this is one of my mixing bowls. It is over 30 years old, and it is used almost daily. It was given to me by a dear lady at my kitchen tea before I was married. It is a set of two, and the dear lady that gave it too me, wasn't particularly well off, and this gift was a sacrifice of love on her part and is one of the reasons why I shall cherish it. Each time I use it I remember her and her sacrifical giving. How blessed I was.
Really this is relatively new in my kitchen. It is a gift my husband bought me just a couple of weeks ago, and already it has become a firm favourite as it allows me to prepare nourishing and nutriential meals for my family especially on those days when I am out for some length of time. It also has a timer which allows me to set the time it needs to cook, and once the meal is cooked, it turns off and goes into keep warm mode.
Really this jug is boiled constantly throughout the day, This is one of Steve's acts of service, he usually makes me a cuppa each afternoon and ever night and we have this little routine of spending time and enjoying a cuppa together. Not only is it used for us but there is hardly a day that goes by that it is not boiled to make a cuppa for someone who walks through our front door. It is now getting old and marked, but we have well and truely got our money's worth out of it. Really this is the shelf that holds the assortment of hot drinks on offer when visitors stop my. I am known for my awesome Mocha's and hot chocolates and this is often a favourite amongst those dropping in. They are also little treats for us on a cold winter's night.
Really, these are some of my favourite recipe books and I often refer to them when preparing meals. Several are recipes from close friends, which I have bound into book form. Love preparing meals that have been tried and tested and handed on through friends. Lots of happy memories are associated when making some of these recipes, and usually find that I tend to use tried and tested recipes in preference to those just out of a recipe book.
Really this is one of the prayer cards on our fridge. This family is very precious to us, they are actually family to us, and having their photo on our fridge helps us to remember to pray for them daily. They are missionaries serving the Lord in PNG.

Really we have several fridge magnets with verses of scripture on. These are great reminders to us of God's faithfulness and also a great way for us to constantly hide God's word in our hearts.

Really, I love seeing home made baking on the cooling racks in my kitchen. These were a quick batch of cupcakes I made this afternoon, as we were having friends dropping in for afternoon tea, and I also wanted to bake some to take out with me for morning tea tomorrow when I am meeting up with a few girls to scrapbook and make some cards.

My last Really would have to be a photo of my cupcake stand. This is just a girlie treat, that I shouted myself last year, but I really love this cupcake stand and I love to fill it with homemade cupcakes made from the very special "Nat Marden" Cupcake recipe.

Just some other photos of our day. Just wanted to share the finished cupcakes on my special stand. I made over three dozen of these this afternoon and only have 18 left. The girls loved them - I have t say a HUGE thanks to Nat for sharing her recipe, it is by far the easiest cupcake recipe I have ever made and I would also have to say that it is almost fool proof, which is pretty good in this household. Here are some photos of the finished product

Also have to say that I got a nice surprise when my man came home a day early from his fishing trip. He was to come home tomorrow but one of the guys who was to stay with him had car troubles today and didn't make it back up to Corio Bay, so Steve decided to come home as well. This is his new look as he arrived home at 10.30pm tonight.

Finally just a few of the things I am thankful for today.

1. That Steve had an awesome time away with the guys and arrived home safely tonight

2. Afternoon tea with one of the girls from church who is a real encourager.

3. Pretty pink cupcakes

4. Praise and worship at church this morning, and also the awesome sharing time.

5, Beautiful blue skies and crisp winter chills.

6. Mud crabs for dinner for tomorrow night

7. My ironing lady who arrives in the morning.

8. Cuddles with my man.

Girls Road Trip

Yesterday was a great day. The ex Allies girls went on their annual road trip, Unforuntately two of the girls couldn't make it as they were away, but the rest of us had a ball. Jannett picked us up at 8am and we headed down to Yeppoon. Have lots of photos of the day to share with you. We checked out the new shopping centre at Yeppoon (well it really isn't that new anymore, I guess it would have been there now for 18 months)
We all got some bargins here, mainly shoes and clothes and a bit of costume jewellery. I bought Pete a birthday present, and smaller gifts for the girls. We ended up have morning tea here out on the front balcony.

Next Jannett took us to this awesome home decor store where we all drooled over the gorgeous gifts there. Bronwyn and Robyn just couldn't help themselves and both had spend ups here.
Next we went into the main street in Yeppoon and found another gorgeous home decore store which we all loved. They had some goregous knick knacks but mosty we just looked here.
We visited another couple of gorgeous little boutiques before heading to Kaboozie's (our very favourite girlie gift store and chocolate shoppe) We always visit here when ever we head to Yeppoon. All of us bought special home made chocolates, I found the cutes little cup cake magnets, and cupcake soaps. Carolyn bought a gorgeous soft doll for her granddaughter.
After loading up with our home made chocolates we headed to Robyn's special shoe shop. (Robyn is a shoeacholic) Unfortunately she didn't find any shoes she liked this time, but these girls found hats and shoes to their liking.
By this stage it was 1.30pm so figures if we didn't get to the Sailing Club we would miss lunch completely.
We ended the day by driving through to Emu Park and Zilzie and checking out the house that Neal and Jannett are building. After almost two years of hard work on weekends and holidays it is almost finished. They have done an amazing job and the home is beautiful. I figure I would want to go live there not just use it for holidays.

We arrived back home to Rocky around 5.30pm. After dropping everyone off Jannett and Robyn came in for a cuppa and it was just after 7pm when they left. It was a wonderful day, spent with a wonderful group of woman whose friendship and company I love. Poor Bronnie was loaded up with all her shopping and was wondering how she would get inside without getting sprung. LOL...............

Finally I have another couple of layouts to share. I must be getting a little faster with my scrapbooking as I am managing to do at least a double page each day. Still have a heap of projects to complete. I have to say though I am enjoying my break. I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS and just wish they would slow down a little, they seem to be going way too fast. The first week is over already.Well must go - Steve is heading off fishing this afternoon for a couple of days, so am going to go help him and spend a few minutes with him before he heads off. Have a great weekend everyone.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PETE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR WONDERFUL SON.

Wishing you a great birthdayPete - hope you are having a ball in Melbourne. We are feeling a little sad that we can't spend your special day with you. Just wanting you to know that we are thinking of you and missing you. Looking forward to getting together with you next week. Just want to let you know that we are incredibly proud of you and that we love you heaps and heaps. Wish we lived closer and could spend more time together.
LOVE YOU PETE

Some more layouts on the first of the month

Quick post this afternoon. Have been busy scrapbooking again these last couple of days as I wade through the back log of photos I have sitting on my scrapbooking desk. These two are not totally orginals, I have been really inspired by the work of this lady who I might add scraps a little like I do, in terms of the doodling etc but anyway these are a bit of a scraplift of some of her gorgeous work. Very happy with the way they have turned out, especially the blue layout.

I wish there was so way I could make the double page layouts download at the same size as the single page layouts are. Might have to speak to Gayle, she always seems to have an answer for me when it comes to blogs and blogland.

Tomorrow is a special day, it's my son's birthday - wish I was down south spending the day with him. He is off to Melbourne for a few days, Lucky thing. I am sure he will have a nice break awat.

Tomorrow, I am also going on a road trip with the girls that I used to work with at Allies. We are going for the day, leaving and 8am and not getting home untl after 5pm. We plan on doing some shopping, having morning tea together, some more shopping, going out for lunch, then a little drive to another beach for afternoon tea and to also check out the new house of one of the girls before heading home. There are seven of us going so we really should ahve a really good day.

Off to do some more scrapbooking.