Lisa Kate Colour Me Happy

A Christmas like no other

This year our Christmas was very very different.  It involved just the five of us, in our own home - the WHOLE day!!!  It was amazing, a true gift to us.... it was just what we needed.

The decision to have our own Christmas was one that was very difficult to make, we had some external issues that meant we needed to make some changes so that our kids and us would have a wonderful day free of stress, anxiety and hurt. 

I am so thankful that my parents wholeheartedly encouraged our need to do things our way this year, I am so appreciative that they were willing to not spend the day with their Grandchildren on Christmas for the first time ever, so that as a family of five we could start to build our own traditions.  I can't even begin to express how thankful I am to have the most amazing, encouraging, supportive parents like I do.... they are so selfless in their love for me.  I hope to be a parent just like them.

In the spirit of really being present with each other during the day, I didn't have my camera in everyones faces.  I did take a very few quick snaps after all the presents had been unwrapped.... but that was it.  It felt good to let go of the "scrapbooker and memory writer" and just be a Mum enjoying the day.

The photo's we did get are far from perfect, but neither are we.... and they are who we are, not always in focus, sometimes a little wonky or off colour.  But that's ok with me.

I hope that your Christmas Day was full of love and laughter, and you took time to think on the reason we celebrate this precious day, the birth of Jesus.

Lisa x

more than paper and glue ...

"It's just paper and glue people!!" is a common saying I use all the time.  Generally when there is a little princess action happening in the scrapbooking world.  It's become something my friends and I just banter about, and what it really means is "get some priority".

Today I was sorting through the MESS of my studio and found some boxes of photo's, the boxes were worse for wear, so I started putting everything in new plastic containers.

 

As Isifted through the photo's, years of my life were poured out in front of me.  Photo's pre-wedding, photo's of the birth of each of our children, all our holidays, first school days, chubby toddler cheeks, random funny photo's the kids had taken.

And it was all so good, just to sit and remember.

Then I got to thinking, that it is MORE than paper and glue.  And you know I haven't felt like that in years.  It was a job, an obligation another class to teach....... don't get me wrong I LOVE that part too.

But it was good to get my own perspective back, why I started scrapbooking in the first place.

So now I have a little pile of photo's on my desk, just for me, just for my family and I can't WAIT to start.

Happy Happy!!!

Lisa Kate

Hi honey I'm home .....

Well what an amazing weekend.  Camp Mojo was better than I anticipated, and that is saying something.

The weekend was filled with lots of belly laughs, chocolate, creating, meeting new friends and catching up with old ones.  Yep it was awesome. 

I managed to get quite a few layouts done, thanks to the challenges each day. 

Here's just a few.

 

 

 

There are quite a few more, but I don't want to bore you with them all at once ;)

Of course as soon as I can home, life came back to a thumping reality.  I had to pick the teenager up from school sick, and he looked TERRIBLE.  Complaining that his kidney was grumbling, looking flushed and glassy eyed. I was a little concerned we would be doing to rush to the hospital, but so far so good.

Keep your prayers up and fingers crossed for me!!!!

I hope everyone else is home safe and sound, thanks so much to everyone who attended you all made the weekend a lovely one xx

Lisa Kate

PS - love and hugs go out to my dear friend Carol and her family who unfortunately had to leave early to be with her father.  I am so sad to say that he did pass away, but thankful that Carol was able to be there.  Love you Carol xx

The business of being a mumma first

means that sometimes my blog and artwork has to be sidelined for a little while.  Just so that the people that matter most, get the care and nurturing they need.

That is what my week was like.

 

One child originally down with a heavy cold, then the littlest one soon followed.  Unfortunately the little one suffers from asthma, and those of you with an asthmatic child know that a little sniffle turns into a full blown out of control asthma flare - we even added a 39 degree temp to it all as well.  YEP, big few days.

So I am typing as she is still sleeping, praying that when she wakes she can breath a little easier.

I DO have a little sneaky share though :)

This week I am heading to Cairns to teach a class for Lee-anne at Scraptherapy.  Not only is it a bunch of ladies I have known for quite a while, but my bestest best best  girl Helen lives in FNQ so we get to spend some time together.

so onto a sneaky peak ....

I have started kitting up some lovely vintage beauties, which are going to be paired with some beautiful brights!!

 

and then a tiny sneaky peak of the finished product.

 
 

Today the littlest one will be visiting the doctor, and I will be madly trying to get everything together to leave on Thursday.  Hope you all have a beautiful and healthy day!

Lisa Kate

Just roll with it

My girls do hop hop dance, we had the pleasure of watching them for one of their classes.  It is such a fun, very physical and amazingly technical style of dance.  They have a warm up/leanrning routine which takes them through some of the more technical movements.  It's heaps of fun.

Part way through the songs is the lyrics "Just roll with it, just roll with it".  It's a catchy little tune.

I managed to take a few piccies while watching.

Livinia doing her "six step"

 

and Miss Lilli stretching it out .....

 
and having a giggle - which it seems this class if full of.  Lots of fun, lots of smiles. Good stuff!!

So while the girls are "rolling with it" with their dancing ... I'm "rolling with it" with my creating.  Trying to not feel overwhelmed with the ideas in my head, and just rolling with whatever I have on my desk.

Two layouts to share. 

This first one I used a super cute layout kit from Tattered Inspirations, that Carol so very kindly gifted my for designing the march sketch for her. You can find Carol's store here.  I just may have bought another three packets of the seam binding :) 

 

The second one I just grabbed what was on my desk .... nice, kinda glad i had good stuff on my desk!!!

 

Hope you are all having a creative day.

Winner announced tonight for the pretty parcel!!

Lisa Kate

x

 

 

a little bit of scrapping on my desk

In between the painting and the sewing and any other crafty/arty endevour I have going on I still always have some kind of scrapping on one of my desks. Um, yep, I have three work areas .... one for sewing, one for painting and one for paper crafts.... it works well for me and keeps the messy paint away from the precious fabric.

Scraping is my my fall back, where I feel comfortable..... I don't have to think about what I want to create (painting) or Lord forbid measure (sewing) I can just grab what pretty papers and things are on my desk, stick it down and be happy.

That's exactly how this layout came together, literally grabbing what I have on my desk.  Art paper as a background, strips of fabric, and a paint strip..... tag, journalling, a punched butterfly .... just what I had. 

This is how I think Scrapbooking should be, not necessarily in this style, but just easy going, no pressure, not perfect, just what it is - recording a memory in a pretty way.

 

 

and on my other desk  ......

is a new start on some pretty canvas's in the most gorgeous colour way.  I can't wait to show you tomorrow.

Lisa Kate