I feel inspired....

I managed 3 layouts this week, which is good going for me. Even though I haven't scrapped in a while I have been blog hopping quiet a bit when I have a moment at work, or on the train in to work. There is just so much inspiration and creativity out there it is unbelievable. I have realised that I am normal when it comes to this hobby. What I mean by normal is that too much is never enough... We all have the same addiction and love for our family, photo's and stash..
The first layout I did this week to get the mojo going was a design from Becky Fleck's Page Map site, I can't copy the 'map' here but it was from the September 2008 archives.


These photo's where taken in April this year, my father had just arrived from South Africa for a visit and it snowed. Please don't laugh at our snowman, at least we tried and had a good time collecting as much snow as we could before it all melted.

Here are the other two layouts I did yesterday.






I was happy to use some of my 7Gypsies stash on this layout of Aidan. I love 7 Gypsies, it is my favourite product but I find it sometimes hard to use.

My dad flew back to South Africa on Saturday, he submitted his visa application to join us here, so please hold thumbs and pray that his Visa is granted as we missing him already. The one thing that was very tough last year was leaving him behind in South Africa with my sister as he has been living with us since 2001 and has become such a integral part of our family's life. Especially the kids. We hoping to hear the outcome of his visa application at the end of the week....
Until then ...
xxxxBxxxx

Now I can print my own photos again!!!

I finally went and bought myself a new printer !!!! My existing one is in perfectly working order and practically brand new , but I cannot get the ink cartridges here in the UK, thanks to the manufacturer, they decided to do different number ink cartridges per region. I spent hours on the phone the other day with the help desk to re-regionalise my printer but it didn't work. I was actually cross and disappointed and for the last 4 months have been pondering the idea of a new printer. My friend Val even offered to send me ink from South Africa, but it is just not worth the cost in postage.
.
It is amazing how lost you feel as a scrapbooker when you cannot print you own size photo's and being stuck to 10 X 15 cm.

Uplifting a community .....

My sister who is staying in the Eastern Cape in South Africa has been working with ' The Poverty Alleviation Fund' to uplift her local community in the rural areas. She has been teaching these ladies how to knit, bead, and make various crafty items from general everyday stuff.

By doing so she is hoping that they will be able to use their crafty skills to make items that they would be able to sell and generate some income. Her dream is to eventually teach these ladies how to set up their own little business, teach them business skills so that they could get something going.

Look at some of the items they have created, I think they fab.





These boxes were made, out of a rusk box.

Gift bottles made from a 2 L coldrink bottle. These could be used as table decorations, or even little pot plant holders.






Hand made gift boxes and little frames.



Look what they did here with the Tin.

Looking back ..

How often do you look at your layouts and think.. Oooh I have come a long way, or did I really do that? Or,I want to redo this using the latest products ect..
I must be honest there are some layouts I really like because of the message or memory that I have captured, and there some that I don't like at all. But that really doesn't matter because one day, my children and theirs will appreciate what we leave behind. (I hope...)
Here are two of my earlier Digi Layouts that are my favourite.


Credits here go to :
Dipsy Doodle Stamp Set - Rene Bross
Grudgy Colors - Yvette Keohuloa
Arrows Stamp Set 1 - Suzzane Walker


Credits here go to :
Credits: Paper - Gina Cabrera Basic Stamped Alpha - Meryl Bartho
Arrows Stamp Set 1 - Suzanne Walker
Brads - Daniela Peuss
Fonts - Digs my Heart