Top 5

Earlier in the week Kate posted her top 5 which gave me a good morning giggle and got me thinking to what mine are...

*Robbie Williams
*Adrian Grenier
*Paul Rudd
*Jack Johnson
*Bradley Cooper

...sigh...

Who would be in your top 5??

Sweet Dreams,
xx Loz

A new addition!!

Yesterday I came home from work to an empty house... shortly afterwards Mum (whose visiting for the weekend) and Jess came home with...

The cutest puppy in the world. A Maltese Shitzu, who still hasn't got a name :) She is 7 weeks old and all ours :) We have been discussing getting a dog for months, and as a person who has always wanted one (Dad is a big grump and always said no!) it is very exciting! And the landlord didn't mind at all! :)

I have been doing a little bit of scrapping too... first up the Escape2Create Sketch challenge, set by Fran Tynan...

The second layout this week was a challenge on The Boxx- 10 girls set a step to the layout one by one and together we created a layout from it.
The steps were:
Step 1. Adhere a distress and inked book page to your cardstock about 1' from the left hand side!
Step 2. Add 2 punched shapes to the bottom right corner.. {can be a layered punch for 1}..
Step 3. Cut a 2" by 5" piece of PP - adhere it 1" from the bottom and 1" in from the left hand edge of the book Piece
Step 4. Add your photo/s to cover at least a bit of each of the book page and pp..
Step 5. Place a ribbon/material/lace to the bottom of one, or all of your photos...
Step 6. Stitch a border around your page. It can be messy or neat, single or double - up to you. Then do some form of stitching on the main body of the page also... any way and anywhere you like (just doodle some lines if you don't have a machine).
Step 7. Add 5 embellishments of your choice (any size/type/style) randomly to your page.
Step 8. Add a journalling block and hand written journalling.
Step 9. Add your title
Step 10: Round the corners of your layout using a corner rounder or trace the edge of a cotton reel (or something similar) and cut it out.
And my layout...

Thats all I've got for today, I've come down with a horrible cold and struggling to think straight...so off for a nap on the couch I think :)
Hope you're having a fabulous start to the week,
xx Loz

And just like that...

I can see the rainbows.

 Photo by the amazing dQ at Curioser-Photography by Danielle Quarmby of my beautiful sister and her family

So last week was one of my most emotionally exhausting weeks that I can remember...but thankfully its a new week and the sun is shining again (though unfortunately only figuratively...seriously spring shine is most welcome any day!!)

I have been playing with some paper and glue...but can't find my camera charger to take a photo, so when I get my hands on it I will be straight back!! I have also joined up with Home Ec, a sewing course running through Freckled Nest- I can't wait to have a the time and the right tools to get creating and learning...very excited about the prospect of ACTUALLY being able to sew- and perhaps even well!

I am seriously jealous of Tatum and her photoshoot with Curiouser- Photography by Danielle Quarmby just recently. Each photo is more magical than the next, and the colours and vibrancey of the desert is amazing!! I think I might just drag Tatum out and make her take some new photos of me on my next visit. If you ever have the opportunity to have your photo taken by Danielle, DO IT! you will not regret it :)

Anyway, I'd better on with house work....and I have uni assignment that I should get a start on too...very exciting day here :)
Hopefully I'll be back soon with my lastest layouts...perhaps before we have a new prime minister!!
xx Loz

ETA: Tatum has pointed out to me that my day actually is very exciting today...because I get a visit from her and the family around 10:30pm tonight :P xo

Inspired by...

I love music and this song is no exception...



I was lucky enough to see these guys live Thursday night with my friend Tash and it was a fantastic concert, lots and lots of fun!! As I was standing there listening I was reminded how much music inspires me.

What inspires you...and whats your favourite music to listen too??
I hope you have a beautiful week
xx Loz

It just sucks...

 

Print by ShiraSela

Last night a beautiful friend of mine passed away.

Her short, ferocious battle with cancer is now over.

Life really isn't fair sometimes.

Carolyn was a beautiful, special woman, with an incredibly kind heart and I will miss her incredibly, as will many people I am sure.

My heart, thoughts and prayers go out to all of Carolyn's family and friends.

Rest In Peace

xoxox

4 Simple Goals

Elsie has created a new project over on her blog and I'm going to play along too- thinking it might give me the little bit extra motivation I need at the moment, to make myself accountable for what's happening around me.

1. choose simple goals that will make your life richer and happier on a daily basis. choose things you may not otherwise get done, but that are not difficult to accomplish. 
2. do not choose result oriented goals, choose activity oriented goals. for example.... instead of "lose 10 pounds", choose something like "eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day". get what i'm saying? positive actions instead of just the end result! 
3. choose goals that are personal that you believe will truly make your life richer just by doing them! they can be daily, weekly or one time experiences. 
4. choose a reward for each goal as it is accomplished! it can be a small or large reward. 
5. blog your goals, each one as you achieve it and a big post when they are all finished before the new year!

So with out furthur adieu my goals are...
1. Move more- take the stairs at work at least 3 times a day
2. Learn to crochet
3. Take photos everyday- of the everyday
4. Shop at the Farmers Market regularly and cook more often

I'll let you know how I go!!
Do you have any goals at the moment???
xx Loz

Layouts and a Book

Camp mojo is an exciting retreat Tatum, Ali and I are going to in July 2011, and in the lead up the organisers Sherry, Jane and Sarah are having challenges. The first was a sketch challenge set by Lisa Warren and my version features some favourite photos of mine, Bastian licking raindrops!

Right Now was created during the TheBoxx cybercrop back in the beginning of July. Jodie's challenge was to use feathers, some lace and at least one flower. The layout is a photo of Lil and J taken by the lovely dQ!

The july Scrap the Boys challenge "Devil is in the Details" challenge was to use stamping on a layout. I am still pretty inexperienced in the stamping stuff...I own a few stamps, but still dont own an acrylic block to use them effectively. When I was in Brisbane I bought a heat gun and some embossing powders and have had lots of fun playing around with them and on Mr Woodroffe I stamped and embossed on the tag in the top corner.

 

 

Finally I've just finished reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, which I just loved. Its a very engaging story, set in the gritty life circus life during the Great Depression. Well worth reading :)

And a MASSIVE Happy 8th Birthday to my beautiful niece Charlotte Stephanie!!!

Love you to the moon and back chicken xxx

Hope you are having a wonderful week, xx Loz

Good timing

I was just sitting here feeling incredibly frustrated about my day today, how things aren't going quite to plan, how I can't find what I need right now...and I feeling like chucking it all in...

And then I checked my emails and received my daily email from the Brave Girls...

Dear Persevering Girl,

Think of a time when you almost gave up....almost quit....almost threw
in the towel....but decided to just give it one more shot.

Where did that decision take you? Maybe you had to decide over and over
and over again not to quit at something...and now it has developed into
something so wonderful that you can't imagine being fully alive without
that as a part of your life.

Maybe it's a skill you've developed, maybe it's your marriage or a
friendship or the business that had a slow and scary start. Just think
back on all the times you wanted to quit...but you didn't.

Now think today about something that you are ready to throw out the
window...something that meant the world to you at one time...or maybe it
still does....maybe it's someONE who meant the world to you. Maybe, just
maybe...it would be totally worth it to give it one more shot, to keep
going......what do you have to lose?

So often in life...it's that last mile in the marathon that shows us
what it's all about...don't quit before the race is over.

You are so loved.
xoxo
 

And that has given me the push to keep going and not to quit before the race is over!

I have a couple of layouts to share, but I have been super lazy taking photos and whilst I'd love to say I'll be back to tomorrow to share....I'm not going to be because I'm off on a girly weekend to Melbourne :) Cocktails, shopping, dinners, the theatre to see Mary Poppins, visiting markets and the Tim Burton exhibition- its a weekend I'm very much looking forward to!

Hope you have a brilliant weekend too!

xx