I am a bad Blogger

The school holidays have been and gone. We've been back at school for a week and a bit. Tomorrow we start a new timetable. Naplan is over-just the waiting for the results. During the holidays I had the opportunity to attend a mini workshop using the latest "Collections" collection. I just love the printed tissue paper. It is quite strong and takes dye easily.

This a view of my little project in the process. Here is what it looked like finished.

I also worked on this layout for the third leg of the Amazing race at Chookscraps.

The weather down in Collie is starting to get cold. The autumn colour is beautiful. I took this photo early Saturday morning as we were taking DD's car down to the local car lot.

Easter holidays

After a very long term of 11weeks and two days we are on holidays. Some nameless bureaucrat decided that we need to start holidays with Easter. This year it is rather late so a 12 week term was decreed. Then came NAPLAN testing due to start the day we get back from hols. So now we go back on a Thursday to give the students 2 days to settle back in before the big test. I will be pleased when we can teach something other than NAPLAN. But first we have our first term holidays to refresh the body and spirit.
I spent the first day scrapping at the shop as I had not had the opportunity or the motivation to do the second challenge in the Great Chook Race. We are off to New Zealand and the elements to be used were balck background, a bird  and some doodling to echoe the maori designs that abound. As I had snaffled the camera cards from DD on Sunday I had a heap of new photos of her holiday in the US.

I usually scan my layouts but as the flowers are quite high I decided to photograph it instead hence the easel at the bottom.
I also managed to make a card for the Chookscraps CC which closes today. I have been experimenting with easel cards so this is the result.

Today is Good Friday and I have had my hot cross buns for breakfast. Later on I am going to make some fish cakes by Donna Hay. DH has gone to work so I plan to tackle my craft room so that I can get some quilting done later on in the holidays. Happy Easter.

And so has March.

I can't believe that it is April already and that I have not blogged for a whole month.
There is just over a week to go at school until school holidays. Everyone is tired and coming down with sickness. I just hope it bypasses this little family.
It has been very quiet here as DD is overseas in San Francisco at the moment and DS is up north doing night shift at an iron ore mine. He will be home in a few days for a week of R and R.
On Friday I had the crown fitted on my front tooth that has given me so much grief and expense over the years. Next step are some fillings to replace the old metal ones.
The weather has finally started to cool down and I have started knitting. I bought some very pricey yarn from a little shop in Bunbury to knit a scarf with a wavy edge. I have done about 30 cms.

Isn't the colour gorgeous.
I have also been doing a little bit of scrapping. The first round of  a new competition at Chookscraps closed last night and voting has commenced. It is called The Amazing Chook Race. Here is my entry for the first round. We were limited to a very snmall number of ingredients as we had to pack light for our trip. Here is link to all the layouts.  http://www.chookscrapsscrapbooking.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=1271.

Retreat has come and gone.

Last weekend was the March Chookscraps retreat. Luckily the weather was much cooler than it had been during the previous week. I love watching and learning how other scrappers create. Some get heaps done. Others get very little done. It doesn't matter as no one is counting. The best thing is having our meals prepared for us and no washing up at the end.
I also managed to fit in my monthly quilt class and lunch with friends before heading off to retreat. I love not having to work on Fridays.
Here are a few layouts I did over the weekend away.

Chookscraps CC

I can now safely say that I have finished moving in to my new art room. It is a lovely space with beautiful natural light. I still have a few boxes of books I need to sort through.
My DD came to visit this weekend so that she could use the macro lens and a camera to take photos of her jewellery collection. She is working on a new collection of pieces ready for the "Unwrapped" market next month. I did like one piece she showed me, but I was not able to snaffle it .
Yesterday I went to scrap with a group of friends at Chookscraps. It is cybercrop weekend and I managed to finish all the challenges before heading home early at 11.30pm. Here are a few pieces.

I seem to have used this gorgeous shade of green on all my layouts for this month's CC.

Weekend at last.

The school week has flown by and I am more than ready for my first 3 day weekend. On Friday I went to my applique class in Donnybrook and after lunch I went for my next visit to the dentist. That went well and I headed to Bunbury to buy some elastic and a few odds and ends from Spotlight.In the evening when the needle had worn off my teeth were starting to complain. It seems that the after effects of root canal treatment are worse than the actual treatment. I am one step closer to having a better smile.

I discovered that the furniture arrived for my art room while I was out of town. Most of it was in place, so DH and DS helped me move the rest into position. Now I just have to sort through the pile and put things onto my nice new shelves. That can wait until Monday as I am baking biscuits today and scrapping tomorrow.

Kayaking on the Swan river.

Bubbles in a funnel. Photo taken by DH with my macro lens.

Two ducks swimming in the settlement ponds near the swan river.

First week back at school

Today the students arrived back from their holidays. It was lovely seeing the new Year 1's settle in to their classroom with great big smiles on their faces. I also had the chance to help with the new Kindy students who all waved goodbye with out any tears. Our transition programme is certainly working well.
I wish I could report that the furniture truck has finally found it's way to our school and depositted stools, tables and shelves in our rooms. No, we are managing with old furniture until it arrives in a day or two, or three.

On my last weekend of the hols I went to Perth with my DH and spent some time with my DD. Here are a few snaps taken with my new I-phone.

Morning tea at Coode Street Cafe.

Early morning rowers on the Swan River.