This is what life is

I have been contacted by a few lovely readers of my blog asking if I am not blogging anymore.. I do intend to but I have not really had the time to lately but I promise to put my heart back into it again. 

Last week was my first week back to work after having surgery on my hip and recovering for 10 weeks.  Most of that time I would go out in the morning for an hour or two and then back home for the rest of the day to lay down and rest my poor body.  It really took it out of me.  I was on crutches for 3 weeks but then threw them down as I got so frustrated.. I did rehab for 4 weeks then threw the towel in there too and took myself to the local swimming pool and did my own therapy which was totally amazing.. felt so nice to be in the water, exercising and actually enjoying it then in between laying on the sun lounge for a while.

I am only back at work for 2 weeks (this week being the second) and then we are off for our holiday in our caravan for two weeks for the Easter break.  I cant wait to get out of town with my boys and just have a difference scenery.  You get a bit.. umm.. like stale when you have been off work for so long and cant do all that you normally do so this is going to do us the world of good.  Plus my hubby has just taken on a full on role for 12 months so from being semi retired he is now working 10 hours days pretty much 6 days a week which is a huge change in our home.  But it is only for 12 months.. 10 to go and counting.

In that time being off work I have been trying to catch up on my 2015 Project Life album.  I got so so far behind last year after having a very sad and hard year but I am currently up to Week 48!!!!  I have 4 weeks to go as I  have done my Christmas day page which I am really happy with.  Im not sure if I will do an extra double page for that week.... suppose I better as there was a lot on and happy memories in that week. So yes.. Ive just decided I will.  I had my Mum over here from NZ after her losing the love of her life "John".

Here is my Christmas Day page.  I dont normally do a Christmas Day page but this year was super special as Mum was with us.  I was so happy to have her.  We didnt leave each others sides.  We are so close and I am so lucky to have such a beautiful human for my Mother.  Ken was on patrol for  1/2 of the day so we went down and had a swim there.

I love my little Close to my Heart 6x4 flip flop insert... This is where the Dear head is.  I love them because they just add a little interest into your page. I have used Simple Stories December Documented Collection and some of Heidi Swaps older Christmas Collection which I still had little bits left of.  I have also added in some of Flutterby Designs gorgeous wood veneer pieces which I cant get enough of.  I love different elements on my pages.  So I have a good mixture of embellishments and papers in here.  I love to go through my stash and use whatever fits at the time.

So as of now I will be off to print out my Week 48 2015 so I can continue on with that.  Im getting very excited to be able to finish this album.  Even though I am going to be probably 12 weeks behind as soon as I start 2016 but I am determined to catch up and then go with the flow.  

I know there is no pressure on being up to date.. but I just love that feeling so then if I want to do some other paper craft... I have the time to.

Chat soon

Take care

Moonie x

Dear John x

OMG I cannot beleive it is November tomorrow.. For me that past 3 months has just been a blur.  As a few of you know I lost my beautiful Step Dad John on the 1 September.  Mum called me on the Monday afternoon saying she had taken him to the hospital to the Emergency Dept as he was not feeling well.  Later that day we found out he had 3 big size tumours on his brain and he was terminal.  5 weeks later to the day he told mum to go to sleep and he passed away 15 min later in his hospital room.  He was in hospital for the first week as they did tests and all... but then he went home.  It was this day that he passed away that Mum took him back up to hospital.  5am he passed away holding Mums hand.  So very sad.  I flew home on the Friday and as I was in the air he had a stroke so when I arrived he was in a wheel chair.  He was in fantastic spirits but he hated being in hospital.  He just wanted to go home!!! So so sad.  Life can be ripped away from you with the blind of an eye.   I have always loved John and we have a lovely relationship and he always had time for anyone.  He looked after and loved my Mum so much.  They were so in love at 72 and Mum 70 in 4 weeks time.  They have an art gallery at home where they sell their garden art and paintings and big wooden hand make aeroplanes that John made. Their home was their haven and they have so many people calling in there just to see their garden and art that they so much enjoyed creating and caring for together.  Life can be a bitch..... it can be so cruel.  Sadly the reality is ... that is the circle of life.  I know not one of us is ever prepared for it.  

I flew home for a week but ended up there for 3.  He passed away 10 days after I was back in Australia again.  They are in NZ.  My hometown.

This photo below was days after John was discharged from Waikato Hospital. Thank God!!! He was so distressed and upset for the whole time in there.  He just wanted to go out every day which was so unlike him.  He was in such beautiful spirits most of the time.

Here we are at Mount Maunganui. Our most favourite place and beach.

Charlie never left his side as you can see.

I so love you John 

Below Mum and John.. Two humans so in love.  Married for 23 years.

My beautiful Mum Sue.  This morning was such a distressful morning.  John is in the Neurology ward and visiting hours are strict.  We were only allowed to see John between 11-1pm and 4-8pm.  My poor Mum cried in her sleep she was fretting so much for Johns life.

Poor John here looking his worse.  This is stress doing it to him.  He just wanted to go home and be with his soul mate and Charlie boy his dog.. His best mate.

I know this is a bit of a sad post.. but this is life.. I live the good and the bad.  Life can be so cruel and I am so so struggling every single day with the fact that my gorgeous Mum is living on her own now and has no one to care for or no one to love and feel love from.  It is truly sad.  We speak on the phone at least 2-3 times a week and every day on the internet.  I cry for her silently as she cries to me over the phone as to how desperately hollow and empty she feels.

It is just so sad.

Rest in Peace dear John

Love you both forever

Moonie girl

Week 19 Project Life

Hi all .. I have just noticed just how long it has been since I last blogged.  I have not had a break for sometime now and I am absolutely exhausted but life must go on and it just doesnt  do you any favours but stopping and holding the clock for just a wee while.

As you know I have been home to take care of my StepDad with my Mum.  It was a very emotional and hard week which turned into three weeks in New Zealand but I loved every moment loving and caring for him.  

10 days after I arrived home back in Australia he passed away peacefully holding my Mums hand at 4.45am after telling her to shut her eyes and go to sleep my Darling.. He didnt want her to see him pass away.. Mum was asleep 15 min and he went himself.  So so sad.. but I am so grateful for the amazing memories we made together in that last 3 weeks of his life.  He was only diagnosed with 3 tumours on his brain 5 weeks before he passed away.  So so sudden.

I have posted below my spread of Week 19.  This is actually one of my kits that I put together and sell each month.

Oh I love this kid.. he is the best ever and so much fun to be around

I am many weeks behind now but thats ok with me.  I have decided to skip a few so I dont put pressure on myself.

Take of yourselves everyone and love those around you.

Moonie x

Airport wifi

Today I am flying home to see my family.. Mum and Dad in NZ.. I am totally amazed at the unreal service they now have to keep up with technology.  I am sitting in a very cool cafe/bar and at each table and booth along the walls .. there is a double power plug..  OMG it is the best.  I was getting worried as I was running out of batter on my phone.  I thought I was super organised and I pu the car charger out of my car into Kens car so we could travel with it.  But in the mean time I forgot the actual phone charger which belongs in my bedroom. Grrrrr...... so I bit the bullet and bought another for a small $45 !!

I have been in here for about 2 hours.  I looked at my itinerary incorrectly and I had Ken drop me off 5 hours before my flight.. oh well.. time to think and rest and catch my breath.  

So here today I would like to share with you one of my pages.  I am 6 weeks behind but Im not caring about that fact.  I will just cruise along.

Did I say how much I love this man??

And this girl of mine.  I know it's life.. but it is so hard to comprehend that life flys by us so fast.  One minute she is my little blonde ringlet girl.. and now she is all grown up .... dark hair gorgeous, happy and married living 1200km north of me.  Kinda sucks I think.  But as long as she is happy I am the happiest Mummy for her.  Can you believe she is doing a revamp on these gorgeous eye brows?  Yep.. she laughs at me as I have skinnier blonde ones.. she grows hers out.. and has them very dark. But she is amazing at creating makeup so it all goes doesn't it. Bit like you need the glue for the paper.

A big mix of papers and embellishments and stamps above.  This is part of one of my Monthly Project Life kits.  If you are interested in purchasing one just PM me through Facebook.  Everything that you see is included in the kit.  Except the page protector.

Take care everyone and I will be back with you very soon xx

Crate Paper Confetti

There is no doubt Crate Paper is one of my favorite designers in paper for my Project Life and scrapping of any kind.  As you all know I have been doing PL for nearly 3 years now.. but when I saw this stunning sheet of paper I just had to purchase it and put a page together.  It is absolutely stunning.  I love the gold in it and it is just perfect on its own.

Last night I put this together and as much as I stressed about the size of the paper after doing 6x4 pockets for the past 2.5 yrs I really loved to do big.. and do a nice big title again.

I love all the ranges that Crate Paper have been putting out in the past few years..

Open book, Style board was one of my favourites,  Open Road, Boys rule.. I love the Boys Rule for my son.  Such cool funky papers and embellishments for a bit of a skater boy.

This very cute camera above if from the Crate Paper Open Book chipboard sheet.  It has over 16 gorgeous chipboard pieces which are so fun and easy to use..   My little flair button suits perfectly which is from Flutterby Designs who I design for.

The frame above is also from Crate Paper Maggie Holmes Open Book frames.. There are about 12 gorgeous stunning different sized frames in a pack.  I love them all.

My happy below I have cut using my Cuttlebug.  This is one of Heidi Swapps Wonderlust Word cutting die.  I have about 4 of these words and I love them all.  I have used just a gold large sheet of cardboard from work (Spotlight) for a cheap $3.  The stars I bought 3 years ago from a cheap shop for a packet of about 300 different size ones for about $3 also.  My wood veneer stars are Studio Calico.

Thanks for popping in for a browse.. Off to see everyone else's amazing work for today.

Love to you all

Moonie x

Stamping and Project Life

Today I am off to work at 4-9.  Our store is not open til 9pm but we do smash through getting stock out on the shelves at night time.  There are only a few of us in the store at night and we manage to get miles of work done while there are no customers and no phones ringing.  it is pretty well fill fill fill the shelves. I love it.  I get to have the day off with my hubby and or son during the school holidays and Im a night owl anyway so I am pretty much motivated to do as much as possible.  Then I am home at 9.30pm to put in a couple of hours of my Project Life kits or just play in my scrapping room regardless.

Last month I signed up for Ali Edwards monthly stamp kit.  I have been eyeing up her stamps for a while now and I just love that they are all such down to earth every day stamps that relate to most of my daily photos I take.

This was my lovely surprise May stamp set.  I am in love with it.

Pop over HERE and have a sneak at what Ali is up to

For June I received this one which I cant wait to use tonight.

I have been collecting stamps over the past few years and I have a great little stash now.  I keep them stored in a adhesive folder which is great.  That way I can view them all out of packets and not on top of each other.  This way I was too lazy to look through them.  Instead they are adhered to the pages and I can fit about 3 stamp sets on each page size depending.  Easy to just pull off, use, wipe down using a baby wipe and put back in its place.

If you want to check the stamp sets out ..... go HERE and see what Ali Edwards is offering.. In Australia at the moment it is costing me $29 a month.  That will change once the exchange rate changes too.  But for me.. It is worth every cent once a month.

Here is my little set up

Thats all for today.. I hope you have a great week.

Moonie x

Catching up...

Lately I haven't had much time to do much else but my Project Life kits.. I have been loving doing them and each and every month I am selling out which is fantastic.. I didn't expect such a great response so than you all who like to get some happy mail once a month.

I have put a couple of weeks in here to share with you.  

When I first started PL (2.5 years ago) I found it so frustrating.  I felt like my work was not blending and matching like you do in a 12x12 layout.. I found it so hard to match papers up with such different coloured photos.... then one day the penny dropped.  you don't always have to have everything matching for it to look great.  I do like to do a colour palette sometimes.. and I enjoy it .. but most weeks I love to just go with what feels right for the photo..   So if this is you, just remember you don't have to be pedantic .  

My BFF and I ... love this girl

Not much news to catch up on.  I am looking forward to some new PL products to come out.  Has been a while.  And papers.. I love papers and am on the lookout for new papers all the time to cut up and use instead of cards all the time.

Good night for now

Take care

Moonie x