Merry Xmas and Happy New Year

Hi Everyone

thankyou to all of you that left a comment on my last post about my birthday. I am over it for now but I have warned DH that he has to make a better effort next time. I know he has been busy but he needs to think of these things in advance.

Anyway what has been happening around here.

Taylah has finished school and won the Sport award at the end of year presentation. She was so happy with herself and so was I. I still didn't know why she got it as every friday morning before sport she would tell me how much she hated it. but the teacher advised me that she had made such a big improvement that is why she got it.
Lots of things going on with Taylah at the moment and I am thinking of going to the GP to get a referral to a psychologist as she is just crying all the time, sad and attention seeking. So much so that the teacher made a comment on her school report about how she has small medical problems that she thinks are large and has been using this as attention seeking behaviour. She still has separation anxiety especially when going to school and I asked her last night why she doesn't want mummy to leave and her reply was because I don't want anyone to be mean to me. She also told me that she is scared of meeting new people, scared of sleeping in her room and scared that I will not pick her up after school. This of course has never happened. So I am feeling a bit heartbroken about this and feel that I need to do something for her.

Maddison finished daycare on Wednesday and I thought that I would be really teary but there were no tears. I think this is because these girls are my friends as well and I will still see them and also some of them are now scrapbookers thanks to me. She wasn't sad at all and was actually cheering that she didn't have to go anymore. I don't think she really realises that she will have to go to school 5 days per week. She is going to Young Starters at her sisters school so I am hoping that I don't have the same separation problems with her.

They are so excited about christmas and cannot wait till santa comes. Tomorrow night DH and I are taking them to the movies for a family outing to see Santa Clause 3 and then dinner. I am really looking forward to some downtime over the next couple of days.

DH has been working his little butt off. Being a courier this is the busiest time of the year and I have even worked 4 days this week and a couple last week delivering parcels just to help him out. I wouldn't mind doing this a couple of days per week but we will have to see what happens in the new year.

I have also applied for an approval number with the department of education to get some casual work in the schools. Taylah's principal gave me a letter to send with the application and hoped that he would be able to provide me with some either admin or teachers aide work next year. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

UPDATE FROM THE DIVAS SHOP

Well it is all happening with the website. As you maybe aware I have been having major behind the scenes problems with the website. I seems that ever since I took over the site it has been very frustrating trying to iron out the problems. I feel like I have spent most of this year worrying about why this doesn't work and that doesn't work and why this person wants to charge me like a wounded bull or that person doesn't want to even help me. Instead of concentrating on the business side of the website and growing it and the community.

So I am having a new site built that hopefully will be up and running by the end of January 2007.

I hope to bring some new and exciting things to Scrapbook Divas. Cybercrops, online classes, loyalty shopper program, competitions and the most exciting DIVAS DESIGN TEAM.

I want to make my website the best in town and hope you will help me make this come true.

I just wanted to leave you a canvas that my 10 year old niece did with some stuff she got from me. She really is becoming the scrapbooker.

So Merry Christmas to everyone and a Happy New Year and may 2007 be the year of the DIVA.

Michelle

Happy Birthday To Me

Just a quick post.

It's my party and I'll cry if I want to. My Birthday today 40 something will do. DH went to sydney to take DD and DGD(granddaugther) to catch the train to go home to Batemans Bay. Thanks for spending my birthday with me and your other children. Not happy Jan. Daycare xmas party this arvo so he better get back.

Have spent the morning putting up the tree and the girls did a beautiful job and cleaning the scrap shed and my mum and dad paid me a visit.

have a good week.

Edited at 9.32pm

Does anyone ever feel like no one cares about their birthday. especially their husband and their children. My husband has not set a very good example for his children. I thought that birthdays were suppose to be special. I don't know I just feel unappreciated today. Why is it that I still have to do everything even on my birthday as well as get out the cake and candles. I was really lucky to get that. I am going to change my birthday to the 10th June from now on as I am sick and tired of hearing "I don't have time to get you anything", "I am too busy at work", I have to do this I have to do that, it is too close to xmas. I am done with it all and I have hardly spoken to my husband today who started off our morning with me hearing the alarm go off and asking him was he awake. Of course I'm awake what do you reckon. Well sorry for asking. Happy Birthday you cranky bitch. and that has been how it has gone all day. I still even had to decide about dinner. got the kids macca's but didn't have any chicken ceasar rolls, so I had to come home and get a frozen meal out the fridge and eat by myself.
he put up the xmas lights and is now probably going to go to bed cause he is tired from his big day driving to sydney and back. poor thing. Yes I am not happy and very sad as I feel that your birthday should be special and you should at least do something special on the day or spend it with the people you love instead of arguing or fighting, even our anniversay of 15 years has passed by without us doing anything as a couple. doesn't say much for our relationship at the moment and quiet frankly I am sick of this at this time of the year. I always say I am going to be more organised and I never am. We are all too busy to even notice each other or sit down and have some quiet time together. That makes me really sad. I read today on Janelle Winds blog this quote: "Only focus on today what you need to have done for tomorrow".

Update at the Divas Shop

Warning long post ahead.

So much going on at this time of the year that it is hard to keep up and I know I have been a bad blogger.

Arrived at the Shop this week are some new Christmas products from Doodlebug, Making Memories, 3 Bugs in a Rug, Basic Grey just to name a few. So come and check it out here in the Christmas Shop.

I also received the new Chatterbox doodling Genies. How popular were those. I loaded them (30 of them) to the website at lunchtime and a couple of hours later they were all sold out. I am hoping to get another lot before Christmas.

We now have the messageboard running much better now with a whole new group of categories so come and join in our little friendly community.

We are experiencing some problems behind the scenes with the website and the gallery is not operating as it should and at the moment you are unable to upload any pictures.

The problems have led to a decision to change to a new shopping cart that will hopeful make the website operate more smoothly. It is very frustrating and has been very upsetting for me and trying to work out what to do. I have been trying to get this right ever since I took the site over nearly 12 months ago and it just seems to be ongoing all the time and I am not able to concentrate on running the business and get it going. All my time has been spent stressing out about what is going to happen next and what is going to fall over. My programmer Greg has just been fantastic. I don't know how long this will take but there will be no disruption to shopping on the site except for a couple of days when the site will be down while we switch everything over. If it wasn't for Greg I don't know what I would have done. It is so hard to get good help sometimes.

On the home front Taylah's behaviour has been not very good lately and mummy has not been very nice in trying to control it either. She has not been sleeping properly so therefore is cranking and tired and so is mummy. some nights I have been getting up 3 & 4 times with different ailments. This is sore, that is sore, I have pains in the stomach, I am itchy,I have sore ankles. I don't know whether it is attention seeking or what it is, but I am just so over it and tired. I have had her to the doctors and they can't find anything. I must admit she has not been well this year, so her immune system would be really low. Not only will she not stay in bed she doesn't want to go to bed when she is told and then is going to sleep late and the vicious cycle keeps going. As a matter of fact she doesn't want to do anything she is told at the moment. she even gets up in the morning and there is always something wrong with her. But she got an award today at school for using good listening skills. obviously she leaves them at school for when she comes home. she just told me "you are so stupid because you never let us doing anything" because I will not let her and her sister go out the front to play when they have a perfectly good backyard. They always won't to go out the front and play, but I have tried to explain about the traffic and cars and supervision and stranger danger. She won't go to time out just yells and rants and raves. Even though last night we had a talk and I said that if she went to time out for 5 mins it would be all over and done with. And she said yes she would do that. But of course when it came this afternoon to go to time out for misbehaving, she ranted and raved. I don't know what to do with her anymore and she lacks in self esteem and self confidence and never seems happy and I am getting concerned. Going to talk to her teacher on Thursday about next year and I don't want her in the same class as the two girls that she is currently friends with. They have this "cool girls team" going and she gets told who she can play with and if she doesn't play with them she is not in the team. Other things have been said as well that concern me and I think this is also affecting Taylah as she is a follower and will be lead by whoever to do whatever. she is so sensitive and easily gets upset and stressed. She is scared of meeting new people as well. I call her "snag" sensitive new age girl. So I need to really work on my parenting skills and my attitude and be more positive with her.

Anyway tomorrow my DH's 19year old daughter and 11month old granddaughter are arriving for a couple of days. My DH does not see much of his daughter as she lives in Batemans Bay and I have not seen the new grandaughter. I hear you laughing and stop calling me granny. I am too young to be a grandmother. So this will be a learning experience for all of us.

Maddison's graduation from daycare is tomorrow night and I am sure there are going to be lots of tears shed as our babies are off to school next year. in fact 8 weeks tomorrow and they will be heading off to the big wide world. My girlfriend Julie's family and my family have bought a bench seat to go in one of the playgrounds at daycare and we are going to have a plaque with our girls names put on it so that they will remember us.

yesterday I did my first deliveries with Dh and got absolutely saturated but I enjoyed it.

tomorrow I am off to groups and have lots of reading to do about the new shopping cart and get the house tidy for our visitors.

Friday I am hoping to go to Scrappy Chic at Rathmines for the lovely Cindy's last crop night before they sell the shop. Looking forward to that.

Saturday my girlfriend, hubby and kids are coming up for a visit from sydney. so that will be nice.

Sunday is my birthday, warners bay markets (maybe) and in the afternoon the daycare xmas party where the kids will get to see santa and dance the afternoon away.

busy busy.

have a good week and if you are still reading this I am sorry about the long and full on post.

Cheers

Michelle

Wedding Anniversay

Just a quick blog tonight and will catch up over the next couple of days.

Greg & I have been married 15 years today and what a journey it has been. He left at 7.00 this morning and got home at 7.30 tonight. Happy Anniversary darling and maybe we can catch up sometime soon. I think we are going to celebrate our birthdays (28th nov & 10th Dec) and our anniversary in July when we are not so busy.

Love you and thankyou for your support.

Michelle

Feeling Cranky and bemused

Well I am cranky for a couple of reasons.

I don't like it when I can't get proper service. That is all I will say.

The other is the Aussie scrapbook critic blog. What a mess. I did not read the comment that was eventually deleted but apparently some nice people that I have never met have been hurt by what was said. I don't like the idea that you are anonymous, if you have something to say put your name to it. I put a comment in the section relating to "Internet stores". I put my name and store trying to give myself a plug as they were bagging out some of the other online stores and my comment was deleted. Why? I didn't offend anyone! I was giving myself and store a plug. Is that not allowed. I have found some good comments on there relating to online stores and what people like, customer service and design teams but the rest I think I will just not read.

But I think what has happened recently has denigrated into a bitchy cat fight and name calling that is not warranted anywhere. There is enough negativity going on in the world that why do we need to do it in Scrapbooking. Tall poppy syndrome I think. There is no need to start name calling and involving families in what was suppose to be constructive comments. Apparently from reading other blogs the people concerned have shut off their blogs because they are feeling hurt. Isn't that letting them beat you. soldier on I say and don't take it to heart. I know that is easy for me to say and I know that I would be devastated if someone said something about me and my family like that but you cannot let the Ms anons of this world beat you.

If you read Ngaire Bartlam's blog she has yesterday vented her anger at the treatment of her friends and there is a link there to a story that she has written about the BLOT. You should read it.

I am a bit bemused though as to why there are a few known scrapbookers deciding to take a back seat and not doing what they love. Is it because they have taken on too much and now find it too hard to juggle family and scrapbooking commitments. So don't get so caught up in the competitions, TD, magazine submissions, books etc and over commit yourself. Enjoy the craft/art of scrapbooking. I know I wish I had more time to scrap. Set goals and priorities for yourself (LOL I am the most disorganised person I know) and then don't overcommit.

I know it all gets too hard sometime but we cannot give up on our passions. We need to concentrate on the positives and praise someone about their work and why we love their work. And as everyone has been saying "If you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all", and treat people the way you wish yourself to be treated.

I have just read on one of the messageboards that the person that has made some of the comments has openly apologised. But I suppose the damage is done know. But if she had kept her negative thoughts to herself none of this would have transpired. but there are going to be those that say free speech. Yes I know but not when it hurts other people and their families.

On the home front, Taylah is finally back at school from the chicken pox but I still feel that she is not 100%. She lost her first top tooth on Sunday and the tooth fairy not only nearly forgot but nearly also got sprung. It was only that she woke up at 1.30am on monday morning that I remembered. Maddison had her last day at orientation for young starters next year. She is so looking forward to starting school and I am sure, I mean hoping that I don't have the same problems that I had with anxiety separation as I did with Taylah.

anyway I will do another post as to what is happening at the Diva's shop hopefully tomorrow.

Paper Crafts Festival and What is happening at the Divas Shop

Hi there

Well last week was eventful to say the least. On Tuesday I went to the dentist and had my wisdom tooth out in the chair, a few needles later and the dentist pulling and tugging out it came. Then on Wednesday I had just gotten home from taking Taylah to school and Maddison to daycare when the mobile rang and it was the school. Hi Michelle, This is Jane here. Just wanted to let you know that there are no groups today. Great I thought. She then proceeded to ask me to come and get Taylah as they suspected she had chickenpox. But she has been immunised. So I went and got her and took her to the GP and sure enough she had 3 spots. And she is still off school and it is now Wednesday. She only has 3 spots but cannot go to school until the scabs have come off.

So I panicked that I would not be able to go to Sydney on Friday as I was going on the Thursday night and did not have anyone to babysit her. (what a slack mother I am). So she had to go with her Dad and be a courier for the day. She hasn't been sick with it but is not that crash hot tonight so we are back off to the doctors tomorrow.

So on Thursday night I went to Sydney to go to the Papercrafts Festival at Penrith with my friend Kim and we stayed at the Formula 1 motel cheapy at Wentworthville and then drove to Penrith on Friday. My first class was with the delightful Elsie Flanagan at 8.30 am for 4 hours. What a treat it was. I sat with friends Kim, Cindy and Donna.

Elsie is just a beautiful and sweet girl and so young. She was here by herself in a strange country and was hoping to go site seeing on Monday before she flew back to the States on Tuesday.

Check out my double chins in the photo.
Her class was called "A Year In Photos" and we completed a mini album of our favourite photos. I did it on Maddison's year in 2004. We also made a felt bag to put the album in. Not used felt since I was at school. Elsie was very obliging and we had photos taken with her. She also signed my books and doodled on a page of Maddison which is below as well. She was fantastic and is apparently going to be coming back to Australia for KiwiScraps next year. I think I will be saving my pennies for that. I felt sorry for Elsie as the organisation just wasn't there. She didn't get her class handouts till 10 minutes before we finished and she ordered doughnuts for morning tea and they never turned up. I heard a few other stories during the day that would not have made her happy. I just hoped they got their act together on the other days. I also felt sorry for her as the whole time she was talking we had a woman sitting behind us that did not stop talking the whole time Elsie was trying to give her class and even when she was just talking about herself. She did not stop. It was so annoying and I wanted to get up and hit the woman. But of course she was bigger than me. Elsie also gave us some photo tips which I will post in a separate post.



Then we were off to the fabulous Zina Wright's class the "Fast & Furious". We were to complete 4 layouts in this class, but it was too overwhelming and fast for me so I only got to complete one layout. This is it. This is the first layout I have ever done of myself. I just don't like the photo much.


I was a bit disappointed in that I thought I might learn something new as the layouts looked fantastic on her blog. But it was mainly stickers and cutting out flowers but they still looked effective and gave me some food for thought. She also did some flowers out of ribbons and do you think I could do even one. No way. but I will keep trying and I hope to finish off the other layouts. 2 hours was not sufficient for this class and again organisation fell down. We were located in the main pavillon where all the shopping was being done. It was sooooooooooo noisy and I am sure the girls doing their classes their would have had no voices on Friday night and still had to do classes on the weekend.

I will post my photos of my layout and Elsie project in another post soon.

Next we went and had a look around the actual shopping part of the festival and saw what all the retail stores had to offer. You could have spent hundreds. I met Wes from the USA who has made the movie "Scrapped" if anyone has heard about it. find the links here http://www.scrappedmovie.com/ and http://www.scrappedmovie.blogspot.com/. He was great and I thought I might get a couple of copies and have a movie night.

Then later that afternoon Kim and I went to the trade show part of the event and met some of the people that we deal with in our business. We met lots of new people and looked at some new products and got home at 12.30 am on Saturday morning. A long day had by all.



In the DIVAS shop, I am still trying to rectify the messageboard problems and I apologise for that.

I am having a 20-50% off sale on selected items and they can be found here.

I have also received some great new products such as Heidi Swapp roller stamps, Clear stamps from cherryArte and Provocraft, lots of chipboard from Collections and Basic Grey, the new Basic Grey range of papers called Dasher and some stickers and monograms from the Fruitcake range also. All the NEW products can be found here.

I have also had some restock of My Minds Eye, We R Memory Keepers Boho Chic Range, Collections Chipboard, Heidi Swapp Florals.

I am hoping to receive next week some new of the Scalloped Edge Bazzill paper as well. It looks fantastic plus the most significant find of the weekend as far as retailing goes was the stockist for UNIBALL SIGNO GEL PENS for writing on your photos and doodling. I will have them in stock in black and white next week.

So make sure you come by and take a look and say hi.

Have a good rest of the week.

Cheers

Michelle

Off To Sydney

Just a quick post to say I am off to Sydney tonight to do the Elsie Flanagan and Zina Wright classes and to visit the Paper Crafts Festival and also the trade show. Will be busy but exciting. See you when I get back.

Michelle

Another busy week

How was everyone's weekend.

Well Taylah's operation went well and they got the lump out and there was nothing nasty about it. Thank goodness. The op only took about 15 mins and she was awake and not in any pain. She looked pale but that was about it. The hospital already had a room booked for us so we went back to the ward and then she didn't want to go home she wanted to stay overnight as there were 3 other little girls that had their tonsils out. but I was glad we were going home as I didn't like the idea of having to sleep in the hard chair. She wasn't allowed to go to school till Thursday.

Maddison had her first day at orientation for young starters next year. And she loved it and made a very nice hat with a feather (feaver as she calls it).

Taylah and Maddison go to little athletics on a Friday night and Taylah one the U7 girls 500 metres running. Very happy little girl and mummy.

I was so busy during the week with orders from the sale and then getting ready for the school fete and then the crop day on sunday.

yesterday the crop day was great. Lots of ladies came and I hope they all had a good time.

Here is a great blog that I came across and it had to do with layouts and lots of photos http://scrapbooklayouts.blogspot.com.

This week I am going to the dentist as I have a whole in my tooth, which has been there for about 3 months but on Friday I broke half of it off. so that is my dread tomorrow morning. Hate the dentist. Then tomorrow night I am off to Jen Hall's place to do another of her classes. tomorrow night is min album and it is so cute.

At some point this week I have to get ready as I am off to the Paper Crafts Festival in Sydney to do Elsie Flanagan's class and Zina Wright's class. So have to get photos and supplies ready for that as I am going down on Thursday night as the class starts at 8.30am on friday. Looking forward to that and having a look at the trade show and see what new things I can buy and also having a look at the Paper Crafts festival and all the retailers and of course see what else I can buy.

enjoy your week everyone.

cheers
Michelle

Busy week ahead

The sale is going great guns and I have sold out of nearly all the My Minds Eye Kits, patterned paper and rubons. So I have placed another order tonight and I have also ordered some clear stamps by Provocraft and Rhonna Farrer. But I forgot to order some acrylic blocks, silly me. But I got a tip from Scrapbooking Top 50 which was to use a clear cd case for the stamps. So will have to try that to start with.
I am also looking to order some Christmas lines of products so watch out for those. My Minds Eye have just released a Bohemia Christmas range and another range called Magnolia. Check it out at www.mymindseye.com. They are beautiful.

Thankyou you all who have taken part in the sale this weekend.

Tomorrow I am off to my brothers 40th birthday and my sister in law's 39th birthday. Yes husband and wife have the same birthday.

On Monday Taylah is into hospital for her throat operation and it looks like we might be staying overnight as my sister rang from the hospital as she works there and told me that they already have a rooom booked for her. We have to be there at 9am but the op is not till 1.00pm and she has to fast from 6.00am so we will be up at 5.30am having breakfast.

On Saturday we have Taylah's school fete and I am having a stall their and then on Sunday we have our monthly crop day at Teralba bowling Club.

have a good week everyone and donna if you read this, I hope this week is better for you and if you need anything please let me know.

Michelle

Scrapbook Divas Sale

"ROCKTOBER SALE AT THE DIVAS SHOP"

FROM MIDNIGHT FRIDAY 20TH OCTOBER TO MIDNIGHT SUNDAY 22ND OCTOBER
GET A HUGE 20% OFF STOREWIDE.

DURING THE SALE REFER A FRIEND TO THE DIVAS SHOP AND IF THEY SPEND $30 OR MORE THEY WILL RECEIVE A FREE GIFT.

LAYOUT COMPETITION
Only 12 days remaining for the LAYOUT COMPETITION to win $20.00 DIVA DOLLARS and have your layout displayed on the main page of the website for the month of November.
******** I am also pleased to announce that fellow Newcastle scrapbooker Jen Hall has agreed to do some layouts using the new "My Minds Eye" Calm and Love papers that are in store now. Watch the main page for these layouts and be inspired. Thankyou Jen.*****************************

NEW STOCK
**A new and beautiful range of patterned papers and embellishments from "My Minds Eye" called the Bohemia and Signature Series collections. Available in kits with double sided patterned paper and embellishments. The patterned paper is also available separately. There are also some fantastic rubons. Grab one of these as they are selling fast.
**restock of some bazzill papers as well as a couple of new colours. Also new Bazzill Bitty Blossoms and 12x12 chipboard sheets.
**restock of making memories foam stamps and some new designs including summer and holiday stamps. Just in time for Xmas.
**restock of Pressed Petals chip chatter chipboard alphabets and some new chip chatter words.
**New from Heidi Swapp - foam stamp, bling words, plastic alphabets and clear stamps. Limited stock of these.
**Also to be loaded Die Cuts with a View Vellum Quote Stacks - limited stock.

If there is anything that I do not stock that you would like to see at Scrapbook Divas or you have any feedback or suggestions in relation to anything on the website or anything you would like to see on the site please feel free to send me an email at info@scrapbookdivas.com.au. I would be delighted to hear your suggestions, requests and feedback.

Happy Scrapping

Cheers Michelle

My Family

This picture is what I want over in my profile. But I will have to work it out somehow.
Today has been a cleaning day after the school holidays. I still didn't get much work done. I also took over some kits for Jen Hall to create some layouts for my site. So keeping watching.

My First Post

I have never done this before, but hope to be able to write down my thoughts and feelings every week that is happening in my life and at Scrapbook Divas. www.scrapbookdivas.com.au.
If you drop by thankyou.

Michelle