Lately......

Yes I’m still here, I haven’t been doing a lot of creating lately, although I am meeting my commitments (just!). I have to find a balance between work, home, family and me time. The me time seems to be disappearing a lot lately but hopefully I will be taking that back into my control. We all reassess our lives at some stage or another and a couple of health issues have made me make this a priority at the moment. I don’t like putting things off and not meeting deadlines and I need to learn to deal with the consequences – that’s me feeling like I have let someone down. Anyway enough negatives, let’s look at the positives…..

I have now completed my 12 months with Paper Pesto and I can honestly say that their kits are well worth it. They have so much in them and the choices the girls make when putting these together are spot on. Congratulations to Kate, Fiona and Steph on making a success of a dream that they all had. I’m sure the business will go ahead in leaps and bounds in the future. Check out their blog and all the lovely projects that have been created with the June kit. Sneak peeks of the July kit should be going up soon too. But be quick because the last few have sold out!

Gemma turned 14 on the 13th June and we had a great party for her at home on the 14th, boys included! Here she is with a new hair-do and looking oh so grown up.....I on the other hand feel very old!

She also placed 2nd in a recent Dance Comp doing her solo modern routine. This means she now goes up a grade in the comps. I was one very teary proud Mummy.

Gemma has also settled this year at school and her grades are definitely improving, the more she applies herself the better she does.

Renae has just completed her first Year 11 exams and has passed 4 out of 5 so far - she is waiting on her Biology results now.

I really couldn't have wished for 2 more beautiful daughters!

I had my 3rd Scrappy Sunday yesterday and again we all had a great time with 2 "newies" Kris and Vicki, who joined us and hopefully you were made to feel very welcome. Congratulations to Kris on winning the door prize, my new Travel Journal Kit - I can't wait to see it finished! If you want Steve's Pizza's back then I won't be offended, really, they are VERY good Pizza's!

Mistra kindly donated her time and held her first Photoshop Tutorial for us "How to create a Black & White photo with a highlight in colour…" and you can download it here if you would like to learn some more about Photoshop. Nothing like sharing your creative knowledge! I have also added a "Tutorial" section to the front page of my website, so if you would like to share some of your creative side and would like to submit a tutorial then please email me.

Scrap IT! 2008 looks like being a great day and I know we are all really looking forward to a day full of laughs! I might actually get to scrap....what a novelty. If you would like to join us, it's not too late. The details are on the front page of my website (down the bottom).

I'm going to be running a Cybercrop from sharonmanning.com.au in the next few weeks, I promise, once I have set some challenges and a date.....please email me if you have any ideas about what you would like included in the evening or if you would like to join us then register at sharonmanning.com.au and the Scrap & Yap chatroom will appear in the top menu.

An interesting article I read the other day - It happens no matter what genre! Interesting that art of any kind is open to interpretation even interpretation of someone else’s art!

I thought I would share this photo taken at sunrise from our balcony last week. Check out the fog filling the valley.

I touched it up a little in Photoshop to bring out the blue in the sky.

I think I have finally mastered my camera on Manual and it hasn't been back on Auto for some time now.....I'm also shooting in RAW format which makes a huge difference when it comes to editing in Photoshop.....so many more options which means more time wasted playing with a photo! But I'm loving it!

Well I know that was a long post but hopefully I didn't bore you too much.

Catch you all next time and don't forget I love reading your comments so don't be shy and let me know you are out there!