pateygirl | Jot Magazine Mood Board Challenge is UP!!!

16 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in craft, family, inspiration, Jot Magazine, scrapbooking

≈ 4 Comments

OK, so I am going to admit that I haven’t done a whole heap of traditional scrapbooking in the last 12 months.  I’ve been art journalling, painting HUGE art works, making cards, home decorating and getting use to the project life style memory keeping.

But give me a moodboard and a challenge and I am good to go!!!  I’ve fallen into the lovely habit of tucking myself away on a Sunday afternoon to complete Jot Magazines Mood Board Challenge.  It’s my Sunday afternoon *thing*.

It’s super nice to be slotting a more traditional style layout in amongst my project life album, it’s mix and match at it’s very best.

This week, I designed a cute 6 x 12 inch layout.

Liv has long been my companion in the kitchen and it was fun to not only watch her cook on her own today but also document her love of cooking.

With such bright and beautiful colours, it was SO very easy to put a layout together.  I hope you find time this week to take part in the challenge.

Lisa

 

pateygirl | whites + neutrals

11 Tuesday Jun 2013

Posted by in design, DIY, home

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Home.  Right Now.  Mid project.

We are painting all our walls beautiful warm white (Dulux antique white USA to be precise).  It feels good to get rid of colour on the walls, and replace it with a clean, welcoming new feel.

The warm wood on the floors and antique/vintage pieces around our home feel warmer, the bright pops of colour feel brighter and I am loving the restrained process of going “all white”.  As you can see from the images some walls are still to be painted.

Mixing warm whites with creams, taupes, vivid white and greys, was a gamble.  So far I really love all the layers of colour and shade it creates.

I took a snapshop of some of the textures around our home.

Nothing like a long weekend to inspire a little home makeover.

Lisa

pateygirl | Jot Magazine weekly challenge

09 Sunday Jun 2013

Posted by in craft, family, inspiration, Jot Magazine, scrapbooking

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If you head on over to Jot Magazine you will see all the details about how to enter this weeks Mood Board Challenge.

When Kim first sent me the colours I was a little surprised as they are not Kim’s “usual” choice.  To be honest, they are not mine!!!  But once I started pulling together my supplies and added some zesty lime and warm white I was so pleased I had stepped out of my comfort zone.

I hope you have a crack at the challenge over this Australian long weekend.

 

pateygirl | the teenage years

03 Monday Jun 2013

Posted by in family

≈ 4 Comments

I had no idea when I bought my babies home, spent many nights with no sleep, put up with crazy toddler years, and sent them off to school, that the *best* was yet to come.

Ah, yes teenagers.

Now first I need to say that my kids are pretty amazing, they are what most people would consider “good kids”.  They do their fair share of chores, they work hard at school, they love eachother, and in general the are very respectful of the rules we have in this house.

I’m just starting to learn what it is to raise these kids from independent, free thinking children … into independent, answer searching, question asking, opinionated, clever, strong and capable adults.

We are raising kids/teens who will ask the hard questions, work out their own opinions, search their own truths.  That has always been the goal.

I stand back and watch our son, push the boundaries – but not break through them, ask hard confusing questions at times, and we try to always listen to his opinion before sharing ours.  We are learning what it is to have an adult relationship with him, I can see that it’s going to be a great one.  Sometimes, I just wish the growing was done and we could enjoy it now.

Super thankful for an amazing handful of teachers who look past the long hair, loud music, questioning, sometimes arrogant teen … and see the smart, creative man he is becoming.

Tonight I’m celebrating the teen who is strong enough to go against the grain.

 

 

pateygirl | you have been challenged

29 Wednesday May 2013

Posted by in craft, etzcetera magazine, family, inspiration, Jot Magazine

≈ 3 Comments

I love a good challenge.

and I have to say Jot Magazine has a brilliant one running at the moment.  You can find the details here.  What could be more simple than a mood board challenge? Just take the colours, patterns and whatever else you want from the moodboard and create some papercraft goodness.  EASY!  and what’s even better there is the most gorgeous prize pack to be won, thanks to  Jot Magazine and APOCD.

Here is my layout, using the gorgeous colour palette. This is the ONE any only nice photo I have from Mothers Day, and it wasn’t from lack of trying.  It was a hard day, and my journalling reflects that.

Journalling reads “I made the choice to raise my kids as independent thinkers, confident and strong …. sometimes like today it’s a tough job” .

Everyone with strong children particularly if they are heading towards adulthood are nodding their head. Yes?

Yes I added red :)   and see those gorgeous flair buttons??  they are from APOCD they are super cute, and super thin fabulous if you are not a fan of lumpy bumpy.

So what are you waiting for? I’d love to see what you all come up with.

Lisa

pateygirl | doing the best I can

24 Friday May 2013

Posted by in family, photography

≈ 2 Comments

Here right now.

We are busy, and hectic and trying to enjoy the most out of every day.  We release Justin with encouragement,love and thankfulness as he travels around the country and world to work.  Though everything feels not quite right when he is away.

I make my own coffee in the morning.

I hope to goodness I remembered to wash the school clothes, and there is enough milk for breakfast.

I feed the pets.

I watch my phone for a text.

I plan my day to stay busy, and I don’t like the quiet nights.

I think too much.

I forget to call friends, and send emails back.  I read a text and smile, but don’t reply.  It takes every energy I have to stay a focused, loving mumma.  Some things fall to the floor, most of the times they are right there ready to pick back up again, sometimes they are not. I surround myself with positive influences, friends who know how it all works, people who laugh at my forgetfulness, remind me to do whatever it is I am meant to be doing.  They buy me coffee or send me a text to check on me.  This is the good stuff.

The rhythm is different, not bad, just different.

We adjust, we adapt, we count the days.

This is our normal.

We savor every single day we are all together.  We grab coffee dates child free at any and every chance.  We celebrate and share the good stuff, via phone, via text, through photo’s and words.  We are present.  We walk in the sunshine.  We take our youngest for bike rides. Every.Time.She.Asks.  We watch silly family movies.  We make popcorn. We sing really LOUDLY.  We dance pretty bad too.

Just doing the best I can.

Lisa

pateygirl | arty mess

06 Monday May 2013

Posted by in art, art journalling, design, inspiration, mixed media

≈ 1 Comment

Some days we all need a little “letting go”, surrounding ourselves with an  activity that switches our brain off, stops the over thinking and allows us to deal with emotions, messy head spaces, and just the general STUFF that life brings.  Even in the most charmed life, we all deal with stuff.

Kids, work, relationships, disappointments, friendships, finance, health all create stuff in our lives.  We can choose to hang on to it all , or let it go.  The letting go can be hard work.

One of the ways I de-stress is to make messy, painty, inky pages in my art journal.  I hadn’t picked it up for a few months.  But it was ready and waiting for me to start adding to it again.

I’m enjoying the process, not a day goes by that I am not furiously adding a layer, scribbling and writing words down. It’s become such a fantastic tool to LEARN about colours/layers/combinations and patterns.  No pressure, just enjoy the mess making.

It’s given me the confidence to venture out into large canvas work, something I have touched on a few times, but it always felt so overwhelming.  Almost too scary to commit colour to a large piece.  It’s exciting, and scary and fun too.

How do you process? do you art journal? craft? exercise?

Lisa

 

 

pateygirl | happy cards

15 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in card making, craft, DIY

≈ 3 Comments

I use to make cards.  A lot.

Before any of my scrapbooking work was published, my cards were picked up by various Aussie publications on a regular basis.  Not really sure why I stopped.

This week, I took out some supplies and revisited my old craft with a new twist.  These were quick, bright, bold and cheerful with not much stamping (other than the sentiment) in sight.

Packaged up they were then donated to a fundraising night for A21.  Not familiar with A21? you can check it out here. Knowing the cards were going to help raise funds to help these broken girls was fabulous, I worked super quick just trying to get as many as possible out.

It was also great to use up lots of half sheets of paper, embellishments I have had for years and produce something beautiful.  They sold out super quick and I was wishing I had made more.

Pretty sure I’ve caught the cardmaking bug again.

Lisa

 

 

pateygirl | where I work

15 Monday Apr 2013

Posted by in design, DIY, etzcetera magazine, home, inspiration, photography

≈ 1 Comment

I work from home.

Which sounds fabulous I know.  The problem is I get distracted. Very very easily.

A few months ago, I realised I spend more time being distracted by my surroundings of my creative area, than being productive and something had to change. I could also see my kitchen and laundry pile from where I was sitting, it was driving me a little crazy.

First problem I encountered was where to move my admin and writing work. My house is very small.  It’s a beautiful 80 year old cottage that our family of five have well and truly grown out of (more on that later).  One lounge room, a bedroom each, and my creative space is a converted old pantry.  How on earth could I find a space to work from. One that would keep me focused and on task?

I chose the loungeroom.  Its not open to the rest of the house.  I can’t see any chores to be done.  It has lots of windows for natural light (perfect for photography) and it had a tiny corner I could take without introducing an “officey” look to my favourite room.

Using what I had on hand I created my desk from a singer sewing cabinet.  Antique printers trays serve as both a plain but visually interesting “wall” for me to look at behind my compter – and they also serve as lovely photography backdrops.

I’ve kept my small desk space very sparse of decoration, this helps me to stay focused. Colour has been introduced through my coloured pencils, crochet rug, and bright headphones.

Directly behind my desk I have space to store my camera, a collection of vintage books I use when styling photography for Etzcetera Magazine , and some fun photo’s of my family.

So far it’s working.

Do you work from home??  how do you keep yourself from the distraction of home life?

Lisa

pateygirl | green smoothie day two

10 Wednesday Apr 2013

Posted by in fitness, heatlh, home, in the kitchen, kitchen, recipe

≈ 1 Comment

This ones even green. A lovely bright happy green.

If you are after a refreshing, full of goodness flavour hit this one is for you.

I should add that I don’t use green smoothies like this one as a meal replacement – EVER.  Meals should be chewed with your teeth, well unless it’s soup I guess.

So when do I have them??  I love them for afternoon tea usually, around 2pm when I am starting to get a little hungry and tired.

The only exception is if I am running out the door and can’t for whatever reason have breaky, I will make one to drink in the car.  Using “heavier” ingredients to make it a meal.  One full banana, a dollop of yoghurt, a tablespoon of chia, greens, oats, protein powder and almond milk – it’s so thick you could just about eat it with a spoon.

Pineapple Green Smoothie

Ingredients

  • two pineapple rings – if you have fresh even better
  • half an apple, including skin
  • handful of baby spinach
  • small bunch of parsley
  • heaped teaspoon of chia
  • coconut water
  • ice

Give it a whirl in your blender and drink up.  So very good.

Lisa

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