The Annual Trek to Cromwell

Last week we did our annual trip to Cromwell for the Classic Car and Hotrod Show.  This is one of Forbes's favourite shows and seems to be getting bigger and bigger each year.  700 cars this year, Forbes's idea of heaven :).  I on the other hand go because he goes, not because Im  so enamoured with looking under car hoods lol!  And I get to catch up with all the girls in the club and do some shopping.  There is this shop that Karen and I always go to and never fail to buy something from, most importantly they stock small sizes!, so I love going there, but this time I found they were gone!! Karen said thats it we're going home :) and then we spied it, it had moved!  And yes we did grab a bargain, I bought a gorgeous handbag that Forbes doesn't understand why I could possibly need another one, and just quietly they sold quite a few more after some of the girls saw mine!
Im not going to bore you with loads of car photos but when I get the camera fixed - I can't seem to download my photos at the moment - I will show our trip down to St Bathans, but I'll have to save it for a later post because you have to see the photos!

On the scrappy front I have busy trying to finish my class for Scrappin Patch's March Retreat, and I'll show you some sneak peaks when Im done.  I've also had a friend at work getting married back home, so had an idea to create a brag book for her as a gift.  I know when we got married I was given everyones photos, and ended up with loads of them, so Im guessing she will have the same thing happen.  I bought a couple of brag books from the Warehouse, and covered the front.  I actually bought two and decorated the other for another friend who has just had her second grandchild, so she could definitely use a brag book!

A friend of mine is very arty, she paints, and she paints really well - one thing Im at hopeless at.  I can't seem to do grungy/abstract very well either, probably because it goes against my anal neat and tidy nature :).  For her birthday I decided to give a canvas ago, with no photos, just an artsy canvas thing, and Im actually surprised how it turned out.  What do you think?  She loved it by the way.

Oh and of course a card!

So there you have it, now I just need to go sort out that camera!
Later

O Christmas Tree

I realise now I forgot to share my Christmas tree pics!  I love Christmas, its my favourite time of year.  Forbes can take it or leave it, and it was never celebrated which much gusto when he was growing up.  I on the other hand love decorating the house, and it always seems naked when the decorations get put away each year.  Forbes calls our house Santas grotto when all the decorations go up, which is such an exaggeration - shaking my head - if you compare our house to those that have awesome displays you can go visit, my house is naked!

Some people like my sister theme their trees.  Hers is a white tree with silver, glass and white decorations trimmed with white feather boas - it is just beautiful.  Im a traditional chick, but only in so far as the decorations.  I don't have a real tree, love the smell but the pine needles dropping would do my head in :) so I have a fake tree.  the decorations are in reds/burgundys and gold.  A lot of my decorations I bought whilst living in London - I have some very special sets that I bought in Harrods, that I just had to have!  And no they were'nt cheap at 8 pounds each and came in a set of six, but they're just beautiful - just had to quantify that :).  I have an addiction to snowflakes too, so theres a few on the tree.
This year I decided to forgo the tinsel and just covered the tree in decorations - I quite like it.  I am a bit of a tidy freak that could be why, grin!

So heres the tree and some of my favourite decorations.  There are lights on it I might add, you just can't see them - they up and down the tree instead of around.

The only down side to Christmas this year was the clanger of an earthquake on the 23rd.  I was on my way to work when it hit, I actually thought I had a flat tyre so pulled over and then twigged to what was happening - it was like driving on a trampoline that someone was jumping on, quite disconcerting.  When the next one hit I was walking to recovery to pick a patient up, walking along the link corridor which is an internal corridor that runs around the side of the building if you get my drift.  It looks out over Riccarton Ave.  The force was so strong I had to stop walking because I could'nt stand up straight, and the building was swaying violently - for a second there I contemplated jumping out the window because it just felt like the building was going to go.  I have'nt been at work for any of the quakes, but I can now appreciate why some people now have a fear of multistory buildings - it was not nice!  I guess you just dust yourself off and get on with it as best you can - of course I don't live in the eastern suburbs, if I did my outlook might be different.

Take care out there!

Theres nothing so good as a good book!

When I was younger I used to read all the time, every chance I got.  I would even stick my book under the covers with a torch and read when I was supposed to be asleep - of course I was absolutely certain my mother never knew which of course is total rubbish - she knew everything!  These days I tend to only get to read before I go to sleep and since I mostly work afternoons, then it only happens on my days off.  Lately Ive been spending any chance I get reading, Ive become addicted again :)  I love a good read especially those that are sooooo good you just can't put it down, and then when its finished you're almost gutted.
My niece enjoys a good book I discovered recently which was a surprise to me - just something I would never have picked about her.  I don't remember her being a reader as a child.  She has introduced me to an author called SJ Bolton, an english author who writes thrillers.  They are awesome!  I have'nt been able to track them down in Whitcoulls but I have found them online at Mighty Ape and ordered two - they're on their way, Im one very excited chick!
My husband on the other hand is not a reader, unless its a car magazine and then he will read it cover to cover.  The other week I was glued to a SJ Bolton book most of the day, just could'nt put it down.  Forbes made some comment about sitting doing nothing all day; say what?!  I was not doing nothing I was reading!  So whats the difference between reading a car magazine all afternoon and reading a book?  He did'nt have answer for that, but said I must've been bored - don't think he gets it do you ? :)
I have'nt scrapbooked about my obsession with reading, (maybe I should!) except for the Twilight series and I confess Im reading it again for the fourth time - so much better than the movies, although I still have to watch them!
Im also a bit anal about my books, and now won't lend them out, after happily lending them to people in the past, and they come back damaged or lost or in one case taken by a daughter to read also who then passed it on to her friend and of course I never saw it again!  I have learnt my lesson, and I love my books too much to lose any more.

Time to get back into a good book!
Have a good week!