Kelly Rotherham

James First Video

James first video. Hi Everybody!

James singing the Taniwha song.  It's a bit quiet so turn up your sound.

So we have the webcam sorted and I have been spending a lot of time getting the blog re-done for classes this year, bookings have been streaming in for the year. Spent yesterday - sat out at the Cub Camp for National Mudslide day. James loved the mudslide up and down about 6 times, Chloe on the other hand did give it a go but decided that a swim in the cleaner river was a much better idea.

Check the 2008 Snapshots on the left for some pictures.

Testing webcam

Google  ersion

Crafting Connections!

Well I am still sleep deprived after arriving home at 2.30am on Mon morning after a very busy week, but heck what a week!

I have no idea where my camera got to after unpacking so no photo's atm but I'll start at the begining and try to keep it brief. Arrived at my baby Sisters new Palatial Digs on Mon night, they must have moved heaven and earth to get in and look that settled in 3 days! Beautiful and v comfortable home. Lovely entertaining area out back, the pizza oven will get quite a workout esp on those night by the pool. I'm torn between being so damn proud of the two of them working hard and getting their dream home and being jealous as hell. Just kidding, it's all great, only wish we were still living around the corner instead of over the ocean. Tues Cup Day the house was full of their cronies :) and sister no2, tanned and svelt looking somewhat akin to Audrey Hepburn style. Loved seeing the Moses's too, looking forward to visits here next year! Drove like a mad thing up country to see my 2 Nanna's for the day, It is really nice to just sit and veg with the oldies in your life sometimes, once you get to chatting it is amazing the stories that come out.....

Hi to the Mum's group girls that were over for the night too, You always know your good friends, cause it's like you never left! Wine, food, catching up, so great! and then to Simply Scrapbooking, love walking into that shop, I want to just stay there and absorb it all, there was so much new stock since August that I couldn't decide what to get so they will drip feed it to me over the next couple of months, at least they have to send me a package as I subconsciously left my phone charger there to asure myself of a delivery LOL. Calendar class was fab, thanks to all the girls who booked in on such short notice, love you all and loved all your colour combo's so cool soing a class and everyone comes out with something different and useful (important factor in BTP for me). Missed my flight because of absolute CHAOS Friday morning (actually it was cancelled but) the check in line being about 250m long when I arrived was no help either, finally made it to Sydney at about 11. At least my luggage came with me, Poor Joy, missed flight, missing lugage, searched, what else could happen, hope you got home ok luv!

Met up with Nic and Renee and after a slightly frantic search for misplaced stock boxes all was sorted and Kiwi Scraps team spent the afternoon arranging stock, computers and class supplies. And so to the event itself, it would depend on what type of Scrapbooker you are but there were some fantastic classes on offer. I had the good fortune of meeting most of the attendees while instructing the Make and Take projects. (Thanks so much to those that have emailed since the event!) and also got to see a lot of projects being completed in the scrapping space that was made available this time round, made it more social and great to see that people were able to go home with finished projects. I sooo loved Nic's confessions class, Basic Grey 6 x 12 Album, and what she did with it was really cool. I got a little time to sit in on Nic's Acrylic Album class and that too is really beautiful. Stacy was full of beans and great fun, I was in major prep mode for make and takes and so missed a good portion of Friday night though I could hear it all, so am aiming to catch it in Wellington. Stacy's Finishing line class had people scrapping like never before, power scrapping 'd call it, great for an event gift album, there really were finished albums after only another hour or so in the scrap room 18 pages in about 3 hours, not bad! I sat in on Renee's digital class and as one who had played around quite a bit with photoshop, I certainly learned some new tricks, I saw people who had no idea with photoshop displaying finished digital pages, fantastic, brushes, masking, photos, etc and of course her classes come with her husband Kent as an added bonus, so lovely, he was running around printing photos for anyone and everyone. I really want to do the Hybrid in Welly and get in Wendy's Simple Covers, apparently the info on behind the scenes at the Magazine is really interesting an insight into another world.  Cant believe it went so quickly and before I knew it I had waved goodbye to Joy and Lou (love you guys) and was sitting at Sydney Airport with Nic eating Pizza laughing about the 14 people who clearly were not at all interested in catching their flight to Denpesar and having their name called over and over with threats like, you have 4 mins to board the plane or else.....   

And so to Wellington next weekend, no matter whether you are someone who likes to copy a project or prefer an inspirational and informative style class, there are quite a few to choose from and of course leave yourself some time on Sat for some fabo projects with lil ol' moi ;) Info will be on the registration handouts!

Bed time for me, Funky Felt info up tomorrow.

Ps. Hope you like the book Sam and WTG Jacqui, congrats on the new baby, we were so excited we had a drink for you..LOL

I just love Mondays...

...particularly this morning, after 2 weekends of "Scrap Happy", it has all rubbed off on me and this morning I woke up to the sun shining, birds singing and an altogether better outlook on life. Lots of things in the past few weeks have contributed, but last weekend I had a revalation, Australia is and always will be my Country, I'm a very proud Aussie, but I discovered that New Zealand is surprisingly "HOME" at least for right now! Can't know what the future will bring but I/we (my little family) have found our happy place for a while. The weather is not really as bad as everyone would have you believe, we love the area and town we are living in, we have made lots of new friends, and so for now, thanks to my new attitude, I'm just gonna enjoy it! and in the words of the very famous Lou Spiden "I just decide to be Happy every day"

Scrap Happy - Stacy Julian and Friends, Wellington was awesome! Thanks so much to everyone I met and got to play with in my little mini classes. Stacy, Wendy, Nic and Renee were so great, inspiring, friendly and relaxed, Rhonda, David, Mary and Sam and all the Kiwi Scraps team and it was so awesome to get to hang out with them all for the two weekends as busy it was!

Stacy, thanks so much for reminding me that Happy people eat fruit ;) That's what I have been missing, oh yeah, besides that exercise thing! (So loved the look on your face in Sydney when the second course for dinner arrived!)

Renee, You may well have converted me to digital scrapbooking, I realised what I really need is time spent with photoshop! Though what I really want to know is how big a hard drive am I going to need for a whole new stash of digi products? Could give a whole new meaning to messy scrap space!

Wendy, your Simple covers class was so very interesting.Thanks so much for the one on one chat time, it was great to get a whole new perspective on the scrapbooking industry. I now have a renewed enthusiasm for my work!

And Nic, so cool to hang out with you, your acrylic album is georgeous, as were all the "C" classes, well done you! Aussies and Kiwis are really so damn lucky that you are living down under. I will never be able to hear the name "Denpesaar" without thinking of Sydney airport, eating pizza and laughing at how many times they will really call late arrivals before taking their bags off the plane. I hope you now get to relax at home now with a rum and coke, and sorry about the birthday thing :P but I do think they are worth celebrating big time!

I got to see some amazing scrapbooking and ideas (the bonus of being out in the common area), I got to meet some great people from all around Aus and NZ, Magazine people, Shop owners, DT members, and a lot of Happy Scrappers!  I have almost no photos of either of these events and would appreciate anyone forwarding me a few via email.

and so back to real life, Argh, Christmas is coming....

Funky Felt online class will be available tomorrow, more details up later today.

Don't you just love dressing up?

Last night our neighbourhood was awash with ghosts and ghoulies, witches and wierd things. It's taken a long time for halloween to catch on in our house, we subscribed to the whole Halloween being an Americanised commercial venture... bah Humbug. But in recent years I have had a revalation, you know it's actually just really FUN! and taking to a few of the Mum's and Dad's around here we are now firmly of the belief that we all need some fun and celebration in our lives and if it means that the kids and some of us big people get dressed up and spread a little cheer to the neighbours then WHY THE HECK NOT I SAY!

We've started our own tradition in our street that the kids meet, on mass and then tour the neighbourhood with Dad's in tow (ladies get to sit on the verandah and have a little Chardy and hand out treats) and the kids need to be prepared with a trick just in case and also an attitude that if they strike a grumpy with no treats then they kindly offer them one of their own to spread the goodwill. This went down pretty well last night. A few wise people had a "Halloween Free Zone" sign pasted on the house - good idea if you are not into it and for those that go the argument of too many sweets = dental work should think of other treats like ballons and teach kids to clean their teeth:P    I am now firmly of the opinion that anything that encourages the kids to have some fun together and get's the neigbours out chatting together at the front gate has got to be good all round. As for the huge commercial side, well I gladly paid out a grand total of $11 for a great nights entertainment! (That doesn't include the wine, but then Rach bought that..LOL)

Our hose hosted a little Devil (The princess mostly made her own horns and tail) and a Dinosaur GRRRRRR! (For which I had very specific instruction on the costume....from a 4 year old I might add)

  and these 4 young girls sang for their treats, absolutely fantastic! they belong to an award winning Maori performance group, Awesome! and these other 3 girls had already had a Chardy! LOL!!!!!

Off to the hospital shortly with the Bulldozer, getting gromits today, we are all really looking forward to seeeing what kind of a difference they make!

Later

K

Top of the Food Chain!

We are back from a weekend in Wellington, our first as a family, visiting the other Rotherhams and apart from kids wreaking havoc in their house, was a cool weekend relaxing a bit with the big cuzzies. We did the Zoo and walks to the park, the kids found new friends to play tag with there, don't you love kids! A lot of World Cup Rugby watched until the wee small hours.... and almost all the other hours in the weekend. They also have a cool puzzle, Traffic Jam, addictive, I need to get one. Thanks for having us!

A little pearler from the Bulldozer last week I thought you might all enjoy!

The journalling reads:

"Hey Mum, smell my hair, Dad washed it with strawberry shampoo"

"Mmmm..I could eat you up you smell so good"

"Anyway you can't eat me 'cause I have bones.... and as well we are on Top of the Food Chain"

"WOW....How does the Food Chain work?"

He runs off for a minute and I can hear "Hey Chloe, what's the food chain?"

Returns with "First the plants, then the plant eaters, then the meat eaters, then us! 'cause nothin eats us!!"

"OK, How about a HUG then?"

"OK Mum,  Mmmwah!"

He really is getting older eh! Also gives some insight into the conversations that he has with his big sister. They are both on hols at the moment and apart from when I actually want to get out of the house, they are pretty happy in each others company, playing, dressing up and creating massive works of art.

Catch ya L8R.

On a winner!

Yesterday was a frantic day, running kids from pillar to post, why does everything have to happen on the same day!

The princess was with her ODS class to attend the Da Vinci Man and Machines Exhibition here in town and also to be presented with her prize for winning first prize in the local competition.

They had to invent, show concept drawings and explanation and a 3D model (in popsicle Sticks) of their invention....now here's the tricky bit, it has to be an invention for 500 years from now...kinda difficult eh, well now we know what Leonardo Da Vinci had to deal with!

Very proud of her, and also very glad not to have to see any more popsicle sticks!

Her invention was an Eco Bin (can't remember the exact name...bad mother) A robotic vacuum suction bin that collected rubbish and converts/recycles it into useful things like toys or soil or and I love this one...Smart Pills! Cool eh! She won a really cool prize for her class, a huge box of Kinetics (and I mean massive, clean up time will be a nightmare). Though I am a little disapointed that the Museum didn't at least give the winners a certificate for themselves at least. She's pretty happy though and has taken it to show her class today.

Also the School performance was on last night (as was the rehersals all day yesterday, hence the running around)Here's a few photos, Gotta learn how to take better photos at these things! First the parade and dance numbers and then the whole school performing a song, yep, the whole school together, and then this is the costume, her project for the term, Masks and so this is all papier Mache and she sewed the dress herself, wonder who she takes after????

All for today

C ya!

 

Hey well you got here and so did Spring!

Gotta love the longer days, roll on Daylight Savings and it's coming earlier here in NZ. The sun can't make up it's mind today, it keeps coming and going, but if I get moving, I will be able to finish planting the front border today.

I am in a bit of a stupor, dementing myself trying to understand the intricacies of HTML code behind some of the blog stuff for the new classroom setup, give me back the days of  "goto line 10" BASIC code from primary school, though these days, Chloe is organising podcasts and video links with something called Garage Band, god I'm getting old!

In case you missed it I have put up some layouts/photos in an album, from this year, surely there are more around, but I must just find them!

We had a busy weekend, All day friday I was doing the good mother thing for Cubs, baking and Icing and trying to find a roll of Cellophane for the raffle.... there were lovely packages and gifts arriving all day, luxury! then (god bless her cotton socks) Mim ordered delish Thai takeaway for my B'day tea here, and we had drop in's for drinkies from Jo and Ali and Frits, so nice, but I did miss seeing all my Melbourne girlies :o( on my Birthday, ah well big one next year! and a few parties before then eh!

Sat was busy at Cubs until lunchtime and then we did a trippy to Grandma's and a quick stop at the beach, Yay it's beach weather again!!!! well kinda, at least you don't freeze there now. Then Sat night we went to some new friends Sarah and Kevin's on the pretence of checking out their house, as they are moving to Welly soon. Beautiful place, so much room, fabulous kitchen and even a pool out back, it's perfect, just a little (or a lot) beyond our means though! But we did enjoy an Indian feast, fantastic, so delicious! Please don't go to Welly, cook us more food instead! When talking about how yummy the dinner was with John this morning I said "You know for a Rocket Scientist, Kev can sure cook Good Indian food" and John, grin on his face responds "Same kinda result isn't it!" 

Gastronomic delights all round on the weekend, and sooo much cake!

On that note, I need to blast out of here :o)

Kelly

Oh HAPPY DAY!

Oh happy day! I have sorted my xtra email debarcle and the comments are now back working..YAY! I know that probably won't mean that much to you all, but it means that I can get Phase 1, Scraptime classroom online very shortly!