Pimping.........

I had to......... pimp this on my blog!!





















































Later.............................

It's the.................

th.....

......today happy name day to all the Nick's and Nickoletta's out there...........
the red and white obsession continues.....
with my teapot...of course.....













my mug......













and I made a garland out of the left over papers from the advent calendar!!























I think that red ball needs a little dusting!!!!!yikes!!
Later........................

Red and white tinted glasses

For some reason I am seeing things red and white.....I have decided to decorate the house this Christmas in red and white...........see for yourself.............
I made red and white advent calendars that hold choccies for C3 and they are on the tree































and here they are on the tree..........













Later.....................................

Toooooo cute.............

Christian called out to his father who was having a shower.....daddy don't stay in the shower too long because the screws in your leg will rust!!!!!..for you that do not know G had screws placed into the head of his left femur in the hope that the bone will heal and will not need titanium in 2 years time.!!!!

C was the perfect helper yesterday.....I was at it all day yesterday preparing the kits for the crop , friends came over in the morning a huge thank you to Eleste Eleni and Katerina what would I have done without you!!!

After they left in the afternoon another friend came over (who has nothing to do with crafts) but wanted to help..... well we continued working till 2am!!

No need to tell you I was exhausted we woke up at 10am this morning (that is like in the middle of the day for me)...........

well it's back to the preparations!!!!

later..................................

Rabbits tails garlic necklaces...and other such voodoo

Hi all......
where have I been?
Busy................
Doing what?
imitating a headless chicken.......
why?
because it wasn't enough that my days were full with work, preparations for the crop, looking after my father in law, chasing a 6 year old............my husband had to fall and break his femur high up where it meets the pelvis.
I did not realise how lucky I was when he was in the hospital............now that he is home I do not rest...........I am forever running for something..........why is it that when you just sit down with a cup of tea you will be asked to get something............I have been studying this reaction and I have figured out it is a testosterone issue......I will not go into it now...as I am still keeping notes.
Our six year old has the same reaction when ever I pick up the phone or a book let alone sit in front of a computer with a cup of tea!!!
Don't misunderstand I feel for him ans I know he is in pain but the grumpiness is unbearable!!
Gregory's business partner came by today and dropped off G's laptop yeah!!! my laptop will be set free from the hubby's clutches .........doing a happy dance...........oh maybe that was a rain dance............sorry to all the Athenians that got drenched this afternoon.......
So that is why I have been missing in action.........as it has been action action action..........

On a scrappy note I was very happy to find out I was a winner over at scrapbookers in Greece monthly challenge .

How I wish I had the time to scrap...............
They say patience is a virture.............
I am a saint!!!!!!!!!!!!
Later....................................

Heart felt thank you......

I want to say thank you to all of you who sent their best wishes either by calling me or by leaving a comment here...
I want to say a huge thank you to my 2 friends who looked after Christian this weekend as it was difficult for him seeing his grandfather in such a state and I had no one to look after him.....you girls came to my rescue..........you saved my life.......thank you, you know who you are.........
Today we took my FIL to the hospital (actually the ambulance did) he was panic stricken that he would have to stay there!!
He was lucky, after having fallen 3 times now, his fracture is no worse and no better!!!
The Parkinsons is a big issue now.....as he cannot walk properly or very far.
Even though I take care of my back it has been difficult and I am feeling very sore every morning when I wake up!!!
That's my news for now...thank you again......
Later.................................................................

Mental and Physical exhaustion......

I now know the meaning of mental and physical exhaustion...........I always thought what are these people talking about they must be crazy how can you be both................when I gave birth to Christian I was very lucky he was a good baby.
I didn't have real sleep less nights till he went to day care at 4yrs and got sick all the time or when he was hospitalized for one of those illnesses that was when I experienced sleepless nights!!!!
My father in law who is 87 and a sufferer of Parkinsons tripped and fell Wednesday morning he is crafty and did not say how much pain he was in all day .....G and I took him for an xray and of course he had fractured his shoulder.
I made the mistake of not asking him to be admitted into hospital and I think I will never get over that it eats at me all day because now he refuses to even have outside help in the house!!!!! so the burden is on my shoulders. My mother in law is not capable giving him the proper care, she too is 80 and tired mentally and physically from being a care giver to a Parkinsons sufferer close to a decade now.

Gregory is with him this morning I have a few hours off to clean house and get on the computer as I have lots of details for the crop that need dealing with.

I am afraid to get over there this afternoon as yesterday I found him on the floor twice!! each time was when I had left the house to go and collect Christian from the school bus. you see what I mean by he needs proper care!!

Anway thanks for listening!!
later...................................................

Attention all Greek readers...................

Attention all Greek scrappers..........head over to this blog craft croppers gr
to find out about a crop I am holding......we will have a great day with lots of things happening,
keep checking in on the blog for more news about the program and details of the day.
I am looking forward to seeing you all there...........
Later....................................................................

Are you ready for another????........

Again you say!
well yeah..........I have been scrapping when ever I get a few minutes.
I am running on overdrive, until the vitamins that I have just started taking, kick in and I do not feel so tired .Crawling out of bed at 6am is murder, I am a morning person and I get up without a problem, usually....... but I know there is a problem when I get out of bed and I lose my balance!!
Well here is my take on the scrapbookers in Greece challenge #3

















Later...............................

Another challenge...................

This is my take on this weeks challenge
from Sketchy Thursdays what do you think?

















I am afraid i could not get a good enough photo
of this layout......trust me it is much better
live (but that's not saying much!!)












Back later with another challenge LOL...........
later......................................................................

This was fun.................

This is my take on the Sept 1st challenge at the studio the guest designer was the amazing Celine
This is what we had to do
1. Focus your layout on something from your daily routine. This can be a whole day, or just one item you use or someone you see every day.
2. You can journal as much or as little as you like, but you should answer the following questions within it: “who or what?”; “when?”; “where?”; and “why?”.
3. You can use no “bought” patterned paper – you must make your own patterned paper! Paint it, stamp it, or do something else creative!
Here is my take:

































Later......................

Creative weekend for a change!!!!!!!

I declared a weekend off from normal weekend duties..ask any mum and she will tell you what they are.....they are too many to be listed.
Anyway it never goes the way I want but I did put my foot down and told the boys to amuse themselves without me for a few hours Saturday night. I didn't want to see anyone as our house guest that had been staying a week left Saturday and I justed wanted a night of no drinking and eating but creating!!!!!!!!!
Much to my surprise....the boys amused themselves...poor Gregory he had to put up with Christians new toy a recorder (straight flute...you know the one..we all had one for music lesson in primary/grade school).......well it's not new it's actually Gregory's so it's nearly vintage LOL..........our son plays the guitar better than he plays the recorder!
I hid inside the craft room and churned out these...................












sorry bad picture....the cover has a luscious gold colour that has been grunged with distressed embossing powder and rub ons


































those were just a few pics............
here is an altered book box!/!..........

















Now for the album that goes inside the book/box...












See this is where it lives...............












And here is my take on The Studios challenge for Sept 1st































Wow the quality of these photos is really bad.....
I was obviously detoxing from no wine this weekend!! LOL....
Later.........................................................

More drooly giveaways!!!..........

Do you want this?? well......head over to the studio blog and post a pic of your favourite mini album (that you have made of course) and you could win this beautiful mini album sponsored by the the citrus tree.........
Here is my favourite but you have seen it before.......



























Good luck...............
later.....................................

Get on over to ......

Sketchy Thursdays..................
They have a great give away......... scrumptious Cosmo Cricket crafting kits!!
look....




































Very cute huh!!
Later...................

Attention all Greek readers...................

If you can read Greek please go over to this blog I guarantee (if you have a sense of humour) you will not regret checking it out, in particular his latest post.





SO funny.........and to think I have to live with the guy!!!!!





Later.......................................

A wedding, a Baptism......and a hangover!!

What can I say it was an eventful weekend..... a young couple were united in marriage, another couple's 3rd child became a christian and I ended up with the allmightiest of hangovers in the afternoon!!!!!!
I say eventful because when we woke up on Saturday morning it was not only pouring down with rain there were gloomy skies........I am a little superstitious or I have a sixth sense I do not know you choose....I turned to G and stated that the bride was going to have a bad day...he just laughed.
We arrived at the church completely unprepared for cold weather........we braved the cold and waited for the bride. She was late as is customary.........then fashionably late.......then I need to elevate my feet late they are so swollen late......then where the hell is she??????????.......then is she for real has she dumped the guy???............no folks I did a double check and looked inside the church and noticed that the priest was no where to be found................within seconds I learned that there was no priest he had forgotten to come to the !@^%!#$!%^$ church!!!!!!!! so the poor bride's father went looking for another priest at 2045 on Saturday eve...
No need to tell you the natives were restless and when the new priest arrived he put the sermon into 5th gear and married that couple double quick because the natives were about to head off to the watering hole (reception hall) without seeing the the couple hang themselves (marry) sorry for the western cowboy analogy but the sparkle and glamour that most bride's expect on their wedding day were truly lost on Saturday night..........
We arrived at the reception hall , finally sat at our tables and happily awaited the couple so that we could drink and be merry!
An hour passed before they arrived (I feared they had organised a possie to deal with the errant priest) that was not the case, thankfully we were being attended to by waiters bringing us food and copious amounts of wine which by the way I did not drink.
The poor bride was not smiling............heaven knows what had transpired.
We left very early before we could find out because my first and only born decided to be a humungus pain in the @$# (I couldn't really blame the little tike as he had waited relatively patiently at the church etc.

We woke up to bright blue skies Sunday morning and looked forward to the midday baptism, then on to a birthday party in the late afternoon.












In a nutshell the atmosphere at the baptism was fabulous every one was happy the little man Paul Angelo also celebrated his first birthday so there was a big party and I drank way too many glasses of white wine. The parents wouldn't let us leave they wanted us to stay for the dessert buffet well all I need to tell you is that the sugar rush I got from the wine and sweets that Sunday afternoon gave me the allmightiest of headaches/hangovers.

I couldn't make it to the birthday party neither could the boys they too were exhausted....
So it was an early night for us.........
I need to scrap but I have way too much work on my desk I did manage to make 2 cards for the weekend.........

































cards are not my thing but I am pleased with these, the wedding card was much more impressive live the photo does not do it justice.........
later................................................................................................................

We're baaaaack!!...Kato Zakros part 1

We got back on Friday and it has been a hectic ever since.......of course this week has been dedicated to preparing Christian for school. We had an orientation day for 1st graders on Monday we got to meet C's teacher which was good...we have been running around buying last minute supplies, books, school uniform, immunization shots, general check up etc. Today we also had one of Christians friends over for the day so I got a chance to get in front of the computer. I get back to work next week so I wanted to avoid the computer this week but I was itching to get my photos of our trip posted and to check up on what every one has been up to.
Sooooo.........Kato Zakros Crete part 1
After a very smooth plane trip...I was unpleasantly surprised when I saw the size of the airplane that was flying us to Crete, I suggested the boys fly and that I would swim there!! every one laughed but I was not joking.....
Obviously we made it and here are the pics to prove it...












Here we are leaving the amazing coastline
of Siteia and heading off to
kato Zakros 60kms away........












nearly there...................












finally Kato Zakros............the view from our
balcony....












Our rooms...................












Our first swim in the crystal clear waters
and sandy beaches of Kserokambos












Sun setting on Kato Zakros beach....time for dinner












dinner on the beach at a friends taverna.......
with a view of the shimmering sea.................














Beautiful sand lilies that grow only by the sea!

















Back soon with some more ...............
tomorrow is a big day,
Christians first day of school as a first grader..
wish him luck every one............................................
Later.....................................................................................

With a heavy heart.......

I leave Athens for Crete.....here are some pictures from my balcony....I cannot believe we are reliving the disastrous summer of 2007........












This is the smoke from the fires...........













heading towards downtown Athens...













An hour later the sky was red!!!!!
Talk to you in 10days............
Later.......................................................