A beautiful sunny day here in western Australia. We were in the garden planting carrots and tomatoes today and enjoying the sounds of birds around us. A 28 parrot sat on the TV antenna for ages while tiny swallows flew in and out of the open shed.

The boat's battery is dead so before we can take the boat out again we need to charge the battery - with these sunny days the beautiful spring weather will entice us very soon to the water.

Another LO in the saga of the ABC of our Dogs. This one is "Q is for Quick". Agro and Char were from the same litter and used to play and run on the beach together. Unfortunately Char got cancer and died soon after we moved to the beach. This LO shows Char sitting and waiting for Agro to catch her-just as Agro got to her she would run off again. she was quick to play and quick to run.

The lack of inspiration for designing kits continues - it is like there is a small black cloud hovering overhead.

The morning here is looking good with beautiful suuny skies and here is a freebie (now removed) for 24 hours. This is for 8.5 x 11 scrappers although the elements will do in any size.

There is also my free samper page at The Scrapping Garden and the opportunity to get this August Blues mini kit for free by taking part in the Rainbow Challenge

Here is the B page for my dogs ABC album - I have re done this one as I wasnt happy with the first version I did late last year. The photo is of Tiger, a brave little Staffordshire Terrier who tried to fight off burglars but was injured. she never fully recovered and died a little time later.

I have used my Forbidden Passion kit available at The Scrapping Garden.

This morning outside in the garden I discovered a "Bobtail " lizard - unfortunately it had been attacked and had died. My father used to tell me that if a bobtail was around you would not have snakes. I'm not sure whether he was just trying to make me feel better ot whether it was true.

Although officually it is still winter, my bulbs are starting to tell me its spring time. The daffodils are starting to flower and my pansies are making a show. The Araluen tulip festival has just started also so will arrange to make my annual visit. The tulips are so beautiful.

Last year when I viste the tulip festical I arrived early in the morning just after it had rained. I didnt notice at the time when taking the photos but when I uploaded them you could see droplets of water on many of the tulips.

I have a free sampler available at The Scrapping Garden - there is not time limit on its availability.

Also during August I have a full mini kit that is available through doing the Rainbow challenge for August. This ends soon and the kit will go into the store.

I woke up early the other morning and went outside to check if the newspaper had been delivered. A kangaroo was very happily eating off my front lawn. She ignored me and kept on eating - at least she was leaving the new shoots on my rose trees alone.

Its great to see the kangaroos around, even though the development is reducing their space all the time.

Another LO in the ABC of Our Dogs saga continues. I now have the L page finished - again Kurgan features. I have taken to having the camera beside me when watching TV but still havent managed a photo of him chasing his tail. He sometimes even catches that "myterious" tail.

This was taken last year - he was just laying there on his back - not sure if it was comfortable or he was just waiting for a tummy rub.

Went off to visit my daughters new house today. They have purchased a 1930's Art Deco house which has a rather interesting interior with lots of nooks and crannys.

I have managed another layout in the ABC of our dogs saga - the J page. Here it is.

This one was taken last year of Kurgan, named after the bad guy in the Highlander movie. Kurgan is acutally a cutie rahter than a bad guy though.

Don't forget that you can get a whole kit kit by participating in the Rainbow Challenge at The Scrapping Garden for free. Check out my free smapler also at The Scrapping Garden.

I have tried to change the banner at the top of my blog page but the coding for these blogs defeats me. I have some html training but this stuff just blinds me. A very nice person came to my aid - so thanks to retta.

I have been continuing with my ABC of dog albums - I'm on a roll here - here is I for Idleness. Agro was only 14 when this photo was taken. Since then she has broken her rear leg and cant lay like this any more.

I have used an alpha set from Creative Delights again. see my previous post for the link. They are fun alpha sets and I am having fun with them.

If you want a free mini kit see my Rainbow Challenge go to The Scrapping Garden.

I took our Grandson to see the movie Hoodwinked this weekend - he asked me when I was going to get into extreme sports like the grandmother in the movie. Do I show him abseiling photos of me when I was younger?
I finally got back to doing some layouts for my ABC of Dogs album - it has been languishing for a while. I have purchased a pile of alpha sets and other items from Lettering Delight. These alphas are great fun to play with and add a whimiscal flavour to layouts. I am up to the letter "J" in the album, but am stuck for ideas for a J layout.

Any ideas out there?

Finally Western Australia is having a winter (of sorts). The rain has been falling and more is to come. The garden is looking good, although the weeds are also looking good.

I have a free sampler available at The Scrapping Garden. It is of aVictorian vintage flavour but could be used for memories of your first bike.

While you are there have a look at my Rainbow Challenge
This challenge is over the month and you can receive this complete mini kit if you do all the Layouts.

I have a new kit called Forbidden Passion just into the store. I taste tested a pile of chocolate while designing this kit. It is on sale at 40% off until Aug 14.

August 6 - a day in history when the bomb was dropped on Japan, and my ex's birthday.

I have just spent 4 days in Melbourne, attending an ACROD conference on disability, the industry in which I work. One of the speakers was Li Cunxin, a world famous ballet dancer. He spoke to us for an hour and at the end of it there wasnt a dry eye amongst the 500 people there. He talked of how he achieved so much and what inspired him to always try harder, his defection to the USA and the pain that the loss of family contact caused him. He talked about the utter poverty that Westerners could not even imagine that he experienced as a child. If you read only one book, read his book called "Mao's Last Dancer" written by himself. He was one of the best speakers I have heard in a long time.

After that, everything else seems a bit of an anti climax, but I managed to catch a train and a bus (2 hrs) to visit my 83 year old uncle in the Yarra Valley. It is a beautiful piece of Australia and it was great to see my uncle. Another 2 hour trip back to the hotel and that was the whole day gone.

Plane food has got worse- to the point its almost inedible these days. Next time I will take my own snacks.

When I arrived home, my old 16 year staffy, Agro, was pleased to see me. She gets upset and ignores me when the suitcase comes out and gets packed. I came home and placed the suitcase on the floor to unpack. The photo shows what she thought of the suitcase - she got in it and went to sleep.