a just because post...

Just got home from another FANTASTIC crop night at Paper Doll... love it when i get the chance to go... and tonight was perfect.. Mark was home early from work for a change so i got to cook dinner early!!!!
I only got one layout finished.. will sort off.. just need to add a couple of bits that i have left at home... and i started to "plan" another..lol....
Will share tomorrow!!!
Thanks Wendy for another great night!!!!

Last night we went out for Dinner with some friends.. The Springvale RSL... nice dinner, GREAT company but not such a GOOD show..lol.. Remember Wilbur from Hey Hey it's Saturday.. well he was playing, singing and trying so hard to be funny.. but was so NOT... thank god it was a FREE show..lol... most people walked out!!!.. Really bad!!!

Onto some stitching... I am really enjoying my new found hobby... like i need another one...Yesterday i made Jorja a Apron... i designed the pattern myself.. so its a Connie original...lol.. not that hard really...But i am so happy it worked and it FITS her... perfect... The photos are not that good... Jorja was NOT in the mood to model for mummy today....but you get the idea... The apron is fully lined with the same fabric as the front pocket!!!




And i thought i would share with you my next projects... As i have said before my aim here is to one day make a quilt (for Jorja's bed).. but i am starting off small and working my way up..as I'm so very new to this...

So i have started this Christmas table runner for my Christmas table.. I picked up this pack from a cute Quilting shop i found while up in Yarrawonga.. i had to buy it...
I have started this and i have all most finished the embroidery panel.. i will share when I'm done.. and then onto the quilting....



Project number too.. is also Christmas themed...lol... When i saw these little Santa's i just had to have them.. The lady put together a kit for me so i have everything ready to go.. I brought this pack from the Craft Fair i went to a few weeks ago....



Ok think its my bed time now...lol....hope i haven't bored you all too much!!!..lol.

only 23 more sleeps until CROP FOR A CURE!!!!...

have a great weekend..

Connie...xxxx

GREAT NEWS

My Gramps came home from hospital today... all your wonderful prayers have worked... still unsure what is wrong with him.. but it looks like the pace maker is now off the cards as his tablets are working fine...
I have yet to speck to him (wanted him to settle back in at home first) but i will give him a call in the morning.....
Thanks to everyone for your kind words...

Been a busy few days...Well with Gramps in Hospital.. i was keeping track of my Nanna.. ringing up making sure everything was alright... lucky my cousin Mel lives nice and close to her so she was able to help out heaps...Take Nanna to the hospital etc.... BTW Its Mel birthday today.. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MEL!!
And with heaps of shop stuff to still sort out.. banking, books, the company car (van)etc.. i woke up today and didn't know what day it was...lol..
My Dad has also been unwell and has been put in home hospital care.. so also been worrying about him.. in between all that i done general housework, went shopping with my friend Nic... ( naughty me have to hide the CC bill next month..lol)..and lunch today with Julie.
Tomorrow i plan on staying home...lol...
I also have booked a trip for Marks family to come down from QLD for Christmas and New Year.. so excited about that... cant wait to see them all again..
and also started planning my engagement party.. Trying to get Mark to go with a THEME..lol.. his not too keen on that idea!!!
More on that later....
By the time i got home today i was stuffed... Jorja was hanging to go out side and play on her new gym thingy (well its not new.. it was Keenan's..and i just got it back.. lent it out ages ago..lol)
She loves it..... "WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" is all she says the whole time...lol

so i will leave my very boring update with some quick snaps of Jorja playing... so NOT happy with these photos... i was shooting on a VERY high ISO (forgot to change it grrrrr)..so they pretty much came out crap...lol....oh well doesn't matter.. great for a page!!!



Love this one.. Jorja trying oh so hard to climb UP the slide...lol...



Hope all is well with everyone...

Take care... no scrapping to share.. maybe tomorrow... you never know i might get a chance to have a play....

Connie....xxxx

SEWING AWAY!!!

Well its a official... i now have the sewing bug.. BIG TIME.... i have been to Spotlight twice over the weekend...lol... picking up more yummy fabrics and little bits that i don't have..
I love that shop!!

So in between the BIG footy weekend... GO CATS.. and GO STORM...with catching up with friends, looking after kids, doing general house work i managed to make one smock top for Jorja, whip up a pin cushion.. just because and try my hand at applique.. (which i have never done before).. so here goes.....




a old pumpkin patch t shirt of Jorja's...just jazzed it up a bit!! what do you think??
some parts are a bit ruff around the edges... but Happy with my first go!!!




My first go at a smock... i love this so much... Jorja has already worn it with Jeans and a pink long sleeve top underneath (should have taken a photo) and Mark asked me where i brought that top from..lol... he didn't believe me when i told him i made it!!... so proud... again some bits are a bit how you going.. but i can only get better... this pattern was taken from a link over at Mel Goodsells blog if you want to check it out!!!



and my very sad looking pin cushion....lol......

And can i ask all my blogger friends today to say a little prayer for my Grandfather... Gramps (as we call him) is in hospital.. problems with his heart.. He is having more tests today to see if he will need an operation to have a pace maker put in... so please put him in your prays...
I went in yesterday to see him.. He was in great spirits and really loved seeing the kids...hopefully will find out more today...

I hope you all have a great Monday...

Connie....xxx

Now who is a COPYCAT!!!

I AM THAT'S WHO....lol....

Over the last month or so i have head over heels fallen in love with Mel Goodsell's blog...
Not only is her scrapping so inspiring but her sewing skills just AMAZE me....
I have always wanted to learn how to sew.. and i have shown a few little things i have made this past year... (remember my Bunny's and first pillow) and the other week my first bag....
Mel's blog makes me want to sew...i stalk her everyday.. lol.. (sorry Mel but i do) just hanging to see what she has made next!!
Last night i popped over and she had made a little nappy, dress and head band for her daughters Monkey... OMG too cute... so i just had to make one for Jorja's CPK...

I used the pattern that i got from Mel's blog for the nappy and they tried oh so hard to copy her little dress... now that was the hard bit... never have sewn without a pattern before... the nappy only took 15mins tops.. but that itty bitty tiny dress took me over an hour...lol...

so anyway here is my go... I really hope you don't mind Mel that i copied you right down to the last detail.... SORRY.....



Its not finished yet and Velcro needs to be added... i don't have any on hand....

Be sure to pop over the Mel's blog and check out her work.. you will be amazed!!....

Yesterday i dragged the kids around spotlight for over two hours...lol... im such a mean mummy.. i just didn't know where to start.. what to buy... so much fun..
I picked out a couple of fabrics to start me off...




I plan on making a skirt for Jorja out of the strawberry fabric.. just so cute... not sure what to do with the other YET!!!

Its such a cold windy and rainy day here in Melbourne i just plan on hanging out in my nice warm house.. maybe do a bit of sewing....

Thank so very much Mel for sharing your wonderful art with us all... i love it!!
May have to make your blog my home pages...lol.. (only kidding)

Have a great weekend.....

GO CATS!!!!

Connie....xxxx

A very Scrappy weekend!!!

I pretty much scrapped my fingers to a bone on Saturday night...lol....
And it felt oh so good.. doing something for ME!!..

so here goes......












Was in a very girl mood.. as you can tell......lol...

Here is my Fathers Day DT for Paper doll...that i done a few weeks ago now.. just wanted to share....




Using so very oh so yummy Basic Grey!!!!

and my DT stuff for Arty Pants... using the new Cherry Arte papers and Chipboard... loved these... so easy to work with.. This was also done a few weeks ago now..
I cant show you all the pages cause then this post would NEVER end...lol.. so a little sneak...






Yesterday was the start of school holidays here in Melbourne.. so looking forward to the next two weeks of NOT having to get up too early.. YEAH!!!.. and also hoping to do a lot with the kids....

Also pop over here for a NEW LOOK.......

Have a great Tuesday all...

Connie...xxxx

Home Sweet Home!!!!

With my new decorating bug i thought i would share a few of my favorite things around my house....
Things i love.. things that have personal meaning... and things they are just too cute to pass up!!!!....



on my dressing table i have a few old and new favorites.. This Mannequin
i only made a few weeks ago... i brought a kit from the craft fair.. Also my fave wooden box.. which i brought on a trip to Bali and my sweet perfume bottle given to me from a great friend......




My new wire Mannequin.. i only brought the other day!!!!




My "STELLA" bag...lol... This may seem strange but to me this hold a great memory shopping with my Friend Nic...it was the funniest day i have had in a long time.. We walked around Fountain Gate shopping centre yelling "STELLA" out to anyone who would listen...lol.. Very childish but oh so fun!! Nic also has her bag hanging up in her room!!!!



My favorite vase in my bathroom....



Now who doesn't love their BED!!!!





My living area.. This is the main one we use... We have a lounge room at the front of the house.. which is my studio and a rumpus room at the back for the kids to do what ever they like in!!!!



My basket of balls... (always makes me giggle when i say that...lol..)






A few favorites that sit on my kitchen hutch!!

and the OH SO YUMMY.. new addition... CUPCAKES!!!.. and look and SMELL so yummy it takes all my will power not to eat them...lol
And a HUGE thanks to JULIE LOVE to got the cupcakes for me... you are so kind Julie...Thanks so much for going out of your way for me!!!!

This is becoming a huge post... hope you are still with me...lol..

I will just leave you with a photo of my favorite wall in Jorja's room.. a few little pictures i made....



Thanks so much for popping by and have a look through my house!!.. hope i didn't bore you too much... I will share some photos of my scrap space next time!!

Have a great Saturday everyone.. off to golf NOW!!!

Connie....xxx

ps Great Christmas special over at my photo blog.......

So Beautiful....

As much as i love living in the city.. rushing around.. all the wonderful shops to look at... there is something so beautiful and peaceful about the country... something that draws me to it... makes me re think where i live and how wonderful it would be to live out here.....

This was taken "somewhere" on the out skirts of Yarrawonga... I made Mark stop so i could take a photo...lol...

I am still going though all my holiday photos so i will share more soon... and believe it or not... i didn't take many at all.... really just wanted to enjoy myself for a change.. then worry about what photos i am going to miss out on!!..
I even feed the ducks with the kids one morning and didn't even pull my camera out of the bag...lol...enjoyed it so much more.. than standing back and watching while snapping!!!

I have got the re decorating bug again...lol.. I am looking to change some things around and i have a little list of new things i want to add...lol... Should have seen Marks face when i told him of my plans over dinner tonight...LOL... pure pain...lol....
So tomorrow i am off to look at some furniture... im thinking a new lamp table and a hall table....mmmmmm....
well keep you posted on what i get!!!

Also pop by my photo blog as i have updated the next available dates!... book now for Christmas delivery!!

Have a great Thursday everyone!!

and a HUGE BIG thank you to everyone for the unreal comments on Mark and mine engagement.. thanks so much!!!..

Oh yeah that's another thing... planning the engagement party... any cool ideas anyone???

Take care...

Connie.....xxxxx

YARRAWONGA.. the BEST holiday EVER!!!

and why you might ask??....
this girl (me) has been overseas 5 times.. been interstate on holidays more times than i can count...

so why is Yarrawonga the BEST Holiday i have EVER had in my whole life.....






well........

Thursday the 13Th of Sept... Mark asked me to MARRY HIM

yes you heard right.... I AM ENGAGED!!!!!!

WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...

We went out for a lovely dinner with the kids and Mum..... While i was off collecting some money Mark filled Mum in on the plan.. so she head off back to the unit with the kids and Mark and i stay back to have a few drinks...
On the way home while walking along the Mulwala lake... he stopped
told me how much he loves me and that he wants to spend the rest of his life with me and pulls a ring out of his pocket.... i nearly died....lol...

I had seen the ring before as i had picked it out months and months ago... but didn't have a clue it was coming!!!!!

so of course i said YES

so anyway i had to share a photo of my ring with you all.... just way to excited!!!



Well as you have guessed we are back.....but i have heaps of washing and unpacking to do... just couldn't wait a second longer to share our news!!

i will leave you with one more photo.... I brought myself a Pandora bracelet while we were away... and since i was taking a photo of my ring i thought i would share my bracelet too.......

i have a bead to symbolise my engagement.. one for my baby girl (they didn't have a boy in stock)and one for my holiday to Yarrawonga.. and two clips either side!!!





back soon with a better update and more holiday photos!!!!

HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!!!!!!

take care

Connie.....xxxxxxx

Its all in the bag.....

ETA.... Tuesday 11th... off on a little family holiday tomorrow... so i will see you all in a weeks time!!...So be safe and take care everyone.. and dont have too much fun while im gone!!!....lol
ps.. Happy Birthday to Katie for today (tuesday 11th)...hope you had a great one!!!


Friday Keenan had the day off school so we boarded the train and headed into the Craft fair at Caulfield Race course.... Train you ask.. well the last time I went there (many years ago with my step Mum) we had trouble finding a car park.... this time no trouble...lol..

I had a ball.. can't really say the kids did... Keenan was bored out of his brain so i gave him $10 top spend and he brought heaps of beads... Why you ask??... well his right into the "BLING BLING"...lol...
Jorja was really good.. just had enough of sitting the the pram.. We didn't stay all day.. just a couple of hours!!..
I mainly went for the fabric.... I have set myself a goal... To make Jorja a quilt for her bed... i have always loved handmade quilts..
Walking around and looking at all the wonderful art work made me panic a bit.. Oh how am i going to pull this off...lol.. I got talking to a lovely ladie at a quilt stall and she gave me heaps of pointers to get started... I ended up buying a handbag kit from her...
At another stall i brought a Santa kit to make for my Christmas dinning table...
See i was good didn't spend hardly any money.. for a change...lol

Saturday was just a blur.. caught up on heaps of housework in the morning.. Took Keenan to golf after lunch... bit of food shopping and then home where i decided to take the plunge and start making my handbag..lol..
Well i ended up finishing her about 9pm that night... pretty proud of me.... i did STUFF UP BIG TIME the binding around the top of the bag (really bad) and i also made a bit of a HUGE mistake on the handle..lol.. but hay its my first bag..
I have decided to use it as Jorja's nappy bag etc now.. i love it....

now don't laugh ok....




Sunday we headed up to the new shop... we ended up staying most of the day.. cleaning, making new tickets i re arranged the front counter etc... just to give it our special touch..lol

Our weekend in review...lol... pretty exciting hay....

Have a great week everyone!!!

take care

Connie...xxxxx

Big day in our little world!!

This week has been so much better than last weekend....thank god!!..
The shop in going well... still sorting out everything and making some changes... will take a few months to get things on track!!.. cant wait for then.. Mark has been working non stop.. so looking forward to Mark taking some time to himself...

Today Jorja and I popped into coffee morning at Paper Doll.. to say a big Hi to everyone... Wendy has just got the Cuttlebug, dies and embossing plates in.. so if you want some better get in quick... as us naughty coffee morning girls grabbed them all....lol..
After Paper Doll we headed into Frankston so i could put some money on some laybys i have and to buy Jorja a new umbrella pram (she sat in hers and it broke..lol)
While we sat down and had some KFC (yummy) for lunch i got chatting to another Mum with her little girl... and she had her EARS PIERCED... so i asked where did you go..as no one will do Jorja's for me.. So told me Essential Beauty in Frankston.. so off i ran...lol.....
So the Big news in our little world.. My little girl got her ears pierced!!!..



How cute are they...lol... Sorry about the really bad photo... Jorja didn't want a bar of me and i was also trying out my new Flash i brought a few weeks ago.. still playing around with it!!!

so my boy isn't left out.. Can you believe he came from school looking like this... all those scratches on his chin... BOYS!!!!



When i asked him how it happened his reply... "i don't remember"..lol... how could you forget something like that!!!

(again really bad photo.. still playing)....

Now to share a layout i done over the weekend... I have others to share but cant just yet... DT stuff.... and Thanks to Sarah for the ever so cute BEE stamp!!!






Keenan has the day off school tomorrow.. thinking i might head into Caulfield and check out that craft fair... anyone else going from Melb????

Have a great Friday everyone...

take care

Connie.....xxxxx

two posts in one day!!....lol..

Thanks to all the kind comments on my post earlier today.. thank you so very much..

this is just a quick stop by to plug my photo blog...lol..

I have updated my photo blog with a recent shoot.. so please pop over and check it out!!

Connie Hatch Photography



For further booking imformation please contact me at mark.connie@bigpond.com

Thanks for stopping by....

Connie....xxxx

One of those....WEEKENDS

I properly had one of the worst weekends in a long time.. just one of those weekends where nothing went right...
Saturday afternoon.. after i had dropped Keenan of at golf i picked Mum up as we where heading to Bali in Carrum Downs... as i pulled up into the car park and had gotten out of the car i witnessed the worst car crash EVER... a car clipped another and rolled over the medium strip and onto the other side of the road... the side i was on.. i just bolted over while ringing 000...
what i saw is something i never want to see again... I was there as two guts pulled the Older man out of the drivers seat (the car was sitting on its roof)... i was there we we realised there was another person in the car...his wife...
I have never been so scared and so unsure in my life... all i really remember is screaming at the 00 man to get someone here NOW......
I have been praying for the couple ever since... as i am unsure on how they are doing

Saturday night we headed out to a party... was good to get out and have a bit of fun... The kids had a ball and my poor Mark.. was so drunk he couldn't stand up... his own fault for not eating before..
Woke up Sunday morning ready to celebrate Father's Day (happy Father's Day to all the men out there).. Mark hung over... the Kids jumping all over him with there gifts.. funny... I cooked Mark a nice hot breakfast and headed off to ring my Dad to wish him a Happy Fathers day.... He had bad news... My Nana has been put in hospital.. nothing serious she is just very run down and the Doctor has put her in for bed rest for a few days...still not a nice thing to hear.
I also received bad news on Sunday night (family news) but i am unable to share here on my public blog... very personal.. but i just wanted to make note of it for future reference.

I was gald to go to bed on Sunday night... let me tell you...

Today we are now business owners... the first day we opened the doors on our shop in Rowville... so if you live in the area pop in and say HI... the shop is located on Kellets rd Rowville....

I hope all my blogger friends have had a better weekend than i have...

Take care... and please be safe....

Back later with some scrapping to share...

Connie....xxxx

In Memory

of Princess Rani



" How very softly you tiptoed into our world
almost silently
only a moment you stayed
but what an imprint your tiny footprints
have left upon our hearts"

(this is is what is written on the back of the above card...)

Today i ask all my friends to light a candle in honour of beautiful Princess Rani and maybe offer a prayer.
Today i ask all my friends to put Mel and John in your hearts.
Today i ask all my friends to be thankful of what you have.

Mel and John... sending you and your family all my love and prayers on this day.
i love you guys....

Connie....xxxxxxxxx