First shoes

Just a quick update. This is Bridie in her brand new dress and wearing - for the very first time - SHOES!!! And just how damn cute are they?? Black patent leather shoes. A staple of every little girls wardobe!! LOL.

Bridie has been properly walking now for about 5 days, and this photo of her was taken on our way to her cousin's birthday party. As we were going to be out and about, I figured she'd better have some shoes now. Bridie was fascinated with them and I had trouble getting a decent picture of her because all she wanted to do was look at the shoes.

Such a girl!!!

VALE: Bluey

Very sad news today from Craiglands. One of our dogs was killed this afternoon when the milk tanker ran over him. Poor Blue. It was only a matter of time though...Mark had pulled him out from under the wheels of the stationary tanker a number of times. In the past year, he has become deaf and almost blind. He wouldn't have known what hit him (literally).

We were only talking about Blue the other day and wondering how he was going to make it through another winter. Arthritis, poor bladder and bowel control, his senses dimming (or dimmed)...we really were facing having to make a difficult decision in the very near future.

Our concern now shifts to Tottie who is Blue's litter mate (sister) and has been with him for always. Her health is also not 100%, so we now watch her to see how she will react to him not being by her side constantly throughout the day.

Mark just came in from burying Blue. We haven't mentioned anything to the kids yet, but Tom already understands about birth and death in animals, so I don't think he'll take it overly hard. After all, Blue was a very old dog to Tom.

RIP Blue.

Graceful Impressions

My new business - Graceful Impressions - is up and going! This is my new business name and it is derived from Bridie's middle name (Grace).

This business is predominately the face of my Stampin' Up! demonstratorship, but in the future may be used to extend my business dealings.

I will be keeping a seperate blog/website of all things "Graceful", and you can read about it here. On this site, I will be doing a few things:
1. SU! specials
2. my own personal specials offered on SU! products
3. promotion of SU! products
4. tutorials and tips on how to make the most of your stamps
5. sketches and templates for you to use
6. regular pics and product listing of various projects I make
7. calendar of upcoming events
8. arranging a regular newsletter to be sent out either via email or mail

I can offer a range of services, starting with a party where you and a number of your friends/family get together for a couple of hours to have a bit of fun, make some cards and/or scrapbook pages and have a lot of laughs. Of course, the hostess of this party is able to earn free stamps and products to either kickstart her new passion, or to add to her existing stash!

I am also going to offer a regular workshop or event where for a nominal fee, people can come and make a range of paper crafts, learn different techniques and have full use of my proucts. This also leads into offering "Stamp Clubs" which I will be discussing in detail on the Graceful blog.

Of course, I can also accept orders from anyone by phone, email or in person that wants to order some of the vast SU! range, but doesn't want to hold a party.

So bookmark my site (http://www.gracefulimpressions.blogspot.com/) and pop over regularly to check what I have on offer. Orders can be sent right around Australia (via Aust Post) and are delivered from the warehouse directly to you. This means, less waiting time for you to get the stamps and product that you ordered!

If anyone wants any further information on any of the SU! products (including the newly released 2009- 10 Ideas Book and Catalogue), drop me an email at sam.simpson@bigpond.com

Questions, questions....

I was in the car with Tom today, and just as we were pulling out of our driveway, a man appeared in front of us. He was jogging down the highway (certainly not a usual sight around here) headed for Colac. This simple figure fascinated Tom and for the 20 minute round trip, all I got were questions about the man:-

"Who is that?"
"What is he doing?"
"Why is he running?"
"Where is he going?"
"Is he coming to our house?"
"Is he going to town?"
"Where did he go?" (this was after we passed him and lost sight)
"Where did he buy that white shirt he is wearing?" !!!!!!!!!

I guess it is better than just getting the "why?" question all the time. There is at least some context to his questioning. But boy, it gets tiring, especially when he forgets that he asked the same question and hence repeats it 10 times!