Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Don't forget........

Stampin' Up! has some fantastic offers & promotions currently on offer! With Sale-a-bration running again for the months of January & February 2008, there is no better time than the present to purchase exclusive Stampin' Up! merchandise, host your own workshop or even join kick start your own business as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator.

Follow the Sale-a-bration link to see how easy it is to earn Sale-a-bration rewards & you can also download your own copy of the online brochure which also showcases some gorgeous samples & ideas on how to use the rewards stamp sets.

The fabulous Summer Mini catalogue also provides the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of gorgeous stamp sets, patterned papers & accessories available for a limited time. Check it out also for some stunning ideas for cards, page layouts & OTPS.


Do yourself a favour & contact me today for any further information, to order merchandise or to book your own workshop!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

2nd L/O for 2008


I've also created this one for the DT challenge by Alison over at 3AS to scrap 10 L/Os by the end of January using only materials in our stash......................no shopping!

Used up some of my Scenic Route Roxbury papers & the photo is very special (read the journalling if you're interested to find out why)




Until next time......

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Sad start for 2008 but......

.........I have my first L/O for 2008 to share, I really love how it has turned out, very simple but beautiful & special. The photo of Lily, Mackenzie & Dakota was taken on 5th January & is just so sweet.
It's taken a little while to actually come back & want to update as we've all been quite devastated at home for the last week.


Last Sunday we lost our beautiful & very loved husky Dakota, it was all so fast & unexpected. Craig had taken him to the vet as he had developed a cough was given some antibiotics & told quite optimistically that "that should do it". Well after a couple of days on the antibiotics & no visible improvement, they went back to see the vet again, who this time suggested that under anaesthetic Dakota have a tube put down his throat to see if there was anything lodged in there to cause the cough. Well it went pretty much downhill from there & real fast too. The vet unfortunately didn't find an obstruction but a massive pooling of blood, definitely not good. Then the x rays he took showed an abundance of huge tumour masses around his heart & lungs & blood tests revealed that Dakota was severely anaemic due to the huge blood loss. Basically in a nutshell the diagnosis was there was nothing we could do except take him home, love & care for him for as long as he had.


We brought Dakota home on the 5th January to play with the kids, took lots & lots of photos & spent as much time as we could with him. By Saturday night his whole mood had changed & we knew that he really didn't have long.


That Saturday was such a blessing & I really do believe Dakota knew how much we all love him & how important he was to our family. I sat outside with him most of the night, petrified that he'd die alone out in the yard & trying to keep his fluids up.


Our beautiful boy lost his life & therefore ended his suffering around midday on Sunday 6th January. The last week at times has gone by as a blur, filled with much shock & sadness for us all & many, many tears.


Dakota was a few months short of 8yrs old & a wedding present from myself to Craig. I still remember him choosing me at the pet shop. He was a most remarkable dog, so gentle in nature, obedient & a wonderful companion, never far from the girls as they played in the yard.



Just a few of the many gorgeous & special photos taken of Dakota
The day we brought Dakota home (2000)

Lily & Dakota in the front yard at our old place (2004)
Mackenzie & Dakota at Umina Beach (2006)
Christmas Day 2007
January 5th 2008

We all miss you Dakota & know that you are shining down on us from up there in "doggy beach" heaven.

Thank you always for the joy & happiness you brought into our lives.

May you rest in peace.