Right Now

Me Right Now

Finally I get a chance to blog without the frustration of a slow internet and without the guilt of not organizing my house! Two months after the big move, and we still have boxes around us. We have been to the dump around five times in the space of two months, gave away 2-3 car loads of charity bags and boxes, AND WE STILL HAVE BOXES & BAGS AROUND US! This move has turned out to be a huge De-clutter Your Lives episode. I know simplicity is approaching.

I love the new place we live in. We are still in Auckland, but out in the bush/country. It's the atmosphere I dreamt about for my kids to grow up in. We are renting the place at the moment and are very happy! It feels so good to not have a mortgage right now, and we are in no hurry to sign up for one too.

I'm still decorating the inside of the house, so I'll show parts of our outside for now and the inside on a future post.

Almost everyday I am thankful we found this place, dispite no broadband connection and no TV... yup NO TV! Its alright though because we were hardly chained to it before in the old house and its actually really nice, nice not having the temptation to sludge out. O! we have rented a lot of DVD's though heehee!

No broadband connection has been a blessing in disguise too. I pay $50 NZD for two gigs a month! At first I was like... nooooooo we have to move... AGAIN! But I thought about it and found I can make it work with the business as long as I do big uploads and downloads at my sisters or brothers house. With the 2 gig allowance, I have to think about the sites I allow myself to "stumble" upon and use the net for mostly business, I have an exception to facebook and pinterest of course! But it means I can just get to other tasks around my home and this is exactly the way I want it to be. Especially now that I'm homeschooling two children - which I am loving by the way! 

Hey did you see the post about Kushee? It's my new gift store, have a browse when you have a few minutes!

So that's me right now... embracing the simple life, one box at a time!

Me Right Now + Two New Stores for 2012

Right now

I'm about to make some last minute shopping for pressies... I really hope it's not insane out there in the malls! Thank God I did half of my shopping on-line in the beginning of November.

I am looking forward to two Christmas feasts this week, one at my lovely in-laws and one hosted by me - for the first time! Its going to be fun! I'll make sure I share photos with you all.

My camera lens is not communicating with my camera (most of the time), after many attempts to dry and wet clean it,  I may have to buy a good simple point and shoot camera to get me through the holiday season, before I'm in any position to fix or buy a new Canon!

Next week I will be on Holiday in some part of the North Island, planned by my husband who wants to surprise me. But that plan didn't work when the property manager called to confirm his booking at such and such place with me! I laughed! ...at least he tried, and there's actually a second destination too.

In 2012

When I get back from holiday I will have three weeks to pack every single little thing inside my home for the big move. Still don't know where we are moving to - oh boy! But there are two main reasons why we have to move. Change of lifestyle and we want more for our money, Auckland is an expensive place to own a home at the moment. Some of you have asked why all of sudden, especially after doing the place up finally. Well the idea of selling our house motivated us to get the place finished and styled, in hope of getting a better price and it worked! We got an offer the day after it was listed with the agent (actually we ended up with two offers before it went unconditional!), a real answer to our prayers! Thanks to those for encouraging me to be brave with the move.

Some of you may have noticed why I was selling my new release scrapbook collections on here, and may have suspected a change of stores. You're right to suspect that! I left Twopeas In A Bucket a while ago, due to the fact they concentrate a whole lot more on the traditional side of scrapbooking, and with that came a few disadvantages for me with the promoting and marketing side. I am still thankful for making the move there a couple of years ago though, because it sure opened up a few doors for me, and the people there are lovely. I am now in the position to run my own store and a number of facts have helped me see that this is the best solution for me. So there's something to look forward to! & watch out for some cool collaborations too!

Oh and there's another store launching in January too! Giving you the chance to own a Vinnie Pearce product. The name, the site and date will all be revealed at a later date (sorry for teasing - but you know me). If you are a retailer and would like to check out samples of my products, please visit my booth(5052) at the -

4 - 6th March 2012 
ASB Showgrounds, Greenlane
Auckland

Wow - that's a lot to fit into for the next two months! I didn't even mention my weight-loss goals and my growing desire to scrapbook more! I'm sad to say that I have lost focus on both! I am hoping after January I can refocus on these areas again.

 

Our Home Tour

Through a House Photographer's lens...

After six years of calling this place our home, it's almost time to say goodbye. Oh! I am so going to cry when I shut the door to this place for the last time.

Living Room Makeover

Hello everyone! Some of you already know this... but our house has sold! We have been talking, thinking and praying about this for a couple of years now. It went unconditional a few weeks ago and we have till the end of January to find a new place. We have a couple of options but nothing concrete. Anyway I know I said I would share some of my living room projects with you all, but I just can't right now, so please forgive me for this! I will however show you the photos... I think you've waited long enough... heehee - I've waited long enough for it to actually look like this! And now we have to move! Crazy I know, but I'm confident I can re-create the look else where and better.

So here are the before pics - 

and a really terrible view from the other corner, I took a blurry photo then sharpend it like mad - sorry about that, not sure why I settled for that, but you get the idea anyway.

What I love most about this makeover is the gallery wall. I wanted to find away to make that wood-burner less in your face, so I bought or painted frames in black and created a gallery of memories and special collected pieces. I love it so So much!

It will be sad to say goodbye to this space.

Some Hybrid Scrapbooking + Update on Living Room Makeover

Hello hello! Hope you are all well! I'm so happy its Friday!

I have a date with the swiss ball in an hour and a half, after that its a prawn and avocado wrap... my mouth keeps watering every time I think about it! Anyway I just wanted to share a couple of things before I go batter my body up.

The makeover in my living room is almost complete. I just wanted to share a sneak peek with you all, because there are a few items I want to alter in the room before sharing the view.

For the next month or so I plan to share my projects with step by step instructions. I hope you stick around, I think it will be fun! Items include my magazine box, a huge piece of art to go above the dining table, some small pieces for the wall, a couple of cushions, etc. I'll even include some free prints to download!

Time to show you some hybrid scrapbooking -

CREDITS: DIGI - Peppermint's (One Little Bird) Sweater Weather Kit; My Distress brushes; TRADITIONAL - bird from Prima Marketing; Spoon from (can't remember sorry) Stamps; Inks; Buttons laying around my house; Kraft paper.

Thanks for stopping by!

Remember to make time for your self everyone, and have a wonderful weekend!

 

I'm Back + Mixed Media Scrapbooking

Hi there! Long time no posts - I know! Sorry...  I've been battling the flu and bronchitis for over two months! Nuts I know! I started feeling more myself since a few weeks ago. I was a bit scared to hop on and post something about how I was feeling, just in case I developed something afterwards that would keep me from my normal daily and on-line activities.

So what have I been doing now that I have most of my energy back? Lets see - lots of housework! I hope I never feel like I've lost control of this again, feels great to be on top of things now.

Eating healthy and exercising more. I have put on soooo much weight this year, partly because I was always so sick... I didn't have the stamina and focus to workout and plan healthy meals. I feel really great even though its only been a few weeks!

Scrapbooking! Yes I scrapbooked! I went for a thirty minute walk yesterday and came back with loads of energy... so I decided to use it all up on these (sorry about the blurry photo, you can click to enlarge if you like) -

CREDITS: Prima flowers and stamps, 7Gypsies stamps and text fabric tape, acrylic and crackle paint, inks, grey Tattered Angles mister, canvas paper, artisan element from Pinkpaislee. DIGITAL: Distress Brush Set 02 for splatters, Journey Back - Trims for trim with wordart

I finished this one today (love working with paint and inks!) -

CREDITS: 7Gypsies stamps and text fabric tape, acrylic paint, inks, brads, buttons and fibre, canvas paper. DIGITAL: Distress Brush Set 02 for splatters, wood grain paper (muted) from Creashens Moon & Back Kit.

Thanks for visiting! Hope I can share more with you ...AND on a regular basis! Have a wonderful weekend all!

Noah's Race Car Party + Free Printables

 And I thought I was going to be cool as a cucumber on that day. I can't believe how wrong I was! I thought by planning a few weeks before hand, I would avoid the feeling of stress I usually get saturated with on the day and night before. BUT noooo. I didn't have time to use all my cute little print-ables I created and hang the tissue paper decorations I had planned for the day, I was even going to make cardboard cars for the kids to sit in while they play mario carts. So I'm a little disappointed with myself... I blame Pinterest, I'm seriously on there all the time satisfying my need for visual candy.... I need help... help!

It helped reminding myself that those elements of the party were not top priority. Making sure the guests were comfy, feed and entertained were at the top of my list. Oh! and obviously Noah's experience and memory of the day too! So thank God the food table looked colourful and attractive, that made up for the lack of decorations around the room I think. Here are the photo's -

Like that cake I made?! I do, except I feel the candles are in the wrong place though... oh well.
 


I had these cute little cup stickers all printed and ready to stick on the cups too with modpodge, but I left that job too late and had guests arriving early! Why do they do that!

haahaaa! She looks so serious too!
Well those are all the photos I wanted to share with you all. Below are the free print-ables for those thinking of having their own race car party, I hope they help make your little (or big) lads day special! Oh if you want to know where I sourced the other supplies, don't be shy, just ask, I'm always happy to help! 

Race Car Party Printable FREEBIE!

DOWNLOAD FILE HERE -  Download Vinniepearce-race-car-party-printables

ZIP FILE INCLUDES: Patterned paper to use for flags or pasting on shapes and letters, food labels, cup labels, Layered file for your own photo/art display, alpha and blank flags, & thank-you favor labels.

Please do share pictures with me of how you end up using these, I'd love to see!

Enjoy!

Planning for a Seven Year Olds Birthday

Thought I'd share my ideas with you all. I really love all the bright colours!

There's a lot I'm making, including the cake in a seven of course, buntings, flags, cupcakes, drink labels, race flags, painting an "N", flags... oh I mentioned flags didn't I...  um the "help yourself sign" and the mock-up Pit Stop sign I created in PS! Busy busy! I'm sure there will more!

I Woke Up Thirty Today + Some Inspiration & Advice

 I have some advice for those who are still in their twenties.

I really wanted to get that out there, because all through my twenties (Except on my wedding day & honeymoon) I had a very negative view of my body. Even though I was a nice size 10-12 (for half of my 20's) I felt overweight and I hated having my picture taken. You know I really regret spending my twenties with so much insecurity in that area. This last weekend I have been thinking alot about this and looking back at photos of me in my twenties.I can say now,  I really had nothing to worry about, I looked OK... I actually DID LOOK OK!

So to those who struggle in this area...

Here are some pages from my last weekend in my twenties.

CREDITS: RENO COLLECTION, out this Tuesday 10am, pacific time.

Inspiration for the pie chart and composition came from this photo posted by KIKKI.K on facebook -

next set of pages -

CREDITS: RENO COLLECTION, out this Tuesday 10am, pacific time.

Of course I plan on creating pages about starting my thirthies, so maybe by the end of this week I'll have something up here.

I'll be back tomorrow with a FLARE FREEBIE! so watch out for that!

One Of Those Posts...

You know the 'I'm still alive, just busy with...' post! March hasn't been a very good month for me health and energy wise. I'm hoping April will be different - WELL IT BETTER BE because I'm turing 30! heehee aaaahhh!, I wanted to celebrate big time with a HUGE party, but sadly things have not gone the way I had desired (sigh) there's always next year right. I will however have a 30% off sale in my store so watch out for the notice!

Just wanted to let you guys know, now I have to pick my Noah up from School.

xox