Its been that long???

Since I last blog. How embarrasing :) Ok am at work so will keep it short and upload some layout later since I'm at work... so heres goes

1) went back tot he coast one week later!! Another long drive but this time to Waipiro Bay. My dad said we were from there but failed to mention we are FROM there. Walk into the wharenui and am surrounded by my ancestors hanging from the walls with there names of which was Wiremu kururangi the first and second, my dad being the third adn my son being the 4th. So he got a buzz. was overwhelmed and even missed the fact that my grandfathers photo was hanging there, in which case had I seen it earlier I would have parked my family under his photo. So had a bit of a word with dad re that, because it took me off guard and I wasnt quiet prepared to see the many version of my physical features :). So off course had more opportunities to take more photos!

2) Scrapcamp was awesome. Reading Karen Ridgeways blog one can appreciate that life presents us with difficulites that leave us in situation where we are best to be at home. However there is also a process around managing one commitments and communication is important. There was none of that and to say that you have a class prepared and someone else is delivering assumes you have done exactly that. This was not the case, as there was no class, just two organisers out of pocket and stressed waiting for instructions to a class that never arrived. So my shout out to Yolande and Liane who managed the weekend successfully given the circumstances that they were put under!! it was for all accounts a successful weekend (and yes there are always those whop are going to moan and those who are actually going to provide constructive feedback NOTE there is a difference) and the New Zealand talent is still amazing so a big thanks to Faye and Nic. There we're 2 classes and 2 challenge packs where as in previous years there were 3 classes. By default I enjoyed the pace of this weekend. There was opportunity to do your own work, meet blogging mates and buy... which of course did fully... last 2 camps I was blown off my feet and didnt get as much as I wanted to do, stuck to my own table so to mingle was great all round :)

3) work is going well, and being mobile is testing my management skills a little but thank goodness for technology :)

well so much for quick. Also was awesome to meet all the forum friends and blogging crew, nothing like kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) and seeing their talent in action is awesome too :) ok LO photos later

M

It was a long drive

but it was worth it and had a great time with my whanau. Am used to working at the marae, done it most of my life but was better at it (aye sister) when I was younger. More of a take the meeting minute, be on the committee kinda whanau memeber now, but being out in the sticks is different. You cater for lord knows how many, we were expecting 100 there was 200. kithcen is no bigger than a kitchen you would find in a three bedroom house and about 20 people in there dishes preparing meals cooking meals carving meat, but all ammenties like a shop for extra kai are miles away.Also the dedicated man hours are insane at the marae. And its all volunteer and the meals look like they are fit for a king and its all done with love, laughter and sweat. Its awesome.

The drive was 5 hours and the coastal roads were stunning, so was stoked to get some photos. what I loved mainly though were the little hick towns with building of character and colour. I'm talking green building with purple trims and orange doors that looks terribly disgusting usually but in places where people are scarce they liven the area and that doesnt even include the beach itself.

Wondering who they stunning women is, well thats my baby sister and happy birthday sis and yip this is you and it looks 20 times better in the frames your getting for your birthday so happy birthday Hiria, you are the best sister and I'm stoked that God gave us each other and our brother (ps that the guy in the photo with my girl on the wharf and outside the hotel at waihau bay)... yip they are both spunkier in real life its disgusting...

Wow where did all that time go?

Can you tell I'm loving black n whites at the moment, love the emotion and detail it evokes and especially with the contrast and dark blacks I'm using am stoked with the way they turn out... this photo is my cousins son....I love this photo!!

Ok so starting a new job has been fantastic but of course as the balance of acts goes, somethings hit the floor while others stayed in the air. Scrapbooking hit the floor as did my blogging.. . Well its my 7th day into the job and its feeling good... but that me, i have learnt to go with my instinct and trust it so again so far so good and I think I'm going to like it, like it a lot actually.

But what have I been up to, well scrapooking wise, because its not an everyday thing like it was have had a bit of a pit stop so this week only managed to do a double layout, plus Yolande online class which was my first class and really enjoyed. Hoping to do her next one as well as Chris Millers class but I'd better get in quick. Also postie fulla ow, where my November SO Kit??

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Whanau wise have been back home to our Marae at Pukehina in the weekend and had a working bee on the wharekai as it needed some zuising. Our whanau was raised at the marae and for me given I was raised by her, my kuia was one of the "old ones" so being at the marae was an everyday thing. However on her passing, as matriachs go, as a wider whanau we dont go there much. its also a small hapu marae so we are fortunate that events like tangi are few and far between, but then so are wedding and birthdays... anyways wasnt looking forward to it cause it sounded like hard work and hardly anyone turns up but when we got there had an awesome time catching up with the cousins, and I know its corny but I could feel her, a warmth, a presence and it was her.... so with the kids playing bullrush at the front, and the nannies singing and the koros drinking I remembered her and took a moment just to see my childhood for a moment through my kids playing with my mum, there grandmother... okay thats enough of that but these are some of the whanau that were there

This weekend though we are off again to Ngati Porou East Coast for my dads brothers unveiling and taking as usual my camera. As we are off to the sticks, whops whatever you want to call it (ie Rangitukia and Tikitiki) and hoping to capture some more intimate whanau photos as well of those of locals being being local!!

PS Congrats to the new DT for Scrapbook Essentials. Tu much!