Lifestyle Garden Show

I visited the Lifestyle Garden show in Johannesburg last weekend.  The gardens are of a high standard and there are lots of inspiring ideas.  I loved the waterwise gardens, and the interesting use of metal....

 

I don't like this artificial lawn

such a cool bench!

I'm undecided - not sure if the painted metal sticks look great or tacky...

not sure about the blue but it's certainly interesting...

this was my favourite garden - the mosaic star in the ground and the concrete blocks filled with bamboo are sensational 

 

 

Scrapbooking layouts

Here are a few more recent layouts....

 

 

I've also taken time over a few weekends to sort out and organize my completed layouts into albums, and label everything.  I'm battling to get the albums which I like (chocolate brown 3-ring albums from American Crafts) from Scrap-a-Doodles so I'm trying out the (cheaper, more easily available) Chiswick 3-ring albums - I hope they last!

and I'm in the process of designing my March scrap kit for the Scrap Addicts...

 

I loved using Lynette's Silhouette to cut out the page title.  It's a great little machine!  I'll share the completed layout with you after our March scrap weekend

 

Scrapbooking layouts

I haven't shared many scrapbooking stories lately.  Here are some recent scrapbook layouts of my 2013 holiday in Cape Town....  I've been using up some of the packs which have been designed by the Scrap Addicts Group

Leonie designed this page 

Lynette designed this page  

Another one of Leonie's gorgeous designs

   

I adore scrapbooking, and have just quietly been getting on with it lately.  No fuss, no grand plans....I carefully guard against it becoming just another thing on my endless 'to do' list, especially as I've been totally overwhelmed with work and other responsibilities since the beginning of the year.  I'm comfortable with occasionally doing a bit in my scrap room for half an hour or so and then leaving it for another day.  The worst thing that happens is that my papers get a bit dusty on my scrap table and Ruby lies on them.  I can live with that.

Bon voyage

The Scrap Addicts met at the Baron on Friday night to bid bon voyage to Linda as she heads down under to Australia on holiday for a month.  The food was good (although very expensive since my last visit to the Baron in 2014), the cocktails were average and the company outstanding. 

 

I don't know...something about a farmer and sheep!

Leonie and I 

Linda sips on a mango cocktail

Lynn and I had espresso martinis

Leonie sips on a coconut and berry cocktail

 

 

Birthday present in the bush

For my birthday, I asked people not to give me 'stuff' - I'm uncluttering my home and at my age, I really really need less stuff around me.  When pushed for a list of possible gift items, top of my list was donations to the SPCA Randburg, the gift of time with people (coffee dates, meals together or walks, etc.) or sterling silver jewellery or terracotta pots for my garden.

 

Bridget and her daughter Boo gave me the gift of time, and we spent Sunday at Borakolalo, a nature reserve in the North West Province, about 2 hours away from Johannesburg.  They packed a fabulous picnic basket, picked me up in the morning, and we spent a wonderful day out in the bush, birdwatching and game-spotting.

looking for the ant lion 

maybe Boo will become a birder one day 

We had really good sightings of more than 30 species of wild birds, and saw several mammals including giraffe, kudu, impala and monkeys.  We enjoyed a delicious picnic under the trees before heading back to Joburg in the late afternoon.  This was a wonderful birthday present - thanks Bridget and Boo!!

Splash

After my January birthday party, my family stayed over and the girls enjoyed swimming on the Sunday.  A pool is such a hassle and expensive to maintain but when you see little people in the water, it makes it sooo worthwhile