…if I’m not completely insane.  I’m sure I’ve said this before but you see I turned 35 this year which is cool, I have no problem with aging at all, or even admitting my age.  In fact I’m often told that I look younger which of course is always a compliment, but I always think it’s related to attitude as well.  I’m not talking immaturity even though I’m sure I have plenty of that but more an approach to everyday and what it brings.  I’m sure we all know “old” twenty years olds and “young” sixty year olds and that’s what I’m talking about.

But….since turning 35 I’ve started to question exactly what it means to age and if I’m ‘acting’ in appropriate manner.  After all I wouldn’t want to be like the Mum in the song “1985″ that embarrasses her kids, but I don’t want to be some cranky middle-aged ‘old duck’ either who widens the generation gap based purely on her crusty old attitude and stubborn ways.

So where I’m heading is that I’ve been having a bit of an identity crisis of sorts.  Not just due to my age, also due to this year being the first year that I feel like I’m getting on top of my PTSD.  In fact it’s pretty much conquered.  You may be able to happily skim that line or not know what it all means but for me that is a HUGE statement.  I’m telling you ENORMOUS!

I don’t know anyone who can truly fathom that so I have to mostly suppress the true excitement but it means I am finally embracing life again and avoiding falling into pre-middle-aged-isis  (can you tell I made that up?)  I’ve been a bit snooty too, I’m feeling a bit resentful about the time I missed in my late teens and early twenties fearing risk and fun!

But it’s never too late.

Which is where I’m headed with my waffle.

I went back to yoga this week.  Haven’t been for AGES - no time, motivation, assertiveness.  But I made myself do it and I worked hard. And I signed up for Boxing Boot Camp and have been walking walking walking and feeling GREAT! Not just physically but mentally and SO pleased with myself that I am doing so much activity.  Even chose the boxing over a regular art group each week unbelievably!  Much of the activity is because I want to have a go at joining Roller Derby.  Really.  It kicks ass.

I haven’t skated since I was a kid and even then I sucked at it.  But how fun would it be to have a go at that?  I’ve been asking around and have almost enough enthusiastic participants to form a team.  I reckon it’ll take us a year of training to get to any decent standard and even then none of us care if we don’t actually compete because of the FUN factor.  It’s so easy to get stuck in routine - work, family, home, bills, gardening, housework - blad de blah blah….this might break it up and yeah many of you reading this scrap for that escape but scrapping is my job and while I love it, it hardly lets out pent-up aggression or increases fitness eh?

So I found some rollerblades for starters and have been having a bit of a go feeling empowered I tell you - yoga, walking, getting ready to box - all great add on the rollerblading - WOO YEAH BABY!

Erm NO - take one little slip in the kitchen (yes this is why Mums say “DON’T ROLLERSKATE INSIDE”) and the twisting to avoid hitting head on the kitchen table and now I am on CRUTCHES.  GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes torn ligaments in my knee, brusied back and ankle, I have been in AGONY and WORSE is that it is a TWO MONTH recovery time.  Yes that’s right NO walking, NO yoga, NO boxing and definitely NO rollerblading - WAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Phew I needed to get that down so I can look back and remember when I get back on them.  I haven’t lost my enthusiasm but we’ll see.  I admit that today I am sick of crutches already.  It’s been a  real nuisance, but I’ve stopped sooking and decided that the Universe has other plans for me.  I guess.

I also jumped out and entered a few pieces in a local art show here.  I haven’t taken a photo - d’oh, but I didn’t win anything nor did I sell anything.  Meh, there weren’t many sales and the pieces that won were awesome so I wasn’t fussed.  Just nice to be moving back into the arts community without feeling freaked out about it (much)  Good to move outside the comfort zone eh?

We had nice holidays at home over Easter.  They felt long though…..I have to say I was happy to send my babies back to school so I COULD miss them.  As much as I adore them the bitching at each other drives me mad sometimes.  Okay all the time.

Good Friday we went up to Berwick for the fabulous Easter Egg hunt as I blogged last post.  Here’s a tip-of-the-iceberg look at some of the photos I took that day…….

I was there with the bridge club gals, Jenni, Mel, Karen, Suz and Cindy.  FABULOUS fun and Alex and Maddy had a ball.  Amazing really when Alex was begging to stay home that HE was the one that didn’t want to leave when it was all over!  He was very happy to make some new mates and it was great to just let the kids run around outside in the fresh air!

We just hung out at home for most of the holidays and that was the kids’ choice. I offered them outings but they just wanted to ride their bikes and draw.  Good.  We did have one main outing though, out to Scienceworks.  Such a cool place.  So freaking busy.  Insanely busy.  We went with Suz, Alex and Phoebe and even though we were there by about lunchtime, the Planetarium and Lightning rooms were SOLD OUT!  Grr how annoying.  But we did get into the Imagination Factory and the rest and really that was heaps.  Take my advice though - wag the day from school to see it all when it’s perhaps not so busy!

We lunched here and allowed little legs to stretch after the drive.  That is under the Westgate Bridge.  I couldn’t help but feel sad for little Darcy Freeman who was thrown off it near where we were, so awful.  And it also made me think of when the bridge collapsed - sigh….but having said that, our babies had a ball running madly while Mums cringed wondering which crazy carefree child would fall in the water first.  Thankfully none of them did and we could explore Scienceworks watching the rocket show and playing in the Imagination Room, not to mention the CRUEL irony of a “play” cafe on the top mezzanine where frazzled parents desperate for a coffee see the word cafe and think it is an oasis in the desert of excited children and madness, only to make it there and find out it’s all fake and they have to wait until exploration is complete and they can finally get a real caffeine hit downstairs…

The kids had a ball and didn’t seem to mind the paparazzi duo following them all day………

And what better way to end a fabulous day than with ice cream in Williamstown on the pier.  I hadn’t been into Williamstown in forever - so beautiful AND there was a Navy boat there with “really cool” big guns on top. Another great place for little legs to run wild and for Mums to cringe about who might trip into the water.  Again no-one hit the drink so it was okay, and the light was beautiful.  This was carved into the pier at the end, I guess someone knew I was coming…..

Here’s some of my faves, they were even occasionally co-operative to have their picture taken.  I’m not one for telling kids to keep still, nor do I tend to pose them, but the odd request for a still moment isn’t too much to ask surely….? Alex kind of was into it - Maddy not so much, okay not at all!

And a couple just because I can……….

Speaking of photos, I will be updating my site and doing more to the blog over the next few days since I can only sit.  Grr, I’m getting restless legs already! And I’ll scrap of course.  I have some to share, finally.  For Aussie Scrap Source.

Little Yellow Bicycle….even though it’s pink and glittery I love this range STILL….

AND…..I was very happy to be part of the Design Team challenge to scraplift the amazingly talented Emily Falconbridge.  So much so that I couldn’t pick from two of her layouts so did them both!

Phew, I’m exhausted after this post - lol! Really should update more often….I’ve just been told we might get snow on our mountains tomorrow - WOOHOOWEEOOWEEOOOOOOOO!  Bring it ON I say!

I’ve been mucking around with my new home here for a while and think it’s high time to give it a proper post.  I’m tired, oh so tired, glad to be having a super-long weekend.  I’ll be washing and proofing photos, but glad to be home doing so.  Had the BEST Good Friday I’ve had for years - took the kids on an egg hunt, I’ll report more on that later when I’ve looked at the photos

My photography is keeping me extremely busy and I can’t express how much I’m loving every second of it.  I promise to be better at updating here with it all, for now enjoy the photos above of the beautiful Rebecca and her gorgeous belly.  They are my favourite photos of the moment…

Speaking of favourite stuff, I was lucky enough to head off on retreat last month with some of my gorgeous scrappy gal-pals.  A privately organised retreat out at Mirboo North in the bush.  BEAUTIFUL location, eery due to all of the burnt area but seeing black landscape has become kind of normal for us around here.  Here’s a collage of my fave pics from the weekend!

Plenty of food, drinks, laughs and scrapping.  I got heaps done - yeah I know, unheard of for me but I was really into it!

This was the view from the cabin that I shared with Julie and Emily - sorry again girls about my night-time chatting.  I sleep-talk, it’s SO embarrassing!

The Arti.licious Cafe FINALLY opened this week too.  It’s been months and months in the making and it’s here.  Scrapping, art, coffee and cake all in the one location - what more could we need?  Here’s a few photos from the opening days…

I am running the gallery in the cafe so please, if you’re in Warragul, come and have a look and a delicious coffee. Also if you’re interested in the purchase of any art works you see here, please get in touch! You can buy prints of the works shown here if you don’t want to buy the originals.  I personally want them all, but we can’t have everything

Above is just a little sample of what you can find at Arti.licious.  More when I am sorted!

I’ve been drawing over the last few weeks hence part of the blog absence.  I’m so out of practise but hopefully I’ll feel back into it again.  It saddens me how much time I’ve lost with all my PTSD stuff - it’s all related, but I have no doubt the reasons for it will make sense one day.  Here’s what I”ve done this week anyway………

Of course I’ve been scrapping too - here’s my Aussie Scrap Source stuff sine last time I blogged First up a scraplift of the amazing Loretta Grayson….

One of the new CHA released CherryArte ranges, Deco Hall…

A tribute to a friend…

Cosmo Cricket - this range is the new Everafter - YUM!

And the delicious Basic Grey Marrakech…

Last weekend I went to the Crop For Kids fundraiser in Springvale - the annual event that raises money for the Royal Children’s Hospital.  I had THE best time ever! Honestly it was a BLAST! I posted my favourite photo a couple of posts ago, and here’s a few more.  I was so excited to catch up with some scrappy gal-pals that I haven’t seen for ages and those that I see regularly as well.  If it wasn’t 1am-ish I’d link them but really can’t be bothered now……

Oh my goodness, how is this for a post eh?  I am still adding links and things, will get there eventually!  If I am linked to you, could you please change my link addy to www.nicolefinlayson.com/blog  Thanks so much.

Happy Easter everyone.  I am hanging out to share some of the photo sessions I’ve been doing lately.  This weekend I’m working madly to catch up on anything I’m behind with.  I’m having mostly lovely school holidays too - lol!

Stay safe, thanks for visiting, will post again soon….

Nic

…….I’m working on stuff, also realising how little I know about website design -  a source of endless frustration.  I’ve somehow managed to royally stuff up my layout and I’ve spent all morning trying to correct it……..anyway lucky I can laugh about it.

I need to get organised before I can post more here.  Off to do that now.  Back later (I hope )

Finally, here I am unpacking in my new blog.  Please bear with me while I tweak things and add my links etc.

For now I’ll leave you with my favourite photo from the weekend from Crop for Kids.  I didn’t take this photo, the lovely Tanya Soutar did - thanks Tan.  This is the whacky group from Table Four after a day of scrapping madly!