EL NINO SUCKS!
Monday the 4th September 2017
Dear Diary...
what's the go with this heat? and where has all the water gone?
Hubby just informed me that we are down to the last dregs on our last tank...
I could have sworn it was flooding 4 months ago??
I'm feeling very suspicious of any water that comes from 'scraping the bottom of the barrell' ... I feel like if I were a germ that is exactly where I would live so I have decided to only drink vodka from now on ... germs can't live in vodka!
I'm too scared to scrapbook any more .... what if I get ink on everything and have to wash my hands? What if I gesso something, I'll have to wash everything up ....
ALL THAT WATER !!😟
I have decided that only card making is safe to do until the next big rain gets here.
So here is my first card...
Fortunately it doesnt take much to fill a card up with gorgeous Imaginarium chipboard phrases, but I also couldn't resist adding a couple of these fabulous little branches as well 💜
Tuesday the 5th September 2017
Dear Diary...
Still no water 😟
We rang up the water delivery person to order a load. $350!!!!??!!!! ... for HALF a tank!!!
I'm pretty sure Coke is cheaper than this at woollies.
The worst part is that it's a 3 week wait...
Oopps.
Probs should have ordered that two and half weeks ago!!
So now our whole house hold has gone into EXTREME water saving mode:
*There's a bucket in the sink to catch rince water.
*A bucket in the shower, to catch those bits you always lose down the drain at the beginning of a shower ... you know when you first turn the taps on but it takes like 90 seconds of it running full pelt to actually get any hot water.
* A 3 minute egg timer in the bathroom to ensure very quick showers.
*The washing machine is hooked up to a huge recycling barrel
just outside the laundry door
...and my LEAST favourite of all water saving measures...
* A sign on the toilet door that reads
'if it's yellow let it mellow, if its brown flush it down'
IS THIS WHAT MY LIFE HAS COME TO??
I would console myself with vodka but sadly that has also run out. Damn you el nino.
Card making it is then...
Today I tried to created a gilded frame look, which I just adore, and incidentally requires no washing up after at all 👍
I took this groovy chipboard frame, added glue and then pressed some flakes of rose gold all over it very roughly so that it would maintain that beaten metal look.
Super happy with the outcome.
Wednesday the 6th September 2017
Dear Diary...
I explained that it wasn't quite that bad yet ( post apocalyptic that is) but she was sooooo very proud of how little water she had used and how she had recycled 100% of the water she did use... I took a photo of her so she could use it on an inevitable 'recycling' school project one day.
She excitedly exclaimed that I could do the same thing...
A very awkward conversation followed where I had to explain the flaws in any plan where I am required to stand in a bucket!!
I was off to my happy place after that brief yet troubling interlude to indulge in
more card making. This time I made a very simple but colourful card using one of the sentiments that Imaginarium do so well.
These boards with repeated sayings are AWESOME ... I keep a dozen different ones on hand always in case I need to whip up a card for some reason
Add a simple flourish and card making is just too easy!
Thursday the 7th September 2017
Dear Diary...
today we have entered a whole new level of water saving skills....
WE ARE LIKE WATER SAVING NINJAS NOW!
We convinced our teenagers to shower at school ... 'tell them you have been doing sport and just need to freshen up' ... hopefully the school won't notice the ALARMING amount of hair care products my 17 year old daughter took to school with her this morning!
My husband also said he will use the showers at work ... despite them not having doors!!???! WHAT THE?
This is todays card effort...
Still maximising the use of my sentiments boards.
no gesso on the title though ( as per my no washing anything ever again commitment) This title was simply coloured in with my white gel pen 😎
Friday the 8th September 2017
Dear Diary...
I GIVE IN.
BUT ITS NOT GOING TO ME!!!!
THANK GOODNESS!
The madness can't end quickly enough for my liking. Feeling very pleased with myself I ducked off and created this birthday card.
I frivolously used watercolour paint on the balloon and black marker and crystalina kindy glitz on the writing chippies.
While making these cards I was listening to the radio ... the news report said that the current drought in our area could last until Christmas! I asked my husband how long the load of water we are getting will last us ... he said that at our current rate of consumption ... 3 weeks.
I'm moving to England.
_______________________________________________________
Kelly-ann Oosterbeek has been a scrapbook and paper craft designer for the last 18 years and lives in Northern NSW with her super-sized family.
She has her own line of gloss finish butterfly stickers ( featured on the projects in this post), and sells these along with Kaisercraft Collections and layout kits online ...
www.kellyanno.com
So funny!! Yes, drink vodka but no moving to England!! Totaly get the water tank and kids thing, hope you get some rain soon!!
ReplyDeleteOh, beautiful cards too xx
lol ... Thanks Alison.. the joy of 'out of town' living eh!! I doubt I will ever follow through on the threat to move to England ... I get car sick driving to the coast! ;)
ReplyDeleteHey it's raining up in here in Gladstone Qld and u can still here it on the roof. it has been like this all day So hope there is some coming your way too
ReplyDeleteOOOOOhhhhhhhh ....me too ... fingers, toes and eyes are all crossed :)
Deletehi kel . they tell us rain here in logan but we are yet to see a flood here, we have only received 7 mils since last night, they say its going to rain today & tomorrow as well, that wil be right , today im home tomorrow ,hubby is driving me to ipswich, love reading your dear diary, i often think i should write something as my days are always busy, but yours sound much more interesting ,who will want to hear every day, that im taking someone to the dr, but this month are taking me yeepee i dont have to drive for a change we dont want you to move to England ,thats a bit extreme, ! ! ! see you soon ,
ReplyDeleteLOL .... this is the country of extremes it seems :) but dont worry ... England is too far away for me to travel!
DeleteOh dear, what a dreadful situation, Kelly-Ann! My son and daughter-in-law live in regional Sth Australia and were in the same situation a couple of years ago. They too had to have water trucked to them from mid-summer onwards and the cost was about the same as you were quoted. Daylight robbery! I hope and pray for rain for your tanks and for every area in drought. Your cards are very pretty, btw. xo
ReplyDeleteThanks Lorraine ... the fabulous update is that drizzle has just set in!!! It's not enough to fill the tanks but it's enough that I'm doing a little happy dance as we speak <3
DeleteKelly-ann thanks for starting my day with a laugh. There has been good steady rain overnight here in Kingscliff, hope it is coming down your way and into the tank. I am really curious about the 'no door' thing at your husbands work shower!!
DeleteThanks Carolyn ... we did get some of that rain FINALLY!! lol ... Im quite curious about the no door thing at his work too ....he works at the local meat works, im thinking it must have been built back in the day when privacy was of little concern to employers?? he he.
DeleteLove reading your blog. We have had steady rain overnight. It is hot and muggy today here in Logan. Hopethe rain has headed your way.even a little
ReplyDeleteRain will brighten things up if not to fill the tanks
OMGosh Maureen ... yes we did get the tail end of that ... certainly enough to flush our toilets whenever we desire :) So pleased you enjoying the blog and the journey with me xo
DeleteOMG Kell....did it get that bad!? At least you still have your humour AND your card making to help keep you sane!Even the drought wouldn't have been enough to get me making cards though!LOL
ReplyDeleteLOL ... we will convert you one day Robyn <3 xo
DeleteI wish I could make it rain for you! We used to 'flush' the toilet with the water in the bucket from the shower when we had water restrictions. At least you can escape the madness and go make cards!
ReplyDeleteOMGosh ... thats a fantastic idea with the shower water! Fortunately for us rain has just arrived ... but I'm keeping that little gem of an idea for the next water shortage :)
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