Cyber-ically Challenged

When you enter the world of digi scrapping, you realise pretty quickly that you have to master a new language and learn to communicate online in ways that are far more advanced than, oh, say - email (which is the level of my comfort zone).

I have found myself registering for "forums". (You can read through topics of hot discussion to find out if anyone else has had your computer glitch before).

You can "Upload" to "Galleries". (Placing your low-resolution images of your layouts onto the web in special scrapbooking galleries for other people to admire/revolt from and comment on).

You can "Post" "new Threads" to ask someone a question - about scrapbooking, digital genius, or just plain old general around-the-water-cooler discussion.

You can create an "Avatar" (A low-resolution mugshot of yourself, or any image you identify with, which is attached to your comments/threads/posts so that others can put a face to a name).

You can squiz at other scrappers' galleries and "scraplift" their designs (so long as you credit them by using a "hyperlink" back to their original image post). Coming from a journalist's background, it's odd to learn that this is actually an accepted practice - share the love, no commercial royalties involved!

You can create a "hyperlink" to direct viewers back to your own blog/website - and you can set it up so it opens on a separate page instead of them navigating away from their original page of interest. This is always good for people like me, who feel a resolute need to FINISH whatever page I started, which equates to having 50 computer pages open at once. No wonder my high-powered computer runs so terrifically slow.

You can create a "signature" which includes flashing signs identifying the sites you consider favourites or where you've done your last cyber-class etc. It's great "word-of-mouth" advertising which users are usually happy to promote because of their online loyalties.

You can participate in online "challenges" - basically to keep your scrapping mojo happening. New ideas, new thoughts, scrapping outside your comfort zone - and with any luck, you'll win something!

You can buy must-have products immediately - I'm talking at 2am in the morning when you need something to finish your MASTERPIECE page. Well, at least YOU think it's a masterpiece. Time will tell .... Just go online, search for that charm/paper/whatssit, add it to your cart and hey presto! You can download it immediately! (Well, as long as your credit card isn't already maxxed out ...)

You can chat with the product designers. I mean seriously, it's a bit special they are talking to little ol' me, isn't it! (gush gush gush!)

You can do all this while rocking your baby to sleep. Enough said. One hangded.

You can make new firends who share your interests. Noice.


Pretty soon I'm going to undergo my first cyber scrap. And cyber chat. I've never chatted online before - it first came about when I was at university and was basically a porn fetish thing. So, (sarcastically) WILD as I am, I haven't yet tried it out.

Will keep you posted as I learn more about this whole new world. It's such a learning curve, but one which is so totally exciting to a stay-at-home mum who's been out of the office environment for SIX YEARS!

Good Aromatic Recipe for you!

This is something to warm us all up in this suddenly-blizzardy weather.
So much for my total clean-out of all the winter clothes from the family's wardrobes! But it's all about layering, right? (12 layers of t-shirts, 6 layers of shorts, 3 layers of knee-high socks???)

Mmmm cooking this right now in the slow cooker - is smells sooooooooooo good! Write back if you give it a go, tell me what you think. It's part of an email recipe exchange I'm participating in.

Enjoy.

"This is a fantastically aromatic dish that tastes even better than it smells.
Says it serves 6, but I find even halving it serves about 8.
Serve with pappadums brushed in oil & done quickly in the microwave, and rice.
Yes, you will probably need to go shopping for all the herbs the first time, but after that, all you need is yogurt, chicken & cream. "

Chicken Moghlai Curry
½ cup butter 2kg chicken pieces
3 onions 2 tomatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic tblspn salt
3 Bay leaves 2 tblspn curry powder
1 tspn powder cinnamon 1 tblsp paprika
5 whole cloves 2 cups coconut milk
1 cup yoghurt 2 tspn grated ginger
2 tblspn poppy seeds 300ml cream
¼ tspn saffron 3 tblsp lime/lemon juice

1. Melt butter in large saucepan, sauté onions and garlic until golden brown
2. Stir in bay leaves, cinnamon & cloves. Simmer for 5 mins.
3. Add chicken and cook for 10 mins.
4. Stir in tomatoes, salt, curry, paprika, coconut milk, yoghurt, ginger & poppy seeds. Cover and cook on low heat until chicken is tender.
5. Stir in cream, saffron and lemon.lime juice. Heat thoroughly.
Serves 6.

· If coconut milk isn’t available, heat together 2.5 cups water and 1.5 cups desiccated coconut. Stand for 15 mins and strain.
· I usually use canned whole tomatoes for a stronger taste.
· Who the hell can afford saffron? It’s just for looks anyway.

Aqua, Teal, Bazzill Whirlpool - Colour of the Moment!

I used to HATE the colour teal. I thought it neither a blue, nor a green. And I'm a black 'n white personality kinda gal. Either here, or there. No in between. But now ... Well, I just can't get enough of this colour.

Here are some colour schemes using variations of teal/aqua which I find really inspirational.

You can find more of these colour scheme swatches here.

And here are a few of my own layouts demonstrating my newfound love of this colour! Sorry if you've seen some of these before, I don't have much in my LO stash because the weather's been so glorious it's a crime to stay inside!

Also, my scrappy buddy Chantal has started her own blog. Check it out here. Congratulations Chantal!