Life is This...

Collage Press Design Days

Today is my turn over at the Collage Press Blog!!  If you haven't had a chance to head over...I certainly would make some time to!!  Go and visit here to leave a comment to be entered to win Joyride papers for there next draw on Dec 10th!!

How lucky am I to be able to create with the absolutely adorable, gorgeous, fun and whimsical JOYRIDE collection!  I have been so excited about this collection since the first day I laid eyes on it... but you really must see it and fondle it in real life to appreciate the richness and beauty of the entire collection!  When I look at the papers, chipboard and stickers,  I am immediately taken back to my childhood.  There is something very nostalgic about this line to me... yet at the same time so much fun.  I started thinking about when I was young and all of the happy memories I have of the holidays.  It isn't the presents I received... nor the gifts that I gave that I remember... rather it's the little things, the traditions, the ornaments that we used every year, even going up the street with my Dad to cut our tree.  It is one thing I want so much for my children to have when they get older... memories of good times, of family times, of traditions that we have as we celebrate the season.

Of course one of my favorite, must do activities every Christmas, is cutting down our Christmas tree fresh from a tree farm.  I admit,  it started out as a quest to find the perfect tree to bring into our home - but it has become so much more now.  We have been going to the same tree farm now for many years and the day itself is filled with traditions that I hope will become some of my children's best memories.  The car ride game of guessing how many trees we will see tied to the top of vehicles ... the addition of a nutcracker for their own collection from the cute little barn store... having hot chocolate and hotdogs while waiting for them to bundle up our tree to take home... and of course the tradition of walking for miles and miles in search of the perfect tree all the while having snow ball fights and playing in the snow  - when we all know that the first tree was "the one" - but that would end the day to soon!

I often joke with my children that my wish is to do this together every year, with the addition of wives and grandchildren, and of course the cutting of more than one tree.  For now they swear that it will always be something we do... but Im sure their future wives will have something to say about the in-laws tagging along LOL!! For now I am just savoring each and every year we are able to carry this on.

I decided to document how I feel with a layout using the JOYRIDE collection - and I am so happy with the end result. The new chipboard included in the Joyride line is INCREDIBLE!!!  I love that the adhesive is already on the back, and it is so thick and sturdy, absolutely scrumptious!  I used the larger title piece "Enjoy time together now" because this truly is one day when every thing is put aside to enjoy this special day that we spend together as a family.

Here is my layout and some close up shots for you all -

 

For those of you who know me, know that I absolutely love how colors "pop" with a white background, but with this line it just was to stark and fresh with the cream so I used some of my spray mists to "grunge" it up and tone down the brightness while still leaving a hint of the fresh, crisp feeling. I distressed the edges of the paper and very gently distressed the chipboard as well by peeling it back off of the base on the edges - it was so simple to do and I love how it changes the entire look of the pieces.  Give it a try yourself...Im sure you will love it as much as I do.

Journalling Reads: Everyone thinks this day is about choosing the perfect tree... but for me it's really about creating perfect family memories...

 

 

 

 

Thanks for letting me share...and don't forget to leave me some love here as well...is anyone still reading this blog of mine?? LOL!

Have a great day girls...Im off to the pet store!!

Well Im a tad late...

Sorry...I just have been crazy busy around here. I know I promised to post my Dec Daily...well Im kinda behind but am hoping to get caught up this week once things slow down. Its been hectic around here... getting ready for Christmas mostly.  Not actually shopping but decorating and thinking and planning and working.... and researching.

Researching what you may ask....

Well after years of begging and pleading... my kids are getting this for Christmas this year...

Press Here

Ok aren't they absolutely adorable!  Im crazy... but its time....

Just think about all of those adorable photo's I can take... finally a willing subject.

We are first in line with a litter of red/apricot Cockapoo's that will be available next week - we will be picking up our addition to the family on Friday evening if everything goes according to plan.

So any names or training suggestions out there...I need all of the help I can get!!

Ill be back later tonight to post bring you up to date on my Dec Daily and also my Journal your Christamas class with Shimelle - Day 3 and still not falling behind Yahoo!!

A quick 2 week recap -

Hello my fellow blog followers!!  I know its been a little over a week and I have been neglecting this little home of mine. I have had good reason..lots going on right now...some good..some bad...and some I would rather not speak of!  LOL!! 

As I sit here during lunch time at work - I will give you all a quick update of life's happenings over the past few weeks.

Hmmm...where to start.  Well I thought that I had a pretty good handle on Christmas shopping.  Now all of a sudden tomorrow is December 1st and I've officially switched gears into Panic mode. Way to many people to shop for- not enough time to do it - and probably most important - you know the people who you could buy them the world (or make it) and they still would be as enthused as a snail an hot cement - well this is what my list consists of.  Im pretty much exhausted trying to please everyone..and really making no one happy.

The majority of the reason for my absence as of late is due to a nice little surprise visit from the Ministry of Labour at our business (the government section that is responsible for workers rights, safety, etc)  Well lets say that they have nothing better to do than take small businesses like ours and watch us jump through hoops while at the same time pumping money into the local economy to satisfy the "said legislation" that we are required to meet.  Please don't get me wrong - I am all for safety - and rights and all of that - heck I grew up with a father who was so pro union - we went to union camps for holidays! We run a really great company and ask any of our employees - we treat them great - seriously we do - its a fun place to work - me and my hubby provide them with the latest and greatest in tools, etc, and go above and beyond to make their employment with us the best possible experience.  I undertand the legislation - and I am happy and want to be providing our employees with the safest possible work experience.  I would never ever be able to live with myself if something happened to anyone of our staff while on the job.  BUT - we are still trying to run a business - and I would like Mrs Ministry lady to talk to our customers who will not have a nice new kitchen to cook their Christmas turkey in cause she is confident that there is an accident waiting to happen!  Im still not convinced that not having 4379 sheets of MSDS safety sheets wrapped up nicely in a binder is a huge health hazard to our employees (can windex really kill you??) So when you come by to visit - please just envision her standing with a big Hula Hoop stretched out and me happily jumping through it - asking "Is that it" and her laughing....

On a more fun note - I once again took a much needed day off to attend the One of A Kind Craft show in Toronto last Friday.  Gosh Darn it - I tell ya - Ive been going now for 6 years and I still never tire of this day.  I am in shopping, artistic heaven.  Some people just don't get it - but it doesn't matter - I do!!  I PROMISE to do a follow up post on all of my lovely expenditures of the day.  I am soooo happy and excited to share some amazing artists with you all in a few days when my head stops spinning.

Remember a few years ago when we went to California?  While they are up here visiting now - it is our friends daughters confirmation (her niece) and she is her sponsor so she is here visiting for a week or so.  I love just hanging out and chatting about our families and stuff.  Its been fun catching up and am looking forward to spending some time together going out for dinner tonight.

We finally can say the basement is 100% finished now!  Our furniture was delivered a week or so ago - and well lets say - visually I love it - it looks fantastic!  Comfort wise - uhm..not so much.  We are so used to leather - and that is all we have ever had so to sit on this microfiber stuff - that your clothes stick to like your tape runner - takes some getting used to.  Plus the cushions are HARD!  It wasn't like that in the store - I'm told to be patient that it will work itself in - but in the meantime it is quite annoying having your husband lie on the leather ottoman cause he says its the only place he can get comfortable - with a room full of new furniture!!  ARGH!!

We had a nice date night last weekend - when the boys went and spent the day with the in-laws.  These are definitely few and far between now as they are older and G & G's house just dons't provide the same fun that it used to when they were little.  They took in a movie though and Im glad that they got to spend some time together.  Dan and I went to Toronto to attend the Canadian Food and Wine Festival - but although we got there before they closed it down from capacity - the line up was just way too long to wait so we left and ventured around T.O.  We ended up at The Distillery District at a fabulous restaurant called Tappo .  The food was amazing - great atmosphere, really friendly staff - and absolutely beautiful setting. If you love Italian food - I say check it out if your ever in and around Toronto. The night was finished with a bottle of wine in the hot tub back home and finally a sunday morning to sleep in.  Just what the doctor called for!

On the scrapbooking front - not much happening there.  I do hae a layout for Collage Press to share - in a day or so as soon as it is revealed on the Collage Press Blog.  There is some really great eye candy going on over there with the reveal of the new teams first projects going up a few at a time.  Make sure you check it out - COLLAGE PRESS BLOG...

My paper and scissors have been collecting dust in my room for the last few days.  BUT - in other exciting news - I finally have my doors and stuff ordered for my scraproom here at the shop!!  Im so excited for it to be done - I can't wait!!  Unfortunately customers do come first though so a definate time line is still unknown - but at least its in the production line up - YEAH for that!  If I get a sec I will scan the layout and try to load it up for you all to get a peak at....

Have a great week everyone.  Tomorrow is Dec 1st - crazy where the year went!

Hugs

Got Sketch 94

Good Morning everyone!  I'm doing a really quick post here - off to work and the nightmares that await me... but first some scrappy goodness.

I was so excited that I was asked to contribute again over at Valerie Salmons Got Sketch blog.  I absolutely love her sketches and with me being a "One photo" scrapper I especially love how they make me think outside of my comfort zone... and I'm always pleased with the results.

Here is my take on this weeks sketch which went live today on the blog. Head on over and give the sketch a go... I would love to see what you come up with... I love seeing everyones interpretation of sketches... always so much fun! And while your there check out the layouts from all of the other girls this week - amazingly talented contributors!! 

Got Sketch 94

 

 

Supplies:  Scrap Within Reach, Prima, Pink Paislee, Thickers, Fiskars and Martha Stewart Punches, Jenni Bowlin, Ranger Ink, Spellbinders

I have had these photo's of my oldest printed off for quite a while now and when I sat down to work on this sketch it was such a beautiful day outside - I just had to create something bright and colourful!  Its hard to tell here but I played with my Ranger paint dabbers - and used white on the background under the photos but no matter how much I put on - it just kept soaking in to the paper - any tricks or tips on that would be helpful fellow readers!  The paper here is from Scrap Within Reach... one of my new favourite paper manufacturers since my LSS store started carrying them... there is just something about their paper that I love (I think its the colour combos they use - and they have the most fab boys line - my fav!)

Oops sorry I was sidetracked there LOL! 

Anyways - I am so grateful that I got to contribute again to this wonderful sketch site.  Thanks so much for asking me Val and Lynn...anytime!

Have a great day everyone...

Hugs

So there I was...

I think it was after midnight. Just sent in my submissions for the spring call to Canadian Scrapbooker, finished loading up my recent layouts to my blog, read all of my Google Reader over the weekend...ok maybe not read them ALL ... since I have over 200 blogs I follow!! YIKES (mental note - REALLY need to make that smaller - but damn there is soooo much inspiration out there!)

I look into a envelope that my MIL had given me earlier - and I pull out this photo of my niece!  Ahhhh... how adorable is this!  I look over to my left and see some BEE-U-Ti-Ful papers that I picked up recently from my LSS from Scrap within Reach and I couldn't stop myself.

So here it is ... yet another layout for the Plum Challenge over at the Moxie Fab World Blog .  I really didn't do this because of the challenge.. .it was because I was feeling creative at the moment...hey I just spent hours looking at my favourite scrapping girls...and I knew if I didn't do it right then and there.. my mojo would somehow disappear while I was sleeping.  I told you I LOVE all things purple so I've been drooling over these papers for some time now.  I though Oh Ill just play and do my pre layout shuffling around... and this is what resulted...

Beauty

 

 

 

 

Products Used:  Scrap Within Reach Pattern Papers and Ribbon, Kaiser Craft Wood Embellishments, Making Memories, Thickers, Prima Bling, Maya Road Pins and Maya Mist Tm Holtz Tiny Attacher, Martha Stewart Punches

So ya, I know... are you surprised about the shabby chic thing going on here! In contrast to the layouts below... it's a different look for me.. ut I was so inspired by the photo and paper I through all caution out the door... or maybe it was the lack of sleep and the 4:00 am bed time that had me doing things I wouldn't normally do LOL!!

Hope you have a great Monday!  Im off to clean this explosion on my scrap table and to get some groceries..I've been a really bad housewife this weekend and lots of catching up to do!

Hugs

Some Layouts to share...and some more Plum Craziness

So now that I'm done all of revamping of my blog design...I have some layouts to post and catch up on. I've created these first two in the last couple of weeks and have used them for some DT submissions.. some successful... some not LOL!  The most important part though is I got to play around and as I've said before I LOVE scrapping for myself...I usually end up with my best work!

For those who follow me I know I have scrapped these next photo's before but I was looking at them and had some black and white prints - and they are some of my favourite shots of my boys... so I used them again.

I really went out of my style here... but I LOVE the way this layout turned out.  It is probably one of my favourites that I have done in a LOOONG time.  Don't you just love when your layouts just fall into place.! I also love that I used up some of my old supplies for this as well - I never used those Tattered Angels trees for masks - so why not just use them on a layout!!

FROSTY FRIENDS

    
 

Products Used:  Bazzill, Imaginisce, Thickers, American Crafts, Martha Stewart Punches, Stickles.

My second layout is of my adorable niece...yes - she totally cracks me up and melts my heart at the same time.  Just some candids I took of her with my telephoto zoom - I love how she is just so totally in her own little world...so adorable.

And...I also just realized that I used Plum on this layout...I seriously think that this is one of my other favourite shades of purple!  I think the challenge over on the Moxie Fab Blog has got me seriously addicted to scrapping with this colour! 

SO HAPPY TOGETHER

 

Product Used:  Bazzill, Imaginisce, Prima, Maya Road, Sassafrass, Fiskars Punch, Martha Stewart Punch, Misc Ribbon and Ink.

To end if you haven't had a chance to head on over to the Plum Crazy challenge on the Moxie Fab World Blog make sure you do!  Im not much of a talented card creator myself but WOW some of them are incredible on there...lots and lots of eye candy to see there!! 

Have yourself a great week ladies...I will have one more layout to share for this weeks sketch over at the Got Sketch Blog!  I've really missed contributing there and am so happy that they have asked me back!  

Hugs!

Im an Urban Gurl....

Well actually I was raised in the country and really live in the Suburbs....hee hee...but Im referring to this exciting news!

CHECK IT OUT HERE!!!

 

Urban Swank is the official distributor for all things Urban Lily through out the US, Canada and South America!!!  I can't believe I am a part of this group of AMAZINGLY talented group of girls!!  When I first started scrapbooking I remember how infatuated I was with all things Urban Lily...and I can't wait to see the new products and new direction that Urban Swank will be taking them!!  As an extra special bonus Urban Swank has partnered with Helmar Adhesive - and what scrapbooker doesn't go through adhesive like its a bag of your favourite potatoe chips!!

I can only imagine the inspiration Im going to find having these incredibly talented Swanky Gurls for my teamates!!

Gaby Alcántara

Becky Teichmiller

Sarah de Guzman

Pauline Dirrig

Candra George

Aida Haron

Akiko Kuroki

Gayle Martin

Simona Montanari

Jo-Anne te Raa

Rachel Theall

Michelle Van Etten

Virginia Wong 

 

Almost Done...

Well Im almost there - after spending two entire days revamping and dreaming about html and css codes!!!  ACK

So let me know - honest - no BS - whatcha think?  Im not sure about the side paper...a bit to much?...should it stay still while just my blog moves up and down...I need help!!!

Any other ideas and suggestions are welcome...Im not easily offended...Heck if you tell me you like my old one better...I may just scrap this!

C'mon readers I need you now....

Oh and hopefully very soon I will have some exciting news to share with you all!!

Now off to a photography course!

Have a great evening....

Please excuse the chaos....

During your visit here tonight - Im sitting here right now at my computer and I am in the process of changing up my blog...hopefully making some improvements so excuse the wonky look of it - it will all come together in the end...Im moving and changing, adding and deleting - come back in a few days for the complete transformation!

Thanks for you patience and understanding!