This 'n That and Scrapbook Chat

A Great Combination!

2012-01-27T11:01:00.008-04:00

This week I combined the newest digital paper pack 'Chocolate Sky' from Kindred Creations (KC) with two-page sketch #22 from Alison Davis' Sketch Support Blog. I just love how well it worked out for me!

Love, Love, Love Simple Stories!

2012-01-26T17:55:00.005-04:00

I'm not loving most of the new releases I've seen for CHA which is good for my pocket book. LOL The one exception is Simple Stories . I am loving everything I have seen from them. My absolute favourite is this stamp set from their 'Documented' line. I must have it!

I also really love their 6x8 journal/scrapbook pages from the same line.

It's Time to Get Those Hockey Photos Caught Up!

2012-01-21T17:12:00.007-04:00

I must be at least 3 years behind on my son's hockey photos. He's not playing this year, so I figure it's my chance to get caught up. I picked up the We 'R Memeory Keepers 'MVP' stack and I am pairing it up with my collection of Allison Davis sketches. I am going to put together a stack of 2 page layouts and once I have 10 or 15 layouts, I'll start adding the photos and embellies. So far I have 3 layouts done with just the cardstock and pp. I got most of Allsion's sketches free from her Sketch Support blog. I also have her Sketches for Scrapbooking : One Page Sketches

book #1 that I won from the Sketch Support Facebook page. The paper stack I picked up at Winners for just $10.

One Little Word : Create

2012-01-07T13:42:00.003-04:00

So far so good. Since I chose CREATE for my OLW I have been using it in my life nearly every day. So far I have been working on creating order out of the chaos in my scraproom. I have created a new look for myself by getting my hair permed and yesterday I created my first altered canvas. Since it is my first I kept it very simple. I love the calm shades of blue I painted the canvas and the swirl design I stamped on it and dressed up with aqua pearls. I wish I had covered my alphas with pretty paper instead of painting them because they warped a little. Oh well, lesson learned.

Now I have visual reminder of my word to put in my scraproom.

If you want to learn more about One Little Word (OLW) see Ali Edwards blog.

Scraproom Reorganization

2012-01-02T17:11:00.002-04:00

The response has been great at KC to my OLW challenge. And so many of us mentioned needing to tackle our scraprooms that Will has posted a challenge to help us do just that. This is just what I needed and I've already made a start.

Here is my before pic so you can see just how bad it was. LOL

A New Year! A New Word!

2012-01-01T13:06:00.003-04:00

It has been almost 5 months since I've posted here. Yikes! I have to apologize. I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks in August and I've had health issues to deal with since then which have totally disrupted my life. I have taken care of one of the issues I was dealing with and while I have a couple more to fix, they are not as serious and I feel like I am finally getting my life back on track. Which means I can finally get back to the things I enjoy like scrapbooking. I am currently taking Alison Davis' 'Sketch Support' class and loving it although I am woefully behind between my surgery at the end of November and then Christmas craziness. LOL The kids will be back to school this week while I have 2 more weeks off before I go back to work and I intend to take advantage of that quiet time to create.

CREATE, that is my new word for this year. One Little Word (OLW) is a concept created by Ali Edwards to take a word and use it as inspiration in your life all year long. I have been picking words for the last couple of years and while I haven't been completely successful with it, I am going to keep on trying until I get it right. The word create is perfect for me because not only do I want to create more scrapbook pages, but I also want to create order out of the chaos in my craftroom and I want to create more time for family activities like snowball fights in the winter and camping in the summer. Not to mention creating time to keep my blog up to date. LOL To keep myself accountable I am running a year long OLW challenge at Kindred Creations and I would love to have you join me there. The January post can be found here.

I Won!

2011-07-07T16:10:00.004-03:00

I entered a contest on the Sketch Support facebook page and I won a copy of Sketches for Scrapbooking - One Page Sketches Vol. 1. I'm so excited because I absolutely love Allison Davis' sketches, but up until now all the sketch books have featured 2 page sketches and I usually do 1 page layouts. This book will be just perfect for me and I can see myself becoming a scrapping fool when I get it. LOL

2 New Digi Layouts

2011-07-07T00:54:00.006-03:00

The first was done with the newest kit from Kindred Creations (KC) called Wild Side. The papers were a little out of my comfort zone, but they worked well with the zoo pictures I had. I used 2 page sketch #12 from the Sketch Support blog for this layout.

The second uses a previous kit called Parisian Holiday. This is my favourite kit so far! This was also my layout for the June layout tag at KC.

A Little Reorganization and Some More From the Garden

2011-06-12T15:08:00.007-03:00

I've had my scrap room in the basement for the last few years and I'm finding I scrap less and less because it is too cold in the winter and too far away from the rest of the family. I decided to move some of my scrap supplies up to our desk area off the kitchen. In order to find the storage I needed I re-purposed the microwave cabinet to hold my scrappy supplies (it's still has the microwave for now). Once I took the microwave cabinet out of the dining room I had to rearrange the furniture in the dining room as well. All so I can scrap upstairs. LOL Here's a few pics. The microwave cabinet was originally along the outside wall to the left of the water cooler and the sideboard was on the other side of the water cooler. I moved the sideboard to the opposite wall to make room for the church pew I bought to use for seating along one side of the table.

And here are a couple pics of the re-purposed microwave cabinet.

And here is a collage of what's blooming in the garden today.

A Beautiful Day!

2011-06-10T16:55:00.004-03:00

It is such a beautiful day in my garden. I have irises, lilacs, columbines, perennial geraniums and more in bloom and rose buds galore.I also did a new digital layout last night using the newest digital kit from Kindred Creations called Parisian Holiday. The kit was perfect to let me lift the layout on the front cover of the newest Canadian Scrapbooker magazine. And can you believe the price of the kit is only $1.00? It's true!

Happy NSD!

2011-05-07T16:16:00.004-03:00

How are you enjoying NSD? I'm hosting the online crop at Kindred Creations (KC), although it is fairly quiet over there right now. I stayed up way too late last night to take advantage of the sale Becca has going on at the KC Store and I can't wait to get the 3 Basic Grey kits I ordered. The prices for them are great! So far todayI have finished one layout that I can't post just yet and I just finished my second. I used the one page sketch #2 from the Sketch Support blog for this layout.

For the second layout I created a simple digital journaling card to use and I thought I would put it up on 4shared if anyone else would like to use it. It comes in your choice of black or brown edging. You can download it here.

A New Layout and Digital Card.

2011-05-06T20:09:00.004-03:00

I did this layout for the April layout tag at KC. It feels good to get some of these older photos in an album.

And this is a digital card I did to showcase the newest KC digital kit 'Mother Dear'.

Come Join Me at Kindred Creations for NSD

2011-05-03T16:52:00.002-03:00

I'll be hosting an online crop at Kindred Creations (KC) on Saturday, May 7th for NSD. Becca will have a sale going in the store and we will have challenges and maybe a game or two in the Cropping Lounge. I hope to see you there.

Win a $25 GC at Kindred Creations!

2011-04-24T12:30:00.002-03:00

Visit Kindred Creations Facebook group page and join. Help them reach 400 members. When they hit 400 they will draw from all members of the group for a winner to recieve a $25 gift certificate to the Kindred Creations store (which includes digital and paper scrapbooking products at a huge discount!...). Facebook page link: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=166456243371621

I also have a new layout done with the latest KC digital kit 'Butterfly Garden'. You can get the kit here and here's my layout.

My Dad

2011-04-22T18:17:00.007-03:00

I lost my Dad almost 3 weeks ago. He was a wonderful man and I miss him greatly. I'd like to share some of the layouts that feature him.

Another Digi Layout.

2011-03-18T15:34:00.003-03:00

Kindred Creations has a new digi kit up for sale called Spring Showers and I used it to do another spring layout. This was a fun kit work with and there are papers in it to suit every style.

True Heroes!

2011-03-18T00:26:00.003-03:00

If you are like me you have been following the news about the nuclear power plant in Japan. It is unimaginable to me the stress the people of Japan must be under trying to recover from the earthquake and the tsunami while dealing with aftershocks and the threat of a nuclear meltdown in not just 1 but 4 reactors. My heart goes out to everyone there. Of all the images I've seen, the ones that resonate strongest with me are the ones of the workers walking into the nuclear plant. The men who are working so hard to prevent the meltdown(s) from happening are true heroes and they have my utmost respect. I can only pray that they are successful and that they are able to go home to their own families soon.

If you would like to help the disaster relief effort you can make a donation to the Canadian Red Cross here.

It's a Change.

2011-03-17T01:19:00.002-03:00

I've changed up the background for the blog. I love the digital paper I used (from the Chocolate Ice kit I did for Kindred Creations), but I really need to work on the link and background colours. Oh well, for 1:30 in the morning it's not too bad. LOL

Kindred Creations has a Friday Digital Deal of the Day

2011-03-13T13:08:00.003-03:00

Becca has introduced digital to her Deals of the Day at Kindred Creations. Each Friday she will be offering a digi kit at a ridiculously low price. This weeks kit called 'Lucky Day' , is a paper kit perfect for St. Patrick's Day or in my case a layout about spring. LOL

I Missed One

2011-03-01T16:53:00.002-04:00

I totally forgot to post the layout I did for January's LO tag at KC. It is a pretty simple digi layout, but I like it.

I Love Layout Tag at Kindred Creations!

2011-02-28T16:40:00.005-04:00

As long as I can play layout tag at Kindred Creations, I know I will get at least one layout done a month. LOL This is the layout I did for February's layout tag.

It's also the first layout I have done keeping in mind the lessons I am learning at Karen Grunberg's 'Embrace Imperfection' class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. Instead of stressing over my less than perfect pictures or the slight blurring of my stamp, I embraced the fact that I have finally scrapped these pics from over 12 years ago.

I Did It Again!

2011-02-26T12:09:00.005-04:00

I've gone almost 2 months without posting. Ugh! You would think this would be a habit by now. LOL

This month I used the kit I created for last month's KC challenge to make the layout I did for KC's layout tag. I'll be posting a pic of the layout as soon as Katie does the reveal.

I also posted a new challenge to create a themed kit.

My kit has a romantic/love theme. I used a mix of PP from Bo Bunny, MME, Basic Grey and Autumn Leaves (Foof-a-La). I also added some coordinating Bazzil cardstock. The striped BG paper allowed me to add a little pink to the black, red and cream colour palette which I used to pull my embellies together. I have flowers from Prima and Recollections (Michael's house brand), bling from Kaiser Craft and Dollarama, Prima felt borders, Making Memories metal tabs and photo turns, BG rub-ons and buttons, Maya Road chipboard flourishes and crushed velvet ribbon, miscellaneous brads, eyelets and other ribbons and Ranger Stickles in Black Diamond and Fired Brick. This is the perfect kit to get me scrapping some more of my wedding pics from 1996. And even better, with the exception of the Recollections flowers, all the items were already in my stash. I bought the flowers this week because they matched the flowers I had in my wedding bouquet perfectly.

I'm really having a lot of fun putting my own kits together and it is making me look at my stash, especially my pp, in a whole new way.

I won!

2011-01-08T21:55:00.003-04:00

Every month at Kindred Creations (KC) Becca picks a winner from everyone who participates in the challenges. For November/December she picked the layout I did for December's layout tag. The layout will be featured on KC's homepage for the whole month of January. Totally cool!

Are You Up For a Challenge?

2011-01-07T17:16:00.002-04:00

I'm always tempted to join a kit club, but it's hard to justify with the amount of stash I have already. So, inspired by those of you who put together page kits to take to crops and the new Counterfeit Kit Challenge blog , my challenge this month over at Kindred Creations is to shop your stash and create your own kit. It can be a small page kit or a large anything goes kit. The only rule is everything must come from your stash, there can be nothing new.

Here's my kit.

I started out with some papers from the Fancy Pants 'Happy Together' line and then I added papers from Little Yellow Bicycle, Bo Bunny, MME - Bohemia, Autumn Leaves - Foof-a-La, and one unknown pp. I picked 4 Bazzil colours that were a close match and then added some embellies. I have a couple of tags from MME, Stickles, Dollarama bling & pearls, a part package of Thickers, some Prima flowers, Basic Grey buttons, part packages of brads (one only has 1 brad left in it lol), misc. ribbon and a set of stamps that complement the Happy Together border strip pp. I was really surprised at how easily I was able to put this together.

One Little Word and Two Great New Blogs!

2011-01-06T19:12:00.004-04:00

I love Ali Edward's 'One Little Word' concept. You pick one word and use it as a source of inspiration for the whole year. This year it has been made into a class at Big Picture Scrapbooking (BPS). I haven't decided if I want to commit to the class, but I have picked out my word. ~DO~ It doesn't get much littler than that. LOL I have a bad habit of thinking about things too much or starting things and then not following up or finishing. This blog is a prime example as this is my first post in almost 2 months. So, this year my goal is to do things. And this post is a start. I'm also taking part in Becca's Goal challenge at Kindred Creations (KC) to help keep myself on track and accountable.

One of my goals is to do at least 2 layouts in addition to KC's layout tag. I've found a couple of new blogs that I think will help me to be creative. One is a brand new sketch blog called Sketch Support from one one of my favourite sketch artists, Allison Davis. I love her sketches and this new blog provides not only the 2 page sketches she's so well known for, but also 1 page, card and add-on sketches. Fantastic! The other blog I've discovered is Counterfeit Kit Challenge. The ladies there take a current scrapbook kit from one of the many great kit clubs out there and challenge you to shop your stash to create your own kit. You can copy the kit exactly if you have the products or you can just create a kit inspired by the colours, it's up to you. I think it is a great way to encourage me to look at my stash with new eyes and maybe try some things I wouldn't think of on my own. For anyone who goes to crops or retreats this would be great inspiration in putting together page kits. The first kit they have up isn't one that appeals to me, but it still has inspired me to try to create a kit out of my stash just for the fun of it. LOL

Just for Pam!

2010-11-18T16:55:00.004-04:00

I was talking with Pam at Classic Hobbies today and telling her about the Christmas tree I made using the Jenni Bowlin music pp and she told me I should post it on online. So, here it is. It was inspired by the Christmas trees featured on the front cover of the last Scrpbooks Etc. issue I got.

It's Christmas Time at Regal

2010-09-24T15:41:00.005-03:00

I just got the Regal Christmas catalogue in the mail and I have to say I love the front cover. So Cute! I would have liked to seen a little bigger variety of Christmas cards in it, but that is my only complaint. There is a great assortment of items in it and more than a few are must haves for me. If you would like a copy of the catalogue leave me a comment and I will get one out to you. Or check it out online at my webstore.

They also have a new catalogue just for business owners who want to send personalized cards and/or gifts to their customers. And if you're looking for a fund raiser for your school, community group or sports team check out Regal's new fund raising flyer. Regal has taken the hassle out of organizing a fund raiser. They will provide your group with your own webstore and really all you need to do is pass out the catalogues. Too easy!

Great Resource for Cricut Users

2010-09-22T16:22:00.002-03:00

I just discovered Cricut Search. Wow! You can type the name of the image you are looking for and it will show the Cricut cartridge(s) you can find it on as well as a preview of the Cricut cartridge page that the image appears on. I only have 3 cartridges at present and I see this as a great tool to help me figure out which cartridges I should buy next. For example type owl into Cricut Search and you will get 27 listings for owl images. Pretty cool!

What's New?

2010-09-06T11:14:00.006-03:00

We are back to school and back to hockey. My son and daughter are the same level for hockey this year and I am looking forward to less travel. Not to mention I had to miss some of my daughter's games last year because I was managing my son's team and couldn't miss any of his. This year there will be no conflicts. Hurray!

I got my first Regal catalogue this week and they have a little bit of everything in there. They have even more items listed online and I got an adorable dolphin necklace for my daughter's birthday. She loves dolphins and her favourite colour is blue, so this is just perfect for her and at $9.98 it fits my budget nicely.

Yummy Blog Candy!

2010-08-19T00:55:00.002-03:00

I was catching up on some of my favourite blogs tonight and I came across this giveaway on the Paper, Ink, Color! blog.

Is that not super yummy? And how generous of Chrissy to offer it up!

Regal Anyone?

2010-08-17T12:45:00.003-03:00

With my DH still off work and hockey season coming up I need another source of income. So, I have taken the plunge and signed up to sell Regal. It has been a while since I have tried something like this and I'm a little nervous, but hopeful, that I can make a go of it. I have set up a Regal Webstore and now I just need to order some catalogues and get them out into the community. Wish me luck! (And check out my store too! LOL)

A Few Pictures to Share.

2010-08-05T13:14:00.006-03:00

Here are a few pictures that I am planning on entering in our local exhibition next week.

A Build-a-Layout Challenge With a Twist at Kindred Creations

2010-08-02T15:53:00.003-03:00

It's the beginning of August and all the new challenges are being posted at Kindred Creations (KC). I really would like to see lots of participation in my challenge this month so I am doing a Build a Layout challenge with a twist. Instead of posting the 10 steps to build your layouts over 10 days, I am only going to post the 1st step. Then the first person to sign up to do the challenge will post the 2nd step. The next person will post the 3rd step and so on. I'm excited to see how creative we can get! There are 3 steps posted already so come on over and check it out.

Last month, once again, the only layout I got done was the one I did for layout tag at KC. It seems to be becoming a habit with me. One I am trying to break I might add. LOL You can see the reveal of everyone's layouts here. There was quite a transformation from start to finish. Here is the layout I did. (Sorry for the poor quality image.)

August's layout tag is just getting under way and we would love to have you join us.

An Apology, A New Job, A $35 Prize to be won at KC and A New Layout

2010-05-19T14:30:00.004-03:00

I am so sorry for letting my blog slide for almost 2 months. I had such good intentions of posting regularly once hockey was done. Unfortunately I just haven't. One of the reasons I haven't been is I went back to work after 14 years as a wife and SAHM. It's really the perfect job as I work Monday to Friday 9am - 1pm at my children's school. No worries about conflicts with their schedules. I'm just filling in for a lady who took a leave of absence for now but is a nice way to ease back into the work force.

Kindred Creations (KC) is having it's May Basic Grey party May 20 & 21 and there is a $35 prize pack available to be won for the Bingo game. You don't have to be getting the Basic Grey kit to play, you just have to be a member of KC. There will be other games and prizes as well. Check it out here.

And lastly here is the layout I did for the May Layout Tag at KC. It is a rare layout where I am the subject. The pictures are from 1998 when my son was born.

Congratulations Lawrencetown, NS!

2010-03-28T09:11:00.002-03:00

The tiny village of Larencetown (pop. 700) has made the top 5 in the CBC Kraft Hockeyville contest! Next stop #1. Check out their story here and please vote. Everyone can vote not just Canadians. By making the top 5 they are guaranteed to win at least $25,000 in rink upgrades and a CBC Hockey Night in Canada broadcast. If they get the votes to be #1 they will win $100,000 in rink upgrades, a CBC Hockey Night in Canada broadcast and and NHL pre-season game played at Acadia University.

And for the Canadians reading this, after you vote for Lawrencetown please head on over to the TSN Bring Home the Cup page here and vote for my son's Middleton Mustangs PeeWee house team. We would both appreciate it!

March Layout Tag

2010-03-27T11:46:00.002-03:00

I've actually gotten 3 layouts done this month including this one for the March Layout Tag at KC. It's amazing what I can get done now that hockey season is done. LOL I'm even planning on going to a local all day crop in a couple of weeks.

Bring Home The Cup

2010-03-22T14:26:00.002-03:00

I'm going to ask you to vote again. LOL This time it is for my son's team in the Pepsi / Frito Lay 'Bring Home The Cup' contest. Our PeeWee team had 8 skaters and 1 goalie for most of the season after our 2nd goalie was out due to a concussion received at school. We were a small team, but that didn't stop them from winning the majority of their games and coming in 1st at the only tournament we were able to enter this year. These kids have shown a lot of heart and really deserve to win this contest. Not only have they played hard, most games we only had 1 or 2 spare forwards and 1 spare defenceman, but they have also played good clean hockey and shown great sportsmanship. I have been very proud to be their manager this year. Voting is open from March 22nd to April 17th and you can vote once every hour. Here is the link.

I've Been Voting!

2010-03-20T22:26:00.002-03:00

For Lawrencetown for CBC Kraft Hockeyville. Between DD and I we have been voting close to 100 times a day. And I have to say I am so impressed with the Lawrencetown for Hockeyville 2010 Facebook page. They have over 1900 members already. Not bad for a tiny village. I even have my family voting in Ontario. Every little bit helps.

I Challenge You...

2010-03-19T18:44:00.003-03:00

... to stop collecting scrapbooking products and start using them. I have been cleaning and reorganizing my scrap room and I realized I really need to spend more time creating and less time buying. So, my challenge at Kindred Creations this month is aimed at just that. Come on over and join us.

Here is the layout I did for the challenge. The patterned paper and the shaped paper are the newest items on there at 6-9 months old. Everything else is 1-5 years old including the picture which is from May 2006. LOL

And don't forget to vote for Lawrencetown for the CBC Kraft Hockeyville 2010.

Lawrencetown, NS is a CBC Kraft Hockeyville Finalist

2010-03-17T11:22:00.004-03:00

How incredibly cool is it that the tiny community of Lawrencetown is a finalist in CBC Kraft Hockeyville 2010! The kids and I have been voting non-stop since the finalists were announced and we're really hoping they make the top 5. I have to say after watching the top 12 show on Monday that Lawrencetown best embodies the spirit of Kraft Hockeyville. It is a small town rink with a true need for upgrades to bring it into the 21st century. I hope everyone votes and votes often for Lawrencetown. You can do that here at the CBC Kraft Hockeyville site. Also join the Lawrencetown for Hocketville 2010 Facebook group.

I Completely Missed February!

2010-03-13T14:55:00.009-04:00

I can't believe I didn't post once in February. It was a crazy busy hockey month. Between my son and daughter's teams we had 4-7 games most weekends. The biggest excitement was my son's PeeWee team winning the Berwick tournament. We only have 9 players including the goalie, so it was pretty amazing.

As usual I only got 1 layout done and it was my layout for February layout tag over at Kindred Creations. This time I did a digital layout.

Kindred Creations Layout Tag

2010-01-29T13:56:00.002-04:00

I can always count on the layout tag at Kindred Creations to ensure I get at least one layout done a month. It is so much fun to see the changes from the 1st inspirational layout to the final lifted layout. This is the layout I did for this months tag. I used my new Storybook Cricut cartridge to make the background swirl.

A New Layout

2010-01-22T07:39:00.002-04:00

I can't believe this is my first post of 2010. We have been super busy with hockey. As tournament coordinator, this weekend will be my 3rd tournament in 6 weeks plus my kids have had 4-5 games a weekend for the last 2-3 weeks. As a result my scrappy time has been severely limited. I did manage to get a layout done to submit to the recent PageMaps call. It wasn't accepted, so I can post it here.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-25T09:28:00.000-04:00

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Simple Stories

2009-12-24T17:56:00.008-04:00

This month I have not been able to find time to do everything I want to do especially scrapbooking. That's why I was really excited when I saw the link to the Simple Stories blog. It is a new kit idea being introduced by Memory Works designed to help us get our pictures in albums without the stress of worrying about scrapping every picture or never being caught up. The kits combine pre-made elements with divided page protectors and binders from We R Memory Keepers. It is totally something I could do. Unfortunately Memory Works products are only available in the US, but I think I can easily put together something similar using American Crafts albums and page protectors I already have.

A Little Canadian Humour

2009-12-12T00:13:00.005-04:00

I got this in an e-mail this week and it made me laugh which I really needed. So I thought I would share and hopefully brighten up someone else's day.

A Little Canadian Humor,

Forget Rednecks,

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Canucks.

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from
September through May,

You may live in Canada.

If someone in a Home Depot store
Offers you assistance and they don't work there,

You may live in Canada.

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time,

You may live in Canada...

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation
With someone who dialed a wrong number,

You may live in Canada.

If 'Vacation' means going anywhere
South of Detroit for the weekend,

You may live in Canada.

If you measure distance in hours,

You may live in Canada...

If you know several people
Who have hit a deer more than once,

You may live in Canada.

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C'
In the same day and back again,

You may live in Canada.

If you can drive 90 km/hr through 2 feet of snow
During a raging blizzard without flinching,

You may live in Canada.

If you install security lights on your house and garage,
But leave both unlocked,

You may live in Canada.

If you carry jumpers in your car
And your wife knows how to use them,

You may live in Canada.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume
To fit over a snowsuit,

You may live in Canada.

If the speed limit on the highway is 80 km --
You're going 90 and everybody is passing you,

You may live in Canada.

If driving is better in the winter
Because the potholes are filled with snow,

You may live in Canada.

If you know all 4 seasons:
Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter,
And Road Construction,

You may live in Canada.

If you have more miles
On your snow blower than your car,

You may live in Canada.

If you find 2 degrees 'a little chilly',

You may live in Canada.

If you actually understand these jokes,
And forward them to all
Your Canadian friends & others,

You definitely live in Canada.

A New Challenge

2009-11-04T09:58:00.002-04:00

I posted a new Challenge at Kindred Creations yesterday that will run for November and December. It is another build-a-layout challenge but this time I am giving 2 choices for each step since the challenge is running over 2 months. If you follow the first choice you'll finish with a monochromatic layout. If you follow the second choice you'll finish with a Christmas layout. I'm not quite sure what kind of layout you'll have if you mix up the choices, but I guarantee you'll have fun doing it! LOL

I Love Playing Layout Tag

2009-11-03T13:50:00.002-04:00

Whenever I play layout tag at Kindred Creations I know for sure I am going to get at least 1 layout done that month. October's layout tag has just been posted and as usual I am amazed by how much the layout changes from start to finish. I kept my layout fairly simple this month, I didn't even dress my chipboard, but I love how it turned out.

2 of My Favourite Things

2009-10-25T13:23:00.002-03:00

I love carving pumpkins for Halloween and I love the Calgary Flames hockey team! So, it should be no surprise that I combined the 2 at Pam's annual pumpkin carving party last night. What was a surprise however, was winning the award for 'Most Creative' . LOL

My Challenge Layout

2009-10-23T10:34:00.003-03:00

I had so much fun last month doing the Sweet 16 Blog hop at Candy Shoppe Designs, I decided to use that as my inspiration for my challenge at Kindred Creations this month. I did a build-a-layout challenge and I played along with everyone else and Just finished my layout this week. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.

New Etsy Shop

2009-10-22T12:34:00.002-03:00

I make a point to visit Pam at Classic hobbies every week. She is so much fun to talk to and I love all the cards, mini albums and other paper craft samples she has on display. They provide me with so much inspiration. And now she has added a Classic Hobbies Etsy store to her already busy life and she is adding new items almost daily. Also check out her blog for more inspiration. Right now she is doing a month long challenge to do something crafty every day of the month.

Rant of a Frustrated Hockey Mom

2009-10-06T13:58:00.004-03:00

This is not my usual scrappy post today, but I need to get something off my chest where hopefully I won't offend anyone.

Why is it not okay for me to want my kids to be challenged, even pushed, by their hockey coaches to learn and become better players? I don't have any false expectations of my son or daughter playing at an elite level. I'm not asking coaches to turn them into superstars. I do expect to see my kids work hard at every practice and play their best at every game. I'm not spending a small fortune on hockey every season for them to just have fun. And you know what, my kids agree with me! They want to be challenged, they don't want to take it easy. I firmly believe if players are challenged to do their best and they see improvement in their skills as the season goes on, they take pride in that and that is where their fun comes from. I started my kids in hockey because it is a competitive sport that can teach them important lessons in teamwork as well as pride in individual accomplishment. Not to mention improve their fitness level. My son set a goal last year for himself to get as many goals as the number on his jersey (37) and he was justifiably proud when he exceeded it and scored 40 goals. Guess what his goal is this year? To get at least 41 goals. I like that he is learning to compete against himself as well as other players. Unfortunately it seems like individual accomplishment is something else that is frowned upon nowadays. There are coaches who won't award the medals for 'Most Improved', 'Most Sportsmanlike' and 'Most Dedicated' because they think the other players would feel left out. It's too bad they don't ask the players for their opinion because I know they would like to have the recognition. If they don't win a medal this year, it gives them something to work towards next year. A player who has never played hockey and can barely skate at the start of the season that improves to be one of the best skaters on the team certainly deserves to be rewarded. I don't understand how that can be bad.

Candy Shoppe Designs 'Sweet 16' Blog Hop Layout

2009-09-25T14:59:00.006-03:00

I was able to get my layout done today and I am pretty happy with how it turned out. There were 10 steps given for the "Sweet 16' blog hop and I was challenged to try things I don't normally do. For example I used chipboard as my base instead of cardstock and painted around the edge. I even distressed one of my wedding photos for the layout. LOL Who knows maybe I'll even win the Lollipop Guild kit from Studio Calico. The Candy Shoppe Designs blog is fast becoming my favourite place to look for inspiration.

It's Been A While...

2009-09-24T19:50:00.003-03:00

... since I did a digital layout, so I decided to make one for the September Layout Tag at Kindred Creations. I used the 'Antique' kit by Nandinha Menezes Designs that I bought last year from Polka D ot Potato.

I'm also working on a layout for the Candy Shoppe Designs "Sweet 16' blog hop. I am incredibly inspired by the layouts and instructions from their DT, unfortunately the hopping is extremely slow when your are stuck with a dial-up internet connection. Hopefully I will have it finished by the time the blog hop ends on the 28th. I would really love to win the prize of a 'Lollipop Guild' kit from Studio Calico.

A New Layout

2009-09-13T20:03:00.004-03:00

As I mentioned in my last post, I love the Candy Shoppe Designs blog. I did this layout for their 'Striptease 101' challenge using the colour palette and sketch they had posted. I love how it turned out!

A New Blog and a Birthday Card.

2009-09-08T21:04:00.006-03:00

I discovered a new blog this weekend called Candy Shoppe Designs. They have challenges and tutorials and lots of blog candy. I love that the challenges and tutorials are easily doable by all levels of scrappers and I love the inspiration to be had from all of their amazing samples. And did I mention the blog candy? LOL There are also some great prizes up for grabs on this blog! Take a look at this and this and this. Their 1st blog hop is coming up on September 16th and I can't wait to see what they have planned.

I also want to share with you a card I made today for my niece's 13th birthday.

Happy Birthday Katelyn!

Another Toot!

2009-09-07T15:24:00.001-03:00

I just found out I was picked as a guest designer for November for the Christmas Cards All Year 'Round blog. I have to admit, I didn't do anything more than submit my name for a draw. LOL But, it is exciting none the less and great incentive to get started on this years Christmas cards.

Basic Grey Toot

2009-09-07T00:31:00.003-03:00

I submitted the layout I did yesterday to the Basic Grey Gallery and it was accepted. It has been a while since I've done that and it makes me feel like I finally have my mojo back. Even better I got another layout done today using the September BG sketch. It is another 1st day of school layout for my DD's album.

I Love Basic Grey!

2009-09-05T20:53:00.003-03:00

I can't help it, I just love the distressed look of their papers and their buttons are my favourite to work with. I just finished a layout today with one of my fave lines 'Romani' . I used it as a sample layout for my September Challenge at Kindred Creations. You can check out the challenge here. Also the Craft Critique blog is giving away 3 of the new BG paper packs and all you have to do for a chance to win is post about it on your blog, Facebook or Twitter. Just like I just did. LOL

Here's my layout.

Prima, Prima and more Prima

2009-09-01T16:17:00.003-03:00

I love checking out the Prima Blog for inspiration and I certainly found plenty in the Prima Product Picks. It is great seeing what the Prima design team has done with them too.

I Nearly Missed It!

2009-08-29T18:21:00.002-03:00

We've been so busy with hockey school this week, I nearly missed that today's KC Deal of the Day features another one of my layouts. It uses 3 Bugs in a Rug 'Cotton Shop Collection'. I've never had any 3 Bugs in a Rug product before and it was great to finally see it in person. The family theme of the collection and the colour palette make it a set that I will get a lot of use of. I absolutely loved the cardstock stickers and I used my Cuttlebug and scalloped nestabilities dies to make some scalloped circles to layer under the flower stickers. I love how they look!

A Good Day at the Ex!

2009-08-18T10:40:00.007-03:00

Yesterday was the first day of our local rural fair, rather grandly called the Annapolis Valley Exhibition or the 'Ex'. It is considerably smaller than the 'Ex' I grew up going to, the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto, but it is also much more relaxing to attend. This year the kids and I decided we were going to enter some of the cooking and crafting events and last night we went to see how we did. To our surprise almost everything we entered got a ribbon of some kind. My son entered the Junior Cooking 'Drop Cookie' category and he won 1st place. My Daughter had 3 entries and her entry for the Junior 'Bead Work' category came in 2nd, her Junior 'Rubber Stamping' entry got a Special Mention and her Junior Cooking 'White cake' didn't place.

I had 6 entries in and my results were:

Christmas in August - Rubber Stamping - Card - 1st place
Paper Crafts - Rubber Stamping - Greeting Card - 2nd place
Photography - Nature, Wildlife only - Special Mention
Photography - Miscellaneous Photo - 2nd place
Cooking - Quick Breads - Any fruit or vegetable muffin - 3rd place
Cooking - Flax Flour - Cookies or Squares - 2nd place

For our first time entering, I was really surprised at how well we did and I'm sure after their success this year my son and daughter are going to be even more enthusiastic about entering next year.

Here are my cards.

And my 2nd place photo.

I Haven't Done so Well...

2009-08-10T09:05:00.003-03:00

... keeping my blog updated. I really had good intentions, but we had family here from Ontario and my good intentions went straight out the window. LOL Now we are into swimming lessons, then hockey school followed by back to school and then we're into hockey tryouts and pre-season hockey. Hmmm, I think this time I won't make any promises about staying on top of the blog. LOL

Today, I'm excited to share a new layout with you. It was made using the beautiful Chatterbox 'Love Bird' kit that will be posted shortly as the Deal of the Day on the Kindred Creations blog. I was so excited when Becca sent me the kit to make up a sample layout for her. The kit has 8 beautiful papers (2 x 4 designs) a full alpha set, great chip board pieces and 2 sizes and designs of brads including bling brads. How cool is that! I used Pencilines sketch #146 to create the layout because it allowed me to showcase all 4 of the papers in the kit. And because I just loved the sketch. LOL

Shipwreck Point

2009-07-12T12:56:00.007-03:00

In my husband's hometown of Frederickton, Newfoundland there is a ship called the Ahern Trader that ran aground in 1960. Here is what remains of it after nearly 50 years.

And a Few More.

2009-07-10T10:49:00.006-03:00

Our dog Jazz watched from the wharf every time we went out in the boat. The first couple of times she actually cried thinking we were leaving her behind. It was so sad.

There is nothing to compare to a big feed of lobsters.

We were in St. Johns for Canada and went to watch the fireworks down at Quidi Vidi Lake. There was fog drifting in and out of the area and it made for some interesting effects with the fireworks.

We went on a day trip to Twillingate last Saturday and visited the Long Point Lighthouse as well as seeing the icebergs. We went all the way up to the top of the lighthouse. The view was fantastic but it was also incredibly hot up there.

A Few More Pictures

2009-07-09T16:13:00.006-03:00

My husband's cousin is a hairdresser in Carmanville and she gave my daughter a fantastic haircut. For the first time in ages I'm not having to fight to get the brush through a matted mess. Hurray!

Here is the before pic.
And the after.

Here are a couple of more pics from the trip.

It's Good To Be Home!

2009-07-08T17:50:00.003-03:00

I love my in-laws (you won't hear any Mother-in-law horror stories from me), but after almost 3 weeks of staying in other people's homes I am really looking forward to having a long, hot soak in the jetted tub tonight and sleeping in my own bed. By myself. No cat. No dog. No child.

The downside to coming home after 3 weeks away is a big stack of mail to go through, close to a 100 e-mails and pages of posts to catch up on my favourite scrapbooking forums. I've also downloaded close to 1000 pictures that I need to sort through. I plan on posting at least one a day for the rest of July to get me blogging more regularly.

Here is the first one taken at my Father-in-law's wharf. It's just an old pulley, but it has so much character.

I'm So Sad

2009-06-07T14:25:00.002-03:00

That I won't have time to do a kit for the June digi collab at Kindred Creations. I just love the colour palette that was picked for this month.

Sign ups opened today for digi designers who want to participate in the collab. You can get the details here.

Taking a Break.

2009-06-03T13:21:00.002-03:00

Summer will soon be upon us and we seem to be busier than usual, so I probably won't posting very much over the next couple of months. Look for pictures of our trip to Newfoundland when I get back.

One More Day

2009-05-30T10:36:00.006-03:00

There's just one more day before the KC Collab is moved into the store .

Until then you can download my part 1 here, and part 2 here.

May Collab Pt. 2

2009-05-26T06:21:00.005-03:00

As promised, here is part 2 of my portion of the May digi collab for Kindred Creations. I hope you like it!

Part 2 can be downloaded here.

Free Digi Collab from Kindred Creations

2009-05-25T22:02:00.004-03:00

The May digi collab will be out soon from KC. I loved the rich colours we had to work with this month and I gave my portion a bit of a classic feel.

You can download it here. And check back soon for part 2.

Alphas are the Deal of the Day at KC!

2009-05-11T12:27:00.002-03:00

I'm addicted to alphas and today's Deal of the Day at Kindred Creations has not one but 2 alphas in it. I love the font of the white 'Rockabye' Thickers from American Crafts and the 3" Around the Block chipboard alphas are great too. They are the perfect size for altering. You can't beat the deal Becca has on shipping too. Pay just $2.00 shipping for the deal of the day and you can order up to $15.00 more in product from the KC store with no additional shipping charges.

Great Deal of the Day at KC

2009-05-05T13:01:00.003-03:00

If you are looking for a kit for the boys in your life check out today's deal of the day at Kindred Creations. And don't forget to check back daily to see what is up next. I've heard that Becca will have Chatterbox and 7 Gypsies in upcoming deals. I love 7 Gypsies. LOL

More New Layouts

2009-05-05T07:04:00.003-03:00

Here are the last of the layouts I did on NSD. I even did one with a picture of me. LOL

Update!

2009-05-04T14:55:00.001-03:00

I just got the final total from Myleta and the Paper Arts a Thon raised $12,163.63. What a generous group of people paper crafters are!

New Layouts!

2009-05-04T10:24:00.004-03:00

I had a great time at the Paper Arts a Thon this weekend and it raised over $11,400 for the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada.

I managed to get 10 layouts done and 5 of them were either school or hockey layouts. Hurray! I have to admit some of the layouts are fairly simple but I really want to get, if not caught up, at least not so far behind on my pictures.

Here are some of the layouts. I'm not going to post them all as some of them contain class or team pictures that I don't like to post online.

Come back tomorrow to see the rest.

New Layouts Coming Soon!

2009-04-28T07:19:00.002-03:00

It's been quite a while since I've posted any new layouts. And it's one of the reasons I'm so excited to go to PAAT this weekend. Last year I got 8 layouts done as well as a few cards and I can't wait to see if I can get even more done this year. I am taking my Basic Grey page of the month kits with me and I am going to try and get them done. They are for 'all about me' pages and I don't have any pics for them yet, so it will be a first for me to do a layout without the pictures. We'll see. I also want to work on getting some hockey and school layouts done and maybe some older pictures from my pre digital camera days. I was so busy with hockey this year, I took very few pictures in the last 6-7 months. Needless to say, my kids will be sick of the camera by the end of the summer. LOL

I hope everyone enjoys all the wonderful National Scrapbooking Day activities planned online this weekend. Check out Kindred Creations and Lovebug Scrapbooking as they both have things planned for May 2nd.

Deal of The Day - New at Kindred Creations

2009-04-23T12:35:00.002-03:00

Kindred Creations will be offering a Deal of the Day on their blog starting today. Products will be offered at up to 90% off of retail and there will be a new item everyday. Today's deal is the 'Playful' kit for only $6.

Just 10 More Days...

2009-04-22T13:04:00.002-03:00

... until the Paper Arts A Thon (PAAT)! I am going with my sister and we are so excited. PAAT was started 3 years ago by a wonderful group of ladies as a way to raise money for charity. It is a 20 hour crop for all types of paper crafters and instead of a registration fee, they ask you to collect pledges for the charity they have chosen. They also have make and takes, ticket auctions and raffles and the prize donation list has over 60 names on it already. We went last year and had a wonderful time and met some amazing crafters. Here are the details:

Specifics of PAAT 2009

When: May 2nd and 3rd, 2009
Where: Family Life Center, Middleton, NS
Time: 9 am Saturday (registration starts)
Paper Arts A Thon begins at 10:00 am and runs to 6 am Sunday
(You do not have to stay for the full event. We suggest you stay as long as you feel able.)

Charity of Choice: Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada

And here is a picture of one of the items that are being raffled off, isn't it adorable!

Another Source for Free Blog Backgrounds

2009-04-21T16:00:00.001-03:00

I just discovered the Background Fairy and I love the free blog backgrounds they have. The ones I saw had a shabby chic feel to them and I just couldn't resist trying out the aqua and cream script one. I hope you enjoy the change too.

DT Search at Creatively Yours

2009-04-15T09:22:00.002-03:00

I'm sad to say my term as a member of the design team is nearly up at Creatively Yours. I have been so inspired by the wonderful sketches Noella and Ali create! However, my loss means that they are now looking for a new DT for the next 6 month term. Head on over to Creatively Yours to read all about their DT search and try out for it. I guarantee you won't regret it.

Creatively Yours Sketch #53

2009-04-10T10:28:00.003-03:00

I really love how my layout turned out for Creatively Yours sketch # 53 . I haven't been taking a lot of pictures lately, so I've been going back and using pictures I took before we got a digital camera. This picture is from December 2006 and I love how it worked in this sketch.

Brand New Kit Up at Kindred Creations

2009-04-01T14:10:00.003-03:00

My newest kit has just been uploaded to the Kindred Creations store. It is called Chocolate Ice and it originally started out as a boyish kit, but my daughter loved the colours so much I added some girly elements too. I hope you like it!

Creatively Yours Card Sketch #24

2009-03-31T12:37:00.003-03:00

I used paper and elements from the digi kit I made for the KC March collab to make my card for Creatively Yours this week. I printed out the paper and stars the exact size I needed them for the card. I glued the stars to chipboard and attached them to the card with pop dots to give them some depth. I also added some rhinestones to my sclloped border and used a silver Happy Birthday sticker from Peel Offs to finish it off. I love how it came out!

If you want to pick up the digi kit I used to make this card you can get the freebie here.

Free March Digi Collab at Kindred Creations

2009-03-23T17:11:00.003-03:00

I finally finished my portion of the March collab. The colour palette was great to work with and I was able to include elements for boy or girl layouts. You can see the previews for the other completed portions here.

You can download my portion of the kit here.

My Newest Layout for Creatively Yours

2009-03-23T07:02:00.003-03:00

I just love Ali's Sketch #9 for Creatively Yours this week! It inspired me to doodle more than I have on any other layout and I really love how it turned out.

A Halloween Layout in March.

2009-03-22T11:35:00.002-03:00

I did this layout for March's layout tag at Kindred Creations. I was the second scrapper on the list and I had no idea that the original layout Theresa had chosen was one of mine. LOL

Creatively Yours Layout Challenge

2009-03-17T12:13:00.002-03:00

It's not too late to get a layout entered into the Creatively Yours Layout Challenge. TWO lucky artists will have their interpretations posted on the CY site as a special treat! And Ali and Noella will be choosing a guest designer for April from among the entries. Here is the sketch, why don't you give it a try!

Win Thickers at Kindred Creations

2009-03-16T16:02:00.002-03:00

Starting today, Kindred Creations has a posting challenge on their forum and the top poster every week wins a package of the new Thickers in the KC store.

Also new at the KC Store this week are custom felt designs that are absolutely adorable. Here are a couple of my faves.

Cretively Yours Sketch #7 by Ali

2009-03-08T12:51:00.002-03:00

The best thing about being on the Creatively Yours DT is I am finally getting layouts done on a regular basis. Ali and Noella's sketches truly do inspire me and I am trying new things and finding uses for products that have been sitting in my stash doing nothing. A good example is the layout I did for Ali's sketch #7. I won the rub-ons I used in it at Paper Arts A Thon last year and I had no idea what to do with them until I saw this sketch. The result is a layout that is much softer and simpler than I normally do.

Change is good!

2009-03-04T17:05:00.002-04:00

I'm in the mood for spring, so I've changed my blog colours to spring green. LOL It's hard to believe that winter is nearly over. I can't wait for the first glimpse of spring growth in the garden. Hopefully we'll see it this weekend when it is supposed to be warm and sunny.

Collab is up at the Kindred Creations Store

2009-03-02T14:57:00.002-04:00

You can now download the complete February digi collab at the KC Store .

March Collab Palette is up at Kindred Creations

2009-03-01T17:55:00.004-04:00

Are you a Digital Designer who would like to get your work some more attention? Or are you new to designing and want to try a challenge? Join Kindred Creations in a collaborative kit. This month the colour palette is a mix of blues and greens. It has a very calm and cool feeling and it reminds me of spring showers. To get all the details head on over to the KC forum.

Creatively Yours Sketch #50

2009-02-28T19:55:00.003-04:00

This is Noella's 50th sketch and one of the requirements for this layout was to have it be an All About Me theme. Usually a subject I avoid in my layouts. LOL Since the sketch had places for 3 pictures I did a layout of 3 of the things I love the most. 1 - Coaching my kids sports teams. 2 - Reading good fantasy novels, sometimes over and over. (Note the distressed cover on one of my favourite books.) 3 - Diet Coke.

In celebration of Noella's milestone sketch all the design team did a layout for this sketch, so be sure to check out the Creatively Yours blog!

Free Digi Collab from Kindred Creations

2009-02-26T18:50:00.004-04:00

Here is my portion of the collab kit.

You can download it here.

Creatively Yours Sketch #49

2009-02-25T16:58:00.003-04:00

I had so much fun doing a layout for this sketch. I've had these pictures for almost a year and the sketch inspired me to finally scrap them. I used a technique I've been wanting to try for a while. I painted my chipboard and then stamped it with a small swirl stamp. Once the ink was dry, I covered it with Versamark ink and added clear embossing powder and heat set it. I did 3 layers of Versamark and embossing powder and I love the epoxy like finish it gave me.

Back on Track

2009-02-12T12:28:00.002-04:00

For a while it seemed like I just could not get going when it came to scrapping. I am happy to say I seem to be back on track. I have done 3 layouts in the last week. Here is my latest using this month's Basic Grey sketch.

New Sketches Up at Creatively Yours

2009-02-11T13:29:00.003-04:00

The are not 1 but 2 new sketches up at Creatively Yours. The first is sketch #4 by Ali MacDonald. I was really challenged by this sketch but I'm very happy with how my layout came out.The second sketch is a Valentine's card sketch by Noella and it is just fantastic! There is also a sample card by Ching Phillips which is stunning. See them both here.

Here's a Couple More Pictures

2009-02-08T11:41:00.003-04:00