Wrapping help

Just finishing off the last minute touches for our family Christmas today and Kally decided the packages needed some adjustment. Hopefully she didn't leave teeth marks in the celophane

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas

These photos were taken by my Mom when she was over with my Dad on Christmas Eve. Dad helped Arthur install my Christmas present. A gorgeous glass insert with a Calla Lily on it for my front door. It sure lets the light shine in to the room.

I hope your Christmas was filled with bright moments spent with special people.

Olympic torch relay

My sister-in -law, April carried the Olympic torch in Chatham last night. We were there to cheer her on. It was so much fun. We even got to touch and hold the torch. On the way home the kids couldn't stop talking about how much fun it was and played with the thunder sticks, tamborine from RBC and the coke bottle lights that changed colours. Aaron took video with Oma's camera and I look forward to seeing that too. It was fun being a part of Olympic history!

Its a Wrap!

The shopping is all done and now all that's left to do with the Christmas gifts is to wrap them to get them ready for giving. Over the next few days I hope to show you some of the different gift wrapping ideas we have used.

Jenna wanted to give her teachers a little treat so we put some hot chocolates, one regular and one dark chocolate with a candy cane and some Hershey kisses in a mug. She wanted a pretty package so we made 3X3" box bottom and lid (Like she learned at a kid's class at Heather Summers) and used a copier overhead acetate sheet scored at just under 3" (this left an opening for the handle of the mug to come out of the package. We added ribbon, a gift tag and a fun large bell to finish it off. She made one for each of her teachers and an extra one for Aaron's teacher.

Thanks so much Jenna!

Had a tough day at work today and when I got home my not so little girl was waiting on the porch for me with a friendly "Hi mom". (I called earlier to let them know I was later than I expected.) That mean't the world to me and I want to let her know how much I appreciate her.

Thanks so much sweetie. Love Mom.

We miss you Braedon, Calum and MacKenzie

Our gingerbread house decorating was not the same without you guys. We decorated with our cousins Scott and Colin at Granny's house yesterday. Hope to be able to get together before Christmas. Love Aaron and Jenna

Look what's under the Christmas tree?

We put up our Christmas tree on the floor this year instead of on a coffee table and Kally has found an renewed interest in being under the tree and playing with the ornaments on the lower branches. She particularly likes the snowflake one with the bell on the bottom.

Secret Santa????

I am participating in a Secret Santa gift exchange for 2 weeks with teenage girls and am looking for a Secret Santa verse I can put with the gifts.
Anybody have any ideas?

Still Re-organizing my craft room

I am still in the process of re-organizing my craft room once again. I have my punches hanging on curtain rods on the wall behind my door and a lot of mess all over the place. Today a local craft store had modular storage units similar but not hte same as these on for 55% off so I purchased a couple of 6 cube units to replace the ugly brown desk that doubled as a storage unit, come containers to fit inside 4 of the cubes and a couple of wall ribbon holder racks. Now I have to find the time to get in there and move things so I can put my new cube units in and go from there. These units are not as deep as the desk is so should give me a little more floor space to move around in. Can't wait to get things put away so I can start crafting in there again.

My Christmas Swap Card

I cased the card (sorry, not sure from who) but added the spirelli ornament using Stampin'Up's scallop circle punch and gold cording.

Work, work, work & more work

Picked up an extra shift Monday from 3-12, worked 3-11 Tuesday and the from 11-7 sleep shift. Have today off and then work Thursday all day for training, Fri from 3-12 and then the weekend from 11-2230 hours. When do I have time to play?

Happy Monday

My family will attest to the fact that I've been grumpy lately so I have decided I'm going to try really hard to be more positive. Have a wonderful Monday, whatevcr you are doing today!
I work at 3 but have some time before then to do some errands and have lunch with my daughter. Aaron can't come home for lunch because of volleyball practice but maybe I'll be able to catch him for coffee on Wednesday.

Reorganzing my craft room

I am in the middle of reorganizing my craft room once again and wonder why I ever started. I would like to start from scratch but that is not possible. My room is the size of a small bedroom with one large window and a closet. All of the walls are covered almost to the ceiling with stuff. There is too much in there so I can't find anything. I'm going to have to purge. I think I may donate a lot of things I don't use to my son's teacher who wants to start a card making club at lunchtime with her grade 7 and 8's.

First I cleared the punches from the over the door rack and put them on curtain rods hung on my wall behind the door. Now I can close the door and no one will know what is behind it unless I want them to.

Next I have to relocate some of the shelving that is sitting on my table taking up valuable workspace and find a spot for it all.

Its all taking much longer than I first anticipated but that seems like it is my current reality. I will show you my changes when I am happy with them but for now,

Happy crafting.

Remembrance Day

I just attended the Remembrance Day Ceremony at my children's school and as always was very moved by the young voices. The following video was one they showed.

Visited by 2 witches

Jenna and her friend Gabby were Bewitched tonight. The girls had lots of fun and Aaron couldn't wait unitl they got home so he could raid his sister's bag.

Happy Hallowe'en

Have fun this perfect Hallowe'en evening.

Wishing Jenna's teacher the best

Jenna came home today with the news that her teacher will be undergoing surgery for breast cancer next week. We wish her the best and hope she'll be able to resume teaching soon.

Cool Hallowe'en suckers for card

Found these cool suckers and thought they would be perfect to use with the Hallowe'en stamp from the Sweet Centers set. Inked up the square stamp with 3 different colours for a fun look and I used a retired itty bitty Hallowee'en set from last year for the background of the card.

Today is the Annual GI Fundraiser

Jenna and I are off today for Heather and her Simply Starts team's GI Cancer fundraiser. Can't wait!

Wow its been a while

I can't believe its already the 21st of October. Been busy working and then came down with the flu on Monday evening. Will post when I'm feeling better.

Checking out the new car

Aaron and Jenna were almost as excited as I was to have the new car home. I'm a little scared though. Canada's Worst Driver tv show has taught them more than I want them to know about my driving habits.

Warm and snuggly

My afghan is not finished yet but Kally thinks its warm and snuggly

Happy Thanksgiving

Just wanted to wish all my fellow Canadians a Happy Thanksgiving weekend. Hope you are able to spend time with those you love.

Christmas Tag Box

I'm keeping true to my promise to myself to make some of the projects I download so here is my Christmas tag box using Christmas Punch level 2 Hostess set pictured on page 14 of the current Stampin Up Idea Book and Catalogue. I used chocolate chip cardstock for the box, and an overhead projector sheet for the lid.

There are several tutorials on the web and here is just one of them.

Tag box tutorial {Sorry the original link did not work. This one should}

Stampin Up Deal of the week

Now only $16.99 My way punch

$15.99- Trio blossom punch

$15.99- 5 petal punch

If you're Canadian and want to order at this special price email me at Email me

or click on my online shopping link in the sidebar.

World Card Making Day

I'm not working this Saturday so will be able to participate in World Card Making Day. Anyone want to join me? Just contact me and we can set something up.

Summer Sunsets

{Sorry for the quality of this photo. My camera battery is dying.}

I used an old favourite Stampin Up set. Its one of the first ones I purchased many years ago but it still has a place in my heart. The sun motif was perfect for these sunset photos.

Another layout by my friend Lizz

Did this layout with ribbon at Lizz's class. Just need to get some journalling from the graduate's mom and a few finishing touches will complete it.

Get a head start on Christmas Decorations

With this wonderful Stampin Up, Country Living Christmas class you will take home not only the stamp set and the stampin essentials, you will make a multitude of chipboard Christmas frames, ornaments and gift tags. All for $30.00

Thursday, October 15, 2009

7-10 pm.
Register now for your spot. Email me

Layout using Designer paper in the Country Living Christmas kit

After creating a class using the Stampin Up Country Living Christmas kit, I still had 4 sheets of designer paper left over. I only used 2 for this layout and added a couple of sheets of real red textured cardstock and am happy with the results.

Stampin Up huge clearance sale

Stampin up now has a clearance rack. Items will change while quanties last. Check it out by clickin on the image. You will be directed to my online store.

Another layout

I had a few extra minutes yesterday before I had to pick the kids up from school so I got out the paper I purchased before the zoo trip and the photos I took. Following a double page layout sketch it was simple to put it together very quickly.

Hallowe'en at Shelter Valley

One more layout finished with this summer's pictures. Thanks Lizz for the layout. Labour day weekend my children were at their Aunt's trailer park and celebrated Hallowe'en early. They had so juch fun and the weather was warmer than we usually get in October.

Working on no sleep

a layout by my friend Lizz
using now retired papers and in colours (They were not retired when we did the layout.
I used it to document our annual trip to a scrapbook convention)
a page kit I purchased a long time ago
5 rules for living- When things become crazy they are a good place to start to get things under control.
a scraplift of something I liked
The rub on reads Beautiful, God must be a painter. Why else would there be so many colours
Both of these photos show streaming sunlight behind my subjects
a page I started but didn't have the right photos for. I delight in flowers, especially those first signs of spring peeking through the snow. Jenna delights in cuddling with our cat Kally.

Maybe I should work on no sleep more often. I'm coming off 2 overnight shifts, have 2 days off and then have 2 12 hour overnight shifts on the weekend. I know my schedule will be so mixed up but I didn't want to sleep the day away and then not be able to sleep tonight. I decided to try to stay awake for a while this morning, sleep this afternoon and be up with my family for dinner and the evening. In order to stay awake I finished off some layouts I had started and just needed to add photos, title and an embellishment or 2.

Where did the summer go?

A couple of layouts my friend Lizz created. Just fit the pictures perfectly

Happy Birthday to you!

Just wanted to wish my husband Arthur, a very happy birthday!

Finishing touches

I've been adding finishing touches to these layouts I started some time ago. They are either kits, a class from Novi or a scraplift. It feels good though to have them done. I have a couple more but will save them for another day.