Kally likes parties

For Kally the best part of a birthday party is the tissue.

Happy Birthday Jenna

Happy birthday sweetie. Hope you had a great day!

Free digital cutting files including .gsd & .svg

What an incredible find! I keep saying I want to use my Wishblade more often but since I have the older blue one, I can't use the newer .gsd files. I need files in other formats that I can convert using the software I have.
In my blog hop this morning I found this site
http://digifree-cuts.blogspot.com/. It is a search engine for digital cutter files in various formats.
I downloaded a few .svd files and will try to convert them to .dxf using Inkscape and then import them to Robocraft and save them as .gsd files to use with my Wishblade software.

I haven't had a chance yet to try out my new Funtime Scrapbooking Software to try a hand at creating my own designs but hopefully will have some time to try soon. In the meantime I am eternally grateful to those designers who share their files.

One last post for today

I know I am running a little behind. I bought the Happy New Year stamp from Stamping Up and had intended to make New Year's cards to send to a few close friends. That didn't happen yet so I wanted to share the collapsible calendar template that I was going to put inside of the card, similar to the Sizzix POP Up Ball.

Funtime Scrapbooking software

I have had my Blue Wishblade for a couple of years and want to use it more for titles and embellishments. I had been using Inkscape and then Robocraft to transfer the files into the right format and then cutting using the Wishblade software. The blue Wishblade will only work with Windows XP and earlier. I finally ordered Funtime Scrapbooking software that should allow me to design and cut using only one program, thus saving time and aggrivation when other programs freeze in the middle of a project and won't let you save them. The software arrived a couple of days ago and I can't wait to use it but have other things I need to do first. That may be a weekend project.

Trifold Shutter Album

In my blog hop I saw Andrea's Tri-fold shutter album and knew that was what I had to do to hold our annual family Christmas photo. I found some instructions here but decided just to make 2 tri fold cards and attach them together. My finished album is 6X8" and holds a lot of photos.

{sorry about the glare in the cover photo. I have acetate over the photo to protect it.}

Christmas Scrapping

Thanks to a dear friend, Lizz, and her monthly scrapbook class I have 2 layouts almost finished of this year's Christmas. I do have one of my own partially completed on my craft table. Will share when finished.

No more working evenings and weekends

I just accepted an overnight position at work so no more 3-11's and no more weekends! That's the upside. My family is excited because they will see more of me. I will sleep while they are at school.

With a more regular schedule I hope to be able to schedule time to get healthier with our new Y membership and more time for friends and creative . In fact I have a box from Stamping Up sitting here just waiting to be opened.

Stamping Up Occassions Mini is available now.

The Occasions Mini Catalogue!
This is Stampin' Up!'s spring preview. You'll see tons of new and fabulous products listed in here including:

•Clear acrylic blocks
•Clear stamps
•Chipboard albums
•Great new stamp sets

•Fabulous Brads
•New Big Shot dies
•AND BRAND NEW PUNCH DESIGNS!!!!
You can start ordering from this catalogue today. You can place orders with me or online through my store. Any orders placed will qualify for the SAB bonuses listed above.

Sale-a-bration! What a time to save!

The Sale-a-Bration Mini Catalogue!

It's the greatest time of year to buy and save during Stamping Up's Sale-a-Bration

Spend $65 on any current Stampin' Up items and get a choice of 6 new products for free OR your choice from over 45 current stamp sets. {Email me and I will send you a copy of the stamps from the current sets} One free item with every $65 purchase and the sky is the limit. Shop with me on line @ http://www.stampinup.net/esuite/home/gerrierollins/promotions or email me.

Why not host a Stampin' Up workshop (or catalogue party) with me and get a free item from the Sale-a-bration mini for every $395 in orders collected (in addition to any you earn through your own purchase)- why not grab a few friends, place an order and you reap the rewards? Free stamping/scrapbooking items + time with friends = priceless

Great ideas for those sizzix pop up dies

In my blog hopping I stumbled on to Karen's blog. She has done amazing things with the pop up dies that Stampin up carries and other Sizzix pop up dies. Take a look and it will be time to dust the dies off.
http://www.karenburniston.typepad.com/

Happy New Year

We spent New Year's Day in Niagara Falls at the Fallsview Waterpark thoroughly enjoyed the change of pace. Finished the tripoff with a lovely dinner overlooking the Falls and a drive by the light display. Glad we drove home last night while the going was good. Today however is a different story

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?