Happy New Year!

Just a quick note to wish everyone a Happy New Year! I am home doing some very overdue scrapping, so I will have lots to post tomorrow (It's about time eh???).
Everyone have a great night and be safe! Here is to a wonderful 2009!!!

The Latest Christmas Tree EVER!!!

So I am sure that there are some families who decorate on Christmas Eve, but this is the absolute latest I have ever put at tree up! Whatever- it is done, and although a little lopsided, the tree looks great! It is really big- standing at about 9 feet- but it fills our now empty living room quite nicely! It almost makes me happy we don't have any furniture in the room...almost! lol! Oh well next year! I took some shots of our fireplace mantle too- it is much nicer in real life- couldn't get a good shot today! I have to thank my Mom, my Aunt Pam and my Uncle Ted ( for the awesome baby sitting!) for helping me with the decorating! Also thanks to the DH for chopping the end off the tree and helping me set it up! Sadly it has to be out at the curb on Jan 5th so we don't get to enjoy it for long! Here are some pics! ENJOY!

Only how many days!!!!

Hello all! Sorry for my very poor posting of late! I was very fortunate to get work for the past 3 weeks! The office I have been working at is wonderful and it was great to get back into the swing of things again! My temp stint there is now over (sigh) so I have some time to get caught up on all of the thing I had planned to to the past 3 weeks! In other words AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Oh well, I have all of my shopping and wrapping done, have purchased enough food to feed a small battalion and now it is just down to the last of the list! I finally purchased a Christmas Tree on Friday night, and after a day in the garage, it is standing ( very) tall and ready in the living room. It is a very good thing we have vaulted ceilings and no furniture in the room because the tree is HUGE!!!!! I can't wait to decorate it!
I have had a real drought of scrap related stuff, but I am hoping to get some time over the next little while!
Before I go, I wanted to link up a chance for everyone to win a little blog candy! The team over at shortcuts is offering up some yummy treats- go check it out!!!
http://sheetloadshortcuts.blogspot.com/2008/12/frost-y-giveaway.html
Have a good one all! I will post a pic of the monster tree once we get a chance to decorate!

Yes, I am still alive....

I just feel really rotten! I have had a cold for like 2 weeks, managed to get my Mom and my 93 Yr old Grandmother sick and it is still going on!!!! I haven't done any scrapping in a dogs age and my mojo is MIA! I am going to tidy up my scrap space and try to find some inspiration!
Have a good day all!g

Monday, Monday!!!

Hey all! Ok I seriously need to get back to blogging and creating- I am on a bit of a dry spell right now! I am heading off to London tomorrow ( aka land of the tonnes of snow) and so I wanted to post a quick little hello before I go!

We had a great time at the Santa dinner the other night. TX loved seeing Santa and we saw many of our friends from the Kingsville early years centre. We did crafts, sang songs, and did the sitting on Santa's lap deal! Pete was able to come for the lighting of the lights at the park and the fireworks that followed! Great fireworks display- I am so impressed with how well organized everything was!

TX was all excited about going to see Santa. As we were getting ready to go, I asked him what he wanted for Christmas.

TX- a box

me- what do you want in the box

TX- a pickle

me- uh ok, what else?

TX- a sandwich

me- what kind of sandwich?

TX- grilled cheese

Seriously!!!!! I thought I was going to pee myself I laughed so hard!

On Santa's lap, when asked he said- a candy cane

and later on that night- Jammies- purple jammies

So now I have to find a box, put a pickle and a grilled cheese in it, top it off with a candy cane and then find some purple jammies ( preferably fuzzy ones!).

If anyone can locate purple fuzzy jammies in size 2 or 3 let me know ok! lol!!!!

Here are a few pics:

Don't you just love the cheesy had I am sporting!!! Terrible pics but a great night!

Have a great one!

Kate

Happy Saturday!!! My first TAG!!!

Howz it going? It is a cold, but still snowless Saturday here! Spent the AM trying to get the house cleaned up ( trying to make you proud Kim!!!) and just had a little nap. The "Sweet Boy" ( as he is referred to by my Grandmother) is having a much needed nap! We are heading out to the Dinner with Santa and the lighting of the festival of lights this evening so he needs to have a really good rest!!! I am really pumped about tonight! You go and eat, Santa is there for the kids to visit, there is a choir singing carols, games and crafts for the kids and they do fireworks after the park is all lit up!!! Should be amazing!!! I will let you all know tomorrow!







As for the Tag business- I was tagged by my friend Carla over at http://moralia.wordpress.com/! She is an amazing scrapper and a card maker extraordinaire! I am honored to be tagged by her ( it is my first one!!)
Here are the specs:



So here we go ( I can't promise it is going to be pretty! lol)


1. I hate my handwriting! ( if you ever saw it you would understand!) I have tried every children's handwriting book to practise, I even bought the Heidi Swapp book! No help- it is still terrible!!!!


2. I always sing when I am in the car. Can't be helped, it just happens!


3. My bed is my favorite place in the whole world!


4. I secretly force my child to watch Backyardigans because I like it ( he doesn't hate it, but I think I like it more!)


5. Scrapbooking embellishments kinda scare me! I don't know what to do with them- it is kinda like wearing jewelry, I can't for the life of my figure out how they go together!


6. I don't eat fish. Well, I will eat fish and chips- as long as there is more batter than fish and I can smother it in vinegar!


7. I am ridiculously competitive when playing any board game or cards! I love to play, but I get kinda crazy when I do!!!





Ok, so now that everyone knows I am a complete wierdo! I get to tag some people! I decided to bug some of the ladies over at the Scrapping Turtle mb:


1. My bud Vic @ http://thepickyprincess.blogspot.com/. It is her fault that I am into the whole scrapping thing and I can never thank her enough!( also, she is an awesome friend and I really miss her!) I like to call her Digi queen!!!


2. Kim @http://21daystochangetheworld.blogspot.com/. She is such an amazing person and I am constantly inspired by her! She is changing the world !


3. Tracey@http://trays-spot.blogspot.com/. She is such a doll! Love her scrappy stuff and just adore her as a person!!!


4. Dee@http://deespapertree.blogspot.com/. Super talented and awesome fun scrapper who cracks me up! I am really enjoying getting to know her and her buddy-


5. Regan@http://stampymcstamperson.blogspot.com/. Wicked funny and also super talented!
You and Dee are so much fun!

6. Jillian@http://sleepisnotrequired.blogspot.com/. She is likely to want to kill me for this! Jillian is SUPER MOM and possibly the most patient person I have ever come across! ( Great scrapper too!) Sorry Jillian!
7.Heather @http://madeinniagarafallsca.com/. Heather does the coolest projects and I am enjoying getting to know her over at the Turtle mb!

That's it! I hope you ladies can forgive me for the tag- it is supposed to be fun- right!

Have a great day everyone! I am off the see the man in red!!!!

KWerner Colour Challenge #31

I love the inspiration photo for this week's challenge! The colours were a bit of a challenge for me ( I think I redid this card 3 times and still am not crazy about it!). I love this stamp from Unity Stamp Co. and I really wanted to use it! Tell me what you think- I love getting feedback!

Have a great day everyone!

Kate

Tuesday already!!!

Good Morning! Sorry that I am so behind in my blogging! Dh is away this week, so I am solo with the little man. No biggie really, but I am still not feeling so great! TX is back up to full speed ( thank goodness!) but I am thinking this first year of daycare illnesses is going to kill me!!!

Haven't been doing nearly enough crafting lately but here are a few things from past days!

I made these cards for Dee's ribbon challenge over at the Turtle mb:

Sorry for the terrible pic ( don't you just love the fancy border with the seagulls in my downstairs bathroom- I really need to change that!!!). Here is a close up

Really simple stuff, just some ribbon weaving, a little cuttlebug embossing, stamped the sentiment and popped it onto a matting! I love the little mug! It is from a set of push pins I got at the dollar store a few years ago. I had always meant to scrap with it but couldn't find the right project. I really like it on the card!

Well, the ribbon project brought to light a very scary situation...the state of my ribbon storage! My ribbon was a snarled mess! I had thought of getting one of those handy dandy ribbon organizing bags, but I am cheap ( and have no spending money) so I thought I could make my own! I found this nifty bag at Liquidation World in London when I was there a few months ago. It looked perfect for this project!

I promptly forgot about my project and the bag sat in the corner of my scrapping space for a while...until I actually had to use some ribbon! I sat down the other night with my handy dandy Silent Setter ( to think I almost got rid of that when I got my crop a dile!) and within in 10 min I had a bag that looked kinda like swiss cheese! The hardest part is rolling up all of my ribbon and loading it in the bag!

Here is the finished product

A close up

I am proud of myself- can you tell!

I think I need to attack my poor photo results now that I can't photograph outside any more ( as impressive as my seagull papered bathroom is, I am not thrilled with the photographic results!)

I found a link a while ago instructing on how to make your own light box. I recommended it to another scrapping blogger ( Carla- she is awesome!!! check her blog out http://moralia.wordpress.com/) and she is going to try it! I think I should too!

Here is the link for the instructions
http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent/

I am going to try to get this done on the weekend!

Well, I'm off! I see the KWerner design blog has a new colour inspiration posted so I am going to check it out!

Have a wonderful day all!

Kate

Happy Friday all!!!

So I said I would update last night and didn't get to it! Sorry about that! I will make up for it today! Grab a coffee, this might be a long one!

First off- here are some more projects I completed for the Scrapping Turtle online crop last weekend. The first project is an altered can ( as challenged by Dee). I kept it really simple and just covered it in a paper scrap, added some paper ribbon and added a paper label I cut on my cricut. The label is 2 pieces, I inked the border and heat embossed it and the stamped sentiment. Right now it is storing my sharpie pens! This is for a challenge to use a work or phrase from a children book or song. I think it speaks for itself! What a goof! This is a pic from the first day he pulled himself up in the crib!

This lo was a challenge to use one big photo. This sure is one big photo!!! Took this shot at Storybook Garden's over the Thanksgiving weekend. Really simple lo!

Last one from the online crop. Another take on the children's song/ book challenge. I finally used the paper my buddy Vic gave me for my baby shower gift ( Yikes- so overdue!). I haven't scrapped quite a few of TX's pics from his first year, so it was great to get this lo done! These pics were taken just before we left the hospital! What a doll!

Everyone seems to be talking about copic markers these days. I would love to try them ( I am all about the scrapbooking tools) but now is not the time to be spending money ( see previous posts re. job search!!!). My friend Vic ( she rocks!) found this online tutorial that uses Sharpie and Bic Mark it pens to mimic the look of Copic markers! Here is the link http://afterhoursstamper.blogspot.com/2008/06/tutorial-how-to-get-copic-like-results.html

I have a lot of Sharpies, so I figured I would try this out! Here is what I have come up with so far, I made some cards up with the stamped images that I couloured!

I think I like the last one the best! I found that heat embossing the stamped image helped to keep things a little neater! The stamps I used are from a pack I got at Walmart for approx. $5.00 ( it came with 2 other stamps). It is simple and very clear so it made a great first image to try colouring with!

That is it for projects- bored yet? It has been a bit of a rough week around here. A little girl at TX's daycare came down with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease. In the wonderful way that young children share germs, guess what we have been dealing with this week! FUN!

Luckly for us, he hasn't had too much of an outbreak, mostly sores in his mouth and on his legs. It has made for a very uncomfortable little man, lots of crying and very little eating or sleeping! Not a happy camper this week! The worst seems to be over, he had a good sleep last night and actually ate some cereal for breakfast! This is a huge improvement! Hopefully he should be up to speed by Monday!

Here is to wishing everyone a great day and weekend! I am hoping to get the young one out for some fresh air today- doesn't look to bad out there!

Caio for now!

Kate

KWerner Design Challenge # 30

Good Morning all! Sorry for being such a bad blogger of late, I will update later! Here is my entry for the colour challenge at KWerner Design blog this week. Here are the colours:
I don't have the SU colours, so I had to wing it. My photo isn't really doing it justice, but the base colour is a very deep olive. The primas have the celery green (I know a streach, but it counts-right?)

Thanks for checking in! I plan to post again later today!

Kate

Catching up on some scrapping!

Well, it is a cool, rainy, miserable day outside-perfect weather for Scrapbooking!!!!
I have been a little uninspired lately, so I was due for a good dose of Scrappin' Mojo! Well, it looks as though I got it!
I finally finished this Halloween lo I started last week. I couldn't figure out what it needed, and then I found these Martha Stewart glittery birds and that did it! I am thrilled to finally get it done! The other reason for my creative push is an online crop that is going on over at The Scrapping Turtle mb! Our DT has put together an awesome array of challenges to get us all moving! It started last night and I have already finished 3!!! I never scrap that fast, but it is all falling into place right now! Come on over and play along with us- it is a very friendly group and lots of talented scrappers to chat with http://www.turtlesoup.scrappingturtle.com/index.php.

I found some old pics of TX and couldn't resist using Kim M's sketch for my lo. Her challenge was called a "recipe for Disaster" and the pictures seemed appropriate!


Lisa posted a challenge to use the colour RED! This is an easy one for me- Love RED! I used this week's sketch from Julie Bonner's 52 weeks 52 Sketches blog as my outline! She is a very talented sketch artist and she often has very yummy blog candy! Check her out @ http://juliebonner.typepad.com/52_sketches_52_weeks/

This lo is just very silly! Regan posted a cheesy picture challenge, and I thought of this picture immediately!!! Just some silliness-not my usual style at all, but I like how it turned out!

Whew! That is enough for today methinks!!! I have ideas for a few more of the challenges, so I may have more post tomorrow (depends how early a certain little man goes to bed!)

Have a great night!

Kate

KWerner Colour Challenge

Good Morning! Well, I survived another day of handing out resumes ( 24 more today, I am officially over 100 out so far!) and actually got a little bit of scrapping and card making done! Here is my take on KWerner's colour challenge this week.
This is her inspiration picture ( great colours aren't they!)
And here is my card:

I was inspired by a sketch from the Card Sketch a day blog http://cardsketchaday.blogspot.com/2008/11/card-sketch-day-65-circle-week.html

I used my nesties to cut and emboss my scalloped circles and stamped and heat embossed my sentiment. I love these challenges, it defiantly makes me use colour combos I would never actually think of myself!

Quick update

Good Morning! Sorry I haven't updated in a couple of days- things have been crazy! TX has graciously shared his sicky germs, so now all 3 of us are sick! I feel rotten!!! How sad is it that he has had this for days and has been less vocal ( read whiny) about it than I feel! Makes me realize what a great kid I have!

Nothing new to post project wise today. I have been working on my Halloween lo for 4 days now ( got started good and early) but my printer is out of ink and I still need to journal- maybe it will be finished tonight. Not feeling all that inspired to scrap...hopefully just a byproduct of this nasty bug!

I did manage to go out and hand out another 17 resumes yesterday. I think my total is somewhere close to 100 by now- still no job! I figure it is a numbers game, eventually it has to get me somewhere! I am planning another blitz tomorrow, wish me luck!!!

Off to clean up the house! Have a great day all!
Kate

Halloween shots

Hello!

I hope everyone had a great time last night and that the come down from the sugar high isn't too brutal! We had fun! It was TX's first trick or treat experience and so it was a special Halloween for us! Too bad he was still quite sick, but when there is candy involved, my little man can rise to the occasion!

In the morning we did the Halloween Parade with the other kids from the Early Years Centre- soo cute! I wish I had gotten some good photos but I was too busy pulling the wagon! The children were totally adorable and it was fun to trick or treat at the local businesses.

As for the big event last night, he did very well! We lasted a little over an hour ( and used the wagon again ) and he had a great time.

Here are a few pictures:

Happy November all, Have a great day!

Good morning! I have been a bad blogger of late and haven't posted in a while! I have been dealing with a sick little man, so scrapping, blogging, (and pretty much everything else) has kind of fallen to the wayside! I did manage to squeak this little card out for KWerner's design challenge this week.

Kinda wild isn't it! Oh well! I used my new embossing folder and inked the raised surfaces to get the colour combo ( red ink on orange and black ink on white paper) and it turned out looking pretty darn cool! I didn't have any sage coloured ribbon so I used more of a lime green instead.

To update you, the Wiggles concert was great- TX loved it! I think he was fighting the cold already as he was really sedate during the concert- he kinda just stared at the stage in a trance like state! GG did well, she tolerated a lot and I am pretty sure I can guarantee she was the only 93 yr old there! I am hoping to do something with the photos soon and will post when I can!

Have a great day!

Kate

Preparing for the concert event of the year!!!

Good Morning! This weekend my ds and I are in London because we are going to be seeing "The Wiggles" on Monday evening! If you don't know who the Wiggles are- you clearly don't have young kids! They are a musical phenomena for the pre- school set consisting of 4 middle aged Aussie men, a giant dancing dinosaur named Dorothy, a dancing dog named Wags, an octopus named Henry and a goofy pirate named Captain Feathersword. Kids ( mine in particular) love these guys- they are hugely popular and successful and cause me to ask "why didn't I think of this???" every time I watch a video! I purchased tickets ages ago and now the concert is approaching!!! It will be a lot of fun! Just because I like to make my life more interesting, my 93 yr old Grandmother is coming with us! Wish me luck, I am going to the Wiggles with a 2 yr old and a 93 yr old!!!! I promise to report back!!!





Before I head off, here is a recent project I completed in responce to a couple of challenges over at the turtle mb. Dee contributed a great sketch to follow and Sharpie ( Lisa) challenged us to use list/ form in a lo. Here is my attempt at 2 in 1:

Have a great day!

Kate

Whew!

Howdy all! No scrapping projects to post today. I spent the day dropping off resumes in an effort to get a job!!!! I went to 19 dental offices today and it is exhausting! The area we live in has been hit really hard with the economic changes that we are all facing, so jobs are hard to come by! I am trying to stay positive and just keep on keeping! I figure it is a numbers game, the more resumes out, the better my chances. It is really tiring to try to sell yourself- let me tell you. I am hoping to get some scrapping done tonight, but right now I am watching So you think you can dance Canada ( love this show).
Hope everyone is having a great day!

Happy Tuesday!

Good morning! I didn't do any scrapping or cards yesterday, instead I was fighting with my computer, trying to downsize a photo for my avatar on the turtle mb! Thanks to some IT help from my friend Louisa I got it done this morning!!! Thanks Louisa! ( I feel kinda silly now that I know what to do...oh well, at least I learned something!)

Here are a few cards I made on Sunday night. We have friends who just had a baby girl, so I wanted to make a pretty girly congrats card and I threw together a couple other cards while I was at it. I don't love them, but I can't quite figure out what I want to add, so I figured I would post anyway!
Here they are:

Have a great day! Thanks for coming to check things out!

Happy Sunday!

Good Morining! We had a great time yesterday at the festival! We watched the parade (T.X. was thrilled with the candy), shopped at the marketplace and played at the children's area. We rounded the day out with a trip on the Streetcar Called Desire (seriously that is what it is called) and a bbq hot dog on the lawn of the High School. We had a great time and needed a good nap by the time we got home! I don't know if it was the excitement of the day, the cold he is fighting or the 3 lollipops he managed to suck back at the parade but T.X. woke up with a serious case of the whinies and never got over it. The day ended with a major meltdown (blessingly rare at our house) and 2 seriously frazzled parents! Oh well, today is another day!

Being the " Super Mom" that I am, I went and scrapped while Pete dealt with the screaming banshee child! Here are my finished products:

I was cleaning up my scrapspace and found these picture overlays and die cut embellies in a bag I had packed for a crop and forgotten about! I picked up a magazine and had 2 quick lo ideas within 5 minutes! I love it when that happens! If only I could actually crop that quickly! lol

I swiched out the top picture for one taken yesterday as we waited for the parade! I don't know that I will ever be as good as my bud Vic with the self portrait pics but this one came out pretty well! ( Is it wrong that I picked a picture that I look better in?). I was showing Pete (dh) the finished lo and said it was too bad that T.X. had his eyes half closed- he pointed out his eyes look exactly like mine! He is right, T.X. has inherited the Booth squint ( sorry about that babe).

Ok enough babbling on! Have a great day all!