Happy New Year!

2010 is upon us. Remember 10 years ago when the world was going to end as it was feared the computers etc wouldn’t roll over…… seems like a light year ago. 2009 was a great year for the Tompkins’ household. Welcoming Hailey into our family has forever changed us, I have to say that I love my husband today more than I did last year and each day that I see him grow as a father brings us closer together as a family and couple. The year leading up to July 9th (Hailey’s birth day) was a hard one, I never thought the nausea and all day sickness would ever end. Even though I ended up with a c-section, really the only memories that remain with me aren’t the surgery or the recovery but day after day of gagging and vomiting.

The first day of 2010 has been bittersweet for the Tompkins’ household. On New Year's Day at 6:30 pm Atlantic time, we lost Ian’s Grandpa Tompkins after a long battle with kidney disease. Grandpa Ron was a extraordinary man, a veteran of World War II and a retired principal. He will be greatly missed by the family however, we are happy that he is no longer suffering. I first met Ron, in December 2005 when I first visited Ian’s grandparents in Antigonish, NS with Ian. At the time, both he and Grandma Flo were living on their own, at 88 and 86 (yes, folks Ian is the 3rd generation of Tompkins’ men to marry an older woman). We are very glad that we were able to go to Nova Scotia at the beginning of December and visit Grandpa Ron one last time. This picture is of Hailey and the only Great Grandfather that she was able to meet.



I am not one to make New Year’s resolutions. Ian asked me if I had a resolution the other day and I responded, ‘My resolution is to love my family and make the most of the 6 months I have before I go back to work’ – he didn’t think that was much of a resolution and perhaps it isn’t as Ian is very goal outcome orientated as most engineers are … that resolution does not give you any end result. So, then he asked if I had any goals for 2010. Well, I think do have a few of those. First, I want to revitalize my blogging life. So, my personally goal is to blog at least 2 times a week. Secondly, I want to set a both a monthly stamp and scrap goal. I find it funny I teach all the Copic classes at the Scrapbook Pantry and I think I have 3 cards displayed in there. So, my personally goal is to scrap at least 2 pages a month and make at least 2 cards a month. I know this aren’t very lofty goals but if you’d seen what I’ve done in the last 16 months you’d understand – oh wait you have as you’ve read this blog or lack of blog. Anyhow, this goal is outside my designing for www.MondayNightClass.ca and my Copic teaching at the Scrapbook Pantry. This goal is all for me, my personally crafting which I haven’t been doing enough. Thirdly, I vow to attend as many Calgals events as possible this year and to post the card from our sketch challenge on my blog right away (ok within 2 days – who am I kidding!)

Anyhow, these are my ‘goals’ in my little craft world. I am sure they aren’t what Ian was getting at but, what does he know!

Before I show you a card I created I want to tell you about one of the new things at the blog for www.MondayNightClass.ca – our blog name is I Love Mondays (I personally love the name cause the only way I could possible love Monday's is when scrapbooking is involved). The designers (including Cindy and Christy) will be taking an older kit and creating a sketch from that kit then 2 designers will be posting their rendition of that sketch. The first MNC Sketch Challenge was posted today, this will take place on the 1st and 15th of the month. My first official page will be up on Sketch Challenge #3 but I hope to play along with the majority of them. I think it is a great idea and shows a whole new take on the kits, they just aren’t a one time thing, the are an idea for another page as well as a sketch for a whole new page. Christy posted a 2 page layout today and Kim posted a 1 page layout as well on the first sketch challenge. Make sure to check out their work and the information on the new challenge by clicking HERE!!!!

On to my card, I think I made this card at one of the last Calgals I was at before I had Hailey I am pretty sure it was June (and I was the size of house). The image is airbrushed and I coloured and airbrushed this at my Copic class in April when I taught airbrushing to the class. I think the Sketch was by Merlie though I don’t remember where she got it from and I’m too lazy to go back through her blog posts to figure it out. (at least I can admit it!)


Details
Stamp: House Mouse – Stampabilities
Paper: SU Rich Razzleberry and Orchid (I think)
Misc: SU embossing folder, Brides Flowers from Mike’s, SU Rich Razzleberry ribbon, Copics plus airbrushing system, Plum KaiserCraft pearls

*** Newsflash that probably everyone knows but me! Did you know that Dollarama has the pearls and rhinestones that look exactly like KaiserCrafts ones. There are 23 in total I think 16 rhinestones and 7 pearls well at least that is all they got in Regina. My Mom got some and then went back and got a few for me in my stocking but they were sold out of most however, we went to the south Regina Dollarama and I was able to get all 23. They are divine!

So, this is post #1 of the week – see you back here in a few days. I forgot to also say make sure to check out the new kits that were released on today from www.MondayNightClass.ca!!!! I don’t have any up there but the ones that are up there are awesome. I think my favourite is ‘Ahhhh’ as I am dreaming of a beach right now but ‘Deck the Halls’ would be great for the holiday pictures!