A great cause....

I am fortunate to be involved in a very worthwhile cause this year.  My good friend, Jennifer Roswell started a crop 3 years ago to benefit the Alberta Children's Hospital.  Actually 3 years ago, I didn't even know Jen!  Because of this crop and her involvement designing with MondayNightClass we became fast friends.  Like the girl that I have known forever ...... I'm sure if wouldn't have taken long to meet her as it seems we know all the same peoples.

Jennifer is an incredible woman, she is really the Super MOM!  I am not sure where she hides her cap as some days she makes my eyes blur in her speed and the amount of things she has on her plate.  She is definitely an incredible woman, friend, wife and mother.

This year, Jennifer has a few of us come on to help her make the 3rd edition of Crop 4 Kids a success.  I've been helping line up the instructors and the classes for the event.

Check out the blog post at the Crop 4 Kids blog.  I am so happy with the instructors that we have coming.

Registration goes live on Wednesday morning at 9 am for the registered croppers and then a week later the classes are going to open up to the general public.

Best thing about this crop is 100% of the proceeds go to the AB Children's Hospital.  Last week was radiothon on many of the radio stations.  After hearing the stories, I am so glad we have this hospital and I love knowing it is there if we need it but I hope to never use the services other than for an ear infection.

I've made a pile of pages at a recent crop weekend however, my camera battery is dead!  I'll get on that soon, I have a 4 day weekend coming up so here is hoping I can get some stuff done.

I love this time of year ....

I do love this time of year and it isn't because of this wonderful weather in Calgary, Alberta.  (Note the scarasm in my voice as it was -22 deg C this morning but with the windchill it felt like -35 deg C)  And it is only to get colder this afternoon and some snow is moving our way!

Anyhow, why I love this year is because of all the CHA releases that are being shown.  So far, I've seen some great things from Theresa Collins, dies from Tim Holtz, Nikki Sivills, My Mind's Eye and many others.

There is a chance to win from Core'dinations - click here and go enter.  They have paper packs to give away and these once are teamed up with Basic Grey, Fancy Pants, My Mind's Eye and Jenni Bowlin!

My Ride

Today, I returned to work after being off since Dec 23rd.  It was a double whammy as I had to get Hailey up as well and to the babysitters with an early drop off of 6:30 am.  Ian usually does the morning routine but is out of town for work for about 2 weeks.  So, 2 weeks of getting up about 5:30 am, getting myself going and then the babe up.  We had a great break, Christmas with the family was wonderful.  We returned and did some painting in the house.  Hailey's room got a huge makeover.  I'll post some pictures soon.

This is the last of my stashed pictures of layouts.  I guess I better get creating or taking pictures!  I made this layout of little Miss Hailey when I was at SK Scraps.  I definitely wasn't shy on the product ... All product is by Bo-Bunny. 

I love this picture of her with her car.  She got this little red car as a gift from my Mom and StepDad for her 1st birthday.  She adores it, hands on the wheel as we go for walks in the neighbourhood. 

Supplies: All Bo-Bunny, Black Bazzill cardstock

The best thing

I'd like to think that the phrase on this page is Ian saying it to me ..... haha .... regardless we are better together.  I kept this layout pretty simple and just let the transparency overlay from Fancy Pants do the work.  I used a craft knife to cut along the design of the transparency so that I could insert the photo in.  The best things is a rubon and the phrase 'we may not' is cut out of a journalling tag by FP as well.  I couldn't go without a little bling so I have a pile of jems and pearls scattered on the layout.  Really this is as unembellished as I can go ....... I try but I need to add lots of lumps and bumps to my layouts.

Supplies

Paper - Happy Together by Fancy Pants

Rubon and tag - Happy Together by Fancy Pants

Bling - KaiserCraft jewels and pearls, various colors

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

We've arrived in Saskatchewan and have begun the celebrations.  Hailey is having a ball with her cousins.  She is definitely going to sleep well tonight and tomorrow night.

Having a Ball

I absolutely love this sequence of pictures that our photography, Virginia captured of Hailey playing in the yard back in September when we were getting new family photos.  These pictures are so Hailey, the carefree spirit that she has.  She is so relaxed and at this time in September was really starting to develop her little personality.  I have to put a shout out to Nancy for giving me the title.  I didn't know what I wanted to call the layout and at the Jingle Bell Crop - Nancy said 'having a ball' .... so appropriate.  Thank you Nancy. 

Supplies:

Paper - Bazzill cream cardstock

Patterned Paper - Echo Park

Letters - K&Co

Flowers - Kaiser

Brads - huge mix, Bo-bunny, Doodlebug, candy dots, some unknowns

Best thing about this is I used up a lot of things that I've had for sometime!

You make me SMILE

I'm not the girl that always has a smile on her face.  I have the serious picture face.  I do know how to have a little smirk but I don't have the wide open mouth , teeth showing kind of smile.  So, this layout is appropriate as Ian does make me smile in life, sometimes it is just more on the outside then on the surface.  He is my guy and after 3 years of marriage and 5 years together, he still makes me smile. 

I made this layout months ago just realized it was on my hard drive.  I don't do many double page layouts anymore I have quite a few in my wedding album. 

Christmas is getting closer and I have piles of things to do and really no energy to do any of them.  But I have 8 days until we leave to Saskatchewan so I guess I better get cracking.  This weekend I will be wrapping up a storm but first, there is Calgals on Friday night!  Looking forward to seeing my girls.  A little lunch with a couple we know on Saturday that has a Christmas present for little HAT but other than that a wide open weekend.  Hope I accomplish some things so I am not the nutcase next Wednesday packing and wrapping before we leave on Thursday. 

34

My 34th birthday was not quite a month ago.  I started last year making a layout 'about ME' for my birthday.  It's a nice reminder to look back and see what was in my head that year.

This layout was a lot of fun.  I did it when we were in Saskatoon at SK Scraps.  I figured a lot about me needed some sparkle and bling.  The base is a piece of paper from House of 3 that I used tattered angels glimmer mist and chalkboard on it.  You can click on the layou to read the journalling.  The picture was taken at the end of September by our photographer when we were getting family photos done.

Supplies

*Patterned Paper - House of 3

*Flocked Paper - Fancy Pants

*Embellishments - Bling - House of 3, Letters - American Craft Thickers, Ribbon - Tim Holtz

*Misc - Tattered Angels - Glimmer Mist and Chalkboard

Scrapbook Design 101

My dear friend, Christy is launching her Scrapbook Design 101 course as an online course starting in January 2011.  I am so excited for her as this course is amazing.  Christy uses her background in interior design and art and applies that to your scrapbook layouts.  I actually meet Chrity in May 2008 when I took this course from her at a local scrapbook store in Calgary.  I did my first 12x12 layout in her class, before that point I was a self declared stamper and I'd put together a couple mini albums that were 6x6.  Anyone that knows me is aware that I've gone from being a stamper to mainly a scrapbooker that might be due to my little girl but I love the larger canvas of scrapbooking.

Anyhow, registration for Christy's class started on Monday, December 6th.  To read more about her course, visit her blog and to visit the MondayNightClass.ca site to register.

Free Spirit

Well, I have to say the only good thing about a migraine and having to take some imitrix is the amount of things I get done through the night because I can't sleep.  I did however, have an amazing 6 hour sleep after popping the pill.  I woke up with only a mild feeling left from the migraine which was a good thing as I was in tears my head was spinning so bad. 

So, seeing as I couldn't sleep.  I spend several hours editing pictures in PSE5 and sending them to Costco to get printed.  Then I decided to get my blog looking better.  It has been so long since I have used blogger extensively, I didn't even know about the new templates and editor etc.  I have a new background and now with my new skills in PSE5, I made my very own banner.  I am pretty happy with it as I threw it together in about 10 minutes.  I had to keep resizing then I realized as I was uploading that the pixel width would be strunk to 910 pixel ... would have saved me a bit if I had read that.  Oh well, I'll remember for next time.

On to my scrap page .........

My little HAT has grown so much in the last year.  This picture was taken in January 2010, she was a mere 6 months old.  We are a few days shy of 17 months now.  I made this page when I was in Saskatoon with Christy for SK Scraps.  It is heavy with product!  But, I figure it looks better on a page then in the package and as Christy pointed out to me - I still own it when it is on my page.

I really am going to try to make this an active blog again.  I won't make any promises but I have been feeling creative lately which is better than it has been since I came back to work in July.  Perhaps I have finally found a routine?  Doubt it ..... just when things start running smooth something throws a wrench at my head ..... next week Ian is out of town so I'll be dropping Hailey at the dayhome at 6:30 am.  I hope she makes it as she is my little sleeper and a 11 hours isn't enough for her.

Supplies:

All paper and embellishments from Bo-Bunny Delilah line

December 1st!

Not sure where the fall has gone.  It is now December and Christmas is what around the corner.  I figure I better get my Christmas shopping done sometime really soon.  I have a visit to Chinook mall planned to get Hailey's 2nd Christmas picture with Santa.  I love their sleigh Santa display, great rich colors for scrapping.

In the last couple months, I haven't crafted all that much.  I did manage to make one card at Calgals at the end of October.  And have done 4 single pages in November when I was at events.  I, however, find I have no light to photography my projects in.  I leave for work in the dark, I come home in the dark and when I do come home at night, I have Hailey in tow, who needs to be feed and watered (haha) pretty much as we get in the door.  Then it's playtime, bath, some cuddles and bedtime!  I tend to flop exhausted from day.  I've been googling buying a light tent but I'm just not finding the right sites for what I need? or do I know what I need?

I have been so fortunate to spend a pile of time with Christy Riopel and http://www.mondaynightclass.ca/ throughout the fall.  I worked at both Scrapbook Carnivals in Calgary and Edmonton for http://www.mondaynightclass.ca/.  The consumers definitely kept me running in Edmonton as they were shopping up a storm.  It was great to spend time with the girls in the industry that I know, Donna Houston from Inspired Designs, Michelle Zemlack with The Hope Chest and I was fortunate enough to meet so many of the Canadian Scrapbooker team, Jackie Ludlage, Katarina Doyle, Allison Orthner, Leica Forrest and Cathie Allan.  These girls are so funny and had me laughing until I had a stitch in my side.  I took Cathie Allan's class in Calgary and learned so much about taking ink to paper. 

On October 28th, we lost my amazing Aunt Matilda to Ovarian Cancer.  She fought a hard fight with the disease and after a little over 2 years of chemo, her little body couldn't fight anymore.  I travelled to Hope, BC to be with my Mom and celebrate my Aunt's life.  Thanks to the Hospice staff and nurses at the Hope Hospital that cared for my Aunt throughout October and made sure that her family was doing good as well.  We had to visit to the Hope Emergency Room as Hailey got a terrible ear infection while we were there.  It is near impossible to keep a child with an ear infection quiet while in a hotel room!  Though it was a sad week, it was amazing to see my cousin, Gwyn who I haven't seen since Easter 1997 and meet her new husband and 7 year old daughter, Shaelynn.  Shaelynn was great at keeping the running Hailey at bay!

November crops brought the 3rd annual Jingle Bell Crop, hosted by http://www.mondaynightclass.ca/.  I love being on this team, Christy and Cindy are both so amazing.  They feed the troops, keep up entertained and I love the new addition to the 10 minute scavenger hunt!  The following weekend I motored to Saskatoon with Christy to attend the Saskatchewan Scraps event hosted by Leica Forrest.  It was http://www.mondaynightclass.ca/ first visit to Saskatchewan.  The fog started to roll in when we were about an hour and half out of the city, so we never did see much other than fog.  The fog did cause some havoc with air travel and the wonderful Cathie Allan wasn't able to make it in but Vicki Boutin and Jill Hildebrand were there.  Vicki ran classes throughout and the sweet Jill spent the day doing a make n'take using Nikki Sivils product. 

So, that has been life in a nutshell.  My little one is now running, climbing up and down the stairs, she has so many new tricks and she lives us in giggles most nights with the things she comes up with. 

And because I don't have any photographed creations to share.  I'll leave you this picture of my babe, eating chili for the first time with a spoon that she did all by herself.  She hit her mouth most times! :-)

The Breast Crop Ever

The Breast Crop Ever was in Red Deer on Saturday, September 18th.  Christy asked me to come along with http://www.mondaynightclass.ca/ to help her out in our booth selling kits.  Of course, I jumped on board as a day with Christy is always a pleasure. 

When I attend a crop as a vendor, I never participate in the door prizes or contests as I don't want to win and take away a prize from a participant.  Though, I am not sure why I worry as the only kind of luck I have is back luck..... (I'm not the person to take to the casino with you.... Ian tends to tell me to go to the other side of the place so he can win something)  Anyhow, back on top ..... But, I've always participated in the 50/50 to build the pot knowing that if I won, I could donate back my winnings.

Well low and behold, I won the 50/50 at the Breast Crop Ever this year.  So, I told Tiffany when she was handing me that money that I would be taking my $167 from her but on Monday, I would be donating the money back to Breast Cancer website so that I could tax receipt in my name.  As if I have a tax receipt in my name, the company I work for Cenovus Energy would match my donation as an employee of the company.  So here is my receipt.  Sometime in the next quarter, Cenovus will be sending the Breast Cancer Foundation a check for $167.  I am happy to have made the 50/50 at the crop a 150/0! .... or in dollars - $501. 

This feels pretty good!

I won!

Echo Park Paper Co. has become one of my favorite new paper companies.  I heard that there was no room to stand at their booth at CHA.  I've got my hands on the first few lines that they have released and the Christmas ones are to die for.

I just won the 'Merry Christmas' line on their new blog and you can too.  Go over to their new blog and sign up to be a follower and leave a comment.  They are giving away one collection for ever 25 followers until they reach 500 followers.

2010 Edition

Well this is the page I made all on my own, no template, just me and a digi freebie kit online.  Definitely a design I would do with real paper.  Though I'd probably put jewels as flower centres but I didn't have a digi of just jewel only the wave of jewels and I wasn't quite sure how to just get one jewel out of the wave.  (photoshop skill beyond me but suspect I would have had to cut and crop it or something.  Regardless I am happy how it turned out.  This one doesn't really need anymore journalling as I think it says 'Yup, this is our family in 2010'.

Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet

This weekend I finally learnt how to digital scrapbook.  It actually was pretty easy now that I have had Photoshop Elements 5 for 3 years, I've gotten used to the program.

I actually didn't design a page for my first attempt.  I rather used a digi template that was free.  I then used used a free kit that I found online.  I like the page and how it turned out.  I need to add some journalling as it isn't complete without it.  I can't say that I am convert but I definitely will do some more digi for gifts.  I think an album done in digital format would be good for me to give as presents to the Grandparents as it is faster than creating 3 paper layouts.  I was amazed at all the freebies out there.  I haven't spent a dime on digi but I know I could.  I then went on to make a layout that I created myself.  (I'll post later)

This weekend I made a big dent in my basement scrapping area.  All the baskets/boxes are up on the 3 bookshelves.  I sorted the 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock into color family.  (Holy batman, I didn't realize I had that much cardstock!)  I also got the tables cleaned off and the recycling under control.  I need one more trip to IKEA for some more DVD and CD storage boxes and then I should be set to start unpacking the bags and boxes were all the stuff is temporarily stored .... piece by piece, hour by hour - I will get this done. 

Digi Supplies: Internet freebies (I can get the sites if someone is interested)

For all you Scrapbookers ....

I found a new website called Big Picture Scrapbooking which is an online classroom with some great instructors, fab projects and a lot of free classes or worshops.

I'm about to start this one - I need a jump start to my creativity right now that has been on break for about 2-3 months too long.