Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

so - it's probably time to update. i've been spending so much time relaxing lately, it's not be a high priority. but here i sit - playing on the computer and thinking. well - maybe not so much.

Christmas has been really quiet. that's usually the way it is. i drove from Saskatoon to Swift Current on the 22nd. i left Saskatoon, it was -36 with OUT wind chill. cold. it was -16 when i got to Swift - not as cold. and it's been getting warmer .... Christmas Day -3. balmy i tell you. positively balmy. today it was snowing. very nice out ... i'm thinking that it was good to come south for the holiday :)

i'm stuffed - with turkey and ham. probably you are too. spent Christmas day with my parents and some excellent friends. We usually end up with them. Excellent time. Played a great game of scrabble -even though i came in last. and started a jig saw puzzle. something we seem to do every Christmas. nasty puzzle though. all hidden pictures inside the big picture. Thanks Mom.

but it's done and i got a few books read, some napping done and it's been super.

i think i'll head back to Saskatoon soon, and then i can get back into my routine just in time to go back to work. sigh. this is nice. i'd rather not work, but that wouldn't be good.

I hope you had a super holiday season.

soon i hope to post some photos of things i've made - but maybe i should make something then?

Rhonna Designs

Rhonna Farrer has some amazing digital designs (along with her paper line) check out her new blog - she's giving away some 209 digital designs right now

love her digi stuff - very easy to use and beautiful designs.

http://rhonnadesigns.blogspot.com/

I've played with a few of her frames and love her rub ons! how about you?

Tim's

so there is another Tim out there (probably more than one...)

this was the Sgt's good idea.

an old artifcal tree. yellow police tape. left over mini Tim's cups.... get some snow into the cups and put the lid on (after i strung dental floss through the bottom) so that the cups won't blow away in the wind.

add some yellow lights. and some ice cap cups - oh - and catch the timbits boxes.

put some other big doughnut boxes at the base - make them look like gifts....

and look what happens.

A Det Dundurn Christmas Poem. (by Sgt Geo White)

Christmas Eve is coming the MP Sergeant said with a sigh,

Can't buy them ALL something, I'm not going to try.

He thought of an idea, that originated further West,

A tree with some special trimmings would suit this situation best,

Tim cups, yellow police tape and ice cap containers were all hung with pride,

Why wouldn't his Warrant Officer let him decorate this masterpiece inside?

Timbits were hung on the (17 Wg Det Dundurn MP Section) tree with care,

In hopes that bigger doughnuts would soon be there.

Visions of chocolate dips, glazed sourdough, and honey crullers danced in his head,

Perhaps he should have a low fat muffin with his double-double instead.

Dumbfounded, disillusioned, depressed and dismayed,

Surely Santa Claus would not "treat" him this way.

On Ford Expedition, on Crown Vic, on Lumina, on Chev Tahoe,

Set them on cruise control as these police vehicles know where to go.

The MP Sergeant did bellow as he cruised out of sight,

Merry Christmas to all and now off a certain drive-thru tonight.

update:

looked and worked okay - until one of the corporals decided that the wind was going to take it away and brought it inside - and put it beside my desk - leaning over my desk. do ya think he thought of the snow inside the cups? not so much .... guess what was ON my desk when i came to work on Monday? he brought it in on Saturday. not too bright that bulb. i wasn't toooo happy about that....
i'm just glad he hadn't put it right over top the very expensive printer/scanner that's there.

Things

This book is a gift. basically it's a gratitude journal. it's got pockets for the pages (one per week) that one writes down DAILY what one is gratiful for. the other side of the page is for a photo for the month. this was a class at Creative Escape that i've redone for a gift. i hope she likes it. i'm going to challenge her and me to do this. we all need to focus on the good in our lives.

So these are my tags as inspired by Tim Holtz. stamping, masking, stickles, ink, glimmer mist, flocking, fragments, rub ons and embossing. oh my. they are so fun to do.... and i know there's a load of techniques that i don't use that often so it's good to be reminded.

have a super day - friends and i are off to Rock Bottom Estate (ain't that a cool name for a farm?) for Christmas supper. they always have a couple of trees and it's so very relaxing and the company is just awesome. the one tree is always lit with candles. MUST take camera with me! along with extra batteries this time!

December already!?

Ali Edwards is showing her December daily book - she pre-made the book and then during the month of December is adding photos & journalling every day. so i thought i'd try it too. just like a load of others... but hey it's a good thing! so this is the inside of my binder. I used a Janet Hopkins Junk Binder (coming soon to a shop near you), that i got at CE this fall. love the binder. and i added a load of other pages and stuff. The cover is below. the scan really doesn't show the glimmer on this very well.

but it was fun to play with! stamping, masking and glimmer - it's all good.

T!m Holtz is posting about the 12 Tags of Christmas again this year and he provides AWESOME technique instructions. the tag here is my attempt at his technique. love the mask. i inked over the mask, stamped over top of that. swiped off the excess and then, because the tag was a little to stark - added some patina glimmer mist. it's really hard to see in the scan - but it's there! love that color. a piece of grungeboard, and so rub ons. then the stickles. both the regular type and the distress type. i think i like the look of the distress better for somethings!

and the second day's technique is alcohol inks... so off i go to play! have a great one!

just some things.

I was told i needed to update - so here ya goes.... stuff to look at.
the Oasis layout was for a tag on JustCre8 i was shown a layout and had to do a lift of it and then mine was passed on and that person did a lift of mine and so on.... reallly a lot of fun.

the layout of my sister Sharon was in response to Amanda's challenge to do matting. plus i was playing with my new little tool - the Tonic wire brush scraper scratcher thingy. i scratched the background in the top and bottom photos. what a lot of fun!

Say it with Flowers - a whole lotta bling!

back to my simple mode - the Phoenix sunsets and rises were really nice.

Maya Road class that was held at Paper Trails. NICE - Caroline is an awesome instructor. Loved the class and the product! i've got a kit to do one of the other classes - gotta work on that....

that's it for now - i've done some other things and am still working on some stuff. Please leave a comment!

Aloha! and details of Crop & Cruise!

i wish. no such luck for me - i'm not going on the Canadian Scrapbooking Crop and Cruise. BUT i was priviledged to attend Leica Forrest' s crop n cruise yesterday at Mother Teresa School. WOW!


that was a total blast!


Jayme from Scrapbooking Fanatics brought her store. I thought she was kidding when she said she was bringing her store. but after lugging the boxes and bins into the school. i believe her. I was also priviledged to host her - what a nice lady!


so the day was great - great people, great food, great time making things. Leica and her gang do the awesomest crops. the behind the scenes stuff was eye opening for me! and the goodies bags were totally awesome - thanks to the suppliers for those products! glimmer mist and cardstock? how awesome is that?


i got 45 cards made (simple ones and card kits!)


and there was a layout contest - congrats to that winner! She totally rocks the layouts, that chickie!


there was a card contest and the cards were donated to the troops.... i have a box here!


and DawnDawn - how awesome was that???? she won the raffle - 'bout time!





here's a photo of SOME of the cards i received yesterday.

plus there was box of 261 from the Old Tyme Baptist Church in Calgary. for a grand total of.... are you ready for this????




535 Cards yesterday!!!!

that means in total there's been over 1100 cards that are going to the troops this year!!! i've sent 2 boxes of over 3oo each already. and this box will be going out the door shortly.

i never dreamed that so many would respond in such a positive way.
Thank you all very much.
you may never get a response from the deployed personnel overseas, but i want to thank you all.

Leica made some sort of speech about this last night and my part in it. i really couldn't hear it all, because i was standing behind her and couldn't hear the speaker system very well, but i think i should have hid. i'm just doing my little part - and you all are contributing to it!

THANK YOU!

Some are still wanting to contribue - and please feel like you can. I'll still be collecting cards.

They can be cards addressed to the soldier or they can be cards that the soldier can send home to their loved ones. after all there probably isn't a card store real close by overseas! The supply depot has asked i could supply all occasion cards too, so this is my next project. i'm a mite over whelmed with Christmas right now (wonder why that is ;) )

friday night and i'm scrapping!

just some layouts i've been doing lately.

haven't even made a card for a while - go figure..... but that might change soon.

Fall is in the air!

it's feeling a lot like fall here. ... go figure.... that means that scrapbooking forums are having fall on line crops.

Lil Scrappers was this past weekend. so these are few layouts i did for the challenges.

now - off to play some more! i've got a jar of gel medium and some canvas and some photocopies of things to play with.... who knows what'll develop?

reflections of CE

Wild Horse Pass Resort in Chandler AZ is amazing. the front lobby is really the 3rd floor .... and this massive waterfall rock piece is part of it. this photo is from the side... the lobby is just to the right behind the rocks. the waterfall goes from here around the property outside.... i guess it follows the same route that the Gila river used to flow in...just in minature. this property has a larger river that follows the same thing only about 5 feet across.... and then there's the river that goes from the hotel to the casino/restaurant area.... you take a river TAXI to get there! it's just amazing.
the rooms all have balconies with wrought iron tables/chairs. the beds have 6 pillows each!!! and the rest of it was just beautiful. 5 swimming pools!!! our room was on the 4th floor (top) and faced west so we could watch the sunset from the room. didn't spend much time on the balcony at 110F that's just a little more than i could stand!




this is just one of the little things we did on Thursday - it was part of the opening functions. FUN! this photo is at the bottom of that rock waterfall thing.

This was Hiedi Swapp's class. there are 4 interactive spinning wheels that show the date and the one is for prompts ... the flip chart on the left is for quotes and the one on the right is for photos. very cool. Prima paper, bazzil cardstock (like there was a choice...) and some bling.

The cards are from the Friday night extravaganza. 8 cards by 8 different designers taught by 4 of the designers. very cool. and they gave enough to make 2 of each card. cool ideas there! and of course paper by Imagense (sp?) and bazzil. neat ideas to play with!

and of course, the Tim Holtz class. he's an excellent instructor. very patient. embrace the imperfections. love all the little "pep" talk stuff. so the frame is to hold the pendant when you're not wearing it. the pendant has a clasp AND a ring so that you could wear it as a necklace or pendant. love that. so simple but sooo cool now that i know how to do it! definately going to have to play with that more....

that's my short reflections. there were 8 classes - 5 of which were albums. very cool... i'm still trying to figure out where to put it all and what to do next!

but if you ever get a chance - and they're taking names for the lottery at www.creativeescapeaz.com already for next year! go for it! it's not cheap but nothing good ever is!

Creative Escape

OH MY! if you EVER get the chance you MUST go - it was fantastic!!!
here's a few shots... Ms Heidi Swapp
the grand guru - Mr Tim Holtz!!!!

Ms Jenni Bowlin

Ms Janet Hopkins
yeah - that's me
Anita!

Dawn

Janice...

it was a crazy wild week - with loads of great stuff and super classes and great times.

now - i've got to unpack, and figure out things and then maybe get some of my own photos up... these are from the friendly CE photographer.... who thought that Canadian's were nice and tame! ha - fooled her!!!

Cards and more cards

Last night at Just Scrap It, there were a few card making gals.... Thank you Ralna, DawnDawn, Glenda, Janet, Amanda, Sheryl, Elizabeth, Charmaine and Barbara left a few cards too.... i hope i didn't forget anyone from last night....

i think there were over 110 cards either made or left for me to collect last night. Thank you very much everyone!!!

Thank you Elizabeth for the envelopes... much thanks!

so far, i've got 306 boxed up in envelopes ready to go to the mail this next week.

and i have to get envelopes for 250 more cards, then those will be ready to go.

Most of these cards are blank for the deployed personnel overseas so that they can send greetings back home.

Next year... i'll also be collect all occasion cards too. There is no place for the deployed to buy cards to send home, so this is much needed over there.

I've actually made 290 of those cards... and a few all occasion ones so i think i've passed my goal!!!!!!

what a nice feeling - i'm sorta tired of Christmas cards tho.... :)


Donations have come across this country and i'm very proud to be part of something so small yet can cheer someone up... THANK YOU - that's just not enough .... but how else can i put it?


Now - does anyone know where i can get envelopes to fit 4.25x5.5 cards really cheap?

More layouts....

did this one in response to a challenge on The Nook - more tha 6 photos on a page... they didn't specify what size the photos had to be! :) Lil'Davis paper and a few rub ons from Luxe and CI and you're good to go!

Wood you believe? that's Dad... and his wood hobby... it was a challenge to use "naked" chipboard and kraft paper... liking this style... simple and clean.

and for a card challenge on Lil'Scrappers... brown, buttons, blossoms, 3 different pattern paper and sticker alphas. oh and a decorative edge. that's not easy! but i think it works.

Friday, August 15, is a late night crop at Just Scrap It. A few of us are going and making Christmas Cards - you're more than welcome to join us!

updates....

here's a mini album i worked on for Lil Scrappers.... which was totally fun.

i took a Glimmer Mist screen and traced it for the outline of my album. and used Glimmer Mist to spray the screen on the back side of the Basic Grey paper.

all sorts of other products in this album too... the challenge was to make a mini album, not square or round with clear elements and visible stamping.

and that's it for now... spent last weekend in Kananaskis with the family and hopefully i'll get some of the photos resized soon for uploading....

now i'm off to a birthday party!

carpe the weekend!

Friday July 4

wasn't a great day. stuff happens that you can't control or even think could ever happen. too close to home. i knew that working where i do, at some point, i'd know someone would be coming home the wrong way. just not yet. prayers and thoughts to the family.





BUT - to go scrapping with my friends was one of the most therapeutic things i could have done. creating. sure it took a while to get into it, but it was so worth it to be with my friends who support. to take one day at a time. and appreciate what you got and let them know it. hugs is good.!





anyhooo - here's what i did create - i can't post one of them just yet but here's a layout i made for 69 days of summer crop at The Scrapping Nook.






remember to hug your loved ones and tell them that they're loved. appreciate them.


And the next JSI crop is 15 Aug - a whole lot of us are getting together and bringing our Christmas papers and supplies to make Christmas cards for the troops - won't you join us?

i'm sooooo close

I'm soooo close to my goal of 300 Christmas cards for the troops. Cards that i've made, i mean.

i've had some donations that totally surprised me. Thanks all!

so i've had 99 cards donated. totally super!!!

and i've made 251. ikes. can't believe it. and i've got tons more paper to play with too!

Wahooo!!!

and more...

the journalling is about how the family wasn't rich in money but certainly was rich in family and friends.



that Tinkering Ink paper is bright! and the flower photo from a co-worker fits perfectly!

this one is about reflecting in the mirror and see more than a reflection.
it's hard to see but the grey spot in the middle of the white is embossed and looks sorta like a mirror.
had fun with the Prima paintables with that one!

More layouts....

Open Road - Saskatchewan roads wide open - you can see everything for miles. miles and miles of nothing. land of living skies, beautiful sunsets. it's an open road to any where you want to go.

journalling reads:Are You Sure? No - we are NOT sisters. we may look alike, we may have similar sense of humor but are NOT biological sisters. sisters of the heart and faith most certainly. Best friends? you BET! I'll even shout it - we are not sisters!


and i'm working on some more layouts!! wahooo!! it's a good thing. i think,