*Once In A Lifetime*

This is truly one of my favourite stamps.... I love the saying "Once in a lifetime you meet someone who changes everything".... it goes well with my other favourite saying ... "to the world you may be one person, but to one person you may be the world".

I think both sayings encourage us to be the best person we can be... to strive to make a difference to one person.... and to look for the good qualities of others.

If only I could find more good qualities about this card than the saying LOL!

I'm not thrilled with this card....  it's just "not right" in my opinion.  It's not that it's awful, but it's just not "right".

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Cranberry Crisp, Crushed Curry; Classic Crest White
*Patterned Paper: Magenta
*Images:  Stampabilities
*Ink: Stampin' Up! Cranberry Crisp
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! Ribbon
*Challenges: FTL104

*Going Out Tonight!*

I am so excited to be heading out tonight to see my most favourite band in the world!  Great Big Sea is playing in Calgary tonight and tomorrow night.  This will be my fourth time seeing them in concert.  Every one of their concerts I have been to has been a great party!  Their music makes me want to get up and dance and I can't help but sing along!  The only downer of any of their concerts is when it's over... I could truly listen to them all night long!

One of my last car trips to Regina to see Mom, I created a playlist of only Great Big Sea on my iPod and listened to them on shuffle for the entire 7 hour car trip!!

I get to see them in concert again next month... Heather bought tickets for us to go see them in London Ontario (where my niece lives) while I'm in Ontario at the end of November!

WOO HOO!

The card I'm sharing today sure mirrors how I feel about going to the concert tonight...  if that makes any sense at all LOL!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  PaperTrey Ink White
*Patterned Paper:  Imaginisce
*Images:  PTI Signature Greetings
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Taken With Teal
*Tools:  Stampin' Up! 1 3/8" Circle Punch
*Challenges:  FTL109


I loved the look of the large scallops but I don't own a large scallop border punch... so I just cut some circles with my circle punch and layered them on the side of the floral layer to create the large scallop border.  A border punch would be easier and a little more tidy, but it worked!

*My New Job*

I am so excited to finally be able to tell you all about my new job!  For anyone who has read my blog lately and was paying attention would have seen the "Where I Work" addition to my sidebar.....

I started my new job with MondayNightClass.ca yesterday, after interviewing in July and being hired soon after that.  I have been hired to help the ever wonderful Christy Riopel with some of the day to day duties she has as co-owner of the company.  The majority of my duties will be behind the scenes... website, blog, Facebook, email newsletter and kit direction layout, as well as running errands.  I will also be working at the Jingle Bell Crop coming up in November and will help out with other duties as needed with other events and crops.

I am so excited to be a part of such an amazing company... a little nervous though too as I hope that Christy and Cindy realize it will take me a bit to get my feet

MondayNightClass.ca employs several scrapbooking designers who create new layouts on a regular basis and write out directions to create those pages...  these directions are then test driven by a team of scrapbookers to ensure that the directions are correct and easy to follow.  Product is then ordered and kits are put together.  Each month several different kits are made available to purchase online as well as at a few Alberta scrapbooking stores.  You can either buy kits when it moves you or subscribe to receive a kit of your choice each month.  The kits are a wonderful way to try something new, get something done quickly, or just to get you back in the creative groove!  I've also heard of people who take the items in the kits and create their own layouts... or even cards!!

Please take a moment to check out their website and their blog.... and if you like what you see, come join us on Facebook too!!

*Ready for Halloween*

I have to send a big THANK YOU to my friend Nancy who inspired me today.....  she posted THIS which was her version of THIS..... and I fell in love!

It cost me about $13 cuz I used poster board and tissue paper.... and it took me almost 2 hours to get it all together....

LOVE IT!!!

*Feeling Like Fall*

Happy Friday!

Our week has been beautiful.... has felt more like early September than the end of October outside....  and I'm still wearing flip flops!!  Today it's cooled off and our high is forecast to be more seasonal (about 11*C).  Next week isn't looking that good.

I fear I will be finding my socks and shoes soon.... :-(

This is another clean and simple card for you, this time with a Christmas twist...

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Whisper White, Night of Navy
*Patterned Paper:  Masterpiece Studios
*Images:  Impression Obsession
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Night of Navy
*Embellishments:  unknown snowflake brad
*Challenges:  FTL110

*Squares and Circles*

Happy Tuesday everyone!!

I must admit that I am forgetting to post to my blog... perhaps I should stop trying to remember and just schedule some posts for a while.  Hmmmmm, it's a thought.... but I think I'll work on trying to remember on my own for a while longer.

Getting back to my life has been busy, hard, easy, good, bad and ugly LOL.  A total mixed bag of emotions and feelings about it all.  I'm not pushing anything... I know it will all come with time.

It feels like I've been home forever.... but also like I only just walked in the door.  Does that make sense?

Anyway... I have been crafting a bit... even managed to make THREE CARDS with the CalGals on Friday night.... at Shannon's house!  Yup!  I crafted away from home!  I even like two of the three cards I did.

This is one of the cards I created in my brief stay at home back in August... it sat on my craft table for 8 weeks before it got photographed!

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  PaperTrey White; Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip
*Images:  Stampin' Up! Wonderful Words
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip
*Tools:  Stampin' Up! square punches
*Embellishments:  Making Memories brads
*Challenges:  FTL102


I have been doing a lot of the Clean and Simple challenges since I got home... I think they take less thinking than most of the other challenges I seem to like....  I only have one more of their challenges in my To Do folder before I have to bite the bullet and do some of the other challenges.

Thanks for popping by!!!

*Trying To Get Back*

I can't believe how tough it has been to get back into a regular routine for me....  being "off" for 8 weeks a row has made my return to my normal life a little rough.  I'm constantly checking my Google Calendar to make sure I"m not missing anything!

I have had some time but no mojo for crafting... I *want* to craft, but there's just nothing there.

Maybe that will change tomorrow night as the CalGals are gathering for the first time since May!  This is the longest we've gone without getting together.  I'm looking forward to spending the evening at Shannon's with the girls tomorrow!  I should figure out what I want to pack!

This is another of the cards I created in my brief stay at home this summer....

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  PapertTrey White; Stampin' Up! Marina Mist, Cherry Cobbler
*Images:  PaperTrey; Stampin'g Bella
*Ink:  Memento Tuxedo Black; Stampin' Up! Marina Mist; Copics
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! white grosgrain ribbon coloured with Stampin' Up! Wild Wasabi ink
*Challenges:  SCS Color Challenge #279; FTL103

*A Thank You Card*

Hi Everyone.... and a belated Happy Thanksgiving to my fellow Canadians.

Thanksgiving was a little tough for me this year and thankfully my Mother in Law invited us for dinner so that I didn't have to do all of the work.  It was a delicious meal despite my mood and a few tears.

The best part was that it was a long weekend and we took it easy!

I created this card back in the summertime and was going to send it to my sister while she was in Regina.... but then I got the call to return to Regina before I got a chance to send the card.  Instead, I sent it last week when I got home... and she received it today....

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Certainly Celery, River Rock, Riding Hood Red; PaperTrey Ink white
*Images:  Stampendous; Stampin' Up! So Many Sayings
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Riding Hood Red; Memento Tuxedo Black; Copics
*Tools:  Big Shot; Nestabilities; Swiss Dots and D'Vine Swirl Cuttlebug folders
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! white grosgrain ribbon dyed with the Riding Hood Red ink pad
*Challenges:  Mojo148; Color Throwdown #103

*I'm Home*

Hi everyone.... wanted to let you all know that I am home, safe and sound, after a long, tiring and emotional 8 weeks in Regina.  It's been a rough 2010 so far and I am hopeful that the rest of the year plays out a little easier for my sisters and their families and my family and I.

Thank you to everyone who has sent cards of condolence and to those who have sent donations to the Hospice in Mom's memory.  We are all truly appreciative of your generosity.  It is heartwarming to learn just how much Mom meant to so many of you.

It was very difficult to leave Regina on Saturday... I was so happy to be heading home to my husband, sons, friends and life but it was so hard to know that I was leaving my childhood home behind.  The house was sold in about 24 hours and the new owners took possession at noon on October 4th.  That house was bought by my parents 47 years ago... they were the original owners of the house.  It's so strange to think that it's someone elses' house now.

I still can't believe that both of my parents are now gone.... I miss them so much....

I hope life will return to normal soon....  at least a new normal.

For now I am playing catch up with my life, trying to remember where I left what, trying to figure out the new fall schedules for the kids and their activities.  Bruce will be back to work at the end of the week (thanks for playing Mr. Mom for the last two months.... and all the other times I was in Regina, babe!) and I will be starting on a new adventure on Tuesday I think.... more about that later!

I hope to spend some time creating in the next few days.... I have some new toys to play with!!  Mostly Nestabilities, but still!!  LOL!

Thank you all for being so patient through the last few months....  I have hated to neglect my blog and my creativity, but it was necessary.  I hope that the creative energy begins to flow again....

I created this card a few months ago.....

Items Used:
*Cardstock:  Stampin' Up! Barely Banana, Melon Mambo, Chocolate Chip, Tempting Turqouise
*Images:  Close To My Heart From Me To You
*Ink:  Stampin' Up! Chocolate Chip; Copic Marker (to colour brad)
*Tools:  Big Shot; D'Vine Swirl Cuttlebug embossing folder; Spellbinders Flower Creation
*Embellishments:  Stampin' Up! Decorator Brad
*Challenges:  FTL101


Thanks for stopping by.....