photoshop rocks!

i borrowed "the photoshop book for digital photographers" from a friend for the holidays and yesterday had great fun learning some techniques and being somewhat succesfull and i must say i am defintiely going to get this book for myself. here are a few shots i "fixed up". too much fun.

My munchkins

well i took lots of pictures but again i am not totally happy with very many of them, ugh, i need lessons (or a new camera hehe) but here is my fave of Lindsey and Mitchell together in their Santa gear. Also a picture of them in front of the tree and the best family shot i got, (needs some cropping but you get the idea).

Love being Organized!!!

THanks to some help from Lindsey and these awesome ribbon wraps from Magistical Memories i reorganized all my ribbon collection into this nice neat color coordinated, spacesaving method. I LOVE it. The spools were donated to the school art stash cause i couldn't bare to toss em in the trash and I'm sure the teachers will find something cool to create with those "wheels".

I added a "before" picture of my storage wall and the ribbon shelves which i am now using for small tins and boxes and cans of letters etc.

Happy Birthday Jessica

when this poem "Christmas in Heaven" was posted on Love2Scrap i knew i had to use it to create a special tribute layout to remember our precious Jessica Joy on what would have been her 16th birthday, today! Dec. 22 2006. December 22, 1990 was a special Christmas, having our first child, and although she was in the hospital with serious health issues we were thankful for her none the less. So Happy 16th Birthday my sweet Jess, and Merry Christmas in Heaven.

"CHRISTMAS IN HEAVEN

I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below
with tiny lights, like Heaven's stars
reflecting in the snow.

The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear
for I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
the people hold so dear
but the sounds of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart,
but I am not so far away,
we really aren't apart.

So be happy for me dear ones,
you know I hold you dear.
and be glad I'm spending Christmas,
with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,
from my Heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory,
of my undying love.

After all LOVE is a gift
more precious than pure gold.
It was always most important
in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other,
As my Father said to do.
For I can't count the blessings or love
He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and
wipe away that tear,
Remember, I'm spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year."

here are a few more pics and did I say it was HARD work getting the real tree from the bush by myself, yikes, deep deep snow and a heavier than i thought tree made for a real workout, love the smell but i still think i prefer the "artificial" variety. I bought the candlestick at a garage sale last month, gave it a new paint job (the creme is crackled but the photo doesn't show or do it justice) and added pretty new "bling" to make a new candydish/centrepiece for the table for fun!

Decked the Halls

Well, no updates here lately is because I have busy getting ready for CHristmas as well as planning a surprise party for Greg who's 40 in just a couple days. I, along with lots of help from my kiddoes, got the house all decorated and trimmed the trees, hung the lites, did a few fun extra projects (these window frames were so much fun and i LOVE the results)and have officialy Decked out our house so its feeling very festive. Shopping, well i haven't done much of that yet but soon. Here are a few pics from my Country CHristmas Home, stop by for some treats and coffee anytime over the holidays.

Oh and I decided to go with a bit of a glamorous tree for a change this year, inspired by the K and Co twinkle type glitter chipboard alphas which i LOVE in that awesome pale green color, i started hunting for anything in that shade to decorate with, so so pretty. Still have my snowman collection, a country quaint "real" tree down in the family room with all the ornaments from many years past which i enjoy, etc etc, i just love decorating for Christmas.

Let It Snow Let it Snow.....

Let it Snow......no more please!! we have had quite enough and this cold frigid weather is getting to me. It sure can be pretty but it seems to be dragging on and on and it will make for a LONG winter if we don't get some repreive from it. I guess that's the perils of living in Northern Alberta. I had take a pic of this poor picnic table at Mitchell's hockey practice yesterday, just made me laugh.

It was a successful enjoyable weekend and lots of scrappin was done during the online crop at scrapbooking swede, 5 Random things was a layout i did for one of the challenges, Love Basic Grey. And I can safely share a DT fave of late with a great pic of my two good looking kiddoes that i did for Scrapbookers Clubhouse with their great Kit for December, loved working with the Dreamstreet papers and the bling, yummy. Trying to get some Christmas gifts and cards made as December is here and i am not prepared. Happy last day of November everyone.

Time Flies

time sure flies, its almost end of november and the kids helped me decorate the tree yesterday, yes i know, Already? you might say, well i bought some new pretty green decorations, made some new ones as well, so we were all anxious to set it up. Had a fab weekend doing the online crop at Love2Scrap and so happy that we had some fun participants. This weekend will be another busy one, helping host an online crop at scrapbooking swede so come join us for some great challenges and fun, hoping my pal Karlynn comes for a bit to crop and/or just visit friday too. I have a "date" with my hubby saturday nite so should be a good weekend.

Now if only the weather would cooperate and change a bit i'd be a happy camper. I am so tired of the cold and snow, enough already.

Weekend Cropping - virtually perfect

Looking for something to do tonight and tomorrow? we are having an online crop at Love2Scrap starting at 6 tonight with games and challenges and prizes and fun fun fun and the best part is you can do it in your own home without having to pack up your stuff so hope you'll join us there.

I was so thrilled to chat with Caroline Lau of Maya Road wed. night on L2S and I even was lucky enough to win one of the RAKs she had to give away so can't wait to see what she sends me.

Here's a Halloween layout I did for the contest at L2S, LOVE the Heidi Grace paper, has some shimmer and shine to it that is lost in the scan.

A good week

Its been a good week, ended up with a Snow day tuesday so i didn't have to go to work, no school, just a day at home to scrap and hang with the kids. Still crazy winter here, feels like its been cold and snowy for months but it hasn't been that long i guess, sure is pretty though and i know i need to be "thankful" for the moisture the snow brings, we sure do need it. Mitchell is quite happy to have a bunch of snow to sled in thats for sure.

I had fun creating this week, a few dt projects, still no Love2Scrap site yet and i'm sure hoping it will be up soon, we are suppose to have an online crop this coming weekend so please check it out and join in the fun if you can.

Its down to the final 4 in Pick of the Patch phenominal persuit so heres' hoping i make it to the end, i would love to win. "tell me Please" is a layout i did for challenge #15 (I think) where we had to interview someone, i asked both the kids the same questions, obviously i don't say "I love you" often enough, must rectify that!!!

And "My typical day..." is my Phenominal Pursuit bonus challenge entry, theme was 360 degrees. It took me a while to ponder and come up with a them, i liked the results, will see if Canadian Scrapbooker likes it enough to pick it as winner.

"Beauty" was just a simple layout with some gorgeous MME Products and one of those layouts i had a hard time just leaving as is but with the scalloped bazzill and the great picture of Lindsey (and some good advice)I decided to just go with simple for a change LOL. Also did a bit of a freestyle one of Mitchell mastering the slalom ski thing this past summer. THanks Lindsey for having some of those black paper journals for me to steal off you!!

This week should be fairly calm, i am doing a CTMH party thursday evening and i haven't done one in probably 2 years so should be interesting but the product is so great, it sells itself and i don't push it. Hope the Nov. SOTM comes along with my order tomorrow or tuesday so i can play with that for the demo. I should really start making my Christmas cards one of these days too. Might have to be assembly line mass production for this year if i'm even going to get any made to mail out.

I had the kids portraits done at W'mart last week so am hoping they turn out really nice, look forward to seeing them in a few weeks. Once again no nice family pic to send out for the holiday, surprise surprise, maybe next year i'll get my act together.

That's Life

Sheesh, its been a while since i updated, sorry bout that but work and life have been busy as usual. I didn't make the Magistical Memories DT so am bummed about that, makes me wonder why i bother applying, and no please I'm not looking for validation or praise from you all, i just shouldn't get my hopes up i mean there are tonnes of way more talented ladies who applied but i guess there's just that little ounce of hope in me that thinks maybe this time I might get lucky. I wonder should i just forget about dt's and contests and focus on submitting? probably not, i like sharing my work and getting feedback and i think it would be hard to let the projects pile up without anyone seeing them. Soooo on this cold snowy day in northern alberta, where it seems winter is here to stay, i will share one of my faves of late and see if i can get my groove back and go create something fun, JUST FOR ME!!! just for arts sake.

I sure hope L2S gets back up and running soon, we are all in serious withdrawal. Oh and perhaps i'll pop into Life Preservers and join in their crop today with my pals there whom i have been out of touch with.

breathe in - breathe out

and try to sleep more! ugh, so tired today, a month ago was scrapfest and i feel like i haven't had much recoup time since then. visiting with my MIL and my mom and step dad was great, we had a good time although i worked a lot of extra hours at school so feel guilty about that but what else could i do. so i guess i'm just in need of a day to myself to relax and maybe scrap!!!! oh, as luck would have it i happen to be going with my good friend Janet to a crop not far away friday, staying overnite and scrapping all day saturday so bring it on!!! i should go prep for that i guess. Heres a layout i did for POTP Phenominal Pursuit, man those challenges and the quick scrappers there are making me scrap faster than ever before!! its good for a change, don't think to much just do!!!

my recent creations

Thought i'd share a couple of my recent layouts, this first one is from summer in the okanagan, my girlfriend margaret has the cutest twin girls and they had a blast playing in the water with lindsey. Used the new Fontwerks Henna stamps and AL Journalling stamp, a 3 Bugs DT project for Love2Scrap.


the second one is my cousins daughter Kayla having fun with her new bubble blowing toy this past summer. Wanted to thank Sheryl for supplying me with the quickutz alphas and bookplates for this, was for the survivor contest on ScrapbookingSwede but i didn't win, sure would have loved to win that quickutz tool and alpha but thems the breaks!!!

and this last one is a picture of me in my new outfit ready to face my classmates at my 20th high school reunion in July!!! talk about nerves but it was an amazing, awesome experience that i will remember for years, just sorry my close friends weren't able to be there but you make sure you attend our 25th!!! this was a DT project using WRMK for Scrapbookers clubhouse.

Fall splendor

has been pretty nice here this past week, but the wind has definitely sped up the fall process and i am sad to see the trees baring off. Got some good pics of the kids though and a few with their Grandma Heinricks who was visiting this past week.

Scrapfest - whew

what a great weekend, so much fun meeting so many great online friends that i've known for a long time but only "virtually". I really enjoyed the maya road class i took, being t.a. for Ali Edwards was da bomb and look forward to chatting with her tomorrow nite on Love2Scrap, should be great fun, she's such a hoot. Am going to try again to post some pics from the event and hoping blogger cooperates tonite - thanks Renee and Nikki, you were great roomies and you too janna, thanks for the timmies too!!! To my Scrapbookers clubhouse gang, we were serious scrappin gals in our black and pink, sorry i didn't have more time to hang with ya!!!

I'm excited to say i made it through the final round of Scrapbooking Survivor and am now on the new DT at Scrapbooking Swede so look forward to working with the ladies there.

Playing Phenominal Persuit onPick of the Patch and have made it through round 4!! great challenges.

busy busy busy - no excuse!!

Yep, its been a week since i updated, told ya i am not a journaller, i guess its just not a habit yet!!! today i am busy getting ready to leave for Scrapfest and am not packed!! I am quite excited but so not looking forward to driving around Edmonton!! Hope i don't cause an accident, you know the country bumpkin in the big city!!! HEHE Its going to be a jam packed weekend of friends and fun, see you there. Oh i still need to make myself a nametag!!

Participated in a couple online crops last weekend at Scrapshotz and Scrapbookers clubhouse and got lots done!!! here are a couple of my faves from the challenges:

I've been tagged!!

hmm, well i feel like an official blogger now LOL. Guess I'm it so thanks Renee, and you sure you really want to know 5 weird things about me??? I think I'm boring but...

1. I am still with my first boyfriend, now my husband, who I started dating when i was 14. not strange perhaps but in this day and age it's probably considered pretty weird. We just celebrated our 18th anniversary, Love Ya Hon
2. I worked at Wendy's restaurant when i was a teenager, for 2 years i think, and I still love their food!
3. I bark when i burp, can't help it, it just happens.
4. the colored part of my eyes are scaley looking, like snake skin sort of.
5. i chew my nails, always have, terrible habit but i grew them out this summer, yeah me. probably won't last long cause they aren't strong or nicely shaped but i can polish them at least.

so there you go, boring hey??? now i will see if i can come up with some people to tag.

I'm working....

Had a job interview at the school today for a part time t.a. position and got the job. For the most part it will be the same duties as I have been doing as a substitute over the past 2 years but will be nice to have regular scheduled days!! I will still sub and will probably end up getting more work than I actually want but will see. Hopefully it doesn't cut too much into my scrap routine LOL. I start tuesday.

Friends....

Really, next to family, friends are pretty important, they are that extra bit of glue that holds life together? To My childhood friend, Danae, someone I have known for close to 28 years, shared secrets with and giggled like silly schoolgirls, been there for weddings and babies and tragedy, kept in touch through moves and relocations, and now the sadness and shock of losing someone close, a parent, a father. Nothing prepares you for that and I pray you and your family get through it my friend, my sister, love you and know you are in my thoughts. Till we see each other again....

Scrapfest

Only a few short weeks until I get to attend Scrapfest in Edmonton. I am excited to say the least. Taking a Maya Road class, being a t.a. for Ali Edwards class, meeting tonnes of scrappers whom i have only known online, teaching make and takes and helping with the Love2Scrap booth should prove to be an awesome weekend. Check out Scrapfest and perhaps I will see you there.

Isn't he CUTE!!!

our newest member of the farm family, Mac, joined us last week and is 2 months old. He's already making his presence well known and is good buddies with our other dog Zoe. Hopefully he will be good with the cattle in the future.

Scrapbook Survivor

I am playing Scrapbook Survivor for a spot on the design team at scrapbooking swede and did this layout for a challenge last week, I won immunity so am safe - for now!!! Yum, i love POPCORN, anyone else crave this salty snack??

let's see here

i have a new design team gig at www.scrapbookersclubhouse.com and got to work with some awesome WRMK papers and LOVED the results. maybe i can figure out how to include a picture of this 9" canvas in my post , my adorable nephew Gudmund, whom i met for the first time this august is featured smiling here.

I gave in

Yes, I resisted for months, said I was NOT going to blog cause I already spend too much time online but I really want a place to share ALL my work, my layouts and where I hang my scrapbook hat!!! So we will see how frequently I update, once I figure out all the technical stuff, rip out my hair in frustration a time or two, and get familiar with the world of bloggers!!