10 Randoms... things I am grateful for

1. My family... I love love love them. Even when they are driving me insane.. I love them.
2. scrapbooking. I have met so many people, made great friends, and found an amazing hairdresser through this hobby. I have been given some amazing opportunities, and I get to do it all while I am having fun!

3. Flannel sheets. Our house is cold. I mean 103 years old, no insulation, live in southern Alberta where the wind blows, cold. Flannel sheets are a God send.... (and a wheat bag too)

4. My sisters. (This is only Janelle and I... but I couldn't resist putting it on here). I have great relationships with both of them now... and I am so happy.5. Texting. I am getting really good at it.. and I love that sometimes it is just easier to text someone, than have to talk to them... Is that rude?

6. Grant. I don't think I could make it through my daily life without him. He gives me the strength, courage, and encouragement I need to face each day. I love him. More than anything else on earth.

7. Red wine. Not white. Red. And preferably a nice Chianti, or Valpolicella. 'Nuf said.
8. Music. I love love love to listen to music. It fills a good chunk of my day. I love new stuff, I love old stuff. I love Alternative. I love Jazz. I love the '60's. I love the '90's. I love that a song can say what you can't, can take you back in time, can cheer you up, can get you in the mood... (to party), etc. I love music. 9. My friends. I have GREAT friends. I really do. I think I am the luckiest girl in the world to have the girlfriends I do. I love them all... and all for different reasons.

10. My job. I get to teach when I want. I also get to scrapbook and get paid for it. Two of the best jobs in the world if you ask me!

Layout #4 for 2010

This is another layout for my little sister's wedding album. Her pages are coming together quite quickly... and that is good because I had hinted that she might get the album for Christmas.... as in 2009... anyhoo, a couple of days scrapbooking with friends should take care of that. And a couple of days within the next month are sure to happen.
I am scrapping with some girlfriends on Monday, and then again towards the end of February a bunch of us are getting together to try out a new retreat!!! Can't wait for that!
TFL! And have a great weekend.

For Jani's China Album

This one is super boring, but done. I couldn't justify a double page layout, but think I probably had too many for a single page. I did however use up some old Fancy Pants paper, and several buttons with this one. And could the Thickers match any better? I don't think so.
TFL!

I am not getting a lot done....

.... and I am kind of sad about all of it. Grant has been home for a week, and usually this is the time when I ditch my kids, and hide in my scrapbook room. Needless to say, I have finished this layout. A single page layout. And... it was all a sketch. I came up with none of this on my own...
The good news? All old stuff! Yay me!
TFL

Page Map Challenge

Recently there was a publication call for the Page Maps book by Becky Fleck using this sketch.

So this is my take on this sketch. It is some of the group shots from Jani and Rob's wedding, but the group was having too much fun, and so none of these are actual "good" shots. Anyhoo, I think it turned out really well, and I am happy to have another page done for their album! I should actually find more sketches I love and just finish it that way.... Maybe THAT is what I will do today!
TFL

I have had it!

I am sorry if I am going to offend anyone, but I have got to get this off my chest. I am so sick of people wearing their yoga pants to places that aren't yogaishy..... Like the mall, or Staples, or the grocery store. I think that there are a few places yoga pants are appropriate and those places are yoga class, the gym, your house... and possibly a scrapbook retreat weekend. I do not think that yoga pants are a substitute for regular clothes. I am so tired of people wearing theirs everywhere they go. And I get why they are... I totally do. I bought a pair of yoga pants from LouLou Lemon last year. They were $98. More than I have spent on any other pair of pants. More than I spend on most of my shoes... but just because I forked out the money doesn't legitmize them to be worn EVERYWHERE I go.
So, why now... why am I ranting today? Well... last night I was meeting a person in Calgary in the Staples parking lot to exchange some scrapbook stuff, and a woman walked through the parking lot in her yoga pants. But what is worse?? She was wearing boots..... with heels. Are you kidding me????
So, I propose this... buy yoga pants! Wear yoga pants! Enjoy the comfort of yoga pants.... but if you are leaving the house for any reason other than yoga.... put something else on. I firmly believe that yoga pants are half a step up from sweat pants, and I think we all agree those really shouldn't be worn in public... :)

One Way to Help

I am devastated by the disaster in Haiti. I want to go there, I want to bring the children home with me, I want to take our front end loader and move all of the rubble. Unfortunately, all I am honestly able to do is make a donation of money. And I have done that. But I just stumbled upon this on the Scrapbook & Cards Today blog and I am ALL over it.
You can subscribe to the magazine (4 issues per year for $16.95) and the proceeds from new subscriptions will go directly to the Red Cross, and.... the Canadian government will match that money $ for $...... I think this is a great little publication, and I also think they have a great website and blog... and I am going back right now to subscribe. Please do the same.....

10 Randoms about my friend Jenn....

Remember your best friend from high school? I do. After we graduated we kind of lost touch with each other, and unfortunately, years passed and we never spoke... and then along came facebook, and we were reunited, and thank God, because she is someone I really need in my life.... and here are the reasons why.


1. I am funny. She is really funny. And the two of us together are freaking hilarious.
2. She is a single mom, and she doesn't want that to define her, but seeing her with her son and the connection they have; it makes me want to be a better mom.
3. I can and do tell her stuff that I don't want to tell other people. I know that she won't judge, and I love that.
4. We like the same music. And, honestly, I think that is really important in a friendship. I think the music you listen to says a lot about who you are. (no offense Tara. I like you despite your choicein music ;)
5. It just feels right. I have gotten in touch with other people from my past, and there is often an awkward or strained feeling. The first time we got together after years and years of no contact... it was like we missed a weekend or something. That's it.
6. She gets it. She doesn't understand it, and neither do I. But she gets it.
7. She kicked cancer's ass.
8. She has had a lot of shitty things happen to her, but she doesn't want a pity party. I think if even one thing she has dealt with happened to me, I would invite everyone I knew to MY pity party.
9. She sticks up for me. Everyone needs someone like that in their life.
10. She doesn't sugar coat it either. She tells me the truth, and I think she doesn't want me to get hurt, and I appreciate that.... a lot.

I don't want to sing the theme song from the Golden Girls... but ./~ Thank you for being a friend....

They're Back..... I Love KITH

So last night was the premiere of the new KITH series Death Comes to Town. I will admit I wasn't stoked for it, because it wasn't the traditional sketch comedy that I was used to from them... but I laughed so hard last night. It was like going back in time to Friday nights when I used to watch KITH before going out for a night with my friends. There were so many funny parts, that I had to call Grant, and Haley, and Catherine, and my sister Janelle and tell all of them to watch. I loved it.
The only sad thing is it is only a six week series. Then what will I do?
Needless to say.... Late Night with Heather Weather (a risque late night weather report), and the ease at which someone can get a fur coat, "Find it, skin it, sew it wear it..." were the highlights.
Thanks CBC!

10 Random Most Likely Tos...... with my friends today.

So I have come to the realization that some people are stuck in high school. Even at our age. Which is older than high school. I don't think that being friends (and clearly, I am talking about good friends) should have conditions, or rules, or expectations attached to that friendship. I don't think that at my age, I should have to work at being friends with someone. I know what I like in a friend, and it has taken me a long time to get to this point.

For example. I am NOT friends with everyone I was "friends" with in high school on facebook. I am also friends with people on facebook that I wasn't friends with in high school. Now.. don't get me wrong. I am not saying that facebook is and should be the determining factor in what constitutes a friend, because clearly, that would make no sense. But I have also found that facebook is an interesting social experiment on observing who people are willing to keep as their friends, or others are collectors and keep everyone they have ever met. So, here is the deal. I have recently been unfriended by a couple of people on facebook. Do I care? Not really... I honestly didn't chat with them, send them messages, or look at their profile for that matter. But I do think it is funny when someone unfriends you, and then you run into each other... It is so awkward for that person. This has happened to me, and to another one of my friends (and I am referring to a real friend here...;), recently. I live in a small, small community. Like 400 people small. One of the people who unfriended me also lives in this community. We are VERY likely to run into each other... and guess what? We have. And she was all.... So.. uh... how are things?? And I was sickly sweet to her. My friend lives in a larger community and she recently ran into a person who unfriended her. Same thing. Funny. Especially because this unfriender used really weird reasons to unfriend us, and kept other people we know who go against everything she purports to stand for.... I love it!

So..... yesterday I was spending time with a group of girls who make me laugh, who don't put conditions on our friendship (except we have to arrive before 9am in the future...), and who think the same way I do. We were talking and all agreed that at this point in our lives, we don't need the extra stress of having to work at being friends. It should really just come naturally. We also decided that if we actually were back in high school like some of the people that are creating drama... we would have new "Most likely to... lists" so... here goes.
(This list is made from people that are close friends, or acquaintances.... just like the lists in high school. It is not meant to hurt feelings, so, please... if you are mad, step back, take a breath, and then let me have it....)

Most likely to succeed........ Me. You can't tell me being a SAHM, living in the middle of nowhere with a husband who works away half the year isn't success.... clearly it is.
Most Athletic........ Me - I do curl after all. And I watch hockey.
Most Popular...... Me. I have 13 followers on my blog
Biggest Flirt..... Me. But honestly. This would be me. Even today.
Most Talkative...... Me. Again. Honestly.
Best Hair....... Me. Clearly.
Nicest Eyes...... Me. More like nicest eyelashes... but that wasn't an option.
Most Creative..... Me. Have you seen my layouts???? Or Haley.... Nope. Me.
Most School Spirit.... Haley. She could be a cheerleader. A knocked up cheerleader.
Most likely to marry for money.... I wish I had......damn you love.
Most likely to take over the world...... Kacey. If not while I am alive... she will get me when I die.
Most likely to live in their parent's basement..... Me. I would love to go back home. But I don't necessarily want my parent's to live there.....
Best Looking....... This may shock a few of you... but.... Me.
Fastest Fingers........... Kacey. She texts and drives and cuts hair all at once. Can't beat that.
Most likely to invent something totally useless...... Tara. And it will be something to keep her house cleaner... but not keep my house clean because the house has to be clean to start with.

MNC Kit - Crazy "Abot" You

I haven't had my kit mojo around for a long time, but last weekend it resurfaced, and I made this cute little kit from the Cosmo Cricket Cogsmo line. I think my favorite thing about this layout is the title. It is reminiscent of a ransom note. I cut the words for the title from the striptease and all of the clever quotes included on it.

I am happy to be back in the groove... I hope it translates to my own pages today.
TFL!

Finally....

A few kilometers from our place is this old car parked in this cluster of trees. I drive by it all the time. And every time I do, I say.... "I wish I had my camera... the light is perfect!" I really wanted to get a photo of it this fall. The rusty car and the fall leaves, and the grasses growing out the windows were awesome. But alas, this is the first time I have remembered to actually take my camera and get a picture. However... the car hasn't moved in years (obviously), and I think that it might be cool to take this same picture every season... and then scrapbook it of course.
We have also been very fortunate to have had several hoar frosty days and this was no exception. I think winter pictures just look better with a little bit of frost.

MNC Sketch Challenge (#1)

So over on the Monday Night Class blog, we are trying to shake things up a little, and we are going to be doing a lot of new things! We started off the year with new kits (obviously), and also a sketch challenge using an old kit as inspiration. This is my take on the sketch. If you want to take part, hop on over to the MNC blog, and give it a go!

And on a totally different topic... I went and saw New Moon last night. Before the movies came out, I was always a fan of Edward, and Edward alone. But when the movies came out, I didn't like the Edward they cast. Don't get me wrong.... Robert Pattinson is decent to look at, but the Edward in my head was sooooooo much more. That said, after watching the movie last night, I could easily be swayed over to Team Jacob. Is it wrong to audibly utter a sigh when a 17 year old takes off his shirt?