I kept my promise....

So I went scrapbooking this weekend in Blairmore with a group of 40 women. The group was made up of a variety of scrapbookers, and we started to reflect on what our albums used to look like when we first started scrapbooking. We also challenged each other to post our early layouts... so here are a couple of mine. I like the use of the decorative edge scissors on my Go Stamps Go layout. So purposeful.... I used to scrapbook 8.5x11 so this layout actually started as that. I added the square punches to make it 12x2. I can't find my other first 8.5x11 layouts. I think I might have tried to redo them to be 12x12.

The second layout is even more boring. Where is the patterned paper? I looked through my old albums and had to laugh at the "masterpieces" that I had made. Cardstock, cardstock, cardstock and more cardstock. A little vellum... wow. And could they be any more 2 dimensional??? I don't even remember where I used to shop to get my stuff, but the stores must have been pretty bare... stickers and paper......

So there, I kept my end of the bargain.....

Not a Happy Camper

This is the layout for the October "Monday Night Class on Tuesday Night" at Sheep River Scrapbook Co. The class is Tuesday October 28th at 6:30. Call SRSCo at 403-938-2391 to sign up! There is also a coupon for a $5 discount for your first Monday Night Class class on the Monday Night Class website. Check out www.mondaynightclass.ca and look under the classes link!

This layout uses the Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy line, as well as SEI. It works well for those pictures you have around the campfire, but can also be used for the photos you have of your unhappy child, etc. A quick and easy layout that will look great in any album!

CRAZEEEE

So we went to Calgary yesterday because Grant needed to renew his AME license and Avery needed new ballet shoes (because she does not like tap) and we decided that Cohen needed to move into a big boy bed. He thrashes around way too much in his crib, so....
Anyhoo, we bought a bed for him, and got a smokin' deal on a new mattress and box spring for us (so not in the budget) but when we got home we took his crib out of his room, brought up his box spring and mattress, set that up in his room, moved his change table, then put Avery's bed on a frame, and cleaned out her room, then took our mattress and box spring downstairs, and brought the new one upstairs. That toook an hour. When I say it that way though, it doesn't sound like much.... but I sure hurt today.

At noon today I am heading west. I am going to Blairmore with a huge group of girls for a weekend of scrapbooking! I am so pumped. Two scrapbook weekends in one month?!?!? Who is spoiled? I am so looking forward to spending scrapbook time with Haley, and Rhea, and Tara, and Kacey, and Shannon, and ANNA!!! I am so excited to see Anna. She is the nicest person on the face of the earth. Seriously. She is.
So I hope to accomplish a crap load of stuff this weekend so I can post it on Monday!
Have a great weekend!

today is the day.....

so 37 or so days ago, the Conservative Party called an election. and today is the day I get to go and vote. I love that a Canadian campaign lasts 6 weeks. I am so sick of the American campaign trail. Why does it have to take so long, and why do they have to spend so much money on their bid for the White House? can't that money be put to good use in other ways???? I can think of several. What about healthcare? or saving the sub prime fiasco, or dealing with violent crime and school shootings. I am happy that I don't live there. But my SIL and BIL do. Mike just came home from Iraq, and now I get to hear about how great McCain and Palin are. They both love them. As does my MIL. I am not sure either will be that great for the US, but I can't bear another 4 years of repbulicans. I just can't.
That said, the Conservatives will likely win here today. I know they will kick ass in my riding, which is why I think there might be a lot of apathy among the youth vote. It is hard to get worked up for a party, when you know they have absolutely no hope of winning. I am not saying that I want the Liberals to win, but I am also not convinced that I want the Conservatives back in power. Don't get me wrong. They have done some really great things the last couple of years, but I find Stephen Harper so ridiculously boring and lacking and charisma that I can't bring myself to listen to him.
Anyhoo, I will do my civic duty, and I will drive into Vulcan and cast my vote. It won't make a difference one way or the other, but at least I will now have the right to bitch if I feel so inclined........... (not that I ever bitch.....) ;)

Happy Turkey Day!!

I love turkey. I love the taste, and I love that it makes me tired. I love the gravy that I drown my mashed potatoes it. But I don't love pumpkin pie. I would much rather have apple, but Thanksgiving is at my MIL's and she and Grant love pumpkin, so I have been outnumbered.

Needless to say, in less than three hours, I will be feasting on turkey and potatoes and veggies. I can't wait.

This turkey is not the one that we will be eating, but rather, the first craft that Avery has ever brought home from school. She did the cutting herself! I knew that letting her scrapbook with me would have great benefits! Anyways, Cohen was in the kitchen yesterday, and was way too quiet, so of course, something had to be up. Well, what he was doing was eating the Cheerios off of Avery's turkey. All hell broke loose and Avery was screaming that Cohen was eating her peacock!!!!!

Fortunately, I had some fruity Cheerios and the yellow ones pass for regular ones... so, a little glue, and our tukey centerpiece is back in business!

I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving, and take time to reflect on what you are truly grateful for. I know I will (in between bites that is....)

Flash of Genius

So Grant and I went on a date last night. A real, live date. Except that we had to drop off his mom's dryclesaning, and she was half an hour late to take care of the kids, so the dinner that we had planned at The Keg, turned into Pizza Hut Express at the theatre.
Anyhoo, we went and saw "Flash of Genius". It is about the guy who invented the intermittent windshield wiper, and how Ford took his idea, and stole his patent. He spend the next 12 years of his life dedicated to getting Ford to admit that the idea was his. He was offered lots of money to drop the lawsuit, but it was never about money for him. His wife left him, and his family was resentful towards him for a while.

Grant was really mad that he didn't take the money and try to rebuild his family. He argued that it isn't about the idea, and that family is what matters. However, I can totally see this guy's point. I kind of know how he feels. I certainly haven't invented anything that is as relevant as a windshield wiper, but I know why he was angry that someone took his idea and passed it off as their own.

A layout that I posted on here and on facebook that was born from the creativity of Haley, Tara and myself didn't get published. But one that looks eerily familiar, and not as creative did. It seems a little suspect that all the things we included on the layout; and not normal embellishmenty type things, ended up on this other one too.

I know that everyone scraplifts. I do. But I don't scraplift an idea, and then pass it off as my own.

Okay. I am really done with that now.

why do I care?

So Grant and I stopped in at a friend's place yesterday afternoon. They had another friend there as well. All of our kids go to preschool together, and the kids have a great time together... but do you have that person who thinks that raising a child is a competition??? We do. So while we were there yesterday, one of the kids had an accident. Happens right? Especially when you are having fun with your friends and don't want to go inside to pee right? (I am talking about three year olds here....) So what did her dad do??? He yelled at her, told her she was a bad girl, ripped off her pants, and chucked her in their truck. He left her in there. Wet legs... and it was cold out. I was in the house when this happened, and Grant came in to get me, and to see if our friends' had a pair of pants for the little girl. The worst part. This family lives across the road from our friends. It would have been so easy to take her home, and clean her up. But no, instead we need to humiliate her in front of her friends, and then leave her shivering in the truck.
I went to the truck and told her that she wasn't a bad girl, that accidents happen, and that she would be okay. Then I told her dad to take her home...
On our way home, Avery said that if she sees this girl have an accident again that she will tell her, "That's okay... accidents happen." I like that she is listening...

I am trying to go on a "hot" date with Grant tonight. We'll see. It seems that whenever we make plans to go out, something else comes up. So tonight, he has booked his mom to come stay with the kids, and we are going to try to do dinner and a movie. (and get groceries.... see what I mean about a "hot" date???!!!) ;)

And I need to get some scrapbooking done. I have a lot of Monday Night Class stuff to accomplish. When will I find the time?
Wish me luck.