I hate Halloween, but I love digital scrapbooking!

I have to admit. I am hooked. I spent a good portion of the morning downloading a couple of digital kits, and a ton of freebies as well. I can't believe how economical it is to scrapbook this way. I know it will never replace my real albums, but I love that I can whip something up in a matter of minutes. I am finding that because I am new to this, there are several things I don't know how to do, and that I am sure there are ways to do other things that I would like to try, I just don't know how to do it, or where to find the stuff. That said, I am now going to search for some cutesy Superman and Lady Bug stuff so I can do the kids' pages too!
TFL!

I hate Halloween

sorry... I really do. I apologize to all of the Halloween lovers out there. But, to me, this holiday is too stressful. I would rather host Christmas for my entire family than deal with Halloween. I hate the costume part. I hate having to come up with amazing costumes. I also hate when people dress up and you can't tell who it is, and they won't talk to you and it is creepy. Really creepy. I don't mind the candy. At least I didn't until we found out about Avery's peanut allergy. That adds an element of frustration to the night as well. Fortunately, the majority of our neighbors know and are considerate of her allergy and will make special bags just for her, but still...... there is a lot of stuff we have to get rid of immediately. Pumpkin carving might be the only thing I really like about it. So, these are our pumpkins that we carved lat night. I think they turned out pretty awesome... So, today is the day. We have a Halloween birthday party to go to, and then we need to hurry home so we can take the kids to the lodge in town to see a couple of our neighbors who recently moved in there, and then and drive around the countryside.....
Happy Halloween - especially to those of you who really enjoy this holiday.

A couple more from the weekend..... (#117 and #118)

These are a couple more layouts I completed when I was in Blairmore last weekend. I can't believe a whole week has gone by since then. I had such an awesome time. I am still laughing about some of the things we did that weekend.... But in addition to laughing, I did get a little accomplished, and here are two more....

This was taken this summer at Miles' first birthday. The paper was absolutely perfect for this layout. I really like the PDQ stuff, because you don't have to do much to make a wicked page.

This layout is for Jani's wedding album. It is of her and our grandma. I really like how this came together. I think it is classy in a funky way. If that is possible.

tfl!

Slumber #116

oh dear.....I think I might have a problem......

Layout #115 - Another digital one

This is the second digital layout that I have done in the last two days..... I think I am in love.

I don't know if this is too crazy, but I kind of like it.... I downloaded a ton of stuff today. Paper, elements, embellishments, kits.... and freebies. Ah.... I love a good freebie! This was done with some of the stuff I found on http://www.peppermintcreative.com/ today. Some really nice stuff..... i think I am in trouble.

My Digital Studio Layout (#114)

My friend Catherine recently signed up to be a SU! demonstrator, and thank goodness, because the previous SU! demo I had sucked. She wasn't creative, and really didn't try very hard. I can say this because I was that demo. Catherine on the other hand is ridiculously creative. She always has a million uses for her stamps on top of all the amazing cards she makes. Anyhoo, she recently purchased the SU! My Digital Studio program, and she instantly fell in love. I didn't buy it, because I am not convined I want to be a digital scrapbooker. To be honest, I really do spend a lot of time in front of my computer, and this would just be another excuse to do so. So, Catherine offered to let me try it out instead. And, now I think I need to buy it. Great... it was my month in our group last month. Why didn't I buy it then????

The program is so very easy to use. I think that the designers took all of the confusing or problematic things from other design studios, and fixed them all for this program. I am honestly impressed, and I didn't think I would be.

So, this is what I whipped up earlier this evening. I had no idea what I was doing. There were no instructions for me to read, I just fiddled around, and came up with this! I am quite pleased with the final result. Now, I just have to get it printed, to see if it really is all it is cracked up to be.....

TFL!

10 Random things that happened this weekend that I will NEVER EVER forget!

So I haven't laughed as hard as I did this weekend in a very long time. I can't believe what a great time we had in Blairmore. Our little group just clicked and we laughed, and shared TMI and laughed some more. Such a good time....
So here are a couple of memories from the weekend...

1. I had no idea that we were supposed to dress up for the weekend in some sort of costume.... and I don't think anyone else did either..... so maybe the Pebbles getup was just her outfit for the day.... but seriously, who would wear that???? In public????

2. Smooth legs are an inappropriate gift, however watching Shannon demonstrate how the personal hair removal should be done it highly entertaining.

3. Looking at another person's hemorrhoids isn't fun for anyone.

4. Day old cheesecake, Sezme Snaps and a card with a skunk on it isn't romantic.

5. Rhea and I were twins separated a birth, and were also separated by two years.

6. Black Cat Sandwich (sung to Cat Scratch Fever.... clearly)

7. Tara has always said she loves confrontation, but this weekend Tara really did it up nice. I almost had an accident watching her, so I am sure that little one had to change her underwear before going home.

8. I kissed a squirrel and I liked it, the taste of her nutty chapstick.

9. Calling someone by the name you think they are rather than the name they really are still gets their attention.

10. I am a little bummed that I didn't get an invitation to the eating chips and farting party..... Maybe next time.

I had such a fun time this weekend. My stomach hurts from laughing, and I am pretty sure I am still on a little high. Thanks ladies.

Layout #112 and #113

Well... I only finished fourteen pages this weekend. No where close to the thirty some projects I had planned, but I am pretty happy with most of them. I lost my mojo after breakfast on Sunday morning and wasted a good chunk of the morning on the world's most boring layout, but these are a couple that I was happy with.

I am glad that I finally finished a layout about myself. It has been sitting in a bag for the longest time, and I am really quite pleased with it. I didn't know quite what to journal about. I think that might be why I am so hesitant to scrapbook myself. I don't know what to say without sounding conceited.... Anyhoo, I wrote about all of the things I sometimes let slide in my daily life.

And this photo of Grant and Cohen is one of my all time pictures EVER.... I love it. It was only this weekend that I realize Cohen still had a whole bagel in his hand which is quite cute, because I took this picture on their way back to shore, and they had been gone for about half and hour. Cohen must have been too preoccupied to eat!

TFL

Today is the day......

... the day I get to start having a break from all of the chaos of my life
... the day I get to spend a little quality time with two of my closest friends
... the day I get to laugh so hard I might wet myself
... the day I get to eat peanut butter
... the day I get to leave all of the laundry and meals, and bathing the kids, and refereeing fights to my husband
Today is the day I am leaving for a weekend of scrapbooking! I can't wait. In less than six hours, I will be out the door, and on my way. What I really should be doing at the moment is finishing packing, but alas, here I sit.... thinking about how productive I will be this weekend. And if I am not productive.... who cares. I might actually go to bed at a decent time, sleep, take a really long shower..... who knows?

Out my back door...

this was out my window tonight. So beautiful..... love it.

10 Random things I am looking forward to....

1. In five sleeps I will be scrapbooking for a weekend with a couple of my bestest friends.
2. I washed seven loads of laundry today, and I am planning on folding it whilst watching my Sunday night TV. ( I know it seems like a weird thing to look forward too, but of everything that laundry entails, I like folding the best).
3. Going to the city to get a new furnace. Ours crapped out on us this weekend. Not a surprise. We have been saving to buy a new washer and dryer... and now that washer and dryer will become a furnace.
4. Subbing on Wednesday. I haven't subbed in over a week because I have been sick, and I get to go to Champion!! Whoot whoot!
5. Breakfast for supper. Grant is in charge of supper tonight, and the kids asked for breakfast, so..... bacon, hash, eggs, pancakes. I love it!
6. Blairmore... this is where I will be scrapbooking.
7. Getting to sleep in. I don't want to jinx anything, but for the last two mornings, Grant has got up with the kids, and let me sleep. Yesterday 10 am... today 9:30. Tomorrow????? Cross your fingers.
8. Sunday night TV. It is almost as good as Thursday night TV.
9. Did I mention that I am going away this weekend???
10. Getting some MNC kits done this week.

Yay!

Hot Rod..... Hot Dog

Cohen is finally starting to talk in complete sentences, and is starting to say some of the funniest things. I think he might actually give Avery a run for her money one of these days.... Anyhoo, last night, while Avery was gone with her Grandma to "neighbor night" (an Alston Wedding Shower), Grant and I had the luxury of parenting just one kid. We were sitting on the couch together watching the Barrett-Jackson classic car auction, and a hot rod car drove onto the block. Cohen was pointing at the TV and was saying "twuck, twuck", and Grant says, "No, Buddy, it is a Hot Rod." Cohen's reply was, "Oh, hot dog! Hot dog? Hot dog...." Close buddy.

Blech

I am pretty sure I have strep throat. I am just waiting for the swab to come back to confirm it, but I feel like I am swallowing staples, I can't talk (which is almost nightmarish for me), and I just feel like shit. I finally went to the doctor yesterday and got some drugs, and they seem to be helping. My throat isn't as sore as it was yesterday, and I can almost yell at the kids again... so, hopefully I will be better by the beginning of next week. I need to get better. I have to get better otherwise, rumor has it I will be sleeping in the hallway when we go scrapbooking next weekend. Yep... my friends are so kind and caring that they are willing to boot me into the hall to sleep if I am still ill..... such good friends.
Needless to say, I am going away for the weekend next weekend..... six sleeps to be exact, and I really need to get myself organized. I am usually planned so far in advance, that I can just pump out pages and go.... but I have fallen behind. I don't have nearly enough photos printed, I don't have projects put together, and I really need to decide which embellishments have to come with me, and which can stay at home..... we'll see....
Anyhoo, I should get my tushy off the computer, and turn around and deal with my scrapbook room......

Last Layout for the Class tonight.....

I am cutting it kind of close, non??? I had every intention of finishing the last layout for my Page Maps class at Haley's tonight, over the weekend.... but that did not happen. And now I feel crappy, and my head feels like it is stuffed with quilt batting and cinderblocks, and I feel like I am swallowing staples and razor blades, but I got the layout done!!!

There are still spots available if you want to join us tonight! Call 403-938-2391 to register.

Desaturation... is that a word?

And one more on the red door. This is where I took my sister's wedding pictures. It is such a cool spot. Too bad it was so cold. I had a ton of ideas, and didn't get to do them all...... Next customer I guess.

My first attempt at Picasa... Thanks Heids.....

This is another pic from today.....Jonah is so adorable. The connection that he and his mom have is enviable.

Pics with Jenn and Jonah

My very good friend from high school, Jenn asked me a long time ago to take pictures of her and her son, things always seemed to fall through, until today. I went into Red Deer, and we spent

just under an hour shooting off 100 frames. It was ridiculously cold out, and we were frozen when it was all said and done, but I am so stoked about what we got. This is just one of my faves from the day.....

TFL!

10 Random things I am thankful for....

Tis the time of year to think about the things that we have in our lives that we often take for granted, but at the same time are so fortunate to have.

I know that I spend a lot of time complaining about my life, and how much my kids drive me crazy, but I also have a ton of things to be thankful for.

1. I am thankful that I have two healthy, full of life children. They sang Twinkle Twinkle during church this morning, and Cohen took off during mass and ran around the lobby of the church, but at least they are able to speak, and walk, and run, and tell me off...... ahhhhh four year olds. Gotta love 'em.

2. I am grateful that Grant has a job. There were four engineers laid off from his company this fall, and fortunately, he was not one of them. I hate that he has to go away to work, and that there aren't any helicopters that are in need of repair around Champion, but he is willing to work hard to support us, and in turn allow me to stay home with our kids.

3. I have a sister who will stick up for me when I am too overcome with emotion to do it myself. I am just going to leave it at that.

4. I am grateful for my talent..... sounds egotistical I know, but people pay me to take photographs of them, their families, their children. I can make money by taking good pictures. I also get paid to scrapbook. I am very lucky to be able to do something I love, and also make a little extra on the side.

5. I am so happy I am not Haley Ross.... I love that girl, but I don't have her strength. I could not spend days and days in the hospital, puking my guts out, and put on a brave face. I am not that girl. I am the high maintainence girl who needs someone to hold her hand, her hair, tell her everyone else is dumb..... I am that girl.

6. I am thankful that Avery says the funniest things. Today it was a comment about when you break your arm you have to go to the hospital and get a "cabbage" put on it. Yesterday it was a picture of my dad getting a hair cut, and she said, "So that is how Poppa's hair got so little."

7. I am grateful that I have great friends. Scratch that... AMAZING friends. You know who you are.

8. I am thankful that in less than 10 days, I will be spending time with some of those amazing friends, scrapbooking the days and nights away.

9. I am thankful that I have a house over my head, clothes on my body, money to pay my bills, a vehicle to drive, and food to eat. So simple, but can you imagine without????

10. I am so grateful that I live in this country. I know that most everyone in the world thinks their country is the best place to live, but I honestly think Canada is a pretty amazing place. We are free to speak our mind, choose our friends, faith, leaders. We can make a change, and we have. We still have a long way to go, but I can't think of anywhere else I would rather be.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Ahhh Mt. Laundry

Yep.... this is my Mt. Laundry. And this is actually after I folded a basket for both kids, and it also doesn't include the three loads in various stages of completion. It took me an hour to fold it all, and I still haven't put it away. It has been at least two weeks since I actually did laundry, and not just what needed to be done, and to prove this, I found three pairs of shorts, a swimsuit, and two sundresses in these loads. And as I look out the window at the frost and snow, I am struggling to remember the nice summer days... was it really that long ago?

These were taken with my new Pentax 18-250mm lens. My kids didn't sleep yesterday so it was an early to bed night, which meant I didn't have any subjects to shoot, but I did have time to watch three of my PVRed shows....... I love my lens.

Layout #111 - Just Beachy MNC Kit

What the heck..... two kits in two weeks. That is a record. I did this Just Beachy kit for MNC quite a while ago, but this summer we spent 10 days at the cabin, and 9 days in the water, and on the beach. Perfect if you ask me!

TFL.

MNC Kit Peek

I think I might have found my mojo. I spent the day yesterday working on this kit for MNC. It is...... wait for it..... MME. Shocking, I know.

It is so stinkin' cute. And the cutest part is the hand cut, layered felt stitched pumpkin. I think I might have to order this kit myself!

Layout #110 "The Big One"

I went to SRSCo last night to help Haley out with her crop that was scheduled for that night. That poor girl has done nothing but puke her guts out for the last 4 or so months, and has actually been in and out of the hospital this week. She didn't think she would be able to work the whole thing, so I volunteered to help her out. (And, BONUS!!! I got a little bit of scrapbooking done too!)

This layout is done with the new Bella Blvd camping line. It was so perfect for the pictures of Avery's fishing expeditions at the cabin this summer.

TFL!

Page Maps Class Peek #2!

Here is another sneak peek of the second layout for the Page Maps Concept Class at Sheep River Scrapbook Co on the 15th of this month! Three double page layouts. Three ways to use the Becky Fleck Page Maps book. What better way to spend the evening????

Call 403-938-2391 to register!