Until further notice ...

Well my blogging friends ... here is the plain old truth.  I am blogged out.  Tired of updating (with nothing to share and no interested is the process of sharing) and have stopped following so many too (sorry ... just blogged out, life stresses and just --- life.  Heck.  I haven't seen past day 1 of Tim's tags and even that was a chore).  So, with that information, my blog will remain stagnent until further notice.  I wish everyone all the best life has to offer with days full of creative bliss and fun. 

Finally, with the holiday season in full swing, I wish you all love, laughter and happiness with your family and friends.



 

Remembering Hannah

AE PageMaps: A Day to Remember

Do not adjust your computers.  No need to rub your eyes.  This is not a repeat post.  It just seems that I have done two layouts with the same title this year.  I didn't even realize it until I went to save the images.  Oops.

This months inspirational layout features papers from Basic Grey's Sugar Rush collection as well as one of their doilies.  Embellishments are Heidi Swapp, Recollections, Webster's Pages and Making memories.  I also used Glimmer Mist as well as various paint brands.

To find out what Auntie Em's monthly inspired sale, and to see Lorena's take on the same sketch, visit the Auntie Em's blog.

In other creative news, it's been slow.  Let me rephrase, since it is always slow where I am concerned :)  It has been slower than usual.  The beginning of September saw my return to work as well as trying to implement my 'no less than three times per week at the gym' routine.  So far so good but, with other things going on, it has been slow.  I have made some jewellery though and will share soon.  Until then:

Happy Creating.

Have you seen this?

I am a huge fan of Make It & Love It and go there with every entry she blogs. Today she linked to another blog, so I clicked and started perusing where I found ..... this. It is sooo funny. I had a grin on my face the whole time with frequent bursts of pee-in-my-pants laughter. Hopefully you get a kick out of it too.

Sinfully Scrumptious

I remember seeing a Tim Hortons coupon at some point this summer. It was actually a two-fer ... Timmies and some creamery place. I'd never heard of it so I didn't give it much thinking.  It would never apply to me. Boy was I wrong and boy do I wish I had whatever that coupon was.

Turns out it was for Cold Stone Creamery which is attached to Tim Hortons. I haven't seen any in Ottawa but came across a new store in Cornwall ---- with the Creamery inside. Sinfully delicious. All ice cream and cones are made on the premesis and hand mixed with whatever ingredients you want to add. Their waffle cones/bowls are to die for. I was feeling fruity (both times I went) so I got the Berry Berry. Visit 1 was French Vanilla ice cream and visit 2 was cake batter both with strawberries, blueberries and raspberries.  So tasty and only one of a dozen flavours to choose from.  Enough with the talk ... lets let the pictures show you what I mean.

Regardless, I'm now thinking that I have a new route home from Cornwall and, since I really only make it to Cornwall an average of once a month, I will have to stop there again on Friday just to get my fill.  What flavour should I have this time?  Seriously .... if you ever come across one, you simply have to try it!

Quick Mini

Using the Gabrielle Collection from Bo Bunny, along with 5x5 pockets from KI Memories, I created a quick mini album about a trip to Montreal I took with my nieces a few years back.  We had so much fun ... but the photo selections were limited, outside to the great architecture around Old Montreal however, the memories stored away are plentiful and priceless.  We had a major case of the sillies that weekend as we explored the underground mall, took the subway and explored the streets.  It was great to leave my car behind and not have to worry about parking and driving.  Especially with a via rail pick up and drop off right in Casselman, I only had to drive 15 minutes away for the journey to being. 

With the leftovers from the Gabrielle Collection, I made two very quick cards.  I really do enjoy making them and don't know why I don't do it more often.  Then again .. I really enjoy being creative and crafty so why dont I do that more often either?  (no comment)

As summer winds down, I can not believe I have to return to work in 3 weeks.  It is just flying by faster than any other but I have to admit, it has been the most enjoyable summer I have had in a long time.  Despite a flipped around sleeping schedule, I have been enjoying quite the social life with some pretty great friends ... new and old.  I really dont want it to end ...

Finally, before I forget yet again, blogger just isn't being user friendly.  I really do look at everyone's blogs and often drool over or chuckle at the content but I just can not comment.  I have NO clue why that is.  It will take me to the google log in page after I have written my comment but won't post it.  It just keeps asking me to enter my password over and over and over again.  Very strange and very inconvenient. 

Happy Creating

AE Pagemaps: The Beauty of Friendship

This month's Pagemap Calendar was a great design to work with.  I knew right away that I didn't want to do a layout but something different.  Something more art inspired - like a canvas.  While it was fun using some of my mixed media 'skills' in scrapbooking, I found that it was actually difficult to do ... mainly because I seem to be gravitating towards creating with more white space and less embellishments.  Not so great for the girl who has more supplies than she knows what to do with ... and that was after a partial purge. 

I have to say that, although I am not a vintage scrapper, I really enjoyed working with the Bo Bunny Gabrielle line.  The colours are so muted and pretty.  Timeless.  It was a fun project to make and I look forward to hanging it up in my house ... somewhere.  Time to paint me a blue room!   :-)

What have I gotten myself into?

It all started with a sleepless night and a you-tube clip.  That accidental clip quickly turned into a full length you-tube episode (seriously ... how often do you find 44 minute clips?) and now ... I am shamelessly addicted to the shows I always shook my head at in disbelief.  Shamelessly.  Guiltily.  Addicted.

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

It is 4:47am and I am now 1/3 of the way through Season 2.  I started Season 1 on Sunday (or was it Monday?  what time was it?) and now I want more and more and more.  And now ... I force myself to go to bed wondering 'what happens next?'

Dumb reality tv.  Oy vay.

Look what's coming this fall ...

My Craft Channel

How exciting is that?  It's the first of it's kind and will have over 20 shows each week featuring sewing, painting, beading, mixed media, photography and more.  Christy Tomlinson will also be on it ... yeehaw!  I love watching her work and am in complete envy and the dirty space, dirty stamps and dirty hands.  The mark of a true artist.  haha.  All I have to say is "Move over, you tube.  There's a new channel in town!"

AE Pagemaps Revisit for June: Party Like a Rockstar

When taking photos of my intrepretation of the calendar sketch, I found that the photo of the completed layout was very blurry so I didn't use it.  I thought that I had done a post using the teaser shots only but it seems to be non-existent.  I am certain of it, actually because I know that I post dated the publish date.  Ah well.  Clearly I messed it up and nothing was shared ... or I am just blind and cant find the post.  Either way and thanks to Lorena, I have the completed layout (as well as my teasers from before) for June's Pagemaps Calendar sketch so I thought I would share.  While it is a simple layout, I am rather pleased with the look of the background.  I think it's kinda cool!  :)   {to see July's reveal, check out Life's Delight here or on Auntie Em's blog}

In other creative news ... I had a productive day at Auntie Em's last night.  A few kinks in the day had me getting there later than I wanted but I managed to get two double page art journals (almost) made.  I liked the concept that I had in my head for my circle art journal (volume 2) front page and decided to apply it to Jenn's journal as well.  It was fun to 'assembly line' the art work and actually gave me an idea of another way to do the circle journals.  Today I am continuing to work on downsizing, purging, organizing and cleaning my studio (yes, studio ... between beading, sewing, scrapping and art stuff, it's not just a scrapbooking room anymore so i've decided to become a tad posh and use 'studio' dahlings....  now - if I could just get a great big picture window put in with a glorious body of water and mountains in the background, it would be true bliss.)  Right now, it is a bonafide disaster zone and complete embarrassment that I will actually share with you in a future post. *gulp*  Stay tuned for some "before's" and "after's" before summer's end.

Hope you are enjoying what looks to be an incredibly beautiful day.

AE PageMaps Reveal: Life's Delight

A quick layout using the July PageMap Calendar sketch and featuring my sweetest and adorable niece, Kristyn.  She starts JK next year so I will now get to see her 5 days a week.  I can't wait.  Oh how I *heart* my fruit salad!

want to see what my DT co-hort Lorena did with her sketch?  Check it out here!

Good things come to those who wait ....



Tim Thomas
Boston Bruins Goalie
Stanley Cup Champions
2011

and thats exactly what happened last night as the Boston Bruins won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 1970 ... or the first time in my Hubs lifetime.

It is a very emotional time in my house right now.  He is crazy excited and thrilled beyond belief - actually to the point of disbelief.  Anyone who knows him knows he is a hardcore Bruins fan through and through (hey .... we have a dog whose registered name is Neely VonBruin for crying out loud!) and what this means to him.  It's like his own personal victory.

Me ... I am a Bruins fan by marriage.  A person who has come to enjoy and appreciate the game but rarely watches because my Hubs is just too intense for me.  Last night though ... it was an absolute pleasure to watch with him.  It was intense for both of us and today I proudly wear my Bruins jersey ... much to the dismay of many colleagues and students. 

So with this post I leave the creative behind and celebrate on behalf of my Hubs with a congratulations to both teams for a great series and a great big WOOOHOOOOO to the Bruins for taking the cup.  (and yes, I recognize that it would have been great to have had Lord Stanley at home in Canada but ... technically ... 17 of their top players are Canadian [including two from Vancouver) so it's not completely American.  Thats my disclaimer)  You played a strong game as a strong team ... and no one believed you could do it.

 



Circle Art Journal - v. 1.0

Over the past few months, some ladies and I have been participating in an Art Journal Exchange.  For this semi-type A personality (and I say 'semi' because I really do believe that I call in the middle of both categories in so many ways), it was a great opporunity to try my hand at different things and stretch beyond my creative norm.  One thing I learned is that I seem to be okay at doing backgrounds but, for the front runner type stuff, I am seriously lacking.  Fortunately however, I will have the opportunity to expand further as we prepare to bring Circle Art Journal v. 2.0. --- both with the front page type stuff and some very cool Pan Pastels.  (now I just have to watch Donna's video so I can fully understand how to use them and that they arent just something that you would smear across your page with a sponge.  novel idea if I do say so myself!!)

Because I didn't take photos each time I completed an entry, I am not able to share the ones that I did for others - with the exception of two that were taken off Facebook and Rosa's blog.  (thanks ladies!) - so I will share with you all the wonderful entries into my journal created by some very talented women.  (eta:  after uploading photos, I realized that I am missing Katie's second creation.  the pages must've been stuck together.  sadly, i am way down here and it is way up there and i am just too darn lazy at this moment to put my camera together and go take that second shot, upload, edit then post so I will save that one for a later day.)  It was a night of great laughs as we revealed eachothers journals to one another.  Thanks again for hosting, Katie.  I look forward to sharing after the next round.

Jenn

Katie

Rachel

Rosa

Stéphanie 1

Sharon



Stéphanie 2

 

Mellisa for Rosa -- my very first art journal entry.



 

Rediscover: ME!

There is so much about me that people don't know or realize.  Some would be surprised while others might suspect. 

This past weekend was very profound.  Very eye opening.  Very real.  Very unexpected .. and from a person least suspected.  A person to whom I am grateful to and whom I don't think realized that depth of the impact our talk together had on me.  Thank you.  So, for now, I am discovering and rediscover me. 

Just Do!

The Donna Downey Experience

This weekend was my weekend with the Scrapbox and Donna Downey and *WOW* what a weekend.  I learned more things, became less inhibited with my art and the creating process - something that I have been trying to do - and began a journey of healing and repairing.  And the laughter ... omigod the laughter.  So much of it from everywhere.  Between Donna and her students and solely amongst her students as well.  If Ottawa (or somewhere you are or are near) is hosting a Donna Downey event, you simply must take it.

For me, and beyond the creativity, it was a weekend without compare.  I've begun a different kind of creative journey and I owe it all to Donna for helping me open my eyes, and begin to repair. 

This is the second time I've done a Donna Downey weekend ... and it won't be the last.  

Happy Monday.

Signed, sealed & delivered ...

... I'M YOURS!!!

For a while I've been wanting try the liquid adhesive that Donna Downey uses on her projects - Helmar 450 Quick Dry ... and I finally did tonight. I love it. LOVE IT. Tombo Mono is great but even better. I have to say that this will now be my go-to adhesive ... even with the slightly stong scent. If you have the opportunity, give it a try. Next tester ... Helmar Scrapdots. I will be trying those at the Donna Downey event next weekend at the Scrapbox. Those should be pretty cool too ... cant wait to find out for sure.

On a seperate note, I see that my Three Way video was removed . The one below should work but remember ... if you havent seen Dick in a Box or Mother Love, you should click here and watch them first.

Enjoy your weekend, rain or shine.

Home ... is where our story begins

I created this layout a couple of weeks ago using the Dear Lizzy line.  While it looks like something that should have come off easily and without a hitch, it actually took me a while to do ... and didn't come out as I had pictured it in my mind.  This style is very outside of my comfort zone ... but that's okay.  It's always good to try new things, right?  One thing I need to tweak is the white space to the right of the pictures, in between the titles.  Don't love it.  It needs something.

Also, once again, apologies for the quality-lacking photo which was taken with what ... my iPhone, of course.  I really need to buy a good, purse/pocket sized camera that I can keep with me at all times --- or just take the photos before I bring the layouts to the store.

On a side note, my sister comes home tomorrow after almost a month in Europe.  YAY!  I chatted with her on Sunday when she called from Luxembourg ... she's having a great time - - no doubt - - but I'm just not used to not talking to her 3 or 4 or 5 days out of the week.  Funny how I can go a month without seeing her when she's home and be fine with just talking and/or texting but as soon as she crosses the pond ... i miss my sister big time.  haha.