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.

The Golden Rule

Oh Andy & Justin ... you've done it again. But wait ... if you don't know about the first two SNL shorts, you have to watch this first. Enjoy!

storage solution, please ...

As I may have mentioned in a previous post, I am really downsizing my space.  Not only in size (hopefully) but in products as well.  I really just have TOO  MUCH STUFF.  Some things I have been sitting on for 4 or 5 years so ... bye-bye.  That being said, I seem to be increasing in some ways too.  One way, for example, is stamps.  Despite reducing my collection by half (approximately 25 SU! sets), I have picked up a few cling mount stamps.  Not many - just one BG Stella & Rose and two itty-bitty Ali Edwards/Technique Tuesday sets.  I have been wanting to make cards again.  I mean really make cards again.  I would actually like to make them and sell them.  Feed my craft by supporting my craft, if that makes any sense.  With this pull towards making cards again, I am really being pulled towards cling mount stamps.  (hello Unity .. yum!),  I have some random ones from Michael's buck-fifty bin and all of Heidi Swapps stamps but they are currently sitting in a shoe box.  I have an idea of how I would like to store these (and future) stamps but I am not sure if it is a sturdy enough one.  I just know compact and space efficient is a necessity.  So ...

How do YOU store your cling mount stamps?

NSD/Mother's Day recap

As I mentioned before, I spent National Scrapbook Day creating a mini album but, what I didn't share, was that it was actually a gift for my Mom for Momma's Day.  Sometimes she finds her way here.  Sometimes she doesn't ... but I couldn't take the chance.  I actually used an ATC sized 7 Gypsies Carousel and what a fabulous process.  I really loved making this mini album.  It housed about 90 ATC sized photos as well as about 12 dividers and sentiments throughout.  There is even room left for those family members that I didnt have photos of as well as room for photos taken in the future.  This is definitely a mini I will be making again and for myself.  Did I mention that I got (almost) all of it done in a day and a half AND while at a crop, no less?  Thanks to Jenn from The Scrapbox, she hooked me up with a sweet lady who had the ATC punch since one wasnt available for purchase and this was somewhat of a last minute gift idea.  (i knew something creative but didnt know how until Wednesday ... talk about last minute).  Not only was Luce SUPER helpful in letting me use her punch, she was sweet and kind enough to let me take it home in order to finish the project.  I mean, we had just met and here she was providing me with the tools to get the job done longer than I had needed  Thanks to her, I was able to put those finishing touches on the sentiment and divider cards then add them to the album before giving it to my Mom .... 100% completed.  The best part ... my Mom cried.  That made it all perfect!  (pictures to be added soon.  i didnt get a chance to take any before presenting her with the gift and forgot my camera to get photos afterwards.  most likely saturday)

Life is finally getting back to normal ... almost.  We have been running on one vehicle for two weeks and it absolutely has not been fun.  I hate not being able to do what I want to do when I want to do it.  I hate relying on others to get me places or bring me home.  Regardless, it should all be rectified this week and I will finally be able to establish my routine again and get to the gym.  Ooooh the gym.  How I miss you so.  I am going tomorrow for volleyball and am wondering if it smart to go a few hours early just to get a nice, long workout.  If volleyball is anything like the first week it may be a good idea because I wont be able to move my arms and legs for days.  haha.

On a seperate note ... if you are interested in going to the movies, I have done two movies in two weeks.  Last Tuesday we went to see Limitless.  Better than I expected but hello ... Bradley Cooper.  Yum.  Yesterday I went to see Something Borrowed and let me tell you .... funny!!!  What a good movie.  Definite chick flick but alot, alot of humour and lingering giggles.  Not to mention the previews ... our movie marathons are going to be good this year.  Plus *shudder* there is a new movie coming out with none other than the future Mr. Ross ... Justin Timberlake.  *sigh*  Best part of that is that it looks like a good movie too!

Until I blog again ... all the best for the sunny week.  I hear that the weekend is calling for rain but my Friday will be spent scrappin' at Auntie Em's with my fave Cornwall gals.  Can't wait!

 

** Happy Momma's Day **

In my family, Mother's Day isn't "that big of a deal."  Actually, for the first time in a few years, my Mom is actually letting ME cook supper for her.  (she has this idea that, as our Mom, she is celebrating us as much we are celebrating her.  She's so wonderful!)   Like Valentine's Day, we all feel that there shouldn't be one specific day to honour and love that special someone's in your life.  That love should be celebrated daily (and not in big ways ... it's the small subtle moments that count the most) and acts of sweetness should be done because you want to, not because society says today is the day to honour that person.  Despite all of that, Mother's Day is still a day where I want to be no where but with my Momma.  It's low key and quaint and the perfect way to be together.  To talk.  To laugh.  To share time with my brother and sister.  To just be together ... as we often do through out the year -- thankfully though because for the first time in 37 years, my Momma won't have all three of her children with her.  My sister got it in her head that she would be in Europe with her boyfriend this year and is actually spending Mother's Day travelling to Barcelona after three days in Paris.  I mean really.  EUROPE???  I'm thinking that home with Mom is a much better place to be!  *wink*   So today, on behalf of my brother, sister and husband (yes, my husband.  he and my mom are fortunate to have an incredible relationship with eachother) I want to take a moment to wish my Mom a

** Happy Momma's Day **

No four people are luckier to have you for a mom/mom-in-law than we.  Thank you for your never ending guidance, support and readiness to let us fall to learn from our mistakes but wipe off our knees when we get back up.  Thank you for being the person we know we can always count on through anything life throws our way.  Thank you for being you.  Thank you for being ours!    ...xox...

AE PageMaps Reveal: For the Love of Shoes

Happy Spring, everyone.  Sort of.  There hasn't been much in the way of sunshine but the weather is warmer and the socks have been off for about a month now.  Now all I need is to get in the mental mindset for crafting again and I am good to go.  April was a busy month.  Between my sister's birthday, the flu, Easter and the Hubs grandmother passing, there hasn't been much time for creating.  Unfotunately it has taken a bit of a tole on my mojo but that's bound to change with Saturday being National Scrapbook Day and a weekend of creative fun.  *crossing my fingers*  I have big plans and need to have big accomplishments that weekend too.

On the Auntie Em's front, it's that time again and let's just say May's pagemaps were fun to work with.  I saw many different possibilites for this sketch but opted to focus on the more non-traditional photos.  Featuring Basic Grey's 'Marjolaine' line, I added some Making Memories, Maya Road and a few other embellishments to finish it off.  I also added photos using three layours of dimension - flat plus two thicknesses of pop dots.  A great way to get depth easily.  Finally, I created my own raffle tags using lined paper from Scenic Route which I then turned into a journally strip - - - and used my own handwriting.  *gasp*  I don't particularly love it (or like it, for that matter) but I do call it 'done' and, at the end of the day, that's what counts!

There was so much versitility in this paper line that it was hard to decide between the accent and focal colours.  Thankfully, those colours decided for themselves and away I created.  Regardless of the great papers or the inspiring sketch, there is one thing that creating this layout had me craving .... more and more shoes.  Shopping anyone?  *wink*

Journalling reads:

It's amazing what a great pair of shoes can do for a woman's self-esteem.  How a casual flat can make you feel hip and trendy while a sleek stilhetto can leave you feeling beautiful and sexy.  Whether they are shows that I wear daily or a special pair that I only get to wear once a year, one thing is for certain ... I can never have too many pairs of shoes.