October 30, 2009

If you haven't weighed in about my post from yesterday, asking what style you think I am, as a scrapbooker, I'd love it if you did !

Halloween, costumes, fun, oh my!!! It's fun to watch the little ones all dressed up for Halloween. It's also fun to watch my not-so-little-one all dressed up this morning. He wasn't wearing his tummy padding, or his mustache. It was drizzling, and he was preserving his costume. But still... he looked so darn cute! Here he is, leaving the house this morning. He isn't wearing his belly, and he isn't wearing his mustache. He had to do the morning news on tv, and was waiting until just before going on air to put the rest on. He's not a little boy anymore... but he's my little boy. And even all half asleep here, at 7:15am, I think he looks adorable.

:)

October 29, 2009

Halloween

My son has several places to go for Halloween. He's 17 now... so they are different places.. but still... they are dress up, fun times places. He's running a costume contest at his school... (He's involved in Student Council as School Trustee), and he's got a couple gatherings with his friends. So he went out and bought himself a costume. This is the first year that I haven't put it together for him, in almost his whole life. I am now deprived of the driving around, arguing, looking for something to put together. Going to Value Village, and finding little pieces of the puzzle, and seeing something in my mind, coming out to fruition. Nope. None of that. He calls it a good thing. He doesn't understand. That's what makes us Mom's feel important and involved. Mom-like!

Another new chapter. Another good-bye. But this is a positive blog. A new positive Sandie. So... it's NOT a good-bye. It's a hello! Hello to freedom! Hello to more Me-time. Hello to an independant child! A child who takes care of these things himself! What did my little independant boy come up with? Super Mario! Tights, belly, mustache, hat. His girlfriend wants to go as Miss Peach. His friend? As Luigi. Who says just little ones can enjoy Halloween?

The *Art* of Scrapbooking?

Do you consider yourself a scrapbooker? Or do you consider yourself an artist? Does the distinction matter? IS there a distinction? When does a scrapbooker become an artist?

The reason I ask, is that I am playing with the Project 52 challenges. Right now, we're on Challenge 2... and it's a lot of Mixed Media. I've never played a lot with mixed media... but it feels very *artsy*. When I scrapbook, I don't always feel artsy. But when I work with the mixed media... I feel a bit more *artistic*. You?

My Style?

Help? Speaking of artistic, and scrapbooking... we are often asked to identify what style of scrapbooker we are. I struggle with that. Would you mind having a look at a few of my pages, and give me your opinion on what style of scrapper you think I am?

October 27, 2009

It's Tuesday.

Already the week is on its way. I love that. We sail quickly toward the weekend.

It's been a long day today. We were up and out early. In fact... it was still dark when we arrived at the office. Dana had to go to an Applause Breakfast for the Board. As Trustee, he needs to attend all Board functions like this. My little baby looks so grown up in his suit, with the school crest on his tie and jacket, and the Board pin firmly in place on his lapel. My baby. We drop him off at these functions, and his principal brings him to school afterwards. He heads in confidently, and we marvel. We would be nervous during some of these functions, but he doesn't appear to get nervous at all. This layout is in keeping with the times. With Halloween mere days away, I made this layout of October '97. My baby, when he was actually a baby to everyone else. He was Batman. The strange ghoul beside him? That would be his faithful Mommy... aka... Me! What can I say? My son likes his Mommy and Daddy to play too.

Monday, October 26th, 2009

Oh What A Day!

So... This is the way that it is. Positive.... Remember?

The weekend flew by. We took Dana and his girlfriend to Canada's Wonderland on Saturday, where they played until midnight. Actually 11:30 pm. They would have left earlier, but we didn't return until then. We dropped them off around noon, and came back for them twelve hours later. We stopped on the way home, at a Scrapbooking store in Mississauga. Fun! I'd never been there before, and it's always fun to find a new place.

A New Sketch. I used a digi kit and made a quick sketch for you today. Enjoy. If you use it... I'd love to see a link so I can go and give you some love.

Birthdays.

I have a birthday coming up. November 2nd. Can I start my complaining now? It's a process that I go through. I think it started after my 35th birthday. And I'm definitely older than 35.

Oy.

Project 52!

I've decided to participate in Project 52. I did an altered canvas called My Wedding Day Hero. Check out the place, and see if you want to play along! Bad Girls Community or Project 52 Blog

October 18, 2009

I found a New Place...to Hang my Hat!

And it's fun! SO much inspiration. I'm a happy gal. This place is called A Million Memories
so check it out, if you are looking for fun girls, with scads of talent. (And nope... I'm not on the team, and have yet to get to know them super well... so I have nothing to gain by recommending them).

We had a crop over there... and I did a couple of layouts and stuff. I will share them with you when I've finished. I prefer the scanner at the office. The one on my home desk, just doesn't cut it as well. I love challenges. What's not to love? Someone else thinks up the premise.. and you play. I did up some boring stuff... but some of those girls used the same instructions as I did... and came up with some crazy talented crapola. Crapola probably isn't the best choice of words when you're talking about something good, eh? hmmmm

It's Sunday... and it's back to work tomorrow. How come weekends go at the speed of light.. but the week lasts a lifetime?

I'll post more later.

Just Someone.

You Don't Know Them.

A Friend.

For those of you with teenage sons... you may be well aquainted with the comments above. And for those of you who will have teenage sons in the future? You may as well become aquainted with the comments above.

Mom/Dad: "So... who are you having dinner with?"

Teenage son... "Just a friend."

Mom/Dad: "Does this friend have a name?"

Teenage son... "Yes"

Mom/Dad: "Good. If their parents were to need to talk to them, what would they call them?"

"Mom! / Dad! Stop it"

And so the same ole same ole took place this weekend, while I got up... ON THE WEEKEND WHEN SLEEPING IN IS ALLOWED... AND NAY... ENCOURAGED, I might add... to drive said child to work. (he works part time while in high school)... and I think I almost pulled over to smack said lovely child.

Ok.. so he's delightful... gets good grades... works hard... elected Student Trustee for Catholic School Board... has all good friends... and stays out of trouble. All true. But throw me a bone for pity sake. His *girl* friends will climb in the van, and I'll get more information from their rapid speak to me, in the space of 3 1/2 minutes, than I'll have gotten from him in the past month! That's why his dad and I happily give rides whenever they are requested. Please. There's a method to our madness.

The first is called Fresh Faced, and the second one is called We 3. Both.. of course... are about my Bean, Dana, who is the cutest son a Mom could ask for. tfl I've really started to enjoy the bright patterned paper lately. Not sure what has changed. But I used to dislike it, and prefer the autumn and muted colours. Now... not so much.

HEY! Happy Belated Thanksgiving, to my fellow Canadians. May you always find something to be eternally thankful for!

What am I thankful for? I am thankful for my husband and son, of course! I am thankful for the faith that I enjoy. I am thankful for life, and for my memories. I am thankful that I have my scrapbooking as an outlet for play and comfort. And I am thankful for my pets... Disney, Jaguar, and Beauregard.

And I'm thankful for you guys! I'm sending you big hugs.

Here are a Few *Thanks* cards!

Monday Monday

An Experiment in Life

or

A Pact of Positivity

So Good To Me?
Ok.. so Monday isn't necessarily good to me. It's a day where everyone gets re-stressed for the week, and it means back to school for my son... and back to work for hubby and me. It means the stresses of life pile back on, and you must head on out into the ugliness, an leave the sanctity of your own home. The safe bosom of your family. Etc.

Um.. yeah. Ok.. well the PURPOSE of this is to be positive.. and I lost that somewhere in the middle of this post. But yeah... I've decided to restructure myself. Redefine my level of postivity. I am giving up negativity. It's not about breaking my habit of being negative nellie. It's about creating the NEW habit of positive. That's what I'm deciding on. It won't be easy. I've been negative nellie my entire life. As a writer and poet, I EXCEL when I am depressed. I am ... dare I say it... almost brilliant with my prose, when I am at my low ebb. So.. I'm chancing the loss of what I hold dear... flickers of brilliance... at least in my own mind... for the sake of being positive. Is it worth it? We shall see. This is the experiment. This is the not-so-scientific-experiment-of-life-changing-positivity.

This is interesting. At the very least... somewhat fun.
And who knows what else.

Care to join me? Care to see what life brings to us? Care to make a pact of positivity?

Come on! What do you have to lose? If *they* are right, and we really DO create our good fortune... don't you want a part of it?

Monday, October 5th 2009

Today, I went to a website and was moved to do this post. Go and see Catching Happiness One Scrap at a Time

and read about her story. And then do what she suggests. At the very least, do a breast exam. Don't put it off. We are making great strides in Cancer, if we pay attention and catch it in time.

Don't be a statistic. Be a survivor.

Now... Besides that... I just found a fun site that I played at all weekend. There was a great crop, and I just had a real hoot there. The site is called http://www.artfreckles.com/

Check them out!