New Years 2012

Happy New Years!
Can you believe it?  It is a new year! 2012! It's hard to believe that we are leaving 2011 behind, and grabbing onto an entirely new year. I will not be sad to say good-bye to 2011. In fact... I do so, happily. This New Year, I am all about the Resolution, and keeping said resolution. What are my resolutions?  So glad you asked!

2012 New Years Resolutions

I've been sick this last part of December. Ok.. I've been sick much of the year. That leads me into my biggest resolution...

1.  I resolve to take better care of my health.  I intend to eat better, exercise more, and ensure that I take a keener interest in how I feel. Ok, so yes. I have resolved this before. But THIS time, I resolve to seriously resolve it. Is that possible?

2.  I resolve to lose weight.  Yeah, ok. This is connected to my first resolution... and who doesn't make these two resolutions. However... this year, I really mean it. Am I repeating myself?

3.  I resolve to be stronger.  I need to embrace my inner strength, and my outer strength. I need to accept that part of me, embrace it... and throw it out there.

4.  I resolve to keep an art journal. What is an art journal?  There is a girl who does art journals on youtube, who is fantastic and freespirited.   She goes by the name suziblutube. Check her out. Here's her blog too!

Great saying of the week!


What we do for ourselves
Dies with us...
What we do for others... and the world...
remains... and is...
immortal.


Albert Pine

Rainy Day Tuesday

It's November 29th, here in SouthWestern Ontario Canada. There are some around the world, who assume that Canada is snow-covered by the end of September. We are lucky if we get a slightly white Christmas.  and today... mere hours before the start of December ... it's raining.   This ticks my son off severely.  He is off on a Disney cruise next week... and he wants to leave behind nasty cold weather, so that he can feel like he's paid for the heat he'll enjoy.  Aren't we all like that?  It's just not nearly as fun, if it's also warm back home.  Of course... those of you who live in California, Texas, or Arizona.. or other such warm places... I guess you don't know that joy!  There is something absolutely MAGICAL about boarding a plane with a winter coat on, and shorts underneath.  I can't even describe it!

And it continues to rain outside. My little puppies are bored, and unhappy, as they snuggle up on their favourite couch, looking at me with the blame in their eyes.  Mischa, however.. would gladly haul her tiny 8 pound hiney outside into the rain, in a heartbeat. Beauregard, on the other hand... does not appreciate the qualities of rain. He looks disdainfully outside, completely fed up with the wet stuff... and me for allowing it.

Me?  I might have to head into the scraproom. After all.. what else is there to do on a rainy day?

It's a Brand New Week!!!

That Means a Brand New Start!

I love new starts.  Fresh starts. I'm going to claim today as one of those, and I'm going to look forward to it with glee.  Why? Cuz it has started out TERRIBLY.  LOL  So.. what else is there to do, but to claim it as a fresh start!

Ok.. so I was wrong. Or, at least... I was a little overly wishful!  A few hours after writing the above, I'd driven my son to the train station, where he boards his train into Toronto for University classes... and I headed back home. I had a bite to eat, and then Poof... the power went out. Gone. No power. No sign of it coming back all morning, either.

So... now where am I?

At the Mall! Using their internet, trying to believe in that elusive fresh start, and finding it running far from me.

Anyway....

I did a Layout! It's from "Once Upon a Sketch"!  You can check them out HERE!  This is their sketch below! It's due November 30th, and it has a journaling criteria. (I love those)... Here is the criteria...

Journalling criteria: This time the journalling criteria focuses on YOU 

as a woman OR ANY female in your life. What is the best thing about 

being a woman? Motherhood? Shopping? Make Up? Girls nights? 

Gossip? Your journalling can be as long as you wish and in any language, 

but you must journal at least 2 sentences on the best part of being a woman.

So, my journaling went like this...

"I dared to dream that one day I would be a Mother. Of all the dreams, this would be my all... my everything... As a woman, is there anything better than the God-given gift of having a baby? A baby!!! MY Baby!!!  I am a Mommy... and dreams DO come true!!!

Oh Beau!

Beauregard jumped up on Daddy's favourite chair, and decided to make himself comfy.

But when Beauregard has something... Mischa the Mischievous Mutt MUST have it too.

So what does Mischa do?

She jumps up too! Check out what Beauregard the Problematic Puggle thinks of THAT!

He's definitely thinking "What the heck? Get OUT of here!"

So, being the good Mommy, I said "Beauregard! Be Nice!"

Mischa looks up with her... "What? What's he doing? Is he in trouble?"

And Beau flops his head down like.. "Oh geez"

I said "Beauregard! Be Nice to Mischa!" Mischa, bored with now

having what Beauregard has, and no longer wanting it...

decides to jump down.

Beauregard, however, is letting me know EXACTLY

how he feels about her butting into his Daddy space!!!

What says dogs don't have their own personality?

Once Upon a Sketch

Here is my take on the sketch ... 

The flowers are made from 2-toned homemade paper. Products are Prima, brads, K& Company paper, c/s (Bazzill), Iron letters. Sanding, tearing, inking, and Tattered angels mist (copper).

My tag says:

At the grand ole age of 2, this little boy knows

exactly what he wants...

with a noogie in one hand, 

and a bottle in the other,

he's prepared for anything!

He's quite the Bean. That is why I started scrapping,

to take the picture and tell the story behind it...

And to show the world, he is the

Genuine Article! 
(and... I have some hidden journaling underneath the tag.)

Layouts

Two slightly older layouts. I've been looking at older layouts lately. Older ones than this though.. and I want DESPERATELY to redo them. Do you just leave yours? Or do you redo them? Mine are driving me crazy. Now I have already redone most of the very beginner ones... you know.. the ones I did at my first CM parties. I couldn't leave them like that. Now.. the in-between ones? I'm looking at them, and thinking.. with a touch of this, and a touch of that... with a bit of this product, and a bit of that.. etc... I could maybe bring them up to speed. Your opinion?

New Michaels opened in my home town

It's not a scrapbooking store, but it's something!  But my first experience there, was not exactly positive! They charged me over two times what they should have. They didn't give me my 40% off where I was supposed to have it. I told them, of course, which didn't do any good. Eventually, had to call someone over, and walk them to the scrap stuff and point out the prices.  The one lady answered my questions about scrapbooking products. When I corrected her on the one thing I knew she was completely wrong about, she argued. When I said I knew etc... she then said.. oh well.. I don't know anything about scrapbooking supplies. It's a completely new hobby that's just come out. Huh??? sigh

So ok, I'll stop complaining. But man.. I really miss not having a scrapbooking store in my home town.  REALLY miss it!

Have a  FANTASTIC Monday!!!

It's A Saturday Morning World

Do You Want to Help?


I want to start with something a bit sadder than usual.  There is a lady who is a fellow Scrapbooker. Many of you may know her. Her name is 

Katie Renz

PO Box 5913

Bellingham, WA   98227-5913

She passed away from cancer on Monday, November 7th, at 5:10 am, leaving behind 3 

children and a husband that she loved very much, and who clearly loved her equally as 

much.  If you are able, or are interested in helping, please consider sending a card to themto help them get through these special days, that are coming up so close to their loss.. 

She won't be there to make their days special, so maybe we can help her out with that?

Nate and Will are going to turn 6 on November 19th.

Hunter will be turning 12 on December 1st.  

Kevin (her hubby) has a birthday on November 17th.

You can imagine how hard this is going to be on them all. Having lost their mom/wife at such a young age, all getting ready to celebrate their birthdays, and then Christmas.

Thanks ladies!

------------------------------------------------

A Layout on LIFE

I like this layout. I was so proud of my belly! Isn't pregnancy great? 

You can be larger than ever, and not care!!!

It's FRIDAY!!!!

Remembrance Day

My Mom had me when she was in her 40's, and when she was 16, she snuck into the army. She LOOKED older than she was. It was during WWII.  She was booked to go to Japan in the fall of 1941, but as the only First Class Tradesman where she was, she was held back. Her troop left without her. It was a lucky and blessed break for my Mom. One of those stories that personalize the war.  Since it was so long ago, it's easy to think of it as not quite real or relevant.  I also have a friend's son who is on his 3rd term in Afghanistan.   I have known this boy his entire life. So scary. For all those who have served our Country and the Free world... and for those still serving... My prayers are yours. For those who have someone they love, who has served this country and the free world, my prayers are yours. For those we lost, and those who loved them... my prayers are yours.

********************

I'm SO happy! It's the weekend... almost! Hubby and I get to hang together... relax... chillax... kick back... and just BE! BE together. It's good.

Our Chillaxing Teachers...

We learn by example. Our two pooches... 

Beauregard, the Problematic Puggle of Perpetual Need

Now Beauregard knows how to relax. And he knows how to ensure he has the proper treats, 

as well as a warm and cosy place to eat that treat!

If we don't learn from Beauregard, and his form of eating and relaxing...

we look to Mischa, the Mischievous Misbegotten Mutt ...

and HER form of *How to chillax 101* 

1. Roll over onto your back, with head as far back as possible

2. Snore lightly with bottom teeth showing in an under bite!!!

3. Spread all 4 leg up & out, so you don't look quite real, and in a 

manner that necessitates the photographer to show only your face!

Yeah. This pretty much describes the household on weekends... except for our 19 year old son, who works all his spare hours not spent at University.  (Yeah.. weekends don't mean the same thing to him)

Before I say so long for now...

I'll post another layout, shall I?

Friday's Layout?

"The Eyes Have It!"

I love this layout, because I love these pictures. His big brown eyes, slanted down on the ends, big, wide grin.. and his teeny tiny button nose make me smile. And they make me happy. I can't get enough close ups of those eyes.