I love Christmas holidays. And this year working full-time in December, I've looked forward to them even more.....and then I got sick. The flu. And then a cold. And then it turned into some nasty sinus/throat infection. And then, the flu again. Can you believe it? Sheesh.
So today - I played outside with my kids for the first time in nearly 2 weeks. It was about -5 outside - wonderful weather for Dec. 30th. I felt amazing. Residual back pain and headache but all in all....on the mend.
And I still love Christmas holidays.
Happy New Year everyone!
Yahoo!!!! A DT toot for me
I made the Clear Scraps Design Team!!! I'm so excited. I've really just started playing with this acrylic medium and it's really a fantastic look that I'm hoping to do a lot with. Check out their cool stuff here: Clear Scraps
So torn....
How can I be loving something so much and so anxious for it to end at the same time? I'm so torn inside. I adore my job at the school. I love it so much that (and I don't wanna say this too loud - LOL) I'd almost do it for free - as a volunteer. And yet this full-time month is exactly as "too much" as I thought it would be. I'm SO looking forward to going back to half-time in January.
The biggest surprises about being back in the workforce for me has been realizing that what I thought I'd love - I really do, and what I thought I'd be able to handle - is exactly how much I can handle. I think after being a SAHM for so long I'd begun to doubt whether I really knew who I was anymore, iykwim....but I think I still do know who I am, and what I want, and what I am capable of. And once again....after a month or two of adjustment....I'm finding myself exactly where I'm supposed to be. It's a freeing feeling.
I'm tired and busy, but very, very happy.
The biggest surprises about being back in the workforce for me has been realizing that what I thought I'd love - I really do, and what I thought I'd be able to handle - is exactly how much I can handle. I think after being a SAHM for so long I'd begun to doubt whether I really knew who I was anymore, iykwim....but I think I still do know who I am, and what I want, and what I am capable of. And once again....after a month or two of adjustment....I'm finding myself exactly where I'm supposed to be. It's a freeing feeling.
I'm tired and busy, but very, very happy.
A new phase.
I'm working full time. I never thought I'd say that.
It's only temporary. And it's the best job in the world. But still - full time?? Who knew.
I'm an EA at my kids' school and I work with grade 1 kids (numeracy). It's academically very easy and the kids are so darn cute! Love 'em to pieces already. And I'm still in the grade 4 class I started in....which I adore.
Whew.
Just a new phase of life I'm adjusting to.
That's all.
It's only temporary. And it's the best job in the world. But still - full time?? Who knew.
I'm an EA at my kids' school and I work with grade 1 kids (numeracy). It's academically very easy and the kids are so darn cute! Love 'em to pieces already. And I'm still in the grade 4 class I started in....which I adore.
Whew.
Just a new phase of life I'm adjusting to.
That's all.
Scraphoria Dec. 07 Kit
A kit so fun it practically scrapped itself (again). Seriously - Tracey knows how to put together some kick-butt kits. Perfectly coordinated and Loaded with goodies!!
Here are my first few projects:
A layout entitled: "So cherished" I love how this turned out. My youngest son (Egan) goofing around with his cousin (Orin) at a family gathering this past summer.
DVD cases (I'm using these as Christmas presents so if you're reading this Mom & Dad (s), you're getting DVDs of our year for Christmas)
A Christmas ornament made out of 3 of the Maya Road chipboard album birds. I couldn't bear to "waste" all these birds on one project :) I love how this turned out. I have a red Kitchen with a taupe wall on one side so this has the perfect home this Christmas season!
A card using another bird. If and when I send this, I'm going to use strip journaling to add the person's name/address across the front. I may have to cover it in packing tape, or a laminating strip to mail it but I think it'll be cute.
Here are my first few projects:
A layout entitled: "So cherished" I love how this turned out. My youngest son (Egan) goofing around with his cousin (Orin) at a family gathering this past summer.
DVD cases (I'm using these as Christmas presents so if you're reading this Mom & Dad (s), you're getting DVDs of our year for Christmas)
A Christmas ornament made out of 3 of the Maya Road chipboard album birds. I couldn't bear to "waste" all these birds on one project :) I love how this turned out. I have a red Kitchen with a taupe wall on one side so this has the perfect home this Christmas season!
A card using another bird. If and when I send this, I'm going to use strip journaling to add the person's name/address across the front. I may have to cover it in packing tape, or a laminating strip to mail it but I think it'll be cute.
Here's a peek at the first page of an acrylic album I'm making based on the song "I believe in Us" by Amy Sky - a challenge on SGK.
Scavenger hunt picture
OK....this may seem like a silly picture but it's for a scavenger hunt so....please bear with me :)
Something cold - freezie
something hot - my coffee (in a travel mug)
something soft - my giraffe (thanks Kat, from Scrappygiraffekits.com)
something hard - the key ring on the giraffe
something heavy - the metal can on the top right contains a huge lump of metal filings (purchased at MCC - no reason - just couldn't pass up such a fun thing to own)
something light - the pompoms
something dark - Staz-on ink
something bright - binder rings from Target
something crafty - my wooden block calendar with today's date :)
something tasty - Juicy Fruit Gum
something sweet - KitKat
something cool - my coolest new scrappy thing - rub-on stitching from Daisy D's, in a tape-runner type dispenser! Very cool!
Photo inspiration
This is a photo I took this Spring of my (then Kindergarten-er) son's hand in mine as we drove home from a field trip on the school bus. Over half of the Kindergarten's, used to only 1/2 days at school, fell asleep on the bus on the way home from this full-day trip and I was lucky enough to have a boy who wanted to sleep on my lap. It struck me as I held him sleeping that this would probably be one of the last times this would ever happen. He's getting big; he was on his way to grade 1 - full days of school; outgrowing naps in general. This picture, when I look at it - inspires me to take advantage of every moment I have with him, and with my other kids because they grow up SO fast.
This is an accordian album with chipboard covers that I altered to be a Christmas card holder. We have a new black fridge that we've committed to keeping clutter-free so I need a place to store/display my pictures, without fun-tak-ing them all to the fridge. 
Thanks for looking!!
Thanks for looking!!
Hello.....free printer??
Wanna win a free printer?
Like this:
Of course, I don't really want you to - 'cause I'd like to win it myself....but I said I'd pass on the info and so here it is. Go to Two Moms in a Blog and try to win it for yourself. Good luck.
Like this:
Of course, I don't really want you to - 'cause I'd like to win it myself....but I said I'd pass on the info and so here it is. Go to Two Moms in a Blog and try to win it for yourself. Good luck.
You know you're a scrapbooker when...
I can always tell when something really, really touches me....gets through, so to speak....if one of my first thoughts is that I'd really love to scrapbook about that thing. Music does it a lot...and poetry...and watching kids...and having God speak to me.
The other day in church we were singing a song that I'm sure we'd sung 100 times. One line in the song really got me this time...."There is no shadow in your presence" It struck me that there are a lot of shadows in my life and sometimes more than others. Things in my life that look dark, or hopeless, or negative. And it also struck me that when I'm seeing shadowed things....it's because I'm standing between those negative things in my life, and the Light Source. If I would only turn around....to face the light, the shadows would all fall behind me, and I wouldn't see a life full of shadows - I'd see only the light of God. What a different perspective that would be.
The other day in church we were singing a song that I'm sure we'd sung 100 times. One line in the song really got me this time...."There is no shadow in your presence" It struck me that there are a lot of shadows in my life and sometimes more than others. Things in my life that look dark, or hopeless, or negative. And it also struck me that when I'm seeing shadowed things....it's because I'm standing between those negative things in my life, and the Light Source. If I would only turn around....to face the light, the shadows would all fall behind me, and I wouldn't see a life full of shadows - I'd see only the light of God. What a different perspective that would be.
Canada's Scrapbooking Crop for Kids projects:
Here are the projects I taught at Canada's Scrapbooking Crop for Kids. Thanks to all the ladies who took my classes - you made me feel at ease and made this a VERY fun event!!
Cosmo Cricket class: Layout "Glimpse" designed by Jen Backler for Cosmo Cricket.
"Glimpse" My version (Scraplift):
and Jen's original:
Back-to-School Mini-album (Pebbles Inc. sponsor)
8x8 Coil-bound calendar (Karen Foster Design sponsor)
Karen Foster Design donated all of this lovely calendar paper - a full set of 12 sheets (every month) for every person who took the class! Isn't that amazing? I was in Paper-heaven sorting through it all :) This first image is the 2 covers I made. One is made with only cardstock scraps from my project and the other is made using the PP scraps leftover from cutting the 12x12 page of PP into an 8x8 page, 2 - 4x8 strips to tape together into another 8x8 page and then the 4x4 square that's leftover. In both cases, I "quilted" the blocks (one with a machine, and the other with a pen). I also don't have a December page b/c I had to order Dec. paper on ebay - my kit came with only enough for class participants, not and extra page for me.....it should be here soon and I'll update with my Dec. page.
My parents and in-laws will be getting matching calendars for Christmas this year!
Covers:
January Page with calendar grid page:
January - November (no calendar grid page showing)
Cosmo Cricket class: Layout "Glimpse" designed by Jen Backler for Cosmo Cricket.
"Glimpse" My version (Scraplift):
and Jen's original:
Back-to-School Mini-album (Pebbles Inc. sponsor)
8x8 Coil-bound calendar (Karen Foster Design sponsor)
Karen Foster Design donated all of this lovely calendar paper - a full set of 12 sheets (every month) for every person who took the class! Isn't that amazing? I was in Paper-heaven sorting through it all :) This first image is the 2 covers I made. One is made with only cardstock scraps from my project and the other is made using the PP scraps leftover from cutting the 12x12 page of PP into an 8x8 page, 2 - 4x8 strips to tape together into another 8x8 page and then the 4x4 square that's leftover. In both cases, I "quilted" the blocks (one with a machine, and the other with a pen). I also don't have a December page b/c I had to order Dec. paper on ebay - my kit came with only enough for class participants, not and extra page for me.....it should be here soon and I'll update with my Dec. page.
My parents and in-laws will be getting matching calendars for Christmas this year!
Covers:
January Page with calendar grid page:
January - November (no calendar grid page showing)
Canada's Scrapbooking Crop for Kids
I just got back from teaching this weekend at one of the best weekend crops I've ever attended. It was a national charity event with $$ going to Children's Hospitals so that in itself was a great thing and I got to go with Maria and spend the weekend hanging out with her - another great thing! I was so nervous teaching...especially my first class which was someone else's designs and not a kit I put together....but all in all I think my classes went well. And the ladies that came were amazing....really put me at ease. It really is amazing how different everyone is and yet how connected you feel just because you share something scrapbooking.
Anyway, some of the people who took my last class (An 8x8 coil-bound calendar) asked if I'd post pictures of my calendar because it was such a HUGE project that no one finished in the classtime. So, here are my projects that I taught - and I'll let you follow the links if you want the detailed, complete project pictures. I'll put those on my ART blog.
Here's my first class - a layout entitled Glimpse designed by Jen Backler for Cosmo Cricket. I changed my version of it to more reflect my style (I love clustered embellies and lots of white space) and I used a horizontal 5x7 picture.
"Glimpse"
My version:
Jen's original:
My Back-to-School mini-album (pictures of all the pages inside are here: My Art Blog)
My 8x8 Coil-bound Calendar (pictures of all the pages inside are here: My Art Blog)
I've said it elsewhere but I'll say it here too - Thanks SO much to the organizers of CSC4K - Sarah for the initial idea and the year & 1/2 of work she's put into this....and Char for the Winnipeg crop - Wowzers, you've outdone yourself!!
Anyway, some of the people who took my last class (An 8x8 coil-bound calendar) asked if I'd post pictures of my calendar because it was such a HUGE project that no one finished in the classtime. So, here are my projects that I taught - and I'll let you follow the links if you want the detailed, complete project pictures. I'll put those on my ART blog.
Here's my first class - a layout entitled Glimpse designed by Jen Backler for Cosmo Cricket. I changed my version of it to more reflect my style (I love clustered embellies and lots of white space) and I used a horizontal 5x7 picture.
"Glimpse"
My version:
Jen's original:
My Back-to-School mini-album (pictures of all the pages inside are here: My Art Blog)
My 8x8 Coil-bound Calendar (pictures of all the pages inside are here: My Art Blog)
I've said it elsewhere but I'll say it here too - Thanks SO much to the organizers of CSC4K - Sarah for the initial idea and the year & 1/2 of work she's put into this....and Char for the Winnipeg crop - Wowzers, you've outdone yourself!!
A new era...
Yesterday was my last day of babysitting. I've been watching kids in my home for nearly 7 years....since Cale was born. Wow. Today I start my new job. So far I'm a sub-for-hire EA at my kids' school but hopefully the -for-hire part will happen soon and it'll be mine. It's part-time, only afternoons, everything I needed in a job. God provides!! I'm nervous and excited at the same time - or is that the same thing??
CPS/Cardmaker Magazine Contest entries:
Here are my cards based on the sketch for the contest.
Thanks for the opportunity....these are all available for publication if you need them.
Cathy
Thanks for the opportunity....these are all available for publication if you need them.
Cathy
Scrappygiraffe Kits August '07
I can't say enough good things about Crate Paper....it's delicious...and I've had fun creating layouts from this month's Crush line and the yummy embellishments that came with it!!
I wouldn't necessarily have called this "Cool Dudes" except that every time the boys saw this photo - that's what they said about it....and who am I scrapping for afterall...so that's what it became.
(Cool Dudes will be appearing in Scrapbooking & Beyond in '09 sometime.....sorry to leave you hanging here.)
I wouldn't necessarily have called this "Cool Dudes" except that every time the boys saw this photo - that's what they said about it....and who am I scrapping for afterall...so that's what it became.
(Cool Dudes will be appearing in Scrapbooking & Beyond in '09 sometime.....sorry to leave you hanging here.)