Canadian Scrapbooker Pub and a giveaway!

Look what came in the mail!!

Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine.

And...not only that, but 2 extra copies.

In keeping with my Simple Joy theme for my blog this year....this rates really high on the Joy-for-the-day scale.  So, to keep the joy going, if you follow my blog and leave me a comment telling me something in your life that has brought you JOY and on March 7th,  I'll pick 2 names to get one of my brand new, still sealed, not-on-the-store-shelves-yet copies of the Spring Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine!  

Funny story about this issue:

They do an article every issue showcasing 3 scrapbookers from a specific province and this issue....some Manitoba ladies, including ME :)  I was super-excited to be chosen for this and the write up/interview they did was really well done.  One glitch:  If you're reading this magazine.... my photo and interview is on page 90/91 but those aren't my layouts.  My layouts (the ones below) are actually on page 88/89.  You might, if you know me, recognize my DD, my FIL and my youngest DS but for those of you who don't know me/my family....Grandpa, Kindergarten and Staycation are actually my layouts.  The editors have apologized for the glitch and really, in the grand scheme of things - especially the way my life has been going for the past year or so, it's not that big of a deal to me.....(who among us hasn't had a big oops like this at some point or another LOL...) so I'll just leave you a quick peek of my layouts, in case you're looking for them :)

Thanks for stopping by....can't wait to hear your comments and see what's bringing JOY to your life these days.

February Joy

Simple Joys photos for February:

Simple Joy 32/365:  This photo is a series of bike racks at my school....usually these are tall enough to park front bike tires in but the snow is so deep in the playground from the crazy winter we've had that this is all that's peeking out of the "ground."

 

Simple Joy 33/365:  My son, at his new desk, in his new room, working on homework.  There's so much good in this photo I can't stand it :)

Simple Joys 34/365:  A collage of some of the "stuff" I've purged....most of it priced and boxed for a future garage sale.

Simple Joys 35/365:  A picture that our Compassion child - Maria - coloured for us in her first letter to us.  

 Simple Joys 36/365:  If you know me, you know I'm a grammar and spelling nut.  Not so much in everyday life, but it's a pet peeve of mine when something is misspelled on something hugely public like a billboard, newspaper, etc.  This spelling mistake made me laugh.  A lot!  

 Simple Joys 37/365:  Love this jar.  I love the colour and would love this to be the accent colour in my kitchen someday.  Also....the jar is currently the home of our "spare change" in the house and it's saving up our money for us so we can go on a trip this summer.

 Simple Joys 38/365:  My new cupboard.  I've been searching for a corner cupboard....and found the perfect one!  Room for my books and room for a TV.  My dilemma is whether or not to paint it.

 Simple Joys 39/365:  Psalm 25.  A plea from me - Show me, teach me, guide me.....for you are good, O Lord.

 Simple Joys 40/365:  This gigantic icicle is growing on the downspout at our school....it's beautiful and it's really hard to not want to lick it :)

Simple Joys 41/365:  A Valentine daisy.  This was a gift...attached to a gift card for Pizza, from 3 people who are loving me and praying for me and making sure I know it this Valentine's day.  Thank you.

More to come :)

And a change in the weather, I think.

My Mom & Dad

You will be seeing these pictures again as I catch up with my Simple Joy photos for February but I couldn't wait that long to show you these two shots.....my Mom doing my dishes and my Dad putting up a towel holder for me this evening. Simple jobs that I could do myself...but just glimpses of how much my Mom & Dad love me...that while they're here to visit, their first concern is what they can do to help me. Thanks Mom & Dad... I love you both very much.

The last of January's Joy

I know I'm behind with my Simple Joy photos....so here's a little bit of catch-up.

 

Simple Joy 28/365:  This awesome book I'm reading that's giving me a whole new perspective on the kids I work with at school.

Simple Joy 29/365:  Newly organized ribbon and buttons

Simple Joy 30/365: Wasabi.  He's growing bigger all the time but just as cute and just as cuddly as the day we got him.  We call him Wasabi, or Sabi...but in my head I will always call him Therapy Cat.

Simple Joy 31/365:  A new hat, a more rested smile, and the end of January which means God has carried me through another month.  Not sure why that surprises me everytime, but it does for some reason.

New Clear Scraps DT Call

I've been the on the Clear Scraps Design Team since 2007 and the DT Coordinator since the summer of 2008.  I have to say - Best Gig EVAH!  This company is incredible to work with/for and the team is amazing, both in artistic talent, community and personality and also just in good old plain Coolness!  

Check out the call here and PLEASE....apply.  

 You'll get the chance to work with all kinds of acrylic - including this:  Clearly My Album...coolest thing ever....you can make whatever word you want, out of acrylic and chipboard letters.  I've done a few albums over the years:  BIRTHDAY, SOCCER, and this one that says:  HOW COOL.  Imagine the possibilities for trip destinations, kid names, pet names for that matter...anything you want to spell - you can!

 And, new to Clear Scraps.....these cast acrylic albums.  I did this one in honour of my boys who are still dreaming of playing for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers someday.  This hard acrylic just SHINES with good paint on it!!

Psalm 33

 I'll be back with more Simple Joys pictures tomorrow hopefully but today I had to write this down somewhere before I got out of bed....read it, or don't...it's mostly for my own benefit :)  I'm working my way through a series of devotional books that I picked up - a Woman of Character series.  Today I started this one:

 I started reading it, thinking.....I have confidence in God.  I have a faith-gift.  I trust God and have never doubted what he can do in my life.  BUT, then I got a little further in and started really seeing what it says in the first passage they suggested:  Psalm 33...and my bigger question became not "Do I trust God?"  but "What should it look like in my life if I REALLY have complete confidence in God....how would I live....what should characterize my life if I have total faith in God?"   How would that confidence in him look in me?  

The answer I get from this passage is in the last few verses (specifically vv. 20-21).  Rest & rejoice.  If I KNOW that God is in control and I'm trusting him to work in whatever situation I'm in....I can rest.  No amount of striving and working (trusting in kings, armies, strength, horses - vv. 16-17) is going to be enough.  He has a plan and it will come to pass (v. 11).  I can rest, and trust in that plan.  And, while I'm waiting....I can rejoice.  It mentions singing and making music early in the passage (vv. 1-3) but for some of us...that also includes other forms of artistic expression. Rejoicing does not = music only.  The artist in my gets antsy to go create something :) 

Psalm 33

 ¹ Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous;
   it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
² Praise the LORD with the harp;
   make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
³ Sing to him a new song;
   play skillfully, and shout for joy.

 ⁴ For the word of the LORD is right and true;
   he is faithful in all he does.
⁵ The LORD loves righteousness and justice;
   the earth is full of his unfailing love.

 ⁶ By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,
   their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars^[a];
   he puts the deep into storehouses.
⁸ Let all the earth fear the LORD;
   let all the people of the world revere him.
⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be;
   he commanded, and it stood firm.

 ¹⁰ The LORD foils the plans of the nations;
   he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹ But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,
   the purposes of his heart through all generations.

 ¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
   the people he chose for his inheritance.
¹³ From heaven the LORD looks down
   and sees all mankind;
¹⁴ from his dwelling place he watches
   all who live on earth—
¹⁵ he who forms the hearts of all,
   who considers everything they do.

 ¹⁶ No king is saved by the size of his army;
   no warrior escapes by his great strength.
¹⁷ A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
   despite all its great strength it cannot save.
¹⁸ But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him,
   on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
¹⁹ to deliver them from death
   and keep them alive in famine.

 ²⁰ We wait in hope for the LORD;
   he is our help and our shield.
²¹ In him our hearts rejoice,
   for we trust in his holy name.
²² May your unfailing love be with us, LORD,
   even as we put our hope in you.