If Only I Had Eight Arms......

Tonight I am completely multitasking. Trying to finish up some pages for a circle journal, get some paper work done for the house, getting ready for the dentist tomorrow (ouch!), experimenting with some Prima Hybrid stuff and writing this blog entry. Phew! All that and I am ready for bed. Sometimes I wonder why there aren't more hours in the day. I feel like I have so much to accomplish and never enough time.

I guess when life gets like that, you just hunker down.

But I gotta tell you. I am very excited to tell you that I am doing more teaching! Yes, I am very excited about it. I am going to be at a retreat hosted by Pages in Time in Stettler, Alberta on April 16th!

I went and visited and got to know the ladies and I am thrilled to be working with them. My class will be playing with clear Pageframes products and showing you great techniques and tricks to get the best results.

And speaking of clear, I am finally posting my wall hanging I did for Trisha Ladouceur's the Winter issue of Canadian Scrapbooker. I am particularly excited to post this because it is very well one of my all time favorite creations! I was completely stretched creatively to do this piece and I love the results.

Large and medium Star and Circular Acetate bases: Picture It Pageframes
Patterned Paper: Basic Grey - Color Me Silly
Transparencies: Hambly Screen Prints, Hi gauge acetate sheet (craft supply)
Stamps: Gelatins - You Spin Me 'Round
Ink: Staz On in Jet Black (Tsukineiko)
Acrylic Paint - Making Memories
Black Grossgrain Ribbon: Burwick Offray
Chipboard Letters: Heidi Swapp - Center of Attention
Chipboard Arrow and Star Photo Corner: Fancy Pants
Rub-ons: Fancy Pants (stripes on word "cool"), Hambly Screen Prints (swirls), K & Co. - Transfers on the Go ("Wild Thing" on medium star)
Adhesive: Small Glue Dots

And yes continuing on...

Again since we are talking about Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine, I am excited to get my hands on the new spring issue! Yay!

First off, I am excited to tell you that I made one of the two takes of the cover! Didn't quite make the final cut but none the less, i say I done not too shabby!

And make sure that you check out the article on scrapbooking your baby by the fabulous Cari Locken (who I will be teaching with in May at Scrapbook Your Heart in Caroline, Alberta) and the stamping article by the most talented stamper extordinaire, Cathie Allen.

So happy and lucky to be in such good company when I end up in Canadian Scrapbooker. Jackie and Katherina, great job!

So, How Do I Get Started?

So last night I got this email from a friend, can you tell me how to get started doing hybrid scrapbooking? And I sat there, thinking that explaining it was going to be completely an easy thing.
Piece of cake.

Then I started writing the email. As I started typing, all of a sudden it occurred to me that I had no idea how much this person knew about their photo editing program. Then I figured fine. I'll recommend a book and prod to see how much they honestly knew about their program. And it started to occur to me that I explaining these things could take forever without visuals.

So I sat there perplexed. I knew I just couldn't pick up and visit her. Man, that would be so easy. I could give her a tour as she sat down beside me. It just wasn't feasible. I am thinking, there has got to be some place that I can direct her to that provides the basics.

And there is. Joy of joys!

Scrap In Style TV!

It is a nice little scrapbooking website that is friendly and helpful and easy to use. Every week they post a webisode for their members. This week, they go through the basics of creating your first digital page.

Perfect!

So, if you are interested in learning how to create a digital layout, go there, sign up and watch. Don't forget to stop by and say hello to me, JBeans as well!

Oh, and if you try, don't forget to tell me how you did.

My fingers feel so heavy......

....and I still feel this great need to blog. Today started out at 4am. Feeling not completely up to snuff last night. Nothing serious, but enough to get me awake that early. And if you know me, I NEVER wake up that early. And that was completely alright. I relished the complete and utter silence with some internet surfing and a bowl of cereal. Ahhh, it was sweet.

The day has continued on. Nothing completely earth shatteringly exciting, but a busy day none the less enjoying our statutory holiday in Alberta, known as Family Day! Love this holiday because it seems to be that extra little day off in the middle of the hum drum winter months that are savored completely but gives you that little bit of refreshment.

So, yes back to my day. First of all, completely thrilled that my husband is home after a long stint out in the oil patch. He flew home from Saskatchewan last night and just in time to enjoy the beautiful weather and the festivities out on the lake.

Before we left, we chipped the thick ice that has accumulated on the driveway and as a result, my arms and fingers feel like dead weight! But then off we went to spend some time ice fishing of course!

It was so busy on the lake today too. But I had to hightail it a little early as I didn't wear the proper footwear. My feet ended up soaked and cold! So, I left the boys to hang out together, which was good, as it was easy to tell that they missed each other.

I didn't get any shots today, but here are a few from one of our other fishing excursions.



Jake is completely enjoying the snow and running around in the wide open space.

Trevor the ever patient fisherman. We usually forgo our shack and fish outside when the weather is nice. And I love fishing in Sylvan because it is so easy to see down the hole. It can make it so much more exciting when you can see the fish swim around and check out your hook!

Jake is getting a lot braver when it comes to the floppy fishes! At first, I think he was completely shocked how much a freshly caught fish jumps around straight out of the hole. I swear he figured they were trying to attack. Well, now he has absolutely no fear and thinks it is a game to handle them as they wriggle. Which in some ways doesn't excite me because he ends up smelling like a fish. Uck!

And moving on......
Loved the silence this morning so much, I dug into making another page with more fabulous Prima Hybrid products. The one I did features papers and elements with About A Boy by Vera Lim and A Better Me by Weeds & Wildflowers.

Prima Hybrid Products
Papers:
(background and green solid) About A Boy by Vera Lim, (checkers and red pattern) A Better Me by Weeds & Wildflowers
Embellishments:
(doodle frame, large circle and star) About A Boy and (glitter swirls) A Little Magic Vol. 3 by Vera Lim, (title and doodled flower swirl) A Better Me and (inked edges) Vintage Garden by Weeds & Wildflowers, Hot Off the Press Flames by Trish Jones, (Dymos) Rad Refresh by Kim Christensen
Other Products:
Brush: Rising Sun by Blazter Javier Zxh (www.brusheezy.com)
Fonts: Pulse sans virgin (www.dafont.com), Times New Roman
Photo editing: Adobe Photoshop CS

I have been wanting to do something completely doodly and fun for a while now and these really were the perfect kits to do the job!

Ok, now I really got to stop typing, I can barely lift my arms!

Do Dentists Hibernate?

Ouch! My teeth are so hurting right now! I have no idea what happened there, but holay! Pain! Annoyance. Ibuprophen!
I need a dentist and not a dentist to be found, or they couldn't fit me in. And on the long weekend to boot. I started out in Sylvan and both dental offices were closed and Red Deer was booked up. Dude, it so sucks!

I guess I just take ibuprophen and suck it up. Well, I can whine a little too, I guess.

Ahhh, but aside from that, I have been playing this evening. Doing a little bit of playing around for the heck of it. Just decided I wanted to make a project and came up with this cute little shadowbox for my scraproom in progress.

Prima Products:
Paintables #602277
Essentials 3 Flowers Rue 88 #517267
Black Tie Collection #518219
Elysee Ribbons #519506
Build A Frame Stamps #517724
Other Materials:
Canvas – Canvas Concepts
Chipboard Letters and Jewel Circles – Heidi Swapp
Tranparent Overlay – Hambly Screen Prints
Wire: Westrim Crafts
Watercolor Pencils – Start
Twinkling H2Os – USArtquest
Metallic Foils – Stix2
Buttons
Shadowbox - Ikea

I don't know what it is, but I lately I am all about bright and fun. I knew I wanted to play with a canvas too. The only thing is, that I am not always fond of making a canvas or wall hanging and just plain old hanging it. I really want to have a sleek clean lined scraproom, so my decor is no exception! That is why I went for the shadowbox. No matter how lumpy and bumpy those projects are, ther always seem to look so much better when they are framed.

And with that I am pooped! I am hoping that I get a good night sleep tonight and not wake up in pain! AAACK!

Miss Lonely Valentine: The Oilfield Widow Syndrome

Alright , I admit, the title sounds a little depressing. It really isn't. Yes, I completely admit that I will be alone for Valentine's Day. Again. But when I first started dating my husband, I was warned from the get-go that being the wife /girlfriend of a man that works on the rigs meant missed special occasions and immediate changes in plans, not to mention a lot of complete and utter lack of being able to plan. The last one can tend to drive me completely crazy, particularly when I have something that I really am looking forward to and completely requires a fair amount of preparation.

Drives me completely bonkers somedays.

So, yes, alone. I got a phone call this afternoon telling me that they are going to send Trevor back to Saskatchewan. Makes me wonder if we really should have moved back after all. Ok, no it doesn't. I am happy right here in Alberta. Yesiree bob.

So, evenings have been quiet and I am plugging away at some projects that need to be done. A few classes, some emails and paperwork and a leg up on some photo preparation.

One of the things I completed is one of my classes for Scrapbook Your Heart Retreat at Camp Caroline in May.
I can't give you the big reveal, but I will give you an itty bitty, teeny weenie sneek.




So how's that for an idea? Fun and bright and happy. That is what I am going for.

So, moving on....

Before I go, I want to thank the well wishes, good thoughts and prayers for my friend. I spoke to her the other day, and she is doing well considering the circumstances. There is a lot that is not known yet, still lots of tests to find results. But I am happy to report that she is still the same gal that always feels the need to keep moving forward and thinking about life going on and back to normal, which to me is a comforting sign.

Again, thank you ladies.

And with that, I gotta get back to work! See you later.

Need Good Thoughts for a Friend.

A little bit of a sad note but I ask that you pass on prayers and good vibes.

I found out that a friend of mine from work had a brain anurysm (sp?) on Tuesday. Thank goodness she is doing OK and is now alert, but she is still going through tests and many things are fairly uncertain.

My friend has been close to my family since we have moved to Alberta. She was one of the first to reach out to my family and feel welcome here. She has been my son's adoptive "Grantie" (grandma/aunt). Her and her family have found a fondness for Jacob and the feeling from Jake is mutual.

Her and her family have been a blessing to our family and I am hoping she will overcome. My blessing right now is that she is still here.

Thank you.

Almost forgot.....go for a Fire & Ice RAK!

Geez, what the heck was I thinking! I meant to post this last nigh too....sorry gals!
If you want a chance to play with some new Fire & Ice goodies, Trisha mentioned on her entry last night to get to the Fire & Ice blog for a chance to win!

www.fireandicedesigns.blogspot.com/

Have a wonderful day! Gotta go, work is starting!AAAK!

A Toast to the Accomplishment of Friends: Michelle Van Etten and Trisha Ladouceur as Fire & Ice Designs

Cheers!

I am making a virtual toast to my two friends Trisha Ladouceur and Michelle Van Etten! I am so proud of my two friends for their new line with Prima debuting as Fire & Ice Designs!

I have to admit, I think I am as excited for them as they are feeling right now! And I had the good fortune to play with some of the goods, which was a treat!

So here it is! A line of clear pages that you can mix and match called Build A Book. Trisha and Michelle created a pages that come in different shapes that are made to mix and match to create a clear album that is uniquely yours!

So that was the fun little project that I was working on when I got stranded in Edmonton and I am very excited to finally be able to share it!

Prima is setting out those sneek peeks way too fast for me! Get thee to to that Prima Blog and see the goodies!

I gotta run, hubby is back from the good ol' Patch and we're spending some quality time!

Love Is in the Air........

Are you gearing up for Valentine's Day? What are you or your special someone planning to do? And for the single gals, what are you going to do for you? I remember making a special point of doing that just for me when I didn't have the old ball and chain....hee hee

So, what are me and the ball and chain doing? (OK, he is not a ball and chain, but I kid and he knows it!) We're most likely off for a nice quiet supper. Maybe a movie. Haven't decided.

I think I'll make him a mixed tape. Pppffft! Hee hee

And there are so many ways to express your love to others. Just ask my son.

Materials Used
Prima Kits Used:
One Sweet Day Elements and Paper by Corina Nielsen
Sweet Notions Flowers and Alphabet by Meredith Fenwick
Vintage Garden Doodles and Ink Frame by Weeds & Wildflowers
Handcut Scalloped Photo Mattes and Frames by Meredith Fenwick
White Papers by Vera Lim Designs
Rad Refresh Staples by Kim Christensen
Fonts: Downcome and Harting

Ahhh yes, young love. She really is a cutie, but they have been like this since they met. Crying when the other one won't say goodbye to the other at the end of the day, and ready to beat the heck out of each other the next! Crazy!

Anyhow, I got to tell you to go over to the Prima Blog again! Yes, you go! Not a sneek peek today, but a giveaway!

This Valentine's Day heart box made by our uber talented Prima Flower Girl Sharon Laakkonen! Isn't is gorgoeus?
They also plan to fill it with Prima goodies as well!

So? What are you waiting for? You only have until February 4th for your chance to win!