Scrapbook Sunday... The Best Job

Hey guys!

I was doing the last of the clear out before the painters are in the craft room this week, and I found a few things that I hadn't photographed yet. It turns out, they're all projects I'd worked on for my weekly posts, so I can actually get back on track - for this week at least!

Today is Sunday, so I am bringing you a Scrapbook Sunday post!

This month, Once Upon a Sketch is suggesting we use the journalling subject of "Mum", interpreted how you like. I knew right away what I wanted to do... and I am so glad I managed to get it finished!

Here is the sketch:

And here is my layout:

I used all sorts of odds and ends to put this one together, and it sort of eluded me for awhile, but finally it just sort of came together, and I am really happy with it!

The inspiration for my layout is pretty clear, I think! *Wink* I took this picture of my girls last summer, just when Josie was learning to pinch our noses and say "beep beep!" in her tiny little voice.

I love the way Emma is just as excited as we are when Josie learns something new, and this picture is the epitome of that - she is just giggling like crazy while Josie squeezes her nose!

Every day I feel like I am just *so* lucky to be able to stay home with my girls and raise them. It's hard work, some days seem to never end, and I love the time my hubby and I get to spend alone - there's nothing more peaceful than eating a meal without any distractions and just being able to talk to one another! But I would not trade this job for any paycheque in the world.

When I was growing up, all I wanted in the world was to be a mother. And when my oldest was born, it was like all the pieces finally fell into place and I knew I was doing exactly what I was born to do... How lucky I am to be able to know my calling, and live it every day!

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Anniversary Wishes...

I have to laugh...

Lately, I have been posting previous publication call rejects with you, for a few reasons... I'll get to those.

So the other day, I showed you a super girly, frilly, lacy anniversary card, and I mentioned that even though it wasn't picked up, at least I was ahead of the game with a card to give my hubby next year.

You'll never guess what I just found in my photo folder...

Yep! Another anniversary card! And a *way* more appropriate one to give to a boy. I am almost tempted to give him the super girly one anyway, just because it's sort of funny. There's nothing even slightly frilly about my man - he drives a tractor for a living.

I made this way back when, after I saw Betsy Veldman share a technique using sentiment stamps to create a background... I loved it, and you've seen it a lot since then!

So you'll have to forgive the reject posts for awhile... we're about to do a major overhaul on the craft room, starting with painters next week. This week we're packing everything up, and once the painters are finished, we'll be re-vamping with new tables, and some new storage solutions. It will take awhile to get things back together, at which point I'll be back to creating new stuff. In the meantime, I'll keep posting what I have, and Josie's (second!?) birthday is in a couple of weeks, so I will be sharing that too... I promise not to disappear completely!

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Happy Anniversary...

Happy Mother's Day to all the beautiful mums out there!

It's actually still Saturday night, so even though I sort of know what the girls picked out (Emma is too excited to keep her secret; though she is very good at keeping them!), I can't really tell you too much about how we'll celebrate. We're going for pancakes (pretty sure that's more for her than me, and Josie is too little to have an opinion yet), and taking Shirley out for dinner... I don't know what the in between holds!

Today I have a card to share with you that I made awhile back for a publication call... it wasn't picked up, so I thought I would post it!

Now I am *so* ahead of the game for my hubby next February!

Okay, two things I really love: the Tag Its series, and Ocean Tides... both from Papertrey Ink. So I thought I should probably pair them up!

My hubby might find it a little frilly and lacy, but he knows what to expect by now, I think!

I hope you have a wonderful day, and if your a mum, I hope you're spoiled and enjoy a day celebrating you!

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Mom...

I have such a fun little thing to share with you today... at least, I think it's fun!

At Christmas, I came up with the best gift idea for the mother-in-law who has absolutely everything she could ever want or need... a Pandora bracelet. Everyone loves a beautiful piece of jewelry, she had really admired the bracelets previously, and the best part: we now know exactly what we're buying her for every birthday, Mother's Day and Christmas to come. Perfect!

So we went and picked out a new bead for Mother's Day, and the lady packaged it all up so lovely in the little Pandora box... but that's so... *done*, you know? I wanted to make something fun to package it up.

Can you guess how I made it? A toilet paper roll! I had one hanging around, because I'd had the idea to create some sort of packaging with it for the last publication call I was working on... but never got to it. Then I saw this post by Melissa Phillips, and knew immediately I had to try it.

Look at the perfect little tag, so there's no doubt who this is for:

I can't wait to make more of them, it looks *so* impressive in real life.

Of course, there must be a card to go with the gift!

I had actually created the card first, and if I am honest, it was for a publication call months ago. But it's exactly all the things Shirley loves, so it was perfect to use for her.

It was just a matter of putting together the right papers to make my little gift coordinate perfectly. They look so lovely together!

Now my hubby keeps cracking jokes about how he has to save all the rolls instead of putting them into recycling, because I keep making him look at this one. I won't lie, I can't wait to make more! Christmas, maybe? These would be perfect money holders, candy holders, or anything teeny that you have to wrap up... the wheels are turning!

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Together Always...

Hi Friends!

I feel like things are so off-track around here lately... my brother's holiday threw me off for awhile, and now that the weather is getting nicer, there are so many things to do that aren't in the craft room! If my weekly posts (Scrapbook Sunday, One Set Wednesday and Festive Friday) don't get completely back on track for awhile, please forgive me!

Today I have a card to share with you that I had dreamed up and just hoped would come together the way I imagined.

There is something so beautiful about a tone on tone neutral colour scheme. When I think of a wedding dress, I think of shades of cream and white brought to life with texture and accents. I wanted to create that same feel in a wedding card, using soft tones and neutrals, accenting with patterns and layers.

It worked! It's very soft and subtle, and I will admit it's easier to see in real life, but very difficult to photograph! I started with a Kraft base, which was the darkest I wanted to go. I clear embossed the pattern on my cream paper, as well as the frame around my sentiment (can you see it? *wink*). I stamped the sentiment in cream ink, and it turned out exactly as I hoped.

Here is a close up of my embossed background:

I think it turned out pretty close to how I imagined, and I think it's very soft and romantic. I am happy with it!

I heard a rumour we're expecting some spring-like weather around here in the next while, so if I am lucky, we're going plant shopping this week! Cross your fingers for me, okay?

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Wishing You...

Hey guys! Do you remember me? *wink*

My brother has been visiting from Scotland, so we've been busy with lots of quality bonding time between him and the girls. He's here with his girlfriend who is so lovely, and the girls are so smitten with the two of them. But it means I haven't been near the craft room in at least a week!

However, I have a project to share with you today, and lots to come over the next little while... stuff that I hadn't gotten around to photographing yet, so at least there are some things to share!

I have a friend that I met about 5 years ago on the bus from Edinburgh to Glasgow Airport. I am like that - I make friends everywhere I go. This one happened to stick! She ended up moving to Vancouver to marry her husband, so we've stayed good friends ever since. And now, they're expecting their first baby! I wasn't able to make it to her shower a couple of weeks ago, so today I got to finally give her a shower gift, while we had lunch with my girls.

The baby's sex is a surprise, so I made a card using neutral colours. I also chose to go with non-typical baby patterns just for a change.

The sentiment says "Wishing you all the blessings a new baby brings" - I know it's tough to read in the photo.

I also made a matching tag for the gift box.

The sentiment on the tag was easier to read in real life! Okay, it was still tough - lesson learned in colour choice!

The box is one of the ones you get at Michael's to store photos in, which I use in my girls' rooms to collect momentos; it fit my gift perfectly (I just don't love the typical baby wrapping), and will be handy for the new parents too!

I can't wait to meet the new little one (due in two weeks!), and you know there will be either a pink or blue card coming your way before too long! *wink*

Thanks for stopping by; hopefully it isn't so long between posts again!

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Wishing You a Happy Birthday...

Hey guys!

I was cruising my blog reader tonight, and realized that I made a card a little while ago that fits with this week's new CAS-ual Fridays challenge. I don't know what's better - the fact that I happened to have a card that fit the theme, or the fact that it happens to be a CAS style card - because you know how many of those I create!

One of my favourite sets from Papertrey Ink has turned out to be Beautiful Blooms II... I use it *so* often, and have found it works for so many different styles of projects. This was one I created when I was in the mood for something bold and fun!

Totally not my usual style, but I had a lot of fun stamping it! It's hard to tell in the photo, but I raised the sentiment panel on foam dimensionals which gives it a bit more presence.

I hope you have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend - thanks for stopping in!

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