Favourite layouts from 2009

My friend, Danielle, posted her favourite nine layouts/projects from 2009 on her blog a little while ago. Loving this idea, I thought I'd share my favourite layouts, too. Except, well, I had a hard time choosing nine. So, here are my favourite thirteen layouts from 2009. ;)


Here's one that I made in February with some goodies from Scrap for a Cure -- I'd won their monthly challenge.


Kind of a different style for me, but I was really happy with it. It's framed on the shelf above my scrap table.


I love these sweeties! I was quite happy with the simplicity of this layout, which I made during an online crop at My Scrap Shoppe.


This one was created with a game of scraplift tag at Just Cre8.


I was inspired by Sherry Stevenson , one of the DT members at Create My Keepsake, to use her ribbon treatment idea on this one.


I'd entered a Pink Paislee contest at Create My Keepsake with this layout-- and won!


Created with the June kit at My Scrap Shoppe-- one of my favourites.


This was one of the first pictures I took with my new camera-- and I just love this Pink Paislee line!


I just loved how this layout came together using the Little Yellow Bicycle products. I also love the stitching I added to show our travel route.


This was created as part of a sketch challenge on Danielle's blog, and I was so happy with how it turned out.


Created with the September kit at My Scrap Shoppe-- another favourite.


This one was also created with the September kitMy Scrap Shoppe. I liked the envelope idea for tucking in my summer reading list.


And, last but not least, this layout that I made and framed using more Pink Paislee products.

Thanks for looking!

A few more Christmas things....

Well, we spent the day in the city yesterday. I got my shots for my trip (five in all!) and we did a little shopping. I picked up a super cute snow jacket and pants for Sage. It's a little big, but I'm hoping she'll wear it for a few years.





And I wanted to share a few Christmas projects I've done in the last month....

A few years ago, I started making CD ornaments and covering them with photos of my kids and the year. On the back, I journal about each of them: their age, personality & interests. I wanted to make some more for 2009, but I found that the tree was very "photo-heavy" when I put them on it, so I decided to do something a little different this year.

Here are the ornaments, which I used My Mind's Eye and Fancy Pants pp and Pink Paislee stamps (on Austin's) and border stickers (on Jonah's and Sage's.) I drilled holed in the top of each of them.



Then, I collected all of the ones I've made through the years and sorted them chronologically and for each child. I used a small binder ring to attach them together (threading it through the hole I'd drilled for the ribbon hangers.) Then I threaded the three little rings onto a larger binder ring and added some ribbon to decorate it.





Now it sits in a basket on my table where guests can flip through them and see how my kids have grown.

I also made this Christmas ornament, too.



Thanks for looking!
And a merry Christmas to you, too!

A few things to share....

What a relief that the Christmas holidays are here! I have been looking forward to having 16 days off from work and just enjoying some time with my family!

I wanted to share a few things this weekend, some scrappy, some not & some a combination of the two... ;)

1. My church has asked me to be a part of a team that is going to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in February 2010. I've wanted to go for years, where I can be an asset to the team as a French translator, but circumstances haven't always worked. This year, all of the key players were on board (read Cameron & my kids), so I will be going! I'm very excited & it still hasn't really sunk in. Maybe on Tuesday, after I get all my shots, it will seem a little more real....

2. Because we didn't plan for this, I need to raise some money to go. So, I've been doing some baking and selling it. I'm also hosting a "Crop for the Congo" on January 8th & 9th to raise funds. It will be a Friday evening, Saturday all day crop with snacks & lunch provided, door prizes and free classes. If you're reading this and live close to Morden and would like to come, please email me and let me know.

3. I made a little project this week for Sage and thought I'd share it here...

I picked up this metal tray at the thrift store this week....



And using some My Mind's Eye products, I made this:



The trees & snowflakes are glued on, but I attached magnets to the back of the little characters so Sage could play with them:







Thanks for stopping by!

Homemade

... is the theme of December mid-month challenge's at My Scrap Shoppe. Here's the layout I created for the challenge:



And the homemade element I added is the fabric flower at the bottom-right hand corner. I made it following the instructions in the January 2010 issue of Creating Keepsakes, but I added a cut out stamped image, instead of a button.



Thanks for looking!

Mistletoe & Co.

I don't think it's a secret that I am a huge fan of Pink Paislee products.

This week, I pulled out my Pink Paislee Mistletoe & Co. goodies and made this layout...



And four Christmas cards for my kids' teachers....









I thought it was great how some of the Mistletoe & Co. product had "Joyeux Noel" on it-- perfect for my kids' French immersion teachers!

Thanks for looking!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

The massive snowfall we got on Tuesday helps considerably, as does the decorating that Sage & I did in the house yesterday.

I love her enthusiasm for the holiday.

And, I'm loving the new lens I got for my camera-- it's taking nice indoor shots.









And this afternoon, I got the tree up and the lights on before the boys got home from school. Then, when they arrived, we decorated it (and took some photos, of course!)





Is it beginning to look like Christmas at your house?

Some scrappy stuff to share...

Going back to work has definitely made a difference in the amount of time I spend scrapping. Before, I would scrap at least two to three times a week, if not more. Now, well, let's just say it isn't as often as I would like.

So, needless to say, I was pretty excited to scrapbook at my church on Friday evening with some friends. We had good conversation, snacks and tunes-- what more could a girl ask for? ;)

Packing was easy... I grabbed by trimmer, tools, cutting mat and my MSS December kit (which go on sale today) -- easy, peasy.

And, I was able to get this layout done with the kit Friday night. I also used the sketch I posted on the MSS blog on Friday. (I apologize for the poor lighting-- the background cardstock is kraft, not olive, irl!)



And two more layouts with the kit:

Thanks for looking!

I ♥ these women

I have been blessed with such wonderful women in my life, both in the area of friends and in sisters-in-law.

Having grown up with no sisters, and until I turned 16, very few good friends, this is indeed a huge blessing in my life.

I have three official sisters-in-law and a fourth unofffcial one who I met for the first time this summer. She, Tatiana, is great, as is my twin brother's wife, Cheryl, who I unfortunately don't get to see very often as they live on the other side of the country.

And I also have two sisters-in-law through Cameron's side-- his sisters. They are wonderful! So caring, loving, generous and fun! We got to spend some time together this summer when Josie & her family came for a visit. Cameron took a picture of the three of us and here's the layout I made with it:



The journaling says: "I love Cameron’s sisters, Josie & Sally, and couldn’t ask for better sisters-in-law. They are both loving & caring and they make me feel like a special member of the family. If I could change one thing though, it would be this: I would love to spend more time with them, either together or one on one. With our geographical differences & busy lives, this just isn’t possible right now, so I just try to make the most of it when I do get to see these two fabulous women. (Picture taken by Cameron at Stanley Park, July 28, 2009)"

Which family members are you thankful for today?

Weekend update

LOL!

I've noticed that for the past couple of weeks, I've only been posting on the weekends, which makes sense, because I've been working quite a bit during the week and then been busy in the evenings (or just too tired to move!) I worked every day this week, except Wednesday (Remembrance Day), where I helped Cameron fence at the farm all day long (& I have the sore shoulder to prove it!)

So, I have a few things to share today, both scrappy & non-scrappy.

Non-scrappy first...

Austin & I tested for our blue stripes in tae kwon do yesterday. This colour belt test took place in Manitou, with about forty to fifty people testing. I was actually one of the eighth highest ranking people testing (the black belts are testing today in Winnipeg), which seemed strange, as last year, at my first test, there were lots of people in higher ranks above me.

So, the test went well, except I felt quite winded during it and my mouth was so dry! I didn't think I'd tested as well as I had at the last two tests, but surprise, surprise, they awarded me the Most Improved Award, saying that I had the best tae kwon do manner at the test! I was quite shocked (normally the awards go to children) & pleased! I should get my promotion at Wednesday night's class.

On to scrappy stuff...

1. Here are two of the layouts I made at the MSS online crop last weekend:





2. I have a post at The Inspired Scrapper this week. You can check it out here. And remember, if you leave a commment there, you'll get your name entered into a draw to win a RAK from our monthly sponsor.

3. And speaking of RAKs, it's give-away week on the MSS blog. And I posted yesterday with a layout where I used chipboard in a different way. I'll be drawing from the list of people who leave a comment on my post next week. If you'd like to see my post and leave a comment, here's a link: A different use for chipboard.

Thanks for stopping by & have a great weekend!

It's finally Friday!

What a week!

I worked Monday, yesterday & today.

On Tuesday, I took advantage of my day off to clean my kitchen. It looked so good, I should have taken a picture, because it definitely hasn't stayed that way. Sigh.

On Wednesday, Sage, Val & I went to Winnipeg for a doctor's appointment for Sage. And, a little shopping & lunch out. When I told Sage of our plans, her eyes lit up and she said: "Really? Thank you, Mom!" So sweet!

And add on skating lessons twice a week, a MCSLA meeting and tae kwon do three times this week, yeah, I'm a little pooped.

So, what better way to relax after a busy week, than to spend it scrapbooking? ;)

My Scrap Shoppe is having their monthly online crop this weekend. You can check out the challenges posted for it here. I'm hoping to get some scrapbooking done, amidst the lawn work that is calling my name and post some new layouts.

Oh, and if you're looking for some inspiration for Christmas projects, the MSS DT has been posting Christmas ideas on the MSS blog this month. Here's a link to today post (by me): It's getting to be that time of year.

Have a great weekend!

Well, Halloween is over....

I took this picture of the kids yesterday afternoon, before supper. Austin was a blue M&M, Jonah was Batman (1970s Batman, as my mom had made the costume for my brother when we were little) and Sage was a pink princess kitty.

I took the kids trick or treating after supper. They had a great time. We usually do the houses on our street and then drive around to people we know and stop in there.

I also wanted to share the layouts that I made with the MSS November kits. I loved the papers and embellishments in this kit and used up almost all of the patterned paper.













Thanks for looking!