Creative Moments

Well there are mounds of scrapbooking supplies all over my desk so I might as well do a few more pages before I clean it all up! Isn't that what a long weekend is for? That and cookin up a storm for 6 people all weekend..... and a few guests here and there.  Greek salads, pasta salads, Cesar salads and lots of BBQing - these summer temps are wonderful.
Happiness

Cutie Pie

Ezio

Family

"The best thing in life to hold on to is each other"

I agree! A photo from 2006.

Stay tuned, I have a few more pages I will scan and post soon ....

back to 2003..... Babies and weddings...

Allison up at Table Mountain learning to snowboard March 2003

Paul's 17th birthday, Jan 6 2003

Paul joins the reserves. It was a short lived experience, for which I am thankful.
Chalk it up to experience. Jan 2003

I am waiting patiently for the phone call but so far no baby.
So to pass the time I have started the 2003 album. Oh I feel so far behind....

Not done the wedding album yet.
Thankful for a whole day to scrapbook today - yup the WHOLE Day! I was up at 6am!
SIX pages.

Here it is again - the opening page of my grandchild's first album.....

Today is Labour day - has anybody told the child this?????

And one more weddding page made with real glue and paper...

Bride's Arrival

Love this photos of the back of Allison's dress as we scurry to get her out of sight and into the back door of the church - such fun!

And as if my days weren't full enough, I have started another blog - My Life in 365 Days. I wanted to challenge myself and hopefully improve my photography skills so I am taking a picture every day for 365 days. Go check it out and leave a comment.
No lurkers... :)

Basic Grey madness

What do you do when you have an EDO? Besides laundry, ironing, a gym class and grocery shopping, you scrapbook with the new Basic Grey and some of the stash. And get FOUR more pages done from 2002. YEAH!!

You take an oath, you sign on the line, you shake the captains hand and you are in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve Communications unit! Lots of journalling about this short (and rather miserable) phase of Paul's life.

Ah, I remember the days of 20 people for lunch after church on Sundays - and all the preparations the day before - no wonder I was always stressed! Lots of journalling all hidden behind. And yes there were 20 people here that afternoon.

Using up the stash on this page with a BG background from the new Basic Grey Designer cardstock - I could use a LOT of this!

I wanted to record all the Christmas Eve traditions for the kids to remember.

Allison's 13th birthday (this is the Allison who just got married to Sammy) Celebrate with your best friends - all Basic Grey - June Bug and Designer card stock along with an assortment of BG letters (love em) and one piece of stash - turned the word GLOW from some old We R Memory Keepers chipboard into Blow - cause glow didn't work but blow did! hehe

The June Bug is starting to GROW on me. LOL

Click HERE for a video on the Basic Grey designer card-stock and HERE for a video showing the Basic Grey June Bug.

Then come back and tell me what you think!

2002 layouts

I know you were expecting wedding photos but I chose to get the 2002 album out of the way, packaged up, gone from the scrapbook room, before I tackle uploading wedding photos.

Then I have to decide which ones to print and what size.... watching for those Blacks and Don's specials..... then the wedding scrapbook begins. Can I get it done by September when the grandbaby arrives? I think not - but perhaps well into it.

Here is the weekends efforts....

Thanksgiving 2002 - no guests... since our usual guests were off having Thanksgiving with their families and we have no extended family in Saskatchewan - but we still had all the fixin's!
I love this page - I like all the subtle stuff on it - the way the page picks up on the guitar - the music stamp on the journalling tag, the mesh with the black line - like the guitar. It just came together when the house was quiet except for the washing machine and dryer and I had a hot cup of decaf - ahhhh....love having time like this. I have been waiting all week for a morning like this.

There he is my son Paul - my guitar-man - like his Dad - and brother Mark come to think of it.

Coca Cola Crazy - only Paul could take the Pepsi challenge - tell the guys that one of them was just awful and the other fabulous knowing all along which was the Coke. Nasty boy!
Lots of Basic Grey on this page - so glad I stowed those leftover Coke papers.

Okay so as bad as these photos were I felt pretty good about the layouts... but this last one had horribly faded photos and there were abut 12 of this Christmas church event - and so few of my kids.. but I know the kids will want to remember this fun talent night. So here it is. I pulled out the Christmas stuff and gave it a shot.

A lot of cropping went on to make these fit. And the scanner cut off the bottom - it really does have a bottom border.

Four pages done... six more to go and I am finished 2002.

more Bisous PDQ Shabby line

You know, the trouble with this line of paper is that both side are so gorgeous and I want to use them both. I hate to put the back side face down in the album. What a waste of beautiful paper.

I hear this often at the store and I have told numerous customers that "you just have to get over it".

I should take my own advice, but I am having trouble doing that this time. I love the other side of this paper. I may just have to get some and use it!!

OR figure out what will go next in the scrapbook and scrapbook the back - however I do dislike being limited to where I put my pages and this efficient method does that to me.

Isn't this just fun paper?? I just have so many ideas for it and I love the colors...so I am going to have to buy this again because right now this beautiful paper is on the back side of my recent two page layout. What a shame. Do any of you struggle with this??

This is the other side and what I started with....

I had eleven pictures to squeeze on to two pages so a lot of neat stuff was covered up. But c'est la vie ~ another 2002 summer afternoon up at Emerald lake eating too much food, sitting in the sun and water skiing is now in the archives.

The end result.... Friends, Food, Fun Emerald Lake 2002

bZoo PDQ means Pretty Darn Quick!

If you are in a bit of a creative funk...or even if you aren't, I have THE line of paper for you. bZOO (bisous) PDQ "shabby" line is pretty new in at JSI and it really does all the creative thinking for you. Just find the best place to lay your photos, distress the edges a tad and then add your own embellishments and you have a layout 'pretty darn quick'(ly). :)
Rub-ons, flowers, tags, a little felt fusion - just go through the stash and have fun!

I had some old photos from 2002 that left much to be desired and this paper just brought them alive! I love all three of these layouts and was very surprised at how well these old, poor photos turned out.

...love this fun birthday page. I had only three pictures and was really wondering how I was going to make Mark's birthday into something fun - voila!

I used alcohol ink on the heart to tie it in with the word 'family' on this tag from the stash, added some rub-ons and she was done.

And the irony of it all? Do you know where I got my inspiration from? The back cover of the recent Canadian Scrapbooker Basics vol 3. I noticed a cool layout on the back cover and wondered how they had done the layout - bZoo paper with added embellishments.
Hey! I thought. I have that paper.
I had three layouts in a couple of hours. And if you are stuck for embellishment ideas, bZoo has some chipboard embellies that match the paper (just above the paper at JSI). Now, how easy and cool is that?

I am working this evening and so you know I will be grabbing a few more papers for my 2002 photos.

And a HAPPY ST PATRICKS DAY to all of you.
Our background will be green today....or until I have time to change it back!

Who was St Patrick? He was a missionary to Ireland between 457-492. He used the indigenous shamrock (three-leaf clover) to explain the Trinity to the Celts. Three leaves, one clover; three persons, one God. Smart guy!

2002 pages

FINALLY, I have scanned a few pages piling up on the desk here. Looks like they are all about Mark's year in Cadets. More memories preserved.

..love the look on Mark's face as Grandpa "inspects" his uniform. :)

Mark loved Cadets and did very well, winning the Hesterman Trophy his first and last year.

I had to do a little googling to get the right name of this Hercules. If you can click on the layout and read the journalling, the last bit reads....


And Mark, as a cadet, got to sit in the cockpit of this big guy on May 4, 2002.

Little did Mark know that in October, 2005 he would be sitting in the back of this big bird, in full military gear, on his way to Pakistan with the Canadian Armed Forces DART team to aid the victims of Pakistan’s worst earthquake.

Life is full of adventures. (his Mom feels every one of them!)

And now Mark is a firefighter. I am so proud of him and he is such a wonderful young man, in reality I have been so blessed even if he has chosen experiences that make my heart beat a little faster at times.

This is why we scrapbook!

A Couple more pages.

Finished up a couple of pages I had laid out on the desk for a week or so.

Beautiful Duet - I just love these photos of Paul and Allie playing a duet together. Makes my heart real warm. The rub on in the lower rt corner reads.
"These are the MOMENTS I want to remember forever."

Love this musical paper too!

And then back to some pretty awful photos taken in a gym. Haven't we all experienced the terrible effects of the lighting in a gym? Add to that , our subjects are way too far away for the flash and , well you get these green pictures. Oh to have known way back then, what I know now, but that is the way it is. I scanned and converted most of the pictures to Black and White to get them all onto one page. Here ya go!

two more pages

I spent some time reorganizing the scrapbook supplies this weekend. I discovered some pretty cool product I didn't know I had. At least I had completely forgotten about it. And I now actually have a desk again now that the garbage can is full and the shelves organized, so that helps the work flow!

This process is very therapeutic, so much so that I actually got two pages done when I finished.

One is from 2002 - some very bad pictures but an event I still wanted to archive. I used some of that "get it done in five minutes" paper from bZOO along with some Basic Grey sticker letters I found at the bottom of a pile of stuff that needed to find a home.

The second layout was a more pleasureable experience - scrapping some wonderful photos from this past Christmas. I called it "I'll be home for Christmas", because the house looked so warm and inviting and filled with Christmas spirit and yet three of the kids didn't make it home this year. So "even in their dreams" they were home and I have pictures to show them what they missed. In some small way they were here. My phone bill can attest to that!!

Christmas 2009, Lord willing, will see NINE of us together. And I get to feed them all for several days and several meals. Both fridges will be full of food, and likely a lot of baking and what not stored in the cold garage. The house will be a mess of people, gifts, chocolates, board games, new sweaters, laughter and more food!! And I will love every minute of it.

Have a blessed day and get out there and enjoy this balmy weather...it may not last too long.

Five layouts!!

Finally! Some scrap book pages. The pictures on my desk are piling up, especially the 221 I just got back from the Boxing Day sale at Don's!! Oh my - WHEN will they make it into the album!!!!

I decided to take a reprieve from the 2002 pictures...because I had all my Christmas photos organized and on my desk...not to mention all the Christmas paper out from my last project - Christmas cards.

So Christmas 2008 at our home is now captured.

Here we are experiencing all the JOY of Christmas morning.

Our Christmas dinner and into the evening game playing fun.

And finally some photos that capture our home over Christmas.

But... back to 2002...
Here is some great golf paper from Creative Imaginations. It is from the "Old Guys Rule" line but there is nothing OLD about these guys. Just some cool dudes ready for some "Tee Time". Love this paper and the Jolee's embellishment.

Alas - back to the 2002 pictures because I just HAVE to get them done. And 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 AND 2008.

I am determined to get caught up ...because I just have to. And I won't tell you why just yet...but soon.

On a more newsy note...
Number two son, Mark, my firefighter arrived home safely from Thompson last night. I am thankful to have him safely home after 11 hrs on the terrible northern highways and that following a 12 hr shift. Crazy guy, but he is home and will head back early Friday morning, hopefully with more sleep going into the trip home.
Mark is making this whirl wind trip for a job interview with Saskatoon Firefighting Dept tomorrow morning. If you have any connection...make them work. :)
I want this guy back home!!!

On other news, I am heading into five weeks of full time (plus) over the next six weeks. That's what happens when you work two jobs and holiday coverage is needed. I can do this!! I am not that old!!!
Don't expect much in the way of scrapbooking, but I do hope to post now and then because it is my little time of relaxing at the end of a hectic day when dinner is cleared from the table, the dishes done and a load of laundry is put on. This is where I relax until my head hits the keyboard (ouch). About a 20 minute span of time!

Blessings to each of you!

Christmas 2007 Tis the Season for love and joy!

I love the new Fancy Pants Christmas paper and the new glitter stickers. All lovely products that will make your pages come together beautifully in no time at all. I also used some Christmas rub ons from daisyd.

This page is a lesson on how to get nine photos on one page. heheh Christmas morning at our house - kind of orderly chaos with a lot of laughs and hugs.

Christmas Eve we played Cranium - what a fun game for teams. We had a "Jolly Good Time"

I know an odd assortment of photos, but they all have special meaning for us - especially Dad's famous potatoes. As a matter of fact, they are soo famous that I ask him to make them ALL the time. I think he should come up with a few more specialties that he can make ALL the time.... don't ya think? Heck... if he gets really good he can....just make supper. Do you think he'll catch on? Good thing he doesn't read this blog.......

And speaking of well trained..those are my kids doing the dishes. Am I smart or what??!!
The cinnamon buns are mine, thank you! (okay I took them out of the freezer to rise the night before but I got them out of the oven in time!) The mini quiche's are courtesy of M&M's - my favorite place at Christmas when I work up until 4 pm on Christmas eve. And I hate to say it - but they are darn close to being as good as my home made quiches....close I said! Just a few minor complaints Christmas morning that I can certainly get over (very quickly)

Allison looked at these pages and said "Oh I love Christmas. I can't wait for it to be Christmas again" That from an eighteen year old. Could it be all those stockings stuffed with goodies lined up in a row? ...we must all be very, very good! ..or perhaps there are two Santa's aound here working three jobs?

Christmas - Tis the Season for love and joy! Creating memories of special family times. That is why we scrap book right? I love it!

birthday party

I have now put all the 2000 layouts (except for two still up at JSI) into two albums - 76 of them!! Plugging along with the photos from the year 2001. I have an e-mail off to Lucille to ask "exactly when IS your birthday" cause my trusty calendar from 2001 does not have this event recorded. But the photos tell me it is our family room (the cluttered home schoolers version) and we are having cupcakes and Lucille is blowing out candles. Looks like Paul is playing the guitar. And I did manage to remember the names of all the people in the photos - which btw have difficult colours and are soooo busy. So why did I fill the page with so much stuff? Got carried away when I saw the new layout for pencillines. Love this site! So what product did I use? It would be easier to ask me what I didn't use! Cordinations for the very back - am starting to like this product here and there. Stuff you might not recognize is the new Amanda Blu chipboard flowers and butterfly - with a little bling! Very fun - very girly!

Funny thing is I keep telling myself that I am going to change to a more streamlined, simplistic style - less stuff and more focus on the photos. Just haven't found it yet!!

Off to a few appointments this morning and then to JSI for the day. Weather looks fab for the day - plus 22 - did I get that right???? For you Americans, that is in the 70's - wow - get out the bathing suits and the lemonade. I expect to see a lot of scrapbook friends at JSI today! Then the temps plummet to a balmy 8-14 later this week - that is just plain cccold again but tolerable! We HAVE, in total rebellion, put the snow shovels down the basement - the stuff will just have to melt if it dares to show up again!

Have a blessed day - and come say hi to me at JSI if you are in the area!

Julie

In the City - Toronto

Couldn't resist using this new DCWV paper "In the city" along with the city nightlight chipboard from Riff Raff (at the bottom of the page). It is hard to see the chipboard with this scan though. I filled the windows in with shimmery stickles. This picture of David and I at a gala dinner and awards night in Toronto seemed to fit quite well - you know - tux an all. A few gold pebbles at the top.

On another note life is feeling very disorganized...the house is a mess (sixty five hour work week just ended) so I am hiding here on the computer...putting it off until tomorrow..oh ya tomorrow is fully booked...Wed?

Our daughter is home from University. I was tempted to take some pictures of the piles of STUFF all over her room, the guest room and the upstairs hall, but she might not be impressed. My life of no clutter for 10 months has come to an end. One day I will take a picture of the shirts in her closet - there has to be over 50 of them - seriously!

We are in the midst of renovation plans for the family room - it has the original carpet...25 years old...and we once had a dog remember? So this project is LOOOONG overdo. We have visited at least six flooring places and quoter # 4 is due out Wed morning at 8am, colour, wood, grain, quality, finish - it is too much for me. Then there are about seven furniture places we have been to. How fast can you fly through a place on your 45 min lunch hour? We cannot find a coffee table we like - ANYWHERE!! The one we have David had as a bachelor..and we have been married 28 + years...also looong overdo! Right now I really don't care. If someone would just arrive and do it all and hand me a decent bill, life would be so much easier! I go to work and come home to a new family room. Sounds simple eh?

I spent the whole day today looking at reno stuff - the WHOLE day! That and helping my daughter on the computer search out a summer job....cause if she doesn't get a good paying job this summer to pay for university next fall, the renos are off and we clean that carpet one more time and find some new doilies for the coffee table!

Anyone have any leads on a great summer job for a very bright girl with one year University under her belt - preferable one that pays fairly well?? E-mails me! over there o the left at the top! And if you have any tips on hardwood floor - let me know that too!

Have a great evening everyone!

music to my ears

Moving right along with my photos from the year 2001. Great memories, but those 8X10 's from Hawaii are a little more fun to work with! Here are a few pics from the days when we all - parents and kids alike - played in a community band. This is what home schoolers do. Hats off to Peter Gravlin for putting up with us all those years! I don't know how he did it. I actually learned to play the bass drum! tada!! If I was allowed to bring that drum home it would have made a very effective wake up call at 7am!! haha nothing like waking up to the Hallelujah chorus...well the bass drum part anyways!

A few families got together in our basement to practice and then did a mini concert at one of the seniors homes. It didn't sound very good..actually if I remember correctly it was downright awful. But seniors don't hear all too well and are very forgiving. Come to think of it they never did invite us back.

Do your kids play an instrument? I do believe (and remember I am over 50 now so this is wisdom speaking here) that all children should learn to play some instrument, even if their practicing drives us to the furthest corner of the house.

After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music.
Aldous Huxley

and what home has silence??

44 years old

That's how old I was in 2001 - was it that long ago? Journalling reads.. Well I feel blessed! For my 44th birthday Harold made me cookies with Happy Birthday Mom inscribed on them and gave me some beautiful carnations – boy he sure has a soft spot for his mom. The Bergen’s invited us, along with Judy Leslie, all over to their house for supper and surprised me with an ice cream cake. Lucky me!

Ah sweet Harold...when did you get to be 26! And you still brings me flowers. I am blessed!

Great Outdoors- more gecko's

My last gecko page seemed to be well liked so I will post another one. This is my favorite picture of the gecko's - he is looking right at me with those dark brown eyes.

If you double click on this layout you can see the detail in this gecko's skin. You can also see his brown eye looking right at the camera...wondering just what I was up to.

I used the new fancy pants line again here - very outdoor...love the colours and the distressed look.

Julie

U can't see me

Oh yes I can and I have captured you on my new macro lens - haha!
Isn't he just so cute?

Brothers

I love looking at these photos of the boys horsing around in the back yard with their boffing stuff. They always played together so well. I miss these home schooling days! Here we are with another page from the 2001 photo stack - can't always scrap book 8X10 photos of scenic Hawaii. LOL
Isn't this new line of basic grey (Archaic) wonderful? It is perfect for any outdoor or boy pictures! Love the rich, warm colours and fun designs which made this page a breeze to put together. Also found some old stickers in the stash and love the little quotes about brothers - funny. Allison is in the pictures, but she is curled up on the deck, wrapped in a blanket and lovin Sam the black lab. Probably the safest place for her when her brothers are boffing! I think this must be early May 2001.

Thanks for letting me share,
Julie