Check Out the Summer Issue of Canadian Scrapbooker

Hi Everyone

Just a short note today but this coming Tuesday will be our 8th Wedding Anniversary and what would make this day even more special? well being published in the new issue of Canadian Scrapbooker celebrating our wedding.

I am proud to say that I have been published, check out my scrapbook page on page 67 of the new issue of Canadian Scrapbooker. This is my first time being published in Canadian Scrapbooker and I am so excited. Of course the theme was weddings and it features me and my lovely husband JC on our wedding day. It was such a special day for us, and we love how our photographer like to play things up and had a good sense of humor.

Have you ever thought about submitting your work it is very easy to do and who knows maybe you will be featured in the next issue. Every magazine has there own way of doing things, for CS they list what they are looking for on there site see here. Follow what the requirements are and send them a picture. If you are picked you will need to ship the original piece for them to shoot but you will receive it back and a FREE issue of the publication as a thank you for submitting.

How fantastic is that.

So check the New Submission Call For WINTER – Deadline July 15, 2011

Coming Next week...


I just ordered my new supplies for my Garden Tea Party coming at the end of this month. Everything is from our new 2011-2012 catalogue and I am so excited for its arrival tomorrow so I can get going on my projects for that day.


There are still sets available for this register here.


Have a fantastic day!

Such a Tiny Flower But What a Beautiful Smell

Today is over cast here, has been for the last couple of days and to say it has been raining well if I didn't know better I would start building an arch for the amount of rain we have had. I can't imagine what it would be like if we had flooding and to see so many people dealing with this in the US makes my little lake in the back humbling.

Walking in the garden this morning I could smell the ever so fresh Lilly of the Valley and I am reminded of my Grandmother (105) and my Great Grandmother (93 or 96) two special people in my life. Lilly of the Valley was both their favorite and they would wear it all the time. But when it is picked fresh like I do each day they are packed with fragrance no wonder they don't live long. And if I am not mistaken I believe the Catherine Duchess of Cambridge had them in her bouquet when she married Prince William in April this year.

Where I sit in my studio most of the time I see my back yard garden growing with all the rain and in front of my window not quiet at eye level is a very large hummingbird feeder. To see these tiny little birds flutter and stay in one place while enjoying the fresh nectar is so beautiful and a wonder. There must be a nest near by with the amount of feeding going on.

I would like to thank those who have e-mailed me privately sending me prayers and letting me know they are thinking of my Dad and hope that he is well soon. For those of you who wanted his address to send a card which is absolutely wonderful and sure to boast his spirit here it is:

Walter (Wally) Pullen
RR6

Smiths Falls, ON
K7A4S7
Canada

Today is just a short note my wonderful husband is hooking up a ribbon holder for me using some "S" hooks a thread metal screw rod, and some chain. I am not sure if your like me but I love ribbon and lots of it, every time I want to look for something or see what I have in stock it has been a challenge. I have a plastic contain filled with ribbon that won't close and it is a terrible mess. It's funny there are days when I fell so organized and then others where improvement is definitely the topic for the day. Today is that day.

So today is my organizing day, can't work in the garden so I might as well work in the studio. A quick shopping trip to the local Home Depot was on the agenda this morning, lunch out and then home for a quick DIY job.

I will post pictures to show you what I did and the list of supplies and a difficulty scale just in case want to tackle this yourself.

Have a great day!

My Super Hero

With Father's Day coming up soon I just wanted to write a quick note today about My Super Hero. We all have someone in our lives that we look up to mine is my Dad.

My Dad is a simple man not wanting much in fact the joke growing up was that he had the same two bucks in his wallet that he always had but today it is a $20.00 and he would give it to you if you asked. That is just who he is.

Your probably wondering why is he my super hero other than the fact that he is my Dad? Well he is the only man that I know who has spent his life looking after his family, he has an inner strength that I am in awe about. You see my Dad used to drink, he wasn't a mean drinker but none the less he was. Approx 18 years ago he was very sick and his doctor basically said either you quit and see your grandson grow up or else. So he quit, not with the help of anyone just himself and his never ending will power to change, to want to live. During this time another good man died from alcohol poisoning alone and with no one. My Dad had a hard time understanding why he choose this path. My answer to him was because you have to want too, you have to have the strength to want to live.

Today Dad has a new challenge in his life, his Brain Cancer has returned and today he has started Chemo at home. The next 5 days will be a challenge for him, and I have faith in that strength, that want to live and his will be strong enough to get him through.

I love you Dad, and thank you for being you...

Documenting Your Family History

 Using The Open Sea and Nautical Expedition

When I received my advanced Mini I jumped for joy seeing the new DSP Nautical Expedition and the beautiful stamp The Open Sea. Today's share is a picture frame using only glass and matt so the only the focus is on the photo and the design.

For this project I used the Red and White Bakers Twine, I originally wanted to do sailors knots but the twine is so fine I was only able to do one at the bottom center and for the rest I just let it twist and turn having its own life and securing it with glue dots. I like how this created the frame for the whole piece. Adding the stamp from Strength and Hope and two Antique Brads enhanced the frame feel and made it complete.

Next I used a section of the new Nautical Expedition DS paper and some Cherry Cobbler card stock stamping the background using The Open Sea stamp set. Next I designed using MDS (My Digital Studio) one of my favorite passages...

We are tied to the ocean.

and when we go back to the sea,

whether it is to sail or to watch

- we are going back from whence we came...

- JFK

I then sanded the photo to give it a more rustic look and added Cherry Cobbler card stock to the back. So simple with a great impact. This can be a great gift for anyone.

Seems Like Forever

Hello all sorry I haven't posted in awhile it has taken me 5 weeks so far just to energy to do this. But I am back and hopefully will be more consistent with my posting. So for those who have wondered where I have been I have been home ignoring everything trying to get myself back on track since I lost my job.

Last weekend we had our first Spring Fling where we get together with other Demonstrators and their guest and share, learn and create. I love these events I find after spending time with these lovely ladies you feel not only better but inspired. The event includes a speaker, at our last event I got to be the speaker and this time it was the spectacular Kim Assely from River Front Stamping and as usual she was fantastic. Sharing with us her style and techniques that she loves to do. Her demonstration focused on doing a Party Workshop. She created a banner, invitation, cupcake flags, and a guest book all using the new Stamping Up products from the Spring Mini. Her theme was boating using the Designer Series Paper Nautical Expedition and The Open Sea, Sail Away and Bakers Twine.

We also had demo booths, where demonstrators share a different technique or design that they learned. For my booth I shared my design for Matchbook Invitations using Designer Series Paper Nautical Expedition and The Open Sea for My Digital Studio. Yes, I have gone digital though it hasn't been without me kicking and screaming. For those who know me I have had the software ever since it came out but only started to learn how to use it over the past 5 weeks.

Talk about jumping in and having fun.

Matchbook Invite

This invite works exactly like a package of matches but bigger and was done using My Digital Studio or MDS for short. By doing it in MDS I was able to have a lot more flexibility then I would using the normal paper and stamps. Allowing me to enlarge the stamps to different sizes where with the standard stamps you get one size only. Now I am not saying that I am not going to stop using traditional stamps and DS paper that will never happen I love things that are tactile. But when you have to make a bunch for a party this has to be the fastest and the easiest way to do it and it is fun too.

So here are a few samples and instructions on how to make.

The Baby Shower - SWEET NEW BABY

Your Invited - DINNER INVITATION

Look Whooo's Turning 2 - CHILDRENS BIRTHDAY PARTY

For this one I added googly eyes to make it fun for the kids.

Julia & Trevor - SAVE-THE-DATE



Set Sail - SAVE-THE-DATE

MATCHBOOK INVITE INSTRUCTIONS

Paris Parfait Wedding Invitation - Wedding Workshop Spring 2011 eBook

Ohhh La La Stampin' Up Style!

Good morning ladies! This weeks focus will be on the my Wedding Workshop that I just had. A big thank you to everyone for being so patient with the delay in completing the eBook. You would thinking getting laid off would give me the time to focus on this more but there is a period of mourning that comes with this and second guessing of ones ability. But we must move forward and hope that over the next few months things will get better and I will heal from all of this.

Today's focus is inspired by everything Paris and everything Ohhhh la la wonderful. So with this I would like to share, my design called Paris Parfait.  I love the look it is so romantic, fun and elegant. I like it's freshness, it's old world charm. It is very easy to create and has endless

possibilities!

So lets talk about inspiration. I find inspiration in so many things, from photo's to paintings, to hair pins, to china tea cups, post cards, antiques, bird cadges etc. I often buy things because they inspire, tucking them away until the day the spark is lit and I remember to pull it out letting the inspiration flow. I have also talked often about dreaming, I will dream a design so keep a notepad close by so you can make notes often. I also do a lot of research on the Internet, in fact I am sure I find a new wedding site at least once a week that inspire me.

Why you could even start a scrapbook fill with inspirational pictures or anything that inspires you and reference it often. Remember to even journal, about something you have seen or have heard. You never know when an idea will be right around the corner.

Wedding Workshop Spring 2011 eBook

Looking to purchase the eBook? You can for PDF are complete instructions, tips and tricks for all 4 designs, templates so you can reproduce your own samples. Wedding Workshop Spring 2011 eBook $60 CAN. ALL Pricing are in Canadian Funds.

A Door Closes and Another One Opens

Hello everyone!

It has been awhile since I last posted and I am sorry for that.

Yesterday was a hard day for me but even more for my peers that have been left behind. Yesterday I was laid off from the company that I have worked for, support and invested in for the last 10 years. As hard as it is for me to leave it is even harder for those that are left behind. And I so feel for them. But like anything change is good, I have not felt good about some of the decisions I was forced to make against my best interest nor was I happy with how the job made me feel, untalented, second guessing my ability and well unsupported.

I would love to thank my wonderful girls, Bonnie, Sarah, Simone, Chelsey and Yvonne. They made coming to work worth while. They are a incredible bunch of women and so talented, I love you and know that you will succeed in everything that you put your mind to. Always remember to take a deep breath, and another and remember you are talented, wonderful and always remember to keep your head high, you are great at what you do.

Thank you to everyone for the supportive e-mails, Facebook and twitter notes. If you are in Carleton Place feel free to stop by to craft or even help me in the gardens if you want or sit on the deck and enjoy a cup of tea or a late afternoon cocktail or two! Remember drinks will be served at 4 pm sharp.

On another note ...

This past weekend I attending my second Creative Escape Spring Weekend Retreat and it was absolutely the best. It is a Friday - Sunday event that is non stop fun! One of the projects that I personally wanted to work on was this shadow box that my good friend Kim found and of course I had to have!

The shadow box came with nothing other than the cream material in the background I added everything else including the rub-ons on the glass and the sides including the knob. When I first saw this paper I fell in love with the whole line and everything that went with it. If you would like to know what I used send me an e-mail and I will send you the supply list.

Over the next few days I will be taking a break from everything to re-energize my creative batteries and to do what I like to call the "detox" stage. I will be doing a lot of creative things that I have wanted to do for awhile, creating workshops during the week and maybe even some on-line course who knows what will happen.