Life is This...

More Layouts to share....

Hmmm... I know I know.... I still have some layouts to post... here are a few more to share.... 

This one definitely started out much differently... I based it on the colour challenge for Scrapbook and Cards Today (which reminds me I should submit it to the contest!) and I really had no idea where I was going with it - sometimes those layouts are the funnest to do!  I used my Studio Calico Kits for this - nothing like finally being able to scrap all of the products that you just want to hoard!

2012

I actually think my favourite product on this page were the awesome Cosmo Cricket Phrase Stickers... I loved the phrases and had to control myself which ones to use - they are my new favourite product!

This next one I loved when I finished it... but now I'm not to sure.  I think everyone thought I was a bit OCD how I only scrap on white.... so I went out of my comfort zone and used "PINK" ... GASP!!  I know shocking... LOL!  Still the same clean concept but just a different colour... but when I look at it something is missing for me... oh well.. in my album and on to the next one right...

I've had this photo for a number of years now - it was when I first got my iMac - playing around... yet I always kept this one - it spoke to me... and so I finally got around to scrapping it.

 

METAMORPHOSIS

For this layout I used pretty much exclusively Crate Paper Random Collection.  I "heart" this collection so much and it was the first time I got to play with it... and I really want to scrap more with it... I love every tiny thing about it! I also pulled out some of my old Ali Edwards stamps and that is what I used under the photo at the top.

Hope you all are having a great week.  Mine is full of doctors appointments and health issues... but we are getting through it... one day at a time.

Im hoping this weekend to sit down and get caught up and more organized on my project life... have some posts to show you on that soon... its on my to do list!

Have a great day everyone!

2012 - Peace

PSA:  This is a looong post.  It is written mostly for me.  A sort of refresh.  A reminder of the past year and what it has taught me and what I hope 2012 will bring me and my family.  I want it recorded for memory keeping purposes.  I completely understand if you skip over it and go and look at all of the pretty scrapbook projects out there! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a safe and happy evening ringing in the New Year.

 

I know it has been said a million times before - but where did this year go?  It honestly feels like yesterday that I sat down to start my Project Life for 2011, researching plans for our annual vacation, and feeling the excitement and possibility of what the year ahead will bring.

Fast forward 365 days and I sit here today with many of the same goals, although I feel a bit more realistic in the implementation of a few of them. 2011 brought much turmoil, sadness, and a great loss to our lives.  I feel like time and time again I felt like I had everything under control and then something else came along that I totally had no control of.  On the scrapbooking front it was certainly not a very good year.  I spent most of the year admiring blogs and projects from afar, dreaming of the "good ole" days when I had creative time. Call me an optimist, but I do believe that my time will return.  With two teenagers who are pretty much independent now, carving out a few minutes a day should not be a problem.  Perhaps more of a problem this year was the "want" to carve out creative time. My creative mood never seemed to match my creative spare time.

I will look back on 2011 as a year that was filled with so much. Our backyard renovation, starting on my track to fitness and health, the strengthening of friendship bonds and the drifting apart of other friendships. Our vacation to Blue Mountain and New York City were the travel highlights but of course everything gas been shadowed by the dark cloud of losing my father in law to a terrible disease and the ever mounting worry of my moms health and the responsibility that brings.  I hope that one day the sadness will not be as heavy as it feels as I write this.  In my wildest dreams I would have never have guessed that 2011 would have given us what it did. On reflection perhaps it is why I enter 2012 with trepidation as I have learned this year that the best laid plans go awry and ultimately we have no control over tomorrow.

Over the last few weeks (or even months) I have been thinking about a word that I want for 2012.  With my 2011 word being "Achieve" I feel like I did make progress in some areas I wanted.  I "achieved" my goal of getting healthy - but let me add here - I didn't KEEP the health.  The last few months have been so chaotic if I have 10 minutes to stop at the drive through for dinner I felt thankful.  More and more pounds have found there way back to me and although I'm not OK with it, I have accepted that I can only handle so much. My journey of wellness doing boot camp 3 days a week seems like a far away life now.. I'll discuss more on that later.  I did "achieve" some organizing I wanted to complete.  More along the lines of my mindset has changed for what really needs organizing and what is important.  My 422 bottles of mists do not need to be colour co - ordinated by height in my scraproom, but a file folder of important papers, insurance and contacts do, in case something were to happen.  Nothing good ever comes from losing someone so important in your life, but I certainly can admit to reevaluating some things in my life, and for that I am thankful. Looking back on my OLW for 2011 I can say it wasn't a total failure but it also wasn't the impact that I wanted it to have on my life.

And now with less than 8 hours to go until 2011 finds its way into our past I feel excited, nervous, optimistic and more than anything hopeful.  With 2011 bringing a skyrocketing pace of life, I am optimistic for a slower pace but not expectant one anytime soon.  I have learned in 2011 that you can not control everything that life brings you, but you can control how you handle and react to life.... and that brings me to my 2012 word...

 

It does not mean to be in a place
where there is no noise trouble or hard work,

It means to be in the midst of those things
and still be CALM IN YOUR HEART. 

 

PEACE |pēs| noun1

• freedom from disturbance; quiet and tranquility • mental calm; serenity
• Peace is not something you wish for. It is something you make. Something you do, something you are and something you give away.
• Peace comes from within, do not seek it without.  
• Set peace of mind as your highest goal and organise your life around it. 

 

Many of you I am sure have chosen this word for this year or in years past and I have never really understood it like I have recently.  Perhaps I mistook Peace to mean boring, or quiet, but I think it isn't until we really want something that the true meaning comes to light. I want to feel calm again, to be happy with everyday.  To rid myself of the panic that everything has to be perfect, the house has to be "drop in" clean and I must be doing something creative every single spare moment I have.  To be patient with my health and to learn that it is a slow process and that getting my health back is the biggest single thing I can give myself towards a more peaceful life with less worrying and less stress. Life throws us curve balls, but it is indeed no need to put the rest of your life on hold until the problem goes away... cause well when its gone another one pops up to replace it. I need lazy days on the couch to rejuvenate, but not too many that I become a couch potato.  I need to rekindle my love of reading, and to revisit my creative side many more times a week - not necessarily scrapbooking but branching out to other areas as well.  I need to tie up all of the loose end and all of the unfinished projects.  I need to document more instead of trying to keep everything there is on my to do list and my wish list all in my head only to be forgotten a few days later (which has the opposite effect of peace).  Perhaps mediation is something I should investigate further or Yoga to embrace my spirituality on my mission to bring more peace.

I have no grand illusions that much will change in our environment this year, but I certainly have the highest of hopes that whatever comes my way - it will bring peace and joy to us all.

Happy New Year to you all... and may you all find peace in 2012.

New York Shopping and DeSigual Love

For those of you who know me personally - I think you will agree that I love to shop... hee hee.  But I love to shop for stuff that is different... that not everyone will have... that makes me truly ecstatic when I find something like this.  I actually shop at a store close to here in Burlington called Joelles - that carry designer brands and unique clothing items and that is when I first came across my new favourite designer DESIGUAL  (pronounced: DeZee-Gyou-al).  The problem though is that they are a european brand and make their stuff extremely small so nothing was really flattering... until of course I came across their store in New York city!!  Be still me heart... It was love at first sight! After dragging in my girlfriends (who I think I won over as they made purchases as well)  I went shopping... and boy did I shop. 

Here are the goodies I now have in my possession - let me know what you think... to tacky... sorry... not for you?  That's OK... it is soooo me - I love it all and I love that I probably won't run into anyone with the thing!

First accessories - a purse and wallet.

Love this purse - it has a long thick strap as well so you can wear it as a cross body bag which is my favourite thing about it!  Not very expensive either!  Great buy for casual everyday running around! The leather is so soft - lots of room inside and it very slouchy - which is perfect!

I love that the change zipper on this fits my iPhone perfectly - for those times just running out and not wanting to drag my entire purse with me!  It is the softest leather EVAH!!

This scarf I fell is love with instantly - it was the first thing I picked up!!  The colours are incredible and so me!  It goes with everything!  The first thing I thought of when I saw this scarf - is OH - what a great piece for an inspiration challenge... maybe coming soon!

As for clothing I tried on so many tops and to be honest I liked about 4 of them but had to cut some stuff out so I figured since I knew I could get the shirts/tops in Canada I will go for the other stuff... but I could not resist this blouse.  It is funny - I DESPISE white blouses - actually I despise any type of button up blouse at all.  I feel so constricted in them - but again this feels like a cloud on - it is so soft and comfy... I can already see me wearing it with tights. skinny jeans. and my riding boots - LOVE!

Mine is a little more wrinkled than this photo - it has instructions to wash to keep the wrinkled look - you know - twist is all up and then tie it... the flowers are very floppy and 3d as well - my favourite part.

And last but certainly not least - the piece that I am completely head over heals in love with!  I tried on a few coats that I loved on the hanger but not so much on me and then I tried this one on and it was instantly ME!  I couldn't have designed anything that is more me if I tried to myself.  

Do you see that pattern on the pockets it is on the inside of the lapels as well so when unbuttoned the lapels fold back and you can see the pattern - it is gorgeous! The fur around the collar is removable There is also writing/embroidery on the sleeves and the back of the coat... 

Well that was enough to make the trip worth it - and now just to wait for the colder weather to actually use my coat will make the change of the seasons here more bearable!

If you want to check out more of their clothing you can visit their website HERE.  They don't have everything on the site but just a regular Google search will bring up lots of eye candy for you.

So since being home I've switched purses and wallets but its still a bit warm for the coat and such right now... the way the temp is out there tonight I don't think I have long to wait.

I have however been living in these - my other purchase that I love - and some of you may laugh - but that's ok - I'm used to it LOL!  I picked them up at Century 21 - after being drenched from rain the entire day... they are a staple in every New York Girls wardrobe - and I'm bringing them to Canada! Now I can actually look forward to rainy days.... 

A word of caution though - they look so much better in real life and when you put them on you automatically start singing Fred Astaire's Singing in the Rain very loudly... or is that just me?

Have a great night!

Oh and PS - I promise I will not wear all of this at one time... I'm not even that crazy!   

Hi....

Well its July and I finally feel like summer is here and starting.  We had a Canada Day Party this past weekend and since I've been living in a mental fog the last few months... it was so nice to relax, laugh, enjoy old and new friendships, and just plain live life again like it once was.

I keep saying things will be normal in a few days... like I have caught my breath... only to have something else come along.  Lots of things seem to be changing at a furious pace... little things... day to day things that you don't realize how much you cherish them until they have been put on the back burner or replaced by other more important details of life.  I found myself yesterday with a day off... and I was completely lost on what to do.  I was exhausted and so I anticipated relaxing in the pool, reading a good book, and envisioning a day of bliss and self pampering.  Instead the landscapers showed up and worked in the yard (no pool for me), I finished my book the night before (and yet to make it to the bookstore) and my oldest had 4 friends over to occupy the television.... HA.. so much for bliss!  So instead I searched and researched some possible vacation destinations for our non-existent summer holidays coming up.  Where to go?  Close? Far? Something that both kids will enjoy.... call me picky but finding a vacation suitable for the entire family is challenging without taking out a second mortgage on the home... I will find something... I'm determined...

As silly as it may sound... this leads me to another huge area in my life for the last few months and that is the "Battle of the Bulge" as it is commonly referred to. How did I get from vacation to weight loss... well in my mind it goes like this... 

• need a vacationa
• adked to go away last minute
• GASP I've yet to put on a bathing suit this year
• take out my summer clothes
• nothing fits
• sad, depressed,
• how did I get HERE again!!

... so there you have it... a look inside my teensy brain and how it works LOL!!

A also spent some time yesterday catching up on some of my favourite blogs and the 629 entries I have in my blog reader. NOTHING has resonated with me more than reading Cathy Zielski's entries on her Move More, Eat Less Journey:  She writes:

"I’m also trying to wrap my head around the idea that maybe this is as good as it gets, that I’m not going to be thin like my sister-in-laws, or people who seem to not struggle with food and the like. I’m struggling with why that’s not okay for me. There is absolutely a psychological component to this process that occasionally throws me for a loop. I’m 45 years old and I have to wonder how much more precious time I’m going to lose obsessing over something that in the larger scheme of life, just shouldn’t matter this much. Again, a work in progress." 

That was taken from her post Move More East Less July 2011 , and then as I was reading further this came and gave me lots to think about.... from her post As Good As it Gets 

"Common sense hit me right between the eyes, as much as I tried to dodge the shot: this body of mine, with it's dimples and muffin-topped midsection, is Ground Zero for my entire life experience. All the good. All the bad. All the ordinary. All the magical.

How does having a flat stomach really add or detract from an entire lifetime of experience?

Like many of you, I struggle with figuring out how to be enough. Sometimes it seems the physical housing takes such a precedent and seems to erase some of the joy to be found in the simple act of living.

I fight against this nearly every day.

Some days, I look in the mirror and there's a really cute 40-something lady looking back at me, and I think, "Oh, there you are."

It is comforting and reassuring to know that I am not the only one who feels/thinks this way. I have to admit when I read her blog posts I sometimes get spooked at how closely she interprets my feelings.  The obsession of the scale is too much a part of my life... or rather I'm making it too much.  In all honesty its not the numbers for me.. its how I feel... and recently that is absolutely awful.  I've stopped with everything healthy in my life lately and I can feel it... I ache, my back hurts, and I am scared as hell that this is the one body I've been given and often wonder WHY am I abusing it this way?  I have recently been reminded again that life is so short.... no one is safe from illness... the people who live the healthiest of lifestyles can suddenly find themselves in poor health that no one seen coming. I do believe our lives are ultimately controlled by fate (or something not in our control).... but we can control our journey along the way towards our fate... whether we want to live in health or in blah-ness (how I feel).  Over the last months I've been going to boot camp....thinking that the weight would melt off... frustrated by the scale still not moving  in a downward direction... it becomes downright depressing when I take out my clothes from last summer and my shorts somehow shrunk a few sizes while in storage....  how does that hpappen?? I am not vain enough to want my 21 year old body back... or should I say I'm not insane enough to even think that is even a possibility... but I am smart enough to know that, potatoe chips, hamburgs and a quick trip through the drive-thru for dinner is not supporting the healthy lifestyle I so desperately need and want.  What is making me even more sad and upset is that I am passing this on to my kids... I can see the bad habits they are picking up... I am paranoid that they need some healthy fuel for their bodies... but it is a struggle when they are hanging out with their friends all hours and I don't remember the 4 of us have sat down together for a family meal... it is my number one priority... get back on track... get on a routine... and just take in one day at a time....or even one meal at a time.  I have the entire summer to try... baby steps... wish me  luck... 

 
 

My Purple Passion... or Plum... or Aubergine...

Purple is everywhere now... any store you walk into has it.  Sweaters, candles, Christmas decoration, even winter boots!  Well this new found love of purple...or I like to call my particular favourtie purple..Aubergine... may be new for some... but it is definitely not new for me.  Way back in the old days.. you know when I used to walk to school 5 miles... up hill both ways... well my love for this purple paradise started back then.

In the good ole days... when I was slimmer and trimer - my favourite bikini was purple.  As a matter of fact my husband to be, purchased it on his self discovery vacation to mexico (sans moi!!)  I remember having purple (or Aubergine) Peter Pan get-a-way boots. My favourite sweater was purple leopard print (of course with tights!) See I knew I should have kept them - I could actually wear them this season. (now that would definitely be a site!!)  And after dating for 5 years at the tender age of 21 we decided to get married.  I remember searching and searching and searching for any sort of dress in this colour.  After all it is MY COLOUR. The search was futile as there was not a stitch of purple fabric to be found - even to custom order it - and believe me I looked into it.  The funny thing is by BFF got engaged after me and married 2 weeks before me and guess what her lovely maid of honour was wearing - yup you guessed it.... 

You see I've always been drawn to this colour.  Perhaps it was my infatuation with Prince and his Purple Rain tour that started it...  after all I did see him 2 times in concert - yup wore my purple for that one too!  My bedspread growing up was purple as well - Oh Gosh I just remembered my purple (or violet like) jean capri pants - they were soooo cool!! Isn't it funny how a colour can bring back so many memories?  Its truly remarkable how our brains work... or am I the only strange one... please don't answer that :)!

Now don't get me wrong this colour has not disappeared from my life... you could say it just took l little vacation and stopped by to see me about 5 years ago (and hasn't left yet). Around 2004 - we were replacing our furniture upstairs and thats when I spotted them!!  They were so gorgeous - my 2 beautiful Aubergine Leather chairs.  Oh no..  My heart raced an my palms started sweating when I saw them.  They were perfect... they were me...everyone thought I was out of my mind... but I honestly I didn't care.  Its my house... so in they came (no I didn't get the couch/sofa - I settled on cream for that)!  Following came Aubergine curtains and sheers, dinning room table clothes,  throw pillows, and I hunted high and low for any purple accessory I could find.  My hallway walls are painted this coulour - deep dark rich Aubergine - like Grape Juice freshly squeezed.  Mm mm yummy.  Now Im all in style...  who would have thunk...  I remember talking to a designer at our shop when I purchased them... she never came back after that... hmmmm, but who's laughing now eh?!?

To bring my obsession to its completion we redid our bathroom upstairs a few years ago.  As most of you know we own a custom cabinet shop...and guess what colour cabinetry we did!  Ha - however did you guess!!  And no it isn't tacky - its absolutely gorgeous with matching granite counters with beige's and purple tones running through out. The cabinetry is such a dark purple that its almost looks black or brown until the sun shines in on it and I'm in heaven!  Its my favourite room in the house.  Here's a peaky for yourself...I gotta show you these cause I know you are all thinking that I've lost it completely... so I need to justify myself and show you that purple can be beautiful.. not always bright and candy like! LOL

 

 

 

OK so really why am I posting these photo's..well one cause most people look at me like I have two heads when I tell them that my bathroom vanity is purple... seriously its true... can you believe that?!?  Either that or they don't believe me...  I mean its not a popular choice for most... but hey I like to live on the edge LOL!

 So as you can tell - Im sort of a Passionate Purple Person...always have been and always will be.  

NOW where am I gong with this...well if you head on over to THE MOXIE FAB BLOG you will see my inspiration for this post. Currently (until Nov 16th) they are looking for Purple/Plum/Aubergine/ paper crafting projects. Make sure you head on over if you want to be inspired by this beautiful colour!  We are to make a paper craft that captures the essence of Plum in its design.  Well as luck would have it, I've been starting at a layout now that has needed some finishing touches for awhile and this challenge definitely motivated me to get it completed! Of course I did this layout for my BOM so I wanted to use Purrple....LOL!

WITH A FUTURE SO BRIGHT

 

 

 

And for those of you curious about the journal ling - cause I know I always am - and it really gives me a headache trying to squint and read all that writing... hee hee... here it is.

Every once in a while I panic wondering what my future holds. The what if's start to get the best of me... you know thinking tragic thoughts that I have no control over.  Then I remember that the hard times are in the past.  I put on my rose coloured glasses and look again.  I realize I have the best life ever.  A successful business owner married to my best friend and working together everyday.  Two great sons... a beautiful home... family and friends all around.  I make a point to surround myself everyday with things I LOVE because they may not be there tomorrow.  The only thing I know for certain is that my future is going to be the best I can possibly make it... I will wear funky clothes... lay in the pool all day... drink Starbucks coffee... travel... Dance with Ellen... and scrapbookk until three in the morning.  And when the naysayers ask why?  I will simply respond... why not?  The trick to life is to live it... it's up to me to make the most of each and everyday...

Have a great Friday!!

Lori

 

Today is...

Do you ever have those days that you seem to be walking around hyper sensitive to every thing around you. You want to call everyone just to hear their voice and know they are ok.  Im feeling weepy today..I think my eyes have welled up already a few times this morning and it isn't even lunch yet. Why...I can say that nothing has happened to me or my family personally but the last few weeks just seem to bring bad news upon sad news and my eyes are open to how very precious life is...everyday...

As I sit here and type this some people and events are in my thoughts....

• Patti - My heart goes out to you and your family on the sudden passing of your mother Barb.  I will so miss her smile and helpfulness when visiting The Nook...and I am full of sorrow for you all.  She was one of the sweetest most genuine people I know and I really feel privileged to have known her... The Nook will never be the same again...and be proud that her eyes sparkled with Pride when she spoke of her family.
• Yesterday at football was a weird day for us. On a high note - J's team finally won their first game of the season and what a fantastic game it was. Unfortunately a few minutes into the fourth quarter a player from the other team was injured and the game was called. There is nothing more scary than watching a child lay on the ground - not moving - and watching the ambulance drive on the field. My eyes filled up as any moms would - thinking - praying - that he is ok and privately thanking the powers that be that it isn't your child. I guarantee you I gave Jared a huge hug when we were finally home. I have heard this morning though that the boy is fine and was taken to be checked out for precautionary purposes only. It still woke me up.
• And last but certainly not least - my thoughts keep going back to a few children that have crossed my path in life and my heart breaks for them. Sad but true I know three different kids who have all lost not one but both parents over the years and they are all under the age of 12. One of these just a few weeks ago... I don't know why this keeps coming into my head...I can't shut if off. I just look at my kids and the tears come - I couldn't possibly imagine living life with no parents - especially being a young child. Tragedy happens everyday in our life -and I have a strong belief system that everything happens for a reason - but to me I can't possibly begin to understand this one.

So there you have it....sorry its such a down post....but sometimes we really need a wake up call when we go thru our days..putting off until tomorrow.  Life is precious....sometimes its hard...but every moment  is worth cherishing....

Go and hug your kids, parents, and friends...

Lori

 

Friday feelings....

Today I am feeling:

Thankful that my basement is in its final stages of being refinished.  The painter is finishing up today. The floor is done.  Trim is done. By the end of the weekend we may quite possibly have our living circumstances back to normal.

Content with having a down day.  A day to sit on the computer. Catch up on blogs. Tidy the house. Enjoy a cup of coffee.  Nothing to pressing to do....just to be.

Nostalgic about the ending of summer with the cool crispness of fall definitely in the air today.

Anxious to get my scraproom completed and to have my space back - but Understanding that this is our busiest season at the shop and I will have to wait until after Christmas to have it completed.

Happy to be creating again...even if it was with limited supplies and space. Once I started - I literally couldn't stop.  It is like therapy for me...only with no sleep. 

Excited about the reveal today over on the Collage Press Blog.

Curious as to whats next.  With Just Cre8 no longer supplying kits and our term ending with Collage Press I am excited, sad, and a little curious as to what is next on this paper journey part of my life.  I have to believe that what is meant to be will be - and Im awaiting my next adventure.

Lori

 

EEEEEEEEKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK so I couldn't think of any other title for this post but I had to show my excitement somehow!!!!!

Why am I so excited - well for a number of reasons - but I will get to everything else tomorrow!

Don't ask me how.....or more importantly why......but I really am THE LUCKIEST lady in all of the world right now.  All weekend I have been pinching myself thinking I will wake up from a dream because I never dreamed I would be ever be blogging about this.....

...Or should I SAY...

...ON THIS......

Yup thats right...that box is sitting on top of a desk in my living room!!  I really don't even now how this all came about.  I mean we are up to our eyeballs in renovations and fixing up our basement - looking for new furniture - redoing my scraproom and this was the VERY LAST thing in the world I thought about - I mean it was a dream I've had for a long time - but I figured with the flood and all - this year was definately out of the question. 

This is how it happened.

All I know is that my wonderful fantastic darling hubby was designing my scraproom at the shop the other day (that already had me on cloud 9!!) and he was figuring out cabinet dimensions when I joking remarked..."that's not nearly enough room for my 24" iMac screen!"  He looked at me and said...its either that or granite...you choose....well um...HELLO!!! Who really cares what my counter tops look like - after all - for those who know me and the way I scrap - you can barely ever SEE my counter tops!!

So friday night he asked "What do you want to do?" with the kids out of the house at their friends...I jokingly again remarked - go buy my Mac so I have something to do while you sit and watch football. (OK so that was after some um...alone time..too much information....oops sorry ;0!)

Next thing I know Im in the car and taking a 45 minute drive to the Apple store at Square One and this Beautiful piece of equipment is now sitting in my living room (its temporary home until my room is done). (And yup he stayed home to watch the Ti-Cats loose against Toronto....)

Now to sort, organize , and purge my almost 10,000 photo's from my PC backup into iPhoto. And to unlearn everything I've know for the past 25 years of being a strict Windows user!!  ACK!!  Lots to learn!!

At least I am getting a jump start on my Library of Memories for the new year.

SWOON....I am truly in love....with both my Wonderful Husband and my new baby!!

...oh...and you can bet your last dollar...the kiddos are NOT touching this one!!!  They are already begging me to let them use it....um....NOPE NADA NO WAY....so am I the worst mom ever or what! LOL!

Hope you all had a great weekend.  Will be back shortly with an update on my scraproom and its progress.  I have a feeling you'll be getting lots of updates now..cause...well I really don't want to get off of this thing.  

Love ya's and thanks for letting me share in my excitement. No one really gets it...I think my fellow scrapbooking peeps out there just might though...(HUGS)

Lori

 

Canadian Scrapbooker and a nice surprise...

I think I mentioned awhile back that I had a few layouts picked up for the Fall Issue of Canadian Scrapbooker while Attending Saskatchewan Scraps back in March of this year.  I was honoured to have Jackie (owner/publisher) herself pick out 2 of my layouts to include in the Kraft Section that they were featuring.  I wish I could show you them...but you know what...I didn't even get a chance to photograph them before handing them over...so until I get them back and get my computer up and running I can just tell you tell you that they are on page 44 and 47 of the fall issue under the Kraft Basics.  Hope you enjoy them.

I was previously surprised when Jackie asked me if I would like to try out for the cover of the fall issue.  How excited was I at that opportunity.  Unfortunately I didn't make the cover but I was one of the "Other Takes" and was thrilled to see my layout with everyone Else's included in this issue as well.  This is the cover for the fall issue....and I do love the layout....another one of the "why didn't I think of that moments! LOL!

...and here is my take on the cover....don't know what I was thinking with the white background but its really been my obsession lately - and I wanted to stay true to my style. I found it really difficult with the 8 1/2 x 11 format...never scrapped that size before so it was challenging but all in all I am happy with how it turned out...after the 4rth or 5th attempt LOL!!

And last but certainly not least - quite a while back my fellow Just Cre8 Crew member Leica Forrest (who was the author for the Kraft Article that my two layouts were in) asked me to send in a third layout to Canadian Scrapbooker.  I just assumed it was for the kraft section again as that is what the background paper was. I wasn't positive if they were going to use all of my layouts but I sent it in anyway and kept my fingers crossed. 

So last week I come home and pick up my mail and I find this in my mail box.  Canadian Scrapbooker Basics Volume 3...

 

Well that was a nice surprise but I was thinking ...hmmm...I wonder why I received this...I just assumed that it was part of my gift package for trying out for the cover.  Later that night I sat down with my cup of tea...and started looking through it...from cover to cover...like I do with every scrappy mag I get...and almost spit my tea across the room when I saw this on a full page!!...

UHM....Now that was a NICE SURPRISE.  It is on Page 47 in the Acrylic section and I was so happy to be in this great special edition published by CS.  Thank you Leica and Jackie.  I must however remember to ask where my layouts are going next time...or maybe not... because the surprise was very nice!!

Hope your all having a great long weekend everyone.  Talk soon!

Lori

 

Please before you throw anything at me....

...let me explain.

It started with getting ready for vacation.  That was back in the beginning of July.  The kids were fresh out of school...we were busy with day trips and working on just the right shade of golden brown for my tan. 

Then we went away to our annual Wasaga Beach vacation with our friends....which was fun.  Did lots of fun stuff other than sit inside the cottage on rainy days.  For instance my family was mighty impressed that I - Yes I - could actually throw and catch a baseball - and GASP!!! hit a ball.  The kids started up a healthy game of baseball on the beach and the parents decided to join in!!!  Im telling you it was the most fun I have had in a long time (that is pretty pathetic isn't it??) This baseball experience was a positive part of our summer unlike the hell of my youngest sons year in playing minor ball...which by the way they won the championship but that's a story for another day. 

Other significant events were getting back on a bicycle for the first time in uhmmm.....20 plus years!!!!! 

My hubby had purchased a bike last year from someone who was upgrading...and I have been saying since my kids were little guys that I wanted to get a bike and start riding...but my husband always rolled his eyes and laughed saying I would kill myself.  Well after nightly bike rides down the lake-shore while at the cottage (borrowing a friends bike) we came home and a few weeks later my hubby surprised me with this in the hallway...

 

Its a Specialized brand hybrid and I LOVE IT!!!!!! So that has been taking up SOME of my time.  We are up around 6 or 7 am every day on the weekend and drive to different bike paths and ride for a few hours...I am sooo enjoying it.  Gives us some quality time together and helps me in my quest too still lose these last 20 lbs on Weight Watchers!!  Hohonestly I love the feel of freedom that it gives you and how it relaxes me no matter HOW stressed out I am!!

Ok now to the most important reason why I haven't been around.  The day after coming home from Holidays our city (Stoney Creek) experienced a bad storm.  Not bad as in hurricane bad - but bad as in 114 mm of rain within 2 hours!!  With all of the rain we have had this season on top of this - the storm sewers just couldn't handle all of this water and with no where else to go - over 9000 homes had sewer backup into their basements...and yes unfortunately we were one of them.

This happened on Sunday July 26th.  Our completely finished basement is now is chaos.  Carpet torn out..drywall ripped out and replaced...by scrapbook room was not to be left alone as unfortunately this room had the most water and damage.  I lost some of my supplies but to honest with amount I had - Im not crying over that.  I managed to save my layouts and albums...that was the first thing I was going for.  All of my furniture was ruined so my supplies are packed up in bins and I am waiting for the basement to be refinished before I can dive back in and call myself a scrapbooker once again.

All of our furniture that was downstairs...sofa, love seat,ottoman, tables, kids tv/xbox/playstation, chairs, drum set, filling cabinets, and some scrapping supplies are now home in my upstairs living room along with all of the other stuff. 

I think I managed to save my computer..but I have heard stories now that some peoples computers are not working because of the moisture in the air...so this remains to be seen. BUT this is the reason why I haven't been around AT ALL!!  No computer and no access to this baby.  I do have a laptop but we are even having problems with our wireless with all of the water damage...and the laptop is being used at work for presentations since work in insanely busy....yup no recession for us that's for sure!

I know some of you already now my situation but I am sure many of you out there seriously must have thought I have disappeared or something.  My friends I truly apologize for my absence..but my "home" is literally upside down and I have really no sense of seeing it come together for at least another month or so....

So please be patient....I do have a confession though.

The break has been nice...

to sort of walk away from a hobby that I was trying to evaluate where I was going with it.  It all seemed so much...but this has given me an opportunity to realize that I truly miss scrapping and everything that it involves.  My online friends, my forum chatting, my posting of layouts, and just the entire creative process.

Im itching to create something....and am excited to see where I will be headed once I jump back into this and put myself back out there. 

OK..now go ahead and aim whatever it was you were going to throw....I wont be here long enough for you to hit me anyways LOL!

Talk soon...

Lori