Marilyn's Blog - & more

A Great Weekend!

2012-01-18T01:52:00.001-06:00

Last weekend was wonderful! Nine of us went to Jessica Lake Lodge for a Scrapping Weekend. My girlfriend Laurie Scarfe opens up her home for us to crop in and when it is time to call it a night, we go to their gorgeous cabins. We have been doing this for several years and we all look forward to it. We go again in June, so if you are interested in coming just let me know. I got so much accomplished in those 3 days! I created almost 30 different cards for kits. Wow, I was a card making machine. Now everything has to be cut and kitted.

It is really beautiful there and ever so peaceful. Laurie and I were walking to the cabin late in the evening and met a couple of deer on the way. It is like you are in a Disney movie! I was waiting for the birds to land on my shoulder and then I would start singing and ... you get the picture!

I had the best sleeps there, too. I have decided that I need a king-size bed, by the lake and to sleep alone! lol

The ladies are busy creating!

Trin checked off all projects as completed on her list!

My space. I had a view of the lake and the dish containing food for the deer.

Hard to believe that January is half over! It has been a great month. Classes filled up quickly! The 12 weeks of Card Making and the "Month-at-a-time"Scrapbook pages are both full with 30 ladies participating! All Day cards is on Saturday with a full house, so I guess I had better get the Chili made. It is always a fun day of card making.

I leave for Florida in a week. I am so looking forward to seeing my sister, niece and mom. Oh, and I guess it will be nice to feel the warmth of the sun! Oh, and I can't forget the shopping!

Cindy will be teaching the classes that week and I have put her in-charge of the All-Day Scrap. There will be 18 of you that day. Oh, just think of all the yummy food.

Scrapbookers is getting a new POS (point of sale) system this week. We are going high tech here! Should be an interesting time entering all the products, etc. into the system! I guess I know what I am doing when I get back from Florida.

New product has arrived. The Perfect Pearl Mists are here in all the colours. The New Sew Stamper, Imaginisce Spring/Easter paper and Stamp and Emboss Sets. These sets are amazing! Hero Arts stamps and Sizzix have come together with a great idea. You stamp first with a background stamp and then emboss with a coordinating folder. The results are gorgeous.

Kevin's birthday is at the end of the month. I am still in the 80's with my scrapbooking! Will the 80's ever end! Here is a layout I did for Sketch Club. I thought that it would be appropriate to use his birthday photos, even if they are 25 years old!

Celebrating Kevin's Birthday!

Look at the time. Almost 2am. My husband is away this week, but I still need the king-size bed at the lake for my good night sleep!

Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T09:50:00.003-06:00

2012 is here and I have a feeling that it is going to be a fabulous year! There will be lots happening at Scrapbookers, and I will keep you posted!

New Year's Eve was a little different this year. We actually stayed up until midnight and saw the ball fall. (well I did, Howie was downstairs doing laundry while I was yelling, "Get up here!") I was babysitting Brooklynn and she was fast asleep. Boy, do we know how to celebrate on New Year's Eve!

I wanted to show you one of my Christmas presents. My sister Anne sent me this Quilled creation. She and her husband were in Vietnam a few months ago and she picked this up in a store in Hanoi. Amazing isn't it! It is 8" x 8". Can you imagine how many hours that took to make. The quilling strips are 1/16" wide.

Quilled village picture

Close up of the work

She also gave me a trip to Florida! Don't I have the best sisters! Anne turns 50 on January 27th (I have very young sisters!) and we will be celebrating in Sarasota, Florida. She said that I am her Birthday present to herself. Wow, I just love her to bits! Also, her husband will be away and my mom will be in Florida, so she wasn't going to celebrate on her own. So, Anne, my niece Carrie and myself are leaving on January 24 and returning January 30th. A week in the sunshine. Can't wait. Cindy will be looking after the store and I thank her so much for doing that for me.
I will also be going on the Jessica Lake Retreat with eight ladies on the weekend of January 14th. My girlfriend owns Jessica Lake Lodge and we go there a couple of times a year to scrapbook.
And an end to the post brings a game of Memory with Dylan. He got the game all set up to play on my iPad. Note the names of the players!

So, as you can see, 2012 is starting off to be a great year.
Enjoy your first week of 2012 and Happy Crafting!

As the end of the Year nears...

2011-12-28T00:08:00.002-06:00

Christmas was a wonderful family day for the Whatmans, and once again I proved that we can celebrate the day without decorations. Yep, I did it again. Not even a tree. I will admit that my family was a little shocked when I handed out the Safeway bags filled with their stocking stuffers. I did feel shame for a minute, but it passed. The funny thing is I used to be a huge Christmas decorator. I have boxes of decorations and most of them I made or hand-painted. I also love snowmen and have oodles of them in my Christmas stash. Oh, and the tree! Loads of handmade ornaments and thousands of lights are packed away. Plus the excitement I use to feel. I couldn't leave a present untouched. I had to shake and feel and try and guess it's contents. I remember when I use to carefully unwrap a present, check what it was and tape it back up. The unknown drove me crazy! I use to send cards, bake, cook, shop and the what the heck has happened? I just lost my Christmas spirit and I know where it went. It went to the store! It is locked inside the four walls and just doesn't want to leave with me! Hopefully, next year the Christmas spirit will once again fill my home and I won't be passing out Safeway bags filled with goodies.
The Design Team has been busy and below you will find three more District Market Burlap Panels beautifully done by Rhonda, Deborah and Brenda.

Created by Rhonda Alsop

Created by Brenda Duncan

Created by Deborah Marasa

Design Team member Cindy Phelan has created this unique "Travel Log" folio using Simple Stories Destinations paper. It is designed to hold pamphlets, pictures and whatever else you have collected while traveling on your trip. Kits will be available in January.

Front cover of the "Travel Log"

inside

Design Team member Deborah Marasa has created these gorgeous cards. She loves detail and loves October Afternoon Sidewalks paper. The cards were on display in the store and so many of you asked for kits, so...it is now an All-Day Card Class in January.

All-Day Cards Class

I know you are going to say "Valentine Cards? Really?" and the answer is yes! There is a Valentine Card class coming up with three interactive cards.

Valentine Card Class

I just love the LYB Winter Twig paper and have created a 2-page layout using this fabulous paper. My niece Kara is growing up. Most of you are familiar with Kara. I have used her pictures for many years on my layouts. She is now 15 years old and a beautiful young lady. I must admit that I do miss my little Kar Kar! She has grown up way too fast!

Scrap-a-page

Check out my website, as the January Class Schedule is now posted.

Have a great week and happy crafting!

Ho Ho Ho :)

2011-11-30T09:04:00.003-06:00

December has arrived way too fast as usual. I haven't even decorated the store, let alone my house! Hopefully, I will get a tree up this year! The newsletter is done and class pictures can be viewed on the website. What great projects for the month of December! Cindy created this gorgeous mini-album using the NEW Bo Bunny Snowfall paper.

Last Minute Gifts has been an annual December Class for years and this year you will love the gifts once again. The Teabag dispenser is lovely and functional! Linda created it and yours will be very similar to the one pictured.

I love Penny Black Stickeroos and you will too! What quick and easy cards you can make with them. There are lots of Christmas Stickeroos to choose from. Here are some samples of the cards in the class.

Cindy created a great Recipe mini-album using the TPC "Let's Eat It" paper. What a wonderful gift this would make.

The Design Team are starting to bring in their Burlap Canvas Creations that I challenged them to make. Cindy created a clock with hers. "Time 2 Create". Beautiful and brilliant!

Susan created a gorgeous canvas using her "Mom circa 1942". What a keepsake it is.

I was colouring with Copics and now have 4 NEW card kits available for sale. The images are stamped for you, so you just need to colour them and assemble the cards. Easy peasy! I love the Hedgehogs and the old couple is just darn cute!

I have a busy weekend ahead. I am attending a Card Swap on Friday evening and all 14 cards are made and ready to swap! I The Christmas Green Sale is on Saturday with anything green on a product in the store is 25% off. I will be having a Demo of the Sew Ribbon and you will be making a Make and Take using it. Then, I am babysitting Brooklynn over night and she is going to be a sweetheart for her "Grandma". Sunday I am having 12 for dinner. We are celebrating Carole and Tanya's Birthdays. Guess I won't be decorating for Christmas this week! HO HO HO !
So that brings me to the end of this post. Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

PS. December 6th is Senior's Day at the store. 10% off your purchases.

Card Kits and more

2011-11-21T12:16:00.002-06:00

There are some new card kits at the store. The Christmas Candles and the Christmas tree are favourites of mine. I love the 3-D effect! These cards sell in a set of two as shown in the picture above.

We have a Design Team meeting tonight and I am challenging the ladies with the NEW Burlap canvas by Tim Holtz. I can't wait to see what they create with these. Ya gotta love Tim!

A decorated canvas would make a gift to be cherished.

Also NEW to the store are the Tim Holtz District Market Notecard Sets. They are gorgeous and will be great to embellish!

My Mind's Eye FUNDAY Kraft Paper is unbelievable! Get ready to fall in love with it! The patterns, the colours and the weight of the paper are fabulous!

Wednesday will bring another order and in it is the Bo Bunny Snowfall paper line and the Little Yellow Bicycle Winter Twig paper line. Can't wait to put it all out!

Bo Bunny Snowfall

Little Yellow Bicycle Winter Twig

Leave a comment to get a chance to win a SMASH mini folio! I will make the draw at the end of the month.

Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

Design Team member, Cindy Phelan Featured

2011-11-18T07:22:00.000-06:00

Cindy has created four stunning cards using My Mind's Eye Lost and Found Christmas 6x6 paper pad and a coordinating stamp set. After the cards went on display, the paper pads went, but there are 12x12 sheets available. The paper is gorgeous and full of glitter. Cindy loves simple and sleek, and her cards display her creativity beautifully!

Cindy also created a wonderful mini recipe album using the new TPC Studio"Let's Eat" paper. The paper is great for layouts, card and recipe albums, big or small. The embellishments are absolutely adorable! They also have recipe boxes that DT member Susan is in the process of dressing up! These will make great Christmas gifts, so I think a class will be coming up in December!

Leave a comment for your chance to win a new SMASH mini folio!

Have a great weekend and happy crafting!

Design Team member, Rhonda Alsop Featured

2011-11-17T01:36:00.002-06:00

Rhonda Alsop created these adorable Christmas Cards using a stamp set by The Craft Lounge. Rhonda loves shabby and inky with lots of embellishments. I asked her to do "cutesy" snowman! Rhonda was out of her comfort zone when creating these, and she did a fabulous job. There's "Snowbody" like you, Rhonda! These cards will be in Kits.

Step Cards

Cute mitten brads!

Rhonda loves DIVINE Twine too!

Liquid appliqué "snow"

Tomorrow Design Team member, Cindy Phelan will be featured.

Don't forget to leave a comment. Your comment will give you a chance to win the new SMASH mini folio!

Have a great day and Happy Crafting!

Design Team member, Deborah Marasa Featured

2011-11-15T12:19:00.003-06:00

Deborah has created adorable Christmas Cards using Jillibean Soup Christmas Eve Chowder paper. Deborah's cards show off her talent at creating fabulous cards with great embellishments and detail. Her cards will be available in kits, and also she will be at the store to show you how to make these cards early in December.

She also created awesome gift tags!

Deborah loves buttons and look at the detail!

She also is in love with DIVINE twine!

Tomorrow Design Team member, Rhonda Alsop will be featured.

Look what arrived today! The mini-SMASH folios! Comment on my blog and you will have a chance to win one!

Also, I am in love with the SEW ribbon by We R Memory Keepers.

They are such fun to do and the results are amazing! There are 6 different templates to choose from.

Until tomorrow...have a great day and Happy Crafting!

A Job Well Done!

2011-11-13T20:59:00.001-06:00

The Garage Sale was a huge success once again. Many thanks to Lauren and all the volunteers for organizing, and putting on the Sale. Also thanks to all who participated and brought towels or a donation for Siloam Mission. Kevin took the towels and toiletry items over on Friday and the Mission was thrilled! They said that they really needed the towels! (Kevin took LOTS!) Everyone wanted to know when the next Garage Sale was going to be. Lauren is going to schedule one in the spring. That will give all of you the winter to purge your craft room and cupboards!
Last week was a very busy one. There were two all-day events and the store was just a hopping! Both events were very successful and all the ladies enjoyed their classes. We all missed Carole though. The store just isn't the same without her there. I did manage to make the chili, but didn't attempt to bake buns!
Howie, Kevin and I took dinner to her tonight. I must have hugged her 20 times at the door...this is a hug from Susan, this hug is from Trevor, this hug is from Gail, this hug is Janet's and the hugs went on and on! It made us chuckle!
Lots of new products have arrived and people were going crazy for them! Great papers from Paper House, October Afternoon, Lily Bee Design and My Mind's Eye. Tim Holtz District Market line of products is wonderful. Come and check them out!
All-Day Scrap is next Saturday and there are a few spots left. Come and enjoy a full day of crafting!
Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

We have a Winner!

2011-11-01T08:00:00.002-05:00

Congratulations Maryanne, you have won the PageMaps Sketch Calendar! PageMaps Calendars will be released on December 2nd.
I made up the My Mind's Eye Calendar for 2012 and I love it! You will too! Pick up one soon, as they won't last long. These Calendars make such lovely gifts that last the whole year.

Who could be afraid of this spider? Sweet little Brooklynn, my darling little spider! She is adorable in her first Halloween costume. Of course I will be scrapping this event!

And I cannot resist posting the
adorable Padraig as Dracula!

I love babies!

I really cannot believe the costumes they have for kids today. It sure beats the plastic ones that were available when my boys were small. Actually, those costumes were never worn by my boys. I made them their costumes every year. Superman, Batman, Ghostbusters, Transformers, Mario and the list goes on. I spent hours creating them and as I look back at the pictures, I cannot believe the detail in each one. I remember Trevor's first costume that I made. He was a wolf. I remember sewing the fake fur was a chore, and it had hand stitching galore. I spent hours making it and guess what...he would not put it on! I finally bribed him with candy and a lot of sweet-talk and got the thing on him. He was going out for Halloween whether he wanted to or not!
I not only made costumes for my boys, but also for my sister's kids. I remember Troy wanted to be Dracula and I made him a great cape. He was out at K-Mart with my sister and he saw a little boy looking at the costumes. He said, "That boy has to wear a plastic costume because he doesn't have an Auntie Marilyn". I love kids!
Next week there are lots of new products arriving! Tim Holtz District Market totes, canvas, and card sets. October Afternoon Sidewalk paper and also the LilyBee Head Over Heels paper. There are lots of stamps, decorative brads and so much more.

Hey, it's the first Tuesday of the month today. Don't forget it is Senior's Day today at the store!

Enjoy the rest of your week and Happy Crafting!

What a Weekend!

2011-10-26T06:39:00.004-05:00

The Gimli Retreat was a great success! A busy and fun time! We were full with 100 ladies in attendance plus 10 "Aprons" to keep everything flowing smoothly. I had a cold and would you believe I lost my voice starting Friday morning! What a time for that to happen. I had laryngitis throughout the weekend. It was tough teaching classes, but I survived!
Cindy set up a Photo Booth with many fun props. It was a huge hit of the Retreat and the photos are fabulous! Here are just a few. Scrapbookers Anonymous Facebook page will have all of the photos posted. By the way don't forget to LIKE the Facebook Page! As usual we took the store and set it up at the resort. What a lot of work that is, but thanks to the Aprons we manage to set up and tear down in record time. We had games to play, an inspiration table, lots of great prizes and so much more. From all of the remarks that I heard, everyone enjoyed the weekend. The March Retreat is just under 140 days away, so plans will be in motion shortly for that event!

November Classes will be posted on my website. A few of them will be from the Retreat. I know many of you that were not able to attend wanted to take part in the classes. The 2 All-Day events are full. I will try to have another All-Day Cards before December.

The My Mind's Eye Calendars arrive tomorrow! I can't wait to put one together. Also the MME Christmas paper will be here too!

We are having so much fun with the 12 weeks of Christmas Fun! I think that it will have to be an annual event.

The Garage Sale on Saturday, November 5th is fast approaching. If you are planning on participating in this event, would you send me an email. We would like to know how many people will be bringing their "Stuff" in.

email: marilyn@scrapbookersanonymous.ca

Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

2012 MME Calendar Kit

2011-10-13T20:11:00.004-05:00

For the past 6 years I have created a Calendar Kit. Everyone loved them and looked forward to making them up each year and giving them as gifts. This year I decided to purchase the calendars from My Mind's Eye and you will not be disappointed! The calendar is perfect for gift giving and will be a treat to assemble! You will love the price too, just $19.99 each! This is different from the PageMaps Calendar. THIS IS THE CALENDAR KIT! If you would like to reserve a kit ( or a few of them) just let me know. They will be here by the beginning of November.

* A Daisy Up-date: As many of you know Daisy was in the hospital last weekend. She was a sick little dog and had to stay there for 2 nights. She had a bacterial infection. Kevin had to rush her in at 2am Sunday. When he arrived the receptionist said, " I certainly didn't think a big guy like you would be bringing her in!" Kevin replied," You should see what we look like when I take her for a walk!" Daisy happens to be his little Princess! Needless to say we were upset that this happened, and then so happy to have her home. She is fine now and back to being the best Store Greeter. It was nice to see how much she was missed by all who visited the store. She thanks you for all your well wishes! ARF, ARF!

Design Team's Challenge

2011-10-12T01:53:00.002-05:00

Last Month I challenged the Design Team to create projects using the "Simple Stories" Happy Birthday paper. They were all given the paper line and we met back in a month. Last night was the meeting and their projects are awesome. The amazing thing is that they all came up with different ideas! Here they are!

Nicole chose to create a Birthday Keepsake layout in a frame. Simple and effective! I love the Calendar paper!

Nicole also created these wonderful pages by combining several of the Simple Stories papers.

Deborah created this fabulous layout. Everything is about embellishments! She also loves to distress and sew on her pages.

Deborah created this 3 x 3 mini album...

...that celebrates her birthday and has lots of embellishments inside! Simple adorable.

Deborah's Cards are delightful and again she uses distressing and sewing to add texture and interest to her cards.

Susan chose to create Birthday Cards with lots of 3-D embellishments. Pinwheels, banners adorn her cards. She used Stickles and Glossy Accents! These products are 2 of
Susan's favourites!

In her layout Susan used the Simple Stories Happy Birthday paper, but did not use a Birthday as an event. She incorporated the paper and paper elements for a Graduation! A Simply brilliant choice of an event!

Susan also used her creativeness and came up with "A Party in a Bag"! She included an invitation, party favour, an adorable party hat and place card! Nice work, Susan!

Rhonda loves mini albums and created this Party Hat mini album. It includes creative embellishments inside and her favourite Rosette die! Hats off to you Rhonda, for a great album! Interested in learning a tip on how to make the Rosette stay together. Check out "Anonymous Tips" on my website.

Rhonda also created some Birthday cards using this great paper line and included a "Slider" Card. Love it!

Cindy created this must-see Birthday Album! It is amazing! It is a celebration of her son's 12 birthdays.

She created a cover for her coiled book and fabulous pages inside. After seeing this ingenious album, you will want to make one!

Renee created the Happy Birthday Flip/Accordion Mini Album that I recreated for my Mom's birthday. It is an album that you will want to make over and over again. It is a favourite of mine! A picture of the Album is in the last Blog post.

So there you have it! Some creative projects from a very creative Design Team! If you are interested in creating any of these projects, the instructions will be made available to you at the store.

Enjoy the rest of your week and Happy Crafting!

2012 PageMaps Calendar!

2011-10-09T16:49:00.006-05:00

NOTE: TO AVOID ANY CONFUSION, THIS IS NOT A CALENDAR THAT YOU MAKE UP YOURSELF. IT IS A CALENDAR THAT SUPPLIES YOU WITH MONTHLY SKETCHES AND PICTURES AND TIPS THAT YOU CAN USE FOR INSPIRATION! THE OTHER CALENDARS THAT YOU MAKE YOURSELF WILL BE HERE IN NOVEMBER. I am happy to tell you that I will be carrying the 2012 PageMaps Calendar! This year’s calendar is loaded with sketches, fantastic layouts and step-out photos! Don't miss your chance to get a copy of this limited edition calendar! 2012 PageMaps calendar will be priced at $9.95. Reserve your copy by email, phone or in-person! A great gift idea! Release date is December 2nd, 2011. Don't delay, order today!

Today is Thanksgiving and I am very thankful for having all of you blog readers! I will be giving away a copy of the 2012 PageMaps Calendar! Since you readers rarely leave a comment, now is the time to do so! I would love to hear from you! I know you are out there! A name will be picked at random and the winner will be announced at the end of the month! If you are from out-of-town, I will mail the calendar to you.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, and Happy Crafting!

PS. 11 more days until the Gimli Retreat!!

Yes, it's October!

2011-10-03T13:33:00.005-05:00

We all had a fabulous trip to Chicago! What a great way to celebrate my Mom's 85th Birthday! I was so impressed with The Windy City, The Second City, Heart of America...Chicago! We saw many of the sights from the Art museum (amazing!), Architectural River Cruise (fascinating!), Sears Tower (Can we say "Skywalk" Yikes!), Second City Comedy Club (too funny!), Shedd's Aquarium (a little fishy!), Frank Lloyd Wright's house and studio (totally a must see!) and the list goes on. The view from the Sears Tower was pretty amazing. I got some great pictures. The Sky Walk was a tad scary, especially if you are afraid of heights, but I got through it. I look at the picture of my Mom sitting there on the Sky Walk at 85, and even more amazing is how she stood up after from a sitting position! Me with my bum knee, I was the one who needed a helping hand. As a matter of fact, it was my mom that kept asking me if the pace was too fast and did I need to rest. Oh, to be fit and healthy at 85!

American Gothic by Grant Wood

Chicago Architectural Cruise

Sears Tower (actually Willis Tower now)

My Mom on the "Sky Walk"

My brother and sisters and me on the "Sky Walk" Yikes!

Me and my namesake! My Dad loved Marilyn Munroe!

Lobby of our hotel the Palmer Hilton on Munroe

I made my Mom a mini flip accordion album, which is definitely my new favourite album to make! LOVE it! I used the Happy Birthday paper by Simple Stories. My non-crafting sister is in-charge of putting pictures in it! It worked out perfect for the Journal Block with the numbers 1 through 5. We just happen to be there 5 days!

Flip Accordion Album front

inside

Journal block

October is a very busy month here at Scrapbookers with the Gimli Retreat just a few weeks away! There will be classes this month, so check them out on my website. Lots of product is coming in and some new papers are in the shipment. Little Yellow Bicycle Wonder Wish is one of them, with all the fabulous embellishments. I LOVE the Inky Antics Honey-pop stamps. They are just adorable and so much fun to make. Stamps, Copic markers and honeycomb paper, simply delightful! There is a class scheduled for November to make these cards. Class dates are on my website.

The 12 weeks of Christmas Fun starts tomorrow October 4th and the card below is what the class will be creating! We are going to be learning lots of techniques and using lots of different mediums! It is going to a creative 12 weeks and I'm loving it!

Also, I had scheduled some classes for November which are up on my website. Check them out because the Christmas Fun Package on November 11 and the All-Day Cards on November 12 have limited spaces.

Enjoy October, because the way time flies, November will be here before we know it!

Happy Crafting!

Chicago Bound!

2011-09-22T14:00:00.003-05:00

I am finally packed and ready to go to Chicago! We are going to celebrate my Mom's 85th Birthday! Mom and her kids! Should be a great time.
Cindy is in-charge and is having a SALE on Friday! Go and check it out and keep her company! There is an order arriving today and should contain some new products!
The Class samples for the Retreat are on display at the store! You can sign up now! Janet Berezowecki will be coming to Gimli to teach Copic Classes on Sunday! The Retreat is just weeks away! EEK!

CHRISTMAS CARDS

FLOWER POWER

SHUTTER FOLD CHRISTMAS LAYOUT

MINI ACCORDION FLIP ALBUM

LARGE CHIPBOARD ALBUM

Have a great weekend and Happy Crafting!

Cindy was Busy!

2011-09-07T23:17:00.009-05:00

I am so glad that summer decided to stay for a few more weeks! This weather is unbelievable! I got back from my extended long weekend, and found that Cindy (DT member) had been very busy.

She created this fabulous layout using Tim Holtz's paper. I love the Retro look. It reminds me of the time when I came to the realization that my mom was so beautiful. (and still is)
It would have been 1958 and Mom and I were standing hand in hand on a street corner in Sault Ste.Marie. She was in a form fitting dress with spike heel shoes on, carrying a matching purse. I remember looking up at her and thinking that I had the most beautiful Mom in the world! She was picture perfect. I wish could have captured that moment with a picture of her on that day! It would have definitely been scrapbooked using this paper!
Cindy also made some great mini albums using Bo Bunny paper. All albums are for sale as kits. These mini albums make great gifts.

Bo Bunny Father Christmas

Bo Bunny Etc.

Bo Bunny Blitzen

Bo Bunny Garden Girl

Come on in and pick up a kit today!

Enjoy the rest of your week and Happy Crafting!

Is it really September?

2011-09-01T08:18:00.008-05:00

I must say that I had a fantastic summer! I got plenty of lake time and managed to relax a bit. I am not ready for it to end. The September classes are on my website, so take some time to check them out.

The BEST news is that I am a Grandma-at-Heart!

Brooklynn Elizabeth Wall was born on August 19th!

She is absolutely beautiful and I love her to bits!

Dylan with his new baby sister!

Cindy Phelan is a fabulous photographer and we went to her studio for a "photo shoot". She teased me by sending me a few pictures and now can't wait to see the rest! I will have a link to her blog on my website. She is also teaching a Photography Class this month at the store.

Soon-to-be-new to the store is "envelopments". I have become a dealer of their products. We will be able to create fabulous wedding invitations, table cards, menus, baby announcements, and the list goes on. Pass the news along to anyone you know who is recently engaged, had a baby or is having a special event. We can help them!

It was time to send my Mom her "Year's Supply of Cards". So, as you can see by the picture above I sent her a pile! It really is a great gift idea and my Mom loves it. My Mom will be turning 85 next month. She will now be saying to herself, "Why did she put my age in her blog?" (my mom is a faithful reader!) My mom says she reads my blog to find out what I am doing! I guess I should phone more often! Anyway, my mom is a very "young" 85 and is in better shape than me! She is an avid walker and bridge player. These 2 things keep her young! To celebrate her birthday she is taking her 4 children to Chicago! Lucky us! Just Mom and her kids. We will be going at the end of September for 4 days. My siblings will have everything planned, itineary completed and I just have to show up. I love it! I was in Chicago once when I was a kid. I don't remember much, except that it was the "Windy" city. I will look forward to finding out more.
I am off to the lake for an extended long weekend. No crafting will be happening. There will be 2 kids with me, so we will be a busy bunch. I will love every minute.
Enjoy the weekend and Happy Crafting.

Meet the Scrapbookers' Design Team!

2011-08-14T11:53:00.002-05:00

We had our very first Design Team Meeting last week. They are very eager members and they are ready to create some fabulous stuff! They will be using the new products (in a layout,card or project), as they arrive at the store. These ladies will inspire you and show you great projects and techniques to use. They will be telling you their favourite "picks" and why they love them! They will also be adding tips to the website. Lots to look forward to!
Speaking of that...Bo Bunny Paper arrives this week! 6 new paper lines! Check it out at http://www.bobunny.com/firstcollection.html
I am at the lake, sitting on the dock watching Dylan play in the water. He had me in the water yesterday and today, jumping off the swimming dock! Not bad for a semi old lady! Dylan and I were walking Daisy and he said, "I am the dog-walker-guy and you are the poop-picker-upper girl." I always wanted to know where I stood on the ladder of life!
Enjoy your day and Happy crafting!

August has arrived!

2011-08-01T23:59:00.005-05:00

As always the summer is going by way too fast! I'm honestly finding it hard to believe that August is here. I was able to have all the class samples completed and newsletter out for the weekend, and time was left to enjoy a few days at the lake! It was HOT and lovely. I read a whole book and did not craft once. I did spend time thinking about crafting though!
SMASH folios and accessories will be here by the end of the week! The company was overwhelmed with the consumer's response to their products! I love mine.
I impressed myself this month with the Tim's Technique Class. I am not a rubber stamper, so it was a challenge for me to create these cards. I loved making them and using the various techniques.

I actually coloured the tulips with a nib and distressed inks. I love the look and feel that Utee gives a card. The La Blanche Stamps are beautiful and I have ordered more. A few La Blanche Christmas stamps will arrive this week.

I haven't created Iris Folding cards for some time. I have never used a design printed paper as the background before. I used Webster's Pages for the background of the dress. I just loved the way it turned out. I also enjoyed making the guitar. I used music paper and love the look of the guitar.

If I had a nickel for every time someone asked how these cards were made, I'd be rich! I did this class a few years ago when Burnished Velvet (Velvet Tape) was first introduced at my store. So, if you have never had the chance to learn this technique, now is the time!!

Last month after Rhonda's "bugging and bugging", I created a Graphic 45 Beach Album. The class was a huge success! So, this month I asked Rhonda to create a Graphic 45 album, using the Wizard of Oz paper. She did just that and it is fabulous!

Scrap-a-page is very different this month. Eight pictures were cut in pie shapes to create a circle. I saw this in a magazine and thought that it was such a great idea, so I scraplifted it! The paper is by My Mind's Eye. As I was creating the page, Kevin was close by. I was talking to Carole, telling her what I great trip this had been in 1988. We traveled with our trailer to Calgary and saw the Olympic Grounds, the Zoo, and all the other sites. We traveled to Banff and the boys saw the mountains for the first time. We saw the glaciers, the Hot Springs and more. Such great memories. Kevin was listening to my recap of the holiday and said, "Know what I remember about that trip?" I said, "The mountains?" He replied, "No, we were somewhere and the drink machine was broken and we kept getting free canned drinks!" Really, Kevin, that's it! He did remember a souvenir that he bought from a store in Banff. I wanted the boys to buy those cute birch bark canoes with BANFF printed on the side. They bought Whoopie cushions instead! Thank goodness we have all these pictures that I am scrapbooking of our 1988 trip. Hopefully, they will jog Kevin's memory!

SCRAPBOOKERS ANONYMOUS HAS A DESIGN TEAM!

Pictures, intro and their own gallery will follow!

Cindy Phelan

Susan Clow

Rhonda Alsop

Brenda Duncan

Deborah Marasa

Char Dobson

and introducing our own

SCRAPLIFT SPECIALISTS

Renee Klyne

Nicole Klyne

Have a great week and happy crafting!

Summer has arrived!

2011-07-02T09:32:00.002-05:00

It is a beautiful morning at the lake. A cool breeze off the lake, a cup of coffee and my laptop. Sounds perfect to me! July is a special month filled with awesome Card classes, a great Scrap-a-page and a Graphic 45 Envelope Album. The album really should be called the "Rhonda-bugged-me-to-make"Album. Rhonda really, really wanted a Graphic 45 mini album!

It is also my BIRTHDAY month, so that means a Sale and some fun on Thursday, July 14th!
The Scrap-a-Page this month is really cool. I used the new Simple Stories 100 Days of Summer paper and a Shutter-fold page protector. I love it.

Shutter-fold open

Shutter-fold closed

Using the Penny Black Stickeroos are the fastest way to create great cards! I had a so much fun creating these cards using them! There is a great selection of Stickeroos in-stock.

Stickeroos!

The Dreamweaver Cards are made using the leafy tree template. The pictures do not show them well. Pop by the store to see them for yourself!
Sew-easy is a great tool if you want to add stitching to your projects. I thought that it would be a great idea to have a demo/class on using the Sew-Easy tool and attachments. There will ample stock arriving, including the Sew-easy case!

Janet will be back later in the month to show us her latest info on Copic Markers. She was just certified as an Advance Instructor.
If you are interested in joining the Sketch Club, now is the time. A new session is beginning and will be going until the end of December.
I am enjoying the long weekend at the lake. Dylan (5) and I are enjoying our time together! I am so thankful that he thinks fishing is casting a weight and reeling it in! He is non-stop full of energy and keeps me hopping all day long. He even had me in the water! It amazes me that the simplest of things can amuse a child. An empty water bottle and the lake can amuse Dylan for a long time!
Enjoy this beautiful long weekend and happy crafting!

SMASH!!

2011-06-21T22:12:00.002-05:00

LOOK WHAT ARRIVED TODAY!!

SMASH folios and accessories are here and you are going to love them! There are 4 different folios and lots of neat accessories to choose from (or you may want them all!) I have started my Smash book already and it just makes me SMILE :) After all, that is what it is all about.
We are celebrating with a SMASH PARTY, Thursday, June 23rd. We will have food, chocolate fountain, refreshments and you will be able to get your hands on everything that is SMASH! Come and join the fun anytime after 5:00pm. (There will still be Sketch Club at 6pm)

My Busy Life

2011-06-16T23:13:00.011-05:00

Best Friends - Europe 1972

Cathie and I have been friends for almost 50 years!

It's been a busy 2 weeks. My weekend in Saskatoon was wonderful. It was great to meet with my Mom, sister, and friends. We invaded our old street and took pictures of us in front of our old houses. We went back to visit our elementary school, high school, hang-outs, etc. We reminisced, visited and ate fabulous food! Cathie and I travelled Europe for 4 months when we were 18. I had Kevin change our slides to photos before I left for the weekend. Cath and I had a story to tell for each and every picture! I don't think our Mothers really wanted to hear them all!

Mom, Jane and I in front of our house

The infamous window that I pulled Cathie through to sneak out during the wee
hours of the morning when we were kids!! We got caught of course.

Cathie and I standing in the hall of our high school.

My Mom was here from Fredericton, visiting for the past week. It was so great to have her here. I have always wished that we lived closer to each other. She has gone back home now, so I am now going to catch up on my work.
New products have been arriving. Bo Bunny Barefoot & Bliss and Zoology are a must see. The mini albums are adorable! Simple Stories is a New Company and their papers are gorgeous. I will using some of the papers to create Scrap-a-page next month. Mirri paper is back and 6 colors are in stock, along with 3 Silk finish Mirri paper. They are stunning. Lots of new embossing folders have arrived, and the list goes on.

SMASH folios arrive next week! Plus, there are flagged SMASHclips, SMASHpockets, SMASHtabs, SMASHstickies and SMASHbands to hold your SMASHfolio closed when it's filled to bursting with all of your special "moments and musings that stick." So, what do you Smash? Well, it doesn't have to be a life event, just the special little moments and mementos of your day. Some of that stuff in your junk drawer. A ticket stub from a movie you loved, a newspaper clipping, a magazine snippet, a child's crayon doodle, a love note...get the idea? Smash it, jot a note or add a caption and go! How exciting is that!! So exciting, that we are going to have a SMASH PARTY on Thursday evening for Members Only! We can get SMASHED (tongue in cheek!) There will be Margaritas (non-alcoholic!), chocolate fountain, food, fun and a chance to finally get your own SMASH folio! Details will follow in an email.

Enjoy your weekend and Happy Crafting!

So much to do and so little time!

2011-05-31T00:41:00.000-05:00

How many times throughout their lives have I told my boys, "Don't leave things to the last minute!" I would get so angry with them when they would tell me Sunday night that a project was due on Monday. Thank goodness I had a cupboard with emergency school supplies! Or they needed 2 dozen cookies for school the next day, or a Japanese kimono for an assembly the following morning. The all time best one happened the morning I was flying home to visit my parents. I was kissing the boys good bye when Trevor announced that he needed black dress pants (NO Jeans), a white long sleeve shirt and dress shoes for a band concert that afternoon! He owned none of the above. I looked at Howie and said, "He is all yours!" Well, Trevor attended the concert wearing his Dad's white shirt with the sleeves rolled up, black jeans and sneakers. One out of three wasn't bad!
I am going to Saskatoon this weekend (leaving Friday) and I have many things that I need to do and gifts that I need to make. I have left everything to the last minute! Oh, no! I am in panic mode now and it is not a place I like to be. I am flying to Saskatoon to meet my Mom and my youngest sister. We moved away from Saskatoon 40 years ago and we are going back to take a picture of us in front of our old house! We are hoping that the owners will be kind enough to let us peek inside. I have been elected (by my sister) to knock on the door and ask...which I will do. Now please note that I said I was going to ask if we could have a "peek" inside. My sister asked me to bring a small video camera just incase we are allowed to look around inside! I don't think so Jane! The homeowners would think we were crazy people!
We still keep in touch with 3 sets of neighbours who have moved off the street, and they are going back to the old street for a picture session too. One person being my best friend growing up! It is going to be a great weekend, which I will be scrapbooking later.
The newsletter is done and you will find the class project pictures on my website. It is another class filled month! I love all of them! New products will be arriving shortly. Yippee! The countdown will be on for the SMASH books and accessories. It will be like Christmas at Scrapbookers!
We have started going to the lake on the weekends and this was my view while sitting on the dock with my favorite beverage in hand. Ah, my little piece of paradise. Have a great week and happy crafting!

We have a Winner!

2011-05-11T23:05:00.000-05:00

National Scrapbooking Day was last Saturday and we celebrated at the store. The winner of the Cuttlebug V.2 was Barb! Actually, anyone in the store at the time of the draw would have thought that she had won the lottery! Talk about excited about winning! I loved her reaction!

New products have made their way to the store. October Afternoon 5 & dime Paper is wonderful and I love each and everyone. It is very retro! My Mind's Eye paper is great too. More of Penny Black's Stickeroos are here and what great cards they make. Glubers are here, which allow you to create fabulous ribbon flowers. Lots of cotton lace arrived in a variety of colors. The perfect accent to any card. The Copic book on Shading is a great tool for helping you find where to shade when coloring an object. I have put together several card kits that include a stamped image and everything to make the card. I have also listed the Copic markers that I used. I am loving the Copic markers more and more, and am having fun using them to color in Peel-off stickers. So easy and so relaxing.

I have completed by Apple collection. I now have an iPhone! How did I live without it? I LOVE it! The other night I fell asleep, only to wake up with my iPhone on my chest, my Mac on my lap and my iPad by my side. (my Kindle was close by) Poor Howie. He has such competition!

Just checked and the SMASH books and all the accessories will be here at the beginning of June. One more thing for me to obsess on! Can't wait to put all my "stuff" in it. I have been collecting in anticipation of the folio. Have a great weekend and happy crafting!

Sunshine!

2011-04-26T15:05:00.004-05:00

It's almost May and I am so ready for the sunshine and warm weather! I am so ready to go to the lake. The place I love most in the world!

With the Newsletter complete, I have to say,"Wow!". There are so many great classes to choose from. I love them all. New products have arrived. I will now be stocking the Penny Black Stickers. There are lots to choose from and great for card making! The recipe is easy: Add the sticker and some stickles and your card is ready!

I especially love the Scrap-a-page for May. I am scrapbooking the 80's and came across some pictures that my Dad had sent to me of their trip to Europe. I thought to myself, "What am I going to do with these. They really don't have any meaning to me." After looking at them, I quickly changed my mind! My Dad had written on the back of each picture. Seeing his handwriting gave me goosebumps! My Dad passed away over 20 years ago. One of the pictures was of a house that was a built in 1500's that my Dad had lived in during WWII in England. He revisited the location and met the owner . This was the information that he had written on the back of the photo. I picked out several pictures and scrapbooked a great page. The reason for handwriting some of my journal blocks has been reinforced by this one wonderful picture.

Have a great week and happy crafting!

Ahh, Spring!

2011-04-12T01:15:00.000-05:00

A friend and I drove down to Fargo on the weekend. We picked the best weekend for bargains, but not the best weekend for the flooding. The road from Fargo to Grand Forks was closed shortly after we made it through coming home on Sunday. We did have a great weekend full of shopping, and found time to kick of our shoes and relax. It was just what I needed. All I do is work when I am at home!

Some Flourishes Stamp sets arrived yesterday. A Year of Flower Stamps Sets 1, 2 and 3 are here and are beautiful. The Stamp Set pictured below will be fun to color with Copics and just in time for Easter!

New paper from Echo Park- Summer Days and Playground is here and ever so cute. Here is a layout I made today using the Playground line.

The Sew Easy floss arrived and is available in lots of colors. A great selection of the piercing heads are in-stock now, too. The Sew Easy handle, along with the piercing mat will be here early next week. Click here to see how to use the Sew Easy! http://youtu.be/fiVmw0otZRw

The backorder of Copic Sketch markers will be here on Friday. Drop by and pick up the colors that you need.

Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

Spring is in the Air!

2011-04-07T12:00:00.001-05:00

Easter is on the 4th weekend of April and you can make these cards just in time for the occasion. Ribbon and flowers and everything Spring-like!! If you would like to change the sentiments for another occasion, I can do that for you.

We are planning for May Classes and here is a sneak peek of a class that Cindy will be teaching. It is just TOO cute! This card folio is amazing and will hold lots of cards. It will make a perfect gift for Mother's Day or a Birthday.

Copic Markers and Peel-off stickers work great together! It's so easy to stay within the lines!! A bonus feature for me!! I am putting an order in for Copics today, so those must have colors will be here by the end of the month.

Here is my cute little Magnolia "Tilda" complete.

I love this Flourishes Stamp Set! How cute is this..."3 Chairs for You!" Gotta love it!

Have a fabulous weekend, enjoy the sunshine and Happy Crafting!

All in a day's work!

2011-04-03T21:03:00.004-05:00

The first thing I colored with Copics was from a Flourishes Stamp Set, "Chairs for You". I got a great tutorial off the internet. The chair is actually fabric. I outlined it with the closest color I could match to the fabric. V15 & V17. It doesn't show well in the picture. Daisy is pop-dotted to give her dimension! Love it!!

Next, I colored with Copics the strawberries from the Flourishes Stamp Set, "Strawberries". It is also a tutorial off the Flourishes website. I definitely have trouble staying within the lines. I guess correcting that will take practice. The leaves are YG03, YG63 and deepened with BG96. I first tried YG 91, 93 and 95 but they were the wrong shade of green for strawberry leaves. I found a picture of strawberries on the internet and that helped me with coloring.

I used RV10, 14, 24 and 29 for the strawberries.

Then for fun I colored with Copics this stamp from a Flourishes Stamps Set, "A Man's View". It will be great for a masculine card!

Lastly, I had to color a Magnolia Stamp. Isn't she adorable! I used the same reds that I used for the strawberries. I cut her out because I went over way too many lines. I used Spica Glitter markers to add some sparkle to her outfit. All of the stamps are available at Scrapbookers Anonymous.

So, there you have it. A day in the life of a Copic Addict!

The COPICS have landed!

2011-04-03T13:40:00.003-05:00

Yes, the Copic markers are here and WOW are there a lot of them!! It is a sea of color at the front desk! Everyone that has come in cannot believe how many colors there really are. I have been doing research on the Copics and I think you will be amazed at the results that you can achieve with them. I am going to start coloring as soon as I finish this blog. I have discovered that a Color Swatch Book is a must. Keeping track of the markers that you have will stop the duplicates! I am speaking from experience. I plan to color strawberries today and I will post the finished image. There are great tutorials on the net for coloring with Copic markers. I have included a list of great color combinations.

I also discovered that the markers are multifunctional! They can also be a Baby toy! This marker amused Baby Brooke for a very long time! She is in-training to be a future crafter! As you can see by the photo I am in-training to be a future Grandma. I won't hold my breath, but sure hope it happens one day!

I have been obsessing on my webpage and have made some more changes to it. Please check it out. I spend hours fiddling around on it. I won't tell you how long it took to figure out how to create the signature below! Leave a comment, I would love to hear from you!
Have a great week and happy crafting

Another week begins...

2011-03-28T02:13:00.003-05:00

My big news is that I have a NEW website. I had mentioned that I wanted to create one all by myself and I did it! In my usual fashion I obsessed on it and completed it in record time. Therefore, the class samples aren't finished for April, but the schedule is up on my website. So, go check it out at www.scrapbookersanonymous.ca
It was my oldest son Trevor's Birthday last week and Our 34th Wedding Anniversary on Saturday, so needless to say I fell off my diet this weekend celebrating both. Why does food have to be so darn delicious? I will get back on track today.
The BIG order of Copic Sketch and Spica markers are on their way and hopefully will be here by the end of the week. We can marvel at all the colors! More Swatch books are coming, as well as storage containers and cases.
We had a great Copics class on Saturday with Janet from Brandon. She used Flourishes Stamps and we all loved them. Yes, we still have some in the store, and yes, I am ordering more. The images are lovely to color. Janet will be back in April to teach using Magnolia stamps.
I was going through some files and came across a favourite album of mine.

It is made with coin envelopes and when it is opened it looks like this.

It is so cute and you can add inserts to the pockets that the envelopes create. I thought that you would like to make one, so drop by the store and I will give you the instructions and the 6 coin envelopes for FREE just for reading my Blog! (while quantities last or until I blog again)

Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

Marilyn

A Perfect Weekend!

2011-03-23T06:36:00.004-05:00

The 3rd Annual Scrapbookers Retreat was a huge success! Over 100 ladies enjoyed a weekend made up of cropping, classes, friendship, food and fun! It is definitely the perfect recipe for a delicious weekend!

Many of the ladies have made reservations for the October Retreat! I will take a break before I start planning that one! The APRONS (volunteers) were amazing as usual and an event such as this could not be done without them. A big thanks to Carole, Yvette, Trin, Brenda, Janet and Renee.

The store is back to normal and some NEW stock has arrived. The Flourishes Stamps are here and are gorgeous! I can't wait to use them. Yes, I said that, me, the non-stamper. I love using the Copic markers. I love to color and the Copic markers are such fun to use. I find it very relaxing.

I will be working on the April Newsletter this weekend and putting some classes together. One class is the Copic class on Saturday, April 16. Janet will be back to teach us how to color faces and hair using the Magnolia Stamps.

Enjoy the rest of the week and Happy Crafting!

Marilyn

It's HERE!

2011-03-16T06:12:00.004-05:00

Today is the day that the store is packed up, loaded on the truck and tomorrow is moved to the Lakeview Resort in Gimli! It sounds like a lot of work and it is, but worth it. The Scrapbookers Retreat is just 2 days away! And better yet, I think I'm ready!!
The new product arrived and is out and you are going to fall in love with everything. The NEW papers are fabulous and you are going to want one of each. I just want to sit down and create, but there is no time for that.
I am no Scholar when it comes to knowing the meanings to all of these acronyms that people use when texting (I don't) and on Facebook. I thought GFY meant "Good for You"! I am continually asking Mr. Google what they mean. So, that brings me to yesterday when I was putting stock away. I came across an embellishment pack with the the letters "IFE". So I am thinking, "What the heck does this mean? Surely, I can figure it out." I was about to walk over and ask Yvette her thoughts on it when I removed my thumb from covering the "L". It wasn't an acronym after all, it was just LIFE!

You will notice that my Blog has a new look. I love playing around on my Mac. When I wake up in the middle of the night, this is what I do. Oh, how I love my Mac. Now, I have decided that I am going to tackle doing my own Web page. Kevin has been doing it so far, but now I want it to have a new look and I want to learn how to do it myself! People always ask, "When do you find the time to do these things?" So, now you know what the middle of the night is for!
Scrapbookers anonymous will be closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and on Monday I will be putting the store back together. (which takes all week!)
There are still a few spots left in the Copic Class on Saturday, March 26 from 3:30-5:30.
Have a great weekend and Happy Crafting!

Just a week away!

2011-03-11T00:54:00.006-06:00

A week today we will be packing up the store and moving it to Gimli for the weekend. The 3rd Annual Scrapbooking Retreat is just around the corner! There are 110 ladies attending the event and we are all very excited. I am much more organized now, so am feeling less stressed!
The NEW Magonlia stamps are absolutely adorable. It is so nice to have them in the store! There were a few very excited fans waiting for their arrival!
There will be a shipment of Copic Markers arriving on Wednesday, and the entire line of Sketch Markers will be here in a couple of weeks. Yes, the entire line, all 346 colors! (and at a fantastic price!)
All five NEW lines of Bo Bunny Paper will be here on Monday. Whew, just in time for the Convention!
Timepiece, Gabrielle, Vicki B, Blast Off! and Ad Lib. Also, Bo Bunny Double Dots have new Textured Design card stock that will be here too.
Flourishes Stamps will be arriving and NEW to the store. They are an acrylic stamps and I have ordered fabulous fruits and flowers. Janet will be using the Flourishes Stamps at her Copic Class on March 26th. (Hey, that's my 34th Wedding Anniversary!) There are spaces available in the later class from 3:30-5:30pm. Janet's cards are on display at the store and are absolutely gorgeous.
Did you know that Ranger has NEW Adirondack card stock by Coredinations? All the colors are the same as the Alcohol inks, ink pads, etc. All of them will be here next week!
MME's Stella & Rose Hattie, Hazel and Mabel 6x6 card stock pads and embellishments are adorable. MME Lush 2 paper line is here and I am loving it. The flocked paper is gorgeous and there are so many embellishments to go with the line of paper.
The Button Design Studio Punches have proven to be popular already. There are many to chose from and simple to use.
A NEW product called the "Glitter Magnet" is here and amazingly cleans up your glitter mess with one "swoop"!
NEW Echo Park and MME paper is on the shelves and is bright and fun and looking good!
So, there is lots happening at the store. It is a hub of activity!
Remember, the store will be closed this weekend, opening again next Tuesday.
Have a great weekend and Happy Crafting!
Why not leave a comment? I would love to hear from you.

March is almost here!

2011-02-28T16:04:00.000-06:00

Well, I did it! The March Newsletter is out! It is always such a panic around here trying to get all the classes decided upon and samples made. We had an incredible weekend class with Janet Berezowecki, who is a Certified Copic Instructor and a fabulous one at that! She will be back at the end of the month for more on Copics! I am hooked on the markers! Check out her blog at www.sonnetdesigns.blogspot.com
She is one very talented lady. Nancy has perfected her intermediate SCAL (Sure Cuts A Lot ) class, so you won't want to miss out on it. I have had the opportunity to use it several times and was most impressed with it and myself!!! Nancy will be coming to the Retreat for Saturday to demo the program. She will be set up in the Store.
Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

SMASH video

2011-02-22T16:45:00.000-06:00

This is a fabulous product that will be in my store in June!! I just LOVE it!

Let me know if you would like to pre-order one!

Mini Magnolia Stamps

2011-02-15T12:08:00.001-06:00

The Mini Magnolia Stamps have arrived! They are new, cute, sweet and tiny! They are just 1-1/2" to 2" in height. Can't wait to make so samples with them.
Nancy has done a tremendous job teaching many of you all about Dreamweavers. For those of you that were unable to get in on the February classes, I have scheduled one for Saturday, March 5th from 10am-3pm. It really is a fabulous and informative class, so don't miss out on this one!
There are a couple of spots open for the Copic markers Class on February 26 from 3:30-5:30. Janet from Brandon is teaching us all about them. She is a Copic Certified Instructor.
We are forming a SCRAP & WEIGH CLUB here at Scrapbookers! Many of us have been talking about shedding pounds, but haven't done anything about it. So, beginning Tuesday, March 1st, we will bond together to get healthier. We will be following the Canada Food guide and the knowledge that we all have learned over the years (but tend not to continue to follow!) about weight loss. I know how to lose weight, I just don't know how to keep it off! I have lost the same pounds over and over again. I am ready for this life style change and I know many of you are too! We can all succeed together. You will also notice that the name of our group is Scrap & Weigh. After we chat and document our weight loss, we can then work on a few projects for the rest of the evening. Come by at 6pm, Tuesday, March 1st for more information.
Enjoy the rest of this beautiful weather and happy crafting!

2011-01-30T21:52:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday to Kevin!

2011-01-30T13:17:00.001-06:00

29 years ago I was in the hospital holding my beautiful baby boy! Kevin's Birthday is today and I honestly can't believe he is almost 30!! Where does the time go?? I have been scrapbooking his early pictures lately (I am at 1986) and have been having lots of laughs! The kids are so darn cute, but I definitely had "hair" issues. What was I thinking back then? The other question that pops to mind is why on earth did our glasses have to be so LARGE? They covered half of our face! Old pictures are the best!
The newsletter is out and I am very excited about it. We get to learn all about Copic Markers and Dreamweavers this month! I have Copic Markers in the store now. CHA is on now and all the new products are being introduced. I have pre-ordered many of the papers and new products will be arriving at the end of the month and into March.
March will bring the warmer weather and the Gimli Retreat! Yipee! The Class samples are up at the store, so pop by and have a look. Registration forms will be out shortly. There are 90 ladies booked so far at the Resort!
Have a relaxing Sunday! I'm cleaning the house which I hate to do :( but I am going out for dinner! :)

Is Spring in the Air??

2011-01-17T01:54:00.000-06:00

I have been in an organizing mood. This should only happen in the Spring, and here it is in the dead of winter. I have been cleaning out cupboards and rearranging "stuff" at the store. I am also filling up a box for the Garage Sale. I have way too much "stuff". I had a good chuckle the other day when I came across my first craft box, labelled "Marilyn". To think that it actually use to hold my scrapbooking supplies! Now, I have a store to hold them!

I am really hooked on "Sure Cuts A Lot"(SCAL). It is a great program and fun to learn. Nancy Else is teaching it and what a great job she is doing. If you own a Cricut, then you will want to take this class. To think you can cut out letters using any of the True Fonts on your computer! She will be teaching a Follow-up Class in March.
Dreamweaver templates and paste have arrived. There will be a class coming in February, showing you 9 different techniques using the templates. How exciting is that! An order will be arriving on Tuesday, so there will be some new products to look forward to seeing.
Cindy's Basic Photography class has been so popular that another session will be added in March. Speaking of March...the Gimli Retreat is fast approaching (just 8 weeks away!). Classes will have a Birthday theme. I will be working on and completing the Class samples on the weekend. A group of us are going to Jessica Lake Resort for our annual weekend away Crop. Three glorious days of crafting, relaxing and resting! I am so looking forward to it. Renee will looking after the store.
I will be creating New Card Kits this week, so look forward to seeing them in their baskets very soon.
Have a great week and happy crafting!

January Classes!

2011-01-01T23:59:00.005-06:00

The newsletter is finished and emailed to all of you! I told my self I would have everything done by today and I got in just under the wire! (Check the time of this post!) The Class samples are below in the slide show. Enjoy!

2011-01-01T23:59:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T04:40:00.002-06:00

When we were young New Year's Eve was a huge celebration. We would go out to parties and celebrate until the wee hours of the morning. There would be crazy hats, horns and lots of streamers. Once we had kids, New Year's Eve was spending it with a group of friends and being home by 1:00am. There would be a couple of horns on the table for those that wanted to make some noise. As the boys got older we would stay home with them, watch a movie, and ring in the New Year banging pots and pans. Once the boys started celebrating New Year's Eve with their friends, we would celebrate the evening over dinner with friends and have a "quiet" New Year's Eve. No fanfare and we were home before 1:00am. For the last several years, we have just stayed home and clinked our glasses together at midnight and off to bed. That brings us to last night. We didn't even make it to midnight! No celebration, no fanfare, no watching TV and no "Happy New Year!" We were both asleep by 10:00pm!! Wow, are we OLD!!

Today I am up early and plan to go to the store to finish up the January Class samples. There will be a Quilling Card Class, Flower Soft Toppers on Valentine boxes, 2 Valentine mini albums, Basic Photography Class, Sure-cuts-alot class, Beginner Scrapbooking Class, Computer Class, All-Day Scrap and Scrap-a-page. The Newsletter has to be emailed out today!!

Tomorrow is the SALE-a-bration of the New Year and there will be 40% OFF everything in the store. I want to clear things out because the dreaded inventory count starts on Monday! The less we have to count the better it is! Then, I get to order more great STUFF!! Hooray!

There are lots of changes in the store. I went on a cleaning spree. Christmas decorations are down and I moved things around. The class area looks fabulous with the flat screen monitor up on the wall. The classes will be even better using a power point presentation. It is a great start to the New Year. I have a feeling that 2011 will be a fabulous year! Can't wait to get started!

Relaxing...

2010-12-19T09:50:00.003-06:00

I am lying in bed enjoying a day off. They seem to be few and far between. I haven't decided if I will leave my bed today! I have everything I need at my finger tips. My Mac and my Kindle. I do have to buy Stocking Stuffers (that's all that I am buying this year), but hitting the stores today does not excite me. I could put up the Christmas tree, but that does not thrill me either. I guess I am just saying,"Bah, Humbug!"

New things arrived at the store on Friday. A cute carry bag for the Cinch, the spiral coils for the cinch, Bo Bunny Midnight paper, October Afternoon Camping paper, all of the Liquid Pearls, and so on. I also have Scor-buddies in stock. A great tool for Card makers.

Here is the recipe that many of you have asked for, plus two more!

CARAMEL SHORTBREAD
1 cup flour
1/2 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 can sweetened condensed milk

FIRSTLAYER:
Measure first 3 ingredients into bowl. Crumble together well.
Press in ungresed 8x8 pan. Bake in 350F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool

SECOND LAYER:
Melt second amount of butter and corn syrup in heavy saucepan.
Measure sugar in a cup, stir in gelatin and mix thoroughly.
Add to saucepan stirring to dissolve. Add condensed milk, stir
bringing to a boil. Cook on medium tolow heat. Boil 4 mins. stirring constantly, it burns easily
when boiling. Remove from heat. Beat with spoon until it thickens and gets blobby.
Pour over crust, top with shaved or sliced almonds, chill overnight. Slice

SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE

Spaghetti 8oz. (250g)

Lean gound beef 1 lb (500 g)

Choppped onion 1 cup (250 ml)

Cream of mushroom soup 1 can

Tomato soup 1 can

Water 1/2 cup (125 ml)

Seasoned salt 1 tsp. (5 ml)

Pepper 1/4 tsp. ( 1 ml)

Grated medium Cheddar cheese 2 cups (500 ml)

TOPPING

Dry bread crumbs 1/2 cup (125 ml)

Butter or margarine, melted 2 tbsp. (30 ml)

Grated medium Cheddar cheese 1/4 cup (60 ml)

In large uncovered saucepan cook spaghetti until tender but firm, about 11 to 13 minutes. Drain. Return spaghetti to pot.

Cook ground beef & onion. Scramble-fry until no pink remains & onion is soft.

Add both soups, water, seasoned salt & pepper to meat mixture. Simmer slowly, uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes.

Add first amount of cheese. Stir to melt. Mix with spaghetti. Turn into 2 1/2 to 3 quart (3 to 3.5L) greased casserole.

Mix bread crumbs with melted butter in small saucepan. Stir in remaining cheese. Sprinkle over top. Bake uncovered in 350 F. (180 C) oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until hot & browned.

FLUFFY VANILLA PUMPKIN DIP
1 container cool whip thawed (16oz.)
1 box vanilla instant pudding mix (5oz.)
1 can pumpkin (15 oz.)
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice or( nutmeg, cloves, allspice)

In large bowl mix together pudding, pumpkin and spice
fold in cool whip .
Chill until ready to serve.
Serve with graham crackers, pound cake and nilla cookies

2010-11-30T19:27:00.001-06:00

Christmas has arrived at the store!

2010-11-23T10:56:00.003-06:00

The store is decorated for Christmas! It was fun finding places for all my snowmen! I have Christmas music playing and it has definitely put me in a festive mood. I have December Classes posted and I am certain that you will find something that you will want to make. I decided to have a Kid's Class. I miss having the little ones around a this time of year. I taught Nursery School for 10 years and this was my most favorite time of the year. I loved the kid's crafts and the cute little songs they sang. If all goes well I think I might have Kid's Classes once a month! Carole's Tea is this Saturday and we are all gearing up for the big day! We are making fancy sandwiches Friday evening. I noticed Carole had a recipe out for "sandwiches for 300"! She said that the recipe said "3 little sandwiches per person". I said forget that number, because I would eat at least 8!! Who in their right mind would stop at 3 fancy sandwiches. No one that I know. My mom used to make the sandwiches for her Bridge Club. I remember that she would wrap the sandwiches in waxed paper, cover the sandwiches with damp towels and put them in the refrigerator. So, years later I made the sandwiches and did the same process. I told my mom about my making them, damp towels and all. She said that wasn't necessary because there is saran wrap now!! Too funny!

Have a great week and i hope to see you all on Saturday!!

More "Stuff"!

2010-11-16T09:06:00.007-06:00

Well, I think I have recovered nicely from a fabulous weekend in Grand Forks! We shopped until we dropped everyday and we all spent our limit! Not a surprise! I bought a pair of UGGS and love them. I almost went to bed with them on. Carole checked my feet before she went to sleep to make sure that I had taken them off. The boots are sheep's wool inside so you don't need to wear socks and your feet are so cozy. It's like walking around in slippers.

I came to work yesterday and got yet another dose of "shopping". More new products are here! Stampavie Stamps, 2 new lines of Bo Bunny paper - Midnight Frost & Crush - & accessories, Tim Holtz Christmas embossing folders and some of his Sizzix dies, a new line of Crate paper, Mitten Shapabilities from Spellbinders, Sew-easy stitch piercer and Dreamweavers paste and templates. I think that covers it!

Mirri paper will be here this week!! I have ordered LOTS in silver, gold, red and green. I am excited because it was hard to find. It will be here in time for your Christmas card making.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND! I will be offering a Christmas Sheet of Card Class the first week of December. It consists of 8 cards and 8 gift cards using Flower Soft, Burnished Velvet, Bling, paper pleating, Liquid Pearls and more.

$20/members $25/non-members

Wednesday, December 1 from 1-4pm

Wednesday, December 1 from 6-9pm

Thursday, December 2 from 6-9pm

and I think I will add another date since the evening ones are almost full!

Wednesday, December 8 from 6-9pm

Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

What a day!

2010-11-09T22:57:00.004-06:00

Monday started out like any other day. I was putting away stock and Daisy was barking at anything and anyone. I must say that she was barking a little more than usual and then I found out why! Wow, police cars, police, yellow tape everywhere, an accident and a shooting. I hadn't heard a thing, but Daisy obviously saw it all! From then on there was lots of activity with TV cameras, news reporters, etc. It was quite the day! Lindor Reynolds was at the store today asking if I felt safe after yesterday. I said, "Yes, an incident like that can happen anywhere." Wolsley is a totally safe area and I love being a part of it!

There is new product in the store. 3-D paper embellishments for cards (the punch-out kind) and lots of colors and toppers in Flower Soft. New Bo Bunny paper lines will be arriving next week. They are called "Midnight Frost" and "Crush". Also coming are Dreamweaver templates and paste. The store will be open at 1:00pm on November 11th. The Muffin Tin Advent class is full, but you are welcome to join us in the evening to make a Calendar. The Calendars are $29.95 and can be completed in a couple of hours.

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-31T20:18:00.005-05:00

Last weekend was the Gimli Retreat and it was a huge success! Everyone enjoyed all the classes and we even had a record of 38 ladies in one of them! We all had so much fun and left very tired. We spent most of the week putting the store back together. Millions of thanks to all of the "Aprons". You all worked so hard and I could not have put on such an successful event without your help. I am one lucky lady. People are signing up for the Retreat in March and asking if I have started thinking of the classes. Yikes! Not yet!

I had the cutest Batgirl at the store on Saturday! Mikayla was all dressed up in her costume, complete with the perfect black boots!

There are mini album kits and calendars for sale at the store. They make the perfect gift and one that will be cherished forever.

I am now the proud owner of a Kindle, thanks to the Aprons. What a gift it is! I love it. I have downloaded so many books on it that I will have to live to be 100 to read them all!

Since it is now November, the store will be open on Mondays until 6pm. There are still openings in all the classes, so give me a call or drop by to sign up. Have a great week and Happy Crafting!

2010-10-20T07:28:00.001-05:00

We are READY!

2010-10-20T06:17:00.003-05:00

Wow, today is the day that we pack the store! We start this afternoon and Howie will load the truck tonight. The Convention is like Christmas. Months of preparation and then it is over in a few days. Speaking of Christmas, there will be 8 boxes of paper arriving today and a box of Flower Soft with Christmas toppers! Whoopee!!

On Saturday, the girls surprised me with a beautiful bouquet of flowers to celebrate my 4 years of business. I have such thoughtful friends. I am a very lucky lady. Speaking of friends, I can not begin to thank them for all the hours of volunteering that they have put in helping to get ready for the convention. To think that the store has so many volunteers boggles my mind. We are like a family and I love my store family! The Aprons will continue helping all weekend at the convention. It is exhausting work, but they say that it is worth it! We do have fun.

The November Class Schedule is up with tons of class times. I wanted to give everyone the opportunity to take a class and start those Christmas Cards! The store will be open in the afternoon & evening on Remembrance Day. I am actually taking the Muffin Tin Advent Calendar Class! Then I plan on continuing crafting and making a couple of 2011 calendars that evening. If you would like to join the fun, you can enjoy dinner too, Carole is cooking!

Enjoy the weekend and Happy Crafting!

Happy Birthday SA!

2010-10-14T00:34:00.005-05:00

Scrapbookers Anonymous is 4 years old today! I think back to then and look at now, and WOW the store has come along way baby! Unfortunately, I can't take time to celebrate. It is such a busy time! However, it was like a party here on Tuesday because LOTS of product arrived! Grandma's Attic paper and embellishments are gorgeous, lots of new punches, Bazzill card stock in both sizes, Flower Soft (which I love) is on the shelves along with lots of embellishments. The store is looking great and there is more paper on its way! It is so exciting!!

It is just a week before we pack the store up and move it to Gimli for the Retreat weekend. We can hardly wait. We always have so much fun.

Drop by soon to see all the changes!

PS. The 2011 Calendars are packaged and ready to sell!!!

FYI

2010-10-06T22:52:00.001-05:00

If you can't access the slide show, just click on the title "& more" at the top of the page.

Love it!

2010-10-06T07:05:00.008-05:00

The Store has taken on a new look! The new paper racks are here and look great. I have ordered enough paper to fill them all! I will now be stocking 8-1/2" x 11" Bazzill card stock. It will arrive next Tuesday! New product arrived yesterday and you will love all the Penny Black Stamps. I now have a "Stamp Corner"! New "Crafts Too" embossing folders for Christmas, Peel-off stickers, some of the New Tim Holtz edgers and his Tattered Flowers die is finally in. The New Cuttlebug 12" strip borders arrived and there are 3 to choose from. The Scor-buddies are arriving this week along with the New cutting mats for them. Pop by to see all the changes. You will love them!

So, I emailed Tim Holtz last week asking him if he would ever think of coming up to Winnipeg. He emailed right back (and I mean within 20 minutes!!) and said that he would love to come! He will put me on the wait list and call me in 6 years! I replied that I would love to be on his wait list and that he would be worth the wait!

It is my Mom's 84th Birthday today. She is an amazing woman! She power walks regularly & does 60 sit ups per day. She is no ordinary 84 year old and you will see what I mean as you read on. Last Friday I got all the new paper racks. I had to do a lot of rearranging to fit them in the store and removed lots of stuff. I had to call Kevin to my store to take it all down the flight of stairs to the basement. My knees wouldn't let me. I was talking to my Mom the next day and she was telling me how she took all her patio furniture down the flight of stairs to her basement all by herself! Table, 4 chairs, lounge chair and umbrella. 7 trips she said. No big deal, she does it every year! She did admit that she was a bit tired afterwards. Like I said she is an amazing woman.

Have a fabulous long Thanksgiving weekend with your family and friends!

Remembering Val

2010-10-01T07:39:00.006-05:00

Val Synenko passed away on September 28th. If the name does not ring a bell, this will. The crafting couple, Lorraine and Val. They were always together crafting, laughing and always helping each other. I would think how wonderful! (my husband would never craft with me!) I have been thinking about him so much. He was such a wonderful and thoughtful man and I always enjoyed his visits to my store. I have never met someone that loved life more than him. He was always so enthusiastic about everything. He was always so happy and always made me smile. The thing I loved most about him was the love he had for Lorraine. You could just feel it and what a wonderful feeling it was! He loved his crafting so much and it was a pleasure to have taught him. I am going to miss him so much. In ways big and small, Val's life changed our world and left it a better place, and touched too many hearts to ever be forgotten.

World Card Making Day

2010-09-29T06:14:00.002-05:00

World Card Making Day is this Saturday, October 2nd! Yes, there is a day just for Cards! There is an All-Day Card Making Class (a reminder for those attending!) There will also be a SALE, a make & take and refreshments! New products have arrived with more on the way! More "i-rocks" are here and all the "Bling" that goes with it! The Bo Bunny Christmas paper is fabulous. I feel a mini album coming on! I will have the October Newsletter ready for the weekend! Next month is the Convention, which has consumed my life...

Calendar is finished!

2010-09-24T06:49:00.005-05:00

A Year Full of Memories 2011 Scrapbook Calendar is finished! A slide show has been posted below. Carole and I are happy crafters! It is a HUGE job, but worth all the time and effort that we put into the project. I will be binding all 100 calendars this weekend. Of course the job doesn't end there... all the bits and pieces have to be bagged and kits completed. They will all be ready for the Retreat. It is just a few more weeks away! The October Class Schedule will be out this weekend and there will be a couple of Halloween Projects: a Card Class and a Mini- album.

World Card Making Day is Saturday, October 2! We will be very busy that day at the store with make & takes and an All-Day Card Class.

New product has been arriving and the papers are wonderful! They make your mind spin!

Have a great weekend and happy crafting!

2010-09-24T06:47:00.001-05:00

Completed!!

2010-09-12T22:59:00.006-05:00

I am feeling so good! I have the class samples for the Retreat completed and you can see them on the slide show below! There are going to be many happy ladies today, because I know so many of you have been waiting for the classes to be posted. I sent them to Tracy, so she will have the forms out this week! Have a great week and happy crafting!

2010-09-12T22:59:00.001-05:00

Where did the month go?

2010-09-10T05:40:00.006-05:00

NEW product has arrived and more is on it's way! Bo Bunny and My Mind's Eye paper is fabulous and you will love every line. The accessories for each line are wonderful as well. My mind is on over load with ideas! The "i-rock" is a great new tool and a must have. I tried it out yesterday and sold the 3 that I had. I have more on order! The tool heat sets the jewel in place. You will be blinging everything in sight! The Glitter Ritz and the Creative Tape arrived also. The NEW pink ATG tape guns are here and 2 rolls of acid free tape are included with the gun. I love my ATG and you will love the new lower price for it. I will now be carrying Penny Black Stamps. They have been pre-ordered and will be here next month.

The Scrap-a-page for September is ready and includes a waterfall picture display on the layout. We have used this interactive technique on cards, so now we will bring it to our scrapbookng!

The Scrapbooking Retreat is weeks away and Tracy will be sending out the registration forms next week. The Class Samples are on display at the store. We are SO looking forward to spending the weekend with you! The countdown is on!!

August was a holiday month for me. My sister Jane and niece Kara were here for a week before our Family Reunion. We spent time at the lake. Unfortunately, the weather was the pits but we still enjoyed our time together. My sister was a huge fan of the old TV show "Family". She brought the DVD series and we watched 12 episodes!! We played cards, games and relaxed. It was wonderful. Then it was off to the Sneyd Family Reunion in Huntsville, Ontario in the Muskoka Region. The resort was gorgeous, but the weather did not cooperate and it rained the entire weekend. It really didn't matter though because I got to spend time with my family.

I am back on track after a busy August and ready for a fabulous fall!

Sleep, what's that?

2010-08-05T07:06:00.002-05:00

Who needs sleep! I have been up since 3:30am. I had a Newsletter to get out and a mind that would not rest. I have the weekend to catch up on some zzzzz's. Speaking of the weekend, I thought that I would share my birthday gift from my husband that I used last weekend for the first time. Yes, it is a inflatable chair to lounge away hours floating on the lake, and yes, that is a motor that you see on the arm!! Can you believe there is a motorized floating chair! What a gift it is! At first I just kept turning in circles on it, which kept my husband and neighbours entertained. Then, I finally got the hang of how to work the motor and I was off! My old chair was tied to a rope and then to the dock. Howie would have to pull me in to refresh my drink!! Now, I can just motor on in! Ha! Ha! Such fun!

I am happy to say that the Newsletter is out and the samples are up at the store! Taking the weekends off this summer is really cutting in to my work schedule. As you can see by the Slide show, there are lots of great classes for August and September. I am taking 10 days off in August. My sister Jane and niece Kara are coming in on the 13th and we will be going to the lake until the 18th. Then we leave for a Sneyd Family Reunion in Ontario for the weekend. We will be staying at a lodge in the Muskoka area. There will be over 80 of us attending. Carole, Janet and Gail will be looking after the store for me while I'm away.

A Metro One reporter was by the store yesterday and Scrapbookers will be in a featured article next Thursday. Carole, Bonnie and I were interviewed (& pictures taken). It should prove to be interesting!

Lots of new products have been introduced this month and I will hopefully have many of them in the store by the fall. I plan to eventually double the amount of paper that I carry. Bo Bunny and My Mind's Eye have some great new paper lines.

Enjoy your weekend. You know what I will be doing...floating in my chair....

2010-08-05T06:52:00.001-05:00

Another beautiful weekend!

2010-07-26T22:44:00.004-05:00

Another beautiful weekend has come to an end. I had such a relaxing time at the lake. I actually read an entire book! WOW, now that is an accomplishment for me. Last weekend Kevin and 2 friends came down to the lake. I got to be a Mom for the weekend! I cooked all the meals and cleaned up afterwards and loved every minute of it! It is not something that I have the time for anymore. I seem to always be at the store. This weekend Howie and I were together, just the two of us. Howie has a very hard time sitting and not working on a project (sounds familiar!) Anyhow, he sat with me on the dock for the most part, and we went on boat rides, watched the 3 families of ducks and we actually spent the weekend together! Just the two of us, and Daisy of course!

I had a fabulous birthday on July 15th and the day just got better as the day went on. I enjoyed receiving all the beautiful cards and Birthday Wishes. I also loved the new microwave! The kitchen at the store is now complete! There were also 3 lucky ladies that won 57% off their purchases!! (there were 2 winners in a row!) There was great excitement.

The Bow-easy has been a huge hit and sold out immediately. A new shipment has arrived, so I have lots in stock at the moment. The new shipment of Scor-buddies should be here this week. I am also expecting another order this week of inks, paper, etc.

I have started to create the samples for the Retreat in October. One down and 3 to go! It seems weird to be in the Christmas mode in July.

My friend Cynthia manage to take photos of objects in the shape of the entire alphabet! I will doing a class using them in August. Watch for the class. The newsletter will be out next week.

Have a great week and happy crafting!

Great things!

2010-07-07T20:05:00.016-05:00

NEW to the store is the Bow-easy. It really is easy and it really makes 7 different sizes of bows! If you have difficulty with bow making then maybe you should try this little gadget out!

Here is a link to a great tutorial on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEcjjpgkThQ

Last fall at Scattered Seeds I purchased these cool photos of "letters" spelling SCRAP. The letters are not in a traditional style. The photographer created the letters from objects that he photographed. I finally created a layout using them and framed it. I LOVE it. I think it would be a challenge for any of us to try this when taking pictures. It could be any object...just take a look around and it is amazing what letters you will see. You could spell a name or a favorite word.

My friend Cynthia and her two girls are in visiting from BC. They were at the store today and Cynthia went around the store and took pictures of objects to spell "Haley". I think she did a great job! Now, she will have to spell "Sydney"!
Haley's sister Sydney had a blast this afternoon. She is 12 years old and loves to work the cash register. She was beaming every time a customer walked in! (as was I!) She wants to come back tomorrow at 10am to work. It is amazing the effect a cash register has on kids & adults! This brings to mind a story. Ever since I can remember I had wanted a real cash register. I just always had wanted one! I loved watching clerks push those buttons and bells ringing and drawers opening and money being exchanged! So, one Christmas I got a REAL cash register! I was over-the-moon! I played with it immediately. What a thrill it was. The year was 2003 and I was 50 years old! I had a home-based business and Trevor and Kevin decided that I finally needed one. They got tired of listening to my story of always wanting a cash register! What great boys I have. They listened!

What did we find?

2010-07-02T14:26:00.008-05:00

Kevin and I were cleaning rooms yesterday and he was moving clothes into his old dresser. Behind one of the drawers was a sweatshirt... that he wore in 1985! The funny thing about this is that I just scrapbooked a layout for the Sketch Challenge and he was wearing that same sweatshirt. He said, " Should I chuck it?" and I quickly replied, "NO!" I figure that if it hung around for 25 years I had better keep it! I plan on putting it in a shadow box along side the layout at the store!
Friday has turned out to be a fine day! NEW Cuttlebug folders arrived . They cut and emboss! There are several designs and sizes to choose from. I can't wait to try them out!

PLUS more designs!

There is also NEW travel paper, beach paper and embellishments, Tim Holtz Acrylic Stamp binders and the Sizzix bird cage die finally arrived. If you are in town tomorrow, drop by the store to take a look at all the NEW goodies! Have a wonderful weekend.

Memories...

2010-06-29T00:08:00.003-05:00

I felt like a little kid this week. When I was young my dad was transferred often. When we moved he always promised his kids something new! I remember when we moved to Winnipeg in 1971, my Dad promised the kids a Color TV! We were all so excited. We went from one channel on a BW to many channels on a COLOR set! So, when Howie installed the dishwasher at the store this week, the moment took me back. I got something new when moving! I was so excited! The store is looking great! I am a happy camper!

One of the classes for July is the Maxi Album. You wore me down and I included it in the newsletter! It is a fabulous chipboard album and anyone would love to receive it! I haven't quilled for quite some time and enjoyed making the 2 cards for next month. Now, Tim's Techniques was very interesting. Shaving cream and reinkers...a successful combination...YES! Talk about fun to do. You are going to love it!

All-Day Scrap was a great success on Saturday. We had a store full of eager scrappers! And the food was great!

Have a wonderful week. Enjoy celebrating Canada Day. I will be cleaning my house!

2010-06-29T00:07:00.001-05:00

Feeling Settled

2010-06-23T00:48:00.004-05:00

I am feeling very settled now at the NEW store! Things have really come together and the "homey" touches have made me feel comfortable. I love the "classroom"! The U-shape allows me to help everyone with ease. I haven't got back into ordering product, but plan to do that early next week. I did pre-order the NEW eCraft die cut machine. I just ordered one for a Demo, so that we can try it out first. It will be here in July. It cuts without a cutting mat.I also Pre-ordered the NEW pink ATG tape guns. They are now made for the consumer crafter and will be selling at the great price of $34.99 (which includes tape)
NEW to the store is the SCOR-BUDDY! It is the cutest little thing with it's own storage pouch.

It is a perfect size for card making. You will want to have one for sure! It is just $19.99.

Also, the new paper lines of Bo Bunny are in and I love everyone! I can't wait to make a chipboard album with the papers.

All-Day Scrap is this Saturday and we are FULL! The store will be hopping! I plan on working on July class samples and having the Newsletter out by Monday.

The Celebration at the New Location was a great success. Carol Williams was the lucky winner of the weekend at the October's Scrapbookers Retreat in Gimli! Congratulations to Carol!

Enjoy the rest of your week!

2010-06-06T22:22:00.001-05:00

A Happy but Tired ME!

2010-06-06T22:04:00.004-05:00

So much has happened since my last posting! Who would have thought that I would have a new location for my store! I must say that I am relieved that the week is over! It was overwhelming and exhausting for me! Sunday we loaded and unloaded the store. Monday we started to unpack the zillion boxes. Tuesday I had a melt down. Wednesday I was back on track and by Saturday all the boxes were emptied! Thank goodness for all the helpers! I could not have made it through the week without you!

I love the NEW store!! I was so ready to move. If you haven't been there, I know that you will love it too! I love all the slat walls! Wait until you sit in the new comfy chairs! They are heavenly. The kitchen sink and dishwasher go in this week, as well as the phone and internet. Soon everything will be complete.

The store is so bright, with big front windows. I had Daisy there today for the first time and she loved barking at everyone who walked by!

I finished the June Newsletter today and below you will find the Class Samples.

I used the NEW Bo Bunny "Sun-Kissed" paper for the Scrap-a-page and LOVE it!! I even made a flag banner! Too cute. I used the Accucut to make the large scalloped square. To think Trevor is 32 years old now. Where did the time go?

Tim's Techniques was fun to make and I got creative using his new dies. Don't you just love the Chandlier stamp. I love how it looks on the glitter card stock.

Chandelier Card

Tim's Butterfly card

Changes

2010-05-17T11:15:00.004-05:00

My brother, Greg and nephew, Matthew were at Star Lake last weekend. They were here on Sunday for dinner. We had a great visit with them! Howie took them to the airport early Monday morning. I had to make a quick drive to meet them since my brother forgot the passports here! (I quickly reverted back to being a little sister and had a desire to phone our Mom to tell her that, "Greg forgot to take the passports!") Anyhow, they JUST made their flight, with the plane doors closing behind them.

The Accucut Machine arrived and it is very cool. I cut out a mini album and it is absolutely adorable! You will have to come in an try all the dies. You will be impressed at what the machine is capable of creating.

Some of Tim Holtz's Alterations dies arrived. You should check out his demo videos on his web site. He demonstrates all of his new dies and folders. Once again, he is an amazing guy!

Ideas are starting to come to me for June Classes. There has been a request for quilling, so that is one of them. I will start to work on samples this weekend. The May Long Weekend is approaching and the store will be closed for the whole weekend!! I will be going to the lake! I have started to pack my craft tote!

So, here I thought I had another year on the store lease, but not so!! It is up at the end of September, and I have decided not to renew. It is time to have a change, and time to start looking for a new place! We do need a bigger store, a bigger classroom and a bigger kitchen.

It is all good and very exciting. Stressful, but very exciting!

2010-05-10T22:06:00.001-05:00

Kidnapped!

2010-05-10T21:44:00.003-05:00

I had a wonderful Mother's Day! Kevin, Trevor and Rose "kidnapped" me on Sunday. They took me away from housework and store work. I was not allowed to do any thing work related. First we went to Mongo's Grill for lunch. One of our favorite places to eat. Then we went to the 3-D Movie, " How to Train Your Dragon", which we thoroughly enjoyed. After the movie we went to Polo Park for a little shopping. Then we met Howie and his mother at the "Pita Pit" for dinner. It was my choice and another of my favorites! After our delicious pitas, we stopped at the Dairy Queen for dessert. Then they gave me a Gift Certificate for the Gallery (for my nails). What a great Mother's Day and what great kids I have. Of course, I took my camera with me and took lots of pictures, so that I can scrapbook the day!

The Accucut machine and dies will be arriving tomorrow. I am looking forward to using them on some of the calendar pages. There is an order arriving on Friday with more Tim Holtz's dies. That is exciting also! Drop by this week to see all the new goodies!

Clean as you Go!

2010-05-05T22:43:00.005-05:00

In preparation for National Scrapbooking Day I had to clean up my Craft area. The space was needed. We had a full house of "Scrappers"! Now, as most of you know the my area back there is just plain MESSY! I do try and tidy up now and then, but it never ever lasts very long. This time is different. Much to my amazement it is still tidy! I am trying to follow the rule, "clean as you go". Here are some of the things that I do:

- I have all of the Bazzill card stock scraps in file folders and sorted in colors. It is very handy when making samples and I just need a small piece.

- I have the same file system for Lasting Impressions paper and Bo Bunny Double Dot card stock.

- I used the Tim Holtz Binder to put all of my acrylic stamps in. It is so handy to have the stamps so accessible. (and I actually return them to their new home!)

- I have put all of my Nestibilities in a Template Case and am loving it.

- Any project that I am working on is contained in a plastic "pizza box". All the paper and embellishments are kept together.

- I organized my "tool caddy". I found that I really didn't need 5 pens, or 3 rulers, etc.

- current magazines are in one pile and only one pile! The rest go to the "Library". The Library will only have magazines dated back a few years.

- all embellishments are returned to the labelled drawer in the tower.

I still want to organize the Cuttlebug folders and label the Lasting Impression templates.

My next big job is going to be cleaning out drawers and tackling the file cabinet. That might not happen until World Card Making Day!!

I have started to make the 2011 Calendar! I have created 3 months. The classes for the October convention have to be done. I don't think I am allowed to "turn off " my creativity! My mind seems to be in constant crafting mode.

Outside my crafting life...I want Lee to be the next American Idol, I am glad that Pamela was voted off Dancing with the Stars, "24" is soooooo good and Jack Bauer rocks!

There you have it and good night!

2010-04-26T16:04:00.001-05:00

I love SPRING!

2010-04-26T14:25:00.003-05:00

I am excited about May! I had a great time creating the class samples and can't wait to teach them to you! Also, more new stock will be arriving, which means it will be like Christmas. I love opening presents! AND May Long weekend will be here and that means Lake time. I can hardly wait! Howie is already going to the lake every weekend, but I like to wait until the water is running.
Wait until you make the Punched Flower Cards. You are going to love the new flower. It is so easy to make and so beautiful. Tim's Technique cards are wonderful to make and you will learn so much. The Acrylic Distress Technique is so cool. The man is brilliant! Who's the man? Tim's the man! Yahoo! I always find creating the sheet of cards a challenge. This time I decided to use all twelve pieces on the six cards. It was a challenge and I did it! I love each and every one of them. They are TOO cute!

National Scrapbooking Day should be a fun-filled day and what's more fun than a sale. All the Scrap-a-page kits will be "Buy-one-get-one-free"! I have to get the kits out there and let people see how easy and quick they are to make.

Carole is a happy lady. My son Trevor was getting rid of a corner desk and brought it to the store. It's new home is Carole's office. She worked at it on Saturday at All-Day Scrap and even came back on Sunday to create some more pages at it. Actually, when I went in to ask her a question, she had every table in the room covered with stuff, plus her new desk. It doesn't matter how much space you have, you can always use more!

Have a great week!

It's to "die" for!

2010-04-19T22:55:00.011-05:00

I did an amazing thing this weekend! I did not bring any work home. You heard right, I did not craft!! I spent the weekend cleaning my house and spending time with my family. It was lovely.

I had my eyes checked today and ordered new glasses and sunglasses. It had been 6 years since my last eye exam. Oops! There is a drastic change in my vision, which did not surprise me! I find it very hard to choose a new pair of glasses. It is almost as difficult as buying a new bathing suit. The glasses will be ready in 3 weeks. Also arriving in three weeks is the GrandeMARK Accucut machine! I decided to buy the GRANDE one so that we can use the GIANT templates. I ordered mini album templates too. I hope that you will love them and use them many times over.

Check out Tim Holtz's Blog. He has great tutorials on using his new dies. I have ordered more dies and they will be in a week Tuesday. I also love his Binder for Acrylic stamps. I have all my stamps organized into this compact binder. It is wonderful.

Just a few of the dies that will be available for you to use!

11-1/2" scalloped circle

mini-album set
mini-album

11-1/2" bracket

GrandMARK Accucut Machine

Boy was I tired!

2010-04-12T09:44:00.007-05:00

Thank goodness it is the start of a new week. I just couldn't get enough shut eye last week. One night I slept 13 hours! I could have slept longer too! I thought that I was coming down with something evil, but I feel fine. So, it is a new week and I hope the tiredness is behind me. Classes are in full bloom this week and it should be lots of fun! All-Day cards is always just that. A day helping people do what they love to do best.

I changed the store around a bit more and now there is no room for more pegboard, unless I start hanging things from the ceiling. I guess I will need a bigger store! New product is arriving this week. I will be quick to try out the new Tim Holtz Sizzix dies. Can't wait. There is also paper, paper and more paper arriving.

Thursday evening I will be attending the book launch of "Voices of Winnipeg Holocaust Survivors" edited by a friend of mine, Belle Millo. "Their stories and the stories of all survivors must be heard and continue to be heard. The world must never forget”. The principle purpose of the book is to preserve the stories of local Holocaust survivors. With an aging survivor population, fewer and fewer survivors are available for educational presentations. Many of the survivors whose stories are in the book are not able to present their stories in front of an audience. I am looking forward to reading the book. It will definitely be a very emotional read.

Saturday, May 1st is National Scrapbooking Day and I have decided to make that day an ALL-DAY SCRAP! Come and crop from 10am-10pm!

Enjoy your week :)

I kept busy!

2010-04-06T01:00:00.003-05:00

My 4 day holiday is over. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at home. We had Easter dinner here and we had a lovely family day. My boys were impressed that their Mother actually cooked dinner!! It doesn't happen very often anymore! I also accomplished what I wanted to and more. One of the things that I had to do was make 3 albums for a friend. Her sister's birthday is coming up in May and she wanted 2 albums made. One was a "Name" album (I just had to decorate it) and the other one was a "Sisters" Album. I got them both done and thought I would show them to you. The 3rd album was of her son's fishing trips. That was a huge job completed and with time to spare!

An order is arriving this week with NEW product. Tim Holtz book is in it! It should be here by Friday. Next Tuesday the NEW Tim Holtz dies will be here! I just ordered one of several of them, so that we can check them out first before ordering more. Also, I ordered the Yo yo makers. "Yo yo" is the name given to the round cloth flowers that you see adorning cards and scrap pages in recent magazines. They are so cute and I want to try making them!

Mark Saturday, May 1st on your calendar. It is National Scrapbooking Day! We will be having some events at the store.

Enjoy your week.

2010-04-06T00:59:00.001-05:00

Refresh

2010-04-02T17:31:00.004-05:00

I have made some changes to my website! It is now current! Check it out. You might have to click "refresh" for the changes to appear. I wish I could click "refresh" and my house would be cleaned!! I have cleaned my fridge, washed floors and tackled a few other yukky jobs today. Yukky and boring. I would rather be crafting!! I have planned my Easter dinner menu and made the grocery list. I will be shopping early tomorrow with everyone else. People panic when the stores are closed on a holiday weekend. I had several people come in on Thursday to stock up because I will be closed for 4 days!!!!!! What if they need something????? I have never done this before. Pretty funny, but nice to know that I am needed.

Back to my cleaning :(

Have a wonderful Easter.

Before and After!

2010-03-30T13:22:00.001-05:00

I thought you would enjoy a "Before and After" slide show of the store. It's come along way, baby!

2010-03-30T13:21:00.001-05:00

LOOK!

2010-03-30T12:42:00.002-05:00

Look at my new "OPEN" sign! It is a present from the Aprons! They are a thoughtful group of ladies.

2010-03-30T01:01:00.001-05:00

I haven't forgotten you!

2010-03-30T00:33:00.003-05:00

The Convention was way too much fun and a huge success! It was a fabulous weekend and I have all the Aprons to thank for all their hard work. Boy, did they work hard! I really can't thank them enough. To think we get to do it all over again in October. My mind is working already with ideas for classes! I just spent the last two days holed up at the store getting the samples made for April Classes. The newsletter is out and I am wiping the sweat off my brow! Whew!

Monday and Tuesday of last week was spent putting the store back together. What a job that was. Thank goodness I had lots of help! I rearranged the store and spring cleaned it, too.

Carole had cataract surgery last week and she is doing just fine. She won't be able to drive until Friday. So, she won't be at the store until next week. That is too long. I miss her smiling face. We do talk several times a day and I pop in to see her every few days. She was begging me to bring her kits to put together, but I didn't listen to her. She needs to rest.

I am taking the weekend off to spend some time with my family and to clean the house. I have not kept up with housework and therefore it is all decorated for Easter with oodles of "Dust Bunnies"!

I started my Bible Study tonight and have lots of homework to complete for next week. The study is called "Breaking Free" by Beth Moore. I just love her studies.

Good night...

It's in my hot little hand!

2010-03-16T07:28:00.004-05:00

Tim's new book arrived and I love it! I spent yesterday looking through the new Tim Holtz book, A Compendium of Curiosities. Now I understand what all the buzz is about. It is a beautiful book! It is smaller than I thought it would be, but jammed packed with amazing pictures, pages and projects as only Tim can do. It even has step-by-step instructions for the many fabulous techniques he is famous for. Let me know if you would like one! We have lots of Bling embellishments adorning the store walls. They are the cutest things from Basic Grey. You are going to love them!

Just 2 more sleeps and I am off to Gimli! It seems like I have be preparing for this weekend for months...hey, I have been! The excitement at the store is HUGE and I think the anticipation leading up to an event is half the fun. Yes, I am ready. Just a few last minute things to do and then we will pack up the store. I am hoping that the new flower punches will arrive, but I won't hold my breath on that one. I had asked for them to be sent UPS and they were sent Canada Post. Too bad, but they will be waiting for us when we come back. I have been told that they make amazing flowers.

I had my yearly physical yesterday and my blood pressure was LOW! This is normal for me, but I thought with the convention stress it would have changed! I have had a sore back these past few days and will be going for a massage today. I have to be in tip-top shape for Thursday. Have a great week, I know I will!

It's been a while!

2010-03-09T00:12:00.005-06:00

It seems like I haven't blogged in ages! I have been so consumed with the convention that I haven't given my blog any thought. Carole and I were in Gimli yesterday. We dropped off all the stuff for the goodie bags (yeah!) and checked in with Tracy. Everything is looking great and now I am truly excited! The Store will be set up in a vacant store that is in the Hotel. The space is great and now I won't have to take the wood cabinets. It felt so good to be there and to know that the Retreat is only a little more than a week away!

The Aprons were at the Store on Sunday. They are such a fabulous group of ladies! I am one lucky lady to have them in my life! They worked non-stop getting favors, etc. ready for the Retreat. We are pretty well ready, but my mind is still working at all hours.

This morning Howie and Kevin said that I was SCREAMING in my sleep last night! Kevin said that I freaked him out! Howie said, "What about me? I was lying beside her!" I have done this many times before. I dream that someone is going to hurt me and then I scream in my dream and for real. Poor Howie has had the be-gee-bees scared right out of him so many times. According to the Dream Specialist (okay, so I Googled it) I have a fear. Really?? I guess I'm afraid that I won't be ready for the Retreat. I am sharing a room with Trin in Gimli. Poor Trin. Not only do I SCREAM but I SNORE, too. One time Carole and I were away for the weekend in Fargo. I applied my snore-ease strip to my nose before going to bed. I warned her that I snored. However, I forgot to mention that I sometimes scream. Wouldn't you know that I picked that night to scream in my sleep and scared poor Carole awake. With her heart pounding, she made sure I was okay! Wonder what the other hotel patrons, thought because it was loud!

I have been obsessing on kits. I have been making Card and Scrap-a-page Kits. Carole told me that I can't make any more :( She told me in plain English, "STOP!" Should I listen to her???? Anyhow, there is lots of new product that will be arriving by the end of the month. Unfortunately, it won't be here in time for the Retreat. The Tim's Technique Class has been a huge hit with everyone and I am so enjoying creating the class samples. This month's Sketch Challenge was amazing! It was so inspiring to see all the different takes on the Monthly sketch. Everyone got great ideas from each other. It is definitely a favorite of mine.

Hey, great news! Carole has given me the nod to make one more Scrap-a-page Kit! That will make an even 20! Her office is heaping with Kits for the Retreat, and I mean HEAPING! She actually counted them all and there are over 500. I guess she is right...I was obsessing!

Whew!

2010-02-26T21:18:00.006-06:00

I feel relieved! The March Newsletter is finished and sent! I am very happy with my Tim's Techniques Class Cards. I LOVE PAINT DABBERS! They make one feel very artistic! The Scrap-a-page was fun to create using the NEW My Mind's Eye paper, "Quite Contrary". It was actually a "HOOT" to make!! The new line of paper is gorgeous! I love every sheet! Speaking of paper, Howie was picking me up at the store one evening. He had arrived just as the ladies were leaving from class. A customer had just purchased paper, maybe 15 sheets. After she had left Howie asked, "What could she possible do with all that paper?" I just laughed!! If he only knew how we all love to collect paper and have stacks of it at home!

I had an out-of-town customer in the store today. She loved the store and when she left she said, "Enjoy your treasure, because that's what your store is." I thanked her, then smiled and went back to work in my "treasure"!

WOW!

2010-02-23T07:07:00.004-06:00

GOLD for Canada! Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir danced a flawless performance last night! They were magnificent! What a win for them and what a win for Canada. I love watching the Olympics.

I also love crafting "Stuff"! I have been ordering stock like a crazy woman. It is probably the hardest and most time consuming part of owning this business. I spend hours on the net looking at what's new and then deciding whether to order and then how much. I want to know if there is anything out there in the Craft World that you would like me to order, or if there is something that you have seen in a magazine that you would like me to check out. I did order most of the Tim Holtz "stuff". He has a new line of products and I am excited to see them. I am anxious to get the new eCraft machine. It cuts without a cutting mat which will be a bonus for me. I am using the Cricut lots when I am making up kits and going through cutting mats. I actually cut through one mat from repetitive cutting lines! My Mind's Eye paper has been shipped, so it should be here by the end of the month. I now have Distress inks and Paint dabbers in stock. I will be using the Paint dabbers in the Tim's Techniques class next month.

The "Sketch Challenge" has turned out to be a great idea! There are 24 people attending and I can hardly wait to see all their fabulous takes on last month's sketches. From what I have heard so far, everyone has had a great time creating!

Speaking of creating...I have to say that All-Day Scrap on Saturday was filled with such creativity. Those attending had such a great day and boy, can they scrap fabulous pages! They certainly enjoy themselves scrapbooking, sharing ideas and just being together. It's wonderful to watch!

My challenge of the weekend has been learning and creating on Power Point. I have to make up the Class Presentations for the Convention. What have I got myself into???!!! More work that is for sure! Needless to say, I am behind again and the March Newsletter is not done. Heck, I haven't even made the Class Samples! It is going to be a busy week!

I was sent a cute joke this week for you chocolate lovers which I have posted. Have a great week!!

I'm addicted!

2010-02-16T00:40:00.006-06:00

Well, it is official, I'm addicted to watching the Olympics! I'm lovin' them! The only thing is I have to really watch them, and not just listen to them! Usually I am crafting or knitting, which means I miss lots of the action that is on the TV. The Olympics have my full attention, so needless to say I did not accomplish much else this weekend. The snowboarding events were great! It was terrific that Bilodeau won the Gold for Canada! I love watching the Figure skating, so I will be glued to the set this week. Good thing I have a TV in my office at the store!!

Happy Birthday to Daisy, who turned 4 years old today! I would have had a party for her, but that would have meant I would have had to make a "Dog" Cake! No time for that. I gave her a chewie instead!

Just Daisy, Mac and I

2010-02-10T23:30:00.008-06:00

I am in bed with Mac and my sweet little Daisy. Howie is sleeping in the guest room. Now, don't let your mind think crazy thoughts! Howie is dog sitting Otis, a Schnauzer. Like our little Daisy, Otis sleeps with his master. He likes to sleep on the same side of the bed as I do. The first time Otis stayed over night, he kept me awake. He wanted my spot on the bed and he would bark to let me know it. So, now Howie and Otis have a great sleep together in the guest room, while Daisy and I are together in our bed. The things we do for our dogs!

The email has been sent out with the Class Registration, so you can now register for classes with Tracy. Just 38 more sleeps! Email me if you did not receive it.

All the Class Kits are completed! Whew! I still have to make some more Scrap-a-Page kits, figure out the make and takes, order more product and create the Powerpoint presentations for the 6 classes. I have never used Powerpoint, so I am hoping that it has a fabulous tutorial! That will be this weekend's project. Carole and I will be traveling to Gimli on the Feb. 22nd to check the venue out.

I have also the added pressure of finishing a knitting project. I am knitting a comfort shawl for my daughter-in-law for her birthday, which is next week. She is always cold, and this shawl will keep her toasty warm. I have a feeling she will get it wrapped up with the needles still attached!

Daisy and I are all tucked in, so I will say good night.

My Dad

2010-02-08T23:53:00.005-06:00

My Dad passed away 20 years ago today at the age of 66. He died of Cancer. He was the most wonderful father, grandfather, husband and friend. My family have spent the day emailing back and forth fond memories we have of him. We all miss him so much and there is not a day that has passed by that we do not think of him. Tears have been flowing down my cheeks as I think about him. My eldest son Trevor posted the following in reply to others:

You have all covered so many wonderful stories and traits of Grandpa, but there's a few things that have been overlooked. I've also been told that I've inherited some traits from Grandpa, none more obvious than my appreciation for technology. He played Pong with me in that basement room, sitting on that orange foldout chair, for what seemed like hours at a time. When I showed him Golf on the Intellivision, he made me feel so grown up at the same time he likely felt like a child as we spent many an evening challenging each other on the now-primitive pixelated golf course. Nevermind his prisitinely catalogued VHS collection that I would raid frequently, usually to watch Alice In Wonderland, but there was the one time that he introduced me to James Bond. We both watched Dr.No together, and by the time the movie had ended, he was snoring away in his favourite chair, and I was curled up on the floor.

The legacy that he has left behind is one that every person aspires to, but is seldom realized. My memories of G. Neil Sneyd are void of anything negative, he will always be larger than life to me.

The one thing that he instilled in me that I will continue to spread as far as my arms will reach?

Family first. Always.

Love you grandpa

I will always love you Dad.

How many more sleeps?

2010-01-31T09:55:00.005-06:00

46 more sleeps until the Gimli Scrapbookers Retreat!! Now that is the way to start February, by thinking of March! An order arrived on Friday and there is lots of Tim's Stuff! Great embellishments, etc. I love the Bo Bunny Double Dots card stock and more colors are in stock. Lots of buttons and flowers are here too. The Sketch Challenge started at the end of January with great excitement. We have a total of 24 involved in the Challenge and it will be so interesting to see everyones take on the sketches at the end of February. It is going to be a fun time.

My weekend was a busy one. I attended the funeral of a close family friend. Bob Tinkler was a wonderful man who lived a long and full life. He was loved by all who new him. My brother and family were here for the funeral. They live in Salt Lake City (the Scrapbooking Capital of the World!) We had a great visit with them on Sunday (12 over for dinner!) We also celebrated Kevin's birthday. My baby is 28 years old. How can that be???

I had my last Photoshop Class yesterday. We had to bring a photo of ourselves. We learned how to make our wrinkles vanish and make our teeth white! I was an amazing feat!!

This week will be the start of February Classes, beginning with Valentines on Thursday. The slide show of the classes is posted below. I am short on words this week, still tired from the weekend.

2010-01-28T01:36:00.002-06:00

2010-01-26T01:30:00.001-06:00

Lots happening!

2010-01-25T23:57:00.003-06:00

Hey, what's up with this weather? Raining yesterday and a blizzard today! I watched the movie "New in Town"on the weekend and had lots of laughs. It was filmed in Winnipeg and surrounding areas. It was filmed in a January when the temperatures were deadly cold. We watched the "extras" and the actors were hilarious when they were describing their time spent here in -50 below with the windchill! Too funny! They will never forget their stay in Manitoba!

I had planned on having the February Newsletter out by now, but other things just got in the way. I hope to have it ready for you by mid week. I did complete a set of Valentine Cards for a class. They are Vintage Valentines and pictures will be posted. The Convention Class schedule has been sent to Tracy (Sales manager at the Lakeview Resort in Gimli) so Class registration will be starting soon!

We were at Jessica Lake Resort on the weekend for our Scrapbook Retreat. There was lots of scrapping happening and all the ladies had a fabulous weekend. Laurie and Bill are great hosts and their Resort is beautiful. We have been invited back in June, so I guess we all behaved ourselves! If anyone is interested in attending the June Retreat, please let me know. I will include more information in the February Newsletter.

I have been spending a lot of time with Mac, checking out all the New product releases at CHA. It has been very interesting. Tim Holtz has released a new line of embossing folders that are amazing. I have ordered them all. He also has the cutest electronic die-cut machine that will be arriving in July. It looks like a suitcase! None of us will need it, but many of us will want it!

The one thing that has really got my interest is the new machine called Ecraft by Craftwell. It is an electronic cutting system that cuts without a cutting mat! You can use it on it's own or hook it up to your computer. There are no cartridges, but it uses memory cards. I will have to order one to see what all the fuss is about! I love all gadgets!! There are lots of great papers being released and I love the My Mind's Eye line Quite Contrary. I have ordered it! All their papers are great! Spellbinders has a new electronic punch that looks interesting with templates to go with it. Oh, and I almost forgot the great punches that I ordered! They punch out and emboss flowers that resemble the Bazzill paper flowers. Can't wait to get my hands on it!

I will keep you posted on more of the new releases. My eyes are sore from surfing!

Have a great week!

4 things...

2010-01-19T00:54:00.006-06:00

There are 4 things that I am very excited about!

#1. I have completed the Class samples for the convention! I will take pictures of them and post them this week. The Class write-ups with pictures will be on my web site very soon. I am very happy with the classes that I will be offering, and I know you will be too!

#2. Tim Holtz has so many new products that will be out soon! I love all of them! He has a line of Sizzix die cut templates and fabulous embossing folders! I want them all. Ya gotta love Tim!

#3. Jack Bauer is back! The show 24 has returned to TV and I am hooked! I love to have a show to look forward to each week. There is "Dancing with the Stars", "So you think you can Dance", "Amazing Race", "American Idol" and now "24". I love to watch "Two and a Half Men", which I can do every night. Now, that show makes me laugh!

#4. This coming weekend is the Jessica Lake Retreat. The store will be closed on Saturday. The 11 ladies attending are very excited!! My girlfriend Laurie owns the resort and opens her living room for us to scrap in. Everyone stays in the resort's beautiful cabins. It is a weekend filled with great hospitality, great friendships, great surroundings and great scrapping! (I plan on relaxing, too) Friday night can't come soon enough!

2010-01-11T21:54:00.001-06:00