Out of Commission

Okay, so we found a place and we're outta here - peace at last!
My scraproom is packed up and ready to go.
We lose internet connection on May 3rd and will not be back on-line until May 13th.
Egad - what to do!! I may actually have to do some unpacking!
Hopefully at least I will have my new scrap space up and running - well to where at least I can find things!
So, I'll be out of commission and busy moving for the next couple of weeks - wish me luck and see ya soon!

HAPPY EASTER!

Well my hubby is coming home from Ontario on Easter morning then after a much needed nap (by him not me) we are going to our daughter and son-in-laws for Easter dinner. It will be nice to have him home. Can't live with him - Can't live without him - LOL.
Also on my previous post I had mentioned our landlord from hell. Well, we have a potentially new place to see on Monday that we hope works out for us. (UPDATE: WE GOT IT - YAAY!!)
It's back in Ladner so it'll be nice to be back home - neighbouring Tsawwassen where we live now, is nice but very hilly and I find that it lacks the small town, friendly feeling of Ladner. We miss Ladner!
So, after packing (AGAIN!) we will eventually get back to our 'normal' routine.
You learn thru your mistakes, right?
Boy, will I be glad to see summer come (and especially the welcoming of our new grandson!!)

Anyways, I knew I had to get Easter cards made, so I made up some quick and simple ones.

With the help of my new Big Shot, the first one was so simple yet looks so elegant. I used the 'Elegant Lines' embossing folder with Marina Mist cardstock, ink and ribbon and tucked some pearls into the design. Love it!




and a closer look of the embossing



I also made some cards with SU's 'Easter Blossoms' set - I think it's a tie whether Easter Blossoms or Elements of Style is my favourite.
For two of the cards I stamped the silhouette then added the Easter greeting and Easter egg. I attached to cardstock then ran them both thru the Big Shot using a polka-dot embossing folder. I added a co-ordinating bow and voila - quick and easy!



and a closeup



The next two were even easier! I stamped the Easter egg in different colours down the side of white cs and stamped the Easter greeting to the left. I again ran them thru the Big Shot using the polka-dot embossing folder but this time I reversed the dots making them an 'inny' rather than an 'outy'.



So that's it - sometimes quick and simple is good. I just wish life could be as simple!

If you don't see me for a while I'll be busy packing and unpacking. Rest assured though that after the dishes, my scrapping stuff will be the first to get unpacked and organized.
In the meantime, have a wonderful Easter and hopefully I'll be baaack soon!

Bittersweet

Well, I can honestly say that this has been one of the worst two weeks of my life.
It all started when I fell on the bathroom floor and waited 3 hours until my hubby got home and helped me.I wasn't hurt at all but the frustration and feeling of helplessness really bothered me. The reality of living with Ataxia hit me hard.
Two days later we found out that my mother-in-law was in the hospital in Ontario. Thankfully my stepdaughter was there and kept us up-to-date. Three days later my husband flew to Ontario to be by his mothers side. The following day she passed away.
She was in her 92nd year, had a good life and died in her sleep with no pain. For that we can be grateful.
Although, I stayed in BC it allowed my husband time to visit with his family and see friends he hadn't seen in years. He stayed at his son and daughter-in-laws place where his daughter also lives. He was happy to finally meet and play with his 16 month old grandson and spend time with his 12 year old grandson whom he had just met back in Feb.
That part of it was nice for him. Unfortunately it was under sad circumstances.

Here's a photo of my husband, stepson and 2 grandsons.



To make matters worst, we have been dealing with the landlord from hell.
He has made our life nothing but miserable. So, we are moving! We've been looking for another place where we will be much happier. No more housesitting but I actually want to be able to relax and feel at home whether we rent or not.

So, with having to pack up my scraproom I am not sure if I'm going to get much scrapping done in the next while.

I'll share with you though a couple of things I made at my 'Geek Club' last night.
The first was a 'Friend" card with an embossed texture to it. I love the embossed look and the punched 'window'. I am not completely sold on the chunky glitter outlining the window. I think if done on my own I would have chosen something more finer or more delicate - maybe a fine glitter or stitching. I love the tearing, texture and faux bow though.

Here's a pic:



And a closer look:



We also made a cute little box with a flower on top. The flower petals were made with an ornament punch then glued together and stickles (glitter)was added to the edges.
The box itself is like a pop-out or explosion type box with a stamped lid and ribbon and button.

Here's a pic:



and some closeups of the flower:





With everything that's going on right now I wasn't going to go to geek club.
But with my friends and husbands convincing, I decided at the last minute to go.
Now I'm glad I did. I needed a break - it was good!

Challenges, Challenges, Challenges.

As I mentioned earlier the Sisterhood of Scrap (SOS) is having a birthday celebration this week. They post 2 challenges per day (a layout and a card) but not having the fastest scissors on the block I am happy just to do what I can at my own slooow pace.
Oh, but did I mention that they draw for a prize for each challenge - incentive for me to do more! The party lasts a week but we have until April 30th to complete and upload our projects.
Anyways, my first challenge I did was a card one. We were to stamp an image and then paper piece it on a card. I want to send a card to our little 1 yr. old grandson in Ontario so I 'borrowed' this idea from Marlene's blog.
I cut my BS Top-Notch die and embossed it with polka-dots. I then cut it in half to make the circus wagon - wheels were added with my circle punch and a border edge along the top finished it off. The lion was my stamped image. So I stamped it 3 times and coloured each section with my Stampin Writer markers. (they worked fine but I missed my Copics). I then cut each section by hand and used foam tape to give it dimension.
A simple banner sentiment was added and Voila - easy peasy and so dang cute!



And a closeup to show the layering.



The next challenge was as the name implies - a challenge! At least for me. Because it's their 4th birthday we had to use a photo of someone blowing out their birthday candles, 4 different patterned papers, 4 buttons, 4 brads, 4 flowers AND 4 balloons!
Now, any 4 of these is no problem - but ALL on one layout is just not me. So, I had to be inventive so it wouldn't look too cluttered looking.

This is what I came up with. (haha - look at hubby and me - those were the days!)



I had so much fun making the flowers. I found the tutorials on a blog and on youtube but stupid me never saved them! I'll find them though and let you know. Aren't they awesome!
(EDIT - okay HERE is the paper flower tutorial. When I made 8 petals I could not get it to space without gaps in between - so I placed them snugly together and added a 9th petal. You may have better luck than me - either way it turned out fine and looks good.
HERE is the rosette one - it calls for 8 scalloped circles which at first I did and LOVED but then I thought they looked too 'vintagey' to go with the more abstract design of the other flower so I removed some layers. Play with them to get the look you need. Tip: shape them while still damp - once dry they will remain as you formed them.)
I drew and cut the balloons freehand and added twine then used them to add the 'journaling'. I actually managed to fit everything in (there's 2 itty bitty buttons on either side of the nameplate of the banner. (I kind of screwed up the 'Happy Birthday' - I even used my stamp-a-ma-jig but it slipped and I was too lazy to reposition!)
Anyways it was fun - here's a couple closeups -





So, that's it for now. I think I'm about 5 challenges behind so far - lol.
I have Birthday, Baby Congrats, Easter and Mothers Day cards to make - so maybe I can incorporate some of this weeks challenges into them. I also have to make some Easter 'baskets' for the 'kids' - oh yeah, and make a journal for a friend.
Looks like hubby may be a scrap widow this week!

Catch you later folks - have a great week.

BIG News!

As in BIG SHOT!!
Yep, I got it.
Fellow scrapbookers know how exciting this is. I mentioned HERE how I traded an on-line friend my Copic collection for a new Big Shot and dies. Well, on the weekend it arrived and I have been playing and experimenting since. My friend also received her Copics and has been doing the same. It's nice that we both got something we really wanted for the price of postage. Gotta love the bartering system.
Besides playing with my Big Shot (OH it's a die cutting, embossing machine for those who do not know) I decided to do a pre-birthday bash challenge for Sisterhood of Scrap.
The challenge called for 5 items (a layout, card, altered item, whatever). One for each letter in the month of APRIL. So one using something starting with the letter A, one for the letter P - you get it. Anyways, I was lazy and cheated a bit (actually I cheated a lot).
Rather than making FIVE items using ONE thing for each I created ONE card using FIVE things. I always did have a mind of my own! haha

So, here's my card -
A is for Accordion Flower (the tutorial made it look simple - NOT!!!)
P is for Paper - (pretty paper from Graphic 45)
R is for Ribbon - (used to tie my banner flags together)
I is for Ink - (lots and lots of Ranger Distressed Ink)
L is for Lace - (used to edge the accordion flower and the banner flags as well as on border punched cardstock strip.



And a (blurry) closeup - I really gotta work on my photography skills - or should I say my lack of!



I did use my Big Shot on this card although it's hard to see. The background paper on the diagonal was run thru with the 'damask' texturz plate then lightly inked. IRL it looks awesome!
The tutorial for the accordion flower is HERE. Believe me, it's a lot trickier than it looks. Mine doesn't have enough pleats in it but I'm happy with it so that's all that matters. That's the great thing about scrapbooking - there's no right or wrong way!
Anyways, gotta go play some more but really I should be cleaning and organizing my scraproom.
Sisterhood of Scrap is having a week long 4th birthday celebration starting this Friday. They have awesome sponsors and prizes planned with lots of challenges and games and I'm sure many surprises along the way. So I need to clean, organize, print off photos and cut myself a piece of birthday cake. See you at the party!