Friday, June 29, 2007

Not So Random Acts of Kindness

Ok, so today I'm drawing the winner of my "Welcome Back" RAK. BUT FIRST I have to tell you how truly amazing and heartwarming all the scrappers are on the Scrap In Style website. SISters and MISters alike, they are caring, compassionate people who just want to make a difference and share their love of creating. Why the gushiness so early in the day you ask? I just received my first package of donated items for the scrapbooking class I am starting in the fall for under priviledged kids. I put out a general call on SIS (with the whole hearted support of Big SIS) and I got an overwhelming response! You can read the initial thread here and the second thread here. I will be posting more about the class itself as the summer draws to a close as sign up isn't until the last week in August. As my eyes welled up opening the box, I thought to myself "Self...I have to try to pay these people back in some kind of way." Really, nothing I can do can even come close to equaling the amount of gratitude I feel right now but I'm going to try. So I'm going to send out warm fuzzies to each person who donates and feature their gorgeous goodness on my blog so you all can click on their links and leave them lots of happy, gushing compliments about how fabulous they are! It's a small thing but it's an action of thank-you I can take RIGHT NOW!!! My first fan-tab-u-lous gift giver is...drumroll please...

STACEY FIKE!!! *Cheer!*

Stacey, thank-you so SO much for your more than generous donation!!! People, you should see what this dear woman put together. So many sticker letters I couldn't even begin to count! Many blessings to you and yours Stacey. Thanks again! Now please help me thank Stacey even more by checking out her wonderful blog and SIS profile. She does great work so browse through her gallery and leave excellent comments for her amazing thoughtfulness!

Okay...now for my RAK. I have this thing with the number 3. My Grandfather played pro hockey a whole lot of years ago and wore the number 3. My Mum wore it when she played on the first all girls hockey team in Saskatoon. I wore that number for every sport imaginable growing up and I have a very strong compulsion to always have my LO embellishments in groups of threes. Weird? Yes. Borderline OCD? Probably. But I love 3. So to get to the point, I decided my first giveaway had to be special so I need to give out 3 wonderful RAKs for all the sweet comments left here. And the winners are...

LORI B (Straitfan10)

Laurie (Little Lulu)

Brianna (Taylor130)

Please PM me your mailing addresses on the SIS website. Congrats ladies and thank-you SO MUCH for participating! It was fun! My first RAK! yeah, I'm cool now...

Scrap happy and enjoy the day!

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

RAK Goodness and Some Little Warm Fuzzies

It's nice to hear from everyone! I'll be drawing the name for my "Welcome Back To The Blogging World" RAK on FRIDAY. It'll be in the mail by Tuesday. If you haven't heard, I am drawing for a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) to celebrate getting my computer up and running and being part of the world again! Leave me a comment and get your name in to win! I'm heading South on Saturday and oh I just can't wait to get my hands on some new stuff!!! I just got a whole whack of stuff at the Spring Fling at JSI in April but you know how it is. When you actually DO projects your stuff tends to disappear a little faster! I am loving the gallery on the Scrap In Style website...scraplift city baby! It's nice to cheat a little (Or can we call it gaining inspiration?) when you are working on a multitude of projects for other people.

So on to the warm fuzzies...what gives you that warm, wonderful fuzzy feeling inside? What melts your heart and makes you thank God for what He has given you on this earth? These are a few of mine:

"What's For Lunch???" Little men and their big appetites warm my heart. I love to cook for my family and I feel very blessed that God provides more than enough for us to share with others. (This is my son and his little buddy from across the street) As an aside, I used a couple of techniques in Picasa to warm the picture up and make it look a little worn. I really like the effects!


Give a man a fish and he eats for one day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime. Pass on those treasured passtimes and talents. God has given each of us a special gift. Use it and pass it on to someone you care about! Spend time with your babies...they won't be babies for long!





Who doesn't love a good smooch on the cheek? Share your love around, try to keep your negative thoughts in check and see how much better your day goes! Our children imitate us at every step. Let them imitate kindness, love and compassion.


No scrapbooking to show off today...we are getting ready to PARTY! Having some friends over tonight for an end of school year bash. Should be a grrrrreat time! Look for some totally FAB pages tomorrow!

Monday, June 25, 2007

I'll Hang My Head In Shame!

It has been so crazy around here...I have a computer now and my blog is still being sorely neglected. Shame on me! I haven't been scrapping anything very interesting lately...just working on some Christmas presents. I tend to scraplift A LOT when I work on gifts for my family. Mainly because they all want EVERY picture they have ever taken put into a scrapbook. Are you kidding me??? My Mum literally dumped over 1000 pictures in my lap last year. So I sort and I scraplift. Does anyone else do this? Feel like you're cheating??? Here are a couple I did for my niece's book. She's 6 now and I'm working on her 0 to 5 year book. I'm up to age 3...go me go!



I scraplifted this font from Elsie Flannigan's "52 Scrapbooking Challenges". What a fantastic book! She has a stamp set like this that has just come out. I think it's so cute and funky for kids pages! I don't have the stamps so I just grabbed a pen and started drawing it up freehand. I know, shut up I'm getting so brave!


Skylar's first time roller skating. I am so sad that the roller rink is closed down now. It's part of my childhood! We used to live right down the block. I'm so happy we got a picture of at least one of the kids there. You can't really see the bling very well...the photo does not do it justice. I made my own disco ball!

Check out the FAB new members of the DT on the Pencil Lines website!!! It was so exciting waiting to see who would be chosen. And check out my cute self in the gallery! I know, the picture sucks but my computer was down when I applied...I didn't want to let that stop me! It was really fun and if I find other things that appeal to me as much (or more!) as Pencil Lines I won't hesitate to apply again!

Don't forget to give someone you love a big fat smoochie kiss today. It'll make you smile!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

It's All About The Scrapbooking

So all I have left to set up on the new computer are the speakers and printer. I set up Picasa yesterday so now I can start posting my LOs again. OH HAPPY DAY!!! I cannot wait to see who Pencil Lines chooses for their new design team member. I didn't expect to get chosen but it was SO fun to apply. I love the concept of their blog.


Andy Warhol ain't got nothin' on me baby!

Just a better photo of this LO. Journaling is here.

Journaling reads: What do you get when you cross an RCMP officer with a Hell's Angel who doesn't know he's with an RCM P officer? A great day of fishing (even though they didn't catch anything) and some very interesting conversation...

Better photo of the LO I did for the Pencil Lines competition. Journaling reads: God made us sisters. But that sure didn't make us friends. Gorwing up was rough but as we traveled the road to adulthood we grudgingly realized each had something to offer the other--something only a sister can give and receive. A meeting of the minds, a lifting of the spirit, a healing of the soul. Maturity helped...but becoming mothers bridged what was left of the gap. Our babies brought us closer together and now that that bond has formed, nothing will ever break it. Unconditional love. Unfailing loyalty. My sister. My best friend. xox

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

I Think I'm Dreaming

Could it possibly be true?!? Am I really blogging on my very own-almost running perfectly-just 2 more things to install-computer??? WOO HOO!!! Yes, yes it's true! I am back on line. What a freakin' relief. I thought I was going to have to start knockin' some heads together over at the computer place. So all problems and delays aside, we are back up and running so please e-mail me (if we were previous e-mail buddies) so I can start rebuilding my address book. What a nightmare. But on to more interesting topics:

Emily, that little angel is recovering nicely but still has to undergo chemo treatments weekly until the end of September. Your prayers are needed now more than ever because she gets very upset when they arrive at the hospital. Pray for a calm heart. Pray for strength. Pray for God's love to fill her instead of the fear. Please keep praying for the Thieles!

Emily just turned 4! Here is a photo from her birthday party. Thank-you for your love and support for this wonderful little girl!


I haven't gotten a picture program loaded yet but I will hopefully be blogging some scrapbook LOs tomorrow. Hopefully. Cross your fingers. Wish me luck.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Death to Technology

Ok, this whole computer thing is starting to get to me. I am still waiting for the new configuration disk so my beautiful new computer is sitting...doing nothing. It's taunting me. Here are a couple of new LOs I just had to post, even though I'm on a borrowed computer...again.
The pictures are less than stellar but I don't have access to a photo program right now. But I definitely was NOT going to let that stop me from applying for the Pencil Lines design team!!! A huge thank-you to Henry (local teacher) for letting me use up his evening and his computer time!

Journaling reads: My sweet Will...you are such a talker. A trait you come by honestly! 24/7 running monologue. And 24/7 I pray for just a moment of quiet or a break from saying "Don't touch that", "Get down from there" and the big one "Stop picking your nose!" But I admit, sometimes - just sometimes - I let you pick your nose because for those few precious moments, you are silent. Blessed silence. That is my every day life. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

Fast as fast can be (you'll never catch me)

Have a blessed weekend!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Another Borrowed Computer

Well, I am on a borrowed computer again...my new computer has arrived but the Windows configuration disc didn't work. I called Microsoft and their customer service is very polite but...let's just say that I am not happy, $130 poorer and Microsoft sucks. 'Nuff said. I had to order a new disc so we ended up getting the Windows Vista. Not looking forward to learning a whole new program but I guess it saves us from loading in XP and then in a year taking it off and putting on Vista. Why does all this stuff move at warp speed?!? I was quite happy with my 1.6 and my XP. Now we have a 3.4 (or something like that) and Vista. Change, change, change. By the time my son is in school I'm going to feel really out of the loop. And I'll be saying things like "Well when I was in school we learned on the Apple. And when we bought our first computer Windows XP was top of the line!" My son will look at me like I've sprouted a second head. It's coming, I can feel it.

Enough complaining about my computer woes. New things happening in the scrapbooking world:

I am applying for the Pencil Lines Design Team. Totally exciting stuff! Check out their website...I've done some great LOs lately with the sketches. Very inspiring even if your LO turns out totally different than the picture! Stay tuned for more info on this. My application is based solely on whether one of the teachers here has a computer that is compatible with my camera card. Say a little prayer for me.

Speaking of prayers, Emily is done her third round of chemo. She has to go every week until August so keep the Thiele Family in your prayers. So far everything is ok but we still need lots of prayer support. I am still putting together a prayer book for Emily's recovery so if you have any comments for the Thieles please leave them here and I will add them to the book. Thanks!

I hope to be back to full blogging by next week. Have a fantastic day!

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Everyone Cheer for Connie!

Con-NIE, Con-NIE, Con-NIE!!! Chant it with me...

My friend and neighbour Connie has lent me her laptop again. I'm sad because I can't check out the SIS website. Their computer doesn't have the correct program to support it and I don't want to download anything without permission. So I can blog and pay bills but I'm certainly not complaining!!! Crucial thoughts for the day:

A little while ago, Wilna Furstenburg wrote some amazing thoughts on the Making Memories website that really spoke to my heart:

As this is my last post for the IDOLS and there are only three contestants left, I feel it’s time to talk deep. It basically comes down to over a thousand entries and only one winner. Soon we will know who will wear the crown of MM IDOL. And celebrate with her. But today, this post is dedicated to the nine-hundred-and-ninety nine, can I talk to you a second? Before I won the MM Idol contest, there was plenty times where I went through the frustration of not making the cut. Believe me if I tell you I have been there. Even have the T-shirt. My first question to you will be... HOW BIG IS YOUR DREAM? Because if the dream is big enough, the facts don't count. The fact that there are more talented designers than you, more experienced designers, all of it doesn't count when your dream is big enough. My first challenge to you will be in the face of this experience, is to enlarge your dream. Make it so big that you can see nothing beyond it. If you have this passion burning so hot in your heart that you can barely breathe... hang on to it for dear life. The first thing that this cruel world wants is for you to loose that grip. To quit. To say, "I will never enter another competition again". I tell you, if I did that I will not be writing this blog at this moment. Or any other moment. If you look at history, it's the dreamers that climbed the high mountains and survived. But they were not merely dreamers, which hoped with all their might. They had faith. A definition of faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].I entered a few contests where I did not make the cut. But you know what? I had to go through those times of trial to assure myself how big my dream really was. That I believe in myself. That I do this with a passion. That I had something to say and something to give the world that is unique. A mandate. And the same goes for you. I ask you again... is your dream worth quitting on? I think not.One thing that Jaco and I learned early in life, was fall down seven times, stand up eight. And in that process, dream bigger, reach farther, stretch yourself. And when it comes to pass, it will be a tree of life. Your dreams will not take you where your character cannot sustain you. I have come to realize that when your dream happens, you ought not be surprised. We all have to go through these "disappointments". It builds our character. (Like the cartoon character, Calvin always say... this character building is going to kill me!)So, if you want to hunt tigers...you have to go where tigers are.I really believe in you.

These thoughts spoke to me louder than Wilna knows. I have been struggling lately with how to go about getting published as a scrapbooker. Sending your stuff in to magazines is thankless work. Rejection sucks rocks! I was not thinking of giving up but reading these beautiful words just gave me that huge boost I needed to keep going with a smile on my face. Thanks Wilna.