What would YOU die for?

We use the term really lightly..."Oh my gosh I would just DIE!" But what would you really die for? I would die for my Hubs. My kids. Both standard answers. Would you die for your Faith? Would you die for your freedom? Would you die for the right to VOTE?

Take yourself back to any power struggle in our history. What would have happened if a person like Hitler was able to take power? A dictatorship. {Many words in this post are linked. Click for definitions and more information}. Is that what we want for our society? Maybe it would just be easier. Then we wouldn't have to make the effort to drive down to the civic centre 4 times in 7 years. Ugh. Such an inconvenience. I bet it was inconvenient for a mother to receive 4 separate letters from the government telling her that all of her boys had perished. It was inconvenient for the more than 44,000 Canadians who died in WWII alone. Who lay shot to pieces in trenches. Or were gunned out of the sky as they parachuted in to some unknown part of the world. A part of the world they had never been to but were willing to go for the freedom of their country. And it was probably very inconvenient for the women and children of the countries where the wars were fought. Losing their homes and land. Having loved ones lost. Never knowing what became of them. I would guess it would be pretty inconvenient for someone like Elie Wiesel to witness babies being torn from their mothers and thrown away like garbage. Have you read Night? You should. It might influence you to feel blessed to live in a country where we are free to express our faith, politics and opinions.

This all might seem over dramatic...but aren't politics dramatic? We should be vehemently passionate about our country and who leads it. And taking the time to vote is a very small, infinitesimal way to show that we DO care. The excuses of "No time" or "Don't know who to vote for" just don't cut it. {Want info? Go check out the Vote Compass} It's like a slap in the face to every person who ever put their life on the line for Canada. No matter the year. No matter the war. Or saying you will spoil your ballot as a form of protest. What protest? The protest of wasting your right to vote when there are people all over the world who would die for that right? Why don't you protest by educating yourself on which party you agree with the most and vote for them? Don't like the parties? Start your own. If you don't like what is happening politically...I have news for you. YOU have the power to raise your voice and change it. Any Canadian can vote and any Canadian can join/lead a political party. Nobody will gun you down. Or steal you from your bed in the night. Support your party! VOTE! And if someone disagrees with you...take a deep breath, gather all that party knowledge you have been ingesting and have an honest-to-goodness debate with that person. An intelligent exchange of ideas and opinions. Both sides trying to change the others mind. It's exhilarating. It's our right. It's Canadian.

Monday May 2nd, 2011. Be a role model. VOTE.

Artist Profile

I adore art. Ok...you might say "Well DUH Kate. You're an artist." But I don't just like a certain type of art. I love all art forms. I appreciate the beauty of a person's talent even if it is very different from my own. Or should I say especially if it is different from my own? I love to browse Etsy and bookmark my favourite unknowns and order things that make me smile and put all these wonderful things in my own art room to inspire me. Sometimes I know the person and it makes it that much more special. And sometimes I love them because they are dear to me. My Godmother has been somehow involved in every single milestone of my life and now I am blessed enough to spend time with her daughter Chelsea. She is a lovely young woman who has this shiny spirit you just can't take your eyes away from. She is a dancer and actually makes her living doing what she loves and when she needs a break...she creates. She is currently on an open ended visit home because of the disaster in Japan. That is where she lives and tells me she can't wait to get back. She is not only a creative inspiration to me but also a beautiful example of loyalty, dedication and faith. The last time we got together I was telling her about art journals...something I have been researching but haven't sat down to try yet. I was previously inspired by my friend Corinne. So now I have all the supplies to do it...I just need to get dirty. LOL Chelsea and I were talking about different forms of art journals and she has already done her first page! It perfectly reflects the technique. I am in love. She does these amazing canvases!!!

And often uses scripture in her work. Love.

This one is hanging in my art room.

AND she paints. Swoon. Who inspires you? Who is your favourite artist? Creativity really does feed your soul. xo

Just like yesterday...

Today is cold and snowing and yucky. Sunday was the first day of Spring? Yeah right. So yesterday I was shopping on line for some to die for stamps by Just Cre8. Today I bought some beautiful art on Etsy that makes me really happy. Click the sentence to check out Johanna's Etsy shop. Her paintings make my heart smile. She also has a BLOG.

This is the print I bought.

And isn't this little guy just adorable???


Hubs has been gone for 10 days now. I'm telling ya...if he doesn't get home soon I am going to have to buy shoes. And a purse. LOL

I {heart} online shopping

I developed this love for online shopping when we lived waaaay up North and it was cold and snowy and I had nothing better to do than get out the old credit card and make happy things show up at my door. LOL So now and then I like to relive the good old days even though I am in a city now and can go out whenever I want. Except when the kids are puking. Like everywhere. So of course what is the very best pick-me-up when you are house bound with sick kids? Buying scrapbooking supplies online of course!!! Just Cre8 used to be my fave online stomping ground for forums/galleries/challenges/etc. Sue Sykes has closed up shop but the store is open right now for a major clearance sale and I just couldn't help myself! Use the promo code SAVEBIG25 and receive an additional 25% off your order until April 3rd! {FYI: the coupon code needs to be entered on the first page of your cart way at the bottom.}

I love the custom stamps and may or may not have added a couple to my collection.


What are you waiting for??? Go shop!

Weather...and work in progress

I found this photo via my friend Bonnie on Facebook who got it off the Northernhorse.com page who got it from somewhere else. How is that for a photo credit? LOL I followed it as far as I could. But it made me laugh. And in this weather...that is hard to do. So I thought while my blog sits for the rest of the week while I work on projects and gather up my "after" photos of my art room...you'd enjoy a giggle. At the expense of a shivering prairie girl. xox

Art...and the freedom to create it

One thing I struggle with on a daily basis is the cleanliness of my art room. I am fortunate enough to have an entire room to create whatever I want...and more often than not I am either creating on the floor in the living room or not creating at all because I can't breathe in my room. That is an absolute travesty. If I am not using the room, I shouldn't have the privilege of having one. Period. So I was discussing with the Hubs last weekend some cost effective options to fix the issues I had. Yes I would love to rebuild my studio all custom and matching and wonderful...however...I am also realistic and know that this is not our "forever" house. So it would be a shame to spend the money, time and effort only to have to say good-bye to it in the coming few years. I wasn't expecting what happened. Hubs took a look at what I was thinking of and said "ok". That was it. And the discussion ended and I thought maybe we would look into some building materials next month. I was fairly pleased with the space I had at that moment because my friend Corinne had come over to spend a few hours helping/telling me what to clean and directing me in my purge. Her favourite thing to say was "Just let it GO Kate!" It was a fabulous time! So I have to admit I was a touch disappointed when I came home the afternoon of said discussion with the Hubs to find my room in ruins. Absolute chaos. With Hubs in the middle of it with his tools beside him telling me to come clear off my desk because it was going bye-bye. I had no time to process what was happening but he obviously wanted to get a move on with the project. LOL These "before" photos are from several months ago. This was the room at it's worst and it had taken on a nasty personality all of its own.

View from the door:
Big shelf/extra desk space. I forgot to snap a pic of the top of this shelf where all my project boxes and albums were kept. Oh my word. Let your imagination run wild.

Peg board and original desk space. Wait a minute...is there even a desk under there?!?

Childrens area.

In the months since this photo I did a few things like getting rid of the 6ft kids table and opting for a desk with drawers. And of course did a bunch of cleaning and purging. But I still had hot spots that were hard to control simply because things were piled on the floor and had no storage. Insert the Hubs and his need to complete projects right now.

Soak in the before photos...and I will post after photos next week. They rock!!!

Here is a little something I created on the floor...LOL. I have been so in love with birds in the last year. This is an 8x8 canvas with some Tim Holtz, Hambly & Elsie Flannigan, ink, metal, bling and a bunch of crackle paint. I love shabby chic home decor!

What does your space look like? Does it make you happy? Do you need some inspiration and encouragement to change it? Leave a comment and send me a link! I'd love to see it! xo

What I want out of Camp Croppin'. A photo experience.

Ok...what can I possibly say about Camp Croppin' that I haven't already said HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE and HERE? I've done it all...I've said it all. In a nutshell...it's my favourite event and never disappoints. So let's take a stroll through photo land, shall we? Of all the things I want out of Camp Croppin' this year.

I'll take several of these please. Leaving at 6am on Friday can take it's toll on a gal. Cause you know I didn't sleep a wink the night before and won't be falling into bed again anywhere before 4am! Venti extra hot creme brule latte. But Kate...Christmas is over. Oh, the weather was confusing me for a second there. Make it a Venti triple shot extra hot mocha no whip please.

The second we blow into town we do a spot of shopping. Just as a warm up.

Shopping really does work up an appetite, doesn't it? Peanuts Sports Bar has the best steak sandwich I have ever had. Hands down. This is not a real photo of one...but it's close. Note to self: take a photo of the real sandwich so you can do the deliciousness justice on the blog.

After cleaning our plates at the bar we need to switch gears...scrap mode! Classes! The beauty of new products! Sigh. Prima.
Stampendous...I am in love with your bird cages. Please bring some for us to play with. Thank-you.

I'm imagining many colours of mist...and getting many of them on my shirt. Because it's like a moth to a flame I tell ya.

And my favourite...Bo Bunny. I am looking forward to seeing which of the famous Bo Bunny sweaters will be worn this year. Because I saw some new ones that they embellished themselves with the new trims! Crafty ladies they are.

After hours and hours of gluing myself...to...myself I might need to unwind a bit.

And a couple hours after that...I will have to wind back up!We will scream and cheer, laugh and cry, meet and greet, scrap and craft! Not to mention the serious hangover you get from all of the PRIZES!!! Then we will stagger home and eagerly anticipate next year.
And if you have forgotten how much I love Camp Croppin'...maybe this will refresh your memory.

Need some inspiration before the event? Head over to the Scrapbooker's Paradise blog because they have an amazing new challenge team!!!

Join in on a rockin' good time that also benefits the Alberta Children's Hospital! Check out the Camp Croppin' Website for more information. And I will see YOU at the Make N Take table! xox