Share the love, don't just throw it in the trash

For those of you who don't know, I started a free scrapbooking class for underprivileged children when we lived in the North. I also used my own supplies to teach card classes to 150 gradeschoolers for every single holiday. That went on for over a year before some friends and internet acquaintences started sending me donations of scraps. Then Leica Forrest's layout Girl With A Cause was featured in the winter 07/08 edition of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine and boxes started rolling in from all over the country. That is how my classes stay afloat. I am now volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club and soon to be with the Canadian Mental Health Association as a scrapbook teacher. I certainly don't get paid and we don't have a budget. I am forever trying to come up with creative ideas using little product or using my own money to augment our stash. So you can imagine how enraged I was when I saw this:

But Kate...why are you showing a big pile of garbage covered in pink paint??? That is pink paint...but it's not garbage. It's many, many, MANY packages of very sought after Heidi Swapp/Advantus scrapbooking product. And this is just what Lauren Ferguson was able to rescue from a dumpster at a scrapbooking show in the States. She and 3 of her dedicated friends brought it home, cleaned it up and donated it to worthy causes. Bless your hearts ladies. You are a shining example at a time when apparently SOME people (namely large companies who deem this stuff garbage) need a lesson in charity. Not to mention reduce, reuse, recycle. For the full story GO HERE and check out Lauren's blog. Show her some love! I will have to think very seriously if I will continue to support companies who have such ignorant and apathetic attitudes. Put some effort in people. The scrapbooking world is not going to stand for this.

Spoiled in real life AND in blogland!

I won this bit of scrapbooking heaven on Vicki Boutin's blog this week!!!

Vicki will be at Saskatchewan Scraps this November (are YOU signed up?!? CLICK HERE) and I am SO excited to meet her.
She is teaching an amazing 7Gypsies class that will for sure be the highlight of my day. Ok, who am I kidding? It will be the highlight of my year. I took a 7Gypsies class back in March in Calgary. Soooo, it will be my biggest highlight since then. Besides the whole baby-is-walking-and-talking thing. A girl's got to have priorities, right? LOL

I am actually thinking about Christmas right now...I have had a Christmas album idea in my head since my oldest son was born. He's turning 5 in the Fall. I know, hey? Look up "Scrap Procrastinator" in the dictionary and THERE I AM. So when I saw these on Vicki's blog they immediately went into my save file. To be scraplifted later. Isn't she FAB?



So thank-you SO MUCH Vicki! I will be stalking the postman now. I'm sure he appreciates that. {NOT} The poor guy...ever since my first publication last year, he doesn't even walk up the driveway anymore. He just stands on the sidewalk with his arm out hoping it doesn't get ripped off in the process. Hey, everyone has to have a hobby. Even if it involves traumatizing the mail guy.

FINALLY...a little bit of everything

Ok, so I don't know how to use one of those fancy random number generators and I don't have that many followers to add to the draw anyway! I am a simple gal...I wrote down the names on scraps of paper and did a good old fashioned draw. And the winner is...drumroll please...


CORINNE!!!




Wow lady, do you have horseshoes around your neck these last couple of months or what? LOL I have a package of card making goodness for you but I can't drop it off until the first week in August. Hope that is OK with you!

As for jacking Keli's layout...I had a good time with it. The photos are courtesy of Sheryl Schmidt. She was testing out her zoom lense at the last Sask Scraps event. A good time was had by all! Thanks for the goofy pics Sheryl. Love ya!

Off to the lake...blogging is being ditched for sun (hopefully). Wish me luck!

The Evidence

I haven't photoshopped these or anything...just raw form. But did we ever have a RIOT! Sheryl's birthday was the perfect chance to don our tiaras for a scraptacular night! These photos I either took myself or were taken with my camera by the ever sweet Corinne. BUT...stay tuned. I am blessed to be getting a copy of ALL the photos taken that night courtesy of the uber talented Karen Pidskalny of KMP Photography. There are some FAB group shots in there I can't wait to get my hands on!
Come on, what girl DOESN'T need 4 foot subs in the trunk?!?


So apparently I was only focused on Andrea in this one...I am still learning. So many tiny little details on this camera. It's a love/hate relationship! I am thinking maybe...just maybe...I'll have to give in, put down my Diana Gabaldon book for a while and actually READ my manual. (GASP) I know. It's just not me.

Just a little bit of life getting in the way

Hey it happens, right? My family can't stay out of the freakin' hospital! Seems like everyone is on the mend (thank the LORD) and things are slowly sliding back into the normal category. Or at least as normal as we ever were in the first place. Give me a couple of extra days on the draw...I am adding to the gift and I am just finishing up my layout. It had to be put on hold. I scrapped with the Bad Girls on Friday with full intentions of doing my "Self" layout but I had to finish a canvas for my sister in law first as my Mum needed to pick it up Monday. Forgive me for delaying...but I think it was worth it. It's the biggest canvas I've attempted and I have to give a special creative shout out to Dawn Hueser who stood by me every step of the way. She is my layering mentor. LOL I had the general idea of how I wanted things...but I was still struggling with the layering. I have been layering and layering in the last year or so...trying to make it work and wondering how other people do it. Then Dawn talked to me on Friday about not only layering but having each layer a different level. (aka lots and lots of foam tape) And then the lightbulb went off. Of course! The item you want to highlight or make POP should be the highest point on your piece. Or on the flip side you can make everything around it high and your focal point could be your flatest item. It was such an AH HA moment for me. And that's why I luuuuurve me some Bad Girls. Make sure you check Dawn out HERE. And just for good measure, here's the rest of the Friday night Bad Girls in all their scrapbooking glory:

Amanda
Sheryl
Corinne
Janet
Andrea
Karen

With a nod to our new friend Dawn #2! Great to meet you!

What a hoot these gals are. They have a hug when you are down, a smile when you are up, a bottle of Zip Dry when you are out. They are SUCH a laugh. And we all have our cameras ready at all times. I'll have the incriminating evidence of Sheryl's birthday bash later in the week. *wink*

Just a little shameless self promotion

Well...FINALLY. I have figured out how to put one of those follower thingies on here. It really wasn't that difficult once you actually, well...ummmm...follow the instructions. I may have just a tiny problem with jumping in first and asking questions later. But I have that all sorted out now...so a little celebrating is in order! All of this week's new followers will be put into a draw for some YUMMY scrapbooking goodies. And to inspire you a little more, here is a layout by my best gal pal Keli...who really needs to scrapbook more because I think she's great. So, no copyright infringement implied but Kel, you've been jacked.

I don't know why (I am only moderately in love with yellow usually) but I LOVED how she worked the colour on this. And I always love the quirky, cute pictures she takes of herself! It just jumped out at me. So I am throwing down the gauntlet...the challenge is to do a layout inspired by this one. 2 elements must be there: Picture that totally shows your fun side AND a little bit of hand doodling/writing. Post your link in the comments and we'll hop the blogs! Plus an extra entry in the draw for the participants. I'll post mine on Friday and draw for winners Monday. Complete with photos because I finally have a handle on the Canon. Yeah me!

Well call me a monkey's uncle...I didn't know that!

HAPPY CANADA DAY!!! 142 years young and not lookin' too bad!

On to the scrappy business...

Recently I was asked why I don't post very many layouts on my blog. And I goggled at them and said it was because I send a lot of stuff in for possible publication and haven't gotten around to scrapping more so I can have pretty pictures on my blog. I was then bestowed with the knowledge that yes, I can publish them on my blog as long as they are taken off immediately if they are accepted. Well, can I get a WOO HOO? So here is a little scrapping goodness, just to hold you over until I get back from Edmonton. At which time I will put the Farm Town aside and scrap something...I SWEAR.

This one is so far out of my box. I did it for a challenge on the Just Cr8 site (you should visit it, they rock over there). I never, never do stuff like this...but I think it's growing on me. It's all about trying new things right? The photo once again does NOT do it justice...there are staples all up the right side and it's very 3-D and distressed.

And I thought I would share a little bit of my Bucket List. Do you have one? Why don't you challenge yourself to get a little crazy this week and celebrate Canada Day by doing something on the list? Go for it!

Just a tip...the Prima goodness in the bottom right corner is of course to die for BUT it is better suited to something you will display and NOT put into an album. The corners are very sharp, poke through the page protector and could damage other layouts in the book. But that certainly isn't stopping me from using it! I LOVE me some nature on a scrapbook page. I think this one will get mounted on a canvas for my scrap room!
Until next time people...