52 Lists for 2010 - List 48

My list of my favourite bands.

My favourite thing about this week's list is the wet felted flowers I made in Emily and Nicole's online class. (I promise a post on that soon, to share the yummy things we've been creating!)

I used a scrap of cardboard for the base, gessoed, then a coat of blue acrylic paint. Tattered angels mask, glimmer mist in silver and a couple of greens. The butterflies were made using a SU embossing folder. The label shape is a SU punch. I used ribbon scraps for the stems of my pretty flowers. Did I mention they're my favourite part?

I dusted off my ipod (actually had to charge it first) to use in the making of this list. Couldn't think of many bands off the top of my head. Perhaps it's the Christmas music I'm listening to 24/7 -- by choice, of course. I love Christmas music. In the house, in the car, in the stores. Bring it on! But I think it created a mental block. Couldn't think of the bands for this list.

The labels I used on the back of my list are from a package of AC journaling labels.

Four more to go and then we'll have to come up with something for next year!

52 Lists for 2010 - List 47

Busy busy time of year around here. I cannot believe that tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I cannot believe that this is already list 47 -- only 5 more and that will be the end of 2010. On to 2011. What will we do next?!

I'm not sure if I'll continue with the lists, or some other sort of challenge for the new year. I'm thinking I'd love to jump on board someone else's for 2011. I loved Emily's 52Q for 2009. If anyone knows of anything for next year, I'd love to hear about it.

This week's list: Things I like to do on my day off.

The base for this is MM packaging, brown on one side, white on the other. I used black gesso on the brown side. Once it was dry, some finger painting with white, gold and pink paint dabbers. The chipboard letters and pieces, as well as the journaling piece and tape edge are all MM as well.

As I wrote on my list, Marc would say every day is a day off for me, since I don't 'go' to work. Besides DT work for my LSS, which I haven't done since the spring, I'm a SAHM who, believe it or not, needs more hours every day and rarely gets through my to do lists. Marc travels a lot, so everything that goes on here and with the kids is my responsibility. I truly thought that when Gaby started kindergarten, I'd either go back to school or seek employment, but neither happened. With Gaby still in elementary school, there are tons of opportunities to spend time at her school, and I love that I can. I've heard many women say they think they'd be bored staying at home, but that has never been the case for me. I'm here for sick days, early dismissals and can attend special events. I wouldn't change that and I'm fortunate that I don't have to.

If I had a day to myself, I would love to create art, take a class, paint, scrapbook, those kinds of things. With a friend, like Carole, Sandi or Peg perhaps. I'd also love to have breakfast/brunch/lunch with them, or any other girlfriends who might be available. Or Marc, if he was in town.

And my fantasy day to myself thing to do would be to have tea with my Mom. She's a three day drive away, so it's not an everyday possibility. Just something I'd love to do if I had the chance!

52 Lists for 2010 - List 46

This week, the list of my pet peeves.

The base for this week's list is two giant paint chips, back to back, with a smaller paint chip strip attached along the side. Acrylic paint dabbed on, grid pattern created by pressing on the still wet paint with this plastic grid sheet that I found on clearance last week at AC Moore. I don't know what it's original purpose is, but this is what I got it for. I freehanded the letters from 7Gypsies paper, attached the lace trim along the side, punched the itty bitty flowers from a coffee sleeve, and gave them bitty rhinestone centres. A filled in the space with a Fancy Pants rub on.

I didn't cover up this side. Not the best surface for writing on. It was easy to come up with this list. Not sure what that says about me!

And the 'Winners' Are . . .

Stacy

Julie

Jasmine

Personally, I sometimes feel a bit guilty posting a comment on a blog I don't visit regularly, just to have a chance at a giveaway, though if it's something I REALLY REALLY want, I can put that guilt out of my mind!

So I thought rather than drawing from commenters (which might have ended up being only these three!) I would choose those who have been regular visitors and commenters. Thinking it should be 'commentor', but I checked, and there's only one 'o' for the definition I'm after.

Actually, Stacy doesn't leave many comments here, and nor do I on her blog. We communicate with fairly regular comments on flickr.

I mailed the packages Friday, and based on the zones assigned to each package, I figured Julie should receive hers first, then Stacy, and last would be Jasmine, the farthest away from me. So I was surprised when I got an email from Jasmine to let me know that she had received the package today. Faster than I expected.

Thanks to the three of you for making this blogging journey more fun!.

Post 103 - A Giveaway!

Bloggers will often have giveaways when they reach milestone posts. Say, 1000, 3000, that sort of thing. Well, I recently reached post # 100, and for me, that's a milestone. So I've decided to have a giveaway.

Since this is MY blog, I'm going to do the giveaway MY way! Most of the time, bloggers will invite readers to comment to a particular post, and will randomly select winners from those comments. Now that might work fine if you're a blogger like P Dub or Emily. Actually, that's a lot of work cuz they have hundreds, even thousands of followers.

There's no blog envy here. I love things the way they are, and I adore those who faithfully visit and share here. Cyber aquaintances and cyber friends. People I've met in real life and those I hope to meet someday.

I've already chosen the 'winners' of this my first blog giveaway. I mailed three almost identical packages yesterday. So there's the first clue: I have your mailing addresses.

The goodies are all from my Christmas stash that I dug into recently to create the foundation for this year's December Daily. Two of you had expressed an interest in putting your own together this year. So I thought I'd give you a few more things to choose from.

They're very similar. All three have the same ribbon, tinsel and 7Gypsies Christmas tape. But everything else is different. Sort of. Confused yet?!  There's a stack of papers from Graphic 45, SEI, MME and SU, but each package has a differenty variety. The Stampin Up papers are part of coordinated sets which includes sheets of adhesive embellishments. All different.

There are felt snowflakes, envelopes, tags, journalling shapes, itty bitty clips, and rub ons. The only difference is one of these three packages also has 2 TH Christmas embossing folders. The truth is, I bought the same ones twice, and since one of you mentioned recently acquiring a Sizzix, I thought I would throw them in!

So, have you figured out if you're the lucky recipients? Here's more hints. One of you has been with me through this whole 2010 52 list challenge and we're definitely flickr pals. One of you has mentioned your other job on several occasions, so I was able to use that address to forward your goodies. And the third person, well, we've gone back and forth so much that I could well have your address memorized soon.

I'll reveal these three in my next post, with links to their fabulous blogs. I welcome guesses, though even if you're right, there're no prizes left to send you!

And to my winners: if you don't feel you'll use this stuff, or if it's just not your style, feel free to pay it forward. Perhaps you could offer it as a giveaway on your blog. It wouldn't hurt my feelings.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend -- off to enjoy the rest of mine!

52 Lists for 2010 - List 45

This week's list is of my closest friends.

Marc returned from Japan on Saturday, bearing gifts. With a layover in TO, he brought Nick a Team Canada Jersey. There was also an Aero bar, but I'm not sure who that went to. Marc confessed he didn't see anything that he thought Gaby would like. She was fine with that. For me, he brought a small teapot, for brewing green tea. I'll have to get a photo.

The tea pot travelled protected in a box, which I took apart for this list. The lid of the box became the base for List 45. I punched the hearts from the packing paper inside. The sticker and tape were also part of the packaging. The tab is from Kaiserkraft, the stamp is TH, and I sponged on a bit of colour. I also used the red distress ink on the hearts.

The heart on this side was punched from the paper that the teapot box arrived wrapped in. The tag on the bottom is also Kaiserkraft.

I used my own categories to come up with this list. The first group of names is friends in Winnipeg, except for Trac, who moved south to Texas 11 years ago. Jan, Carla, and Sandy have been friends since we were in kindergarten. That's over 40 years!

The second group of names is PA friends. I've been so fortunate to establish wonderful friendships since we moved here. I was apprehensive about moving, having lived in Winnipeg since birth. But leaving Canada and settling here, made me realize there are good, no great, people everywhere.

I considered adding names based on a third group, which would be my cyber friends. But I wasn't sure in some cases if the feeling was mutual. I thought if they read their names on my list, they'd fear I was stalking them!  So I stuck to friends I've been able to hug for real.

For now.

December Daily 2010

For the third consecutive year, I am preparing to document December. Christmas and the all that leads up to it.

In 2008, I ordered a kit to put together a 4 X 6 chipboard mini book. It was delightful. And easy to use. One side of each chipboard page was for photos, and extra photos could easily be added by creating a new page of 2 back to back 4 X 6's. Fun, simple, and great for the road trip to Winnipeg for our fabulous White Christmas of 2008!

In 2009, it came time to put the book together for the coming Christmas season. Ali Edwards, who pioneered the idea of the December Daily, encourages people to have the book ready for the beginning of December, to lessen the time commitment at that already busy time of year.

I'm a collector and hoarder of scrapbook supplies, and even more of a sucker for all things Christmas, so I have quite the stash of Christmas supplies. I decided to order chipboard covers for my 2009 book, but to  use supplies that I already had on hand for the pages inside.

No problem, really. I didn't make much of a dent in my Christmas goodies, even with trying to share with Sandi and Peg when we got together last November for DD making. My post about finally finishing it can be found here

Fast forward to fall 2010. While I've collected more Christmas stuff since last year, much of it was on sale after Christmas. And of course I had to get some of the new BG Christmas papers, as well as a bit of G45. And I've also acquired some TH seasonal Sizzix dies and embossing folders. Can't resist those.

I decided my book's foundation this year would be a 7 X 12 acrylic number that was part of a Lisa B kit from a couple of years ago, when she was doing a kit of the month. Something else I had ordered and hoarded.

This year, I decided to put the basic pages together and not choose and affix any further embellishments on the pages. I did this last year, and found myself spending too much time working around those pages, having to make photos fit what was already there.  It may take just as much time this year to complete those pages, but at least I won't have invested as much time up front.

My cover for 2010.

Each year, Ali starts a new flickr group for sharing our interpretations and ideas for December Daily albums. I've posted mine to the group. If you'd like to see the set of photos of each page, they can be found here   Because I love when those who share their work on flickr provide sources, inspiration, and any other details, I try to do the same. So rather than repeat myself here, if you're interested in those details, follow that last link.

If you haven't before, make this the year you start the December Daily tradition. I'm on my third year and we already enjoy looking back at previous books. The current flickr group is a great source of support and inspiration. And there are groups for the previous years, if you have time to look.

Our Halloween Weekend

This year, our Halloween weekend kicked off with the Halloween parade and parties at Gaby's school.

A diverse group of costumes. Gaby's the big baby. Can you spot her? She was thrilled to have a reason for me to finally say yes to purchasing the footy pyjamas at Target!

By the time the parade is done, there's not much time left for  partying. Lots of food and a quick game of wrap the mummy!

Friday evening we headed to the Lancaster area, an almost 2 hour drive, to visit Jason's Woods. We had been several years ago, when Manon was here. Gaby was obviously a little young to be scared over and over by a variety of creepy people/creatures jumping out at her. She and I spent a lot of time drinking hot chocolate and hot apple cider while the others enjoyed the rest of the attractions. But this year, she was excited and looking forward to it.

Nick brought 2 friends, Jess and Lee. While Gaby wanted to, we decided against that. If we go again in another 5 years, she can bring them then!

Doesn't look scary, but it was!

I might have felt safer had Marc sat beside me rather than across from me! The girl sitting two people over from Marc kept jumping clear across to the other side every time someone approached their side. There were chain saws, Freddys, Jasons, Beetlejuices, werewolves and a few other creepy characters. Gaby did much better this time 'round. On our side, those creepy characters seemed to be attracted to Jess first!

No matter what the fall festivities, its all about the food. Love that they had funnel cakes!

Nick and his friends got the deluxe tickets for 9 attractions, while Marc, Gaby and I opted for 5. So we had time to eat, while they finished up. The older kids didn't miss out though -- they picked some munchies for the ride home. The soft pretzels were pretty amazing too!

We didn't too much Halloweeny stuff Saturday. After a faraway soccer game for Gab and rehearsal for Nick, the rest of the day was spent readying for Sunday. We  always have friends over for dinner before the kids and Dads head out. I make at least 4 kinds of soup, and our friends bring beer, wine, bread and dessert. One of these years, I'll remember to get food and grown up photos. But not this year!

Sunday afternoon Kate and her beautiful daughter dropped by for a Halloween hello. It's the 1st Halloween for our neighbor's first granddaughter.

Two beauties!

Our guests were encouraged to come over anytime after 4. Being Sunday, there wasn't as much rushing to get the kids fed and out the door. It was nice to relax a bit.

The Dads took the girls out this year. Gaby SO wants to go out on their own. Maybe next year!

Nick and Jess. Now they're allowed to go out on their own. About Nick's costume: we're really not sure what he is. We called him a moldy-faced creature.

And my favourite:

We're samers! Since shaving my head last summer, my friend Elizabeth and I kept saying we should get a photo of her daughter and me, since we were sporting similar hairstyles! Now to see who's hair grows faster!!



52 Lists for 2010 - List 44

This year is flying by! November already. I'm reminded by having had to dig out my scraper brush that winter looms, and with that, Christmas. Gotta start making those lists.

This week, I started on my bucket list.

Used packaging from a Halloween table cloth as my base, gessoed, and added bits of colour with a tp roll and the insde of a cardboard coffee sleeve. I used that same sleeve and an SU flower punch to make the lovely flower in the corner. I stapled on a square of floral mesh,  the journalling shape is BG, the polka dotted tape is from 7Gypsies, the tissue tape beside it and the tickets are TH, and the black and white tape is 'duck' tape. Button from my stash. The '4' stamp is SU. The staples are TH's mini attacher.

I think I could easily add to this list, and expand on some of these ideas.