Fun day at the grocery store

I had an interesting day yesterday at the grocery store. I thought it might be a good thing to seek the advice of a dietitian since, working shifts, it's very difficult to regulate meals and eat healthy food rather than convenient food. I started seeing a girl from Nutrition Housecalls and she has been wonderfully helpful and patient (I'm sure they must absolutely hate picky eaters like me). Yesterday, we did a grocery store tour where we went up and down each aisle deciphering labels, distinguishing the good from the bad foods (pretty well anything that tastes good falls in the latter category) and finding stuff from all the food groups that I will eat.

Now to the card.....the paper on this card is from a kit I bought at Michaels' after Christmas sales. I added the flowers, stick-on pearls, rub-on, ribbon and gold frame from Making Memories. It's getting on to 2 in the morning so I'm off to bed. Thanks everyone for looking.

The countdown is on....

I'm starting to get a little stressed about how quickly Christmas is approaching and how much I still have to do. I wrapped about 30 gifts the last couple of nights, got some non-hand-made Christmas cards written and managed to get these two projects done tonight. I still have more shopping to do which means more wrapping. I do like Christmas, so I'm not complaining.....just saying it's a lot of preparation for one day. Maybe we should have Christmas week and then all the work we do beforehand might be worth it.

Anyway........this is a pretty card made with some of my favourite paper (do I say that for every card?). The little girl on the front is one of those where you layer the images....there's a name for that but I can't think of it. Probably paper layering. It's all very fiddly as some of the pieces are so minute you can hardly see them. Certainly not a hobby for a person with a very short attention span.....ME. The brads on this are by Anna Griffin, paper trim was cut with a Martha Stewart punch and ribbon and lace are from my evergrowing collection.

Secret Santa

We are doing our Secret Santa gift exchange at work on Tuesday to enjoy along with our Christmas dinner. It seems early but it was the only day we could find where everyone is in. In order to get my gift wrapped, I had to dig all the wrapping stuff out of my locker and drag it upstairs where it will from now until December 25th remain in a disorderly heap.

This is the second card I made, using BoBunny papers, Prima flowers, Making Memories metal frame, lace, ribbon, stick-on pearls and a Merry Christmas rub-on. Lots more to do - whether I get to them is another story. Have a great week everyone!

Gearing up for Christmas

I can't believe it has been a whole month since I last posted. For the last week and a half, I have been struck down by what feels like a speeding truck but is more likely some combination of the common cold and/or flu. Suffice it to say, it has taken a bite out of me and I have done very little except to lay around and feel sorry for myself. I am still not back 100% and today was the first day I have felt a little more approaching normal. On top of the cold, the bursitis is back in my knee (Good God, could I sound any more ancient?), most likely from all the healthy walks I have been taking over the past couple of months. Apparently, if I sloth around, my knee should be fine.

Since Christmas is fast approaching, I have got busy with a couple of projects. I love this card and the traditional Christmas colours. The Jolees wreath is all sparkly and doesn't need much adorning as it pretty well stands on its own.

For years, I have gone without a Christmas tree mostly due to an unfortunate incident we had shortly after I got Kenya. That year, I had spent hours putting up the tree and trimmings, only to have a young Kenya knock it over in the space of 10 minutes sending everything scattering. This year, I finally gave in and bought a small pre-decorated, pre-lit tree that will hopefully remain upright for another month. Kenya has been an angel and sleeps peacefully for hours "under the tree". Kona just looks at it and walks away. Fine by me.

Happy Holidays

Yes, it's that time of year again just around the corner, if you can believe it. Last year, I vowed this year to get an early start to my Christmas projects so here I am. One down and many, many more to go.

This was a fun card to make. The embellishments are all from a card kit by Paper Magic. The paper is a mixture of imaginisce and Making Memories and the border, which you can barely see, is from a new Cricut cartridge called "Elegant Edges". I swore I was not going to buy any more cartridges as they were too expensive (Michaels carries them for $119.00 and Walmart usually just below $100). However, I was in Michaels yesterday and they had some on for $39.99 so I caved and got one.

I had planned to wash the car today but it's all stormy out there so there is no point. When the weather is nice, I forget all about washing the car and just want to sit out and relax. Guess it's an indoor day - I may have some more to share with you later.

Santa Claus

I finally have a chance to sit down and rest my feet. It seems I have done nothing but rush around the last few days, doing errands, going to appointments, shopping, cleaning up.......It will almost be a vacation to go back to work!

A quick post tonight with another Christmas card made with some Anna Griffin and Bobunny paper, a cute Santa, ribbon, lace, stick-on pearls and gold balls and a Merry Christmas rub-on. My computer is giving me problems - I can get mail but can't send any but that problem will have to wait for another day. Technology can be so frustrating especially when all you want to do is turn something on and have it work. Hopefully, this post comes through alright - thanks for visiting!

Traditional red and green

As much as I love trying new colour combinations, red and green always looks so Christmasy. The wreath on this is by Jolees and is all bright and sparkly. Photos never seem to show the cards as vividly as they look in person but that could just be the photographer!

My poor Kona.....I had to take him to the vet the other day. I came home from marching in the Remembrance Day parade and saw a blur of fur as he ran to his litter box. He was trying to go but couldn't so off he went to the vet. $500.00 later, I found out he was all bunged up and had to stay for an enema. Luckily, that promptly cleaned him out and I was able to pick him up a couple of hours later. I got some new fibre food for him but he will not touch it (can't say that I blame him judging by the look of it). The vet suggested canned pumpkin (the thought of which turns my stomach) so I'll get some of that and give it a try.

Merry Christmas

I am in full gear for Christmas, trying to get everything done as far ahead as possible so that it's a pleasant experience rather than a stressful one. So many people I talk to get stressed out at this time of year because they leave everything until the last minute. I have done about 3/4 of my shopping (thank you very much online shopping) and have now turned my attention back to my cards.

This very Victorian looking card was done with some Bobunny and Jenni Bowlin paper. I added a pretty canvas photo, some lace, ribbon, stick-on brads and an Imaginisce rub-on.

I am holding on very tightly to these last few days in November that are bright, sunny and on the warm side. As much as I try to kid myself, I know the cold weather is coming and, in anticipation, I got my snow tires on the other day and bought some new winter boots. I like to rationalize that, once we get through December, then we have the January thaw. February has groundhog day which means only 6 more weeks of winter and then it's spring again. Whatever works for you!!

Layering

I got this fun little kit yesterday from one of the vendors at the scrapbooking show. It's all layered and each piece is numbered to show you the proper order in which to place everything. The only thing is that some of the pieces are very tiny so that you have to use miniscule sticky dots on the back and, I tell you, those suckers are hard to maneouver. I can't imagine how anyone with big hands would ever manage. Anyway, I got the bear together then dressed him up with some ribbon, lace and a Merry Christmas rub-on.

I must apologize for the quick posts tonight but it is way past my bedtime. I had half-hoped to make it an early morning tomorrow but I can't see that happening. I truly am not a morning person! As always, thanks to everyone for stopping by.

More Christmas....

I have been having all kinds of problems with my computer tonight so I hope I can get through these posts before it blows up. I love my computer except when something goes wrong since I don't have the patience to deal with stuff like that.

Here is some more beautiful Bobunny Christmas paper. This is one of my favourite colour combinations of the season and I never tire of it. I love the deep shades of green and red - I think it's very rich Victorian-era looking.

Best of the season

I'm back at the Christmas cards, trying to keep ahead of everything that needs doing before December 25th. Once I start really getting into the shopping, then the wrapping and sending out my own cards, there is no time left for cardmaking. The paper I used for this card is by Bobunny. The picture of Santa and the little girl is a canvas-type cutout, flowers are Prima and lace, ribbon, doily are from the depths of my drawers.

I went to the Creative Festival in Toronto yesterday. They have everything there for sewing, quilting, beading, scrapbooking, knitting, etc. and it's a great place to see everything in one spot. I did buy a fun purse called the Michebag. It comes as a shell then you get different magnetized covers that fit right over the shell giving you as many purses as you want to buy shells. How fun is that!

Christmas is a-comin'

I shudder to think that Christmas is less than three months away. Though I have bought a few things here and there, there's still a lot of ground to cover. We drew Secret Santa names at work last week so you can never be too early or too prepared.

This cute little guy was on a Christmas card I received a couple of years ago and I always thought he would look nice on a card. The paper is a scrap I had laying around then I added some embellishments of ribbon, lace, pearls and a rub-on. I bought a stack of new Christmas paper yesterday so I have the tools - now I just need to find the time!

For some reason, I seem to be following a lot of television shows this season and it's hard to keep up with everything. I regularly watch Survivor, Amazing Race, America's Next Top Model and that's about it for reality shows. In addition, I try to follow Grey's Anatomy and a new show called The Event. Then I added in Glee and the fourth season DVD of Dexter. I have about 5 books I need to get to plus all my crafts. No wonder sometimes we feel like we're going crazy!!!

A final post for today

One final card to show you, made with "My Minds Eye" paper and a beautiful Melissa Frances Christmas tag. I love her tags - you can put them on the card as-is and it looks like you spent hours making it yourself.

All things Christmas in my life are now completed - sending out cards, buying, wrapping with just a little bit of baking left to do. I'm not much of a baker but thought it might be nice for a change this year. We are having our Secret Santa exchange at work this week and cookies are the perfect complement for gift opening. Cookies are the perfect complement for breathing, as far as I'm concerned.

Ho, ho, ho

Two weeks before Christmas and I have finally found the time to get some festive cards made. The first one is made with 3bugsinarug paper to which I added a cute little embellishment I found at the dollar store, a Melissa Frances rub-on and some ribbon and buttons.

I love the rich colours in the second card. Paper is from Anna Griffin and Making Memories, the holly wreath design in the centre is a rub-on, heart design is from a Fiskars punch, sentiment sticker is from a kit and ribbon and lace are from my overflowing ribbon drawer.

I cannot begin to tell you how busy I have been these past couple of weeks and I know I'm not alone. Everyone is stressed, trying to get things done and spending way too much money. At least the weather has been fairly decent. November was a great month weather-wise and, keeping fingers crossed, with the exception of one bad day, December has been liveable. It is no secret that I detest winter and pray every year that global warming will sweep the nation and make all the cold and snow go away.

Hope everyone had a great weekend.

Christmas Kits

My girlfriend gave me a couple of cute little cardmaking kits. They are simple and quick and provide you with everything you need - paper, cards, envelopes, embellishments, ribbons, etc. I made two of the cards tonight and, though they are not as fancy or detailed as what I normally make, they would be great for adding to a gift or as an enclosure card. For the time it took me to make them - which was minimal - I think these kits are a great idea.

I'm back......

I can't believe it's been so long since my last blog. I'm been without camera for the last few weeks plus I have been so busy, I can't believe it. That's what Christmastime does. Anyway, I think I have everything under control. The shopping and wrapping are done - all that's left is to pay the bills.

Above are a few projects I have made over the last couple of weeks, all of them Christmas cards to honour the season. I found that, as I was wrapping, I was tempted to create as I do when I make my cards however, by the 20th gift, that went out the window and I was lucky if I got a piece of paper and a bow slapped on it.

I hope to write again sooner than this last lull; once this week is over, I'll be home free with lots more spare time on my hands.

....and one more Christmas

I keep forgetting that, when I do these posts, they are backwards, i.e. bottom to top rather than the other way around. So, often the title I assign a post makes no sense to anyone else but me unless you happen to read from bottom to top. Oh well, I'm sure much of this blog makes no sense to anyone so status quo.

This lovely card is done with Doodlebug velvet papers with silver embossed paper on top. The snowflake embellishment is an ornament from a Christmas present last year. The scallops are cut from a Martha Stewart punch (which I thought was broken so I bought another then found the first miraculously rebounded).

The paper was a little hard to work with and I had problems sticking it down so that it would stay. I must get myself a sewing machine though the small Janome that everyone raves about is still not here in Canada and I'm sure the cost to ship it would be astronomical. I'm sure I'll be in the US at some point in the future and must keep an eye out.

......

The paper I used for this card is Basic Grey "Figgy Pudding", very English. I must admit, it's nice to see colours in Christmas cards other than red and green and I notice there is a lot of blue and black out this year in the decorations.

I was hoping to get down to the Toronto craft show this weekend but just never got around to it...which is probably a good thing as I REALLY did not need any more scrapbook supplies.

Three Christmases and a Baby

I finally got down to making some Christmas cards though I had to put other projects aside for awhile. Judging by the weather today, it feels like Christmas is right around the corner. This paper is from Making Memories, flowers also by Making Memories, buttons by Basic Grey and the pretty gold and green ribbon is very vintage and actually came from my mother who bought it but never used it. I took these pictures on the balcony today and nearly got blown away. I think we're in Kansas again, Toto.

And the countdown begins......

I know September is a little early to be thinking about Christmas, but I thought I better get some projects done now while I have the time. I made this card with some old scraps I had laying around then added some embellishments to make it all bright and cheery. Hard to think Christmas when it's 80 degrees out and frightfully humid. Having said that, I have got a good start on my Christmas shopping which seems to continue throughout the year.

The cats are busy watching one of their videos and, overall, it's been a nice peaceful Sunday. We're supposed to get quite a dumping of rain later so I have battened down the hatches in preparation. I'm off to start another card - thanks for stopping by!