Its time to start thinking about homemade Christmas Cards

Once the kids are all settled in school I will start buckling down on my pre-Christmas planning. I always think that I still have lots of time to get things done and inevitably end up running around at the last minute trying to make something or pick something up. Not this year my friends. I am going to get organized. This will be the first time in 13 years that I have not had a wee one home every day. I am going to make my lists and check them twice. I have already purchased the Frosted card making workshop from Close to My Heart and I can't wait to get to started. The kit is absolutely lovely and jam packed with everything I will need. I will post some pictures when the cards are done. I have to run now though. Today is meet the teacher in my son's jk room. He is so excited he hardly slept last night. Check out this great video from Close to My Heart and let it inspire you to get a jumpstart on your Christmas To-Do.

First Craft Show Excitement

As i told you earlier in the summer I have been whiling away the hours crafting up a storm.  My poor trailer is filled to capacity with paper, ribbons and scrapbooking tools.  Poor Hubby has gone from having half the bedroom cupboard space to being squished into the corner of one small cubby and his closet.  I can't help it.  I wanted to be sure that I had everything I might need to do my creative best.  I have been making mini albums and Christmas Cards as well as keychains and charms.  My focus has been on making enough ahead to be able to participate in my first craft show in November.  Well, on a whim I decided to enter another craft show being held at the Royal Canadian Legion in Belleville. In September.....GULP! I am trying to balance crafting, blogging, business planning...and now I have to think about display design.  What do you like to see at craft sales? What catches your eye? Are you more likely to stop at a display if it is adorned in a particular way? I have been scouring Pinterest for booth ideas and wanted to share some of my favourites.

Summer Crafting Obsession

I am home from the trailer for a day or two (I think the tornado warnings spooked me a bit...visions of Dorthy and all that). I have been just brimming with ideas for crafting all summer. Each nights after I tuck the kidlets into their bunks I have been cranking out die cuts and cutting ends off of envelopes.  I have pretty much all of the storage areas in the trailer packed full of scrappy goodness. I am not going to tell you exactly what I have been creating as I want to surprise you when I come home in the fall with a tote full of completed works. I have had the children on alert to grab any soda tabs or beer caps from unsuspecting relatives and the collection has become extensive.  My girlfriend gave me a large plastic pail full to the brim with wine corks (she works at a restaurant...lol) and I am just looking for suggestions on what to make with them.  Do you have any ideas? Well, I should run as I need to head over to +Karen Watson  site and print off some of her vintage Christmas loveliness.  Have a wonderful summer and take time to be crafty.

Tracy

Something in the air

Well usually when I hear that saying it is reference to Christmas or someone falling in love. If you were around here lately it would have a totally different meaning.  I can never remember a year when the trees produced so much fluff.  It started early last week and my little one was miserable. His nose started running then his asthma kicked in high gear and by the time Sunday night rolled around his eyes were leaching as much green mucous as his nose.  One by one we were struck down with sore throats, migraines, itchy eyes and a hacking cough. We are all in misery. That my friends is my excuse for not posting sooner.  We have a reprieve from the fluff today so everyone seems to be feeling a bit better. I thought I would just pop on quickly to share my new haul of trinkets.  I am not sure what I am going to use them for but they are pretty just to look at for now.

Also, as summer is here and everyone seems to be partaking of canned beverages I have sent the word out around the camp that i want them to save pop tabs for me.  If you have a chance check out these two youtube videos for great ideas for crafting with pop tabs.

I love all this chickie makes.These girls are so talented!

More Lovely Scrapbook Paper to Ooogle Over

Hello Ladies;
My husband and I had our first daytime date in the last 10 years today. The bigger kidlets were at school and my little munchkin was at preschool so Hubby and I had a the chance to go out to a grown up restaurant  and to shop without trying to stay in the centre of the aisles so little hands did not remove the shelf contents onto the floor. I forgot what it was like to just wander a store with no time constraints. To make matters better he took me to Michael's where they had all their paper collections on sale 47% off.  Needless to say I had to grab two. I purchased The Primrose Stack and The Preppy Princess stack  (DCWV)and I can hardly wait to crack these babies open and start creating. I will be sure to post pictures of what I make. I am thinking that they will make lovely mini albums. If you have used these stacks please send me a link so I can see your projects.

Family Treasures Rediscovered

Do you remember as a kid how your older relatives...in my case my Great Grandma's and Grandmas always had that really cool jar filled with miscellaneous buttons.  Do you remember spending hours sorting them into colours and sizes and textures.  There is just something about other peoples button collection that always grabs my imagination.  Who wore the coat that the military buttons came off.. What did the blouse look like that had this pretty floral button.  Well, a few weeks ago I had mentioned to both my Mom and my Hubby's Mom that I would be interested in any old ribbons, buttons or broken jewelry they had laying around as I wanted to use it to do some hot glue crafts with the kiddies.  Well both Momma's delivered! My Mom provided me with a bundle of old trinkets and gems that she no longer wears and Mama in Law gave us at least 300 buttons.  Tiger and I spent a good hour going through the buttons today.  Its funny how something like buttons can still captivate a child's attention in this fast paced electronic world.  It was so fun.  I can't wait to get crafting.  I encourage you to send the word out to relatives as they are likely more than happy to unload some no longer needed treasure.

Flourish With A Bling

One of my goals for next year is to be on a design team for papercrafting.  Today I took the plunge and submitted my work to an Australian company named Flourish with a Bling.  I have spent the last few days trying to get my projects done in time for the cut off tomorrow. That may seem funny as many of you know I have made more cards and scrapbooks than I can even remember but I never take pictures of them.  So they are all gone.  The lifebooks, the cards the mini albums...all gone.  Living is learning though so now I will try to remember to keep records of my creations for future reference.  So everyone...fingers crossed for me! Its not very likely I will be selected as I have seen some of the work the design team from this year did and its really amazing...but I can hope.  You never know if you don't try right.

The roses are an altered composition book from Dollarama with graphics from the Graphic Fairy Karen Watson and lots of Vintage Photo ink, the scrapbook layout is from the Victoria Day weekend and features the buzz and bumble collection from Close to My Heart and the card is a embossing folder and cut out sheet from Ecstasy  Craft's Open house last week. Told you I just finished them!

The kids and I are off to the trailer for the weekend! You have to love three day school weeks!

Whoo hoo it finally feels like SUMMER

Happy Victoria Day Everyone! My gardens are sitting out there devoid of the new plants that should be in there today but I am ok about that. I feel so blessed to have been able to spend a carefree long weekend with my hubby and kidlets and extended family. We could not have asked for better weather as it was just the right mix of sunshine and breeziness. Here are a few pictures of our official start to camping season. I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that your family had a chance to make some new memories!




 

Another Great Give Away!

It must be the sunshine, everyone is so happy they want to share it with the world!

I noticed this new giveaway on the close to my heart site today.  Do you have someone you would like to give a shout out to? You could win an amazing gift package from Close to My Heart!

Grandma Hick's Creamy Maple Candy

It makes me feel very connected to my grandmother when I make this recipe every Christmas.  She used to make it and give it out to neighbours and friends over the holidays as well.  My Grandma passed away when I was only 3 but I still have such vivid memories of her.  The way her cold cream smelled and her thick lipstick.  I like knowing that I am keeping her tradition alive.  What traditions are you passing on?  Who did they come from? Challenge yourself to dig up an old family recipe this week and enjoy the trip down memory lane.


Grandma Hick's Creamy Maple Candy
4 Cups Brown Sugar
1 Cup Cereal Cream
3 tbs butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of baking soda

Cook sugar, cream and butter to a soft ball.  Do not scrape the sides of your pot during cooking.  Once heated add a pinch of baking soda and the vanilla.  Beat on high speed until spoon leaves a mark in the mixture.  Pour into lined baking pan. Try to resist sampling until it is cooled...just kidding it is so yummy when it is warm why wait.