My Christmas Gift List : Jamberry Nails

This is one of my favourite finds this year. I have been growing my poor pathetic nails out since at least September (b.t.w. I broke a nail typing this post) just so that I can sport these truly amazing designs over the holidays. Thats not a gift you say? Its a gift to me from me in celebration of accomplishing my goal of growing my nails. I am also eyeing up the cute junior sets for my oh so lovely daughter who is just transitioning from disney princess nails to something a bit more mature looking.  I can't wait to introduce you to Charlotte. I asked her to give you a bit of background information on herself and her business. You are going to fall in love with this gift.

Charlotte’s Bio

I am a mother of one adorable 15 month old baby boy, Bentley. He is my world and the reason for me wanting to work from home. I have an advertising diploma and am working on a joint degree in Women’s studies and Sociology but currently am a work at home mom that wants to stay that way J

I am a Jamberry Nails consultant and I also have a home based business making baby items called Bonnets & Bums.

I try to live as green and natural as I can and have a passion for all things lacy, vintage and chic.

Jamberry Nails

Jamberry Nails are a super cute new fashion forward way to put style right at your fingertips. They are brand new to Canada and coming in with a bang!

So what are they? Jamberry nail wraps are a nail adhesive that stick to your nail in place of using polish. So what makes them different than the nail stickers already on the market? Jamberrys special adhesive requires heat and pressure unlike the other products which allows them to stay on your nails without chipping or fading for 2-3 weeks on your hands and up to 6 weeks on your toes!

The best part is they save you money and time! These wraps are much cheaper than a salon manicure or pedicure and can be easily applied at home in about 15 minutes. With over 300 designs, and a nail art studio that lets you design your very own nail wraps, you’re sure to find one (or 4) that fits your style.

Each nail sheet comes with various sizes to get the perfect fit on each nail and each sheet will do 3-4 manicures or pedicures.

We have also recently introduced a nail lacquer line that is 5-free (does not contain Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde resin, or camphor), and a luxury hand care line!

We have some really great holiday designs right now as well as adorable juniors!

We also have the awesome promotion of buy 3 get 1 free…since it’s so very hard to only pick one!

And we just announced our holiday gift packs which includes exclusive designs and accent sheets only available in the gift packs!

I’ve never been a nail polish kind of girl because I just don’t have the time for it, (and I  don’t have the patience sooooo I always end up smudging it before it’s dry). So when I found Jamberry I fell in love first with the designs and second with the ease and durability of them. I absolutely love that I can incorporate my style onto my nails and have them look great, really really GREAT!

You can host your own Jamberry home party and get awesome rewards such as free wrap sheets and discounts! We treat our hosts very well!

 Bonnets & Bums

When I became pregnant I really wanted to be able to make something for my son but I am not a very crafty person. I loved the adorable crocheted hats I saw everywhere and thought I could give it a go. Well I did and I gave up. And then I tried again and again and again and I finally got it and made him a little hat. I was so proud and I wanted to do more. Then I had a photographer ask me to make her some props and then I started getting requests and after time my business developed into more than just crocheted hats and diaper covers. I now make headbands, nursing necklaces, teething rings, banners, props and more!

I love to create and B&B is my creative outlet J

www.charlotterose.jamberrynails.net

www.facebook.com/bonnetsandbums

bio photo: www.facebook.com/melissaanthonyphotography

My Christmas Gift List: Close To My Heart

Ok, I know its a little bit self serving to present Close to My Heart on the list but I really am buying allot of my Christmas gifts from here. Close To My Heart is introducing so many fabulous new items that I know would be perfect gifts this Christmas.

 I just purchased my first My Legacy Album and it arrived yesterday. It was packaged so beautifully it looked like it was destined to be a gift. The albums look like they cost a fortune but they actually cost less than what you would pay at a local big box store. The great thing about these albums is that they expand to hold a whopping 60 pages. Of course if you actually put that many layouts in it you would hardly be able to lift it off your coffee table. Imagine this under the tree for Mom or Dad or filled with your layouts to present to your grown children.

Have you noticed all the ladies talking about project life? Well Close To My Heart has launched a new product to compliment that style of memory keeping. If you have someone on your list that loves to scrapbook but has been feeling to busy lately to have the time this is an excellent gift idea. There are several themes to choose from so you can find the one that suits their personality exactly.

Close To My Heart Offers an astounding array of acrylic stamps to suit every occasion. From elegant to  whimsical you will find just the perfect stamp set for the stamper on your list. I recently found out that you never know who is going to fall in love with stamping. Choose your stamp set and one or two exclusive shades of ink and you have an incredible gift for less than $25. This is one product that is on the top of my daughter's wish list.

 Every crafter loves to be inspired. Close To My Heart has an amazing collection of "how to" books that will set the scrapbooker on your Christmas Lists imagination on fire. From cards, Scrapbook Layouts and even Interactive Design these amazing books give you the hands on instructions to create beautiful pieces of art. I have all of the collection and I refer to them constantly. The beautiful full colour photos and wide assortment of designs never leaves me strapped for fresh ideas.





Visit http://www.mygrandmasteacups.ctmh.com to peruse the current catalogue. Remember there is still time to take part in the special Holidays from the Heart campaign and earn free products with every $100 purchase.

Visit My Website to See the Holidays From The Heart Mini

My Holiday Gift List : All I want for Christmas

Christmas Gift Ideas Series

Just today I was on Twitter and someone said "Time to stop counting the months, we are down to weeks until Christmas". Weeks! Honestly I have not even started my Christmas shopping. I do however know what I am intending to buy for most of the folks on my list. This year I am trying to purchase the bulk of my gifts from independent business owners. Walmart gets the majority of my business all year so its only fair that I try to support small business with these year end purchases. I have some really fabulous small business owners that I am going to share with you. You can do your Christmas shopping in your jammies this year. The great part about this is that these ladies are so incredible you are going to want to continue doing business with them year round. Grab a cup of tea and let me introduce you to your new best friends.

Helen Mary Callaghan

Helen Mary Callaghan passed away on Saturday. That's not exactly surprising as we will all be there at some point. The beauty of the story is the 93 years prior to Saturday. In those 93 very full years she was a wife to her husband for 60 years until his passing. She had 8 children. One that she took care of until she had to leave her home a few months ago. 10 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and a whole community that she was revered in. She was a teacher, she was a musician, she was an avid card play (hmmm) and used to laugh at peoples faces when at over 90 she told them that she was not available to have tea because her group "the Happy Hookers" were getting together (knitters). I never knew what to expect from her. She had such a gentle way of telling you that you were an idiot that sometimes it was a few days until you figured out that you had been told off. I remember when I first joined the CWL. At 90 Helen was a very active president. She still attended conventions and regular meetings and was always on top of our church community. She even pushed me into being the secretary for a few years before I was let off the hook. She was one of those people that just inspire you by their presence. I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to be a honour guard for Helen today. I know she would have been smiling gently at me, telling me not to let the wax from the candle drip onto the carpet. Helen Mary Callaghan.....I feel so blessed to have known you.

Copy-Kids: A Cute Way To Get Your Kiddo to Eat Healthy

Do you ever have a Monday morning where you open your email and find something that puts a smile on your face immediately? I did today. I received an email about this really cute video put out by a pediatrician (Dr. Jay Gordon, FAAP) to encourage kids to eat there fruit and veggies. Why does that make me smile? You have to watch the preview. My little man is off at jk today but i can't wait to show him this.  I know he will be chomping away with the other cuties.  I haven't seen the full movie yet but I can't wait to get my hands on it.  I thought I would share the preview with you so that you could check it out with me.  These little veggie eaters have almost inspired me to go grab a chunk of broccoli....almost....but I am sure my kidlet will take less convincing.

The trouble with multiple blogs!

 I can usually balance the workload of my two  blogs well but l am having trouble focusing this week. You see a friend I have made in the Mental Health advocacy forums is releasing her second book this week and I feel the need to devote all my available online time to promoting her book. Please pickup a copy of Kerry Connelly's new book "shaken"  and maybe an extra copy for someone that needs to hear that they are not alone. "Shaken" will be released November 7, 2013.

To get to know Kerry visit Meet Kerry Connelly and then read her current interview on November 8, 2013 at http://www.aworldoutsidemywindow.blogspot.ca

Clearly the Best: Connect the Dots (S02E03)

Artbooking Made Easy: Everyday Layouts (S01E08)

Studio J®: Step-by-Step Basics

Simply Stitch It

Beginniner"s Guide to Scrapbooking- Lesson #2 Paper

There are so many choices when you start to look at paper for your scrapbook and cardmaking projects. It is important to investigate the product a bit to be certain that the paper you purchase is appropriate for the task at hand.  You want to look for papers that are archival safe (do not contain acid or lignin that will fade your photos). There are many lovely papers with any design you could possibly be interested in.  Avoid the pitfall of rushing out and buying all the pretty designs.  First it is important to build your basic supply of paper.  This is much the same way that we started acquiring our tools.(Basic Toolkit)  Choose products that will give you the biggest bang for your buck.  White cardstock is where you should begin.  By having a blank canvas of white cardstock to build upon you can create your own designer paper, cards and layouts with minimal supplies.  You may be doubting me at this point so I am including a  videos to illustrate what can be achieved with white cardstock.

In this simple video from Scrapbooks.com you see how easy it is to achieve a lovely layout with minimal supplies. The design paper that they use could easily be replaced with hand stamped background paper that you create using your stamps, ink and colour pencils or markers. 

As you are ready to add to your "stash" try to purchase other complimentary colours of cardstock. Having a coordinating palette of cardstock will enable you to create endless designs that will look lovely together.

When you feel that you have a good selection of cardstock it is time to expand into premade design paper. Many people think that buying paper in a stack is a cost saving way to gain a large variety of papers...cheap. In fact you may end up buying allot of designs that you are never going to use.  Stacks are full of coordinating papers but often there are designs that are left over once you have used up your favourites that just don't suit any project you are working on. In this case it would have been more prudent to purchase the design paper that you really liked and only what you need. The quality of paper you get in a stack is also very often lacking. If you do decide on purchasing a stack, look for an open sample of that pad and check out the weight of the paper.  It is very disheartening to arrive home with a lovely paper that is too thin to work with.

A good way to build your paper supply is to find a buddy.  By purchasing cardstock or design paper with a friend you can "split" the colours and therefore the cost.  This will allow you to acquire smaller amounts of each colour.

Make sure that you protect your investment by storing your paper in appropriate sized storage boxes or shelves. Your paper needs room to lie flat but not so much room as to allow it to jostle around and get dog eared. Also be aware of the humidity in your storage area. Like any other paper product, scrapbook paper needs to be kept in a cool dry place.

Enjoy building your stash and take time to explore the different weight and textures and huge variety of colour. Now get out there and get your paper! Make sure you post your creations to our fb fan page http://www.facebook.com/mygrandmasteacups

Beginners Guide To Paper Crafting Lesson #1 What to take to a Class, Workshop or Crop

Once you get the scrapbook bug you never really look back. You take it for granted that everyone knows what you mean when you say you are "cropping" or "distressing" something. We don't expect terms like "bling" and "bone Folder" are mysterious or misunderstood but to a new crafter this new lingo and vast array of products, tools and techniques can be a bit foreboding. If you are an experienced papercrafter this post is not for you.  This post is for all my lovely friends out there that have boxes and SD cards brimming with photos that they promised themselves they would put into albums someday.  Ok Ladies, someday starts today. Many people would say to go gather your pictures and decide on an album. Forget that.  You know what photos are hiding in there and having the album already purchased is just going to add more pressure to the situation. I think that you should begin where every other recipe begins.  Assemble your utensils....or in this case....the tools.

Step #1 Your Basic Tool Kit

• Pencil and White Eraser

• Ruler: You are going to want to get one that is metal so that the edge stays true even after hours of abuse with sharp edged blades and pointed pencils.

• Scissors: any fine tips scissor is a good place to start.  If you have to purchase a pair you will want to invest in a pair that does not stick.  I personally have two pairs of CutterBee scissors and a pair from Close To My Heart.  Look for terms like non-stick micro scissors. I love both styles and they have lasted several years of extensive use.  Make sure you keep the cover as these babies are sharp!

• Adhesive: There are many types of adhesive available.  Match your glue to your project.  If I am working on a card that I know won't be kept much past its initial presentation (Hello Kids Cards) then I often work with plain old white school glue.  It does not cost much, it has no offensive odour and its pretty easy to work with.  If your are working with Scrapbooks or Cards that need to be kept in archival quality then you will need to invest in glue specifically for scrapbooks.  Look for terms life Acid and Lignen Free or Archival Safe on the packaging.  Tape Runners are a must have for scrapbooking and cardmaking (basically they are very thin double sided glue on thin strips wound like tape in a plastic dispenser). You can purchase these very inexpensively at your local Dollar Tree, Walmart or big box store. Double sided sticky tape can also be purchased there and you will want to throw 2-3 rolls of it into your pack. Don't get lured into glue dots or foam squares yet. You are just starting out, no need to get crazy.

• Pen: find a fine tip black pen that does not bleed.  You don't have to spend a fortune on a a top of the line pen. Just experiment and find one that suits your style of writing.  Ink that dries quickly is a bonus as you don't want to be waiting around for it to dry while you could be creating.

• Bone Folder: Often this is not included in a beginners tool kit but I think it should be.  A bone folder can be anything from a deluxe ergonomically designed, beautifully decorated plastic tool to a popsicle stick...sticky free of course.  Start the habit of using a bone folder right from the beginning and you will always be pleased with the professional look of your cards and layouts.  It seems like something as simple as the crease on a card could not be important but I assure you it makes all the difference in your final result.

• Black and Brown Ink: this is where you start.  Invest in good ink like Memento and save yourself the frustration of dealing with cheap ink that does not give you a crisp image.  Starting with the basics of black and brown opens the world to endless possibilities using supplies you likely have in your supply drawer. Images can be coloured with pencil crayons, watercolour paint, markers or even Sharpies or Bic's if you have them. Resist the urge to splurge on your favourite shades of pink and lilac. They just won't get the use and you will be frustrated by being limited. Once you have all your basic supplies then you can gradually add to your colour palette.

• Plastic Storage Box: again this is a personal addition to the start up tool roster but there is nothing more frustrating than spending 2-3 hours on  a layout only to find that you have crinkled it on the way home from a crop or threw the contents of your purse on it when rummaging for a pen or paper to write down the important phone number.  Make it then place it flat in a 12x12 paper storage box. You can get them at most craft stores for about $5. Make sure to use those 40% off coupons.

Thats it. You are ready to sign up for a workshop or class right now.

As you become more familiar with working with paper crafts you will want to expand your kit to include a paper trimmer, craft knife and other goodies. For now keep it simple.  Master the basic tools before you get caught up in all the fancy gadgets that glitter from the store shelves. Set a budget up front for how much you can invest each month in your hobby and divide it between consumable products (paper, adhesive, ink) and tools. Stick to your budget as many of us have gone astray in our love of all things crafty.  A good way to budget is to become a member of a crop group or kit club where you receive supplies every month at a set price (usually $15-30). These gatherings also allow you to try new tools without having to make the commitment of buying them and realizing you are not going to use them.

Try to find a group to crop with. Your knowledge in scrapbooking and cardmaking grows exponentially when you are in a room of creative types. Ask questions! crafters love to share.  Give it a try! Like anything else it takes practice to create masterpieces. The fun is in the journey.

http://mygrandmasteacups.ctmh.com

The importance of Good Content.

I love to read and learn about social media and the underlying advice of all successful social media types is the importance of providing fresh information that educates and engages your followers.  Ok here is my best attempt at providing you with that level of informative information. Here it goes: If you have created a mess of natural disaster proportion in your craft room it is extremely important not to blog about it ....or include pictures if you are hoping to keep your hubby from noticing. Read my post Itty Bitty Pieces Of  Paper for a what not to do post. Your Hubby might actually be reading your blog too ;) Love you Honey!

Clearly the Best! (02)

Itty Bitty Pieces of Paper

Hello lovelies.  Who let me sign up for all these craft shows! I was over at my dear friend Juanettes the other day enjoying a leisurely cup of tea and long overdue chat, when she said something to me about how soon the craft show was.  Well somehow I had lost track of the month of September.  It seems like it had just begun and the 21st seemed an eternity away. Well I have to tell you sister, I am working my butt off now.  My poor cricut is going into convulsions as I have it whizzing out borders and flourishes by the stack full.  I have piles of half finished projects perched precariously on every nearly flat surface.  Lord help me if my husband wanders down here and sees the mess.  I am so excited about taking this first step towards getting my business out there.  I don't expect to make any money my first show but just being there is such a thrill.  So I think all this panicky butterfly in the stomach feeling is doing me good.  It is pushing me to achieve my goal of being a  independent craft professional.

Check out my mess.

Studio J® Custom Photo Wells

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.

Purex plus Oxi - The laundry is done

Hello Ladies;

I brought all the laundry home from the trailer so that I would have an ample supply to give Purex with Oxi a fair trial.  My children's contribution to the project included multiple beach towels, swimsuits, s'more encrusted t shirts and muddy shorts.  It was good that my husband decided to show his support as well contributing piles of socks, sweaty shirts and jean shorts.  My family is always happy to pitch in with my projects. Let's see if they are so helpful when the socks need to be paired up.

Personally I was raised with the big orange box of laundry detergent. My Mom used it, my Grandma used it and when I setup my own house guess what I automatically stocked it with.  Even when laundry detergents changed and everything seemed to come in liquid form I still reached for the orange bottle.  That was until I noticed that my foster children were having reactions to the laundry detergent.  We had to switch to an all natural cleaner which became increasingly difficult to afford on one income.  One of the first things that I checked when I opened the bottle was to see if it had a strong perfumey smell.  I knew if it did my review would have to stop right there as both my youngest son and I have asthma and can't handle the strong heavy scents.  Purex with Oxi actually had a lovely light scent that reminds me more of a body wash or shampoo then a detergent.  I poured the blue syrupy detergent into the soap dispenser only to realize in horror that I had not checked to make sure it was HE. I grabbed the bottle and was overjoyed to see the little disclaimer in the corner of the bottle stating that it was safe for all machines including HE. I found my son's orange shorts determined to use them as the test of the detergents effectiveness at removing stains. Then the phone rang.  After hanging up the phone I rushed to the basement to get the load started....oh yah and threw in the shorts.....great.....so much for my before and after shots.  Well I guess at this point it is a matter of trust. I assure you they were thoroughly disgusting.
When the timer went off on the dryer I flew down the stairs to retrieve the results.  I have to say I was impressed.  The shorts actually look really good.  There are three small spots that you can barely see that my son has identified for me as grease from a bicycle chain so the fact that it came 95% out really pleases me.  There was no heavy soap smell left on the clothes and the entire load seemed free of spots (except as I said the 3 spots on kidlet's shorts).
I think that I will switch detergents.  I will give it a three month screening to see if anyone has any skin reactions and if there are any issues and I will do a follow up post. Purex plus Oxi liquid detergent is supposed to be hypoallergenic so I am hopeful.  If you would like to try Purex plus Oxi liquid detergent for yourself please feel free to enter my giveaway for one of four free bottles . Hurry the giveaway is over next week!

* Purex provided me with a sample of Purex plus Oxi detergent in exchange for a product review. However, all of the opinions expressed here are my own.

My First Giveaway

My box of cleaning joy arrived today via Canada Post.  I am so excited to get going with this test but I am heading out the door to go to the trailer and I already had all the laundry done.  Purex sent me a huge bottle of their detergent to try out. I was expecting one of those tiny sample bottles most companies would have sent. Inside the package there were 4 coupons for free bottles of Purex so I decided to share them among you lovelies via rafflecopter.  I will let you all get your entries in to win your own bottle and then hopefully once you have had a chance to try it out we can compare notes.  I better run now. Hubby and the kidlets are getting eager to go.  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Are you interested in free stuff?

I have been chosen to test a new product being released called Purex plus Oxi.  I have had great success using products with Oxi in the past and I am looking forward to seeing how this one will measure up. My ten year old son has presented me with the perfect opportunity.  He has worn his new bright orange shorts all over the camp this summer and they are so stained I have little hope of restoring them to their former state. He has dark mud stains from crawling across the yard looking for worms just after the rain. He has green grass stain from tumbling around in the  park. He has a few large patches that I can't quite identify but I am leaning towards drips from random freezies, icecreams and hot dogs that he has consumed. If this product can clean these babies then I am going to be a fan for life.  I am watching my mailbox for the kit to arrive so I can put it to the test.  If you are interested in trying this product for free then please stay tuned.  The company is sending vouchers for free bottles.  I will have to figure out how to distribute them fairly once I know how many I will get.  I am thinking rafflecopter might do the trick.  They are also  having a  giveaway on their site to launch the product and the buzz is that the grand prize is $500 with 50 second place winners receiving free product. That package better arrive soon....those shorts are not getting any easier to clean!

Enjoy the sunshine.

Tracy

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

Another Amazing Series By Ginger at My Sister's Scrapper

I was home last night and tried to catch up on my YouTube backlog of missed videos and fell in love with Ginger from My Sister's Scrapper's new series of tutorials on her pocket mini.  If you don't follow Ginger you are missing out.  I feel like I am right there in the room with her learning how to make her beautiful creations. Treat yourself and check this out. I think it is a 6 part tutorial.

A New Way To Let Your Creativity Shine

The other day I came across an opportunity for bloggers to review a new line of high end bracelets. I decided to look further into the product and their idea of "customizing" a bracelet. Come on it's a leather bracelet how much customization can occur ( an initial here, a burned in imprint there). Oh no my friends! These folks really let you get into the nitty gritty of the design. For example: Do you prefer a traditional cow leather or would you prefer frogskin? Do you want brown leather or is sapphire blue more to your liking? If you love bracelets and making something one of a kind, this is the place for you. The bracelets are a bit pricey but if you have an upcoming birthday or anniversary it may be a good time to start dropping little hints.

Guess what! There is even a chance to win a FREE bracelet!

Entry-Form

Shebusa Custom Leather Bracelets

The bracelets are made of metal and are merged with precious and luxury leathers such as Ostrich, Alligator, Stingray and snakeskin. For customers who are looking for something more original they offer frogskin or beavertail leather which has an absolutely unique feel.

All of the bracelets are made to order and therefore allows customers to choose the design, the plating and of course the skin with whatever colour they want.

Psssst.....if you use the coupon code MYGRAN you will save 15 %.
That leaves more money in the scrapbooking budget ladies! If you happen to bump into my Hubby over the summer please feel free to let him know I am loving the little green frogskin bracelet.
But hurry it will only work until August 31.

Here we come summer holidays!

My Grandma always used to say "absence makes the heart grow stronger" when I would come home for summer holidays convinced my life was over because I would not be able to see my friends for the WHOLE summer. Well I survived as you may have guessed and now the thought of a summer away camping makes my spirits soar.  I am just floating on air today as I pack up my crafty things (I have my cuttlebug, cricut, beads, paper, adhesive, paints, ribbons, ink pads, stamps) and get ready to head out into the wild yonder(I think i better look to be sure I left room for groceries and the kids!). I consider it wild because I will be without internet for the entire time (minus the times I sneak on with my cell phone to check my facebook). Come on, that would be barbaric not to have facebook for 9 whole weeks.  So I am off tomorrow as soon as my babies get off the bus. I am starting to pack my car tonight.  I will try to upload the odd post over the summer if I am back at the house (gotta have clean clothes sometime) but it will be sporadic at best.  I will be thinking of you all summer and hoping that you are enjoying good friends and good weather somewhere with a lovely view!

If you need me message me on facebook 

https://www.facebook.com/tracy.sagriff

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.

Quote from my other blog that I thought was just too Happy not to share!

 

The Most Fun You Can Have Without Leaving Your Basement

Hello Friends,
I know that I intended to post crafty and family related stuff on this blog on a more..ahem...regular basis, but that is the reality of being a Mommy Blogger right? We are busy doing the Mommy side of it and have little time for the blogging end. That being said I have to share with you one of my new favourite things.  Blog Hops! I just discovered them and I am having a blast meeting new folks with common interests. Today I am part of the Blog Lovin Blog Hop at Happy Kids Inc.

You should try it. Even if you don't have a blog, just start at the beginning (or end if you want to be all wild and crazy) and pop onto each blog link. You will be amazed at the things people blog about! You are bound to find some interesting new blogs to follow.  So though this is neither crafty, homeschool, recipe or family life related I am posting this baby and filing it under Inevitable Ramblings of My Daily Life.  See, I knew that little loophole in the description would pay off someday!

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!




 

Happy Belated Mother's Day

Well if you are like me there was no opportunity for blogging yesterday. The children started off the day by presenting me with some lovely macaroon cookies that were prepared at school. I was so happy to hear that every student in the class had an opportunity to mix and handle the food. Mmmm mmm good. Blessed as I am to have two kidlets in the same grade I received not one but two bags of these tasty treats. Then after delivering flowers and a handmade card to my Mommy we headed off to Napanee Home Hardware...you know the one....the one where Avril Lavigne used to sport the red tee from. Anyway, Hubby bought me a super cute pink toolbox which I am going to glam up with some vintage graphics from Karen Watson "The Graphics Fairy" and a pile of Modge podge. He also bought me a kitchen scale so that I can weigh my paper treasures before attempting to guesstimate the right postage. The children are also buying me flowers for my flower beds but since it was actually snowing yesterday we decided it may be wise to wait a few weeks before purchasing them. What did you do for Mother's Day? Leave a comment or a link so we can see how your day went!

Melody Lane Designs: Give Away

a Rafflecopter giveaway Melody Lane Designs: Give Away: The Huge Give Away is finally here!  I am so EXCITED! This is not the only give away, more to come... a Rafflecopter giveaway...

I want to win this!!!!!

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!

So simple a child could do it!

Hello all.  I just had to share some cute pictures of Monkey making Mrs. MacRae's Marevelous Muffins yesterday.  They turned out just perfect.  I did notice that there were far fewer chocolate chips in the actual muffins than in the cup I had measured with. Go figure.  In case you missed the recipe you can find it right here
Mrs. MacRae's Marvelous Muffins

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.

Injoystampin Card Challenge

Go to check out this cute birthday card challenge. I want to make a card and send it just because I think it would be amazing to receive hundreds of cards in the mail!

Gooey Cheesy Goodness

Ok, let's face it I am no health nut. In fact I am not even close.  I admire those of you that can relish the flavour of fruit and vegetable faire but its just not me.  I am the comfort food type girl (as witnessed by my rapidly increasing skirt size.  I think it comes down to you just have to know who you are and who you are not.  I repeat, I am not a health nut.  So that being said I want to share with you one of the most fatty, non-healthy recipes I possess.  It was given to me from a man I used to work with, though I am suspecting perhaps his wife made it and he just arrived with it and accepted the compliments.   This was his potluck hit at every social event we attended.  I finally got the recipe from him just before he transferred to a new position where he was not longer going to be attending the same potlucks as me.  He passed away a couple years ago and I think he would be ok with my sharing it with just my closest friends like you:)  Please enjoy this oh so yummy dish but remember if you are attending the same potlucks as me....bring another dish as this is my all time favourite.

Ted's Tasty 4 Cheese Shells

Whizzpoppers?

I just finished tucking my munchkins in for the night and I am still puzzled by the allure of body humour to boys.  My children are on a Roald Dahl kick right now.  I know its a bit foolish but if it keeps them interested then I am going to keep running with it.  We are currently reading The BFG and we just completed the chapter with the WHIZZPOPPERS! Only upon reading this story can you truly  appreciate the masterful use of imagery for this particular subject.  Monkey was literally snorting with glee each time I said the word.  Princess, trying hard to pretend that the subject was beneath her dignity could barely contain herself as the chapter progressed.  What is it about body humour that boys find so absolutely hilarious.  The infectious laughter of my son could coax even the most prudish of Moms into a guilty bout of giggles. If you want a truly heartwarming silly adventure with your children, though it is a bit of a tongue twister with all the gibberish words, I highly advise reading the BFG.  We just finished Witches last week and we read the The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me (which admittedly I did not like at all).  The children were begging me each night to read just one more chapter (which I did) but I had to limit it to two or they would have eagerly stayed awake all night hearing the story.  Chapter books are such a great way to wind down the day and also to build anticipation for hearing how the story progresses.  What are your family's favourite chapter books?

Life's Little Moments

Well I just had to share a cute family moment from our brunch this morning.  Our little man is one of those nibbler sort of eaters and he is always the first to be excused from the table.  This morning he took advantage  of his captive audience by entertaining us with his magic skills. OK so he is 4 this week so you can imagine.  He had a makeshift wand constructed of Kinnex and one by one he was changing our family members into various animals and characters.  I was of course immediately turned into an Alligator. The Princess herself was turned into a frog,  Monkey was turned back and forth between a Alligator and a Frog.  When he came to my husband he paused thinking carefully and said "Make Daddy a King". My husband who is usually not as active in our imaginary play did not miss a beat and replied "Thank you, Thank you very much" in his most Elvis like voice. I killed myself laughing, partly because of the voice and partly because I knew the kids had no idea what the reference was to.  The kids were beside themselves laughing because we were laughing, and Tiger was so proud of himself for causing the entire thing.  An ordinary family moment became magic.  A memory that will be stored in all our hearts for a long time.  What ordinary magic is going on in your house today?

Mrs McRae's Marvelous Muffins

Here is a link to my friends amazing banana muffin recipe.  It is so easy and so good you just have to try it.

https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3942318595151040919#editor/target=page;pageID=7058712507011089902

A Freebie For You

Here is a link to my tear bear pattern enjoy:)
http://mygrandmasteacups.blogspot.ca/p/crafty-ideas.html

A Birthday Card for Cody

Good afternoon ladies.  I made a quick tutorial for a card that I made for my Godson Cody.  It is just a really quick video (again don't mind the messy backdrop, its on my to-do-list.) Tear Bears are allot of fun to make and my kids just love them.  My husband even wants me to make him a panda bear. (I think he thinks they are cool ever since Jack Black voiced Kung Fu Panda,) Papercrafting is an excellent way to teach children the importance of measuring and being able to work with mixed fractions. My daughter hates math, but she will gladly sit and work out the dimensions she needs for a paper project she is working on. The idea is to find fun ways to engage the children in their learning.  What can you make with your child today to reinforce math concepts? Post your ideas and links.