Meaningful Mondays

[via Pinterest]

This seemed appropriate.  I've always been a believer in Fate, that everything happens for a reason.

And it's been hard sometimes.  Like when my 22-year-old cousin took her own life.  Or when my mum, who never smoked a day in her life and at age 74, walked for an hour every morning and did Aquafit, died of lung cancer.  Or my husband had a heart attack at the age 42.

It's been really hard.

But... 'nobody said that it'd be easy, they just promised it would be worth it.'

Seven Sunday Blessings

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Another week full of blessings...

This week, I am thankful for:

1.  Connor.  He has been such a big help since Gary's been ill - doing the heavy lifting, helping with dinner and tidying up, reaching items on the top shelf (yes, he's only 12... as if I didn't have issues with my height already).  So blessed to have a kind, thoughtful kid...

2.  Aili.  Her infectious laugh brightened my spirits this week, when things were beginning to overwhelm me.  Although she challenges me in some things and can drive her brother mad, she certainly brings joy and love to our home.

3.  Fellow employees.  Their hugs, concerned inquiries and even offers to prepare frozen meals have brought tears to my eyes more than once this week.  

4.  Swim camp.  For making me get up at 6am every morning this week, to drive Connor into town.  No, really.  Thank you.  I got more done from 7:40am to 11:15am each day than I do during a normal workday.  Twenty-one days to make a habit - can should I continue the trend?!?

5.  Value Village.  Found the perfect frame (exactly like this one, but in this colour) for my studio - now to check out Pinterest for some ideas... ribbon board?  cork board?  chalkboard?  Oh, the possibilities!

6.  The Olympics.  For re-fueling Connor's drive to push himself in his sport.  For re-kindling Canadians' patriotism across this great land.  For incredible pyrotechnics, choreography, music (Mike Oldfield and the whole "Frankie & June say 'Thanks, Tim'" section) and Mr. Bean in the opening ceremonies.  For Ryan Lochte in a swimsuit...  Oops - outside voice!

7.  Ice cream.  It really does make everything better - especially peanut butter chocolate ice cream.

What are YOU thankful for this week?

P.S.  Go, Canada!  And congratulations to Ryan....  :)

Flirty Fridays

Supposedly in the running for Christian in the movie based on the Fifty Shades trilogy... Damn cute, but I dunno - does he remind anyone else of a young Rob Lowe (before all the terrible plastic surgery?!?)

It's a Sketchy Challenge - July

You may remember me sharing our exciting news that Canadian Scrapbooker's It's a Sketchy Challenge gallery was online and ready for your uploads, right?

Well, I posted the fantastic July sketch by Jill Sarginson on July 1st.  Well, actually I uploaded in mid-June but I didn't make it live until the 3rd... that's what happens where there's a holiday and your birthday at the beginning of the month! :s

So every since I saw this sketch, I've been itching to scrap!  That's true inspiration!  Last weekend, Holly came down with her kids and her cousin, Sharon, to go to a drum corps show in Ohio on Wednesday.  We spent some time in my studio on Friday but I couldn't get anything together and with everything that happened that weekend, we didn't spend much time in the studio...

So I spent a little therapeutic time in my studio this past weekend.  Good for the soul, it is... but as inspired as I was by Jill's sketch, I just couldn't get this layout to work.  There's something missing, I think, but I don't know what.  I finally just stuck it all down and called it a day.

Here's the July Sketch:

And here's my layout:

Supplies used:  Bazzill Basics cardstock; Fancy Pants patterned paper, stickers and journal card; American Crafts and Lily Bee alpha stickers; Martha Stewart Crafts and EK Success punches; Spellbinders Nestabilities dies (Standard Circles Small, Labels Sixteen); American Crafts Slick Writer; Gel-a-tins rhinestones; unknown buttons.

Blech.

Not sure what's wrong with it.  Maybe the black vine is too long?  Or I need something else sticking out?  Too busy?  I dunno...

Or maybe it's the placement of the journaling?  Too close to the cluster?

I think the only thing I'm crazy about in this layout is the photo - and the title:

Argh - this is what happens when you don't scrapbook often enough!  Going to have to make a point of sitting down in my studio more often...

Cheers,

Meaningful Monday

Back in June, I introduced Meaningful Mondays.  And then promptly forgot about them!

Each Monday, I'll share a quick quote, piece of art, photo, etc... of something meaningful to me.  To celebrate life, because we only live once.

Unless you believe in reincarnation... in which case, never mind! :)

Here's today's quote:

[source]

I've said it before and I'll say it again:  There are no mistakes - only happy accidents!
Cheers,

A Winner!

I can't believe I forgot to announce a winner for the spring issue of Canadian Scrapbooker!!

Well, actually, with my crazy schedule and everything that's happened, I am not really surprised... :s

At any rate, without further ado, here is the winner!!

List Randomizer

There were 4 items in your list. Here they are in random order:

1. Kimberly June 17, 2012 12:59 PM Iceman: You can be my wingman any time. Maverick: Bullshit! You can be mine.
2. Lee-Anne June 16, 2012 3:51 PM Goose: Great balls of fire!
3. Lisanne Côté June 16, 2012 4:32 PM Maverick: That son of a bitch cut me off !
4. Lisa Spiege lJune 17, 2012 1:20 AM You don't have time to think up there. If you think, you're dead.

Timestamp: 2012-07-22 05:48:45 UTC

Congratulations, Kimberly!! Sorry for the delay - I'll add a little something to your package to make up for it! :)  Please email me at sue{AT}canadianscrapbooker{DOT}ca with your full name and mailing address and I'll pop it in the mail at once!

Seven Sunday Blessings

"Blessed" in Kanji [source]

With my limited posting this year, I've gotten away from my weekly Seven Sunday Blessings.  Now, more than ever, I feel the need to express my gratitude for all with which we are blessed...

This week, I am grateful:

1.  To Dr. J, our family GP, for being so thorough and sending Gary for the initial blood tests which started the ball rolling on his diagnosis.

2.  To Dr. N, the ER doctor, who acted so quickly and efficiently in getting Gary the help he needed.  Diagnosis, confirmation with colleague, paperwork completion for border crossing and transfer to Henry Ford Hospital and orchestration of medical staff to complete aforementioned transfer -> all in a matter of an hour.

3.  For my friend, Holly, without whom I would have been a complete wreck, worrying about what to do with the kids.  You were my lifeline in a storm and I'm forever grateful.

4.  For our neighbours, for their generous offers of help and support.  Your friendship is one of the reasons we love our home so much.

5.  For all of our family and friends who have sent messages, prayers, emails, cards, packages, wall posts and/or who have called.  The reactions to our news were overwhelming (in a great way) and to learn that we have such a wide network of support has brought tears to our eyes, more than once.  We love you all, too!!

6.  For my father-in-law, Ed, who packed a bag and drove down as soon as I got a hold of him.  He has helped in so many ways this week, from driving Aili to camp, to picking up groceries when needed.  Don't know what we would have done this week without your help - thank you!!

7.  To God for letting me keep my best friend for a while longer.  Thank you for the big wake-up call - we are listening and will make changes to live the life that You have intended for us.

What are YOU thankful for this week?

Bundle of Pink

I found this card the other day that I completed while working on the SWAK article for the Fall 2012 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker and realized that I haven't shared it yet.

Supplies: Core'dinations and Bazzill cardstock; Glitz Designs patterned papers and sticker; Martha Stewart Crafts punch; Sizzix embossing folder; vintage lace.

This one came together quite easily - the hardest bit was sewing the lace on straight! :)  I love the subtle effect of the embossed backgrounds - must get me some more of these folders!!

Coincidentally, one of my former Just Cre8 design team members, wonderful friend and talented designer, Melanie Blackburn, recently gave birth to her third child!  Mel had a beautiful girl, Alexia Rose, on July 16th and added to her gorgeous family.  Congratulations to you all!!  *muah*

Cheers,

Flirty Fridays: 2012.07.19

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Update on Gary

I've received so many messages and wall posts from concerned friends and family about Gary.  Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers!

I will leave the entire tale for Gary to tell in his own words, once he's home, but will provide updates as we go, to let everyone know how he's doing.  If this is your first visit here and you're wondering what's going on, you can read more about it here.

During the night last night, Gary spiked a fever.  He's still feeling very fatigued but his cardiologist is happy with his progress so far.  They've managed to find the right dosage for the Heparin to keep his blood thin enough to avoid any more clots and his blood pressure is staying nice and low (which helps the heart to heal).

Because of the fever, they sent him down for chest X-rays.  He had developed a slight cough a few days ago, which they said was due to fluid in the lungs from the trauma to the heart.  Now when I hear fluid to the lungs and coughing, I automatically think, "pneumonia".  But no one seemed overly concerned.

Until the presence of the fever.

And guess what?  He has a slight case of pneumonia.  Go figure.  Ironically, Gary always teases me about going through post-secondary education for seven years, and that I should be a doctor by now...  They are starting him on a round of antibiotics to nip it in the bud right away.

And thankfully, we have FINALLY managed to get the gastroenterologist to look into his GI issues!  He was reluctant to do so, because as Sandy, the Cardiac Educator, always says: "That's why I love cardio - the heart trumps everything!"  But his cardiologist has given the go ahead so the gastroenterologist has ordered a GI X-ray for tomorrow so hopefully we will have answers to that soon after, because really, that's the only thing that is causing Gary any pain right now!

So there's where we are now... thanks again for your thoughts and prayers!  We are looking forward to being home together again and will take all the help we can get to get there!

Hugs,

Scariest. Day. Ever.

That was my Saturday.

At the young age of 42, my husband, Gary, suffered a heart attack.

Just typing that sentence seems unreal.

It's a long story, which I will share eventually, but for now, I will let our friends and family know that he was immediately rushed to Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, MI, on Saturday, where they performed coronary angioplasty.  He stayed overnight and was transferred to Windsor Regional Hospital - Met Campus tonight, where he'll stay for a few days.

He's doing well, but is still having the severe gastrointestinal pain that originally brought us to the ER in the first place.  So, hopefully they can resolve that while he's in there, too.

I have to give a big THANK YOU to my beautiful friend, Holly, who traveled down this weekend for a drum corps show and a visit and ended up watching my kids and keeping me sane.  I *heart* you, lady!!

I will keep you all updated on Gary's progress.  And please, learn the symptoms of a heart attack -  chances of survival are greatly increased if you get treatment right away.

Cheers,

Inspiration Elevator - Challenge 3

Welcome to our third Inspiration Elevator challenge!

You may recall from last month's challenge that the purpose of this challenge group was to take our scrapbooking to the next level, to stretch our creative process and to grow as artists by embracing challenges that make us think, work and grow. 

This month, our challenger was the very talented Audrey Yeager.  Audrey noticed (as you may have, too) that all but one of our members is a single page designer, meaning that our default design is a single 12x12 design!  The exception is Carolyn Wolff; her go-to style is a double page format and so the challenge will be a bit different for her.  That's why we love IE... so many styles and we all approach it differently!  In fact, we have invited a valued guest designer to join us this month; her name is Scarlett Salamone

Here's a bit of what Audrey had to say in her challenge this month. She even gives us a few tips and a link to a great blog for inspiration!

I take a lot of photos.  Right now, I have been using 2 or 3 smaller photos on my layouts.  But truth is, I have a lot of events where I would like to include a lot of photos on a larger spread so that you can see the details in the photos to.  So I print out the photos with the intention of putting them on a 2-page spread... but  I just can’t get it.  I feel like I have a certain style, yet when  I sit down to create a 2 pager, it feels nothing like “me”.

SOOOO, your next challenge is to create a double page layout. And I don’t mean just any double page. I want you to really think about your style and your design practices for single pagers (the first assignment helped us define our style, so think about those elements). Then take those ideas and try to apply them to a double pager.

Here are some ideas:

• Start by thinking of your canvas as a 12x24” size. Before you even print photos or pick papers, try to envision (or sketch out) a design that feels like “you”.

• Once you have a basic design, think about the techniques that you love and where/how you will incorporate them on your page.

• Choose products that you would use for a single page layout. If you use white cardstock as a base a lot of time, then use it on your double page. If you mostly use patterned paper, then use that. And if you don’t have 2 of the same sheets of patterned paper for your background, I REALLY challenge you to use 2 different 12x12 sheets for the base of your spread! Kim Watson does a superb job of using 2 different sheets for her backgrounds. If you have CK magazine, look at some of her pages or check out her blog.

Another way to approach this, (which I personally want to experiment with more), is to create 2 single pagers, but use the same papers in the same ratios. The papers and the photos will help tie your design together.

You might do this challenge and not be happy with your first result, so I challenge you to KEEP TRYING! Do a second double page layout and try to learn from your “mistakes” on the first one. Also, if you typically DO create 2 pagers, then apply the same ideas to a single page spread instead.

As we create this month, if you have thoughts about your process or are struggling, OR you are loving what you are creating, share some of your ideas with us!!!

I can’t wait to see what you create!

Well, when I first read Audrey's challenge, I was excited!  That is, until I sat down with my supplies and tried to complete this challenge.

That's when the cursing began.

I haven't completed a two page layout in at least 4 years and probably only that one in the last 7  years.  My style is usually one enlarged photo on a 12x12 layout.  So this challenge initially scared me and then piqued my interest.  I have an overwhelming number of photos and it makes sense to try to use more than one per page, especially if the goal is to get caught up.

Oops!  Sorry - just fell off my chair from laughing too hard.

At any rate, I found some photos and plugged away at this challenge.  And you know what?  In the end, I LOVE my layout.  While its' minimalistic design is not similar to my current designs, this challenge really helped me to achieve my constant goal of focusing on the photos and the story.

Here's my layout:

Supplies used:  Bazzill and DieCuts With a View cardstock; Fancy Pants & Scenic Route patterned papers; EK Success punches; My Favorite Things Dienamics die; Basic Grey and Lily Bee alpha stickers; Just Cre8 alpha stamps; Tsukineko and Tim Holtz Distress inks; Sakura Pigma Micron Pen; Fiskars foam adhesive.  Photos by Gary Sykes.

Here are the pages, separately:

I added a matte to my favourite photo of the bunch and used dimensional foam adhesive, creating a focal point on page 2.  I also tilted it for some visual interest.

I'd like to say that the title was a calculated effort, but the truth of the matter is that I didn't have enough P's for the title in the letters I wanted to use, but I did have one in a co-ordinating colour.

 I love the look - and I stand by my claim that there are NO mistakes - only happy accidents! :)

Speaking of love, I LOVE this Dienamics die from My Favorite Things.  I think it cooordinates with one of their stamp sets, but it's the perfect size for little titles on a page!  And those Lily Bee alphas... SWOON!  Perfect size, but MAN! There were a right B!%&H to get straight... :)

Thanks, Audrey, for the challenge!  I hope you will stop by and see what the designers on this adventure have created:

Audrey Yeager 

Lisa Moen 

Laurel Seabrook

Cathy Harper

Sue Sykes

Lisa Spiegel

Joanne Burton

Ann Jobes

Christa Uttley

Laura Whitaker 

Scarlett Salamone -> July Guest Designer

Cheers,


If you decide to play along, leave a link to share your design - we'd love to see what you create!

Flirty Fridays

Before we get to the goods, let me just say that I can't believe it's been over a week since I last posted.  Truth be told, I've worked on three or four blog posts so I think I thought that I was posting more.

Silly me must have forgot that they are all scheduled posts (a few as far as September!) so I was surprised to see no news posts around here...  Moving on.

Fridays are a time to celebrate - the work week is over and the weekend is here!  And what better way to celebrate than with a little eye-candy...

[source]

This wallpaper made me laugh - love the caption.

Have you seen this movie yet?  What did you think?  I'm hoping to go see it next weekend with some friends - I can't imagine why Gary doesn't want to go...? :D

Happy Friday!  I'm scrapping tonight with my friend, Holly, so hopefully I'll have something to share tomorrow - and don't forget to check back for the Inspiration Elevator July Challenge on the 15th!

A Weekend of Celebration

Another birthday for Canada and me this weekend.

Although she's 100 years older than I am.  So that makes me feel a little bit better...

Know what else makes me feel pretty good?

THIS:

[source]

It's official - I have left the dark side Blackberry world and have become a Apple-ite.  Not a far stretch, since we already have an iMac, MacBookPro, 2 iPods and an iPad2.  So we're long-time converts from PC.

Needless to say, I love my little toy.  There's a bit of a learning curve, but nothing that some playing around won't fix!  We picked it up on Saturday morning and just like my Blackberry before, it has not left my side for long.

My favourite app so far has to be Instagram.  Love taking quick snaps with a quality camera on my phone.  Although, I fear I may never bring my new D300S anywhere anymore, except for actual photo shoots! :(  The quality, of course, doesn't compare, but you know what they say... the best camera is the one that's with you!  Now I just have to figure out how to view them from the web so I can share them here...

For Canada Day, we headed to my sister's place for a BBQ, some swimming and fireworks, later on.  And of course, dessert!  Raspberry shortcake and birthday cake.  No, I didn't make my own cupcakes...

Not for lack of trying on Gary's part, of course. :)

Happy Canada Day, to my Canadian friends and family - and Happy Fourth of July this week to our American friends and family!