Guest Designer At Scrapbook And Cards Today Magazine

Hello friends! Today I am very honored to be a guest designer on the Scrapbook And Cards Today Magazine Blog using the November Freebie Digital Cut File designed by the amazingly talented Nicole Nowosad.

I decided to create a Halloween layout of my friend's two little cuties.

To explain my design process, I cut the cut file on a 12 X 12 piece of black card stock with my Silhouette Cameo, turned it over onto the backside and backed the design with some patterned papers from the Crate Paper After Dark Collection.  Then, I adhered it to a white 12X12 card stock background that I first watercolored with some Tim Holtz Dried Marigold Distress Ink.  To embellish the layout, I glued some adorable bat sequins, orange sequins and star sequins that are also from the After Dark Collection, and placed them randomly around the page.  To complete the layout, I splattered with some Liquitex Black India Ink, let it dry and then added three  flair buttons from A Flair For Buttons.  To make the flair buttons pop and to give them more interest and texture, I wrapped the flair buttons with orange sewing thread.

Here are more layout closeups:

 

Here is the Scrapbook And Cards Today Magazine November 2015 Freebie Cut File

Scrapbook And Cards Today November 2015 Freebie Digital Cut File

Thanks for stopping by and hope you have a great day!

My Blog Has A New Look!

Hello friends! I have a second post for today. I wanted to share that I got my blog redesigned. Kristine Davidson took the digital kit below that I selected by Melissa Bennett and worked her magic.

It has been three years since I have had a blog redo and I thought it was time for a fresh new look.  I also changed the format from a three column blog to a two column blog with tabs for my resume', gallery and design team experience.  I love the new look and I wanted to thank Kristine for doing this for me.

Thanks for stopping by!

75,000 Views!

Happy Friday!  Those of you that are my American friends, Happy Independence Day!

I wanted to thank you all that follow my blog that I am grateful for every one of you.  I love to share my passions and put a lot of time into my blog.  It means so much to me that you all would take the time out of your busy schedules to come and visit.  I am also grateful for all the sweet comments that you write.

I have been blogging for about two and a half years now and love it!  The past year has been especially amazing.  I went from 35,000 views to 75,000 views.  Thank you so much!

Have a great day and again, thank you for stopping by!

Liebster Blog Award

Lori from Inkinglyyours was so kind and nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award! If you haven't seen her blog you should go check her out!  Thanks Lori...I am so honored you thought of me!

Here are the rules of the nomination:

1. Be sure to thank the blog that nominated you and be sure to link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions that the blogger asked you.
3. Nominate 11 of your favourite blogs with under 500 followers and ask your own 11 questions.
4. Make sure to let each blogger know about your Liebster Blog nomination on their blog (leave a comment and link back to your Liebster Blog post).

Here are my 11 questions that Lori asked me:

1. What made you decide to start crafting? My grandmother taught me to knit and I loved it and then created ceramics as a teenager and then I cross-stitched in my 20's and 30's and then took up scrapbooking in my 40's and now that is mostly what I do.

2. Where is your #1 place to purchase crafty supplies? My local scrapbook store 

3. Do you prefer rubber/clear stamping or digi stamping? I am not a big stamper but when I do, it's usually texture stamps for mixed media layouts and canvases.

4. How long have you been a paper crafter?  I started paper crafting in 2001.

5. How many design teams are you on? I am on five at the moment.

6. What's your favorite holiday?  Easter

7. What would you say your crafting "style" is? CAS? Layers? I would say it is eclectic or whatever my photo takes me.

8. What's your favorite source for crafty ideas? Magazines? Online sources? Pinterest

9. What do you use for coloring your images? I am not really one to color images but if I do, I like to use watercolors or "paint" with sprays.

10. What size cards do you typically make? The standard size

11. Are you a scrapbooker, stamper or both?  I am mostly a scrapbooker and do layouts and mixed media.

Here are 11 of my favourite blogs that I have chosen to nominate for the Liebster Award: 

Cathy Harper Scrap Playground

Christine Freet Meyer Scrapping With Christine

Krissy Clark McKee These Boots Were Made For Blogging

Marcia Dehn-Nix One Scrap At A Time

Kelly Guzlas Kelster Jean

Lisa Peeples Snappin' And Scrappin'

Sherri Funk Growing Up In: Faith, Love And Scrappyness

Laura Whitaker Scrappin Around The Clock

Michelle Gallant Scraps And Pixels

Christa Uttley Do What You Love

Cathryn Hanson Cat Scrap Creations

Finally - here are my 11 questions:

1. What made you decide to start crafting?

2. Do you prefer crops or to create alone?

3. Where do you create?

4. How long have you been a paper crafter?

5. How many design teams are you on?

6. What's your favorite holiday?

7. What would you say your crafting "style" is?  Layers? 

8. What's your favorite source for crafty ideas? Magazines? Online sources?

9. What is your favorite scrapbooking trend?

10. Do you prefer to use sketches or other challenges to create?

11. Are you a scrapbooker, card maker or both?

Here is a link  to some info on the award if you are new to blogging and aren't sure what it is all about! Have a great day!

50,000 Views Giveaway

50,000 Views!!!!

Hello friends!  I hope you are having a fantastic weekend.  Today I wanted to let you know of a special milestone.  My blog will soon have 50,000 views and I'm pretty excited about that so I thought it would be a great idea to have you celebrate it with me.

I am offering a nice little prize from my friends at Paper Issues.

If you haven't shopped at Paper Issues, now is your time because it's amazing!  So here are the details:

1.  Become a follower of my blog
2.  Comment on this post by telling me what you would buy at Paper Issues if you win
3.  Please make sure you add your email or blog link so I can contact you.

This will be a random draw.  As soon as my blog reaches 50,000 views, I will do the draw.

Thank you and good luck to all!

My Blog Has A New Look!

Hello friends!

So excited to share my new makeover for my blog.    I love everything beachy, nautical and vintage and thought this design was very calming.  The digital kit is from Laurie Ann.  I love it and it makes me smile.

There are a few new items that I have added to my blog.  My scrapbooking resume',  some social media buttons and a blog counter.

Thanks so much Kristine Davidson for putting it all together!  I love it!

Thanks for stopping by to check it out.  Have a wonderful evening everyone!

Some Exciting News To Share!!!

I have some exciting news to share and it totally surprised me.

Every morning,  I read the Calgary Herald Online Edition, which is my hometown newspaper.  The city of Calgary has a population of over a million people and you can understand how flattered and honoured I was  to read  today's edition, when I saw my blog listed under "Calgary Top Bloggers".  It is categorized under "Calgary Lifestyle Blogs"  You can see it here.  It is listed under "Calgary Lifestyle Blogs" as Love The Journey.

Wowsers! This really made my day as I spend a lot of time with my blog and thoroughly enjoy blogging, but had no idea about this.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you stop by often as I plan on blogging a lot in 2013.  Have a good night!

A Little Bit Of Me

I read Kristine Davidson's blog this morning and it inspired me to write this and create a layout of it later.

Age: 51

Height and Weight: 5' 7"  My weight is a work in progress, struggled with it for 13 years since I had my youngest son and my thyroid gave out.  I go to Weight Watchers but get bored with it.  I find it hard to accept my large body when I have always been a slim person most of my life and can't seem to stick with the program for life.  I love cooking, baking and eating too much! LOL.

Married: yes, 13 years to my best friend Rick

Children: 3 children 27, 25 and 13 years old - Two older are married.  My 27 year old son is a power engineer in the oil and gas industry and my 25 year old daughter is a nurse at a rural hospital and my 13 year old is a grade 8 student who would rather be designing video games. LOL.

Favorite color: Blue of any shade.  I love turquoise especially

Drinking: Coffee with a splash of skim milk

Working on: design team assignments for Sketches In Thyme, Scrapbook Challenges and Scrap It With A Song

Talking to: nobody ... I'm just sitting in the kitchen on my laptop reading some blogs and getting ideas for my next layout enjoying the peace and quiet.

Favorite book: I haven't read a book in years.  Somehow the computer has taken over my life and I read online magazines and articles.

Wanting: My family to be together for Christmas, but it hasn't happened for a long time because my husband and two older children work shift work and are working Christmas this year.

Eating: eggs and whole wheat toast for breakfast

Thinking about: what a wonderful time I had in Hawaii and all the new friendships created.  Enjoyed my telephone conversation with my girlfriend in Ontario last night.

Excited about: my two layouts that are getting published in Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine in the 2013 Spring issue.  It's my first time being published in a printed publication!!!

Favorite Movie: Somewhere In Time.  It is an older movie with Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve.  What a beautiful love story.

Worried about: my husband driving Highway 63 to work, my parents aging, my family's health.

Might try: taking some online courses in Photoshop and digital scrapbooking in 2013.

Waiting for: an idea for a layout.

Listening to: the refrigerator humming and the sound of the clock ticking in my kitchen.

Driving: 2012 Mercedes Benz ML350 (Thanks to my hubby who totally spoils me.  I don't deserve it and would be happy driving anything that is reliable)

Last movie you saw by yourself: I don't know.

Wearing: my trusted blue cotton nightgown LOL.

Lovin: my Silhouette Cameo

Tattoos YES or NO? No, not for me although I can appreciate how artistic they are.

Happy to be: able to stay at home with my family and create layouts and photographs, which is my passion.

Favorite Song right now: Today I'm Gonna Try And Change The World by Johnny Reid

http://youtu.be/-mM3QaKaBAM

Favorite TV shows: I can't say I really watch much TV.  When I do turn it on I usually watch the news, which I watch in small doses because it's too depressing.  I also love a good travel documentary or a documentary on animals and nature.

Canon or Nikon girl: Canon 7D.  I like Nikon too but have a Canon because I have more than one Canon lens so I stay with Canon.  My motto is the photographer makes the picture and the camera is the tool.  I have seen some beautiful photos taken with a mobile device and a point and shoot too.

Ready for: getting ready to take on the day

Toes painted or natural: bright green with painted flowers.  It was a pedicure I got for my trip to Hawaii

Not ready for: Christmas, it has me feeling blue.  Christmas does that to me but I try to make it good for my son and husband.  I need to get my butt in gear and get busy with shopping, wrapping, decorating and planning.  I'm going to keep it simple this year.  It will be my husband, youngest son and my parents celebrating it this year.

That's me at the moment.

10,000 Views!

Hi everyone!  Hope you are all enjoying your Saturday.

I have some great news to share.  Today is a milestone on my blog.  It has reached 10,000 views!  Thank you everybody for joining me in this blogging journey.  It has been quite the journey so far.  I hope you enjoy my little piece of the blogging world of scrapbooking.

I started my blog about a year ago and it has gone from a few views per week to about 500 views per week just in the past three months.  Wow!  I am so honoured!  Blogging is my little contribution to the creative world of scrapbooking and other creative things that I love such as photography, mixed media, art journaling and cooking and baking.  It has helped me to inspire and reach out to other people who are passionate about being creative.

I really appreciate everyone that views my blog and leaves comments and I always enjoy making new friends who share the same love about being creative.

Thanks again for stopping by.  It would be awesome if you would subscribe to my blog and I would be more than happy to follow your blog too.

Have a great day!