Some More Summer Layouts

Finding time to scrapbook these days is getting to be a challenge with my new job and all the other responsibilities.  It has taken a big bite out my creativity, but I am determined to keep on trying to find the balance.  The last thing I want to happen is to lose my passion for this wonderful art of scrapbooking.  I think I am going to have to evaluate what makes me happy and what is important to me.  Time is such a precious thing and I can not rush my creativity.  It needs to flow and when I get too busy it tends to go away.  Today, I wanted to scrapbook, no matter what else came up.  Sometimes a person has to make the time for what they love and enjoy.  I definitely am in a rut with my layouts, but I wanted to focus more on the photos in these layouts.  I enjoy photography about as much as I enjoy scrapbooking.  They are both things that a person can never stop learning and practicing.

My summer vacation was spent this year in Osoyoos, B.C. Canada.  It is such a great place to unwind.  I love low light photography and we had the perfect place to stay.  It was on the third floor and it overlooked Osoyoos Lake.  I waited until dark and snuck out with my tripod and my 70-200 mm lens to capture the night lights.

I really like the way the lights reflected on the lake in this photo, but I am not too sure what I think of this layout, but it is done and that is that.

One day we went to the Osoyoos Waterslides and Clayton had a blast.  I captured this photo with my Iphone 4.  It isn't the best quality, but I liked that he put his thumbs up when he was coming off of the slide.  It was just at the right moment.  In the layout, I used bright, summer colors and papers from Bo Bunny.

Hope you find time to do what you enjoy today! Have a wonderful day!

Rose Colored Glasses....

Today on Facebook, I came across these colored jars that a person can make themselves.  Carolyn shows how you can color glass jars with Modge Podge and food coloring.  What an awesome idea!

It brings me back to my childhood when my grandma would have me over for little "tea parties".  She would take out her rose colored goblets and fill them with milk or juice along with her baked cookies or delicious brownies.  I can't wait to try these!  Thanks Carolyn for the inspiration!

So Excited!!!

Tonight, at the local scrapbook store that I am employed at, we are having some amazing, talented ladies coming to share their talents with us.  Ingvild Bolme, an extremely talented artist from Norway, will be teaching two classes in our store.  Tonight it is a layout class and tomorrow night is a mini album class.  Trisha Ladouceur, another extremely talented artist from Canada, will also be there doing some make and takes with the customers.  Prima, I love your products!  If you are in the Calgary area, please be sure and stop by.

Oh I love my job!!!

Summer Vacation 2011

For  the past three years we have enjoyed our vacations in the Okanagan.  We enjoy the hot, dry weather, the beautiful lakes, the orchards where we like to pick fresh fruit such as cherries and peaches, the vineyards and the laid back lifestyle.

We usually  rent a villa or townhome every year and stay in Osoyoos, which is the most southern part of the Okanagan Valley.  Here is is the only desert in Canada and there are certain types of plants that only grow here that don't grow in other parts of Canada.  We are usually guaranteed to have nice weather.  Here is a photo from our balcony in the late evening:

It is time to go out and spend the day on the air mattresses on the lake and watch the clouds roll by.  More photos to follow.  Have a wonderful day!

Rock On...

Sometimes I love to totally let go with my layouts and let the creativity flow.  This layout is a perfect example of letting it flow.  I love when I get this mojo.  It doesn't happen all the time but I look at this photo of my son and it makes me smile.  He bought a fedora in the Dominican Republic last year and he went through a phase where he had to wear it everywhere.  We were in vacation with my brother and his family last year in Osoyoos and he wore it there too.  Doesn't the shades just complete the look?

Smash Journal Craze

I'm sure there are a lot of scrapbookers out there that have some sort of a journal that they put pics and ideas in.

Smash Journals by K and Company are taking the world by storm.  I suppose you could say they are like Pinterest where there are lots of artsy ideas but you get to put them in a journal for your own safekeeping.  I found this video on YouTube and it explains the Smash Journals:


http://youtu.be/_PFsArr4Z1s

Or check out the blog:

http://www.smashstoriesblog.com/2011/02/whole-sheboygan.html


Now to go and get one.  That's if a person can find one.  Have a smashing day!

More Bright Summer Layouts

These days I am on a kick to scrapbook bright colored layouts.  These are both from our summer vacation last year in Osoyoos, B.C.

 10 Things I Love About Summer  - "Sweet Summertime" by Little Yellow Bicycle

I love how Little Yellow Bicycle have these pockets with little tickets.  I wrote on each ticket one thing that I love about summer.  They are:

1. sleeping in
2. lazy days
3. sundresses
4. vacation
5. the beach
6. fruit stands
7. fresh fruit
8. coffee on the deck
9. ice cream
10. barbeques

I took out the sewing machine this week and although the stitching is perfectly imperfect, it will have to do.  I just think it gives these layouts a little more pizzaz.  

Summer Fun - "Popsicle" by Bo Bunny Press

Buttons are something that I love to embellish layouts with and I am also loving the new colored twine.   I hope I have inspired you to scrapbook your summer photos.  Have a great night!

Sweet Summertime

Little Yellow Bicycle has a fun, bright summery collection called Sweet Summertime.  It is chock full of vibrant colors that scream summer.

It's been a while since I have stitched on my layouts so I pulled out my ancient sewing machine today and stitched on my layout.  I cut out some lemons and stitched a banner to make it look like the rays of the sun.  The chipboard elements are great for embellishing the layout.

As a scrapbooker that tends to scrapbook seasonally, I thought it would be good to scrap this during the summer.  I am happy with the results.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.

Canada Rocks!

Today is Canada Day and I am so proud to be a Canadian.  I love everything about my country and I feel so blessed to live in such a beautiful, free country.

Rail Car

Store Window For Canada Day

Tonight there are Canada Day fireworks that are going to be happening at 10 p.m. local time so I have been getting the batteries charged up and all the equipment ready.  My husband and son are going to join in the fun and it will be great to compare photos.

My Fireworks Photo From July 1, 2010

Happy Canada Day to all my fellow Canadians!