Carrie Stephens

Color Symphony - Musical Inspired Digital Scrapbooking Collection

After almost a month of working on this collection, Its done!  
Totally inspired by music and vibrant color.

Color Symphony Biggie Collection - Now at Scrapgirls!

 Brush Set: Color Symphony

 ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Color Symphony

Brush Set: Pig Tails

 

Commercial Licensed versions (Scrap Simple)  of PigTails - Color Symphony Paper TemplatesColor Symphony Word Art are also available. and

Printable car travel games for kids. Going camping!

We are going on a little camping vacation soon :)  YAY!

We will be traveling about 5 hours to get there. But, the problem is, that my little guy isn't exactly the most ideal traveler.  Right from birth he disliked being in the car.  Now he usually lasts 30-40 mins before he starts complaining, 1.5 hours before he really starts his squawking.  It certainly doesn't help that his brother gets a bit car sick so, he is quiet in the car.     

Although we have a DVD movie player and a bunch of movies set aside to take, Laine isn't big on TV/Movie watching so, I need to have a plan. I needed something to keep us all sane and keep the whining to a minimum, if that is even possible?

While surfing around on the internet this morning, I stumbled on a few great sites with tons of printable games.  So Many Great ideas here to keep the kids busy!  I love it!

• Moms Minivan - I liked this site the most.
• Crayola Printable Travel Games - Mostly for older kids
• Family Education - This site has LOTS!  You must register before you can print. 

What I printed:

• Cootie Catcher, I used to love doing this as a kid!
• Car Bingo
• Road Trip battle Ships
• Some Scavenger hunt ideas and a few other little things :)

This should help with the traveling blues.  Have any more Tips or Activities that could keep a 6yr old and a 11 yr old busy in the car?  Please Share :)

Gary the snail cake - SpongeBob - Fondant, not as easy at it looks!

Every year I always like to make my kids birthday cakes. I should really know better than to try something elaborate every year only to have it flop.  But, I do it every year. LOL  Trust me, I have had many a flop ;P

This year, Laine wanted to take his sponge bob/snails obsession a little further and actually eat Gary the Snail from Sponge bob.  LOL  isn't he cute?  :)

When i found this site  I was thrilled. I thought to myself, this can't  screw this up too bad, I will try it. 

So, I tried it.

It was harder than I thought, A LOT harder.  I think it would have been easier if i wouldn't have used THIS particular frosting.  It wasn't until I added the coloring that it started to get that slick look.  At first i thought maybe I needed some more icing sugar in the fondant but, after doing some research....(Thank you Google! LOL)  It turns out that this particular type of frosting is just like this.  Too bad it was after the fact that i found this out. It does taste okay though!  It just has a shiny appearance and it was really hard to get smooth.  So greasy.  I should have just took the advice of my good friend and bought it from the store. 

Here is the finished product ready to be lit on fire with 6 candles on top tomorrow afternoon.  :)

Gary the snail

 

He isn't as smooth as I hoped for.  His eyes are a little wonky but, My soon to be 6 year old is THRILLED and i guess that is what matters the most of all.

Easy Going - Digital Scrapbooking Kit - ScrapGirls

Introducing: Easy Going Collection Biggie -another fabulous, new digital scrapbooking graphics collection now available @ Scrapgirls!

Cool and conservative shades of Gray mixed with vibrant green, blue, yellow and magenta give this collection of fun digital scrapbooking elements and papers a unique flair.

Cool and calming Gray is often considered the new neutral of 2009. Grays can be gorgeous when paired along with a nice bright color! Update your palette with something new and relax the day away by creating a variety of digital scrapbooking layouts and crafts.

I had fun making this collection, I tried lots of new to me techniques.  I used my sketch pad alot. My favorite pieces are the hand drawn wordarts, adorable banners, buildings and the cutest little snail!

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Layout created using the Easy Going Collection

I just love this picture of Scott, even though I know he was not really impressed with me taking so many pictures of him at the time, which explains the goofy round photos on the side. LOL

I am partial to the out of control, curly, in need of a hair cut poof even though he isn't so fond of it.  I will try to talk him out of cutting his hair for a whole extra month if i can ;)  He thinks I do it because I don't want to cut his hair but, I really do it because I like the big puff ;).  LOL

So lucky to have such a wonderful, handsome, patient husband :)

Craft: Creative, inexpensive Birthday Party gift Idea!

My kids go through spurts when they are invited to a ton of birthday parties.  Last year, between both kids, they went to 6 birthday parties in a months time.   When the kids get to be older, it gets harder to find something for them to take to their friends for their birthdays so, I always resort to just picking up a gift card so, when I saw this awesomely creative and inexpensive gift idea for the times when you are stuck and not knowing what to purchase for your child to take for yet another birthday party, This is it! 

Here is the video  from When Creativity Knocks explaining all about the 2Liter bottle birthday gift!  I love that the "card"  is attached right to the bottle.  No need to spend $3-4 dollars on just a card that the child doesn't care about anyway.

Being Canadian I obviously cannot use $1.00 bills but, I might do loonies or toonies tied right onto some of the candies instead. 

But, I know that my kids would be thrilled with this gift, not just because it is filled with candy but, their is always something that kids LOVE about getting lots of money in small denominations.  My 5yr old would much rather get 4 quarters than one dollar.  LOL  heck, I think that he would even rather get 4 pennies over a loonie.  Funny but, although he has a small concept of money, the full concept isn't there yet.  It is also nice that the candies are in small portion sizes, that makes it much easier for limiting only ONE for after dinner. etc.

Disclaimer: I would ask the childs parents if they are allowed to have sweets before sending an entire pop bottle full of candies that they cannot have.  I do allow my children to have the occasional candy.  Sometimes well, often more than they really should but, some parents don't or the kids cannot have it because of medical reasons.

Happy To Be Me - Digital Scrapbooking Kit - ScrapGirls

Notice: I am now selling my Digital Scrapbooking Kits at Scrapgirls! 

What a great community and store.  The customer service and products there are fantastic!  You can't go wrong. I am thrilled to be a Scrapgirl.  :) 

I made my first Biggie collection and put it up for sale this week.  I am so excited to release this collection.

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Happy to be me!  

Sometimes we all just need a little extra encouragement to find our happy place. Tell yourself today that you are happy to be you. No matter how you feel, Happy or Sad, set to work Creating a digital scrapbooking layout using this digital scrapbooking kit, that helps you reflect on all the good things and all of the things you love about yourself and why you are happy to be you! The earthy yet vibrant color palette in this collection will inspire you to use this kit over and over again!

Elements and Papers also sold as separates!

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Layouts created by me using the Happy to be me Collection: (Click to enlarge)

I rarely get in the photographs.  I always cringe when i see pictures of myself. LOL  So, I had to scrap one of these rare photos of scott and I when we took the kiddos to storybook gardens last year. I rarely scrapbook about myself but, This collection was created so i could get a few of those pages that are all about me done. That is why i made the collection in some of my very favorite colors! :)

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Everyday is a new beginning - Tomorrow is another day.   It sure is.  I just have to keep telling myself that. :) (Picture is from my garden last year)

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A Photoshop WordArt Brush set (ABR/PNG)  is also available Here

This set of six happiness inspired digital scrapbooking brushes will inspire and add a special, finishing touch to your digital scrapbooking layouts. Great quotes for all about me scrapbook layouts! You can use these brushes as they are or add color, texture, or distressing. Use blending modes or styles to create an endless variety of digital embellishments.  This set includes 6 digital scrapbooking brushes in PNG and ABR format.
Sayings Include – “A smile is the key to a thousand doors.” “I am learning to love myself completely.” “It’s never too late to have a happy childhood.” “Everyday is a new beginning, tomorrow is another day.” “Let your personality shine, just be yourself, Enjoy Life.” “The journey of 1000 miles begins with one step in the right direction.”

Why do I not blog anymore?

That was the question that Scott asked me tonight. 

The Answer:  I really don't know why.  I used to have fun blogging.  I don't know why I stopped. I suppose other things like Facebook and Twitter just took over instead or perhaps life just took over instead.

I will vow myself to check in more often for sure, I need to make myself check in or I can't justify the expense of a typepad account that I don't use.

I have some cool news that i would like to share but,  I don't want to get into it tonight because it is already 2am.  I Just felt compelled to come to my blog and just type whatever randomness was in my head. 

And ladies and gents, this is about as deep as it gets at 2am :)  Besides my obsessing over my fingernail polish -- I have been thinking about my chipped polish all day now.  Sometimes I really wonder why I do or in this case, don't do things when I think about them.   It would take me 5 minutes to just go and get the polish remover and get rid of the ugly, chippy polish that said it was supposed to last 10 days or something like that but, instead, only lasted 1 day before it chipped, chipped, chipped away.  Instead, I have been thinking about needing to remove it for 2 days now!

and the kicker, I will probably just go up to bed and not do it tonight...haha

Weird girl.  I know ;)

Photos at your fingertips - Professional results using Epson paper

I NEVER seem to be organized enough to gather all of my favorite photos that i want to have printed for crafting, scrapbooking or simply framing.

As much as I love to display photos around my house, I was always one of those people who *insert shame* left the picture that came with the frame, in the frame for months. LOL It wasn't until my family and friends would tease me a little and ask who the people were in the photos that I would actually get my act together and take my photos to the store to get all of my photos printed. I could never do just one at a time and i think that is the reason why I always put it off. I wanted to multitask and get them all printed at once but, I could never get organized enough with my pictures for that to ever happen.

I had a Kodak printer and although it was cheap on ink and paper, I thought I was happy with it until I got the Artisan 800 printer by Epson. This printer changed the way I felt about my photos and printing them off at home. No longer were they dull, they were bright and beautiful. I now believe that the paper is what makes all the difference. It is a little bit more costly than the "cheap stuff" but, it is totally worth the investment.

I have printed many of my digital scrapbook layouts, photos, cards and items for crafting on my Epson and i really am happy with the results. Not only that but, it is super easy to just click and print. I can choose to just pop in my camera card to the printer and print them out right from the card or, I can print after i play in PhotoShop. I get amazing results and I don't feel the guilt of being a slacker anymore.

My favorite paper for printing digital scrapbook layouts is:Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper (I have used Premium and it works great too but, the ultra premium is more vibrant)

My favorite paper for printing cards and crafting material is: Epson Semigloss Scrapbook Photo Paper (This paper works excellent for printing out clip art and pieces for cards and crafts)

In other thoughts: for printing out multiple scrapbook layouts I am thinking maybe I might try getting a book printing using Shutterfly.  I have never actually had a photobook printed *sigh* again, my lack of organization and my battle to let go of the need for perfectionism and just get er done.

Have you gotten any of your photos/layouts printing in a hard bound book? which service did you use? Were you pleased with it?

Yup, its all about the candy. LOL

Oh my! LOL
For weeks after Easter the kids have been allowed to pick from their bag of candy after dinner - If they ate their veggies.

Laine is a candy monster. That child would put himself into a candy induced coma if we let him have at it whenever he wanted.

Well, I just went and looked through that child's backpack tonight, and found a book that was dedicated to me,

Here is the dedication page...

I laughed so hard. What a kid! Its not because she gives me lots of hugs, plays games with me or kisses me when i fall down..... LOL Its just about the candy......

Reasons DigiScrappers should use Twitter - Tips

To Twitter or not to Twitter?

Follow ME on Twitter! :)

In my opinion, Twitter is a fabulous way to keep informed or help your small business.

Keep up to date on your friends and favorite designers. Learn some new things as well! I love when someone I am following posts a tutorial or a link to some new free brushes that i wouldn't have found otherwise.

If you have just checked it out and don't really see how you could benefit, keep on reading..... You might be thinking well, I don't really care if my favorite movie star eats a sandwich.... Well, I know, I don't either. I just skim through the tweets and read through the useful information and links that people are sharing.

When i first signed up, I thought that it was kind of silly but, now that i am understanding how it can be used for learning and keeping informed....I am LOVING twitter!

If you just want to follow along to keep informed, that's good too! Its not JUST about sharing little useless tidbits and information about your personal life. Although, You can do that though if you choose.
If you get active on twitter and Do alot of retweeting links that you find enjoyable, you may impress your followers! share valuable information, RT's, articles, tips, links and pictures of your scrapbook layouts use # the hashtag #digiscrap when you are tweeting about digital scrapbooking.

What is...
RT - That is short for ReTweet. when you appreciate some information and wish to share it with your followers as well, you can retweet it.

# - When you see the pound sign, that is twitters way of categorizing your tweets. If you put #digiscrap in your tweet, it will show up when someone searches for #digiscrap

@ - means Reply and it is the prefix for your user name - if you @ someone then it will come up as a direct reply for them.

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TONS of people are going to add you that don't care about YOU or digital scrapbooking... They are not really looking to read your feeds, they are just trying to spam you into following them or clicking on their links. The choice of what to do is yours, You can choose to block them or just not follow them. Chances are, they are not actually reading your tweets themselves.

Twitter.com can be slow at times, i prefer to use TweetDeck. It is a downloadable application that helps you filter your tweets and do searches for # relevant information. I have 2 constantly updating searches on my tweetdeck, 1 for #digiscrap and one for #scrapbook It is helpful. TweetDeck also gives you the option to RT (Retweet) Others threads. IMO i didnt get the value of twitter until i downloaded Tweetdeck.

-If you are twittering for personal, you can choose any name you want but, if you are twittering for business.... is best to use your real name or business name as your user name so that people can remember you, search for you and know who you are if they are part of the digital Scrap booking community.

If you have some useful Tweeting Tips/links or Twitter applications that you use, please share them here! Lets help grow digital-scrapbooking awareness!

Other helpful Resource Links
Top 20 twitter applications
Twitter Downloads
Twitter Feed - For automatically adding your blog posts to your twitter feed
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Hundreds of reasons to smile today - Artwork

A lovely gal I know inspired me to create this piece of artwork today...
I hope you enjoy! Click on the picture of the poster to bring it up in a separate window, there you can download the high resolution version if you wish to print it out.
It is 8x8 inches. Prints really nice on photo paper or even matte cardstock :) (My Favorite is by Epson)

Enjoy! I hope this brings a little sunshine in YOUR life as well :)

*Personal use only. No commercial use of this artwork is permitted. Thank you!

To Slipcover or Not to slipcover... My poor couch :(

Dog vs Couch

Dog WINS!

I was already having a not too great day. Just one of THOSE days.... Perhaps it is because i am starved of sunlight. We have snow and rain....AGAIN. I feel like by the time spring actually gets here, it will slip right into summer. I love the spring.

Back to 70lb Dog vs. Couch... OUCH!

Scott and the dog were running around in circles, Dog chasing Scott, Scott chasing dog. Its hilarious. Well, Gracie jumped up on the couch beside me (almost in a protective way..LOL its cute) just as i got done telling her to get down because i envisioned the couch ripping.... Scott ran through the room, she quickly jumped from the couch to run after him and her nail ripped open the couch in the process :(

I am bummed. Totally bummed because the other side of the couch has a hole from just normal wear over the years... I still like the set as they were my very first big purchases almost 9 years ago.

So, I am looking into my options. I don't necessarily want to purchase a new couch right now.... Has anyone had any luck with slipcovers? I don't want them to look too loose and I don't want to have to "fix" them 10 times a day. My couch has 4 cushions on the back and 2 large separate cushions on the seat. Will a cover made from a stretch material hold them all in place?
If you have purchased a slip cover and you are happy with it, where did you get it from?

Creative Memories - Design It! Competition...

Check out the Creative Memories Design it! Competition....
Who will be the first Creative Memories Design It! star? Your votes will decide!

Design It!
is a competition featuring the artwork creations of eight talented designers. Each designer has created a unique set of paper, stickers and more for your next scrapbooking project.

What’s at stake?
To vote for your favorite design, you must first sign up by clicking on the Registration tab. Once you've registered, click on the Vote tab to check out each designer's artwork. Voting will take place April 1-30 and the two pieces of artwork with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated each week. You'll be able to vote one time each day so check back daily.

The winning designer, as chosen by online voting, will be announced this fall. His or her artwork will be transformed into a retail product to be developed and released later this year by Creative Memories.

Take a moment and vote for your Favorite Design!! to make sure your favorite stays around for next week! :)

Photoshop - Create Art Brushes 1 - Paint Effect

Tonight I sat down and played a bit in photoshop :) It was fun and the end result was some great painterly effect brushes! Offered in .ABR format only. I hope that you enjoy them!!!

**Download Here

*** I am allowing any kind of use of these brushes with the exception of blatant redistribution. Please also note, these were created in CS2 - I think they will work on older versions of photoshop but, because they are effect brushes and not stand alone images, I cannot offer the PNG versions for you to make your own if you use another version that is not compatible. You wouldn't get the same results as these brushes have effects applied. So, if you are unsure if they will work in your version of Photoshop, give it a go anyway to see if they will work.

My own Custom Fabric Designs! *SpoonFlower*

When Meredith told me about the SpoonFlower site, I Just KNEW I had to try it out.

Let me tell you, I am SO pleased with the results, I am actually TICKLED! 

Nothing feels better than to work hard on something and then have it printed as a tangible item.  The same even goes when I print out my Digital Scrapbooking Layouts…out of my own designs. It feels amazing to see It not on a computer screen. Not only for self gratification but, I also like to be able to show my friends and family who don’t really understand what digital scrapbooking is.

So these are my own custom fabric design - I drew, scanned, vectored, colored and patterned all myself!  What do you think?

I can't wait to do more! :)   

Our 7 year anniversary

Happy Anniversary to the man who stole my heart.  Its been 7 wonderful married years!  We have shared good times and bad and will share many more together.   One things for sure, after knowing you for all these years,  I am so thankful that I met you and to have you in my life for these past 12 years ;)  

~Love you long time baby!  Here's to 60 more!

(this picture is a terrible scan... It was scanned at a low resolution, I really should get them all scanned soon!) 

I will never regret having a destination wedding.  The only thing I do regret is that my mommy wasn't there and that we didn't have more time to spend on the island of Barbados.  It looked beautiful but, because we were on a cruise, we didn't have much time after the actual wedding to look around the island.

Not only that but, we were totally exhausted from being up all night the night before. On the cruise we had some really rough nights at sea and the night before our wedding was the worst!

But, It was beautiful and perfect.... 

Top 13 Reasons why my husband is the bestest!

1. He loves me!
2. He is super hot!  (Especially in a suit!)

1. He is my best friend
2. He will do almost anything that I need him to do, run errands, cook dinner, clean the house.. all without much complaint.
3. He is committed and loves me no matter what.
4. We think alike - sometimes even communicating without speaking
5. He can always make me laugh.

1. He is a great dad!
2. He is smart and successful!
3. He is the BEST at fixing my computer and helping me problem solve.
4. He almost always lets me pick the movie or TV show that we are watching and doesnt complain even when he doesnt like it :)
5. He lets me think that i can beat him at Texas Holdem.

New look - The Bachelor - American Idol

I fell for it again... I watched The Bachelor for one more season and I am thinking that it might/should be my last. I get wrapped up in the drama of it all once I get hooked with that first show but, eh... I am just feeling like it is a waste... And that is mainly because i REALLY think the whole thing is so staged and twisted around to get ratings that it no longer becomes romance and a love story.... Its just a fabricated movie. I am such a sucker for anything romance. :)

American Idol - Don't usually watch but I started with this one... I don't think that i will be too upset if i miss an episode here and there though :) It's just so long.... Especially when their is 2 shows in a week. Right now I have it on in the background but, it is drrrrrrrrraging...And was it me or was the musical background overpowering the vocals or what?

The new blog look.... You like? I do, i am quite pleased with myself. ;) thank goodness typepad is fairly easy to use ;) I have no desire or drive for learning HTML yet, i want things to look the way i want them to look. LOL most of the time, that is impossible!

Creative memories - Digital Scrapbook Layout

Yes, I actually made a scrapbook layout!  First one in awhile.   I got so inspired with this new Wishes and Dreams Digital kit  from Creative Memories that I did a little digi scrappin with it :) 

A portion of proceeds from the wishes and dream series (Paper Albums, 12x12 Album and the digital kit will be donated to the Make a Wish Foundation! :)  Its a good thing!

My Kiddo is a strong swimmer, he swims like a little fish and rarely turns down an opportunity to get in the water.

 

Acer Aspire One - Such a cute little toy!

I must have been a good girl because this year for my birthday my {wonderful} husband got me a new toy!  The Acer Aspire One  in Sapphire blue.  Its sooooo tiny and cute.  I just love it!  

Its times like these when i really appreciate Scott's love for electronics.  I even got it early because he always gets excited when he gets me something good. :)   (My birthday isn't until march)  But that is totally ok with me, i have a hard time waiting anyway when he starts dropping hints.

So, i have been super busy and  I haven't gotten to really use it much yet, not a lot of time for laying around on the couch surfing the net. (Which is totally what i intend to use it for..LOL)This week I have had my butt parked at my desktop slaving away in photoshop :) 

As i sit here typing this out - I am thinking that there is one very obvious yet minor negative to having such a tiny little computer - the keyboard - aigh.. it seems like my chubby fingers just don't want to hit the right keys. I think it is definitely going to take some time to get used to typing anything at a quick speed on this thing but, I'm sure i will get used to it in time. 

I am really hoping that this can be my "net surfing"  and time wasting computer and i can stay away from the whole wasting time thing on my desktop PC and use that only for work related stuff.  Maybe i will get more work done then! LOL 

 I used to have to choose between watching TV and playing on the internet but, heck.. now i can do both at once :) and that is exactly what i am doing!  Watching American Idol and lounging on the couch.   I am all for multitasking so, this is kick butt!  

Oh and one must have accessory for this pretty, little, portable laptop is a wireless mouse.  I am so impressed with how the new logitech - "invisible optic" mouse works compared to the older one we had that died. I like this one better because  It doesnt have that annoying little laser and it is much more acurate.  I couldnt imagine trying to use  the little built in mouse pad to navigate.... it takes so much longer.

-Thanks again baby cakes -  *MWAH*  now maybe i will actually blog more ;)

maybe I will even blog soon about  my new gym experiences.  I have finally worked up the nerve to go and i have been a bit more consistant about going.  Hopefully this time i will keep it up darnit!!  I don't want to be such a quitter.  Anyway, time to get my butt to bed, I have a boat load of stuff to do tomorrow.   Toodles!

Free Digital Scrapbooking Kit - Counting Sheep

A new digital scrapbook kit - Free for a limited time! :)

I have been doing a little creating, its been awhile.. I have been busy doing other work but, in between waiting for photoshop to chug along, i like to doodle.  I ended up with these cute little sheep doodles and i couldn't just put them away for a later time, i had to play with them right away so,  I got them all painted up and was totally inspired to do this kit.  I can't believe how easy they come together when i am feeling inspired.

I wish it always worked that way because when i am not inspired, I end up with half finished kits....  I have WAY too many of those sitting on my harddrive! LOL  Maybe i will eventually get something done with them.

If you create a layout with this kit, link me up! I would love to see it!! :)

 

No Monsters Allowed - Free printable poster

Fear of monsters.......It seems like every little kid goes through it at one point in childhood. 

Yesterday I got on a little creative spurt and I wanted to try something a bit different so, I  got busy in Photoshop and made this  8x11.5 poster to print out for Laine's bedroom.

Here it is for you to download an print out.  I printed it on thick cardstock,  it needs to be printed on something other than just regular white paper.  

*please do not share this poster, sell it or claim it as your own * If you post about it on your blog (which I would LOVE) Please do not link directly to the zip file, link to my blog.  Thanks!

*Click on the poster to download*

Pretty Painted swirls - High Resolution Photoshop Brushes

These swirls have a paint like effect, they can be changed to any color and this pack also includes Photoshop brushes created in CS2  (If you have a version that is not compatible or do not use Photoshop, the .png files for these swirlies are also included in the download. 

And the best thing is... they are only $1.00

Tickle Trunk 2- Grab Bag - Revealed

The contents of my "Tickle Trunk 2"  Grab bag are now available as separates!  *Click on the pictures to be taken to the FishScraps.com - BaitShop for a closer look and more description! :)

Character Defining Declarations - WordArt

A Midnight Kiss

Indigo Daisy

Im Clustered 2

Star Swooshy Frames

Boyish Tin Strips

Happy New Year - Flip Mino

Mini Update:

Hope that you and yours have a wonderful 2009 ahead of you!  I had a great time bringing in the new year, we had friends over, had a few beverages and lots of great food.  Played  an awesome game that had us all in stitches!  -- Apples to Apples --  At first we didn't think that we would like the game but, after 15 minutes we were all laughing and having a great time playing!  Such a simple game to play with a group of people, everyone can play, no one feels "dumb"  etc.    We also played RockBand 2 - Fun Stuff! 

I cooked a Prime Rib  & Fresh GreenBeans for us and our guests, and the others brought ceasar salad and scalloped potatoes! etc... Yum!  We had a really great dinner without going out and spending a fortune!

I haven't updated my blog in awhile again, I suppose I should just add the "blog updating"  to my huge "not really an actual list"  list of new years resolutions! LOL   I decided this year I was just going to set my sights for doing the best I can and try to be overall a more positive and valuable addition to this earth :)

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I had my wisdom teeth removed on the 17th of December, It was quick and it was easier than I thought.  Well, the process.. not so much the recovery.  LOL    The first day, i thought that I got lucky, I thought I got off without too much swelling etc.  HAHAHA... I was WRONG!   :)  The next day it hurt pretty good... The next day even more! I also discovered through this process that Tylenol #3 and I don't get along so well.  So glad its all over though ;)

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Christmas decorations are gone, a little to the kiddos dismay..LOL  Hopefully I will post some pictures eventually!  This year wasn't a big year for Holiday photos ...didn't take as many as usual but, I did get some really cute ones!  :)  Hopefully I will also get around to posting some videos with the Flip Mino  that I got for Christmas from my mamma! :)

Well, thats it, kids just walked in the door from school and their are many things to be done! LOL 

wisdom Teeth...

I won't be able to get to any emails for the next few days...  I am getting my Wisdom Teeth yanked out of my mouth tomorrow.   I am recovering from the flu bug too, that nasty 24 hour flu... so,  I will have some catching up to do once I am feeling better.   I have to admit, it will be kind of a relief to have them out and not have any more pain from them being infected. But, I am also nervous at the same time.

Goal setting - self improvement and celebrating who you are

Every day I think about self-improvement and "positive thinking."   Well, with the exception of this week.  I have a head cold that is making my eyeballs feel like they want to pop! LOL  I usually don't take many over the counter drugs...  But, the pressure has been so intense and even rinsing with saline (don't click this link if you are grossed out easily!) isn't cutting it.  It helps for 15 minutes but,  that's not good enough. LOL     

I have read several books on the topic and visit many blogs and web sites on the same topic.  I don't think it will ever sink into my head and stay there.  I know exactly what I need to do but, its trying to find that inner drive to actually do it that is the hard part.  It looks like I will be trying to follow Melissa's advice here on her blog.   If you haven't been to "Melissa Thinks out loud"  before, you simply must go.  I have known Melissa for a couple years now and I follow her blog whenever it is updated through my Bloglines account.   Melissa has found her true calling.  Her advice on how to regain your momentum makes perfect sense to me.  I know what it is that I must do and today, I start trying once again.. That is if i can even get my head clear enough to think about anything! LOL

My Photo Christmas Card...

My To Do List - (From last week)

1. Create and print Christmas Cards  (First i need to talk my kids into letting me take their picture) - Then send them out.    

Okay, this is DONE.  Now I just have to slap some addresses on some envelopes and send them in the mail.    I was so inspired by a photo at twopeas by cbaase .. I finally talked (okay, bribed..LOL)  my kids into letting me take their picture with duct tape on their mouths.  (nope, it didn't hurt them, i didn't press it down, it was just sitting lightly on their faces.)

Here is my Christmas card of 2008

Front                                                                                                        

Back

2. Finish up my new matchbox advent calendar

I WILL take photos of this today. LOL  

3. Spray Paint Vase

Okay, tip... Just incase you ever want to Spray paint in the winter.   Spray paint does NOT work in the cold! LOL   Who knew?   I didn't!  I called my friend and started grumbling about my faulty can of spray paint that i just got all over my hands and she laughed.  Apparently spray paint doesn't work when it is too cold, it just doesn't spray.  Instead it was just pooling and running down the can.   I made a mess, a really big mess.  I will have to paint it with a brush instead. 

4. Paint inside of back door (hopefully it is not too cold to do this?)

Going to wait til spring to do this.

5. Make a few more Christmas crafts, I haven't decided on what yet, any ideas for me?

My DH just went away for 5 days on a work trip.  I have decided that I need to just give up on doing any more Christmas crafts this year.  I don't think I will have time.  I should have started earlier on this.  Live and learn :)

6. Sort and Wrap Presents (We are all done with the kids! YAY!)  This year i am wrapping early!

I got a TON of wrapping done and tonight, I am going to go finish the rest of my shopping.  I have a couple things to get but,  I plan on having most of my stuff wrapped and ready to go by the middle of the month.  :)

7.Finish gathering anything else and figure out what in the world i am going to get my mom!   My mom loves reading,  I have decided that i will get her a gift certificate for the book store.  I think that will be perfect, This way she can just pick out what she would like to read :)  its also really easy for me! Mothers are so difficult to buy for! LOL

Time to get a move on now that I finished my breakfast.  I only have 5 and a half hours til the kiddos come home from school and it is AMAZING how quickly those hours can FLY by! :)

Tahiti Treat! Now only $1.00!

Yes, It is a little out of "season"  My mind was not on the season when I set out to make it  but, it is still beautiful none the less :)

FishScraps.com   I hope you enjoy it!! :) 

*Note - This kit was a former Free sample

Epson Artisan 800 Review

I have been spending time this week playing with my new toy,  The  Epson - Artisan 800 All-in-One Printer.  The newest printer in the Epson lineup! 

This sleek little number has got me excited about the possibilities of digital/hybrid crafting once again.    I really enjoyed my last printer, the Epson RX680  But, I must say that so far, the Artisan 800 blows its socks off with its functionality and style!

There are 2 different models of the Artisan, The 700 and the 800.   Although their is not a tremendous difference between the 2 models,  The difference in scanners made the decision easy for me.  The Artisan 800 has superior scanning capabilities, the 700 model scans at 2400dpi but, the 800 model scans at 4800 dpi.  A great scanner  is necessary for me,  It is a tool that I really use a lot in my graphic design and digital scrapbooking work.    

And talk about that style, definitely not as important as the way the printer works but, it is definitely a bonus! LOL   My kids  instantly noticed the new printer on my desk when they got home from school.  The Artisan is HOT!  With the sleek, low lines and LARGE lcd display, it is a beauty!   I love that it looks less like a bit clunky printer and more like a piece of stereo equipment!  I could totally put this baby in my entertainment unit and use the Wi-Fi  if i wanted to!  LOL

And speaking of Wi-Fi...  I wish everything came with it!   My husband loves that he can  print with ease from his laptop.   It also doesn't bother me when I am working and he is printing as this printer is uber quiet!  Oh and The scanner is also MUCH more quiet than the Epson RX680 that I previously used - another bonus!

Today I decided that I wanted to try out the scanning capabilities further.  I got out some of the albums that I borrowed from my mom.  I picked 2 old photos - scanned them and then printed.  All I can say is WOW, it looks like I have a new project on my hands. 

Those memories are so important and they are getting all faded and because they are in those old sticky albums (I am sure you know the ones I am talking about..ugh)   I have some big plans if I can get my head wrapped around exactly what i would like to do with them.  I would love to make them into a hard cover book.  But, for right now,  I am sure my mom is going to love these pictures that I gave a makeover! 

I took a picture of the old photos and the new prints that came out of the Artisan - side by side.  Again, I am really impressed with the color restore feature on the scanner and the print quality. 

One final word - If you would like your print quality to be superior on the Epson printer, you MUST use Genuine Epson paper.  Trust me, I tried others in my old RX680 and, you could see the difference, it was drastic!

I will be posting tomorrow about my christmas advent - matchbook boxes tomorrow So, stay tuned. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Wishing a VERY happy Thanksgiving holiday to all of you in the United States! 

I am suddenly craving turkey and my mother-in-laws stuffing! LOL  She makes the BEST stuffing!  We already had our thanksgiving here in Canada  :)   I will have to wait until Christmas for more turkey and stuffing...  

I can still reflect on what I am thankful for,  though :)

• I am thankful that I have a husband who listens to me (even when what i am saying isn't making much sense) and loves me anyway.   I am thankful that he has a fairly secure job in this stumbling economy.  I feel sad for all of those who have lost their jobs at the last company that he worked for.  (Related to the auto industry)
• I am thankful for my boys!  Although they can stress me out at times,  I couldn't imagine my life without them, They are the reason for everything that is good. I am thankful that they are strong and healthy.
• I am thankful for my mother.  She is so helpful, She is always there for me when I need her and I love her for that.
• I am thankful for my creativity (when she comes around. LOL)
• So thankful to have health and dental coverage.

So much to be thankful for... I need to reflect on that more often rather than on the things I want but, I do not have or have trouble working hard enough for...  ie: A skinny behind ;)   Getting myself to the gym, that is a whole other blog post in itself. 

So,  I have been having troubles with my wisdom teeth,  My wisdom tooth got infected and was causing me lots of pain for about 2 weeks.   During that time I did learn something very interesting about peppermint extract.   Did you know that you can use peppermint extract to curb a toothache?   I didn't!  I was searching out home remedies while I was waiting to get in to the dentist and if you put peppermint extract on a q-tip and apply to your gums, it actually works better than Oragel!  Totally numbs it up! 

So after visiting the dentist and then the oral surgeon..... I am getting 2 of my wisdom teeth pulled out.  Not looking forward to that at all!  (Not that anyone would..LOL)    I am really nervous.     I have had a tooth pulled before but, I hear wisdom tooth extraction is more painful afterwards. Looks like I need to step up this Christmas stuff a notch so i am ready!  Scott is going to be gone for 4 days in DEC so, maybe that will give me some motivation to get it done while he is away.  Hopefully when he comes home, he will have a happy wife with everything crossed off her list ;) 

My To Do List

1. Create and print Christmas Cards  (First i need to talk my kids into letting me take their picture) - Then send them out.
2. Finish up my new matchbox advent calendar
3. Spray Paint Vase
4. Paint inside of back door (hopefully it is not too cold to do this?)
5. Make a few more Christmas crafts, I haven't decided on what yet, any ideas for me?
6. Sort and Wrap Presents (We are all done with the kids! YAY!)  This year i am wrapping early!
7. Finish gathering anything else and figure out what in the world i am going to get my mom!

LOTS more stuff to add to this list but, right now, I need to go play with Laine.  He is finished what he was doing and now, I have to get him busy doing something else :)

Hopefully Dalyn's papers arrive soon so we can start putting those together for him.  Dalyn delivers the "flyers"  around the neighborhood.  Once a week.  But, we accidentally ended up having scouts and papers on the same night.  That combined with possible homework, makes for a VERY chaotic Thursday evening.  I put the papers together for him so he can do his homework if he has any and then run out the door to deliver.  

Or, if the papers are not here, Maybe he can help me clean a bit, that always works for awhile.  Especially since he is trying to earn money for his beaver troop so that they can use the money to purchase Christmas gifts for boys and girls who otherwise may not receive any gifts.    He is VERY excited about doing this and is trying to earn money any opportunity he gets!