{ A beautiful day in the neighborhood }

That's what it is here today! We are suppose to maybe have some thunderstorms tonight, but they said we would lastnight too and it never happened...so here's hoping!


Thought I would share the second card that I managed to make during the last Calgal meeting. I used the same DP as the last one...since I only brought along one sheet and matching cardstocks and embellishments to go with it. ;0) This one is very simple. I used a sentiment stamp from TAC and borrowed some chocolate grosgrain ribbon from Nancy...thanks, Nancy! Actually I changed the layer with the ribbon when I got home...I like it better now.

After today, my girls only have 17 more days of school left! Wow this year has flown by. But we are looking forward to summer. We are ready for those lazy days of summer. How about you?

And if anyone is interested...I think we may have gotten rid of our gopher. We have stopped putting out the birdseed and I think that has helped. After cleaning up the poop the other day there has been no new poop...here's hoping. I feel bad for the birds...but they still have their birdbath.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

{ Once in a lifetime... }

...you meet someone who changes everything. Is that not the best stamp ever? This was my first creation from last weeks Calgal's evening. This is a stamp that Nancy has and she let me borrow it to make this card. I am so happy with the way this one turned out. I am thinkin' I might give this one to my in-laws for an Anniversary card next month.

Well, it is a nice bright and sunny day today. The wind is a bit chilly, but it is getting there.

I am off to clean up gopher poop from my backyard. Anyone what to join me?? Or if anyone has any brilliant ideas on how to get rid of a gopher... please do let me know!

{ Ahh...Calgon...take me away }

I could really use a nice hot soak tonight. Acky, tired, headache, crampy...don't mind me...just PMSing today!

I just love this Happy Hopper image. Too cute, eh? The inside of this card says..."Life is too short...to stress!" Too bad we all couldn't live by that rule, eh?

I was off volunteering today at the school. Last day of in-line skating for my youngest. Had to check it out. She was stressing all morning...more like crying and whining...that she did not want to go or go to school. We could not figure out what was up. We thought maybe she had been lying this wholetime and had not actually been participating. So I went...and she was fine. Her teacher thinks it was just the in-line teacher that was the trouble. He is a young guy and does not put up with too much from these kids. He would tell them something once and if they did not do it he started yelling at them. She had missed the first few classes due to our holiday, so when she came back, her teacher had told her to get her equiptment and come over beside her and she would help her put it all on. Well at that point all the kids had been doing it themselves and this young guy that is teaching the skating yelled at her to go back and do it herself. She is quite timid and I think he just got to her. After watching him today I was ready to yell at the guy myself. Oh well...she did just fine and I think she was having fun too. I will have a little talk with her tonight and I am sure she will be just fine.

Well the sun is starting slowly to make it back to Calgary! It is a bit breezy today, but at the sun has been out for most of the day. Tomorrow is suppose to get a little nicer...here's hoping!!

{ Wow! }

What a productive weekend I had! Lots of stamping done. Friday was our May Calgal(see sidebar) gathering and I actually made 2 cards and colored a new image too! That is not like me. Usually I spend the entire night coloring and not creating. Nancy put out a challenge this month to 'bling it up'. So here was my challenge card that I brought along.

I just love this Butterfly Swirls TAC set. The inside says...'to forget about your dreams." This was my first long card creation too. Can you believe that? I made a few more this weekend...but you have to wait for those.

Hope all my American friends are having a nice Holiday Weekend. And hope your weather is better than here in Calgary!! Still cloudy, cold and rainy here. Hoping today is the last of it. I think it has been about 7 days in a row now...enough! Bring back the sunshine and warmness!!

{ What the... }

Okay... so I change my template and now my pics are not clickable again!!?? I give up!!

{ Doing some changes... }

What do you think? Too boring? Wanted to change things up. This is now my happy place...camping!! My blog banner is a pic from one of our camping trips last year to Mt Kidd in the Kananaskis.

Okay, here is the last pic from my first adventures in scrap land. This is a page I did of our cat Jasper. I really like this layout. Might have to try this one again. After looking at these old ones, I know that I can do better. ;0)

{ So very happy...}

that David Cook won lastnight!! Sorry not stamping related, but I am just so thrilled that David Cook is the new American Idol. Never thought he would actually win, but so very thrilled! These were one and two of my favorite performances.


Be back later with something new... promise!!

{ What are you...}

listening to this morning? I downloaded the new BNL for the girls on the weekend. Today this is our favorite track...Allergies. Love this CD...even if it is meant for kids! Can't wait for the new 20th Anniversary Album coming out next year!

Okay, here is another of my first Scrap pages I did a few years back. This is of our puppy Josh. We lost him to prostate cancer a few years ago. He will always be my first child. ;0)

This is the third of only four pages I have ever done. Guess I must get busy and create something new for you all.

Have a great day!

{ It works!! }

I am just too excited! I have been struggling with my photos on my blog since I started. You have never been able to click on the photos to enlarge them...well now you can!! Thanks to Nancy! Someone else had posted this problem on SCS and they were told to place their photos on the side not centered and make them smaller. I did mine with the medium setting and on the side and it worked!! Yippeee!! Now I just have to play with the formats until I get them to set up the way I like them. Might have to try out a new blog template too to make it look the way I like...but at least the photos are clickable now!! Thanks Nancy!

{One more test...}

Okay, I am trying one more. This is another Disneyland pic of the girls with Minnie. She was the first Character we saw as we walked through the gates on our first day!

{Just a test...}

I am just testing out a new theory with my photos that Nancy told me about. Here are the first scrapbook pages I did a few years back.

{ And the winner is...}

First off, I apologize for the late post. I know this was suppose to have been posted yesterday. But it was kinda of a busy day yesterday and then the girls and I spent a little bit outside...had dinner...had a fire...then fell asleep. Yada yada yada...

Okay it is with great pleasure that I announce the winner of this months challenge. None other than

Miss DottieK!!! Woohoo!! Here are Dottie's 3 entries...can you tell what we might have in common. ;0)

Altered letter "D"

Boo Scrapbook page

Pooh and Piglet card

Congrats Dottie and thanks for playin' along. I will get your goodies off to you by the start of the week. :0)

And thank you to all the other entries. Check these out!

First off is from Carol(my Mom). This was Mom's first attempt at a scrapbook page. Her two Happy places/things/people...My girls and Christmas. Thanks for playin' Mom. :0)

Next up is Melissa. Melissa's Happy Place...the men in her life and camping. I just love these new Riley stamps. We are big camping lovers here too, so I will definitely have to be getting these ones myself. Thanks Melissa. :0)

Next up...JoAnn and her Mom book. This book is so beautiful. Her Happy Place...her Daughter and Grandkids. Beautiful job, JoAnn. I am sure your daughter loved it!:0)

Next up is Alex. Alex says that Food definitely makes her happy. I hear ya there, Alex!! ;0)

BonAppetit card

Lastly is NormaJ. Norma's Happy Place...her Hubby and Hawaii. I just love these Penguins. Great job Norma! :0)

Anniversary Scrapbook Page

Penguins card

Thanks again everyone! I will be back soon with something new and I am thinkin' up something for next months Challenge too!

Have a great long weekend to all the Canadians out there!! Hope your weather is as beautiful as it is here in Calgary. It is suppose to reach 29C(84F) today!! Woohoo...another day in the pool for us! :0)

{ New Happiness Challenge }

**Note: this post will remain sticky until the end of the challenge! **

Okay, so here it is...the new Challenge for you. Since I am on my way to my 'Happy Place' in 2...or rather 1 1/2 more sleeps...I thought this months challenge should reflect your 'Happy Place'. I want to you to think of what your 'Happy Place' is or what makes you happy and create something in that theme. Could be a place, a food, a smell, a person...anything at all. Then create some type of papercraft in that theme. You can either post on your blog or an online gallery. If you do not have any of those you can email me a pic. You have until 9:00pm MST May 15th to get your entry in. And you can do as many as you like, but they have to be a different project. So if you do a card, the next one has to be a scrapbook page or other item. Got it? The giveaway will be a surprise. I have a few items already, but I am planning on buying a few more while we are in Disneyland. I have been told they have some scrapbooking supplies for sale in Downtown Disney!! ;0)

Hope you all have a great week. Disneyland here we come!!! :0)

{ Special Delivery }

I finally stamped!! Yup!

Just before I went to Disneyland a few friends of mine and myself put in an order of HouseMouse/Happy Hopper/ Gruffies. They finally arrived this past week and I played! Here is my first creation...and I love it!!

Is this not the cutest image?? I added some Iridecent Ice around the balloons and on the string. I am pretty happy with my coloring of the bunny too. I used my pencils and OMS. I think I used about 5 different colors on the bunny...can't remember exactly. But I think it turned out pretty good. I am looking forward to playing with the other ones too.

I will be back tomorrow with the winner of this months Challenge!

Thanks for stoppin' by...

p.s. I am looking forward to getting started on the scrappin'. I was looking at some sketches today and found a few I want to play with...although most of them were for 8 1/2 X 11. I might try out a few first before I start on the Disney ones...or maybe scrap some of our first trip to Disneyland or Disneyworld pre marriage and children. ;0)

{ Just a reminder! }

Just a quick post...nothing new for you yet...sorry.

Just wanted to remind everyone about this months Challenge. You have until Thursday evening. So far I only have 2 people with 2 creations each. It is lookin' good for them!! ;0)

{ Can I go back...please!!??? }

We are back...did ya miss me? I missed you too. ;0)

Just a quick post today. Here are just a couple pics for ya...we took over 500 pics and 3 tapes of video...and it still is not enough!! Yes, we are crazy. ;0)

The first pic is of Tinkerbell at the Maingates...then the Boardwalk at California Adventure Park...all I can say about that Ferris Wheel is...OMG!! That thing scared the crap out of me!! The red cages are stationary, but the others all move on a track as the wheel goes around. We knew this going onto it, but I had no idea how much they moved!! I am terrified of wide open heights like that as it is, but my little one was crying and I had to try and not look too terrified myself. Never again will you get me on that thing!! Never! The next photo is of the Matterhorn. This was the first big ride we took the girls on. El(my youngest) was scared the whole time, but the rest of the trip she insisted she loved it!! Next we have my FAVORITE ride! The Tower of Terror. We were planning on taking the girls on it, but then changed our minds. We waited until the very last day...kept debating on whether we should scare the crap out of them or not ;0) We ended up not taking them on it, but hubby and I took a turn on it. Just wish we had done it everyday. Love, love, love this one!! And finally my two Princesses. One of the Disney photographers had them do this pose at the maingates on our way into the park for the firsttime.

Okay, quick question for all you scrappers out there. I am gonna try my hand at scrappin' pretty much for the first time. I have done a few 8 1/2 X 11 pages, but nothing really. What would you suggest I start with. Should I go for a 12 X 12 or maybe an 8 X8. I am a little intimidated by a 12 x 12. What are your thoughts?

I will be back soon...