Christy Riopel

A whole bunch of posts in one!!

2012-01-26T21:27:00.000-08:00

I had done up several posts earlier last week and tried to time them out but no matter tech savvy I am...I always manage to mess that process up! So now I am creating one post with all the stuff in it!

First off:

Here is my take on the fabulous sketch for this month...to see the sketch check out www.canadianscrapbooker.com

I also wanted to post about

Classes were posted today...you have to go check it out!

www.scrapfest.ca

I also wanted to let you know about a little bonus that is being offered over at www.cropaganza.com

Refer-A-Friend BONUS!!

We have been overwhelmed by how great the turnout for the crop has been... we want to give back a little.

Refer a friend to take a class and you get a $10.00 gift certificate to spend with one of our amazing vendors:

The Hope Chest

and www.Mondaynightclass.ca

they will be on site for any of those overwhelming shopping urges you may have.

offer valid on new class registrations only. To claim your certificate, email your referrals to me@christyriopel.com. No limit to how many referrals you can earn.

REMEMBER!! You do not have to come to the crop to take a class or two!

and lastly I leave at the crack of dawn on Saturday to head down to CHA. The Annual Craft and Hobby Trade Show. I love going to this!! I am flying down with Allison and we are meeting so many friends down there, it hardly feels like work! But I will be working, I am demoing in the My Stamp Box booth. So if you are going...stop by to say Hello and check out their stunning stamps. When I get back I will post pictures of the projects I have made for them of of all the new goodies I get to see!!

2012 - a A Year of KINDNESS!

2012-01-10T12:52:00.000-08:00

Well I am so glad 2011 is over. Generally it was a really great year, but December sure kicked my butt!!

First off I was completely locked out of my blogger account for two weeks due to authentication and Authoring issues. I guess I had too many accounts that partially overlapped but had different emails Blah, Blah, Blah...Long story short! I am so glad my husband is a geek and could fix it for me, because as usual I know enough to get myself into deep hot water but not how to get out!

Then we have passing around a horrible chest cold between all of us. I managed to hold it off until the week of Christmas but then it hit with a bang. After last years pneumonia I just do not have strong lungs. BUT I am almost better now. I only pee my pants from coughing about once a day now!!

We also lost my dear Grand Dad this Christmas. He will be missed dearly, but he had an amazing life and I feel like he really touched many people during it.

He wasn't the only loss we had, a past teacher and principal of Brittany's also passed. She was an amazing influence in Brit's life and was the first teacher to really make her feel like she was OK just the way she was! It is funny how sometimes people come and go from your life but never your heart. I had not seen her in years but I know that I owe her so much, every time I see Britt succeed in school. Because of her and the other teachers she led, Brittany, who hated school and pretty much life has become an honour roll student with an unquenchable thirst for learning and the arts. God bless Pam Nolan, she will be missed here on earth.

Now onto 2012 and I love how many Brave Girls have been choosing words for 2012! I have decided that instead of New Years resolutions I am going to embrace a word that will be my theme for the year. It actually has been a word that I have become very aware of in the last few months and really has helped me focusing on the important things.

My Word Is:

This year I promise to deal with everyone with KINDNESS. I have found learning to set boundaries in my life has been so amazing and useful but what I have come to discover that the most crucial part of that is to have kindness in your heart for everyone, no matter what. I have experienced the power of Kindness so many ways this year. I learned to use Kindness to deal with people who were difficult. It completely disarms the situation and helps you to see both sides. I have found using Kindness with my girls helps to make them feel loved. I have even had to make sure to save some Kindness for myself. No one is perfect!! When some jerk cuts me off in traffic I think...he must have somewhere really important to go, maybe he is late for his kid. Instead of being frustrated, I feel gracious. It has done wonders for my outlook.

Welcome 2012!!

A Sketchy Challenge!!

2011-12-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

Check out this months Canadian Scrapbooker Sketchy Challenge!!
It is a beautiful Christmas sketch that I repurposed for these candid shots of Ashley.
I used My Little Bit of Whimsy stick pin, Bella Blvd Alphas, Cosmo Cricket paper and ready-set-chip, unknown floss, 3L Adhesives.

'Tis the season!!!

2011-12-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

I am definitely feeling the crunch of Christmas this week... i still have not had a chance to do much Christmas shopping. Yesterday we had our annual Tree decorating day....or should I say our annual tree disagreement day! Ugh! I don't know why but someone always ends up upset with someone else in our house when it comes to decorating the tree. I have in my head the picture of us eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate and gently taking turns hanging the ornaments on the tree.... The truth looks more like the two girls fighting over who gets to hang which ornaments on the tree and them rolling their eyes at me every time I remind them that they shouldn't put six ornaments on a single branch. Some one always storms off.

On a brighter note here are a few more Christmas cards:

LIVE LOVE LAUGH!!

2011-12-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

Here is another canvas I made that I was super happy with. Words to live by! This again used the DCWV Tattered Time paper and Magenta and Hero Arts stamps

Christmas Gift Canvas

2011-12-07T11:50:00.000-08:00

I made a bunch of canvas's for a Craft/Art sale at Paper Pastimes...this was on of my favourites. So much so I think I might make another on just for me!! I really love the Die Cuts With A View paper I used. It is from the Tattered Time paper.

the Ultimate Scrapbookers Christmas Gift

2011-12-06T09:36:00.000-08:00

So earlier, last month, I sorta oopsied and posted this already but now it is official...

Crop and Cruise Hawaii 2012

I am so pleased to be working with two of my favourite Canadian girls on this great event!! Allison Orthner and Jill Hildebrand. This is going to be so much fun!! For more info check out www.cropandcruise.ca

and as promised here is another Christmas Card sample for today!

3 days worth of Christmas Cards

2011-12-05T20:09:00.000-08:00

I had such a great weekend. I had the pleasure of hosting a baby shower for one of my closest friends Rose so I did not post...so I thought I would post three things today. Here are three more Christmas Cards

These two are basically the same card done with different backgrounds.

Another Christmas Gift to Make!

2011-12-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

This combines two of my favourite things...Flowers and Inspirational sayings making a great home made gift to give!!

Just a hint if you want to duplicate this. Stamp the sayings on a thin fiber paper or tissue paper first and then apply with Mod Podge or another decoupage medium. Make sure to put a top coat on your vase so it can be wiped clean.

2011-12-01T08:45:00.000-08:00

Have you seen what is going on at Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine for Christmas!! There is so much giving going on that it blows my mind!! Not only can you still win on Why Not Win Wednesday...but there is soooo much more!

Speaking of Christmas I thought I would post a project a day from now until Christmas.

Starting with a card today...

Finish a Scrapbook In A Day !!!

2011-11-21T08:22:00.000-08:00

I often hear scrapbookers lament over the fact they don't have enough time to get all their scrapbooking done... I hear ya!

That was the inspiration for this class I am teaching on December 3rd, 2011. Learn a few tricks to speed up your scrapbooking with out compromising on beauty and make this stunning family album that will cover a years worth of happenings.

December 3^rd 10 – 5ish

Great as a gift or simply a way to document this past year, spend a day having fun and complete an entire scrapbook in a day. This scrapbook covers – family, birthday, winter, spring, fall, summer, hanging out, vacation, Christmas, and more all in a gender neutral way. Make a total of 11 layouts, each holding at least 6 photos each.

Students need to bring – trimmer, scissors, adhesives, brown ink, sponge applicator, foam dots and an album.

to register contact Scrapbooker's Bliss - http://scrapbookersbliss.blogspot.com/

Sketchy Challenge!!

2011-11-17T10:25:00.000-08:00

I have been saving this photo of one of Brittany's best buds because she is just so beautiful... When I saw this months Sketchy challenge at the Canadian Scrapbooker magazine website I decided it was time to finally do this photo and I love the Harmonie paper I choose to go with it!

Products Used: Harmonie Paper, Fancy Pants Letter Stickers, ColorBox ink, Stickles, EK Succes border punch, 3L Adhesives, copy paper

Christmas Love Campaign

2011-11-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

Check out what the lovely Susan Weckesser is doing over at her blog...It is all about speading the Christmas Love!! I am planning a few

http://www.susiebeestudios.com/christmas_love_campaign_2011

CROP-A-GANZA!!!

2011-11-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

I finally get to announce my newest adventure!!!

. I feel so blessed that the local girls running this event asked me to help out and put this together. Did you see that? Donna Downey is coming!!!!! I LOVE her stuff and was so blessed when she said yes she would come and teach. Not to overshadow some of the amazing Canadian talent that has agreed to come and play. Cathie Allen, Susan Weckesser and Allison Orthner are a force to be reckoned with. This will be one amazing event with primo education! With something for everyone!

For more info check out www.cropaganza.com

Cupcake ribbon roses!

2011-11-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

I thought that when your child enters high school you might be done with class treats...boy was I wrong, in fact it seams to me that that they became more elaborate!

Here are the cupcakes we made for Brit's class:

This one is chocolate with a caramel filling and marshmallow fluff icing- topped with crushed pretzels and drizzled chocolate.

These ones are lemon with lemon curd filling and vanilla butter cream and a candy rose. The rose's were an adaptation of ribbon roses that I make everyday in paper crafting so I thought I would share how we made them.

First soften (In a glass bowl) in the microwave a few chewy candys (Starburst) and roll between two sheets of parchment paper. I then used my kitchen pair of non-stick Westcot scissor to cut into 1/2 inch strips.

Roll the strips a bit to start

then twist and roll

Tuck your end in and *poof* you have an easy pretty edible flower.

Busting at the Seams!!

2011-10-29T22:18:00.000-07:00

I have crazy news to share...and lots of it!!

First, some sorta sad news:

I am officially stepping down from MondayNightClass.ca as a co-owner....and handing the reigns completely over to Cindy. I will still be around to help her out a bit, and we will be friends until the end of time. I will miss all the girls, who work for MNC, who design for MNC, who buy our kits.
I can't say how grateful I am to have had this opportunity

But It is time...time for me to pursue a few new adventures. To do some things that make my heart sing. As Oprah would say "Time to listen to the whispers in my heart" and achieve some of my other dreams.

I can't quite share one of the biggest projects I am working on...It will be amazing and I will be working with someone I really look up to!!!

while we are on the subject of fun projects did you catch the Breakfast TV segment from Thursday?

If not here is a peek:

...and yes I know my exclamation mark is upside down!! What can I say, I am not perfect!

Lastly tomorrow I am off to hang out at the

*CRAFT SUPPLIES INTERVENTION FESTIVAL/SALE*

SUNDAY OCTOBER 3011am to 2pm

LOCATION:Haysboro Community Hall
1204 - 89 Ave SW.. (1 block west of Elbow Dr. on 89 Ave. SW)DON'T MISS THE
OVER 30 VENDORSA huge variety of craft supplies including stamping,
scrapping, stitching, beading, quilting, left-overs from
craft kits/art projects, craft magazines, books,
storage systems, doll making, needle work etc.Paper Pastimes, My Sewing Room, Scrapbookers Bliss,
Scrapmobile, Scrapbook Cupboard from Pincher Creekhave great prices on discontinued stuff.Important! the hall does not have a cash machine and
most vendors don't have portable debit machines.
Please come prepared.Haysboro Community Hall 1204-89 ave. sw
(1 block west of Elbow Dr. on 89 ave.)
Info: Carole @ 403-255-8731

Come on by and say hi...I hear Carrie Terrata is going to have a booth, so there will be tons to buy!!

It's a Sketchy Challenge

2011-10-18T13:00:00.000-07:00

Check out my take on this months Sketchy Challenge from www.canadianscrapbooker.ca

Materials Used: Jillibean Soup paper, Cool Beans, and punch outs. Pink Paislee Tin Tiles, ChromaColour paint, 3L Adhesives

Have you seen this?

2011-10-06T10:07:00.000-07:00

Jackie posted this on her blog...
I used one at the Carnival and they are SWEET!!

Yep – you heard it here !!! Sony ROCKS!!!!!

You need one of these portable Sony Digital Photo Frame/Printers! It prints gorgeous 4X6 photos right at your scrapbooking station and you can take it easily with you to crops! What more can a scrapper ask for!!!!!
Sony is offering Canadian Scrapbooker Readers an awesome opportunity – take advantage of these coupons to get your Frame/Printer and printer paper today!
Visit Sony for all the details! Click HERE to get started!
Get printing!

In the middle of an amazing weekend!!!

2011-10-03T18:42:00.000-07:00

The Carnival had our usual crowd hits of Allison Orthner's Photo booth, and the loonie make and take bar, so many amazing vendors and added new hits this year of a Cup cake buffet and team teaching classes like the smash hit of the Technique Taster class that I taught with Jackie, Cathie , Susan, and Allison. Did I mention that I had a blast!!

I can not explain what a great couple of weekends I have had. The great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival in Calgary and Edmonton was a huge resounding success! I love working with this team. Each one of these girls has become so dear to me. I have never worked with a group of women that I have felt so connected to, had so much fun with. What was so great to see this weekend was that it really showed in everything we did. All the small details, all the moments we needed to prop each other up. How this extended to those around us!
In Calgary it was so fun to walk around the crop space and feel like I belonged to such a great big huge group of friends that I have come to know and love. It was amazing to see such fellowship and sense of community! In Edmonton, I am slowly recognising faces, yet this group of women made me feel so at home and included.
There is something to say about when you share a passion with someone. You can meet them for the first time and have a deep connection because of this shared passion. This is why I love this industry.

Yet in the middle of all this huge success the universe felt it was time to teach me a little lesson. I don't know if I was being too big for my britches or I was just trying too hard to impress..but I definitely had a huge flop!! I spend a lot of time trying to come up with new things to teach and trying to make sure I stuff my classes with techniques, but I definitely over did it with my "Celebrate your Inner Artist Class". You know the moment right before everything goes wrong and you feel like a dear trapped in the headlights. Boy did I learn that feeling this weekend....As we were working on our project there was a moment when I realised this just wasn't do-able in the time frame we had. It was like watching a disaster happen in slow motion. Even after Calgary, I tried adjusting things for Edmonton, it still went south. I just wanted to beat myself up and cry. I try so hard, and I feel like I failed everyone! I just was not my usual bubbly self...the class was just too much for the time frame. I am still feeling guilty and struggling with this today. I know sometimes we have to fail to learn better....and I believe in forgiving ourselves when we mess up. I would never intentional design a crappy class. I guess it goes back to feeling awful knowing somebody doesn't like me. That deep down need to be liked always kicks us in the touche when we are down. So... here I am in blogger land confessing my failure to you in hopes it will help me forgive myself and move on. I know I have learned to keep it simple, don't try so hard.....and move on to focus on all the successes I did have this weekend.

I did tell you I had two amazing weekends, right?

The Carnival is coming!!! The Carnival is coming!!!

2011-09-19T12:01:00.000-07:00

Today I am packing up all my stuff the Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival this weekend in Calgary, and Edmonton next weekend! I am so excited. There is still space in my classes if you are interested in taking a class...or if you want to just drop on by and say hi, come by the market place. SHOP and do make and takes to your hearts content. It is so important to support local companies like these!

For more info Go Here: http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=783

See You There!!!

It's a Sketchy Challenge!!

2011-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Canadian Scrapbooker has a new Monthly Challenge! It is a sketch Callenge. Here is my version of the sketch

Wanna play along? You too can be published in Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine!

Click here

http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=1058

Materials Used: Magenta cork stickers, Bella Blvd paper and stickers, Fancy Pants Felt Die Cuts, 3L Adhesives, Marvy Gel Pens

What I did this summer.

2011-09-12T11:17:00.000-07:00

Well it is time to end my break from blogging. I hope you did not miss me too much. I really did enjoy putting my feet up and taking a break from working too hard this summer. My goal was to accept that MY worth was not linked to how busy I was.

I know it sounds like a simple concept...but really in this day and age we really do, as women, believe that we need to be doing something or we lose value. I wonder if it is because we grew up being educated that girls can do anything boys can do...now we feel as if we HAVE TO do everything and do it better. In fact they are even making a movie about this....

I <3 Sarah J Parker!!

Women of the fifties loved to project the idea she was sitting at home eating bon-bons waiting for her husband ( despite what she was really doing)....we as a generation revel in the retelling of the long list of what we have achieved that day. Wearing our multi-tasking greatness as a super women cape!!!

When I stood back to look at that I realized...OMG what am I teaching my girls???
I want them to know that they are valuable just because they are...not for what they can accomplish in a day.

So I took a little time off to do NOTHING this summer...well, as close to that as I could. My nothing consisted of playing board games, going to the lake, planning and COOKING dinner ( I forgot how much I love to cook), cleaning house a little bit at a time. I even squeaked in a little art time. LOVE IT!!

I loved it so much I have decided to try and take one day off a week...At first I thought it would be Sunday's, but with my travel schedule I realized that might not be possible, then I thought what does it matter what day...So each week I will promised to take a day off...to play however I feel like it! I encourage you to do the same! In fact, call me and we will do lunch!

I leave you with this Brave Girl Truth card I made....

It's TIME!!!

2011-08-24T21:27:00.000-07:00

Last Spring I had the very awesome privledge of teaching at Scrapfest for the first time. What an amazing event...so I was even more thrilled when they asked me to come back and teach this fall. Registration opened tonight...so don't wait to get your classes and door tickets as they are going fast!!!

http://www.scrapfest.ca/

So many changes...

2011-07-29T11:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much for you patience while I took my little break from blogging. I have definetly taken a step back to spend time with Mike and the girls. There has been big changes in our lives...all good, but still big changes.

China was amazing..I will post about it soon, it has taken me this long to digest it all.

Today is Mike's last day with West Jet. It is so good, and he has a new job to go to already lined up, but the stress of not knowing what was going to happen over the last month has definetly taken it's tole.

We have a friend and her little one staying with us for the summer...it is so fun to have a little 4 yr old in the house...but it brings with it new chalenges. Three girls can be a lot of fun...and a lot of work!!

My hopes and dreams of launching my own website have hit a few snags... I guess you can't get everything you want, but I am continuing to work on that. I so want to get a place where I can post video tutorials, teach online classes and more. I am hoping to have it all up and running by September.

Speaking of September: Registration Opens On Tuesday!!!

http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=783

So I am heading back out to lake tonight, more time with the kids ;)... It has been a great summer!

we will talk soon!
C

Coming Soon!

2011-06-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

So I haven't posted on here for a bit...Don't worry I haven't dropped off the face of the earth, just been sucked into a vortex of craziness. I am currently working on a new website/blog that I can have tutorials, videos, and sell classes and more out of. SO Please be patient with me as I finish up this new venture. I 'LL BE BACK!! ( my best Terminator impression).

Just stopping in for a quick update on Scrapfest and the Abootsford Carnival

2011-04-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

I leave tonight for China... I have leaned three key phrases... Hello, thank you and ...the most important...I don't understand!!!

Brittany has packed a shopping list, I have packed extra camera chips, granola bars and beef jerky...and several stomach remedies. There is a ban on facebook in China...so I will be completely out of touch! I think that might be the hardest part! Not being able to share what is going on right away!

I did want to share what I have been doing for the last few weekends; Last weekend I had the privilege of teaching at Scrapfest and the weekend before I had the most amazing weekend teaching at the Abbotsford Carnival.

Let's Start with the Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival. Travelling with Katherina Doyle is always an adventure...this time was no different when we went down to our breakfast room on Saturday Morning to a packed house!! Instead of being annoyed or worried she simply asked "what was going on". Turns out that there was a Barber shop quartet convention at our hotel. She asked if they were going to break out into song at any minute.....and well with in 5 minutes we were being serenaded by 30 or so men of all ages as we ate our breakfast. Katherina got it on camera an to see our fun check out this link. http://youtu.be/eKAuYoa69vs

We actually did do some work...here are some shots of the day

The beautiful Cari Locken...she is always a joy to teach with!! I wish she lived next door!

I loved these butterflies in the Paper Nation booth!

This pic from the Memory Workshop girls booth made me think of my friend Cathy!!

Cathy from Steam Trunk was there! I bought the most amazing necklace from her...I know she has great scrapbooking stuff too!!

Clipper Street

Cherish the Thought

All the booths had awesome Make and Takes going on! The energy and buzz was amazing!!

We ended our show by having a great dinner with the fabulous Sonja McLean. I <3 her!! Such a great talent!

WAIT THERE IS MORE!!!

Last weekend I was in Kitchener, Ontario....for SCRAPFEST!!!

OK to all my west and west coast girls...you got to see this event. 200 croppers, an entire hall of exhibitors!! Giant booths filled with product you would not believe!!! SO fun!!!

This was the group of Staff and teachers that met for Breakfast the next morning. Lisa Furtney and her gals are amazing!! I also have to say that hanging with the fabulous Sue Sykes was a blast!!

BIG CROP!!!!

Karen Ellis of Art House Studio and Susan Weckesser supposedly working!!!

Two of my three fabulous TA's!!! I have to send a huge thank you out to Michelle Galloway, Tara Thynne, and Lyn Reinhart! You were so great!

Some of my Mixed Media class and their art!

Two of my three traveling buddies for the weekend. Cathy Allen And Susan Weckesser. I love these women and we never has any fun!!

this is Lisa and as Jackie always says...Lisa is Scrapfest!

and I saved this pic for last!..Taken of me and a lovely lady I met in my class. I love how much fun we were having!

Lastly I wanted to do a little give away... but I am going to save that for when I get back! but here is a sneek peek at what I will be giving away.

Crop for Kids and all the fun!!

2011-03-23T19:48:00.000-07:00

You know I was full of mischief this weekend at Crop for Kids in Calgary when I was in the "place of mind" to create a "man in a bottle"!! Every year this event gets more and more fun!!

I forgot to bring my camera so thanks to Michelle Zemlack for these photos.

We held our annual IRON SCRAPBOOKER Contest and I ( as reigning Iron Scrapbooker) competed against two Canada's most creative minds Susan Weckesser and Sonja McLean> This was some tough competition!!

The rules were to create an ATC, A Double Page Layout, and Card using only what was given to us. A small amount of scrapbooking stuff and a bag of stuff from the thrift store...like an old record, a plastic watch, a small bottle, sponges, wallpaper border, coasters, old board games and cards, place mats and such. And we only had an HOUR!!!

My lovely assistant who was awesome!!

We drew names for our sous scrappers this year and my sweet darling Brittany was chosen to be Susan's helper! Susan was so supportive and great to her!

My layout

My card

Susan's Card ( s) I can not believe she created two!!

Susan's ATC

Sonja's card and ATC

Susan's Layout

Sonja's Layout

I haven't heard how much we raised to support the hospital but I am excited because I am sure it is going to be a banner year!!

Thanks Jen Rowsell for everything you do! All of us who have children thank you!

Canadain Scrapbooker Webisode and a contest!!!

2011-03-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Check out the NEW Canadian Scrapbooker Webisode and you can win this amazing prize pack!! Don't miss out! Have a great weekend!

So what have I been up to???

2011-03-17T11:42:00.000-07:00

Do you want to see what I have been locked up in my scrapbook room doing for the last few weeks or so? I have been getting ready for this event

Keeping Life Creative Gala

with

Scrapbook Parade & Stampers!

Here are a few of the classes I will be teaching!

for more details check out this link http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Keeping-Life-Creative-Gala—Update—2.html?soid=1101939486667&aid=dvM_EYdVWjo

It's all about authenticity!!!

2011-03-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

Look at this canvas I created as a sample for my Mixed media Canvas Classes...I am loving the mixed media these days!!

Today was a better day...I did what I always do when my creativity is in a funk...I WENT SHOPPING!!

There is nothing like wandering the halls of a craft store to spark my creativity. I don't know about you, but "OLD SCHOOL" craft supplies like felt, pipe cleaners, glitter, rhinestones, beads, even fun foam make me giddy! It's like I am five years old and I am creating my crafts along side the likes of my childhood hero "Mr Dress Up".

My other favourite "get out of a FUNK" activity...MAGAZINES!!! Today I picked up my second (next to Canadian Scrapbooker magazine of course) favourite read...Somerset Studio. Having already read my CS cover to cover several times. I didn't realize it but there was a fabulous article about Kelly Rea Roberts in it. If you follow my blog you know she was the instructor in my Flying Lessons. I love her!

Reading along, a line in the article stood out to me...not remembering the exact words here at 10:45 pm...it went something like this: She was talking about selling her images ( she is a fabulous artist) to be on products and what that meant to her authenticity. She goes on to talk about how she only works with people she has a genuine connection with!!!..... HALLELUJAH!!

I can't tell you how liberating it is to hear someone you admire mirror your own belief. In fact I have been seeing this message mirrored by a few professional crafters that I admire. Stacy Julian recently wrote about her own struggles with staying authentic in our industry.

I can't tell you how often I wonder if my choice not to be on a design team (other then Canadian Scrapbooker) is the correct one. I have learned through trial and many errors that you can not serve many masters...and you can't be fake. Two things that I think one can easily be lured into in this industry.

It is easy to be lured with the buckets of free product in exchange for a positive exclamation. It is easy to join the competition for who can be on the most design teams at one time. I am not passing judgement on design teams or free product (HECK NO!!!)...I just struggle with how authentic I can be when having to meet commitments and let product placement come before creativity.

Don't get me wrong...I believe and instructor/designers job in the scrapbooking/papercrafting industry is to educate the consumer so the consumer will spend, because with out spending, let's face it we will not have an industry.

It is sort of an age old predicament...How do you balance truth and consumerism? My only answer is to be authentic.

I would never lie and say something is fabulous unless I think so.

I chose who I work with...even if that means I will never get certain jobs,

and I make sure that those I chose to work with have the same belief and integrity that I want to have in my life.

I know some people will laugh at me and think I am naive for believing this. Yet, I need only go as far as my friend Cathy Allen to see what these beliefs look like in action. If I have half the career she has had I will be a lucky lady!

bummer kind of day!

2011-03-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have been working in my studio like mad for the last few weeks...and today I am spent. I feel as if something has snuck in to my brain and sucked out all the creativity.
I don't know if it is the time change, over working or the huge list of things I have to do sitting in front of me.

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining...it is a good feeling to have accomplished so much...but I have so much more to do.

I am finding it so hard to focus on creating while watching the devastation in Japan. It is heart wrenching. Even though we don't have cable, I am constantly checking the Internet, reading the news stories. I wasn't very old when the last nuclear disaster occurred...but I know it caused so much suffering. Now there are so many people in danger...in an area of the world that has so much history, so much culture! I am so sad that so many and so much has been lost.

It is so hard not feel like my life is so frivolous, that it is not fair that I am sitting here in my nice, warm, safe, simply because I was lucky enough to be born here in Canada.

It's been really hard to decide what to share with the kids. Brit at 14 pretty much has access to the info, but with Ashley she only hears snippets from the radio and her friends. How do you explain this to a nine year old, when you can't make sense of it yourself.

All we can do is pray and hope....and send money... I guess.

Some day's I wish I could paint away the troubles of the world...wouldn't that be nice.

WIN FREE A FREE CLASS!!!!

2011-03-09T06:48:00.000-08:00

I have so much yummyness to share with you because I have been hiding away in my studio working but I only just popped in to share this Contest with you.

SCRAPFEST is Giving away my MIXED MEDIA CLASS and two passes to their event!!!!

All you have to do is go to their FACEBOOK page and leave a comment!

This class is so much fun and totally customizable to your tastes...and is full of really great techniques and creative exploration.

Here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/#!/ScrapFestCanada

Victoria Carnival Fun!!!

2011-02-28T20:48:00.000-08:00

I was teaching at the Victoria Scrapbook carnival in Victoria this last weekend, spending time with two of my Favourite peeps Cari Locken, and Katherina Doyle. We had so much fun with the vendors from the show...such a great group!

Here is Katherina with Diane from Scrapbook Central

and of course Treasured Memories was there too!!

Sandy from Crafty Secrets made this adorable make and take...Look at how intense everyone is!! Crafty Secrets has some amazing new stamps and I couldn't help myself and I bought a few!!

I can't wait until Abbotsford...it should be a blast!

Allison Orthner: CHA Giveaway Winner!!!

2011-02-16T19:28:00.000-08:00

Allison Orthner: CHA Giveaway Winner!!!: "Thanks to everyone who participated in Christy Riopel's and my CHA 2011 overview and GIVEAWAY!!! We did a random pick from the over 145 ent..."

We have a winner!

2011-02-16T19:27:00.001-08:00

Upcoming Victoria Events

2011-02-10T16:48:00.000-08:00

Registration for this amazing event opened today. I am so excited to spend a weekend in Victoria creating and playing with these fabulous stores:

Keeping Life Creative Gala
with
Scrapbook Parade & Stampers!

WHERE

Comfort Hotel & Conference Centre

3020 Blanshard Street
Victoria, BC

Ann Thomson from Stampers and Carol Volk from Scrapbook Parade are getting together to offer you an AMAZING weekend of fun, friendship, food and creating just for YOU!

We will start Friday, May 6th and end Monday, May 9th!

Actual times for the classes may vary as we put this GALA together. Many more details will follow...
We wanted to get you excited about this upcoming event!

THIS WOULD MAKE A FANTASTIC MOTHER'S DAY GIFT!

PAYMENT PLAN
$50.00 Non-Refundable Deposit Holds Your Spot
ATTENDANCE FEE: $139 plus tax
this covers your four days of papercrafting time in the BIG room

ALL CLASSES ARE OPTIONAL

ALL 6 MEALS ARE OPTIONAL (must do all meals) for the $135 Value -- this amount includes taxes and gratuity

PAYMENT IN FULL MUST BE RECEIVED BY: April 15, 2011

WE HOPE YOU CAN JOIN US!

For more info check out: http://scrapbookparade.ca/index.php and http://www.stamprs.com/

Don't want to wait that long or want more chances to hang with me in Victoria there are still spaces left in mine and Cari Locken's classes at the Scrapbook Carnival.

http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=624

Hope to see you soon!!

One last post about CHA!

2011-02-07T19:56:00.000-08:00

Today is all about paper and stickers....

I love paper and these are some of my favourites

With teen and pre-teen daughters I am always looking for funky paper and I love this line by BOBUNNY

Another favorite stand by of mine is BASICGREY ...love these two new lines

because I love the name!!!

and because I love a good birthday line like this filled with some great generic patterns.

and even more fun from FANCY PANTS

Check out this layout on there website with pictures of the full line!!

And of course one of my new favourites is Girls Paperie, I couldn't find picture of their papers but look at the stickers !!!

SO this is the last question on my blog...but don't forget to check out Allison's Blog

Time to confess your most embarrassing scrapbook habit...

Mine: I often buy product because I love the name of the line or the company...come on... who doesn't like to say "Fancy Pants"...

What is yours?

I am sure there is a ton of more amazing products that I will lament over missing in the upcoming months but I have to say I have had a blast checking out what is coming and what I could find online....nothing beats being their in person but this was a great second.

More CHA sneak peaks

2011-02-02T13:36:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more things I wish I had seen in person.

Simply Renee is one of my favourite storage companies...you might know them better as the Clip It Up company...Check out what they have done now

Clip it up Towers!!!!! Love this!!

This little gem of a find come courtesy of Katherina Doyle as one of the cool new things she saw.

It is bling designed to fit exactly into the Nestabilities!!!

It is from a company called Want 2 Scrap and you should check them out!!

Lastly I am loveing what Kaiser Crafts has in embelishments:

I love doilies...I have been putting them on my pages for ages, so I have to say I am very excited for these.

And I love these, and all their detail!!!

Speaking of laser cuts

Check out this new company called Dusty Attic

They have the most amazing stuff...this is from their website.

Now for the contest. Enter your answer in the comment field for a chance to win a $50 gift package.

So today's question is:

When you see new stuff do you have to have it right away or do you wait until you have a use for it?

Remember to go over to Allison Orthner's blog to see what she is posting.

Oh How I wish I were at CHA!!

2011-01-31T21:20:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of this school year an amazing opportunity presented itself to me, Brittany auditioned and made the school dance troupe that was traveling to China to dance in the Beijing Music festival in April, and they were looking for chaperone's. I was so excited for this opportunity to experience this along side my daughter that I just couldn't say no. SO I AM GOING TO CHINA!!! Unfortunately that has meant a few cut backs here at home to afford it and the one big thing I gave up to go was travelling to the Craft and Hobby associations Trade show in L.A. this month. I didn't think it was going to be a big deal but I have to say I am very sad not to be with my peeps right now. As you know Allison and I always post pictures every night from our hotel room to share with you everything we are seeing.

I thought I would continue the tradition and show you what I wish I was seeing over the next few days, and so is Allison Orthner. We thought we would have some fun with this and run a contest. Answer our questions and you will be entered to win a $50+ value goodie basket of scrapbooking yummies.

So here are a few of my first few picks for things I wish I was seeing this week in person...

This is my first pick...I love making flowers and I have to say that these tickle me!! What a simple but smart idea. I suck at hot glue guns so YEAH to Cosmo Cricket!!

The next on my list is also a flower making product... Filter Paper flowers from Fancy Pants. I can't wait to get my hands on these!

And last but not least for today...

Ranger Distress Stain...this makes the rubber stamper- Mixed media artist in me giddy with delight. I can't wait to get my hot little hands on these babies!!

So here is my question...

What country would you give up anything to travel to?

post your answers here and don't forget to go to http://www.allisonorthner.com/ and check her posts as well and comment on her blog for more chances to win, as well as check back because we are doing this all week long!!!

I am going to Scrapfest!!!

2011-01-26T09:08:00.000-08:00

I was so excited this year to be chosen as an instructor for Scrapfest in Kitchner!!!

I will be teaching two classes... One is my Designer Secrets class, filled with great ideas that will elevate your scrapbooking to a whole new level. The other class I am teach in is a great mixed media class.

I feel so blessed to be teaching along side some of my favourite peeps like Cathie Allen, and Sue Sykes.... and I am just loving working with Lisa Sales Furtney the organizer and her great staff. They seeem like they are going to be alot of fun!!

Two amazing events!

2011-01-16T11:36:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to be teaching with one of my favourite partners in crime....Allison Orthner at this fun event!

The other event I have been working away in the background for is this great crop to rasie money for Brittany's School Dance troupe that is travelling to China this spring...if you are looking for a fun day of hanging out and forgetting the chilly weather..come join us for some great croping !!!

One day and counting !!!

2011-01-08T10:28:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to tell you how many hours I have logged in to my laptop over the last month...It has been crazy! But I am definitely getting really excited about tomorrow and the beginning of the Scrapbook Design 101 web course. If you want to join in it is not too late in fact.....

And we have another winner!!! (by random draw that included yesterday's commenter's as well)

Jess!! ( you need to send me your email address)

PS: Jess I loved your story, my kids love bingo! Jess has won a Scrapbook Design 101 tuition!!

So for all of you who did not win I am still accepting registrations...you can even start a few days late and catch up if you have to....Happy Happy Scrapbooking!!!

...And now for some other really awesome news... Allison Orthner posted the date for Scrapbook your Heart this year!!............This is my favourite retreat to be involved in every year and this year will be no exception. We are hoping to chock it so full of amazing creativity that all you might want to bring is your basic tools ( for crafty goodness) and your swim suit ( for hot tubbing- not crafting)...I have also heard a rumour that this might be the last year, so you do not want to miss it! Remember that this is not a crop weekend but a retreat filled with great inspiration for your Creativite heart, Mind and Soul and perhaps will be the best life reaffirming, sisterhood bonding weekend, filled with awesome sessions and projects designed to spark your life and your creativity. This weekend is so chocked full of scheduled fun and artsy mayhem you will be blown away.

Upcoming classes...and a winner of the Design 101 webcourse!!

2011-01-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

Oh, I have been soooooo busy creating classes and finally today I can share a few of them with you... there will be more to come...but for now.

First! For those of you who live in Calgary I have been persuaded to run an "in person" Design 101 class Tuesday afternoon and evenings for details on this check out the blog at http://scrapbookersbliss.blogspot.com/2011/01/classes-in-january-including-crops.html

Registration for THE GREAT CANADIAN SCRAPBOOK CARNIVAL in Victoria and Abbotsford opened today...here are two of three classes I am teaching

to register for these classes go to http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=624

and last but not least I have spent weeks planning this amazing Mixed Media book of techniques that I will be teaching at Paper Pastimes

these are the pages to the book which is a 5 week class, where you make the pages and assemble the book. It is all inky messy fun!!!

For more info on this class go to: http://www.paperpastimes.com/

and lastly what you have all been waiting for........

AND THE WINNER IS: by random drawing ( I swear)

JULIE GILES!!! ( Julie I need your email address)

but wait... I only need two more comments and I can give away another free tuition!!

Happy new year!

2011-01-04T12:01:00.000-08:00

Sorry, I have been a little MIA. I have been working extra hard at designing classes for the spring and of course putting the finishing touches on my Design 101 web class...and of course enjoying the holidays!!

I got just what I wanted for Christmas...everyone was healthy for about 10 whole days!! Of course that record was broken today by Brittany. Oh well!

I did get some great gifts... I got an Epson Printer and a Kobo book reader... I really love them both!

But now the holidays are over...I always find this time of the year a little depressing, taking down the decorations, everything always looks a little bare! So I thought I would do something fun for today...

How about giving something away!...

WANT TO WIN A FREE DESIGN 101 Web Course?

Here is what you have to do to get something you really wanted for Christmas!! Just simply comment below with answer to this question:

What was the best Christmas Present you ever received?

...for every 10 new comments I will give away one free tuition!!

start your new year with some great scrapbooking and creative fun!!!

Something New...Something Old...Something made just for you!!

2010-12-17T10:21:00.000-08:00

Ir was exciting being on Breakfast TV yesterday morning, very early for this night owl, yet complete fun! I thought I would share a few of my projects in a little more detail.

Above is the envelope advent calender. For the " new"... I used the new line from Cosmo Cricket called Mitten Weather, I have to admit I was a little shook by all the purple in it, but I love it, it has such a great retro vibe to it. I used several of the papers, the Tags, Strips and of course the Stickers!!

For the "old" I hit my left over letters stash...mostly American Crafts Thickers, But you will also see some Studio Calico letters and Jenni Bowlin. Some numbers I spelt out, some used the actual numbers!

The envelopes I used are left over from another project and are Chinese new year money envelopes you can get in most china town for just pennies...I bought mine a few new years ago at WalMart if you can believe it. They fit a 4x3 piece of paper perfect making them efficient to use with a 12x12 patterned paper!

And of course it is bound with the Zutter Bind-it-all, and I tied strips of old fabric I tore off as ribbons on the spine! Here is a few more pics...Notice I kept the embellishment simple, if you do as well you can finish it in just a few hours.

This was my favourite project of the day...my recycled card album( my something old)....this whole project took me less then 1/2 hour to complete. I simple took the front off some cards, the insides out of some others, Some I even bent in a new place and punched the edges to make fun flaps. Bound it with the Zutter Bind-It-All ( my something new) and added pictures to cover some of the personal messages and such. I did not need to embellish this at all as the cards were so pretty on their own. I did pay attention to making sure to vary the size and heights of the card...even cutting the first card in half height ways. I don't show every page below but you can definitely get a good feel for it here!

Registration is now open!

2010-12-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

Looking for the perfect gift for yourself or the scrapbooker in your life?...how about 6 weeks of exploring, stretching and discovering the science of scrapbooking?

I take my background in Interior design and Art and teach you how to use line, form, balance, colour and more so that you can make quicker and more confident choices in your scrapbook design. We will also dip into the world of creativity and explore some exercises on how to stretch, and warm up your creative side.

This class is for all levels of scrapbooker, and is not a technique class, but a study in the theory of scrapbook design. Whether a "clean and simple" scrapbooker, a "fill the page with stuff" or something in between I hope that these lessons will make you look at your page in a new and exciting way.

Click here for more details or to register:

http://www.mondaynightclass.ca/catalog/item/7886887/8466343.htm

It is finally here....

2010-12-03T09:11:00.000-08:00

This is so scary but...It is finally here...

Scrapbook Design 101 Web Course

January 9th, 2011 to February 15th, 2011

$80.00

Join me and start off the new year with a rejuvenated scrapbook goal and immerse yourself in this six week online class. Follow web lessons, and posts on how to kick start your creativity. Learn how the effects of space, colour, mixing patterns, and typography can help you complete your layouts with your own photos and product. Submit and share homework for feedback, tips and tricks and more. If you liked my Designer Secrets articles from Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine or classes you will love this class, as it expands your understanding of how good design principles can help you build a better page faster and more confidently.

Registration opens December 6th, 2010

Space is limited.

Each lesson will be posted at the beginning of the week with follow up articles throughout the week, and homework submission due at the end of the week. You can access lesson any time over the 6 weeks with your personal invite. All that is required is a computer with Internet, a camera or scanner (for submitting homework) , 6 sets of photos, and scrapbooking materials and tools of your choice.
To register go to : http://www.mondaynightclass.ca/scrapbook_design_101.html

First of December....and maybe a little TMI

2010-12-01T12:41:00.000-08:00

Let's start off today with another Christmas card.This one is inspired by mixed media techniques. It is very fitting that I pick this card for today....
To explain let me tell you about my last 24 hrs...Mike has been away and I have been doing the single parent thing. So on top off a crazy week of planning for the spring, I have been doing double parent duty. There was a time where I was very effective at this, but I have to admit that I have grown very dependant on having two parents in the house. I feel I need to clarify that I am far from a great parent. I am more then sure that our kids are going to need years of therapy as adults to overcome whatever trauma I have subjected them to. I do love them dearly, but I feel it's just a victory to keep them alive some days. Yesterday was definitely one of those days!

I left my house shortly before 8 am yesterday to get those little darlings off to school....and I had a crazy day of work related errands to run. I am deeply immersed in planning my classes for the up coming season.

Now those of you who know me ...know that despite my inability to stop myself from blurting out nonsense at inopportune moments...I am very deliberative in what projects, classes, and such that I take on. I try to teach things that people want, but more importantly what I am passionate about. Well, I have always had a huge love affair with paint and have recently dove head first in to mixed media art. ( I promise there is a point to this story...just bear with me) Now, when I am in full-on like this I can be a little one mined or tunneled visioned and I become like a new lover, never wanting to leave the side of my new paramour. Yesterday I was deep into research and planning when I noticed that I was feeling a little nausea....but thinking that I had just forgot to eat (remember the tunnel vision thing) I stopped to grab a croissant and a hot tea. Soon I was sitting in a deep and wonderful meeting with Carol from Paper Pastimes planing how I was going to bring this new/old love affair and make it into an amazing class, I was suddenly hit with the most gripping stomach cramps....but ever the optimist I still ignored it!

A few hours later, finishing my meetings, picking up kids and carpool and such I arrived home. At this point I thought perhaps I had eaten a small rodent it was gnawing away at my insides. All I wanted to do was take some Imodium, and crawl into bed...BUT alas I had a a fabulous night planned...as I was meeting the girls who were helping Jennifer Rowsell with her amazing event Crop For Kids. Why was a felling so crappy??? then I realised that in my single parent smartitude I had grabbed dinner at the local fast food place the night before...a treat to bribe the children into submission, and I must be suffering from a mild case of food poisoning or just that my body is not used to eating such "fine" cuisine.

None the less I left Brittany in charge, let her order Pizza ( I know...good mom hey?) and went to my meeting thinking if I can make it there with out getting sick then that was a sign I was supposed to go. We went to Earls ( I LOVE EARLS) and I ordered my favourite salad, and picked at it....Spent a good portion of the night in the washroom....I was trying so hard to focus on the event and to have a great time with my friends...and I felt awful, like I might die...and them Brittany started calling and Ashley was crying and they were fighting...when was I coming home??? I felt like I was a character in a movie...Seriously what else could go wrong? Well, when I got out my dinner meeting and called my daughter back I found out. She had called her Dad, my ex, over because obviously" I didn't care about her". I am paraphrasing her now. All I can think is "Mike's plane lands at 11:30 pm. I only need to make it a few more hours. I barely made it home,without having to pull over, thanked my Ex, let Brittany scream at me ..through the bathroom door as I was getting sick. Then.... Mike was home, he tucked me into bed and told me to take it easy today.

The world is a better place with someone you love on your side. You can conquer food poisoning, teen age girl drama, and everything else!!

SO what does that have to do with my card, well I spent the morning in bed watching mixed media demos on YouTube and reading some of my favourite art books, and everything is good....here is the "DEEP PART".

Mixed media art is a little like my day yesterday...

You start with a blank canvas, you add bits and pieces of unrelated things, some of it just scraps, some precious finds....and you keep adding layers, at one point things look like they might get ugly... then each one makes it better or more interesting until you add the one last thing that makes it finished and perfect. Kinda like my day yesterday!

Another Christmas Card!

2010-11-29T09:09:00.000-08:00

I thought I would share another Christmas card from my Christmas card day. This one uses a few of my favourite things...my Stamp It sponge block!! Love this tool! and Karen Foster charm pin up brads. These little brads pack a lot of punch, letting you hang things from their loops. It's the most amazing little thing! The stamp is from Paper Pastimes and the frame is Tattered Angels.

I love this time of year, booking classes for the spring. I have some amazing events to tell you about in the next few weeks...but you will have to wait. I have to tell you I really suck at keeping secrets, not a great quality this time of year with presents and such. Not the big secrets, I can keep those, but little one I am not so good at. I just get to excited. I also think it stems from the fact that I am an open book as well. I am kinda a what you see is what you get girl....I think that is one part of my life I will have to keep working at!

Speaking of amazing things coming up I can give you a secret sneak peak into my favourite new project for the new year....

January 2011- Scrapbook Design 101 web course!!!

This project is a little like giving birth...It has taken months of gestation, I am nervous as heck about it and is going to be a huge learning curve for me!!!

I love teaching this coarse. It is so rewarding for me...and not just because I have an audience of captured souls who listen to me talk for hours, but because I like to think each girl comes away with something that makes her feel proud to be a scrapbooker....and of course 6 finished layouts....but I have been trying to translate it into written word/ pictures /content that will be amusing, entertaining and enlightening. I have told you before that I have never pictured myself as a writer...and before Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine I might not have taken this on...but I am taking the leap...hope at least a few people will join me. I will posting more info and when and how to sign up very soon!!

Best Christmas Gifts This Season!

2010-11-26T11:07:00.000-08:00

With this being the official first day of Christmas Season shopping I thought I would share a few of my favourite gifts for scrapbooker's...girls go ahead and forward this link to your loved ones!!

At the top of my list is :

the Zutter Distress-it-all... Do you know that awesome little edge distressing tool by Tim Holtz...this does the same thing at lightening speed with power!!!!

Dear Zutter; if you see this shameless plug and want to send me one to Demo I would do so...Over and Over again....I LOVE IT!!!. and anyone who knows Kimberly...she would love this gift!

next on my list is;

Anything by Clip It Up!!!

I love this companie's storage solutions, so easy to use, so easy to love!! Great for crafters of all types!

for the less expensive gifts, you can buy yourself...

Want a little IPhone scrapbooking goodness...great for crop nights or anytime...Local Lovely Anam Stubbington as created this awesome App!!

Checkout http://www.sketches2scrapbook.com/ for more info!

Don't forget...with all the getting...a little giving is good as well.

A few months a go ...at Camp Croppin 'I was introduced to Flat Amanda. A few girls were carrying around a flat version of their friend to take picture of in silly situations to cheer her up as she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. In Saskatchewan, I finally got to meet real Amanda and her story is super inspiring. And she is super fantastic!

Her Mom had made her these Bandanna's when she was undergoing treatment, they were awesome, and now that Amanda is better, she and her mom are on a crusade to make Bandanna's for Cancer patients everywhere. To read more about her storey and to see how you too can help check out this link;

http://www.amandasbandannas.blogspot.com/

Oh!... the weather outside it frightfull!

2010-11-23T10:02:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, I had a blast from the past and got together with Diane and we held our once annual Christmas card class. What a fabulous day... a so yummy lunch, and fabulous group of women, and tons of laughing!! I can not think of a better way to spend a day then stamping and crafting with friends! Here is one of the cards we made. Check out the amazing stars made with Craft& Glitz glamour glitter and Sookwang Tape Sheets. You will also see some Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist on some resist patterned paper, cut into strips and distressed on the edges. My favourite part is the little bit of fiber wrapped around the words!

Co-ordinations, Nikki Sivils, and Neatnix...OH MY!!!

2010-11-15T10:30:00.000-08:00

Somewhere in the fog is Saskatoon. This darn fog was the only dampener on a fabulous weekend at Saskatchewan Scraps. Because of the fog, poor Kathy Allen tried to get in three times and just couldn't land. We missed you Cathy!!!

Big THANK YOU!! to our lovely hostess Leica Forrest! There was a lot of yummy food!

Amazing classes....

The ever so talented Vicki Boutin

Jill Hidebrand was working so hard she barely had time to even take a phone call.

We love Nikki Sivils...now these ladies do too!!

There was tons of amazing goodies and prizes from awesome sponsers, like Kaiser Crafts, Unity Stamps, core'dinations, Wall Suger, 3L Adhesives and everyone went home with a Neatnix Tool Caddy!!! Core'dinations sponsored this great product challenge...there were so many cool pages...here are a few.

and what is a crop with out lots of good friends?

And last but not least....This is proof that Lyn can actually be quiet.

Pnuemonia SUCKS!!!

2010-11-10T12:02:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, I have been sick with pnuemonia. It's what I get for not paying attention when my body was telling me I was sick. I am mostly better now, still coughing and I am going to bed very early every night.

I have almost caught up on all the work and classes I had to bump. I feel completly overwhelmed if I look at the whole list so I just try to knock off the top few most important things every day! Today...the blog is at the top of the list.

First: Check out this great page of the girls just before they headed out "Trick or Treating" It uses Harmonie's Bal Masque line papers and Harmonie Ribbon and Leaves. I love Harmonie, and I love that they are Canadian. The letters are Sassafras's Glitter Alphas.

Next: I have a bunch of upcoming classes as we head into the Christmas Season.

Diane Charrios and I have resurrected out annual Christmas Card class...It is an all day class, held at my house on November 21st from 10am - 4pm. It's $75 and includes 20 cards and lunch, as well as a lot of giggles, prizes and FUN! All are welcome. Just email me if your interested.

Due to several requests I am also holding the class that I taught at the Scrapbook Carnival at Scrapbooker's Bliss on November 24th at Noon and 6pm. The cost is $35 and you make a page and a card. Contact the Store to register. 403-217-9827

See you soon!

Hooray it's your Birthday!!!

2010-10-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

( I had tried to post this eirlier this week but had scheduled it for November...Opps!...so here it is!)

I can still remember walking into our LSS and picking up my first edition of Canadian Scrapbooker and thinking FINALLY!!! Something for us Canadian girls....I am so excited to announce Canadian Scrapbooker magazine is celebrating 5 fabulous years of publishing with a special collector’s edition of the Winter 2010/11 issue, available to individual subscribers*! Don’t miss your chance to automatically receive the 5th Anniversary Collector’s Edition of Canadian Scrapbooker’s WINTER 2010/11 issue!
COLLECTOR’S EDITION
An exclusive front cover will define the collector’s edition of the upcoming WINTER 2010/11 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine. The content of the collector’s edition will be identical to that of the standard edition. The collector’s edition will be sent to all active* subscriptions only.
$1000 PRIZE PACKAGE GIVE-AWAY
Every active** subscription (including gift subscriptions) on February 28th, 2011 is a chance to win a $1,000 prize package of inspiring scrapbooking products!

Celebrate with us! Subscribe or renew today. CLICK HERE
*Subscribers are defined as those receiving single, individually wrapped copies. The 5th anniversary collector’s edition will not be available on newsstands or in independent stores.
*Active subscriptions for the 5th Anniversary Collector’s Edition are those subscribers who have active subscriptions on December 1st, 2010. Subscriptions received after December 1st, 2010 will start with the SPRING 2011 issue and will be automatically entered into the $1,000 Give-away.
**Active subscriptions for the 5th Anniversary $1000 Prize Package Give-away must be active and in good standing at midnight, on February 28th, 2011. Subscriptions that have expired with the receipt of their WINTER 2010/11 issue and have not renewed before February 28th, 2011 will not be entered into the 5th Anniversary Give-away.
For complete contest rules & regulations, click here.

Subscribe & Win!

Up Coming Class at Scrapbooker's Bliss!

2010-10-10T07:19:00.000-07:00

I think I finally have this cold beaten...I hope. I have been trying to sneak in a bit more rest this week and have been trying to get over this crazy head/chest cold. So many of the people I know have been coming down with it. I am really looking forward to next week. The Girls are off school...so that means sleeping in!!! and I teach my first class at Scrapbookers Bliss on this Tuesday evening. ( I think there is a couple spots still left) The class Starts with white paper and amazing Stampers Anonymous Stamps ...and Technique Tuesday Tiles. The best part is everyone gets a stamp to go home with!!

For more details check out Bliss's Blog

So Proud!!!

2010-09-30T06:22:00.000-07:00

MY house has been all a buzz....My daughter Brittany has been chosen from over 500 entries to be

one of the 10 finalists to the

Creating Keepsakes Teen Talent Contest.

SO I have a huge favour to ask, please go to their website and vote for her!!!
the link is
http://ck.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?contestid=22095&pagetype=VOTING&SubmissionID=5133334

The winner is determined by the most votes...so PLEASE, PLEASE, support her in her amazing achievement and vote for her page, pass it along to others!! How great would it be to have a local gal win it!!

Thanks so much for your support!

the Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival in Calgary

2010-09-29T09:27:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh! Crop season is upon us and that makes it harder for me to get any actual scrapbooking done. ...but it does mean that I get to socialize and visit with everyone...my second favourite thing to do. I can't tell you what an honour it was to be a part of the teaching team for Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine. What a fabulous bunch of women!!

Speaking of fabulous women, I had some fabulous women in my classes. I know a few of you were freaked out by whole non- structured get messy concept, but you did great! I was so proud to see how amazing all the artwork turned out!

I didn't get much time in the MondayNightClass.ca booth but when I did it was like the first day of school, with all the familiar faces! I love it! I also loved all the great help I had, I could not have done it with out them!! I did not get many shots, but I did get a few so I thought I would share them with you.

Green and Gold class at Paper Pastimes

2010-09-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Just a peak at my Green and Gold card class at Paper Pastimes...Uses handmade papers, French laces, and lot's of other really pretty things including StampIt Australia Stamps! Class is on Thursday, Oct 21st. These photos really don't capture the stunning metallic finishes and beautiful textures.

Where does the time go?...or where is the Kleenex box?

2010-09-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

The one thing about being self employed that really sucks is being sick!! We have had this nasty cold going around my house being passed from one person to another for about a month and half. It started as allergies for me and then became a head cold, Ashley was next, and Mike was out all last week with a nasty chest infection and I awoke about one in the morning on Sunday with what felt like razor blades in my throat....(after having a fabulous day at the Red Deer Breast Crop Ever...pictures to follow)

All of this comes on the eve of the two biggest shows we do every year...The Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival in Calgary and Edmonton. So it has been a week of homeopathic remedies, Advil Cold and Sinus, and Chloroseptic throat spray. Today, I am just plain willing myself better! When I get sick there just is no one else to do the work...not that this is work :)

I am so excited to be teaching for Canadian Scrapbooker this year as a team member. It really is an amazing thing to be involved in. There are a few spots left in each of my classes so if you find the time come on down and take a class. You can register at the show. If your can't make mine, you can never go wrong with a class being taught by Cathy Allen or Leica Forest...both of them are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G teachers! Check out this link for descriptions http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=415.

While you're there check out the Make and Takes, drop off a layout for the layout contest, and visit Allison Orthner in the fun Photo Booth sponsored by Sony!

Don't forget to come on by the MondayNightClass.ca booth and say Hi to me! I might not sound very good but I will be having fun in our booth doing $5 mini kits and hanging out!

See you there!!

As promised here are the photos from the Breast Crop Ever! Tiffany and her Volunteers raised $4600 dollars! SO Awesome!!!

Kim has to learn...if you make a face...it will end up on the blog!!!

And the winner is.....

2010-09-07T09:41:00.000-07:00

What a crazy blog hop and so fun!!

To find out the winners check HERE

I had to laugh at some of your answers...and ironically, Sue assigned our questions, and like a lot of you I don't actually drink them any more. Way too much sugar for me...I feel gross afterwards. When I did drink them I loved Pink Grapefruit....very hard to find these days.

But my girls and I did discover a "little bit of a fun" replacement this summer. We make our own, usually with lemonade. It's very simple, just mix some frozen concentrate( about 1/4 cup), a little hot water (couple of tablespoons) and Ice ( about a 10-12 cubes) into food processor/blender and blend....I can control the sugar, and the additives and it's just pennies a glass...Don't forget to stock straws in the house though!

Last Day To Enter

2010-09-06T12:20:00.000-07:00

WOW! this is so fun, just a note for those of you having trouble entering comments on my blog, I have changed my settings,so now it should not be an issue. (let's hope!!!) If you still experience any troubles just email me or Sue! Happy Hopping!

Welcome to the CS Hands On! Photography Blog Hop!

2010-09-01T04:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog and thanks for participating in our Hands On! photography blog hop!!

You should have arrived here from Jamye Loge's Blog If you didn’t, please visit the Hands On! Photography blog HERE to start at the beginning and visit each person’s blog in order, so that you don’t miss out on your chance to win any of the prizes!

We are celebrating the one year anniversary of the Canadian Scrapbooker Hands On! Photography blog, also referred to as the HOP blog. Last September, we launched the HOP blog as an added feature to the Hands On! Photography article in each issue, to offer more in-depth tutorials for the topics that Sue discussed in her articles.

Each month, Sue posts a new tutorial on the HOP blog, with photo examples and helpful links. Our magazine and blog readers are encouraged to submit their photos, which are then shared on the HOP blog and entitle them to a chance to win a randomly drawn prize each month!

I'm excited to announce that the blog hop prize I have to give away to one lucky commenter is this prize pack from Prima:

Want a chance to win this prize? In celebrating our one-year anniversary, we'd like to invite you to review one of our past tutorials. My choice is the March/April 2010 tutorial on SIDE LIGHTING. To win, just visit this tutorial and leave a comment there, and then come back and leave me a comment with your favourite Slurpee or Slushie flavour! It's as easy as that!

We’ve come to the end of our blog hop – thank you so much for participating! Be sure to head back to the HOP blog to leave a comment for a chance to win one of two bonus prizes!

back to school and We R Memory Keepers!

2010-08-27T10:18:00.000-07:00

Well it's Friday, and I survived the first full week back at school. I have to tell you that we have had a big change in things this year. We decided not to put the girls on the bus for school this year. A lot of things went into this decision. Our Stop is a 15-20 min drive away and our bus fees went up this year. The school isn't ready to move a stop closer to us yet (the joys of living in a new community). The drive to the two school campus' ( what is the plural of campus...campi???) is really only 25 min each way. BUT!!! it is in the opposite direction as Mike's work...

SO I HAVE TO DRIVE!!

Now some of you are thinking so what?? Well, let's just say I am not really a morning person. Between that and Mike's snoring , I am used to getting my best two hours of sleep between 6am ( when Mike gets up) and 8am ish when I used to get up. I would leisurely sit with my tea and read emails and such. NO MORE!!! I have to be up and dressed and alert enough to drive by 8 am. But enough of my complaining.... I thought I would show you this year's first day of school pics and how I scrapbooked them.

I used We R Memory Keepers paper and their 4x6 pad. I LOVE their die-cut scallop and such sheets. I picked it up at The Scrapbook Pantry. So cool! I used a layout from a different We R page that I had done this summer. I have included a sketch of it for you to see and the original layout. As you can see I didn't change the sketch up much but the three pages are all so different. Just goes to show how versatile a sketch can be!

So let's catch up...

2010-08-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

I know you've seen this before...but I never get tired of looking at it!!

I don't know about you but early this morning a caught a faint whiff of something that smelled like fall in the air....I don't know why, it surely doesn't feel as much like fall as it usually does this time of year, in fact the last couple of days have been the nicest all month. Perhaps it is just that I am ready for the fall season. The girls are back in school, and work is starting to gear up and the anticipation of all that is to come in the next few months is filling my every waking hour.

I had a great summer, I took a lot of time to do nothing. In fact I took so much time there was a week there around late July that I think I might have slipped into a walking coma. I looked around my house today and it definitely is showing signs of a little neglect.

Last week, the fall issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine came out. It was my first issue as contributing writer, and my first cover layout. I have to confess that I get a small childlike "look what I did!" moment every time I walk by it in the scrapbook stores...so, as nonchalant as I might seem on the outside the girl inside me is peeing her pants with excitement. I love working with the girls from the magazine...they challenge me to be a better me (how many people can say that about their employer). A great example of that is the fun little dip I got to take into my art world when they asked if I would be interested in creating a cartoon for scrapbookers. It's all part of a segment called The Lighter Side.

Katherina keeps telling me that I am funny...

I am not sure how to take that?

The segment even has a crossword...I am thinking how great it will be to sit and do that at during one of the many upcoming moments of waiting for the kids. My favourite part of the magazine is tucked way in back..it's the first of my Designer Secrets articles....

Speaking of my Designer Secrets...my classes for the Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival are filling up fast. I have had a lot of girls tell me that they desperately want to take my 6 week Scrapbook Design 101, they just don't know how they are going to get to a class once a week. That got me thinking...why don't I offer it as a web/online coarse. So I have been starting to put ideas together and am really excited that I might be able to do this. I can't think of anything more fun then having a class of girls that stretch across Canada. I will keep you updated on this as it develops over the next few weeks.

The other thing that happened this summer is that I hired an assistant. Her name is Nancy....I will introduce her better in a later post, but I am excited to get to work with her on the MNC blog, website, fanpage and so much more. I had so many applicants it was crazy and choosing was so hard. I wanted to hire each and everyone of them...I am not good at disappointing people and saying no. In fact I am definitely an "includer". I am the kind of girl that wants everyone to get along and be involved....my motto... always room for more! But Cindy pointed out that we could only afford to pay for one girl. :(

2010-08-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting much this month. I took a little time off and have spent a lot of time doing some "housekeeping" type stuff for Mondaynightclass.ca, and was writing my articles for the winter edition of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine.

Speaking of the magazine... the Fall issue of the magazine came out this week..so exciting but I will blog more about that later this week.

Above are some of the kits I have designed over the summer... I can't take credit for the Ouch kit, it was a take off of a page done by Jennifer Rowsell that we couldn't get all the product for. It's hard to say which one is my favourite, but each kit is so full of product it is amazing!!

Something little, yet amazing to share with all of you...

2010-07-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

I was recently pointed to this amazing website- http://www.bravegirlsclub.com/ by my good friend Allison, we were doing research on retreats and have both added attending one of these workshops to our bucket list. It's founded by Melodie Ross and her Sister. On this website was a little icon about their email list...I joined and have never been so happy with a decision in my life. 5 days a week I get sent to my inbox a little piece of inspiration, encouragement and love...all from someone I have never even met! So many times these words have been exactly what I need to hear that day, sometimes it is exactly what someone else in my life may need to hear. Today message is something I think everyone should hear, so I thought I would share...

Dear sparkling girl,

We all need more words of encouragement and less words of judgment.
We all need more hugs and less dirty looks.
We all need more congratulations and less guilt trips.
We all need more random acts of kindness and less time spent gossipping.
We all need to be loved more without conditions or expectations.....we all do.
Thank you for being the one who does it.....who loves unconditionally and spreads
joy and works in kindness and gives big encouraging hugs.....
You are changing your world and your life and everyone around you with each small
act.....you are a hero.....keep up the great work and keep passing it on.

xoxo

I encourage you all to sign up for your own brave girls subscription...it's great to have a little positivity and love in your mail box every morning!

Sweet summer days

2010-07-21T20:40:00.000-07:00

I awoke the other morning to find Ashley had eeked out a spot in my craft room... sitting in the morning sun quietly crafting away. I love that the girls love this space as much as I do.

I have been slipping in time "out in the summer sun" between trying to do a little creative work in my room. I have been trying to spend a little time doing things to nourish my soul....this weekend Mike and I went to the farmers market...I LOVE the farmers market it always make me feel like cooking. I must look like a crazy women smelling tomatoes, and smiling away.

I did manage to prep a class for the Scrapbook Pantry in Calgary...It will be held on September 14th, and will cost $40. The finished project is a very elegant Halloween door/wall hanging that would be great on any door this fall. It uses the Halloween in Wonderland papers from Graphic 45.

It will be a great class, very technique driven, lots of ink, paint, and more....great intro to Mixed Media arts!

Look what I did!!!!

2010-07-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

Just a quick post to share some JOY today...I feel so blessed to be able to show you a picture of my very first cover layout, the Photo was by Heidi Brand.
I used Harmonie Mosiac tiles to create the tree....and of course Magenta paper and Superstock! Throw in some Glitz Designs stickers and Tattered Angels Chip Letters and it's all good!!!

Lot's to catch up on....

2010-07-15T23:14:00.000-07:00

Well I am back from my vacation, I had ....well I sorta had a great time, if you rule out two nights of sleeping in the front seat of my car due to air mattress malfunctions, a bear encounter by my youngest, 8 billion bug bites, and the death of our favourite folding chair. ...but mostly it was great! We have to thank Al and Rose ( well mostly Rose) for inviting us up to their cabin in Beaton...it's a little piece of heaven! The girls had such a great time!

Camping after was fun too. We saw a huge amount of wildlife, some good, so not so good. I have never been more proud of Ashley and was amazed at her ability to think fast when needed to. Poor thing, I let her go to the bathroom ( only 4 campsites away) by herself one afternoon and was puzzled when a few minutes later I spied her running up the side of a the road ( so fast she was actually passing a car). As she got closer to me, she got faster and more frantic looking...until she reached me and collapsed into sobs!! Poor thing had gone around the corner of the bathroom to spot a bear...she remember what we told her and quietly backed away before it saw her and then turned tail and ran!! We were very blessed it didn't see her! As to say from that moment on no more going to the bathroom alone and loud singing was required along the path. Here are a few shots from our trip.

this shot was taken from our car...the picture was blurry as Mike was driving...but the bear was 3 feet from the edge of the road. CRAZY!!!

This week I am teaching like crazy...here are few shots from my classes at Paper Pastimes yesterday...I am there everyday this week until Saturday and then I am part of the Christmas card class at The Scrapbook Pantry on Sunday. I know there are a few spots left in the Friday/Saturday classes at Paper Pastimes!

Here are two of the cards from the Paper Pastimes Classes using BasicGrey Kioshi line.

Canadian Scrapbooker Trivia Contest

2010-06-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

There is a lot of buzzzzzz at the magazine about this great company and the fabulous Trivia contest this month...only ten days left to enter! I love Nikki, one of the sweetest most genuine girls I ever met!

http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=385

HELP WANTED!

2010-06-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Somewhere in my journey I have discovered small little dreams in the back of my mind, things I have always wanted to do...write a book, organise intimate creative/ reflective retreats, do more painting ( I really let this one go over the last few years), have a gallery showing, produce and star in a series of webisodes...and the list goes on. All of these are things I know I can do, I have the bravery, the know how and even a few contacts....so why am I not doing these things? I just don't have the TIME. Am Ithe only person who noticed that TIME is a four letter word!

The last few weeks have definitely been about Time ( no that is not a typo, it's Time with a capital T). Trying to take Time for me, Time for the girls, and Time for Mike....and of course finding Time to work, and getting it all done on Time. I just can't do it all...so then I realised I don't need to do it all....I can delegate.

I read somewhere that really effective people delegate...and really believe that....yet the super-control-freak-I-can-do-it-faster-and-better side has been slow to come around. Now the want-to-do-my-own-thing-side is dragging her to the curb and knocking some sense into her.

The other thing that has happened in the last few weeks is that Kim who handles MNC's blog and newsletter has had to take a step back to spend more Time with her family and her day job. Don't worry girls she is still designing for us, just not blogging for us anymore. All of this had led to my decision to hire an assistant.
Now to clarify a few things, I do have a few girls who work for MNC, in a creative capacity, but what I really need is a different type of person.

So hear is where my story gets interesting...I sat down and made a list of all of the duties that I would need in an assistant and what kind of personality I would need...it goes something like this:

Seeking nurturing, calm, organized, no drama girl, to work in a crazy, messy, change direction in a moments notice environment with unpredictable, unfocused, overworked, overstressed artist type, who can be bossy, but is ever grateful and a lot of fun. Computer skills are necessary, you will be blogging, facebooking, emailing, and formatting on a desktop publisher...you don't need training in any of these things but can't run screaming from the room if you see a computer. No Mac girls please...this is a PC shop as that is what our Tech guy is good at and he works for love.(mine not yours) The hours are unpredictable, some weeks more then others but are flexible as to time of day and much can be done at home if you have a PC. Scrapbooking skills are not necessary, but if you love product, bonus' may come in that format. You must be a self starter, tracker and mind reading skills would also help! Oh and you must like dogs and drive (the two things are not related). The pay is nominal but the rewards are great! Shop closes for December and most of the summer. Great for SAHM or retired person.

I really tried to narrow it down and make it simpler and sound more appealing...is a help wanted ad a little like a first date, you want to put your best foot forward? or should you be honest and spell it out like it is? As you can see I have never done this before.

X-mas cards and Magenta Stamps!

2010-06-22T14:05:00.000-07:00

I got my box of stamps from Magenta for my July x-mas card class at Paper Pastimes. I love Magenta cling rubber stamps...all the ease of acrylic and the crispness of rubber. I also love that they are a Canadian company. I also used oriental handmade papers, Ranger inks, and Tim Holz Dies and Spellbinder's Nestabilities Die cuts.

Sometimes the answers aren't easy...

2010-06-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

I actually wrote this post a few days ago, I struggled if I should share, but if I am being honest about my process, this is what I am going through...so I thought I would share...

A few years ago I was in a Chapter's buying books with my then 8yr old daughter and I came across this book written for girls called something like...How To Be a Good Friend (very Ironic I can't remember the name right now)...but there was a passage that has stuck with me to this day. It stated something along the lines that sometimes as a good friend we have trust that our friend would never intentionally do anything to hurt us or make us mistrust them. HOW TRUE! I have, since that day, always looked at every time I was hurt by someone and thought...I am sure they didn't mean it...(at least until I can prove they did!)

With this in my heart ( and lot's of kindness and positivity) I want to address the issue of artistic integrity and ownership in the scrapbooking world.
This is such a crazy thing to think about because one half of this industry sells itself by stating that you don't have to have an original thought in your mind to scrapbook or use their product. Especially in the home based sales companies...or even with MondayNightClass.ca. We teach classes to others by getting them to "copy" our ideas...we use words like "scraplift" and C.A.S.E. ( copy and steal everything)...magazines, books and whole Internet sites are geared towards ideas you can copy. So we copy things, we sometimes change them, sometimes not. I can't throw stones here, when I was beginning scrapbooking I copied things... it can be an amazing learning tool.

I think where we get into sticky situations is when we claim those ideas for our own, and when $$$ gets into the mix. I believe that no one can really own an idea, or a way of doing something...but you can own the end result....an example of this...we can all learn to sing...but it's slightly less ethical to pass off Taylor Swift's new album as a garage band recording of yourself and selling millions of copies to your friend's for a profit. BTW: I sound just like Taylor Swift in the shower ;)

Saying that, it's really hard to know where this line is in our industry. In reality 95% of what I teach can be learned from a book or from the Internet..or my amazing community of fellow Scrapbooking artists...I try really hard to credit others when I use their ideas, when I have learned something from them...it's hard not to want to share what we have learned with others..it's our nature as women. I am struggling with wanting to re post or share everything I am learning in my Flying Lessons with everyone...but have to respect that Kelly Rae Roberts makes her income from her ability to put all of this info and heart into the course...and giving it away for free would be the same as stealing it from her.

When I sit down to design a class...something I am selling...I never start with other peoples ideas in front of me..I usually start with a pile of product...and my head...my head is like a sponge it captures ideas, colours, and techniques like there is no tomorrow ( but not phone numbers) and I pull ideas and techniques from my "head library" as I create....being very careful to never copy anyone else....Saying that, there are little bits of things inspired by others...created entirely in the new, that I can see...every time I put a fringe of ribbon along the edge of something I know that a little of Amy's creativity has seeped in there...or when I spend 20 minutes fussy cutting out a swirl or flower from a pattern I know that Cindy would smile. We as artists are definitely influenced by those around us. I think that has been true since the dawn of time. When I see others copy and or recreate things from my classes I have taught them I feel very flattered. Yet when girls say to me, "Oh! I love your web sight! I copy the layouts from there all the time" a little part of me is so sad for the designer who spent hours designing and writing instructions to only be stolen from and not get the credit or the financial reward. It's a hard situation in our industry that I have to smile and take it as the compliment it is meant to be...If I were to get upset that would seem very "unwomenly" of me and would be frowned upon.

So what to do...well when the little voice in the pit of your stomach says..this might not be the best thing..it probably isn't and your next course of action is to ask ...is this OK? If you can't answer it for yourself, ask a friend or better yet, ask the artist. I know in my case I tend to be very open with my classes, and ideas, I just like the credit and the courtesy...I think we all do!

2010-06-16T12:05:00.000-07:00

Found this video on Reenie Hanlin's facebook page...LOVE IT...like it was speaking just to me! Hope you find it as inspiring as I do!

Floats, Warm cookies, and other good things!

2010-06-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

It took me until today to recover from the weekend. Our annual Summer Scraptacular was it's usual amount of frivolity and free stuff, with a little scrapbooking thrown in! I know I always say that it's like hanging out with a group of friends for the weekend , but each time just gets better and better. I really notice that June's crop is full of the real die hard Scrappers. Who else would spend one of the first sunny days we have had in a long while in a community hall, instead of the sunshine. Don't worry girls, Cindy and I were right there with you. For me the Scraptacular is like the big bang out party that marks the end of Crop season. It's the last hurrah of spending time gabbing with the girls, and creating to our hearts content...that is until next fall. Cindy went all out on the goodies as usual and even baked fresh warm cookies Saturday afternoon and served them with ice cream floats...perfection!!! Unfortunately I didn't get picks of them but I did get these:

Cindy said something in her thank you speech (which she hates giving...not the thank you part... the speech part) that really hit a cord with me. She was talking about how when we see an order come in we feel like we are entering into your lives...how true...I know many customers by name only and actually feel a little fond of each and every one...I know the ones that put off picking up orders for months at a time..or the ones who rush right in after the phone call...I notice when someone drops off for a few months and then suddenly reappears like a Friend back from a vacation. I have gotten to know many of our customers and each of you is like a bright spot in my life. I love knowing that I am bringing a little bit of creative escape and beauty into someones life... I imagine you finishing a kit and feeling that sense of accomplishment..and I feel proud to be a part of that.

I think that is part of my WHY??

Lastly I don't want to miss out on letting you know that Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine featured one of our Kits in their latest webisode...I love it!!!

Here is the link: http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?powerpress_pinw=397-podcast

or check it our one the Mondaynightclass Blog

Summer Scraptacular is close!

2010-06-10T10:27:00.000-07:00

Well my eye twitch is back, but I am not really surprised. This weekend is our annual Summer Scraptacular, and I have been deep into preparations and well over my stress load. I always fret a little about planning and running a crop. It's not that I don't love doing it, because I do.

I have always been a planner/organizer. I was the weird kid who organized all the kids in the neighbourhood into giving elaborate plays or executing day long mini water war campaigns...back then they just called it bossy. But I have managed to turn those skills into a force for good, I don't usually get to worked up, my friends might disagree....but I do worry about things, silly things...like right now my biggest stress is over what to serve with the sandwiches at lunch...I know I will have a veggie tray, but what else??? My problem is that I want to wow them at every turn...I love the details, but realistically, for a group of 60 ladies, and on a small budget, I can't do everything that is in my heart and mind. I always thought I would make a good employee for Disney...I am really detail oriented..and have amazing over the top ideas...but then the real world sets in.

So here I am this morning , blogging and thinking...what do I serve with lunch?

I am glad to have a bunch of help this morning to finish kitting the last bit of goodies. I don't know what I would do with out all the help. One thing I know I wouldn't be doing is sleeping!

On another note, Britt gets home from her exchange program today..I suspect she will talk for the first two hours straight and sleep for the following 12. The house has been really quiet with her gone....yet I really do miss her. Probably not as much as I should, but then again I am used to her being gone for chunks of time, when she stays with her Dad. The part I am looking forward to is her being happy to be home...the best thing for any teenager/parent relationship is time away from each other..because reuniting can sweet...at least for a few hours!

BTW: the above layout is a Make and Take from the Summer Scraptacular Crop and is made from the BasicGrey Kioshi line. It has become one of my favourites!!

Creating Art is all it's cracked up to be!!

2010-06-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

So my weekend of declaring myself as an artist started with a trip to the bookstore, I love to read...in fact 90% of what I know I have learned from reading...OK more like 75% with the other 25% coming from failure...but more on that later, back to the book story. I picked up two books both on creativity and mixed media art. I started to feel the old vibrating creativity coming out of me...and I dug into my old friends; paint and paper. Wait, I am getting ahead of myself again.

Before I was Scrapbooking Christy, I was Interior Design Christy..I ran a small business doing residential design...but the primary focus on that soon became painting murals, when a good customer and a dear Friend, Joanne begged me to paint a mural on her playroom wall. One mural led to another and I spent many a day deep into creating the worlds of jungles and sea caverns with little more then paint and brush...never calling myself an artist. I love paint, I love the texture of a wet brush gliding across it's intended canvas, I love how each colour inflicts it's own personality onto another ( as if that isn't a huge metaphor for life I don't know what is). So I excitedly and vibrating picked up a brush and began...

For the last few weeks I have had this really annoying eye tick thing going on...My left eyes feels as if it is trying to escape from it's eye socket, causing my eye to stutter and blink at random intervals, like every 15min or so....It's stress related (if you can imagine). Well, when I looked up from work table at midnight last night, I was astonished that my eye had not shuttered since breakfast. Maybe my eye was trying to tell me that it was finally happy? It doesn't like paperwork anymore then I do!

I am happy with what I managed to create, but even more happy with the fact I just took the time to do it!

I Am An Artist !!

2010-06-06T13:03:00.000-07:00

Why is it when we are little we can come running into the room and exclaiming..."Look, aren't I a great artist?", but when we reach a certain age creating comes with an edge of shame, We never run into a room exclaiming "Look what I did!!" because we fear what others might think of us, are we showing off?, is what we have not good enough?...will others think I am crazy?... So here I am , facing my fear...I AM AN ARTIST!

So my first step, is embracing that...saying I am an artist and being an artist.

I love to create...but more importantly I love to help others create. I think I need to find a way to spend more time doing that...scratch that, I NEED to spend more time doing that.

Now saying that, how do I find more time?

But that's the next question...

Just starting to bloom...or should I say fly?

2010-06-03T15:21:00.000-07:00

How appropriate that this is the view from my workshop window today...they are planting trees in the playground across the street. The park was one of the reasons we bought this lot, that we built here. I wanted some place that was a safe and close to home for the girls start to spread their boundaries. When we moved in last August it was a huge pit of dirt covered in weeds...over the last few months, pathways were paved, and last week they installed the playground equipment. Which was a little like Christmas over here as the girls rushed to see how much more was done each day after school. It still doesn't look like much today, but the promise of what it will become is getting clearer everyday.

This is a little like how I feel about my life today. I started this new online course by Kelly Rae Roberts called "Flying Lessons". It is all about being successful at starting /running a creative business. A dear friend asked me why I was taking this class, don't I already have a creative business?...it got me thinking and my answer is simple...But do I own the business I want to own?

Truth is, though I worked (and continue to everyday) very hard to get where I am, and I have immense gratitude for the blessings I have...some of things I do have, have just fallen into place, instead of making the clear and conscious choice to do them. Somethings I knew I wanted and worked hard to get, like being asked to write for Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine....but I am struggling with where do I want to go from here ...essentially I am at a crossroads.

Where do I go from here...what do I want my life to look like? I am sure that some of what I am experiencing is because I am 39 and re-evaluating my life, and some because I feel as if, what started out as a way to share my creativity and spread joy among others has made my laptop feel like a ball and chain!

But back to my "Flying Lessons" - I am going to try and blog about my journey through this process and share what I can, with out stepping over the copyright of Kelly and her amazing insight and course.

In the first few lessons I have had two major insights...one personal, one professional.

Insight one: Kelly talks about experiencing what she calls "The Impostor Syndrome"- that when you feel like everyone around you is going to wake up and realise you shouldn't be where you are...OMG!! This is how I feel everyday!!! I felt so amazed to know that I wasn't the only person who felt this way, that if Kelly could feel this way (and she is amazing) then I wasn't out to lunch that I felt that way too! I love her fearless attitude and beliefs!

Insight two: and this was a big one....I had lost sight of my WHY!

Why do I own a kit company, Why do I teach...not why did it happen, or why I love my job...but a much deeper WHY. This is what I have to re-discover. What is it that I believe that drives me to do what I do.

Christams Cards In July!!

2010-05-26T07:06:00.000-07:00

I have always loved handmade papers...I used them a lot in my Interior Design life, but have very recently started to play with the in my paper crafting life. I love that they are usually somewhere between a paper and a fabric, making them pliable and playable! Here are the two cards that I designed for a class at Paper Pastimes in July.

The details are:

Exquisite Christmas Cards Part 1
July 14 or 17 either days 9am to approx 11 or 11:30 $31.95 Call the store to register.

I am also redoing my Beautiful Basic grey class with a bit of stamping and techniques included to step it up a bit. That will be running on Thursday, July 15 6pm to approx 8:30 or 9pm or Saturday July 17 1pm to approx 3:30 or 4pm $54.95.

Scrapbook Your Heart was unforgetable!

2010-05-19T11:11:00.000-07:00

Photo By Allison Orthner

I have been curled up in bed off and on for the last few days...recovering from a nasty head cold and just so grateful it held off until Monday! This weekend was such an incredible experience. Watching all the women play and create and make new friendships and connect on a deeper level with old ones. Below is one of the projects we did...I wish I had pictures of each and every girls book, they were each an amazing work of art, each different and beautiful.

Working with these women is a true blessing in my life I love each and everyone of them.

Photo By Allison Orthner

10 Days...well now it's only 6 days!!!

2010-05-04T09:32:00.000-07:00

SO I went away for the weekend and Allison stuck in an amazing contest for Scrapbook Your Heart...

Last Thursday all of the girls on the SYH team, with the exception of Michelle who was snowed in,( we missed you girl) got together at my house for a day of creativity like no other. The ideas and projects for this year are so amazing and truly creative. I can't wait for you to come and play with us.

In fact there are only 6 spots left...can you believe it??? If you want details on how to land a free Kit check out her Blog http://allisonorthner.blogspot.com/ and for more sneak peeks at this years projects. BTW the above photo is a small part of one of the new fun elements of the weekend.

The other thing I did this weekend was to attend the Bull River Scrapbooking retreat run by Oasis Scrapbooking. OMG the food!!! I am still full and don't think I will need to eat at all this week. I even got in a little scrapbooking of my own.

For those of you who don't know May is my B-day month and I am actually turning 39 this year...unlike last year when I just thought I was. So to celebrate that this year I am creating a snapshot of where I am in my life right now, using the amazing spiral bound note pad from Fancy Pants Designs. I love it!!! Here are just a few LO that I completed this weekend. and the funny thing...all the photos are ones Allison Orthner took.

I HAVE TO SHARE THIS!!!

2010-04-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

OK, I am working on finishing up the details of my Scrapbook Your Heart Retreat project that everyone is going to get to make and I had one of those moments where I just had to share it!! It's supposed to be a surprise so I can't show the whole thing, but here is a sneak peek. I think there are a few rooms left so if you haven't signed up you are going to miss out. This year is all about the creativity!!!

Breakfast TV Spot

2010-04-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed it, here is the link to watch yesterday...thanks so much to BasicGrey for their great product!!

http://site.btcalgary.ca/video/?bcpid=5173168001&bclid=5184558001&bctid=79810874001

Breakfast TV project directions and contest.

2010-04-22T20:00:00.000-07:00

Here are the step by step instruction to make a curly-q tree.

Start with a 4x6 piece of paper and cut one end on a diagonal.

Cut two inch or more deep slits along the diagonal edge..use the orange lines as a guide.

Roll the paper, large to small end and secure with a strong adhesive.

Roll the fringe strips around a skewer, white side in.

To tighten the curls, twist and pull gently.

Adjust the tree to your liking. Your tree is finished.

Stamp the Birdie image on white cardstock. My Birdie is a Hero Arts Stamp. I also used Latte Hero Hues Ink. Fussy cut out the bird and attach to the tree with a foam dot.

Add the element to a card and add a little saying. I used BasicGrey's Green at Heart line and

Bo Bunny's Jazmyne line.

Check out Scrapbookers Paradise's blog for a great contest giveaway.

For those of you fell in love with my BasicGrey book class from Camp Croppin' you will be happy to know that I will be teaching it this July at Paper Pastimes. Keep an eye on their newsletter for upcoming registration information

Camp Croppin was a hoppin!!!

2010-04-19T10:13:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I was a Camp Croppin virgin until this weekend, I had attended the retailer portion every year, but never the crop itself. Boy was I missing out!! The "campers" were so nice and so friendly. The prizes were outstanding!!! What a haul! I wish I wasn't teaching so I could have taken a few of the other classes! It was so cool to see so many familiar faces, and to meet some girls who I only knew by name...and make some new friends.

I have to admit I was a little starstruck working along side the likes of Erin and Laura from Glitz, Shari Caroll from Hero Arts ( who also calls herself an old rubber girl!!LOL), Jeri and Amy from BoBunny, Annette and Janine from Fancy Pants...all companies I stalk and adore! As well as the other amazing girls that taught for all the other cool companies. I have a whole bunch of product to play with and share with y'all...but that will in the upcoming weeks! Want a taste sooner? Check out Allison Orthner and I on TV this Friday on the Breakfast TV.

For those of you at Education Eh!...a little humour that I wish I had for you on Friday...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtPb8g8Jl6I

Even if you weren't there, check it out...it's so funny, and everyone send me your Facebook Fanpage Links... because I am a huge fan of this Canadian Industry!

Last chance for Leduc!!!

2010-04-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

One of my most favourite and least favourite things about what I do is the travel.
I really miss my family and my natural instinct is to be a hermit...there is nothing I love more then a day curled up in bed with a good book or being locked in my scrapbook room.

On the other hand I love travelling to new places and meeting new people. For instance this weekend I am in Leduc, Alberta, visiting Why Box When You Can Scrap to teach both my 5 Secrets class and My Design 101 series. It's gonna be a whole weekend of jammed packed scrapbooking theory. I am so excited. I think there might be a few spots left, so if your in the area and want to come...give the store a shout. I would love to see you.

Here is the link:

http://onlineitools.com/nl/nl-output.php?nl_id=106567&bus_id=3572&plain=0

Sneak Peek at BasicGrey for Camp Croppin'

2010-04-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Just a sneak peak at what I am teaching for the mini book class...It uses BasicGrey's Kioshi Line...not my usual colours...but I have truly fallen in love with it's softness and delicate nature. Perfect for spring!!

This is how rumours start!!!

2010-03-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

Crop for Kids this weekend was a blast... a prime example of what crazy mischief a group of creative types can get into. Jennifer Rowsell and Katherina Doyle, along with a few other trouble makers put their heads together and created the first ever Iron Scrapbooker Competition...much like the Food TV show Iron Chef, it drew it's inspiration from, this contest featured, two creative types battling for supremacy using a bucket of secret ingredients and a very short time limit. I was very curious when a few weeks ago Jen asked if I was up for a little fun at the crop and could I bring a basic tool kit...and not ask anymore questions. That should have been my first clue!!

The Competition was on...We hammed it up a little and Leica "tattoed" my arm with the unfilled prophecy of "Leica Wins", pinned on the table and at one point Glitter was flying everywhere...all that was before the scrapbooking even began. We were given a few pieces of card stock, A sheet and Half of pattern paper, and a bucket of what can best be described as recyclable materials.

From all of this we had to produce a two page layout, an ATC card, and a greeting card. We each got to choose a Soux Chef assistant. I chose Rose...she was most likely to be able to read my mind and couldn't quit MNC if I yelled her Chef Ramsey style!!

Leica choose the ever talented Kimberly Collis...Look at them tremble in their boots!!!

Each team is hard at work!!!

Here's a good shot of the glitter in my hair!!

I love this shot of Leica that Sandy Holmquest took...thanks Sandy for the use of the photos!

Here you can really really see all the glitter on my face...did I mention how sparkly I still am!!

So here are the finished products...Leica's ATC...

My ATC...Hers won...I love the window!!

Her layout.....

My Layout....Mine Won!!!

Her card.... PS: I love this card...so unique!!My Card....My card won!!!

That makes me the IRON SCRAPBOOKER!! ( but I think it might have been by one vote)

Here are a few random pics from the rest of the amazing day.. BTW Jen you did an awesome job!! Thanks so much for letting me be a part of it!!

The day would not have been possible with out amazing volunteers...young and slightly less young!!

The funniest part of the day was the surprise that Kerri's friends had in store for her....they had hoped all of this would help her shop less and get more done....I don't think it worked, but nice effort guys!!

Crop For Kids Fundraiser Layout

2010-03-18T12:39:00.000-07:00

Jennifer Rowsell is organizing this amazing crop (http://www.crop4kids.org/ ) on this weekend to support the Children's Hospital. One of the very fun things she is doing is raffling off layouts designed and finished completley by some of Canada's best scrapbookers. I feel very honoured to be asked to donate for this cause...here is my layout

I am doing Cartwheels....

2010-03-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

well ...at least in mind and spirit!!!

On the night before I got married, my girlfriends and I went to see a psychic/ palm reader for fun. She was pretty cool, knew a few things that were crazy accurate, but it really was just for entertainment. She told me that I was going to be involved in writing and publishing....I kind of laughed...have you seen my spelling??

well, she was way smarter then I ever knew...because today I was officially hired as a contributing writer for Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine!!

I am going to have to dust off the dictionary and brush up my grammar. I am sure Kim and Allison will correct all my mistakes...or at least mock me for them!

I am so thrilled to be officially part of the team...I am really good at being a hanger on, but it's nice to be official. A huge thank you to Katherina and Jackie for this oppertunity!

Look for my first official article in the Fall issue!!!

2010-03-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

I was so excited yesterday when my samples from Upsy Daisy arrived in the mail. They are sponsoring the Make N Takes that I ( as Mondaynightclass.ca) am teaching at the Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival in Victoria this weekend! I am so excited to be going and even more excited to be working with such great Canadian Companies...YEAH CANADA!

This first layout is using their new line "See Ya Later Alligator"...it is an amazingly cute boy line..with touches of travel. I just love the saying on this page!

Here is a layout from the "Cupcake" line...always a favourite of mine!!

And lastly I think I have found a new love in the "A New Day" Line!!

If you want a chance to do these make and takes I will be teaching them all on both days of the Great Canadian Scrapbook Carnival or if you don't live in Victoria...you can bug your LSS to carry them!!

More info on the carnival visit: http://www.canadianscrapbooker.ca/?page_id=139

For a better look at Upsy Daisy Products: http://www.upsydaisydesigns.com/index.php

Win a Free Canadian Scrapbooker magazine!!!

2010-03-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

By now most have you have seen the new issue of Canadian Scrapbooker (and of course my fabulous layouts in there)...but did you know they have gone live? Check out the link below and watch Jackie as she "Heats it up!" on the web! I am so excited for them that I thought I would run a little contest...want a free current issue of Canadian scrapbooker? Just watch the webisodes and make a comment on my blog about it. From the comments I will make a random draw for the winner!

Great Weekend Of Cropping!

2010-03-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

This weekend I taught this crazy card class at a great crop organized by the Scrapbook Pantry. All of the cards are made with the product in the MondayNightClass.ca kit: Pieces Of the Past.

Crystal and Sharon did a great job and the food was awesome. Can't wait until the next one!

Only a few spots left...

2010-02-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

This is a card class I am teaching at PaperPastimes in Calgary...

the details are:**Stamping with Christy**
Thursday March 25, 2010
1 to 3:30 OR 6 - 8:30 pm
$32.95

It's all done with stamps, and ink and is a great technique class. Last time I talked to Carol there was only 4 spots left! If you haven't had a chance to check out her store, you should pop in, it's a playground for us creative types!!

Speaking of creative play, yesterday I attended an amazing class taught by Jenn Star, hosted at the Scrapbook Pantry. It's not often I actually take a class, but I had so much fun stamping and playing with Tim Holtz products that I couldn't help myself. Jen is an amazing teaching that packs in the techniques and keeps you hopping!! Here is the picks of what we did!

The Pantry now has an amazing selection of Ranger products as well as the new CHA stuff is starting to come in!!

The Big Announcement!!

2010-02-23T18:50:00.000-08:00

So a few weeks ago I hinted at an exciting Bucket list worthy event coming!! I am so excited to be teaching for BASICGREY at the upcoming Camp Croppin' Event in Calgary and at the Education Eh! Event. BASICGREY is one of my very favourite companies! For all the info on Camp Croppin' visit http://www.scrapbookersparadise.com/camp/. Hope to see you there!