Monkey said his first full sentence!

"Mommy, come back!!!"

Not a mouthful, but it delighted me to no ends. Mainly because he was talking to me. It happened a couple of nights ago. We were reading books while he sat on the potty. We finished up the small pile of books so I went to get some more. While I was picking out a couple of books, Monkey yelled his sentence. It threw Steve and I off for a moment and all we could do was laugh. It was so darn cute. I didn't even know he knew the words come back. I love my little monkey.

Our Graco Travel System (stroller and infant car seat) is finally gone. I sold it on kijiji this week. A little part of me is having some separation anxiety. The stroller and car seat combo was one of the first things we got for Monkey. Because the stroller sparked a huge fight between Steve and I, my parents ended up buying it for us. It was the one I wanted. It was cheaper than the one Steve wanted. We bought our Pak N Play (play pen) the same day. Steve and I agreed on that one. It's a beautiful sage green. It was Monkey's first bed. It's now our travel bed. I'll be keeping that one for the next baby.

I have been trying to scrap, but I think my mojo is playing hit and miss with me. I have ideas floating around, but I can't seem to get them down on paper. I have five layouts started, but only one finished. Maybe I need to take a break. Maybe I should work on the Christmas stockings that never got done last year. I'm halfway through two of them.

Until next time...

Crop Winner

Whoo hoo for crop prizes!

I just found out I am one of the winners from the weekend crop over at The Scrapping Bug. Very cool.

And if you haven't been by the Sassafras Lass blog for the newest peeks...Then do so...Now!...I can wait for you to come back. If you come back...

Anyway, I love it! I think it's all so cute. Wow...What a dream it must be to design for them. Gosh, are they ever lucky. Same goes for those lucky ladies who design for Prima.

Speaking of design; I have been on a vintage kick lately. I am all over anything from 1950 and beyond that. Pictures, ads, magazines, books, anything! I have a collection of vintage books that I love. I love the old leather, the musky, yellow pages, the simple and elegant look of it. I've loved old books ever since I was a kid. It was the geek in me. I have an old book of poems that has an angel craved right into the cover and painted in gold. It's breathtakingly beautiful. I would take a picture, but it's in Monkey's room and he's napping.

I love the look of old, vintage pages on scrapbook layouts and altered projects, but I can't bear to rip my books apart. I've tried hunting down other books to sacrifice, but I just can't do it. I need someone else to do it for me. Don't show me the book, just the torn pages please.

Speaking of the whole vintage vibe; have you heard of GaucheAlchemy? They have scrapbook kits on sale over at Etsy.

I have this add on kit:

And this main kit:

on their way to me right now. Beautiful!

Unitl next time...

Hello Yummy

Been to the Sassafras Lass Blog latey? They have some CHA peeks up right now. I've "borrowed" a few of my fave images. Look at how cute, vintage and yummy these are!!!

I adore those linen cardstock cards already. I can already see what I can do with them in my head. Oh boy. I need a job. Fingers crossed Sun Life liked me and I get hired by the end of the week.

Until next time...

Online Crop

I participated in an online crop over at The Scrapping Bug this weekend. I finished all 8 of the challenges. They were fun. I was pretty surprised with how fast I got the layouts done. I think I was inspired. A few of them turned out very nice, if I do say so myself.


This was challenge #7, a colour challenge. Orange, blue and white had to be the main colours. The colour scheme was perfect for the Animal Crackers (Jack) line from Making Memories. I've had this line since it first came out. It's been hidding in my hall closet, awaiting the day I finally sit down and do Monkey's first year mini ablum. I've been planning this album for over a year now. It's about time I start on it. This is the first page. The "Newborn" page.

This was challenge #6, Scraplift. I love this picture of Steve and Monkey. I took it in September, I think. We were on our way to see the big truck that had been parked on the street behind our place for three weeks. Monkey likes trucks so we thought it would be fun to take him for an up close look. You can see the truck in the back ground. I think I have a new obession with those little Sassafras Lass birdies.

Challenge #3, Reflecting. We had to reflect on '08; either the whole year or one event. I choose to reflect on when Steve came home from Australia. I journaled around the stitched circle. There's those birdies again. One stamped and one cut out.

Challenge #8, Card Sketch. I suck at cards. I don't make them. This is only the second I've done. The first one was for a challenge too. I'm just not into them.

Challenge #2, Embrace. We had to use the word "embrace" some where on the page, as well as a tag and bling. This is a 6x12 of me and Steve. I think this is my favourite layout of the two of us. The back card pulls out. When I think of the right journaling, it'll be a hidden journaling thing. The tag is from one of Steve's shirts. I loved it the moment I saw it. Steve knew I was going to steal it. Steve commented on how he thinks my layouts are getting better because I'm getting better at taking pictures. I pointed out that he took this self picture of the two of us. He just laughed at me.

Oh...Look...Those birdies again...Challenge #1, Bright & Cheery. I knew I sewed orange stitching on the clouds for a reason. And I knew I kept that piece of paper after I stitched and decided not to use it. It came in handy here. I figured orange and blue were bright enough for this page and packed it up with black and white to try to pop it all.

Challenge #5, Bling/Glitter. Glittered die-cut snowflake paper, glittered ribbin, Frost Glimmer Mist on papers and large flower and bling in two flower centers. I love how this one turned out. I semi wish I had the coloured copy of this picture printed out. My pink scraf would have matched everything. But I sent that picture to my grandmother and haven't re-printed it.

Challenge #4, Christmas/Holiday. Christmas may be over, but I'm not done with my Christmas memories. I still have all my Christmas papers and embellies out so this one was a snap to whip together. I'm going to be working on a Christmas mini ablum soon too so it's all out. This picture was from Christmas 2007. Monkey was 9 months old and sick. He didn't stay in just his hat, diaper and socks for long. Just long enough for me to snap a couple of pictures. Then I bundled him up. I thought he looked like a cute, little elf.

Not one of the challenges. Just a recently done layout. The snowmen are all popped up on foam dots.

I have my interview test with Sun Life soon. I have to do a math test, a typing test and an Excel test. If I do well then I get my second interview. My first interview was last week.

Until next time...

A Me Day

You have a full day to yourself. No children, no husband, no one in your way for 11 full hours.

What do you do?

I, apparently, do nothing I had planned to do.

I wanted to get all the laundry done. I did two out of three loads. I wanted to get the laundry put away. There’s a basket of folded clothes in the hall and another basket full of Monkey’s clothes from other washes in my bedroom waiting to go into Monkey’s room. I wanted to clean out Monkey’s closet. I wanted to go through his clothes, box up the ones I want to keep (for future children, my own or my sister’s…Hard to believe my sister is going to have kids someday! She’s only 18! That’s like…I don’t know…7 in my head) and get another box ready for the Salvation Army. I didn’t go into Monkey’s room other that to look for heavy books. I wanted to get all our Salvation Army loot together so we could finally get rid of it. I didn’t even think twice about it. I wanted to sweep my floors and do the dishes after lunch. I did do those. But really, it was out of habit more than anything else because I do those everyday.

I had the whole day to myself and I still didn’t finish any scrap related projects…No, wait…That’s a lie. I did a simple layout. Very simple. No special techniques, not much cutting. It’s simple, fresh and I love it. I haven’t taken a picture of it yet. If I could get my new printer (and scanner in one) to work then I could have scanned it in since the layout is an 8.5x11.


I did get a lovely surprise delivered to my door yesterday. My sweet, sweet, sweet best friend sent me a candy bouquet. She’s the bestest. I love her dearly.

Monkey did not make it home last night. We ended up getting a snow storm and he stayed safely at my parents’ house. He did call me at bedtime. Mom said he spent the day being happy and cheerful. As soon as he heard my voice, he got serious. I swear he said “Why are you in the phone and not here with me” in his little man babble. He then kept trying to hang the phone up while I chatted briefly with my mom. Point taken; he’s mad at me for not being there. He’s never gone more than one night without me. I miss him too. He should be home in under an hour. I can’t wait.

Until next time…

Timers, Mom and Check it Out

What would we do without timers?
Okay…
Let me rephrase that…
What would I do without timers.
More importantly….
What would I do without the timer on my stove?
I have never pretended to be a chef, let alone a good cook. I don’t think I am at all. In college, I lived off of broccoli steamed in the microwave toped with cheese, Kraft Dinner, Mr Noodles and anything I could get that took 5 minutes in the microwave or could order and have delivered. The only way I knew how to cook chicken was to pan fry one of those partially pre-cook frozen ones that come out of a box. I then went on to getting engaged to a cook thinking he’d keep me well fed. He didn’t cook much at home. Although I did learn some tricks of the trade from him.
It wasn’t until I met Steve I decided to learn how to cook. There was this unexplainable desire to take care of him. I’m not sure where it came from or why I still have it (I also have a desire to make good food for Monkey so he doesn’t eat just processed crap like his half siblings). Steve is handy in the kitchen. He makes a mean quesadilla, awesome eggs, the bestest progies and so much more. I’ve taken over as head chef (if you wanna call me that), but Steve is a great sous chef.
My only problem in the kitchen is I still get bored if what I’m cooking takes too long. I’m a huge fan of Rachael Ray’s 30 minute meals because they keep you busy from start to finish; and they finish fast. If I’m left standing for more than a minute, I wander away. I use my timer to keep me in check or I just might burn down the house.
I love my stove timer. I also love how the light comes on inside my oven when I open the door; but that’s another story.

Update on Mom….
Mom has been doing well since her surgery. It almost looks like the doctors gave her a tracheotomy. Only the hole is closed instead of open. I thought they were going to cut lower, but no…Her new, swollen scar is at the base of her neck. The good news is there was only on lymph node with cancer in it.
She met with her cancer team yesterday to go over her treatments. The doctors believe with some aggressive treatments they can 100% beat this. Her treatments start on the 26th and will be for 7 weeks. Radiation and chemo together. Sometime after treatment she will be going into surgery to remove the upper half of her left lung.
Mom’s been really brave through all of this. She’s hopefully her hair will grow back by summer (I reminded her she might not lose her hair, although I think she will. And I reminded her my sister and I are only a hop, skip and a jump away. She only needs to call us and we’ll go wig shopping with her). Mom has also hinted she might want another grandchild. She told me I have to get a good paying job and get it soon so I can go on maternity leave. What a lady… I love her like crazy!

And lastly….
Check it out!!!! My project is featured on ScrapScene!!!

Until next time...

Snow, snow, snow!!!!

It's been snowing all day here. Instead of complaining about the weather, I decided to let it move me. I did a layout based on a sketch from So Sketchy. I saw what I wanted to do when I first looked at the sketch nearly a week ago. I really love how the alphas came out. They're Maya Roads raw chipboard alphas. I wanted a snowy look so I just dabbed white ink on them. To fit in with the almost dirty look, I dabbed on just a tiny bit of walnut colour ink. I love the green paper from Making Memories. It's perfect for pictures of Monkey in his green snow suit.

Wish me luck...I have an interview tomorrow morning.

And before I forget again...Here's the link to the lollipop flower video. Go watch it and make your own!

Until next time...