Real Life News and back with a freebie

I think I have one of those, LOL. In all my excitement about the CT positions, I forgot that I have some RL news to share as well. I finally got an offer on the house, it was a fair offer and I singed on the dotted line. Of course it is upon condition of them selling their home and the usual getting financing. It's good until October 30 but.............once they remove their conditions I will have 30 days to pack up and leave, LOL. I can deal with that, I think. Poor B-man didn't take the news so well, this is the only house he's known and of course is looking at it from a different perspective than I am. My memories of this place these last 5 years haven't been all good ones, mostly bad I'm afraid. Still it's the security and I can understand where he's coming from. Where are we going once all is official? I have no clue, I'm flying by the seat of my pants which is so not like me. I just don't want to look that far ahead and something not work out, kwim?

As for other RL news, it was so hot out on the weekend I ended up shutting all the windows and putting the central air on, yesterday it cooled down so of course the air went off and windows open again. It got col last night! I woke up all snuggled in my blankets. Today I went out with jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt.........talk about one extreme to the other. I was a little concerned as I pulled out my 'favourite' jeans though. Been very lazy this summer, too much time in front of computer, was worried I wouldn't be able to get into them..........imagine my surprise as I pulled them on, no fighting with the zipper or anything.

Ahhhh, my sinus' are driving me crazy!! I have a constant headache and my ears hurt, I never get earaches. I'm really hoping that at my age I'm not developing allergies..............ok, done with that now :)

Scrapping news; there will be a Make it Snappy speed scrap at Scrap Orchard on Friday evening again. This will be followed by a chat.........those always get way out of control in a fun way. Kami has a gorgeous participation kit for all those who finish up and post their layout. There is also going to be another Farmer's Market!! I can't wait to see what's in the shop, I missed the last one but the one before I stocked up and got some awesome deals. I know Kami is retiring a few kits, don't have the downlo' on Shauna yet.

I have to share this one I made using Shauna's Mum's the Word kit as well. The colours are wonderful, rich and inviting. I just love scrapping my nieces.............my brother does too! I do the work and gets a great scrapbook of his children.

One using Kami's new kit Happy..........the colours of this kit is exactly that, happy.

Here's a layout I did with Franziska's collab Urban Solitude with Moon Scraps. I am so proud of this layout. It was also for the very first Speed Scrap I've ever hosted. This kit is awesome, it has a great urban feel to it.

Here's a template I made a while back for the weekly Sunshine Studio newsletter. If you missed it and would like it here you go. I've been in a slump lately, fresh out of ideas. If anyone has any I will gladly attempt something, need some fresh ideas. Think I'm going in to a slump with my layouts as well............last two days haven't really produced much. Here we go again, just hope it doesn't last as long as the last one.
Download-*link no longer available*

So Much News!

I have no idea where to start, LOL. I will probably do my usual rambling and off topic, make no sense, grammar out the window type of post. Oh yeah, there will be keyboard errors as well.......I do not make spelling errors the keyboard does not know how to type correctly what I want to say.

Scrapping news...............my guest spot with Franziska? It turned into permanent!!!!!! Yeah me, I am soooooo excited. I also hosted my very first speed scrap over at Sunshine Studios last night and this morning for the launch of her new collab Urban Solitude with Moon Scraps. It was a blast and this kit is so cool.....not only did I host the Speed Scrap but I managed to get a layout done for each session. So yes I'm very excited about this opportunity.

In other exciting news, I got word today officially. I can spill my guts......been killing me! I applied for another CT......Pineapple Plantation Designs...............well I got it!! It's temporary, guesting of course and if it works could become permanent as well. I also got asked if I would like to join Ziggle Designs CT! Yep you read it correctly within two days I got my one guest spot turned into permanent and got picked up my two more of my favourite designers to guest. What a busy last couple of days!! I may have another announcement to make as well, LOL. I still can't believe it.

Needless to say I have not sat and created a template. I'm hoping to have one ready for Monday. Be forewarned my freebies may be more sporadic as I return to work, one week left of vacation and back to work. I have my duties at Scrap Orchard, Sunshine Studio and of course my CT obligations................so I can assure you they won't be daily any longer. Probably weekly.

Previews: images are linked. Go visit and take a look at these fine products

Pineapple Plantation Designs: Funky Dots-CU friendly

Ziggle Designs: Happy

Franziska Altmann and Moon Scraps: Urban Solitude

Just basic chatter.............yes there's a freebie as well!

You've all read a little bit about my workshop in yesterday's post, if you didn't, go read it and then come back up here. Today was day 3 and it was wonderful, enlightening, informative...all that I want it to be, but................for some reason it took me a while to get in the groove kwim? I think it was because I woke up late and had to rush, meaning I didn't get a chance to make coffee. Of course even though I was running late I HAD to stop in at Timmy's and grab myself a coffee for my hike into the city. For non-Canadians, Timmy's is for Tim Horton's which is a very popular coffee chain here. I arrive at my workshop not as late as I was worried I would be (thank you back country roads with no police on them today) and see there were 2 people who arrived at the same time. Just kind of put me 'off' at first. We did community circle which enabled me to apologize and state that I felt disconbobulated (love that word and any chance I get to use it) and was looking forward to getting set. Lo and behold, there were a few of us feeling a bit 'off'.............hmmmm, atmospheric pressure changes?

I know I've had a sinus headache and felt the pressure for the last couple of days. Need rain I think, not the thunderstorms but just some nice gentle rain. See look I changed topics in mid paragraph and am all over the place, LOL.
Reflection: Here's one for you. What person helped influence you to be the person you are today?


Here's the template...................are you ready for the great name?!


Download: TEMPLATE 10 -link no longer available

Have a wonderful day!!

Think it's back today...free word titles and template.

Hoping it's back anyway. The mojo helped me finish 2 templates, one that I had started and another one that just needed to be saved as PNG's. I also made these little word titles to share. Hopefully you like them and find them useful.

The word titles came about due to a workshop I'm taking right now. It's all about building a sense of community within the classroom and making children feel safe and an important member of the group. We are doing some team building activities and have been put in groups for some activities. Now I do a lot of large and small groups in my job but love having different perspectives and the opportunity to learn something new or a twist on something old is welcomed by me. I really enjoy my job and if I can take it back and bring a sense of community to a classroom, or group of students then I am a happy person. One particular thing the instructor is discussing and reminding us of is appreciation statements. It is so true that we take things for granted and many times do not stop to make a simple "I appreciate that......". Amazing how easy it is to do and the effect it has on a person is incredible.

This has inspired me (gosh knows I have needed some positive inspiration in my personal life lately) to set a goal of giving my son an 'I appreciate' daily. I tell him I love hime every day, and I do let him know how proud I am of him...........but I also take for granted that he's a good kid and don't necessarily stop to take that few extra minutes daily to tell him so.

My question to you is, 'What have you learned this week?'

Here are some previews from Scrap Orchard. I just love their stuff and have just downloaded Ziggle Designs Topsy Curvy. But I see she's coming out with a new kit this Friday called Happy (saw the preview over at DST) and will have that on my wish list. So take a peek, all items are linked, except the new one. Don't forget the new stuff comes out on Friday and always with a sale!!

Kami will also be offering a special deal on her blog if you purchase Happy, so go check it out.

Here are the words titles I mentioned and a template. Hope you like them. I appreciate all the kind words you have left for me here on my blog and at 4Shared. I also appreciate that you like my work and download it :)

Download: WORDS--link no longer available
Download: TEMPLATE 9--link no longer availableDon't you just love my originality in naming my templates? LOL

One more thing before I sign off on today's post. Don't forget to hop on over to Sunshine Studio Scraps this Friday for some fun. I can't even give you hint.......that's right, I don't have any 'inside' information and it's killing me that I don't know who the mystery designer is. All I've been told is that I will really like the kit and the designer..................have put some feelers out, asked a few questions. No hints, I have an idea but it won't be confirmed or denied so I have to wait until Friday as well. The one piece of info I do have is to bring pictures of kids looking 'cool' as in 'Joe Cool', thumbs up cool.

Lost it.............Pleae help me find it

It happened. I have been on a tear with my layouts and then offering up all the freebies. I knew this would eventually come and it did............the mojo is now a 'nogo'. I have two templates in the works but am just not happy with them. I started a third...............hit delete. Even with my layouts, I completed one but think it's so-so. Ahhh, wonder how long this dryspell will last? My last one was well over a month!! Maybe I'll create something other then templates, been playing with papers and a few elements but I'm just not confident enough to put them out there.

Upgraded my RAM today. I was only running 512 MB and would sometimes have issues with PSE, hopefully this will help. I installed (yes you read correctly) 1 GB today. I think it's working, not quite sure how I will know...........PSE appeared to load quicker, but it didn't act up all the time so I'm not quite sure. Went into Best Buy after my workshop and they had the 1 GB on for $39.99, too good a deal to pass up, especially when 512 is the same price. I have one slot open so I may go back and get another GB just to be 'safe', lol. Still waiting on the 'extra' $$ to purchase my EHD............is there such a thing as extra $$ any more?

Hopefully I'll be back with another template shortly. I so want to do one with circles but I'm just not happy with what I came up with......................

Have a good one!

Easy Relaxing Day and new freebie

Today we took it easy, nice and relaxing day. Had to recover from our busy weekend with baseball and hockey followed by 4 days of twindom. I didn't realize how quiet my life is with just the two of us until yesterday. The B-man said he was ready for some peace as well. Loves those cousins of his and they worship him, but a man (in training) can only take so much talk of unicorns, Littlest Pet Shop and things being 'cute'. He enjoyed the pool and hanging out but was ready to head home.

One of our adventures with the girls was going for ice cream followed by a trip to the local bird sanctuary to feed some ducks and geese. Simple trip right? Wrong............5 minutes to decide between chocolate or vanilla ice cream (soft serve) and then it was in a dish, no a cone. Got it in a cone and then had to ask for a dish anyway, LOL. Granted the one who decided to put her cone in the dish had a much cleaner face than the other one, but that's what Wet Ones are for. Off to the bird sanctuary we go to feed the ducks and geese. We get our little cups of food and into the area we go.........................well, that was the plan anyway. Of course these geese see the cups and come waddling up, my poor nieces head for the gate thinking they are going to get bit. We start feeding the hungry mob and convince the one that she is not going to get bit, in she comes after dumping her cup in one spot. Over to the big pond we go where we watch the ducks dive and the geese glide. Attention spans gone so off we went to investigate futher, looked at some Peacocks and then headed back home. The kids played and I decided what we were going to have for dinner, being the good aunt that I am I found the phone book and ordered a pizza for our last night.

It's amazing how fast you forget what it was like, I mean my guys is only 10 but what a difference in independence compared to 6. I had a great time with the girls and would do it again........in a few months, LOL.

Hard to believe summer vacatin will be over soon...........no more staying up most of the night for me. Back to a semi-regular bedtime and routine. lunches, schedules. I have a four day workshop next week I'm looking forward to, get my brain in 'work' mode.

Well I've rambled on quite a bit this evening.....but I do have a template for you. Hope you like it and if you did leave me a little note to say you were here. Have a great day!!

Download--sorry link no longer available

Upcoming events:

There is a speed scrap at Scrap Orchard today at 11 AM est. I participated in my first ever Speed Scrap a few weeks ago there and thoroughly enjoyed it. There's a cool participation prize from Ellie Lash so come join us if you can......not sure I'll be there though, have some RL things I need to do :)

Sunshine Studio will be having a chat and Speed Scrap beginning at 7:30 PM est next Friday night as well. A new kit will be unveiled and on sale for the speed scrap.

MIA and new freebie

Sorry I haven't been around the last few days. It was completely unintentional. I was at my brother's watching his girls, brought my scrapping stuff and figured I could scrap to my heart's content when the kids were asleep..................um yeah. Can't do much when the internet goes down day 2 of my stay. Of course not being the account holder there was no point in me calling, so I suffered. Suffer I did!! I'm back on my computer and with internet that is working...............I hope I don't tempt the internet gremlins as I already had my 'OMG what do you mean my modem's not working and I have to wait a day or two for the new one, I will drive up right now to get it' moment. I will tell you of my 4 days in twindom hopefully tomorrow........conversations with 6 six year olds in stereo.

Exciting news (for us anyway). The B-man's baseball team took it all on the weekend. They earned league champs AND they went undefeated in the wind up tournament to take that title as well. He was pretty excited as that's two year in a row he has been on the League Championship team and Tournament winning team, in 2 different divisions. He played very well as did the whole team. It was a fun weekend, great group of kids and great group of parents. Kind of sad that baseball is over though, love it. Of course we were at the arena as well........played 2 baseball games and then 2 hours later on the ice for tryouts.

*SCRAPPING ALERT*--Fresh Fruit Friday at Scrap Orchard

It is my favourite day. Fresh Fruit Friday at the Orchard and lots of goodies in the market as well. The Pineapple Queen herself, miss Shauna from Pineapple Plantation has 2 kits out this week, one is her own called Mum's the Word and the next is a collab called Office Romance. I had the privilege of taking Mum's the Word (image is linked)on a test drive and created a layout using it. Love the colours and the feel of this kit. Shauna also has a freebie addon on her blog for this kit which you can find here; Mum's the Word freebie. Of course this kit is on sale for the first week of release, so run quick, get it.

Here is a template for you to celebrate the season that is in fact around the corner. I will do a pumpkin one soon I think..............maybe even apples. Need my template mojo back, been on fire with layouts but hitting a brick wall with my templates. Here it is and I hope you like it

Download; AUTUMN-sorry link no longer available