Happy Birthday to Brianne and Brock!

We celebrated my daughter Brianne and my nephew Brock birthdays yesterday.

Brianne turned 17!



(That's me in my vintage look apron my Grandmother made me, love it and will be showing all 3 aprons she made in another post!)



And Brock turned 15!





I like how the cake shows up in this pic.

We had a great day with lots of laughter!











Although I think this photo says read my lips!



And if that doesn't work, how about this hand gesture?



Of course all the food was yummy(thanks everyone!) and I tried a great new salad recipe, really the most wonderful salad ever( not too modest eh? but it was that good!)! Will post about it soon.

Real Divas!

I've decided to participate in the Bad Girls Top Designer 2008 classes. I've recently signed up to receive their kits and they are absolutely awesome, they contain such a variety of inspiring products!



Through the message board, classes are being offered by the Bad Girls instructors at the Bad Girls Academy for the next 6 weeks. After the deadline for each class, you will find out if you are on the honour roll and make it to the next class.

This past week's assignment was to use layering on your layout. In my Real Divas layout I layered paper, letters, photos and flowers. And I'm happy to report I made it to the honour roll and am now working on Class 2. I'll be sure to post the results of that class soon, we're to use more than one type of patterned paper on a layout.

Kazan's Sketch 9

Yes, its another card inspired by 2 Sketches 4 You. Everyone who posts there is so creative!

As I was thinking about this week's sketch,it occurred to me that the RAK items I received recently, here and here, would work together really well.



I added some cardstock, chipboard, ribbon, and pink paisley paper along with some foam chips for dimension and it was done!

20th Anniversary Celebration

This week Steve and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary with a nice dinner out and a play in Stratford.



He had mentioned that he wanted to see Caesar and Cleopatra starring Christopher Plummer. As I am able to get discount tickets for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival through work, I surprised him with having the tickets! It was an excellent, thoroughly entertaining play.



Before the play we had dinner at Rundles Sophisto Bistro which was very nice.

Here's my starter of potato-leek salad,Steve had lobster bisque.


For dinner Steve had this skate wing while I had quail with barley risotto.



Then for dessert we both had a yummy creme brulee.



Steve also surprised me with 20 gorgeous long stemmed red roses.



And the girls surprised us both with this pretty multicolour Mum.



It was a lovely evening!

Snack Attack Basket

I visited a friend who is recovering from a couple of surgeries and decided to take her a snack attack basket. I found a basket then filled it with various snacks, healthy with a few sweet treats too!



I decorated it with twine and twill ribbon along with a fun tag created with various bits and pieces.

Best of all she can sit it beside her on a table and simply reach for a treat whenever she wants!

20 Years Ago Today

Doesn't seem that long ago.....

Two Birds Of A Feather

Following this week's sketch by Laura at 2 sketches 4 you, I created this card for my husband. Its our 20th anniversary on Wednesday, quite an accomplishment these days. I can post it here because I don't think he'll see it before tomorrow night when I have a surprise planned for him.



Purposefully, I've kept it flower and ribbon free but couldn't resist using pearls for the bird's eyes. Aren't the felt birds by Jenni Bowlin cute? The saying is completed on the inside with 'we stick together'.

September Camping

Camping almost didn't happen, it was raining heavily on Friday afternoon, but we took the risk and spent two relaxing nights in front of the fire. Saturday was beautiful(after the requisite shower). But today we had to pack up in the rain, sigh..... doing all the wet laundry as I type.

But despite the bits of rain we had a wonderful time camping with friends, John and Dana and their kids Cole and Jaiden. Generously the boys slept in the tent and the girls slept in the camper trailer with heated mattresses!

Dana and I did a bit of shopping in Paris while Steve and John took the kids to the lake for fishing, canoeing and swimming.

But first, Cole started his day with pancakes.


Both Britt and Cole caught fish.




Brianne enjoyed the sun.


Lounging on the beach.



A trip to the beach isn't complete without sandcastles and buried kids!







A lake view.



The kids also hiked and rode their bikes. These are some wildflowers Brittany found on a hike.



And they even found a frog.



And what did Dana do in the all the rain today? She tried to rig up a little sailboat!




Camping with John and Dana may have to become an annual event, minus the rain of course!

Another Day Another RAK

Lucky me!

This RAK is from the fabulous Danni of Dannisdoodles. She creates wonderfully inspiring cards and layouts, do check her blog out!

And thanks again Danni!

Back To School

Here's my big girls back to school today! Time does fly, sigh......

Creative Journey

Thanks so much to Christine over at Creative Journey for this gorgeous RAK.
If you haven't checked out her blog, please do, its full of creative inspiration!

Trying Something New

Actually its two new things, machine sewing and the use of copic markers.

I've been admiring the look of machine sewing used on cards and since I got a new machine for my birthday tried it out today. I've also been intrigued by Copic markers so used my birthday discount at my LSS to get a few. I used them on a stamped image I received in a RAK and learned I need to get some browns as I didn't have a marker for her hair. I think it still looks OK though. I'll have to explore online for some Copic marker techniques.

This card was inpired by Kazan's Sketch at 2 Sketches 4 You.

Long Weekend Highlights

Steve golfed, twice!

I scrapbooked!

Had a nice dinner out with Kathyrn and Dave. Here's pictures of what we ate.

Kathryn and I beat Steve and Dave at Euchre twice!

Worked on the scrapbook room.

Tried out my new sewing machine.

Watched Location, Location.