A little girl and a little sparkle

 My friend and fellow core gal Sarah Hodgkinson is hosting a challenge with a great prize, Pop over to her blog to check all the details, it is awesome!!  Here is what I did, I am loving scrappin this new little girl, and it was the perfect occasion to crack out my new Gemstones cardstock by Core-dinations,  my photo does not do it justice, the sheen on this stuff is gorgeous and it debossed beautifully. I used this fantastic color combo from Color Lovers website, I have mentioned this place before and it is awesome for those who struggle with color combos or even if you are just looking for a little inspiration. I chose this sketch from becky fleck to work with it was perfect for the photo that I had.

Products used Core-dinations Core-essentials and gemstone. pattern paper by Scenic route, letters by adornit and basic grey pearls by Queen n Co

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A little girl and a little sparkle

Totally thrilled

I am over the moon excited to tell you that I am joining the 3 scrappy boys design team. I discovered this place last year when they had a DT call and have been happily resideing there ever since. If you are ever looking for a wonderful encouraging, creative place to hang out, this is it. Heather puts together some top notch kits and when you get there you are regailed with hello's, welcomes and praise. I could not think of a better place to hang out online with my morning cup of coffee. I can't wait to get started!! In the mean time I have another layout to share, I am still working with my scrappy resolution to use my collection of stamps.

I really love this little lizard dude, he is an inkadoo acrylic stamp, but seriously who wants to cut out all those skinny little legs, so I stamped him twice once on vellum and then once on green cardstock then I cut out and popped up the body. Feeling pretty skookum about this technique you will being seeing it again I am sure.

Products used Core-dinations Cardstock Pattern paper by October Afternoon, photo corners by scrapbooks adhesives, and vellum by worldwin.

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Totally thrilled

Some more from the retreat {layouts}

I was really thrilled when my brother and his girlfriend asked if I would take some maternity photos for them, they had their beautiful baby on March 3rd. These are some of my favorites from the shoot and I was really anxious to get it scrapped, I find that sometimes after that adorable little bundle comes along, I forget all about the maturnity stuff.

In this layout I used Core-dinations Cardstock, Pattern paper is by October Afternoon and Scenic Route Embellishments by October afternoon and Jillibean soup

I love to work on Christmas pages all year long, it helps me with my festive withdrawls, I truly love the magic of Christmas and it only gets better as my boys come to understand the meaning. These papers are not traditional holiday papers, in fact the plaid is from the Cosmo Cricket Camping collection, but I do love the way they make the photo pop and don't distract to much from the photo, I think that this is one of my favorite photos from this Christmas. I always get nervous when I scrap my favorites, I feel like it has to be just right, and they are just harder to scrap. Know what I mean?

I made these little details, the cookie really was that big proportionately.

In this layout I used, the Core-dinations Cardstock, and pattern papers by Cosmo Cricket, Sandy lion, photo corner by Scrapbook adhesives and letters by reminisce and Adornit.

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Some more from the retreat {layouts}

Sketchabilities #12

This is the last sketch for my term with Sketchabilities and I must say I really enjoyed working on this team. I love seeing how everyone interpreted the sketch, so unique!! I truly love working with sketches it is such a great jumping off point!!

Products used Pattern Papers by Jillibean Soup, Scenic Route, We R Memory Keepers, Card stock Black Magic by Core-dinations and Card by October Afternoon.

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Sketchabilities #12

Home again, and boy am I pooped

Wow what a weekend!! I was away this weekend at a four day crop on Vancouver Island and oh what a blast, I went with these fabulous ladies. There was not a single night that we went to bed before 2am. Before I left I made these t shirts. I LOVE  the skull and scissors and I love ink jet iron on paper!!!

I managed to get quite a few things done over the weekend and I have a couple to share now and a few more later, when I finish the journalling. I still can't bring myself to write on my layouts and I refuse to drag a laptop and a printer with me to a crop. I still have a lot of catching up to do from the holidays so first up is this layout. Made with the Black Magic Cardstock and papers from My Minds Eye and all these great embellishments from Queen n Co.

Next up is this layout using the new Core-dinations and the new Cosmo Cricket Joy ride collection, I love the color combo in this collection. FAB-U-LOUS!!!

and of course now that I am home it is raining again, Blaaaahhhh!!! So I am off to unpack and I will share a few more tommorrow!!

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Home again, and boy am I pooped

Happy Saint Patricks Day

Kiss me!! Today I am Irish!! I love Saint Patty's day, I love all the green. There is just something so jolly about this holiday, it makes me smile! It is also my Uncle's Birthday Natually he gets a lot of green cards and this year is no differrent.

Products used here Whitewash by Core-dinations, spell binders nestabilities.

There are some amazing card makers out there, I have seen some of the most incredibley detailed images and with copics being so popular, it is simply amazing.

Where coloring is concerned I am truly clueless, really I rarely use my stamps because of it.

With that being said one of my goals this year was to start using the whack load of stamps that I have and that involved some coloring. I picked up this unbelievably cute Dino and forced myself to use him. I say forced because I made this card for my 36 year old brother in law LOL, Dinosaurs are manly right??

Anyway I am happy with how he turned out!! I just used my water color pencils and some crate paper, I left the bar code on and just stitched across the line and some more fabulous core-essentials.

Have a super Saint Patricks Day

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Happy Saint Patricks Day

Tractor Happy

For a brief moment sometime last week, we got some sun, it was glorious!! We walked over to Nana and Papa's and as always my little one b-lined it for the tractor. What is it with boys and machinery??? He smiled from ear to ear, making vroom vroom sounds and honking, hauling on all the gears. It makes Nana happy that we may get a farm boy yet!!

I love these papers by October Afternoon, This rooster just tugs on my heart strings. Plus I LOVE red gingham. it is just so cute!! I remember having a dress in red gingham as a baby!! One of my favorites!!
Oh such sunny thoughts on a rainy day!! I do hope the sun comes out to play soon, I could use the vitamen D.

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Tractor Happy

Back from the Carnival

So today I took a day trip and it was a little on the crazy but fabulous side. I woke up and had coffe and breakfast with the kids and around 7:00am. Out the dor by 8am and then I headed south to Victoria. Here's where it gets wacky. At my house it is raining 10 minutes away in Courtenay is is dry and 3.0 degrees. I drive for another ten minutes and it is now snowing snowflakes the size of my fist, No joke they were humungous, It snowed for the next half hour and now I am getting a little worried because for me to get to victoria I have to go over and mini mountain, so I am thinking the snow in gonna get a whole lot worse. But does that happen, Nope turns back to rain. I arrive in Victoria at about 11am and by the time I find a place to park it is bright, sunny and 11 degrees. CRAZY!!! Anyways I wanted to share a couple photos of this place with you guys, it was awesome!! I love this venue, it was so bright and wonderful, tons of natural light, so that you could actually see what you are buying.

The classroom space was top notch, it felt so open and not to mention they offered some great classes.

I was really happy to meet fellow Core gal Cari Locken, she is just as inspiring in person and I love getting the chance to meet the ladies I talk to online.

If you are an island gal I highly reccomend this event, I have it on good authority that is will be happening again next year. Plus the other bonus was that included in the ticket price was a sewing and quilting show. Now I am no quilter, but I after seeing some of the incredible things in there I may have to learn.

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Back from the Carnival

My Blogiversary

Oh dear I actually missed it, I knew that is was coming up soon, but when I looked at the date that I started this blog on, It had actually passed. As of the 6th of March I have been blogging for one year. I can't believe that I have actually stuck with this!! It has been so much fun and I have met some seriously awesome scrappers. To celebrate my late party I whipped up a super quick card and wanted to give a couple of shout outs to some gals that have inspired me this last year, as I  discovered the world of blogging.

The inside of the card reads Sorry I missed your birthday, made with Coredinations cardstock. I just ran a couple of my sons puzzle pieces through my cuttle bug with a rubber mat, sanded and then cut them out!!

You know how there are just some poeple that you seem to connect with online, they leave a meaningful comment, ask a question or just have a very likable vibe that comes through even on a computer. These are some of the gals that have done that for me.

Aphra Boyler

Stacey Michaud

Diana {the lonely scrapbooker}

Jing-Jing Nickels

Cari Locken

Francis A Sylvia

Juliana Michaels

These are just a few of the ladies who rock the paper and scissors, it would take pages to list all the inspirational women I have come across, but I hope you will take the time to check out some of thier incredible work and stick around with me cause there is certainly more to come.

*---HUGS---*

Lydia

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My Blogiversary

Core on Canvas

I wanted to make my new niece something for her nursery. I cannot tell you how wonderful it felt to do something a little on the girly side. Her room is a jungle theme, so that is why I chose this fun and funky green pattern paper by Crate. I had this very inexpensive canvas laying around so I painted the sides and edges a dark burgundy, I embossed my Core-dinations cardstock with a Sissix folder and then used my Dynomite to emboss her birth date. Since the canvas was stapled on the outside {the negative of buying cheap}, I covered the staples with this  velvet mauve ribbon by Maya Rd. I added some ribbon, a few buttons and an acrylic heart as a finishing touch. I hope they like it because I sure do!! I think that I may to a couple more for the boys when we move into the new house, I love cheap custom art!!!

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Core on Canvas

Proud Auntie

After a long wait, my new baby niece Gallatea arrived in this world healthy and beautiful last night. It was a long and difficult labour, that in the end had to be completed by cesarean, but both Mom and babe are doing well and I hope she has a quick recovery. This is my brothers first baby, it was so amazing to see him as a Dad, this is going to change his whole world for the better.

Here is also the newest sketchabilities and my interpretation of it.

Products used Core-dinations Cardstock, October Afternoon pattern paper & stickers, Brads by  queen n co, MM and Amercian Craft brads

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Proud Auntie

My Passport to Creativity

I am so excited to finally share that I was selected to participate in the spring issue of Canadian Scrapbookers passport to creativity. The article features 3 talented scrapbookers from BC and I am honored to be included as one of them. They asked me to supply them with two of my favorite layouts and come up with some thing new and special,  I created this layout about our dog Glory. If you have a chance to check it out you will find me on pages 74 & 75.

Products used Core-dinations Cardstock, Pattern paper by Jillibean Soup and Reminisce, buckle by Queen n Co and brads by Fiskars

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My Passport to Creativity

Growing up

I was asked a while ago if I would design a page for my friend Stacey's open road article at Scrap Street Magazine. The theme was to create with poetry and I was given a format from the instant poetry forms website, if you are feeling stuck with your journalling you should check it out. It was great, all I had to do was fill in the blanks. I found this photo from 2 years ago and had fun telling a poetic tale about all the things my son has learned to do while growing up. 

Products used Core-dinations Cardstock, Pattern paper by October Afternoon, stickers by Sassafrass lass and thickers by american crafts.

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Growing up

Mowing!! What??

So today is the first of March and do you know what I was doing? I was mowing the lawn, can you believe it? This is so crazy, in every state in the US  minus Hawaii there was snow, where I live on the west coast of Canada we have seen none. Wow, Can you say El Nino. I have been extremely busy with all sorts of wonderful new projects some crafty, but a lot have to do with my home. so I thought that I would share with you a little bit of the transformation

This is what the house looked like when I moved in

This is what it looks like now

This has all happened over the course of 5 years. During this time we got married and had two children. I love this house but alas we have out grown it and it is time to move on to the next. 

I have been busy getting the house ready to sell, putting on its make up so to speak, finishing touches, paint touch ups from my where my boys have been too rough and spring flowers.

It has been huge in my mind as of late and so I thought that I would share some of it with all of you!

For the most part there is very little left of the original house, we recycled so much! All the windows and kitchen cabinets, panelling and other materials. We also removed 16 tons thats right TONS of plaster, wall paper, old carpet and linoleum. My husband and I did the majority of the work, but we also had a ton of help from our families along the way. I am so very greatful to have such a treasure of talent and kindness behind me. I will try and share some more of the before and after photos over the course of the next week as I take some pictures of the "AFTERS". Say a prayer and wish me luck as we head into another exciting time.

Lydia

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Mowing!! What??