I've Been Tagged!!!

It has finally caught up with me. This game of blog tagging. Thanks to my wonderful sister Francine I have been tagged. :-) So here goes.

7 Random Facts or Habits About Me
* All the hangers in my closet are white and they all face the same way
* I can't scrap if my area is too messy or disorganized
* I still have sheets of Club Scrap stamps to mount. I was a member in 2005 :-O
* I an semi-vegetarian. I have not eaten chicken or meat in almost 15 years - no reason other than I just don't like it.
* I finally found the perfect storage that works for me to store my foam stamps after trying various things for the last couple years.
* I worry that people think I am strange when I pull out my camera and take pictures of ramdom stuff (LOL)
* I am a huge procrastinator but I do my best work under pressure.

I am going to pass the fun onto:

Neith
Ann
Jen

Once upon a time...

I finally finished my first assignment for the class When I grow up that I taking from Shimelle. We were asked to write our own children's stroy about one of the things we wanted to be when we grew up. Here is my little book that I did for this assignment.

The story reads:

Once upon a time on an island paradise far far away (well not that far) there lived a little girl who dreamt of becoming an Air Hostess, as this is what Flight Attendants were know as during the era this little girl lived.

Although the little girl had flown from the time she was two years old it was not until she was around seven when she flew on Air Canada to visit her aunts and uncles in Toronto that her dream of becoming an Air Hostess was born. She just fell in love with how glamorous the life seemed. The little girl dreamt of jet setting from city to city, country to country, and continent to continent. How fun that would be she thought. She would lie awake at night imagining herself hurrying through the airport pulling her carryon luggage behind her in her smart Air Hostess uniform looking forward to her next world wide adventure.

Unfortunately as time went on the little girl found out that in times of crisis or problems the Air Hostess was the last to leave the plane and slowly the job did not seem as glamorous as she once thought it was. So she decided that she would just have to see the world as a passenger instead.

The End

I used Sassafraslass patterned paper, Bazzill Bling cardstock and Purple Onion stamps from my Self Addressed Kit; Sugarloaf, Inkadinkado, Rubber Stampede, and My Sentiments Exactly stamps; Ranger Archival and Colorbox Chalk inks; Royal & Langnickle rubons; Wal Mart ric rac; Junkitz stickers; Signo Uniball pens; Microsoft Clipart; postage stamps from skyblyepink.com; and unknown ribbon, shrink plastic flowers, eyelets, and stickers.

Baby Shower Stuff

I went to one of my very good friend’s baby shower today. Lots of fun!! Here is the gift bag that I decorated to hold her gift and the matching card. The bag was a plain white one that I got at Target. I used Making Memories patterned paper and textured tape, Provo Craft chipboard letters and stamped with some foam stamps that I had using Ranger Sea Shell ink and then embossed with clear Ranger Embossing Powder.

Card has Making Memories patterned paper and textured tape. I trimmed the edge of the front with deco scissors and punched holes with my Crop-a-dile (love this tool). Ribbon was then threaded through the holes. Those cute metal tiles I got at my LSS and they were attached with eyelets. Congratulations and Celebration were stamped in Ranger Sea Shell ink for a subtle look.

Everyone loved the bag and the matching card at the shower today so I was very happy

Altered Easter Eggs

I am one of the Inkling Moderators on the yahoo group RangerInkLink since last July. Here is the latest how-to that I did for the group. The idea came to me when I was in CVS and I saw the plastic eggs and the cermaic egg cups that they would be perfect to alter for my table for Easter.

Easter Eggs a la Ranger

Supplies
Ranger Adirondack Dabbers
Ranger Stickles
Ranger Glossy Accents
Ranger Perfect Medium
Ranger Perfect Pearls
Range Perfect Pearls Brushes
Plastic Eggs
Egg Cups/holders (optional)
Sand Paper or Acrylic Gesso
Foam brushes
Ric Rac
Rhinestones

Method:
Using sand paper, sand plastic eggs to create a rough surface for the paint to adhere to. Alternatively use a very thin layer of acrylic gesso to cover the surface of the plastic eggs.

Use Adirondack Dabbers to “paint” the eggs the color of your choice. Let dry completely. Using a foam brush apply a thin layer of Glossy Accents over the paint to give them a sheen. To add sparkle dab eggs with Perfect Medium and then dust on Perfect Pearls (Perfect Sparkle used for this project).

To decorate add ric rac around the middle (seam) of the eggs. Paint ric rac if needed with Acrylic Dabbers to match the color of the eggs. Use Stickles to hand draw patterns onto the eggs. Let dry completely. Enhance the design with rhinestones. Decorate egg holders with Stickles and ric rac. Put eggs into holders and display.

Happy Easter!!!

Unique Card Idea

My new how-to is up on the Diversity Designs website. Check out my studio class page to see how to create this unique card from a DVD case. Remember to give it to someone special and make their day. While you are there check out my previous how-tos as well.

Changing Direction

I have decided to change the direction of my blog. I am going to be posting more about the creative side of my life. I think this help me to keep it updated on a more regular basis. So hope you will stay tuned for the new and improved (and hopefully more regular posts) blog from me.

Crop Crop Crop!!

I went to a crop today at Right at Home Scrapbooking. It was what they call their Breakfast Club. You pay $5 and get muffins and juice and crop space from 10 am to 3 pm. It was fun. I had not been to a crop since 2005 – wow!! I think I like this one because it is shorter then the ones I used to go to. Those were 12 hour crops and I never used to get much done, I think I was just to overwhelmed. This one was 5 hrs but I was only there for about 3 1/2 hours (yes I was late) and I did get a layout finished. Next time I think I will get more done as I plan to be there on time and also not to spend as much time talking and socializing (LOL). They have them every two weeks but I won’t be back until the end of February. In addition to scrapping I also like the social aspect of it. It’s great to meet other scrappers and to exchange ideas.

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Well my birthday is winding down but I had a great day, starting with my mum calling this morning and ending with the little 4 inch birthday cake that I got for dessert. Sheldon and I were supposed to go to dinner but the poor baby came home early from work sick. So we rescheduled for Sat instead. Went to the supermarket and got some lobster bisque instead and of course my little birthday cake.

Thanks to all my family and friends for all their birthday wishes today. It meant the world to me.

Happy New Year!

Just wanted to wish my family and friends a very blessed New Year. Here's to all great things in 2007. Remember to live for today and tomrrow will take care of its self.

Another Christmas Over

Well all the preparation and hoopla has come and gone for another year. We had a great Christmas here. We had some friends over for lunch and I cooked them some typical dishes you would find at a Caribbean Christmas lunch.

Menu
Salad
Potato Salad
Rice and Peas
Peas and Dumplings
Caribbean Macaroni Pie
Baked Whole Chicken with stuffing
Baked fish
Rolls

For dessert they brought us this delicious Amaretto cake from Montilio’s Bakery that had fresh strawberries on top, and that was to die for yummy. Wine was the drink choice to top off the day. I must say a great time was had by all.

Christmas Preparations

I finally have all my Christmas cards written up and addressed and the ones to be mailed will be in the mail box tomorrow. Most of my tins of cookies are out the door and I am almost finished with gifts. I just have two more things to make and then I will be done.

I also made some Punch-a-crème on Saturday and I have some sorrel that I had saved from some Sheryl –Ann sent me in Jan soaking to be strained and sweetened. So I think things are looking very Christmassy here for us. Oh I also put Christmassy center pieces on my dining room and coffee table.

So I think I am ready for Santa to come. Yes I sill believe in him LOL!!!

Cookie Monster

I spent the day yesterday making my Christmas cookies. Only did 19 dozen this year and I was hoping that would be enough. But after putting them in tins this morning I realized that I am about 3 tins short. So I will be making one more batch tomorrow

Oh and now that my mum has received her birthday gift I can post it here. I also did another one of these as a how –to article for Diversity Designs. I think it makes a great gift.

Oh Christmas Tree

My tree is finally all decorated. I started last night but after stringing 600 lights I was all decorated out LOL. So I took a break and finished it up this morning. I also altered our stockings from last year to match the blue in my tree. Here are some pictures of the tree and the 2 styles of ornaments that I made from clear glass ornamets, my favorite store bought raindeer ornament, my candy shop house and kitty figurines under the tree and the stockings that I altered.

Snow!!! And its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

We got snow today!!!! Not much but it was coming down this morning. By 11 it had stopped and started to melt. But consider that last week it was in the 60s here, snow and 35 degrees was a shock to the system. Guess the good weather we have been blessed with had to come to an end at some time. Oh well.

At least the snow and cold have put me more into a Christmas mood so I guess it was good for something. I changed my car radio over to my favorite Christmas station today. They only play Christmas music from the day after Thanksgiving until Christmas day. I also googled them and found them online so I am listening to them on my puter as I scrap and surf the internet – yay. I put my “candles” in my windows and I think I will get my tree tomorrow and decorate it. It’s time to add some Christmas to this apartment.

Where did the year go?

Reading Francine’s last two entries about Christmas preparations made me realize just how close we are to Christmas. Eeeek – where did the year go? Well at least my Christmas cards are finished. I just need to address them and mail/deliver them. But I still have a list of stuff to do before Christmas.

Finish decorations for tree
Get tree
Decorate tree
Make cookies
Deliver cookies
Finish handmade Christmas gifts
Make Caribbean Christmas cake also know as fruit or black cake
Make punch-a-crème, sorrel, and ginger beer
I am sure there is more but this is all that comes to mind for now.

I think I also want to copy Francine and do a journal about my Christmas preparations. Think I will do the 25 days of Christmas so will start it on Dec 1st. Hopefully I can get both the journal and the above list completed by Christmas Day!!!

Thankful for friends and family

Yesterday was Thanksgiving Day here in the states. We went to our friend’s Jeff and Lan as we do each year to have Thanksgiving Day dinner with them and their kids and another friend Japheth. It is usually just the seven of us but this year we were thankful to have my in-laws who are visiting form Barbados join us.

What’s funny about our Thanksgiving dinner is that neither Sheldon nor Japheth really likes turkey, and I don’t eat meat/poultry so no turkey for me, so every year Jeff does boiled lobsters for us and turkey for him, Lan and the kids. A bit untraditional but oh so yummy!!!!

So our little gathering consisted of:
4 from America
3 from Barbados
1 from Grenada (me)
1 from British Virgin Islands (BVI)

In addition to the lobster and turkey we had, candied sweet potatoes or as they are called here yams, string beans, mashed potatoes, rolls, corn, Lan’s wonderful pumpkin bread and this year she did banana bread as well, homemade apple and blue berry pies, brownies, éclairs, ice cream, and cherry pie – yummy in my tummy!!!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!!

Where did the days go!

Wow it’s been a long time since I posted. Where did the days go. My in-laws are here visiting from Barbados. They came on Wednesday so I was busy preparing for their arrival and I have been hanging out with them over the last few days. Thursday was their anniversary so we went to that awesome Portuguese restaurant in New Bedford that we discovered in Aug - Adega. Discovered that they have an awsome Martini menu - yum!!! I tried one called a Yellow Cab that is Navan, crushed pineapple and lime juice. To die for!!!! The food was awesome too of course.

On the scrapping front I have come out of lurk dome on The Pub at Two Peas and I am trying to do the layout a day challenge. I also tried my first digital layout today. I really like doing digi but it will never replace traditional paper scrapping for me. I love playing with paper and embellishments and ink way too much. Here is the layout I did today. Of course it is of one of the cats – they make the easiest subjects to scrap. The kit is by Rhonna Farrer and it is called “Perfect Pet” and is available on Two Peas as a free download.

Fall is in the air

So Excited!!!!

I am so excited. I was asked to join the Creative Team for the new and improved Diversity Designs. The site is moving towards a more educational focus offering online classes and how-to projects and they asked me to be a part of it. I have known for about a week now but I could not say anything until it all became official.

I think this is the side of the scrapping business that I am most interested in, teaching people how to do create awesome projects and layouts. Must be because I grew up with parents who are teachers that I find I have a knack for being able to explain things.

On another note it is starting to get very cold here. We may even have our first frost tonight in some areas. Oh well I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. I personally was hoping for later LOL!!!

What's new

Well I am so proud of myself. I have all my Christmas cards finished and it is not even November 1 as yet. I am the one who usually starts their cards like 2 weeks before Christmas and then is scrambling to get them mailed and delivered on time. So needless to say I am very very happy and I am also scaring myself (LOL). At this rate I’ll be finished with all my Christmas projects by the end of November – now won’t that be great.

In other news, I have started to apply for Design Teams. I am giving myself six months before I throw my energies into something else. I figure if it’s meant to be it will be. The thing about it is that I love the layouts that I do and that is why I scrap. If my style does not fit in with what others are looking for that’s ok with me because whatever happens I will always keep scrapping. Okay off my soap box.