We Have Pictures!

I am getting accustomed to Windows 7, have managed to download my photo software, and can now put pictures on my blog. (I do, however keep getting a message about "compatibility issues", which I ignore and hope will resolve on its own).

Anyway, I made this card today for a friend, it's her birthday, and I woke up thinking, "Oh no, I forgot to make a card!"

"No problem," said my optimistic side, "you have lots of paper and stuff to make a great card. Shouldn't even take you that long."

And it was true, I have lots of nice paper and I am capable of thinking up a card design. So I put this together, and then looked at the clock, and realized close to 2 hours had passed.

TWO HOURS? To make a card? There is a certain magazine I like to look at, that has a section called "Take Ten", and they give you card ideas that take about 10 minutes to make. Obviously, I should have looked there first.

Anyway, if you want to save yourself some time and make this card, I used a Making Memories card base (it's really old, not sure if they even make them anymore), Crafty Secrets image, and Cosmo Cricket paper. There's a bit of lace and ribbon, and a brad in the middle of the flower on the flap. You can't really see it, but I put Stickles (black) in the middle of the flower as well.

Probably, if I had to make this card again, it would only take 15 or 20 minutes. Not quite ready for "Take Ten", but getting there!

Until next time...

What was that Crash?

Unfortunately, that crash you didn't hear was my computer. Yes, after 5 years of somewhat faithful service, the computer hard drive packed it in. I knew as soon as I saw the BLACK SCREEN with the words "Insert reboot disk" and some other technical jargon that I didn't understand, that something very bad was happening to my electronic friend.

Luckily, I had made a back up of my files in September, so there were only a few things lost in the computer's brain. We did try to retrieve the data, but alas the drive was totally cooked and nothing could be saved. (Let this be a lesson to one and all - back up your computer!)

We had to buy a new computer, and that involved moreTECHNICAL TALK that mostly went over my head. We paid the nice young man at the store to set up the computer for us, so we only had to plug in the computer once we got home with it. Of course, what we weren't thinking about was the new operating system, Windows 7 (which, I am told, is going to be out of date in about 30 seconds). I'm not sure how it works, or where things are hidden, and I feel rather impatient about having to learn a new system. What was wrong with my old XP?

So there are no photos with this post, because there are none on this computer, and I don't know how to put any on it yet. I have to introduce my camera to the computer, and I'm not sure if they'll get along or not. I've not had any time to make anything pretty out of paper either, as I have been busy dealing with my computer woes.

Okay, that's not entirely true. I got a 2012 Basic Grey Calendar, and actually finished January. I didn't do any extra embellishing, I keep a chant going in my head when I am tempted to add some ribbon or glitter to it... "Get it done! Get it done!"

Until next time,

New Baby Card

We are invited to a baby shower this weekend. (Notice the "we". It seems now that men are included in these once "ladies only" parties. Not that I mind. I just wonder how the men are coping.)

I realized that I either had to make or buy a card. And since I have an abundance of PAPER, I thought it had better the latter. Besides, it gives me an excuse to go and buy more paper to replenish my dwindling stash. (Insert a "wink" here.)

It didn't take long to find this paper, once again, Graphic 45. This is the Springtime line, and it has these very cute post card sized pictures, one of which I cut out and pasted in place. A bit of trim and fussy-cutting of flowers and microscopic butterflies and I was done. (Of course, I have neglected to tell you about the time spent agonizing over card stock colour, flower placement, and the exact wording of the inside sentiment. )

I really like this card. I'm glad I have a picture of it, because I'm getting separation anxiety already. At least I know it's going to a good home, where it will be appreciated. I'm a bit funny that way, I don't like giving handmade cards to people that don't understand the BS&T (blood, sweat and tears) that go into them. I hate the thought of my creations (not to mention the EXPENSIVE embellishments that often go on them!) going into the recycling bin.

So if you get a card from me, I know you're going to keep it for a while, or at the very least, take off that embellishment and re-use it on a card back to me!

Until next time....

Hawaii Journal

I thought I should post a picture of my Hawaii Journal, I would like to show you the inside as well, but there is not much to see except my scrawl.

The paper is Graphic 45 (my favourite!), the Transatlantique line. I bound it use Zutter's Bind-it-All. And now, a note about that. Well, I had bought these nice thick covers (also from Zutter), and wouldn't you know it, they don't fit in the Bind-it-All (darn-it-all!) machine. Turns out they fit in the NEW model of the Bind-it-All, and I have the OLD model. So I had to take the paper off the covers, punch everything separately, and glue it back together.

I had bought the biggest binding coils that Zutter makes, but they are still not big enough for the covers and my pages. I may have to remove some of the pages so it closes properly.

NOTE TO SELF: Next time I make covers, they are going to be made from nice thin cereal boxes.

The other thing I was going to do, was collect some sand from the beach at Waikiki, I even took along one of those cute little glass containers that Tim Holtz makes. I wondered about taking sand across the border, and if there was some law against it. But it didn't matter in the end, because I forget to collect the sand.

I did remember to go to the post office to get a stamp, but since Hawaii is part of the USA, they didn't have any stamps that looked "Hawaiian". So I ended up getting a stamp with a ship on it, that had visited Hawaii at one time. Close enough.

Well, I have to go now. My precious husband is home, and we have a date to go to the gym. We're still working on losing the extra pounds we gained on the cruise ship. I blame the cookies!

Until next time....

Aloha!

We are now home from our vacation, and two guesses where we were, I cannot believe how fast time passes when you are enjoying yourself!

Needless to say, there has not been a whole lot of paper crafting going on around here. I did make a lovely travel journal, which I wrote in diligently every night on our trip (even if it was 1 o'clock in the morning!). I took some scissors and adhesives, and added little bits and pieces as I went, but I think the journal is too structured, and I need to add my photos before I go too crazy with pasting in the ticket stubs and memorabelia I collected.

We were on a cruise to Hawaii (there's your answer!), and I was thrilled to discover they had scrapbooking classes on board. They even gave us free kits! Naturally I attended as many as I could.

Once in Hawaii, I was hoping to find a scrapbooking store or two, but I think we were in the touristy areas, and I couldn't find any. I had the address of one that was within walking distance to our hotel in Waikiki, but unfortunately they had closed down. There were quite a few quilting stores, however, and lots of galleries with paintings and sculpture, so I was able to get my "art fix" that way.

And now, back to reality (and work). I am hoping to be a good girl and get some of my journals completed. I have THREE waiting for me to finish them!

Until next time.....

A Sad Note

I have some very sad news. My cat, Gracie disappeared about 2 weeks ago, and we are fearing the worst.

We have looked and looked for her, and put ads in the newspaper, and flyers around the neighbourhood, and checked with vets and animal shelters, and she is just not anywhere. I miss her terribly.

I'll admit, she could be a pest. Like last Christmas, when I couldn't put up my Christmas village on the mantle, because she kept jumping up there, and I was afraid she'd knock everything over and onto the fireplace. Or how I'd put on clean black slacks, and she'd insist on sitting on me, and then I'd have her fur all over me. Or how she'd sit in front of the computer, so I couldn't see the screen. Or how I'd wake in the night, with no pillow, because she was laying on it.

But how I miss that sweet face, and the little meows. When she came inside, she would insist on being petted and loved, even before going to her food. I miss her sitting with me watching TV. I miss her laying in my scrapbooking room, advising me on colour choice and ribbon selection (Once she ate some ribbon. I had to monitor her poo for about a week to make sure it came out the other end. I never did find it. Of course, I wasn't looking that hard.) I'm going to miss her for a long time, in a lot of ways.

Gracie, you are loved and missed.

Detour - eReader!

Once again, I have gone off on another wild tangent, this one into the land of eReades. It's a long story, one that began last summer.

I have been plotting and planning on getting an eReader since last summer, but just kept putting it off. Finally decided to take the plunge and JUST BUY ONE. Of course, for me there is no "just buy one", it takes days and days of on-line and in-store research, and asking EVERYONE if they have an eReader, and how do they like it, and what-do-you-think-I-should-buy?

Originally thought I would get a Kindle, but being in Canada kind of adds to the expense (read: duty, taxes, shipping, etc. etc.) When I saw the cute (and so very pink) Sony, I couldn't resist, and so now that's what I have. (Plus, I can actually borrow books digitally from the library! Kan't do that with a Kindle in Kanada!) (NOTE: All those K's were on purpose. I do know how to spell "can't" and "Canada").

And my opinion? Well, if you want something you just take out of the box, turn on and start reading, the Sony is not for you (unless you really enjoy reading instructions. The instructions are 131 digital pages long). Fortunately, I do have some idea about computers, so syncing to my computer, setting up accounts with Sony, Adobe and my public library wasn't terribly hard, just time consuming. I will admit it took me some time to figure out how to get the book I borrowed from the library on to the eReader.

And if anyone has an eReader, I'd love to hear what kind you have, and what you think of it.

Until next time....