Bind It All Desktop Calendar

OK, so as I mentioned in my post last night, I was trying to figure out what to do for a little gift for Kyle's teacher when I was looking through all the blogs on my Google Reader and found something on Kristina Werner's that clicked! She had linked up her roommate's blog and she had little calendars and I thought this would be perfect.

My original plan was to put it in a CD case, but decided I didn't like the look of that. Just before I went to work, I looked up desktop calendars made with the Bind It All and found some great stuff on the Bind It All blog. That then linked up to a little video on how to make this type of calendar. When I went to work, I picked up the paper I'd need and then did this when I got home at 10pm after work last night. You'll notice I lifted the cover design from the one on the BIA blog because when I was finishing at almost midnight, I was a little lacking in creative inspiration! I so love how it turned out though that I want to make more!

Supplies: Calendar from Jen. Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is Sandylion. Chipboard for covers. Bind it All machine and O-wires. Polka dot paper on cover is American Crafts. Numbers on cover are American Crafts Vinyl Thickers. Gemstones are Hero Arts. Flower punch is McGill. Scalloped punch used on cover is Fiskars Threading Water Punch. Misc gem for flower. Ink for distressing is Palette Noir Black.

Please feel free to ask any questions you have, but this was a surprisingly easy project and only took about 2 hours (other than printing off the calendar and that didn't take long)! I think I need to make more! And maybe even one for me!

Cheers,

A Project Almost Finished!

Just popping in quickly since I'm almost finished a gift for Kyle's teacher that I decided I was going to make today, but I LOVE how it's turning out, so I'll try and take pictures before I send it off to her with Kyle tomorrow!

Had busy one with the boys today and then Sophia was just here this afternoon. George went and took the boys for haircuts this afternoon and Nathan fell asleep in the car on the way home and I was worried about him going to bed again after the cry for the binkies the last time that happened, but we put him in bed and....nothing! Went right to sleep! Yeah! We are binkie free! Now to get rid of the diapers too!

I worked tonight and had fun with Diane and Jackie at work. The roads weren't too too bad for getting there, but no one was really driving crazy fast either thankfully. I even managed to get my cheque deposited tonight when I went out too!

Came home and have been working on this little project that I decided to do this afternoon and will give details tomorrow when I post it!

And here's a little something in the way of Christmas music for ya!


Have a great Friday!
Cheers,

Scrapdango Reveal and a lot of Snow!

OK, so after a few delays for poor Carrie and Dana with the kits this month at Scrapdango, we had our reveal today! These were done with the December Spice kit that had Rose Moka papers in it.

This second one was based on a sketch by another Scrapdango DTer - Kathi!

We got another blast of snow today to go along with all the cold weather we've been having. They were saying it could get as low as -20C with the wind chill tonight. Yikes! The kids were out in the snow though I mostly got pics of Kyle when he was out earlier and Nathan and Sophia were still napping. Kyle is such a poser!

Well, better go put the boys to bed since it's about that time! Hope the weather gets better for tomorrow evening since I'm supposed to be going in to work!

Have a great Thursday!
Cheers,

A Very Christmassy Day!

We had a really good day today and it started with me sleeping until about 8:30! George let me sleep even on a day when Sophia was here at 7! I heard the kids playing and yelling and I think that's what woke me up.

I got up and did some picking up and getting the house in order while the kids played and hung out. Kyle had his Christmas concert today, so only had class in the afternoon. I did an early lunch so he could have something before class at 12:30 and then George took him to school while the little ones went down for naps. Nathan took a little while, but did go to sleep. Little Miss Fia was another story since she heard Tracy and Matthew come to hang out while we were at the concert and then she just wanted to get up and never did have a nap!

The concert was so cute! The Kindergarten kids sang 2 songs. I admit that when they started, a tear welled up. Kyle's just getting so big and I was also really proud of him because he was actually singing and doing all the actions. He was right in there! The gym was really poorly lit though and I didn't really get a good picture, but we did get some video that was better, so we can show everyone that wasn't able to be there! Kyle has already seen it and wanted to watch it again right after he'd just seen it!





This evening, George told the boys that we'd go to the so called "Rock and Roll" house to look at the lights. Took us a few minutes to find it, but we did. The only problem was that it was so cold. Kyle insisted on wearing his pjs since he'd worn them to school for his concert and didn't want to change. He didn't last long in the cold though as a result and it was really very cold! The funny part was that I didn't get a good picture of him either because he said he was too cold to smile!

Now, the weather outside is saying we might have a white Christmas yet because it has started snowing just like they said it would! I'm so glad George is home this week and can help with getting Kyle to school with it being so darn cold! The kids'll no doubt be wanting to get out there and play it in, but it's so cold, it probably won't last long.

Well, better go get some sleep before the kids are up and raring to go again!
Cheers,

Scrapdango Scrappy Goodness at my Doorstep

This is what recently arrived at my door - the December Scrapdango kit featuring Rose Moka ~ Equinoxe. The colours are fabulous and I need to find some more time to play with it and soon! The reveal will be shortly on the board and I'll post my layouts here and link you up to the others by the talented ladies on the design team when that happens!

Busy day again today! George got called into work last night in the middle of the night. The call actually came at about 5pm which was a good thing because it meant he got a little sleep beforehand. I was on bath/shower and bed duty last night as a result. I was so exhausted that I admit that I ended up watching the finale of Survivor and just getting a few household things done.

The kids were up around 6:30 this morning and George wasn't even home for an hour after that! I got myself ready for work and got Kyle sorted for school. I dropped him at school on my way to work and that's where I spent the day. George took Nathan and they picked Kyle up today which he loves: days when Daddy picks him up!

I didn't even get home until about 7 tonight and had a bite to eat and helped the kids get ready for bed. Read Kyle's Star Wars library book again which is apparently his favourite now. And then I knew I just had to get the layout tag done from Scrapdango that I'd been sitting on for a couple of days! I sure hadn't planned it that way and I'm sorry for slowing things down girls, but I did mine and sent it off tonight!

I think it's time to pack it in here tonight. Kyle only has Kindergarten in the afternoon tomorrow as it's their Christmas concert! Fun!

Cheers,

A Movie Night!

Well, George got a call late this afternoon asking if he wanted to go in to work tonight at about 2am to do some salting and prep work for the morning. He accepted even though his holidays actually start tomorrow as well! As a result, he went to bed at about 6pm and the boys and I hung out and watched a movie.

I'd never seen Polar Express, but it was on CBC tonight. Kyle had watched a little one night, but hadn't seen the whole thing and I admit that I was quite quickly drawn in. The boys and I had a great time hanging out and watching it tonight and I'm sure it won't be the last time!

Just to leave you with a little something for the holidays from the most recent addition to my Christmas music collection...


Have a fabulous week!
Cheers,

Wonderful Day with the Boys!

Well, wasn't sure what we were going to get up to today, but it was a great day! I slept in after working late for Midnight Madness last night at the store. I had been trying to figure out what I was going to do today because George got called into work for the Olympic oval opening ceremony today and I was already scheduled to work. I was talking about it at work and one of my wonderful co-workers, Pauline, offered to switch today and Monday with me. Then, I could stay home with the boys today and she could go do Christmas shopping on Monday when it wouldn't be as busy! With a very appreciative thanks, I said "Done!".

As a result, I got to sleep in this morning and got up at 9am. George was busy getting ready shortly after I got up, so I didn't see much of him. After he left, I was trying to figure out what we were going to do for the day and decided maybe we'd head out to the store and visit the girls at work and I could get Matthew's Christmas present. I also told them we'd go out for lunch, so they were excited. By the time we were all ready, it was about 11am, so we headed out a little later than I would have liked, but whatever! We went to work and took the girls coffee and then I got what I needed for my gift. I also got the boys some inexpensive paper and then we spent a while die cutting some things for art projects and had a ton of fun playing!

We then sent off for lunch at McDonald's. The traffic was awful and then the line-up at McDonald's (even inside) was bad too, but the boys were very good and remarkably patient. Kyle was a little disappointed they were out of the Bionicles that went with the kid's meals, but he even took that in stride really. Once we had lunch, we headed off home again. I stopped for a coffee at Tim's and the boys each got 2 TimBits. I admit to having a delicious candy cane doughnut too!

Nathan fell asleep on the way home since it was just after 2 then and he should've been in bed by 1! Today was the first tears we had over the no more binkie too because he was half-asleep and tired, he really wanted his binkie. I just rubbed his forehead for a minute like my mum used to do when I was sick or upset and that seemed to calm him down and he went to sleep. Kyle went for a "rest" and that turned into a nap too since he was up early. I was still sort of tired from being up so late last night since I left work at 12:30am and then went shopping at Walmart! I think I got to bed a little after 2am! I ended up watching TV in bed for a bit and think I even dozed off for a half hour or so!

I woke the boys up so that they'd actually sleep tonight and then we just had dinner and sort of hung out. They were great! I let them play on the Build-A-Bear website for a bit and then it was jammies, teeth and a story. We read Kyle's Star Wars book that he got from the school library. I think we might just be starting the hit the Star Wars stage in our house finally. I figured it would come...

Well, it's a bit of a winter wonderland out there again. It started snowing within the last couple of hours again and Kyle's really excited. The snow we got the other day didn't last long because it rained after, but who knows about this since they're calling for snow for tomorrow too! Not going anywhere tomorrow anyway and I'm just hoping to get the tree up, so that may end up being the plan for the day! Well, that and a snowball fight maybe!

Have a fabulous Sunday!
Cheers,

Snow Day!

OK, it's not actually a snow day in the sense that anyone stayed home, but it is the first snowfall of the year. It's sort of been off and on again with some rain mixed in too and I'm hoping it stays that way since I'm going to work tonight and will be there until late for Midnight Madness!

We had a fun day and Kyle has, of course already been out in the snow! He wanted to head out as soon as he got home from school, but I managed to get him to wait until the kids had had lunch and then as soon as Nathan and Sophia were in bed, he was geared up and ready to go! Was out there for about 15 or 20 minutes before he was cold and wet (since it's also been sort of raining) enough to come in and have some hot chocolate!

It was a nice morning all around actually since Trace and Matthew came over as well. She was nice enough to come before Kyle went to school and she took him up and I stayed here with the other 3 kids. He was very excited about auntie taking him to school! Trace stopped at Tim Horton's before she came back and we had a coffee and a bagel! The kids got Timbits of course! We hung out and then Trace even went and got Kyle before heading home to put Matthew down for a nap! Thanks again Trace!

I would like to try and get a few things done here during naptime and before I need to get ready for work, so I'd better run! Have a fabulous weekend!

Cheers,

Another Milestone Day...

this time for Kyle since it was his first report card day!! Of course, since it's Kindergarten, it's all comments and without grades, but it was exciting nonetheless. OK, I should qualify that and say exciting for me. To him, it was just another piece of paper being sent home!

OK, and I'd also be lying if I said I wasn't hoping there'd be a few "exceeding expectations" rather than the "meeting expectations", but that's just the competitive girl in me that was always out for good marks when I was in school! Kyle is doing well and doesn't need that kind of pressure and I'm very sure to be conscious of that streak in me when it comes to dealing with his school stuff!

Wow! I'm the parent of a boy with a report card! Unbelievable! Where does the time go?! I'm so proud!

Cheers,

A Momentous Night

Well, I'm certainly not proud to say that Nathan still has a binkie (soother) at night and we've been talking about getting rid of it for ages. We told ourselves we wouldn't wait as long as we did with Kyle, but yet here we are!

If he takes it out of bed, I've been telling him to put it back or I'll put it in the garbage because he's a big boy and he really doesn't need it. Went to make dinner tonight and put some things in the garbage and I think I literally gasped! There it was, one of the 2 binkies we have left in the garbage! He wanted it back and I told him no way!

Now, fast forward to bedtime... can't find the other one! He went to bed fine and without any tears! He's apparently ready or something because it's sooo not like it was with Kyle when we had days and nights of crying when he finally lost his last one. Nathan was up for quite a while tonight and I had to put him back in bed a couple of times, but he finally just went to sleep without it and without much fanfare either! *shock*

Now the only thing is to find the missing one before he does! Oh and I did take a picture of the binkie in the garbage, but I'm too tired to post it right now!

Cheers,

File Folder Tag Album Tutorial

This is my project that I posted at Scrapdango for our 12 Days of Christmas Gift Giving.


File Folder Tag Book

1 letter sized manila folder
2 pieces of coordinating patterned paper (or more depending on how you embellish it)
1 piece of coordinating cardstock
4 large eyelets
2 ft coordinating ribbon
1 brad
coordinating flowers or embellishments

1. cut folder in half along the fold so that you now have 2 halves
2. I used the half that's shorter so the measurements are for that half though you could use the other as well
3. score 3 inches from the bottom horizontally and fold that section up.


4. fold the file folder in half (vertically)


5. fold each of those halves in half again to give you 4 parts to your album




6. from cardstock (blue in mine) or a patterned paper cut the following sizes:
2 ¾ ” x 5 ½” (trace and trim left corner)
2 ¾ ” x 5 ½”
2 ¾ ” x 5
2 ¾ ” x 5 (trace and trim right corner)
Adhere these pieces to sections as shown in photo

7.Cut the coordinating piece of patterned paper (2 ¾” x 27/8”) that you're going to fold over and attach it to the inside bottom panel second from the left.


8.From patterned paper (little trees in mine), cut 4 pieces sized at 2 ¾” x 2 7/8”
Adhere these pieces to front panels as shown in photo


9. fold your album in half and, using a Cropadile or some other eyelet tool, punch a hole through all 4 layers of your album (front, back and the 2 layers of the folded up piece).

10. Decorate the front of your album as you wish.
11. Set large eyelets into the 4 holes that you've punched (so that the insides of the eyelets will face each other on the inside and be hidden). Thread ribbon around album.
12. Decorate the inside of the album however you want!

13. cut tags (or pictures) the following sizes from cardstock:
1 ¾” x 5 ¼”
2 ¼” x 5 ¼”
2 ¼” x 4 ¾”
1 ¾” x 4 ¾”
(The width of 2 is smaller because of the eyelets you set.)


Hope you try it and I can see what you've created!

This idea originally came from a couple of people:
Taylor VanBruggen
Kristina Werner

Please feel free to ask questions or clarify anything that doesn't make sense to you!
Cheers,

Christmas Card

Supplies: Cardstock is Bazzill. Patterned paper is MME Be Merry. Glitter Paper is Doodlebug. Label Shape was done with Spellbinders die. Sentiment is Pebbles Inc rub-on. Ribbon is American Crafts. Gemstones are Hero Arts. Blue Gems are Kaiser Craft.

Card was inspired by Carla Peicheff.

Just posted this as my Christmas card for today over at Scrapperie since the Tres Chic Girls are doing a Christmas Card a Day until Christmas Eve if you need a little last minute inspiration!

Cheers,

See This...

It's mine!! Or I'll have one soon anyway! I work for some wonderful people and got this as a gift tonight and I'm very excited about it! We don't have them yet, but they're on their way and I can't wait to play.

I worked today and then we had our staff Christmas get-together and had a great evening. We went to The Keg for dinner and then back to one of the owners place for coffee, dessert, and a fun gift swap. We did the thing where everyone buys a gift and you open them one at a time and can steal from other people or open something new. It was fun! And then, we were lucky enough to get a little note saying that we'd be getting one of these Slice machines as well!

Have a wonderful week everyone! I get to go to my monthly massage in the morning and I'm looking forward to it since my back is sore!

Cheers,

Busy!

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.
-- Norman Vincent Peale

I've had a very busy day here with working all day and then coming home and making cards for the girls at work since we have our Christmas party tomorrow night! George's staff party was a lot of fun last night and I'll post more about that later as I have a picture of the two of us last night too!

This is a busy weekend for us for sure, but we've been having fun too and we're all looking forward to George's week off starting the 15th too! I sure hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!

Cheers,

Homemade Almond Roca

Picture from More Than Burnt Toast

Yes, it's this time of year again (though I now have requests for this pretty much all year round!) and I need to make some Homemade Almond Roca. This is pretty much always a hit and I take it pretty much everywhere during the holidays.

1 cup of butter (margarine is not the same!)

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1 package of (whole) graham wafers

1 cup of slivered almonds

1 cup of chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lay graham wafers on a cookie sheet - do not overlap.

Sprinkle almonds on top of the graham wafers.

In a saucepan, melt the butter.

Add the brown sugar and bring this to a boil.

Once it boils, pour it over the graham wafers and almonds.

Put it in the oven for 6-8minutes until just brown.

Take it out of the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

Leave for a minute and run a fork through them.

Refrigerate and break into pieces when cold.

Enjoy it because it won't last long!

Cheers,

December Daily Mini

OK, so I'm getting started on my Christmas Memories December Daily album! Julie over at Scrapdango got some of us going this morning and we're posting our pages there to share and try and keep each other at this for the month!

I printed my pictures at home, so they're not the best quality, but they work for what this project is for sure. This is 2 pages that I did for December 1st with the pictures of the puzzle book that Nathan got from mum and dad for Christmas.



This is today's picture of Fia and the boys as we were walking home from school today! As you can see it's a bright and sunny day! Cool, but gorgeous! Nathan had to take his dog, Rufus, so that meant that Sophia had to take her doll too. The kids had a great time playing on the way back.

I'm hoping to get some cards done this evening as well as watching Survivor and Grey's, so we'll see. I think I'm going to go pick up a new blouse I saw as well so that I have something new to wear to the Christmas parties I'm going to as well as for Christmas!

Better run! Kyle has a new game from school that he wants to play while the little kids are napping! Have a fabulous evening!

Cheers,