For Mom...

Ok, here's something semi new just because I haven't posted in such a long time! This was the card I gave mom for mother's day. It's got a little shabby chic going on. My style really is shabby chic with lots and lots and lots of embellishment. I've been cruisin some of my favorite blogs lately and noticing that I'm not really liking the direction cardmaking is going (of course there is the few exceptions to this comment). Simple and blank. Or weird color combinations. Mind you there is nothing wrong with weird colour combinations, but when they don't jive they just don't jive!!! But I guess to that everyone has their ups and downs when it comes to being creative. Heck I certainly do. It takes me 7 days to complete one scrapbook page. At the rate I'm going I won't be even close to completing my wedding scrapbook before the end of the year. Anyhow, I'm totally addicted to Basic Grey paper lately, although the mindboggling patterns can be difficult to work with. Really now, how does one overembellish a piece of scrapbook paper that is already so busy it makes your eyeballs roll? I guess you just enhance it.

More adventure in cake..

Ok, now I know there is a sister out there waiting for me to post pictures of winning cake swag.....but you'll have to wait a bit longer cause I just don't feel like taking pictures right now! Instead I'm concentrating on studying for the RN exam which will occur in about a week and a half. Yes....must study. I can't wait until it is over. And all fingers crossed that I will pass so I don't have to worry about it again. The worst of the worst would be if I didn't pass and had to fiddle and fart around with nursing textbooks until september. I think I'd die. I want to be free from school!!!!! (here I say that and currently my work is going to send me and the other grad nurse to perioperative school for 2 months starting the 1st of June. Lovely. Not that I'm not appreciative, cause I am...they pay for it afterall and I'll get paid to go. But the thought of homework during the summer does not turn my crank whatsoever.)

So today I will post a picture of my big achievement over last weekend. The first 4-tiered wedding cake I've ever made!! (My own wedding cake was only 3 layers). And all covered in fondant! Whoot!

The sword sitting on the table has cut 28 wedding cakes, all in the same family. Pretty cool. I think the cake was a hit. It was all chocolate with chocolate ganache filling and covered in buttercream, then fondant. The flowers were silk. Took me a whopping 1.5 full days to create it. For me, impressive. What was even better was that I had made way too much ganache filling, so made it into little chocolate balls covered in cocoa for the gift opening the next day. Those who didn't choke when inhaling cocoa dust really loved them (actually those who choked must have liked them too cause they kept coming back for more....but there was always some type of poking fun comment regarding inhaled cocoa dust).

Ohhh, the cake....

So I was convinced by the sisters to enter a cake in a contest, interpreting my favorite t-shirt from an online company. I worked on my cake, slaved on my cake, then went to post pictures of my cake, and saw many other fabulous interpretations of other peoples favorite t-shirt for an online company in the form of cake! Not only that, but I didn't take any wacky pictures of me making the cake, or eating it for that matter, so I'm kinda the odd man out with the cake. Regardless, I sent the pictures in. And now I'm posting them here so everyone can see my cake.

This is titled..."the loch ness imposter meets the loch ness monster". Of course the t-shirt I interpreted is also called "the loch ness imposter" Great t-shirt from threadless. Anyhow, the cake is half gone now.....

More puppy show

Ok, here are some pics from the dog show last weekend. Did I say Kona won 2 red ribbons and a blue ribbon??? We were some proud puppy parents!Here is Kona posing outside on the 'not quite spring like conditions' grassy patch.

She's closing her eyes to the competition here. What one doesn't see, doesn't make one nervous! Kind of a good strategy I guess. But I don't think she was nervous. I was nervous enough for all of us! And I didn't have to do anything but carry poop bags and last minute grooming tools...not that there is much on her to groom either....but just in case. Just to get that last minute flyaway! And here is what happens at the end of a really long weekend! It took her a matter of seconds to find a comfy spot in the back seat of the truck and fall asleep!

Doggie show!

So, we're back from our first puppy show. Yes, this weekend Kona was a show puppy. That l'il gremlin girl! She did good. I think she went through a very big learnin curve this weekend, with being in the show ring for the first time, being in this crazy, busy environment for the first time, and having so many people want to pet her for the first time!! I know that some show dog owners won't let the public pet their dogs; it's for their own reasons I know, but we let everyone pet Kona. Of course there is the disclaimer we always say first..."She does jump on people and she still likes to nibble once in awhile. She also likes long hair! So petter beware" And then we try and hold her down (teaching her to keep 4 feet on the ground) while she gets some adoration. She loves it. And at the end of each day this weekend we've come home with a very tired but happy (I think!?!) puppy. This weekend was good practice for her.

She's just on the cusp of actually being able to show. Puppies are not allowed to be entered until they are 6 months old. Kona is 6 months and 1 week. And it shows. She's not as husky and heavy as the older dogs. Which is fine. She was the smallest dog there in stature. I do think she will be of a taller sort when she gets older though. And she was the curliest in coat. Which isn't always a good thing as labs are only allowed to have a 'wave' to their coat, not the actual curls that Kona has on her bum. Whatever, I like her curls. It makes her unique. She showed the best on the second day, Saturday. She trotted well around the ring and she stacked herself when standing (this is when the feet are placed parallel and appropriate in order to make the dog look good when standing and showing). She naturally places her feet appropriately and shows off which makes it easier for the handler! And what her handler (hubbie!) liked best were all the compliments Kona got. Definately made him feel proud about her.

Now the two of them are asleep on the couch. Yep, it's been a long but busy and good weekend.

Dog Blog...

OK, this is turning into a dog blog....

And this is why one doesn't mess with gravity...

And No, Kona is not normally allowed on this chair when I'm around. I was only around to take the picture. Someone was being naughty.

But I admit, it provided some very good laughs.

We don't have easter bunnies...we have gremlins in our house!

I'm still not sure if these pictures are scary or really really funny.

I'm sitting at the computer finishing up my last nursing paper/project (oh thank God! I'll thank God even more when I'm absolutely finished...which will probably be no earlier than midnight tonite!). I'm watching all these people walk by with kids, with dogs, joggers, bikers....Hey, it looks nice outside. The sky is blue, the sun is shining...in fact it looks exactly like it did yesterday. Until I went outside for a walk and got blasted with icy cold wind. Now I'm gunshy to go outside today. I can see those trees swaying in some type of breeze, and the leaves flittering along the ground. I know there is wind out there. Not sure if it's cold icy wind though. Perhaps I will check in a hour or so......

Kona

What a silly looking puppy! She's in a growth spurt right now and she's got all this skin that she still has to grow into. And she's getting these goofy facial expressions now. For example; when she's begging for food she looks at you with half closed eyes and her head sits way back on her neck. She kinda looks stoned, but I think she's trying to look nonchelant (sp?)...just in case one was to give her a little nibble or a small piece of something were to fall on the floor. Then she springs into action. Her nose has also grown quite a bit in the last little while. It's larger and longer.....a more 'mature' look than she had before. Her eyes look small here, but they aren't really. I guess her head has just gotten bigger. And she still has her curly hair. Apparently some labs have a double coat; they keep their curly hair into adulthood, whereas sometimes labs will have a curly coat when they are small, but then they grow into it and the curly hair disappears. I hope Kona's hair stays curly. It gives her character.

So, she's been allowed to become a couch dog. (NOT by me). And she has picked out her favorite spot on the couch. Her on one end of the couch and Mr.Man on the other end of the couch. I now have to sit in a different chair....which is fine as my cross stitch stand is all set up nicely with one of the other chairs. So I won't complain!!! Kona is about 21 weeks in this picture...I guess that is about 5 months old!

Dog vs Cat...

I had to break up a fight the other day. Our puppy is getting very big. She's not really a puppy anymore, but there certainly is lots of puppy attitude. And she's got energy. I really thought that Labs were supposed to be laid back and lazy. This one is not. She gets into these moods where she runs laps around the house. I guess I don't blame her. She does have to stay home along during the day when we're at work. And we don't always get a chance to take her to T-Park for a super run. Anyhow. No puppies or cats were hurt during this confrontation. I must say that Jingles (the cat) is getting much braver during these 'confrontations'.
Kona usually corners Jingles in the guest bedroom (or Jingles' bedroom as this is where the cat has hung out since we've gotten the dog.) By the time I get upstairs to interfere, Jingles is usually under the bed and all one sees is the swiping of paws out from under the bed. It is funny in a sense; I wonder what goes through the cat's head when all this is occuring. I don't know if she is really scared more than she is just mad that her life has been interrupted by this goofy puppy. I guess we should have forced more 'meetings of the pets' when Kona was still a baby. I just didn't want Kona to get hurt. Now I'm afraid for them both.







The picture is kind of blurry, but you get the idea. I'm not sure who looks more scared here, the cat or the dog!

Another nifty artwork project...

To go along with the birthday that that nifty cake was made for, I also made the kids picture frames. I was inspired from many hours of surfing scrapbook blogs on the internet, then decided to visit a scrapbook store and promptly became inspired when I saw the bestest paper ever! Yeah, I know that sounds weird, but sometimes scrapbook paper just speaks to me and says....'Buy me! You won't regret it!!'

So this is a windowbox type of picture frame, which turned out really cool. This was for a little boy (obvious little boy colours!), and really didn't take all that long to make. In fact I made two in one night as I also made one for the little girl too.

I was quite happy with how both picture frames turned out (did I say that yet? Maybe a thousand times?). It was one of those really satisfying moments. So satisfying I may in fact create some more. So all those related relations and friends...look out! You may already know what you're getting for your birthday. (hee hee).

And for all those people who aren't all that familiar with scrapbooking, all the decorating on these frames was done with precisionally cut paper. So there!

Oh that cake!

I was commissioned to make a cake for a birthday, and of course I jumped at the chance. It was a 1st birthday, and since I'm not much of a baby person (didn't really know what to put on the cake) I kind of went generic. I was told 'no limits! Do whatever you'd like to do!' So I did. And this is what I came up with!

I am quite pleased with the final outcome. In all, the cake took me all day to bake. In reality I baked the actual cake the night before, then spent the morning and afternoon assembling it (which didn't take all that long...only 2 layers to the cake) and then tackling the decorations. The part that took the longest was mixing the colored fondant. I've found a recipe to make my own fondant, but so far have found it easiest to use it right after making it. According to the recipe, it should sit overnight. But I find it gets tough and is hard to mix and mold. Go figure. Don't know what I'm doing wrong. BUT the most important part...although the cake looks cute, it also tasted yummy! It was chocolate of course as I haven't found a satisfactory vanilla/white recipe yet. And it had this lemon pudding/cream cheese filling. I still have some of the filling left in my fridge. Yes, I've been eating it plain...without the cake. It's really that good!

Scrappity scrap scrap....

Ok, the long awaited scrapbook pages. I've been trying to finish off my Christmas scrap pages. I may have gone overboard in the number that I've done, but whatever. I won't care anymore after I've finished them and they'll look nice! So, without further ado!

This was done with Basic Grey paper and good old solid color cardstock with some nifty Stampin Up stamps.

I've really gotten into putting a lot of busy embellishment on my pages. I'll probably look back in a year or so and think "What WAS I thinking!?!?!?!" Ha!

Each page has an area for some journalling to happen. I decided I wouldn't write the stories yet. Not until I've finished all the Christmas pages and then I'll go through and make some witty comments.

This page used Basic Grey paper (from the Dasher collection I think), Stampin Up cardstock, and snowflake stampin up stamps. The 'holiday happy' is some Basic Grey chipboard, so is 3D in real life. This is one of my favorite christmas pages! That's enough for now! I now have to go save something from my nibbling puppy...... Sounds like velcro.....must be a shoe of some sort.

Wow! Cake...

Ok, so I was between classes this weekend (end of one class, start of another; nursing class schedules vary greatly from a typical university class schedule), and I did no homework related work whatsoever! Although I perhaps should have been studying and refreshing myself for my final practicum, I did not. Instead, I spent the weekend scrapbooking and on Saturday I made a cake. And let me say, I even impressed myself. Not cause it was fantastically tasting (I made if from a cake mix, but it still tasted good!), but because the decorating job was crazy! I attempted to make my own fondant, and I used it to decorate the cake. It was a success!!!


I decided to go with a valentine's theme, seeing as this is probably the extent of valentines creativity I will get to..due to being in school of course. I was even able to successfully drape a huge sheet of rolled fondant over the entire cake without catastrophe! No ripping, to tearing, and the entire cake covered without a wrinkle. Of course this was only a 9" cake, I guess next will be a larger cake. Gets trickier as the cake gets larger. Now if only someone would come eat this thing, as it's really not part of my diet. Actually, we had a few people over for superbowl, and managed to finish the cake off then.

Now I should go take pictures of the awsome scrapbook pages I made this weekend as well. I was happy with my product!!

Into the New Year...

I guess 2007 has officially started. For me it's come in like a lion. Had a horrible cold starting on New Years Eve and still have it 10 days later. Sniffles, headache, fatigue, crankiness. 2007 is not starting out well. Now apparently we're going to get blasted with another bout of winter. Estimated snowfall for tonight is approx. 15 cm, blustery winds, and -20 degree C temps. Add some windchill to that and we're probably talking -30 again. The one good thing....another blanket of snow would cover all the brown snowbanks we have now. Brown snow is just ugly and depressing to look at. Of course it also means someone will have to shovel the driveway...

I found these really neat paper ornaments this year for my tree. I did not get all made that I wanted to, but next year I plan to cover my christmas tree in similiar paper ornaments. These were precut, prescored ornaments from Basic Grey patterned papers. There is the star that is quite visible, plus there is the round ornament in upper left of picture as well. Every year I try to add one type of homemade ornament to my christmas tree. This year was kind of late, and I almost gave up on this tradition until I was browsing ebay and saw these kits. Very cute.

I guess for the new year I must make my resolutions. In honesty, I don't particularly feel like doing so, but I will.

Resolution #1. Be more organized.
I'm already struggling with this.
Resolution #2. Organize my craft room.
I've already begun this, but it will take some monetary funds to finish this, so it will have to be delayed at this point.
Resolution #3. Of course to loose weight. I've already weighed myself and taken measurements for the record. I've decided to do this at the end (or beginning) of each month. I must say I'm sorely failing at this resolution already.
Resolution #4. Start doing scrapbook techniques instead of dreaming of them.
Resolution #5. Finish all the starts (a whopping total of 2) of cross stitch that I have, in order to start a fresh new miribillia and a fresh new Chatelaine design. I'm well on my way in this resolution!

OK. That's enough resolutions for the start of this year. Definately managable ones, so we'll see how I do.

I think that is enough resolutions to keep me busy

Obsession...

What is it that drives obsessions? Is it hormones, is it a high? Why do obsessions make people so happy, and drive them to continually absorb themselves in something, and just not be able to stop. What happens when that obsession is no longer the obsession?

Ok, I ask these questions because right now I just can't get enough of a certain brand of scrapbook paper. I bought a couple of sheets, I've browsed through online stores to just be able to look at the different pages of scrapbook paper. But if I know one thing, I know that it is just a passing fad. So, perhaps to expand on the questioning of an obsession, lets compare obsession to a fad. One becomes so engrossed and focused on a particular object, style, person (yikes???), they can't get enough of the focus of that obsession. Then one day they wake up and could really care less about that obsession they had yesterday. In fact, it becomes 'yesterday's news'. Yes, it is now a fad and it is so totally over! Ok, that is enough musing on obsession for me. All I really wanted to say was that I came across some really fantastic christmas scrapbook paper, and I don't really want to use it. I just want to plaster it on my walls. Go figure, huh? It's just so cool. I love it. And because of it, I've made it my goal to get some really great christmas photos this year so that I can scrap with this paper. Thinking I'd like to try some paper ornaments too. In fact, instead of doing my statistics homework, I'm going right now to create myself an ornament!

Papers and procrastination....

So I've done myself in again. I've procrastinated to the point that I have about 7 hours left to write an eight page paper. All the research is done, the ideas are floating in my head, I'm just having a heck of a time getting it all down on paper. I can not wait until I no longer have to write another paper again. I'm tired of sitting at this computer, my back is sore, my legs are stiff, and I've got a pressure ulcer developing on my right buttock cheek. Yes, I'm jealous of all those girls in my class that only have to proof read their papers tonight, while I'm still madly and frantically writing mine. Yes, I've had the whole weekend to do this, but yes, I have stared at the computer, and the wall, and out the window in an effort to actually come up with some readable product. I don't understand my brain nor how it works. All I know is that by 0800 tomorrow I hopefully will have this thing handed in and I will be free to allow my mind to wander through christmas scenes, scrapbook ideas, cross stitch projects, and dollies, at least for a week until final exams start.

So, in tribute to the fact that this weekend is also going to be -25 degrees celsius, I am posting a picture I took last week on my way home from school. Moving water and cold temperatures can create some really fascinating and beautiful phenomenon. This happens every year on the river when it freezes, and then again when it thaws. I love to watch these little ice floes push their way down the river.
















Ok enough for now. Good grief, I'm down to 6 hours and 30 minutes now.....

Bamboozled by beads!

I have found a tragedy within my current cross stitch project. Oh Woe Is Me! I am perplexed.

I was stitching happily away, and was adding some of the beads to the project when I came upon this....


I have beads that have TARNISHED!!!

TARNISHED! I could classify this as a tragedy! The white beads in the snowflakes and the grey beads in the snowflakes (amoungst the blue stitching) are the same beads! Only applied at different times. The grey beads were attached at the beginning of this year, the white beads attached at the beginning of this month. Like, what's up with that!?!?!

I had initially thought that I would just attach the white beads and hope that they tarnished too before I actually got the project framed. But now I've decided that I don't like the look of the tarnish. It just looks tarnished. Blah. Bleh. So now I must go through all the hassle of unstitching these beads and finding a new, suitable match to stitch on in their place. Without going in to detail.....this is a hassle. Trust me. Let's take another, closer look at these bothersome beads....

These beads are also located between the snowflakes. They are the grey/black beads in this picture, not the other white beads.

So, without doubt, this plays havoc with my deadline. I had originally wanted to finish this project by the end of this year. Now I've been throw into a tussle. Sigh.

I've Out-Crafted Myself...

So I've been terribly crafy today. I've started 3 projects, finished a fourth, thought of 2 more, AND!!!!!! I've actually created a link in my blog successfully. Please applaud as I am bowing right now in appreciation for my craftiness.

As part of one of my finished projects today, I'm trying to use up apples that were brought to me in a very large box. Not only that, but I like cooked apple creations. Apple pie is something tempts my tastebuds so today I tried a variation on this. Instead of using ready made apple pie crust (did that last night, seems someone ate almost the whole pie in the middle of the night), I'm using phyllo pastry. Saw it on Martha Stewart once (not that I really watch Martha on a regular basis....sometimes I've gotta be really hard pressed for tv to turn on Martha...besides she does have some good ideas!!), now I've seen it in the store, so thought I'd try it. PLUS I wanted to try this nifty tool that my sister bought for me. It would be the apple coring tool with the orange handle.

The one difficulty with this tool is removing the core from the tool after it has been used. As well, sometimes the apple must be cored more than once in order to get the entire core out of the apple. So thought I'd show this to show everyone that I do indeed use the presents I get.

And I tasted the result.....very flaky, but tastes pretty much like apple pie. So I'm happy!

Crafty? Or crafty!

So life goes on. School goes on. Rain goes on. Feels like winter. My fingers are cold and my legs are lazy.

Yep, that about sums life up right now. Although I did manage to get 2 scrapbooking pages completed this weekend. In no way, shape or form was I supposed to be scrapbooking. But a friend called me up and made it known that she was scrapbooking, and maybe I'd like to join her in a little scrappy session. I declined. Lurking at the edges of my brain was the word 'HOMEWORK' in neon lights. Yes, another paper to write. After I hung up the phone I decidedly finished the supper I was making, then finished the laundry I was doing. Then I peeked into my extremely messy and unorganized craft room, started fondling some craft stuff, thought about how I should be organizing this room, pulled out scrapbook paper with an intent on organizing it....then all of a sudden pictures came out, scissors came out, glue came out.....and one scrapbook page was made! I felt torrentuously guilty. And it was midnight so time for bed.

This afternoon, I had full intentions of beginning the homework. I sat at the computer. Then I heard some commotion coming from upstairs. First thought....CAT! TISSUE PAPER! My cat has this thing for ripping up tissue paper and creating a crazy mess. I raced up the stairs, got mad at the cat, stuffed the shredded paper into the garbage, then stole a look at my messy scrapbook area. I sat down, and before I knew it 2 hours had gone by and VOILA! Yet another scrapbook page appeared finished! I was quite pleased with myself.....but it was tinged with guilt. So now it's 9:00PM and I'm just starting the homework. I really feel that this is just fate. And I can't fight fate.

So, in honor of my cat. I post a picture of her. I really wonder if she ever has any happy thoughts!

Inspiration...or lack of....

Inspiration has totally eluded me in the past weeks. Hence why I posted this picture. It was taken in Jasper at the beginning of August. Jasper itself inspires me. I always have a good time when I go there.

But on to other uninspiring forces. I guess this is just a portal for my complaining today. Once again I have a paper to write for tomorrow and I've been thinking constantly about what I want to write about. I am totally at a lack for ideas. I even tried scrapbooking last night in an effort to get some creative juices flowing. I got 2 pages done in the span of 5 hours. I mostly just stared. It was totally unsatisfying. I hate it when I get into these moods where I want to do something, I have to create or express, but when it comes down to executing the actual creation, I've got nothing! Now I look out the window while attempting to research this paper, and I see the sun and people out walking, and I want to be out there too. But I have a paper to write. And I refuse to leave it until tomorrow morning.

Down right depressive.

Lightning strikes....

I'm sitting here trying to do homework, and I see a flash of light in the window. It's blue light, very "electrical" in appearance and feeling. Thunder follows. I'm alone in this house and there are only 2 lights on, the one in the office (where I am) and one in the kitchen. Needless to say, it's kind of creepy. Almost 9 o'clock.

Apparently we're to get rain for the next 4 days. That makes walking to school somewhat discouraging. Now I'll actually have to spend money on public transportation as well as on my car.

I'm trying to come to grips with my inability to commit to new changes in my life. Now that statement sounds life-altering. But really, it's not. I've set it upon myself to live up to the goals that I've set for myself. Now, these goals are not huge, heart-stopping, or impossible. These are small goals. For instance.
1. To get myself to bed by 10:oo pm
Rationale: I must get up around 5:00- 5:15 am in order to get myself to school on time. Therefore to do so and do so without yawning constantly, I must get some half decent sleep. It's currently 9:00pm. I really don't want to go to bed in 1/2 an hour.

2. To attempt at least 2 hours of homework per night and start assignments early so I'm not doing the late night rush the night before the assignment is due. Plus I want to do as little homework on the weekends as possible.
Rationale: I would like to incorporate a life into my school life and NOT feel guilty about it.

Now, these rationales sound great. Theoretically they should provide great motivation towards meeting these goals every week. Then why are these goals so friggin difficult to meet???

Life just is not as simple as answering this specific question.