HAPPY THANKSGIVING to my American friends

So much to be thankful for - even though our Canadian Thanksgiving is in October I always like to take this day and remind myself to be thankful - though I should on more than just two occasions through the year and I am working on that - and grateful for the people and things I do have in my life...including all of my wonderful American friends who are celebrating their holiday today.

Some of you are probably watching this:

 

Some of you are probably doing this:

 

 

 

and then after your scrumptious meals the kids will be watching this while the parents are cleaning up (or having a quick nap):

What ever you choose to do or how you are celebrating today whether it's with turkey at home, watching football on the couch or like, my dear, sweet friend, STEPHANIE HOWELL, who just gave birth to twin baby girls last night - CONGRATULATIONS TO THE HOWELL FAMILY!!!

- I wish a very:

It's official!! The Christmas Season has begun for me!!!

After spending way too much money at Costco, as I usually do, I went up to check out Christmas Discounters then couldn't resist going into Indigo because, well...it's right there and I only go maybe three or four times a year so I went in. But the smell from the Starbucks that is attached to Indigo that was wafting from the open doors connecting the two stores was pulling me in and wearing down my resolve - I don't drink coffee anymore - and then, it hit me... it's almost Christmas and they might have my absolute favourite coffee drink of all time... the . Eggnog . latte...

 

I COULD NOT RESIST...and though I shouldn't because I suffer from frequent migraines and caffeine is no friend to those migraines, I asked for less than half a shot of regular espresso and the rest decaf and then, as always, I add nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla powder on top and then a wee bit of milk just to cool it down a smidge.

And though our friendly neighbourhood Starbucks is not cheap, it's a holiday treat that put me in a much needed seasonal mood that I was longing for. I was missing the holiday spirit that I usually have by now and it's been bothering me. Life's been busy...I'm moving in a week but I didn't want all of that stress and work to overshadow my favourite holiday so...I guess it was the best $4.79 I've spent in a long time. The intermittent snow today didn't do it...the 'S' word makes me cranky but an Eggnog latte...that did the trick.

So, what's your holiday drink of choice?

DECEMBER DAILY CLASS AT SCRAP YOUR WORLD

I've noticed this year ALI EDWARD'S DECEMBER DAILY ALBUM has soared in popularity and everywhere I look people have put their own twist on this fun project and maybe added it to their list of traditions for the upcoming holiday season. So we decided to do that as well and offer this as a class at Scrap Your World.

The December Daily Album is a way to document all of the special moments as well as the everyday during the busy time leading up to the big day.

Join me Saturday, November 27th at SCRAP YOUR WORLD  as we put together the foundation pages and the cover for your 8"w x 8 1/4"h album with multiple pages for 25 days using a ton of fun products - some traditional scrapbooking and some you wouldn't have expected to find in a scrapbook album....

Time: 1:30pm - 4:30 pm
Cost: $40
Supplies needed to bring with you: Basic supplies: paper trimmer, sharp scissors, paper piercer, liquid glue, glue dots, foam pop dots, CROPADILE (if you have one)

Give Christine Ranson a call at the store to sign up.

Here's a peak at the cover:

Card Class coming up at Scrap Your World!!

Here's a sneak peak at my upcoming card class I'll be doing at Scrap Your World on Saturday, December 4th from 2:00 to 4:30 pm, call or visit the store to sign up and see the cards in person.
This will be a technique driven class with some goodies left over and you'll have 4 handmade cards to give the next time a birthday for that special person in your life comes around. 
Can't wait to see everyone!!!

 

WINNER WINNER, my first class and Remembrance Day

Sorry it's so late posting the winner of the GULLY BEADS cell phone charm giveaway but the lucky winner is....

Sing Me A Melody said...

Amazing jewelery! I love all the colorful colors :D I have an LG Shine. I love that it's hot pink. Makes it hard to lose :)

November 8, 2010 9:35 AM 

CONGRATULATIONS!!! please send your mailing address to:

designingwoman2007@hotmail (dot) com  and I will get your prize in the mail this weekend!!!

It's been a crazy week and the next two weeks are going to be even more nuts!!! I have to move and quickly - I've made my mind up and once I do...there's really not much changing it...as much as I wanted to make this place home - even after all the time, work and money I've put into it, it's just not going to work out. There's just too many issues that I can't get past and the landlord won't do anything about it, so...I'm outta here!!! But, I only have two weeks to pack up what took me almost 10 months to get unpacked and organized. OH HELP ME RHONDA!! (as PW says...)

It WILL get done...it has to!!! There really is no other option. In the mean time though I am teaching my first class at SCRAP YOUR WORLD.  Here's a sneak peak - if you want to see the whole thing, go on into the store to check it out!!!

The 'MY FAMILY' layout class is for beginners to intermediate level scrappers and uses Cosmo Cricket products as well as some of my favourite Marvy and Martha Stewart punches and crazy, crazy bling with the new i-rock tool from Imaginisce. Can't wait!!!  

I've got a card class I'll be posting shortly that I finished up this week and I'm working my version of  ALI EDWARD'S DECEMBER DAILY ALBUM and will be presenting this as an advanced class at the store, the last Saturday in November - photos to be posted on here and the store blog early next week. 

Also, today marked Remembrance Day here in Canada...a day to remember those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and our country many years ago and not so long ago as well and a time to think of those continuing to bring liberty and justice to those not so fortunate to live in a country as free and wonderful as ours in countries far from here today... today is a day to remember...I will remember...

I posted one of the few pictures I have of my paternal grandparents...their wedding photo, taken when my grandmother was just 18 years old...she was an English war bride. My grandparents married in England and lived there for two years after the war ended, had my aunt June and then moved back here to Canada where they lived and raised their family for the remainder of their lives. Both of my grandparents as well as my maternal grandmother's sister were active members of the Royal Canadian Legions here in the city and were very proud to be so. 

Though I did have to work today, I paused and remembered my grandparents, my great aunt, my friend Stepanie's husband who is a Major in the US army right now, my old next door neighbour  whom I used to babysit as a child and is now is our Canadian army and all of those who sacrifice so much on a daily basis for all of us and to all them and their families I say...THANK YOU!! 

STORMY WEEKEND and a GIVEAWAY!!!!

We had a relatively dry summer and up until this past week, a dry fall but WOW, have we been hammered the last three days!!

CHSJ news reporter, Gary MacDonald shot this footage on friday afternoon of the boardwalk of our uptown area by Market Square and the Hilton hotel - the volleyball courts that are enjoyed all summer long are completely underwater.

Apparently we've been hit with three storms at pretty much the same time which is contributing to all of this rain. Low lying areas of the city are completely flooded, streets are closed, much as they are in the spring when the snow melts and we have our annual thaw but there is, thankfully, no snow - just a ton of water - the flooding is coming from so much water coming so fast but also because we still have so many leaves on the trees but the heavy winds are bringing the leaves down and now clogging the drains so the water has nowhere to go but pooling on the streets.

It's just a big mess!!

In more fun news though, I braved the weather yesterday to head out to my friend Heather's up in Hampton for her annual GULLY BEADS OPEN HOUSE where oodles of handmade jewelery goodness could be found.

Gully Beads is unique jewelry for you, designed and made by sister duo, Heather & Michelle, with a playful and loving puppy named Gully always at their sides.

All of their jewelry is made from glass, sterling silver and hand made lampwork beads. This means quality products for you that will not chip or lose their brightness over time. For those of you who are not local, you can also check them out on their ETSY page.

 

(Michelle - left, Heather, right)

 

(Heather and Gulliver)

I had a very hard time deciding what to buy, as I always do, but I finally decided on this pendant:

 

 I just love it!!!! 

I also got a polishing cloth for the silver on all of the bracelets I've bought from Heather over the years. 

Here is some of the glorious goodness that can be found at GULLY BEADS:

While I was there I asked Heather if I could take some pictures to blog about it and she said, sure, and also was kind enough to give me a piece I could give away as a prize on here so this is what she offered my blog readers; a cell phone charm, handmade, that can be looped through a small hole on most cell phones, making it easy to find in your purse as well as cute and unique:

 

I've got two on my phone :)

Just leave a comment here by midnight Wednesday (eastern time) telling me what kind of cell phone you have and what you like about it and I'll pick a winner and post it Thursday!! 

Hope all you locals are staying dry!!

Turning 33

I give full credit for the idea of this blog post to my dear, sweet friend, Stephanie Howell as she turned 33 not that long ago and posted something very similar...

So, as I turn 33 today, October, 28th, 2010, I find myself making some lists: grocery lists, to-do lists for the weekend and I thought...why not a to-do list for the next 365 days so here goes....

I WILL:

- finish painting/decorating my apartment
- apply for one or two design teams
- begin teaching at a new scrapbook store on the west side
- spend more time with my family and friends
- throw my cousin, Julie a baby shower
- and welcome her first born into the world
- start exercising again
- get new glasses...finally
- read more
- learn something new
- learn from my mistakes of this year

I WILL NOT:

- make the same mistakes I did last year
- expect myself to be perfect
- be scared to ask for help
- let others make me feel like I'm not good enough
- procrastinate as much as I do now
- forget the things that are most important

I HOPE OVER THE NEXT YEAR:

- that it will be 'my year'
- fences will be mended where they need to be
- changes will be made where they need to be
- my clothes get smaller
- my grandparents have a safe trip to Florida and back for the _?_th year in a row

 I AM SURE:

- I am grateful to have made it to 33 relatively healthy
- I will take each opportunity that comes my way with appreciation and run with it
and not take anything for granted
- 34 will come and I will be a much stronger, confident, true-er woman than I've ever been