Our Beautiful Weekend

With temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees this weekend, we couldn't have asked for better camping weather! Justin and I enjoyed the sun, and spent most of our time outside on our lawn chairs (we both got sunburnt). We had wanted to stay at a different campsite than we ended up in; the other one was closed, with a lock on he gate. That teaches us for just going with the flow, and not calling ahead first! My parents stopped and visited us Friday night for about twenty minutes, while we were setting up, right after we first arrived. They are on vacation, heading to San Fransisco.

After finishing setting up (basically pulling out our table, setting up the BBQ and campstove, and unloading our wood from the back of the truck), we started a fire, sat back and relaxed. For supper, we had a package of weiners (the chicken variety - my favorite)! Seriously, after every hot dog was eaten, we`d look at each other, "do you want another". It's kind of sick really! I swear, the fresh air makes a person really hungry.

Saturday morning, we started cutting up meat and veggies for our sandwiches. I was a little worried we'd run out of wood, so we just cooked them on the BBQ. Aside from my cheese oozing out, they were really good. They get quite crispy when they're cooked like this.

Remember how I said I love onions? I love onions! Take a look at how many I put on my sandwich:

These strawberries look much tastier than they actually were. My plan later on this summer is to go to a local U-pick and get some really good ones!

I was laying in the box of the truck on a blanket, and got really tired; I knew I was going to burn to a crisp if I laid there and slept, so I snuck into the trailer. Justin didn't hear me apparently, and napped on the lawn chairs. This is when he burnt.

This is the last picture I got before my battery died. Note to self: always charge batteries before leaving the house for a weekend.

Tomorrow is my future father-in-laws birthday, so we celebrated while out camping. Everyone came out for a visit, even Brent's mum; she made the birthday cake, so I'm glad she made the trip out! We had burgers, potatoe salad, chips, chicken and stuffing while enjoying some drinks in the sunshine.

I got to say, Justin and I really needed a little "get away". He's working the next two weekends, so it was really needed. Although sore from the burns, we feel really relaxed.

We're In The Double Digits

Yesterday was 100 days until our wedding, which makes today 99 days; it's getting so closed now it seems. The official countdown starts today! We have everything booked (location, officient, tents), just a little bit more to nail down. Yesterday we went to our local copy place, and worked out how our invitations will be. They'll get a proof back to us by Wednesday, then we'll order them, and that will get checked of the list.

Honestly though, I'll be glad when this whole process is over, and the wedding has happened. I can't believe how much stress it is to put something like this on. I just want to get back to my "real" life, without thinking about colours, cakes and dresses! Since we got engaged in Decmeber 2008, we've been planning this thing for quite some time. I can truly value a short engagement now! Not too short, but shorter than ours. Although not surprising, I've resently become a big fan of eloping!

I decided I wanted to edit these photos, my eyes were red, and the rest just went from there. A little Picnik cross processing and colour boost for them did the trick. I haven't been editing my photos lately, so it was a nice treat!

We're getting away this weekend camping. This is how I picture my weekend: in a lawn chair with a cocktail by my side, soaking up the sun! What are your plans?

I Can Feel It

Tonight we treated ourselves to Burger King. I've been craving a nice Whopper for a while now, and finally got to eat it, in all it's messy mayonnaise glory. We drove home, but saw our neighbours turning into our subdivision just before we got there. It's not that we don't like them, it's just that we didn't want to talk to them while holding onto our sack of food! So we drove down to the park a ways down the road in a river bottom. We've never been there together, and neither of us have been since we moved into this housse, a little less than a year ago (one month less to be exact).

We ate our yummy (although not nutritious) meal, in the Blazer, while parked. I immediately saw a bumble been buzzing around the bush in front of the vehicle, and pointed it out to Justin. It's the first sign of "real" spring that I've seen so far this year. Then I saw another. (On the way home I saw a robin sitting on a fencepost. I'm pretty sure I can announce - with confidence - that spring is finally here!) I've been keeping up with my weekly Wednesday self portraits, and thought it would be the perfect setting for mine tonight (being mindful of the bees of course).

The bottom shot will make it into my 52 album. (Nothing fancy, just a 4x6 of every Wednesday since my 25th. No scrapbooking, since I didn't want to pile another thing on my plate - just the photo and a date).

I didn't think initially it was going to be warm enough without my jacket, but it was beautiful out. After we were done, we drove back up the hill, and I don't know how it happened - I meant to get gas - the Blazer started chugging. I wasn't really worried, I knew it was going to make it, it was only because the gas tank was on an angle is all. Thankfully we made it to the top of the hill, with gas still. We went past the house, to the gas station close by and filled 'er up! Justin came back, after paying, with a dessert for me too (a Reese bar - my fave!), which made our randevous (and possible adventure) that much sweeter!

Be You

First of all, if it wasn't for my Monday Challenges, this layout, these thoughts, this happiness, this moment would not have gotten scrapped. For that, I am thankful! When thinking about this upcoming Monday on the weekend, there wasn't any moment recently that I wanted to scrapbook; there was that day when it rained an awful lot, but I wasn't excited about scrapping those moments. When Justin told me where we're going on our honeymoon yesterday, I had the biggest smile on my face, and thought it would be fun to take some "extremely" happy photos - so I grabbed the camera. If not for that thought, and these pictures, I would have forced myself to do another layout about weather (it seems I've done a few of those lately).

On your next layout: scrapbook the last self portraits you took. Journal about the memories, or reasons behind that moment. Why did you decide to grab the camera and snap those photos?

It's always nice to do a layout just about yourself. It seems you can let your creative "rules" fall by the wayside, and scrap on a "I want this there and I don't have to answer to anyone" kind of whim. I never would have used these tree, fox and foxy stamps on a layout otherwise. When I started to lay out my page, I had them laid out too. I didn't give it a second thought, and started stamping. I wanted to do the trunk and leaves different colours, so I masked off the areas with tape. When the trunk was stamped, I thought about what colour I wanted the leaves; I have a few different green inks. I then thought to use the three of them all together. After I stamped the one colour, I re-inked and tilted the stamp a little bit one way, and then the other. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out!

I have seen so much layering happening on layouts recently. it's always been kind of an issue for me to do this; I'm really particular about everthing being where it can be seen, and I like things evenly spaced. I'm trying to work on this, and thought I could give it a bit of a try on the page too.

Journalling says: the face of a happy girl who just found out where we're going on our honeymoon. It's the same reason I've gotten jewellery on December 2nd for 3 years: Justin can't contain his excitement. He was going to plan + book our honeymoon in secrecy. He told me where we're going an hour after booking!

Don't forget to leave a comment with a link to your layout using the challenge. Step outside of your boundaries on this one; live a little and play!

Mother's Day and A Birthday

I had wanted to get these cards made prior to tonight, but that's just the way life is. My right wrist has been hurting for over a week now (I'm right handed), the doctor said its tendinitis. Immediately when he said that, I thought it was something I've already had; finally it dawned on me: it sounds so much like appendicitis (which I had in July of 2008). We got an alarm system installled on our house. Poor Lowie though, he hates the sound it makes when it's engaging. I went up to the wall unit one morning, and he looked at it and let out a howl of a meow! Finally, after being engaged since December 2008, and with the wedding nipping at our heels, we registered for gifts. Done, well, not completely, but a good start on that! And, we can't forget about the massive amounts Lost we've been watching on DVD either! We're about half way through season three at the moment, had a bit of a marathon tonight.

This is the card for Justin's mum:

Made another of the flowers with gauze and netting. I seriously love them, I'm just not a fan of how sticky my fingers are afterwards.

The card for my mum:

I must have been in a flowery kind of mood today, more handmade flowers on this one. And of course some pretty buttons!

The card for my cousin:

I need to get that in the mail tomorrow, so I don't forget. Something thats done in advance at least!

I'm excited for May to be underway. It's going to involve some camping trips, planning (again) to go this weekend if the weather cooperates, and Justin doesn't have to work. And then there's the May long trip which will involve spending time camping with some family. This is going to be a busy month, lots to get done, lots of pictures to take, and lots to scrap!

The Easy Way

Today it's one of my little cousins birthdays; it's her 18th birthday, so I guess she's not all that little! I forgot to make her a card, and feel pretty bad about that, but did make a comment on her Facebook wall. I think I'm going to create a few non-discript cards, some male oriented and some really girly, just to have them on hand, so I can always send them out (although I did completely forget about her birthday until yesterday, so it still wouldn't have worked in this case!). I'm going to work on that this month. Another of my cousins birthday is on the 15th, so I'm going to get to work on that card right away. That will be a little side progect for me!

Do you ever have a lot going on, and just want to get a layout completed? That's how I've felt this week. Since initially we were taking today off, and heading out last Friday for camping, I was pushing myself all week to get this layout completed. I print my journalling (if I want type) at work, and knowing that I wouldn't be at home all of the weekend, my plan was to get it printed off early in the week, and slowly work on it. Wednesday came around, and I still hadn't done anything with the page, nothing printed; thankfully that's when we decided not to head off, wait for a better day since it was so wet and miserable out.

I had known for some time now I wanted to do a list, 25 things to do before my 26th birthday. I'd seen it done before (I think the first time was a post somewhere on Elise Flannigan's blog), then I saw the same thing done on Kelly Purkey's blog, and I loved how she scrapped the list. I asked if she would mind if I lifted the look, and she had no problem with it. Without further ado, your Monday Challenge.

On your next layout: scraplift a layout. (Always ask for permission first.)

This is Kellys original. What made me instantly fall in love with her page, besides the list, is how she did the journalling. Every point, all in it's separate little spot; I'm loving circles right now, so that was just an added bonus that each thought was it's own circle. I also really liked that she devided the page; between the photo and journalling there's a diffinative break, with the vertical strip.

Since I was nearing the end of my sticker sheet, and still wanted to use those alphas, I cut around the letter image on the backing sheet. Again, I've wanted to do this for a long time, and this was the perfect opportunity.

When I printed my journalling, (I knew I wanted to use the rest of the paper in my Tickled Spring kit, and only had scraps, which couldn't be fed through the printer without a fight), I printed it on transparencies. Which I just punched out and layered overtop of the punched paper circles. I wish I would have taken a little bit more time, and ensured the glue didn't show through, but I'm letting things like that go! I covered up a couple spots that I really didn't like with some buttons. (A little secret: I knew it was going to be tough to sew the button through a couple layers of transparency, so I stitched them onto a scrap paper, cut that out, and glued it onto the page.)

I seriously enjoy using stamping on my pages lately. I'm just on a stamping kick lately. When I was looking at the page, before I stamped or added the flowers I knew something else was missing. I had a big gap on the top right portion of the journalling area. I needed to cover some of that space with something. Originally I was going to stamp that floral design, but it was going the wrong direction. So I stamped that by the title, looking like it came out from under the photo; instead of having to remove my photo, I just masked off the area that would have gotten stamped. I also stamped the bee, part of which is on a transparency. I did not use a permanent ink, but it turned out okay. Only a little is off the paper, so it's okay. Once I'd finished stamping, and still something was missing from the area, I resorted to my standby: flowers; why re-invent the wheel, right?

Journalling says: (left to right) kiss for 10 minutes, don't eat sweets before noon, stay awake for a 24 hour period, win a blog contest, make 5 pieces of jewlery, get married August 21, 2010, find creative ways to document all 25, purchase Rhonna Farrer's 100 Creativity Exercises - do one every morning, visit 3 new states, take a selfie every Wednesday (52 weeks), make a new girlfriend, paint 2 walls (different rooms, different colours) in the house, swim in the ocean, paint a canvas (make art), donate my hair to Locks 4 Love, get at least 30 comments on one blog post, create a chalkboard, refinsh Grandma's dressers, plan a $20 date night once a month, loose 5 pounds stay at weight for three months, continue the Monday Challenges on my blog, get my elephant tattoo, go camping 20 times in the new trailer, go to a scrapbooking crop, for one day eat only fruit and water.

Yup, that's a big list to accomplish in a year! So far (it's been almost a month), I'm doing great on a few things; like taking a selfie on Wednesdays. I bought a book just for those pictures. Something that I'm not doing the greatest at: not eating sweets before noon. I do try not to, and some days I do succeed. There are those days (today for instance) that the chocolate makes its way into my mouth! Something to work on.

Leave a comment, with a link to your layout using the challenge. What is something you're working on changing about yourself?

A New Month, A New Kit

This one, I've been working on for some time. I've slowly been adding to it; a patterened paper here, ink there. I'm in love with these colours, and papers too. I forced myself to finish one more page with the old kit, (the page I'll show for tomorrows Monday Challenge), then I could break into this one. Now, the only problem is the fact that I'm mostly all caught up with my pages (just that one pesky New Years party layout left, which won't work with these summery colours), and I haven't taken anymore recent pictures. This year I'm scrapbooking differently, all the pages are documenting this year, in chronological order - so I can't go back and dig up some old photos. I'll just have to wait to use it!

That one stamp set, the one with the guy grilling gave me the inspiration for the whole kit. Every item I bought was based on a feeling of being outside, on the patio, beside the grill. Justin's the one that grills, so I'd be there waiting with a cocktail!

(Items in my May kit "BBQ Season": specialty paper - My Mind's Eye Lush Brown Diamonds; paper - Crate Paper Brook Collection Downstream, Branch and Ripple; Basic Grey Nook & Pantry Lemon Meringue Pie; Basic Grey Origins Sea Salt and Renew; SEI Jocelyn BFF and Aqua Shock; Kraiser Scrapbook Esther's Guestlist Abigail; alphabets - Scrap With In Reach Paper Boy; American Crafts Thickers Delight Fabric Letters; journalling aid - Tattered Angels Bingo Boards and Calling Cards Outdoor; Pink Paislee Punchouts Queen Bee; stamps - My Favorite Things Just Delightful Clear Stamps Who's That Grillin' Guy?; Hampton Art Foot Longs Woodland Animals; stickers - Crate Paper Title Stickers Brook Collection; Scrap With In Reach Paper Boy; Studio Calico Fab Rips (Sticky Fabric Strips) Anthology; Basic Grey Canvas Tags Origins; brads - My Mind's Eye Lush Decorative Brads Brown; ink/mist - SEI Chalk Ink Block mint; Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Frozen Lake)

More From Our Wet & Rainy Day

Originally I was staying at work today for lunch. I brought my soup and hamburger/mashed potato/creamed corn mess with me when I left the house this morning. Justin called me, wondering if I could check the sump pump, and of course I said yes. So, I grabbed my containers and away I went.

I didn't take the same way home as I did this morning when I went to work, so it may have been like this earlier, but there was an enourmous amount of water in the ditches and partially covering some roads.

I'm not sure if this will tell show what I was hoping for, but my steering wheel was at such an angle just to go down the road straight. It's blowing at least 90km/h right now. It's driving me crazy at work; I sit next to a garage door, basically, and the wind is whipping and howling out, rattling the door. Driving me crazy!
Instead of working today, I'd rather be doing this:

Thankfully, the sump pump is working properly. Justin's heard many horror stories lately from guys he works with about theirs not working and flooding thier houses. We don't need that right now, so we check it frequently. Other peoples pumps work very often (we've heard about some running every five mintutes), ours has never ran, other than when we lifted the float to check to see if it's still working. I think our house is a little bit higher than others around it; this is a very nice blessing!

One of our neighbours recently leveled an area for his garage to be built. Then the ran came. I think he should be looking into building a swimming pool instead.

I planned my route back to work the same way, just so I could get a photo of the "lake" that was covering part of the roadway.

I really like to document days like this. Days that are out of the ordinary; days that make you thankful for what you have (electricity for example).

This Is Just The Beginning

Yet again, most of Southern Alberta is under a winter storm warning (although we're in the spring month, apparently they still refer to it as a "winter" storm warning because it's winter condtions). I honestly thought we'd be waking up to snow again this morning, thankfully it's just huge puddles (some might even call them ponds!). For the past two nights I've been awoken to the noice of the rain/ice pelting our bedroom window. Last night was especially bad; the whole house shook. Since watching Lost so much lately, I was a little rattled myself when that happened; thankfully I went right back to sleep though.

Our poor mud pit yard in front of our house.

The snow on the back of the Blazer was mostly slush thankfully. Temperatures are about 1 degree, thankfully it isn't colder, or else this would have been rock hard.

I've only recetly noticed how nice an green the grass is. And, while driving this morning, I noticed the trees have that "green glow" to them and are starting to bud out.

All day yesterday was rainy. I'm not sure the ground can absorb any more moisture.

My Olympic mittens are keeping me warm and happy. It's funny, on the day of the closing ceremonies (and more importantly the gold medal mens hockey game), February 28, we had the patio door open (screen closed so Lowie wouldn't escape) and the weather was beautiful! Yes, we've kyboshed our plans of going camping this weekend; we'll do that another time, when we have warm weather again!