Birthday cake, a flood.....anything else?

Happy Wednesday!

How has your week been going for you all??

Mine..pretty hectic. But I'm home from work today (yah!), and so are my boys, and of course, my little girl. My boys did not have school today because of inclement weather conditions. Of course, the ONE day I do NOT check the school website to see if there's any closures, AND send them off to the bust stop! Best mom award?? I think not! lol

Anyways, my baby girl is now 3 years old! Can you believe it?? Time sure does fly. Her birthday was on Saturday (and yes, I'm only blogging about it now! What can I say besides it's been hectic!), and we had family over for some cake and fun. She was in her glory---a day devoted to her!

This was her with her Daddy in the morning. Yes, she's eating cake----that was 'her practice cake'. Don't ask. Let's just say to keep the peace the day before, and to make sure SHE knew all the words to the birthday song, we HAD to have a practice run. So Mom (me!) make a strawberry cream cake, all from scratch. And not to toot my own horn, but Dang! was it GOOD! lol

So, April had her party, and of course, lots and lots of presents. Geared at a little girl who's in love with mermaids, ballerinas and princesses!

Yes, lots of presents! Including the Cinderella movie on Blu-Ray. Which she loves. I think that's her favorite princess, along with Rapunzel and Tianna.

Her birthday, which I made the day before, from scratch, was awesome. I had found this fantastic recipe, actually, there were many to choose from, so it was a little daunting, but I think I found the right one for April.

And it was heavenly---not too sweet, or bland, or heavy. I snapped a picture of the cake before it was all gone, because it was going pretty fast!

I was so relieved that the cake turned out, as we had a little disaster the night before, when I was making the cake.

With the crazy temperatures we had the week before, our hot water pipe, one of them, had froze. Only for our downstairs bathroom. We had hot water everywhere else, except for our bathroom. Which is the girl's bathroom....figures! Anyhow, so we hadn't had any hot water for a few days, and hubby was thinking that we would be without hot water in the bathroom for a few weeks. He was wrong. We got water sooner than he thought---the pipe broke in our kitchen, which is connected to our bathroom,in 3 spots. So..can you imagine what happened?? yep. We had water flowing into my kitchen, from my cupboards. Luckily I saved the cake! lol

Hubby to the rescue again. Thankfully he's a skilled laborer...plumbing, electricity, construction, you name it. He turned off the water, because I was completely useless! I was stunned, and did not jump into action as I normally would have! hey, it happens. He then changed the pipes...3 of them!!! And they were in the most awkward places---but they are repaired (Yah!) and we have hot water in our bathroom! (yah!!)

The downside?? Our kitchen floor is ruined....completely ruined, which stinks because we just replaced it a little less than 2 years ago.

I like to try to think positive and think that it was a blessing that the pipe broke behind my cupboard and NOT in the ceiling. Can you imagine that mess??

Anyhow, that's my week in a nutshell.

I hope to get some crafting done this week, besides my weekly challenge that I did for Crop Chocolate.

See you soon. Be safe. Get crafting!

Laura

Simply Sunday....and its cold

Hiya! How's your Sunday going?? Ours....yeesh! very cold here in our neck of the woods, along with snow!! More snow!!! Went to church this morning, with it just being cold. As we turned onto the main road for our church, we drove into what seemed like a squall! Boy, was I nervous. I am already a nervous passenger to begin with, so can you imagine my nervousness at that point?? Anyways, it passed (THANK YOU!) and we got home safely shortly afterwards, as our priest cut the service short.

This week was a week of reflection for me. I don't know about you but certain dates stick in my head. And unfortunately not always the good dates. For instance, I know the dates that both my grandparents passed away on, along with my father, my beloved dogs, etc. And there are also some great dates, too. Like the dates I discovered I was pregnant, and the ultrasound dates, marriage, etc.
But this past week, Friday especially, brought some reflection to me about the safety of my children and at their school. It was one month ago Friday since that tragedy in Newton, Conn.  And I think as a parent, as a mom, as a compassionate person, one feels sadness for those innocent victims. And one hopes, prays that nothing like that happens to their own.

Anyhow, it got me thinking about many things. I tend to start thinking about one thing, which would lead to another, then another, etc. It's almost like word association in my brain. Hubby tells me that I think too much. Yes, I agree.

Which brought me to my resolutions for this year. Go figure. I have a few personal ones that I am working on myself, and a few creative ones. woohoo! I want to expand my creative horizons, I want to be creatively free...meaning not let my inhibitions hold me back creatively. Not let my insecurities interfere with my submitting a project.  Because it does hold me back. Even with my family encouraging me to  'get out there' creatively, I can't.

But no more. I am going to take the plunge!

I am submitting to more contests. And it will not be about winning, because, ack! have you seen the talent out there??!! It will be me submitting my projects, and me trying out for things I have NEVER had the guts to do! Yes! That's what I am doing! Starting this week! Phew! That's a load off my chest!

I did 2 cards for Crop Chocolate...pretty much the only site I submitted projects to. It was a fun challenge this week. It involves pink, flowers, and bling. Pretty darn girlie if you ask me! lol That's fine with me, because it was fun. It was even more fun with my new Unity stamp.

Kraftin' Kimmie poodle stamp, FP Love story paper, Copics, stickles, BG jewels

Unity stamp, Authentique paper (pink), EP Country drive (floral), distress markers

My card with the Unity stamp had my daughter's help (the little dent in the top left corner!) lol, but I like these cards. Mind you, I no longer have these cards as my daughter has 'claimed' them as hers!

My daughter.....little monster. She will be turning 3 on Saturday. We're having a small family get-together....a party as she likes to call it! We went shopping for her birthday  present this past week at Toys 'R' Us. With her. We went into the store with an unhappy camper. She wanted to go home. She took off her boots in the  store and was walking around with stocking feet. She decided that MOM was going to buy her princess nail polish....I am???! Really?!?! She is a monster. Did I already mention that?? lol But other than that, it went off without a tantrum in the store. That had happened earlier in the car! lol We ended up getting a few things...a Cinderella BluRaymovie (I only had it on VHS, which works only in Mom's room), a magic wand, some dress up items (shoes, tiara, etc.) stickers, a mermaid Barbie (from Dad...ack!) and her brothers bought her a little purse, and a little doll. So, I am sure she'll be happy. She better be! lol

Anyhow. that's it for me.
Stay warm, get crafty!

Laura

Calendar for 2013

Howdy folks!

How is everyone this Sunday?? How is the weather where you are?? For us, it's raining, and the temperature is very, VERY mild. Therefore, the snow is melting, which is causing us a little headache. Cannot walk outside without sinking into the snow.....really sinking. Not fun!

I am sooo relieved that the weekend is here! What a week! Last Sunday, when we got home from church, I realized that my craftroom had sprung a leak.....ack! Thankfully hubby was home and fixed that problem up on the roof, and I fixed what I could in my room. There's not much hubby an do until Spring, so for now, it is a temporary fix. Sooo...I had to rearrange my craft room. Kind of hard when my daughter, who's going to be 3 in less than 2 weeks, wants to help! Ack! lol

Then, in the middle of the week, our well stopped working! Well, cheese and crackers!!! Let me tell you, it's an inconvenience when one's well stops working. So, I called hubby on his cell, because at this point, I was about to loose it. (We had lost power for about 5 mins., and when the power came back on, I heard a POP!) When the well didn't turn on automatically, warning bells went off in my head! UH OH! Thankfully, hubby cam to the rescue...again! He had to go back to town to buy a mechanism for the well. And he then installed it. Thank goodness! He's quite handy!  was very grateful that he does things like this for a living, because roof repairs and well repairs are quite costly!!!! We had the well replaced a little over 3 years ago, and it costly roughly $3000. Not cheap!

Anyways, relieved that the week is over!

I had made my MIL a calendar for Christmas. Of course, I was a little tardy in getting it to her! but she was quite happy with it! I finished it the night before I gave it to her....did 8 pages in one night---I think that's a record for me! lol. A few nicks along the way, mind you! (My cutterbee scissors are SUPER sharp, even after all these years!)

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

 

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

:

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

 

 

 So, there's my MIL's calendar for 2013! Did you see the cover???

COVER

What do you think? 
Anyways, gotta go, so that's it for me today....mom duties are calling me! time to play with Polly Pockets it seem! :/

Be safe, get crafty!

Laura

One week into 2013 already...

Good day!!!!

WOW---the holidays are over, can you believe that?? It sneaks up on you, and BAM! throws your world into a whirlpool, and then POOF! they're gone!!! That's how I feel, anyways!

This week should be back on schedule for us. My boys return to school on Tuesday, and life should get back on track!

Have you made any resolutions for this brand new year? I've made a few.....some personal, some 'creative'. I think this is the year for change...some good, some bad (oh boy!) (not necessarily bad for me..but maybe for others!) some life altering.

One of the things I am doing this year is taking time to do things for me. That's not to say that when I scrapbook or craft, it's not for me. I want to do something for ME---so I started a book. I had received a scrapbook many years ago, which I never used because it was not something I would use normally. It's a handmade-paper scrapbook. It's beautiful, but it wasn't me. Years went by with the scrapbook staring at me, and I could imagine the scrapbook saying to me, 'Please use me!'. I felt bad because it is a very nice book, but...... So, anyways,last week's challenge on cropchocolate.com was to do a project inspired by a DT's project. I was inspired by Christina, with her altered composition book. When I saw it, I had a A-HA! moment. I knew what to use!!

So, I pulled down my scrapbook from the shelf. Pulled out that bottle of Modge-Podge, a few papers that I really liked, and various other trinkets that I liked. Took a little while as the cover of the scrapbook is nt like standard scrapbooks----it's layered papers. Anyways, I let it dry for a LONG time....I mean, I podged that thing to kingdom come! In the end, it came out quite nice, if I do say so myself! lol

Here's the cover:

It's not a great picture. I really, REALLY need to learn how to use my camera. I've had for over 3 years now, and still don't understand all the features! :/ That's one of my resolutions this year!

Anyways, I already did 3 pages inside. I am telling my story. I have only a few pictures of myself growing up, and I want to document my story for my children. Definitely not the bad parts, but there were good parts too! So, that's that---one of my resolutions started. I'm very excited.

I'll try to take more pictures and post them soon. I also want to show you what I made my sons' for Christmas. A little something for their IPOD----I like it, and so did they! Yah! :)

Be safe, and get crafty!

Laura

Day after...

Merry Christmas----Happy Holidays!!!

How is everyone doing on this fine morning????

Did you have a joyous holiday with your loved ones?

At our house, everyone was pleased with their gifts. My daughter lost interest during the gift opening....we can only expect so much attention from a 2 year old! She wanted to play with her new dollhouse and dolls already. My sons liked their gifts---phew!!! :) They're not difficult children, but they do have many things, and this year with money tight, it was a challenge of what to get them. But I think Mom and Dad succeeded.

They didn't receive toys this year....which was a jagged little pill for me to swallow. It's hard for me to see them grow up.And grow up did they ever!!! They've both surpassed me in height, and I'm 5'8!!! Raymond is 1 inch from 6 feet, and Robert is 5'9. And the worse part?? They're only 14!!! But I'm proud of them, they're good boys! So, for Christmas this year, they received 'older' toys...video games, DVD's, clothes, posters, etc....They seemed very content with that!

Christmas was sent quietly at home....just us. I don't know about quietly....with DD playing very loudly, and the boys trying our their video games---which can get very loud!! :)

So, with the turkey cooking, the kids being busy, I got a chance to clean up my scrapbook room. FINALLY!!! It's been a busy few weeks, with me sewing up a storm, getting Christmas cards done and sent, and just general crafting (with DD), the room looked like a cyclone went through!!

Afterward, Mom (that's me!) and April went sledding. With all the snow from last week's storm, there's quite a bit. Let me re-phrase that---there's more snow now than we had in total of last year AND the previous years!! It actually reminds me of the winters of my childhood. We weren't out a long time, as it was bitterly cold....but we had fun, and that's what counts!

So, after a very long day, it was ending. April was asleep at her regular time, and I sat down to watch a DVD with my hubby---a rare occasion these days. It was nice....even though the DVD was NOT a 'romantic' or even a comedy. It was the Walking Dead, season 1. I am NOT a zombie fan, and refused to watch it on TV, however, I got pulled into it. Well acted, well scripted. I had to cover my eyes a few times, for the gory scenes. But it was good...which surprised the heck out of me. Because I didn't want to watch it. :Z

Anyways, what are your plans for this week???

We're taking it day by day....going with the flow, I guess. Hubby's sister and mother are having Christmas parties next week---so, I should be recovered beforehand. I'm burnt, I think!

Anyways, be safe.Get crafting!

Laura

30+ birthdays and counting...

Happy Monday!

How's the weather in your neck of the woods?? We have snow--LOTS of the white stuff! So much that it's a snow day for the kiddos. I made a boo-boo this morning. Woke up my teens, made them get dressed, fed them, and sent them off to the bust stop. 30 mins later, they were back! OOPS! Mom didn't check the website to see if there was snow or not. Nope, no school. :S

How was your weekend?? Mine, nice...very nice. I don't know if it was because it was my birthday or not, but everyone was more pleasant than usual. It was really nice....! The kids and hubby were much more attentive than usual. I'm not saying that I'm deprived or anything, just that they went that extra little mile...which was much appreciated!!  I received lots of presents...many of them crafting related! They sure do know the way to my heart!

I did not get a chance o get any crafting done, well, scrapbook wise crafting done. I am working on a felt dollhouse for April, and that took the time  did have for crafting...so hopefully I'll get something done today for Crop Chocolate's challenge.

14 days left until Christmas!! Believe that??? I can't ----and it's bothering me that I haven't finished my shopping yet---which is not me! I have to get it done this week---next week will be too busy for hubby to take me to the city to shop. oh well.

So, have a great snowy/sunny/pleasant day. Until next time.

Be safe, get crafting.

Laura

Out of the mouths of babes...big and small!

HELLO!!!

Wanna know a secret?? It's December 5---20 days until Christmas! Can you believe it? This year has flown by---literally! I had no idea how it happened except that perhaps I blinked! ;)

I'm looking out my window, and I am seeing the wind blowing the snow---YEP! SNOW! Yesterday, we had rain and extremely mild temps, and today, the temps have dropped and we have snow...again!

I had a good laugh this morning...around 6:30 a.m. which is pretty early to start laughing. But it's a great way to start the day! :)

I have 3 kids---2 teenage twin boys who are 14, and a little princess who's going to be 3 in January. So, my life is never dull...definitely not!

My boys get along pretty well...always have, for which I am grateful and fortunate. And are similar, yet complete opposites at the same time. Robert is my 'comeback' kid. he speaks is mind, tells the truth, says how he sees it. Other people besides the family or close friends may think he's a smart ass...he's not really, he's just being himself...lol. Raymond is my protector of the family, and quick for a laugh. He's also my giant---he's almost 6 feet tall! They are great boys--OK--I may seem biased because they're mine, but they are!!!

So, this morning, as they are eating their breakfast, Raymond tells us that he wishes they (Ray and Rob) had a twin connection. You know, where twins can communicate with their minds? (or so it happens!) Anyways, he tells us that he and his brother tried the day before to see if they could read each other's thoughts. Raymond told his bro to concentrate and to try to catch what he was thinking. So, apparently, after a few seconds or minutes of them 'concentrating', Ray asked Rob if he was getting anything. Robert says that he was getting something..yep getting something...that his brother was an idiot! I know that it's not the nicest thing to say, and we condone name calling in our house, but it was totally unexpected, and I almost choked on my coffee with laughter! Good grief! Raymond took it all in stride, and said that they do not have the twin connection---good to know!

Anyways, that's just a sampling of what happens in my household---never a dull moment, I tell you!

I was pretty busy crafting and mailing out parcels this weekend. I had made my 3D tree with DD (which was featured on CC crop--TY CC!!) ad I also finished up my gift for crafter's anon. gift exchange. First time I had ever participated---and probably the last. I liked it, but it was pretty stressful, for me anyways, of what to make for a person I did not know.
So, I ended up making this:

The person I had drawn was Becky, and she's crazy about poodles, likes pinks, purples, with a splash of turquoise. So, I made this for her dogs. I hope she likes it!

Anyways, that's done!

I have to start on my gifts for my kids----We decided this year for everyone, except the baby, to make at least 1 handmade gift for someone. We drew names, and I drew Raymond. I am making him an Ipod touch case featuring Domokun--the Japanese monster. He's cute, and it looks relatively easy. So, I'm giving it a shot. I'll post it once I'm finished! I'm also making (or trying to)  sock puppies for all 3 kids....even though my boys are bigger than me, they still have a soft spot for stuffies! :) For DD, I'm making her a little felt doll house that she can carry with her into the car, and puzzle blocks. Probably other things too, we'll see.

Until next time!

Relax. Be safe. Craft!

Laura

3D Christmas

Hello Sunday!

It's an early Sunday, and my household is still sleeping.

Can you believe that it's December, ALREADY????? Looks like December outside. Cold, snowy, grayish....

Yep, that's right, we have snow in my part of the world.

Have you all put up your Christmas decorations yet? Our tree is up and decorated, along with some decorations in the house....still have to put more up. I have to make some, as little critters got into our boxes in the garage and made themselves a nest or two or three in our decorations. The nerve!!!!

I don't know about you, but I am a little stressed this year...actually very stressed. There's a lot of crap going on in my life right now that is affecting my jolliness at this time of year. I hope it gets resolved---and then there's the whole Christmas thing that I am stressing about.  I am usually finished my Christmas shopping, but not this year. I practically haven't even started!!! Which freaks me out!

Anyways, I'm hoping I calm down a bit.

We did see Santa Claus yesterday  in Loblaws. I was so proud of DD---she did not cry!!! YA!! Of course, I took a picture....and wouldn't you know it--I was having problems with my phone! I didn't know how to work the camera on it! Which is so not me! When I finally got it working, DD was pretty much finished with Santa...grrr!But the store is giving us a copy of the visit!

 

Last night, DD ,who will be3 in January, came to me  and said she was bored! What??!! So, I asked her if she wanted to make something with Mom...to which she said yes! YAH!!

So, we made a3D tree. Let me say this about my daughter--she as really good fine and gross motor skills! I was really impressed with her  work! Maybe I'm being biased because she's my daughter! ;)

 

I  realized afterwards that this project works for CC's weekly challenge! Woohoo!

So, have a great Sunday. Relax. Enjoy. Be safe!

Until next time--

Laura