Say Cheese!

I finally was able to get the cheap sewing machine from Canadian Tire on sale this weekend when we were in the city. It was on sale for 20$! It's really small so it doesn't take up much room in my scrapping area (about the same size as my cuttlebug). It only does straight stitch and I wouldn't mind being able to do a zig zag - but I didn't want to pay 80$ more for the next cheapest model just to be able to zig zag! For 20$ it's perfect since I only wanted to be able to sew on my layouts.

that's my cuttlebug behind the sewing machine

I completed my layout that I designed using 5 patterned papers, buttons and staples. This was going to be for the design team call at MSS but since the local Canadian Tire was sold out I didn't get to complete this layout in time for the deadline. Boo-urns! I like this layout a lot and wish that it had been done in time to qualify. My other layout using the challenge items is good, but I like this one better. I will post my entries for the DT call after I know the results (beginning of October), for now they will remain a secret!

click on the picture to see it bigger and in more detail...

I used orange ink to color my chipboard letters and then clear embossed them. I stitched a frame around my photo using light blue thread.

It's hard to see the details in the other picture, but I stitched without the foot down so that it would be all wavy and not perfect lines to secure the hand cut shapes out and add texture. Then I stapled on some clear accents.

Another week gone by...

It's been crazy busy, but fun. Last week I had the pleasure of babysitting our neighbour's son, Ryan. We made blueberry muffins one day and they turned out great! Ryan is only 4 but with just a bit of coaching and instruction from me he made them pretty much all by himself! I think using my Kitchenaid made it extra fun :)

blueberry muffins fresh out of the oven

the adorable Ryan and his muffins - so proud of himself!

delicious!

DD enjoying Ryan's creation

Looking after 3 kids really showed me how I could definitely manage with another baby, just as long as DD was about 4 years old when we had one. I know that we really would have a hard time affording another kid though, so I'm a bit torn as what to decide. We still have a couple of years to make the decision, but in many ways I would like a third child. I also know that it prolly wouldn't be the best idea since money is tight with only two. I guess the only thing to do is to pray about it and trust that when the time is right we will know.

The weekend went by so quickly. On Friday DH told me about his plans to surprise me on Saturday (we have to plan ahead so the surprise had to be told on Friday!). He had arranged for MIL to babysit both kids while we went to the city to go to Olive Garden for dinner. It was only a quick trip since my boobs can't be away from DS for that long, but it was so nice to get away. (thanks so much Mom!) And the never ending pasta bowl is sooooo good! Not the best choice for my healthy eating plan, but you gotta indulge sometimes! I haven't been able to Turbo Jam as much as I would like lately. Still have to figure out a good way to make this work with DH back at work and life a lot more busy. The kids never nap at the same time and it's hard to workout with DD running around (esp. since Turbo has so much kicking!). I'm also worried that they will both start crying right after I finish a turbo and am all out of breath and need to cool down. I can't just stop a workout then cos it's not good for you. I'll figure something out eventually!

Yesterday we went to the beach with our neighbour and his son. The water is so cold! Still, it's amazing that after such a lousy summer we were able to go to the beach this late into September. It may be late, but at least we got a bit of summer!

Time to get back to the babies, so I'll leave you with a picture of DS's lovely smile :)

More online crop fun

Since I had the photos printed and my layouts planned out I quickly whipped these up for the online crop during Liam's naptime.

For challenge #3 I used yellow and blue, #7 I doodled around the title to help it stand out a bit more, #10 I stacked the title, and #11 I matted the photos.

This one doesn't work for any of the challenges but I've had it sitting on my desk needing journalling and a title for months now. So I quickly cut some letters freehand out of a piece of scrap cardstock and journalled on a tag and voila! Finally finished :)

The layout idea for Summer fun was from a CTMH sketch and Zoo was from a Becky's sketch.

Online Crop at MSS

This weekend there is an online crop at My Scrap Shoppe with lots of great challenges to choose from! DH let me have the evening to scrap and stamp with Dawn (thanks honey!) and I had tons of fun and really love the layouts I've made.

Remember, you can click on the photo to see it in more detail :)

For challenges #2 and 11:

Challenge #2 was to scraplift a layout from the MSS gallery. I used Jen's layout for the sun and clouds idea and Nicole's for the title idea of using the badge for the word "sunshine". I used the september kit for everything but the sunshine button. Jen's layout and this paper was the main reason why I wanted the kit!

Challenge # 11 was to mat your photo.

For challenges 1, 3 and 11:

Challenge # 1 was to hide something on your layout. The beachball on the tag behind one of my photos pulls out to reveal more pictures:

Challenge 3 was to use yellow and blue, and challenge 11 was to mat your photos. Check!

I have some more ideas for layouts but that's all there was time for tonight. I really ought to get to bed!

Oh, and by the way I've decided to go for it and try out to be a member of the MSS design team. I just need to take some better photos of my layouts that I'm using to apply. Fluorescent light in our basement at night doesn't make for nice pictures. I need it to get nice and sunny so I can use natural light. I figure that if I don't try for it I will always wonder and regret that I didn't go for it. Cross your fingers for me!

Goodnight!

a couple of new layouts

Another week, another MSS blog book of me challenge. This time it was to do a "Note to self" page. You can click the picture to see the page in more detail. Mine is about how my house will never be clean again. DD is a little hurricane leaving toys behind her everywhere she goes. She can make a mess faster than I can clean it up! This was also my first time cutting out elements of a patterned paper to decorate a page. It's too bad that it took me so long to get my act together and participate in last weeks challenge cos if I had managed to post my take on the challenge just a few hours earlier I would have been the winner of the challenge by default since there were no other entries - I guess it's been a busy week for everyone!

The shoppe is also looking for new design team members and I sooooo want to apply. I'm still deciding if I should as I would have to post a minimum 3-4 layouts to the gallery each month and also post on the blog and leave comments on the gallery. Right now I'm doing that already, but with DH back at work now that school is back on I'm not sure I would have the time. I think I could manage, but I'm worried that my Turbo Jam would get cut out. But how cool would it be to be a member of the design team? It would be like having an awesome (although unpaid) scrapbooking job! I don't know if they'd pick me anyways since I'm still a relatively new scrapbooker, but it's something to consider. Whaddya think? Should I go for it?

I also finished DS's 4th month layout for his baby book. I'm using the Sweet Baby Kit of the month from Creating keepsakes. It comes with everything you need for baby's first year, plus the paper is all double sided so that you can order it ahead of time and it doesn't matter if you have a boy or girl you are set either way! Sorry about the lousy photo, I was too lazy to try and take a better one :)

how to deal?

I was having one of those feeling sad kinda days. I guess partly cos of summer holidays being almost over. Normally my way of dealing with feeling sad or stressed is to shop or eat. I'm feeling kinda distraught right now cos I don't know how to deal when my usual methods are gone. We don't have enough money for me to make a retail therapy trip to MSS (but I neeeeed the september kit! The paper is so pretty. Sucks having to go from end of June to end of September with no paycheques) and I've worked too hard to blow all of healthy progress on pigging out on cheese and carbs and chocolate. These weren't ever good ways of dealing, but they were what I did.

*sigh*

Now what? What is a positive and productive new way to cope????

10 weeks into Turbo Jam - Update

Well I've officially been doing Turbo Jam for 10 weeks now. This is by far the longest that I have stuck to a healthy eating and exercise plan EVER. I don't always make the healthiest food choices, but I try and have smaller portions of those things and then I get back on to making healthier choices. I have days where I don't work out, but those are just a few days off, and I've been quite consistent with it. I'm so proud of my progress so far! It feels so good to get a compliment about how much weight I've been losing and it really motivates me to keep going.

I didn't take a starting weight cos I didn't have a scale (I have since gone and bought one) but I do know what I weighed when I went to the mean doctor who made me cry before I got pregnant for the first time and I'm 20lbs lighter than I was then. So my weight loss is at least 20 lbs so far (prolly quite a bit more, since I'm sure that 2 consecutive pregnancies where I was

"eating for five two" put on at least a few pounds. As for total inches lost I'm up to 16 inches! (and it may be a bit more than that, since I measured my thighs wrong to start and am missing the first 6 weeks of progress there). That is the total from chest, waist, hips, thighs and arms. And from my waist I've lost a total of 5 inches since I've started. WOO HOO! I feel so much healthier and more energetic. I love it!

I got a bunch of new Turbo Jam workouts since I didn't want to get sick of the ones I had. They arrived a couple of days ago so yesterday was my first time trying Cardio Party mix 2 and I had so much fun. These workouts are great! Chalene is so motivating and keeps me working hard and looking forward to my next workout. I highly recommend them to anyone who wants to get healthy.