Do you Facebook?

I want to invite you to a FB group I just started, called "Bag Ladies Strike Again!" If you would like to share sewing patterns, questions or insight... or maybe your new favourite recipe... check out the group, and feel free to join. I'd love to see you there!

Here's the link.... Bag Ladies Strike Again!

ps... for those of you that come here for stamping, don't worry that sewing will take over as my hobby of choice... I am finding ways that these hobbies can coexist in the same house - and I think stamping would always win if I had to choose! But, why would I have to choose?!! I also can't wait to try out my Big Shot on some sewing projects :)

Bag Ladies Strike Again!

Last night was another bag night... and today I'm bagged!! haha! (so tired that I am making bad jokes). But so worth it because I completed 3 bags.

First I made Todd's piano book bag. He picked this fabric, out of 3 choices. He said he liked the guitars!



Then I made Scott's piano book bag out of his fabric of choice... and it is reversible, so the black fabric can be the outside whenever he decides to change his mind! I had originally thought of just using the black fabric to make a bag for Elise, but since she is probably 2 years away from music lessons, and she got a purse last time the Bag Ladies got together, I thought I could use the fabric for something else.

Plenty of room for his music books and binder.

After the second bag was done, I was going to pack up, but I guess I got my second wind because I made one more bag... it is a 4 patch bag and I saw one that Cindy had, and I loved it... mine is bigger than hers. I wanted to use the leftover music note fabric and make a music book bag for myself, because I am going to take guitar lessons again in the Fall, and I wanted a new bag for my music.

So here it is, the way I will use it....


Close up of the fabric...

And the inside... it is a reversible bag, but I will probably just keep this as the inside. It is made out of a pair of my old jeans! I really wanted to finish my bag, and since I didn't have any lining, or more coordinating fabric, I thought I would use this. Only, it made the bag really thick because I put batting in it, too... maybe with the jeans I didn't need to use batting, but it sure is a nice firm bag! I put this pocket on the inside, it has 3 compartments. 2 that are as tall as the pocket and divided in the middle, and one long one that is only half as tall as the pocket, but is hard to see... I put some Velcro in the centre of it, and will store pencils in there.

Christmas Card Club

Last night was the first of four Christmas Card clubs. Here are the 2 designs we made (5 of each for $20). If you are interested in coming out for the next one, please let me know... the classes are on the 4th Tuesday of each month for Sept, Oct and Nov.

The first one uses Dasher and Lovely as a Tree stamp sets, and I cased it from Kristin on Splitcoaststampers. There's really not a lot that I changed, except for the colours. I used Vanilla, Sahara Sand, and Rich Razzleberry.


The next one uses Tree Trimmings and Christmas Greetings (that was used inside) from the SU! Idea Book and Catalogue, page 28. The "sparkle" stamp is from Warm Words.

If you want to place an order for any of these sets or just want to browse the online catalogue, head over to my stamping website and you can shop 24/7.

Inspiration...

Good morning! I am home alone right now, and it is so peaceful. Steve and the kids went to join his parents where they are camping, and they will only come back sometime this morning. I have already enjoyed a walk, eaten my breakfast, checked emails, tidied the kitchen after last night's class, and now I am blogging... and all in the peaceful quiet of an empty house. Well, except the walk - that was outside around the neighbourhood!

I was gifted last night with several books and magazines from 2 friends, all on scrapbooking and cardmaking. Such a wonderful thing! Thank you both! As I was reading through one of the books (called Clean & Simple Scrapbooking, by Cathy Zielske) I came across a page she made about herself, that was inspired by an American Express ad in another magazine. What a beautiful and simple way to preserve some thoughts about YOU, right at the place you are in your life right now!

On one side of the layout, put a large picture of yourself, then on the other side type out the prompt words, and then hand write your responses. Embellish as desired, and you're done. Make sure you date the page.

Here are the prompts she used...

my name
childhood ambition
fondest memory
soundtrack
retreat
wildest dream
proudest moment
biggest challenge
alarm clock
perfect day
first job
indulgence
last purchase
favourite movie
inspiration

I think I'll get started right away. Here's a pic that Steve took of me recently while we were walking around a lake close by... I think it would work just fine for a page like this!

Rockin' Birthday Wishes!

My nephew just celebrated his 8th birthday, and this is the card that is in the mail to him right now! Happy (belated) Birthday, Ethan!!

Some more sights of Victoria...

I just wanted to share a few more pictures that I took on our little visit to Victoria this past week. Victoria is the most beautiful city in the world!

Happy 40th Mom and Dad!

On Sunday, August 16th, my parents had their 40th wedding anniversary.

They met at a rollerskating rink in Victoria 41 years ago and my mom was so nervous that she'd fall down when this handsome man came by and asked her if she wanted to skate, that she didn't even get his name that night! When he proposed several months later, she wanted to quit school and get married right then... but he said she had to finish school. So just a few weeks after her high school graduation in the Summer of '69, they got married, and have spent the last 40 years in love!

Dating Days....


The Wedding Day... August 16, 1969


Thanks for being such an awesome example of what a great marriage looks like!

Celebrating at Montana's with some of the family... wish you could have been here, Louise! (you might remember my post back at Easter that showed the Family photos... that was the official celebration because my sister and family were able to be here then).

Happy Birthday Human!

Last week, Todd got to go to his friend's birthday party. So, I put together this little card using the set, "Lots of Bots!" Since my kids have seen Wall-E, they have been hooked on robots!!

Card #4

Here's the 4th card we made at Monday's class...


Sets: Pick a Petal, Stem Sayings
Techniques: Watercolour pencils and blender pens

Card #3

Another card.....
This one uses the "Thoughts and Prayers" set, and the Photo corners punch.

note: when we did this one at the class, we actually only used 2 photo corners and then tucked them right in on opposite corners right under the centre piece.

Card #2

Here is the second card from Monday night's class. It uses the "Flight of the Butterfly" set, along with my brand new Butterfly punch! Love it... what an easy way to punch out the butterflies from this set. We made the clouds using the scallop circle punch as a mask.

Rock on Sister!

I realize I've been a little heavy on the Elise posts, lately, but she is at such a funny stage in her little life... she just keeps coming up with crazy and fun things, and we laugh at (and with :) her - a lot! Steve took her on a date the other day... their first date alone, and he came home beaming. I thought she would be the one that couldn't stop talking about a date with Daddy, but no, it was HIM! He is still talking about it 3 days later. So, I think they will have to make that a weekly occurrence! (as long as she doesn't end up getting more dates than me!!!)

So, yesterday, while I was in my office at the computer, Elise came in and asked if she could play the little guitar (mine is a bigger version of this, in black), and I said, "only if I can take your picture." Well, wouldn't you know that instead of her saying, no, she hammed it up like crazy, added some dancing and made up a tune and some words. This little one is not shy. Maybe we can share the stage one day... I'd like that!

Just like Mom!

Bear Buddies...

Here's a little card I made to give to our friends Andy and Alexa as a thank you for inviting us camping with them. I used a mask over the bear to make the arms interlock like that. Then I used watercolour pencil crayons and blenderpens to colour them in. The set is called "Under the Stars." The mosquitoes on the bottom layer of the card are very symbolic because we got so many bites during our 4 days camping, and went through an entire can of Bug spray, but the kids hardly noticed because they were having so much fun!

Blueberry Lunar

Tonight, we are having our Care Group over for a Summer BBQ social. I am thankful for the cooler weather, but just praying that it doesn't rain! Everyone is bringing their own meat and something to share. My contribution is a Blueberry Lunar cake. I had someone ask what that is... so I thought I would share a pic and a recipe with you. I don't do that very often, but this is so easy to make, and it is soooo good!

The recipe says "Rhubarb Lunar Cake" which just goes to show you that I can't read a recipe... just kidding - it just means that you can substitute with whatever fruit you want - my favourite in this cake happens to be blueberries. And, they are plentiful at this time of year, so it's perfect!

You can see how the buttermilk gives the cake moon like qualities, and I love how the brown sugar mix on top just fills in all the divots! Mmmmm... now that it is out of the oven and cooling, and I can smell all its goodness, I wonder if there will be any left by Care Group time!


Since Buttermilk is not something I keep on hand - ever! (my mom loves to drink it, so you might find some at her house...but I don't much care for the stuff, so you probably won't ever see any in our house!)... I use regular milk with a bit of vinegar in it. I mix that together first - about 7/8 of a cup of milk, and then top it off with vinegar (I don't use any special kind of vinegar, just whatever I have on hand... ). Let that sit for a minute, then dump it in!

Put the fruit along the bottom of a glass pan (the big one... 9X13 or something like that) and then spread your batter over top. Put on the brown sugar topping and bake away. Easy. Yummy. No leftovers!!

Hope you enjoy your lunar cake. It is nice with a little bit of vanilla ice cream on top, too!

Paper Cup

My sweet boy Scott made and presented me with a paper cup today, made from paper from my scrap drawers. I have more than enough scraps, so when the kids dive in and decide to be crafty, I hardly notice a dent in the scraps!! (They are actually doing me a favour, because I can't seem to throw anything out!!!)

A Day at the Lake

Yesterday we headed to the lake with 2 boats and 3 1/3 families... the 1/3 comes from on of the guys that came with us, but his wife and daughter are out of town. She had told him that she was taking their truck so he wouldn't be able to take their boat out. But, where there's a will, there's a way, and since we have a truck that's able to tow, but nothing to tow, we took him and his boat up to the lake! We met 2 other families, and one other boat up there, and spent all afternoon and all evening on Stave Lake.

While Steve was kneeboarding behind one boat, I was on the other boat with a bunch of the kids who were taking turns tubing behind that boat. So, sadly there are not many pics of Steve from the day. He's had lots of pics taken of him kneeboarding, and he's taking off with all the guys that were there yesterday for a whole weekend in September of all-you-can-handle kneeboarding/skiing and wakeboarding. So I am sure there will be some great pics taken that weekend to share!

Here are a few photos. Thanks for looking!