A great day.

I had a wonderful day today with my younger two kids.  First, we went to watch the Markham Santa Claus parade.  I think this was my best experience yet since the weather was relatively warm and my kids were old enough to sit on their own in their little lawn chairs and enjoy the show.  In previous years I would spend the time freezing and consoling freezing children or pushing strollers or having someone always climbing on my lap.  Second, I got to have a delicious 2 hour nap while my kids entertained themselves playing downstairs.  When I woke up, I was told that someone got hit with a hula hoop and there was crying but somehow they worked it out and by the time I woke up, they were the best of friends again and playing happily.  I don't know what the magic was today but the kids were so great and pleasant and fun.  I don't mean to make it sound like they are horrendous usually.  It's just that having a whole day of great manners and good behaviour is unusual.  Anyway, the kids are in bed now and I'm getting ready for a workshop tommorrow.  I can't wait to show one of the cute little cards I made using the pennant parade stamp set and the new in colours lucky limeade and island indigo.  Always when I'm getting ready for a workshop the delimma is how to keep it short and concise.  There is always more I want to show!  So, this was one of the cards I wanted to demonstrate but I just don't think I have time.  So, I'll just show it here.  I am enjoying the cherry cobbler, always artichoke combination.  My medallion stamp set has been doing a good job doubling as a wreath lately.

We're a team!

So, last week was one of those crazy busy weeks full of workshops, classes, kids extracurricular activities and all that jazz.  With all my Stampin' events, Kevin was on duty a lot.  He doesn't complain but I see that it was wearing on him a bit.  This week is much better but I realized that I am scheduled to go away with a girlfriend on a scrapbooking weekend.  Kevin will be left alone with the kids again.  Hmmm, the guy is great but I"m recognizing he might have a rough go this weekend.  What to do?  I bought him an electronic present.  He's been eyeing a new e-reader.  In my ignorant mind, one e-reader is the same as the next and he already has one so why another?  But then I realized, that's probably what he thinks of my stamps.  You've got one, you've got em all.   So, since I couldn't be keeping him company this weekend, I figured he could be occupied with this gift.  I also made him a card which I case'd right off the demonstrator website.  I love this card so much it is going to be one of the cards at my sweet and simple class on November 25th.  It uses the Well Worn DSP and the Petite Pairs stamp set.  The colours are River Rock and Soft Suede. 

I really wanted this card to express how much I appreciate him and that even though there are seasons of busy-ness with Stampin' Up, there is no doubt in my mind that my family is the priority.  I never want him to think I don't care for him or the kids when I am out and busy stamping. 
I'm not sure if he totally got all the mushy sentiments that I was trying to convey but he sure likes his new e-reader.  He's been playing with it and reading the manual all night.  :-)

I'm getting ready for a club meeting and I wanted to show some different techniques with embossing folders.  I made a card which I liked.  I was quite pleased that I had come up with the design by myself but something seemed to be missing but I was still quite happy.  I showed hubby and he looked at it and said it was nice.  Then he said maybe it should have some glitter around it and I got so excited.  He was absolutely right!  I ran right down to my stamping area and put on the tombow glue and the silver glass glitter.  MUCH BETTER!

 I immediately (jokingly) asked him if he had ever considered being a stampin' up demonstrator since he had such a good eye.  I informed him that the free Big Shot promotion was ending tommorrow.  He smiled and told me that one Stampin' Up! demonstrator in the house was enough.  Grin.  It's fun to feel like we're a team. 
So, if you want to see the rest of this card, come on out to club on Monday night.  Let me know if you want to drop by.  $15 or free with $30 purchase.

Fast Invites

 I was whipping up some invites for my next Stampin' Up! family night which is on Oct. 30th at 7:30pm.  Whipping up cards means that I use whatever scraps I have left over from past workshops and classes.  I was so proud that I was able to make 7 cards in about 45 minutes.  This card uses the borderlines stamp set.  It is a stamp set that I never even noticed in the new catalogue but they gave it to me in one of my classes at convention and now I lOVE it.  I managed to do this card without the stamp a ma jig too.

This card probably looks familiar since it is using the same components from another card I made.  (you know, the whole using scraps thing...)  I like how the repetition stamping gives the illusion of movement for the bird.  Yeah, Elements of Style stamp set again.  You really can not go wrong with this set. 

A free big shot or $125 free product is too good a promotion to not consider so that's why I"m doing another family night.  Hope you can come! RSVP required please!  genevieve.ko@sympatico.ca