Spring

This past weekend was the first day of spring, also known as the Vernal Equinox. In the northern hemisphere, this refers to the date when night and day are nearly the same length and the sun crosses the celestial equator moving north. This date is also significant because Easter always falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox. For me, it means that the end of winter is drawing near. I am really looking forward to the snow melting, fresh green leaves and grass.

Ingeborg from Ikscraps, has out a beautiful new spring kit, Blossoms. I was so pleased that she gave me a chance to work with it. Ingeborg has some gorgeous kits and many of her designs are quite unique, as they are hand painted. Ingeborg is offering a lovely little freebie at the store that coordinates with this kit, if you want to sample her designs. Working with her kit really inspired me to get a few pages done from last spring. Looking back through my pictures was fun and made me realize just how fast time goes by.

Spring Definitions digital kit credits: Blossom Elements & Blossom papers by Ikscraps available at e-scape and scrap.
Fonts used Courier New, Book Antiqua & ALS Script.


Easter Egg Hunt I & II digital kit credits: Blossom Elements & Blossom papers by Ikscraps available at e-scape and scrap.
Fonts used Wenceslas & VIctorian LET.

March has been such a busy month for us. Raquel & I both celebrated our birthdays about a week ago. Raquel celebrated hers, by having a sleepover with her best friend, Taylor. They stayed up literally all night just hanging out, until I finally told them at 5:30 in the morning that it really was time to get some sleep. It is hard to believe Raquel is already 11. She is looking forward to taking her babysitting course this weekend, now that she is finally old enough. Ayden is really enjoying her swimming lessons. Twice a week, (in the mornings), we've headed into town to the Aquaplex. Her final lesson is tomorrow and although she is progressing quite well, I am fairly certain she with have to take the level again.

Easter is just around the corner. The girls and I are anticipating it, as my parents are planning to come down along with my niece, Madison, for a few days. Raquel is also looking forward to spring break, which starts on Good Friday as well.
I hope you are having a good week. Thanks for dropping by my blog!

My friend, Lara has closed down her Dusty Bear shop and is now selling her designs through Gotta Pixel. These are a couple of pages I finished recently using one of her latest kits. I been trying to get these uploaded for a few days, but just never seemed to get around finish posting it.

This is a page I made for my parents. The picture was taken just before my dad left for Tanzania, at his going away supper. Unfortunately he had to come back early, as he had a fairly serious heart attack while he was there. So it was really nice to see them, when they came down a couple of weeks ago. They also brought my niece Madison along with them and the girls all had a wonderful time together.

Cherish digital kit credits: Affinity 1 & 2 by Lara Payton available at Gotta Pixel.
Fonts used: Monsieur La Doulaise, Monotype Corsiva & Kayleigh

I love these picture of Ayden. She has so much fun picking flowers and dandelions are one of her favorites. I guess most of us consider them weeds and forget how bright and sunny they are. She loves this page and I had to print it off for her, so she could put it on the fridge. The quote I used is from Henry Ward Beecher, ... the radiant dandelion, shining in the grass like a spark from the sun.

Dandelion digital kit credits: Affinity 2 by Lara Payton available at Gotta Pixel.
Fonts used: Tabor Handwriting & Kayleigh

We've had several busy weeks. Not only did my parents drop in for a visit, but my son Kyle stopped in for a few days as well. We had a good visit with him and the girls really enjoyed spending a little time with their big brother. Raquel started grade 5 at the beginning of the month and was a little disappointed that she wasn't in the same class as her best friends. She seems to be liking it in spite of that, as she still gets to see them at recess. Ayden started playschool this week. It was a bit difficult for her to let me leave, but once I went to pick her up she seemed to enjoy it. It seems like summer is trying to last as long as possible, as we have been enjoying some beautiful weather. We had a few frosty mornings though, so fall is definitely on the way and a few leaves are starting change colour.

Thanks for dropping by my blog and for leaving me a few comments. I hope you have a good weekend.

Time Stretches Still

Summer is going by so quickly, it's hard to believe the days are getting shorter already. The girls have been keeping me busy and Raquel has been monopolizing the computer. I actually feel a little guilty that I haven't gotten around to finishing a page for quite some time and updating my blog.
When I had a few moments, I've been working on another page for my children's heritage album. I finally got it finished after a call to my aunt yesterday to establish a date on it. This is a picture of my grandmother and my great aunt, it was taken a few years before my grandma passed away. The quote I used is by Nick Edelstein, it reads "When lilies fade, memories flood and time stretches still."


Time Stretches Still digital kit credits: Secret Garden from The Dapper Doxie
Font used: Heather & Park Avenue PT

We've been busy enjoying the summer weather and spending lots of time outdoors. The girls also enjoyed going to the Calgary Stampede and watching the fireworks a couple of weeks ago. Last weekend we finally went and did a little camping. Ayden enjoyed the park at the campground the most. It was nice just to sit by the campfire and look at the stars and get away from the yard for a few days. Raquel spent the weekend riding in the mountains with her dad again and she is away this week spending some time with him. Ayden and I are spending a few quiet days without her. It's been a rather gray and rainy week so far and it's not supposed to turn sunny till the weekend, so we are stuck inside trying to keep busy, much to Ayden's disappointment. Hope your summer is going well!

Faith in a Seed

Deb, at The Dapper Doxie, has out a new springy kit call Secret Garden. The kit has some really lovely garden graphics and she will have it on sale for a very limited time this coming week, along with the rest of the products in her store. I haven't scrapped any of my heritage photos for a while and decided the kit would go perfectly with this picture my mom found last time I was up at their place. This picture is of my grandfather, (a couple of years before he passed away), with my mom and my aunt. It looks like they were all enjoying a task many of us do at this time of the year, getting the garden ready for planting. The quote I used is from Henry David Thoreau, "Though I do not believe that a plant will spring up where no seed has been, I have great faith in a seed. Convince me that you have a seed there, and I am prepared to expect wonders."

Faith in a Seed digital kit credits: Secret Garden from The Dapper Doxie
Fonts Used: Rockwell and Jacki's Hand

We are having a nice long weekend. The weather has been lovely so far and the fire ban in the county was lifted, so we've been able to have a fire in the backyard the past couple of days. Raquel had an extra day off from school and was thrilled when we sent up the tent for her. Both girls have been having fun playing in it, although it is still a little too cold here by the mountains for Raquel to be sleeping in it yet. She tried it out last night and ended up coming in around 11:30 PM with a cold nose. We plan to get a little work done around the yard tomorrow and get the camper ready to go for some excursions. Monday is suppose to be cool and rainy so the last day of the long weekend might have to be spent inside. Hope you are having a terrific Victoria Day weekend. Thanks for dropping by my blog!

Spring in Alberta

Springtime in Alberta can definitely be a mix of weather patterns. I finally got around do doing another page of the girls. I used some pictures I took of them playing in the puddles a few weeks ago, with one of our dogs, Koda. All of that snow in the pictures has melted, as the temperature has been about 20 degrees Celsius the past couple of days. During the past few of weeks the Canada geese have been returning and the grass is starting to turn green. Ayden & I saw some pussy willows yesterday, so it looks like spring is finally here. Unfortunately the nice weather isn't going to last too long, as snow is in the forecast once again, and maybe a little rain, which I would prefer. The quote I used on this page is from an Ian Tyson song called Spring Time In Alberta.

Spring in Alberta digital kit credits: Spring Sprung and Spring Sprung Tattered Papers from Dusty Bear.
Fonts used: Batik Regular, Kristen ITC & Old Newspaper Font.

We had a couple of busy weeks at our house, with Raquel off for Spring break and Easter. The girls and I decided to take a trip up to the Peace Country. We had a nice visit with their grandparents and cousins. Both girls really enjoyed the chance to spend some time with their older brother, (Raquel especially misses him). We had a good trip, but it is always nice to come back home.
Ayden and I are planning to spend some time outside this afternoon. Maybe we will get around to doing a bit of cleaning up in the yard. There sure are a lot of leaves on the ground from last fall. Tomorrow we are off to an appointment in the city and then maybe we'll have some time to just relax around home for a few days. Hope you have a nice Earth Day tomorrow and that your week is going well. Thanks for dropping by my blog.

Beauty Is

Lara has a delightful new kit (on sale for a limited time), filled with spring colors in the Dusty Bear store this week. I decided to do a new page with it of my oldest daughter. These pictures of Raquel are actually from last spring, (a year goes by so quickly) and she is growing up so fast. The quote I used is from Emily Dickinson.
Beauty Is digital kit credits: Spring Sprung from Dusty Bear
Font used: Monsieur La Doulaise, Pappo's Blues Band Official font, Kayleigh & Batik Regular.

The sun is shinning today and beginning to melt some of our snow, so maybe it will look like spring around here soon. You can never really tell what the weather is going to be like this close to the mountains, I think there is even some rain in the forecast. We are off to take Raquel to see her dad, so it should be a little bit quieter around here this weekend. Thanks for stopping by my blog, have a nice weekend!

Enchanting & Lovely

June's challenge at Blush-n-Dusty is to do a LO featuring yourself. It really is a good subject, as it is not very often I do a page with me in it. Since I'm usually the one taking the pictures, there are not that many of me I guess. These pictures were taken in our yard a couple of weeks ago.
Enchanting & Lovely digital kit credits: Gentle, Digital Essential Frames, Victorian Wedding Digital Scrapbooking Kit, Baby Boy Heart Strings, Gold Butterflies, and June challenge kit, Pretty You, from Blushbutter
Fonts Used: Ajile & Monotype Corsiva

Enjoy your weekend!

Thoughts of Spring

We had a nice Easter and took a quick trip up to the Peace Country. We stopped in for a visit with my parents while we were there. Mom pulled out some boxes and we discovered some more old family pictures. She let me borrow the box to organize and scan, (almost like Christmas for me). Now just to find the time to get started. Seems like it's been busy around our house, the past couple weeks and it's also time to gather paperwork for the accountant too.

The Challenge over at Blush-n-Dusty this month, was to scrap your favorite thing about spring. The kit was Flora Fun and there were several quotes to choose from. The return of the Canada Geese, always signifies to me that spring is on it's way. It is such a beautiful sight to see them soaring across the sky in their "V" formations, honking as they go, looking for some open water.
I took these pictures a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully spring will be here to stay soon. Have a nice weekend!
Return of the Canada Geese Digital Kit Credits: Flora Fun, Crumpled Papers - Pastel and Crumpled Papers from Dusty Bear.
Fonts used: Coventry Garden, Kayleigh & Maiandra GD

My Fairies in the Garden

One day, last spring, Raquel decided it would be fun to dress up as a fairy. Ayden & Raquel looked so cute. We went out in the yard and took a bunch a pictures and then sent out a few of them for Mother's Day. I've been wanting to scrap them for a while and am pleased with the way they turned out.
I used some of Vanessa's beautiful kits available at www.blushbutter.com. The quote reads as follows:

And as the seasons come and go, here's something you might like to know. There are fairies everywhere: under bushes, in the air, playing games just like you play, singing through their busy day. So listen, touch, and look around - in the air and on the ground. And if you watch all nature's things, you might just see a fairy's wing. ~Author Unknown


My Fairies in the Garden Digital Kit credits: Blushbutter's Baby Girl Heart String Mega Kit, Baby Girl Kit, Emerald Fairy Digital Scrapbooking Kit, Faes for Prints and Crafts 1 and Digital Essential Frames Packet. (Some elements colorized.)
Fonts used: monsier La Doulaise, Occidental & Ma Sexy

A Little Taste of Spring

Only 8 more days till Christmas. I love Christmas carols and all the lights. The excitement is building in the air. My parents & Kyle will be here. We are all looking forward to seeing them.

My friend, Deb, had started her own online store, Doxie Designs. I am so happy for her. I was flattered when she asked me to be a member of her creative team. She has some lovely kits and I was more than happy to accept. I am hoping this will provide me with a little more incentive to get more of my pictures scrapped into LOs. Deb, also designs some beautiful LOs herself and offers up some awesome freebies on her blog. If you haven't stopped by her blog, Dapper Doxie, you are missing out on a wonderful artistic experience. Thank you Deb for asking me to be on your team.

I used Doxie Design's beautiful kit, Mother's Pansies on these two LOs. The first LO, Violets Are Blue, is of Ayden playing with a violet at the end of May this year. I just love her chubby little hands and had to include those pictures too. I dried the violet and saved it for her, then I turned it into a tube. I just love tiny little violets. They always remind me of spring and they smell so wonderful. Hope you enjoy these pages. The quote reads as follows:

The smell of violets, hidden in the green,
Pour'd back into my empty soul and frame
The times when I remembered to have been
Joyful and free from blame.

- Lord Alfred Tennyson
Dream of Fair Women (st. 20)

I also found the following little bit about violets and couldn't resist adding a few fairies.

The Little pansy - The violet is sacred to all fairies. Gathering violets in the spring will bring good luck and a wish come true courtesy of the faerie realm.

Violets are Blue Credits: Mother's Pansies by Doxie Designs http://store.dapperdoxie.com/
Fairies Printable Paper from www.blushbutter.com
Capture a Trinket freebie from http://www.sugarplumpaperie.com/category/freebies/
Fonts used Vivaldi, Mutlu, Porcelain, Coventry Garden & Ajile
Hearts & Dried violet by http://artwithindesigns.blogspot.com/

This second LO is called Grandmother's Heart. It is a hybrid LO that I did earlier this spring, using the same kit from Doxie Designs. I think Deb's kits are so versatile and they print up beautifully. In the LO are Raquel & Ayden with their Grandma. The pictures were taken in October 2006. The quote reads as follows:

God's most precious work of art is the warmth and love of a Grandmother's heart. -author unknown

Grandmother's Heart Credits: Digital Kit Mother's Pansies by Doxie Designs http://store.dapperdoxie.com/
Materials: Iridescent Butterfly - Provocraft, rhinestone brad - K and Company, metal index tab - Making Memories, plastic elements - Jesse James Button, Rain dots - Cloud 9 Designs, vellum - Scrapbookeh and Pink Stickles by Ranger.

I hope I have time for another LO this week, but I think we will be busy cooking, cleaning and wrapping presents. Hope you all have a great week!