Just for those brave souls

who may desire to have their scrapbook pages, or paper craft projects published. I have found this cool blog that is dedicated to listing all "pub calls" - I have been asked a few times how to get work published in magazines, or where to look for what magazines are looking for. This BLOG has the answers to those questions and more.
Check often
Good luck to anyone who tries.
Remember that the reward is not in getting your pages published but in the fact that you scrapbooked them for your family in the first place.
Happy scrapping

No photo's required!

I thought this was a very cool challenge.

Over the weekend I was reading Donna Downey's blog which led me to a new blog by a great watercolour artist named Kal - who has issued a 1 + 1 + 1 challenge (go to her blog for complete details) to write a letter dated one year, one month & one day from today about what you will be doing , where you will be at, who you will be with etc..... Use your imagination, dream big. Write it down, then go make it your reality. I thought it would be a very unique writing assignment for a high school English class. Not to mention it spoke directly to my scrapbooking journaling heart.

This past week I have been working on a mini album - a photo's optional project. I am calling it "Recollections" Each page will have a recollection of my past, things that I recall, and remember that I truly do not want to forget (loosely inspired by the movie The Notebook ) Things that I may or may not (in most cases do NOT) have any photo's for. Things like how I used to jump out of my 2nd story bedroom window by grabbing a branch of the tree - and how my dad always wondered (never caught on) why that one branch was always growing funny! Or how in the summer Dad used to get a great deal on " ice-cream seconds" from the Dairy - Naked Revels (no chocolate), Popsicles with one stick, Drumsticks with no nuts - you never knew what you were going to get when you picked because usually the labels were all wrong too. No photos in my collection for these memories....

It is my hope that one day when I am old and my memory may not work quite as it should that this little album will be a source of great joy! Then it will be passed down and the stories enjoyed over and over... Recollections! Remembers!

Tell me what you are working on these days... or what your not! I would love to hear from you.

Upcoming classes

Acetate mini album.

Learn how to stamp, paint, and emboss on Acetate transparencies. During the process you will create a great little mini album and learn the tips for success with this unique surface. Please brin all basics to class (Trimmer, adhesives, scissors etc)

CARDS, CARDS, CARDS

Make 4 Fathers day cards in this class. You will be using stamps, punches and paper layering techniques to create these cards

Ever wonder

Do you ever wonder why we celebrate (or have stat holidays) the days we do. I mean some are obvious, like Christmas, and Canada day. Where others like, Labour Day and Victoria day are less so. I thought I would take a look into this holiday that gives us a Long Weekend this weekend. So here it is Victoria Day in a nut shell. Just in case you ever wonder. . .


Victoria Day
In Canada, the celebration of Victoria Day occurs every year on Monday, prior to May 25th. It is the official celebration in Canada of the birthdays of Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II. Victoria Day was established as a holiday in Canada West (Now Ontario) in 1845, and became a national holiday in 1901. Before Victoria Day became a national Holiday, people had celebrated Empire Day , beginning in the 1890s as Victoria approached her Diamond jubilee in 1897. Victoria, queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and empress of India was born on 24 May 1819. She ascended the throne after the death of her uncle George IV in 1837 when she was only 18. She ruled until her death in 1901 when her son Edward the VII became king of England

100 things I want to do in my life.....

Quite some time ago (many years) Memory Makers featured an article about the things we want to do in our lives before we are unable to, it has stuck in my mind. The article talked about making a list of 100 things you want to do before you die... It seemed like quite a task, I did not think I would ever come up with 100 things, however when I put the pen to paper I came up with 5o very easily and quickly, and had no problem getting to 100 (actually 148 to be exact)

Just recently I came across the list I wrote, it was fun to read, some things never happened like... doing the Grouse Grind before I am 40! Never did that Maybe before I reach 45! And others that have such as Celebrate 40th birthday in a big way! There are things that will likely not happen because of the cost involved, or change in circumstances. Some things I have no or very little control over - holding my grand babies..

I remember sitting down and writing my list of 100 things. It was a great exercise, to make you think about where your life is, and where you would like it to be. how you are going to change it if it needs changing, it is a great place to dream - big or little dreams! I also think that by writing things down we are more likely to do them, there is a level of accountability to self when we see things written down.

Here are 5 random things that come from that list

1. Milk a cow
2. Ride in a hot air balloon
3. Visit my friend Lisa in Niger (Read some great stories HERE) where she works!
4. Hold my Grand babies in my arms (many years down the road!)
5. Drive across Canada with my family

The next step would be to scrapbook each of these 100 things.... The article suggested creating an album of the list, pre done pages so that when you achieve one of the items on the list all you have to do is add a photo or 2! Voila! Simple album of the things that are important to you...

How cool is that?

One Boy...

And 700 pre-paid postage cards later! Last week I received an email from Colleen, one of my customers asking me when I would be in the store this week, her son had something that he wished to hand off to me personally.

It is not usual for me to be at the store on the weekend these days, though I often make special trips in, to say hi to people passing through, pop in on a crop or in this case come in because it was asked of me. So at 11:00 on Saturday I made a new friend - Colten ! I have seen many photo's of Colten, heard stories but never had the privilege of meeting him. On Saturday he walked in and handed me a bag FULL of pre-paid postage cards. How cool is that? Colten had gone to the Doctors and collected cards, went through the magazines at home, at the School Library he recruited his friends to help him go through the magazines - friends started bringing him cards!

He has many in his Port Coquitlam neighbourhood collecting. Just today his Mom Colleen emailed and said he already has a pile started for the next delivery! How awesome is that! Colten you are my hero - in just over a month this one boy has made a difference! His collection of 700 cards translates to $119.00 for Cancer research! Colten says this is only the beginning, he is talking to Friends and relatives, looking where ever he can to continue his quest! This touched my heart! Cancer is one of those things that has touched so many lives - we may be going through the process, in recovery or we know someone, or know someone who knows someone who has been touched by this horrid disease - this is one great way to make a difference! We will be collecting cards on an ongoing basis with no end in sight at this point! Just think of the possibilities! Colten did and look what he has started! Thank you Colten! You are making a difference in our world! Keep it up!