Little Red Wagon Challenge #10

We are on Challenge #10 at Little Red Wagon and having so much fun! Deanna challenged us to use pins on our creation this week. I have some great pins that I have picked up along the way and I was glad to play with some of them!

My little button pins seemed perfect for a baby card, so I created my very first baby card! I have no one to give it to but it will be in my card box for when the opportunity comes up.

The paper is from Creative Imaginations and had the scallop border already on it. It made for a super quick and easy card!

Be sure to check out all the other creations on Little Red Wagon and why not play along? We would love to see what you do!

A Few of My Favorite Things

Christmas was wonderful! It was busy but not stressful. The weather was good for traveling. There were fun chaotic family gatherings and quiet moments for reflection. And now it is done for another year. But I take away some special memories.

Like Tyler being Santa for the first time at my Mom's, Haggis that nobody wanted, "Who's Your Daddy?", playing Euchre, the re-gifted sweater and the grey sock hat. (Don't ask!)

I also received some very special gifts and I realize the thought that went into them. Each gift was from the heart, knowing it would be perfect for me. I am grateful for each one and I thought I would share a few of them with you.

:: a hand-painted snowman plate from my 11-year-old niece, Hannah ::

:: hand-made cards from Carolyn ::

:: the perfect gift from my hubby - spa gift certificates! ::

:: the Planet Earth series from my boys ::

:: cozy jammies from my nephew, Patrick ::

:: a journal from my sister-in-law ::

:: an exquisite hand-painted, glass ornament from my Mom ::

Each gift specially chosen. Lovingly given. Warmly received. True treasures.

"It isn't the size of the gift that matters, but the size of the heart that gives it."

I am grateful ~

Best Memory of 2009

Last night, well after midnight, I was sitting with my sister-in-law, JoAnne, and my son Spencer, while the rest of the guys played pool downstairs. We had just spent a wonderful day with my hubby's family celebrating Christmas and we were now winding down and relaxing by the light of the Christmas tree. JoAnne casually posed the question, "So, what was your best memory of 2009?"

JoAnne is a woman that I truly admire. She is a retired school teacher, who has given countless years of her time and talents to the students entrusted to her care, a mother of 3 wonderful young adults and an incredible singer. She has a heart for animals (the stories go way back to childhood), loves to read and seems always ready for an adventure.

She is also a woman who has experienced hardship and difficulties. Shortly after her retirement, she and her husband sold their home in Toronto and moved to a gorgeous rural area to enjoy their retirement years near the beauty of the lakes and trees and wildlife. Within a very short time she was diagnosed with an incurable disease that affects the respiratory system and kidneys. It has left her kidneys irreparably damaged. She now has to be on daily dialysis for the rest of her life, while still battling the disease, although she is hoping for a kidney transplant sometime in the future.

It has been a horrible and painful time for her and her family and yet she has always managed to stay positive. When I could imagine myself curling up and wanting to die, she has lifted her head and said, "So what do we do now?" Always the fighter. Always calmly facing the unknown.

When she asked her question last night, I thought to myself that once again JoAnne is focusing on the positive. She could easily look back and complain. But she chooses to look back and see the good.

Spencer and I thought for a few moments and we actually mentioned the same thing as our best memory - our trip to Virginia Beach and Myrtle Beach. It was a time of experiencing new places, lots of laughter (the kind that makes your sides hurt!), sun, relaxation, family. It was fun to reminisce and brought joy to us as we shared our memories.

Most people love to complain. My sister-in-law doesn't. She is grateful for the good times and looks forward to many more. Thank you JoAnne for reminding me to do the same.

So friends, what was your best memory of 2009?

Little Red Wagon Challenge #9

Happy New Year!

It has been a very busy week and I have been enjoying time with my family celebrating Christmas and New Years. I woke up early this morning to see soft, huge snowflakes slowly falling outside my window and I thanked God for the gentle beauty of the day. What a wonderful way to start the New Year - with everything clean and white! A new beginning!

I finally finished my card for this week's challenge at Little Red Wagon. It was Rosanne's turn for the challenge and she wanted us to use flowers. I thought it was a great challenge (who doesn't love flowers?) and I wanted to try a new technique. This is my card.

I cut out three circles, folded them up around a pencil eraser that I held in the middle of each. This gave them some dimension. Then I painted the edges with white paint and layered them. I did the same with the leaves, using two layers.

I chose some bright Basic Grey paper and I used a Stamping Bella stamp for the sentiment. Thanks for a fun challenge Rosanne!

O Holy Night!

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Wishing you and yours a most blessed Christmas ~

Little Red Wagon Challenge #8

The challenge this week at Little Red Wagon was to create a 'man' card. I have to admit that I don't normally make up cards that are suitable for guys so I had fun doing this challenge.

I worked with a stamp from stamping Bella that I have been wanting to use for a while - it is soooo adorable and perfect for a little boy! I paired it up with papers from We R Memory Keepers and used Copic markers to match the paper.

Thanks for a fun challenge Regan! Now let's see what you can do with this week's challenge!

A New Recipe

I love casseroles - one-dish, hearty meals that require little preparation and offer delicious goodness! Chicken pot pie is one of my favorites and I recently came across a recipe for one in the Taste of Home - Best Ever Casseroles publication so I thought I would give it a try.

It was really easy to put together and I was very happy with how it turned out! There is no bottom crust but the recipe called for a top crust. Instead of making up a pie crust, and to make it really easy, I bought some Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, cut strips from the dough and laid them over the filling. They browned up nicely while the filling cooked and the combination tasted wonderful.

Here is the recipe if you would like to give it a try :)

Chicken Vegetable Pot Pie

4 medium carrots, sliced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small onion
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 cups water
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
2 cups cubed chicken
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
Pastry for single-crust pie

1. In a saucepan, cook the carrots, potato, onion and celery in water for 10 minutes or until tender; drain. Stir in the peas, chicken and soup.

2. Pour into a greased baking dish. Roll out pastry to fit top of dish; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Tag Swap

I was invited to my first craft swap this past week! Rosanne hosted a Christmas Tag Swap and it was so much fun! There were 9 of us attending the swap, so each of us had to create 9 tags - 8 to give away and 1 to keep for ourselves.

I had lots of fun deciding what my tags should look like and then I got busy creating them. I started with a Stamping Bella Stamp and then used my Copic markers to color the scarf and gift. I did add a bit of warm gray to the bear, although it doesn't show up too well in my photos.

Then I added some Glamour Dust to the snowflakes and ground. I also added some Glossy Accents to the bear's nose. I layered the finished image on a large snowflake, a circle of MME paper and a scalloped white cardstock circle. Last, but not least, I tied some ribbon to the top.

When we gathered at Rosanne's, we enjoyed lots of laughs, great food, hot apple cider, egg nog and wine, and our tag swap. Everyone did such a great job on their tags and I enjoyed seeing the creativity and wide variety of ideas. I am going to have a hard time using these tags on my gifts! I might just have to keep them for myself :)

Rosanne has promised to host another swap next Christmas and I am looking forward to it already! Thanks Rosanne!

Christmas Tea

I think I was born a century too early! While I like the comforts of our modern world, like cell phones, computers and indoor plumbing, (and not necessarily in that order), I love the beauty of times past. I love traditional decor, the thought of a simpler lifestyle, and afternoon tea and I am sure I would have been best friends with Elizabeth Bennet or the March sisters had I known them!

This past weekend I fulfilled a long time desire of mine to attend Afternoon Tea at Langdon Hall in Cambridge, Ontario. My initial thought was to host a Christmas Tea for my sisters and nieces, but the scheduling did not work out and only my sister Mary and her daughter, Sarah, were able to make it in for a visit. When I realized it would just be the three of us, I decided to make reservations for Christmas Tea at Langdon Hall. It turned out to be a wonderful experience!

We arrived at 2:00 pm and when we drove down the drive and saw Langdon Hall for the first time, it was breathtaking. I was sure I was going back in time!

The estate is absolutely gorgeous and it was completely decorated for the Christmas season. Every room had a real Christmas tree in it, plus real pine wreaths and boughs. I kept taking in deep breaths of the wonderful smell of the greenery and it brought peace to my soul.

We took our tea in the Conservatory, a wonderful room with windows all around. We were seated right next to the fire place and a warm fire crackled and burned while we relaxed in the beauty of our surroundings.

The finest linens, silver and china were placed before us and we each chose our tea.

We were served Orange Blossom & Traditional Scones with St. Jacob’s Style Apple Butter, Preserves & Heavy Cream. Delicious!

We were also given a variety of savories and sweets that were a treat for our taste buds!

It was an unhurried afternoon of pure delight and we promised we would do it again sometime.

Thank you Mary and Sarah for joining me. It was a wonderful time and a memory I will always treasure.

"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea." ~Henry James

Little Red Wagon Challenge #7

Our challenge this week at Little Red Wagon was posted by Avril and she chose sewing! You could use machine sewing, hand sewing or faux stitching. I love the look of sewing on cards and layouts so I was very happy to pull out my sewing machine for this week's challenge!

I did some straight and zig-zag sewing and I just love how much it adds to the card! I used some bits and pieces of MME paper that I had, a stamp from Stamping Bella, Copic markers, and ribbon, button, twine and decorative pin from my stash. The cardstock is Prism and Bazzill. Thanks for a great challenge Avril!

Now ladies, dust off your sewing machine or pull out your needle and thread and get stitching. Create something gorgeous - I know you can - and then post it over at Little Red Wagon. We would love to have you play along!

Pink Glove Dance

I am not normally one that likes to post YouTube videos on my blog, but when I saw this one I decided to share it. When I first saw it, I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found myself smiling and crying at the same time. I thought of all my close friends and relatives that have fought breast cancer, especially my Aunt Ilene who is currently undergoing treatment, and my heart was touched. I applaud the millions of medical personnel who tirelessly care for our loved ones and those who diligently search for a cure.



Let's never give up hope of finding a cure!

Little Red Wagon Challenge #6

This week's challenge at Little Red Wagon was issued by Carolyn. She posted this photo as inspiration for our creation.

I loved the colors but I have to admit, it took me a while before I came up with an idea.

Based on the swirls and colors in the photo, I decided to make a swirl tree using my Cricut. Then I picked up on the blue by using this gorgeous paper from MME for my background. I added the ornaments by printing words on my computer and backed them using a new punch by Martha Stewart. Then I added a border across the bottom and for a finishing touch, I added some gold bling.

Thanks for a great challenge Carolyn!

Our Guest Room

I love when my family comes for a visit. Since they all live out of town, it always involves an overnight stay. Sometimes I envy people who live in the same area as their family, where visits don't involve the planning and traveling that it takes when you live far apart. On the other hand, it is wonderful to anticipate seeing each other after a length of time, and once you are together, you can enjoy each others company well into the night if you wish, without the worry of having to drive home.

My sister and nieces will be arriving on Friday for the weekend and I am really looking forward to seeing them. In anticipation of their arrival, I have been preparing our guest room. It is not a large or fancy room, but it has some special touches that make it warm and comfortable.

The colors are a soft blue and taupe with just a hint of pink. A nice soothing combination.

I have also added a couple of special pieces that I just love. This little iron bird bath is one of my favorites! Purchased in St. Jacobs, it sits atop an antique secretary desk - the first piece of furniture I bought on my own when I was still living at home before I got married.

Another favorite is my little painted chair. It was originally owned by my husband's parents and it used to be painted brown. One summer, I decided that a nice coat of white paint would look perfect on it. It has worn a little as it often spends time on our front porch, but in the winter months, I love to bring it inside. It now has a special place in our guest room.

I am really looking forward to visiting with Mary and her girls. I am looking forward to some girl time, late night talks, shopping at the Mercantile, trying a new recipe for dinner, renting a good movie, and sharing a Christmas Tea. Safe travels Mary, the door is open...

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

With Christmas all around us, it is the perfect time to create a Christmas themed page. Karan posted a beautiful sketch on the Forum at Two Scrapbook Friends and I decided to use it to design a page for my album.

'Twas the night before Christmas was created using my favorite seasonal line this year, My Minds Eye. I adore the rich colors and I especially love the plaid!

I combined it with chipboard from My Little Yellow Bicycle (gorgeous!), some twine and brads from my stash. I also used my Tiny Attacher from Tim Holtz to hold my paper ruffle and title in place. It is such a cool tool!

My finishing touch was lots of Vintage Photo Distress Ink! It felt good to create a page (I haven't done one for a while) and I just love how it turned out. If you want to give the sketch a try, just go to the Forum and you will find the sketch under Design Team Challenges. I would love to see your finished page!

Thanks for looking ♥