Thursday, February 28, 2013

We're back!

So, we are back from a Fantastic trip to the Canadian Rockies, more specifically Banff, Alberta. Oh how I love the mountains and can't wait to go back! Although I scheduled a few posts, I have not been visiting and look forward to catching up with you this weekend.

We started our journey very early on a Saturday morning and by late afternoon, we were riding up the gondola to get to Sunshine Mountain Village. Here are hubby and Chester...


Doodlepants did NOT like the gondola! The rest of us thought it was way cool! Awesome view!
Chester hitting the powdery Sunshine slopes!
Moi avec Chester



When you reach the top of "The Great Divide" lift, you are in a wide open space at the top of the mountain. It was snowing so much, that it was white-out conditions. The only way to make it down safely is to follow the coloured markers!
When riding the same chair, you actually "cross the boarder" into British Columbia and back again - two poles later, the sign reads "Welcome Back to Sunny Alberta!" lol



Here we are at the top of the Mt. Standish lift. Poor Doodlepants! The heights and speed of the lifts were too much for him and he had a lot of anxiety. He skiied only a bit on one day and we had to adjust our plans accordingly. We ended up trading off and either myself or hubby skiied with our daredevil Chester. Glad I got these pics when I did!



Doodlepants at Sunshine - I love these red snowpants, easy to keep track of him on the slopes!!! (and he wanted them, lol!)


Chester at Sunshine - oh this boy is a true skier! It was all we could do to get him off the hill long enough to get some food into him and he was off again - not an easy task to keep up with this boy!


The reason I was going to Banff in the first place was to attend a CNIB Professional Development conference. I went early, stayed late and brought the whole family. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to bring the boys to the mountains for their first time.This was the view we had!!! We were staying at the Banff Centre - fantastic service and facilities!


I will likely share another post or two of photos before I get back to the regularly scheduled program. We are busy unpacking, adjusting to the change in time zone (only two hours, but still, it's kicking our butts!), doing laundry and just plain getting back to reality!

Cheers,
Shanna :)

Saturday, February 23, 2013

brown eyed boy








I had some fun with this layout of Doodlepants! The patterned paper had some "splotches" on it, so I decided the whole layout needed some and got out the paint! Super fun! Oh and I got out the washi tape again! lol

Thanks for visiting!
Shanna :)

Thursday, February 21, 2013

CAS music

Here's a quickie I had made for a challenge at Less is More, but missed the deadline. Oh well! Would maybe make a nice notecard.

Have a fabulous day!
Shanna :)

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Got mail?


Planning to send some postcard, so we scrolled addresses right into the book and added the stamps in a pocket. Easy access! This journal is serving as my planner as well! Perfect!
Cheers,
Shanna :)

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Smashing stuff

A pocket page stuffed full of reservations etc. to keep us organized on our trip. The one on the right contains coupons.

Cheers,
Shanna :)

Friday, February 15, 2013

We can't wait - SMASH


Another page in our travel journal.
Had some fun with Tim Holtz tissue tape and "made" some ribbon for my tags by sticking the sticky sides together, love this idea. I first saw it done last time I got together to scrap with the girls and Stephanie was making this amazing tag using all of Tim's stuff. Thanks for the inspiration Steph!

Thanks for stopping by!
Shanna :)

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Wish


Hey there!

Thanks for stopping by. Today's card is for Shopping Our Stash - They say it's your birthday!. Everything on this card is old - including the stamps! I had these brackets out several weeks ago and decided to give it another go with a different colour scheme and sentiment. Really should make a few more of these for the stash.


Cheers,
Shan :)

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Travel Journal cont'd

 This is so much fun!!! Here are the next few pages of my Smash travel journal. 






So fun to use stickers and stamps and have pages come together really quickly! After all, some of these pages are just prep for journalling or ready to have stuff like ticket stubs and photos stuck into them. Keeping it simple peeps - and lovin' the process! 



I got these pages plus one more two page spread done last night! There is something that needs to be added to it before I share it though.



Cheers,
Shanna :)

Monday, February 11, 2013

Smashing Travel Journal

Okay, so I've decided to do a travel journal of our upcoming trip to Banff, Alberta! My boys (hubby included) are super excited - they have never seen the mountains and we are going to SKI in the mountains! I do have to work a few days while there as the reason we are going in the first place is that I am attending a conference/professional development, but I'm certainly not complaining since we are going to get to SKI in the mountains - did I say we get to ski? Confession - I am totally pumped about this opportunity too! I skied growing up but never at a big resort and never in the mountains, so this is BIG! And...super...cool!!!

When I wrote notes to the boy's teachers about their upcoming absence from school, my youngest was asked to keep a travel journal as part of his homework. Gee, I thought, that could be FUN!!! Hmmm, maybe one of my SMASH books would make this really fun! Then I got thinking of all the fantastic, quick and FUN travel journals I've seen over at Lauren's Bergold's blog ...all the GOOD blog names were taken and I thought, yep I can do that!



So having had some prompting, I decided to just get started. I am trying really hard to just DO IT and not over think it which slows me down and keeps me from doing projects like this. I apologize for the quality of the photos, but I was out of daylight and wanted to do a post.

Here is my quick and straight forward first page. I have ideas in my head for the next few, but the most important part will be to have everyone write some stuff in it while away. I am going to add a few prompts before we leave so that if we have time waiting here and there we can pull it out and add. Doesn't it sound like a FUN way to get your homework done while travelling? 

I think this Smash business is going to be a great way to use supplies, ie. stickers, with abandon and without thinking so hard. It was a bit hard to get started, but once I did, it was really fun! No right or wrong, who cares if it is all matchy, matchy? And yes, I did cut up a real map to make this, but only because I had one that had sat in our garage a few years and was wrinkled and torn. I had used part of it to wrap up a teacher's gift creatively awhile back, but happened to still have the Western Canada section - glad I kept it, lol!



Better run, hubby took boys out to dinner to give me some quiet - maybe I can get my next page done before they get back!

Hope you've had a great start to your week! As for me, I'm just glad the work day is over. It was one of those super busy, rather stressful ones, so I was glad to see the end of it.

Thanks for visiting!
Shanna :)

p.s. If anyone has advice about what we MUST see in Banff or what we can skip, I'd love to hear it. Would also love recommendations for family friendly restaurants that won't cost two arms and both legs. Thanks!

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Polkadot Birthday

Just a real quick post today as we are heading to the ski hill! The temp is about -6 perfect!


I made this quick card awhile back with some scraps that were out on my scrap table. Another bday card for the stash.

Hope you're having a great weekend so far!
Shanna :)

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Graham's February page

 February is here and here is the February page for my nephew's Album of his first year. If you are interested in knowing more about the project, click here for an explanation as well as the January page. You can find the other pages from his album by searching "Graham's baby album".


 I unearthed this fabulous Bo Bunny line to use for the month of February. I loved using it every bit as much as when I first bought it some eight or so years ago. I am not sure exactly how old it is, but it has been around some time and I still love it. I also had some fun with felt, cutting out simple hearts to create a boarder along the bottom of the photo page. The left side certainly looks pretty basic and plain at the moment, but I think it will look great once it is filled up with photos of my handsome and adorable nephew!


I would like to share at:
Inspired By - inspiration photo
I incorporated lots of hearts as well as some stitching.

Mum's Craft Shop - Valentine's/Love


Thanks so much for visiting!

Shanna :)
p.s. Hey Lil' Sis - can't wait to see you so I can give you all his new pages! Looking forward to our visit in March!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

You + Me

Here is another Valentine for you. Once again, I have used the scrummy "Love Letters" Collection from Bo Bunny and a fab sketch from a couple weeks ago at Freshly Made. LOVE the sketch and these papers so much!


And a peek at the inside:

Here is the photo for the Tuesday Trigger over at Moxie Fab world. I incorporated the flower, the pink and blue, the hearts and hopefully the vintage feel.


I have already shared this idea for re-purposing your Starbuck's sleeves, but I am so excited about it, I'm gonna say it again - here is a photo to show just what I was up to. I have been saving the sleeves from my Starbuck's treats for quite awhile now, convinced that there is something I can use them for. Well, I've found at least one use!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers: Bo Bunny Love Letters
stamps: CTMH Whoo's your Valentine?
felt flower - SU
Starbuck's cup sleeves

Monday, February 4, 2013

Once I fell in love. With a roll of tape.

 Hello Monday!



I don't usually like Mondays much, but today is an exception. Although I had to go out early (in -36 degree weather!) to take the boys to the dentist, I did have today off and I found time to finish this card amongst the other household duties on the list for today. Sounds like not a bad Monday to me!

Okay - so I couldn't decide to add the sentiment or not...please help! I like it on, but it hides my green washi tape peeking out from under my image - what do you think?



I just had to get this card made - the idea for it has been in my head ever since I saw the challenge to Use 10 embellishments in the Moxie Fab World. The deadline is tonight, so I had to get a move on! The idea is that Washi girl is surrounded by all of her fun embellishments, trying to decide what to use, kinda like me! ;)

I used:
3 kinds of washi tape
baker's twine
2 colours of brads
mini pearls
ribbon
flower
and buttons




My card is also for the current challenge at Saturated Canary - a colour challenge. I've been wanting to colour up Washi girl for awhile now - she has to be one of my favourites! I had a bit of a hard time with the colour combo at first, but once I got going, I discovered that I quite like it!

saturated canary digi

Last but not least, I have once again used the fabulous sketch from The Sweet Stop! I will for sure be using this one again and again! I love making those little banners with my washi tape!

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Shanna :)

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Live the life you've imagined

Happy Saturday!

I've had some fun playing with my washi tape and my Starbuck's corrugated cardboard sleeves again! I saw the idea to use washi tape to make a banner or bunting over at Love my tapes a little bit ago and just had to try it out. Throw in some fab Tim Holtz stamps and voila - here is the result.




I would like to share at the following challenges:
Cute Card Thursday - corners
Simon Says Stamp - anything goes
and
The Sweet Stop - a fab sketch - I may have strayed slightly but I love this sketch and will definitely be using it again!



Well, we were supposed to ski today.....the temp is currently -26 and reads -36 with the wind chill! Hmmm, unless is warms up significantly, I don't think we will be hitting the slopes!

Have a fabulous weekend!
Shanna :)

What I used:
papers: Basic Grey
stamps: Tim Holtz & MME "laundry line" (bracket)
washi tape - MME (I think)
Starbuck's corrugated cardboard sleeves
MME baker's twine

Friday, February 1, 2013

Do not open

Happy Friday! TGIF - it has been a short week, but a really LONG week, kwim? Yep, it was one of those! So glad it is Friday! Thanks for all your well wishes. I am still lacking a bit in the energy department, but starting to perk up. Went to bed WAY early last night, extra sleep is always a good thing!


Today's card is for Merry Monday at Always Playing with paper. This week, it's a BINGO challenge. I went straight across the bottom and included: ribbon, patterned paper and the colours red & white.

Once I had the card finished, I couldn't resist playing a little more with those fun brackets, so I pulled out my tags and made up a few quick ones for next Christmas.

I would also like to share at Christmas Card Challenges.

Hoping to sneak in some time in my craft room this afternoon.
Thanks for stopping by!
Shanna :)