...oh christmas tree

Well...yestrday was a successful day for putting the tree together. Hadley helped out with all the non-breakable ornaments. Of course I had to move a few of them so that they were not all clumped along the bottom. Then when Ab came home she helped out with the glass balls..and once again I had to unclump some;)(but her's we all up high) it must be a kid thing. So the tree is about 90% finished. We just have to get some of the special "annual" ornaments up. So all that is left is the stand alone type decrations to go up. I think I will go through those next week once I am done the craft show. I really need to fiish up some of my painitngs and get some of them framed up. I will try and post a few more of my finished designs up here soon. I also have a few already commissioned that I hope to get done by next week.

ok so here is our tree for this year. It is full with nothing but pink and chartreuse green ornaments. Oddly enough it does not look too bad against my red furniture..I actually kind of like it.....it will definitley be a tight squeeze in there christmas morning though...that is one thing I miss with the old house...the big wide open space(but that is all I miss:) ).

....when you can't beat them...JOIN them:)

Well mother nature has turned everything white here and blessed us with another taste of winter. I guess it is time to face the truths...winter is definitely on it's way. And instead of fighting with it, Hadley and I tried to embrace it. As soon as she saw the gigantic snowflakes(no word of a lie..I have never sen them so big)falling outside, she was begging to go out. So off we bundled up and faced the elements. With the snow being so wet and heavy, it was perfect snowman snow. So here is our first snowman off the season.


It was actually quite tolerable out there except for becoming totally soaked from the wet snow. Once our man was done we headed straight inside for a nice cup of cocoa and marshmallows. I am sure once Ab comes home and see's what we made she will be wanting to be outside and building another.

I had John bring up the christmas tree last night and I put it together this morning. I totally forgot how huge the tree was. And now that it is in the living room I am just seeing how big it really is. I am trying to figure out how to place my furniture to make room for it. I have to have the tree sit in front of the front window so that one..it is in the cathedral part of the ceiling(since it is a 7 1/2 foot tree and we have 8' ceilings elsewhere) and two..it will just look beautiful in the large front window. I think come christmas morning with all the presents under the tree, we will have no room for anyone in the room..lol. I am still trying to move all the needles to make it nice and full, but I had to take a break because my arms are all scratched up(I really thought with an artifical tree I would no longer have that problem..but suprise...it is the same as a real tree)I am hoping to start getting some f the decorations on it, but we will see how that ges with Hadley around:) I will post pics as soon as it is done.

UGHHH!!!!!!!!

SO I am such the biggest dumb @ss around!!! I busted my butt all day trying to get a damn layout done for the last week challenge...which was no easy task with Hadley being a little devil today and then having to get dinner ready, Ab off to guides and then back home to get Hadley to bed. Well I did finally finish it and ran up stairs to quickly photograph it so that I could post it before the 10pm deadline. Well I am late...a good 22 hours late. Yup it was due on Wed.... Just like every other week. But with John gone and me a little bit sick and just having a crazy life with the girls because it is just me at home...well I totally got my weekdays all mixed up and missed the deadline. I cannot believe I did that..I do not ever remember being this scatter brained. With this lo I could have well been in the top ten(which there were prizes given out to the top 10) anyways here is what I did(sorry photo sucks...not much great light and well I was rushed. Now I will wait for Ab to get home watch a little Grey's and then read my new book that I just picked up tonight. Nothing beats reading about hot sexy vampires:)

...anyone see

where my voice went?? Ugh. I awoke this morning with it quickly dissappearing. I am sure by tonight I will have nothing since I am straining to speak now. And of course Hadley keeps on asking me questions. Abigail just asked me if I felt sick..I said no not really..and she says oh..I thought maybe I should stay home to help you since you lost your voice..LOL...I quickly told her, no I need the peace and quiet(well as much as I get with a 3 yo around) and she needs to go to school. Of course this must happen though when John is gone....the girls will be loving it...this morning has actually been pretty good(knock on wood) Abigail got up on her own, made herself and Hadley breakfast and helped with her lunch. Now I just have to try and get her out the door to catch the bus. Of course tonight is a busy night with trying to get them fed, homework done and then Ab off to guides...let`s hope that goes well.

So I could not wait any longer..I had to start putting up some christmas decorations. I got out all the garland stuff and put it up. It was fun trying to think of where I would put it. I have some on the stairs, buffets and on the fireplace in the family room. I still have to finish putting some of the decorations in it, but I think it already looks good. I am thinking maybe on Sunday I will have John bring up the tree..and then I can slowly work at it. I love decorating for christmas.

I have to try and scrap today. This is the last week of the contest I am in, and even though I know there is no possible way of winning it, I just cannot give up. I do not want to be a quitter. So this weeks challenge was to use something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue(and you can not scrap weeding photo`s)So I think I will try and sneak down to my room this morning and quickly do a layout up...it is due tonight.

Just want to shout out at how well Hadley is doing in her potty training. She is now going and doing it on her own...she does not want mom`s help(thank god...because man...it was like she was going every 15 mins..lol...I would just start doing something and then I would be called to duty :) ) Now if we could only deal with the nightime wetting...she is now waking in the morning soaked...ahh one thing at a time I guess.

...this and that

So I am now on my own for the rest of the week. John is off in Toronto for work until friday night. I say to him that he will have a nice holiday away and he tries to disagree saying it will be stressful trying to get his point across and such....I say whatever...he will have no children to break up with all their fighting and screaming, no meals to make, no fighting to get a certain someone out of bed and dressed and out the door for school. He has no one to worry about but himself. Thankfully the time will pass by here quick with having to do all the kids activities and such...

Hadley is making everyone proud in the house. She has been using the potty for the past week. We have had a few accidents...with most of them being at other peope's houses..I think she must not feel as comfortable in other enviroments just yet. We have been taking her out of the house though with no pull-ups...we just make sure she goes before we leave. She is so happy to know that everyone is so proud of her. I am actually going to try adn take her to her craft class tommorrow "sans pull-ups" :) Let's hope that goes well. Then the next big step will be staying dry at night time...I doubt that will happen for quite sometime.

Well I was able to create another layout toady(well I started it last night). I saw this digital lo that looked like it was all watercoloured and I loved it, so I tried to recreate it with papaer. I hand drew my letters and little pictures, then watercoloured it in and outlined with black pen. I then hand cut it all out. The photo itself sucks..but I wanted to scrap the story anyways. SO this is the end result...I am quite pleased with it..love the "cutesy" look to it.

some scrappy goodness

So I was able to do a little bit of scrapping done yesterday morning. I was able to get these 2 layouts done(with super old photos) and almost finish up my mini album from the girls "asian" weekend. I still have the little pul out pages to complete..but atleast a good chunk of the album is finished! Now hopefully this week I can perhaps work on my dec daily album(the Ali edwards one) where you pre make the album and then just add the photo's as the days go by. I have tons of christmas papers from years past to do this up so supplies definitely will not be an issue:)

..looking like christmas

..no not at my house just yet...though I did go out and buy 2 potted christams trees that light up and stand on either side of the front door...and that is where they proudly sit right now. And so they were not lonely I did go and hang a wreath on the front door also. But my decorations no where near meet these standards...http://www.holdman.com/christmas/video.asp ...check it out..can you imagine how long it would take to do this...do you think I can talk John into hanging our lights like that..lol..we would need to buy a few more strings;) Can you image your electic bill for the season...wowzers...very pretty though!!!

Hadley strikes again

well she has once again gotten to my scrap stuff. Last week it was 3 bottles of alcohol inks. This morning it was a full pack of acrylic and watercolours and several bottles of peeboo glitter(new as of yesterday I might add). The baby gate no longer keeps her out of the room. Worst also was AB was downstairs and saw her do it, and then joined Hadley in doing some painting. I wanted to kill the two of them. John sternly tells me I should not keep the stuff out(so I guess it should be all boxed up and I just do not use it....grrrrr)..he is lucky he is alive...he is suppose to be getting me a door...which I figure it will be up to me to do or I will soon be out of scrap supplies. Well just for that I am going shopping today and buying some christmas decoration stuff that i want and he DOES not want..i think I deserve it:) plus it will look really nice out at our front door. Well off for now..need to go find some strength to face my children.

...a wee bummed

so I did not do too hot in the point standings for this weeks competition. I only got 3 points where the top points given out were 21. I actually got better points for some of my first layouts...go figure. I guess my creativity was not as great as I thought it was:( Oh well tommorrow is another day, and tonight I will wallow in my sorrow and eat some yummy chocolate...LOL.

I have been creating up a storm though and making more of those little art pieces. I am hoping to sell some at a craft fair in a couple of weeks. Even if they were not that well liked over in the competition, I am sure having a fun time making them. I did up some skull ones for Ab's room..since she is all into the "punk rock" look. And I made a ton of whimsical ones of dinosaurs, robots, owls, more fairies,mermaid and littel frog. I think it is just so relaxing to sit and paint them(as long as Hadley is not trying to get ahold of my paints). I think I may even try and scrap(for me...and not some silly ol competition...it has been a while since I did that).

Ok. so I must show you this. Go check out this girl's scrap room. Can you say someone is rolling in the money, or if not they are in serious debt. I think she has more cupboards in that room then I do in my kitchen...and granite counters...wee bit envious here..hell I would like those counters for my kitchen. She just built this house, and if you see other posts of the house and the yard your eyes would bulge out....her dh put in a gymnasium, so I guess it is only fair she gets a scrap room right? okay now I must go put away that little ol green eyed monster;)

http://frommyfeatherednest.blogspot.com/

okay now off to wallow...night all!

....dancing fairies

So my challenge for week 4 was to create a gift. I racked my brain forever on this one, and then it just came clear as day on Monday night to me. I was going to do a series of art pieces that can be hung in Hadley's room. I went with the fairies since she has that and flowers in her room already. I painted them on vintage book pages by using water colours and acrylic paint...then did oen work. I cut out the wings from a hambly transparency. I used rub-ons, transparecies, bling, ghost shapes, twinkling h2o's to embellish. It was all put in a shadow box frame to help with the dimension of the pieces. I am really happy how they turned out. My brain is now spinning with other ideas in doing more of these.

It has been a hectic time here in the house. We are trying to potty train Hadley. She is doing ok...but has had a few accidents. She is no longer afraid to go on the big toilet...as long as mom helps her up and such. It is so funny though...once she gets on, I must leave her so she can pee:) Hoping by the end of the week she will have a good grasp on this. Well I had lots I wanted to talk about, but now have no clue what it is...lol...I am soo tired. I am off to check the competition in the challenge gallery and then off to bed!

So very excited!!!

Check this out!!! Bad girls is hosting a christmas workshop from Nov 15-21. All classes are FREE and there will be 22 of them. And that is not all, there will be lots of prizes and challenges also, Now how cool is that! I cannot wait to see all the goodies to do. I am counting the days.

challenge #3

This weeks challenge was an Ad one...we had a choice of 3 to choose from. I was not really feeling the challenge this week. I quickly did this lo last night after dinner(it had to be uploaded by 10pm), so not loving it ...but it is finished...I could not bare not finishing the challenge..I had to do something. Not much else to chat about. I am busy trying to get the house cleaned up and such for a girls night with my bestest gals. I am so excited because we are doing an asian themed night, decorations, food, drinks all asian. I need to make out my shopping list today so that John can go pick up groceries for me..so I can make up some of my yummy dishes. Of course we will also be doing a wee bit of scrapping. I have a challenge up my sleeve that I would like to try...and a little something to alter. Well must run and start the day!

....a little disco fever!

As promised, here are a few photos from Saturday night. All I have to say is thank god I did not live my adult years in that era. The jumper I wore did nothing for my body shape..lol...it truly felt like I was wearing some sort of maternity outfit with how much room was in my stomach area. No pant suit should have an empire waist:) Now, how do youlike my husbands "chops"....LOL
He suprised me with his new facial hair look after getting out of the shower. He kept it a secret from me, until he did it. Probably because he knew my feelings on that look(a few weeks ago we saw the tv show life on mars, and one guy had some massive chops with my opinion being eeewwww..lol) I ended up calling him chops all night:) Of course all the guys at the party thought it was great...they were saying if you are going to do it you have to go all out. I dared him to wear them like that to work today, but he did trim it out so it was not as noticable as he lets his goatee grow back in. I will hopefully have some more pics to show later(hoping to get the ones from the neighbours). It was definitely a fun time to be had...must have been if I am still moving a little slow today..lol...

...praying to the gods!!!

..porcelain gods that is. I am sooo hurting today that it is not even funny. I have just finally been able to come down stairs and try some food. I really wished I had the iv supplies and hook myself up to a bannana bag(iv fluid with all the electrolytes and such) and perhaps give myself a shot of gravol while at it. I was finally able to keep down my third attempt of Tylenol(which was not until 3 ish this afternoon). I truly cannot remember the last time I felt like this, but I do know I will be making sure it will not happen again anytime soon. Tequila was definitely not my friend..lol. On a good note I did have a blast last night...especially with one of my neighbours..she was an absolute hoot! I will try and post some photos of our wild disco night tommorrow sometime. Just no energy to do it tonight. I finally went and read my week 3 challenge. It is an ad inspired one. I think I know what I might do for it..will have to try and think more about it later.

..all hallow's eve

So I am a wee bit peeved..I had a long post all done and filled with photo's and then my IE stopped working...grr...so here is a quick post...no time to do the lengthy one. So our Halloween started out with watching the school parade which is a tradition which goes back as far as I can remeber(meaning since I was in kindergarten) All the kids in the school dress up and then walk through the town for everyone to see. I had to post this first picture...when we were schouting our spot for the parade we saw this house. Now when did snowmen become Halloween decorations...LOL. Ab loved watching the parad but wanted to go with AB and her friend Christina..she did not understand that they were still in school. Then the eveining was a big hurry(as every halloween) with eating, finish decorations and getting dressed up. We all went out and left candy for the kids on the front porch..only kids around our area were the ones on our street(6 total with my girls) It was good though because everyone on the street had candy to give. Ab was a vampire, Hadley and I a witch and John a pirate. We went out with our next door neighbours and then met up with AB's friend Christina. The night was beautiful and the kids had fun. Hadley totally gets halloween this year. She awok this morning demanding candy and trying to find the stash...this is one thing I hate about Halloween. John and I go out tonight to a disco themed party next door. I will have photos for sure of us, since I have none of us from last night.

SO I found out from one of our neighbours that we share the neighbourhood with a wolf. Last sunday they had one visiting them in their driveway. They had a party the night before and it must have been sniffing around. I will have to kkepp my eyes open since Ab likes to go play in the undeveloped area(where they must be) and of course with the dog. Hmmm I thought with living in town I would not have to worry about this....

Anyways must run..busy day ahead.