A Colourful Life

Assembly Line Stamping & the Dollar Store!

I've started a yearly tradition: assembly line stamping!  Every year as I get ready for the holidays, my stamping style turns into factory mode.  I have so many people on my list who expect the same thing every year: a set of handmade cards!  I usually give everyone the same thing - a set of 8 handstamped cards.  This gift is a staple and one that is expected and valued more than anything I could buy at the store.  It is inexpensive for me to give, but expensive timewise.  It takes a lot of time to make the hundreds of cards for everyone who is expecting them -- I give all my sisters and my kazillion girlfriends this gift for Christmas every year.  They love it.  See below how the pieces to one card start off as.....

 

To save time, I make cards I've designed throughout the year for my classes.  This eliminates the designing part of the creative process as I'm just remaking previously taught cards.  For this card, I used the direct to rubber technique for coloring in the stamp.  Simply take a marker and colour in each parts of the stamp image in the colour you want....then stamp it.  So easy and people always ask, "how'd you get the different colours on one stamp???" ....(note: see how stained the wood is on my stamp.....that's how much I use my stamps....I always thought a stained stamp is a well loved  stamp!)

 

And this is the final card:

 

I made 30 of these last night.  Tonight I make 30 more of another design.  My hand is already tired just thinking of it.....

I was at the dollar store a couple of days ago and see what I found!

 

A calculator and ruler in one!  Just for $1!  And this one didn't even need batteries cause it's solar powered.  I was so excited.....further proof that as I get older, it really doesn't take much to excite me.  Aaaahhhhh....the benefits of age.

Have a good weekend everyone!
   

Fall, Cell phones and caffeine.

FALL: Fall has taken hold of Vancouver.  I love the way the leaves turn to many different shades of orange and brown this time of year.  I love the sound of the screaming kids when I drive by the school playground -- there is nothing that makes me smile instantly more than the sight of kids in a playground.  It reminds me of when I was a kid....and somedays, don't we all wish we were kids again?   

CELL PHONES:  Okay....when I'm at work I turn my cell phone to vibrate.  This way if I'm with a customer the ringing will not disturb us and I am still alerted to an incoming call, just in case it's one of the kids with an emergency.  But I've had the phone on vibrate for so long now that even when there is no one calling, I keep imagining that it is vibrating.  Why???  I'm constantly pulling my phone out of my pocket to see who it is that's calling only to see that there really is no one!  I think they should have a new ringtone that is slightly stronger than vibrate .... for people like me who have lost the ability to discern between a vibrating phone and non vibrating phone.   Perhaps a new option like electric shock or mild taser????

CAFFEINE:  About a month ago, I decided I would try to cut back on my coffee and drink a bit more green tea, or some kind of herbal tea. I even bought the disposable tea sacs and filter sticks to make my own tea from tea leaves at home.

Doug also started drinking the tea with me.  I'm still at it.....but I have to admit, nothing beats good ol' caffeine.  I limit myself to just one coffee a day now which is pretty good.  I'm not really enjoying the green tea -- I think it's an acquired taste....like lamb...who eats lamb????  So I drink the green tea, but prefer the other herbal teas like pomegranate, strawberry, etc. 

I have started making some of my craft items that I will be selling at my upcoming craft fair.  Last night I made Christmas ornaments.

 

There are fun and easy to make.  You start with a clear ornament -- they come in many different shapes, but I prefer these round, flat ones.  Don't these look cool? The snowflake is stamped using Stazon ink and I also added some glitter....you can see the glitter better here:

 

Today is Sunday....and I am usually off today, but today I have to work to make up for some extra days off I took last week with my calf injury.  Wish I could stay home and craft some more!
 

The Turkey was Stuffed....and so were we....

There is only one word to describe this past weekend.  Delicious!  We were lucky enough to enjoy 2 thanksgiving meals, the first one on Sunday with my family and the second one today with Doug's family.  That means double the fun and double the calories. 

 
This was lunch at my sister's home yesterday.  We had a wonderful turkey meal with mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy -- the works.  Then we had a strawberry mango pie, almond cake and ice cream for dessert. 

 
And this was today's lunch at Doug's brother's home -- we had ham, stuffing, pasta, yams and salad.  So good!  I was truly spoiled this year, not having to cook a single thing and enjoying two thanksgiving meals!  

Having said all that....it is back to work tomorrow and I am in for a killer week at work as we gear up for the B.C. Creative Expo next weekend.  It's gonna be a hectic 7 days coming up.....hope I don't get sick.  Everyone I know seems to be coming down with some form of the flu and just this afternoon we were told that my nephew had to be taken to the hospital with pneumonia.  He is home again now, but he needs to rest and take it easy this week.  

I've also returned to the gym after a couple of weeks of being sidelined with a grade 2 calf strain.  I am back working out with my trainer again, but only doing upper body and ab work.  My leg still needs a bit more healing time.  I have also had to limit my cardio on the treadmill and elliptical and that is driving me crazy.  

For those of you that have been waiting for more card kits, please check out my kit blog here.   There's a new kit available now....but I have limited supplies, so if you would like a kit, please don't take too long to contact me! 

Here's a sneek peak!

 

 

Canadian Thanksgiving

This weekend we celebrate Thanksgiving.   With my family in the Philippines struggling to rebuild their lives after typhoon Ketsana hit, and knowing that any number of them could have lost their lives, there is a lot for my family to be thankful for.  Material things can be replaced, but the presence of those you love is irreplaceable.  Read about my family  here -- our local paper had a feature article about them, contributed by my nephew Marty.  The picture featured is one of my uncle, taken in front of his home.  I want to thank my friends who have generously reached out to me by donating clothing and money which we have sent back home to help in the daunting task of rebuilding.  On a personal level, I am thankful for my immediate family, for Doug, Jordan and Alyssa who fill my everyday with laughter and much love.  We will be celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow at my sister's home.  We usually have all our kids take a turn at saying what they are thankful for, before we eat lunch.  I treasure this time of year as it really brings home the true meaning of family.  I'll post pics.

I have this entire weekend off -- it will be a busy one, with Alyssa's dance schedule and with Jordan coming home to spend the weekend with us.  This morning I got up early to create some baby cards that my friend Janet had requested.

 

These are square cards.  The little gems I used come in packages shaped like litle flowers, but I pulled the gems off and used them seperately.  I like this cause the gems are all different sizes!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!   I hope you have lots to be thankful for.  Don't forget to hug the people you love today...hug them everyday!
 
 

Rain, Rain Go Away.....

What an awfully wet 2 days we've had.  On Tuesday, the rain fell hard and in Granville Island where I work, small marble sized hail fell as well.  Today was also a rainy day and thankfully I have a parking pass that allows me to park anywhere on the island, so I didn't have to walk far to get inside the building I work in.  October is here, people!!  Goodbye summer....!  But the fall also brings good things....like the leaves turning colour (so pretty!), Thanksgiving (turkey with all the trimmings, yum!), and November.  Why November???  Cause it is my  birthday month!   I am always thankful when my birthday comes around....it means I've lived another year, healthy, happy and with my family who I love!  There is nothing more important to me than family.

It's been busy at our house.  October and November will be heavy travel months for Doug who will be travelling to Italy and Japan for work, aside from the usual regular trips to Montreal, Toronto and Calgary.  When the kids were younger, these trips were tough on me, but now that both kids are older, and with Jordan being out of the house and on his own, it is much easier.  It doesn't remove the fact that I miss Doug when he's away, but it is so much easier than before.  It's a fact of his job and in this economy, a job is a good thing!

School is coming along for both kids.  Jordan wrote a couple of midterms this week -- for Chemistry and an English essay which he says he is confident he did well at.  He studies like a madman.  I sometimes wonder if this kid is really mine!!?    He works so hard at school.  I am a lucky mama!  Alyssa is also doing good, but needs a bit more prodding from me.  Today I got a phone call from her as she was getting a ride home from a friend.  She said to me a) she left the house keys in her  locker at school and b) she burned her hand in foods class.   So she had to go home to her friend's house till Doug could pick her up after work and I checked her burn when I got home.  It wasn't too bad, but I had to talk to her about making sure she tells her teacher about ANYTHING that happens like this in class, cause she told no one....she simply ran her hand under cold water then carried on with her day.  I told her she MUST always tell the teacher about any accident in the future.  So now she knows.  All is good, though. 

My family back in Manila are all doing okay...trying to get everything cleaned up after the flood.  We still worry for them and continue to send help and pray for more good news, rather than bad amidst the threat of yet another storm on its way as I type this.  Please pray for everyone there and for all others in other parts of the world who have been struck by the recent disasters including the tsunami in Samoa.  Too much bad news.....let's hope for some good news soon!

I have received emails from people about the card I posted a couple of posts prior to this that revealed a gift card inside.  I have redone this card as I wasn't too pleased with it to begin with and here is the new revamped version.

 

 

To get on my email list for future classes taught out of my studio and to learn about my card kits, send me an email by clicking on the "email me" link on the left sidebar.  

Have a good and safe weekend everyone!