Okay, I figured out the pictures!!

Day Two - Amsterdam

So, day one was a write off - with the time change and long flight, we had just enough energy for a walk to the amazing library, had lunch on the 7th floor over looking the port and came back to our hotel, checked in and crashed.  We are at the Movenpick Hotel - just amazing.  They have an energy saving concept I have never heard of before - when swipe into your room, you insert your card in the electricity panel and that is how your lights turn on.  When you take your card out to leave, all electricity is cut off. Unique!

Anyway, today we took a walking tour of the city centre.  We saw some incredible architecture and learned a lot about Amsterdam.  There are many leaning buildings here - they are slowly sinking and shifting because they are built on sand.  I didn't realize how many canals there are here - I thought Venice was the canal capital but Amsterdam has over 100kms of canals.  We took a canal cruise this afternoon where was saw the city from another angle.  Lined up many of the canals are houseboats that are year-long homes to many residents.  After the cruise, we navigated the tram system and went to the Van Gogh museum where we saw the famous originals of Vincent, Edvard Munch and Paul Gaugin - fascinating.

Finished the day off with a nice steak dinner and a pitcher of Heineken - cheaper than coffee! :)  Back at our hotel, munching Tylenol and resting to start over again tomorrow.

Going on Vacation

So, we haven't been on holidays in a very long time and DH is dragging me kicking and screaming on a European River Cruise........(I know..........poor me!)  This should be interesting.  Since I'm not big on posting vacation pics on Facebook while away, I thought I would revive the blog to keep the family abreast of our daily travels. We start in Amsterdam and finish in Budapest - Viking, here we come!

Back after a long absence.....

I haven't blogged in a very long while.........a good friend has been battling cancer this year, hubby has had some serious health issues and we welcomed a new granddaughter into our hearts this fall. Have been perusing some blogs that are participating in the Magnolia Christmas Hop and ran across this awesome blog candy by Kylie. Thought this might be a good time to get back into posting. This candy closes on December 20th, so hop on over while there's time and take part. Kylie will inspire you with her creativity!

Happy Birthday Michelle!

My baby girl turns 32 tomorrow...........how the heck did THAT happen??  Enjoyed a nice lunch with her today and loved seeing her little 'baby bump' now evident - she and her wonderful husband are providing me with another grandchild later this year and I couldn't be more pleased!  Made her this little card and thought I would enter it into LOTV's Spring Challenge #90  It has a wonderful, sunny spring feel to it so I hope it qualifies.  Just recently purchased my first shipment of seven LOTV stamps and they are fabulous!!  (You notice I said 'first' shipment - I'm sure it won't be my last!!)  The weather is finally starting to warm up here in Southern Ontario and I'm hoping to get some yard work done tomorrow.  Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone!!

Angie's Awesome Candy!!!

Don't miss out on this one - Angie Hunt from Scrapgirl is offering the most amazing blog candy prize - If you want to learn to watercolor with distress inks, then this is the CANDY for you!!!  Angie is offering one free membership to her Distress Inks Class 1 on CMC Classroom.  Angie is an amazing talent and this is an awesome prize that I would JUST LOVE TO WIN!!!

Thanks so much Angie for offering this great prize! 

Jacque B. is celebrating and would like us all to join her!!!

The lovely and very talented Jacque has been selected to be part of the Design Team for Lili of the Valley. They obviously know what they're doing over there as we, who have all been witness to Jacque's amazing creations, can attest to!  The new collection is being released on January 11th, but in the meantime, Jacque is offering her own Sweet Stuff' in celebration of her exciting news, which will run until Sunday, January 9th!!

Also, in her typically 'sweet' way, Jacque is offering a Follower's Sweet Stuff prize as a thank you to all who have helped her in her own personal journey this past year.  Speaking for myself, this was VERY easy to do as we cheered from the sidelines for this wonderful and inspirational lady to successfully cross the finish line.  Jacque, YOU ROCK!!!  This sweet candy will be running until January 7th.

Simply, 'Let it Snow'

Put together a few of these easy-peasy little cards for my canine rescue group but forgot to put them in the box before mailing for the Kritter Kringle Sale in a couple of weeks.  Just as well.........they sure fit the Simon Says Stamp Challenge of 'Let it Snow' and the Christmas Stampin' All Year Long 'Anything Goes'  challenge!!  And now I have a few extras for my own use!   Now off to make a 30th Birthday card for my sweet daughter-in-law!  Have a terrific weekend!!

Gold & Silver Kisses

Ran across some pretty gold & silver Martha Stewart paper in my stash and thought this would be the perfect little Tilda to use with it, blowing Christmas kisses!  I am entering this card in the following challenges:

Inspiration Challenge at Magnolia-licious
Challenge #10 Glitz & Gold at Totally Tilda
Challenge #131 Anything Goes at A Spoonfull of Sugar
Punch Challenge at Magnolia Stamp Lovers
Fussy and Fancy Friday Challenge Christmas with no red or green

Whew!!  Christmas cards are almost finished.......time to get back to some scrapbooking!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Christmas Kitties

Have been doing up some simple cards for my animal rescue group HART and their Kristmas Kritter Sale and thought I would use the Friday Sketchers #129 for this one.  This is for all the cool cats out there looking for a warm home this winter. If you are considering a pet, think Rescue - it ROCKS!!!  I am also entering this little card in the following challenges:

Scrappy Frogs Christmas Card Challenge
Ellephantastic Red & Green Challenge
One Stop Craft Challenge Challenge #108 Christmas Cuties
Crafty Catz Weekly Challenge Challenge #60 Christmas
Crafty Sentiments Design Challenge #45 Christmas

Dancing Maggies

When this stamp came out, I knew I had to have it!  It just screamed 'joie de vivre', let's have fun and boogie down!!  When the Magnolia-licious Challenge blog started this month with a pink and yellow challenge, it gave me a perfect opportunity to put these two out there. This was a fun stamp to work with and I can think of multiple uses for it.  Thanks for stopping by and enjoy the rest of your weekend!!

Scrapping Retreat

Just got back from a wonderful weekend away with the girls at a scrapbook retreat in Niagara Falls, Ontario.  Michelle from Scrappin the Night Away did a wonderful job of organizing and hosting this event.  Great company, fabulous food, superlative accomodations and three days of scrapping made for a fun time.  While I was away, I came up with this little card to enter into Really Reasonable Ribbon's blue, white and silver Challenge #11 as well as the special monthly challenge at Just Magnolia which is 'Anything Goes'.  Got lots of cards done for my rescue group's Kris Kringle fundraiser next month, so all-in-all, it was a very rewarding weekend.  Have a wonderful week!

Think Pink!

This month, pink prevails!!  In honour of those stricken by breast cancer and those who have fought and won the battle, we wear pink as a symbol of hope and awareness.  Like many of you, I have followed the progress of the super-talented Jacque this past year as she has struggled determinedly to win this race and was proud to be cheering her across the finish line.  She has been an inspiration to many and we all love her for it.
This week at Just Magnolia the challenge is 'Think Pink" to increase Breast Cancer Awareness.  I have created this little card with this challenge in mind, as well as the sketch by none other than Jacque herself at Friday Sketchers.  I chose to use this Magnolia stamp as a portion of it's purchase price was donated to Breast Cancer which I thought it was truly fitting for these challenges.  As well, this card works for the Allsorts Spots & Stripes Challenge.
Hope you enjoy my little creation and ladies, don't forget to get your 'mammies grammed'!

AWESOME BLOG CANDY!!

Me and the Little Rascals and Imaginisce is having fabulous blog candy giveaway!!  This candy runs until November 30th, but there are six 'mini' prizes to be awarded each Friday, so the sooner you sign up, the more chances you have to win!!  Now, hop to it!!

Congratulations James & Amanda!!

James, a very sweet member of my extended family, popped the BIG question to his sweetheart Amanda recently and to no one's great surprise, she said YES!!  This new stamp of Edwin and Tilda was a well-timed purchase as I created this card for this very sweet couple.  Congratulations James & Amanda, and all my very best wishes for an exciting engagement year and a long and happy life together.  Love you!!

A Special Thank You Card

A few weeks ago, I had no choice but to euthanize my 14 1/2 yr. old Pomeranian, Rusty.  Rusty was brought into our family when he was just five weeks old and I miss him terribly.  My other two Poms, Jessie & Tucker are still looking for him and cuddle each other a little closer than they used to.  We are fortunate to have a wonderful veterinary clinic who made a memorial donation to a Veterinary College Pet Trust on Rusty's behalf and I felt that this deserved a very special thank you card.  I called on Tilda with Puppy to help me out with this one and I think that between the two of us, we conveyed our heartfelt thanks very well.  I've taken many photos of my little furbabies over the years - this is the very last photo of all three together and I will cherish it forever.

Madison, Tilda and Pierced Ears!!

Ying Pang's Birthday Candy

Ying has an 'in' with Magnolia Sweden and they have provided this great prize for her birthday candy.  It is a collection of eight stamps from the new Autumn collection.  Ying will be splitting this up into four prizes and will also have a Magnolia doohickey, crystal garland and flowers to accompany the stamp.  Hop on over and check it out!!  Winners will be drawn on September 28th.

Vintage Brown & Red Tilda

It's been a few crazy weeks.  My unemployment insurance was unexpectedly cut off seven weeks early, so the search for a job has been ramped up, big time!  Keep your fingers crossed for me fellow bloggers - I've interviewed twice for a really good job and as much as I've enjoyed the time off, it is time to return to work and put my rather 'stretched-out' finances in order!! 

Time in my scraproom has been minimal, but I had time this weekend to make this easel card which I am entering in the following challenges:

Friday Sketchers
Scrapgirl Brown & Red Challenge
Just Magnolia Week 65 Vintage
Magnolia-licious Nautical Challenge

I have a few more cards to make for birthdays and babies, so I really need to get busy!  Happy scrapping everyone!!

Bathing Beauty Tilda

I have been promising myself that I won't buy anymore Maggies until I have used each one AT LEAST ONCE!!!  At Simply Magnolias this week, the challenge is to use any Tilda and the colour yellow - also happens to be my favourite colour!!  I am also entering this card into the Scrapbooking Allsorts challenge and the Simons Says Stamp 'check it out' challenge. I haven't used this little sweetie yet and she will make a great birthday card for someone special in my family.  Now I'm off to work on the other 50+ stamps still calling my name!!