debby visser

Rainy Rainy days make great Scrapbook days!

I love the rain for this reason most.  I can stay inside and scrapbook and not feel guilty!

Here in the Lower Mainland, we get tons of rain, heavy rain, rain that comes at you sideways and even rain that comes back at you from the ground. 

The second reason I love rain, is it is soothing, listening to it while sitting by the fire with a cup of cocoa................aaahhh lovely!

(Now by the time April comes, I will be done with this glorious rain, but for now I will enjoy it :) )

Danny's birthday party was a great success.  I think the best part was the socker poppers.  I found these things at Walmart, $2.00 each!!  So instead of a goodie bag, I bought these for each of the kids and a few extras for any adults that wanted to play.  The kids loved them and played outside for long time - thankfully it stopped raining for this (yes I love rain, but not to play in!!)

I am away this weekend at a retreat, and I so can't wait!  I love this retreat, it is in Hope and is so relaxed.

I will be revealing all the things I have been making for sale, including my layouts.  Here is one, it will cost $6.00, the kits come with only the supplies you need to create the layout as shown.  You won't have any leftovers really.  All the die cuts are pre-cut as well as the papers.  The kit will include instructions and a photo.  You will need; your own photos, a black ink pad for distressing, your adhesives and a black journal pen.

As always thanks for stopping by!

Debby
 
 

He's 8, how did that happen!

My middle son Danny is 8years old.  Seriously how did that happen!

It seems just yesterday that he was toddling around.  Man they grow so fast!

Today he is a SOLID chunk of a boy.  He play tackle football, loves animals and dinosaurs and is the most happy go lucky boy I know.  Seriously, he is just happy to be and he loves himself.  We found that out at his teacher meeting.  They had a questionair to fill out about themselves and one of the questions was 'Do you have a goal for yourself this year, maybe you want to change something or improve something about yourself?'

His answer (which totally cracked hubby and I up):

No I am good, I like me just the way I am.  But thanks for asking.

Seriously that is what he wrote!!  Oh goodness I love that boy!

Today we have tons of family and friends coming over for his birthday party.  Shall be a great day of celebrating our dear boy.

Sesame Streets 40th Anniversary

Did you know that today is Sesame Streets 40th Anniversary!!

I found this out through google (I am not that smart, lol).

I thought that was pretty cool!  I remember watching this as a child and today my kids still watch it.  We were trying to figure out who were the first main characters.  I think it was Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Snuffy, Oscar the grouch, and Grover.  And for the life of me, I can't remember the people's names?

I even had the Fisher Price Sesame Street play set.  LOVED that!  Sure wish I had taken care of it and had it today for my kids!

I thought I had a 'free' day at home today.  Kids rode their bikes to school, and there is no Kindergarten today, so I was thinking I didn't have to go anywhere.  But then I remembered there is Karate tonight and parent teacher interm report meetings.  Oh well, I can stay home all day at least.

I hope to be really 'scrappy' today!  I want to make some new things, and finish putting the kits together for next weekend.

Here is a sneaky peaky of some of the things I have been creating for sale;

I am having so much making these things.  And even if they dont' sell, I will have a great bunch of embellishments on hand!

Have a great day and as always, thanks for stopping by!

(oh and no new me yet, lol)

Need a knew me...

I think I need a new 'me' picture!  That one, to the left, is old and boring!  So that will be my challenge.  hhmm wonder if I can get it done this week?

Next weekend I am heading to another weekend retreat.  I just love retreat season!  Lots of friends, scrapbooking, good times, memories ............... ahhh

I am going up on Thursday and I am only teaching 2 classes, so there should be lots of time to socialize and relax!!  This is one of the classes; Christmas Cards

I wanted to share that I am trying something knew. As I scrapbook and create a layout/project, I am putting together 'kits' of that exact layout/project and selling them.  The kits will contain only the products you need to complete the page 'as shown', instructions and a picture of the finished layout/project.  I will pre-cut the papers, pre-stamp the images, and use tools on materials you may not have. 
This will allow you to have finished projects with minimal tools and effort.
And the great part is the cost.  Each layout/project will be individually priced, but I can tell you single page layouts will be anywhere from $3.00 - $9.00 depending on how much product was used.  Very reasonable in my opinion. 
And I am also dabbling in creating little embellishments packets for sale as well.  (If you look at the picture above, the little brown flowers with book paper backing, on the music card, are some of the embellishments I am putting together)

The retreat I am attending next weekend, will be my first 'reveal'.  Depending on how it goes over will help me decide on if I make a serious go with this idea or not.

The reason I am doing this, is I love to create, I love to play and don't want to quit.  BUT I am feeling a little worried lately.  I scrapbook so much I am starting to feel I am leaving my children a burden, and not cherished memories.  As it sits right now, I have over 40 albums of scrapbook pages, and that does not include mini albums and altered projects!!  I would switch to just making cards, but it breaks my heart to think people throw them away!

So that is what is knew with me and my scrapbooking. 

WOW I blogged 2 days in a row!!  Amazing!!  LOL!!

As always, thanks for stopping by. 

Where to begin

Where to begin. 

Hmmm

Last weekend was the BC Crops 4 Kids in Abbotsford.  It was an excellent event, again this year.  I met new people, caught up with old friends and found out I don't blog often enough. lol  Many people asked me, 'when are you going to update?'.  Or I heard, 'I lurk on your site all the time'.

I felt great at first that people found me interesting enough to visit and KNOW that I hadn't updated and WANTED me to update.  Then I felt bad, hhmm I am a terrible blogger!

So here I am ready to blog and no idea where to start!  What to share!  What will be interesting! 

I guess I will just start with last night; Halloween.  Hubby went to a football game, so just the kids and I went trick or treating.  I was SO glad it did not rain!  It wasn't even all the cold.  There were not alot of trick or treaters in area this year, people were saying they were only getting around 10 - 15 little guy.  We only did a small circle and came home.  We don't NEED all that candy! lol

I haven't uploaded the pictures of the kids from last night, but here they are from a few days ago.  Dressing up around here is an almost everyday thing.  And getting a nice picture of my 3 boys is next to impossible.  They are almost always wrestling. sigh!

Check out 'The Inspired Scrapper' for some awesome Halloween projects.

As always, thanks for stopping by!  And as I told some of my 'confessed stalkers' (teehee), if I don't update, email me and remind me!

I promise next update will contain something scrapy!

debby
 
 

They are back!

So the kids are back in school, yah!!

I am not one of those Moms that gets emotional when her babies leave the for day, for 5 days in a row for almost 10 months!!!  Not even when her last of 4 goes.  Nope this Mom celebrates!!!  woohoo!!!

Yes my youngest is off to kindergarten this year.  While I am not looking forward to the back and forth to school all day, I am looking forward to going grocery shopping by myself, I am looking forward to going into a store and not hearing 'can I get' 'can I have......, I am looking forward to being able to try on clothes in a store! and I am looking forward to 2.5 hours of uninterrupted scrapbooking time!!  woohoo!

AND I am looking forward to volunteering in the class for all my boys, maybe even going on a field trip or 2!!!

aahhh!

This weekend is our garage sale, I am so looking forward to getting rid of all this stuff!!  Amazes me what we have in this house!  Like I did not know we had 5 TV's!  Yes 5!!!  who needs 5 TV's for goodness sake!  And we have 3 VCR's!  We don't even watch VCR's anymore!  Gosh are we the kings of clutter or what!!

And I have finally hooked up the scanner - okay I finally found it and remembered that I need it! lol

I scanned all the baby photos I have of me, which are very few and have been fixing them and will print them off for a little book I am creating.

Here is a photo of me, it was either chewed by an animal or a baby, no idea which! lol  But I spent the afternoon fixing this one up.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I think I am pretty cute, eh?! lol

Thanks for stopping by!

Debby

Waiting for paint to dry.......

Here I sit waiting for paint to dry.  I am working on some stuff for Lovebug Scrapbooking.  Right now I am working with their August 09 kit.  It is full of fall stuff, great colours and great products.

So far I have done 1 double page layout:

Autumn Harvest

And 2 single page layouts, but only one photographed so far:

Fall Family Walk

And tonight I am working on a little frame project, but like I said, I am waiting for the paint to dry :).

We have been weeding, or shall I say; playing tug-o-war with ivy.  OIY! is that stuff terrible or what!!  It totally takes over, has roots everywhere and deep!  It has taken us days to get out what we have done so far, and we still have some to go.  Hoping to get a bunch out tomorrow too.  Ivy is now my nemesis!!!  I used to like it, but when it starts to take over the entire driveway, fence and all surrounding trees and plants; it has to go!!!

Well off to see if the paint is dry and ready for another coat!

Have a great night!

Debby

Stung!!

I have spent the last couple of days doing yard work.

I was cutting off dead flowers when I was stung!  I grabbed the dead flower and felt something like a jolt, I threw the flower and never saw what it was that 'bit' me.  There was no mark like you would see from a wasp or bee, in fact it was hard to tell where the spot was.  My whole hand went tingly and 2 of my fingers went numb for about an hour.  The 'stung' finger was sore for about 2 days after.  Weird!  Never experienced anything like that before!  And I don't hope to again, man it hurt!!

As well as dead heading flowers, I have been playing tug-o-war with ivy.  OIY!  is that stuff hard to pull out!  It has started to overtake our driveway, trees, fence and mailbox, so it has to go!  We are going to plant flowers there instead, like black eye susans, lavender, heather and so on.  (hmm, more flowers, might attract more of those weird bugs.........lol)

I started a double page spread the other day, just need to journal.  It is simple, but at least I scrapped!  And I used up some older stuff again, so that is great!

I think I am almost ready for our garage sale, I have been going through everything in this house and boy do I have tons for sale now!  Everything from lego, toys, books, clothes, furniture, puzzles, and tons of other stuff.  I can't decide if I will put some of my scrapbook stuff in the sale as well, or save it for specific scrapbook garage sales later in the fall.  hhhmm will have to see how motivated I get.

I was going to go grocery shopping today, but saw the coupon at superstore is for free blueberries, hhmm I am not in the need for blueberries, but tomorrow is the $25 gift card, so will go tomorrow!

Have you seen the new Old Elpaso Taco commercial!  It totally made me laugh out loud!  In the commercail the guy says, 'Oh its wednesday, spaghetti night, how 'fun'!  Why not try tacos instead.'   That is not the exact wording, you have to catch it and see; the point is, here at our house, wednesdays are spaghetti night!!!!  so guess what I am adding to  my grocery list, yep taco stuff!  hahahaha

I recieved my Canadian Scrapbooker Fall 2009 issue yesterday!  If you have it, check out page 80!  I was asked by Jackie to make cards using Upsy Daisy Designs.  It was my first 'assignment request'!  I was honoured and I think they turned out pretty cute!  :)

Here are a few more pictures from our busy summer.

And as always, thanks for stopping by :)

 

 

 

In this next picture you will see the large horse and my tiny son.  The horse thought Jaxons thumb was a carrot and bite him!  I had to slap the horse to make him let go.  Yikes!  Half my fault, I didn't explain to my kids to keep hands flat.  Poor guy ended up with a big owie, but he is totally fine now.

Our full summer

Here is it August 25th and summer is coming to a close.  We had a very full

**interupted for an emergency**

As I was sitting here typing this out, a heard a call for help.  So I looked out my window and saw nothing, opened the door and saw a young man lying on the ground seizing.  I asked if he wanted me to call 911 and he said yes.  So I grabbed the phone, called 911 and jumped the fence to see what I could do.  He was in considerable amount of pain and was sweating like crazy, but was able to talk, so I held the phone to his ear so he could tell the 911 operator everything.  I had the kids run and get pillows and my oldest stand at the end of the school driveway to wave in the ambulance.  We live right beside an elementary school and he fell at the side of the school.
I am not sure what was wrong, but I pray he will be okay.
Phew, talk about adrenaline!
I have not been in my scrapbook room for days, maybe even 2 weeks now.  I have just not felt inspired or creative.  Well I think God knew today was the day I needed to be in here.  If I wasn't, I don't know how long he would have laid there and I don't want to think of what 'could' of happened.  God knows what he is doing; I take comfort in that.
Now let's see if I can find my creativity!!

**back to regular typing and info**

We had a very full and busy summer so far and it really doesn't seem to be slowing down.
With all the fundraisers, football practices, games, karate, weddings, special events, family get togethers and so on, we did not do as much camping as we had hoped. sigh.  And I did not do as much scrapbooking as I had hoped!
But we are not complaining, we have enjoyed everything, just wish we could enjoy a few more things. lol

As I said above, I have not been creative or inspired in days and weeks, but I am hoping to change that really soon!

Scrapbook Fanatics will start their Friday Night Crops again soon.  (FNC's run all weekend, all challenges get posted either late Thursday evenings or Fridays)  So watch for those!  In fact right now, there is one going on, put on by the members, check out the forum and jump in!

Also The Inspirred Scrapper will start up again come September with some AWESOME challenges!  Don't forget to check those out either!

And for me personally, I am heading to a weekend retreat in 3.5 weeks!!  I sure hope I find my creativity by then!!  But if not, maybe this weekend will be the ticket!

Here are some pictures from our crazy fun summer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have lots more but will share another day.

Now to scrapbook those! lol
Thanks for stopping by

Collage Press and Scrapbook Fanatics

Jayme from Scrapbook Fanatics sent me TONS of stuff from Collage Press to play with!  I have to say I think this is my FAV manufacturer right now!  Their papers and die cuts are so awesome and fun!!!

If you don't have any of this stuff yet, walk, umm no RUN over to Scrapbook Fanatics and grab what is left!!!!

Here is what I have done so far (yes I have more, like I said, Jayme sent me TONS of stuff!  Thanks Jayme, you are the bestest!!!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for stopping by!