I just noticed that I have not blogged for over a month!!!!!!! SHOCKING as I have so much to say and share and tell and show!!! Where does one begin?????
Let's start with MEXICO!!!! I'm leaving in just a few days to drive on a bus (yes a bus) to Mexico with about 30 of us to go build houses for 2 needy families!!! The above layout was in my latest Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine article and tells of how I had a full circle moment during last year's trip to build in Mexico... so very powerful. And here are the families whose lives will be forever changed this year...
FAMILY#1: Single mom, Lourdes (30) and her three boys, Reynaldo (17), Fransico (3) and Antonio (2). Lourdes works when she can, whenever she can get someone to look after Fransico and Antonio. In the afternoons she goes to school to finish her education. Lourdes works hard to keep her oldest son, Reynaldo in school and he is in the process of finishing up high school
FAMILY #2: Bulmaro (24) and Isabel (19) and their son, Cristian (3). Bulmaro works 5-6 days per week in the fields and when childcare is available Isabel also works 2-3 days per week in the fields. Isabel comes from a very large family (we're talking 29 kids!!), many of whom live in the same area. Their current house is made of sticks, cardboard and plastic. Somewhere you would not even keep your lawn care tools in!
What's really cool is that the moms are sisters and live right next door so we will get to be VERY CLOSE to both families as we build their new homes right beside each other :) And we will get to go back and visit the family we built for last year!!!! HOW FUN IS THAT?!?!?!
And I am excited as this year, instead of going with my entire family, I'm taking my 15 year old son and 3 of his friends with me... yup... I'm going to be "Momma Orthner" for this adventure to 4 teen boys!!! Can NOT wait!!! If you'd like to follow along on the adventure (especially if you'd like to join me on something like this in the future!!), I'll likely post a fair bit on Facebook while in Mexico and here is a link you can also go to:
Next... GRADUATION!!! Well, sort of... Lindsey attends a middle school so graduation comes at the end of Grade 8 and next year she is in the High School (YIKES!!!) But we had tremendous fun taking some grad photos with her and a couple of friends...
And one final topic for today... CROP AND CRUISE!!!! Things are getting super exciting as we are planning all the fun details for this November in Hawaii!!! Great sponsors are already coming on board...
And this is only the beginning!!! Our featured instructors Christy Riopel, Jill Hildebrand and myself are cooking up some delicious treats for all our attendees!!! We are capping both the LAND event and CRUISE event at 50 scrapbookers each and currently only have 10-15 spots left at each so if you were thinking of joining us for this ultimate vacation, REGISTER SOON!!!!
You had me at Aloha!!!
That will have to do for today as I am off to Banff for my 3 month check up with my knee surgeon!! I am hoping that I will be given the OK to do most (if not all) of the activities while in Mexico!!!
AND... I still need to chat about the AMAZING Scrapbook Your Heart retreat we had this past June!!! We were abundantly blessed in so many ways and by so many wonderful ladies... I will share soon, but here is a layout (yeah for Bo Bunny!!!) that shows just a small glimpse from our "Lessons from the Garden of Life" theme...
Here is a super brief overview of my time at CHA in Anaheim last week!! It was near unto impossible to try to fit in 2 full days and thousands of booths into 60 seconds or less, but I think I squeezed in MOST of my favourites (plus the token Tim Holtz appearance for those of you who insist on seeing what he's up to... and what new gadget he's demoing... and what he's wearing)!!
Others and MORE will be shown on my upcoming...
TV segment this MONDAY, FEB. 6, 2012
on Breakfast Television starting at 6am through to 9am!! We will be on-site shooting from the Scrapbooker's Paradise store in Calgary showing and demoing some of our favourite NEW products, tools and companies :)
My Top Picks include:
Tropical Travelogue line from Graphic 45... I could NOT keep my eyes off of this beautiful line and all the eye candy in the booth!!!! They really do set the bar high for CHA shows!!! And they're coming to Calgary in April!!! Can NOT wait!!!
Bo Bunny is ALWAYS a hit with everyone (including me!) but this year I had trouble picking my favourite NEW line... not because they didn't have good ones, but because they are all a little different... kind of like one for each mood I might be in!!!!! I like them ALL!!
Basic Grey is also a go-to line and they had some super fun ideas (and some super fun ladies... the top picture we are all "The Allison's"... yup 3 Allison's all with the correct spelling!!) and a photo of their new canvases... pretty cool!!!
Meanwhile, Christy and I ran into Donna Downey... she is HILARIOUS!!! And don't forget she's coming to Alberta this month (I get to teach with her!!!) and you can take her classes!!! Check out Cropaganza for more info!!!
Onto some home decor stuff...
Canvas Corp is a company I am anxious to better acquaint myself with (FYI they just bought Tattered Angels and also own 7 Gypsies so watch for this powerhouse of companies to bring out some amazing things!!!) Of course I just LOVED their beach line!!!
There were NOT a lot of new tools, but a "Stamping Gear" from Inkadoo helped create this beautiful canvas... sure had Christy's creative juices flowing!!!
And although it's not a "Tool", this new to me company (Unikeep) has some super funky ideas for travel albums!!! Has mine and Christy's creative juices flowing too for our
So this guy had us smiling with this innovative gadget called "Action Wobble Springs"... to see it in action, you need to watch the video, but we thought it was FANTASTIC especially for kids cards and animation!!
Another super HOT thing at CHA is jewelry and my favourite "design-it-do-it-yourself" line was from Vintaj!!! Check out this hot tropical looking necklace (how can you tell where my mind is)!!!!
And last, but definitely not least, was one of my personal favourites from the whole show...
I know it's still new technology, but the QR codes are beginning to appear everywhere and allow you to instantly visit a companies website, get info, etc. Sizzix, however, has figured out a super great way to bring them into the crafting world through "Talking Tags"... you purchase your own labels that have QR codes that you can record a one minute personal message onto and then you can glue or sew it to a special project or layout and it will be there to listen to for years every time you scan it!!!! How cool is that????!!!!! I can just imagine taping my kids' giggles or nana's voice and having it permanently recorded on a special quilt or card or layout or???? Just imagine!!!
Okay, enough from CHA...
Meanwhile, here is some of the trouble... er I mean FUN we got into while in LA!!! It all started with the "economy car" I rented... my fiery red FIAT car!!!! They kept asking me if I wanted one with more leg room... um... do I look like I need more leg room???? Besides, I get to play "JLO in LA"!!
I have to say that I mostly managed to stay out of trouble this time, but trouble still followed!! This time it was Christy!!!! It all started our first night when we were at a reception for vendors and we were at the bar getting drinks... Christy was trying to order me a drink with no alcohol, but the guy just wasn't getting it!!! And after we thought he finally understood, he still began to pour Vodka into my Cranberry juice and before she could think about what she was doing, Christy shoved her hand overtop of my glass and he proceeded to pour Vodka all over her!!! The look on both their faces was PRICELESS!!! Yup... a true friend takes a "hit of Vodka" for you!!!
Continuing on the theme of drinks... on our flight home, we were just settling into our seats after take-off when suddenly Christy and I heard a "pop" and were suddenly being showered with liquid!!! We looked up and to our horror the ceiling of the plane was "leaking" a brown liquid all over us (mostly Christy... I had just moved to the aisle seat)!! This is NOT a good thing on a plane!! So after a moment of panic, the flight attendant came running to discover that two rows up a mother had given her little boy a baby bottle filled with Coke and it had exploded!!! Now I've heard of moms giving their little ones, Gravol to keep them calm on a flight, but COKE??? Who does that???!!!!
Anyways, one of the highlights of our time in LA was renting a bus with all the other "Canucks" and touring the town!!! Below is a collage of our adventures including our "Star Gazing" in Hollywood... we went to the "Chateau Marmont" where numerous stars were in attendance following the SAG awards that night!! We got to see Glee stars, Modern Family stars, and Jesus!!!!
Alrighty!! Be sure to watch Breakfast Television on Monday morning for even more fun and eye candy from CHA and meanwhile, enter to WIN some goodies!!! You can enter on my CHA posts and on Christy Riopel's site as well and we will pick a winner later next week!!
Question #3: Which of the CHA products above (or in the video) are you most excited about?
For all those asking, YES I am again heading to CHA in LA this weekend for the biggest, best, blingiest craft show ever along with my partner in crime Christy Riopel!!!!
And YES we will be partying and playing with the Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine Team!! We even rented a bus to tour LA with many of the other Canadians that will be there... can't imagine that there will be ANY trouble that follows us on that adventure!!!
And YES I am on the hunt for my Top Picks from CHA 2012 so if you see something online you would like me to check out (like this new Bo Bunny line!!), leave a comment and I'll try to go see, touch, smell, and photograph it for you (I draw the line at licking... usually!!)
And YES I am also on the hunt for Splendiferous Sponsors for our Crop and Cruise HAWAIIevent in November this year!!! I can't wait to take a closer look at this line called "Tropical Travelogue" from Graphic 45!!!
So the only CHA thing I am not a clear YES on is if I should try again to interview Tim Holtz!! If you don't know what happened last time, you can go HERE to read about it!!!
And YES we are planning another super fun GIVEAWAY event from CHA where all you need to do is comment, answer questions and participate on our blogs from the comfort of your home!! More details will follow, but we may as well get started even though we don't fly out until Saturday!! So...
Question #1: Should I attempt another Tim Holtz interview? Why or why not?
Watch Breakfast Television Thursday, Dec. 8 at 8:10am for my
Top Christmas Crafts and Gifts
for the crafter in your life!!!
#1 Stocking Stuffers (under $20)
My daughter Lindsey made these cute little snowman candy bars one night while I was out!! What a great little gift for teachers, friends, neighbours, etc.!!
Click HERE for instructions on the Snowman Candy Bars!
I love anything and everything glittery at Christmas so I made this beautiful snowflake ornament with some assorted bits and pieces (felt snowflake from Michaels, trinket from Bo Bunny, bling from an old candle holder and Craft and Glitz has recently come out with a NEW CHUNKY GLITTER)!!!
Click HERE for more information on Craft and Glitz Glitter!
Give the gift that keeps giving all year... a subscription to Canada's BEST scrapbooking magazine!!!!
Click HERE for information on Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine!
#2 Projects, Kits & Classes (under $50)
MondayNightClass.ca has come out with a fantastic idea book called "Perfect Page Patterns" based on their fantastic kits!! Just imagine receiving a MondayNightClass.ca Kit along with this idea book!!
Be sure to visit your local scrapbooking stores to find the above and below Bo Bunny, TwiddleyBitz and Tim Holtz goodies as well as great CLASSES (like a Canvas Class on Dec. 12 at Scrapbooker's Paradise) you can take yourself or give for Christmas!!
Scrapbooker's Paradise
Macleod Plaza
#20 - 9250 Macleod Trail S Calgary
Crowfoot Crossing
#45 Crowfoot Terrace NW Calgary
Scrapbookers Bliss
Lincoln Park Centre
#22 - 14 Richard Way SW Calgary
#3 Upcoming EVENTS!!!
Studies show that the joy from an "experience" lasts longer than a tangible gift so why not give an event to someone this Christmas!! Click on the image to learn more about each of these amazing events!!
BTW... I'm teaching two different Photography Classes at the Cropaganza event in Red Deer and you can sign up for just the classes without attending the entire event!! Give the gift of a Photography Class this Christmas :)
Hopefully this gives you some great ideas for your own wishlist this Christmas as well as ideas for the other crafters in your life :)
Well, another year of Camp Croppin' here in Calgary has come and gone it was again a most splendiferous occasion!!! I have had the privilege of being a part of it for many years and it's always a great experience meeting fellow crafters, getting to know some of my favourite companies better and judging the layout contest (which is really a great fundraiser for the Children's Hospital Therapeutic Scrapbooking Program!!!) All just way too much fun!!!!
This year was extra special as Katharina Doyle (co-founder of Canadian Scrapbooker Magazine) was the keynote speaker and she enlisted the aid of the Canadian Scrapbooker Team to help out!! She THINKS she doesn't do well public speaking, but as those present will attest to I'm sure, she was fantastic as she is simply just super genuine, caring and FUN!!!!
We did a fun little "Scrapbooking Personality" quiz and then also ran a friendly layout contest where each table received some awesome product (Kiki Art, Prima, Kaiser Kraft, Smooch, etc.) and had ONLY 5 minutes to create a layout or project. You should see what they did!!! Here are just a few examples...
And what is Camp Croppin' without the regulars from Saskatchewan!!!!! These girls are such a hoot and contribute so much to the whole experience. I especially enjoyed seeing Amanda there IRL!! Although "Flat Amanda" was highly entertaining last year, it was sheer joy and pleasure to have her able to be here and WIN the best layout for her story about battling cancer.
And the ever gracious Kate Kading baked dozens of these cupcakes to sell to help raise money for the Children's Hospital. Now that's some heart :)
And one of my all-time favourite companies is Bo Bunny and Matthew Lanoy was there to teach and entertain the masses!!! His mother is one of the "Bo Bunny Girls" and he is a valuable part of the company (one can learn a lot over dinner and drinks... like our shared passion for Black Ops!!!)
And it's always fun to have Trisha Ladouceur around!!! I can still hear her calling out "We're going on a BOAT" all through our Crop and Cruise Scrapbooking Cruise for Canadians in 2007 :)
And a simply lovely lady that I had met briefly before at CHA, but never had the chance to get to know is Wendy Senger who created the Tattered Angels company and the Glimmer Mist that we all use and love!!!
I love her story... she used to own and run a photography business before she began Tattered Angels and when she found out I did photography, we did a super quick little photo shoot out in the parking lot (in the snow and cold!!!!) She wanted some new head shots...
Don't you just LOVE LOVE LOVE her coat!!!!!!
And last, but most definitely not least... it will come as NO surprise that I went into ugly cry while reading the layouts for the layout contest!! I thought Katharina was standing beside me when I was reading this one layout and half way through I LOST it big time!! I turned to get comfort from Katharina and discovered that I was standing all alone doing the ugly cry in the hallway!!!
Well, needless to say, we picked that layout for the journaling prize and the author is a wonderful girl named Leonka who took the entire year to write her journaling about wanting to be like the other kids in school, telling how the teachers would not give her the chance because they did not feel she could accomplish anything (gosh, I'm tearing up even now just thinking about it!!!). Anyways, here I am giving her a hug after announcing her winning layout (thanks Barb Riley for the photo!!!!)...
She read her layout to the entire crowd and received a spontaneous standing ovation at the end. Don't think there was a dry eye in the room. I love my job. I love seeing that smile on her face as she absorbed that the cheers and applause was for her. That, my friends, is what real life is all about :)
