Kaisercraft Desk Organizer

The scrapbooking store I design for gave me this desk organizer from KaiserCrafts. They also gave me the new Making Memories "Noel"Christmas line to work with.

Now to me, it didn't seem to go together...a desk organizer and Christmas paper but I accepted the challenge and this is what I ended up with.

I painted the MDF with chocolate brown paint. I only applied one coat because it ended up looking like wood grain that I stained. I used the Christmas paper line but minimized the typical Christmas look by working around all the trees, hollies, and snowflakes.

Although the desk organizer is not easy to put together, the finished product is attractive and useful. It would have been helpful if KaiserCrafts had included a simple instructions or tips for assembly.

Another fun and USEFUL project...got to love it!! Can't wait to fill it with all my scrap supplies.

The First Day of School

Caleb-Grade4
Jessie- Primary

In September, I see my friends post pictures on Facebook of their kids first day of school. I enjoy looking at the pictures of all the excited faces and cute back to school outfits. I often have pangs of longing to have my children's picture taken by the door of their new classroom or their hook in the hall or with their new teacher for the year. So when we stared our homeschool year (two weeks later then all my friends children) I decided to snap a few pictures of our little nontraditional first day of school. Homeschooled kids can have back to school photos too. Next year, I will have to get one with their teacher:)

One of my favourite seasons is fall. The colours in the leaves, the decorations, the smell in the air, and the great clothes. I love it all. I have many fond memories as a child of special activities we did together. My parents would always take us apple picking and it was a highlight of the year. We took walks around Point Pleasant Park and enjoyed the crisp, coolness in the air. Every year my neighbour made candy apples and gave them to all the kids on the street.

I love trying to build memories like these in my on children. Yesterday the kids and I decorated the house for fall and made some crafts to display. Today we ate the candy apples that Mary-Ellen sent us in a package all the way from Ottawa. It was the first candy apple the kids have ever had and what a joy it was to watch them. Thanks Mary-Ellen for the great memory.

My Artist

Cali,Cali, Cali...what an artist. Believe it or not there were four adults in the yard when Miss Cali did this. She came out of the garage looking like this. The first thing that went through my mind was that she must have gotten into the red paint Stephen had recently painted the garage floor with. As I got closer to her, I could smell the beautiful fragrance of the NEW lipstick I had just purchased a few days earlier. The lipstick was in my purse hidden away in a secret little pocket. My purse was in the van hidden away under the seat and my van was hidden away in the garage...but she found it!!

What could I do? Smile and snap a picture to add to the growing collection I have of her with my makeup "applied" to her angelic face. I have a file on my computer dedicated to all her makeup mishaps so that one day I will be ready to compile them for her wedding video. She will make a beautiful bride...hopefully by then she will tone down the makeup and be able to release her inner artist. Dear Cali, Mommy loves you and loves sharing her makeup with you!!!

BTW...don't you love the outfit??? I know...she has my style!

What Happened??

Cali is always asking me in her cute little voice "What happened mommy?" Well today I am asking "What happened to my baby?" She went outside to play as a baby. She came back as a little girl with a bouquet of dandelions. There must be some magic in those yellow weeds because she has instantly turned into a little girl on her way to becoming a young lady. Can I send the flowers back and have her pick a different kind? The kind that make her stay my baby girl for longer. Please?

What does this say about me???

You know the saying "She married her father". What does it say about me that I married my mother? These two are similar in so many ways...both are not afraid to take a challenge on, both work way to hard, both are problem solvers, both just want to help! Love you both!!

Dirty Old Bag

I know this bag does not look like much... but for me it has been a source of wife strife. This dirty old bag has been sitting behind my sewing machine for MANY months. I am not even sure what this bag is for, but my husband has assured me that it has a very important function to some yard tool of his. He asked me to replace the zipper in it last October...yes that's one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, (oh my) eight months ago. Procrastination at it's worst!!! Today I saw it as I was cleaning up and I said to my self "Today will be the day, you dirty old bag". So now it is done and it waits on the front step for my husband to return home from work. I know he will be shocked to see it and VERY pleased with his hard working wife.:0)