Hello Winter

Up here in Toronto, Canada we usually have pretty cold winters. This year has been another story. There has been hardly any snow, and and it's been pretty mild. This past week though, the temperatures have been about -14C with the wind chill factor.  It's pointless to talk about the temperatures without the windchill in the winter or the humidex in the summer, because the way it feels take precedence over what the thermometer shows. Anyway we still haven't really had that much snow, but it is actually beginning to feel like winter. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big fan of winter, but I worry a little about all the talk of the greenhouse affect.

If you don't live in North America, you many not know about Groundhog Day, no not the movie, the actual day, February 2nd. For some very strange reason, people put their faith in a rodent to know whether Spring will be here sooner or later. If that Groundhog sees his shadow, he runs back into his borrow and that apparently means there will be 6 more weeks of Winter. However, if he doesn't see his shadow, he stays out and that means Spring will be along soon. Now does that make any sense at all? Other than the fact its a rodent making this decision, surely when the sun is shining and causing shadows, it should mean the opposite.  There are probably about 4 Groundhogs that make these prediction, but our local one lives in Wiarton, Bruce County, Ontario and his name is Willie. He predicted that Spring is arriving very soon.

There have been very many colds and flu at my school, both teachers and students alike are being struck with it. So my idea this year is to make these sweet little tissue boxes for the staff at school for Valentines Day. Again I have to thank Angelina Clark from http://intatwynedesigns.co.uk for the great idea. I was considering adding a little addition on the back to put in a few cough lozenges, but it looked too bulky and would probably catch on something in the purse.

I've also been busy making some cute little Post-It Note books. I'll write another post about them soon.

Happy Groundhog Day

Winter Celebration Space

I had one idea to make my celebration space using white, blue and silver. However, I didn't really have any much of those things that screamed WINTER!

So I was on the look out for things in the Boxing week sales. I found a package of white garland that was $2 at Walmart. While waiting for inspiration, I just spread it out on top of the space. Next I pulled out 3 candle sticks that I found at the Dollar Store and filled the bottom some white tulle ribbon.



While out shopping at Winners I found a white tree that is actually a battery operated lamp for only $4. On the same trip I also found a cute little white rope wrapped polar bear for $1.50.



I took my foam wreath that I've used on many of my spaces, and wrapped it with the white garland, and I LOVE the way it looks. For Christmas one of the kindergarten children at my school gave me a lovely paper mache bird, and a basket weave nest. I used the bird only to sit inside the wreath.



I used my Cricut machine to cut out a few giant blue snowflakes, and a couple of phrases about winter.



This is the final product.

SKI

I found an old photo of my brother of when he went to Austria with his boarding school way back in 1967.  So I added a snow boarder accent from Meri Meri Accents that I found at Winners and some Gossip White Pop Culture from K I Memories, and came up with this layout.

I think that I work better without a sketch, I prefer making up my own layouts.  Using a sketch limits me, because I am so influenced by the idea already there.

Christmas Card Layout

Every year I make a layout of the Christmas cards I receive.  This is my layout for this year, 2009.  I usually include the stamps and airmail stickers from my friends and family living all over the world on another page.

The following picture is from my 2008 Christmas cards.

And this one is from 2007.

Balcony pages

I did a quick page with another shot of Thomas as a baby.  I seem to be using lots lately.

He is on the balcony in the sun, and in the background is our neighbour we had at the time, Kenny.  I think it's a great shot because Kenny was always working out on his balcony with his weights, and here they are both showing off their chests!

This 2 page layout show Thomas on the same balcony, probably the following winter.  He is having fun eating snow and offering his "Horsey" some snow too.