A few more of my new designs. These 3 D punchouts are fabulous - the finished results are quite amazing! The background paper is from Clipper Street - they have the most beautiful paper and I always end up buying more. It's much like Costco in that you need to buy it when you see it as it probably won't be there the next time. I usually drop some serious coin there! But what's a girl to do?

Here are a couple of engagement cards I've made for the store. Not sure about the pink one - I'm thinking the colour of the cardstock might be wrong. Oh, well, trial and error. Sometimes lots of error!

I'm finally here to provide a little update on how things are going in my little corner of paradise. Since last I posted, I have made some headway on clearing the clutter and getting back on track. I'm gradually working through my "to do" list so I do have a sense of finally control of things that are long overdue in the "needing to be done" department.

My ensuite is 99 % finished and I'm so pleased with it. It turned out really well and it has the spa like feel that I was going for. The linen tower door has finally been installed (what a comedy of errors that was!) so that finishes it nicely. Now I'm just waiting for the tile man to come back and install a few more granite tiles as the trim and then we're good to go. I have new hardware to put up for the towels and toilet roll holder however have run into a little delay there - I found the actual hardware I bought but seem to have lost the mounting plate. I know it hasn't gone far, and suspect that it is somewhere in the pile of junk in the spare room, but at this point I'm not ready to tackle that mess yet so I'll just have to wait a little while longer. Will post pics some other time.

This weekend I had a 5 day weekend and I was able to accomplish a lot. The house finally got a good cleaning so now it actually looks like it's reasonably habitable. Still some clutter clearing to do but I did manage to go through a lot of the paper that had piled up so that's a good thing. Also - drum roll here please - I took my taxes to the accountant today. I'm filing for both DH and myself. I didn't file last year due to me just being overwhelmed after his sudden death, so I have 2 years to submit. Anyway I finally got everything together and it's now in the accountant's hands so that's one less thing to worry about.

On the art front, I'm taking an on-line course called Visual Journalism. I've just started but am running a little behind so don't have the first week's work completed yet - big surprise, that - but I'm really looking forward to being able to do some art for fun's sake. I've also managed to get a few cards made up for the store as well and am just waiting for approval to go ahead and make up.

My big project for this weekend was re-organizing the work room. I had toyed with all kinds of solutions, most of them expensive, and then opted for the very basic one that I always come back to and that seems to work the best. It's still a work in process as I'm trying to weed out the stuff I don't use, re-home some of it or donate to a school teacher I know. I have no idea how I got so much stuff - I don't even want to think about how much money I've spent on my art supplies and rubber stamps. It's absolutely scary! Anyway, I'm pleased with the progress I've made in re-working my studio and I think I'll be able to keep it up (fingers crossed). Pics to be posted at a later date.

Gotta run as I have a few more things I want to do before getting into my jammies. As this post is a little long, I'll post some pictures of the cards separately. I hope you enjoy them.

Despite "best intentions" to the contrary, I have still not been able to get to any art :( I'm still fighting the cold/flu although I am gradually getting better. This weekend has been consumed with catching up and trying to deal with the clutter that has accumulated over the last several months. Where does all the paper come from?

I managed to wade through much of the stack that has taken over my kitchen table. While not exactly clean yet, there are clean spots on it and I've thrown a lot of stuff out. I seem to be spending a lot of time moving things from one pile to the other, but I did manage to send a fairly large bag to the recylcling bin. I was also successful in uncovering one of my counters which has not seen the light of day for several months. I would have liked to get more accomplished but Rome was definitely not built in a day and my clutter problem did not just develop overnight.

Still sick with this lousy cold. I haven't had a bad cold like this in years. I've spent most of the last two days in bed, dosing myself with hot toddies and Nyquil and I'm not seeing a whole lot of improvement. Looks like it's going to be a couple of more days before I'm feeling up to par.

Today I really wanted to stay in bed all day but I had an appointment at the bank so had to get up and get on the road. I'm not happy with the bank I'm presently dealing with (I've been a customer for almost 40 years) but since husband died, it just seems to be one problem after another. I have threatened to leave numerous times and finally have just had enough. So I've switched over to the Credit Union here in town and I'm impressed with them already. I have another appointment next Saturday and hopefully most everything will be done by then.

My next stop was at the see the optometrist about my new glasses. Unfortunately, the owner wasn't in today and her clerk was less than helpful. After she walked away and left me for another customer when I needed her help, I figured I'll just go back when the owner is there. Not sure I trust this twit to know what the heck she's doing.

I decided to treat myself to a "Big Shot". Three hundred dollars later, I'm good to go. So many new toys, so little time. I can't wait until I'm feeling better so I can play with this gadget. I think it will take my cards to a whole new level.

Well must go back to bed......boring! Thank God I have a TV in my room!

Later!

Well we're finally home and I've been back to work since Tuesday. By Wednesday I was coming down with a cold and had to leave work early on Thursday because I was sick, sick, sick! I'm home today and have spent most of the last 24 hours in bed trying to fight off this darn cold! Not nice!

I haven't even touched anything remotely close to art supplies and probably won't for several more days. However, I am looking forward to creating again. I find the month holiday is always good for me as it allows me to re-charge my creative batteries.

I'm off to bed again.....will post again soon.

Caio!

Well the clock is ticking down and we only have 3 1/2 days left here in sunny Palm Springs. The weather was good this trip - just not as good as last year. However, this last week has been fabulous - very hot and sunny - so we've enjoyed our last few days of pool time. I'm golfing Thursday and Saturday and then we'll be packing up and leaving for Vancouver on Sunday.

I've enjoyed this trip but may do it a little differently next year. There are leave restrictions where I work due to the 2010 Olympics and the Para Olympics being hosted in Whistler and the Vancouver area. I'm not really sure when I will be able to get time off - I just know there's a freeze for February and possibly into March so will have to play it by ear. This trip was a little more challenging since DH was not hear with us. We had some family challenges and my daughter had some health challenges due to the hot weather so we may need to make some changes next year.

I will be sorry to go home. However, as the trip winds down, I find myself thinking about work again so I guess that's as it should be. Will update the blog once I get back in town and things are back to normal.

Caio!

Just a very quick update. I'm enjoying my stay in Palm Springs but have very limited access to my laptop due to wifi issues. Not sure when I'll be able to post again. I'll definitely be back up and running the first week of March so please check back then for updates. I'm very disappointed that I can't post more but technology is not cooperating!

Cheerz

We arrived in Palm Springs safely last night and are settled into the hotel until tomorrow morning. We'll be checking out, going for breakfast and then over to the rental office to pick up the keys for the house. We're looking forward to getting settled in the house and enjoying a couple of days before the rellies arrive.

The trip through the border was slow and we were pulled in for a secondary screening. Not sure what they were looking for but they didn't seem to want to believe that we were who we were saying we were or that we were really coming down to Palm Springs for a month. I did ask why we'd been stopped but they never did tell us what the problem was. They even called my home to verify our story with the house sitter - then they sent us on our merry way. Very weird!

Our hotel room is freshly painted and decorated and the pool area is nice. I was able to have the pool to myself this afternoon. I spent a couple of hours out there by the pool catching the rays, did a little time in the hot tub and then back in the pool again. I don't know what the temperature was today but it was warm.....Heaven!

New Years Day was a lovely day and a fabulous start to the new year. We shared our first dinner of the year with some very good friends. I served my signature Prime Rib which, I must say was scrumptious ! Good food, good company and a fabulous day - what more could one ask for on the first day of the year?

We're having snow on the coast again today. The snow started sometime during the night and has continued for most of today. It's cold and everything looks so clean. This will be almost 2 weeks of snowfall and cold weather - very unusual here on the balmy coast. I took several pictures for posterity - I particularly like this one and I hope you enjoy it as well!

Happy New Year to one and all! I hope you had a wonderous New Year's Eve and that the coming year offers lots of new challenges and wonderful opportunities.

I'm not real big on New Year's resolutions, mainly because I don't usually keep them! However, in the interest of trying to form better habits and having some consistency, I will make a couple of resolutions. One of my goals is to post to my blog, at least once per week. I hope to post more frequently than that but will consider my resolution met if I can post weekly.

I also have a Live Journal for the personal minutae of my life and I post to this quite frequently. I'm hoping to transfer this habit to LAST WORDZ so posting here becomes part of my weekly routine as well. What will I post? I have no idea! Previously, I tried to restrict myself to art related things. I promise that I won't be doing any "overshares", however, I will probably be engaging in more non-related art posts with the occasional (or perhaps more than occasional? ) rant thrown in.

Another goal is to spend more time on my art. I seem to be caught in this routine of only doing the "work" of the art and not really the "joy" of the art. I'd really like to stretch my art muscles and plan to work at that in the coming year. One of the things I'd like to explore are more 30 minute collages. Last year my goal (which I did not even come close to meeting) was to complete one collage a week. For many reasons, some of them completely beyond my control, that did not happen! I also want to create, and work consistently in an art journal. Perhaps I can incorporate the 30 minute collages into the art journal?

Many years ago, I graduated from university with a degree in English and Sociology. I know, weird combination but it seemed like a good idea at the time!. Throughout the many years since, the theme of "words" has followed me. My vocabulary has grown immensely - I've always been really anal about spelling, syntax and flow in any written document. At one time I thought I would write a book - that never happened. However, lately I've had snippets of poetry floating in my brain. Often I'll get variations of the same verse or theme for several days and then "the muse " goes in a different direction. I want to follow " the muse" and actually put those words, phrases and verses to paper. I just need to get past the fear of the blank page - it does intimidate me !

This year has, in many ways, been MY "annus terriblus" - I think that was the term Queen Elizabeth used several years ago when referring to all the problems which had occurred during the previous year. My husband's death threw just about everything into chaos. We miss him terribly and after 9 months I can still say that there is not a day that goes by that I don't think of him a hundred times or more. However, my daughter and I have survived this event and we're rebuilding our lives. It's been tough for both of us but we're both strong, far stronger than either of us knew, and we're moving forward. I still feel his calm presence and I know that he's very happy with how we're moving forward.

What lies ahead in this new year? No one knows. Life isn't a set script that is set in stone and never changes. It's what happens when we're making other plans. Life isn't for sissies - it can be tough, challenging and painful but also so very full and rewarding. My wish for all of you is that 2009 be fabulous! May you and yours have a healthy, happy and prosperous year. May your troubles be few and your rewards many. All the best in 2009!

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted so here goes......

Not much new going on in my little corner of paradise. Work is going very well - I'm very busy and deal with new challenges every day - but I feel that I'm growing into the position and making it my own. I've found the change in hours from 4 days on and 4 days off to a 5 day work week to be a challenge. It seems that I'm always tired and I'm usually in bed by 10 pm and fighting to keep awake. I know, I know - boooooorrrrring!

Christmas is 2 weeks away and I'm not even close to being ready! I have Christmas cards to make and shopping to do and parcels to send. Unbelievable. I am never ready for Christmas - I am clearly a slow learner. But then again I think that maybe this year I should cut myself some slack. I've had a lot of changes and I'm still adjusting to being a single person in a couples world. I guess I'm allowed to be a few steps behind in the race to Christmas.

We're hoping to have some friends over for Christmas dinner this year. This is something that we did most years and I think that now Kerry and I are alone, that it's even more important this year. I know it will be tough but the fact of the matter is that life does go on and we have to continue to re-build our lives. I know DH would want that for us. I don't think it would be a good thing for Kerry and I to be sitting there at the dinner table looking at each other, with just the two of us, hence the plan to have friends for dinner. If that falls through, we'll have to go to plan B. At this point I have no idea what plan B is, but if need be I'll come up with a plan B.

Art seems to have been put on the back burner. Not a lot of energy or creativity at this point and what little creativity I do have is consumed by making stock for the store. Some days, it's all I can do to put one foot in front of the other. I do, however, have lots of ideas percolating in my brain - the trick is to be able to transfer them to paper.

I'm hoping to be able to post some new art and I'm toying with doing the Soul Journal prompts in an effort to actually art journal. I also have lots of bits and pieces to convert to cards as well as 3 swaps to complete in the next 3 or 4 weeks. I don't really have a lot of time for swaps but it forces me to create stuff so that's why I join them. Some days I feel like I need to force myself to do this otherwise I'll just let it go completely.

Anyway, check back in a couple of weeks - I hope to have some new stuff by then.

I'm finally getting around to making some art for a couple of swaps. The atc's are for a purple theme swap that is due in the hostess's hands by the end of November. The card is for a monthly swap I play in - one card down and three more to go!

Here are a couple of my Christmas creations for your viewing pleasure.

I cannot believe that we are slightly more than 6 weeks away from Christmas! Who knew time would fly by so quickly?

Work has been keeping me very busy - I'm working a different shift now and have every second Monday off so my days are a little longer and I'm very tired when I get home at the end of the day. I have to say I'm not all that energetic most nights.

I have been busy creating cards for the Open House in Fort Langley. It was this past weekend and from all accounts the expectation is that it will be as good or better than last year. Will post some of my creations as soon as I find them. My studio is a disaster!

The weather is cool and blustery here on the coast. I guess the rainy season is on us now for a couple of months. It could be worse - it could be snow! I quite enjoy this time of year when there's a nice bite in the air on a clear night. And it's kind of a time of rejuvenation as well. Yes all the plants die off but you know that many have just gone to sleep, working at storing up their beauty for the coming spring.

We bought a new Christmas tree. I have hated the one we've had for years but DH would never let me get rid of it. Well, there's a new sheriff in town ! DD went out and bought one of those ones with all the lights already on them. I haven't actually opened the box yet and set it up - if this baby goes up now it is not coming down until January! With both of us working, we are trying to streamline and having a tree that goes up in 5 minutes as opposed to 2 hours spent arranging lights on spindly branches....what's not to like?

I delivered my cards for the Ridge Open House - I still have a few gift tags to make but all in all it's the first year that I've actually been on time. Who knew I could do that? Tonight I'm starting on the next set of cards for the Langley Open House. I have 2 weeks to do them but I want to try to get as much as I can done so it's not all left to the last minute.

I was off to Be Creative today to see a demo of alcohol inks and stickers. Very cool! Haroldine is a very baaaaaad influence on me! Every time I go to her shop, I spend a small fortune. Is there a 12 step plan for impulsive craft supply overspenders?

The past few weeks at work have been busy. I'm having more interaction with the clients and I'm beginning to feel more comfortable with how I'm doing the job. I learn several new things everyday; the downside is that I'm having to ask a lot of questions for which the answers are probably fairly obvious but that's the way it goes!

I'm in the process of working on the stock for the Open House at the store in a few weeks. I don't know why but I'm always amazed when this time of year comes around. August and September seem to have flown by at warp speed and here we are in October already! Maybe it has something to do with the great weather we've had here on the Coast !

I'm off to see Toby Keith at GM Place tomorrow night. I'm very excited about that. Can hardly wait to feast my eyes on him. I'm a big fan. I saw him several years ago just before he hit it really big so I know I won't be disappointed.

This past week has been an extremely busy one. I seem to have turned into somewhat of a social butterfly and have been out to lunch or dinner several times in the last week. It's making it pretty tough for me to stay on my diet but I guess that's to be expected.

Today I'm celebrating a birthday - yes I hate to admit it but I am actually 39 - yet again! I was out to dinner with some girlfriends Saturday and tonight I'm off to the Keg with DD and two other couples and then back to our house for birthday cake. Let's face it one "must" have birthday cake on one's birthday.

On the art front, I have been working on Christmas designs for the store. I've also managed to make a couple of 4 x 4 cards for a monthly swap. I don't know why these 4 x 4 beauties appeal to me so much but they do. I just love them!

I'm finally starting to feel more energetic - thank goodness for that!

Here's a little peak at 2 of my new designs.

Traditionally the store has an open house at the end of October. Another one is then held at the other location a week or so later. The gentleman who owns the store likes to have the product in at least a week prior to the Open House so he can price everything and work out his layout etc. So this week I'm working on a couple of more samples for him to approve. I have some popular designs from last year still in stock but I like to try to give him lots of new stuff each year.

I have a pretty good sense of what he likes. He always views them before I make them up and 99 % of the time he gives me the ok to make them up. I'm just about to send these 2 off to him so keep your fingers crossed!

It's the end of summer, the beginning of the season of harvest and only about 15 weeks til Christmas. Where does the time go?

I'm finally starting to come out of my lethargy of the last 6 months. I'm feeling more energized, more focused and more creative. I've let many of my artistic pursuits and interests fall by the wayside. Hopefully, I've turned a corner and will be re-energized artistically.

I am presently focusing on creating some new Christmas designs for the store and have also promised myself that I will create some new wedding designs. I have a couple of art journal pages which have been percolating in my brain for the last several days - I think I'm ready to commit them to paper.