A New Layout!

I have to say that I think this layout is hands down...my absolute favorite this year! (and let me tell you...I've made some really good ones! LOL)

A friend of mine, Tara Liddicoat, recently took her photography hobby to amateur status and was looking for people to take pictures of. It's been a while since we had family pics done so I jumped at the chance! I also booked engagement photos for Courtney and John for the same day. We had quite the time between the cold weather and some technical issues which forced some retakes but in the end the photos are FABULOUS!!!

The photo on the layout is actually a 4x6 collage photo. I was playing around on the computer to see what I could come up with for photo Christmas cards and also as a way to send family some standard sized photos but with a mixture of the poses. I need them to be economical for shipping purposes as well as the sheer number of family that I am sending pics too!

The layout actually came about as part of a one hour sketch challenge on the Sisterhood of Scrap message board. Helen posts a one hour sketch challenge every month and I rarely get mine finished in an hour but that doesn't really matter to me...every layout finished is another memory recorded ;) I absolutely loved the sketch and the sample layout Helen provided and totally CASEd her LO! It was the perfect opportunity to use a PaperTrunk Kraft paper kit that I have been hoarding for a year and it was also just the PERFECT sketch for the new family pics! I will be heading to Michael's this week to pick up a shadow box frame to hang it on my wall. It also gave me a great idea for a Christmas gift for someone special :)

First Snowfall of the Season!

First snowfall of the season Nov 18/10

I was raised in Saskatchewan and I LOVE snow! (Disclaimer: I love LOOKING at snow, snow falling, etc...NOT actually being OUTSIDE in it for long periods of time...lol)Living in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia presents a challenge when it comes to a Winter Wonderland...lol. And, just to prove how absolutely insane I am....I would move back to SK in a hearbeat! Give me tons of snow, -40 cold and all that comes with it. I miss the crunch of the snow under my boots, the whore frost on the trees, the beauty of sundogs, the crisp and CLEAN smell of snow in the air, huge glistening flakes, SNOW DAYS, and SUNSHINE!!

The first year we lived here (moved in mid Dec 2002) there was absolutely NO SNOW until Boxing Day.....I was ready to move back to SK after a month here...lol. Everything is dull, grey, damp and just plain blah :( Sure, I could hop in the car and drive an hour to a ski hill to see sunshine but that would take us back to the above noted disclaimer....and a small fortune for the mandatory winter tires to get up there. NEVER had winter tires in SK....all seasons were just fine! I put winter tires on my van the second year we were here....didn't notice a big difference around town as I'm not a retarded winter driver hence neither one of my cars since then have had winter tires....just all seasons. We'll see how the Goodyear M&S tires do on the Charger this year.

So, hate me if you will but I want snow, lots of it! I do live in Canada after all ;)