Create Kate

shots and more

Went in for my first shot and lesson today. The nurse gave me the rundown on the needles etc. and Tim came with me which was good. He was very eager to learn as well and took a few practice tries on the demo thing-a-ma-jig. Had my first shot, courtesy of the nurse Ruth today and will give myself the rest from here on out- well maybe I'll convince DH to do some for me ;) I think I can do it- gotta think positive right? Also got 10 red MS wristbands at the clinic to give to family and friends- yay! I know those bands are everywhere and everyone has a different cause but it feels good to just have it on my wrist, awareness is good in any form even if it just the trend at the moment. They are titrating me up on the meds as well so I'm on a 20% dose right now so as to avoid side effects as my body adjusts. Just have some slight headache/nausea so far but to too bad- phew! That's what I was most worried about. Hopefully in two weeks when I got up to 50% it will be the same.

In other news, got some memory for my computer!  Yay! A  MUCH needed second hard drive- 200 gigs- only had 60 before. My hard rive has been telling me for weeks, you are dangerously close to being full so it was time to get a new one. This second one is titled Kate's drive and it's all mine baby. Full of photos, digital kits and other assorted digital doo-dads and projects. So cool. I have also started my savings fund for my Rebel for the third time, let's hope the third time is the charm and that this time I actually get to buy one a few months down the roads. Crossing my fingers on that one.

Went to the park for my brother's birthday on Sunday and had a little mini photo shoot. I say mini as everyone was playing bocce or throwing the ball around and not in a really sit on the grass and get my photo taken mood. You win some you lose some. But I did get a few shots that I adore so it was worth it. One of my favourites is of Mackenzie and my sister's boyfriend. She just loves him, her first crush I think. I was taking pictures of my sister and her boyfriend when Mackenzie jumped in fora few shots and then I heard, "Auntie, move! Just me and Trevor" While she proceeded to climb into his lap for her own little photo shoot with him. Can't you just tell how much she digs him. It's pretty cute. when he is over, we are all chopped liver. She follows him everywhere calling "Trevor, Trevor, Trevor..."

On the scrap front, I've gone through another transition, didn't even feel this one coming on. Sometimes, I feel the winds of change but this time it was subtle. I am really enjoying playing lately, freeing myself, layering things, just taking it easy, no rules, no boundaries. Lovin' it. I love when I get in a groove and just want to scrap all day and night. Makes me smile.

Wooohoooooo

Ok so I really shouldn't be so excited about this, but my three year old daughter is going for her first overnight stay at Grandma and Grandpa's place this week. I am in dire need of time to work on some upcoming scrap projects and my husband and I are also in need of night with just the two of us. May have to rent a movie that night and have a little date night at home. Can't wait!

For now, grandpa is back helping out with the wiring in our house. Seems when they redid the kitchen the previous owner did a lot of the wiring himself to cut costs as they spent the bulk on cabinets. So, the wiring is a bit wonky. Every time I turned on the dishwasher and tried to plug-in the kettle, I would get a short and have to re-set it at the breaker. They have been adding wires her, changing wires there and getting all ship-shape. Phew! I have to laugh those because this new (old) house of ours has been great for my husband and father's relationship. They both just love working on projects and it's been cute to watch/listen to them. They keep coming up to tell me this or that about duplex wiring and switches or something or other to which I nod politely as I have no clue what they are talking about. Now, if they came up talking photoshop I'd be all over it. ;)

The last of the August birthdays is today too- we are headed to meet up with my sister and her boyfriend for a picnic at the park for my brother's birthday. Should be fun as the weather is beautiful. Mackenzie is excited as there is a small train at the park as well. Woohoo. That reminds me I need to charge up my camera before I go. I think I get the most pictures every year in August as it's just so busy. It will be nice when September hits and things calm down a bit.

Mackenzie finished her first music/dance class this week and boy did she have fun. She has also been role playing at home. She is the teacher and whoever is home at the time becomes her pupil. It's pretty cute to watch. I can't believe how many of the little songs she memorized over the course of the week. Little Bunny Foo Foo is her current favourite.

Got some new product up at designer digitals this week after taking last week off. I think next weekend I'll be off as well as it will be busy this week. We are headed to my parent's house next weekend as well for their annual Fall Fair. Now, if you find the newly released HOF book, you will see my page from last year about the Fall Fair. The title is so aptly named- They call it a Fall Fair, but it's not in the fall. It is a great event though and lots of fun. Totally a step back in time kind of fair on a small island of about 2500 residents. Full of livestock, produce, baking etc... Lots of fun!

Busy

August is typically a VERY busy month for my family- 4 birthdays, and two anniversaries. We also have a wedding to go to tomorrow. My little pumpkin bean just turned 3 today and was so happy. We sang to her as she climbed into our bed this mroning. She slept in until 8:15 so that was nice too! Yay! My parents (grandma and Grandpa) arrived this mroning as well so it'll bea  nice weekend. Her party is on Sunday and she couldn't be more excited- it'sa Strawberry Shortcake theme. I remember before having Kenz that I said- no way am I going to have all that silly theme stuff, but here I am three years later and I have one little girl who is in LOVE with anything Starwberry Shortcake. I even did a page about it- in the BH sketch column in the August CK. So, in keeping with the theeme, she got a Strawberry house and a new Seaberry Delight doll this mroning- fun! We made cupcakes and iced them for Sunday as tomorrow will be busy with the wedding.

I was too busy this week to finish up my projects for designer digitals too so next week, there will bea  kit, a paper pack and another set of stamps from me. All of them are about 85% done. I have to dmit that I just love browsing the galleries and when I stumble upon a page done with one of my packs, it's soo fun. Makes me happy!!  I love to see how people use them too!

Here are a few I have found this week:

Don't need your attitude by SAHmommy - She did a rockin' job! Check out how she used hung the charm on the safety pin- sooo cool!!

Look by Danerys - She recoloured the paper to purple- FUN!

Ethan by Tortuga13 - I design with Kellie at DD and she rocks- this page is no exception! The design is fab!! Check out Kellie's kits at Designer Digitals Her work is phenomenal- love it!! While you are ther heck out the gallery- it's awesome!

Freindship by Sheri R Another one of the designers at DD- she put a sclloped edge on the papers- love it! Check out her whole gallery- this girl can scrap man! Love ya Sheri!

In between all of the relatives here this week, Iwas able to squeeze out afew papges- I would sneak off for 30 minutes every now and then. I needed to have some quiet too each day as it's a bit hectic with so many people around ( Am I a bad hostess or what? )  Here's afew pages from me.

This one uses a gorgeous set from Kellie Mize- LOVE that paisley- it's to die for!!!  The other cousin page uses my new Funky Days kit- so fun and bright!

And another with my Funky Days kit- All of these picsa re from the past week when the first set of cousins came down- Look for more cousin pictures next week! 

Family, anniversaries and life

Getting ready to celebrate my 7th wedding anniversary tomorrow. Having a BBQ with family as we now have another set of in-laws visiting. this time it's my DH's brother, his wife and two daughters. Mack is in heaven with two little girls to run around the house with. Today we headed out to Ikea for a big shopping trip. FUN stuff- dropped two of the girls off in the play area (Mackenzie is still 1 inch too short- the bane of being born into a family of shorties!) She was fine though as she LOVES to wander around Ikea. I love that the wholes story is sooooooooooooo family friendly- parked in the family spots right out front, used the cute little family bathroom with the smallest little full toilet ever and then Kenzie's favourite part is that you can sit on and interact with all of the displays. We used to live 5 minutes away from it but haven't been there since we moved as it's now a 20 minute drive. LOVE that place! I even did a layout about it awhile back!

Yesterday was a clean up day, cleaned up from the first set of relatives to get ready for set two. I also washed chopped and froze 20 lbs of peaches and then bagged up 20 lbs of blueberries. OMG the blueberries are soooooooooooo good right now- heavenly! I love living so close to so many blueberry farms and for $1.20 cdn per pound it's a great deal. I was thinking I may go back and get another 20 lbs and we'll be set for smoothies fora good portion of the year. Kenzie loves to eat them frozen and sprinkle them on her cereal. DH got a freezer for his birthday so we are trying to get it nice and filled up!

So 7 years with my hubby as a wife and 13 years as a couple- wow! Time flies. I remember when we first met. So young and carefree with the whole world ahead of us. For the most part, it has been wonderful. So many terrific things have happened to us. Yes, we have had so major blocks in our road, but we have remained strong throughout it, together. I don't think I would have been able to face some of my more recent struggles without such a force right there beside me. I love him for that. and for being the most amazing father I could have imagined. He just loves his little girl with all his heart. In the mornings, he gets up with her and I get to sleep another hour. It's their special time together. Most days, they snuggle on the couch and watch morning cartoons and grab a bowl of cereal. Just being together. I love that they have such a great bond. I also love the support that he has given me in all of my crazy endeavours. He loves my scrapbooking and has always been supportive of my need to create. Looking forward to another 7 years together and then another 7 after that and so on and so on...

Here's to family!

Another week...

Been crazy busy lately with computer/scrap stuff. AND the family is here right now-the in-laws. WE have been to the pool, the beach, had a few BBQ's, a big party and more.... We had 22 people over the other dnight. A nice jug of sangria made it all worthwhile in the heat. Did I mention the heat??? It's HOT here- well hot for the west coast. It's beena bit tough as I have found that it irritates my MS in the late afternoons when it gets hot in the house- my hand feels all puffy and I get pretty fatigued. But, it's just another thing to get used to and do my best to finda way to work it all into my life.

Added a few more previews to my folder here. My rounded corner square stamp set was a hit, so I've added a rectangle version with 8 different patterns. Look for it to up soon at www.designerdigitals.com I've also just finished a Funky Days kit- fun!! 

A few people have asked me how to add a colour onto my stamp set- I only have photoshop so these are photoshop instructions.

1. go to the layer that the stamp or image is on

2. the little f guy in a circle at the bottom of the layer
palette- click on it- it will bring up the dialog box that has drop
shadows and all that jazz-

3. go to color overlay andthen you can overlay any colour onto your layer

I have used my stamps in black as they come, white and orange so far- fun!

Ok that's quick howdy from me- I'm off to take a nap as my Dh has taken all of the kids to the pool again and  my mother and father in-law went out shopping- yay it's quiet house for a few hours!!

Oh forgot to add:

Check this out:

A freebie on the site from me too!