Montreal Canadiens Game

We took the kids to Montreal to see a Habs game.  It was awesome!
I did my homework and found a hotel within walking distance of the Bell Centre.

We drove up to Canada to drop the dogs off at my parents house in Guelph and slept for a couple hours.
We then drove to Quebec from Ontario.  What a drive!  It was closer than we expected it to be!

So, we stayed in the hotel and then the next morning, we went to the Habs Hall of Fame to get ourselves a tour of the Bell Centre.  It was AWESOME!!! The only thing we didn't get to see was the changeroom for the Habs because it was "Game Day".  

We went to the game and WE WON!!!

It was an amazing night!!!
Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

Flip Pal Mobile Scanner - A MUST-HAVE!!!!

I mentioned planning and attending the Skyline Retreat in March.
What I didn't mention was what I worked on while I was AT the retreat!

Usually, I have a completed "power layout" of pre-planned pages to put together.  A "power Layout" is a box of photos, paper, embellishments and journaling ideas/boxes.  Here is how it works:

1. Get photos together that you want to scrapbook.
2. Find matching paper to go with the photos.
3. Find embellishments, journal spots and ideas, titles, stickers, flowers, etc. and put them with the photos and paper.
4. Put all the items together in between the page dividers (large plastic dividers that have a file folder tab on them).
5. Complete steps 1-4 until all the photos are gone. 
6. Pack your bag for the retreat.
7. Drive to the retreat.
8. Scrapbook.
   No Power Layout for this chick! Not this time around!  

I had 4 projects that I wanted to work on while I was up there. YES, ONLY 4!  Most of the ladies that know me, know that I pack the entire scrap loft and even bring the kitchen sink, so to bring ONLY 4 PROJECTS was quite a stretch for this chick!!!  Now, the 4 projects I decided on were things that I *knew* I wouldn't be able to sit down, concentrate on and take the time needed to do them while there were 2 VERY active kidlets around.  Talk about "Mission Impossible".....

The 4 Projects:

1. Pull apart all of Nathan's Lego Instruction booklets and laminate them in 8.5x11 sheets to put in a binder.
2. Scan all my baby photos with my Flip Pal Mobile Scanner.
3. Finish up my Project Life 2012 Album.
4. Start a Power Layout for the next retreat I attend.

Well, I started with Project #1 and ran out of laminating sleeves about 1/3 of the way through.  When it is all done, though, it is going to be so great for Nathan to have them all in a binder where they can't be bent, ripped, lost or taken by Sophie.  More sleeves would be needed to finish the project.     So, I put away Project #1 and started on #2.

Project #2 was to scan in all my baby photos with my Flip Pal Mobile Scanner. 

I am now going to go off on a tangent about this amazing machine, so there's your warning!  

**********************

Mum and Dad gave me money for Christmas to purchase everyone in our family a Christmas present. I bought this cute little mobile scanner after playing with my friend Laura G's at the last Skyline Retreat - Thanks Mum and Dad!!!!

Photo is courtesy of flip-pal.com

What I did NOT know was that this itty bitty scanner would be able to scan all photos up to a 4x6 photo with the lid on it.  THEN, you can remove the lid, flip it over and scan any size of photo you want (as long as it overlaps a little) without the lid on it.  

Photo is courtesy of flip-pal.com

The scanner came with a special SD card to store the photos on after scanning them, a USB drive to plug the SD Card into so that you can download the photos to your computer using a USB slot (for those who do not have an SD Card reader built into their computer) and 4-AA batteries. Mine also came with a pink case and a special Breast Cancer Ribbon skin to go on the lid of the scanner.  It was the "Breast Cancer Awareness" bundle.  

Now, the SD Card has special "Toolbox" software loaded on it to allow you to "STITCH" the larger photos together and it was SO easy to use!  ANYONE, and I mean ANYONE, can use it!
You choose the photos that you did a multiple scan of: (this one is an 8x10 of my husband)

     

Then click OK. It takes the photos, stitches them all together and........     VOILA!!!    

There's BEN!!!  

I was amazed at how amazing this little machine was and then the software just blew me out of the water! 

Here's some advice for those of you just getting your hot little hands on this awesome machine:

•  If you move the scanner at all while you are doing multiple scans of a photo, it doesn't always stitch very well.  
• So, press the green button and then don't touch it until it is done scanning each time.  
• An overlap is a good thing when it comes to scanning larger photos into multiple photos.
• Invest in some rechargeable batteries to use with this machine.

I was really impressed with it.  Can't you tell??

There is 1 drawback to this machine: 

• It is a MOBILE scanner.  

This means that it does not have an AC adapter to plug into the wall.
It takes 4 AA Batteries.  I can tell you from experience that it EATS batteries.  I made it through about 3/4 of my baby pictures before I ran out of battery power.  I used the 4 batteries it came with and some batteries I bought at the dollar general (down the mountain).  

When I returned home from the retreat and life settled back down, I invested in a charger and a set of 4 AA rechargeable batteries - Sanyo Eneloop. A great investment for the amount of scanning I am planning to do in the future.  The batteries and charger stay with the scanner and are not used for ANYTHING else but the scanner.  No little fingers grabbing my special batteries!!!  It is a great little machine and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to scan photos, documents, articles, kid's artwork, old paperwork, scrapbook pages in an album that isn't yours.  It is PHENOMENAL!!!

Now back to your regular scheduled blogging.....

**********************

Once I had eaten through all of the batteries, I had to move on from Project #2 to #3. I packed away the scanner and my baby photos and pulled out My Project Life 2012 Album.  

By this time in the weekend, it was Saturday night and I knew that there wasn't a hope at all in getting to Project #4 because I had to insert photos and journal from the end of September 2012 until the end of 2012.  That includes our trip to visit family in Canada at Christmas.  So, I packed everything that I didn't need, in my car, and just worked on sliding in all the photos, leaving slots open for journaling cards and titles.

Have I ever mentioned how hard journaling is when you are surrounded by talking people at a retreat???  I even wrote what people were saying - by accident - while I was working on my journaling.  Talk about tough!!!!  Anyway, I never did get to Project #4.

In fact, it is still waiting "in the wings" to this very day.  I am STILL working on Project Life 2012 but I am now at December 5th.  Only a little ways to go and I will be able to start to put together that Power Layout of the photos I want to "get scrappy" with.

I have YET to complete a traditional scrapbook page in 2013.  When I finish the last bit of journaling in the Project Life 2012 album, I WILL count the pages that I completed.  But NOT until I am completely done with it!

Here's hoping it is SOON!!!

Until Next Time,

SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

Re-Entry's A B!tch!

Yep! 

I'm a slacker when it comes to BLOGGING in 2013!

Not only have I been busy with Origami Owl, but I have also been really busy with OTHER stuff!

I planned another Skyline Retreat for March 2013.  

Probably my WORST weekend - ever - happened that weekend while I was up at Camp Skyline in Mentone, Alabama.  

Now, prior to Skyline, my friend Marcy came to visit and hang with me and that was a BLAST!!!  She is awesome!  I always enjoy spending time with Marcy!  On Wednesday, we drove up to Marta's for our regular overnight, which was also pretty fantastic.  I always sleep so well at Marta's house.  I am not quite sure why.

Now, we get to the B.A.D. part......
I need to explain why the weekend was the WORST.WEEKEND.EVER!
Now, planning this retreat is hard enough because there were 38 women all wanting different things.  Who can please 38 women?  Surely, NOT ME! But, I try my best and they appreciate it (for the most part).  So, when you add a night of no sleep to the mix (yep - Thursday night, I was awake all night with my good friend, Sharon and some serious tummy issues - on my part) and then add in a LONG Friday with still no sleep.  We got the group shot though.....

When I finally get back to the cabin to take a much-needed nap before dinner, a phone call from the Hubby in GA. I called back and Nathan answered the phone "Hi Mum!  Sophie's puking all over your room!  It's really gross!"  (Gotta love an 8 year old who tells you everything.)

I finally get to talk to Ben and he called to see where I keep the carpet shampoo.
Now, hubby isn't the one that deals with the kids being sick (for the most part) and calling doctors and such.  That is a Mummy duty.
Well, I start to worry and freak out a bit because all I can think of is Sophie puking all over the house.  I mean ALL.OVER.THE.HOUSE.

My panic kicked in and "Mama Bear" bear came out!!!

I went into "over-drive" and started to blurt out every little piece of advice for Ben and he took it and said that he would figure it out.  I will tell you right now, I was really worried about what the house would look like when I got home and who else would be sick by the time I got home! 

I had called the doctor to see about getting some anti-nausea meds for her and he called them in.  Friends, who I thought would help, didn't come through for me and one stay-at-home-dad, that I know in our neighbourhood, came through for me and went to Publix to get the meds for Ben.
I was then escorted to bed by Marta (who was afraid that I would take my car keys and drive after being awake for more than 40 hours at that point).  

I truly think she saved my life that night and all I did was yell at her to "give me my F'n car keys!"  (Sorry for yelling at you Marta!  LOVE YOU!)  

You see, when "mama bear" comes out, you aren't rational, you can't think clearly, you lose your temper and say things you don't necessarily mean in anger and you just want to be there for your kidlet.  Well, I was embarrassed too.  Being escorted to my bed like a child?  What the hell!  I am a grown woman!
ANYWAY........

To make a long story short, Daddy came through for Sophie and my respect and love for this man has grown.  On top of that, my friend Marta, rose to the occasion, stared "Mama Bear" in the face and didn't care that I was yelling at her. She knew I would be okay in the morning after a good night's sleep. 

I have a good friend who loves me!  

Ben is a great father to my children!  

I am blessed

So, it was the weekend from HELL!!! 

I got through it.

Sophie made it through her first time throwing up.

Marta is still "my person" and I love her.  

My respect and love for Ben has grown exponentially after dealing with this.

Nathan stayed healthy.

Ben stayed healthy.

I did come home completely exhausted, 

but that is the case whenever I come home from a retreat.

Isn't it funny how, after all of that, I can see the blessings?  

Amazing.

Scrapbookers, while on retreats and afterwards, joke and say that "Re-entry's A Bitch".  

Only this time, it definitely was!!!

Until Next time, 

SCRAP ON!

~Cyn~

Skyline.....

I am currently in the middle of planning the Skyline Retreat. 2 WEEKS!!!!  2 WEEKS!!!!

Nathan and Sophie are out of school this week for Winter Break and I was without cable/internet/phone until Monday evening.  My computer is still having some trouble, but nothing I can't handle.

Oh!  On top of that, I am potty training Sophie too...yay (can't you just smell the sarcasm?).  I seriously think that 3 to 4 is the WORST age.  Not only is she trying to flex her muscles, show her independence and show her stubbornness, but her temper tantrums just put me out on that ledge and I just want to jump off!!!  She and Nathan are driving this chick to drink and I DON'T DRINK!!!

So, here's to a crazy, out-of-control week.

image courtesy of www.typesofvodka.net

Now, bring on the VODKA!

Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

Happy Valentine's Day!

Well, it has been a month and 6 days since I became an Origami Owl Independent Designer.  

I have had my first Jewelry Bar and I will admit that it was a great time!  I had a blast, and yes I was nervous, but one of the hostesses handed me a little cheesecake cupcake and said "here, eat one of these with me"...
THAT calmed me down and set my mood for the rest of the day and the show was a hit! 

These living lockets practically sell themselves!!!  I am really impressed with the quality of the products too! Now, onward and upward!  
My calendar is open for March and April if anyone wants to host a Jewelry Bar Party with me! 
It can be at your house, online or even a catalog party!  Let me know!!! 

Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~

I'm A Designer!!

I signed on as an Independent Designer for Origami Owl.

I figured it would be a great way to make some income for my family, for the "extras" that we may want and trips we want to take.
I am excited because I love the idea of a Living Locket to put charms in.

Depending on how I feel, I can change out the charms daily or weekly or monthly or not at all!

I have my first designer in waiting (DIW), her name is Lisa and she lives in Colorado.

I also have 2 Jewelry Bar Parties scheduled - one on February 10th and one on March 2nd.

I am excited!  Can't ya tell?

If you want to see more, go HERE

Until Next Time,
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~ 

5 Things....

What are 5 things that you are proud that you accomplished in 2012?

1. Spent one-on-one time with each of my children.
2. Planned 2 Skyline Retreats and they were both awesome!
3. Completed 318 Scrapbook Pages in 2012.
4. Paid CASH for all Christmas Presents and managed to stay out of debt.
5. Went from 181 pounds down to 165 from June 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012.

What are the top 5 things you want to accomplish in 2013?

1. Scrapbook 365 pages in 2013 using what I have as much as possible.
2. Get my weight down between 140 and 150 by continuing to exercise regularly at LA Fitness and eating our meals at home paying close attention to portion sizes.
3. Continue to pay cash for everything and stay out of debt by doing a monthly allocated spending plan, tracking our spending and using coupons.
4. Spend time with each of my kidlets one-on-one.
5. Spend quality time with my husband once a month WITHOUT our kidlets.  

What are 5 books you want to read in 2013?

1. Bringing Up Boys
2. The Strong Willed Child
3. Nuala Reilly's Books: Autumn Violets, Winter Jasmine, Spring Daisies
4. Les Miserables
5. Fifty Shades of Grey
   

What are 5 songs you loved to listen to in 2012?

1. Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera
2. Payphone - Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa
3. Call Me Maybe - Carly Rae Jepsen
4. Titanium - David Guetta featuring Sia
5. Hall of Fame - The Script featuring will.i.am.

What are 5 songs you need to download in 2013?

1. Over You - Miranda Lambert
2. The Vampire Diaries Soundtrack
3. Beauty and the Beat - Justin Bieber featuring Nicki Minaj
4. Try - P!nk
5. Catch My Breath - Kelly Clarkson

Now you know where I was in 2012 and where I am heading in 2013!

Until Next Time, 
SCRAP ON!
~Cyn~