Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day everyone.

We had a wonderful time of prayer in church today - a time where many reflected on their own mothers and what their years of labour and love meant to them. I was so encouraged to hear so many give thanks for their mothers and was reminded of my own mothers years of raising seven of us. I am reminded of the years she spent in the kitchen feeding us or in the basement with that old wringer washer and then hanging up the clothes to dry. Never had a problem with humidity in our old house. I remember how she would sit up with us at night if we were sick - she was always there - always - and there was seven of us. I never heard a complaint from her or any sign of worry or weariness - even when my sister was so sick and dieing of cancer. What a woman - what an example of strength and fortitude for me.

Motherhood - a wonderful time of selfless work to make our lives so wonderful. May there be no complaints and no regrets - just joy in the work before us.

Happy Mother's Day to all of you out there who have invested so much of yourselves, your time, your sleep, your energy, and especially your love to raise and nurture the next generation and the next generation after that. I know I am what I am a lot because of who my mother was. And I also know my children are who they are in many ways because of who I am. We invest in our children and we invest in our grandchildren and our great grandchildren.

So here's to all you tireless Mom's out there. Enjoy your day! Cause you have to get back at it shortly! LOL But that's okay - we love investing our everything in those we love.

Christmas 1961 - can you pick me out? Can you believe that in 30 years I would have four children of my own and be mothering 24/7? See the post below - there we are raising our own family. Thirty years passes by so quickly!

So Happy Together!

I found this photo of the family from 1992. Oh those were such busy days but such wonderful days. We had so much fun together. I would love to go back and do them all over again, with the wisdom I now have. Ahhh hindsight. I would be such a better Mom... sigh... I would be sooo much more patient with these little ones. They are all so precious...but they have turned out so well...God's grace.

This page is inspired by a page Sharon did in the store with the same line. Sharon often inspires me and amazes me. She can whip a fabulous page together in no time

I used the very fun new line that just came in from We R Memory Keepers - Hoopla. It comes with all sorts of great embellishments, rub-ons and chip board. I also used a few family rub-ons from heidi grace jumbo rub-ons, A Bazzill flower with a brad from Stemma.

This was a fun change from tropical 8X10's. I see Black's has another 8x10 special on this weekend...I am resisting!

Soothing

Got to love a Hawaii sunset.

I am Amazed by YOU!

This is a PRIMA page - yup all Prima - paper (Angelique Collection - Angel Kisses) - how appropriate along with the Artful Leaves, Belle Flowers and Painterly Petals. And then the icing - the new "Say it in studs". Prima - you make it so easy and fun.

Psalm 65 says "by his strength He established the mountains, being girded with might;
He stills the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, so that those who dwell at the ends of the earth are in awe at your signs. You make the going out of the morning and the evening to shout for joy. You visit the earth and water it; you greatly enrich it..."

I look at these pictures and I am amazed by Him who is my Creator and perfecter. And in the same way I look at the pictures of my children and my loved ones and see into the eyes of their souls and again I am amazed by Him, my Saviour.

Hawaii

Another simplistic layout. Love these new Paper Loft paper flowers. The journalling reads "I love 'bumming' around Hawaii with you". Take a zoom look at the photo. Get it?

Prima Shopping Spree

Yes well, can you blame me? I have been putting fabulous stuff out on the shelves all last week and hanging around these beauties all weekend and so I am supposed to walk away from it all once the staff ban is lifted? No way - I am ready to shop. Yes well and which colour don't I buy? Okay so I bought several of them but hey I have some tropical pictures remember? I also have some not so tropical they are going to look fabulous on. Ralna has another order in.

Then yesterday - another shipment arrives. WHEN is product NOT coming into this store - really we are getting to know our UPS guy pretty well here! Bo Bunny, "stamp and store" - someone is thinking here! Aloha Acrylic Stamps in their own CD case - I LOVE it! I think Ralna ordered this just for me... okay and a few of you too. There were two left when I went home last night. Get on the phone now.

Turtle Bay

Here is a two page layout of the Turtle Bay resort on the north shore of Oahu, Hawaii taken to the South and then to the West. I took these pictures before I realized I do not do well in helicopters.

I love the colours - the rich greens and browns of the land, the brilliant turquoise water and the beige sand that separates the two. It sort of acts like a border to the land. God sure knew what He was doing when He created the heavens and the earth and separated the waters from the dry land. I see pictures like this and I am in awe of His incredible creation. I also become so very aware of my insignificance and my need of His all saving power!

Prima Classes with Trisha

Hee Haw, I got to take one of Trisha's classes this past weekend and it was fun! We sure learned a lot; enjoyed flocking; working with embossed chipboard; lots of fun stuff. I thought this page might be too busy for my liking, but I love how this turned out. Love the new Prima products and especially the flowers.

Cool tags and very cool flocking; can't wait until this arrives at JSI.

Blessings!

Julie

ps...I know I am trying to get more simplistic in my scrapbooking and then I take a class with Trish. LOL

Waikiki Beach

An aerial view of Waikiki that David took (and is very proud of). He took it while I was deep breathing and clinging to a paper bag, remember? I guess I can laugh about it now and I am quite happy to have the pictures, so in a way I can now say I am glad we did the helicopter tour; I just won't do it again. Or maybe it is like having children.....

I added some little pictures of our day on Waikiki beach - so I have our afternoon at Waikiki all on one page which I am fine with. The postcard in the top left corner I picked up a while ago and it fit perfectly on this page because it is a drawing of Waikiki back in the 1920's or so when only a couple of smaller hotels were there, one being the pink one you see in the large photo on the far left and also in the postcard. I love the contrast from the simple, peaceful days of the postcard to the massive 18 story hotels crowding the beaches. Perhaps the page next to this one should be of all the hundreds of people lining the beaches for a piece of sun and surf. Waikiki is not what it used to be; it is, however, still worth seeing.

Stay tuned for some real streamlined pages; I really am trying to stay simplistic and clean; uncluttered so to speak.

Blessings!

Julie

ps...don't you just LOVE that blogger now allows you to post date a posting? No more saving in draft on the weekend so I can post during my crazy week. haha! Love it!

Happy National Scrapbook Day!

Happy National Scrapbook Day to everyone.

We celebrated all this weekend with incredible classes from Prima Educator Trisha Ladouceur, of Edmonton. Wow - was there ever a lot of creativity going on at JSI! Everyone was really working hard and producing some beautiful projects. One more class tomorrow morning. Thank you Trisha. Do you think you will have a voice by tomorrow?

Is anybody listening to ME?????

No...No..Barb, those are for your acrylic album...no really you are going to need those...all 10 of them...no extra's....seriously they are for your album. Pay attention girl!!

Did she say we had to cut out another window....?

I don't think my brain can do another window this late in the day!