A different planet

We survived the long drive to and from Vancouver. And the very long drives to get almost anywhere in Vancouver, like the 1/2 hour drive from Burnaby to UBC for the convention and then the 1/2 hour back to Burnaby.

It was something else! I have never seen anything like that. I know some people don't understand scrap booking, the classes, crops, money spent on it, the need for a better printer, camera, tote, etc. but I never ever thought about the whole anime/manga thing that my own kids are interested in. Never thought about kids who would spend 2-3 HOURS in line to get into a convention, spend hundreds, yes, hundreds of dollars on costumes, all their waking hours drawing, laminating and trimming art for bookmarks, buttons, posters, tote bags, etc., or hand stitching dolls of their favourite characters to sell at the convention. Some travelled by bus from miles away. There were over 4400 people registered for the convention. I would hazard a guess that 25% of those people were NOT in costume, were not 'cosplayers', but they wandered around with a total shocked and amazed look on their face. There are some kids who 'cosplay' everyday all day. Don't ask me why. These 'kids' spent a bundle of money and time on their costumes, some had different costumes for all 3 days. They had a dance, they had a movies, karaoke, Anime Idol, live chess games, photo shoots, autographs of famous voice actors, how to break into the business seminars, a huge merchants mall, you name it...This was my favourite costume, Kon from Bleach.
Eureka and Anemone from Eureka 7.The weirdest, heart warming thing...giant spin the bottle, each person had a water bottle, spun it , and then ran to hug who ever it was pointed at. Every once in awhile someone would yell "Group Hug!" and they would all run to the middle and hug.
The kids loved seeing all and buying the art, there are some very talented artists out there, Emily being one of them. She has plans on renting a table next year to sell her art work.

My favourite food at the market, fish shaped vegetable waffles, and the sweet rice and bean pancakes.

Anyways, we did do other things, I hit 3 of the scrapbook stores, spent too much, we went to the Richmond Night Market, ate weird things, the Art Gallery Krazy exhibit, saw weird stuff, it was a comic/cartoon, anime, manga, animation, graphic novel exhibit. Both kids said they wouldn't go again. Definitely not for children. Went to Metrotown 2 times, Pacific Center for lunch, made a Build-a-bear and then stopped at Ikea on the way home and filled the van with shelves and an entertainment unit, and lots of other goodies that they make you think you can't live without.

Emily was in her element pretty much all weekend, she should have been born and raised in Japan. My aunt gave her 3 books she had from her teaching days and Emily is using them to teach herself to write, speak and read Japanese. She already knew a tonne of things and could read some of the stuff to me. She love the little gift stores, Gift Surprise was her favourite, it was filled to the ceiling with all kids of imported Hello Kitty type stuff, her fav. being Monokuro Boo, cute little black and white pigs. She bought a truck load of pigs.

Shaun was pretty impressed with Ikea, he was very young the last time we went and was not interested at all. But this time, he was in awe of the very stylish rooms, the low prices, and the way everything was layed out. Oh and the cheap hotdogs and delicious cinnamon buns.

We're Off!

The kids and I are off to an extended weekend in Vancouver. We will spend our time between the Anime Convention, shopping, and sight seeing.
Kerry and the dogs will be spending the time drinking beer, and eating potato chips.

One Thing

It's amazing how one thing can ruin a perfectly good day. I got my new Mimi tote from Costco.ca, I was down on the scale, I finished more than 1/2 of Emily's costume for the weekend, and then I almost ran over a man on a bike. Ruined my day, probably his too, but then again, maybe not.
After WW I always stop and get gas at 7-11, it's cheaper in Winfield. I pulled out, couldn't get on the highway right away, 2 vehicles were in the inside lane and the van has a huge turning radius so I like to wait. I was over the sidewalk, I hear a loud "HEY" and turn to see a man at the passenger window on a bike. He then hits the van, either with the bike or his foot, but I definitely heard "HEY" and then bang. I pull out of the parking lot to pull over but he's screaming lots of nasty words at me and is very angry. Because it's not safe to pull over on a hwy. I pull over on the next road, which also happens to loop up and around the back of where I just was, so I can see this guy yelling and phoning someone. I decide I am definitely not getting out, so I drove to Yolanda's, told her what happened, probably scared her kids with my wailing, she said to go to the community policing station. I did, no one was there. I decided to drive home, and check the community station near home. (they were probably all out looking for me)
But wait, there's a police truck at 7-11, I saw the guy riding his bike away from 7-11 so I stopped and talked to the police officer. They were looking for me, I know this because his radio went off and the guy on the other end said something about a green Windstar. Probably an APB on me! Nice.
So I didn't get a ticket, because ...
1. the witness was unreliable... he said I peeled out of the parking lot and he heard a guy yell. I said I was stopped and heard the guy and then he hit me.
2. It's quite obvious he hit me, he made contact with my passenger door, there's a dent, a tire dent and a scuff mark, if I had hit him, I think my front would be damaged. The police office was looking there first for damage and I had to point him to the right spot, him and the other police officer looked and then stepped away to discuss it.
3. it wasn't a real hit and run, because I was at the police station and then came back to the scene.
I admit I didn't see the guy, the police office said he could have been obstructed by the 7-11 sign, who knows. He did seem shocked when I said I was pretty much stopped, and not moving when the guy hit me.
I have never cried so much. I probably would have laughed if I wasn't crying. When the officer said I should call ICBC and file the claim for the probably $500 damage to my door, and to have it on record, I asked if the guy was hurt. And this is where some people laugh...and I totally know I didn't hit him, the guy on the bike that says I hit him and I think he kicked my van has a broken TOE. Well, I know there's no way I can hit a guy with my door, the side of my van, and cause a broken toe.
So I learned a lesson or two...definitely check, triple check when driving, and I do this because Kerry rides to work everyday and I know about all the close calls he's had. The other lessons...make sure there are no witnesses or bring your own and if that doesn't work, run the person over good so they can't talk and make up stories about how it actually went down!
Needless to say, Kerry is livid, still today. He says it's so obvious that the guy hit me, that he saw me in time to yell at me and then stop and hit me and that this stupid man ruined my day. Kerry's so sweet. Maybe I'll buy him a samosa!

We're slowing realizing that we leave tomorrow, we are not ready. I am not a costume designer or a seamstress, and it's beginning to show.

Hip Hip Hooray!!!

I'm not a huge sports fan. I'm not athletic to say the least, I hate to sweat. But we have been watching the Olympics quite a bit and I have to say I have been disappointed with the Canadians. Is it just me or are they not quite as polished as the other athletes?
So it gives me great pride, not that I had an ounce of anything to do with it, to say that the FIRST medal won by a Canadian was won by one from Kelowna!!!

I'm melting.

I know I'm melting because parts of me are moist when they shouldn't be. Think of a pound of butter left in the sun, that's how I feel. And we have air conditioning.

I braved the crowds and the heat and took Emily to the Lulu Lemon warehouse sale that was held in Kelowna this year. We had tried earlier in the day but it was insane with the longest line-up I have ever seen. We waited about 20 min. to get in, shopped for about that long, stood in line to try the clothes on for over 10 min. before deciding to just pull the shirts over our heads to see if they fit. We each came home with 2 items, everything was 1/2 price. I figured if the stuff I picked out didn't fit, someone was getting Lulu for Christmas. But fortunately for me, they fit, I took the pants in to Lulu to get hemmed this morning.

The weather on-line says it's 32 degrees, but on our shady deck it is at least 35, I can't tell, I start to pass out from the heat before I can read the thermometer.

Judy, Jane and I made a pact, not in blood but just as binding, to smarten up and get back on track with our weight loss/maintenance. So far, I'm doing well, eating better, making better choices, moving more. That Wii Fit is really helping, it's quite the workout. I suck at coordination stuff, and it shows in the step aerobics and rhythm boxing, but I rock at hula hoops and skiing, two things I can't do in real life.

I challenged Tara to use 50 sheets of 12 x 12 patterned paper before Halloween. We both have a large stash that doens't get used, we hoard it. I know other's that have this characteristic, so they can join us too.


And...I just sent off the registration forms for the Christmas Craft sale! Crazy, it's 200 degrees out and I'm planning a Christmas Craft sale!

Creative Energy is flowing

Well, really, it's the ability to copy things that's in my favour today.

All of these cards are copied right out of the new catalogue. They may not use the same stamp sets, or colours but most of the ideas are right out of the book.

I'm very excited that Marg will be joining Tara and I in our Great Adventure to see Donna Downey. We are going to have so much fun! I must start planning what I am going to take. Did I mention that I ordered a Mimi tote off Costco.ca for a great price, cheaper than anywhere else and there's no shipping fee. Totally going out of my comfort zone, I went with the pink and brown tote to match my little AMM tote. Look at that, I haven't even met Donna and already I'm stepping outside my comfort zone! Very exciting!

New Catalogue and BIA

I think one of the best tools I have purchased has been the Bind-It-All . Not only do I love, love, love making my own little mini books, and albums but I adore being able to bind my SU catalogue. I love how it now lays flat when I am drooling over it, leaving both my hands free to eat while I scour the book for more things to spend Kerry's hard earned money on.

I have it down to a sciene, the binding, not the spending Kerry's money. I actually rip the book apart with my bare hands, in chunks. Then I trim the pages down to 8 5/8", if I measured right, this takes off just the jagged edge. With my SU paper cutter, I can cut through a decent amount in a short time. Then I punch the holes in the bottom edge, then the top edge, then make sure they are all in the right order and I bind it using the proper instructions, nothing bothers me more than seeing those O rings put on wrong. I used 5/8" rings, but I think 3/4" would have been a better choice.

Takes me less than 10 minutes while watching Y&R. Seriously!

It's been a long time...

must be because I'm getting older.



I had a fairly busy weekend. Or, maybe it was a Wii-kend. Ha Ha, I crack myself up if nothing else.



My birthday started out great. I got to sleep a bit later, nothing too exciting, but the dogs didn't dictate the time I woke up like they do every day. And I had what every woman wants for her birthday breakfast...Tater Tots and bacon, it's what I asked for...it was perfect.
Kerry and the kids made their own cards, Emily made me some patterned paper for scrap booking. I got the Juno cd, Rayman's Raving Rabbids 2, money, and lots of scrap booking goodies from Tara and Shawn. And carrot cake, I can't forget about that, from Cooper's and it was yummy! I also had a surprise ice cream cake on Thursday from Marg and Terry! And mom had us for dinner on Wednesday and I had cake then too.


Then we went out to find a Wii Fit. We planned on going and pre-paying at the Source but on the way we stopped at Toys R'Us because they kept saying "Saturday we'll get some" and even though they never have before, we still went faithfully. And we hit pay dirt. They had gotten 12 in, sold 8 already, it was just after 9 am. and we bought 2. One for us, one for Tara and Shawn, even though they don't own a Wii. They will have lots of fun just standing on the board while watching the Olympics!I'm sore from all the Wii fitness I've been doing. It's a freakishly amazing thing, not the fact I've been 'working out' but the things this scale shaped thing can do, besides tell you that your overweight.We waited out the rain, missed the imaginary parade, and finally made it to Mardi Gras, where we spent too much, bought an umbrella, and stainless steel water bottles, and Pachos and margaritas. Nothing like your man drinking a strawberry margarita out of a pink bucket.


We didn't try these, but they were intriguing. Taco salad in a bag, they take a small bag of Doritos, crunch it up, add taco salad makings and you walk away and eat it. Fairly mess free. After all of this, Kerry went and donated blood, the sky split into and it poured and poured. We have had lots of thunder and lightening. And then Emily and I went to Tara's for birthday cropping while Kerry went to my dad's for Fight Night. We had cupcakes, donuts, bean dip, brie, made cards, I got some flowers from Victoria, and then I watched Denise love her Cricut. Which got me thinking I could send my Silhouette some good lovin' vibes and maybe, just maybe, it would send some love my way. And so the next morning while in the shower, I got the idea to scan a scalloped Carousel Note from SU and try to cut it out with my Silhouette. And look at this!!! I did it, not just once, but 12 times! Perfectly cut out, without any problems from that darn machine. I mean "That wonderful, fantastic, kind of noisy work of art!"And then I bbq'd steak, good, expensive, Montreal Steak spiced steak. And then I ate it. All photos were taken with my 50mm f 1.8, and SOOC. I'm getting old, I don't have enough time to photoshop all my pictures, life is short.

29 years ago today...

I was celebrating my 7th birthday.

I'm still celebrating my 36th, so I will fill you in with the deets tomorrow. I'm off to Tara's for a night of birthday cropping and cupcakes.
Just some little tidbits...
no parade at Mardi Gras for us, it poured.
we got not 1 but 2 Wii Fits, one for Tara and Shawn.
I got tatertots for breakfast, handmade cards, a nap, and didn't have to make any meals.

Sugar Daddy Call

Kerry makes a very nice income, but I'm looking for a rich older man with no interest in women to back a serious spending spree. I just got the new Stampin' Up IB&C and love it. Wasn't sure about the cover, but it's growing on me.

-lots of new Christmas stamps...I'll need a few to replace the ones I lost at retirement
-Halloween stamps, none that I NEED, good thing
-Hearts
-Double mounted background stamp
- new Alphabets, lots of smaller and miny ones
-new punches, gotta get the wavy window one that comes with matching stamps
-new hostess sets
-tonnes of new patterned papers, love most of them
-lots of Simply Scrappin' Kits and card making kits
-ribbon...1 inch ribbon, choc. chip 1/4" grosgrain is back, with sage, olive and rose red too. Satin ribbon, new taffeta, poly twill...yummy ribbon
-lots of new rub-ons
-Felt Fusion flowers in Bali, Chocolate, and one other colour I can't remember and am too lazy to look up right now.

I'm debating getting the Big Shot. I'm loving the thought of cutting out lots of larger scallops, scalloped envelopes, etc.
Anyway, if you have an extra Sugar Daddy, please send him this way.

Very Very EXCITED

It's not Disneyland, but it's right up there...at least I think it will be. Tara and I are booked to take a class with none other than Donna Downey!!! And it's not going to break the bank. We are so very excited. I'll share the details as more become available. Now if only Cathy Z. would do classes closer to me...
Which means I had to do some bargaining with Kerry. Kind of a "if I go here, you can go there" deal.
Still no catalogues...I really can't understand why SU didn't get them out sooner.

It's My Birthday Week...

...as Tara says. This is Tara on her new scooter. It's super cute! Not pink but still cute.

The celebrating happens today. My mom is having us for Birthday dinner.(Mom says we're having chicken and she's burning it.) Saturday is Mardi Gras and we will partake in some of that and then it's Fight Night. Kerry will celebrate my birthday with the guys cheering for half naked men with cauliflower ears and Tara's invited me for Birthday cropping.

I've been asked what I want for my birthday. I can honestly say I have everything I need. Okay, I don't have a new SU catalogue or a flash but those will come with time. I don't have a 28 inch waste anymore and probably never will again. I don't have the best behaved dogs, they may be the most photogenic, and cutest, but won't be seen in public much. I have great kids, I'm not just saying that because they are mine. They can kind of carry on a conversation, are relatively intelligent, listen to what we have to say, even if they don't follow our advice or agree with it, they are kind of cute too, not so photogenic.

We celebrated Tara's birthday at Idabel lake. It could have been warmer, the kids didn't get to go right in the lake, and the breeze was kind of chilly but I wasn't complaining, I was eating artichoke dip and oblivious to all else. We had a nice time eating, chatting, playing Wii and bocce (girls rule, boys drool), boating, and eating.

We took the dogs to Angel Springs again. They posed for their "I look more like Gene Simmons that you do" pictures, they are such good dogs for the camera. Tomorrow we are going to try see who looks more like Spuds McKenzie. This hike, we walked and walked until we got to this sign...

And then we walked a bit more (at least 600 meters, like the sign said), only more cautiously. We came to a dried up waterfall, walked a very trecherous trail, heard some noises and felt very much like we were in Lord of the Rings. We never saw 'the Springs', at least we didn't think we had until I did a bit of research on-line, gotta love Google, and found out that it might be too hot and 'the Springs' have all but dried up, we think they were actually the dried up waterfall. We walked an hour in and an our out even though I ran part of the way because of my believe that bears would naturally be found in the wild raspberry patch we walked through and I heard crunchies at that time, it was either bears or zombies, but I know zombies don't eat berries, they eat brains.

And on that note...

We are finalizing plans for me and the kids' trip to Vancouver for the Anime Convention at UBC. And another trip for me and Tara is in the works. I'll let you know tomorrow as tonight I must get my best bargaining tactics out.

That darn SU catalogue, Canada Post originally said it would be delivered on the 8th, but now the update says the 11th. I am not too happy with this, but what can we do?

Off to get cleaned up for birthday chicken.

Stampin' Up news!

Well, SU knows how to placate demonstrators. I'm silently stewing about not having the new catalogue yet and they go and announce that SU has teamed up with Sizzix and is now offering the Big Shot and matching dies!!!
I had an Accucut similar in size ot the Big Shot but sold it off so I could get the QK Silhouette this past Spring. I have a love HATE relationship with the Silhouette. And actually contemplated buying Tara's Big Shot off of her. Sorry, Tara, now I might have to get this SU one. The dies include lots of flowers, boxes, scalloped circles, alphabets, leaves, snowflakes, hearts, borders, pennants, and flourishes. The machine is black and you can buy it as a starter kit with or without a tote bag. The Starter Kit is $232.95, it comes with 4 dies, cutting mats, platforms for both standard and decorative stips.
Anybody want a slightly used Silhouette?