Balance

Why do "we" as people, so often forget to appreciate the things we have in our lives, big and small?  It seems that life and it's lessons are certainly not on a linear path(I guess this should be obvious??).  Lessons keep needing to be relearned.  Things always go in cycles.  I am constantly amazed by life(all of what it entails) and the dichotomy of it, how it is all so simple, yet mind-blowingly complex.  I think that ultimately, everything comes down to balance, yin and yang sort of thing etc., from the most complex to the most base.  I think it is the answer to every problem in some way.  The trouble is, it seems, that things can always, and at any time go out of balance fairly simply. 

This, makes me wonder if wisdom is really just about getting better at re-aligning when things go off course.  Can we ever really get to a place where we are always balanced, or don't often need re-learning of seemingly the most basic of life's lessons?  Can a person get to this point in a lifetime?  I wonder if anyone really gets to a point where they always remember to use every moment in a way that they are proud of, in a way that if given the chance, they wouldn't change or take back.    I wonder all of this because I get frustrated with myself when I feel like I have slipped backwards or regressed in ways that seem to happen over and over again.  Like, for instance, I have a really hard time through the winter...every winter.  Every fall I think I am prepared and in a "good" place.  Then slowly weird winter me creeps in and I don't even realize the moment when this happens or really that it even happens until Spring comes and I feel so good.  Then I'm like hey, I haven't been good.  A part of my consciousness seems to hibernate in the winter.  Just checks out.

Anyway, I am so thankful right now for the sunshine and how nice it feels to have it on my skin again, how lovely it is to hear the birds chirping all around me, how romantic and light it feels having the windows open in the house and the warm breeze pouring through the house.  I have been really letting the moment sink in again.  I forgot what that felt like for a little while.  Like usual.  But you know what all of this contemplation brings me back to?  Balance.  In everything.  I wouldn't appreciate this sun nearly as much and the sound of those chirping birds so much, if I didn't have the long, cold winter every year.  See....balance.

Here's a picture of Ella from yesterday:

Also, this is my favourite song of the moment, "Be Okay" by Ingrid Michaelson.  I'm not sure why I have never heard of her before.  I got one of her albums last week and I am totally loving the whole thing.



Happy Easter long weekend!!!!

~Tricia

New products in my shop!!!

I am really excited about my newest kit that I added to my Etsy shop today, flag banners!!!  Ya, I have been seeing them everywhere and I just had to make my own. I really like how they turned out and I already made a layout using one of the banners.

Here is the kit preview:

And here is my layout that I made with one of the banners, which also happens to be another ScrapMuse layout with my March kit.  This layout is about Ella and some of the things that are unique to her right now. Everything is from the kit and the add-on except for the black cardstock, the black acrylic paint, the bling, the embossing powder, the sequins and the brass wire, which are from my stash. The pps are all MME.

 Thanks for looking and have a great day!





~Tricia

Dentistry@Arnprior and BEST find *ever* at Buck or Two!!!!!

I brought both my kids to the dentist for the first time, this morning. Contrary to what I expected to happen, Owen was quite comfortable with going in and the whole process where Ella was much more fearful and had to be coaxed into every little thing. Owen even went into the room by himself with the hygienist. Ella was completely fine until it was her turn, at which point she stopped dead in front of the door and just said "no". SHe wasn't angry or screaming or lashing out. Just saying no. SHe said it probably 4-5 more times following that, before we were able to talk her into the room. Then we had to talk her into the chair. The we had to talk her into agreeing to have the chair move up and down and back and forth. It went on like this for every single part. When it came time to us "asking" her if the dentist could come in and see her now, she was ready to burst into tears. I reassured her and she allowed him to come in. He was very sweet and gentle with her and she liked him right away, so that was great. He told us that he has 2 little girls, one, Ella's age almost exactly. Anyway, we got over this hurdle which is a big relief. Especially since the dentist said that they both have very healthy mouths.

After the dentist appointment, I obviously had to go to the Buck or Two that is in the same mall. SO glad I did, because I found the best find EVER! A bunch of 8x8" Cosmo Cricket paper pads for, wait for it............., you won't believe it! $1.00 each. I bought 7, 1 each of 6 different packs and a second "Hello Sunshine" pack, cause I love it. I'm kind of thinking I should have bought them all for gifts and RAKs and such, even just for paper for the kids, or loot bags. Whatever, $1.o0. I am SO going back and buying them all. There were probably like 40 there. Hopefully no Arnprior ladies read this post before I get a chance to get back there. Anyway, here they are in all their glory....and please feel free to leave any and all comments about how jealous you are and how lucky I am below! Hehehe.





Happy Weekend!

~Tricia

Pictures and Layouts to Share

First off, I will share the last of my March ScrapMuse projects.

This first layout is called, It is the little things that matter the most, and I created this one for our theme at ScrapMuse this month. Every month, one of our layouts has to be based on the theme that we have picked. This month the theme was the title "It's the Little Things". I learned how to make the spiral flowers on this layout by following Chiqui's instructions in this month's newsletter. Her article this month is on how to make a variety of awesome easy flowers. Everything on this layout is from the March kit and add-on, but the white cardstock is from my own stash.

This next project was super easy. It literally took me 5 minutes to put together and it features a couple more of Chiqui's flowers. I found this 5x7 frame at Dollarama for $1.50!!!!!! Crazy eh? All of the pps are from the March ScrapMuse kit, Spring Has Sprung.

This next one is a layout about Ella playing at the park last week. She can finally climb up the tire ladder at the park which is pretty momentous for her and I both. Now I can do a lot more relaxing when I am at the park!! Yay, they actually grow up! Everything on this layout is from March's kit and add-on, except for the little bits of black, white and orangey-red cardstock, which are from my stash.

And my final layout to share is of Owen, called Mr. Personality. The last few months he has taken on quite the comedic flair. He loves to make us laugh any chance he gets and I thought these pictures really picked up on his personality. All of the pps and tags are from this month's kit. I added the 2 red brads and the white cardstock from my own stash and the chipboard letters are actually from the December kit.

Now for some pictures:

Here's another of Ella at the park that day, looking pretty proud overlooking the park from her perch.

Funny one of Owen looking mildly distressed:

Ella telling stories instead of eating her lunch. In case anyone is wondering what the gross looking blob of food is, it is tuna salad. The kids like it straight up, without bread. I'm not going to argue, straight protein without the carbs, done.

I caught this cool pic of Ella looking out the back door and you can see her reflection so clearly....I definitely see a scrapbook page out of this one:

Ella cranky on a time out:

Sitting on Daddy later that day, seconds after she farted on him. HAHA!

My wackadoodle children trying to get a laugh as usual, it worked. Excuse the HEAPS of laundry in the background...guilty:

That's about all for now on the homefront here, just been enjoying the chance to be outside again. We have been spending every spare moment outside. This week is a little cooler than last, but still dealable.

Oh and before I forget, I wanted to say that you should all check out the March Newsletter from ScrapMuse this month. I think it's the best one since I started with them.

There are articles on 10 uses for baker's twine, Chiqui's handmade flowers, ways to use your old deco-edge scissors, using bleach on your paper, how to host a crop and much much more.

Check it out. DO IT! Lol.

Have a great day, it's almost the weekend! YAY!!!

~Tricia

Thank you Spring!

I cannot believe how fast and furious Spring has come on around these parts this year. Spring is not joking around. Almost ALL of our snow is gone, today it is supposed to reach a high of 16 degrees celcius, which is unheard of for this time of year. Anyway, it's a perfect week for March Break and we have been spending every spare minute outside. Plus we got to put the clocks ahead an hour this weekend, which sucks to lose an hour, but is amazing, because we have another hour of sunshine every day!!!!! I can't begin to tell you all how happy this makes me. We have been barbequing up a storm and cleaning up our disgusting yard. We don't pick up the dog poop over the winter, so there is a LOT, I mean a LOT of poop on our lawn come Spring.

Here are some photos of Owen and Ella making the best of the weather and going at it on their bikes.

Ella dare devil-ing it up:



Owen biking like a mad-man:



Well that's it for now, have a great day and hopefully if you have weather as lovely as us, then you get a chance to go out and enjoy it!

~Tricia

More "Spring Has Sprung" March ScrapMuse Layouts

I have 2 more layouts to share from this month's delicious kit from ScrapMuse, appropriately called "Spring Has Sprung". It features beautifully coordinating papers from My Mind's Eye and Scribble Scrabble, which are perfect for so many themes. It works great for Spring, Summer or Fall layouts and can be used to create both feminine and masculine layouts. That is always a plus for me, because of the versatility.

As soon as I saw some of the colours in this kit, I knew they would be perfect for scrapping some of my vacation photos. I managed to ram 6 pictures onto this layout, which might actually be a first for me. This layout is a collection of some of the photos of the resort, to try to capture some of the magic that I felt when I was there. Here it is, called: My Time in Paradise.


The next layout, I knew I wanted to do something with this photo as soon as I saw the adorable umbrella pattern paper by MME. I love the look on Owen's face in this photo. This photo managed to capture the look of pure joy and surprise on his face as well as immense downpour of rain that happened spontaneously, you can tell by his shirt, how immediately this happened. I just so happened to be taking pictures at the time. Yay!!! I wanted to do something fun so I didn't think about this layout much, I just kind of put it together. Which is a fun, no pressure way to scrap. Kind of similar to the feeling of doing arts and crafts when you were really little. This one is called: Too Bad it Didn't Rain Umbrellas!:


Have a great week, I will be making a real attempt to keep up with my blog more regularly from now on. It is good for me, I find. It is another way to feel connected, if you know what I mean?

~Tricia

ScrapMuse layout to share!!! Finally!

So I wanted to share my first layout with you that I created using this month’s kit. The kit is full of wonderfully delicious colours that mix so well together and are perfect for scrapping Spring and Summer layouts.

My layout is called “you are sooo CUTE as a GIRL”. I thought the papers worked really well with this picture of my husband from when he was little. His older sister and her friends enjoyed dressing him up, and he let them, although I think that he was under duress.

This layout was simple and quick to put together. I did a lot of edge distressing and some doodling.

Have a great weekend!

~Tricia