3 Days Left to Vote!

Even if we don't make it (GASP!) I hope it sets a good example to follow.  Do you know how much it means to even tell a Police Officer (doctor, nurse, ambulance attendant, teacher, cashier etc) what a great job they are doing?  Do you know that for every negative thing we see on tv or read about, its probably the one negative thing among thousands of good things?  Do you know how much power we have to build up our public workers, than tear them down - for a few mistakes/bad choices/bad people?  It must be pretty difficult living under the dark shadow of bad publicity.  How do you work when someone takes your entire profession or group and lumps them in with anything bad that's happened?  How would we like someone to treat us. 

Take a chance today - tell someone they are doing a good job (don't LIE, of course if they are not!)  I'll bet that the real gift will be to yourself because I've seen the difference a few words of encouragement can make. 

So if you can, VOTE here http://www.refresheverything.ca/honorourrcmp - and send your friends to vote and tell them to ask THEIR friends to vote and lets see if we can move the numbers up just a bit. 

Appreciating our RCMP - Just DAYS left to vote!

Thank you to all who have been helping to keep this PEPSI REFRESH GOOD IDEA rolling.  We are still "a ways" from the top, but anything is possible.  I've seen miracles happen in my life, and who knows, with YOUR help this could be one! 

If YOUR life has been touched by the kindness of a Police Officer, then would you please take a moment out of your busy day to VOTE on my Pepsi Refresh GOOD IDEA, which is (if its your first visit here) that we host an appreciation luncheon for our Police Officers.  IF enough votes come through then Pepsi will foot the bill to throw a $25,000 appreciation bash to honour our Police and their families (CANNOT forget the families who stand behind our Police Force!)   

Its DEAD SIMPLE to vote - just go to http://www.refresheverything.ca/honorourrcmp and vote.  You don't have to be a resident of Canada  - AND you can VOTE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT, once a day.  We have less than a week.  If you think this is a GOOD IDEA too, then pass this address along to your friends and FAMOUS people with LOTS of contacts and lets have this happen!  Ask your friends to post on their facebook/twitter etc. 

And THANK YOU, even IF we don't make it to the TOP then it will still send a good message to our Police Force that we appreciate what they do!

VOTE VOTE ... and a Mojo Monday Sneaked In

Thank you to Valinda and Samantha for letting me know that a person can vote MULTIPLE times - once a day!  How simple is that, wake up, pour coffee, turn computer on, check email and VOTE!  Read below for the details, but basically YOU have an opportunity to vote to have PEPSI pay while we host a wonderful appreciation luncheon for our police officers IF we can make the wave to the TOP (ahem, we are a ways off but who knows... - know anyone FAMOUS who might stick us on their facebook?)  At any rate, if YOU have a moment just click http://www.refresheverything.ca/honorourrcmp to vote now.  Tomorrow the Osoyoos Times will publish an article and we will see how this helps.  We only have SIX days to go!  I will blog more tomorrow! 

In the meantime, I got sidetracked by slew of tomatoes today which begged to be put up into salsa.  My friend Rose came along side me and we managed 26 small jars.  Amazing!  Well by the time that was finished, a GOOD visit with my dear friend, being creative and doing our FAVORITE thing - art "stuff", a good "chin wag" and when she left then I had another lovely Skype visit with my dear friend Cicero Sings, as we share a bible study and then I ran for ONE HOUR on the treadmill, and finally - the whip cream and cherry on the day... a Mojo Monday Card.  (I'd resigned myself not to do one today but then my Mr. called and asked me to whip up something special for a friend sooooo - my handsome enabler he be!) 

Without further ado, here is the sketch and my take on it: 

Obviously I chose round - coz I bought these wonderful round cards when I was with my Sister and could not wait to use them!



Not so bad for a fast "have to do"card!  I'm not sure of my supplies other than the letter stamps which were from Recollections. 

THANKS - lets keep the WAVE Rolling!

Thank you so much to Valinda and Lillian who are both carrying my PepsiRefreshProject WAVE going in both USA and England!  Your votes and "paying it forward" really help. 

Please VOTE and PROMOTE!

THANK YOU to all of you who have hopped on board with my Pepsi Refresh Project GOOD IDEA.  Every single vote counts!  If you've voted, posted on facebook/twitter and are still wondering how you might help this GOOD IDEA succeed, then there are still a few ways you can do this.  I really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy day to vote and to comment here.  I'm sure each and every one of us is connected to someone who has been helped by the Police Force at some point.  This is just a small way to say THANKS, with Pepsi footing the bill!  What a celebration it will be! 

If you have not VOTED yet, you can do this by going to http://www.refresheverything.ca/honorourrcmp
What are you voting for?  To have Pepsi foot the bill for $25,000 for me to hire an events firm to host a fabulous APPRECIATION LUNCHEON for all the Police in our Valley, and their families, and the public!  IF enough votes happen, Pepsi will fund it to happen, simple as that!

Firstly, even if you've sent the Vote Link to everyone you know, perhaps there is someone in particular who has a "sphere of influence" - someone who may have a large audience due to the nature of their job or they are a celebrity???  Like my friend KimB who's posted a link on her blog for example...  Haha, yes, I'm begging you to ask if you might influence them to use their fame to help further this GREAT idea!  I've found the digital scrapbooking community in the past has created huge "WAVES" to help with all sorts of good causes, and I'm confident we could WOW the world if everyone were to go vote.  I'd love to be able to proudly tell the media and community how much influence and power we have in our online community!  My friend Saxon who is with Scrapbook-Elements has also posted me all over her facebook too.  I LOVE you gals!

Also, I'm including a link here for a sheet of cards (8.5 x 11 inches) which are ready for print.  All you have to do is print, slice and... hand them out, place them on windshields etc.  If you think this is a worthy cause won't you help start a WAVE? 

This is what the card looks like:

You can download the printable 8.5 x 11 inch printable sheet at the following link:

http://drop.io/PepsiRefreshCards/asset/pepsi-free-lunch-jpg

I'd love your stories of how the Police have helped you or someone you know to share here!  Also, I'd welcome any ideas on how to promote my idea. 



EVERY (and any) vote counts!

credit: awottowa sxc.hu

photo: http://old-photos.blogspot.com/ (from gov't archives)

Right from the golden - olden days the Canadian Police have been the pride of our Nation.  I've always admired that someone would choose this vocation for I've pondered what it might mean to be a police officer - certainly not a 9-5 no risk type of a job where your biggest worry might be a broken nail or something.  I think what it must be like to be willing to lay your life down any day for the general public, and a general public I might add, which sometimes consider that fact as an obligation. 

And its always bothered me that most of what we see on tv or hear on the news, is the negative stuff, mainly because that's what makes news.  I think about all the small and large things these people do, the sacrifice they lay down every day - and I would like to show my appreciation for what they do.  Perhaps I'm just a starry eyed dreamer, but I honestly believe most police officers are honorable and noble.  I think for most of them they chose their profession to better the world - to make a difference.  Of course there are a few bad apples in every bunch - we are all human but we are not here today to talk about that. 

I posted back on September 7th that I found a way that I might begin a "WAVE" of appreciation for our Police - through the Pepsi Refresh Project.  I pitched an idea - to host an appreciation luncheon to honour our Police (Okanagan Valley) - give the public a chance to mingle and voice their appreciation.  I asked for $25,000 to make this happen - and my idea was approved meaning that IF I can garner enough support - VOTES then these funds would be granted to make this idea happen!  Soooo - though I am still pretty far down the list (believe in miracles anyone?)  I think we could pull it off! 

How does this involve you?  Well, (totally blushing here) I do not facebook or twitter (unheard of in this day and age I know - due to my already over-busy life when I really can only handle a quiet one) but I am hoping that all of YOU who do facebook and twitter might further my cause by voting and asking your friends to vote  for my idea.  One does have to register to vote, but its a simple and easy process.  WE HAVE 10 DAYS to do this.  TEN.  PLEASE - send this blog post to anyone and EVERYONE you know and lets see what happens!

I've been contacted by our local newspaper, The Osoyoos Times and hope this will help get the word out locally.  So, WHERE does one find out more and VOTE?  Right HERE, at the following link:

http://www.refresheverything.ca/honorourrcmp

THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.  I hope we find me blogging about the luncheon in the future!

~ Barb

MMMMMmmmm Mojo Monday

Ah yes, once again its Mojo Monday and I really did not believe I would get a card made today but hey, I owe a few out in the coming weeks so I figured might as well squeak one in between the other calls on my time.  Now Shhhh, this anniversary card is for someone who's special event is coming up - so I'd hate for the surprise to be spoiled.  Lucky for me this couple does not read my blog, in fact they do not even use a computer so I'm safe unless you tell *wink* 

Here's the template for today's Mojo:

Here's my take on it,



Card Face

I'm afraid I really cannot give you a list of the ingredients which went into making this card, other than the stamp on the inside which I will mention below.  I'm a novice carder and 99.9% of my supplies have been lovingly handed down by my family or gathered at the thrift and bargain stores.  The small black flower with the pearl in the middle (top left of card) I tatted by hand.  The vintage graphic I harvested from "The Graphics Fairy" - one of my very favorite places on the net! 

I printed the graphic off in greyscale and then colored it with simple pencil crayons.  I matched cardstock around the graphic with the colors in the bouquet. 

Card Inside

Ok, this stamp I know.  Its a Kolette Hall, designed for Studio G - gifted to me by my (amazingly talented card-making Sister) Nina.  She's the reason I'm making cards when I should be doing a lot of other things.  I begrudge her not, if something happened to me tomorrow there may be dust bunnies under the bed and laundry piled up - but somebody will have some very pretty cards I made to remember me by! 

And I did spend some time beginning a bible study which I am doing along with my dear and lovely friend Cicero Sings!  We are going to work along in this study:

I'm just into the first section - thank goodness we've given each other a week to go through it before we get together to discuss.  Already, in the short bit I've done, its had a very positive effect on me.  Thanks my friend for starting me in this journey!  Any trip is the more meaningful and memorable when it's shared.  Find out more about this and more at Kelly Minter's site.



And so, besides making this card I had a Monday Mojo of another type - the baking sort.  I decided to call it Move-it Monday and use  up some ingredients in my fridge.  In particular I used up JAM.  Our folks were here for a visit recently and left a half jar of lovely strawberry jam and I also had two tiny jars of my own ginger and crabapple jam which I'd mistakenly opened thinking they were something else.  I also discovered an opened jar of cruchy peanut butter. 

So, don't you be asking me for recipes because I'm a Google and Go girl and I just Google recipes, bake them and thats it, never to be baked again perhaps because I like each time to be different.  These are what I came up with though.



Orange-Zesty Thumbprint Cookies

and Peanut Butter and Jam Swirl Bars

Besides, I never stick with the original recipe.  Take those thumbprint cookies.  They never called for Orange Zest nor Fresh Grated Ginger, but it wound up in there.  I can't always remember what-all I put in.  I've got a delicious Pear and Apple cake happening as we speak (type/read - whatever)   I will be happy to put these all away for another day - I'll be ready. 

Now, do you ever go hunting for a recipe to use up something left over, or something you have an over abundance of?  I'd love to hear tell!

Feeling "Fall-ish" and Farewell to Kim

I probably have several hundred pictures of the autumn displays at the fruitstands in Keremeos but I can never drive by without stopping and getting more.  I especially like the multi-colored corn.  My Mr. gave me 15 minutes to fire away even though we were on our way home last weekend.  Here are a few of the photos.



See why I can't resist?  Some of the gourds look like they came from outer space.  I am not sure I would care to eat one of these warty looking things. 



I'd like to point you to Kim's blog - to say farewell to her digi-scrapping shoppe, DSO.  Kim has been a dear friend over the years and I'm sure we will see some new and exciting things happen for her in the future.  In the meantime, if you like digital scrapbooking and are looking some beautiful kits - or you are a designer and looking for commercial use items then you've got to scoot over and pick up some of her wonderful ware for its all going at bargain basement prices.  Kim - I'll miss your lovely designs, hope to see you in a new and shiny shop somewhere soon.  Thanks for all your amazing freebies over the past years, including your incredible styles - the leather one is stunning (playing on the side while I blog!)  BIG HUGS!

And now I have a couple of questions for you, my readers.  Do you save or delete your emails?  I'm currently sorting and filing over 300 emails from my inbox.  I am an email pack rat.  My email (with the search feature) is my brain.  Just curious about if I'm the only one. 

And am I the only one who washes the kitchen floor by hand?  I find a mop just does not cut it.  I know, I'm a nosy girl. 

Sumo Painting!

I'm told I should put up some fresh content.  YaYa!  Well I decided since I find myself with a moment to look sideways that I should post about something I've been doing. So, I'll post about this class I'm taking at YouLearn.ca  This course is all about using some "cloud based" applications on the internet.  Right now we are learning to use Sumo Paint.



Sumo Paint is a lot like a watered-down version of Photoshop and so we were exploring the possibilities.  The two original photos I collected from morguefiles.com which allow you to use the images freely as they are Creative Commons - in the public domain. 

I used selections and layers and "painted" this fun old Gel up.  As you can see the quality is not perfect as I just chose the default size Sumo Paint offered me, which was not very large.  I did not want to get lagged down with a large file. 

Definately not near anything I'd offer a client but it does demonstrate the ability to give a painterly effect to a portrait. 

And then I worked out this last one, loosely based on a sketch. 

So if you like to dabble you might like to give Sumo Paint a whirl!  There is a Pro Version for just a few dollars, might be worth it!  There are many wonderful brushes and also filters as well, to choose from.

I think I'd still choose the free version of Art Rage if I were to want to actually just paint. 

Have YOU painted anything online lately? 

I'm also taking Microsoft Office at school too.  So thats what I've been up to!  There, posted - everyone happy now?







A "Frittered Away" Monday and A Simple Element - for YOU!

Like every mundane Monday I have my "list" all made out with a firm resolve to accomplish it - and of course all my best laid plans have been waylaid.  Thats due, partly, to my sweet Sister who is my ENABLER.  Most of you who've visited my blog over the years know that I am a serious digi-girl who likes to design and use digital scrapbooking elements.  My sister, on the other hand, makes no bones about the fact she is a straight out "hard copy" PAPER girl.  And what a talent she has in her craft.  She tosses out all these terms and techniques that I've never heard of and until recently I really resisted - mostly because I find digi so completely fast and easy to use and I like how one can scale things to a custom fit. 

Well, over time she's worn me down and well... she's won me over.  Not that I'll be giving up my digi any time soon. 

At any rate, she's got me into making these wonderful tactile touchy feely cards and I'm loving it. I should be posting the card I made for my Sister in Law Neti, but even though I thought I took a pic of it I did not.  Sorry to say that and Happy Birthday to you Net-Net for I know you're reading this. 

Back to the list of things I should, could and would be doing if my Sister Nina had not emailed me this morning and wondered if I might be into taking the following challenge today...

Apperently its something called Mojo Monday and there's a contest happening!  Build a card based on the template provided, link a pic to it of your card and - you might just win a set of Verve Stamps (whatever they are and you might just find out should I be so lucky!)  So with no further ado, here's my take on the template provided.  Why don't you try your hand at a card too and join the fun?



Very simple take on the template.  The "its my party" stamp is from Studio G, the paper - uh, you'd have to ask my sister Nina as she's the enabler who gifted me with it.  Its all random and various and whatever catches my eye. 

A good deal of my supplies are gathered from thrift stores and yard sales and some of the oddest things I can find to recycle. 

But yes, I've been slooooowly getting back into my digital layouts too and even making a digi-element or two as well.  And so, since it seems to be a monday with a theme of giving something away, here's something for YOU!   



You can download it HERE - (click on the png or psd and it will come up with a download link) I included both a png with no drop shadow, and a psd file with a drop shadow.  Enjoy, use this for whatever you can find use for it!