POST VALENTINES RAMBLINGS

I'm posting the last graphics challenge I did, another ATC (Artist Trading Card) This is Mikey roaring like a wild animal, so I simply helped him out with some fur around his face.


So, have you been faithfully checking back to see what the TOP SECRET things were? Well, I can give you the goods now. A few weeks ago while I was picking up some small items at our local dollar store I saw they had some HUGE four foot helium "I love you" balloons, so I paid for them right there and then. On Valentines I went to the store and purchased a chocolate bar and a candle shaped like kissing lips and tied them to one of the balloons and took it to Miles at his school. He was embarassed and happy about that! The students loved it too. The other balloon I took home to add to our display.

Miles came home at noon to take me out to lunch. At that time while he was in another room, the doorbell rang, and it was a reporter from our local newspaper. She took a picture of us with our display to be published next week. Miles was kinda shy about this, because he will also be in the Oliver paper this week for his work with the gifted students he teaches there.

While we were out to lunch at a sweet little sidestreet restaurant, I confessed to him that I was going to have a LONG, LONG nap as I had not been able to sleep the two nights before, due to the excitement of making plans. He grinned when I said this, but did not say anything at this time. Then when we got home he gave me a gift and some news. The gift was a professional print of a painting I had created of our wedding. The news was that he took the afternoon off to be with me. How sad...I had to nap away one hour of our precious time. He also rented a movie too, and we spent a quiet afternoon together. This was very special because he had to work in the evening.

I also got another gift on Valentines, that entirely touched my heart. My friend Sonya from California - fellow scrapbooker, bought me a paid subscription for Scrapbook-bytes. I near cried on my graphics tablet.

This morning I cleaned my office area up...shoosh, it needed it pretttyyy bad...but I did not have to do it alone. My sweet friend Alison got to looking for a paper at her household too...and in the process started a spring cleaning blitz...by noon we had things really going. I had to do errands downtown, but she worked all day. She may still be at it for all we know.

MY VALENTINES SURPRIZE!

This is a big day for us at the Derksen household. I have a tradition each year of making something special for Miles. I think it started one year when we were really short of money - I was forced to be creative in a gift. It has just stuck, and these years later I've found out its not just Miles who's looking forward, the entire neighborhood is waiting to see what will be outside this year. I enlisted the help of our neighbors to come first thing to hang the poster up...but it was so early that the dew on the garage door prevented them from taping it up, and they ended up anchoring it to the ground with several big rocks. I understand they tried to tape it to the van, the front door, but to no avail, it was too wet. I still have one more surprize that I have to go downtown for yet, won't let the cat out of the bag here in case Miles sends anyone to this blog! (wink, wink!) The three pictures here are of the original scrapbook layout I made on the computer, the second picture is the garage door done up, and the third is a close up of the beautiful roses I created from our tent poles, metallic gift wrap, green paper streamers and coat hangers. Hope you enjoy! Have a wonderful, romantic Valentines and DO SOMETHING for your hunny - trust me, even if they SAY they don't need it, they will LOVE it, and you will get more joy than you give. God Bless!

VALERIE'S KIDS ARE JUST SO 'SCRAPPABLE'!

This is Gabrielle 'hamming it up', which I understand her mommy says she does all the time. In fact....she has another picture I am dying to get my hands on - where Gabrielle has 'decorated' her brother too. He does not look willing or impressed in the least!

FOR MY SWEET FRIEND VALERIE

I created this layout for a calendar crop challenge last night at Scrapbook-bytes.com.

A BIT OF THIS AND A BIT OF THAT

First I'll give ya the good news - our friend Valerie is coming to visit today. Valerie used to live here in Osoyoos and we were close. Unfortunately Osoyoos does not have much to offer in the way of good employment so Valerie moved back to Quebec. Well, obviously it was only unfortunate for us...as Valerie has since found a wonderful Man and has had three beautiful children. Uh, does not seem like she is suffering from her choice in any way.

The bad news? Its just sort of a rant on my part. I experienced a severe 'hanger tangle' this a.m. You know - we've all had one...when we are in a hurry in the closet to hang something up, you grab a hanger from within a bunch and it in turn grabs the ones next to it and no matter how hard you try you cannot seperate the one you want. The furthest you will get will be to dislodge 1/2 dozen together and they wind up at your feet. Sheesh.

Would love you to leave a comment and tell me about your RANT! :)

MY FIRST 'OFFICIAL' ATC

Last night at Scrapbook-bytes the challenge scrap was to create an ATC. Basically an ATC is an ARTIST TRADING CARD, and the concept is getting more exosure as artists everywhere take ownership of this idea. You can learn more about ATCs at the following link: http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html

I've created mine as sort of an expression of who I am. I used a combination of ArtRage www.artrage.com and Photoshop.

MY LATEST SCRAPBOOK PAGE

This is my latest scrapbook layout. This one will print out to two 12 inch pages which will fold open in a scrapbook album. This one took me quite a bit of time, but I learned some very useful new techniques. The journalling tells about how Miles was adopted, and how Mom explained this in a way that was very touching. She said that they picked him because he was special! By the way, you can click on any of the pictures in my blog to see them larger. I've included a poem that was passed to me by my sweet friend Sonya Johnston. It reads as follows:

Not flesh of my flesh,

Nor bone of my bone,

But still, miraculously my own.

Never forget for a single minute,

You didn't grow under my heart,

But in it.

Author Unknown

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Sweet Husband of Mine

You have loved me through the years,

Laughed and cried and wiped my tears,

Held me through both good and bad,

Shared with me of all you have,

Stood by my side, day out and in,

Loved my heart, forgiven sin,

You love the person I call me,

With passion unconditionally,

I look forward as the years unfold,

To wear with pride your ring of gold,

And be with you and by your side,

To share with you in joy and pride,

Our marriage together - our precious treasure,

Each day special and a pleasure,

I find my happiness measured through you,

Has grown more since we said "I do"

Thank you my dear, sweet husband for always being there for me. For loving me as the "spoiled princess" that you have enabled me to be. I awake every day with a joy and excitement that is multiplied when I share it with you. I love you with a passion that cannot be expressed in words alone.

Except Thou build it, Father,The house is built in vain;Except Thou, Saviour, bless it,The joy will turn to pain;But none can break the marriageOf hearts in Thee made one,And the Love Thy Spirit hallowsIs endless love begun.

AN OLD DOG LEARNS NEW TRICKS

My latest project is a double page layout about Miles being adopted. He was SUCH a cute baby. The pictures I've chosen were in boring old b & w so I've tried my hand at colorizing the largest one. The process is not so bad really - perhaps I will even write a tutorial on it. Let me know what you think!

By the way...I don't believe I have ever given a link to my virtual second-home, thats Scrapbook Bytes and you can visit me there at www.scrapbook-bytes.com
My username is lalalime and you can search the gallery to view all my layouts.

A KODAK MOMENT

This is my latest layout - a tribute to Dez for her birthday. Hope you enjoy!