December 30, 2014

The 12 Kits of Occasions - December '14

I sincerely hope that you had a wonderful Christmas with your families and wishing you a Happy New Year and all the best for 2015! We had a lovely Christmas and I was so blessed to have my whole family here and under the same roof at the same time. I don't know why it was easier to gather everyone together for a selfie than the usual posed family photo, but here it is the McNeely family selfie!



Now it is time for December edition of The 12 Kits of Occasions and the last kit of 2014!





Cathy was our hostess this month and she sent us the most fabulous baby kit full of papers and embellishments for both boys and girls! I have six cards to share with you today but I could have kept going, I have enough to make lots more cards, which is good as I usually want to CASE cards created by the rest of the team. We often joke that the kits are self assembling but honestly this one was. The ideas just kept flowing. 

Thank you Cathy for the fantastic kit!



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A shaker card is always fun to make.

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All lined up!

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Be sure to check out the cards made by the rest of the team, you won't be disappointed!

Tracey McNeely - you are here

December Guest: Lynn Mangan

I am entering 5 of my cards to the Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge - Anything Goes.



Happy New Year!

December 23, 2014

CCC #127

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Happy Tuesday and time for a new Cue Card at CASology!

This week the cue word is:



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I hope that you are finished rushing around for the holidays and ready for the big day!
My daughter and I went and had holiday mani/pedis on Monday at the spa then the big grocery shopping.  Now it is wrapping up all the little details.

This will likely be my last post before Christmas, the focus now is on family.
Wishing you the happiest of holidays and a very Merry Christmas!

Enjoy every minute!
xoxo

Stop over to CASology today and see what the rest of the design team has come up with.


I am also submitting this to this week's Simon Says Wednesday Winter Inspiration!


December 21, 2014

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Reminder

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There is still time to join us for the Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge!  

You have until December 25th at 8:00 AM CST to be inspired and share your project!






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December 20, 2014

Retrosketches #146

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Good morning and Happy Saturday!
The countdown for Christmas is on and I have a sweet little cad all the way from the North Pole for you today to go along with the new RetroSketches sketch!




This is the first time these sweet Mama Elephant penguins have come out to play, aren't they just the cutest.


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Another card for the following two challenges...

I am also submitting this to this week's Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Winter Wonderland!



and to Merry Monday #139 - Winter themed Christmas!
Not technically a card, but the sentiment and the Too From are on the back.


December 19, 2014

Tinsel and Tags Market Kit Teacher Gifts

Happy Friday, although some (myself included), may not be happy to see the end of this week. Still so much to do before Christmas. Fortunately, shopping does not need to be done but there is still baking and wrapping going on and preparations for Christmas dinner--did I volunteer for that?

My daughter and I were busy Thursday night working on teacher gifts for today. Nothing new here, she wanted to create her ornaments just the way that Betsy created hers.  They are not going into their bags until the morning, we wanted to be sure that they were completely dry first. I think her teachers will love them.

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I hope that this week is not a stressful one for you and that you are able to enjoy the spirit on the season. With my son back in town and home this past week we got caught up with the doctor, the dentist, got his passport renewed and a haircut this afternoon. My husband arrives home on Sunday from North Carolina and the family will be back together for a couple of weeks!

I am also submitting this to this week's Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Winter Wonderland!



and to Merry Monday #139 - Winter Wonderland!
Not technically a card, but the sentiment and the Too From are on the back.


Have a good weekend.

December 16, 2014

CCC #126 and Simon Says Stamps Wednesday Challenge

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Happy Tuesday and time for a new Cue Card at CASology!

This week the cue word is:



Very fitting for this time of year. Things are starting to get very busy with only 9 days until Christmas! I have been busy running around, trying to get my Christmas cards out before New Years and finish up homemade gifts. How these things get left to the last minute I don't know. If I haven't been around to visit you please know that it isn't that I don't admire your work, just not enough hours in the day and tendentious in my right rotator cuff that gets aggravated when typing. I will hopefully get back in the groove of my physio and commenting again in the new year.

With snowboarders in my house, this Simon Says Stamps stamp set has all the right ingredients for a CAS card for some snow loving boarders! The patterned paper is Altitude from Bo Bunny. Probably just became my favourite new designer paper.


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Stop over to CASology today and see what the rest of the design team has come up with.

I am also submitting this to this week's Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Bling It On!


December 15, 2014

Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge - Candy Cane

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It's time for a new Curtain Call Inspiration Challenge!


photo source: atthepicketfence.com


We have a new sponsor, Avery Elle, for this challenge!  A randomly selected participant will receive a $20 Avery Elle gift certificate, while the LEAD will be invited as a Guest Designer in a future challenge!





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Make sure you visit each of the designers' blogs for more inspiration!




I am also submitting this to this week's Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Bling It On!



December 14, 2014

Trip to Sudbury

Long day on Saturday but as always it was wonderful to go to the Open House at Laurentian and to bring Ben home. Today my post is not set up to brag, but to share with family and those of you who are interested what Ben has been up to

He is part of what will be the first graduating class of the School of Architecture at Laurentian University. The classroom is Francophone meaning that many of his lectures are delivered in french, the program has direct ties to the First Nations Aboriginal and much of the curriculum is focused on contemporary Aboriginal cultures. Many of his lectures and instruction are from First Nations Elders. This just puts perspective on why the students are creating the projects that they do.



A saw horse created without using any nails or screws. Proud mama moment that Ben's design received top mark in the class using square wooden pegs.



Canoe #1: Birch Bark (yes actually made of birch bark)




Canoe #2: Carbon Fibre (made of fabrics)

Students also each made their own paddles out of carbon fibre (seen in top photo)


Ben and Caelan, adorable together.
So proud of both of them and all the hard work they put into building their canoes!



What I did notice is that Ben has lost weight and tired. Term 1 is over and he is off for three weeks--so time for some home cooking and sleep.  Thanks for sticking through this.

December 13, 2014

Retrosketches #145

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Happy Saturday!

Up bright and early this morning to head to Sudbury for the Architecture Open house and bring Ben home for Christmas! A 5 hour trip, but driving just over 2 hours to Port Carling where Bens' girlfriends parent live and we will make the rest of the trip together to see the what our kids have been doing first term.

I imagine most of you are up and at it this morning to with Christmas only 12 days away!

Are you ready for this week's new RetroSketches Sketch?



Arielle created the sketch using THIS card of mine, I decided to remake it for winter. A bit of embossing paste and some Stickles for this snowy scene. Hope that you find time is your busy holiday schedule this week to play along!


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I am submitting this to the Week 1 Paper Smooches Sparks Challenge Anything Goes.




I am also submitting this to this week's Simon Says Wednesday Challenge Bling It On!




Have a wonderful weekend!