Portraits in Lego

;)

My Junque Journal keeps growing fatter...

Still more to add to it, but it won't be long before I will have to start work on my second journal :)  I still find it too 'white' around the edges so once it is filled up I plane to embellish and 'colour it up' some more!!  I have LOVED this project!!

You can learn all about Junque Journals HERE

First pages from 'Almost Nothing'...

Apologies for a blurry iphone picture with that last one!  

Here is my title page for my album!!  I'm doing a 6 X 6 little album - using up some little page protectors that I've had hanging about for AGES!!  I've also had a BUNCH of rings hanging around because I am ALWAYS making mini albums - so these are something I always have on hand!  

For my first page I used a picture of Sam with our kitten....I loved the idea of framing the picture with brads - I chose some I've had for YEARS - little ants and ladybugs - that suit the 'little boy' theme ;)  

I stabbed myself endlessly with the back of the brads though - hhmmm maybe thats why they went out of fashion a little ;)  

Since taking the picture I've added a subtitle to my title page - "My here and now, my life - my story".

  

Check mate...

Sam wanted a game of chess this morning.  I love that he picked this game up so fast!!  I guess he likes it because it's based on a 'battle'  - he knows how to set it all up and how the pieces move.  I won the game BUT I had ten of his pieces and he had nine of mine - so all in al it was a very close game!!!

While we were playing, Grayson was supervising us closely....and Abigail was working on her blog, replying to Emails and surfing on some of her favourite websites of the moment - The Crafty Crow and Dr Seuss etc etc

This morning we've also spent a lot of time rereading the library books one last time as we are heading back with them...Sam is working on a craft project (as I write this), Sam did some math, we tidied some of Abby's room, I've done some laundry and washed some floors, and Denis and Mike (our wonderful work guys) came out to check out the railings that the other company did.  

We DID have friends coming over for the afternoon, but we woke up to an Email saying they couldn't make it as the Mom isn't well.  We hope she is better very quickly!  We were going to bake cupcakes to share with them - and my two still want to do that, so instead of doing that this morning, we plan to do that this afternoon - and will also head out for a walk to enjoy the gorgeous weather.  I know they want to ice and decorate the cupcakes with all kinds of sprinkles :)

Today was 'sign up for classes day' - Lloyd always gets in to work extra early to be sure to get online in time to get logged in to the registration thingy on time - often the classes fill up FAST!!  Luckily we got the classes we wanted.  YAY!!!  Abby is taking a break from regular art classes and is doing dance for a semester.  She will do an occasional set of specialised art though as the art department are running some fab art classes for the homeschool sector this semester.  A friend of hers told us about a new dance class they are starting though, and we signed up for that!  

Sam is heading back to a class he used to love and one that works out better for us as it means we can get back to our regular weekly swims, runs and skating.  

Laurence is signing up for a tumbling class in preparation for cheer try outs at his new High School.  Even if he doesn't make it I think it will be a fun experience for him and he enjoys being physically active!!

All change for a new Semester after Easter :)  

Enjoying the morning sun...

Thursday thirteen....

Thirteen books I have enjoyed:

'The Girls' by Lori Lansen

'Simple Abundance - a Daybook of Comfort and Joy'   by Sara Ban Breathnach

'Lady Cottingtons Pressed Fairy Book'   by B and Jones Terry Froud

'Evening News'   by Marly Swick

'The Secret Life of Bees'  by Sue Monk Kidd

'Gifts From My Front Porch'   by Harriet E Crosby

'The Cure For Death By Lightning'  by Gail Anderson Dargatz

'A Recipe For Bees'  by Gail Anderson Dargatz

'Tuesdays with Morrie'  By Mitch Albom

'Straight Talking'  by Jane Green

'Charlotte Mason Companion'  by Karen Andreola

'The Beach House'   by Jane Green

'The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society'   by Mary Ann Shaffer  and  Annie Barrows

Of course I could go on and on - and this isn't necessarily a list of my favourites - just thirteen books I've enjoyed :)

Art classes continue - nature boxes!

This is the 'nature box' that Abigail made on Tuesday in her art class.  A friend helped her (once she had finished her own).  It's an ocean scene with a fishing boat and an island with a palm tree, birds nest and sand etc etc.

They focused on 'various artists' who used nature in their art.

Don't blink....

Altered Starbucks Frappuccino Four-pack!!

And this is what they look like before they are altered:

A friend of mine came over today to 'play' in my craft room....so I thought we'd have a go at altering some Starbucks 4-packs!!!  Laurence especially enjoyed this, because it meant we had to empty all 8 bottles!!!  We emptied most into a big jug, but he enjoyed a couple ;)  

Some people use these to store small scrapbooking supplies - some people fill them with small candies and give them as gifts - and some fill one with hot chocolate and the others with add-ins for the hot chocolate - like mini marshmallows etc....

Here is a picture midway through our crafting session:

Actually, thinking back, the room was actually fairly tidy at that point ;)  

Girl talk.

Spring in Alberta

Porch update..

Over on my other blog in a few minutes:  HERE

Finally some good news :)

Porch guys - update.

At 10am no one was here so I phoned DH and he called their offices and was told 'they are on their way'.

10:30am - porch guys show up. Yep they seem to start work mid morning for some reason.  I've left the dogs out there to 'help' - maybe they'll get more done with two eager workers ;)  They haven't knocked or anything.

 I just hope they are done by the time the day is done :(  I am sooo tired of this.  I've never known a company like it!

I have visitors today and Laurence home again - I am glad of the company.  Visitors again tomorrow so if they are here agin tomorrow at least someone will be here then too.

Random Dozen...

1. How old is the oldest pair of shoes in your closet?  About 4 years

2. Did you buy Girl Scout cookies this year? If so, what variety?  I bought 2 boxes of the mint.  I daren't buy more because it is ME that eats them all :(  

3. Do you know how to ballroom dance? If not, would you like to?   No I don't but yes I would LOVE to - I tried to get Lloyd to sign up for lessons with me - but he refused :(  

4. Were you a responsible child/teenager?  mostly yes.  I didn't steal.  I didn't mess around with boys.  I didn't do drugs or smoke.  I DID skip school a lot - but I still got good grades.  

5. How many of this year's Oscar-nominated movies did you see? Two - Up!!!  and Julie and Julia.

6. If you're going to have a medical procedure done, such as having blood drawn, is it easier for you to watch someone else having the procedure done or have it done yourself?  Either - I don't mind things like that.

7. What is your favorite day of the week and why?  I likes weekends because Lloyd is home.  I like Mondays because it's the day I get the house straight and I get up early and we do a LOT...it feels quiet and normal and I feel like I have 'space' after the weekend of having everyone here.

8. Do you miss anyone right now?  Lloyd - he's at work.  Charlie - she would be loving this early Spring

9. Do hospitals make you queasy?  No - I don't mind them at all - I like hospital food - I've worked in hospitals a lot.

10. At which store would you like to max-out your credit card. Not that you ever would, you responsible person, you.   Pottery Barn

11. Are you true to the brand names of products/items?   yes

12. Which is more difficult: looking into someone’s eyes when you are telling someone how you feel, or looking into someone’s eyes when he/she is telling you how he/she feels?  When he/ she tells me.

The clan

I picked these letters up at the thrift store yesterday for Sam to play with.  Abigail ended up enjoying them the most!  She spent ages writing out all of our names but didn't have enough letters to write them all so she used Laurence's nickname and instead of family she wrote 'clan' ;)

She also had to be creative in making letters ;)