I will never move again

Fact: Moving is a huge task.

Fact: Moving makes you take stock of everything you own.

Fact: We have a lot of junk!

Here is a picture I took of Matthew on the night before we moved. Behind him was a sea of boxes, wrapping papers and chaos. I would have to say the boy looks scared.

This past weekend was our move to our new house. I am currently sitting in our new craft room. Yep. Just like the Jeffersons..."we're a movin' on up!" We used to craft in our dining room so this is very exciting for Ema and me.

Now, as if the move wasn't crazy enough, on Tuesday of this past week I got a call on my cell phone as I was about to load my kindergarten class onto a bus for a pumpkin patch field trip. It was my son's school calling to say that he was sick and that he needed to be picked up. My husband picked him up and my dear mother watched him for us for the rest of the day. Turns out it was the flu. I was then up until 1am with him at the emergency waiting to hear if it was H1N1. Although it was never confirmed it has been a long three days of fever, vomitting, and troubles with his breathing. The fever finally broke this morning and now he is determined to make a 100% recovery by tomorrow night for trick-or-treating.

In other news, my retailers' class in Ottawa, ON, has been postponed until November 29th and 30th. It will be a two day event with cards, mini-album and other projects. Keep watching my "Up Coming Classes" section for more details.

Boxes, boxes and more boxes

Our house is almost packed up now. We move this weekend.
I was in Toronto, ON, last Friday for the CreativFestival and I had a fleeting thought as I arrived. I was carrying a box filled with supplies for the class and make and takes that I was teaching. I noticed that it was labeled "Kitchen Goods" on the side. Luckily it was labeled by the previous owners of the box and my supplies were inside.
I have a quick little project to share today. It appeared on the Jillibean Soup blog last week but I haven't had time to post it here.
All you need is small kraft paper bags, a border punch, a Hallowe'en stamp set and some Jillibean Soup.

Supplies: Jillibean Soup patterned paper, Hampton Art stamps (pumpkin, Happy Halloween), Tsukineko ink, Stampin' Up binder punch and scalloped border punch, other: foam layering tape, kraft bags.

P.S. I had a SUPER time at CreativFestival! It was so nice to spend a day "in the land of my people."

P.P.S. If you happen to see this magazine, be sure to look inside for the Hodgkinson Christmas card made with Core'dinations cardstock. It's a card that features a picture of all four of us sitting in front of our house. We will have to get a new photo done for this year's card...in front of the new house.

Happy Thanksgiving, my Canadian pals

It's Thanksgiving here today in Canada. Sadly, there was no turkey for the Hodgkinson family this year. I think it had a lot to do with the fact that I can't find my turkey roasting pan. My kitchen looks like this right now:

I did, however, make a card. It appeared on the Jillibean Soup blog today. I love how it turned out.

Supplies: Jillibean Soup patterned paper, kraft A2 card and stamp (Give Thanks), Tsukineko ink, Coloring Book image of turkey (http://sunniebunniezz.com/activities/thakcbk03.htm), Font: Teletype (inside sentiment), other: sewing machine, thread, foam layering tape, and googly eye.

This Friday...in Toronto...

I will be teaching a class this coming Friday (October 16, 2009) for Scrapbook & Cards Today at the CreativFestival in Toronto, ON. I will also be providing two make and takes (images below) throughout the day as well. You can register for the class by following the CreativFestival link (http://www.creativfestival.ca/).

The class includes a double page layout (image below) and a card. As part of the class, each participant will receive a 150-Xyron Sticker Maker and a Fiskars' XL Round and Round circle punch. This class is sponsored by Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock and Jillibean Soup.

Here are some images...hopefully to tempt you even further...

Supplies: Jillibean Soup patterned paper, twine, button, printed twill, number sprouts (Alphabet Soup Collection), kraft paper; Scenic Route grid paper; Tsukineko ink; Fiskars circle punch; 3M adhesive and double-stick clear dots; Font: Another Typewriter (downloaded from the internet); other, foam layering tape.

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock (Barn Siding/Whitewash), Jillibean Soup patterned paper, twine and journaling sprout, Maya Road chipboard, Sizzix die cut (tag), Cuttlebug embossing folder, We R' Memory Keepers corner rounder, Making Memories paint and sanding block, Hampton Art letter stamps, Tsukineko ink, other: hole reinforcer, foam layering tape.

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock, Jillibean Soup patterned paper, kraft, journaling sprout, Maya Road chipboard, Stampin' Up scalloped circle and circle punch, Making Memories sanding block, EK Success marker, October Afternoon stamp (cloud), Hero Arts stamp (woodgrain), Tsukineko inks, Font: Teletype, other: foam layering tape.

That's my boys

First of all, my "older" boy turns 40 today. My plans are to take my husband out for dinner and then a hockey game. We usually are asleep by 8pm on Friday nights so this could prove to be a very long day.

Next, I made this layout of my son, Matt, after one of his recent swimming lessons at our local pool. In light of the fact that our new house has a pool our kids will be in swimming lessons until they move away from home.

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock, Jillibean Soup patterned paper, corrugated alphas, ribbon, and twine, Maya Road chipboard ("odd as a cod"), Fiskars border punch (Boundary Waters), Tsukineko inks, Stampin' Up stamps (fish) and binder punch, Font: Teletype, other: foam layering tape, sewing machine, thread. This layout is based on a September 2009 Sketch by Becky Fleck.

Ichthyosis Awareness Week

This week (October 4th to 11th) is Ichthyosis Awareness Week. As a parent of a child affected by ichthyosis, I wanted to mark this week by creating something that reflected what my daughter and I like to do together. Ema and I made butterflies using a Cuttlebug die/embossing folder set and then sanded them lightly...using Core'dinations ColorCore Cardstock, of course. I then typed out a few facts about ichthyosis and added them to the body of the bookmark.

Supplies: Core'dinations cardstock, Jillibean Soup patterned paper, journaling sprout and kraft paper, Scenic Route grid paper, ProvoCraft/Cuttlebug butterfly diecut and embossing folder, Stampin' Up heart punch, EK Success marker, Making Memories sanding block, Font: Teletype, other: foam layering tape.

Here's a few of the facts and figures from the bookmark because I know it's hard to read them from the photo:

- "Ichthyosis" is taken from the Greek root for "fish".
- Ichthyosis affects more than one million Americans.
- The ichthyoses are a family of genetic skin disorders characterized by dry, thickened, scaling skin.
- Dermatologists estimate that there are at least twenty-eight varieties of ichthyosis, with a wide range of severity and associated symptoms.
- Ichthyosis is the result of a genetic mutation passed from parent to child.
- In some rare cases, the genetic mutation occurs spontaneously in the affected generation.
- There is no cure for ichthyosis, only treatments to help manage symptoms.
- Ichthyosis is currently classified on the basis of clinical appearance and inheritance pattern. This system, which relies on a few sophisticated tools and tests, has worked remarkably well for diagnosing and classifying most patients with ichthyosis.
- Ichthyosis can be a disfiguring disorder and as such has numerous social and psychological implications.

For more information about ichthyosis, please visit: Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types.

Please feel free to use this idea to create bookmarks of your own. A bookmark to raise awareness for Breast Cancer could use a pink ribbon in place of the butterfly. You could replace the butterfly with a puzzle piece if you wanted to raise awareness for Autism.

Ema is a senior

Senior kindergartener that is.

Although I was unable to be there on her first day (*sniff*) my good friend Amy was able to take a few great shots of her just before she went in the doors.

I first made this as an 8 1/2 x 11 layout and then mounted it to become a 12 x 12.

Supplies: Jillibean Soup patterned paper, kraft, number sprout, button, corrugated alphas, and twine, Maya Road chipboard trees, chipboard letters ("day"), bird and apples, Tsukineko inks, Hero Arts stamps (woodgrain), Basic Grey precision sanding tools, Making Memories paint, Font: Teletype, other: sewing machine, thread, and foam layering tape. Photos taken by Amy Beattie.