Do ya Wanna?

Learn how to do this?

My first Photoshop tutorial is being posted to the Just Cre8 Happy Be Scrappy crop this afternoon -- I hope you'll give it a try! Check out all of our activities HERE!

And I had to share the cutest photo -- the kdis are home from school today, so DH took our little guy to work with him. They were prepping a driveway today, and Curtis just loves to help! Here's what he looked like before he left this morning...work gloves, rubber boots, plaid jacket and all!

Crops & Contests & Inspiration

This is going to be a great weekend!

Just Cre8 is having an online crop this weekend, full of challenges, classes, games and inspiration. It kicks off tonight (Friday) and is packed with things to get you motivated and scrapping!

This afternoon, I'll be posting a neat tutorial for Photoshop or PSE, Holly has an altered clock project, and Jessi Lute has an altered book she wants to teach you! We have an exclusive Becky Fleck sketch for you and tons of challenges and games! You can find it all HERE in the crop section of the forum. :)

And, if you like these:

They are part of a prize package you can win by blogging about the crop this weekend. Check out the details here.

I'll be posting bitz and peaces through the weekend, so keep checking back!

Happy Scrapping!

Just Tidbitz

What a lovely day outside -- yeah -- for WINTER, maybe! Brrrrrr! Everyone is talking about how they want spring to come, and I am one of them. We're supposed to be working in our gardens, enjoying barbeques, and playing at the park. Instead, I'm holed up in my house watching the wind and -- gasp! -- a handful of snowflakes outside. We've cancelled soccer practise and our lake trip because it is miserable outside. That's what I get for living in Saskatchewan, I guess!

The bright side though? No hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, or tornadoes. I'll take that any day -- at least I have seat warmers in my car. :)

We have had a few soccer games, though. Here's a few pics from Curtis' on Monday:


Love this action shot...I think he was trying to stop and run the other way:


And, of course, there goes "the tongue" again:


And here's a couple from Renee's game on Tuesday. I'm so proud of her this year -- she's one level up and really working harder on the field than I have ever seen her work before:

And having fun, too!

We had a garage sale this weekend...the kids made a whole, whopping $62 selling old toys. But it made for a good trip to McNally Robinson, anyway! Curtis used some of his money to buy a hockey net -- full regulation sized, with the goalie-shootout thingy that bungies on to practise. (Sorry -- that's as technical as I get!) He couldn't wait to try it, so he and Grandpa had a few good sessions of driveway hockey after the sale was finished:

Love, love, love the look on his face when he's taking a slap shot!

And here are a few pics I took this weekend that I really like. This one of Renee needs some photoshopping, but I have to fool around with it some more:

And here's a great shot of our almost 10 year old Spookers. He's a very cool kitty:

Other than that, we've had a few things going on this week. We're looking for our Mickey -- our "baby" fat cat. He went out on Monday and hasn't come home since. Sigh. I miss him and not sure that he's coming home. :(

I'm scrapbooking today -- the Just Cre8 reveal is tomorrow! This kit was perfect -- I loooooove it so much that I wonder if I should order another! Stay tuned for some layouts -- I'll post them tomorrow.

And, speaking of Just Cre8, we're having a HUUUGE online crop May 22-24! Lots of challenges, tutorials, free classes, and prizes. I can hardly wait! So check it out in the forum.

The New Face of Soccer

OK...if you are having coffee while reading my blog, do yourself a favour...and swallow your drink before you peek at the pictures in this post. I would hate to have been the reason that you spit your morning caffeine all over your computer keyboard. Carry on!

I love my zoom lens! It is the season for soccer, and without my Nikkor AFS 55-200 mm lens I wouldn't get half the action shots that I do. Last year, for my daughter's soccer season I don't think the other parents even took photos because I spent the entire time kneeling along the sidelines snapping away.

My son's first game was last night. He's played soccer before but this year he is on the U8 team, which means they actually play games -- not just practise. I took about 70 good photos of the team in action last night, with my zoom lens of course. I couldn't wait to check them when I got home.

Well, it seems as though my lovely zoom lens captured the most honest, focused soccer face I have ever seen -- so much that I laughed until I cried. So did my hubby. So did my mom. I just had to share them. This is what Curtis looks like when he plays soccer:

This one is my favorite...what a sweetie:

He's happy to be on the "older team" that plays games this year. I think it feeds his competitive spirit:

He's so happy, he dances:

I figured out that, when he's concentrating, he sticks his tongue out like this:

And like this:

And like this:

I have to say, though, that THIS one takes the cake. It was his kick-off and, man, he must have wanted to boot that ball really hard!

After I took this photo, I previewed it to check that I was getting decent light with the shutter speed I was using. OMGoodness, did I laugh! If you missed the look on his face, here it is cropped in close...

Oh...it is going to be an interesting season!

Happy scrapping!

Heather's Shoot

Tonight I had the opportunity to have a photo shoot with a friend of our family. This young woman is one of the most extraordinary people I know. She's smart and beautiful. Musically talented. Creative and mature -- and humble about it all. And she is graduating this year -- I can hardly believe it! I've offered to take her graduation photos and, lucky for me, she accepted. I'm excited!

Anyway, I went to her family farm and we went on a "photo walk" together so that I could take a few photos of her in the place that she loves the most. On the farm, they have a wonderful collection of old buildings and vehicles, ponds, grasses that make a perfect backdrop for casual photos. The sun was setting with a warm glow and all the conditions were perfect.

Here are some of the photos I managed to capture. Heather makes a lovely subject to photograph and I am so pleased with the way they turned out!

And a little more on the artistic side:

And, of course, at least one deserves some Photoshop treatment:

Thanks for looking! And thanks, Heather, for the shoot.

What's in the box, mate?

Yessssssssss! Today is a good day thanks to Sue and the people at Canada Post!

I just picked up my June Just Cre8 kit and it is FULL of scrappy things that I love love love love!

PLUS, tucked in the box were two new Slice cartidges that I ordered. Hurray!

Now...off to the Co-op for some chocolate and some Beaver Buzz energy drinks to prepare myself for the weekend.

Happy National Scrapbooking Day everybody!

(And...to those wondering...I found two tickets for the Oilers game at almost ticket price. Lower level even. Curty's birthday is going to be a good one this year. :)