So, I used to work at a local scrapbooking store. Crazy, right? But, I was only teaching three out of four blocks a day at that point, my boss was awesome and gave us a wicked discount, and besides, it was fun. Like, kid-in-a-candy-store fun. School's-canceled-for-a-snow-day fun. Gold-digger-in-a-jewelry-store fun.

Ok, so that last one doesn't quite fit, but I bet that's fun if you're into that sort of thing.

So when we got in a whole boatload of Cosmo Cricket's Mr. Campy paper, of course I bought several sheets. Because, uh, I camp a lot or something? Or, maybe because I enjoyed the "looks like you dragged your paper through the dirt" look? The truth is, the line is adorable, but it's really not a colour palette I gravitate toward. That explains why it's never matched any of my photos before.

Until this one.
Dad and Saffron. A match made in heaven. And perfect for Mr. Campy and Creative Scrappers' sketch #79.

I was so excited when I put together this combo. The Bazzil Swiss Dot paper and the scalloped-edge cardstock were in my goody bag at the crop last weekend, and I had the Cosmo Cricket alphas left over from my March Paper Poppy kit. I was also super stoked to use the cute little Cosmo Cricket chipboard dogs that have been in my stash for ages.

***Editor's note: Are we sensing a trend here? Apparently I have an affection for all things Cricket. Who knew?!?
I grunged 'em all up a bit so they look like they go with that cute-and-dingy Mr. Campy. I used a walnut spray stain on the puppies and pounced some chalk ink over the alphas. I think they compliment my dad's muddy pooch perfectly.

I'd say Saffron knows a thing or two about gold-digger-in-a-jewelry-store fun. Emphasis on the digger.

No wonder my sister never wanted to play checkers with me.

So, here's a simple little layout from my time in Newfoundland last summer.

This was the only foggy day in my whole two weeks there. I was starting to think they made up all that "fog" stuff.Luckily, a friend who was at the crop last weekend is from St. John's and offered me this gorgeous map paper. I added some crystals and a journaling card from the April Paper Poppy kit, as well as a Prima flower, a Chatterbox make-your-own brad, and some Bo Bunny alphas.
Quickest. Page. Ever. But it upped my number of layouts completed this weekend.

First counting a double-pager as two layouts, and now this. I'm such a cheater.

Here's my first April Paper Poppy creation. Uhh, no joke here. It really is.

I have been at my favourite weekend crop event for the last two days, and here's what I accomplished:

1. I finished 7 layouts. One was a two-pager. I pretty much think that counts as 8.
2. I made a cute card for my niece's birthday, and two other lovely cards for Mothers' Day.
3. I was part of a team of dedicated individuals who likely set a new record for the most "that's what she said" jokes in a 48-hour period. It's really too bad the Guinness people weren't there.
4. I managed to buy my raffle tickets at precisely the right moment, which meant that I won a $200 scrapbooking shopping spree! Thank you, raffle gods. I shall never doubt you again.
   
5. I laughed my tail off for two days straight.

Here's the first of those 7 layouts, and it's my entry for the Paper Poppy Kit Co.'s April sketch challenge.
Yup. That's my ma. Pickin' strawberries. She's so awesome.I made this layout with my April Paper Poppy kit, those little Making Memories alpha stickers, approximately 6.5 questionably-inappropriate "that's what she said" jokes with Adrienne, and a whole wack o' Chalk Box inks.

I especially love that Pink Paislee pleated ribbon. Everyone was asking if I made it myself. Of course, I did the honourable thing and told them thank you but it came with my kit. I also passed on my little review: it's pretty, soft, and super easy to handle but just was a little too long.

Hehe. That's what she said.

Where have I been?!? I've been looking for me everywhere!

Ok, peeps. What a week it has been.

So, last week, I was so drained from having to find my inner drill sergeant at work that I couldn't post, or even read my usual blog haunts. And by "couldn't", I mean there weren't two coherent thoughts to bang together in the ol' noggin.

Then, I had an awesome weekend, but I lost the little cord that attaches my camera to my computer. (And seriously, when you see the photos, you'll know why I couldn't post without them.)

So, here's how the weekend went down.

On Friday, Cliff went to visit his parents, and so I was left by my lonesome. So, what's a single gal to do?

Go to an '80s "murder mystery" birthday party, of course! (Duh!)

My name was to be "Randy Reporter", a creatively named...uhh...reporter.

Friday was occupied by a lengthy trip to Value Village, where I bought this sexy little ensemble.

One must attend these functions in style, you know. Penciled-in Brooke-Shields eyebrows and all. Nothing says "hotty" like a shoulder-padded polyester blouse in the perfect shade of "zombie skin."

***Editor's note: I think I need to frame this photo. It clearly will make the perfect focal point of a room if I ever go through a "Designing Women/Working Girl" decorating phase.

I took my role seriously. Here I am interviewing Bailey Babble, the town gossip.

I think she's saying, "Your outfit is stunning. I must know the name of your personal shopper," and I'm like, "Who, me?" and batting my eyelashes.

And then, I gave this little gift-card holder to my girl, Leena, who was celebrating her birthday that night:
And then I went home, scrubbed off my eyebrows, crawled into bed spread-eagle right smack-dab in the middle and thanked my lucky stars that: a) once in a while, a weekend alone feels nice; and b) I don't have to wear my pants pulled up to my ribcage on a regular basis. Seriously. Ouch.

Pondering after a busy and vexing week at school.

I've been tagged!

Ilene, a super-talented scrapper whose blog I recently stumbled upon, has tagged me in a blogging chain. Isn't she sweet? Thanks, Ilene!

The deal is, I have to list 10 things that make me happy, 5 pieces of trivia about myself, and then pass this award along to 5 of my favourite bloggers.

So, onward and upward.

Things that make me happy:

1. Laughing with Cliff
2. When a student comes up with something brilliant that I've never thought of before or that I didn't expect them to get
   
3. When a student achieves a personal best
4. Starbucks grande non-fat Tazo chai lattes
5. My dog and cat when they're doing something funny
6. Uninterrupted scrap time
7. Finding something awesome at Value Village
8. Getting to spend time with my family, especially when my niece and nephews are involved
9. Long weekends
10. Road trips with people I love
    

5 Pieces of trivia about me:

1. I have literally been addicted to Labello (now Nivea) lip balm since high school. No other kind will do, and without it, my lips start to hurt within a day. I think I am single-handedly keeping that company in business.
   
2. Other people's gum disgusts me. There are only two good places for chewed gum: your mouth, or the garbage can. Anywhere else makes me want to wretch. Sitting in the cafeteria at lunch in high school was the worst for me. Why, oh why, must you stick your gum on the edge of your plate?
   
3. All my life I wanted a weiner dog, and just before Christmas break in my third year of university, Cliff brought one home for me wrapped up in a flannel blanket. I bawled.
   
4. Crafting for me began at a very early age. I remember making puppets, especially. Do any of you Canadians remember "Take Part", a kids' show that was on in the late '80s and early '90s? I basically could not get enough of their craft tutorials. Fast-forward 20 years, and I'm still enthralled by glue and paper and felt and buttons. As my mom always says, people don't change that much.
5. My favourite restaurant is the Blue Bayou in Disneyland. Mmm, crab cakes and creme brulee. Though for convenience' sake, it would have been nice to choose something a little closer to home.
   

And now, "Tag! You're it!" to five of my favourite blogging peeps whose work you must check out:

1. Adrienne from Happenscraps, etc.
2. Jen from Scrapping Daze
3. Mandi from Tidbits from the Tremaynes
4. Katie from Katie's Nesting Spot
5. Pearl from Pearl's Paperfections

And while you're at it, go and check out Ilene's blog for a wealth of scrappy inspiration!

Happy Sunday!

This little birdy says "Thank You"

When your guy's mom sends you a beautiful new blue purse for spring, you send her a handmade "thank you" card.

I think the bird stamp says "Thank you for adding a little more colour to my world!"Or maybe, "You make me so happy I poop flowers".

Either way, I think she'll know I'm grateful.

Hey sister, go sister, soul sister, go sister...

I was so excited to find that this month's design team package for Scrapbooks Made Simple perfectly matched this photo of my sisters and I circa 1998.

By the way, my sisters do have heads in real life. They're just a little more protective of their privacy on the internet than I am. Of course, I respect their wishes to the fullest. Plus, I may still have some deep-seated resentment from years of childhood torture.
Just playin', sisters, you know I love you. That's why I put you next to pretty flowers and crystals.

And why I didn't photoshop little alien heads onto your bodies.

A Not-So-Little Weekend Recap

Oh, what a weekend.

Friday: I met Edwin. As in, Edwin from I Mother Earth, popular Canadian rock group from my teen years. It was an incredible show, and very intimate because there were very few people there.

Lloyd, my buddy on the right in the photo above, grabbed Edwin and was all, "Hey, dude, take a picture with my friend," and I was all "Oh my gawd, Edwin is touching me", and he was all, "Nice to meet you," and I was all, "Holy crap, Lloyd is the freakin' man."

Saturday: I was up super early. Well, early for a Saturday anyway. We drove to Edmonton, went shopping for a little while at West Edmonton Mall, and then went to a wicked Indian restaurant called Daawat. Oh, it's making me hungry just thinking about it! Then, back to the mall for a show at the Comedy Strip, but only after a photo op in front of the giant pirate ship.

Sunday: We headed to Ikea where I engaged in one of my most favourite pastimes. Oh, actually two of my most favourite pastimes. The first was getting lost and having to walk back through the whole freakin' maze of a store just because I had to use the loo. The second is this, which I recently commemorated in a layout:

I told you they were super roll-y.

Then it was back to WEM where I found these little gems:
I was seriously swooning. These shoes were giving Edwin a run for his money. (Ha! Run!) Shoe shopping is usually a dead-end for me so I had to stifle my squeals of delight when these turned out to be perfect. Then, we out to an awesome little Mexican/Salvadorean restaurant called Acajutla before getting ready for the main event.

Ladies and gentlemen, John Mayer!


We were so stoked to find that they'd upgraded out seats.
We should have been in the nosebleeds at the far end of the arena, but instead, we were in the much-closer side balcony.I agree with Jen, who said that the whole John Mayer show felt like it ended too quickly! I thought he was fabulous, and I could have listened to him for hours.

***Editor's Note: I am, in fact, quite certain that he intended to give me a private, 4-hour, extended version of his show backstage after the "regular" show, but something must have detained him. I am certain I'll be hearing from his people soon to reschedule. I'll be all "Oh, you mean John wants to fly me out to a private show?" and they'll be all, "Don't you know he's enthralled with you?", and I'll be all, "But I am happily attached", and they'll be all "That's ok, he just wants you to hear the song he wrote about your charming and witty personality", and I'll be all, "John is the freakin' man."

I loved the whole show, right down to the weirdo faces he makes when he's singing. I think it's the mark of a true artist to not care what he looks like while he's performing. (Or at least that's what I tell myself when I scare myself in the mirror after scrapbooking until 2am.)

By the time we got back to the hotel, we were hungry, so we stopped off for some late-night snacks at a grubby (but OPEN!) little dive that served some apparently majestic donairs.Monday: We slept in a little longer than intended, ate a delicious breakfast at Denny's including these delicious little devils, the Pancake Puppies:
And then, we drove home.

And that, my friends, is a weekend to remember.

It's a good Good Friday

Teri's Top Ten Reasons Why Today Rocks My Socks:

1) It's Good Friday. That means I don't have to work today.
2) Cliff signed his new contract this week, which means that he now works Monday to Friday with stat holidays off, just like me. In other words, we actually got to eat breakfast together for once.
3) We had BLTs for breakfast, sans the "L". *swoon*
4) It's nearly 5pm and I have spent most of today in my craft room. Here's proof:5) Tomorrow morning, I leave on a roadtrip with two fantastic girlfriends. Ikea, West Edmonton Mall, and the comedy club await!
6) My dog is being good today. I don't think she's barked once since I first let her out this morning. I think this might be a record or something. Actually...uhhh...I think I better go check if she's still breathing.
7) Molly is still breathing. Yesss.
8) Janet Jackson is on Oprah. *I miss you muuuuch! M.I.S.S. U Much!*
9) On Sunday night, we're going to see John Mayer. Seriously, I think this is my weekend. I must have horseshoes up my...errr...pocket.
10) I was actually organized enough to complete a holiday project in time to give it to someone before the holiday arrives. On Sunday morning, I'm going to give these to my two traveling companions. I got them each a little Lindt bunny:And I jazzed 'em up like so:I've had a teacher's edition of a grade-two reader in my drawer for over a year now, and I'm telling you, it was destiny that brought this book to mind today. A single page wrapped perfectly around one little box. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket, and I popped them up with foam tape over the ribbon, and then added a little bling flourish.

By the way, one of the reasons I was so attracted to that CC cross-stitch paper in the first place is because it reminds me of this:

This is the pillow case my dear sweet mom made for me when I was little. It's too small to fit on a standard pillow, so it's been in my linen closet in every place I've lived in since I first left home.

So, I was thinking, if someone has a cool idea for how to display my most coveted of pillowcases, I could add an 11th point to my "top ten" list. Any ideas?

This is shaping up to be the best Easter weekend ever. :)