words

project 52

it's been 6 months since i have seriously scrapbooked. 6 months i ended all design team committments 6 months since i moved my entire creative space to the basement. (with the intention of scrapping down there...i hate being in the basement) 6 months of being paperless and dude! i miss it!!! it took 6 months to realize just how much. in those 6 months i have explored other areas within my life... photography.... picked up sewing again... but it's time to introduce scrapping back into my life and i was inspired yesterday in a BIG way by project 52 the perfect way to combine a photographic journey and scrapping!!! (as i plan to create a journal to hold the photo's i take once a week...musings of my life over the year, what was going on at the time of the photo, random thoughts and musings) yesterday was a bit of a difficult day for me emotionally. i was reminded one more time of just how grateful i am for all i have in my life...how blessed i really am.... so i figured it was a good day to start week 1...done. come play!!!

unwinding

holy hannah it's been a whirlwind!!! insane! crazy! but it's been awesome!!! and now that christmas is over things are slowly settling down and unwinding

i haven't even had a chance to go thru christmas pics to see what i have taken!!!
needless to say it was a great holiday with a ton of family, friends, good food, laughs, and sledding...lots and lots of sledding!!!

and with that comes time for other things....getting all my ducks in a row with my photography, crafty projects, some organizing and early spring cleaning around the house, and sewing

last night, rather spontaneously...i got the urge to sew...so in about 2.5 hours i put together a top for my daughter with a pattern i had purchased before christmas!!! well haya wore it to school today and it was so darn cute that i cut out a second one in dress form for miss d....

adorable hey??? cannot wait to see miss d's version!!! i have a couple more patterns in the mail i cannot wait for!!! you can find the pattern here

to do

fall is moving in rapidly and it brings to mind cozy nights, crocheted throws, hot chocolate, and lots of crafty things to do.

i have a list building of things i am looking forward to creating this fall/winter...

i have another katy kitty cut from this summer to sew together....jade marie was a HUGE success to the little girl who received her for a birthday this july.

i am crocheting granny squares like crazy...determined to see them become a blanket :)

i have some delicious fabric waiting on me to create...something with it!!! i have a few projects bookmarked, as well as a couple of patterns i ordered from here (tea party apron skirt, frida dress & shirt, uptown girl)

i have a reading list i would like to delve into...

and some upcoming photo sessions i am really looking forward too...

looking at my list of things to do makes me smile

what are you looking forward to doing while tucked in for winter?

things

working on some granny squares. found the tutorial for this pattern here.

it's about as far as i have gotten in learning to crochet...just not getting some of those single chain pattern for hats and scarves...i always end up with not enough or too many stitches.

i'll get there...one day...maybe :)

in the meantime, i am creating these to turn into blankets & throws. i have a few patterns bookmarked to try after this one.

it's thanksgiving weekend here in canada, we are off to my sisters for a family weekend & supper. looking forward to spending the time with family, chilling & hanging.

hope ya'll have a fabulous weekend!!!

wonderland

since i haven't had a chance to go thru the photo's from the wedding we were at this weekend past, i thought i would share the wonderland party we hosted for my daughter for her 8th birthday :)

an overall shot of the yard...we hung a deck of cards from our tree with thread, set up croquet, a bubble blowing station, and set a checker board on a tree stump over by our tree. the girls also played charades

the tea party table...had to bring out my kitchen clock to help complete the look!! hung more cards over the table from another tree.

i scouted the thrift shops for random tea pots, tea cups & saucers, and silver pieces. i also used a ton of doilies!!

my garden and gardening bench...where the party favours held court :) and yup! more cards.

party favours...random tea cups with a red heart ring lollipop, alice in wonderland badges, and barrettes tucked inside.

the tea party fare...egg salad & cucumber tea sandwiches. mini cupcakes, homemade white and red chocolate hearts, and fruit (honey dew melon, watermelon, canteloupe)

lots of flowers

drink me potions (pink & yellow lemonade) in little glass vessles

and last but definitely not least.....

the cake...gotta say i love how it turned out!!!! and the best part was my daughters reaction and seeing her face light up...

it was magical...and beautiful...and brought a huge smile to my daughters face. making my daughters day just a bit more special then it already is, is what this is about. it was a good day :)

huh.

i have a blog. imagine that. and apparently i had completely forgotten all about it over the summer months...okay, i didn't really forget...just haven't made it a priority as of late...it's all good!! the great thing about blogging is it's always here for you...like a cozy couch blanket and steaming mug of tea. yup! that said MUG of tea :)

we are past the BMX craziness, past the back to school chaos, past some photography madness (self inflicted of course, wouldn't have it any other way!!)and into hopefully some quieter and less crazy months...right? no, i haven't been sniffing adhesive...i actually haven't been scrapbooking lately. *gasp* i know, i've shocked you haven't i?? reasons?? none, just haven't.

so i could recap all that has been going on in the lute household over the last few months...but while i like to talk and am good for a good babble...i would rather you stay awake at your computers to read my posts...so, i have decided i might throw in the random tidbit from summer while moving forward onto current going ons.

remind later tho, to share the alice and wonderland party we hosted for my daughter. it was magical :)

we are off tomorrow for a family wedding in kamloops...really excited about it!!! all 5 of us are in the wedding party...so we have an insane amount of stuff to bring with us, but it's going to be fabulous!! while i am not the photographer for the wedding, (kinda hard when you're in the wedding, lol), i do get to bring my camera and photograph the event when i am not involved...really looking forward to getting my feet wet photographing a wedding. and i am looking forward to seeing my brother in law and soon to be sister in law celebrate their love <3 so in the meantime...these photo's will have to tide you over until i post wonderland or wedding photo's :)

so i hope everyone has a fabulous thursday, friday, and weekend!!!

simple things

we celebrated my beautiful haya's 8th birthday on wednesday....

breakfast waffles...so yummy!!! we had a special family supper that night too:)

we are also full on into bmx'ing....we love it! it gets better with each year!!! haillee wanted to try it out this year...then sorta chickened out...it's all good. i really don't blame her...that start hill is massive!!! along with the jumps!!! delainey, however still swears she is gonna bmx...as soon as she can!!! she found out that she could start as soon as she could ride a bike without training wheels. miss d immediately demanded that we take her training wheels off so she could start learning to ride without them!!!

the best part?? every day she works on her bike. yup! she has been spending too much time watching daddy, dakota and uncle rory working on their bmx bikes...that she "works" on her daily. yesterday was wash day..."to get it all clean and shiny for when i can bmx like dakota"

and the boy who started it all....big d!!

hope you are all enjoying your summers...i know we are :)

ahhhhh summer....

ice cream cones, sidewalk chalk & splash parks. bathing suits & sunscreen. slushies & brain freeze. bbq's & good friends. hot days & thunderstorms. flip flops & dresses. gardening & bmx'ing. beaches & boating. camping & fires. all the reasons summer rocks and i forget all about the fact that i have this thing inside call a computer....so my neglected blog, you will have to be patient while i ignore you for a little bit longer....

start me up

i was invited to be a guest designer on the new challenge blog, designed to help you get creative when it comes to the male side of scrapping...start me up! patti, aka dawson creek girl, is one of the creators of the blog and someone i have known thru online sites since i first delved into the online scrappy world!!! crazy huh!!! how this world can keep people so connected?? that was 5 years ago!!! so if you are looking for a little spark to get your creative fire going...check out the challenge blog...as part of being a guest designed i was asked to issue a challenge...so.... OH! you thought i was going to tell you what the challenge is?? haha!! nah...you will have to go check out the blog to find out what the challenge is...show them some love and support!!!

small joys...

in the weather finding it's way towards warmer and longer days in flowers blooming and gardens being planted in bubbles and sidewalk chalk ice cream and ladybugs we are well on our way to a beautiful summer more outside time and less time inside so remember the small joys