Hockey Update

I was looking through digital and printed pictures this weekend and realized I have quite a few layouts to do to bring ds' hockey album up to date. That's the problem with scrapping whatever pictures happen to catch my fancy; sometimes, I'm uninspired by a certain kind of picture and then months (years) go by and they remain un-scrapped. So this weekend I "forced" myself to get inspired by a set of printed pictures, and thus began catching up on ds' hockey album. Here is the result:



End Of Year Hockey Party

Cardstock: Bazzill and Unknown
Patterned Paper: Unknown
Stickers: Scrappin'Sports
Rub-on alphas: Mini-marks by American Crafts (fonts: Fred and Ned Jr)
Metal word (party): Making Memories (I think!)

This one definitely goes into the "Simple Scrapbooking" category. Actually, I can't quite figure out if it's done yet. Should I fill in the white spot on the right-hand page with some of the orange pp? Should I fill in the space on the left-hand page, above and below the sticker and "end of", perhaps with a zigzaggy rub-on? If you have an opinion, pls post a comment and let me know. I'm not 100% on this one and would love your help.

And in honour of updating (somewhat) the hockey album, I thought I'd also update you on how the hockey season is going for ds so far. Sadly, he didn't get into the level he was hoping for. After the initial disappointment though, he did realize that rather than being one of the weaker players on the team, he would actually be one of the stronger ones. Then, he met the coach, who is everything a minor house league hockey coach should be - encouraging, kind-hearted, inclusive, and focussed on giving the boys a positive and enriching hockey experience this year. And, he met the team. A bunch of boys who love to play hockey but who aren't that focussed on the competitive aspect of it. So now, he's very happy with where he's ended up. He has hit the ice smiling for every practice so far, and he's actually giving more of himself out there than he did during the try-outs. Go figure.

As for me, I am still resisting the irresistible allure of minor house league hockey team management. It's been quite the internal battle though. No one has stepped up for the role. We have on-ice helpers, a team trainer, a treasurer, someone to do up the gamesheets, and someone to work the time clock. But, no one seems to want the glamorous manager job. I feel **so** guilty but dh is helping me stick to my guns by giving me the occasional pep talk. And I've been self-helping too. So far so good!!

And finally, an update on my Sens ... they are off to a great start! Undefeated in exhibition games and 6 wins, 1 loss in regular season. Looks like my boy Ray will be back in nets this week, having tested out his repaired wrist with the Binghamton Sens this weekend. Next game is Thursday against the Canadiens - the only bad news is, I'll have to choose once again between hockey and Grey's Anatomy! Last week fate chose for me - the power went out at the beginning of the 2nd period. So I spent the rest of the evening cuddled up beside ds, sharing his portable radio earbuds, listening to the game by candlelight. Sometimes things have a way of working themselves out!

I've been tagged!

My scrappy/bloggy friend Robyn put up a list of 10 things she'd splurge on and 10 things she wouldn't on her blog, and has tagged (challenged) me to do the same. So here goes!

10 Things That Are Splurge-Worthy

1. Shoes (and more shoes)
2. Haircut and colour (I'm with Robyn on that one!)
3. Scrapbooking magazines (they must be splurge-worthy, since they're so expensive and I keep buying them anyway!)
4. Starbucks and Second Cup lattes (though I usually make dh splurge for them, lol)
5. Pants that fit my derriere AND my waist (I'd pay big bucks for that miracle)
6. A tailor to fix clothes that don't fit my derriere AND my waist (my new favorite thing)
7. Tickets to a Senators game (anyone want to splurge on me??)
8. A new granite kitchen counter (drool....)
9. The right shade of lipstick (oops Robyn, I pay full price for my Cover Girl!)
10. Even more shoes (no explanation needed, right?)

10 Things That Aren't Splurge-Worthy

1. Designer clothes (why pay for a name?)
2. Two sinks in the bathroom (it's just an extra sink to clean)
3. Gift bags from anywhere other than the dollar store (for crying out loud, it's a BAG, why pay $4.95...)
4. Scrapbooking embellishments that cost $9.99 or more with only 3 or 4 units in the package
5. Fur coats (warmth is good, having red paint thrown on you by fanatics is bad)
6. Anything fancier than a latte at Starbucks (it's all chemicals anyway)
7. Sports cars (unless you're 23 and your name is Gwee-do)
8. Exercise videos (face it, you won't use 'em)
9. Really expensive wine (there's some very decent stuff for under $20 a bottle)
10. Anything that doesn't make my heart sing!

OK ... I'm tagging ... Marlene and stefferqc (although with getting ready to go pick up her daughter in China, this gal may have other fish to fry!).

Almost Mainstream

I remember quite clearly the day I discovered scrapbooking. It was August 2000, and a co-worker who had returned from spousal relocation leave in Florida tried to describe this thing called "scrap booking" to me. Apparently it was all the rage in Florida - the main topic of conversation between Moms at the playground. My coworker explained how she went to this home party - kind of like a tupperware party - and spent hundreds of dollars and tools and supplies which she had yet to start using.

I had heard about scrapbooking in the traditional sense of the word - literally, pasting scraps such as cards, newspaper clippings, etc. in a book with blank pages - but this new twist of decorated pages containing pictures and journaling piqued my curiosity. I decided to do some internet research. Strangely enough, I did not stumble onto the Creative Memories website (CM was, in 2000, quite likely the industry leader when it came to scrapbooking). Through my research I found out that a local camera store (Black's) sold some limited scrapbooking supplies, so I headed over and bought myself some very cutesy patterned paper, some shaped scissors, and a few sheets of stickers. And thus, an artiste was born. Lol!

I can remember how proud I was of my first page. I shudder with shame when I think of it now. Firstly, nobody had told me anything about acid-free lignin-free scrapbooking, so believe it or not, I built my first page directly onto a magnetic photo album page. I used a template to crop my photos into shapes like stars. I achieved ultimate sticker sneeze. I wrote my title in marker and put little dots on the ends of each letter. But man, I was pleased and proud. And hooked. I went on to create quite a few magnetic album-sized layouts. When I learned what a no-no this was, I rebuilt the layouts onto 8.5x11 cardstock and bought myself a bona fide photo safe scrapbook.

And now I am about to do something I have never done before. I am going to share that first layout (well, its rebuilt version) on the internet. I replaced the handwritten title with some stickers when I rebuilt it, but you get the idea:


Yes, it is cringe-worthy. But hey. Not everyone hits the scrapping ground running. I have no plans to redo this layout a third time. The style of the layout is a cherished memory in and of itself.

I spent the first few months of my scrapbooking "career" alternating between scrapping recent photos, and organizing years of very messy photos and negatives. I've often been asked what the hardest part of starting scrapbooking was - was it learning the techniques? Coming up with journaling? Design? Nope. It was actually two things: (1) searching through my kitchen, bedroom, hall closet, etc. for stray envelopes of developed pictures that had never made it into albums, and trying to figure out how old the baby in the picture is or worse, which baby the picture was of; and (2), having to endure the strange looks I got from people - friends, family, co-workers, strangers at cocktail parties - when I attempted to describe this new hobby of mine.

I'm not quite sure when scrapbooking became mainstream. I do however remember when it became mainstream to me. One evening, a year or two after I started scrapbooking, dh decided to take the kids and I to a Chinese buffet (pretty rare occurrence, we don't tend to eat out much). We drove to a place not too far from our house and dh, who usually parks right by the door of any establishment he is going to, actually parked quite a ways down the strip mall. I thought this was strange but when I got out of the car, I understood. I was standing in front of a bona fide scrapbook store. Oh. My. Goodness. And the rest is history.

Now when I tell people I scrapbook, they don't ask me what that is. Some do however comment that they would never have guessed I was a scrapbooker. I'm not quite sure what they think a scrapbooker looks like - but apparently, not like me! So despite the fact that scrapbooking is now mainstream, I still seem to be living a double life!