Something I like to do that I want to share with you..

This tip is good for your pocket book, and the environment. I like to go to Value Village (thrift store) and buy the $0.99 children's books - not only for my son, but to use as crafting supplies.

Crafting supplies? Yup! Here are some pictures of some item's I recently made with a book about a little girl and some teddies from 1988.


Wall Hanging ade from the book's cover


Beary Cute Gift Tags from book images I cut out

I'm currently in the process of cutting up the rest of this book, as well as a few other books :) It's such a great and cheap way to get fun, happy images for your crafts.

The items featured in this blog post are for sale in my etsy shop.

Because we are all trying to be more thrifty these days..

Here is a link to a 40% off coupon for any one item at michaels.



They have some really great new collections of scrapbooking items these days.

It's Wednesday - finally!

Ohhh I have *so* been looking forward to today. Today I get a new cast! Because of the swelling in my ankle, this one has become really loose and incredibly uncomfortable. I ran out of pain medication on Monday, so the last few days have been pretty crappy for me.

I took this picture yesterday that I am really proud of:



I tried a new spot and a new background - I like it! I love how the details show up... these hearts are available in my etsy shop if you're curious :)

Last Day to Order for Valentine's Day Delivery

Because I live in Canada, I have made today the cut off for Valentine's Day Delivery - this gives items three weeks to arrive. I still have lots of Valentine's merchandise in shop so get it while you can!! As a special for blog readers I will take 10% off your order if you use the code: ValentineBlog.

The clearance is still running and select items are 10-30% off!

PS: I made a "love"ly valentine's day themed treasury last night - it could use some love.

I am the luckiest girl :)

So, I just wanted to say a big *THANK YOU* to everyone who has left a comment on my blog, flickr photostream, or twitter, wishing me well. I am so lucky to have so many amazing friends, both online and off. It makes me really happy and gives me such a warm fuzzy feeling that so many people care about me :) I appreciate you all so very much. I've been trying to respond to all of your comments but there are so many so if I missed you, I apologize.

I have decided to no longer try to pursue any legal action, for various reasons. I think the best thing for me is just to let go of my anger, and try my best to learn whatever lesson I am supposed to from this situation. I do believe everything happens for a reason.

I hope to return to my regular life as best as possible. Unfortunately I won't be able to open up my Lollishop this month, but I hope to get it going in february. I am working on lots of new things, so be sure to check back regularily.

Anwyays..... like I said, thanks for being the best bloggy friends a girl could ever ask for! I'd be lost without you all. *hugs*

The best thing I've seen in a long time!

I stumbled across a very cute and inspiring blog post last night, and I just have to share it here!





This image is from Cakespy.com. The cakespy crew made up a bunch of faux cupcakes with sweet little notes, and left them in random places for people to find. I really want to do this around my city.. I think it is such a great idea. I know that finding one of these would make my year let alone my day. We should all band together and do this all over the world, lol ! :) Anyways, here is the rest of the post - they have lots more pictures and a little write up about their cupcake art installation.

A little update

I wish I could say things are better now than they were when I made my previous post... but alas. I went back to the hospital yesterday and got a "real" cast, but I still have to go back in one week. Due to the swelling I have this cast will get loose so I will have to have it replaced. They haven't ruled out surgery yet, and they say I will have a cast for 6-8 weeks and then I will have to have some physical therapy.

I've decided to go to the police station today, at least to make a statement. My sister in law is going to take me - she was a main witness. I am undecided as of yet on pressing charges. The thought of having to go to court and having this dominate my life even further for a while is rather depressing and I'm not ready to decide if that is what I want. It seems that I have a fight on my hands, whether I like it or not. The girl who did this seemed remorseful at first, but that seems to have quickly faded and I've since learned that she may have been convicted of this same offense before.

I called the bar where everything occured yesterday morning and spoke to the owner who took down my number and said he would call me back. After I left the hospital yesterday I actually went in and attempted to try and speak with the manager or owner of the bar, but was turned away. I can't believe that they turned away a girl with a huge cast on! Apparently, they have heard many different stories and that is all they would say. I don't really think it matters whose story is correct, because they had only one bouncer working (on the busiest night I have ever seen at this particular bar no less) and he wasn't even in the bar, he was downstairs by the door. I'm fairly certain that they were over capacity and the lack of security is sickening. What would have happened if I had been injured even worse, or died? What if it happens again? I still haven't even gotten my promised return phone call.

The thing that bothers me the most about this whole thing is how it effects my son. I can't take care of him during the day, he has been with his Oma since Saturday. I guess he started pulling up on the furniture, and I missed it. What else am I going to miss? His first words, his first steps? What if his first word is Oma? He came home last night to sleep in his own bed and his Oma came back to pick him up this morning and he was reaching for her and didn't want to sit with me. I don't think I can bear this for 6-8 weeks. My mother in law has poly cystic liver disease, so she can't take care of him full time because she is very sick, which means I am going to have to put him in daycare with strangers. To top it off, I'm not exactly sure where we are going to come up with money for childcare. It's been hard enough already with prescriptions, crutches, and Matt having to take time off work.

Aaaaaaaaaanyways, I didn't mean for this to turn into a big complain fest. I've been trying really hard to not let this get me down too much, but the anger that I've been trying to squash is just not squashing very well today.

Oh, but I did get a pink cast! The ONE awesome thing about all of this :)



I will update again soon, when I know more about what is going to happen. In the meantime, I want to try to get back to my regular activities as best as I can. Just for fun, here are a few pics of us before we left home on Saturday night, all dressed up and ready for fun dancing times.

A little bit of unfortunateness.

Well.. I have a bit of icky news. I went out on Saturday night to a local bar for Indie Pop Night and to celebrate a good friend's going away party, and somehow ended up in the very wrong place at the wrong time!

It ended up that I was accidently in the middle of a big brawl, yikes! I happened to be walking back to where I was dancing after going to the washroom and I guess there was a girl dancing who got her hair pulled, turned around to punch whoever did it, and I happened to be the first person she saw. Not sure who pulled her hair (it was NOT me!), but it ended up that I fell down and hurt my ankle really bad. Then all of a sudden everyone on that corner of the room was fighting. I couldn't move or get out of the crowd on top of me, and couldn't get my husband's attention and there weren't any bouncers to be found. Thank god for good friends and tough sister in laws. I don't go out much, so I'm really sad that this is how my evening ended... and more sad that now I can't walk!

I went to the ER yesterday after toughing it out at home for a day and a half thinking I had a bad sprain, and they gave me an X-Ray. My ankle is broken in two places - at first they thought I would have to have surgery, but it ended up not being necessary (thank god!). I got a temporary cast because my foot was so swollen they wouldn't fit me with a permanent one, so this afternoon I have to go back and get another put on. I'm hoping they can give me a pink one :)

Anyways, I'm just writing this because I want you all to know that I can't walk so I can't accomplish much in the next little while.. and maybe you could all give me some good vibes that it heals quickly? I am so busy all the time and I'm more frustrated than anything that I can't move around! I hate sitting on my butt all day, but I guess I should take a break when it is offered to me... lol. The thing that makes me the most sad is that I can't take care of Jude and am going to have to get child care for him during the day. He changes so much from day to day and week to week that I am really upset about possibly having to miss a lot of his little moments.

Anyways to close this off, here at least is a fun video of us dancing to one of my favorite Death from Above songs before all the mess!

A few shots from my day..

Here are some photos from my day today.. some shots around the studio and some previews of new things to come.







I'm getting ready for a sale in the shop, starting tomorrow.. so check back :) Clearance items will be 30% off to make room for new and exciting things.

My favorite things about Winter...

Cold, crisp, clear days. I love the bright winter sunshine and how the air almost sparkles because of the cold. Ice crystals also make it less dark at night. I love the twilight glow that sometimes appears on winter nights, it seems less scary when it is slightly less dark.

Hot Baths and Showers. There is nothing better than getting into warm water when you are freezing cold! A book, candles.. maybe even some wine? :P Summertime baths just aren't the same.

Christmas! Of course, who doesn't love Christmas? And new years, because there are fancy dress parties.

Staying home more and spending time with Family. With less outdoor activities, we spend more quality time together, just hanging out.

Snow days. I hadn't had a snow day since I was in Elementary school before moving to PEI, where I have had 3 already this winter! There is something so cozy about being stuck at home with a storm raging outside. Of course, I hope the power never goes out during a blizzard.

Nesting. I find I get really homey during winter, and I want to make my space inviting and comfortable for my family. Although, my house is a crazy mess right now!

Rich foods. It's too hot during summer for all of the yummy winter treats.

Hockey Season. Did you know I am a big hockey fan? I love the Calgary Flames (of course!). This year is a bit sad for me though, since we aren't in Calgary. We used to attend at least 5 NHL games a season, more if we could. Now we settle for watching games on Saturday's at 11 at night since we can't get the West Coast games here. Becoming a habs fan might be easier... but my heart isn't in it ;)

Friends coming home. I have lots of friends spread around the country, and many come home to visit family during winter/the holidays. It's nice to be able to see everyone.

Cold nights. I love nothing more than to sleep in a freezing room, under tons of soft and coazy blankets. My bed is so comfy it makes getting up in the morning hard!

Sweet Inspiration

Petunia made this cute garland out of cupcake liners for her Daughter's room.






These are the things that make me wish I had a little girl!

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follow me! http://twitter.com/papercakes

My big news, and my new projects!

I'm sure that many of you have heard of Lollishops, right? Well, I have been asked to join a few times in the past, and I have now accepted! I am going to be launching a new line exclusively for Lollishops! I will still have my etsy shop, but I will feature wall hangings, mixed media art, and more in this new shop. This will be a more high end line for me, with larger/bigger ticket items. Here is a sneak peek of what I'm working on:



This is a recipe box, with recipe cards inside. I haven't finished it yet, so this is the only picture and it is not yet available, but it will be soon! These are the types of items I will be offering on Lollishops - I am so excited because this is a great opportunity for me to get into more 'artsy' creations! I am hoping to have my Lollishop fully open and stocked with lots of goodies by the end of the week.

Now onto more new things! I was busy as usual this weekend, I have been so inspired by Valentine's day! Here are some pictures of the newest items to be available in the Paper*Cakes Etsy Shop.






To see more, please visit my flickr photostream

My Fave Tools

So, I have been meaning to write this post for ages, but there is always something to side track me! When did I get so busy?! I love love love that the shop has taken off in the last couple of weeks but I am definitely scrambling. I have some exciting news and I have new products to share, but that can wait!

I know that many/most of you who read this blog are crafts enthusiasts yourself, and if you're anything like me you love reading tips and tricks that other crafters have to share. I wanted to talk a little bit about the tools that I use every day and couldn't live without, I hope this inspires you!

Number One:

Cutter Bee Scissors. I love these scissors so much, I could never be without them now! They are small, sharp, and accurate. I do a lot of hand cutting and I would be lost without these. They can get right in and cut out the tiniest details. They are comfy to hold on to, and don't give my hand a cramp. I have had my pair for almost one year now and I use them for *everything* and they haven't dulled at all yet! Best of all, you can get them at almost any Walmart or Scrapbooking store for about $10. I have even seen pink ones around!

Number Two:

Basic Gray Rub On Roller. This thing is great not only for rub ons, but I use it for other things like cleaning my cricut mat after cutting and for cmoothing paper down when gluing. This tool is the best for applying rub ons though - it has a ball point end. Much easier than a popsicle stick!

Number Three:

Adtech Glue Runner. This thing is my baby! There are many glue runners on the market, but Adtech is cheap and widely available. It comes in dot glue (repositionable, good for paper) and a stronger version that I like to use for things like ribbon and felt. This one is available at Walmart and the refills cost $4 for 2 - a good price for me, I go through 4-5 refill packages a week sometimes.

Number Four:

Fiskars Threading Water Punch. I love a good scalloped edge, who doesn't? I use this punch in many of my products, predominantly cards and gift card holders. You can scallop any edge and it will look good, if you ask me! This is a punch that is definitely worth the investment.

There we go! These are my favorite tools! What are yours? Tomorrow I will post about some of my must have products so check back!

Spic and Span

I was a busy beaver this AM and cleaned up my paper station (it really needed it, as evidenced in the before photo). To be honest, I had to clean it because I was looking for one very important, very small piece of paper in the midst of everything. Luckily, I found it! And now my space is very tidy and my scrap papers are all sorted :)





I'm embarassed that it looked like this before! Here is what it looks like now:



I sorted out all of my scraps by solids and patterns, in the two baskets. I added a table cloth (that is fabric left over from the head table at my wedding!) to hide the junk under the table, and I moved the paper cutter to the other side so that paper won't fall off the edge of the table after it has been cut. I also kept bumping my hip on the lever when I would leave the room.

The shelf above the table was my $10 garage sale find that I painted, it holds merchandise ready to be shipped. On top of the shelf there are various jars of ribbon spools. Next to the shelf is a thrifted wall sconce that holds this. I want to paint the sconce as well.... obviously I have a lot of paint projects! Under that shelf is a thrifted letter holder that needs to be painted - it holds tiny pieces of paper.

Thanks for looking! Tomorrow I am headed to the closing of the *only* scrapbook store on the island... which makes me very sad, but everything is 40% off so that makes me happy! Check back here tomorrow because I will be posting a little write-up about my favorite tools. I will tell you some tips and tricks to how I do my crafts :)

Rain, rain go away..

It's raining here today - blech! I hate rain because it can never be sunny when it rains... only gray and dreary and bleh. The sun did come out for about five minutes earlier, and I was able to snap some photos of yesterday's work.




This first project is the one I am the most excited to share... this is a mixed media canvas that I made :D It's my first try at a "Big Art Project" and I think it came out well! I am pretty sure that I am going to keep this one, but we will see. It is made of a stretched canvas that I painted aqua. I then added a heart shaped piece of vintage sheet music, and a cupcake mounted on felt. Everything was glittered and then I painted the word "Sweet" onto the heart, and the little hearts around everything. What do you think?!

Here are the rest of today's new items:






The western Card was for a custom order... totally out of the box for me :) The rest will be available in the shop later today!

It seems I'm on a roll...

MORE new items! Yeah, I stayed up until 2am last night making things.. I feel like I am just wired lately. I can't get my brain to shut off.. but at least I am accomplishing things! On a very happy note - yesterday was my best day for sales since I opened the shop! I am so excited that my new items are being well recieved :) I am starting to put a little bit more hope into my dream of being able to stay home after my maternity leave runs out by selling my crafts.






Also, the *very* lovely Holiday Jenny posted a picture of one of my gingerbread man ornaments hanging on her tree - please go check it out! And have a look at the rest of the pics of her tree.. it is amazing! (of course it is, it's Jenny!!).

Just popping in...

Augh! Again, just popping in! One of these days I need to sit down and write a really good, not rushed because I'm doing a million things at once post. I miss the days when I used to share more than just my new creations, but things have been so busy for me! I am working on getting ready to sell at the local flea market. I'm showing off some new items today:






These are all available now in the shop - and can be seen in <more detail on my flickr photostream..

PS: Did you guys know I'm on twitter? I post a lot through the day... I would love to follow some of my readers! Here is my profile.