I used Graphic 45’s newest Christmas collection for my latest card set. These papers are gorgeous and have beautiful birds and poinsettias that made the perfect embellishments once I cut them all out.
These cards are available as a class spot on Thursday, October 26 at Treasured Memories or as a class kit to take & complete at your leisure. All the details can be found here.
The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go.
And all at once, summer collapsed into fall. -Oscar Wilde
The colors, the smell, the sounds. All of it is magic to me.
♥ Nadine
Do you love fall? What is your favorite part?
I celebrated my 39th birthday on Monday. Cory, Anna and all the wonderful messages I received made my day so lovely. I am just so grateful and I look at each passing birthday and each new day as a redo. A chance to put my best self forward.
Realizing this and putting my best self forward is not always easy. I started having quite a bit of anxiety about this birthday back in August. Thirty nine means I’m just a hop, skip & a jump to forty and that made me acutely aware of my gremlins. Gremlins that speak to me about lack and insignificance. It was hard.
I’m like anyone, I want to be better. I want to do better. For me this looks like putting myself first and that is not an easy task for me. While on a trip at the end of August I told Cory about these gremlins and then I made some very big, very bold proclamations about what I wanted. It sounds dramatic and it was. I was standing on a mountain, overlooking a gorgeous valley with the sun beaming down on me. I had tears streaming down my face. I was having a moment. I made promises to myself in that space that I have been working on since I got home.
Choosing me and putting my interests first has been a struggle but I’m slowly easing into it. One day at a time, reframing my thoughts at each step.
I look forward to 40, I have a plan to stand in the ocean as my best self and then to raise my arms to the sky and say thank you. As I blew out my candles on Monday I wished for the guidance to lead each day with love, compassion and kindness, for myself and for everyone around me. I truly believe that with these three things we can change lives.
♥ Nadine
Recommended reading for a little soul work: Brene Brown’s Rising Strong & Braving the Wilderness
I am deep into Christmas class prep. I have taught 2 classes already and have the third booked for mid October. I find customers either love it or hate it when the Christmas paper starts showing up as early as July. Maybe it’s the same disgruntled feeling I get when I see the snowsuits arrive Costco before we even get out of school for the summer.
Product: Kaiser Craft’s Christmas Jewel collection. Sold Out.
These cards were a huge success and ended up being my most popular card set with me making the most card kits for one class ever. The purples with the silver foil were so beautiful together.
Product: Echo Park’s Twas the Night before Christmas Vol. 1 & 2 collections. Sold Out.
This set of cards were the first ones where I really added layers upon layers of paper to bring them to life. I also did a huge amount of “fussy cutting” to create all the embellishing pieces and I love how they turned out.
Product: Kaiser Craft’s Christmas Edition & Letters to Santa collections. Scheduled Class: October 12, details here.
I love! these black & white papers and with the added pops of red and red foil I think they’re my favorite.
This creative season is my jam! The only problem is that I have more ideas then time and before I know it the holidays have come & gone.
I read somewhere the other day that there were only 12 Fridays until Christmas…. insert a loud sigh. I should probably go offline and put my fall decor up before the snow hits and I’m digging out my inflatable Santa.
What about you? Are you a love it or hate it when you see the holidays hit the stores well before their time?
♥ Nadine
Today was the first day of Grade 2. New grade, new teacher & fresh starts. I love this time of year, I have loved it since I myself was going to school. September has always felt like a new beginning to me, a fresh start, the new “New Year”. A time where you can reinvent yourself, make new plans and set new goals. It’s refreshing and it inspires me.
This morning our house was full of excitement and nerves as Anna walked into Grade 2 and I walked off to realize a few of my own new goals.
Cheers to this new year.
Anna: Age 6
When she grows up: Wants to be an animal rescuer but specializing in kitten rescue. ♥
Supplies for Grade 2. I love these days of markers and crayons.
It’s the end of June and that means it’s finally Peony season here!!!
I had one plant succumb to winter kill but the other two made it and one is thriving better than ever before. It literally makes my heart skip a beat when I see them!
I bought my very first plant 6 years ago, I brought it home and discovered that it was covered in ants. I quickly cleaned all the ants off into the dumpster and proceeded to plant it in my flower bed. It died. A seasoned peony growing friend of mine told me they need the ants. I did not like that! Not one bit. I hate ants but I wanted the peonies, I learned to accept that the ants were part of the package. I don’t know what the deal is, I don’t know if they actually need the ants but I’ve been growing the plants successfully since, I’m not about to mess up a good thing.
Lesson learned: accepting things I do not like might yield a beautiful result.
MacKinnon Ravine Park – Government House Park
Edmonton, Alberta
Photos taken in May & June 2017
Government House Park
As soon as all the snow melts and the sun is shining bright I head down to the River Valley for my run/walks. I come down here and forget that I’m even in the city. It’s gorgeous, calm and so peaceful. I lose myself in my thoughts and come away more energetic and full of inspiration. This daily practice does wonders for my life.
Groat Bridge
I park in a residential area just off 142st near the 142st bridge. I start there and head out through the MacKinnon Ravine Park towards Government House Park. From there I head out over the Groat Bridge, run a few sets of stairs and then head back. It works out to be about 6km with the stair climbs.
The Downtown view from Groat Bridge.
It’s not a hard 6km, I’m stopping constantly to take in the views and take photographs. Everyday, no matter how many times I see it, this is my routine. Spring/Summer is so short here, I never take these seasons for granted.
Almost to the top of a stair set in MacKinnon Ravine.
The reward for the stair climb. The view south towards Hawrelak Park.
I have began a habit of looking up. The blue sky, the sun, the light, the green- I feel a happiness inside that I can’t put words to.
Get out, explore, there is magic out there if you’re willing to see it.
