Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Book Review: 20,000 Days and Counting



Most people measure their lives in years.  But how would our thought process change if we measured our lives in days.  On the 20,000th day of his life, Robert D. Smith decided to put this concept to the test. He spent the next 48 hours planning his next 20,000 days—and walked away with life-changing information.  Through a combination of captivating storytelling and step-by-step instructions, Smith reveals a simple plan that will allow you to master your life.

I've been alive for 22,340 days . . . wow . . .

My review of this book is going to be short and sweet and simple, just like the book itself.  It literally blew my mind.  What a simple concept Smith is sharing!!!  He offers a plan for living each day as if it was your last.  Smith challenges you to be deliberate and to stop sleep walking through your life.

It was a quick read and a really exciting read.  I recommend this book very highly.

Journal Prompt 31 Aug 2021 ~ Prized Possessions

 What are your most prized possessions?



Monday, August 30, 2021

Saturday, August 28, 2021

Canadian Music ~ Boxer the Horse

 


Boxer the Horse was an indie rock band from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Their debut album Would You Please was released in 2010 to high critical acclaim with many reviews comparing the band's sound to Pavement and the Kinks. In 2010 they were named the best new band in Canada by CBC Radio 3 at the annual Bucky Awards. The band's second album, French Residency, was released on March 13, 2012.


As of 2021, Christian Ledwell has left the music industry. Andrew Woods is frontman for the band Operators. Jeremy Gaudet is a member of the band Kiwi Jr.





Close To My Heart ~ Stencils

 

Tips for Using and Creating Your Own Stencils

DIY Stencils #closetomyheart #ctmh #diystencils #makeyourownstencils #stencils #stenciling #stencilling #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting

If you have yet to dabble in the world of stencil design, this is a great place to start! Even if you are a seasoned pro, maybe we’ll share something that you haven’t thought of yet. Either way, stick with us and then share with us some of your thoughts and ideas in the comment section that follows!

A stencil is a material with a cut-out design to which you apply your choice of pigment in order to transfer the design onto a separate surface. The benefits of using a stencil range from helping those of us who struggle with drawing a straight line ( ✋🏼 we’re all welcome here!) to those of us who like to create and duplicate intricate patterns, time and time again, quickly and with ease.

Stencils can be made of all sorts of materials and created in a myriad of ways. What we share here is just a sliver of the possibilities these multifaceted tools are capable of.

MATERIAL OPTIONS

The very first step in stencil design is determining the product you want to use for your stencil. You can purchase ready-made stencils or create your own. If you are creating your own, consider the following information about these popular materials:

Stencil Sheets. Our stencil sheets are made from a medium weight stencil film. They can be machine cut, die cut, or paper punched and used with wet and dry applications. The see-through quality of stencil sheets, makes stencil placement easy—this is especially useful if you are layering images. Stencil sheets are the most durable way to go if you are hoping to reuse a stencil over and over again.

Cardstock. Stencils cut from cardstock have a limited use but are very economical. Placement can be tricky, however, since you can’t see through the stencil. Cardstock is great for edge stencils and positive shapes.

Vellum Paper. Vellum stencils work a lot like those cut from stencil sheets, but with one major drawback. These can only be used for dry applications and cannot be washed off. They are also not as durable as stencil sheets.

TIPS FOR USING MACHINE-CUT STENCILS

1. Get the most out of machine-cut stencils by choosing layered shapes. Always keep all of the negative pieces and store them together with the stencil. You never know when you may want to use one of these pieces for additional texture, color, or dimension in your art.

2. Use the contour feature (in Cricut Design Space™) to make multiple stencils from a single image. Block out different parts of the image for each of the different stencils. This will allow you to create unique designs, but also to easily separate colors in different sections of the image if you want to use the stencils together, like we did with the two flower cards you see here.

3. Use basic shapes to weld images onto and to restructure shapes for easier stenciling. To create the cloud stencils, above, we welded cloud shapes (#M418DFA) onto a rectangle base. If your shapes don’t quite cover the size “base” you need or want, remember that you can easily duplicate and resize your shapes to make them work. When you are using a stencil like this one, move it around on the page as you add the color, or flip it over and use the back, to create variety from the one stencil pattern.

TIPS FOR USING DIE-CUT STENCILS

4. Just like we suggested for machine-cut stencils, keep both the positive and negative pieces that are made when you cut a stencil from a Thin Cuts die. They may be used for different looks and effects.

DIY Stencils #closetomyheart #ctmh #diystencils #makeyourownstencils #stencils #stenciling #stencilling #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting

5. Create stencils from stamp coordinating Thin Cuts, too! You can use these alone or to add dimension to a stamped image.

DIY Stencils #closetomyheart #ctmh #diystencils #makeyourownstencils #stencils #stenciling #stencilling #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting

The butterfly above was sponged with color then stamped. Use these sorts of stencils directly on your projects or cut them out, like we did here.

6. Make letter and word stencils out of stencil sheets. You want these to be as durable as possible because these generally get used a lot.

DIY Stencils #closetomyheart #ctmh #diystencils #makeyourownstencils #stencils #stenciling #stencilling #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting

7. Keep the separate letters of favorite “words” together in a storage envelope for quick access. Make sure to keep the negative space pieces as well. Take a look at the letters “a,” “p,” and “o,” below. Easily attach these to your stencil with a small amount of adhesive tape to have ready to place and use when needed.

DIY Stencils #closetomyheart #ctmh #diystencils #makeyourownstencils #stencils #stenciling #stencilling #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting

8. Explore different media to use with your stencils.

DIY Stencils #closetomyheart #ctmh #diystencils #makeyourownstencils #stencils #stenciling #stencilling #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting

If you use alcohol markers, these can bleed slightly past your stencil image, as you see in the red Y. Metallic markers are another option. These work especially well on darker papers (see the Y on black cardstock). For a more textured look, consider heat embossing. Using embossing ink pens, like on the Y on the blue cardstock, you can have a more controlled inking experience, like you would with a marker. Use your stencils to create dimensional, shadow effects, too. In the case of the Y on the green cardstock above, we used the negative stencil shape to color in a black shadow with a journaling pen, then attached a die-cut paper Y on top, slightly offset.

TIPS FOR USING SPECIALTY INKS WITH STENCILS

DIY Stencils #closetomyheart #ctmh #diystencils #makeyourownstencils #stencils #stenciling #stencilling #cardmaking #scrapbooking #papercrafting

9. Achieve a subtle shadow, watermark-type look by using embossing ink with your stencils. You can dab the VersaMark™ ink pad straight through your stencil and onto your art, or have a more controlled inking experience using embossing ink pens.

10. Use inks from our Exclusive Inks™ re-inker bottles or ink squeezed out from our shimmer brushes with a sponge or dauber. Add the ink to an all-purpose mat and pick it up with a sponge (or dauber), then pounce the sponge on a scratch piece of paper to remove some of the excess ink before adding it to your project through the stencil.

Of course, you can use a shimmer brush directly on your artwork, too, without squeezing out the ink, for a brushed on ink effect. It will look different than the pounced-with-a-sponge look. Similarly, you can also use a waterbrush to brush on the Exclusive Inks™.

Now that we’ve given you a few tips on how to make and use stencils, let’s explore a few ideas on how to store them. In the video below, our Creative Arts Manager, Karen, shares several tips:

(Here’s the link for the Design Space file Karen mentions in the video!)

Thursday, August 26, 2021

Journal Prompt 26 Aug 2012 ~ What keeps you up at night?

What keeps you up at night worrying? Are your worries realistic? Is there anything you can do about them?

 


101 Interesting Facts About Canada~ The Largest Documented Lobster . . .


The World's Largest Lobster is a concrete and reinforced steel statue in Shediac, New Brunswick, Canada sculpted by Canadian artist Winston Bronnum. The statue is 11 metres long and 5 metres tall, weighing 90 tonnes.



The biggest recorded lobster ever caught weighed 44 pounds, 6 ounces and was caught in 1977. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, it was taken from the waters off the coast of Nova Scotia, and it measured 3 feet 5 inches from the tip of its largest claw to the end of its tail fan.

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

A Taste of Canada ~ Pot-en-pot



Pot-en-Pot is a traditional Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine dish typically made during lobster season. As with many traditional dishes each family has their own beloved version.

The Magdalen Islands are a small archipelago in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence with a land area of 205.53 square kilometres. While part of the Province of Quebec, the islands are in fact closer to the Maritime provinces and Newfoundland than to the Gaspé Peninsula on the Quebec mainland. 

Magdalen Islands’ Seafood Pot Pie (Pot-en-Pot)

PREPARATION 40 MIN

COOKING 55 MIN

CHILLING 30 MIN

SERVINGS 6

INGREDIENTS

Pastry
1 1/4 cups (310 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 ml) dry mustard
1/2 cup (125 ml) cold butter, cubed
1 egg 
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water, approximately

Filling
3 slices bacon, finely chopped
1 leek, finely chopped
2 carrots, diced
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (30 ml) butter
3 tablespoons (45 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth
3/4 lb (350 g) cooked lobster meat, cut into 2-inch (5-cm) pieces (approximately 2 lobsters)
1/2 lb (250 g) medium-sized scallops
1/2 lb (250 g) raw peeled medium-sized shrimp
2 cups (500 ml) diced potatoes, blanched
2 tablespoons (30 ml) parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Egg Wash
1 egg yolk 
1 tablespoon (15 ml) water

PREPARATION

Pastry
In a food processor, combine the flour and mustard. Add the butter and pulse for a few seconds at a time until the butter is the size of peas. Add the egg and water. Pulse again until the dough just begins to form. Add water, if needed. Remove the dough from the food processor and form into a disc. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F). 

Filling
In a large saucepan, brown the bacon. Add the leeks, carrots, garlic, and butter and sauté gently for about 5 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine. Add the milk and broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer gently for about 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat. Add the seafood, potatoes, and parsley. Pour into a large 25-cm (10-inch) in diameter and 5-cm (2-inch) high pie plate. Set aside. 

Egg Wash
In a bowl, combine the egg and water. Set aside.
On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 30-cm (12-inch) disc. Make an incision in the centre of the pastry.
Moisten the rim of the pie plate so that the pastry dough adheres well. Place the dough over the filling and press the edges on the dish to seal. Brush with the egg wash. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Journal Prompt 25 Aug 2021 ~ Brothers and Sisters

 If you have brothers of sisters, how are you similar to them or different from them?



Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Book Review ~ The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton



I've never read any of Kate Morton's books before now.  In fact, the only reason I went in search of it is because someone in one of the groups I belong to was raving about it.  I decided I wanted to check it out.

Apparently I wasn't alone.  The waiting list to get the book from the library was indefinite.  I started asking around on Facebook to borrow a copy.  A friend managed to get her hands on a copy and very graciously passed it along to me.

I now know what all the fuss was about.

Teen-aged Laurel Nicolson witnessed the murder of a stranger on their farm.  She saw her mother stab him to death with the birthday cake knife.  The whole situation was kept quiet and the police accepted that the mother was acting in self-defense.

Decades later, Laurel finds a clue that makes her curious to solve the mystery of the dead man.
The story is very intriguing.  There are so many mysterious twists and turns written into the very detailed story and they are solved very gradually over the course of the book.  The really big mysteries remain unsolved until right to the very end.  I loved that.

The best part is that every time I thought I had everything figured out, the author shared new information and I had to rethink the whole mystery again.

My sister says this isn't Kate Morton's best book.  What!?  Looking forward to reading more of her books especially if they are even better than the Secret Keeper.



Journal Prompt 24 Aug 2021 ~ Relationships

 What is your relationship like with various members of your family?



Monday, August 23, 2021

Sunday, August 22, 2021

CTMH ~ Scrapbooking Workshops for ALL Experience Levels!

Scrapbooking Workshops for ALL Experience Levels!

Scrapbooking Workshop Kits #closetomyheart #ctmh #scrapbooking #workshop #memorykeeping #diy #storytelling #ctmhisabella

One of the most satisfying feelings for a memory keeper is to see beautiful scrapbook pages come together. These pages not only provide a fulfilling creative outlet, but also serve as backdrops for some of our most cherished life moments. For an easy, elevated scrapbooking experience, Close To My Heart provides exclusive gorgeous products in convenient workshop kits, ensuring you can have a worthy place to tell and share your stories!

Our scrapbooking workshop kits come with materials to create three breathtaking coordinating 12″ x 12″ two-page layouts, including easy-to-follow instructions embedded with artistic tips and techniques to help you along the way! Grab your photos, trimming tools, and a journaling pen, along with a few optional additional supplies, and you’ll have everything you need to preserve your memories on beautiful, detailed scrapbook pages!

Scrapbooking Workshop Kits #closetomyheart #ctmh #scrapbooking #workshop #memorykeeping #diy #storytelling #ctmhisabella
Scrapbooking Workshop Kits #closetomyheart #ctmh #scrapbooking #workshop #memorykeeping #diy #storytelling #ctmhisabella
Scrapbooking Workshop Kits #closetomyheart #ctmh #scrapbooking #workshop #memorykeeping #diy #storytelling #ctmhisabella

All of our scrapbooking workshop kits include patterned papers and stickers, a few sheets of coordinating cardstock, exclusive die-cuts designed especially for the workshop, and an additional accessory.

Scrapbooking Workshop Kits #closetomyheart #ctmh #scrapbooking #workshop #memorykeeping #diy #storytelling #ctmhisabella

Our Isabella scrapbooking workshop kit, for example, comes with adorable die-cuts designed for a mediterranean, summertime feel. With these too-cute citrus, title, and background pieces, the layouts in the Isabella scrapbooking workshop are an absolute joy to create!

Scrapbooking Workshop Kits #closetomyheart #ctmh #scrapbooking #workshop #memorykeeping #diy #storytelling #ctmhisabella

Because many of the pieces included in our workshop kits come in easy, punch-out die-cut sheets, there is minimal cutting required to complete the workshop’s layouts. This makes our scrapbooking kits ideal for all scrappers, and hopeful scrappers, who don’t have the luxury of time to create beautiful pages for their photos.

Along with die-cuts, you will love the included accessory that is often an exclusive product for our workshop kits! If we continue with the Isabella scrapbooking workshop kit as our example, you will see that this exclusive accessory comes in the form of acrylic shapes. These shapes include a few of the designs from the Isabella paper collection, itself, and a few additional designs that aren’t available anywhere else.

Scrapbooking Workshop Kits #closetomyheart #ctmh #scrapbooking #workshop #memorykeeping #diy #storytelling #ctmhisabella

Additionally, every one of our scrapbooking workshops features a specific crafting technique to help you maximize your creativity and add a little flair to your artwork! For instance, the Isabella scrapbooking workshop kit guide includes step-by-step instructions on how to implement ink pad sponging for a little extra pop of color, as you can see here.

With so much crafting potential all in one place, it’s no wonder that crafters and memory keepers everywhere love our scrapbooking kits! If you have any memories you’d love to document with this or any of our other workshop kits, let us know in the comments below! Happy scrapping!