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It's a grey, rainy kind of day here so let's ignore that nonsense and chat about craft room organization instead. Whether you are working with a small niche of a space or if you are lucky enough to have a full sized room, your crafty bits and bobs need a place to live.  Here's a peak at what I have done in my craft studio to organize my bits and bobs.

1 - Shelves! The hill I will forever die on is that you need shelving. If your craft area is big enough, then invest in floor to ceiling type shelving. IKEA is a great place to start as you can build out different options based on your space and needs. As you can see in the photo below, I put three shelves together to utilize this huge wall space. 

2 - Cubes and Totes! Now that you have the shelves, let's organize the smaller things. Garage sales and trips to your local craft store is a good place to start for bins and baskets. If you are familiar with Thirty-One Gifts, they are a direct sales company that has a great selection of totes and bins to keep everything in one spot. That's the key - containment!! If you are a matchy matchy kind of soul (like myself), then you can colour coordinate to your hearts content.

3 - Custom Pieces! Depending on what you are looking to organize, there are companies out there that specialize in custom pieces tailored to certain products. Stamp N Storage is one of those companies that have custom storage pieces to fit tools from Stampin Up, and Creative Memories to name a few. They are well built and very sturdy!

4 - The Quirky Fun Pieces! I love strolling through local craft fairs for unique, handmade finds. These 3 adorable pieces seen below hold my go-to sewing supplies. It also adds a cute and unique touch to your space!

I hope this peek into my studio lends a few ideas. While it can be fun trying to figure out where to put everything, it can also be overwhelming. It has taken me 6 years to get everything where I wanted it to be so take your time with this process! Xx

I am a creature of habit - there I've said it. I find comfort in routine and being able to set my clock to those daily tasks. I love planning ahead, and I feel comfort when everything is in its spot.

To jump outside of that comfort zone? What?? Why would someone choose to take part in this crazy trend?

We are raised to go to school, find a job/career, get married, buy a house and keep working to maintain whatever lifestyle you have set for yourself. So, I carved out a career in IT recruiting, met the boy, got married, bought the house and started raising kids. Did I love my career? Yes and no. It was fun and I felt like I was making a difference for those who craved a new career for themselves. However, it wasn't a job where I leapt out of bed every morning with determination nor did I feel 100% fulfilled. Having said all of that, life was good, there was routine and we were shuffling through life raising little kids and doing "the norm".

Fast forward to the year before I turned 40. My hubby and I started tossing around the idea of having me stay at home full time with the kids. His career had him travelling quite a bit so it made sense for me to manage our life full time. At first, I balked at the idea. I loved having a career and I loved being able to contribute financially to our household income. However, that was also the same year where I started to forget things like picture day or crazy hair day. My eldest had also joined the volleyball team at school but I could never catch any of his games because they happened while I was at work.

Once the ball dropped on NYE, on the year I turned 40, my perspective on life changed in an instant. Here I was given a chance to spend more time with my kids and get involved with their lives, school and sports. Why was I struggling with this decision? Oh right, it meant an upheaval to the routine that I felt I needed and life was comfortable and predictable.

In the end, I dove into the world of my kids and LOVED IT! I flipped pancakes at their school, organized fundraisers and blared the latest tunes while carting the kids and their friends to baseball and soccer tournaments.

While I loved being a full time Mum, the kids were in school full time so I was getting a little bored during the day. So, I took another step outside of that comfort zone and opened up the Shoppe. Did I know anything about running a small handmade business? Nope, but I have learned (and continue to learn) the ins and outs along the way and I fell in love with what I do. It's exciting to watch something that began as a crazy idea, begin to take root and grow.

Now that I'm becoming famous for shaking up my routine and comfort zone, I decided to fly over to Scotland with my best friends of 30 years and take on the West Highland Way. The "Way" is a 155km hiking trek that we did over 8 days. I mean, let's be real here, I'm the least outdoorsy person on earth. I don't camp unless it's in a cottage with a dishwasher, I have never hiked to the degree where I needed a pack or trail shoes and I love A/C. However, this was a chance to get my feet on my ancestral roots and do something completely out of the norm.

This experience really pushed us to our limits. The terrain was rough and it rained every single day (every.single.day), but the laughter and tears we shed on this journey far outweighed the pain. It was an unbelievable experience - one that I still can't quite put into words. 

What I'm trying to say, is that this so called comfort zone that we nestle into is a great place to be - especially for those who crave routine. However, wonderful things happen when you push yourself outside that zone. The great thing about all of this is, is that if you step out and it doesn't work out, you can go back and try again. The important part is that you keep trying.

Nature therapy is a thing - no really, it is! People who know, know exactly what I'm talking about.

In the past, I didn't put too much stock into this being "a thing". 2 of my dearest friends have sworn by the power of walking and soaking in the sights and smells of a nature trail. Those friends and I then decided to celebrate 30 years of friendship by heading "across the pond" to tackle the West Highland Way in Scotland. 

The West Highland Way is a self guided walking trek starting from Milngavie and ending in Fort William. It's a bit of a doozy for distance clocking in at 154km so we're doing it over 8 days. The view of the mountains are working very hard against the voices saying "What, are you crazy for attempting this?"

To get ready for this craziness, I bought a fancy new pair of trail shoes and I started pounding out the km on a trail by my house. I decided that breaking in my new shoes and working up my endurance was a pretty smart idea so I don't die somewhere on the outskirts of Loch Lomond. The more I got out though, the more I started to soak in the sights and smells of the trees. Whether it rained or whether the sun was peaking through, I started to understand why people did this. 

On Easter Sunday, I decided to head out in the morning to get a good walk in before my family came for dinner. It was sunny, the weather was a tad cool and it was a quiet morning on the trail. Out of nowhere, I started crying....! There was no warning for the tears but they came and they came hard. It's hard to pinpoint a reason for why this happened so suddenly. Perhaps I was feeling sad  because our kids are growing up and doing awesome things with their lives. It could also be that I'm working through some childhood trauma and felt a little extra vulnerable that morning. With all of that going on, I guess I had some stored up "stuff" that needed to be released.

Whatever the reason for the tears, nature therapy became a very real thing for me that morning and now I go on trail walks for different reasons than the ones I started out with. My feet will understand this over time right? Xx

Last month, my aunt sent me a link to a crafty project that was due to start at the beginning of March. Anita, a lovely crochet designer based in the U.K., was commissioned by a yarn shop to design a blanket for the upcoming coronation of King Charles III. When this was announced everyone was quick to snag the yarn kit which included balls of pretty yarn and a commemorative label to add to your finished project. We found out about this project well after the fact so yarn kits were sold out however, we were able to piece together our yarn needs from a couple of different stockists from London. We couldn't use Canadian yarn for a project like this right? lol

Here is the finished blanket - I mean, the colours are simply beautiful.

Now, my crochet skills are very VERY basic only knowing the two main stitches, single and double crochet, so I was a little nervous about starting a project that looked way out of my league. However, being a Royalist and having an excuse to buy pretty yarn threw logic right out the window. 

This is my first official Crochet a Long (CAL) and so far, I am LOVING it! Each week, a new part of the pattern is released which is great for a beginner. It means we only have to focus on small parts of the project at a time instead of feeling overwhelmed by staring at the entire pattern. The weekly release also includes how-to videos by the designer which helps those of us who are visual learners. Lastly, I'm part of a group on FB of lovely folks who are working on the same project and are at the ready with answers to questions that come up. 

I have a feeling that this will be the first of many CAL's I take part in...and I'm currently taking wagers on how close to finished product I will get :)

If you want to make your own coronation keepsake, then follow the link below for more info.

CAL Link: https://sirdar.com/coronation-blanket-crochet-along

I recently joined a 6 week sewing class. A friend of mine was going to sign up and I thought it would be a great way to stay occupied over the dreary winter months. In this class, we met a woman who signs up for a new class/hobby every year to try it out. So far she has done painting, crocheting and is now in this sewing class. I thought it was such a great way to try new things without having to "buy all the stuff" unless you want to keep up with your new hobby.

One thing I have found within my business is that anything DIY is where the party is at. For the last few years, my card making kits have proven to be a big hit for those who are new to card making or, who love to make and give handmade cards.  I decided to expand my kit offerings and send everyone to the sewing machine to make quilted coaster sets. Sewing and fabric are two of my favourite things so I'm trying to convince others to join the dark side - lol!

Many have shared with me how they have purchased my kits as an excuse to to get together with friends for some crafty fun and I mean, this sounds like a perfect afternoon to me!

If you want to dabble in something new, you can find my available Craft Kits through the link below: https://thecraftshoppecanada.com/collections/craft-kits

I hope everyone is still basking in the festive "what day is it and can we still eat baked goods for breakfast with our coffee" time period. There have been quite a few times over the last week where one of us has asked "what day is it?" lol!

In chatting with a friend today, we were lamenting on how Christmas has shifted now that our kids are getting older. With 2 teens and 1 who is freshly in his 20's, gone are the days when we were woken up every 2 hours on Christmas Eve to run down and open presents. While Christmas looks a little different these days, most of our traditions have remained even if they are met with epic eye rolls. Although, I tried to switch things up a bit this year and it was met with "What? How and why are you changing this?" (Note for next year, don't mess with traditions lol). We did have a blast checking out a few Christmas shows, gathering with family and eating our weight in treats. 

As we inch closer to 2023, I can’t help but look back on the past couple of years. I remember a meme going around during "that" year where it said "While we may be in a rush to get back to life, be a little more choosy with which parts of life we rush back to". That really stuck with me as I felt the lockdown periods during Covid gave us a chance to press pause and reevaluate life a little bit. Now that we’re somewhat back to normal, I still hit the pause button every so often to take a step back and reflect on where things are at and if I need to distance myself from certain people and/or things that weigh me down.

So, when a friend of mine shared this list for 2023 it was a great reminder to keep pressing pause when needed. I hope it resonates with you as well. Happy New Year and I wish you only the good things for 2023....Xo

My love for Christmas far exceeds any other time of the year. Don't get me wrong, I love Spring where everything comes back to life and I absolutely love Fall with cooler weather and Thanksgiving. However, Christmas is just the best. (Notice how I didn't mention summer? That's because summer is absolutely rotten with heat waves and brown/dead grass - lol)

I love everything about the festive time of year. The sound of Bing Crosby's velvety voice coming through my speaker, tearing up at the old classic Christmas movies, groaning (and secretly loving) the cheesy Hallmark movies, putting up our Christmas tree (s), making gifts or shopping for that perfect gift, festive lattes, falling snow and reading a book under the glow of Christmas lights. 

As a handmade business owner, one of the best parts about my job is that I usually starting playing with Christmas products in June. I spend the summer getting all of the festive stuff up and ready for the Christmas shopping rush so I absolutely love it.

It's only July but people are starting to think ahead to Christmas with some of the orders that have come through as of late. Better to be organized than not right? Follow the link below to find my Christmas collection and check back often as I will continue to add festive things as they are made!

Link: https://thecraftshoppecanada.com/collections/christmas

Let's take this back a little bit. We're going back to September of 1993 to be precise. I had just moved 1500km to attend University and as you can imagine, I was nervous and unsure of how to manage all of that. This was before the days of social media where you could "meet" fellow university students and pick out your courses and access your schedule online. Back in my day (as the older folks would say), I stood in different lines for an entire day just to pick out and register for my courses. Of course, there were a couple of times where I picked the wrong line which further delayed the process but I live to tell my story!

The program I was in (Honours Bachelor of Arts, Music) was in a separate building on campus and consisted of a smaller group of students. On the first day of classes, I remember it being a rainy, grey day. I walked in but I wasn't sure where my first class was located so, I sat in the common area and watched as other students walked in. As I stood up to follow the crowd, I heard a voice behind me ask "Do you know where we are supposed to go"? I turned around and was met with a friendly face who probably looked like I did - confused and unsure. My new friend and I figured it out and we made our way into our first class and over time, a couple other zany gals joined our friend crew.  

These proved to be the best years of my life. We bumbled our way through the program, tried to figure out what post University life would look like, developed friendships, met our future husbands, and leaned on our Prof's for advice along the way - making them our unofficial "University Dad's".

After University we moved to different cities, started working, got engaged, planned weddings, and started having babies.  Some of us moved again and settled in other towns but through all of the changes that life brought us, we kept in touch and got together where we could. Over the years, the bond grew deeper and what started out as great friendships has grown into a closer, sisterly bond. We chat, we laugh, we cry, and we open ourselves up to each other to share the good, the bad and the downright ugly.

Next year, we'll be celebrating 30 years of our crazy friendship and we decided to book the trip of a lifetime - we're heading to Scotland! In addition to being tourists, we will be walking the West Highland Way over an 8 day period. The sights and sounds are something my Scottish ancestry is craving and, it will give me a solid year to whip my behind into shape to accomplish this without dying (lol).

If you have friends like this, never let them go! Hold on to them for dear life and  book the damn trip.

The first scrapbook (s) I made were for my bridesmaids as part of their gift packages I made for them.  All of us met in University so I had A LOT of incriminating photos to add to their albums.  

A few years later, I attended a Creative Memories party where we played with pretty paper and cool scrapbooking tools.  My son had just turned 1 so I bought all the things to start working on his album.  However, a move across the province and adding 2 more kiddos to the pile turned my scrapbook ambitions into the dust that my books were collecting (raise your hand if you have been there lol).

Lo and behold, I finally dove back into it all about 6-7 years ago when a friend said "hey, I'm hosting a few gals at my house for a scrapbooking day, do you want to come"? Ever since then, paper scraps and photos have been flying and albums were slowly getting filled.  

In February 2020, I was at a scrap weekend with my friends.  Covid was dominating the headlines with the virus spreading all over Europe.  I think we were naive in thinking the virus would stay over there.  Then March came along and well, we know what happened there.

I tried to work on my albums during lockdowns.  It was a perfect isolation activity but my business took off so I had to put the albums aside for a bit.  This past weekend, we were finally able to gather and honestly, it felt good to laugh, pig out and be with friends again.  I even managed to get some pages done although, I did spend 4 hours on one page lol!  

If you are looking to get into scrapbooking, connect with a local Creative Memories consultant.  They may have inside scoop on scrap events happening in your local area.  Grab a friend, and your scissors and grab some much needed "me" time!