Happy Summer!

It's the first day of summer!

I woke up this morning thinking, "Yay! I have a couple of hours to work on my display layout for Scrap-A-Lot, my local scrapbook store here in Edmonton.  I'm using the most beautiful Creative Imaginations collection called Sakura, and I have photos from my high school trip to Japan in 1980 (please do NOT calculate my age! ha ha!).

The phone rings at 9 am.  Call display says it's my youngest daughter's school on the line.  Did I tell you how much I HATE Call Display?

I'm a good mommy today, so I pick up, and with a most unenthusiastic tone, say "Hello."

Sure enough, it's B.O.F. (BabyOfTheFamily), who calls me about 4 times a week from school for random reasons. (I guess the upside is it's not the principal calling about BoyGenius. sigh.)

"Mom? You know the Arctic diorama sitting in the kitchen?  I have to hand it in today, so I need you to bring it to school before 1 pm because Mrs. C had a baby."  (Nope, I don't understand the baby part either.)

"And be careful! It's fragile!"

The Arctic in a shoebox.

DEFINITION:  Diorama...An attempt to design a visual representation of a microcosm or a landscape scene in a shoebox... that usually bears no resemblance to the real world.

Now, what B.O.F. fails to mention is that the Arctic diorama is UNFINISHED.  Well, according to me it's unfinished...because like most crafty moms out there, a tendency towards perfectionism can kick in and pretty quickly I'm hauling out my scrapbooking supplies to give their projects those special details and final touches. 

Lovely Glitter paper snow drifts edged with chalk ink to define sloping hills

The sugar cubes igloo is falling apart, so I used DecoArt Snow-Tex paste and rebuilt it.

The outside of the shoebox was uncovered and looked HORRIBLE.  Out came the blue paper, my paper trimmer and snowflake stickers.

I am proud to say that all these amazing plasticine figures and and elements were made solely by B.O.F. and her friend.  And I am thrilled that she is following in her Mama's crafty footsteps.

Zombie Eskimo...with incredibly life-like Snowy Owl as pet

 

Plasticine Arctic Wardrobe

Surprisingly realistic snowshoes

Somewhat disturbing scene of seal getting speared by Eskimo wearing neon green night-vision hunting goggles (Doesn't that seal have a strangely beseeching look of fear on its face that makes your heart ache?)

But we all know that being a Scrapbooker Mom is a blessing and a curse.  The minute you give a teacher a handmade card, you are labelled the "crafty mom" and ALL the teacher's special projects come your way.

Last June, B.O.F.'s Grade 4 teacher said, "I hear you're a scrapbooker..." (polite pause)  In my head:  RED FLAG....ALERT....RUN!! And within 2 minutes flat, I had agreed to complete 25 mini-albums for the entire class, so they can remember their wonderful year in Grade 4.  I will definitely remember Grade 4! ha ha!

Yes, it's the first day of summer...and my headspace is in the ARCTIC!

I'd better get an A+ for this!!