Post It Notes

Really?!?!

2011-12-04T22:14:00.001-06:00

I finally took a few moments for "me" today, and scrapped a page. I had this Pagemaps sketch that I thought was perfect for this page, and everything came together quickly. This picture was so funny because I didn't see the "Dead Chicken" on the sign until after I had taken the picture. What a laugh we got, and the meal was great too. It was a good afternoon that day!

Glory to God

2011-07-03T19:25:00.004-05:00

Hello - I've been gone for too long. Now that it is summer, I am FINALLY getting caught up on some things. There is hope that my scraproom will be clean one day!!! Nahhhh, just kidding!!

Here is my latest layout for the PageMaps layout contest that ends tonight. I've had these pics for a long time, almost a year, and finally found some pretty patterned paper to go with them. I loved that I was able to "hide" the journaling because I didn't want to take from the pic or the pretty paper, but I did want to say something about the pics. All of these colors put together really make me happy!

The journaling says: "Madison sang with the King's Kids (our elementary-aged choir) at the Family Fun Fair & Grillin' for Gilda BBQ contest on Saturday, Oct. 16th, 2010, which gives cancer support for the whole family. Madison sang pretty & we ate LOTS of BBQ! Then, we perused the car show & enjoyed the beautiful weather. -10 years old"

Some journaling prompts for today:

2011-03-14T12:42:00.004-05:00

Outside my window... I'm at work...I don't have a window. But if I did, it would be overcast and rainy, so I will just pretend it is warm & sunny outside.
I am thinking... about In A Nutshell.
I am thankful for... for a job that I like.
From the kitchen... tuna noodle casserole leftovers - gotta make deviled eggs tonight though.
I am wearing... my burgundy sweater, hopefully for the last time this winter!
I am creating.. nothing; again, I am at work.
I am going... to send my sister a quick email.
I am reading... the latest Country Living magazine.
I am hoping... that In A Nutshell will bring in money instead of helping me spend it.
I am hearing...Every Little Breath She Takes by The Police, on the radio.
Around the house... evidence of having gone through a choir weekend - so things need to get in their places, & laundry needs done.
One of my favorite things... Etsy.com!
A few plans for the rest of the week... All-staff luncheon tomorrow, haircut, lunch with a friend on Friday, getting out in the nice weather that is supposed to come!!

Madison's Brick

2010-12-27T19:42:00.002-06:00

I, for one, am not a cold-weather person. It could stay Summer (OK, with a little bit of Spring & Fall thrown in for good measure) all year long, and I would be OK with that. So, to that end, I decided to scrap some Spring pictures that I've had for awhile. After pulling this layout together, I did feel a little bit better!! :-) I used the latest PageMaps sketch as my base, but flipped it to fit my pictures. Looking at these pictures, I know it will be awhile yet, but I am already ready for Spring!

Because...

2010-11-14T23:03:00.003-06:00

...I looked at my blog count for the year and it is only 9. BORING!! 9 times...surely I have more to say than that!! (My husband would attest to that!) So, I decided to add a layout that is not for any kind of contest or anything like that. It is just one of my favorites that I've done, and I want to get it on record. This is one of those layouts that came together quickly for me. I think I got it done in about 30 minutes - I can't believe it even took that long! I added the bling, flowers, sticker & did my journaling. But even better than it being a quick page, this layout helped me say some things that I wanted to get on paper. Just because...

Happy Halloween 2010!

2010-10-31T12:09:00.004-05:00

If it weren't for my daughter, I don't think I would "celebrate" Halloween. But Madison absolutely loves Halloween - all things gross & scary & creepy. So, I try to decorate a little, have a costume ready, get the "in" candy - those kinds of things - but Halloween always sneeks up on me. This is my only piece of new decoration this year - well, the entire grouping - and though it does make me happy, it was not very much effort. But Happy Halloween & BOO to you!!

Vera Bradley

2010-08-14T11:38:00.007-05:00

I knew not to introduce my 9 year old daughter to Vera Bradley - that once I did, it would be all over. And it was...Madison begged & begged me for a VB purse. Well, for Easter, we surprised her with a dittybag in her favorite pattern. She loved it, and here is my layout documenting that. I tried to pick PP's and title letters that would give the feel of Vera Bradley too. Once again, a Pagemaps sketch did the trick. Now maybe if I got that second job, I would be able to afford a VB for myself!! LOL!

Making Cards again...

2010-07-25T18:51:00.005-05:00

I've been neglecting my cardmaking. I go through spurts where I like to make cards. They are quicker, help me use up scraps, & actually give me a different type of challenge. I actually made 3 cards today with scraps from (get this!!) one two-page layout that I did. I'm only going to show two of them though because the first one just turned out OK for me. The first one is my favorite, and will go to my friend & co-worker, who's birthday is this Wed. The second one I will just save until such time that I need a card. Also, both were inspired by a challenge from a blog that I haven't visited in some time, the Stamp Something blog. I decided it was time to say hello again, along with my card making. Gotta use those stamps!! TFL!!

Don't you love Summer??

2010-07-17T22:56:00.007-05:00

I LOVE SUMMER...may I just say that?? So many reasons, but one of them is that I usually have more time for scrapping! Not to mention flip flops, hummingbirds, sun tea, summer vegetables, gardens, grilling, green lawns, fireworks, picnics, fishing, swimming, beaches, taking pictures, staying up late, and so much more!! I will say it again...I love summer!! :-)

This latest layout is again for Pagemaps, and the latest sketch contest. I was happy to finally get a chance to use this patterned paper, and to do a banner (well, sort of a banner...), which is popular in scrapbooking right now. An additional challenge was to make sure that teal, orange and yellow were included in our layout, and I squeaked by with the teal, orange & yellow being in the shirts in the banner. And actually, my daughter is spending the night with a friend tonight, and I am missing her, so it is a good excuse to scrapbook a picture of her, right? Oh yes, another good thing about summer... sleepovers & quiet time!!

All it takes is a little...

2010-06-19T13:28:00.005-05:00

Courage - this week, my daughter & I had an interesting conversation regarding courage. It all stems from the theme for our VBS this week, which was Becoming Fearless. My daughter is somewhat of a scaredy cat, so I am glad that we got to approach the subject, and from the look in her eyes, I think she actually got it!! The layout itself is based on a sketch from PageMaps, and I used some of my all time favorite papers (and I still have 3 sheets left - enough to make another layout!!) May everyone have a little extra courage today! My journaling reads: At VBS this week, one of the crafts you made was a "Courage " bracelet. While talking about the craft, you asked what courage meant. It was hard to put into words that I thought you could understand, but I told you it was doing something that was hard, but making yourself do it, like walking into a room full of people you don't know, but making yourself do it because you can. Then, we had a great discussion about things we do daily that take courage. In the words of Walt Disney, "All our dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them." May you always have the courage to dream BIG!

Yup - it's a good one!

2010-03-27T14:42:00.010-05:00

It's been almost a month since I blogged, but it's not because I haven't been on the computer, just been so busy lately! Now that Spring is here, I can't wait for Summer either!!

The latest Pagemaps sketch was PERFECT for my layout. It is about my staff Christmas Party, which is never typical, so therefore my choice of patterned papers is not typical either...for a Christmas layout! My friend, Gretchen Howard took the pictures at the party, and they turned out adorable. We all dressed up in our "country" best, and had a great time:

The next two photos include detail shots of my hidden journaling, and the actual invitation we received, which I definitely wanted to keep with the layout.

Have You Ever?

2010-02-28T15:21:00.004-06:00

I got the title/journaling idea for this layout from one of those papers that cover the trays at fast food restaurants. This particular paper came from Culvers (mmmmm!!). The sketch came from the latest Pagemaps contest. And I just used the journaling idea to document some of the fun things that have happened with Madison, rather than make a layout for each fun thing. The picture is one of my favorites, taken quickly the morning of the first day of 3rd grade while we waited for the bus. Thanks for looking!

A WOOF kind of relationship!

2010-01-30T12:07:00.004-06:00

I'm getting some time to scrapbook again, so I wanted to try the latest PageMaps sketch. It was an odd sketch for me, but I was determined to make it work. So determined that I took more than 4 hours to do this layout. I just worked & worked on all the little details. I am so happy with the layout, I think it conveys what I wanted to say. I don't do many canine layouts as some, as our dogs are "outside" dogs, and I don't necessarily consider them "part of the family". But Madison does, and I wanted to document that.
Here is a close up of the stitching, raised paw prints, bling-y eyes & the ribbon colllar...just a few of the details that took me **4** hours of my life to do!! Gotta love it!

Butterfly Kisses

2010-01-24T12:40:00.006-06:00

OK, sometimes layouts are about the pictures, sometimes they are about the journaling, and well, sometimes they are just about creating. This layout was definitely about the creating. I played with Glimmer Mist, basically a spray ink. I wanted to see what it would do. The "orange" paper is really white cardstock, that I covered with paper masks, sprayed it, removed the mask, and voila...instant "orange" patterned paper (the color on the bottle says "Mimosa" - that sounds so much more exotic, doesn't it?). I had this photo that I had been saving for awhile, and I put it with the layout. I love that photo, we look so happy in it. Plus the swirl patterned paper, and ALL those butterflies - it just makes me happy! I love that they were already 3-D for me! The journaling is just lyrics from the song to help tie everything in. OK, on to the next creation!

Family layout

2009-12-29T13:29:00.003-06:00

I like this layout...a lot...because it used a lot of scraps of one of my favorite paper lines - Basic Grey's Bittersweet line, and because it's not a typical fall layout with oranges & other fall colors. I, however, did scraplift this one from someone (I'm sorry...I don't have a link to it...) almost exactly as their's was - well almost - I changed it to fit my one picture. Also, the picture is like the one we used on our Christmas photo cards this year - we don't get many of the three of us together, so it was a treat to scrap it. Love using pinks & browns for a family layout!!

Here's the Rules:

2009-12-24T22:35:00.002-06:00

For Christmas morn', that is!!
1.) Don't get up before 7:00 AM (for our house, that is reasonable...).
2.) Don't open any presents until we all get down to the tree.
3.) Don't whine!!
This is pretty much the guidelines set before we go to bed on Christmas Eve. Thought I should list them, as one day, there will be no need for guidelines.
Merry Christmas to all & to all a good night!

"Warm" layout

2009-12-09T16:09:00.003-06:00

A friend of mine requested that I update my blog. Yes, it's been a month since I have - actually over a month. Tis the season!! However, it is especially cold & windy today; it was rainy yesterday; & well, I wish it were summer already - so I wanted to post a layout of pictures from this past summer. It was a pretty good day that day - although, because my husband & I got in a argument, he did not go on this particular outing, and well, even though I wish he had - my daughter & I had a good time & did laugh a lot (this is the journaling "behind the journaling"!!) But, it was so warm that day, & the ice cream tasted so good at the Frog Follies. This was August, because the Follies are always held in August. Plus, I love the bold colors on this layout...it is so hard to scrap bold colors, but I think it works this time. Hmmmm, let me just stare at the pictures a while & see if I feel warmer...

Fabulous Fall layout

2009-11-08T15:06:00.006-06:00

Here is my latest layout!! I love the Pink Paislee Amber Road line - and knew when I got those papers that I wanted to use black & white photos with them - it really pops! And well, when my daughter wore bright NEON PINK for our fall photos, I knew I wanted to change the photos to black & white. And this is what we got!! I also added glitter Stickles to the center of each flower to add some sparkle. The first photo is my actual layout based on the latest PageMaps sketch contest, and the next two photos are detail photos showing my title work & my journaling, which is tucked into the envelope. Once again, my latest layout is my favorite layout!

Olives layout

2009-10-21T21:12:00.004-05:00

I wanted to share this layout. I LOVED the bright MME patterned paper that Amber from the MME blog sent me - she is such a sweet & very talented person. I immediately found this fun picture that I wanted to scrap and put the PP to good use! Gosh, I think the PP would have gone with any photo almost - it is so pretty. (This layout is dedicated to our favorite Aunt!!)

Normal Day

2009-10-08T08:16:00.004-05:00

Saw this on Ali Edward's blog & as I am feeling this way today as well, so I thought I would share it:
Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, savour you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass by you in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it will not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky, and want, more than all the world, your return. - Mary Jean Iron

Thanking God that my little girl, who is growing up so fast, still loves to crawl in bed with me in the mornings & talk to me about her upcoming day; that she still grabs my hand & holds it while we are walking to the bus stop; and that she still waves goodbye to me after she gets seated on the bus.

3 Generations layout

2009-10-01T08:35:00.004-05:00

Wanted to add my latest creation - one based on the latest PageMaps sketch. I somehow missed these Cosmo Cricket papers last year when they came out - and I found them on clearance this year. I grabbed every piece of the line that I could find, and since they are double-sided, I grabbed two pieces of some of them. Since the papers are very home-y (with the faux stitching), I wanted to add home-y embellishments, hence my stitching, ribbon, the little ribbon flowers with the pearl in the middle, & the felt accents. I just love looking at this layout of my mom & my daughter & me!!

MME layout - Every...

2009-09-24T11:53:00.004-05:00

Wasn't sure how I was going to use this diecut PP when I first bought it, but then when I began working on this layout, I decided it was just right to use as the background paper. So everything layered on top of that. I've been waiting to do a layout on our favorite Aunt & Uncle, and these colors were just right!

Pagemaps Layout

2009-09-10T10:13:00.004-05:00

Here's my latest endeavor, using the latest Pagemaps sketch. I wanted to do something a little different with these photos, even though...they really are vacation photos. I get tired of scrapping vacation photos AS vacation photos, so I went looking for a title or quote that would be a little different. When I found this one, I knew they were the words that I needed. Funny how layouts don't end up the way they start, but I usually like the finish!!

Time for another post

2009-09-10T08:49:00.005-05:00

Yes, I know...but I'm kinda "post-less" lately...been so busy. Madison went back to school on 8/11, and since then it has been non-stop. So far, our family has remained fairly healthy, although many around us are sick. Labor Day weekend was a blur, as we did something everyday, and celebrated Madison's 9th birthday, like, all weekend!! I did manage to get a little scrapping in, and of course, too many scrapping purchases - so much for the self-imposed halt on purchases for a month. Gotta start over on that! Anyway, will share my last 4 layouts for you to see!

Basic Grey Day!

2009-08-22T11:28:00.004-05:00

I had the awesome chance a week ago today to spend some class time with my favorite scrapbooker, Kelly Goree from Basic Grey. Man, does she keep it real! I think my scrapbooking style matches her style the closest, I just can't do it like she does - she is awesome!! (But I will keep trying!!) She even says "I don't have time to be sewing on no layouts!" Gotta love that! I was able to take two classes with her at The Doodlebug in Jasper, IN. I was even fortunate enough to win the big drawings in BOTH classes - a 6x6 pad of paper of two of BG's new lines, Eerie & Eskimo Kisses. Thank you for a great day Basic Grey!

Summer

2009-08-09T15:34:00.005-05:00

Here it is...the latest layout that I did today, for the latest PageMaps sketch challenge. This is one of my favorite pictures right now - it just says so much to me. I hate that I live so far away from Mom, but I hate it even more to think that my daughter will have a relationship with her Grandma, like the way I did with my Grandma. I mean, I loved her, but I didn't really get to know her. Grandma had very little influence on my life as a "person", but I cherish the memories of the visits we would have with her every summer. Mmmm, maybe I need to add some hidden journaling to my layout! :-)

Mom & Dad

2009-08-08T11:09:00.004-05:00

(with picture by Madison!) I wanted to share this layout which I am hoping will inspire. It is from our vacation to Florida this past June. Again, I stitched on the layout, which I've been doing a lot lately. The colors in the picture were so different, but I liked them, so I looked around for some patterned papers to match - and thankfully, I found some. Another sketch by Becky Fleck - this one at BPM's website!

Girl Time

2009-07-23T21:35:00.005-05:00

I wanted to add this layout to my blog. Some days it is all I can do, when I look at my daughter, to not get tears in my eyes. She is growing up so fast. Not that I don't want her to grow up, just that it is going by so fast. The layout itself was fun to do with all the stitching, and then gathering embellishments to match the colors. I do love colors!!

Every Morning

2009-07-10T09:46:00.005-05:00

I love this layout - in fact, it might be my favorite layout ever...well ok, until the next one I do. (The last one I complete is always my favorite...) But, I just love the colors on this one, and the picture. I took the picture on the way down to FL, and I didn't retouch it in ANY way...I just love it. It is my first layout done with a BackPorch Memories page kit - I just added a few things from my own stash. And the inspiration was Becky Fleck's latest PageMaps sketch challenge. Aww...I just love the feeling of a completed layout...until tomorrow, when that desire to do another one hits!!

Manly layout

2009-07-03T10:53:00.003-05:00

OK - I have to do one now & then (a manly layout, that is...), just to keep my man happy & feeling loved. So, I used a Becky Fleck Pagemap sketch to get me going. These were the only pictures I have of Adam turning 45, and his shirt was bright purple, so I turned the pictures black & white to make them more versatile. Boy, I am glad I did...with all that pattern going on, that would have made it worse. But here it is...happy late birthday, honey!!

Basic Grey!!

2009-06-25T09:33:00.005-05:00

I love my Basic Grey patterned paper...I have from the time they put out their first collection. 5 years later...I'm still loving it. So, I have created two layouts (scraplifts from...somewhere???). The first I did in colors that I use all the time - pinks & browns, with a full color picture. The second in colors that I hardly ever use - orange, grey & black, with a B/W photo. However, both layouts were about my favorite scrapbooking subject - my daughter, Madison! The fact that I was able to use my new Cricut machine so much on these is a plus too.

Amor!!!

2009-06-14T21:27:00.003-05:00

I am back from vacation (it was awesome & I took a lot of pictures!) & want to share a layout I did right before we left. I entered it into a LSS kit contest...$5.00 got you a package of assorted matching scrapping goodies; then you make a layout using only those goodies, and if you turned the layout back in for the contest, you got your $5.00 back. Well, how can you lose, right? I got a page done & got my $$ back, and had a chance to win a gift certificate to that store. Well, I didn't win the contest (it was a popularity contest anyway...but it was fun!) but I did get picked as the layout of the week at BackPorchMemories.com for last week after I downloaded it to their gallery. No prizes, just the happiness of knowing that my layout got picked & some great feedback from the other scrappers at BPM, which is awesome!! So, without further delay, here is my layout:

Going on vacation to FL

2009-06-01T21:37:00.002-05:00

Can't wait!! Leaving Friday, June 5th (my BD!) & getting back on Sunday, June 14th - will answer emails then!! Hasta lavista baby!!

A Father's Love

2009-05-30T16:20:00.009-05:00

Here is a layout I did for the latest PageMaps sketch contest - I can't wait until the new contest and the latest set of sketches are posted each month...I'd had these PP's for awhile, waiting for the right subject/pictures, & I thought these were appropriate. I went crazy with the glitter on this layout. I covered some chipboard with it, and then I sealed it with Glossy Accents. Then, I made my little birdie with stamps, added some glitter, sealed it, and then added the eyelets. Finally, I added a heart brad, covered it with glitter & sealed it too. The glitter definitely goes with my daughter's attitude - very diva lately! :-)

Love the bling!

2009-05-26T20:42:00.003-05:00

Wanted to add a layout that I recently did...I got this page kit from Shabby Pink Designs and have been saving it until I got a picture that I could turn into sepia-tone. So I finally got this picture of my DD playing around, turned it into sepia, and put together this kit. I love the colors of this kit, plus I love the bling...sooooooooooo much!! My daughter...what a dear!!

Pagemaps Spring Card Contest

2009-05-13T10:42:00.006-05:00

I have a friend who is getting married, and she is having a "spring" bridal shower. So I decided to make her this card. Her colors are lavender, therefore the purple accents!! I think the flower PP in the corner helps make it feel more spring-y, and more elegant at the same time. Plus, I love those little blingy brads. It is a tri-fold card, which opens up, and I will put a gift card inside. I decided to enter it into the Pagemaps Spring Card Contest. Congratulations Sheila!! We love you girl!!

Misc. stuff on my brain!

2009-05-07T21:31:00.005-05:00

Well, I have been blog-negligent, among other things, but for here, that is the priority. I have been super busy with work (which is also my church) and I have loved every minute of it. But some things were neglected. The family, laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, scrapping, the blog(s)...but I am slowly catching up. I want to share one of my latest layouts that I am proud of. Somewhat not my style, but I love how it turned out. The journaling says "A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart." That sums it up lately...my girl is getting so big!

P.S. I was so excited to win the Grand Prize over at BackPorchMemories!! A free six-month subscription to their page kits. I have been stalking their website and love what I see, so I am excited to get a chance to create with them!! Thank you BPM!!

Weekend Crop

2009-04-17T22:01:00.002-05:00

Since I can't crop with my sista's of SISF this weekend at their retreat, I am going to spend the weekend cropping with BackPorchMemories - wontcha join me??

Sweetness Layout

2009-04-11T13:00:00.005-05:00

I did this layout based on a sketch from the PageMaps blog. Again, I just love Becky's sketches...so current, so usable, so versatile!! The theme had to be "What's On My Mind", and I went with what I think everytime I see this picture. I am just so proud of my daughter, and the person that she is becoming, so I wanted to express that. Plus I love using the floss that I've had for so many years, and get to use again!! (The little metal tag hanging from the button says "smile".)

Spring Card

2009-04-05T21:56:00.003-05:00

Here is a card I made with my new favorite stamps from Stampin Up - the set is called "A Flower for all Seasons". I plan on using them to make my end of the year teacher appreciation gifts later on in the year, but for now, our challenge was to make something Easter-y (over at the Stamp Something blog!!) So, here is my take, with tulips that always signal that Easter is near. I will be sending this one to my mom. Of course, I used leftover scrap patterned paper, and then I stamped the imaged & chalked it. I haven't done that in forever. Come on in Spring!! (I think we're supposed to get some snow showers tomorrow, what is up with that????)

Sketch Card

2009-04-02T08:42:00.003-05:00

I've been wanting to use my glitter a little more, so I got brave with this card. It is based on the sketch challenge on the Stamp Something blog this week. I really liked how it adds a special touch to my card, but...it still gets all over everything. That never changes. Got two April birthdays, so I made two cards.

Birthday card

2009-03-06T14:38:00.004-06:00

Here's a birthday card I did (OK, I made 2 of them for my March Birthday friends, so I hope you don't see this on my blog, but if you do...act surprised anyway!!) for the Stamp Something Blog challenge this week. The challenge was to use something "favorite". And for me, I have been using the Chloe's Closet line from Making Memories lately, and just bought some flowers/buttons to go with it this morning...so I made the cards from their journaling shapes. Love those, but don't think I will ever use all of them, so I think using them on cards is a great way to get some pattern, color & great shapes. Hope they like the card!!

Imperfection is Perfect!

2009-02-24T10:31:00.004-06:00

I loved this quote when I saw it, then I had to scraplift an idea that I saw in an issue of CK from a year or so ago...so I did it for this week's Stamp Something challenge - which was to stamp something 3D. That spooked me at first, & then I realized I do it all the time - just like this...which I was so inspired that it took me about an hour to do...that's all. (I gave it to a friend at work!!)

I Adore You, Mom

2009-02-20T10:10:00.003-06:00

I did this layout a couple of weeks ago. I've been missing mom a lot lately, just want to feel her touch & here her voice in person. So I was inspired to do this layout. And I wish Mom & Madison could know more of each other.

Celebrating 11 years!

2009-02-12T17:27:00.005-06:00

Here are my projects for Valentine's Day/11th Anniversary. Picture #1 is of the combined project - a homemade stamped card & a matching coupon book.
Picture #2 is a closer picture of the front cover...
Picture #3 is a picture of the inside of the coupon book...LOVED LOVED LOVED using the Basic Grey Bittersweet collection (all this made with just one piece, so I've got the rest of the pack left to play with!!

Happy Anniversary Adam!!

The Look

2009-02-06T09:47:00.006-06:00

This is my latest scrapbook page, based on the latest PageMaps sketch. I love da Pagemaps!!! Although this photo is more than 3 years old, I've been waiting until the right moment to scrap it. This was it. The layout came together so fast - it only took me, like, an hour to do it. For those people that know me, I can be a slow scrapper...most layouts take 2 or more hours...but this one - only about an hour or so. (Photo by Jason Fobart, Atlanta)

Cupcake Card

2009-01-22T15:17:00.004-06:00

Our challenge this week on the Stamp Something blog was to stamp something "birthday". Although I've stamped many a birthday card, I wanted to do something a little unusual this go-around. And since I had the time, and the inspiration!!, I made a card in the shape of a cupcake. I handmade a cupcake template, found my papers, and went to it. The reason I stamped "Always" on the front is because of the saying on the inside. I hope my Mom likes it, even though it's PINK!! Not her favorite color!! :-)

"No Stamping" Card

2009-01-13T11:41:00.003-06:00

Over at the Stamp Something blog - this week's challenge was to make something with NO STAMPING...apparently they think that is a challenge - HA!! My challenge to DO SOMETHING with all my stamps, so that I can justify the expense. I digress - so I made this card using a technique that I saw over at Scraplove.com. I am giving it to a friend for her birthday tomorrow, and she is an artsy person, so I think she will love it.

More Christmas Creativity!

2009-01-09T16:38:00.013-06:00

Told you I was busy during Christmas!! I made this actually during my vacation on Thanksgiving week to give to my Mom. Then, life got in the way, and I never got it to her before the 12 days were supposed to start. Then, I realized, you know, Mom's not really all about the Christmas holiday anyway, so I've decided to keep it & relive it every year. I think it was meant to be, because I would never had made it for myself. All patterned papers are Making Memories, ribbon is American Craft, and then a whole bunch of stuff I already had. The last page is for a picture that I will put in there from the year. Thanks for looking!!

My 2009 Word of the Year!!

2009-01-07T18:20:00.002-06:00

After readying Ali Edwards' blog (not only an awesome scrapbooker, but a great artist as well!!), I was challenged to come up with a word to live by this year. I've thought about it a lot. Last year, I used "Purge" and "Save" - almost opposites, but not really. But after a lot of thought...My word this year is SIMPLIFY (or in another form, Simplicity). As I get older, I feel the need to lead a less complicated life. Not that I care less about things, but maybe putting priorities in the right place by simplifying what they are...I am especially putting that to use at home. Simplifying life so that I can spend more time doing the things that I love with my family...and I think this will show up in my scrapbooking as well.

Christmas Creativity

2008-12-19T17:45:00.007-06:00

Been busy with creating for Christmas, so I've not spent much time on anything else. BUT, here are two things that I've done:
The first is a water bottle with drink mix for my daughter's teachers/care givers. I hope it is something they will actually use. They were simple, quick & inexpensive.

Then, the other thing I've done is create Nametags/Ornaments for my co-workers & family. OK, I hope my FL family doesn't see this before Christmas, but if so, no problem. Their's are a little different!!

Can't take credit for the water bottle idea (the credit goes to Stephanie!!) but I did alter it a little from the original idea. The CD's I did myself... :-)

Have a Merry Christmas, and remember Christ at Christmas!!

My little Knit Wit

2008-12-10T17:48:00.004-06:00

Well, that's what I called my layout. I wanted to capture the first time that Madison knitted. She wanted to learn so bad, and I don't know how to knit, so the ladies knit club at church taught her...my little knit wit!!

Celebrating 10 years!

2008-11-21T10:35:00.002-06:00

Well, I finally got to do a layout celebrating 10 years of marriage. I can't believe we made it!! Yes, I know it's November, and our actual anniversary was in February...but hey, it's done, right?? I think this is my favorite layout right now...I just love the colors & the design. Thanks for looking!

Layout Share

2008-11-19T17:57:00.004-06:00

Since I don't think I'm going to get the Stamp Something challenge done this week (well, at least posted) I wanted to post a layout that I did almost 2 weeks ago. My DD doesn't care for her naturally wavy/curly hair (I didn't either until I got older!!), so when she got a haircut, she wanted it be straight. Our hairdresser dried it straight, & Madison loved it. This is the layout I created about it. The letters, flower & patterned paper have glitter on them, but you can't see it...it sure does sparkle. The flower is made from centers from the chipboard letters. Mmmm, that smile - love it!!

One Layer Stamped Card

2008-11-13T12:27:00.006-06:00

This week's challenge at Stamp Something was to "stamp something" with only one layer...that was harder than I thought. I've been working on my layering because I think it really makes a card look good, so to drop back was challenging. But I took out my light box & embossed my card - I had never used it before. I'm not sure who will get this card, but I'm thinking someone that I really want to thank, and that I am truly grateful for!!
(**updated 11/17 - I found my recipient & they appreciated it!!)

Halloween Picture

2008-11-04T11:27:00.002-06:00

Wanted to add a picture of my daughter for all to see - isn't she cute??? :-) She was a Halloween Bride - it was a little much for my husband to bear!!

Halloween Card

2008-11-04T11:20:00.004-06:00

The challenge this week at the Stamp Something blog was to create a Halloween something...I had a little trouble doing it because the challenge came out the day of Halloween, and I actually created my card the day after. And, I only have ONE Halloween stamp...all those stamps, and only one Halloween one...might have to work on that!! :-) Anyway, here is my version this week!!

Hi!!!

2008-10-27T16:43:00.002-05:00

Hi to my relatives in Florida - love you all!!!!!! :-)

So Glad Card

2008-10-22T12:50:00.005-05:00

Our challenge this week was to follow a sketch & create something from it. Well, that is right up my alley, so I did this card for my friend who is back to work. All scraps - love doing that! Plus, the patterned paper is Basic Grey, one of my favorite manufacturers. Enjoy! And check out the Stamp Something Challenge Blog, and you too could actually use your stamps!!

Friendship Card

2008-10-16T11:08:00.003-05:00

OK - the challenge this week was to Stamp Something for a friend. I used the layout from a card that I saw that I REALLY liked, but I am sorry, I don't know who to credit. Anyway, I adapted my own patterned paper, ribbon & stuff, and that is glitter on the flowers...kinda looks like sugar granules, don't you think? Mmmm, who is going to get this card?? Enjoy!!

Candlelight Dinner #2

2008-10-08T09:38:00.005-05:00

What a great night!! I started out saying that I was only going to take pictures of my favorite tables...but I ended up taking pictures of all of the tables...ALL 79 of them!! Each one a piece of art in its own right. All the love and care that is put into each one, and the details, just come alive for me, and tickle my senses like nothing has in a long time. I don't get it - it was the same reaction last year, and I thought for sure this year wouldn't be as exciting. Not true. I am still mesmorized by the pictures as I was with Candlelight Dinner #1.
My table (#26) was just as I would have it. Last year, I liked my table, but I felt it was too crowded. I didn't mind the mismatched china, but if I'd had my preference, of course they would have matched. And in the end, I didn't like my placemats...too big. This year, I pre-staged everything, and was really pleased with the placement, the color coordination, and the little details. We didn't feel crowded. The table really reflected me & my personality - casual, comfortable, yet detailed. I admit my favorite part was the shell swizzlers & matching shell glass jewelry. LOVED THAT!
Although designing & setting up my table is one of my favorite parts, the rest of the evening was great too.We had a good group at my table, and we laughed a lot. The meal was impeccable! (Ceasar salad, Chicken Breast marinated in raspberry dressing, the most awesome green beans (& I am not a green bean person!), scalloped potatoes, and the most fabulous dessert - chocolate cake drizzled with strawberry sauce, a fresh strawberry & 2 little wafer pencils covered in chocolate sticking out of the top!) The speaker was funny & motivating, and the entertainment was hilarious. The men are the servers, and they clean up as well. That's a great part too!
A part of me would love to come & just be surprized by it all, but a bigger part of me wants to do it all over again. I'm thinking those clearance set of Christmas dishes that I've never used would be a challenge next year...

Wow Cow layout

2008-09-18T11:08:00.004-05:00

This was a fun layout...I didn't go into it with any preconceived notions, just stuff that I wanted to use with my picture. And this is what I ended up with - what a fun layout!! I started with the black, white, red inspiration from this weeks Stamp Something challenge. Then, I found this PP that looked like cherries, well, sort of...as "cherry" as I get... I knew I had to include stamping, so I stamped my chipboard after painting it, imitated some journal blocks I had with masking it, stamping it, and then cutting it out in an oval shape, and then added a tab on my picture with stamping. Now pulling all that together WAS FUN!! Plus scrapping the picture was fun, and using all my tools was fun. And the handmade bird button was something that I bought that day with my friend Tena, so I had to include it. And the handmade doily gave it a "homey" feel - I really enjoyed that layout!!

My friend...

2008-09-16T16:49:00.002-05:00

I wonder how you are doing. I wonder if you've cried a lot. I wonder if you are identifying with the people you are meeting. I wonder if you've hit bottom yet. I wonder how your family is doing. I wonder if, since we've worked so closely together these past 4 years, if I've contributed to anything. I wonder if some days I should be right there with you. My friend, I miss you, a lot.

Stamp Something Fall????

2008-09-07T22:40:00.002-05:00

Are you kidding me? When I saw this week's stamp challenge on the Stamp Something blog, I cringed. Are you kidding me...Fall?? I am just getting into summer! School just started (OK - 3 weeks ago, but it feels like yesterday). I am not ready for Fall - once Fall hits, I know I am going to be cold for the next 6 months. Good thing it is in God's hands, and not mine, or otherwise we would be in summer mode for 9 months out of the year.

School Days card

2008-09-01T22:18:00.007-05:00

I went through all of my stamps, and this was IT as far as something that reminded me of school days. This is for the latest stamp challenge over at the Stamp Something Blog - stamping something for Back-To-School. But I have always liked this stamp because if I try real hard, I can make it look like a bunch of kids are holding hands. Also, I like this card because there is just something I like about the colors of yellow & grey together...it is so unexpected, I think. Again, I have plans for this card to go to someone who is not expecting it, and that has been sick lately, so say a quick prayer for this recipient!!

Reminder of Summer card

2008-08-17T15:16:00.004-05:00

The challenge this week over at the Stamp Something blog was to stamp something, anything, that reminds me of summer. Since school has already started here, it does kind of make me feel like summer is coming to an end, although I refuse to let it go gracefully. So, knowing that I wanted to make a card for someone that has been on my mind lately, I made this one. The chair, flowers, straw hat...they all remind me of summer - as do the brown-eyed susan flowers on the ribbon (I LOVE those flowers!). Thanks for looking, and say a quick prayer for the recipient of this card - who doesn't know that I know they are going through hard times right now, but I am praying for them anyway!

40% Trouble

2008-08-15T16:50:00.006-05:00

Here is my latest layout for the Summer of Scraplovin' Challenge #5 over at www.scraplove.com. The title is 40% Trouble!! I really like how it turned out - it was fun...no pressure on this one. The challenge was polka dots & a picture inspiration. My inspiration was the "ground" on the original picture, but I put mine on the side, and I included the swirls & funky dots on it. I was also inspired by the leaf "poofs" on the original picture, and tried to recreate it with wire. I loved the original colors & used pink, lime green & brown from it. Finally I added some traditional polka dots using paint & the end of a paint brush (one of my favorite things to do...). The title comes from my DD's shirt which says 60% Angel, 40% Trouble. It was actually her first day of 2nd grade (although this layout isn't about that, I'll do a different one on that later). The smilie face on the exclamation points was inspired by my DD - she likes to do that when she is creating. TFL!!

Blue, Pink & Green Card

2008-08-09T16:27:00.002-05:00

I needed to make another card for my secret sister for the month of August, so I decided to use this week's challenge at Stamp Something as my inspiration. The challenge was to use the colors of blue, pink & green. I love these shades of all 3 colors, especially together. So bright & cheery. And oh, here's hoping my secret sister DOESN'T look at my blog!

Altered Music Canvas

2008-08-08T17:00:00.008-05:00

Have not been here lately as I haven't had much to say, but for the last two nights I have busy stressing away making this altered canvas project. It is for Challenge #4 of the Summer of Scraplovin' Challenge series at scraplove.com. I have wanted to make an altered canvas for a long time...not stressful. I LOVED putting the paint on the canvas...not stressful. But from there on out...stressful!! I think I like how it turned out, although that is not how it looked in my mind. Now that it is done...not stressful. Thanks for looking!

Sweet Card

2008-07-21T17:40:00.002-05:00

Over at the Stamp Something blog, this week's challenge was to stamp something sweet. So, I wanted to give a gift to thank someone, and this is what I came up with. The center is actually raised, but that's hard to tell by the photo. Thank you again for the challenge - gotta love them!!

3 for 3 Challenge/Secret Sister Card

2008-07-17T21:46:00.003-05:00

Here's a card I did for my secret sister (hope she doesn't read this blog!). We were supposed to mail our gift before our next monthly crop meeting, which is THIS Saturday. I've been so busy, and didn't get it done in time to mail. So here is my card. I also tried to make it fit the 3 for 3 Challenge at the Scrap Something blog - 3 colors (black, white & green), 3 layers, and 3 embellishments (ric rac, staples, & eyelets). Secret Sister: if you see this, I will try better next month!!

The Look

2008-07-14T17:16:00.003-05:00

I wanted to post one of my latest layouts...this is what we are going through at home!!! But we love her dearly!!

Candy Bar anyone?

2008-07-03T09:29:00.003-05:00

This was so fun to make - I had the idea brewing all week long, and then I finally had a chance to make it last night. I realized recently that I have 41 Stampin Up sets, and that I really need to use them more. So, I found a couple of really good stamping blogs & challenge sites. One of them is the Stamp Something blog, where this week they challenged you to stamp something red, white & blue and for it to be anything BUT a card. Here is my take on it - a candy bar wrapper. I am going to give it to my husband tomorrow on July 4th. Hope he likes it!

Allergy Testing-Part #4

2008-06-27T16:47:00.003-05:00

This post will be about my reactions afterwards...my thoughts, my feelings. When the allergy testing was all over, and we were leaving the building, I definitely had mixed emotions. I really knew that all I wanted to do was cry, but couldn't because of Madison. Only one gentle tear escaped before I got it under control, and Madison was none the wiser. First & foremost, I was happy that the testing was over, and I felt that we had been held in God's hands throughout the process. It was good to have a medical opinion about the food allergy in writing, and that what we had been doing to prevent a reaction were the right things. But, I was also sad. I felt a sense of guilt that I had done this to my child, or that I had passed it on, or that I could have prevented it, or even more crazy things that a parent thinks when their child is diagnosed with anything. I know it's not true, but it was what I was feeling. Then, a heavy sense of burden, wondering if I, as a Mom, could handle the severity of having a child with a nut allergy. I also felt helpless in the times that my child is not with me - that is so out of my control. So, it was with mixed emotions that I continued through the day. Today, as I have processed through some of that emotion, I do feel better about the sad things. Not so blown out of proportion, I guess. I feel empowered (I already emailed both of our senators about food allergy legislation!!) I feel a little more capable, and I feel a sense of completion of something that has been a long time coming.

Allergy Testing-Part #3

2008-06-27T16:26:00.002-05:00

To continue, the nurses take out the test vials from the refrigerator. They are already pre-dabbed. Madison puts her arms out, underside up, on top of a pillow, which is on top of a mobile desk that can be adjusted to proper height. They take the **8** 8-pronged vials and one by one dab them on her arms. Dab is probably not a good word, more like gently push the "caterpillars" on her arms so that they only break the 1st layer of her skin. It caused no pain to Madison. Some of the dots were darker than others (the darkest was mushroom, no problems there!) All of Madison's vials were foods - none of the grasses, molds, etc. Then of the 64 dots, one dot is left off, and a positive reactor placed there separately. This will show what a positive reaction should look like, as well as indicate that the test is working. They do the first 32 her right arm, and then the other 32 on her left arm. Within 30 seconds, Madison starts saying that her left arm is hurting. They have warned her that a positive reaction might feel like a mosquito bite. Pretty soon, all but one of the nut "caterpillar" dabs are reacting. The area is turning red, stinging, and all we can do is blow on it to make it cooler. The entire test is 15 minutes, and before 4 minutes hit, the nurse is wiping off the peanut dab, and adding a benedryl-type cream to take away the sting. Madison cries just a little as the rest of the nut dabs react, and strangely enough...one other dab reacted...the orange. (Madison eats a lot of mandarin oranges from the can, but not so many fresh ones, and she has never had a reaction that I know of. However, this would explain the V8 smoothie problem.) They clean off the nut area right before the full 15 minutes are over, and then the rest of the dabs when the test is done. They measure the positive reaction area for size, and then measure the other food reactions to compare them. (There is also a small reaction to lima beans - darn the luck - a medical reason NOT to eat lima beans!) Once all this was done, the doctor came back to check the chart and discuss food allergies. There was so much info given to list here, and all my questions were answered, but I so thankful that God worked it out the way He did. In the course of conversation, I mentioned that we went to Crossroads Christian Church, and the doctor said she did too. And in fact, she is the one that helped get our daycare and nursery staff educated and trained about food allergies. Again, I can see where God is protecting us!

Allergy Testing-Part #2

2008-06-27T12:04:00.005-05:00

OK - now to yesterday. Madison had literally been watching the date, counting down to her appointment. She KNEW too what the day & time was of her appointment!! She took her binkie with her (her favorite blanket) and her DS video game machine, and we actually arrived early (I really didn't want anything to get either of us hysterical!) They called us back into the exam room about 15 minutes later, got her vital info, and had the doctor come in just a little later. The doctor is a "woman", as Madison requested, and she was very personable and knowledgeable (more on that later!) Now the reason that a "woman" doctor is important is because Madison told her pediatrician that she wanted a woman doctor; then, they ended up referring her to a male doctor, so I had to call & correct that. I told Madison upfront that I would tell her everything I knew about the whole process if she acted like she could handle it. She did very well & I actually think for her, treating her "like an adult" in this case, helped take away the unknowns that scare her so much. So, we start talking to the doctor and she listens to everything. (I love a doctor that listens!) So, she tells Madison about the "caterpillar" that will actually have the food samples on it. It was an 8-prong little white square thing with jagged ends on the prongs. They will put liquid dots of different foods on the ends and then push them on the undersides of her arms. No needles, no piercing of the skin, nothing scary. I think this is what made it all go well for Madison, and she even let Madison push it down on her arms to see what it would feel like. No pain!! (Praise God!) So, we headed back to a "prep" type room, where several other people were getting either allergy shots or allergy testing. (In the middle of all this, they asked Madison to participate in a laptop questionnaire about asthma, where they are conducting a study to help underpriviledged children get diagnosed with asthma more efficiently-no, we're not the underpriviledged, we're the test group!) They sit her down, take out the food samples, and we begin the testing.

Allergy Testing-Part #1

2008-06-27T09:21:00.003-05:00

(Although I use this blog primarily for my scrapping adventures, I wanted to get into writing what happened yesterday...from my point of view...in hopes to one day put on a scrapbook page.) We have been putting off official allergy testing for our daughter, Madison, for years. We have suspected since her first birthday that she has a food allergy, and specifically a peanut allergy. On her first birthday, we had the typical little cake (which was homemade in this case) that you set in front of the 1 year old and let them dig in. She did, and suddenly hives starting appearing everywhere that the cake had touched. As soon as we washed the cake off, the hives starting going away. Several months later, we were having chili, and it's a midwestern custom to serve peanut butter sandwiches with it. So, we gave Madison a bite of the sandwich, and she almost immediately began vomiting and got hives all over her body. The third instance, she was at church in Sunday School, and they were doing crafts, where they put peanut butter on pinecones and add birdseed. Well, the helpers had peanut butter on their hands and had washed it off - but because Madison was crying about something, they picked her up. Where they had touched her under her arms immediately broke out in the biggest hives. The last instance we've had was from a bottled V-8 smoothie. I had read the label to make sure it was clear, and it looked OK. But Madison drank it, and again, got hives all over her body and had a little trouble breathing, but just when I was going to whip her up & take her to the emergency room, she started to get better. All of these instances pointed to Madison having some kind of food allergy. And she is petrified of needles, so we had put off the allergy testing - until this summer, it became apparent that it was time to do it. Her school wouldn't acknowledge her allergy until we had it in writing from a doctor, and the chances we were taking just were not worth putting her life in jeopardy. So, yesterday, she went for allergy testing.

New Challenges for me!

2008-06-24T09:42:00.004-05:00

I've been hanging out at Scraplove.com some, and I have committed to a "Summer of Scraplovin" 6 week challenge. It starts July 13th. I am excited about it, but hope that I can finish all 6 weeks. Also, starting that same week is our Arts Smarts Camp - a camp devoted to encouraging students to use their creative talents for Jesus. I love this camp. This is my 4th year to teach a scrapbooking class to 3rd, 4th, & 5th grade students. The project this year is a calendar, whereas other years we've done scrapbooks. I am looking forward to doing something different, however, I really need to get my sample started!! Finally, I have a Disney vacation album that I need to get started on, but it will all happen in it's own time!!

Latest altered item

2008-05-30T15:15:00.002-05:00

OK - anyone that knows me "scrapbooking"ly knows that I am not much of an alterer. I would rather just do my pages. But I got this idea from a magazine, and took it from there. We made these for M's teacher, bus driver & after-school care person. There were so easy & a lot of fun!

SISF Blog

2008-05-30T15:12:00.002-05:00

Started a new blog recently for our local scrapbook club, Southern Indiana Scrapbook Friends. I hope that people will contribute to make it successful for all of us. I'm excited about how it's looking. Here's a link to the SISF blog.

L = Loves to Laugh

2008-05-13T17:04:00.004-05:00

Yes, I do love to laugh. Laughing, for me, is a much better option than crying or being depressed. And sometimes I take life just way too serious. So, I laugh. I don't think I have an overbearing laugh, or a laugh that sounds awful - just a nice comfortable laugh. I do think laughter is a medicine that we need to take more doses of daily!! Sometimes a good comedy movie, or a clever joke is all I need to lift my spirits and have a good day! Join me in having a good belly laugh - 1, 2, 3...

K = Kidding

2008-04-13T23:57:00.003-05:00

All joking aside, I like to "kid". I like to laugh. (My favorite quote being "Live, Laugh, Love"!) In the sad things of like, I like to relieve the stress with a little bit of laughter. I like to be flirty by joking around. I think it keeps life from getting too serious, which I have a habit of doing. So the kidding around is my feeable attempt to keep life on the lighter side.

J = Just Julia

2008-03-20T12:09:00.003-05:00

Maybe this is a copout on my alphabet, but really, it fits what I want to say. I try to be "just" me. Now {me} is composed of many people around me - you will find a little bit of this person here and little bit of that person there, but overall - I try to be "just" me. That doesn't limit me to what I think I am today, but me is constantly changing.

Live, Laugh, Love

2008-03-20T12:06:00.004-05:00

This is one of my favorite sayings, and when I found this digital template, I HAD to use it! The journaling says "Madison, every age is a “great” age to be with you, but right now is especially great. You love to live, and you love to learn. You love to laugh at the funny things in life, and best of all, you love to love on your mommy & daddy!!
You truly do live, laugh, and love! picture taken: Nov. 2007 {7 years old}"

Dear Blog...

2008-03-12T17:10:00.002-05:00

Well, I've been gone from you for over a month, but I hope to be a better blogger again!! My life activities are changing, and so, this is one of them. Blog, please forgive me!

PageMaps - Feb. 08

2008-02-01T17:57:00.000-06:00

Today, I got a layout published in a newsletter. OK, not a contest, but my name was put into a hat & pulled out randomly, and I was given a sketch to use. Today the newsletter came out. Here's the link to the newsletter...PageMaps - Feb. 08, and here is my actual layout that was published. I love Becky Fleck and her sketches, and she is one awesome lady!! Anyway, the picture is from when I visited my mom in FL in Nov. The journaling says "There's nothing like saying "Smile" to make a good photo go bad." That explains the second photo!! Really now!! Loved the blues & browns on this layout. I used the end of a foam paint brush to create the dots (which is one of my favorite techniques right now) and I painted on the back of a transparency for the title. My DH and DD both thought it looked like wood. I don't know about that, but I love how the layout turned out!! Enjoy!

I'm so happy!!

2008-01-28T17:24:00.000-06:00

I know what I want for Valentine's Day (yes, with my DH, it's appropriate to give big "hints" about what would make me happy!!) I see that Casting Crowns is coming to town again!! That's what I want...two tickets to see them in concert, and $$ to buy a concert t-shirt!! YAYYYYYY!!!

I = Introvert

2008-01-18T15:10:00.000-06:00

I...that's easy. I am definitely am an introvert!! I love scrapping by myself (well, I love scrapping with friends too), but I am my most creative by myself. If I don't get "me" time daily, I get really grouchy. So, my family knows that when I'm grouchy, it's time for me to scrap!! I love reading books, listening to music, watching movies - all by myself. I can handle a few bursts of extroverted-ness, but by the time it's over, I am worn out! Yep - definitely an introvert!

H = Helpful

2008-01-11T15:07:00.001-06:00

Well, I couldn't think of an "H" word, so I enlisted the help of 3 friends. They all decided on "helpful". They say that I am helpful. Hmmmm, well, I guess I am. I like to help people at work & all...like teaching people how to do things...but helpful, like in a humanitarian way...I don't know. The jury is still out I guess. Maybe it should be "heart". Since getting on blood pressure medicine & realizing that it runs in my family, I've been getting more into heart health. Anyway...on to the letter "I".

New Blog!

2008-01-07T17:38:00.001-06:00

My friend, Janie (a fellow CT member over at Susan's Scrapbook Shack) has a new blog, showcasing a NEW scrapbooker's blog EVERYDAY!! What fun, check it out!!

G = Grateful

2008-01-04T12:19:00.001-06:00

I am grateful to God for all of life's blessings...my daughter, my husband, a great job, good health, a comfortable house, a good car...sometimes I don't act like it, but I am grateful!! I recently saw a quote that said something like "You are not grateful if you cannot say thank you." So I have been trying to say thank you a little bit more lately. Thank you God!

My fondest childhood memory:

2008-01-04T12:11:00.000-06:00

Mine is a Christmas story...my dad was ill with cancer at the time - I didn't know how sick he was...well, we opened all the presents & I was happy with everything, but I turned around & saw a big present with a bow on top. I remember saying "Ohhhhh, who is this one for? Ohhhhhh, It's me!!!!!!" It was from my dad, just for me. It was a bird cage with a little green parakeet in it. I loved it, I named him Donner, after the reindeer. Then, that year, our dog died, my dad died, & my parakeet died, in that order. It was a rough year, but getting the parakeet was a wonderful memory.

2008 Resolutions!

2007-12-31T14:02:00.000-06:00

Save and Purge!!

Save $$ (especially on scrapbooking; I know, boring, huh?)
and
Purge !! (continue purging junk in the house...I've done some this year, but want to do even more this year - I feel a simpler life coming on!!)

My Latest Digital Attempt!

2007-12-28T12:11:00.000-06:00

F = Finicky

2007-12-27T12:09:00.000-06:00

Yep, that's me...finicky. I am real picky about things. My husband was filling my dinner plate on Christmas Day, and I was like, "Wait, don't let them touch!" He couldn't believe that I didn't want the different foods to touch. I like my cokes to be fountain cokes, with just the right amount of ice. I like 3 cookies for dessert. I like my hair cut a certain way. I like my closet with long sleeve/winter things on the left and summer things on the right. I have a particular way of getting ready in the mornings, where the hair is done last. And the list goes on...Yes, I am a finicky person & I have learned to work with it!!

E = Everyday

2007-12-21T14:43:00.000-06:00

I really struggled with E - I mean really, what is there with the letter E that will describe me? So after a lot of thought, I came up with "everyday", as in plain, simple, everyday me. I try to be me, ever-changing (Oh, an "E" word!) as it is, but to stay true to who I am. Nothing great, spectacular, overwhelming, extraordinary (OK - there's another "E" word!!), or showy, just me...Sometimes predictable, sometimes unpredictable. I'm not always in love with the everyday me, but I am comfortable with the everyday me, and I think that is more important. Although, I do love to challenge that everyday me, and test the waters on where those boundaries are written. Mmm, I think I will stick with me.

D = Determined

2007-12-12T14:23:00.000-06:00

OK, I was going to go with D = Depressed, but that was well...depressing! Sometimes I do suffer from depression, and this summer - well, I think I went through about 3 or 4 months of it. Well, again I determined that I did NOT want to continue with life like that, and made some changes, and now I think I am out of it. I think it is determination which helps me stay a driven person (another "D" word! - driven...). I am determined to make the most of life, even when life itself is not what is driving me. Does that make sense?

May I have this dance?

2007-11-13T14:36:00.000-06:00

Madison & I went to a local craft show on Sunday - it was OK - only bought one thing. It was in Evansville's old courthouse...4 levels of crafts in this historical building...Madison & I found this old big room that was empty. It has high ceilings, big windows, old beautiful architecture. We pretended we were at the ball & danced together. We didn't care who saw us or what people thought. It was so fun.

C = Creative

2007-11-13T14:30:00.000-06:00

Well, I like to think that I am anyway. Scrapbooking has been that outlet for the last 6 years. In a major way!!! I've tried embroidery, sewing, & other things, but nothing ever hit me quite the way that scrapbooking has. I like to think that I am creative in my thinking too. Creative solutions within boundaries really jazz me. Whatever I am doing, I just know that creative outlets are a must for my sanity & well-being.

B = Believer

2007-11-01T14:45:00.000-05:00

Other than the obvious, and yes I am a believer of Jesus Christ as our Lord & Saviour...I like to believe in many things. I believe that although not perfect, that people are generally good people. I believe that we can make a change in the world. I believe that we are put here on earth for a short time with specific talents & purposes, but I believe those change over our life time. I believe in love. I believe in make-believe & the beauty of art. I choose to continue to believe these things when so many circumstances around us tell us otherwise.