Scrappy Goodness!

This past weekend Life Preservers had a crop and it was full of wonderful challenges and make n' takes for us to play. That Design Team can really pull it altogether and make it so much fun. Thank you ladies!! I'd like to share with you a sampling of the challenges I was able to accomplish.



I created a sketches for these two layouts and will post them in the near future.



I just recently starting dying my hair red, but this time I went for a more subtle, brighter red and just love it! We were to make a layout with 90% blues and this REALLY shows off my new do! I think for the first time, I'll enter a layout over at Scrap A Little! for February's birthday challenge.


Godspeed

2 1/2 weeks later.........

..... I'm finally getting back on here! Hey, I'm trying. LOL!!

Whoa!

Okay, I've been slacking. There, I said it! The past thirty days or so have been very daunting, very sad, extremely anxious, oh so painful, and at times I just wanted to run away! But, I didn't, I prevailed, and thank God it all has passed, well almost. The painter will be back on tuesday to redo the caulking and paint the trim, then it'll be DONE!! That said ............. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year one and all!! It's a bit late, but you wanted Christmas to last a bit longer anyways, right?! I promise from this moment forward to keep this blog updated as was initially intended. That is, until some other catastrophe hits and rocks my quiet little world!

Godspeed

Christmas Cookies!!

In the midst of the turmoil surrounding our family this Holiday season, we have taken the time to enjoy the little things in life! Here are a sampling of the photos from this year's cookie baking. Makayla is a bit serious and knows exactly what and how it all needs to be done! =)




Then its onto the serious work of decorating with Papa. And what is Holiday baking without a few samples, or two!



Yep, its the simple things in life that can give us the biggest joys!

Godspeed

Sharing.....

We've had some family issues that surfaced this past week, and now that it apears to be settling down, I'd like to get back to my mini album I'm making for this Holiday Season. Today I wanted my topic to be about sharing. Not with your loved ones, but a total stranger, a kind of paying it forward type thing. Every year we pick a name from the Giving Tree at work, but this year decided to nab two. We figured we already have lots of what we would want so why not spread some cheer to someone who may not.

Our little guy's name is Jesse and he's 4 years old. That's pretty much all we know, but it really doesn't matter. All he wanted was a Tonka truck and a warm winter jacket. The jacket request brought tears to my eyes. It makes my heart hurt knowing some little person may be out in the cold winter air without the necessary items to keep him warm. No child should have to live like that and I only wish I could help out more of them. With heavy hearts, we accepted the challenge and will hope and pray Jesse and his family has a little brighter Christmas!


We also decided to give a sack of groceries to the local food bank. They are in such desparate need this year and we are just trying to do our part. These are wonderful organizations to support, cause you just never know if one day you'll need a little help.

Godspeed

Life Preservers November Card Kit!

Life Preservers offered this awesome card kit for the month of November and I chose it as one of my winnings from the Big Scrapper House contest. Graphic 45 has such beautiful papers and Von sure knows how to piece a kit together with her embellie selection! Love the vintage look of all of them and they are sure to make for some wonderful cards and equally awesome layouts. Now, I just need to get some free time to scrap!!


Wish my picture did it justice, but I think you get the idea. =)

Godspeed

December TSR kits!

What a sweet set of papers for those Christmas layouts! Can't wait for these to appear in my mailbox! I'm sure Tammy has a few left, so if you'd like to get your fix, head on over to The ScrapRoom and reserve yours today!


And because I prepaid for 3 months, I'll be receiving these goodies to alter as gifts for those special people in my life. =)


Godspeed

What is your ideal Christmas?

"There is no ideal Christmas; only the one Christmas you decide to make as a reflection of your values, desires, affections, and traditions." - Bill McKibben

As Christmas approaches, I've had plenty of time to reevaluate what the day means to me and what I can personally do to make it enjoyable without going overboard. No, my home is not featured on the front of a magazine, nor is my tree so tall I need a ladder to place the ornaments at the top, and you won't find a fancy place setting for each of my guests.

What I do have is a home that welcomes anyone who may stop by. A home that is decorated with items which I've handcrafted with pride. The smell of freshly baked goods to tempt the taste buds. Our tree was decorated by a 4 year old since the ornaments don't have to be strategically placed to have the perfect tree, and our fine china is paper plates cause the last thing I want to do is miss any precious moments of the time I could spend with my family.

I love Christmas and I love what Christmas is all about. Not the gifts that we may exchange, but the love and joy that being together brings. Ya know, that warm fuzzy feeling inside that a nice cup of cocoa gives you when you've come in from the cold.


Godspeed

And it begins......

The Season Of Giving is upon us once again. We like to reflect on the little things this time of year, such as this little tree we have for Makayla. When I was younger, our grandparents had two trees, the fancy one in the living room and another on the enclosed front porch. I always told myself that would be something I'd pass onto my grandchildren, and it brings back such sweet memories as I watch Makayla decorate "The Kid's Tree".....


What sweet memories do you share with your children/grandchildren? I'd love to hear about them. =)

Godspeed

Happy Thanksgiving!

The phrase "Count your Blessings" comes to mind when I think of Thanksgiving. Here is my "short list" of my Blessings:

* Butch - the one I love and just celebrated 32 years of marriage!
* Nicole - our first born, friend, travel companion, and confidant. =)
* Greg - our son, who is married to our wonderful daughter-in-law, Michelle, and the father of those two precious grandchildren!
* Michelle - just the right choice for our son, and who is still trying to figure out the craziness that happens within this family =)
* Our two grandbabies who will keep us forever young!

I am also thankful that we are all relatively healthy, have jobs in these tough ecomonic times, and most importantly, love and respect each other as individuals and forgiving of each others' faults!

Here's wishing you all a Very Happy Thanksgiving! Godspeed

Where has October gone?!

One minute it was Labor Day and the next its the day before Halloween!! WOW!! Time has just flown right on past me. It didn't help that I've been sick with a stomach aliment for the past week either. So, let me get ya caught up on what's been transpiring around here.

Butch and I have signed our lease with a different company, Focus North America, and although we had a rough start, things are going pretty smoothly right now. He's on his way to Canada to pick up a load that delivers Monday about 30 mins. from home. YAY! He'll be home just in time for me to not be feeling like crud anymore, and to catch some Sunday football! Hot wings here we come!

Now for the scrappy stuff..... Last weekend at Life Preserver's we had an online crop that was so packed full of challenges and make & takes that what I haven't been able to get accomplished, will be on my "to do in the future" list for sure. That DT is absolutely AWESOME and have the neatest ideas! Let me share a few. My first one was a Recipe Challenge using a wooden embellie, paper title, chipboard, jewelry piece, and fabric label. Three outta five aren't bad!


This next one we were to spray ink with a leaf mask and use as background paper:


Here we were to interview a family member and since Makayla was the only one around, she was my subject. I'm curious as to how much this will all change in a few years.


Onto a color challenge, using the colors of fall. Makayla insisted on helping with this one, so I put on the adhesive and she placed them on the layout. She also insisted it needed a piece of candy corn by the tree!


Here is the Early Bird sketch challenge. I just love this one and know it'll be used again very soon. =)


And my final one to show you is from the Breast Cancer/Domestic Violence challenge. Since we do Relay For Life in our household, I did mine on our 2009 Mr. Relay Lap. This is such a great fundraiser and over $1,500 was collected in 15 mins. FUN for everyone involved!


Thanks for taking the time to check out my creations and hopefully I won't be MIA for so long before my next post!

Godspeed

October TSR

October The ScrapRoom is celebrating 5 years! Happy Birthday TSR!! They are having a great sale this month on previous month's kits and I couldn't resist and snagged a few for myself. =) There are plenty of activities going on throughout the month of October, so check them out! In the meantime, feast your eyes on what showed up at my doorstep late last week:


And I can never get enough of Cosmo Cricket's Early Bird, definitely an all-time favorite. So many uses, so little time...... We also don't have any school aged children around here just yet, but that's what makes the kit from JillyBean Soup so nice, its double sided!


So, why you just sitting there? Go order!! =)

Godspeed

The Pumpkin Patch!

Saturday was Pumpkin Patch Day! Yes, around here it should be a national holiday cause we try to make it an all day event. =) This year we ventured out to the Pomeroy House. We visited the animals on the farm, climbed around the hay loft in the big barn, found our way thru the hay maze, and did the ultimate hay ride to the pumpkin patch.






And using this sketch by Julie Bonner, I created a layout with My Mind's Eye Boo To You papers! Love the way my pumpkin came out!



Off to scrap some more! Godspeed

It's Scrappy Saturday!

Yesterday I received my My Mine's Eye Boo To You kit from Life Preservers and it is just darling! I couldn't wait to break it open and since I needed cards for a swap (that I'm late getting out...sorry!), so I grabbed one of the sheets of paper and in about an hour and help from some stamps and ribbon, here we are.


And to entice you to get your own, here are all the pieces that came with my kit:





And that little Mummy that is packaging for the ribbon, he'll have a home on one of my future layouts!! All about the recycling!!

Other happenings today, yes there is more to life than scrapping (gasp!), include a trip to the pumpkin patch with Nicole, Michelle, and Makayla. Love this time of year with all the bright colors that surround us!

But, with the goodness of the season brings the ick. The weatherman is saying that fall is definitely here and tomorrow the rains head our way. Not what I was looking forward to since our summer has been fantastic this year and I just don't want it to end. Guess its not the rains I mind so much, as the days get shorter and shorter and it seems dark for soooo long now. My mood and outlook changes so drasticaly and its hard for me to just do the simple things. Need to rev up on my Vitamin D to get me thru another fall/winter in the PNW. UGH!! I think we need to move to Hawaii sooner than later! =)

Have a good one...... Godspeed

Its Arrived!!

When I first saw this line from Cosmo Cricket, I knew I had to have it. Earth Love is such a sweet and whimsical set of papers and with those earth tones and a pinch of peach in them, it can be used for a variety of layouts, cards, and altered items. So now I will show you those adorable papers and if you must, you can notify Simply Obsessed for your own set! I know what you're thinking, so sweet of me!! =)


These papers are so much brighter in real life, and the sheet, Relive, was perfect for our recent trip to the zoo while visiting the atrium with the parrots.


Thanks for dropping by. Godspeed

And now I wait.....

Now that my layouts are done for the Big Scrapper House challenge, I can sit back and relax. Yeah, right!! I'm as nervous as all get out and my fingernails are showing it! It has been announced that the house guests that were eliminated throughout the contest will somehow be the ones who 'vote' for either Kelly or myself, without knowing which one they voted for. Yep, you guessed it, CRAZY! Leave it to the owners, Frank & Von, of Life Preservers to add just one more twist to this rather crazy contest!

So, while I sit here waiting impatiently, here are the final two entries.....

For the #4 I had the hardest time trying to decide. I was thinking "4 legged friends" and featuring my pets, but animals can be so difficult when it comes to photographing. Then I got one of those DOH! moments and this is what I came up with......



The 4 seasons! I have such a beautiful garden all throughout the year and decided it needed showcasing all together on its own layout! Unfortunately, when I inked my number 4, it looked rather dull and I almost didn't use it. Since I don't have any opaque embossing powder my next thought was Diamond Glaze which worked like a charm. I need to pull that stuff out more often!

Onto the #5. I wanted my last layout to be a tribute of sorts to the actual contest itself. I thought of using my favorite 5 from the entire contest, 5 of ugliest, but then another one of those DOH! moments, which I seem to have alot of lately! I used 5 scrappy must haves and just love the whimsy and it made the perfect tribute to a fun and exciting contest!


I can't say it enough, but I've had so much fun and created some really neat cards and layouts during this 8 week contest. And yes, I have made a promise to myself, that I won't be this crazy again for, well, at least another 6 months!!

Godspeed

I'm a finalist!!

Yep, won immunity in the very last week and was guaranteed a spot in the Big Scrapper House finals at Life Preservers. For our final week, we are to create five different layouts. Sounds easy enough, but there's a twist....what else is new!! We had to feature the particular number in the layout and use that actual number somewhere on the layouts. This actually could lead to many interpretations, but here is what I did. For my first layout, I used one photo of one person, one paper line, and highlighted the actual #1 in my title:


For my second, I used a photo of two people, with two rows of pattern papers cut into squares, two strips of ribbon, two handstitched felt hearts, and the #2, again in the title.


On my third, I used a photo of three animals, with three rectangular blocks, three shades of brown, and inked the #3 in my title.


I still have two to complete before saturday and will be back to post those a bit later. For now, I'm off to get the emissions checked on my car. Thanks for stopping by!

Godspeed

Rice in soup.....

I learned something new today and I won't soon forget it. Never realized how small of an amount of rice to put in a pot of soup. Well, lets just say I'll be eating chicken rice with veggies soup all week! Kept adding more water and more water, and finally gave up.

I took a 2 1/2 hour nap this afternoon and feel much better. Hoping my crud is short lived and with the help of all my herbs and now this enormous pot of soup, I'll be kicking it good-bye within a few days. BTW, if you ever have a killer sore throat, try Throat Coat by Traditional Medicinals. It is a wonderful tea and makes your throat feel so much better! Been drinking it on and off today and it tastes pretty good, too, especially with a touch of honey. =)

Now that I feel better, I decided to hunker down and get my LEO Challenge #13 completed.


I love the colors of fall, but also know that the dreary days of winter aren't too far away. Trying really hard to focus on the beauty of the season instead of the negativeness of losing daylight at 4:30 in the afternoon. Time to work on that Vitamin D deficiency again!

Off to Hop! Godspeed

Zoo pics

We had a great time yesterday at the Portland Zoo and wanted to share a few pictures with you. Like I said we've been waiting for the lion exhibit to open, and we weren't disappointed. Doesn't he look comfy in his new home?


Close up of the King of The Jungle:


These three are beautiful!

They also have have a new exhibit where you can feed the parrots. Makayla was loving it:


And a few more, just because they're great shots!





Today I'm feeling a bit of the crud trying to take over my body, so I'll be back if it doesn't get the best of me. Have a great Saturday, everyone!

Godspeed

A time to share!

Here is a photo of Makayla smelling newly purchased mums. I don't think she appreciates the smell of them! This was a MUST to scrap:


Tomorrow, we're all going to the zoo! There's a new lion exhibit that we have been wanting to see and we get to spend the day with our favorite people. The temps are going to be perfect, there is no chance of rain, and we have the whole day to visit with the animals. What could be better than that?!

Godspeed