Bo Bunny kit!

When I saw the sneak peek of the Bo Bunny Olivia line, I wasn't sure it was my cup of tea. Now that its in my hands, well, WOW!! I just LOVE the colors and chipboard that is included and went right to work last night. Here are two layouts I have created so far:

Our little Ruby has got to have the most infectious giggle that I've ever heard from a baby! You can be in the most rotten of moods, but once she starts to giggle, its all that's on your mind and you're instantly cheered up and joining in with her!


Here we are carving pumpkins and since this was Ruby's first Halloween, we wanted to see how she reacted to the "pumpkin guts", as Makayla so graciously calls them. :-) She did not hesitate one second to dive right in and help her Daddy! She kept going back for more and more, and even did a taste test that I'm sure she won't want to do again!


I still have plenty of paper left for more layouts, so onward and upward! Back to the scrap table......

Godspeed

it's here!!

I received a rather heavy box today from The ScrapRoom!! I ordered some of the past kits in their Cherry Picker Sale! , and the FABULOUS Echo Park's A Walk In The Park line. LOVE, LOVE my goodie box this month!! Off to play!

Godspeed

oh boy, its a wet one!

Our walk tonight is gonna be a VERY wet one! It has rained all day and no sign of letting up. I think layers are in order for tonight's walk and an investment in long underwear just might be in order after this one - EEK!! Time to dress warm, or at least try to. Wish me luck!

Godspeed

time change

Another summer has passed us by and Autumn is settling in. Our days are getting chilly, the leaves have turned and are falling to the ground, and its time for the semi-annual time change here in the US. I love getting an extra hour of sleep and getting out my warm, comfy sweaters!

Godspeed

starting today......

.... I'm getting on track. Literally! I met up with a small group of friends at the high school track and we did 2.24 miles this evening! It sure feels good, my tailbone is a hurtin' machine, but I have to do this and stick with it this time!

Right now I'm sipping on a teensie glass of red wine while cooking up some yummy stir fry. After dinner, a dip in the hot tub to relax, then veg in front of the tv with my honey. Ahhhhh!

Godspeed

November TSR Reveal!!

It is loaded with lots of fall-like colors and I'm already wishing it were at my doorstep!


LILY BEE CATCHING FALL (upper left):
1 sheet Fall Festival (2-sided)
1 sheet Flannel Sheets (2-sided)
1 sheet Candy Apple (2-sided)
2 sheets Bazzill Blue Spruce Cardstock
1 pkg. Catching Fall Chipboard Stickers

WRMK MAPLE GROVE (upper right):
1 sheet Sycamore (Die-Cut Edge)
1 sheet Elm (2-sided)
1 sheet Aspen (2-sided)
2 sheets American Crafts Butterscotch Cardstock
(2) KI Memories Black Happy Words Scribbles (Word Borders - varies)
(1) WRMK Fall Embossed Die-Cut
(1) WRMK Family Embossed Die-Cut
(1) WRMK Cornucopia Embossed Die-Cut

BOBUNNY OLIVIA (lower left):
1 sheet Oliva Stripe (2-sided)
1 sheet Honeydew (2-sided)
1 sheet Ambrosia (2-sided)
2 sheets American Crafts Coffee Cardstock
(2) Olivia Noteworthy Journal Pages (varies)
(3) Jillibean Soup Green Grid Canvas Flowers
(5) Maya Road Turquoise & Brown Leaf Pins

OCTOBER AFTERNOON CAMPFIRE (lower right)
1 sheet Camp Stripe (2-sided)
1 sheet Animal Tracks (2-sided)
1 sheet Tent Trailer (2-sided)
2 sheets Bazzill Cajun Cardstock
1 sheet Studio Calico Wood Veneer Stars
includes (7) Wood Stars

Coffee Flavor of the Month: APPLE STREUSEL

All this and only $21.95 with membership ! Order yours today.

Godspeed

As I wait.....

.... to see the full reveal at The ScrapRoom, I'll share a few more layouts using the Bella Blvd. One Fall Day papers from October's kit.

While at the Pumpkin Patch we visited the animals at the petting farm. It was fun watching the kids feed the goats and Makayla decided she needs one, and was quite fond of this particular friendly little critter!


They also had a little set-up where the kids could participate in duck races. At first Makayla had trouble getting her little duck to budge, but once she started pumping faster the duck scooted right down the gutter to the end. :-)


And since today is Halloween, here are the cutest two little trick or treaters I know!! DARLING!!


Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Godspeed

cardmaking

I was surfing my collection of favorite sites on the internet last night and came across this darling sketch at PageMaps.


Just love the mix of orange, pink, and brown for my girlie all occasion card.....


.....and I know exactly who I'm sending it to and she'll find out in a few days, too!!

Have a great day!

Godspeed

Fall/Halloween Crop!

This past weekend we had a crop over at The ScrapRoom and there was lots to do, but so little time as usual. One of these weekends I won't have to work and get sidetracked so I can actually get more done! But, until that miracle happens, I'll show you what I did manage to get finished.

Here is a Make & Take Halloween banner that I presented for the board members. It was easy to do and I was able to keep costs to a minimum using supplies I already had on hand. I'm already in the planning stages to make for the Christmas Holiday!


Gab, one of our future MOD Squad team members, served up a challenge that included:
*one cardstock
*two page layout
*three different alpha
*four pattern papers
*five or more photos

I created this layout following her recipe using photos from our trip to the pumpkin patch a few weeks ago.


And a close up of my cute little scarecrow with pumpkins. I have started using pop dots to give dimension to my handmade elements and just lovin' the look!


Thanks for stopping by!

Godspeed

Still waiting......

Still haven't seen any sign of my October kit, but Tammy did inform me that it is on its way! I'll be busy today, but once I print those photos tomorrow, watch out, I'll be a scrapping fool! And to top it off, today we are heading to the Pumpkin Patch so that means even more photos. :-) CRAZINESS!!

In the meantime, I have done a few more two page layouts using the same sketch from Sketches For Scrapbooking, vol. 6 by Allison Davis. I love the versatility of her sketches and how just changing a tad here or there makes it easy to use the same one over and over again.

In this first one, I have scrapped more photos of our Relay For Life event this past August. I used American Crafts Everyday line and kept it pretty clean so I wouldn't distract from the important photos of the day:


And my second one is of my sister Pat and I as we scrapped the night away while we visited the first part of October. That was such a fun time laughing, sharing that bottle of chocolate red wine - yes, chocolate AND wine together, YUM - and irritating our hubbies with Dancing With The Stars on the tube. They didn't have to ask who or why Mike was called "The Situation" after that! :-)

Once again I used American Crafts Everyday line, but added a few handmade felt flowers I created with my Sizzix.


Thanks for stopping by and hopefully my next post will be with my TSR kit in it!

Godspeed

Where, oh where, is my October TSR kit?

Apparently there was a mix up with the stamp set I'm getting this month and Tammy sent it back to have it redone. I love that she looks out for us, but in the meantime all I can do is just look at pictures of my kit over and over and over and......


AMERICAN CRAFTS CITY PARK (top left):
1 sheet Courtland Gardens (Glitter) (2-sided)
1 sheet Lincoln Park (2-sided)
1 sheet Fairmont Gardens (2-sided)
2 sheets American Crafts Mulberry Cardstock
(4) AC Swing Paper Flowers (varies)
(1) AC City Park Tag (varies)

TERESA COLLINS CELEBRATE (top right):
1 sheet Pennants (2-sided)
1 sheet Stars (2-sided)
1 sheet Tags (2-sided)
2 sheets Bazzill Black Prismatic Cardstock
(6) Maya Road Kraft Mini Tickets
1 sheet Teresa Collins Celebrate Library Envelopes
*includes pockets, tags, and tabs

BELLA BLVD. ONE FALL DAY (bottom left):
1 sheet Needle In A Haystack (2-sided)
1 sheet Chance of Rain (2-sided)
1 sheet Country Fields (2-sided)
2 sheets Bazzill Blue Spruce Cardstock
(1) Azzurra Bella Bloom (layered fabric flower w/brad center)

CRATE PAPER RESTORATION (bottom right):
1 sheet Slipcover (2-sided)
1 sheet Fringe (2-sided)
1 sheet Refinish (2-sided)
2 sheets American Crafts Sunflower Cardstock
(1) American Crafts Dear Lizzy Hyacinth Layered Embellishment (varies)
(2) American Crafts Dear Lizzy Charming Metal Embellishments (varies)
approx. 1/2 yard Maya Road Ivory Ruffle Ribbon

If you'd like one of your very own, head on over to The ScrapRoom and order yours today!

Godspeed

Can't wait!

That's right, I can't wait to share the photos and good times we've had while on this road trip! We've had a few dogs for motel rooms, but it makes you appreciate when you hit the jackpot and find a wonderful bed to sleep in for the night!

We are headed into Chicago in the morning, hopefully for the final part of this load, then WESTWARD HO!! Yes, I miss my kids, those grandbabies, and my OWN BED!

Until we get home.....

Godspeed

Buffalo Bound!

Just when you can see and feel the ocean breezes of Jacksonville, FL in your dreams, SMACK! you get woke up only to realize it was all a dream..... Well, not quite that way, but the load fell thru and we have just been kicking back to see where we are actually going. This afternoon it was decided we are still heading east, just in more of a straight line. :-)

It will be a nice "homecoming" of sorts for me. I was raised in a small town just southeast of the Buffalo area and still have family back there. A nice short visit is hopefully on the agenda.

Until then, I must get some sleep. We are leaving before the sun comes up and I don't want to be sitting next to Mr. Grumpy, and he doesn't want to sit next to Mrs. Grumpy either!! Till next posting..........

Godspeed

MOD Squad Blog Hop!

Hello fellow scrappers! This is Barbara, aka {scrappy_granny} and MOD Squad Coordinator here at TSR. The new MOD Squad and I wanted to share this blog hop to kick off the new challenge/inspirational format at The ScrapRoom. We have teams of two who will be sharing their talents with you in three month terms. You'll have the chance to meet your new MOD Squad by visiting each of their blogs as one blog links to the next so you won't miss a single one!

Since Saturday is National Card Making Day, we thought we'd show off our creations and inspire you do make a few of your own. Here's the sketch I created:


I always have way too many scraps left from my kits, but cardmaking helps to use them up. Here I used some paper from Basic Grey Sugared from May 2008!


And this is just the beginning! At The ScrapRoom, we are dedicating the entire month of October to cards! Yes, each and every day a new sketch with samples created by one of the MOD Squad will be posted on the message board. Hope you will join us!

Your next MOD Squad Team Member to visit is Janine. ENJOY!

Godspeed

It's OFFICIAL!!

I'm on vacation for the next 21 days!! The best part, I get to sleep in tomorrow!! I'm usually up at 3am to get ready for work, but not tomorrow!! :)

First on the agenda, a nice cold Mike's hard cranberry lemonade and relaxing on the couch next to my hubbie. ahhhhhh..........

Godspeed

My first day

Makayla was so excited to be starting kindergarten this year, that is until she got there. There was so much going on and so much to process, she was getting a bit worried that this may not have been a good idea afterall! That is until her best friend from the neighborhood pops up around the corner and makes it all better. The miracle of the {{HUG}}


And myself, I still can't believe she's old enough to attend school already! Where has the time gone.....

Godspeed

Apples a plenty.....

Its that time of year again when the orchards are bursting at the seams with apples of all different varieties. Living in the Pacific Northwest where lots and lots of apples are grown, love the choices this time of year offers us. The pretty greens and variations of red in the grocery stores and farmer's market, just seem to put a smile on my face. :)

Soon it will be time to sample homemade cider at the pumpkin patch while we enjoy of an afternoon of activities they offer. Its still a bit too early for gathering those pumpkins, going on a hayride, or exploring the corn field maze, but its never to early to start baking with apples, especially on the cooler fall afternoons!

Apple Muffins
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large unpeeled apple cored and chopped into 1/4" chunks - the chunkier, the better

Slightly beat together egg, milk, and cooking oil in small bowl, set aside. In larger mixing bowl stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add egg, milk, & oil mixture. I also add my apples at this point, stir gently just till moistened. Do not over stir!

Spoon into prepared muffin pans ( I use PAM), filling each about 2/3 full. Bake in 400 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes 12 cupcake sized muffins or 6 larger muffins.

Before baking - note the chunks of apples!


And here is the final result:


ENJOY!!

Godspeed

Another layout!

This month's The ScrapRoom kit had Sassafrass Lass Indie Girl and it was perfect for some photos of my little grandaughter. She has discovered that since she can now crawl, there are new and exciting things to discover. Here she is maneuvering the beads on the wires and also playing peek-a-boo with me. :)


Just LOVE those chipboard pieces and how each sheet of pattern paper has an edge to use on another project.

Godspeed

September TSR kit

The ScrapRoom has done it again! Tammy has come up with four of the cutest mini kits for your photos to shine:


JILLIBEAN SOUP PASTA FAGIOLI (top left):
* 1 sheet Romano Cheese (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Blended Beans (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Shell Macaroni (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Red Cardstock
* (6) JS Pasta Fagioli Journaling Sprouts (varies)
* (3) JS Red Script Canvas Stars (varies)

OCTOBER AFTERNOON SEASIDE (top right):
* 1 sheet On The Shore (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Boardwalk (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Seashells (2-sided)
* 2 sheets American Crafts Sunflower Cardstock
* 1/2 sheet Seaside Label Stickers (varies)
* (2) Seaside Wild Cards (varies)

FANCY PANTS MY FAMILY (bottom left):
* 1 sheet Son (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Uncle (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Aunt (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Lily Pad Cardstock
* 1 sheet My Family Cards (2-sided)
* (2) Maya Road Cream/Brown Velvet Pleated Blossoms
* (2) Fancy Pants Artist Edition Safety Pins (varies)
* approx. 1/2 yard FP My Family Woven Ribbon

SASSAFRAS LASS INDIE GIRL (bottom right):
* 1 sheet Pocahontas & Me (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Affection (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Eclectic Elegance (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Wheat Cardstock
* 1 sheet SL Garden Bits Blues Self-Adhesive Chipboard (32 pieces) (varies)
* (1) 1-yard roll Pebbles blue ribbon (varies)

Coffee Flavor of the Month: PECAN BERRY SCONE

All this for a one time purchase of $25, or membership price of $21.95 per month. What a DEAL! And for those of you who may want a tad bit more, you may join one of the Add-on clubs for that perfect mix of pattern papers, embellishments, cardstock, and stamps.

Here's just a few samples of what I've created with this kit so far. These two layouts and card came from the Fancy Pants My Family:



For the layout and card, I used an October Afternoon Wild Card and had just the perfect match of felt flower trim and cardstock stickers in my stash that I used on the layout.



I'll be back later today with more. :-)

Godspeed

So glad I went!

My wonderful daughter-in-law had a Stella & Dot trunk party this evening as a favor for a friend of hers that was starting her own business. I'm not a flashy person whatsoever, but decided to go in support of the two girls. Although some of it was, lets say, gaudy, I did find a few things I just had to have. :-)

Check out my Chelsea Necklace. I loved it from the moment I saw it and it had my name all over it! Nothing like a pretty necklace to pull you out of a slump!

Godspeed

Life's Curve Balls

It never fails, just when ya think everything is going the way it should, BAM! It's not that any one thing is devastating, but when all the little stuff adds up and you get bombarded all at the same time, the seams start to separate to the point of I WANT OFF THIS RIDE, NOW!!

And to top it off, my tailbone debacle is really starting to get on my last nerve! I don't get much sleep most of the time from tossing and turning all night long, but when I finally get a good night's sleep, I pay for it dearly in pain the next morning, and into most of that day. This morning is one of them, hence my pity party. :-(

Ok, I'm done. Time for a cup of coffee and a round of exercises to loosen up my spine.....

Godspeed

Holy Smokes!!

I just can't believe what I accomplished in the past few days. Layouts galore just coming out of my stash of papers and piles of photos!! I'm so excited with myself that I think I'll share a few more. :-)

This first one is using Echo Parks Sweet Summertime. Thought the papers fit so perfectly for a layout of our County Fair this August. I used a sketch from Scrapbook Generation's Sketches For Scrapbooking, Vol. 5. Those sketch books are quickly becoming my "go to" for inspiration. Just love the precise measurements and all around clean look of the finished layout!


This next one is my two darling grandbabies one day while visiting. I just love the way they play and interact with each other and like it says, we hope it stays this way! ;-) I used Sassafras Lass' Cherry Delicious , a hint of bling, and some handmade felt flowers. Love the color combination!


Thats it for tonight. Thank you for visiting.

Godspeed

August THAW wk# 4:

Here are my layouts for this week's challenges.

Challenge #10 sketch:



I also combined this with challenge #12 - using more than one alpha in the title. This photo was taken at our local county fair beginning of this month. Gotta love them fair rides!

My final one for challenge #11 - use a grid - was posted earlier of the luminaria ceremony.

I'll be back tomorrow with some other things I've been working on.

Godspeed

Relay For Life layouts

This past few days I've been reflecting on our event from last weekend and just thinking how many people in my own little world are affected by cancer in some way. Whether its someone we've lost, someone who has survived, or someone who is still in their treatments to make them feel better, there are so many in just my family alone.

This year we dedicated our relay to a little girl, Lois Steele Hogan. We have never met her in person, but her Mom, Catherine, and I are cyber friends, fantasy football league players, and met through a scrapbook message board a few years ago. We decided to bring attention to Lois' type of cancer, leukemia, and passed out information to other relayers and the public.

I'd like to share with you a few of the layouts I have created so far to remember this Relay. Our Relay had a Birthday Party theme, so what's better to have for a birthday than cupcakes! This first one is prepping the pans, mixing the dough, and getting them ready for the oven, with the help of Makayla and her Papa, of course! We made a total of 72 cupcakes and loved every minute of it. :-)


The sketch was by Julie Bonner and the papers are Bella Blvd. Sweet Celebrations, which were perfect for cupcake photos!!

Now this next layout is of the Luminaria Ceremony that was held at dusk. It is to honor those survivors, support their caregivers, and remember those who we have lost to cancer. We created luminary bags and here is just a sampling in this layout.


And there's our Honorary Team Member, Lois, in the upper left hand corner smiling that contagious smile!

I will be back later with more from RFL layouts, but now must get to those annoying little things in life called dinner and dishes!

Godspeed

August THAW wk #3:

Challenge #7 - a sketch


These photos were taken August 10th while at the Clark County Fair. It was a first for Ruby and the expressions on her face for the different rides were just precious!


Challenge #8 - no time with Relay For Life coming up so I had to skip =(

Challenge #9 - use die cut paper in a new and unusual way. I used mine not only for the backdrop matting for my photo, but also for my journal block underneath the photo.


I also did something new and got up the courage to stamp directly on my photo! Much easier than I first thought, as long as you use the proper ink!!

Be back tomorrow with my August THAW projects from this week.

Godspeed

Done early this week!!

Yes, that's right, all my challenges are completed and posted at Willow Traders. =) Trying to keep myself occupied while waiting on some test results and, well, what better way than to scrap!

First up is the sketch challenge for week #2:


And my take is some photos taken at Makayla's birthday party. Ruby has just started to sit up on her own at the time. The two babies are a few weeks apart in age and when Ruby leaned over to give some love, she went a bit too far and BONK!


In this layout I used one of The ScrapRoom's Doubleshot kits from May 2010, Crate Paper Pink Plum collection with American Crafts Thickers.

And my final one for the week was challenge #5, to use the colors from the garden with a bit of brown. Since I only have containers with green, yellow, and red peppers, and some tomatoes, here is what I came up with:


Definitely not my kind of papers, but they came in my The ScrapRoom kit, and I decided that since I was making this one for Makayla, the youthful playfulness of the papers was perfect. The papers are from the KI Memories Groovy collection with some American Crafts felt thickers.

So far, so good!

I'm really hoping to post at least 15 to 20 times this month and get back in the habit of blogging on a regular basis. So without further ado....

This is week two of Willow Traders August THAW. I missed out on two of the challenges last week, so wasted two of my three possible skips already - GRRRRRRR!! This week I'm determined to do all three and this is my first entry for the week!

Because the kiddos going back to school is fast approaching, we were to take a school related item and incorporate it into a non-school layout for challenge #6. Interesting concept, but I managed to pull it off, or at least I think I did. =)


I used another sketch from Scrapbook Generation's Sketches For Scrapbooking, vol 6. The paper and chipboard stickers are from Cosmo Cricket's Garden Variety line, and the alpha is by Jillibean. And what is the school related item you ask? The October Afternoon Farm Fresh wild card!!

And yeah, I know I'm out of order, but its what I had in front of me at the time. =)

Godspeed

August THAW - challenge #1 - use a sketch

When I need a jumpstart to creativity, its time to participate in a challenge! Over at Willow Traders, August THAW started this past week and I'm trying my best to stay up with them. Here is Challenge #1 sketch:


And my creation:


I used American Crafts Dear Lizzy line and just love those little dresses! It is pure bliss when Ruby wakes from her nap with such a big smile on her face and playing with her little baby toes! SWEETNESS!!

Its that time of the month again!!

My bank account has been charged and that means The ScrapRoom kit is on its way!! This one is so bright and cheery and a great way to scrap a wide variety of those summer photos. =)


KI MEMORIES GROOVY (top left):
* 1 sheet Be Happy (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Bead Curtain (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Bell Bottoms (2-sided)
* 2 sheets American Crafts Rouge Cardstock
* 1/2 pkg. Groovy Softies (varies)
* (2) Groovy Journal Tag Sheets (varies)

ECHO PARK PAPER SWEET SUMMERTIME (top right):
* 1 sheet Cool Treats (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Summer Argyle (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Sun Spots (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Artesian Pool Cardstock
* (1) 12"x 12" Sweet Summertime Elements Stickers

GLITZ KISMET (bottom left):
* 1 sheet Kismet Floral (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Kismet Numbers (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Kismet Stripe (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Hershey Cardstock
* (8) 7Gypsies Assorted Red Photo Turns
* (1) BasicGrey Max & Whiskers Bloomer (varies)
* Coconut Buttons
* approx. 1/2 yard Brown Herringbone Twill

SASSAFRAS LASS CHERRY DELICIOUS (bottom right):
* 1 sheet Winsome (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Penelope (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Sapphire (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Eggshell Cardstock
* 1/2 sheet Cherry Delicious Flag Banner Stickers
* 1 sheet My Little Shoebox Lemon Pie Alphabet Stickers

Coffee Flavor of the Month: DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

Even the coffee sample sounds wonderful!!

Godspeed

Still no word.....

...but I do feel better since talking to my primary care doctor. She has got to be the most wonderful lady in the world! She was so pissed about my whole ordeal and gave me a few numbers to call. She said this type of doctor is not what they want representing their clinic and it needs to be reported. THANK YOU! Once again I feel like someone cares about me as a human being instead of dollar signs!!

So in the midst of me waiting for a referral to come back from the insurance, I've decided the best way to get it out of my head is to SCRAP!! It has got to be the best mental therapy out there, at least for me!! =)

Here is one I started last night. Makayla and I went on a Birthday Shopping Spree for her and we ended with a special treat. She loves her "bubblegum ice cream in a cone with sprinkles on it!" She's such a silly 5 yr. old!


My second layout is for a challenge using no cardstock. I used the Crate Paper Brook collection and painted my Thickers chipboard alpha and coated them with Diamond Glaze to give them a shinier look. I usually don't overlap my photos, but think it came out pretty good this time around.


A late shift is calling me from my scrapping fun, so off I go to earn a paycheck

Godspeed

Vacation: Day 6

Well, time for my vacation is quickly coming to a close, and a dose of reality just slapped me upside the head! I wish it was something fun and witty, but no, its about my life and health. Right now, I'm pissed off at the medical profession and am scared out of my freakin' mind!

I had an MRI on my lower back on July 6th, was told the results would be back in a few days and I would hear back from them within the week. I already received the bills from the "poor bedside manner of a doctor" and now the MRI itself, but still no results! What day is it again? Oh, that's right, August 2nd and I had to call them!!! What the .....?

I already knew there was a possibility of bulging between #3 & #4, and between #4 & #5, that's not anything new, but it would have been nice to hear that from them instead of me calling. KWIM?! Anyways, the doc was out so the nurse read me the results. It appears that there's a "mass on the left kidney and left side of the bladder that needs further testing via CT scan in order to diagnose." REALLY?? They didn't feel it necessary to call me and tell me?? WOW!!

Right now I'm in shock. I've heard of this type of practice in the medical community, but when its you, you don't know whether to cry, scream, or throw something! So, I sit here babbling on my blog, which is my happy place, and hoping it'll make me feel better. Guess what, it didn't. I'm still pissed, annoyed, want to throw something, scream, cry, punch the wall, anything!!

So, here I sit and wait until I get a phone call tomorrow morning, trying to erase that call from my head. God, please give me the strength and courage for whatever lies ahead.

Godspeed

Vacation: Day 5 - I'm Pooped!

It has been such a joy to have the babies here these past two days. They are the absolute joy of our lives and each and every moment spent with them is so cherished. But, today, I'm pooped, worn out, exhausted, toys scattered here, there, and everywhere, and now that I think of it, I didn't even comb my hair today. It's been 30 yrs. since I had babies under foot 24/7 and honestly don't know how I did it. I definitely had more stamina then too, cause in all the chaos we all took a 1 1/2 hr. nap!

That said, tonight will be an early one. Nite all!

Godspeed

Vacation: Day 4 - They're HERE!!

Yes, for the next two days and nights, we are fortunate to have our grandbabies here with us. Mommy & Daddy are celebrating their 8th Anniversary, already! I can't believe my own baby has been married that long, let alone have two baby girls of his own. We are truly blessed! And I'm sure you all know what that means - lots and lots of hugs, kisses, and PICTURES!!

So, while little one is taking her nap, I snuck in here to post my layout that I finished up late last night. The papers are from Cosmo Cricket's Garden Variety and another sketch from Scrapbook Generation's Sketches For Scrapbooking, Vol. 6.

This layout is a recent visit we took to Bremerton, WA to greet the Nimitz that my nephew is assigned to. While there, we took the ferry over to Seattle and visited the Pike Place Market. That place is so crowded with vendors, entertainers, and shoulder to shoulder people! If you ever visit Seattle, its a MUST HAVE on your to-do list!


Thanks for visiting and I'll have more to share later, if babies allow, that is!

Godspeed

I'm a Hoppin'!!

Determined to get something accomplished today, so sinus headache be damned!!

Here is a layout of our Memorial Day festivities using Pink Paisley's Starlight line and a sketch from Scrapbook Generation's Sketches For Scrapbooking, vol. 6. It was a nasty, rainy day outside, so we made the best of things inside. We had so much fun chatting it up, baking those delicious mini pies, and lots of challenges issued on the Wii with numerous baseball and bowling games played. We figure as long as we are together as a family, it doesn't matter where the party is held!


Thanks for taking the time to stop by, be back with more later. =)

Godspeed

Vacation: Day 3

This morning didn't start out as planned since I woke with a nasty sinus headache. =( I'm trying my best to make something of this day instead of laying around with a warm compress on my face, but so far, not a chance. How sad is that? On vacation and not in any condition to do much of anything.....

Reminds me of another vacation Butch and I took to the Big Island of Hawaii. I was sick with the Norwich Virus for 6 of the 10 days we were there and just laid on the couch or in bed. What a waste of what was suppose to be a beautiful vacation and all that cash. And to this day, still can't stomach macadamia nuts with out wanting to hurl!

I wanted to participate in The Willow Traders' blog hop this weekend, but we'll see how today goes. DANG! Perfect weekend for it, too!!

Godspeed

Vacation - Day 2

Today was one of those days where you just went with the flow. Got a very leisurely start to my morning then met up with Butch for lunch. He went off to get some work done on the truck while I headed off to Verizon to get my new phone set up. =) It sure is a pretty phone - HTC Incredible - and it has so many features I don't think I'll ever figure out!!

So, did I get anything else accomplished? NOPE! Its not that I hadn't planned on it, it just wasn't in the cards for today. Have a good evening! =)

Godspeed

Vacation - Day 1: Learning a new craft!

A few weeks ago Makayla and I were scoping out the clearance aisle of JoAnn Fabrics and came across this spool knitting kit she wanted to try. So today while we were waiting for it to warm up enough for them to go in the water, we pulled it out and she went to work:


It didn't take her long to get the rhythm of how it should be done. Look at those busy little fingers!


And before too long, Ruby decided she needed to help! =)


No, we didn't get the muffins done, but there's always tomorrow when you're on vacation!

Godspeed

It's official!!

I have started my vacation!! I have never been more excited to get away from the daily grind of my job as I am this year! WOW! We have taken quite a beating from the corporate hierarchy with having our hours cut so badly, then we lose an employee, and another heads off for training for 30 days in the midst of all the turmoil. DAMN! Enough already! So, starting at 5:31pm, I've been on vacation and enjoying it already. =)

Tomorrow I will have a couple little visitors for a spell so Mommy & Daddy can get some much needed things done. Makayla loves to bake and I have some blueberries that are ready to be used up and muffins sound so yummy right about now! And I can't forget to get their kiddie pool cleaned and ready for them once the temperature starts to rise. And well, ya'll know at some point my camera is gonna have to come out, and I'll share a few pics of our day. =)

Till then, I must get some shut eye because the two of them can be very busy and I must be alert! =) Good night all!

Godspeed

TSR's June Kit!!

Are you ready to get to scrappin' some of those Spring and Memorial Day photos? I think this kit is just the ticket to get you in the groove!


JUNE 2010 Cafe Club "Flavors of the Month" Kit Includes:

PINK PAISLEE 365 DEGREES:
* 1 sheet Be Free (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Daydream (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Imagine (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Snow Cardstock
* (1) 365 Degrees Borderline Clear Sticker (varies)
* (4) 365 Degrees Bella Brads (Sparkly!)
* (6) 365 Degrees Cork Buttons
* (1) 365 Degrees Journaling Flip Note (varies)

WRMK 72 DEGREES & SUNNY:
* 1 sheet Forecast (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Rainbow (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Flower Patch (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Real Teal Cardstock
* (1) Sunny Day Embossed Tag
* (1) Sunshine Embossed Tag
* (1) Forecast Embossed Tag
* (1) Bloom Embossed Tag
* (1-2) Layered Chipboard Words (varies)

MY MIND'S EYE QUITE CONTRARY LITTLE MISS MUFFET:
* 1 sheet Loop-Dee-Lou (Die-Cut Edge)
* 1 sheet Lovely Lines (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Oh So Pretty (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Mulberry Cardstock
* (1) MME "Hello Beautiful" Journaling Card
* (6) Maya Road Mini Chipboard Butterflies (varies)
* (6) Queen & Co. Lost Ruby Marble Rox

WEBSTER'S PAGES LULLABY LANE:
* 1 sheet Puppy Dogs & Pigtails (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Leaps & Bounds (2-sided)
* 1 sheet In Due Time (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Suede Brown Dark Cardstock
* (1) sheet Lullaby Lane Small Alpha Stickers (color varies)
* approx. 12" Peach Petal Bloomer Rose Ribbon

Coffee Flavor of the Month: BLUEBERRY STREUSEL

TSR's May Kit!

Wow! Another fantastic choice by Tammy, owner of The ScrapRoom!


MAY 2010 Cafe Club "Flavors of the Month" Kit Includes:

BOBUNNY SOPHIE:
* 1 sheet Sophie Dot (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Sophie Stripe (2-sided)
* 2 sheets American Crafts Melon Cardstock
* (1) 12"x 12" Sophie Combo Sticker Sheet (includes alphabet, borders & elements)

AMERICAN CRAFTS DEAR LIZZY:
* 1 sheet Beehive Brunch (Glitter)
* 1 sheet Giddy Grasshopper (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Dragonfly Dance (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Waterfall Cardstock
* (5) Dear Lizzy Crocheted Flowers (varies)
* (2) American Crafts Pearl Brads
* (1) American Crafts 4"x 6" Photo Protector

FANCY PANTS ROAD SHOW:
* 1 sheet Grocery List (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Dainty Print (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Dilly Dally (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill Nor'Easter Cardstock
* (2) Road Show Journaling Sheets (varies)
* (1) Jenni Bowlin Black Embellished Butterfly (varies)
* Vintage Portrait Button Mix
* approx. 1/2 yard Maya Road Vintage Lace Trim

CRATE PAPER BROOK:
* 1 sheet Downstream (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Float (2-sided)
* 1 sheet Ripple (2-sided)
* 2 sheets Bazzill London Fog Cardstock
* (1) 6"x 12" sheet Brook Chipboard Accents (varies)

And since today is May 5th and amount drawn from my account, it won't be too much longer and I'll have these cuties in my hot little hands!!

October Afternoon's Thrift Shop

Every once in awhile a kit comes my way that I love the papers but don't quite know what to do with them, and then the light bulb comes on! That is so the case with this mini kit from The ScrapRoom this month. Those white dots on black paper left me scratching my head until I found photos I'd taken of my grandbaby the weekend before. I knew instantly they were meant for each other and here is what I came up with. This first one is framed and hanging in my home with all the other framed layouts:


And I just couldn't resist another of similar photos:


Guess it just goes to show ya that when you think your out of ideas, stop looking so hard, cause they pop right up when you least expect them. =)

Godspeed