i'm still around!

just been busy with the up coming holidays, selling on ebay and doing some house remodeling (yeah, nothing like waiting until the holidays to update). i guess in a way i'm taking a little break from scrapping. i heard that gasp! i had just been in such a block that i was producing layouts that i was not happy with at all and felt i was wasting my supplies, can anyone relate??? i will keep you updated (if anyone is so board that they are curious to know) as to what's going on around here. hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! yum, turkey! {hugs}

I have to share in my excitement! FINALLY, after a few months of applying for a conductor position for a local railroad my hubby finally landed a job. We are beyond excited! This will open doors for a better future. We will be moving about 25-30 minutes from where we live now due to being on call for train runs. It's all very exciting and I'm sure there are moments we are going to be put to the test but it will all be worth it in the long run...wish us luck!

i've done it...

i've started selling stuff on eBay! yep, i've joined the bazzilions of sellers that are out to make a buck. you can see my stuff here and i will also include a link to the right of my blog for future reference (yanno, when i really get addicted and list everything i own, teehee).

my weekend was busy. we are getting the house ready for winter. had my son's 8th birthday party. didn't get to join in on a fun Octoberfest party that was held at CMK. i need to get scrappin'!

have a memorable day!

it's a CHALLENGE!

i just felt like a challenge was necessary. weather is changing, people will be spending more time indoors....so with that said;

what is your favorite room in the house (excluding scrap rooms)? share a photo if you can and describe why it is your favorite.


mine is our family room. it's where we gather to watch movies, we entertain...we hold parties...celebrating birthdays. it's always warm and the furniture is comfy. i love my family room.

what defines a camera?

had to share this cute moment when Brody approached me this morning and began saying "cheeessseee, cheeessseee". it took me a minute to realize that this game controller was his camera. could i have an aspiring photographer in my presence? love it!

on another note...

Robyn - your doing something right! *wink* i will be sure to ReMiNd everyone to vote next round. THANKS!

vote.

i'm calling all my scrappy friends to please vote for Robyn Weatherspoon for the covetted MM IDOL title *PLEASE NOTE* YOU CAN ONLY VOTE 12AM-12PM ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 16TH FOR THIS ROUND.

~~~BEST OF LUCK, ROBYN! YOU WORK RAWKS!~~~

we had ribs the other night. brody has never had them before. do you think he liked them??? of course. ha.

sadly, nothing much is going on scrap wise. with the weather feeling fallish (except for yesterday with the snow falling hastily), we've been taking evening family walks. we've also taken a new interest in our local library and realized what fun we've been missing. they had a harvest event the other day and the kiddos LOVED it! hubby and i are researching some business ventures so the library is a good FREE source.

hope your having a wonderful fall day!

life happens.

i am just getting back to my computer. i have been dealing with something that i wasn't ready for. my maternal grandfather's health started failing about 4 months ago. no big worries then...he, in his 70's went the to doc and got meds. things were ok. fast forward to about a month ago and everything went down hill RAPIDLY. i helped care for him when i could. it took a troup of family members to donate their time to caring for him. what an awakening to learn about the government, healthcare, medicaid, social security, etc. we are screwed (sorry, don't know a better word) when we get old and sick. i lost my grandfather last friday (sept. 29th). i have been dealing with paper work, his finances (what he has left after medical bills), and stingy family members. how sad, i now understand why some people choose certain ways to leave things to loved ones, pre funeral arrangements, etc. life is crazy.

i urge you to enjoy your loved ones. 4 months ago he just had some arthritis in his legs...today he is in heaven. no disease, no major organ trouble. life is crazy.

altering mood...

i did this last night. it's a $1.00 shadow frame from the Dollar Tree strore that i've had for awhile. i love the photo of my kiddos and thought this would be perfect for displaying it.

this is where i create

i am not done but i have reorganized my scrap space enough to share a photo or two. i still need to label drawers, organize ribbon and hanging embellishments yet. i am feeling a bit inspired today though.

busy Saturday!

mostly unplanned but still busy. it was a good day. beautiful weather, no demands, etc. we visited our bank which was having a customer appreciation day and the kiddos got to pet animals, play games, and check out the local fire truck. Brody received a fireman's hat and loved it! when we returned home we matched his hat with the truck he had received at Daddy's work picnic awhile back.

we visited the inlaws and stayed for a yummy dinner. came home, walked through our park (across the street) and ended the day with some ice cream.

hope you are enjoying your weekend!

are you up for a Cyber Crop?

come over to ICS and join in a weekend of scrapping challenges and prizes!

TGIF! i'm looking forward to chilling this weekend. no big plans....no deadlines of any kind. hopefully i can scrap and enjoy the outside with my kiddos too. hubby needs to be building me some shelves.

have a memorable weekend!!!

no interesting entry

i'm updating my blog but i don't have much to report...lol i have started a layout and i'm just not feeling the papers i have used so i might take it apart. i want to start scrapping fall photographs. i never thought i was a seasonal scrapper but i think i am! i couldn't scrap my winter pages during the summer so i have a few that i will work on when the weather gets a little cooler. go figure. lol

9.11.01

i strongly feel the need to post about this date today. yes, it's the 5th anniversary of this horrible tragedy. as i watched this morning's memorial service televised on tv from NY, i shed a few tears. i was not directly affected by this happening. i guess i was lucky?!? i caught a program last night about the children that were left without parent/s. i can't imagine how their lives will unfold from this. i can't help but wonder today just how many feel that we might be attacked again...somewhere....somehow....today maybe??? i strongly believe that things happen for a reason...i don't always know what that reason is...but i still believe. i know that's why i think about everything-all-the-time. i have headaches often. i still wonder what my purpose is in life. do you?

sweatshirt weather

ahhh, i LOVE this time of year! i'm so inspired to scrap. i'm eager to go outside everyday. i'm taking photos constantly now. would you believe there was about 3 weeks that i didn't take any photos??? this is an absolute first for me since about 3 years ago. what a rut i was in. NO MORE! i'm enjoying the moments again.

scrappy hugs!

how true...

i never take these little tests but this site was in a QOTD at Scrap-Tastic and i was really curious to see how close it could be to take the 'How do you live your life' test. it's unreal how it describled me to a "T"! too weird since the questions were extremely odd.

How You Life Your Life

You are honest and direct. You tell it like it is. You're laid back and chill, but sometimes you care too much about what others think. You tend to have one best friend you hang with, as opposed to many aquaintences. You tend to dream big, but you worry that your dreams aren't attainable.

How Do You Live Your Life?

school has started...

Sydnee starts 5th grade today. Her teacher seems super nice.

Lake is in 2nd grade and his teacher was Sydnee's k'garten teacher. We really love her to pieces. He is really excited.

Brody...he wasn't excited at all to leave the school...or was it because his brother and sister weren't with him?!? lol

*blog challenge*

get to know this scrapper...

1. Do you use older product that has been out on the market or do you strictly use new/hot merchandise? yes, almost all my layouts have older product incorporated it. i love new product but i have always done a "mix" of everything i have.

2. When you finish a layout do you put them in albums right away or do they lay on your desk/shelf for months? no. they collect dust on my shelves. i do have a coffee table album that gets updated but all others usually sit for a long while.

3. Are there several adhesives used on each layout or do you usually stick to one? usually a couple. i love KI Gloo and my trusty photo tabs by Therm-o-Web. sometimes more than that.

4. How often do you get to share your creative pages with people other than immediate family? maybe once a month other family and friends will visit and i am usually asked to see what i've been up to. if not...i grab them and show anyway! teehee

5. How many people have you made into scrappers? 4 that i can think of.

i'd love to learn more about other scrappers...if you are accepting this challenge then please comment about it here so your blog can be read! {hugs}

altering treasures...

i was out running errands today and stopped by a yard sale. i was tickled to find these pieces of wood for me to alter. my hubby is a woodcraftsman but these pieces laying there already in shape and form inspired me. i can't wait to start turning them into photo plaques or inspiration word plaques. do you ever find treasures like this?

i've been creating...

i have accepted that i have little mojo in the summer months. lol i'm back in full swing...my stash is trimming down. i'm happy. you can view my other layouts on my layout blog

Happy Scrapping!

birthdays...

yep, it's my birthday today. it brings me to the question...how do you feel about your birthday? do you love to celebrate, try to hide from it, or just accept it and wait for it to be over? since i've hit my 30's i've not cared to have them. i don't dwell on them but i don't get excited to have 'my special day'. lol maybe that was just something you entertained during your innocent, younger days.

anyhoooo....this day will come and go and i will be another year older. i'm sure i will gain a few extra grey hairs and a couple wrinkles, oh yip! lol please share with me your thoughts on my birthday questions.

scrappy hugs,

the birthday boy

*the layout above is one i just did recently for a DT challenge at CMK, enjoy!

just another day...

that's how i feel lately. lol not very motivated...or is it that i turn another year older tomorrow??? blah! anyway, i felt i had to make SOME kind of entry here since nothing exciting is going on. i have been scrapping but i can't share them just yet due to contests that are running. when they are done i will share!

on the brighter side...if you have a minute or two check this out (an online scrappy friend's blog)... Dianne N. . her entry is very 'eye opening'.

Have a scrappy day! {hugs}

*LooKie* what I got!

If you haven't seen Rachel Carlson's work or have gotten to "know" her online you are missing out! I was browsing her blog (as I often do) and joined in on a fun contest she was having. YEP, I won! This is the encredible LOOT she sent to me! Rach, you totally ROCK! {smooches}

it's always something...

ok, well I guess I shouldn't sound like my life is one disaster after another but when I am making plans for a small investment of something FUN...something always goes wrong and sets me back! ha! This time it was my computer monitor. It died. On Monday (last monday). I spent a week without my internet scrapping fix...sigh. I'm better now, hubby found a replacement. It just never fails though, I talk about purchasing something we have been waiting on because of financial limits and little things go wrong that take up that 'extra' money. Such is life I guess.

I'm happy today though...life is good to me. My kids are happy. I'm keeping cool in my home. I spent the evening hanging out with my best friend last night....life is good.

Can you tell I've been scrapping??? lol Ok, I know this doesn't help visualize my work but I'm not completely done with them so I didn't want to totally share yet! I've started a planner altered from a comp book so I'm excited to share that soon, too. Hope everyone else is scrapping!

happy, happy birthday!

It's my sister's birthday and she is finally done with her 20's! ha! Now she knows how I am feeling. lol I am giving her scrappy stuff today and we are scrapping at my house tomorrow. Hopefully I will have some pages to share by monday. *crossing fingers* lol

Happy Birthday Chopper!

My chocolate lab turned 2 the other day. This is the first lab I have ever had and I am totally in-love with this breed! He is sooo loyal and affectionate. He's a big strong dog but will melt in your lap. Just look at those eyes...I have to look at these when I demand him to get off the furniture or when I need him to move from where he is. He gets me every time. Geesh, I love this boy!

NEW scrappy products

Here's this week's blog challenge....from CHelsea @ CMK...

have you thought about what new CHA purchases you'll just HAVE to have??? Tell me which ones are on the top of your list and what you're planning to do with them!

i love scenic route and american crafts. their rich colors and playful designs are great for my kid's albums. i could go on and on but these two companies i would like to TOUCH first. lol

I took a challenge....will you?

Chelsea @ CMK is challenging all members with these questions.

This week's challenge is simple....

1. Tell Me Why your blog is named what it is.

just a name i thought of. i felt i would be sharing my random thoughts/memories there.

2. Tell me one person you admire as a scrapper/artist and why.

Sandi Minchuk - obviously her work is exceptional but having the opportunity to meet her and hang out while she created was fantastic! She is a very genuine person with a great soul.

3. What is one thing you've never tried on a layout or project that you'd like to try?

glazing or dry embossing. i have some of the supplies but have never tried them.

4. What is your favorite time of year to scrap and why?

probably winter...staying inside where it's warm. hot chocolate and warm fuzzy socks....holiday music playing in the background...sigh.

5. List 2 other people's scrappy blogs that you enjoy reading and post a link to them!!

Melody Ross - she really gets you thinking. her blog is more of a spiritual, emotional and mental gateway of information.

Tara Whitney - great photography inspiration! someone i know that i would love to meet and hang with (and she doesn't know me from SQUAT! lol).

wish it wasn't raining...sigh...

but then again, I wouldn't have things cleaned up around here. I've spent my last two days DEEP cleaning and purging things in my life that are unnecessary or unused. I'm begining to LOVE clean lines and my house feels extra clean with less clutter.

Are you clutter free???

*above is a photograph I took while at the beach with my best friend...this is her daughter, Camryn.

LOOOOONG holiday!

whew, I just realized that this 4th of July holiday lasted 2 weeks! lol Well, for me it did. I haven't been online much so I am sharing a little right now and will be back at it next week. here is a photo of my son at the lake friday. He was laying on the shore enjoying the waves from the boats going by. lol

Oh, I've been stalking this blog and find Melody's entries very thought provoking...enjoy!

8 Week Contest

Yep, I'm in one and my mojo is being tested! lol Stop by Creating Pages and see all the competition. This contest is very challenging. You are given a different guideline each week for a layout to be uploaded. After 8 weeks the design team will judge them and there will be a winner who then receives a great prize from Creating Pages! It's really a great site to belong to, stop by and say hi!

FUN and productive weekend!

We attended my hubby's work picnic at a local amusement park. The kids had a blast and were totally worn out and sun kissed from a long day! I spent most of Sunday deep cleaning my house. Can't beat the feeling...sometimes when you clean and you really feel like you've gotten somewhere, kwim??? lol I'm scrapping some this evening, are you?

feeling scrappy lately

sorry about the bad scan...I've come to realize my scanner HATES lumpy stuff. lol These two layouts are of my baby, Brody. One I went back and found a few of his first photos to scrap and remember how sweet and innocent he was. The other is of him now, he's 1 1/2 and keeps me on my toes. My how they change! {scrappy hugs}

p.s. I'm feeling MUCH better...thanks for the well wishes girlies!