Another Winter Advisory?

My sunshine is gone. :( It was here yesterday...and the winter advisory doesn't start until tomorrow, why it's even supposed to be in the low 60's this afternoon...So Where Is My Sun?

This past weekend was a bit busy with unexpected pleasant surprises. Jessica came Friday afternoon for a bit of scrap happy time. Then Saturday morning my mom called and said her and my daddy were coming to Duncan... just out of the blue! Which was really nice as it was her birthday! So we took them out to eat lunch and shocker of all shockers! My daddy actually stayed for a little bit. He is usually a in the door hello how are you ok let's go kind of guy. He's always been that way, everywhere he goes! But this time he came in and sat down! I should have taken a picture! But anyway, so my Saturday morning was spent cleaning instead of scrapping. Nothing like a call from your mother saying we are coming to visit to spur a little dusting and vacuuming! The good news is that after they left, for the remaining of the weekend my house was clean and I could spend it scrapping!

Have you guys been getting the email updates or seeing the facebook pictures of all the new super cool stuff going on at CHA? My mouth is just watering at the thought of getting my hands on some of the new Tim Holtz dies. And 7 Gypsies.... have you seen their new paper, or get this... binder clips with BLING! I'm just so super excited!

As you've noticed, I've been trying to do some challenges. I'm rather proud of myself for actually finishing them! I'm just having a bit of a problem with that silly html link jazz! I do not like it! It frustrates me so.

Here's a couple more layouts for Jessica's Sr Album. These were also at 6 Flags, and the end of the 6 Flag pictures. Next on the table is Football Caravan.. oh how exciting!





I'm not real crazy about the bottom layout...but it is what it is. I struggled with it for days! Then I finally just told myself it's the pictures and the story that are the very most important part. The rest is just sort of window dressing... and some dresses are prettier than others. So, while I may be struggling a little right now...ok more than a little... and my mojo is out looking for the sunshine, I'll just try to keep in mind that some dresses are prettier than others!

The girls are coming Sunday I think... I'm going to take pictures of us all playing. Well Jessica is coming, not sure about Emma yet. But plans are in progress to work on their cj's. I said to Jessica.... you have your own stuff, I know this, I bought it for you...she says she knows, but after being in my scrap room she feels like she doesn't have anything. Translate... mom we are coming to use up all yours and save ours!

Once upon a time Elaine and Serene told me that if I died they got all my scrap stuff... I'm thinking now the girls wont call you two until the scrap room is bare!

As always, thanks for looking.

The Littlest Birds

Here's my newest layout for the challenge over at Scrapping The Music. This weeks song is "The Littlest Birds".



Close up of my stamped flowers.


Thank you for looking. Take a minute and got to the blog to check out all the other entries.

Grateful Monday!

Yep, you read it right! I'm grateful it's Monday. Not because I had a bad weekend, not because I couldn't wait to get back to work, and not because I enjoy the craziness of Monday's. Simply because it's a matter of attitude! Today, on a Monday, my attitude is this.... it's only a day and I'm not gonna let it get me down!
So what if there are problems, and today there are some let me assure you... but so what I say!! You simply take care of them the best you can and roll with it! Keep on your Happy Face and I promise you the problem wont be as big as it could be if you let it get to you!

We did have a good weekend. Wasn't to great starting as we were both sick, but by yesterday we felt better. Except for David's muscle. He just can't seem to lay off golf long enough for it to heal. I think he's understanding now that it's going to take a little time, he was sure hurting all weekend from it. Guess we'll know by this coming weekend. We'll see if he stays home or hits the course.

Our Monday problems... our accounting/imaging support people did an upgrade on our image hosting program on Thurs. On Fri we could open up the program but were not able to see any documents. After numerous phone calls I am put in touch with this really nice man and while I tried to explain to him just how big of a computer inner workings dunce I am... I think it took a few times of him saying click this and me going "huh?" or "I don't have one of those!!" We needed to make a few changes in my register..haha...he asks, "Are you comfortable doing this"... my response, "Can you fix it if I crash it".. he replies, "lets do a live meeting and I'll take over your computer!".... my response, "Sweeeeet"! We straightened out 3 computers on Fri and now only have 6 more to do. Lucky for me, all I really have to do is get it rolling for the guys... or so I hope anyway! Now don't you feel better for knowing all of this!

My friend went kaput yesterday! My sweet darling tiny little portable DVD player that I keep in my scraproom. It just said I'm tired, and it's no wonder as much as I have that little baby work! With 4 hours still left of valuable scrappy time in my day...it was off to the store for a replacement. Those little babies are so much cheaper now! I really would like a bigger tv with a DVD player but don't really have the room right now. I mean why take up room with a tv that could be used for scrappy tools!

I did use one of my new cricut carts yesterday. You know how you see pages all the time that are this shape {} all around? I kept thinking ok these people are not buying all these, there's got to be a cart with one on it. There is!! One of the new ones! And I used it yesterday, I just got so excited that I was able to cut my own out of the colors I wanted! I was giggling and doing my little happy dance. I was so excited with it that I had to dance all the way into the living room and interrupt David and his Stephen King novel to show him. Let's just say he thinks I'm a dork!

I did have some good quality scrapping time this weekend. I did the layout for the challenge. I'm planning on doing the next challenge. I've got another challenge due tomorrow that I'm working on. Elaine walked me through doing linky things... still not sure I've got it all down, but I took notes! Thanks for that E! So in the future any clickable links you see on my page will be thanks to Elaine. I spent some time thinking about the upcoming cj swap we've gotten started along with another swap I'd like to start.

Annnnnnddddddd..... I created another layout for Jessica's Sr. Album! How 'bout that Jessabelle! Plus, I've got another one about 3/4 done on my table. See, I told you I'd start working on it again!

I really like this one. I struggled and struggled with it. No matter what paper I tried to use it just wasn't working. The pictures are so busy and full of color along with the people that adding paper just seemed to over shadow the pictures and add more un-needed busy to the page if that makes sense. Soooo, I did a first for me! I inked the background with some purple ink, then got out my paint. The red is paint...yep I painted on a layout! I really like how it turned it out. The only think I'm not to sure about is the spider web. A black one wouldn't work... nor would a silver or gray... guess I could have tried brown...but I didn't. I used green and there you have it! I do need to go back and attach some twine to my spiders so it looks like they are coming from the web.




Wow...talk about a crooked picture. It sure looked straight when I had it hanging. Maybe it's a crooked photographer!

Materials used: Bazzill, Prima gems, Cricut Carts PaperDolls & Songbird, Pazzle, and Americana Paints.

As always, thanks for looking. This post got a bit wordy.
Remember, today is a Grateful Monday! So, put on your Happy Face!

Scrapping To The Music

I did it! My first challenge...ever! How cool is that. And how cool is it that the blog is called Scrapping The Music! They pick a song and you take lyrics from the song to create your layout. I just love the idea! This weeks song is
"Say Hey" by Michael Franti. It gets you bopping in your chair!

Here's my piece. The lyrics I choose just fit perfectly with David's picture.
"But I dont want to write a love song for the world. I just want to write a song
about a boy and a girl".



I had a hard time taking the picture and it's not the best I've ever taken. I waited to late in the day, the sun had gone down, my flash was giving me fits.
I finally thought you know what..... the most important thing is that I am posting
a link on the challenge blog to my layout!

Did I tell you how excited I was?!!?

Thanks for looking!

Ok.... I just didn't like the picture above so took another today while the sun was out bright. This one did turn out better, even if it is a little lopsided! At least you can say where it says Rock Star instead of being all washed out. Thanks for humoring me!

Burned Biscuits

I want to share something that was sent to me by email today. This really touches
me right now because it's something that I have been struggling with.... remember to be accepting of others. Even with the best of intentions we sometimes forget that we ourselves are less than perfect.



Burned Biscuits
When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner
every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had
made
breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my
mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front
of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did
was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at
school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember
watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom
apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what
he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."
Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him
if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said,
"Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And
besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things.....and imperfect
people.
I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and
anniversaries just like everyone else.
What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each
others faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one
of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting
relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the
good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of
God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a
relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is
the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or
friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket -
keep it in your own."

God Bless You..... Now, and Always....

So Please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burnt one will do just
fine.!.!.!.!

Back in the saddle!

My goodness, good thing I didn't say I was going to blog more for a New Year's Resolution! In all honesty...I think about my blog several times a day and have lots of things I could say, well type...but I've got it in my head that I must have a picture to go along with it. Even if the picture doesn't fit the main subject, I still think I need to have one. Sometimes it is so hard to get myself to think outside the box or to leave my comfort zone.

So, now 2 weeks later almost with no blogging... I can't think of one thing that I had thought... oh I should blog about this!

One thing I'm excited about is.... the snow is almost all gone...finally! We have just a smidge left in the front yard.
David was able to get out with his brand new golf clubs this past weekend and golf. Made me feel a little less guilty about using my new... "oh you got new golf clubs, see my new cricut cartridges". No, I do not feel the need to justify my scrappy purchases...but just on the off chance I may ever need to, I like to be prepared!

I've laid aside my mom's album for a bit and gone back to work on a album I should have finished a year ago. This is another one of those leaving my comfort zone areas. Once I thought it just wrong to work on more than one album at a time. You should finish one before starting another.... all I have to say to that is....
Bahahahahaha

So....Ode to Frog..... This was in Oct 2006 and it's Jessica's Sr Album. I know bug you've asked time and time again if I was ever going to finish it.... but aren't you glad I've waited until I learned so much more!

We went to Six Flags right before Halloween, that's the reason for the Halloween papers. While there we had to have a try at winning this frog. There's a super cute story behind it with lots of memories and laughter. After I took my pictures and was in the processing of uploading them, I realized that I'm not done with these layouts after all. See, I rushed it in order to have pics for my blog. I want to add little labels. For example on one picture where Jessica is kissing the frog we were teasing her about it being her prince.... gotta kiss a lot of frogs... so I want
to make reference to that, along with a few other things.






Papers used were Bazzill and Bo Bunny. Cricut Cart Paper Dolls (finally used that one). Letters were made with the Pazzle.

Two other things I'm looking forward to in my scrappy happy world are...
working on a cj with my swap sista's and..... Jessica and Emma are joining us. This cj will not only be lots of fun but be extra special!
Plus..... I'm really going to join in on some challenges this month. Not only make them, but post them too!
How cool, right!

Hope you all are having a fab happy week! I know I am!