Can I get a WooHoo!!

really! seriously!! I wanna woohoo! while it is a Monday, it's also the first day of the photography workshop with Karen! woohoo! (ok, so now it is officially the second day because I didn't get this post finished yesterday!)

here's a little picture I took of just a smidgen of the flower beauty in my backyard. I seemed to play with my camera quite a bit over the weekend, and it felt good! I have no idea if the picture is correct, but I like it!

and now for a couple of layouts that I've finished. slowly I am getting back into scrapping. the desire is there, just seems to be so many other things needing my attention. anyone else feel that way?

and.... how could I not include a picture of cupcake! her momma is a big time couponer, and Sunday spread out over the living room floor cutting her coupons. miss cupcake thought her momma needed help! does she not have a look on her face that says, "do you mind??? I'm trying to read the paper". she is a hoot! and such a happy happy baby, except when she is fighting her sleep, like last night. even then she makes me laugh!

I have a feeling Karen's workshop is going to keep me pretty busy over the next 9 weeks... but I'm pumped! I'm ready! I'm excited and ready to get snapping! Have a great Tuesday!

neurotic love & facebook friends

neurotic love and facebook friends, typing those together just seriously made me giggle.  my ramblings today were going to be about facebook friends, and my layout below is about my neurotic dog and how I love him, but after typing my post title, I though wow, neurotic love and facebook friends could certainly be one and the same.

first things first, facebook.  for me facebook is mainly about playing a few games when I'm bored or lazy, or to try and win free scrappy happy things.  I don't post my life business on there.  you'll never know when I am mad at David by reading my wall.  I've been known to use facebook to track what's going on with my kids, but honestly, it just usually ends up putting me in a foul mood when I see something I don't like, and that's been happening a little too often lately I might say. I will sometimes post pics of dogs to share with Jessica and her friend. I truly get tickled every time I use the words, "well, facebook says".  my point is, facebook, for me, does not define nor represent my life, but for some it does, and while I know that, I don't necessarily understand it.  so, when I see that I've been deleted from someones friend list, should I be crushed?  is it wrong for me to find this funny, that a grown adult has taken time from their day to delete me??  and let me tell you, it's not because I'm posting political ramblings or pictures of abused animals, or anything at all.  it would seem that in the last 3 months I've been deleted from 2 facebooks, and I guess I'm just a little shocked at how immature some can be, and maybe confused because I don't know what this is supposed to mean! I do say that with laughter, so please do not think I'm distraught!  these people who have deleted me, they are not just random people, our lives have been entwined, for petes sake, they have places in my scrapbooks!  I'm sure it is supposed to mean something, there is some message they are sending me, like perhaps I don't like you!!! but seriously, why not just come say hey, I don't like you, or I have a problem with this.  because you're deleting me from facebook gives me the giggles!  I'm just saying.  Oh, I should probably say it also lets me know just exactly what type of person they are, and that is much more important than being friends on facebook! :)  and if you are wondering if this is perhaps a message to them, neither read my blog, they are too busy deleting people off facebook! haha

now, on to more fun things, neurotic love!!  my ozzy, he is so neurotic, but I love him so!  neurotic or not, he's mine and I wouldn't change one thing about him!  In this picture, he was not even a year old, and you can see how big he was already.  I'm telling you, he is the biggest yorkie in the history of the world.  The boy is weighing in at 29 pounds and he should be about 7 pounds.  David says he is a giant among his kind, and he is!

This layout is one of the four I need to do with my Gossamer Blue Kit, to get my free album.  I struggled with last months kit, because it was lots of hearts and love and Valentine, which I don't use much of.  I'm not a big Valentine fan, and it's not because my heart was broken on Valentine's day, but more that I see it as a day that merchants want me to spend money to tell some I love them... and please, that's not how I roll. which I think David is secretly happy about because it takes the pressure off.  so, here I have this kit that I'm struggling, thinking I'll do my 4 layouts, but, they will not be ones I just love, and then this!  I came across this picture of ozzy, and he is so stinking adorable.  it's just perfect, and surprise surprise, I love it!  I have to add, this picture of him was before he became neurotic about the camera, now, I have to sneak in and usually I get one shot with the camera.  once he hears the little click, he's gone.

and that is my story of neurotic love and facebook friends.  just remember, if you ever think about deleting me from facebook, it's probably not going to produce the results you wanted.

Gossamer Blue January Kit

and, here are my 4 layouts with my January Gossamer Blue kit.  I'm telling you guys, I'm going to get a free album!  These layouts were a little more rushed than I would have liked them to be, and I'm not totally in love with them all, but, it's all good!  Most of last weekend was spent making baby shower invitations, and not working on my layouts, so I had to hurry hurry.

The exciting part about it, there are 4 pages to go in 4 different albums! That my friends is progress! 

I'm back to handwriting on most of my layouts.  There is nothing at all I like about my writing, because I can not seem to make myself slowdown enough to have it neat, but, it's me, it's always been this way, and one day I believe my family will look back, see that writing and smile.  I think this, because when I find things with my Grandmothers writing, it makes me smile.

The New Mexico trip with my family.

                                                   One for the new house album.

                                             
                                                Woot Woot, the Sr. Album!!

                                               Let's go to Vegas and get married album!

AND, in case you missed this on my facebook!  The grandpups have been spending lots of time at our house over the last couple of months.  Seems someone got into my scrappy supplies, so we had to make a sign for her momma to see what happened.  She really is a sweet little doll!  And seriously, does she not look just a little remorseful!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

Zoey goes swimming

Happy Monday Everyone!  I'm not sure how Monday's seem to get back around so fast, but they do.  I do have to admit though that sometimes the weekends are so busy, I'm thankful for Monday to arrive! That was not the case this past weekend, I had a most wonderful and much needed restful weekend. 

Here is a layout that I made at the last retreat, it's another one that if I sat and looked at it for 2 minutes I could find many things about it that I do not like.  Please understand, I'm not putting that on here for anyone to think I'm looking for support or encouragement, only to say to myself that it's ok to not love every single layout, because I do come back and read through my old posts.  It's kind of like a diary, without being all personal, if that makes sense.  It's a way for me to look at the way I've grown as a scrapbooker, to see the things that I did or did not like, the trends at the time.  My point is, I hesitated even posting these layouts that I'm less than thrilled with, because I didn't want anyone to think I was hinting for approval.   I'm ok with not loving all of my layouts, as long as the memories get recorded and into an album, that's the most important thing.  Life is short sometimes, and I want to get as much of our life recorded as I can.  There will be a day that the kids and their kids are thankful I did.

OK, with that out of the way, here's what I'm not loving about this layout.  It's a little lackluster for me.  It doesn't have my usual "stuff" all about it.  I was trying for the less is more approach, to see what I thought, give it a try, KWIM.  Well, I can say I did it and that it's not my thing!

These are cute pictures of Zoey and the boys in the pool.  I did break out an unused stamp set that I need to use more, it's pretty awesome.  Used a couple of my newly acquired flair buttons.  Discovered that I like putting parts of the title on the pictures.

Wishing you all a nice calm week! :)  Thanks for stopping by.

Weekend Ramblings

I can't believe that it's almost Monday again. It's been a busy weekend, busy doing what I'm not exactly sure! I do not think I've accomplished much.

I did sort a swap that I was hosting, and that was a chore. It was in groups with several in each group. The problem was that some of the swappers didn't send in enough items, which left me short in a few groups. There's that question that all hostesses ask, what should I do. I didn't want to send any back or make a big issue about it.. after all it is supposed to be fun! So, I tried to fix it best I could and and I think it will be ok. We are a pretty laid back understanding group of swappers at Memory Makers. You sure don't ever find anyone there calling someone out, but enough of that! The swap is swapped, no longer taking up space in my living room floor and going postal!

Yesterday David and I went for a motorcycle ride and were out looking to see if any new houses were up for sale. Discovered another one that I liked had sold. It's just as well, it wouldn't have worked for us, but oh the things I could have done in that yard! We were out in one area of town that is really pretty and has a country feel to it. We do like it out there, one of the reasons being that your neighbors are not on top of you. Going down a dead end road there was a house at the end of the road that was for sale. I didn't even see the for sale sign because I was feared for my life at this point. There was a dog that was out and he starts coming for us, chasing us and barking. He was right there at our legs and I didn't know if he was going to bite us or run in front of the bike and cause us to wreck. Since the road was a dead end right there we had to deal with getting by the dog twice. Needless to say neither one of us has a clue what that house looks like!

In other doggie news, Ms Kiara got a bath yesterday. She pouts so when she gets one.





Until you put her down and she gets to shake and rub herself on the floor. She's a silly little thing! Here she's out on the front porch, got her eyes shut and about to go in that full shake sling water everywhere! You know what I mean.


I have something to share with you. Something most wonderful. Jenn from Memory Makers is quite the talented scrapper. I had already figured this out a few months ago when she was my secret sister. She made me the cutest mini album from paper bags. I need to put pics of it up for you all to see. But this month for the birthday swap she sent me what I think is called an exploding box/album??? I'm not sure of it's name and feel free to correct me someone. Anyway, it's adorable. I have to admit that when I first took it out of the box I thought that it was a small box like you would put something inside. I thought it was very cute, I love the colors she used. When I took the lid off, I squealed and clapped my hands! Really.
Just look... I haven't put pictures in it yet, but I will be soon.







Isn't it just too cute! Thank you so much Jenn! I just love it! And now, we are in a picture swap together and I get to send my pictures to her for her to create the layouts. I just know they will be amazing!

I should start getting things ready for bed. I'm afraid it's going to be a long days at the office this week.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

A Dog's Life

Ever wish you had one? Where all you had to do was sleep and eat. Do you ever think your dog has it made? I know mine does. She is so rotten that we need a new word to describe rotten!

We come home at lunch so we can let her outside. Kiara greets us at the door all dancing and prancing ready to go out. Now if you don't let her out right away, then she follows you until you do! Still dancing and prancing. Now that it's summer time and the sun is shining... this is her favorite thing to do!




She doesn't have a care in the world. Her eyes are shut and she has tuned out all the traffic on the street. Has the sun on her belly and happy as can be. Why she has one of her little paws up in the air, that's how prissy she is.

She's in need of a trim and a bath and as rotten as can be, but she is mine. She will also be in the bed tonight awaiting her belly rubs as David calls them.

Ahhhh, she has the life now doesn't she.