Wednesday Stuff

Are these not 2 beautiful ladies? Love this picture! This is my Mother-in-law and her cousin. They are the two sweetest ladies ever and I love their friendship that has spanned a lifetime. It was so fun to finally get this onto a layout! I finished this one up today using both of the March kits for The Scrapping Spot. Love the mix of the Rusty Pickle Lucky with the BG 2 Scoops. This layout will be in the upcoming March Newsletter with an article I wrote about layering. If you know me and my work, you know I am all about the layers. The more the better. So today I sat down and tried to write about it. It was kind of cool to dissect my process so to speak. I had never done that before. I was having a heck of a time coming up with something for the March Newsletter and several people have commented on my need for layers so I thought maybe it would make a good topic. That article will be tied in with a crop challenge for The Spot's upcoming March online crop March 7,8, and 9th. You should come and join us! 3 days of challenges, games, chatting and of course scrapping!

Had the day at home today instead of my normal Thursday. It's kind of thrown me off a bit because I keep getting confused about what day it is. I got lots of odds and ends done like mopping the kitchen floor. We have a yellow pine wood floor and I really need to learn what is the proper way to take care of it. Am I suppose to mop with water? I think I read online somewhere that it was ok as long as the mop was more damp then wet because of course too much water and wood...not so good together. Anyone have any good wood floor care tips? Anyway, also got my laundry done, got my newsletter article and one of my crop challenges done, straightened up the house, ran the vac, emptied the dishwasher, searched for 1 stinking photo that was hiding from me (finally found it though and plan to use it for crop challenge #2) waxed my brows (which were seriously out of control. I swear my brows would grow right down to my lashes if I let them!Ha!! ), opened a package that came today (bought a bunch of 1/2 price paper from Scrap In Style and it came. Also got some cool glitter and metallic Thickers. Have you seen those? So cool!) and watched AI and Jericho with Darrel. Who is your favorite on AI? We like that young guy I think his name is David? He was the last one last night. No other real favorites beside him. And now I need to head for bed. Since I was still up and Studio Calico has their reveal at midnight on the 28th I got sidetracked checking that out and then decided to do a quick blog entry. So heading out for now! Hope you are having a great week. Blessings!

Ready For Some March Kits?

So finally, the long awaited (no laughing please...) layouts created with The Scrapping Spots March kits! Are you excited? Waiting is so not my best thing, so if you are like me, than you are more than ready. Here you go.

























The papers I got to work with were from Rusty Pickle and the line is called Lucky. It was very fun! Our other paper line this month is Basic Grey 2 Scoops. The 2 lines can mix nicely, which is what I did on that first Grandkids layout. Since I always have to have the layers I really had some fun with the sheer stuff in this kit. There is a cool Hambly Overlay and a acrylic frame and square (on the card). Be sure not to miss out on all this cool March stuff!!

You should also check out the awesome butterfly pictures my friend Lisa has posted on the Shabby Pink Designs blog. She also has a great new winter kit which uses some aweseome Junkitz Salsa Celebrations paper.

Can you believe its about to be March? And can you further believe Easter is like 1 month away? I hope that means spring is about a month away too....that being actual spring weather. We have had 2 snow/ice storms, mainly ice, in the last 2 weeks. Ice storms and clear roads are a little different when you live in a small town in the country. Main roads get pretty clear. The problem is getting to the main road whether that be getting out of our driveway or getting down any of the small windy side roads. When we lived in (near) Chicago, there had to be a blizzard with snow to your knees practically before school was called off. Here, school can be called off with the suggestion of slippery roads. Seriously. Its because of those side and country roads that school buses don't do so great on. Not to mention that everything in this area is either on a curve or a hill! ha. That curve and hill also includes our driveway. I've visited the home I now live in my whole life but I guess those visits were rarely in the winter because I had to live here just 1 winter to understand that our hilly driveway that ends at a highway can be quite an adventure. That is exactly why one of those ice storms kept me home on a work day. So, lets hope for better weather this week and SPRING to be here soon!

Hope you have a fabulous week! Blessings.

A Little Sneak Peek.....

So I got my March kits for The Scrapping Spot on Saturday and finally had a chance to work on my first layout this evening. Full reveals aren't until the 20th, but I thought the least I could do was show my friends a little tiny peek right? Stay tuned for full reveal coming really soon! You will LOVE both kits. Plus, even better, they seriously could be mixed! Love that. So many options that way.

Have a great week!

Valentines Day, Puppies & A Cool Kit

So how was your Valentine's day? Mine was great thanks to having such a sweet and romantic husband. He came home from work with Dinner from Applebees, A dozen beautiful roses, a box of Fannie May Mint Meltaways and a lovely card. He is the best! We had a nice relaxing dinner together and watched all our favorite shows. It was perfect. We probably sound old and boring but one of our favorite things to do is just be home together and be comfy and peaceful and that is exactly what the evening was. Not to mention how he made me feel special and loved with his gifts and attentiveness. He is pretty awesome. He knows me so well, he cares about and knows what makes me tick and that makes me feel so loved. It is so great to have someone that just gets you. I hope everyone reading this has someone like that in their life too.

Last night we met up with my Mom for dinner. There is this great little pizza place near her house called Chicago Pizza. Yum. They have the best Pepperoni bread sticks. Anyway, we had dinner and then went back to Mom & Dad's house to visit. We got to see the puppies and played with them for awhile. Look how cute they are.......



















This was after they had run around and played for awhile and then crashed under the bed.


















There are two beds in my Mom's basement and they all thought it was great fun to scoot under on their belly. Love this brown and white puppy. My nephew Ethan named him spot.

How cute is this one? And yes the puppy is cute too!

What a group huh?

Check out this awesome Calendar my friend Lisa made! Isn't it the coolest? Love, love all the Jenni Bowlin stuff she used on this one and Love the spiral. Wouldn't this be great on your desk? You can check them out further on her blog Shabby Pink Designs. She is offering kits to make these for only $10.60. I'd grab one while you can!

The Scrapping Spot has their sneak peeks for March up! Take a look here! Mine just came in the mail today. Can't wait to dive in!

Hope you are having a fabulous weekend. Blessings.

Happy Valentines Day

So earlier in the week, I had a phone call from a husband who wanted to give his wife something special for Valentines day. He told me he thought I was talented and good at making scrapbook layouts (which made me smile and was a huge compliment) and so he wanted me to make one for his wife. He said he had been thinking about her, and that he could remember being with her in 1962 sitting in a 56 Ford in Harvey IL, waiting for a train to go thru. He remembered saying he wanted to be with her in that moment and was saying how special it is to be able to remember those moments and still be with her now. He had some specific ideas of things he wanted me to say and use (I was literally taking notes on the phone so I'd make sure and get it right and get all his ideas down). He thought maybe I could say something like "a boy and a girl" a "56 Ford and a train" and then show where they are now. He also thought maybe I could find a picture of a 56 Ford or the Grill of the car and maybe some train tracks. He was trying hard to remember the details and even called me a second time to make sure he had the year straight. I was so touched by this request because it came from my Dad. I am honored and touched that I got to work on this!! It got me emotional working on it and looking at it, and its getting me emotional now thinking about the story of my parents. They have been thru some rough times. But they have stayed together and loved God and loved their kids and turned those two young kids in 1962 into this amazing family that I have the privilege of being a part of.

I was just about giving myself stress because I wanted this to be so special and so good and sometimes when someone tells you you are good it like makes you want to live up to that and of course you are feeling pretty sure that you won't! Ha. But stuff like this is one of the many reasons I love scrapbooking. You will notice on the layout I had a picture of them from 1963. I was thrilled to find out I had that and I didn't even have to dig for it! I love how it has a crease down one side of it because it looks like it was probably folded to maybe fit in a boy's or a girl's wallet? Love that. I also found the pictures of the car and the train easily on the Internet. It totally felt like a God thing and I know he helped me put this together.

Love you Mom & Dad. Happy Valentines Day!

Scripture Challenge - Faith

Finally I got a second scripture challenge done. I still have 3 to catch up on, and the new one for the week will come tomorrow. I refuse to stress myself out. I am just doing them as I can and enjoying them. Jill (my friend from The Scrapping Spot) had a good idea to create one of these mini layous after finishing a regular LO. By just using the scraps and materials you already have pulled you have coordinating stuff all ready to go. Great idea and it came together easily doing it that way.

So the first week's word was Faith. Patter (host of the challenge) spoke about Hebrews 11 and it being the "Faith Hall of Fame" because in that chapter it goes all thru people like Abraham, Moses, Noah, etc. and talks about how they showed and lived their Faith. Also of course people are pretty familiar with Hebrews 11:1 which is: Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. I love that chapter and that verse too but felt led to go another way. I wanted to convey that we are made right in our standing with God because of our faith in Jesus, because of believing in Him and who he is and what he did for us. I also am thinking of how important it is that we not only believe in Him, but that we believe Him. By that I mean believing what He says and trusting him. That kind of faith. Wow. I am often aware that I need work in that area.

We had a great sermon and church service this morning. Pastor Mark talked about negativity and NOT being negative. Very good and thought provoking. One illustration he used was the tide commercial from the Super Bowl with the talking stain? Have you seen that one? Too funny. It is here on youtube. After lunch we stopped and I got to pick out my Valentine's gift. Look!

Isn't it pretty! I got the Vera Bradley Cargo Sling in Raspberry Fizz! I had thought I wanted the new Libby style, but when I saw it in person, it was way too small for my needs. So I picked this one. I was on the fence about getting this one or the "On The Go" style because I was concerned this one would be too big. Finally decided to give this one a try and if its too giant after I fill it up, I figured I could exchange for the other one. Love, love this fabric! It is the perfect pink. Actually I think the size might be good because my current one is FULL and the On The Go one was pretty similar. Hopefully this one will cause me less stress and require less patience since everything won't have to fit just right.

Remember my "goals" layout with goals for the year? Think I need to go back and re-read those and get a better game plan at actually achieving some of them! Anyone else having that feeling about goals and resolutions for the new year at this point? I am doing better on my goal to read more this year. I just finished a great book called In Search of Eden. I really enjoyed it. I am now reading And The Shofar Blew by Francine Rivers. LOVE Francine Rivers books. She always has such an awesome message. My all time favorite of hers (and possibly all time) is Redeeming Love. Highly, highly recommend that one! It is based on the book of Hosea in the Bible. The "pictures" she drew with words about things Mara did and went thru were so wow. Could totally see myself and my Savior. Awesome book.

Have a fabulous week! I am going to go fill up my purse!

Blessings!

Something In Red

Did this layout today to fulfill two challenges at The Scrapping Spot. One was the color challenge that Julie started. Each month is assigned a different color. We take photos of things to show that color and then create a layout with those pictures. As I was starting work on this, I also got tagged on "spot tag." I chose this layout that Eva made to use as my inspiration. This turned out to be very fun. Every since becoming a scrapbooker and blogger I have really started taking lots of pictures of just every day stuff that I never would have taken before. They are now some of my favorite photos and I love the little details they document about every day life. I really liked the look of all the photos of red stuff together and enjoyed using some Jenni Bowlin products I have had around for a while. Doing this LO totally made me think about a song Lori Morgan sings called "Something In Red" remember that one? What ever happened to her? I haven't heard anything on the radio from her in quite awhile. Here it is on youtube. They skip the verse about green though. Wonder why? Anyone remember what year the song is from? I must be showing my age. Ha. Ha.

Speaking of songs... have you heard Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman? You can hear it also on youtube here. I am totally using some of the lyrics for this song to do a LO with a photo I have of my brother dancing with his little girl.

Blessings!

Date Night

So after the day I've had... I was so ready for date night. It was one of those days where just nothing is easy. You know what I mean? Things that are normally easy and run smoothly, today, even those things didn't work like they were supposed to. First this morning I had a terrible bloody nose and was sick for like an hour from that. Therefore I got to work late. Then at work, I had my accounting not balance, having to cut and void one check 3 times to get it right, having my computer lock up while trying to burn some choir CD's so I had to completely stop and shut down and restart.... which took way too much time (and I never did get them to work right and brought them home to do), having trouble finding graphics for Sunday's PowerPoint, and then having to drive home (late) behind every slow driver in the county...... I was ready for date night.

When I finally made it home we headed to town for some dinner and shopping. I was tired and battling yet another sinus headache (feel like I've had the same one for a month) and fell asleep in the car. At least that improved my mood! We hit Penn Station for dinner. Then we headed to Circut City to take a look at the pink ipods. I've been considering getting one (it was maybe going to be a Valentine gift) and cannot make up my mind. I like this one in PINK of course. The store had one on display, no pink ones, and they have no way for you to like turn it on, look at it and listen to it. How helpful is that? Decided to think that one over some more and headed to M's. I saw on Christine Middlcamp's blog that she had picked up a new MM line there and wanted to see if I could find it at our store. They had it! Check it out below! It is called Chelsea's Place and is so pretty! The one paper pack has die cut, glittered and flocked papers! Also picked up the matching chipboard alpha, some sheer diecuts, deco brads, and the epoxy shapes. I also got some K & Co Brads to match the Wild Saffron line (that will go with my recent Studio Calico kit and a QVC kit I got). We hit J's too and I used a 40% off coupon to get this sizzix swirl die and the pretty pink heart in the top picture (it will be decor for our bedroom).














OK, and maybe it was my crabby bad day disposition today... but were people purposefully trying to be annoying? At J's I was trying to look at the Sizzix dies. 3 ladies who were together were talking and chatting and taking up the WHOLE aisle. Rather than ask them to move, I went around the other way. They don't move and let me thru that way either. I finally just went to another aisle to wait. I give them a few minutes and try again and politely try to look... they now barely move, and totally seem like I am in their way.... Grrrrr... Then when we were at the check out, the check out girl does that deal where they are talking to another employee the whole time they are waiting on you.... Of course while she is doing this, she is trying to ring my coupon which wasn't working and she isn't paying attention to what she is doing which is giving me stress... OK, maybe it was me....

Next stop was an antique store. LOVE looking at antique stores. There is something about displays like this that just speaks to me..........















I love, love vintage kitchen stuff. It draws me in I swear. I snapped a picture or two (thinking of doing a LO about my love for vintage stuff). While I was thinking about that I was wondering to myself what is the difference between the words Vintage and Antique? I actually prefer vintage. It seems to somehow convey not only the age of an item, but the character and value. Antique means old. To me the difference between Vintage and Antique is like the difference between wise and smart. They both mean intelligent, but wise again adds character and time and so many other aspetcs. Maybe that only makes sense in my head huh? I just asked my husband "does this make sense outside of my head?" and he is now laughing at me. Ha. Ha. Ha. We picked up just a couple small things... well OK, not we, me....

Love vintage pyrex and really liked the shape of this bowl. I believe once upon a time it had a cover but I still like it. I have a whole set, plus some, of vintage pyrex mixing bowls. LOVE them. A few were my Mamaw's and a few are from antique stores. I saw a full set tonight marked $90! Wow. I like the older ones, before they started making them with the handles on them. I also picked up some vintage sheet music and postcards with some possibilites in mind for using them in my scrapping. The one postcard had a 1919 postmark. Love the way old paper looks too!

Came home to my package from QVC from scrap day earlier this week. This was the only thing I got. Be VERY impressed. This was a K & Co kit from the Wild Saffron line. Love the colors in this. It is a little overboard on the "grand adhesions" (which are other words for pretty stickers! Ha. They must have gotten their Thesaurus out for that one.) But I really like most of them, plus some very cool felt flowers, rubons, tags, mat pad and very pretty papers (maybe we should call the papers "grand parchments" or something like that.....or maybe using the "grand"' word in the K & Co line requires you to add a pop dot. Ha. ha. ha.)!

On the way home we stopped at Baskin Robbins. I had Chocolate Mousse Royale. YUM. I was wanting Starbucks too but ice cream and hot chocolate just don't seem to go together! Ha. By the way something is seriously wrong with my head at this point today... I read that description of Chocolate Mousse Royale on that website like 3 times and kept thinking it said corn flakes instead of chocolate flakes and was trying to figure out if they were seriously saying there were corn flakes in there!

Hopefully tomorrow will hold some scrap time to play with my new goodies. I am "tagged" in scrap tag on The Scrapping Spot board so I need to get my LO done.

Better go tend to the dog. I think he had a no good horrible terrible very bad day too. He is being Mr Crabby this evening. Maybe he is still upset about what happened to him earlier this week. We had a huge storm front come thru and some very high winds. He was out in the yard taking care of his business and was finished and running back up to the door at high speed (well, high speed for a short little white Maltese dog). A gust of wind hit and darn near knocked him over! He is little like 15 lbs at most and I swear he went up on 2 legs and staggered sideways and had to set back down again. He was almost in the air like Mary Poppins! It was hilarious... Maybe he is mad at me for laughing?

Blessings!

Scrappy Weekend

Loving this picture I took last night of my Dad and my niece Lauryn. I have what I think is a great idea for a LO as far as a memory I want to talk about and the two of them sitting here drawing was what got me to thinking about it. Since I of course had a camera in my hand I had to snap a few to use on my layout. I have a new kit to use that i think will be perfect. Can't wait to get started. Need to print photos for several ideas for layouts today since it's going to be a scrappy kind of weekend! Today I plan to pull some supplies and get some pictures printed and lay out my plan for the next 3-4 layouts I have in mind. Tomorrow we have a Super Bowl Party at church and during that party, the ladies who maybe aren't so interested in the game, are going to have a crop! So excited about this!! Then Monday is QVC scrap day!! LOVE those. I call them "mental health days" since I get to stay home and watch and scrap and Darrel usually even brings home dinner.

The picture of Dad and Lauryn above is from when we got together last night to celebrate Ethan's birthday. Take a look at this group... what a bunch huh?

I am completely astonished sometimes at how grown up everyone is! Where does time go? Cole is now 13, Lauryn is 12, Lindsay is 10 and Ethan is 7. Did I get that right ? I have 12 nieces and nephews total so I tend to get confused.

TSS is having this fun monthly color challenge. The color for January is red. You are supposed to photograph red stuff and then make a red layout. We will do a different color each month (Feb is orange) and then have this cool colorful album when we are done! Love this idea and had some fun taking pictures of red stuff. Red used to be my fav. before pink took over! Ha. Here are a few red shots I snapped walking around our house today.

antique table, runner, rolling pin, bowl, etc. in my kitchen.

Always, always wanted a red kitchen and soooo happy to have one now.

I am a July baby so this is some of my fav. jewelry that my husband has gotten for me.

And of course.... Red Crocs.

Being the kit lover that I am, when I had some spending money after Christmas, I got to buy and try a few different kits from around the Internet. If you ever want all the kit info. you could ever ask for and a complete list of kit sellers, check out the forums at Willow Traders. This is a cool one that came in the mail a week or so ago. It has a bunch of items from the new MM Love Story Line. LOVING that line! Cannot wait to dive into this kit. Such pretty, pretty stuff. Not to mention that I love, love the way they packaged it. Remember what a sucker I am for cool detailed packaging? Well this came all wrapped up with matching twine and a little punched heart that said "thank you" tied to it. This one was from Right At Home Scrapbooking.

My friend Lisa is starting a new scrapping business selling page kits. It is called Shabby Pink Designs. Isn't that the coolest? She has come up with some awesome designs and has a great Christmas project up on her new blog (which is under construction). Be sure to check it out here. Don't you love the new logo?

Have you been keeping up with all the new released for CHA coming up this month? I am liking lots of releases from the manufactures we all know, but have you heard about this new company called Pink Paislee? Oh my goodness... their new line is so right up my alley. I seriously need one of everything.

Almost caved and bought the Vera purse last night.... I was prepared to do it, but the store that used to carry Vera in a nearby town was gone..... Guess my wallet got a reprive.

Have a great weekend! Blessings!