Happy New Year!!! (well almost!)

WOW it seems like forever since I blogged. I have some photos and stuff to put up but probably not today. I just wanted to say HAPPY NEW YEAR! I will not be around at midnight because I will be at church... so I wanted to say it now.... overall, this year has been a great one...
I am blessed with a home, family, and church that I love! I also have a wonderful group of friends here on the web and then there is Joni! my real-life friend! I kind of miss her, the holidays have kept us apart far too long! Any way... tell me what your new years resolutions are.. I have serveral goals for 2010 not to mention training for a trip on my bike frome SanFancisco to San Diego.. shooting for summer 2011... I also will be riding in the Tour De Cure this year. I am excited about that!
Please be safe tonight home or out! Blessings for you new year!

Well MERRRY CHRISTMAS! and here is a fast easy inexpensive gift you can make for all your family and friends... SO super simple.. you go to the dollar store and buy a candle in a glass container.. like mine.. it cost me a dollar at Michaels. Then you dig out some of your Christmas rub-ons and apply them to the outside of the candle add a little bling ( I went all the way around -- I tried to show that in the photo) then tie some bakers twine around it and wahhh-LA! you have a great gift for a neighbor or a friend that you love.. I also added a little bling to the top of the tree! This was a fun easy gift.. Please check out all the great gift ideas over at Practical Scrappers they are putting up new ideas every day! It is most inspiring! I love so many of the ideas that I am working on next years stuff already! Enjoy and if you have any questions, just leave a comment and I will address them as quick as I can.. oh and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Something Merry & Bright

OK so I have been too busy over the last few weeks.. AHHHH Christmas Season is upon us! But I do have a little fun thing I made for a gift wrap. It was on Practical Scrappers earlier this week but here it is again

So All I did was cut strips of paper and curl them with a pencil then adhere them in a "tree" shape then I put a fun flower on the top and added some stickles and bling for a fun homemade gift bag.. the best part, this is a total scrap-box user. I used all the same green paper, but there is no reason you can't use different shades of green paper. In fact I think that might look even better! I put this on a Kraft bag that I purchased in bulk so the actual cost was like 15 cents for the bag and the flower was about 5 cents and the paper was scrap so it was like half a sheet of paper so may be 25 cents stickles from a bottle had was may be a few cents and the bling was a few cents so lets put this handmade bag to the cost.... IF I strech it to be the most I could.... like 50-75 cents a bag.. NOW THAT is cutting cost on packaging but not STYLE! LOl

Have a very merry Christmas!

e

PS I was thinking of adding miscellanous ribbons to the handles but for the sake of cost I didn't.. you could and it would be awesome.. a ribbon stash buster.. so a few more cents and it is still cheaper than a plain ole' one color bag from your local super store!

Ive really done it now

I did it..... I joined Facebook! I fought it because of past experience with mySpace (which I still think is dangerous and a bad idea) But with a little coaxing from family, I gave it a whirl... I am amazed at all the people that I have found from High School and other people I have not seen or heard from in a long time. What an easy way to communicate with people. It feels safer to me too because you have to confirm the friends and it doesnt seem like I get as many creepers trying to befriend me. In fact, so far everyone has been someone I know!

Anyway.. I am offically a facebooker! OH and if it were not for my daughter and brother, I would be soooo lost! Thanks guys. Now I need to figure out what this "fan" thing is and how it works...

THE CAT IS OUT OF THE BAG!

Well this was the weekend I have been forbidden to discuss... Papa's SURPRISE Birthday Party!

We were successful in surprising Dan and I am happy to say all the out of town family seemed to have enjoyed themselves! So I am happy and Mom is happy and Dan is happy and everyone is happy. I would like to just give props to my wonderful supportive HUSBAND that I could not have done all this without! Thank you Dave.

We went to the Grand Canyon yesterday and I will post some photos/layouts a little later, BUT I do want to post a photo of the Christmas Card I made for Practical Scrappers. Please hop over there and take a look at some of these amazing cards this week truly inspiring.

Have I got a life changing tip for you!!!!

LIFE CHANGING TIP : well it is maybe not LIFE changing, but it will save you time money and a lot of elbow grease...
When I first heard this I was like ok I will give it a try. If it doesnt work all I am out is an ounce or so of Dawn Dishsoap and some vinegar... OH you heard it right...
SO here is the recipe:

1 part DAWN dishwashing liquid (it said Dawn but I don't know if others work but DAWN does)
5 parts Vinegar
water

so mix those ingredients into a spray bottle. Go to your soap scum and say GOOD BYE it has been nice having you as a guest but you are outta here... seriously... Spray it on wait a few hours, spray again... then wait a little longer *I waited overnight* and then got turn on your shower or whatever and with a rag gently wipe away the soap scum! While you are waiting you can toss all those other soap scum cleaners because you will never need or want to use them agian...Now if you have bad soap scum it may take a day or two of this process.. my mom had to do this a couple times.NO LIE it is amazing to watch it just slid off... I promise if you have soap scum.. anywhere spray this one and go..
It should replace your "daily shower spray" I use it when I get out of the shower and my husband doesnt, but really it doesnt matter because I believe once a week is enough.. but you will never scrub your shower or bathtub again...

FURTHER TIPS for ya...
1. use a scented Dawn I used the Apple and it helps with the smell of vinegar..
2. get over the vinegar smell because it is worth it
3. used the clear distilled vinegar not any other...

I hope you try this because it works on all the surfaces that may have soap scum the shower door, the walls the fawcet whatevea.. Seriously don't delay like I did. JUST TRY IT ASAP!

Just a warm fuzzy

OK so anyone that knows my husband and my son you know where to cloth was cut from. Brad looks like and acts just like his dad.. which is awesome cause I like his dad a lot... but sometimes when you see a little of you in your kid that is so like the other parent it give you a warm fuzzy.... SO I have had a library of my kids books from when they were little (like 1500 books) and I have them labeled and in a systematic order. I did this so they as small children always knew where to put them back and it helps you from buying the same book twice, and also helped to teach them how to put our books in order. This was from like years ago... we have since given away many of those books but we still have many of them packed away waiting for someday when my kids have kids...

Well, today I went into my sons room to try and find a DVD I needed to return, and when I opened his little cabinet, this is what I found. He has taken his books and made his own library, using his own numbers. SOOOOO adorable. I am just full of warm fuzzies today! He is kinda like his mom I suppose! hehehe

Entered over at 52 sketches

I just entered my layout in the weekly sketch at 52 sketches. I usually don't do that but I actually followed a sketch all the way from the beginning and didn't "do my own" thing to the sketch.. It was SUPER fun and easy.. It just kinda happened, so I said, hey go put it up on the site! so I did.. well here is the sneak peek of it.. You should totally go and check the site out. It is pretty awesome. OH I should tell you it is sketch 46.

Well life has been busy as usually around here and I am here to tell you I have a lot to catch up on. I will post a few different post because I discovered something this week that will change your life! I promise!

xoxo

e

ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!

There sure is a lot going on over at Practical Scrappers.

1. contest for a two week guest designers and
2. an online crop next weekend!

SOOOO if you have not gotten over there.. move it move it... We are going to have FUN!

Makes all the work worth it

Tuesday night... my youngest looks around and says, "I think we should look at Mommy's old scrapbooks" (they are stored in an entertainment center in the family room) so she pulls 3 out and starts looking then my daughter Jasmine says "hey give me one of those" and they are looking back at all the (soooo 1999 layouts) I have put in these albums. My husband soon joins in and as I am fixing dinner I hear :
"ohhh I remember that.. we built that out of the branches daddy cut" and "Ohh remember that when we were jumping on the trampoline and..." and my favorite..."honey... look how little they were.. they are so cute!" other stuff like "Ally, you don't remember her she was our other great dane Coconut...." followed by how the story of how our dog got her name. Along with many other ohhhhs and awwwws
Yup that is what makes it worth it all!

Who Knew!

This will be short and sweet... I looked up in the Calorie King yesterday (while @Wal-Mart--the new 2010 issue was out) what Lettus Wraps at Pei Wei were...(drumroll here) .... they are only 280 calories.. granted not the best calories in the world but hey. those fill me up, taste amazing and just simply make me happy. That is my little tid-bit of happiness today for all my friends.! Hey guess what I just had for lunch..hehehehe...mmmmm good eats! (oh you can order them without onions too! !) That is including the "sauce" and I don't use that because it is spicy. Anyway just wanted to bring a little joy your ---- Pei Wei--- hehehe Im a dork

HAPPY Monday Friends

I put up a layout I did a few weeks ago. I love it because it is of snow and it is finally cooling off here in Arizona and it caused me to venture out and do

something this morning I have been waiting to do for a while... I went on a hike! The temps are beautiful in the morning here, cool but not too cool! I also took my big goofy dog with me. She is so gung-ho when we start off and by about the half way mark, she was like ..whew I am tired and she decided it was time to take a break and just sat down. Now for a regular dog you can just give them a tug and off you go again. NOT so with a Great Dane. She decides its time for a break, and she took one. I realized over the summer she has been doing a lot of laying around and is just as out of shape as I am. (lets not kid ourselves, her idea was just fine with me, it was nice to blame her though) . Well it was beautiful out and we enjoyed our hike. We did make it to the top of the trail (good uphill hike) and on the way down I realized, my poor puppy has no real problem going up hill because it is easier to power up the hill then it is to slow her weight on the downhill. She was POOOPED when we got home! She took a big ol'e drink and plopped down on the couch and has not been up since! My knees are hollar a little but it felt great to get out an climb again. SO much so I think I will do it tomorrow too!

Well I will post some more layouts and stuff later today or tomorrow. I have a few assignments to get done for Practical Scrappers (BTW The challages coming up are gonna be a blast--be sure to check them out http://www.practicalscrappers.com/ and join in the fun!)

Off I go to do some cleaning and scrapping and quilting... I gotta get this doggie quilt finished. I have it quilted now I need to bind it.... ahhh crafts I love em!

Tri Blog Challenge

Have you heard?!? Practial Scrappers combined with two other blogs to have a tri-blog challenge.. I am so excited. I love both of the other blogs! I was really impressed with all the work that is up on them. I totally became a follower of them both. Great ideas and wonderful inspiration... so go check it out! I think they are even giving prizes!

Anyway here is my entry

A realization

I have been so busy crafting, that I have done something I don't usually do. I have totally NOT cleaned anything in my house for like almost 2 weeks... EWWWW so when my husband asked me Sunday night "are you doing laundry soon?" in that sweet 'hey I'm out of underware' voice, I looked around and said.. Good gravy my house is in a shambles... So yesterday I began the task of cleaning house. I actually think the dust in my house was enough to make a whole colony of dust bunnies... It was gross. I am happy to say today I am now working on cleaning my "scrapspace" I mean it's not terrible, but it needed a good dustin and a sweeper over the carpet and some re-organization. That is what I have been doing all day. I decided to come take a break (from sneezing) and just post on my blog. NOW for the fun stuff

Practical Scrapper has joined forces with two other site to have tri-blog challange. I have seen some of the entries and man are they cutie pa tootie. I would suggest if you are stuck.. go check them out. ALSO.. have you been to the boards for Practical Scrappers? NO then move it.. get over there and join in the fun. There is talk of an online crop starting so weigh in on your opinion of when would be the best timing..

ALSO I am thinking next week I am going to post some fun game or something and have a nice prize. I have been cleaning and I found some Technique Tuesday stamps I have not used in forever and I think I may give them away as part of the prize. SOOO come back next week for a fun game. And good luck!

xoxoxo
e

I am blessed beyond measure!

Announce yesterday while I was at work... I officially made the Design Team for Practical Scrapper. This is a blessing in so many ways..

1. I love the site and I love what they are doing -- using up what we have!
2. I love that Joni is on the DT and we get to work together
3. There are soooo many wonderful gals over at Practical Scrappers and I look forward to working with all of them.
4. I get to scrap!

SO I would say my cup runnth over this wonderful Saturday morning.. Please click over to www.PracticalScrappers.com it is a hoot.. also, go to the message boards and join us in our chats.. it is very fun and lots of good ideas and techniques are shared!

have a blessed day!

Nani Quilt

I admit it I love my great dane (Nani Boots) .. she is a big ,silly, sweetheart. She has outgrown her old "bed" (a lazy boy chair in my bedroom) -- I have tried to find a doggie bed big enough and I can't, sooooo I made her a quilt! My mom helped me pin it today so I hope to have it quilted by the end of the night.. or tomorrow. Once the binding is on it will be all hers... She is gonna love it!

Step by step - Punch flower

The making of a "punched flower" when you have given away your punches

punch circles

line up punch to make a petal

Punch 5-7 petals for your flower

adhere in a flower shape

add center (in this case a bosher--member them?)

Here is my entry for This week...

OK so here is my entry for the Practical Scrapper punches. I will admit, I was tempted to go to Michael's to purchase some fo the cool punches I saw people using..... BUT that wouldn't be practical now would it. Just a few months ago, I gave away probably 100 punches to a lady that uses punches all the time. SO I only have a few basic punches left. So I had wanted to make a flower for this layout and I did. I will put the steps in another post on my blog--- so if you want to see how I did it you can!

I should also add... I used my other two punches, my SU scallop and my SU notebook paper punches

Thanks for looking

Have a blessed week

IMPORTANT INFO REGARDING COSMO CRICKET IN THE VALLEY

I HAVE FOUND TWO STORES THAT CURRENTLY HAVE NUTMEG IN STOCK...

1. CRAFTERS RETREAT (PAPER ONLY) - also has Earth Love paper...
2. THE SCRAPBOOK STORE IN ANTHEM...SHOOT I CANT REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE STORE SHE HAS LOTS OF IT

Back in the Saddle

OH yeah baby.. I went 19.1 miles tonight on my bike.. sweeeeet.. I feel great about that too.. so now I am off to work on my new quilt.. it is soooo cute...

OH and a little secret...Tonight on our ride, we met a guy with a big ole black great dane.... he looked just like Nani only no white boots... anyway.. i am soo in love I want another dane... SOOOO pray, maybe God will plop one in my lap.. a male would be best and a sweet heart just like Nani...OHHHH I almost forgot to tell you. .his name was....

SCRAPPY... awwwwww

Weekend fall down

WOW what a weekend! Friday I got to scrap with Joni.. got a ton done.. that was wonderful, besides I got to hang with my main man Joseph... Well Saturday was FUN! It started with "Black Bag Day" at 35th Ave Sew& Vac. (this is my favorite Quilt shop) SOOO I picked up my mom and headed over there where we got some smokin hot deals and I found some fabric that I plan on putting on a layout pretty soon! (Joni's challenge over at Personal Scrapper). OH and an adorable doggie quilt that I am going to cut and start putting together this week.. tooo stinkin cute....
After that my mom and I went down to the state fair where we were demonstrators for quilting. I was hand quilting. (cause I am insane) and my mom was doing red work for a quilt. Our friend Faye was machine quilting. We had a lot of fun once we settled into it. I still don't like fairs, but I conquered my fear of fairs and went! SO hooo-raahhh! We hiked back to our car and headed home and I turned around and headed to softball.

HERE IS THE FUNNY STORY OF THE WEEKEND:
So we are at softball... playing a good team... Im up 2 outs, and I am feeling the pressure.(did I mention I don't like to lose?) I am being good and waiting on the ball before I swing.. Crack.. I hit it and take off running to first... well the ball I hit went right back to the pitcher who then decides he is going to run and "TAG" me out so I try to avoid the tag and he makes the tag, and I lose my balance, take 3-4 steps almost right myself just in time to TRIP OVER THE FIRST BASE BAG... AND GO FACE FIRST INTO THE DIRT..... WOW!!! I was down before I even knew what had happened... SOOOO I get up, I did not want to cry... so me being me.. made a joke... I look over at the first base coach (Steve) and say..."well I guess I will have to wash my shirt for sure this week" (I was covered with red dirt... everywhere...even in my bra) So I walked back to get my glove and I was proud becasue I DID NOT CRY I wanted to cause it hurt but I didn't

So now it is Sunday. I just finished 2 more layouts for Personal scrapper online crop. Our
message at church was wonderful this morning, I had guitar today and kind of had a break through on the G/ D and Am/ Em chord transitions. SO now, I am off to do a little Bible study.. Oh and I got to talk to Joni on the phone today... all and all it has been a busy but very pleasurable day... OH did I mention too... next SUNDAY I will be at Gammage viewing
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA... one of my life goals will be fulfilled on Nov. 1st unless Jesus comes.. in which case I am sure I will not care that I missed it! I am soo fired up about that

Fun Fabulous Friday

OK so Joni and I are scrappin together today! I am happy to tell you we are headed to the new LSS to give her a go. The gal that runs this store (Crafters Retreat) has a nice big room for us to scrap in and if you spend $5 you can scrap for free (otherwise it is just $5) anyway... I am excited, it has been a while since I was able to scrap at a store. I guess I just never felt welcome at the other stores. I love cropping at stores because I get an excuse to just focus on scrapbooking. I also will be down at the State Fair Grounds this weekend (Saturday) helping my mom with some quilting stuff. I will actually be hand quilting at the fair. I am a beginning hand quilter so I suppose I will defer most questions to my mom. I just know it is a great way to show people that quilting is still very much alive and well.

I hope to take a few photos to share with you all later. Again... someday I will get my quilt tops photographed and share with them with you. SOOOo I am waiting for my son to call and tell me to pick him up from school (he had a Volleyball Pizza Party today) and then I am headed over to the Craft Retreat!

Hope to have some fun layouts to share after today! I am working hard on my challenges from Personal Scrapper.

IF YOU HAVE NOT APPLIED, HURRY.. PRACTICAL SCRAPPER IS HAVING A DESIGN TEAM CALL.. RUN OVER THERE AND GET IN THE GAME!

HOW did it get to be Wednesday?!!?

Ok so here we are.. middle of the week already. I feel like time is flying by! Before we know it, Christmas will have come and gone. Well, today was a nice day. I went to my Bible Study got to see my mom and grabbed a snack out with my wonderful husband. We like to just go and sit and talk sometimes. When I got home, I ran onto the computer checked some of the challenges over at Personal Scrapper and realized I was getting behind. SO I made this layout today and I love the paper so I of course love the layout. I also love the subject... my sweet Bradley Bear!

Speaking of cool stuff... I was over at Practial Scrapper today and man some of the samples are aaaaaammmmmaaaaaazzzzzing.. like Joni's I am so in love with it.. Kim had great work too! As I have said and continue to say... head over there... check it out... I mean it... ;o)

One more thing, they are having a give away at Cosmo Cricket blog... follow the link on my page in the Favorite Places Online and all ya gotta do is leave a comment.. Good luck!

xoxox

e

Office Supplies Challenge - Practial Scrapper

I had this idea pop in my head the moment I read the challenge.. I went to my scrapbook room and sat down to do Bible Study, but I could not concentrate until this was out of my noggin! SO I am soooooo happy that Practical Scrapper had this challenge.. I used both BRADS and paperclips to make my little burst... or flowers, whatever I just love how it turned out! It is super simple and I have decided I am a simple scrapper! I adore the clean look of simple scrapbooking

Personal Scrapper - Croptoberfest

OK so all weekend I worked on stuff.. this is the only layout I got done! Sad!!! I have a ton of ideas running around up there but here is the "Thanksgiving/Food" Layout I got done for Personal Scrapper!

I loved the antipasta salad and I told Dave, that I was goning to scrapbook it because it was sooo yummy.. I am glad I did! Thanks for the challenge Personal Scrapper!

New thoughts for this Monday

Well I kept away from the boards this weekend.. and it was hard. I am just a chatty person and there are a lot of NICE ladies over at Practical Scrappers PLUS... JONI MADE THE DESIGN TEAM>.. HUGE props Joni! SOooo happy for you! I love that Joni is on the Team!! I am just hangin' I am sure they had a hard time picking new members.

ANYWAY!!! If you were at the crop on Saturday and are wondering which link it is just remember when you click on the "Practical Scrappers" link it will take you to the BLOG that is where the challenges are posted every week and if you want to come chat with me or any of the girls over at the Discussion Forum, just look at the very top of the blog in RED letters, on the Left hand side just below the banner and there is a link to the forums... just pop over and become a member and let the fun roll..

I am there often during the day so come and play. I just once to just give Joni Props ONE more time... I am soo happy you were chosen for the DT... I know you will love it!

Just Thinking

Well I have been hanging out at Practical Scrappers a lot.... I get the feeling I may have overwhelmed the boards so I am gonna lay off for a few days... I think I am gonna spend a little time over at Personal Scrapper. They have a great crop going on right now.... I am excited to see Practical Scrappers growing sooo much and I get too excited often times, I want to just find a nice place to chill and make friends online... so I am gonna scoot for a few days! I have a crop tomorrow and I have been blessed this week, my wonderful hubby said I can get a few supplies I have been "wanting" ---not needing... so I am gonna do a little shoppin and have some fun on the fly making some cards and layouts! I will be really busy on Sunday (I have church for 2 services, guitar, training for Sunday Night EZ Worship) I will be tired so perhaps Monday I will have time to upload some images of layouts and what nots over the weekend... I keep promising my friend Kim Kesti that I will post some photos of my quilts, so maybe Monday I can do a photo shoot and get all those promised photos up too!

Think Pink!

OK so if you don't know this already... I have found a very happy blog... Practical Scrappers. I love the challenges so far and seriously if you have not gone there.. do it.. then on the very top of the blog there is a "visit our message board" OH go there.. it is hoppin... great threads and ideas sooooo move it already... here is the link http://www.practicalscrappers.com/ anyway.. today is a due date for Think Pink Here is a card I made especially for October.... As always have a blessed day!

xoxoxo

e

Amazing You.. my sister Heidi Lee!

Ok so I have been trying to get someone to send me a photo that she likes so instead she just gave me all her photos and said, pick one.. so I did... This layout is for the "someone you admire" challenge over at Personal Scrapper! This is my sister, and I scrapped just one of the many reasons I admired her. If I tried to put them all in one layout, there would be really tiny writing like 2 pt. and no picture because the entire layout 12x12 (which would have to be a 2 page layout) would just be writing... in bullets... there is seriously that much.. Ok so heeeeeeerrrrreeee is Heidi!

Practical Scrapper Challenge

Ok so here is my Practical Scrappers challenge for this week. It was die (laser) cut paper I was not sure how much I loved this one but the more I look at it the more I like it. I used the Lime Rickey behind the laser paper because I thought it looked kind of like doodles on coloring page. I don't know how to describe it. I took a close up hoping that you can see the concept. I loved this weeks challenge because it streched me... Thank you to the gals at Practical Scrappers for the challenge!

giraffe grub

One more for Personal Scrapper.... it was a bingo challenge I got... two colors of cardstock (brown and Kraft) handwritting or doodle, inked edges and 3or more brads.. so this is the result. I love this layout mostly because I love the memory that goes with it...So below is a view of the cool trim I got at convention and in the other detail photo it was so cool I found these Makin Memories brads that were like fuzzy it totally brought the textures together..

A lucky day for kids in AZ

OK another post for a layout for Personal Scrappers Croptoberfest. This challenge was use the word lucky in a title... SO this was the day some friends of ours brought snow for the kids to play in from Flagstaff to Phoenix... IT was sooo sweet of them and a memory we all treasure. Its not every day you get to use snow stuff in Arizona so this was a lot of fun for me.....

Name layout

OK so here is a challenge from the Personal Scrapper Croptoberfest.. it was names... so here is one about my sweet Jasmine....

My poor fingers

I have just returned home from my gituar lesson. I can't stop playing. I have had two lessons and I know D chord, G cord, C cord and an Em cord, I can actally play a song.. well sort of. Iam still learning how to change from one chord to another. It will get better they say...

Well I have not had time to upload my layouts from this weekend so far. BUT tomorrow is a day off for the kiddos so I will be able to scrap more tomorrow and then I will photograph my layouts and post hopefully tomorrow...

That REMINDS ME... tomorrow starts a new challenge week for Practical Scrapper... so get off your duff and get scrappin! Join me over at http://www.practicalscrappers.com/ for this weeks challenge. Don't for get http://www.personalscrapper.com/ for a fun online crop we are doing called Croptoberfest it is a LOAD challenge.. (LayOut A Day) Such good challenges. Some of the members come up with challenges and we finish them and upload you don't have to do one each day, but there is a challenge for each day... Like you can do 4 layouts then upload.. did I make that clear as mud? Just hop over there and check out the "Croptoberfest" board, it will explain it well!

Well hopefully more photos tomorrow!

Happy Saturday!

Well my friends... Saturday is finally here! I love Saturday because it is the day that you can be chill... So the last two weeks have been busy Saturdays but today... ahhhhhh not so much! I began by sleeping in ---what!?!-- what does sleeping in mean you ask? Well, it means I did not get out of bed before 7:00am which is great! Then I spent a little time tidying up my room and the downstairs, then I came into the office and checked blogs, sites and what nots and now at 10am I am blogging. THAT is a great Saturday! The only thing that will make it better is my Bible study, scrapbooking and practicing for my gituar lesson (on Sunday) OH and I will be able to do all of those hahahaha!!!!

On the thought of gituar, wow my fingers and wrist are killing me! I just started lessons last week and I have been practicing pretty much every day for like 15 minutes 3-4 times a day (mostly because my fingers can't go too long because of the pain) So any of you play? How long until this goes away? I keep practicing, in fact, I practiced until my fingers literally bled! The good news is I can go from a D chord to a G chord almost without looking.. I mean sometime I can do it and not look but from the G to the D I still have to check my fingering...

OK enough about that. I am off to enjoy my Saturday! I will post photos of the layouts I get done, if any! I have a lot to post for Personal Scrapper this week. I don't know what the challenge is for Practical Scrapper until Monday. OH I didn't win the deco-edge challenge but congrats to the winner.. she did use her scissors much more than I did.. it was a really cute layout. Here is Sheri's layout for you to look out.... http://scrap4thememories.blogspot.com/
Go give her a shout at Practical Scrapper too!

I hope you are having a great Saturday too!

xoxoxo
e

Ciricut Cartirages are hoppin!

SO I was reading over at the Practical Scrapper Board that people really love the cricuts and they have the cartirages on long wishlist. I know sometimes you can get a smokin' deal at Michaels or whatever... but I have stumbled onto a site that maybe a good thing for the circut and Sizzix diecut families... They also have great prices on a lot of stuff... and becasue I can... I am gonna give you the link to the site... so here it is, the name of the store is Hallmark Scrapbooking.com... check them out..

http://www.hallmarkscrapbook.com/

again they have the circut cartirages as cheap as I have ever seen consistantly cheap! SO give it a whirl if you have a need..OH join the email list and you get told before they go on sale even more inexpensive then before...sometimes you can get some sweet deals!

Have a blessed day friends
xoxox
e

One last layout

Here is the last layout I did. It was for Personal Scrapper and it was for the Croptoberfest.

OH before I go... I was over at the Cosmo Cricket web..(ohhh big shock huh?) well they had a kit club on the site and I went and checked it out.. I can tell you this. I LOVE the "tree" card I saw over there and it is a $25 a month kit and it looked pretty cool. So go check it out... I did. The web site is...(http://www.torendi.net/torendi/home.html I am going to set it on my "Places I go Online"links under cool new kit club I told you about...) so you can always come back and find the link.. Have a blessed day

xoxoxo----e

Dude seriously

OK so last night I finished up some serious scrappin.. while I was doing this feat of amazing happiness I decided that I really really love challenge! here is the fruit of my laboor

1.finding fall--one post below for PRACTICAL SCRAPPER

2. a little piece of home... I did this one just for the fun of it!

3. weekend riders a layout I did for PERSONAL SCRAPPERS -croptober fest. I really liked this one and I am glad they put this as a challenge. the final layout I will put in a different post because it has detail photos. Have a blessed day!

xoxoxo

e

Practical Scrapper Layout for "deco edge scissor" challenge

OK well how much fun was this... I have decided to revisit my deco edge scissors more often! What fun I had and the deco edge added just the right... touch. Thanks for looking! Have a blessed day!

I also really liked using them to separate the photos in this layout. It was almost like using ric-rac. Pinking edge, I believe, are going to be used more often.

I also got to use my new Personal Scrapper Kit that came today.. whoo-hoo it is fun stuff... ALSO my friend Joni, is the guest designer and 3 of her layouts made it on the "sample" layouts they send each month. She made 11 layouts for them so pop over and look at Joni's work! She is awesome...I will take a better photo tomorrow and then you can see the details better, I just wanted to get it up so I don't miss the deadline. (I don't know when that is... so I just figured.. do it NOW!)

BETTER PHOTO POSTED with a few details added so you can see if you are interested

In the first photo I am just showing the deco-edge better. In the second, you can see the "what a hoot" embellishment has been raised to give more depth to the layout. I really like this look, especially in person!

The thrid photo was fun. I needed to separate the two photos and I thought ric rac.. then I rememebers.. deco edge. SO I used it in place of ric-rac. I love how it turned out...

Monday, monday...la la laaa la la la

WELL~ yesterday was my big sisters birthday! WHOOO-HOOOO Happy Birthday sista! I actually got to talk to her! That was a surprise when she answered her phone! (She travels a lot and so I miss her most the time) So that was a pleasant surprise and then after my guitar lesson I got a BLAST from my past... My very best friend from High School (whom I lost contact with for 15 years) CALLED me out of the BLUE! SO Dave and I headed down to where they were staying so we could have a quick meeting.. I missed her so much it was so cool to see her agian... she looks just like she did in high school.. We spent some time catching up and I am truly amazed by her strength...

ANYway. Like I said I went to the convention. Saw a lot of people that I had not seen in a while and happily was able to see some people that were a big part of my life when I was traveling with the conventions... It was great. I had not seen Stacy Krunger for so long and we got a big hug in as I was coming into the convention. She is soo sweet! and McKayla Leigh Ann and KimK... I just love them all. Bless their hearts they are all still plugging away. I found out that Darcy was there but I missed her which was sad!

Well I did a few layouts for Personal Scrapper and I am headed over to Practical scrapper to see what this weeks challenge is... so off I go... post more later.. HEY come on over and join us on Practial or Personal Scrapper, there seems to always be something to encourage you to scrap or at least get you a jump start...you can also head over to PageMaps for a good starting point too!

Have a blessed day
xoxoxoxoxox
e

Last one for the night. This is the first day of the Croptoberfest over at Personal Scrapper. I was going to wait and photograph it in the morning then looking over my post about this weekend I realized... when... so here it is not the best photo of a layout, but perhaps next week I will re-do the photo, however this works for now!

Good night friends... have a blessed weekend!

xoxoxo

e

new layouts

So I had this thought about a layout. I started doing this for the Personal Scrapper October Online Crop. This is the "doubles" layout, and when I completed it I said to myself.. "self, this is a good layout to enter in to the CKC layout contest... you should enter it!" So I suppose I killed two birds with one stone! LOL.. I love it when that happens.. So I am going to use this layout for both. OH I also had inspiration from Practial Scrappers use transparencies challenge. This layout was a lot of fun for me too.

So this is a birthday card I made for the PaperCrafts contest at the CKC Convention. I figured if I entered one may as well enter both. I like to make cards. I love looking at them even more. I suppose if I actually sent them to people that would be the best.. LOL No, I have gotten a lot better at sending the cards I make. I just tell myself..."self, you took a picture of it, if you want to make another one you can. " I talk to myself A LOT... perhaps I should be worried..

Anyway, this card was actually inspired by a new toy I purchased. I have a DYMO labeler, but I saw one at Michaels that had different types and different color labels and I have been eyeing it for a while, but I had the 40% off and figured, ahhh why not. So I got it home ripped open the package and began to make this card. I like how it turned out it is not too birthdayish so it could be re-arranged to say... "hello friend" or "thank you friend" "thinking of you " or whatever you get the idea. I like cards that are like that. Design simple enough that you can change it up...

OK well I have to go finish my other layout for the Personal Scrapper site from day one. It is almost done, but I can't photograph it tonight so it will be a little bit coming.

Have a blessed night
xoxoxox
e

LET the scrappin begin....

OK so this weekend is a bit crazy and it starts right NOW!
I just did my first layout challenge for Practical Scrapper (www.practicalscrapper.com) and I decided it has been a while since I was on a design team so I went ahead and signed up for a shot. So make sure you keep popping over there and here to see whats going on. I love the idea of using what you have in unique ways. (Joni should go for the DT she is SOOO good at that) OH that reminds me if you are wanting to try-out, jump on it.. shoot over to the site and check it out.
I am doing another online crop with Personal Scrapper (www.personalscrapper.com) and anyone can do it so GO and JOIN UP! OH geez What fun.. OH yeah.. Card Making day is this weekend
So we should all make some cards too! --a note... I seem to be drawen to sites that that are "PS" sites.. so now that I am loving both these sites, I will need to write them out... Practical Scrapper or Personal Scrapper.. NO MORE PS.. LOL just made me laugh.

I also will be going to the CK convention this weekend. I had a thought when I read the "layout" challenge for the convention and I thought.. ahhh if I have time I will do it... I think I will so I am going to see if I can turn out something that I like and enter it. I have not entered a contest in sooo long.
I also have a class I am teaching in the month of November, but I need to prep the project so I can have it ready for the sign-ups in October.
I will be training for Media Ministry on Saturday (after the convention) at 4pm then I will play Softball at 8:15 --I'm gonna be tired!
Sunday I have church in the morning, then at 4pm guitar lessons at church and then I will be working in the Calvary Bookstore training until after service is over. I mean it busy busy busy. BUT I LOVE IT! BECAUSE....
1. I love scrapbooking, and I love challenges so I am able to do that
2. I love Joni and I get to spend time hangin out with my friend!
3. I love my church and I love that I have found a place I may fit in nicely at
4. I love softball and can't wait to see if my practice this week pays off at the plate - I have had BP every day this week trying to improve my hitting-- since I have never play softball before 3 weeks ago.. I am happy with my progress)
5. I love my pastors teachings and I love what he is teaching on..(gifts of the Spirit and the manifestations of those gifts)
6. I've always wanted to know how to play guitar and our chruch is teaching us for FREE -- which is rocking! (yet another blessing of my God my Provider)
7. I love books and I get to work in the church bookstore which is amazing! TOTALLY pumped about that...
8. I love having something to do!

So that is my busy upcoming weekend, so if I don't blog.. you will know why. I am going to take a camera with me to the convention to try and get a few photos of Joni and I being silly...

SOOOO I am off to create. Perhaps later I will have time to add my layouts.

Practical Scrapper Entry for challenge

Well it looks like Joni's little bug hit me too.. So here is a layout for the "transparency" challenge. I just figured out how to do this.... I have to link to my blog. I was looking for a gallery but then I went DUH that is whay Mr. Linky is there.. so here is my layout

HOW GREAT IS MY GOD?

He is beyond anything I can describe. I am often floored at His goodness. I have had two excellent Bible Studies this week and I have been basking in the glory of my King. Today, after a little mental break-down I realized that a little tug boat had been sent to get me off the roof... so I am blessed beyond measure today! God provided the finacial means that we needed! My daughters b-day is next week and I was not sure how we were going to be able to get her anything much less what she wanted.. THEN God provided. We have been having a hard time coming up with money for groceries this week. THEN God provided. We have been unsure how we would pay for our other daughters music lessons each week and THEN GOD PROVIDED! I sit here completely and utterly amazed at my KING and that HE heard my sobs last night and then touched my heart-- and sent blessing to us! I give all the glory for these provisions to GOD! HE IS LOVE! HE DOES LOVE AND I AM LOVED by HIM! I am still awestruck that HE answered my prayers so bountifully and graciously, with such clear understanding that HE is my PROVIDER... Thank you LORD Thank you!

ANOTHER shout out to GOD> Josiah is possibly going home with Mom and Dad tomorrow! WOW~ GOD IS GOOD!
Have a blessed Day! I have!
xoxoxoxoxox
e

Adding in another layout

So here is the weird layout I did last night while my family played "Risk" it was fun to listen to them play while I scrapped.. It doesn't look like much, but I was going back and forth over and over on this layout, then I just said.. forget it.. and went for it!

NEW from the desk!

So here are some of the layout I did for the online crop at Personal Scrapper! (http://www.personalscrapper.com/) So the first one... "Fall" I have renamed it "Ugly Fall Layout" because I hate it... I love the Baseball one because well I love the star I made and I am thinking I may put directions up because it was just simple masking but it was fun none the less and it may encourage all none of you that read my blog to do it. The "sandy shores" was a sketch by Carrie Postma of PaperTrunk (www.papertrunk.com) and also a design team member (may be former now that she is carrying a that paper trunk around --shes the owner) at Personal Scrapper.. Hey I just found her blog too.. here it is.. I am adding this one to my online stops... http://www.papertrunk.blogspot.com/ -- Go check it out.. there are some new letter stickers I am diggin on... anyway I am gonna go try and get another layout done while my Ham and Cheddar Muffins cook.. 45 minutes but mmm mmmm good!

xoxoxo

e

GIVE AWAY

OK so one of my favorite Scrapbook Companies is giving away the new line of paper... "nutmeg"
AND OH MY IT IS THE BOMB DIGGITY! I LOVE LOVE LOVE THE COLORS AND THE CRITTERS any way... the company is
Cosmo Cricket... Click on the link under "my favorites" (just over to the right of this post!) and leave a comment. OR follow this link http://cosmocricket.typepad.com/cosmo_cricket/2009/09/nutmeg-the-reveal.html#comment-6a01053717ab71970b0120a600c777970c to sign up for a chance to win!

GOOD LUCK!
xoxox
e

Joni Strikes again

Ok so here she is again.. winning more layout contest

Joni's newest win.. on Practial Scrapper again.. go check her out! I love this layout by the way...

http://practicalscrappers.blogspot.com/2009/09/felt-challenge-winners.html#comment-form

Monday Monday... La la Laaa la laaa laa

So it is Monday morning and it was a busy Sunday.

1. Went to church, Pastor Mark never ceases to amaze me. He is such a blessed teacher. We discussed the 5 "kinds" of faith. It was to say the least a great teaching. I truly enjoyed it. In case you are wondering, he is teaching on the Gifts of the Spirit and now we are tackling the manifestations of the gifts of the spirit, faith is this week. Next week will be gifts of healing. I bet my dad would like this one.

I also found out our regular worship leader (Ben) has had surgery and that is why he has been gone. I was concerned for him. He is doing better and should be back to us soon.

Last Tuesday, I joined the Media Team and I am thinking about hooking up in the bookstore for a few days a week as a volunteer. Dave said he may like to do HeBrews, so we are deciding what we would like to be involoved in. It is exciting to start developing friendships and knowing so many people at Calvary.

OH I have to sneak this information in about Saturday night. We played co-ed softball, while I did not do to well, JADE hit a bonafide double! It was so exciting. I was whooping and hollaring like it was me that hit it. We did win our game and currently sit at 3-0. We are having fun, but I get an upset tummy almost every game now. NERVES! I hate it, but I just want to do well and hate that I am not "good" at it.

2. I went to give blood found out I am iron defecient! So now I get to figure out why... it does explain why I have been so tired lately, but now I need to find out what to do about it. In case you don't know, taking iron supplements with out doctors approval can be dangerous, so I am going to try and do it naturally by eating iron rich foods.

3. Went to Joseph's birthday party, it was fun. What surprised me is when I said, "hey, whoever is going, let's go" My entire family + Casey (minus Ally who was already at a friends birthday-swim party) all got up and went... We had to take 2 cars. I thought that was really cool. I mean Joseph is 6. That just tells me how much my family loves Joni's family. It was heart-warming! The kids went and did not expect to "play" they just went to be with Joseph. Well when we got there they found out you're never too old to play at Pump It Up! so they went off and got to play. It was a great time! OH and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to JOSEPH!

4. Josiah... OK can this baby be any cuter? NO I don't think so... I have put a video that his mom and dad had up on their blog on the bottom of my blog. I can't make it on the side because I don't know how to shrink it down to fit it on the side of the entries. SO just scroll all the way down and enjoy the short clip of Josiha awake and lookin cute! I did get to talk to Daniel the other day and it looks like everything is going well. They may even get to take him home as early as the end of this week. He has surgery scheduled for today and if I get an update, I will for sure let you all know.

Scrappin... well I did a layout on Saturday, and I plan on doing a few today, so I will post those all at the same time. other than that I don't have a lot more to add...BUT we may be going to Sierra Vista to visit my grandfather, Joe. He is needing someone to just come in and love on him, who better then Dave and I! So we are probably gonna find a day and head that way.
Have a great Monday!

Saturday means...shopping, scrapping and softball

So Saturday means, shopping for groceries. (OUCH!) Scrapbooking a few layouts, and not to mention softball. We are playing the team that won the tournament last year tonight.




On to more fun things scrapbooking. I am posting a few of my layouts from last night. I did the one with my mom and the one with Joseph last night. I like the one of Joesph because of the photos and the one of my mom because of the colors. I also did a card. So what prompted two layouts and a card in one night? There are some really good challenges up at Personal Scrapper (www.personalscrapper.com) thanks to Erica and the DT I am having fun.

We play ball early tonight so I may try and sneak in a few more layouts today. But for now.. here are my layouts.

I love the one of Joseph. He is such a cute little monkey. I was so blessed to have him at our house this summer. He really enjoyed having pie with Brad & I after we went to the science center...does it show? LOL

This is the card. I was thinking of giving it to my son's volleyball coach whom is also his science teacher.

PS Sorry I am so scatter-brained, I am just multi-taking right now. I will write more when I can think straight!

Learning How to post slideshows... good times

I found a way to add the slideshows! This site http://www.slide.com/ could not have made it any easier. Of course I was so excited to get it up that I failed to see that I could add music to it too! That was even cooler. So my next slideshow will have music unless I can figure out how to edit this one. Oh if you want to find like a certain song or artist, DON'T use the genres buttons, type in like "Casting Crowns" in the "search" portion and then you will get tons of stuff and even videos that I think I know how to load now. This is fun blogging. I am going to have to take some photos of my quilts that I made the last few weeks and post them too! Ok I need to get some work done and some Scrappin! One of my favorite sites is having an online crop... check it out at http://www.personalscrapper.com/ -- go to the fourms and find the "Fall Crop". I may even pick one of my favorites of the posted layouts and send a prize from ME!

OK I learned how to put a playlist together, so I have stuck it at the bottom of my page... so I don't need to add music! I am just having tooo much fun!

Also today, my little grand nephew is doing better. He came out of surgery well and everything is looking better for him. He still has a long road ahead of him and I beg that you keep praying for him. He is so beautiful, and I hope that I will have a photo of him soon to put up on the blog. So another photo for ya is this on of Dave and I on our second honeymoon in San Diego. I loved this trip. We had so much fun. We cycled all over. This is a photo Dave took of us shooting back on Downtown San Diego from Coranado Island. We rode our bikes from Downtown to Coranado via the Silver Strand and this was us about to board the ferry to go back over to the city.

NOW for more fun stuff.....

OK so my very best friend Joni won a contest on a site called "practical scrapper" http://practicalscrappers.blogspot.com/2009/09/letter-sticker-challenge-winners.html


I loved the layout she did so I am going to give you the link. I loved the layout and I love her. So enjoy the site and enjoy her super uber cute idea for using leftovers.

Have a blessed day
e

Day One

So here I am starting a new blog. What fun! I am going to try and actually do this right. I know some people are rockin at blogging. I however am not. I have another site, but it is hard to get to. It is more for just family to see photos on. THIS however is my little spot to share what ever is on my mind. To just write, share scrapbooking/quilting stuff or ideas. So today I will add one of my scrapbook layouts most have seen it but here it is... This is a layout that I like because Allison took the photos and I scrapbooked the layout. I loved that big chess set at the resort we went to in Idaho. It was a great trip and I am still scrapbooking it two years later. This has been done for a while and I just wanted to test my posting abilities. So I have a bunch of stuff I will try to get up over the next few days.