Creative Mayhem

2012 Creative Goals and Such

2012-01-02T01:09:00.002-06:00

Bring out the party hats. I finished the 2012 Project Life in the nick of time. If a month ago you would have asked if I would even finish, I would have said not a chance in purgatory. I was months behind, burned out and doing it wrong according to the laws of Becky Higgins and other PL do-ers. But in the last month I pushed myself, got over my feeling that doing it the way I was doing it was wrong and I caught up. On January 1, 2012 at approximately 2:00AM, I completed the December 31 layout. Quite a feat as I had been partaking in a few cocktails and attempting the worm dance a few hours earlier. Note to all: If one is over the age of 35, it's safe to say one is too old and out of shape to do the worm dance. And to be truthful I was videoing the worm dancing. I never could do that dance. Even when I was 18 and in relatively good shape.

My other project was the December Daily. I'm behind, but back at it. I'm currently up to Day 10. I hope to finish by next weekend.Here's the most recent one I photographed. Seriously proud of this one. It's like I revisited my earlier years' sticker sneeze layouts and reconfigured it for 2011 by using brads. Ummm....I'm being sarcastic. Not too impressed with this one, but it is done and I'm not re-doing. Call me stubborn.

So with all the positive advance in the 2011 projects, I got cocky and said let's set goals for 2012. What was I thinking? So creatively for 2012 I will be:

Doing Project Life again. My way or Becky's way. I'm already a day behind. HA!
Not doing a December Daily. This will probably change on November 30th.
Continuing with the Photo A Day. This will be year 4. It's no longer a challenge. It's just life. But I would like to challenge myself to use my iPhone less and "real" camera more.

Here's the photo(s) for Day 1:

For being nine years old she is so mature. She knows the ins and outs of Caribou; Is able to wear a messenger bag with ease. When I was her age I was still making mud pies and wearing fuzzy footed pajamas with a flap in the back.

She's mature and yet....still nine years old. :o)

I on the other hang am immature. Grrrrrr.....Happy 2012!

A Summarized December Recap

2011-12-26T01:43:00.000-06:00

We began December with the intent that baking cookies at the beginning of the month would give us treats to give the whole month long. Right. Nice dream. They were gone by the end of the night.

Worked on the December Daily and made it to day 6. Woohoo!?

Dumped a box of ornaments into the three tier stand and called it a day.

Finally, made something found on Pinterest. Print and frame. My kind of decoration making.

Went on a tree search after vowing not to go on a tree search.

Brought home a tree from that tree search after vowing not to bring home a tree. Couldn't resist the pleading in those eyes. Not Emily's. My mom's.

Located 1950's Elf on the Shelf in my basement. He's related to Chuckie. Not sure what happened to his hands. I don't dare ask.

Visited Caribou and Starbucks an average of 2.4 times per week. The addiction to hot chocolate is raging on.

Had a Bake-A-Palooza with Jenny. Made a lot of butt widening treats. Diet begins January 1.

This is Murphy, aka the Taste Tester. He's not mine, therefore, why he was taste tester as I wouldn't have to clean up anything later in the day.

Bought cupcakes at a place called Cupcake for my sister's birthday. They sure know how to make cupcakes and it's a good thing otherwise naming their cafe that would have been asinine.

The Cupcake cupcakes. I ate the coconut one. I'll go back for more, but this time I will not follow the google map directions. Ending up by a dumpster in a back alley in downtown Minneapolis = once is enough.

Squeaked out a few Christmas cards right in time. Wrote nothing personal on them. To the recipients reading here: I love you and thank you for being my friend. I mean putting up with me is he....ck. Kisses and hugs. To those that didn't get a card, I love you, too. The sentiment is the same. I just ran out of patience in making the cards.

Shopped at Anthropologie. Everything I bought was for me. Although I didn't intend that to happen, it doesn't sadden me.

She's a believer and is afraid of Santa. Not the best kind of combination. So we visited a metal one at Pier 1. Later she wrote a letter to Santa and super sealed it with duct tape, so no one could peek. She wouldn't tell anyone what she asked for and then the day before Christmas eve she told me. She asked for an elf. Sigh.

We decorated cookies. I didn't say we baked and decorated. We bought and decorated and forced the 14 year old to join in. Good times.

The 9 and 13 year old were completely into it. So was the 14 year old one mentioned previously. He just had to act like he wasn't. I'm onto his wily ways. Being moody = 14 years old. Poor kid having to follow the expected emotional roller coaster thrust upon him by society.

It's true. The older you get - the less decorating you need to do to feel fulfilled. Left = 9 year old. Middle = 14 year old. Right = 13 year old.

I made my first felt ornament. It's also my last.

She found the pickle during our Christmas Eve festivities. I saw her 14 year old brother see it five minutes prior to her finding it. It goes to show you that Christmas love inhabits every heart. Even the nonchalant gingerbread cookie decorating 14 year old heart.

Finally, we watched Charlie Brown. We had to. It's the law, especially when you live five minutes from where Charles Schulz grew up. Mostly we watch it, because Charlie Brown knows his stuff. Be kind. Have hope. Never give up. Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown. You're never a blockhead to me.

And that's my December recap. Sure we did more, but you get the picture.

The Weight of Words

2011-10-28T14:45:00.000-05:00

A layout about soccer that doesn't look like it's about soccer. I apologize for the bad photo.

I had a hard time getting up the energy to scrap this fall soccer season. The season has had it ups and downs. Nick was playing for his high school team and Emily for the community team. I could handle scrapping Emily's experience. I can't touch Nick's yet. I'm still at the point where egging and tp-ing a coach's home sounds like a great idea.

Emily started her first year at a higher level where she had to learn positions for the first time. It was a challenge and she seemed a little lost at times, but she will catch on with practice. She had great coaches that played the team fairly. You have to appreciate coaches that treat every player equally and build their confidence along the way. There was a bully on the team, but a hairy eyeball from me usually scared him into submission. Great...now I will be known as the chick that scares little boys. Let it be known that I only scare little bullies.

Now about Nick. Sigh. His coach started off the season by saying some disparaging remarks about Nick. He said it under his breath, but it was a windy day and sound traveled; Nick heard everything. Nick is a pleaser. He will listen and work hard; he will do everything you ask of him; he will try his best. He should be a coach's dream. He was having an off day and made errors during the practice. Nothing too serious, but it's hard to hear you are worthless. It basically killed his love of the game. I give him credit. He kept showing up for every practice and game. He wanted to go. He improved immensely, but the love of the game is gone and he doesn't recognize how good he has become. It was/is hard to see this happen. I wish people knew the impact of their comments, especially when it comes to kids. Life would be perfect, if everyone knew how much their words weighed.

Walking a Hamster

2011-09-10T14:28:00.000-05:00

This girl needs a dog. She's been begging for one for over a year. The only problem is she had a loaner dog for a day to see how it would work. She failed. Not totally. Just enough to say it's just not the right time. I mean saying your are going to scoop poop and doing it are two different things. It grossed her out. It grossed me out. That's a big part of having a dog in my opinion, so the timing is off. She did; however, pass the walking the dog test. She walked Loaner so much that when he went home he slept for two days. I think my friend was worried we killed him by exercise. Note to self: No more loaners. In all seriousness she will get her dog, but for now she has her hamster. How pathetic is that? But she tries to make the best of it. She loves that little ball of a rodent. Holds it incessantly. Feeds him. Rearranges his home to keep his life interesting. However, when I walked outside one day and saw her slowly walking behind him in his little rolling ball up the middle of the street, I just about wet my pants. The neighbors are now all on her side for getting a dog. She knows how to work it.

The layout was created using the August Studio Calico kit. I made a goal to use up the kit before September's arrived. I ended up "killing" July and August's kits in one month. Miracles do happen I guess. So in that way of thinking I guess it means that someday soon the girl will get her dog. I hope so.

High School Apprehension

2011-09-04T17:48:00.000-05:00

Let's be clear about the title of this blog post. It's my apprehension - not the boy's. So I'm going to vent. He seems so calm and well, not me. He's going to the high school I graduated from a million years ago. I vied for him to go there and while vying for it I could remember only the good. Months later and the closer we get to first day I am reminded of the bad - the cliques, jock hall, snowball fights in the hall..... Uhhh...wait. That was me and that was fun. His first years of school have been protective. He went to a small public charter school, which only went to eighth grade. Then he had a choice of other charter and public schools. The Jaguar school was chosen. It's so much larger than where he was and that is why I worry. He's quiet. I hope the school doesn't swallow him alive. In reality I know it won't, but for now I will worry. I will worry until he graduates and then I will continue to worry about his brother and sister. I hope with all this worrying I can forget to eat, because right now sitting at this computer this is the only plus I could see coming from my worry. That would make it totally worth it. So here's a layout I did to commemorate the moving on to high school. I have no idea how a photo of Nick with his head under the water came out being a tribute to high school starting, but here it is:

I really need to add wording under the title. I'm thinking of "But I will Have Trouble". For now I want him to keep thinking there is nothing to worry about. He's been playing soccer with the high school team all summer, so he has had a taste of being a Jaguar. Like I said...it's my apprehension. I refuse to let him know there is even a reason for apprehension. He can see the layout when he graduates. HA!

Pinterest Has Taken Over My Life

2011-08-27T23:28:00.000-05:00

It's true. Pinterest has taken over my life. If I'm not pinning, I am making stuff I have pinned. My last project was the balloon wreath shown above for Emily's birthday. She loved it so much I came home to find all 160 balloons in a pile. It seems when I said I made a wreath for her she thought it was FOR her. As in, YAY balloons. Oh well. Her birthday is now past and at least I got a few photos of the wreath intact. This one is my favorite. Now I know what the look on her face meant....go shopping, so I can rip this apart. Yep.

Gardening vs. Scrapping = Somethings Gotta Give

2011-07-29T23:31:00.000-05:00

Something gotta give and it has. For the summer scrapping is on the back burner. I have been in a frenetic battle with weeds that grow a foot a day and japanese beetles that reproduce in masses every day. I think I might be winning. So I feel comfortable showing a quick tour of my backyard.................

From my back door:

A scan to the left and surprisingly there's an algae free pool:

Further left shows a small garden that is a little out of hand with the ferns taking over, but for now it is acceptable:

Garden Path #1 has been weeded:

The lower hydrangea garden is looking ok.

In all honestly, not everything is perfect. The pond needs repair and the area needs weeding. My veggie garden should be filled with this:

But to find these you have to look through all of this:

Yeah.....the veggie garden is always a work in process. Ever since the slacker pool installers knocked down my retaining wall to make a ramp a couple of years ago. Last year I finally had the wall rebuilt and this was supposed to be the year of veggie redemption, but alas I fail. The area is too large and I need to make it smaller. Perhaps raised beds within this area. That won't happen until next year, so for now I will pretend the reason the veggies have not been over run with Japanese beetles is because the weeds are a protective barrier. Woohoo!

Outside of gardening E and I made the wreath below in under 15 minutes. Looks pretty cute on the door.

Like the 4th of July wreath in the last blog post, the idea for this came from Pinterest. Here's the link on how to make it: Drink Umbrella Wreath. Due to this project, E now walks around the house with an umbrella in everything she drinks. A sign of the future? Knowing her mom probably. Hmmmm....I better put that box of umbrellas under lock and key. ;o)

I hope you are having a fun summer full of weedless gardens! Thanks for stopping by.

{Almost} Wordless Wednesday

2011-06-22T16:20:00.000-05:00

Just a few words to keep with the wordless theme around blogland of late. I'm currently addicted to Pinterest. I spend too much time pinning and no time making. Until last night. Then I said enough was enough.

Here's the original idea.. Here's my pins on Pinterest.

The wreath was a pain in the behind, but I like. Happy Wednesday!

Project Life Update

2011-06-13T16:45:00.000-05:00

Someone should have warned me this was a bad idea. Project Life that is. I am currently two months behind on creating layouts. I no longer remember how to scrap anything larger than the size of my face, which as some might believe is NOT larger than a sheet of 8.5x11 cardstock. That would be my ego size. Kidding. Kind of. From making itty bitty layouts my scrap collection never diminishes. It (and I) will soon be documented on the new show, Scrap Hoarders. You'll recognize me as the client that refuses to let go of her collection of Paperkins and tells the therapist what he can do with his theory on my attachment to them. No one gets between me and my 'kins. Anyway, this is Denise as usual. Always a step behind. I'm really not complaining. Well, maybe I am, but in a "I love my adhesive" fetish kind of way. You love to hate it, but it sticks with you. Pun intended.

So here's some PL layouts, because Briana told me to update:

There you have it. I have to say I am a mildly sarcastic person. On this blog it really comes out a lot stronger than in real life. So in all seriousness, working on the PL has actually been a lot of fun. With it now being June I enjoyed photographing the ones above and seeing what happened a few months back. It's a nice reminder, especially since I have seemed to have hit the age when I can't remember what I did a minute ago. Yikes.

Project Life: Finishing January

2011-04-05T00:08:00.002-05:00

I knew when I bought that Martha Stewart blood drop border punch I would use if for something other than a forensic report. I did; however, think it would be more of a Halloween usage than one about winter, but it seems it can almost pass for icicles. Well, if you squint with one eye and yell Martha as you hold your head at a 45 degree angle. Just try it and see. I'll wait here. Yeah.....now that I have "weirded" out any new "blood "from reading this blog, let's get down to business. Project Life is still living. Albeit slow as stated in previous posts, but still happening. Here's the remainder of January:

I know.....how in the word do I keep up with this crazy life? I admit it's fairly hard, but I am super organized and have a staff of 300 - just like Martha. OK. Enough. let's end this. I do want to say one thing. While it seems that I only take photos of things I do with Emily, it's not true. Well, it is, but I can't help it and I am not showing favoritism. Nick and Jake are now teens and want nothing to do with me. Gasp. Sigh. Shock. Not even when I bribe them with food, money, XBoxes and promises that, if they are lucky, they can take care of me for the rest of their lives. I just don't get it. Who wouldn't want that?

Project Life: Week 3 out of 52.

2011-03-21T00:47:00.000-05:00

So in part 3 of Project Life we find Denise baking cookies, going to IKEA, hanging with the sister, getting quickly addicted to coke (I'm purposefully putting that in lower case so it seems more exciting), not surprisingly taking more self-portraits and surviving below zero weather dressed only in flip flops and a bikini. Yeah....I made the flip flops and bikini part up. Kind of made you want to flip right to the end of the layouts, didn't it? I mean Denise in a bikini?! How tantalizingly scary.

And in case you are worried...ha...I am kicking my coke habit. I have given up coke and have been clean for ten days and since we have brought it up, it totally stinks. Let me say that in 1903 Coke claimed that they no longer used cocaine as an ingredient in their soft drink. I'm not buying that for a minute. I am sure the secret recipe is comprised of 96% cocaine with a shot of meth and a shake or two of artificial flavoring. Why else would I get hand shakes every single time I drive past McDonald's? OK...I totally admit it may be due to my fear of clowns. But that story is for another time.

Thanks for stopping by!

Snow Queen

2011-03-07T09:03:00.000-06:00

Taking a bit of a break from the Project Life posts. I make it sound intentional and planned. Truth is I'm behind and need a day to put more together. I even went to a crop this weekend with the intention to get caught up. yep...I seem to have grand and unrealistic hopes and dreams. After all, I am only a month and week behind. I completed exactly one 4x6 - January 21. Nothing else. Cracks me up.

The layout below was done a month ago when I still liked snow and knew how to do 12x12 layouts. I have to somehow re-stamp the journaling over the stamped background as it faded. I'll do that as soon as I am caught up on my Project Life. HA! I have to say that this layout proves two things. One...I used my Silhouette machine and; two, I finally used one of those fancy pins. I know....it doesn't prove much, but I have wagers out there and it is time for those ~~suckers~~....ehh people to pay up. I'll take the payouts in large bills, if you don't mind.

Non scrap-wise I saw the movie, The King's Speech, yesterday. It was great. I hear my boy, Collin Firth, may be knighted due to his portrayal of the Queen's father. She loved it very much. I don't understand this knighting thing, but kudos to the soon to be Sir Firth. That sounds wrong. Does this mean he won't do movies, like Bridget Jones, anymore? That would be a travesty. Anyway....just go see it. If for nothing else than to see and hear a theater full of white hair (I went during senior time it seems) people laugh hilariously through a shocking slur of profanity. Only Collin Firth could get away with making prim and proper people laugh over a string of explicits that would normally raise them into a fury. Love that man.

Project Life. Week Two.

2011-03-02T00:24:00.000-06:00

Not sure if I mentioned it or not, but this is my life. Or I should say what I wish to document. There are parts not fit for public consumption. HA...I lie. There is no way to make this ordinary life sizzle with excitement. Well, there is, but it isn't legal. So anyway....let's keep this short and simple. This is week two:

Still no dancing men. To be honest, if there were dancing men, I sure wouldn't be taking photos of them with my iPhone. I would be hurriedly folding dollar bills into bow ties for the purpose of ....ummmm....tipping. Here's the instructions just in case you are in need of some fancy origami money or just want to amaze your kids, friends or local police department. There is always a wealth of information on this blog. Unfortunately, it isn't always needed or wanted. LOL Thanks for stopping by!

Europe or Bust without Me

2011-02-28T00:27:00.000-06:00

Does it even seem fair that a godson much younger than I would get to go to Europe before I have even set foot out of the country? I think not, but they - him and his girlfriend - didn't seem to care. They had just graduated from college a semester early. The time was now, so they left without a glance back and had a blast for two weeks. While gone, they emailed and posted photos on Facebook. I think mainly to taunt me. His mom had a great idea. She wanted to make a mini album for them and have it ready the day they arrived home. Did I mention she claims that she is not a scrapper? Well, a tiny bit of her is, but she is resisting. To keep her calm I call her an archivist. and put her in charge of cropping and printing photos. As of now, she has no idea that archivist means scrapbooker. HA! So we lived vicariously through their photos and made the following:

Lots of blank room for them to journal and add more photos. I could have made up stories, but that kind of goes against the law of being an archivist. They loved it. I used up lots of old supplies and got to spend a large amount of time with my friend. Scrapbooking has it's moments. This was one of the best.

Do You Need a Life to Do Project Life?

2011-02-21T01:15:00.000-06:00

Really...do you? Because so far, I am realizing my life during winter is far too depleted of dancing men and cabana boys. Sigh. Pretty mundane. Need proof? Well, when broken down, today consisted of three hours of shoveling snow, a bit over one hour driving through snow and approximately twelve hours of wishing and praying for a snow day. Exciting, right? Not really. Anyway...here is my Project Life layouts for week one. As usual, I am a step behind, but I keep on keeping on and that is all that matters. At least that is what I tell myself. Summer will definitely be more exciting when I bring out the cabana boys. The hiring process begins soon. Mmmmm.

I will admit I have no clue if I am even doing this as Becky intended the project to go. I read up on it minimally, but oh well. I just want to show my life and that is how I am doing it. It's for me and whoever gets a hold of my album after I am gone won't have a clue who Becky Higgins is or was and wouldn't care in the least anyway. Sorry Becky. Most people think scrappers are weirdos that like to sniff paper and glue. The proverbial paste eating nerds from elementary school. They're absolutely wrong. That is for sure, but there is no way to change their cro-magnon man way of thinking. My apologies to my family. HA! ;o)

Thanks for stopping by!

YOU ARE OUT OF THIS WORLD, VALENTINE!

2011-02-14T10:09:00.000-06:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope it is full of fun, love and peace.

And maybe a little bit of robotic dancing, too.

Notice I didn't say erotic dancing, but what ever floats your boat. ;o)

** Card idea is not my original creation. I saw it in a magazine a couple of months ago.

Unfortunately I don't remember which magazine and who the designer was.

I am thinking it might have been Scrapbooks Etc. Yikes!

Let's Put This to Bed.

2011-02-03T15:52:00.000-06:00

As promised, the remainder of my December Daily. I actually had this blog entry completed five days ago. I also thought I had posted it, but it seems that you have to hit the "publish post" button for others to see it. How long have I been blogging? Whatever...here it is now and that is all that matters.

I am elated the December Daily is done. Maybe I can now work on something else. It's crazy, but it seems at the age of "Yikes" I have attained a one track mind. When I was twenty I laughed at people displaying this trait. I am now the butt of my former younger self's joke. Lovely. Without further rambling....my December Daily:

Day 15: Office party. I see I forgot the journaling. It will say something like: everyone got food poisoning, except for me. Must have been the chili.

Day 16: Hidden Journaling under photo flap about trying to up the ante on wrapping presents and not waiting to the last minute to wrap. Basically a fail. I once again threw gifts into bags the last day.

Day 17: Shopping with my sister and Em. Usual trip to Southdale, minus sitting on Santa's lap. Em is a believer. A scaredy cat believer.

Day 18: My sister's birthday. Em and I used my sister's new gift to make birthday doughnuts. We had a doughnut machine growing up, so the gift was one of those gifts you give when you get old and want to revert back to childhood. It worked for the 30 seconds it took to scarf a few doughnuts. We are now back at old.

Day 19: Treats at Sonic. Is it wrong to sit at a car hop stall with your car running due to it being 15 degrees? Not sure this Sonic concept works well in frigid Minnesota. LOL

Day 20: More snow and nothing exciting going on. A side note: Those Studio Calico veneer circles are awesome. Wish I had more, like a thousand of them. I would stick them to a wall in my house. A great conversation art piece. Pretty sure the cost would be prohibitive to do a whole wall. Dang.

Day 21: Shopping for myself. As it should be. Not. I seem to be 10 again and giggle every time I take a photo of this scrapbook store's sign. Crap....

Day 22: More food....a stop at Caribou. I loved Starbucks salted caramel hot chocolate, but I have to say Caribou has better cups, especially for photographing them for scrap pages.

Day 23: Making ornaments with Jacky. Fun day. I could spend every day with him. Wish I could. It seems I may have gotten the scrapbook/crafty buddy I have always wanted. Well, at least for once a year.

Day 24: Christmas Eve. Yes, I forced every one of my guests to sport a blinking Rudolph nose. They wanted to eat and open presents, so basically they had no other option. I'm mean like that. ;o)

Day 25: Christmas Day Eve at my aunt and uncles. Don't even remind me about my losing at cards. It's hard to play seriously when there is a three year old under the table wanting to play hide and go seek with you. OK...I only lost $2, but still. ;o)

Day 26: Playing with new toys. I think there was a trip to Caribou, too. But it would have been too embarrassing to do another hot chocolate page.

Day 27: An ugly ugly ugly page. Filler page on making ornaments after Christmas was over and after that page was done realizing I had dropped gifts off at my friend's house, which deserved more importance than making after the fact ornaments.

Day 28: OK....never say never. Another Caribou page, because nothing else was happening and I found cool napkins. The Caribou designers are awesome. They have the best cups and napkins. I know...it will rip, but whatever. It's all about the moment.

Day 29: A trip to the Mall of America. I'm not crazy about this page. Too busy, but by this point I just wanted to get it done.

Day 30: Dave and Jack visit me at work. Yeehah!

Day 31: New Year's Eve. Fondue anyone? I forgot to list that we also broke into my sister's neighbor's house and pranked him. He was in Pittsburgh. We placed buckets all over his house, photographed it and then posted them on Facebook with a comment that all was being taken care of and not to worry. Anyone need a house sitter? Poor Doug. The year before we had tp-ed his truck and a month before that we left a duct taped girl on his front steps. That sounds kind of Criminal Mind-ish. She was alive and is a friend./honorary sister He liked it. He invited us in to pole dance. Life is good.

The End. Whew and thank God.

And as if this wasn't enough, I recently promised to do the Project Life challenge. A photo and tiny layout per day. HA HA HA. I am already a month behind.

Thanks for stopping by and making it through this long ramble. Especially thank you for putting up with my pole dancing talk. Yikes.

One Month Later.........

2011-01-26T14:36:00.000-06:00

...............she finishes. Unbelievable. I seemed to have finished something I have started. I mean completely. This is so unlike me. It almost calls for a celebration with chocolate. Well, I do that every day, so it really calls for something bigger like a trip to Mexico or a new house with a wing solely dedicated to the crafting of all those other unfinished projects. Yep...it is that awesome.

So today I post this:

and this weekend I will share the remaining pages left unseen. I know....you can hardly contain yourself. Me either. ;o)

December Daily 13 and 14

2010-12-20T02:46:00.002-06:00

As usual, I am sitting here a few days before Christmas and I have no idea what gifts I still need to get. The ones I did buy the day after Thanksgiving had been wrapped immediately, which seemed to be a good idea at the time. However, right now the only one I can remember is the one that continually barks every time I walk past it. So today I need to unwrap those gifts, minus the obnoxious fake barking dog, and make a list. Then re-wrap, hit the stores and get cracking, because a storm is blowing in and right after that another one is hitting. It's a good thing the storms are coming, because I work better under pressure and Mother Nature provides the best pressure known to man.

So this past weekend, while I should have been power shopping, I made a few more pages for my December Daily. I sure wish I was chock full of creativity this weekend, but it just wasn't happening. Oh well.

Day 13 - a comparison of a decked out house in my neighborhood to my house. While I don't want my house to look like a sticker sneeze of blow molds and air inflatables, I would like it to be a little more decked out than I did. Maybe half a sticker sneeze.

Day 14. On this day I met a friend to shop and have dinner at a new Mexican restaurant called Rojo. A dinner, which has haunted me ever since. Dang Sticky Rice...how I love you. Sigh. It was sweet and a bit spicy. Darn...I need that recipe and Google isn't meeting my needs in my quest. Sigh. We also shopped at Anthropologie. I love that store. Sure the clothing would only fit my left cheek, but the bowls, unique gifts and home decor has me squealing in glee.

And glee is what I will be squealing once I am done shopping. Then I can start on baking Christmas cookies. Mmmmm.

Hallmark Movies : BYOK (Bring Your Own Kleenex) and Suffer

2010-12-17T00:47:00.004-06:00

The Hallmark Channel is playing continuous Christmas movies and dang are they depressing. Why must every holiday movie rip your guts out and spit them out? I think I better turn the channel back to watching Billy the Exterminator or Southern Fried Stings. At least they leave you feeling jolly, if not a little grossed out and shocked.

Since I mentioned shock, I am still moving along on my December Daily.

Day 11 was supposed to be a day of going to see the Holidazzle parade. Unfortunately, it was canceled due to the storm. And so continued the weekend of shoveling.

Day 12 was another day of cancellations. The day was supposed to be the annual cookie Bake-A-Thon with my friend, but snow drifts in my driveway of 2-4 feet pretty much did that in. I shoveled instead. Yeehah.

If these cancellations keep happening, I will have the world's most boring December Daily. I mean...truly...how many photos of myself can I slap into a book without becoming narcisistic? Not that it worries me too much. I am pretty awesome. Pfft!

Let's change the subject.

Lauren has been hosting a Twelve Crafts of Christmas Past on her blog. A couple of days ago she posted about gift wrapping. I am usually a last minute throw it in a Target bag kind of wrapper. Deep down I strove to be Martha Stewart. Not really, but just a bit better than what I was doing. So surprising myself, I wrapped presents this week and with Lauren's posting in mind the above is what happened. With saying this, I have to say that I shopped for the first time at Anthropologie. If for nothing else, that store is worth buying something just for their boxes. The "Fay" Box above is their box with colorful additions by me. I cannot believe they don't charge for their boxes. I bought more than one item. I should have asked for more than one box. Duh. I was always a bit slow in figuring things out.

Well, time to go catch the ending of the Hallmark movie of the moment. I figured, if I sat through 1.5 hours of sadness and tears, I might as well catch the happy, tear-filled feel good ending. Dang...I am going to be ugly at work tomorrow with these puffy eyes. Maybe I will just go to bed.

December Daily 9 and 10

2010-12-15T10:39:00.001-06:00

-1 degree. That was the temperature as I drove to work yesterday. I don't mean to complain, but couldn't my forefathers have chosen a warmer place to set roots? I know I could up and move, but I think I have admitted previously that I am lazy. Packing up a room of scrap supplies is enough for a person to get assimilated once again to the frozen state that is Minnesota. I just want it known that in my next life I am going to live in Hawaii. Oh and I am going to be a size 5 even when eating all the sweets and fat I wish.

Speaking of sweet and fat, here's a couple more December Daily pages.

Day 9 Santa Claus is Coming to Town was on television. I grew up with the puppet stop action animatronic (or whatever you call them) holiday specials and whenever they are on my remote control stops working and forces me to watch it again. Brings back great memories, but it also makes me wonder why anyone would leave a baby outside of Bergermeister Meisterberger's house. Come on! He's a creep. Probably always has been and always will be. Do you really want to abandon your baby to a creep? I guess it worked out in the long run, but I think there was a bit of divine intervention helping out on that one. Thank goodness for Tanta Kringle. Whew!

Day 10 was the beginning of the snowstorm that hit Minnesota with a vengeance. Fearing being snowed in for months I had to run to Target to get nothing. This was all explained in the previous blog posting. What I didn't tell you is that upon leaving I stopped and stood in line for a Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. It was my turn to order and the 16 year old barista said she was closed. Now I have a decision to make. Do I cause a scene and point out I had been waiting for five minutes and stamp my feet at the unfairness? Do I point out she is closing five minutes early? Or do I say thanks for saving me the calories and the four bucks? A little of all. I didn't cause a scene, but I did give her the hairy eyeball as I left. Why not let her have it? I just don't know. I think deep down I knew Santa was watching. That tends to keep me from ripping out someone's eyeballs.

SNOMG 2010

2010-12-13T09:08:00.000-06:00

It was one heck of a weekend, which all began innocently.

You see...I doubted the TV morons/weather forecasters

when they enthusiastically and giddily said 24 inches.

After all, it's the only job that you can be wrong 90% of the time

and still remain employed. Bunch of yahoos.

As the hours went by,

it became clear that those morons might be right.

So I went to Target like the rest of the population

of the metro Twin Cities area,

because I needed nothing.

I left $70 later. Mostly spent on chocolate.

Then I went to bed and woke up the next day to lots of snow,

which heavily continued to fall for hours.

And hours.

I shoveled.

And shoveled.

Then gave up and went to bed.

Woke up the next day to find I was the

last survivor of SNOMG (Snow My God) 2010.

And that is when the fun started.

I started shoveling again.

Don't be jealous.

I finally got halfway down my sidewalk and that was it.

All my energy was zapped, so I walked

through 3' drifts to get to my garage

to sit and ponder my existence.

And from inside this is what I saw.

My driveway is about 30 feet long and a double wide.

I realized my current (and future) existence was crappy
and full of snow.

I decided that perhaps becoming homebound until May
wasn't such a bad thing.

OK...in all seriousness it was a calm and peaceful weekend.
All my plans were canceled over the weekend due to the storm.
No Holidazzle Parade. No Cookie Bake-A-Thon.
No seeing my Godson's band at the Fine Line.
But there was time to watch TV and scrap. Here are the results:

December Daily Day 7.

The day I was planning the cookies

for the Bake-A-Thon that never transpired.

December Daily Page 8.

A layout on what holiday themed books I am reading.

I lead such an exciting life.

Basically, I could have summarized this whole blog
entry into a few words.
SNOMG...the weather forecasters
were right for once and I scrapped.
But what fun would that be? ;o)

What's KayJewelers Have to Do With Anything???

2010-12-10T01:47:00.000-06:00

Not that this has anything to do with anything, but just for the record I have to admit that the Kay Jewelers commercial for the holidays drives me insane. Enter man and woman in a house on a stormy night. Big clap of thunder and the woman fearfully turns into the arms of Mr. Macho and he says Don't be afraid I will always be here. What a sexist...stupid, poorly acted ad. I love thunder storms. The louder the better. It is clear Mr. Macho and I would conflict. Don't get me wrong. I'll take the diamonds, but I plan on oo-ing and ahhing at the lightning, while comforting one of my cabana boys.

Now snow storms are a different story. Not really. But I needed a transition.

I am rolling along on my December Daily. Not quite up to date, but not too far behind that I feel the stabs of wanting to give up and take up golf or some other form of strenuous exercise. Whew!

First up is Day 5 where my sister, family and I went to a tree farm to get our trees. Yes, a farm without any cows as I mentioned in my last post. Sadly, no cows, but lots of options for trees. Great time. The rub-on on this page cracks me up. Obviously the designer does not live in a cold climate, because when you are cold and shivering there is no way you can add in a letter U when saying BRRRRRRRR. That U makes me love this rub on.

Day 6 is about "cranky, complaining about everything tonight" me. This day I wore my brand new green scarf and realized I am going overboard on shopping the sales for everyone, but mostly me. The journaling mentions that I bought both a Cricut and a Silhouette. For the record I bought a Silhouette and then was presented with someone doing a favor for me by picking up a Cricut that probably fell off a truck. Kidding, but what a deal! Yay Fay! $100 for a Cricut and I didn't have to wait in line at Menard's three hours before opening, fighting hoards of crafters for 15 units? Well, not a good comparison. Menards was charging approximately $150. HA...SCORE! Whoa...now there's undeniable proof that I am a hoarder. My mom has claimed the Cricut, so have no fear. Finally, I can rest easy as I know she has found something to keep her off the streets. Well, a good snow storm would do that, too, and one is blowing in today. I better find a man with Kay Jewelers' diamonds to comfort me. Hmmm...I am beginning to like that commercial.

December Daily 2010....Days 2, 3 and 4

2010-12-08T07:40:00.001-06:00

My dry sense of humor is often taken wrong, so I feel clarification is in order. Anything that you read on this blog that makes you even remotely wonder, if I am being serious, you can pretty much count on being crap. For those that emailed me threats in order to get me motivated on doing entries into my December Daily I thank you. From now on, you can just send me chocolate. It's kind of like a dangling carrot to a rabbit. It will get me to move. On second thought...either chocolate or a Silhouette will work. Let me know if you need my address.

With saying the above I did get a few more days completed in my book. Day 2 was Emily's school program. The poor girl worried the whole time that I was going to get up and dance once they started singing Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah. Little did she know I was actually waiting for Silver Bells to "bust a move." I'm not completely happy with this page. I tried to get to the concert early, so I could nab a nice color program that would match my pattern paper. Yeah, I know....most people do that to get the best seats. Not only did I get a neon "red" program, but I also sat in the nose bleed seats. Oh well...more leg room to dance the Hora.

Day 3 was about snow. Good thing it snowed, because I was sadly lacking on anything interesting happening that day. I was able to break out my orange shoes (as if they ever really get put away), go to work and get stuck in traffic for a two hour drive home. A drive that usually takes 15 minutes. But hey...it makes the December Daily interesting, so I sang along to the Christmas music radio station all the way home. Remember what I said about a dry sense of humor? Yeah...this would be a good example.

Journaling will be done on the green tag, if the typewriter ribbon I ordered ever arrives.

Day 4 was more celebration of snow. We headed to the park and went sliding. A total blast and let me tell you....the tree that tried to mangle me can take that. Game on, Tree! I plan on coming back next time with a chain saw. I put a photo of me after the wipe out on this page. I want it to go on record that I purposely only showed a quarter of me. I look like the freaking Pillsbury Dough Boy in my puffy, white jacket. I am sure the sales people at that store laughed their butts off seeing that jacket leaving in a bag. Sigh. At least it's warm and I have my orange shoes, if I ever get stuck in a snow bank.

So that is that about that. In a couple of days I will post a few more days. Day 5 is all about going to the tree farm. Speaking of which, I don't think you should be able to call yourself a farm when you do not own at least one cow, but I guess my opinion doesn't matter as the men just laughed and shook their heads upon my inquiry. Of course, I was wearing my "dough boy" suit, so the snickering could have been due to that.

You Have to be Kidding

2010-12-06T08:48:00.000-06:00

Yes, I wish I was kidding, but I tend to fold under peer pressure and when others are doing a December Daily I must follow suit. So in reality I am not kidding. This will be the third attempt at creating a December Daily album. The first year - 2008 - I made it to December 26. I consider this a success. I failed miserably on 2009 and made it to day ten. It sure is pretty though. I realized I never blogged or even photographed it. HA...it truly did do me in. So this is year three and I am up to date. Kind of.

This is the cover. Color scheme is lime-ish green, red and teal-ish blue and maybe orange. I don't know why orange. I just have to throw in a wrench every now and then. The other day I was texting with Mandie and decided I did such a great job of keeping the Paperkin name out there and not allowing it to fall away into oblivion. LOL...really? Anyway....due to this, I have declared myself to be the press agent for reindeer. We've had owl, bird and butterfly trends in scrapbooking. It's time to spread the love beyond the winged. Think Reindeer people! It is their time to shine. Amen and Alleluia!

Day One is based on my sister and I shopping at a local gift store/plant nursery. Bachman's is an amazing place in summer. Surrounded by gorgeous sights and smells of flowers and garden goods, but in winter it is just as amazing. However, think red, green, neon lights and lots of tchotchkes. Best of all, there is always some huge winter display to make my sister pose by. One year I made her snuggle with an ugly elf and boy did she snuggle. This year I made her kiss a snowman, but we got the stink eye from a tour of blue hairs. Thought they were mad at us for touching the display. No, we were in their way of hugging Mr. Balls. You gotta watch out for old ladies. You never know how they will swing.

So that's that. Please send good thoughts my way that I get further than day 1. If you come back in a couple of days and don't see at least day 2, track me down and give me a swift kick in the creative patootie. I thank you in advance. I think.

Sigh.............Failure.

2010-11-15T11:00:00.000-06:00

Failure. That about says it. I know hard to believe that someone as swell as me could even get close to being a failure, but alas it is true. Well, at least in terms of my goal to use up all the November Studio Calico kit before the December one arrives. We are about halfway through the time allotment and I have done one layout. ONE. Crap. I'm not totally to blame. Do you like how I conveniently shove the total blame off of me? Hold on. Watch this. You'll love the scapegoat. Here it comes....It's the weather's fault. Didn't see that coming, did you? So it snowed. A LOT. Well, a lot for the first snowfall of the season.

On top of it being the first snowfall, it was also sticky, which means excitement . Here's the equation:

Excitement + sticky = snow fun = snow man = no time to scrap. Oh well, scrapping is about photos, too.

So we built forts and snow families and even a snow dog, because everyone knows a well-rounded snow family needs a snow dog.

She attempted to bring the snow dog into the garage for the night. Has she not seen Frosty the Snowman a million times? What happens in the poinsettia greenhouse? Ugh. Thank goodness for Santa. I couldn't promise Santa could make a special trip to apply magical Christmas fix potion for a snow dog So he stayed outside with his frozen family with a lesson about removing creatures from their natural environments. A science lesson revolving around a snow dog, that is one for the books. And, yes, the dog has antlers. So does Mr. The Grinch's dog. Her exact words. Cute.

With chilly toes and nose we made it here. I don't drink coffee. I am all about the hot chocolate. Caribou usually has the best hot chocolate. They let you order it in white, milk or dark chocolate. Three choices...three times the fun. However, Starbucks has salted caramel hot chocolate. I am sorry Caribou, but right now the drink love is with 'Bucks. I will return soon though. I promise.

Because I am a nerd, I was excited to wear these:

And these:

Oh and I might as well confess. We made it here, too. The girl loves her tacos. Not sure if this is a good thing yet. She thought this was a happy meal and all for her. A quick lesson in portions. I bet you thought Taco Bell was only good for making butts expand. Nope. Now you know the truth. Nutritional education. HA!

Oh and that one layout I have done. It was a team effort. I did the layout and she did the journaling. She wanted to write on the layout. I had to let go of my OCD perfectionistic behavior. It's hard.

The layout was for the Studio Calico Sunday Sketch based on Waleska's Big Adventure layout.

Lest you believe she has no brothers. She does. One was spending the day with grandma and grandpa.

The other:

had his head stuck in a snow bank due to the continual bombardment of snow balls at us. We will thaw him out next spring.

Long Time No Type

2010-11-08T16:19:00.000-06:00

So long time no type. What can I say? I wish it was that I have been busy, but in truth it is called laziness. Add a capital L to that and that makes it seem more fitting. My scrapping has taken a back seat to my Facebooking. Seems silly to say that as a majority of my Facebook friends come from the field of scrapping. LOL So before the Google or Blogger Gods confiscate my blog name and deem me past history, I thought I better do a quick update.

I created one thing in October. This is it:

Photo stinks, but I think you get the gist. Even though I didn't create a lot in October I sure added to my hoards of supplies. I bought the Tim Holtz Sizzix Paper Rosette die. I know you can make these doodads by hand, but think about who is making this - Me. Need I say more? I am the shortcut queen and this die short cuts it enough to make me want to make rosette banners for every holiday of the year.and then make up some holidays just so I can make more. We all need a St. Denise Day, right? Maybe not. Anyway, I love it. I am currently in the midst of making a Thanksgiving banner. It will look exactly like the one above. I am a slave to avoiding change. Gah!

After making the rosette banner I figured I might as well go all out for Halloween. I gathered my nephews and niece. The nephews pretty much ran for the safety of the TV once I told them it was craft time. Good thing neighbor, Henry, showed up and I was able to rope him into my plot. We made these:

The idea came from the Halloween issue of the Betty Crocker cookbook. It can also be found here. The real recipe called for licorice strings for the legs. I was working with an eight year old. She doesn't like licorice even though she has never tasted it. Huh? Chow Mein noodles worked just as well even if the color wasn't as dramatic.

One step further. I carved pumpkins. OK...I always carve pumpkins and go way overboard with research on what to carve and patterns for doing so. Well, it was one hour to trick or treating and no research had been done. I just went willy nilly on five pumpkins and had them done in about 45 minutes. Sure it isn't my usual Spongebob, Chicken Little, five car Thomas the Train or stacked pumpkin heads, but still it got done and no one attempted to smash them due to ugliness. Here's the outcome:

In hindsight I should have have pumpkin seeds and "guts" spilling out of the mouth of the little in the mouth pumpkin. Maybe next year.

Finally, I will close with a few layouts I did this past weekend and finished this morning. Hopefully, this means I am back into the swing of scrapping. OK...I am giggling at the comment. Fingers are crossed though.

I feel they all could use some pizzazz, but I patoot in the pizzazz department. Anyone have extras? ;o)

Twin Cities Film Fest

2010-09-20T14:53:00.000-05:00

My godson, Dave's, band, Postina, has been given the opportunity to be a part of the Twin Cities Film Fest. Before every film shown during the festival they will be playing Postina's music. I am not sure of all the details. Nonetheless, it is very exciting. Below is a blurb found on the Twin Cities Film Fest blog and a promo video with background music by Postina. Saweet!

The Twin Cities Film Fest (TCFF) is a Minneapolis–based 501(c)3 non–profit arts organization that will have its inaugural event, a major mainstream 5-day film festival in downtown Minneapolis, during the fall of 2010. The goal is a simple one: To offer audiences’ access to the best films the global industry has to offer, to stimulate economic activity in the Twin Cities and to offer filmmakers a premiere venue at which to premiere their work.

Twin Cities Film Fest Promo Trailer from Sammy Sarzoza on Vimeo.

Back to the Grindstone/School

2010-09-13T17:35:00.000-05:00

This font reminds me of school and makes total sense to use it in honor of today's layouts. They are all about Back to School. I didn't go for the extra credit points, so they are pretty minimal and simple, but that's the way I roll. Come to think about it I should get extra credit. I scrapped in the dark. Crazy road crew working on improving the streets around my home feel it is ok to turn off the power whenever they wish. Even when the most important elements on a layout is being contemplated. Gah! So there I was - perched on the edge of my seat vacillating on the placement of a die cut thingie and whammo the lights went out. Whatever. I continued and sadly I have to admit, I scrap better in the dark. Go figure. Here's what I came up with:

Working with the same kit - Studio Calico Continental - that I have been using for over two weeks. How many layouts can you make from one Studio Calico kit? Well, it is endless. I think I have enough supplies for two more layouts.

In regard to the layouts, the top layout is Emily. Grade 2. It seems Hello Kitty is her new best friend. Either that or she is hiding the fact that she has to wear a uniform. The second is Jake. Grade 6. He had a rough start this year. Someone stole all his school supplies the first day. All is good now, but it was touch and go for a few hours on whether he was going to go back for a second day or drop out. He chose wisely. Truly, he did not have a choice, but what matters is that he thinks he did. OK...the third layout is Nick. Grade 8. Holy cow....grade 8. I had to be sneaky about taking photos at the bus stop. The kids go to a charter school, which is grades K through 8. This is the only reason I still have photos of Nick. We blame it on the Fairness Factor. I have to be there to take photos of his little sister. Fair is fair. HA! He's just lucky I don't chase the bus to school and wave like a mad man like I used to. Now that is embarrassing.

The Hmmm Pose

2010-09-10T13:56:00.000-05:00

Did a bit more scrapping this week. I thought I might as well scrap, since the Vikings were being trounced by the Saints. Not that I watch football that much, but my little scrappin' friend, Judi, was poking me with a stick ...I mean a Super Bowl ring all day long saying her team was all that and a bag of beignets. I had to back the Vikings with the fervor of a....ummmm....drunken Viking. Skol Vikings! A quarter into the game and I realized scrapping and watching Destination Truth was probably a better way to spend the evening. If only I had one of those beignets, my night would have been complete.

So I whipped out the remaining pieces of the Studio Calico kit I am trying to eradicate and worked on the current Sunday Sketch. Here is the sketch based on Nicole Harper's Just Be Still layout:

Nice, right? You can see Nik's original layout by clicking on the Sunday Sketch link above. It is a gorgeous layout. Here is my take:

OK...what the hummingbird has to do with anything on the layout I do not know. I just thought he needed to be slapped on. In other words he was the right size. Let's say it is a metaphor for living a life with a little poser. Does that even make sense? In my world it actually does. Scary.

Scrap Kits and Bob Barker...Let's Discuss

2010-09-07T21:34:00.000-05:00

I'm on a quest. Sounds ominous, doesn't it? Well, basically I am on a quest to once and for all use up every single item in a Studio Calico kit. I bet you thought the quest was going to be something serious and important, like ending world hunger or boarding the Bob Barker and saving the whales. Ummm....you need to watch Whale Wars on Animal Planet, if you don't get that last remark. Speaking of Whale Wars, I get why they named one ship the Steve Irwin, but why is the other named the Bob Barker? If anyone has an answer, please tell me why? It can't be all about spaying and neutering cats and dogs. Or can it? Anyway....the layout below is the sixth layout I've made with the Continental Kit. Seeing that some of my kits sit unused this is stellar in the book of Denise. I came across a challenge posted by Waleska and Celine that intrigued me. The challenge was to use themed items on a non-theme layout. Check it out HERE. This is my take:

In non-scrapping news, much like almost all of the US, today was the first day of school. A few snaps of how my morning went:
LOL OK...that is funny. Lots of yawns and sleepiness. They went to bed early, but couldn't fall asleep due to first day jitters. Poor kids. Hopefully they will sleep better tonight. Here are a few better shots:

Well, that's that for today. River Monsters is on. I have to go learn about Killer Snakehead Fish. Who am I kidding? I am watching it to catch the hot host - Jeremy Wade. Don't hate. Good lord...what an accent. This dang Animal Planet Channel.

Labor Day Smabor Day

2010-09-06T12:54:00.000-05:00

I totally loathe Labor day. Not the fact that I get the day off from work, but the meaning it has in my head - the last hurrah of summer. I guess it is plain to see that I am not a fan of change. I whine about every season change. Then once immersed in it it becomes my favorite time of year. Right now my favorite season is ending. On the other hand my favorite season is beginning. Nah...let's not go there yet. I need to mourn the loss of the hot, sunny weather. So long sun drenched moments of lounging by the pool clad in bikini. Well, that was gone for me at the age of ten. Let's amend that to say just lounging. Adios relaxation time sitting on the patio with friends. Ta ta gardening. Goodbye serene moments of watching Nick mow the lawn. Au revoir watching Dana pick weeds. Arrivederci to the little signs Jon leaves once he has fertilized the lawn. Uhhhh....did I mention I am the lazy gardener? My tip for a successful garden. Know friends with landscaping and fertilizing businesses, have the best, hardworking, money hungry nephew on earth and a sister with ADHD (not really). But I digress....oh summer 2010, how I will miss you. Sigh.

Whining over.

This Labor Day weekend resulted in a miracle. I moved furniture that resulted in me being able to squeeze into my scrap area. Do you hear angels singing? Yes. Yes, you do. Here's the results:

A couple of weeks ago Studio Calico had a challenge to use mini photos. I knew I would never finish it on time. HA....I thought I would never even start it, but here it is. I used my usual trick of using a while package of rub ons exactly as it is on the rubbing sheet. Why work against what a designer already set up for you? I guess I am the Lazy Gardener and Scrapper. Whatever. I probably should have included journaling, but the title says it all. He is one of a kind. The best kind of one of a kinds...Mine.

This layout was done for a Lift A Favorite challenge. I lifted 12 by Jill Sprott. I thought I was being totally original. Well, as original you can be when lifting someone. I thought all I could remember as I scrapped was the patchwork of pattern papers. I had an a-ha moment and said I am going to do Nick at 13. When I went back to look at Jill's layout I had a good laugh when I saw that I had subliminally lifted her theme as well . So much for my originality. Oh well...I love the layout and all thanks go to Jill.

Finally, a kind of double layout. Kind of in that my idea of a double layout is matching everything down to cardstock. So I matched everything, but the card stock and number of photos. This reminds me that I do not wish to do double layouts ever again. Too taxing on my feeble brain.

So this isn't my favorite layout, but it documents what I needed it to document. The soccer season was a hoot. Nick and his best friends were in search of a team as the city they live in only had three players in U13. My sister searched high and low and finally found a team in Minneapolis that would gladly take them. The Chivas. Coached by a professional soccer player from Mexico the team consisted of twelve Spanish speaking players and three players that spoke only English - Nick and BFFs. Somehow they all knew what was going on and the team went on to win the state championship. They so need to make a movie based on this. Kidding people. The best part of the season was me telling Nick what chivas meant. Yes, Nick you are a goat. Go Goats!

Well, that ends today's edition of Whine and Scrap. Enjoy your Labor Day or join me in the whine fest.

Nice Pegs

2010-08-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

No one can claim I didn't make any sort of layout during the summer of 2010. Not that it really matters to anyone other than me. I had to prove to myself that it wasn't time to box up the scrapping supply hoards and ship them to Goodwill. It was a close call. The layout above was done for the Studio Calico Sunday Sketch, which was based on Jenn Olson's layout, My Changeling. As usual, I finished it a day after the deadline. That's the way I roll.

Thanks for stopping by. :o)

No Paperkins in Use Yet.

2010-07-17T11:35:00.000-05:00

Crazy I know. In my mind Paperkins were always in use when I first started scrapping. I guess they didn't come around until my second or third year of scrapping. Little did I know when I first started what lie ahead. Oh Paperkins how I loved you.

A couple of weeks ago Mandie posted some of her first layouts on her blog. I thought I would copy her and share mine. It seems I had it going on back then. Not. Frances Meyers' kits were the big rage when scrapping first hit the market. I was all about owning it all. Archiver's didn't exist. I know! Imagine that world. Scary. Deckle scissors were totally to die for. Mrs. Grossman controlled the world of sticker sneezes. It was the cave man days of scrapping and we all stunk and were full of bugs. Sorry if I offended anyone. That's reality.

So for me first came Nick. He is now 13. This is him now:

And because he will rarely allow me to take photos of him. Here's the only other current age photo in existence:

And now his first layout:

We will call this the controlled sticker sneeze. I have long been a supporter of using up everything out of a package. I guess it all started with Frances Meyers' heart stickers and die cuts. I love that I was creatively balanced back then. I still am. It's funny to see all the similarities from the beginning to the end. It seems I have always been a minimalist.

You have to love when Fiskar's first came out with their "corrugator". It made the waves more realistic and when you placed a sticker pail in the hands of the photo baby it even got more true to life.

I was way into stamping when I first started scrapping - even had a monkey stamp to go with the monkey suit. I was into sewing, too, much to the dread of this little boy. There wasn't a costume I didn't make.

This kid will need therapy some day all based on enforcement of wearing costumes. What is more cute than sewing a snowman costume and bringing the costume clad kid to Proex for a professional photo shoot? Nothing. Everyone that day pinched his chubby cheeks - meaning face, not behind. I would have stopped the butt pinching. That is just not right. According to this layout, I have now discovered computer journaling and brass stencils.

More costumes. More stamping, More Frances Meyers. More placing "fake" items in the hands. When you find something that works it seems you stick to it. Yikes.

Let's fast forward. This is the layout that I discovered you can use up many photos and make a layout look super cute. I mean....you can never get too much Nick, right? Maybe you can. It kind of looks like the Octo-Mom birthed multiple Nicks. Yikes.

Honestly, I don't cringe when I see these old layouts. I don't even want to re-do them. They are what they are. I do; however, get a good laugh over my techniques. But I wasn't alone. That is what everyone was doing and like I said we all stunk. the most important thing that happens when I look at these layouts is good memories and smiles remembering Nick as a little dude. When shoving him in a costume was even attemptable. It's not going to happen now. The kid can wrestle me to the ground.

Later I will share Jake's first layouts. Honestly, you will not want to miss his frog costume layout complete with giant lily pad. It is creative genius!

Vacation

2010-07-06T09:48:00.000-05:00

I'm officially on vacation. The stay at home kind, because that is how I roll. That sounds boring and it probably is, but I like traveling places as much as I like staying home. Nothing wrong with that, especially since it saves money and allows me to work on my ever expanding to do list. So what am I doing? Sitting on my behind. HA HA....because that is how I roll. Whatever.

Other than the to do list this is what is on my list of want to dos:

Go back to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. Why? Well, you can never see or take too many photos of the Cherry Spoon Bridge. Right? I think not. Plus the garden is so much more than the spoon.

Taste Izzy's Ice Cream. Yeah...I know. Here we go again about my self-imposed ice cream-free goal. I am on month four and I have decided to change up my restrictions. I can do that, because honestly I am that awesome. Gag. The new rules...I can have ice cream, but not every day and none at home. If I am going to break the cream-free record I have going, it will be with the finest and not Kemp's. Don't get me wrong. I love Kemp's...it's the cows or so they say. However, Izzy's took on Bobby Flay in a throwdown and won. I need to try the winner...Hot Brown Sugar.

A few of my friends and I are thinking of going to rodeo. Not to see the horses. We are all about the cowboys. Men in chaps and spurs almost beat out cabana boys. Almost. I also want to go to see if I can beat my last record of cow chip throwing. It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Eww. I plan on making my friends participate in the stick pony race. Who cares if it is for kids under ten. We act ten at times. That comment will get me in trouble.

Visit Larry Reid. Don't you wish you could visit Larry? Most people do. Not. I have to get my Jeep fixed. I am getting kind of wary of taking sharp right turns and having a gush of water soak my right foot. I know...it sounds pretty wonderful, but a foot can take only so much pampering.

There are other things on my list, like trips to Anchor Paper, Paper Source, Archiver's and the Scrapbook Shop. Possibly a road trip to St. Cloud to see my cousin and shop at the super store of scrap supplies, Craft Direct. Lord knows I already hold the Top Hoarders Award when it comes to scrap supplies, but I haven't filled up the garage yet. Kidding. It's already full. ;o)

I need to add something creative I have done. This is scraping the bottom of the barrel as I have done nothing paper-wise for a couple of weeks. I made this for the 3rd of July pool party/get together. Tried to pull off a Martha moment. Fail. But not an Epic Failure, which seems to be my nephew's new favorite saying. Wouldn't you know....most people wanted blueberry. Chopping and placing those strawberries was a pain in the as....butt. Martha can bit mine, if I ever try something like this again.

The result of making that dessert is that the 4th of July celebration the next day was dessert-less. I was going to make my world famous Lemon Cream with Strawberries Trifle, but enough is enough. No one should work this hard to put fat and calories into their body. That is for certain.

Enjoy your week. Hopefully I will have something creative and papery to share next time. I make no promises though.

The Lazy Gardener Has Failed

2010-06-23T11:16:00.000-05:00

Wouldn't it be lovely, if gardening only consisted of good things. Good things, like this:

and this:

and even this:

But it doesn't. Instead we have to deal with the good, the bad and the ugly. Right now the bad and ugly are overwhelming me. I can't remember a time when I had weeds four feet tall, but I have them now. A few neighbors along my fence-line never weed, so that makes my job tough, and one feeds her pets (meaning wild birds) thistle seed. It's probably the worst seed to feed birds in gardening terms, not bird terms. The thistles are everywhere and multiplying rapidly. Not that I am perfect. I am far from that. I have labeled myself the Lazy Gardener. I do that well. So last year I gave up. Big mistake. Honestly, I think the Phentermine in my system ran out and all my gardening frenzy before was chemically induced. Yikes...that's a story for another day. This year I am paying in spades. Not the gardening kind of spades, which I imagine would be a good thing. HA!

The time has come. Time to take serious action. The animals think this yard is a wildlife sanctuary and are claiming it as their own. Animals are a good thing, but not in herds. The word is out in the animal kingdom that the "kegger" is here and there is a line at the fence gate. Among the animals moving in or through in the last six months have been the usual, rabbits, chipmunks, gophers and squirrels, but more recently there has been fox, mink, possums and a raccoon. They all can stay, except the raccoon. That dude does his business under my pool deck. Let's just say sitting and relaxing with friends and neighbors isn't as wonderful when the smell is noxious. Ugh. I need Billy the Exterminator stat!

So this is the plan. Regular lists don't work with me. I need the embarrassment of photos for the public to see and heckle me about. Behold my back yard with a to-do list included. Pretty smart, right?

Standing on my back steps going clockwise:

Yeah....monstrous. Insurmountable. Joyless. OK...realistically none of the painting will get done. I hate painting. I will hire someone for that. But the rest is do-able. Well, maybe not the building of the lattice screen. It's do-able, but not by me. I am the Lazy Gardener after all. I don't want to shock anyone, especially myself. So this is my goal for the week. I will report back next week and then we will tackle another area of the yard. If I live.

Wish me luck.

Mr. Jack and Mr. Clean....I Love them Both.

2010-06-20T11:19:00.002-05:00

This week was busy.

♥ I loved it ♥

My "stand in" godson had his graduation open house yesterday.

Not to mention a parade and concert before hand.

He's in a drum corp and carries the largest bass drum.

Music is his life and love.

I guess you can tell where he is headed next year due to the shirt.

He is so excited and so am I.

He is awesome. End of story.

OK...not end of story, but enough said here.

Due to my love of procrastination, I spent the week working on his gift. Let's just say that I made his graduation card three years ago. I planned what I would make him three years ago as I gave a similar gift to his brother - my actual godson. I started buying gift cards months ago, but the gift card holder construction began this week. Squeaked it out in the nick of time.

This is what it ended up looking like.

I was going to add wording under Jack's, like cards or something. However, I ended up putting other items in it other than gcs.

Sometimes less is more.

Here's the inner pages:

Each inner page is a folder-like/envelope to hold gift cards.

I have to thank my BASB buddies for their input along the way.

They played a huge part in helping me with this by giving me

suggestions, feedback and listening to my incessant whining.

♥ Thank goodness for friends! ♥

So it is finally done and it has been given. A friend asked that I list what gift cards I put in the holder. Basically it is a variety. The main thing I did do was research what shops and restaurants were around the campus that Jack is going to attend. I also took into consideration that he would be shopping for dorm items before hand, so cards to Bed Bath and Beyond, Kohl's and Target were added for that. To complete his gift I bought a medium sized Rubbermaid storage container and filled it with items, like a sewing kit, safety pins, first aid kit, microwaveable food, cereal, peanut butter, a laundry bag, plastic utensils, Kleenex and the oh so important - room deodorizing spray. Almost anything will work. I should have put a big framed photo of me in that. Darn. I will have to send that after he is there. ;o) I threw everything in the container, including the gift card holder, and snapped on the lid. No wrapping required. Done. He loved it.

And now it is on to cleaning.

Someone send this man to me.

I can now solely focus on cleaning and organizing the rest of my scrap area. That re-begins today. I am actually very excited about this now. Before all I could think of finishing the project. I better get crackin' before I figure out that sitting on a computer is way more fun than cleaning. HA!

Thanks for stopping by!

Enjoy your day!

Oh Crap.....

2010-06-10T18:19:00.000-05:00

I didn't remember this thing still existed until I received an email from my friend, Briana, who told me I better get to updating this or she will drop her stalking of me. With that I suppose she will then remove the planned shrine of me from her blog. An ego like mine will not let that happen. HA! This brings me to the realization that I have the best friends ever. Not only are they fun, humorous and talented, but they also feel comfortable enough to kick me in the butt when need be and they don't mince words. So here I am and while I haven't created too much as of lately, I have done a little.

The above were done for the current BASB challenge. This time I am hosting and the challenge is to use frames or framing somehow on a layout or card. Super easy challenge as I think most people in some way or another frame whether through actual frames or white space or any other inventive way. The challenge is still open, so you have plenty of time to join in. Deadline is June 14 at midnight central time. Prize is a $10 gift certificate to Studio Calico, which happens to me my kind of Disney World without all the spinning tea cups. I'm old. I can no longer handle spinning.

Other than a bit of scrapping, I have been busy weeding my gardens. It seems I took last summer off. You do that and you might as well start over. A few years ago I wanted to remove all the grass in my yard and install gardens, so I did. I now want to remove all the gardens and install grass. Everybody warned me, but I am a stubborn cuss. The above is the only part of my yard I feel proud enough of to show off. That was a couple weeks ago. It's now de-petaled and hanging limply. Peonies need to last longer.

Other recent happenings:

He turned 13. Ack.....13. He loves learning about WWII, flight simulators, P51 Mustangs, Legos, Nintendo DS, laughing, hanging out with friends and playing soccer. Girls are still weird. I give it three months and that opinion will change.

We found a new pet. For two days. He now lives with 400 of his friends at the Wildlife Rehab Center.

Out of the blue she decided to give softball a try. She choose this over soccer. WOW. Huge shock. She loves softball. Either that or she loves the social part of it. Does it really matter which one at the age of 7?

He wants a puppy. Would someone just give this kid a puppy? Other than yearning for one he is still trying to find his niche in the world of sports. Karate may be the answer. Until then he will swim until he grows fins and play his Nintendo DS until he is grounded. Yikes.

He turned 21 and promptly proved his age by bringing home liquor and offering it to every non-drinker over the age of 21 at his party. Poor guy is surrounded by fuddy duddies. Found out today that he will graduate from the U of MN early. I am so proud of him. This summer he will spend his time at a popular local lake. Nope. Not R&R. He is interning for the DNR and will be checking each water craft for mussels and milfoil.

He turned 18 and then graduated. Sigh. Time flies. I have never seen somebody so happy to graduate in my entire life. The smile never left his face. A smile didn't leave my face either. I will miss him when he heads to college next year. Until that time he will fill his summer with drum corp, parades and playing in a jazz ensemble with his older brother.

Speaking of jazz ensemble, I was able to see them perform at a local coffee shop on Memorial Weekend. Our group made them play requests much to their chagrin. You boys better learn Take the A Train. That is my next request. BTW...they sounded awesome!

So that is that with them. About me....

The pool is open. Patio time with the fun neighbors has started. The carhops at Sonic know me by my first name. Summer is in full swing.

I am also in the middle of a renovation of my scrap area. That all started with the purchase of an Expedit shelving unit from Ikea. Dang Ikea. I think this is an endless project. If you don't see me here in a month, contact Briana to kick me in the behind. She's good at that.♥

BASB Challenge: No Photos Allowed

2010-04-19T18:28:00.006-05:00

WANTED

Personal Assistant.
Must possess organization skills and have a paddle,
because today it is all up hill against the current
and the sharks are circling.

I haven't had any takers on the above yet. I think it is a lost cause. They see the chaos and run in the opposite direction. Seriously, all I really need is a cleaner to come once a month, one cabana boy that knows how to mix drinks and vacuum the pool preferably wearing a sequined Speedo and a handyman to fix those little projects around that house that never get priority. Oh and a gardener, because let's face it...the weeds have taken over and there is no way out now without a blow torch. So enough whining. When one is overcome by life's deluge of reality...one scraps. Here's a bit of what I did while avoiding the real world:

The above was done for the current BASB challenge. Diana's challenge is to make a layout without photos. The goal listed in the journaling has already been failed. Just keeping it truthful and real.

The following are the final pages for the scrapbook I am making my cousin. I cannot believe the little guy is already a year old and walking. Actually, he dances more than he walks. Favorite dancing tune of the moment seems to be Single Ladies - the Chipmunks version. The kid has great taste. I will have to introduce him to the Glee version the next time he is in Minnesota.

Lastly, is a layout I did for last weeks sketch challenge for Studio Calico. I missed the deadline, but whatever.

The Sketch by Susan Weinroth:

My take:Yeah...I kind of like this last layout. The sketch is exactly what I needed. I've been staring at these photos for almost a year. Ugh.

Well, it's off to water aerobics to me. Seems like a good place to interview potential cabana boys, but believe me it's not. All my fellow aerobi-sizers are 70+ year old women. Well, except for my friend, Jenny, but she steadfastly refuses to serve me drinks poolside. Whatever. The ad states cabana boy, which she is not. I shall keep looking.

Twelve Step Posey Problems

2010-04-16T13:04:00.003-05:00

Hi...my name is Denise and I am addicted to crac.....pleated flowers. Not that I want to be addicted to crack, but somehow in my head it seems a little more exciting saying that than stating you are addicted to folding paper into posies. Well, it is what it is. So while I haven't been putting out a lot of layouts and projects lately, I have been folding paper. I estimate that in two years, four months and three days I will use up my last sheet of pattern paper - all on flowers. By that time I may also be driven to use crack. Sorry...I shouldn't tease about stuff like that.

Thanks go to Judi who started a thread on Studio Calico asking for links explaining how to make pleated/accordion flowers. Also to thank are Emily for her Pleated Flower tutorial on the Studio Calico blog and Lisa for her Tattered Flower tutorial on her blog. From that I have the follow and a pile more on my desk:

BASB Challenge - Use Your Favorite Manufacturer

2010-04-10T08:50:00.004-05:00

There's a new challenge on the BASB blog. This time hosted by Ki. Her challenge is to use your favorite manufacturer and, if you wish, take it a step further and post it on the manufacturer's website/gallery/blog. While I couldn't post my layout on the manufacturer's gallery as the little dude in the photo does not belong to me, I think it is just the push some need to put themselves out there and potentially benefit. I see so many great layouts from unknowns (meaning your not Ali Edwards) that would be an asset to the manufacturer, if only it had been shared on their website. Rambling here, so to make it short. Push yourself. Get out of your box. Post to manufacturers sites and perhaps by doing so you will find you are what we have all been looking for - a new "Ali". But first enter it into the BASB challenge. LOL

Here's a link to the challenge: BASB. My layout was done using October Afternoon. Love OA. I am still working on the first year scrapbook for my cousin and my mini cousin, who is the cutie in the photos. These layouts are all without journaling, so my cousin can personalize the pages. Makes it easy for me. Whew.

BASB Challenge: Use Repetition

2010-03-22T08:07:00.005-05:00

A new BASB challenge is up and running. This time Liz is hosting and her idea is to use repetition in a layout. Even though I suffer from no-mojo-itis I found just enough creativity to eke out the layout above. Baby J is no longer a baby. He turned one this past weekend. Right after I finished the layout he had run ins with multiple little friends at his birthday party and bit them all. Maybe he is Born for Trouble afterall. Nah....he just has new teeth and likes to use them. ;o)

It seems I am born for trouble, too. While working on the layout, an idea popped into my head and I was so excited. Ideas popping into my head is a rarity it seems. HA! Waleska and I both own the i-top Brad making tool, which is a fun tool for it's intended use of making custom brads. However, I finally bought the punch that goes with it. This one:

My grand idea was using it in an alternative way. See the flowers in the layout? That's what I got excited about. Well, I rushed over to Waleska's blog to tell her and guess what I found? THIS. I am pretty sure I saw her layout and stole her idea subliminally. I don't remember this happening, but me coming up with a new and original ideas is a rarity. Yep...pretty sure I saw her layout and stole the idea from her and then tried to make it my own. So before I make a zillion dollars off of this, I must credit her, because the law is you give credit where credit is due. It's all about integrity, People. :o)

Hope you can join in on the repetition challenge. For more information and to see Liz's layouts, check out BASB Challenge: Use Repetition.

BASB Challenge: Use Cardstock Only

2010-02-22T10:54:00.005-06:00

Nothing very exciting to banter about on this day, so I will just share a layout I made this past weekend. This layout was made for the current BASB challenge - Use Cardstock Only. I thought it would be easy, it wasn't. I found I rely on embellishments more than creativity. Such a sad discovery. LOL! I wanted something unique on the layout, so I used "power" tools - a hammer. Wouldn't it have been something, if I said a table saw? ;o) I wound thin strips of cardstock, glued them and then smashed them with a hammer to make them thinner. I think I had a lot of frustration that day. So that is that. Just a simple layout that took me over a week to make. I am a scrapping wuss. The BASB Challenge is still running. If you wish to join in and possibly win the February Scarlet Lime kit, you have until February 28th at 12 midnight EST to do so.

Valentines and Other Things Mushy

2010-02-06T10:52:00.003-06:00

The items above were slapped together for the current challenge at BASB. Mye's challenge is to create a valentine's card and gift bag. The only stipulation the bag has to be made of cardstock or pattern paper. Pretty easy challenge, so if interested check it out and join in. I have to give credit to Davinie. I had the bones of the "bag" completed, but had no idea how to pretty it up. Well...until I saw her tutorial on Studio Calico on how to make paper roses. The template for the "bag" came from the destruction of a heart "bag" I had laying around the house. Yep...it gave it's life for a higher cause. Whatever that is. If anyone is interested in seeing the shape of the template, let me know and I can post it here or email a photo. Whatever works.

So that is it. I know the title implied that there was Valentines and other mush stuff, so in other words more than what you got, but sometimes less is more. That, my friend, is my gift to you today. Less of my ramblings. It's a good thing. Have a wonderful weekend!

Three Layouts in Two Months.....Impressive.

2010-01-27T16:22:00.004-06:00

Two months can sure fly by when you have your eyes closed and your mind blank. I've been in a non-scrap funk. I think the funk was brought on by winter. Winter is a bore. Well, mostly. It does have a few highlights, such as the water heater turning off every time the temperatures plummet to below zero. Yep...you haven't truly experienced the feeling of being awake until you take a shower with freezing cold water in the middle of winter. Imagine doing that four times in two weeks. Don't think I am being lazy and not fixing it. I have tried and it's fixable in two ways: 1) buy an electric water heater, which requires electrical work; or 2) reconfigure the ductwork in the house. Yeahhhhh...for now I will take cold showers. Hopefully the jolt of cold will re-awaken any scrap creativity I had. Hopefully.

For those interested, BASB has a challenge up and running. Basically create a girly layout. Easy Peasy. This is in honor of Diana, who just had the most beautiful baby. Deadline is midnight on the 31st of January. Hope you can join in on the fun.

Below are a few layouts I put together recently. The top layout is for the current BASB challenge. I left the photo and journaling blank as I will be sending this (along with the other two in this posting) to Diana. She will use these as she wishes.

Sketch: Sunday Sketch by Davinie for Studio Calico.

Thanks for stopping by. I need a good kick in the behind to get me thinking creatively again. If you happen to be in Minnesota and are a good kicker, let me know. ;o)

Wreath Instructions

2009-11-30T19:50:00.020-06:00

In my last blog entry I showed a wreath I had made for the current BASB challenge. I also posted this on the BASB blog and the Studio Calico message board. I received a couple requests to show how I made this. First, I think I need to admit that this isn't an original idea I came up with. I had seen a wreath similar to this a couple of years ago at a local shopping center. That one was the size of my house. Seriously. Since I don't have access to paper that large or a place to hang one that large I mini-ed it.

Here we go.

You will need:

4 or more pieces of 12 x 12 pattern paper (depending on how many paper patterns you want)
2 - approx. 4" circles of cardboard
Scrap pieces of paper to cover cardboard circles
Adhesive
Glue, like Zip Dry
Stapler
Ribbon

1. Cut each sheet of 12 x 12 paper into quarters. Each quarter will measure 6"x6". Each of these quarters will be be cut down to resemble the photo below - basically a triangle with a curved bottom. After you cut one use that one as a template for the others. The wreath I made is made up of 15 cones, so you will need to cut at least fifteen of these. Your wreath may differ depending on how tight or loose you roll your cones and the size of the disk you are adhering it to.

2. This is the tricky part and no matter how much I explain it will not be enough. Just practice and I think it will eventually come to you. Nice cop out from me, right? LOL! I will try my best. Working with one of the "triangles" use a stylus and score a small line (1/2" long) from the tip. This will help a bit with keeping the cone end pointed when rolling. Run a line of adhesive along one edge. You will begin rolling from the edge that does not have the adhesive. Just experiment with rolling it. You can roll it as tight or loose as you like. This will effect the number of cones you will need for the wreath. Once rolled press edges to firmly adhere. I then staple it once on the edge to ensure it will not "pop" apart.

3. The cone will eventually look similar to the photo below. If it doesn't, either re-try or realize you may have created you own type of item to make a wreath. No one said it had to look remotely like the one I did. :o)

4. Cover both sides of one of the 4" cardboard circles with scrap pieces of pattern paper. Punch a hole 1/2" from the edge. This will be used for hanging the wreath.

5. Lay out the cones on the covered circle points meeting in the middle staple adhered sides down. Once you find the pattern layout you like start picking one cone up one at a time and squeezing a line of glue on the covered circle. Adhere cone to circle. Repeat for all. I went crazy with the glue and when all cones were glued to circle I squirted a bunch of glue on top of all the tips. More is better, don't you think? ;o)

6. Once completely dry turn wreath over you will now string ribbon through the hole. It will be a little tight. I used thin ribbon and a sewing needle with a large eye and eventually wiggled it through.

7. Finally, you will use your imagination and make a medallion for the front of the wreath. I used the other cardboard circle and cover it with patterned paper. Your creative, so I won't go into details. Just do what you wish, but remember when you adhere it to the wreath to hold the wreath by the ribbon to find the right angle to attached the medallion. Yeah...I failed at that the first time. I used Zip Dry to attach it and I weighted it down with a pile of punches.

8. When done it should look something like the photo below. If it doesn't, share with me. I would love to see what you "invented".

I hope I explained this well enough for you to read between the lines and figure it out. I just happen to stink at trying to explain things. You probably figured that out five steps ago. LOL! Good luck!

BASB Project Challenge

2009-11-28T11:53:00.003-06:00

Anne's BASB challenge has been posted for over a week, but here I am late for the party. I started putting together a recipe box for the challenge, but it is sitting unfinished on my desk. It needs some oomph and I am short on oomph findings, so I made this instead. I like it. First of all, it goes along with my current organizational challenge. You know...getting rid of the overstock that is depressing my mojo. I used a bunch of paper, because once I made one I then made two more. Secondly, they are quick and easy. Everyone knows I am all about quick and easy. Well, maybe not everyone, but enough know it. So that is that....

If interested, even though I am late in posting there are still plenty of days left in the challenge. You have until December 3rd and the winner will be chosen on December 4.

Thanks for stopping by!

Mojo and Squash Chips

2009-11-16T18:35:00.009-06:00

I lost my scrapping mojo for a while. Thought it would never come back. I would look at paper and ask myself what is so great about scrapping. It's just paper. The problem is I am not allowed to quit scrapping. That cannot occur, while I am sitting with sixteen cubic feet of gorgeous, lickable pattern paper. I started cleaning. Not in hopes of quitting scrapbooking. I just needed to get in control of what I have. Honestly, this could take a year. I did manage to go through all my paper and donated a load to a local preschool. I am now down to one cube of paper. I feel naked. It's quite liberating. HA! Whatever you do...do NOT imagine that image.

With the liberating I found a little scrap mojo.

The following two were done with the November Studio Calico Kit. I dragged out the typewriter I received when I graduated high school. Yeah cool....I'm old. Do they even make typewriters anymore or do scrappers only find them in old relatives basements or at antique shops?

A few layouts for the One Year baby scrapbook that I am making my cousin. These will always be very simple layouts with no or little journaling. I am keeping it blank, so she can write in it. I just have to say that my Baby Cousin is adorable. OK...I can say that without sounding like an uppity braggart, because: 1) it is true; and 2) it's true. ;o)

Finally, Barb had a recipe challenge on her Cook. Eat. Repeat? blog. Use squash. Ugh. OK...I don't eat squash, but I like recipes, I like challenges and I like Barb. As usual, I waited until the last minute to attempt my challenge. I was going to make this recipe: Spinach and Butternut Squash Lasagna . The photo in the issue of Cooking Light made it look scrumptious - even with the spinach and squash. Anyway...that didn't happen, because I started making my recipe three hours before deadline. Instead, I made squash chips from a recipe I dreamed about. True. I dream recipes. Here it is:

Cut a butternut squash in half without chopping off your fingers. Use a spoon to remove the seeds. Use a vegetable peeler and remove peel. All the while complain that squash smells gross like pumpkins. Dig out the three year old unused mandolin you bought from Pampered Chef. Learn how to use it. With mandolin over bowl cut the squash into approximately 1/8" thick slices. When done sprinkler with vegetable oil. Lay slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. You may not need to use the spray, but I wasn't sure and didn't want it to stick. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Here's where I went a little wrong. I didn't watch them and burned a portion. Oh well. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crispy.

The result: Num. That is coming from a non-squash eater, so trust me it is good. Sweeter than a potato chip. Similar in taste to sweet potato fries, but in crispy chip form. The other 1/2 of the squash will be used to make more.

I missed the deadline, but thought I would share anyway. Here's a photo of the unburned ones:

If I fail to check in before Thanksgiving, I wish you a very a very happy day surrounded by family, friends and delicious food. Maybe a squash chip or two. :o)

BASB Challenge: Simple Thanks

2009-11-03T10:55:00.010-06:00

Yesterday I mentioned that the new BASB challenge is now posted. LaVerne's challenge is called Simple Thanks and it is pretty awesome. I did my ATC/tag for day one and have posted it below. I was riding high on a thankful buzz yesterday. Day one encompasses everything good. Part of the challenge was to list a pay it forward on the back of the ATC. I do have one, but today I am not thankful for shaky hands. The photo was a blur. Much like my life at times.

I want to share one more thing today. Last week I learned about Operation Write Home from Greta and knew that I wanted to participate. Not only was it a great way to support the troops, but also a sure fire way to use up a bunch of my overloaded and ever growing supply pile. Surprisingly, I made yesterday's holiday card deadline. Amazing. Below are examples of some of the cards I sent. I did multiples of a few of them. The first one I made the most - almost two dozen. I got on a roll and had an assembly line going. You can't tell from the photo, but the chimney is pop dotted and Santa is stamped under. I like the dimension. I missed the SC pop dot challenge by one day. Well, the cards were done, but the photo wasn't. See why it was amazing that I made that send deadline? LOL!

The following ones were super easy. Cut paper scraps. Slap on a sticker. Scratch on a rub on. Blah blah blah. I like them, but it is embarrassing that they are that simple. I always compare myself to people that do layer upon layer of creating. I have to stop that. That will never be my style, but I love it and strive to be like that one day.

And that ends the fun for today. Well, blog-wise. ;o)

Being Thankful

2009-11-02T09:08:00.003-06:00

I'm too selfish and into myself. I need to be reminded that the world doesn't always have to revolve around me. Well, it should 42.3% of the time, but I need to share the rest. Snort! OK...seriously, I need to work harder on being thankful and to appreciate the things and people in my life more. So...welcome to November. This is the month and year that I will work on being thankful. I am officially pushing aside my "eye rolling" attitude. Today I am thankful for yellow leaves with sunshine. My twelve year old nephew, who helped me rake up a "butt load" of leaves. I am thankful he is not lazy, like me. I am thankful for not having to be to work until noon and daylight savings making the morning feel even longer. Oh and I am even thankful for the pool in my backyard that needs it's cover drained even though I really want to sit on my behind and do nothing.

So what brought this urgency to feeling thankful? It was LaVerne's BASB Challenge. When I read it a light went off in my head. Oh and no....my head isn't empty despite what some say. But I digress. Her challenge is thinking of things that make you happy and thankful. Document it and think of a way to pay it forward. Honestly, the light really did go off and I realized I needed to take stock in what I have and quit whining about what I don't.

It must be Monday as I am being hard on myself, but that's ok. I'm thankful I have someone to kick me in the behind - even if it is myself as I have scared everybody else away from even trying. LOL!

Have a gorgeous Monday. I hope it is filled with lots of things to appreciate. I am heading out to appreciate the draining of the pool cover. Tomorrow I will post my first ATC for LaVerne's challenge. I am so excited. Truly.

Justifying the Kit Purchase

2009-10-27T10:05:00.002-05:00

I had to justify ordering the November Studio Calico kit. Reveal day is today in exactly 54 minutes. Justifying meant making a layout using the October kit that is currently sitting in my scrap area unused. OK...you can laugh now, since the layout above is the result. Yep...I used two sheets of paper out of a box filled to the brim with goodies. Oh well....here I come November!

Long Time No Blog.

2009-10-23T10:27:00.002-05:00

I haven't been doing much creating lately. I'm not sure if it is the rainy, cold weather or the multitude of good ghost shows on television that is to blame. Probably the television. I started a layout a couple of weeks ago for a self-challenge Waleska conjured up. Her suggestion to rid our hoard of scrap supplies was to make a layout/card using a Maya Road's mini album, Studio Calico FabRips and Studio Calico stamps. Behold the creation:

It also fits the current blog challenge for Studio Calico of using texture on a layout. Two weeks to fulfill two challenges. I guess I am doing better than I thought.

Them 2009.....Ahhhh

2009-10-07T16:10:00.004-05:00

After a weekend of no creating I woke up Monday morning raring to go. Good thing my Jeep needed fixin' and I had taken off the day to deal with that. This is what I did before my sister picked me up at noon to go terrorize the city:

I don't usually make minis. They challenge my idle brain too much. I am happy with the outcome even if Jake's page went askew. Who said everything had to be perfect anyway, right? I did. I will be re-doing that page at some point. Probably when Jake is 29. That's the way I seem to roll.

Excuses...Excuses

2009-10-05T22:24:00.007-05:00

So in between watching two games of soccer.

A trip to the apple orchard where we were soaked head to toe by rain..

A visit to the pumpkin house.

A practice session of trick or treating.

I failed at even attempting the challenge I gave myself last Friday. The one where I thought it was possible to use up a whole scrap kit. I'm laughing at my high expectations. I must have been high on sugar from my Sonic Lime Slush to even think that was possible. Whatever. So the weekend was a bust creativity-wise, but I did manage to do a challenge.

Barb is holding a breakfast challenge on her blog, Cook. Eat. Repeat? Basically, find a new recipe, make it, photograph it and blog about it. On Saturday night I headed to the grocery store with the following recipe in my hand:

French Toast Soufflé
10 cup (1-inch) cubed sturdy white bread
(such as Pepperidge Farm Hearty White, about 16 (1-ounce) slices)
Cooking spray
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat-cream cheese, softened
8 large eggs
1 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2/3 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
3/4 cup maple syrup

Place bread cubes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Beat cream cheese at medium speed of mixer until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add milk, half-and-half, 1/2 cup maple syrup, and vanilla, and mix until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture over top of bread; cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Remove bread mixture from refrigerator; let stand on counter for 30 minutes. Bake at 375° for 50 minutes or until set. Sprinkle the souffle with powdered sugar, and serve with maple syrup.

Cooking Light, APRIL 2000

I bought all the items I needed:

and a back up just in case of an emergency:

Despite the fire alarms going off (seriously) and me remembering that I really am not a huge fan of french toast, the recipe was very good. I served it with a side of ham and forgot that breakfast should have a beverage other than water.

Here's what the souffle looked like when plated up:
I did make a change to the recipe. I used regular cream cheese. It's what I had in the fridge and I wanted to use it up. If I changed anything about the recipe, I would either add cinnamon to the wet ingredients or I would make it with cinnamon bread. To me it needed just an oomph of something, but that seems to be just me as everyone else loved it as is.

Even Miss Scream.

BASB Challenge: Photo Mix Up

2009-10-02T12:08:00.003-05:00

Hey everyone! It's my turn to host the BASB challenge. In summary, I am challenging you to make a creation using a mixture of color and black & white photo(s). You have the option on how many photos you include. If you are a superstar at editing and want to do one black & white with spot coloring, go for it. You put whatever spin on the challenge you wish. If you are interested in playing along, just leave a link to your layout in the comment area of the BASB blog. The prize will be a $15 gift certificate to Studio Calico. Deadline is midnight on October 14 and a winner will be drawn on October 15.

Other than that it is also self-challenge Friday. This weekend I will be focusing on depleting my stockpile of kits. It just happens that tomorrow is World Card Making Day and I am going to attempt to make a ton of cards while using up at least one kit. We'll see how that goes. I have to admit I never knew a day like this existed. The things I learn. LOL!. Check out Caardvarks for their day long festivities. I will be there off and on throughout the day for a bit of inspiration.

Here's hoping you have a very merry card making day.

More Flower Power

2009-09-30T12:05:00.002-05:00

For my big self challenge on flowers I only came up with two layouts and one card, which I find pretty sad. Problem is it is fall and all I really want to do is jump in big old pile of leaves. Not that the leaves have fallen yet. Nope. I just find it necessary to prepare for that time by spending extra time jumping on the trampoline. I need to work on getting more air.

Flower Power

2009-09-29T15:22:00.004-05:00

I am finally able to bend my fingers. It's a dang miracle. I don't like to whine, but today that seems to be all I am doing. So I finally got back to taking aqua aerobics after being a LOAD for nine months. What a mistake taking that time off was. Every muscle in my body disintegrated into shriveled strings of goo and is now revolting. I used to think aqua aerobics was kind of wussy. I still loved it, but I had a "nose up in the air" attitude about it. I loved being the youngest, most flexible and in shape person there. Not anymore. Those seventy year olds are making me eat their dust (or I should say splashes). Ugh.

So let's quit the whining. Below you will find one of my flower challenge layouts. I love it, because I used the Jenni Bowlin rub-on that I never thought I would use. Honestly, how awesome am I? Don't answer that. Let me live in my little world of Denise denial.

That's it for today. Thanks so much for stopping by. I am now heading back to my reclined position. I'm not going to whine, but could someone please bring me an ice pack and a Tylenol? ;o)

Caardvarks' Sketchfest

2009-09-26T08:55:00.009-05:00

This week I have been joining in on the SketchFest held at Caardvarks. For each of the last seven days a sketch has been provided and your were to make a card based on the sketch. I've been having fun playing along. Today is the final day and here is the sketch provided:

And here is my take on their sketch:

And here are the other six I made throughout the week based on sketches you can find on their site:

Weekend Challenge: Floral Frenzy

2009-09-25T12:17:00.003-05:00

Image found on Prima Marketing

Nothing to share today as it is rainy and beautiful outside, which prevented me from taking a photo of my layout. Yes, I did say beautiful. I love rain. I love storms. This year we haven't had enough, so today I am squealing with delight - even though I am stuck at work. I would rather be home watching a movie, eating cookies and scrapping. Wouldn't we all? Anyhoo...on to the real business of this post. The self-challenge for this weekend is flowers. We all have oodles of flowers - Prima, Creative Cafe, etc. I have Prima coming out of my nose. Not really, but it is close to being true. If you wish to deplete a bit of your stash, join in on the fun. As usual, I will post my creation(s) on Monday or Tuesday. If you play along, please place a link in my comments. I would love to take a look at what you come up with.

Have a gorgeous weekend. Tomorrow I will be playing with alpaca at my friend's farm. Honestly, how cool is that?

A Few Rolls of Ribbon

2009-09-23T09:11:00.005-05:00

It's amazing how much ribbon you can shove in a jar. What I thought was a large collection surpassed the word large. By a landslide. It is HUMONGOUS. Yet I am now to the dregs of my pink collection and that makes me giddy. Pink is a color rarely used in my scrapping. Sad fact...the girl is not too girly. She loathes the color pink, because her BFF Henry loves pink. However, she seems to want to wear it everyday. Whatever. You have to love the age of seven. Anyway, here are a few of the layouts I "tied" together:

I want to state that the pink layout with all the ribbon was inspired by Judi's Laughter layout. It is her I have to thank for helping me deplete the pink. Thanks Judi. :o)

Now I promised to post this. Em came into my scrap room while I was working with ribbon. She asked why ribbon was hanging everywhere, so I told her about the challenge. Instantly out of her mouth came...Oooo a contest. What can I win? So this is what she came up with, because I told her she could win five bucks. Come on...I know there's no prize, but she's seven. And cute. And also wearing pink despite the hate. Go figure.

For some reason she has winter on her mind, so she used up all my snowflake ribbon. But most amazingly is that she found my collection of Paperkin punches and FREAKED OUT. Let's just say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Paperkin Love is in the genes. ;o)

Hello Dolly (not the dog)

2009-09-22T15:41:00.002-05:00

OK...Greta will love that title. It will remind her of a little puppy that is worming it's way into her heart. LOL! But this is what the name Dolly should be about. A girl and her dolls. Dolls that seem to be glued to her arms as she never leaves home without them. The only place they haven't gone is with her when she is riding her bike. They fall out of her basket and nothing is worse than seeing two American Girl dolls splatting on the concrete. She will figure out how to fix that soon and I am sure it will involve bungee cords around her waist. The entire layout was made using one Studio Calico kit - Cotillion and the add-ons. I've never made a layout specifically using items from one kit, so this is a first. I like it. I guess that is why one gets kits...to make coordinating a breeze. Gee...that only took me two years to figure out. Duh.

Tomorrow I will post the ribbon layouts from last weekend's challenge. I started aqua aerobics last night and it kicked the butt out of me. Not literally. I wish. I was so tired from actually moving that I overslept this morning and didn't have time to photograph them. Tonight I will. If I can move.

Project 12 Challenge

2009-09-20T21:19:00.003-05:00

I started this project with the best intentions of keep up with it monthly. However, I should know me better. I guess I don't like to face that reality and, well, being five months behind isn't that bad, especially when you do catch up. Rationalizing things is my forte. So without further stalling...here are my photo of the day layouts:

The layouts for January through March were posted earlier on this here blog. If interested: Here's January. Here's February. Here's March.

Thanks for stopping by. :o)

BASB Challenge: Go Mini

2009-09-18T08:41:00.004-05:00

The new BASB challenge is now posted. This time hosted by Greta. In her words this is the "what's up":

My challenge to you is to go mini. Use mini photos or embellishments on your layout, create a mini layout within a larger layout, or take the "go mini" theme in your own creative direction.

It's an awesome challenge and I rolled my rub-on challenge right into it. I used rub-ons from Jenni Bowlin, Doodlebug and Pink Paislee. See....you never knew I was a multi-tasker and a multi-user, did you? Surprise. Well, check it out and hopefully you can join in!

Last weekend I also worked on a challenge that was posted on the Studio Calico blog. Basically use girly perceived items on a boy/man page. I finished it on time for the deadline, but then got all involved in my neighborhood campfire and forgot to post it. Didn't know I was an airhead either, did you? Nah...most know that. So this was the layout:

Finally, it is time for the weekly self-challenge. This weekend I am going to blast through my ribbon. I have enough ribbon to tie up half the country. It is time to make a dent in it.

Alrighty...have a great weekend and thanks for stopping by!

Sometimes I Like Scrapping

2009-09-16T10:21:00.002-05:00

It's true. Sometimes I do like scrapping. I actually love it all the time. What I meant by that title is that I love when I throw somethings together, doubting it the whole time and when finished I like it and don't call it crap. This layout was one of those times. I sound like a snob admitting I like my own work, but trust me it is a rarity. So to say it once out of 100 times I think is ok. Plus if you can't build up your own ego, who will. I am trying not to laugh at myself over that remark.

Please check out this challenge: Breakfast. I think it is awesome. Many of you know Barb from over at Studio Calico. The very first memory I have of Barb is cupcakes. I was new to Studio Calico and she was posting about cooking and cupcakes. I instantly knew I liked her. She now has a cooking blog, which I am loving and want to share with all. I have and hope you like it, too. BTW...anybody that shares recipes with Nutella in it is A-OK in my book. For sure.

Difficulties with Rub-Ons and Hoarding

2009-09-14T18:06:00.003-05:00

I have a problem. The television show Hoarders is turning me into a clean freak. Not such a bad thing to be, but I don't display this freakish nature until after it is dark. Therefore, I start cleaning after the show well into the night, which results in two things: Being tired the next day and throwing away things I need, since I am cleaning in a half stupor. Whatever. Last night's cleaning session resulted in multiple bags of garbage/recycling and a Goodwill pile the size of an Escalade. Goodwill has already hauled it away, so there is no going back to get that pair of pink plaid pedal pushers from the 1980s. Dang. I looked pretty tripendicular in them. Ugh...gag me with a spoon.

OK....end the whining. At least I am not climbing over a mountain of empty pop bottles and pizza boxes. Yet.

The past weekend's challenge of using rub-ons was exactly that - a challenge. I was stumped and ended up making cards. I eventually just started slapping rub-ons on paper and ended up coming up with three layouts. Here's a few cards and a layout I made:

I decided to channel my inner Anilu and did much of this on the computer. The paper version of this layout wasn't working as I wished. After I finished the tree I looked at it and said wow...I just channeled Dawn. So you get two BASB channelings for the price of one. Really? Could you ask for more? ;o)

Weekend Challenge: Part Three (or is it Four?)

2009-09-11T10:22:00.004-05:00

Lily Bee Design Rub-ons - Laugh

The self-challenge for the upcoming weekend will be rub ons. Honestly, it's another thing I have a drawer full and never use. They intimidate me. I see people use them stunningly. I try...it looks like...cra.....ehhhh....a hot mess. So they get shoved in a bottom drawer, but this weekend they are front and center. Why? Because the drawer is so full that the rub ons are getting rubbed off on everything. So if you wish to join in....rub away. As always, no prize...just a big smiley face of content from using something you paid for and never used until now. It's a good thing.

Party Horns and Such

2009-09-10T09:09:00.006-05:00

I woke up early. Do you hear the party horns? Waking up early doesn't happen often. Even rarer is me doing something requiring thinking, creating and rolling out of a fetal position before seven a.m. So I was up and sitting in front of my August Studio Calico kit. I need to use it up before I open the box that is sitting by my front door. That contains the SC September kit. Pressure. For once I wanted to use up one kit before starting another. I'm close, but not close enough. Oh well. There is always next month to achieve that goal. This is what I did this morning. I never know what to do with that JB tissue paper stuff. Care to share what you do with it or have seen what others do with it? I need all the help I can get.

Hmmm...not only is the photo on the layout not the greatest quality, but neither is the photo of the layout. I apologize. The older I get the more shaky I get and the slower my eyes focus. New rule...no taking photos before work and after the age of 40. I guess I'm done. LOL!

A Bundle of Brad Layouts

2009-09-08T21:27:00.007-05:00

This little girl loved going to school the first day. Can't you tell? Yeah...not so much. She and her brothers provided many minutes of comic relief to a rather busy morning. Comic relief in the way over tiredness and photos that will never grace the cover of Popular Photography. Oh well...they tell a story of imperfection and reality. So they - the kids - are the reason the week is just zipping by and I have yet to prove I did the brad challenge. So to keep it short and simple, here they are:

Have a happy Wednesday.

Blow Through Your Brads Challenge

2009-09-04T08:51:00.005-05:00

It's official. The self-challenge for the weekend is brads. I have a drawer full of them. I am certain some of them have been in there since 1995 - the year I began "real" scrapbooking. I have always had a weirdness of not being able to leave a couple brads, rhinestones, etc. left on a sheet, so this little challenge will surely kick me into a permanent OCD outbreak. Such fun things to look forward to, don't you think?

The first email I read this morning started my day off perfectly. It seems my friend, Jen, knows my sense of humor and knows just what I would do to rile up the neighborhood. For your entertainment:

Denise – Did you post this on Craig’s List? J/K – Jen

minneapolis craigslist > dakota/scott > for sale / wanted > items wanted

Clown for Kicks (Mendota Heights)
________________________________________
Date: 2009-08-28, 11:12AM CDT
________________________________________

I am looking for someone to dress up like a Clown and hang out with me. I would cook you diner - or we could BBQ something. I'm interested in making my neighbor lady wonder. I have already had a man in a panda costume last month - and also had a heard of sheep come in for the day to cut the grass. (sheep do a good job by the way). A clown would be something.

Maybe you could bring some balloons - or make balloon animals to hang in my tree. I'd like to have this done some evening between 6pm and dark. The longer you can stay the better (like if you could stay for the whole 3 hours). Do you have any tricks you could do?

Like I said - I could cook diner and get you drunk - I'd even be willing to pay your cab fare to and from. I don't have much to offer - and my neighbor lady is driving me nuts - so I want to drive her nuts. If you had a Mime friend - it would be cool to see you two chase each other around the yard or do relay races while I time you.

Let me know your thoughts - open to Men and Women Clowns.
• Location: Mendota Heights
• it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

I love this person. Wish he was my neighbor. Either that or I wish I had thought of this first. Dang.

Happy Friday! Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

BASB Challenge: Title Envy

2009-09-02T10:03:00.004-05:00

The new BASB Challenge is now posted. In Liz's words:

This next challenge is super simple and super fun! Rock your stamps, sticker letters, whatever you got and create a kickin' title for your layout! The fun thing about this challenge is that when you play up the title, it leaves short work to complete the rest of the layout!

So game on.

This is what I came up with:

Now to finish up the Thicker theme of the week. This would be the layout that I love the most. I know...not a masterpiece as I promised, but it makes me happy. I love how using the Thickers as a mask worked. I used a paper bag, stuck the letters down and then spray with Walnut Ink. Easy. Most of all I love the photo and the memory that accompany it. Sigh. She won't be that excited this year.

Thanks for stopping by today. I appreciate all the comments you have left this week in regard to my Thickers challenge. I have a challenge idea for the upcoming weekend. I need to lessen my stock of brads. Don't we all?

Get Rid of the Thickers: Results, part 2

2009-09-01T08:58:00.007-05:00

I'm tired today.

And old, but that's nothing new.

I spent last night bar hopping. Wait...that is a term of the past. I guess it is now club hopping or something like that. I really didn't hop. I went to one and planted my behind. My godson's band was in a battle called The Last Band Standing. They did an awesome job. The drumming was spot on. I wonder who plays drums? Duh.... Anyway, I was priveleged to be able to see bands ranging from "boy band" to heavy metal. Did you know Satan plays the Didgeridoo? Well, his identical twin does. Crazy. I will have to share photos once I track one down. Not sure who won, because I left before the last three bands played, but I am hoping it was Postina.

Let's get to the real stuff. These are some of the cards I made for the Thickers challenge.

Most are pretty self-explanatory. The yellow one with all the letters is the "foot in the mouth" one. The message inside will say something like I don't have the right words to say I'm sorry. Something like that. If you can think up something better, please share. :o)

Well, that's that. I have one layout left and I will share that tomorrow. I know...you can hardly wait. LOL!

Get Rid of the Thickers: The Results, part 1

2009-08-31T15:20:00.005-05:00

You know...setting a goal of using up three packages of Thickers was probably overstating a possiblity. I have come to the conclusion that using up one sheet of Thickers in one weekend is almost an impossiblity. This is actually a good thing. You get your money worth that is for certain. Well, in my quest I did finish off almost two complete sets and all the sevens from every sheet I own. Well, almost.

Today I will share just a few of the layouts I did. I actually did a whopping three. Remove the whopping. It's more like piddily. I wasn't in a layout mood. I was in a card mood and I made enough to cover every birthday, howdy do and I'm sorry until 2011. Yes...I preplan that I am going to irk at least one of my friends and need to apologize. Pretty smart, because it is hard to make a card when you have a foot in your mouth. Anyway...I will share the cards tomorrow.

Here you go:

The layout above shows the explanation of why my sewing machine feeder foot is full of sticky back foam and chipboard. The sewing came out wanky and messy, but it wasn't going to be a perfect thing anyway. I like it even though I am anal and uptight about things being clean and aligned.

Sun Soaked sat on my desk half done for weeks. It still is unfinished, but only by a quarter. I just can't stand to stare at it anymore. I mean I could stare at the little girl in the photo forever...just not the rest.

The other layout I made I LOVE LOVE LOVE. I just haven't photgraphed it yet. Think of this as a soap opera cliffhanger. Or not. I hate cliffhangers. They always let you down. My layout won't though, because it is a masterpiece. Yeah...not really.

Now I have a confession. My intentions with these challenges are to reduce my overstock or use things I buy and rarely use. So what do I do this weekend? I buy more Thickers. What an idiot. Ugh.

Thickers...Get Rid of 'Em

2009-08-28T10:13:00.002-05:00

On your mark. Get set. Go! The Use Your Thickers challenge has begun. Well, I realize it is a self-challenge. However, I have to make it look like it will be more than me playing or I will cheat and not do it. For anyone wishing to join in, please do. There's no prize other than depleting some of the overabundance of scrap joy in your drawers, refrigerator or wherever you store them. They are similar to rabbits and seem to reproduce quite rapidly.

Enjoy!

American Girls

2009-08-26T09:32:00.003-05:00

Que the mood music....Well she was an american girl................ Ahhh....you just have to love Tom Petty. :o)

There seems to be nothing better than an American Girl doll for a seven year old. This past Monday I took Emily to the Mall of America to pick out her birthday present. She has been talking about Chrissa, since January. However, once there she was overwhelmed with possibilities and had to wander around. I think it was just to make sure she wasn't missing out on anything. The decision came down to Kit or Chrissa. We eventually left with Chrissa in hand and Emily has been skipping on cloud nine ever since. Here's the layout to document the adoption:

Just so you don't think I am the All That Aunt that would spend 100 bucks on a birthday present, I didn't purchase this solely. Her grandma kicked in some funds, too. I may be cool, but I'm not that amazing. Dang...it hurt to admit that.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!

Oh brother...............

2009-08-24T23:30:00.006-05:00

I used stamps. Just minimally. Nice that the person, who set the stamp challenge found no mojo of using them. I kind of thought that would happen. But oh well...there is always tomorrow (or next month). This is what I came up with.

I decided that each weekend I am going to set a self-challenge. Next weekend is Clean out the Thickers. I have a motherlode as I am sure many other do. I vow to use up at least three package. Somehow. Someway. Why do I set myself up for potential failure? LOL!

Five Product Challenge

2009-08-20T18:51:00.004-05:00

I was asked by Emily at Studio Calico to participate in a challenge, which was to use five named items on a layout. Surprisingly, I found it easier to do this than figuring out what to use all by myself. I kind of liked being told what to do. Quite unusual and an epiphionic moment for me. Normally being told what to do results in the opposite. But I like Emily and recognized it was for my own good. LOL! So what you see up above is the result. Not bad. Items that we had to use were alphabet letters, metal, SC pattern paper, floss (double points for using dental floss) and paint. You can read more about the challenge and see what the others came up with here: Five Product Challenge and here: More Challenge Layouts. Lots of awesomeness.

For this upcoming weekend I plan on a lot of laying around and scrapping. I plan this every weekend and it rarely happens. Maybe this time I will get lucky. A few of the BASB girls have decided to have a small mini challenge of using stamps on a layout this weekend. No prizes. Just the victory of knowing we for once have used a stamp. Care to play along? If so, place a link to your creation in the comments here. I would love to see them. I will share mine once complete.

Enjoy your weekend!

Revisiting Back to School

2009-08-18T15:09:00.011-05:00

The new challenge is up at BASB. Diana is hosting and has put together a Back to School Challenge. Twist...it is about your recollection of school...not your kids. I had a blast in school, especially once I got in high school. Lots of fun and friends. However, looking at my layout and reading the journaling you would think I was scarred for life. Not true, but my first grade teacher was sure....how do I say this nicely?...a witch (remove the w replace with a b). Here's my layout:

I tell you...having a teacher like her makes you appreciate the good ones. Getting off the subject of sadistic teachers, let's talk about what a goon I was. Honestly, nice ribbon. Didn't I know ribbons were for scrapping? Oh and as Liz pointed out...nice Farrah hair. I wish it really was. It was a bit flat. I had gym before that photo was taken and my nicely feathered hair had decompressed before cheese escaped my lips. I guess I didn't use enough Aquanet. :o)

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you get a chance to relive your school days. If not in the challenge, at least in your mind! :o)

A Baby Book in a Week, a.k.a WTHeck Was I Thinking!

2009-08-11T16:43:00.018-05:00

I am a procrastinator.

WHAT

I am the worst kind of procrastinator. Let's just admit that and get it out of the way. I have tried fixing this throughout my life, but it is a losing cause and I have given up. However, deciding to do a baby album a week before I needed to give it as a gift is even beyond my usual norm.

THE

But that's what I did.

HECK

Last week I decided to make a mini album - brag book size - slap down photo, adhere and stick on a Paperkin. Yeah. Nothing too trying. Until word got out amongst the family and that mini album turned into a project. Family....you gotta love them. Actually, do you really? ;o)

YIPPEE

So I did and I completed it in a week and it turned out good. Not great. Not supreme. Just good. I am happy with it. I made the layouts super simple and fast. I left a lot of blank spaces for her to write in. I think it will be more personal that way, plus it took two days off of the project. Yep...a shortcut with a reason.

TONIGHT

Tonight I gave the scrapbook to her and honestly her reaction outdid what I even expected. Upon meeting my Baby Cousin I think I pretty much would do it for him again. Even if I only had one day. I mean how could you turn this guy down?

JONAH

JONAHJONAH

He had me at hello. He had me at goo. He had me..... Well, he has me.

HELLO

So here is what I ended up with:

Not too bad for a one week notice. Give me another week and I would have added a lot more sparkle and glitter. Oh well. There is an add-on gift to this gift. For one year I will make layouts and send them to my cousin (the baby's mom) for her to add to the book. I bet you are thinking she should have all those layouts by the time Jonah is ten. You just may be right. ;o)

Thanks for putting up with my rambling. One day I will learn how to summarize, but that is on my list of things to do. Ha!

Enjoy your day!

Circle Journals: Jen and Greta

2009-08-04T00:15:00.007-05:00

I currently have two circle journals in my possession after a couple months of none. The break was great, but when these books showed up ready for my input I drew a blank. I couldn't remember how to start. LOL! It eventually came back to me. We are almost at the end of the journey with this project. In fact, I think my layout was the final for Jen's and Greta's just needs one more. It is very exciting knowing that very soon we will all have our albums back.

First up is Jen Armentrout's journal. Her guidelines are based on favorites. She asked that we scrap a favorite photo using a favorite technique with a favorite product. She sure took the theme to the extreme and I love that. Speaking of love, I love this photo of Nick. I just used it a couple of weeks ago for a different layout. Whenever I look at this I crack up, because I remember how hard he tried not to laugh and all it took was one word from me and he lost it. Good times. Favorite technique was a few different things - sewing, punching, using fabric and stamping. For favorite product I bent the rules a bit and choose Studio Calico. I have never met a kit I haven't liked. Almost everything on this layout is from one or another of their kits. Jen also included a questionnaire on favorites. I think she didn't miss a thing when putting her journal together!

Next is my layout for Greta Baksa's journal. Her theme was life lessons. I have lived a long time and have learned (and not learned) a lot of lessons, but do you think I could think of one on demand. Nope. It took awhile, but I found one - Appreciate what you have and you won't need anything else. Pretty basic and probably one of the most important lessons you can learn. I had to use polka dots on G's journal. Whenever I see polka dots it reminds me of her. My first idea for a life lesson was Slow down and smell the roses. I was going to use a copy of my speeding ticket from two weeks ago as the background photo. The idea didn't pan out, but it would have been hilarious.

POLKA

So that's it for scraps and circle journals.

DOTS

On a completely different topic. Why in the world am I sitting here watching Shark Week on Discovery? It is really grossing me out. This; however, may explain why on Jen's questionnaire I listed Great White Shark as my favorite animal. That came out of the blue. Now I know it is due to watching too much tv. LOL!

BYE

Thanks for stopping by today! Have a great one!

A Bit of Good, A Bit of Bad and the Real Ugly.

2009-07-30T10:09:00.005-05:00

My friends have too much faith in my gardening skills. When they think of my yard they see this:And I tell them sure it looks good, but I have four foot weeds. They don't believe me, because all they see is the toe height weeds in my front rock garden.They say sure you have that one wild garden that hides your air conditioning unit, but it supposed to look full and a bit out of control. Plus there are no weeds in there. (There are, but they are hidden well.)
I say look closely and they scan their eyes over my yard and move to the backyard and do the same thing. Nothing. Then they comment on the pretty flowers off in the distance poking over the edge of my pool.They are so lovely and delicate. What are their names? I say go take a closer look. As they walk toward the back of my yard and circle around my pool, they are slapped in the face with this:
Moral of the story: You can hide anything behind a large thing and give people the impression that you are a superstar.

Add-on to the Moral of the Story: Weeds can pass as lovely and delicate for only so long and only at a distance.

Besides watching the weeds grow I did some creating this week. I seem to scrap like I garden...haphazardly. That is my word for the day. I had to fit it in somewhere. Anyway, the layout:

The Journaling: You DID it! You held on as if your life depended on it and were able to remain on the float and win the respect of all that went down before you.

YIKES

Thanks for stopping by. May all your weeds be wildflowers and, if they aren't, be like me and pretend they are. Then hire children to pick them for pool privileges. You can see how well that has worked for me? It hasn't. There's another moral here, but enough is enough! :o)

YIKES

Have a great day!

Just a Few Things

2009-07-24T09:06:00.003-05:00

I see and read other people's blogs where they make lists of what makes them happy. Since I was over run in a good way with kids and neighbors last night and had no time to scrap, I thought why not make a happy list of this weeks occurrences. Yeah...why not. So in no particular order, here is a little of my "happy" this week:

HAPPY

New lounge chairs for the pool. Despite them being the cause of my speeding ticket earlier this week, I still love them. When I sit in them I wonder how my behind ever survived before their existence. The little pink thing in the chair is a happy thing, too. Double whammy in one shot. Awesome!

SIGH

A little girl that still thinks a toad/frog can be a prince. She also automatically knows that holding this prince requires handwashing. No kissing allowed! She can blow on him instead.

PRIN

PRINCECE

Visits at work from a bendable kid. Honestly, this kid is a pretzel. He can fold himself into any position. If I crossed my leg, like he has done above, it would take me a week to unwind and another month to get all the kinks out.

KINKS

Having Huck Finn (or is it Tom Sawyer?) for a lawn mowing nephew. Notice the handmade sling shot made completely from office supplies? Creative play at the age of twelve is awesome. Being old enough to cut the grass makes it even better. He's growing up into a non-lazy boy/teen/man. That makes me giddy with joy.

SHOT

Finally, my dream of living in a doughnut has come to fruition. No fruit filling...just cream. Talk about happy! Life is good. And yes, I deperately need a hair cut, but that is a long story for another time.
CREAM
CREAM

Have a happy Friday! I hope your weekend is filled with only good things. Thanks for stopping by today!

Two Week Notice

2009-07-23T08:54:00.008-05:00

HOT

That title wasn't a reference to work. I plan on being here until I am old and grey. However, I will still be a hot chick. Ha! Two week notice means two weeks ago I looked at the shell of this layout, which I started a month before, and said in two weeks you better be done with it or it goes in the trash. I finished three minutes before the deadline. The layout just wasn't jiving the way I wanted it to jive. I liked it and hated it at the same time. Ever have that happen? I just couldn't figure out what was missing then last night I added machine stitching and the likability went up a notch to acceptable level. I then tried the newest scrap fad of cutting out titles. Well, it was fun to do. I need more practice, but for a first attempt I like it. I decided I would do all my work reports this way today. Add a bit of pizazz and make it a sure thing that they keep me until I am old and grey (and still hot).

HOT

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you are enjoying your day!

Happy Happy Joy Joy

2009-07-22T10:34:00.005-05:00

Happy Hump Day! Nothing much to share today, except to wish you a happy day. I was going to make a list of things that make me happy, but realized everthing pretty much makes me happy and no one wants to read a list that counts up to a million. The only thing not on that list would be clothes shopping, which I need to do as my pants can only stretch so far. Grrr. Oh! My happy place just popped. I'll survive.

POP

I hope you have a great day!

Eat Fresh

2009-07-21T09:09:00.003-05:00

Six inch Subway Club on wheat toasted with pickles, lettuce and ranch sauce. That's Nick's go to meal at Subway. He would actually like a 12" and sometimes he gets it and finishes it. Unbelieveable. I wonder where it all fits in his body. Unlike me, he's a skinny dude. He must be missing a couple of ribs or something like that. This layout was done for a sketch challenge that Jenn Olson hosted at Studio Calico. I was going to find clip art of tiny subs for the white boxes, but as usual I got lazy and the deadline was minutes away. So it is what it is.

SUBWAY

Next on the scrapping adjenda is Greta and Jen's circle journals. The idea for Greta's came to me yesterday when I was pulled over for speeding. I wasn't speeding. I think the officer saw me zip by in my glory and needed a closer look. I really can't blame him. I am hot.

EAT FRESH

Yeah...on that note I better end. Have a wonderful day. If you feel the inclination to help me pay off that ticket, email me and I will be happy to give you my mailing address. ;o)

BASB Challenge 17: Summer and Organization

2009-07-20T08:51:00.003-05:00

Hi all! The new challenge at BASB is now up. This time Liz has a double challenge for you. First create a summer layout. Yep...that's easy. Just throw on your thong bikini, snap a photo and slap it on a layout. I couldn't find my bikini, which I have to admit will be a relief to all. I did one about Nick instead. Whew! The world is once again safe. Here's my layout:

Part two of the challenge is to get your organizing on. However, there is a catch. Everyone knows Liz is the Queen of "Ew to New". She wants you to re-fashion a non-scrap item into a scrap organizer. In her words: It can't be like a Cropper Hopper product. But, don't be discouraged. It's not as hard as it sounds. You could post a pic of a few veggie cans you covered in paper to hold your pens and what-not.

Cool, yes? Check HERE to see what Liz and some of the other BASBers did for the challenge. Her organization items are excellent. Deadline is July 31 at midnight.