Seriously...

New Layouts

2011-10-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

I taught a class last month and have promised to get the layouts up for those who were unable to finish in the class. I am determined to get them up BEFORE this months class.... so without further ado.... here they are!

This first one is using We are Memory Keepers Autumn Splendor Line.

Here are a few close ups of the tree, which I drew and hand stitched.

And the title, which was a little different for everyone.

I love that tree paper! I think it was my favorite paper in the whole layout!

This next layout was a mix of some old favorite papers of mine. I have held on to a few of these for years, but finally decided that it was time to use them up. There is a bit of American Crafts, Making Memories, Best Creations, We Are Memory Keepers, and some REALLY old Heidi Grace. I loved her papers! Makes me sad that she isn't doing them anymore!

Here is a close up of the title. It was cut with a die cutting system and then highlighted with a few metallic markers. Black can be so fun to work with sometimes.

Oh yes, I forgot, there is a bit of K & Co. hiding in there too! Those little guys are old too! I love it when I can use up some of my stash... and I still like it!

Well, there you are. Just a little sneak of what I have been up to lately. Hoping to be around more, but man is nuts in my house with 3 little ones.

Thanks for stopping by.

Blog Your Heart Out... A Challenge.

2011-09-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

This post is inspired by Ali and challenged by Stephanie. Two amazing women, who work very hard, are super busy, and yet, continue to inspire me daily. Thank you girls for that.

So, right now, what is in my heart and what is real for me is this...

My heart is heavy. Locally in the past week, we have suffered a shooter, mourned and remembered the 9/11 tragedy, and had a mass casualty accident at the air races. So many families ripped apart. So many children without parents. Such a tragic loss of life. It breaks my heart.

Matteo is growing so fast. He is getting bigger and bigger every day. He is so inquisitive and wants to know about everything, every second of the day. He is also starting to really sass and it is making me a little crazy. I think we are both ready for him to go back to school soon.

The girls are getting so big. They are everywhere. Some days, I don't know if *I* am going to make it to bed time. It is really tough keeping them occupied, safe, and happy. They are really interested in all of Matteo's things these days, which is a recipe for DISASTER from Matteo's view point. The fighting is unbearable at times.

With each other, the girls are really fun. They love to take things away from each other. It's so funny though, because it really never causes a big fight. The other one just takes it right back... no problems. That is really fun to watch.

Elliana is getting better. She was so sick last month. She had a sinus infection, pink eye, a respiratory virus, and kidney failure... at the S A M E time! Yuck! We did blood work, had a catheter placed, did a urinalysis, and a chest x-ray. Got some good medication, and now we are doing good. The antibiotics were so good that she now is recovering from a yeast infection. But, she is quickly getting back to her old self. Happy and healthy. In a few weeks we will have to have her kidneys checked to make sure that they are anatomically correct because of the type of infection she had, but she has to be 100% first.

Naomi is my little monkey. She is climbing everywhere. She is already trying to climb out of the crib... and she is only 13 months! UGH!!! She just learned how to climb on an adult chair/couch. The crazy thing is that she doesn't want to sit... she climbs up and stands. Gonna make me loose all my hair.

Getting really discouraged with my body right now. I am having a really hard time loosing the last bit of baby weight. Can I still call it that if they are 13 months old? I still can't fit into my jeans. It is really hard making time to fit it all in. I really need to work on that.

I miss reading again. I haven't read a book in months, and I miss that. The Help is on my list right now. I have heard such wonderful things about it.

Making a quilt for our bedroom. It's grey, yellow, and slate blue. It is lovely. Hoping to finish it before Christmas.

Needing to make some "adult" time with the hubby. I love him so much and count him as one of my greatest blessings.

I have been a horrible blogger this year, which is one thing that I honestly don't like. Blogging is also on my list of things to "fit in" better in the future. Somehow writing/typing it all out helps a bit.

Our garden is finally producing veggies. Picked some tomatoes... almost time to get the squash and cucumbers. The strawberries are all gone. I love having a garden.

Wow... that is more than I planned on saying, but there it is. That is what is in my heart and what is real for me right now.

I love this kid

2011-05-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

The weather here keeps teasing us... maybe it will get warm, maybe not. Right now it is not. I am so ready for summer right now. Actually, I would be happy with some spring! But alas it is yucky cold and raining outside instead.

The other day, when it was warm outside, Matteo was outside hanging with Daddy while Mama was taking care of the babies. He came inside to give me this pretty little blossom that he had found outside. It immediately melted my heart. What a sweet little guy. So, I rush to take his picture, because of course he is just so lovable and sweet at this moment. Then I hug him tight and tell him that I love him so much and that he is such a kind boy. To this he replies, "Okay mom (which I hate when he calls me mom... he's to little to call me mom! It's mama please)... Okay mom, can I stomp on it now?"

What!?! Yes that is the same sweet, kind boy I was talking about earlier. Oh, how I love this kid. :)

On a scrappy note, here are the layouts for a class that I taught today up at Scrapbook Paradise.

Sorry for the spotty photos, as mentioned above, the weather here is so not conducive for good bright photos.

The first one is of my girls, as they are right now... chunky, moving, lovable, and oh so happy. I love the photo of them playing in the kitchen with the cups and plates. It is one of their favorite things to do right now. I love how happy they are. (don't mind the little water spot by the star. like I said, it's raining right now. :)

Here's a close up.

This next one is of the girls too, but they were so little then. It's actually funny, because they weren't that tiny in comparison to when I brought them home, but in comparison to now, they were so little. It is so much fun to see them grow and learn. It truly is a blessing.

I had a close up of this one, but it seems to have been lost somewhere in my computer. Sorry about that. I am actually having some issues with photoshop. My dear hubby decided to "clean up" the computer and now I can no longer browse in bridge when using photoshop. I can't even find bridge actually. If anyone knows a solution, I would love to hear it.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend.

It's been too long...

2011-05-20T16:01:00.000-07:00

It has been too long since I have been blogging.

I have to say that I really do miss you dear blog. I know that that I don't have a ton of readers, but something about this blog is therapeutic for me. I have taken a long break, honestly, too long. I have just been so darn busy. But, I am ready to get back the little pieces of me that have been put on the shelf so I can attend to and take care of my littles.

Oh, those littles. They are getting so big. Matteo just turned 4 (April)...

The girls are now 9 months. It is flying bye.

Naomi

Elliana

But now, I am ready to focus on me. I am scrapping a little bit more. I have started walking and taking a pilates class (which I love)... and I am going to start blogging again. I can't promise I will be super regular yet, but I am going to try. For Me.

And just because... here are a few recent layouts that I finished up. These are all made from the Green Tangerines Kit Club (March, April, May 2011).

Thanks for stopping bye. Have a wonderful day.

One Little Word ~2011~

2011-01-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

my word this year is persevere.

i have struggled to find my word this year because there are so many things that i want to accomplish this year.

i want to take better care of myself. after having twin baby girls just 4 months ago, i don’t feel good in and about myself right now, and i want that to change.. going to take work.
i want to gain control of my financial situation and be in a better place than i am right now.
i want to be a better more patient mother to my children, there are 3 that are 3 and under… i need to let go of the small stuff because honestly, who really cares?
i want to rid my life of excess that i don’t really need… too many obligations that i don’t want
i want to declutter my home, we don’t need all of this stuff… it really just makes more work for me, and i don’t need that either

there is so much to do, and knowing that it is not going to be easy, but really be a process that will be hard, very hard at times i am sure. so i think i will need to keep the end result in mind, especially when i think i “need” something or it’s too hard, or i slip. i need to persevere. in the end, i believe i will be a much happier and better person, mommy, and wife for it.

Gratitude: Day 20

2010-11-20T14:25:00.000-08:00

On cold winter days, I am thankful for popcorn and movies.

Sometimes it is so hard keeping two little babies happy AND occupying a 3 1/2 year old. Today was so cold! Too cold to go out and play. Perfect for popcorn and a movie midday.

Gratitude: Day 18

2010-11-18T16:14:00.001-08:00

Harry Potter!

Woo Hoo! So super excited for this. I am going tonight to see him... at 12:20am!

Yep, I am officially nuts! I will be SO TIRED tomorrow. Hoping that my littles sleep well tonight and in tomorrow. I can't wait... Just a few more hours!

Gratitude: Day 13

2010-11-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

Him.

That sweet, wonderful, loving man. I am grateful for him. He has given me a family and a home, and it all started 6 years ago today.

Today I am grateful for him. Happy Anniversary babe.

Gratitude: Day 12

2010-11-12T21:19:00.000-08:00

Board Games.

I love being able to pick out a game and let him go. It gives me a few minutes peace and entertains him at the same time. I really needed this today.

Gratitude: Day 11

2010-11-11T10:13:00.000-08:00

The Men and Woman who are serving and have served our country.

I am so grateful for your bravery, honor, and sacrifice. I am so grateful for your strength, determination, and fearless heart. I am humbled by your fortitude to march into danger for those of us who are miles away. I am so grateful that you have chosen to serve, so that I can rest easily in the safety of my home.

(John Carl D'Annibale / Times Union)

Today, I am so grateful for you. Thank you.

Gratitude: Day 9

2010-11-09T23:54:00.000-08:00

Scrappy Time.

I am finally getting some time to do some creative time. I will try to get some pictures up of my December Daily that I have been working on... hopefully tomorrow.

Gratitude: Day 8

2010-11-08T18:13:00.000-08:00

Monday Night Football.

Yep. That's right Ladies, I said Monday Night Football. You see, I am married to a sport fanatic! He loves all things sports... which I typically hate. But, on Monday's we have these little football books that we purchase every year from the local Sertoma Club. It is for their annual fundraiser, and all the money goes towards helping those with hearing loss, which is right up my ally. (I am an SLP by profession)

But, besides being charitable, these little books bring on something else. I get to participate in sports with my hubby. We check our numbers every week and during the entire game, we try to figure out what needs to happen to get "our" numbers that week. If we win, we get 50 bucks! Pretty Cool hu?

But the best part is that we are sharing something he loves together, and he actually talks to me when the game is on!

So today, I am grateful for Monday Night Football!

Gratitude: Day 7

2010-11-07T14:58:00.001-08:00

Sunday.

Sunday in this house means that Daddy is home... all day long. He works on Saturday, so Sunday is the first day of "our" weekend. Since he works so much, (he is in the restaurant business so it's usually about 65+ hours a week) it is extra nice to have him home.

Right now it means... an extra set of hand to help, Daddy and Matteo bedtime stories, family dinner, weekly shopping trip, sleeping in a bit, less diapers for Mama to change, a shower for Mama, help feeding babies, and falling asleep next to him...

And Matteo gets to nap with him too! Along side of Bella :)

I am very grateful for Sunday.

Gratitude: Day 6

2010-11-06T21:00:00.000-07:00

Bedtime.

Today was a rough day in this house. It is bedtime for the littles. For that I am grateful.

Gratitude: Day 5

2010-11-05T08:57:00.001-07:00

Books.

This is the one that I am currently reading... Well actually re-reading. I started it before the girls were born, but was not able to finish. So I am starting it over again. That's okay... it's THAT good.

This particular book makes me grateful for many things. I get to leave "my life" for just a little while when I read it. I am able to travel to a different time and see things from someone else's point of view, and I love that. But it also does more than that. Right now.... It makes me thankful that:

1. I am a woman born into a time that "I" have a say what happens in my life.

2. I have control over what happens to "my" body... most of the time... pregnancy was a doozie!

3. My thoughts and values are just as valid as my husbands.

4. My children have good medical care

5. Indoor plumbing... Hot showers... Central heating and air... Electricity...

I am so grateful for these things, and reading books like this help me realize this even more than I ever knew.

Gratitude: Day 4

2010-11-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

"Write it on your heart that everyday is the best day in the year"

-Emerson

For today, I am grateful.

Gratitude: Day 3

2010-11-03T11:27:00.000-07:00

Cousins.

As things around here continue to be crazy and I continually attempt to adjust to this new chapter in my life, I am so thankful for my family. I love that my sister's children are close in age to my little man. I love that they love each other so very much and love to play together. I love to watch them grow and cherish the simple things in life, the things I remember enjoying with my siblings when I was their age. I love that a simple pile of Fall leaves brings as much joy to them as Christmas morning. I am grateful that I was able to witness this and capture it for years to come.

Gratitude: Day 2

2010-11-02T23:14:00.000-07:00

Silence.

I know that Silence is something that many often find awkward, but for me... I love the sound of it. I don't have much silence in my life right now.

My day is full of:

Crying babies

Hungry babies and a 3 year old

Barking dogs

Phones ringing (so grateful that the election is over on this front)

Games playing

Movies going

Doorbell ringing

Craziness

My car is full of requests:

"I want to watch a movie"

"I want to listen to my music"

"Mommy, can we go eat at Miss Donald's (McDonald's... I just can't seem to correct that one, I just love it :)

"Mommy, I want some of YOUR water"

"I can't reach it"

"Mommy, I need help"

...it goes on and on...

So, when I have a moment of pure silence, I revel in it. I take the time to hear my own breath as it comes in and out of my body, listen to the sound of the heater as it warms my house, and sometimes if I am really lucky, I can feel the heart beat of one of my precious babies as she sleeps on my chest.

Gratitude: Day 1

2010-11-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

So I know I haven't been around much lately... Okay, at all, but I really want to try to get back into blogging, and I thought this might be an easy way for me to start back up.

This is an idea found on Scarlett's blog, which I found via Studio Calico, one of my favorite places to hang out when I get a free minute. (Really don't get much of that lately, but I try)

I have found that I have an abundance in my life right now, and I would like to try to remember it, cherish it, and embrace it. Thus, I am going to try to write it down... every day.

I may not be able to complete this in its entirety, but I really am going to try :)

So here it goes... day one....

Right now, this is my focus. It is what my life is all about. It encompasses almost every minute of my day, and most of my night. It is these two new sweet and healthy girls...

And their little "big" brother.

Catch up!

2010-02-14T17:49:00.000-08:00

Yikes! I know I said it before, but man time is flying by me these days. I really need to get it together... and soon.

So today I am going to do a little catch up. I haven't posted my class layouts in... well... I think it has been three months. I am SO sorry girls!

Here are the layouts from January. I would start with December, but I don't have photos of those layouts yet, and it is dark outside. I will try to get them up tomorrow.

This is the first one from January. I used Maya Road Mist in Sunflower with some die cut stars to create the background. I really like this shade of yellow, very bright and cheery. All papers are American Crafts, the Junior line. I originally wanted to do a sports page with these papers, but I just loved the brightness of them. It ended up screaming "Birthday" to me. By the way, this is Matteo on his second birthday.

This is a close up of the stars and the title. You can see the stars that I used were just simple die cuts from Quickutz nesting shapes. Easy Peazy.

This next one turned out really well. I used Fancy Pants for the entire layout. I added some felt die cuts, the kind that you find at your local scrapbook store in their die cut systems. It cut through the felt better than my home die cut machine.

For the title, I used Doodlebug flocked paper. It was white to start off, but the flocked design was really difficult to see, so I inked it very lightly. This made the design pop right of the paper. I love the effect.

Here is a close up of the felt snowflakes. I didn't use any adhesive to adhere them. I simply stitched them in place where I wanted them.

These next two layouts are from February's class. This first one consists of two new lines from Three Bugs in a Rug. They were both pretty "themed" lines, so I flipped them over and used the "B" sides. In the end, they went together pretty well. I haven't had a moment to get the photo's in them yet, but soon.... I hope. :)

Here is a close up of these cute pins from Heidi Grace. They are old pins, but still really cute.

This Journaling tag is Jenni Bowlin. They are some of my favorite journaling tags ever. My stash of these is running low. I may need to make a new order at Two Peas soon.

This is the last one from February. It is clearly a Valentines Day layout. I used two different lines to make this layout, Fancy Pants and Making Memories. It is a simple layout, but I think it will be really cute when I get Matteo's Valentines Day photo's in it. I always get him a cute little Valentines Day shirt to wear on Valentines. This year, I got a steal on this one... only $3.00! Gotta love it!

Here is a close up of some of the stitching.

Okay, now I need to find December's layouts and get those photographed. Then I will be caught up. Well, I have some layouts for Green Tangerines kit club that I need to get up too... but that is another post. So, for now, have a great night. Thanks for stopping by.

When does life slow down?

2010-01-27T15:15:00.001-08:00

It seems that now that I have a little one, life is traveling at mach ten. I don't even know where the time goes, it is just gone. It is like some crazy sci-fi movie around here. Do you ever feel like that?

So, onto some scrappy stuff. I haven't posted much scrappy stuff lately, so here is a few to wet your palate. I recently became a designer for Green Tangerines kit club. It is really such a blessing for me, as I have always wanted to do this. I love it. This kit was actually their December kit. Their kits run a month behind, with the idea that you will already have tons of great photos to scrap for the month when you get your kit. This is what I made with this kit.

The first layout was actually photos from Halloween. I loved Halloween this year. Matteo was so excited. He is actually the reason why I dressed up. Matteo said, "Mommy, I be Mickey and you be Minnie." How could I say no to that? So here we are.

This next one is one of Matteo's new favorite pastimes. He loves board games, and he loves to count everything these days. So, the Hi-Ho-Cherry-O game is a new favorite in our house. I love how he can "get into it".

Here is a close up of some of the embellishments. Aren't those Jillibean buttons to die for?

This is the one card that I made with this kit. I love the little Green Tangerines original cards. I actually used on on the layout below too. This one is for home.

This is my favorite layout from this kit. I love the color combinations, a subtle grey with a few pops of color. Plus I have to say that I just love these photos of Matteo too. I know I am biased, but I don't care. heehee

Here is a close up. I use Maya Mist in silver on the card stock to give a bit of shimmer, but not too much. I hope you can see it clear in this photo. It was a bit difficult to catch.

This is the last one. It is my only single pager. I don't know why, but I don't do these very much. I think I just really like to use more photos, but I do like this one. This photo was shot this past Fall during our family photo shoot with Skye. She does such a wonderful job. I can't say enough good things about her.

I think my favorite thing about this layout is how the red just pops off the background, and of course I used another one of those exclusive Green Tangerines labels. This time I used the family one.

Well, that is all for me today. I do have some other layouts to share, but I have to wake up the little sick boy. If I don't he won't sleep tonight either, and I can't have another sleepless night.

Wordless Wednesday... Board Games...

2010-01-27T12:05:00.000-08:00

Don't worry, I am not only going to be doing wordless wednesdays, things have been really crazy around here... I am hoping to get in another crafty post later as my little one is home sick today. :(

Another Wordless Wednesday... Tubing...

2010-01-13T20:12:00.000-08:00

Seriously, how cute is he?

2009 Wordie...

2010-01-07T09:03:00.000-08:00

Here is my Wordle from 2009. It is so nice to see all the things I hold dear to me up and center.

Wordless Wednesday...

2010-01-06T20:53:00.000-08:00

I haven't done this in a while, but would really like to get back into it. So, not so wordless, but here it is... Matteo saying, "I want a towel on my head like Mommy." Nice hu?

My one little word... Cherish

2010-01-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

This year I am going to try to commit to "my" word more. Last year, I think my word was a bit to harsh for me. I needed it in the beginning of the year, but it didn't "fit" as much as the year progressed. This year, I am choosing... Cherish.

cher·ish (c̸her′is̸h)

transitive verb

to hold dear; feel or show love for to cherish one's family
to take good care of; protect; foster to cherish one's rights
to cling to the idea or feeling of to cherish a hope

There are going to be many changes in my life this year, and I want to embrace them, remember them, and enjoy them. For me, I think this word will embody that feeling and goal for me.

So, what's your word, if you so choose to choose one? Leave me a comment and let me know what it is and why you chose it. I would love to hear about it.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful New Year.

2009-12-24T17:43:00.000-08:00

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy the holiday and remember it's magic.

December... Not So Daily...

2009-12-19T14:50:00.000-08:00

Man I can't believe how this month has flown by. I just don't have enough time to do anything, and I mean anything. I have done most of the shopping, made the majority of the gifts that I am making for others, finished all the decorations, and have begun on the baking, and I still feel like I am swimming in things to do. My to do is still at least a mile long! Do any of you feel like this too?

One thing I am bound and determined to finish this year is my December Daily album. I started it last year and didn't get it quite finished. (I do still plan to though... someday.) So, with a little less sleep, I have gotten a jump on this years album.

I showed a photo of the cover, but here is a close up. I am really trying to keep this album simple so that I can get it finished this year. I want to document all of the little things that make this time of year so special for our family.

This is the first page. This is Matteo helping Mommy make some new garland for the tree. He loved this. It was so much fun, and super easy. The garland can be purchased from Heather at her etsy shop, Sunshine daydream Creations, or you can make your own. Here is a few recipes for it. I am making some more dough this weekend to make hand prints for the Grandparents gifts.

This is the back of page one and the front of page two. Matteo received his first Christmas card today. He was so funny about it, and of course he wanted to read it all by himself. He climbed up in his high chair, crossed his legs and read his card to me.

He said, "Merry Christmas. Ms. Dianne loves me. Ms. Mary loves me." Apparently, he feels very loved, which is wonderful.

This page represents a family tradition of counting down the days till Christmas. The Advent Calendar is such a great tradition. Grandma got this for us a few years ago, and Matteo loves to play with it. He doesn't really get the concept of counting down the days yet, but he loves to open the little drawers and take out each token to hang it on the tree. He does this until he is done, and then he puts them all back. Maybe we will "count down" the days next year.

This is just a shot of the overlay that labels day four.

Day four represents another family tradition around here. We always have our annual family photos taken before Christmas so that I can have a current photo to send out for Christmas. I would love to make our Christmas card, but honestly, there just isn't enough time, so I do the photo cards. This tradition is very dear to my heart, not only because I am a scrapbooker and I love to document, but also because I don't have any family photos of myself with my siblings and parents as a child. It just wasn't something that we were able to afford at that point in my life. So now I save up for them every year. We use the same photographer every year, and I love her. Check her out here. Thanks again Skye for making our photos so memorable.

Here is the back side with another family shot.

Day five was our annual Christmas Tree hunting trip. It was so cold that I didn't take many photos, but I got a few. This first page is the tree. Dad actually went and cut it down by himself this year because Matteo was so cold he just wanted to watch CARS in the truck, but I did get a family shot with the tree. This is it. Gosh, I hope you all can see that. If you click on it, it should enlarge.

The only other shots that I got that day was when we first got there. We hadn't anticipated so much snow, so nobody brought any sleds. Daddy, The Creative, whips out a cardboard box and starts up the hill with Matteo. These are the shots I did get.

Matteo loved this. Who knew sledding without a sled could be so much fun? Here is the backside of day 5.

So, that is it for now. I will be posting some more this week. I am going to finish this... this year.

Also, if you want a kit to this layout, the papers have arrived.

They are currently making the kits, and they should be ready to go this week. If you have any questions, or want to reserve one, call Karen or JoElle at Scrapbook Paradise. Their number is 775-746-1212.

Thanks for stopping by.

Updates...

2009-11-24T10:53:00.000-08:00

Today I am waiting for the Heat God... Oh, I mean the heater guy. I am really ready to freeze right now. Last Thursday, I was hanging out with the little guy, and all of the sudden the heater kicked on... no biggie right? Matteo came running in the room saying "yucky noise mama, yucky noise" So, I go see what he is talking about. It's the heater. I figure, Daddy forgot to change the filter, no problem. He can fix it when he gets home. I turn off the heater and wait for him to get home. This was around 4:00pm. Dad gets home about 11:30pm, and by now, it is pretty cold. He takes a look at it and says, "It's not the filter".

Problem #1 The temperature in Reno hasn't been above 50 for the high and is floating in the 20's for the low. Dad runs to Wal-Mart and grabs two space heaters for the night. (We don't want to pay double for the heater guy at midnight)

The next day, I cancel my work appointments and stay home for the heater guy. I hate doing this because I never know what they are talking about. It is like taking the car to get something fixed. I would just rather Dad do it. Well, the heater guy comes out and takes a look.

Problem #2 He says, good thing you didn't run it last night because the part that is broken filters the Carbon Monoxide out of your house. OMG! If I would have run it anyway, our house would have filled with Carbon Monoxide.... Poisonous Gas! *** Thank you guardian angles***

Problem #3 The part... the lovely part... is on order, and won't be here until Tuesday. Yes, that is 6 days without heat!

Problem #4 The temperatures here are dropping low, the nights haven't gotten out of the 20's since the heater broke, and the highs are only around 50 degrees. Yikes. So, Literally, it is freezing around here!

But today is Tuesday, and I am waiting for my heater god to come warm me up! Please get here soon.

On a good note. Completely unrelated, I do have a few layouts to share. The first one doesn't have photos in it, because I am going to take ones at Thanksgiving of my family drawing names for Christmas. We do this every year because our family is huge. I think that there is 16 of us that will be drawing names this year. I will post a picture of it when it is done too, but I wanted to get it up for those of you that have kits and need a picture.

This is a close up of the stamp that I used from Studio Calico. I had a hard time getting it just right, so I used a white gel pen to make the word "Tradition" show up better.

The next one is a layout that Matteo "helped" me with. I took these photos at the park right before sunset, and the lighting was amazing. This photo just doesn't do them justice. The oranges and reds are so bold and brilliant. I just loved how they turned out.

Here is a close up of the title. I used a wood grain stamp as the background for the this part and then stamped a tree on top of the wood grain. I used stickles and glossy accents to make the tree pop out.

Here is another close up of the layout. This green ink is where Matteo "helped" me stamp. At first I was going to take it apart and use a new piece of cardstock, but he was so proud that he "stamped like mama" that I just left it. At least he picked a coordinating color right? Laugh.

This last layout was one that I made for a kit for Scrapbook Paradise. It was for their Home for the Holidays event. So much fun. I used Bo Bunny paper, which surprisingly was perfect for these pictures. Very festive.

Here's a few close ups.

I ended up loving this layout. I have wanted to use these photos for a while and haven't felt I had the right paper, so I am glad to have them down and documented. Christmas is such a fun time of year around here.

Speaking of Christmas, I am plugging along with the December Daily this year. I am almost finished with the "shell" of the album. I will take photos and get them up.... it's just around the corner! Ack! Well, Thanks for stopping by. I will get those other photos up this week. Have a great day.

Jumping on the band wagon...

2009-11-15T15:13:00.001-08:00

It's that time again, and I am determined to finish up this year. That's right, it is December Daily time. (Thank you Ali Edwards.) So, I have pulled out the stash... boy is that scary. hee hee. I have the album. I am going to get it done this year.

This year, I decided to go with a pre-made album. I think this may make it easier for me to finish. I picked up this American Crafts 8x8 album on sale at Michael's a few months ago. It was a deal, and, like I said, I am determined to get this done this year. I love the idea of documenting the holiday. It is really one of the most wonderful times of the year, when people are better to each other, and family takes the driver's seat.

Honestly, I am still working on finishing last year too! But I don't want to try to catch up, I know that I will always be playing that game, so I am going to focus on the now... and complete this one.

So far this is what I have done. Here is the stash... well, what I am willing to show you of it. Ha!

I actually keep all my Christmas stuff stored together in these plastic storage bins. It makes the planning stage easier for me because all my stuff is always together.

Here is the cover so far. I had a close up, but I have been having a fight with Mr. Photoshop lately, and he's winning. I will take another one and post it in the next update.

I wanted to keep it simple. I think that may have been part of my problem last year. I wanted it to be perfect... whatever that is. This year, I want to get it finished. I want to have this time in our family documented. I am trying to remember that this stage in my life will be over before I know it, and Matteo is growing so fast. I am determined to embrace it and enjoy it.

So, that is what I have so far. I am off to work on it some more. I will keep you posted. Thanks for stopping by, and have a great day.

Bliss...

2009-11-13T22:11:00.000-08:00

This is us... five years ago. Such a wonderful and blissfull day.

Happy Friday the 13th... I love you babe!

2009-11-13T08:39:00.000-08:00

Today is my anniversary... five years today. So, in good spirits, Happy Friday the Thirteenth! It's my favorite day.

... trying to track down a picture.. I will get it up today. :)

Update...

2009-11-01T15:20:00.000-08:00

This is long over due, I know. Life has a way of running away with me.... literally. I don't even know what I have been up to either. It has just been nuts! So, since I was last actively blogging, a few things have happened...

My Mimi was really sick in the hospital. She had Gaul stones, but never sought medical treatment for them, so by the time my Mom made her go to the doctor, she was very sick. She was shaking uncontrollably from the infection in her body. She is 85, so this is not to be taken lightly. She had Sun downers at night, which was the worst experience I have ever had... we got the call at 3:00am to come to the hospital... it was horrible. That lasted for a little over a week. I have never been so thankful for modern medicine. She is doing better now, at home and back at being Mimi.

I had laskic eye surgery. No more glasses! LOVE it!

The day after I had surgery, Matteo had Swine Flu! Yes, Swine Flu! That was not fun either. But he is okay. More cu does to modern medicine!

School is in the full swing of things... busy, busy, busy! I am still hoping for good news in the job department... but for now, I am grateful that I have a job. Times are tight around here... just like everywhere else. I know "they" are saying it is getting better, but "they" need to show me where! Here in Nevada, it is not getting better yet.

I did get to go to a crop for 2 days with my friend Amy at Green Tangerines. It was so much fun. It was so nice to get away from everything, stay in a hotel, and take as long as I need to get ready. I haven't done that in years! Two and a half to be precise.... Thanks Matteo ;)

Some good news may have come out of that crop though... I will keep you posted when I know for sure.

I also have some layouts to share with you. First, here are the layouts for the class that I taught at Scrapbooker Paradise in September... I know I am behind on this.

This first one is of Matteo in our crooked willow out front. It seems that he can't go in the front yard without climbing in this tree. He loves it in there. I think it is kinda like his own little fort.

I just love the foam Thickers because you can overlap them so easily. Since they are so pliable, it is easy to stack them up... great for a large title in a smaller space.

Oh crap, it looks like I forget to take a photo of the other one. I will try to get that one up this week.

I do however, have the layouts for October... Here they are.

These pictures are actually from Halloween last year, but they are so cute that I had to use them. Although, I can't wait too scrap this year's Halloween pictures. They are so cute too. Okay, I am totally biased! Ha.

This paper is by Best Creations, and I just loved all the glitter on the tree. I didn't actually glue it down everywhere, just on the trunk. I wanted to create the feeling of the tree growing right off the page. I don't know if you can tell from this photo, but the tree branches lift off the page.

This next one doesn't have the photos in it yet, because I haven't had time to print them. When I do, they will just be everyday photos of Matteo. The journaling for this layout is going to be all about my hopes and dreams for my son, and how I want him to shoot for his dreams, whatever they will be.

The journaling tag for this actually had little shoes on it. Totally cute, but not for this layout. I used the My Mind's Eye label at the bottom of the page to cover them up. Add a few brads, and Wa La, it is perfect for the page.

I am finishing up the layouts for November. I will try to have them posted by Saturday.

Here is a few that I made from photos that were taken during our Disneyland trip. The first one was taken while we were standing in line, waiting for a ride. I think it was the Toy Story II ride. We were trying to occupy Matteo.

They were knocking heads, goofing around. So funny. I really liked these papers, but they were so busy, so I cut them up and just used little pieces of them. I added dimension by popping up random squares in the clusters. You can see a little better in this photo.

This last one was also a Disney shot. This was one of my favorite changes in Disneyland since I had been there last.

Yes, that is a recycling can. I loved how they used Jimney Cricket to gently remind everyone to clean up and think about the environment. Here is a close up. Isn't he so cute?

Well the little one is up from his nap, so I will have to finish the layouts another time. Hopefully, things will return to normal around here, and I won't be MIA for so long. Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by.

Wordless Wednesday... I should have

2009-10-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

Entered him in the GAP contest! He is so stinking cute!

Wordless Wednesday... Goggles...

2009-09-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

Results...

2009-08-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

Thanks for all of your tips on the garage sale. I think it was a success. I will be putting all the money we earned in a savings account for the little guy. I have to say that it was exhausting though. I don't even remember being that tired. My mom came up to help, but we stayed up way to late and had to get up way too early. In the end we were dog tired and really glad it was over.

The random winner is....

*reyanna klein* said...

Sounds great! I did this same thing for my LSS's garage sale, and I made some good money! Good luck!

Congratulations! Email me at tinytink76@yahoo.com with your address, so I can get you something fun.

Again, thanks for helping me out girls.

Back to work and a request for help...

2009-08-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Officially, I started back to work today. All day training in something that I will never use. It was a good training I think, but it was designed for teachers to teach reading, and I don't do that. Well, not in that way. Kinda frustrating, but it was probably good for me to understand what they will be doing. I just wish I could have spent my day cleaning and organizing my office or in a training that was applicable.

I have another training tomorrow, so maybe that one will be a more efficient use of my time. At least there aren't any kids yet. Not until next week. That is when it gets crazy for me! I already miss Summer. laugh.

As far as the scrappy stuff, I don't have any for you today. I am actually up to my ears in garage sale stuff. We, well I should say I, am having a garage sale this weekend. I am loving the feeling of getting rid of lots of stuff. I can't wait to rid our house of excess stuff. I am actually going through some of my scrappy stuff too. I am thinking of doing bags of scrappy stuff for $5.00 a piece. I am thinking I will put around 25.00 to 30.00 dollars worth of stuff in each bag. What do you think?

Hey, since I am purging.... Let me know if you think that is a good price. If you would pay it, or what you recommend, and I will pick a lucky random person to receive a little something. Just let me know by Friday, so I can price this stuff to go!

Hmmm... since I am crazy busy this week... I will draw on Monday, August 31st.

Finally some layouts...

2009-08-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

So, it has been a while since I have put some layouts up. Honestly, I have been so dang busy! I can't believe that Summer is nearly over and that I will be going back to work in just a few days. Oh, well.... it was a great Summer.

It turns out that I did get to go back to that job that I wanted, just not in the capacity that I wanted. I will be staying and working for the School District, but I will also be working with Early Intervention too, so I am thinking that maybe this is a blessing in disguise, and I really get the best of both worlds. I am happy with the way it worked out for me... talk to me in a few months and see if I still feel the same... I may be up to my eyeballs in work! Laugh.

Matteo is driving me crazy though, so maybe it is a good thing that Summer is over. I don't know how SAHM's do it... honestly. I so need a break. Man he is exhausting! I really think he needs a break from me too. He is really beginning to not be very nice to his Mommy. He is great with everyone else, but man he is a monster to me. I keep telling myself that this is NORMAL... It is right?

Anyway, enough of the ramblings... I do have a few layouts for you. The first two are layouts that I did for a class last month. I should have had them up earlier, but it just didn't happen.

For this one, I used BoBunny paper. I haven't gotten the pictures in it yet, but I did want to get it up here before I taught my next class. Which is tomorrow, so here it is.

I have some really cute photo's of Matteo in his swim trunks that will go in this one.

This next one is obviously a holiday layout. I absolutely love the Fourth of July. It is so mellow for us. We always go to Tahoe, which is one of my favorite places on Earth... swear! It is just so beautiful and the weather is great. Tons of stuff to do. Sometimes, I think I take it for granted because it is just in my backyard.

I used Best Creations mostly in this layout. I actually really only used one sheet of patterned paper to make all of the embellishments for it too. I love to see how far I can stretch a piece of paper.

Here is a close up of the bow. I cut out a heart from the patterned paper to make an old pin match the layout and stuck it through the bow.

For the class tomorrow, I have this one. I used Glimmer Mists to create the background, which was really fun. It does make the paper curl a bit, but I figured that once it is in a page protector, it should be fine. For the papers, I used mostly Making Memories Great Escape line.

And some details... I love these Making Memories stamps!

These photos are from a weekend at my parents house. They live in this quaint little town where you can leave your doors unlocked and your neighbor notices if your flowers need a drink... and then comes over to give them one. Great place. This weekend was Rodeo Weekend, so there was a parade, fair, and rodeo. A good time was had by all.

This second one features K & Co. I love their stuff. I used some photos from out weekend at Grammy Goonie's and Papa George's on this layout as well. Matteo LOVES the water... just in case you couldn't tell. Laugh.

This big ampersand stamp is probably one of my favorites by Technique Tuesday. I have used it tons! (but, I don't think it is still available)

And this one is just for fun. I have begun to do single page layouts (which I never have in the past), but I am finding that I actually like them. Sounds crazy hu? I think it is because I have finally figured out how to re size my photo's at home and I can print them here. This makes a world of difference for me.

For this one, I used the July kit from Studio Calico. It is about my little man and his blanket... aka "Two".

It is amazing how one little piece of fabric can make this boy so happy!

Wow that was a long post... for me. Well, I have a few others for you, but it is getting late and I want to get some scrapping done. So those will have to wait till next time.

Thanks for looking.

Summer Fun...

2009-08-19T20:36:00.000-07:00

Wordless Wednesday...

2009-08-12T18:44:00.000-07:00

The title says it all... besides the fact that he has the best Papa ever!

And yes, I totally hyped this idea from Kelly Noel. Love her stuff! I think I may have to keep this idea around!

Rib bit Rib bit says our Little Friend....

2009-08-02T06:27:00.000-07:00

August already! Wow times flies when you are having a good summer off of work. I can barely believe that my dear hubby will be going back to work in just 1 more day. Makes me sad. It has been so nice to wake up next to him in the morning and fall asleep with him every night. I am really going to miss that. At least I will be able to do more scrappy stuff... don't know if that is really worth the price though. I haven't done much scrappy stuff this last month because he has been home and we have been gone so much, and I do miss it, but still...

Okay, enough of that... So, yesterday we were going to go to the lake, but instead we just hung out and really did nothing. I know so exciting hu? Matteo is about to kill me with this whole potty training thing. It is really tough. I keep telling myself... it just takes time, but SERIOUSLY! I am beginning to think that he is getting worse, not better. And I know he is afraid to poop on the potty! So, I guess we keep trying... and keep doing the laundry.

Any who, so last night as I am getting things ready, as we are now going to the lake today... I hear my hubby call me from outside, "Come here quick!" I think, okay, Matteo is playing "hide and go poop" and he thinks it's funny. What I got was this little visitor...

I have no idea how he got in our backyard. Maybe he was someones pet, and just got away... I don't know. The thing is that I did NOT want him to stay in our backyard. So, we decided to catch him and take him to a local park where there is a river and a pond and let him go. Hubby caught him and put him in this bucket. Matteo loved him... in the bucket.

He repeatedly said, "Rib bit Rib bit Fwoggy" while patting his leg as if he was calling a dog. Man he can be cute sometimes.

So, we take him to the park and the boys dump him on the grass.

He doesn't look to happy about this....

Maybe, it is Matteo's little extra nudge that he didn't like so much.

Finally, with a bit of help, he made it into the lake. Well, just to the edge, but at least he is not in my backyard. (You can barely see him. He is right in front of Matteo's hands on the bottom ledge. He looks like a rock there, but you can see the yellow strip down his back.)

Well, we are off to the lake. I have a layout for you too, but I will have to get it up when we get back... that's all the time I have this morning. Thanks for stopping by and have a great day.

Hide and Go Poop...

2009-07-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

This Tuesday, we started potty training. Well, it has been interesting. Matteo did fairly well the first day... for the most part. He only had one accident when I was home. I did have a class to do, so he was with Daddy during that time, and well, he pooped in his pants... twice!

So, day two... I left for a few hours... came home... he was in diapers. Dad says, he kept having accident. Really? So, back into the undies he goes. I put him on the potty, he goes! Yeah! Party and M&M's are enjoyed by all! Yeah! I kid you not... two seconds later, he poops in his pants! Ugh! Then we are playing and what do I hear... "Mommy, pee pee pants." Yes, in the undies. And of course it is in the one room in our house that has carpet! So, I go clean it up, and as I am scrubbing the carpet... "Mommy, poo poo pants... yucky butt." REALLY! Yep it's poo poo butt time. Now let me tell you a little about poo poo but in undies. It is NOT like poo poo in a diaper. When you pull the undies down... everything slides along with them... and I mean everything!

Day three... lots of peeing in his undies. He loves his undies, but keeps peeing in them. So, we are washing a lot! And this is where the game began. I noticed him hiding over behind the shed. You guessed it! He was pooping. So, what do I do? I run to get him... of course! Run to the potty, pull down the undies and the poop is still coming out of the butt! Yuck!

I put him on the potty, and he refuses to go anymore! What? I know your not done. Not to mention that there is yuck everywhere! On his legs, on the floor, on his bum, in the undies... but no in the potty! Ugh!

So, now I have an eagle eye on him... no more hiding... I do not like Hide and Go Poop!

So, today we are on Day Four... only one accident so far. I gotta tell you, potty training is very humbling, not to mention frustrating and "yucky"

Onto another subject... I took this photo when we were camping. Actually, we were out walking by the ocean. It was so foggy that you really couldn't see much of the ocean, but it was absolutely breathtaking... the little that you could see.

This was also taken that day. It is actually one of my favorite photos of the trip.

I did this layout with it. I love how it turned out...

Well, that's all for me today, I have to go check on the little one, he has been with Daddy, and has since pee peed in his undies. Thanks for stopping by... have a great weekend!

And we're off... again...

2009-07-22T07:06:00.000-07:00

Off to Fort Bragg California... Hopefully we will get to ride this...

And hang out here...

Looks like fun! Have a great week.

Bad News, Good News, and some Great News...

2009-07-21T13:12:00.000-07:00

I will start off with the bad news so that this post gets better. I always like to get the bad stuff out of the way if I can. :] So, here it is... I have been holding out for this job. It is actually a job that I had before and wanted to go back to, but it looks like that isn't going to happen. At least not at this point. Our lovely state is in such a crisis right now that they have put a freeze on all hiring, even though we have a huge list of children that should be getting services right now and are sitting on a waiting list! So for now I wait... just like those kiddo's. It just makes me mad because there is a need for my services, heck we (the state) even owe back services right now! It is so frustrating knowing that I can help those who need it, and they can get the help, but the state is such a bad spot that we all loose out. And right now really sucks for me because I was really really wanting to get this job. It would give me more time at home with my family as well as provide some financial stability. Oh well... I guess for now I will have to learn to be more frugal and continue to wait it out. I guess on the bright side of things is that if I don't get the position, I will have another month off from school to enjoy the summer with my family! That is always a good thing.

So the good news is... they were able to recover my photo's from Disneyland! How great is that! Okay, so I guess this should have been titled Bad news, Great News, Great News... I am so super excited about this! I don't have them all uploaded yet, but here is a few...

The first meeting with Mickey....

Fantasmic...

Monster's Inc. ride...

Mommy and Matteo in Toon Town...

Matteo's pirate tattoo... (right up there with meeting Mickey I think)

And the second great news is.... I won the kit over at Collage Press! How awesome is that! It is from their new line... Knave of Hearts collection! It is amazing! Look at this kit...

Jeez... I am so lucky! Yeah!

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot... I didn't have any one link their pages to my blog, so I don't have anyone to give my giveaway too, but I did complete my layout for Aleida's Challenge. You can read about what a wonderful lady she was here. Here is my layout....

And a few close ups...

And by the way... those fabulous stamps are Studio Calico exclusives.... and they are fabulous! Well that is all for me today... Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!

We're back and I think I may be sick...

2009-07-19T07:15:00.002-07:00

Disneyland was AWESOME!!! Matteo loved meeting Mickey, Goofy, Pooh and friends, and riding the rides. He even rode his first roller coaster... the Matterhorn! We ate way too much junk, stayed up late, and got up early... that part wasn't all that fun :] It was a blast! So, you ask... where are all the pictures? This is the part where I may be sick... I have already shed a few tears!

I got home and of course wanted to upload all the great shots that I had captured, but my stupid Internet was down, so I didn't get to do that. I did get to view all of them on my camera once more, and I was tickled pink. So, the next day, I tried again, and everything was going great. I had 368 photos on my card, and they were transferring away... right... well then I get this message....

"some of the files are corrupted and cannot be retrieved"..... WHAT? Oh, Crap!

So, I mess around with it and try a few more times... same thing! Then the Internet goes down! So, I view them again in my camera to make sure that there isn't anything wrong with the photos and nothing is lost.... they are all there. I decide that I want to crop a few photos on my camera, because honestly, I am still blaming my computer. Guess what... when I try to edit on my camera, I get this message...

"no data found"... I am in tears! My stomach is turning and I don't know what to do! Our whole trip is on that card. Our first real family vacation, Matteo's first trip to Disneyland, him meeting his best pal Mickey... everything... just writing it makes me sick!

So, I took the card to a local camera shop... a really good one, and they are going to try to recover it for me. I won't know until Monday. I don't even want to think about it. Hopefully they can get the photos... oh, I am so sick about this.

Oh, and on another note... you still have until tomorrow to post to the challenge below... I will have my layout up tomorrow.

And we're off....

2009-07-12T08:11:00.001-07:00

So, we are outta here... off to here...

Yeeeeaaaahhhh! Disneyland!

Don't forget the challenge below... it's a good one. Have a great week!

Quick Challenge...

2009-07-11T15:11:00.000-07:00

Last night I was browsing the net looking at fun scrappy stuff, and I came across Aleida's Challenge. It really got me thinking. I miss her. I didn't know her personally, but I felt like I did know her. She was a regular on the Studio Calico boards, and I thoroughly enjoyed "interacting" with her through the site. Sometimes I just lurked and read her posts and sometimes I joined in, but it was always fun with Aleida around. So, I was thinking... yes, about her and her funny wit, charm, and wonderful ability to "say it as it is" without hurting your feelings and making you laugh at the same time. But also about how she always was encouraging us (women) to jump in the photo.

So, I thought I would do a challenge. This one is really easy... go and take a shot of you and your kids... or those you love and are scrapping about... today. Then in the next week, scrap it. Scrap about what he/she/they mean to you, how you cherish "this" moment in time with them, what you wish for them, how they make your world in the little ways.... whatever comes to mind. Then link your page to my blog, and I will send out a prize. I am thinking that it will be something fun. I haven't quite thought of it yet, but I promise it will be good. :]

I read about Aleida's challenge last night, so I ran straight from my computer and had my hubby take this shot. I will use this photo.

I will scrap it and post it here. I probably won't get this scrapped until next Friday... July 17th because we are leaving for Disneyland tomorrow morning. So I am thinking that you have until July 20th to get yours done and link it here for the contest. Good luck and get crackin!

Winner Winner...

2009-07-06T13:31:00.000-07:00

I know that I was supposed to have this up yesterday, so I apologize. Honestly, the Fourth just took it out of me. We spend the whole day up at Tahoe, which was amazing! Always is. I actually think we are going to go back on Wednesday to soak up a bit more sun and play in the water. I will post a bit later on all of that. I have to get some sewing done while the little one is napping.

So, without further ado.... The closest guess was...

Erin, who guessed...

"Super cute layouts! I love that birthday suit one! I'm guessing 67 layouts in your stack."

There was actually 68 layouts in that stack. I know it looked like a ton more, but I typically do 2 page layouts, so the stack is bigger than if it was all single pagers.

Well, off to quilt a bit. Erin, e-mail me @ tinytink76@yahoo.com and I will send you a little package. Thanks so much for playing along girls.

Hello, July...

2009-07-01T14:52:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are July! I am having getting so excited for July because I honestly didn't think it would ever come! You see, my hubby is off for the entire month! Yeah! (Okay, he doesn't get off until the third, and he does have a charity event that he is obligated to do on the 26th, but other than that, he is all mine!) Mine! Mine! Mine! Okay, I will share with Matteo. :] I don't even know what it will be like having him around so much. He is in the restaurant business, so he is always working. And now that the economy sucks, he is working more... for less. :(

All that aside, it has been 5 years since we spent an entire week waking up together and falling asleep together... I am going to enjoy every minute of it! Just one more day (not counting today).

On another July topic, I am getting along with my quilt. It is red, white, and blue. I don't have a ton done yet, but here is a peek. I am very happy with it so far.

And I have a peek at a layout I am doing for July's class at Treasured Memories Too. This one is also July related.

And for the last little bit of July 1st... Matteo wouldn't let me leave Michael's without it. He loved the bells. So cute.

I think it is supposed to go on your door handle, but he wouldn't leave it alone! And it was making me crazy! So, it found a home on the hook on the outside of our front door... where he can't see it all the time :)

Oh, yes, you still have time to enter the contest below for some scrappy goodies. Just leave a guess in the post below. I am thinking I will draw on Sunday, July 5th.

Thanks for stopping by.

Bye-Bye June...

2009-06-30T14:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is the last day of June! Can you believe it? Me either! So, since July is tomorrow, I thought I better get crackin' on that list that I posted earlier this month. One of the things on that list was to get a handle on the stacks... and I mean stacks of layouts that I have sitting on my desk.

How many do you think there are? Leave a guess here, and I will send the closest person a little prize! :] Honestly, at this point, I don't even know how many are here.

But, when I was sorting through these, I found a few layouts that I honestly just love. This first one is a layout of my nephew a few years ago. It features some paper from Imaginisce. I took these pictures on his brother's first birthday party, and as you can see, he kinda stole the show.

The title I cut out of some coordinating patterned paper, using an outline stamp as a guide. Then I added glossy accents to give it a "watery" feel. I really liked how it turned out.

This next one features one of my favorite all time lines from Cosmo Cricket, Cogsmo. You can see the fabric that will be coming out soon a few posts below. I love this line. It screams little boy to me.

Matteo had just started to play with cars and trucks when I took these pictures. It seems so funny now that he didn't have any hair. It seems that once I cut it, it won't quit growing!

One thing that I love about Cosmo Cricket is that they have so many great chipboard pieces that can be layered to add dimension to your pages. I don't know how great this shot is, but this little robot has several layers to him. Isn't he so cute?

This next one was a sketch that Syliva did, when she used to have a store. She was amazingly talented. This one is Doodlebug designs paper. The color's were wonderful for the pool. I love this layout because it was Matteo's first day at swim lessons. He loved it so much, but boy oh boy has he changed. He was so timid and unsure of his abilities. Look at how sweet he is... aha.

The stitching on the bottom was done by hand and I added a few little fish to pull it all together. See here.

This layout was completed not too long ago, but obviously hasn't made it to an album yet. It was in the stack! (Now it is in an album.. yeah!) I got this idea from a layout that was in a magazine, by the lovely Lisa Truesdell, a.k.a. gluestic girl. I loved how she folded the paper back to show both sides.

And I loved the little felt flowers by American Crafts. I don't use flowers that much, so I was happy to be able to use these!

This layout was one that I did a while ago too. I used mostly Scenic Route for this layout. This was Matteo's first trip to the river... although, we didn't go anywhere near it! We did have a picnic in the park and enjoyed some great people watching. The river here is so fantastic and always draws a crowd when the weather is warm. I loved that Matteo left his glasses on all day. He now actually demands them when the sun it too bright.

I cut these arrows out of paper to bring the eye around the page. I thing it worked pretty well.

Then for the title, I just used some stamps and a bit of colored pencil to make then pop. Not to hard at all.

And for the last one today... I love this paper. I think I have used this line several times already. It is super cute! Again it is by Cosmo Cricket. It is their Jack's World line, but in my mind it is Matteo's World ;] This was right before we cut his hair for the first time.

It was his first time on the "big boy" swings. So I thought this title was fitting...

And yes, he did fall off! Mom was just trying to get a good picture! Poor kid.

So, that is my stack. Check that off the list! Yeah! Now how many more things do I have that are on that list! Yikes! Don't forget to leave a comment with your guess, I promise to send something fun!

And as always, Thanks for stopping by.

Checking...

2009-06-28T15:22:00.000-07:00

So, I once again am having some issues with blogging and using my computer correctly. I have now learned that it is ME! I have no idea about all this computer stuff. I just want to turn it on and have it work. Kinda like the car, put the key in, turn it, and away you go... right. So here I am going to post just a cute picture of the little one to test this out...

Okay, it probably doesn't look any different on the reader end, but Sharie just made my life soooo much easier! (And you get to see how cute my little one is in a tree :) Thank you so much! It worked! Thank you so much Sharie!

No catchy title today...

2009-06-28T12:35:00.000-07:00

So, not much is happening today that gives me a fun and catchy title use, so that becomes the title. heehee... Dad went to play Soccer this morning, but we (or I) decided to stay home as it is so stinking hot here. We are supposed to be 98 degrees today. I am missing our Spring, mainly because we didn't really have one this year. We went from rain, rain, rain to hot as H@*# in a week. And we don't get rain here! This is Nevada Ms. Mother Nature! Oh well, Summer is here and going strong now.

So here is a layout that I did a while back, but I don't think that I ever posted it. I love these pictures of Matteo. I think they are actually from last year about this time. This is when his love for balls began. They make him so happy. It really doesn't matter if they are Soccer, Tennis, Basket, or Baseballs, he loves them. He is really into Baseball right now. We are going to a game later on, which he will love. He has been talking about it since the last game (about 2 weeks ago). He keeps saying, "Baseball game morrow". So stinking cute. Anyway, here is the layout.

Here is a close up of the title. I used a pen to give the Thickers a little personality.

And then I mirrored the "dot-dash" look around the scallops from the Thickers.

On another note, we have been doing a ton of yard work lately, and Matteo is quite the little helper. Here is a second layout showing him "helping" Daddy.

I love this stamp. It is such a fun way to document the little things that we... (I) so easily forget at the milestones in his life.

And a quick shot at the title. I love these Ali Edwards stamps. They are great ways to add a little "hand written" touch to a title.

Well that's all for today. Maybe I will finish this layout that I am working on and show it tomorrow. And I will try to get a cute shot of the boys at the game tonight. As always, Thanks for stopping by.

Ahhh Summer...

2009-06-26T08:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that June is over! I feel like I am just getting the hang of this Summer thing with a two year old! Ha, I don't think I will ever get the hang of a 2 year old. Who am I kidding? Anyway, it is really beginning to feel like Summer around here. We have had so much rain this past month, that it just hasn't felt like Summer yet. Oh, and I mean a TON of rain. We broke our record for the most rain that was set back in 1912, and this is Nevada... you know, the desert. We don't get rain here. I do have to say that my plants are very happy though. :]

So in celebration of 90 degree Summer days, we broke out the Popsicles! Matteo was loving it. My favorite part was the little man with nothing but his jean shorts on. So super cute. Here is one of my favorites.

Also, we have spent some time down at Grandma Goonies house this Summer. They have a great orchard with tons of fruit in it. We were able to pick some of the cherries, and Matteo was in heaven. Isn't he the cutest?

Can you tell that I love him without his shirt in just jeans?

And here's a layout with some of the Popsicle pictures. I used the Snorkel line from Cosmo Cricket. The colors are amazing.

Well that's all for today. Have a great Friday, and Thanks for stopping by.

A fabulous find...

2009-06-22T08:43:00.001-07:00

I know I haven't been around in a bit, I have been working on my list from before. Oh, and I added something new to the list. I am taking a quilting class. I have made quilts in the past, but I want to learn how to do it the "right" way. Unfortunately, I have been told there is a "right" way," so my Eclectic style doesn't work so much for quilts. hee hee. Oh well.

I have been surfing through some of my favorite blogs lately and I found this....

Isn't it so lovely! It is the new fabric line, Cogsmo, from Cosmo Cricket! I loved this line when it came out. I think I actually used it on 3 different layouts! So much fun, and so boy! This second one is also just as amazing. It is from their Snorkel line. I will be purchasing this too. :) I know, I know, like I need another hobby, but oh well, making things makes me happy.

Well, off to swim lessons with the little monkey. It should be fun. Thanks for stopping by.

New List...

2009-06-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am a list girl. I make lists for everything, except the grocery store (which of course makes no sense what-so-ever!) Anyway, now that Summer is here, I have a ton of things that I want to do. So I thought that a great way to get them done would be to make a list. Here are a few things that I want to get done this Summer.

1. Begin taking Matteo to Toddler Story time at the local library. (We have gone before, and he loved it.)

2. Finish the back-yard. Once it stops raining. We are almost at the 100 year record around here. I think it was set back in 1912 for 12 consecutive days of measurable precipitation.

3. Take a Photoshop class. I finally have the program, but I have no idea how to use it! :(

4. Walk more

5. Along with #4... loose the last bit of baby weight that keeps hanging on.

6. Finish organizing my scrap space. It is crazy, I got a good jump on it, and then I just stopped. I think I got so busy, that it just got sidelined.

7. Read more. I enjoy this so much, but it too takes time.

8. Scrap more.

9. Take a photography class. The girls at Studio Calico have been talking about a few lately, so I might have to sign up for one of those.

10. Spend more time with the hubby. It seems like life just gets so busy sometimes that there just isn't enough time and before you know it, it's midnight!

11. Get the garden in the ground. Right now I have a pot garden. It works, but I want it in the ground.

12. Clean my car! I mean really clean my car. It is a disaster! It needs to be cleaned on the inside and the outside. Can you say "yuck"?

13. Cook more at home. I don't do this nearly enough. Sometimes it just seems pointless because my DH is always working and it is just me and Matteo.

14. Get my stack of layouts in albums. I think I must have 30 layouts in a stack on the side of my desk. They are in desperate need of a page protector.

15. Go camping. We did this last year when Matteo had just turned 1, and he loved it. It is such a fun and inexpensive way to spend some "quality" time together.

So, just a few things to get me started. What do you have planned for this Summer? Anyone have any suggestions for my list? I would love to hear some. Let me know.

And as always, Thanks for stopping by.

June... Ack!

2009-06-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable! I always remember people saying that when you get older, the time goes faster, but seriously! It seems more like my week only has 3 days in it... The other 4 just disappeared. I need to get a handle on this here. The only good thing is that school is almost out for the summer. Yeah! Although, I will be seeing kids for ESY (summer school). This year it is only for 4 weeks though. I wasn't going to do it this year, but we are going to Disneyland in July, and every little bit will help. I think it will be worth it.

We have been working in our yard and trying to get it all together. Matteo has been helping me, as we are trying to have a garden this year. We have been trying to get tons of veggies and fruit growing. So far, it looks like we will have... cucumbers, tomatoes (cherry, Roma, early girl, and yellow), pumpkins, yellow squash, bell peppers (red, green, and yellow), strawberries, broccoli, cauliflower, basil, chives, oregano, parsley, watermelon, honeydew, and the celery is still keeping me guessing. Not sure if it is coming up or not. Wow, that really is a lot. (laugh)Oh yeah, we also have an apple tree. Makes yummy apple pies! Hopefully, we will be able to share with some local food banks and shelters.

Here are a few pictures of my little helper getting things going.

He loved this.

I will have some pictures to show our garden in the next few weeks. We are working really hard at getting the sprinklers up and running so, it will stay alive once it's all in the garden. Thank you honey! :]

Well, it's off to bed for me. My new love a.k.a. World Without End by Ken Follett is calling me. Just started it yesterday, but just like The Pillars of the Earth, it has me line, hook, and sinker! Here is a cute picture of Matteo reading his favorite book ("Mickey Book"). Actually, anything "Mickey" is a favorite right now. Isn't he just the cutest!

Well, thanks for stopping by. Have a great night!

Remember, Always Remember...

2009-05-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

Remember the men and women... and what they fought for.

Take a moment to see the mark these men and women left on this earth. Don't ever take it for granted. Remember them and honor them.

final solute

Cousins...

2009-05-23T17:27:00.001-07:00

When I was little, I loved hanging out with my cousins, and I have a ton of them. Without forgetting anyone (I hope) I think the count is somewhere around 50! Yes, 50... and that only includes first cousins on my Mom's side! REALLY!

So now that I am older, and I have a little one of my own, I love to watch him hang out with his cousins. A few weeks ago, my little sister was in town and brought her kids by. We decided to take the kids to the park to feed the ducks. They were in heaven. This layout was completed to document this little outing.

The title came from her son, Tristan. He loves ducks and has pestered his mom every since this trip to go see the "wack wacks". I don't know is she will ever forgive me... he asks repeatedly on a daily basis!

I haven't finished the journaling yet, but I think I will hide it anyway, so the layout won't change. I have some other photo's that I am trying to get scrapped of Matteo and his cousins playing with the Harry Potter glasses. I will try to finish that up and get it posted.

Have a great weekend. Thanks for stopping by.

One of those days...

2009-05-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

It seems like the last few months have been "one of THOSE days". I don't even know how it all got away from me, but it did. I really haven't been scrappy... or even crafty for that matter in a while. Work is crazy, but summer is just around the corner. Aha, I can't wait for summer.

Matteo has been unbelievably TWO. He turned two last month, and boy oh boy is he pushing my buttons. He knows where they all are too. If he wasn't so cute...

Easter was fun this year. Matteo actually knew what to do. I loved his Easter outfit this year, it was actually the same one that he wore for his Birthday.

He is so cute... even when he is eating bubbles. Yes, I said eating bubbles. This is his new favorite game. Making the bubbles (and a big mess) in the sink. You know, "wash hands" time. Then... in the mouth. You would think that he would hate the taste, but no... he just keeps eating.

As for this picture, well, he just looks so big. Such a little man. Isn't he cute?

Okay, so I have been wanting to get some layouts up too. That is another thing, our cable/Internet has been just as terrible as Matteo. It only works sporadically, you know, when I want it to. Ugh! But it is up now, so I will share some layouts that I have gotten finished over the last few months.

This layout was made with the new line from Fancy Pants. These pictures are from the water park last summer. I love the sweet soft summer colors of this line. It has some nice bold colors as part of the line too, but I stuck with the softer side of it.

This one was made with Daisy Bucket paper. I love the little monsters on it. And as I have a little monster right now, it was too fitting.

For this one, I don't have the pictures printed yet. I am going to put some pictures of Matteo in his little g running outside. I love the orange it these papers.

And lastly, but not least. This is one that I did with the Valentines Day line from Making Memories. I have had this picture forever, but just couldn't scrap it. Now that I did, I love it even more.

Well that's it for today... I guess tonight. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great night.

A few layouts and a hair cut!

2009-02-28T22:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few layouts that I did for a class today. The first one is a Valentines layout, but I think that it could really be just about for anything. I love the colors...

I used mainly the new line from American Crafts, with a few pieces from K & Co. and Jenni Bowlin.

The second one is completely My Mind's Eye. I love how the black and the green pop off each other.

This is the new Yogurt font by Quickutz. I think it will be a favorite of mine. :]

I love these pictures of Matteo. He is so stinkin' cute! They were taken last Summer. He was loving being outside. I can't wait for Summer, so we can go to the park everyday! I will be off too now as I am working for the Schools again. I guess it has some perks.

Well that's all for tonight. I am still working on my organizing! Man have I come a long way! I will post pictures when it is all done. I may even have a RAK or two. :] For now... here is a sneek peak at one of the many changes in my "studio".

Okay, so it is a very small peak. This is the wall system that I will use to keep everything so organized. Matteo was playing in the cubbys when Dad and I were trying to put it together. And if you hadn't noticed, we had his hair cut. I almost cried. It was a week ago and I am still sad about it. He looks so big. If you want a reference scroll down and you can see a cute little baby boy drinking Mommy's water. Ah, they grow up so fast.

So anyway, I am off to finish up on some more organizing. My goal is to be finished by Wenesday. Thanks for stopping by.

a bit of enabling...

2009-02-25T20:36:00.001-08:00

So, this is just a quick little post with a bit of enabling.... This is a new custom die from Quikutz that was made for one of our LSS in Reno, NV. The store is called Treasured Memories Too. This die is just too super cute. I love that tree! I think it will be perfect for camping, hiking, and oh yes... Christmas time. Wouldn't it be lovely with white glitter stickles or the puffy stickles? So fun. I think it would also be great for cards. Okay, enough said... I thought it was so cute, so I wanted to share.

If you are interested in this die, you can call JoElle or Karen at Treasured Memories Too. They don't have them yet, but they are taking pre-orders. :)

So that's about it for today. Just a quick post. I am off to do some organizing. I have been hard at work since my trip to IKEA! I can't wait until it is all done and ready to go! Thanks for stopping by.

Organization...

2009-02-22T21:59:00.000-08:00

Why does it seem that I am on an never-ending organization challenge with my scrap space? Or as my hubby calls it my crap space. Laugh. I finally talked my hubby into taking me to IKEA today. Wow! Is that place cool or what?! I purchased some great organizational pieces, and I am hoping to get my room viewer friendly in the next week or so. I will take some photos, but I will warn you... it's not pretty. Wish me luck!

On another note... I think I have the cutest kid in the world! Actually, all parents feel that way about their kids :) Anyway, here is my silly little monkey have a bad hair day. Remember, I asked if you thought I should cut it.... well this is why...

I love it! Look at that face. He doesn't even know how ridiculous he looks!

Here are a few more of my recent favorites. We (Daddy, Mommy, and Matteo) had a little kitchen ice cream party last week. Actually, Daddy had some ice cream and Matteo stole mine, but who cares it was super cute and totally worth the pictures.

Here is Daddy and Matteo hanging out by the dishwasher after just a bite or two of Mommy's cone. At this point, it was still Mommy's cone. (don't mind the Method cleaner on the counter or the streaks on the dishwasher... I hadn't gotten that far yet . :)

Then as you probably figured out, the cone became Matteo's.

But seriously, could you say no? And then he giggled...

I love this kid...

Hopefully I will scrap these photos soon... that is if I can find my room! ha! So for now, I am off to bed with the sick hubby, who has been asleep for the past 4 hours. How come when Mom is sick, she never gets to go to bed early? Oh well, he probably needs it.

Keep checking by, I may have a RAK or two coming up with all this organizing I have to do. You know how I love to purge! Thanks for stopping in. Have a great night.

Because I was the least likely to respond...

2009-02-10T20:41:00.000-08:00

1. What is your occupation right now? Mom, wife, & Speech Pathologist... I have a full plate.

2. What color are your socks right now? black and white stripes

3. What are you listening to right now? silence... ah the sound of silence. Matteo just went down

4. What was the last thing that you ate? Ice Cream

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Yes

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? I don’t remember

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Yes!!

8. How old are you today? 32

9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Not much of a t.v. person... maybe gymnastics

10. What is your favorite drink? Coffee

11. Have you ever dyed your hair? Oh yes

12. Favorite food? I love a good salad

13. What is the last movie you watched? 007- The Spy Who Loved Me

14. Favorite day of the year? 4th of July... no pressure, just hanging with the loved ones and being grateful

15. How do you vent anger? chat with the girlfriends

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? Whatever my brothers were into usually

17. What is your favorite season? Summer

18. Cherries or Blueberries? Cherries... but they do give ya gas!

19. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Not applicable, but you can post it on your blog

20. Who is the most likely to respond? Jennie

21. Who is least likely to respond? Yes this is where my name was... TWICE!

22. Living arrangements? Hubby, little monkey (son), and 2 hairy kids (Bella & Charlie)

23. When was the last time you cried? Last Friday... funeral :(

24. What is on the floor of your closet? You really don't want to know... and I would be very embarrassed!

25. Who is the friend you have had the longest that you are sending this to? Longest friend... Mom

26. What did you do last night? Tried to clean up the scrap room... what a mess! I gave up!

27. What are you most afraid of losing? My health

28. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? No hamburgers here! YUCK!

29. Favorite dog breed? Yorkies... I have two

30. Favorite day of the week? Sunday, my hubby is home. It is our only full day off together.

31. How many states have you lived in? 1... how boring is that!

32. Diamonds or pearls? Really, there is a choice... hmmm... diamonds of course.

33. What is your favorite flower? Star Lilys

Okay, so there I can no longer be put on the least likely to respond list. Thanks for stopping by.

Blogger... uhggg!

2009-02-06T15:06:00.001-08:00

I have to apologize for this. I have been trying to upload some photos for a few days, and I am having no luck. We just bought a new computer (MAC) so I am wondering if this may be the problem. I don't know what to do about it. I am going to keep trying, so I guess I will be working on my patience for a few too...

Yeah!!! Finally! Here are a the layouts for those of you who too my c

lass last month.

The first one, "One Happy Boy" uses Cosmo Cricket's Jack's World line. I loved this line. It totally screamed boy to me. Sorry that some of the details are hard to see. The sun's rays are stitched with embroidery thread. There will be pictures of my little one with all his "guys" in this layout. He has about 25 stuffed animals that he has to have with him at all times. This is of course in addition to his blankets. Yes, blankets is plural too!

So the next layout is for those snowy days, when you get to get out and play like you are still a child. We definitely have a few of those in our household, if it is only at heart. Unfortunately, we haven't had many snow days here this year. Maybe on Monday... or so the weather man says. We'll see about that.

The last one was completed with one of my absolute favorite companies. I used mostly October afternoon products on this one. I will put some photos of my little guy in it in his Christmas pj's. They were red with little sock monkeys on them. He was so cute!

This is just a cute shot of him drinking Mommy's water. He has his own sippy on the floor below him... you know right where he through it at me when he wanted my water. ha

Oh well, so super cute anyways.

Oh yeah, just a quick question... what do you think about his hair. My family is giving me a hard time about cutting it, but I just love those blond curls. I can't bring myself to do it! Let me know your thoughts on the subject. Thanks for stopping by.

So I broke my promise...

2009-02-04T22:33:00.000-08:00

I can't even believe that it has been a month since my last post! Yikes. The months are flying by around here. I have been so busy, but nothing too exciting has happened. I did get the photos for my class last month taken, so I will post them for you... so it looks like I am having technical difficulties. I will try again tomorrow.

How many have you done?

2009-01-02T01:01:00.000-08:00

I found this on a friend's blog....I've done 50 of these things. I have highlighted all the ones that I have done. I am planning to do some more of these one day, as it looks like I am only half way through! What about you?

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland
8. Held a praying mantis
9. Climbed a mountain
10. Sang a solo (only in the shower! That would be scary!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelos David
41. Sung karaoke (alcohol involved! Lots of it)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (does the guy on the street in San Fransisco count?)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (YUCK!!)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life (twice)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

As we are closing out on this year, I thought that this may give you something to look forward to, or some incentive to get on it! As, I am sure if you're like me, you don't already have enough to do :) Here's looking towards 2009!

One Little Word. . .

2008-12-31T21:35:00.000-08:00

I did not do this last year, but I am excited to give a whirl this year. This is a concept that comes from Ali Edwards, you can read more about it on her blog. Generally, what you do is pick a word and use that word throughout the year to help you focus on what is important to you. It is very personal and very inspiring.

I have thought very hard about my word for 2009. The funny thing is that it came to me right away, and although I have entertained using a variety of words, this one stuck with me, right from the start. I think that it is exactly what I need right now. My word is...

~Enough~

–adjective
1. adequate for the want or need; sufficient for the purpose or to satisfy desire:
–pronoun
2. an adequate quantity or number; sufficiency.
–adverb
3. in a quantity or degree that answers a purpose or satisfies a need or desire; sufficiently.
4. fully or quite: ready enough.
–interjection
5. (used to express impatience or exasperation): Enough!

I think that this word may be a bit harsh, but it is what I need right now. I feel that I am often pulled in so many directions, trying to get everything done and be a part of everything. I need to focus on drawing the lines and learning to recognize what is obligatory and what is frivolous. I also think I will focus on having enough, simplifying my life. Not needing to purchase every little thing or give every bit I have. Sometimes, I already did/had enough. It is also a word that draws the lines. I think that this will be especially important for me. I am going to focus on drawing the line for myself, stopping the excuses. I am also going to focus on drawing the line for others, when it concerns me. Setting my boundaries. These are just a few of the things that I want to focus on, really for the rest of my life, but for the next 365 days for starters.
I look forward to exploring this word and finding how it truly fits me right now.
............................................................................................................................................................

So, I hope you have a wonderful New Year's. I will be at home cleaning out my scraproom / office. It is my beginning to Enough. I am purging and organizing so I can utilize what I have and purge what I no longer want. I have been working on it for 2 days already, and I still have a ton to do.
So have a wonderful night. Be safe and happy.

Christmas Eve. . .

2008-12-24T15:00:00.000-08:00

I think I am having a really hard time this year. I feel so pressured to get it all done. Whatever that means. I am looking forward to tomorrow, and it finally being over. Isn't that sad? I need to step back and remember what this time of year is really all about. I need to remember it is about Family, about sharing time and making memories. I need to say "who cares" and "it's perfect". . . and mean it. I know all of this, but right now it seems like such a hard thing to do. Why is that?

I feel like I KNOW what I am supposed to do. I know that I am supposed to enjoy all of this, but it is just so stressful, and at the end of the day when it is not all done the way I wanted it to be, I feel like I have failed. But who? Who have I failed? Myself. The truth is that no one else cares, no else notices that the little stuff is done or not done, just me. So I need to step back, relax, and let it all go. I think this is my Type A coming through.

So, I am going to go relax, drink some tea, and just relax. I know that there are others of "us" out there, that must be feeling the same way, and honestly, I really did not want this to be my post for Christmas Eve, but I do feel better now that I have "said" something. So, I will leave you with some pictures of my family. Looking at these photos does cheer me up a bit. These are from our family photo shoot earlier this month.

This is the three of us, hanging out on a park bench.

These are my little one. I love his blond curls and dimples.

And him climbing in the trees. Daddy was actually holding on to his pants.

Thanks for stopping by and listening to my rant. Sometimes you just have to vent. Have a wonderful Christmas / Hanukkah / Holiday!

Randomness. . .

2008-12-23T06:36:00.000-08:00

I thought this might be fun. . . Play along if you would like.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper
2. Real tree or Artificial? Real. We go cut ours down every year! So much fun.
3. When do you put up the tree? As soon as we get it. Usually around the 1st week of December.
4. When do you take the tree down? January 1st
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but I have to cut it with milk. It is too thick. I do like eggnog lattes from Starbucks the best!
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Homemade doll from Mimi. I was "stuck" at her house and terrified that Santa would not find me. She stayed up all night making me a doll that came in a Vans box. That was about 28 years ago, and I still have that rag doll. I love her.
7. Hardest person to buy for? Hands down, my dad
8. Easiest person to buy for? My Son. He is only 20 months, so he does not really "want" yet.
9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, but it is not up this year. My little one is only 20 months and it is glass. I think I may invest in a new one when the clearances start on December 26th!
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. I love that tradition.
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Ugly sweater that was 10X's too big for me. I actually gave it back.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I have a few. . . The Christmas Story (classically funny), Miracle on 34th Street (magical), and The Grinch who Stole Christmas (childhood memories)
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? When ever I see something that just grabs me!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Homemade Pumpkin Pie
16. Lights on the tree? yes...tons, stay on multi-colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? Last Christmas I gave you my heart by Wham (so 80's)
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Mom's house, every year. I have never missed one, except for the one when I was little and I got snowed in at Mimi's & Poppy's house.
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen and Rudolph
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. I have bought 3 in the past 5 years. They keep disappearing on me! One tradition I would love to break!
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? The "I wants from ungrateful kids"
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? We have a tradition to buy a new ornament for each family member every year with our name on it. I always get them from DoughFun. I love the homemade look, and they look great for years and years.
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Pumpkin Pie! Homemade, yum!
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Photo printer.
26. Who is most likely to respond to this? Jennie.

I am tagging anyone who would like to play along!

Here is also a few photos of my December Daily. I know that I am way behind, but here is few that are complete and have been photographed.

I don't know where the photo of my cover is, but here is what is in it so far.

Page 2
Back of page 2

Open page 2 (backside) and front of page 3

I have more done, but it seems that I have lost some of my photos. I will try to get them up tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by, have a great night.

Well, Okay I'm a slacker. . .

2008-12-19T22:48:00.000-08:00

I can't believe how this month has gotten away from me! It is unbelievable!

The good news is that school is out for two weeks. You have no idea how happy that makes me. Really! I am hoping to get a bit caught up over the next two weeks. I have some layouts for you. These are the layouts that I taught in my class this month. The first one uses Sassafrass paper. It doesn't have a title, because I am not sure exactly what photo's I want to use yet.

The next two are made using October Afternoon paper. I love this stuff. I can't seem to get enough of it. I just want enough to take a bath in it! Ahhh.... I love it! Okay, so the first one uses the Night Lights collection. I think this will be for some pictures of my little one sleeping or hanging out in his pj's.
Here is a close up of the title. I used the letter stickers from October Afternoon, the Spotlight font from Quickutz, and stamps from Technique Tuesdays. I love titles that utilize a variety of techniques and companies.

This last one is one of my favorites. I just loved these pictures. They were taken in my Mom's garden in the front of her house on Halloween this year. My mother-in-law bought Matteo this outfit, and I just love it. I love the blue & orange together with the brown.

Here is a close up of the main picture.

The colors are amazing to me. And I love that brick too! Okay, maybe I am a bit biased, I do think he is just the cutest thing ever!

Anyway, I am off to bed. I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. I am having family dinner at my house on Sunday, and I have a ton to do first.

I have also been working on the December Daily album, and I have pictures to post. I will get some of them up tomorrow. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great night.

December. . . Oh so little time. . .

2008-12-01T14:04:00.000-08:00

Where did November go? I can't believe that December is already here! Wow! I have so much to do now. I really had a ton to do yesterday, but it didn't seem real because it was only November then. I will be starting my December Daily album today. I need to finish my layouts for my class next Monday, and I have to get my cards out. That doesn't include getting the house ready and decorated. We decided to paint, okay I decided to paint the living room this weekend, so I have to finish that too. And it all has to be done by Sunday! Yikes!

Okay, so I don't have a bunch of crafty stuff for you yet, but it will be coming. I am going to be better at posting this month too! Promise. So off I go to get something done. My little one is asleep and I am home because Daddy was not feeling good this morning. So, now that they are both down, I can get some stuff done. I will post tomorrow with what I accomplish!

Stay tuned!

Edward. . .

2008-11-21T21:34:00.000-08:00

For those of you who know, that is all that needs to be said. For those of you who don't... here is a peek...

Just finished the movie, and now I am off to read the 3rd book. I haven't read it yet, but now I want more! More Edward!

Warning. . .

2008-11-18T21:54:00.000-08:00

This post is picture heavy! It has been a while. Why is it, that the older you get the faster time flies? I can't believe that Thanksgiving is going to be here next week! Yikes!

So, like most everyone I know, things have been really crazy at my house lately. Not all work, I have had some fun lately too. A couple of weeks ago, I was attended an all day crop, put on by Fiskars. It was a blast. I got to work without having to rush to finish anything. It was very relaxing, and I met a ton of great gals. I did not take any pictures, so I up loaded this one from the website.

It is small, but I guess it has to be. There were 100 of us! So much fun. I highly recommend that you attend an annual Fiskateers crop if you can. For more information, go here.

In other news, I finished the cards for my card kit. We were going to do a class again, but with the holidays coming up, we couldn't find a date that would work for both Paige and I. Hopefully, next month will work out better. Here are the cards.

This one is all American crafts. I added some stickles to the mitten for a bit of flair.

I used American Craft products on this one too.

This one is Bazzill dot paper and some stamps, a few buttons, and bit of rhinestones.

For this one, I just used these really cool glittery snowflakes that I found at Michaels. It is a really simple card, but I thought it was just perfect.

This last card used some old paper from K & Co. I also added some stickles to the stars and the punched out holes.

This one was the easiest. I used Heidi Grace cards (that I found on clearance, yeah!) and her papers too. So sweet!

For my November layout class, I had three layouts. Here they are.

For this first one, I used a combination of S.E.I papers (older line) and the new ChatterBox embellishments. They went together very well.

For the second and third layouts, I used the new lines from Crate Paper. I couldn't get enough of this paper. It just feels good in your hands, and it looks spectacular too!

For this one, I added some old S.E.I velvet paper. I used it sparingly, but it looks amazing. It is a bit hard to tell in this photo. I used it for the title and in the far right bottom corner.

This one is all ChatterBox. I love this paper. Super perfect for any fall activity.

I actually learned how to do french knots for this layout. Here is a close up. Aren't they cool?

So that is it for the class. I do have one more for you today though. I finished my Halloween layout with pictures of the little one. I love them. He had just discovered candy! Cute then, but now he wants it all the time! Ha!

Here's a close up of that sucker sticking out of his mouth!

So, that is it for tonight. I do have more for you, but this is already a long post, so I will save those for a later one. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great one.

Fall is here. . .

2008-11-02T15:39:00.000-08:00

The unmistakable signs are all around me. When I can see the tree house, I know that the days of warm sunshine and open toe shoes are behind me for the year.

All of the apples have fallen on the ground. Now there is more on the ground than on the tree.

The leaves have collected in patches all over the yard, and more than I would like, by the back door. This provides a great opportunity for the dogs to drag them all over the house.

But, as I saw today, there is a tiny ray of spring holding on in my front yard. Isn't she beautiful?

Aah, it just bloomed yesterday! So lovely. I don't think it will make it past this week, so I think I may cut it and bring it inside.

Okay, enough of my whoes about Fall. I do love the color changes and the multiple cups of hot coco and tea, but I hate being cold.

One other thing that I love is Halloween. I haven't printed any pictures yet, but this is one of my favorites from this year. Matteo was the cutest little dinosaur! And that cute little monkey is my darling nephew, Tristen.

I will post more later. I have some darling shots this year, and I am working on a few layouts. Thanks for stopping in. Have a great night.

Cards, Cards, Cards. . .

2008-10-26T15:00:00.000-07:00

Finally I have the pictures of the cards that we made in my first card class last night. The cards were up at the store, so I did not have access to them for photos. They aren't great photos, but you'll get the picture. Here they are. . .

This one is a flat card with a little top card. Just a fun little twist.

This one opens up for sending photos. Everyone wants pictures during the holidays.

There were 12 cards in all. I am going to do this again next month and also in December. You can find out when by checking out the calendar at Scrapbook Atelier.

Later today, I think we are going to try to take Matteo to the pumpkin patch, so hopefully, I should get some good shots. I will try to post them tomorrow, but I have a class again, so maybe on Tuesday. Thanks for stopping by. Have a great night!

quick quick. . .

2008-10-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

Today I stayed home. Sent Matteo to the babysitter and got some R & R. I feel so much better tonight. I woke up this morning to a wrong number at 6:00ish! Who calls people at that time? If you do, make sure you have the right number!

So, needless to say, I felt like I had lead in my eyelids this morning. It felt really good to nap. As promised, I have some pictures for you today.

These are from my hubby, although he says that Matteo picked them out.

Here is an up close shot. Can you believe the colors? They are amazing.

These came from my Mom and Dad. I love Lily's and this color is so unusual. I love them.

And for some scrappy stuff. . . Here is a sneak from my circle journal for last month. I was so busy that I got a bit behind. It is out of my hands now though, and that feels good.

And this is a Christmas card that will be part of my upcoming card class. I really am liking making cards. It is so super fast and I always feel like I got something done. The tree opens up so you can write your message in it.

Thanks for stopping in tonight. I know I always post late, but it is the only time that I don't have someone else to take care of. Have a great night.

32. . .

2008-10-20T20:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, today I am 32, and I have to say, it feels just like another day. Oh yes, except Matteo decided to wake me up at 5:00am and refused to go back to sleep! Did I mention that I was up till about 1:00am before that? Sometimes! I did receive some beautiful flowers from my parents and my dear hubby. He says Matteo picked them out. Too cute. I will post pictures tomorrow, when I can take a shot in the natural light.

So, since it is my birthday, I thought it would be nice to post a few random things about me today. Here it goes.

1. I don't eat beef or pork or anything on the bone. . . pretty much white boneless skinless chicken and turkey or fish only
2. I hate cooked Salmon, but raw, it is my favorite sushi
3. I twirl my hair. . . constantly
4. I love to read, but never have time to do so anymore
5. I have over 50 first cousins. . . and no not step or half. . . 40+ on my Mom's side alone
6. My first memory is being stuck in a bright pink bathroom and not being able to get out (true story)
7. I always wished my name was Alex
8. I never had a fake ID. . . growing up in Nevada. . . this is a oddity
9. I secretly want twins
10. I bite and pick at my cuticles. . . yuck!

Now you know a bit more random facts about me. I hope you have a great day. Thanks for stopping by.

Card-A-Licious. . .

2008-10-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

I was fiddling around on the computer today and I found this new blog. I am super excited about it too. I have recently found a new love for cards. I don't know why, but I have begun to find them very inspiring and fun to make. I think it may be because they are typically pretty quick. When I finish a card I feel like I have accomplished something, even if I only had 10 minutes. I can never do that with a layout. I am, most undoubtedly, the worlds slowest scrapper! Seriously.

So, I thought that I would post a few cards that meet the requirement for their challenge. Here are a few of the Halloween cards that I have done recently.

It is a bit hard to tell, but this one opens up and there is a pocket inside to put pictures in. I could not get a good shot of it though. I love the little trick or treaters on this stamp. It is from Inkadinkado. They are a newly found stamp company for me, and I really like them.

These stamps are from my favorite stamping company, Hero Arts. I love them, both wood mounted and acrylic equally. Both kinds have their purposes. I find that I use more acrylic stamps on my scrapbook pages, and the wooden on my cards.

This one too is from Inkadinkado. This is one of my favorite Halloween stamps. The moon and the cat are so spooky, but in a very cute and animated way. I just added a bit of glitter to give her some oomph. I actually used this stamp to make the moon in the first card. So cute.

Anyway, check out Card-A-Licious. I think it will be a whole lot of fun in the upcoming months.
Thanks for stopping by.

Has it really been that long. . .

2008-10-18T20:57:00.000-07:00

It is amazing how time flies these days. Since I went back to work full time, it seems like I don't have any time! Apparently I don't, as I have been neglecting my blog, in a very serious way. I will try to be better. Promise. ;)

So, here are some of the layouts that I will be using for the class this month.

For this one, I used all Basic Grey. I love them. I don't think that they have ever made something I just don't love.

For this one, I used some of the Scenic Route paper, Prima flowers, buttons, and Jenni Bowlin accessories. I love that Kraft. Oh yes, some Heidi Swapp too.

For the last one, I used all K&Co. papers. Old ones, but boy are they cute! I love the little trick or treaters.

I also am going to be doing a card class, and here are a few of the cards that will be included in that class. Okay, so my camera and I are fighting, and guess who won. Yeah, not me. So I will try to get some photos uploaded this week of the cards.

This weekend I went to Sacramento with my Mom and my Aunt Kathy. Oh yes, Matteo too. He was a little rocks star! So good the whole trip. Anyway, we went for the scrapbook convention. We did no crop, just shopped. I have to say that I did really good. . . didn't spend too much. However, on the way back to Reno, we stopped at Green Tangerines. That place is AWESOME! Seriously! It is so organized and clean and new and fun! Love it. If you ever get a chance to stop in there, do so! Very fun. Not so good there! (money wise)

And since I don't have the card photos, I will leave you with a picture of one of my dahlias from the garden. This one just bloomed before the freeze killed them all last week. Boy they were pretty.
Thanks for stopping by.

Looky Looky...

2008-09-15T18:51:00.000-07:00

No scrapping for me today. I get to see my dh tonight, as he is off. We now only have Monday evenings together due to work schedules, and I have to say, I hate it! So, this will be short. Some good news... Looky what I won!

I won it from Ali Edward's blog. It is a free kit from Freehand Scraps! How awesome is that! Made my day! Thanks Ali and Freehand! Can't wait to see it in person.

That's all for today, I think we are going to watch some football and go for a walk. Thanks for checking in.

Hi, It's me...

2008-09-14T13:52:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I know it has been a while, but here I am! I am hating this computer right now, so this may have to be a little short. My DH uploaded a "new" version of some computer program, and I have to say... I HATE IT! He has had to go back on and change it several times. It is totally messing with me! Okay, rant over!

So here is what I have been working on in the scrappy sense. I made this card for my in-laws, because they are absolutely amazing to us. My mother and father in laws come to my rescue when ever I ask them to, even sometimes when I don't ask. They just seem to know when I need a break. This past week, my sweet MIL called me up and asked if I wanted to go to a crop on Friday, because she thought I had been working so much. How does she know that I needed that? I don't know, but she did. So anyway, I made this card for them.

This card was like the ones that Jennifer McGuire has on her blog. I loved the design, so I lifted it. So stinking cute. I love her stuff. I would have to say that I am totally addicted to her right now!

Here is the third layout for the class that I teach at Atelier. It is all about Family. I love it when I get to use flowers and glitter on pages that have my boys in them too. The other two layouts are on the previous entry.
So, some very sad news has come my way. A extremely talented and sweet gal that I "know" through Studio Calico has passed. A horrible and devastating accident has taken her from us all too soon. Miss Aleida Franklin. . . You will be missed. . .

So, no matter how mad you are with your loved ones, no matter how pushed you are for time, no matter how cheesy they think you are. . . hug them tight and tell them you love them. Life is so precious and fragile. . . it is a gift that can be taken from us at any minute.

Thanks for stopping by.

Busy bee...

2008-09-01T12:49:00.000-07:00

Hopefully things will calm down around here after this week. I have been so super busy! I scrapped the popcorn off the ceiling on Friday night... up till 2:00am and back up at 7:30am with the little guy! Then Saturday, I was supposed to go to the crop at my LSS, but it was cancelled. So, I went to a play date with Matteo and his cousins. Then I scrapped until 1:30am. I had to finish my Circle Journal for Studio Calico . I have pictures for you. Here are a few sneaks.

Then I needed to finish the layouts for my upcoming class in September. I teach a little boy class at Atelier, one of our LSS. I do 3 double page layouts each month. Here are 2 of them. I am still working on the third.

This is a fall layout. There will be a bigger picture in the left hand side, but I haven't printed it yet. The stitching on this layout was so much fun. I hadn't use multiple colors before, and I really like how it turned out.

For this one, I use some older pictures of Matteo that I had saved. These were the first pictures that I looked at and thought, Oh my, he looks like a little man. It is happening so fast.

Then Sunday, I was up around 7:00am with my monkey again. He somehow got splinters in his toes, and my MIL and I tried to get them out. We couldn't. It looks so painful, but he doesn't seem to mind. I hope they just work their way out and don't get infected.

Then we went to my Nephew's birthday party. The whole family was there. And can you believe it... I didn't take one picture! What is wrong with me? I am having a very hard time with taking pictures lately. I have really been enjoying the moment lately and not getting so wrapped up in the photography, but I think I may be missing some good stuff.

Anyway, I tonight we have another birthday party to go to, for another nephew. Then I have to come home and finish that third layout. So, I am off to wrap the gift, do some laundry, and clean up the play room! I will check in again soon. I know I have been neglecting my blog, and I really do love it! Thanks for looking.

Winner Winner...

2008-08-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

So, the luck number for tonight is...

12...

Hello....stopping by again....have a wonderful
weekend!!!

meaning that Ami is the winner of the RAK.

E-mail me at tinytink76@yahoo.com with your shipping information! Thanks for playing along girls. You really have helped me clean out my room (just to be filled up again!)

Thanks for stopping by!

Second chance RAK. . .

2008-08-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

So a few of you know that I did a pretty huge RAK earlier this month. It was so huge that I actually had enough stuff to draw 2 names. Well, Carmen was the first winner and her stuff was sent right away! Hope she got it, I didn't hear from back from her... but she lives in Canada, so it might take a bit to get there. Anyway, Stacey never relied. So, now I have this...

It is full with this...

And I want to send it to you! So, I am doing a second chance RAK. So if you would like a chance to win this box of goodies, leave a comment and I will do a drawing on Sunday night. Good luck gals. You can enter as many times as you want too. I really want this out of my new clean space. Thanks for stopping by.

So Grateful...

2008-08-13T14:09:00.001-07:00

I have noticed that there are several gals, whose blogs that I read, who have been sharing a little about themselves lately. I think this is a great idea. Not only so that we can learn a bit about them, but I think it is nice to "remember" what gives life meanings to each and everyone of us, and to remind ourselves how blessed we really are. So, I thought I would give it a try.

1. I am truly blessed to have my health. I am able to walk up to my hubby and kiss him. I can pick up my little one and squeeze him. I can run (very slow), and jump, and skip, and play. I am so fortunate to be able to enjoy the simplicity of movement and the senses that come along with it.

2. I have a wonderful family. My parents, who offer to babysit (although they have to drive an hour and a half to get here). My in-laws who drop everything to help us out. My hubby, who works like a dog. My baby boy, who makes the biggest messes in no time flat. I think he should actually be in the Guinness book of records for the fasted mess-maker. I have amazing sisters and brothers. The best part is that we can all get together, my family, all of us and have a great time. This is truly a blessing.

3. I have incredible friends. Some I have had for a very long time, and some I have known for a short while, but they are like gold to me! My mom always told me that if I ever found one honest and true friend, I should count my blessings. I have been very fortunate in that I have been able to find a handful of wonderful amazing people to share my life with.

4. My local scrapbook stores... Scrapbook Atelier... has really helped me come into my own as a scrapbooker. Silvia & Esteban encouraged me to begin teaching a class and to try to get published. Teaching has helped me to realize that I can do this, and it has given me a new outlet to meet other wonderfully talented individuals whose friendship means the world to me. Several ladies come to every class and have been extremely supportive to me... girls, you know who you are, thank you so very much. Paige and Amy have helped me in finding the right paper and embellishments so many times I couldn't count them even if I tried. But more than that, they have helped me keep my sanity! Often our visits have nothing to do with scrapbooking, and more to do with keeping me sane when my little one is making me crazy. You gals are my daily intake of sanity and I love how you are with my little monkey. Treasured Memories Too... is another store in our area. I work on the design team at this store. JoElle and Karen gave me the opportunity to work with the latest and greatest produces, on my own time! They have encouraged me to play with the girly stuff, that I love, but that I don't often get to use because I have a little boy. . . who is ALL boy! Thank you girls!

5. I am so thankful for education. I think this has a lot to do with my mother actually. She always pushed me and told me that I could do anything I wanted. So, even though it was not easy, and it took me a long time, I finished school with a Master's Degree. It has helped me easily find jobs, and be truly happy with what I do for a living. I have recently just made a change in my employment too. I will be working for the school district again, and I am super excited. I am also very sad to be leaving Early Intervention behind, as I honestly truly love it too, but this budget crisis that we are going through. . . well the economy. . . you all know.

6. I love my puppies. Okay, so they aren't puppies anymore, but I love them. They cuddle with me everyday. They love me, even after I get upset with them. They run to meet me every time I come home. And they keep me company when my hubby is away at work. I have never had a dog before Charlie, and it is weird to say this now, but I never realized how you could love a dog so much. It is amazing. These 3 little hairy puppies are like my children. I don't know how I went through life without them.

Okay, I think I have rambled on enough for today. I will be back tomorrow night to tell you all about the crazy Monday that I have coming up. It is going to be Phelps like! Hopefully I will win at all of it like he did!

And Kristii... sorry it took me so long, but here is my Charlie, Bella, and Little Bit. Charlie is the lighter one on the right, Bella is on the left, and the last two pictures are Little Bit.

Thanks for stopping in. Have a great day.

New element...

2008-08-11T14:35:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to update my blog and add a place to upload images of my layouts all day today. And, as you all know... I am no computer genius! I finally have gotten the slide to work on my blog, but I am not really happy with it right now; however, I think that it will be better once I can get my pictures better. So, I will be working on that for the next few days.

This weekend ended up being pretty crazy. I had so much fun at The Clay Canvas. I made a trivet for the kitchen. It should be ready next Saturday. I will post a picture when I get them. Kimmy and I had a blast, and as she is not pregnant. . . we celebrated.

Tristan's birthday was fun. He did have a hard time though, as he is just two and is a little bit of a Dracula... he bites! So, my sister had her hands full trying to keep him under control. It is so amazing how someone so small can reek suck havoc in the lives of so many. I have to look at Matteo and remember that he is just a little guy sometimes, because I don't understand how such a little one can make such a huge mess!

Anyway, I am going to get going. . . I have to try to fix this blogger thing! Thanks for stopping bye.

Flea Market Finds...

2008-08-09T13:26:00.001-07:00

I got up way to early for a Saturday, but it turned out to be completely worth it. After reading how all of the gals over at Studio Calico have this incredible nak for finding wonderful treasures at their local flea markets, I did some researching and found one locally here too. There is only one that I could find for Reno, so I decided to give it a try. I talked my girlfriend, Ashley into going with me. So, I got up and met her at the coffee shop at 6:30am. When I was looking on-line, it stated that the market opened up at 6:00am, so I figured that 6:30 would be fine.

We purchased our coffee, and headed out. Come to find out that the information on-line was wrong! It didn't open until 8:00, so we had over an hour to kill. We decided to go for a walk around the marina in Sparks. This was actually a great way to begin the morning. I really enjoyed the cool breeze and warm coffee.

Finally, when we got back to the flea market, it was open, but there was still a ton of people setting up their booths. We walked around for a while, just checking everything out. We stayed for about 2 hours, and in the end we found some great finds.

This is what I got. . .

An amazing stash of acrylic thread. I can't wait to sew on some of my layouts with this. It is a bit thicker than embroidery floss and it is sorta hairy, so the texture is different. I got a steal of a deal for . . . $3.00.

I am going to wash up this basket and take the silk flowers off of it. Then I am going to put all of that cool thread in it for storage. This. . . $0.50

This ribbon was hiding in a huge bin. I found though. It has 40 yards on it, and it was $2.00. On the way home I stopped at the WARC, they were having a 50% off sale, and I got that orange ribbon for $0.25. It says that there is 50 yards on it, but I think it is probably about 30 yards now. . . wow, what a deal!

I also found this window planter. It is really dirty, but once it is cleaned up, I think it will be great. I love the mirror in it. I think I am going to hang it on the fence out in the backyard. This baby was a measly $2.00!

And for my favorite find of the day. . . I found this awesome iron chair. It is amazing! I can't decide if I am going to make it into a planter for the garden or if I want to clean it up and refurbish it for the house. It is actually really heavy, so I wouldn't be worried about the little one turning it over on himself. This my dears was. . . $6.00! Can you believe it!

So, I think I am officially hooked. I think I will become a regular at this! I am on a search for a big bin of buttons. One booth thought they had some, but couldn't find them! I was so bummed! I will try again next week!

So for the rest of the day, I am actually going to be pretty busy. My sister is coming into town this afternoon, so we will probably hang out. Then my girlfriend is getting to come home from a 2+ week stay at the hospital (Standford, CA). Her little one had some complications and needed to have heart surgery. He was born on July 27th, and he is being released today. He is doing wonderful! So, I will probably have to go see her and the little one. I am so glad that he is doing well, and can come home. Such a blessing! And then I am going out for "girls night" with another girlfriend. Kimmy and I try to have a "girls night" once a month. We missed it last month, so I am so stoked to have it this month. We are going to go to The Clay Canvas. It is a local pottery shop. We were going to have margarita's, but Kimmy thinks she may be pregnant, so no margarita's for us! Then tomorrow, we will be going to Yerington, for my nephews birthday party. So, it will actually be a busy weekend! I am sure I will have a ton of pictures for you by Monday!

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

A little late...

2008-08-08T20:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I know that I was supposed to post the pictures of my "newest" layout on Thursday, but things got a bit out of control at my house. My Mom came over on Thursday afternoon, during Matteo's nap time. This, of course was when I was going to finish that layout. We started chatting about one of our bathrooms that we have been contemplating re-doing, and well... we started to rip it apart. It has old wallpaper on the walls. I was not looking forward to ripping down, but once you get going, it wasn't all that bad. We didn't finish, but we made a good dent. So that took up all my time on Thursday. Today, I haven't been feeling all that great. Actually, I haven't been feeling good since about 12:00am last night. I think I may have a stomach bug or something. Let me tell you, it is no fun!

So, now that he is asleep, I have a second. So here is the layout.

These are pictures from the Fourth of July up at Lake Tahoe. It is so amazing up there.

Here's a better look at the title. I used Heidi Swapp clear letters. I liked this because Tahoe is the most amazing crystal clear lake. It is absolutely amazing.

I also used a whole package of rub-ons. This is a first for me. Typically, I hate rub-ons, but I love how this turned out. I staggered them down the right side of the 5 by 7 photo. I also punched out a circle on the portrait picture on the right side of the layout and used a rub-on there.

For the journaling, I used a Technique Tuesday stamp. It flowed like the flag in the wind. I also used a ton of bling. I love it when I can use rhinestones on Matteo's layouts. I love bling. (I not so secretly want a little girl very badly) ;)

So there it is. I will take pictures of the bathroom and post them too. This is for Yo. She is dying to see it. I don't really have a "before" picture, as I already started, but I will show you what it looks like now. It is far from finished!
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!

It goes so fast...

2008-08-06T15:19:00.001-07:00

It is so amazing to me to watch him go and grow. He is moving along so fast. We went to the park on Monday with Daddy... well it was actually the playground at a local school. The park is always fun, but I have to stay on top of him, because although he is only 15 1/2 months... he has NO fear, and he thinks he can do anything! So when I saw this little playground, I was ecstatic! It is for the pre-schoolers, and it is just the perfect size for him!

I love these pictures of him. I typically have to help him go down the slide, but not today. He did not want anything to do with me. So, I just tried to take some pictures. These are him learning to slide... all by himself... turning around...

Then so proud of himself!

I snapped this one as he was walking around to do it again. I love this little onsie. Auntie Jennie got it for him at Christmas last year, and it is just now fitting! It is his little special jersey, with his birth date for his number. How cute! Don't know how she does it, but she always finds the cutest little things.

Any who... so yesterday instead of blogging, I submitted some layouts for publications. Kinda scary, but I figure... the worst that can happen is... nothing! The best... they are picked up. I will keep my fingers crossed for the latter. I am hoping to get published soon. This was one of my goals for this year. And seeing how I didn't submit anything until last month... it is gonna be kinda hard to accomplish that goal. But for now... I am trying.

So, I am going to go scrap now... I will post what I make tomorrow. I am doing some more of those July 4th pictures. Thanks for stopping by. See ya tomorrow!

Monday... Already....

2008-08-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

So this weekend was not as exciting as I thought it might be. Saturday, we did go to the water fountain. I took my nephews with me, we met some friends there too, and my brother in law brought his kids too, so it was pretty crazy! Needless to say, I did not get to take too many pictures, but I got a few.

This was the beginning of the day.... in my back seat...

Here is one I love of my nephews drying off...

And one with Matteo in the background....

And one of Daddy playing in the water with little Matteo...

And Matteo crashed out... my nephews are just too silly... but stinking cute!

I wasn't actually feeling very good, so we did not end up going to the lake on Sunday. This made me sad, but I ended up sleeping til about 1:00pm that afternoon. My dear hubby just let me lay around and sleep... so sweet! I was going to go to the urgent care, but I was feeling a little better after some R & R, so I just stayed home. I did however get this layout finished...

I know it is totally the opposite time for this kind of a layout, but I started it months ago, and it has been sitting in that GAP box since. I just couldn't seem to get it right. So, now it's done, and I love it!

Man I need to get photoshop or something, so that I can get my pictures of my layouts to look better.... Here's a few of the details...

So, anyway, I better get in the shower if I want to get one... then off to swim lessons. Thanks for stopping in and having a peak. Have a great day!

August layouts...

2008-08-01T14:05:00.000-07:00

I finished the third page today... well it had been finished for a while, but I just put the pictures in it. So here are the three layouts for the August class...

I know I have already published these two, but I wanted them to all be in the same spot so they
were easy to find. Here's the other two...

The class will be on Monday, August 18th. If you want to sign up, you can go here... I think from now on, I will put the pictures up on the first of each month. That way they will be easy to find. Thanks for stopping by and taking a peak.

Happy Mail...

2008-07-31T13:54:00.000-07:00

The mail box has been a hopping place at my house this past week. First... as my circle journal was complete, I needed to send it off. Look at this package!

You wouldn't guess, but it has happy mail in it! If you had X-ray vision, this is what you would see...

Then I received this in the mail! Yeah... a new alphabet!

I got it on e-bay for half of what it retails for! Double Yeah!!!!

And as my scrap area has gotten cleaned up (well... cleaner... I still have some purging to do... possible another RAK soon ;)

Anyway, as I had a winner for the RAK, I had to send all of her goodies out today! It is also Carmen Pauls Birthday today too! So she is double lucky!!!

Then when I got home, I found a package on my doorstep. It was from Creative Cafe. I had won one of the drawings for CHA! This was inside!

It's a kit to make this cute little binder! Wow! As Matteo is not in school yet, I think I am going to use it to make a grandparent book. I love the colors though! What fun!!!

I am so excited to get working on this!

So, that is what has been going on here. I am still keeping a look out form my circle journal to come too. When I do, I will give ya all some sneak peeks! Thanks for stopping by and having a peek!

RAK ....

2008-07-29T14:09:00.002-07:00

Okay... So the winner of the first RAK is...

Carmen Pauls!!!

"Oooh, I want to enter! :) My desk looks even worse than that right now --
and I have an "at home weekend crop" (aka I am ignoring the house mess and
scrapping all day tomorrow) planned, so I guess my crop will have to start with
some clean-up. :)Carmen."

You win this...

And as I had so much stuff... The second winner....

Stacey...

"Hope your little one is doing better. I love the feeling I get after
organizing a space!"

You win this...

Congratulations!!!

Girls, just e-mail me @ tinytink76@yahoo.com with your mailing information so I can send it out. Thanks for playing along with me. This was really fun. I think I will have to do it more often.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day.