Can you believe today is the last day of July already? Time flies when you are having fun. I have been busy working, relaxing in my garden, reading and of course Scrapping... I started a mini book with the blog challenge Kristii had up a while back. I will post a sneak peek for you. She was kind enough to send me some of the Sassafrass "Jungle" papers. I love them and did not have any. I like how this little project is coming together. I hope to fill it with things that make me SMILE!



Speaking of things that make you smile, know how when we first start out in the blogging world we of course wonder who would ever want to read about my life? What makes me stand out from everyone else? Why am I doing this? Well, I asked those very questions myself and one reason is good friends are made here!
carla recently gave me an award I am thrilled to be part of her "circle"


To pick up the Circle of Friends blog award: Cut and paste the award logo and use it on your blog. Nominate 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your Circle of Friends. Link to your nominees on your blog post. Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation. Comment on their blogs to let them know they have recieved the award.

Here are 4 of the (5) people I've met through blogging that have become a part of my circle of friends who have not already recieved this award from someone else!! lol (Hate to double tag, Jocelyn, Kristii, and Lisa) but you are all considered my friends too :-)
Natty
Maggi
callista
Jay



So in addition I recieved this above award from Jay who is listed above. This is a harder one to do.. 10 reasons for blogging... lol
Copy the award and post it on your blogLink it back to the person you received it fromList 10 things you love about bloggingPass it along to 10 blog pals...

1. A journal of my life for friends and family to keep in touch.
2. An outlet to display my creativity.
3. A place to vent.
4. A meeting place ~ to make new friends.
5. A place to view other ideas.
6. To make new friends ~ lol did I say that?
7. To learn about different areas of the world.
8. To see what others find important in their world.
9. To make new friends ~ I see a pattern forming.
10. To communicate and share my creativity and small part of my world with new friends!
11. A place to talk about our craft and share our love and enthusiam for it and life!

Since I have a hard time doing the ole copy and paste scene I will list my pals here:
Kristii
Jocelyn
Lisa
Carla
Maggi
Callista
Natty
All these creative fabulous ladies can be linked to on my blog in the Fun Blogs or Interested in Me catagories.
Until next time!

Until next time

Where has my weekend gone?

Well, here it is another Monday morning... The weekends just go too quickly these days, sometimes I seem to get quite alot done other times I never have enough time to do what I should have.. Friday night seems so long ago right now that I could not even tell you what we did! I am sure it involved watching JAG reruns... lol and seriously that pretty much sums up what I remember about it. Can't remember if I have shared these Petunias with everyone, this is one of two containers we have next to our doors, they definately make me SMILE!

Saturday, I needed to get some garden time in ~ weeding ~ this one area seems to attract the monster mega weeds... ugh I am sure because is not completed and full with flowers there is plenty of room for those weeds to live. But before that has to happen I need to sit and enjoy the birds and watch for my little hummer!! lol. Kerry and I ended up at his sisters for the afternoon, he was powerwashing her house and I was taking photos for her of their gardens lots of flowers and creativity in these gardens, and of course watching her little hummer go to it's feeder and decide the drink was "stale" lol you should have seen my sil hustle to change out that food!! Then of course she wanted the little guy to come back, I'm sure he did but not while we were there. Pizza for dinner... yum .

Love this little area

The Butterfly Houses are too cute!

They were transplanting some Iris's in the gardens, and I was lucky to score some!! whooo hooo more plants, now I have to weed this area where they will go! Incentive... gotta love it.

Spent Sunday morning going for brunch at the Casino, stopped at Walmart on way home for treat for Sparky, then off to garden ~ once weeded it looks good again, then when I filled in the new plants, I see a vision of flowers ~ hopefully next year but they might not flower~ if not the year after should be fabulous!!! Now off to stalk my birds hehe this little hummer doesn't like the Lorry Papparazzi!!!!! he is quick and comes when I get up and step away from my viewing spot... sigh I just want to feature him in my scrapbook, maybe if I swear to stop stalking if he just poses nicely???

But I was able to catch the little sparrows and finches enjoying the waterfall and bird bath it is amazing to watch these little ones enjoying themselfs and it is one of the things that make me Smile.

Monday morning playing with Sparky (the cockatiel) and one jealous Tia (cat). Life can be as simple and or dramatic as you make it. I choose simple!

Now off to eat and rest before work. Oh and I found a fun author for those of you who like Janet Evanovich and the Stephanie Plum series, I reccomend Tamar Myers with her Den of Antiquity Series featuring Abigail Washburn, I am currently reading "Death of a Rug Lord" check her out.

Until next time!

Gotcha!

For those of you who have been kind enough to read my blog, you know I have been stalking a hummingbird in my backyard garden. I caught a glimpes of him today going for my bee balm plant. He is on the right side of the plant, hopefully when it's blown up to view you can see it. I still plan on stalking it for a better photo. Wish me luck!

Until next time!

It's done, the elusive photos I wanted to scrap and was having trouble with. Definately not my best work but I like it enough to move on... lol (seriously I would not do over and retorment myself!) Found a piece of Scenic route and used my Quickutz StoryTime alpha. This alpha was actually smaller than I would have liked but it fit nicely and was able to leave room for the cute Quickutz tree and birdie.. :-)



In other news I have been praying for my dear friend Jocelyn, she just had vacation and when returned to her home found a complete waterlogged disaster. I am so sorry she has to go through this nightmare, but she is a trooper and trying desperately to remain positive, she definately is an inspiration!! Love ya!

I am awaiting news to share, hopefully it will not be too long I am excited about this and don't want to jinx myself..will share when I feel non-jinxed.. lol

My little Hummer is back!! he was buzzing around yard last evening, I didn't get any photo, will try today as the little guy makkes me Smile...what made you smile today??

Until next time!

TGIF

TGIF

I was pleasantly surprized to see another award from my sweet friend Jocelyn . Thanks you made me smile and I love your style too dear friend!




The rules of accepting the award are:By accepting this award you agree to display this award proudly on your sight and include a post link back to the giver.Share this award with a few other people or as many as you would like.

I would like to pass this on to :

Kristii ~ You inspire me with your creativity, and love of your family and faith.

Carla ~ I love your sense of humor and all the great nature inspiration you always leave.

So Friday nite and not much planned, I am trying to get this page put to bed from yesterday with the nightmare of finding 1 or 2 pieces of paper to use.. I decided to go the clean and simple route with cardstock and stop tormenting myself. :-)
Until next time!

Paper Paper everywhere

Ever have those photos you want to scrap and for the love of the craft you can NOT find a single (let alone two sheets) piece of paper to use!?!?!?!?!?!? UGH.
Today I have spent lazing (if that is a real word!) around doing absoultely nothing. I finished a book called "The Angel" by Carla Neggers - a thriller taking place in Boston/Ireland :-)
Figured when the sun went in was time to come in and try and scrap.. Ut Oh, still not able to find papers to work with these photos. When Kerry called me for dinner he noticed I was hmmm ~ frustrated about something.. so I tell him my dilemma, his response was "so go to Archiver's"! Got to love this man.. lol while I am fighting tooth and nail to use up my mountianous stash he is telling me go get something that will work.
I am confident I can use some paper I have, so I will push these photos aside and try another time.
Hope everyone is having a great day, I shall blog more tomorrow and hopefully get a challenge or two completed.
Until next time!

Taking a Break

Happy Sunday!

Lots of weeding done yesterday and today. I love being outside and working in my gardens makes life stress free for a little while anyway... lol Look what graced my butterfly weed plant makes me smile when I see nature enjoying my gardends almost as much as I do.

Kerry and I had a date nite last night, went to see Public Enemies with my hearttrhrob ~ Johnny Depp!~ really liked the authencity they used in the movie. Lots of it was filmed in Chicago, Aurora, Joliet and Wisconsin.. kinda right in my own neighborhood.

Today I completed my first challenge for STM (Scrapping the Music) hoping the next time I get it completed early enough to submit... lol. I was pretty pleased with how it came out. I've been wanting to do these challenges loved the idea of using lyrics from a song.. to make a TITLE... lol as most who read my blog know that is something I don't always do! I was using the Crate Paper Lemon Grass collection.. oh I love this one, so many color choices all those colors I love the earthy tones.. I am comfortable using. The title is cut from Bazzill Cardstock using my Supermarket Quickutz alpha. The title is a line from the TV show Cheers (made me think of home as its Downtown Boston!)

Well for now I am going to take a break and find something to eat..

Until next time!

Mini album peeks

Here is the inside cover and first page
1.

Page 1

Second page open spread

Third page, I am working on the right side of this one now, sorry photo is sideways, it looked ok when I uploaded it..

I have been enjoying using the Fancy Pants "Free Spirit Line" it was a LRS kit from Nov. 06!

see you can never go wrong with LRS kits, they last indefinetly and are timeless !! lol

I got one garden section weeded today, started my new book and was blessed to view my little hummingbird twice, still not able to capture this little one on photo but I will continue.

Until next time!

Happy Thursday. Today is a very lazy day, work this week has exhausted me for some reason more than normal.. wonder if it's staying up too late to watch the JAG reruns???? lol but Harm is definitely great "eye candy" hehehe. So today I slept late till (GASP) 9:23 per the digital clock... what ever happened to just guesstimating the time? Like I slept till almost 9:30?? or it was about 9:20or so??? The digital age has taken over every aspect of modern life as we know it.. oh well that's progress... and for those who want to know they can even get hours, minutes, and seconds!! To me that just means life is flying by faster than ever.
So on the agenda today, filled the birdie feeders, bird bath, trip to library to return books, worked on the mini for Mother in Law, will give peeks later, my battery is charging up!!
Really want to scrap some more photos, but sun is coming out and gardens need a bit of TLC (weeding!) .
Since I am off this weekend I'm hoping for sunshine, blue clouds and maybe a movie.. I am looking forward to seeing "Public Enemies" I just love Johnny Depp ~ insert swoon here ~ lol
and possibly the Brunch at the Casino ~ trick is to make sure Kerry gives me his wallet... poor man not addicted to it, but my willpower is way stronger... I've got better things to spend my $$ on than the slots, I would rather just give them the measly $20. I spend and get it over with... lol probably my Negative attitude or Karma that keeps me loosing.. ~shruggin shoulders~.
Well off to weed and read... Next up is "True Detectives" by Jonathan Kellerman.
Until next time!

Turkey not just for Thanksgiving....

From reading everyones blogs I am so happy all my friends had a great 4th of July experience!!
I had to work both days so was able to just sit and relax by the pond in the evening. No festivities here... Kerry is somewhat a couch potato!!! UGH... I love being home, but sometimes I just want to be out and about doing something, anything, anywhere!! I know If I ask him he will take me anywhere (most of the time) but would it hurt to make plans to do something??? lol

So yesterday I was exhausted (feet hurt actually not really exhausted hehehe) when I come home from work he has Turkey and all the fixings ready.. Oh and I was not smart enough to get camera out for photos either.Gotta love this guy, and also has a fantabulous Choc. Cake for desert!! whooo hooo. So says, will you set the table? sure so I pull out two plates etc., and start setting it. I look out front window and see his parents, so I say Oh your parents are here, were they coming for dinner? Yes, lol so you should have told me so I could set plates for them... then he goes oh Mick (his sister) is coming too!! nice one Kerry nice.... I didn't mind it at all but would have liked to gotten all the plates etc. at once kwim????

Since his family doesn't hang out for hours like mine does, they left and I went outside to relax and read my book "Long Lost" by Harlen Coben... and I decided to start the fire pit and make myself "Smores" yummie I had 3 of them and could have kept them coming.... something about roasting marshmallows ( I do not like them burnt... just lightly browned) brings back memories of childhood times and big cookouts with lots of family..

I started working on a 6 x 6 mini type album for mother in law, will have some of her garden spots from this summer, and I think I will also document some of our trip to Vermont next month. Should make a nice Christmas gift (if I hold onto it that long... lol). I'm using a LRS kit with Fancy Pants papers Looking forward to working on this, and it's time for me to start my Christmas crafting items. I try to make a number of things for different people so I like to start early and plug along and get them ready then when December hits all I have to do is wrap them up.. Keep posted over next few months for some sneak peeks. Off to work I go hi ho hi ho....
Until next time!

Roller skating part dos

Slang from the 80's remember when "bad" was "cool" lol never understood that! But growing up on the east coast the terms "Awesome" and "Wicked" were used quite often! here is the last part of the roller skating layout.. Jennifer pointed out that Kristen's outfit was da bomb (lol) and I guess I have to agree! Again with the Zelda font and WRMK "Endless Summer" exclusive for Archivers. Enjoy!

Until next time!

I (Heart) Unique Art

Well here is my title for my Dr. Suess pages... lol Yes, I created a title for these just seemed appropriate. Papers are from the Fancy Pants line "Daily Grind" and Zelda font again. I think this will be my favorite font I just love it.. wording "Unique" is a rub on from Autumn Leaves and American Craft cardstock. I am liking this cardstock just as much as the Bazzill. :-)

Left side


Right side



Cat'o nine tails



There are new blooming things in my garden, I just love to see nature taking place right before my eyes. We planted these last year and they survived the winter to grow, multiply and now bloom. I have about 6 of these now and thrilled! I'm off to work on the roller skating pages so I can get that posted and added to Jennifer's book. Not sure whats up after that but whatever it is I am sure to be close to home relaxing. Hope everyone enjoys there day

Until next time!

July already!~

Yes I am griping along with everyone else on this time flies journey! Amazingly enough it happens every year however I'm thinking the older I get the faster it happens! Seriously now am I right or not?? When we scrapbook we are working on the here and now... or in other words trying to stay current.. For those of us who scrap moments and life happenings out of order it somehow makes time slower.. Crazy thought but think about it, if we are scrapping current events as they happen we cherish and relive the memoriy while it is fresh in mind. Now when I (we) scrap moments that have passed, like our families when they were younger, trips we took, photos of us as children we have to "think and jog our memories" about the who, what, when, where and whys of the photos.

But do we cherish those moments just as much... Yes without a doubt, I think back to when my children were little places we went, things we did and yes it was forever ago but I would not change anything. I was blessed with 2 great healthy kids (they had there moments! lol ) but I can go through boxes of photos and remember events. I only hope someday the work we (I ) put into my books and books for others will help them with their own journey back in time.

I have completed my first layout for July, whooo hooo a two pager about Dr. Suess... (will post tomorrow so I can get a good picture of them). I also was able to find a couple more photos for my daughters book on the 80's party will get those posted too. So please check back tomorrow for further information. A huge thank you to all who take the time to visit my blog, I cherish all your lovely comments and look forward to reading your blogs.
Until next time!