Another take ~

Ok, we all know we can scrap the same photos multiple times and It is ok... I do this quite frequently as I scrap for multiple family members and sometimes the same photos come into play. Like these from Maine. I did this one for my own album (previously seen for Jennifer's album) This is a Sunday Sketch by Studio Calico~ Have I said I am loving their sketches and finding them so easy to make my own... Ta Da!

Same photos ~ Scenic Route papers again, Quicktuz flower and scalloped border (I am quite loving these diecuts) Cricut for circles and EK success for the 5 tiny stars... wow I have not used that punch in forever surprising that I knew I even had it.

Hope this weeks sketch is just as fun can't wait for it to get posted.... off to stalk the Studio Calico site.....

Until next time!

Sunday randomness

Yum, who loves good Mexican food??? I do I do..... Thursday was girls nite out with a couple of my Besties from work. We had a blast, and tried out this new place. One of the girls had a coupon for $25.00 off when you spent $35.00 great deal. (not including drinks but worth it) Of course we were all about saving cash... the food was fantastic and the Margaritas and company was better. Looking forward to next months outing. We decided once a month to do something like this.. Yeah for fun in twenty ten!!

Last weeks Studio Calico Sketch was fun, and I created another layout with it last nite. Waited till today to photograph and post. My dad is my hero, I have learned so much from this man and continue to learn from him everytime we talk. I really need to get some written down information about his past and document it for future generations.

Dad~

I used up stash again.. loving the sketches and use of materials on hand. I even made 3 small thank you cards with the leftover pieces.. go me!

K & Company Urban papers and stickers

Quickutz flowers

Cricut George and Basics for Circles ~ loving my Expression!!

American Crafts cardstock ~ Earthtones

Can't wait for this weeks sketch to get posted, I am all over this process like a wet noodle or white on rice.. lol In meantime I am duplicating the sketches I made for Jennifer's book for my own mixing up the scenic route colors a bit, but still doing the Studio Calico Sketches.. probably will not post not sure yet, as they are same style as last week.. who knows, will wait and see.

Finished up The Weight of Silence yesterday.. Definately a book worth reading! It was this authors debut novel, and if she writes another one like this I would read it. This weeks reading list is by Holly Chamberlain called "One week in December" it's off to a good start and of course it doesn't hurt that it takes place in Boston and Maine!!! :-)

Last nite Kerry and I watched The Ninth Gate with Johnny Depp, I purchased it last week on sale at Target.. and now it's sitting with my "Depp" collection... I am anxiously awaiting Alice in Wonderland this year with him as the Mad Hatter... I just love his work, he has captured my attention since 21 Jump Street... who remembers that show?

'Until next time!

"Tweet" Sketch

I Love how this weeks Sunday Sketch from Studio Calico turned out!

I really can see myself using this one over and over again. Best part is I have been doing these sketches every week since they started this challenge. Go me!! lol

Last of the Maine photos for Jennifer's album. A slight break away from that Scenic Route, but this "So Tweet Collection" by Pebbles was just called to this photo and layout... I kinda wish I had done this one for my own book, sighhhhh but I will use this sketch again for some other birdie type photo I am sure.

American Crafts cardstock
So Tweet Collection papers by Pebbles for patterned papers.
Quickutz again for flower and scalloped border
Technique Tuesday's stamp for "home"
Cricut "George and basics for circles"
Freehand Bird
Martha Stewart punch for the bottom border

Bitter cold out again, our winter thaw lasted about week and 1/2! but the Sun is out and that makes a huge difference in your attitude. I so love being outside winter is tough for me when its bitter windy cold.. hard to sit and read with that type of weather... lol

On this weeks reading list is "The Weight of Silence" by Heather Gudenkauf ~ new author for me and I can't put it down. Music is "Songs from the Heart" by Cletic Woman.

Until next time!

One more layout

Ok, so I hurried up and finished this layout. Plain, but with bright colors and it's done.. lol
I have a bit more journaling in the pull tab on upper right :-)















Until next time!

Do we ever have enough time?

Long weekend at work! Not crazy busy, but steady enough not to get everything done. But do we really ever have enough time at work? I vote no... lol there is always something that needs attending to. And there are always many people wanting too much done and not enough time or people.. so goes the way of retail... shruggin.... we do what we can.. that's all, and I do not stress over it, afterall there is always tomorrow and you all know NO one is going to do it for you!!
Watched the football game with Kerry last nite.. enjoyed the time, sorry the Vikings lost but my point being the "team who has there game on" will win and that's what happened, couple bad calls for both teams, some bad choices but in the end "they" have to live with those choices not us. For us it's entertainment...
Here are last weeks layouts no sketches here, my own layups lol
Still using up that Scenic Route paper, will be sorry when it's gone, but it just seems to work great with these Maine photos . American Crafts cardstock seems to be my go to.. or Bazzill the colors just speak out to me.. I have another layout on table, hope to finish up today and get posted. Quickutz border for the scalloped edges and the flower..
Sister Carrie ~ shes the youngest of the 3 of us and the most like me in personality :-P

I want a line of these chairs for my yard don't you?

Other news, rain for last couple days washed away all the snow! We have greenish brownish grass lol not for long though winter is not over here in Chicago we usually get about 50% of our snow in Jan/Feb... so can't put those boots away just yet!
So make time to scrap/read/whatever you like to do... there is always time just waiting for you to make a choice.. and I choose fun time... hehehe
Until next time!

to sketch or not to sketch?

Studio Calico has been doing Sunday Sketches for 3 weeks now and these are my takes on last weeks ~ Nubble light

and this weeks ~ Maine take on the sketch Love the "Scenic Route" line will miss it!

Got to use my Cricut ~ George and Basics for the circles, quicktuz for the star and flowers

and the scalloped edge border, ek success notebook punch... and of course stash...

These are for Jennifer's album as I move on in my Maine photo collection.

So in other words to sketch or not to sketch? I loved these layouts once completed, but part of me was too wrapped up into making them look as close as possible to them.. Going forward I know this will be easier and not so time consuming (seems took me forever to duplicate them).

I know they are for the basic idea but my mind is like if you are duplicating it you need to follow it .... lol

Until next time!

a bit of this and a bit of that

Today was a crafty day, Kerry spent the morning sleeping and I was busy creating a few more pages to finish off Carrie's book from our "Girls Day" I think she will enjoy the book and hope she enjoys the last photo. It was taken during the same visit but not when we were together. I figured she wouldn't mind as it was a current photo of me! lol

I do love my birdies and owls... too bad this roadside place was closed when we stopped, I know I would have purchased one of these babies for my yard. they were beautiful and unique.

I just love my HOUSE!! Here it is in all it's winter glory, just sitting there inviting you inside. I never thought a winter photo could look this good. I hope to use this in my Project 12 January session, not quite sure yet though.

I love the look of flags hanging outside homes they make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I grew up in the country and was a country themed decorater till moving here. Kerry is Not into country, says it looks "old" lol and he's old enough!

That being said, I do grab bits of country "feel" where I can. Hence this cute snowman with the yes you guessed it "Birdies" lol (note to self - you need a new pole!)

Saw this little Woodpecker in my tree enjoying the bird seed. I wasn't able to get a better photo but I think it was a Red Bellied Woodpecker based on the markings.

In other news Sparkie seems to be "over" her nesting stage for now. Thursday was the true test, I removed the 5 eggs and kept her in the cage downstairs most of the day. Well I think she was just tired of sitting on them all the time, because she is certainly over it! I hope it was just a one time deal!

Kerry has been excited with his new Blu Ray DVD player we got for Christmas. Last night we watched " A Leauge of Extronadinary Gentlemen" with Sean Connery... sighhhhhhhhhhh :-)

Wonder what the next newest and greatest technology will be, but for now we are content with this.

I have been watching some of the CHA reviews and definately am in Like with the Bella Blvd. lines Robot Love and Campout both are great for those boys in your life. Jocelyn I think you should check them out!

Currently reading a Scrapbooking Mystery by Laura Childs called Tragic Magic... good series if you have not read them worth checking out.

Until next time!

Winter is here to stay

Looks like winter will be hanging around my house for awhile this year. We got probably 9 inches of this fluffy white stuff between last night and today. I love wht effect it is giving our backyard pond. We purchased a heater to try and keep the water from freezing solid for our critters. It works great. Kerry keeps and eye on the temperature and makes sure the waterfall is not freezing too. If you look off to the top right of this photo, there is a bee balm plant leftover from summer glory full of snow!

For those who know me you know I am a nature person. For those who might be visiting my blog for the first time I love photographing the nature and the little critters who visit my backyard stress free zone. This little guy was cute, I purchased a small bag of shelled peanuts and put them by the back sliding door. He spent time burying most of them in the snow and the others like this one sat and nibbled it..

Here are a couple sneak layouts from my gift album to my sister Carrie.. I am doing an 8 x 8 of our girls day in Maine last summer with my daughter Jennifer too (another album forthcoming for her! ) I selected a few favorite photos and the ones with good stories to remember.

Kennebunkport, Maine

Sister Carrie

I'm using mostly the Scenic Route Seasons ~ Summer line some inking and natural color cardstock. Having fun working on this especially on cold winter days!

Until next time!

On a roll

I started an album for my sister Carrie yesterday and it's moving along nicely. I am doing a "Girls Day" from our Maine outing last summer when I visited. I know she will appreciate it and I am having so much fun scrapping and making progress. I promise to get photos uploaded soon, just not today. Time is slipping away and I need to work tonight... sigh having my first full weekend off since before Thanksgiving was great! Lots of relaxation, scrapping, reading and watching movies.. Last nite was "Edward Sissorhands" gotta love me some Depp!!

Finished my book and moving on to James Patterson's "Alex Cross's Trial" I am a huge James fan and can't wait to start this one.

The last evening of 2009 had this "Blue Moon" ~ meaning the second Full moon within a month.

12/31/09

And since I had to work 1/1/10 it was still out.. another beautiful shot.

I am more in like with the early morning shot...

Until next time!

New Stamps = Cardmaking!!!

Back again.......

Getting a little ahead here ~ Valentine's day card. Yikes you can tell I work retail, the holidays just rush on by. Hope to have a few fun projects in the works for the niece and nephews with some little mailboxes I got from Target last year..


But todays card was an experiment with my new Stampendous cling rubber stamps ~ both the sentiment and the owls they are exclusive to Archiver's and I just had to have them!! The cardstock is from stash, I have not used chalk in ages.. but felt it would be a good addition to these little owls...



Off to read for a bit and dream up another project to work on.. Today is a lazy PJ day here
Currently reading ~ Finger Lickin Fifteen by Janet Evanovich.... this is a lol series starring Stephanie Plum.
So whats on your reading list right now?
Owl be seeing you!

New Challenges, New Year

I found a new challenge posted on facebook this am from studiocalico.blogspot.com
and was all over this one.. They are doing Sunday sketches!! :-)
I got this card in the mail yesterday from my sister Cindy and what perfect timing this was. One challenge completed, one layout down for 2010!

Stash used : Bazzill cardstock
Quickutz font alpha "Katie ~ Grand version"
Papers ~ Reminisce ~ Polar Frost ~ stripes
Reminisce ~ Frosted Flakes ~ snowflakes
buttons ~ ribbon ?
Until next time!

photos finally!

Yes! I got photos uploaded ~ Thanks to Jennifer for suggesting Picassa....
I'm baaaaaaaaaack!
So I have my 5 Golden (White) Eggs!!! lol Sparky is very possessive of them poor thing keeps sitting on them keeping them warm.. Ihave to research how long she will continue sitting before giving up.. (They are not fertile and was told to leave her be for now).

I did manage to get another Maine layout done while I was off computer for a bit.. I love the color combination on this one.

A couple winter type cards using my "SnowFriends" Cricut Cartridge... :-)

Have a couple more winter type photos, will get scrapping and get them posted soon!

Thanks for stopping by! I love the fact that people find my blog worthy of reading.. Thank you all so much for doing so and leaving such lovely comments! I appreciate all of you~

Until next time!

Happy 2010

New Year, New Ideas, New Stories......
What will your new year bring you... Lots of Love and Happiness and Scrapping!!! :-)

I've been busy reading... Finished "Lovely Bones" and almost done with "The Time Traveler's Wife" both excellet reading choices if you have not read them. Thanks to my friend Kara who got them both for me :-) I love when you find someone wo shares a love of reading and has similar tastes, makes it easy to purchase gifts.

New changes on blog background... would really like to experiment more here but have so many more fun things to do.
Weather has turned COLD.... hmmmm well it is winter right? Do have some photos to share, will try and get them hooked up today, Kerry is busy with his mom not feeling well and took her to emergency room last night they kept her overnite and ran some tests. Still waiting on results, in meantime I am sure I can figure out getting my puter up and running again to upload photos..and get my creative juices flowing again.
Until next time!