Chicago bound

Remember my last posting? I got to test out my new camera downtown Chicago and was duly impressed. Kerry and I took our first cruise on the lakefront viewing the Chicago Skyline from Lake Michigan... wow!

This is the lighthouse and breaker wall along the shore line to keep the waves at bay.

Possibly my favorite place is Navy Pier in Chicago, I love it! I guess the sentimental value is when Kerry and I first started our long distance relationship, he invited me to Chicago and that was the first place he took me to. Navy Pier in December!!!!! Brrrrrrrrr but I loved it...

This little seagull was definately not afraid of me and I love how the shot came out. He was on the pier as we were walking around.

Who wouldn't love this carousel?

Or want to take a ride on this 150 ft ferris wheel?

Or lunch here? We acutally ate at another place Riva Cafe on the Dock, outside seating... it was great to watch everyone walk by...

The same day I got to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa too!!! Well the replica one built in the sister city of Niles, Illinois it was worth the trip.

Pretty amazing If you ask me.

Ok and this little feathered friend (I now believe it is a House Wren) decided it likes the 2nd floor of my purple house! This little one is actually removing a nail from the house. I can just hear mama bird telling him "not in my nest"! lol

So I do have some layouts to complete, having fun this summer relaxing and reading.. Just finished up How to Knit a Love Story by Rachael Herron another new author found. This weekend is a 4 day weekend for me Woot Woot! I am so excited not sure if we will go far, but I am sure we will do something.. looking forward to more photos!

So here is a photo of my Beta, poor little guy never got a name... lol but takes a mean photo! I loved that my camera automatically set itself to the macro setting and then focused it so I could

get this great shot... double image and you can even see the air bubble!

Until next time!

Thursdays ramble....

Today another hot hazy humid day of summer!! Gotta love summer time, up until this year the heat never bothered me... now NOT so much>>>>> UGH must be getting hormonal with that ole menopause thing! YUCK.... well enough of that drama, moving on.....

I was happy to see my Purple bird house that bil made me is now home to some little birdies....
I grabbed my new camera (still figuring it out for focusing.. it has a stabalizer that is more sensitive than my last camera) but I snagged a photo of I believe a finch, lol it was removing a nail which was supposed to be the "perch" but they made their own. Will post photo when I get to it..

Working on a couple layouts, figure I will continue doing them and then post together!
Reading ~ The Worst Case by James Patterson
Heading to library to pick up a hold and request some new ones.. Maybe lunch out at Qdoba..?
Off work 4 days WOOT!! Kerry buzy with folks and Dr. appts :-(
Maybe a trip to City for something fun?
Need to win the Lottery..... don't we all?
Until next time!

Already July

So we all know time flys right? but this year is just whizzing by!!!
I have been so busy with my outside time (gardens, birdwatching etc.) that my poor ol scrapping and bloggin has been neglected.

I did complete a layout today, will photgraph and post tomorrow... I have been reading alot also, just finished up Magic Hour by Kristin Hannah a must read! I loved it, started The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, was on the waiting list FOREVER at the library. Tonite a trip to Borders brought me lots of new books to put on hold. I love reading so much, but the cost of purchasing said books gets over the top, so I scour the book shelfs and write down authors and titles... then head over to the fantastic libraby and put a hold request on them. :-)

On Father's Day my SIL brought her puppy "Summerland" over... she is adorable huh?


I did make a splurge this week and purchased a new point n shoot camera!!! Woot Woot.... I can't
wait for it to arrive. It is an Orange one :-) Canon PowerShot 14.1MP movel SD1400IS I really wanted to upgrade, but a DIgital SLR is still a bit out of the price reach right now... so I know this one will keep me happy... I was able to get it online at Target, it was on sale, and I used my discount and rewards points and scored a huge savings. Actually made it so worth while.. Now stalking the front door every day!!

A couple of the new Cricut Lite cartridges were a must have a tad pricy but Hoot 'n' Holler and Meow had my name written all over them.. So far they are exclusive to Walmart, hoping the price goes down a bit. I saw a couple more would consider.. It's time for me to start Christmas gift making so these could come in handy.

Until next time!

Summertime Beauty

So where is the summer going? It is happening so fast, I can barely keep up with it! I love being outside in my yard, enjoying nauture and the gardens. I really miss blogging and keeping this updated, but soon summer will be gone and there will be time to blog then.
I have the pleasure of a hummingbird again this year. They are one of God's amazing creatures. I am totally mesmerized by these little guys. Here is a shot of one enjoying my Bee Balm :-)

and the baby birds are so cute around the yard and the bird baths. This bird bath attracts the most action in the yard, we added some small river rocks in it to make it more shallow and accessable to more birds. They all love it but I think the Robins love it the most. They are so much fun to watch shakin and shimming and just getting cool! Here is one of the young ones

Let's not forget that I have a multitude of feeders and go through hundreds of pounds of seed a year. I tend to by it in 50 lb bags. So always happy when my Cardnials come to visit. I actually have been getting a Bluejay(no photo yet though!) he is attracted to the peanuts I got for him.

I love that my hens and chicks flowered this year, I have never had one flower and it's still blooming too :-)

And just so everyone knows I have gone off the deep end... Trix Swirls not just for kids! lol I have been snacking on these colorful bites... great color combos for summertime huh?

I found a romance author Barbara Freethy I like. Read these books, Suddenly Summer, On Shadow Beach and In Shelter Cove. They all represent a small coastal town called Angels Bay and feature some of the same characters.. Good Summertime reads....

Still creating a bit not much focus on it right now, but keeping eye out for ideas and need to get photos (recent ones) printed out.. Will create as summer rolls on and post.

I really need some vacation down time, and a road trip... hopefully I can get Kerry interested in checking somethings out next month.. as June is about done.

Until next time!

Fun with Kraft

Most of you know I scrap multiple photos for family members and always try and make them different depending on who they are for.
these for Jennifer's album

these for Josh's album

Joshua's album

and one for Mom!

above were using Kraft paper and random buttons, burlap twine and Kraft kuts by Fancy pants for the pattern papers, stash used up!

Combined DCWV paper stacks for this one Songbird and Flower Shower. Love how it came out simple yet classic style for me.

Today's reading is by Karen Hawkins called "Lois Lane tells All" a fun romance.... catch you laters.

Until next time!

Blooming Cladium

Quick posting ~ not much going on to blather about, but wanted to share this photo I took of my Cladium plants. I have them in a nice container pot at the back edge of our yard and was surprised to see the bloom on it. I have had these in the past but it never bloomed.

I just finished up a book by Rene Gutteridge called "Listen" definately worth reading!

Baking brownies/cookies today and hope to finish up a couple layouts.. ahhhh summer how I love thee.

Until next time!

Sunshine and Clouds

Thursdays are a blast.... My day off, working in the garden been up since 5:30am. But got my plants all tied up and tended :-) relaxed and watched a couple mallards visit the feeder and a single bluejay seems to like me now! Whooo Hoooo good bird day!

Kerry finished painting part of a ceiling this am... Thank goodness wanna know how much fun it has been having a 16ft ladder in your living room since Turkey day 2009?? NOT FUN>>>>>> but he treats me so well and never complains about anything.. so in turn I just walked around the ladder and didn't complain.. I love that we compliment each other in this way it's those small compromises that make our marriage work and is stronger than ever!

Working on dual layouts for Jen/Josh books - same photo with both in it and 1 for me.. Using some Kraft papers and it's pulling together nicely. Have used up some more stash... but I do need to confess Archiver's is calling my name loudly..... I did not go yesterday, so far today held off but no promises...
Will post layouts when done...

This weeks first read is by Heather Graham "The Killing Edge" so far good, but she is a tried and true suspense author for me.. so I will like it I am sure.
Until next time!

Random photos

Tia is too funny, after making sure I am up and paying attention to her she is all about rolling around on the floor. Like look at me... rub my bellie... crazy cat!

I have such a great sister in law! Look at the little garden decoration she created for me for Mother's day. I was aprehensive about putting outside but it's too darn cute not to use.

Looks perfect here in my garden, and all those little birdie statues are the finishing touch.

I did manage to do 1 layout from a SC sketch in my pile to catch up on.. adapted it to 8 x 8

Bazzill cardstock and Deja Views dog days paper pack (from stash)

Remember those brother in law bird houses? well here they are... Don't you just love em.. I do the tops are copper!! even prettier in real life.

So Kerry really hates the heat.. I mean really hates it. I was so lucky he was willing to put these up today for me.. I just love him and the location is perfect. Now just to enjoy and hope that someday some little birdies call them home...

Finished my book Photo Snap Shot! oh my Joanna created an ending I never saw coming! I just love when authors do this! If you have not read this series I urge you to go get them because I am thinking the next one will be the best yet!!

So as I spent the lazy day sunning myself I started and could not put down till I finished it today "Not My Daughter " by Barbara Delinsky another compelling author... This book was fantastic, I have been wanting to read it since seeing all the reviews on FB definately put on your list.

Until next time!

Busy as a bee

Oh my blog how I have neglected thee!! So sorry, i've been busy as a bee planting, reading, working, watching tv, FB, and longing to blog and craft.. Well enough is enough I'm here today to try and catch up a bit.. Been reading my dear friends blogs and they are so busy too. Lots of LIFE happening all around us this is a good thing!

Current read is by Joanna Campbell Slan called "Photo Snap Shot" I just love her style of writing and of course it helps its about our passionate scrapbooking!!! Kiki is such a treat I never know what she is going to do next. Thank you Joanna and I can't wait for your next book and I am not finished with this one. :-)

Last week was a fun mail week for me (photos later) my youngest sister Carrie and I could be twins we think so much alike and have the same warped sense of humor... I got a great card from her about a memory from our childhood that made me belly laugh all the way to work! I also got 2 had made specially for me birdhouses from my bil :-) I can not wait to put them in the yard they will be a bright fun addition ~~ favorite colors too, Orange and Purple.

Work had been one drama after another this week, one wonders how the younger generation will survive (well at my work anyway!) the group of mangement I have above me are all 20 or 30 somethings who think they are the rulers of the world... lol been there done that... Have to laugh as I have a daughter older than them and a son their ages... I just get into "MOM" mode with them and make a decision / take charge / and move on... yes it really is that simple kids..
Frustration level up because they are the ones who are supposed to be doing this. And my peers and I get paid less, work harder and make more sound decisions than they ever could.... UGH
Enough of that~~ moving on lol I really don't let it consume me it's just one of the things that kept me away from my bloggin and scrapping time...

Gardens are so very relaxing to me, I just love working in them (even the weeding I tend to keep up so it's not bad!) They are coming alive with color and I've planted a few container pots and a couple more perennials... I have been adding one or two to my gardens for a couple years now and it has been very successful and bloom all summer!! Yeah me.
Been raining a bit, but I spy some sunshine heading our way today hope to get out and enjoy it very soon. I have been blessed with a chickadee nesting in one of my existing birdhouses so fun to watch them flutter in and out all day.

Scrapping on hiatus??? Summer time is hard for me due to being outside so much, but I had made a ton of cards and posted couple weeks back... not much since then. Cleaned off work space and did a layout of my sister's family for my "family" book.... really want to do more but that whole it's nice out calls to me... Hope to get something accomplished later today, I am 4 weeks behind on the SC Sunday sketch, I loved doing them and need to get caught up quick..
Until next time!

Happy Mother's Day

I hope all my Mom friends are having a great day. You are all special women and deserve the best!

I spent the morning relaxing with my book of the week "The Neighbor" by Lisa Gardner.... finished up a Canvas project. and cleaned up my scrap table (the lil birdie called Sparky loves to nibble on anything left out!)

My first canvas.. I used the new BG "Max and Whiskers" line loved it very fun colors. I went to Michael's yesterday and bought the random flowers in the upper right. Button from stash and random twine. Martha Stewart bling on flowers.

I have been making cards lately, not sure what that is all about except I fell in love with the Jillibean soup line with kraft paper!!! It is amazing to work with and just looks so "fresh"

Fiskars flower punch, MM button, DMC embrodiery floss,

Scrappy cat flower stamped and cut out. Fiskars circle punch BG stamp

Quickutz nexting frame , Hand cut birdie, BG stamp

Hero arts sentiment stamp

I did make a SC Sunday Sketch, have to admit I am about 2 weeks behind but will catch up.

Fiskars circle punch, Scrappy Cat stamp image of flower and cut out, random white buttons, and embrodiery floss by DMC

Until next time!

Dick Tracy

A two page layout of Dick Tracy photos. I used up some LRS kit stash from 10/08! Yes I still have all my kits... Never knew what I was saving them for, the perfect photos? I really am a paper junkie.. I love paper and have more of it than I could ever use in my lifetime. Sigh, but it still doesn't stop me from wanting or purchasing more..
So the paper was Sassafrass and seemed to fit these photos pretty good.

Foam sticker letters by The Paper Studio
Evidence card by 7 Gypsies

Rainy weekend here but was able to do a small bit of rearranging in one of my gardens. Spent time with family yesterday celebrating MIL birthday. Watched all my tivo shows of General Hospital so all caught up again.. love that I can tivo them and watch all in a row, makes it much more fun. Did laundry, and started my book for this week: Deadlock by Iris Johansen.

Looking forward to the SC Sunday sketch ~ I think in meantime I need to make up some Mother's Day cards. I can not believe April is almost over, time just flies by too quickly. Don't forget to stop and smell the flowers and make sure you tell those you love "I Love YOU" everyday!
Until next time!

this is what I think

Happens on Thursdays, Life slows down and I get to do exactly what I want when I want.. not bad huh?

I did manage to get a couple Sunday sketches by SC done and hoping to move on to my Dick Tracy photos, I am one behind on the SC plan, gotta see what I can come up with before Sunday.

Bella Blvd. Papers Rock!!

Honey I'm Home collection and Bazzill cardstock.

Websters Pages Sweet Willam paper

Quickutz vine border

**** random rubon

Bazzill cardstock

DCWV paper from the Doodlin Around stack

bird and tweet paper from KI Pet Shop Birdie

I have made a few purchases of Cricut Cartridges and LOVE them! Looking forward to more and more items with diecuts.. funny how in the past I never really used punches or diecuts now I love them. I guess my style has evolved from all the great ideas and inspiration we find on our blogs.

Current read this week is Lavender Morning by Jude Deveraux

Hoping for good weather this weekend, but forcast shows rain :-( If that is the case I will have time to scrap and make up some fun cards.

Until next time!

Wow time has flown~

Who fights crime and talks into a transister wristwatch?
Who wears Yellow and a fedora hat?

Dick Tracy that's who!!
A Naperville resident who helped bring this comic strip to life with drawings and words since 1950 was honored with a 9 foot almost 2,000 pound statue that was placed on the Riverwalk where I live!! Today I took a trip downtown to see this for myself, WOW quite impressive I can't wait to develop this set of photos and scrap them! But also to give you some background information, I photographed the plaque with the info!
See I can be a good blogger when I blog... lol

Informational plaque

Dick Tracy

View from across the Riverwalk area, It really is a beautiful setting, and I noticed a lightpost right behind him that I am sure will be lit up at night. I will be heading back there to check that out and get a photo or two!

This is another section of our famous Riverwalk. It just is so peaceful looking and this area was completely empty at 3:00 in the afternoon. I shot this from my car at a stop light..

I have done a few pages but have not posted yet, will try and complete the above set with the latest SC Sunday Sketch from this past weekend that I have not done yet.

I have been busy in the yard getting some weeding done and planning out what I want to do for container plants this year. Kerry is very flexible as long as we can come up with something that flowers most of the season.. so much like me in that aspect.

I read a great book by Beverly Jenkins called Second Helpings... I should have read the first one

Bring on the Blessings beforehand, but none the less I found it at the library today, so I am kinda reading the backstory... lol since I already read the sequel. I so love our Library system over the 8 years I have been here it has saved me lots of $$$. :-)

Off to watch Bones.... love this show!

Until next time!

Easter baskets ~

Happy Easter everyone!! How about a little Springtime fun?
I was trying to figure out something different and creative for MIL and SIL for Easter goodies...
I really didn't want to purchase anymore baskets so searched my room for stash!! LOL ~ by the way I have lots of stash!!!


I found these paint pails remember when they were all the rage???? oh yeah I got tooo many back then and stuck them in a corner. Well pulled them out and pondered.. Not my best work, but quickly and easily completed on a rainy morning..

I found these cute bird stakes at Joann's couple weeks back on sale and purchased them for all of us they came in blue, pink and yellow. There is also a gemed stake in the midst, I got some foam for floral arranging and cut one brick in 1/2 and inserted in the pail to hold sticks up. Some Green tulle for ribbon on handle and I had some leftover crinkle shredding stuffed inside too.




I also made the cute Carrot box I found the link on FB under the Cosmo Cricket blog I don't remember who designed them but she gave a great tutorial on how to make them.


But I tried it out and they were soooo easy and darned cute too!

Painted outside with White acrylic paint
streaked MM green paint and brown paint on bottom
added flowers ~ not sure who provided them but I really have alot still leftover
used some sparkle and pearl beaded gems for centers and used wacky tack to stick on pail.

Working later tonite then off at 10... will need to create one more basket for niece and would like to try something fun for FIL this time too.. who knows.
Nothing on the reading list today, finished up The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice last night and need to check out more at library next week. So for a couple days, I will be reading some of my bird magazines and flower mags to look for new ideas for yard/garden...

Until next time!

Need Sleep!

LOL I'm gonna be sleeping in late in the morning.. oh it is morning.. Got up at 3am and still up at 5 UGH! no reason, probably went to bed too early. I scoured all the blogs, read all my mail, watched for Molly, updated my FB status.. what more can I do, oh I guess I will post a photoless blog update. hehehe

Book of the week is an author who I watch for Luann Rice I picked up "The Geometry of Sisters" the other nite and just started it. Liking it so far, takes place in Newport RI... I love reading books about places I have lived or visited and the East coast holds a special place in my heart, I constantly look for books with settings there. I got a book on tape a couple weeks back for Kerry (that's his version of reading!) and it took place in VT funny thing was it was mentioning a river "Cold River" and there is actually a river near the camp called the same thing. I was aware of this connection, but until Kerry started reading or listening to this book he didn't know about it.. of course he liked it!

SC sketch went up on blog late this week, I have it ready to work on tomorrow ooops later today and will post I think I will be making more than one layout with this one too. I just have done so much with these sketches.. Thank you SC for the inspiration.. if you guys have not checked them out head on over get your mojo going.

Easter coming up fast can not belive its April already.... I am so ready for Spring / Summer looking forward to garden time.. and some fresh ideas. well getting tired again heading off but
Owl see you later!

Sunday Crafting

Well have you seen Molly??? I am hooked, not to mention I loved Owls before she became popular but now I really love them!! If you haven't checked it out go here: www.ustream.tv/theowlbox

And more wildlife ~ our backyard ducks have been returning everyday now! I love that they find our pond comfy! Here they are taking an afternoon nap in the sunshine

Another sketch based on last weeks SC Sunday sketch~

Stash used up again.

Crate Paper Blue Hill collection was a previous LRS kit!

American Craft blue cardstock

A Fun find last week at Target!! I hardly ever go on the salesfloor, trying to save $$ lol. But this was in a shopping cart ready to reshop (put back on shelf) and I said I'll take care of this... hehehe. Looks great in my room and it is on the wall to the left of my computer so I can see it all the time!

Ok now for the crafting session of today's post.... I am using some of my newer Cricut cartridges and working on some projects and Easter cards/decorations for baskets.. Have you seen these new ones yet they are Fabulous!!

Made this little one with American Crafts Cardstock

and the "Straight from the Nest" cartridge Cute huh?

Sorry this is sideways, but some additional cutouts from same cartridge to adorn something later.

Owl be seeing you!