Eating My Words

Just a yesterday I posted about how none of the blogs (at least the ones I visit) are buzzing about CHA.  I do my daily blog checks today and what do I see? The incredible amount of amazingness that this summer's show has to offer.  It seems that the most buzz is about the projects.  My head is buzzing with all the ideas.  My house is going to look like scrapbook central by the time I am done!  I will create so many projects we will have to hang them everywhere, including the backs of the bathrooms doors.  I'll be using scrapbook paper to make pillows!  Okay maybe I am going a little overboard but you get the picture.

On a whole other note, the hubby & I spent the evening (and I mean the ENTIRE evening, like 5 hours) doing yardwork - him and gardening - me.  I have the dirty gloves and bug bites to prove it. 

These were brand new when I started.  And a few after pics of the yard.  I didn't think to take pictures before but trust me, it was bad.  All of the plants were growing together in one big mass and they were full of the fall leaves & weeds.  There was no mulch to speak of and there were huge rocks throughout the bed. 

My husband cut the grass and edged the entire yard and both sides of the sidewalk. 

I know this is picture overload but I am just so dang proud!  Thanks for stopping by and have a happy Thursday. 

Bazaars and Other Things Crafty

So they have a needlepoint show but other than that, no crafty venues that I can find in this area.  Are city folk just not into homemade crafts?  Where can a girl go in the north east to get her fix of handpainted flower pots and crazy cute dolls?  I just don't know.  Hopefully sometime soon, I will find something but till than I guess I have to keep surfin the net. 

I have seen surprisingly few post about CHA.  The last show, every crafty blog you clicked on had a CHA update of some sort.  I was hoping to see more.  I was in ACM a couple of weeks ago and they had a contest going that gave the winner a free trip to CHA.  hmmmm. 

Only a couple of pics today, we are on our way to the pool but I wanted to pop in and say hello.  This is what is on my desk. 

Notice that my "desk" includes every surface area in my studio.  This is a small portion of my basic grey collection that I finally decided to cut into.

A new layout that I am working on.  It will include some funky handscalloped borders and frames and lots of paper piecing & fussy cuts. 

The next 2 photos are of the kitchen sink.  I have a ton of stuff out that I will consider actually putting on this lo.  Except the prima stamps, I have those out cause I just love them and I want to think about what to do with em.  And that BG paper, I have 2 colors of the same pattern and I want to try to create a cool effect with them.  The remote control is excluded too.  That is just there bc I can now see my tv when I work. 

I posted a couple of layouts on 2peas and want to say thank you for the kind comments (if you are a pea and happen to stop by here).  I don't know if it is okay to reply thanks to a comment on there or not but I know that I can say it here, bc this is my queendom and I can do what I want (evil laugh throughout the typing of last paragraph).

For whatever reason, I feel so, so tired today.  I mean I am really draggin my butt on the ground.  I am ready to turn in already.  Gee Whiz. 

So with that being said, thanks for stopping by and I hope you had a great Tuesday!

P.S.  I told the little guy that he could have a hamster today.  I must really be tired........

Glass Houses

Not the crafty kind (although that did spark an idea) but the kind one shouldn't throw stones at.  I visit several blogs everyday - bc they are the bees knees in my book - and I was starting to get a little huffy that many of them hadn't been updated since about the 16th.  Than I took a look at my last update date and immediately apologized to the wonderful designers who I am sure are super busy creating beautiful things for me to dream of creating.  Sorry.  Again.  Truly. 

Made this layout of my husband for a contest on the Prima blog.  I actually even submitted it!  I loooovvvveee it.  I can't explain why.  At first glance it is too girly with all the flowers and the soft colors but who is this layout for anyway?  Me, and I am a girl.  Next picky point is that it has too much stuff on it.  But back to the question, who is it for?  Me, and I love too much stuff.  Like snapple, more stuff is better stuff.  So just this once (probably not) I give myself permission to give myself a break.  Thanks self, I am going to hang this lo on the wall because I love it even more now. 

I started off with a white sheet of AC cardstock and glimmer misted it like crazy with 4 different colors.  Than I used TH bsoot distress ink to stamp the border at the bottom of the pic.  Went to work cutting some prima pearls apart and layering, layering, layering.  It took me 4 hours to do this layout and I started over at least 2X.  I distressed the edges of the white but it still felt plain so I put it on a piece of matching blue bazzil (didn't trim the white at all!). 

My niece is here for 2 weeks visiting and we are busy, busy, busy showing her the sights of DC.  She says that she is having a fabulous time.  Me too sweetpea, me too.  I can't believe how fast the summer is sliding by.  Time is on steroids.  Before I know it, it will be cold again. 

CJ and I have decided that we are going to settle down here in DC.  We are going to buy a house here and an income property in Aiken and settle down to a life.  My last child will spend the bulk of his childhood in one school, one home, one neighborhood.  That is huge.  It still breaks his heart that we had to leave Charleston and he still is homesick for it.  The income property is so that when my husband retires, we will be able to go home.  And if we play our cards right, we can get a property with enough land to build a small home on it (and a pool) that we can use as a vacation home in the summer -till the day we move there permanently- and as a home for our parents when/if they need to be moved in with us -after we have moved there permanently.  Still in the dreaming stages on this. You just never know what God has planned.

Thanks for stopping by and Happy Monday.   

Was Sure That I Didn't Need It

But after hearing TH "talk" about it on his blog, seeing the pictures of it, and STILL heehawing about getting the cuttlebug, I am going to take the plunge and grab it up.  Christmas will be here soon right?  The it I am referring to is the new diecutting/embossing machine that TH/Ranger will be selling this year.  Love all the features, it is all that I am looking for.

Photo from TH

According to TH, it is fully electric, portable, heavy duty and last but not least, cute as all get out.  It'll cut through grunge, acrylic, metal, canvas, chipboard, multiple layers of cs, fabric, bookboard (which is super, super hard to cut!) and will emboss this stuff as well.  I have to get it just to see if it will emboss bookboard.  He assures that it is quiet too.  Seriously.  That is all that and a bag of chips.  So glad I waited on the cuttlebug.  I was looking to buy it just last week!  

And hello, the new dies & embossing folders that he is releasing, wow.  By the end of the year, my studio will look like a TH merchandising display lol. 

So after all that gushing, I just have one thing left to say, Anybody want a Sizzix?  Pay the shipping and it is yours!

He Has Great Ideas

This was not my idea, it was his.  And I love how it came out.  I was skeptical at first and thought that since he was thoughtful enough to make a suggestion about something that is dear only to me, I could try it.  It could always be pulled out later right?  Well I tried it and I absolutely love how it turned out.  My favorite part of this entire layout.  I was originally going to use one color and skip a space between stitches.  He suggested that I use a different color.  Future Einstein I tell you, future Einstein.

The layout is all about how much fun we had stuffing ourselves (6 of us) into the photobooth at the Riverbanks Zoo.  Even the people watching us were enjoying it -laughing with us not at us hopefully.  It was so frickin hot that day too!  We were literally melting by the time we got out of the booth.  Now whenever we see a photobooth, we want to stop and use it.  Good times I tell ya, good times. 

I made the layout based on this sketch from MME July contest. 

Speaking of MME, have you seen their new releases?  Say What - they are amazing and I will have them all as soon as they hit the shelves.  If I had to pick a favorite, it would be this line - MME, please don't be upset with me for stealing picks off  your blog if you just happen to stop by mine!. 

Portobello Road

If you get a chance, stop by their blog and check out this post.  It had a pic of all the amazing new releases.  Check out the rest of their blog too and have a look at some of the projects their design team came up with.  That is one talented group of ladies!!!!

One of our last visitors for the summer is here.  My niece is staying for 2 weeks.  I just got the little guy back from my sister after him being gone for 3 weeks and the big guy is finally home after about 2 weeks of travel.  Soon things will return to normal for us.  Long school days, dinner in, quiet house, early mornings, homework and a much smaller family unit.  At least we have a week to get used to our much smaller family unit.  This weekend our last visitors will be here.  2 of my sisters and my dad for the weekend.  Next week, all of the kids will be here (both girls and A will be back).  Phew, this has been the busiest summer I can remember in a long time. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic Sunday!  See you later.

What Happens When You.......

Spend a week cleaning & organizing your scrap space? 

You can't find a thing!  At least I can't. 

I have been making myself at least go into my space, sit down & play every single day.  I have been so super busy this summer that I really haven't been able to sit down & create.  I want to, but by the time I get to I am too tired or I have other things pressing in on my time.  So I made a deal with myself.  Creative time everyday no guilt allowed.  Working so far but for how long I don't know.  It feels good to be in there, even if all i'm doing is hiding (code for organizing/cleaning) things. 

And a great example of what I mean is this layout that I have been working on since MONDAY.  Yeah, I am not exaggerating.  Monday.  I took this picture to show what is on my desk.  But oh well, i'm flexible.  The second picture has all the stuff I pulled out to possibly put on this layout.  I think I might need an intervention. 

Got to stop by Great Scraps this week and picked up less than normal but more than enough to keep my forever growing stash movin. 

Graphic 45 Halloween line

Little Yellow Bicycle Boardwalk & Pack your Bags

We R Memory Keepers RetroGlam.  These are the only 2 pieces I was able to get of this line.  But I love, love, love it.  I would buy every single piece!  I can't wait to use it......

and last but not least, Echo Parks Sweet Summertime.  This line is crazy cute



Fortunately, we are pulling tons of stuff out of the garden.  Unfortunately, it is mostly peppers!  I have so many I am really having to get creative with using them (ie, I am giving them to friends & family lol).  We did finally get some tomatoes to ripen (the vines are packed full but they are all green) and we harvested some bell peppers & squash.  The corn will be ready any day, the silk is already drying, can't wait to taste that. 

Some more photos of our 4th of July fun!  Will I ever stop with the photo overloads? 

My boys at my cousins cookout. 

My Aunt Jenny.  Love this pic of her, hate the glare on her glasses.

Hello IKEA!  If it is possible to fall in love with a store, I think I have done it.  We went to get a bed for the boy and found one that he is going to absolutely love at a price that we absolutely love.  It makes his teeny, tiny room look so much bigger.  Although it was a major pain to put together (and we busted the boys fish tank in the process of putting the bed together) it was so worth it. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

CH-CH-CH-Changes

Hubby is home.

Kids are gone.

We feel like we are "rediscovering" each other.  If that is possible after 14 years.  We talk about everything.  We dream about our future, grandkids, kids, everything.  Still amazed that he delights me so much more than he did when I first met him.  Is that possible?  We had dinner the other night and sat at the table talking and laughing for about 45 minutes after dinner was done.  I feel so blessed to have him. 

Harvesting fresh veges from ours and my fathers garden.  The best things I ever ate.  CJ is so proud of himself that he has started calling himself "Farmer J".  If he breaks out the overalls and pitchfork, he is going straight to youtube.  He is going to be out of control once he harvests that beautiful corn that is growing so well! 

*why o why does this blog not have spell check?*

Rearranged my craft space so that it looks less like a paper plant explosion.  & most importantly, I can see my tv when I create, boouyaaa.

Picked these up the other day and all I can say is that I LOVE THEM!  Would recommend them to my favorite person in 2 seconds flat!!!!!! (stole the pic off AC blog, hope they don't mind)

Ran across this photo of these 2.  They are together now b/c she picked him up from my SIL house to spend some time with him.  She & her beau took him to see "Despicable Me".  Hope they had fun & didn't fight too much.

I am still trying to weed thru the over 1500 pictures that have been taken since summer began.  Too, too many but oh how they make me smile when I look thru them.  I have got to get a better way of printing and storing the photos we take.  I have been getting increasingly more afraid lately that I am going to lose our photos.  I just can't seem to wrap my head around a good solution that will allow me to store them on the computer and print them out. 

I love this photo of my boy with my sisters girls. 

He did such a good job being gentle and patient with them while they were here.  They loved it when he got home from school and the 3 of them would go to the backyard and play ball, chase each other and "help" in the garden for most of the evening. 

That's it for now.  Thanks for stopping by and hope you had a great weekend!

A First, Again

I cooked a meal tonight for one person only.  Just me.  I haven't done that since my 21 year old was 5.  It is unbelievable and a bit surreal to have the house all to myself.  To only be responsible for my own activities.  To be solo.  Can't quite wrap my head around it.  I guess I better enjoy it for it is going to be very short lived! 

Fourth of July was a blast.  Action packed.  More stuff than I have done in a month of Sundays.  Swimming, 2 cookouts in one day, fireworks and tons of family. 

I am so very grateful, from the bottom of my heart & soul for the men and women of the Armed Forces.  God bless them and their families for the hard won freedom that they ensure for every American Citizen.