Oops I Did it Again

(Britney Spears chorus). I ran another mile. I drug my sleepy carcass out of bed, threw on my shoes & clothes and sweated for one solid mile! Skinny pants here I come. 2 days down, 12 to go. I say 12 because in order to make something a habit, you have to do it for 2 weeks.

A BIG, BIG shout out to Shaina & Heidi. OMGoodness those girls can scrap! 20 pages in 2 1/2 hour (we spent at least a half an hour yapping and going through the design team stuff). We actually did most of the custom album last night. Shaina (who I found out will open a can of wup a** on you for calling her Shania lol) completed most of the pages and won a fantabulous gift bag. I just have to call her and tell her. What a great day yesterday was. I feel so blessed.

Cool Weather

Go figure, I blog spotty for 2 months than when I finally do come back, I talk about the weather. What's up with that? The weather is perfect, that's what. Mid 80's, cool breeze, no rain today, need I say more.


I have been cleaning & scrappin my head off. I got a little break from all the shows and finally took a well needed nap. I will post pics tomorrow of some of the new kits & goodies that I have been working on. Love Starbucks coffee? Make sure that you check back in on Friday because I will be posting something extra special for ya.


I took the time today to organize my scraps and to come up with a plan for using them. If it is to small to put a photo on, in the recycle it goes. After 30 days, the whole shebang goes in the recycle. AAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!!!!! Just saying it makes me sceeaarrdd. Let's just see if I do it come October 1st.


We are going to be making some changes in the J household. Spearheaded by the little guy of course. We are going to see how much of our trash we can manage to recycle, compost or reuse instead of sending it to the dump. A smaller, almost miniscule, environmental footprint is where we are headed. Wish us luck (we need it).


No pics today so I figured that I will post some favorite product lines. My husband is in Rome. Rome, lucky dog. If I didn't love him so much I would not be speaking to him right now. He actually got to visit the Cistine Chapel and the Coliseum. Can you imagine seeing Michelangelo's work in person. I would be in awe.


Oh before I forget, I just wanted to mention that I RAN 1 mile today. I finally got off my hocks, laced up my running shoes and made it out the door for a 1 mile run. That deserves a slice of chocolate cake! (just kidding, but I do love my cake). I saw a book in the bookstore that I wanted to get really bad (it was $100 yikes) so I told Q that I needed it like a fat kid needs cake. He thought about it, than made sure to tell me that fat kids don't NEED cake so maybe I should think of another example. Point well taken son, point well taken.


I love this paper! Basic Grey is the best of the best. Just when I think that they are going down (Euphoria), they dazzle & delight me with this craziness!


The best tool ever!


What can I say about Cosmo Crickets Mr. Campy line? Green Clouds. Nuff Said. Love it, love it love it. It gets 2 thumbs up.

Last pic, but not least, is of my hubby. Adore him and today is our 10th wedding anniversary. Happy anniversary babe. I was trying to beat him to the punch for once and call him before he called me but wouldn't you know it, I am a lazy a** and he is not so he beat me out of bed this morning! Oh well better luck next year.

I will be updating the store (finally) with some new kits and exclusive Gifted Memories products all this week, so make sure you check in to see what I have up my sleeve! Have a great Tuesday.

Boy oh Boy

That boy of mine. The little guy that is. He is such a character! Here is a small sampling of some of the things that he does:

• He has been so excited to go back to school that he has been waking up early. In fact, he woke me up at 3:30 yesterday for a hot breakfast.
• I went back to sleep after he left this morning and when I got up, the front door was standing wide open. I have been chasing flies ever since.
• He refuses to wear bug spray, even though he is very sensitive to bug bites. Several times he has been in misery over the chiggers in his underpants but I still have to tell him everyday.
• He fancies himself the next Jeff Corwin so no animal no matter how poisionous or dangerous is off limits to his little bit of "research". I am in terror of what he will find everytime he goes outside.
• He hates his shoes. As soon as he gets home from school he takes them off and tracks down his flip flops. Anyone know how to clean grubby little boy toes? I have tried everything.
• He is an absolute cutey patooty but is covered in scars. Everytime I ask him how he hurt himself, he usually says "I don't know" and goes right back to what he's doing at the time. Huge goose egg in the center of his forehead, no clue. Gash on his foot, didn't even know about it. Tons of scratches on his arms, face & legs, no idea

Sigh. Oh well, what's a mom to do? It also turns out that I have not ruined Aaron for life through my home school efforts and he is actually enjoying school & doing quite well. Hurrayy!!!!!

Wuz Up Bloggers?

It's the first day of school here and all 3 of my chickadees are sitting attentively in class. Ariel at college, Aaron in High School (11th grade, how did that happen) and the lil guy in Elementary. He was so excited that he woke me up at 5am on the dot to cook him "a hot meal" lol. I have actually been able to catch up on some stuff and I even took a 45 minute nap! Who knew that the house could get so dirty just by having a couple of boys in it of the summer? Anyway, I smell productivity! I've got some new kits in the works for Orlando and am busy getting some class projects done for La Pink House. I have suspiciously little to say. Go figure. A girl has not blogged in weeks and has nothing to say. I will say it in layouts.

This one is for the design team challenge at The Pink House. Use your favorite technique. For me it is -hands down- distressing. My printer died so I don't have any pics yet. Must go to Wal Mart today:

This one is for my class embellishment 101 at The Pink House. I know, I know, the sun is in the wrong place but I thought it was a wonky twist on tradition. Don't worry, the students will get the opportunity to put it elsewhere if they don't like it there:

These are just for laughs & giggles:

This one is a work in progress & not quite sure where it is going to go next but I just love the paper. All of the blue you see outlining the swirl is blue crackle paint. Love that stuff!

I am an admitted blog stalker and I have to admit that I absolutely LOVE Shaina Nunnelly's blog. She is HILARIOUS! *and you should see some of her work, oh la la* Check her out if you get a chance, you will want to read it from the very beginning. That's all for me folks, have a terrific Thursday and blog you tomorrow.

Long Time No See

It has been a minute since I have last posted. I didn't think that anyone would notice but alas, I have been chastised several times from friends that would like to see what I am up to. It has been busy & I have been traveling a lot. I have a new hat, Design Team Coordinator for Scrappin at the Pink House. Love the ladies on that team they are so talented! Love the Pink House it absolutely rocks! My kids will be back in school next week and I will be a homeschool mom no more. I miss my boys already. No more lazy summer days or time at the pool/beach/whatever. They have travelled with me to my last few shows and have been so very cool to work with. My big guy runs my booth while I am in class and my little guy helps (he even tells every one that stops by "thank you, please come again"). So for every that told me that my boys were the best, thank you so much, but it is not my fault! lol. God always knows what he is doing and he gave me terrific sons because I would probably have had a nervous break down years ago if he had not. Thanks for stopping by and thanks for letting me know that you like me blog! Have a great evening!!!!!!

Shere

Thursday already!

This week has just flown by. I cannot believe that it is Thursday already. This time next week I will be on my way to Grand Rapids for GASC. I am so excited as I have never been to Michigan (although I did date a guy that was from there but I don't think that counts).

So I was thinking. Thinking about getting to know you. I visit your blogs and I read your comments, but I would really like to know more about you. What makes you scrap, how long do you think you will be a scrapper. All the statistics say that the shelf life of a hobby is 7 years. 7 short years. I have been crafting for much longer than that and don't forsee quitting anytime soon. How do you feel about the way scrapping is evolving, do you involve your kids/loved ones, and so many more questions and on & on & on I could go, but I won't. So if you would like to share a bit of yourself with me & with the other bloggers that are inspired by the comments you leave, feel free to share your thoughts on this hobby/lifestyle by leaving a comment. Let us know what's on your mind. And by the way, thanks for sharing.

What's going on in the studio? Lots! I am working on working. I have a long list of projects in my scraplog (I keep a notebook with a list of the projects that I would like to do, affectionately named the scraplog) and I have only completed a few because of.........

• I am still getting ready for GASC Grand Rapids and am planning on rolling out some truly cute mini albums, some prefinished, some not so that you can finish them.


• Checking out all of the new CHA releases so that I can plan my must haves for next years classes. Who knows, I may have to give in to my inner impatient child and use some of it this year (hello, Basic Grey Ambrosia. Have ya seen that butterfly print paper?)


• Samples for classes at the Pink House. Not to mention a couple of custom albums.


• Still dreaming about introducing some jewelry into my line. Still just dreaming (and shopping) about it.


• Really enjoying scrapping but I haven't been taking photos. I will make sure to post some pics later.

Thanks for stopping by and blog you later........

Here are a couple of pics of the view from the cabin that my husband and I were able to spend some time at recently.

I found the photos of us whitewater rafting so here is a link if you want to take a look. That person that's in the water is not me, I was fervently praying the whole time but apparently my husband was having too much fun to so guess what not it's him.

What do.........

a thousand neighborhood kids, tadpoles, wasps, noise of a thousand neighborhood kids, trampoline wet with pond water & 25 tons of dirt have in common? They are all at my house!!!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for forgiving my bloglessness & coming back to visit me. I have been recuperating from an extremely busy summer! I will start posting challenges, giving away good stuff & posting layouts today and I can't tell you, can't even begin to express how much I have missed my blog! So what has been going on? A lot!

-Gifted Memories has added a new instructor to the roster for September & she will be teaching Cricut Classes & Alcohol Ink jewelry classes! You are going to love this lady. Pictures coming soon.

-The fabulous Donna Downey visited the Pink House again & she did not change her mind about me being a part of her Inspired 2009 event! Woohoo, I am so excited about this.

-Debbie Schuh will be visiting the Pink House to teach classes August 23rd. Wow, TPH is working it.

-My classes have been going so well! I love what I do so I did expect to be able to come back next year (success is, after all, 50% love). But the ladies that have taken my classes have been so supportive & super, super sweet that I am positive that I will be able to do this next year & even expand a bit.

-there is more but I just want to shut up & post a couple of projects already!

My latest layout featuring my baby (okay she's not a baby but I call her that anyway). It is for the Pink House Design Team Challenge:

I love color so this American Crafts pp was right up my alley. I used plenty of glimmer mist & prima flowers, also some grungeboards & a Maya Road sheer journaling spot (love, love this).

I don't know what I will be using this one for. Just kinda came together. Used Scenic Route pp, the MR journal spots again, MM chipboard patriotic words, MM Star ribbon, & Rusty Pickle cardstock elements.

Thanks for dropping by the blog and happy hump day!