Dec. daily, days 9-17

Okay, lets continue shall we? 

For those of you who didn't do this this year, I hope my little album inspires you to try it next year.  Not that mine is all that wonderful but when its done, its a magical little slice of life that you will treasure. 

Promise.

day 9

I sewed a pocket!  I didn't even cuss at the sewing machine!  Again, see that groovy die cut?  That is one of the Label Framelits in the Occasions Mini.  Love them!

In the pocket are everybody's wish lists.  And my final list of what I bought everyone.  I have to keep track or I WAY overspend.

day 10

Since this is the backside and it already had the stitching on it, I thought it would be cute to stitch a little date tag.  Nifty eh?

day 11

Oh the garden.......I have loved my garden again this year.  I just last weekend cut back the cherry tomato.  The onions are the most delicious onions ever!  I only like onions when they are cooked to smithereens and these ones are like onion candy.  So good.  We are getting ready to plant the broccoli and more carrots. 

day 12

This picture is so HIM!  He hates for me to take it. 

day 13

Big big day for Grace.  She made that star last year and I've kept it  just waiting for the perfect use.  There ya go..........

day 14

day 15

day 16

day 17

All pages use a combination of these products:

Classic Numbers (retired) Headline numbers (retired) and Fabulous Phrases sets. 
Crumb cake, naturals white, garden green or riding hood red cardstock.
Black Stazon, garden green and riding hood red inks.
Big shot, label framelits, 3/4" and 1" circle punches, round tab punch, dimensionals, bakers twine, hemp, black journaler, scallop border punch and Frostwood lodge DSP


Thats it for today.  I will have my final thoughts on this years process when I post the last pages.  Its always a changing and growing experience for me.

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Blessings, b.

back in the saddle again..........

Hey there!  I hope you all had a wonderful New Year's Day!  Ours was a sign of times to come.  Both big kids went to parties where they slept over.  So it was just me and the Mr. and Grace.  Talk about quiet! 

I've been thinking about resolutions and what I'd really like to focus on this year.   

Most importantly I want to quit procrastinating so much.  I don't even realize I'm doing it half the time.  Simple things like, paying the bills on the day we get paid, cleaning the toilet before I see its getting a little...........you know, sweeping and mopping the kitchen at least weekly, etc.  

Can anyone relate? 

Hello?.........hello?.......moving on.....

Alrighty then, I know its already January but I still want to show you the completed Dec. Daily.  I'll just do 8 pages at a time so I don't bore you to death. 

The cover:

  Grace said she wanted to do the cover.  I like it.


Inside the front cover:

Do you see that groovy die cut shape?  Thats the new Label Framelits.  Super neato dies in the Occasions Catalog.  Love them!


Day 1:

Day 2:

Day 3:

I didn't get permission from my friends to post their pics.  Really, they have beautiful faces.

Day 4

Day 5:

Day 6:

Day 7:

Day 8:

All pages use a variety of the same supplies: 

Classic Numbers (retired) and Fabulous Phrases.  Crumb cake, naturals white, garden green, riding hood red cardstock.  Riding hood red and garden green inks.  Round tab punch, 3/4" and 1" circle punches, bakers twine, hemp, black journaler, Forest Lodge DSP, scallop border punch, leaves #2 die, big shot, and dimensionals.

The pages are 8.5 x 5.5, just 1/2 a piece of cardstock.  No waste that way.  I'm all about making things simple. 

Alrighty then, its back to work tomorrow.   

Thanks so much for stopping by and checking in. 

Blessings, b.

end of the world?

Howdy! 

There has been a rumor going around that today is the last day of the world.  Now usually I ignore these things.  If the Bible doesn't point out the exact day the world is ending then I doubt Joe Schmoe can tell me. 

But this morning when I was checking emails I came across one from Noell Hyman.  She was talking about the last day of the world and suggested we scrap what the last things we did were.  Here is the link Paperclipping. 

Now I'm a big supporter of scrapbooking about yourself.  Which is the opposite of what we women ususally do.  Even though I love the idea I've only done it once (I think) but then again I hardly ever scrap.  Which is weird because I love it.  And I make such a big deal about getting your story down.  Do as I say, not as I do.

Anyway, she had a list of questions for us.  I'm going to do this.  Not as a last day of the world thing but just a "me" thing.  Join me won't you?    edited to say that somehow my numbers got messed up.  Ignore that please.

1. What was the last song you listened to?

  Bye Bye Bye, NSYNC  I also sang and danced to it too, much to my children's chagrin.

1. Who was the last person you kissed?
   
   my daughter
2. What was the last book you finished?
   
   Farenheit 451.  16 just got done annotating it and so I thought I'd give it a read.  I guess I'm not that deep of a person or maybe just not that in tune with society because I had a hard time following certain parts. 
3. Who was the last person you apologized to?
   
   I'm usually in trouble with someone so, I apologize alot.  But right now I can't think of the last time.
4. What was the last television show you watched?
   
   Big Bang Theory last Thursday.  Love that show!
5. What was the last thing you ate?
   
   Breakfast was fried potatoes with peppers and onions, crumbled bacon and a poached egg on top.  Really not healthy but so good!  But of course I got carried away with the cayenne and made it a little too spicy.
6. What was the last thing you drank?
   
   Diet Coke. 
7. Who was the last friend you spent time with?
   
   People at work.  I know I work with them but I think of them as my friends.  Otherwise I would say Trisha and that sweet baby. 
8. When was the last time you hugged your mom and dad?
   
   Thanksgiving.  But we'll be there again in a few weeks.
9. Who was the last person you called?
   
   Michele.  We are very good at phone tag.  The last person I texted though was Marilee.  Last person I talked to on the phone was the hubs.
10. What was the last thoughtful thing you did for somebody?
    
    My boss hurt her back and I've been staying late at work (for free) to help out with a deadline. 
11. What was the last thing you did that was brave?
    
    Hmm....  I really can't think of anything except maybe entering a card/stamping contest.  I didn't win.  Does that count as brave? I have a secret dream and it won't happen unless I start putting myself "out there".  That is such a scary thing for me.  So yes, I think its brave.
    

So there ya go.  I have a ton of things to do today and won't get this scrap page completed until tomorrow.  Tonight is the last concert for the year.  Music Under the Stars.  Its at a local park.  Apart from marching season its my favorite concert of the year.  I'm looking forward to it and then again not because its just one more reminder that my boy is done with high school. 

Alrighty then, get your cameras out because this scrap page should have a pic of you on it.  I'll have someone take one of me tonight for my page.  So get scrapping!

Blessings, b.

reunited........

....and it feels so good.......  (sing it with me).......   reunited 'cause we understood...............  there's one perfect fit and baby this one is it.........we both are so excited 'cause we're..... reunited, hey hey

Yep, I was reunited with my stamps today.  And it did feel good. 

Its been 2, maybe 3 weeks since I've sat down and stamped.  I have a super hard time stamping with the kids around.  I actually sat down yesterday to stamp a few cards I would like to send out and was clearing the dust off my desk, when I realized I kept moving the same few items around.  A few momentos from 16's birthday that I wanted to scrap.  So I decided to scrap them and get them off my desk. 

Well, I got the pics printed and thats about it.  Then today the boy reminded me that he was going to a birthday party tomorrow.  I needed a card. 

The boys have been playing alot of XBOX LIVE late into the night.  Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.  Yeah, whatever.  They get into teams and go after the bad guys.  He has his little earphone thingy and will start talking.  Its like a Party Line.  I always look at him.....are you talking to me?

Anyhow, I decided to make Andrew a card with this theme. 

Roughing It and Classic Numbers (both retired).  Always artichoke, crumb cake, soft suede and whisper white cardstock.  Soft suede ink.  Sponging, 1 1/4" and 1 3/8" circle punches and dimensionals. 

I had this great idea that I knew would make Andrew laugh.  I went online and found a shot of the game in action.  Then I saved it and uploaded it into Paint (because thats all I know how to use) and added the screen names of their little posse.    I thought I was genius!  After I got the card done and was watching the boy play this game, I notice something, when your teammates go by you, their screen name pops up over their head.  GEEZ!  I thought I was being so clever :(

I guess I have a thing about adding the age to birthday cards.  Only kids ones though!  The images in Roughing It were perfect for this.  I inked up the binoculars and then stamped off twice to get the lighter image. 

The best birthday present you can give teenagers is money.  I simply took a 1" strip of Soft Suede and glued the ends down with my wonderful Tombow Multi Glue.  You know I love that stuff, right?  The strip holds the money in just tight enough. 


After dinner I tackled the scrapbook page again.  There is no stamping on this but so what?  Its not what I had in mind but I like it good enough.

No stamps!  Perfect plum and crumb cake cardstock.  Corner rounder, black journaler and Tombow Multi Glue.

Not my favorite page but the memory is the important part. 

I've been dragging my feet getting to know Stampin' Up!s MDS (My Digital Studio).  People LOVE it.  They say it is so quick and easy.  Here's my beef with it, I don't want my projects to LOOK 3 dimensional.  I want them to BE 3 dimensional.  But I might entertain the idea a little more because I wanted my pics to be square and I can't print out square pics with the program I use.  I think I can do that with the MDS.  I'll have to look into it more.  I know, I'm behind the technology times.  Whats new........


Speaking of behind the times, the garden.  UGH!  I'm having a heck of a time with the zucchini and yellow squash.  The 2 things I thought people could grow with their eyes closed and both hands tied behind their back! 

Now, my peppers though, they are doing great.  I found out the reason the blooms were falling off was because it was too cold at night.  So far we've had a very mild summer.  Now I know the rest of the country is dying, but here........not so much.  Not yet anyway.  I'm sure it'll come late.  It'll be 90 at Christmas. 

Anyhow, the peppers are happy!  Look what I had for dinner tonight

They aren't beautiful like in the store but, who cares?  They were delicious!  I can't tell you how fun it was to go out and pick food for dinner.  Loved it! 

Alrighty then, we've got a whole weekend planned.  Working in my yard and working at the inlaws'.  My SIL wants me to join Facebook.  I have avoided it like the plague so far.  But if it keeps us in touch with them, I'd consider it.  What do you people think?  Is it something I have to update all the time like the blog?  I'm not sure I can keep up with both. 

Thanks for stopping by.  Hopefully once school starts my posting will get a little more regular.  Maybe it just needs more fiber?  HA

Blessings, b.

my dad

Hey everyone!  Sorry for the absence.  All I have to do is blink and another week has gone by.  I have not done any stamping AT ALL.  I miss it. 

School is starting next week for the kiddos and we've been getting ready.  Band camp is in full swing, 16 got her driver's permit, got a new lunchbox and backpack for Grace, planted more veggies (I'm determined to grow something), visited with in-laws, swam, read, hung out, played games, etc............

I do have something to show you though.  And I'm feeling a tad philosophical today so you've been forwarned. 

My dad had a birthday a few weeks ago.  He turned 70.  This is a big deal for us. 

Me and dad around 1973.  Groovy glasses huh?

I made him a very simple scrapbook about our trip to Iowa.   My dad is an architect.  So he is very graphically tuned in, so to speak.  Making him this book was a little daunting.  Was it balanced?  Is everything cut straight?  Does it flow?  Are the colors right?  Etc.......

I finally got over myself and decided he would love it no matter what.  I hoped.........

I used a 6 x 6 post bound album from SU!  I kept the colors to Crumb Cake, Soft Suede, Whisper White and Basic Black.   I know, the ribbon here is Choc. Chip but, work with me here.

I used the curly label stamp from Vintage Labels, which was a Saleabration set.  The ink is Soft Suede and I used a black journaler for all the writing.  There is alot of sponging throughout.

Cover page. I just printed out a U.S. map and showed my path.  Actually my path was a little more complex.  I took 8 planes in all.   Is there a straight flight anymore? 

I took these pics inside the page protectors so they might look a little hazy.  But its all good when you're holding it in your hands. 

I kept the same layout for each page.  Just changed up the cardstock formation.

I think if you click on the pic it will show larger.

I forgot to tell you, I used Watercolor Trio for each page.

yeah, I have become a little claustrophobic in my old age and used my dad's valium for the plane rides.  Awesome stuff!

It was very easy to put together and he did love it. 


Now, I have a story to tell.  My mentality on most things is to handle it, and then let someone know about it...........after the fact.  I have thought about this for a long time, whether or not to let the world wide web know my story. 

Sounds like a big ol' honking secret huh?  Um.....no.  With all the other crud I let you all know about, why have second thoughts now?  I guess because, its not just my story.  Its my dad's story.  So I'll just share from my point of view.

I figured that even though 95% of you that read this blog, don't know me from Adam, you might get a little something from this.  And if not, well..................



My dad and I have always had a somewhat rocky relationship.  He wouldn't admit to this though.  From the time I was 18 we would go months without speaking to each other.  I would go even longer than that in speaking to my brother.  Real close family dynamics here huh?  Can you say, dysfunctional?  It does explain why I try to keep my little family so close together.  We talk, we laugh, we hug, we pray, we hang out.  I love you's are said daily. 

My dad was always very active.  Camping, backpacking, hiking, working, building, etc.....  A few years ago he got this nagging cough.  Then his shoulder was giving him problems and he was tired and weak all the time.  He had a hard time walking the dogs. 

A little over a year ago, after about a million doctor visits and a muscle biopsy later, my dad was diagnosed with ALS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's Disease.   You might have the read the book or seen the movie, Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.  I haven't seen the movie but the book gives a pretty good account of what this disease is.  Basically, all your voluntary muscles quit working, moving your arms and legs, moving your head, speaking, swallowing, and eventually breathing, all stop.  The kicker is, your brain stays very alert, trapped in your dying body.  Its absolutely horrible.  Life expectancy after diagnosis is 2-5 years.

Needless to say, we've become a whole lot closer in a short amount of time.  Becoming closer has also brought about alot of family drama.  I really don't like drama.  I can't watch soap operas.  Why do I love the Bachelorette so much?  Go figure. 

I don't tell you all this to have you feel sorry for me, or my dad.   The point of my little story here is this, and I've said it before:

Life is too short.  Be in the moment.  Don't wait until someone gets a fatal disease to become close.  Tell the people you love, that you love them.  If you're feeling guilty, or regretful,  tell them you're sorry.  Surround yourself with good people.  Do good things.  Be kind, even when you don't feel like it.  Be understanding.  Be willing to do what needs to be done. 

My dad would say he is lucky that he has this time to get things in order.  He has time to say goodbye.  We have time to get closer.  We have time to right some wrongs. 

I would guess that if you're (still) reading this blog that you are a scrapper or card maker.  Send that person a handmade card.  Scrap those everyday moments.  The December Daily or a Week in the Life are perfect examples of this.  The day to day.  The stuff that doesn't seem so wonderful now but will maybe give you or your loved ones a smile or a memory later.  Your story is important.


Morrie Schwartz's favorite quote was, "Love each other or perish."

I would say, "Love makes the world go 'round, baby." 


Okay, I'd better go before I chicken out and decide to just delete this whole post.  I don't mean to be a heavy or bring you down.  I hope that this story would lift you up.  Life is so much more than how big your paycheck is, or how new your car is, or how big a house you have.  I hope you're inspired to love and record your life.

Thanks for stopping by and putting up with my story.  If you have a story to tell, I would love to hear it.   Or have questions about how to record your everyday, just let me know. 

Blessings, b.

super star

Hey everyone!  What a weekend we had!  Go go go, busy busy busy.  Then today, I had promised the girls we would go to the beach.  So even though it was a relaxing day (except for the wonderful sunburn I brought home...........need to buy more sunscreen, I told the girls to use the rest) I got nothing done at home.  I've got 234 emails in my box, 6 loads of laundry to do, piles of mail on my desk, etc........you get the idea. 

That also means no stamping got done.  So, I'm going to share the last scrapbook page I made for the Artisan entry. 

I {heart} Hearts and Schoolbook Serif sets.  Whisper white, brocade blue, crumb cake and basic black cardstock.  Real red and Versamark inks.  Sprial tab punch, black journaler, 2 way glue pen, dazzling diamonds glitter, 1 1/4" square punch, dimensionals.


Grace is so goofy.  I'm not going to lie, this 12 x 12 page was a pain in the bazooka to put together.   I guess I was running out of ink because the pics kept coming out with this blue tint.  I had a heck of a time with the title too.  

For the title, I ended up penciling a line and then used my stampamajig to keep them straight.  I think the thing that was/is bugging me about this page is all the white space around the title.  It seems naked or unfinished or something. 

I stamped the letters and then used the 2 way glue pen to the word "star" and then added the glitter.  Glitter is very camera shy around me and doesn't like to show off.  I can't ever seem to get a good glitter pic.

Grace absolutely LOVES to have her picture taken.  This day we had errands to run after school and she got ahold of my camera and had a ball!  Gotta love them digital cameras! 

I used the Sprial tab punch to make a film strip.  Groovy huh?  I used the rule of 3's and made 3 hearts and star goodies and placed them in a triangle on the page.  The eye likes to look at things in odd numbers.  The start has glitter on it too. 


Alrighty then, I've eaten dinner, taken my Advil (sunburn) and getting ready to watch the Bachelorette.  My Chris in still in there!  I hope she picks him.  I hope to get some stamping done tomorrow. 

Thanks for stopping by and hanging out.

Blessings, b.

Schedule needed now!

Hey there!

We had such a beautiful day here today.  There is never a perfect time for weeding but today came about as close as I'm gonna get.  I'm embarrassed to admit it but, my whole front planter was overgrown with weeds.  I got about 75% done.  I still have a bunch of devil grass in there choking my daylilies.  I'll work on it some more tomorrow.  

The first week of summer vacation is already over.  I still need to get a rhythm going.  I didn't accomplish as much as I would have liked.  I plan on making a schedule.  You know, like, Toilet Tuesdays or Mopping Mondays.  Nothing goes with a "V" so I guess no vacuuming.  HA!  Anyhow, I need to get organized.  It doesn't help that one of the sinks in my bathroom started leaking this week and I had a puddle under the cabinet and carpet.  Everything is torn up right now with blowers on it, drying it all out.  Good thing the hubby can fix anything.  I think I'll keep him around.

Anyhow, I did get some stamping done yesterday. 

Inspired by Nature.  Night of navy, crumb cake, more mustard and soft suede cardstock.  More mustard and soft suede ink.  Sponges.

Nope, those aren't swaps.  Those are the cards I made to send to the 6th graders.  32 of them!  Our school mascot is a colt and our colors are blue and gold.  Will the kids put 2 and 2 together?  Probably not.  They'll just think Mrs. Prout has a thing for horses.  Whatever!

I die cut all the horses last week out of Soft Suede cardstock.  I thought that was a good horse color.  I tried to keep them simple.  Lets face it, these are 12 year olds.  But man, that was alot of sponging!  Grace helped me a bunch though.

I printed out a quote from Dumbledore in one of the Harry Potter movies.  Its a very important piece of advice for these kiddos.  Some of them really have a hard time at home and school.  I just wanted them to know that I believe in them to do their best and make good choices.  So I wrote a little message on the inside and maybe....hopefully.......a few of them will take it to heart. 

Then, I was contemplating cleaning out the retiring stuff from my desk area, and came across some pics that I wanted to put in the scrapbook.  So instead of cleaning, I scrapped. 

                                                            

NO STAMPS!!  Crumb cake, basic black and whisper white cardstock.  Sahara sand ink.  Spiral tab punch, dimensionals, black journaler and misc. brads. 

OMG!! Aren't they handsome?  In the top pic, my boy is on the far right.  This was taken at their last concert.  Every year they do a concert at the library at the outside ampitheater called "Music Under the Stars".  The other pic is a little last minute performance they put together for us parents.  The hubs took that pic with his phone.  Didn't turn out so good but I thought, "so what?"  Its still a memory. 

I have a secret to share.........in the new SU! catalog there is some new DSP called Newsprint and it has music on it!  Its so cool!  And I have some!  I didn't use it though.  I had a better idea. 

I copied/scanned some of the music he played at the last minute performance and put it on here.  I thought that would make this page just a little more special. 

I printed the music out and then punched it with the Spiral punch.  Then I crumpled it up and used a sponge to sponge on some Sahara Sand ink to make it look dirty and used by a teenage boy. 

I generally don't like things all paddywonked on my page.  I like things straight and in order.  I just couldn't make that work on this page.  I used the journaler to draw a border around my journaling.  I had these funky brads that I bought a million years ago and they looked great!

Then on the back of the page I glued the program to it.  Then in it goes into the daily/whatever scrapbook. 

Tomorrow, because I'm a procrastinator, I need to make the hubs a Father's Day card.  Heck, I even forgot to make and send cards for my FIL and my own dad!  See, too much other nonimportant, miscellaneous stuff taking up room in my brain.  I need a schedule!

Alrighty peeps, its after my bedtime.  Apparently, I have alot to do tomorrow. 

Thanks for stopping by.

Blessings, b.

ha ha.....kayaking......

eta:  This was scheduled to come out while I was gone.  Oops!  So I'll throw it out here now.  Enjoy!

what a joke! 

Here is another scrap page for last years Artisan Award.  We had borrowed a kayak that year and though it would be fun.   It was fun......well, for everyone except my dear hubby.  He's not really a water kinda guy and well,.......he fell in.   The rest of us thought it was great though! 

Inspired by Nature.  Kiwi kiss, pacific point and kraft cardstock.  Versamark, and pacific point inks.  Last years DSP (don't remember the name), clear buttons, cutter kit, various circle punches.

I used the scissor from the cutter kit to make the waves.  I really like this page.  Its 8 1/2 x 11. 

Okie dokie, I'm scheduled to come home tonight.  Can't wait to snuggle with my family! 

Give me a few days to get some new things up here, okay?  Big hugs to all of you!

Blessings, b.

I love my boy!

Howdy!  Things going well for everyone?  I'm still in Iowa.  My brother should be arriving today.  Not sure if that will be a good thing or bad.  It'll keep things interesting anyway. 

Okay, here is another Artisan Award entry.  I just love this page.

Sanded background.  Sahara sand, basic black, whisper white and not quite navy cardstock.  Sahara sand and not quite navy inks.  Round tab punch, mini library clips, corner rounder, staples, hemp and dimensionals. 

I love this picture of my boy.  This was a great scrapbook page.  It was 8 1/2 x 8 1/2.  Same size I used for the Dec. Daily album. 

Thanks for keeping the blog warm while I'm gone. 

Blessings, b.

happy mother's day?

I should be in Iowa by now.  My grandmother lives in West Des Moines.  I haven't been there in over 30 years.  I think I might have been 11 or 12 the last time.  Anybody live nearby?

Here is one of the scrap pages I made for the Artisan Award contest last year. 

NO STAMPS!  Basic black, whisper white, going gray and basic gray cardstock.  Basic black ink. So swirly jumbo wheel, naturally serif die, top note die and dimensionals.

This is a 12x12 page.  I love taking a million pics and then scrap them all.  Kinda like the Dec. Daily page here. 

See those brackets on the sides?  I made those using the Top Note Die.  If you're interested I'll make a tutorial when I get home.

Thanks for stopping by.


Blessings, b.