(diva)logues

A little Christmas cheer...

Last night we attended a special Christmas performance involving 2 of the school's clubs... the dance club & the drama club.  Coincidentally, Bryn's involved with BOTH clubs, so she had to make a costume change back-stage in between shows.  The dance clubs performed first... 

... followed by the drama club (Bryn was Comet)...

Thankfully the "dollar bin" at Target had antler headbands a few weeks ago, so we were able to put together a costume.  Gotta love Target!  My parents & my sister were there to watch the show with us, as was Bryn's BFF, Madeline, who we brought along with us.  My parents & sister came back to our house afterward for some snacks & many laughs.  It  also started snowing last night, so we woke up to a dusting of snow on the ground.  It wasn't enough to stick to the streets (thankfully... I have no time to be stuck indoors now!), but enough to make it look pretty & Christmas-y outside...

After my Zumba class this morning, Bryn & I went to Target to buy some last-minute things like chocolates & gift cards.  I have a couple more things to get & I am officially finished with my Christmas shopping.  I also have most of what's already purchased wrapped & under the tree.  

Bob just took Bryn to my parent's house.  They are taking her & her cousin to the symphony tonight for a special Christmas performance & then keeping them overnight.  So, Bob & I are going out.  We have dinner reservations booked, a room booked Downtown, & if it works out... we may just see The Blind Side tonight, too.  Have heard nothing but GREAT things about that movie.  I did hear it was a tear-jerker though, so if we see it, we're seeing if AFTER dinner.  I don't need to be at a nice restaurant with mascara all over my face!

 Hope you're having a great weekend!

Better late than never...

For some reason, it's taken me almost 365 days to scrap these 2 photos.  They were from last Christmas & have been in my pile of things to scrap since then.  I think the reason it took so long is that by the time the event happened (between Christmas & New Year's), I was uninspired to scrap anything else Christmas-related & it was on to January things by then.  But, it was a fun night with our good friends, & I wasn't going to let it go without being documented...

  

It's my typical mish-mosh of stash... some old stuff + some new stuff.  I machine-stitched some "garland" on my hand-cut tree.  It's a simple design, but with all the color in the photos, I didn't want too much going on with the page. 

I started wrapping gifts last night & got the house cleaned this morning while 2 service guys were scheduled to be here.  Both arrived on the early side of the 4-hour time window, so I was thrilled with that.  My Nikki Sivils package arrived today with 2 of her brand new lines that she chose for me to work with for her CHA booth.  I have just a few weeks to create as much as possible & get it sent back to her for the show.  I'm very excited to dive into it, to say the least! 

We have a busy weekend ahead of us... one with lots of photo ops!     

You are my favorite! No really... U R My Favorite...

I know, I know... I say that about a lot of lines.  But this one happens to be called U R My Favorite & what can I say, except that it's another CUTE & FUN line from Nikki Sivils that I adore! 

  

I made 2 other layouts with this line, too, but I can't post them yet.  One of them is going to be published in February, the other I'm going to use for a guest designer opportunity in January & BOTH are going to CHA!   YAY! 

Just a little update.  I decided to be my own doctor here, since my follow-up appointment/physical exam isn't until the 31st, & I had another middle-of-the-night 2-hour long PVC episode on Sunday.  (Not to mention what I've been living with for the past month during the DAY, too).  Monday morning I went to Target & purchased some potassium supplements (since I was low on potassium when I was in the ER).  Since Monday, I have noticed a DRAMATIC decrease in the PVC's, so I'm hoping this was the answer I've been looking for.  Bob keeps wondering why the DR didn't just prescribe a beta blocker or tell me to start taking potassium when I was in the hospital, but I suppose he wanted to wait & see the results from my stress test.  That and.... he doesn't feel what I feel, so I suppose he just thinks it can wait.  The one thing that does comfort me, though, is that he (my primary care physcian) is a cardiologist.  So if anyone knows the heart, I would HOPE that it's him! 

As ALWAYS... thanks for all your well wishes, prayers & sweet comments!  It REALLY means a lot to me!   

My favorite car...

... is HMMM... one that doesn't break down, get a flat tire or leave me stranded on the side of the road like a sitting duck, I suppose.  Aside from that, I also love driving an SUV because the view from above makes me feel a lot safer than when I'm in a smaller car these days.  I do not enjoy when Bob insists we have to take his Volvo out because it gets better gas mileage & it's easier for him to park.  Not me... I can park the SUV with my eyes closed. My first car that my parents bought for me to drive, & then share with my sister when she was old enough, was affectionately called the "party car."  If you were in the passenger seat & went over a puddle, your feet would feel it.  It was transportation, I guess, but I wouldn't exaclty have called it reliable.  Beggars can't be choosers though. 

And quite frankly, none of this really matters to you except that it's the next challenge up at the These Are A Few of My Favorite Things blog.  And since for weeks I was trying to get inspired by what exacly my favorite car is... I went with a card using the lyrics that just kept running around in my head as I was thinking about what to create...

 

The car & the "index card" came from a 2010 cheapie calendar I bought for $1 to hang in the pantry on the bulletin board.  And what else can I say except it's my lame excuse at a favorite car project!  LOL! 

Check out the blog for more inspiration!  And you know there's always prizes up for grabs! 

Cupcake liners aren't just for cupcakes...

My Christmas shopping is ALMOST complete... yay!  The wrapping, however, has yet to begin.  That is, until this one little measly gift I thought I'd wrap to show you an idea on how to use what you may already have on hand.  Had to buy a roll a brown mailing paper over the weekend to mail off a package & decided I could use it along with the red/pink/silver color combo wrapping paper I was already planning to use for our gifts this year.  To dress it up a bit, I wrapped a green polka dotted ribbon around it & then placed a cupcake liner bow on top.  My bow was made using 4 liners that I just played with a bit to make each one look more flowery & then I added a green corduroy Nikki Sivils brad to the middle to hold it all together...

After making our cookies last night, I made some roasted acorn squash to go along with the grilled chicken that Bob made on the BBQ.  We all love squash & this is just too easy.  Take an acorn squash & cut it in half.  Place it on a baking pan/cookie sheet that has been lined with aluminum foil & then sprayed with a cooking spray to keep it from sticking.  Place the halves squash side down on the foil & bake at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  I added a brown rice/quinoa mixture to each side when it was finished.  Would probably make a more festive-looking side dish at Thanksgiving, but since we love to eat it so much, I made it now!   

I got a little behind on my December Daily last week, so I'm going to try to play catch-up today since Bryn is at school late today for Drama Club.  But here's 2 more pages...

  

Happy Monday!

Cookie baking time...

Can I just say how excited I was to open a surprise package from my friend Chris?!!  Bryn & I were laughing & jumping up & down when we saw these adorable hand-made aprons she made for us AND for Bryn's doll...

Could they BE any CUTER?!  I mean, seriously Chris, you are just one talented crafter!  Thank you a hundred times! 

We're off to bake 2 cookie recipes from the Food & Allergy newsletter we received for this month... Holly Treats (will look like green wreaths + red berries when they're finished) & Holiday Fudge.  Both recipes have no dairy, eggs, peanuts or treenuts so Bryn can enjoy them, too!

December sneaks for HIP 2B SQUARE...

The HIP 2B SQUARE main kit for December...

... and the "add-on" kit...

A list of all the YUMMINESS can be found here!  I can't wait!

Off to Zumba & then to run.  Bryn is attending a birthday party at a bowling alley this afternoon & then we're driving to Bob's dad to bring dinner & hang out for awhile.  Hope you're having a GREAT weekend!

Dear Santa...

A few nights ago I finished this layout just for fun.  I intended to scrap several of the photos from the other day when Bob took Bryn to see Santa at the firestation, but just couldn't come up with a design that I was really digging.  So, I decided to just use 1 photo & put her letter to Santa + a few more printed photos inside this envelope that Sarah sent me awhile back... 

The letter Bryn typed on Word is rather amusing...

The layout was made using a Green Horned Unicorn felt flower (thanks Toni!), a bit of Nikki Sivils North Pole Nights & other random found things. 

Have you checked out Beth's etsy?  Look at these lovlies I purchased...

 

Mine are brooches, but she has really cute headbands, too! 

I think we're watching It's A Wonderful Life tonight.  I've only seen it about 200 times (in fact, Bob calls me Zu Zu sometimes), but it still makes me cry every single time I see it. 

Have a great weekend!    
 

Life is what happens, when you're busy making other plans...

One big sigh...

I have PVC'S... premature ventricular contraction... aka. weird, annoying, irregular heartbeat.  It was diagnosed about 15 years ago.  Your heart beats normal & then all-of-a-sudden you feel a big extra heartbeat.  My doctor told me then that a number of things can cause it, but the major ones are stress, nicotine, alcohol & caffeine.  I didn't smoke, but thought I'd give up caffeine & see if that helped.  It did.  I noticed a major difference & haven't drank caffeine since.  The issue never really goes away, it's more sporadic than anything, but in the last month has been giving me cause for concern because it would just never level off. 

Then we had this HUGE windstorm in the middle of the night/early Wednesday morning that woke me up (around 3:30am) & I laid there for 3 hours of constant irregular heartbeat.  It really scared me... enough that when Bob said maybe I should take you the ER, I said, "Ok."  The timing couldn't have been worse though, as his dad was being released yesterday afternoon & taken back home by ambulance to be put into hospice care.  And, I guess I wasn't exactly expecting them to want to admit me & keep me overnight either.  We got to the ER by 8:30.  Bryn went to school early yesterday for dance club.  Long story, short... my EKG was fine in the ER, but my potassium was low.  They gave me 4 baby aspirin & then awhile later gave me 4 potassium pills.  Then finally said my doctor wanted to admit me & keep me there for an echocardiogram/stress test so I'd be there overnight.  We made arrangements with my mom to get Bryn from school & then Bob left to go to another hospital where his dad was, so he could follow him back home to Illinois when he was released. 

I got moved upstairs to the cardiac unit by about 12:00.  I couldn't order lunch yet because the doctor on staff had to see me & needed to say whether I was going to be on a regular or restricted diet.  I was there in my room alone for about an hour before I had a roommate.  Then a very old lady, who was clearly in MUCH pain arrived.  She proceeded to moan loudly for the next 4 hours, ask for more pillows, ask to die, ask for Morphine, & ask for nurses to speak louder because she was deaf in 1 ear.  All I could think was that if I was in there to de-stress at all, this was not the place to do it.  But, I sat there quietly & hoped for time to pass, quickly.  Finally after seeing the doctor, I was able to order lunch (a regular diet... but the food was kinda yucky) & got to eat at 3:30.  I was just a little hungry by then...

My mom picked up Bryn from school & they came by to visit with a few things for me like a toothbrush & pajama pants, since I had nothing with me.  It was nice to see them, but I knew Bryn was going to be a bit scared about the lady in the room with me, so I immediately whispered to her that she was in a lot of pain & was sleeping, albeit very loudly.  She would later tell me when she called to say goodnight, "Yeah, that was disturbing in your room."  I just laughed.  My mom kept saying, "Um, you need to ask them to put you in another room."  I said, "No, I'm fine.  It's just 1 night, hopefully, I don't want to complain."  Finally as they were putting on their coats to leave, a nurse came in the room & gave me the option of having my own private room for an extra $50/night.  I said, "Yes please!"  I called Bob & said, "Just pretend like you bought me dinner tonight."  He laughed.

I didn't get a lot of sleep last night because nurses come into your room every so many hours to take blood, take your blood pressure, etc... & then my own doctor arrived promptly at 6am to see me.  He said they did see my PVC's on my EKG's, but that there was no concern for heart attack, heart disease, etc & said I could probably be released after my stress test assuming all was ok.  I couldn't have anything to eat until after the test was performed.  That was the worst part!  But, surprisingly, they did come to get me for the test before 8am.  Ok, on 2nd thought, the worst part was performing a stress test in socks & pj bottoms, as I had no running shoes with me.  Bob was going to bring me some, but couldn't get there until he put Bryn on the bus.  So, I did my test in socks.  Did you ever walk & run on the treadmill in socks?  It is INTERESTING.  But, I did really well during the test & would finally hear results after Noon that I was going to be released.

After a lot of waiting around with Bob & his niece, who he had just picked up from the airport, we were finally on our way home, where I got to eat REAL food, take a LONG shower & put on makeup.  It's the little things that matter. 

So... I see my doctor again in 2 weeks.  I had already scheduled my annual physical with him a long time ago, but it's perfect timing for a follow-up.  He said I may need to take a potassium supplement or maybe even a beta blocker, but we'd discuss it then.  I need to do something though, even if it means going to the spa regularly to stop thinking about my long list of things-to-do!  'Tis the season, I suppose.

I have some things to post, some thank you's to say, but I need to get Bryn from school in a bit & right now I don't have time to edit & find links.  So, just know that I'm thinking of you & will say hello on your blogs soon. 

Big hugs...

I do not ♥ Blogger...

Yesterday was my day to post at the Nikki Sivils blog.  Let me just begin by saying that I had a lot of choice words for Blogger on Saturday as I was trying to prepare for my post.  After hours of attempting to load images with my text & hours of me cursing Blogger because it doesn't work in the order to which I'm accustomed, I was rescued by Julie!  She went into my post & loaded all my photos that I emailed to her.  Thank you a hundred times, Julie!  I don't know what I'm going to do every month when it's my turn to blog... perhaps image-less posts?  I don't know.  Feeling very good about the money I spend on Typepad though.  It's worth not having HOURS of aggravation every day. 

Ok... now that THAT'S out of my system... moving on...  

One of the projects that I posted yesterday was my December Daily album.  I'm making mine this year using the North Pole Nights line...

 

Check out Nikki's blog for details on how I made my "wreath!"

 

I really love that line.  So fun & whimsical!  If you notice, I've been using bits & pieces from the My Sweet Cherry Pie line for my book, too.  The green + red in that line works well with North Pole Nights!

Santa came to a local fire station yesterday, so Bob took Bryn over there to see him.  He really took a lot of cute photos of Bryn on the fire truck, too!  I think I've finally made a photograper out of him!  I'm working on a layout about their visit yesterday, so I'll post that when I'm finished. 

You can see the cards & calendar I made on Nikki's blog, too, if you didn't already see it yesterday!

Happy Monday!    

It's HIP to create with HIP 2B SQUARE kits...

For real.  This time, I am serious.  This is my favorite HIP 2B SQUARE kit yet!  Every single kit Kimberly puts together is adorable (especially this one!) & I always look forward to Miss Postal Carrier bringing my box of goodies.

Here's what I received last week.  The main kit...

And the add-on kit...

My add-on kit included an OA chipboard album instead of the chipboard shapes.  But that was just great with me, as the main kit has so many fun houses & trees that I had plenty to play with...

 

Rather than use the album to make a mini (the obvious choice), I decided to use mine for journaling spots & background paper on my projects.  I made 5 layouts + 4 cards.  So FUN! 

Here's one of the ways I used my chipboard album.  I used 4 pages as a background for my layout & then machine-stitched it onto the page...

 

Lucky for me, there was some black & gold in this kit... perfect for Mizzou photos!  Love the fun journaling spot stamp in the add-on kit, too!

And this one is for Jing-Jing... another no-photo layout.  Just journaling...

 

I don't know why, but working with kits is making this SLOW scrapper a faster one.  Kits work for me, I guess!  Who knew?!

For more information on these ADORABLE kits, contact Kimberly at HIP 2B SQUARE!  Hurry, though.  This one will go FAST!

It's snowing...

It's not snowing enough to stick, I'm sure... but it's snowing.  It's cold, too... about 30 degrees... which would be just fine if we weren't planning to go to the zoo tonight for their lights & other special Christmas stuff.  But we'll see.  I guess we could always bundle up & go for a short time.  But then dinner & warmth is in order!

Bob's dad is STILL in the hospital.  Had 2 colonoscopies, the past 2 days in a row.  One colonoscopy is tiring enough when you're in GOOD health.  This is taking a toll on him.  They still haven't totally ruled out surgery & now he's having more & more trouble breathing...

This Sunday I'm doing a post on Nikki Sivils blog, so look for that if you're blog-hopping that day!  One of the projects I'm posting is my December Daily album, using her North Pole Nights line.  Here's a peek at the front, but you can see the first 5 or 6 days of the book on Sunday...

I made my first December Daily album last year.  It certainly was a great way to document our month of activities in greater detail than if I had just scrapped a few of the photos & had limited journaling.  In fact, it was such a fun project it even inspired me to do a Project 365.  Well, almost inspired me.  My blog is close enough to daily documentation... & it's time-consuming enough!    

A quick & belated THANK YOU to Helmar adhesives for sponsoring the Nikki Sivils design team.  We all received lots of goodies from them.  I'm especially loving the Scrap Dots 3-dimmensional adhesive... very cool!

 

I still have some fun stuff to post from my November HIP 2B SQUARE kit, too!

Well, HAPPY Friday to all!  We have plans  to go to the zoo tonight, a work Christmas party tomorrow night & Sunday remains to be seen.  What's keeping you busy this weekend?  Anyone finished their Christmas shopping yet?  Just tell me you haven't & make me feel better.  TGIF!

Possibilities...

As we get closer to the new year & new resolutions... some words to think about...

New set of possibilities
+++++++++++++++++++

Somewhere out past where you're now comfortable, there's a
pleasant surprise. Beyond what you already know you can do,
there are exciting and fulfilling and new things you'll be
able to do.

There's a very short distance between what you think you can
do and what you don't think you can do. That distance is the
size of just one thought.

Once you decide that it is possible for you, it IS possible
for you. Once you have the thought that it can be done, it 
CAN be done.

The world you experience is contained within the world you
expect to experience. Expect more, and suddenly a whole new
set of possibilities will open up to you.

Ask yourself what you would like to be able to expect. Then
go ahead and bring your expectations in line with your
desires.

Each day is an opportunity to grow beyond yourself while at
the same time more fully expressing your authentic self.
Touch your highest vision, expect it to happen, and you'll
surely see your way there.

-Ralph Marston

And if those words don't give you some motivation, maybe my newest download will... For Your Entertainment.  I have to listen to it really LOUD though & for some reason that video isn't very loud.  It's on my iPod now, so I'll be runnin' to that one fo sho.  This one, too... :-)

 

The November HIP 2B Square kit rocks my world... :-) 

I think my jaw dropped wide open...

 

... when I received an email from Stacey Michaud in September.  She asked me if I'd be interested in being a Guest Designer at ScrapStreet.com Magazine in an article about holiday traditions with a focus on JOURNALING in their December issue.  My first thought was, "How does Stacey even know who I am?"  (unless, of course, it's because she'd noticed that I'd been stalking her blog since I first "found" her during the Cosmo Cricket DT call?)  How cool, though, that she asked me to guest on a topic that I think really is the most important element on a page!  Anyway, let's just say that I was flattered, honored & immediately said YES!  So, thanks again, Stacey...  you ROCK! 

You can check it all out here!  My layout is on page 36.

December 1st... SO MUCH TO DO!

The holidays...

... the busiest most wonderful time of the year!  We've been decorating our home for Christmas this past weekend.  The tree is now up, the stockings are hung & the lights are all shining.  I am also knee-deep in projects, most of which I can't post yet.  I can, however, post this layout for the newest These Are A Few of My Favorite Things challenge.  The challenge this time is your FAVORITE HOLIDAY... 

I used mostly the Nikki Sivils North Pole Nights line for my layout.  No photos... just journaling.  Check out the blog for more inspiration from the team and while you're there... see the funny JibJab videos that Julie made!

And speaking of Christmas, check out the freebie printables here!

I'm off to Zumba & then a bit of shopping before I return to finish up some more projects.  Am I the only one who can hardly believe that tomorrow is December 1st already?  Wow...

A "FULL" day and I have a winner...

Thanksgiving was very nice & the food was yummy!  We celebrated at my parent's home & were happy that Bob's sister & her husband joined us this year.  After a big lunch (& some pie for dessert!), Bob, Jeanie, George & I went to the hospital to visit their dad, who is doing a lot better.  He's still in the hospital, but it looks like he won't need surgery after all.  That is the news we were hoping to hear!  Still unsure of when he'll be released, but things are looking better anyway. 

Jeanie got up at & left our house at 4:30am to go shopping this morning.  I, however, stayed asleep until almost 8, had breakfast & then did my butt-kicking interval class at the Y (I swear that class NEVER gets any easier).  The only shopping I'm doing today is ONLINE! 

Am I missing something or do you have to pay to use the Random Number Generator???  Since that appeared to be the case & I think that's just simply a rip-off, I had Bryn pick a name the old-fashioned way... out of a bucket!  So... here's the winner of my Crate RAK...  

 

Bethany... please email your address & I'll send you your prize!  I still don't have it yet, but I'm hoping to receive my shipment by the beginning of the week & I'll mail it to you asap!  Thanks to everyone for the funny comments you left.  I laughed every single time!  And a special thanks to Jenneke, who made me laugh 3 times, with 3 different jokes!  You are all the BEST.  So thankful our paths have crossed!

I hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! 

Incredibly thankful...

There are so many things for which for which I am thankful.  I could spend hours just listing them all.  But the one thing for which I will be FOREVER thankful, is Bryn coming into my life over 8 years ago.  My life has not been the same since, nor could I have ever imagined just how much of a blessing motherhood could be.  She makes me laugh, she makes me cry, she is as much my teacher as I am her mother... she makes me happy to be her mom every single day.  I am so lucky...   

  

Enjoy spending time with your family or friends today.  Just be in the moment & take it all in.  Happy Thanksgiving...

   

Off to run and then... LET'S EAT!

Girls Day Out...

No school today through Sunday, so it seemed that another Girls Day Out was in order!

Unfortunately, in the meantime, Bob's dad had to go back into the hospital 2 days ago (after just being released a few days earlier for his legs) for ANOTHER reason... this time colon problems.  We're still waiting to hear if he needs surgery or not.  His sister came in town from Kansas, since she has a few days off from teaching this week because of Thanksgiving.  So, we're really glad to have her staying with us, but not so glad to hear about his dad.  He's just miserable, poor guy.

So, while Jeanie's at the hospital & Bob is running to his dad's home over an hour away to meet with a sales rep about a new adjustable bed for him + going to the office + going by the hospital... Bryn & I started our day at the Y for my Spin class.  Then we came home, quickly got ready & headed to the mall for a little holiday shopping & lunch. 

This is what happens when the camera is facing the sun.  The good news is that we actually had some sun today though!

 

First stop... lunch.  Hmmm, let me think... where might it be?

We each ordered salads & then we were off to shop.  Did you know that Williams Sonoma carried Sprinkles cupcake mixes?  Yummo!  I didn't buy any because Bryn can't eat them since they're mixed with eggs & let's just say we just don't need a bunch of cupcakes in the house for me to eat all by myself.  But... good to know!  And how cute are those cannisters? 

We managed to get a few people checked off the Christmas list and even had time to stop by Justice... only for a headband though.  Mommy doesn't buy stuff for Bryn right before Christmas...

It is scary how much the girl loves to shop.  I told Jeanie last night that "I guess there are worse things to pass on to your daughter."  She concurred. 

I have a few things to prepare tonight for Thanksgiving tomorrow (like a pumpkin ice cream pie... made with soy ice cream so Bryn can enjoy it, too!) and then we're meeting Bob & his sister at a restaurant for dinner.  Yay for no cooking tonight... 

A HIP accordian mini album...

I made a mini accordian album using the little tin container that came with my Crate kit from HIP 2B SQUARE.  I embellished the top & used my red grosgrain ribbon to wrap around the base of my container...

Then I chose a 12x12 piece of cardstock from my kit & cut a piece.  Mine was approximately 3 1/2 x 12.  I folded it accordian style & then used my corner rounder punch to make the corners fit nicely into the tin... 

 

The little contact sheet size prints are perfect for this size album, if you want to add embellies & journaling like I did.  Otherwise, you could always just use a wallet-size print, too...

It was fun to make & the first time I've made a mini that fits into a small container like this.  Very fast & easy, too!  For more information on this or any other HIP 2B SQUARE kit contact Kimberly!

Speaking of this fabulous CRATE kit... have you checked out this post yet for my RAK? 

Rainbows + clouds = love...

This Crate kit was sent to me with my October HIP 2B SQUARE kits.  I almost started jumping up & down when I saw it.  It was a GREAT package to come home from Arizona to, as I had been meaning to go buy some of this new Crate line... 

I made 4 layouts, 4 cards &  a mini accordian album for the little tin case that's included.  I can't say enough, how FUN this kit is! 

For this layout I  used one of Bryn's new school photos.  I usually never have any use for the huge 8x10 print that's included, so this year I decided to scrap it.  I cropped the width of the photo down a bit to better fit all my embellies on the page.  The "scallops" on the side were made by punching 4 circles.  I inked the edges to define it a little more & stitched over it all when I machine stitched my border in red.  I wanted a defined area in which to put all my embellies & journaling about who she is & what's she likes as a 3rd grader... 

More machine stitching here & used the contact sheet size prints along with a 5x7 photo...

This was really just a for-FUN layout.  I used Bryn's 60-piece marker set & wrote all the things I'm loving right now in rainbow order + more contact sheet size photos...

Finally scrapping these photos from my sister's birthday in May.  The red burlap was fun to use!  I was unsure how best to adhere it, so I just machine stitched over it in red.  Notice the red machine stitching for all the layouts?  I'm lazy when it comes to changing the thread on the machine, what can I say? 

... and my 4 cards...

 

I loved this kit SO MUCH that I called Kimberly & ordered some more items from this kit to use for a RAK!  With Thanksgiving coming up, it seemed like an appropriate time to do a give-away.  I certainly am thankful for all the sweet friends I have met through this blog!  To be in the running, just leave me a comment telling me something funny.  I don't care what it is, just make me laugh.  And here's a hint... I laugh at everything, so this should be easy.  I'm going to leave this contest open until Friday, as my products won't arrive until next week.  So, I can't send them out until I get them!   

If you're interested in this kit or any other fabulous HIP 2B SQUARE kit, contact Kimberly! 

Tomorrow I'll post my mini accordian album that I made with this kit!  Happy Monday!   

Fun mail...

Thanks again to Julie for the sweet early Christmas gift.  It's always fun to receive an unexpected package in the mail...

The tote was filled with goodies, including this little ornament...

 

Too funny!  Thanks again, Julie, for your generosity & kindness! 

The weather has been beautiful this weekend, so Bob put up the outdoor Christmas lights today.  We won't actually turn them on until after Thanksgiving, but it's much better to put them up when it's nice & sunny, than to wait until it's cold & rainy/snowy!  A BUSY week ahead.  I can hardly believe that Thursday is Thanksgiving already.  Time flies!

And it's STILL all about the dress...

A new "all about me" challenge is up at the Nikki Sivils blog!  The challenge this time is to create a layout about a childhood holiday memory using the new North Pole Nights line.  Here's mine...

Notice I used my new Martha Stewart border punch set for this one.  Love that thing.

And speaking of dresses, here's the dress I wore to dinner last night...

I took the sash off & wore it with a big black belt instead.  Found it at Lulu's & also bought a couple other fun things while I was at it.  Loving that site.  Dinner was fun, too.  We sat & chatted for so long that they actually started dimming the lights on us.  We took that as our sign to leave.   

I got a few things added to my shop.  I don't have much time to add anything else yet, as we're off to Bryn's friend's birthday party & then to an early family Thanksgiving dinner.  Will keep adding as I find time.  Still need to create my bio.  What can I say except... I'm a multi-tasking, work in progress.  :-)

I think this means I'm off my "cloud diet"...

... because I have lots of recent projects that have clouds on them!  It was good to take a break from clouds for awhile, but when you're using this yummy Crate line that I simply adore, you can't help but use a lot of them.  Anyway, I used one of the kits that my friend, Laura, sent me to make this one.. my first layout from the package...

Don't get too sick of seeing all the clouds + rainbows, though, because I just did a boatload of projects last week with that Crate line in a special HIP 2B SQUARE kit.  Stay tuned for all of that.  In the meantime, thank you again Laura for your generosity!  Such fun patterns & colors in those kits!  Oh, & that little girl in the red turtleneck?  That's me... it was either 2nd or 3rd grade... right before the green glasses + braces years.   

Bob & I are going out with 2 other couples for dinner tonight.  Always a lot of laughs when we're with this group.  Saturday, Bob is headed to the Mizzou football game, while Bryn & I are going to the Y for Zumba, attending her friend's birthday party & then to a family dinner (an early Thanksgiving dinner).  Hoping to see some pumpkin pie for dessert.  

I hope you have a fantastic weekend!  

It makes sense to write down your goals...

... because eventually they will be achieved, even if it does take 11 out of the 12 months to finally sit down & do it!  One of my goals for 2009 was to open my own Etsy shop.  This may not be very exciting to those of you in the scrapping community.  My friends & family, however, ask me all the time if I'm still selling my cards or doing any craft shows lately.  I've done several shows, but quit doing them.  It required a lot of sales to break even with the minimum $50 entrance fee.  I usually did pretty well, but let's just say it's a LOT of work for not a lot of return.  So, Etsy makes sense for me, since I don't sell a lot of big-ticket items.  It's just that it takes time to figure it all out & taking time to read the "manual" is not my idea of fun.  I like to just do it.  Impatient, bull-headed, etc.... that's me.  But I'm closer to opening shop...

And just incase you were wondering, DKM is the first initial of mine & my sister's first names.  It's also the logo we use for our running gear when any of our family members run in races.  The logo was created after my sister, Kaysy, passed away.  It has special meaning for all of us.  DKMdiva came to fruition about 4-5 years ago, when my sister Marci & I started selling cards we made.  That was a couple years before my blog, so when it came to making up a blog name... I wanted "diva" to be part of the title.  (DIVA)LOGUES just came to me.  Hard to believe I've been blogging now for almost 2 years... in February.   

Still waiting for lots of projects to be posted, so I can post them here.  Still working on my Christmas shopping.  Still busy, busy, busy.  Looking forward to a night out with friends tomorrow night. 

 

Write down your goals & post them somewhere you can see them daily.  It will happen... 

I get inspired when I run...

I think it's because I have time away from the computer & I have time to think.  Sometimes I'm flipping through a magazine when I'm on the treadmill & I'll rip a page out & throw it on the floor.  I did that this morning when I saw this calendar in an article in Better Homes & Gardens.  The section was on gifts under $35.  I got excited & thought I might be able to make something like that. 

And guess what?  I did it...

It's hanging with magnets on my inspiration board in my craftroom right now.  Still trying to figure out the best way to put it together as a book... ring, ribbon, mini easel... not sure yet.  I made this set using the K & Company Carolyn Gavin paper pad.  I also made a Nikki Sivils set, that I'll post at a later date!

I think next time I'll play with changing the fonts & colors on the calendar part, but for my first 2 sets I just wanted to see if I could make it look decent.  It's been raining for days, so the lighting wasn't the best when I took these photos, but you get the idea!  They certainly aren't calendars for writing all your "stuff" on... they're just for looking cute on your wall!  

November sneaks...

Sneaks have been posted for the November HIP 2B SQUARE main kit...

... and add-on kit...

I can't wait to get my hands on these!  The add-on kits are always limited in supply, so if you're interested in the HIP 2B SQUARE kits, contact Kimberly.  You really SHOULD check out becoming a monthly subscriber.  Seriously, EVERY month is more adorable than the last.  I just keep shaking my head!  And her prices are so much more affordable than the competition.  You will not be disappointed!

This might be a big suprise, but I ♥ 80's music...

My guess is that you already knew that, though, considering the play list on my blog. 

A new challenge is up at These Are A Few of My Favorite Things challenge blog!  The challenge this time is to make a project (layout, card, mini, etc) about your FAVORITE DECADE.  I went with the 80's.  I'm certainly MOST happy with the present & have NO DESIRE to go back to the 80's, however... the music of that decade will always be a major part of my life.  That & I'll probably never give up hairspray.  I'm just using a LOT less of it these days.  The ozone is thankful...

I ended up hand-stitching around all the circles... which took several hours & I do not exaggerate.  But, I had no NEON-colored paper, so when I saw the neon-colored embroidery floss in Bryn's new kit to make your own bracelets, I asked to use some of it.   The backgrounds in all the circles (besides the big hair photo) are all random song titles/artists from the 80's that I just printed off the internet.  The mini records in between all the circles are actually cake-toppers that I purchased from Bake it Pretty.

Check out the blog for more inspiration from the team.  There will be 2 winners chosen this time, as we have 2 FANTASTIC prizes.  One has been donated by Michelle, our guest desinger, and one from Amy!

To be perfectly honest, my hair was even bigger than that at times.  It's called perms + hairspray.  Scary, I know...

It was a HIP Halloween...

The Hip 2B Square October add-on kit includes a Maya Road chipboard house!  So, I made mine a "haunted house" mini & used photos from all of our Halloween adventures last month.  I painted all the pieces black & started layering from there...

  

You can see what I did with the rest of the add-on kit, as well as the main kit HERE!  The October kit was certainly FUN!  For more info on this, or any other kit, contact Kimberly!

It is so not HIP to miss out on this...

The October HIP 2B SQUARE kit is so ADORABLE!  I was so excited to see all the Cosmo Cricket Nutmeg line included in the main kit this time & it was so much fun to create with... 

The add-on kit had lots of FUN Halloween goodies, including a mini book that I'll post tomorrow...

I made 6 layouts, the first of which is a 2-pager (haven't made one of those for awhile!)...

 
 

... 4 cards...

 

 

... and a mini book with that adorable Maya Road chipboard house mini album.  Stay tuned for that!  For information regarding this kit, contact Kimberly at Hip 2B Square kimberly@hip2bsquarescrapbooking.com

More projects to be posted SOON!  Have a super GREAT weekend!

Just coming up for air...

As I was cleaning the house like a mad woman this morning, Bob (who is at home from work today) said to me, "Did you have some sugar for breakfast this morning?"  I said, "No.  But if I don't get all this done now + run BEFORE I go into the craftroom to finish up projects, I'll never get to it."  Somehow once I set foot in that room, time passes by at lightening speed & before I know it, it's time to jump in the car to pick up Bryn from school. 

The good news is, I've completed 9 layouts, 4 cards & 2 mini albums since I got home Saturday night.  I'm not finished yet.  I still have a few more things to accomplish, but I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel now.  I guess it was a bad time to leave town, but the good news is, I'm becoming a bit faster at scrapping (especially with KITS, which I am SO LOVING to use these days... SO  much easier!) AND it doesn't seem like work to me.  It's not stressful.  I LOVE IT.  Here's another sneak...

I also love the "HAPPY MAIL" I received  on Monday from 2 friends, Laura & Julie!  I walked outside & saw 2 packages.  The return address on the box from Laura was "The Scrap Room."  I thought to myself, "Did I order something from them?"  LOL!  Pretty bad, when you second guess whether you ordered something or not.  All I could think when I opened it was OH MY GOODNESS!  4 scrapbooking kits...

There was the SWEETEST note in there, too.  The surprise certainly put a smile on my face.  Thank you again, my sweet friend Laura!  That was so generous of you & I can't wait to get started with it!  Your work inspires me, I covet your veggie garden (on my list of things to do!) & I wish you lived closer than Australia so I could visit you!  Not that I can say I'll never visit Australia, it's just that 20+ hour plane ride to get there that doesn't sound fun to me! 

I also received the sweetest gift from Julie, too, but since she sent everyone something on our our FAV THINGS design team, I think I'm supposed to wait until all the girls in the Netherlands receive theirs!  But thank you again, Julie!  You are TOO kind!

One last thing!  My friend Sally has opened her etsy shop!  Yay, Sally!  Check out all the cuteness here!  She'll be adding totes soon & they are the CUTEST ever.  She made one for Bryn a couple years ago & she still uses it!  Holiday gift-giving ideas...

Create your own scrapbook...

Here's a GREAT offer for the upcoming holidays! Use coupon code: HOLIDAY10OFF Discount: 10% Off Valid: 11/08/09 – 12/31/09

I'm buried in paper & gluesticks & Nutmeg. Life is good...

So, yes, we are home!  Other than Bryn's suitcase getting lost in travel, it was a good trip home.  And, thankfully, Southwest did deliver it to us first thing Sunday morning because my running shoes were packed in there!  Saturday night I unpacked at lightening speed, cleaned up the house, went through the mail & got everything back in order right away, so I could jump into my November Hip 2B Square kit that was waiting for me in our held mail!  I addition to the CUTEST main kit + add-on kit EVER, Kimberly also mailed me an extra kit full of the new Crate Paper line (rainbows & clouds... I'm in HEAVEN) to do a special project.  What a great box to come home to...

The possibilities of the November kit are ENDLESS.  Do NOT miss out on this one!  I made 6 layouts (one of which is a 2-pager), a Halloween mini book + 4 cards... all since late Saturday night.  I could make more, but I have a deadline to meet, so I'm stopping there.  LOL!  A week away from the craftroom definitely helps with creative mojo.  Here's a sneak...

It was also REALLY good to go back to my Zumba class this morning.  I LOVE to travel... but there's no place like home.  Happy Monday!

Inspired again...

... by Pottery Barn Kids.  I saw this baby bedding the other day while Bryn was flipping through their catalog.  She said to me, "Isn't this cute, Mommy?"  I said, "Tear that out for me, please.  I'm going to make a sailboat for a card or something." 

Gotta love having a daughter with an eye for design...

When I saw the green gingham on one of the sailboats, I immediately thought of Nikki Sivils My Sweet Cherry Pie line.  Then I added some Henry's Brilliance, a yellow cord brad, a craft flag & Willie Bees font stamps for the number 2...

I also used a small star punch & did some machine stitching in red, just to add another color.

And here's a special birthday card for Evan who will be 8 on the day that he gets to go with his dad & Bob to his first Mizzou football game in 2 weeks...

We just gave him his ticket last weekend.  He was a bit excited to say the least!

Check out this challenge on Nikki Sivils blog!  The winner walks away with all of this...

 

I cannot say enough how CUTE that Christmas line is!

We're on our way home today!  Have a GREAT weekend everyone! 

It's been a great week, but I'm ready to get back to my craftroom. You know what I'm sayin'...

We've been coming out here, anywhere from 1-4 times a year, for the past 6 years now because we purchased 2 time-shares.  It's the equivalent of 2 or 4 weeks depending on how we book our time.  We have our routine & certain places we go when we're here.  Most of the places we like are places we don't have at home.   However, the majority of our time out here is simply about rest & relaxation.  There's always so many "to-do's" on our lists at home, that we just do a lot of hanging-out here.  Even if it's 110 degrees here & 100 degrees + humidity at home... it's a change of scenery.  And that's good.   

But sometimes you're just looking for something else to do, that maybe we haven't done yet.  So yesterday, Bob suggested driving to a little shopping area called The Boulders.  He'd been there once about 20 years ago.  I guess that should have been my first clue... 

B.O.R.I.N.G.  I'm just not into Arizona fashion, decorating, knick knacks, etc.  You know what I mean... like the Southwest stuff?  Bob secretly loves it.  I do not. 

We were there less than an hour... maybe even less than a 1/2 hour before we left.  I did leave with a little something for my friend, Christa, though.  And, Christa will be happy to know it was not Southwest-ish, because I'm just sure that she's with me on the not-liking-Southwest-stuff thing.  But she & I can totally relate to the humor in it, as she is my fellow wine snob!

We're getting carry-out tonight from PF Changs & packing for our trip home tomorrow.  I have LOTS of scrapping material & a Hip 2B Square kit waiting for me...

Out & about...

Yesterday we decided to do something other than the pool.  So... we worked out after breakfast & then hit Whole Foods for lunch.  Bryn loves to eat... not sure where she gets that?  She had grilled chicken, veggies, salad, antipasto & a Chinese orzo pasta salad for her lunch... all chosen by her.  I often hear parents bargaining with their kids over veggies (or just giving into them NOT eating them) & think, "What up with that?"  Clearly the parents must not eat veggies or the kids would grow up not knowing otherwise...

Then it was on to CrackerJax for some outdoor fun.  Not a lot of people there, as it was in the 90's today... only the crazy tourists.  We started with miniature golf & for the first (& probably ONLY time ever), I kicked Bob's butt.  And believe it or not, Bryn came in 2nd place.  Not sure what was up with the golfer in our house, but he was having a bad day.  Par was 41.  I shot 36, Bryn shot 44 & Bob came in last with 45.  I did not rub it in or anything.  Nope, I would never do that. 

Then we did the go-karts.  First time I've done those in YEARS.  First time Bryn's done the FAST ones EVER...

And then the bumper boats...

Bryn spent most of her time under the spray of water (which would be why I passed on that fun event). 

Then back to the villa to get ready for dinner with Sally!  Went to Gordon Biersch in Tempe for dinner.  Love that area.  Reminds me of the 1/2 marathons we've run & since it's near the ASU campus... well... gotta love being in a college town. 

Cool sunsets here, but we have WAY better clouds at home.  :-)

We've been friends since 2nd grade.  And I'm never not laughing when we're together.  Love her.  If only Stephanie were here, then things would really get outta control.  The ol' cheeleading pyramids usually happen when the 3 of us get together.  We're kinda dorky that way.  

Oh & ps... Sally's opening an ETSY shop, that should be up REAL SOON.  You're not going to want to miss this... 

Love you Sal, Scott & Mol!  Miss you Steph, Curt, Hannah & Alexandra!  

More fun in the sun...

More fun at the pool yesterday.  Bryn's getting pretty good at basketball...

Then we were off to see Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs in 3D, where we were the ONLY people in the theater...

 

It was a cute movie & funny, too!

We also got to see Julie & her sweet family one more time after dinner (at the Yard House), so we could return her gift from Sarah that she left at our villa.   

My family is always good sports about taking photos & I found that the deck of our villa had a good background for it.  If I had been thinking ahead, I would've packed color-coordinating outfits for us.  But it was impromptu, since we had a few extra minutes before leaving for the movie...

 

They will probably end up on a layout soon, but it's never too early to start thinking about Christmas cards, too. Not that I really WANT to think about Christmas cards, Christmas shopping, decorating, etc... but it is right around the corner I guess. 

Today, we're going to do something other than the pool & then we're meeting my friend Sally for dinner!  Can't wait to see her! 

Just add some Sprinkles...

Had a nice & relaxing day yesterday... worked out in the morning & spent a couple hours at the pool.  We made plans to meet up with Sarah & Gloria again to return their gift from Julie that they had left at our villa.  We met at Sprinkles!  I've heard so much about their cupcakes, primarily from Sarah, & all I can say is sooo CUTE & sooo YUMMY!   

Although after reading the descriptions of all the cupcakes I thought, "I'll have one of each please!" we showed some restraint & left with only 4... pumpkin, mocha, red velvet & banana.  Sarah & Gloria were better & only left with 1 each.  (Although... they have Sprinkles at home & we do not!) 

We tried 2 of them after dinner last night (at Buca di Beppo) split them down the middle so Bob & I could each try both... the pumpkin & the banana.  YUMMO!  Bryn enjoyed an ice cream sundae... vanilla soy ice cream, fresh strawberries & banana slices + some cinnamon cookie crumbles on top.  We were all happy. 

And tonight... we try the remaining two... :-)

Meeting online friends...

... is really FUN!  We planned to get together with Julie months ago during our stay here, but I was also able to talk Sarah into flying here to meet with us, too!  We invited everyone over to our villa for the evening.  Bob BBQ'd chicken, burgers & hot dogs and I had some shrimp cocktail & other appetizers to start.  Plus I did a very small amount of Halloween treats... not easy to do when you're traveling.  Bob laughed when he saw my little ghost yard with alphabet cookies.  I said, "Hey, we have a 3-yr old coming over.  She'll like it!"

 

It was fun to get together with everyone & their families...

There were quite a few photos taken last night between the 3 of us...

Thanks for all the SWEET gifts, too, girls!  Bryn has already named her Build-a-Bear bear from Sarah & Gloria, "Buddy," and she got up this moring & started painting again on her new tea set from Julie & her family.  Plus... I received a big package of scrapping goodies from Sarah & Gloria & some pretty candles & a cool difuser from Julie's family!  Sooo sweet!

We've already worked out this morning & now we're off to the pool.  Life is rough...

So glad to see the sun...

We've arrived!  I'm not sure why, but it always takes FOREVER to get your luggage from the baggage claim at this airport.  A mere 35 minutes this time.  Always fun when you're REALLY hungry.  Bryn was dressed for the occasion though, wearing her pumpkin t-shirt that I made with a blingy iron-on & her Halloween knee socks from Aunt Marci... 

 

She was a little disappointed after getting into costume after dinner last night & heading outside for the "haunted pool."   We found out the haunted pool was actually the night prior & not last night as they had told us when we called from home a few days ago.  They did, however, have s'mores at a campfire & the "Casper the Friendly Ghost" movie showing outside over at the resort, so she got to enjoy the night after all.  And there were other kids in costume, too, so she wasn't the only one missing out on trick-or-treating this year...

 

After lunch yesterday, I visited Anthropologie with the intent of finding a few party favors for our guests today.  I did find something, but also left with a really CUTE tulip dress that was marked $39.95, originally $128.  It's looks better on, than on the hanger... one those things I'm glad I tried on & not just passed by...

 

I like the the cotton tank paired with the black, silk bottom, & the high-waisted sash.  I also left with a long necklace, too...

I think I visit that store every time we come here, as it's only 2 minutes away.  

After running this morning, I saw this Shopbop email & thought, "Ok, I have almost this exact same outfit... black faux fur vest, black slouchy suede boots & a very similar dress."  Now... where do I wear it?  I think a "date night" is in order... 

Off to the pool for awhile & then it's time to get ready for the party! 

Happy Halloween...

After getting made-up for her costume party last night Bryn said, "I don't even recognize myself."

Hope your Halloween is full of lots of sweet treats!  Ours will be full of some fun in the SUN + a "haunted pool" tonight! 

I ♥ to travel...

 

A new challenge is up at These Are A Few of My Favorite Things!  This time we want to know... where was your favorite trip/vacation?   I've been to so many beautiful places & had so many good trips & memories, but one stands out as my best.  It was our 10-day trip to Spain (Madrid & Marbella) & Portugal (Lisbon).  It was my first trip ever with Bob (about 11 years ago) & we had a blast!  Some day, we'll have to return.  I used a combination of products on the page + a map that I found with all the old photos. 

Check out the blog for more inspiring ideas.  There are 3 prizes up for grabs this time, so we'll be picking 3 winners!!!

We are busy packing & getting ready for another trip... one that, according to the 10-day forecast, will involve a lot of SUN.  It will be shocking to actually see some sun, as it's raining yet AGAIN today!  

Right before we left to get Bryn's hair cut yesterday, we noticed a package on the front porch for Bryn.  It was a HUGE package of scrapbooking supplies from my blog friend Nicole...

Thank you SO MUCH, Nicole!  You are just so kind & generous.  You certainly put a huge smile on Bryn's face yesterday! 

And she decided to go shorter...

 

I think she looks cute!  

One more thing... TODAY ONLY... use this coupon for 50% off EVERYTHING AT PAYLESS.  Bryn needs new ballet shoes & maybe tennis shoes, too.  So we're there!   

Sometimes over the top... I guess...

Yesterday, with a 50% off coupon in hand, I purchased this Martha Stewart border punch set at Michaels.  I was surprised that I was able to use it, as I thought all the Martha Stewart stuff was already on sale 25% off, meaning I couldn't use the coupon.  However, it's a new item in her Christmas line, so either it wasn't entered in their system correctly or the sale didn't apply to the new stuff.  Either way though, I came out with a GREAT deal!  

 
As you can probably imagine, I've already been at work using it.  So... much to your dismay, you'll be seeing a lot of that soon!  LOL!   

Bryn has no school today or tomorrow.  I love when she's home.  She does, too.  We are going to get her hair cut (in the pouring down rain... so what else is new?) & then she has dance class tonight.  I have a headache right now.  I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that Bob & I thought it would be a good idea to drink wine, eat popcorn & watch some Dr. Oz on the DVR last night.  But... my day goes on as planned!  

The always creative Jing-Jing passed on an award to me... thank you, my friend!  It's a fun & fast one, since you can only give 1-word answers. 

 

1. Where is your cell phone?  counter
2. Your hair?  highlights

3. Your mother?  generous
4. Your father?  hilarious

5. Your favorite food?  everything  
6. Your dream last night?  weird
7. Your favorite drink?  water
8. Your dream/goal?  attainable 
9. What room are you in?  craftroom
10. Your hobby?  scrapbooking

11. Your fear?  snakes 
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?  here
13. Where were you last night?  gymnastics
14. Something that you aren't?  lazy
15. Muffins?  no

16. Wish list item?  Invisalign  
17. Where did you grow up?  St.Louis
18. Last thing you did?  lunch
19. What are you wearing?  clothes 
20. Your TV?  DVR   
21. Your Pets?  none

22. Friends?  awesome 

23. Your life?  happy   
24. Your mood?  happy
25. Missing someone?  forever

26. Vehicle? Tahoe
27. Something you're not wearing?  shoes 
28. Your favorite store?  Target   
29. Your favorite color?  pink
30. When was the last time you laughed?  today

31. Last time you cried?  recently 
32. Your best friend?  funny 
33. One place that I go to over and over?  YMCA   
34. Facebook?  hardly

35. Favorite place to eat?  CheesecakeFactory

I need to pass this award on to five people... Sally, Stephanie, Vickie, Beth P. & Erin (who hasn't posted in about 2 months!  LOL!)

It better not be raining in Arizona or I may lose my mind...

Seriously.  We have had so much rain this month, that it's a record amount of rain here for October since they started keeping weather records back in the 1800's.  It's really getting old. 

 

So, I thought making something sweet & girly might help!  I used the new North Pole Nights Christmas line + some Victoria's Street + one of the chipboard houses from the chipboard house mini album all from Nikki Sivils to make a non-Christmas layout...

 

Sweet.  But it's still raining. 

 

I had Bryn's parent/teacher conference this afternoon.  She's doing really well... straight A's, good student, good friend to her classmates... and I know for a fact that she LOVES school.  So, basically I coudn't ask for anything more.  I am very, very proud of her. 

 

We finished homework after school & then my parents came over for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow is Bryn's last day of school for awhile.  Thursday & Friday are no school days due to teacher conferences.  So, I lined her up a haircut & a check-up with her allergist on those days.  Gotta fit those things in when you can!

 

Getting inspired to pack.  And I don't mean an umbrella either... 

A HERO's welcome home...

Well, Vickie, I hope you don't mind... but I stole some photos from your blog yesterday.  Your post was really moving & I've been wanting to do something for you for awhile now, so here it is.  Will send it to you this week... 

   

Vickie's husband, Steve, just returned home a little over a week ago after 6 months at sea with the US Navy.  She is essentially a single mom, raising their daughter, Hailey, while he is away.  They are 2 of the many unsung heroes... he helping to defend our country, she having the strength to share him with us & keep things going at home.  I have no idea what it must feel like to have to say goodbye to your husband for 6 months at a time, but I do know that Vickie seems to do it with grace & manages to be a great mom in the process.  She is an inspiration & I just wanted to say THANK YOU, Vickie... to you & your sweet family.  

Go leave her some love here... 

A HEALTHY "cowgirl"... YEE HAW!

Bryn went back to school yesterday & is feeling MUCH better!   Today she was ready & looking forward to her class party! I find it curious that we can't call this party a HALLOWEEN party, but rather a FALL party.  Yet, they are supposed to wear costumes.  However... the theme for the 3rd graders this year is "children around the world" which is good, because that gives you a LOT of options.  We went with a cowgirl & didn't have to buy a thing for Bryn to wear (always nice!).  Her favorite part of the costume was the "freckles."  She's all about the makeup...

 

She wants to be a vampire for a costume party she's attending next Friday night.  I found a cape & some "teeth" for about $8.  If I can get away with spending less than $10 on 2 costumes this year, I think that might be a record! 

I made some quick gift tags to put on some teacher's treats for the party today...

And the party was FUN & a success!  (And I'm glad it's over.  On with my weekend!) 

We have really good tickets for the Mizzou Homecoming game tomorrow, but when they finally announced the game time as 7pm we were really disappointed.  Not sure yet if we want to be outside that long with Bryn & have her get sick again after we've made it through this flu week so well.  We'll see what happens!

Happy Friday everyone!

Who wants to win some CASH & prizes?

 

My friend Jing-Jing is a desinger for Purple Cows.  They have this insanely cool contest going on for their designers.  The design team member that has the most referrals wins $2000!  If she wins, she's planning to share some cash with someone who has mentioned her name as a referral!   

In order to help her out...   

Step 1: Sign up to follow Purple Cows blog: Purple Cows Blog, or sign up to be a fan Purple Cows Facebook Fan Page. Be sure to say that Jing-Jing sent you!

Step 2: Once you have signed up and used Jing-Jing as a referral, please let her know so she can enter you into her own drawing at the end of the contest. If she wins the $2000, she will paypal her winner $200, so tell your friends, too!  Even if she doesn't win, she will still have a drawing and send out a scrappy RAK!   "It'll be good stuff."

 

And... there's a public contest going on at Purple Cows as well, with more CASH & PRIZES up for grabs, too.  Check out their blog for more details & a photo of the prize. 

 

Let's all help Jing-Jing!  She is a sweetheart, an inspiring designer & she deserves to win this generous prize!

Treat bag tutorial & a sneak...

Bryn is doing much better today.  While technically she has been fever-free for 24 hours now, I opted to keep her at home 1 more day just to make sure she's 100%.  She still has a bit of a cough, so she's probably better off not being back at the germ center school right now.  Thank you SO MUCH for all your well wishes, thoughts & prayers.  Can never have too many of those! 

Friday is Bryn's school Halloween Fall party.  I've been seeing some projects lately using crepe paper & thought I'd attempt something with the kid's treat bags.  While at Michaels the other day, I saw some paper ribbon in the gift wrap area & thought that might be easier (& sturdier) to pleat for my tags.  Here's the finished bags...

 

I started with some cheapie lunch bags.  The paper is thin, so I thought it would be no problem using a scalloped-edge punch on the top... because, you know, I don't do many scallops so I need more of those in my projects.  :-)  The border punch did work & the result is cuter than just a plain bag, BUT the freakin' punch kept getting stuck/jammed because of doing 2 layers at once.  But... I love to aggravate myself, so I kept going, with determination of getting 21 bags completed.  And no, I didn't have the patience to finish the top of all 21 bags in the same sitting.  I don't love to aggravate myself THAT much. 

 

I punched all my tags with the circle scallop punch + black cardstock...

I used a circle trimmer to cut a smaller sized circle in my black + white polka dot paper and adhered that to the black scalloped tag.  Then I attached a sparkly foam pumpkin sticker.  I found the package on clearance at Michaels.  Then I started pleating my paper ribbon...

I made 10 pleats on each strip, turning it into the shape of a circle as I was pleating...

Once I had it in the shape of a circle, I used some tape to adhere it to the back of my tag.  The tape won't show once it's been glued to the bag, so frankly I don't care what it looks like.  It's secure, so that's what matters!

Yes, you can just buy treat bags.  And yes, it's a lot less aggravation.  But, these are unique & since they're lunch bags, they'll hold a lot of goodies... which I'm HOPING are all at school waiting for me so I can assemble these.  I had fun pleating this paper ribbon, too, so you can bet you'll probably see some more of it on a layout in the future.

I really like the kraft color of the bag combined with the black, white + orange.

And since Bryn is at home & feeling better, I have put her to work.  She's not working too hard though, she's mostly watching Hannah Montana.  I asked her to color some of the spots on the bingo cards for the party that I printed off the internet.  We'll be playing the game at school using Smarties as place markers + they're edible for snacking on during the game.  You can use any kind of candy, but since I'm in charge, I picked something to which she's NOT allergic!  Last year, I used Skittles.  

I have also printed "word finds" from the same site, just incase we need 1 more activity before the party ends.  That site is a great resource for kid's party activities.

Here's a sneak peek at the Hip 2B Square main kit for October.  Can I just say YAY, YAY, YAY for all the Nutmeg collection in there?! 

 

The add-on kit will be posted later today.  I'm really looking forward to working with this kit! 

Boo for the FLU & a BOOTIFUL new challenge...

Well, I have some good news & bad news.  Along with all of Bryn's other typical flu-like symptoms, one of the things she's been complaining about is her throat.  So, yesterday they tested her for Strep.  It came back negative.  The bad news is, apparently that means she has the Swine Flu.  The good news, hopefully is, they've been seeing it last for usually 3 days.  Since the onset of her symptoms began on Saturday evening, I'm hoping that means today is the last day of this.  She has been one sick girl.... SO MANY, "Mommy, I don't feel good" cries with lots of wimpering & whining.  If only I could wave a magic wand & take it all away.  I know all moms wish they had one of those!  Anyway, her doctor said he's not concerned about the actual Swine Flu itself, it's the possible complications from it that are of concern (dehydration & pneumonia).  We are doing well on those accounts, so we'll keep on keeping on & just say our prayers.  There's nothing she can do for this, other than Tylenol/Motrin, rest + lots of liquids. 

Now... onto scrappy things...

Nikki Sivils has a new monthly challenge to start scrapping more about ourselves.  Her prompt this time was to scrap something you probably don't know about me.  It took me awhile to come up with something you may not already know, but to still make it work with the product.  I went with a 6x12 layout (a new format for me).  I do know this is a VERY selfish thought to have, but I can't help it...

I used a pattern from an old Scrapbooks Etc magazine to make my airplane.  Other than the BLAH, BLAH, BLAH (which was part of an envelope from Sarah) everything is Nikki Sivils.

Nikki did mention to me that her parents never flew together until their youngest child was out of college.  So... I guess I'm not the only one who worries about this. 

Check out the Nikki Sivils blog for the other takes on the challenge & to see who was just added to our design team!  Welcome again, Molly! 

And, speaking of Nikki Sivils... here's a few Halloween cards made with the Bootiful line...

  

  

... a quick gift card...

 

... a simple recipe card on a bag containing the best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies EVER... so moist & delicious (no eggs, dairy or nuts means Bryn can eat them, too!)...

... and another layout...

 

And strangely enough, it ended up on the SIS Catwalk today.  Thank you, Andrea Wiebe!

 

This examiner.com article on Nikki Sivils and her BOOTIFUL line is WAY COOL!  It was pretty exciting to see my work in their article!  I've only told her about 500 times, but I really do LOVE designing with her products.  I just received her Christmas line, too, and I think it just may be the cutest line YET! 

Boo for the flu...

Well, I spoke too soon on the fever situation yesterday.  After her fever going up & down all day, I called the doctor's exchange last night.  I had a very thorough conversation with the nurse from the children's hospital (they handle our doctor's exchange calls), and then she called our pediatrician on call.  He asked to see Bryn today.  Based on her history of cough variant asthma, they thought she may be considered "high risk" and a candidate for Tamiflu.   

So, after a very nonrestful night of "sleep," I called the doctor's office first thing this morning.  They'll see her at 4:50 today... the only appointment available.  I'm sure they are busy with a LOT of flu cases right now. 

I wish some day they would come out with a flu vaccine for people who have egg allergies, like Bryn.  Bob & I already received our flu shots 2 weeks ago.  So, assuming it's for the same strain, we should hopefully be in the clear.

Here's a layout I made using some photos from Memorial Day weekend.  Either I could never get inspired to scrap them or I just plain forgot, but either way... I had to use some more Cosmo Cricket for it... 

I also added some Basic Grey felties that I purchased MONTHS ago, some AC trees and some left-over rub-ons from my Hip 2B Square San Diego mini from September.  I also used a very ancient pair of decorative edge scissors for the top edge of my patterned paper.  It's a little crooked.  I quickly remembered why no one uses them anymore.  How does anyone get a straight line with those things?  I say.... you cover up mistakes with another piece from the Cosmo Cricket letters pack.  

I'm thinking a nap is in order today.  Bryn needs one, too... 

More ruffles...

Yay!  I finally got to wear my purple ruffled platforms last night...

   

& paired it with my new boyfriend blazer, some black skinny pants, a couple layered tanks & some silver jewelry.  (Photo editing with Picnik)

 

It was sooooo chilly last night.  We went to PF Changs for dinner, still unclear where the rest of the evening would take us.  Our thoughts were to hit a place in the Valley that has live music on the weekends after dinner.  Bryn spent the afternoon with my parents & her cousin, Sydney, at the circus and then she was spending the night at their house.   

However, once we sat down had some wine & then placed our dinner order... my cell phone rang.  It was Bryn & she was crying, "Mommy, I don't feel good."  She said she had a headache, felt like she had a fever & that her belly kinda hurt.  I asked her if she wanted us to come get her.  She did.  So, I told her to have Gamma give her some Motrin & some Sprite or some juice & to just rest until we got there.  I told her that we just ordered our food, so we'd have to wait until we ate dinner before we could leave, but that we'd be there in about an hour & a half.  She was good with that.  So, our night ended early, but we were both glad to see Bryn.  We both said we missed her already before we had even left for the restaurant.  I was thrilled that she slept through the night, but she did wake up with a bit of a sore throat this morning.  No fever though, so that's GREAT.  I'm hoping this is short-lived!

And speaking of my "ruffled" platforms, my "ruffles layout" is on the "Top 10 By Votes" on 2 Peas.  And THIS TIME, it has nothing to do with my fellow Nikki Sivils team voting for me.  I actually made it there all on my own!  :-)

Bryn helped me make a turkey stew in the slow cooker first thing this morning, so we'll have that for dinner tonight with some fresh green beans that I'm going to steam.  It smells like Thanksgiving in our house today.  Yummy.  And Bob & I both ran this morning... he outside, me on the treadmill.

I need to finish up the treat bags for Bryn's class party on Friday.  I'm in charge on this one, but I ended up with a lot of help this year.  So yay for that!  And I'm finishing up treat bags for kids in the family today, too.  I'm also going to make a couple treat bags for some kids I get to see on November 1st.  Hmm... I think I need some chocolate treats, too....