Where have I been?

OK...I know that I am the worlds worst blogger! I always forget that I need to do this on a regular basis and now...I have been tagged! What in the world does that mean? LOL! Oh well, I will get back to that!

Where have I been? It has been so crazy around here that I am not sure if I am coming or going! BUT....for the past 4 ....YES 4...weeks, I have been in the most intense scrappers challenge that I think I have ever had the PLEASURE to scrap in! That's right! I LOVE IT!

Now, you all know that I am a 3Scrapateers girl...HEART and SOUL... but I just had to enter this contest at Divine Digital. The Last Scrapper Standing Challenge. Man...I am so glad that it is over with and I can get on with LIFE!!!

Here is the amazing part......I made it to round 4!!! You may not think that is the most wonderful thing in the world but in a competition of only 5 rounds....it's pretty amazing to me! More especially because I do not consider myself the best scrapper in the world and ...well...now I know that I am NOT the "Last Scrapper Standing"!! LOL! Those girls that I competed against were some pretty terrific scrappers!

Anyway, I posted all 4 of my layouts over in my gallery at 3Scrapateers tonight and I wanted to share them with you! So here they are!

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3
Week 4

Some folks do not like competitions and that alright too. I must be one crazy gal 'cause I don't enter them to win! I enter them to scrap! To see if I have what it takes AND to make friends.
Good friends are in rare form these days so when I see an opportunity to possibly make a few good friends, I jump on it! Did I make any friends during this competition? I made several, but one VERY good friend. Charlene. She and I became friends the very first week and we have been e-mailing each other since. She is a wonderful person with the best personality and she is an AWESOME .....DIGITAL ARTIST! I am so glad that I met her and I have to thank her so very much for all of the support that she has given me over the past few weeks. I hope that we will remain friends for a long time to come! As a matter of fact, Charlene is so special that she deserves a post all her own!

Later my friends!

February 1st Blog Prompt!

I have lots of photos that I use over and over! It just seems that these are some of the best photos and they go with EVERYTHING! My favorite people to scrap are my Grandson, My Grand-Daughter and my Husband. I did scrap quite a few pics of my Cat, Spider this past year and my mother.

I want to be able, in 2008, to scrap more of these same favorites but I would like to do it with different photos....Guess I had better start taking pictures! I also would like to scrap some more pages of my Dad. He was a very special person in my life and still influences allot of the things that I do. This year, I also want to start a "Book of Us" about me and my DH. This year we will celebrate 30 years of marriage and I think there is allot that needs to be said there.

Another project that I have planned, is a heritage album of all of my family and my husbands.
The story is rather long, but even though I was born and raised in a different part of the country, my husband family and my mothers family lived very close together and knew each other as children and teenagers. They even went to the same schools. Lots of history!

So...Lets get scrappin' !!

NEW in the 3S store!

I have three kits in the 3Scrapateers store that are NEW for the month of February!

FAITH

Krazy Love

Winter Romance


All of these kits are on sale right now through the end of February! Stop by and check them out!

Scrapping Goals!!!

Everyone always talks about setting goals and how you should set realistic goals in order to achieve them. Well, my blog prompt for this week is about setting goals. And so...I have set my scrapbooking goal for the year 2008...that is to say, how many pages do I plan to scrap during the year. I have set my goal at 180 pages for the year, which breaks down to about 15 per month. As of right now, I am right on target! One more day left in this month, and I have two mre to go to make my goal! WHOOHOOO!

Uptown Paisley- Scrap-A-Deal for January 30th!

Join me in the Chat room!

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at 10pm EST

for the Scrap-A-Deal

featuring

Uptown Paisley

Scrap A Deal Kit Includes:

6 background papers, 4 buttons, 2 flowers,

2 bows,2 ribbons, 1 binder clip, 1 fancy frame,

1 photo/journaling book, 1 strand of beads and

3 tags

How does the Scrap-A-Deal work?

1. Purchase the featured kit: Uptown Paisley

on sale right now for only $3.00

Here:

http://shop.3scrapateers.com/shopexd.asp?id=5293

2. Come to the chat on Wednesday, January 30th, 2008 at 10pm EST

for coordinating gifts and of course some fun!!!

3. Create your masterpiece and post it to the Scrap-A-Deal section in the gallery

at 3Scrapateers.

by midnight EST on Thursday, January 31st

to receive the 2nd part of the kit for free!

Thoughts for today - January 7, 2008

Have you ever wondered why we need to rest? What if we went on and on without ever sleeping, without ever lying down to rest? Would we eventually just fall over? Would we age dramatically faster from constant stress and worry? Imagine what it would be like if you had to tend your children 24 hours a day, non stop, or work, clean and cook 24 hours a day. WHEW!!! I am not sure that I want to even try!

Now look at the times your children are asleep in bed and you have a little quiet time before you turn in for the night. Have you ever just listened to the night? Crickets chirping, the sound of a slight breeze rustling throught the trees, or even, on a quiet night, no sound at all? Do your worries of the day seem to fade during this time? They often do for me.

Everyday that the sun goes down, it goes down on the problems and the mistakes that we may have made that day. Something WONDERFUL happens while we sleep----God gives us rest. We are revitalized to face a brand new day, physically, mentally and emotionally. Sure, we may wake with the same problems that the sun left behind the day before, but today, after rest and sleep, we can face them again and think, "I can face this again today and solve this problem".

God promises to renew our strength when we rest in Him. Some do not realize how important the morning is. "This is the day the Lord made; I will rejoice and be glad in it." As soon as you awake, look in the mirror and tell yourself, "Today is going to be a good day because Jesus loves me."

Have a WONDERFUL day!

Jan/Feb Ezine!

The new January/February EZINE will be coming out soon and I have a freebie for you there.

If you haven't seen my kit "Travel Mania" you need to hop on over to the store at 3Scrapateers and pick it up because the freebie in the EZINE goes with it! here is TRAVEL MANIA

And here is the Freebie that you will get in the EZINE:

So make sure you pick up a copy of the Jan/Feb EZINE available only at 3Scrapateers!

Blakelee

Blakelee is my newest kit and it will be released in the sote at 3Scrapateers on January 1st as the new Half N Half Scrapkit. So, as you know, you can get Half of the kit in the store for $2.00. When you upload a layout, card or whatever to the gallery before midnight on the 11th of January, you will get the rest of the kit as the Posting Bonus! And, of course, the only place you will see a preview of the kit before it is released is right here!

Blakelee was originally made for a friend at work. Her little girl is not so girly so Blakelee is a little bit girly and a little bit grunge. I hope that you will like Blakelee and find many used for her! Come to the chat on January 1st where you will see Kimberly Stewarts new kit and be introduced to Blakelee. Then come back to my chat on January 10th and pick up the matching freebie! See you there!

We are getting Closer!

OK...I don't know about all of you, but we are on the final countdown to SANTA CLAUS! I think the kids get more and more, shall we say...BOUNCY, as the big night gets closer! No matter how many time we tell them that they need to be good...the worse they get! Whats a grandmother to do?!!

I finished all of my shopping on Friday. I was going on Thursday but it was storming here and I din't feel like getting out in the wind and rain. Going to get my hair cut was enough for me! So..Alana and I went on Friday and I almost had to bring her back home...she was terrible! I didn't know a 7 year old could whine so much! Anyway, that's over with, the gifts are wrapped and now we just wait!

A not so Average Dog...

Ok...so I am not an everyday blogger! There are times that I have nothing to say and I am sure that there are some of you out there that are the same way. But today, I was sitting in the lunch room and for some unknown reason, Scotty popped into my head. I think of Scotty from time to time around the holidays but usually I am at home and one of the kids will have said something that sparks my memories of him.



Scotty was a Sheepdog and he was owned by the man who owned the local drycleaners about two block from where I lived. I passed by there everyday on my trek to and from school and never paid much attention to the "doggy in the window". This particular day was the same as any other day, there was snow piled up everywhere and it was COLD. I was walking home from school and was about to pass by the drycleaners when I saw something red bobbing in the window and heard the bark of a dog. Looking at the window, I remember letting out a laugh. There he was, sitting in the window with a big, red Santa hat tied to his head! Oh what a wonderful sight to see. Well, I walked up to the window and as I did he let out another loud bark, his tail began to wag back and forth and his face seemed to light up ... almost like the Christmas tree that was lit in the background behind him. "Where did this beautiful dog come from and is he really smiling at me?" I stood there for a moment and spoke a few words to him through the window and then decided that I should be on my way. As I turned to leave, he let out another loud bark and I saw the man that owned the drycleaners come into the room behind him. He began to laugh and motioned for me to come into the shop. When I stepped in the door, Scotty made a dash for me with a bound. "He won't bite! He won't bite!" the owner said, still laughing.
Scotty jumped up and put his front paws on my chest and started lapping at my face. I threw my arms around him and laughed in spite of the butterflys I felt. Mr. Trabeck introduced himself and Scotty to me and explained that he had never seen Scotty take to anyone just like that before. He invited me to stop by the shop anytime I wanted to visit with Scotty and share a coke with him.

After that day, I stopped in to see Scotty everyday on my way home from school. During the days while on Christmas vacation, I would even make the two block trek to see him in the afternoons. He always greeted me with that same sweet smile and a wagging tail.

I don't know what ever happened to Scotty. We moved during the next year and I lost contact with him and Mr. Trabeck. But I do know that he lives on. He lives on in the heart of a little girl that is not quite so little anymore.

Merry Christmas, Scotty!

Name my new Kit!

Wow! What a month this has been! I am still full of Turkey and just can not get motivated! I did, however, get motivated enough to make this wonderful little kit but I don't have a name for it yet!
THIS IS WHERE YOU ALL COME IN!NAME MY KIT AND YOU GET IT FREE!!!That's right! Come up with a winning name for this kit and I will give it to you just for naming it! Before it goes in the store!Post your name selections here in this thread. I will write them all down and choose some of the names that I like the best. I will then take those names and choose one to be the name of the kit. Whoever suggested the winning name...gets the kit! As with all things, there must be a deadline! So Your Deadline for posting a name is DECEMBER 1ST!!!

Post your entries here at 3scrapateers:

http://www.3scrapateers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=12743

I'm Ready to Cruise!

Well, guys and gals! It's that time! I have waited for almost 9 months for this coming week and now I am packed and I am ready to go CRUISING!!!!! Off to TAMPA in the morning and then we are boarding the ship on Sunday! I am SO EXCITED that I can hardly contain myself! LOL!

So....While I am away, I thought that I would give you all something for just stopping by to view my Blog! Kind of a REVERSE Bon Voyage gift, if you will! ENJOY and if you are in the mood...leave me a comment with a link to your layout so that I can leave you a comment when I get back! I LOVE seeing all of the wonderful creations you all make! Not just with my stuff, but with anyone's stuff! First there is a small package of papers, brads, ribbons buttons and bows!

http://www.4shared.com/file/26933195/a27f1135/caw_splendid.html

And second, there are some cute little photo cluster templates that you can use with the kit! This download comes with .png and .psd files.

http://www.4shared.com/file/26931491/9d0df4c/caw_photoclusters.html

I hope that you enjoy these little freebies while I am gone! Have a safe and wonderful week!

Freebie Template

Here is a nice little page template for you all to use! Created this one for my Odds and Ends challenge! Have fun with it!


http://download.yousendit.com/09EFBA202650CB4B

How do they do that?

How often do you see a layout and ask yourself, "How in the world do they do that?"? I ask myself that question all of the time while looking through magazines and such! So there are several places that I go when I want to learn how to do something new or just refresh myself if I haven't done it in a while.

The very first place that I go is to Ellie! She has an awesome sight with all kinds of goodies for your learning and viewing pleasure! A great number of her tutorials are complex, but this lady really knows how to explain things and usually has a few links to free filters included in her tuts. She is located here! http://www.ellies-treasures.com/etstart/etstart.html#PS

Another place that I go is to Photoshop Roadmaps located here: http://www.photoshoproadmap.com/Photoshop-tutorials
Awesome tutorials to be found here!

Then there is Planet Photoshop! This place really rocks too! You'll see all kinds of tutorials here. Even tutorials on how to make SCRAPBOOKING PAPERS!
http://www.planetphotoshop.com/category/tutorials/?id=tutorials

Now, if your new to scrapbooking or designing, you will absolutely want to check out the tutorials over at DSP(Digital Scrapbook Place) http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/tutorials.shtml
I try not to plug to many sites other than 3Scrapateers BUT DSP has the most AWESOME tutorials from PSE to DIP and beyond. You can learn how to create your very first page to some of the most advanced elements. They really have an AWESOME list of tutorials going on here. UM...this is where I began my Digital trek.

Well those are my most frequented sites. I had tons more but when I changed PC's I lost some of them and...well. quite frankly, I just haven't taken the time to look them up again!

Well, Have a great week everyone and Happy Scrappin'!!

Crop Em and Swap EM

CESE is coming up on Monday night and we will introduce "Remembrance" as the kit for next week! Purchase the kit in the store between now and Oct 8th, create Plopper/quick pages with it and submit them to Karen, then when it's over...you will get a zip file sent to you with all of the quick pages that were submitted. Yes!!! All of them! How cool is that?

Gearing up for Christmas!

I know it just the beginning of October! But who can resist all of the bright and beautiful things out there in toyland!!! I am gearing up for Christmas, with the help of Teddy, and I have something new in the store over at 3Scrapateers! Christmas Stamps! Here...take a look!

Teddy and I are very busy getting things together. This is just one of the little goodies that we have come up with to tempt you! These are in the store right now for $3.00.

Is it still the middle of the night?

No! It's 6:00 AM and I my Grand-Daughter is just getting up to get ready for school. She walks into the dinning room and looks at me with big brown eyes and says, "Why am I getting up in the middle of the night to go to school, Mawmaw?". Well, it is still dark outside!

We are still on daylight savings time and the time doesn't change until November this year! Since the time changes naturally on its own, it is now still dark outside when she gets up! Why on earth did they change from the other daylight savings time? It's just too confussing for the little ones, not to mention me!

Got my cup of Java Joe and I am getting ready to hit the road! Off to work I go! Have a GREAT day!

Santa's Little Helper!

My little friend "TEDDY" is getting ready for Christmas and he has this really big bag that he has been carrying around. I'm not sure, but I think he has something up his sleeve for the upcoming holiday season so ya'll better be on the lookout for him!

Watch for him here and at 3SCRAPATEERS starting in November! He might have something in that bag for you!

Annabelle

Here it is! Those of you that view my blog are the first to see it! My newest kit that goes in the store on Wednesday, Sept 26th! It is the NEW Scrap A Deal kit and will be on sale in the store until Oct 3rd for $2.00. Of course, you do not get all of this right away! When you purchase the kit you will get most of what is seen here, including the Alpha...then when you post your layout to the SAD GALLERY at 3S, you will get the rest as a Posting Bonus!

So see you at the chat on Wednesday, Sept 26th at 10:00PM EST. for the introduction then come back to chat with me on Oct 3rd and you will get the coordinating freebie!

LAYOUT OF THE DAY...AGAIN!!!

I made layout of the day again at Moo Two Designs! What a shock on this one! I promised my good friend, Gloria, that i would create a layout with her new kit "Paper Goods" and when I had th opportunity to get these photos of me and my Grandkids making cookies, it just seemed to go perfectly with the kit! So here it is! There is SO much more to this kit than what I have here and it is just wonderful! MooTwo Designs......Paper Goods......by Gloria Valverde!

What a Winner!

There was one BIG winner at the birthday bash that I do want to mention here (There will be a few more to come)!

The GRAND PRIZE WINNER of the GUESS WHO contest is the one and only........

RICE

Over and above all of the WONDERFUL FREE kits that RRICE won.....She also won

ALL of MY new kits FREE for a year AND

ALL of KIMBERLT STEWARTS new kits FREE for a year!

That was worth sending in a guess for! What did she do to win this prize? Well, we had 25 photos of our FANTASTIC team posted in the forum...all of the photos of us at age 5 and under.

I posted one clue for each person and SHE GUESSED ALL 25 PHOTOS CORRECTLY!!!!!

SMART GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAY RICE! CONGRATULATIONS!

I will post some more winners as they are announced!

SEE, don't you wish you would have come by and joined in?

Half and Half for Sept. 20 - 26

I am up again for the Half and Half!!!! And I have made the most lucious Vintage kit for all of you! It's called "REMEMBRANCE" and it comes with a complete upper case, seed bead ALPHA! Now, that may not be very exciting to most folks, but I rarely make alpha's, so it a great thing for me. OH..I must mention here that it would not have been possible at this stage of my game plan except for this little thing my Stacey Carlson called an ACTION! HA! Thanks Stacey for the inspiration and the Action!

So....what is a Half and Half? Half of the kit goes on sale in the 3S store on Sept 20th for $2.00. You can purchase the half kit for that price until midnight on the Sept 26th. Create a layout with that half and post it to the 3S gallery. Once you do, you will get the REST OF THE KIT as the posting bonus! In this case, you are looking at a $6.00 plus kit for just 2 bucks!

Here is the preview of the Half Kit that you will be able to purchase in the store on starting at 10.00 PM EST on Sept 20th. :

Now, this really doesn't look like allot of stuff and I guess it really isn't, but this is what you purchase for $2.00! Now, after you create your layout and post it to the gallery, you will get the rest of the kit as the FREE Posting Bonus. Once you have the rest of the kit.....THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL HAVE:

I THINK THAT'S AND AWESOME DEAL! AND THIS PREVIEW DOESN'T INCLUDE THE ALPHA!

What a wonderful week!

OK...I have been gone for a week....I took a few days off of the BLOG in order to get some things done during birthday week at 3Scrapateers. OMG!!! What a week we had!!!! We all worked so hard, for over a month before the BIG DAY arrived and it was a complete SUCCESS! We were some FREEBIE GIVING fools...Not sure if anyone realizes the full extent of that comment...but the record keeping is in and we gave away almost, as close as we could get to, $5000.00 worth of coupons, gifts and freebies! WAAAA HOOOOO!!!!! And all of that was to our MEMBERS...we didn't get nothin! I am SOOOO excited about that! WOW! but, alas, all good things come to an end and now it is back to the regularly scheduled program!

Happy Birthday 3Scrapateers Members! You deserved it! I am SO looking forward to the next one!

COME JOIN IN THE CELEBRATION!!!!!

Come join us for CHATS, CHALLENGES, FREEBIES and SOME GOOD OLD FASHIONED FUN! We are celebrating turning 3 and we are doing it in a BIG way! It all starts September 10th! Check the calendar and the forum...I've said it before and I'll say it again...

YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

September!!!!!

I can't believe that it is September already! Another Labor Day has come and gone! We grilled chicken out on the deck and I had to make two potato salads! One for the family and one for Alana, without the onions. It turned out to be a very good day, sunny most of the time with afternoon thunder...it never rained though.



The kids went to their moms before I got home from work on Friday, so I didn't get to see them until Monday. With them being gone, it was rather quiet here at home. I managed to get allot done...DH did allot of cleaning and I got some things done on the computer..inbetween washings of clothes!



Lots of things happening in September! 3Scrapateers will be turning 3 on Sept 16th....so.....stay tuned for all of the fun that will be coming up with that! It all starts on the 10th! I have been working on MY stuff for over a month and everyone else has been extremely busy as well.



Oh...and the big news of today is.......ALANA HAS BEEN PLANTING APPLE SEEDS since she got home from school! Geez....I hope something sprouts!!!





Don't forget that Wednesday night...Sept 5th, is Scrap A Deal at 10 PM EST. I am up this week with "Grandmas Garden Gems"!!! There is a FREEBIE just for attending the chat and it coorinates with the kit! Here's the preview. You can get in my store at 3Scrapateers until Wednesday at midnight for $2.00! BUT WAIT...it's only part of the kit! Create a layout and post it to the SAD gallery by midnight on Thursday and you will get the rest of the kit as your posting bonus...FREE.





This is a really FUN kit too! Not only did I make the flowers for you to use, but I also included all of the bits and pieces so that you can create your own flowers, pieces of flowers...etc. So....Hop on by and pick it up for the special price and I will see you all tomorrow night!

I get too Many!!!!

I am being prompted to catch on up on my blog posts! HA! This one is for you Tammy! I currently get about 6 different magazines. Two of them are non scrapping related and the other 4 are for scrapping and card making. I FAITHFULLY wear out my Memory Makers and my Simple Scrapbooking magazines. The two card making magazines that I get, I flip through but I do not READ them. Every once in a while, I will actually see something that picks my interest and I will actually read it! Southern Living usually stays in the plastic cover....unless there is something on the cover that interest me. Adventurer is actually my husbands, but I do look at it from time to time. Oh- and then there is TURTLE that comes for my grandson and that one ROCKS!!!! We read something in it every night! I keep telling myself that it is more for his benefit than mine but who am I trying to convince? HA!

And WHO can live without the WEEKLY READER???? This one has been around since I was in school and it is another one that ROCKS! We just started seeing this one again since Alana started school.

A lighter note...

Just got back from a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the old homestead. DH and I went to Biloxi and spent the night at the Treasure Bay Resort and Casino. We were celebrating our 29th Wedding Anniversary! Yep...29 years of wedded bliss! Would i do it over again? YES
With the same man? YES Would I change anything? @$%# YES...lots! HA! But I am sure that he would too!

Anyway, we had a great time. We played in the casino a little bit...didn't win anything, to speak of but it was fun and something that we haven't done in almost a year. The last time we went to this hotel and Casino was on our anniversary in 2005. That was the weekend before Hurricane Katrina hit on Monday. The casino was completely destroyed by the tidal surge of the hurricane and the hotel was not much better. But they rebuilt and I have to say that I REALLY like the new look. It use to be a Pirate Ship that set in the water on the opposite side of the highway from the hotel. Now the casino is in the hotel and it is done in Tuscany. It is really beautiful!

I have photos of the casino before the storm and some photos that I took this morning of the area that I intend to post in a layout soon. I have to get my scrapbooking mind back before I can do that though! I thought of Amanda while I was there! I was standing on the balcony outside of our room remembering the Pirate Ship photos that I have and thought about Amanda and how she would have loved that casino...so...I have to do a layout for her!

Anyway, we had a great little get away and we are home now, mkaing hamburgers and listening to the rain outside. DS took the kids to a birthday party so it is quiet bit I know that won't last long!

Off to wash clothes and get ready for another work week, school week, and fight about doing homework week!

Heavy Stuff!

Ok...Going back to my last post about the baby chicks.....i was at work on Friday when I received a phone call from my DH. One of the baby chicks had died and the other didn't look like it was going to make it either. By the time I got home Friday evening, the other one had died. When I pulled up in the driveway, I could see my son out back with the shovel and both of my Grand Children were standing closeby with their heads bowed in great sadness. They were both crushed! I HATE it when things like this happen but this is, after all, how likes lessons are learned. I just know there is a lesson in there some where for both of them.

Needless to say, it was a very sad day.

Baby Chickens

For the past several days,my Grandchildren have been watching my neighbors hen walking around the property with three of the cutest little chickens! Everytime I turn around, they are talking about catching them and keeping them in the house! Wee, of course, I am telling them that the mama will chase them and she will be lonely if they take her babies away from her.

Today, when I got home from work, guess what is in my dining room in the cat carrier box? TWO BABY CHICKENS!!! Those two little bugger went outside and chased that chicken down to catch her babies!!!! Now, I am trying to talk them into letting them go back to their mama!

What am I going to do? Their Daddy thinks its just grand that they have two baby chicks in the cat carrier!!!!

Lazy Weekend! (for a change)

I have been having the most GLORIOUS LAZY weekend! Right now, it is Saturday afternoon about 5:30 pm. The only sound that I can hear is the TV in the livingroom. I have the weather channel on trying to keep an eye on the storm, DH is gone to play golf with his brother and I have the whole house to MYSELF!!!! Grand children are gone to spend the weekend with their mama and my son is off in his bachelor glory - God knows where!

SO... I have been sitting here putting a few scrap kits together and trying to learn how to do something new! I receive an e-mail three times a week from Ellie at Ellie's Treasures. She shares photoshop tutorials and tubes, also allot of download information from other folks around the web. Well, I went to her site and found a really Kewl frame that she had made so I made one!

I think I did a pretty good job with it! I also got some FANTASTIC FREE plugin filters in the process!!!! I created a layout with this and I have posted it to my gallery at 3scrapateers and MooTwo.

I am off to fix a bite to eat (since I haven't eaten all day) and create a few more things for one of my new kits!

Have a great weekend everyone!

It's Elvis Week!!!!

OK...I have a challenge up at 3Scrapateers this week in honor of my FAVORITE of all time....ELVIS! It is Elvis week this week, all accross the nation, but if you head on over to 3Scrapateers and get in on my Odds and Ends Challenge, you will get a Fabulous Freebie just for posting a layout. And I don't mean just any layout! It's got to have something to do with Elvis! Use a Movie Title, or a Song Title, use of photo of the King, or pics of Graceland, the front of an old album or scans/pics of any Elvis stuff that you collect! Whatever...as long as it's Elvis!

Post your layout to the "Odds and Ends Challenge with Carla" Gallery by Midnight, August 19th.

Decissions...two...

Ok...I am still haveing a hard time of it here. Maybe I will have a better chance to think things through while DH is gone for a few days! In the mean time, I have been designing a few things, but nothing that goes together!

I need to have a kit ready by the end of the month, and I am about halfway there. Another one for my Grandson. I am just having a hard time focussing on it with all of the noise around here.
But I did get a few things done and I am happy with them.

I have been thinking about starting on some things for Christmas. I know its early, but the way things are going, it will take that long to get them done!

I actually did send Gloria a RAK this week! Can't say much about that though. I love giving people things and RAK's are GREAT! I just hate being limited to what I can do for other folks! ARGGH!!! Delimia!!! indecission!!!!

Oh well, it will all come together, maybe.....I hope!

California, here he comes!

ARGGG! My Husband found out yesterday that he has to go to California tomorrow! LOS ANGELES here he comes! He leaves at 6:00 am from the airport! He has been to California once before, a very long time ago. He went to San Diago for about two weeks. This time, he is armed with the camera and has been given instructions!! LOL!

The last time he went out of town was in April. He went to Portland, Maine for a week. Got stuck in a snow storm, missed two flights, had to spend the night in Atlanta and got home a day late!

Well, at least he will be back by the end of the week. Even with the kids here, it gets lonely without him!

Decissions

Today has not been a good day at all. I have had a few things come up and I need to make some big decissions. I am torn between something that has been a major part of my life for over two years and something that I have only just met. Not a person...more like a place. That probobly sounds stupid, but I am having some issues with it. The last time I had a change like this, it was not a hard decission to make and it was for the better. This time it is a really hard decission and I am not sure, at this point, if it is a betterment or not.

My life has gone crazy over the past few month, since the kids moved in and I just don't have the time or the brain power that I had several months ago. With school having just started, I know that it is going to get worse. I need to help "Lady Bug" with her homework and other projects and that takes time away from my designing. When I do sit down to design, I have the kids in the room with me. I can not find my quiet space anywhere...I can't think! It is really having an effect on me and my designs. I don't like the way it is. I am not designing because I want to, I am designing because I have an obligation to....and I don't like that.

I don't know what I am going to do but I can't continue the pace that I have been going. If I were at home all day, things would be so much different. But I am not, I work 12 hours a day outside of the home and do all of my designing at night and on the weekends!

STOP THE MADNESS!!!!!!! I need a break!

How I relax???

Most of the time, when I have had a totally rotten day, I grab a cup of coffee and step out on the deck under the old oak tree and just listen to the birds chirping or watch the hummingbirds fly around the feeders. Nature has always had a way of calming my nerves and giving me that restoration that I need so desperately!

On the days that my Grand Children are not around, I will take a walk along the back fence row and talk to my neighbors horses that reside in the field behind the house or I will get on my bicycle and take a spin. I have a stationary bike, so I can go just where ever my heart desires! Right now, that seems like a fantastic idea! Catch you all later...I am of to the lush, green countryside of France...maybe do a little wine tasting!

Journaling 101 at 3Scrapateers.com

My journaling class is in the store and it's on sale for a limited time for just $15.00! If you are afraid of journaling or just have a hard time expressing how you feel on paper, then this is the class for you. We cover several different journaling styles, as well as, fonts and font families and how to use tem! This class has 4 lessons and will start September 1st. It is self paced so that you can take your time! You will also be able to get help with your lessons from me in the special class forum and in the chat room and be able to talk to your other class mates, as well!

For everyone that signs up for the September session, I have a special Journaling Scrapkit ready for you to put to use. But the only way to get it is to sign up for the class!

Sign up today! http://shop.3scrapateers.com/shopexd.asp?id=3140

By The Sea!!!

Here is a layout the didn't really need any journaling! Made with my "By the Sea" scrapkit available at 3Scrapateers! I LOVE journaling! It just adds so much more to the MEANING of the layout when I can journal about the photo or what is going on in the photo! Sometime it's what I feel when I look at the photo and that is very hard to put into words, even for the most accomplished journalist!

Journaling should be personal and meaningful to you and the people in your life that you are leaving your legacy of layouts too! Next time you start a layout, don't forget to leave some words of expression and love on it before you are finished! It will mean SO MUCH to someone else later in time! Leave a legacy of photos, but leave a little bit of yourself too!

Half N Half for July 31st at 3Scrapateers!

Here is the newest kit! It is this weeks Half N Half kit at 3Scrapateers. What is a Half N Half? Purchase the Half of the kit that is in the store for $2.00, create a layout with it and post it to the Half N Half gallery by Midnight August 1st and then you will receive the 2nd Half of the kit free as a posting bonus! Also, come join me at the chat, Tuesday, July 31st at 9:00 PM CST in the 3Scrapateers chat room, and you will receive an add-on freebie to the kit just for coming!

Hope to see you there!

Allowance???

Do your kids drive you crazy about getting an allowance every week? My son always did and he didn't want to do anything to get it! LOL! When I was a kid, I got 50 cents a week! Now, kids want dollars...lots of them!

My mom got allot for 50 cents when I was growing up. I had to clean my room...every day and help with the laundry and the dishes. I grew up in a rather large town in Eastern Pennsylvania, so when it snowed, I had to help sweep the snow off of the porch and the steps too! Not to mention taking the dog for his daily walk!

My Grand-daughter is so different from my son. She actually wants to help do things around the house. She loves standing on a stool to wash dishes...and I have a dishwasher! She also likes to help fold clothes. She is not real good at it, but I let her go ahead and fold them the best she can and I put them away just the same. Bless her little heart, she just wants to help!

Until recently, she never asked for anything in return, just a hug or a cuddle and a smooch on the cheek. Now, she asks me if I will give her some money if she washes the dishes or folds the basket of clothes! Can't imadgine where that came from...I think she has been talking to her Dad!

So what do you give a child to do all of these things? How much is too much or too little? I want to be able to teach her the value of the money she wants and how to spend it wisely but I want to do it without going broke in the process! I suppose I will figure it all out eventually, but then, I said that 20 years ago when my son was her age!

Changes??

Ok...Todays Blog prompt is to tell what I would change about myself, IF I could! This question was posed to me by my Grand Daughter. If I could change one thing about myself, I would be TALLER, hands down! Now, that may seem strange to most people and it sure was to her because it was followed with a million questions, like,"you wouldn't change your hair color?"..."No, because I already can!"...etc, etc... Here is the thing, I have always been shorter than everybody else in my family. When my son was 15, he was the same height as me. I have to stand on my tip toes to kiss my husband! I always need a stool or a chair to reach things on the upper shelf of the cabinet. If I ever have an accident in the car, the AIR BAG will kill me!
There is only one adult that I know personally that is shorter than me and that is my husbands aunt...is why I call HER shorty! It wouldn't have to be much taller, just a little bit....3 or 4 inches..then I would be 5'6" !!!

Oh well, this is the one thing that I CAN'T change so I guess I'll just have to stick to wearing heels and climbing up on stools a little while longer!

Have a great night everyone!

STRESS

What stresses me out? Mondays always stress me out at work because I have an overload of paperwork that must be done from Friday and the weekend. There really isn't much i can do about that because, just work at a steady pace and do as much as I can. When I leave work, i have about an hours drive to get home. Sometimes I can relax and calm the day in the drive but that depends on the traffic and how many other people decide they want to act like idots!!!I think you all know what I mean.

Saturday and Sunday were stressfull for me. Saturday, I took my Grand-Daughter to the Dollar store to get her school supplies...well, my grandson had to go along too! He was horrible while we were in the store!!! Thank goodness my husband was with me to help control, but I will think twice before I decide to take them both again at the same time. Then, I took my Grand-daughter shopping for school clothes on Sunday afternoon and being a typical 7 year old, she wanted everything under the sun except school clothes! Which made me angry because she would not listen to a thing I said and what made me even more angry was that the stores did not even have the shirts that I needed in her size! Everything was either too small or too large. When we finally got home, I was whipped! Will have to go back for shirts - ALONE!

Through all of this, I kept thinking to myself, had this been my Mom and Daddy, I would have had a red butt BEFORE I got to the car. Now I know why my mother always made my brother and I sit in the car with Daddy when we went to the grocery store. She was afraid that she would kill us both before she ever left the produce section!!!

Oh well...I grabbed a cup of Java and sat out on the deck for about an hour before my nerves calmed down and my head finally stopped pounding! What a weekend!

Happy Monday, ya'll!!!

By the Sea...

by the sea, by the beautiful sea! Here is a preview of only part of my newest kit! "By The Sea" is the new Scrap-A-Deal for August 1st. It will go on sale Wednesday, July 25th of $2.00.

Once you purchase the kit, create a layout and post it to the SAD gallery. You will then receive the rest of the kit as your Posting Bonus! I LOVE THIS KIT...even if I do have to say so myself!

From the archives...

Now, here is an old photo! This is me when I was about 4 years old! Christmas 1963, I can't remember much about it but this was the year the my Dear Aunty gave me a "Walking Doll".

Yeah, you hold her hand and move her arms and her legs will move...sometimes! But HEY! She was the best thing since sliced bread in those days! Anyway, If you can see it in the photo, I also got a nice little chalk board easel! I loved that thing!

OK..this is "Dolly"! I still have her and she is in the original box that she came in! My Mom wouldn't let me play with her so she sat in a closet somewhere for the longest time. Then, one day, my Mom thought I might actually be old enough to play with her and she let me have her. LOL! Gee, am I glad she kept her put away! Now, she lives with me and I get her out every now and then, like for this photo shoot! I also have about 4 dresses that my Mom made her and they are tucked away in the box with her too! Someday, my Grand-daughter will be able to play with her just like I did!

CHALLENGED!!

Well, Terrell has done it again! She has gone and challenged me to update my blog! So, here I am typing away at 1:15 am Sunday morning!

OK..I go to sign on and I can't remember my PASSWORD! It took me 15 minutes to figure out what my password was and then I had to change it! I really do need to get on here more often!

Anyway, I have a challenge for myself as well as one for Terrell! I started a new challenge at 3Scrapateers ... JUST FOR BLOGGERS! You can view it here: http://www.3scrapateers.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=586

Every day or so, I will post a little prompt for everyone in the hopes that they will update their blogs from the prompt. Now, you don't have to use the prompt, but I will post one just to give you guys something to post about, if you don't already have something! I just hope that I can follow it myself! I do know, however, that Terrell will be right beside me, pushing me onward!

Thanks Terrell! I REALLY don't know what I would do without you!

BTW...Be looking for the 3Scrapateers Birthday Bash Bonanza ads that will be coming out soon!
3Scrapateers will be turning 3 and we are planning a BIG BASH!!!

Layout of the week - July 8 - 14!

Holy Cow!! No pun intended! Once again I am blown away by having another of my layouts chosen for Layout of the Day and then chosen for layout of the week July 8 - 14! What a Wonderful Surprise! This is yet another of the layouts for my Freestyle layout class! Maybe I should stick to Freestyle! Thank You again for such a wonderful honor!

http://www.mootwodesigns.com/forum/

Layout of the week, July 1 - 7

I can not believe that I was chosen for Layout of the Day at Moo Two Designs, much less Layout of the week! I posted this layout from my Freestyle Layouts class and BAM! won for the week of July 1st - 7th! Thank You so much to all of the wonderful folks over at Moo Two Designs( http://www.mootwodesigns.com/forum/ ) for choosing my layout! I was definately shocked!

Ramblings

Well, my very good friend, Terrell, said that I needed to update my blog! LOL! I am terrible at this. I have a tendency to become very closed when it comes to writing. Something I am working on as I type this. I am laughing at myself because as I write these words, I am reminded that I am in the process of writing a JOURNALING class!!!

OK...I do have a few things to say here! I am EXTREMELY excited about a couple of things! First, I found out on Friday that another very good friend of mine, Stacey Jewell Stahl, will be designing and teaching again at the Digital Scrapbook Artician Guild!! Her six months no compete clause is up and she is FREE!!! She is in the preocess of moving this week but, will be online by the end of next week! For any of you that are interested, you can find the Guild here:

http://www.dsaguild.com/forums/

Second, I am SO EXCITED to be starting a new class tomorrow! It is a Freestyle Layout class at the Guild. I have been paitently waiting for someone to come up with a class so that I could learn this layout style and it finally paid off! Now all I need to do is find the time to actually sit and create some layouts!

OH...and I bested my sales for the month of May at 3S! YEAH!!!!! My Creative Team is really cranking out the BEST layouts and the exposure is fantastic for me! Now i need to come up with something special that I can do for all of them! The are truely the best bunchof ladies and so creative! They are truely GEMS! I haven't heard from Doreen though. She refuses to use the Yahoo group, mainly because she doesn't speak English very well and it is all very confusing to her. I sent her an e-mail yesterday but no response as of yet.

I didn't get to see Alana and Taylor this weekend. Tiffany is finally able to spend some time at home with them after spending so much time at the hospital with her mother and Greg finally seems to have something steady to earn much needed cash. Mama's bank is broke! My one prayer is that the two of them could work things out between themselves. The kids are stressed and confussed by their seperation and they just don't know where home is anymore. It just breaks my heart to see them in that state of mind.

I finally finished my Down Load A Day for 3S. It will be out July 1st. American Pride and boy is it HUGE. One of the largest kits that I have attempted so far. One download everyday for 31 days! WOW!

I also have the Half and Half again on the 14th. My kit, Sweet Dreams, goes on sale in the store on June 5th and the Chat is on the 14th. I can't post the preview until Tuesday...but it's almost like "Cherish" only it's in blue.

Well, I am off to finish up my journaling class. Thanks for stoping by and taking the time to read my off beat ramblings!

Here is one of my most recent laylouts! I made this one with a kit made by my Dear Sweet Freind, Kerri Horton at 3Scrapateers. Kerri's kit is just AWESOME with beautiful blues and yellows and OH these sunflowers are FANTASTIC! The name of the kit is "Sunflower Dreams" and it is on sale until April 25th for only $2.00 in the store at 3S. You can purchase it here: http://shop.3scrapateers.com/shopexd.asp?id=2940

It is the featured Scrap-A-Deal this week and the cool thing about the SAD at 3S is that you get the kit for $2.00, you get part of the kit. When you create a layout with it and post it to the gallery, you get the rest of the kit FREE! How cool is that? There is also a chat on April 25th at 10:00 PM EST. When you come to the chat, you get another MINI kit that matches FREE just for coming! Thats THREE items for $2.00...and let me tell ya...this kit is AWESOME!!! Thanks, Kerri, for such a WONDERFUL kit to work with!

Also, on the 25th, we will introduce the NEW Scrap-a-Deal kit for the week ending May 2. That kit is one that I have created ezpecially for the Scrap-a-Deal. The name of it is "The 70's Scene"

but you have to come to the chat on April 25th to see the preview!

Happy Scrappin', Ya'll!

That's Right! I am looking for a fun and imaginative Creative Team to help me

promote my kits at 3Scrapateers! If you think you would like to help me by creating layouts with my kits (you will get them free!), please e-mail me at the addy provided in the Ad!

Requirements: Honest, dependable, creative and willing to create at least 2 layouts per kit and post them to the 3scrapateers gallery + two other galleries of your choice.

This Call will end April 30th.

National Scrapbook Day

Chats all Day Long!!! Come join in the fun and get LOADS of freebies! I even hear that FRENELDA, 3scrapateers own Freebie Fairy will be spreading her fairy dust ALL OVER THE PLACE!!!!! Come one come all to the greatest Digi day event of all! It's National Scrapbook Day at 3scrapateers! I'll be there...Hope to see you there too!

New for the month of March at

www.3scrapateers.com is my Blue Bling Scrapkit!

You can purchase it here:

http://shop.3scrapateers.com/shopexd.asp?id=2819

I have it on SALE for $3.00 until the end of the month!

New for February at 3S!

WOW! What a month it has been already! I am very proud to say that I am the featured designer in the February newsletter at 3scrapateers! Make sure that you stop by the site and check out the issue when it is released. There are some great FREEBIES in this issue!

I am also the Designer of the Month in the Power Holidays forum! What a real surprize and pleasure! My newest kit, "Have a Heart" is the featured kit. The Freebie is a mini kit and the full size kit will hit the store on March 1st! "Have a Heart" is dedicated to my father, who died of a massive Heart attach 12 years ago. Since that time, I have been an avid supporter of the American Heart Association. You can view the kit here: http://http://www.3scrapateers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=8685

and join in the fun of the "Power Holidays Challenge" to earn the Freebies! Then, On March 1st,
jump over to the shop and purchase the full size kit for a special into price of $3.00(reg. $5.00).
I will donate $1.00 of every purchase of this kit to the AHA in rememberance of my father.
Also during the month of March, you will be able to earn the add on overlays in my "Odds and Ends with Carla" Challenge. So make sure that you look for that as well.

The kit for the month of February is my "Music to my Ears" scrapkit. It is new in the store this month and can be purchased for a price of $4.00. Here is the preview:

This kit can be purchased here: http://shop.3scrapateers.com/shopexd.asp?id=2627

Well...Happy Valentines Day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Whats New for 2007

I have been working on a few things for the New Year and here is what I have come up with so far!

First, I have three kits in the store at 3Scrapateers. The newest of which is "Grandma's Love" that I uploaded just the other day! You can purchase any of these kits at the 3S Mall here:

http://shop.3scrapateers.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=202&cat=%2ACarla+Ware

And here is the preview of the newest one:

I have also started a new CHALLENGE at 3S. I would like for everyone to come on over and join in... there is always something free for following the prompt and posting a layout! You can find the challenge here: http://www.3scrapateers.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=497 This Challenge runs every two weeks. It's the Odds and Ends Challenge with Carla!
So jump on the train and come along!

Happy New Year!

WOW! What a blast starting out the New Year! I still can't believe that it is already 2007! I hope all of you have had a safe and happy one so far and that it will continue to be that way through out all of 2007.

Hubby and I spent New Year aboard the Carnival Holiday and we had such a great time! This was the first time in 28 years that we have not been home with our family for the big event. It was completely different than any thing we have ever ventured to do! Needless to say, the ship had a BIG celebration on the main deck...free champaign (not the cheap stuff) and all of the food that you possibly imagine. There was a live band and they were just fantastic! We danced and laughed with new friends, shared stories of friends and family, sang and just had a blast! At midnight, the ships captain blasted the horn several times and everyone went CRAZY!! An experience that I shall NEVER forget!

Reflections..... Kent and I are so very fortunate to have the life that we do and I thank God everyday that I have been able to share my life with such a wonderful, warm and caring man.
We have been many places and have seen many things but we have always been fortunate in those travels to have found someone along the way to share a cup of coffee with and tell a story or two!

On our last cruise, we met B and W from Dallas. They sat at our table at dinner every night of the cruise and became such wonderful friends to us. We keep in touch through e-mail and are planning another cruise with them soon.

On this New Years cruise, we met some wonderful young folks from North Alabama celebrating life and frienship, as well as a birthday or two!!! One is an artist, Dan, celebrating his 24th birthday! He was kind enought to share some his GORGEOUS sketches with us! Great group of kids just having a wonderful time!

We also met another couple from Mobile celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary on New Years Day! They sat at our table at dinner every night of the cruise and we were once again blessed with a warm and wonderful friendship! We are planning a dinner or two with them in the near future(they live just 45 minutes away!).

Happy New Year Everyone and may YOUR CUP be filled with all of the wonderful things that life has to offer!

Odds and Ends Challenge with Carla

Here is my new Challenge that starts on January 2, 2007 at 3scapateers! A new challenge every 2 weeks (1st and 15th of the month) with a posting bonus for following the prompts!

This is the link to the forum thread: http://www.3scrapateers.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=497 and here is the link to my ALL NEW gallery: http://www.3scrapateers.com/gallerypp/showgallery.php/cat/1157



So... I would like to invite all of my friends to come over to www.3scrapateers.com and join in my challenge on January 2, 2007. Start the new year out right by starting a new challenge!





Speaking of starting the New Year out right....Kent and I are off on yet another journey to theWestern Carribbean! I am so excited! We will be on the ship for New Years Eve!

And while packing for the trip, Spider decided that he wanted to go too and here is what he did!!!!

What a crazy Cat! His note on the right reads, "Dear Mom, I am going with Dad, You stay here! Spider" Yea...just for that...he's not going!

Awh...I hate to leave him at home but he will be alright. My son will be here with him!


Happy New Year Everybody and Bon Voyage!

Who is the hardest person to buy for?

UGH..... This question only brings one person to mind! She is absolutely the HARDEST person on my Christmas list and I always tend to wait until the last minute to purchase her gift. Oh..I start looking three months in advance, I just wait until the last moment to purchase! MY MOTHER!!!! Why? We are totally opposite in EVERYTHING! Our taste is different, our style is different...totally opposite. She has everything! She sits at my kitchen bar drinking coffee looking through catalogs and tells me all of the things that she likes and then says "But what would I need with any of that? I don't ever go anywhere to wear it!" So, now the question is... do I buy it anyway and listen to her tell me I shouldn't have because she will never wear it; and she never does OR should I not get it and listen to her tell me a million times, "I showed you all kinds of things you could get me in that book!" (bang-head) What to do...what to do...

Yes...my Mother is the hardest on my list!!! In more ways than one! :)

Journaling

For the longest time, journaling on my scrapbook pages scared me to death! I knew all of the information...you know..the Who, What, When and Where and even the Why, but I was always at a loss for exactly how to say what I wanted to say! I am sure that everyone, who is not a journalist, that does any scrapbooking at all has had this problem. I haven't felt that way in a very long time thanks to a class that I took at DSP. Unfortunately, that class is no longer offered at DSP, but do NOT dispair! There is a place on the web that can help you open your mind and your pen to the joys of journaling. http://www.journalforyou.com/ This web site is full of
very helpful information about journaling how to's, whether you are journaling in a daily journal or on a scrapbook page or even in one of those Art Journals that are so popular right now.

So, I ask all of my BUDS that need a little journaling help or inspiration to hop on over to http://www.journalforyou.com/ and check out all of the goodies they have there. You might become inspired to do some journaling you never thought you could!

ATC Challenge at 3Scrapateers

Brenda, over at 3S has this realy fantastic Artistic Trading Card Challenge goin on through December of 2007! I would like to encourage all of my BUDS to come on over and check it
out! There is a small freebie with every challenge to help you make your card!

Here is the thread for all of the information and sign ups. Please sign up so that you will be put on the e-mail list to have all of the cards sent to you at the end of each challenge...

http://www.3scrapateers.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=418


If your not familiar with ATC's, here are some sites you may want to check out!

http://www.cedarseed.com/air/atc.html

http://www.outsidethemargins.com/atcs.html

http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/atc.htm

http://www.artist-trading-cards.ch/

And if you need some templates, you can find some here...
http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/atcenvelope.htm
http://www.ruthannzaroff.com/mirkwooddesigns/tcdiag.htm

I'll be looking for Your card at the swap!

Something new for the New Year

Wow!! December has turned out to be a wild and crazy month! I have been busy for the past few weeks trying to get my second (FUN) job up and running, Stacey resigned from DSP, Christmas is right around the corner and I am off on another cruise on the 28th!

Thank God for friends! Stacey, even though she has left the ranks of DSP, has been my teacher, friend and confidant for the past few weeks while I have been working on a few kits to submit with my application to 3Scrapateers. I just don't know what I would do without her! Well, I found out Thursday that I was accepted and I am now a new Exclusive Designer at 3Scrapateers! WHOOOO HOOOOO! Yea! I can scream! (happy dance going on here). Of course, Irene is at 3Scrapateers and it is going to be great working with her as a designer. So far I have only had the pleasure of working with her kits while on her design team.

Soo, I have two new kits going up in the store at 3S within the next week or so and I am working on another for after the first of January. Check it out!

This is Loves Letters and is one of the kits that will be in the store before the end of the Month. I am hoping sometime this next week before Christmas.

This one is Garden Rhapsody. The second one to go into the 3S store by Christmas! So come on over to www.3scrapateers.com and check out the store!

A curise for New Years! I was blasted away when my DH told me we were really going to go! I mean, my goodness, we just went on a 7 day cruise in May and now a 4 day cruise in December! I guess it's a little Christmas/New Years gift to ourselves! I am shaking at the thought of being on the ship New Years Eve! I just know we are going to have a blast!

Bon Voyage and see you all next year!

communicating with others

Blog prompt for the weekend at DSP. I am so much more myself when talking to my WEB friends! Most of the folks at DSP, I have known and loved for over a year now and they probobly know me better through my layouts and my journaling than my family sometimes does! Hey..well..they are my family! I have a few other scrapbook sites that I visit and I also have a few things that I have designed in the scrap shop at digiscrap central, but I am not as close to any of those folks like I am the folks at DSP. DSP is where I first got into digital and it will ALWAYS be my first choice for good chat, close friends, and family time on the web!

What a rotten weekend!

Well, everyone has them but you hope that you don't ever see one...a horrible weekend! My mom came over on Saturday morning as she usually does and boy did we get into an argument! Not anything that I want to spill over to a blog page but it really wasn't nice at all. When she left, it wasn't on a very good note and for the rest of the day I was feeling pretty rotten. I called her later in the evening and we talked for about an hour and everything is alright now(thank goodness) but the rotten feelings that I had most of the day carried on over into Sunday. They were much better after talking to mom but still there and tha other bad thing about that is that I had the Grandkids for the night. I am afraid I wasn't the most wonderful Grandmother!

On the up side of the past week, I finally decided to join the SNL team. I have been batting this around for several months and finally came to the decision that it would be a good thing for me. So far, I have contributed with an October kit and a November kit with an Add-on. Immediately after posting it to the galley, I received a pm from one of the DSP members telling how much she loved the kit! That really made my day and, of course, I gave it to her! I hope that she enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it for the SNL team.

Designing, Creating and Learning!

While I was waiting for my Monthly Club Digital and my DSU information for October, I created a little Alpha to go along with my Flutterfly Page Kit. Learning how to make these little patches, I think, was a great venture. I am not sure when I will put them in the store, but I have them made! My first Alpha!

Whats happening!!!

Things are moving on! I caught up with Tracy Rivera this weekend over at DST and landed a position on her Creative Team. She is a fantastic designer over at Scrapbook-Bytes and I have been eyeing her kits for a long time. I have already posted two layouts for her and I can see that I am really going to enjoy being part of her team. She has 7 other AWESOME CT members. Here are the two that I did today using her "Justine" kit available in the store at Scrapbook-Bytes:

I will sleep good tonight because...

I KNOW I won't have to worry about my DH jumping on the bed with a machette! OH, Tink! That was a wonderful story!

Seriously, I'll sleep good tonight knowing that my Mom is finally seeing some happiness in her life. She moved out of the house she was living in with her "friend" and is now living with my Aunt (one of her younger sisters). She seems to be happy for the moment, but I know that in time she will miss being right around the corner from my brother and me.

I will also sleep better knowing that my son finally cleaned out the storage unit that he had been using and I won't have to worry about paying the *&$% bill every month!

Cowboy Dreams!!

Cowboy Dreams is my newest kit to
hit the store at www.digiscrapcentral.com !

I am really excited about this one because it really got me out of my comfort box. I have learned how to do so many new things of late and this one has some of them in it!

If your interested in purchasing this
kit... it is $3.99 here:
http://www.digiscrapcentral.com/scrapshop/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=18&products_id=241

And, if you need word art to go along with the Cowboy theme, You can find some awesome Cowboy Word Art at DSP by Tina Chambers.
Find it here:
http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1965

I would do the word art myself, but Tina is the Best of the Best for Word Art. You won't find any that compares anywhere else on the web!

Happy Labor Day everyone!

Mr Personality!

This is my newest kit up in the store at www.digiscrapcentral.com Mr Personality is fashioned with my Newphew, Chris, in mind. He has such a funny little smile that I burst out laughing everytime I open an e-mail from my neice. I can't wait to see him on Labor Day! I am camera ready!

Look another new kit coming soon....Cowboy dreams.... a kit all about a little boys dreams to ride the big range of the old West!

Until then...happy scrapping!

Reflections...

Boy.. has it been a busy summer and it went so FAST! I am in a stupper that it is already the end of August. This year, the end of August brings about a melancholy time for allot of folks here on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. It is the 1 year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and there are still many people who have not been able to rebuild...they are still in FEMA trailers!

All along the Coast, you can see the signs of rebuilding. This always makes me smile to know that the folks here have taken such a pounding but most have managed to get up on their feet and keep on going. The wonderful thing is that even the folks that are still in FEMA trailers are smiling and they are not leaving. This is their home. Most of them have lived here all of their lives and even though most everything that they owned was taken away by the storm, they won't leave...they want to live here and I can't blame them! I love the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I honestly, can't think of any other place that I would want to live.

My mother and I had this conversation on Saturday. She was feeling down and out thinking about my Dad and the sacrifices that we, my brother and I, had to make to move here from Pennsylvania so many years ago, I was 11. She said she thought that my brother and I had always held that move against her and my Dad.

This got me to thinking about my life. Where would I be had my Dad NOT made the decision to move here in 1970? Would I have gone to college? Would I be married and have children? WHO would I be married too? What would my life be like right now? Of course, there are no answers to any of these questions.... I think I would be safe to say that I probobly would not be married to the man that I am married to now. Thinking of that makes me shiver...I simply cannot imagine my life without him! Saturday was our 28th wedding anniversary and when I look back at the past 28 years, I thank God and my DAD that I have been here in South Mississippi for the past 36 years. That I met my husband right here in Mississippi, this is where my son was born and this is where my Grandchildren were born. That I had the chance to see life in another way and experience all of the wonderful things, and not so wonderful things, that I have over that period of time. All of these things have made me who I am today and I like who I am!

So... NO, Mom... I have NEVER held that move against my Dad or you. I have, if anything, LOVED your both more for it !

God Bless...