So check it out. The kind of day I had today was when you want to come home and just take the container of chocolate chip cookie dough out of the fridge, get a spoon and climb under the covers in bed.
But did I do that? NO, of course not.
My salvation was this post and then sitting down with Alex, who ate cereal tonight since Mommy had already "eaten dinner", and hear him tell me about his day at school. He was unusually talkative. Maybe since my questions were not so driven and just matter of fact since I was feeling a little beat up.
Work really wasn't all that bad, it just didn't go as I had planned. I hate that. And I have a runny nose so I might be getting sick. Then my housekeeper called to tell me she found my dirty little secret and gave me a talking to. Shocking huh? What could be my dirty little secret? Here's the story...I forgot she was coming today and didn't leave out the check so she called to tell me she would just bill me. So I course I was so embarrassed she came over because...well I confess...I pre-clean before she comes. I don't want anyone to know how really dirty my house is. I do a few things like pick up clothes, put the dishes in the dishwasher, empty the wastebaskets etc. so she tells me thats her job and not mine. I think I love this woman. She is worth every penny.
My day going not as smooth as I would have liked may also be due to the fact I stayed up way too late last night. But see I had these Bingo cards...
and they have been calling my name. I mean LOOK at them! All the glorious possibilities!
Sunday I went to Craft Warehouse since they had a sale on canvases because I was feeling my paint. Got home and nothing clicked with the canvases. Then last night I got to tinkering with some Heidi Swapp masks...
and Wow, that was fun!
Since they were all shiny and glossy I distressed them up a bit using new fave Ranger tool and some Staz On so they would take the paint. (I've been all over Tim Holtz's blog like a bee on honey lately.)
My camera was right there so I took some pictures as I went for fun. I just used some foam stamps & masks, with lots of layers of paint. It was SO much fuN!
I like the pattern on the mask as much as I do the card. It will be hard to paint over those masks again!
And just because I can here they are again...
Another salvation for me today...I'm heading into my scrap room in the next little while for the remainder of the evening. More Bingo cards are calling....
I've been absent on the blog here for over a week but I have been a busy bee and at least have some things to show for it!
Since Alex has a friend over tonight for a sleepover it's good blogging vs crafting time since every few minutes I have to stop and fetch them some sort of snack or stop to put a movie in. Maybe later I will get to work on my circle journal. So here goes...
Last weeks theme over at Wednesday Stamper was bookmarks and I'm just now getting around to posting my entry here~
Since I was on a roll I made a few other items using my favorite justjohanna stamps of course.
Last weekend I had some friends over for a Girl Craft night. It was fun and I made this...
A little mini book for Alex's Valentines. I wanted to make one for last years but never got around to it. At least this years got done!
Made the cover out of my absolute favorite new thing, Hambly clear overlays. You cut them, and paint & stamp all over them. sigh. I luuvv them.
I cut up his bag that held the Valentines and used it on the inside cover. I think his drawing is of a guy blasting something. Lovely.
Painting the edges of the photos was hard for me but I did it! I'm getting better at not worrying about ruining stuff.
The little baggie came from his friend with candy in it so I used it to hold all the Valentines. Originally I was going to hole punch each one and put them in the rings. The baggie was faster and you can still pull them out to look at.
Tomorrow is Sunday so I was thinking of having a sort of Open House....I have been re-organizing my studio since January and now that everything is pretty much sorted out, purged, cleaned and organized I took pictures!
So tomorrow stop by for Andrea's Open House and you will get a tour of my studio!
xoxo
Today was a good day. A GOOD day. Nothing spectacular happened it was just a happy contented good day. Worked, pedicured, shopped, played. And we just got back, Alex & I, from having some damn good sushi with a couple girl friends. Alex out with the girls having sushi. And he eats it to. Not just the tempura and edamame beans either. We're talking the raw salmon on rice deal. And he eat the whole thing. If your in the area of an uwajimaya they have a fab little japanese restaurant attached. Not to mention a cool book store where they not only have Pokemon to entertain the 7 year olds but a whole huge display of copic.
But why I logged in tonight was not to go on and on about nothing but to show you my latest art journal pages that this cool chick has challenged us with:
Connect~
A strange little thing I concocted there huh? Chipboard pieces I had lying around. I wanted to actually connect something on the page. I guess after this any size will do in my once supposed 8x8 journal.
Feel ~
mmnnn...velvet. Added a little vintage feather butterfly I got a couple of at an estate sale last summer.
And I sewed too! Actually broke out the sew crafty which I've had for about 3 years and never used.
So my journal now has 3 pages...
And I have to say I even like this odd composition of them together.
Cover not completed yet. Maybe tonight...
xoxoxo
I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed after cleaning out my scrap room with the masses of photos and supplies I have on hand. You've read about my New Years vow (and if you know me had a nice giggle over it, thanks) but for those that missed it... I vow to not buy any supplies (tools and staple items excluded) for the next 6 months. Less time shopping=more time creating!
So in December, before my vow was to begin, I went over to Scrapbook Attack and picked up a few things including some of the new Hambly clearly heavy overlays. Didn't have much time to do anything with them until now....and they rocked my world so much I had to go pick up a few more today. Vow broken. But I'm getting back in track. Tomorrow. I swear. At
So here's what came of heavy overlay ~
A nice little 6x12 mini book of our trip to pick berries at the Smith Berry Barn. I love that place. Not only do they have great produce but a perfect little shop. Not your average farm shop more like a boutique. I made an album on the side bar if you want to see all the pages of the mini book.
Used up some of those clear My Minds Eye transparencies I've hand on hand for-ever. As well as some Hambly thats been collecting. I have to force myself to use Hambly. Not that I don't like it. Liking it TOO much is my problem. I have to remind myself I buy this stuff to use it not collect it. I think you can relate, right?
This next album I made online at Kodak Gallery. I love that place. After taking like 350 (not kidding) pictures at the zoo last summer and was feeling so overwhelmed about the mass of photos and what route should I take... make 10 layouts of them, have them be in their own book etc. At the end I decided what was most important was to just get them done so we could enjoy them. So now we have this nice little slice of last summer on our coffee table to enjoy.
It's about 30 pages long and I plan to go back and pencil in the journaling. But you do have the option to type in journaling under the photos. My next project at Kodak Gallery is to make a personalized story book for Alex using this book. Doesn't that sound cool?
Well hope your Saturday is going grand.... My fun is about to begin. Michelle and Claudine should be over in the next hour and we are going to share our each others last round of Circle Journals and have some grapefruit martinis ala Michelle. Claudine is bringing her fabulous clam dip and I have an array of nummys to get out so I better get a move on...
Cheers!
This week's challenge over at 4x4 Friday was to use textured paper. I love texture. I cant make a flat anything. So this one spoke to me.
When I choose my paper and cut it to 4x4 it looked like a coaster and reminded me of a tiki party we had one time. Which of course then reminded me of my love for mojitos...so I opened my liquor cupboard and made one. Just Kidding! I got a paper umbrella out and then stamped some limes and cocktails using my justjohanna stamps and titled my project using some Making Memories stickers. My Little Mojito - sometimes I call Alex that.
And there you have it. My 4x4 for Friday!
Wow, my second post today. I'm really on a roll! Scroll down, make sure your speakers are on and click on my Lloyd links, they are crack up!
and we are officially ready! Last minute gifts bought, presents wrapped, cookies made, groceries done, stuff packed up to go over the river and through the woods tomorrow for the Peterson Xmas extravaganza.
With a little help from Ginger I'm enjoying the holidays even more than usual. Far less resentment then if I worked all day and then had to come home to clean for the holidays...I've actual had time to create a few things, hang out, watch some of my favorite Christmas movies such as Christmas in Connecticut, White Christmas, Love Actually, & How the Ghosts Stole Christmas but I'm saving this one, this one and this one for the next few days.
So tell me, what are your favorite Christmas movies?? I'm always looking for new favorites!
Last night Alex wrapped Tom's gift up...he was feeling very christmasy as you can see.
Do you think he used enough tape?
Last night I also made some favors for my friends coming over on Christmas Eve. Got the idea from Martha in the Christmas issue. I have to tell you those Williams Sonoma chocolate filled peppermint snaps are delicious!
Then today I made Rosettes. My Mom made them when I was growing up, so did Tom's Mom and Grandmother too. We haven't had them for years so my Mom ordered me the tools. It was challenging at first but once I got going it was pretty easy!
Of course we just had to make sugar cookies for Santa too! Alex really did most of it himself with little coaching from me.
So like I said we are just hanging out now, ready for the action to begin tomorrow. Then Christmas Eve I work in the morning and we are having friends over in the evening and then the big day!
As far as my Christmas journal...I'm only up to day 16. But I'm having fun and I made it through alive another retail year!
I will be taking a blogging break the next little while while I celebrate the holidays, do my year end inventory at work and maybe when I return I will have a few Christmas Journal pages to share!
So I leave you for now wishing you a very Happy Holiday my friend, hope it's a brilliant one, and I will see you in the New Year!
... oh sorry...I was daydreaming. That's what happens when I barely leave the house for 4 days.
I'm at home again today...the 4th day in a row. Strange because I rarely get to just nestle in at home in December since I work retail. But Alex has been sick since Friday. Went to the doctor today and it's been confirmed, Strep Throat. So I rearranged the schedule at work so I can go in tonight when Tom gets home and get some things done at my desk and maybe help on the floor because I. need. to. leave. the. house.
Friday was my company's Manager party and they have it at Lola's which is always a good time because my company knows how to entertain I can tell you that! But I missed out and stayed home and hung out with my little man while he slept on and off all day. He only got out of bed twice to use the restroom and didn't eat a thing! But I did run out when Tom got home and bought him the new Harry Potter movie which he watched part of before falling asleep!
Then Saturday was Tom's company party which I missed out on but I did make a batch of chicken noodle soup for Alex.
Sunday Alex & I had plans to go see The Chipmunks with our neighbor friends so Tom & his brother could put together a present Santa had to deliver early because it just wouldn't fit in his sleigh.
But since Alex was pretty much trapped in bed they got to put it together anyway while I played about 48 games of Connect Four with Alex.
Excuse our mess of a garage but I had to share because I think it funny that while they are assembling the monster of a table they set up a TV in the garage so they could watch football!
Here is Alex camped out on my bed. He was a pampered prince all weekend I can tell you that! All was missing was a little bell he could ring for me. Instead it was "Mommy!" every 15 minutes on Sunday because he was feeling better he needed me more for snacks, juice, play Connect Four, watch a movie, read a book, sometimes he would just call and then forget what he needed.
And we also entertained ourselves by dressing up Oscar, that poor cat!
So we missed out on the Christmas parties, the Christmas movie and other things we had planned and even though Alex was sick I have to say it was kinda nice to be home all nestled in for the weekend.
I even made a few Christmas journal pages and played around with my justjohanna stamps.
I'm lovin the Tim Holtz crackle paint right now that I used on my tag. By the way, have you seen his 12 Days of Christmas Tags? I'm sure you have because like, who hasn't right, but each and every one are amazing. I salute you Tim, god of techniques, distressing, dimensional glaze and all things that are good in this world.
Well, gotta go post some Christmas Journal pages in the flickr group and get ready to go to work.
See ya around!
While at Michaels last weekend Alex found an end cap display with little wooden beads and the teeniest little ceramic garden pots which they had a Halloween project sheet about. He wanted to make the project so we bought a few things and headed home to create!
We are now addicted and have made about 10 Halloween guys. This was the first batch which are now on display ready and waiting for Halloween.
When we were done he said "I want to make the Einstein one next."
I asked "Do you mean Frankenstein?"
So tonight I'm going back for more supplies!
Do you think this weekend is too early to put up spooky town?
Nah...
"Today was the most awesome-est day of my life! I was nervous at first but it was F~U~N! I wonder what we will do tomorrow??"
was it a day at the beach?
a day at Disneyland?
Christmas?
Birthday?
Nope...
it was the First Day of 2nd Grade!
This morning was a 360 compared to last year. Let's hope the enthusiasm continues!
My spider-baby turned 7 this last weekend and there was much celebrating going on for it!
Friday was the last day of school and his official birthday. We just celebrated with the 3 of us, opened presents, went to Red Robin for dinner because he wanted them to sing Happy Birthday to him, then changed his mind, but they did it anyway!
Saturday we had his "friend party" at Bullwinkles. Thank god some of the parents stayed to hang out because we had 10 kids total including Alex = craziness!
Then Saturday night we had his "big kid party" which meant all his aunts, uncles, and our friends with kids came over and we BBQ'd which was f-u-n! Mommy (thats me) had about 4 sangrias and 2 beers. I needed too after the whole birthday extravaganza thats lasted two days, I was wiped out~!
I cant believe he is 7! We have a whole year of lucky number seven ahead! He is such a good boy and makes me and his Dad happy!
I love getting things in the mail! And believe it or not I actually like going to the Post Office. It makes me feel nostalgic especially when it's an old post office and they have cool architecture going on.
Today I felt so international!
I mailed to Emilia in Taipei a box full of goodies as her prize for winning my blogaversary drawing!
And I mailed 3 of my covered journals that sold from my etsy shop over the weekend to Spain, Australia and Belgium today!
I also mailed out goodie bags to Jenna and Elizabeth since they have completed their portion of our circle journal.
And I almost used up all my cool mailing labels which means I get to go order more tonight!
Wow ~ what fun!
I spent allot of time cleaning out my craft room this last weekend so when I'm on vacation next week I can just get in there and create. I told my husband that last night and when I said it I threw my arms open big and wide at the word create. Does that give you a good visual of how excited I'm to have some free time next week to spend in my little room!? Of course I will be spending most of my time with my little guy. He turns 7 on Friday and I'm taking his first week of summer vacation off so we can go do fun stuff around town and in our back yard....fun stuff & good times ahead!
A here I thought today was going to be filled with work, appointments, covering lunch breaks, and paperwork.
Nope! We woke up this morning with the rest of Portland to a big surprise snow day! So much for the few flurries. I would say we got about 4' in Beaverton so far.
We watched the news thinking all the schools would be closed. Everybody but Beaverton! So off we went. I took Alex to school and even walked him inside and asked a teacher if school was on and she said yes. I made it to the freeway no problem. Then once on I basically inched my way towards downtown so slow that the MPH didn't register on my speedometer. At about 40 minutes later I get a call from his teacher saying school was closed. Luckily I hadn't made it but like 5 miles in that 40 minutes so I got off the freeway downtown, got back on the other way and made my way back up the hill. Crazy. Once at school I said "no way am I going back out in this mess". Called work and luckily my Asst made it in to open the shop.
So it is a stay home day for me and Alex after much aggravation this morning.
We got home and played in the snow right away!
After playing we came inside for a snack...
...of Hot Cocoa & Cinnamon Sugar Toast. yummy for your tummy.
Now I'm off to do some house cleaning since I will have to work Saturday to make up for today. But before I go check this out:
Without Flash
With Flash
Without is a little more realistic but I think with the flash is so much better.
What do you think??
9:35 PM
We have Mommy in her quiet little scrap room listening to her mellow music doing crafty things.
Then I come out to blog and I find Return of the Jedi on the TV with no one watching it, food wrappers and toys spread over the coffee table.
I sit down to blog and on the other side of this wall I face is Tom's "man room".
There we have Slayer blaring out of Tom's Ipod which is plugged into a speaker thing and Alex crazily jumping, karate kicking, and having a general conniption to the beat of the music while Tom kicks back laughing at Alex drinking his probable 8th beer of the night.
Welcome to my world.
Anyway, here I am ready to share pictures!! Cause it's Saturday night and god knows I got nothing better to do!
Are you ready? OK!
Ta-Da! Halloween Invites
Pretty simple postcard, nothing too amazing here since I do have to make about 15 or so.
Used that glossy stuff I love so much over the skeleton and added googly eyes.
Cant get enough glitter right now either. I'm adding it to every project recently and it's as old in my craft collection as my decorative scissors. Inked the edges. Messy but looks good.
Again, very simple backside of the postcard. I did use embossing powder which I haven't use FOREVER on the stamp. And of course more glitter. I'm noticing a pattern here with as I include these links. Ranger Ink must be my new fave! Paper is from here which I like because it has a little glitter tone to it. I printed the orange cardtock out on my printer. So I only used ONE stamp, amazingly enough for me.
This is by request for Elizabeth!You asked for it girl!
Ugly pantry, really a closet, with TWO shelves so I hoard more in my kitchen cupboards which could really be holding the extra serving dishes I have in my garage!
New improved pantry with SEVEN shelves!
I just measured the closet and went here. They figured out exactly how many shelves would fit, got everything I needed on a little cart and took it to the register for me! SUPER easy.
Kind of embarrassed by how much food we have. I was so unorganized having the food in 3 cupboards plus the extras in the closet. Had no idea we had like 4 boxes of Wheat Thins and 6 jars of jam which about half of were expired. I will hopefully shop a little wiser now that I can see what I have.
And now some Zoo Field Trip pics from Friday. Here's Alex with his little cohorts:
Crikey!
Who would have thought that Polar Bears like pumpkins?
The eagles are new at the Oregon Zoo.
The boys were actually really good all day long, amazing listeners *most of the time* and so much fun to get to spend the day with. I have only one child and since I'm done having more I figure I get to enjoy other peoples kids when I feel like it *lucky* me!
Since I worked all day today counting inventory, I'm off to bed and will probably count in my sleep.
If you made it this far, thanks for putting up with this crazy all over the board post. I had some making up to do!
No, not the music. My mood is funk. I'm in a funk. All week long feeling like my time doesn't belong to me, feeling always obligated, then when I did have time this week, I would just sit there and stare at my scrap table, or at the TV and do nothing for myself. Need balance otherwise I get cranky doing things for others. If I get my time then I'm OK slaving to my work and family.
On top of it I made my son cry. I scared the heck out of him and it's not even Halloween. It almost made me cry. Not my proudest moment. It wasn't on purpose. He was taking a bath and had the shower curtain closed. I always stay nearby so he doesn't drown even though he is 6 and in about 5 inches of water. It could happen!
Anyway, he started talking to me. So I opened the shower curtain to say something. He looked up and saw this:
He screamed not once but twice, backing up in the tub against the wall, yelling "I want my Daddy!". The look of fear on his face was awful, he was scared out of his mind!
See, I had put a mask on (I like clean pores) while killing time waiting for him not to drown.
He has seen me with a mask on and I didnt think to warn him. Tom told him that if he thought that was scary he should see me in the morning. Thanks honey.
I bet your wondering why I chose to post that picture? I don't know. Seemed like a funny thing to take a self portrait so I could see exactly how scary I looked. After all I'm in a funk, and felt really bad scaring my son so it cheers me up to share my pain. Plus, I dont give a damn.
Gotta go, my mask is cracking.
This post will be a nice google hit later I'm sure.
Hanging out with Alex while Tom sleeps in. On my second cup of coffee. It was nice and quiet until the video games started a few minutes ago so here I'm blogging.
So far this weekend:
On the agenda today:
Hope to post again tonight it I get it all done! peace out.
One of my Happiness moments on my layout in Samantha's Circle Journal was "taking my son to fun places". We hadn't done that in awhile and doing the layout last weekend reminded me of it. So the next day we went to Come Clay With Me!
He wanted to make a bunch of stuff but it's not cheap so I decided we would at least get some Xmas presents for the grandparents out of it. (Grammie and Grandpa close your eyes if you want a surprise!)
He started with the box with the lid for himself, then decided to make the cup for himself and give the box to Grammie, then decided to give the "cup" (aka shot glass) to Grandpa, (how perfect!) and to make the car for himself. Meanwhile I kept occupied on the little bowl and then the Gingerbread Man because Alex started to paint it and changed his mind.
Before the firing...
After the firing ...
looks all shiny an pretty!
I need to remember to take time outs from the day to day stuff that can bog us down to have more adventures like last Sunday!
No cute pictures for the scrapbook today...I had a hard time waking up...
Nope, he's not gonna smile...just a sad face...
This is the best I will muster for my pleading mommy...
Now, at school , settled into his desk after meeting his teacher, seeing his classroom and saying "hi" to a few friends he's gonna smile for me...I've almost got him!
Nope, I will torture my Mom and give her this face as retaliation for making summer end and me start 1st grade...
Take that Mommy and put it in your scrapbook!
Alex was very nervous to start school today. Excited yesterday. Nervous today. The good news is that he does like school. He had so much to tell me when I picked him up and didn't stop talking about it till he fell asleep on the couch at 6:30 tonight after dinner!
Little does he know that today will be a "do-over" scrapbook moment. I will dress him the in same outfit next week and take do over pictures in the front of our house and in front of school and scrap book them with the good ones that I got today from inside his class and of his other friends. He wont even know what happened when I show his girlfriend in 10 years the superb Grade School Album I made for him. HA - TAKE THAT KID!
Just kidding...but wouldn't that be a good one?
I'm gonna be a reality scrapper and scrap it like it is, which will be interesting... I can think of the title already "Back to School Blues". Comment if you have any witty titles for the page!
When you come home, keys still jingling in the lock to be greeted by "It's OK, don't worry, I have the goo in a bowl so it's not on the table." I pose the question...what would you do? To hear my answer, tune in tomorrow. (Yep, that's right I'm looking for comments people.)
I'm on vacation all week spending quality time with Alex - goo in a bowl and all..but having a great time. Vacations at home are pretty cool and we are keeping ourselves busy with fun stuff in the morning and early afternoon so we can play in the back yard the rest of the day. Really Alex plays and I lay in the sun reading. I've only done one scrap page and that's because I stayed up till 1am last night working on it. But that's OK you gotta make the memories otherwise what have you to scrap?
Scrapper friends reading this (yeah, that would be you Claudine, Shelley and Dana) Check this out. Maybe you know about it already but I just found it last night and want to participate.
And this is cool, I'm doing it and already emailed her. It can be "new vintage" so maybe you should try it?
Maybe I breaking out of my anti social scrapper self? Or maybe...I'm just on vacation.
Alex just gave me a "ticket" for being on the computer too long and he's blowing his whistle necklace he has on around his neck while he dances around my desk in his underwear so I gotta go....
Here is the The Reptile Man at Alex's Birthday party last weekend. The kids and adults alike had a great time with the creature feature show. All the snakes were devenomized and pretty tame since they are handled allot. The scary part was the rattle snake which made allot of noise when placed in the grass about 3 feet away so I slowly moved to stand behind a chair with a kid in it.
It was allot of preparation though for all those kids...Vik came over Friday night and we made 42 cupcakes and got all the food prepared while Tom and Jeremy played darts and drank beer with next door at the neighbors house. And the Friday night before we assembled while 24 goodie bags while you guessed it...Tom and Jeremy drank beer. Good thing they're cute.
(Side note: I think I need to go buy this book because Donna Downey said it "explains how all the seemingly uncaring things a man does are directly related to showing his love for his wife." That would be interesting to know.)
Anyway back to the party! My mother in law ended up coming early and hanging out by the back door observing the show. She would quickly escape inside when a snake came out. Yea Priscilla!
We gave Alex a guitar for his birthday that he loves! So now he can rock out with his Dad in the garage.
Alex said all of his "most bestest friends came". He was happy. I was happy he had a good time - so it was very cool! 
