Resolution

I have a (kind of) sbr resolution. There are so many great blogs out there, and I love having links to them on my blog. What I want to do is update and better organize them. I like the way Samantha Welch has hers set up. I'll probably go something along that line. The lovely Miss Detta asked about resolutions on her blog, and that is what got me inspired. Thanks ladies!

Have A Fantastic 2008 Everyone!

That's me on page 51!

It's not a LO, but I still got myself on the pages of CK! It's for a new column to help us get our journaling going. The story of how Allen and I met is on there. I'm the one who was NOT a shoplifter!

CK did a little editing, but my original submission is below:

My husband, Allen, and I met in college while working at a department store. He thought I was a shoplifter, and I thought he was like a bull dog!

Allen had just transferred to our loss prevention department from another store and didn't know all the employees yet. I worked in the dress department and normally dressed up for work. On this day, however, I was bringing new merchandise out on to the floor and was wearing whatever street clothes I had worn to classes earlier that day.

Because I was moving clothes around, I was practically standing in the middle of the racks and looking all around the floor to decide where to place everything. All Allen saw was some college girl hiding in the racks and looking around. Later he changed his story to say that he thought I was hot and was only checking me out!

Eventually, another loss prevention officer told him that I was not a criminal. He introduced himself to me, and now, 13 years later, we are married with two beautiful girls!

Progress Report - Organization Challenge

Many know that Erika, aka Journeyfan, on the CKMB has issued a challenge for everyone to get organized. Check out her challenge on her blog. In the meantime, here's how I'm doing:


The first step is admitting you have a problem.

Here's my work table. It's built in and quite large, so that's good. The bad part is that it leaves a lot of space to collect stuff that should be put away.




This is the area right next to the work table. Note the Christmas garland on the floor that I was supposed to repair three weeks ago. I guess it will not be ready for this Christmas! The large bus tub (used by bussers in restaurants) is supposed to hold things that need to be put away. As you can see, it has been a long time since I cleaned it out.





Finally, this is the large rubbermaid storage thing (about six feet tall) that used to be able to hold all my stuff. My buddy, Airborne, is also in the photo. He hangs out with me a lot when I'm scrapping.



Oh yeah, and here's even more stuff that I bought on Black Friday and just can't find a place for. I wound up shoving it into the closest that is supposed to be used for our Daisy Troop.


The solution:




And away we go! Here are some photos of the installation. I'm not going to lie, there was a lot of cursing initially. The screws that were included really were useless. Allen found some 1-5/8 inch screws in his stash (luckily, he's a tool guy) that worked much better. Here's my favorite quote from the installation:
Allen: You're not doing a very good job at holding them level.
Me: You're not doing a very good job at being nice.
Still, in the end, Allen told me to order a few more. It's a good system if you get the right screws.




And finally, here's what I've gotten put away so far. I'm off to do some more and then to order some more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This may be my last post until after Christmas. If that is the case and you are still reading (thanks, btw), then have a Merry Christmas!

Cropper Hopper Rail System Arrives At My House!

It's here! My Cropper Hopper Rail System is here! It's supposed to be my Christmas present from Allen, but he is still at work and I want to open it so bad! That would be wrong though, right?

Look! Even my 3-year-old wants to open it! I'll wait. At least I'll try. Maybe he'll let me go ahead and open it since it's here and all ...

Whew! Finished ...

I finally finished my Christmas cards.


They are not how I had originally envisioned them, but I really backed myself into a corner time-wise. So, they are what they are.


Now I just have to get them mailed. It would probably be bad form to just leave them in my mailbox with the flag up, wouldn't it?

Now, it is time to get back to HOF!

My OCD Scrapping fix!

It's coming! The rail system from Cropper Hopper will be in my house in 12-15 working days! I ordered it from Scrapbook.com. It was supposed to be a Christmas present from Allen, but they had free shipping for 24-hours only, so he told me to go ahead and order it!

Even though I make a great big mess when I'm in the middle of a project, I am crazy about being organized. It's my OCD (obsessive compulsive DiSoRdEr) I cannot wait for this to arrive. I ordered enough stuff to fill five rails. I hope that will be enough! Of course, I still have the 7-foot rubbermaid storage cabinet and the wall shelf to store things. Oh what fun I will have once it arrives!

Card sets and stickles

Whew! I made eight sets of six cards yesterday and today. I pride myself in not making duplicate cards (except for Christmas cards) so the set pictured here is just an idea of what they all look like. I packaged each set in a green-striped cello bag with gold tinsel and candies inside.

Check out what I did with my current obsession - STICKLES! On the blue card, I added it to the felt flowers. On the pink card I "inked" the edge of some torn paper with it. I'm thinking that technique would be so cool for a winter layout.

So, tomorrow I actually make my Christmas cards. At least that's the plan. First, I have to put the mess I made today away ...

First casualty of assembly line cards

I am making sets of cards to give as gifts for Callie's teachers and for the White Elephant gift exchange at the SOM Moms group that Audrey and I attend. I'm making them assembly line style as I thought that would be the most efficient. Until I found the card in the photo to the left on the bottom of a pile. It got all inked-on. Oh well. I will probably save it and find a way to cover up the goof or pull the embellishments of and reuse on another card.

Still, it was such a shock to my mojo, as I was cruising along feeling pretty good about myself. Then, BANG! Messed up card. I suppose I'm making too much of this.

Oh well, I have 8 sets of cards to make. I cut and score 8 at a time then cover with paper and add embellishments. Finally, I add some sentiment and then move on to my next set of eight. It's actually a good system. I hope to hall all the sets complete tomorrow.

I'm also going to Hobby Lobby tomorrow to look for some inspiration for my HOF crafty combo. I have a few ideas, but I've yet to find one that really screams, "PERFECT!" Maybe wandering the aisles at HL will help. I love what Allison Davis did for hers last year. Check it out here on her blog. Gee, I wish I could figure out a way to use my cake decorating as my crafty combo. HMM ...

Thanks Heidi Swapp

Thanks to the bling on the boot, my daughter has no problem figuring out which boot goes on which foot! Faced with having to put her boots on without my help at school, she got a little apprehensive. I put the bling on the outside of each boot to help her out, and she went from nervous to fashionable! Who says our supplies have no other uses?

Tagged!

I was tagged by one of my favorite scrapbookers, Bjh from the scrapbook.com forum.

If you've been tagged, list 7 random facts about yourself and list the 7 people you are going to tag.

Here are my 7 random facts:

• After nearly 4 decades, the best friend I found at birth, Jennifer, is still my best friend today. I'm pretty sure she still claims me too! Today (11/26) is also her birthday.
  
• I used to own my own meal preparation business called, "You're the Chef," in Flint, Michigan. We closed a little over a year ago due to the economy.
• I am a huge fan of the stage play Annie (not so much the movies though). My two daughters are following in my footsteps.
• I studied musical theatre in college and did one regional commercial for a home improvement store the summer after I graduated. It was my one and only professional credit.
• I have a masters degree in public administration (I am a master bureaucrat).
• If I could, I would be happy to survive on a diet of pizza, gyros and Halo Burger.
• My husband and I pulled off a military wedding just 4 days after 9/11. Our honor guard dropped from six to two, but I still walked under the sabers and Allen was not ordered to report (we even made the Hawaiian honeymoon)!

I am off to tag:

• Melegs;
• Hickschick;
• Candice;
• HappyScrappySam
• TonyaB;
• Julie - not me, another Julie; and
  
• Artsychick - a new Memory Makers Master!
  

No Cricut for me!

My Mike's advertisement said they opened at 6 a.m. today. I got there at 5:45 thinking I had plenty of time only to find out that they opened the doors at 5:00 a.m. (they just wouldn't start ringing people up until 6 a.m.). Needless to say, the Cricuts were gone. I have not interest in going to the WalMart in town, so oh well. I still was able to get a lot of stuff, so it was not a total loss. I'm taking this as a sign that I am really a QuicKutz gal at heart.

I hope you all have a great day and find deals galore!

Awesome New Papers!

I just found a new line of papers that I am in love with. It's called Daisy Bucket Designs. They are just beautiful. Maybe I can take a photo and post it tomorrow. They are double-sided, and the colors are great. They fit my style perfectly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did get a new Canon Power Shot this weekend. It was an early Christmas gift from my parents as Audrey dropped my old one last week and Allen's just seemed to poop out on us. My Mom found it on sale at Best Buy, and nabbed it for me. This time, she got the extra warranty that covers it even if I run it over with my car. With the way our other two were treated, that's a real possibility! Thanks Mom!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

As a writer, and especially as someone who majored in English for my undergraduate degree, I am having a very hard time with my HOF Ticker. You see, I do not have one LO done. Rather, I have one LO finished. Oh, using done in place of finished is one of my biggest pet peeves. It ranks right up there with people who think a lot is actually one word and those that don't know the difference between your and you're. Oh yes, there are also people who insist that they are doing good when they're actually doing well. Arg!
Ok, the ticker stays, but it is really going to bother me!

One down!

Whew! The first HOF LO is complete. Now that I got started, I hope I keep up the momentum! Anyone else started? finished? still thinking?

Found some mojo and looking for a card kit

I can't sit her and type for too long, because I've got some mojo, and I don't want to waste it. I have been going through the gallleries at creatingkeepsakes.com and scrapbook.com, and I've got some inspiration!

I think I might "cheat" and order a card kit this year. I'm going to do some looking around to see what I like. Any input would be appreciated!

Where's my Mojo?

I did do one LO the other day. It's actually a scraplift - sort of. I had the idea in my head and even had the photos developed and on my desk. Then my December CK came in the mail, and there was somebody else's version of what was in my head. So, I knew it was a sign to do the LO. I did it, I love it, I plan to submit it to CK. What's the problem? Audrey dropped my camera, and it is out of commission for now. I don't have a 12X12 scanner. Arg.

So anyway, I have all these plans for HOF, but for some reason, I'm just not doing them. If anyone has some scrapping mojo to send my way, please do so. I think a big part of it was getting through Halloween and then getting through the first Daisy meeting (it was tonight). I now have two weeks until the Daisy's meet again. I also have a great co-leader and a few more Moms that want to help out, so I'm in good shape there. I do have Callie's birthday party in couple of weeks too, so that will take up some time. However, if I keep focused, I really have no excuse.

So that's it: No excuse. I need to start making that counter to the right move. No excuses. Except that right now it's time for bed. No more excuses starting tomorrow.

Scrap-A-Faire

This is my first time going to Scrap-A-Faire. I have not registered for a class yet. Please take the poll to the right and tell me what you think.

Callie would not let Audrey participate in her school Halloween parade (she's just a pre-schooler after all), but Audrey still had fun watching! This photo cracks me up!

New site I'm crazy about

Have you been to scrapbook.com? What a resource! Let me know if you've been there and what your name is there so I can look you up! My name (if you have not guessed already) is Scrapperdays.

Here's a photo of Callie in her first school Halloween parade. She was dressed up as Barbie Island Princess. If I had of know that they were just putting the costumes on over their street clothes, I would have dressed her in blue instead of brown!

Hair Scare

As much as I love Halloween, I'm glad it is over! Between dance class parties, school parties and trick or treating, I'm pooped! Not to mention the late nights because the girls were buzzing on sugar. Yes, last night I found them hiding underneath the dining room table shoving as much candy in their mouths as they could! They also chose last night to break my will in regards to re-brushing their hair before we set out trick-or-treating. At least I will have fun scrapping this!

New LSS for me!

I finally got a magnetic mat! I'm so excited. I visited the closest LSS in my new area, and there it was! Here's the thing: my husband was confused. He is very supportive of my scrapping, but this time he looked at it and asked, "What do you make that is magnetic?"

I did ask the owner of the LSS if she is looking for instructors, and she said she is. I'm going to take in some of my pages along with a resume. I think I'd really enjoy teaching classes.

Ummmm

The girls recently took over the master bedroom. Allen and I have a simple plan: Wait until they're asleep, and then put them in their own beds!

Ok, I'm a little off-track on my HOF plan but not really behind. At least I don't think I'm behind. Instead of working on one particular assignment so far this week, I've focused on choosing the photos out of my current stash to use. Accordingly, I'm trying to come up with some new ones. I may have to re-work my current schedule or double up one week. I don't know yet.

Why I love "sketch" submissions

I finished my submission for Becky's Sketch yesterday - right on track. I opted to do a one-page LO this time. What I love about submitting from sketchs (Simple Scrapbooks has a similar call too) is that it forces you to just do it. Sure, you can play around with your embellishments and colors, but the sketch really keeps you on track.

Today I will start on my first CK HOF project (see plan in the sidebar). I'm not sure which one I'm going to work on, but I'm excited! I also have to put out Halloween decorations and set stuff out on the curb for junk day. Luckily, it will be in the mid-70's today! I'm going to give the girls some rakes and let them play in the leaves!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

On your mark, get set, scrap!

Whee! Today I'm going to work on the Becky's sketch for April. I hope to start and complete it today.

I've also mapped out my plan for completing HOF. It's more like a rough outline, but it's a start. If you're interested, you can track my progress on the ticker to the right. I actually put it there to keep the pressure on myself.

I went through my calendar and figured out which weeks I can work on HOF, and which weeks I'll have too many other things going on to devote the appropriate attention to my entry. I tried to give myself at least one week on each assignment. This should also give me time to work on other non-HOF LOs.

Basically, my idea is this:

• Sundays -- Decide which assignment to tackle. Make list of what I need.
• Mondays-Wednesdays -- Gather materials, work on sketches, begin actual work if possible (these days are kind of busy around my house).
• Thursdays -- Get my hands dirty putting it together.
• Fridays -- Tweak.
• Saturdays -- Come to terms with the finished project.

I'm excited now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today I plan to print out the official HOF rules and make a plan/schedule. I think I will post a link to it on this blog to keep myself on track. Who else is doing HOF? Let me know, and we can keep each other motivated!

I'm back!!!!!!!!!

Vegas was great. In fact, it was probably our best trip yet. Now that I'm home, it's time to get back to work. I have a few projects around the house (some bigger than others) and I need to get moving on two big tasks:

1. Setting up our new Daisy Scout troop (I've been given the go-ahead from the Glowing Embers Council), and
2. Making a plan for completing the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame contest.
   

I think I may have to use these photos in a LO soon!

Leaving for Vegas

We're leaving for Vegas Wednesday, so I won't be here for almost a week! Next Monday at the earliest, anyway. Allen has conned me into entering into a (small) Holdem' tournament. I am Black Jack player, but he really wants me to try poker. Of course, I outlasted him on an online tournament on Full Tilt Poker last night, so now he thinks I'm a natural. I'll give it a shot. I just get so bored playing Holdem'. Regardless, please wish us a safe trip! TTFN ...

Annie - What a Memory!

I finally got to take my older DD, Callie (5 in November), to see the national tour of Annie last night. It was a thrill for her as she loves Annie and she sat on the edge of her seat during the orphanage scenes. She also shushed me every time I laughed. It was a thrill for me because I still remember my Mother taking me to see the tour twice during the original broadway run. as you can see, Callie was thoroughly exhausted after the show and fell asleep on the living room floor!

Looks like I've Committed Myself

Oh boy, oh boy! I've decided to give the Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame Contest a shot! I'm excited and a little overwhelmed. There are 10 projects to complete and we have until February 11, 2008, to submit everything. It seems like a long time, but I think it will go fast.

I've never entered anything like this before, so my goal is just to be happy with my entry (and to get it in with time to spare). I have a progress counter to the right of this page, to keep myself motivated. I also put an estimated date of completion to be February 1, so that I will have plenty of time to get the entry shipped to the powers that be at Creating Keepsakes.

Wish me luck. I'm really excited about this challenge. I love having a goal!

Finally!

I'm back to scrapping! I did this one a week or so ago. Now that I look at it, I would change the placement of the photo, but I am a firm believer in not changing LOs after I've declared them finished. So much more to catch everyone up on, but it's late, and I have to get Callie up early for school. I will catch up later!
Take care, and thanks for stopping by!

All moved in and ready to go!

I finally got all of my scrap stuff moved back in to my house. I even cleaned up my coardstock and got it better sorted. I use the ROYGBP method, but it had gotten a little out of whack.

I just pulled the supplies to do my first LO now that I'm back in my house. I'll post it when my camera is working. My DDs took it in to the bathtub when I wasn't looking. ARG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting Back On Track!

Whew! It's been a busy couple of weeks:

• Allen returned home;
• We all moved back in to our house;
• Callie started kindergarten (sniffle, sniffle from Mom);
• Both girls started at a new dance and gymnastics studio;
• So much more!!!!!!!!!!!!
  

Tomorrow we will move almost the last of my scrapbooking stuff back to my house from my parents' house. I am so excited to get back to my addiction! I don't know what project I'll jump in to first, but I just can wait!

Gone until Labor Day!

I'm doing something unprecedented, unheard of, daring and strange. I'm leaving my computer behind for a few days (almost a week - gasp). Allen has returned from Afghanistan and we are moving the family back to Plainwell. Because I will have a lot to do getting our house back in order and getting everything unpacked, I am going to leave my computer at my parents' house for a few days. I just can't chance the distraction. Once I get reading those scrapbook message boards and blogs, I'm on for hours.

Please look for me to return to the internet after Labor Day. Have a great holiday everyone!

Allen's Home!!!!!!

Here's a photo of Allen and Audrey at the airport (Callie is off-camera dancing). More later!

Allen arrives home tonight!

Ok, this may be my last post for a few days. Allen arrives home from his 14 mos. tour this very evening! I'm so excited! I also submitted my first pages to CK last night. What fun this all is!

I was tagged!

Yea! I feel like one of the cool kids now! Erica, aka melegs on the CK message board, tagged me.

Here are the rules:
1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.
2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of their middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. ***IF you have already done your middle name than do the State that you live in with new adjectives!*****
3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog-post containing your own middle name game facts. ***Or state if you have already been tagged before!***
4. At the end of your blog-post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag.
5. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.Here is mine:

Ann:

A: Anxious - For now anyway. My husband is on his way home from a 15-month deployment. He should arrive in Michigan by the end of the week. I'm anxious because we will all be moving back into our house (the girls and I have been staying with my parents while Allen was gone) and jumping right back in to the family thing inluding Callie starting kindergarten and Audrey starting pre-school in a few weeks. The girls will also be going to a new dance studio. A lot of changes, but all for the good!

N: Nice - At least that's what I hope I am!

N: Nurturing - Hey, I'm a Mom, it's what I do!

OK, I'm off to find three people to post!

I tagged:

1. Becky
2. IamDerby aka Derbylia
3. nicolemartel

I stepped outside of my comfort zone ...

...Meaning I did a layout without the typical 1/4-inch photo mats and the like. I tried to go with the new trends I'm seeing on the galleries. You be the judge. Does this LO work for you? What would you have done different? Please let me know. I'm trying to grow as a scrapper, so I want honest assessments.

In case you're wondering ... I'm the redhead that is standing. Next to me is Tracy. Seated from left to right is Jaime, her mother Tammy and my mother Fay. Sometimes Tracy's daughters join us, but rarely. They're both in college and probably find us to "slow them down." They're good young ladies. We are all friends with ties to a certain business to which will not be named just because ... We try to meet up once a month for dinner and a couple of cocktails. None for my Mom though as just one drop of alcohol makes her sick (even when it's been cooked).

My challenge to myself

As I look at the galleries on the CK site, I'm feeling like my style could use a jolt. I need to switch things up. I can't put my finger on how to put it into words (not good for a writer to admit), but I know what I need to do. I want to get away from all the border-type stuff that I do. While I pledge to always keep my scrapbooks about the photos and memories first and foremost, I want to get a little more creative with my pages. More later, Callie is calling me upstairs to watch Noggin with her ...

Must set goals

Seriously, I do. I love to do lists if only for the satisfaction of getting to check something off when I'm finished.

Off the top of my head, the projects needing attention right now (aside from most photos and events from July 2004 - July 2006) include:

• Books
• Allen's deployment book (all the things that happened while he was deployed)
• Callie's Kinder-Camp book
• You're the Chef
  
• Tabby Cat tribute
• Last year's trip to Orlando
  
• Smaller Projects/Pages
• Audrey in the newspaper
• Getting my groove back
• Girls' Night Out
• Callie's dance recital
• Callie's dance camp
• Signs of no more babies
• Girls at concerts in the park
• Summer fun - swimming and chalk
• Yard work
• Audrey's wanderlust
• Splash pad
• Callie and Audrey at the cabin
  

Oh man--I need another cup of coffee! I also need to set a plan for all this. Coffee first ...

Prime Outlet Shopping and Hidden Pocket LOs

I took my Mother and two DDs shopping at the Prime Outlet in Birch Run, Michigan today. Though she has lived about 30 minutes from the nationally known outlets for about 20 years and though she is a true shop-aholic, this was my Mom's first trip there. I have created a monster. Petite Sophisticate now has a new life-time customer. Sorry Dad! She did get a lot of great deals though. Plus, it is difficult to find clothes that fit her tiny size 2 frame.

I finally finished the LOs for Audrey's 2nd birthday. I had to do three: one for her babybook, one for her yearly book and one for the book of everything that we did while Allen was on deployment. This LO is the first one I have ever done with a hidden photo pocket.

Tomorrow, I will set some goals for myself for projects for the coming weeks.

TTFN!

To get back into the Autumn mode

I've been thinking a lot about autumn photos lately. Seems odd since we're going through a heat-wave! Maybe it's the school shopping and the way the pumpkins are already turning orange. I just can't wait to get those kiddies dressed in fall clothes and get them outside in the leaves again. Here's a LO from last year.

I finally posted some LOs on CK!

I added the link to my Creating Keepsakes Gallery below. I can't wait to make more LOs to post!

Ok, I'm starting to get the hang of this blog thing. I hope to use this to keep myself organized with all my scrapping projects and my writing. I am so, so, so hoping to get back in to writing. I wrote for a newspaper right out of college and then just got away from it. I recently sent out a few article queries to my two favorite scrapbook magazines. I have a few more ideas to send to other magazines too (not all scrapbook related).

I don't know if people will actually read this blog or if I'm doing it just for myself, but if you are reading this now: HI! Check out the photo of my DDs getting relief from the hot sun at a local splash pad. What a fun day! Gee, I'll probably scrapbook that photo and 73 others I took along with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's See ...

I'm still learnin'!

Scrapperdays

I am just trying this out!