Baby Tag

A work in progress. These are going to be used to tie our hand dipped pretzel rods for my sister's baby shower.

Spring Banners

Catie and I made SPRING banners last night. Originally, wanted to cut ovals to create 6 flowers, however, the ovals are too round. The 'flowers' looked more like EGGS piled on top of each other. I used the CM Ovals, 2 sizes. I actually USED my Cricut to cut the letters. It took a few tries to get the right font size. I actually LIKED it!! It makes me want to get more font cartridges. I only have 2, but they are very exciting!!! Catie used the first letters we made with the Cricut. I think they were too big and didn't stand out on my ovals. We recut in brown. I thought the "I" did not print, so we cut a piece of scrap to make the 'I' and used the flowers to DOT it. I used Martha Stewart glitter on the edges of the circles. I bought on of those fancy glue pens, which made glittering SOOOO much easier!!! Eyelets and ribbon to string them.

Aaron's comment, after 4 hours of work, "Oh no, more banners??" It's been a long time since my last banner kick!!!!

New Punches

I like the checker board punch - Martha Stewart. I had NO idea until now that Martha's punches are made by EK Success!! The other punch is EK Success. The picture shows a small cut out or embossed cirlce that follows the zig zag. I was hoping for PUNCH OUT, but it's embossed and BARELY comes out!! I might return this one....???

New Lattice Punch - Martha Stewart

LOVE IT!!!!! Check it out. EK Success (Michael's) had some cool punches too, a few of them were miniture sizes....I'm addicted!!

Challenge 7

I am a little behind, but doing the challenges as I can. I just noticed that I made a few spelling mistakes. My handwriting is not very good either. I will go back and REDO the journaling circles in a few days. I added some popsicle facts to the page. I'm also going to try to draw/cut out some popsicles for the 2nd page. Again, I am a two page layout girl!! I have a 3rd set of pictures where Sam is enjoying cheese puffs. I'll probably do that page too!!

I bought FUN FLOCK from LLL yesterday. It is a fiberous material that gives a 3D look. Kind of like puffy paint???!!! I'm going to practice using it too. The owner of LLL said it's LOTS of fun.

I have decided to just post my layout with the mistakes and omitted embellishments, incase it takes a few more weeks to complete!!

BLOG PICTURE

How do I enlarge my profile picture? How do I make the page fancier?? It's so boring!

Sam Summer of 2008

I like doing POOL layouts for the kids. We spend about 85% of our waking hours at my parent's house, in the POOL!! Sam is a total water rat, as my dad would say. He is the LAST one out!! I finally finished this today. It's not part of the SCRAPSISTAS challenge, it's part of MY challenge to be CAUGHT up. I am about 6-9 months behind for 2008. Otherwise, I'm good to go!!

Challenge 5

Boy, I am behind!! HOWEVER, I did a much better job at duplicating the Challenge. Heather was nice enough to tell me how to print my pictures in order to do the 12 or 6 per page. Never thought to print them wallet size!! AND, I figured out how to do that today!! Better yet, Aaron surprised me by restoring 7 years worth of pictures from the DELL PC. I haven't checked the external hard drive yet, BUT I am confident it worked this time. I'll get 6,7,8 done soon enough!

I am still a double layout girl, so the 2nd page follows my typical GET IT DONE QUICKLY motto!

Catie is always bored....

It's a shame that Oxford did not start full day full week kindergarten this year. Poor Catie missed the start date by 3 days. She's bored out of her mind here. There's NO ONE to play with on our street. I just don't know what to do for her. I am not satisfying her need for company her own age. Maybe we need to move to a LARGE subdivison packed full of kids!!

Scrap Challenge 6...

Again, I stuck to my old style. It's just easier for me! I'd have to print a 12x12 collage page in order to get 12 perfect squares on it! I'm going to make every effort to follow the challenge. If I can't, I'll at least try to do a page! I have a hard time pulling everything out and working at home due to so many interruptions. It just frustrates me and I hate being frustrated!! Is it cocktail time yet??

Last Year Layouts

These layouts have been sitting in my plastic 12x12 storage box since LAST May, when I unofficially gave up scrapping! I didn't do ONE page until the ScRaPsIsTaS started up! Anyway, I have a few FAVORITE tools that I use often!! One - the flexible ruler, which you will see often in my work! Two - my Martha Stewart flowery border punch, mostly used on my sister's Bridal Shower Thank You notes from last April. THREE - my Sizzix flower die cut, which was the inspiration to make my sister's Bridal Shower Invites (which I am VERY proud of still!). A few years ago, my husband bought me the Xyron sticker maker. I think it sat in the box untouched for over a year until I started the layout with the flowers. I was obsessed with running each one thru the sticker maker!! I can't say it's a FAVORITE tool to use, but it was FUN at the moment!! One day, I will BUY the refill pages I need to get the pages INTO Catie's book!!!

Scrap Challenge

Ok...I believe I completed 4a - the one using circles. Had I figure out that using the printer is actaully REALLY fun, I would have printed my copy then cut the circle around it. However, I did the page at a Friday night crop, so it's a moot point!! Here's my version of 4a....I did not do Challenge 3 because I couldn't bring up the images before I left that night. I DID, however, do THREE 2 page layouts that night. I hope it counts for something!

Scrapping

I've been TRYING to scrap with the ScRaPsIsTaS, but like most things, I get distracted. When I scrap, I want to have TOTAL Traci time. That never happens here!! I went to Maggie's on Friday night with my friend Sarah, who I have not seen in almost 2 years!! She brought 2 teachers from Holly Elem and a sister-in-law of one of them. Unfortunately, my husband didn't get home from work until 6:36pm - using up almost 1 1/2 hours of my scrap/talking time. He doesn't understand that every MINUTE counts! It starts at 6pm, I want to be there at 5:59pm ready to go!!! He was 10 minutes from home, when some dumb ass had to hit a deer on Rochester Rd, leaving it half alive. No one would move a muscle, per Aaron. I'm going to post the 2 of 3 layouts that I finished. I would like them to count for at least challenge 4. I was unable to bring up the picture of #3, but I know I failed b/c I didn't use masks or the Cricut!!

Things are getting better

Ok...I finally got on the treadmill. I ran 4 miles in 45 minutes, which is pretty good if you ask me! I got some of my agression out. I am taking some ME time. Now, it's time to shower and put the kind size comforter back in the duvet cover - the most hated part of having to wash bedding. Catie peed on it last night, so it's been a day process of washing and drying both pieces. I am CRAVING a big bowl of peanut butter cup ice cream w/ chocolate sauce. I will have it by 9pm!!!! I made chicken veggie soup, so the ice cream can off-set my healthy meal!!

Today Sucks!

I was planning on having a GOOD day today, however, it was interrupted by having to clean up after slobs. I am sick of being the ONLY one willing to CLEAN this shithole of a house. We are having a little Super Bowl party on Sunday, so I really need to get things in order. The more I clean the angrier I get. I know all will be undone in minutes. The clutter is KILLING me. My mother-in-law is constantly givins us FREE books that her library does NOT want. Why do I want them!!! The cat is shitting in my plant. It's driving me crazy. The cat is digging up the other plant, again, driving me crazy. My hands smell like celery from making soup. Catie keeps destroying the office - paint and shit everywhere. I am in a mood that I could take everything in this house to the Salvation Army and not give a shit about it. The basement is full of CLUTTER and unused/wanted shit. What I would give to have a NORMAL house to live in!!!!!! Everywhere I look is a project UNDONE because I CAN'T DO IT ALONE!!!!!!!!!! I have a great husband who supports every thing I want to do - EXPECT FOR HELPING TO KEEP THIS HOUSE CLEAN!!!!! I wonder why I am crabby all the time!!!!

Scrap Challenge 2

I tried to duplicate the challenge this week! I was not able to size my pictures down perfectly, which was MY challenge! I am also PC/Printer illiterate. I just got MS Office Suite and don't know a darn thing about it! Sam is having a tempertantrum on the floor. Aaron is on the treadmill. I am still recovering my energy so I have no patience for children today. Needless to say, I wish this day would END!! Here's my layout, Christmas 2007 is DONE!! I'm taking a break on Christmas...2008 will have to wait until next year!! :)

Why drink to much??!!

Last night, Katie came over around 5:30pm to pick Katrina up. Aaron walked in right behind her. He sat down in his 'crispy' work outfit, opened a bottle of wine and a beer for me. A few hours later, Michael called telling his mom to COME home he is HUNGRY!! Max hung up on him, how rude! We called back, told Aaron to pack up and come over for pizza here. Next thing you know, there are beer cans everywhere, kids running crazy and adults falling off of bar stools!! Needless to say, I didn't get my 9 hours of sleep thanks to the alcohol burning out of my system. I got up at 6:15a.m., it's going to be a LONG day! My skin is hot and feverish feeling still. I forced myself to get on the treadmill, but I don't think it did much to improve how I feel! The unplanned get togethers are the most fun!!

If you cook should you clean?

I am a SAHM, I do a lot around here. I am beginning to rethink the idea of cooking and cleaning up just is NOT fair! Am I wrong? I was watching Oprah today while running on the treadmill. It talked about horomone replacement therpay. Robin McGraw said you should start monitoring your horomone levels in your 20's...I am about to turn 37 and this is the first time i have HEARD this. My question is maybe my horomones are out of wack and I am being irrational about cooking and cleaning up!! I might just check out her book and the book written by a female doctor that Oprah is IN LOVE WITH. I already feel myself slipping, but I have been blaming it on battling my kids. Maybe it is all ME!!

SCRAPPER IN TRAINING!

Catie made a scrapbook page with me. Here is her work!

Another 2007 Christmas layout

Thanks to the ScRaP SiStaz for kick starting my scrapbooking!

I need to watch my child!

I tend to walk away from Sam so I can check email, Facebook, whatever else is nagging away at me. This time, it's finishing the 2 page Christmas layout from LAST year. Aaron walked into the kitchen and yells to me to come and LOOK. Apparently, Sam, almost 23 months old, decided to climb onto the counter tops, across it and behind the sink. He wanted to BLOW OUT THE CANDLE that Aaron lit! I had to get a picture of it!

Putting Kids to Bed

Why is it so hard for a child to go to bed? I didn't train myself to put them to bed AWAKE as infants, so I have no one to blame but myself. Sam was put to bed asleep, about 10 minutes later, I can hearing whimpering. Aaron convinces me the light sounds of crying is background noise from the surround sound. As soon as the mysterious noise cries louder, "MOMMY OUT", I know it's not the TV! I reminded myself of the last time I got him out of bed and tried to rock him back to sleep - he was raring to go at 11:48pm, well past MY bedtime. As soon as I felt the urge to SWEAR, I threw him in bed, shut my door and that was it. I will NOT go thru it again! As for the other 2, they are old enough to know going to bed is a good thing. Max, 8, was playing PS2 and would NOT quit. Aaron gave him an ultimatum, finish your game and go to bed immediately, or turn it off now and watch some TV. He chose the first option. When it came time to GO TO BED IMMEDIATELY, he acted dumb founded - he said, "It's not my fault..." Are you joking??!! MY mother-in-law and 5 month old dog are here (their furnace died), so it's been quite the show going on with Rebus (dog) and Rosie (cat)....TIME FOR BED!

Headache!

Boy, this house is noisy! It's 7:56pm and no one seems to be settling down. My mother-in-law and the puppy Rebus are on their way over. The furnace finally quit working on one of the coldest days we've had in a long time! My father-in-law and Lucy, the very old dog, are going to tough it out in the COLD house. Good thing they have power and space heaters!! If this happened to me, I'd be heading to a cozy hotel w/ a pool for the night!!

DS bring so much happiness! These 3 people are what I live for!

Individual Scrapbook or Family Scrapbook

My question to all scrappers: ONE family book or stick to individual books? I have 3 kids to keep up on. I worry that I will run out of space to keep all of the books. Right now I have at least 9 between them. I am about 6-9 months behind for each child. If I cop out on the individual books, I can always make 12x12 copies and create more books in the future!!

FirstScrapChallenge

Scrap Challege 1

Ok. So I didn't completely follow the rules. I am 'stuck' in what I know and feel comfortable doing. I will try harder the next time to do something different. It's very hard for me to scrap at home with the kids and husband, I feel like I am being neglectful. HOWEVER, I do know that it's OK to have ME TIME. What I would like EVEN more than SCRAPPING is to figure out this website!!!

Creating a Blog Name

I really wish I had a better imagination! I never come with cool names! Oh well!