I've moved ...

and should have told you long ago ... but you can find me here

I'm Back !!!

Yes, I know ... you thought I fell from the face of the earth!

I had such a great time on vacation and even extended it a little because my husband bought a car ('66 GTO), so we ended up driving back instead of flying. I will get on this weekend and post details, and pictures! Just wanted to pop on here for a minute and let everyone know I've returned and will soon be posting regularly again.

My 10 Scrapbooking Mantras

2peas meme

"a meme n (mëm): is an idea that is shared and passed from blog to blog, like a question posted in one blog and answered in many other blogs."

This week [Sept 19th] we are going to talk about our scrapbooking mantras. What is a mantra? A commonly repeated word or phrase AKA what you think, believe, do right now regarding scrapbooking. I've changed the ways that i've scrapped lately so those changes are my mantras right now. They can be serious...silly...commentary on the scrap world etc.

1. ORGANIZE - I really need to find a method of organization that works for me. I've tried various methods but most seem to stop my creative flow.

2. USE WHAT I OWN - I have so much stuff that some of it has gone out of "style". I really need to use what I buy rather than hoarding it.

3. STAY TRUE TO YOUR STYLE - I often get caught up in the new styles of scrapbooking like shabby chic or retro. Some are just not me, or don't suit the themes I scrap.

4. DO IT - I tend to not find the time to scrap unless I am under a time crunch, so that means that most of my personal stuff never gets done. I need to devote time to getting my albums done.

5. GO TO MORE CROPS - I usually get quite a bit done at crops (even though those that know me think I socialize rather than scrap) but I need to attend more, especially the weekend ones.

6. LEARN TO SCRAP WITHOUT ELECTRICITY - since I'm faced with another tropical storm / hurricane, I better learn how to scrap when the power goes out.

7. YOU DON'T NEED IT IN EVERY COLOR - unless it's cardstock, but otherwise, just because they offer a product in 256 different colors, doesn't mean I have to go out and buy all the colors.

8. JOURNAL WITH MEANING - I need to journal better to express my feelings rather than what's going on in the pic.

9. PURGE - get rid of the things I will never ever use again. I have 3 nieces that would love them.

10. MAKE GIFTS - everyone laughs in my family because my wishlists always focus on scrapbooking and stamping supplies, but I rarely turn those supplies into gifts for my family.

Rita Watch

Just another summer day in Florida. We are under Hurricane Warning for Hurricane Rita. Down here we call the probablility cone "The Cone Of Doom". Even though my business is in North Fort Lauderdale, we've already begun preparing. Tomorrow we report to work if we can safely travel the roads (ie: no Rita). Mom is in Key Largo, and said she's not going to evacuate -- so we'll see.

We've done all we can do (stocked up on food, water, gas, and money; shutters down, etc) so now it's all up to mother nature.

If we do get a lot of rain and winds, I expect there will be heavy cleanup afterward. The neighborhoods still haven't been cleaned up from when Katrina came through late August. Most streets have piles and piles of yard debris waiting for the county to come through. It was as if everyone decided to trim their trees at the same time, so you can imagine. Thankfully, my immediate street has already been cleaned up so that's on less worry for me.

Presents Presents Presents

Lucky, Lucky Me ...

I got lots of stuff for my Birthday, so I'll tell you about some of it here.

DVD/VHS recorder
$15 Michaels GC
$20 Michaels GC
$25 Target GC
$50 Local Scrapbook Store GC
Designers Eye book by Ali Edwards
Clean & Simple book by Cathy Zielske
MM Metal Eyelet Charms
MM Jigsaw Alpha
MM Embellishment Attachements in Sky, Pewter, and Lime
Lil Davis Chipboard Alphabet
Cheetah Adhesive Refill
2 Clear Overlays 12x12
T-shirt with a cat in a 50s Chevy
Lots of Paperbacks including those by Dean Koontz, Iris Johanson, Patricia Cornwell, and Leslie Glass

Now, of course I've already spent the Michaels GC because they had the 50% off coupon this weekend so I got the MM Distressing Kit.

I had a great birthday, and a great weekend -- now if Rita will just stay away!

2peas Meme Challenge #10

Challenge from the 2peas message board
Since it's Back to School mode...This week [Sept 12th] we are going to talk about school memories. They can be fun...crazy...silly, etc.

1. 3rd grade - punished by standing out in the sun because I was talking too much
2. 3rd grade - always seeing a box on the porch of a house on the way home, and making up stories with my sister as to what was in the box -- turned out they were delivered meals.
3. 3rd grade - my first crush! - Scott Brenner.
4. 4th grade - Dawn dolls!
5. 5th grade - Mr. Copenhagen introducing us to James Taylor - Sweet Baby James Album
6. Elementary School - peanut butter and jelly sandwiches every day! I would not buy the hot lunches, and would be upset if my sandwich (creamy peanutbutter) got mixed up with my brothers (crunchy)
7. Elementary School - Santa apples for the teachers - My mom would make Santa's of apples, and would deliver them for the holidays. They were the coolest!
8. Field Trips
9. 10th Grade - Getting Straight A's and a color TV in my bedroom.
10. Finishing school by noon -- we had split shifts back then.

This was a fun trip down memory lane! Thanks Tanika

Misuse of FEMA debit Cards

Misuse Article

I haven't said much about the Hurricane Katrina happenings, but when I see stories like this it makes me cringe. Again a minority of those who received the cards are [potentially] ruining it for the many who are doing the right thing and using the cards for food, shelter, and clothing. I'd also bet that these same people will be the first ones begging for more money because they can't buy food.

Insanity!

CKU - Atlanta

After all the speculation on the scrapbooking sites - Creating Keepsakes has finally announced the 2006 CKU schedule.

CKU-Album, Chicago, IL: March 30-April 1, 2006
CKU-Provo, UT: May 18-20, 2006
CKU-Album, San Jose, CA: June 22-24, 2006
CKU-Album, Atlanta, GA: July 27-29, 2006
CKU-Master's, Boston, MA: August 24-26, 2006
CKU-Houston, TX: September 14-16, 2006

First, I can't believe that they are not doing a Masters in Provo and second ...
CKU-Atlanta is going to be ALBUMS! I just can't tell you how thrilled I am. I wasn't sure I'd be able to justify the expense of getting to Atlanta if it was going to be a regular CKU (since I've already been to two), but since it's Albums - I'm definitely there! Plans are in the works - hotel reservations already made!

Blog Spam

I didn't know there was such a thing --- but there is!
I was just getting excited to see an actual comment, then I see it's just spam.

If you visit, please do leave a comment (but not SPAM), so I know I'm not just talking to myself.

Wicked Weather

It's Sunday, and it is raining cats and dogs. Great lightning storms, and the thunder is setting off car alarms. We decided to have pizza ordered in ... which turned out to be a drama of it's own. The Big Cheese, which is where we really wanted to order from didn't answer their phone, so we tried Papa Johns. The first place said they didn't deliver to us and referred us to another store, that store told us to call the first place, so on to Domino's. Domino's said there was a 90 minute delivery time, so we tried another local pizza joint which said the same. By now, the lightening storm had passed (we spent about 45 minutes trying to order a pizza) so we decided to go with an old favorite - Frankies! Only thing was, they don't delivery so I had to brave the wet streets to pick it up.

Pizza is one of those funny things, that once you think about it, you can't change to something else like tuna sandwiches. You've just got to go ahead and get the pizza - and let me tell you it was worth it. Every delicious slice.