Picklelicious

Rusty Pickle is one of my favorites. This morning I threw together this with fathers day in mind.

At the scrapbook expo Rusty Pickle was selling books of corigated cardboard!!! Hmmm cutting up a cardboard box is easy enough... so out came the razor blade and straightedge from my husband collection of tools.... and I cut up 4 pieces and started ripping and inking and .....

yes thats newpaper you see.. I should have inked that too.. oh well next time...

Its not a style that everyone likes but its different and fun to PLAY with different styles and I think the black ink looks like grease ;)

Daffodil Hill

Friday I had the day off and we enjoyed it by taking a drive to Daffodill Hill.

The drive up highway 88 was beautiful with the green hills ( that only happen a month or so in the spring out here in Cal). Spring was in the air and the sun was shining.

The daffodills were everywhere. It was so pretty. A new photographer was born that day.

Kailtyn took over my digital and was looking like a natural. Its a little erry to think that she learns all this from mimicing me!!! She was focusing and sizing up the shoot and telling her subjects even what to do! I guess I'm going to have to look into getting her her own camera.. digital because this girl is shutter happy.

My first class back at school is wrapping up and I need to get ready for Easter and the boys 16th birthday the same weekend. We also are looking forward to a visit from our close friend Jim from New Hampshire.

Hope you enjoy the daffodill pics

Busy, busy bee

I have been so busy with school back in the picture now, I was nervous how I was going to fit it in even though I am at home all day.....however Kailtyn has begun to out grow her nap, so the hour + I thought I'd have to jump on line and get some work done for school just isn't there sometimes. I try to get her involved in a creative project so I can work but then I get interupted by her to see or help with this or that.. so I have resorted to night times to get the main parts done and that is so hard for me because I am such a morning person.

I am excited to be getting a new super computer soon. Thanks to Sean's company. Its not ordered yet but hopefully soon so scheduling coputer time with the boys won't be a factor anymore. Soon I hope the three computer users will have access soon.

Had a great weekend! The scrapbook expo was close by and I drove the mustang over rockin out to some cool tunes with the top down in some AWESOME march weather. The wind and the great music can't help but put you in a great mood.
THe expo was okay.. went a little overboard at the Rusty Pickle booth.. just love all that distressed stuff!
Sunday I wrote my school paper in the am and the three of us Sean Kaitlyn and I went golfing!!!
Kaitlyn was so cute and she could really hit the ball, it must be her grandfathers genes in there.
I need to call him today .. almost did at the golf course. It was beautiful weather and she REALLY enjoyed it. We drove the cart around the whole 18 hole. I was a great family fun.
The real bummer was I brought my camera and I pulled it out and went to take some pics and the battery was dead.... and the one time I don't bring my purse... I don't have a spare battery!!
So I used my phone... now I need to figure out how to down load them off my camera.

My blog feels and looks naked without pics, need to get my camera cd to upload this computer with the software so I can fix that!!

Hope this week slows down a bit!

Spring Fever

I don't mean to brag or rub it in to those of you in the north east corner of my world but the weather out here in Cal has been unbelieveable!!!
Its been so great I have been drivng the convertiable every chance I get!!!
We all as a family got our first sunburns of the season!!! We created an RC racing track out back for Matt and his friend to race on. Sean brought home a Bobcat and spent the day creating the track... now of course he "NEEDS" an RC car.... hmmmm who's the kid here?
However I will admit the cars are pretty cool and the flicker of getting one for Kailtyn and I flashed before my eyes... then left.. thankfully.

The weather has not been good for my studies. I had to spend every spare moment cranking out a paper for class. No cooking or laundry for this gal today... infact I have spent every free second on this key board.. I forgot how time consuming writing papers for classes are!!!
Well its done and I'm free for tomrrow to enjoy the spring sun!! Horray!!

Black Hole

I feel like I have been in the black hole since saturday.
My main desktop died without warning .. I was panicking because I am taking classes online so I didn't want to get behind and I had things due for grading... ugh...
My lap top was lacking security and the desktop we bought for Kaitlyn last March had to be connected.... so swapping those out and setting up the internet wasn't enough of a delay....
I soon realized that Kaitlyn desktop had no word processing,spreadsheet or powerpoint UGH!
So figuring the work around has been time consuming everyday.....
typing on one desktop , burning and uploading to the internet to get the assignment in on time has not been fun or efficent.

Yesterday I took the time to talk to the Dell gurius and got a price for a new system... gosh wish I had my taxes done sooner... as it was more expensive than I thought to include all the software... remember when computers came with software and security?
Guess with prices going down on technoloigy they have to make a buck somewhere.

Good news I have been able to retrieve this years pics off my harddrive.. I had already backed up prior years....

well gotta get going on the class work.....
hope to get some me time this weekend.. to scrap book or escape .... ahhhh

My version of Ali's Maya Roads Mini Album

This is my version of Ali's Class Kit. It was alot of fun to put together and I have started a couple for upcoming birthday gift for friends and family this month because I loved putting them together. Its so fast and fun and most of all PLAYFUL. I got the photos amd the journalling all done in one sitting!!!!

Its made out of a Maya Roads 4x4 mini raw binder, that comes with 8 inner pages.

The kit used transparency and stickers to create the extra pages.

The options are enless... hope this inspires some of you.

Ali was in the HOUSE!

It was cool to meet the famous ALI EDWARDS.

There were alot of people that came from all over to Tracy California to meet Ali. There were even two gals from Hawaii that were too cute!One of the gals won my friend Gloria's project she create for the Austism auction. The altered box and board book went for $140!! But the hottest project that brought in $400 was a Mickey Mouse Paper Bag album. WOW! The auction got us $3000 for Ali! Pre--ttt--ey cool.

Ali Edwards is coming......

Ali Edwards a celebrity scrapbooker is coming to our local scrapbook store. Ali is an advocate for Austism, her five year old son has it . To help raise funds for her autism champian people are donating projects for for an auction that will take place on saturday.

I created this altered wine case with the new Phoebe Basic Grey line to donate.

I am looking forward to meeting Ali, I met Donna Downy in January and she was so cool, so down to earth and funny. I now follow her blog and Ali's almost daily. The most 'star' struck I have ever been in my life I think... well of course there was the phase of Shaun Cassidy but hey thats another story.....

It's coming....

The start of spring is fast approaching...

These blossoms are on our apricot tree in the backyard.

Saturday it was starting and tomorrow if the prepicted rain doesn't come and wash away the full blooms I will take a full pic of these beautiful blossoms.

Its so breathtaking to drive down the interstate on Monday and see an orchard full of these trees in bloom.

So so beautiful.... so spring!

Not a snow bunny....

After the 3 hour drive ( my husband can not go the route that your suppose to .. he finds shorter more scenic routes...hmmm an hour longer doesn't mean shorter.. but more scenic it was)......

We did not see any snow even at 4,000 feet! We pulled into the snowpark and saw some snow... one hill was semi covered with melting snow. Gee it I wonder why it was only48 degrees out!

Kaitlyn was not interested in sledding.. we could not believe it... is she really our California baby born of two New Englanders ? She did attempt to make a snowman with the brownish slush she had to work with. In less than an hour she was wet and hungry and wanted to go home!

At least we had a beautiful ride up thru the foothills.. so green and spring like for this time of year. That was our president's day!

Valentine Tatoo.... hmmm what an idea... to bad I can't deal with Needles!

Really isn't this the cutest V-day tshirt I got at Target?

And what about the girl in it ? Now that is priceless.

Kailtyns preschool Valentine class party was today so I let her have the shirt early. She was so excited. I took in 24 heart shaped cookies for the kids to decorate.. it was really fun.

Hope everyone has a loving v-day!!

Simply Love

Created tis little diddty at a crop on saturday, the papers are from one of my favorite paper lines... Basic Grey. this paper series is called Blush. I used a MAYA ROADS chip board book took off the binding to get the panels.

I painted and adhered the papers to the 'panels', used Making Memory chipboard letters and painted them,

I linked the panels by ribbon... it was fast and fun AND most of all completed!!!

NOt sure I can say my friend GLoria completed her 9o ATC's for Georgia!! Get going girlfriend.....

My dad ROCKS!

My dad is the greatest, and I can still say that even if I'm forty! I admire my Dad's love and dedication of holidays. He not only never forgets a birthday he remembers all the small holidays .. Hallmark should be as proud of him as I am.

His rememberance is so appreciated by the kids.. even the almost 16 year olds.. Kaitlyn has learned to about these cards and what they mean... MONEY.

I should have taken a picture of her doing her happy dance the other day when she got the mail and asked if that card was really hers.. she read her name is more what I focused on.. she was so excited when the dollar bill fell out.. thats what she called it... we have all taken turn explaining to her that it is a ten dollar bill.....'OH a TEN dollar bill..." she keeps it in her princess purse till mommy and her go shopping.

Back to my Dad... he is so awesome to do his, it really means alot to the kids and I know they will remember it just as long as I remember ... Dad you rock! Love ya!!!

Fairy play

I just love little girls, they are so imaginative... Kailtyn came up with a combo of Little Mermaid ( the crown) and a fairy, hence the wings....

Can fairies live under water? hmmmmm

Where did they go....

Where did they go? ......The two cute snuggly boys that I once had?

Although twins were alot of work , they were very cute and huggable.

Now they have disappeared and are now replaced with TEENAGERS!

Ohhh these are some trying years, I am thankful they could be worse but

I wasn't prepared for teenagers... is anyone though ?

They often ask why don't you scrap pics of us anymore all you do is pictures of Kailtyn....

hmmm check these pics out would you want to scrap them? I will just so I can rememeber this phase....

I can remember the torcher every morning can be getting them up and out the door to school... the sound of the shower constantly running and the overdose you can get from the cologne fumes.... thats if I don't drownd in the piles of wet towels and clothes on the floor.....

oh then its the question... did you get your homework done? this brings on groans and eye rolling.... sometimes if they speak instead of being PLUGGED into the iPOD... I hear the NEW language.... Whats up dawg? ... words like gangster, pimpster, cracker and other words I am thankful Kailtyn isn't draggin into her Christian preschool..... sometimes one son thinks he's of another race... or is being discriminated against because of his brown skin.... I am constantly turning off MTV but who knows how much they are watching at Dad's house....

I still have faith someday maybe I'll get a glimpse of those sweet boys even if I have to wait for grandchildren.... then it will come around ;)

when will this PHASE end? I believe

altered clock projected

This was such a fun project. I bought a genric CHEAP clock painted it with the MM paints. Decided on one of my favorite paper lines... Crate Paper... just love the thick paperbag type of paper feel this brand has..

Granite this item doesn't have any pictures on it to make it scrapbooky.. but I could easily remedy that...

while making this my head was spinning with ideas of other versions of this... got thing I bought a couple extra clocks....

I'm thinking of making one to help Kailtyn learn to tell time.... going to into the paper stash vault to find the right paper.... tata for now....

got milk ?

Okay, I'm back to baking ... now I have a new oven..

I was inspired by Heidi Swapps blogs.. she disclosed HER choc chip recipe

Yes I have become a blog addict...

however my choc chip cookies seem to be one of the only ways to get

my teenage boys to be NICE again.... ahhhh those teenage years.. I think I'll be making lots of cookies just to get them to stop and talk to me! and even nicer give me a hug without a whole big scene.

Are Heidi cookies better than the traditional recipe ? well the jury is still out but the cookies jar is half gone..

Maya Roads Flower book

Everyone that scraps with me knows my L-O-V-E of chipboard!

So of course I love Maya roads new line and I can't wait to get my hands on the new items released at CHA last week. So .. while I was trying to get some scrapbook pages done last week I ran across this little chipboard flower book..so checkout what I created this saturday hiberating in my scrapbook..

of course I don't have the journalling done or title but I got pictures and embellishements in!

it was fun .. alot of cutting paper to fit the flower shape of the book and I got it painted.

I'm already on to something new so I'm not sure when I'll get the journalling done on this project... isn't that status quo for me (huh shauna?)

Spring green

The first sign of spring... I couldn't believe my eyes this morning... new GREEN buds on our new trees we planted last summer at the end of our new concrete patio...

February usually bring the cherry blossoms by Presidents Day weekend.. guess its not that far away...

We have had the coldest and driest winter on record since 1889. Snow pack is at 60% so the media is going at it painting the picture of the summer drought.

Personally I hope the dry weather holds out.... and the morning frosts.. well it makes me feel like home... but I'm using a credit card to scrap the windshield.. ugh!

Valentines Card

Okay I'm kickin it into high gear for Valetines Day.. for some reason I'm in the mood for RED.

Then again I always start out excited about a holiday .. get grand ideas but then things get in the way...

so this year at least I got Sean's card done first! Next is the gift.. a canvas I'm thinking....