Wednesday, February 28, 2007

another layout

here is a super quick layout I did earlier this evening...


credits:
Mish Gasser's Blooming Funk Kit at Plain Digital Wrapper
Curled Paper Edges by Anna Aspnes at DD
negative strip & ribbon from Traci Reed's Boy Theory Kit
PSCS2
Fonts: Decade, Highland Park

this kid just cracks me up! you probably can't read the journaling, and I can't remember exactly what I wrote, but basically the other day when we unpacked our laptop box, Hannah took over the styrofoam packaging and decided to put them on her feet and go skiing! Then to make it even cuter, she grabbed a couple of markers to use as ski poles! Too funny!

pregnancy update

and per mary's request...

the reason they were worried about toxemia is because of all the weight gain. i weighed myself this morning and i am down 5 lbs from where i was on monday morning. i think that watching my sodium will help as will drinking tons of fluids. my arms and legs don't HURT right now, like they have been. BUT i am still going to get the bloodwork done, hopefully tomorrow, so that we can make sure. i feel like i am going to the bathroom every 5 minutes. i woke up 3 times last night to go to the bathroom. i don't usually wake up during the night... all 5 or 6 hours that i actually get to sleep!

New Layouts with Traci Reed's Boy Theory...

available March 1st at A Cherry on Top


Traci Reed's Boy Theory Kit at ACOT
PSCS2
Fonts: Accoustic Bass, Belisa Plumilla Manual


Traci Reed's Boy Theory Kit at ACOT & NDISB
music note: Traci Reed's Punk Love Kit at ACOT 7 NDISB
PSCS2
Fonts: Accoustic Bass, Chromosome Heavy, blackjack


Traci Reed's Boy Theory Kit at ACOT & NDISB
PSCS2
Fonts: Pea Mystie Unicase, Segoe Script

Traci Reed's Boy Theory at ACOT
PSCS2
Fonts: Polaroid 22, Pea Mystie Unicase

suddenly sleepy!

Hannah and I got up this morning a little before 8 and got Thomas off to work and then came home and ran around like crazy to attempt to leave the house at 9:15... at 9:45, we finally left the house and ran up to Thomas' work to take him a drink and then ran by Walgreens because I suddenly had a terrible headache pop up and of course, I didn't have any sinus medicine with me. Then we went to the church and started redecorating the kids' Primary room. Our theme for this year is Dear to the Heart of the Shepherd. So, our room is decorated in red hearts and sheep. We cut out and stamped sheep on red pieces of paper, laminated them, and wrote each child's name on them. Then we hung them from the ceiling, suspended by red fishing line. It took longer than we expected, so we still aren't even close to being done. Our Primary room isn't big enough for all of our kids (we have an average of 75 kids each week) so we have to position our piano by the back door, facing into the room... makes it REALLY loud. So, we got some faux sherpa to cover the back of the piano and hopefully muffle the sound a bit. We also got some cream flannel to cover the front bulletin board. We have black gingham cardstock letters to decorate the bulletin board. We are also getting a black tablecloth for the little round table we have up front. If we have enough Sherpa left over we are going to cover the table, too. We'll see what happens. I think I have some red poppies somewhere that I may take in so that we have something for the table. Anyway... we had to leave the church just after one because today is an early release day at school and the other two ladies had to pick their kids up at school. Hannah and I got home and I fed Hannah lunch and then sat down on the kitchen floor with a sponge and a bucket of Mr Clean. I was going to just wipe down the floor because I haven't done it yet this week... big mistake! I was sitting there on the floor and glanced up at the cabinet and saw a drip of barbeque sauce from last night's dinner. I wiped it off and noticed that the entire cabinet was dirty. So, I cleaned it and then looked at the cabinet next to it. Dirty, too. I swear I just did this a couple of weeks ago! So, I ended up scrubbing the outsides of the cabinets from top to bottom, the underneath side of the over door... wow that gets nasty! The fridge and the counters. Then I started on the floor. The bucket of cleaner was still pretty clean, so I decided to clean the bathroom floors. Then i noticed how dirty my shower floor was. So, I scrubbed that, too. Then decided that even though I usually scrub my bathrooms on Thursdays, I could go ahead and do that today. So, I scrubbed both bathrooms from top to bottom. I glanced into Hannah's room and realized that I forgot to make her bed this morning. So, I went in and made her bed and noticed that her room really needs organized. Then I felt myself thinking about that book "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" and I stopped! :) I sat down on the couch a few minutes ago and realized that I am EXHAUSTED! I still have a billion things to do, but at least I was able to cross a couple of things off my lists! And I organized my pantry yesterday! That was such a relief! Now I just have about 5 other closets to go! I'm getting there. I am really hoping that Hannah will fall asleep and then I can take a nap. She looks sleepy... We have to head back over to the church later and finish up the decorating.

I am going to be teaching a bunch of people here about digital scrapbooking. I am so excited. I have to figure out what to teach them first. I got a really cool new kit from Traci Reed yesterday. It comes out tomorrow at ACOT and I LOVE it. It isn't something I would ordinarily scrap with, but it was so much fun! It was perfect for our park photos from yesterday, too! I'll post a few layouts I did with it last night. I was able to get 4 totally different layouts from it... not something I am usually very good with.

Anyway... that's about it for now. Hope everyone is doing well!

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

layout for today


credits:
Scraplift of Marlies' Can't Take My Eyes Off of You
for Sweet Shoppe Designs' Spin-a-Lift Challenge

Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black Collection 2: Flavorful Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
PSCS2
Fonts: pea Yar Yar

today...

I did something productive today... I took Hannah to playgroup! The playgroup from church met at a park VERY close to my house, so I decided to just go. I am so glad that I did. There were several moms there who hadn't been before, so it was nice. Hannah didn't really play with any of the other kids, but she got to run and play for 2 hours while I chatted with other adults and played with my baby! So much fun! It was 80 degrees today and we both have a little bit of a sunburn. VERY NICE! Especially considering that we were freezing last week! and we haven't done anything else productive all day! :) hannah and i have been playing and she is currently napping. so i am catching up on my emails and blogging and watching tyra. okay, i really don't like tyra's interview skills, but she has interesting people on her show. AND I like that she is not ashamed of who she is and what she looks like. She looks amazing to me... she looks like a real person, with a little meat on her perfect bones. i guess it is just that her interviews are more like two girls just hanging out, rather than having much substance to them. I think I am too used to watching news channels. I have never been a talk show person. I like Ellen, too, though... not a huge Oprah fan.

I should probably be cleaning my house or doing laundry, but I really just want to chat! I have been looking at different apartments around here online. We just can't stay where we are next year. As much as I don't want to move, we just can't live on the second floor. Hannah loves to jump and dance and sing and she just can't do that. the nasty people downstairs starting banging on the ceiling the other night at 7:30pm... hello????? it's only 7:30! i can't even think about having to deal with keeping my 2 year old quiet all the time with a newborn to take care of. Who knows? Maybe we'll just bag it all and move to Utah! That is actually what I really want to do, but we have to do what is best for our family. But don't get too excited Chrissy and Leslie, if we did move out there, it would probably be to Provo or American Fork, somewhere cheap, close to BYU. Ugh! I hate Provo.

So, I have gained 10 lbs in 2 weeks... I have to go have kidney and liver function blood tests to make sure that everything is okay. and i am on a LOW sodium diet for 2 weeks to see if that helps. If not, they are going to have to start watching me for toxemia. The doctor was concerned because she thought I had gained 10 lbs in a month, when I told her that it had only been TWO WEEKS, she kind of freaked out on me. I got a major interrogation about my diet. I have actually been eating better. although I did have corndogs one night last week and I had fried rice another night (made with low-sodium soy sauce!) and then I had chicken nuggets another night... so I did have more sodium than usual, but not 10 pounds worth. I can totally feel the extra weight, too. When I kneel down on the carpet to pick something up, when I stand up, I have carpet marks on my legs for an hour or more. I don't really look swollen like last time, though. My arms and my thighs are swollen and my love handles are pretty big. but that could be from all the chocolate cake I ate! :) not much sodium there! BEWARE: KoolAid singles packets have splenda in them. I found that out today. I drank one at the park and have had a terrible headache all day from it.

Okay, I am going to stop rambling now and go make some dinner for Hannah and I. Actually I am going to go reheat what I made last night and didn't get around to eating. Feel free to chat back at me since I just keep on talking and talking and talking...

Monday, February 26, 2007

another couple layouts...

credits:
Angela Sharrow's Autumn Elegance Kit at ScrapDish
Curled Paper Edges by Anna Aspnes
PSCS2
Fonts: My type of Font

I am loving collages these days! This layout is for the Sugar Free Challenge at The Sweet Shoppe
credits:
cardboard: Linda GilBildall's Cardboard Edges Overlays
paper under collage: Laura Burger's Expressions Kit
wire/nail wrap: Christina Renee's DigiScrapWraps
rusty safety pin: Jeannie Papai's Rusty Flowers Kit
stamped alpha: Melany Violette's 14 Tall Stamped Alpha
craft paper: Angela Barton's Sunshine Free Kit
things to do list: Maria LaFrance's New Beginnings Kit
white tab: Christina Renee's DigiScrapTabs
PSCS2
Fonts: CK Girl, My Type of Font

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Breastfeeding in public

Okay, I admit, I do it! I breastfeed in public. Well, I did when Hannah was a baby and I plan to do it again with this baby. And I find it offensive that other mature and responsible adults find it offensive. Check out this blog... I am not one of those whip out your boob and let it hang it out for ten minutes while you rummage through the diaper bag and then get around to feeding your baby kind of breastfeeding moms. I always make sure I am covered, but that the baby can breathe. You tell me, which is more offensive? a screaming child with a completely frazzled mother or a baby quietly eating with the slight chance of partially exposing my boob. PLEASE! People pay to see boobs, why are mine offensive? Because they are serving their actual intended purpose? Anyway... that's enough about that. I still have a while before I have to worry about "offending" people again.

Saturday, February 24, 2007

couple more layouts...

photos from easter 2006
NEW kit from Laura Burger
Strawberry Swirl


credits:
Laura Burger's Strawberry Swirl Kit at DigiScrapDivas and DigiScrapShak, some recolored
Laura Burger's Field of Flowers Pack at DigiScrapDivas, fern recolored
Melinda Staley's stamped alpha for RAKScraps, available at ScrapDish
PSCS2
Fonts: Segoe Script


credits:
Laura Burger's Tempting Templates Set 12 DigiScrapShak
Laura Burger's Strawberry Swirl Kit at DigiScrapDivas
PSCS2
Fonts: Milk and Cereal

Dating a SugarBabe...

Okay, this is a post for one of the digital scrapbooking stores/communities that I LOVE!

If you were a man, which SugarBabe or SSD designer would you want to take out on a date? Why? Where will you take her?

AMANDA ROCKWELL! I have no clue what she looks like and I have never had a chance to meet her or to even attend a chat with her. BUT, I love her designs and anyone who can come up with such beautiful designs must be an interesting person to get to know. And I would take her anywhere she wanted to go!


Friday, February 23, 2007

another layout


Traci Reed's Strappy Sandals Kit from her Natural Woman collection at NDISB and ACOT
cardboard: Linda GilBilldal's Cardboard Edge Overlay at ScrapArtist
curled frame: Katie Pertiet's Curled Frame Distressed from DesignerDigitals
PSCS2
Fonts:MA Sexy, Tahoma

one more layout...


Angela Sharrow's Autumn Elegance Kit at ScrapDish
curled paper edges by Anna Aspnes at Designer Digitals
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her inked edges action
PSCS2
Fonts: LimaBean, MA Sexy

another layout


Jeanine Baechtold's Sugar & Spice Kit at ScrapDish
curled Paper edges by Anna Aspnes at Designer Digitals
stamped alpha by Melinda Staley for RAKScraps, available at ScrapDish
PSCS2
Fonts: larger mime

a few more layouts


Laura Burger's Expressions Kit at DigiScrapShak
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her torn edges action
PSCS2
Fonts: cheryl


Amanda Rockwell's A Mother's Love Collection: Unconditional Kit at Sweet Shoppe Designs
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her inked edges action
journaling block: Amy Teets' Write It Element Pack
PSCS2
Fonts: cheryl, Century Gothic


SaraAmarie's Beginning Anew Kit at OScraps
PSCS2
Fonts: Accoustic Bass, AbrazoScriptSSK

Amy Teets' Sublime Kit
heart tag: Amy Teets' With Love kit
cardboard tear: Linda GilBilldal at Scrapartist
Amanda Rockwell's Little Lauren LaLa's at Sweet Shoppe Designs
string: Angela Sharrow's Autumn Elegance Kit at ScrapDish
Jen Caputo's Folded Corner Action
diamond brad: by Amanda Rockwell for Sweet Shoppe Designs February 2007 Mega Kit: Be Inspired
Melinda Staley's Stamped Alpha for RAKScraps, available at ScrapDish
safety pin: Jeannie Papai's Rusty Flowers kit
PSCS2
Fonts: larger mime

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Another New Layout.... Traci Reed's Strappy Sandals Kit

{the next american idol...}

Traci Reed's Strappy Sandals Kit from her Natural Woman Collection at ACOT and NDISB
Folded Corner Action by Jen Caputo
Michelle Coleman's HandStamped Alpha on her blog
PSCS2
Fonts: Century Gothic, Cheryl

photos from 2006... i can't believe how much she's grown! :)

Tuesday, February 20, 2007

busy busy busy

I have been a busy little bee... scrapping like crazy whenever I can find a spare second! Hannah is keeping me CRAZY busy all the time, along with getting things organized for Baby 2! The ideas are just flowing, though and I am LOVING it!

I am going to post several layouts I have done in no particular order... probably order of photo date since that is how I organize them. Hope you like seeing all these photos! I may have posted a couple of these before... i can't remember!

More layouts...


Katie Pertiet's Curled Frame Freebie from the Ad Challenge 2.11.07 at The Digi Chick
Christina Renee's Urban Love Kit from her blog
stitched hearts: Maria LaFrance's Always With You kit at Digital Freebies
heart doodle: Laura Burger's Luv ya Collection: Doodles Bundle Pack
mesh hearts & paint strokes: Laura Burger's A Pinch of This Kit
PSCS2
fonts: blackjack

thomas & i back when we were skinny and young and beautiful! :)
Loosely scraplifted from aunrea's Love layout at RAKScraps
http://www.rakscraps.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=62232&cat=1930

Traci Reed's Black Lace Kit from her Natural Woman Collection at ACOT and NDISB
Ginger Thibodeau's Glitter Hearts Element Pack at Scrapbook-Elements
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her inked edges action
PSCS2
Fonts: !paul maul, accoustic bass

More layouts...

Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black 2 Collection: FlavorFull Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
pink/black dotted paper & screw: Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black Collection: Bright Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
flower: Christy Lyle & Robin Carlton's 365 Collection: August Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
filmstrip frame pulled from Maria LaFrance's Multiples Templates at Digital Freebies & DigiScrapDivas
cardboard: Melinda Staley's Cardboard Leftovers made for RAKScraps
turquoise ricrak: Michelle Underwood's Feel the Love Kit at SBB
Photoshop 7
Fonts: larger mime, century gothic; susie's hand

Betsy Tuma's Positively Patterned Kit
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her torn paper action
PSCS2
Fonts: Bradley hand ITC


SaraAmarie's Beginning Anew Kit at OScraps
white stitching: Gina Miller Stitch Essentials, Straight Stitches at SBB
Photoshop 7
Fonts: CK Handprint, CK Script, Impact



Laura Burger's Thang Called Love Kit at DigiScrapDivas
Laura Burger's Tempting Templates Set 8 at DigiScrapShak, modified
Jen Caputo's Concave Bend Photoshop Action
PSCS2
Fonts: Segoe Script, Times New Roman


Jeanine Baechtold's Sugar & Spice Kit at ScrapDish
staples: Jeanine Baechtold's Breathe Kit at ScrapDish & ComputerScrapbook
small photo frames: Laura Burger's Tempting Templates Set 7 at DigiScrapShak
BOX: Michelle Coleman's Hand Stamped Alpha from her blog
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her inked edges action
PSCS2
Fonts: Pea Shirley, Accoustic Bass



Traci Reed's Black Lace Kit from her Natural Woman Collection at ACOT and NDISB, lace & doodle recolored
PSCS2
Fonts: !Paul Maul


Traci Reed's Bottom Ups! Card Templates from The Reason for the Season Collection at ACOT, stretched & rotated to fit 11x8.5 layout
Jeannie Papai's Rusty Flower Kit at Digital Freebies
Photoshop 7
Fonts: Susie's Hand, Times New Roman


This layout is a scraplift of Gina Miller's Outtakes Layout at DST
black background: Traci Reed's Natural Woman Collection: Black Lace Kit at ACOT and NDISB
Robin Carlton & Christy Lyle's 365 Collection: August Kit
white stitches: Gina Miller's Stitch Essentials: Straight Stitches
negative strip: Jessica Bolton's Delight in Photographs Kit at Eclectic Scraps
blue swirls & ribbon flower: Dani Mogstad & HuniBuni's Spring Chick Kit at Sweet Shoppe Designs
safety pin, tag & string: Maria LaFrance's New Beginnings kit at Digital Freebies & DigiScrapDivas
Special Thanks to Atomic Cupcake for her inked edges action
beaded alpha: Kimberly Giarrusso's Just the Basics: Beaded Letter Alpha at The DigiChick
barcode: Traci Reed's Punk Love Kit at ACOT and NDISB
rhinestones: Maria LaFrance & Jeannie Papai's Snow Princess Kit at Digital Freebies
PSCS2
Fonts: !Paul Maul


Teresa Ferguson's Cookie Decorating Template for 02142007 at Sweet Shoppe Designs, from Karen Wong's Elephant Layout
Maria LaFrance & Stacy Carlson's Refreshing Kit at Digital Freebies
SaraAmarie's Bent Flowers at OScraps
stamped alpha: Michelle Coleman's Hand Stamped Alpha from her blog
PSCS2
Fonts: Accoustic Bass


SaraAmarie's Beginning Anew Kit at OScraps
PSCS2
Fonts: Accoustic Bass, AbrazoScriptSSK

More layouts...

Maria LaFrance's New Beginnings Kit at Digital Freebies and DigiScrapDivas
Maria LaFrance's New Beginnings Baby Kit at Digital Freebies and DigiScrapDivas
Maria LaFrance's Large Photo Phenoms Templates at Digital Freebies and DigiScrapDivas, modified
PSCS2
Fonts: Pea Shirley


template: Mish Gasser's Rectangle Quickies 1 at Plain Digital Wrapper
Michelle Underwood's Cottontail Kit at SBB
Michelle Coleman's Hand Stamped Alpha Brushes from her Second Mile Blog
Melinda Staley's Cardboard Leftovers designed for RAKScraps, available at ScrapDish
PSCS2
Fonts: Pea Mystie Unicase, Pea Shirley


Rachel Dickson's Always a Princess Kit at ScrapDish
PSCS2
Fonts: Pea Shirley

More layouts...

cardboard: Linda Gil Billdal's Cardboard Edge Overlays at ScrapArtist
Dani Mogstad & HuniBuni's Spring Chick kit at The Sweet Shoppe
pink button: Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black 2 Collection: FlavorFull Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
PSCS2
Fonts: Pea Mystie Unicase


Laura Burger's Tempting Templates Set 7 at DigiScrapShak
Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black 2 Collection: FlavorFull Kit at Sweet Shoppe Designs
Amanda Rockwell's Pretty Petals at Sweet Shoppe Designs
pricetag, glitter swirl: Dani Mogstad & HuniBuni's Spring Chick Kit at Sweet Shoppe Designs
PSCS2
Fonts: Peas Mystie Unicase


Laura Burger's Tempting Templates Set 11 at DigiScrapshak, modified to fit my page
Laura Burger's Thang Called Love Kit at DigiScrapDivas
torn cardboard: Laura Burger's Spice of Life kit at DigiScrapShak
PSCS2
Fonts: Pea Mystie Unicase, Segoe Script

Layouts!!!

textured background: Christina Renee's Urban Love Kit from her blog
special thanks to Krista Mettler for her collage instructions on her blog
PSCS2
fonts: blackjack

LOOK what I made!!!!!


One of the designers that I "work" for made a beautiful baby kit at my request. So, I made several birth announcement templates and Maria LaFrance is selling them in her stores at DigiScrapDivas and Digital Freebies! Check them out! My work is being SOLD!!! yea! Now hopefully someone will buy them so Maria can make some money for all her hard work designing the kit!

Monday, February 19, 2007

My Weekend

My big plans for the weekend (or what's left of it) include scrapping and trying not to freeze to death! Here in Florida, we aren't used to being cold! Our blood doesn't know how to handle it! Our heat went out on Friday night. I called our property management office on Saturday morning and they finally found a company that works on gas heaters (no one uses natural gas here). The repair guy finally got to our house at 8:30pm... we waited around until 9:45 for the property maintenance guy to get here and open the hot water heater closet. Apparently we don't have a traditional gas heater. Which is good since the repairman didn't actually know how to fix gas heaters anyway. They went in the hot water heater closet for about 10 minutes and came back in and told us that we should have heat in about 2 hours. So.... at midnight, it was still cold. We bundled Hannah in her warmest fleece jammies and put her in bed with us. It was 29 degrees Saturday night. We called the property management group again after church on Sunday. They sent us out to get space heaters. So, we cranked those up last night. It was so COLD last night, even with the space heaters. It was 30 degrees again last night. My family laughs at us because they are in Chicago and Utah now and it is so much colder there. But apartments here aren't designed for cold weather. We have single paned glass windows (big ones) and terrible heaters (when they work). Our apartment also gets no natural light during the day, so it never gets warm in here just from the sun. The insulation in this place stinks, too! You can literally feel the cold air blowing in through the walls. Of course that might be because our walls are nothing but rotten wood... this whole place is going to fall down around us one day. And we live in a pretty nice condo complex. anyway... the soonest the apartment maintenance guy will even call the hot water heater contractors in tomorrow. Tonight is supposed to be the coldest night yet. It looks like Hannah is going to be sleeping with us for a few more nights. I don't sleep well when she is in bed with us. She kicks my blankets off and I have to sleep on my right side the entire night, because I am afraid she'll kick my belly if I sleep on my left side. Can't have her kicking my big old pregnant belly. I don't know what could possibly be wrong with our heater. It worked fine 2 weeks ago. I am going to be MAD if there is nothing wrong with the hot water heater and the problem is just a crappy furnace. Especially since the repairman said the furnace is OLD and it would take weeks to get parts for it. I am OVER this place... I'm not renewing my lease for next year. What a pain!

Hannah and I went to JoAnn Fabrics today. Flannel is on sale today and I got some adorable flannel prints for a couple of baby blankets. I got some new yarn, too. SO CUTE! I have an afghan to finish for Amber's baby. I am on the last row. I have the yarn for Ashley's baby blanket and for Chrissy's baby blanket and for Angie's baby blanket. Each afghan only takes me about a week to get done if I concentrate and just do it instead of playing on my computer at night. I have yarn to do about three more for my baby, too. I better get busy.

Thursday, February 15, 2007

grey's anatomy... maybe a spoiler

holy cow!!!!!! i can't believe that episode! she has to wake up next episode. although, my theory is that they were trying to find a way to end the show... this should do it! but she has to wake up!

and who dies on desperate housewives??? sweeps time kills me...

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Love Day!

I haven't blogged or scrapbooked in about a WEEK! I am having serious withdrawals! BUT with good reason... last week we got our tax return back and went out and bought a new laptop. YEA! Or so I thought... In my mind, I opened the box and plugged it in and started playing! WRONG! I spent all day trying to get the wireless router set up... then Thomas spent another 2 or so hours on the phone with his brother, Super Greg, trying to get the new laptop and the old PC to talk to each other so that we could transfer my files to the laptop. Then I had to install all the software on the new laptop. I am just finishing that step up. Part of the big problem here is that the new laptop uses Windows Vista and it just doesn't work like XP. So, not only are we trying to learn an entire new way of using Windows, but some of the programs just don't work well in Vista. We can't get PS7 to install on the laptop, so I downloaded the free trial of CS2 and now I LOVE it and don't want to go back to PS7. So, I am probably going to have to buy CS2. YIKES! Not cheap at all! And it takes FOREVER to unzip files and you can only do one at a time. If there is a way to do it with more than one file at a time, I haven't figured it out yet. I am not a Vista fan yet... but I wasn't a huge fan of Windows 3.1 when it came out either, so I am sure that I will come around eventually. And my screen is NOT properly calibrated, so what I am seeing on my scrapbook pages on the laptop is NOT what they will look like when printed... that's not good! I was working with a kit yesterday that I thought was peach, then I tipped the screen a little farther back and realized that the kit was actually yellow! Oops! I am just going to have to do my color corrections on the desktop or plug the laptop into the monitor occasionally.

I am getting ready to start a couple of large scrapbooking projects. I need to get a LOT of pages done in the next 2 weeks so that I can get them printed for 50% off at MyPublisher.

That's about it for now. Hannah is throwing a tantrum and I think dinner may be burning... I'll update again soon!

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Cuz You've Had a GOOD day?

Today has actually been a pretty good day! And I owe it to SuperNanny. I used to make fun of parents who were on that show. And last night I was flipping channels and that is all that I could find to watch. The parents drove me nuts (as I predicted they would), but I started to see some startling similarities in Hannah's behavior and those horrible children. Granted, Hannah is only TWO, but if I don't do something about her terrible behavior now then she will turn into one of those children. And I will be the pathetically stressed-out mom on SuperNanny... you know, the one who majored in Marriage, Family & Human Development and can't control her children. I decided this morning that I was going to set limits with Hannah and not let her treat me badly. I will NOT allow my two year old to hurt me or to run my life. So, when I was ready to leave the house today, we did a count-down to leave time. It really helped. Instead of telling Hannah to get ready to go, I gave her more manageable, specific tasks to accomplish. When we got to the mall, instead of giving her the option of walking, I just pulled her out of her carseat and plunked her little behind in the stroller. I sound like crazy strict mom, I know, but I tried to make everything fun and more like a game. I gave her specific things to remember like that we needed to get batteries at WalMart. And we needed to find teriyaki sauce... wanna hear something funny? ask a 2 year old to say teriyaki sauce! :) I got a great laugh at that one. Hannah did really well for about 2 hours and then she started getting cranky. I made the mistake a Ross of not getting a cart and she started running wild, so that was my fault, not hers. And Hannah is a shoe-fanatic! She LOVES to try on shoes. I found her a really cute pair of brown leather OshKosh sandals for $10 at Ross. She wanted to put them on and wear them out of the store. But I hadn't paid for them yet and they are still a tad too big so I wouldn't let her wear them and she threw a tantrum, but considering how long we had been out and what time of day it was, she did remarkably well. We were using a chore chart for a few weeks and it really helped, but then I got lazy. So, I need to make a new chore chart and really stick with it. Hannah doesn't really have "chores" but she has to help Mommy make Hannah's bed (she hands me the pillow and the sham and then puts on her stuffed animals), help Mommy put away the dishes (the silverware, minus the knives, and her plastic plates and the tupperware), be cooperative in the bathtub, read scriptures/say family prayers at night & behave while we are doing it, etc... She gets a smiley-face for every job that she does willingly and a sad face for jobs that don't get done because she doesn't cooperate. It was great, but I think she is bored with it already. So I am going to get a treasure chest that I fill with little toys and candy and after she gets a certain number of smiley faces she can pick something out of the treasure chest. Anyway... hopefully things will keep getting better as she gets a little older. She is so funny and so smart. I love that little munchkin!

A Funky Layout using Mish Gasser's PipeCleaner Alpha


i love sleeping photos of hannah! she is actually quiet! :) photos from march 2006
layout credits: Mish Gasser's Pipe Cleaner Alpha at PDW, some letters recolored
Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black Collection: FlavorFull Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
screw: Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black Collection: Bright kit at The Sweet Shoppe
Jen Caputo's Bent Photo Action: Concave at The Digi Shoppe
Christine Smith's Sticky Stars from her blog
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her torn paper action
Photoshop 7
Fonts: Century Gothic, belisa plumilla manual

2 Layouts with Laura Burger's new Luv Ya! Collection at DigiScrapShak

Wow!!!! What a beautiful kit collection! I am in love with this kit!


this is hannah reading her "grandma book". photos from December 2005
layout credits: Laura Burger's Tempting Templates Set 8 at digiscrapshak
Laura Burger's Luv Ya Collection: Shabby Backgrounds Bundle at digiscrapshak
Laura Burger's Luv Ya Collection: Elements Bundle at digiscrapshak
Photoshop 7
Fonts: Acoustic Bass; CK Holiday Spirit

this is hannah and her aunt shelby (my little sis) in december 2005.
layout credits:
Laura Burger's Tempting Templates 2 at digiscrapshak
Laura Burger's Luv Ya Collection: Artistry Backgrounds Bundle at digiscrapshak
Laura Burger's Luv Ya Collection: Doodles Bundle at digiscrapshak
Laura Burger's Luv Ya Collection: Elements Bundle at digiscrapshak
Gina Miller's Stitch Essentials Straight Stitches, recolored
Photoshop 7
Fonts: Rage Italic LET; Journaling Hand

A Layout of my Granny

this is one of my favorite layouts of my granny, just a few weeks before she passed away. tomorrow (wednesday) would have been her birthday. i miss her so much! i am going to try to get several more pages done about her hospice stay. hopefully hannah will cooperate! and those are scans of her crochet hook, the one I use when I am making special afghans for the babies in our family, the afghans that Granny would have made for them.

layout credits: Laura Burger's Single-Dipped Knitted Flower
green paisley paper (recolored): Autumn Kit at by Am at AmsDigiScraps
safety pin & barcode: Traci Reed's Punk Love Kit at ACOT, barcode altered
notebook paper: Amanda Rockwell's Back in Black Collection: Bright Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
red paper: Veronica Peralta from RAKScraps 2006 December Mega Kit
off-white paper: Audra Little from RAKScraps 2006 December Mega Kit
tan stitching: Robin Cabana from RAKScraps 2006 December Mega Kit
heart tag: Meredith Cardall's January 2006 Ad Challenge Prize
strung alpha & fibers (recolored): Sandra Boddington's Birthday Kit at The Sweet Shoppe
special thanks to atomic cupcake for her inked edges action
crochet hook: scan of my Granny's actual hook
Photoshop 7
Fonts: susie's hand, Times New Roman

Saturday, February 03, 2007

Another Layout


i LOVE this photo of hannah from april 2006. black & white photos are so much fun!

layout credits:
Traci Reed's Linen Capris Kit from The Natural Woman Collection at ACOT & NDISB
special thanks to Atomic CUpcake for her inked edges action & paper tear action
Photoshop 7
Fonts: Susie's Hand; Times New Roman

Layout using Laura Burger's Spice of Life Kit & Tempting Templates #12

Laura Burger's Spice of Life Kit at digiscrapdivas

and my layout


i am finally getting around to scrapping these photos from 2006. my granny's
birthday would have been next week and i am trying to spend time thinking about her
and her life.

layout credits: Laura Burger's Tempting Templates Set 12 at digiscrapshak
Laura Burger's Spice of Life Kit at digiscrapdivas
straight stitching: Gina Miller's Stitch Essentials: Straight Stitches, recolored
rectangle stitching: Christine Smith's Rather Ragged Stitching
Photoshop 7
Fonts: Spring, Tuer's Cardboard

It's been a while

Things have been really hectic around here the last few days. I have been extra-tired for some reason and have had horrible sinus headaches. And of course, Hannah has been a real gem! She has been so funny and so entertaining, but so needy and so clingy and so cranky!

Have you ever had one of those days when you just don't think you can make it through one more day of poopy diapers or microwave one more chicken nugget? I've had a full week of those days! I was reading a post by a friend of mine, Gina, and she included a link to post that I think all mothers and mothers-to-be should read.

http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com/shannon/2007/01/to_the_young_mo.html


When Hannah was a baby, I was tired all the time, but I never had days like these. I was so grateful to be a mother and to finally have a baby to hold in my arms. If the house didn't get clean, it was okay, I'd get to it the next day or when Hannah was sleeping. And I thought Hannah didn't sleep much back then... she sleeps less now! I am so exhausted all the time now. I am always sick. Hannah always needs Mommy. I can't even go to the grocery store without feeling like I am going to have a mental breakdown just trying to keep track of my child. She is at the point where she can climb out of the cart and if I try to just hold her hand, she runs away. Needless to say, we don't leave the house much anymore. How am I ever going to keep track of Hannah and take care of a little baby at the same time? On much less sleep than I am already getting? With a husband who is home even less because he is going to be starting school again? With a daughter who repeatedly tells me that she doesn't want a baby coming to live at her house? One minute at a time, and when one more minute seems like it is too long, one second at a time. Through a lot of prayer and deep-breathing and a LOT of phone calls to my mom and sisters! Thank goodness for unlimited long distance!

I hope I didn't scare anyone away from having kids or having a second child. I just wish that I had known I would have days like this and that some days I would spend as much time crying as my toddler! Consider yourselves all warned by me! :)