Create the Life You Want

I had to email my girl Heather the day before I posted this.  I mean I didn't want the sweetheart to have a heart attack or anything like that, seeing as this is the SECOND scrap page I have done in a week...I' just saying H.

Anyway, I took these pictures of my dd Shawna down by the American River, found these stunning Graphic 45 papers at a local Beverly's store, and this stunner lo from beckyjune at Two Peas, and, well, it just sorta fell together from there.  I am very happy with the results and it just happened so easily. 

It's funny because usually when I attempt to lift a lo from someone, I end up frustrated because it doesn't look as good, the papers are different and it doesn't all fall together.  But this is a totally different look from Becky's lo and it worked very well.  I'm feeling my mojo coming back.

I have mentioned that almost all of the scrap stores in our area have gone out of business.  I posted a thread in the Two Peas message board asking Sacramento area scrappers where they shop and got a lead on a place (it's a little bit of a drive for me) but it's called Beverly's Unique Scrapbooking.  And Beverly has a very nice selection.  She doesn't have a lot of space so she can't carry a lot but she has a good selection and the only thing I would have to shop on line for most likely is PP.  She doesn't have enough of it but she does have a good selection. 

Not much going on, looking forward to the weekend, some bike riding, visiting my granddaughter, and some gardening, and hopefully some more scrappiness. 

Thanks for visiting, leave me some love.

Blue Eye Girl

Recently my friend Heather purged her scrappy stuff and sent me two huge boxes.  This weekend I had the chance to play and did this lo.  I am sorely disappointed in the scan of it so I think I will take a picture of it and repost it.

My granddaughter, Marley Jane, has such beautiful Blue Eyes.  They are the darker blue eyes, with hints of light grey slowly becoming visible, and they sparkle.  I love her eyes.

It felt good to get scrappy, I have been so busy with Shawna's invitations, working out, riding my bike, and cleaning and organizing my house and scrap space that I haven't really been motivated to scrap a lot.  And when I have wanted to scrap, my mojo was not there.  So it felt good to do this page.

I had a great weekend.  Gym and cleaning and working around the house all Saturday, and on Sunday I did a 32 mile bike ride on the American River Trail.  We are so fortunate here in the Sacramento area to have this trail.  It surrounds the American River and Lake Folsom, so the view is just beautiful in most places.  And if you get tired or just want to stop for awhile, you always have a gorgeous view to look at and a great opportunity to see a lot of our local waterfowl, deer, suicidal squirrels that love to race out in front of the bike, and butterflies galore.  The trail is also used for a great many walking and running events, which is cool too. 

It's back to work today and a full week.  I am amping up for fiscal year close over May - July, and that usually means a lot of stress, overtime and frustration.  But I am determined this year to do my best to stay ahead of the game and not let the frustration get to me, which is difficult because this is also the busiest time of our year for our projects, construction season, and that means engineers lining up at my door for bid packages and contracts.  Yay me!  LOL.

OK nuff of that, Im off to work and hope you all have a fab week.

Hugs.



August.....my goal date to take a week vacation because by then, I will be exhausted.  LOL..

Scrappy??? Psyche!!!

Really, the only scrappy stuff I have done lately is this card.  It is a sample of my dd Shawna's graduation invite I am making.  I am going to change the flowers, haven't decided what, Shawna doesn't like that part of it but loves the rest.

She wanted something girlie.  I wanted something girlie, her and simple, because I have lots of them to make by the end of the month. (funky scan, sorry). Inside these I will be putting a couple of pics that I recently took of her.  I think they will be nice.

Next week I am taking a week of vacation.  By the end of May the busiest time of my year will be coming on and I will be slammed and not able to miss any work until about August, which is a drag, but it happens every year.  So this year I decided to get ahead of the game and take a week before it all starts hitting.

I will be getting my scrap on next week, not so much in scrappy stuff as getting my scrap room done.  Yep, finally.  I will paint, put up shelves, get my desk in there, organize and in general spend a lot of time looking over all of my scrapgoodedness and remembering what I have in anticipation of finally getting to play in a room that is totally dedicated to SCRAPPY, CRAFTY, SEWING, PAINTING and just general fun things that I like to do. 

After visiting Donna Downeys site again recently I have decided that I must get into and produce some canvas art for my room.  I am also working on an adorable cross stitch that will go on my wall and

I don't know what it is, it must be from visiting Donna's site, but I am feeling so much like getting back into sewing...no not clothes, I hate sewing clothes, but things like crafts, curtains for my scraproom, wall hangings, aprons, fun things, including a fabric scrapbook.  I love to visit Donna's blog and website , just so full of inspiration, color, fun!

A while back Heather sent me a wonderful box full of purged goodies, and she just sent me another HUGE box full of papers and alphabets.  Scrappy mail time is so much fun.  I also placed an order for a bunch of stuff on Two Peas, but somehow the order got messed up and now I have had to cancel it.  I guess I will be reordering it next week along with some more stuff.  They have free domestic shipping for all orders $50 or more. 

OK...heading off to go back to work.  Next week, I am going to try to take some pics of things that I am doing, along with some new Marley pics, and possibly, hopefully, I intend to anyway, SCRAPPY STUFF.

Hugs.

Thursday Links

I haven't posted since last week because I still have nothing scrappy to share (at least not my own). I have been very busy getting my garden ready for planting, going through filing, papers, clothes, and everything else in my house and purging.  Simplify!  That's where I am going right now.  Organization and simplification.  It feels....ummmm, CLEAN.

Last Sunday I went on a hike with my dd Shawna and a group of her friends.  We had an absolute blast, laughed so hard the whole day, and just enjoyed some really great people and times.  The weather was beautiful and so enjoyable.  You can check out the photos from our hike here.

I was viewing the member gallery on Two Peas today for the first time in about a week and I was just floored by these from Tomoko Takahashi:

This Frame

and this one

and this gorgeous lo.

Wow, talk about talent.

While you are there, check out Amber Ulmer newest los of her adorable little girl on her 2peas gallery.

Talking Talent, check out Heather's newest digis.  She is rocking the digis lately and while I was on her blog I discovered these awesome Ali Edwards Brushes from Designer Digitals.  And had to buy them.  Im not a digi lo person, but I have been dabbling in a lot of hybrid stuff, and love using digital elements and brushes like this. 

One more fun link, my friend Allison has a new blog that is so cute.  Go by and say hi to her. 

I am going up to visit Kaitie and Marley Jane tomorrow night, and this weekend is all about gardening, some more cleaning, and a good long and relaxing bike ride on the trail.  What are your plans for this weekend?

That's about all I have for now, enjoy the links and come back for some more posts next week, hopefully I will have something scrappy of my own to share. 

Hugs!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Just a quick note to say Happy St. Patrick's Day.  The sun has been shining, I have been getting outdoors when I can.  I am still sick...don't know what's up with that.  Went from a really bad cold that got into my upper respiratory system and now the doc says I have really bad allergies.  Sore throat, coughing, stuffy, and feeling yuck, yuck, yuck.  I think he's says allergies cuz he can't figure it out...it sure doesn't feel like allergies. But in Sacramento, where we have so many trees, and everything is blooming right now, it very well may be.  Ick. 

Anywho...I am just getting from day to day and trying to take it easy and get rest when I get home.  Maybe stress just caught up with me and brought me down.  Whatever it is, I am trying to get well.

Monday I took Kaitie to an appointment and Marley Jane to a doctor's appointment.  Marley, as usual had me laughing so hard I was crying.  She has developed her belly laugh, she smiles a lot, she talks constantly, she sticks her tongue out while talking constantly and smiling, the nurse was even cracking up at her.  The kid thinks she's a comedian.

After a few hours of toting about to different appointments, shopping for Kaitie for some jeans, the little one just fell sound asleep in her stroller.  So cute.

Love this little pic of her that Kaitie took with her Pink Rubber Duckie. 

And just a quick share of a pic of my beautiful dd Shawna.

Have a Fabulous Day.  Hugs

Welcome

I don't have the blog completely set up yet, but this week alone I have had several people ask me when I would get a new one, and what happened to the old one. Most of you know what happened to the old one, we will leave it at that. I am just glad to get a few minutes to get a short post in for my friends....and those that read my blog and don't leave comments (who shall remain nameless), shame on you for not letting me know you care....pouting now...LOL.

So...life. Well, it is crazy, beautiful, a mess and everything else along with it. Work is busy. Way busy. I haven't been training too much on my cycling because I have had an upper respiratory thing going on for a little over 2 weeks, but feeling much better and I actually took a short 15 mile ride yesterday. It was cold, but it was a good ride.

Ms. Marley Jane is growing like a weed, she's not quite five months old and smiley baby, happy baby. She has discovered how to play with her toes and feet, she is laughing...cracks me up, she is moving around a lot, and now is the time to be very careful about her being on the bed, couch, or making sure you have a firm grip on her while she is in your arms. Apparently, my best friend was holding her the othe day and Marley just arched her back suddenly and almost out of Ann's arms..... Sunday afternoon Shawna and I visited and for Marley Jane, and for her it was all about her tongue...she is currently fascinated with rolling it around in her mouth before sticking it out, bubbles and all. I have a pic of that for another post (because Im at work and don't have a copy of it here.)

This weekend got to go out with Shawna and take some fab photos of her, here is just one, I have some cropping to do and review all of the rest to decide what we keep and what goes. it was fun to spend the day together doing fun stuff, had lunch together, and then visited Kaitie and the baby. We enjoyed it alot.

I have been very scrappy lately, most of which has been for fundraising purposes for the Team in Training. I did a couple of layouts that I am not happy with and so I haven't/won't post. LOL...I hate that. Kaitie likes them though so she will get them for Marley Jane's first year book. I have had several people ask me to make cards for them for friends birthdays and such, and that is good. I like that it keeps me busy and creating even when Im not doing layouts much.

I have been thinking a lot about organization, and getting busy finishing painting and decorating my little duplex. I have been thinking lots and lots about direction; about forward movement. And that's where I'm at. Moving forward. Leaning over the edge, enjoying each minute as it comes.  Grateful for everyday, everything. 

I will be back shortly, and a little at a time I will try to enhance this blog get it looking nice.  For now, thanks for visiting...leave me some love. I love hearing from all of you.

{{{Hugs}}}