So Long, Farewell, Goodbye 2007

I must say that I am glad to see 2007 go. It was a trying year for me--full of tragedy and pain. I lost my dad and my brother within 6 weeks of each other.....my basset hound Sammy died after 10 great years....there was a lot of 'down' time for me this year....my inner pessimist definitely saw more time than I wished. But thru all of the bad, there was some good that peeped through. Like Web getting a job at HOME. For the first time in our marriage, he is home for good. You don't know how this thrills my heart. No more sleepless nights ALONE in our bed; no more having to talk on the phone for hours. He's here, every day---every night. Another wonderful thing is we bought a brand new house....1800 square feet of newness and NO CLUTTER. Yeah that's good for sure.

So while 2007 had some bad times, it also brings the promise of a better 2008.....something I embrace.

Happy New Year Y'all.

xoxox, D

Christmas

.....was wonderful! Santa was waaaaaay too good to me yet again! AJ was more than thrilled with her Santa gifts and Web loved his also!

We went to my mom's for Christmas Dinner and had spiral ham, roast beef, green bean w/tomatoes, hash brown casserole, baked brie (one of my faves), and Creme Brulee cheesecake for dessert. It was all so yummy and the best thig is that my mom and Don made it ALL! We just showed up! ;)

I was supposed to work on Wednesday, but AJ didn't feel that great (and neither did/do I) so it didn't take much for me not to go in. I did go in for a bit today though---and tomorrow will be my normal work Friday.

Now for some scrapstuff:
#1 - Trimming the Tree

These pics were so beautiful that I didn't know if I could do them justice in a LO. I am pleased with the outcome, though. It even was chosen for LOTD today at Scrapperie!

This LO features the Glad Tidings kit from Scrapperie.










#2 - Santa 07
This was the first year that AJ actually WANTED to see Santa. She patiently waited in line and went right up to him and onto his lap. I am so happy to have a GOOD Santa pic this year!














#3 - Everyone Loves a Parade!
This is AJ at the local CHristmas parade - enjoying it, but holding her ears constantly!

This LO features the Glad Tidings kit from Scrapperie.














Well I hope your Christmas was fab and you received everything your heart desired! I am getting ready to turn in early and try to doctor this cold!

xoxox,
D

WISHING YOU AND YOURS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

xoxox,
D

It's almost here......

CHRISTMAS!!!! I am glad to report that I am now officially in the Christmas spirit! About darn time, huh? Last night, we went two towns over and looked at Christmas lights. They were sooooooo beautiful. We hadn't been to that particular neighborhood in about 3 years--I remember we took my dad once when AJ was a baby. I remember how he enjoyed them and looked forward to the next year when we could go. Welp, time passed and things happen and we never were able to take him again for one reason or another. I think he was with us last night, though, and that made me feel all warm and cozy.

Today, we are having Christmas for Web's son Ryan and for his son Jon and his wife and daughter. I am making a lasagna for a change. I know we will all be eating ham and turkey for the rest of this week probably, so I thought a lasagna would be good.

Well, I need to go start cooking my feast! Have a Super Sunday everyone!

xoxox,
D

Christmas Whirlwind...

Baking. Shopping. Wrapping. OH MY! These last few days have been such a whirlwind! Monday I shopped all day and what felt like half the night. I still have more to do, though!

Yesterday, my BFF came over for our annual gingerbread house making day. The one you see closest here is mine~~~the pretty snowcapped roof and better looking one is Kim's. We had a great time~~even the kids were good!

Today, I took off work to finish up everything CHristmas related~~the final shopping, cleaning, and more wrapping. This is the first year I have worked in five years, so I have had a really hard time trying to get everything to fit into my new schedule. Thankfully, I have the best boss ever (and also one of my best friends), so taking the day was no problem! I am hoping to get it all done today!!

Not much going on the scrapfront~~there are a few pics and my new kit from Scrapperie on my desk, so hopefully tonight I can get to it!

Oh and for my wonderful friend Tanya, here are my top 25 favorite movies:

1. Dirty Dancing
2. Pretty Woman
3. The Graduate
4. My Best Friend's Wedding
5. Dodgeball
6. Zoolander
7. Wedding Crashers
8. The Bridges of Madison County
9. Bridget Jones' Diary
10. Bridget Jones and the Edge of Reason
11. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
12. Blue Crush
13. Happy Gilmore
14. Grease
15. The Wedding Singer
16. Serendipity
17. Hitch
18. The Bodyguard
19. There's Something about Mary
20. Can't Buy Me Love (before Patrick Dempsey ever thought of being McDreamy)
21. Say Anything
22. Sixteen Candles
23. An Officer and a Gentleman
24. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation
25. Maid in Manhattan

Okay, so yeah, I like mostly funny, romantic movies!

I'm off to fold the last load of laundry and get ready to go shopping!

xoxox,
D

Some stuff...

We had a nice weekend. Friday night was my company Christmas party and it turned out very nice. Saturday, I cleaned a little and then went to my mom's to make cookies. I didn't get much done though. I've been blah these past few weeks. I think I am really missing my dad about now. This will be the first Christmas without him and it is hitting me harder than I thought it would. But I am muddling through. Today I actually made some fudge and AJ and I decorated some cookies. I even made another batch of cookies--although I think Web has eaten them all by now.

I haven't posted any LOs in a while, so I thought I would show ya a few: This was a challenge layout for Scrapperie~~it had to be 3-D. Everything except the pics are pretty much popped!

This next one, I must say, turned out way better than I expecrted. It was this week's challenge at Scrapperie. We had to use lyrics that reminded us of someone and explain why. I wrote the lyrics on the scroll work and my journaling is hidden. It was actually picked as LOTD over at Scrapperie! How exciting is that?!

Today, as I was frantically searching for my Christmas cards (nope. didn't make them, had them printed when we got family pictures made) I found 3 Colorbok Christmas Frame Kits as well as 2 Embellished Wood Kits that I got from H*bby L*bby last year for 90% off!!!! So now, I think I will make a few for some hard to buy for gifts! Well, I've put AJ and Web to bed, guess it's time to start being creative! ;)

xoxox
~D

I so Need to UPDATE!!

This week has been waaaaay more busy than I have wanted! I have some LOs to post and some other pics, but for now.....

Get Funny Pictures at pYzam.com

Wait, it's Friday?!

We will be heading to the House of Mouse this weekend for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

But before we go, I have a TON of stuff to do~~~like finish putting up the Christmas decorations inside and outside. Like washing clothes. Like hopefully getting some scrapping done!

This week has been hectic, although not much has really been going on. It just seems that I have been getting home after dark every. single. night. I'm really tired and really just wanna sleep. BUT, that won't be happening for the rest of the month, I am sure. Why is it that December just flies by and you are left hanging on trying to get stuff done? I am really not a last minute type of person, but this year, I will be and it is driving me nutso.

But I will suck it up and put a smile on my face because it really is the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend full of holiday madness!

xoxox,
D

It's beginning to look a lot like CHRISTMAS!

Yes, the tree is FINALLY up! After about 30minutes of trying to figure out where to put it, I finally decided! AJ and I decorated it in about 20 minutes! Of course all of her ornaments are centrally located towards the bottom of the tree..LOL I was amazed that she was actually asking where certain ornaments of her were. Like her Elmo on a Candy Cane she got for her first Christmas and the Cookie Monster she got the next year. The girl definitely has a memory! Today I will try to get the rest of the house decorations up and Web said he will start the outside for me.


And now for the Christmas Questionnaire that was posted at Scrapperie:

Colored lights or white lights on your house or not at all? None on the house
Hot chocolate or Egg Nog? Hot Cocoa!
What's your favorite holiday dish? Broccoli Casserole
Does Santa wrap the presents or just sit them under the tree? He leaves them out!
Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I almost bought some yesterday
When do you put up your decorations? The first weekend of December
What's your favorite holiday tradition? Making cookies/gingerbread houses with my mom and BFF
What's on the top of your tree? A Bow~Nothing else will stay up there!
Do you have a nativity displayed through the holidays? Yes
Candy Canes, traditional or flavored? Or Chocolate Covered Cherries? Traditional Candy Canes
What's your favorite holiday goodie to make and share? FUDGE!
What's your favorite Christmas song? there are many, today it's Rockin around the CHristmas Tree
When did you learn the truth about the "magic" of Christmas? I was about 7 or so and realized that santa and my mom had the same writing
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Not usually, but Web and I may do that this year alone
Is there a special ornament or Christmas decoration that you wouldn't feel like Christmas without? I have all of my childhood ornaments and they all go on the tree
Do you take neighbor gifts/treats to anyone, everyone, a select few? I make some treats for a few friends and my stepson who lives in NV
Is your big meal on Christmas Eve, Christmas morning or Christmas afternoon? Christmas afternoon usually
How do you decorate your tree? Red and White and mainly snowmen
Snow? Love it? Dread it? Tolerate it? I love it since I don't have to live in it!
Do you remember a favorite gift? Not one in particular, but I usually got a BIG gift from Santa I had wanted
Do you have a family get-together during the holidays with extended family? Usually on Christmas Eve with my mom's side of the family
What's the most important thing that you must do each Christmas season? Uh, put the tree up!
Do you bake Christmas cookies? YEP!
Do you leave cookies and milk for Santa? Sure do!
Share a favorite Christmas memory. Since I have been married, every year my dad made us waffles for breakfast on Christmas morning. It was the only time he did it and about the only time he ate with us. I will really miss that this year.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

xoxox
Darlene

My first attempt

At Cards, that is. I mean yeah, I've made cards but that was at a SU Demonstration and everything was pre-cut and the idea was already there, kwim? We were challenged over at Scrapperie to make 4 cards from scraps. I am so not a scrap saver, but I went thru my page kits and found some stuff I had actually saved!

The first one is a sketch that Jayme made back in October, and I just got around to making it. The 2nd one was a sketch that was on Scrapperie.

The 3rd and 4th were kind of myown, with a little inspiration. So, any big plans this weekend? We will be going to a Christmas parade tomorrow morning and then we will be putting up our Christmas stuff. We have a lot this year to put up~~I went the day after CHristmas last year and went crazy buying all kind of stuff. Actually, I can't remember everything I bought!! I'm hoping to get some great pictures this weekend so that I can scrap away some holiday pix!!

Have a great weekend!

xoxox
Darlene

Sick Day

I ended up having to stay home with AJ today as she is sick. :( Poor baby. Since my scraproom is right next to her bedroom, I have spent most of the morning in here so that I can run her to the bathroom when she gets sick. I've managed to get a new layout done for Challenge #4 over at Scrapperie~~the challenge was to use 4 pics, 4 colors, 4 embellies and a 4 word title. Here's my take.











This next layout was the #3 challenge for last week. We had to use the title "This is True Beauty" I love this pic of AJ and the ocean. It is probably the best picture I have ever taken.

Well, AJ is sleeping for the moment, so I am going to go finish some laundry and then hopefully try my hand at making some cards! I've never really made any on my own, so wish me luck!


XOXOX
Darlene

Need I say more?!

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving weekend. I just don't have the umphhhh to type about it, so I thought I would leave you this showing one of the things we did this weekend. Have a good week!

xoxox
Darlene

Colleen challenged us to a little quiz today. So here it is!


Who am I? Darlene ~ wife, mommy, daughter, step mother, grandma, friend, scrapper.
Who knows me best? my mom
How old am I? 32
How old do I feel? at the end of the day? my age
The most important thing in my life is... my family
I always carry...a Coach purse ;)
Something I always do is...go online and check my email and message boards first thing
I'm at my happiest when...I am with Web and AJ
On a Monday morning, you'll find me...making a cleaning list and drinking a coffee
My favorite mode of transportation is...my car
My eyes are...hazel
My favorite material possession is...my wedding ring
To relax, I like to...go online, scrap, watch TV
The town I live in is...very small
What's my worst habit? getting uptight for no reason
My guilty pleasure is...CHOCOLATE
When I look at someone, the first thing I see is...their hair (I start at the top...hahaha)
I think ......... is beautiful. I think ADRIENNE is beautiful
One thing that I can live without is...STRESS! (keeping Colleen's answer)
One thing people don't know about me is...I have anxiety issues
My life is...as close to perfect as one can be! I have a new house, Web is home full time now and things are really clicking............

SO now you know a little more about moi! I'm home from work today with a sick kid who now looks to have pink eye, so we will be going back to the doctor for the second time in two days!! Her eyes were fine when we were there yesterday! But last night, they got all goopy and were hurting, so I am getting ready to call and make another appointment.

So, to everyone:

Don't eat too much!

Love, D

My weekend and a new addiction

My scrappy weekend went okay. I wasn't feeling the best, and I think I left most of my mojo at home. I didn't get as much done as I wanted, but here they are"


I did this for the Nov/Dec Challenge at Scrapperie. The theme was monochromatic. This is my morning coffee in my favorite mug!



Wet and Wild~Just a simple LO of AJ on her slip n slide this summer


Dance in the light of the moon.....entire LO is CTMH product

The tortoise & AJ - All papers are CTMH, KI Memories Pop Culture

Summertime~all pp is MM, stamp is CTMH and blingage is Imaginisce

Now on to my addiction.....while we were on our mini retreat, I discovered, thanks to Elyse, a new show~~~I Love New York....omigosh this show is a trainwreck, but also highly addicting! There was a marathon on over the weekend and I watched every episode VH*1 could throw at me! Which may be one of the reasons I didn't get more scrappin done!! LOL

Have a wonderful week!

Love, D

Ready for a Scrapping Weekend!

My friend E and I have rented a condo at the prestigious World Golf Village for a weekend of scrappin! After work, my parents are picking up AJ and I am off to scrap the weekend away!

My stuff is packed - or together anyway-yes that is a laundry basket, but with the recent move, I couldn't find anything to carry my stuff in, so the basket will do!

I'm hoping to get lots done - I haven't really planned my pages like I usually do, but I grabbed some stuff that should work and am just gonna go with it! I can always take a break to go shopping, right?

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!


Love, D

A little busy, a little scrappy

Wow, I can't believe it is Saturday already! I've been a little busy this week with nothing in particular really, just the every day goings on. But instead of boring you with all of that, how about I post some LOs and projects I did this week? Sound cool?! Cool!

This is my Gratitude Album. Janet at Scrapperie is hosting a '21 days of gratitude' challenge. I chose this cute little file folder album and have been making tags. I've done five so far, so I really need to be catching up. So far, I have been thankful for FAMILY, CHINESE TAKE-OUT, OLD FRIENDS, OUR NEW HOUSE, AND MY QUIET TIME. I'll post more as I do them.



Here's a quick little LO I did of AJ in her Halloween shirt. It's actually a lift from another member over at Scrapperie. I think it turned out cute and I am in love with those chipboard letters. One of our LSS makes that font---too cute!

Here's a LO I actually did for a swap, but then I ended up not going to the crop in order to swap, so yesterday, when I got AJ's school picture back, I new where it needed to go:

















I did this LO for the Nov/Dec Challenge over at Scrapperie. The theme for this week was "Your Superhero" I chose to do a LO about my dad.

The journalng reads:
~He was the strongest man I knew
~He was never scared of anything
~He stood up for what he believed in
~He was ten feet tall and bulletproof

~He fought the good fight
~He never gave up

He was My Daddy and I miss him so much.
3.13.34 - 3.09.07

This Layout was hard for me to do, all of the words just poured out and then came all of the tears. I haven't really cried or grieved since he passed, and I think this layout has helped me to start the process. So see, scrapbooking IS therapeutic!

Well we are getting ready to go to Web's granddaughter's birthday party. AJ is gone all weekend with my parents out of town and we are home alone ;) Hopefully I can work in my scraproom (or is it a studio?! LOL) some tonight or tomorrow.

Hasta!
Darlene

Presenting.................MY SCRAPROOM!

When you walk in, this is the wall you see:
This apothecary cabinet holds individual chipboard letters:

My workspace:
The creation area:
The computer/printer/scanner area:
My lounging area: (I covered the loveseat with a sheet for now---it didn't match at ALL. Still need to get curtains as well.
And when I walked in my room this morning there was this note from my honey. It reads: "Fantastic job, Babe. It looks really good in here. I hope you enjoy your room. Create Much! Love you" How great is my husband!


So, tell me what you think about my new space! I am going to go in there and scrap away today!

Have a happy Monday!

It's Finished!

I finished the baby gift album last night around 11! Good thing since the baby shower is at 1:30 Saturday afternoon.

Here's the slide show. My scanner is not up yet, so I had to take pics of it, which aren't the best. Sorry for the quality but you will get the jist!

I'm going to a crop tonight with Jax Park Scrappers. I hope to get a least 2 layouts done and work on my gratitude challenge album over at Scrapperie

HAve a great Saturday! :)

Just another manic Monday

..........I wish it was SUnday.......cause that's my funday......."

gotta love the Bangles!!

Not a lot going on. I am just doing my normal Monday cleaning. I am hoping to get a challenge done for the local group I am in which is due tonight by midnight. I thought I had longer to work on it, but apparently not...lol

Saturday, my friend Elyse came over and we cropped from 9:30 to 5. I worked on a gift album for an upcoming baby shower and finished a fall swap page for next week's JPS crop. I have to make 4 more layouts for the gift album. I ran out of ideas and embellies! It's a baby boy album, so I had a block for some reason. I had never done anything baby boy, so I guess that's why. So tomorrow I am going to HL to get the rest of the supplies.

Since the album isn't done, I don't wanna post pics yet, so I guess I will leave you with a pic of the cutest girl ever....


Have a great week!!!!!! :)

I was Tagged!

My friend Mary tagged me with the following:

Here are the rules for the 7 others that I'm tagging...

1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 random and/or weird facts about yourself (on your blog, we all want to know them).
3. Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

I'm kind of a boring person I think, because some of these are well know facts. ;)

Here goes:

1. I like things very clean looking - lateral and perpendicular. (just look at my layouts and that is easy to see....lol)

2. I own 9 yes count them, 9 Coach purses and the matching wallets. I have a serious addiction, I know. I try to look at other purses, but it must say Coach or it doesn't come home with me.

3. I saw snow for the first time this year--living in FL, that's not something you see everyday. We were in Northern California in February and I was in knee-deep snow!

4. I have lived on the same property since I was born with the exception of 5 years when my parents divorced. I have lived in 4 different houses on on piece of property.

5. I get car sick very easily. If I am not driving, you better believe I have taken a *Bonine* before I got in your car. I also have vertigo spells..........

6. The inside of my car is ALWAYS messy. By the time I get home, I don't feel like cleaning it out, so it stays a mess. You never know what you might find in there. I often joke that if I were ever in an accident that AJ and I would get hurt not from being hit, but from the flying debris in my car. Need a fork? I probably have one. How about some socks? Yeah, got those too---all in the cabin of my lovely car!!!

7. I am a make-up whore. I have TONS of makeup and always buy more. I have 3 cosmetic bags FULL of makeup that I fell I must have just in case I need that certain color.

Okay so who to tag?
I tag everyone on my blogroll who hasn't done this yet.

Have a great day!! :)

Gratitude

Colleen over at Scrapperie challenged us to blog one thing we are thankful for in every letter of the word 'graditude'

So here goes:

Great friends to hang out with
Running around buying stuff for the new house
Adrienne sleeping in HER bed all night long last night
That little bit of silence before AJ wakes up
I have a huge support system
The clean smell of my brand new house
Unpacking (no, really!)
Dreams coming true
Every day with Web home

Nothing going on on the scrap-front. We've been so busy moving in that I haven't even looked at the scrap stuff! I am hoping to get my countertops installed in the scraproom this week so that I can start getting it organized. My friend Elyse is coming out Saturday and we are going to scrap all day while the girls play. I am hoping the new room will be usable!

A scrappy meme

• Are you married (name and how many years) , have kids (names and ages), pets (names and ages)= Yes to Web for almost 5 years; one dd AJ who is 4; 1 cat named Fred and 2 Blue Heeler puppies-Roxy and Rory

• Are you a weekly or daily chatter on any forums? Just on the local forum I am a part of. (JPS)..usually post at least once a day........Just joined Scrapperie (loving it!)

  Album Size you work with the most= 12x12

• Favorite Mag. that you don't subscribe to= Simple Scrapbooks

• Do you like Idea Books= I am so loving my Cherish book right now!

• What techniques do you like/do/would like to try= I love to ink and am trying to get into stamping

• Favorite Brands of Paper= way too many.....LOL I really like Bo-Bunny, Daisy D's, love, elsie

  Favorite Color= PINK! and brown!

• Colors you don't like to use = I use all the colors eventually!

  Do you purchase one big item or several small items at one time? = usually several small items...I have most BIG items I want right now!

• Scrapbooking supply you would love to see come your way= more patterned paper! LOVE IT!

• Events you like to scrap= everyday events, moments...

  Events you don't like to scrap= Christmas! and most holidays

  Favorite Scrapbooking Subject= AJ

• Favorite Embellishments= RIBBON! and chipboard

• Favorite Adhesive= one that works....lol

• Who is your favorite scrapping company? = all of them!

  How would you define your scrapbooking style? = clean and simple

• Do you journal every page= most of the time unless it is self explanatory

• Do you like hidden journaling= yes, but I don't ever think to put it on my pages

• Do you like handmade items= yes, but I rarely make them

• Prefer store bought items= who doesn't?!

• Any non-scrapbooking item you have been putting off buying yourself= A new Coach purse...LOL

  Do you like any Independent Home Party Resources and if so which ones= CTMH, IRW

• What are your favorite scrappy snacks? = gummy worms, chips, diet pepsi, COFFEE!

• Anything you would like your minnions to know about you? I'm pretty much an open book! If you know me, then you KNOW me!!

A sneak peek...

So here we are into weekend #3 of painting the new house. Last night my mom and I started on colorblocking the scrap room.

That's my mommy, with her handy level thingy in hand.





Here's a sneak peek of the colors. The third color is a creamy white.

It's pretty dark in there because we still do not have our electricity turned on yet. They are saying Monday is the day for that!

We still have some touch-ups to do in there and then we will be done with the painting part!

Next week we will be getting the pre-made counter tops from Lowes and Web will be getting them installed. THEN, I will be moving in!!!! One of my friends has already booked the first crop date in my new room! WOO-HOO!!!!

Scrap Happy Weekend!

I met two of my friends Saturday at the LSS for an all-day crop. I had soooooo much fun! I had not scrapped with these girlies in over and year and it was waaaaaay overdue!! I must say I haven't laughed that much in a L-O-N-G time! We're already planning our next crop-a-rama!

I didn't really get all too much done, but I sure did enjoy the company!

Sleeping Princess:
I was finally able to use the Brittany's Castle line I bought back in June! I knew I would find the perfect pictures for the pretty paper!



Trying to get the PERFECT SHOT:
Paper is Close to my Heart, chipboard is Kurio from WM.


Mermaid Hair:
Paper & CS stickers are CTMH and fishies are Jolee's

I've been using my CHERISH book from CTMH (I am a consultant). I absolutely LOVE it! It makes it sooooo easy to create multiple-photo layouts!

I have no scrapping on my agenda this week. We are still painting the new house and hope to start moving in this week! My scraproom is well underway. I will post some pics later of it!

My new ribbon storage...

So I was tired of the way my ribbon was being stored. Sure it was in one of those nice containers that is made to hold the rolls and zips and everything, but I just hated it.

Last night I began searching for a new solution. I kind of wanted THIS but didn't know if I would really enjoy it. And then I would be out $19.99 + shipping. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, I found this lovely idea on a website or blog somewhere and thought I would give it a shot.

Here's mine:
There are 60 ribbons in there! And it only cost me $1!!!! Hopefully I will like it..........