Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Happy New Year!

Looking forward to a nice evening with the boys. We are having tacos and munchies and will play games and watch The Dark Knight again. Great movie.
Wishing you all a wonderful New Year full of happiness and love!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas


Merry Christmas!!!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

The Parties Keep Coming

We had a party at Paper Vineyard tonight. I am so grateful to be a part of such a great group of women. We had a potluck and a gift exchange. The only surprise was that we didn't know we were having a gift exchange! Adriana provided all the gifts and then let us all play the "gift swap" game. How cool was that!
I do LOVE my job!!

Last night we had more than 25 kids over to our home for an Academic Decathlon party. What an easy party....they provided everything! I just provided the house and a couple items. And talk about a polite and appreciative group of kids! Everyone had a great time playing games, ping pong and hanging out. The teacher and her husband stopped by for awhile too. I caught a photo of her playing guitar hero...oh and she won!
The party went on for over 6 hrs so I think it was a good one. My son had a great time and that always makes me smile!

Friday, December 19, 2008

Standing Strong When You Feel Like Falling

Air 1's Verse of the Day
12/19/2008

"So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!"

Psalm 31:24, NLT


Standing on the firm foundation of hope in the Lord. Even when you feel like falling. Trusting in His timing and in His ways. It is a constant reminder to give it all to Him.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

My name was drawn on one of my favorite blogs to win a free digi kit.
I was so excited when I opened my email and saw her name. How fun! Now I really do need to get busy learning more photoshop and digital scrapbooking. :)
Check out her blog. She has some great ideas and does beautiful work.
(blogger isn't letting me put links in for some reason so you can click on Pandemonium under "blogs I follow" to the right)

It's Snowing!

It is snowing on my blog! If you want to add the "snow effect" to your blog just following this link to Blogbuster for the download. It's fun!
http://www.bloggerbuster.com/2008/12/simple-snow-effect-widget-for-blogger.html


(for some reason blogger won't let me add a link....so you will have to copy and paste the above link....sorry)

Sunday, December 14, 2008

So Far So Good


Spent the day shopping and getting ready for Christmas. Things are going so well. Did a lot of shopping online this year...boy do I love that! Picked up a few other things and only have a couple to go. Yahoo.
Papa Wish got back from Belize last night so Monty is at home. He was such a good boy this time around. (thank goodness) Last time...not so much. But since he is gone it also means we can put up our tree and a few more decorations. Didn't want to test it when he was here. :) In the above photo-Monty is the one on the left.

This evening I have been trying to teach myself some digital scrapbooking. I am just not very good at it. I get so dang frustrated. I want to learn so badly. Thinking of taking an online class. Not sure yet...hate to waste my money if I can't catch on. haha If anyone has any good tips or books they have used, I am open to any suggestions.

Still not sure about Christmas cards this year. Finding it hard to get everyone together for a photo and time is running short. I have never skipped a year so I guess it would be OK. Or I may give into the pressure and just send them late. Not sure yet. But not worried either...is that a bad thing???

Friday, December 12, 2008

Party Time

Had a fun time at the Devine Memories Christmas party tonight! What a great group of girls. So glad to be a part of it all.
We had yummy food and a fun gift exchange. I have to say everyone was so polite during the gift swap. teehee :)
Thanks to everyone for a great time and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Relaxing


Working on a mini book for a friend in Thailand. They visited earlier this year and my mom wants to give the book as a gift when my aunt and uncle go to Thailand this Christmas. They will take it along with them to give to Jane. Hope she likes it. It is more difficult to make a book for someone else when you don't really know what style she will like. So since it was an Arizona trip I went with an AZ theme. Can't go wrong. :)

Colton had another Academic Decathlon competition this morning. They weren't judged right away so we don't know the outcome yet. He felt he did well and had a good time so that is all that counts.

Grateful for a low-key weekend. We are all enjoying it. Hope you are enjoying your weekend too!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Even When...

Sometimes God calls us to just be patient and wait. That is one of the toughest things to do. When things around you call out for answers sometimes God says to just wait. Be patient and trust me.

Air 1's Verse of the Day
12/3/2008

"Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying."

Romans 12:12, NLT

So that's what I am going to do. Even when...

Monday, December 1, 2008

One Step At A Time

OK...so this is the only thing that I have decorated. My blog. And even that isn't complete as I need to figure out how to change my header. But like it says...one step at a time. I enjoy autumn so much but I did finally take down all those decorations. I haven't been brave enough to get out the Christmas decorations though. We are dog sitting again while my father-in-law is out of town so I am not sure if I can decorate at all (I don't want them eaten) haha I may end up decorating like I did when the kids were little....only up high. We'll see. Until then...wishing you a stress-free holiday season....remember the reason we are celebrating!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

She Said Thank You!











The boutique yesterday was a big success! We had so many people and the response was great considering the economy. Going into it we just weren't sure what to expect. So everyone went home happy...including the shoppers. :)
Beth did an amazing job setting up her two front rooms. It looked wonderful. So inviting and talk about stocked with items...wow! I think she could have opened a small store. Her work is beautiful. It was a fun day chatting with people we hadn't seen in a while and laughing with good friends. Here are a few shots.
And to Beth, Faith & Rachel.....it was a great day, thanks for including me in the fun!

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Home

So good to have the boys all home. Even though they aren't very far away, just knowing they are all under the same roof makes my heart smile. We have so much to be thankful for. Blessings beyond belief. God is so good. I hope your Thanksgiving is filled with reminders of how much you already have. Sometimes we lose sight of the things that are closest to us...the ones that mean the most because we are so busy with "life". Take a minute and thank God for all He has done.
Happy Thanksgiving!!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Here He Is



As promised...here is Prince. We are puppy-sitting a 9 week old pug. Isn't he a cutie pie! We are having so much fun with him. Tonight he fell asleep in my arms. (I loved it) :)
Our other two dogs think he is great. We only have a couple days to enjoy him before my son takes him to his apartment for the rest of the week. Just wanted to share.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Big Win

Saturday was filled with Academic Decathlon competition for my son Colton. There were 15 schools at this invitational. Testing was throughout the morning and then in the afternoon parents and visitors were allowed to watch the only "open" portion of the weekend event. (It was all day long on Friday too) This part was the Super Quiz. Colton's team took FIRST place!! Awesome. Then later in the day Colton won a THIRD place award in his division for his personal testing on Latin American Social Sciences. We are so proud of him!
Just had to share. :)

Now we are off to have lunch with our Aunt and Uncle from Michigan. Always fun to get everyone together.
Have a wonderful Sunday.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Keeping Busy




Well, things have been crazy as always around here. Besides the everyday "life" things, I have been working on projects for the boutique. This year I am trying to keep them simple and less expensive. Little add-on items that can be used on packages, etc. I am also working on necklaces that are turning out so cute. Those will be very reasonable priced as well. It just makes sense this year considering the economy. Everyone still wants handmade things but just not as elaborate & expensive. At least that is what I am hoping. :)

We have company in town this weekend so we will be spending time with them. It will be great to see them. And of course in between I will be working & creating more things to sell.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. Hard to believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Oh we get to babysit a new puppy during the Thanksgiving week....how fun! I will try to remember to post a photo. He is a little pug puppy....how cute!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008





It has been a little crazy around here lately. I am trying to get ready for the boutique with my friend Beth. I have tons of ideas floating around in my head and not quite enough time in the day to complete them all. But I am trying. :) My scrap room is a disaster as you can see from the photo. Does that mean the creative juices are flowing....haha That is what I am telling my family.
I have gift tags, small ornaments that can also be used on gifts, scrabble tile necklaces, dominoes made into necklaces and pull ties, magnetic boards of all sizes and so many other ideas that I hope to get to. And yes, sometimes the thought "what was I thinking?" enters my mind, but I keep plugging along. Wish me luck and be sure to stop by and say HI at the boutique.
Have a great day!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Boutique





This year I will be participating in a boutique again that is always such a good time. My friend Beth holds it in her home and does a beautiful job. There are always lots of great gift items to choose from. People get there early and it has gotten bigger and bigger each year. So be sure to stop by and check out all the wonderful hand-made items on display. Things are always reasonably priced. We are striving for a big variety this year too. So join in the fun and come visit us!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Just Because

I came across this song today that I hadn't heard in a very long time. I wanted to share it with you. It just makes you smile! :) Enjoy!
The Cartoon Song

Monday, November 10, 2008

New Class Starts!


Today is the first day of Jessica Sprague's class, "Stories in Hand". I am excited to start. I have the book assembled...not decorated yet but that will come. It should be fun. :)

Saturday, November 8, 2008

What Kind of Christmas Tree Are You?

You Are a Traditional Christmas Tree
For a good Christmas, you don't have to re-invent the wheel.
You already have traditions, foods, and special things you bring out every year.



So I found this online... What Kind of Christmas Tree Are You? It is a short, fun little quiz. It actually describes me perfectly. I am a very traditional person at Christmas time. I LOVE all of our family traditions and really strive to keep them going. So, what kind of tree are you? Go find out. It's fun!

Friday, November 7, 2008

Peach Cobbler Recipe

I promised to post the recipe for the Peach Cobbler that I served at the party. It is a great recipe from an old neighbor. My family loves it and I hope that you do too!

4 C peaches, sliced (fresh are best)
1/2 C butter
3 1/2 C sugar
2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 C milk
2 T cornstarch
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 C boiling water

Place peaches in 9x13 baking dish. Cream butter and 1 1/2 cup sugar. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to cream mixture alternately with milk. Spoon mixture over fruit.

Sift or mix 2 cups of sugar with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and nutmeg. Sprinkle this mixture over batter.

Pour boiling water over top. (Yes....that sounds strange but it works. Makes a nice crust over the top) Bake at 350* for 1 hour. You may need to bake longer-check for gooey center and color of crust. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream. YUMMY!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Party
















The party was a huge success! We had such a good time & I think our guests did too. I know my husband did, so I consider that successful since it was his party. teeheehee :)
The weather couldn't have been nicer. We spent the evening outside with great friends and family. Inside I had set up a table with photos from my husband's childhood. And of course the embarrassing teenage and college photos too. In the mail that week we just happened to get a letter addressed to him from AARP....couldn't have been better timing....I threw it on the table too. haha And of course I had the "50 Sucks" bouquet on there. My husband had requested a scrapbook of the building process of our house and that was there too. It turned out so well. Everyone enjoyed looking through it.
We had a ton of food. We got the BBQ from Joe's BBQ. It is the best. I also made my grandma's calico bean recipe. Yum Yum. My friend made a BLT macaroni salad that was great. And my mom brought a bunch of fresh veggies. There was fruit, chips and spinach dip, red pepper humus, and more. For dessert my husband had requested Homemade Peach Cobbler instead of birthday cake. (I took photos to share the recipe later) So that is what we had. It was delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Outside we had the tiki torches lit, the firepit going and lanterns on the tables...so pretty. Just a great time!! Here are a few photos to enjoy.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

So Excited!


Things are really hopping around here. We are so excited for the party tonight. Everything is ready to go except for baking the peach cobbler. (great recipe from an old neighbor...I will share later)

Last night we set the tables up and lit all the tikis, lanterns and firepit. Oh my....it was so pretty. I am glad that my husband is so excited about the party. That was the goal. The big 5-0! I want him to enjoy!

Well, I will share more with you later. Along with photos.
Wahoo!!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Devine Memories Boutique

I will be participating in a boutique at Devine Memories on November 8th from 8-5.
There will be some great holiday gift items and home decor from all the girls. Hope you can join us. (click on photo for larger view and more info)

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Computer Issues

Well... I have so many things that I want to get on here (including photos) but my camera card is full and my computer isn't being cooperative. I hope to get them to Costco and a disc made (another computer issue) soon so I can post pics. I have been busy getting ready for a big birthday party this Saturday. I really think it will be fun. We have been getting lots of projects done, none of which need to be done for the party but it sure feels good to accomplish.
I also have two boutiques coming up in November. Lots of fun things going on and hopefully lots of fun photos to post soon.
Have a great Tuesday!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

What A Day

It was quite a day today at Paper Vineyard. We had the Fall Open House and it was a big success. The girls had set up the store the night before to look so festive. I only wish I had photos to share. We had a wonderful turn out and lots of people took classes on the spot. There were 8 classes to choose from and we had so much fun working on projects all day long.
Thanks to everyone who came out to share in the fun!

Friday, October 24, 2008

New Things to Learn

While browsing on Tip Junkie today I found two tutorials that I want to try. They look like so much fun and I am always up for learning something new. Here they are:

First Oikology 101 This one teaches you to create your own blog button. Looks like fun. But now I have to design a button.... ooooh ...I think that will be fun. :)



Second Jeanne Winters This one teaches you to make pop art on Photoshop (or other programs). I have a blank spot on my wall that I think will look great filled with this. Or maybe Christmas cards....hmmmmm.....so many options.



Well...have fun checking these out. And enjoy your Friday!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Fall Open House

Fall Open House is this Saturday at Paper Vineyard. It should be lots of fun. There will be examples of classes and even projects you can buy and complete while you are there.

Come Join Us!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Scrap Day

Spent most of the day scrapping. I am working on a book for my husband (at his request) about the building process of our home. It is turning out great. It is so much fun to look back at all the photos of the bare land...and then to see it now. All the work that has gone into it is amazing. Quite a transformation. It was a big step for us and one that we are so grateful for. We truly feel blessed. Hard to believe that we have been here for 8 1/2 yrs now.
I will try and share photos soon.
Hope you all had a wonderful Sunday.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Today's Classes




Ended up teaching 3 classes today at Paper Vineyard. I had so much fun. The first class was a wreath class with ornaments for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. The second one was the Grateful Plaque. And the third one was my Record Friendship Album made out of 45's.

All the ladies were so much fun today and the classes went really well. Thanks to all of you who participated. I really appreciate it. Hope you had a good time too.

I didn't get pics of everyone...but here are a few photos to share.

So Much Fun


Just purchased Photoshop Elements 7 and stayed up way too late last night trying to figure things out. I didn't have a previous version so it is all new to me. There are quite a few great tutorials online that helped. Check out the new header that I created! It doesn't match perfectly with the sides of the page layout but I am thrilled that I completed it just the same.

I am looking forward to lots more fun & learning.

Well, I am off to teach 3 classes today.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Monday, October 13, 2008

More Classes



Just wanted to share two more classes that I will be teaching at Paper Vineyard. The first one is the "grateful" plaque and will be offered this Saturday Oct 18th. The second one is "Countdown to Christmas" which will be in Nov. A specific date has not been set yet. Classes are available to view online. You can sign up for the class on the website also.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Is it Fall or Spring?


Can anyone guess what this is?.....my newly sealed floor! It feels more like spring around here than fall. We have been cleaning like nobodys business. Feels so good to get some projects completed. My husband decided that the floors needed to be resealed. He was right. They look awesome now thanks to him. :)

Have a great Sunday everyone.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Blogging


Ok, so I am a little slow. I am just finding out new things about blogging. I came across this magazine and had to have one. Wow...is it beautiful. It creatively explores the world of blogging and peeks into blogs and the mindset of those who began them. It is fascinating. Everyone has a different reason for starting a blog but all seem to have a similar reaction to the world of blogging and all that it has brought to them. What a wonderful connection the crafting blogs seem to have. After reading through this magazine I am excited to push my creativity a little and explore new ideas. I am so glad that I decided to take the plunge and start this journey.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Good Morning

I found a great little quote while traveling to other blogs. This one in particular caught my eye...Linda has a beautiful blog with lots of good ideas.
Here is the quote: "If you haven't got all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don't have, that you don't want." ~unknown~

Enjoy your day!

Monday, October 6, 2008

Design Team Layout


Here is my design team layout for November at Devine Memories. It was a 3 product/3 designers challenge. I had fun with it. Although it was a little tricky deciding what to do with the trinket pins. Tim Holtz designed them after locker pins. They really do remind me of the locker pins at the swimming pool when I was little.

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Starting to Feel Like Fall


Finally it is starting to feel a bit like fall here. Autumn is my absolute favorite. We don't get much of the changing colors so we have to improvise and create them ourselves. But that's OK.

It is a chance to have a little fun. And speaking of fun....it has been fun to see all the "fall scenes" on everyones blogs. There are some beautiful ones out there. Check out this beauty http://www.theinspiredroom.net/ ....I could live there. Enjoy your day!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Debates

Getting ready to watch the debate tonight. No matter what your political view-this year is such an important year to cast your vote. Remember the cut off for voter registration is Oct 6th to still be able to vote in this presidential election. Registering online is quick and easy.
America is still the best place on earth to live. Let your voice be heard....get out and vote!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Devine Memories Class

Class at Devine Memories was so much fun last night. I really enjoyed teaching. Thanks Michelle!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Halloween Countdown


The class went really well yesterday. The ladies did a great job and one even changed up the design, adding all kinds of bling. Turned out so cute. Another gal flew in from Oregon to take the class. How cool is that!!

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Paper Vineyard

Today I will be teaching a class at Paper Vineyard. It should be lots of fun. I will post a photo of the project later. You can check it out, along with other upcoming classes at www.papervineyard.com . Just click on "class calendar".
Have a great Sunday!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Upcoming Class


I will be teaching a class at Devine Memories this Monday Sept 29th from 6:30-8 pm. I am so excited and would love for you to join me. Visit http://www.devinememories.net/ to get more information and sign up. Here is a shot of what we will be creating.

A Brand New Start

Well, I finally did it! I started a blog. I am excited to share my ideas, thoughts and creations. Stay tuned for more as I learn as I go. Thanks for stopping by.