I'm really back this time...

We'll I'm not divorced yet, but I'm settled into my own place and I (finally) have my computer, my scrapbook room, and most of my things. The divorce will be final in February and I'm ready to move on with my life. I'm sorry I have not been around and have lost touch with the scrapbook world, but I'm ready to dive back in and get started. I'll post more and hit all my usual spots real soon...

I can't wait to do a contest and crops again... I've really missed that! And, I've missed all my scrapbook friends!!! I'm in Charlotte, NC now, so if anyone is in the area I would love to have someone to do srapbooking things with.

HAPPY NEW YEARS! We'll 2008 was not a kind year for me...I lost my marriage of 22 years, a relationship with my youngest daughter...she's with him :-( , my home, my cockatoo, and my little yorkie. What does not kill you only makes you stronger! I know 2009 will be a better year. I hope that everyone else had a better year than me! I'm looking forward to a new year.

I spent the summer with Heather, Jessica, and Hayleigh. My sweet little baby girl has really grown. I really miss ALL my kids!

I'm Back!

It's been a while since I've picked up anything to do with scrapbooking...but that's going to change. My heart is mending...I've found someone very special in my life and I'm ready to get back to what I absolutely love to do, scrapbooking and photography.

I'm still stuck here in Ohio and most of my girls are in Oklahoma, so it makes it hard to get alot of pictures, but I've managed to get a few from my visits. I'm headed down to NC to visit my parents and leaving behind my scrapbook room for a few weeks...but I'm checking out pubcalls.blogspot waiting for that fun contest I want to enter. I'm putting DT calls on hold for now until I can get moved down to Oklahoma...but I really do miss it!

To all my wonderful scrapbook friends I sure have missed you all but needed the time. You will see me soon and I can't wait!!!

I'm getting some scrapbooking done this weekend!

I have been working on a mini album for my daughter Jessie. This year is not my year for Valentines, but it is for my daughter and her boyfriend. I got several awesome Valentine's kits, so I hope to have my mini album finished this weekend. I'll post as soon as I get it uploaded. I hope everyone had a great time. Mine was not all that bad. I got out of the house and had a good time! My girls have been the best to me through all of this.

Happy Valentine's

We'll I'll go ahead and post Happy Valentine's Day to everyone today. I doubt I'll be online much tomorrow. This will be a hard year...no candy, no flowers, no taking me out for a romantic dinner, no saying I love you, no showing me he loves me. Just hate, making fun of me, trying to hurt me. He is sharing all those things he use to share with me with someone else.

Memories From The Attic

Design Team kit was great this month. So many goodies to play with. I finished one of my LOs and still working on a couple more. Here's one of them. This is Jessie and her boyfriend. I took this of them last Fall in the town square here in Medina. They've had to have a long distance relationship.

Trying to get my life back...

Have not been up to scrapbooking that much lately, but I'm trying to get my scrapbook mojo back. I got my Design Team kit for Freckle Friends.

It's a great kit full:

February '08 Collection
1 Sheet Making Memories Audrey Scallop Circle

1 Sheet Basic Grey Two Scoops Swirl1 Sheet Fancy Pants Crush First Date

1 Sheet Fancy Pants Crush Devoted

1 Sheet Fancy Pants Crush In Love

1 Sheet Fancy Pants Crush Twitterpated

1 Sheet Basic Grey Infuse Purify1 Sheet Basic Grey Infuse Introduce

1 Sheet KI Memories Pop Culture Socialite Lace Cardstock - Brown

1 Sheet Bazzill Bling Lip Gloss

1 Sheet Bazzill Hurricane1 Sheet Bazzill Tutu Pink

1 Sheet Bazzill Lily Pond1 Sheet Bazzill Mocha Divine

1 Sheet Bazzill Blue Bell--Fancy Pants Botanical

Rub OnsDaisy D's You Are Mine Rub On

Basic Grey Margie Undressed Chipboard

Jenni Bowlin Felt Flowers (1/2 package)

Jenni Bowlin Who When Where Tickets (5, assorted colors)

Five and 1/2 yards assorted coordinating ribbon

Here's my LOs...

This is my middle daughter, her boyfriend, and her neice. This is a busted photo. My daughter had David come up behind our back and her niece busted her out on her new camera. We have since had a long talk.

The other is my grand daughter Hayleigh. I'm not much into Valentine's this year and I knew I needed to do one for the holiday, so I did this one of Hayleigh and her new Valentine pup. We took her to the Mall to pick out a new furry friend at Build A Bear. She kissed the heart, picked out the barking noise, and stepped on the petal to fill it up. She then loved cleaning it and brushing it before leaving the store. We named him "Pinky". She's my little Valentine this year. She's such a sweetie!

We'll off to get some more work done.

Times are not always sunshine

but they will get better. Most of the people that know me already know that my husband told me recently that he never loved me and that he wants a divorce. We have been married for almost 21 years. I gave him my whole heart and he broke mine. He continues to hurt me, but I will overcome this and I will survive. I deserve more than this and if this is all he has to give then I'm much better off without him...his loses not me. I will not put him down. I will just walk away and make something new and better of my life. If you would please say prayers for me that I continue to stand strong, hold my head up high, and to know that there is something better waiting for me out there. I will overcome this and I will be stronger from this!!! I have a wonderful family and awesome friends that are helping me get though this and I thank each one of you for being there and listening to me. You're whats helping get through this.

From this I have decided to take that leap and become a professional photographer. I plan to enroll in college when I move back to Tulsa in photography and then open my own business after I finish school. I know this will be hard, but I'm strong and I will do this for myself. I'm hoping to move this summer after my daughter Jessie graduates from high school. She is finishing up a year early and I'm very proud of her. I'm very sad to say that my youngest daughter Kimi has decided to say with her father. I will miss her very much, but will honor her wishes. It's so hard for a mother (when I did not want this) to say good bye and it will probably be the hardest thing I've had to do in my life yet. I love her very much and have told her that she is always welcome to come see me.

It time for snow...

We are in the months of snow, snow, snow. Hayleigh loves the snow this year! Last year she did not want anything to do with it! I just loved her recent snow pictures, so I had to do a LO with the photos from the clear album I just finished. I rarely use purple on my LOs...but her snowsuit this year is purple. I really like the way it turned out using purple as a snow page. The photo under "snow" is a black & white printed on photo transparency paper.

Happy New Years!!!

I hope everyone had a Happy New Years. We sat at home and watched the grand baby this year. We did manage to stay awake though for the new year to come in.

I've got mail...DT projects that is! I've been busy getting project finished and loaded.

My first projects are for Memories From The Attic. I had a great kit to work with, pattern paper from Dream Street and Making Memories (Noteworthy). The embellishments are from Making Memories (Noteworth) stickers, Fancy Pants (flower and heart pins), stamp from Autumn Leaves, and a cute clear album from Moonlight Oil.

The pictures in the album are from our first good snowfall here in December. I hope to fill it up with plenty of snow pictures this season. The LO is of Hayleigh this summer in the town square here in Medina. It's hard to believe she is already 2.

The next DT projects are for Freckle Friends. I loved this kit. All the goodies are from KI. The kit came with Pop Culture pattern paper, softies, ribbons, taglines, and many more neat supplies. Here's what I came up with...

That's not it. I also got my kit from Scrap-Tastic, where I'm Guest Designer for January. Becky sent me some cute product from Fancy Pants. I got pattern paper, matching cardstock, botanical tags and title from Fancy Pants, overlay from hambly, and ric rac ribbon. Here's what I created...

Reflecting

I got this from another blogger...who got this from another blogger!

i am: an outgoing person
i want: to live each day to it's fullest
i have: a wonderful husband, 5 children, and 1 grand daughter
i wish: I could be with all my children this Christmas
i hate: that my grand mother has to suffer with Alhemizers
i miss: Christmas time with my family in Charlotte
i hear: dogs, cats and a loud mouth bird in the background
i wonder: if I will lose my mind before three daughter's (ages 15 to 20) leave home
i regret: things I should have said but never did
i am not: good at keeping in touch with old friends...life seems to get in the way!
i sing: but not well
i cry: for the young soldiers that gave their life to protect us
i am not always: happy...but I try to be
i make with my hands: scrapbooking and painting for my family
i journal: about my family
i confuse: myself and DH at times!
i need: bedroom slippers...my feet are cold lol!
i should: be cleaning...what's the fun in that!
i start: my day as soon as the girls are off to school and work...less drama that way!
i finish: the day watching my favorite shows...thanks to DVR!

please post a message if you decide to do this...so I can go check it out!

Look what you could win...

Here's your chance to advertise this great card site and get your name in for a chance to win a full set (16 packages) of the Studio G (series 7) stamps!!



Check it out at Sheet load of Cards

I have two toots!

I found out this week that I made two Design Teams. I'm excited to start working with the stores and I can't wait to get new product to play with!

Memories in the Attic

Freckled Friends

Crop all weekend!

At Memories from the Attic...Memories from the Attic is launching their first online crop and we want YOU to come join us! Our theme for December: SKETCHES!

The crop will begin on Friday, December 7 at 8 PM EST with the debut of the first challenge! The crop will continue through to Sunday, December 9. Signups begin on December 1.

Prizes will be given away for challenges and if you are a serious scrappaholic and complete all of the challenges, you could earn the title of "Attic DIVA". You won't want to miss it! Don't forget to sign up and introduce yourself...and tell them I sent you so I'll know you stopped by my blog!

Shack Professor

at Susan's Scrapbook Shack is for a Christmas gift bag. This month is my month as Shack Professor, so I decided to do a gift giving item for those small gifts that you have to get done to be finished with Christmas shopping. Here's the gift bag I did for Hayleigh's daycare teacher. I'll fill it up with an oversized coffee cup loaded with goodies and tissue! If you would like the instructions for this gift bag and where to find this neat paper mache gift bag just click on the link above.

Christmas light???

It looks like we are limited this year on decorating the new house! Our house roof is too high for Charles to get up there and put up lights. It was 28 degrees yesterday putting up what lights we did do...brrr, it was so cold! I hope to get a picture today. We are still working on the yard since we are not putting much up on the house. We are supposed to get snow tonight and most of the week so I hope to get some pictures of it with snow on the house. Here's what we are working with...


We have a long ladder that they use on utility poles and it would not go high enough to reach the second level and the third level is just not happening!

I WON!!!

The final round at Scrap-tastic! The final round was down to five awesome scrapbookers and I won the crown...I'm so excited! Thanks Becky, DT members, and contestants!!! I had a blast playing...now where's that crown? teehee...

My final round

at Scrap-tastic was to do a little bit of everything. Requirements were to do a one or two page LO with sewing, stampimg, painting, journaling ( 3 sentences with bullets), 5 photos, and 5 different colors. Since it has just started snowing up here and very little snow so far, I had to go with last years pictures of Hayleigh in the snow. The snowing has really gave me the itch for some snow pictures. After all, we are living up where we should see some good snow falls again. Thanksgiving is calling for snow and I'm looking forward to it ...because I don't have to be out driving in it! A great day to relax and eat too much and hang out by the fireplace and look at it out the window! We'll back to my final submission...

Winter

has really been hard on me this year...already!!! I have been sick for a month now. I just can't seem to kick this! All I did yesterday was sleep. I tried to stay awake, but my body said sleep. I've had a cold in my sinuses, chest, and now it's back in my throat. It was so sore and swollen that my pills were stuck in my throat...yuck! I'm hoping that this wave of antibotics will kick it. Just wanted to let people know I'm still around...I just have not felt like doing much! Charles' mom is coming for Thanksgiving, so I have to be well soon!
I'm trying to work on my final LO for Scrap-tastic today. I have until Sunday to upload, so I'm ok for now. I have an idea for it...I just need to get it to work out on paper! I'm having to pull from old pictures because I have not felt like going out and getting new pictures. It's been rainy a lot here so my pictures of Hayleigh playing in leaves has not happen yet. We have snow and rain mixed the rest of this week so no luck until next week.

My month as Guest Designer is up today for Scraplove. I had a blast being the Guest Designer...thank you Suzanne, Em, and the DT!

I'm still the month intern for Scrappinmojo. I have my second challenge posted there....if you get a chance go check it out! I'm giving a set of Elsie alphabet stamps away to one lucky participate! The whole DT is hosting challenges all month and are giving away prizes at the end of the month. There's plenty of challenges to get you motivated!

I've also posted to the right side of my blog a give away for Susan's Scrapbook Shack for signing up as a new member during the month of November...my duty this month is member recruitment. I will draw one lucky name out of the hat for an RAK from me just for becoming a member.

I hope to see some familiar names and faces there! If you sign up for any of these sites introduce yourself and please let me know. I'd love to know I helped send you there!

Round 6

at Scrap-tastic was a touch on for me. I love to make cards be not with so much pressure. I hope it's good enough to keep me in the game!






I made this card from a wonderful product line called Paper Trunks. You should check them out. I love their rich and bold colors and the design of their products. If you are a stamp lover you will love the extra long clear stamps.

I made it to round #6

at Scrap-tastic. For this round we have to make a thank you card using chipboard, buttons, ribbon, stamping and/or rub-ons. I was not expecting a card! I love to make cards, but I'm no great card maker!!! We'll see if I can hang in there. I'll post my card when I get it finished. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it this week!!!

Round #5

I made it to round #5 at Scrap-Tastic...we had to do a LO about a talent that we have. Requirements are: a talent, use a technique from the Technique thread (which I used painting backgrounds), and a photo of myself. So, here's what I came up with...

Here's a close up of the journaling (which is a definition)

I spy

some of my LOs and projects at the following:
Scrap Street Magazine LO "I can Ride" The November Issue p.28
Tip Junkie photo block "for the kids"
Eventful Moments in Life Pumpkin Patch

I won the contest at Scrappinmojo Survivor. There's some asewome talent there and great friends, so I'm very honored to win! Along with a goodie package I will be hosting weekly challenges for the month of November. I'm looking forward to challenging everyone!

I lost by one point at Scrappin With Grace to Renee. There's some great talent and great friends there also! I had a blast doing Survivor Football. They are starting a new contest, a Treasure Hunt. It should be alot of fun!

I will not find out the winner at 2 Croppin Cousinz until the weekend. I don't plan on winning anything there. You racked up alot of points by doing the weekly crop activities and that's our date night. We get little time together as it is, so I was not going to give up a month for scrapbooking. I hung in there did all the challenges and had a blast...so that's good enough for me!

I was tagged by

Susan, so here's my list...Here are the rules which must be posted on your blog if you are tagged:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).
4. Let them know they've been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

1. I'm a SAHM/GM, married 20 years, and I have 5 children, and I sweet grandbaby girl.

2. I love scrapbooking and photography, but I also love to paint and draw.

3. DH and myself were remarried on our seventh Anniversary in a gazebo looking out over the ocean in Cancun, why 17 because he was willing to do it!

4. We have 4 dogs, 3 cats, I cockatoo, a turtle, and a fish.

5. I've lived in Germany, Okinawa Japan, North Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, Arizona, Indiana, Oklahoma, and Ohio.

6. I had three of my children overseas in Germany.

7. I'm a very proud mother on three in the Army and I was also a military wife for 12 years.


I tag Laura, Bethany, Kate, Michelle, Jessica, Annette, and Stayce. I hope that all you girls will play along.

I had a great weekend!

We went to Harrisburg, PA for the weekend. It was so nice to just relax. We had nothing for sure planned...just kinda went with it. Along the way just off the highway I noticed this old church, so I made Charles take a side trip. When I got there I noticed the very muddy pond. I thought, great this ugly pond will be in my photo. It was perfect, you'll see the entire reflection of the building in the pond! Yay, for muddy water! I played around with my filters in Photoshop and got this result...

I really like the star, so I bought me one to put on our house, in a little Amish store. I also got a great smelling candle. Charles enjoyed looking at the workmanship of the Amish furniture. I had to remind him that he is doing his Masters and has NO time to build furniture right now! Beside, our garage is still full of boxes.

We adventured on to Intercourse, Fertility, and Paradise PA as well...Amish towns too...(((too funny!!!)))

I wanted to take some pictures of the Amish way of life without being intrusive to them...afterall I was on vacation relaxing, I sure did not want to make someone else feel uncomfortable! I got a picture of the cutest little amish boy!

I shot this picture as they drove past. You can really get a feel of the buggy moving in the second shot.

We drove down some side roads in search of covered bridges. I was able to get pictures of a couple of different ones. This first bridge is now closed and there is a campground located beside. The second one I got lucky and a buggy was coming as I took the pictures.

On to our next adventure, we drove down to the military post "Ft. Richie" that DH was stationed at, which is now closed. It was so neat to see our old house. It's almost like a ghost town there now. Here's our old house on post and what we live in now. They're just a little different, don't you think? Oh, and I promise our yard looks much better now than when I took this picture of our new house. This is the photo I took when we were shopping for a house. We use True Green now, so it's very green!

After visiting Ft. Richie, we drove down this little side road to an old creek bed that is loaded with big bolders, called the Devil's something...any way the last time I was there we skipped church to go there and see it and I tored my tendon in my leg, Charles had to carry me off all the rocks and through the path back to the van and had to wear a cast. I think the Lord was trying to tell me something that day! I was very careful and did not walk across all the rocks this time! And we went on a Saturday, just to be on the safe side! As you can see in the picture, it's full of rocks bigger than Charles! When you stand close to the rocks you can here the water running under the rocks. There's suppose to be copperhead snakes in the area, so we did not stick around long or go off the path.

They still had this little pizza place right off post that we went to, so we stopped and pizza there. It seemed much better back then...probably because eating out was very little back then. It's a little mom and pop place and the little school girl that waited on us was very sweet. Charles left her a really good tip.

We had a great time, very relaxing. I hope the next time to meet up with old friends. they were out of town on this trip. Until the next trip!

Finished another one!

This is my final week at Scrappinmojo. We had to do a two page LO, with 5 or more photos (which I know I had plenty of...16 photos!), use September to December in your theme, and a quote, poem, or lyric.

I loved doing this one. I got to combine alot of Hayleigh's first two years of life...alot of sweet memories there!

Here's what I came up with...








Looks like I'm in a red and black mood!

Final week

at Scrappin with Grace. Looks like I'm the first to upload. My team ended up being the winning teams so we advanced, but now play against each other. So much for teamwork anymore. They are a great group of ladies though! Here's my submission...

Now I have 4 more to go before vacation on Friday.