Lots of Yummies

I love the look of crochet and although I learned how to do it from a classmate in high school, my tutoring never took.  Always on the hunt for ways to add texture to projects, on one of my jaunts into the world of Ebay, I found the goodies below in an auction.  Somehow I was the only bidder for this 100+ flower lot and for a small amount these goodies were mine.  Now I'm looking for the right project to use them on!

She makes me look good ...

I wanted to take some time today to say "thank you" to someone special.  I met Jane last year via Etsy when I was in search of some baked goodies to add to the holiday gift bags for A.'s team.  She came through with flying colors and was such a pleasure to deal with that as I planned this year's bags, I contacted her again.  With this year's early distribution (because of a major meeting where remote team members would be in town this week only), Jane moved heaven and earth to get everything baked and shipped on time.  In this year's bags, along with other personal gifts based on each person's interests, I also added chocolate cell phones (A's team does programming for cell phones) from  Pulakos Chocolates and Jane's goodies. I recently mentioned to Jane that she makes me look good every time, and I mean it.  I can cook absolutely anything, but baking is not really my thing - too much exact measuring, I guess.  Anyway, Jane thank you!

Here are the goodies in the containers (I found the cans at Michael's and they were the perfect size!) This year we got  Key Lime Truffles, That Raspberry Thing, Peppermint Candy Bark, Concord Jelly-Filled Cookies and Peach Kolaskys.

Key Lime Truffles

Jelly Filled Cookies

Peach Kolaskys

That Raspberry Thing

Peppermint Candy Bark

To contact Jane you can visit her on Etsy .  BTW, she ships cross country and everything's always delicious!

All in a row?

I used the LPSC October Kit for a girly layout I didn't know I had in me.  I used MME Lost and Found patterned paper and banner (cut from a sheet), Martha Stewart ribbons, K& Co embellishments (buttons, scissor, tag, words), Making Memories alphas (mini pink glitter ones), American Crafts kraft thickers (sprayed with Shimmer Spritz from October LPSC kit).  The picture is actually a thank you card from an Etsy seller for another purchase.  TFL!

Celebrate

Another wedding layout (when you're on a roll, you go with it) featuring stuff from the October LPSC kit and a few extras: MME Lilac House patterned paper (kit), MME Lilac House Notebook Journal page, miscellaneous flowers that were sprayed with Shimmer Spritz (kit), burgundy button, MME Lilac House card (heart), Zva Creative flourish, satin ribbon, die cut flower.  TFL!

We saw the Grinch!

Last weekend A. and I attended the Ice show featuring the Dr. Seuss character The Grinch at the Gaylord National Harbor.  I will confess before seeing videos of the show, I had never actually read a Dr. Seuss book or even watched the movie.  But as "prep" so I'd have a clue or as A called it "studying", I read the book.  Anyway, this is us at the show.  And yup, we had to wear those ugly blue coats because it was cold!  A balmy 9 degrees in fact and it took me a couple hours to warm up. The figures behind us are entirely made of ice.

Here's a video of a few scenes from the show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltQe7TGb_Fw&feature=fvst

I Do! I Do!

I will confess than when I was assigned the October LPSC MME Lilac House/Fancy Pants Happy Together/MME Lost and Found kit, I wasn't sure what I'd do with it.  It's very flowery and girly, and I wasn't clear which pictures I had that would work really well with it.  Anyway, I recalled that my wedding color was baby blue (why? not sure, since red is and has always been my favorite color) but back in the early 1990's, blue must have been a popular wedding color.  Anyway, it's been a real pleasure to plod through my wedding pics and create these layouts.  Here's another.

For this layout I used Fancy Pants Happy Together patterned paper and Bazzill cardstock from the LPSC October kit, the I Do! title is actually a clearanced luggage tag from the bridal section at Michael's, the pink subtitle is from a MME Happy Together strip sheet, below the pictures there's a paper doily that I sprayed with blue Smooch Spritz and the heart die cut is stamped in brown ink.  TFL!

Going Green

As I mentioned in a previous post one of my newer addictions is beading.  I recently finished this green necklace.  I'm not really a fan of green, but I fell in love with the pendant (usually how one of my beading projects begins with the pendant first) and everything else fell in place after that including the matching Swarovski crystals.  I'm thinking about asking for another beading class as one of my Christmas presents. TFL!

Looking Back

A recent dare by one of my Facebook friends (former classmate) urged us  to find a picture from the 80's and use it as on our Facebook Profile.  I rounded up this gem of a photo for my Facebook page and decided to scrap it.  It's circa 1983 - I think!   It's hard to believe I was that thin, that perky and that sedate!

I used the October LPSC kit for this page.  I used Shimmer Spritz to spritz the MME Lost and Found  patterned paper and the (originally) white flowers that came with the kit, MME Lilac House Cards and Strips, MME Lost and Found buttons as flower centers and a Basic Grey Canvas Tag.  TFL!

Plugging away at the wedding album

I used my October Guest DT kit assignment from Life Preservers Scrapbook Club to whittle away at some layouts for my wedding album.  Almost 19 years later, it's getting done. Yeah me!

For this "Love" layout I used Bazzill cardstock (LPSC October Kit), KI Memories Hula Prince die cut paper, tons of Prima flowers, the front of a wedding gift bag, K & Co. Embossed Wedding Foil stickers, miscellaneous bling, and burgundy Quick Quotes ink.

Happy Birthday to the Cutest Little Guy

Today, I want to wish Happy Birthday to one of my favorite guys - my friend Rosemary's son.  Dervin is a force of nature and a true boy.  He's stubborn, loving and cries every time he has to say goodbye to me when I leave his house to go home.  We should all be so lucky.  I cannot believe that I used to hold this little man in my arms and he would sit quietly.  Today, he's a squirelly little boy who is both inquisitive and busy.

This year, as in years past, I bought him a gift that makes tons of noise.  I found this adorable little boom box at Tuesday Morning. Since I love to encourage kids to read, each year he also gets a book.  At a country fair we attended this year I found a cute, handmade Bob the Builder cloth book.  Happy Birthday sweetie!

My new baby ...

Well I bit the bullet a few weeks ago and got an ATG - the pink one!  I was always a bit hesitant because it always looked big and awkward to me and I have bad wrists.  I have to say apart from loading it (which I have no patience for, so it's DH to the rescue!), it's been a dream. I still use Glue Dots and Glue Lines for tiny stuff, but my ATG is now my go-to adhesive.  Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?


I recently listed a Contest RAK on ScrapbookingFun for people to decorate their ATGs, so I thought I should at least decorate mine since I was asking other people to decorate theirs.


Here's my "before" picture of my ATG:

Here's my "after" pictures. I went with a pink/purple color scheme b/c I am lazy and I didn't want to paint my handle. On one side I just did my initials and the other (clear) side I did the decorations. I also decorated the edges. I still need to find a poly spray to coat everything and prevent it from getting dirty.


Quick tip - I decorated the pink paper and adhered it to the inside of the cover.  I only put 3 embellishments on the outside of the clear case to cover up the adhesive after the removal of the manufacturer's name.  I guess I could have used Undu or Glue Gone or something, but didn't think of it at the time.  I like the way it eventually turned out because it gives my decorations a layered look.  Anyway, learn from my mistake!

I won a prize!

Won a card contest on Kindred Creations last week during their Country Fair.  Kindred is another Deal-a-Day site that has cute stuff each day, but they go fast!  If you're up at  3 a.m. in the morning, you'll be able to grab one of their items.  Anyway, here's my card that won me a $50 Prima prize pack:

It's a wonderful day to ... vote

Today, November 2, is election day.  As an immigrant, the ability to vote is definitely not a privilege I take lightly.  It took me seven long years in this country before I earned that right. Since 1997, I have voted in every national election and all the primaries (except one).  I always joke that since it took me so many years to earn the right, I will even go vote for dog catcher!  So today, I urge you to exercise your right and your privilege to vote.

This is me, on the day I became a US Citizen with my citizenship certificate.

This is my Citizenship Cake - my co-workers at the time 

gave me a party when I became a US Citizen

Jim Brickman in Concert

A and I saw Jim Brickman at Wolftrap Saturday night.  It was my second time, A's first.  As in the past, JB was so much fun!  He is so funny and so talented.

This is JB playing a few of my favorite songs -   If You Believe, Angel Eyes and Never Alone with Lady Antebellum

In a world of jaded performers who act as if they're God's gift to the world, it's wonderful to see a performer who truly shares his joy and his gift with his audience.

Through an adult filter

As I watched Kramer vs Kramer (1979) recently on Netflix, I was struck by the fact that so many of the movies I looked at years ago as a teen or tween, today I look at them through a totally different filter - as an adult.  Back when I first watched K vs K I wasn't married and more to the point, I had no clue how tough it is to live within a marriage. It's my goal over the next year to go through many of the books and movies I read and watched as a child - To Kill a Mockingbird, My Friend Flicka, Black Beauty among others to see them through a totally different filter - a grown-up one.  Will you join me on the journey?

Happy Birthday!

Almost 20 years ago, I met a man who truly wasn't on my relationship radar but he snuck in anyway.  Being the kind, honest, giving person he is, that's no surprise to anyone who knows him.  I always knew that I didn't get the parents I deserved, so it was wonderful to realize that something finally did go my way - I got the wonderful husband I deserved! Recently we were sitting across from each other at a restaurant and he said something funny in his dry way and we just started laughing hysterically.  And I realized in that moment, that I had hit the jackpot, this is truly as good as it gets.  Over almost 19 years of marriage we've been through so much and he's never been fazed, he's always been faithful and although sometimes I feel like he didn't get the wife he deserved, I do realize how much I've been blessed.  So today, I'd like to say thank you and happy birthday to the most wonderful man I know.  May we have many more wonderful birthdays together. Love ya!

For the first and third layout I used Graphic 45 A Proper Gentleman patterned paper. I just love this picture of Anthony at age 2.   I think he kept the same face, he disagrees.

Some backstory on the middle layout - A. hates taking pics and unfortunately for him, he married someone who's like the paparazzi - always shoving a camera in his face.

So proud of me - I did another wedding layout. I'll be getting that wedding album done before long!

I'm in love ... again!

I was at a Cake Love "Small Sweets" class last week (courtesy of a Groupon coupon) and the instructor asked us to name our favorite food.  Needless to say, I picked Red Velvet Cupcakes.  It was an easy choice because I truly love cupcakes and Red Velvet is my absolute fave.  Anyway, for the past year we'd been promised a new cupcakery at the lake where A and I love to walk.  A month or so ago, we finally got it!  While debate continues about how their cupcakes stack up to other competition in the area, I have to say that their proximity to my home and their lower price, have made them a new fave in my book.  I have to confess that I do feel like I'm cheating when I go to Lilly Magillys because my favorite cupcakes come from Cake Dreams in Rockville.  However, Lilly is open 7 days a week and Cake Dreams only 5 days.  And as I said to A this weekend, when a gal's got a hankering for cupcakes, she's got a hankering for cupcakes!

I took some pictures of the gorgeous Lilly box and cupcakes after my first purchase. Two were Red Velvet of course, and the other was Vanilla Peanut Butter.

Got Wedding Album?

To my everlasting shame despite scrapbooking each day for many years, I do not yet have a scrapbook wedding album.  More than eighteen years after saying "I do", I have bupkis. I always had this view that the album I eventually did had to have a cohesive look with all the same papers.  Instead, I recently decided to take a page out of my friend Karrie's book and do my album layout by layout.  Karrie got married last fall and I can't count the number of one-pagers she's created one at a time.  So, with a one-page-at-a-time attitude, here's the first wedding layout I've done.  I used Glitz Design Distressed Couture paper, a Prima flower, velvet ribbon, Prima rub-ons (title) and an acetate transparency piece.

These are the good old days ...

I have been heavily immersed in helping to plan my 25th High School Reunion.  I can't believe how much we all look the same. Maybe, it's through my jaundiced eye - LOL!  Anyway, I am working on an album from our 21st Reunion in 2007, and thought it would be fun to contrast how we looked circa 1982 when we were pre-teens with our "grown up selves".  Anyway, here's my class in 1982 and the group of us who attended the reunion in 2007.  Hoping more of us show up next year!  We're having a Gala Dinner Dance with dates and spouses!  Can't wait.

I can spin wool!

I just love fall.  Maybe it's the fact that it's cooler, the air is fresh and crisp, or maybe it's the food ... apples, preserves, cakes  - or the fun ... fairs, petting zoos, bazaars.  A. and I headed down to the Waterford Fair a couple weeks ago and it was like immersing ourselves in a town that has stood still in time.  The Fair's been taking place for many years, but this was our first time stopping by.  We made a long weekend of it and stayed at the Homewood Suites in Leesburg.  As always, we had a ball!

We ran into a co-worker of A's who took this picture of us. Can you tell I'm short?

I even learned to spin wool!  It's harder than it looks!  Another check mark on the Bucket List!

This Man is not ... my husband

This layout was the culmination of a tongue-in-cheek response to a co-worker last year after I shared a picture of our 2008 trip to the Dominican Republic (Puerto Plata).  Snorkeling with sharks and stingrays was on my Bucket List for a while and I finally got to check it off in May 2008.  This was an August 2010 Design Team assignment using an August Life Preserver's Kit (Echo Park Summertime).  That paper is so gorgeous and so versatile.  Who would think it would work for a layout featuring sharks!  Go figure ...

We love New York but in small doses ...

No offense to people who love big cities but on a recent visit to NY City I was struck by how much A and I have morphed into suburban dwellers.  Lately we've been trying to get to NYC once a year and while it's fun to visit the "big city" we often feel like ducks out of water.  Don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful place but we quickly realize each time we visit that while we love the big apple, it's always wonderful to head home to our Maryland enclave.  We've learned to studiously avoid the subway - it's no DC Metro system, that's for sure!  In September we visited on another group bus trip and decided to do a double decker bus tour, something we've never done.  It was so much fun! We try to do a tour of every place we visit, and New York was no exception.  We got on and off a variety of buses all day and each tour guide was as great as the last!  They were all quirky, knowledgeable and funny!  This is us in the front row embarking on our NYC adventure in September. Having been Law & Order fans (I still miss Jerry Orbach) it was great to see all the places around the city that filming was done.  We even saw the huge Wall Street bull!

Last year we went up to NYC in the summer and saw the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island for the first time.  Here's a layout I did from that trip.  I use Pink Paislee Starlight for this layout.  I won the July Scrapbooking Fun Challenge contest with this layout.  TFL!

21st High School Reunion Layout

I have been taking lots of pics for future layouts but haven't done many new layouts, but here's a recent fave. I did it as an August design team assignment for Life Preservers. It's from my 21st High School Reunion. We're busily planning for our 25th next year, so it's great to start pulling together layouts for the album I will be taking with me next July. I used an August Life Preservers kit that featured Echo Park Summertime patterned paper, cute Prima flowers and EP Summertime rub ons.

I Love Groupon

I have to say I am a huge devotee of Groupon.  If you're not familiar with the Groupon phenomenon I urge you to visit www.groupon.com.  If your city is one that Groupon serves you could be in a world of hurt.  Through Groupon coupons I have done two cake and dessert baking classes at Cakelove this year, A. and I went to a Fall Festival at Cox Farm, we had gorgeous formal portraits done very reasonably, I did a beading class and bought beading supplies inexpensively, bought inexpensive movie theater tickets, eaten out at nice restaurants ... The list is endless.

Here we are enjoying our Cox Farm Fall Festival Groupon a few weeks ago.

These Eyes ...

Won the September Challenge over on Scrapbooking Fun with this layout.  It's one of my faves because owls fascinate me. It's almost like they see into your soul.

What the ...?

Ran into this beauty on my lawn recently.  I always joke with my DH that our lawn seems to have a magnet for all the neighborhood detritus (word for today, look it up!).  Stray bits of paper, wrappers, receipts seem to waft in the breeze and end up on our lawn - and no one else's!  Anyway, I opened my front door to the mailman and saw this huge big bird hanging out on the lawn.  Grabbed the camera and did some major zooming on my new Kodak camera and realized he was eating something.  I didn't get close enough to see what.  Anyway, at least he was a good guest!  I walked down later and realized not a speck of his food was left.  We should all have dinner guests like that!

BTW, Happy Columbus Day everyone!  I have a love-hate relationship with Christopher Columbus - having been born on an island that he "discovered". How do you discover something that already existed? I want to know. But that's for another conversation.

I have a new addiction

I'm in love with a new addiction ... beading! Did a beginner beading class today. Here's a picture of my first creative effort.  It was so much fun! Not as much fun as scrapbooking LOL! but fun nonetheless. I now have another tool in my gift-making arsenal and have a new set of items to shop for ... beads! Good thing beading stuff is 40% off this week at Jo's.

Thinking About My Friend Yollie

Today I thought about my friend Yollie (AKA Yolanda).  She never used the name Yolanda, always Yollie.  When I wanted to annoy her I would call her by her given name. The one photo I have with her was taken at a colleague's wedding.  In the photo above she's the one on my right.

I’ve been in a nostalgic mood lately as I’ve been deeply engrossed in helping to plan my 25^th High School Reunion which will take place next summer in Trinidad.  Go BAHS!  DH has recently resurrected an Epson scanner I bought eons ago and so I’ve been scanning all the “one of” pictures I have all over the walls of the house or in albums. 

But back to Yollie.  We met when I was in my early twenties and new to the USA and to the area where we both lived and worked.  We worked for the same company.  So much of who I am and my outlook on life (embrace everything and live as if this is your last day on earth) comes from my relationship with Yollie.  She was the most fearless, engaging, open-minded, friendly person I knew.  I remember spending entire Saturdays or Sundays with her, just hanging out.  

I forgot to say – Yollie was already in her fifties when I met her, so we were more than 25 years apart in age but you wouldn’t know that though, because of her youth full outlook on life. She’d been divorced and never had children and as we talked, I got a sense that that was the something she regretted.  It was sad, because IMHO she would have made a great mom, and in a way, she was – to me, and her dozens of nephews and nieces.  She was a Philippina who emigrated here and came from a large family.  She was crafty, and fun and so light-hearted.  She was also musically gifted pianist.  I will always regret not taking the time to have her teach me piano. 

Over the years I changed jobs and Yollie and I had lost contact.  One Christmas she was on my mind and I decided to send her a Christmas card with a note.  I got a response a few weeks later, from her brother.  He had called me to tell me that Yollie had a heart attack and had passed away the year before and (amazingly) her memorial service would take place the next week.  Talk about the hand of God!  I went to the memorial service and cried.  Then I cried some more.  I try to live without regrets, but I do regret losing contact with her. I never got the chance to tell her how much she truly meant to me.  Yollie love Christmas when she would decorate her home from top to bottom. She truly loved Christmas decorating even more than me (and that’s hard to do).  Ironically, she passed away over the Christmas season.

So today, I dedicate this post to Yollie and all the other Yollies out there who are impacting the lives of “motherless” women like me.  You may not ever know how much of an impact you had on our lives on this side of heaven, but I hope someday to see you on the other side and thank you then.

Having Goals are a Good Thing!

Last year (2009) I set a major creative goal for myself. I wanted to get on a scrapbook design team.  Well, fast forward to 2010 and I've made it onto not one, not two, but three design teams!  I am Guest Designer for July and August 2010 for Life Preservers Scrapbook Club and I also design for Crop Chocolate as a Chocolatier.  I've also won several monthly contests on one of my favorite message boards Scrapbooking Fun.  I guess Charles Luckman said it best, "Success is that old ABC - ability, breaks, and courage."