Vickery-Vous

Alter-natives

2009-03-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

Hey Girls! Hope everything is amazing in your lives and that you have been your crafty bests! I have been working on some projects to send to Scrapbook Magazine.. but of course I can't post them until they are actually published. That can be a drag because I get really excited to share what I have been working on!!!

I am busy planning a trip to Park City, Utah to visit a friend from high school that I haven't seen in 10 years! I am so excited!! I have never been before and heard it is just beautiful..I will take a ton of photos to share with you guys!

Jen and I reconnected through Facebook... who else is addicted? I know I definitely am! I have met up with so many people from my past.. I love it!! Who have you reconnected with that was the most exciting? I would love to hear about it.

The new challenge on the Scrap Your Crap blog goes up tommorrow. This month's challenge is to alter an item thatyou've had laying around your craft area that you set aside to make the perfect present with. It's the perfect time NOW!! I love to alter inexpensive frames that I find in the dollar bin at Target! SCORE!!!

Here's one I did for a Father's Day Present... please come and play with us!!!!

What's up this weekend?

2009-03-13T07:09:00.001-07:00

Hey Gals! What do you have planned for the weekend? I am going to be attending back to back Yoga classes and I am really looking forward to it.. I am also heading up to some St. Pat's Day Festivities in Balboa Park.. Hope I don't combine the two and end up looking like these characters.... Have fun whatever you do!!!

I'm Extended!!

2009-02-28T09:04:00.001-08:00

So yesterday I spent 5 hours at my hairdresser and got extensions.. I have been wanting them FOREVER and figured that now that I was single, it was as good a time as any to get them... I hope I don't look like one of those cougars pushing 40 who is desperately trying to look young?????

Happy Mardi Gras Y'all!

2009-02-24T16:38:00.001-08:00

I love New Orleans.. In fact I consider it almost a second home.. I would soooooo love to be there right now.. but such is the life. I hope everyone is having an amazing Fat Tuesday and finds lots of Babys in their King Cakes :)

I just finished designing this project for Zarah's Sketches/Inspirascrap Blog.. If you haven't checked out the work these ladies do you are in for a treat.. nothing to help get you out of any kinda scrap rut then an amazing sketch to get your juices going!!! I'm off to check out what you have all been up to!

I'm The Scrapmuse Guest Designer for Feb!!!!!

2009-02-17T19:45:00.000-08:00

A few posts ago I mentioned that I had been asked to be the guest designer for the month of Feb for this incredibly cool scrapbook kit company called Scrapmuse. The kit is now available!! Here's some of the stuff I was able to create with this ginormous kit! I still have so much left over! Here's a link to the newsletter they put out that has a cute little interview they did with me. The newsletter has examples from their regular designers and each of them wrote an article.. I wrote an article on using embellishments.. you can take a gander at that in the newsletter as well.

I really enjoyed using this kit and loved working with all the talented gals over at the kit club! Did i mention they also include chocolate in their kits? Enough said :)

Happy Valentine's Day?

2009-02-14T13:58:00.000-08:00

Ok! I am not going to be that girl! This is my first Valentine's day as a newly single girl and I refuse to be a Debbie Downer! Yes, the boy I was seeing broke up with me last Saturday (suspicious timing..I sense someone did not want to spring for a gift..but I digress).. so I am officially solo on the big V-day... thank god for amazing friends and cute fur companions!

Valentine's day is too commercial and way over the top.. but I am still choosing to spread some love! All of you in blogland that I have gotten the pleasure of becoming friends with over the last year are sooooo important to me! You are LOVED and ADORED more then you could ever know! Have your best day ever!!

Get yourself some Craftiness from Scrap Muse

2009-02-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

Hey Girls (I don't think I have any boys read my blog)! I am thrilled to have been asked by the rocking scrap kit company ScrapMuse to be their guest designer this month. How fun is that? Take a look at what this cram packed kit called Sweet Tooth has to offer:

They also include that scrap staple.. a full size choclate bar with every kit.. clever! The add-ons are really adorable as well. They did a fun little interview with me that will post when they put up the creations I made for them.. Here is a little sample to get your mojo going:

If you get a chance to check out their blog or their gallery... you will find tons of inspiration from their VERY talented Designers.. Make sure to check them out! When the rest of my work is posted I will make sure to get it up here.. just in case you want to check it out :) Thanks for looking friends.

New Week.. New Adventures...

2009-02-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

Can you believe I am almost 40 and yesterday was my first super bowl party? This is me and my pal Heather before we headed out. The party had like 40 people and 3 T.V.s and 3 food and drink areas! Yikes! I can't even button my jeans this morning because I am still soooo full! It was a good adventure though. Did it turn out the way everyone hoped?

Today I am heading out for my new volunteer position at the Family Justice Center. I am going to be working intake for victims of domestic violence. We do everything from educating about what abuse is, to helping them find shelters for themselves, their children and pets to getting temporary restraning orders. We also work with cases of elder abuse at the center.

I was shocked to learn that most victims try to leave an average of 7 times before they actually get out. Here are some more shocking statistics:
In the U.S. there are 1.4 Million reports of stalking each year.
Current statistics show that Males are victims of domestic violence 30-50% of the time.
It is now considered abuse for a minor to witness an act of domestic violence against one of their parents.

I am nervous that I will do a good job.. there is so much to learn! I am sure the day after Super Bowl Sunday will be a doozy! Have a good week friends :)

So Excited I Can't Sit Still!!!

2009-01-25T09:18:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to thank everyone for all the kind words of support from my last post. You honestly have no idea what your thoughts have meant to me. I have wanted to post something about the divorce for the last 3 months and just haven't known how to go about it.. I needed to get it off my chest so I could move on.. Thanks again for your friendship!

Ok! I am totally going to toot my own horn on this post.. because I am so darn excited!! I am a published designer!!! I have been asked by the U.K. Publication Scrapbook Magazine to be part of their design team!!!!
My first issue came out this month:
My First issue included a 3 page spread about my style and an interview to introduce me to their readers!!

I am going to have one to two layouts posted every issue from now on and be paid for my contributions!! I can not believe how lucky I am!!!

Ok! I am off to check out what you have all been up to this weekend! LOVE YOU ALL!

What's too much to share?

2009-01-19T14:32:00.000-08:00

I have been noticeably absent from my blog recently. There is good reason for it. I am going through a divorce. I haven't known what is considered to "personal" to post and what isn't. It's a big part of my life and occupies alot of my thoughts. To blog about everything else BUT the white elephant in the corner of the room has been difficult for me. It has also been difficult to create layouts as of late. My mojo is missing. I think that scrapping for me is a celebration of happy memories and about capturing a moment of happiness in some part of my life. I haven't had too much to celebrate as of lately.. so I have been absent from many of the posting sites that I loved to frequent in the past and just haven't found the push I needed to get back in the creative saddle.

Please don't feel sorry for me. The divorce is my choice. I am growing everyday as a person and I honestly believe that I am better for the decision I have made. I sincerely believe that people aren't meant to be in our life forever. We are together as long as we keep learning and growing together. Sometimes we grow apart.. but I think it is incredibly important to keep growing. I have many amazing people in my life and I am meeting more and more of them every where I turn around. I am grateful for the place I am at in my life right now.

I am feeling it's important to say it here and get a bit of catharsis done here so I can move forward in my art work and my blog life. Enough said...thanks for caring :)

Here's a couple of projects that will be posted on the Scrap Your Crap Blog on Feb 1st... Hope you play along with us and post your creations for us to see

Girl's Day Out at the Auto Show

2009-01-03T15:54:00.001-08:00

I went to the Auto Show at the downtown Convention Center today with Heather and Carolan to check out cool and exotic cars.. Here's me with my dream car.. anyone have 100k to lend me? I promise I will pay you back :)

Check out the interior of this pink lowrider... we were all drooling over it!!

After the show we had lunch at this amazing Indian restaurant and stopped to take a group shot.. this homeless drunk guy stopped and stared at us as the picture was being taken and said "it's Charlie's Angels!" and then stumbled on down the street.. hysterical!!

Happy New Year!!!

2009-01-01T15:52:00.000-08:00

Sorry it has been soooooo long since I last posted! Time flies during the holidays!
My two words for the year ahead are balance and aliveness... I think they both reflect where I am in my journey through life.. I try not to make resolutions just once a year. I prefer to do them all year long! What about you guys? Any resolutions or words to live by this new year?

Look at this AMAZING cone that my dear friend Karin made for me! This girl is going through chemo and she takes the time to make me a cone to match my scrap room! She is freaking amazing and I adore this cone sooo much.. Can you see the swarvoski crystal hanging off the end and the one in the heart? ..They are so pretty!! It is also lined with vintage music sheets... THANK YOU KARIN!!

Road Trip! I just got back from a road trip with my bestest buddy Shanna... She took me to her old stomping ground in Northern California for a girl's bonding trip before she moves to Colorado.

We stayed at her parents house..they were so sweet to us and cooked us the yummiest foods..I think I gained 5 pounds on this trip! Here is the view from their balcony:

We went to a forest in Mill Valley and climbed a set of stairs called the DIPSEA stairs. There are over 850 in all.. straight up.. I am happy to say we made it !

This sign in the middle of the woods cracked me up!

We also got a chance to go to the wine country..this was our favorite vineyard.. Ferrari-Carano..the grounds felt like we were in Tuscany...

Well you are all current on my life! I am off to check out everybody's blogs and see what shannigans you have been up to this holiday season!!

Spreading some Love

2008-12-14T08:27:00.001-08:00

Guess what I just found out thanks to my friend Michelle? I got a shout out in the December issue of Creating Keepsakes!! I know it isn't a huge deal.. but I feel totally excited because I tend have a very non-traditional style of scrapping and I love that I got noticed!!! YEAH!!! I have been a little behind on my reading of the mags so I probably wouldn't have figured it out until Dec of next year had it not been for my pal Michelle!

Also wanted to take the time to thank Monique for giving me this cool award!
Here's the rules for this one:

The winner may put the logo on their blog.
Put a link to the person who sent you the award.
Nominate 5 blogs.
Provide links to their blogs.
Leave a message for your nominees.

I nominate the following gals:
Karin-you rock and keep me in stitches at the same time!
Michelle-Your store inspires my creative mojo and I love drooling over the pictures of your new arrivals you post on your blog.
Britta-my home girl blog buddy
Callista-you and I are clearly twins seperated at birth on the things that we like and that catch our attention. Thanks for the holiday tag by the way :)
Greta-My fellow crap scrapper and girl who turned me onto the world of Twilight.

P.S. speaking of Twilight.. I finally saw the movie yesterday.. oh my Edward is a hottie.. I would let him bite my neck any old day :)

Holiday Hit List Craft Show

2008-12-09T06:50:00.001-08:00

This weekend I got the pleasure of helping out my super talented friend Karin in her booth at the North Park Craft Mafia Holiday Show. She had sooooo many amazing choices and her booth was a favorite among the shoppers. Next to us was Amy who is another amazing talent. Our friend Michelle who owns the store Paper Tales came by to give us some moral support! She even bought me the cutest little collage! It was a day of friends, crafting, food and girl bonding.. I really enjoyed myself so much! Here are some pics from the day:

(Me and Michelle with my adorable Collage!)

Here's the beautiful Ms. Karin with one of her creations.. more of her stuff is below...

Here's Amy with Karin and some of her very hip stuff:

These gals are always such an inspiration to me! So lucky to know them :)

P.S. I got tagged yesterday by the super cool Monique and Callista
and I just realized I am going to be late for work! UGH!!! Those darn jobs always get in the way!! THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH!!! I promise I will get my responses up in the next few days!! Love to all of you!!

It's beginning to look alot like....

2008-12-06T14:12:00.000-08:00

You know it's Christmas in San Diego when you can go out in your yard and take a photo on a warm winter's night in front of your poinsettia plant that you didn't need to grow in a greenhouse.
That's about my only note from nature that it's time for me to drag out my artificial Christmas tree and start myself a decorating! That's the task on the agenda today. I am taking a little break from it right now because the lights were giving me some trouble... as lights like to do...

Last night I went to December Nights.. which is a big free celebration in Balboa Park to ring in the season with all kind of festivities... I think I may be starting to feel a little tingle from Kris Kringle in my jingle.

If you want some inspiration for those Christmas cards we still all need to crank out.. check out the work we did over at the Scrap Your Crap blog...

Oh and before I forget... So I started a page on facebook.. finally because my friend Shanna has been bugging me to get on that site..WOW! It's a crazy place.. Do any of you facebook? If so, please come on and be my friend.. http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/profile.php?id=1042652696

Gobble Gobble 411..

2008-12-01T06:37:00.000-08:00

Wow! Thanksgiving weekend went by as a blur... I hardly stopped moving long enough to catch my breath....

As some of you guys know...I have had some major changes in my life the last few months. It was important for me to create some new traditions...Thanksgiving day I took a 2 hour long walk along the beach in Coronado... let me tell you.. it was a little slice of heaven. I went to have dinner with a few friends at a Veggie/Vegan restaurant and then spent the rest of the evening playing board games with Shanna...I ended the day just as I should..grateful for my bounty in life :)

Friday found me hanging out at the kitchen table of the wonderful Ms. Karin. We were busy little beavers working on projects for her booth at a holiday craft fair next weekend....I of course was the rogue designer (that you all know me to be) and she kept having to remind me to reign in my avant garde style and do as I was told :) Take a look at some of her AMAZING creations...

The crafting fun continued on Saturday as Karin and I headed over to hang with the hostess with the mostest Michelle at her Paper Tales store. A Christmas open house was on the menu and we gorged ourselves with cookies, glitter and ribbons, talks about our fav reality shows and then of course more cookies!!!

Yesterday it was up to Ramona (my small hometown..before I became a big city girl) for a hike and an amazing lunch with two of my oldest friends Lisa and her mom Kate... we made ourselves go for a super long walk so we could scarf up a delicious lunch as we hung around in the garden... Kate has the most amazing begonvilla growing and a cool collection of yard creatures hidden all over the place....

Soooo we are all caught up with me.. what did y'all do?

A 3 Hour Tour...

2008-11-23T15:31:00.001-08:00

Do you ever get to do something touristy in your home town? Doesn't it make you really appreciate where you live when you get to kick back and enjoy it from another side?Today my pal Heather and I took a Harbor Excursion Brunch Boat Cruise around the harbor here in San Diego... MAN!... I live in a pretty city!!!! So thankful on this eve of Thanksgiving for the blessings I have in the ability to soak up a beautiful sunny day in the month of November :)
Happy Thanksgivings all my blog buddies.. You are all counted among my blessings as well!!!

We be crafty!!

2008-11-21T07:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I got to hang out with one of my favorite pals Michelle..she owns the fabulously wonderful store Paper Tales here in San Diego. She taught a class making these endlessly cute bird house boxes. I of course got carried away with the glitter... I think I even ended up with some in my underwear by the time I was done! All around a perfect day.. Michelle AND glitter.. what more could a girl ask for?

Johnny On the Spot

2008-11-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

Everyone should be lucky enough to have great friends. This is my pal Johnny. I have known him forever and he is always there for me. John is gay and recently married his wonderful partner Chip. A few weeks ago the law changed here in California and gay marriage is no longer recognized. We don't know what is going to happen to marriages that were performed before the law went into effect.

No matter where you stand on the topic, I think everyone knows what it is like to love someone so much that you want to be married to the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with.

I think everyone knows what it's like to want to be acknowledged as having a relationship that is beyond dating or living together. I think everyone can also understand at some level the amount of pain it would cause to be newlyweds and to have that feeling overshadowed by a sudden revoking of your right to be married. What do you say or do for a friend that views the issue as one of civil rights. What are your views on the topic?

Marvelous Madonna!!!!

2008-11-05T07:24:00.001-08:00

Last Night my Pal CarolAnn scored us some all access passes to the Madonna Concert when she played here at Petco Park. SO AMAZING!! We danced non stop for two hours only stopping long enough to sip our martinis :) I can't believe how many people dressed up like a boy toy to see the concert. I so needed a night out and this was just what the doctor ordered! The sets were amazing, the dancers devine and how fab does Madonna still look after all these years?

When will fall get here?

2008-10-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

Ode to fall... when will it get here? This is a pic of my pal Shanna and I on Sunday.. it was 85 degrees and has been in the 80s the entire month of October.. I am dreaming of running and jumping in a big pile of leaves while wearing a cable knit sweater and drinking some cider..sigh.. I guess I should dream about jumping in a swimming pool with this crazy weather! Go ahead-make me jealous..what's your world look like outside?

Animal Activism

2008-10-28T07:13:00.001-07:00

This weekend I volunteered to spread the word and hopefully convince people to vote YES on Prop 2 here in California on election day. The proposition is aimed at stopping animal cruelty to farm animals who are being crammed into cages that are so small that the animals can't even turn around, lie down or extend their limbs. My friend Shanna, her adorable whippet Rocket and I spent the afternoon working in the booth and passing out stickers and leaflets to attendees at a canine halloween costume carnival. There were sooooo many adorable pooches. Here some pics from the day:

If you are interested at all on more info on prop 2..here's a link to the official site.

Scrap Your Crap Halloween Challenge

2008-10-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

I had a belated birthday lunch with my adorable friend Dawn today. She is so sweet... she remembered I love all things Paul Frank and got me this awesome book!!
She is so thoughtful and makes me laugh so hard! It was exactly what I needed today :)

Over at the Scrap Your Crap Blog we are challenging you to blow the dust off that mega old halloween embellie you haven't wanted to use beacause you were saving it for that "special" project that never happened.. use it now!!!

Gone too Long...

2008-10-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

Hey Blog Buddies.. I know I have been a bad blogger and haven't posted in a bit. Life has been beating me up a little but I am alive and well :)

I have managed to create a couple of layouts.

What have all my pals been up to? I am off to check out your blogs and leave some long overdue love :)

P.S. I got my package of goodies from the Halloween Swap I participated in with Ms. Rachel. Take a look at my swag!

Love you all! Have a great rest of your week!

Attending a Palin Party

2008-10-05T10:44:00.000-07:00

This is my friend since 5th grade.. Lisa. She is a big time Republican party supporter and huge fan of Sarah Palin. So she calls me on Friday night and says she scored some tickets to her rally in Los Angeles the next day and wants me to come along. This could be a very amusing request considering that I am known to her family as their "token liberal friend".. but she knows that I am always up for a new adventure and that I am absolutely always open to hearing all sides of any issue before I form a decision. So off we went on our road trip yesterday. This is her holding the sign she made for the big event. This was just one of many interesting signs I was to encounter during the day.
This is us waiting in line with the over 20,000 other people that attended and had to wait several hours in some pretty tight security to get in. (notice our new friend behind us trying to get his face time in our shot)
Since I have never been to a rally, I guess I was suprised at the protesters present. As we waited to pull in to the stadium we had our windows rolled down and the several hundred protesters were booing us and throwing flyers in our window urging us to stop "voting with our vaginas"......There were even more protesters standing inside who were yelling back and forth at the rally attendees while we waiting in line. Planes were flying around with messages and the news media was everywhere trying to catch a good sound bite. I wouldn't say that anyone was particuraly hostile but there was some pretty bold language and some harsh comments passed on both sides of the party.
I was really impressed with the amount of people who came out to support the process and a leader they really believed in when there is so much negativity about politicians these days. It really is something to feel the energy of a group of people gathered together with a common cause and the feeling of empowerment that you get that you can make a change.

This the actor Jon Voight who gave one of several speechs to create energy in the crowd before the big rally speech. Here's the woman of the hour and yes, she is just as pretty in real life as she is on T.V.
I am really glad I got a chance to attend and have one of those important reminders about one of the privileges that I have living in America.. sorry to get all patriotic on you but just thought I would remind everyone to appreciate some of the gifts we have and urge everyone to make sure to vote next month. Have any of you ever attended a rally? Did you have a similar experience?

Assume the Position

2008-10-02T07:01:00.000-07:00

This is my addition to the newest challenge at the Scrap your Crap blog.. We want to see how many eyelets you can get on a page. I somehow managed to use three different kinds...I really dug into the far reaches of my craft stack for these babies :)

Also saw a great play on Tuesday called BACK BACK BACK at the Old Globe Theatre. It's all about the steriod controversy and followed the time line of everything that went down leading up to the senate investigations. I admit I not much of a sports fanatic.. do you guys think that using steriods is cheating?

2008-09-29T08:15:00.001-07:00

Hi Friends! I'm back from my too short weekend in Palm Springs :) Spent most of my time around my friend Rod's pool soaking up the rays on a floating raft..These are the views I had all around me as I lounged:

I went for a short hike early in the morning on Saturday but the temperature quickly got over 100 degrees. I had a really good excuse to keep well refreshed all weekend :) We had a great visit and made some new friends with Sarah and Dave. We spent alot of time talking about politics and the state of the economy.. I felt sooooo intellectual :)

When I got home last night it was off to the Sports Arena to see the So You Think You Can Dance Concert.. Oh my gosh they are soooooooooooo talented! If you get a chance to see this show when it comes to your city-Do it!

Better Late then Never!

2008-09-24T19:54:00.000-07:00

This is my contribution for the current Scrap Your Crap Challenge to use markers and ink on your layouts.. Well of course I have to take it literally and actually used the markers themselves as part of the piece! Hee Hee :)

I am off to Palm Springs on Friday for a weekend at my friend's house. It is supposed to be just beautiful and not too hot. Can't wait to sit in the pool with a nice cool cocktail :) Hope all of you have an amazing weekend planned and I can't wait to hear all about them when I get home !

P.S. I just finished reading this book, The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman. I have heard that there is movie made out of it? I am curious if any of you have read it and if so what did you think? It reminded me alot of the message in Eckhart Tolle's books. Have you seen the movie? How did it play out as a film?

Fun Stuff!

2008-09-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

I have some fun news to tell you about! The fabulous Nikki over at Gypsy Rose Paperie has asked me to be a guest contributer to their blog for their kit club! What an honor huh? I am just as pleased as punch :) She liked the little masks I made for the halloween swap and I posted the instructions on their site today if you are interested in seeing into the inner workings of my crazy mind :) If you haven't checked out this site you will be really impressed. Not only do they have really super duper kits but there is daily inspiration by their creative team.

Heureux Halloween Swap

2008-09-21T15:43:00.001-07:00

Happy Sunday Friends! I am participating in a french themed Halloween swap hosted by the devine Ms. Rachel from Tally Scrappers. I have never done one before and let me tell you I was sure nervous about getting something decent put together! We had to create 20 of whatever we made and had a limit of spending $5.00 per item made. There are twenty gals participating and we mail our items to Rachel and then get one of each of the goodies mailed back to us. Cool huh? There are some super talented girls participating and I can't wait to see what I get. I will be sure and take some pics and get them posted so you guys can see them when I get my package... can't wait!!! I ended up making masquerade masks.. here's a look...

I'm HOME!!!!

2008-09-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog Buddies! I am finally home and I had such a terrific visit to San Francisco. The weather was just gorgeous during the day and then at night it was cool enough to wear a hat and scarf. I know that probably doesn't mean much to those of you that actually have seasons.. but to this So Cal girl it was so much fun! I really love the energy in this city..so alive but not full of itself :)

Thanks to everyone for all the warm birthday wishes! I really love all my blog friends and I missed you! :)

Here are a few highlights from the trip :
The view from my hotel room at the Hotel Nikko (amazing! highly recommend this hotel)

Crazy Cable Car Adventures

Street Performers

Fishermans Wharf and Alcatraz

China Town

I hope I don't leave my heart in San Francisco!

2008-09-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends! I have been horrible about writing and even worse about making projects! I promise to get my act together when I get back from my trip to San Francisco to celebrate my birthday. I will be 39 on Monday! YIKES!!! Where did the time go? Hope everyone is busy doing something wonderfully creative! Love, Dana

Botanical Beauty

2008-09-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

Hi Friends! I am all better with my tooth and I think the whole ordeal scared the other 31 into behaving for a while. Thanks for all the well wishes and sweet comments on my Mom. I figured I better get back on here and claim my blog back before Mom gets a little too comfortable with all her fame and tries to take over!

I have absolutely been a craft sloth lately and haven't created a single thing! I have taken some photos though. We took Mom to the Botanical Gardens at Balboa Park. Thought I would share some inspiration in the form of nature's beauty. Hope everyone had a spectacular weekend!

A note from Dana's Mom

2008-09-04T13:08:00.001-07:00

To Whom It May Concern:

Hello! I am Dana's mom Patricia and I am visiting for the week:) Dana's blog friends may know she has been having some problems with her tooth.. yesterday she had to have a root canal and she is feeling a bit under the weather. I told her I would be glad to step in for the day as her guest blogger.

I thought I would use this opportunity to post some of my most favorite memories of Dana's childhood...heehee :)

1) When Dana was a little girl and we used to ride in the car with the windows down..she would get angry at the wind blowing on her face and try to fight it with her fists....
2) Dana was quite the chatterbox as a child ( I think she never outgrew this one) and we used to bribe her with a promise of a trip for ice cream if she would stop talking:)
3) Dana's favorite game as a little girl was to pretend she was a waitress. She would create a menu and put the "specials" on a blackboard. She would take all the family's orders and then come back with various berries and leaves she found outside and serve them to us on little dishes.. soo cute!

P.S. Dana just won a contest on the Canadian Scrap site called Rhubarb Roots for a transparency layout she created for Scrap Your Crap's challenge with velum. Here is a link to the newsletter showing her winning layout on the Rhubarb Roots newsletter. We are very proud of her and
I am sure you all know WHO she inherited all her talent from don't you?

P.P.S. Dana said to remind you to go over to the Scrap Your Crap blog and play the current challenge which is to use your very oldest product you can find in a bottom drawer have to create something new and fun. She made me these cards to send to my friends...

Melissa Frances in Da House!

2008-08-31T16:48:00.000-07:00

How lucky am I? The one and only Ms. Melissa Frances taught a class for about 8 of us girls today at the devine Paper Tales store! She was a total doll and the project we made was too stinkin cute!
Yesterday was Melissa's birthday so Michelle and the gang had Cupcakes to celebrate and made her an adorable little sign :)

One of the absolute highlights of the day was finally getting to meet in person the Ab-Fab Karin. We have been Blog buddies for a few months now and I can not tell you how excited I was to finally get to chat in person. She is so freakin hysterical and we were two little chatterboxes the whole day!
I was totally on cloud 9-hanging out with Karin and Michelle.. I could gush all day about how crazy I am about these two!

I spent the majority of today with a smile on my face and I can't think of any better way to spend it!

P.S. If you have come to visit me by way of the Gypsy Rose Paperie Scavenger Hunt... WELCOME! It's nice to meet you!!!!

Hanging with My Freckle Friends

2008-08-29T18:13:00.000-07:00

Today was a busy but super duper fun day at the Scrapbook Expo. I started the day of course with shopping! I managed to bring home a whole load of stuff. Of course I need more scrapbook supplies like I need a hole in my head but...couldn't resist. There is just too much cute stuff out there! Then I worked for a few hours with Debbie and Susan who co-own Freckle Friends in their booth.

Then it was off to the Yellow Bird booth where I hosted the make and take. Like a ding dong I forgot to take a picture of the adorable notebooks we decorated. Only $2 to make the whole thing! What a steal!!

Look who I ran into today! Do you know him? It's Michael Strong who hosts alot of craft videos. I took this picture for my business partner Kate. She doesn't know anything about scrapping but for some reason she is fascinated by him! Can't wait to print this pic out and give it to her on Monday.

Good and not so Good

2008-08-28T17:52:00.000-07:00

Had to go to the dentist today. I had a crown put on my tooth on Monday and it has been causing me some problems -so had to get in before the long holiday weekend to see if it was something to worry about. Seems I will survive.. but the bummer is I am just not feeling terrific and had to be responsible and miss going to the Grand Opening of the new Anthropologie that is opening at our local mall today. We had some kind of special VIP passes and I am almost as sick about missing that as I am about my tooth!!!

I have to get my strength together because tommorrow starts two days of the Scrapbook Expo here in San Diego. I am taking three classes AND I told two of my friends that are having booths that I would work for them. Also, on Sunday the Melissa Frances is teaching a class at one of my fav scrap stores Paper Tales and I am signed up to take it! UGH! Am I the only one who seems to get sick when something fun is coming up?

I was tagged today by my super duper cutie petutie friend Callista ! What a task to try and think of only 7 things that are strange about me? Wow! I could go on for days :)

Here are a few right off hand...
1) I am really weird about the texture of foods I will eat. I am completely turned off by the sound and feel a banana makes in your mouth.
2) Speaking of food.. I am really bizarre about the amount of cream cheese that I have on a bagel. I almost always have to have it on the side, because in my world you can have too much or too little, so having it on the side is the only way I can control this situation.
3) I am deathly afraid of spiders.. I can't even look at one in a picture. I have to turn the page immediately.
4) I sing songs to my cat all the time. I make up the words as I go along and I am found of calling him Noodle Pop.

Ok I am probably completely freaking some people out so that is probably more then enough..

You are also supposed to throw in some random facts about yourself.. here's a few about me:
1) I had to drive a Pacer when I was in high school.
2) When I am at work I have to talk to people on a regular basis about why their dog likes to pee on their area rug.
3) When I was very little I was in love with both Richard Chamberlin and Barry Manilow and assumed I would marry one of them.

I am supposed to choose other poor unassuming victims..so here they are:

Britta
LaVerne
Hime
Karin
Leila
Beth
Rochelle

Ms. Understood

2008-08-26T06:59:00.001-07:00

Going against the grain.

Not following established patterns.

If you don't wear the masks society wants you to wear..You are bound to be misunderstood!

This layout is working double duty! I was totally inspired by the amazing work and vibe of the site Gypsy Rose Paperie and of course my homeys at Scrap Your Crap. This week's challenge is to use some kind of clips on your layout. The peace and the O.K. signs are both paper clips.If you don't make a visit to these two sites you are missing out!

P.S. No Britta, that girl in the photo is not me. I wish I had a body like that :)

Isn't she the sweetest!

2008-08-25T07:12:00.001-07:00

Happy Monday! Look what my adorable pal LaVerne gave little old me....

AH! That made my week! Now it's my turn to spread some love. I know some of my blog buddies already have this pretigious award.. but the winners are:

1) Britta Pink Giraffe

2) Georgia Ge de Papel

3) Elizabeth My Own Little Space

4) Greta It's a "Me-ocracy"

5) Hime scrapissime

6) Dawn Craftcafe

7) Karin Creative Chaos

8) Rachel Memories of Mine

9) Beth Dirty Laundry

10) Callista Down the Rabbit Hole

Here are the rules.. there is always a catch! 1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.2. Link the person you received your award from.3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.4. Put links of those blogs on yours.5. Leave a message on the blogs of the girl's you nominated.

Now go spread some of your own love this fine monday :)

Mr. Right

2008-08-22T07:21:00.001-07:00

This layout is about one of my very best gal pals Heather. She has everything going for her but hasn't found the "one". Lady luck hasn't dealt her the lucky cards yets.
We all have friends that you just can't understand why they are still available when they are such a good catch. I am really proud of her for not settling, because she has had opportunities.

I made this one to reflect on my gratitude of having found my own Mr. Right.

I hope everyone has a great weekend!! Any fun plans?

What's your city scape like?

2008-08-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

We had a friend visit us from Iowa last week. She brought her step-daughter with her. Brittney had never been to California before. She kept saying that she couldn't get over all the palm trees everywhere.. It was the one thing (besides the pacific ocean of course) that she was looking forward to seeing in person.

I think that most people visualize palm trees when they think of southern california.

I am always so interested in what it's like in other cities where people live and call home. I guess because I have never lived anywhere else.

What's one of the symbols of your home town? What do you see all around you everyday that you take for granted?

2008-08-19T16:58:00.001-07:00

Meet my neighbor Dolly. Her eyes speak volumes to me. She has had quite a life.
She started life as a resident of New Orleans but Hurricane Katrina displaced her and she lost her home. She then adopted by my neighbor's daughter who lived in New York City at the time. She spent several years living in a downtown sky scrapper. Her second home got displaced when my neighbor's daughter had to give her up because of a move to Argentina.
Now she lives here in San Diego. I wish I could ask her about her experiences and what effect all this change has had on her but she is usually too busy chasing hummingbirds from my sweet broom bush.

P.S. What a shock! Have you heard of the kit club called Gypsy Rose Paperie (http://gypsyrosepaperie.com/).. they have the most cutting edge kits ever.. think Somerset Memories.. well anyways.. I sent them a little email letting them know about how much I love their site and how I was inspired to do a layout based on their vibe.. and they posted it on their blog!!! What an honor :)

Punch It up!!!

2008-08-17T17:34:00.000-07:00

This week the challenge at the scrap your crap we are dragging out our old punches and seeing how many we can use on a page. I managed to use 4!!!!..come play with us and get punchy too! :)

Me and Kate Hudson.. Twins seperated at birth?

2008-08-15T06:30:00.000-07:00

Have you checked this site out? So funny.. just download your pic into the site and it does a face recognition to tell you which celebrity you most look like.. what do you think? I'm not so sure.. I would love it. But not so sure.. who does it say you look like when you try it?

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity

I am grateful for tourists!

2008-08-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

I have a friend visiting from out of town and she is having such a good time going to all the local tourist places. I am always grateful for the new appreciation I get for some parts of my beautiful city that I don't normally take advantage of or truly admire the beauty of until someone who doesn't live here reminds me how lucky I am. One of the most beautiful things about living in San Diego doesn't cost a dime.. the amazing sunsets over the Pacific Ocean.. What things do you take for granted where you live???

Love Us

2008-08-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

Here's my layout for the scrap your crap blog . Remember that old school material we used to all covet... vellum?! I used mine in combo with transparencies and I really like the frosty feel it gives. Inspired? Well, dig yours out of your bottom drawer, blow the dust off and come play with us!

The Dorkiness Continues!!!

2008-08-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

Ok. Anything that causes so much happiness that I need to put it in my blog should certainly warrant a layout... right? I hope so because here of course I had to create one about my new oven :) I am off to the dentist to get a crown put on..yikes no fun! I think I may ask for a tiara instead :)

Do you scrap your crap?

2008-08-04T17:10:00.000-07:00

If you haven't joined us at http://www.scrapyourcrap.blogspot.com/ for some challenges then you are missing out! Every week we have a new challenge to dust off some of those older scrap items we have laying around that we could be putting to use with a new modern twist. Everyone is super supportive and it is such a great group of gals! This week our challenge was to use beads on a layout.. My hubby is a big Homer Simpson fan and this is one of the shots we took last week at Comic-Con.

Freckle Friends Guest Designer for August

2008-08-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

The time has come where I can reveal the work I did for Freckle Friends. It was so nice to be asked to be a guest designer for their August kit. I hope I did it justice! It was kinda hard for me because I am a little wacky in my style and of course wanted to do the unpredictable with the travel paper. It was so much fun to play with. You should get yourself over to Freckle Friends site for one of those jam packed kits! (http://frecklefriends.com/)

I'm The Biggest Dork!

2008-07-30T19:05:00.000-07:00

Ok! I admit it... I am a dork but I embrace my dorkiness and I am ok with it. I am having some remodeling done on my house right now. Not really big stuff, a little in the Kitchen and a little in the Bathroom. This is my perfect excuse to get a new stove and I am soooooo excited. The stove we have now came with the house and has never worked right and is as old as time, but not in a cool vintage way.. NO in a lame almond color 1989 way. Here a few stats about my little baby that will be delivered tommorrow:

5.0 cu. ft. self-cleaning deep sump oven with Auto-Latch™ safety lock
One 16,000 BTU Power Plus™ sealed burner, one 12,000 BTU sealed power burner, one 9,500 BTU sealed burner, one 9,500 BTU sealed XtraZone burner with griddle and one 5,000 BTU sealed burner with 500 BTU simmer burner
Bake-n-Warm™ double oven, expands baking size to 5.5 cu. ft. capacity
Easy Care™ genuine stainless steel resists fingerprints for a clean look
SpeedBake® convection oven - cooks 30% quicker than conventional ovens
Speed Clean and Maxx Clean™ self cleaning options - Speed Clean for light soils and Maxx Clean™ for heavy soils
EasySet™ 510L electronic oven control with keypad entry
Extra-Large, clear glass Visualite® window
Full-surface cooktop with 3-piece cast iron grates and caps
Delay cook and clean options
XtraZone bridge burner can be used with standard grate or griddle (included)

Yes, I am a dork but please be my friend anyways :)

Lookie What I Got!!

2008-07-29T17:42:00.001-07:00

Look what my angel cakes friend Greta gave me!!! HOT DIGGITY DOG! I think you should go to her blog (http://meocracy.blogspot.com/) and give her a big virtual hug!! In fact, if you are one of the first 5 to do so then you win one of these babies for your blog. Here are the rules:
1. The winner can take the logo
2. Place a link to the person that sent you the award
3. Give the Award to at least 5 other Scrapbooking-Blogs, which by its currency,the issues of choice and for their designs are especially noteworthy.
4. Put a link to these sites on your Blog.
5. Write a comment on their Blogs that they’ve won an Award.
I know that my favorite blog friends all deserve this soooooo get blog hopping!

Scrap Your Crap Challenge

2008-07-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am exhausted from a weekend chock full of dodging people on the floor of comic-con. So much fun but I think I have had my fill until next year. Back to reality! Here is my contribution for the scrap your crap blog for this week. The challenge is to take one of the bizillion inspiration books you have laying around and actually use one of them! I was inspired by a magazine that had paper-piecing. I had never tried it before so decided to give it a whirl. My hubby says it looks like a 2nd grader's art project! Oh well! I must be in touch with my inner child this week.. besides it's all about trying something new right????

Cowabunga! It's packed here!

2008-07-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

So our second day at comic-con was just as jam packed living in a sardine can crowded as yesterday. It seems like every year they try to put more and more people in the same small convention area. I am not sure how many more times they will be able to have it here... but I will enjoy it while it lasts.. Here are some of the cast of characters I met yesterday!

P.S. Do you recognize Lou Ferrigno in the red shirt? The orginal incredible hulk.. those were the days :)

Comic-Con has begun!

2008-07-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Comic-con and it's cast of characters has descended on my fine city. Last night we waited in line for almost two hours to turn in our pre-purchased tickets for our badges. We headed to the show floor for preview night and were just crushed by the amount of people! This is absolutely the busiest year ever! They have been sold out for over a month! Here a few highlights of my brief time there last night.. I am headed back out to see what I come across today...

SYC Challenge for this week

2008-07-21T14:33:00.000-07:00

This week our challenge at SYC is to use some fabric on a layout. I used a bandana, a few pieces of felt cut into leaf shapes and a piece of fabric from my Sweet Spuds Kit. The idea is to use up what you have without having to go out and buy new supplies. If you want to play along with us please come check out the blog at :(http://www.scrapyourcrap.blogspot.com/. Have a great week!

Sneak Peek of Freckle Friends August Kit

2008-07-20T13:49:00.000-07:00

The lovely Debbie and Susan at Freckle Friends (http://frecklefriends.com/) have asked little ole me to be their guest designer for August. Needless to say I am over the moon :) Such an honor!!!!

Here is a sneak peak of what I have been working on with this super duper cute kit. If you haven't checked out their site before.. now is the time... the August kit has something for everyone!!

Working like a crazy person!

2008-07-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

I have busily working on some projects for some design teams and have neglected my blog for a few days.. Here are a couple of projects I made a while back, but didn't get around to posting. Hope your weekend is terrific!

Too Much Fun!!!!

2008-07-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

Hip Hip Hooray! I have been asked to be on the Scrap Your Crap design team ! If you have tons of scrap stuff just lying around that you haven't used since the beginning of time.. then I have the site for you! We will have a challenge each week to dust off some of our old tools and techniques and play! I am absolutely thrilled to be a part of this terrific group of uber talented gals! SOOOOO EXCITED :)

BENNY

2008-07-14T16:10:00.001-07:00

http://inspirascrap.blogspot.com/
This layout is inspired by an amazingly talented friend who lives in Sweden named Zarah. She has a blog jam packed with such inspirational sketches! If you haven't checked it out yet...get yourself over there now!

Happy Bastille Day!

2008-07-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

Went to Balboa Park today to the international cottages to check out a French celebration for Bastille day. Very cool how we both share independence celebrations only a few weeks apart.

These Little ones who attend a french immersion school were singing "Do Re Me" in French.. Adorable :)

This vocalist named Sonja was from Quebec and did a great take on Edith Piaf's "La Vie En Rose". I learned from her that the song made popular by Frank Sinata-"My Way" is actually orginally a French song... who woulda thunk it?

Like Peas and Carrots

2008-07-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

It' s hard to believe sometime that my hubby and I have been together for 12 years. I hope we are getting better with age. I know I still feel the same age inside and then I hang out with my 22 year old sister and her boyfriend! YIKES! I am old. I wouldn't go back for anything in the world. I am happy to get older and hopefully wiser. I think life just gets better and better..how about you guys?

Window Shopping

2008-07-10T12:22:00.001-07:00

Dedicated to one of my very fav past times :) Made this layout while listening to 2 new CDs last night. Really loving both Duffy and Adele. They are the perfect background music for scrapping. What music are you loving right now for inspiration?

Lucky Me!

2008-07-08T14:32:00.001-07:00

Look what my sweet friend Hime gave me! She is one of my wonderful blog friends who lives in France. If you haven't checked out her terrific blog scrapissime then click here : http://simply-hime.blogspot.com/. I always look forward to seeing her blog because she always has something positive to say and is super creative. She also always takes the time to put an English translation on her posts for me! She says I am supposed to pass this award along to 7 other talented bloggers. I don't think I know that many, but if any of you would like to be the recipient then... it's yours!

The Demented Bunch

2008-07-07T11:59:00.000-07:00

I just had to get scrapping yesterday with the photos we took at Legoland!

Yep! It's all Legos.

2008-07-06T09:09:00.000-07:00

My sister and her boyfriend are visiting and wanted to see Legoland while they are here. It is a pretty amazing place. They have created replicas of some major U.S. cities built to scale completely out of Legos. I found out from one of the park guides that the sun here in Southern California really takes a beating on the exhibits so they are constantly being rebuilt. Each creation can take 300 hours to create. The park has rides and amusments that are pretty much for the littlier kids, but us big kids found lots of fun photo ops :)

I'm Feeling The LOVE!

2008-07-04T08:54:00.001-07:00

I am overwhelmed with the amount of well wishes and generosity of spirit from the many kind remarks on my last blog entry! How amazing it is that I have connected with such lovely friends just by hanging out in cyberspace! I am grateful to each and every friend I have made here and I am sending each of you a virtual hug :) This is a card I made for a challenge on my scrapbook nook (http://www.myscrapbooknook.com/). There are some really talented people on that site and tons of inspiration. I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th!

Guess What?

2008-07-01T20:05:00.000-07:00

I am a published writer! A few months ago I wrote an article for scrapbooking.com magazine... It is finally published! My very first and I am as pleased as punch :)

Here is the link to the article if you are interested in reading the article: http://scrapbooking.com/article/41413... I have attached the layouts used so you could have a look :) There are some other informative and inspiring articles if you want to link onto the other stories :)

Everything's A-OK

2008-06-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

Had a lot of scrapper's block this weekend. Had to give up on a layout I was working on. I am trying not to be so hyper critical of myself.. but it was really BAD! Sometimes you just need to know when to move on... here's my newest.

Who are you looking at?

2008-06-27T19:03:00.001-07:00

This is a teeny tiny dog I met last saturday. Everyone wanted to look at her and pet her.. She seemed like she had no idea what all the fuss was about!

have you seen this?

2008-06-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out this site? http://www.kittywigs.com/
It's a site that sells wigs for cats...hysterical.. now I really have seen EVERYTHING! :)

such a serious expression!

2008-06-24T16:43:00.001-07:00

I love this picture of my god-dog Molly and her fur parent Chip..She is a min pin and always has the most SERIOUS expressions on her little sweet face..what can she possibly be contemplating?

engaged!

2008-06-23T14:45:00.000-07:00

Our friends Lisa and John have decided to take the plunge!

It's Too Darn HOT!

2008-06-22T08:32:00.000-07:00

Whoaza it is HOT here! Yesterday we spent all day in our booth at the house fair. The booth is surrounded by plastic tarps and I had hot wool rugs everywhere trapping in the heat! I think the turn out was much smaller then normal due to our unusually warm day. I don't live far from the coast and to the weather be in the 90s in June is bizarre! Here are a few shots of the booth before the fair started. I enlisted my husband to help out in the booth. The poor guy was just getting over stomach flu and then had to sit in the heat all day :( We had a drawing for a free cleaning with pick up and delivery- that ended up being VERY popular. We usually go around and take some great crowd shots.. this year we were too droppy to do much other then leave the booth to get a root beer float. Check out this little fella who was in the booth next to us!

no time for crafts

2008-06-19T08:09:00.001-07:00

Sadly, I haven't had much opportunity to craft lately. My business is getting ready to have a booth at a house fair this weekend.
This is our third time participating in this fair and it such a fun event. If you are in the neighborhood, you should definitely stop by. If not, I am sure I will take lots of great pics for you to see later :)

craft time

2008-06-15T08:46:00.000-07:00

My hubby is working on a project with a deadline... so had some time to hang in the craft den making a couple of layouts.

too sleepy to smile

2008-06-14T15:36:00.000-07:00

Larry got us some tickets to a special party at Sea World last night. It appears no one told the animals-who seemed to care less.

This fella provided the floor show at dinner. I decided he should be named Norman. He was very intent on stealing some of our french fries.

The pirhanas were interested in a little more then french fries..yikes!

The real star of the show.....

Finally some friendly faces.

ms. green thumb

2008-06-12T13:48:00.000-07:00

My gal pal Heather and I went to a garden party (not our usual sunday afternoon outing!) and she won this cute little plant! I love her coat.. check out the lining on her sleeve.. so cute.. just had to scrap this shot.

busy as a bee

2008-06-11T18:41:00.000-07:00

I love this picture.. I was trying to get a picture of an amazing tulip and who comes flying into my shot but mr. bee! Two for the price of one :)

who woulda thunk it?

2008-06-10T07:14:00.000-07:00

What a surprise this morning when I logged in to SIS TV... the layout (sunshine on a stem) I posted yesterday was picked as layout of the day! I am a little embarrassed to say I didn't even know there was such a feature on their site :) I am still pretty new and it is such an action packed site! Boy am I humbled and full of gratitude.. here's a link, if you have any interest in checking it out.
http://scrapinstyletv.typepad.com/sisterhood
and
http://www.scrapinstyletv.com/portfolio/view_layout.php?layout_id=104362&gallery_type=main
and
http://www.scrapinstyletv.com/forums/14_21426_0.html#msg447003

Sunshine on a stem

2008-06-09T18:21:00.000-07:00

Inspiration: A juicy piece of cardboard that came from some sort of mail packaging, a new macro camera lens and some school bus yellow making memories paint=my newest creation :)

Look at all my loot!!!

2008-06-08T08:18:00.000-07:00

Talk about a score! Check out all the fun goodies in my gift bag from the Freckle Friends crop I got the chance to go to yesterday. It was at the MAMBI studios! WOWSA! Yesterday was definitely one to be grateful for. I have to shout out to Dawn, Stephanie, Dana and Erin for making the drive to Orange County so totally worth it! The best thing in the world about scrapbooking is the people that have been brought into my life! There was such a great energy yesterday with Debbie and Susan working so hard to make sure everyone was more then taken care of.. wonderful hospitality. This was my first crop and I can't imagine how any others could even come close!

I'm on a roll!

2008-06-03T16:39:00.000-07:00

I belong to this terrific kit club called Sweet Spuds.. I was inspired by the rub ons and background pattern papers I got last month.. Had a lot of fun with this one.

Also, A friend of mine had this link on her blog: http://www.blogthings.com/whatsyournameshiddenmeaningquiz/

you type in your name and it tells you the meaning.. It was a little scary how right on they were about mine! Kinda fun!

new kicks

2008-06-02T11:20:00.001-07:00

Uh... obviously I am excited about my new shoes :) Happy Monday.

all new layouts

2008-06-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

I met a new fur friend last weekend who really loves having his picture taken.

home sweet home

2008-05-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

Finally home from my trip to Colorado Springs, CO to watch my sister graduate from the Air Force Academy..... A few photos from the trip.

The first is the chapel on campus. It houses four different religions in one building... cathloic, protestant, jewish and buddism.

The campus is enormous and because of the elevation it really seems as if you are sitting in the sky.

President Bush was the speaker at graduation and took the time to personally shake hands with all 1,012 of the graduates.

My sis up on the jumbotron. After 6 weeks of leave she is headed to South Dakota. Not the most glamourous of posts!

happy memorial day

2008-05-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

I am spending my holiday packing so that I can fly to Colorado Springs, CO tommorrow to watch my sister Amber graduate from the Air Force Academy. It is a 3 day long process to graduate from the academy. There are ceremonies and presentation of wings and all kinds of formal dress required for this and that award banquets. It is a little bitter sweet. My dad passed away two years shy of watching her graduate. He was always the one pushing her into joining the Air Force. My mom is already there with various other relatives. I will get to meet my sister's boyfriend for the first time. I can't help but reflect on how very different we are and all the paths that you can take in life. I super proud of her for sticking by her convictions but also worried where she will be sent and into what?

2008-05-25T12:32:00.001-07:00

Already half way through the holiday weekend.. wow! time flies when you are having fun! Got to spend a great Saturday with my friend Kat talking about paper! Yes, my life is exciting :) Here is my latest layout with a pic of me and the hubby.

under a cotton candy tree

2008-05-22T14:31:00.001-07:00

A few blog entrees ago I talked about my love for the Jacaranda tree.. so of course I had to do a layout on them...plus Britta challenged me to :). When they are in bloom they always remind me of a big ball of cotton candy.

What's It Like?

2008-05-21T19:02:00.000-07:00

So, I am leaving a restaurant with a friend and I look over at the movie theatre and see this line. A crowd of people who are camping out over night so they can see the first showing of the new Indiana Jones movie. A movie that doesn't start until Thursday. My typical response would be to wonder aloud what is their deal? This time I was struck by the dedication and energy of their excitement. I can not, for the life of me, think of a single thing that I would sleep on the ground overnight to see. I would certainly never be so excited about the idea of it that I would take the extra step of dressing up in costume.... But, how cool is that to be so excited about anything?

ode to the Jacaranda tree

2008-05-18T09:29:00.000-07:00

I think some of stereo types about living in Southern California is that we have nothing but palm trees and that we don't have any seasons. We in fact have both! yes, the seasons are not up in your face. They are more subtle. You just need to look for them. My favorite time of year is spring because that is when the most beautiful tree in the world (in my humble opinion) is in bloom. The Jacaranda tree has a very short time span when it is in full bloom. My street is awash in purple for about a month. I am often found with my neck crooked upward staring into the branches of these beauties for the whole month of May. Here are some pics for my friend Britta in Germany who had never heard of one before. Now you don't have to google them my friend :)

wedding continued

2008-05-15T16:18:00.001-07:00

I scraplifted myself and made another wedding layout with the Teresa Collins paper I got in my kit from Freckle Friends... It is sooo pretty and fun to play with that I couldn't help myself :)

Hello New Friends

2008-05-14T16:57:00.001-07:00

This is my newest layout. Inspired by our new friends......

Good Bye My Friend

2008-05-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

Last night Johnny and I went to see the Glass Menagerie at the Old Globe..http://www.oldglobe.org/tickets/production.aspx?performanceNumber=5756. Here is a link to a great shot from the play. I had never read the play all the way through before, so I didn't know what the ending would be.
It was really timeless despite taking place in the 30s. That is what I love most about plays. They are written about current events while they are still current. Somehow they always appear timeless because our world changes but the problems we have just seem to repeat generation after generation. Mare Winningham starred in it with some other brillant actors.
A scene was done in candlelight that really created an intimate setting. I wonder what happens to Laura and her mother after I left?
We have had season tickets for the last several years. Because of that we get to sit in the same seat every time we have play. I have been really lucky in my seat at the Cassius Carter as I am in the front row. It is a very small theater in the round and you really get to be up in the action.
I am sorry to say that this is our last performance viewed in the space.
Progress marches on and it will be torn down to build a bigger, better version. I am sorry to lose this space and this intimacy with the actors... It was a fitting last performance about love and loss....

Freckle Friends Contest Entry

2008-05-12T18:01:00.001-07:00

I am entering this in a contest from Freckle Friends. You are to use Teresa Collins papers and products. The damask paper is so feminine and romantic that it just seemed to call out for a wedding picture. Keep your fingers crossed!!

All Buttoned Up

2008-05-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

A little rambling blog.. loving buttons right now. My wonderful cat Harry :)

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!
We had a great time at Gator by the Bay yesterday. Met Larry's Co-Worker Mike and his wonderfully fun wife Tanya.. a new scrap friend!! YEAH!!

The Robot Smile

2008-05-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

So I am a little bummed today... I found out that a design team spot I wanted pretty bad was not to be mine. I am super thrilled for everyone who did get on the team, but can't help wondering if I will ever get chosen for a team . Can't help wondering what's wrong with my stuff that I can't catch anyone's eye? Trying not to be a Debbie Downer so I grabbed some Bam Pop paper I have been wanting to play with and put my artistic angst to work!

wonderfully busy weekend!

2008-05-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

What a tough problem to have! Too much fun on the menu! Friday night started off with dinner with my inlaws and a Michael Buble concert...so fabulous! Saturday, I got a new macro lens for my camera- that I am dying to try out! Then it was off to my fave scrapbooking store Yellow Bird for some celebrating of National Scrapbook Day! So many fun items on sale :) Then we had dinner to celebrate Larry's little bro's b-day-more yummy food! Yesterday we spent the day at Disneyland-got some fun pictures from the Jungle Ride. Boy! I need a vacation from all this fun! I am definitely using way too many exclamation points in this entry!

Buble Bubbly!

2008-05-02T08:27:00.000-07:00

So can't wait for the Michael Buble concert tonight!! YEAH HAH!!!!

I am a sassafras lass!

2008-04-28T10:08:00.000-07:00

How much do you love the new sassafras lass papers?! I put this layout together yesterday.. The paper practically does all the work for you!

Feed the Addiction!

2008-04-27T13:58:00.001-07:00

Felt I deserved a little paper binge yesterday.. isn't it YUMMY! I so deserved it ... i think :)