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!

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!

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

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!!!!

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!

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

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

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...