You Better Not Pout....

I guess Kaydence wasn't having anything to do with Santa. The kids took the grandkids to see Santa at the mall, and the line as a tad too long. They had to wait for 45 minutes. From what I understand, Kaydence is one that DOES NOT LIKE TO WAIT for anything. If she wants something, she wants it NOW. Afterall, she IS a princess, and princesses GET WHAT THEY WANT. At least this little princess does, LOL.

Anyway, she didn't have her nap, and being one that does not suck her thumb, all she wanted to do was suck her toe. Yes, you read that right, she's a toe sucker. I guess she doesn't like shoes either, (she gets that from her Mema, :::giggle::: ). So check out this picture of her and Vincent. He didn't mind waiting, after all, it was Santa. And Santa knows if he has been good or not. He didn't pout either...unlike someone else that we all know and love dearly. I just can't believe how much she looks like her daddy. Those eyes. My son STILL has those eyes. Love 'em!

Halloween Goodies

How cute is this? Last year Kaydence was a fairy princess. This year, a Pirate Princess. See the similarity here? Yep...she's a princess - Daddy's princess.

Here, she is helping her big brother. Vincent love his sister, but I'm thinking she may have her work cut out for her when other brother arrives in February. Vincent is all set for his arrival. He said that he was going to teach him all about sisters. LOL

Dropping Like Flies - We Need Your Support

I was reading one of my friends blogs the other morning, and read carefully what she had posted. Being a store owner, I can tell you...this is scary. It seems that all the LSS around are dropping like flies. I'm still open...doing good, but it's still scary.

I asked her if I could just copy her entry into mine, and she gave me the go ahead. So here is what she wrote:


Something has been weighing really heavily on me the last year or so and especially in the last 4 months. So I have quite a few words to share about it.

Last night I got an email from It's About Time...Scrapbooks and More in Murrieta, CA. It was their newsletter. Announcing that they were closing. For good. On Tuesday. I had just gotten home from teaching a class at Now & Then Scrapbooks in Wildomar where the staff and customers were talking about It's About Time closing. I had suspected something was up with all of the sales they were having but was hoping it was just to get the store busy and drum up more capital. But I was wrong.

So today I drove back down to Murrieta and went shopping. Spent $133.07. Money I don't really need to be spending -- my brakes are being fixed tomorrow so I probably should have not spent it. As I was driving down there I was thinking of all the other things I should be doing with the money. The one thing that kept going around my head was that I should be saving it, not spending it.

But if EVERYONE did that then we would never get out of this economy!! I knew my budget could allow me to spend just a little so I did. And it is too little too late. Because with or without my $133.07, It's About Time is closing.

Just like Pages of Time (sorry I never get this name correct) in Murrieta closed a few weeks ago.

Just like Auntie Amy's closed two months ago.

Just like The Loft closed in July.

Just like Among Friends in Highland closed last year.

Just like Screamin' Susie's in Whittier closed this summer.

Just like Scrapbooks N More in Canyon Lake closed in June.

Just like Black Eyed Susan's in Loma Linda did.

Just like Scrapbook Story in Rancho Cucamonga closed in summer 2006.

Just like Now & Then's second location in Temecula closed in May.

Just like Scrapbooks Unlimited in Temecula closed last summer.

Just like the Crop Circle closed.

Just like Paper Pansies closed.

Just like Angel's Scrapbook Garden closed.

Just like Urban Scrapper closed.

Just like Kandy Scrappers closed.

Just like Mad Scrapper closed.

Just like Once Upon A Time closed.

Just like Strictly Scrapbooking closed their Torrance location.

Just like Scrapbook Corner closed their Hemet location.

Just like Stamp Your Heart Out closed their scrapbooking store location.

Just like A Little Bazaar closed....

Well, you get the picture.

Of the SEVEN scrapbook stores in the Murrieta/Temecula area Scrapbook Royalty had on their "Black, White, & Scrap All Over" tour in June 2008 only ONE is still open. ONE. That was only FOUR months ago.

SIX stores closed in one geographic area in FOUR months.

Yikes.

I know we can't all afford to just shop for the sake of shopping to keep all these stores afloat. I know it is a "sign of the times" that stores are closing--Mervyn's, Circuit City, and others are having a hard time keeping their doors open and they are retail giants compared to an LSS. Even Michael's and Joann's are offering 20% off your ENTIRE purchase coupons. Have they ever done that, in all of your memory? I think not.

I might be preaching to the choir because if you read my blog, you likely shop at an LSS. Or two or three...or ten! But I know some people in my own circle of friends who rarely go into an LSS but religiously trek to M's every week with their coupon in hand. I am not condemning anyone that does this. Just keep reading to see what I am asking...

Speaking of Michael's and Joann's, here is where my plea to you comes in.

We have money to spend. It may only be $10, but we have it and we spend it on scrapbooking stuff. YOU are in control of where you spend that $10. Does it go to Walmart? Do you go to Target? Do you use your 40% off coupon at Michael's to buy a $25 item? Do you go online to shop because you can get free shipping?

I'll admit. I can get more bang for my buck at the "box" stores (mentioned above). But why don't I shop there on a regular basis?

Because I love my LSS. I like coming in the door and everyone knows my name--it is like our own "Cheers"!! I like being able to go into a shop where people there share the SAME passion as I do for papercrafting--they aren't some teeny-bopper who doesn't know a Crop-A-Dile from an alligator. I like being able to CROP somewhere for a decent amount of time for a decent price. I like having a place where I can make friends. Some of my best friends I MET at a scrapbooking store!! And most of all, and this is the most self-serving reason but I gotta be real, I like having a place where I can teach the classes I want to teach. I get requests to teach certain topics and techniques in classes all the time--at an LSS I have the freedom to do that. At the box store, I have to teach their curriculum, not mine.

If we do not shop at the LSS, they will close.

It is just plain economics, They have to make money to stay open. While we are off "saving money" and "using our coupons" at the box stores, the LSS is not getting any customers. They will die off. They will all close. Well, maybe I am being a little extreme. MOST of them will close but a few will remain. And they will be FAR AWAY, not in every neighborhood like they were last year and the year before. They will be crowded on crop nights. The LSS won't still be there waiting for us when we get the economy back on track. We can't just put them up on a shelf and expect to come back next year to crop and shop at them.

I have heard people say things like, "Well, other people can shop there to keep it in business. I just can't afford it." This is as they sit in the LSS cropping with all the goodies they got at M's and J's and Target. I am not saying those places are bad--I shop there too! Love those Martha Border Punches. But everyone can't start shopping the box stores, stop shopping at the LSS, and still expect the LSS to be there for crop nights.

I think that was a luxury people had the last few years. Some of us did "carry the load", supporting the LSS so that everyone didn't HAVE to. It's not like we were asked to--we just like shopping there and getting the products, service, and knowledge that only the LSS could offer. But now that everyone's belts are tightening, we can't do it ourselves. We just don't have the money either! LOL I used to spend several hundred dollars a WEEK on scrapbooking supplies. There are some ladies I know who spend $1000 a pop!! I know I just can't do that anymore. We don't make any less money. It just doesn't go as far once the utilities, food, gasoline, mortgage and other bills are paid, there isn't as much left over. So I totally get it!! Believe me!

In order to keep our LSSs available, we ALL have to shop there.

Otherwise, they won't be able to survive and they won't be there when we decide to go back to them next year or in 2010, whenever this recession/economic downturn/whatever-you-wanna-call-it is over.

So back to your $10. Do we really NEED anything? Adhesive, maybe I'll give you that. But REALLY? Do we NEED anything? No. We WANT things. New things, new paper, new tools, new embellies. So I am proposing we blend TWO ideas.

I had a scrapbook store owner contact me about a blog post I made earlier this year. It was about going on a "stash diet". Use the items you have in your scrapbooking supply stash at home before you go out and buy more. She was perturbed that I was even proposing such an idea! That would take business away from her store if no one shopped--acckk!! I can see her point but I have mine as well - hehe. And I can;t stay on a strict stash diet anyways. I go into stores wayy to often and see too many cool new things that I can't "not buy" completely!

We all know we over-bought the last few years. There was just so much great stuff to buy! We have ROOMS to store it in, there is so much of it! So yes, I needed a stash diet then and I need one now too. I don't have anywhere to put that $133.07 worth of stuff I bought today but I still bought it. Don't even have plans for any of it. Just bought it. It was good price and I WANTED it. Can't break the obsessive nature of a scrapbooker, can ya?! LOL We need to address this over-buying we all did the last few years and USE the stuff we have. We just have to. Or there'll be a whole lotta women getting divorced in these parts if we keep on buying and we have ROOMS of stuff we still haven't even taken out of the bag.

So let's blend these two ideas -- your $10 you have to spend and the need for a stash diet.

How about you go on a partial stash diet. It's like you're doing South Beach instead of Atkins so you can have a little carbs but you're still watching what you eat.

Here's what I am going to do to help my LSS stay OPEN (and I am asking you to do the same or something similar):

Use the stuff in my stash. I have alot of it, I need to use it. If I use it, that will make room for more stuff that I can buy!

Go to crop nights at the LSS. Paying for a crop night helps the LSS stay open because they usually make a little bit of money off of them if they are sold out. If we all go to them, that will help make them "sold out". Also that will give you time to get some pages done to use up what is in your stash. And you can see what is new in the store to stay on top of the trends and to get the good stuff when it comes in.

Split packs of stuff with your friends. I can thank Anne Fisher for helping me to do this. If you and your friend like something, buy it and then split the pack. Most things come with multiples in the package. You'll get more stuff and can buy a larger variety of items at the LSS than if you just bought one thing each. I can see some LSS owners cringing at this but in the end, you will sell more product because people will use up the split packs faster than they use a whole pack of something. Then they will have room in their stash to buy more. See?

Spend your $10 at the LSS INSTEAD of at the box stores. Yes, $10 will only get you $10 worth of stuff at the LSS. But sometimes they have sales. Some stores offer discounts on the day of a class if you take a class. Some stores have customer rewards programs where you get coupons after you spend a certain amount. Just buy something you really really like at the LSS. Let that purchase be one you will really use. Face it. We don't need this great huge pile of stuff. We need GREAT products to put in our books. So get them at the LSS. Plus they are usually better quality products at the LSS than at the box store.

Use your box store coupons to buy stuff the LSS does not have. That way you can still use your coupon, just not on stuff you could buy at the LSS.
Ask the LSS what you can do to help. Do they need more people to know about their store? Where can you spread the word? Bring a new friend to a crop each week to introduce them to the store. Let your LSS owner know you are behind them and want them to stay open. Are there clearance papers or back stock they'll make you a deal on? Do they have fixtures laying around they need to sell for extra cash? Some of that stuff you can use and sometimes they don't think to sell it unless you ask. Unlike the box stores, you can actually talk to the owner of your LSS and make a deal.
So please, right now is the time to make sure your LSS doesn't close. It is all up to us, the customers, to keep the stores in business so they will be here for us in the years to come.

A place for us to crop.
A place for us to take classes.
A place to make new friends.
A place to go talk to the "experts" in papercrafting.
A place where everyone knows your name.
A place that is our own.

Because if we don't shop there, all we will be left with is the box stores. And that would be sad indeed.

Bad, bad blogger

I know, I know. I have let this blog go by the wayside. I try to find the time, but there just isn't enough minutes or hours in a day.



Things have been so busy with the store, which is a GOOD thing. Be sure to stop by Scrapper's Cafe to check out what's happening.



I started off to work this morning, and had a bit of an accident. LOL I started out of the shower, and our dog, Ricoshay, just happened to be laying in front. So as I started out, I tripped, and fell. WAS NOT A PRETTY SIGHT. As it was, I was sprawled ALL OVER the bathroom. Duane took me to Urgent Care, to get xrays, and lucky for me, nothing was broken. Thank goodness. Just badly bruised my butt, and of course, my pride. So I took the muscle relaxers and Motrin as prescribed, and slept most of the day. I feel pretty good now, with the exception of of being a tad stiff.



My daughter recently babysat Vincent and Kaydence, and shot me this picture. Just how cute is that? A faux-hawk. LOL She is getting so big now. My how time flies.



Alix is loving high school. She made the volleyball team, horray!!! I am going to have to go to a few games, as I am needed more pictures.



That's about it here on the homefront. I'm telling you.....it's work, work, work, but we are loving it.

Color Creation Studio.....

Business is doing GREAT. I am having so much fun meeting new scrappers, gathering new ideas for the store, looking at all the NEW papers that are coming in. The customer flow has more than quadrupled in the last few weeks. They come in and tell me how happy they are that I have bought this. That's good to hear too. My customer's are GREAT!!

One customer/friend has helped me tremendously. Reta has been my left-hand so to speak. She came late friday night before the grand opening to help me put out all the new paper, arrange the store a bit differently. She has some wonderful idea's....and I am so fortunate to know her. She's an AWESOME person to know, a friendship that is to be treasured.

Duane is having a time of all this. As y'all know, the 'spare' room has always been known as the 'gun room'. It's a man thing, don't ask, LOL. Well, circumstances have slightly changed that. He was busy the other night, and the dog went into the 'gun room' to keep him company, and all I heard was bottle caps being spilled all over the place. He comes out...and looks at me, and tells me that the dog must stay out of the 'color creation studio'. I nearly died laughing....he has renamed his precious room. I guess when one paints bottle caps and brads, one has to call it something.

Be sure to stop by Scrapper's Cafe to check out what's happening.

So Excited !!!

I'm taking a quick breather. So much to do, so little time to do it all in.

I placed my orders last week, and they are beginning to come in. A lot of the vendors have included a GREAT door prize for my GRAND OPENING. How exciting is that?

I can hardly wait to make a list of everything and post them.

This is all so new to me. I have never ran a business before, let alone own one. I have lots of help tho. So many vendors, friends, designers have all come forward with their help. I do appreciate all that I can get.

So I have the food ordered, the balloons on order, my new store floor plan....all waiting. I need more time...just a few more hours. Saturday is coming quick.

I'm also having a lot of fun. Talking to customers, to my vendors, they are all so cool. And better yet....they are all so excited as they know I have GREAT plans for Scrapper's Cafe. They see my vision even when at times I can't.

I'm just so excited for the future. The future that God has opened up with GREAT blessings.

Dreams Do Come True...

WOW, the last few weeks have been busy. Graduations, birthdays, new business.

New Business? Yep, you read that right. I am the PROUD OWNER of my very own scrapbook store, Scrapper's Cafe. This has been a dream 20 years in the making. I used to pray and pray for this all the time. I know that God listens to prayers, and I know that God answers them. I also know that when He answers prayer, it is in His time, not mine.

God opened this window with such a mighty wind, that I am still trying to regain my footing. This opportunity has moved so smoothly, no kinks, no roadblocks. Everyone involved is so happy for me, and has been so helpful. I mean, it's almost 8:00pm here, and my bank just called and we have gotten everything set up for my business account. How cool is that?

My husband is such a remarkable man. He has been running around, doing all the errands for me. Turning in my paperwork at the Board of Equalization, then off to City Hall, then off to publish the fictitious name. In between all the errands, he has had to come to my office for me to sign this or that. Honey....you are AWESOME!!

I am still in such awe of God's mighty work - that at the moment, words kind of fail me.

I give all the praise and glory to my God. Thank you for this answered prayer!!

Slow Down a bit....

Just a quick one here. I promise to do a longer post in the next day or so.

Saturday we went to my niece's graduation party. So nice to see the family again. We just haven't been all that close, but as the years pass us by, we all felt the need to get close again. I hope so. Family is so important.

Anyway...Marlene is now college bound. She was accepted to Boston University. So proud of her. I'm thinking tho, that she is going to stay local and go U.C.of Irvine here.

She has grown so much. Well, not really grown, as she now holds the family record of being 'vertically challenged', LOL. She's 5'1". My granddaughter's goal ((one of her #1 goals at the age of 15, LOL)) is to be taller than her cousin. Well, guess what.....you judge. Yep, that's a good 2". LOL BAREFOOT too. It made Alix's day. She's no longer the shortest one in the family. Well, girls, I hate to burt your bubbles, BUT my sister Vicki, even tho she is not with us anymore, STILL holds the record. She was 4'11. But you asked Vicki how tall she was, she would tell you 4'11 and 3/4". Like 3/4 of an inch made a difference? I'm still teh tallest of the girls, 5'7". I guess I can sleep another night, knowing I still have the TALL record, LOL

Here is our family, well, minus my son and his family and my brother and his wife. We are such a nice bunch if you ask me. We have my sister, MaryJane, Myself, Marlene, Alix, Heather, Nichole, Chris, and his wife Serena. The kids are Heather's and Chris'.

It was a VERY nice day....one that ended too soon. We are all getting together again...real soon too.

Next graduation - Alixandra's. She's now entering High School. UGH!! Time sure flies. Kids grow too fast.

I miss you.....

Yesterday would have been my sister Vicki's 51st birthday. She has been gone now for 6 years. She lived a good life tho. She raised 2 awesome kids, Christopher and Heather, got to love and cherish her first grandson, and fell deeply in love with Mike. She was happy. Happier than she had been in a long time.



I have a few pictures of her...but none on my computer except for one. She went with George to his Senior Prom. I think she was just a Sophmore here, not sure. Look at that hair tho, lol. I love it!!


The other pictures I have of her are on her motorcycle, 1969 Meter Maid, fully restored. I tried to post it, but for some reason, it's not loading up. I will have scan it again, and try for another post. Just the thought of her riding that thing cracked me up. She lived in Bullhead City, AZ, and her hubby Mike worked at a motorcycle shop, so every year they got to participate in the Laughlin's River Run...where HUNDREDS and HUNDREDS of Harley's came through town. Mike had his custom Harley and she on the trike. And yes...she even had a gun strapped to her hip, because it's legal where they are at. I do have pictures, but I need to re-scan them.

We had long chats on the phone, chatting like friends, then chatting like sisters. I miss her. I miss talking to her. I miss her laughter, and the way she would talk of her grandson, the love of her life.

I miss you Vicki. I'll see you soon.

A visit to Posh Spice's home....

Just a quick little post about our adventure on Saturday. After Santa Monica Pier, we went to Beverly Hills / BelAir and just toodled around. Alix just HAD to have one of them Map To The Stars map...so of course, grandpa being who he is, stopped and bought her one. Ok, ok, so are now the tourist, LOL.

Anyway, after about an hour of trying to find a bunch of places, she found a home that she just just loved, and HAD to have her picture taken at. Yes, the one and only - David & Victoria Beckhams's, aka POSH SPICE. She just HAD to have her picture taken at POSH SPICE's home.

So here she is....ON THE DRIVEWAY. LOL You will never guess where we are going to get a picture at next. Yep..you guess it. Johnny Depp's. What kind of grandmother will I be if I denied her? LOL

Bad blogger.....

BAD BLOGGER. Yep, that's me. It's not that I haven't had anything to write about, I have plenty, it's just that when I sit down to blog, I'm tired. Dead tired. So instead of blogging, I just click the little button that says sign off....and off to bed I go. I have to really discipline myself to sit and blog every day.

Last night was a bit exciting. We had a car chase through our neighborhood. It lasted for about 45 minutes. Helicopters overhead, police cars zooming down the streets. At one time, we counted 14 police cards chasing this one little white car. Seems he had drugs in the car, and didn't want to stop. So why put everyone's life in jeopardy? I mean, he could have spun out and hit a child or something. It finally ended out front when his wife, (found out that they live a street over from us) walked out into the street, and stood there, hoping her husband would turn down their street. Well, that he did. That is when he finally stopped. The police not only arrested him, but they arrested her as well. Other than that, our neighborhood is kinda quiet. Makes good conversation I guess with the neighbors.

Today we are taking Vincent and Alix to the Santa Monica Pier. We thought we best go now for a few reasons....we saw how much fun it could be, and they finally sold the ferris wheel on ebay to some guy in Oklahoma for $132,000.00. That ferris wheel has been there for as long as I can remember...and it will be gone. So, batteries are charged on all the camera's so that a ton of pictures can be taken of the grandkids. We wanted to take Kaydence, but she's still a bit too young. Which reminds me, she is going to be 1 year old on May 10th. WOW Time sure flew. She's walking now, so Robert and Sheena will for sure have their hands full. She's just a little pistol, full of energy, LOL

I wanted to leave you with a picture that I took of some apples . I entered this is a digital photography magazine, and found out that I took 2nd place. Not bad for an amateur, huh? I will post when I can find it on my other hard drive. I switched all my pictures to a portable hard drive instead of this one so that I can free of space...and I have to hook it up, and to be honest, I'm tired, LOL. Actually, the kids will be here in a moment with Vincent, and I need to put my shoes on. I'll post LOTS of pictures later.

LEAH FUNG is coming to......

Yep, the word is out......

LEAH FUNG

is coming to my LSS

Once Upon A Time.

Talk about exciting. I love her work, and I love the fact that we are making her rolodex. It has got to be the cutest ever!!

Ladies, RUN...or actually, CLICK FAST on the above link and sign up NOW...I know that space is limited and filling fast.

Hurry and heal my eyes...

Our neighbors have that night blooming jasmine, and while I love the frangrance, my eyes don't. OMG, you should see my eyes. They are swollen, watery, burning, and extremely RED. They hurt so bad.

I sure do wish that this medication works. I have done 4 applications of the drops so far, and nothing better. I have taken the pills, and nothing. Now, I know that this stuff doesn't work overnight, but I did expect a slight improvment.

We will see tomorrow.

Artichokes and Stitches

I can't say that I have been diligent about blogging. I get home in the evening, and I am so tired that I usually just sit with my hubby for a few hours before dragging myself off to bed. My allergies are hell this year. The pollens in the air have wrecked havoc on my eyes. They are so swollen and red, and extremely tender to the touch. They itch all the time. I finally had to go to Urgent Care to get some eye drops to stop the itching. I hope this works.

My daughter and her family came over the other night for dinner. We had bbq'd steaks, potatoes, and ummmm artichokes. To make a long story short, she was in doing dishes and a glass broke and cut her hand really bad. It required about 10 stitches. Does not look pretty.

We are once again making plans for another Hawaiian vacation. This time, we are taking my granddaughter, Alix with us. It will be her 16th birthday next year, and what better way to celebrate it, huh? She will just love it. I mean, what 16 year old won't?

Can you guess who it is???

I am so excited about who's coming to my LSS, Once Upon A Time Scrapbooking. I love this lady's work. I can't exactly tell you who she is until the BIG REVEAL...but if you are in Southern California, Corona area to be exact, you best hurry and sign up for her class. It's going to fill fast.


Here are a few hints....

She's a contributing editor to Better Homes and Gardens, Scrapbooks Etc.


She's a designer for Making Memories


She is a 2005 Creating Keepsakes Hall of Fame Winner


Can you guess who she is? Want one more hint?

She just got back from an exciting trip to Africa.



If you think you know who we are talking about... post a comment with your answer at Once Upon A Time.

Just for a battery pack...that's all, LOL

Boy, have I neglected my blog. And here I was doing so well there for a time. Forgive me.

I have been in so much pain the last 2 weeks. We thought it was my siatic, because the pain was running down my ummm right butt cheek, into my hip and then down my thigh and leg. Turns out I have a torn muscle. How on earth did I do that? I haven't for the life of me done anything that would do that. Hubby just smiles. ((eyeroll))

We had to go out and buy the rechargable battery pack for my 'dorky' camera today. A small $15 dollar purchase. Hubby says, let's go to Best Buy. They ought to have it. So off to Best Buy we go. About $600 dollars later, we're home. What kind of battery pack did we buy? LOL Well, let me tell you.

*Western Digital 1 terabyte external hard drive
*Adobe Photoshop 6
*Bamboo Fun Pack Tablet w/Pen and Mouse
*Internal LightScribe DVD Rewriter
*Kodak NIMH Battery

That should teach him to take me to Best Buy for just a friggin battery, LOL.

We put my son on our phone program when we changed providers. So, we all got camera phones, and do you think that he can remember to send me a daily picture of my grandkids? LOL Ummmm, no, not unless I ask. So he did send me these the other day.

This one is of Vincent. He was a bit upset and sat on the kitchen floor, because school was out for Spring Break. He told everyone...."I want to go back to school. I'm not done learning". How cute is that? He's so bright, and so eager to learn.


Here are a few of Kaydence (Grizz, these are for you). The first one she just learned how to pull herself up on daddy's leg. This other one is of her two, count 'em. 1, 2 teeth. She just got finished eating, so she has food all over the place. She is such a happy baby. She's almost a year now, May 10th. Time sure flies.

Talking about time flying...check out Alix. She is going to be 15 on April 3rd. Here she is at her track meet. Five schools in her district got together for a track/field event. Out of 50 some girls running the mile, she came in 4th. YOU GO GIRL!!! She loves to run, and next time, she will be running the 2-mile. She's sure she can win that one. She is unstoppable.

60 Things About Me

I saw this on a friends blog and thought, Hey, why not...so here it goes:


1. What is in the back seat of your car right now?
Snow chains, a pair of running shoes, and a few albums that I am taking to a freinds house.

2. When was the last time you threw up?
Hmmm, the last time I was sick, a few months ago.

3. What's your favorite curse word?
Me? Curse? Dayum, you have got to be kidding me,

4. Name 3 people who made you smile today?
Ginny, 'Becca, and Arleen

5. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
On the phone with Traffic wondering why they couldn't send me a container.

6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
Sitting on the sofa petting Ricoshay

7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
Watching either the news or sleeping

8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Oh my...yes, so many years ago too

9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
You're so pretty....I always say that when petting my dog

10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
Would have to be chocolate with walnuts

11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
A glass of water to swallow my pills

12. What are you wearing right now?
You have got to be kidding. A camoflauge t-shirt, LOL

13. What was the last thing you ate?
A piece of left-over chicken, a salad, and some green beans

14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
Not this week....should have asked me last week

15. When was the last time you ran?
Ummm that would have to be 1980 something

16. What's the last sporting event you watched?
Not sure

18. Who is the last person you emailed?
Teresa Collins

19. Ever go camping?
I love to camp!! Used to go tons of times when I was younger

20. Do you have a tan?
Yep...the tan of a vampire, LOL

24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
Most of the time, I drink from a straw. If at home tho, I drink my soda in a wine glass, LOL

25. What did your last IM say?
Hi sexy (it was from hubby in the next room, lol)

26. Are you someone's best friend?
Yes, most definitley.

27. What are you doing tomorrow?
Tomorrow is Friday, so I will be working, then off to dinner with my hubby

28. Where is your mom right now?
About 6 feet under.

29. Look to your left, what do you see?
The 'fridge, sliding glass doors, and a cobweb above. (I think I need to dust that)

30. What color is your watch?
I don't wear one.

31. What do you think of when you think of Australia ?
Down under, lol

32. Would you consider plastic surgery?
No need...I'm quite happy with myself.

33. What is your birthstone?
Garnet. I have lots of garnets...earrings, rings, toerings, bracelts, etc..

34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
I usually hit the drive thru.

35.How many kids do you want?
Want? Please don't tell me you're giving them away.

36. Do you have a dog?
Yeppers, Ricoshay...the cutest poodle you have ever seen.

37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
My daughter

38. Have you met anyone famous?
Yes..LOT'S of 'em too. Met Ronald Reagan, Lorenzo Llamas, got kissed by Trace Atkins, Blake Shelton, I could go on and on...

39. Any plans today?
Being that it is almot 8:00pm, just a few shows on TV, then off to bed.

40. How many states have you lived in?
Just California.

41. Ever go to college?
Yep...got my degree in Electronics

42. Where are you right now?
Sitting inbetween the dining and living rooms

43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
Nothing really....pretty satisfied.

44. Last song listened to?
He Stopped Loving Her Today by George Jones

46. Are you allergic to anything?
Found out a few weeks ago that I'm allergic to Penicillin

47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
I usually go barefoot...but would have to say flip flops

48. Are you jealous of anyone?
Nope, no need to be

50. Is anyone jealous of you?
Not sure, LOL

51. What time is it?
It is Thursday evening at 7:58pm

52. Do any of your friends have children?
Yes...they do

53. Do you eat healthy?
I try, but then again...

54. What do you usually do during the day?
Work..unless I'm home, then I'm usually off somewhere with my hubby

55. Do you hate anyone right now?
Hate? I don't hate anyone.

56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Usually...

58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
Oh my.... 53

59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
A few times..not fond of the roller coasters

60. How did you get one of your scars?
I was playing cowboys and indians when I was a little girl, and tied myself up to my rocking chair, fell, and got a bad cut on my chin.

OK....there are 60 things about me...how about you?

Sucks getting old....

Not much happening today. I left work early to go to the Dr to get a shot of cortisone in my heel for a heel spur. Last time I had one, within 30 minutes, my heel felt brand new. This time around tho, we are opting for physical therapy. We will see how this goes...but I'm sure that in 2 weeks, I'm getting a shot.

While I was there, the Dr asked how my cough was since I did nothing but cough, LOL. I told her that it hadn't gotten better, then went on about how out of breath I get sometime just talking on the phone. Well, that's not right, so she left and came back with this little machine...and told me to take a cleansing breath, and on the next breath blow into this thing until all air was out. After a few times of this, she left, printed the results, and came back. Seems I now have asthma. So she gave me this purple inhaler called Advair that I need to breath in twice a day. We will check that now in about two weeks to see if I am getting better or not.

At least my blood pressure was normal. Sucks when you reach 50.

Potato Girl

Just had to share this picture....especially w/GrizzBabe.

This is the first time that Kaydence tries to feed herself. Cute, huh? One doesn't see the green beans in her ear tho. I just love this picture....knowing what's up ahead, LOL.

Love the smell.......

Not much happening today. I plan on cleaning my scraproom. Not that it needs cleaning, more like organizing it. I bet if I were to tell hubby that I would make him a pot of crablegs, he would organize it for me. He's good at that. He's a very organized man.

We went to Michael's today in search of wedding invitations that I am going to make for my son's wedding in July. I found some pretty ones, but I'm going to wait until I have a coupon. I did find some really cute charms to put on the ribbon, and a few photo boxes that were $3.99 then marked 30% off. Also, bought a few magazines, and walked out of Michael's only spending $21.00. Something is wrong, LOL.

I called all over the place looking for Teresa Collins chipboard. No one has it. They don't even have her line yet. My LSS does, but they were short shipped on the chipboard. I NEED THE CHIPBOARD!!! Anyone have it? Please email me. I NEED IT NOW!!!

It's still raining off and on. This morning was beautiful tho. Now it's very dark outside. I love the rain. It washes the air out. I love the smell of fresh cut grass and the smell of rain. How much cleaner smelling can you smell?

Rain, Rain and more Rain....

It's raining!! It has been raining since last night and hasn't let up at all. I'm not complaining because we so need it, but I need new windshield wipers, LOL. I'm thinking that I am going to have to run out at lunch later today and buy some. Little things that one just doesn't think of.

Did I show y'all what my 'secret valentine' made for me? Check this out. Isn't it cute? My very own SECRET STASH. Filled with lots of goodies too. I haven't heard if my secret valentine has received hers yet. She should have....since it was mailed Monday of last week. And the post office wonders why people email instead of using snail mail.

Going to another crop tomorrow. I bought TONS of kits and stuff at the Expo, and am quite anxious to use them. I'm thinking tho, to save them for our Big Bear retreat. That way I can pack light, LOL. Ok, who am I kidding? Packing light? To a retreat? HaHaHaHa. I have been the last two years, and have had a total blast. I can hardly wait for May to get here.

Well, I'm off to work......in the rain.

T.C. IS ON DA BLOG

This has got to be my most FAVORITE line of all this year!

TERESA COLLINS 'BELLA'.

As y'all know, I'm an avid reader of her blog. I was ESTATIC when I read that she was designing her own line. I knew it from the start that it was going to be awesome. As I looked at the papers on her blog, it looked fantastic. But now that I have it here, sitting in front of me, it not only look fantastic, it smells just as yummy!!

When I saw her line, I had to tell Tammy to order it, order it all. I needed it. I just HAD to have it. She just got it in today, and hadn't even unpacked it when she called me. I had to leave work early just to go pick it up. I was so afraid that it would be all sold out. LOL

I have so many ideas...so many layouts...that I just need to sketch out, and start to cut. I just hate to even think of cutting this paper, that is how fantastic I think it is. I could just paper the walls of my scraproom with it, LOL. Thank goodness tho that I have two (2) granddaughters that I can make albums/layouts for.

The BEST part - Teresa is designing MORE lines. I am just so excited.

Dropped a pile of money on stuff.....

What a busy day yesterday. I went to the Scrapbook Expo in Costa Mesa and had a blast. I met so many people that I know on and off the message boards. It's so nice to put faces with names.

Just as I thought I would, I dropped a 'bundle' at the Basic Grey booth. I bought their new collection packs along with the matching Bazzill. They had a bunch of kits made up with the 'new' stuff, utilizing the luggage tags, so of course I HAD to buy those. Then, they had a bunch of 2-page layouts with the new papers, and of course, I couldn't resist those either. As a matter of fact, I had already finished shopping and was sitting outside waiting for my friends, when I just kept thinking how much I really liked those new collection packs they had. So,being in a weak moment, I went back inside, and that is when I bought them all. I also bought their new rub-on tool.

I bought a few of the collection packs from Paper Loft. Yummy papers too. I can hardly wait to use those. I wasn't really looking for anything particular, but when I got to The Treasure Box booth, weakness once again fell over me. I just had to join their monthly kit program. I love their kits. I wonder how I had never heard about them before.

Advantus wasn't busy at all. I guess Heidi Swapp isn't as hot as she thinks she is. I know I never went to their booth. I just can't stand her stuff...or the Cropper Hopper stuff.

Lots of people tho. A lot of great deals for all.

Last night I went to my crop. Of course, I had a GREAT time, we always do. Judy has a great sense of humor, and I jsut love her to death. She makes me laugh everytime I am around her. It's just her nature I guess - to always make others smile or laugh. She's a hoot.

Going shooting in the morning. We are taking 'Becca for the first time. She's pretty excited as she has never shot a gun before. Duane will go over safety with her first tho, as he does with everyone. Once he comfortable with how she gasps that info, he will let her pick one up. Of course, I will have the camera. I want to make her a small album of her first 'Annie Oakley' experience, LOL.

Trying for every day......

Been quite busy but I am trying to blog every other day, if not daily. So I joined a challenge, and now I need to blog more often than I do now, LOL. It's not like I have nothing to say....I just don't have the time. So now I need to make time. I can do that, I think.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Scrapbook Expo in Costa Mesa. I happen to have won a ticket from Jennifer, ( million more thank you's too) and since I have never been before, I'm going. Some friends and I are going to meet up and carpool there. After the Expo, CROP TIME! I so love to go to Tammy's. She has awesome classes and just about the greatest and funnest (is that a word, LOL) crops around.

Sunday, I plan on relaxing after Duane and I go grocery shopping. We haven't been in a long time, and we need to stock up on a few items. I'm usually quite exhausted after cropping...so Sunday's are my laid back and get ready for the week days. I'm off on Monday for President's Day...which is very nice. We are taking 'Becca with us to the range and gonna teach her to shoot. She is so excited, as she has never shot a gun before. Duane loaded up some 'light loads' just for her. I'm definately taking pictures of her and make her a small album.

So, how did everyone like Teresa Collins new line? I can hardly wait to start this album that I have in mind. Truly a wonderful woman, and a FANTASTIC line.

Other than Teresa's new line, I wasn't all that excited this year as last year. I agree with a few others out there - too many manufacturers coping each other. Everything looks similar.

I'm watching the funeral for Officer Simmons, the S.W.A.T. officer that was killed in the line of duty. How sad. I can not fathom the grief that this wife must be feeling. I am so glad that my husband is now retired. I know there were several times when I stayed awake at night, just worried sick. My heart goes out to her.

For Valentine's Day yestday, Duane comes to work and surprised me with oodles of HUGE chocolate covered strawberries. I just love 'em!! Of course I had to share with the other girls, as who could possible eat that many? He also brought me balloons and a dish packed with Hershey Kisses. That morning, before I left for work, he gave me a beautiful pink sweater. Needless to say, I had to change, and that is what I wore yesterday. WHAT A MAN!! I'm not much of a cook, and we don't care to go out on the holdiays itself, so I stopped at the market and bought 6 pounds of Alaskan King Crab legs and steamed them for dinner. I wouldn't let him in the kitchen, but had to finally cave in because I couldn't figure out how to get everything in the pot. I have never seen so many legs - going every which way, LOL. It was definately a sight to behold. He surely was surprised tho. He's still talking about dinner - and how great it was. I'm happy he loved it. I do love that man.

Well, it's about time for dinner, and we're going out. (( I was going to post pictures, but I can't get the pictures out of my camera. I'm guessing that I am going to have to take it to the camera shop and have them look at it. Thank goodness it's not my Canon, I would be lost without that one. So, I'm going to post a few of old pictures, just so that you get the idea. ))

She Was Pleasant....

It was bound to happen. Sooner or later, but I had hoped for later. Oh well, it happened.

I was walking around at CHA, and yes, I ran into HER. I knew instantly who it was. I have kinda liked her work, not all of it, but enough. Anyway, I grabbed my camera, and went to turn it on, and nothing. I mean NOTHING happened. Seems I forgot to charge the battery from the previous day of taking over 300 pictures. Win some, you lose some.

I did introduce myself, and she did say HI. Pleasant. Cordial. I really don't think it clicked, LOL. At least I said something, and smiled. I guess she had a lot on her mind to really bother, but again, oh well.

SUPER CROP!!!

Saturday is the BIG Super Bowl Crop!! I love all day crops. Gives you time to actually start and complete a few projects. I just love to crop period! Hanging with friends, catching up on all the gossip news, gettng ideas/suggestions from others. It's awesome! And what's even better, Alixandra is coming to crop with us. Yep, her first ALL DAY Crop. She's home busy printing out pictures, gathering her stuff, organizing her tote, which by the way she has already called Grandpa to inform him that she is going to need a BIGGER tote since she has so much stuff. Looks like the kid just might get a BIG Mimi to drag her stuff around, LOL.

I love it when Alix comes over. Not only does it mean we get to scrap together, it also means snuggle time. She's a GREAT snuggler. She always has been. She would always need a snuggling regardless what was happening. I loved it when she and my daughter lived downstairs and she would run up the stairs right before her bedtime just to get a snuggle from me. She's almost 15 now, and still loves to snuggle. I'm 52, and I still love to snuggle with her too.

I suppose she will be bringing a few changes of clothes also. She will fiddle around with her hair and outfit, and say, "Mema, how about a photo shoot? You never know how much I can change in a few weeks". Then she fixes a 'background' with a black sheet, and brings in a few props for her 'shoot'. Personally, I think she watches America's Next Top Model too much, LOL. That girl can pose!! If Tara Banks is still doing this show in a few years, I'm sending in a portfolio of Alix. I'm sure that she will win - HANDS DOWN!!

They Love Me....

Just look, and you tell me. THEY LOVE ME!!

And I love them too....I really do!!

God Country Up There....

Well, at least I'm feeling a bit better. I have been so sick for the last few weeks, and have even been off from from work for the last 2 weeks. Upper respiratory infection. This cough is about to make me go mad. Can't do anything without coughing, and even worse, there's nothing to cough up. Just a dry, nagging cough. Grrrr.

On the home front tho...Robert and Sheena have settled on a date. July 5, 2008. WOW, only 6 months away, but will come at me at lightning speed. Everything does now days, LOL. So now we're planning a wedding. A GREAT wedding!! My baby is finally, yes, finally, getting married. I'm so proud of him. He's been a good daddy, now he will be a good husband. He's a good man that son of mine. Yep...he sure is.

For my birthday, we went to Hollye's a few weeks ago, even tho my b-day is the 22nd, hers is the 16th, we celebrate 'em together. Of course we did our Red Lobster dinner, which was fantastic. My brother, Dan and his wife, Patty went with us also. We left Friday morning, and got back late Sunday evening because we stopped in Hollywood to view a few sites, like the star's homes, etc.. Yes, before you ask, we did buy a map, LOL. The biggest site that we saw was Steven Spielberg on his cell phone phoning 911 because of an accident this kid was in. Seems the telephone pole 'jumped' out into his way. We didn't stop, but just to make sure that it was Steven S., we went back and forth like 8 times...yep, it was him. Took a picture, but because I was driving, my picture is of the asphalt. (eyeroll)

So, back to our visit with Hollye. Saturday, we decided to go eat breakfast in Solvang. We went through Los Olivos and came in the back way of Solvang. BREATHTAKING That part of the country is God's Country for sure. It's just so pretty, so colorful, just so....

We are definitely going back up there in a few weeks just to do the wine tour. I can hardly wait until it's harvesting season again. I have some GREAT photo's of a year ago, but I need more. It's for an album that I am doing, and need more of the vines.

Solvang is pretty too....but much prettier in the spring. The weather was GREAT, actually perfect for when we went. Had we gone now, it would have been a disappointment as the rains are really bad right now. So I'm glad we went when we did.

I need to go finish cutting some chipboard for a few albums, so I will post a bit later.

First Layouts of the Year

I just created these two (2) layouts from Christmas. I am loving the Creative Imaginations overlays. The pictures didn't turn out as good as I would like them to have, but I guess one can't be perfect all the time.

I'm Invisible

I got this in an email today, and thought of my BEST FREIND. I sent this to her, and her reply was just a smile in an email. No words, nothing, just a smile. So, this is for you...


I'm Invisible

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.

She's going,
she's going,
she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of w hat you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied,"Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing pieces fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sac rifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM! Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know.... I just did.