Snow Angel (Trendy Tuesday)

Angie's Trendy Tuesday at A Fancy Word for Simple challenged me to take a picture of myself in my winter gear.

Be careful what you ask for, Ang.

We got our first big snow this year (thanks to Snowstorm Barbara) on Sunday night, and it wasn't enough for me just to take pictures of myself in my winter gear. I needed to be in the snow. Yup. I've always been a bit of an over-achiever.

I think the pictures speak for themselves.

Do Not Disturb

Shhhhhh. I must watch The Hills.

Looks like Lauren and Jason broke up already--within the first 30 seconds.

My favorite quotes so far. . . Ahhh. CA wisdom.

• The boss to Lauren: "Lauren didn't go to Paris. . . . How was your summer at the beach with your boyfriend? Did that work out for you?"
• Heidi to Lauren: "The best part of Jason was you. There are so many guys who think you're the most amazing thing in the world."

Lauren, you should have listened to me. I told you not to choose Jason over Paris. Silly girl!

Just finished watching Jack Bauer save the world.

But, really this is all just a warm-up for Grey's on Thursday.

Yes. I live a shallow life.

Snowstorm Barbara

In their never-ending quest to make news and weather more exciting than they really are, Fox News has taken it upon themselves to start naming snow storms.

Tonight's storm--expected to drop 6 - 8" of snow in the area--is named (drum roll please. . . ) Snowstorm Barbara.

:)

Saturday Night

So, here's a re-cap of my day yesterday.

Scrapped in the AM (but you already know that).

Shopped in the afternoon with my pregnant friend. She was looking for a swimming suit. Um. Yeah. We visited every maternity department in the entire mall, and I can tell you with a lot of certainty that there are less than 10 options for pregnancy swimming suits. This whole experience was enough to convince me that I do not, in fact, want to be pregnant.

Feasted in the PM. Went to Red Lobster for dinner and topped it off with Cold Stone. Yeah. Consumed about 10,000+ calories last night.

But, here's the best part. . .
Our Cold Stone is in the mall, and Brad and I discovered a new Saturday night past-time: making fun. There is a strange crowd of people at the mall on Saturday night--a crowd that just begs to be made fun of. So, we sat on the mall couches and made fun of everyone who walked by.

This is one of the reasons I love Brad. Instead of telling me I'm being rude for making fun of other people, he just joins right in the fun!

Saturday Scrapiness

Chiara is hosting a crop over at House of Paper. I hadn't visited HOP in quite awhile, and the crop has lured me back. Great shopping selection and a fun community of scrappy gals.

Here is what I created.

How much? Challenge (3 PP, 4 ribbons, 5 stickers)
Nothing all that super-fabulous, but I sure love the pictures.


Favorite Photo Challenge
I am so in love with this LO. I'd marry it if I could. :)
It's all goodies from the Jenni Bowlin kit that came yesterday.

P.S. I know there's more to life than scrapping. I'm going to lunch and shopping later on.

And they all lived happily ever after. . .

The pages of my Christmas Journal, that is.

All 37 pages lived happily ever after in the cute little album I altered for them.






I had a great time: met lots of talented ladies and was introduced to the fabulously creative Shimelle. I don't know that I'll do it again next year, but I'm thrilled I finished this year.

So not a fashionista

Um. Yeah.
I was decked out in my teacher very best today.

Nope. I wasn't wearing a sweater with apples on it and ruler shaped buttons. I'm not that fashion-challenged.

I'm sure I looked cute (for a teacher)--denim skirt, nice shirt, nice sweater.

I came home and put on my pajamas (at 4pm) and discovered. . .

My skirt had been on backwards all day.

That's right, folks. I'm desperately in need of fashion help.

Trendy Tuesday

Hooray! It's Tuesday. 5:56 a.m. CST on Tuesday to be exact.

Yup. That's right. I'm so excited about what I created for Trendy Tuesday at A Fancy Word for Simple that I work up extra-early to post it. Check out the site for more details.

Mondays (A case of the. . . )

Seriously. I just wanted to curl up under my desk with a mug of tea and stay there for the entire day. But, people kept trying their hardest to ruin my day via email and in person. And, I let it get to me. I was totally having a Monday.

And, now I'm having a serious crisis. I have a fantastic LO inspired by the Trendy Tuesday prompt at A Fancy Word for Simple. I really, really, really, really want to share it (and I may have emailed it to just one person). I can't wait for tomorrow.

Updated to add a few LOs for the Christmas journal. I have LOs left to complete. Four LOs. I never would have guessed that I'd be this close to finished. My goal is to have it done by the end of the week.

Day 31: We didn't do much for NYE this year. Not a single picture was taken. But, I couldn't resist using this pic from our first New Years Eve together (Y2K).
Day 32: My take on New Years resolutions was inspired by Ali Edwards's ideas about choosing a word to lead you through the year.


Day 37: Today I focused on a thought that filled my mind at the beginning of the new year that I want to carry with me throughout the year--delicious ambiguity.

I {heart} the weekend!

Aaaaahhhh. I love weekends with nothing to do.

The craziness of the holidays is officially over, and I'm left alone to enjoy the quiet and comfort of my own house, my hobbies, and the little things I need to get finished.

Enjoyed a fabulously delicious and fun dinner with Angie and Angie last night (excellent food, HORRIBLE service) followed by a some scrappiness and fine tuning for A Fancy Word For Simple.

We're working on a little, bitty change for our big 2007 project. The site is doing great--getting lots of visitors and positive feedback. I'm loving the journaling everyday, too. But, for me, the quotes are resulting in a lot of personal thoughts I'm just not willing to put out in cyberspace for all to read. So, it's hard to create a community when there's just not much to talk about.

So, Tuesdays are being designated as "Trendy Tuesday." There will still be a prompt for journaling, but it will be something to capture who you are and what is happening around you in 2007. Thoughts to generate comments. Thoughts to create community. There might even be RAKs involved. Here's a sneak peek of what I created.

In other news. . . Here's another Christmas Journal page. One of Shimelle's prompts was to review the year (also The Dare for this week). I love this page.

What is my word?

Ali Edwards's Life Artist newsletter today talked about choosing a word to life by this year. I've kept that thought in my head all day.

The cynical part of me wants SERIOUSLY to be my word. So many times people say and do things and I just have to stare at them for a moment to decide whether they really did said/did what they said/did. But, that seems a little rude to choose as my word for the year.

Instead, I think I will go with BALANCE. I need to achieve balance between personal and professional (although I'm doing much better with that than a year ago). I need to balance my check book. I need to balance between laziness and activity. I need to balance between me time and chores. Basically, I just need balance.

There it is. My word for 2007.

What's yours?

I leave you with a few more Christmas journal entries. . .
Don't you just love this one?!? The tinsel and the vintage buttons and labels are so fun!

Chef Boyarde (Barb and Brad make ravioli)

These pics are from last week, but they never got shared in the madness that is my Christmas journal.

I got a pasta maker attachment for my mixer as a birthday gift from Brad. We busted it out just before New Years and made some ravioli. It was so nice--after all the holiday madness--to be able to enjoy each other's company and just chill at home.

BTW. . . I did finish two more pages of the Christmas journal. Both have VERY lumpy embellishments and are complely un-scan-able. And it gets dark here at like 4pm making it impossible to get good pictures of anything. So, you'll just have to wait. But, trust me. I'm through Day 29.

Love/Hate Relationship

Okay. For those of you who are SICK of hearing about my Christmas journal (since it is--after all--more than a week since Christmas) here are a few LOs from my first month as a Scrap-tastic girlie. All are created with the ultra-fab Making Memories Kraft paper. Seriously a cool product. It looks like a paper bag but has super fun things printed on it. Brilliant.



AND NOW. . . on to my Christmas Journal.

Ahhhh. I have a love/hate relationship with my Christmas journal.

I love getting the prompts from the fabulous Shimelle.
I love seeing everyone else's work.
I hate that I'm so far behind.
I hate that my table is covered with Christmas paper.

But (allow me to be conceited for just a minute) my last few pages have been pretty damn fantastic.

Day 22: Christmas Menu
Some goodies from Prima and notebook paper stamp (that I totally love!).
Day 24: Christmas Eve
Another creation from the Jenni Bowlin December kit. Would seriously consider being the President of the Jenni Bowlin fan club. This woman rocks!
Day 25: Christmas
Okay. I so stole this picture idea from the fancy, yet simple Angie. I think this might secretly be my favorite page of the Christmas journal so far. It's just so darn cute!

Day 26: Day After Christmas
Made this one with my Jenni Bowlin November kit. Have I mentioned how much I love these kits? If I keep advertising so shamelessly, maybe she'll have to start sending me kits for FREE!
That's it for now.
Except, I haven't mentioned Fancy Simple, have I?
Seriously. Check it out!
Be inspired. Leave a comment.

A little more Christmas Journal

Here are a few more Christmas Journal pages. I will get caught up. Consider it my final resolution for 2006. It won't get done before the end of 2006, but I promise to finish it.

Day 17: Gifts
Do you buy off the list or from the heart?
Usually I choose off the list, but there's always a few people who something special just screams out for. This year, it was Ang. I found the perfect Wonder Woman notecards that had her name written all over them!

Day 20: Special Packages
When I traveled to Germany I stayed with the Vaters. Bobby is a great writer of letters and sender of packages. We did a great job staying in touch for a long time. In 2004, they were in Sri Lanka to celebrate Christmas at the same time as the tsunami. Luckily, they were not hurt. But, we have really lost touch since then. I'm especially sad about that at Christmas.
P.S. This page was created as part of my new DT gig at Scrap-tastic. Their sponsor for the month is Making Memories. This AE lift features MM products (PP and rub-ons).
Day 22: Things to Do
Since I was so drastically behind on the journal, I had no idea what things I still needed to do to get ready for Christmas on December 22 (the day this prompt was posted). My alternative was to make a list of the Christmas-y things I never managed to get done this year.


Day 23: Stockings
We never hung stockings right before Christmas in my house. It was always the night of December 5th to wake up to treats from St. Nick the morning of December 6th. My mom made my stocking, and I've had it for as long as I can remember. I was so inspired by her craftiness that when I first moved in with Brad I vowed to make a stocking for him. I started it seven years ago and still haven't finished!
I have lots of other things to tell you about:

• Christmas returning
• Making ravioli
• A Fancy Word for Simple
• New Years' Eve plans

I'm hoping to post again later today.

I haven't forgotten. . .

about my Christmas journal.

I've been trying hard to make sense of a messy house, spend some "me" time, enjoy my friends, and get organized. Those are all the things vacation is for, right?

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, I've found some time to play catch up on my forgotten Christmas journal. I've invested so much in it that it seems strange not to finish (even though I'm to the point that I'd rather scrap anything besides Christmas). I'm going a little out of order.

Here is some Christmas eye candy.

Day 15: Who will I visit during the holidays?

Day 16: What am I grateful for?
Day 19: Letter to Santa
Day 21: State of my house during the holidays

ONE LAST THING! VERY IMPORTANT!
Check this out: A Fancy Word For Simple
It's a creative venture Angie and I started yesterday. We'd love for you to play along.

Crossed Over to the Dark Side

Bet you've been wondering where I've been!

Truthfully? I crossed over to the Christmas dark side and haven't really been feeling very bloggy.

I tried my hardest to do all I could to combat Christmas stress. Here is a list of what I did:

• bought cupcake cookbook and made three consequetive weeks of cupcakes instead of any holiday baking
• joined Shimelle's Christmas journal group
• visualized the stress that would be Christmas to try to prepare and calm myself
• got fabulous new Christmas hair (Seriously hot hair!)
• bought fabulous new Christmas outfit (Okay. That's a lie. Bought several fabulous new Christmas outfits.)
• mailed my brother's package in time for Christmas arrival in CA
• searched out my favorite Christmas tunes

Alas, none of it worked and the dark side has taken over. I am in Christmas hell. Relatives, food, presents, blah, blah, blah. It's all over-shadowed by the prospect of too many people and too many places and too many miles!

But, I'm taking a lot of solace in the fact that my Starbucks is open on Christmas! HOORAY!

Christmas Music

A secret confession before you look at the LO below.
I used to be a big nerd.
Shoulder pads. Braces. Unibrow.
Harp player.
All-around nerd.

If that horrible picture doesn't bring you some holiday joy, I don't know what will!

Never enough weekend

Why does the week go so slow and the weekend fly by?
Why do I never seem to have enough time to get everything done?

We finished our Christmas shopping today (except the two gifts that I agreed to make).
We started (and almost finished) our wrapping.

Brad made fun of me because I packaged up the gifts in shopping bags according to each Christmas visit that we have to make. The total number of visits is currently at 4 (plus coffee with a friend). I estimate this will involve nearly 900 miles of driving between Friday evening and Monday afternoon.

Yes. That's right--900 miles. It's all fine and dandy that everyone wants us to be part of their Christmas traditions. But, with 900 miles of driving in less than four days, it just doesn't leave a whole lot of room for having any of our own Christmas traditions. Unless you consider driving in the car bitching at each other a Christmas tradition.

Anyway. . . enough complaining.

Here are the two Christmas journal LOs I finished today.

Journal Day 11: How has Christmas changed?
It was actually this little LO that prompted the rant you just read. Journal Day 12: Opening the Presents
What traditions does my family have surrounding the opening of the gifts?In other news. . . I'm completely going in to television withdraw. Why don't the producers of my favorite shows realize that I need the humor and vacation from reality they offer to survive the holiday season? Why, why, why are there no new episodes until January?!?!?

Check it out!

(Imagine the title of my post said in my very best Ferg-e-licious voice.)

I bet you're wondering why I haven't posted any Christmas journal pages, right? It's because I was HERE with HER working on this little Christmas-y project. Fun times were had by all!



But, have no fear. I cranked out one page for my journal this morning. I've been dying to use my Jenni Bowlin kit since it came on Wednesday. This is the magical creation I came up with.


The prompt (day 11) was about Christmas trees. Most of the other pages I saw focused on the actual finished tree. But, honestly? I think I like our traditions that surround choosing a tree more than the decorating.

We always, always, always cut down our tree. We bundle up and pack in to the truck (with the dog) and head out to find the biggest possible tree for the space we have. I love it!

Important Business (and more Christmas Journal)

IMPORTANT BUSINESS:
I'm officially part of the Scrap-tastic Design team. As if that was not fabulous enough, I'm on the team with some seroiusly talented ladies including Emily!

More IMPORTANT BUSINESS:
You have to check this out: Brandy's Christmas Album. Seriously. When is the last time you saw something so pretty?!?!?

Sorry to bore everyone with more of my Christmas journal pages, but I finished two more tonight. It seems like lately my blog has come to be dominated by my holiday-related scrapping.

Day 9: Holiday traditions
Most of our holiday traditions deal with food. None of them involve any kind of physical activity Guess that explains a few things about my physique. Completely, totally, and entirely scrap-lifted this LO from one in the January/February 2007 Simple Scrapbooks by Gabby Feteke. Her stuff is so darn cute!Day 10: Wrapping Gifts
The directions for this LO suggested I use some of my Christmas wrapping paper. Truth is--I haven't bought any yet! The only wrapping related purchase I've made is the strange pink ribbon included on the page.

Signs of the Season

Christmas Journal--Day 8: Signs of the Season
What sights mean Christmas to you?


Discovered tonight that Peppermint Mocha actually makes a trip to Walmart almost tolerable.

A huge shout out to my scrappy friend, Em. Wonderful things are happening to this seriously talented chic. You deserve it, Em.

Christmas Shopping

Last post for today--I promise.

Finished up my Christmas Journal entry for today. It was all about Christmas shopping.

I normally really love shopping. But, I despise Christmas shopping. I think it's the pressure to buy just the right thing. Plus, so often it seems like I'm buying just to buy not because I'm buying something meaningful. I know I could just buy things all year as they remind me of people. I know I could start early. I know all of these things. I just don't do them and end up at the mall the week before Christmas trying, frantically, to get all the shopping done.

Homeless No More

I know you were all very worried about where I've been putting all of my Christmas Journal pages. Well. . . (drum roll, please!). . . . Ta Da!


One American Crafts 3-ring album (8/5 X 11") covered with Basic Grey. I seriously should have bought stock in that company prior to embarking on this Christmas Journal journey. Have you ever used Tacky adhesive from Scott? It smells seriously funky, but this goop would adhere anything to anything. Really fabulous stuff. Try it for all your adhering needs.

I've also added--for your viewing pleasure--a shot of our Christmas tree. We had to cut about 12" off the top to fit it in our living room.


See those lovely biege curtains in the background? Those ones that top off the cream-colored mini blinds? Hideous combination, aren't they? I've been meaning to replace those since we moved in 18 months ago. Oh. And don't you just love the wooden curtain rods?!?!?

And, if you're thinking, "Oh, yuck. They have a popcorn ceiling!" You'd be correct. We do. Again, not my doing! And I was too afraid of what I might find underneath to scrap it all off. The best part (which you only really notice in person) is that it actually has glitter in it. That's right, dear readers. I have a sparkly ceiling in my living room AND kitchen.

It's so not the Pottery Barn house I dream of.

Also, a close-up, arty shot (out of focus) of the bubble lights that are strung all over our tree. We always had these as a kid on our tree. When I had my first grown-up tree I had to have them!

Made Brad prime rib for his big Birthday dinner. It's in the oven. Also made birthday cupcakes! Little minty, chocolately creations.

Still need to finish my Christmas journal page for today. Still need to finish the laundry. Still need to write birthday thank-yous. It's going to be a long night.

Another Journal Entry

This prompt made me think about all the Christmases gone bad.

• There's the one where I was puking my guts out.
• There's the one where my family was in the car and my sister was puking her guts out (into my dad's boots!).
• There's the one where my brother went to Space Camp and the rest of us spent a week on Alabama. NOT A FUN PLACE TO VISIT.
• There's the one where we had Christmas at my Grandma's nursing home.

Totally stole this rockin' LO right from Elsie Flannigan's book. It was just so darn cute; I had to take it. I've never threaded ribbon through paper like that, and I've never sewed on my own buttons. Very fun!