I can't lie

2014 has been a rough year.  It seems like I say that every year, but this year for sure.  The last of our retirement savings went into the business to start domestic manufacturing of doors.  Glen had a heart attack during the Ice Storm of 2014 in January.  The closing of aforementioned company leading to Glen's new job search and subsequent move to Florida.  Megan's engagement in April and subsequent wedding in October.  Packing and leaving home (and children) in Alabama and unpacking to new home in Florida in October.  Saying goodbye to family and friends.  Sure, there were good things in 2014, but they were highly overshadowed by the bad.  Regrets?  Yes, I have them.  It makes me sad to see our children struggling both financially and emotionally, and our financial problems will spill over into 2015 and beyond.  There will be more challenges for me in 2015.  I will cross that bridge when I get to it.   For the few that actually still read this blog, none of this is new to you.  Thank you for your friendship!  For those that stumble upon and think "how depressing," my motto in the words of Jimmy Buffett remain firm... Breathe in, breathe out, move on. 

The one constant that will remain is my monthly calendars.  I have done them for years, and will continue doing them.  Here is my January calendar to kick off 2015.  They are much less marked on since the children aren't here to "help" me fill them up. 

 

 

Wishing you all a very happy new year filled with many blessings and much happiness.  

 

Zooming into November

Oh.my.gosh.  October has been a blur.  Let me see if I can put it in a nutshell for you...

1.  Packed home in Alabama and unpacked new home in Florida.
2.  Drove back to Alabama for daughters wedding.
3.  Baby shower for daughter in law in Alabama.
4.  I'm not even sure what else, but I've been busy.  LOL 

Since we went from a 7 bedroom to a 2 bedroom, I didn't bring a lot of our things.  But!  I told the movers EVERYTHING in the scrap room goes.  So, they packed a total of 62 boxes, 42 of which were from my scrap room.  If you don't think they were cussing me out...  LOL  Here is a photo of my Alabama scrap room being packed.

And this is my new scrap space.

Hopefully, November will be full of crafting time, just in time for the Kitchen's Holiday Pinterest Party!  It starts November 1st and goes through Christmas Eve, so there is plenty of time to get some gifts, cards and recipes made.  OH, also, there's a big box of scrappy stuff that will go to the crafter who completes the most projects!  Fun, right? 

See you in the Kitchen! 

Almost October!

My new calendar challenge in the Kitchen is to use 10 different items since October is the 10th month.  Here is my October calendar, all tidy for now!

In other news, I have been busier than hops with moving and the impending wedding.  If I make it through alive, I will be back at the end of October with a lengthy update and photos.  :)

Happy August!

So?  Whatcha think?  A little easier on the eyes?  :-)

The Kitchen Keepsake Summer Fun Blog Hop is over and winners have been chosen.  Be sure to check each blog to see if you won goodies! 

It's new challenge day on the forum and as usual, the team has knocked them out of the park!  The stash challenge is a real challenge, cardstock and stickers ONLY.  I used photos of my girls trying on my wedding dress from 27 years ago. 

 

 

My dress didn't fit any of them, so I'll be cutting it into pieces for each of them.  My oldest daughter is getting married October 18th, so I'm not sure what she'll do with her piece.  A veil maybe?  As she points out often, it's all about HER, so I'm sure she'll let me know.  {rolling eyes}

 

Stay tuned and happy scrapping! 

 

 



 

 

Summer Fun in the Kitchen Blog Hop!

Hoo, hoo (me blowing off the dust)   I can't believe it's been over a year since I've updated my blog.  Life comes at you fast!  I will update you in a later post (promise!), but you're probably more interested in hopping!


Welcome to the first Kitchen Keepsake Blog Hop!  I am your first stop!
We are super excited to share some wonderful inspiration with you. Be sure to grab your favorite drink and enjoy the hop.

Here is the complete list of talented design team members...

Suzanne-http://oscrappyday.blogspot.com  (YOU ARE HERE!)
Carmen-http://kalahenscrapjoy.blogspot.com
Janet-http://stellaruby.typepad.com/creating_from_the_shores/
Kelly-http://kelzscraps.blogspot.com
Shelly-http://reelgirlsanimalhouse.blogspot.com
Phillis-http://justfindtimetoscrap.blogspot.com/
Colleen-http://scrappingranny-colleen.blogspot.com
Kitchen Keepsake-http://kitchenkeepsake.com (forum)

Some blogs will have a random give away so please leave a comment on each blog. 

For my faithful readers, you know that I have done calendar pages for years.  They help keep my crazy busy schedule straight!  Now we have calendar challenges in the Kitchen, on the 15th of each month.  July's challenge is to make an August calendar using some bright summery colors.  Here is my August calendar.  It's all clean and shiny right now, but by the end of August, not so much.  LOL

Some of our forum members use their calendars for menu planning.  Some for events and appointments.  Do you use "paper" calendars, or have you gone all techy and use your smart phones? 

You will have until July 31, 2014 at 12:00 midnight Eastern time to join us at the final destination, the Kitchen!  If you've already signed up there, you will notice that we've moved from Free Forums.  That means no yucky banner ads, just lots of inspiration and fun. 

But don't wait until the end of the month to join the forum or you will miss out on trying to catch the thief!  This is a fun game where members steal the prizes they want until time is called.  The last one with each prize is the winner.  Three small RAKs are up for grabs, maybe YOU will be the thief!  Here's where the fun is!  THIEF!

The winners will be posted on the blogs offering a give away so please check back on August 1st.

Also, see the Facebook button over there?  ---------->  Please like our page for news and inspiration in your newsfeed. 

Thank you all for joining us today and we hope you enjoy todays hop. Your next stop is Carmen, enjoy! 

Happy scrapping! 

Lots of news!

I've just gotten back from a trip to Florida to help celebrate my Gram's 100th birthday.  While there, I also got to see my brother, who I haven't seen for 21 years, and my sister, who I haven't seen for 24 years.  Dyfunctionality at it's finest (apparently, dysfunctionality isn't a word, but you get my gist, right?)  Anyway, it was great to see them and a good time was had by all.  Can  you pic my Gram out from all these fantastic looking chics?  LOL

 

 

 

Exciting news!!!  Kitchen Keepsake is hosting a challenge to benefit the victims of the Oklahoma tornados on June 15th. 

 

There will be tons of fun challenges by tons of special guests including Becky Fleck.  Come get your scrap on while benefiting a great cause.  Just go to the Cheeky Chics blog and click on the Oklahoma Tornado fund donation box.  That will get you an invite to the crop forum.  Come and join me in the fun!

Also, all of the new challenges are up on Kitchen Keepsake.  Carmen's challenge this month is all about summer fun.  I had to do a layout of my beautiful Gram, using a watermelon banner.  Who doesn't love watermelon in the summer?

That's it for me for now.  I'll be back soon with more creations from the new challenges coming up in the Kitchen and from the Oklahoma fundraiser crop. 
 

 

Quick Elliott update

Elliott got his wings this morning.  He is whole and pain free.  Thank you all for your well wishes and prayers, they are appreciated. 

Thank you!

All of your well wishes and prayers are being heard!  Elliott is now 72 hours and still hanging in there!  His chances of survival have increased from 20% to 50% and increase with each passing day.  Layouts coming soon.  :-)

Speaking of layouts, I have not had much time to scrap, but I did manage to complete this sketch for Artful Delight, using goodies courtesy of Amy and Jen, pictured.  Photo placement was no accident to show the words you see.  LOL  Thanks again girls, it was such a nice surprise getting happy mail!
 

Thanks for dropping by, happy scrapping! 

Introducing baby Elliott

Our grandson came way too early, 23 weeks.  You can see how tiny he is comparing his size to the doctors hand.  His prognosis is not good, he coded immediately upon birth, but he's got some of my DNA, therefore, he's got some piss and vinegar in him, so he's hanging in there almost 24 hours later.

The medical staff has been amazing!  Watching them work on Elliott and performing huge miracles on this 1 pound, 12 ounce little miracle is humbling.  Elliott's little feet have left huge footprints on our hearts already! 

Happy May!

As usual, I used Janet's stash challenge for my calendar, April showers bring May flowers.  It was tricky getting those tiny flowers to stay put under that mason jar, but there you go, LOTS of flowers!

Peyton has had her twirling recital already, one of my favorite things to scrap.  It's a good thing too, because I have a bazillion photos!  LOL  Here are a couple that I've done using challenges in the Kitchen.

Thanks for stopping by, and I promise, I will post more creations before June 1st.  LOL  Happy scrapping! 

Happy April!

Once again, I used Janet's "April Showers" stash challenge to complete my calendar. 

This layout is inspired by our April Featured Chef, Pam, in the Kitchen.  I also used the sketch from Artful Delight.  I was amused with my paper pieced crab.  LOL 

All of the new challenges are up in the Kitchen, and there are some really great ones.  Come play with us! 

Until next time, happy scrapping! 

Last One In is SMART!

For those of you who've been reading me for awhile, you know that I love to use humor on my pages.  It helps me keep my sanity with four children!  LOL

Each year, we have a "First One in the Pool" contest.  Peyton has won it for the last several years, but Ethan, being not entirely bright, decided HE would be the first one in the pool in 2013.  So, he sneaks off to borrow one of Glen's swimsuits and made a mad dash out the bedroom door and into the pool.  Of course, the water temp was in the 50's so he jump right out, gloating about his bragging rights.  EXCEPT he forgot one of the rules, I have to get a photo of the event to scrap before he could claim the title, so he begrudgingly slid back in to the pool. 

I'll bet he isn't so quick next year to be the "First One in the Pool!" 

I'll be back soon with the April calendar.  APRIL!!!  Can you believe it!

Happy Easter!

Don't faint, but it's me again!

And I'm here to share my most recent layout in the Kitchen.  Phillis is our Featured Chef this month and she challenged us to make a "recipe" layout using various items.  I was thrilled with this accordian heart that I found on Jayne's blog, isn't it the coolest thing EVER! 

 

 

I actually made Janet's recipe for Kale Chips and I have to say, I didn't think my kids would like them, but everyone LOVED them!  Thanks for the recipe Janet! 

Happy almost March!

Uhhh, yeah... February just zoomed by.  That's my excuse... 

We found the perfect Chefs for the Kitchen, Shelly and Carmen.  They are awesomely talented designers and we are thrilled to have them! 

Shelly posted some culinary Muse.  Who thinks of this stuff?  Shelly, THAT'S who!  She challenged us to print a photo using the "washout" function in MS Word.  Really!  I never, ever would have known about that function, but here is what I came up with.

Seriously cool, thanks for the tutorial Shelly!

And I know it's not March, but since I've been such a bad blogger, I'll share with you my March calendar a day early.  LOL  I used Janet's Kitchen Sink Stash challenge, but it's not posted until tomorrow, so shhhh... don't tell her I sneaked it up here. 

 

 

Tomorrow is new challenge day at Kitchen Keepsake, so come on over and say hi!

Happy New Year!

2013, wow!  Last year just zipped by!  I don't generally make resolutions because they fly right out the window right away, but this year I'm going to try something different.  Pay it forward, doing good deeds for totally unsuspecting people.  I love surprising people and it makes me feel good to do a good deed.  This means I'm going to have to be paying attention.  We'll see how this goes for me.  LOL

Kitchen Keepsake's DT call is still open, we'd love for you to come over and share your talent!  Janet posted her monthly Kitchen Sink Stash Challenge today, which is what I used to create the above calendar.  The title "January" was made using really OLD stickers, so old that they weren't sticky so I had to glue them on.  LOL

Thanks for reading, have a great month!

The Kitchen needs Chefs!

Hello friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with your loved ones!

  A new year means change, and the winds of change are blowing at Kitchen Keepsake!

Do you have a knack for creating in and out of the Kitchen? We'd LOVE to have you pull up a seat at the Kitchen Keepsake table and join in the fun! There are monthly sketches, stash challenges and inspiration prompts in addition to our foodie challenges. Specifically, we are looking for one cookbooker and at least one other Chef for non food related challenges. Submission details are on the forum, I hope you'll come check it out!

I will be back soon with my January calendar, made using the January stash challenge being posted on New Years Day.  See ya then!

Happy December!

Yes, I'm still doing monthly calendars. At the end of each year, I reflect on whether I still need to make them, and I always decide I would be lost without them!

This layout was completed using the stash challenge in the Kitchen. Can you guess what the challenge is by looking at this layout? Or, you could cheat and just look on the forum. LOL Wishing you and your families a very safe and happy holiday season!

Hellooooo... is anyone still reading? It's been so long since I blogged, I forgot how to log in. Blogger has changed so much. The impetus? Thanksgiving, I spent a good deal of time reflecting on the important things in my life, and of course, my family and friends were front and center. Old friends and new friends alike, I'm thankful for all of you! I'm going to poke around and see if I can figure out how to do this.

Happy May!

Not only have I been a bad blogger, I've been a bad scrapper. Many of you may have heard about the devastating tornadoes that hit Alabama, and although my immediate family came out unscathed, it has affected many of my friends and family, including my grandbaby and his mom, who live in Tuscaloosa. They are fine, but their belongings are largely gone, as are business and roads and power is not expected to be restored for several weeks.

So, if you've wondered why I haven't been to visit all of your blogs, that is why. Hoping my life will return to some amount of normalcy after next weekends recital.

My shares with you are weather related, if you haven't already seen them on my Facebook. Here was the forecast from weather.com the morning of. The white "greatest risk" area? The forecast was EERILY ACCURATE.



And here is what it looked like over my house, not awful in comparison to the devastation west, north and east of us. :-( It's a miracle we were spared.




Here's hoping for a much calmer May. Scrappy hugs to all of you, thanks for checking in on me. :-)

It's the 15th!

You know what that means! Well, besides being tax day... LOL It's new challenge day in the kitchen! And speaking of the kitchen, exciting news!




Kitchen Keepsake is cookbooking at its finest! Come and find your creative culinary muse!

The designers have cooked up some fun challenges, games, and prizes!

All challenges will be posted on Friday, April 29th and will be due on May 4th.

We hope you'll join us in the kitchen and get those creative juices flowing!

www.kitchenkeepsake.com

Whew, I thought I was broken for awhile there. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't create anything. Photos didn't inspire me. I tried sketches, lifting, even my old standby of trying a new technique didn't work. But then voila! Not sure exactly what happened, but the stars aligned or something and I seem to have gotten it back! WaHOOOO!!!

Laura challenged us to create a funny food foible in honor of April Fools Day. That reminded me of this layout I did several years ago in my Creative Memories Days, thus the corner triangles. LOL



I updated it using Little Yellow Bicycle. I recycled a tag that one of my girls had from a new shirt, it says POOF, which I thought was perfect for this story. :-D



For this one, I tried making my own zipper flower. I dunno, I'm not wild about it, but neither did I want to pitch it. Shrug. The photos aren't great either, they were taken with my iPhone. The story is sweet though. :-)



Thanks for visiting! Hopefully, I'll have more to show you soon. At the very least, I'm amused with my May calendar, which is coming up in a couple of weeks. YIKES! May already! Hope to see you in the kitchen! :-)