{another day}

I am gonna get right down to business...

I got this RAK today in the mail from Pinky, I won it for commenting on her blog when she got published!

Coincidentally, it is also my Project 365 photo for today, 1-3!

Back to my 2008 in Review. I have too many pics to share, so this is only 2 months...
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MAY

I got a new scrap area, inspired by my new file cabinets, that cost $5.50 each! Hubby even decided to help out!

Then Hubby had a birthday, he got lots of NASCAR stuff, especially from my bro! Do you think Cliff liked it??

Then I got fed up with my slobbiness, so I instituted Operation Clean Sweep, and here and here.

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JUNE

June brought the Portland Rose Festival, always a hit for us!

Fireworks Spectacular

The Starlight Parade, with special guest...Kaydrenth

THen the grand-daddy of them all, The Grand Floral Parade, which we camped out overnight on the sidewalk for the late morning parade.

My other brother came to town, so we hit the arcade and batting cages, remember that story?

I got some layouts done this Monday, at our Monday Scrap Night! I didn't design any of these, they were kits from past CKCs that I never got done.

These first 2 were from Fabulous Felt in Seattle 2007

The rest of these were all from Simple Scrapbook's 1,2,3,4x6 class in Portland 2008.

That is all I have for now, there will more tomorrow, as I have more of 2008 to share and a new one from 2009!

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Oh yeah, AMR is having an anniversary weekend crop this coming weekend! I am super excited about it! There will be TONS of challenges, games, classes, and RAKs! I suggest you hop over there, get signed up with the message board, check it out a bit, and plan to be there next Friday night and Saturday! Be there or be square, LOL!!
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(GR users comment here)

Welcome 2009!!!

Ok, so I am a little late with that, but at least I did it, lol!!
I have so much to share, but it will take me a few days to get it all shared with you, as there are just too many photos! . The first thing I want to share is my word for the year...ENDURE. I chose this word based on our current situation and I know we will have to endure a lot this year. I am not sure what my plan is exactly, I suppose it will come to me in time, though it will probably start with an altered project or something.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- en·dure-verb
Middle English, from Anglo-French endurer, from Vulgar Latin *indurare, from Latin, to harden, from in- + durare to harden, endure — more at during
transitive verb 1 : to undergo (as a hardship) especially without giving in : suffer 2 : to regard with acceptance or tolerance intransitive verb 1 : to continue in the same state : last 2 : to remain firm under suffering or misfortune without yielding
Synonyms see bear, continue
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Next on my list is I am doing a 365 photo thing. I know others are doing it, and I just liked the idea. I am not doing any organized challenge or group, just sort of doing my own. I think I will call it 365 in 2009 original, I know! I have already started it...

OK, edited to say Project 365, just like everyone else, lol!
1/1
I finished this book!! I am so hooked and obsessed now! But unlike others-you both know who you are-I refuse to let it take over my life. Cliff is already feeling jealous, and my blogging/scrapping is behind, LOL! I even used the tickets I got for my bday and saw the movie!

1/2
I cleaned up my scrapspace, and hope to keep it like this all year!

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Next on my list...Scrappy Girl shared a review of 2008 and I loved it so much, I wanted to do the same. The problem is, there are so many photos, and I want to share them all. It is going to take a few days to share it all! I will do 3-4 months at a time, I hope you don't mind.

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JANUARY

There wasn't a lot to share, we lost our internet, Mom was in ICU, and that is pretty much it.

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FEBRUARY
Cropped with some gals from CKMB!

I started my Stickles collection.
At CKC Portland, I finished my Stickles collection! .
MARCH
Went to Rockaway Beach to visit BFF Marla and her hubby. Just a few random shots.

I joined AMR.

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APRIL

Toby turned 5, he is growing up so fast!

New Kids On The Block got back together, officially!

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Thanks for tuning in, check back tomorrow for May-Aug and even some layouts!
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(GR users comment here)

What's New With Me!

I hope you all had a good Christmas, I know I did! We even still had some snow on the ground, which is all gone now. I am sort of glad it is over, but not because I was so busy, but because of the stress level. There are so many expectations at Christmas time, and luckily some things came through at the last minute that allowed us to have a Christmas, Thank you God! I will be sad to see it all go-I do love Christmas time. I am missing the 24-7 Christmas music on K103, I miss the anticipation and overall feeling of the holiday, and I will welcome it with open arms next year!

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This is my layout for Sketch 123, this week's sketch at Scrapbook Challenges. I got this Pink Paislee Vintage Moon and some Sweet Cakes for a RAK earned in October on AMR a couple weeks ago, and forgot to share it, but I did get it! I was so excited to get this specific paper, since I wanted it badly when it was out, but I was so broke, lol! ANYWAY, I used the Pink Paislee Vintage Moon pp, MM Passport chipboard letters, Stampin' Up Season Of Friendship stamps, K&Co Blue Awning journaling sheet, and some ribbon (unknown, but I think the orange ribbon is SEI). Please don't look at my photo in the layout...let's just say, after I saw these photos, I went out and bought a new bra, lol!

I got the last 4 Christmas cards from the AMR swap!  I really enjoyed this, I am hoping people will want to do this for each holiday, the next one being Valentine's Day!

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This is from Gaybow, aka Gay (AMR Swap)

Crop-a-Holic, aka Nicole (AMR Swap)

jfrank, aka Jamie (AMR Swap)

grammy-b, aka Brenda (AMR Swap)

I wish I had more to share, but there just isn't.  With the Christmas holiday, too many library DVD rentals, and lack of challenges, there just wasn't a lot to do, lol!  I am sure after the new year, there will be tons to share!

If I don't talk to you before then, Happy New Year!

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(GR users comment here)

Monday, Monday

I think I am back to my old ways, finally! I have felt like such a failure the last couple months with hardly any posting or layouts. I am loving being back! I realize now that I was totally burned out on challenges, doing them for the wrong reasons, thinking I HAD to do them all, getting discouraged when my layout didn't make the cut or wasn't chosen, etc. I am picking and choosing which ones I want to do now, and doing it for fun again. It was really starting to feel like a chore!! It took me a couple months, but I am back to enjoying scrappin' again!
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Nothing much has changed. Since I have been on my diabetes meds, my weight loss has plateaued, of course I am not dieting or exercising anymore. At least I am not gaining!! I am still a non-smoker! Today is actually my 2-month anniversary of not smoking! It feels so good!! The job hunt continues. We kinda quit looking a few weeks ago, due to no one was hiring for the season anymore. We will start up again after Christmas, and after the weather will cooperate! It is tight around here, but we are making it just fine!
The weather is still keeping us indoors. On top of the 7 inches we got the other day, and the 1/4 inch of ice, we got six more inches last night!!! I HAD to go trompin' around in it...with my Dad's boots though!! I am LOVING IT!!!! Check out these pictures!!

Let's get down to business though shall we???
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Since it is Monday, I will start with Scrapbook Challenges! Did I ever tell you I was offered the opportunity to stay on another term? I can't remember if I did, but I am very excited!! This week was my turn to offer a challenge! Being that it is only 3 days till Christmas, I felt I should do a Christmas related challenge. I am calling it "O' Christmas Tree" (original, I know, lol).
I used Bazzill cs, BG Figgy Pudding, the "O" and the star are also Figgy Pudding, the other green letters are Scenic Route, flower is Prima, berry brads are MM, buttons and rhinestones are misc, and I used Burgundy and Stardust Stickles.

This week's sketch, Sketch 122.
I don't get a change to put all the kids on one layout, so this sketch was perfect for me, lol! I used Bazzill cs, October Afternoon pp, Technique Tuesday journal stamp, BG chipboard letters covered in Yellow Stickles, MM grommet and misc buttons.

The other challenge for this week is Merry & Bright. From what I can tell, the challenge is to do anything, as long as you use colors that are merry and bright. I decided to use tigardlilly's Sizzix 3-D Star die and make a star banner. I used BG Figgy Pudding, buttons, rhinestones, dyed skittles, a brad, and some jute twine.

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Now for some regular challenges I have been working on!
This one is for Cuttlebug Challenges, make a criss cross card. This was amazingly simple to make! The tutorial is here. I used Stampin' Up cs-Kiwi Kiss, We Are Memory Keepers pp, D'vine Swirls embossing folder then sanded over the embossing, Cuttlekids Fairy Alphabet for the butterflies and asterisks, Inkadinkado stamp, and Lime Green and Stardust Stickles.

This is for The Story Matters, what do you believe in?
I used BG Wassail pp/stickers/letters, Sakura Glaze pen, American Crafts ribbon, and hand drew/cut the star which I covered in Diamond Glaze.

Hero Arts teamed up with Basic Grey this week for a sketch week. I did a layout and a card, I couldn't help myself! I didn't have any HA stamps, so I borrowed tigardlilly's (I do that a lot, lol)!
This first one is the layout. I used all Basic Grey pp, HA Adventure Journal stamp, Jenni Bowlin rubon letters, American Crafts Thickers, misc chipboard which I painted/Diamond Glazed/glittered, BG ribbon, and misc square brads. The sketch I used is from Wednesday.

The layout...

This is the card I made for the same contest. I used Bazzill cs, BG Blush pp, HA Birthday Design Block stamp, Clear Cupcakes Sparkle stamp, Target Dollar Spot ric rac ribbon, Sakura Glaze pens, and Baby Blue Stickles. The sketch I used is also from Wednesday.

The card...

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I got another card today from...
retirednrse, aka Jo (AMR)

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That is all for now! It looks like it may be a slow week for challenges, which just means I will have more time to scrap just for myself! As I said before, I am so glad to be back!
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(GR users comment here)