Here comes 2012

Its New Years Eve and the last day of December. I finished my digital calendar for the year and have already made it into an inkubook and its being printed and shipped to me as we "speak".

Here's December:





























I enjoyed doing Christmas things this month, but short of that December has been a blistery, craptastic month. Glad for this to be the final day of 2011. No big plans for tonight. We have two small ones, and that's fine. I have went and rejoined WW again yesterday. They have the no enrollment fee going again. I'll take it. I have to get back to fighting weight and do the races I want to this year. I'd also really like to be in good shape come October for my ever allusive (I make too many excuses) Triathlon that I've wanted to do for 2 years now. I've also been eyeballing the Princess Marathon at Disney World that is every February. This year I don't have the time or fitness going to train for that, but I think I will start now.

Some people do these different races to just "finish". I compete with myself. I don't want to be dying finishing. I want to know I finished strong and be proud of the amount of training I put in it. This is my Type A personality of all or nothing. Lately it's been alot of nothing. :/

I made a semi-quick digi page of my resolutions this year. I didn't put too many specifics because I actually want to say I did all these next year, not like last years bomb.
































I'm ready to get moving and go. I'm starting a day early sure, but heck why not. I also got my new project life book stuff yesterday and started preparing it. Yeah! Have a great day. I'm off to the gym soon. *waves* Bye!

See ya 2011

I think I've decided what I'm going to do for the new year arty/crafty wise. I've decided I'm not going to do my digital calendars for 2012. I am honestly just kinda sick of doing them. lol. No other excuse. I am finishing up December and will get the book printed out soon. I just feel like doing something different next year.

I've been looking at Ali Edwards Project life or whatever she's done this year in the Becky Higgins binder/binder protectors. She's been doing things weekly. I kinda like the idea of that. I want to go with something I can just slip things in and have out. I want to be able to write more stories down of what the boys say or do and actually print out more pictures.

This is what I ordered with my remainder money left over from turning in my text books. I got it on Amazon with a few different sets of Becky Higgins photo protector inserts.





















This seems more like where I want to go than with full on scrapbooking page by page or just doing digital. Though I have a feeling I want to make alot of digital elements to go in this book. Something different this coming up year.

Thats the biggest thing I want for 2012, something different than 2011.

2011 has been hard one.

Physically: I've just failed in alot of ways. I don't want to go into specifics, but just I'm ending a year long of me not doing what I wanted to do and feeling just crappy all year long.

Mentally: has been right behind physically. I just feel like 2011 was spent with me being tired and watching alot of freaking tv and not getting a whole lot done.

Financially: ugh.. I have had to spend alot more than I would have liked this year on things I really didn't want to spend money on. I'm hoping 2012 is spending less on craptastic things like dog teeth, car repairs, electrical repairs, vet bills, and human teeth. Lets bring on more fun stuff like a vacation or two, a pretty set of curtains and saving money. Lots of money.

Don't get me wrong. I am still very blessed. I have miniscule problems compared to what a lot of people have to deal with. I'm just saying I hope we all have good 2012 and that in my little world I'd like it to improve. New years have a way of hoping for that. That you can close the door to a bad year and look forward to changes, hopefully good ones.

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2012

Looking like projects:

1. weekly book of photos, words, and inserts
2. jinglebelles challenges every 2 weeks
3. Sketchy Thursdays fun
4. art journal fest fun with Emily Falconbridge (I hope she does this!)
5. work on a new digi kit
6. revamp Etsy and sell stuff again
7. couple new stamp designs in Etsy

I thought about doing my own art journal page thing, but I really don't think I want to. I don't want to start something like that. I'd rather follow along with others this year and maybe get on a designer team possibly this year. If I can start producing more and keep up the blogging again like I have. I am enjoying getting back into all this again.

Oh yes and jinglebelles has changed their banners. Very cute! Hope you all will join in this year with Lauren and Steph. Its so nice to have your Christmas cards done pretty much by mid Nov and no mass producing or worrying over it. :)

Hope you all are having a great Wednesday!

Oh and if you haven't seen this yet you need to go check out My Owl Barn: Owl lover calendar.

Its FREE!!! Yes! a printable cool calendar with owls!! Click on the owlie pic link.

2011 creations review

We're packing up and getting ready to go home. I will happy to have internet that is faster than this. I'm working with slightly over dial up speed here. Good gracious. I'm the most impatient person. lol. Also youtube does not work for crap on slow internet. Really stinky.

I just made two mosaics of projects I did make this year. I didn't have nearly as much as 2010. I will need to work on this for the coming up new year. As you can see most were Christmas cards. haha

Julie Balzer did her fav 2011 scrapbook recap over on her blog. They are amazing if you haven't seen them. Click here.
























































I thought I'd share. Hope everyone is still off work and enjoying it or at least will be off again soon.

I get to put away vacation stuff when I get home and plan on putting away the Christmas decor. I broke my fake Christmas tree this year. I'm really bummed about this. I guess we're getting real next year? lol We'll see. I had a white tree growing up and I kinda want one. (sick I know) What do you do/have?

Resolutions of the prior year

See that Christmas King cake? Yep.. thats right. There has been way too much of this being eaten here. God I love king cake.

Today I figured it'd be a good day to go over last year's resolutions. I was just thinking about what I wanted this 2012 year's to be.

I'm going to make an art journal page like usual. I can't do that till I go home. I didn't bring any art supplies with me on this trip. Not really surprising because I had to pack up a BAJILLION things to go on this trip.





So here they are last years resolutions:

1. Lose 20lbs (haha no comment)
2. Triathlon in October!! (haha again still haven't bought a bike and now huskies can't run because they are officially too old)
3. 29 days of giving (I did this for like a week, then I sent my book to someone else as one of the days)
4. Make cakes in jars (Damn I'm a dork. Why can't I just do this one already!!)
5. Read at least 15 books this year (I did this, but last year I did 20. This year only 15)
6. UPC continue through the whole year. (my Use Practice Create challenge) hahahaha no....
7. Lower amount of online time (I have watched more tv does this count? lol)
8. More Patience (ummm....sure.)
9.Go to 2 art museums (Went to Ringling!!! did not go anywhere else )
10. Organize boys room (YES! I did, though Leo's still needs a few little things done)

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I've been eyeballing lots of digital Christmas kits. I totally will be buying a few of these when I get home. I can't wait. Any new digi kits you guys are liking? Holiday or not. I know you ask why am I still buying Christmas things? Well for the jinglebelles challenges of course! I really loved having all my cards done this year when I went to send them all out. You should join in this year.
The place you can buy each kit is labeled on the preview. Enjoy! Hope you all got lots of goodies you love this holiday season.

Homemade funny

Merry Christmas to you all! I took this picture the other day of June helping me with laundry. The photo quality is a little poor because it was w/ my itouch. Still, I of course decided to make my own lolcat type pic. We're having a blast with family. I am eating like a pig. So far I have indulged in lots of Christmas king cake, shrimp po boy, muffaletta, shrimp ettoufee, and zapps potato chips crawdad flavor. Oh yes.. The New Year will require some serious gym time. I'm okay with that.

I loves you all!! Have a great holiday! I'll be back soon!

When in doubt flock it.

Cardabilities is doing their current sketch I had time to make a quick card. Its NOT a Christmas card! Finally I feel like I'm almost rusty at making any other type of card.





















Here's the card I made.






















Green pp-Cosmo Cricket, BG-flower pp, green solid pp-BG, Cupcake stamp-Joann's, green skull ribbon-Michael's, leafy overlay-We R Memory makers, ivory border strip-Cosmo cricket, white flock, copics, jewels-unknown.

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Today my crazy butt went to the mall. I went early. I got there at like 9:30 am. I figured that most people were at work or hadn't thought of "holiday hours". It wasn't bad at all. I got a little bit of a haul I wanted to show you guys. Thought you might just want to see what I got. Its not alot, but fun stuff.






















At LUSH I got 3 soaps. They are sitting in front of the bag. Thats Ice Blue Soap, peppermint soap, and Porridge soap. I got the peppermint and blue soap for Leo. He's obessed with soaps. He wraps them up in a wash rag and gives me them as "birthday presents" when he bathes. Cracks me up.

The porridge soap I bought for myself. I really liked its smell.

The other item I got at Sephora. The Philosophy gift set was on sale for 15 bucks. Its a small bottle of toasted marshmellow bodysoap, lotion and lip gloss. So cute right? It smells divine.

Tomorrow is park day with my friend and I hope to work some more on my art journal and maybe this week's Sketchy Thursday sketch. Its so cute!

Oh yes! Last not least I thought I'd share a picture of one of the iguana's I'm sitting/checking on this week. Isn't he cute/fierce looking? heh. Thanks for stopping by!

December Daze...art journaling mania coming 2012

I did it. I made a decision as soon as I saw this smack book at Michael's the other day. Yep. I bought this K & Company smash book originally 12 dollars. (I got it 50% off w/ coupon) I will be doing a new year of 2012 art journal prompts. I'm still working out the kinks of how I want to do it. If I want to do a word based one again like heart the arts 2 or something a little bit different.

Here's what it looked like when I bought it.





























It came with a pen that has a black tipped pen on one side and on the other end is a glue stick. Cool right?

It comes filled with random papers and a few little drawings on the papers inside it. I just plan on using them as base papers and working up in layers from them. They are pretty thick nice papers.















Here's what I decorated it like. Its all ready for me to start art journaling in it!





























Memory makers- white flower, collage scalloped border papers, clear flower frame, and white label base; BG- Scallop chipboard base, small chipboard pink flower above the H in SMASH; Thickers-2012 numbers; unknown-stamped embossed shell stamp;

Nail polish- My new current holiday fav- Butter London- color "The Full Monty".

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A couple bullets about my current goings on:

* I'm totally slacking on Dec digi calendar need to get going
* I got A's in both my classes. Suck it Elder Law. So glad thats over with.
*Only taking a painting class next semester. More paintings! Yeah!
*I NEED a cosmetic bag for my trip I'm taking soon. What should I get???


Thanks for stopping by ya'll!
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Holy crud we're officially on holiday break! Need Gingerbread houses asap!

Been busy around these parts. Leo go to go see Santa at a breakfast w/ Santa at his school. I am currently iguana sitting for my friend for a few days. This just entails me going and checking on them once a day. They are huge. They are both about 5 ft in length. Luckily I worked in the pet industry for many years and I don't mind reptiles even huge ones at all. I even like snakes.

After checking on the iggies, I plan on braving Target today. I'm a nut. I've lost my mind. Leo wants some candy canes and peppermint smelling soap. haha Thats what we're also on the hunt for today. After that I'm going to take him to the park.

I have been wanting to find a new organizational tool app. I found one I love called Cozi, but I only have a itouch not an iphone. It has to connect online to work. Bah! My phone only has Evernote. Evernote blows. Just sayin'.

What do you all use? Are you just good ole' paper and pen list makers/planners or do you use a program?

Got my Christmas cards out yesterday. Received my Big Shot the other day in the mail. I have no big dies for it yet. Might swing by Joann's today too? I'm so nuts.

I have also been working feverishly on making a heritage book on inkubook.com for both sides of the family. I want to be able to print out the books and have all the info in them. Then if a family member wants the info they can just print out the book I made. Yeah.. cool..

I hope to share that a little too once they are done. Love you all. Soon more crafty goodness. Hopefully tomorrow!

My Elder law teacher has still not posted grades. I'm stalking my school website as you read this. Driving me nuts!

I saw that Shopping our stash site had a new challenge up that is to use krafty paper or make a tag or whatnot. Lately I've been kinda feeling the whole tag thing. I made a tag and then made it into another Christmas card. I really don't want to make anymore Christmas cards. I can't seem to stop myself. WTH? I still am procrastinating actually writing out my Christmas cards and sending them even though they are sitting there ready. I even purchased matching Christmas stamps to put on the envelopes weeks ago... so sad.

Here's the card I made for the newest Shopping our stash challenge!






























The house sticker and snowflake sticker-cosmo cricket, punch snowflakes- Martha stewart, pp-BG, red sparkly tinsel-have no idea, brads-joanns, kraft paper-Tim Holtz (base house is on), blue and wht ribbon- Michaels, metal chain- Tim Holtz, Let it snow sticker-SRM sticker, and card base-bazzill.

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Today I had an electrician come out and fix a handful of things I needed done in my house. The big thing I got was a light in my pantry. You do not know how happy this makes me. I'm like a nut about my pantry. I have very little kitchen space. I just bought 4 spice racks to smoosh all our spices in our pantry now too. Its so awesome. Does it look all fancy smancy pretty like stuff on Pinterest. Nah.. not really, but it is organized and is packed full. I use the space I have dang it! I think thats the biggest solution to having a small space or a place you are stuck in and have kinda outgrown. Thats our problem. This house was fine with only one child. We had more than enough room. We've just outgrown in with having another child and just accumulating stuff over the years.

Well I am off to watch a CSI episode online. Today I have to give out teacher gifts to some of Leo's teachers. I had so many this year. I got his 3 speech teachers and one of the office ladies each one of these Godiva peppermint crunch bars and a 5 dollar Starbucks gift card each in an envelope with a pretty Christmas card made by me. Chocolate and Coffee gift cards.




















I don't think any teacher would begrudge that gift. Am I right?
Hope you all are having a great holiday season.

Oh! I wanted to know. Where do you all get your gingerbread houses to make from? I'd really like one that has premade frosting in it. I hate having to mix the frosting myself. Any good kits out there?

I still haven't done my Christmas cards, blogging instead

I actually did it. Yep thats right. I redid my blog look. It isn't drastic or anything, but still. New banner, fixed it up here and there. I like it. I'm glad I did it. It makes it feel revamped in a way. I also got some more digital magic worked on around here. I wanted to do the sketch this week over at Sketchy Thursdays. I'm horribly behind in my scrapbooking. I think my kids are going to be like where is 2011, Mom? What happened? haha No they won't really. But I might.

Here's this week's sketch:



















Here is the layout I made. I really wanted to use these pictures. I love them so.

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I have to tell you about my newest purchase. I finally broke down. I resold my school books back to Amazon and had a credit. So I finally got a Big Shot Sizzix and its on its way. Can you believe I don't have any type of paper cutter die cut thing. I have a little mini Sizzix, but thats it. None of the other circuits or whatnot. Nothing.

I have been in love with Tim Holtz's dies for the big shot for awhile now. I want one dang it. Thats it. Its on its way. I found it for 60 bucks, free shipping on Amazon brand new. Not too shabby.
Hope you are all doing well! Thanks for looking.

Happy Bday to me belated December pressies

Online we all know that sometimes you make friends on here that you are in some ways closer to than some of the people in real life. The internet allows you the chance to find people that you have lots in common with. I've made so many friends on this blog that I don't think I'd ever be able to completely quit blogging. I feel bad that lately I haven't kept in touch as well as I used to, but I do love you all dearly.

Lauren is one who we are constantly chit chatting. She missed my bday in October, but still decided to send me out some goodies this last week. How sweet right?

She sent me some wonderful vintage readers and a cute as heck pug book with little pug pictures and their comicial sayings. Too adorable!! She sent this awesome Frida card along with it. I love it. Can you believe the very cool beadwork she did on that card!! Its amazing. I love it. Her blog has much cooler pics of it than I took. I need to take better photos. Sorry for the lameness. Thank you Lauren!!




















Leo's 4th birthday party was this past weekend. It was a blast. We had it at Chuck E Cheese. It was a mad house. His birthday is actually at the end of November, but it always lands on Thanksgiving weekend. Most people are doing family stuff then so we put off his party by a few weeks. I made this party favor box with some craft sets for kids in them from Target's dollar area and a lolly pop taped on them. Cute, fun cheap party favors. I had them set up on the table at Chuck E Cheese so the kids could take one before they left.




















Tomorrow is Breakfast w/ Santa at Leo's school and then later this week, Logan will be singing Christmas songs with a choir. Busy week. I'll be back though soon. I think I found the book I'm going to use for my art journal this coming up new year!

Thanks for stopping by!

Tim Holtz Day 1 and 2

I love when December starts. For the last two years I've tried to play along with Tim Holtz's Christmas tags.

Here's where I am so far. Day one and Day two of Tim Holtz's tags that I redid in my own way. I still don't have nearly enough Tim Holtz products it seems. I love his stuff. Click on links above to see his Day one and Day two if you haven't yet. They are bolded links.





















I am done with classes finally this year. They still have not posted grades which is annoying. I am pretty sure I got A's in both classes. I better have! *shakes fist* I think I am taking off next semester. I am probably just going to take my Saturday morning painting class. I really want to paint again. I need to take finished pictures of my octopus painting. Its lovely. Other than that I haven't gotten a clear idea of what I want my next piece to me. I kind of want something a bit more meaningful for the next piece. Something that speaks to me.

I've also been kicking around the idea of doing another year long project like Heart the arts. I just don't know. What I'd really like to do is start a card blog with either my own sketches or something different about it. I do plan also on redoing my blog as soon as possible. The new year will start with a new look.

My Etsy shop is temporarily closed. I am not carving anymore at the moment and the carving blocks have seemed to be discontinued. Well the size I prefer is. All my designs are made really for the 2 1/2 x 5 inch block size. I like them at that size. I might go a new way with my Etsy store. I might start making Youtube tutorials on stuff to make. I really would like to get back into what I love to do. I've missed it terribly. I've just felt so uninspired. What a really need is a good card blog other than jinglebelles. I love myself jinglebelles, but I feel like getting away from Christmas cards. What site do you all like? Give me some new ideas since I haven't been really looking.

Lastly everyone that is on Pinterest come find me. I love that site and would love to find more of you on there.

Thanks for looking!

November Digi Calendar

Can you believe November is already over? What the heck? That was fast. I loved this month. Even though it included me having a mini car accident that cost alot of money, it was a good month. My car is fixed and its seriously like having a brand new car. I love it still. My car is so pretty. :) Ps. I hadn't had a fender bender since I was like 20 years old so it was really shocking for me to deal with all that after all this time.

Today is the first day of December. Now I know most of you are like "Yeah!!" for different reasons. Part of my reason is Tim Holtz starts his yearly Xmas tag days!! I love those. Today was beautiful. Unfortunately I do not have 89% of what is needed on this one to even try to recreate, but I might try to wing something tomorrow. hehe

Also now that is officially December its time to start thinking about sending out my Christmas cards, filling them out and addressing them. I've already bought two books of Christmas ornament stamps from the post office. Yes I'm like that. I want my stamps to match. ha!

Hope everyone is starting out December greatly. :)