Chocolate Mousie

A new company: Sendoutcards

2012-02-02T17:51:00.000-08:00

https://www.sendoutcards.com/

Shelby of Embellish It! and her husband Steve have started up a new company where you can go online, make a card, and have it mailed, all for around $1.00. I'm going to trying out the sit as she sent a card to me for attending the Play All Day event in New Jersey and the card was a nice quality.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

2012-01-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

Don't ever forget it so it never happens again.

http://www.ushmm.org/museum/exhibit/focus/ihrd/comment_post.php

In 2005 the UN General Assembly designated January 27—the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau—as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this annual day of commemoration, every member state of the UN has an obligation to honor the victims of the Nazi era and to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.

This year’s theme is Children and the Holocaust. Watch or read Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks on the 1.5 million Jewish children and the tens of thousands of other youths who died during the Holocaust.

Friday Five with no photos

2012-01-27T13:49:00.000-08:00

1. Yesterday my baby turned 6. It seems like only yesterday I was finding out I was pregnant with her. Sunday we had a little birthday get together at hubby's sister's house where she had a giant cookie as her cake and she received presents and had a good time with family.

2. Early this morning she lost her first baby tooth. I'm going to leave a letter for the Tooth Fairy tonight asking her to leave the tooth for me to scrap. Bink made me sad when she said she was sad that Pop-Pop wasn't here to see her lose her first tooth.

3. Worked out this morning and it was a kick butt class. I love the instructors and classes at the gym that I go to. They motivate me and keep me from getting out of shape. I eat wayyyy too much for my own good.

4. Bink and I spent the afternoon at my Mom's and had lunch with her and one of my brothers, Kenny. The security system people had come and installed everything. I'm happy about that. Bink picked out a carrot cake for her birthday cake for today. Mom gave her some presents too. It was a nice afternoon with her.

5. I'm hoping tonight will be a good night. After dinner and dishes, Bink and I will play with the crayon maker that she got for her birthday from Daddy and I. She's a good kid, even if she has her moments like any other child. I'm beyond lucky to have her in my life. She makes the world a brighter place for me.

Play All Day Review

2012-01-22T08:18:00.000-08:00

I attended the Play All Day event hosted by Shelby Dredge. If you haven't signed up for it in your area and were having second thoughts, sign up now. For $79.00 you get a lot for your money. You get a good cropping space, a relaxed atmosphere (we had 100 scrappers), an italian buffet lunch (we had mixed vegetables, soup, caesar salad, garlic bread, chicken breast, lasagna, coffee, tea, and carrot cake), two classes taught by Shelby (we did two really nice double page layouts and a card kit (that could be used for layouts or a journal if you aren't into cards and don't want to follow the class), plus she had on hand for sale a ton of single & double page kits, card kits, and Button Farm class kits! Shelby also did a bunch of giveaways. We also had the bonus of her husband, Steve, being the nicest guy in the world. That man carried peoples bags to their cars for them because of the snow. He and Shelby were gracious hosts, and the people at the crop were a friendly group. Having that much time to crop and all the other extras makes this a must go to event. So head on over to Embellish It and sign up for a Play All Day Event in your area.

http://www.embellishonline.com/playallday

Embellish It - Play All Day!

2012-01-19T18:15:00.000-08:00

Saturday is the big day and I don't give a crap that it's going to snow or not. I've driven in bad weather through the years to play hockey, so what's the big deal now? I just hope I don't arrive late and miss the class that's all. I'll be up extra early Saturday morning to get the snow off the car and head on out to the highway and get there. The drive is normally an hour and a half, so I'll give myself an extra hour to get there. I'd rather be early than late. I'm so looking forward to this. This last time I went away scrappin' was at the CKC in July. That's a long time ago.

Mail in the mail.

2012-01-17T15:13:00.000-08:00

I put four overdue Good Mail Day cards in the mail this moring. One to Canada, one to the UK, and two here in the good 'ol USA. Hopefully they will get there and brighten up someone's day the way their mail did mine.

Mail Art Exchange

2012-01-14T20:04:00.001-08:00

I've finally found some time and the want to be creative mood and have finally begun to do my overdue Mail Art Exchange cards. I have two of them done and in their envelopes and will be checking my list to see who else I need to send one too. I need to send a card to an overseas friend, so doing these cards has motivated me into doing another one too.

January 10th

2012-01-11T06:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was my Mom's 76th birthday. We had a lasagna dinner, cake, and ice cream over at my bother's house for Mom. It was a nice evening, but Dad not being there has left this huge void in our lives. He was a big presence and was loved by all of us, so him not being here to simply say Happy Birthday to my Mom was a big deal. I asked him last night to visit my Mom in her dreams and wish her a Happy Birthday, so hopefully he did. It's been a year since Aunt Ginger (my Dad's sister) died, a year since my Dad broke his hip, and a year since the surgery. Time has gone by so quickly. On the 17th, it will be four months since he left us. It seems like forty years to me. Love and miss you Dad. Happy Birthday Mom...we're all grateful that you're still here to share your birthday with us.

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T05:02:00.001-08:00

Here's hoping 2012 will be way better than 2011. To be blunt, 2011 sucked. My otherhalf's mom died Dec. 28th. Say prayers for her and their family.

Merry Christmas Dad!

2011-12-24T19:41:00.001-08:00

You may be gone, but it doesn't change the fact that I still love you. Miss you more than you can ever know. I wish I could hear your voice and give you a big Christmas hug tomorrow morning. Love you always!

JYC 2011 - Day 24

2011-12-24T19:38:00.003-08:00

Coming soon.

JYC 2011 - Day 23

2011-12-24T19:38:00.001-08:00

As soon as I smell BayBerry candles, I feel like it's officially Christmas. Mom and Dad always lit them on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. That simple scent can send me years back to when I was young and Santa was so magically real. I'd give anything to go back to that time and experience it all over again.

JYC 2011 - Day 22

2011-12-24T19:35:00.001-08:00

I have everything to do. Wrap presents, send e-mails, get Bink's official Santa photo taken, make food, decorate the tree, get the lighted outside tree up. Everything needs to be done and I'll be doing it by myself as always.

Christmas number 6

2011-12-24T16:52:00.000-08:00

This is Bink's sixth Christmas. She was born in January, so she gets that extra year. It's hard to believe that she's almost six. It's also weird thinking of a time when she wasn't here with me. I love my little girl!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-24T15:47:00.001-08:00

Wishing everyone a safe, happy, healthy Christmas. Enjoy your family and loved ones. You never know when they won't be in your life.

JYC 2011 - Day 21

2011-12-21T18:39:00.001-08:00

Today our family celebrated Dad's 79th birthday at his and Mom's home. It's been only three months since he's been gone, but it feels more like thirty years. We had subs from the Roman Pantry. He loved those big subs. All of us miss him more than words could ever say. We love you and miss you Dad. Happy Birthday in Heaven.

JYC 2011 - Day 20

2011-12-21T18:37:00.001-08:00

I didn't do cards this year. I'm not in the mood. I did do a card for close family that I will e-mail to people. I'll also print out some photos of Bink with Santa and e-mail them as well.

JYC 2011 - Day 19

2011-12-19T17:45:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa,

I don't really want anything for myself. Material things are easy to come by if I work for them. I just want my daughter to be happy with the things she gets, but most importantly, I want her to know that Christmas isn't all about you. I know that may sting you a little, but I really am so over the commercial aspect of the season. Christmas is about family. It's about giving of yourself and helping others. More importantly, it's about the birth of Jesus.

So Santa, you can bring Bink some gifts and I'll make sure she gets the best gift of all. The knowledge of what Christmas is really all about.

Sincerely,

Denise aka Bink's mom

JYC 2011 - Day 18

2011-12-19T17:40:00.001-08:00

My favorite Christmas treats always involve chocolate. I use to make tons of chocolate chip cookies once I was in my teens, but the favorite thing that we got as children was Mom and Dad would always buy a huge box of mixed chocolates. It was always fun getting to have different flavors and such all in one huge box.

JYC 2011 - Day 17

2011-12-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

The perfect gift this Christmas season would be to have my Uncle Bill' cancer cured. The treatment of his liver cancer isn't working, so now they're changing it. I don't want him to die. I don't want to see my Aunt, my two cousins, and their children, suffer through the pain of loss the way our family has had to suffer these past three months since my Dad died. Please say prayers for my Uncle that he is cured. I want him to be around for many years to come.

JYC 2011 - Day 16

2011-12-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

I'm grateful for a select group of friends, that even though I don't get to see them all that often, I know they're there and really care about how I feel. I'm grateful for my health this holiday season. I've seen so many family and friends die this year, and others are sick, so having my health means a lot to me. I'm grateful that I had the greatest Dad in the world for 78 years. I so wanted him to be around like his father who died at 95. I feel cheated of all those years that he didn't get to live. If you know someone who is diabetic and they go in the hospital or a nursing home, watch their care like a hawk. Diabetics are neglected and aren't treated the way they should be. I'm grateful to be surrounded by a family that is large. A family that protects one another and loves one another through thick and thin. No matter how bad my own personal life may be at times, I know I always have them to help shoulder my burden. The yoke is lighter because of them. I am grateful that I have God in my life to lean on. I may question some of the things He does, but I know He's always there for me. I'm also grateful that I can see things that most people can't. It enabled me to feel some relief, but still the pain is great by my Dad's physical absence from this world. I am grateful to still be here. To breath the air, to walk the Earth, to watch my daughter grow.

JYC 2011 - Day 15

2011-12-15T19:01:00.000-08:00

We don't host much of anything at our house. It's small and when you get a number of family members in it, it gets cramped quick. We will be hosting the Christmas breakfast for the last time now that my niece has the newest addition to our family. This year is the first one without Dad. It's the first one with the first great-grand child, Ava. I will miss it being here next year as we have only hosted it for five years, including this year. I know my husband won't miss it as he doesn't involve himself too much in our family traditions. He's into his family and that's about it which is sad because he's missed so much by not being a part of ours. I'm hoping he changes. I'm hoping he sees what our family has to offer because he missed so much by not being a true part of our family all these years. He could have learned so much from my Dad. He could have had a second father in him. We will see what the future brings.

JYC 2011 - Day 14

2011-12-15T18:55:00.001-08:00

Pollyanna. That's what we did this year because our family is large and money is tight. I have some money of my own since I babysit a bit and I got a small web job, so I was able to buy my gift to give without putting my hand out and asking my husband for the money. He doesn't want to give me money to spend on things for myself or for gifts, so at least I was able to do that. I'm still going to give my Mom and the rest of my family small things. Mostly ornaments, but at least I have the money to get them now.

JYC 2011 - Day 13

2011-12-15T18:52:00.000-08:00

I find myself turning the station quickly to find another song. Some days I totally avoid Christmas music. All those songs do it remind me of the past. Of my childhood and those Christmas mornings when Mom and Dad would come out and turn on the radio before we came out to open our gifts. Those magical Christmas mornings are gone for me. I have no idea when they will feel good again. Ironically the only songs I can really listen to without feeling sad are those songs sung by people that I knew my Dad didn't really care for. The only song I can listen to that I do know he did like is "I Want a Hippo for Christmas" because he said he liked that song as a child. That he too wanted a hippo for Christmas all those years ago. I really hate this. I hate my Dad being gone and I hate being so sad at a time that I use to love the most and look forward to all year long. This sucks!

JYC 2011 - Day 12

2011-12-15T18:47:00.001-08:00

Days of Christmas past are all that I have now that will have my Dad in them. I won't ever see him come through the door again carrying the traditional box of donuts. I won't ever see him eat his Christmas breakfast of eggs and bacon. I won't see him tease my daughter or smile at the camera for my Christmas photos. This is the first of many Christmas days that I will be spending without my Dad, so all those memories of Christmas past...I will cling to them so tightly. I don't ever want to forget one single moment spent with him. I miss him so much and would do anything to have him back this Christmas.

JYC 2011 - Day 11

2011-12-15T18:43:00.001-08:00

This year I'm not decorating the tree. Now before you gasp in horror, let me say it will be decorated. For the first time, my husband will put ornaments on the tree. He and Bink will decorate it while I'm gone at a hockey game. I think it's a good thing for them to share this as he's never done it since we've been together and she's finally old enough to do it without breaking the ornaments.

JYC 2011 - Day 10

2011-12-15T18:40:00.001-08:00

I'm wrapping very few gifts this year, so I may just talk about how badly I wrap them. I don't really care if the gifts look fancy or if they have ribbons or bows. I know they'll be ripped apart and everything will go in a trash bag, so I don't put the effort into the wrapping.

JYC 2011 - Day 9

2011-12-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

Is there anything in January youʼre looking forward to after Christmas? Yes, there is. I'm going to the Play All Day scrapbooking event held by Shelby of EmbellishIt! For me this getaway will be my escape from everyday life. I can take the classes, crop, and ignore all the bad things that have been going on in my life. I'm looking forward to being with Michele and just sitting there talking about scrappin'!

JYC 2011 - Day 8

2011-12-15T18:33:00.001-08:00

I have my sketch for this, but I need to clean it up, color it, then post it here.

JYC 2011 - Day 7

2011-12-15T18:31:00.000-08:00

I'm not making a list. I'm not checking it twice. I don't care if I've been naughty or nice. Santa Claus ain't comin' to town. He can't see me when I'm sleepin', he doesn't know if I'm awake. He doesn't care if I've been bad or good, 'cause Santa he's a fake. So go ahead and pout, go ahead and cry, Santa Claus ain't comin' to town.

Yes, I seem a little harsh, but things aren't going well at all this year and Santa isn't high on my list of people right now. I'm really trying to get into the Christmas spirit, but with all the deaths, bad news, and negative things going on in my life, it's awfully hard to be jolly.

I'm going to keep plugging along, and hopefully things will get better bit by bit.

JYC 2011 - Day 6

2011-12-07T17:56:00.001-08:00

JYC 2011 - Day 5

2011-12-05T19:32:00.000-08:00

JYC 2011 - Day 4

2011-12-04T18:45:00.001-08:00

JYC 2011 - Day 3

2011-12-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

JYC 2011 - Day 2

2011-12-02T19:02:00.001-08:00

JYC 2011 - Day 1

2011-12-01T18:16:00.001-08:00

Journal Your Christmas Manifesto

2011-12-01T18:15:00.001-08:00

Mars rover takes off.

2011-11-26T15:50:00.000-08:00

http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/26/giant-mars-rover-set-for-launch-saturday/?hpt=hp_t3

Thanksgiving

2011-11-26T10:55:00.001-08:00

We made it through Thanksgiving and lots of memories of Dad from the past floating in our heads. I missed him most of all at the dinner table. He was the one who said grace every year. I missed his appreciation of all the good food, and his settling down in the big chair to watch the football games. These holidays will go on, but they are missing so much without my Dad there to share them with us.

Slowly Coming Back

2011-11-23T18:34:00.000-08:00

It's been only two months since my Dad died, but it feels like twenty years. I can't believe he's gone and I'm finding myself looking for him every time I visit my Mom. I look at my phone, wanting to call him just to talk to him about nothing like I use to. As I made the oyster stuffing for tomorrow, all I could think of was how much he would have loved eating it. I'm making it every Thanksgiving and Christmas from now on in his memory as it was his favorite stuffing. He's the reason why I made it in the first place. So tomorrow I will give thanks that I am still surrounded by a family that I love, but I will be missing so very much my Dad, the center of our family.

RIP Dad

2011-09-24T05:03:00.000-07:00

My Dad died last Saturday, September 17th at 7:15 pm. My Mom, I, and my two brothers were with him as he left. Our sister was in Iowa. I will write later what a great man and wonderful dad his was. Right now I am beyond depressed, beyond sad, and am just making it through each day by working with my Mom on all of the paperwork. He is being cremated and will be at home with my Mom. Please say a million prayers for him. He was a great man who was respected, admired, and more importantly, loved, by thousands of friends and family. The hole in my heart is huge and it's where he use to be.

MIA Lately

2011-09-15T19:10:00.001-07:00

I've been MIA lately because my Dad has been in the hospital. I'll be on again, off again until I know he's better. Say lots of prayers for him please.

Remembering 911

2011-09-11T10:04:00.000-07:00

Last year I did this lo about 911 for LSNED. I'm reposting it here today as a way of remembering all who were lost, not only in the New York WTC, but in Washington DC, and Shanksville, Pa. I'm also remembering all those who have died fighting the war against terrorism. Freedom isn't free the saying goes, but I wish stupid men and their wars over religion would stop. God, Allah, or whoever you worship doesn't support you slaughtering innocent people. It's men with all their greed for power and money who cause all the problems in the world.

Ten Things - September 2011

2011-09-10T13:35:00.000-07:00

Ten things where local events are something to both treasure and regret going to. :)

1. The parade - It's the anticipation of going to the parade that works you up. Once it's started, you get to see friends, bands, local politicians, and even some weirdos. The fire trucks are always fun too. I miss all the local high school bands that use to go and I wonder why so few come now. I also miss the horses at the end of the parade.

2. Walking around the park event - it's nice to walk around because you get to see people you don't normally get to see all the time. It's more so now that my DD is in a different school district than all of her friends from pre-K. The only part is walking around for five hours with a five years old leads to a ton of whining toward the end because they get tired. And I get cranky because it was excessively hot and humid today.

3. The food - It's always good, but the prices may be a little high at certain booths due to them being fundraisers. Funnel cake, crab dip, meatball sandwiches, ice cream, popcorn, the list goes on and on. I had some chocolate ice cream and split a funnel cake with my DD. Waaaay too many empty calories.

4. The rides - Always overpriced and you wonder just how safe they are, but you still let your kids get on them, just as your parents let you ride the same rides when you were little. The Dragon Coaster, the cars, the little ferris wheel, the small carousel, and the little bouncy bugs are standard fair. No matter how lame the rides may be, they are the best thing in the world to a little five year old whose face lights up with excitement while they're on them.

5. The parking - You either have to walk forever across the field or if you're lucky, you get a spot pretty close to the fair. It's events like these that make you wish you were one of those people there with a camper so they could spend the day in comfort and not go home for a few hours to relax before the fireworks. They go back to their campers, eat relax, use a clean bathroom, and don't worry about fighting the traffic out after the fair is over.

6. The fireworks - They're on a smaller scale than what you would get at a professional ball game, but they always make you feel happy and like a little kid again. It's even better when you share them with a child so you can look at their face and see the wonder and magic reflected in their eyes.

7. The weirdos or the people missing a few cards from their deck - Every fair has them. The tween girl who is fifty pounds overweight wearing clothes three sizes too small. The same girl with her hair dyed a bright shocking pink, who in her mind, thinks she's all that and a bag of chips. Seriously...really? The woman in the parade who was on Howard Stern, dressed in some princess outfit. Underdog woman was her name then. She's been at the Septemberfest for a few years now and you wonder what goes on in that mind of hers. The boys who insist on wearing their pants hanging off their butts still. Another seriously...that is so over. It was stupid when it came out and it's still stupid now. The parents who let their kids under the age of ten come to the fair by themselves. Have they seen the people who come to fairs? Letting your child come to a fair alone is NOT a good idea.

8. The crafts - They have a ton of booths with local crafters selling everything from hair clips, to home decor, to jewelry, and sand art. Try getting your child away from one of these things without them screaming for you to buy them something. If your child is the well mannered one, then I am happy for you. Mine is the one who cries and says life isn't fair when I say no. Punishment, timeouts, not buying things...it doesn't work. I'm hoping it's a phase she'll grow out of because all it does is make me not want to go near the booths and it's hard to do that because I like to look at the crafts for ideas.

9. The photos - Even though I ended up taking my little point and shoot today, the fair is always a great photo op time. You get lots of colors and tons of smiles that will look great on a scrapbook page.

10. The memories - Local events give you a ton of great memories. Even with the whining, the crying, the heat, the humidity, the biting bugs...you still get the rides, the fireworks, the family time, and the chance to talk to friends at a relaxed event. Fairs and local events are what makes great childhood memories and that's why we still go to them as adults. We like to capture a little bit of that magic back for ourselves and share it with our children.

LSNED - Day 9

2011-09-09T19:49:00.001-07:00

I used a Friday Five idea for this simple digi.

LSNED - Day 8

2011-09-09T19:11:00.000-07:00

LSNED - Day 7

2011-09-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

Spring Kit by Shannon Jackson at freedigitalscrapbooking dot com.

Tragedy in the World of Hockey

2011-09-07T17:41:00.000-07:00

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) - Sept. 7, 2011

A Yak-42 airliner carrying the Kontinental Hockey League team to its season-opener in Minsk, Russia, went down into the Volga River shortly after take-off, killing 43 of the 45 passengers and crew. Among the victims were former NHLers such as Brad McCrimmon, who was about to coach his first game with the team, Pavol Demitra, Josef Vasicek, Ruslan Salei, Karel Rachunek, Josef Vasicek and Alexander Karpovtsev. It was the second air crash involving a Russian hockey squad. In 1950, a plane carrying the Soviet Air Force team crashed near the city of Sverdlov, killing 13 members and officials.

RIP ex-Flyer defenseman Brad McCrimmon and all those on board.

LSNED - Day 6

2011-09-07T12:19:00.001-07:00

I know this is Day 6 and my photo's from the 5th, but I wanted to do this simple one. I love my DD's smile.

LSNED - Day 5

2011-09-06T11:39:00.001-07:00

All digi from the Sweet Shoppe Designs Memories kit.

End of an Era :(

2011-09-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow ends an era for me. My DD will be going to all day kindergarten. I am going to miss her being in pre-K. With pre-K I was as involved as I wanted to be. It was a co-op school and for three years I got to document all the parties, daily classes, and all that went into her shortened day at school. I watched her grow and learn. Now I will be only allowed limited views of her school days. I can volunteer to come in to read a book or two. I don't even know yet if I can come in on party days. The other hard part is my other half now expects me to work outside the home. I will be expected to do everything I pack into a normal day, drive her to and from school because the busing program the school district was supposed to supply never happened, and I'm expected to some how work during the day. I'm getting my substitute teaching license (total cost to get that is over $300.00) and there's no guaranteeing work due to it being a bad area for jobs. So I'm a bit stressed at the moment because that means if I work, I'll also have to see how much the latchkey program at the school will cost because I won't be able to pick her up or drop her off and get myself to the school that may want me to sub for them. I'm trying to do some other things to bring in money for myself. That's the main issue. He doesn't want to pay for anything I do. So if I want to play hockey, do scrapbooking, or send Bink to dance or scouts, I need to pay for it all. So there's the stress. All I can do is cross my fingers and see if I can get sub jobs at her school and the hours workout so I can still pick her up in time. And if I can sell some personal possessions, that would give me extra income. And my other little thing I'm going to do is try and write some children's books. Wish me luck, because like many of you out there, the road is going to be a bumpy one and any luck is better than nothing at all.

LSNED - Day 4

2011-09-04T20:12:00.001-07:00

Beer Label Fun

2011-09-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

Hubby needed a beer label for one of his home brews, so I did some Photoshop fun and made this. It's Mr. Burns, the groundskeeper, and one of Homers beer glasses. I only wish I were as creative as the illustrators who thought up these characters.

LSNED - Day 3

2011-09-03T15:00:00.001-07:00

Winner winner, chicken dinner!

2011-09-02T20:47:00.000-07:00

Lol...I really love that title. So today is Friday and I have a winner for the free My Memories software. I had only two entries for it, so I wrote down the numbers one and two on pieces of paper, rolled them up, shook them around in my hands, threw them down on the floor, and picked one back up. So the lucky number was two and that means Anne, you were the second one to post, are my winner! I'll be e-mailing you tomorrow the instructions on how to download your new digi software. Congrats and thank you to My Memories for sponsoring this giveaway!

Mail Art Exchange

2011-09-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is the really pretty mail art I received today from Ginger. I'll be mailing my card to her tomorrow because I just finished it. :)

LSNED - Day 2

2011-09-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

LSNED - Day 1

2011-09-01T19:39:00.001-07:00

I've never done a digi project, so this is a first. It'll be hard for me to do as I'm a paper person. I like to feel things, ink edges, mess it up a bit. The format is 4 x 6 so I can print all the little pages out and put them in a little brag book later. Wish me luck on this! I used papers and elements from one of the Shabby Princess digi kits.

Digital File Storage...not so good.

2011-08-31T16:55:00.001-07:00

Sigh. I can't store PSD files at SmugMug without upgrading. It figures. It would have been so simple to view them all and get the hard drive space open.

Digital File Storage

2011-08-31T16:37:00.001-07:00

My hard drive is fast running out of room with all the photos and digi files I have stored. I can never find what I want when I'm trying digi either. So what am I going to do? I'm moving the files all over to my SmugMug account. That way I will be able to see all the files, move them to categories, and label the folders. Once I'm done, I'll delete them from my hard drive to save space, then make copies from SmugMug to burn on some DVD's for additional back up.

Play All Day Event!

2011-08-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

Shelby from Embellish It! is hosting an all day event at different locations and one of them is in New Jersey. Guess where I'm going? :) January 21st, in Cranbury, NJ, I'll be at the crop, that will also have two classes taught by Shelby. I missed CK Scrap & Play, so this will be just the thing I need to help with the winter break and my need for scrapping! Hopefully some of you will sign up too! :)

http://www.embellishonline.com/playallday

Hurricomplainers

2011-08-30T18:10:00.001-07:00

Hurricomplainers. You know them. They're the dorks who have complained that the State of NJ made too much about hurricane Irene. That people shouldn't have evacuated. Well guess what dimmies, if Irene would have stayed a strong number one, then many lives were saved. Even though it weakened, people's lives were STILL saved. The loss of one life is one too many, so count yourself lucky that it wasn't as bad as it could have been and quit complaining! If you complain too much, God might not be as nice the next time.

Changing e-mails on blogger.

2011-08-28T19:23:00.001-07:00

For a while there I panicked. I was trying to change my e-mail on blogger to a new one and when it wouldn't work, I deleted that account. Low and behold it denied me access to my blog under what was the original e-mail! I was freaked, but kept at it and some how I got my account to work again. Thank God is all I can say! I do have a new e-mail on my blog to contact me.

chocolatemousie at comcast dot net

I figured it would make it easier if my e-mail matched my blog. :)

Explore - Day 18

2011-08-28T14:42:00.001-07:00

Echo Park patterned papers. Basic Grey button. Recollection cream cardstock. Sakura brown pen. 4.5 x 6.5.

Explore - Day 17

2011-08-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

Recollection kraft cardstock. Echo Park patterned paper. Handmade mini ruled paper.

Big Idea Festival - Day 12

2011-08-27T14:18:00.001-07:00

Recollections karft cardstock, Basic Grey patterned paper, Clear & Simple buttons, Basic Grey letters, black Zig pen, Technique Tuesday stamp, red/purple/brown Distress Inks. 12 x 12. Scraplifted from CK mag Sep. 2011 issue Cindy Tobey's Luau.

Hurricane Irene Prep

2011-08-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

I cleared the yard, secured my DD's play house and sandbox with duct tape, bought food, bought water, and now I'm doing the last of the laundry. I still have to fold up our small canopy frame, find a place for a sheet of plywood in the shed, and put the recycling bin in the shed as well. The last things to do are to pick up the stuff in the house, make a meal, get our showers and baths, clean the tub and fill it with water, then hope and pray for the best. I'll be bringing our cat Gizmo in when the rain starts coming down. He's an outdoor cat and hates to be stuck inside, so it won't be fun for him, but it's better than him drowning outside when the wind and rain hits. We haven't been evacuated and I feel a little better knowing that the college right across from us has been designated as an evacuation site. We were going to go up to my sisnlaw's, but hubby says he wants to stay here. I'm still worried about those huge trees of my neighbors coming down on our house. I'm also thinking of all the scum who will make their way into evacuated areas and ransack those homes. Oy! I'm doing too much thinking. And when the power goes out, it will get hot and sticky and we won't be able to open the windows due to the wind and rain. I wish Irene would veer further off the Jersey shore. I'm not a happy camper with her coming to visit.

Big Idea Festival - Day 11

2011-08-25T20:12:00.001-07:00

Bazzill cardstock, Basic Grey patterned paper, Recollection kraft cardstock. Mister Huey custard mist, Sakura sparkle and brown pen. 12 x 12.

Evacuate?

2011-08-25T18:51:00.000-07:00

We just got an automated response for all people in low lying areas to prepare to evacuate by Saturday morning. I will put the giveaway on hold until next Friday, as I will be spending all day tomorrow moving things to our upstairs in case of flooding and trying to get things outside strapped down or jammed in the shed. My biggest problem will be moving all of my scrapbooks and papers upstairs along with electronics, so I won't be online either later Friday night if I don't get it done in the day. Say lots of prayers for us on the east coast. We're going to need them. :(

Don't forget to enter for My Memories giveaway!

2011-08-25T05:34:00.001-07:00

Don't forget to leave your comment for a chance to win a free copy of the My Memories digital software! See my other blog post further below for more details!

Welcome to the Family! from Lisa Jurrens on Vimeo.

Preparing for Hurricane Irene

2011-08-25T04:49:00.000-07:00

Well, we had an earthquake, and now Hurricane Irene is going to come blowing through our area this weekend. I'm not a happy camper. We have some things stored temporarily under tarps in the backyard. That means today and tomorrow, I have to pick through the things and save what I can, then move the remaining items closer to our already filled shed so that they have a little wind brake. I also have to secure the top of the sandbox with duck tape. I won't know about doing the windows of our house until the state sends out a warning to do so. Plus getting all the water and food bought. My biggest worry is all of our neighbors trees. They have huge old ones that hang over into our yard. I think some of those heavy branches are going to break in this storm. I do not want them coming through our roof! Say some prayers for us in the northeast. We're going to need it!

Big Idea Festival - Day 10

2011-08-24T19:38:00.000-07:00

Technique Tuesday stamp and ink, DCWV cardstock, Recollections kraft cardstock, Prima flowers, brown pen, and Basic Grey patterned paper. 12 x 12. Sketch #126 from Got Sketch? blog.
http://gotsketch.blogspot.com/

Big Idea Festival - Day 9

2011-08-23T20:28:00.000-07:00

Technique Tuesday stamps and ink, brown Distress Ink, Coredinations cardstock, DCWV cardstock, Stickles, Making Memories puffy alpha, and brown pen. 12 x 12.

I feel the earth move under my feet.

2011-08-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

The sky didn't come tumbling down, but my Mom and I got to experience another earthquake together. We had a minor one here where I live about two years ago. Just a big boom and some vibrations. When I was little, that one threw my sister right out of the bed. Today, my Mom and I had just walked into the A C Moore in Deptford to use the bathroom (that was my excuse to get in there), when all of a sudden all the stuff on the walls started shaking. The next thing we're both being moved back and forth with the building. It's weird having the floor under you move and watching the walls of the building sway. We went to the front checkout and asked if anyone else felt it. Of course they all said yes, and one woman who just came in said her car and the others on the road had been bumping up and down.

I had to admit I was a little panicky when my Mom said that maybe the nuclear plant where we lived exploded (or any other chemical plant in the area for that matter), so I tried calling people back home. All the lines were busy or there was no connection at all. My sis finally got a text through to me and she said the news said it was a 6.0 earthquake in Virginia (later it was downgraded to 5.8). Needless to say I was relieved. An earthquake I can handle. Chemical plants blowing up the town are another ball of wax. Anyone who has ever felt an explosion of a chemical plant (I have a number of times as a child) can tell you how scary it is.

I did make a purchase while I was there. I bought a paper rack for forty percent off, so it cost me under $50.00. But the charge ended up being over $50.00 because I bought two different color Distress Inks that were on sale for thirty percent off.

So there you have it. A day out with my Mom, an earthquake, and a great scrapping deal. Just another average day in my life. :)

Big Idea Festival - Day 3

2011-08-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Bazzill cardstock, DCWV patterned paper, Sakura blue pen, Paper Loft for fussy cut letter squares, Basic Grey buttons.

Big Idea Festival - Day 8

2011-08-22T13:12:00.000-07:00

Hockey patterned paper, Jolee stickers, black Zig pen, Want2Scrap black bling. 12 x 12. When I get to a photo printer, I'll add a pic of me playing or a team photo. I may just leave it as is because of all the teams I've played on through the years.

Big Idea Festival - Day 6

2011-08-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

Recollection kraft cardstock, black pen, DCWV patterned papers. Fussy cut and used a trimmer on everything.

Big Idea Festival - Day 4

2011-08-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Recollections kraft cardstock, DCWV cardstock, Basic Grey paper, white pen, brown Distress Ink, and Bazzill chipboard letters. Size 12 x 12.

Cleaning up my blog!

2011-08-21T18:19:00.000-07:00

http://mayflaum.com/

A big thank you goes out to May for her kick in the butt post over at her blog. I just culled a number of blogs off of my list. If they hadn't posted in over a month, then poof, off they went. I have so many blogs to check, and getting rid of the ones that never posted helps me save some space and time.

Am I a winner?

2011-08-21T17:59:00.001-07:00

I have to ask myself that right now. Am I a winner? I hop on to so many blogs, read a ton of stuff, and I leave my name on a ton of places, but there are times when I don't go back and check to see if I've won something on a giveaway. Lol...I've probably won things and lost them because I forget all about the event because I'm too busy reading other blogs and trying to squeeze in some actual scrapbooking time. So are you like me? A winner, but with so little time that you never really know that you are? :)

Big Idea Festival - Day 7

2011-08-21T11:12:00.000-07:00

I used scraps of Basic Grey, Studio Calico alpha stamp set, Prima flower, Clear & Simple buttons, Technique Tuesday ink, Bazzill cardstock, and a red Bic pen. I know I scraplifted this lo from Ali Edwards, but I don't remember the name, all I know is it had a tree on it. Size 12 x 12.

Red Lead Paperworks!

2011-08-20T05:29:00.000-07:00

http://www.redleadpaperworks.com/servlet/StoreFront

Ali Edwards is doing a giveaway on her blog today and one of the prizes comes from the Red Lead Paperworks site. I clicked the link to their site because I hadn't heard of them before and I'm glad I did. They have some really inspiring projects and some cool stamps. If you haven't checked them out before, do so now!

Big Idea Festival - Day 5

2011-08-19T18:20:00.000-07:00

Echo Park papers and stickers. Recollections kraft cardstock. DCWV paper. Clear & Simple button. I love Echo Park! Their papers are so happy and colorful. Size 12 x 12.

Big Idea Festival - Day 2

2011-08-19T18:18:00.000-07:00

I did hidden journaling and somber colors because of the topic I chose to write about. Fussy cut all the flowers. Size 12 x 12.

My Memories Digital Software Give-a-way!

2011-08-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

I've been asked to review the My Memories Digital software and also to give-a-away a copy of the software to one of my readers. I've tested it out and it's pretty easy to use and the best part is it isn't all that expensive and I can drop in all the digi stuff that I've gotten off of the web into this program.

They have a Mac and PC version, so we Mac users don't get left out in the cold. I was able to make the below page in about five minutes with one of the included templates. They have some that come with the software and they have a bunch of freebies on their web site as well.

Basically this software is drag and drop. I haven't used the book features, or the movies as I normally wouldn't be making those kind of things, but for me to have a digi software for scrappin' besides putting things together in Photoshop, this is a good deal. It's easy, it's quick, and basically that's all I really ask of something as I have limited time.

If you want more information on this nice little bit of software, please visit their web site.
http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software

Besides this give-a-way, you can use this coupon code, STMMMS71551, to get $10.00 off your purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software if you don't win it, plus an addition $10.00 off any store purchase at their web site, which is mostly nice digi templates.

To win your free copy of your own My Memories Suite software, leave a comment with your name and e-mail. It's that simple! My winner will be picked next Friday, so check back to see if you're the lucky one! :)

To Gift or Not to Gift?

2011-08-17T06:17:00.000-07:00

Are you like me? I make cards and gifts for people. The cards that I know someone will really love and appreciate are done with extra care. The cards that I know will be glanced at and tossed...well, they're generic and bland at times. When you know something is going to be trashed, you don't put your heart into it.

I made mini albums for people to put their photos and embellies in on their own two Christmas's ago. I'm always wondering what box they're in or if they've been put in the trash or dumped into a pile for the thrift shop. I've never heard or seen of them since they were opened or looked at by the receivers.

It almost makes me want to stop doing this. To stop making cards or gifts for people, when all I wonder is if they really appreciate them or not. I know some of the moms have kept gift tags with their child's names on them that I have made. They're really personal. I think maybe I'll stick to something like that in the future.

We love what we do, but not everyone else shares that love. How many of you have talked to people about scrapbooking and have them look at you funny or even laugh at you? I have and although I laugh it off at the moment, deep down inside, it does hurt. Having what you love to do be laughed at is like getting slapped in the face.

So, are you like me, or are you the lucky one to have friends and family who really love to open a package from you, knowing it might be something crafty. I hope you're not like me. It's so much better that way.

Big Idea Festival - Day 1

2011-08-16T18:59:00.000-07:00

I'll always be behind a day or two in this class, but I intend to do all the projects. I scraplifted this lo from the Creating Keepsakes Sep. 2011 cover by Susan Weinroth. I made the bingo card in Illustrator and hand cut the large heart. Button made using Epiphany's small button maker. Size 12 x 12.

Explore - Day 16

2011-08-15T09:43:00.001-07:00

Too Busy

2011-08-12T12:50:00.001-07:00

It's really sad when my life is so busy and full that I don't have time to scrap. I'm in Shimelle's class Explore and am behind in that. I wanted to do the CK Summer Camp, Shimelle's scrap weekend, and BPC is running their free program next week and I don't know if I will have the time. And this isn't my busy time of the year either. I don't see how my otherhalf expects me to work come this Fall and keep up with everything else that has to be done. I need a clone!

Special Project

2011-08-10T08:00:00.001-07:00

I'm going to be working on a special project and when I'm done, I'll share with you so that you can do one yourself. It's a cheap answer to a somewhat expensive project, so if you don't mind a little work, you'll love to be able to do it too.

Ten Things - August 2011

2011-08-10T04:57:00.000-07:00

My life isn't exactly the best thing right now so I'm trying to think of the good things. Here goes.

1. My DD. She's my world. Seeing her smile makes me smile. Without her, life would be grey and empty.

2. Working out. If I didn't get the chance to workout at the gym, I'd have no escape from stress. I need it and the endorphins make me feel better.

3. My scrapbooking. When I work with paper, I get a sense of calmness at times. It relaxes me and helps me think of things other than the present. Looking at pictures of happy times, helps me focus on what is good in my life.

4. My parents. I know I'm lucky to still have them in my life. They do love me and getting to see them every week is a blessing.

5. Hockey. Another stress reliever. Hockey has been my salvation for over thirty years now. Without it, I don't think I would be here today. When I was younger, I had nothing. Hockey was my only way to be with people as a social outlet. Outside of sports, I'm not exactly the personality that people like or want to be around. Sooner or later, they tire of me. I also have the problem of befriending people who only want favors from me. Once I've fulfilled what they wanted or needed, then they have no use for me. At hockey I still have the workout it gives me to forget for a while these things.

6. Having a roof over my head and food. Many people are struggling to find a place to live or get food in their bellies. I know that I have both those things and am grateful for them.

7. My strength of will. I get tired of people who say I'm stubborn. It's not that, it's inner strength. I've been burnt by user people so many times that I've learned to build a wall up to keep the hurt at a minimum. Being numb is better than being angry. Knowing that I will survive whatever is thrown at me, it has kept me alive and here.

8. My few friends. I have a handful of people who I would call real, true friends. They like me for who I am, but even they've had their moments where they haven't wanted me in their lives. I'm not one of those people that others would bend over backwards to be with. I also don't tell them everything that is in my life because it would get to a point that they wouldn't want to be with me at all. It's better to keep most of my life to myself so that I at least have some friends in my life at all.

9. Books. Books have always been a way for me to escape from my life. I can read stories of people who have survived way worse than what has ever gone on in my life. Seeing their pain, their struggles, and knowing that they survived it, and still manage to be happy, they inspire me to keep plugging along. If they could make it, then so can I.

10. Me. I have myself. I've spent the majority of my life being alone and with myself, that I can travel, go shopping, go to the movies, you name it, and I can do it by myself. Being on the outside and looking in can be hard, but at least I don't stop living because of it.

Explore - Day 15

2011-08-07T19:31:00.001-07:00

Explore - Day 14

2011-08-07T19:30:00.001-07:00

Explore - Day 13

2011-08-07T19:29:00.001-07:00

Explore - Day 12

2011-08-06T18:38:00.000-07:00

The additional page to the prompt.

Explore - Day 12

2011-08-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Which do you choose ﬁrst: colour or pattern?

I always choose my base page first. I'm kind of matchy matchy, so most of my pages pick up a color from the photo. I do love kraft paper for it's lack of color so that I can play around with everything else.

How many colours would you typically use in a single project?

It would all depend on the colors that I see in the photo or even the mood that I'm in while scrapping. On average I would guess I'd at least have five colors or more going on at once.

Would those colours appear in solids, single-colour patterns (like a subtle red on red dot) or multi-coloured patterns?

This would be determined by my photo, my mood, and more importantly, the designer/company of the paper. When using Echo Park, I prefer the bold patterns, but when I use Basic Grey, I tend to like the tighter floral or plant like patterns.

Do you prefer soft, deep, muted or bright tones of your chosen colours?

Bright tones are my favorites when doing happy layouts, but when doing the girly girl ones for my daughter, I do softer pastels a lot.

What colour do you avoid if at all possible?

I don't really avoid any color. Why limit myself when I have a rainbow to choose from?

Do you prefer colour or black and white photographs?

I 100% prefer color photos, but when doing a serious or retro layout, black and white looks really sharp.

When you work with colour, would you classify yourself as brave, predictable or something else?

I think I would be something else. I don't have a style that limits my use of colors. I'm all over the place with them.

Explore - Day 11

2011-08-06T16:01:00.001-07:00

I know this looks like something my 5 year old DD would do, but it's the first thing to come to mind, so I stuck with it.

Explore - Day 10

2011-08-06T16:00:00.001-07:00

Explore - Day 9

2011-08-06T15:59:00.000-07:00

Explore - Day 8

2011-08-06T15:58:00.000-07:00