Keeping busy

I am here! I haven't been far.....just been keeping myself busy with work and reading and going to bed early! (yes...sleep is good when stressed)

The month after Christmas and new years...up until my birthday and valentines day is hard for me....it's cold and dark and I just don't care for it. Guess that is why I have been so introvert.

I finally took a break from working on the weekends and actually relaxed this weekend....or at least what I call relaxed.

Here's what I have been keeping busy with...

Nightlight: a parody -By The Harvard Lampoon Apparently there have been spoof books around for a while and someone failed to mention it to me. LOL...in any case...I have read a little of it and I am still on the fence on whether I like it or not.

In Defense Of Food: an eater's manifesto -By Michael Pollan He has several good titles....I am actually enjoying it alot!! it's making me think!!

The Lovely Bones -By Alice Sebold I read chapter one and it was amazing!! I know when I pick it back up I need to have more time on my hands than 30 minutes. I know wont be able to put it down once I start.


The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun -By Gretchen Rubin ok....this is really where my head has been the most...I love this book...I admit that I am following it and working on my own project. I'll keep ya posted...I think it a great thing!!!

I am going to try and get my head out of the books today long enough to create a cute garland for valentines day. I was in Michael's on Friday and picked up a K & Company kit! Picture coming as soon as it is complete.

Live laugh LOVE,

Ode to FALL!!

I got a chance to try out some lovely K & Company Tim Coffey products over at Craft Critique and I'd love to share them with you here.

Fall is my favorite time of year and it seemed to pop up over night here. Seems in the few short days that I took off last week, the leaves changed their color and the brisk weather began.

I made some fall inspired projects for the house and a little mini book for me to celebrate my love of the season.

Here is my fall centerpiece. I am happy with the way it turned out!



A couple of cards I made! Cards are still not my favorite thing to make. I keep trying though.


This is my favorite project. I've been dreaming of it and I finally figured out how I wanted it. It is hanging in the wall in the entryway. I think it goes pretty goo with the paint that my mamma in law chose.



And last but not least...a mini! But just the cover because I am working on it.


Feels super good to make thing again after the drought! {{LOL}} Thanks for stopping by to see my little blog. I am thankful for my blog friends.

Just a reminder...Craft Critique has some EK Success contest going on over at the blog. Stop by and check out our reviews of their products! I think there is something for everyone.

While hubby watched baseball I am off to play with some new Basic Grey Eskimo Kisses paper for the design team at Scrapbook Cafe. I am seriously crushing on this paper!

As always...Live laugh LOVE,

creativity found

After being in our new place for a little over a month, I am finally getting back into creating and have found some inspiration (more about my inspiration as soon as I can mention it).

It's been a super long time since I picked up a paint brush and these past few weeks I've worked on this painting on and off. I've been spending time staring at the clouds and I have an obsession with the color yellow.
I've been wanting to share this page too! We got to play with some yummy Basic Grey for the design team at Scrapbook Cafe and I have to say it is and has always been my favorite paper line! Just love love love it all!


I created a cute little mini book too for Basic Grey month. I ::heart:: every single thing about their Urban Prairie line!






This morning I actually started a December Daily book. I was inspired by Ali's recent December Daily in July post. I will share pictures soon. The one's I took just didn't look right to me.

I decided that this book had to be smaller than the one I did last December and no fuss. Last year I had to have the perfect paper and it really took a bit out of me. I really hate that I over analyze things sometimes. I did learn a little since last year after reading Ali's last book.

For this year's, I made my front and back cover out of chipboard and pulled a bunch of Christmas paper from my scraps. Sooo much easier and it is done. Just gotta cut some pages for inside and I will bind it with my trusty bind it all after it is complete.

Live laugh LOVE,

Christmas in March?

Ok....I never said I wasn't a procrastinator. Just edited my December Daily album and wanted to share a few pictures from it.

I really love this album. I went a little off the beaten path with it and really made it a great journal of time right now (well in December) for us to look back on.

The front and back cover were made from a priority mailing box that I had laying around. I think it likes being our December album instead of going to the recycling bin!

Most of the paper used was making memories FaLaLa collection. I instantly fell for them!




















Live laugh LOVE,

Is it spring yet?

Just one of the little notecards that I made for a friend that needs some cheering up!

I picked up the little "snail mail" stamp at my local stamp store, One Little Spark. I got a cute little snail stamp to go with it. I really think I wanna use it on everything that I am putting in the mail.

Proud to say that the little notecards were made entirely out of scraps.

Live laugh LOVE,

Just me!

Assignment one for the design team at Scrapbook Cafe was to create a bio page about yourself. I had sooo much fun with this paper from Basic Grey.

I'm obsessed with cropping my pictures to look like Polaroids.

I just got done taking some pictures of my December Daily album.
(I know...I've been procrastinating!!) I've been trying to crop them for the past few days but keep getting distracted. Think it has something to do with me and hubby wanting time on the new computer.

Live laugh LOVE,

Sorry, life got in the way...

..Of me posting!

Between work, being tired, and this computer we have that wants to work only when it feel like it, it made it tough to get anything done. Any spare time that I have had has been spent cleaning, organizing, packing (and anything else that would keep my mind off of turning another year older).

I have managed to get some scrapping done but the only thing I can show you today (thanks to this piece of crap computer) is the last Q52 I made.


Thank goodness for my little smart phone or I wouldn't be able to even show you that.

I am really loving this project. I just cut out a few more clouds for the next few.

I am thinking of starting a art journal very soon (like tonight). I think it is exactly what I need.

Live laugh LOVE,

Q 52

I am sooo excited about this little project that I have been following from embers blog. I've been a fan of her's for a while.

Blogger is not co-operating with me this morning but you can see picture here on my flickr photostream.

So excited about this little project. All 52 will be cloud shaped which was inspired by embers first one.

I have not yet decided on a way to store these little babies....I was going to put a hole in them and use a binder ring but couldn't bring myself to punching the hole...just too darn cute!

Live laugh LOVE,

The GOOD, the BAD, and the HORRIBLE all in one JOLLY post!

This picture was taken before I sat down at my desk yesterday....I can't even see the table top now...no joke!!

I've been thinking about my December Daily album all month long. I've only had time to make the covers for the album until last night. Last I put together Day 1 to Day 6!! I really wish I could have started doing a page a night but there is no way. I've been sending myself texts and emails of what our days have consisted of and yesterday I made a list of all of the things that we have done this month so far and another list of what pictures I want where in the album. I plan putting more of it together tonight. Usually being 17 days {or more} behind on a project like this would stress me out but I am not stressed. Usually NOT having a ton of pictures for every day would leave me stressed too. I have to credit reading Ali Edwards book and and being a fan of her blog for my new scrapbooking attitude. I know I don't have to have a million perfect pictures because it is not about that. It is about our memories and what we would want to look back on and remember. so this December album is more of a journal and more me!! (me with the new attitude thanks to AE)

I've also been thinking of our 2009 word (that's a whole other list in itself) and trying to pinpoint one that is US!

Another reason that I am not stressing about not having a ton of pictures is because, this year we are really in the Christmas/celebrating mood. This holiday season SUCKS!!

We haven't been enjoying much at all to tell you the truth. We have not wanted to do anything that related to the holiday season at all. We contemplated not even celebrating (which would have worked for me). We are saddened this Christmas and heartbroken over the loss of Jesse. I'm going to keep it brief. Jesse is my brother in law. He is a kindhearted funny genius!!! He is the smartest person I have ever known and will ever know. He was taken from us. He was taken in May of this year by Leukemia when he was only 28 years old. We are going though the motions here and it is only for Jesse that we are doing that.

Today is going to consist of getting those last minute gifts bought (because that is the proper thing that someone does in the holiday season), making lists for the new year (to keep my mind off of everything that I cant keep my mind off of) , and enjoying the last of the days before the big day. Lately we haven't been enjoying the day (see above). Oh, and work....speaking of that I am late! More later (hopefully)!

Live laugh LOVE,

JOY to the world

Just wanted to share a picture of one of the things I have been working on. I just finished her up last night and I have been waiting for the stickles to dry.

I usually don't start decorating for christmas until the day after thanksgiving so this little baby will have to wait to be hung up. I am thinking it would look nice across two windows that we have in the living room. I'll be sure to share a picture once decorating is done.

Today I am working on a few handmade christmas presents and enjoying the rainy weather. (Enjoying it because I am not out in it) This afternoon after I tackle the laundry I plan on starting a December daily album inspired by AE.

What are you doing this Sunday?

Live laugh LOVE,