2 years ago today...

we welcomed this little bundle of joy into our lives.



And, today we celebrated another wonderful year with him. Happy birthday, Luka! May you have you cake and eat it too. ;0)



So, did everyone that went to CHA enjoy it? I hope so. Hopefully, you got to go and check out Pink Paislee's booth. If you're like me, you didn't make it to CHA... yet again. So, so I will go ahead and let you take a gander at some of the pages that I created with their fabulous new lines. Enjoy!

the "Captivating" line...



the "Enchanting" line...



the "Fetching" line (you can view the rest of this mini-album here...

Fabulous, Dahling!

Only caught a little glimpse of the new Chatterbox line "Fabulous" that will be debuted and featured at their CHA booth this weekend. I did manage to put some samples together with the little samples they sent to me....

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These papers work double duty. The bold star designs are perfect for pages on spots teams, and the colors work well on layout for boys. Like wise, the flatter pages about dance recitals or, in my daughter's case... a competitive cheerleading squad!

On the other hand, you can take the ultra-feminine route will all of the gorgeous butterflies, and more dainty embellishments.



I'm just lovin' that cork butterfly! Aren't you? I had so much fun playing with the new line. I just wish I had more time, and more product to play with. ;0)

Don't go yet! I had one more Chatterbox project for CHA: a monochromatic layout... all in their kohl (black) papers. Immediately, I thought of my step-mom, Carol... "MiMi" to the kids. She loves black... wears almost all the time. And since, we don't have many pages about MiMi yet, I thought now was the time. I asked my dad to snap some portraits out in front of their new gorgeous home in Florida, and send them to me for this project. I had forgotten to mention to have her in something black. No problem. It was what she was already wearing. LOL!



So, if you find yourself at CHA, be sure to check out the Chatterbox booth and check out all of the loverly samples!

So, the Christmas decorations are put away, my diet is revving up in the background, and piles of mess are being methodically diminished, I'm trying to get life back on tack. Back on a schedule. So, maybe mark the thousands of blogs hanging on by threads in my Bloglines "read," cut my losses, and start with a fresh bloglines slate. My communication will begin again soon. I promise to untangle all the wires this weekend. Since I have all of my CHA goodies on their way in other peoples' hands, I'm worry-free. Well, for today.

And, since I'm working towards a goal of blogging much more often, let's try to keep up with the Fill-In Friday. Here goes...


1. Oh, I am so frustrated! The military health care system never gets you answers in a timely answer. Sick girl here, staring at my watch, waiting for some news that might or might not profoundly impact my life. Waiting. Still waiting...

2. Everything changes, big and little. Always.

3. During this week, I cried. Way. too. much.

4. Luka; are you kidding me??? Spoken when he walked into the living room naked from the waist down, and I had figured out that he now knows how to remove his pants AND dirty diaper.

5. Right now I'd like to be feeling like I did this past summer.

6. My new silver Nintendo DS is my favorite gadget. (An early V-Day gift from the hubs since he will be in some training camp on actual V-Day.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to quietly removing myself to my room with the kiddos and a stack of board games so that my husband can have "bachelor night" in our living room, drink beers, and play video games with his friends. ummmm... Fun? Not really. Tomorrow my plans include cleaning, cleaning, oh, and more cleaning. And Sunday, I want to finish my first 12 months of Christmas project!

Happy Friday, peeps! And enjoy CHA if you had the fortune to attend! :0)

Winter wonderland...

Rarely is it that we see snow in our part of North Carolina. We might get "snow" once a year, but it only lasts an hour or so, and still leaves blades of grass poking through the white patches. This morning was different, though. We woke up to a blanket of a couple of inches, and it didn't stop until late into the afternoon. Overall, we probably received 4"-5" at our house. And, lthough it's a few weeks too late for a white Christmas, we are enjoying the magical winter wonderland...





Although, Luka wasn't really sure what to do with it. He had seen snow last year when we were in Alaska, but he hardly played in it and definitely doesn't remember it. He mostly shadowed his older sister, and followed her lead...



Sake, on the other had, was totally bewildered. I'm sure she'll be more than happy when the grass makes its reappearance...



So, since I missed out on posting my LT projects right after the gallery premiered, better late than never! A Valentine wreath...



Then you just take that chipboard waste from all the little Scenic Route hearts on that wreath up there, and make a nifty little page frame out of it...



Our challenge this month was to use only 5 products on a layout...



And, we had a fabulous member gallery lift this month from Amy Parker...



It was the perfect opportunity for me to finally use all of those brochures I collected along the way during our trip to DC. I don't know about you, but I am guilty of always picking up brochures from all the places the we visit with the intention of using them on my pages. Somehow, though, I can never actually get them to "work" with my pages. But, the little circle border around the original layout definitely "worked" for adding some punched circles from the brochures. As dark as those museums are, it isn't easy to get a good photo and most of mine stunk. Fortunately, most of the things I took pictures of were included in the brochures. So, I just busted out my circles punches, and punched away...



Well, it's back to the last of my CHA projects for Chatterbox. I think you will be loving the new line! Wanna' peek? Check here.

And, there are lots of peeks of the amazing new lines by Pink Paislee here.

As soon as these projects are in the mail, and the CHA project insanity has died down... I'll post up the January 12 Months of Christmas project! ;0)

One for the road!

I've got one more Label Tulip peek for you. And, let me just say... to the women who joined me on the forum a couple of weeks ago to discuss whether or not we used any of the brochures we collected on our trips (most of us didn't)... I have found a solution! I'm proud to say that I found a way to incorporate the brochures from our trip to Washington DC in a ONE PAGE layout! You'll have to tune in tomorrow night at the gallery reveal to see just what I'm talking about. ;0) I'll just have to tide you over with this...



And now, I'm off to get a little rest before I dive straight into a night of crafting for Pink Paislee! I'm sure I'll be snacking on these as I work...

I don't know what my deal is. I usually don't like tomatoes unless they are pureed and fancied up into ketchup, served in soup along-side a grilled cheese, part of a delicious marinara sauce, chopped up into salsa, or married with some lovely sauce. Raw tomatoes? Tomatoes on sandwiches? Not so much. But, these grape tomatoes are deliciously sweet... especially dipped in a little bit of ranch dressing. Yum! See... I really am trying to eat healthier this year! ;0)

It's about that time...

for some LT sneaks! I absolutely loved this month's kits! I still have one more page to do, so I'll probably post another sneak of that tomorrow. But, here's what I have so far...







Now, don't think I forgot about January's "12 Months of Christmas" project. I know I promised to post it a couple of days ago. But, let's just say that something labeled as a "simple" sewing project turned out to be anything but. I'm nearly finished, but my LT projects needed to get done, so I had to take a break from other things. I plan on having the sewing project completed in the next couple of days, ready to post by this weekend. Want to know what we'll be making? Some cute little stuffed doggies! So, in the meantime, I'll give you a list of supplies to gather so that you'll be ready to play along. You will need: a pair of socks - neutral colored if you want a traditional looking dog, or you can funk it up with something more colorful (*new* clean ones, please... nobody wants to receive an adorable stuffie that stinks of toe jam), poly fill or some other sort of stuffing, needle and thread, scissors. Those are the basics. But to give you pup some personality, you might want some buttons for eyes, pipe cleaners if you want to make the ears stand up, a pom-pom or button for the news, ribbons for a collar, another patterned sock to make a sweater for your doggie, or anything else to doll your stuffed pal up.

On top of Label Tulip and my stuffie project, I have the most lovely box of goodies from the new Pink Paislee lines sitting at my feet, begging to be played with. In my opinion, they are quite different from previous PP collections... and I LOVE them! I just wish I could share some sneaks with you. *sigh*

Well, I'm off to watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall for about the 5th time this week (love that movie) while flipping through my Elsie recipe box book. I'm in search of some inspiration for a mini-book idea for the PP booth at CHA. I've made so many mini's lately, my mind is starting to run dry on topics to make books out of. Wish me luck!

DC in review...

**Fair warning: post is photo-heavy**

Well, I didn't mean to take so long to get my DC pictures posted. But, you know how it is getting back into the swing of things after a vacation AND the holidays. Not that we're anywhere near back to normal... I feel like I'm never going to get my to-do list completely checked off. Ahhh... such is life. My photos from the trip didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. That would have been my fault though. Of course, I remember to lug along the big SLR and (fortunately) my small point and shoot. But, do you think I remembered to actually pull the memory card for the SLR out of the card reader? Of course not. Big fancy camera in DC... essential memory card at home. Of course. So, I was limited to my little point and shoot for documenting purposes. Okay, okay. Enough excuses. On with it!

First off, was the zoo. Where Hazel spent quite a deal of time observing her favorite animal, the hippopotamus...



If you were hanging around these parts last Christmas, you will remember Hazel's complete infatuation with the song, "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas." She knew every word... still does. She even climbed up on to Santa's lap and asked him to bring HER a hippopotamus for Christmas. Santa looked totally caught off-guard. Nonetheless, he managed to swing an adorable little stuffed hippo down the chimney just for her. She still snuggles up to it every night, and she still LOVES hippos.

Daddy found his favorite animal, or reptile, as it were in the reptile and amphibian house.



I was impressed by the vast collection of reptiles. Although, nothing rivaled the aviary. Seriously. I've never seen so many beautiful birds. And, there were so many varieties that I had never even heard of before. This one was my favorite...



Unfortunately, I don't remember what it is called. I do, however, remember this fellow... the stork. And, let me tell you, I had no idea storks were so unbearably ugly. It looks like a giant spindly-legged vulture. Whoever thought this would be the fabled figure of choice to deliver babies is beyond me. Any baby that took one look at this thing would have screamed its fool head off.



All in all, the zoo was amazing. We went back a 2nd day just to be able to see everything. And the best part? It was free admission. The Smithsonian was free too! I've paid a small fortune just to get everyone ADMITTED into the Fort Worth Zoo. And, that place paled in comparison.

Anyway, after we took in the zoo, we moved on to the Smithsonian's Natural Science Museum. This place housed Luka's favorite part of the whole trip...



He totally loves dinosaurs, and the time he spent staring, mouth gaped open, up at them was about the only time he sat patiently and quietly in his stroller. Coincidentally, this museum housed my favorite part of the whole trip: an exhibit on The Steamer Albatross. It was an oceanographic research ship in the late 1800's. The ship discovered many new types of marine life, and had artists on board to assist in illustrating the finds. Part of the exhibit included research logs full of these beautiful illustrations. Unfortunately, the lighting was pretty crummy so you have no idea how incredibly detailed and gorgeous these illustrations were. But, you get the gist...



I must have spent 10 minutes just examining the sea slug illustration. What I wouldn't give to be able to thumb through that whole book!

Amazingly, we pretty much managed to make our way through this entire museum. Trying to get in to see the Hope Diamond took a bit of elbow jostling, but I saw it. Unfortunately, the picture I took didn't turn out because someone's flash on the other side of the display case went off right when my shutter did. Boo.

We took the obligatory shots of the capital and Washington monument on our way home...





The next day, we spent at The American History Museum. This museum wasn't so accommodating when it came to being able to see everything. From the outside, it looked so much smaller than the Natural History Museum. Apparently, that was some sort of optical illusion because I can easily imagine spending 3 days at that place. We got to see Old Glory... no photos allowed. That was quite a touching exhibit... especially to Bryan who spends every day of his life defending that flag. It was breathtaking.

Hazel got to see the highlight of her whole trip at this museum too... the famed ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.



It's so surreal to think that those glittery kicks once adorned the feet of Judy Garland!

As far as tourist activities, that is all we managed to accomplish this time around. But, we hope to go back soon. We did take in a fun little trip to The House of Bounce. Why don't we have one of these in Fayetteville? With all of the kids around here, it would be an instant hit! Hazel sure enjoyed it!



Luka needed some help getting up onto the slides, but enjoyed every minute of it. What a work out for Mommy and Daddy! Who needs Tae Bo when you've got bounce houses?



Other things we did while in DC:

* Had an EXCELLENT meal out to ourselves... just Bryan and I. That was the first NYE we've had out since we've been together! Amazing, huh?

* Read a book. A whole book. Not a magazine. Not a children's book. No pictures. Just words. I loved every minute of it. I couldn't tell you how long it has been since I've enjoyed a good book... even if it was chick lit.

* Road the Metro (DC's subway) without getting lost!

* Walked more than I had in ages. My feet were killing me at the end of the trip.

Well, if you made it through this uber-long post, kudos to you. And thanks! I'll be back tomorrow with January's 12 Months of Christmas project. ;0)

New year, new opportunities...

What a way to kick off 2009! This morning, I woke up to an e-mail from my girl, Sasha, congratulating me. On what, I had no idea. Until, I got an e-mail a few minutes ago from Pink Paislee announcing this! I am so over-the-moon about this opportunity, and completely honored to have been chosen as part of their creative team for 2009. Yipee! Additionally, I found out that my blog is going to be featured in a forthcoming issue of Somerset's "Artful Blogging" magazine! I can't wait!

We're still in DC... leaving tomorrow. Until I get home, I am without a memory card reader and unable to upload anything visually exciting from our trip. I promise I'll update in the next couple of days with that. We've had a great time, and it was so nice to be able to relax, take a creative break, and refresh my creative slate. I hope to return home with a renewed inspiration, and fresher outlook. I've made a couple of resolutions for myself this year. Aside from the typical list of eat healthier, work-out, lose 10 pounds... I have a couple of creative-based goals as well. I really am going to work on opening my Etsy shop this year. Now that I have an idea of what direction I want to take it in, this should be less of a daunting task.

And, as of this month, I am going to start a project called "The 12 Months of Christmas." I don't know about anyone else, but I love the holidays... especially the creative/crafting aspect of them. And, inevitably, ever year I make the resolution to complete one handmade decoration or gift every month of the year. That way, by the time Christmas rolls around, there is less stress, more enjoyment. And, inevitably, every year I fail miserably to adhere to the plan. This year, I am going to stick to that goal. And, I hope you'll join me down this creative path. I already have a pretty good idea of what January's project is going to be, so stay tuned.

While reading through my Jan issue of Real Simple, I really enjoyed the monthly feature "Your Words." January's issue is all about lists. And, this month, they asked readers what was on their NOT-TO-DO list for 2009. Interesting. These 2 responses really struck me. From Annemarie Kuiper, "I won't worry about where I'll be in 5 or 10 years - or really ever for that matter. Instead, I'll think about what I want to do and less about where I want to be. After all, I imagine that if I'm doing what I want to do, then I will be where I want to be." And, from Janet Dunn, "I refuse to let the dysfunctional people in my life cause my life to be dysfunctional. I will help as I can, but I will no longer allow their issues to control how I live." Words to live by, and things that I hope to remind myself of throughout the coming year.

I hope you all had a safe and happy New Year's Eve, and that your 2009 is off to a great start! So, what are your dreams, goals, resolutions for the year 2009? I want to hear all about them!