WooHoo!!!

My long-time (and I'm talking like since we were 5-ish? maybe 6? LONG TIME!!!) friend Kana has recently joined the blogosphere. You'll love her stuff! Drop by and show her some love!

Project 365! (or Project 52....or even 12!!!)

It's the scrap world's buzzword right now, isn't it? Project 365? Even if you didn't get the kit (and I didn't even try), reading about it has encouraged me to keep the camera out more the past nine days. So far, two days in 2009 with no shots were taken. But in my busy world, that's not unusual. I'm just committed to not let too many days (or even weeks) go by without snapping the shutter or focusing in on what really goes on in our day-to-day lives.

So whether I call it Project 365 or Project 52 or even Project 12, I will be documenting our life in pictures this year. During my craft room re-organization project last weekend, I ran across this album and little kit from Creative Cafe.
It was one of projects at Scrap Etc last April. I didn't even attend that class and haven't done a thing with the kit. But the little album has 12 tabbed sections which I'm thinking will be perfect for my 2009 photo journey. I'm going to have to start printing smaller sizes (which is an option at scrapbookpictures.com) or leaving the zoom alone so I can fit more pics in this album (measures approx. 7 x 5.5)

If you haven't heard about Project 365, follow the links from Jolynn's post to learn more. Then tell me....are you doing it? It's only the 9th....definitely not too late to start. I'm sure you have something in your stash you can use to pull this together! And if you don't...I'm sure I have something in MY stash you can use. LOLOL

Oh....and here is my picture for today! Playing Sorry on a Friday night.

Addison is SEVEN!!!

How did that happen? LOL It was also the first day back at school for her, so we really couldn't celebrate until last night. Thanks to Crystal, we were able to take advantage of this special deal.

Dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory:

Opening Presents:

Cake:


You can see the card I made for her here!

Love you sweetie-pie! And I'm glad you had a Happy Birthday!

My weekend project

I was lucky to take a four-day weekend and warned my family before it started that my focus was going to be getting the craft room/office organized. We moved here seven months ago, and there were still several too many unpacked boxes sitting around. It's technically the formal living room so what a mess on the rare occasion that someone comes to the front door. I'm not even going to show you the before pics...they are embarassing!!! Plus I have plenty of AFTER pics.

I can actually craft in any 12 inch square space, but finding what I knew I had somewhere was, on occasion, a hindrance. This room is also my office for our personal finance stuff and where I work when I need to work from home. With tax season approaching I'm sure there will be more and more of that activity here too!

Looking in from the foyer:




I got these white cubes at Michael's and I LOVE them. Patterned paper and cardstock are stored vertically on the left half. And yes...that pink bag holds my unfinished projects from Scrap Etc. Someone please make me finish them soon, okay???


Almost everything else is in one of these drawers.

Alphas, ribbon, large embellishments are sorted by color. Here's a view of the pink and red drawers.

Unmounted stamps are stored in CD cases. These drawers are the perfect size and each drawer will hold about 30 stamps sets!!!

There are also drawers for rub-ons, for chipboard, for stickers/transparencies, and a few for specific themes like Baby, Christmas, Birthday, etc.

And here's a pic once we moved the school desks back in after my cleaning frenzy. These desks were left behind by the previous owners and my kids LOVE them. They sit in here with me and draw/cut/color or just watch tv. Guess I never should have worried about separating the playroom and craftroom combo we had in the old place, huh?

A Batch of Cards and A Haircut

Remember Toni from yesterday's post? I used this card of hers as inspiration for a batch of cards to add to my stash. The stamps are TAC and Inque Boutique, paper is Three Bugs in A Rug - Tickled Pink, and some ribbon from my stash. The sentiment is embossed with white embossing powder. I'm feeling good about having a couple to stick in the mail and a few more to have on hand when I need one but don't need to take the time to make one. KWIM?

Clark has been in dire need of a haircut. I gave him his first two haircuts almost chopping off his left ear the second and last time I did it. Then I handed haircut duties over to the sitter he went to before he started preschool. I hated to bother her on a holiday weekend to see if she could cut it, so we headed to Uncle Classic Barbershop just a mile or so from the house. Clark was a real trooper and sat very still for his new cut. While we were there he told the gal cutting his hair that he was going to go home and just look in the mirror.

And yes....I do still have a daughter....she's been unusually out of proximity from the camera lately. Her week is coming up though. I've been on a card-making frenzy this weekend and she is a little put out that I haven't started her birthday card yet. She doesn't understand yet that if I NEED a card on Tuesday, I'll probably make it Monday night. LOL

TCP Tuesday 39 Challenge

I needed a card for the birthday party Clark went to this morning. When I saw this week’s TCP Sketch Challenge, I knew this was the perfect chance to pull out my Smells Like Cake set again.

Right before my blogging hiatus this fall, I won this fun set as blog candy from Toni Armstrong. Toni is such a sweetheart and even sent this adorable card using another TCP set along with the stamps.
I have several friends who can definitely identify with that sentiment. LOL

Even though I haven’t acknowledged it here on the blog, I have inked up the Smells Like Cake stamps several times the past few months when I needed a fun birthday card. I’m finally getting around to showing you how great these stamps are. I colored the image with Prismacolor pencils and Gamsol. The paper is some Polar Bear Press that’s been sitting in my stash way too long. Hopefully Clark’s three-year-old friend liked the little penguins.

We sure had fun at the party. This was Clark’s first time at one of the big “party places” with inflatable bouncers, slides and obstacle courses. I am exhausted since he insisted that I do everything with him. I’m thinking that naptime can’t come soon enough for BOTH of us!

What we've been eating!

I'm posting a link to a couple of recipes so I'll be able to find them more easily next time I need them. LOL

This is the second year we've made these yummy cinnamon rolls for Christmas Day AND New Year's Day so I think it's become a tradition. Just wonderful and so easy!
Christmas Eve Shortcut Cinnamon Buns

Then for New Year's Eve, I tried this recipe. Something I love to order when we go out to eat. Took a little time to chop all that spinach, but it turned out great!

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

It's TIME TO SHINE in 2009!

Happy New Year!!!

Do you pick a word for the year (a la Ali Edwards)? I typically choose phrases instead of words, and I've been doing this since 2003. I remember that clearly since that was right after I found Flylady so it was "Clutter-Free in 2003!" LOL

I went through lots of words for this year..... mine, divine, whine, and finally settled on SHINE!!! So this year is TIME TO SHINE!

It kind of covers everything for me like making the house shine which is certainly high on my list, but more importantly letting my spirit shine. You know the spirit that is the REAL you...not the one that gets bogged down in all the details of daily life and fatigue that comes with it. The one that remembers to do nice things for people and pursue the passions that are important to your heart.

I'm sharing pics of two people who truly let their spirit shine ...my Dad and my son:

My parents have been visiting and Clark wants to do everything Poppy does...especially as it relates to any outside activities.

Here is my 84 and 1/2 year old father riding one of the scooters down the driveway. This is a man that definitely does not let his age define what he can or cannot do. Those of you that know him know how much I love him. I'm truly a Daddy's girl, and I am so thankful for his shining example.

And here is the little guy. One of his favorite things to do right now is get up on the hearth and have a little show. He sings all the songs in his repertoire - in this picture he is singing "This Little Christian Light of Mine -- I'm Gonna Let it SHINE."

I haven't set many specific goals other than making sure that I'm living my life in a way to let the priorities SHINE through. The only objective goal I have set is to mail a handmade card to everyone in my address book sometime during 2009. If you don't think you're in my address book and you want to be on the list, click the email link in my profile and send me your snail mail address. :)

I hope you're having a wonderful day to start off the New Year! We're fixin' to go to Target -- Clark needs to buy a birthday present for one of his buddies and Addison is determined to help pick it out.

Yep! Santa came to our house!!!

Here's the proof!!!



I got a little help capturing this photo from icaughtsanta.com

If you're reading this, Merry Christmas from all of us!!!!

My Pirates

I know I am quite prejudiced about these two, but aren't they just the cutest little pair of pirates ever???