29. August 2008 by admin.

Why is it that when you’re on vacation or have a day off, your body automatically wakes you up before your normal wake up time and you can’t get back to sleep?  If I had to work today, my mind would automatically tell me to go back to sleep.  Funny isn’t it.  But I’m incredibly happy today.  I have a 5 day holiday weekend.  I had orignally planned on spending it all down at the campground, but the best laid plans…….It’s ok though, I get this much more time connected to the internet and can play all day.  Yea!!!

First I want to show you what I just put into the store.  It’s filling up nicely.  I did an entire collection of papers called Mediterrean Terrace.  There are 4 paper packs and an alpha (actualy 2 alphas in 1 set).  Take a peek.

There is also a super saver pack where you can get the entire set of papers and save 25%.

Also over at the Garden, I’m hosting the Quote challenge each month.  I’ve already posted the Sept. challenge.  Here’s the posting bonus.

Stop by and check out the quote.  Post a layout with it and you’ll get the bonus mini kit.

Earlier in the week, Joni left this for me on her blog.

Now here’s my list to pass it on.

Amanda’s Household sixx - I love Amanda’s sense of humor and her way of telling it to you straight.  No holes barred. 

Ladybug Graphix - I love to open her blog up just for the beautiful song she has on it.  If you like country music, or just songs to make you stop and think (and maybe tear up) than stop by and say hi to Dawne.  But she’s also a complete sweetie as well as a darn great tease.

Scrapsations of Cate - Cate is one of the first friends I made from the Blog Train.  She is an amazing Supermom, who does more before she goes to work than I do all day.  It’s really been amazing to see her grow over the last year in her scrapping.  Her layouts rawk and now she’s selling her magnificent templates too.

Suzee Q’s Stuff - Freebie pimp queen.  If you love to look through freebies but don’t like thumbing through pages of stuff, Suzee’s blog is perfect.  She picks the cream of the crop and occasionally my stuff out for you to view. 

The Chronicles of Nani - Yet another transplanted Michagander in the Buckeye state.  Great posts, awesome photos and she’s contimplating starting to sell her designs.  Stop by and give her a little encouragement.

Blackbelt Scraping - Another transplant, and she’s in the opposite end of the state.  Barb has a sharp sense of humor, takes the most Awesome photos and on Tuesday has the best recipes out there.  Her other blog, Pixelated is just her photos.  Take a look, I promise you won’t be dissapointed.

And last, but certainly not least, Da Wench - Wenchd Grafix  There are days that I doubt I would keep my sanity if it weren’t for Kristine.  Wickedly funny, has the greatest email jokes around (even if I don’t always understand the Newfie jokes) and my greatest cheerleader.  Mwah! says it all.

So here’s the rules ladies:  According to the rules for this award,
the winner:
- may put the logo on her blog.
- should create a link on her blog back to the person who gave them the award.
- may nominate at least 7 other blogs for the award and put links to those blogs on hers.
- should leave messages on the blogs of those nominated.

Well, off to play some.  For those of you in the states, Happy Labor Day and enjoy your long weekend.  Stay safe!  Everyone have a wonderful weekend and scrap happy!

Posted in challenges, Digital scrapbooking | 9 Comments »

27. August 2008 by admin.

My store is all set up at Digital Scrap Garden.  I have 4 paper packs and a freebie back in there for sale.  I’d love for you to stop in and see what I’ve got there and let me know what you think.  and grab the freebie while you’re there.  But don’t stop at just the store.  Check out the gallery and forums.  We’ve got a great bunch of ladies that call the Garden their home and they are incredibly welcoming.  Stop in and say hi.

So do you wanta see a sample of what’s there?

That’s Key West Grunge.  15 papers of soft colors with a grunge feel.  Making papers, to me is a lot of fun.  I discover new things everyday and it’s a great way to pass time when it’s slow at work.  And it’s been really, really slow latetly.  I think that more and more people are finding it harder to put food on the table and that’s a bit more important than paying your car insurance in their eyes. 

We’re finally getting the remnants of Fay here in Ohio.  I think the Cincinnati area’s getting much worse than we are.  I know it really reeked havoc on Florida but we really needed the rain.  The lawns are brown and not growing at all.  My neighbors tomato garden is fried, and I never got any green tomatoes.  I just hope that it’s gone by the weekend.

Joni Gray  has this award for me on her blog today.  Very sweet of her.

Now I need to pass this along to 7 people.  I need to think on this and since the office is about to open, I’ll have my list tomorrow.  This way I can leave comments on everyone’s blog letting them know about this award.  Thanks Joni!!! I can’t leave a comment on your blog until I get home from work tonight.  Hopefully she’ll check back.

Gotta run, I have actual work to do this morning.  Hope you have a great day.  Don’t forget to check out my store.

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments »

26. August 2008 by admin.

I’m feverishly pulling together paper packs for my new store over at Digital Scrap Garden. My store should be set to open Sept. 1st. I hope you’ll stop by to see what goodies I’ve been working on. In the meantime, I’m struggling with a name for one of the sets of papers and thought that maybe you all would like to help me out. Take a look at the papers and then go to this link Digital Scrap Garden and leave me your suggestion for a name for this beast.  The one I choose will get this pack for free and all other suggestions will be put into the random number selector and I’ll give away one additional set.

Thanks for playing along.  I hope that you’ll stop by the Garden to see the amazing other talent that has just joined the Shoppe.  It’s a terrific place to plant your memories.

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

24. August 2008 by admin.

How’s that for a title?  Well, you’ll just have to read down to find out the meaning….hehehe.

Never in my life has a shower felt so good.  For those of you who know a little about me, I’m a creature of comfort.  My idea of camping is the travel trailer camper with all the comforts of home; AIR, WATER, and tv…..basic stuff.  So I think that a lot of you were surprised by my declaration of roughing it this weekend.  Well, as always, life is an adventure.

I am a worrier by nature.  I guess you could say I’m a pessimist too.  I’d rather not say, but hey if we can admit our flaws, that’s half the battle.  We load up all our camping gear and the dogs and swing by the campground to pick up a few things we forgot to grab.  Seeing how we’d have to back track to get to the freeway (following the directions given) Shannon decides that we can take the State route in the back way.  It’s pretty straight forward and we’ve driven it before.   The part we hadn’t been on, runs along the Little Miami river valley in Southern Ohio.  Hills and more hills.  Well, trying to get the Bronco up one of those big hills, we blow a transmission seal or line or one of those things you really have to have to make your car go.  Fortunately we don’t realize it until we check in.  The campground we all stayed at was awesome and the people we went with have reserved the same 2 sites for the last 5 years.  The sites are HUGE!  We had 10 tents and 2 vehicles on the one site, along with the fire area and eating area.  The other site was right on the water and that’s where we all parked.  We get unloaded and they start talking about the truck and what’s wrong with it.  I hear transmission and immediately I think Big Bucks.  Nothing that we can do about it until the guys can get under it and look at it in the morning. 

I am probably the worlds lightest sleeper.  I don’t sleep well and the slightest noises can keep me up.  I live with a snorer.  I used to tease my dad that he didn’t really need to worry about his little girl shacking up cuz we didn’t sleep together.  We have separate room and I love that arrangement.  Even at the camper, it’s separate.  Well, the tent is a whole nother story.  After about 3 hours of trying and trying to sleep, I give up and go sleep in the truck.  Not the most comfortable, but awfully quiet.

After about 2 hours of sleep, we’re up and trying to get breakfast started, rafts blown up and the day going.  That’s when I find out it’s not looking good for the truck.  Well, while things like this is what credit cards are for, I’m freaking out cuz I have 2 dogs to get home and we’re almost 100 miles away.  So naturally, because when I get mad or stressed, I cry.  Fortunately, I have a terrific group of friends there and they try to reassure me that things will be ok and not to worry about it.  Just have a good time.  Just have a good time???  How is that possible?  Well, after a little time and a few cigarettes (yes, I stressed out and started back up a LOT this weekend) I figured the hell with it, I’m gonna have a good time.  Now the dogs aren’t supposed to be left unattended at the campsite.  We have our 2 and one of the couples have this huge Bull Mastiff.  Looks mean as hell, but just a gentle giant.  Shannon was gonna stay with the dogs, but last minute they convince him that they’ll be ok as long as they’re on leashes.  So after about a minute of fretting and a few more scrambling to make sure they have food and water, we jump in the river and sail away.  And you know what, for about 3 hours I floated and sailed and paddled and laughed.  I forgot everything that had plagued me.  I think it’s a law or something that you can’t float down a river in the sunlight seeing the woods (and canoes) passing you by and have the weight of the world on your shoulders.  It was truly a beautiful trip.  There were 38 of us total in about 20 small rafts, intertubes and one party raft that holds 8. 

It’s really a small world.  When Barb read my post earlier last week about my river trip, she said that her dd and dh were gonna be on the river too that day.  But they were leaving a little bit earlier than we had planned too.  I knew that even though I’ve seen photos I’d never be able to pick out Andy.  But Shannon, her DD I’ve seen so many beautiful layouts of, I thought I just might recognize her.  So as canoe after canoe passed us by (and it looks like they were all working so hard, paddling all the time) I looked and I looked.  We had stopped on a sand bar to wait for a group of stragglers to catch up.  I’m beached but didn’t get out of my raft.  I look up and say “Shannon” and this little girl looks at me, so I say “Andy” and he says yes.  I get all excited.  I’m like “Wow, tell Barb you saw Diane down at the river.  I know her from the scrapbooking online stuff” and they floated away.  It was sooooo cool.  Even though I don’t know them, I feel that I do from Barbs pages and awesome photos.  So Thanks Barb.  That really made my weekend. 

As we got near the end of the river trip (5 hours and a heck of a sunburn on my legs) I start getting anxious about the dogs.  I’d hate it if they found we’d left them unattended and kicked us out of the campground for it.  But really, I was worried that someone would steal my dogs.  So I jump on the first bus back.  I can hear them as I’m walking back into the site and as I get a bit closer, Carmen comes trotting up to me.  She’s not supposed to be able to do that.  The little Houdini somehow got her collar over her head and was running around free.  Most likely taunting the other 2 dogs with her freedom.  She made up for it by sticking around the area.  Now if it was Jazi, she’d have been off to see the sites and make new friends with the other campers.  The thing that really freaks me out is that without her collar on, no one knows who she is or who she belongs too.  I really do have the best dogs though.

Saturday night I decided why fight it and crawled into the truck to sleep at a decent time instead of waiting til it was to the point of leave or strangle someone. :)  That’s where the cicada lullaby comes in.  At least I think that’s what they were.  There were several different nature sounds going on, but those were the loudest and most common.  It was extremely peaceful and after about an hour, I was out like a light.

Sunday morning was spent trying to break down the campsite and figure out how I was gonna get home.   It seemed like the plans were changing every 10 minutes.  That drives me nuts (and you can see it’s a short trip).  Eventually, we got it straighted out.  One of the people had AAA plus which will tow 100 miles and was headed near our place to drop off his son.  So he brought me and the dogs back while Shannon rode in the  toe truck.  So the moral of this story is  All’s well that ends well.  Well until we find out how much it’s gonna be to fix the transmission that is.  But I’m not gonna worry about that for another day. 

So I’m all unloaded and the food (tons of it left) is put away.  I took a 20 minute shower and washed away layers of dirt.  I was ready to watch the race we taped last night, but I hear snoring always, so I think I’m gonna grab my dogs, curl up in my own bed and take a nap.

 Have a great day!

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments »

20. August 2008 by admin.

We won’t be in Kansas anymore. We’re joining a group of friends from the campground this weekend and going rafting down the Little Miami River. It also means tent camping. None of the comforts of home. No cable, no air, no running water, no bed. What did I get myself into? Actually we did start out tent camping several years ago. I have a very nice Coleman 6 person tent. We did a few primitive camps before Shannon’s dad told him about the places that have electric hookups. After that, we were always at a state park. It was nice in the dog days of summer to have a fan to move air around while trying to sleep at night. And occasionally have a TV to watch at night. But when I bought the camper in 2005, that’s all she wrote for the tent camping. But tonight, after work, we’ll be digging through camping equiptment we haven’t seen in 4 years to see what we have, what we need and then smack us in the head saying, why did we agree to this? Oh yeah, it’s friends and fun and one last bash before the end of summer. We’ll be just fine. I’m sure that it’ll be Shannon bitchin about the heat more than anything. (My main complaint will be his snoring). I haven’t been rafting or tubing in years. I’m hoping for a little bit of rain before Saturday. According to the National Weather Service, parts of the Little Miami river are only at 1.5 feet deep. Somehow I don’t think my butt’s gonna float in 1 1/2 feet of water. lol.

It’s back to school time. Do I hear sighs of relief from all over? Well, count me among the kids cryin that they don’t want to go back. Back to school for me means ignorant bus drivers. Now, I’m by no means saying that all schoolbus drivers are ignorant. Just the ones in my neighborhood. And ignorant may be to strong a word. Annoying is a better word. I just don’t understand how a bus driver, with a bus full of kids can blow a red light? It’s commonplace here. So traffic’s a mess again and I need to remember to leave for work earlier just to avoid them.

Heather’s having a Back to School sale and her entire store is on sale right now for 40% off. She’s released 2 new brushes available for both personal or commercial use. One set is hand drawn wings and the other is a great back to school set. Also keep an eye out for the Sept. CT blog challenge and your chance to win a $10 or even a $20 gift certificate from her store. Ok, Wordpress is being a booger today and won’t let me link normally, so here’s the link to Heather’s store. Go check her out. www.digiscrapping.net/shoppe

Well, it’s time to work. And blog hop where I can. So many are still blocked from being able to leave comments. Rest assured I was there, you just may not know it. Have a great day and watch for another freebie tomorrow.

Posted in Uncategorized | 9 Comments »

20. August 2008 by admin.

You Are an Orange Margarita

At first glance, you are very unique - but deep down you are still quite a traditionalist. A margarita may be “too fancy” for you, but you’ll never turn a free one down.

What Flavor Margarita Are You?

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

19. August 2008 by admin.

Hope that everyone had a good weekend.  The weather was glorious here and I belive the dog days of summer are over.  Oh, I’m sure that we still have a few good extremely hot days ahead of us, but it’s that slide into football weather.  Before we know it, Labor Day will be here and the official end of summer as we know it.  Only 2 weeks before the beloved Buckeyes play.

Well, I have some good news and some bad news.  Ok, first the bad news.  I’m gonna have to slow down on the freebies.  I really love making stuff to share and have been really workin my tail off to get them up several times a week.  Those of you who are among the 10% who leave comments, Thank you!!!  Your comments mean the world to me.  It’s those 10% who keep us going and giving.  So here is today’s freebie preview.  Not all the papers made it into the preview.  You’ll note the name (which is copywrited I’m pretty sure and I don’t know how much trouble Axl Rose is gonna make for me) is my favorite Guns N Roses song and the colors kinda started from hearing that song a few times in a matter on an hour one day at work.  I don’t think I got enough grey into the colors, but eh?  It’s my vision of the song.  Link after the good news.

So I guess as long as she reads it here, it’ll be official.  I’m going to join the shoppe over at The Digital Scrap Garden.  I’ve been having a lot of fun over there and it’s a great group of ladies (dorks).  So I hope that you’ll continue to stop by and see what fun I’m having.  I’ll let you know more as it develops.

Sorry link expired.

Enjoy your day and scrap happy!

Posted in Freebies | 18 Comments »

15. August 2008 by admin.

Well I had an entire post get lost somewhere in cyberspace.  I have no clue what happened to it.  And now I don’t feel witty anymore.  So you just get the freebie.

Sorry link expired.

 Hope that you all have a wonderful weekend.

Posted in Freebies | 11 Comments »

13. August 2008 by admin.

Go figure.  When I stop actually playing with papers and add some photos, pages happen.  Who knew.  Actually I think it’s just really great challenges over at Digital Scrap Garden  that helped me break through the scrapper’s block.  Take a look at what I’ve done the past few days.

 This one was for the font challenge.  It’s Kids first print font and is one of my faves.  Everything else is from my Pink Lemonaid freebie.

This one is the Weeds and Wildflower’s challenge.  You had to find a photo that didn’t show the face.  I didn’t realize how many I have of my niece, she’s so quick.

The Garden Salad with Irish Eyes was really hard for me.  The whole challenge is to follow a recipe.  5 buttons, I never use buttons.  But here’s one of the little guys from the campground.

And my personal favorite is the Miracle Gro with Ladybug.  Each week she gave us something to add to a page.  Each week it changed a lot, almost everything but the photo. (which was the only required constant other than her kit).  I really love how this one turned out.

There are two versions of this page, but this one I like best.  I found the poem on Denny Davis’ site.  If you ever need some journaling, google him.  great stuff but I don’t have time to look up the site. Sorry.

Ok, now that you’ve looked at my stuff, here’s what you’re really here for.  The third and final part of Pink Lemonaid.

Sorry link expired.

Well, who knows what tomorrow will bring.  Actually I may have to do some work for a change.  Hope you all have a great day.

Posted in Freebies | 5 Comments »

12. August 2008 by admin.

Gotta make this a quick post.  Hooked on the Olympics and mens swiming.  Amazing relay last night wasn’t it!  Well, at least for the USA.  I’m in the middle of watching live coverage and the Tivo’d opening ceremonies.  Truly amazing.

Here’s the second part of Pink Lemonaid for you all.

Sorry link expired.

Have a great day!

Posted in Freebies | 7 Comments »