Scrap Corner

As many of you know, I have relocated to MI to a small duplex until Paul returns from Afghanistan. I took a corner of my teeny bedroom for scrapping and have managed to arrange it for an extrememtly low cost.

Table-$15 (school surplus sale)

Letters-$2.99 (Joanns) **painted with acrylic paint and sealed with acrylic sealer

Pegboard-$14 (Ace Hardware)

Hooks-$10 (ebay)

Buckets-$1 (Target)

Containers for Ribbon-Free, just repainted with acrylic paint

As you can see, now I need to put all of my stuff away, but I couldn't resist putting up photos now.

SWAPtime!

Here are my fun goodies from my RedVelvet Swap partner. This was very very fun and I can't wait to use my new items. The picture doesn't show that the little changepurse is this great metallic pink patent leather. I LOVE IT.

Ahhh Naptime!

I am savoring naptime like an expensive bottle of red...
We have been on vacation for the past week and it feels good to be "home". Ok, not as good as being in the STL house, but good to be back.

More later,
cat :)

Christmas in August

Here are a few of my Christmas pages. I haven't done many, but have been starting to collect more red and green items for the next holiday season. Halloween is my favorite holiday, but having Tate has made other holidays a lot of fun.

Rainy today...I am organizing scrap stuff (my dad just installed a peg board wall for me) and watching tv. I made this yummy MUSHROOM PATE to take over to my parents later today. It is a Martha Stewart recipe and I have to stop myself from making a meal out of it. Here is the link for the recipe:

http://food.yahoo.com/recipes/martha-stewart/recipe2231/wild-mushroom-pate

Total Summer Brain Candy

The Hills Season 3, Real World 106, Fashionista Diaries, Top Chef Miami, Big Love, Project Runway, Model Life w/ Petra Nemcova.....

Not proud of this list, in fact it is kind of like a confession, but these shows give me something that PBS and the Discovery Channel just isn't going to give me!

TOP CHEF: Contestants work together to make their dish.

THE HILLS ; Audrina, Lauren and Whitney

Baking Bread

Catie and I have been trying to make bread from scratch. We finally succeeded! It was so good, that I am STILL full from all of our sampling.

Great Lakes Folk Music Festival

We had a great time. We danced for about an hour in the "Dance Tent" to the Latin music of Grupo Fantasma from Austin, TX.

SCRAP LAYOUTS-Texas Memories

Here are a few pages from when I lived in Abilene, TX (2003-2004). I was lucky enough to work at a small scrapbook store at the time, as well as teach at the local high school.

Doing errands today and hoping to get my scrap area organized. I haven't created in a few days...

I was inspired by Ali Edwards blog and her "daily something" project. I love the recycled envelope idea! http://aliedwards.typepad.com/

Blog Party Challenge

Elsie Flannigan is hosting a BlogParty today on her website: http://abeautifulmess.typepad.com/my_weblog/

One of her challenges is to list "34 things to do before I am 35"...or whatever age you are.

Here are mine:
1. Bake a 3 tier weddingcake (but for another holiday, decorated for that holiday)
2. Go to Northern California and visit all my friends.
3. Have a babysitter for a full night for Tate and go out with Paul.
4. Return to my yoga class.
5. Go snowboarding.
6. Bake a decent loaf of bread from scratch.
7. Wean Tate.
8. Wean Tate off TV.
9. Make something worth giving away.
10. Go camping w/Tate and Paul.
11. Become a better home decorator.
12. Dress to feed my soul, not impress others.
13. Buy a really cute bag--not for carrying sippy cups.
14. Go out more with girlfriends.
15. Decide on whether or not to have a second baby.
16. Make at least one big change that is more environmentally friendly in my household.
17. Play my flute more often.

OK--I can't think of anymore, but will add as I come up with them!

ART JOURNAL

Hi all...

For my birthday, Paul bought me an Art Journal Kit from http://redvelvetgirls.typepad.com/. It has taken awhile to get some pages done, but here are a few.

**I realize as I upload these pics, there aren't the greatest quality. I'll update with new versions soon.

Random Thoughts

1. Can't wait for the Fall Issues of Fashion Mags... I cheated and bought an August Vogue to satisfy me until then.

2. I feel so mature when I read most Vogue articles. In my early 20s I only had the attention span for the clothes ads.

3. Missing Cloth Diapers--they really DO cause less diaper rash. (Using disposable since temp home doesn't have washer and dryer).

4. Wondering what the weird smell in kitchen is...(trash is clean).

5. Baby just stripped down to his diaper while dancing.

6. Coveting BIG designer BAGS like the scrawny models carry. I'd be fine with Target version.

7. I want to successfully bake homemade bread. First attempt w/ niece, Catie, FAILED. We are trying a baguette next.

8. Magic Eraser is the best domestic thing ever, while Press and Seal is the devil. Oh, so is the Swiffer...

I actually DO scrapbook!

I love reading other people's blogs and I love their scrap layouts. I realized I haven't posted any creations since Easter. I started photographing new and old layouts and will start to post more often. Here are a few of Mikey, my brother.

Some are original ideas, some are scraplifted (usually with a twist) andsome are layouts from classes I attended. I hope you enjoy and feel free to share with me as well...

Toddler Time!

Tate and I found the greatest Toddler Group, sponsored by the County, here in MI. Once a week it meets at a park, and also once a week at an indoor location. We actually have the option of going a 3rd time as well and Tate has been loving it. He was very shy and had a small meltdown initially, but was dancing in the middle by the end.

Today we had a nature scavenger hunt and an obstacle course in the playground. Afterwards, Catie, Tate and I had a picnic lunch. It was really fun, even if we had to drive 30 minutes in cornfields to get there.

If Kettlecorn was Crack...

If Kettlecorn was Crack, I'd be in big trouble. I'd be hanging out with Lyndsay and Britney at Promises Rehab. I cannot resist its sweet salty combo and even though after I eat an entire bag, my stomach reels, I can't stop.

We went to the County Fair today and had fun. Tate wore his "Birthday Boy" Tshirt that I made this morning with some iron ons and a white tshirt that I had in the house. He climbed up this huge put-together-by-carnies slide/play contraption with me closely behind, and didn't even hesitate as we crossed the metal swinging bridge at about 15' in the air to get to the final slide. Yea...the final slide that apparently the must spray silicone or, i don't know, Pam cooking spray because we FLEW down it. Totally worth our $3.

My BDay!!

So I am 34 today. I remember when I thought that was so mature, so put together, so adult. However, as Tate and I were jumping and jumping on the trampoline and later, swimming in the pool, I felt like I was still a kid.... a kid with a little buddy to hang out with.



My family had a nice informal party for me with cupcakes, gifts, and chinese food for dinner. It was great. We actually celebrated yesterday as well, so I wasn't expecting the surprise celebration today. OK--I was expecting the chinese food :)



Yesterday we went to Ann Arbor to go to Zingerman's Deli and hang out in Kerrytown. I still get that excited feeling in my gut every time I pull into "A squared". I had it every time I returned when I was in college, and it still has yet to go away. I love it. There are so many great things about that town and the energy and open spirit just gets to you. It isn't just the university thing either, because we were barely even on campus. I had to call one of my best college friends, Alex, and tell him that I was in Ann Arbor. He always suggests to our pack of friends that we all come back and settle there. I would love to!

My Favorite Flower

My beloved Camellia... I used to have several bushes outside my Sacramento house. Oh! how I miss that house.

What is your favorite flower?

Exhaustion

So I've been in MI for a little over a month and it has been BUSY! I finally got a bed today, which I plan on jumping into around 7pm after getting Tate to bed.

My days are full and we haven't been "home" hardly at all. Tate even grabs his shoes after breakfast and says "Bye, Bye?" The Chin kids (brothers and Catie) keep me hopping, which I am not complaining about. I missed them.

Last night, I finally got a babysitter and got my laundry done. Have you seen the scary people in the laundrymat at 10pm? The ones I encountered kind of gave me a Adams Family side glance, to which I responded by folding faster. Yea--a babysitter to go to the laundrymat...livin' the sweet life!

My babysitter was my brother, Mikey, who did a great job, though I was a little hesitant that if a WOW (World of Warcraft) raid was occurring, he might forget a baby was in the other room. He decided to stay after I got home, and I couldn't kick him out. I love hanging out with that kid! So he played, I turned on the tv and discovered "Real World Reunited".

I am sucker for the REAL WORLD, so I poured a glass of wine, grabbed the bread and cheese and settled in while I chilled with Mikey. OK, so I was a tad buzzed and when the Real World ended and Mikey headed out it was 11:30!

Waking up in the morning sucked.

Summer Fun

Things we have been up to this month:
On Fridays, Tate and I check out the local garage sales. WOW! The stuff we found for super cheap! Tate found this little push car for 50 cents that he has not been able to stop playing with. The buttons didn't work, but 50 CENTS! My dad was trying to get them to work, but the toy had obviously been in the rain one day too many...

My niece, Catie's dog had puppies a few weeks ago. They are so cute! They are half chihuahua and half rat terrier and they looked like baby hamsters when they were born. Tate is just starting to enjoy them, now that they play and wag their tails.

We hang out on my parents' back porch while the adults talk and Tate plays and does laps around the pool table. He also loves to lob the pool balls across the table.

One other fun thing that I am doing when Tate goes to bed, is scrapbooking. I recently purchased an Art Journal Kit from some really creative ladies that put fun things like this together.

http://redvelvetgirls.typepad.com/rvkc/

They give you ideas and post challenges so that you aren't sitting there with a pile of art supplies in front of you with a blank stare on your face, wondering what in the frick to do. I'm excited to start my journal!

Etsy

Hi all-
I discovered this website:
www.etsy.com
It lists all homemade items for purchase and I love it. I bought some very affordable and adorable prints for my kitchen that match my cupcake theme. The stuff I have purchased so far has all been great!

I love that "love" has been put into each piece and the items are so unique. I'll post pics of the things I have purchased on a later date.

Mikey's Open House

After weeks or preparation, we finally celebrated Mikey's graduation. My dad roasted a pig, my mom bought a chocolate fountain and the boys had a bon fire at the end of the night. Everyone seemed to have a good time.

Tate and I came long enough to eat some food and then had to leave because he had a fever. We ended up in the ER by the end of the night, with Tate getting xrays on his throat, a suppository to get his fever down, and shot to reduce the swelling in his throat. He seems to be doing much better, but we didn't get to join in the graduation fun:( Grandma had even bought Tate a new set of Sidewalk Chalk!

We have been eating pig since Saturday, and we had lots of cupcakes left as well. I am going to be so fat by the time we come home...