California dreamin'...

...on such a winter's day. Okay not really, but I should be in bed dreamin' right now so this will be a short and (hopefully) sweet entry.

Today was my day off so I was able to get a few things done, yippee for that. All of my laundry is done, but now it's in a pile on my bed waiting to be put away. I was also able to do a third layout for the week, which I think is more than I've ever done in a week! I was so inspired by Holly's "Dare to Muse Me" challenge this week that I just had to join in on the action. I also packed up some of my scrap table stuff to take to Dan's this week. You know, the more I think about what to pack, the more I have no idea what to pack! Do I just take my entire room with me, or leave some of it here for whenever I *need* it? Ah well, time will run out and I'll have to throw a bunch of stuff in the car!

Now, on to the layouts!

This first one is the month-in-review layout for TDC's Chick's Life challenge.

[JANUARY '06]


Credits: Papers from Jen Wilson's "Mango Sunrise" layers upon layers collection and "J" from her "Day Dreamer" alpha. Pretty petals and fasteners from Holly McCaig. Straight stitching from Kathy Moore. Tag alpha from Ali Florendore. Fonts are Barbara Hand and Georgia (for "06").
Journaling: Now that it's the end of January, I think the only word that can describe this past month is "random." The weather hasn't decided if it's winter or spring. We've had one decent snow and some flurries here and there, but the rest of the days have been 40 or 50 degrees! I finally put together an outline for my publishable paper. Dan found a new hobby in rock climbing. I was finally able to have lunch with Ryan and Mandy on different Sundays and catch up with their lives. In fact, Mandy just moved into her own place this weekend! Dan and I got to celebrate Sheri's birthday with Olive Garden, tons of snacks, and a game of Cranium! I bought a cute, new cell phone - a purchase that was way overdue! Also, I've learned so much about myself this month from the layouts I've completed, it's awesome that I've captured so many memories. January sure was random, but it was definitely fun!

Next, these pictures have been sitting on my computer (and on my scrapping table in printed form) since last June and I really wanted to get them scrapped.

[IT'S OFFICIAL]


Credits: Kit is the new "Sweet on You" by Holly McCaig. Stamp alpha by Rebecca DiGrazio. Chipboard alpha by Dani Mogstad. Straight stitching by Kathy Moore. Fonts are Petra Script, Chromosome Light, and I Love Derwin.
Journaling: That Friday was a day I'll never forget...it was the day we became an official couple! We had the "official" conversation in the morning before Dan went off to work, and agreed to meet up for lunch downtown. For Dan's lunch break, I got to see some of the city and we met a couple of his friends at the Redfish restaurant. I still had to teach that day, so I couldn't stay too long after eating, but we decided to snap a couple official shots before I left. I was smiling the entire day!

Lastly, Holly posted her Muse Me challenge prompt and I couldn't resist the chance to do a layout looking back 10 years ago. I think I look exactly the same in the picture, just different hair, lol!

[10 YEARS AGO]


Credits: Kit is "Sugardoodle" by Mindy Terasawa. Corner swirly stamp by Carrie Stephens. Straight stitching by Kathy Moore. Index card by Jenna Robertson. Staple by Heather Roselli. Stamp alpha by Kim Lund. Font is Barbara Hand.
Journaling: Ten years ago would've been the beginning of 1996. I was 14 years old, in the middle of my eighth grade year, and my family and I had just moved to Clarksville. I loved the new house we had built, all of the land around us, and decorating my new room, but moving also meant going to a new school and leaving my friends. Living in the country was so far from everything and everyone that I was basically starting a new life. There were a few girls that took me in as their friend, but eventually I found myself changing to fit in with them. Back then was a time of influence and finding my place among new things and new people.

So that's it for now...tomorrow my students have Evan's mass lecture and I have some test grading to do! AND since it's February 1st, that means that a slew of NEW digi shoppes are opening tomorrow, and a ton of new stuff is happening! Big sales? I hope so!

Goodnight!

My crazy weekend!

That's about the extent of it...crazy!

Since the last time I updated a few days have passed, man where have they gone? Last Wednesday night and Thursday I had to grade all of my students' exams to pass back on Friday. Luckily, Dan helped me by grading the multiple choice while I graded the essays. Friday, I had the joy of passing back the first round of exams, seeing some happy faces and some disappointed faces, and teaching about language and meaning. After office hours I drove down to meet Dan at work and we had dinner with one of his co-workers...mmm, chinese food. We also drove around the neighborhoods to check out the houses for sale, and got a paper on one that was really cute, but I think we're going to wait a little while on the house thing.

Saturday...all we wanted to do was relax around the apartment, which we were pretty successful in doing. I worked on a layout most of the day, but I still haven't finished it because I just don't like it. I keep trying different compositions and nothing calls to me. Maybe after I do my challenge for TDC this week it'll inspire me to finish the one I'm stuck on somehow. Saturday night we drove up to Dayton for Sheri's birthday at the Olive Garden. Now that I think about it, I don't think I've seen Sheri since last May at Laura's wedding. The dinner was awesome, we got some pictures, then the group went back to Sheri's house to play some Cranium. That girl is the board game queen! :)

This morning Dan and I went to church, drank our coffee and listened to a really good service about friendship. I always love listening to our main pastor because he's the funniest guy and he really knows how to get the messages across. After church we stopped by the Sprint store to find me a new cell phone, but the store was really busy and I was being my indecisive self. We ended up getting some carry-out from Penn Station and going back home, and I looked online at the phones to try to make up my mind.

We were supposed to meet my brother and his family to go snow tubing tonight, but after such an "eventful" weekend we really didn't feel like going. The fact that this morning was rainy and warm didn't help the snow fun factor either. We sat around for a while...seems to be a theme here...then we went back to the Sprint store and I bought a new phone! I think I had my old one for something like 3 years, so it was time for a new one.

And now we sit...watching movies, eating pizza, and I want to start on a new layout but I really need some inspiration first. It's already 10:30, so I'm sure I won't get much done tonight. Guess I better get to it, though. Goodnight!

Where are my comments?

Ha, did that title get your attention or what?

You know, I've only had this little blog for about three weeks now, and already over 100 people have visited! Woohoo! I don't know who in the world they are, though, because they don't leave any indication that they stopped by. So, let me know that you dropped in on my ramblings!

Other than that, I've had my ice cream and chips for the night (see a few posts down on my four favorite foods and the fetish), and my paper outline is pretty much done, so I'm about to go to bed. I just wanted to show you the challenge layout that I completed today and I LOVE!

[I AM ME]


Papers from Jen Wilson's "Passion Fruit" Layers collection. Pretty Petals flower from Gina Miller. Zigzag stitching from Kathy Moore. Tag alpha and type key from Ali Florendore. Stamp alpha from Rebecca DiGrazio. Corner swirly stamp from Carrie Stephens. Font is Fontastic.

Aren't I just the cutest? That's one of the many snapshots I took today for that challenge. Have I ever told you that I'm not a big fan of taking my own pictures? Well, I'm not...but I'm not a big fan of other people taking my picture either, unless I'm with other people for the photo. So what can I do?

Here's the journaling:
I am a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, an aunt, a niece, a cousin, a girlfriend, and a friend. I am a master’s student and a teacher of communication. I am a procrastinator, yet a perfectionist. I am an organizer and a list-maker. I am a cat, ragweed, pollen, dust, and mold allergy sufferer. I am a music lover and an MP3 player fanatic. I am a girl who loves the look of natural nails, but feels pretty when they’re painted. I am happy to have an evening of pedicures and dinner with my mom. I am a gym member who needs to use what I pay for. I am an Orbit gum-chewer, mostly in spearmint, but sometimes in bubble gum and cinnamon flavors. I am a chocoholic, living on chocolate ice cream, M&M’s, Kit Kats, fudge rounds, and Esther Price…the list goes much further. I am a lover of the color purple, from the sheets of my bed to the color of my Bible. I am a believer; a girl of faith. I am a church attendee, writing notes in service every week. I am a lover of photographs and a lover of memories. I am a craft enthusiast. I am a lover of paints and brushes. I am a lover of embellishments. I am in love with the possibilities of a blank sheet of paper and a pencil. I am an office store junkie, spending hours roaming the aisles for supplies. I am a computer nerd with my laptop and widescreen monitor. I am nothing without my Photoshop CS2 program. I am a paper scrapper turned digital in a matter of months, but still love the inspiration flowing from craft store shelves. I am a girl who can crochet, although I have yet to complete an afghan I’ve started. I am a Disney dreamer whose favorite princess is Cinderella. I am a shopper who can’t get enough of American Eagle, The Limited, The Gap, and shoes! I am an attitude waiting to be irritated. I am an indecisive mind that takes too long to make decisions. I am a girl who’s afraid to talk about her emotions, and doesn’t like to cry in front of others. I am a girl who still has trouble saying those three little words. I am a girl in love with a guy named Dan, now celebrating eight months together. I am all of this and more. I am me.

Thanks for checking this out, now off to the comment section with you!
Goodnight!

Tagged again!

Okay, this time I was tagged by reading Teresa's blog...so here goes.

What scrapbooking lines/products/etc do you dislike?
Hmmm...I guess for paper I don't like 2-d stickers, though I do like the 3-d pre-made things. For digital, I don't like things that look digital. If it doesn't look like something that I could buy in a store and use on a real page, I won't use it on my digi page.

What is the hardest thing you've ever had to scrap?
Nothing yet...

What technique do you use more than any other?
I love drop shadows, inner glows and outer glows. Second favorite techniques are probably my Atomic Cupcake actions.

Ever been published?
Nope, but I've only submitted once and the decisions haven't been made yet. Crossing my fingers!

What's the smallest scrap of paper you save?
Not very small...if it won't be useful to frame a picture, make a tag, or print journaling on, it gets tossed!

Ever have any scrapbooking-related injuries?
Haha, yes and I don't even remember how I did it. I got a cut on my finger from my paper cutter. I think I was moving the blade back to the top of a piece of paper and my finger got in the way.

Finish the sentence "If I wasn't a scrapbooker, I would spend my money..."
Wow...I guess I'd spend my money on electronics or clothes. I guess I could say crafts too, since that's not technically scrapbooking!

Give us your best storage or organizational idea.
HA, I'm still trying to figure that one out myself. I have photo divider boxes from Creative Memories that I'm trying to put all of my photos into...I hate having all of my pictures just shoved somewhere. I also took a photo/video box from Michael's and turned it into a ribbon box where the ribbons come out the front. I still have one more of those to make, but the ribbons look so much better when they're not unraveling on my table.

You just won a week-long scrapbooking cruise for 5. Who's going with you?
Oh dear...only 4 others? I'd have to say Ali Edwards, Donna Downey, the Shabby Princess, and Shabby Miss Jen...then I would wake up from my dream!

Tags-
Again, anyone who's reading and hasn't been tagged yet!

Update central!

It's about time I gave an update of the last several days, right? Right.
So here goes...if I can remember, lol.

Friday night Dan's friend, Nate, came into town. We all went out to eat at Don Pablo's and came back home to hang out. Nate and Dan wanted to go to Dave & Buster's for some games, but I was too tired and just lounged on the couch. I had also applied for TDC's creative team, so I was waiting that night for the news to be announced...but, alas, the news rolled out around 11 and I didn't make it.

I know, I know...but it's okay and I'm fine with everything. I'm excited for all of the gals that made the team, and I look forward to lots of inspiration from their pages. Actually, that brings me to Saturday because Dan and Nate went rock climbing together and I went back home and digi shopped my sorrows away. I got a ton of cute stuff from Gina Miller at SBB...some polka dot papers, flowers and ribbons to coordinate with those papers, and some other awesome flowers. I also bought some alphas from Ali Florendore also at SBB, and Holly McCaig's new Sweet on You kit! Yep, after that shopping spree I definitely felt better and was ready to scrap some more layouts!

Speaking of layouts, here's the latest. I'm still working on the Chick's Life challenge this week since I need to take a new picture of myself and get my journaling written out, but I just HAD to scrap these pictures of my cat. I can't help but laugh everytime I look at these pictures and think of how crazy my cat really is!

[CRAZY CAT]


Papers and coordinating flowers from Gina Miller's "Woodloch Springs" Polka Papers collection. Staples and stitching from Holly McCaig's "A Joyful Fall" kit. Paper strips thrown together by me. Stamp alphas by Rebecca DiGrazio. Fonts are Fontastic and Chromosome Light.

Getting back to the weekend, Sunday was church with Dan and lunch with my good friend, Mandy mizzle. Since I started going to a different church instead of Mandy's, we haven't been able to get together and have lunch. It was nice to laugh, eat and catch up! She's moving into a new condo next week while I'll be moving in with Dan - changes all around! Hopefully we can have a moving-in party soon!

Now to today, teaching seemed to take forever with my three sections. After my second class I always think that I'm done, then I realize I have a third. During office hours I updated my attendance, browsed the galleries, and read some blogs...yippee my life is SO exciting. Dan actually went and looked at houses on his lunch break today, so there's something more exciting. We looked online the other day and checked out several cute houses in northern Kentucky, so it's all a matter of time now!

Anyways, tonight we all went to Max & Erma's for dinner and ran some errands. We stopped at Michael's and I really wanted to do some kind of craft. I ended up getting two picture frames that I'm going to decorate with papers and such. One is a 12x12 frame for a 5x7 picture, and a smaller frame for a 4x6 picture. I got some wooden monograms for the larger frame too, so I can't wait to work on them.

I think that's all the updates I have for now. I might start on a new layout before I go to bed.
Goodnight!

I'm itching to scrap something!

I think I'll have to wait until tomorrow night or Sunday though, since I'll probably be cleaning and doing stuff with Dan tonight. Until then, I was tagged on Dani's blog so here's my quiz!

Four jobs you have had in your life (in descending order):
1. Communication Instructor
2. Supervisor at Bagel Cafe...bagel sandwiches, soups & such
3. Bath & Body Works product sales/demo gal
4. Supervisor of Season Pass & Guest Relations at The Beach Waterpark

Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days
2. Message in a Bottle
3. Van Wilder...LOVE this one!
4. Love Stinks

Four places you have lived:
1. Cincinnati, Ohio...Montgomery/Kenwood area
2. Clarksville, Ohio
3. Dayton, Ohio
4. Cincinnati, Ohio...Mason area

Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. LOST!
2. Sex and the City
3. How I Met Your Mother
4. My Name is Earl

Four places you have been on vacation:
1. Orlando, Florida
2. Treasure Island, Florida
3. Laguna Beach, California...and I don't think the show did it any justice!
4. Falmouth, Maine

Four websites I visit daily:
1. The Digi Chick
2. Google Reader for all those digi blogs
3. Yahoo/Gmail
4. Random digi shoppes

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Onion rings
2. French onion soup
3. Chocolate...just not with the above two! Although, I do have a fetish for chocolate ice cream/shakes and Funyuns.
4. Enchiladas

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. DISNEY!
2. Sitting at my widescreen, scrapping!
3. At the mall
4. On vacation with Dan

Four Bloggers You Are Tagging:
Everyone I know has already been tagged...am I allowed to go outside of the scrapping circle? Lol...I guess I'll go with Dani's idea, and if you're reading this and haven't been tagged yet, YOU'RE IT!

Productive day?

So far, I think I've been pretty productive. Key words: "so far."

Let's see...this morning I had to get up and go to my office to give one of my students their exam early. They all have their first exam tomorrow, mwahaha. After my student was finished, I caught up on some digi blogs and left campus. God forbid I step foot on campus on a Tuesday or Thursday when I don't have to!

Then, I headed down to have lunch with Dan. It's the little things that excite me, really...getting to see him in the middle of the day for a lunch break and some chit-chat. After that I was driving back home on the highway right next to the Cincinnati airport...which happens to be in Kentucky, you figure that out on your own time...and I look up to see two jet engines staring me in the face! Well, with a HUGE plane attached of course, but way to freak me out! Holy cow!

I stopped by Starschmuck's after that to pick up two of their 'create your own' tumblers, only to find that they just had one left. The guy at the register tried to talk my ear off about it, like "oh, if you have time or there's another store nearby, you should check there to see if they have any...(yeah, I will)...we usually have a lot of these, it's not like we're discontinuing them or anything...just look for the ones that say 'create your own'...I'll let my manager know that we're out...we should have more in soon if you want to come back..." Okie dokie buddy, you're not the only store on my way home, I'll find another, I'll live, no big deal. It's as if he told me that they were all out of coffee or something, lol.

After stopping at the second Starbuck's on my way home, I found a bounty of tumblers! Looks like my area isn't as hip to the tumbler "thing," though you'd think they would be. Maybe I need to share this news with them. So I bought my second one and was on my merry way to the car wash! It's about time I got my poor car washed, too, since I've been saying "I need to wash my car" since the beginning of summer. Another week and my car might have divorced me, especially since we had SNOW Tuesday night and Wednesday morning and it stuck! Thanks, Gina, for sending some of that snow my way!

So now I'm home and wondering what to do...I obviously have tumbler fillers to make, or I could sit here and torment my cat. Or my lovely engaged friend, Sheri, just got a blogger and I need to convince her somehow that it's better than her xanga, otherwise she's going to ditch the blogspot. Perhaps I could tempt her with a new site design and banner...hmmm. Or I could start on the outline that I have to turn into my advisor next week.

Ah, there's a subject to talk about, my paper. I met with my advisor yesterday and she understands that all of the grad students slacked off fall quarter with their newfound freedom, so that's cool. But then she asked me if I really wanted to work hard on this paper "like it's my job" (haha) to graduate in June, or just relax and stretch it out to graduate in August. Hello! Don't tempt my procrastinating side! That side will always win! So we came up with a week-by-week timeline, and hopefully that will get my butt in gear....probably not, but hopefully. I'll take money from the university as long as they want to give it to me, though I would like more. Maybe I could negotiate...like I'll grace them with my presence for a little longer if they add some more moo-lah to my check every month. I see a persuasive speech coming on, lol. Which reminds me, Sheri wants a persuasive speech from me on the reasons why she should keep her blogspot, dang it!

[Link for the confused: Sheri and I both taught public speaking courses last year, hence persuasive speeches. She's still doing it this year, but I switched to interpersonal. I probably couldn't actually GIVE a persuasive speech to save my life!]

Anyway, I think that's it for now. I was indirectly tagged with a quiz on Dani's blog, but I'll do that later tonight in a separate post when I want a break from something.

Tata!

Another lovely day off...

I really couldn't tell you what I've done today, so apparently the time has just passed me by. I did have my hair cut this afternoon, which was wonderful and relaxing. I ended up picking the hand massage and aroma "shampure" experiences...aaahhhhh, yes. I think the next time I go back in March my hair will be long enough for some nice spring-time highlights.

Anyway, watching the Bachelor last night was quite an experience! I haven't watched that show in a couple years, but the women are just as crazy. I can't believe that woman who was only on the show to "reproduce." What a psycho, and quite psycho-looking! She looked like one of the characters from that Craft movie a while back. Maybe she's going to go home now and cast a spell on the bachelor. I especially loved it when she said that she was giving up "big bucks" to be on the show..BIG BUCKS! Not like she HAD to come there in the first place! Oh my...and where are her patients since she's a doctor too? If I happened to be one of her patients I'd be pulling my records out of that office faster than she could say "marriage is just for reproducing!" I'm not sure which girls I actually like yet, since I just started watching it yesterday. We shall see.

I guess I would be watching Idol right now, but Dan's going to DVR it and we'll watch it tomorrow. I used to roll my eyes at the whole DVR thing, but heck! I would've missed a ton of Lost episodes and much more if he wasn't recording them. I'm coming around to the other side of television...I'll get there.

Well, I don't have any new layouts done, but maybe this weekend I'll have something new from the digichick challenge. I got this week's done so quickly that I feel like I'm missing something, haha. Maybe that's what I need to do from now on is make Sunday my scrapping day. That way I can try to work on my 2006 intention of balancing my time. I could do my challenge that day, since that's the day we get a new prompt every week, then I could work on other pages while the creativity is still flowing. I HIGHLY doubt that I could hold myself to one day, though.

Alright, I'm starting a new to-do list for tomorrow so I can get my thoughts straight.

• get reimbursement form in the mail!
  
• type up research methods from base articles (wrote out half)
  
• lecture at 12
• lunch at 1
• make list of questions for advisor
• meeting with advisor at 2
• input blackboard stuff for my students

Have a great hump day tomorrow!

I sit here with my french toast and cappuccino...

and wonder what I'm going to do today. I'm actually pretty thrilled that I was up before noon today and I have some yummy brunch. I think today calls for a list of stuff to do, and a check-back throughout the day...

• change sheets and make the bed
• do the laundry that's piling up
• put laundry away
  
• take a shower
• put Christmas gifts away
• get my monitor box out of here
• pay on my Mastercard bill before I run out of money
• type up the research details of my base articles
• if there's ANY time left...scrap?
• just added: drop off Rob at the movie theater (mom did)
• pick up Rob from the theater
• get receipts and tax stuff together for mom
  

I guess I do have tomorrow off too, but hopefully I can get the majority of that stuff done today. Oooooh, and I just remembered my hair appointment tomorrow. I can't wait for that! Which 'experiences' will I choose? Last time I think I picked the mini back massage and the mint shampoo with hot towel goodness. Decisions...

Anyway, after being with Dan the entire weekend I probably won't be over there again until Wednesday after class, which is a bummer. Soon enough I won't have to worry about where I'm staying or what to pack, and I can be with my cutie everyday! And speaking of Dan, yesterday I whipped out my second layout for the digichick challenge. We were supposed to do a layout of our intentions for this new year...not like resolutions, but actual intentions. I really enjoyed thinking about all the things I intend to do, and I decided to do my own intentions as well as "our" intentions.

[INTENTIONS FOR 2006]


Credits: Papers and type keys (originally blank) from Jen Wilson's "Golden Field" layers collection - "Intentions" word also made from paper. Flowers with fasteners from Holly McCaig. Vellum thrown together by me. Torn paper action from Atomic Cupcake. Fonts are Susie's Hand, Barbara Hand, Dorado Headline, and Distress.

I know you won't be able to read the journaling so I'll give you the cliff notes...

I intend to use my gym membership at least once a week.
I intend to spend more time with friends, or at least stay more in contact.
I intend to balance my free time between Dan, scrapping, and my grad paper.
I intend to take more pictures and remember more of the little things.
I intend to start applying for jobs.
I intend to continue making time to do nothing...me time.
I intend to be the best daughter, sister, girlfriend, and friend that I can be.
Dan and I intend to get engaged this year.
Dan and I intend to always make time for each other.
Dan and I intend to start looking for a house by the end of the year.
Dan and I intend to take more pictures together and document more.
Dan and I intend to continue making each other unbelievably happy.

Then, last night I had the creative bug and decided to whip out a second layout! Robby and I wanted to give our parents a nice, up-to-date picture of us for Christmas. These are a couple of the photos we took, but we chose the larger one to frame and give to them. He's such a fun kid, and he'd probably hurt me if he knew I called him a kid, haha.

[THE CHRISTMAS GIFT]


Credits: Kit is "Winter Blue" from Holly McCaig. Stencil alphas made from Jen Wilson's blank "Afternoon Delight" tile and Stencil font. Straight stitches on photos by Kathy Moore. Other fonts are Susie's Hand and Barbara Hand.

Well, I think that's it for today. I have to get started on that to-do list!
Have a GREAT Monday!

Love the three-day weekends!

Who doesn't? Thanks to Mr. MLK Jr., my students and I get to sleep in on Monday!

As for the last few days, procrastination and scrapping have taken over...what else is new? Actually, Thursday I got my car into the shop to get an oil change and a few other repairs. I'm now several hundred dollars poorer because of the lovely Dodge people! I still need to take my car over to the tire people to have my tires checked out since it's all free over there with my warranty. Also on Thursday mom and I got pedicures together, so that was a nice piece of Heaven on my weekday afternoon. Afterwards, Dan and Geoff met my mom and I for dinner, I got my car back from the money-grubbing dealer, and Dan came back to my parents' house to talk to my dad about me moving in with him...hehehe. So I think it's official that I'm going to move in with Dan at the beginning of February, but it hasn't really hit me yet. I guess I'm over here all the time anyway...? Maybe after I've moved all of my crap over here it'll hit me! Apparently Dan also talked to my dad about the vacation he's taking me on in May, so I might have to be bribing daddy to give me the scoop!

While I'm thinking about it, and watching it, you have to go check out this flash cartoon about the end of the world. It is hilarious! I laugh my butt off everytime I watch it or hear a line from it... http://albinoblacksheep.com/flash/end.php.

Anyway, on Friday I got to tell my students about their first exam and if they don't study it's going to...and I quote from Evan...bend them over, spank them, and call them Rhonda. After class and office hours I headed over to Dan's house, he cooked some dinner, and I did some scrapping. Earlier in the week I created a layout for my 2005-in-review challenge at TDC, but after looking through my newest Creating Keepsakes magazine I was inspired to do a totally new layout. I really like how it turned out, I may even do a second page to go with it. Here it is...


Papers are from Jen Wilson's "Highland Mountain" layers collection. Flowers and fastener are from Holly McCaig. Straight stitching is from Kathy Moore. Fonts are Petra Script, Top Secret, and Vicki's Scribble.

There's something else that I want to mention, but I don't really want to mention it and then it not happen...so I'll just cross my fingers and wait to give you that news! For now it's off to bed so I can get my behind out of bed for church in the morning.

Until next time...enjoy your three-day weekend if you have one!

Holy cow!

I'm not sure why that title is relevant to this post, but whatever. I've gotten addicted to that phrase lately and the madness has to stop. Maybe I can admit my problem here and start on my road to recovery. Maybe I can admit my addiction to fudge rounds too...as I almost wrote holy cow again, doh!...otherwise I'm going to become a nice fudge round myself!

Let's see...yesterday I actually did something domestic. I made brownie cupcakes for Dan and his roommate, woohoo. They could've been taken out of the oven two minutes earlier, but still good. Dan's couch set was delivered yesterday also, and it looks really nice in his living room, very comfy too. I'm sure the delivery guys were thrilled to see me in huge comfy clothes just stumbling out of bed when they banged on the door at 10:30am.

So I found out that I'll be applying for spring graduation instead of winter. I knew from slacking my ass off last quarter that graduating at the end of this quarter would be a crunch, but apparently the deadline has already passed to apply. You have to laugh when the deadline to apply is on the first day of the quarter, and everyone has just been on a month-long break with no idea of the deadline. Who do these higher-ups think they are? I guess the deadline to apply for spring is in February sometime, which definitely calls for a holy cow! That's one more thing on the to-do list.

Moving on...last night I started working on my digichick challenge for this week, a review of 2005, and it's almost done. I'll probably be able to post it tonight or tomorrow. Other than that, I think I'm out of news. Boring...I know...oh, but I did get the recent copies of Simple Scrapbooks and Creative Keepsakes last night so I have some reading and layout browsing to do!

OH! I almost forgot! I ordered a lil' sweetie from Sweet Mindy at TDC and she finished it today. It's so cute! Meet mini chubby me!



Okay, that's it, enjoy the rest of your hump day!

One week down...

...Nine more to go!

So far my students seem to be pretty good. It's been a little hard to get back into the swing of teaching three classes in a row, but I've been taking my lunch with me the last couple times and it's worked out. At least I'm not wanting to chew on my arm or anything. Today my first class seemed to be asleep half the time, at least until we started stereotyping everyone around the room, then they woke up and started laughing at the exercise. My second class has some funny people in it, so they seem to break the ice and get things rolling...and my third class has a freshman learning group in it, so all of these kids know each other from their other classes. I don't know if that's good or bad yet, they may all gang up on me. I'll call for back-up if they do, be prepared.

I finally got to hang out with Ryan yesterday and give him the Army scrapbook I made for him. I know, I know...it's been forever and I made it in the middle of last year...so sue me. We had a good lunch at Panera, though, and a good time eating chocolates and chatting with his parents.

The last couple weeks being with Dan have been awesome. Well, it's always been awesome with him, but we've been talking more about the future lately and I'm excited! We've been talking about me moving into his apartment soon, and I already mentioned that trip he's planning for May and won't tell me anything about...darn him...he's so cute and sneaky :). I'll keep ya posted.

In the last few days I've managed to get couple Maine layouts done. They actually go together as a double-page spread, but can be used separately also. I did a double-page Maine layout for a digichick challenge last month and I really liked it, but I have more pictures that I want to scrap of that vacation and I want it to have a different kit and look.

[MAINE ESCAPE]




[WEEKEND GETAWAY]


Both pages...
Papers and stencil letters: Jen Wilson
Tab and flower w/fastener: Holly McCaig
Photo prongs made by me on the fly
Fonts: Chromosome Light, Southern Accent Belch (what a name), and Vicki's Scribble

I think it's off to bed for me...Dan bought a new couch set last week and it's getting delivered tomorrow, so I get to hang out here and waste time somehow.

Goodnight!

It's about time...

...I get my butt on here and update!

I guess it's only been a week since Christmas, but it really feels like another month has passed me by! So let's see...out with the old, and in with the new. That seems to be everyone's philosophy in the digi-scrapping world right now...there are so many changes in the making. It seems like all of my favorite designers are in transitions, all with new and awesome opportunities...a new blog here, a new site there, who knows what else!

Anyways...2005...oh, you were a good year. I can't begin to remember everything that happened in the last year, probably because I'm starting to mix it up with things that happened in 2004. I guess that's what happens when you go to grad school and sit in the same grad office everyday with the same people, and go to three-hour classes four days a week for over a year, and don't watch any television besides the Presidential debates...and the only reason you watch the debates is because you are in a Presidential Communication class. Holy cow, good thing summer came along and it was the easiest grad quarter ever, otherwise I may have been tempted to do something horrible...like veg out and watch TV on a Friday night (gasp)! I could say that it was a good thing Dan came along also, but I think he distracted me from my work more than anything, ha!

Even with school, though, I would say it's been a good year. I think I've learned a lot about myself and I've met a lot of new people in the process. I started out the year by giving a second chance to a relationship I really thought could work, and it didn't. In May I strangely got back in contact with a guy I knew in 2001 when he was my roommate's boyfriend, and we've been together for the last seven months. I finished my graduate classes in August and felt a huge sense of accomplishment after all of the hard work. I started going to Dan's church and found a whole new perspective on my life and faith, one that I hope to continue and dive into more. In September I stumbled across the world of digital scrapbooking and have truly put together my two biggest passions. I ended the year with relaxation and holidays that have come and gone way too quickly... it was great to spend time with family that I don't see very often, and just as exciting to spend my first holiday season with Dan and his family. Whew!

Now that I'm out with the old, what's new? Well...this blog for one, and I'm sure there are many more surprises and excitements to come this year. Speaking of, Dan has planned a getaway for us in May and won't tell me anything about it! Eeeee!

Today was the first day of winter quarter for me, so I'm back to teaching and I get to meet 60+ totally new students on Friday! There's some tweaking I want to do with the material this quarter, and I want these students to really succeed. Last quarter I had so many students that didn't seem to care and they scraped by with a D or a C. HELLO!! This quarter I will make them FEAR the material...mwahaha...or if all else fails, at least make them motivated to get higher grades on the exams. Anways, enough of that...

Something else that's new is a full-year challenge at TDC, and I really want to try to keep up with it. Even though I'll be working on my paper hardcore the next few months...which I'm totally motivated for...I still love the idea of journaling what I remember throughout the year. After my paper's done it should be easier to keep up with, I hope. It may even be easier just to take my posts here and paste bits into the challenge layouts...hmmm...

And I almost forgot to talk about all of the new TOYS from Christmas! I got so many toys that they're coming out of my ears! No...really they are, I'll show you. I took pictures of a few toys, one of which is the camera itself!





I know the pictures are kinda crappy because they were a quick thing, and you'll have to ignore the glare and messy desk and all, but you get the point. That right there on top is a 20" widescreen monitor to go with my cute little widescreen laptop, and a Dell MP3 player, all from mis padres (laptop is an existing toy). My mom also got me a gift certificate to Express (I can hear those anorexic models calling me now), a couple cute watches, and a sewing machine. The new digital camera was a present from Dan that upgraded me from a measely 2.0 megapixels to 7.1, along with a tripod, assorted Sharpies (does the man know me or what?), a little silver mouse that I can keep in my pocket for company (ok ok...maybe in my laptop bag for some wireless action when I need it), a mini USB hub, some scrapping tape rollers...and I'm sure I'm forgetting things. Man, I am spoiled! And that's not all, folks...Dan's parents and grandparents bought me a ton of baking stuff, including a mixer! It'll all go nicely with the massive amount of kitchen stuff I bought for Dan. Also, since I don't have room for it here at my house I'm going to stash it at his apartment to use when I'm there, giving him a pretty full kitchen.

[Note to self: bake Dan something for goodness sake, the man does all the cooking!]

Other than the boring, shmoring stuff I've written already, I went to Officemax tonight to get in a few supplies and I'm in Heaven! I don't know why I didn't think about this before, but I've been looking for a small holder (portfolio?) to put my pocket-sized Flavia calendar into...with no luck. Tonight I passed by the address books and got a great idea! The address book holders are so much cheaper than the calendar holders, and they're exactly the size I need! The first one I picked up was the one that caught my eye and I ended up buying it. Mmmmm, I love office supply stores. I feel so organized again...

I think that's about it to this abnormally long post. Even though I don't do New Year's Resolutions (because I forget about them after a week), there are a few things I'd like to try to do...maybe you all can hold me accountable now that I'm writing them here.

• Post more often than once every week or two
• Use my gym membership that's eating away at my credit card, at least on Tuesdays and Thursdays when I'm off
• Get together more often with my friends instead of being antisocial...I miss them!