Fishy Burns.....

Nate: "Andrea, the fish died."

me: "What? We had a fish?"

Nate: "uh yeah! He was in the water lilly plant."

me: "Seriously... are you kidding me? That dirty thing?"

Nate: "You mean you didn't feed it?"

me: "feed it what? I didn't even know we had a fish!"

Nate: "The fishfood. Wait a sec.. the fish food is still at work."

me: "we had a fish?"

................normal days at the Burns' house.............

Thursday, Thursday.....

I am so happy with the response to reading this book together! I gave everyone a month b/c its about 700 pages long, and some of read faster than others, some of us have busier lives, and such. I think I'll reread mine during the camp my DH and I have to go to in later July.

Also, I should say that there are some racier parts and there is some language in this book. It is a secular novel. And you will find it in the romance section... but I have read they put it there b/c they didn't know where else to put it. It has many elements, but it really creates a new genre all on its own. Also... if you are in the UK. I think the Bristish version is called CrossStitch (don't hold me too it...).

So I did say I was going for Masters, right? LOL~ I think I did. I am kicking some behind on my LO's, if I say so myself. Except, I've never been so picky! I have already redone one LO, and am thinking of tweaking another. I really should just print these suckers out and send them in before I stress myself out completely.

It is finally sunny today. I am going to take Seth to the park and walk and play a bit. If it stays nice, I am going to dress both Nate and Seth up and finally get those pics I've been meaning to take, out of my head and into the camera!



Does this mean I spend too much time in front of the computer? LOL~ to the left you will see a portrait of me, drawn by the hubby. Oh-so-flattering, is it not? Thats my desk at which I work! You can see my photog books on the upper left... my Mud Pie teapot in the middle. My slightly too small flat screen. LOL~ don't you feel as if you are really in my home? I knew you would!

Happy Thursday all!

*Ciao Bellas*

Outlander....

So how much fun was that chat last night? It was such a great turn out, and we were all laughing and sharing all kinds of tips! Thanks friends! I really felt like we all bonded a bit last night, and will look forward to getting to know all of ya'll more! I was kind of nervous to start with, but we all got on famously.

The question came up about what is my favorite book. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon is my alltime favorite book. The whole Outlander series is just spellbinding and fascinating. If you look at her reviews, they are ALL 4.5 or 5 stars each. They are fabulous reads, and so beautifully researched.

I own the series in both hardback and paperback, and read through it twice. My mother, the woman who introduced me to the series, reads it yearly. And I think she has a cruch on the main male character Jamie, LOL!

"FROM THE PUBLISHER
Claire Randall is leading a double life. She has a husband in one century, and a lover in another...In 1945, Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon--when she innocently touches a boulder in one of the ancient stone circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach--an "outlander"--in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of our Lord...1743.Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire's destiny in soon inextricably intertwined with Clan MacKenzie and the forbidden Castle Leoch. She is catapulted without warning into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life ...and shatter her heart. For here, James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a passion so fierce and a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire...and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

FROM THE CRITICS
Library Journal
After being separated by seven years of World War II, Claire and Frank Randall return to the Scottish Highlands for a second honeymoon. Left to her own devices while her husband immerses himself in historical pursuits, Claire inadvertently enters a circle of standing stones and is plunged back 200 years to a Scotland on the verge of the second Jacobite uprising. Her pluck and skill as a nurse win the Scots' grudging respect, but only marriage to a Scot will save her from the clutches of Frank's vicious forbear, Black Jack Randall. Though first novelist Gabaldon uses time travel primarily to allow a modern heroine, this is basically a richly textured historical novel with an unusual and compelling love story. The author, an assistant professor of research in environmental studies, was encouraged to publish by fellow users of CompuServe and has two more books contracted. If these fulfill the promise of the first, they should win a devoted audience. Literary Guild alternate; Doubleday Book Club main selection.-- Cynthia Johnson Whealler, Cary Memorial Lib., Lexington, Mass."

Towards the end of the chatsome of the girls mentioned a book club... or at the very least, reading this book together, and having a chat about it at the end of July. So what do you think? Are you game? Is a month long enough for you to read it?

Welp, my little monkey is pulling on my leg, and I should let him run outside while its not raining!

Chat Tonight...

It is raining here, for the umpteenth day in a row. My mood today reflects that. Kinda blah. I don't have much to say today... Oh wait! I do have one thing!

I am starting to think this blog has special magical powers. Often I write something... and by the next day some thing has become the result of that entry. Instance A) when I had some issues with the woman in my church... I let all of my feelings out, and TaDa! We work things out that very night. Instance B) yesterday I write about how its my goal to be pubbed by the end of the year... and TaDa! Scrapbook Trends write me and requests one of my LO's!

I am thrilled! So excited to be paper pubbed! Seth is going to be in a magazine come October, in a grocery store near you! YAY!

Last night we had a fundraising dinner at a Hoss' Steakhouse. We handed out these cards to people i the church, and everyone who went and ate there last night, and then handed in the card, well 20% of their meal bill comes back to our Youth Group. Nice and easy way to make a little bit of money. The YG is working hard, because Nate is taking them to New Orleans for a week in just a couple weeks. They will be spending their time doing some de-construction, and some clean up. Its been amazing to see how many of the kids can't wait to get down there, and get dirty and sweaty.

So anyways, Seth grabbed one of those sour cream tubes and was playing with it. All of a sudden he squeezed too hard, and , LOL!! he was covered in it. The sour cream was down his back, in his lap, on his arms. Thank goodness it was at the end of dinner, because within minutes he stunk.

So what's on the agenda today?

Laundry... maybe.
CHAT with me at A Cherry on Top at 10 pm EST
store for milk.
CHAT with me at A Cherry on Top at 10 pm EST
work on LO for MMM
CHAT with me at A Cherry on Top at 10 pm EST

So what are your plans? Especially... what are you doing at 10 pm? ;)

Copy Cats....

I have decided to try my hand at the Memory Makers Master's Contest. What am I getting myslef into? LOL! They have never had a Digi MMM winner before, so I'm certain that I won't win. BUT! My overall goal is to have a page get picked up and pubbed. It was one of my New Years Resolutions... to be paper pubbed, and SHOOT if the year isn't already half over! So you probably won't see any scrap pages of mine for a little bit, since I am concentrating on fulfilling MMM requirements.

Seth is into repeating... he is a broken record these days. In the car on the road... "Car, car, car, car, car, car, car, car, car, car....." you get the idea. I know its his way of identifying objects and expanding his verbal skills... but man, do I need a new word thrown in there or what! Other word repeats are "apple, daddy, beep beep, See (Sadie), and (of course) NO!"

Oh! Props to my CT Gal Amy!! She jumped on the ball and immediately informed me of a copy cat freebie... Here's the copycat freebie...

HUMPH!!!

And now here's mine again.....

Wow! What nerve! Anyways, thanks again Amy! I've already informed Stephen at ACOT, in case he wants to take any action against her, and I've already posted to her directly about it, both on her blog and on the site she was giving the freebie away.

Alright, now I'm steamed.. I should go harness it and turn it into creativity for my LO's....

ETA: Don't forget!! CHAT with ME tomorrow night at ACOT!! 10 pm EST!

:)

Hee Hee.......

:)

Mr. Rev. Nate Sir......

There are a few things that have happened this week that I haven't shared with ya'll.

First, the dope that I am... I was pulling some bread out of the oven on Tuesday, when I burnt the fool out of my arm. Niiice one Andrea. I am sporting some pretty ugly blisters on my right arm. They aren't painful anymore, but dang, are they ugly.

Second~ my husband is now officially a "Rev." LOL! Took him long enough! We are accredited through the Christian & Missionary Alliance, and in the beginning (after you graduate from college) you are just a pastor, and can't do things perform marriages. But over the past 3 years, Nate has had lots of Theology books he had to read, papers to write, seminars he had to attend (some out of state). In Mid May he had his big written test that was about 6 hours long, defending his faith, and covering everything he had studied for for the C&MA. He passed with flying colors, and it was on to his Oral exam. No prob there either. Nate was in and out in 30 min, and he is officially a "Reverand" LOL! The kids in Youth Group have been teasing him and calling him "Mr. Reverand Nate Sir."

So if you are looking for a pastor to perform your wedding... and happen to need a photographer too.... well... let me know! :) ROFLOL!

YAY and Congrats to Jen Caputo for being the speediest LO artist! She was the first to post a LO using my Downtown Unique! Jen, you'll be getting the links to Uptown Chic very soon!

Here is her winning LO~


Aren't they so cute! Happy 4 years you two!

Over at the Digi Chick the question came up, of whether or not my City doodle was included in the 2 City Limits kits. I honestly had not included them.. I didn't think that it was anything anyone had wanted. And again... I am a dope.... I had erased the original.

So I re-doodled. And uploaded to YouSendIt~

HERE you Go! And THIS one is good too!

City Limits....

And here you are... My Creative Explosion last week... this is the result...

City Limits: Uptown Chic


Uptown Chic is fresh and full of life! The mixture of graphic and preppy pieces are sure to highlight and showcase the story you want to tell. Included in Uptown Chic are 8 clean papers, 3 tags, 3 bows, 3 glass brads, 1 strand of pearls, 1 hat pin, 1 daisy, 1 lace fabric, 1 lace brush, 1 vellum frame, and 1 wordart. Also included in Uptown Chic is a full pearled alpha.

City Limits: Downtown Unique


Downtown Unique, is just that... Unique, and outside of the box! The mish-mash of sequins and duct tape are sure to keep your LO's full of energy and different from the rest. Included in Downtown Unique are 8 grungy, distressed, and artsy papers, 4 stenciled word art, 3 pieces of duct tape, 2 tags, Vintage beaded flower, brooch, and hat pin, sequined patch, knit square, and rusted hardware. Also included in Downtown Unique is a full stenciled alpha.

So which one is more you? Girly and prim? Or downright messy? I am both! I can't wait to dig into either kit and just have fun!

Oh Oh!! Quick Contest!!!

First Person to buy one of the kits, and get a LO completed and uploaded to TDC Gallery, will recieve the 2nd for free! You must come back here and post me a message with a link to your LO. Speed is the key here! :)


This picture keeps grabbing me. It feels Old, and of "yore." It feels timeless and its deffinately a captured "moment."

Summer's Here....

Happy First day of summer! YAY! My favorite season is here! Nothing better (besides the week of Christmas)!

So we didn't make it to Niagra yesterday. Huge Bummer. When my parents got here they decided that they didn't want to turn rigt around and make another 6 hour round trip. And of course, with church tonight, and a rafting trip that Nat has tomorrow, that means Niagra is out of the question this visit. So now they are talking August.

Yesterday we did a bit of window shopping. My parents picked up a few things, bt I didn't see a thing I really wanted. OK, I take that back. There is a pair of candle sticks I saw at Pier 1 that I am thinking of going back and getting. am still in Mantel Decor mode, and those were HOT.

I think we are headed off to the park, Nan and Abuelo want to swing with the Monkey. I've been proofing some of Ange's shots, and thought I'd share these before I go!

Still proofing some more, so be on the lookout!

Don't forget! My LO contest is up and running at ACOT! Check out the gallery HERE. You can use ANY of my products, as long as the LO is mostly mine. And it can be an OLD LO too! So submit! :)

Creepy....

As I type, my parents are just starting their 6 hour drive over here. They are coming for some Seth time! Sure, they'll say "hi" to me, offer me a hug and kiss, but who are we kidding? We all know its because Nana needs some Seth snuggles. And who can blame her? Seth gives some pretty darn good snuggles.

We are doing something tomorrow, that will be a first for everyone involved except Nate. We are heading to Niagra Falls! We only live about a 3 hours drive, so why not go? I've never seen it, and am excited in experiencing a new adventure. Know something else? I've never been to Canada, so that is always an extra plus!

(sigh) I can see a pair of sneaky little piggy feet scuttling under my bed. Which only means one of two things. A) he is having a "private" moment to brilliantly fill his diaper, or B) he is eating more chapstick.

So this weekend we rented and watched When A Stranger Calls. What a creepy, and genuinely frightening movie! It was literally my worst nightmare. LOL~ What a great movie! It was brilliantly made, and played out superb. In fact it was done SO well, that Nate had to escort me to our bathroom during the movie, I had nightmares Saturday night, and I didn't fall asleep till 3 am last night.

I thoroughly recommend it!

Thanks for all of the suggestions for the City Limits kits. Friday night I was hit with some super inspiration, and I finished both kits by Sunday night. That is a record... 2 kits in one week. You'll see them Thursday, and I am so tickled how they turned out.

Father's Day yesterday turned out really well. Nate loved all 3 gifts, and our meal on the grill was awesome. To top off the perfect day, Nate fell asleep to whatever game was showing. I don't have any pictures to show... well b/c of Seth scrapes from last week. I have some darling Daddy & Me pics in mind, but we have to wait.

Alright Bellas, I must clean this pigsty and do all of the laundry before my folks get here!

Daddy's Day.....

And the winners are..... drumroll please...

dubois598 (michelle) & Stephanie! My numbers picked were 18 (Nate's birthday) and 25 (Seth's birthday) So go you all!! Both of you please email me at raggedy_andreaAThotmailDOTcom. I'll get those 2 element packs uploaded and sent over to ya'll. THANKS so much for playing!

Thanks again also for all of the neat ideas... I was actually on a roll yesterday, and have most of DU elements figured out... and later today, on to UC!

Have you seen the the Digi Chick's June DeZine is up and ready for you?



You can get it HERE. Chocked full of super goodies, plus a free gift of an awesome kit!

So last night, Nate and I finally picked up Seth's Climb & Slide... it was finally ready for us to pick up, LOL! Afterwards we went and had dinner at my FAVE-OR-ITE restaurant. PF Chang's! YUMMO! W had the spring rolls, the shrimp dumplings, Chang's spicy chicken and the ginger chicken and brocolli. (sigh) SO good.

Todays Agenda: Open House party for one of our graduates in the church, then lunch shopping for Nate tomorrow. He wants to grill out, so whatever, its his choice. He wants Filet Mignon, so I'm letting him, LOL!

(Oh geeze Katie...I'm sorry about all this meat in this entry, hee hee... maybe I should have put a disclaimer for you! :)

We'll probably also grill some corn, and I need to make him a desert. I recently found a recipe for Dulce de Lece pie... Its an ice cream pie. Caramel ice cream in a graham cracker crust, with a caramel and peach topping. Sounds divine to me!

For Daddy's day tomorrow Seth is giving Nate a book on Grilling, a new tie (a pastor can never have enough), and a mug that says DAD.

Its so funny... my mom and I were out getting nursing b.r.a.s. the week I gave birth in 9.04, and we came across the same mug in burgandy, that read MOM. So I've had my mug all the 20 months Seth has been alive... LOL, and sadly Nate is just getting his. They are a nice big deep mug! If you like them, look HERE.

Alright... must jump in shower and get this day going!

Big Boy Burns....

So, what's new? I don't think I ever told you about Seth's fall the other day. He has learned to swing on his belly, and on Wed night he took a tumble out, face first. Poor bubba is sporting a fat bottom lip and a scraped up left nostril. It makes it hard to wipe his face after a meal, and to chase him with a tissue when he's snotty.

I've been thinking about Seth's big boy room. Now my baby still sleeps in his crib, and we are still so thankful he hasn't yet realized to climb out yet. He's going to be 2 in September, so I'm thinking... what? The Big Boy room move for Christmas maybe? Anyways, when I saw this Bedroom set done by Pottery Barn Kids, I knew it was THE set!

So classic! I have a thing for Stars, and this shade blue is precious! I love it, and recently just got it for him. The quilt is really soft! I can really imagine Seth snuggling with this quilt for years to come!

I think I have run out of some creative steam. Earlier this week I created 2 paper packs, in a dual kit collection called City Limits. Uptown Chic and Downtown Unique are the kits, and I am having some trouble coming up with the element packs. UP is bright, graphic, and very clean, as opposed to DU being dirty, grungy, artsy. I am thinking some duct tape would be neat for DU.... can you all giv me a hand with some suggestions? Something unique for both sets....

Available at The Digi Chick!!

From The Heart is an element pack full of journaling stamps. Use them as .pngs, or turn them into brushes for more possibility. These are the perfect touch for your pages, helping you to express what is from your heart. Included in From the Heart are 13 Journal Stamps. (Not all are shown in the preview.)

Garden Gems is an element pack full of jeweled flowers. These will be the perfect small touch for your pages. Included in Garden Gems are 12 jeweled flowers. (Not all are shown in the preview.)

I have written down 2 numbers.... leave a comment, and if you fall on one of those numbers, you will win both element kits above! 2 Winners to be announced tomorrow!

Have any fun weekend plans? We are heading to the mall tonight. Maybe get some dinner out. Tomorrow is another Graduation Open House, so that means food and fellowship, LOL!

Lavender Fields...

It's HERE! It's finally ready to go!!



Lavender Fields is a beautifully soft and girly kit. These shabby and worn papers are sure to add beauty and charm to any of your digital projects. Included in Lavender Fields are 8 textured papers, 3 satin ribbons, 3 round tags, 3 jewelry tags, 2 brads, 2 mini bows, 2 jeweled flowers, 2 colored stitching, 1 butterfly patch, 1 embroidered flower, and 1 word art. Also included is a full glittered epoxy alpha, numeral, and symbol set. Enjoy!

Come chat with me on Tuesday, June 27th at 10:00 EST.

About the contest…

It's simple...use any of my product from my shoppe here at ACOT or The Digi Chick. Enter your layout in the ** Andrea Burns Contest ** in the ACOT Gallery and you'll be eligible to win. If you have won a contest in the past month, we encourage you to submit your layout to show us what you have done, but you will not be eligible to win. Layouts do not need to be new, if you have an absolute favorite layout using my products, enter it...you never know, you might win and the prize package is wonderful!!!

Rules: only one layout per person please. Layouts must not have been published or won previous contests, majority of layout must use my products. Layouts may be digital or paper!

Deadline: July 15 at Midnight EST! Prizes: My personal CT and I will be selecting a Grand Prize winner to receive $25 in prizes...$10 from her ACOT store and $15 from my TDC store. The Digital Creative Team will also award a $25 GC to a winner per every 10 entries. So if 50 people enter, that's 5 Gift Certificates! Remember, layouts do not need to be new, they can be posted in other galleries. You can use my newest kit, "Lavendar Fields", or any of your favorite layouts using my products.

Lavender Fields by Andrea Burns, recolored crochet by Michelle Coleman, stamps by Rhonna Farrer, Fonts: Susie's Hand & Beyond Wonderland.

Journaling Reads: What a day for a tea party! It had been raining earlier, but out with the sun came the heat, and two little girls wanting some tea. You laughed, you shared, you even let Auntie take a couple pictures. What a Monday, what a day, what a tea for 2.

Check out the article, and ACOT CT LO's using my Lavender Fields, HERE!!

Just a Wednesday...

Well, here's my good news.....

I am the featured designer for the month of June at A Cherry On Top!

This means lots of cool things! There will be a special kit, look for it tomorrow! There will be a fun chat (in 2 tuesdays), there will be a HUGE layout contest! For every 10 LO's submitted using any kit of mine, someone will win a $25 GC to ACOT! Stay tuned for more details! All of this starts tomorrow.

So last night Angelina and I met up again, and I finally got that photo shoot with her precious kids! I think I captured some gorgeous images, but am just now going through and touching up. Ok...OK.. you talked me into showing one...



An update: I have not yet heard back from the wedding prospective. I'm fairly dissappointed, but its only been a week and a half. There might be a little more time right? Well, I did write the bride a quick email, and she hasn't responded, so I'm not sure I landed the wedding.

Product Alert!!

I have been using Oil of Olay Anti Aging Anti Blemish fash wash & lotion. I think it works great! I figure I gotta battle both, so why not use one product? I like them, and I think they smell good, LOL! So go give it a try, and let me know what you think! :)

Summer Blues....

I am grinning ear from ear right now...!!! I just found out that 2 of my very special friends are pregnant, and very likely due within days of each other! Fantastic! Congrats to Amy and Angie!

In my haste to show you all the bedroom set we finally settled on, I forgot to tell you about something very cool that happened on Friday at my local park!

Seth and I were at the park playing.. when I see a little girl I recognize! I look up, and her mom goes... "Andrea?" I say "Angelina?"LOL! It was a fellow Chick, AngelinaS! We knew we lived in the same town, but had never met, until today! We chatted, and Angelina is such a sweet friend! She even shared her crackers with Seth! We were both slightly embarassed b/c we were both in mom- mode... LOL! I was dressed in work out clothes, and no make-up, and all sweaty from running 3 miles.

I just laugh and laugh b/c I think its funny that we recognized each other's kids before we recognized each other.

This weekend was relaxed. We both had a good time at the Open Houses, and ate lots of great food. Where I grew up, no one had these Open Houses. Maybe a kid here or there had a small party, but it wasn't expected. Here though... Wow. Every kid has one, and its a big deal. Huge party where everyone is invited, and the kid makes thousands with money cards. Insane!

We rented Firewall with Harrison Ford and Glory Road with Josh Lucas for the weekend. Both were fantastic movies, and I heartily recommend both!

Not much exciting on today's list. I am going to work on a couple projects, and we are expecting some mulch to get delivered. So we can FINALLY finish our yard!

I just got my copy of Freestyle, and wow... my FAVORITE Idea book to date. There is SO MUCH eye candy in this book, so much inspiration!

OK, so here is something Fantastically Fun!!! Some of us at ACOT got together and made another collab kit!

Introducing Summer Blues~

Summer Blues is available HERE

Ya'll BLOGGER is frustrating the crap out of me! I am getting really ill over the fact that they will upload one picture and then crap out and no upload anymore! I have 3 more pages of element preview, and I can't get them up! ARGGG! Maybe tomorrow. But I do promise that this kit is HUGE and there are so many papers and elements, you will not be disappointed!

Tomorrow I promise to announce my Scrap Related Good News :)

Bedroom Search...

So we need a new bedroom set. We have outgrown what we currently have. Actually... we outgrew it within the first year of our marriage.

See, what happened was, right around the time we got married 5 years ago, my wonderful, and since have passed, great-grandparents moved into a nursing home. Nate and I were able to inherit their beautiful antique bedroom set. Its not quite a full 4 poster, but it does have some tall spindles at the head of the bed, and some shorter ones at the end. However... it is a Full size bed. We also got a nice big chest of drawers and a vanity with chair, with only 4 small drawers. To finish it off we got a beloved small side table. So needless to say, these are family heirlooms.

However, 2 adults have a very hard time sharing 1 chest of drawers... and did I say the bed is only a full size, LOL?

I went through my preganancy with Seth in that bed. And yes, Nate stayed with me... and my 2 body pillows!

Here is the kicker.... we also inherited the original mattresses. I know, I know... OLD. Yet, still kinda comfy, in a hard comfy kinda way.

So like I said in my very first sentance... we need a new bedroom set. I am for sure keeping what we have, as a guest suite set, or for any future daughters. We have been sort of looking around, but everything didn't have any character to me... it was all factory pushed out stuff... and we were in nice furniture stores!

Until last night.

We walked into a Bombay Store, and there it was. The bed of my dreams. In the store, it wasn't draped in the way of this picture, but rather a couple sheer panels hanging to the floor from the head of the bed. (sigh) So beautiful! And you know what?!?! Mr Nate... Mr, "I like more modern- straight-boxy stuff" agreed with me that this was the bed!

Now, Nate had me all excited for about 10 minutes last night... I truly thought we were about to place an order. Then he dropped the bomb. Not right now. Not today. But we can get it... just in a couple months once we finish paying off my camera and our anniversary rings.

Besides, we don't have the queen mattresses yet. My parents want to give us a set for both our birthdays, and mine isn't until August. AND! The manager at the Bombay Store took my name and number, and promised to call if and when a really great sale started.

Now I just need to decide with Bedside tables to get. I want us both to have one, and for it to actually store things. So it's between the bedside tables that are actually in that particular bedroom set~ Exibit A



Or just another type they have in the store....Exibit B



I am really digging the curves in the 2nd one... WDYT?

Off to shower, and to 2 Open House parties!

What a day...

Yesterday we had our first experience with Internet Fraud... Nate was checking our bank account and saw a sumly charge to... of ALL places.... B&H(!) that neither of us had ordered anything from!

Turns out some woman in Michigan had ordered a DVD player from there, using our address and our debit card! THANKFULLY they weren't home when UPS tried to drop it off yesterday, so UPS is sending it back to this Co. as we speak.

Another kicker... B&H isn't giving us our money back till they get the package back! They said that since it wasn't delivered they have to treat it as a return! So, now our bank cards have been cancelled, and we are looking into calling Michigan authorities on this person.

We have no clue how someone came across our home address and Nate's debit card number. But I am PO'ed!

So then to cool off... we all went outside to play with Seth and his new slide.... *giggles* How fun is this? PS: there were no children harmed in the shooting of this pic! :)

D70s, 50mm, F4, 1/8000, ISO 1600

Have ya'll seen the new stuff in TDC Boutique? Christine Smith just released the ctuest kit! It's called Plain Brown Wrapper, and I also used her Brushed with Tea brushes!

Other Credits: Michelle Coleman lace and vellum heart, Katie Pertiet Hobo Flowers. Font: Dear Swash.

Journaling reads: My Seth, the original, the only, my wonderful you.

Nothing really planned for us here today... I didn't have the photo shoot last night due to the weather. I think we are just going to hang out! Tomorrow is a different story. Two Graduation Open House parties to attend.

*Ciao Bellas*

Preview Thursday...

Look at what Nate and I got for Seth last night! This kid is a freak outside, he LOVES to play and climb, and I really wanted to get him something he would be able to play with outside. Its the Naturally Playful Woodland Climber. You can find them at Target and Toys R Us. I can't wait to get it all set up for him, and watch him delight in discovering it!

I have a photo shoot tonight with a local family, and I am excited... that is if the weather holds! We are scheduled to go to a park, and do some outside stuff, but its forecasted to rain. It looks great outside right now, but we'll see.... my fingers are crossed.

You know what I am so crazy for right now? Lace on my LO's! Right now I can't get enough, and I think lace works really well for boy pages too! I just picked up at ScrapArtist Michelle's Birthday Boy~ Birthday Girl element pack, Tutti Frutti element pack, and her Lace Brushes, and Nancie's Bleached Linen kit... all featuring some fabulous lace and crochet, that I CANNOT wait to use!

And speaking of ScrapArtist... TOOT for me!!! ScrapArtist has featured me as their "Guest Goddess" this month in the Muse! How fun! In their newsletter they highlight a question and answer with me, and the Creative Team shares scraplifts of my work! YAY!

I still have something else fun to share... and its coming soon! (And it IS scrap related~ Jenn, I can see your mind racing, LOL!)

And now, for something NEW tonight at The Digi Chick.... Blue Nile.

Blue Nile is a fun tropical treat, presented in a classy style. Soft and breezy blues and greens are sure to take you away to your favorite beachside retreat. Included in Blue Nile are 8 softly worn and textured papers, 3 journaling tags, 3 satin ribbons, 3 word art, 2 vellum tags, 2 wooden bookplates, 2 jeweled wooden flowers, 2 colored stitchings, 1 screw, 1 leaf frame, 1 glittered leaf, and 1 glittered flower. Also included in Blue Nile is a full wooden alpha, number, and symbol set.

HAPPY THURSDAY!!

Monkey's R Us...

I currently have a small monkey pulling at my leg, so we'll see how far we get this morning!

Have you all seen the New York Times Articles on DigiScrapping? Check them out
HERE and HERE HUGE congrats to The Digi Chick and 2Peas for getting mentioned!

We have had a special speaker at church the last few nights, and he has been very good. Last night he talked about how often we, as Christians, invite Jesus Christ into our lives, but then lock him away in the Guest Room, only asking him out to visit when we want. What we should be doing is inviting Christ to live in the main room of our house... and then move ourselves into the guest room. It struck a chord with me, and hopefully might inspire some thoughts within yourself.

I got some work done yesterday, and created 2 new element packs for TDC, for next week. Cool stuff, and I know you'll just love them! I also have a surprise for next week.... lets just say it has to do with ACOT. Fun!!

Kristin's radiant in TDC Boutique

I did a photo swap with Traci (tracimurphy at 2Ps). How sweet is this little girl? (Her Delaney) I'm just happy as a bug that I got to scrap a girl, LOL!

To close today, I thought I'd share something my friend Angie passed along....

The Best Fairy Tale Ever

Once upon a time, a girl asked a guy, "Will you marry me?" The guy said "No" and the girl lived happily ever after and went shopping, drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook, stayed skinny, and was never farted on.

The End

I've done 3 & 6!!

LOL~ I saw this recently on 2Ps, and thought I'd share it here too, for those who might have missed it!

You know you live in 2006 when...

1. You accidentally enter your password on the microwave.
2. You haven't played solitaire with real cards in years.
3. You have a list of 15 phone numbers to reach your family of 3.
4. You e-mail the person who works at the desk next to you.
5. Your reason for not staying in touch with friends and family is that they don't have e-mail addresses.
6. You pull up in your own driveway and use your cell phone to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
7. Every commercial on television has a web site at the bottom of the screen.
8. Leaving the house without your cell phone, which you didn't have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic and you turn around to go and get it.
10. You get up in the morning and go on line before getting your coffee.
11. You start tilting your head sideways to smile. : )
12. You're reading this and nodding and laughing.
13. Even worse, you know exactly to whom you are going to forward this message.
14. You are too busy to notice there was no ..9 on this list.
15. You actually scrolled back up to check that there wasn't a ..9 on this list. AND NOW U R LAUGHING at yourself.

ANNOUNCEMENT!

My Seeing Stars Sample in The Digi Chick Boutique is retiring this week, so go get it while you can! I feel that I have really grown in leaps and bounds as a designer since I made that, so I wanted to update and put a new sample in the Boutique. Be on the lookout for the new sample Thursday night... (though, Hint, Hint... if you are a regular reader, you may have already seen it... LOL!)

I also have a *NEW* kit coming to the Boutique Thursday night, so be on the lookout, and be sure to come back for the preview!

Hmmm... not much else is new around here. I am itching to redecorate our Fireplace Mantel. Do you have any ideas? Right now is a terrible hodgepodge of photos and a couple candles. But I want it more distinct. I'd LOVE to hear cost effective (ie. cheap, LOL!) ideas and thoughts...

Oh BTW!!! And old and very dear friend of mine from High School recently wrote me an email to say she lurked on her lunch break.... You know who you are! Love you girly, and I am writing you back very soon! I just wanted to say a big "HI" to my Truffle- loving Bum of a friend! (LOL~ remember when we lost the truffles that day... what a mess!)

Pie...

This weekend was fairly laid back. On the way home from church yesterday, we passed a garage sale! SCORE! We got Seth a Step 2 slide for the backyard! Its kinda big, but we'll be right there with him. I am also eyeing this Natural Woodland Climb & Slide (at Toys R Us) that I want to get him very soon.

When I was telling Seth what we did....

"Seth, we got you a slide today."

"Pie?"

"no honey, a slide."

"mmmmm....pie."

ROFLOL!! Typical toddler boy....My favorite new word of his right now is cereal. We wake up in the morning and he's asking for "ce-re-ereal." SO CUTE!


I got some scrapping done! YAY! I even completed a page I can't show quite yet... but here's a teaser, Its one of my faves to date!

Michelle Underwood's He's Got Personality at ACOT. AWESOME kit!

Part quick page (best I've seen really!) and part me layering other things... this really helped me ease my guilt in not scrapping much lately!

St. Louis kit by Holly McCaig. Notebook paper by Gina Miller. Journal stamp by Michelle Underwood. Clip is my own. Fonts: Susie's hand and adler.

Journaling reads: No matter how hard I try,I cant pry you away from playing outside. You adore the playing, the exploring, the digging deep. Enjoy it Little Man!

Some close-ups of my beautiful nieces! Love these girls!

You know what? Pie sounds good....

Confidence...

YAY! My wedding consult went really well! My fingers are deffinately crossed. I was confident, I was able to answer all of their questions, and I feel that the groom-to-be was all for what I have to offer! I sent them out of the door with my contract and business card, and I am happy as a clam. Now the waiting starts... will they or won't they... I feel pretty good that it will work out. The wedding is set for May, so there is still lots of time.

Last night Nate and I dropped about $70 dollars on flowers for the yard. 4 hanging baskets, some geraniums for my window boxes, and some flats of impations to plant around the edges of my beds. I have climbing yellow roses, purple hydranges, hostas, lillies, and azaleas already in the beds, so these new flowers will spruce things up. Except of course, it is raining like cats and dogs today! (sigh) Maybe tomorrow!

Thanks for pointing out that Kodak book Jody! I also found another one at Winkflash, and have both bookmarked. Now just to decide! I told the couple today, and said that it would be an added cost, but I could make them a book. So thanks again! :)

Here are those tea party pics I wanted to show ya'll yesterday~ Aren't these sweet? My nieces Lauren & Bethany. If you go back to my anniversary post, where I mention shooting a picture of a small girl... Lauren, the oldest is her, and look how she's grown in the last 6 years!

blogger's picture uploading has pooped out again... man, what is up with that lately? Happy weekend blog peeps! :)

Wedding....

So I get a call yesterday from a woman in my church. Turns out her brother is getting married next May, and will be home this weekend to talk to some photographers. He and his fiancee will be talking to my former boss. When this lady found out she said, "Well, my Youth Pastor's wife worked with her... how about you give her a call too?"

OK.. I have lots of wedding photog experience. However, it was always friends from college, or as an assistant for another woman. So he and I talked on the phone, and I explained that if they do come for a consult, I don't have too much I can show them. I directed him to my still-in-progress website so they could see what I do have. I also explained that I do not have the means to make them one of those coffee-table sized albums, but what I can do is take all of their pictures, and turn around and give them a disc, so they can have all of their digital negatives to do as they please. And all for 1/3 the price of my former boss, :)

They still want to see me! So tomorrow at noon, I will have prospective clients in my home. I better clean up today, light a candle and get some coffee going.

Today I am scrambling to actually get together a contract and a list of photos wanted made up. I also need to get some pictures printed, YIKES! So I will be spending some time today trying to smartly package something... anything, LOL!

So.... tonight while Nate and I are out between Walmart & Lowes, I will also begetting some things printed off. We are going to W & L tonight, b/c its finally time to spruce up the yard. We are going to spend Sat afternoon, cleaning up our flower bed edges, weeding, throwing down weed & feed seed in the yard. I want to plant flowers on the edges of the beds, get my window boxes up, hang some hanging flower pots from the porch & one in the yard. Yumm, I love this time of year!

OK, so yesterday I said that I loved PS. And no one guessed why... (giggling) Awesome! That means no one could tell! In the first family pic, the littlist one's head was transferred over from a different pic! She had a quick meltdown, so she was craying in that one... but it was the one I liked best of everyone else, and so I transferred her head over from another! Isn't PS just the best? I am tickled no one could tell!!

**I would love to show you more pictures, but it seems that Blogger won't let me upload any pics today... I've tried for a couple hours now. Such a shame!**

Another friend has asked me to complete a Father's Day LO for her, so I have nothing recent to share of my own. I really need to remedy that! I have some cute pics screaming to be scrapped!! I think I will spend all next week and get caught back up.... Have you all seen Gina Miller's new CD collection at SBB? Wow... so much! I can't wait to get my hands on it! Gina is just the scrapping-est diva ever. I have no idea how she manages to design so much in so little time, plus craft with her kids, plus scrap LO's every day! She must have more hours in her day than I, LOL! Props to her though, b/c it is all gorgeous, all beautiful quality!

Growing Some Sass....

Are you a gutsy person? Can you stand up for yourself? Do you have a backbone?

Can you share with me? Can you teach me how?

Situations come up, where I get pushed around... and even though I recognize it and am steaming inside... I don't say or do anything!

ETA: I removed my vent... b/c it was a bit personal, and I feel I shouldn't have done so... I apologize to those who did read it, it was inappropriate of me...

So back to my original question... how do I stick up for myself? How do I grow a backbone? And you know what?

Onto other news... remember I took some pics of my SIL's fam on Memorial Day? I think I will share a few through the rest of this week....

All I have to say is... I *Heart* photoshop! Can you tell why??? I'll give you guys a couple guesses before I spill why!