Four score and eleventy-seven-hundred seconds ago...or something like that

I figure it's been a long time since I've written on here, when the "click the orange pencil to get started blogging" ... decides not to work.    I know, it's been "forever" in blog terms.  Gimme a break, I've been busy with a lot of ... life and ... just stuff!

I think I had a story line in my head -- good intentions and all of that jazz -- but for now I'm just over this typing business.  Especially since it took me FIVE TRIES to edit this post after blogger accepted the title of it, but didn't produce a place for the content to go.   Now, THAT was odd.   The interenet's own way of Karma.  You ignore it long enough, then return to it and get your punishment.  

As the SoupNazi (from Seinfield) said..."NO SOUP FOR YOU!"...I think I had my own "NO BLOG FOR YOU!" version.    Did you yell that in your head like I did when I typed it?? I hope so.  At least I'm entertaining to myself if nothing else!

August: Stupidest description of a challenge...maybe EVER.

So.   I knew that I wanted to give the journaling challenge at SNC a bump...a bump meaning, I wanted to have a lot of words.  I had a lot to say.     So, did I call this "journal without a photo"? or "journal a one-month synopsis"?  Nope.  Not me.    That would be ... sensical?   I have dubbed this, "journal with A LOT OF WORDS".  *moment of silence*

Okay, I guess you can possibly refer to it as the other two things as well, but the fact that the description that I "had to" stick with was so flippin' stupid??  That's what I'm going with.  OH and to top it all off??? the photo is sideways and REFUSES TO BE FIXED.   totally irritating. 

NEEEEEEEEEEEXT:

ATC/TAG Challenge, which has been on vacation a bit...

The challenge is to use WATERCOLORS on your tag.  I used some watercolors for the background, did some sewing (ugly job with a mini-machine that I found in the garage, and promptly donated), and then stamped with bubble wrap.    

The words are in honor of my new job :) :) :)  

which I had orientation for today (is it proper to feel kind of disoriented after orientation? what?)

Three things done in one week???

Say it isn't so. 

Three layouts done in a week. One for my own Journaling challenge - and one for a scraplift challenge - and one for a sketch challenge.  WOOO!!!

Now, onward to my hideous pictures of my wonderful layouts ;)

 The Lovely Diana added this lovely Sketchabilities (by Karan Gerber) sketch for her July challenge at ScrapNChat

Which I made into this...

...and Barb found THIS awesome layout by Laura Whitaker from the Fancy Pants Design Facebook page for our July scraplift.    I LOVE the colors all in there together, so ....

Mine became "just call me CRASH"...making light of the Rav4 crunching accident that the kids got to experience on day #2 of their 3 week visit with their dad/grandma.  Everyone walked away from the hospital that day - which is a miracle after being hit in the back by a truck going 50 when their vehicle was stopped.   I have a longer more detailed version of things on the back, but it didn't need to be on the front.  Yes, I'm thankful to have been so blessed for all to have been okay, so don't get on my case about "poking fun at a sensitive subject".   Arent the bandaids cool though???? a canvas-like paper and CS created those ;)

July Journal Challenge! Wait...what? I mean, wasn't it just June?

Yep.  April does it again.   Another month (and a half, as if I'm counting) goes by, and there's another challenge due.   Well, technically, I've blown up my own ATC/Tag thing...and literally just remembered that as I typed the word "due".  *insert heavy siiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh*

As my helpful friend LYNN assisted with the following quote, when I asked her for some ideas to shove me off of a proverbial scrapping/journaling cliff...

Vincent Van Gogh said, "If you hear a voice within you say 'you cannot paint', then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced."

Well, well, well...let's just say that this screamed at me.  I've been "blocked" forever it seems.  Two layouts since...April??  So, to break through my own mental scrap/craft/journal blockage (which isn't just creativity-blockage actually, I've been a flippin' mess)...I sat down at the computer and decided to just TYPE something.   So, essentially, I had no page design in mind, no color scheme, no theme, NOTHING.  The page was born - because the journaling allowed it to be.   So - give you......

The typing reads as follows: 

July 2013. 

    These photos were taken on the day that I gathered my chickens from their father. They had been there for their very first time of “three week visitation block” (one of two for the summer). 

    Even though we had first separated in August 2008, this was the first time for either of the kids to be with their father for longer than a three-day stretch.  He hadn’t ever requested any longer of an amount of time for visits, as he had always thought he was unable to “entertain” the kids for that long. 

    At the end, the kids seemed to be no worse for the visit (with Brendan‘s exception of staying at my parents for a total of 11 days out of the three weeks, but who‘s counting?). Though, really,  nobody seems to be in a rush about hurrying toward the second three-week-block.
    What *I* learned for the three weeks apart was…I have absolutely NO IDEA what to do with myself.  I missed them both, not in a “woe-is-me” kind of way - and I didn’t barrage them with phone calls missing them horribly.  I did, however, feel like a hunk of myself was “not fitting right” - for the whole time.  Everything was “blocked”…I couldn’t scrap, I didn’t do anything exciting and new - or even just exciting.  Worst mental block EVER. 
    On to the next three week block - I’m determined it’ll be a different “me” the second time around!                  

HOPEFULLY this will work as a break-through for me.  You know, I've missed having a "voice" with creating things, remembering tidbits, celebrating the every-day things, recording stories...I've missed THIS.  A lot.   I know I've said it before, and just because I've said it before doesn't make it untrue.   The psyche is a weird and wonderful thing most of the time, until it gets clogged and creates a back up.  I've been blocked for a long time, so let's cross our fingers, raise our glasses and cheer for another beginning :)

June Journaling Challenge...It's about time.

I've been MIA --- I'll have to update that later...or not.  I could pretend like I have no idea about the passing of time HAHAHA.  Whichever.

ANYWAY, here is the LO for the challenge.

 PROBLEM with this being, there's NOT MUCH JOURNALING ON HERE.    Problem? Not usually --- EXCEPT THAT THIS IS THE EXAMPLE FOR THE JOURNAL CHALLENGE, APRIL.  

Okay - let me explain just a little about the WHY this is my example.  
I wanted to do a tribute to my Gram for a challenge.  Couldn't do it.   So, with me already having not so much mojo, I was taxing myself to come up with something...ANYTHING that I would be able to scrap.  I've had a ridiculous time with it (room construction/travel/end of school all contributing to a "physical" extent along with the mental block).  

Pick a group HERITAGE photo - and I'm hoping for "as old as you can find" (mine, circa 1951).  TELL THE STORY. 

My hope is this -- that you have a story to tell, no matter where/who you got the story from.   My reason behind it is this -- This photo that I used, the Schake family - is actually my Great Grandmother's family.   I met my Great Gram (mother of my Gram that just passed), but I never met anyone else in this photo.  The thing that squeezed my heart when I found the photo, is the fact that I HAVE no story, other than names. I got those from my Grandma a few years ago when she gave me a box of photos (knowing me like she does, and thinking I would be the only one that would care about them).  any photos without names on the back, I got her to give me names...if there was a "what/when/where/why/how" that she knew, she gave it to me.    This photo - other than giving me the names, and telling me that it was "a reunion/gathering type thing" - it has no further story.  

Though my absence from the site (and my blog for that matter) does not prove this to be true -- I love scrapbooking.  I love the journaling.  I treasure the photos.  I hoard the stories.   I toss all of this together as art-therapy, and I think that all of these things will be treasured in the future.  I want to be able to preserve the essence of the past with snippets of voices/tales/anecdotes.   So, show us your family's past...and I'll cheer you on as I read any story you can gather and put to the page. 

A3C Introduction and onward #1-4

I'm a bit late to my own party - which is OKAY, because it's MY party ;)

Welcome to the A3C 2013, aka April's April Artistic Challenge 2013!!!

This is the third year for the A3C, thus far, 2011 was the most awesome.  I'm hoping for just as awesome this year - come and play along! Or just come and look and see what I've destroyed each day ;)

This year, I received a 55% off coupon from ACMoore.   What to do, what to do.  I decided to jump on over to the SMASH book (by K&Co.) isle to see what I could damage.   Well, I decided on the mini-SMASH book.  Purse sized, convenient to carry, awesome that it has a pen/glue stick combo, very willing to accept my Washi tape addiction (seriously, I think I've developed an issue).   SO - $8.99 original price - and hit with my 55% off coupon -- I feel that even if this turns out sucky, it won't be that big of a loss.  However, I do have higher hopes for this!

INSIDE FRONT COVER/INTRO PAGE:

 why is this sideways ... ugh.  ANYWAY, I used a scrap from a transparency and made a pocket to go on the inside cover.   This is to hold any "little extras" that I will be putting in the book.   Funny thing is, this picture shows neatness...you should see the pocket now ;)

 For the "intro" page, I used the vellum partial page that comes with the SMASH journal, basically kind of like an instruction sheet on "how to use" -- I did a turquoise acrylic paint brush-over, and then watered it down and wiped with a papertowel after.  The grungier the better  ;)

A3C #1:

I had gotten a 12x12 sheet of artistic quotes -- SO MANY MANY years ago that I don't remember where it came from.  I have an idea that it was an "extra" with a kit I'd ordered, or maybe a remnant of a DT thing of the past?   I don't know, but I have a lot of these things, already cut and prepared for use.  

 

 A3C #2:

Start with the emotional page - right off the starting line... sheesh.

 

 A3C #3:

I changed directions three times for this, and finally decided to just add in photos.  Really, too much thought just jacks stuff all up.   

 A3C #3.5 (Pocket/Tag page for extra pics):

Yoda, found in the garage during the cleaning session...filling you in on the content of the pocket.   Little helper pants is he.

 A3C #4:

 Receipts - many many little stuffs to do.  UGH.

Not much was said on #4, because paint circles and flowers were more interesting after running errands all day.   Play with paint...it's good for the soul.   Just don't wear a shirt belonging to someone else when you do this, it could end badly.   Saved you - you're welcome.  

A3C 2013 -- and oh, let us pretend that March never happened...

Apparently, on my blog, March never DID happen.  That's weird.

ANYWAY - lots to post today because ..
IT'S THE INTRODUCTION TO THE THIRD ANNUAL A3C CHALLENGE!!
(April's April Artistic Challenge that is).  

BASICALLY - it's a challenge to do SOMETHING every day.  Whether it's sharing a grocery list, shopping receipts, photos? Watercolor on paper, doodles, scribbles, notes to self...WHATEVER.   Think back to PRE-ProjectLife, okay?  It's more random than that system is.  

The first year that I did this - it was because I had gotten some new mists  and watercolors and had found a blog on doodling....so I wanted to DO something.   That was for 2011...and that has to be one of my FAVORITE projects --- A3C 2011 ROCKED!!!   

Last year, uh, I had just moved into my parents' house, and well -- I dropped the ball somewhere around the 11th and didn;'t finish.   I didn't embellish it - it's actually extremely sad in comparison to 2011. It was so pitiful (and my life was so ... cramped with me and the kids at my parents' house) that I didn't even blog about it.  WOW.  

This year - I got a mini-SMASH book...I know, I know, today is only the 5th, but this one feels ROCKIN' to me ;)

COME AND JOIN ME, WON'T YOU???

 

Because sometimes scribbles are the best...

First - I am going to share a layout that I did the other day - complete with ChickenLittle's artwork.   This girl kills me.  She really does remind me of ... me ... except more emotional (that is not good, well, for ME it's not, we don't connect that way).    BUT - this is the thing that we have  in common and through silliness we can communicate non-verbally and somewhat less overwhelmingly emotionally (her teenage years are going to require a lithium drip...or tranquilizers or something - FOR ME more likely). 

I digress...

and all of this brings me to a blog that I peruse often Write, Click, Scrapbook -- their post titled "Process Process Process" - well, first of all it made me laugh at the title all by itself.   Anyone that has worked with me in the past (when I worked at a contractor for the VA and we did examinations for Veterans) - I ALWAYS and probably IRRITATINGLY would spout off PROCESS - DON'T IGNORE THE PROCESS (seriously.)  But I digress (again?)...

This is the part of the post that kind of  sang to me, if you will:

"One More Thing
This week, as I was planning this post, I rediscovered a children's book, that seems to perfect to share here. I also will probably not be able to write about it without getting a little teary. The Dot is about a young girl, who, with an empty sheet of paper at the end of art class declares to her teacher, "I just CAN'T draw!" Her teacher tells her to simply make a mark on her paper. Angrily, she jabs her marker to make one dot on her page. "Now, sign it, please"  says her teacher. When the girl arrives next time, there is her dot, framed and hung up on the wall. When she sees that, the girl proceeds to paint dots of different sizes, and colors, and when the school art show rolls around, there is a wall full of her paintings.

The moral of the story is, make something. Anything. See where it takes you.

You can also take a look back, and see where you have been."

 Do you feel inspired?

ne More Thing

This week, asI was planning this post, I rediscovered a children's book, that seems to perfect to share here. I also will probably not be able to write about it without getting a little teary. The Dot is about a young girl, who, with an empty sheet of paper at the end of art class declares to her teacher, "I just CAN'T draw!" Her teacher tells her to simply make a mark on her paper. Angrily, she jabs her marker to make one dot on her page. "Now, sign it, please"  says her teacher. When the girl arrives next time, there is her dot, framed and hung up on the wall. When she sees that, the girl proceeds to paint dots of different sizes, and colors, and when the school art show rolls around, there is a wall full of her paintings.
The moral of the story is, make something. Anything. See where it takes you.
You can also take a look back, and see where you have been.
- See more at: http://www.writeclickscrapbook.com/write_click_scrapbook/2013/02/process-process-process.html#sthash.lafJ7r8m.dpuf

One More Thing

This week, asI was planning this post, I rediscovered a children's book, that seems to perfect to share here. I also will probably not be able to write about it without getting a little teary. The Dot is about a young girl, who, with an empty sheet of paper at the end of art class declares to her teacher, "I just CAN'T draw!" Her teacher tells her to simply make a mark on her paper. Angrily, she jabs her marker to make one dot on her page. "Now, sign it, please"  says her teacher. When the girl arrives next time, there is her dot, framed and hung up on the wall. When she sees that, the girl proceeds to paint dots of different sizes, and colors, and when the school art show rolls around, there is a wall full of her paintings.
The moral of the story is, make something. Anything. See where it takes you.
You can also take a look back, and see where you have been.
- See more at: http://www.writeclickscrapbook.com/write_click_scrapbook/2013/02/process-process-process.html#sthash.lafJ7r8m.dpuf

One More Thing

This week, asI was planning this post, I rediscovered a children's book, that seems to perfect to share here. I also will probably not be able to write about it without getting a little teary. The Dot is about a young girl, who, with an empty sheet of paper at the end of art class declares to her teacher, "I just CAN'T draw!" Her teacher tells her to simply make a mark on her paper. Angrily, she jabs her marker to make one dot on her page. "Now, sign it, please"  says her teacher. When the girl arrives next time, there is her dot, framed and hung up on the wall. When she sees that, the girl proceeds to paint dots of different sizes, and colors, and when the school art show rolls around, there is a wall full of her paintings.
The moral of the story is, make something. Anything. See where it takes you.
You can also take a look back, and see where you have been.
- See more at: http://www.writeclickscrapbook.com/write_click_scrapbook/2013/02/process-process-process.html#sthash.lafJ7r8m.dpuf

Another week...some more projects...

Long project list here - I go through phases of being a "scrapping fool" or a "mojo-less lump".   Fool it was - in time for Manic Monday @SNC.    I used this time to jam in some challenges.  

My first to list - G4 - actually encompassed three total challenges.   The PatternPaper Crazy, Color and Sketch challenges for February.   I have always and forever been a fan of combining lots of challenges.   Trying to add as many together as I can.  

Another fun one - included the Ad/Art challenge combined with Lynn's challenge of using vellum in a LO.  For this - i used one of the most-awesome and inspiring PageMaps sketches (see???)

Which turned into this ...

I was loving the butterflies with twine - and the velum butterflies adding "shadows"...LOVE!!  and THAT GIRL WITH THOSE CHEEKS!!! one of my favorite photos. ever.

AND THEN --- Stamp challenge and Alpha challenge from Peggy and Janet respectively.   BUBBLE WRAP TO STAMP WITH - and a yummy mix of alphas (which, come to think of it, I do this a lot anyway, how interesting).

NOW THIS...not for a challenge, but done with another PageMap sketch because I LIKED IT and it looked so quick and easy!

and ... BAM

This was a BLAST this time around.  I like it when my mojo actually plays well with me instead of hiding. Hopeful for next week *fingers crossed*

Mania on a Monday? NO. Really?

Lynn and April @SNC again...yep.

Here are a couple of my latest layout creations....I've been on a kick with the kid that I miss, so .... we see his face around a lot ;)

MISCHIEVOUS @3.   No, ya think he was??  I'm surprised he's standing still for the picture, really. (and he's now 15- so this feels like FOREVER AGO).

Yep. getting sprinkled bren style.   The boy is standing over a sprinkler. Now that I think of it, I have a pic of him at like 8 years old doing this at the "splash fountain" at the zoo.  seriously....wow. 

and these --- I uh, forgot to post because that's just the way I am *sigh*...

I like the random dates - random pics - from any given time frame.   Especially when I'm missing people for whatever reason.   Or maybe when I'm irritated at them and I can look back on a time that makes me like them more?   HAHAHA I crack me up.

I shall leave you with this PageMaps sketch -- the inspiration for something I've got cooking ;)

And when I was looking for a book...

AGAIN!!!!????
So, I was looking for a book again last night this one time - and it was a DIFFERENT book than I was looking for last week (that I still haven't found).  
The long version of this escapade started at Target of all places.   I sent S-man a pic of a book that is by an author that I thought he liked - and it was new, so I figured it was a continuation of the series he had read last year.  It was, so I picked it up for him (YAY! Something book-related actually worked out!!).   

So then I'm perusing the other titles available, I realized - AHA!!  Book #4 of a 4 book series that i have, had finally come out in the paperback version.   I had to have paperback, because the other books are paperback as well and they needed to match.   Well, I guess to most people they don't HAVE TO match, but to me --- they had to match.   I've been waiting for this for a while.  SO, I got kind of excited, but then I thought to myself, "hey, I believe that I've READ book #3, but I don't remember seeing it with the other 2 on the shelf".    Now really, I should have a keeper for this kind of thing.  Because, if you'd recall last week with the ADHD/OCD fighting it out in the house and me NOT finding what I was looking for...you'd get the feeling (as I believe I was twitching with) that this isn't going to end well.

I do NOT purchase book #4, because I now HAVE TO come home and see if #3 is here.  
*blank stare*  (it really is friggin ridiculous to be me sometimes, and it can be SO RIDICULOUS to live inside of my head). 

I get home and deliver S-man his book, which he is like BEYOND thrilled about. Seriously. It was like the best post-Christmas gift EVER.   That made me happy.  Delivering a book where I knew it would be read, enjoyed and appreciated.  Apparently this is one of "those things" that I do, so it makes me wonder if I should go to this used book store by my house and apply for a job, because this whole book-themed mini Psychosis I've got going on is really needing a better outlet. I digress. 

I look at the shelf...uh, no book #3.  *insert near-Zombie-Apocalyptic-proportioned SIGH* 
Because we ALL now know what I'm going to go and do now...I dug through the other book boxes, same as before, but with new intent.   Nope. Not in there (OMG SOMEONE QUE THE TWILIGHT ZONE MUSIC).  For the love of all things holy/unholy in the world...

Long (and repetitive in SO many ways to last week's) story cut down...I'm glad I saved money by NOT purchasing the #4 book, because apparently my freaking-out-OCD wouldn't have let me read the damned thing without knowing the location of #3.   WHERE IS IT??? I'm much too OCD with books to not know the whereabouts of a book in a series.  This is possibly going to push me over an edge - or something

...and I think I'm visiting the used book store on Tuesday.  If not for employment, maybe they'll have the #3 so I can then read #4?   

I need some things, not necessarily in this order -
to relax
to medicate myself
to drink a lot which would achieve the first two...

Uh...okay. Whatever.

so I moved, you know, and I'm blaming this whole scenario on that fact

Well, to clarify - I moved MONTHS ago.  Like, what feels like a lot of months ago.   It feels like a really long time ago, because about a year ago (almost exactly? or maybe exactly 11 months ago).  

Let me start somewhere near a begginning...the Chickens and I were in our own townhouse.  Now, the owner of that place was raising the rent (April said, uh...NO THANKS), and so we moved right next door to make my parents miserable in a small space share love and joy of togetherness for six months before *crossing fingers* moving out of state.   (there was much-to-do in that six month span, involving court yaddayaddayadda/blahblahblah lawyers costing the same amount as a vital internal-organ on Craig's List).    HOWEVER, there were certain things that I moved out of state early.   Boxes of holiday decor that wouldn't be used. And, you know, that weird stuff in the kitchen cabinets that you have, don't necessarily use often, but if you DON'T have it when you need it -  then you're kind of pissed that you got rid of it (does this sound familiar to ANYONE else??).  Linens, etc...you know, stuff that I wouldn't need until much later. 

Now, fast forward past court dates/lawyer trauma  fun time, moving trucks, hyperventilating, panic attacks and all that other amazing MOVING A HOUSE related stuff.  Tons of things have been unpacked, integrated with what was already here (keep/toss/donate) --- but certain things haven't been completed.   I haven't finished organizing my scrapbooking space (which is in what probably should be a proper "sitting" room/living room scenario, but it's got my crap, a TV, a non-working piano and a couch...so it's pretty much "that crap room").  It'll get done - I'm not rushing - we have to get rid of non-working piano and get a shelving/bookcase (Ikea trip) and since I can't really get the shelf/bookcase in until AFTER the piano is gone (and the weather is too wintery to get this done...).....it's waiting in it's holding pattern.    If I take that room out of my scenario of "done" - then things aren't really but so bad.  Until I feel the need to "locate _____ that I haven't seen in a while", and then the wild goose chase begins.

SO last night at random today, I thought to myself, "you know, we have this set of three books in The Lightning Thief" series...it's in one of these boxes somewhere".     And being that the youngest boy chicken just turned 12 and the younger girl chicken is 10, I figured that finding the set would be beneficial to both of them.   Literate children that they are, I had a feeling that they would appreciate this.  Therefore, OCD/ADHD have a discussion and decide  I then decided to start the Wild Goose Chase game.  

I looked in six boxes in the basement where my books are.   Ummmm...nope.  Not in there.  
*pause*
I then looked in two boxes in TheCrapRoom where I thought that they might be, well, because there were scrapbook albums in there and well, maybe just maybe I had placed them in there.  Ummm...no.
*sigh*
I then found two other books that I wanted to be mated with their pals that have actually made it OUT of boxes and are in the family room.  Cool.  Score.   Uhhh....not what I was looking for.
*mumble*

SO.  After going to the grocery store, because it was a necessary thing and besides the store is - the pit of hell itself and satan is the cashier my favorite place to spend time -- and putting everything away, I decided to keep up the search. 

I found my four matching frames for the 4Chickens' school pictures. I cleaned them, wiped down the glass and set them on the table for installation.   OH THAT'S RIGHT...I can't install those because I haven't hung the mantle shelving that those big frames rest on.  
*set the shelving aside for hanging*
Then I remembered that I can't decide which room to hang those shelves in...
*pondering*
Then I looked in the corner of the crap room and realized that I had two boxes that looked unfamiliar...BOOKS???
No.
Kitchen stuff -- WEIRD STUFF, like not every day usage stuff.   Bundt cake pan (which truth be told I've never EVER even used) as well as Tupperware deviled egg holders.   Yes I'm serious.  It's a process, okay?
*sigh*
So then, ADHD directed me I decided to check my email, because with kids playing sports, I hadn't checked the email in like 2days and OMG you know I could have missed a whole elimination tournament schedule or something.  Checking email - for which I needed to go to the basement because my wireless stuff is still not fixed (NEXT weekend for the love of all things holy).

Here's where things go awry...(not that they weren't already, because clearly I have ADHD issues afoot)...
Elder boy chicken's teacher liason (aka the snitch, whom will be receiving a gift card to the liquor store from me at the end of the year) .   This unforeseen speed bump knocked all of the other things off course, as then I had to call theKeeper of the elder-boy chicken and discuss schedules/medications/blahblahblah....so an hour and 45minutes later....

I end up back at the computer again, reply back to the liason, wait for arrival of boy-chicken-in-hot-water-soon.   Forward my response to theKeeper of the boy-chicken...Walk back up the stairs and look at the fan-friggin-tastical mess that I've made with frames/photos/shelves all waiting for my attention....and I realize that ....

I STILL HAVEN"T FOUND THE STUPID BOOKS. 

and this is why things don't get done, and also to answer to why we're eating toast for dinner.

You're welcome.  I think.

This is apparently a lot of *stuff*

A lot of stuff to post at once, so ..... since I haven't scrapped in a long time (a hiatus of a sort I guess?)...I had an epiphany the other day.   Hmmmmm...it's been a long time since I've used a sketch.  Let me see what's out there in sketch land and get on with it, eh?

SO.  This is Sketch one of two that I posted @SNC for TORNADO TUESDAY (as Manic Monday was a no-go).  From MyCreativeSketches :   Loved the squares, so many possibilities ... photos, papers...oh my.

and Lil' Princess Pantz (my chicken little @2003)

NEXT:   Sketch two from the same Tornado Tuesday was chosen from SketchSavvy

to which I created the Era of Boomer the wonder Dog:

 

My final contribution for the blog today, this was done loosely based on Diana's Color Challenge @SNC

is my LO circa 2008, my nieces school pics (aged 5 and 6 respectively).  Which is actually similar to the sketch below (was on a roll with the strips/border punches?)

It's been SO WILD to scrap all of these goodies - particularly the ones of long ago...speaking of which, there was a weekend Blitz @SNC last weekend, posted by Janet.   I actually DID participate and this is the first one that started my roll...

TAKE A PICTURE IT'LL LAST LONGER - circa 1977 (moi)

 

Until later (I have THIRTEEN completed layouts to post...SERIOUSLY???)

When Freezing Happens...

Luckily, the weather wasn't as bad as it could have been.   We had some icing on trees and such, but not the 7 inches of snow some were assuming we'd receive.   SO.  I had to take some pictures. The only thing I wish that "would have been" is that the sun could have come out a little to make these more awesome. ;)

Side by Side - circa 1977

As this story will go - I had this photo on my desk for over a week.   My cousin Heather and I from around 1977 (could be 1978, but I had to stick with one of them there dates, so I picked).   I had decided last week or whenever it was, that the next thing I scrapped would be this photo. 

*sigh*

I should know better by now, to put that kind of limitation on myself.

I was unable to jump past it to something else.   I kept staring at the photo - for over a week - and nada.   I sat at the desk for .... three hours off and on. Hemming and hawing...eh...meh....uh....grrrrr.    A bunch of ridiculous noise.   And .... all I had done at that point was to stamp on some cardstock.  THEN on to hour FOUR of sitting there, things started flying together.    Looks a big hot mess of layers, but you know what?? I like it.   AND it's complete - so I can now move on to other items on the scrappy agenda, with the note-to-self of "OMG NEVER SAY THAT AGAIN".      But of course, we all know I will.  I think it's a safe bet that we know each other that well....I'll do it again.

*sigh*

ENOUGH ABOUT ME...now on to mini-me ;)

EDITED TO ADD:  (I have no idea where the paragraph went that was after the photos, so I could give credit where inspiration was found --- so I'm making up for it and adding it in now - apologies for my oversight).  In my defense, it was there, I typed it, I posted and it's not there.  As if that's never happened to me before. *ahem*

Inspiration can be found at Ashli's Place ... thanks for the swirly ideas with the twine, as well as the reminder for my love of confetti.   WHY did I ever stop gluing that stuff on at random??  ;)

 

SnowScrap x2???

SNOW PICTURE SCRAP-A-THON!!  or at least that's what it feels like.  Scrapping drought is over for the moment and I have LO x2 to upload - WOOHOO

The first comes in under Lynn's  Madcap challenge @SNC with the use of twine *bowing graciously*

 and also included me actually digging out the QK squeeze and making vellum snowflakes! *gasp/faint/thud* i know.

 The second was done based on Diana's Sketch challenge @SNC for January - with an alternative "April Twist" if you will.  (of course)

 Love the rubons. and the Stickles.  OH.MY. and brads?   finally stash moving!

Until next time my minions...muhahahhahahaha