Little Scraps Of Paper

Vacation Almost Over...

I didn't want to just blog without sharing something fun. On December 4th my daughter Jessica and I went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra. They put on an amazing show...beyond words! I am hoping to make this a tradition every year but next year I want all the kids to come with me! 

Why is it vacations always go by so fast??? Monday it's back to work and classes all in one shot! Nothing like jumping right back in and of course my sleep schedule is all out of whack! It's going to take me at least two weeks to get back on track again. lol But if I want to start the New Year off "focused" and paying all my bills (on time) I better go back!!!  :)

So tomorrow my last day off will be spent relaxing for my final day and maybe getting a few small things done...nothing to strenuous! 

Since the big move most of my crafty things are still not organized and I no longer have a room to work in, but I think my mojo might be sneaking it's way back into view. I have not worked on anything yet, but I have been having fun checking out the new A Muse sneak peeks and I have a few ideas of my own. Who knows I might be crafting sooner then I think.

365.A Year In Pictures

 

Two posts in one day! Let's see if I can keep this roll going!

You may have noticed a new tab at the top of my blog..."365", which stands for 

Project - 365.A Year In Pictures.

This was another one of those things on my "to do" list but I could never seem to get started on time and before I knew it the year was half over...you know "times flies" and all. So this year I decided to FOCUS and get started on the things I have always wanted to do or try, starting with Project 365. 

So if you have a few minutes and you would like to check out my Year In Pictures please do...

365.A Year In Pictures

I am hoping through this little project my picture taking skills will improve and I can really learn to use my camera! Finally!  :)

 

One Little Word.2010

Instead of setting a bunch of resolutions for the New Year, which always seem to be forgotten or broken, I'm going to try to concentrate on one guiding word for 2010. This will be the first time I have joined in the "One Little Word" project started by Ali Edwards in 2007...you can see her original post here.

So my word for 2010 is...FOCUS. 

I constantly feel pulled in too many directions and distracted by life's clutter. Consequently, I feel unfulfilled creatively and emotionally. I want to FOCUS on only the most important things to me and clear out all the junk keeping me from moving forward. I am blessed with wonderful children and I need to FOCUS more on our time together. I am close to the end of my classes and I want to FOCUS on graduation and feeling proud I was able to complete school while working full time when everyone told me I couldn't. I want to FOCUS on finding "me" again after going through divorce. I have to be the one to figure it all out (or maybe I don't!). Whatever the case, I have to slow down...and FOCUS on what lies ahead without looking back. 

My oldest daughter, Amanda is also doing the One Little Word challenge with me this year, so we can work to motivate each other!

Happy New Year's Eve!

 

(Image found online)

Two posts in two days...you are shocked; I know I am too! :)

I just wanted to wish everyone a VERY Happy New Year's! I hope 2010 is filled with good health and happiness for you all. 

We will be staying in and celebrating at home. Jessica has her two BEST friends over, the bubbly jello toasts are chilling in the fridge, and we are waiting for the New Year's Rocking Eve to begin.

Happy New Year! 

Slainte!

 

Starting Fresh

Hello...if anyone is still out there. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

 

Things have really changed over the past five months (since I last posted)...some for the good, some not so much. The kids and I have moved and by the end of January I will find myself divorced. Seems very weird posting that with anniversary photos just a few posts below. Funny how much you don't know about people and their lives, only what they choose to blog about. But I am really hoping that 2010 is filled with positive things for everyone.

Doing things on my own is something I am familiar with....I have been here before. The kids and I will pull together and make things work the best we can! This may not have been the best Christmas for gifts under the tree but we did spend it together!

Other things going on...

School is going very well! I have about five more months of actual classes and then 6 months of externship. I am hoping there will be some jobs out there when I graduate, right now not so many.

As for crafting, that has taken a back seat. More like a seat on the very back of the bus! With all that was going on I guess I just was not feeling very creative. You could say my mojo left the building. I am hoping to find that again in 2010 too!

So here is to change, finding yourself again in the mess, and what ever the future has in store!

 

Missing in Action Once Again...

If anyone still reads my blog, thanks for continuing to stop by. Life has been busy and complicated these days. We had been without internet for awhile and just got everything set back up today. All I can say is I am sure happy to have my computer back!

In the mean time school has been keeping me very busy. This summer has me learning phlebotomy and Urinalysis. Now we are getting into the good stuff!  LOL I am hoping to maybe find a weekend job in a lab or blood bank as a phlebotomist once this part of the training is done.

(This is one of the students in my class drawing on our teacher)

We also celebrated Gavin's 1st birthday a few weeks ago. I can't believe he is a year old already...time really does fly.

Happy Birthday Gavin!!!

I hope you are all enjoying your summer! I'll try not to be such a stranger.  ;)

Happy 5th Anniversary Honey

Five years ago today we were rushing around to leave for the Port of Miami. I was a nervous wreck, not about the wedding ~ I just knew I was going to forget something. Needing all the wedding gear, favors, plus getting us ready, and packing for the honeymoon, was a bit much. But we made it and I didn't forget a thing ~ That we couldn't buy along the way anyway. LOL

It was a beautiful ceremony on Carnival's Paradise ship, we had an exciting honeymoon with a ton of excursions, and it has been an amazing five years so far. Leon, I love you more and more each day, thank you for being my husband! I look forward to a lifetime with you!

This is the anniversary card I made for Leon. He got such a kick out of the fish on his birthday card I thought I would use him again. The fish is by Endless Creations, and you actually get two fish on one wooden block so you can stamp them facing each other like that. How cool right! I used the long grass by A Muse again for seaweed. Kiss Kiss and the tiny hearts are also by A Muse. I ran the blue Bazzill paper through the bubbles embossing folders for a little texture. This was a quick card but I think it came out cute.

Kiss Kiss

Cardstock: Bazzill

Pattern Paper: None

Stamps: A Muse - Long Grass, Tiny Hearts, and Kiss Kiss, Endless Creation - DD28 Fish

Ink: Perfect Match - Ripe Avocado and Pure Poppy, and Stazon Jet Black

Accessories:  Bubbles Embossing Folder and Nestabilities Plain Rectangle

Copics: None

Happy Mother's Day

This is my sister's first Mother's Day so I wanted to make her a special card, I think photo cards are perfect for that something extra special and personal. I went through all my photos of Gavin looking for a good one of them together but just like all good Mom's Steph is usually the one behind the camera, so this photo I used is a few months old but I think it came out cute.

This is another photo card I made for my Mom from the kids. This photo was just taken this Easter, if I had been thinking I would have gotten Gavin in this one as well and it could have been from all her grandkids, but I think he was taking a nap at the time.  It's not often I have all my kids together anymore.

This is a quick card I made for my Mom from Leon and I. It was based off the thank you card I made last month, I just added a few more flowers to this one.

I hope all the Mom's are enjoying their day today! 

I have to go get dressed now, we are all meeting for dinner.

Happy Birthday Honey

Today is Leon's birthday! We are keeping it kind of low key this year but to be honest I think that is how he really likes it best. This morning I made him a monte cristo sandwich for breakfast, one of his favorite treats. Then we went shopping for everything you need to make his famous chicken wings and onion rings for dinner. But before we headed home we stopped at Rita's Italian Ice for a little birthday treat. (Leon is not really a big birthday cake kind of guy) So all in all it has been a very nice day.

I have not been doing much in my craft room at all since going back to school but I did find some time to get in there this weekend to make Leon a birthday card. I was not about to start going to Hallmark! I was pretty pleased with how his card came out.

I finally got the chance to use my Fiskars wave border punch. I am so glad I picked that up when I did! The long grass and It's your day stamps are by A Muse. I think the long grass made a great seaweed back drop for Mr. Fish. The fish is a new stamp I got at the convention back in February by a company called Endless Creations. The swivel came from Leon's tackle....shh don't tell him. I think it added a great look to the card!

School is going well, I finished my second term this week. So far I have completed...

Anatomy and Physiology I & II

Biostatistics

and English

On Monday I start Chemistry and Communication. This is one non stop program!

Color Challenge Recipe...

Cardstock: Bazzill

Pattern Paper: None

Stamps: A Muse - Long Grass and It's Your Day, Endless Creation - DD28 Fish

Ink: Perfect Match - Ripe Avocado and Stazon Jet Black

Accessories:  Ribbon - Twine,  Fiskars - Wave Border Punch, and Robin's Nest - Clear

Copics: Y11 and Y17

Special Thanks

Last month while I was missing from blogging, I celebrated my 39th birthday on February 10th. I needed to make a few thank you cards and since time is limited these days I wanted something cute and stylish but something that I could make quick.

 So I reached for my new A Muse spring release stamps that had not seen ink yet and this is what I came up with.

I love the new long grass stamp and this little flower adds just the right touch. You can't tell in the photo but I added tiny twinkle stickers in the center of each flower for a little spring bling. I really like this color combo too. I know its a little darker then most are using this time of year but I was having fun with some new Perfect Match ink pads I ordered a while back.

This was about it for my stamping this weekend so I won't have much more to post this week.

School is keeping me VERY busy but it is going very well. I got my first tests back this week and so far I can say I am holding an A in both classes. (Anatomy and Statistics) I am actually at my midterms right now so I will be hitting the books pretty hard this week. Thank goodness next week is spring break from work!

Color Challenge Recipe...

Cardstock: Bazzill

Pattern Paper: None

Stamps: A Muse - Long Grass, Mini Flower, Thank you

Ink: Perfect Match - Ripe Avocado and Pure Poppy and Stazon Jet Black

Accessories:  Ribbon - Papermart,  Plain and scalloped Rectangle Nestabilities Dies

Copics: None