What's on your desk?

Hello all.  Sorry it has been a bit since the last post.  Summer seems so busy!  It has been hard to find the time to scrap, create, blog, etc...  When I do find the time I sometimes feel guilty because I'm not spending time with my kiddos.

I have been able to work on some new things though.  Of course it was Scrapp n' Savvy 's quarterly sampler last weekend.  It was amazing as usual. You must follow the link and see the project.  Inspiration city!  Also, as usual, I had to have my projects completed for the next quarter.  This time I am teaching 2 different classes each month:  my regular project class and an Inspired by Pinterest class.  Being summertime, you never know what your classes will do.  Some of them are full but others are empty.  Who knows.  Maybe there will be some interest before the class date.  There are so many wonderful classes this quarter and I think people had a lot of choices to make.  I will be putting some pics of the projects up this week.

I have also been working on some other ideas that have been rolling around for a while.  I am working on a Harry Potter album for my daughter.  It will hold all the DVD's and more.  Pics will be forthcoming on that one!  Also, I am working on the Prom album for oldest son and  a "places" album. The places album will have photos of places that we have been.  It will mostly contain pics of scenery not people.  Here are a few:

 Wintertime in Colorado

 Hawaii

 Outside Rio

Galveston

There are so many scenery pictures and sometimes I don't like them in the albums with the kids.  So I thought this would be a great way to capture the memories of the places we visited and loved.

Well, kids are still sleeping (teenagers, that's all they do!) so I am going to go do some scrapping without the guilt!  Leave a comment:  what are you working on?

A little bit of love goes a long way

I have always said that "a little bit of love goes a long way" but had never really lived it.  Until yesterday. Then, like a ton of bricks, I got slammed into the true, living embodiment of what "a little bit of love goes a long way" means.

We spent the last 10 days at the beach.  Lovely.  Wonderful rotating friends and family filled 10 days!  Anyway, as usual the fun had to end and we cleaned the house and got ready to leave.  The big kid left with his girlfriend (is that actually possible?  I mean he is only a little guy.  Oh, yeah, I forgot.  He's 18  :(  ) and the hubby and one child left to run an errand on the way home.  That left me with 3 lovely kiddos, 3 cats, a dog, and a bunny.  Oh, and ALL the stuff to take home!  Needless to say my bus of a car was totally full.

Now, the trip home should only be 1 1/2 hours at the time of day we were travelling.  It usually is a movie and a few minutes of "how long til we get home mom?".  But, as things go, yesterday will be held in my memory of worst trips EVER!  Amazingly, the other trip that I hold in that category involves the same living creatures!

 After an hour of arguing between the kids about what movie was playing, how much leg room (or how little and really?, it's a huge car), or that the cats were meowing too much things seemed relatively quiet.  So, the picture is this:  I am driving.  Passenger seat has 3 cats in separate kennels and the loving, sweet dog who smells on the floorboard in front.  Middle back seat has a child on each side and a bunny in a kennel in the center.  Far back seat has my little guy and a bunch of stuff around him.  And of course, the back is packed to the point that I have a tunnel in the middle to see out the back window.  Kids FINALLY settle down and I am in the driving zone.  Suddenly one of the kids says he smells something.  That simple sentence can strike FEAR in any mother but let's add to that that we are in a ghetto part of the town!  Quickly we realize that one of the cats has had an explosion of sorts.  Not good.  I have to pull off as there is NO possible way that I am driving with that next to me for another hour.

Pulled off.  Gathered bag, paper towels, baby wipes, and courage.  Did not think this through obviously.  Opened the kennel door and the cat makes a desperate attempt to GET OUT of the kennel. Yeah.  So now the offending problem is all over the inside of the kennel, the cat, ME, MY SEAT, the son who tried to help, the console of the car, well, you get the picture.  And it was a horrible picture!  I quickly cleaned kennel as best I could.  Bagged the evidence and shoved cat back into kennel.  Had just enough baby wipes (that is funny, because I don't think there are enough baby wipes for that kind of problem!) to clean up.  Dear son saw trash can and we dropped the toxic waste in it and made our get away.

I will never again complain about driving home sandy, cleaning the bathroom, or driving by the chemical plants!  After driving like an idiot for another hour we got close to home.  I called the hubby and let him know "we were coming in hot!"  Open the door, get out of the way, say nothing, open a bottle of good wine, and unload the car.  Just stay away from the front seat.  He did just that (minus the wine); car was unloaded, seat covers removed and placed in washer awaiting my clothes and my son's clothes (precaution).  I then had the wonderful pleasure of BATHING A CAT!  This has never been a top 1000 on my list of to do's but it had to be done.  She was surprisingly good.  I think the fact that the entire household was watching and laughing distracted her.  The big kid took her afterward and dried her off, cooing at her the whole time (much to the horror of the girlfriend who does not like cats).

Then I had a nice steam bath and started laundry.

I really understand "a little bit of love goes a long way" now.  I have just a little bit of love left for that cat right now.  And it will get her a long way.  While this was an awful thing for me, I wonder how bad it was for the cat.  It must have been rather stressful for her too.  And thinking back to my worst trips ever....the last one on record, 5 some years ago, also involved this same cat.  In the same car.  But with all 5 kids, my parents, their dog, and more stuff than there should have been.  It was worse.  Way worse.  I lost a t-shirt in that one!  Somehow I still love that cat.  Amazing isn't it?

Go live.  A little bit of love does go a long way.  See if you can find that out today.  I don't however, recommend travelling with a cat to find that out!

A little break

Summertime. Just love it! We have spent the last week at the beach and it has been heaven. Wonderful rain storms, perfect fishing days, peaceful breezes. Just what we needed to rejuvenate! I did make a run into town the other day to fulfill some obligations I had at Scrapp n' Savvy. I had totally dropped the ball and did not complete my weekly layout. Major oops on my part. However, it was great to go home and be able to complete all my projects for the next quarter without any interruptions. This brings me to my thoughts for today. I am so excited about my projects! I can hardly wait to teach them! I thought I would give you a sneak peak but I have no photos for you. You must use your imaginations. I will teach two different classes each month this time. There will be. A project class like what I have been teaching and an inspired by pinterest class. So, let me give you some things to peak your interest. July is Christmas in July month so think snow, cold, crisp, cute, decor, mini album, canvas. August and September will hold visions of vintage, beach, new products, pendants, suitcase. Use your imagination! This Friday and Saturday will be the Scrapp n, Savvy Sampler. It is an extremely cute project. Worth every penny and more. I will post pics of my projects starting Friday. Check back then. Now, back to the beach!!!

Summer, dear summer

Oh, it's that time again.  Summer.  I just love summer.  I could do with a little less heat and humidity, but I still love summer.  I love having my kids home.  I love the freedom of the schedule (or lack thereof).  I love having more time in the day because we stay up longer (no rush for bed because there is no rush to get up at 6am).  I love exploring with my kids and trying new things.  The list just goes on and on.  This summer is a bit different than most for me.  My teenagers have jobs this summer.  Yes, jobs!  Wow, now I really feel old.  Kids having jobs though will absolutely change the dynamics of what we do.  I have already planned a trip for my two little ones that will not include the bigger kids.  Feels strange.  I am looking forward to loads of fun pictures though.  I need them to put in the cute albums I have planned!

Back to the scrapping happiness!  This past weekend I helped out at Scrapp n' Savvy while the wonderfully talented Karen Burniston demonstrated her new Sizzix die cuts.  She has the most amazing pop up die cuts!  I thoroughly enjoyed watching and listening to her demo these wonderful dies!  I learned quite a few tips and tricks.  Her new pop ups will be available this month from Sizzix.  I have attached a video below of one of the pop ups she has.  This is the card she gave to everyone as a take home.

So easy.  So cute.  So many possibilities.  I love that the sizzlits fit perfectly on the pop up dies.  And also that the movers and shakers fit the pop up die base.  If you want to see more you can visit the Sizzix website or search for Karen on YouTube.  Want to buy a set of the dies?  Go to Scrapp n' Savvy and you can purchase a set (the link is to the store website)!  I can hardly wait until my set arrives.

The sampler at Scrapp n' Savvy is at the end of June and I am busily making my projects for the next quarter.  So close to being done.....  I have really enjoyed making these projects this time.  I think I like what the projects are!  What are they you ask?  Well, there are of course mini albums (a vintage beach suitcase mini that is oh so cute and a vintage Christmas canvas mini that I love!), some home decor (think snowman, but not out of something traditional, and cute; a desk photo clip album), and just some other miscellaneous things (pendants, ornaments, etc...).  Once the sampler is closer I will post a few pics.  The snowman is already in the store and is getting quite a few responses (he and his little family are really cute).

Short post today.  I have lots to do to finish up my projects and I want to get an early startt!  Check out Karen's video.  It really is cool.  I hope you get inspired today but if you don't then maybe you will inspire someone else.  Blessings.