Spot of Tea

Cheesecakes, Layouts, Shopping

Hope everyone had a good turkey day.  We had dinner with my brother, sister-in-law, two of my neices, my dad and my family.  The food was delicious, love turkey with all the trimmings.  I made stuffing, mashed potatos and two kinds of cheesecake - pumpkin and cherry.  The kids had a ball playing together, they always do.  They are close in age (6, 4, 3, 1 1/2) and have so much energy to burn off.  They giggled, chased each other around, and had a blast.

Worked on some layouts the last fews days.  Actually got three completed.  Got a bunch more in the process and even a few page kits ready to go.  Have a few cards I need to finish.  I also started working on more ATC's for my 7 Gypsies ATC Holder.  Also have a few ideas I'm going to be working on, when I get some time to do so.

Went shopping this morning, and remembered why I hate shopping (unless it's at a scrapbook store).  I needed to get some pull-ups for DS because he only had one left.  So I decided that I'd pick up the groceries too.  Oh. My. Goodness!!!  It was CRAZY out there and I totally forgot it was "Black Friday".  People were pushing, shoving, rude, nasty and there were just too many all together.  If DS didn't need pull-ups I would have just gone home as soon as I entered the store.  I got my stuff as fast as possible and got outta there.  I shouldn't have to go shopping again until next Friday, I hope.

Sunday Mornings

Got up early this morning with DD and watched a movie while drinking some spiced hot cocoa.  Nice to sit and just relax, cuddling on the couch, just the two of us.  DS got up a couple of hours later (yeah, it was really early - about 5:30am) and joined us.  We all snuggled under a huge fleece blanket on the couch with steaming mugs of hot cocoa.  Thought it was snowing out when I DD first got me out of bed, the sky was so odd with a thick fog.  Still foggy out at noon too.

Worked until late last night getting the pages of a mini album completed.  It turned out super cute, just love it.  I used vintage buttons & ribbons, some bling and stickles to put the finishing touches on it.  I still need to make the tags to go into the envelopes and then do the journaling.  Love the Adage Tickets from Tim Holtz.  I'm going to make a few ATC's with the supplies left over from the mini album too.  Love the paper set - Graphic 45.  So much I can do with it, especially using some of my vintage supplies with it all.

Got a few birthday cards to create and get in the mail by next weekend.  Aunts, uncles and such.  I'm also working on a few layouts that I need to finish up and I've got to pick up a few photos from the developer tomorrow.  I might even stop at the little scrappin' spot to crop some day this week.  They have free cropping as long as there isn't any other function going on, how cool is that. :)

I'm going to bake "Colonial Oatmeal Cookies" today.  I got the recipe from one of the volunteers at the hospice facility "Brian's House" where my mom was at.  They are delicious and perfect with tea.  I think we'll have a traditional afternoon tea today and a late dinner.  We're going to spend some time outside this afternoon, finish raking leaves and getting the garden put to bed for the winter.  It hasn't had a hard frost yet but it is just a matter of days.  Like to get the yard and garden ready and today seems like a nice day to do it all.

Old Buttons, Sprinkles and Cupcakes

I've been playing with my small collection of old buttons from my mother-in-law today.  There are some really lovely ones that I just couldn't wait to do something special with, like the melon rose one here.  I've still got a bit of playing to do with this little embellishment but it is a good start.  I've got a sweet layout that this will make a perfect accent.

I got a new bottle of sprinkles at the store yesterday and just had to bake something to use them on.  So now we have chocolate cupcakes with vanilla buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles.  Love that $0.79 can give such a fun boost to the day.  DS had a lot of fun mixing and attempting to frost the cupcakes but he really enjoyed the sprinkles.  Got the entire sprinkle idea from Stacy Julian's Sprinkles.  Love her site and her philosophy.

I am going to be getting my sewing machine out this weekend.  I feel like creating something sweet and cute for DD.  I've got tons of "vintage" fabric and clothes that I would love to use to make aprons, skirts and other items for myself and DD.  I would love a frilly apron like my great-grandma wore.  I remember standing on a chair and helping her make kiffles (a jam filled cream cheese cookie - YUM) while she wore a pretty pink apron and I wore a white apron with handkerchef pockets.  How fun to make something like that for DD and I to wear while we cook and bake.  I love making memories with DD and DS that I share with the women of my family.

Brownies and Apple Crisp

Made our favorite brownies last night.  The kids love them and so do the adults.  They are the same recipe that I used to make with my mom when I was little.  The kids love stirring the butter to melt it and adding the cocoa powder.  It is messy but so yummy.  This time we added chopped walnuts to half of the pan.  We had them as dessert, along with apple crisp, after a dinner of crockpot garlic chicken, mashed potatos, squash and salad.  Dad came over and we ate and played and watched "Flubber" on the TV.  A good time for everyone.

Got a few more layouts done and a couple of cards yesterday too.  If I get my "crafting area" even more organized I'll be able to make a dent on all the photos I want to scrap and get some of the mini-albums completed.  It feels great to get stuff done and get the creative juices flowing.  Now I just need to find some new supplies that I keep seeing online.  Will probably have to order some of it soon, especially the Jillibean Soup stuff.  I so want to get my hands on some of the kraft stuff and the journaling spots, it's all so yummy.

I'm still looking for a kit club too.  I love the idea of having a set of supplies that will go together that comes to my door each month.  How fun and what a great creativity boost.  And the chance to get the new and fun stuff each month.  Just have to pick one that has a great selection and is a good price fit.  Any ideas of favorites out there????

Allergic Reactions, New Reads and Class Prep

Well, I can finally sit long enough to type and get something done now.  Got bronchitous like DD and got put on a sulfa anti-biotic.  Bad, bad, bad.  Had a horrible allergic reaction to it.  Which is now, mostly, under control.  Still itchy but at least I'm not aching terribly and gasping for breath.  I guess it's payback for rescheduling my appointment six times.  I've been to see her now three times in a week.

On to better and brighter things ... I picked up the latest CK today at Barnes & Noble.  I also grabbed a copy of "Studios" by Cloth Paper Scissors.  So neat to see the studios where other women create.  Gives me a bunch of ideas.  I also had to get "Dead Heat" by my all time fav author Dick Francis.  He co-wrote this book with his son.  I can't wait to sink my teeth into what I know will be a great mystery.

And last, I'm going to be teaching a class and have been working on some class samples.  It's not the normal class where everyone makes the same layout.  This class everyone will start with the same sketch and create a layout based on their own photos, style and such.  I'm creating five different layouts based on the sketch and having fun doing different things to show how unique each is even if it starts from the same base.  Most of the students will be beginners or those that have only done a little scrapbooking.  So I'm hoping this will help them in a few different ways.  I'll also be helping them choose colors, papers, accents all based on their photos.  It'll be like a mini Scrapbook 101.  Should be a blast.  Scrapbook 101 was one of my favorite classes to teach, watching first time scrappers complete a page that they are proud of.  Love that.

Baking and Soup

Made this great soup yesterday, Ham and Wild Rice Soup.  It is super tasty and perfect for chillly fall evenings.  I even remembered to take photos.  The photos don't do it justice but I'll get better ones when I serve the soup and some fresh baked bread for dinner tonight.  Yum!  I also baked some Oatmeal Scotchies last night too.  The kids are loving all the baked goodies and yummy crockpot meals.  I love it when their little faces light up as they take a bite of a cookie or taste a new recipe I've made.  So fun.

The kids and I went to the fruit/farm market yesterday.  I wish I would have remembered my camera.  The selection of squashes were amazing, so colorful and harvest-y.  The kids had to touch and smell and check everything out.  I forgot how fun it could be to investigate at the market.  We selected Empire apples from the vast array of fruits available.  Big, juicy, lucious apples to make a variety of treats for the family.  The kids also picked out some PURPLE cauliflor.  So funny, can't wait to steam it for a dinner veggie.

Got the "scrappin' area" under control finally.  I'll be working on layouts for a few circle journals that I need to catch up on.  Also "Autumn Tea Party" invites for DD's tea party.  And I've got plenty of ideas to work on and mini albums I can't wait to dive into.  Yeah.  It really is much easier to create when you can find everything you need at hand.  It's still needs some work on the sticker and embellishment organization but it's getting there.

Bed Time Trama, Scrap Supplies and other stuff

Why does getting the kids to go to bed on Monday night usually seem to be so crazy????  Sunday night goes smoothly, they follow the usual routine.  Monday night, no way.  We get crying, screaming, "I'm gonna throw-up", "more stories", "I'm hungry", "I'm not tired" until I just want to scream, cry and go to sleep myself.  Yuck!

Anyways, now on to the good stuff. :)  Checked out my current favorite scrapbook store recently and got some yummy papers.  Moxie, Bo Bunny, Graphic 45, Little Yellow Bicycle, We-R-Memory-Keepers.  Can't wait to use some of it.  On what I'm not sure but I just had to have it.  I might just make some time to scrap tomorrow.  And also on the scrappin' front, I got a call from someone who would like me to teach a Quickutz Silhouette class.  I used to do so at the LSS where I worked before it shut down in January.  Should be fun.

The other stuff has to do with dinner time.  Yep it's food again.  Made some pretty tasty chicken nachos that DD picked out of a new recipe book.  Another crockpot delight that we enjoyed and plan on making again.  Great way to use up leftover chicken or turkey.  I'm going to use what's left of the cheesy chicken sauce in twice baked potatoes for lunch tomorrow, should be delish.  I'm also making apple crisp for dessert tomorrow.  The kids love it and it's a great way to use up the ton of apples we have before we go to the apple farm this weekend and buy tons more.  I'm going to be looking for "Gingergold" apples this time.  Found some at the market last time I went and they are great to eat plain and to bake with too.  I'd like to make my famous, well at least in my family circle it is, Praline Taffy Apple Pie using the gingergold apples.  Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

simple still has it

Still going through some of my old scrapping magazines.  I'm still keeping all of my issues of Simple Scrapbooks, especially after looking them over.  Going through copy after copy of these treasures I still find the information, ideas, principles and inspiration as current today as it was when it premiered in Jan/Feb 2002.  So sad that it is no longer published and I will continue to miss it.  Thank goodness there are places I can go to find the vibe, theory, practice and people - especially Stacy Julian.

And along with keeping it simple ... I received new "daily" dishes as a gift from my dad.  After having dinner with us yesterday he decided that we needed some new everyday dishes so I wouldn't have to used my good china all the time.  Simple, cute and a much better fit with the kids.  And I even have non-chipped, kid-usable bowls now too.  DH and I were just talking about how we need to get new dishes since all of our original china is chipped, cracked, or unusable except for the teacups and saucers.  Gotta love Dad.

And the not so simple ... DD was having a not so good day today.  She hurt her hand, she had issues with her brother and she misses her dad.  She lost her tooth on Monday and still hasn't been able to show her daddy the open spot yet.  She is not liking his working the odd 4pm until 2am shift that he is currently working.  She doesn't get a chance to see him because he is sleeping when she leaves for school and he has already left for work by the time she gets home.  She is waiting impatiently for Friday to come along so she can spend some time with him since he works four ten-hour days.  But it is hard on a six year old to wait all week to share all the important stuff of her world with her daddy. 

I know that I feel like a single parent some days when DH has to be in early, or work late, or work the weekend.  Everyone says be thankful he has a job at the moment, and I am thankful.  But there are those days that I wish he didn't have to work such weird hours.  And there are days that I wish that I was the one working again and he was staying home with the kids.  Not because I don't like being home with them but when I worked full time I usually could depend on working 6:30am to 3pm five days a week.  Granted I could be called in anytime day or night, weekdays or weekends.  But the way things are now that wouldn't be too likely.  But we'd have more time together as a family.  But for now we'll just deal with it the way it is.

Teabag Albums

I finally got around to taking some photos and uploading them and previous ones of my tiny mini-albums.  Love these things and can't wait to create more.  Too cute.  Here is the cover of a gift one I did for my 2Peas Pub Secret Santa recipient. I used scraps of one of my favorite paper mfgs. - Chatterbox.  It isn't the holiday/Christmas paper but I love how well the colors went with a Christmas theme.

This is the cover of a Thanksgiving album I did just for fun.  Loved these papers from EK too.  These little jems are so easy to put together and such fun too.  CLICK HERE to see the entire albums.

Little, Mini, Tiny Albums

I saw these tiny treasures in the 2Peas Peanut Gallery, then received one as a gift and just had to make a few of my own.  They are "teabag albums".  Now it might be pretty obvious why I'd like them [check out my banner for a little clue ;)] but there is more than the obvious to like.  They are tiny treasure-packed gems perfect for gift giving or just for storing sweet moments inside.  I love tiny treasure troves like these.  So cute and fun to make.  And just think, I have an unlimited supply of teabag wrappers readily available.

On another scrappin' note  ...  I got some awesome stuff from my 2Peas Pub secret santa - Stacy.  Check out the stash HERE - great selection of Basic Grey paper, a boxed set of 3 cute little albums (and we all know how much I like cute & little), and a lunchbox.  I can't wait to work on the lunchbox.  I've got a bunch of ideas but don't know which I'll actually do.  Decisions, decisions.

I'm looking forward to next week, especially since I have it off of my "day" job!!!  I'll be working at Memory Lane Wednesday thru Friday from 10-3 but that is just to fun to be called work.  And I'll have time to scrap on Monday and Tuesday.  Can't wait. :)