My Kind of Day Layout

I'm still cruising through my cruise photos and making layouts!

Used a lovely stamp I got for my birthday from Marilyn and a ton of scraps. I started tucking things in various places after I added some washi tape. That butterfly and those pretty orange roses make me happy!

Love those layers! Even squeezed in one of the ID cards from the boat and a cool piece of vellum!

What a fun photo! Our cruise ship is in the background and we had just gotten off in Key West, Florida! Fun times!

Hope your Friday flies along and you are at the weekend asap!

This is autoposting as I'll be at a safety training at our main office learning about frostbite and ticks....yeah. It needs to be Saturday already! ;-)

Grace: Altered One Little Word Suitcase

A couple of weeks back I hit the jackpot at the second hand store and scored this cardboard suitcase.

It was perfect for adding bits of paper, spritzing mists, gold paint, and some washi. Here is a before photo (patting myself on the back for remembering to take one five seconds before adding modge podge!).

Honestly I was going to leave it at the store, but the handle really caught my eye as did the $3 price tag.

Adding some mists, gold paint and washi, it did not disappoint! Love that kind of vintage look on metal, makes me happy!

I love both sides of this suitcase! Yesterday I taked about my one little word Grace. I used wood letters here on the side so it would remind me. This will be storage in my office so I'll see it quite often.

The pink woodgrain (Maggie Holmes Sweet Story) made a fantastic base and then I started  adding other pretty scraps out of a recent Scraptastic Kit.

And for something completely unexpected, I spray painted the inside black. Why not, right? I needed something to cover blue stripes....still not sure if I'm done with the inside, might need some gold splatters..

Hope your Hump day is a rockstar one!

One Little Word for 2015 & a Sneaky Peeky

Over the week of Christmas I started thinking about my one little word.

In fact, I asked THE MAN who always has a snappy comeback or epiphany if there was anything in particular that he thought I needed to focus on. He asked me why I couldn't just BE. He had a point.

In years past, my one little words have been bedrock, engage, hush, and now today I wish to remember grace.

In the past, I choose words based on things I wanted to work on. Right now, there isn't anything I want to focus on. I mean I have little goals like work on my investments, buy & eat more veggies, & work out more. Who doesn't. But I am comfortable with me for the most part except when I am exhausted or overwhelmed or have eaten too many cookies or it's Wednesday.

I read a really great essay from Momastery that inspired me to finally choose a word. It's the antithesis of a word that inspires you to do better. She is reminding us to give ourselves some grace. To silence that voice in our head that tells us we're not good enough and be friends with ourselves.

I can do that. I might need to be reminded of that on a daily basis, but yes, sign me up for that class!

Added that word to a new project that will be hanging out with me in my office...that I'll be posting soon!

Dreamy Plaster Scroll & some Moonshadow Mists

I'm always on the hunt for something quirky and unusual at the second hand store. In fact, I was pretty pleased when I spotted a plaster decorative scroll way in the back the other day.

Of course it wasn't marked. I always manage to drag a couple of those items up to the counter and make the poor lady come up with a price. She may have made a face. It was painted white and a smidge dirty. A dollar and it was all mine. ;-)

Turns out the dirt was more like peeling paint and grunge. The dishwasher got the dirt & paint all loose, exposing the plaster under it. A bit of scrubbing and it was ready for color. The plaster made it a PERFECT candidate for some mists!

I primarly used two Moonshadow Mists from Lindy's Stamp Gang called Treasure Island Aqua and Silhouette Silver. I really enjoy the shimmer & color from the Moonshadow mists.

I accented those two mists with with Heidi Swapp Mists in Blue Sarcelle and Citron.

You can see some of the spots the citron & blue collected in. It's really pretty in real life.

I did use quite a bit of both Moonshadow mists to get the color so dark. After it all dried, I used a clear spray to deepen the colors & because mist is water soluable.

It's up on the wall in my office and brings me joy when I look at it. Pretty good for a dollar and using some scrapbooking supplies!

Happy Monday!

All of Us Always Layout for Scrap Around the World

Just a couple more pages and I'll be all scrapped from our Christmas Cruise!

I have to admit, this was not a normal photo I'd use, but I got messing around with the colors and there was a lovely mood board out at Scrap Around the World...plus that chippy & some gold accents all asking to be used!

Now this particular mood board is so shabby! I grabbed an old key to alter due to the key on the board & also a little rub-on rose. 

Now the dragon fly is a take off on the quote. Letting go, fly away, kinda like taking a vacation, but of course holding on to your family. ;-)

Just a fun photo for all you peeps that love snow...those little tracks in front of my page are a little bird who stopped in to see what was good. 

One more to show you the sparkle of the snow, the shimmer of the gold & the dimension of the page!

Hope you are having a fabulous Friday!

Junkin Sewing Table & Rock Top for my Big Shot

I have been STALKING the furniture section at the second hand store for weeks, months even! I really wanted a smaller table to keep my Big Shot on & out all the time. I have it on a shelf now and I think it's quite the PITA to have to pull it out and plug it in before use.

Now, my BIG SHOT is on it's last legs...I keep expecting it to die soon since we took it apart about a year ago to get it working again. I'd have already purchased a Vagabond, but they had similar reports about them breaking on Amazon. I guess I'll just wait until mine officially croaks....

Not to bitch, but is there any good reason we can't have some kind of good die cutting machine that is electric, can be easily opened & repaired, and a have a good warranty & customer support? Now, I can honestly say that both machines are quite adorable...so I'd be willing to take something less pink for better working! I'd also pay more...anyone know anyone at Sizzix?

Anyhow, my point is that the table will likely outlast what is being stored on it, but that is OK. When you have a granite top....and a sewing table that is quite sturdy...I suppose it's to be expected.

The table itself has had the sewing machine removed already. Since I was only looking for the table itself, that was a big plus. $10 later and it was in my car! Of course that table is getting painted black and distressed....it has to match! ;-)

The top was a steal earlier in the summer for $4. I believe the red gems in the granite are garnet, which makes it super cool to me. Since the top is an odd shape, I have to get it cut to size at a kitchen place. Hoping it stays in one piece! THE MAN tells me that the double top of the sewing machine table will work well to inset the stone into.

Check out pretty hand painted plate and crazy peacock...those were at the second hand store today too. Yes, I actually paid money for that crazy bird......

Wish me luck! That rock goes under the knife I mean blade on Monday!

Good Chi Restored & Mini Office Tour

I was pretty disappointed when I moved in my new office/studio and realized that the pretty little tile "shelf" that took up the whole side of the room made it really difficult to arrange furniture. Lucky for me, my shredder accidentally crashed into one of the tiles & broke it. While I was unhappily putting it back together, I realized that the tiles were just glued onto cement blocks.

THE MAN and I had been putting off taking out the shelf as it seemed a little daunting, seeing how the cement blocks were likely to be cemented in. Thankfully when we finally did tackle it a few weekends back, they came right out! In fact, I saved nearly all the tiles! Not sure what I'll do with them, but one never knows...

Here is what the floor & wall looked like after everything was removed.

I then painted the wall on the bottom, painted the floor a brick-ish color, and then we added trim! And spent an hour or two rearranging my office...Love my new layout!

I am still not settled completely, but it's a lot better of a layout than when I was first into the space during the summer. Plus, I can fit more furniture!

Here's the other side! THE MAN says we might redo that brown shelf at some point...I can't wait!

While we were messing around with molding, we added a really old yard stick to my black shelf.

All my little things are so much fun....and make me happy when I turn around from working at my desk!

Hope your Hump Day is fabulous! I'm back tomorrow with a preview to a project I'm tackling!

The Bomb Layout from Cozumel Mexico

This is quite possibly my favorite photo from our cruise! Miss Lexi-lou with a parakeet on her head and iguana in her hands! Add in some cute Mexican dude photo bombing the page...priceless! At the end of our dune buggy trip when we were eating supper, they came around with these animals for photos.

This bird had already climed on the head of some poor girl who had the dune buggy ahead of us and she barely could get a photo taken without shrieking. Lexi decided to show her how it was done!

The those tiny little silver hearts were a gift from a merchant on the beach so I wanted to use them on my page along with a silver bird, and a pretty flower flair. 

This page makes me really happy! Hope you are having a fabulous Tuesday! Not quite hump day!

December 30 to January 1 Layout for THE CUTTING CAFE

Regina over at THE CUTTING CAFE has the coolest calendar pages! I printed two on kraft to use to illustrate my rescheduled birthday page! Check them out here! You can use them like I have, make a lovely card for a birthday or create an entire calendar!

I got all germy for my actual birthday so THE MAN said I could reschedule it for the 1st! Thankfully by two days later, I was a whole lot better! Then I finally could enjoy that lovely cake that we froze!

Yes, look at that pretty cake! It was carrot cake with cream cheese frosting! Almost as delicious as those pretty flowers friends sent! Awesome-sauce!

Hope your Monday is most excellent!

The Great Boob Smashing of 2015

1. Wear Deodorant
2. Wear Cute Bra, yes they will not see it, but you will know you wore it and feel better
3. Ditto for underwear
4. Actually do hair for once, because you are going out in public and it's been a few days ;-)
5. Purchase cupcake just in case it sucks donkey ass
6. Start car early so you don't freeze butt off since it's in the negatives

Oh sorry....you caught me making a list for next year when I undergo my next yearly boob smashing. Had my first Oh look you turned 40 you better make this appointment or your tits will fall off boob smashing just yesterday. 

Honestly I turned 40 last year, but got to skip a year since the doc said that it might be better to keep all the imaging in the same place & we were moving. Sounded very important to me so I opted to skip. Plus I was kinda chicken. 

New hospital is just down the road. A fact that was not ignored by the lady giving the exam part of the procedure. I ended up having a full blown conversation while somebody felt my boobies and that was a bit rough on my head. However, I dug down deep and pulled out those skills I use at the dentist, which by the way seems to be more annoying than a boob smashing. 

She was all excited as she knew what house I lived in. She had hoped that we had bought the Tudor house that was for sale just recently but that came on the market after this one.

She then passed me off to her counterpart who wrangled my boobies and body under the smashing devices in a dark room. Here, put these stickers on. Oh my, little baby nipple band aides with flowers on them. (They hurt coming off, which was the worst of the whole thing I think)

Making light of the situation, I told her what THE MAN had texted me when I complained about wearing a hospital bracelet. He said that when one pops, it's so they could identify me. 

I may or may not have texted him back something extra sweet.

Anyhow, get your cha cha's checked yearly and don't forget to self exam! Oh and also don't forget the cupcake....you deserve it!

Cozumel: 2nd Shore Excursion & Near Death Experience ;-)

Love love love this island in Mexico! Planning on a trip back here as well!

We had the most fabulous guides as well to show us around the island in these very crazy dune buggies. At one point we were admonished NOT to run over any Mexicans....and judging by traffic, it was a good thing to suggest! There were kids on bikes, dogs, five people all riding the same motorcycle, people trying to get run over, yes it was nuts! (They let us loose in TOWN, seriously crazy!)

THE MAN was a bit sideways at first since he was driving the beast and there was no shifting diagram. It was mostly get the darn thing going and figure the gears out on the fly. No way ever that anyone in America would ever let a bunch of just off a cruise ship bunch o freaks like us lose with vehicles somewhere we'd never been before, but hey.....

We drove the buggy to a beach where they then gave us fins & a mask to snorkel on a reef. THAT was so totally cool! I hadn't ever done that before. THE MAN claims it's not as nice as Hawaii, but I'll judge after I've been there to see for myself. ;-)

Here's a photo from one of the back seat drivers....she had plenty of time to take photos, we probably drove 35 to 40 miles around the island. Was a nice day for a drive!

Towards dinner time we ended up on this beautiful beach for supper. I used this photo on my page but really, you need to see it bigger. I plan on framing it. Love that you can take photos like these on a simple iphone! ;-)

Might have to make another page of this day yet....but for now, I'll leave you with a side view of my page....that is yes, sitting in snow. ;-(

Well, at least it's Hump Day! Have a good one!

Shore Excursion: Key West

Another one of my preppared pages, this one was also a snap to get wrapped up. The best part was mashing up one of those cocktail umbrellas so I could upcyle it for my page.

Just a few photos of our walk around Key West, our shore excursion on the second day. It was awesome! I could totally go hang out in Key West for days!

There is even a token photo of a rooster. Part of the charm were the free range chickens!

We enjoyed some ice cream downtown and seeing all the cool shops!

Wish we were back!

Happy Tuesday!

@ the Boat Layout

My toes got cold taking this photo! I MISS that ship so much!

As you can see, I had warm toes there!

We loved the towel animals they made us every day, the upgrade we got on the cheap for our side by side balcony rooms, and.....as you can see THE MAN enjoyed the drink package. I did too, although I can say I don't care for scotch...I tried that and yuck!

It's a pretty simple page with a Picasa photo collage!  The actual layout I made ages ago when I prepped a pile of pages for our trip. Made putting a page together a snap!

Happy Monday!

You Are A Star Box for LESSology's Cardboard Challenge

A sturdy black cardboard box is never ever something that gets tossed at my house. The sturdy part means you can go all multimedia on it and it won't sag or warp.




























See, it's a nice black box & was so easy to alter! Well, it is nicer in my opinion of course with feet.

See them peeking out there? Can you guess what they are?

Old fuses that are spray painted gold! I know, they have such a nice shape.

One of my favorite parts of this box are the microbeads I added along the edge with glue. You can see a glue drip that I left because I thought it was pretty.

How about that flower! It was a gift from Yvonne, LESSology's owner! Isn't it delicious?

We'd love for you to play along with our cardboard challenge over at LESSology! I am sure you have a sturdy box hiding somewhere in your house! I'm planning on adding a gift into mine at some point for a nice present! Easy peasy!

Cruise for Christmas Layout

I promised my Father in Law we'd get photos taken on board the Cruise Ship! From boarding in Miami it seemed they had cameras in our face all the time! I'm much more inclined to like non-posed photos so I only purchased a couple. This one we actually requested on Christmas night when we were all dressed up pretty!

I do like this photo, but it isn't my favorite....my favorite involves a Dune Buggy! Yes that layout is getting posted soon!

And just to keep things in perspective.....

We have snow! And there was no snow in Florida or Mexico! Yes I really want to go back!

Hope you hare having a terrific Tuesday! 

3 D House Cottage Style for THE CUTTING CAFE

This week it's a choose your own adventure over at THE CUTTING CAFE. Well, that means Regina lets you pick your own files to work with and I have had a hankering to try my hand at making one of her 3 D Houses again. Or in this case, merging three houses together!

I had a theory it would work and cut three sets of the tall houses just in case. 

There are two on the bottom glued together (the larger piece behind the door is hiding the seam. And the one on top. I cut it carefully so it would slide onto the roof and used LOTS of hot glue to hold them together. 

Perched up on the roof next to the super cool chimney the file comes with, is a bird's nest! 

It makes me happy along with my moss grass and all those super big pink roses!

My favorite part of this house are the shutters, windows and the door with the pearl handle! It comes with all those files too so you have all you need to make your own litte cottage!

Have a happy Monday!