JUST PLAYING

I am just taking a moment this morning to relieve some stress. Played with changing up my header here on the "BLOG". Not really what I want but just playing was fun. I have to get back to this "BLOG" thing and start making some entries and projects....we'll see what the Dr. says tomorrow. Have a great day all.

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Love is in the air this week and seeing that Valentines day is on the weekend this year I am sure there will be many more love birds spending it together. Rod and I are babysitting this weekend so Laura and Mike can go to their favorite restaurant for Valentines dinner. My sister and new baby niece are planning to spend the nite also on Saturday nite. Our home will be filled with love.....LOVE WILL DEFINITELY BE IN THE AIR.....Hope cupid hits you with his arrow too.

I had fun today playing and creating these two valentines for two very special people in my life.

I used my Cuttlebug and Cricut Expression....my Copic Markers, Glossy Accents and papers that we sell at Generations of Memories. I think they were from Making Memories, Bazzil and Kaiser. Don't forget to decorate your envelopes also. The envelope I show here..

really has the address on it but I didn't want to show it on line so I just put a heart over it for that purpose. Happy Valentines Day!

Welcome new baby

I had fun creating this card and envelope for Bonnie, Mikes sisters' baby shower. I used "My Cricut Expression and "New Arrival" cartridge for the words and die cut embellishments. My Copic Markers were put to the test to create a little detail that I thought was needed. The Rhinestone that I used for the eyes...and the polka dot onesie (that I added to the inside of the card) are from Kaiser. I love those...there are 100 to the package and are all different sizes. The papers were from the Imaginisce Line "Cutie Patootie. All of these items can be found in our store Generations of Memories at this time. I can't remember where I got the tiny buttons. :-) I created this with out any of Tim Holtzs' distressing ink....I am going to try another one using the inks....i'll post that when I get it done....you be the judge....tell me what you like better. Have fun creating your next baby shower project.

PS: Don't you just love the little ducks?

MY LITTLE "MONSTER"

Heather called "Olivia" her little monster.....as she made little grumbling monster sounds when she nursed. I felt that this was the perfect layout to do....it fit the moment to a "T" . This photo was taken mothers day morning of 2008...I love the photo. My daughter looks so beautiful. I never in my life had looked this good when I just got out of bed. :-)

MY MINNESOTA FAMILY

I am So sorry I posted on facebook for all my friends and family

to "check out my blog"....I wasn't finished loading all my pictures and work that I had done but thought it looked ok enough to have special people in my life look at it......well it created some very hard feelings and heart breaks....including mine. So here are some digital layouts I had done of my "Precious" little doll baby Olivia, granddaughter...some with mommy and some with daddy.

I hadn't posted them before as they hadn't been sized for the web yet.....Last nite at midnite after getting home from a long ....and I do mean long business dinner....I read my daughters dis-heartening email and had to process the layouts and post these.

I just hadn't had a chance to prepare them for web posting. So sorry, Heather.......had not intentionally meant to hurt anyone especially you.

"Carpe Diem" my new friend "Monika"

I created this page to honor the new friendship that I had made the fall of 2005. I met Monika at the Atlanta Airport a layover we had on our junt to paradise. Two of my friends, Doris and Linda were joining me.

Monika was on her way to Aruba also. Come to find out she went every year alone...alone to have alone time. We clicked right from the start.

She now joins us every fall for our annual trip to Aruba. Aruba just wouldn't be Aruba without Monika. Carpe Diem my new friend. Love you!

The little file folder tag holds some journaling and tiny photo. "Carpe Diem" has a special meaning to us....It all leads back to another vacation photo that I have not posted yet. I will tell you about it when I post that layout. ...... remember to "Savor the moment....take the picture....share the picture...scrapbook the picture.....then re-live the memories. :-)

Livie and the Elf Christmas 2008..her first Christmas

I thought that this plopper was just perfect to for these few pictures of my precious granddaughter f Olivia and the "Elf" I just love the frame of her with the reindeer ears on. So precious. The "Elf" is played by "daddy"...Olivia is played by "Olivia"! :-)

"Laura" wins big in Chicago at Chatterbox Booth

Laura my youngest daughter had the opportunity to join me at CHA Summer Show in
Chicago in July 2006. We had a ball seeing all the new products and making purchases for Generations of Memories. Last minute Laura decided to drop her name into a raffle drawing that "Chatterbox" was just about to draw. Well low and behold she won a "Trunk full of Chatterbox scrapbooking goodies valued at over $300.00. She was ecstatic. The manufacturers are so generous. Thank you Chatterbox and thank you Laura for joining me. This layout was done with a "kit of the month" kit that I received. I hated the papers.....still do....but I thought lets see what I can do with it.....I just wanted to try and do a layout with something I hated. I don't think it turned out that bad. :-)

Heather Turns "3"

I enjoyed doing this layout of my oldest daughters 3rd birthday celebration. This photo really shows the happiness that this little girl had in her heart. She was truly a joy to raise...most of the time. :-)

The Morning Dew

I sleep late....not because I am lazy...because I tend to not know enough to go to bed at a decent hour. Saturday nite I stumbled into bed at 2:45 am Sunday Morning...(I can do this in the winter but not once pool season hits) ... I was lucky however one morning to be up and atom and outside to capture this early morning beauty with my camera. Its a little too cold to do this now..but I do look forward to my early morning coffee out on the decks this spring. I can't wait to see the beauty that pops out of my flower beds when the snow is once again gone.

MIAMI DIDN'T WIN..BUT ROD DID!

I know one of the luckiest men in the world.......He's lucky to have me ....(although he won't admit it ), lucky at door prizes, drawings and this weekend the "Kiwanis Football Pool"! Rod is a member of the Elks Organization. He always volunteers to work at Elks events and has even been chosen "Elk of the Year"a very recognized honor. The Kiwanis Club holds their big Superbowl Party and the Elks Club and Rod of course was part of it. Purchasing a "square" landed him a prize winnings of $3,200.00!!! I could not stinkin believe it! Way to go Rod. I can see us helping the economy by means of the IRS.....as I told Lynne my Generations of Memories Store Manager....the money is in a holding pattern until we see how much moola we owe the IRS. :-) She was hoping for a Scrapbook weekend away!! I like her idea better than the IRS....but the IRS has to come first,Lynne. No IRS....No Job....No money....No Scrapbook weekends. Hope your weekend was as bountiful in one way or another.

"Just Inking the day away!"

I just love Ink and Chipboard!!.....Distressing Ink that is.....love the colors and how they blend so nicely. I had fun one Sunday recently just "Inking and Chipping the day away!" Here I also used Wendy Vecchis' Studio 490 stamps to put the finishing touches on the chipboard......I CANNOT wait for the new releases of Wendy and Tims new stamps! ......now to plan to design and create something with all these fun embellishments that I just made! Why don't you take a moment to create something?....there is no greater satisifaction. Have a Happy Happy!

Ahhhh...another Bees Wax Project

See...that really wasn't "Oh so so bad" was it? This little book box I created by using collage paper materials....bees wax, paper mache type box, some "Perfect Pearls"....It's missing distressing inks I think??....when I made this ....I didn't have access to my inks..,bummer....not sure how I got thru the project and was satisified....But I was. I made this in honor of my "Precious Doll Baby" Grand Daughter,"Miss Olivia". Take on the challange with the Bees Wax. You never know till you try.

BEES WAX CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT

We had fun making a MESS..... with the Bees Wax and Melting Pot. Lots of fun...but be prepared to get waxy....waxy everwhere....The end result is definately worth the mess. Also creates a cute project that is not your ordinary item. Great gift idea...make a set of six for your Christmas tree and some for your family and friends. While you have the mess...create many!!

"Autumn" ...Love the colors.

Just a couple of cards that I enjoyed making....using the Cuttlebug!! GO CUTTLEBUG! Love my Cuttlebug....Ranger stickles, and Ranger Tim Holtz Distressing Inks.....can't live with my distressing inks. Enjoy.

2006 uNIQUE sMILES

I love projects.....any kind of projects. Here is a small pocket album that I made of photos of special people (furry ones too) that shared a special place in my heart in 2006. Thus the title "2006 Unique Smiles"

"The beauty from my kitchen window"

KAISER CHRISTMAS TREE WINDOW OR WALL HANGER

I had a ball creating these trees for Chrismas presents.

I made 4 different ones. One for each of my daughters, 1 for my sister Renee and 1 for my sister-in-law Ramona. They loved them....now to find the time to make one for me.

Wendy Vecchi ----Studio 490

Oh Wendy Wendy Wendy......you have created a monster. :-) LOVE your stamps.....Love your work and just love you as a person. For those of you that know Wendy you know she is a lovely gal thru and thru. I had the pleasure of meeting Wendy in July of 2008 at Chicago. Lynne, my Generations of Memories Store manager had already had the pleasure of meeting Wendy at Ranger Univertsity in the fall of 2007. This was before Wendy had become what we call "Famous"! And famous she is and she truly deserves the fame and hopfully fortune that comes along with it. She has created her own line of rubber stamps Studio 490. We offer them in our store. Please be sure to check out Wendys' Studio 490. Lynne & I can't wait to see what's new that she will be unvailing at CHA winter. :-) Wendy thank you for all your talent and your willingness to share your creativity with us all.

Above is a small mini album I did with one of Wendys' stamps from her "Ticket To Art" stamp collection, Tim Holtz grunge board, Ranger Distressing Inks, album from Rusty Pickle, glossy accents, chipboard, my Cuttlebug machine and embossing folders! OH....I was in my glory!

Addison Michael

Here he is our "Precious One" as he is known by Me-Maw.

Addison Michaelis our first Grandchild and the only boy. He was born Sept 8, 2007 and I was there to experience his birth. As a matter of fact I cut his imbillical cord as no one else dared to do it. Laura did not want to do it and Mike would have passed out looking at it. :-) Someone had to do it... I was honored. A day I will treasure forever. I wish my mom could have been there for the birth of my two precious ones.

These are some Digital layouts I've done. Halloween and My Boys are actually what we call in the digital world "Ploppers"....



The others I have completely designed myself in Adobe Photoshop with papers, embellishments, word art etc that I have purchased off of Digital Scrapbook sites. I think most of these were with DSP.

I enjoy digital scrapbooking but prefer traditional paper sacrapbooking. Digital gives me the flexability to scrapbook anywhere as long as lap top will travel. I have done work in airports to on the beach. I am very content as long as I am designing and creating.

I just like to make little Journals and mini albums. I don't know why....maybe it just the sense of accomplishment. I made this litle Journal for Sue a dear friend of mine for many years...(she was in on giving me my first baby shower if that tells you anything). Sue also worked for us for over 6 years for which we were very thankful. Sue loves to keep notes....she would record everything. She is one of the most organized people I have ever known.,,,,.and rubber bands.....boy did she love them. She was in her glory when the orders would come in from EK and she could check in and price all the Jolees....and then put them neatly back in their packages and put rubberbands around them. LOVE YOU SUE. Miss your laughter.

In memory of my mom (who passed away when I was 14) I created the Heritage antiqued look pocket book. The photo is of my mom and dads wedding day in 1949. My dad is still with us and I am very thankful for every day. Some tears were shed as I created this but the process was very therapeutic and the outcome truly a treasure.

This ornament was made with a clear glass ornament and Ranger Alcohol Inks. Very Fun, Easy project. Makes a great gift .....Give a six pack to a family or friend. They will love the personal touch.

Here is a Digital Scrapbook Layout that I did of some of my family members and I in Aruba. This layout was chosen as "Layout of the Day" by DigitalScrapbookPlace.com . I was very proud of the accomplishment and honor.

Its official...........

Finally I am posting on the blog I created last June 2008. I just never took the moment to go back....to busy with My Space, Face Book, Hello and all of the everyday spasams that get into the way. I have started this now because Copic Markers had asked me to show them examples of some work I have created. Lynne and I have signed up for the Copic Marker Certification Class. We are excited as always to learn something new that we can bring back and share with all our customers. Life just doesnt get better than this! SO as promised to Kris at Copic...........here are some things I have created. Drum Roll Please.................