Not much news


Well, off my list the other day everything got done! I was pretty impressed with myself. I usually start with a list only to get half of what I wanted to get done, then move the rest to another page for another day. Then the list gets misplaced and I have to start all over again. Then I find my orginal to do list. I think I have to made pads of paper or can you really have to many? Okay, that was random, sorry.

National Scrapbook Day was wonderful! I had so much fun and I got a lot done in the midst of teaching a couple of mini classes. My youngest daughter came with me and she worked on a teacher's gift. It is about 85% finished so that is wonderful.

This was part of one of my mini technique demonstration. I was going to have everyone do a hands on but they just wanted to look, so that is what I ended up doing.


The technique was resisting with clear embossing powder over patterned paper.(a nice reminder from Tim Holtz) Then I painted over the whole tag with Making Memories Black paint. Let it dry then wipped off the excess. Love it when people oooo and aaahhh over things they have forgotten they can do.




This card was created from some left over pieces from the above project. No special technique just a lot of tearing and inking with Vintage photo Distress ink from Ranger. Stamps used here and above: Make it count from Close to my Heart.

I didn't create this as part of National Scrapbook Day but for my daughter Nicole's birthday a few weeks ago. It is a 12x12 canvas painted a rust color. Then I modge podged the paper and photos onto it. These are some of the most favorite phtos of my girls I own. They grown up to fast. I did them each layouts for their albums with these same photos which I believe are somewhere in my archives.

Prayer

For anyone that comes across this little blog, that doesn't get updated very often PLEASE, PLEASE pray for the sale of our house. We made the decision this week to drop our price by $10,000. Our realtor agreed with us and did take a look again at the prices around Yakima. They are right in line with everyone else so we feel confident that this was the right thing to do. Next week will be another realtor walk through and probably an open house.

I'm remaining creative and cleaning up after myself, which is a big feet in itself!! I tend to leave my projects out until completed......hello, doesn't everyone? I made a decision to teach at my local scrapbook store this weekend for National Scrapbook Day, so I'm looking forward to doing something for me. It gives me the warm fuzzies to help other people with what I LOVE to do! So four mini classes, three demos with the chance of some hands on for those attending. Then one with just a talk about color, how it pertains to our life as scrapbookers,which will lead into how to pick mats for your photos. A number of years ago I taught this same class as part of a workshop I did. It went over well so with a new group that it would be fun to pull something from my archives.

On my to do list today, which I will bore you with since I'm hoping if I write it here it will get all done!!
*Day starts with picking up the house in case it is shown.
*Onto a couple of errands
*Another cup of coffee to drink
*A a quilt to start on for my niece, fabric is cut just need to start sewing
*Pull everything for my classes together, in one place
*Figure out what projects I'm going to work on for National Scrapbook Day. I will be at the scrapbook store for 14 hours. So help me I better get something done!! lol
*Figure out a meal for this evening.......... I'm thinking soup.
*Love on the man of my dreams, who is coming home today! It will be so nice to have him around more often. Yes, an adjustment but such a long time in coming!! I am sooo ready!

Dang, I'm getting tired just looking over the list.......best get started!! Remember to pray!!

Waiting

This is the hardest thing!! Waiting, everything hinges on the sale of your house. I'm finding it sooo hard to look at the big picture, of all the things that need to be done. I've taken a bit of time off from packing to just be creative. It has helped me to focus on the tasks that I can do now, until moving day. It still doesn't make the wait easier.

Our house has been on the market for two weeks, we have had two showings, a realtor walk through and an open house. Which NO ONE showed up too!! This darn cooler weather has managed to take everyone back indoors so much for global warming. I know I've walked into exspecting our house to sell right away, after all everything else has fallen into place.

So we wait.........dreaming of our new home. Yes, we have an eye on one which we are hoping doesn't sell until we have our dollars. We talk about having a larger home so we can still have a music room and then I would get my own scrapbookroom. However, that would mean more to clean and if I wait just a few years we will have two more out of the house.

Things to think about, while waiting!! Why does it always have to be about the WAIT?

Well it has happened!
Today is the day that we have put our house on the market. It still is hard to believe we are leaving here in a few short months, starting on a new adventure. We truly do love it here but sometimes life takes turns and you just have roll with it. That is what we are trying to do, just roll with it!!

I've been cleaning, sorting, throwing and packing. It seems like a never ending job when you have lived somewhere for 10 years!! I do feel a lot lighter in spirit and have been able to let go of more things than I thought I would be able to. I've made 8 car load trips to my local Goodwill.

All last week the kids and I worked on the upstairs, durning their spring break. They worked soooo hard!! I am terribly proud of them. They have been highly rewarded for their efforts.

As you can see the most to busiest rooms in the house look wonderful!! They have even managed to stay that way!!! Now, to finish the family room.

Time

Time goes by so fast anymore, sometimes I just can't believe it. This past month since my brothers death seem to be just a blurr. I've done so many things but then can't really tell you what I've done! The days of the week just get lost and I'm constantly looking at my calendar to make sure I don't miss important appointments.

Cleaning and sorting my house is what is happening. The goal is to be ready by the end of next weekend to list the house for sale. I'm letting go of things that I can easily replace and having a chance to consolidate my other craft stuff. I've realized through all of this how much stuff I've learned over the years. I've tried so many things but FINALLY found what I LOVE!! My scrapbooking, it is my life and I'm always excited about it.

So the goal this week of Spring break with my kids, is to finish the garage, and start the process of going threw my scrapbookroom. At least the iris drawers I use can be packed the way they are for the most part. Then when it comes to moving I can just tape the drawers shut. That will make moving day so much easier!!

So to those who visit my blog, do you have any suggestions for moving? Things I need to avoid doing? or maybe things you would have done different in your move of your scrapbookroom?

Calm in the midst of the storm.......

It has been 4 weekends since we as a family have had a quiet weekend. Between people being gone(me on my trip), my brother's death, and everyone getting the flu it just hasn't been very relaxing. Coming off of all this has left me emotional. I would like nothing better than to be able to just let things go for awhile and do my own thing.

However that can't happen, we now face my husbands promotion with needing to sell the house.(we do have a potential buyer, hope it works out!!) Finding a new house in North Spokane, moving, getting the kids into their new school, new doctors, new dentist.........it is hard to remain calm. Sometimes I swear I feel like I'm going to loose my mind!!

Then I feel the calmness and peace which allows me to concentrate on the tasks at hand.

To add to my week.........

we have my youngest sick home from school for two days, to this we add......Granddaughter coming down with her first case of the flu, her Mommy coming down with it too. Thinking everyone was getting better so bring Granddaughter to my house. Only to have Granddaughter start puking again in the middle of the night, to this we add..........going and picking up her Mommy to take her to the hospital for dehrdraion. Getting her back to my house and settled in 3 hours later because no one needs to be alone, with a 5 week old baby when you have the flu. Then we add to the mix again, cat puking on stairs, and son telling me he doesn't feel so hot.

Sigh.......can I just start my week over???

Sometimes in life we are not to ask why........

A week ago today I was having brunch with my step mom and my daughter. We had flown in to see family and spend a glorious week of loving on Grandbabies.

It was a week ago today that my step brother Gregory decided to end his life. It is in this that you DO question why, why did he feel that he couldn't change? Why did he choose of all places my house? Such much selfishness comes into play. He said that he knew the pain that was coming for all of us, but that he was just to lazy to change. You just don't know whether to be mad or sad.



I tried so hard to make him relize that he just wasn't my step brother. We were flesh and blood and to me that is the biggest thing. I didn't care if we only had the same Dad, it really didn't matter to me. He was my brother and always will be.
He seemed happier the last few months. Yes, he had tried to end his life two times before this, so when it happened everyone didn't seem so shocked. He would have found a way somehow, it didn't matter. He was just waiting for the right time. His note said that 'the third time is a charm'. I will never use those words ever again.


I truly thank God himself for protecting my children from finding him. I had a very dear friend coming at mid morning to take care of our little dog and cats. She and her husband were the ones that found him, called 911 and my husband. I can not imagine what they saw. I can't take the images away that are in their dreams. Oh how I want too!! I want to make everything okay. Time heals all wounds and I pray that it heals, taking the ugliness with it.

Gregory Lawerence Holmes, I will always love you. Your sister, Juel

Time just slips away........

Always in one form or another. You give birth, people in your life die, and life just seems to go on. Sometimes you don't care but other days it is the moments you hold onto. You try your best to make sure that the one's you love 'really know it'. Life just goes on and it makes some of the things you have been holding onto seem less important. I guess what it comes down to, life is about loving the ones that are in your life. Being able to say that you can look beyond the hurt that has been caused, be able to say that dispite that hurt that you are okay, that you STILL love without any reservations. Alot of 'stuff' has been going on that has brought on these thoughts of reflection, that no one may even understand. What is important is I am getting it......How to LIVE LIFE and REALLY be HAPPY, without wondering if it is all an act. I do have my days that I feel like I am acting in some big play of life. It seems surreal, and like yesterday that I was holding each one of my newborn children. The times we have faced , each one bringing a little more wisdom and making us into the strong person we didn't think we were.

I've been busy creating and putting together some fun things for my Grandchildren. Spring is in the air, tulips are starting to push themselves out of the ground, sure hope it isn't to soon! To celebrate life and spring I will be starting to paint the inside of my house in a few weeks. I've decided that even if I have to do it alone that I NEED to feel a bit more life in the house, the white walls are going. and will be replaced with color.

I finished the LOAD challenge last month with these layouts.

Day 29, Sneakers his first day in the house meeting Rylo, our Yorkie mix. It was funny to watch Rylo react to him. I swear he was trying to ignore that fact that he now had a cat in his house. As seen in other layouts they are now best buddies.






Day 30, A series of photos taken by my brother Jason, when he came to visit a couple of years ago. They are of some property my Dad owned and were we spent a good part of our lives as kids.





Day 31, The journalling holds for me the 'why' I've chosen to live here in this city, in this valley. These have been healing pages for me and have brought on a lot of the feelings exspressed in the begining of this post.

I'm offically done!!

I'm done with winter! I want spring......I know, I know it is just around the corner but I'm so tired of cold and snow. It makes everything difficult, including Hubby coming home. I am looking forward to the end of the month when I get to see my older girls, my son in law and Grandbabies!!(and other family too).

Sometimes, I can't figure out blogger and how the preview is set up. I want it to look nice but it seems everything has a mind of it's own today. Almost to the end of the LOAD challenge layouts, three more pages for our famililes 9x9 pet album.

Day 25, The first puppy my DH gave me before we were even married. He was such a cute fluff ball.

Day 26, My Rosie given to me by DH the year my black lab Sheba died.(I miss her so. We had her for 16yrs!) Rosie is a Chocolate lab and hound mix. She can snore up a storm louder than my DH!! Watch out if they are both in the same room.......lol.

Day 27, Sneakers the first day we had him. Rylo pictured her was trying so hard to ignore him. Little Sneaks hair was standing on end and being the fluff ball he was it made him look like one of those cartoon cats that come out of the dryer!!

Headache days.........

They are what you make of them. I've learned that I can't always sleep away my days, when I have a migraine. This one was brought on by two factors......One, stupid PMS which I think someone shouldn't get after they have hystorectomies! Two, Hubby and I went out with some friends Friday night to a local pub, I had one drink! Next morning it brings on this stupid headache sooooo I've been trying to be nice.

My LOAD layouts got of order because of my computer crash. I was able to take them off the cd I burned so I am picking where I had left off number wise yesterday. I'm starting with these because this is the month of LOVE and I LOVE Valentine's Day!!



Day 22, A layout about the song called 500 miles. Photos are from my DH's phone while he was driving home a few weeks ago.







Day 23, Second layout explaining how many miles he drives just to be home with his family.

Day 24, The starting page for a mini book for my youngest daughter for Valentine's Day.

A snowy day again!
I swear that we have had more snow this year than we have had in a very long time. It is cold for around here but not as much as what I have been seeing in other areas. One of our local passes have been closed for close to a week. I am ready for spring!!!

Onto more sharing of my LOAD layouts.


Day 19, Valentine's Day last year I received a large red heart with these words written on them from my youngest daughter. I knew they couldn't go unscrapbooked.






Day 20, Our newest kitten Archie enjoying the sunshine in a basket.







Day 21, So I seem to be on a good start for a pet album for our family. I felt that it was important to have a cover page for that album.

A sad day! but good news anyway......

So my computer is dead, worse than burnt toast. I didn't ever think I would be so thankful for the kids having their own computer! At least now I don't feel so disconnected.

The LOAD challenge is over but I was able to finish all my layouts. I uploaded them just in time yesterday morning. Over the next few days I will be posting the remainder of them. I hope you enjoy them.



Day 16, A special gift that I recieved in the mail in January. A pair of scissors with my Fiskateer number on them! I took a picture of the box filler, and then got out one of my old stencils. Fun stuff!





Day 17, One of my favorite things to drink in the summertime. From one of my favorite places.







Day 18, The cover page for my personal album. The meaning and story of my name.

Ya, know what is frustrating???

When your computer decides that its hard drive is going to die! It paralyzes you. Funny thing is I promised myself I would never become dependant on my computer. I've gotten spoiled in being able to sit down and work on photos, word documents or even just learning about my new printer. Thank goodness, it has worked off and on durning the week so I could finish uploading photos to Scrapbookpictures. I can now rest a little easier and thank you to my wonderful DH, who is letting me use his computer for posting.

As soon as my computer is up and running I will be able to share a few more layouts with you. I'm off to snuggle and if you are in the Yakima area be sure you check out Scrapbook Central for upcoming classes for February. I decided on a cute little mini book, which I will share here later on. You can check out the link to the right for the store.

Where has this month gone?

It seems like time is speeding up and I've hit about every speed bump in my week. With DH and son gone this past weekend the week is just dragging. Tomorrow is Thursday and I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful the weekend is looking.

It is soooo cold that all I want to do is just stay home and be in my sweatpants. However, life just doesn't seem to work like that. Life seems to be full of things to do, and you always have to buy groceries when your kids are hungry....go figure........lol. Then there are problems with the computer..........don't even get me started!!

So to my Layout a Day I go..........
Day 13, My Granddaughter learning to go UP the stairs all by herself with some supervision.

Day 14, Pages for our Family pet album. They all do so many cute things!! I seriously think animals are put on this earth to entertain their humans.(and love them too). Our kitten Sneakers was 6 weeks old in the top photos and 18 months in the bottom ones. They still play like this!!

Day 15, A little more playing at 6 weeks old.

Here's to a GREAT girls weekend!

The boys have been gone, it has just been Michaela and I. The house is quiet and we haven't done much. I had thought we might start painting this weekend but ya know it just didn't seem like the right thing to do. I'm getting antsy to get started on painting.......I believe it is going to be up to me. Maybe if I start everyone else will get excited.

I've had a hard few days keeping by with the LOAD challenge. DH's boss died suddenly over last weekend so it has been an interesting week, helping DH where I can.

Day 10, Our new kitten Archie. Maybe he is part dog?

Day 11, Something I LOVE!

Day 12, My Grandson made his appearance. I couldn't decide which photo to use.

Here is to scrapbooking a Layout A Day!

So a few more days have past and I'm managing to keep up with the LOAD challenge! I am pretty proud of myself. Sometimes my inspiration doesn't come until later at night but what is important is the inspirations are coming. There are over 3,000 people envolved with this LOAD challenge, it is really an awesome thing. If you want to join us be sure to sign up for January 15!!

Day 7, Special photos of my Granddaughter. From the time she has been little my daughter and I have made a point of making sure I stay connected to her. The cell phone is working and she learned very young HOW to call her Granny! I LOVE how she knows who I am and when she is upset I can sometimes be the one to help even from far away.

Day 8, A Christmas present from my Dad. He couldn't find me a crocodile so he got me a Crop A Dile!(available in pink OR purple also) This is going to make a few things in my life of scrapbooking easier. Especially setting eyelets with NO pounding, that is awesome.

Day 9, These two pictured here are Terri Howard and Julie Dull, at the CTMH 2003 Portland Convention.(I'm thankful to Terri for sharing this photo with me) Both women have had breast cancer but only one lost her life. They are both the essence of strength that helps one to push forward in ANY given situation. Julie lost her battle shortly after this photo was taken.

It is a wonderful week, really!

This has been a full on adjustment to routine. Getting back into the swing of life in general and scrapbooking a Layout a Day!! Later into the evening than what I want but inspiration sometimes doesn't come until then.
Day 4, The purrfect pair and the perfect picture. Not many times in life does that perfect picture come around. In this case it did, Sneakers to the left and Archie to the right. Archie was rescued from the Costco parking lot a few weeks before Christmas. He was in BAD shape, weighing in at 3.5 lbs at 7 months. No shelter would take him because he had an upper respirtory infection. So we took him to the vet, got him on some meds to make him better......then, it was all history. So much for not EVER having another animal!!

Day 5, My son one very warm spring day when he was about 4 years old. His oldest sister taught him how to spray people with the sprinkler. The complete joy on his face is completely priceless!!


Day 6. Maybe not the most flattering photos of my daughters feet and I still have journalling to do, but these were taken just a couple of days ago. My Grandson was born Tuesday afternoon, weighing in at almost 10lbs. Talk about uncomfortable!!

Tomorrow you will find 3 more layouts that I can't wait to share with you. Many blessings to my daughter and Son in law on the birth of their Son, my Grandson Elijah David. I can't wait for that exciting day to meet you face to face!!

Someday's seem like you should just start over.

There are also the days that you aren't motivated to do anything and you find some glimmer of energy, only to be met with the dogs throwing up all evening. You set goals as to what you need to get done only to be met with every interruptions known to your world. Some you take in stride just like any other day but then there are times, you just want to sit on the couch crying, to make yourself feel better. You become overwhelmed and just tired, wanting to have your productive life back. I guess in the long run it just takes time to get back into your routine after the holidays. It was so nice to just slow way down, loosing all track of what day of the week it was. I felt like a could breathe and just enjoy everything. Now, dh is back to work, kids back in school and her I sit trying to get ready to tackle my day. It is finally getting light outside at 8am, which probably has a lot to do with my mood.

The New year has started and I'm looking forward to doing things more creative. I've joined Lain, over at Big Picture Scrapbooking in a FREE class she is teaching. They are still taking people and there are daily price drawings! It is all good and with over 2000 students we are having a lot of fun encouraging one another. My going to do my best to post my layouts here but in case I don't you can always check them out if you join the class ;o) All layouts are in the 9x9 size, which I haven't done to much of. I'm really enjoying the simplicity of my pages these days.

My day 1, a doodle from Stephanie, that said everything I want for my 2008. I printed it out and started coloring.

Day 2, a special love note left in the snow by my son.

Day 3, one of my favorite pictures of my Daughter and Granddaughter.

Sometimes I think something is wrong with me

I have had the hardest time 'getting into' the holiday spirit this year. I've been listening to a lot of other people and they have all the said the same thing. So it is nice to know that I'm not alone and that I'm okay. This year it is different, something is changing. Will this change bring along people NOT being so greedy this holiday season? Ya know, they are everywhere! Time will be the judge of that.

I remember being a person that had to make sure that each of my children had the same number of gifts. No one could feel less important but I know now I was missing the point! As I've gotten older the gifts that mean the most to me are the ones that are thoughtful and useful. Now, don't get me wrong........there are things that I would LOVE to have but really all my needs are met. If I don't get anything off my list, I will reevaluate the items then decide if I can live without them. I can already say that there is one item that WILL stay on the list!! A Crop a dile, if you are a scrapbooker or card maker and you don't have this tool, it is a MUST HAVE ITEM!!(the lime green one is my favorite but I did just notice they now have it in purple......ooooo!!) So cool to be able to set eyelets quietly and it will punch through layers of paper with little any effort.

I feel the Christmas mood ever so slowly coming to me. I'm doing my best to grasp onto it but it is hard when you have some of your babies that aren't going to be home with you this year. Okay, well maybe they aren't babies anymore but I miss them just the same. My mood started to lift as I opened my email the other day and received the picture to the left. My Granddaughter's 1st Christmas tree, that she will always remember! I can't wait to scrapbook these pictures! My daughter helped her by drawing the outline of the tree with some ornaments and started coloring. My Granddaughter was so very excited and so very proud of herself.

I remember those days of Christmas as a child, the wonder, the amazement of the true meaning. The day I finally understood what it was really all about. The greatfulness that I have to my savior Jesus Christ, for coming as a baby just for me. Sometimes the thought of it all is overwhelming.

If you are overwhelmed, maybe not feeling right this holiday season try to find your happy song. One that makes your soul sing, the one that you find yourself singing to yourself all the time. No song? Then maybe just start humming it does wonderful things for your mood. Just don't loose sight of the real reason for Christmas, slow down and take it all in. Relearn how to LOVE this season. Now, go forward.