Accordion Tag Card

Today was a successful day. All of my kids went to school and not one of them came home sick! I was able to get in a workout, do a bit of creative work and run a few errands while Harrison was in school.

Haley finished her last girl scout meeting for the year tonight. They have the awards ceremony coming up and then the girls will all bridge up to Juniors. It's hard to believe that my little girl will be in junior high school next year. I can't be that old, can I?

I found the long lost stamp set today and was able to finish the accordion tag cards for my swap. Would anyone care to guess why I couldn't find that stamp set?

Creative work is messy! Yes, this self professed neat freak does have her messy moments. Seriously though I think I need a bigger space to spread out (David if you are reading this - HINT HINT).

This was my first accordion tag card but I think it turned out really well. Here is the finished product.

Thought for today - "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep." Scott Adams

It's Sunday and we are in the home stretch

It's Sunday evening and what can I say? I am doing the happy dance that tomorrow is Monday. The kids go back to school and maybe I can get some important stuff done around here like scrapbooking. LOL!

Last week was crazy with kids home from school for two days, five doctor's appointments and loads of other things that I can't remember. I spent the majority of the weekend cleaning and doing laundry so I would have some free time this coming week to do some creative stuff. I sure hope that works out.

I am currently working on several swaps. One of which is an accordion tag card. I hope to have that finished tomorrow. It would have been done tonight but I reorganized my stamp sets and now one is MIA. And of course it is the one I need to finish the card.

This is a card I did for a recent swap. This set is Crab and Co. from Stampin' Up. I used balsa wood (Michael's) to make the sign that says Snappy Birthday.



Thought for the Day: "And in the end it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Abraham Lincoln

Friday and Saturday Update

Yesterday we had the privilege of eating breakfast at school with Haley who was Terrific Kid for April. Her teacher nominated her because "she is a very thoughtful and courteous young lady" who is "always very polite" and "quick to help" and "works with a cheerful servant's heart." Way to go Haley!

Last night we took the family to see the Charlotte Knights play baseball. It was the first time the boys had ever attended a ball game. Of course I am not sure that the game actually ended up being what they will remember since they paid little attention to it. They were more interested in Homer the Mascot and the food vendors who kept coming by. Harrison enjoyed the screaming contest even though he could not possibly have had room for the free pizza they were giving away. As the people around us were pulling their fingers out of their ears, they all agreed he should have won.

Today was a work around the yard day for the boys (dad included). Holden was such a good helper mowing the grass and helping David plant some flowers. He was so cute telling David how to plant the flowers. Of course, he really does have a green thumb. I recall the year he planted seeds from our pumpkin out back and they really did grow. I do not have that same green thumb. Of course it would probably help if I watered them every once in awhile. Maybe that should be a job for Holden.

Tough Day

Wow has it been a day. Harrison and I spent the morning going to a doctor's appointment and running some errands. On our way home, I asked Harrison if he would run upstairs and let Sullivan out of his kennel while I made him a sandwich. He replied "I am always doing you favors and I think I am getting too old for that." Hmmm, that's one I will have to save for the kids when they ask me to do something.

This afternoon Haley came home from school with pain behind her left eye and blurry vision. So after a call to the pediatrician, they told us to come in to be checked. On our way, the boys were watching Garfield and I noticed that Harrison was repeating the movie word for word. At this moment I had an eye opening revelation that either a) my child was uber intelligent or b) I let him watch way too much television. Although I would like to think of all my children as geniuses, it might be more of option b. Gonna have to add that to my list of things to improve on. I digress. I was telling about Haley's eye problem. After the doctor checked her and found nothing wrong, they sent her to an eye doctor (who by the way waited for us even though the office was closing). After the exam he still didn't find anything significantly wrong except for the possible formation of a sty on the inner lid. So we got some ointment and are going to see if it helps.

Aside from the whining, hitting and crawling under the exam tables and behind the television in the lobby (guess who?) during both doctor's appointments my boys were complete angels.

So tonight I am retiring immediately after Grey's Anatomy. Tomorrow will be better. I just know it!

Finally got my groove back

I came down with a sore throat yesterday which turned into a stuffy nose/sore throat overnight. I am convinced that it was from breathing the air at the doctor's office when I took Holden on Monday. Well, realistically I know it couldn't happen that fast but anyway that's what I'll blame it on. Haley also came down with a sore throat and stayed out of school today. I am feeling much better after downing lots of orange juice and vitamins and sweating it out with my Yoga Booty Ballet DVD's.


I was able to get two layouts done today. I am so proud of myself for getting back into the groove. The first layout was a simple one. I used Basic Grey paper (one of my favorites). I used my Wishblade to cut the stars and added texture with the paper crimper.


The second layout I used non-traditional "boy" colors. This is a picture we took last summer on vacation at the Outer Banks. I just love how Holden is looking off into the distance over the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk.

The quote says " Taking the journey, Enjoying the ride, Be true to yourself, Let your heart be your guide."

Harrison started his tumbling class at the YMCA today. He was so cute doing his "exercises" as he calls them. I am glad he enjoys it. It gives me some time to work out and him some time to play in a structured environment (meaning he isn't at my house tearing it up).

This afternoon after we got home I was out walking the dog when Harrison decided to help me out by "doing" some laundry. When I came back inside he told me that he had put his clothes in the washer with some bleach. Well, I rushed to the laundry room hoping that it really wasn't the bleach he had gotten into. Thankfully it was only the laundry detergent. So I washed an extra load of clothes today and the worst thing was that I had to rinse the load twice to get all the soap out of the clothes. Thank the Lord for small blessings. Harrison has been advised that in the future he should only help mommy by putting his clothes in the hamper.

I did get a little creative work done today. I have had this picture out for some time trying to decide what to do with it. Today I came across a quote from Bishop Abel Muzorewa, an African spiritual and political leader. I used these words as my journaling and the title "Do it Anyway" says it all.
"People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind. Think big anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack if you help them. Help people anyway. Give the world the best you have and you might get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you've got anyway. " I think we should all heed his advice

My Scrapbook Subjects and All Around Good Kids

Haley, Holden and Harrison

My first Ever Blog

Well today I officially became a blogger. Never thought that would happen. Or actually I never thought that I would have anything to say that anyone would want to see (well actually maybe I still don't but I would like to think I do). After reading hundreds of other people's blogs, I finally decided that a blog would be a good way to share my family and my hobby with others. So I am entering the world of blogging.

Today not much got done around here. Holden was home sick with what we thought was an ear infection. Well turns out it was just bad sinus pressure. Thankfully! Last time we had a double ear infection four nurses had to hold him down to give him a shot. Talk about humiliation. They asked me to leave the room and as I am standing in the hall listening to Holden scream "I want my Mommy", I look down and Harrison looks at me and shrugs. Well, that made me laugh. I can always count on him to lighten the mood.

Speaking of Harrison. Tonight he said the blessing and thanked God for our food and his family and for the entire world. I told him that was a really nice blessing and he replied without even batting an eye "That's why I chosed it!"

Please come back and take a look at my blog. I will be sharing some of my scrapbook pages and cards throughout the week.

I will end my first official blog posting with a quote that I like from the little green man himself, Kermit the Frog:

"When you're trying to stay creative, too many rules can drive you loopy. Improvise. Let loose! Because, after all, you can't amaze the world until you first surprise yourself."