mypictales.com

I managed to get a couple more layouts for my niece's book done, the past couple days. She was my flower girl, even though she was only 15 months old, and she did GREAT!! We had been told she would be to young, but my Mom and I knew she would do fine, and even if she had messed up, it wouldn't have mattered. However she almost did better than the ring bearer, and was leading him down the isle some of the time, instead of him having to lead her. The one photo on the journaling page, (One of my favorite photo's from my wedding, because of the delight on the faces behind her) shows my Aunt Betty, and I just love her expression, she was looking at Kali with a huge smile on her face, because she was doing so well.

Kit Credit: Fairytale Wedding, Victorian Wedding, Easter Basket kit, and Heathers Purple Rose kit ALL by Blushbutter

Well after lots of pulling of hair, and gnashing of teeth...its possible I may have my book uploaded. There is still a problem, it gives me an error message, when the book is 99% done uploading, but they said that its there, it just not showing up in my member area...but they are going to get with me tomorrow and see about fixing this problem too. Hopefully I'll still be able to use a coupon even though most of this has not been their fault. I had to finally call my phone company, and ask if the modem had a firewall on it, and how to turn it off. That seemed to do the trick, and let me finally start uploading. I tell you, I'm tired of messing with this for now!! LOL

My pic tales has been great, they tried to help me out alot, sent lots of e-mails, and called me a couple times trying to figure it out. Their customer service is wonderful, not many companies would try to do everything they could to help you figure out a problem, that was on your side, and not theirs!! I've heard their books are even better than the one I got from Shutterfly, which I was really happy with, so I'm sure I will be getting more books from mypictales.com because they seem to care about their customers. Granted, I haven't actually SEEN a book printed yet, so don't know for sure, but I would bet, from their standard of customer service, that their standard of printing is going to be top notch too. I'm sure I'll be all excited when I get my book, and let you know how it turns out!! I just wish I had thought to call the phone company last week, when I first discovered the problem, so I would have had a chance of getting my book by my Birthday...or shortly thereafter. LOL Oh well, least I should have the order process done by them...least I would think so!

The things I have liked most about this company so far is the fact that I can put as many pages as I want, in a book, that I can do a custom cover for the 8.5X11 books where with shutterfly I can't...only the square ones have custom covers there,the GREAT customer service that they have, AND last but not least the fact that each extra page is half the price of shutterfly's extra pages. All in all, I'm looking forward to seeing my book printed, and as long as I like the books...being able to order more later on, when I get more layouts done.

Anyway, I haven't gotten anything done that I needed to the last couple of days, except for baking some bread, and these two layouts, so I have to get off here, and hope I can get supper on time...or not to late. LOL Hopefully tomorrow I can catch up, and still maybe get a couple layouts done, we will see.

Happy Mothers Day!!!

I want to wish my wonderful mother a very Happy Mothers Day!! Thank you so much for all you have always done for us Mom. I Love you very much!

I hope all of you Mom's have a great Mothers Day. Its a special day so try to take some time to do something you have been wanting to do!

I was able to work on Kali's Prom pictures today, I didn't expect to get them done, but I did, so thought I would post them tonight. I did a 8x8 version for her book, and also a 8.5X11 version for my 2008 book, although I won't post them because they are pretty close to the same, with just some minor changes. Wasn't she just beautiful in that pretty pink princess dress?

I had to do a page with just her on it, which meant I then had to crowd all the other photo's onto one layout. LOL Well all the other ones that I decided to use. There were lots more, a lot of which were close to the same, or blurry, so I tried to pick the best ones out to use. While I know that I could be happier with the pages, I'm not as dissatisfied as I thought I would end up being, so that makes me pretty happy! LOL I just think she is sooo beautiful, that I would be hard pressed to do a layout worthy of her I think.

Kit Credit: Pink and Cream Circle Frames, Victorian Wedding Kit, Baby Girl Heartstrings kit , Beautiful Belles kit, and Victorian Dolls kit by Blushbutter. I blended several backgrounds to get this one.

Once again, I want to wish all of you a great Mothers day, especially that most wonderful special Lady who I was blessed to have for my Mother. I love you Mom!!

A couple layouts and a tongue lashing

I managed a couple layouts for Kali's book this morning. The first layout is her parents, and the changing of her diaper...one of those every day moments with babies. The 2nd layout is my Dad, holding her. I thought the Orange of this kit went with her mothers shirt, so used the Gentle kit again, with some of the quilling flowers on the metal corner. I really love the flags I used in the 2nd layout, for the title. I also love the fact that there was a set with a drop shadow, and a set without, this time I used it with, but once in a while I could see where that wouldn't be what I would want, so its nice to have the choice! And don't you just love that fluffy looking feather. LOL

Kit Credit: Gentle Kit, Box of Quilling Kit, and on the first one I used a frame from the Digi Frame Pack ALL by Blushbutter

Not much newsworthy happening, least not around here. We did get a tongue lashing this morning, by one of our Doxie's when we got back in from milking, cause they inadvertently got locked outside. *giggle* I came in, saw them both standing at the patio door, in the kitchen, and let them in, then Rascal started barking at me, like he does, when we've been gone, and he is chewing us out, for not taking him with us. Then about the time he was settling down, DH came in, and he started all over again. DH felt sorry for them, so gave them one of their treats...which always makes Rascal start barking in excitement and dancing around, till DH can get them out of the bag, and give him one. It was rather funny to be chewed out this morning by a doxie though. I had to laugh at him, which only made him do it more. :)

Hope you all are having a good day! Thanks so much for the comments!

Grandparents pages

I worked on Kali's grandparents pages today. The journaling isn't on the layouts because its private. I included each set of Grandparent's wedding photos, along with a photo of their kids, and of course them WITH Kali. I kinda like how they turned out.

Kit Credit: Vintage Vibrance and Rosey Recollections by Lara Payton I think Rosey Recollections was discontinued a while back.

We had a good weekend, and its lots warmer so far this week, than it was last week!! Course today, its windy, but that's not really unusual for Nebraska. Its sitting at 70 F. right now, so I'm going to have to go out and see if I can get some sun, without blowing away.

Kali said she had a good time at prom, although it was over way to soon. Once the professional pictures come in, I'll have to get those layouts done, but I'm waiting, so I can look at all of the pictures, and decide which to use. I have a ton left to do for the book anyway...just can't seem to get busy and get them done! LOL

When the Dr called DH last Friday, the first thing she said, was he could drop the extra med she put him on last time, since his blood sugar was way down, so I was happy we didn't even have to ask!! She was very pleased that it was down.

That's all the "news" I have, so I better get off the computer, I have to start some rice for supper, and go outside, till the bedding I've been washing is done, so I can make our bed. I hope everyone is having a good day.

Spring!!

Well it may not look or really even feel like it, with the dreary cold dampness outside, but spring is here! The Grass is SLOWLY turning green, the baby goats are scampering around the pasture....that is of course when its not raining, AND.....last night, DH called me outside to hear the FROGS!!!!! Yippee!!!!! *giggle* Granted its still more brown out there than green, and rather chilly, (only 41 F. right now) but there is real hope, now that I've heard the frogs, that spring really is around the corner. I so love the sound of the frogs, its a sound I grew up with, and the love for them has carried over into my adult life. I remember laying in bed at night in the spring when I was growing up, with my window open and listening to the frogs, and thinking how peaceful it was. Unfortunately now our window isn't on the creak side of the house, so hearing them at night isn't easy, but I still enjoy listening to them during the day.

I haven't managed to do much this week, not sure why, but I had a few extra things to do and somehow I just haven't had time to scrap. I sat down today and threw this layout together in psp, as I didn't want to take the time to learn more in pse. I was afraid I wouldn't get it finished if I did that. I really kinda like how it turned out, and at least I have managed to get one layout for Kali's book done this week....I really want to do at least one a week, two would be better! LOL Course I also would like to do some of my other photo's each week, but its looking like this week, that won't happen.

Anyway this layout shows Kali having a tea party with her Great Grandma, and her Grandpa. I thought those photo's were just to cute to be left out, and love little girls tea party's.

Kit Credit: Easter Basket kit with tags from Heart Strings baby girl kit by Blushbutter and the tea cup is from my own Precious Memories kit.

I hope you are all having a good week, hopefully more productive than mine has been, and will have a great weekend!

New Babies!!

Well here is the other page that goes beside the one in my last post. I had fun with it. I can't wait to actually get this book done, and printed!! I know it will be over a year yet, but I'm sure looking forward to seeing it in a book....and seeing how a thicker book looks. I think I'm going to have to save money, so I can get myself a copy, not just my niece! *giggle*

Kit Credit: Heart Strings baby girl kit and Silver Frame pk by Blushbutter.

We now have three new baby goats, God willing they will survive. We had one yesterday and then two this morning. Just as DH got out to feed the goats, he saw the last one born. They are all adorable!! The one this morning was finally Bossy, the one we have been thinking should be having them, cause she has looked huge for months. We only have a couple more goats we expect could have some, and one of them won't be till almost June if she does. We have two girls and a boy...so hopefully at the very least the girls survive, as I would like to keep them. The boys we would sell, for money for a new billy....but hopefully eventually we can get some money together for that, even if we don't have enough billys to sell, to buy another one. I got a few pictures this morning, of DH using my hairdryer on them, to dry them off, but have yet to get them off my camera. I'll have to try to do that, and get them scrapped soon!! LOL

I am almost as done as I'm going to be on a new kit, so hopefully I can finish that this afternoon. We will see if I manage to finish it, and get it in my store, if I do, I'll post it on my blog later today, or tomorrow. I have a few things to do around the house too, so better get busy! I doubt I will be doing any more layouts this week, as I need to work on some scanning, and also some other computer stuff, so have a great rest of the week, and weekend everyone!! Thanks so much for your comments!!!

Finally got to work on my special project!!

Yep, this is the first page...well first page I have done, not the first page of the book....for that special project for my niece, and yes, its square!!! LOL Strange I know. I won't be doing the pages in order, just as I decide to! LOL These are several photo's of her, when she was 3 and under. I tried to pick some out, where she was with some of the many people who love her. This is a general one, Kinda for the start of a section on her younger years. I'm not totally sure how I'm going to set this up yet...I have some pages kinda figured out, but will just do most of them, as I go. It seems to be the way I work best! LOL Some of these could actually be used again, on a page with more journaling, if I want to do one, with more photo's of that kind. I have no idea how big this is going to end up....can't be more than 100 pgs! LOL I could have trouble, cause 100 pages, could add up fast!

Kit Credit: Gentle by Blushbutter

I really like how this page turned out! It took me long enough, so I should, but that doesn't always mean anything! *giggle* I love that gemstone heart I put around the title, I think it makes the page stand out more. The swirl that I put right on top of the background, doesn't show up all that much, but it did add something to the page, when I added it! I do love this kit!! The only question I have about the layout is...do the names and dates distract to much from the general layout? I like to have names and dates on all photo's....but when you have one like this with lots of photo's, it becomes hard to do it, and not make it look strange. If anyone has any opinions...or ideas how I could do it differently, yet still have them on this layout, feel free to let me know!

We got our enclosed porch back this weekend...after scrubbing (and scrubbing, and scrubbing some more) we managed to get it so I might actually go out there without shoes on...maybe....and then again, maybe not. Sorry to say, it was rather disgusting! However its nice to get it cleaned up...we are thinking about looking to see how much it would cost to buy paint that will seal the concrete though, so the stains don't show, and any smell left in it, will not keep annoying me. Once it totally airs out, we can get the daybed back out of the attic, and out there, cause Rascal used to love to sit out there on it, in the sun...and it was nice to be able to go out there and lounge at times. We need to finish the drywall...at least get it put up, whether we get it taped and mudded or not, so the drywall isn't sitting in our way. It seems there are always way to many things to do around here, but it makes life interesting I guess!!

Anyway, I better get this posted, so I can post it around and answer e-mails before its time to go to bed! LOL Thanks so much for your comments, and I hope everyone has a great week!!!!

Will we actually get bad weather?

These two layouts have some of the photo's from my Wedding Rehearsal. My Brides Maids in the first one, and my Dad walking me down the isle in the filmstrip of the 2nd one...we have big grins on our face, unfortunately I don't remember what was going on, to make us smile that big. The last picture in the filmstrip is my DH and I, and don't ask me what I was doing, but I look kinda funny so I had to include it! LOL

One of these days, I may actually get back to actually working with my wedding photo's more, if I ever get caught up on my current photos! :) Course if that happens, I won't know what to do with myself, and rush out and take a bunch more!! LOL I'm silly like that!!

Kit Credit: Mother's Pansies by Doxie Designs.

This 3rd layout shows my DH, with some of his chickens following him around. Sorry for the lame title, I just thought they were kinda like puppy dogs, cause they like to follow him, hoping for handouts. Sometimes I look out the window and see him walking around outside, and then I notice the following he has, and have to laugh! LOL

Kit Credit: Catch some fun Collab kit from DSS


This last layout is my DH holding my favorite kitty up, so I could get a picture of her and her soot covered fur. We burn our trash, and she likes to crawl down into the burn barrel, before the trash gets burnt, to see if there are any little tid bits that might be good to eat. Silly kitty. LOL

Kit Credit: Delivered by Tina Williams

Well we are suppose to get snow tomorrow....course after last weekend, when we were SUPPOSE to, I have to wonder if we will! LOL I guess time will tell!! Its suppose to start bright and early in the morning, so if I'm Lucky enough to sleep past 6....kinda hard to do lately, maybe when I wake up, it will be pretty outside, with the snow falling! One of these days, the forecasters have to get it right, don't they? *giggle*

As you can see, I've been busy today, I'm really trying to get 365 layouts done for this year, don't ask me why, but I kinda wanted to earlier in the year, and I am close enough, that I could actually manage it, if I push a little. The only problem is I'm also working on another project, that takes a little to much time away from doing layouts, but hopefully it will be ready to share by the end of next week, so then I can get back to doing more layouts, than other things. We will see! LOL I would like to make my 365 layouts, so maybe I won't be silly, and try for it next year, and no, I won't be trying for more, one time of setting a "goal" is enough for me....as long as I actually make it to that goal! LOL

Anyway, that's one reason I've been working so hard at trying to do at least a couple layouts every day...well weekdays, that way I can have the weekends for my other project, along with any time I can squeeze out of my week days. Its actually a good thing, that its been cold, it gives me more time at the computer, without feeling guilty that I'm not outside!

Anyway, its after 11, and I still have e-mails to answer, so I better get this posted! Thanks for your comments, I soooo appreciate them! :)

Thankful 2007

I stop and think about what I'm thankful for several times through the year, but this time of the year, with Thanksgiving here, I tend to do it even more. So I think its a great time to do a layout that shows a few of those things.

Last year I did a layout, you can see in this post, course we lost our oldest doxie (the red one) shortly after it, but I was glad I could include her in it, at the time. This year I wanted to do another one, only I thought I would try a photo collage...something I haven't done before, and now I know why! LOL I'm not real good at it, but its nice to try new things sometimes.

First and foremost, I'm most grateful for the wonderful man I married. He is such a gentle, kind, and caring man, and really takes great care of me. He is a hard worker, (to hard at times, with his bad back and knees) and has given me a wonderful home that I love. I'm thankful that we can enjoy time spent with each other, even if we don't do more than watch a movie, or sit and enjoy the peace and quiet.

I am thankful for family, and our animals, our fantastic home in the country, the beautiful views we have, and lovely sunsets and sunrises we get to see. Our new truck, and the fact that its red!! LOL That we have managed to make it through more trials, and are still here to talk about them, and know that God helped us through.

I'm thankful that I can Scrap a lot, which is something I love doing, and it gets something accomplished at the same time....preserving my photos, with information attached, for the future. Also for all the wonderful people I have met, because of my hobby, and the friends I have made along the way. The fact that I am on my Dream CT teams, and get to play with some of the best kits in the business because of it. And for all of YOU, my blog readers, who have laughed with me, and cried with me, over the past year. I love reading your comments, especially if I'm having a bad day, just knowing there is someone whom I have never met, who cares can help cheer me up. Thank you so much for all of your wonderful comments!

Kit Credit: Everything is by me....Doxie Designs.

Well I think I better stop for now, I have things to do! LOL Thats all for layouts till after Thanksgving. I hope to have a little freebie for you here tomorrow, that will only be available till Monday morning. Its someting new...well anyway new for me, and I would really appriciate some feedback on it!!

Take Care, and thanks so much for your comments!! Feel free to leave me one telling me what YOUR most thankful for...or a link to your blog, if you posted a thankful post on it. Have a great day!

Join us at Blush ~n~ Dusty for a challenge!

I never did mention that a week or so ago, Blushbutter and Dusty Bear Yahoo Groups joined as one big group. This was great because there were several members (including myself) that were members of both groups, and we would send layouts through both of them, which really added e-mails, since we would get two copies of them. This way we can all be one big happy family! LOL If your looking for a group, that is really friendly, come join us!!

I was asked to run a new challenge in the group, so I thought I would share a little about it here and invite any of you who aren't in the group, to come join us!! The quick page challenge is still going on too, this is just an added one!! There is more info in the past messages (well today's messages) in the group, including the download link for the paper and element for the challenge. So come join us, and maybe YOU will be the winner!!! This round will run through till the end of the year, so even with the holidays, there is plenty of time to join us.

I managed to get my layout for the challenge done today finally (started working on it yesterday, but wasn't able to finish it). Naturally mine isn't eligible to win anything, but I wanted to do one anyway! LOL I used the green paper and then chose the blue one because for some reason after reading the quote I was going to use, the blue paper make me think of winter...especially with the white lace on it. Never had done that before, but....guess I was in a strange mood yesterday. Since we don't celebrate Christmas, which was the Theme chosen for this first round, I picked one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, to use in my layout! I really like how it turned out!!

Kit Credits for my layout: Victorian Wedding kit, Victorian Heritage kit, Digi Essential Frame Pack, Craft Scrapbooking Kit, Green paper from the layout challenge at Blush ~n~ Dusty ALL by Blushbutter

On another note I was reading in Luke yesterday afternoon, and found this chapter. I so wanted to put most of the chapter on here, because there were so many things in it, that I would like to try to remember, but this entry would be a mile long if I did, so I just picked a short part of it.


Luke 6


27But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,

28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

29And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.

30Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

31And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.



I hope to see you all at Blushbutters and Dusty Bears new combined group, joining in on the challenges!! :) Thanks so much for all of your comments ladies, they are really appreciated! Have a great day!

Just one layout today.

I only got one layout done today, but it had so many little pictures in it, it took me awhile. I need to get some other things done today, so I'm stopping with the one! LOL I do like how it turned out though! I got the idea of putting them in the pocket from one of Blushbutters layouts!

I'm going to use this as the first page in my 2007 photo album. There are just a few of the pictures I took this year.

Kit Credit: Baby Girl Heartstrings kit and Digi frame pack both by Blushbutter

Nothing much else going on today, so I won't do any rambling! LOL Gotta get busy anyway, so want to get off here. Have a great day!

A long ramble

Kit Credits come after the tale of our day together yesterday!

Its been a rainy weekend here. Thankfully we did have a break yesterday afternoon, so we were able to go out and have our fun, for our anniversary. It wasn't a bright sun shinny day, for great photo's, but still lots of fun. And I got a bunch more photo's, that I don't know if I will ever get scrapped!! LOL Well I am going to try to do a few of them this week, anyway.

We went to the autumn fest at a little town east of us, and even though the rain seemed to make it so vendors didn't want to show up, so there wasn't all that much there, there was several things that made it worth going. I hadn't ever been to that town, to look around, so we looked in the stores to. We found a little broom shop, which I thought was really cool, and I bought a "turkey" whisk broom, which is rather different. I admit, I don't plan on actually using it much, I got it more for the novelty, and decoration, than to actually use. Its mostly red (which is the color I want in my kitchen) with a little purple, green, and blue in it. The man said he was one of only 4 men who make those kind in the country. Not sure if that's totally true, cause how would he KNOW for sure, but hey, it is different, so who cares.

Next we found someone who was making rope, and stayed there, and helped them make one. Even I thought it was interesting, and one of the guys showed DH some different knots to use, that were good to keep things tied. Hopefully he can remember how they were done! LOL I remember my Grandpa brought up a rope making machine when I was growing up, and we made some. Its really kinda neat, and I think DH wants to try to make one for himself.

We toured an old house that the historical society had turned into a museum, and that was cool. I love old houses, and to see how they might have looked in the 1800's. They had old furniture that the family that lived in it, had actually had, along with some of their clothes. It was called the Carson house. I got a bunch of pictures so will try to get some layouts done eventually of it.

My favorite part of the day was the riverboat ride we took though!!! It would have been prettier had it been a pretty sunny day, but it was still fun. We went down the Missouri river a ways and back up, it took a bit over an hour, and was a really cool experience. The riverboat wasn't majorly fancy but looked better inside on the bottom deck than I thought it would. They actually had tables and chairs, along with food, if you wanted to get any. I didn't want to spend much time inside though, so we didn't. Galen spend more time inside than I did, so he could hear what the captain said, as the speakers where I was standing weren't working. I would have liked to hear it, but wasn't willing to give up my place out where I could get pictures! LOL (I'm never for sure about taking photo's through windows.) We only saw one other group on the river, and they are in the first layout here. Guess it was to cool and cloudy for most people to go out on the water. I'm really glad we got to go on the boat, as I have never been on one of them before. We spent all our money I had saved, but it was so worth it!!! It was great to have a day out with my wonderful hubby. Thank you God for such a wonderful day!!

The 2nd layout here is my niece with my parents on their anniversary. The kit I used for this layout (and the first one) is soooo pretty! I just LOVE those colors! And the elements in it are great!

Kit Credit for the 1st and 2nd layout: Vida del Mar by Microferk Designs Its on sale through the 17th so if you like it, now is a great time to go get it!!!

The last layout is my niece when she was a baby. My dad is holding her, and I'm getting in the way of just a Grandpa, granddaughter shot so I can look at her too, she was less than a month old here. She has always been surrounded by love! Wordart is my own.

Kit Credit: Candy by Alma Townsend I thought this was another really pretty kit.

Well I've managed to get behind on my e-mails this weekend, hopefully I can catch up on them today or tomorrow. I need to get supper now though, so hmmmm could be tomorrow! LOL After supper I want to post these around to some of my galleries, so don't know if I will manage it then. I do hope all of you had a great weekend!! And I hope we don't start floating away, as its suppose to rain for several more days! I think I will be so ready for sunshine, when it finally comes back!! The poor farmers are having trouble getting their crops out of the fields!

Oh yeah, and sorry for such a long post! LOL I just wanted to ramble on about my day for my family and anyone else who was interested! Catch you all later!!

More Anniversary Photo's

I got two layouts done this morning!!! Yeah! LOL Haven't done that for a little while. Course it was all the same group of pictures, but still, that's ok.

These are more pictures I took of my parents when we went over there for their 40th anniversary. The first one is my parents and I and the 2nd one shows them looking at their books I made them. They enjoyed them I think, and have even shown them off a bit...both on Dad's flicker photo's and also Mom showed it to a lady she talks to now and then in town. I'm really glad you like them Mom & Dad!!!

Kit Credit: Summer Flight by Teri Hanson/DZines at DigiZines Digital Den

It was really kinda nippy when I woke up this morning! I still find it hard to believe that summer is over. It just doesn't seem possible that its the middle of Sept. DH wants to get the rest of the tin on the barn...yes he is slow he can't work as fast as he used to anymore, and there is also fence that has to be put in this fall. I don't know if we will ever be done with fence! But there is some we just HAVE to do...so hopefully we can get it done before winter hits.

I don't know that I will be doing layouts this weekend, so don't expect a post!! I hope everyone has a great weekend, and thanks so much for your comments and e-mails!

Finally a 40th Anniversary photo!

I finally did a layout with my favorite photo of my parents on their anniversary!! I just love how both of them are smiling in this picture.

Kit Credit: Eastern Spice by JulieO at Stone Accents.

The kit I used was a freebie on her blog a few months ago. Today is opening day for her store, so be sure and run over and see what all is going on in the store and forum!! I'm going to try to find time to go do the scavenger hunt....we will see if I manage it. LOL

This morning DH and I ran into town cause I needed to get a cleaner. I was out, and since the state of my house has started affecting my mood, I thought it would be a good idea to do a little bit of cleaning. Little bit being the operative word! LOL The floors are horrible, and I so hate scrubbing them, actually scrubbing isn't something I like doing anyway, because it bothers my hands. I think I could have arthritis or something starting, even though I am really to young for that. The little bit of scrubbing I did yesterday afternoon, made my hands hurt all evening, and they are still kinda stiff this morning. Anyway, that's probably one reason, I don't scrub much, yet after awhile I can't stand the spots that seem to show up on the floors, and also one reason why I tend to do a half baked job of any scrubbing I do do. I imagine I will be having trouble like my Mom does or worse, in a few years, which isn't fun to think about but I'm sure I will manage. Well I will as long as I can still use a mouse and type!!!! LOL

Anyway, the reason I started this story was to say that on the way back from town, I had to chase a cow. We rent our pasture out during the summer, and as we came around the corner we saw a calf...he wasn't real little, but I'm sure he was one of this years babies...laying by the gate on the road side, and several cows standing on the other side of it. Its not really an easy thing, trying to have a gate open, make sure the others don't come out, and get a calf in at the same time. DH was going to leave me to guard the gate, while he chased it, but I refused for two reasons...one because I didn't want to try to keep them all in, yet stay back, for the calf to come and go through, but more importantly, because while I sometimes can have trouble with my knees and the foot I tried to break years ago, he has way more trouble in that area than I do....so I elected to do the chasing. First I walked to the south on the opposite side of the road and got around it, and herded it back toward the gate....naturally it saw DH and didn't see the open gate, so it took off past the gate to the north. Wonderful!! So I go jogging (not a pretty site! LOL) down the road to the north, on the opposite side naturally, hoping to get around it so I can push it back to the gate again. It finally decided it didn't like me coming behind it and started trying to push through the fence. If finally managed to find a spot where it could push through and went racing out into the pasture and then back up to the others. Dh had to come home and get some staples and reattach the wire to the posts. I'm just thankful the other cows didn't all decide they had to investigate the open gate!! LOL

Thankfully its been cool here this week! I enjoy being out when it is...not that I've had a lot of chance to be, with cleaning. But the little jog along the country road wasn't to bad since it wasn't hot. Ya gotta love fall in the country! I adore fall...almost as much as I do spring. I have a hard time knowing which is my favorite...I love spring with all the flowers, the frogs, and everything coming to life again, but I love Autumn, with the crispness to the air, the pretty colors, and the end of the heat. Its really hard to decide which is best, so I just enjoy both of them!! Even when I have to chase a cow! LOL Enjoy your day, and don't forget to go check out Stone Accents new store if you have time! I have to go do a little more cleaning...maybe by the end of the week, at least the kitchen, will be halfway presentable, it would be sooner, if I would stay away from the computer!! LOL

Happy 40th Anniversary Mom & Dad!!

Tomorrow is Mom & Dad's 40th anniversary, but since we have had a little family party for them today, and have given them their gifts, I thought you all might be interested in seeing the special layouts I did for Mom & Dad's anniversary. I made a shutterfly book for them, and wanted to keep it a surprise, so couldn't share the layouts I made for it, as they were square, and they would have known something strange was going on! LOL I put all the layouts into a slideshow, so I hope you will enjoy watching it! Its not to long, as I only got the 20 page book. (22 pgs with the cover)

I used Blushbutter kits on ALL of the layouts with an item here or there from Lara Payton, and Tina Williams. One piece of lace is my own.

If you would like to see the pages a little bigger, and see credits for each page, you can go here to view it in my picasa album. The album is set on private for now, because I didn't want Mom & Dad to see it to soon, so untill I get around to switching it, you will have to use this link, not the one listed under my galleries.

I Have to say I am so impressed with the book!! I really love it, and hopefully sometime I can make more of them. Course I don't think I would be as happy with the 8.5X11 size, because the cover is a stock cover (and has a hole in it, which I think is worse than a stock cover without a hole! LOL) and you can't design it yourself. So for any of you who do 8.5X11 layouts, maybe you should start contacting shutterfly and telling them they need to get the 8.5X11 books with the design your own cover, so maybe they will think about doing it sooner!! If enough people ask for them, they may listen! Course I would like them to also make the spine on the long side of the rectangle not just the short, but that I could live with, if I could make my own cover....or I could live with it easier! LOL BTW, I have already contacted them, so we need more people to!!

Anyway, I highly recommend Shutterfly, if your in the market for a book, especially if you scrap square!! Go check them out, and have fun!!

Just thought I would post this for you all to see, now I'm back to enjoying time with my parents. Have a great weekend!!

Last Page

I made this page yesterday, but didn't get around to posting it. I did it for the very last page of their Album, kinda like a card I guess. I had to make the photo sepia tone, because I really wanted to use the blue paper, and I didn't think the colors they had on would work to well. I recolored the ribbon that makes the square, from black to brown, and the feather is also recolored, it was tan.

Kit Credits: Victorian Heritage Kit & Victorian Wedding Kit BOTH by Blushbutter

I finally finished my skirt today, was going to yesterday, but it didn't happen. Actually I was hoping to get another one started, but, it seems plans have to change now and then! LOL Least I finally got one done. The skirt didn't take all that long to finish, I just had other things going on, it was hard to get to it.

We will be celebrating with Mom & Dad this weekend, so look for a post that shows what I did that I wouldn't show you a month or two ago (for those of you who didn't see them in the groups). I made a slide show so you could see. I will post it, once its safe to! LOL So anyway I hope everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend. See you in the morning Mom & Dad, I love you!!

The Dollywood Trip

These 4 layouts have pictures from my parents Dollywood trip. That is the one trip, that my parents took (even though it was a working vacation, because they had a booth at dollywood) that I would soooo love to take!! I want to see the Smoky Mts so bad!!(from the ground, I flew over them once, but couldn't see much as high as we were.) Especially in the fall, when the leaves are turning. Course I would hope to also go on to the ocean, since we would be that much closer, but that's just a side trip. To me, the part that would be my favorite (I think), is the beautiful trees in the fall, in the mountains. Good thing Dreaming is free huh! LOL

Kit Credit for ALL the layouts is: Flavoring Fall by Lara Payton

For those of you who aren't members of Blushbutter, or Dusty Bears yahoo groups, I just wanted to tell you about a new site that has opened. Its called Bella Scrapbook, and they are mainly a printing service. But they have software, that you download, and qp's from different artists, so all you have to do is pop your photo in and your done. You can also have them print a layout you have done from scratch, you don't have to use the qp's. Lara, and Blushbutter both have qp's there, for you to choose, along with several other designers, and they say they are the best prints they have gotten! So go check them out, if your in the market for a place to print your layouts!!

Got to run now, have pickles to get canned, and laundry to do! Have a great day!

Niagara Falls

My parents went to see Niagara Falls one year, when they were in the area doing a craft show. Mom had wanted to see it for years, so I'm glad she was able to. These layouts are both of the Niagara Falls area, and I kinda had to squeeze a bunch of photos onto a two page layout! LOL

I have a couple more groups of photo's from a couple more of their trips that I have to figure out how to do several pictures on a page also. Wish me luck! LOL I want to get them done so they are in the book, when I give it to them, and its a little over a week away. I know I won't get everything done, but there is just some I would still really like to finish. After their anniversary I will just have to print a bunch up, and mail them, now and then I guess. I just won't be so pushed! LOL

I find it so much easier to grab a kit I want to use, and then go looking for photo's to use with it, this picking out pictures, and then going and looking for a kit, isn't all that easy. So it kinda slows me down too. Anyway, Kit Credit for these layouts is: Misty Blues by Misty Cato.

Got the last of my pickles brewing yesterday. I could do more I'm sure, but don't need to buy anymore sugar, and vinegar, as it adds up. Course DH mentioned that he thinks the neighbor would like some more of them (we gave them a jar to try) so who knows, if they want me to make them more, I may do more, if they give me the sugar, vinegar, and Jars. They aren't all that hard to make. He likes the dried tomatoes too! LOL I dried some more during the night. Gotta love my dehydrator, especially since I found it at an auction! :)

Journaling for the layouts below.

Niagara Falls is the name for the whole area. Each
of the falls has its own name, like American Falls,
Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe Falls, which is
on the Canadian side of the border.

When you buy a ticket for the "Maid of the Mist"
which is the boat, you get a light weight plastic raincoat
to wear, otherwise you would get soaked when you get
closer to the falls. These pictures are taken from the boat.

The photo at the top shows people going up close to Bridal
Falls. Thy rent the raincoats, and some over the
shoe rain boots to do that. The wood on
the steps up by the falls has to be replaced
every year, before people start coming,
because its always wet.

I remember Mom saying she would like to
visit Niagara Falls, when I was growing up,
so I was glad to hear that they were going to.
And that she enjoyed it!! Aug. 10, 1998

Challenge layout, and more for my parents anniversary album.

I am doing the tag your it challenge at DigiZines, and this first layout is for it. For this round, we were suppose to take the frame that she gave us (frame by Deanna Patterson) and make a cluster on it with any elements, then use it in a layout. So I used my mothers pansies kit and a picture from before DH & I got married. Kinda like how the cluster turned out...I'm not usually as happy with my clusters, so I'm glad this one worked!

The next layout has a 4 generation photo in it, with my grandparents, my Dad, my Brother, and My niece. Kit Credit: Eternal Romance by Misty Cato

The last layout shows my niece "helping" me do the dishes one time, when she was really little! LOL She liked to help do them then! *giggle* Kit Credit: Lilac Garden by Miss Mint at Peppermint Creative


I'm slow today I think, I haven't gotten much done (these three layouts I did last night, before I went to bed, I was on a roll, and hated to stop, but figured I better get to sleep! LOL) I have had e-mails to answer this morning, and other things going on, so haven't done to much that was worth anything on the computer.

I did go out and throw a hammer at my DH a couple times!! ROFL He was on the roof of the barn, with the neighbor, and since its hard for him to get up and down, I had to toss him a hammer. I couldn't see him, and can't throw worth a darn, especially overhanded, so was kinda worried about hurting him with it. I guess the first time I threw it, it hit him in the shin, and then bounced off the roof, so I had to try it again! LOL Brave man, my DH!! :) Anyway, the 2nd time he caught it, which was a good thing, as he said if he hadn't, it would have hit him in the face.

They are starting to put the tin on the barn now. Its used tin, some DH scrounged, but thats ok, once the roof is painted, it will stay dry underneath. Lots cheaper that way, thats for sure. Since we arn't rich, this is the only way we can afford to give the goats more room, which they really need, in the winter, when they want to stay inside. I worry more about them, than I do about old used tin, being put on the barn, even though I realize it would be prettier to use new, I won't go more into debt, to do it! Arn't I lucky, that I have a resorceful hubby!!! :) He doesn't care one way or another, as long as he gets his barn. I am SO blessed!

Have a great week everyone!!