A Bad Into A Good

What do you do - when you've made the mistake of taking Non-Drowsy formula Allergy meds at 10:30 pm - and Insomnia is having a Hey-Day with your head?

You sneak in some Digital Scrapbooking!

This was a fun moment with Carlie - for the whole family!  Somehow - all four of us - Carlie - Zucker - Dwayne and myself - ended up at the kitchen sink.

That's when Daddy just could not resist having a little fun and getting a little revenge on Carlie.

Kit -
" I Love You This Much " by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Fonts -
GoodDog
AlwaysJoking
Eras Demi ITC

Thistle Do...

Always nice when you visit an ugly spot and find something pretty taking over - even if it does have thorns!

Kit - Chamomile by Lady Bug Designs at Digital Design Den

Fonts-
BloomingGroveAltBold
CarbonType
Scriptina

The Bagpipes

One of the many awesome moments Dwayne and I enjoyed together during our trip to Savannah, Georgia happened Sunday morning while walking around the area surrounding the hotel where we stayed.

We could hear music from blocks away - more specifically - bagpipes.  Both of us love to hear the bagpipes play!  So - everything else fell to a backdrop as we followed the sounds until reaching the Independent Irish Presbyterian Church!  How wonderful to hear the music play outside the church - prior to the Mother's Day services.

Kit -
Hush by Microferk Designs at www.scrapbook-elements.com
Font - Monotype Corsiva

Perfect Moment

Kit - Grace by Robyn Littlejohn of Red Dog Digital Designs at Digital Design Den


Fonts - CAC Pinafore; Shardee; Monotype Corsiva

Journaling-
" It was a weekend that allowed both of us to relax and enjoy being together while having so much fun around so much history.  The parks were absolutely gorgeous.  It was so nice to be surrounded by very old Live Oak trees and Spanish Moss - once again!  Can't wait to go back! "

He Loves Me

Kit - Mish Mash by Sandy Collins at Digital Design Den

Font - CAC Pinafore

I love the way Sandy's kits challenge me.  In this situation - it was all about color - stepping out of my box.  I tend to favor warm colors.

To get the best view of this layout - click on the photo above.  And then - when the enlarged view comes - click on that view, as well.  Just use the Back button ( < ) on the top left corner of your browser to get back here!

With two puppies that seem to have a sense for knowing what time it is during the day - I end up pushed with deadlines whenever I attempt to get any scrapbook layouts completed!

Daybreak comes - and they just insist on the routine!  Collars - leashes - the walk - drying off with the towel...

And then the best part - Breakfast - and a cookie!

Once I get that far - I'm almost ready for a nap.  Ta!

The Nickname

Kit- Kimberly's Mooo by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Fonts-
AlphaFridgeMag
CAC Pinafore

She's grown so fast.  She's as graceful as a bull in a china closet.  And just as bull-headed as one, too.  The only difference - she's a - She.

But we love her anyway!  Besides - she makes for some hilarious entertainment - especially when it's time to head for her crate at night!

Five Months Worth of Basset

Kit -
Puppy Love by Snickerdoodle Designs at Digital Design Den

Puppy Love Word Art by Snickerdoodle Designs at Digital Design Den

Fonts-
Designer Notes
Burst My Bubble
GoodDog

With Music

" Last Day of March "

Kit -

Just Another Spring Day by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Fonts -

Qarmic Sans

Journal

" New Wild Baby "

Kit -

Spring in The Air by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Fonts -

Segoe Print

Tempus Sans ITC

Susie's Hand

" Bradford Beauty "

Kit -

Antique by Carena's Designs at www.digitalscrapbookpages.com

Fonts -

Designer Notes

Freebooter Script

RADAGUND

" Belong "

Kit -

Shades of Me - Daily Basics by Miki Ferkel at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Alphabet -

Alissa's Black Acrylic Alphabets by Alissa Jones at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Fonts -

Honey Script

jr!hand

Sortin' - Weedin' - Same Thing

Most people consider the stroke of Midnight that rings in a new year to be the time when all things begin again.  A second chance - to live life as if everything has become all fresh and new.

( Kit - " Rosebud " by Sandy Collins at Digital Design Den )

For me - that moment comes as soon as I awake - on the first day of - Spring.  I like to think I get to enjoy my new day of my life’s freshening in a much more calmer - serene - peaceful period.

I’m allowed the quiet of winter - to prepare for my new seasons.  I prefer that - compared to the chaos crammed into the months of November and December - just before that first day in any January.

Okay - fine!  So having two young 4-legged children thinking the inside of the house is a playground - can shake things up - a little.

But - Winter allows an excuse to sit - and put plans onto paper.  Alright - so most of us have moved forward to using a Word doc - and making sure the printer cartridge is healthy!

“ What- Evarrrr !! “  Well - thank God for Word docs and printers.  Because the lists become longer with each coming arrival of a new spring season!

There’s always something to do.  At times - I think it’s much easier to mention what not to do - instead.  At the top of my head - I can already come up with one for that list - “ Not picking up the phone when it rings. “

God love ‘em!  But there are people on this planet that have no clue.  They live in their cities - their little apartments - surrounded by cement and asphalt - and malls - and - and - and - loads of the Dirty Words ( grocery stores ).  With a simple telephone call - they can rob you of a couple hours - which are downright precious in every single day.  And to be honest - they really don't mean to do such a thing.

I can already hear some of my family - “ Well - screw you !  I just won’t call you anymore! “

My response to you - “ Okay!  Whatever lifts ‘yer skirt up, Hon !  But if you really loved me enough to wanna talk to me - you’d get your butt up here to East Tennessee - come visit me - and help me while you’re at it ! “

( Can you hear the silence?  Happens every time.  )

Here’s my imagination’s view of trying to get away from one of those phone calls.

“ Honey, I don’t mean to be rude.  But - I should have milked my goats an hour ago.  I was already running behind.  And I’m afraid I may have one of my girls feeling a bit of Mastitis by now.  I must call you - later. “

And believe it or not - even with that much of an effort - you may need to explain even further to some women.  “ Mastitis ?  Oh, Honey - are you serious ?  Oh - wait.  I’m sorry.  I forgot.  You’ve never had children.  Okay - just imagine yourself having severely swollen - red from the heat - painful as in ’ Do NOT touch me ’ - boobs.  But - they must be touched.  Because neither - you nor goat - can escape from the fact that they must be milked !  You do.  Okay !  Good !  I’m so glad you - finally - understand !  I‘ll call you - later.  Love you.  Bye ! “

I did it - again.  Didn’t I?  Okay - turn this mutha around to get back on the right track.

There was a time in my life when I read - “ A weed is merely a flower growing in the wrong place. “

The poor things gain notoriety - in such a negative kind of way.

Too many times we overlook and fail to stop long enough to examine - compare - understand.

To the world - a weed has become the agonizing pest for gardeners.  You’d think they all have heads and bodies as large and ugly as - the same on Godzilla.  And we all toil over taking each of them to their demise.

“ Hard to believe something so pretty lands in my burn pile. “

Yet - there are those of us that - do - choose to stop and examine - compare - and - contemplate.  The life of a weed is so much like our own.  They sprout through the soil and come into this world - anew - fresh - and stupid.  Somewhere a woman gives birth to each of us.  And we come into this world - anew - fresh - innocent - and stupid.

One of the major differences between the weeds and ourselves - we have legs.  And there are times when I’m just not so sure that’s a good thing.  Because - some of us never make the most of our legs - to get beyond - stupid.  And that’s where - weeds and we - come back together to recognize the good in that sad fact.  One can discover - if they watch long enough - those that never get beyond stupid - are those you hear saying - quite often - “ I don’t care. “

The verbiage may not always be put out there on the table.  Instead - behavior and surroundings say the same even more.  And things with them - they never change.  That’s when - in the life of some of us - it becomes necessary to deal with some - weeds.

Those that do care - count on that new first morning - when they get a second chance - to begin again - living life with that freshening.  Their life changes.  They become new.

But the worst thing we can do - to ourselves - is to fail in learning one valuable lesson about dealing with weeds.

There are weeds in this world that never deserve landing in a burn pile.  They - simply - deserve a more suitable home to be replanted.

And with all weeds - we fail only ourselves if we never come back to visit them - again.  Because some weeds change. That may be the case of any first chance meeting with a weed.  At the time we had no desire for having them in our garden - we may have had other preferences for that spot.

Or - maybe - that weed had not sprouted up and lived long enough to become it’s full beauty - yet.

Springin' Up and Crop Mobs

I’m posting a couple of articles I found this morning.  Please bear with me.  I’m going through a bit of a struggle with some personal matters.  But I’m hanging in there.  The list of projects helps - not to mention my four-legged kids.

For now - learn and enjoy!

Kit - " A Simpler Time "
by Kimberly Stewart

' Crop Mob' volunteers help small farms in North Carolina


Rob Jones, his boots smeared with mud, was trying to get the attention of a ragged group of young men and women dressed in jeans and work boots. They were toting shovels and rakes as they stomped across a barren field toward a plot of freshly turned earth.

This was Crop Mob, a roving band of volunteers dedicated to helping young farmers build sustainable small farms. It's a modern version of a barn-raising, with volunteers brought together by Google and Facebook.

Jones, a Crop Mob founder who grows his own vegetables at home, gathered up the volunteers to help farmer Jason Oatis build rice paddies. They were to be taught by Oatis, a bearded 40-year-old who is trying to carve out a sustainable farm on a few acres of sticky clay soil on a pine-studded plot in central North Carolina.

"It's fantastic -- these people love working the land, but they don't have their own farms, and I could definitely use the help," Oatis said as the mobbers' shovels smacked against wet clay, pounding out low earthen walls for each rice paddy.

( Read more... )


Pig City Garden Calendar:
Gardening that Amounts to a Row of Beans

By Dan Marvin

As we all plan toward what we want to plant, where we want to plant it and how much we want to plant to satisfy our needs and possibly extra to take to CazCares, we should consider putting together a list of those things we need to get the garden off to a good start.

If you will have pole beans you will need six- to seven-foot-long treated one-inch-by-one-inch poles to set up like a teepee.

I am working on a plan to have pole beans by special arrangement on a raised patio with the beans planted in large pots around the poles where they enter into the planting medium in the big pots. I’ll let you know how it turns out.

( Read More... )

There's been discussion about dogs that kill chickens in one of my Yahoo Groups.  One of the girls found a video that she shared.  I decided to pass it along here.  I never even imagined Ceasar  - aka - "The Dog Whisperer" initiating this!  But then - I never connected the dots from Jet Mechanic back to Auto Mechanic with my Hubby when we first met!  " Duhhhh!! "

Let Us Talk About Lettuce

Kit - " Falling Leaves " by Nancy at Digital Design Den - ( No longer available )

If I could paint a mural of my mind this morning.  It would be a scene of me - standing in the center.  And this - whirlwind - would be rotating around me.  All these - faces - human and animal - would be riding inside this whirlwind.

It would represent the end result of the heaviness I woke up feeling inside my heart this morning - for so many in this world.

It’s impossible to save the world.  But it’s possible - for the world to save itself.

All it takes is everybody collecting together - with those right around you - to deal with overcoming obstacles - with and for everyone.

Wow - did I just say that? 

Kit - " Falling Leaves " by Nancy at Digital Design Den - ( No longer available )

 

Dwayne and I are nowhere in any true beginning of getting this place we bought set up enough to where it’s operating - yet.  And that will come in time - as long as we keep putting one foot in front of the other.

That doesn’t bother me.  What does bother me is - sitting here looking at all this land we have - wishing we were doing something with it - with others - in ways that it would be helping several of us.

Sometimes - this rat race world can become so overwhelming for too many of us.  There are those of us existing - without ever realizing - how much this world’s selfishness and demands has robbed us of our own God-given power to lead our lives.  It like this friggin’ world has taken over and is now running the show in our lives.  And too many of us are - too busy - to even stop long enough and take notice - realize - and care enough to get mad about it.

People today - it usually takes getting mad - enough - before they’ll stop everything and deal with a wrongdoing being thrust upon their lives from elsewhere.

It amazes me how so many of us will let everything just roll with the flow - until we find ourselves sitting on our butts - totally exhausted - feeling like we’ve had every ounce of our strength beaten out of us.  And we’re wondering how that happened - because we never even noticed anything - or - anyone - coming around to do such a thing!

Kit - " Falling Leaves " by Nancy at Digital Design Den - ( No longer available )

As if that’s not enough - the thought of doing one more thing - even for the sake of taking back our own lives from the selfishness and demands of this world - tends to be put on this other list - something that seems to have become a new fad with the latest generation - which I call - “ Today’s Human Wrecks. “  ( fits right in with “ Baby Boomers “ - huh! )

The list - it’s the “ I Don’t Have Time For That “ list.

It’s the list of labor intensive tasks that sit outside the immediate “ Fun stuff “ - and all that ever-so-unfortunate  “ Necessary Crap “  ( example - employment ) which they absolutely cannot manage to escape. ( poor thangs! )

What they don’t realize is - you have to work to save money - just as much as you have to work to make money!  The only difference in that equation - there’s nobody else giving you the paycheck for the work you do to save the money.  The one giving you that paycheck is - yourself!

Are we all losing self-respect and devaluing ourselves?

Kit - The Garden of Weedin' by Kimberly Stewart

Ya’ get out there and work in a vegetable garden - short story end result is - you’re doing something to help save money at the grocery store and the doctor.  Barack Obama just had his physical done this week.  Here’s an example that would scare the living hell out of him!!

Head of lettuce in the grocery store - $1.19 each  ( You get 1 head of lettuce that you have to hurry up and eat! )

Pack of Lettuce seed - $1.95 ( You get rows loaded with heads of lettuce to share with several people - that you get to go pick when you need and want it - for much longer than that one you bought at the grocery store! )

And let me tell you something about the lettuce around here.  I got so mad when I found out Dwayne threw it in the trash before I could get a picture of it - but…

I had a head of lettuce in our refrigerator - stored in a gallon-size Ziploc bag.  I never cut the end off.  Simply washed it really good - drained - patted dry with paper towels - and stored it inside the bag.

He threw that head of lettuce away about two weeks ago.  Now - this is February - 2010 - alright ?

I bought the damn thing in SEPTEMBER - 2009 - just before my in-laws came up from Texas !!!

There was only a little bit of brown wilt on the outer layer of leaves when Dwayne threw it away.  Yeah - I know.  Sounds gross - leaving something in the fridge that long.  We just don’t eat sandwiches that much.  And all the other salad stuff is not in season.  And - I just - forgot about the dad-gum thing - okay?!

I bought this head of lettuce at - WalMart.  And there seems to be a common denominator going on here.

We tried buying Grainger County tomatoes at - WalMart - last year.  Everybody around here goes simply ga-ga over Grainger County tomatoes when they come into season every year.  The supply stocked at WalMart had red flags going up with me - already.  It just seemed a bit early for that many tomatoes to be out on the shelves.  It was hard to believe these tomatoes we bought were from Grainger County.

And I should have followed that red flag.  They were red.  They had absolutely no flavor.

WalMart likes to buy in bulk from their suppliers.  And they don’t like to pay for what they buy.  I will be bold enough to ask.  Could it be possible - our farmers have become the wiser?  Could it be possible - our farmers have found ways to give ‘em only what they’re paying for?

Either way - WalMart continues sticking that same outrageous price on the goods - and the money is coming out of our wallets!

Does it make you wonder about - just exactly what that was - that you ate?

I will be buying my Grainger County Tomatoes from the Maryville location of Horn of Plenty - as I always did - before I began growing my own - and as I always do - before my own come ready for harvest.  They make the best fried green tomatoes!!!

Cake Batter - Brings Love to Mind

 

Ya’ think she’s having fun?

That’s our precious granddaughter - Trinity Faye!  Gosh - it’s amazing how this shot of her makes her look like a spitting image of her mother at that age!

My daughter sent this to me yesterday - from her cell phone.  Of course - trying to get the truest view of those photos can be somewhat of a challenge.  Luckily - I’m able to snag the tiny sd memory card from my phone and pop it into a tiny little slot on my computer tower to transfer for a better view.

I responded to Brit’s surprise with, “ What in the world did you give that poor child? ”

She came back with, “ We used ur cake pans last night.  LoL “

Go figure!  Nothing prettier to me than a 2-year-old manipulating a rubber spatula with only one hand - while it’s slathered with cake batter!  They get smeared every time!

Brit and Kevin lost everything in Hurricane Ike - including the house they were renting.  Only recently - did she mention that there had been an accident with the only two cake pans that she’d managed to get her hands on in her efforts to begin again.

 

When it was time to send Trinity’s Valentine’s box - I kinda - sneaked a couple of those Nordicware square aluminum cake pans in there for Britni - ‘cuz I love the Boo as much!  Doesn’t matter how old she gets!  And I won’t have my kid using anything less than the quality of tools that I use - myself.

My girl is something else.  We had a hard time bringing her into this world.  She was my smallest baby - only weighing 5lbs. - 13oz.  She was 19 inches long - and looked like a beaten up spider monkey by the time she and I survived her breach birth that took two doctors and a physician’s assistant to deliver her.

That’s what made it so amazing - watching the strength in her bring Trinity into this world - my mind flashing on so many visions of memories of her life - trials - tribulations - challenges - all of them losing to her determination - because of the true secret about Britni - her heart.  Which is kinda funny - considering the fact she had to have emergency surgery less than 24 hours after having Trinity to - finally - rectify the problem with SVT’s ( Supraventricular Tachycardia ) that she endured while carrying and giving birth to Trinity.

  

I love the sticker she put on her back windshield!

It says, " Keep Honkin', Buddy... I'm Reloadin' ! " 

She’s the Rebel!  She has a skin thick enough to get a mule through a trip around Antarctica.  But she has good reason.  And if you’re lucky enough to make it past that tough skin - and gain her trust - it’s something that deserves only genuine and forever love - all that you can muster.  She’s a tough girl!  She’s a good girl!

And the only pigs she likes - the only pigs that deserve her - they have four legs!  And she knows how to handle a pig slapper to keep ‘em in line!  So - anything with two legs is - actually - no problem!

I hear this song and it makes me think of my Brit - every time!!  It's the only mindset Kevin should wanna keep - for a few reasons!  ;)

C'mon SPpprrrrRING... Oh, My God!!!

Fair warning - put your seat belt on.

It’s the last day of the 2010 Olympics.  It’s a bit of a sad day.

*cough*  Maybe if you’re from Canada.

I got a layout done this morning.

( And the crowd cheers! )

“ Thank you!  Thank you!  Thank you, very much! “

“ No - really!  Thank you!  Thank you! “

“ Okay - ohhhh… - Hi there!  Thank you!  Thank you! “

“ Would ya’ shut up and sit down so I can show it to ya’! “

“ Please! “

- Journaling -
" Little did we realize... all the laughter and chaos that would fill this home when this little fart came to live with us and bring some much-needed companionship for Zucker! "

 - Kit  and Alpha Set -
So Beary Fun by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com


- Font -
Blooming Grove

What the heck would we do without humor?  Okay - that may be a dumb question.  Because - we all know somebody without a sense of humor.


;)

And - we all have witnessed people running from that demise - right?!  Yeah - there’s some of ‘em - I’m telling ya' - you just wanna take ‘em out to the closest waterhole and get ‘em drunk enough to dance on the bar!

And ya’ wanna make sure the batteries are charged in your digital camera before you put that in your purse - on your way out the door - during the kidnapping! 

If it weren’t for dry southern humor - I don’t think I would have cared enough to hang around this planet for long!  Because - let’s just face it.  There is - nothin' - funny - about Al Gore.  Maybe funny lookin'.  But if Al Gore is anything that he comes by honestly - it would be - a poor pitiful and confused - soul.

And I can go forever - before ever having to put up with changing the television channel after one more threat of discussing him - “ after this commercial.”

I dunno.  Think he was at the Olympics?  Boy -  wouldn’t that be one for the National Enquirer!  They already banked on the one about all the power he uses at his house!  All they need now is a sequel.  Big - fat - photo on the front page with him sittin’ smack in the middle of - all that power they’re using at the Olympics!

And - I ain’t talkin’ about puttin’ him in the middle of all those strong hockey players!

Or - am I ?

In case you haven't figured it out - yet ...

I'm really not going nuts.  In fact - if I'm sick at all - I'm just downright sick of winter.  And all I can do is find something that makes me laugh - like this old classic!

It's Sunday - Sunday!!

 

- Journaling -

" Even with Trinity living all the way in Texas with her Mommy and Daddy - that STILL couldn’t stop us from being able to send her that very first Tricycle for her second Birthday!  Mommy spent time putting it together for her after it was delivered by UPS - just in time to surprise that Birthday Girl!  She had to stretch to reach with her toes - but that won’t last very long! "

- Kit -

" Serendipity " by Monna Lainson ( No longer available )

- Fonts -

Kristen ITC - Raavi - Eras Light ITC

 

 - Journaling -
" It was so cold this morning.  Temperatures had gone way  beyond below normal.  Dwayne stepped out to our cold kitchen to light the fireplace - but not before putting on his fleece robe and pajamas.  As he stepped into the kitchen  to make coffee - Zucker followed behind.  He sat watching Dwayne making the coffee - as if he had decided to try learning to set up the pot - himself ! "

- Kit -

Lost by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Header Font - Papyrus

Journaling Font - Nyala ( 18pt. )

I don’t know how I managed to get it done - but - I have finished two more layouts within the past 24 hours.  But I must have hurried myself badly.  I forgot to put dates on these two layouts.

I will print the darn things out and just scribble the dates on the back.  ‘Cuz I am not going through all that hassle with all those files and formats - again!  Once is bad enough.

I think the 4am wake-up schedule helps with being able to get my layouts done.  For one thing - puppies sleep until 7am - whether they want to or not.

LOL  Naw…. They usually do sleep later.

I will say this.  There is a vicious battle going on under the roof of this abode.  Seems two four-legged yard varmints are attempting to demote their masters and hijack their titles of - King and Queen!  And the party around here never stops.

Zucker has - by far - had all his woes knocked and bitten out of him by - his new puppy.

However - in the process - what remains in the ability to hear out of ears belonging to Dwayne and me is being tested to the utmost.  Last night came to an abrupt halt around 7:30pm.  Zucker had to sit with Dwayne.  Carlie had to sit with me.  The lights were dimmed.  And we were - finally - able to drop the decibel level of the television volume by several notches.

( Look very closely...  The little wench has got hold of his cheek! )

There’s something to be said - when you can’t even hear the rude uproars going on in the Canadian Olympic stadium for the Curling matches.

 

( Downright... Vicious ! )

Almost sounds like we’re raising two kids with ADD - huh?!

Carlie has - basically - surpassed Zucker in size.  She’s growing in ways that put a weed to shame.  She eats three times more than Zucker.  She’s about as tall as him.  She may weigh a couple pounds less than him.  But - those baby teeth make up a whole lotta difference.  And I think she’s figured that out!

I’ve had to put Band-Aids loaded with A and D Ointment on a finger and the thumb of my left hand - within the past 72 hours alone.  And all I was doing was - giving her one of her little peanut-butter cookies!

Note to Self ** - Stop using your left  hand to feed the dogs.  You need it more than they do!

Here are more of my efforts I’ve neglected to post here!  And - like usual - there’s a little  sumptin’ sumptin’ - after all that!

 

( This incident happened on September 7, 2009 )
- Kit -
Lost by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

- Fonts -
Edmonds
Fenice BT

** This was a really sad situation for us to watch.  By the way - the so-called Mare caring for the colt was - actually - a full-hanging Stallion!  He was our problem - but not for reasons you may imagine.  We had him in a pie-shaped corner - barely big enough for him to turn his butt around.  Our faces were only inches away from his butt at times - holding all the barricades and rope.  Not once - did he ever - even tick a muscle to prepare for kicking any of us.  The problem was - he had never been trailered.  He was so good-natured.  Somebody got a wonderful horse out of that one.  If our barn had been already relocated and finished - we would have adopted all three animals.

 - Journaling -
" This is the face of a dog when he's got only one thing on his mind... 'Touch my feet one more time and...'  Ohhh, he was so ticked off at me after spending half the day trimming his nails and cleaning up his feet and legs.  But what is one day of him taking his turn - compared to all the days I've had to put up with his feet after they come back from the barn?  I guess he'll just have to get over it! "


- Kit -
Life is Ruff by Digilicious Designs ( Athena Gray ) at Digital Design Den


- Fonts -
Bentley
Coldbringer KG
CongressT

- Kit -

Summer Love by Vickey Morrisey at www.scrapbook-elements.com

What Was I Thinkin' ?

( Hey... check out the little note.. over there -> )

 

- Journaling -

 " Hard to believe Carlie has been with us less than a month - and already as big as Zucker!  Brains comes with the package - and ‘ Big Brother ’ is already teaching her bad habits!  Rather than only one - now we have two that will refuse to let us out the door - for as long as they shall live !! " 

- Journaling Fonts -
Dubiel and CarbonType

- Kit -
Autumn Memories  by Cari Lopez at www.scrapbook-elements.com
 - Title Alpha -
Worn Plaid  by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Over the past few days - and when I win the fight for a chance to get it done - I’ve been going over a lot of my content filed here at my blog.  And One of the things I’ve noticed is the fact that I’ve been forgetting to post my digital scrapbooking pages here - at my blog - the very reason why I began this thing!

I dunno - blame it on Facebook!  No - blame it on Picasa Web Photos… PhotoBucket… Flickr…  Ohhhhh, crap!  Let’s just sum this up in one sentence.

Blame it on all the resized and various formatted files I have to create every time I do a layout - simply because nobody in that area of the web can seem to get together long enough to put creative minds together and spare us all the agony - because - well - it would just be too simple and easy with only one file size and one file format - for every place on the web!

*deep breath*    -  * Whew! *

Seriously.  I end up creating a minimum of four files with three different file formats.  And there’s this other thing called - Life - that I have to keep up with.  Ya’ know - as a woman - it just seems like - no matter what the subject matter is - I am forever - picking my battles.  And the really crazy thing about that is - I don’t even like to fight!

So - I’ve started with the latest layout that I’ve managed to get put together.  From there - I’ll walk backwards - posting them in the next couple of blogs until I get caught up.

Hey - it’s still winter.  Might as well walk in a warm place!

 

- Journaling -

  " I may not have received this beautiful bouquet of flowers Dwayne
arranged to have delivered to me - if I hadn't gone ahead and checked
our voicemail on the phone.  I called him to be sure, first, before
returning the call.  These days - you can never be too cautious!  How
else was I supposed to know anyone would deliver flowers all the way
out here?  He just laughed! "

- Kit -

XOXO by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com
- Title Alpha -
 XOXO Alpha Set by Kimbverly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com
- Additional Elements Used -
"On The Edge Photo Masks - Vol. 8" - by Shelley Rae Cusbert at www.scrapbook-elements.com

"On The Edge Photo Masks - Vol. 10" - by Shelley Rae Cusbert at www.scrapbook-elements.com

"Simple Gifts - Weathered Threads" by Christine Bartholomew at www.scrapbook-elements.com

- Journaling -
" I have wanted this thing gone for over a year now.
And Judd was supposed to come buy it and pick it up...
months ago !!


But Judd likes fishin' too much.  And he never got around to it.
But I guess Judd had more "mountain sense" than we have.
He knew we'd probably need it more than him - until we got our
wood-burning stove installed.


Judd was so right !! As much as I despise this thing...
25* for the high today and 13* for tonight is just cold enough
that even I will bend!  And this next week looks worse! "

- Kit -

Cold Hands Warm Heart by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

- Font -

Kristen ITC

 

- Journaling -

"October 30, 2009 - We missed our annual trip to Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains to photograph all the beautiful 'Fall Color' that returns each year.  Instead - We count our blessings and feel thankful for all the 'Colorful Show' that arrived all around our home!"

 - Multiple Kits Used -
Kimberly’s UBI Abundant Fall Element Pack 3 by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com

Kimberly’s UBI Abundant Fall Paper Pack 1 by Kimberly Stewart

Autumn Blessings by Kimberly Stewart

Photo Frame - Divergent Frames Pack by Cathy Bretz

Alpha - Worn Plaid by Kimberly Stewart

Fonts -

Rockwell - Pristina

 

- Journaling -

" God help me.  But I despise winter.  And I'm not alone.

Our wonderful - lovable - lover of life - Zucker. "

" I never knew exactly how much I was dreading the oncoming winter season - until I had the moment of this vision.  Oh, how he loves to run.  How he loves to be outside for hours - and hours.  Becoming absolutely filthy - lathering with sweat - drinking up the water as long as somebody will fill the bowl - smelling worse than a dirty sock.  Every bit of it puts him in his glory of happiness. "

" It's as if he has come to recognize when the days of bitter coldness are approaching.  And one can't help wondering what he's thinking as he sits and stares out the window - watching the leaves begin to turn color and fall. "

- Kit -
Autumn Country Dream by Cari Lopez at www.scrapbook-elements.com
- Word Art -
Abundant Harvest (U.B.I. Oct.-2009) by Mikki Livanos at www.scrapbook-elements.com
- Journaling Font -
Dubiel (Bold)

 

- Journaling -
" Dwayne and I decided to go ahead and pull this watermelon from my patch.  The stem wasn't quite finished turning brown.  But we were afraid to leave it out any longer. "


" Good thing we made that decision!  It was ready! "


 "So was another melon that we left out there for the time being.  That one split open by itself - on the vine - only two days later. "

- Photo caption reads -
" This melon weighed 44 lbs.!  We ended up taking over half of it down to our neighbors.  We sent one home with Dwayne's Mom and Stepdad.  That melon weighed 58 lbs.!  We sent another home with Charlotte and Wayne Greene.  But we forgot to weigh that one. "

- Kit -
Gardening by Kimberly Stewart at www.scrapbook-elements.com
- Font -
Garamound

Let this posting be a lesson to others.  It may look like I’ve been doing nothing.  But let me assure you - as you can see by photos plastered here - I have been fairly busy!

The funny part about all these pages - you should see the size of the files holding all the photos waiting in line!

East Tennessee - It's The Sweetest Life

The television has been set onto The Weather Channel here all morning long.  Hey - I liked Al Roker’s spot that he did there this morning!  He's in Las Vegas - at the moment.  They seem to be stressing on updates for our area.  Not sure why.  I mean - It’s Winter!

Remember this - from last year?  I hope we get to enjoy another round like that this year!
( don't forget to click on photos for a larger view! )

 

We are preparing for - only God knows what - expected to really make its entrance here around tomorrow morning.  I think the last thing I’ll be doing outside will be - going to fill the gas tank up in my little Putt-Putt.  We’re stocked at the house.  All the pipes are insulated.  And if need-be…  We’re ready to help any neighbors that end up having problems.  That’s part of living here.

One of the most favorite sayings about Tennessee relates to the weather around here.  “Wait five minutes - it’ll change - again.”

The weather patterns change each year.  Life is always a surprise because of it.  You adjust - and prepare for worse case scenario - if you have brains.  And one of the things I truly - truly - believe…  The elders in these parts can be your best source of help with their “Old Wives Tales” when it comes to judging what to expect for oncoming seasons.

I got laughed at when I shared what Wayne Greene had told me about his Grandma.  She always said that the number of frosts we would have in November would tell how many snows we’d have during the coming winter.  Another one - noticing how quickly leaves were falling from all the trees in late summer - despite all the rain we’d had.  Sure sign of a rough winter.

Who’s laughing now?     Duh!!

I stayed up until 4am trying to figure out how to set up a YouTube widget on my left sidebar - one that would hold my personal play list.  Well - guess what.  They can hack into the servers for the Pentagon.  But they haven’t figured out how to fix me up with that kind of a little widget!  And they expect me to be impressed!

Therefore - I offer one of my very favorite YouTube Moments for you to enjoy - right here!

Have you fed all the animals outside?  Are they all safe and protected from this frigid weather?  If so - Grab a cup of coffee - hot tea - or hot chocolate.  Cuddle up with your Snuggly - just give the day to God - and let Him deal with the bitter cold weather - while you watch this!

Gentle Moments Challenge Entry

It's been a crazy week here. i think i've conceded to claiming it a fact of life - that Honey-Do List keeps me strong by adding two or three more items at the bottom every time i get one item knocked off at the top of the list. I continue preparing for our Neighborhood Yard Sale and Cover-Dish Picnic, while preparing for our trip to Reelfoot Lake next week.

At the same time, Dwayne and i made a trip to Knoxville to move Jen back home with us. Her car had taken it's last breath about a month ago. The final blow - She lost Her job. But she had over $1,300.00 saved for buying a new car, and guess what. One of Dwayne's co-workers offered a 1994 Toyota Camry 4-door for $250.00! It's in fabulous condition - minus the engine. The block has a hole in it. BUT - Dwayne found another engine with low mileage for $450.00 and He's picking it up during his lunch break today! Jen's gonna end up with a great car for LESS than $1,500.00!!

Despite the obstacles, i did manage to get one of two challenges i've signed up for at Digital Design Den. The second is Rhonda Wright's Freebie Challenge, using Her Blue Pansies Companion Kit. i'm looking so forward to purchasing the full kit when it becomes available! The companion kit shows an example of something absolutely gorgeous - in the colors of blue, of course!

The first challenge i completed this morning is Wendy Williams' "Gentle Moments or Memories" Challenge, using Her kit called A Soft Breeze, along with the Extras pack. And right now - the kit is on sale for $7.99 with a special! For one week only - purchase this kit and you get QuickPage #1 for free!

Timing became something funny for me on this particular round of fun. Had a personal event that came up and fell right into sync with the subject matter we were to cover!


(click on image to see larger view)

Journaling reads -
Dwayne came runnng inside the house hollering for me to come with him. He'd been out in the front yard mowing with our John Deere Tractor and, literally, moved right over a cottontail hole. What stopped him was one of the babies that had escaped and was running ahead of him. Another baby was hunched down inside the hole that was only big and deep enough for a softball. I headed with the two babies to our neighbors that had rabbits. Becky and her daughter, Sarah, informed me that they'd had to get another neighbor's dogs to let go of an adult rabbit on the previous day. They feared it had been too injured to survive and we suspected it was the mother of these babies. While talking, Dwayne hollered to me, again. At the end of the day - I found myself taking care of 4 adorable wild cottontail baby bunnies. As little as they are - soft, quiet and gentle are three keys to success in raising them to survive on their own. And the efforts have brought some of the most endearing moments into our household, in such a short time!

Kit - A Soft Breeze and Extras by Wendy Williams at Digital Design Den
Fonts -
Kayleigh
Kartika

Feel free to leave any comments You might like to share! For now - i hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Go Green - Stay Green! Grow Your own vegetables and fruit! It's a heck of a lot cheaper than the grocery stores - PLUS - Ya' know exactly what went into that food You grew, Yourself! Tastes better, too!