Down to the Wire!

I am so glad that I found the Sketch-n-scrap blog. This is my first time participating in one of their monthly challenges but I do intend on becoming a regular. After many changes and much contemplation here is my layout entry for the August Sketch Challenge. I am still not 100% happy with the results but I am afraid that if I start pulling things apart, that I will ruin the layout. I used the Pink Paislee Indigo Blue collection, very nice papers to work with.

Mark your Calendars! September Holidays.

Can you believe it almost September already! School will start here after labor day and then time just speeds up - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and a ton of birthdays in between.

Here are the September holidays. Some of these were custom made for me I think, lol. Because this is my favorite post each month I will be giving away a little RAK, just leave a comment on this post so I know you came by and your name will be entered into a drawing to be held Monday,September 3, 2012.

September 3 - Labor Day First Monday of month
September 4 - Newspaper Carrier Day
September 5 - Be Late for Something Day
September 5 - Cheese Pizza Day
September 6 - Fight Procrastination Day
September 6 - Read a Book Day
September 9 - Grandparent's Day - first Sunday after Labor Day
September 9 - Teddy Bear Day
September 10 - Swap Ideas Day
September 11 - Make Your Bed Day
September 12 - Chocolate Milk Shake Day
September 13 - Positive Thinking Day
September 15 - Make a Hat Day
September 16 - National Women's Friendship Day - third Sunday in September
September 18 - National Cheeseburger Day
September 19 - International Talk Like A Pirate Day
September 21 - International Peace Day
September 22 - Business Women's Day
September 23 - Checkers Day
September 25 - National Comic Book Day
September 28 - National Good Neighbor Day - Always September 28, previously the 4th Sunday in month

Flower pot card at the Atria & Anything Goes

Did I ever tell you that I teach scrapbooking/arts and crafts classes twice a month at an Assisted Living Facility called the Atria. It is a very nice place and the staff does an excellent job providing a nice variety of entertainment. When scheduling my classes I know better than to interfere with three things, live performers, cocktail hour (oh yes, they love to drink) and Bingo, lol. One day when I remember I will take pictures during class.

For this week's class we made flower pot greeting cards. I had a very good class and everyone participated and got very creative with their cards. This is the one I made as a sample using DCWV Garden Party. I really have to remember to take pictures of their creations to share. I am also entering this card into the Simon Says Anything Goes challenge, you still have time to join in.

Finally..............................

I have completed a challenge BEFORE the deadline! I am a big fan of Brenda's and Rochelle's layouts so when I saw they were having a combined challenge I was determined to join in. Then the cherry on top was getting the Splash collection by Little Yelow Bicycle in my August Scrap-Room kit. So I put all of this goodness together and created this layout of my nephews in their new pool.

The sketch was fun and funky and went perfectly with my photo! For Rochelle's layering challenge I used a small piece of chipboard, a button and some bakers twine. It accented the top of the layout nicely. I used a couple of my Papertrey Ink Dies (the doily and the tab) and the Splash collection was awesome to work with, the colors are bright and the embellies are just too cute.

This sketch is being entered into -

Granddiva's August Sketch Challenge

Rochelle's Layered Embellishment Challenge

Thank You and I'm Back!

Thank you so much for your caring, supportive and loving words of encouragement! I am so grateful to be a part of this wonderful scrapping community, you ladies are amazing. The funeral is over and today my daughter said "life seems strange now, Aunt Bert came to EVERYTHING!" Case in point, here is a little thumbnail (wish we had the original!)of my Aunt at my niece's bridal shower with the stripper, OH she was the life of the party that night- she said she wanted to see what he was working with, lol.



Last night since we had tickets already me, my sisters and my cousins went to see Mary J Blige and D'Angelo in concert and then back to the house for a good old fashioned house party. I got home at 2:30 a.m. I haven't done that in soooo long that i am exhausted today, lol. But after maybe another short nap I will be scrapping! I still have time to enter some August challenges, keep your fingers crossed!

Today I Celebrate You - Bertha Mae Gamble!

Saturday August 18, 2012 my Aunt passed away.

I have been walking around all week with a heavy heart. My bestie Mika got it correct when she said it was like losing my mother again but this is a little different. My Aunt Bert was my friend. I come from an old-fashioned Southern family where a child stayed in a child's place and since my mother died when I was 17 she never got to know me as an adult but my Aunt Bert did. She saw me become a mother and a wife. She supported me through my downs and celebrated my highs with me. She was a strong soul and always optimistic. She was super funny, especially when she had a little "taste" of Southern Comfort with me. She would attend any and every family graduation, bridal shower, recital, party, reunion whatever as long as her health would allow her to. She shared stories of the South, my mother, my family and just life in general. She loved to talk and she treated me like an adult. I got angry with her once for telling something that I told her in confidence but now I realize her telling what was going on in everyone's lives is what held our family together and now it is on us to keep in touch with one another. She was home, you know that comfortable warm place

where you know that you are safe. Her house, although small, was the best place for family gatherings. So much of my life has revolved around her and her family that I just feel a void. Today is the funeral where her body is laid to rest but she will forever live in me because she has truly made me the woman that I am today. I saw her the day before she died and she perked up a little when she knew that it was me and she said,Aunt Bert is a little down, I am old, I am old" and I as watched her struggle to breathe I knew it was just a matter of time. Today even as the tears fall from my eyes I am celebrating my Aunt Bertha Mae Gamble, a truly strong black woman, mother of seven, friend and neighbor to many, whose love was too great for this earth!

Thursday Tibits

Got my Scrap-room kit yesterday and I am very happy! Woodland Park collection is gorgeous, I can't wait to work with it! This is a sign you do not want to see first thing in the morning when you are already running late, carrying a lot of bags and don't feel like walking up the stairs, ugggggh!

Good to have a friend that is a fisherman! Here is the catch of the day - Broiled Bluefish cooked in a dill sauce with fresh Jersey tomatoes, yummy!

My latest layout, my love affair with MME continues.........................

Scrapping the Alphabet N = Numbers

Out of all the millions and kazillions of paper collections that I DO have, I do not have any paper collections that start with the letter N (and neither does Mika), can you believe that? So we substituted the letter N for paper with numbers on it. Lucky for me MME released this pretty enumerated patterned paper as a part of the Sweetest Thing collection and I, being such a savvy shopper, purchased it at the CKC convention. This is my daughter at the creek, I mean really who get's "photo ready" dressed up to go to the creek to catch fish and tadpoles................ummm my teenager, lol.
And here is another card for the monthly challenge on scrapbook.com based on a sketch posted in the forum. Slowly but surely I am getting a few projects done.

Can I Get a Refill?

I love music, all kinds and especially new artists. There is a young lady dropping her first album today named Elle Varner and I am already a fan of her voice. In her song "Refill" she equates falling for a man to a drink at the bar. One of my favorite lines (because I think it is sexy, lol) is -

I need a shot of

You on the rocks

Cause I'm down to my very last drop

Lol, what does this have to do with scrapping......absolutely nothing except that it puts me in a party mood which gets my mojo dancing and shouting! Last night I was able to knock out two cards for the monthly card challenge on scrapbook.com.

The first card is a school themed card using Scenic Route Appleton scraps. I cut the apple out of cork and stamped the white A+ on black for a kind of chalkboard effect. the school stamps are from TPC studio.

Then next one is inspired by a photo of an antique typerwriter. I used the notebook border punch, added a paper clip and used some scrap patterned paper. The top priority sticker is from October Afternoon 9-5 and the typewriter and pin are from the Lawn Fawn stamp set. I added some glossy accent to the push pin and stickles to the typerwriter keys, it is a nice effect IRL.

Legal Robbery!

Happy Monday or as I like to call it............"I don't feel like going to work day", lol. I don't know why but every Monday I get up and act like going to work is something new. Today was even more hectic because my co-worker called out and I walked in to a load of problems and glitches. Now that my day is calming down and lunch time is nearing I figured it would be a good time to check in with my blogland peeps. I hope everyone had a great weekend, mine was good. My baby girl came home from college for a visit this weekend and my grandson came over for a visit yesterday. Unfortunately he is in his biting phase and being a bit aggressive. He had us on our p's and q's all day long.
Saturday I was robbed! (okay let me clarify) - I went food shopping on Saturday and conducted a social experiment. I kept exact track of my spending because I wanted to know when I reached $100. Well here it is - $100 dollars in groceries in Philadelphia. My husband says that the jelly put it over the top and yes there are mostly meats in the cart but I have to tell you that my cart isn't even halfway full. Food prices are just high and the packaging is getting smaller and smaller. I do shop at the butcher shops also but a lot of times if you compare pound for pound prices the savings just are not there. So needless to say I felt victimized as I left the market, next time I am filing a police report to see if I can get anyone's attention, lol.


On another note I have a confession. This show is my newest shameful indulgence. As much as I would like to permanently swear off so-called reality shows (I mean whose reality is it when you have producers editing everything?) I am hooked on this series. It started one day at the salon while I was getting a pedicure and then escalated when I found all of the past seasons on the internet! If you have never seen it, I can't describe it any other way than "Messiness in its finest form".


Stay tuned for some layouts this weeks, the clouds are clearing up and the sun is shining so I should be able to get some good photos soon.

Happy "I need to finish this friggin' layout" Day!

Okay that is not really a holiday, it is just the way I feel almost every day, lol. So without further ado (whatever that is, lol) here is your list of not-so-usual holidays for this month. Happy August!!!!!! (side note: have you ever tried to google any of these days, you would be surprised at the level of celebration for some of these - it is really interesting)

August 3 - National Watermelon Day
August 6 - Wiggle Your Toes Day
August 5 - Friendship Day and Sisters Day
Friendship Day is dedicated to the bond of friendship and companionship and is celebrated on the first Sunday of August every year. The concept of Friendship Day originated in USA in 1935 and is now celebrated worldwide. This is the day when we express our love for our friends by exchanging gifts like cards, flowers, bracelets and friendship bands.
Several countries across the world have adopted the tradition of dedicating a day to friends and with the commercialisation of Friendship Day has gained new heights. The festival is enthusiastically celebrated amongst the youth, and exchange of friendship bands is the highlight of the day where friends compete with each other as to who gets the maximum number of bands. Some people also throw Friendship Day parties to enjoy the day with friends.
It is the perfect occasion to show your friends that you care and to recollect sweet memories of the time spent together. True friends are hard to find, so if you have one, make sure that you let your friend know on this day how much they mean to you.

Sister's Day celebrates being or having a sister. That means a lot of us will celebrate this special day.
Sisters are truly special and unique. Sure, we may argue and fight. But, when it comes right down to it, sisters are the best, the very best.
Celebrate Sister's Day by spending time with your sister. Make it a special day in some way for you, and for her.
August 9 - National Polka Day
August 10 - Lazy Day
August 11 - Son's and Daughter's day
August 13 - National Left-handed Day
August 14 - National Creamsicle Day
August 15 - National Relaxation Day
August 16 - National Tell a Joke Day
August 19 - National Aviation Day
August 20 - National Radio Day
August 22 - National Tooth Fairy Day
August 25 - Kiss and Make up Day
August 26 - National Dog Day
August 27 - Global Forgiveness Day
August 30 - Frankenstein Day

CKC 2012

Saturday we went to CKC in Lancaster. This year's event was very laid back and not as exciting as events in the past. I don't know if it was because of the change in venue or the fact that there seemed to be less vendors but the vibe was definitely different. Lancaster is a quaint town that is further away from Philly and New Jersey and I am sure this change affected the overall attendance. I didn't do my usual damage although there were a few temptations like SEI had a grab bag worth over $100 for $20 and a couple of vendors were selling some very nice Memory Box Dies. As I shopped, I kept in mind - "What is it that you really need or are really going to use" and just walked away with this small purchase. Jada got a tie die kit from the SEI vendor and then we had burgers at an Irish Pub. It was a nice outing overall but a little disappointing.

Oh well at least I did finalize a couple of more layouts this weekend.

It Aint Over!

Well the weekend is coming to a close and I haven't finished everything that I wanted but I did get SOMETHING done which was good. I do have a report from CKC but that is for another post.

This weekend I participated in my bestie Mika's sketch challenge. I always find the sketches she picks challenging but I have to admit that I usually love the end results. I used MME lime twist for a fun birthday layout of my nephew. Now I am about to cook dinner and wash clothes. I wonder if I can get at least oooooooooooone more layout in, the party aint over just yet, lol.

So much going on!!!

Well it has been a while! let's see, when we last left off my baby graduated high school and is on her way to college. She is such a bright young lady with a beautiful smile and a big heart. It was so funny, she kept expecting me to cry (okay yes I am a big cry baby) but I didn't. Okay well truth be told I did have one major melt down at work thinking about her leaving but I quickly recovered. I am the only woman in my department, I can't let them see that side of me, lol.

She didn't want to have a big graduation party, instead we had a small barbeque with family and friends. Good food and good conversation and lots of stories about her over the years growing up. Here are two of my sisters and my niece (who is like an honorary little sister) posing for facebook pictures at the end of the night, lol.

And then the big day came. - the day to drop her off. Since she is super organized and hates to be late (I don't know where she got that from - not me, lol). She had everything packed and ready to go! The reality of dropping my baby off to navigate this world without me started to set in but I kept my composure until.........................................

...................this one started crying. Oh my goodness talk about sister separation anxiety!!! She was so broken down. She cried on the way to the college until she fell asleep, almost an entire hour of the the two hour ride. I couldn't help but shed a few tears too. Once we returned home she had a couple of more sad moments but she is getting use to being "the only child" now and enjoying the perks. She and I have more one on one time and even get pedicures together on an almost regular basis.

Oh and I can't forget about the hubby. I think he is eating his worries away because he cooked dinner almost every night this week. One night I came in and he was chopping vegetables (one of his favorite things to do for some reason) to make shrimp creole. I had to devein the shrimp and clean them which was an big task since we purchased the wild caught instead of the farm raised but I have to tell you the end result was capital D delicious!

And just last weekend we had our big annual block party! There weasn't a rib bone left in the house! We served water ice and rented a cotton candy machine for the kids. It was a big hit. Sorry I don't have any pictures, I was on work detail the entire time.

So alas, there has been very little crafting going on. I do have a couple of completed pages that I hope to post soon and I did a diaper cake for my co-worker who is expecting his second child (a girl) any day now.
So tomorrow my daughter and I are going to CKC Lancaster to do a little retail therapy and for lunch. But tonight I hope to get into the scrap room for a few hours. My mojo is here and my glue glun misses me, lol. Have a great weekend everyone, Happy Crafting!

Talking Scrap Trash

One of my favorite things to do to motivate my scrapping mojo is to talk trash to Mika, lol. She and I challenge each other and talk a lot about how much "we are going to get done", it is our fun little, very non-serious rivalry like two guys on the basketball court. Trust me most of the time she beats me but we can't let her know that, lol! So on my Independence "day off" I got a couple projects done (one is actually an older one that I am just posting here).



Here is my card submission for Mika's sketch challenge. I used a card embellishment kit from Michaels (thanks to my enabler friend Tiffany, lol). I am also submitting this for the July card challenge on scrapbook.com



This is my "I" layout for scrapping the alphabet. I used a line called Inque Boutique (that is no longer in business). I used some muddles on the word "art" for a sandy look. Those are actual shells from our beach visit and I misted the background for effect.



Here is my "J" layout using Jillbean Soup Pasta Fagioli. My daughter and her girlfriend were at the mall taking some fun candid shots.

And finally my "K" layout using KI Memories. Remember when colorblocking was all the rage? I tried to mix the old with the new with a banner and some twine to update this collection from my stash.

Cards for the Troops

Happy fourth of July! I found this on the ScrapReview's blog and I am so happy to participate and hope that you will join me. Make sure you go to the WRMemory Keepers website to get all of the details, as there are specific (but manageable) requirements for each submission.


We R Memory Keepers is trying to collect 50,000 cards, so we need lots and lots of help. Cards can be submitted up until Tuesday July 24, 2012 at midnight.

We will pick cards to receive prizes each week on the We R Memory Keepers Facebook page. We R Memory Keepers will pick the top 50 cards (at the end of the contest) to be voted on by our Facebook fans. Our Facebook will vote for each round until the final winner is chosen.Top 25 cards will receive a Power PunchTop 10 cards will receive a Lucky 8 PunchTop 5 cards will receive a Love 2 Craft collectionTop Card – We R Memory Keepers Product - up to $1,000 in product (prize value for top card will depend on the number of cards collected)
Here is a link to the We R Memory Keepers website to learn more: http://www.weronthenet.com/Operation_Write_Home

Birthday Blogging!

Have you heard? My sister-from-another-mother is having a birthday blog giveaway this entire month. Her actual birthday is July 23 and not to give away any secrets but the blog candy prizes are extra nice, so stay tuned! This week she is giving away a card kit featuring the BRAND SPANKING NEW American Crafts Collection Shoreline.

Winning is soooooooo easy! Your name will be entered if you -

• comment on any of her posts during week



• post her giveaway on your blog and let her know by posting a comment with a link to your post on her blog



• and to make it even sweeter by participating in the weekly challenge your name will be entered twice, increasing your chances of winning.

So what are you waiting for, it is time to parrrrrrrrrrrrtay!!! Head on over to Mika's (JojoRenee's blog) for the fun!

At the end of the Rainbow & July Holiday List

I have been living in a major city most of my life so I am use to the fast pace and hustle that is the essence of city life. But I love when I get the chance to stop everything and enjoy God's creations like this rainbow that appeared recently. It is a rare thing to see in the city and created quite a buzz. My daughter works in a Supermarket and she said all of the customers were talking about it. It give me hope and is my inspiration for getting some crafty work done this weekend.

And since we are almost at the beginning of July here is your list of usual and not so usual holidays.
July 1 - Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day
July 3 - Stay out of the Sun Day
July 4 - Independence Day
July 5 - Workaholics Day
July 6 - National Fried Chicken Day
July 7 - Macaroni Day
July 9 - Rock n Roll Day
July 11 - Cheer Up the Lonely Day
July 12 - Pecan Pie Day
July 13 - National French Fries Day
July 14 - Cow Appreciation day
July 15 - I Love Horses Day
July 17 - National Ice Cream Day
July 20 - National Lollipop Day
July 24 - Parent's Day & Amelia Earhart Day
July 25 - Thread the Needle Day
July 28 - Milk Chocolate Day
July 30 - National Cheesecake Day

Have a great weekend blog family and stay cool!

Last Minute Lucy

I signed up for the June card challenge on Scrapbook.com this month and now 27 days later I am trying to catch up before the final deadline of June 29th. There are 8 themes and now I have completed four of them. The first card posted today is for the duct tape theme. That blue and white strip is actually some of the new decorated duct tape, can you believe that! I used embossing folders on the white card base and the black card stock. The butterfly was a raw chipboard shape I found in an assortment pack purchased from Michaels. I painted it white and added stickles for a little shimmer and a little strip of gray polka dot washi tape to finish it off. The sentiment is from a Papertrey Ink stamp set.

My second card for today is a Scraplift, another theme in the challenge. I used some pattern paper from my stash that I purchased from Oriental Trading a while ago. I was a little unhappy with the weight of the paper but I still like the patterns and it is good for card making. The stamped image and sentiment is from a MFT stamp set gifted to me by my bestie. I did a quick handmade flower and added some crinkle ribbon. I don't normally think about sewing on my cards but this is one time when I could envision some zig zag stitching around the edges, so maybe I will start giving it a try?

Flick of my Bic

So I am thinking in the interest of maximizing my time that during the week I can do cards or finish WIPs and on the weekends I can start new layouts. I don't know how long I can keep it up but last night I was able to make a card. I wanted to use a stamped image because I have a lot of really nice stamps that I have never used. These are Lizzie Anne Designs red rubber cling stamps. It has been a while since I have colored in an image. I only have a couple of copics, I have never really gotten into them but I do have a nice array of Bic colors. I love the look of blending colors. For this card I used three markers on the chair and three on the lamp. I think the paper is from Baisc Grey's Offbeat collection, I pulled it out of my pile of scraps so I am not 100% sure, lol.