Resolutions!

I am not great on resolutions and haven't made any for the last couple of years. However, I have run across a lot of interesting ideas the last couple of days, which have made me sit here and ponder. A ton of people are taking "a photo a day", and my love for photography grows and grows everyday. So why not. . . .I am goin to take a photo everyday, capturing my life in 2009. But for those of you who know me well. . . . my life is very very busy- commuting 130 miles round-trip per day, a job, my sweet husband Bob, a puppy Jager, and all of the everyday things that we are all faced with. I am not already making excuses, as I will take a picture everyday, but as far as posting on my blog, I will try my best! My husband thinks this is a great idea also, and he plans on joining me in the fun! So we will be the camera packin' couple this next year! Heres to 2009!

Here is my list of GOALS for 2008:
1. Take one photo each day. Doesn't have to be grand or exotic - it just has to be.
2. Submit layouts for challenges and contests.
3. Make time to get in my scraproom at least once a week.

Merry Christmas!

For Christmas this year I was very spoiled! My husband and parents both got me photo editing programs. Which I cant wait to get to use. Adobe Photshop Elements is suppose to be the best, however I dont find it to be easy to use for quick editing to photos. So I am goin to try Corel Paint Shop Pro and give it a whirl. Also I am stocked up with reading material. My parents got me subscriptions to 2 Photo Magazines. Cant wait to read up on new fun ideas!

Sketches

I am a sketcher! Not always. . . . .but most of the time I like to sketch out what my ideas and plans are for the project that I am currently working on. Whether it be a card, scrapbook page or just a fun project it just makes it so so easy if you already have a sketch planned. I have several favorite sketch books out there. Becky Higgins is one of my all time favorites. She has a couple sketch magazines and a book. Which I have all of. She also has sketches in Creating Keepsakes Magazine. My next favorite is Becky Fleck who has a book called Page Maps which I love. And the best part about B Fleck is that she is from Columbus Montana. How cool is that!!! I love checking both of their blogs for inspiration and ideas. There is definitely some talented scrapbookers out there and I hope to someday have enough time to get some of my work published. Its going to be a goal of mine to really work on for 2009, along with keeping you all up to date on my blog with my current projects! Below I am posting a sketch from Becky Flecks Blog along with a picture of her sketch book. If you don't have it, I would strongly recommend it. I got mine at Barnes & Noble. Happy Scrapping!

Installing a husband!

I came across this in blog land and I thought it was so funny! I am lucky though, my husband is the best!!! But some of you others might be able to relate. I just HAD to share it ..... Here it is:

INSTALLING A HUSBAND

Dear Tech Support,

Last year I upgraded from Boyfriend 5.0 to Husband 1.0 and noticed a distinct slow down in overall system performance, particularly in the flower and jewelry applications, which operated flawlessly under Boyfriend 5.0. In addition, Husband 1.0 uninstalled many other valuable programs, such as Romance 9.5 and Personal Attention 6.5, and then installed undesirable programs such as NBA 5.0,NFL 3.0 andGolf Clubs 4.1. Conversation 8.0 no longer runs, and Housecleaning 2.6 simply crashes the system. Please note that I have tried running Nagging 5.3 to fix these problems, but to no avail.What can I do?

Signed, Desperate

*******************************

DEAR DESPERATE,

First, keep in mind, Boyfriend 5.0 is an Entertainment Package, while Husband 1.0 is an operating system. Please enter command: ithoughtyoulovedme.html and try to download Tears 6.2 also, don't forget to install the Guilt 3.0 update. If that application works as designed, Husband1.0 should then automatically run the applications Jewelry 2.0 and Flowers 3.5.However, remember, overuse of the above application can cause Husband 1.0 to default to Grumpy Silence 2.5, Happy Hour 7.0 or Beer 6.1. Please note that Beer 6. 1 is a very bad program that will download the Farting and Snoring Loudly Beta. Whatever you do, DO NOT under any circumstances install Mother-In-Law 1.0 (it runs a virus in the background that will eventually seize control of all your system resources.) In addition, please do not attempt to reinstall the Boyfriend 5.0 program. These are unsupported applications and will crash Husband 1.0.In summary, Husband 1.0 is a great program, but it does have limited memory and cannot learn new applications quickly. You might consider buying additional software to improve memory & performance. We recommend: Cooking 3.0 and Hot Lingerie 7.7.

Good Luck Babe! Tech Support

Blog-itis

Holy cow I haven't posted in a while on my crafty blog! And its not because I haven't done anything. I have several projects that need posting. The above picture is a class that I recently took- about recording and recalling stories for scrapbooking, blogging, journaling, etc. The class ended up with a surprise and ended up going an extra week. It was great and I still have some homework that I would like to finish up. I will post pictures of the album I made in a couple days. Also to explain**Blog-itis**** I just made up this term. I think I have been out in Blog land and have ended up with this condition. I seem to start by thinking about updating my/our blogs, and somehow I end up blog hopping around to many other fun blogs. So it seems I am fully addicted and have blog-itis!!!! Oh I also need to update my favorites. I have found some great scrapbooking blogs out there while I have been searching around and would love to share!

Hunting

Here are some pictures that I took in the Mtns. while I went along with my husband hunting. We were hunting for Elk and didnt see anything but Elk poop. But I guess it was at least a sign of them. Tomorrow he is going huntin with my dad and Brother in law. Hope they have more luck than we did.

Happy Halloween

This is a Frankenstein Halloween bucket that I made for my niece Lyla for trick or treating. She was on a sugar high and had the largest smile the entire night! She filled it to the rim with candy. The other picture is a hersheys candy bar, wrapped as a mummy that I made for the rest of my family. Hope you all had a spooktackular day!

Birth Announcements

Choice #1

This is an inside view:

Choice #2
Inside view of this one:

Choice #3

Choice #4

These are some samples of Birth/Baby Announcements that I recently made for a gal in Denver who is expecting a baby boy. She wanted me to design them for her. I designed 4 choices for her. I hope she likes them!

Sunset

This was on my way home last night. In the background is Big Baldy, and it is covered with snow. This Mtn. was also in the background of where we got engaged, and also when we got married in June. It also still had snow then too!

Love being the Best Aunt

This Friday I got to watch my sweet niece Lyla. My sister Jen & Lea were pouring concrete for their home, and Aunt Me Me got to hang out with Lyla. You can check out their blog to see the progress! Pretty Cool! Being an Aunt brings me so much Joy! She is such a happy kid and loves her "tookies". Love that little Lyla pants.

Card Swap

I recently got these cards done at the Scrapbook Retreat at MOMS (Mountains of Memories Scrapbook Store in Great Falls) for the Card Swap that I am currently in. Finally got a little time to work on them. This time the technique was: Ribbon & Glimmer Mist. I glimmer misted the tag with the saying: "May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to make you happy". This stamp is a CTMH (Close To My Heart) set. It was the Sept. Stamp of the Month. I'm fairly happy with how they turned out.

Deal or No Deal!!!

I love this game!!! Tonight at the retreat the Quickutz rep- Dan was there playing some games with all of us girls. My name was the last name to be picked for the night. I picked lucky envelope NO. 7, and I kept it to the end. Thru all the calls to the banker for deals, I just kept going with the big prize in mind - a $300 Quickutz shopping spree. And low and behold, I had it in my lucky envelope! Wooo Hoooo. . . . . . so I got to pick my prize. So Dan showed me the Silhouette and it was valued at $370 dollars and said if I wanted it, that it was mine! So of course I said "Deal!!!!!" So I ended up with a 370 dollar prize, a definete Wooooo Hooooo. I am so excited, and cant wait to see what I design with it!

My Handsome Husband!

Well I just wanted to post a picture of my handsome husband after his "presentation on: Snow bands". I took this picture on the Billings rims and the colors are changing in the back ground. Jager was also along and stayed the nights at a boarding place since where the conference was held wouldnt allow pets. But I got to spend the days with her! Also we were going to come home Friday, but the first snow storm of the season was on its way and Bobs boss suggested that everyone leave Thurs evening. So on the way back to G Falls, we stopped a couple places so I could take some pictures. Tomorrow is a weekend retreat at our local scrapbook store here in G Falls and I am looking forward in getting some stuff done. Hopefully I will get some things done so I can post picts. . . . until then!

Billings

This week was great. . . . . . . My husband had a Meteorology conference in Billings, so I came along to catch up with friends, go shopping, and of course to check out the local scrapbook stores in the area. Above is what I purchased at "Sisters". Its such a cute store with so many fun items. They had a tons of cute ribbons, so I stocked up. Below is "Scrapbook Legacies" also another great store. They have great displays and get you full of inspiration and ideas! Also while I was there I was asked to be a guest designer in January! I am so very excited, I cant wait! Hope my husband has another conference soon. . . . wouldnt matter where, as long as they have scrapbook stores in the area!

Recent Picts

Just some recent picts I've been wanting to take. . . . . . I love black and white!

Jager

Here is a pict of our adorable puppy Jager with my husband Bob and I! We are really enjoying the heck out of her.

My Passion!

Well today is the day to start a blog! Scrapbooking is a hobby that I have a passion and love for! I have been scrapbooking since highschool . . . . . . . so I guess since I have been out since 99, that means I have been into this for about 12 years! Hard to believe it has been that long. I recently became a Close To My Heart consultant for a little something extra. I am hoping to update my blog with completed projects and ideas to share with all. Also a great place to keep everyone posted on whats going on in my world!

Tomorrow my husband and I will be picking up our new weimeraner puppy "Jager"!! I am so very excited. A little addition to our family. . . . and I will posted picts soon!