Full Circle

Ironically, the very first layout I ever did for Cosmo as a finalist last year was with Halfway Cafe. It's still one of my favorite papers for summer. 

Summer Layout

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Halfway Cafe Patterned paper: ; plus Bazzil black cardstock, American crafts Typo thickers, Heidi Swapp Stars, Prima glitter stars (red).

Instructions: This one is pretty self explanatory, the text is via the computer.

This is my last layout for Cosmo Cricket. It probably won't be my last layout with Cosmo Cricket. :) I still love everything they think up. I told you Laura is on vacation until Sept with A Kiss on the Chic. That travel kit sold out in 10 mins last night, that's insane. I don't know or understand what goes on over there when the kits are released. It was a great price for all that stuff though. 

Hmm, other updates? Scribble Scrabble should have a new CHA release. I am anxiously awaiting the sneak peeks of that. I loved Cynthia's last release, it was beautiful. Really looking forward to it. This month I hope to do some projects that I've always wanted to do, but haven't had the time. Some with Basic Grey and the Studio Calico kits. Looking forward to more summer fun, more summer pictures. I have a new dishwasher, life is good. :) Well, until I break the Blackberry anyway. :)

I think this quote from the song Closing time sums it up: Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end. Happy Tuesday! Until tomorrow.

Nothing good can come of this

Oh boy:

**Also known as the explanation as to why someone who is accident prone ended up with a Blackberry Storm. Because I am certain explanation will in fact be needed. I give the shelf life of this in my possession about 2 months tops. 

Let me explain. No, let me sum up. It's a long story. Let's just start in the middle.  I thought my dh needed this phone for work. It turns out he didn't. The box had been torn apart by the store to get the rebate. Therefore, I am stuck with it. And every moment it is in my possession I am on edge, literally.

I subscribe to the Buddha theory that the glass is already half shattered. Which is why I am most comfortable in my old shoes, an old but well maintained car, with my cheap, free-with-the-plan phone. (Yes, the frumpie monster swallowed me whole, let's move on shall we?) When they die and go onto a better place, I can let them go. They've lived a full and ample life. Not so with brand new things. I will mourn what could have been with big crocodile tears.

I also believe the cheap sunglasses theory encompasses cell phones as well. I've had my cheapie phone forever. The phone that went in the baby pool, took a lickin' and is still ticking! If I so much as fart with the Storm in my back pocket, I'm pretty sure it's toast. The phone is presently still in the box, turned off on my counter. So, if you are trying to call my cell phone, good luck with that. :)

Wanted to show you a sneak peek of the AKOTC travel kit available on Laura's blog tonight at 8 pm PST. A very limited quantity is being offered, only 24. Lots of vintage one of a kind finds in here. So if it sounds like something you are interested in, check out more on Laura's blog today. Due to the limited quantity, the Design team didn't make layouts this month. We won't be doing any next month either since Laura will be in Europe. 

Happy Monday to you, and you and you! Until tomorrow.

Kids today

J and I were at the playground after dinner tonight. We have been outside all day, and we are both exhausted. I was sitting on the platform for the slide while J ran around, trying to out-run the tired. Two little girls with their grandparents came to the playground. J immediately began running around with the younger of the two. The older one, about 6, sat next to me. 

Little girl: "Do you know Mario Kart Wii?"

Me: "You mean the game Mario Brothers?"

Her Grandmother: "Is that what she is talking about? I can't understand a word she says."

Little girl: "You know Mario?"

Me: "Yep, I remember Mario."

Little girl: "I'm Peach."

Me: "Is that the princess?"

Little girl: "Yes, I get to be Princess peach."

Me: "Wow, you know back in my day we could only be Mario. We played on Nintendo, the regular one, not the box."

Little girl: "Back in the olden days?"

(Grandparents snicker)

Me: (Clearly flustered) "No, NOT the olden days. Just back, in the day. Not olden, not old. Dude."

Kids today, I don't know about this next generation. Speaking of which, my cousin Andrea is graduating from high school and I made her this card with Cosmo's Everafter:

Beautiful Card

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Everafter Patterned paper: Something old, Something new, Something Borrowed; Cosmo Cricket Everafter Rub-ons; plus white bazzil cardstock, kaiser craft pearls and Martha Stewart Butterfly punch.

Instructions: Frame white cardstock with gray, yellow patterned and then yellow paper. Apply rub-on. Punch butterflies-on from dark gray paper and one from the striped paper. Put gray one down as a "shadow" and add the yellow on top, folding the wings slightly. Apply pearls.

Happy weekend to you! Until tomorrow, have a great one!

Driving-by, again

This is week I am just overwhelmed, can't get my act together, buried in paperwork, housework and CME (continuing medical education) deadlines. And yet, all I seem to be doing is playing with J in the baby pool. Like that will help! Here is a quick one for today with Cosmo's Everafter:

My Sunshine Layout

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Everafter Patterned paper: Something old, Something new; Cosmo Cricket Everafter Ready, set, Chipboard; plus American Crafts thickers: patchwork black and yellow lullaby, gray bazzil cardstock and butterfly-unknown.

Instructions: Add journaling via computer and set aside. Cut patterned paper and adhere as shown. Adhere title thickers, photo, flower embellishment, journaling and butterfly.

Sorry about the shadows, the morning sun today was a little harsh. Happy Thursday (is it really Thursday?)! Until tomorrow.

The Chicken or the Egg?

Honestly, I don't know which one came first. I kind of worked on them both at the same time. This is essentially a drive-by, hi!

Oceans Card

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Patterned paper: School's out and Carbonation; Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Ready, set, chipboard; plus white Bazzil cardstock 4 x 6.

Instructions: Add text via computer. You could use rub-ons if you wished. Cut patterned paper as shown. Adhere chipboard.

Lil Phish Layout

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Patterned paper: School's out and Carbonation ; Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Ready, set, chipboard; Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Rub-ons; plus American crafts thickers Typo and Rockabye and white and cream Bazzil cardstock.

Instructions: Print text via computer, cut into strips and set aside. Cut patterned paper as shown. Add thickers and chipboard as seen. Add Snorkel rub-ons to the chipboard boarder. Add photos and journaling last, adhere.

J and I got some little plastic fish so he is itching to use them in the pool this afternoon. Happy Wednesday, until tomorrow. I'll be adding new stuff for the next few days, clearing off my desk.

Playing Favorites

At last count I did over 120 projects for Cosmo this past year. Here are some of my favorites:

Good luck if you decide to audition. I've had a wonderful year. I'll be back tomorrow with new stuff. I don't have time to photograph it today. Happy Tuesday, Until tomorrow.

Weekend Drive-by

A card for my dh. I went to Borders to buy one, and they were all out! Yikes!

Always Card

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Patterned paper: Ribbon Sandwich, Brunch, Farmer's Market, Apron Strings, Sunrise, Cherry Pie; plus brown and white bazzil cardstock, Kaiser craft and Basic grey pearls, and Chatterbox rub-ons (Everything from the Studio Calico June kit Soda fountain/rootbeer float add-on).

Instructions: Mat Ribbon Sandwich paper on white 6 x 6 card.  Punch heart shape from each paper with Martha Stewart heart punch. Apply rub-ons and pearls. Super easy.

I've already eaten Chipotle twice this week. I tell myself it is because I don't want to do dishes, since I have no dishwasher. But the truth is, I just want (*need*) the guacamole. I even made a batch of my own, I have 3 stained shirts to prove it. :) I think I'm starting to feel better. Happy weekend to you. Until tomorrow.

Desiderata

I haven't been a good blogger these past few days. There have been too many things going on that I haven't been able to drown out the noise and find my inner peace and quiet. It looked very likely that my sister might go in the hospital this weekend. Thankfully, at my insistence, she and my mom completed a work up as an outpatient and she was able to be at home. She had a CT scan Thursday evening, and although we were worried she might have adhesions (complications from her surgery) she instead has a massive Crohn's disease flare-up. Probably stress induced. She is being treated with prednisone (a blessing and a curse).

And when my phone doesn't ring about her, it rings from the rental company, the appliance repairman, and/or the contractors about the dishwasher flood of '09 (what I'm calling it) or my real estate agent, my new BFF. And I could go on and on, but truthfully that's the reason I haven't blogged. I don't really want to think about everything that's upsetting me. This is a low point, and it's up from here. 

This is a poem I was given as a physician assistant student, in the middle of my internships by one of my teachers. I've always loved it. I hope someday I can buy a really expensive copy of it and put it in my office, along with the painting "The Physician". It's called Desiderata by Max Ehrmann:

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, 
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender, 
be on good terms with all persons. 
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; 
and listen to others, 
even to the dull and the ignorant; 
they too have their story. 
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; 
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, 
you may become vain or bitter, 
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. 
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. 
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; 
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, 
for the world is full of trickery. 
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; 
many persons strive for high ideals, 
and everywhere life is full of heroism. 
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. 
Neither be cynical about love, 
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, 
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years, 
gracefully surrendering the things of youth. 
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. 
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. 
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, 
be gentle with yourself. 
You are a child of the universe 
no less than the trees and the stars; 
you have a right to be here. 
And whether or not it is clear to you, 
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, 
whatever you conceive Him to be. 
And whatever your labors and aspirations, 
in the noisy confusion of life, 
keep peace in your soul. 

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, 
it is still a beautiful world. 
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

My favorite part is "And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should." Because it is, I have faith. What I'm struggling with is focus, so many fires to put out. Feeling like I'd like to do something scrappy to help me relax. Happy weekend to you. Until tomorrow. 

A long day, always

Yesterday after J woke up from his nap we decided to go outside and play with sidewalk chalk and bubbles. That's a good time right? I was happily taking pictures:

When a bunch of neighborhood kids (much older) came riding by on their bikes. Of course, this makes my kid want his tricycle. No big deal, I opened the garage to get the bike. That's when I saw it, the ceiling in the garage was leaking water, had a huge water stain that was growing mold, and the ceiling looked like it was very close to buckling and coming down. Water is pouring out of the light fixture in the middle of the ceiling. And I'm cursing because this is so not a good time. I almost never go in the garage except to take the trash out. And I don't even turn the light on to do that so I have no idea how long this has been going on. I ran to shut the dishwasher off, what I think is the leak. Nothing under the leak has water damage, dh's weights are a little more rusty but otherwise we were lucky.

The rental company is not so lucky. They are going to be replacing a kitchen floor, and garage ceiling, as well as buying a new dishwasher. I did warn them on several of their inspection visits that the dishwasher was not acting appropriately, not getting things clean and leaving water in the bottom. They didn't listen. But, it's us that will suffer here while they renovate the kitchen. While I do dish washing by hand for what is looking like several weeks at least. I am so not happy. One more reason to move. Had I not gone into the garage at that exact moment, I probably would not have known until I fell threw the floor. 

Sorry for the long post, I'm getting there I promise. :) My project today is something that is very functional. It's a food journal. My sister has Crohn's disease and in the last few weeks she has not been doing well. She is very tired, falls asleep on the couch after work and is having some pain. She is being started on some vitamins (B12 and folate) that she is deficient in which should help with the fatigue. 

When I was with her 2 weeks ago at the her doctor's, she was told to start keeping a food diary to see what helps and hurts her symptoms. In her particular case, I believe she is probably in a flare-up and this is a mute point. However, it certainly couldn't hurt anything. So she went into Border's bookstore while I changed J's diaper. When we met up again she was empty handed. I asked her why she didn't get a journal and she said they were all too expensive. I told her I would make her one. Here it is with Cosmo cricket's Early bird:

Food journal

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Patterned paper: Ribbon Sandwich; Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Borders; Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Elements; Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Ready, set, chipboard; Cosmo Cricket Mr. Campy Ribbon; plus Studio Calico Stamps and Van Dyke brown ink.

Instructions: Album was purchased for about $1 at Michael's. It is covered in patterned paper. The vertical strips are from the Cosmo's borders paper. I cut the journaling tag from Cosmo's Elements paper, printed the title and added the chipboard stickers. I poked holes and added Mr. Campy's Ribbon (I also checked some others and lots of the Cosmo ribbon from other lines: Everafter (blue), Get Happy (blue and green/tan), Fleuriste (yellow) would have worked here; also the blue ribbon in Studio Calico's Soda Fountain would have worked as well.) 

This is where it gets tricky. Since I had so much stamping to do on the inside pages, I realized very quickly that my ink was bleeding threw. I threw away the inner kraft pages the album came with. I cut my own paper (cream) and stamped them separately so that they could dry in between stamping. I used a hole punch to add back the holes. I secured it with ribbon as shown. 

My sister is under a lot of stress, please pray for her. Her dh, an officer in the National Guard, just got called up to to Iraq at the end of the year. I think that is what has thrown her into the flare-up. But, I think she will use this little journal to record the food she eats on the right and her reaction/how she feels that day on the left. It's not very long, but most people don't keep one for longer than a month. I stamped her some refill pages just in case. I got my money's worth out of the stamps, that's for sure! Would make a good gift for anyone struggling with food/digestive or allergy issues. Or even a new Mom trying to figure out a child's food allergy. Happy Wednesday, until tomorrow.

Driving-by

On our way to the store, I'm so late today! A quick one about J's shoes, how I love them. I love that sticker on the bottom too, reminds me of something Winnie the pooh would say:

Winnie the Pooh Layout

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Honey Pie Patterned paper Megan; Cosmo Cricket Girl Friday Patterned paper: Wednesday, Tuesday; plus Studio Calico Stamps (title), October afternoon stickers, Staples paperclip, Lilybee Rub-ons, EK Success Binding punch and Pink paislee Captivating alphas (the). (All supplies from various Studio Calico kits/add-ons)

Instructions: Print text on background paper. Cut accent papers, punch the edge of one. (Do this first, don't adhere everything and then do it-the binding punch takes quite a bit out of the edge.) Adhere accent paper and photo. Stamp title, adhere rub-ons and stickers. Pretty simple.

Happy Tuesday to you! Until tomorrow, have a good one!

Everything changes

This weekend we got J's hair cut. This is an old picture from around 1 year of age. Ironically, the picture was from his first hair cut and he did great.
All the other subsequent haircuts from that point on have been torture for him and me. Screaming, crying and general freaking out (his) was what I could expect when his hair grew too long. I dreaded getting it cut, I really did. It got to the point where I would have to sit in the chair and hold him, getting covered in hair right along with him.

Yesterday, it was all different. He sat in the chair like a big boy. He sat still the entire time the lady at Cartoon cuts worked on his head. It's the best haircut he has ever had because he actually sat still. He watched the movie Cars in the chair. He was so good I was close to tears because I felt like someone should cry there, it was tradition after all. 

It was so thrilling to see him shine in public like that. I'm so used to saying to strangers in an apologetic tone "he's two' on my way out of a store as he is throwing a fit. Today, I excitedly turned to strangers in the haircutting place and said, "He's two!" with a grin on my face. Gosh, I was proud. So proud of him. 

He's come a long way, and it hasn't been easy for him. His language delay set him up for all kinds of tantrum/frustrated behavior. He is so much better now that he can talk. He's been released from the Speech/therapist program, he adds to his vocabulary every day and is starting to talk in small sentences. I think that some of the program's diagnoses were premature, but only time will tell. He only had 1 therapy session total, the program has some serious flaws in my opinion. The most serious being that it took 4 months from the beginning of assessment to seeing an actual speech therapist. Children change remarkably in that time, thankfully J did. He was normal, just frustrated from being unable to communicate. 

A moment that took my breath away, and me without my camera. C'est la vie. Happy Monday! Until tomorrow.

A Cracked Rear View

You probably don't want to pull up next to me in traffic with the windows down. I'm sort of a musical schizophrenic. I like a lot of different kinds music. All that matters to me is that the hook is catchy. I love country, alternative, soul, jazz, pop, and rap. Especially Nelly. Hey it must be the money?! 

Lately, I'm loving (sorry Hootie, I'm going to slaughter it) Darius Rucker. Is he all that's left of Hootie? Am I being too personal if I ask what happened to the Blowfish? (I'm so curious!) Anyway, this layout was born from a song I heard on the radio that I couldn't get out of my head. It turned into a sort of mantra for me, something to get me through the tough moments. Something that ended up revealing such a different perspective to me than I had originally anticipated.

For Long Layout

Supplies: Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Patterned paper: Ribbon Sandwich and Apron Strings; Cosmo Cricket Early Bird Ready, Set Chipboard; plus Bazzill Kraft cardstock, K&Company Que Sera Gems, Red paperclip Staples, Basic grey chocolate alphas and 2peas stitching.

This is the longest title I have ever used on a page, and subsequently, that makes this the messiest page I have ever done because the title is so huge! 

The song just kills me when I hear it. So much of what we wish away, the messes, the clingy-ness and the tantrums, Is the childhood with our kids. It's so hard, I don't want to change diapers forever so I do want him to grow up. But at the same time, the things that aggravate me about this age are also the things that make it magical. And special. And perfect.

Consequently, I'm holding on way too tightly to these baby clothes because of the memories there. Even the yellow stained onsies. Maybe I just need more time? I don't know. Happy Friday to you! Until tomorrow.

Driving by

Busy packing up some of J's baby clothes, debating whether a garage sale to get rid of baby stuff is worth the time and effort or if I should just give it to charity. I got the new Studio Calico June kit yesterday and I finished this one right before the UPS man ran the door bell: 

Everything from the Studio Calico May Playground kit. Happy Wednesday! Until tomorrow.

Phish

I'm home now, got in yesterday afternoon. Typing under a pile of laundry. We just went to the food store this morning, so I'm feeling like we are about back to status quo. It's been raining this morning, but I'm hoping it clears up this afternoon. I promised J we could wash the car. We don't do a big through job or anything, he just likes to spray the water. It's something different from the baby pool.

I feel like we crammed 8 days of a vacation into about 4. We had bad weather almost the entire time. It started raining on our drive there. It continued until the day before we left. It was beautiful right before we got in the car to go home. Isn't that always the way? :) We went shopping on Friday. We went to the beach on Saturday but it started raining and we went to the Aquarium instead. We went to an area on the sound side on Sunday, that's the only day J got to swim. What a little fish (his word phish) though! We had a good time regardless.

Don't worry, that's just the way the sound water looks, it's not polluted or muddy or anything. :) Nags Head, the beach, is actually very rough. It's not some place to take very young children because the riptide is horrible. Several small children drown there every summer, in  the blink of an eye they go in the water and the current grabs them before the parents have any idea. It's very frightening. So, until J is a proficient swimmer (and even then!) we will stay to the sound side. 

I haven't had time to do any scrapping yet, but I did upload the photos and edit a few last night. I feel like I have tons and tons of photos at the moment. To answer a question that was emailed to me, I'm not a professional photographer. I don't book photo shoots or weddings or anything. I just take pictures of my friends and family. I don't want to do that for a living, I think it would take away some of the joy of it for me. Too much pressure. I know, I say this as someone who saves lives for a living. It always cracks me up though, people are willing to pay for my photos, but they want the medical advice for free. :) 

Well, I do want to try to scrap something during this nap time, so I guess I should go. After being off the computer for a while, it's like everything is new again! Happy Tuesday! Until tomorrow.

Beach Photography

Some of my favorites, in no particular order:

 

Hoping to make some new memories with J this weekend. You know, every time dh and I are here we talk about buying/building a beach house. And then we drive a few miles away and the magic spell wears off and we start to think about such realities as hurricane insurance. My Dad and other locals are convinced that the Outer Banks has made a pact with the devil, it is long over due for a devastating, landscape altering and life changing hurricane. Yet, somehow they escape it every year as they have for the past 50+ years. Spooky. Happy weekend to you! Until tomorrow.