Day 63 - Chocolate Fountain

Today was "Stamp Camp" in Washington. The theme was Valentine's Day, so Carrie got a chocolate fountain and asked everyone to bring something that could be dipped! I took pretzel rods, which were all gone by the end of the day. There were Nutter Butter cookies, pieces of angel food cake, marshmallows, graham crackers, banana pieces, strawberries and fresh pineapple. Since I'm trying to eat more healthy, I only ate the fruit and 1 pretzel rod. But the pineapple was fabulous!
We made a great layout and 3 cards which I will take a picture of and post later in the week.

Day 62 - Back Porch Memories February Kit

This came in the mail today and I'm thrilled. It's Crate Paper die cuts and paper. Will definitely use all the stuff in this kit. Can't wait to play!!!

Day 61 - Susie on "Her" New Rug

We stopped at Menards this morning after work to pick up a new inside works for my bathroom toilet (the 2nd I've broken in a month). David saw these rugs for $1 and bought 2 of them because he knows Susie likes rugs. Well, guess this was a hit because she claimed it right away! He also put one in the craft room and she lays on it, also......

Day 60 - The "25th of" Album

This is an online class of a sort. We get prompts on the 24th of each month of pictures to take on the 25th and then are sent a layout idea to make. We take pictures of specific things and then scrapbook them once a month in this album. I have chosen to take pictures of:

1-Wake up clock
2-Bedtime clock
3-Breakfast
4-Lunch
5-Dinner
6-Out our front door
7-Out our back door
8-What I'm reading
9-What I'm DVRing
11-Gasoline prices
12-Website visited
13-Whatever is happening that day (which can be several pictures)

I missed a few months last year and am filling them in this year for that month. It's neat to see how the food I eat changes, how the gas prices have gone UP and DOWN, the different things I've read, and how the yard looks at different times of the year. All in all, I've enjoyed this project.

Day 59 - Tignanello Purse

My QVC order came today. It's a Tignanello Glove Leather Hobo purse. The colored is called "peridot" and I LOVE it. I have another Tignanello purse that is dark green that I got for Christmas over a year ago from my Aunt Georgia. Love their construction, the way they hold up and the styling. They always have a lot of compartments without being too big. This won't be my last one!

Day 58 - Scrapbook Page of Girls

This is a page I made on Saturday while scrappin' with the girls. It's of the 2 granddaughters, Trina and Autumn back in 2006. I pretty much let the paper dictate what I was going to do. It's the We R Memory Keepers "White Out" collection. I have 2 more of these "4-block" papers that are a little different in design and I really like them. The girls are playing next door at our neighbors when they spent a weekend with us.

Day 57 - Ironing

Today I spent ironing and doing laundry. I actually enjoy ironing, as I was brought up to iron and do it right. My father's first job when he married my mom was at a cleaners. He was very picky about his clothes and always ironed his own Post Office uniforms (he was a mail carrier). He's the one who taught me to iron. I now have a digital iron and love it. Tells me when it's the right temperature, tells me when it needs to be cleaned, shuts itself off if it isn't used in awhile....

Most of David's work shirts need ironing, as they are cotton. I usually iron enough for 2 weeks at work and then put the iron away for a few weeks. I know this is not what most people do now days, but it is enjoyable for me. Pop a good movie in the DVD player, get a cup of coffee and go to town.

Day 56 - Scrappin' with the Girls!

Today was our monthly scrapbook day with my girls. I will admit none of us, except for Rachel got a lot done. Kendra and I both only did 4 pages and I'm not sure about Trina. I think even Autumn, the 5 year old, did as many pages as Kendra and I! But we did have a lot of fun and conversation. I had veggies and dip for snacks. Kendra brought 3 dips, Onion-Onion, Garlic-Garlic and Bacon-Bacon. They were great on crackers and I really liked the Onion one mixed with the Bacon.....nice treat. For lunch I made goulash and Mexican bread. There was a little left over but not much. We set our next scrappin day up for the first Saturday in April, because the girls have a camping trip coming up in March and will be gone 2 weekends, plus some other stuff to do.

Day 55 - Mousepad and Magnets

I ordered this new mouse pad from Cafe Press because the old one I had was a freebie from the Post Office and extremely UGLY! Love this new one.....plus I also got 2 magnets.....

Day 54 - Magazines

Stopped by the Post Office on the way home and was pleasantly surprised with these three magazines. There was also a Sports Illustrated for David plus 2 catalogs. The box was full, needless to say. I am really looking forward to seeing this "blue" kitchen, as that is my favorite color and I love the way these cabinets look!

Day 53 - Scrapbooking on QVC

I knew Lisa was going to be on QVC from 6-8pm so I got up a little early to watch. I always love it when she's on there with David because they are such good friends and funny together. The product I took a picture of is the only thing I ordered. There are 18 prepackaged pages to put together. It makes it so easy when you are just wanting to get some pictures down and move on. Everything you need to make these are in baggies and they give you an instruction booklet....how easy is that.

Below are my older photos that I keep in my Grandma's old chest. Because of taking the Library of Memories class again, I've managed to get all these organized by year and everything is marked. I've even gotten one album that was a "magnetic" album undone so I can keep those pictures safe. I still have a couple more of those old, icky, unsafe albums to go through, but I'm on my way. Pictures from 1973 to the present day are completely ORGANIZED!!!

Day 52 - Susie Sleeping

This is Susie sleeping in the craft room window. I have a drawers sitting on my table and them a small 2-shelf unit sitting on top of that. When the sun is shinning, she loves to get up here and get EXTRA warm! Notice how I've put towels down for her....wouldn't want her to be uncomfortable, now would we!!!

Day 51 - Favorite BBQ Sauce

I had to run into Kroger today to pick up my "hormone patch" so I knew I could get more of Famous Dave's BBQ Sauce....the Sweet & Sassy kind. This is the ONLY BBQ sauce that I like. The others are cheaper, but you get what you pay for. Ever since going to Famous Dave's to eat, I haven't bought anything else and you can't get it where we usually shop. I bought 3 bottles to hold us over for awhile!

Day 50 - Capponi's Italian Restaurant

When David asked if I wanted chocolate for Valentine's Day, I already knew what my answer would be (I had been thinking about it for awhile). We have both been trying to eat healthier since the beginning of the year and I want to keep that up. I told him "I WANT chocolate, but I don't want you to buy me chocolate".....make sense?
Anyway, I told him I wanted to go out to eat on Sunday either at CJ's in Bloomington or Capponi's in Toluca. We took the drive to Toluca, which is about a half hour from our house headed north on I39. The food there is always fantastic. He had the special: salad, 1/2 baked chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans and roll. I had salad, baked gizzards, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, roll and side of spaghetti/tortallini....most of which came home with me for later. That way I get an extra meal for later!
We are always amazed at Capponi's because the town of Toluca is only 1,400 people; yet down the street 1 block, is Mona's Italian Restaurant, run and owned by the same people. And yet, both restaurants are booming and always packed. We usually go up there a couple times a year.

Day 49 - Valentine from a Friend

A good scrapbooking friend of mine, Karin, sends out cards for almost every holiday. She doesn't stamp a lot, but is a fantastic scrapbooker and makes her cards. It's always nice to see that envelope in the mailbox knowing it will be something wonderful from her. Thanks, Karin!!!

Day 48 - Ink Pad Storage

Just another shot of my scrapbook/stamp room. I bought this "cassette holder" to store all my Stampin' Up ink pads in (knowing they would fit from a post on another stamping message board). I love how it works. All the little drawers house my Sizzix alphabet dies, bigger Sizzix dies, Coluzzle, labeler, mini-alphabet stickers sorted by color, blank cards, glue gun and glue, chalks, stamping wheel handles and inks. These are things I use a lot and want next to my table. The little pink buckets (bought at Target in the $1 bin) hold my glues, Coluzzle knife, box cutters, pens and other such things. I like to keep the stuff I need close at hand.

Day 47 - Library of Memories Class

The "Library of Memories" class started today at BigPictureScrapbooking.com. I took this class last year and got a lot of it implemented, but stopped when they got to the memorabilia stuff. It was free to alumni this year, so I signed up again. I am trying to tweak my system a little and hoping to finish it all the way through. I'm updating some of the stuff with a few new ideas Stacy has and am looking forward to the next 4 months. Right now we are sorting photos and putting them in storage binders. I've got all my photos from 2002 through the present done and am thinking about doing older photos right now, but most them are sorted already and kept in the old chest in the living room. Nice to be caught up with this item!

Day 46 - Roast

Before leaving for work last night, I threw a roast, potatoes and carrots in the crock pot with some beef broth. When we got home this morning, it was ready for us!!! These are the leftovers. I shredded the beef and tomorrow we will have BBQ sandwiches. My friend, Carrie, is from Kentucky and says that's how they eat BBQ there. They just put the beef on the bread and pour on the sauce. We tried it and really like it this way. Already looking forward to tomorrow!

Day 45 - Grandma's China

This was my Grandma Canady's china (my dad's mom). She was born in 1899 and lived well into her 90's. Right after I got this, I got online and found a few more pieces to it so I would have enough to use.....however after all these years, I've never used it. Guess I'm afraid I'll break it. When I got my mother's china cabinet in 2005, I was finally able to put this on display. I really like the look of it.....the rest of it is in a box in the basement. But I just LOVE old stuff....especially when it has belonged to someone I loved.

Day 44 - Coffee & Chocolate Stamp Display

"This is where I store all my "coffee" and "chocolate" related stamps. I like to keep them out where I can see them.....because I love both and have an obsession, obviously! There are a few more, but they are with "sets" that I don't want to break up.

Day 43 - Handmade Baskets

Back in the 90's, I took several basket weaving classes. These are just a few of the baskets I made, some were given away as gifts. And I have a few more around the house.
Left to right: This is kept in the family room and we keep DVD's we're watching in it. Next, the red and green basket is called a "jingle bell" basket. In the bottom there is a little inverted woven cup that is full of....what else....jingle bells. When you pick it up, it "jingles". It hangs on my basket tree in the living room with the rest of my Christmas baskets. Little one in front is based on a drum and was probably the hardest to weave because of its size. It sits on a side table in the family room (that Uncle Joe made) with some other small baskets. Next to it is the little "tulip" basket because it's supposed to look like it has flowers on it. It sits on the sink in our guest bathroom. The last one in the back hangs from one of the metal hooks (that Uncle Joe also made me) from the beams in the living room.
I really enjoyed weaving these, but the lady that taught quit to do some other things and I never managed to keep it up on my own. I'm better with hands-on learning than I am reading directions from a book.

Day 42 - Susie in a Tub

Mom bought us 2 of these tubs to put in the back of the SUV so things won't slide around and to carry shopping items into the house. She ordered them from QVC and we always say they are the best present she ever bought us. They fold down and snap in place on both ends. They wear and wear, as we've had them for SEVERAL years and they are still like new. Anyway, anytime we bring them into the house with stuff in them, unload the stuff, Susie then takes over and marks them as her own. She loves that she can see out 2 sides, plus she likes to chase her tail in them because when she falls over she doesn't go far. Silly Cat!!!

Day 41 - New Charm

Was looking around on etsy.com one day and saw they had charms. Found this place that makes them from Scrabble tiles. Thought this was a great idea and am always looking for new charms. This definitely turned out great. Might order one for my daughter's bracelet next. Glad I checked the mail box today! If you are interested in their stuff, their address is :
http://www.homestudio.etsy.com Great stuff!!!

Day 40 - Antique Storage

I found this at the antique mall in ElPaso. I'd been looking but figured I'd never find an old one....this one was in perfect condition. Before I was storing these in a box, so they never got used because I would forget about them. I do use them more now. And I like the look of this sitting on my scrapbook table.

Day 39 - Punch Storage

This is my storage for my punches, except the circle ones (which I keep right at my scrapbook table). I just love the hardware store for storage items, of which I have several. The 9 drawers on top of the small punch storage unit hold my "pigment inks" seperated by color. The books in the middle are idea books that I use often.

Day 38 - Scrapbooking

This is the page we made at "stamp camp" on Saturday. I just brought it home and added some pictures to it today. Easy, easy, easy! I did actually add the letter stickers, but the word "winter" was already there. I like pages like this because it helps me get more pages done quickly. Now it's off to "sleep all-day Tuesday"!!!!!

Day 37 - Trina is 16!!!

When the girls came over for our monthly scrapbooking session, Trina wrote the "YAY!! WOOO!! on our calendar. Can't believe she's 16 already. She got a new cell phone for her birthday, they are going out to eat tonight at Carlos O'Kelley's (Rachel, too). Plus they are making her favorite lunch at school today....one perk of having your mom being the baker at school!

Day 36 - Super Bowl XLIII

Stayed up and watched the game....just sorry that Arizona Cardinals ended up losing. But the ending was exciting to watch. David has all the pro mini-helmets, so he always puts the playing teams on the TV while we watch. Made BBQ ribs in the roaster over (cooked for 5 hours so they were tender) and Mexican Bread, which was to die for.