Our Critters

Just sharing some layouts I did this weekend featuring some of the critters in our home. I still have soooo many more pet photos to scrap. The kids take lots of pics using my camera and of course they usually choose our pets as photo subjects.


Picture of Abbey's parakeet, Nikko with Sammy, Zach's guinea pig. They really do enjoy hanging out together, but Sammy recently did chew Nikko's tail off - no worries, Nikko is fine, and the tail feathers will grow back!


In our home, each child gets to choose a pet for their 8th birthday as long as it has feathers or fur - no reptiles or slimy things here people!! I did the frog thing once and that was enough. Of course, no more dogs at this time - two is enough and no cats - Trey is allergic. This leaves us with birds and rodents - I can handle that. Zach's guinea pig Sammy really is cute and boy has he grown since this picture was taken!!


And NO - Lafferty really isn't in the dog house!! Are you kidding me??!! He is like the best dog ever - SERIOUSLY!! I just got this little house in a kit and thought it would be cute. Wish I had a better story to give you, but I don't!! Now if it were Gulliver in the photo, I am sure I would have some stories to tell!!

Speaking of photos, I realize now as another month almost comes to a close, I have barely taken any photos so far this year. I mean, it's really sad. Or at least it makes me sad. I need to get on this!! For instance, I should have taken pictures of ALL THE SNOW WE GOT overnight!! Yes, that's right - MORE SNOW - ewe!! Or perhaps I should have gotten outside with the kids today and gotten a pic of the snowman they built in the front yard. May still be time for that, however, the sun is out and it may have already melted. Note to self: GO CHECK ON SNOWMAN!!

Anyhow, I mean to make amends with myself and start taking more photos starting right after I post this. TTFN...

It's Officially Spring

Yep, it's a little chilly out today, but officially, it's the First Day of Spring!! Well alrighty then! I keep looking for signs of my Spring flowers outside, but no such luck. Instead, I keep finding little holes dug in my flowerbeds. Something tells me Mr. Squirrel has been visiting and I will have NO Spring flowers! At least Mr. Squirrel is getting a good meal!

Just posting a few cards I made this past week. I've been trying to use up all the scraps of paper and such in a Studio Calico Kit I got back in January. I tell you, those scraps can really go a long way!!





Tonight my hubby is taking me out for dinner for my birthday, which is actually on Sunday, but Abbey has an synchro skate competition Sunday that we will be at most of the day. Saturday, I am celebrating my birthday with my BFF, Tracy - some much needed girl time for the both of us. I cannot wait!! I love having birthdays, on or near the weekend - then it becomes your birthday weekend!!

A Little of This and That

A little of this and that... that is what I am leaving you with today. Been finishing some projects up as of late and wanted to share. Sorry for the photos if they aren't that great. My good camera has a dead battery!! Just when I finally have little natural sunlight to take pics too!! I am using my back-up camera, which is just OK.

These LO's are some I did with the Studio Calico Jan. 09 Bibliography Kit and some extra October Afternoon Night Light Collection I had to get after playing with what came in the kit!!





Next is a card I made using a crackle technique I read about in Creating Keepsakes Mar. 09 Magazine (pg 111 in case you are interested). I played around a lot with this technique, but am not sure I ever got quite the same results pictured in the magazine. The technique involves using lots of embossing powder (UTEE) and Alcohol inks. I had fun making a mess over at my bff Tracy's house while doing this!! Sorry Tracy if Terry complained about having to vacuum up after me!! LOL!! Seriously, I did not make that big of a mess, but if you knew anything about Tracy's husband's obsession with vacuuming, you'd understand! LOL!! The little birdie stamp is from Hero Arts. The card itself is in the shape of a little purse with a ribbon strap. I traced a card my daughter got for her b-day to use as a template.


Finally, this is actually a project I completed awhile ago, but don't think I ever posted. The pages below are actually just a couple from an album I made to showcase my Mother's poetry and short stories. Shortly after my Mom passed away, I came upon a folder of old papers that Mom had held onto for many years. Among my sisters' and brother's old report cards, and some of my old art projects, I found a wealth of handwritten stories, poems and letters that appeared to be quite old. Indeed they were, for some dated back to my Mom's youth at the young age of fifteen. Written on tattered pieces of paper in penmanship that could be none other than my Mom's, were the thoughts, stories and poems my Mom adored to write. I knew my Mom had been quite a writer, though I had never really seen any of her work, other than a few poems around the holidays she would sometimes include in greeting cards. I decided to type up her poems and stories and put them in an album so that they could be shared with other family members and not forgotten.

If you are interested, I will try to share a few selections over the next few days, but this is one of my favorites. Mom wrote this poem about her Grandma Pricilla Bowman Buccholz (her Father's Mother). The picture though is actually of my Mom, Agnes (left), her sister, my Aunt Gladys (right) and their Mother, my Grandma Amy Buccholz, who I am named after. I used some of my own stash to make the album, but most of the papers and supplies came in a kit I purchased from The Scarlet Lime Kit Club (Mar. 08 Project Kit).

Bra Shopping...With your Daughter...

is STRESSFUL!!! Not that it is her first bra or anything, but jeesh - the styles - oh my - a little risque' for a tween!! I went to the stores her friends go to and the other Mom's said they go to also, but STILL!! Maybe I am just turning into a bore - not that I wear gramma panties and Platex Cross-Your-Heart bras (AS IF I'd even fill those out!!), but hmmmm... Let's just say it was an experience I will not forget. My baby is getting TOO OLD, TOO FAST!!

As far as my weekend update...I spent Friday night and ALL DAY Saturday having scrappy fun with mi chicas!! Didn't get tons accomplished, but had lots of fun chatting it up, eating Cricket's scrumptious cookies and brownies (ahem... hitting the gym here soon as I finish posting this!!), and restraining myself from shopping too much (darn @!!@@###@@@ BUDGET!!).

So here are a few LO's I finished. Will follow soon with the ones I am still finishing up. It's been oh so long since I have done any BOY LO's and about high time I have scrapped some of my little man Zach!! I stepped away from my norm a little - no flowers, no lace, no distressing, but still had oodles of fun with the bright colors and of course my fav. Kraft cardstock. When I found out Craft Fancy sells Bazzill Kraft paper in both 12 x 12 and 8 1/2 X 11 - I totally did my HAPPY DANCE and stocked UP!! OH JOY!!

The Weatherman Says...

meteorologically we are in Spring with the coldest, snowiest three months now behind us. Seriously??!! As I watch the snow flurries coming down and it is in the low 20's. Oh, but wait, the Weatherman also said we are in for a warm up - 40 degrees by the end of the week!! Hmmmm - somehow, 40 degrees just doesn't sound warm to me.

But, I listened to that Weatherman, and decided it was time to change up my blog header, in honor of Spring - meteorologically of course.

My family is still trying to get over this flu bug. Each one of us has had some sort of flu/cold thing going on over the past two weeks. NO FUN!! I am hoping we are on the tail end of it now. Now that I am feeling better, I plan to spend tomorrow cleaning, and set off a Lysol BOMB in my house - wouldn't it be nice if they really made one of those??!! GOODBYE GERMS!!

Here are a few cards I made over the weekend. Used a new little A Muse Stamp Set I got at Craft Fancy and some new American Craft Papers I picked up too. Liked the bright colors!