the yoyo effect . . .

hooray . . . my taxes are ready to be picked up
boo hiss . . . I owe my soul to the company store
hooray . . . that means I am solvent
hooray . . . my Digi In Deep (DID) class with Jessica Sprague started
today
boo hiss . . . I am over whelmed at the lessons to be learned
hooray . . . what glorious things she is teaching
hooray . . . class lasts 4 wonderful weeks
boo hiss . . . class only lasts 4 weeks
hooray . . . my photography class starts today
boo hiss . . . where am I going to find the time
hooray . . . I will make time
hooray . . . Ninja is a happy healthy kitten
boo hiss . . . I picked up the broken glass from the flower vase that mysteriously crashed
hooray . . . for inquisitive kittens.
hooray . . . I am so glad these are the only things with which I am struggling. What a blessing
today is!!!

just playing . . .

I discovered these really neat grids by Katie Pertiet and was having fun snuggled next to Frank while he watched some kind of ball game. What season is this? Basketball? I wonder how many marriages have been saved by the invention of laptops?

digi gone bad . . .

even with a lesson spelled out in front of me . . . I can make a mess. I discovered this morning by checking out Susan's beautiful blog, that I had missed an entire segment of one of Jessica's tutorials. ACK!! So off I dove, into the deep end to try my hand at a polygonal cropped photo block. I think I should have grabbed a life vest first. I got all the way through . . . set up a background and realized I had not returned the center photo back to full opacity . . . major oops. I also forgot to set the stroke selection to inside . . . another oops . . . forging ahead this was the result. At least I am learning . . . . that's my story and I'm sticking to it.



Credits: Paper and grid by Katie Pertiet, Font: Imprint MT Shadow

more. . .

Credits: Paper by Jessica Sprague, Swirls by Mary Ann Wise, Alpha by Katie Pertiet, Hearts Frame by Jason Gaylor, Stamp Frame by Lindsay Jane Designs

and so it goes . . .

you know how sometimes one thing leads to another and then another and it all starts to snowball until it's huge? Frank is feeling the effects of the new fridge. He is not happy. He is so not happy he is escaping to work for the next three days. Snort!

It all started off innocently enough. I mean all our other appliances were black . . . now the new fridge is black. And I have had this thing for a black and white kitchen ever since we checked out the new Martha Stewart home here in town. So with all black appliances and not being able, right now, to flip for a total cabinet redo, the most feasible thought was to repaint the kitchen. He offered. It was his big mouth. So yesterday and today, he's been painting the kitchen WHITE. Hooray. I love it. Lord knows, I hated the old color. It was a cross between rotten pumpkin and pureed carrots, neither of which are particularly appealing in their own right.

One of the reasons a black and white kitchen is so appealing is that with such a basic color palette, I can use almost any color as an accent and it won't cost an arm and leg every time I get antsy and want a change . . . He having already announced this is THE LAST TIME he ever intends to paint the *$#@&#@ kitchen.

Accent #1 is going to be red . . . bright screaming fire engine red . . . I found some red and white kitchen towels, red place mats, a black and white apron (it'll hang on the wall from a hook near the stove when not in use). I spent this evening dragging the poor man through Linen's and Things and Bed, Bath and Beyond. At this point in time he is very, very sorry our old fridge gave up the ghost . . .

Lowe's you rock!!!

Our new fridge was delivered yesterday. Hooray!!! OK, I know it's sad but new appliances make me happy. Love this one! French doors, bottom freezer. So much space!!!! But what really made me happy? The delivery men asked a bunch of questions about the old one . . . seems our Lowe's refurbishes them and donates them to the needy in the community. How stinking cool is that!!!!

my first digi album . . .

ta da!!!! I used the same pictures from below, added the same journaling and a matching overlay to each page, printed them out, mounted them on chip board, added some real ribbon and bound it. Hootie Hootie!!!!!

Credits: Cover paper by Katie Pertiet, inside overlay by Rhonna Farrer.

yesterday a.m . . .

We're goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo
How about you, you, you?
You can come too, too, too
We're goin' to the zoo, zoo, zoo.
(Tom Paxton)

OK, so we didn't exactly go to the zoo . . . but close enough . . .

We saw bears . . .


and snakes . . .


and gators . . .




and birds . . .




and giraffes . . .




and deer . . .



and silly men . . .



But where did we really go? Can you guess?

more digi . .

sick of digi layouts? Here's yet another. Sorry, it is an addiction.



Credits: Papers, ribbon, brads, tag: Dinner Party by Shabby Princess, Overlay by Kimi Kreations, Swirls by Jessica Sprague, Fonts: Bleeding Cowboy, Fluoxetine, Rage Italica.

laughter's such a good thing . . .

. . . even if it means tears rolling down your face so hard there is a possibility you may drown. I know that not all stories translate well, sort of, I guess you had to be there, type of thing. But Paula, if you are reading . . . I am truly grateful for your email as are, I am sure, Tito, Benny, Taco and Julio!!! Thanks for brightening up my afternoon. I miss you.

tim-brrrrrrrrrrr . . .

In 1996 we took down all the nasty old scrub pines in the front yard and looked for something more substantial. Then seven year old Katie's only request was that it be big enough for her to climb. The tree expert suggested a Laura Oak and said by the time she was ready, it would be ready. Twelve years later, it is a monster, and oh yes, Katie spent many an hour in that tree.

But the time has come for it to be pruned back. It is dwarfing the neighbor's magnolia, drooping out over the house, soaking up all the lawn's sun . . . the men came today. The deed is done. It looks so much better with a hair cut and our lawn is happy to once again see the light of day.

A little side note: After the hurricanes, the power company work crews were all over the area cleaning up, working feverishly to get our electricity back on. I heard voices in the yard and took a peek. There under the spread of the tree were 10 FPL guys taking their break enjoying the only shade in the cul-de-sac, that hot August day.

I dearly love this tree.

and so it goes . . .

. . . Katie and I are having a conversation . . . plotting our week's activities. She is on her laptop laying in bed in her room and I am in my bed on my laptop . . . well at least my mother can't mutter her world famous, "Stop yelling between rooms". Good night, Katie. . . good night mom . . . good night, John Boy.

one moment in time . . .

still playing in PSE and having soooooo much fun.

Credits: Paper and clock parts: Katie Pertiet, Glitter Frame: ScrappyGuy, Fonts: The King and Queen and Boogaloo.

Off to bed . . .

Yay!!!!

Katie is coming home for spring break tonight!!!! Hooray!!

my day so far . . .

Woke up this morning and took day 5 of my 10 days of meds for diverticulitis and two hours later I was puking up my guts and felt like I just got off the Disney teacup after a three hour ride. Nice way to start the day.

Meanwhile, yesterday I had called two tree pruning services about our monster tree in the front yard. It desperately needs a hair cut. That or we have to move the house back 15 feet. The first tree man was to arrive between 9:00 and 9:30 today to give us an estimate. We liked him and his price but are waiting for tree guy number two to give us a call. Dash back inside to worship the porcelain goddess.

Frank takes me to Panera's for my first solid meal in five days . . . thinking food would settle my stomach. Doing OK. So we decide to go to Atchley's Appliance store to order my new fridge. The guy couldn't find the price and was fooling around so long, the nausea and dizziness came back and I bolted for parking lot and the car. How charming! I hope no one I know was driving by. Frank stayed long enough to finally get a price, hops in the car and drives home like a maniac. I know he loves me, but I'm betting the extra pedal to the metal was to avoid a tragic accident INSIDE his car.

So I lay down for a while, feel better and start calling around for prices on the model fridge I want. Are all sales people from Mars or am I just in a really crappy mood?

Guy 1: At Ashley's, as discussed couldn't find the price. We were a little leery when he even asked the stock boy, who by the way, also didn't know.

Girl 1: At Sears, no ma'am, that model does not come with an inside water dispenser. There are so many models, I am not sure but I tell her I think I can see it on the photo on Sears.com. She says nope that is a door stop. Alrighty then.

Guy 2: At Sears, (yes, I called back) nope, that model doesn't come with a water dispenser inside. Me: Then why does YOUR web site's customer comments say it is the best feature of that model? Him: Let me look. Oh, I guess it does. He gives me a great price but in order to get the free delivery, I have to pay with a Sears card I do not have. So I said: So I have to open an account, charge the fridge, pay the bill, and close the account to get the free delivery, when I could just as well write a check. Him: Yes. Me: No

Guy 3: At Pioneer Appliance turned out to be an answering machine. I leave a message. No one calls me back.

Guy 4: At John's Appliance. This is the price. End of conversation. OOOOOOOK.

Guy 5: At Lowe's. Here is our price do you want me to order it for you, it will be here in 10 days. I tell him the price at Sears and he says give me your name and number and he will verify their price and match it. He calls me back and says he couldn't reach Sears (hello) but they will match it and reads the price back to me at $3 higher. Who would fight over $3 but he says, wait, let me talk to the manager again and calls back a second time and says we will match the three dollars lower. I would have paid the $3 and why do you need a manager to OK $3. But he is nice and we are going to Lowe's after dinner to order it. Hooray!

More meds, more disaster. In desperation, I call my doctor's answering service and God bless him, he returns my call and says since the actual symptoms have gone away, I can get off the meds. Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

My sweet husband is downstairs making his ever delicious stuffed manicotti. The best medicine yet!!!!

It's 5:00 in the cave. What else can possible happen? Don't answer that!!!!

still playing . . .

Katie took this shot during our Christmas vacation in Boston. Does she take great shots or what!!!. Yea Katie.

distraught homeowner . . .

or just plain lunatic. A couple of weeks ago, I got a phone call from a woman looking for Tabitha. I told her that I was sorry but she had the wrong number. She thanked me, apologized and hung up. It was then that I noticed the answering machine light was blinking with a message from earlier in the day while I was out. So I play the message and it is the same woman trying to locate Tabitha, who it turns out is her housekeeper who failed to show up for work the morning before and she wants to know when she is coming back.

Later that afternoon, she calls again . . . I let the answering machine get it. This time she is irate. "Your last name", she says, "is very unusual, as is ours. There are only two names like yours in the phone book and Tabitha has the key to my house and I want it back." Being the kind soul that I am (snort), I call her back and explain that there is no Tabitha at this number and apologize for her distress.

Now almost three week later, I wake up totally zonked from a delightful afternoon snooze to the ranting of this woman leaving a message on my answering machine to the effect that she knows Tabitha lives here, and she has her house key and she wants it back. She has called the police and the police advised her to call me back. EEK! So when Frank comes home from the gym I ask him to call Miss Hysterical and tell her we are not hiding Tabitha in the closet. He speaks with her and assures her that no one by that name lives here. Then I hear him say, "No, really!" Long story short, when the police show up at our door, I'm letting Frank handle it. I will be too busy hustling dear Tabby out the back door. Hee hee hee.

????

DAY 1. (A little background . . . all three beasties get a treat in the morning . . . half of one of those small cans of cat/kitten food. The rest of the time, they are self feeders, chowing down on Science Diet. But Snoop is my picky eater and will only eat two varieties of canned cat food: Fancy Feast Beef or Chicken Livers. Nothing else will do. I swear, he would starve before another wet food touched his lips. Good thing he likes his dry food.) Sunday I inadvertently bought Chopped Chicken Livers instead of non-chopped and true to form, he turned his nose up at it. Not the kittens, after finishing their own treat in a separate room, it was food frenzy when they discovered what Snoop had left behind. Food Glorious Food! They were ecstatic.

DAY 2. The other half of the chopped chicken liver goes on the kittens plate while Snoop goes back to his regular diet. They are happy campers, circling me as I climb the stairs with their plate, tails twitching and verbally chastising me to hurry up.

DAY 3. I open the last of the offensive cans to give to the kittens and as I bend over to change their water, Ninja is so excited she is leaping up and down trying to land on my back. Pretty high hopes for a small beastie. I bent over again to see if it was a fluke. Nope. She is so desperate to get her new found munchies, she tries again to hop on my back. Silly beastie. Up the stairs we go again to the tune of many mirrups, meows and other cat noises. As I bend over once again, to put their plate on the floor, Ninja does her leaps again before nestling into her grub. Ya gotta wonder what goes on in that pea brain of hers.

my first challenge . . .

over at Spragueland, they have weekly challenges. This week's was to use a JS kit called Home Away from Home and theme the layout around the word home. That's all you could use, Jessica's kit and random fonts . . . that's it. Nothing else. ACK! So this is what I came up with:

Fonts: Fluoxetine, Century Gothic and CK Ali's-Writing. Kit: Jessica Sprague, Home Away From Home

more digi-ry-doings . . .

playing with opacity and drop shadows this time. . .

recipe for disaster . . .

take one hyperactive black kitten, add one blue plastic drinking cup 1/4 full of water, let rest next to two cropper hoppers full of 12 x 12 paper, mix well!!!

Needless to say, this morning I am sorting, tossing, and watching paper warp. Gotta love kittens*



* Disclaimer: I can say this because the CH's were stuffed mostly with old Slabs, had they been full of Bazzill, or Basic Grey, I'd be looking for recipes for cat stew. (j/k)

sometimes it's the little things . . .

the other day Spring teased us with a hint of things to come. I threw open all of the windows, grabbed a book and headed out back. Lying on a lounge chair along side the pool, it was heaven . . . that perfect feeling of the sun warming my face just so, the breeze wafting lightly across my skin bringing with it that warm earthy aroma of the woods. I never even opened the book. . . I just laid there absorbing all the goodness . . . It was like those rare mornings when you wake up and even before you open your eyes, you can feel the sheets caress your body at just that right temperature and texture. Those are the mornings I don't bound out of bed to start the day but instead, savor the moment and remember how good life is. What are the little things that make you sigh in delight?

so nice . . .

today, I found this in the mail box from Sue. It is a feel better card. Sweet surprise for one a tad under the weather. Thank you my friend!!

still playing . . .

CREDITS: Papers by Amy Teets and Katie Pertiet, Ribbon by Katie Pertiet, Calendar stamp by Syl, Overlay by Katie Pertiet, Happiness Word Art by Anna Aspnes, Staples by Amy Teets

it started off life . . .

as Paula's cigar box . . . not implying that Paula smokes cigars mind you . . . you don't do you Paula? . . . but there it was, hanging around forlornly in the freebie box at her garage sale. Of course I had to give it a home.

So some sand paper, a coat of paint, some ribbon and paper later, and it is now another home for scrapping goodies . . . thanks Paula!!!

practicing digi . . .

I didn't realize until I cropped this shot and started to scrap it that Kaite's dad was reflected in the background watching his daughter break her board. Can you say p r i d e?



Papers by Katie Pertiet, white swirl by Rhonna Farrer, fonts: Heidis and CK Journaling, tag by Lynn Grieveson, button and frame by Shabby Princess.