That's a Mouthful~

Each New Year's Eve we have a tradition of eating grapes. The tradition originated in the Alicante Region of Spain one year when there was a surplus of grapes after Christmas. Through the decades the practice spread to Portugal, South America, and Cuba. We first learned about this delicious New Year's custom while watching a Sesame Street television special about world traditions. Our daughter was a pre-schooler at the time and wanted to eat some grapes like Ernie, Bert and Big Bird! It was such a simple (and delicious) thing to do that we continued to do it. At midnight, you are supposed to eat one grape for each month in the coming year.Our own little twist is that we eat one extra for the following year (one 'to grow on').....lucky 13!

Never Too Old To Believe In Santa~

I used the Pages In Time December 16 Thursday Sketch for this layout. It is a 12x12" page using silvery grey, brown and red. I used Prima Pearls and a large Prima poinsettia, along with 2 Martha Stewart edge punches. These are photos from Christmas 2009, and I plan on using some current holiday photos on another LO this weekend. I fussy cut the snowflakes from some paper I had and placed the small poinsettia flowers on foam dots for dimension. I can't believe I didn't use any ink on this page! LOL~ That's rare! We've had quite a bit of rain over the past two weeks, so I was lucky to get some sunshine this morning in order to photograph this outside. Pardon the shadows. I have a tendency to scrap single photos, but this sketch made it easy to use more and I like the result.

Four Calling Birds~

It was a pajama day...no timetables, no schedule, no getting dressed. This is one of my favorite things about school breaks! I ignored the after-Christmas clutter, brewed up a big pot of Kusmichoff Troika Tea, and popped a Dutch Baby into the oven, while cranberries simmered on the stove. Oh, and it was raining. The perfect touch to a stay-at-home day. Kept an eye on the cat so she would not sneak drinks of water from the tree stand (she dips her paw gingerly into the water; we do not use preservatives or additives just for this reason!), and set my laptop up on a tv tray in front of the comfy wingback chair. Hubby had an errand to do, and our teenager was sleeping the morning away...she deserves it with the homework load she has all year. I never got around to watching the instructional DVDs for my Nikon D40. It practically takes photos by itself, but I want to learn how to use all the wonderful modes/settings. Here is a shot I took of our tree~

It was the 4th Day Of Christmas, so I was happy about the prospect of calling a dear friend to wish her a happy birthday (sending hugs to Mississippi!) and hearing her sweet southern accent on the phone. I gotta get Skype, right Anne girl? Of course, scrapbooking was never far from my thoughts, and I mulled over what paper and photos to use next. I just bought a few 12x12's of the Harry Potter line, as well as a couple of pieces of graphic 45's Springtime with fairies on it. I am squeazing every bit of 'do nothing' out of this holiday break, because in a blink it will be over. Move over, kitty, I am staking out my spot by the tree!



Merry Christmas, Happy Boxing Day~

Warm wishes for glowing health, fun moments and special memories on this day and in the New Year.
Here is a photo of the luminarias we set out on Christmas Eve...I am on the hunt for more of these bags so next year we can line the street for several blocks. They look so magical~

Mica!

I made this tag last night because I could not wait to try the vintage mica a friend enclosed in a Christmas card for me! With vintage in mind, I used my Distress Inks (Shabby Shutters, Scattered Straw, Weather Wood & Frayed Burlap) to color the plain tag. I also sprayed a bit of Wild Currant Glimmer Mist onto my non-stick mat and pressed the tag onto the mist. I added the mini calendar (inked), the Santa image mounted on grungeboard, the paper covered oval grungeboard with the inked #25 on it, the mini ticket, and some fiber. The last thing I did was place tiny dots of Glossy Accents on the tag, then sprinkle with the vintage mica. I love how it turned out!

Christmas Surprise~

Just watched this recent Flash Mob video...what fun! I ended up looking at more flash mob videos on YouTube and really enjoyed the performances and crowd reaction.

She Poured Two Cups~

I love traditions, and books are a part of connecting me to sweet memories and special times. One book I like to read once the stockings are hung is  A Cup Of Christmas Tea.   

I've read it aloud at all my Christmas tea parties and shared copies of the book with friends and family. It is a heartwarming tale of a man who goes to visit his great aunt, and the unexpected joy he gets as he spends some time with her. I highly recommend it! Tom Hegg wrote A Cup of Christmas Tea in 1981, when his pastor asked him to write something for his church's 125th anniversary. Drawing on childhood memories, he composed a straightforward, sentimental poem that brought tears to his audience's eyes. First published in 1982, it's been a seasonal best-seller ever since. I hope you get the chance to share this story with somebody special~

Women Encouraging Women~

I was surprised & delighted today to log on and see this gift from a caring lady named Sandi. She made my day! What an encouraging thing to do for a newbie blogger like me. She taught me how to put links in my blog....THANKS, Sandi! Some special women who have encouraged me;  ~Patty~  Special friend in Texas. My partner in crime.Scrapbooks wonderful memories and heritage pages. She is generous & thoughtful. I look forward to her regular emails. Sandi~ Helpful, cheery & warm. She has cool downloads on her Blog. Maggie~ took me under her wing, wonderful team spirit, supports my Inking Group @ Pages In Time. Stacy Julian~ Love her attitude, love her Big Picture Scrapbooking. Alissa~ I do not know Alissa well, but she is positive & encouraging. Sweet mini album on her blog. Kelly~ As well as creating gorgeous scrapbook  pages, Kelly leaves generous comments and encouragement for other scrappers. She goes out of her way to support others!

THANKS, ladies.

Art Is The Weapon~

My newest page~ This is actually a Halloween LO(layout). My teen created a character and her own name, "Flash Point", to go with the new MCR video NaNaNa. The theme of the video is a combo of sci-fi~futuristic~Mad Max~good guys vs evil. Hubby painted her ray gun pink, she designed her mask with paint and electrical tape and I suggested the bungee cord as an accessory! Love using punches, and the matting for the color photo was made for me by a sweet friend using a Martha Stewart edge punch. I used cardboard under the heart matting to raise the photo a bit. The road sign die cut is Little Yellow Bicycle, red cardstock is Bazzill. I also used black Distress Crackle Paint on the photo edges.

The stamped "Be Nice" at the upper right corner is a copy of what the House Of Blues stamped on all concert-goers hands at the My Chemical Romance performance to verify their tickets! I always like to add something related to my subject on my LO's. In this case, it is the clothing tag tucked next to the color photo.

What Happy Looks Like~

I don't think I have ever seen my teen happier! For days before and after the appearance of My Chemical Romance at the House Of Blues for the release of their new album, said teen broke into unsolicited smiles.  No complaints about a 4+ hour wait on a chilly sidewalk.  No objection to standing for hours, no grousing about eating a sack lunch for dinner while shivering outside...nope! The joy of overhearing MCR practicing their songs & doing soundchecks inside the HOB just made the anticipation  that much sweeter. MTV was there to tape the show and streamed it live. It was a great show!!! Gerard, Mikey, Frankie and Ray didn't disappoint. And to top it off, my kiddo was interviewed by MTV, then got to shake hands with Mikey and Frankie!! Can you say ECSTATIC??! 

I made this LO the last week of October. I was in a Halloween frame of mind and decided to make a page on one of my favorite horror movies. This film gives me the creeps! I used my Cricut to cut out the trees and headstone (Oct 31st cartridge). I also dusted off my old Viking to sew around the photos. I love using my punches whenever I can, and the Martha Stewart fence edge punch was perfect for this page. "They're coming for you, Barbra!"

One Step at a Time~

Ugh....6:30 a.m. Time to get up. I put on my walking shoes when I got dressed. I read somewhere that if you put on your exercise clothes when you first get up, you will prompt yourself to get that workout in and not procrastinate. I laced up my shoes, and put my ipod and pedometer with my car keys. A pretty view helps~ I think of a nearby pond which has a 2 mile loop circling it. After chauffeuring my teen to school, I head to the trail for a walk. One step at a time. Breathe. I watch as sunlight sparkles off the water and the sheen seems to follow me like my shadow. I finished a couple of laps in what seems like no time, compared to the same distance on a treadmill! I like the change of scenery~ I think I will reward myself with ink and paper later. You know, I think this idea of putting on your exercise clothes when you get up is a good idea.

Just heard about this opportunity to do a nice thing while knitting. If you are interested in making a scarf for a good cause check out this site.

http://www.nationalww2museum.org/calendar/knit-your-bit.html

A Work In Progress~

Well, I never thought I would start a blog....ahem, it is with frustration that I try to wrap my mind around codes, properties, settings, and the such! Learn something new everyday, right? OK. I am trying, so please bear with me. I am not completely hopeless, really! I have a gallery of my scrapbook pages at Pages In Time (http://pagesintimestoresite.ning.com/)  and one at Scrapbook.com (http://www.scrapbook.com/). Basic posting and uploading I can handle. My daughter is rolling her eyes across the table from me. Is she trying to tell me something? ha~ha~

I was recently asked to join the Design Team at Pages In Time. Woohoo! It is a fun place to get inspiration, see the work of creative, talented scrappers, or learn new techniques. I'll keep working on this Blog. Meanwhile, have a blessed Thanksgiving!