This is where I was last night....

So yesterday was my 15th wedding anniversary and yeah you would think that I would have stayed home with my husband. But did I? Nope. Well, actually during the day we were both home, then we went out to dinner to Brio, this new italian restaurant here in Allen. After dinner we went home and I checked my messages on line and then said goodbye to my husband and daughter....I had plans!

Very sad.

I'm sad. You would be too.
I could write today about the wonderful time I had in Phoenix at Creative Escape. I could write about the adventure I had driving up to see the Grand Canyon. I could write about lots of things. But today, today it's all about Charlie.

Charlie is my little girl kittycat. She's sixteen years old. And tomorrow I have to do the most awful thing to her that I could every think of doing. Charlie's "batteries are running low". That's how Simon puts it. But the truth is, is that Charlie is dying.

A few months ago the veterinarian found a mass in her stomach. They didn't know what it was, so they took x-rays and did some tests. They decided that it was a mass that couldn't be treated, it was terminal. We knew this, but thought we had more time.

About three weeks ago Charlie began to go down hill. She wouldn't eat her dried cat food so I had to feed her wet cat food by spoon. I mixed it with water and fed her bit by bit until she stopped wanting some. When I went to Creative Escape I told my husband that he needed to do this while I was gone.

When I came home from Creative Escape Charlie looked as if she took a turn for the worse. This past Thursday we called the Doctor and told them was had been going on. On Friday afternoon I brough Charlie to the veterinarian. I wrapped her in a towel and held her with one arm while I drove out the driveway. As we were pulling out she was so sweet, she looked up to me as if she was saying "I Love You", and I in return gave her a little kiss on the top of her head.

I brought her to the vet and waited for our appointment. They had to "fit" us in. Charlie and I finally saw the Doctor and he only had to take one look at Charlie and feel her stomach and he knew what was happening. She was dying. He gave me two options. One was sort of a Hospice care of cats where I would give her pain medication and steroids. The other, well we all know what that one is....

Charlie is home with me right now. We have pain medication that we have to give to her every twelve hours. We wanted to bring her home so that everyone would have one last weekend to spend with her, to love her and to let her know how much we love her.

And then on monday, I am on the one who has to say goodbye. I will be the one who will be with her when she is with the doctors. I will be the one familiar face that will be with her when she says goodbye. I'm the one who has decided that I don't want my kitty to be with strangers when she passes. And yes, I know it's my choice, but she shouldn't have to be all alone. I want her to know that I really did love her. After all the years of companionship that she has given to me, this is the one thing that I can do for her.

She will be missed.

Jill

A Promise Kept....

I promised to take my daughter to feed the giraffe's. But I didn't know where. I though that there were only two zoos in the DFW Area, but I was wrong! There are more, they just aren't as big. (which could be a good thing!)

When I went scrapbooking a few weeks ago I was told of this smallish type of zoo in Gainesville, Texas that has Giraffe Feedings. So I told Sarah and she asked when we were going to go. So I promised her that before she went back to school I would take her to feed the giraffes. Here's proof that I kept my promise!

Have a GREAT day!

{Jill}

Rusty Pickle Project

I thought I would share a Rusty Pickle Project that I made for CHA. As soon as I saw this paper I knew what kind of photographs I wanted to use with it, Waterpark Photos! Yes, I had it ALL planned out! Good thing dh went to the waterpark with us...usually he's at work but I convinced him to take a day off to go and have some fun!

Some Projects that I've been working on...

These are just a few of the projects that I worked on in the last month...yes, there are more, but I can't share those with you now because I entered them in a contest and well you know how that goes... What contest? Well Memory Makers Master's of course! Yes, I entered again and I'm keeping my finger and toes crossed!

Have a great day!

{Jill}

Where have the days gone?

Yeah...I know....long time no post? So where have my days gone?

I never know what summer is going to bring around, so I try and just go with the flow! But seriously...where have I been? Not under a rock I can say that much.

This is exactly where I have been...

The first week of June I alway hit The Great American Scrapbook Convention in Arlington, Texas. I leave my house early on Wednesday Morning and I don't come home until it's over. Only this year I had to come home early so I could make it to my daughter's dance recital. She told me I didn't have to come to it! Can you believe that! Not come to her dance recital? I haven't missed one for the last ten years, and I wasn't going to miss this one either!

Three days after I returned from GASC my dh left town for a week and a half so Sarah and I decided to spend the days away from the house. We tend to go to the movies a LOT during the summer. The movies and the Water Park. That's usually where you can find us!

Three days after DH returned home from his event Sarah and I packed our bags and headed to Florida for TWO WEEKS! Yes, TWO WEEKS! Sarah and I visited her grandparents (my mom and dad, otherwise known as Georgie and Rita). And we also went to Disney World for a few days. Sarah had a BLAST playing with my mom and dad's new dog...his name is Teddy and he is SUPER CUTE! I took some really, really good pictures of him and I can't wait to scrapbook and share them!

Sarah and I returned home to Texas on July 9, and continued on our summer trek. We went to WaterParks and Movies, and she went to friends houses, went to sleepovers and stuff like that.

The past week though has been a blur....one long, hot, hot, blur. Our air conditioner broke. Yep....over a hundred degrees outside and NO air conditioner. I was driving sarah home from dance class last monday and dh called me on my cell and said that I couldn't complain about what he was going to tell me because he was calling me before I got home. (like this means I can't complain??? well, shock of all shocks...I didn't). So I got home and found out that the house was already 90 degrees....ummmm...and that was at 8:00 p.m. at night. What could we do? Sarah and I decided to sleep in the tv room with the cats. We thought it would be cooler under the fan in the tv room (yeah...right).

On Tuesday Morning Simon (dh) started to call around to get quotes and have people come and look at our system. (Yeah...it's broken, what else do they need to know?) To make a LONG story short...(or shorter) the air conditioner unit outside had broken and it needed to be replaced, and the earliest it could be replaced was on Thursday.

Fine, I can deal with it...so Sarah and I decided that we were getting out of the house and going to Barnes and Nobles, the Library, the Mall...anywhere to get out of the house.

Tuesday passed, Wednesday passed and Thursday arrived! The air conditioner was fixed on this day! and it was cool and felt wonderful!!! Until Friday night. Friday night the coil up in the attic decided that it didn't want to work either. So what to do? Call the air conditioner guy back up and ask him to come out on Saturday....and he came. And he gave me the news. The "Coil" had to be replaced and this was happening until Monday Afternoon.)

Okay, are you counting the days here? AC Broke on Monday, No air on Tuesday or Wednesday, Fixed on Thursday, Broke on Friday, No air on Saturday or Sunday.

Well I made it through the weekend.

I sent dd over to the neighbors house to sleep in the AC...and I stayed at home with my cats, without the ac all by myself...(I should get major brownie points for this!)

Monday came...the air conditioning people came. The air is fixed. And I'm happy. You know, there is more to the story, but I would just go on and on and on....

But you have to know this! I didn't complain at all! (I know! can you believe this!)

Have a GREAT Day!!!

{Jill}

Finally....

Yes, Finally.

Finally I am in Florida.
Finally I am going to Disney!

Just happy to be where I am!

I'm planning on taking LOTS of pictures this week when I go to Disney! So be on the lookout on Friday as I may post some of them.

Have you been to the Rusty Pickle Blog lately? If not, then you should go! GO NOW! Well, maybe wait just a bit, but then you really need to head over to the blog! (http://www.rustypickle.typepad.com) The Chefs this month created some really WONDERFUL things with the new Bottle Rockets line from Rusty Pickle! Okay, Okay, I guess I better admit that yes, I did make something too! I'm going to post it here on my blog when I get back from Disney. Ooohhh...just remembered! I get to take some Fireworks photos with the new camera that Simon bought me for my birthday! Okay, it might not be terribly exciting for you, but it is for me!

Other good news that has come my way is that I had four new projects picked up by Ready, Set, Create. I sent them in for publication consideration on Monday night and on Tuesday when I arrived at my mom and dad's house there were four different emails sayin yes, yes, yes, and yes. Made my day!

Gotta go and pack now, can't wait to share some photos when I get back!

Have a great, day, night and week!

{Jill}

Just a "little" project...

I saw this little wooden bracelet in Micheals one day and thought that it would be fun to decorate it. A little bit of Paint, some Rusty Pickle Paper, some Copic Markers, Prima Flowers and some gems and this is how it turned out. I think it's really cute!

YEAH!!!!

So you can probably tell why I am SO HAPPY!!!

David Cook won American Idol! Dd and I watched every episode and he was our favorite all along (well, besides Jason Castro, we like him not only for his singing but for his beautiful blue eyes!)

As soon as they announced who the winner was dd and I screamed and clapped and I think we scared the cat a little bit because he jumped and ran off of the couch.

{Jill}

American Idol Voting is Going On...

Right now! Have you voted??? Guess what! I JUST DID! It took me forever to get though even that once, but I finally got through after an hour of dialing. And who do I want to win? David Cook. At first I wanted Jason Castro to win, but when he got voted off I switched to David Cook. But! I have been both a David Cook and Jason Catro Fan from the beginning! And this is the first year ever that I have watched every show!

I can't wait to find out who wins tomorrow night! Keeping my fingers crossed for David Cook! (and keeping my eyes open for a glimpse of Jason! Have you seen his eyes? They are beautiful!)

Till Tomorrow!

{Jill}

Rusty Pickle May Challenge on Two Peas In A Bucket

I thought I would post my May Challenge that I have on 2peas over here!

The Challenge for May is called the "{I Love} Spring Chicken Chipboard Challenge" For this challenge you will have the entire month of May to cook up your most wonderful Spring Chicken Chipboard Recipe! The Spring Chicken Chipboard is one of my most favorite products from Rusty Pickle, and I'd like to see how you use this chipboard on a layout, altered project, home decor project or creation of your choice! .

The rules are simple!

1. You must use the Spring Chicken Chipboard from Rusty Pickle!

2. You must use at least 80% Rusty Pickle Products in your Spring Chicken Chipboard Creation.

3. You must post your Spring Chicken Chipboard Creation in the Gallery at Two Peas in a Bucket and it must have Rusty Pickle Spring Chicken Challenge in the title.

4. You must post a link to your Spring Chicken Chipboard Creation to my original post at Two Peas In A Bucket.

5. The challenge will begin on Thursday, May 1st. The final day to submit your creation to the challenge will be on Saturday, May 31st.

6. After all creations have been submitted the Rusty Pickle Chefs will vote on the winner of the "I LOVE Spring Chicken Chipboard Challenge"

Good Luck!!!

Acrylic Album Numero Uno!

This is the very first Acrylic Album that I have ever done! You notice I said album.... Last year for Memory Makers Masters I made page for the contest. It was the page where you had to send in the original. I could have made another one to keep and told myself that I would, but well...you know how that goes!

So as I said this is my very first Acrylic Album! The album is from Rusty Pickle and all the paper, chipboard and trims are also from Rusty Pickle. I just added some brown ink, Prima flowers, Stickles and some gems!

The great thing about this album is that I can keep adding to it (well, when I get it back from RP that is...). I can just keep making pages showing the different places that I visit and add them in the back of the book.

For more pictures of the book look below....I can only add I think five pictures at a time here so I had to divide the book between two differeent posts.

Have a GREAT day!

{Jill}

And Even More Pictures....

Warning....

It's a seriously LONG post below!

{Jill}

GASP!!!!

Yes, that is what just happened. I had this thought and i decided to update my blog! I knew it had been awhile since I had made a visit and well, I thought I better update and get things going again!

What has happened since February? Should I say nothing? Or Something? February seems like it was so long ago. In February I entered Hall of Fame. Yes, I was one of those that completed their ten layouts and sent them in. I was one of those that secretly hoped to receive a phone call for Creating Keepsakes telling me that I was one of the newest members of the elite called a Hall of Famer! Did I get a phone call? Nope. Am I upset? Nope. Am I going to enter again? Maybe! You just never know what they are looking for and that was what I kept telling myself. They just weren't looking for what I had sent them, so I'm over it.

In February we also celebrated my daughter's 13th Birthday! Yes, she is now 13 years old. And well, if tonight is any indication of what it's going to be like around my house then I think I'm going to lock myself in my room every once in awhile! (you hear that mom?) For Sarah's birthday this year she had a very special surprise. Her Uncle Charlie (real name Tim) flew over from Bratislava to visit her for her birthday. She was SO surprised! Before he arrived Sarah and her friends had a fun day at the Mall. They went to Club Libby Lu and made "Potions", then we went to Claires, The Candy Store to buy some BIG lollie pops and then they rode the Carousel. Did I mention all the girl's were 13? They all had a really fun time! After the expedition in the Mall was over we went to Dave & Buster's and had snacks and stuff, this is when Uncle Charlie arrived! After snack we went downstairs and we all played games and stuff for prize tickets. It was a really LONG day. But I think the part that was the most memorable was when Charlie made his special appearance! (We LOVE our Uncle Charlie!)

March was a slow month...Spring Break and not much else. Since Sarah and I are going to Florida this summer we decided to stay home and sleep during Spring Break! Something that she and I can agree on! Sleeping!

April was a busy month! Simon and I took turns going out of town in April. I was gone one week and three days after I came back he left for a week. Simon has his interests (Stocks) and I have mine (Scrapbooking) and well, when we find an event that we want to attend we just make a point to go. I know he wouldn't be interested in going to a Scrapbooking Event, and he knows that I wouldn't be interested in going to a Stock Event, not that he hasn't tried, he has!

Anyway, in April I went to Nashville to attend the Scrap Etc. 2008 Event. It was at the Gaylord Resort in Nashville and I had a wonderful time! I saw some old friends, and made some new! I attended some wonderful classes taught my the Scrap Etc. Teachers and attended more classes taught by Jennin Bowlin, Heidi Swapp, and Wilna Furstenburg. And let me say this, after attending Heidi's class I have come back a changed person. I think it was a combination of her class, the class lecture, and a little chat that I had with her after class that affirmed everything that I had been going through and what I was going through at the time.

Like I said, after I returned home, Simon left to attend one of his events. Sarah and I stayed home. I was going to scrapbook the entire time he was gone and Sarah was going to clean her room, and bead. Guess what we did? NOTHING! Well, she did do some beading and I did do some organizing in my scrapbook room but other than that? NADA, ZIP, ZILCH.

And that brings us up to the present. Have some projects that I have to start, have some projects I have to finish, have some projects that I want to do! So I better say goodbye for now and get busy! But, I think I'll wait until tomorrow cause right now I'm going to bed!

I have to tell you this though...I did make a promise to myself that I would update my blog more often. I mean, if you see someone at a Scrapbooking Event, someone that you don't really know and they ask you why you aren't updating your blog, or when are you going to update you blog...well, when this happens you know it's time to update your blog!

Have a GREAT night!

Until Tomorrow!

{Jill}

Happy February!

Yes, it's February. Almost 3 months since I last posted. We had Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Birthday, etc....but I'm back!

First order of Business!

How would you like to win some Rusty Pickle Goodies from CHA? All you have to do is go to the Rusty Pickle Blog at http://rustypickle.typepad.com and leave a comment in the comment section. Every day this week someone will be winning a prize package from Rusty Pickle! So go enter your name!

Also, over at Lance's Blog, http://lanceanderson.typepad.com he is also have some giveaways! Go leave comments at both sites! You never know you could be a winner!

Okay, so where have I been?

Well, I knew that I would be busy over Christmas. I decided to make a lot of Christmas presents this year and with dh going overseas to visit his mum they had to be done early! So that took me away from the computer. Then, it was Christmas here and dh takes off two weeks at Christmas every year, so well that's where I was too!
Then there's New Years and well I spend that day scrapbooking with my friends. And then I decided to enter HOF. But at the same time I was preparing my entry for HOF I was also creating booth samples for CHA.

That's November, December and January. So now we are in February and that's Sarah's Birthday. She turned 13 this year and we had a party at the mall this year. (I'm going to dedicate a post about this tomorrow!).

But I can say that I have honestly been busy working on "things".

But I am back!

And I wanted to start posting projects on my blog again! Here is a project that I made for Rusty Pickle. I used the School Daze Collection and an Arrow Chipboard Album. I painted the chipboard and then used stickles on the chipboard to make them glittery! I absolutely LOVE to create album covers! I thinks that the covers of albums are the part of an album that I enjoy the most!

Well gotta go for now! My Brother-in-Law is visiting us for the week! He came all the way from Bratislava to surprise Sarah for her birthday!

Until tomorrow!

{Jill}

Seven Random Facts about Me....

My Friend Ann Corbiere-Scott tagged me...and well usually I don't do very well with being tagged. I don't do them...but I figured that if I didn't do Ann's then she would let me know! (in a good way!) Plus, she said that she was going to keep her eyes open to see if I respond. So here are my "Seven Random Facts About Me".

1. I have curly hair. Yep...see the picture to the right...just down a bit...that's me. With Curly Hair. Now mind you on some days it's curls good and some days it's curls bad. So I guess you could say that the day I took this picture it was a semi-good curly day. Actually...it was my birthday and I decided that it was about time that I took a new picture of me! Did you notice the words? Time for me to take a picture of me? It seems that whenever I need a picture of me there is noone around, and when they are around they just don't do what I want them to do...so it's just easier to take a picture of me all by myself! Okay, I'm digressing.

2. I don't leave the house without having makeup on or having my hair done. Just don't do it. I don't even like going to the mail box without having done those two things.

3. I arrangment my jewelry at night on my dresser. I have to lay it out. Yes, I know it's crazy...you might call it O.C.D. but it has to be done. Also I straighten everything out on my bathroom counter too. So it's nice and neat the way I want it.

4. I wear my glasses to bed. Don't you? I mean that way if I have to get up on the middle of the night I'll be able to see! It can be a problem though...especially when I wake up in the morning and find that the frame has been bent every which way....this problem though will be remedied on January 9th. I'm having Lasik. (i think I have 55 days to go!)

5. I don't like my dh to go into my car. It's off limits to him. Also my scrapbook room is off limits. Let's put it this way...anything that is mine is off limits. Yeah...that's the ticket! lol But seriously...he would laugh if he saw some of the stuff in my car. On the door panel I have my scrapbook magazines, I have one glove in the glove box...cause I can't drive with two on...

6. I don't like dishes piled up on the kitchen counter. The sink is fine...but not hte counter. You see, the sink goes down and well, the counter is flat and if they are in the sink then there is a better change that I won't see them!

7. I love cats. If I could have a houseful of cats I would. But Simon said that three is enough. Which is really too bad because down at Petco there is this cat named "Henry" and he is the sweetest kitty cat! And yes, I go and visit him...often. Okay...I go to Petco several times a week to visit the cats. Now that's random isn't it!

Oh, and Ann... if you are reading this...Whenever we hear the name Cornelius we think of the Rooster that is on the box of the Kellogs Corn Flakes. Yep, you guessed it, his name is Cornelius.

Have a great day!

{Jill}

My Christmas "Wish" List

I was visiting one of my favorite Scrapbooking Message Boards today (http://www.scrappertalk.com/) and there was a thread there about Christmas. The thread got me thinking. In it there was one comment that said "I know you don't shop at so and so store, but I do". Well that one sentence got me thinking! There are lots of stores that I don't shop at and there are lots of stores that I DO Shop at. And some of the stores that people do shop at FOR me are are not the same stores that i go to. So, what better place to list the stores that I do shop at!

Since I am a scrapbooker, a gift card to a scrapbook store would be a wonderful idea! However, all the stores in my area are closing...well the scrapbook stores. BUT! we still have Hobby Lobby and Michael's. So if someone wanted to purchase a gift card for me for scrapbooking supplies it would be wonderful to have one to Hobby Lobby or Michael's. Hobby Lobby is less than a mile from my house and I am there a LOT! (okay, maybe i shouldn't say a lot...but at least 3 or more times a week I can be found wondering the aisles). Michaels is about six miles away, but I like to go there to see what they have on sale. They also carry this ribbon that I like to use on just about every project.

Clothing stores. Okay, so since I am a scrapbooker I (personally, just me!) don't like to spend a lot on my clothes. I am perfectly comfortable in sweats, tshirts, jeans, sweaters and stuff like that. I like to look neat, but if I paint or spill mod podge on me I don't want to ruin what I have on. So I shop at Target mostly. Once in awhile I will venture to Dillards or somewhere like that if I have to have something really nice, but most days you will find me in comfy clothes that I can replace easily. I know, if I wore an apron that would protect my clothes wouldn't it!.

What else would I like for Christmas:

Hmmmm....I just got a new camera for my Birthday! It's a NIKON D40X...I'd love a new lense for my camera! So I'm hoping that dh will get that for me!

Ohh..but you know what! I would also love a tv/dvd/combo for my scrapbook room! that way I could watch movies while i worked! So the best place to buy one of those is at Target or Best Buy!

See, there's lots of things that I could put on my list! But mostly gift cards would be great! Especially if they are all to the same place! That way I can combine them and put them towards one big item! Like a tv for my room....or a lense for my camera, or even a cartridge for my Cricut Machine.

Just some shopping advice from someone who is going to have a Wonderful Christmas! (because I usually shop for myself! lol)

Have a great day!

{Jill}

Posting Some Projects!

This month's Rusty Pickle Challenge is up on the RP Blog! Go to http://www.rustypickle.typepad.com/ and take a look! Also all the chefs gave the challenge a try too! Including me! I LOVED how my layout for the challenge turned out!

You know what the nicest thing about having a blog is? It's your own personal gallery! You can post whatever you want in it! So that's what I'm going to do today! Here are a few project that I did lately! I would love to post this one project that I just finished today but I have submittal plans for that one!

This is the second Family Chipboard sign that I made for the Armstrong Family Fundraiser (the first was made with the Cap'n Jack Line. This sign was made using the new French Market line from Rusty Pickle. I LOVE how it turned out! And now I want to make one myself! This sign was made using only FIVE sheets of Rusty Pickle Paper.

Yes, my cat is a party animal isn't he! This is my sixteen year old cat Joey. Yes, he has a party hat on, and yes we had a party, but it wasn't for him...it was for my other cat Snoopy. The hat belongs to one of my daughter's bears from Build-A-Bear...luckily it fits my kitty cats too! I put this hat on Joey when he was sitting up, but then he just sort of laid down and I snapped this really cute picture of him!

Thanks for looking!

{Jill}

Time to Post a Project!

It's been a while since I've posted anything project related so I thought I would do that today! This is the Chipboard Sign that I made for the Armstrong Family Fundraiser. I LOVE the colors that I used on it...why? Well, because they match my house! I want to make another one of these for me, but first I have to finish the Chipboard Sign that I am making for the second fundraiser. Don't know about the fundraiser? See the post below and just follow the links!

All the paper is from the Rusty Pickle "Cap'n Jack" Line and the Chipboard letters are also from Rusty Pickle! The Rusty Pickle Trims are from the Pashmina Collection and the Pickle Party Collection. I just love this sign and can't wait to make one for me!

Have a great day!

{Jill}