Simply the Best!

What an outstanding weekend! ALL of it was good. Simply the best! I woke up Saturday feeling much better - first time in several days... and headed to Wal-Mart to pick up photos and then to Kristin's for a crop. I had such a nice time and got to visit with a variety of interesting people. Lots of stories and got my SE page swap page laid out and most of it cut out. Finished it up on Sunday. I came home Saturday night around 10 ish and stayed up til 1 am working on my stuff. I felt so completely calm and peaceful and happy - scrapbooking does that for me. Such a tranquil happy feeling and for the moment I stop and realize that pure, blissful feeling.

On Sunday I headed over to the Urban Market for another fantastic day of shopping. I skimmed through a couple of shops and FOUND these santos wooden angels I have been looking for for the past year! I was thrilled and bought 3 of them! Oh okay, maybe five, whatever... I got 'em and I love 'em! The first one is large about 2-3 feet. They are so amazing. Last year I saw them and scoffed at the price, which was something like $60. Since then I've seen them on ebay for $190 and could not find them anywhere! It was another gorgeous day and just a nice time to look around. Ran into two friends. I also bought a couple of glasses and a Chinese caligraphy brush, which has a hand carved handle. Just liked the artistic part of that...

Finished my page swap pages - I'll take a pic before I ship them tomorrow, I'm too tired tonite. I started feeling sick this afternoon from the Z-pac, which I don't seem to tolerate very well (stomach upset). I should get to sleep so I'll be well rested for tomorrow - I have alot of catching up to do.

This one is going into my bedroom - I love her face. Goodnight.

I got it! But I don't want it.

Whew. I went to an interesting luncheon yesterday for RIMS (risk managers) - yes, I did just say interesting and insurance in the same sentence and no, it is not an oxymoron. I saw a handful of people that I haven't seen in ten years or so, which was fun. Learned some new stuff about WC and Medicare Set Aside, which is actually pretty boring but it still amazes me that after 33 years in this business, there is more to learn. And I feel empowered when I learn new stuff, so I can save my company some money. It makes me feel good inside. After lunch, I went out to the terminal so take pictures for a retirement book I am making and attend a diversity training, which was eye-opening to say the least. Somewhere in there, I picked up a nasty germ bug and came down with a honking red throat and congestion blah blah blah. So I've been in the bed all day crying and whining except for going to the doc and getting an antibiotic. I still have the headache but I feel better sitting up. I hope I will feel much better tomorrow because I have alot to do this weekend. I am getting a bit panicky. I have the retirement book that has 40+ pictures and tags that need to be added. I can't decide if I'm going to pick pattern paper for each page or just cardstock with PP accents. I learned a neat trick of folding paper in a zig zag to add the tag from Tracy Niehues at Creative Escape - I plan on using that. I also have 10 pages due for an 8 x 8 page swap for Scrap Etc, which are due next Saturday, I think. I know, everyone else has done theirs and mailed in and I still have mine to create. Sigh. When will I ever learn? I do better under pressure. I thought about stitching a limb on the pages to perch a bird but after playing with that idea (stitching a page), I realize its not practical for 10 pages... So my next option is to use a versamark pen and draw a limb and use embossing powder. Should be fun. I hope I can use some of the ribbon I picked up at Fabric Barn in Long Beach. I found a Lion King board book at the Target $1 Spot and made a cute little book for my desk, of the folks I love...I love doing board books - they are so simple and I've started using glue sticks, which makes it totally economical. To find them at Canton or thrift shops for .25 cents is even better. I paint the edges a coordinating color just in case the edge is not complete. On this one I used the left over binding tape from Tracy N's class at CE and used My Minds Eye paper pack. I am so drawn to their stuff. I found this site called My Craftivity and haven't spent much time looking at it but it looks interesting to me. I'm also hooked on Pioneer Woman - if you haven't read her blog, run now and start reading. She definitely has talent. It's the second time I've read now about changing the opacity of your photos (Karen Russell also mentioned it). So, now I've got to go and play with that... well, maybe tomorrow. I'm tired again.

Catsup

Jeez Louise, it sure seems like I haven't blogged in a really long time. Oh, yeah, right. I haven't. So, what have I been doing? Um. I went to Austin for a weekend to spend time with friends and visit Uncommon Objects near Town Lake. Yes, it really is an amazing vintage store. We also hit the Citywide Garage Sale, which was small but fun. I went to Long Beach for work and stayed the weekend. I spent most of Saturday in Olde Town Orange at Country Roads and wow, what a great little shopping haven. The weather was a pristine 70 degrees and sunshine galore - felt so good after the cold and drizzly we've been having. I visited with the owner, Sue and picked up a few pieces that would fit into my luggage. Ate a wonderful salad outside at Rutabagorz. There was a great garden shop next door, with a bunch of great CA flowers -there's nothing like flowers in CA. Friday night I stopped off at the Fabric Barn which is a great warehouse with tons of ribbon and then took a drive along the beach. As usual, I spent some time wondering if I would like to move to CA. I do that in almost every town I visit...

I got a new Canon camera, a 30D with a couple of lenses that Karen Russell recommended. She is such a talented photographer - I love looking at her photos and I definitely can't wait for her online photography class. I have alot of learning to do with my first SLR, but I have been playing with it. I got this shot of Killer. It's funny because both dogs looked pretty annoyed at me while I was shooting. They were getting bored with the clicking and wanted to go to sleep already.

Not much else going on other than my favorite Canadian, Charleen is coming to Houston to see Bruce Springsteen with me. That's in April and I just can't wait. I'll leave right after for Scrap etc. in Nashville. Not much else good happening. Alot of down time, trying to be good to myself and patient. I am hooked on watching Jon & Kate + 8. They are amazing parents - reminds me of my sister. Going to crop at Kristin's this weekend - have two projects pending - my 8 x 8 page swap for SE and a book for a coworker that is retiring. I'll post pics when done plus a board book I made for my desk.