The Annual Post?

So apparently, it's time for my annual post.  I say this because apparently blogging is not part of my daily routine... not by a longshot.  Not to say I haven't been doing anything that is blog-worthy.  I have goals, and I am working on having my cake and eating it too!  Currently working on expanding my studio to add a second longarm machine.  Maybe I'll be able to do some of those projects that are stuck in my head! Anyhow, school is coming to an end, and this year the end of school can't come fast enough.  Big plans for the summer!  THis year we will be living it and enjoying every minute!

Finally doing something with my photos

So this is the sort of thing that keeps me lying awake nights. Although I take lots and lots of pictures. And I even manage to get htem out of the camera and into the computer. And they are organized! (Well, most of them!) Some of them have even gotten printed. I have ALL of the scrapbooking stuff in my dining room and several boxes of pictures -- in chronological order. But I don't have a single finished scrapbook.

Alas, I am finally making some headway with Shutterfly. Yes!! I LOVE THEM!! I managed to make my son (he is 6) a baby book this summer. It took me about half an hour and all I really had to do was upload the photos and enter the captions. Shutterfly did the rest! And my son LOVES it! We were reading it every night for awhile. He is so proud! Now my 10 year old daughter who does not have a baby book and is just a little too old for quality digital pics is after me to get hers done the old fashioned way! But I'll get there!

I just posted my Christmas Card for this coming year-- see I'm even AHEAD for a change! And I did made a hardcover book for our 2008 Disney Vacation. They run lots of great specials and I think maybe, just maybe, I'll have my photos in a place where my kids will be able to enjoy them!!

Next up I'm planning on photographing all that cherished artwork and putting it in books. That should help control all of the stacks that are accumulating! WISH ME LUCK!

Stationery card

Snowflakes Ribbon Christmas Card

Seasons greetings with personalized Christmas cards from Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

The Emmy's

Whereas I don't normally sit and watch the Emmy's in it's entirety, mostly wanting to see if my favorite shows won and the memorial, last nights show was engaging and really really funny. The Modern Family bit with George Clooney was absolutely hysterical. I wold say it was my favorite, until Jimmy Fallon did his parody of Green Day's "Good Riddance, " which in my opinion PERFECTLY summed up my feelings on Lost. "The island it was mythical, and in the end they died. I couldn't understand it but I tried." I'm still laughing and singing it! Ah yes, good riddance indeed!!

If it's June school must be nearing it's end!

Alas, I look at the calendar and it just can't be! It is June... and we all know what that means, summer vacation (which isn't nearly as relaxing as it sounds) can't be far. My school district( as either a way of easing in the weary parents or just plain kicking us all in the pants) always schedules the last 4 days of school as half-days (which aren't nearly as long as they sound). Oh the joy ... it takes longer to get the child up and on the bus than they spend in school.

But I digress. Summer is coming. I always have big plans which are easily upended when my daughter says, "Mom, can we spend the day in our pajamas?" Suuuurrrrreeeee! They watch movies and eat cereal in the family room and I get a few hours of quilting in... all good until the guilt gets to me about the 3rd week of August when I decide I have to squeeze a summer's worth of fun into 2 weeks and run myself ragged doing so! Maybe this summer will be different... maybe I'll stay in my pajamas too!

Another year, Another round of birthdays

Well, I survived birthday week 2010. Having 2 children with birthdays 5 days apart can be challenging and exhausting! This week kicked off (literally) with my 4 year old's face coming in contact with the 8 year old's foot mid cartwheel. It wasn't pretty. I walked in from the grocery store to 2 crying kids in varying states of hysteria and a husband who just kept repeating "It wasn't my fault. I was right here. I saw the whole thing!" Alas, 3 chipped and one knocked out tooth and the 4 year old saying he will eat again when his "new tooth pops up." Surely, birthday cake changed his mind.

I made crowns!Zach's crown is pictured above! Love the sparkly pipecleaners as candles on the crown! Alas, there have been cupcakes and Ice Cream cakes and family members galore. And now they are 5 and 9... where does the time go?!

Quilter's Retreat

I went away for the weekend-- to a quilting retreat, with my inner circle of sewing friends and others. We laughed too hard and slept too little and got a whole bunch of sewing done. We made new friends and we enjoyed each other as we all sat and created in near bliss. We sang songs, we ate chocolate (duh!), we teased, we admired each other's work, and helped each other make decisions. We talked and talked, and talked. I was only 8 miles from home and yet a world away. As one first-timer blurted out at one point "I am just so happy here!" And indeed, we all knew how she felt. I'm home and in withdrawal-- nearly cranky about it as well! I cannot wait for the next one. Green Acres IS the place to be! If you know what I'm talking about, you must have been there!