Hello Monday...

Hello struggles to get out of bed on time...just how many times did I push the snooze button today?

SO thankful Steve went in later today so he could bring Connor to school.

This means an extra few minutes of sleep for Xander and I!!

Hello bright and sunshiny day!  

You may be cold but I do love your rays!

Hello little man's beat up face...no not really beat up

...and no it wasn't that rough of a hockey game this weekend.  

Sadie was just so happy to see him - he ended up taking a paw and a claw to the nose.  

Poor kid.

Hello mouth full of missing teeth?  

Can you even chew?  

The tooth fairy has made you rich these past few weeks.

Hello scrappy goodness all over my floor...

I just can't make myself put you away I will probably use you today...

and tomorrow...

and the next day...

and the next...

I do have to vacuum at some point.

Hello 28th layout in 2012!!  

I am so excited to have some scrappy goodness back in my life!

Think I might tell you this often!!!  :)

Hello delicious new coffee discovery - oh how I love you!!

Hello Week 3 of training...
I know it's early but I am really feeling good about this!
I am really enjoying my time running.
Praying that it lasts right up until I cross that finish line on June 3rd.

A big thanks to Lisa Leonard for such a fun idea!

Makes me think Monday's aren't so bad after all!!  

Lots of wonderful things to love this Monday!!!  

How about you?  

What does your Monday bring?

New Outlook...

I have been scrappin away these days!  LOVE it!!

Decided to have a go at the My Mind's Eye Blog Challenge #31.

I LOVE how this one turned out!!!  But boy did I have a hard time getting here.  The sketch had three circles - and boy did they have me STUCK.  So I decided to check out what the other participants were doing - sometimes you need just a little extra inspiration. 

I came across a fantastic layout by Wendy Smith - just love her take on the sketch.  It reminded me to think outside the box when it comes to sketches.  So with that I decided to move away from the circles and used the rectangles...love it!!

Everything (except for the ink) on the layout is My Mind's Eye - from very old cardstock from a paper pad that I have had FOREVER to the more recent Lost & Found line.  Oh I did use dies from Stampin Up to cut out the heart, brackets and rectangles - but using My Mind's Eye paper of course!!

My Petals - Thanks Lee

I am pretty sure I have mentioned my friend Lee about a dozen or so times on my blog - her blog is such a bright spot!!!  And she shares the most wonderful or projects, ideas, inspirations....LOVE it all!!  I take many ideas from Lee and run with them.  (I do give credit though - so that makes it OK right???)  You really must add her to your blog roll!  She won't disappoint!  Not one little bit!

Anywho...todays post was awesome!!!  Moved me to get busy right away I tell ya!!!  She was inspired by Hope Wallace Karney's Pen and Paper: Living Between the Lines post on A Beautiful Ripple Effect's blog.  WOW!!!  Did ya get all that???  Hover over each and click on the links I provided!  All wonderful!

So like I said I get busy RIGHT away!  I was just so excited to do something a little pretty, a little creative and document where I am at right now!  As a scrapbooker I take a lot of time documenting those big moments in our lives and the fun little moments in the kids lives but I forget to include me specific projects.  This year that is changing - One Little Word and Project Life are both giving me the opportunity to document where I am at today - to share a little more of me with those who will want to know some day.  And also for me to look back and see how I've changed/grown/blossomed?!?!?!

The petals of me...my petals are all things that I am!!!  They really are - but some need more attention than others.  They are things that I have really been working towards and want to continue working on - they are essential for me to be a whole me...which is what I really want most.

Hope posted a list of questions/prompts to get a little more out of this fun little exercise.  This totally works for me - I need specific guidance...
I added each question to a 2.5" x 3.5" card and then wrote down my answers/thoughts.  I really love how it turned out - very simple - not all crazy embellished up - but it is exactly what is on my mind lately.  Good to document it.

It will be interesting to look back and maybe do this again in a month or two like she encourages.  Or how about in a year.  Here's to hoping that I make strides towards achieving/incorporating more of all of these! 

New studio....

So I did it!!

I moved the studio up from the dungeon!!! 

All by myself.  OK not entirely true...

Connor helped me with the three big pieces of furniture.

Just couldn't drag them up those darn stairs without help. 

If I could have I would have.  I promise. 

 Now it sits prettily upstairs

(P.S. Want a pair of these wings?  Contact Shelley and see if she's game!!)

SOOOO much better!  I am so lucky I had two spaces to pick from.

The ONLY draw back is that there is no over head light so I need to

invest in some good task lighting so I can see what I'm working on 

when it's gloomy out and at night!  But that's easy! 

Love it!

Oh and what's really cool is that since it is connected to the

dining room if I ever have friends/family over to craft or scrap

we can use the dining room table to spread out and won't have

to run up and down the stairs to get supplies!!!  Nope!

This also means there will be plenty of room for X-Man 

to work on homework, puzzles, drawing, or other projects he's working on.

All close by!  Just in case he wants to visit or he needs my help.

Yay!!!

From this:

(which was very nice)

to this:

(which is just plain awesome)

So much happier.

Only thing left to do is hang up all my fun art work and shelves!!  

Steve??  I need your help on that one.

Now no excuse to not make lots of creative lovelies.