I had a wonderful Christmas

This...is what makes Christmas so special. My three beautiful granddaughters!



Daughter and family....



Brother and me....and the rest of the crew (whose photos are stuck on my dead laptop for the time being...coming soon!)

We've been up to very little this week. Work is really hopping and keeping me busy (but that's a GOOD thing, considering the alternative). To the point of exhaustion. So been trying to take it easy, not an easy thing to do right before Christmas!

Went to Michael's this week, they had 60% off their cards and I found some gorgeous ones for the few people I am sending to. I love walking in their scrapbook area - and the Christmas area - I can just wander and look for hours.

We bought Fleetwood Mac tickets, they're coming in March. Nosebleed seats, but we didn't want to pay the big bucks for the closer ones as we've seen them before. We also booked our winter trip to Mexico - we are going to have two glorious weeks on the beach this year. I am sooooo looking forward to that!

Still have a ton of little things to get done this week. So if I don't get back on here, we hope you have a wonderful holiday!!!

Love, Mike and Gail

Getting Crafty for Christmas

Been busy getting ready for Christmas. It's coming up way too fast! And this is my last week for "getting ready". I have some cards to send out tomorrow, a little shopping to finish up, a few gifts left to wrap.

I made these little photos frames with 50 cent acrylic frames and some scraps from my paper scrapping box - they are for the little ones so didn't want to put too much into them.

We're being really lazy today. I had to work yesterday so this is like my "day after" day.

I did redo my blog using the new kit I made. Took me a long time to figure out the xml - but eventually did it - and now I'm exhausted! My refrigerator needs cleaning - all those leftovers are about falling out when we open the door!

Plus I'm so sick of Turkey, I went to the grocery today and bought cabbage rolls and Thai food. Couldn't get much different, I guess - and chili for dinner - have NO idea where to stash those leftovers. Guess the only place I have room is in the freezer!

If anyone is interested in It's A Guy Thing, post a comment - I don't have a store or anything but am considering selling it if there's interest!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Some days, it just rains.

We went to a little fair in St. Paul yesterday called Highland Fest. It rained...then the sun came out...it was hot and muggy. So we wandered around and got a little fair food and got home just in time for another storm and deluge. Some days, it just rains.

Fourth of July

For the fourth, Mike and I headed south...to Lakeville MN and watched the fireworks from a friend's backyard. Awesome!

Scrappy Awards at DSP

I'm so in shock - I got three layouts nominated for this year's Scrappy Awards at DSP!


***NOMINEE***Adorable
***NOMINEE*** Wisconsin
***NOMINEE***Letters from WW1

Check out the nominee gallery and see all the awesome layouts!!!

Happy scrappin' !!


.

New bundle of Joy

Yep, I got a new computer last week. :) An HP 6330F, and now that I've worked out all the user difficulty issues, I am starting to love it! Just have to get used to the explorer in Vista. Here's a layout I did about my new toy. (Scrappy Pants page kit by Tina Chambers.) Have a happy scrappy weekend!

Memory Makers Idea Gallery

I have two layouts that were chosen as the Idea of the Day at Memory Makers. One was featured on May 25, the other will be featured on July 6.

Credits: Torn Borders, background, phototurn, buttons: As Time Goes By by Meryl Bartho; Torn matte: Birthday Blues by Becky Soto; Tabs: Misty Petals by Becky Soto; Buttons: Knitting Around by Irene Alexeeva; Brushed Away Alpha by Rene Bross; Stitches: Stitched with Love Slightly Untidy by Meryl Bartho; Raffia: Pacific Dreams by Lauren Bavin; Stain Overlay: B is for Boy Backpack, freebie by Kerri Erickson; Arrows: Directions by Lauren Bavin, from the Scraps of Fun - Great Outdoors CD; Staples by me

Credits: Harvest Stamps by Kim Liddiard; Morning Sunrise Backpack 1 by Marcee Duggar; Annie's Lace Page Kit by Linda Rechtin; Black Sanded Chip Alpha by Lauren Bavin; Crayon Doodle Embellishments by Irene Alexeeva (BCA 2007 Freebie); Tussy Mussy Overlay Stack by Suzanne Walker

We had the opportunity to attend a cooking class on June 14 at the Embassy Suites hotel. Chef Peter showed us outdoor grilling techniques, and made shrimp, steak, chicken, walleye, salmon and veggies...and we got to sample everything! It was....YUMMY!!!!!!

See a video of our chef here.

It's Here...

I brought it home last night. Right now, it's sitting in the corner in it's little black case shaped like a backpack. A strange combination of blessing and curse, it looks like it's going to be a permanent part of my life whether I like it or not. Its presence is both threatening and beckoning.

I'm referring to my new home cervical traction unit. A fancy one - not the water bag kind - pretty costly, but I've been assured that insurance will cover it. I hate that it has to be here, but I've already been through two rounds of physical therapy and am just about to the maximum number of visits there that the insurance will pay for.

Traction seems to be the only thing that helps my cervical stenosis, a condition that just developed about 4 months ago. Pretty painful; in its worst stages, the pain brought me to tears and limited my activities, mainly typing when I have to use that arm. Thus, this monster that has invaded my living space will be, hopefully, the saviour that I'll probably have to drag out once a week, forever, to try to keep my spine where it belongs and the pain at bay. We'll see.

Car Show

Mike walked my socks off at the car show this weekend. Fun, but 5 hours on the feet are not conducive to having any energy left at the end of the day. He got his kicks out of the cars and french fries, I entertained myself with the camera!

Splish, splash....

This is my darling great-nephew getting a bath from his grandma......isn't he the cutest?!!

New Computer

My new toy! 3gb Ram, 500gb hard drive. A real rocket ship!

NSD and a Walk in the Park

National Scrapbooking Day (May 3) has come and gone...I hope you all found some wonderful bargains out there and had fun at all the NSD activities! I know I did!

I was out on a nature walk photo shoot yesterday at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The wildlife was pretty scarce, but it was a sunny, semi-warm day, in the 50's, and I spotted a raccoon and several birds (chased a cardinal around briefly, and chased a flittery, young yellow finch around as well). Here's a layout I did featuring the finch.

Sweet Surrender page kit by Lauren Bavin; word art by Tina Chambers.

Who rocks ya baby??

Santana, of course....one of my pics from the 4/20 concert at the Xcel. :)

Tickle Me Elmo

Have you ever seen Tickle Me Elmo Extreme in action? I did, last weekend, for the first time. The grandkids were a hoot! Here's the video....enjoy!

Birthday Boy

Mike gets a cheesecake treat on his birthday at Red Lobster...

All the kids

My granddaughters and grandnephew during a kiddie get together for a fun photo!

On the road again......

I am going to see all the g-kids tomorrow. I am so excited!!! Planning on coming home with 1000s of pictures.....so you may not see me for a few days!!! :)

Published Layouts

I found out I am having two more layouts featured in the near future! This one, New Camera, will be featured in Memory Makers Featured Idea Gallery on April 14:

While we were in Mexico, I dropped my camera on the boardwalk. It broke into pieces, I tried to put it back together, but lost the release button. "Just beautiful" I said...I'm so glad I had it insured though, because yesterday I got to pick out a new point and shoot to replace it! I love having my point &shoot with me to use for candids and tight shots when my DSLR is just too much to carry around. This one has 8mp and a 4x zoom.
Just beautiful!

I used Kim Liddiard's Choco-Blue-A-Licious Page Kit because I just love this shade of blue with the browns, and the pretty bling elements. Such a versatile kit! Font is DSP Adorable. Both available at Digital Scrapbook Place.

April Fool's....a day early......

It's the last day of March .......a time for green grass, tulips and daffodils, even here in Minnesota.....usually. The tulips and mums have broken ground, but for today, we get a taste of winter's last cruel joke.....snowfall that will last well into the day tomorrow. And that's no joke. :(

Sweetie Pie

This is my grandnephew, at about 4 months old. He's so soft and sweet, just like this page kit of Rene's...the blues and browns are just perfect for your little boy pages! This kit isn't just for Valentines!

Valentine Blues Page Kit by Rene Bross
Sweet Swirls Doodle Set by Rene Bross

*** DET Layout of the Day, 3/24/08 ***

Easter 1999 - Swap Layout

This is the layout I did for Betsyfru for the March swaps....what fun to work with such gorgeous photos! I used Marcee Duggar's Desiree Page Kit...the elegant reds and yellows just went so well with these photos! I also used Suzanne Walker's Photo Borders Stamp Set 2.

*** DET Layout of the Day, 3/23/08 ***

Beautiful Blooms

*** Memory Makers Featured Page, 3/23/08 ***

Some photos of the pretty flowers we saw at our hotel while we were on vacation...I used Amber Gray's pretty Yours Truly Page Kit, and two overlays from Linda Rechtin's Forever and Always Overlay Stacks.

Cafe Con Leche

Just a normal coffee morning for me, but in a not so normal place....this was at Heather's Restaurant in Mazatlan.

I used Rene Bross' Dreamin of Spring page kit for this layout....the spring like colors and floral papers and elements are perfect for warm weather shots like this!

*** DET Layout of the Day, 3/12/08 ***

The Boys

** Memory Makers Idea Gallery Featured Page, 3/7/08 ***
I used Suzanne Walker's lovely Just Plain White Page Kit and Jamie Heyl's Soft and Sweet Overlay Stax - both are just beautiful!

One door closes.........

And another one opens...My year as a DET member is drawing to a close. Lots of fun, memories and hard work by this team will be missed......but as an Alumni, I'll still be able to participate and continue to create for the wonderful designers at Digital Scrapbook Place. It's my 'home away from home'...and I hope it will be for a long time to come! Thanks team, for the memories..........

Going into my last month of my year on DET, I was reflecting on how wonderful it's been to be with such a fabulous group of people, so I made this layout honoring my year with DSP, the designers and the fabulous DET team members I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to scrap with while on DET. My journaling reads:

Becoming a member of the DET - Digital Elite Team - at Digital Scrapbook Place was like a dream come true. It's been an amazing and wonderful experience - I have learned so much, been able to participate in events I might otherwise have missed, and have continued to love this place I think of as my second home. But the most important of all are friendships I have made along the way, comaraderie I have discovered, and the opportunity to help others learn a little along the way. I hope my future with DSP continues to be as enjoyable as the last year has been. Thank you DSP, thank you to the designers, and thank you my fellow DET team mates - it's been quite a ride!!!

I used Lauren Bavin's Tea Party Page Kit (who says tea parties are for little girls?) and her Corrugated Captions Word Art. I also used Elizabeth Weaver's Film at Five Quick Click, although I rearranged it to suit my layout - but love the swirl that came with it!

Fly

*** DSP Layout of the Day, 2/23/08 ***

This was a fun layout to do, and Kerr's Altered Ephemera page kit made it even more fun! This is my DGD late last year.

Three words...

"Vacation in Mazatlan"

Our winter vacation this year.

Raven

*** Memory Makers Online Gallery Featured Page, 2/3/08***

My DGD from a visit last summer. I played around with layers, filters, contrast and blending with an overlay to create this effect - Val's Lime Couture backpack was the perfect choice with its lovely, natural green tones. It will be so pretty with your outdoors shots!

Lime Couture Backpack by Valeri Brumfield
Flower from Fruit Smoothie 1 by Meryl Bartho
Date Box Stamp by Tina Chambers
Keep Em In Stitches by Lisa Carter
Joy Into My Life Stamps by Lisa Carter
Breathtaking Overlay Stack by Lauren Bavin