It seems that it's either feast or famine in my life. Either it's so crazy busy that your head spins or there's nothing. It seems that my life is about to go into famine, here's why.
I'm finished with school. I won't have any weekly classes or homework. I do have the certification tests to take but other than that, nothing classwork related.
My oldest son is leaving for college in about 3 weeks so there won't be too much stuff for him. I think I might go out to a football game or something but he's now on his own.
My youngest is 15. He's always on the go skateboarding or something. He still needs his taxi driver, so that won't end for another year or more but things slow down a bit more with him when school starts. I bet we'll be running to volleyball tournaments and practices, but that's not unusual.
My creative time seems to be changing too. I've been on three really great digital scrapbooking creative teams. About a month ago, Cindy Simon decided that she wanted to spend more time on family things and decided to stop designing for a while. I envy her for that. She's got her priorities straight, wtg Cindy!
Christine Smith another awesome designer stopped selling her stuff at The DigiChick. She's putting her existing digital designs for sale on her own site. She's focusing her efforts on her amazingly creative storeScrapquick! I am so lucky to be a page creator or artist there for the sensational designers who associate their kits with Scrapquick so that the page artists, like me, can design unique pre-made pages for the ease of digital scrapbooking.
Then I just heard that my third creative team was disbanding.
Tracy Rivera has been busy with life and now her design team members have no requirements any longer.
I'm sad and I was thinking of applying for Jennilyn designscreative team call but was gone almost all day yesterday and missed the call. Darn!
So I'm free to create for me and my family now. I'll miss working with some very talented designers and very talented, creative, and inspiring creative team members. I think I'd like to be on some creative teams as guest designers. Fun and short term committments with a bunch of very talented people. If anyone is looking for guest creative team members here is the link to my digital gallery at The Digichick.
So for now, I'll try to be happy living the not so busy life. How does one learn to go from a hectic, go...go...go lifestyle to a little more slow and a little mundane lifestyle? If you know, or if you've done it let me know how you learn to adapt.
Happy Monday everyone!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Saturday, July 28, 2007
From trash to treasure
I told you I found a cute little chair in the garbage at someone's house. Well it wasn't really "garbage" because the people didn't put a "garbage sticker" on it for the garbage man to take. So I picked it up, found some funky fabric at Ikea, and my mom and I recovered it. It even has the spots in the legs for casters. I'm going to pick up some replacements and take this little baby to school to roll around on.
Here it is before:
and here is the after:
So what do you think? Was it a good grab to save it from the garbage man? Every time I've done that, I usually wind up keeping it for a long time or selling it. I remember picking up an easel from the neighbor's who used to live across the street. I had been painting something else blue so I painted the easel blue. Then I sold it at a garage sale for $15. They came to the garage sale and didn't even recognize the easel.
You know my chair, my sister was at my mom's today and saw the seat and asked if that was the chair she saw when she came to the graduation party. It was and it sat out on the curb for 4 days before I picked it up. She was going to pick it up but I got it first!
Here it is before:
and here is the after:
So what do you think? Was it a good grab to save it from the garbage man? Every time I've done that, I usually wind up keeping it for a long time or selling it. I remember picking up an easel from the neighbor's who used to live across the street. I had been painting something else blue so I painted the easel blue. Then I sold it at a garage sale for $15. They came to the garage sale and didn't even recognize the easel.
You know my chair, my sister was at my mom's today and saw the seat and asked if that was the chair she saw when she came to the graduation party. It was and it sat out on the curb for 4 days before I picked it up. She was going to pick it up but I got it first!
739 pages....
Done!
That's right I finally finished reading HP. It took less than a week, I know many people sat up and read, read, read; but life and my ability to stay awake at times interrupted that.
It brought tears to my eyes several times. there were a few surprises thrown in there at times, but as I was reading, and thinking about the foreshadowing back from the other books, I figured out some of the subplots.
I'm really sad about a few of the deaths. Knowing my son has met the Phelps brothers, it's going to be hard to watch movie seven. There is a spoiler in there, hope you don't figure it out if you're not finished reading.
Don got my sink fixed. I guess my garbage disposal and brocolli don't work too well together. Thankfully it is fix.
I'm feeling a bit like finishing projects. I feel like I'm known for starting projects and not finishing them. I have a puzzle swap I started, got all my sent away pieces back, but never did my own. I wrote a grant for my final project, got it back and thought I should make a couple corrections and mail it and I never have. I've still got time, I'll get it into the mail on Monday, PROMISE!
So today I've 3 things I want to accomplish: finish HP...Done, clean the kitchen because of the stopped drain I couldn't, and recover the chair.
What's on your weekend list?
That's right I finally finished reading HP. It took less than a week, I know many people sat up and read, read, read; but life and my ability to stay awake at times interrupted that.
It brought tears to my eyes several times. there were a few surprises thrown in there at times, but as I was reading, and thinking about the foreshadowing back from the other books, I figured out some of the subplots.
I'm really sad about a few of the deaths. Knowing my son has met the Phelps brothers, it's going to be hard to watch movie seven. There is a spoiler in there, hope you don't figure it out if you're not finished reading.
Don got my sink fixed. I guess my garbage disposal and brocolli don't work too well together. Thankfully it is fix.
I'm feeling a bit like finishing projects. I feel like I'm known for starting projects and not finishing them. I have a puzzle swap I started, got all my sent away pieces back, but never did my own. I wrote a grant for my final project, got it back and thought I should make a couple corrections and mail it and I never have. I've still got time, I'll get it into the mail on Monday, PROMISE!
So today I've 3 things I want to accomplish: finish HP...Done, clean the kitchen because of the stopped drain I couldn't, and recover the chair.
What's on your weekend list?
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
splurged on myself
Today I got up and got some of my jobs done. I decided to take my boys to the mall after Brian got home from school. I should say I decided on going to the mall and the boys took me...Doug drove! But we couldn't get to the mall without picking up friends. 4 teenage boys and me, I'm sure it was a sight driving down the road.
I mainly wanted to go to look in Coldwater Creek. They were having a sale so I thought I was in luck. No luck, I couldn't find anything to spend my gc on. It seems a little too "formal" for me although they are not really formal.
I decided to go into Bath and Body Works to get some bodywash and foaming handsoap. I gotta say, I love that the manufacturers have created foamy hand soap. Well I was a bit disappointed when I found my favorite scent,White tea and Ginger, has been discontinued...WHAAAAAAAAAAAA
So I only got foamy handsoap and some lip gloss. I went on the advice of my cousin who was up for the graduation party who said, "B&BW has the best lip gloss." I'm really not a lipstick/lipgloss kinda girl, but decided to give it a try.
This is the Mentha-lip gloss. I loved that it was infused or made with peppermint oil. I'm so the peppermint girl. I HATE spearamint...only peppermint for me. Not only does it give me a little lip tint, it is very thick and glossy, smells good, and has a yummy flavor.
Of course, since this mall has 4 Starbucks within a half-mile radius, I had to get my caffine boost. My drink of choice there is a No-whip, chai cream frappachino. Quite the mouthful but it's my favorite.
We stopped in at Lenscrafters to see what could be done with Doug's glasses. He's got a pair of frameless Ray-Bans with transitions lenses. Well the lenses have started to seperate and crack. I hoped we could just replace the lenses. I found out that when you have the mounts drilled for frameless lenses that the frames should really only be used once. Well the manager walks over and picks up a new pair of frames, just like the ones Doug has. I asked if they needed his glasses or something and she said she'd send the new frame in. I said oh then you'll switch out the lenses when it comes back. She said, "No, he's getting a brand new pair of frames and lenses." I asked about the price and she said, "Free!" Obviously the problem is with the lenses and it's their problem, and nothing Doug has done. What an awesome relief that I don't have to pay for Doug to get new glasses before the college tuition bills start rolling in!
Then, after leaving the mall, I told them to take me to Best Buy. Today was the day I upgraded to this...
My new pink nano. It's name is officially "mom's pink pod" but we'll just call it mom's ipod. I've had Brian help me understand the whole..download music, set playlists, and docking it. I managed to buy 1 song tonight. I've grabbed some songs from Doug's library, got some from some cd's I had loaded onto my old computer and will raid Brian's i-tunes library tomorrow. I also have a Bonnie Raitt and 10,000 maniacs cds that I'll load into my i-tunes library. I'm sure there are a ton of songs I'd love to own. My brother is the king of i-tunes songs. He's got over 10,000 songs and I'll tell him to bring his laptop next time we meet up. That's one music library I can't wait to raid! ;)~
Ok I need to get ready for bed. I'm just having fun sitting here listening to my lil pinky while typing here. If you got any good itunes "gotta have" songs let me know, ok?
I mainly wanted to go to look in Coldwater Creek. They were having a sale so I thought I was in luck. No luck, I couldn't find anything to spend my gc on. It seems a little too "formal" for me although they are not really formal.
I decided to go into Bath and Body Works to get some bodywash and foaming handsoap. I gotta say, I love that the manufacturers have created foamy hand soap. Well I was a bit disappointed when I found my favorite scent,White tea and Ginger, has been discontinued...WHAAAAAAAAAAAA
So I only got foamy handsoap and some lip gloss. I went on the advice of my cousin who was up for the graduation party who said, "B&BW has the best lip gloss." I'm really not a lipstick/lipgloss kinda girl, but decided to give it a try.
This is the Mentha-lip gloss. I loved that it was infused or made with peppermint oil. I'm so the peppermint girl. I HATE spearamint...only peppermint for me. Not only does it give me a little lip tint, it is very thick and glossy, smells good, and has a yummy flavor.
Of course, since this mall has 4 Starbucks within a half-mile radius, I had to get my caffine boost. My drink of choice there is a No-whip, chai cream frappachino. Quite the mouthful but it's my favorite.
We stopped in at Lenscrafters to see what could be done with Doug's glasses. He's got a pair of frameless Ray-Bans with transitions lenses. Well the lenses have started to seperate and crack. I hoped we could just replace the lenses. I found out that when you have the mounts drilled for frameless lenses that the frames should really only be used once. Well the manager walks over and picks up a new pair of frames, just like the ones Doug has. I asked if they needed his glasses or something and she said she'd send the new frame in. I said oh then you'll switch out the lenses when it comes back. She said, "No, he's getting a brand new pair of frames and lenses." I asked about the price and she said, "Free!" Obviously the problem is with the lenses and it's their problem, and nothing Doug has done. What an awesome relief that I don't have to pay for Doug to get new glasses before the college tuition bills start rolling in!
Then, after leaving the mall, I told them to take me to Best Buy. Today was the day I upgraded to this...
My new pink nano. It's name is officially "mom's pink pod" but we'll just call it mom's ipod. I've had Brian help me understand the whole..download music, set playlists, and docking it. I managed to buy 1 song tonight. I've grabbed some songs from Doug's library, got some from some cd's I had loaded onto my old computer and will raid Brian's i-tunes library tomorrow. I also have a Bonnie Raitt and 10,000 maniacs cds that I'll load into my i-tunes library. I'm sure there are a ton of songs I'd love to own. My brother is the king of i-tunes songs. He's got over 10,000 songs and I'll tell him to bring his laptop next time we meet up. That's one music library I can't wait to raid! ;)~
Ok I need to get ready for bed. I'm just having fun sitting here listening to my lil pinky while typing here. If you got any good itunes "gotta have" songs let me know, ok?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
I'm not here...
because I'm in here!
Got a start on this 739 page beast on Sunday. Today I'm to chapter 13. I'm actually turning pages faster than I normally seem to read. I'm hoping to be finished before the end of the week.
I've got party stuff to talk about but not today. I'm not here...this is my away message!
Got a start on this 739 page beast on Sunday. Today I'm to chapter 13. I'm actually turning pages faster than I normally seem to read. I'm hoping to be finished before the end of the week.
I've got party stuff to talk about but not today. I'm not here...this is my away message!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Some fun projects
Believe it or not, I got out my paper, scissors, and glue and did some fun little altered projects.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
I DID IT!!!
I DID IT! It took 3 lonnnnnnnggggggg years but I turned in my final project and received my letter stating that I have finished all the courses and all of the requirements to receive my Master's Degree from Northern Illinois University.
Although the grade for this class and the degree won't be posted for about a month onto my transcript, I'm finished and as far as I consider it...I've got a Master's degree! I won't receive my actual diploma until the graduation ceremony until December. By then I'll have already had my pay increase for 3 months, but I can wait for the diploma. It's the paper saying I'm degreed again, the knowledge is already in my head and they can't take that away!
Monday, July 09, 2007
Tomorrow is the BIG day!
Tomorrow is my LAST day of Graduate school!!! It has been three long, I mean Loooooongggggggg years but tomorrow is the last day and the last assignment.
No formal graduation until December; they say too many people faint because of the heat in August. Hey the pay goes through before the diploma is in my hands and that is all I care about at this point.
I have about 5 weeks before I have to start school stuff with seven days of training so I intend to make the most of it! I do have a big party coming up. I scheduled Doug's graduation party after I was finished so I could have some down time and a little celebration myself.
I'm so glad tomorrow is almost here! It's a day I thought would never come!
No formal graduation until December; they say too many people faint because of the heat in August. Hey the pay goes through before the diploma is in my hands and that is all I care about at this point.
I have about 5 weeks before I have to start school stuff with seven days of training so I intend to make the most of it! I do have a big party coming up. I scheduled Doug's graduation party after I was finished so I could have some down time and a little celebration myself.
I'm so glad tomorrow is almost here! It's a day I thought would never come!
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