Did You Ever Wonder Why...

Did you ever wonder why:
In cartoons, when they blow up balloons with their mouths, the balloons float as if they had helium inside. It never fails! From my childhood on, I've always wondered about this...

Things that are supposed to make life easier often do exactly the opposite, especially in the short run.

You neuter/spay your “best friend” (ie. your dog) (Thanks for this one, Scott!)

Scrapbooking involves very few scraps, and instead a whole lot of relatively expensive artistic items. Don’t worry, YOUR DH’s don’t read this blog, only mine does, and he already knows all my secrets!:)

I wanted to make a way longer list, but a couple weeks have gone by without me coming up with anything new, so this is what you get!

Slow Scrap Week 4 (and final version)

This was so much fun and seemed to force me to think about design more, since once we posted the week's version, we could not MOVE any object again! And the best part (besides having a cool page done for our album) is that I got all THIS free just for participating:)

On a less fun note, I had a hideous weekend at the Fast Track. VEISHEA was this weekend. As the website says: What is VEISHEA?
A

VEISHEA is an annual celebration held at Iowa State each spring, and one of its oldest traditions. It serves as a showcase and display of the Iowa State community with a wide variety of educational and entertainment events.
Q What does "VEISHEA" stand for?
A

VEISHEA was named in 1922 by Professor Frank D. Paine, Department of General Engineering. He combined the first letters of the colleges at that time, and the name has stuck ever since. The word VEISHEA (pronounced "VEE-sha") stands for:

* Veterinary Medicine
* Engineering
* Industrial Science
* Home Economics
* Agriculture

But during the weekend, some of the ER staff came up with the following, more cynical, and much more apt (sadly to say) acronym:
Violence
Emesis (medical term for vomit)
Incontinence
Stupidity
Hostility
EtOH/Ethanol
Altercation

'Nuff said. I was so glad it was over Sat night, b/c Sunday was a much quieter day and I was able to get caught up on the paperwork I abandoned in favor of sleep when I left at 12:30 midnight Saturday night. Now if I could just find the missing 9 dictations from MARCH instead of having to re-do them, I'd be a truly happy camper:)

Slow Scrap Week 3

This week we had to add at least 4 "elements" and 1 item to journal on. I assume the actual "journal on it" instructions will come next week, lol.

Alien Kids

My friend's 2 sons at my DS' birthday party...trust these 2 to come up with something hysterical to amuse themselves (and me smile:) My DH made the faces on the balloons, so I guess all 3 of them were in cahoots, lol.

Syndee Nuckles Mischief Maker
Shalae Tippetts Fall Watercolors solids clipped to the shape of a torn paper/fabric from her Hearth Collection
Melissa Renfro Lifted Photos Biggie Emb Templates
Ro Spacekids (alien helmet)
Thao Cosgrove Peeled Paint style
CK Chunky font

Who am I?

Another Jen Wilson challenge...ok, here's my soul, all bared out for you to see...
I wanted a Picasso-like fractured, "off-slid" type effect with the photo but had no idea how to accomplish that, so I settled for the fresco filter within PSCS3. It looks cool at full magnification.
JWD Beginnings 01 paper, Nostalgia No 1 (keyhole), Beginnings solids, Beginnings Glitter Blooms, Picknics-Charmed Floral Stringers, Complete Boy 02 (corner paint)
Brandy Hackman Abstract Expressionism frame
Kristin Aagard skeleton key
CK Becky, Gentle Redhead font
Journaling: You can either strain your eyes or email me, lol:) (click on the picture to "bigify")

Funniest

I just saw the funniest freaking thing EVER....check it out!!!! ROTFL!
Schnauzer
If our Max were still alive I know what I'd be doing right now...

"Slow Scrap"

I'm participating in a fun "slow scrap" at the Scrap Orchard and Gotta Pixel this month. Details can be found here. Once you have uploaded the layout each week with the specific requirements (eg. week 1 was to have 3 photos and 3 papers), you cannot MOVE any item on the layout for the next week. You can switch the layer of the objects though. Eg. week 2 we were to add 3 ribbons, 2 fasteners such as buttons, and 1 set of stitches. The ribbons could go behind the photos; we didn't have to add the new items on top.

Should be funnier as the weeks go on since we have no idea what kind of room to save for what on the page (thus I opted for a good amount of white space, lol)!

Week1:

Week2:

Easter Hilarity (2008)

in case you can't see...DS on the left is basically choking himself with the "egg tongs" (whatever they are called) while inspecting them.

Erica Hite Chic Embroidery (not just for girls!) & solids
Erica Hite In Stitches Emb. Templates
Melissa Renfro Well Loved
Syndee Nuckles Noteworthy (nest)
Keri Schueller Going Postal Frames
Hansa font
Journaling: No Michaels were harmed during the inspection of the egg tongs! And thank goodness the eggs were hard-boiled since Christopher kept trying to crack his egg on Michael’s head.

Christmas in April (fits the weather, eh?)

In light of the snowstorm about to brew out my Iowa windows...here's the challenge I just finished up for Jen Wilson's Project 52.


Christmas hymns to me are an epitome of the Christmas season. I adore singing; I adore the music, especially when accompanied by piano or organ. And I actually get shivers if there is SATB. When sung in company, the hymns make me feel more a part of a community of God than at any other time I can remember.
I am worried that with the lack of carol singing in this day and age, we are raising a generation of children who will no longer be able to hum the tunes, let alone sing the words, to the carols. I love our liberal United Methodist Church, but am disappointed that we “suffer” (my words) Advent at the expense of celebrating Christmas. It means the carols are only sung on Christmas Eve and the Sunday following Christmas. I hope we are able to have a piano at home in the near future so we can have our own caroling there!


JWD Merry Days First (blended 2 papers together)
JWD Circle Words Holiday (with a chipboard style applied)
JWD Holiday Rings
JWD Seasonal Stamped Borderlines (stamped along the bottom)
Melissa Renfro Star Bright style
Keri Schueller Holiday Time (NOEL)
Jan Hicks Coin Folder Chip style
AL Aunt Marie and Candara font
Seishido.com let it snow brush (star with a glittery style applied)

Ribbon Challenge

I finally dug myself out of my paper scrapping slump, as I've been saying here lately:) My friend Lori gives us monthly challenges on my local SB list, and the challenge for March was to use up as many pieces of ribbon as we could. I'm happy to report I used 72 (!) pieces, many of which were already in pieces, lol! Here are a few of my very favorites I completed this month.


This one is my absolute favorite. I'm going to put this one on the wall in the "big boys'" room for a good long while before tucking it in the SB. :) Read the story, as it is SO SWEET!
Older Carollee's Creations paper, various ribbons including Basic Grey. The sun and title are part of the background paper.


Michael wearing a Scooby mask at his second birthday party 1/08. I still have stories from 2007 that didn't get scrapbooked, though I am done with those photos. so I've recently chosen some early 2008 photos to get those stories down on paper!

This one was based on a layout seen on ScrapGirls.com. I can't find the original now to link to, sorry! Uses brand new Sandylion paper with a bunch of old ribbon, Pebbles Inc metal, and Carollee's Creations stickers along with some fibers.


I consider this Michael's 2-year portrait, so told some cute stories from his life around 18-24 months. Uses up old Basic Grey Color Me Silly paper, ancient gingham ribbon (which I still like), and my last piece of this multi-colored ribbon that Janet tipped me off to during her school years album class. I twisted that piece around and used little glue dots to hold it in place as a partial photo frame. I like how it turned out. The title is an EKS sticker and the train and fire truck are truly ancient K & Company stickers. I love that I can still make a great page (IMHO, lol) using up old old old supplies!

Seventh Photo

I've been tagged by Janet:
The tag how-to...

1. Go to the photos folder on your computer.
2. Go to the seventh folder of photos.
3. Go to the seventh photo.
4. Put the seventh photo on your blog along with a description.
5. Invite seven friends to join.


This is my friend Amy and her family as of Christmas 2000 (ie. a couple kids ago, lol...they now have FIVE). I went over to their house to take pics with my digital camera as they had none. They didn't expect their children to be too cooperative and wanted to know RIGHT AWAY if everyone's eyes were open and that everyone had reasonably nice expressions. :)