CryztalRain has released some fabulous new butterfly brushes this week~ Butterfly Clusterz #2 at Deviant Scrap. The png's are included if you don't want to use the brush format. I had such
a wonderful time playing around with these. The background on my piece is nothing
but brushwork and blending modes. I did find through playing a bit and giving my layers
a very slight shadow such as one you would give acrylic elements really helped
pop things up a bit and give it some "texture". As soon as I am able I will try to get this
one printed on a canvas for my art room in addition to a copy of it going into my art journal.
Other elements used in the piece are from CryztalRain's Art Therapy and Word Art pack.
I ♥ those kits. They are also available at Deviant Scrap. =D






Thanks for peeking!!!

I got to work with some great new kits last week from Beth Rimmer and Finecrafted Designs.
This week Beth has a new Steampunk themed kit out called Steampunk Celebration! at Deviant Scrap
I wasn't feeling too steamy but did make this wonderful page of my DD and niece with it.
Click on the page to see it in the gallery for full credits.

And I always vow to eat dessert first when we go out to eat and never do. However I do leave room for one of the mini desserts at our favorite steak house. So this is just a reminder that I might want to do that. =D
It's created with Finecrafted Designs newest kit~Poor Tortured Marie.  at Deviant Scrap.
Click on the page to see the full list of credits in the gallery.


Thanks for popping by!!!! And if you pick up these fabulous kits and create with them....come pop them into the gallery so that we might be inspired by you!
Huggles,
Balinda

We hit the ground running this week with a trip to the library Monday morning. Shaina really enjoys the library and it's something I wanted to make sure she still got to do being home schooled. We did that and I then sucked it up and met my ex husband for lunch so my daughter could visit with her dad. I didn't realize it at the time but it was on what would have been our 23rd anniversary. Very ironic, I thought.



Wednesday was my son's 22nd birthday. I didn't get to see him because he was doing his orientation for Nursing clinicals. This is where you wish they were babies again so that you could hug and love on them at a moments notice. I might be much shorter than him now but he will always be my baby boy...and just a side note...I named him Christopher. It just irks me that he goes by Chris on his FB and his friends are too lazy to say his whole name.





This is just a composition book I came across at Walmart. I am so going to use this design as inspiration for an art journal page.



Wednesday was our first home school group meeting and Shaina's BFF, Kristy, came home with us. The girls really enjoyed the company of each other while doing their lessons. Shaina is on the left, Kristy on the right.



And to prove it's been a rough week, Shaina passed smooth out listening to her iPod. She up and decided on Thursday that she wanted to learn french. So after stalking you tube and iTunes U....she stumbled upon a Celine Dion Album in french...so I downloaded that for her.



I did do some scrapping but I will share those in another posting. Thanks for peeking in on me!
Balinda

It's just really hard to believe that Congress cannot get it's act together and balance a budget.
If there is no money to spend well don't spend it. I have listened to the bickering about it on 
TV until I finally just turned it off for over over week. Through the carelessness of our political leadership
the United States has lost it's Triple A credit rating. The Dow has been bouncing up and down worse than a rubber ball and the morals of our country seems to be slipping away faster than the sand through and hour glass. I worry about my mother's 401k and I worry that me and my husband don't even have a retirement plan. I worry about my kids and how are they even to afford the day to day living. 
I can only put my faith in God and pray daily that we can survive these turbulent times and maybe live to see a brighter day. With all this in mind this is the art journal page I made this week. There's to be a second part to it but that's for next week. 



I was the appointed photographer at my brother's wedding this morning. It was not a fancy affair. Family only, outdoors and casual dress to Sunday best if you wanted.
Out of all the 450 photo's I took this was my very favorite one and I was very lucky to get it. They don't even know I took it.....yet anyway..LOL!
I used M4H's First Kiss action on it from her Love Bird's collection. I wanted it to have a bit of a retro feel but not too much.
My Dad took the casual route and my Mama took the Sunday best route. =D




This week also finished up our first week of home school. A super big success. It was a lot of redoing assignments, sometimes me being very stern and unyielding and other times being the cheer leader.  It's been hard and easy all at the same time. But I can say without a doubt it's the best thing I ever did for my daughter.
Thanks for taking a peek in with me today!
Balinda

Beth is really on a roll with her art dolls.  I almost never know exactly what I am going to create with her goodness until I just get my hands dirty and start playing. This time though I knew I wanted to have something merged with that cool top hat. I am not all that great at merging items together and really played around a lot with layer masks and am super pleased with the results. This is a fun page that will be added to my art journal. I like dogs fine but ultimately Cats Rule and Dogs Drool in my house hold of 3 kitties.  This sweet little kitty is quite upset that the little doggie is trying to fly under radar and invade her park.
An Accidental Art Doll! by Beth Rimmer at Deviant Scrap is just a wonderful addition of go to pieces if you like/or are interested in art dolls. 

This week wrapped up the last official days of Shaina's summer vacation. Monday marks the first day of 9th grade for us. I spent today getting all of her subjects installed on her new laptop. At first they didn't wanna go but after being a little bit persistent it all got placed properly where it belonged.
I am still trudging along with my Project 365. I know I have not shared photos for that in what seems like forever but let's remedy that now. These are not in any particular order and just a sampling of my past week.


Shaina's new laptop.



I was given the total gym to keep for awhile so it's going to good use next to the treadmill. I learned a long time ago that out of sight is out of mind so in the living room it stays. And that's how it gets used daily.



I had been wanting to try this brand of water flavors. Today I picked up strawberry watermelon. It's pretty darn good!





Shaina opening her laptop.





Seriously! Could it get any hotter!!!! And that's how hot it was at 5:30 in the afternoon.



I cross stitched before I scrapbooked (paper scrapbooked). There was a shop in Bossier called Knots-n-Needles and I had thought it had went out of business when I went hunting for it again about 6 months ago. I had not made a thing in about 10 years but had seen the shop open but never stopped. But like I was saying about 6 months ago I went to go to it and it was GONE! I was so heart broke. Just by chance I had to turn around  in a parking lot and it was their parking lot!! It was Serendipity!!! I bought me a small kit to get me back in the groove with linen fabric. I have never cross stitched on linen so this should be quite the adventure!





This is my fattest cat, Ghost. I was up late on the laptop with my feet up in the recliner. Since he usually sleeps with me and I was not in bed yet he made himself comfy.


Are you doing Project 365 or any variation on it? I would love to visit your blog. We have made it halfway through...so yipppeee!!!! I absolutely adore this project!
Thanks for stopping by!
Balinda

There's been a ton of activity at the house this week. It's the weekend that the hubby is home from work.
Sometimes it's a good thing and sometimes we drive each other bananas. So far, so good though.
Wednesday we had a really good prayer meeting. The pastor really got fired up and gave some really good scriptures to follow up and review the sermon with. I am a big note taker and I like the ability to study a bit further if I have some questions about the where's and why's of a particular subject. Then Thursday was
the WMU and Pastor's Conference at the church. I have never taken part in WMU (Women's Missionary Union) but am really feeling the calling to do so. It's about mission education, awareness and involvement in the church. The conference was nice and very informative and not at all like I expected (boring and drawn out).
Afterwards, I picked up my wonderful DD to go laptop shopping. I do the picking out and the ex pays for it. I was doing my best to be fair and keep the price about the same as I have spent on the curriculum. So 500 dollars was about my limit w/tax if I could swing it. And I did. I found lovely little 15.6 screen size HP with 4 Rams of memory and a 500 GB hard drive on sale at Office Max for $399. Add a $99 warranty on it and well we are pretty much even steven. It did not have the 101 key board like I would have liked but she doesn't care and it will more than work for daily school work. It is still sitting on the kitchen table in the box. I am thinking I am not even going to open it up until Monday. I don't want to be in a snizzle and rush or be bothered when I go to install the software for the school year or when first turning it on and just getting set up period.
This Sunday is 5th Sunday dinner on the grounds. It's something I asked if this church did when I joined and they said they used to but sorta fell out of the habit. So with a little nudge from me, it's started back up. It's nice to fellowship with my new church family and I am still getting to know some of them but before the year is out I will be more than in the swing of things and be an old hand at know what goes where and when and how..etc.  So first thing in the morning I will be getting up and making some dirty rice and hot water cornbread for our noon meal. I really do hope we have a full house.
And on that note, I will call it a night as I still have a few things I need to do before heading to bed.
Thanks for popping in to see me.
Balinda

I must make a confession. I have peeked at my blog numerous times, thinking to myself that I need to post something. Mostly because I use it as a way to document my days, the normal day to day routine that afflicts us all. I also use it to document my growth in skills as an art journaler and and revel secretly inside when I conquer a new skill or stumble upon an effect that takes a page from just ok to me to "wow, I am really diggin' that!".
Eventhough I have not posted any Project 365 photos I have been taking them. I have tried to scrap them digitally but that is just not working for me. I had thought about having them bound into a book but for some reason I am resisting that idea also. What I did think about doing with them is being all art journalesque (slap some paint, scribble about the day etc) with  them. That idea made me smile. I am "documenting" my life and the quirkiness of it and I am still enjoying being crafty. I know some paper scrappers would cringe at the idea of paint and markers and possibly other NON-archival media touching a photo. I mean, that is what was DRILLED into our heads back when 1999 when I went to my very first OFFICIAL scrapbooking party held by my then SIL. If it was not acid free then it could not touch thee, seemed to be the motto.  After a very long 8 years of not scrapping and a lot of that time not even having a camera, I guess I am just over it. I have tons of photos that do need to be scrapped and am more than making up for it now with my ♥iPhone♥. I do need to document memories before I get senile or something for the kiddos though. So get ready to see that project shared.
Oh let's see what else...hmmmm...getting ready for school. I am entering in to the first full year of home schooling and it's also 9th grade. Oh what a challenge. The Switched On Schoolhouse curriculum was very highly recommended by another mom from church (who is also studying to be a teacher) and she even brought it up for me to peek into the program. I really liked the format and the fact that I could load it into a laptop and it be super portable. It's very interactive and has a Bible study class which I might do along with her. In addition to all of that, I have loaded up on the art supplies and twice a week we are going to have art class. That and music is was not offered at her school. She loves to draw and I really want to feed that passion. No it's not fine art, it's more like cartoon drawings but that does not matter. I got a book that will teach us both perspective and shading and if anything she will have an appreciation of art and will be having fun.
So with the curriculum purchased, it's now time to go laptop shopping. That is on the agenda for Thursday. I go and pick it out and then let her father know which one is acceptable since he knows NOTHING about computers. Does not even have internet at his house. So I am hoping to find something around $500 so he does not have a stroke. That will make us even on what we will have spent on her for school since he pays no child support.
Another goal of mine for the second half of the year is to do some actual scrapbooking. I have done mostly just art journal pages but now it's time to balance it all out so that my babies will have memories to revisit and not forget the stories of their grandparents or parents for that matter.
****And you might see me posting tons more, I have just really been busy but I do love to blog, it gives me a place to vent, share, cry, praise God or just to say I had an ordinary and perfect day.****
So I hope you will stay with me on my adventure through the rest of the year.
Balinda

Beth Rimmer never disappoints with her wonderful and imaginative kits. And she surely did not with Wings of the Phoenix. And yes it has some wonderful phoenix's in it and the coolest of dragons. I just did not use them on the page I created. 
This is my soapbox statement for all the lazy bum's sucking up government funds intended for the people who really them them. It won't be long before no one will get the benefits and then where will we as a society?
Text reads: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime~chinese proverb

Finecrafted Designs has given us a taste of Jimmy Buffet and Margaritaville with her newest kit, Parrothead Paradise. Who can resist the idea of a shaker of salt and some awesome lazy beach time?
Run and go grab it for when you wanna scrap those vacation photos or just something fun and fanciful!!!!
Here is what I was inspired to do with it. =D It's a page for my art journal.

I will admit I reluctantly volunteered to help with S.M.A.K. (Summer Musical Activity for Kids) at church this past week. Not because I didn't want to help it's just that it started at 8:30 am AND I am learning that working with kids are not my calling. But it seems the more I resist the more opportunities seem to present  themselves to me to be a part of. I do not say no but I don't really go into them with the happiest of hearts. Is this God showing me that even if I am not comfortable with what I am needed for, I must do it anyhow because there may not be other's to do it. Is it that His work for us to do will not be for us to pick and choose. I trust He has the plan and am doing my best to "roll" with it.
Well in doing so, this left me with ZERO time for blogging, CT duties, or even time for much sleep last week. I must say it's a relief that it is over. It was a great success and I am still trying to recover and catch up on sleep and the happenings in the forums that I ♥ and emails. I have not even downloaded the photos I took last week of those precious kiddos off of my camera card yet to share with parents etc on FB. Note to self: get on that soon!
On my next couple of postings I am going to catch you up on the awesome products that have been released from the wickedly cool designers I CT for. So stay tuned. =D!
Balinda

Well I decided I wanted a bit of a blog makeover. I have a friend who could design my blog like I wanted but I am not sure how I want it just yet plus I am not ready to pay for it. So that will be on hold for awhile. I played around in blogger some and I really liked this template. I am played around a bit and for now it will do. It's hitting the midnight hour so I had best quite messing with it before I totally get it all wonky. I will be back in just a bit with another posting I am sure but until then I will leave a chocolate kiss trail for ya's to follow. =D
Balinda
edited post...so I didn't stick with the blogger one...but I think this one is nice too.

Ever been to an Open House at Roswell? Well now is your chance with Beth Rimmer's newest creation.
She has the quirkiest imagination and the most fun sense of humor!  So if you are a sci-fi fan like me or have some weird photos from the UFO museum (s) from downtown Roswell...again like me..LOL! you will have a blast creating with an Open House at Roswell from Deviant Scrap. And if you do grab and create with it PLEASE stop by the forum and upload it to the gallery. We would love to shower it with love!!!!


And here is what I created with it...I immediately thought of E.T. when I saw the phone. =)



Thanks for peeking in tonight!!!
Balinda

I applied a bit ago to be on CrystalRain's  (formerly Totally Wild Dezines)creative team at her Deviant Scrap Store and by some stroke of fantastic luck she let me come on board (insert big cheesy happy grin). She has the most awesome of brushes and elements and an already talented group of ladies on her CT. I have not done brush work in awhile...well not since my days of making signature tags and in paint shop pro. And most definitely not too much in photoshop so I am more than a wee bit nervous but most definitely up to the challenge to show off her great products and push my creative limits all at the same time.

And if you are up to the challenge and want to get some pointers from her, she has a great interview in this month's Deviant Muse. It's the Deviant Scrap's store free ezine. It's packed jam full of tuts, challenges and eye candy to get those creative juices flowing like there's no tomorrow.  And the best part of all is that it's FREE!!!! So run over and pick up your copy right HERE. January through May are also available at the rock bottom price of free also. The doors are always open and the light's even on so you don't stub a toe pushing that cart full of goodies to the check out.

Thanks for popping by!!!
Balinda

The husband came home in the early hours of last Friday morning and it's seems in no time flat he is gone again. I hate his job but it's an evil we must endure. I have had some pretty busy weeks but then again  who hasn't?

Tracie Stroud is giving out a chance to win her newest kit. Run and go and grab you a chance!!!!
----------------->CLICK ME<---------------------
Good Luck!!!!

With all the storms and connection problems with my pc and cell phone (both AT&T) and blogger being up and down on me I have not been able to post. I am beyond aggravated as I dearly love my blog. It's a great way for me to memory keep and even to vent.

It has been quite the exhausting week! Not to mention emotional and downright scary with the horrible storm that has blown through the southern United States. We got the IOWA test done and out of the way. Now we just wait for the results to see what we might need to work a bit harder on or where we can continue to work at a steady pace or even work on a more advanced level.

Today is a very big day in our home....My DD is taking the IOWA test. For those who don't follow my blog regularly, I pulled her out of school back in January to home school. Nothing preplanned. It just happened to be last straw and the last time I would let her go there and be bullied. This was not the first time this year. No one deserves that and it's something I have wanted to do for a while anyhow. I could just never sway my ex to my way of thinking. Long story short..she is thriving. She is a little bit lonely with it only being me and her most of the time. But it will get better when I join a home school group. Her friend Kristy is home schooled and her father is an approved tester of the IOWA exam which Louisiana will let us take instead of the LEAP and iLEAP. The schools around here teach to pass the LEAP exams and it so aggravates me. What happened to old fashioned teaching? Educators are being forced to push ahead when the kids are barely grasping the basics. So I was a bit nervous that I was not covering the correct material to give her a chance to test well. She did good and finished in the alloted time and even told me that the things we did study did help her on the test. Tomorrow is day 2 and the final day. I let her stay with her friend Kristy so I would not have to drive her down so early in the morning. I figure at this point the best thing to do is let her have some down time so she will be relaxed and not nervous tomorrow. I think I am more nervous than she is/was though....I just don't want to let her down by not covering the correct materials for her to succeed.