Saturday, April 30, 2011

PostHeaderIcon Introducing Diva's in My Garden by Beth Rimmer

I just LOVE hummingbirds and when Beth Rimmer's Kit Diva in My Garden was shown to me I KNEW I would be scrapping one of my many photos I had taken of these miniature beauties.
It's full of fun elements and wonderful backgrounds for both traditional and art journalers. It's a kit that can easily become a favorite. And it's on sale this week for 40% off.
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Thanks for Peeking in!!!
Balinda

PostHeaderIcon Testing, Tornados and Traveling

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.

On Tuesday night we got hit pretty hard with that storm that blew through. I was lucky and never lost power but we had quite a few tornados confirmed around the area. One of the worst things ever is a night time tornado. You can't see them. But if you have never been in one the experience is quite un-nerving and not anything you want to do again. As I am here at home that Tuesday, the DH was on his way from Missouri to Russelville, Arkansas with some other crews in preparation for storm cleanup and to get power back to people as quickly as possible. I was doing my best to monitor the weather reports along his route and keep him updated via text messages. Wednesday morning they got up and got sent to Hot Springs. This morning at breakfast they were told to load up go to to Alabama. They are in Bessemer, Alabama at the moment. No motel to stay in and thank goodness no tents either because he has had to do that a time or two. There's 18 wheeler trailers set up with bunk beds and air conditioning. There's a trailer for showers and he said some lady came and got his clothes to wash. Fingers crossed that they come back. There's alot of men there and things do get lost and mixed up. He will know tomorrow where exactly he will be working but since that seems to be a suburb or something of Birmingham I am sure it will be around there.

We must continue to pray for the people affected by this killer storm and for the men and women who are working and volunteering to get them back on their feet and basic services restored.

Since Shaina didn't really have an Easter break like public school I arranged for her to catch a ride with my brother back to Texas when his hitch ended this time. He works on a drilling rig. Not sure what his position is but he gets to sit in a little room and monitor guages etc. She will come back this coming Thursday when he comes back. This is actually a big deal because I have never let her stay with my brother. He is remarried. But not even when he was married to his first wife. She had a pain pill addiction and there was no way I was letting my babies stay over. In fact, I ended up with his kids at my house for that very reason. I spoke to her earlier and so far so good. She is having a great time.
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Thanks for peeking in on me!!! I really do appreciate all the visits!
Balinda

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

PostHeaderIcon Roses and Round Robins

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.
I noticed when I left this morning my rose bushes were blooming like crazy. I gotta get some bug spray or something because something is chewing up the buds before they can fully bloom. I wish I could remember the name of this rose but it has the most heavenly scent and the blooms are huge especially if I crank out some miracle grow. I am also especially excited about the roses because me and the hubby...well him..I just supervised and tried not to have a cow when he was jerking them out of the ground...anyhow when they got moved to a new spot in the yard in the hopes of doing better. It's nothing short of a miracle they all survived much less have blooms on them.
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Beth Rimmer is hosting an Altered Book Round Robin at Deviant Scrap. Before I signed up for this my idea of a round robin was a fat little bird. But basically what happens is that you sign up and select a theme for yourself...ex...fairies, asian inspired, steampunk type, etc.... Once everyone's theme is selected and settled upon you go down the list creating a page for each person...They in turn create you a page of the interpretation of your theme. In the end you have a unique book from your fellow artist. Traditionally pages are mailed snail mail and made with real paints, paper etc..
But in this tech savvy society we can create digitally and email instead. It will be up the the recipient to have their pages bound in a book, made into a calendar, print out on a canvas, the possibilities are endless. I will have mine bound into a book.
The first theme I was assigned to tackle was to create a "Mood Doll" that evokes a mood or feeling. I was terrified I would not be able to do it. No idea what I was going to do. And of course I wanted my page to be loved by the recipient. This is what me and photoshop cooked up and I was pleased with it..actually astonished that I might have actually pulled this off. So off to the gallery to post and the old faithful yahoo to send the email....tick, tock, tick, tock....does she like it, hate it, is it not what she wanted? After much nervousness...it's very much loved..cuz well..I loved it too and wanted her to love it like I did.
Clicking on the page takes you to the gallery to view the credits.
"Melancholy"
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Monday, April 25, 2011

PostHeaderIcon Welcome Steamtown Explorers to the Party!

Introducing Steamtown Explorers by Beth Rimmer at Deviant Scrap. This woman is on a
roll with this awesome series of stupendous steampunkiness (errrr new word =) ).
I had so much fun with this kit I made 2 pages..that doesn't happen often but who can
resist making a page with a designer toliet...LOL!!!! There's so much that you can do with this one and a great kit to grab for your go to stash of goodies.
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Thanks for peeking in!!!
Balinda

PostHeaderIcon New goodies from Shawnery's Designs~Come be a little Funky and have some Afternoon Tea

Hey everyone! I have been super duper busy this month with taxes.....hence the reason for blog neglect but that bad business is OVER and the relief is beyond measure! Fingers crossed that the IRS and state agrees with my calculations...they were accepted but last year after the state accepted ours they "corrected" our forms and we went from a refund to owing them 614 dollars. I was so very sad. But while I wait I am back into art journaling and scrapping. It felt amazing to unwind and create!!!!

The awesome Shawnery Mathis has this wonderful new vintagy style kit out called
Afternoon Tea at Deviant Scrap. And see that neato font...come on!!! you know you do...it's a new one from her too called Funky.

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Thanks for peeking in!!!
Balinda

Thursday, April 7, 2011

PostHeaderIcon Welcome the Mermaid Rodeo to the Range!

It's called Mermaid Rodeo. It's deviated and fun but with enough traditional elements for
a traditional scrap page and ready for your scrapping pleasure.

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With my 3 kitties I was immediately drawn to the cats. This is one of those pages
that I created just for the pure pleasure of creating and I can't wait to get it
printed and added to my art journal. Full credits can be found by clicking on the
page and viewing in my gallery.
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Text Reads
The legend fortold that if 2 young cats
in love were tricked into eating a romantic
meal of tropical fish by a young mermaid they would be tranformed
into mercats. If their love proved to be true in 7 years they would
have the choice to return to land and live a mortal cats life or to
remain a mercat and live blissfully in aquatic paradise forever.


Thanks for peeking in!!!!
Balinda


Wednesday, April 6, 2011

PostHeaderIcon New from Shawnery's Designs

I am excited to announce that I have been accepted to be a part of Shawnery Mathis's (Shawnery's Designs) Creative Team. I almost didn't apply but I am glad that I took the chance.
She sells at the awesome store Deviant Scrap which stays full of deviated greatness.
She has 2 new products out this week Art Journaling Premades 2 and this wickedly fun font
Here's a couple of Oversized ATC's that I created using the premades in both and the Cool Words font in the second one.
Click the photos to be taken to the gallery to see full credits.

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Thanx for Peeking in!!!
Balinda

Friday, April 1, 2011

PostHeaderIcon Goodbye Clyde

My sweet daughter's dog died yesterday. Well more like killed by a careless person who did not even bother to stop to see what they did. Poor Clyde was a beagle/basset hound mix and the sweetest dog ever. She kept him at her father's house. He lives down this little road off the main highway in the country so it was really no big deal to let your pets "roam" free. He was walking along the side of the road and someone ran off the road and hit him and just kept on going. I understand it might have been an accident but why keep going when you see people around? My DD is heartbroke and so is her brother actually and I am just baffled at the lack of care and compassion of the person who did this to just speed off like nothing happened.

R.I.P. Clyde
May you bring as much joy to the angels as you have brought to us.

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Balinda (RebelChick)
Just an everyday girl trying to find my way in the world to live life fiercely and passionately. I was a signature tagger for several years but art journaling has replaced that passion and it feeds my soul creativiely and spiritually. I also homeschool my DD, scrapbook, play around in photography, spoil my cats and drive my hubby insane on a daily basis. My faith in the Lord helps me juggle all these blessings. I keep this blog because it makes me happy. Sometimes I blog a lot and other times it collects a little dust. Thanks for visiting and being my friend.♥
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