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.

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"

These are the school supplies I picked up at LifeWay Christian Bookstore to finish out Shaina's 8th grade year.

I babysat my nephews Sunday because my brother's girlfriend's son got diagnosed with the swine flu and they went to get a second opinion. Micheal is showing me his muscles and Kaleb is folding wash cloths for me. By the time we got to church that evening and Kaleb got still he passed smooth out on the pew. Apparently laundry is hard work!

My cooling mat died and my laptop gets way to hot without one. I found this one at best buy that I hope will work out ok. The verdict is still out. If it doesn't work good, I will be taking it back and exchanging it.

And I am too lazy tonight to grab today's photo...terrible huh?

Thanks for peeking in on me =)

Balinda

Today is my DD's 15th Bday and I think I have hounded her till she is insane over the phone by either texting and making her suffer me singing Happy Birthday. I had big plans for me and her today until she mentioned her father was taking her and her brother out to eat. So I graciously, but not without aggravation bit my tongue and just let those plans take place. I do think he is a jerk for not asking me what plans I had with her..he knew I had some but I had mine to be a surprise and he goes and blabs his fat mouth to her about what he wanted to do. So what's a Mama to do? I would end up looking like a jerk if I had not let her go and there was no way I really wanted to go spend the evening out with my ex either and share. She did say she wanted to go eat at Logans Steakhouse so I hope she got her a nice juicy steak. =)

I got down in the grass today to get today's photo. Really, I was! Flat on my belly with the DSLR to practice shooting these little flowers in manual mode and this cute little bee decides to grace my lens.

An hour after taking the bee picture...this is was the sky looked like. I knew we were gonna get some storms but when they roll in as fast as this storm front did, it makes you a little nervous.

But the good news is that it's already gone and most of the really bad stuff stayed north of us.

Thanks for peeking in!

Balinda

I have spent the past couple of hours sorting photos and doing a bit of editing so that they will

be ready when I go to scrapbook them. I also tackled sorting out my P365 photos since I had some on my iPhone and some taken with my Olympus. It's a job I don't wanna do again and will

stay determined to not let them get into such a mess again. I did get a little bit lazy and plopped my photos into a story board from MCP Actions so I would only be uploading 1 photo instead

of the 5 it would have been.

Day 50

Shaina and her Mimi. She got an early Bday present of a GC from Old Navy.

Day 51

Shaina spent her GC on some new camo flats.

Day 52

Our cat Izzy.

Day 53

I gave my brother a lift to do some business in a differnt town.

Day 54

Last year me and Shaina took a photo together on the last day she was 13. This year we did the same. I can't believe my baby girl will be 15. Gosh how time seems to fly!

And quite by coincidence every single photo was taken with my iPhone. I can't believe I waited so long to get one. What was wrong with me...lol!!!

Thanx for peeking in!!!!!

Today I had to go to the school board and pick up a homeschooling packet. To be honest, it looks scary to me. I have glanced over it but have yet to really sit down to read it. I think I will do that tomorrow evening. Afterwards I will call my DD's BF father and have him help me. He homeschools and has offered his help and I do think I am going to need it esp. where the paperwork is concerned. I don't have the luxury of taking my time since the school year is in session. I am confident though that I have made the right decision as far as her education is concerned. On another note I am giving the school till Monday before I call them to find out what/or is there has been any type of action taken against the students that were cyberbullying and threatening physical harm to my DD. They did lay hands on her at school (one did) and they threw food and ganged up together and were calling her very vulgar names at her. When someone threatens your child that they are going to get them...well...you really don't put them back in the setting that they were in. This is not the first time she has been targetted for harassment, just not to this extent. After I find out what actions the school is/has taken, I will base my decision on if I should contact the Sherriff's office...which at this point, I will probably do anyhow.

Here is my sweet Shaina clearing out her school locker. I am not sure what she was looking at but hopefully it's to a brighter future. =)

Day 41

Day 42

I am on a quest to drink plenty of water this year, but I am so addicted to the White Out Mountain Dew's (esp after you freeze them just a little and make them all slushy like) and the Bacon Chicken Ranch (minus the ranch add mayo) from Subway is the perfect combo for a no cooking kinda Friday evening. Oh so Yummy!

Thanks for stopping by!!!!!

I started last weekend helping my friend Sammy move from her 5BR double wide mobile home to this teensy tiny 2BR apartment. It's not easy to decide what's important to take to the apartment when it all seems important. When I first showed up she was in her scrapbook room almost in tears being so overwhelmed. So I just sorta took charge and we ended up getting alot of her things at least boxed and sorted into storage or apartment or I am not sure just yet piles. My solution for her scrapbook stuff is to take it all to the apartment and sort through and see what she just can't live without and then bring the rest to a nook over here in my craft room. I don't do paper scrapping so it all holds no allure for me. I am perfectly content with my digital set up I have going for me. Don't get me wrong, I have traditional stuff but just a little for the hybrid project here and there. Some of you may think this photo is a bit morbid but if you knew her mother, you would understand it's not. Her mom was cremated and for years she carried her around in this beautiful box. When her Grandmother passed away/or her Grandfather, I forget..she buried her mother's ashes with them. She kept just a bit I think because her mother would haunt her if she didn't keep a part of her with her. She also has not found the "right" home for these bit of ashes. So in the moving, somehow Linda took the ride with me from her daughter's old house to her new apartment. Somehow I think I should be a bit weirded out by it but strangely I am not. I think it's just because I knew Linda and know that she would think it was a grand adventure for the afternoon.

These are actually some of my P365 photos I have taken...just not in any particular order. I think I will try to start posting them everyday. Mostly because it's just a good way to keep track of memories for scrapping and it's just plain fun. This is one of my cats Ghost watching the white stuff fall out of the sky.

Oh lookie!!! Some of that white stuff =)

I finally got an iPhone. I had heard rave reviews about Hipstamatic app. OMGosh!!!

It is sooo much fun and takes the wickedest photos!! All of these were taken today.

Driving through Shreveport on the way to Sammy's apartment.


And these this afternoon in Stonewall at her old house. I love the moodiness of them. It' also helped it was getting a little bit cloudy and close to dusk. She is so gonna miss the country living.

I would love any suggestions on some more fun apps esp the photography and exercise ones.

TFL!

Day 20

Day 21-Friday

I am taking a decorationg basics class at Hobby Lobby and after the first class me and Mama went shopping and found the 101 Professional Decorationg kit for $79.99 marked down from $149.99. She bought it for me cuz she is just awesome like that. Here are some of the supplies from the kit.

Day 22-Saturday

Today was Class 2 of Decoration Basics. I didn't have the ugliest cake but I sure didn't have the prettiest either. Practice, Practice, Practice! My icing, however, was pretty darn yummy!

Afterwards I met with my friend Sammy and delivered my carpet cleaner to her so she could clean her sofas. She is making a major change in her life and moving from the country to the city to be closer to work and cut down on fuel costs. She is gonna miss her big ole house in the country but I think she is a city girl at heart so she should fare well. After my visit with her, I came home and visited with the hubby and DD for a little bit and ended up taking a power nap in the recliner. That's where I am planted now actually while I am blogging and watching Hoarders. Some of the people on this show really should have some in-center type treatment....scary!

And on that note...I am gonna jet outta here for a bit.

have an awesome weekend!!!!

I have really embraced Art Journaling as a way to express the emotions that is somewhat harder to convey with words. I honestly really used to see pages like this and think they were super lame~or just pretty~but when you understand the symbolism behind the images they become powerful works of the heart. I took a chance and applied for Beth Rimmer's creative team and much to my amazement I was accepted. The first kit she let me play with is Caught in the Act! It's got so many fun circus related items that you are sure to have a blast creating something awesomely wicked with it.

This is a page I made for one of the weekly prompts over at Scrapbookgraphics in Tangie's Art Journal Caravan. Click on the page to view the credits and read about the symbolism in the piece if your interested.

Thanx for peeking in today!

Day 13~A portion of the cover of the folder from the funeral home.

Day 14~The military medals/pins my Grandfather earned for his service in WW2.

Day 15

Day 16~A rose from the flower spray that my ex-husband sent from him and my kiddos.

(he took them off after the graveside service and handed one to me, my Mama, my DD and 2 SIL's-I thought that was very nice of him.)

Day 17

Day 18~Trying to catch up on my coupon cutting and sorting.

Thanx for peeking in.

So far so good on the Project 365~yeah ME!!! And my son is doing it also, is that not awesome or what?!?!?!?! It's been a very busy few days. My hubby came home in the wee hours of the morning on Friday, took a nap and then went to his part time job he does here at home when he is not on the road being a lineman. Currently he is working in Missouri and we live in Louisiana. It's a bit of a drive but he does get to car pool thank goodness. Saturday I went to my basic cake decorating class I signed up at Hobby Lobby (Go ME!) and LOVED every bit of it. After one class I already know I am going to follow it up with the Fondant Class and then the Advanced Decorating Class. =).

My gf Sammy met me afterwards and we picked up a few art supplies for an art project I talked her into doing with me on Friday...woot for us! It's gonna be soooo much fun! We then headed to McAllisters to eat lunch and then spent a lovely hour at LifeWay bookstore =) Lunch is my Day 8 photo and the Girlfriends Daily Devotional is my Day 9. We both got one of these~I thought it was pretty neat to get a Girlfriends Devotional with a girlfriend.

Day 10~My hubby's work gloves for around the house. He chopped me some firewood, stacked some on the back porch and chopped me some kindling before he got called back out to do some storm work. I saw these laying on the coffee table and just missed him terribly at that moment.

I {heart} him!

Day 11~The hubby got back home after doing nothing but driving to retrieve trucks in some bad weather. He is resting before going back for his regular hitch out and I am keeping us all snuggly and warm with our fire =)

Thanx for peekin' in!

Balinda

So that brings us to the Picture of the Day....now it's time to do a LO this weekend so I don't get behind scrapping. Something simple and quick with the focus being on the photos...who knows what I will come up with. Whatever it is though, I will be sharing here.

I have spent the evening making more candied pecans for my Mama and then an extra batch for my hubby and for me to share with my friend Samantha tomorrow at lunch and Cindy tomorrow evening when we ride to go visit her. I also had to make some sugar cookies for me to decorate at my first Decorating Basics class tomorrow at Hobby Lobby. It's been something I have been wanting to do for awhile and finally I just jumped and and signed up. I am getting a bit more excited as the night progresses....yanno..that nervous cuz ya don't know what ur getting into and the excited cuz it's something new ur learning excited =). I so hope I have some sorta talent for decorating. Next year is my DD 16th and I really wanna do something really special for her instead of buying something just ordinary or doing what we usually do...cupcakes...I mean if it is cupcakes~well I want them to be WOWIE kinda cupcakes.

And on that note I will bid you all a goodnite.

Till next time!

Balinda

Can ya believe it's almost a week into the new year? I think the older I get the faster time flies...guess that's how things are supposed to happen, huh? Anyhow I spent a most wonderous day in my pink plaid pj pants and did laundry and digiscrapped/art journaled all day. No ~ my house is not that clean but then again it's not that dirty either...I good balance, don't ya think?

The hubby is coming home in the morning~in fact he is traveling this way as I type. He is such a good man and a good husband~I say this with all the love in my heart but by the time it's time for him to leave out again for work~I am ready for him to go. I blame it on me being single so long before we married and then being married and having a hubby that works away most of the time makes me very independent. I ♥ doing things with him but I am not the clingy wife..I sorta was at first but realized that I am still my own person and I needed to act like it. All is good =)

Proud to say almost a week in and I am doing good with P365~small victories are fantastic in my book. Water is important in my life and I want it to stay that way~so it gets showcased. Ta-Da!

Since I ended up being an Art Journal Caravaner dropout last year, I committed to staying on top of the challenges in the forum this year. Below is the page I journaled about my one little word. Click on the image to see the credits. It's not too late to join the caravan!

Here is another page I did for the AJC~What came to mind when I saw the verb process?

Image is linked to the credits

I over process/over analyze way too much~that's what the tv w/the clock gears represent. The antenna represents the pipeline of info that is constantly coming into it. The butterflies are the thoughts that are finally free to fly. The suitcase houses all the info I "process" as junk and not worthy of my attention.

Supplies used: Holliewood~Art Dollies and Junkyard
Paula Kresselring~Butterflies and Dragonflies
(from DeviantScrap.com)
Clock image from www

Sherrie JD is also giving an art journaling class over at Deviant Scraps also.

Thanx for popping in! Till next time!