Leah's Crafty Life

Leah's Crafty Life

OF's would be online friends...

So, you can't always be the most popular.. and you can't be friends with people who don't want to be friends with YOU.. but it still hurts.. even if you're not vested in them real deep like. And you know this because you've made friends with them twice and they keep deleting you from their friends list.. sigh.

On to non hurt feeling news... for those that are signing up over @ Coordinates Collections, voting starts February 5th.. (I think) so until then... I don't even know how that will work :) You ladies mean so much to me, you know who you are!! *mwah*

I've been scrapping and damn it feels great!!
I can't wait until this weekend... movies with the fam on the couch, and scrapping in between.
I think a call in for Chinese & Pizza are in order this weekend too.

Here's one from yesterday & this morning.

Gotta love that glimmer mist.. ok.. well I do ;)

Leah's Crafty Life

I've been doing a LOT of cleaning. I know Doug appreciates coming home and seeing I haven't let the kids completely trash the house. (he won't be so appreciative tonight.. I've been scrappin'! HA! lol) ALL my laundry is caught up. cha ching. I'm ready for the weekend!!!

I entered into a contest over @ Coordinates Collections called Scrapping with the Stars. I'm new to that message board, but the ladies over there seem very friendly. The contest is a neat one. Each week, you have to scrap in the Style of two Stars. You have a week to create both layouts, and get them uploaded, then your work is voted on. This week our Stars were Ali E & Mahlin from their message board. I had the hardest time with Ali's style.. oy!

You knew there was going to be some beggin' didn't cha? ;)
No.. not begging. But if you would feel so inclined, as to register on the message board as new member before Feb 4th.. then you could vote in the competition! I'd Love you voting for me, but if you don't feel my work is the best.. then I really would want you voting for the scrapper of your choice.

I'll be able to share my work on Tues. the 5th. which I think is when voting begins...

W00T! Guess who is having another cyber crop this weekend?
TALLYSCRAPPER!
They have THE best challenges and prizes. Love it there.
Check them out this weekend!

Who you rooting for in the Super Bowl this year?
Doug chose the Giants, which is fine by me.. I wanted to root for the Patriots anyways.
Katelyn said she was taking my side.. GOOO PATS!!

Leah's Crafty Life

Completed this the other day. I'm so happy to have it completed and hung on the wall. I used some papers from my stash, and the January 2008 Tallyscrapper kit.
Here's the cover.. and a lil mosaic. It's out of order, starting with December first, and ending in January. Still need to figure out how that flickr works.

1. Calendar 2008 - Dec, 2. Calendar 2008 - Nov, 3. Calendar 2008 - Oct, 4. Calendar 2008 - Sept, 5. Calendar 2008 - August, 6. Calendar 2008 - July, 7. Calendar 2008 - June, 8. Calendar 2008 - May, 9. Calendar 2008 - April, 10. Calendar 2008 - march, 11. Calendar 2008 - Feb, 12. Calendar 2008 - Jan

And I've been doing a lot of surfing the web the last couple of days. Nada much going on here.
The drama is flipping over.. thank goodness it won't be another repeat of April of last year. So thankful.
Hope my tallyfriends who are sick, get well soon.
Happy Friday!

Leah's Crafty Life

We got snow Thursday.. about 5-6 inches here in the country. The kids had a great time. Samantha's boots were too big for her. Twice one of them came off, so we switched over to her cowgirl boots and they worked fine.. just not good for the fake suede finish. It's Friday and we're still waiting on the plow to hit our street. I need to go to wal-mart and get the kids some mittens. I'm tired of putting socks on their hands, and I'm sure they will be warmer for it. Cameron needs boots and mittens, and another sled would be nice as well.

Here's a clip of them hitting the snow yesterday morning. Make sure to turn off the music in the side bar first so you can hear the vid.

I'm going to be putting more photos on my flickr account, you can see them here.

I created a layout the other day based on some turmoil in my heart. This time though, the scrapping was therapuetic. For the most part, I let the negative go, and am scared of my future. I had seen a layout similar posted online a few months back, and when I needed to scrap it, the design stuck with me. I wish I knew who to credit for the idea, thanks to whomever you are!

Time to get off here and switch the laundry.. wish me luck with the laundry - and the unknown future.

Leah's Crafty Life

I figure since MFM went outta business I could still get a kit fix through Tallyscrapper. Maybe I should have discussed this with you first, Doug? teehee I swear, I'm doing laundry as I type! *wink*
You have to see it though.. yay!! I got one.. *dancy dance*

Oh.. called my mom. She actually answered her phone. Thought I may be off the hook from talking to her for the next week, but she surprised me! She was happy to talk to me, and thanked me for training stepdad on the route. She was shocked he was doing pretty well at it, and even complimented him a few times. He still doesn't "know" the route, but he is remembering a few things. Thankful that even though I can't stand some of my moms ways, we're all good. And that's important too.
Check out Samantha gabbing on the phone this morning with her.

I thought it was hilarious. Drink up to mouth taking sips in between chattering away to Grandma.

Leah's Crafty Life

I'm officially off the route now. Thank God my mom is a spoilt brat and I can sleep in til 6am now. To make a long story short why I took myself off the route so quick is this. Saturday morning we were short 1 paper. You can get those delivered to the customer if you call a phone #. Well, stepdad calls her to call it in to the paper. She says, "I'm not doing it. Y'all have the #'s figure it out!" and hung up. Yep. I wasn't happy. I didn't figure it out, and would have refused if asked by stepdad. and that's it. Told stepdad I will help him one more day on Sunday, that I don't want mom lifting papers on Sunday, and then I'm through. Guess who still hasn't called me yet? Oh well. I'm good.

pbbblttttttttttt
Can you see me sticking my tongue out?? teehee

I have some NEWS!!
and I can't share til the 1st.
and it has something to do with my first post of the new year... it's in there somewhere *lol*

see my sexy thang?

This layout has some glimmer mist on it.. got it from Tally.. oolalala it's awesome!

Leah's Crafty Life

two qualities my mom is showing to me right now.

I'm doing her paper route for her, have been since the 3rd. Finally started training step dad on the route this morning. He actually rode with me yesterday, but I only had him sit in the back and taught him the dot colors & their meanings. Pointing out special porches/throws/places to put the paper. It's just one big bad day after the other.

The day mom was released from the hospital she went out to the store to get her prescription. Step dad actually demanded it, which I thought was messed up. (their relationship makes NO sense to me whatsoever.. they rarely get along.. it's freaky why you would spend time with someone you bitch at more than you speak civilized to)

The next day, she went out to Big Lots with my aunt shopping. I know my aunt, shopping with her is a 2 or 3 hour ordeal. Today, mom is out at the hair salon and God knows where else, having a good ol time and sounding chipper as hell on the phone. I feel used. She could just as easily sit in the back seat of the van and tell Step dad where the F to turn, when to throw a paper, and when to get out and porch it.

I can't hack a paper route anymore. It's a strain on my family right now, but especially for me. Since I started the two littlest haven't been listening worth a diddly, I haven't wracked up but 3.5 hours of sleep at a time, and I'm sick of having to shove this in my mother and stepdads face that HE needs to LEARN this dang route. So immature, and I hate being taken for granted.

bitchfest over.
Oh yes.. have you seen my mojo? my motivation?
sigh.

Leah's Crafty Life

*phew*
I swear, if I wasn't so exhausted, I'd be crying like a baby.

Mom is doing wonderfully. They had to only put in one stint. All the other ones in there previously look to be doing really well. She was sleeping almost the whole time we were there. The nurses finally came in and took something - a tube or something out of her incision. She had to wait 20 minutes and then she could eat.

Katelyn and I had stopped at subway and picked up some dinner for mom & dad. I have no clue what they eat, so mom got tuna on wheat, and dad a club on wheat. I didn't want any doctors bitching me out for bringing in moms fav greasy fries from hardees. LOL Also stopped and got her a coffee. She was in heaven when she got her first sip. Katelyn and I took turns feeding her... it was cute. Forgot my camera.

Thank you so much for all the prayers... I believe they spoke volumes!!

Leah's Crafty Life

She was finally taken back around 3:40pm for the proceedure.
Crossing my fingers and everything.
Off to shower.
and figure something out for dinner.
and go to Sheetz to get mom a coffee..
and hopefully she'll be out by 5 or 6... or you know.. sometime soon.
nervous here.

Leah's Crafty Life

She's been there since 9:30 am with no food or water since midnight. She has her own room and is waiting til 12:30 to be taken back. They've prepped her for the proceedure. Here's hoping and praying a balloon or stint will do the trick. Praying hard it's not going to require open heart surgery.
Here's my layout for LOAD #8. I've missed 4 now.. ugh.

off to get busy waiting.

Leah's Crafty Life

Nervous about doing this route on my own come Wednesday.
I've been driving it every day since I started. I did take Sunday off so I could just relax and catch back up on some sleep. Why do we say, catch back up? It's not like you can get that time back, yanno? I caught 2.5 hours before the route this morning. After the route mom came home with me and I made pancakes. We ate with the kids, drank coffee, and eventually combined both her route lists in word. I would have preferred excel, but she doesn't know how to use that, and doesn't want to learn! lol That took two hours between child interruptions.

I made lunch and crashed out for two hours. I feel so BLAH since taking over and learning this route. I have no energy. Hopefully this is just a weaning period and I'll feel better in a week or so. At least I'm still on my game for photo a day. YAY!

*Day 6*

*Day 7*

OHHHH so excited. I bought two books from Amazon and I got them in the mail today... dude free shipping and I thought they wouldn't even ship them out until the 19th! I bought Journal Revolution by Linda Woods & Karen Dinino. Looks like it's going to be fabulous! Lots of techniques in this one. Also, doodling for paper crafters by Maelynn Cheung. Hopefully I learn lots of doodling tips in this one that I can carry over to my pages.

aha.. just the boost of laughter I needed. Katelyn came running over to me just now, holding Samantha's hand, and said, "Sam, tell mommy what you just called me!" I look to Sam, and said, "What did you call sissy?" Under her breath, she whispers, "Penis head!" *snicker*
Lovely.. my 2.5 year old is calling her sister penis head. That's what we get for teaching our children the right names of their anatomy. They use it as a verbal weapon to unleash monstrous proportions of name calling and tattletaling.

Leah's Crafty Life

Well, missed yesterday. I just could not pull myself together long enough to sit here @ my desk and work on anything scrappy. I did manage to eek out a card for my mom before we left for her house. 53 years old yesterday.

I have managed to stick to my photo a day.. just not the layout a day. Picking up the camera and editing is much quicker than making a layout!

Feeling totally tired and a bit gloomy. Finally feeling a bit nervous about what my mom is going to find out on Tuesday. Hoping my stepdad jumps up and actually tries learning this route of moms. Praying. Kinda hoping Saturday could start over again tomorrow when the sun rises! ;)

Leah's Crafty Life

eeks.
2.5 hours of sleep last night
4 hours of route work this morning
lying about the house with the kids today
needing to shower
and to do laundry
and not one thing done..eeks! and I really
want to stay eligible for the grand prize over at BPS.
Maybe I can squeak in a 6x12 real quick.

Leah's Crafty Life

This was shared over on the TS message board yesterday by Dorothy. I wanted to share it here.
Just let it go...

Someone will always be prettier.
Someone will always be skinnier.
Someone will always be smarter.
Some of their houses will be bigger.
Some will drive a bigger car.
Their children will do better in school.
And their husbands will fix more things around the house.
So let it go, and love you and your circumstances.
Think about it!
The prettiest woman in the world can have hell in their heart.
And the most highly favored
Woman on your job may be unable to have children.
Ands the richest woman you know,
She got the car, the house, the clothes
might be lonely,
And the word says, "If I have not love, I have nothing."
So again, love you
Love who you are.
Look in the mirror smile and say,
"I am blessed to be stressed and too annoyed, to be dissappointed!"
Winners make things happen.
Losers let things happen..

Leah's Crafty Life

Ugh. Weird day so far. Have so much going on upstairs, it's rattling and shaking to get out, so bear with me a bit. I may condense it enough so it doesn't take all afternoon to let it loose!

I was vacuuming and thinking about the New Year and resolutions, while the kids sat at the dining room table eating lunch this afternoon. About my mom. How the relationship is slowly going down the toilet. How I know it's not ALL her fault. That I know I play a role in that. And wondering do I wish to change it?

Missed a phone call by two minutes from my step dad, getting the kids washed up from lunch.. he has something to tell me. "It's important. Call back please."

He calls to tell me my mom definitely has some blocked arteries in her heart. She saw a specialist yesterday, they were looking over her results from her stress tests last week. They are having her go into the Hospital Tuesday morning for the cathetar dealy up your groin area. (She already has 4 or 5 stints in there from 3.5 years ago) Depending on how blocked the arteries are, they may be able to add more stints, if not, their talking open heart surgery.... @ 53 years old. Anyways, I don't feel nervous about it. Or scared. Bad? hmm tomorrow is her birthday.

After he tells me all that, I'm like "why didn't she call to tell me?" grrr. AND the only reason why they called.. because they mainly only call for one reason. and that's if they need something. always. I wouldn't mind helping my mother out if she called more than once every couple weeks. if she'd pop in and make cookies with the kids. Something. Anyways, I've been asked to do her paper route for her. I know why this pisses me off so badly.. it's her husband. He should be stepping it up and doing that flippin' route.

If you're married, who do you turn to first? Me - Doug. He's my rock. I can count on him for most anything. It pisses me off my mom can't say the same thing for her husband. He's nice. just lazy. and plays ignorant. I'm not just throwing words out there.. he really tries to play dumb. a lot.

I'm told that stepdad will come on the route and help. Their in for some news if they think I'm doing the paper route the entire time shes laid up. He's going to have to learn this for once and all. It's about time he bucked up and started helping out in times likes these.

And this ladies and gentlemen, is why I have a guilty concious and think I have to say YES to everything asked of me. It's been a hard 12 years trying to get over that mentality... I'm still working on it with my mom.. but it's getting easier to say more No's.

This may not make a lot of sense.. there is a lot of prior things that I've never really talked about here... so it may look like I'm being a bitch of a child, that I should be grateful I still have a mom to help...I get that. I do. I understand.

The other thing I want to work on this year is letting things go.
more to come later.

Leah's Crafty Life

Doug went back to work today, (he only had to work 1/2 day on NYE) and Katelyn is back to school. I was a bit sad to see her head back... I think she was ready ;)

Big Picture Scrapbooking has Lain E offering a free class. It's really just about figuring out how to make use of your time. This challenge is to do a layout a day for the month of January. I hope i'm up to the task! so far I'm 2/2!

Here's day 1 & 2

*remember the love*

*nature's beauty*

Also, I joined in a challenge over @ SGK. We've decided to take a picture a day for the month of January. I've taken mine, but haven't pulled them off the camera yet. I need to set up some 2008 folders on my server for layouts & folders.
I hope this year doesn't pass as quickly as last did...

Leah's Crafty Life

Happy New Year World!!
Yeah, we were slackers last night. Made it up until about 11:15 and went to bed. I could have made myself stay awake, but I didn't want to. I just really pray this year is MUCHO better than last.... the whole last half of 2007 was uber good. If I could have erased APRIL of '07 I would. Period.

We always strive to do better though, and I feel it.. this is my year!! I'm going to acheive something this year. What I would really like to do is quite daunting on both counts.. - lose some weight - get published - becomes LESS of a procrastinator.

I think the first and last will be the hardest, as I've been mostly huge my entire adult life... and of course, I've procrastinated as long and far back as I can remember.. must be in the genes.. *snicker* Hmmmmmm these are not resolutions though.. we will nickname them oh8goalies.

So anyways, I need to hurry up and do this, my kids need to be fed... *LOL* We moved the littest two into their freshly painted room last night.

Still needed are the valances back (their purple and I'm using them) and I need to make some or buy some curtains... I think I may take Melissa's suggestion and find some stamps to play with in their room... but not today! They seem to like the setup!

Layout I created yesterday

and finished this one up the other day..

outies for now!
Hope you have a happy, healthy New Year!!

Leah's Crafty Life

Pages

Thursday, January 31, 2008

even OF's can hurt your feelings...

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

crap.. bad blogger, bad!!!

Friday, January 25, 2008

My 2008 Calendar!

Friday, January 18, 2008

Snow blast

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

WOOHOO got one!

Monday, January 14, 2008

pbbltttt

Friday, January 11, 2008

selfish and ungrateful

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

last update

update #2

update #1

Monday, January 7, 2008

Just chillin with my nerves

Saturday, January 5, 2008

bummer disqualification

Friday, January 4, 2008

I need to scrap

let it go..

Thursday, January 3, 2008

GET OUT of my head!!!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

get a LOAD of this

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

OH EIGHT!!!

where ya from?