how appropriate...*sigh*

So Creating Keepsakes 2006 SBOTY CD Muckosky has a new challenge out today. It's scrapping about life through children's eyes. So, since I don't have any children, only the 4 legged variety, I decided to make a mini book about things I have learned from my dogs::

Woof Album :: Life Lessons I learned from my dogs.


Duke



Moto



Mauii



Arabella



The End



I finish this beautiful project for my dear puppies, upload the photos and then go to take them for a walk. Before I can even get two feet out of the office I see....fuzz. Lots of it. Wafting out from my bedroom into the hall way. I look to my right to look and see where the fuzz is coming from and I see this::






While I was making this great album celebrating their existence, Moto and Duke decided it was time well spent to play tug-of-war on my bed{and Frisbee too apparently}. Thus, chewing a hole in my down filled comforter and spreading the pillow fight joy around the whole entire room. *uuuggghhh*


That was an hour ago and I still haven't cleaned it up. Kinda want Jason to see the mess for himself, but I should spare him the massacre and just share it through a story later tonight.

So thats today's chaos. ::OH!:: Oh and Moto chewed threw my USB connection to my digital camera and now I have to play Inspector Gadget to get it to work. *ugh X 2*

Sometimes, some moments, it's hard to ♥ these guys, but I do. I ♥ them lots!

I ♥ Photos

Photos from our Myrtle Beach trip in September. I finally got them developed! I gotta get a digital camera soon!

I ♥ Fun Names

Some new LO's are up at my 2 Peas Gallery. I did 4...no make that 5 last night! Most of them for blog challenges.

Found this on Jennifer Pebbles site, thought it was a lot of fun so I did one myself!

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: (first pet & current car) -
Cocoa Mustang

2.YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (fave ice cream flavor, favorite cookie) -
Mint Chocolate Sugar

3. YOUR “FLY Guy/Girl” NAME: (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name)
A-TWI

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal) -
Pink Pony

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born) -
Rae Anchorage

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first) -
Twiam

7. SUPERHERO NAME: (”The” + 2nd favorite color, favorite drink) -
The Turquoise Water

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first names of your grandfathers) -
Gerald Norm

9. STRIPPER NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy) -
Princess Tootsie Roll (FANTASTIC!!)

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother’s & father’s middle names ) -
Lee Brian

11. TV WEATHER ANCHOR NAME: (Your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter) -
Ladd Los Angeles

12. SPY NAME/BOND GIRL: (your favorite season/holiday, flower) -
Spring Tulip

13. CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie” or “y”) - Strawberry Hoodie

14. HIPPIE NAME: (What you ate for breakfast, your favorite tree) -
Starbucks Willow

15. YOUR ROCK STAR TOUR NAME: (”The” + Your fave hobby/craft, fave weather element + “Tour”) -
The Scrapbooking Sunshine Tour

Ok, now it's your turn! Here are some other FAB girls who have taken the name challenge!

Jennifer Pebbles

Michelle Guray

Do you have a life list?

Photo by: Ole Kristian on Flickr

So by way of many blog readings I have stumbled upon this blog. What is a life list? Well.. it's actually just a list of things you want to accomplish in your lifetime here on earth (or beyond if your into that). It can be as simple as getting a haircut next week or as far fetched as becoming president of the US of A.

So I sat down to make my 100 list of action things I want to do with my life and realized that this was A LOT harder than you would think. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE TO-DO lists! But this was different. I got it done, but I am sure that the list will expand to over 100 after I remember things I want to do, or think of new ones!

So you haven't made one yet, what are you waiting for?! You might actually start getting some of them crossed off your list if you have them in writing. And they don't all have to be about you! They can be about helping other people realize their goals too.

so to start everyone out: here's MINE
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Also, while your at it, check out this amazing piece of artwork.

KOTM October :: Ali Edwards Courage Through Hope

I sat down and got working on Lisa Bearnson's kit of the month. Normally projects like these (mini books, paper home projects) take me a few days to complete, but not this kit. I LOVED making this great gift for my Grandmother. It was more a mini Thank You book for her with images from the past and present.

The embellishments are beautiful, the colors are bright and elegant, and the rub-ons go on like butter ( I love rub-ons but they don't like me). I highly recommend this kit for any project you are making. Not only for someone who has been through a tough time or a sickness, but the items that come with this kit translate well to any theme.

I have to say that I have never understood the appeal of kits and mini books before now. I am in love with Kits and mini books now! I have even joined some KOTM clubs and plan to make a lot more mini books! I am soo excited! My first kit on it's way is the beautiful Studio Calico's Red Carpet and I cannot wait for November's kit already! Get your's now!!!

long weekend and finished projects.

It's monday and the start of a whole new week. Leg Up's Schooling show went off without a hitch! It was a lot of fun! I tell you it's hard work judging soo many talented riders! It was a LONG weekend but it was great to see my students have a great time! I also met a lot of people and learned a lot of people's names! (i'm terrible at that!). My parents even took the V-rod up to see me, which all the girls thought was soooo cool. LOL.



@ home i have been starting a lot of projects at one time (4 to be exact). i finally have 2 of them finished! Woo hoo! My halloween craft project is finished (the decoupage tree) and the Ali Edwards Life Artist Challenge @ Scrap in Style is finished and uploaded!





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I also got my October KOTM from Lisa Bearnson! Finally! It's beautiful and comes with so much more than I expected! It's being added to my list of "to do" projects (this is the fun list!).

the shy dachshund & halloween spirit

a lazy impromptu photo shoot with my dachshund Arabella. She's camera shy.


getting ready to leave to go to the barn. helping set up for the show this weekend. I'll be there ALL weekend long! It's going to be a LONG weekend! But lots of FUN!


On the other side of things, I stayed up a bit last night and got my painting juices flowing a little more than normal(as of late). I have been getting some great feedback about my paintings so it's truly a confidence booster! I'm really into home crafts right now, want to try my hand at things other than signs. I'm thinking something spooky...a Halloween challenge! Luckily Jennifer Pebbles was thinking the same thing and has issued a challenge @ two peas and I am going to give it my best! And for the meantime, the blog is going into Halloween mode!!

Scrapbooking on Canvas

Enjoy Life ::cc:: A.R.T. 2007


So it's harder than I expected to sit down without a muse or inspiration beforehand and CREATE. I find it very hard to create forcefully. BUT I did it! It took a lot of... "i don't like that" and "that's just not right" but I got it finished. I like the result.


Bottom text reads:: "don't sweat the small stuff...love the everyday moments...cherish your time...♥"
The circle on the left are actually tinfoil!! I love that stuff!

Sharing Online

Duke, Mine and Jason's Dalmation. He is intent on helping me write this post.


So I posted my first layouts on Creating Keepsakes and Two Peas last night. I have been scrapbooking on and off since 2001, but have really just started to get into a groove. I am still in the process of finding my style, but it's a really fun journey.

Here are the first 3 LO's online:




I have been very skeptical about posting my pages in the online galleries. Why? At first I didn't know why, then the day after I posted them I realized what it was. The comments.

I am scared to get bad reviews! How silly is that? This is art, it doesn't matter what other people think about your art work or LO, it's how you feel about it. If you are proud enough to display your work to the public then you should not worry about the critics out there who just want to make themselves feel better by putting you down.

Now don't take this the wrong way, I have not received any negative feedback so far. I am expecting it, because there is always someone out there who can't resist making someone else feel bad.

I guess I am just a softy, I wear my heart on my sleeve. I want everyone to be happy, loved and positive. Not all people agree with me!

Anyway, I am excited and have decided no matter the feedback I receive from my LO's I will use them in a positive way to grow my artistic side.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

On another note, Leg Up's Fall Schooling Show is this weekend! Come check us out and watch!

Blog Action Day :: the environment

I took this photo about 6 years ago when I returned to Alaska for my Grandfather's funeral. It was this first time I had been back in 8 years. I was born in Anchorage and lived and grew there until I was the ripe old age of 10. I am lucky enough to still have family living there and I can visit when I like (+ the cost of the ticket to get there!).

Since this is Blog Action Day and the topic is about the environment, I thought this photo would be suiting. There has been a lot of talk about drilling for oil in Alaska's wildlife preserves and the global warming of the glaciers.

Having lived and breathed the essence that is Alaska, seen it's wildlife and awesome (and it is awesome, not just like a "hot dog" {{thanks eddie!}}) landscapes firsthand, I have to say that I am pro preserving this vast beautiful state.

There are MANY sides to this issue and luckily there are some GREAT websites devoted to the preservation of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. A great place to start is the Sierra Club.

If you think that we need to use every inch of America's resources so we are less dependent on foreign oil then the best place for you to start is ANWR.

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On the scrapbook side of things, check out Ali Edwards great post about green scrapbooking!