From My Garden

I have these huge flowers in my garden, that I just love. They smell divine, and are all over my front and back and side gardens. Yay. So I decided to cut some for my kitchen and family room. They are smelling that area of my house up quite nicely!

From the Garden of Some Friends!

My son came home from his girlfriend's house, with these lovely flowers! They were from her parent's garden, and they sent them home with my son Dana, for me. I love that. People are so nice. I love thoughtful gestures like that. They make my day. So thank you Diana, for the lovely, sweet-smelling flowers.

Speaking of Thoughtful, my hubby sat on the front verandah this evening, with a cup of tea..  and did something he never ever does. He wrote me a poem. A poem! My husband has always been free with his words of love, but he's not a writer. And yet, here he was... writing a lovely piece of prose for me! He emailed it to me, and I was so shocked. And touched. My hubby!

     

On the stoop I sit

Birds Chirp Cars Zoom
The sun sets and the clock ticks
The leaves rustle and flowers continue to grow
I ponder I ponder I ponder
The thought is there
My heart goes beat beat beat
And I know
I love you

And I ponder

How sweet is this??? What a sweetheart. My guy. :)

Leaving off with a couple of my other guys... (and gal)...

Doing what they do best....  Beauregard is eating (a treat, commonly known as deer penis, I kid you not), And Mischa.... upside down, feet up... sleeping!

Life's Happenings

It's Bieber Fever!

My hubby was golfing last week, with his buddy Kevin, when Kevin's wife emailed this picture of Kevin's daughter. They were visiting her parents (Kevin's in-laws), who live a couple doors down from Justin Bieber's grandparents. They're friends. So looky who came out to take his picture with a happy little girl!!!  Justin and his girlfriend were in Brampton visiting Grandma and Grandpa for a few days. Justin put his sunglasses on her.

A Hot Summer (Spring) Ale

Gary was cutting the lawn yesterday, and afterwards, flopped down on the grass, and decided to have a beer to cool off. Mischa likes anything anyone else has. If Beauregard is playing with a stuffed animal, she likes that, if I'm working with a bottle of glue, she likes that. If Gary has a beer... she likes that. Keep in mind, that no animals were harmed in the taking of this picture. Though her drooling self LOOKS like she helped herself to some beer... she did NOT. lol It just LOOKS that way. It really does. Gary snapped this picture because when he set his beer down, she sat there fixated on it, literally drooling. He laughed and laughed.

This is how it really looked with the whole picture in it.

What Makes You a ... ?

One of the biggest questions of my life is about how to define myself. I have absolutely no trouble calling myself a Scrapbooker. I have no problem calling myself a wife and a mother!  I have no problem calling myself a woman!  I am each one of these things. There is one thing I struggle with defining myself as, however.  Writer.

I write articles. I write poetry. I've had both articles and poetry published.  I've had one of my poems chiseled in marble for all time. And I am in the process of writing two books. One fiction, and one... non-fiction. Both have interest in them. But they are not published yet. Because of that, I struggle with calling myself a writer. I haven't had my books published yet, and so.. can I call myself a writer? Many think once you write... you are a writer. Others think, once you have anything published... you are a writer. Others? They think you must have a book published, in order to call yourself a writer. I am in a group of *writers* so called, that don't consider you a writer after publishing only one book. They consider that person lucky. They consider you a writer, after book 2 is published. That shows commitment. 

So many expectations from so many different people.

It's so interesting. Why are we like that? And why is it that when people see scrapbooking, they have no problem defining a person as a scrapbooker. Yet, most people who see a person's writing, do not define that person as a writer, unless they reach a certain criteria that they have personally set.

I find that so interesting.  Really.  

A Gatefold Mini Album

Here are a few pics of a mini album I'm doing for my son. The style is gatefold. I love mini albums. And my 18 year old son prefers them to all other types of layout. So... mini albums it is lately. For him, anyway. 

What a Time

The Royal Wedding!

I just loved it. I'm a tad over saturated, as I sit and watch 20/20 right now, rehashing what I've already watched 4 or 5 times over. LOL Sick right? I'm like the smoker, waking up with a horrid cough, barely able to breathe, reaching for a cigarette.  oy

The Eyes Have It!

My goodness. What is this? Another layout? What's up with that! I love these pics of my son. They really show who he is.  Those beautiful Precious Moments eyes of his.  sigh

The Monsters

So, if one or both of my two monkeys chase the cat(s), they are immediately placed on indoor leash. It's almost always Mischa. But this morning, it happened to be Beauregard. As soon as Beauregard was leashed, Mischa immediately ran over, grabbed the leash in her mouth, and began pulling him all over the place. And I do mean ALL OVER THE PLACE. This little monkey wasn't just FIGURATIVELY yanking his chain... she was LITERALLY yanking it today.

Go figure.


I caught her (below) just as she was grabbing it, and Beauregard looked up at me with a "OH come ON" look.

... and then... 

around and around he went with her, 

until I removed the leash. 

She really is an incredible handful. I can't begin to tell you.

On a Serious Note...

I can't really sign off without first mentioning the death of Osama bin Laden. He was taken out by some US soldiers. It is over. I have some thoughts on this. But I just don't want to get too heavy on this blog. I don't want to cause any stirrings on this blog.

I'll just say "God Bless those who suffered great loss on 9/11"  I pray that you have a measure of peace now.

                                          

hugs,

Sandie

Work or Play

Is It Work?

or

Is It Play?

Sometimes it feels like scrapbooking is work. Usually not. But sometimes. I struggle during those times to get something done. Something that I actually like. I'd love to know what everyone else does during those times. Or if they get those times??? 

What do you do to inspire yourself and make yourself better... and different? How do you avoid *the rut*?

Here are a couple of layouts I've done.

The Little Blue Chair

On this layout, I used a sketch at Allyscraps. (Love me a sketch sometimes). I've never used those banners before on a layout. So many are doing it, I usually shy away from that. It's just me. 

Angelic Dreamer

I love chipboard. Can't get enough of it.  I tend to hold onto it though, and PLAN when I'll use it... without using it as much as I'd like. Strange, eh?  LOL 

Go figure.

I'd love recommendations for any online classes or videos etc. that could help me de-rut myself. :D

Have a GREAT Day!!!

New Stuff

I like this layout. Not sure why. I just do. I think it's the picture, and the story behind it.  My hubby is such an avid golfer. PLEASE! And this is the day... nay... the MOMENT... that our son, Dana... his pride and joy... his life... his beacon of absolute joy...

well... this son, pride, joy, life, beacon, and joy... he got a NATURAL PAR!!!!  Wow. What does that mean? Well.. Daddy didn't help him get it. No saying "Oh.. just pick up the ball, and throw it closer"... and no "Just take another shot. It's ok."

Nope. He hit the ball.. hit it... hit it.. and here he is.. ready to sink it on the 4th (at a par 4). Yeah baby. 

Make and Take

This is a make and take that we did at the Scrapfest Crop. The flower is made with a strip of cloth, and the flowers are made by the same. 

of the 4 legged variety...

And to finish off with a bit of *us*... here's the latest addition to the house... Mischa...

 along with my usual Problematic Puggle of Perpetual Need... Beauregard.  

She's having trouble *getting it* (going after the cats). 

And she's driving Beauregard a bit insane. 

But so far, so good. 

Training is an ongoing thing, and whew... some days I question my decision. 

But she's cute. And she's adorable... 

and we do get a kick out of her, when she copies Beauregard 

in ALL that he does.

And sometimes she just can't get close enough to him...

He will usually let her do as she wants. Sometimes he'll get up and go somewhere else.

                                                                     

And when that happens... she'll usually just head over to her bed, lay down... and go to sleep!

Not sure why she decides to hang mostly OUT of the bed.                 

Beau? He'll find a spot with me, or with Daddy (as here, in the family room)

... and go back to sleep.

Sarah's Challenge Blog

Come on Over to Sarah Hurley's Challenge Blog, and join in on this week's challenge. I've done the challenge this week.  Check out what everyone did, and just what the challenge is. Here is mine below. I've used Sarah's products to create this card.                                                                                                 

Scrapfest Creations

This card/easel is a make and take that I did at Scrapfest. I love the entire easel look to this card. I need the die that cuts the back part (that creates the easel effect).

This is a layout I created at Scrapfest in response to a contest going on at the crop. We were to use a song or lyrics from the 60's. I chose "What's new Pussycat."  It's not showcasing well, but there is a really neat jungle cat beside the "W". 

Here is another Make and Take that I did at Scrapfest. It's a smaller canvas that is covered in yummy paper. It's a picture of my son, standing at Epcot.

I'll talk more about Scrapfest tomorrow.  

I really had a great time at Scrapfest, as usual. There were so many awesome vendors, who were showcasing amazing product. Fancy Pants was there... as was Maya Road and Zion. I did Make and Takes with all of them... Of COURSE!!!! :)

More tomorrow!!!