One Mouse Click

Menu Plan Monday: Wk 4

2012-01-23T01:00:00.000-05:00

Monday -- Peanut Satay Chicken, roast cauliflower, curried lentils, coconut pie
Tuesday -- Corn & Sweet Potato Chowder, salad, homemade bread
Wednesday -- Leftovers
Thursday -- Ravioli Lasagna
Friday -- Leftovers
Saturday -- out for dinner
Sunday -- Greek Skillet Supper

One Mouse Click Wednesday

2012-01-18T01:00:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my new weekly blog party -- One Mouse Click Wednesday!

To kick off my first post, I wanted to share a very cool idea I saw when browsing Pinterest boards. Isn't this so easy and a simple solution to the problem of messy, loose cords?

I immediately ran around the house gathering up binder clips, but alas, they were a bit too small for my needs. I've since gotten a few larger ones and they clip to the edge of my desk hutch perfectly. Now all my cords are neat and tidy and easy to find like the ones in this Pin!

So what do you think, pretty neat, huh? Are you now running off to find binder clips? ;-)

Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Granola

2012-01-17T01:00:00.000-05:00

My sister gave me a wonderful set of baking goodies from King Arthur Flour for Christmas, including a bag of dried fruit blend. For 2 weeks I've been hankering to make granola, something I haven't made in at least 15 years!

This granola was literally thrown together with what I had on hand:

4 cups rolled oats
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. flax seeds
1/2 c. sliced almonds
1/2 c. broken pecans
1 cup King Arthur favorite fruit blend
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/4 c. maple syrup
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. brown sugar

I tossed it all together, threw it out onto 2 foil-lined baking sheets and popped it into a 325 degree oven for about 20 minutes, stirring half-way through.

Let it cool completely before breaking up and storing.

Oh my goodness ... DELICIOUSNESS! I can't wait until breakfast tomorrow morning to stir a little into my yogurt -- that is, assuming the teens don't devour this when I'm not looking!

I'm linking up my Tasty Tuesday recipe with Beauty & Bedlam and 33 Shades of Green. If you've joined me from either of those places, welcome!

Join my new Linky Party -- every Wednesday!

2012-01-16T18:58:00.000-05:00

I love all the weekly themes I'm seeing in blogworld and have joined in a couple linky parties with Menu Plan Monday, Tasty Tuesday, and Inspire Me Friday ... so I thought I'd create my own little theme called One Mouse Click Wednesday.

One Mouse Click Wednesday will feature the great finds, ideas, products, inspiration, recipes -- anything that catches my eye while I'm web surfing that I think might be a good idea to share with readers.

And why not turn this new weekly feature into a linky party -- you know how those of us in blogland really like to help send a little more traffic their way!

If you're a blogger, I hope you'll join me for my first One Mouse Click Wednesday the day after tomorrow. I have just 2 easy rules:

Include my One Mouse Click Wednesday Button in your blog post (see side bar on the right). Just post about anything cool you find that week!

Add the URL of your One Mouse Click Wednesday post in the linky box below.

I'm looking forward to having you share your cool finds with me and my growing list of readers.

Oh -- and I'd *L O V E* to have your help in spreading the word to other bloggers -- the more the merrier!

Menu Plan Monday: Wk 3

2012-01-16T01:00:00.000-05:00

Monday -- Greek Roasted Chicken, baked spinach, garlic roast potatoes, black magic cake
Tuesday -- Baked Spaghetti Monterey (my own dish with black olives, artichoke hearts, chicken, and monterey cheese)
Wednesday -- leftovers
Thursday -- Chili Dogs, potato salad
Friday -- Quiche Lorraine, salad, homemade bread
Saturday -- Red beans & Rice, Kale & Green Beans(without mushrooms)
Sunday -- Country fried steaks, mashed potatoes, green beans

Update -- my easy chalkboard message center

2012-01-14T11:47:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week I posted about my plans to turn my pantry door into a chalkboard message center. Well, my Amazon delivery of the chalkboard contact paper and marker (see my "Obsessed With ..." side bar on left) arrived super quick and I put this together in about 30 minutes.

Seriously, just 30 minutes!

It would have been even less time than that if I had a simple rectangular panel that I could have measured and cut, but because of the arched inset of the door I needed the added step of tracing to get that arch cut perfectly.

I could not believe how easily this project came together. The contact paper was PERFECT for my needs. It is easy to apply, easy to clean, easy to remove.

The chalk marker I purchased is meant for non-porous surfaces (ie, will not work for standard chalk/slate boards), but it's perfect for the contact paper surface. It easily wipes clean with a damp paper towel. I tested it out on a scrap piece, letting the marker dry before cleaning. Not any residue whatsoever. I held back from ordering the colored chalk markers because I wanted to make sure they cleaned easily.

Now that I know how beautifully these markers work, I can't wait to add a little color to this project ... I've always loved the fictional Duncan family's refrigerator on Good Luck, Charlie. Same idea, but without all that chalk dust (which makes me shudder). Just imagine the possibilities!

* * * * * * * * * * *

I'm linking up with Joyful Stamper's Inspire Me Friday weekly post.

I hope you're inspired by my easy chalkboard message center. If you try a project like this, I'd love to see it! Just add your blog or photo URL to my comments section so I can go check it out.

Enjoy your weekend!

I am woman, hear me ...

2012-01-12T10:51:00.001-05:00

I can handle the 2 year old fits ... the 8 year old fits ... the 16 year old fits. That's kids.
I can handle snot, puke, and poop. That's life.
I can handle late night escapades to the ER. Accidents happen.
I can handle the teen coming home high. We all've been there once or twice.
I can handle truancy and the other teen dropping out of school. He'll be ready when he's ready.
I can handle fist-punched holes in the wall and damaged furniture. It's just stuff.
I can handle just about any insult thrown my way in anger. They'll grow out of it.
I can handle one financial hit after another. It's just money.

I can handle -- or thought I could -- just about anything.

Until they chopped up my tree.

Two months ago we hired a guy to trim up our 20-30' palm trees. We told him he could trim up all the palms EXCEPT this little one. It's a specimen plant. Put there as an accent. To hide our neighbor's falling down fence. To provide refuge to the birds. To give me the false sense that our otherwise sparse backyard is a lush, green oasis.

This palm is slow growing. When we moved into this home 14 years ago it was not much smaller. It takes years and years and years for the palm fronds to grow, stretch out and arch in the lovely, graceful way you see in the photo on the left.

We said, "Under no circumstances are you allowed to touch this tree."

I screamed, ranted and raved like a crazy woman. The guy looked at me and said "It will grow back."

No. No it won't. It will never give me back my little oasis of green. It will never again be the shelter to my sweet bird visitors. It will never catch the smallest breeze that gave rise to the perfect song created by my wind chimes.

Two months later and I'm still tearing up over this incident. I can handle so much in my life. I laugh in the face of stress, problems, and major life issues. HA! (well, not all the time)

So why is this eating at me so much?

Maybe because every time I look out at our weedy backyard, pitiful rose bushes, failed tomato plants, bug-eaten herbs, and frost-bitten pineapples, my eyes were accustomed to focusing on this spot as the ONE spot in the entire backyard that is thriving and life-affirming.

Maybe because it's one of the few things in my day that gives my weary eyes a calm, peaceful spot to rest.

Maybe because it represents a loss that I just don't want to face.

Sigh.

I know this was the proverbial straw. I totally lost it on this guy. And I know I need to just get over it.

The right way to look at it is as an opportunity to change up that whole area to make it even better. I know that. This could be a new project for me to tackle, one that gives me a chance to create a new spot for finding joy in my day.

* * * * * * * * * * *

So that's my drama for the day. I know I can't be alone in freaking out over something that seems pretty insignificant. PLEASE make me feel better and tell me about your freak out! :-)

DIY Chalkboard Message Center

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

BEFORE: my pre-chalk board door!

I was catching up on my blog reading today and ran across A Thrify Mom's Cabinet Door Chalk Board post and new EXACTLY where I needed to try this project ... my pantry door!

That top panel is just crying out to be used as a message center & grocery list, but I hated the idea of painting it with chalkboard paint. It just seemed so permanent. What if I didn't like it? What if I ended up with an even bigger mess on my hands than I wanted? How hard would it be to paint over? Oh, and the feeling of all that dusty old chalk in my hands, all over the floor. Eeek!

But then I saw her DIY instructions using Chalk Board Contact Paper and I knew I had a plan. I not only found it on Amazon, but also chalkboard markers! (Take a look at my new "Latest Obsession" sidebar on the left.) Easy, no fuss, no mess ... and removable!

So the order has been placed, and as soon as I get that in I'm going to tackle the project. Stay tuned, I'm sure I'll be sharing pictures. I'm so excited!

Tasty Tuesday: Scrambled Eggs & Spinach

2012-01-10T01:00:00.000-05:00

I have been on a greens kick lately -- love spinach and kale -- and I'm trying to add more vegetables to my diet. (Of course the bacon fat I use to saute the onions might cancel out the goodness of the vegies, but c'mon ... it's bacon fat -- an essential food!)

I came up with this yummy egg & spinach breakfast recipe a few months ago and feel like I'm eating in a cozy bed and breakfast when I make it for myself. I even have the recipe all ready for you to save to your computer or print!

I'm linking up my Tasty Tuesday recipe with Beauty & Bedlam and 33 Shades of Green. If you've joined me from either of those places, welcome!

Menu Plan Monday: Week 2

2012-01-09T16:59:00.000-05:00

Monday -- leftovers from Luigi's (italian restaurant)
Tuesday -- Bacon Onion Cheeseburgers UPDATE - These were really yummy! I added sauteed baby bella mushrooms and set up a make-your-own-hamburger station.
Wednesday -- Bruschetta Chicken
Thursday -- Chicken Taco Soup
Friday -- Panko-crusted cod
Saturday -- dinner out
Sunday -- Crock Pot Beef Stew

So much for daily blogging.

2012-01-08T19:34:00.003-05:00

I tried to keep up with the January daily blogging challenge at BlogHer.
Well, I made it 5 days.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

A lot of you know I'm going through a hard time with my 94 year old Dad. We are at that very difficult stage of arguing with him about his ability to live alone anymore. He says he's fine. But he's not.

One day he's doing fairly well, able to get up, dressed, have breakfast and go run an errand.
Then the very next day he will be so weak and tired by mid-day that he can barely warm up a meal for himself or get himself into bed. There have been times when he's had to call a neighbor to help get him up off the toilet. These weak times are about every 3-4 days.

We sat down with him during a tearful conversation just last Saturday and after discussing many options, he agreed to move to assisted living sometime within the next 2-3 weeks and let my husband move in with him in the interim. (Side note - he lives about 65 miles away, too far for daily drives over there.)

So I spent days this week making inquiries, visiting 5 facilities, narrowing the choices down to 2 for him to visit. We spent an entire day Friday visiting those 2 places (which he liked), and we were hoping to get him to make a final decision today so we could start the paperwork.

Today he is insisting he never had that conversation with us. Never agreed to move. And he's flat out refusing to even discuss it, let alone move. He got quite belligerent and offensive with my husband, accusing us of trying to ruin his life. He's teetering on that fine line of competence. How can we possibly tell our fiercely independent, much-admired father that he's not making the best decisions? How can we reason with him when he's being so stubborn?

This is heartbreaking, to say the least, and emotionally exhausting.

. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The January theme for that daily blogging challenge is "Beginnings."

Well I'm beginning to feel like an exhausted, collapsed balloon. And I think I'm going to give myself permission to skip blogging daily.

If any of my readers has been through this rough spot of getting an elderly parent to this decision of accepting care, I'd love to hear any advice you might have.

Update on my Household Management Binder

2012-01-05T19:15:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year when we all start thinking about getting organized ... again. I used to think of my starting new organizers and planners as a failure to stick to one plan, but now I like to think it's more a matter of exploring new ideas and adapting to change!

I thought it would be fun to take a look at the Household Management Binder I made after reading a prompt from Bowl Full of Lemons, and review what worked, what didn't, and what changes modified my binder over the last 9 months.

What's Working for Me:

Meals tab -- definitely a keeper. I either write my meal plan on an easy form or type it up, print it out to post on the refrigerator, and then I file the past weeks' menus. I started out hole punching my weekly menu plans, but then opted to keep them in a 3-hole punch slash-pocket folder. I write notes on the old plans (what the kids liked, what I'd do differently), and keep them for reference and inspiration when I'm in a slump.
Pending tab -- this was by far the best solution for dealing with my paper mess. Again, I use a slash-pocket folder to store the bits of daily life that are waiting to be resolved.
Schedules tab -- I put any schedule I receive into its own sheet protector. If it's multiple pages, I take the staple out and put into separate sheet protectors. It's so easy to flip through and see what's going on, all in one place. For me that's school schedules (and I had 3 different schools last year), track meets, Girl Scouts, college football game schedule ... anything that was a list of dates I wanted to keep track of was filed here.
Contacts tab -- I would be lost without this section. My printed personal contacts list, business contacts list, separate sheet protectors for classmate/scout lists, and a slash-pocket folder for the loose papers, return addresses torn from envelopes, etc.

What Didn't Work:

Daily tab -- for the life of me I cannot get myself into a rhythm of writing down daily stuff -- appointments, to-dos, notes, etc. I seem to turn to Google Calendar more than a written planner, so I will probably just continue to use that.
Cleaning tab -- I spent a lot of time putting together a cleaning list (kinda like Fly Lady) with cleaning tasks for each day, but that went to hell in a handbasket. This is the second time I've tried using a master cleaning list, and I think I'm just destined to not do housework!
All-In-One-Notebook concept -- Using this notebook for daily needs (calendars, planners, to-dos, current week's meals) just doesn't work for me. I'm definitely an "out-of-sight-out-of-mind" kind of gal, and I need to have something out in front of me -- not filed away in a binder.

Modifications for This Year:

Blogging tab -- I had this tab but really didn't use it. This year I'm ready to roll on my commitment to blogging, so I included printed monthly calendars with space to right in feature posts, regular linky parties, blog hops, etc. I've also printed out a few great free printables from Life...Your Way -- a HTML cheat sheet and a few blank Mind Map templates.
Scrapbooking tab -- If it's not written down, it's not going to get done. I created a simple chart in Excel listing each month/year that hasn't been scrapped yet, a check-off box next to the month, and a wide notes section so I can write down anything I need to do for that month's scrapbooking -- like scan a brochure or get a photo I need from someone else.

So with that review, I know that my next challenge will be to find a way of managing the daily and current stuff. I still have a couple small piles on my desk of things I need to see to remind me of a project or steps I need to take. I've tried tickler files and am not real keen on them, so I've got to put my thinking cap on.

I'll let you know if I come up with a new way that's working for me, but in the meantime, I'd love to hear how you handle daily and current pieces of paper?

20 years later

2012-01-04T10:31:00.000-05:00

Wow. Twenty years. Started out as smooth sailing, then small whitecaps that turned into raging seas, but I think (hope) we're heading into calmer waters now.

The January theme for the daily post challenge I'm participating in (sponsored by BlogHer) is Beginnings. I'd really, really, really like to think of this as a new beginning for our family.

Ha. I find that my eyes are welling up a bit as I write this. We've had so many years of rough spots with our kids and each other ... when you're in the trenches, it's hard to see blue skies on the horizon. I'm afraid to be hopeful. But a dream for a better life, a better world is what drives me forward. It's who I am.

So here we go ... happy anniversary, honey. Here's to not just surviving but embracing the next 20 with gusto!

My 2012 Goals -- well, at least for Jan-Mar!

2012-01-03T18:45:00.000-05:00

I've made New Year's resolutions and goals for myself just about every year since I read an article when I was 12 about the adventurer John Goddard who, as a teenager, wrote a life list of all the things he wanted to do and places he wanted to go in his lifetime. By the time the article was written he was in his mid-forties and had achieved well over half of his life goals.

I can't claim to have been as committed to achieving any of my goals as he has, but when I at least start the new year with a list of goals I feel more purposeful and directed.

Well these days I can't even get a full year's worth of goals together let alone a life-long bucket list! So for right now I'm setting my sight on just the first few months of the year. Nothing wrong with that, huh?

These are some unfinished mixed-media pieces I started a few months ago for my art journal. My top goal this year is to commit to regular time in my schedule for adding to my journal and learning some new techniques.

Commit to doing more of the things that give me joy by scheduling time on my calendar. I have a long list -- hiking, bird watching, taking classes, visiting museums -- I just need to plan time for doing them.

Blogging more -- I've set a goal to blog daily in January, and I think that's a good start for creating a new habit for the remaining months.

Put something on my walls -- after nearly 15 years living here I think it's time I officially move in to my home. Photos, art, something.

Get out and walk. A couple months ago I committed to walking daily, and that worked great until I had two out of town trips in a month. I need to get back to that.

Tone up my stomach muscles. I'm not looking for 6-pack abs, I just want to strengthen my core a bit.

Start doing yoga with my girl Kitten. She started doing yoga in occupational therapy and loves it. If she can do it, then I can too!

OH -- remember my "12 by 2012" post? I completed eight of the twelve to-dos. Not too bad, eh?

I think that's enough for the first few months of 2012. Have you added anything new to your goals list for this year?

Menu Plan Monday: Week 1

2012-01-02T22:12:00.001-05:00

Since I've been in the habit of making menu plans anyway, I thought if I started posting them on a weekly basis, it might be an encouragement to you. Sometimes I'll link to recipes if I can find them on line.

This is a GREAT habit to pick up. Sometimes I'll do them 2 weeks at a time. I've tried doing a full month of meal plans, but it always falls apart after the second week, so now I just stick to doing 1-2 weeks at a time.

There are a LOT of great freebie weekly meal plan forms out there, but I use one I made in Excel. Then I use another sheet in the same worksheet file to type in the groceries I need for those meals.

First write in events that will impact your dinner -- after-school events, late-day doctor's appointments, teen's work schedule, all-day meetings that might prevent you from spending an hour in the kitchen, vacations, spouse's travel, etc.

Get out that crock pot and plan to use it on those harried days.

Let weekly themes help you fill in your weekly plan -- like Meatless Monday, Taco Tuesdays, Mom's Buffet Thursday, Friday Pizza Night -- you get the idea.

Plan for and stock your pantry to prepare a couple quick "go-to" meals when the plan falls to pieces -- like jarred spaghetti sauce, pasta, and frozen garlic bread or double a recipe and keep stocked in the freezer for those days.

Then make up your grocery list for the week and get everything you need in one trip. I know the really effective meal planners/shoppers build their weekly menus based on grocery sales. (I'm not there yet!)

Oh yes -- this is important -- POST YOUR PLAN on your refrigerator so everyone knows what's going on.

Here's my list for the week:

Menu Plan: Jan.1-7

Sunday -- Roast chicken, barley, green beans & tomatoes
Monday -- Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, sauteed kale
Tuesday -- Chicken-Barley-Kale Soup
Wednesday -- Parents Out (Anniversary); Kids have Leftovers
Thursday -- Baked Fish, broccoli, rolls
Friday -- Homemade Pizzas
Saturday -- Ziti & Meatballs

So there you have it! Join me each Monday as I post my latest list, and if you're a blogger, join me in Menu Monday hosted by orgjunkie.com!

5 Tips to Quiet Your Brain

2012-01-01T12:30:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

The parties are over, and around the world people are sweeping out the old to get ready for the new. Are you ready for the new year?

I know I'm not. In a perfect world I would have sat down last night, cozyed up to the fire with a hot toddy in one hand and pen in the other, ready to write down my goals and vision. I did this for many many years as a single woman, and it always helped put me in the right frame of mind for a new beginning.

But with every passing year, I'm further and further away from that simple step of preparation. I go to bed with a mind swimming in:
. . . . . ideas ("that new digi kit will be perfect for the photos I took today")
. . . . . . . . worries ("I hope you're safe tonight sweet child")
. . . . . . . . . prayers ("dear Lord please help my father rest comfortably tonight")
. . . . . . . . . . and random thoughts ("hmmm, did I put my tweezers back in the drawer?")

Earlier this week I posted about decluttering my attitude and making goals to get organized for the new year, and today I wanted to share with you some more goals for quieting my brain and reducing distractions.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

I used to be an absolute whiz at multi-tasking. I could skate through the house with a dust mop attached to the soles of my shoes, basket of laundry balanced on my hip, plate of healthy snacks for the kids in one hand, phone in the other hand giving a client step by step directions on how to create a new digital scrapbooking project in between tossing out helpful homework prompts to the kids.

Okay, I'm exaggerating just a little. But that ball-juggling skill has more recently been replaced by foggy brain syndrome. Instead of darting from one task to another with skill and grace, it kinda feels like I'm slogging my way through chicken noodle soup, my pursuit of prized chunks of chicken impeded by all those wiggly noodles.

These days all I want is quiet.
"Honey, shush please. Mommy is trying to think."

So here are a few tips -- some I've been doing for a while, some are new -- that might help you too:

Plan MORE quick trips to the store. I know, this flies in the face of efficiency and any goals for going green, but to me this is a premium indulgence. "Just need to run out for milk," is an easy excuse to leave all other family members at home. It's like a mini escape for just me and my sweet little over-active brain to chill for a while. Sometimes I just sit in the parking lot before running into the store. I write down a few thoughts or use the voice-recorder on my phone to add notes to my running "to do" app.

Don't just turn down the volume, turn it off. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE music. One step I took to reduce the noise in my life was to substitute instrumental music for songs with words ... but more recently I've started to just keep the radio/ipod off. Same with my trips to the store -- driving without the radio helps me feel more at peace and more able to focus my brain on other things.

Use the bathroom to your advantage. I always wondered why my Mom went to the bathroom so often when I was growing up. How could anyone need to go that much? Is that what happens when you get older? Hahahahaha. Now I know that was her way of getting a time out. My worst times are between 3-5pm when it seems every one needs something precisely at the time my brain is focused on steps for making dinner. Nothing says you need to "go" when you know you need a break from the clamor in the house. I bring my phone in, sit fully clothed on the lid, and do a quick sudoku or block puzzle, and come out feeling so much better. For my sweet mother, I'm sure she went in there to say a rosary for patience.

Get in front of nature. It is well documented that a dose of nature helps us feel more centered, effective, and productive. Just step outside for bit, look up at the sky or any green scene nearby, breathe in for a slow count of 5, exhale (pull back your shoulders slightly, tilt your pelvis forward a little, imagine that string pulling you up) and repeat until a smile comes easily and naturally to your lips. If you're nowhere near nature or can't get outside, put a nature scene on your computer desktop or print one out so it's in front of you.

Give yourself a nudge. Sometimes we're so overwhelmed and can't think straight we just need to be told what to do. Click on this image, then print and tape to your bathroom mirror, refrigerator, desk lamp, car visor -- anywhere you think would help you the most. There, I told you what to do ... now go do it! :-)

Click to access printable file I made for you. Happy New Year!

So what would you add to this list? I'd love to hear some of your ideas on how to turn down the noise in our lives!

Time to Declutter -- Prepping for a New Attitude in 2012

2011-12-29T08:32:00.000-05:00

As I was browsing through my Google Reader blog list, I ran across an article from Simply Stated blog on Year End Organizing and decluttering your house in these last few days of the year. All standard tips of cleaning out the refrigerator, the car, and putting away gifts received from the holidays.

Well, those were all good tips, but it just isn't me. I really am flying by the seat of my pants these days and don't have time to think about getting the lint out of my car. But I do have time for cleaning out some emotional crud in my life that I know is standing in the way of a richer, more joy-filled daily life:

Someday I'll make & wear this shirt!

I'm letting go of the excuses I make for my kids who always have and always will march to their own beat. Most everyone I know (including family) simply doesn't understand their unique personalities, their disorders, and their struggles with traditional academics and other life "norms". They are terrific, talented kids who will grow up to be terrific, talented adults. (Maybe for next year's emotional declutter I'll give up my low tolerance for smug, judgmental moms.)

I've perfected saying "no" to volunteering and helping out with projects, but this time no more apologies. Very simply, it's "no."

I'm shrugging off any real or imagined responsibility I feel for the happiness of others. I have to work hard at finding small bits of happiness among the thorns of life, and it's time for others to buck up, quit whining, and carve out their own slice of joy.

I'm going to quit using the label "menopause" as an excuse for my many newly-acquired "faults" -- swift temperature and mood changes, weight gain, decreased memory, and inability to focus. It's not a temporary condition. It's not going away any time soon. Better love me regardless, because it's simply who I am right now.

I'm throwing away the constant need to multi-task. I think I"m being efficient, but really I'm telling everyone around me that what I'm doing is more important than what they're trying to tell me, ask me, or engage me in.

I'm giving up my need to be right. Precise. Factual. Absentmindedly correcting grammar, pronunciation, and spelling in conversations with the people I love. At the end of the day, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

Last, and most important ... I think it's time I gave up being so angry with God. For whatever reason, he's chosen to give me a lot of crap to deal with for ...oh, 6 years now. I feel like Job, only I don't think I've been as patient and slow to anger as he. If this is a test, I think I should be studying and trying harder to pass instead of wasting time just being pissed off. Quit fighting, accept it, and move on.

N' uff said. While my physical house might still be one giant dust bunny, I think cleaning out my emotional and spiritual house has left me feeling refreshed, renewed, and ready.

C'mon, 2012, bring it on!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

The next few days will be filled with internet articles, blog posts, FB links, and tweets about New Year's resolutions, goals, and plans for 2012. I'll even be typing up a goals post myself.

Before you step into the New Year, what clutter do you need to get rid of to pave the way for a fresh start in 2012?

Should I take the car keys away from Dad?

2011-12-27T12:35:00.000-05:00

Photo from The New Old Age Blog

This was what I googled last week after having a huge argument with my 94 year old father over my objections to him driving 60 miles to our house for Christmas dinner.

I was an emotional wreck, on one hand wishing to respect my father's need for independence and on the other hand horrified at the prospect of losing him in a car accident -- or worse, some other innocent victim. My siblings, husband, and I have been discussing what to do for months. We've all seen the news stories about elderly drivers causing accidents or ramming into buildings because they mistook the accelerator for the brake.

Then there are well-meaning friends and casual acquaintances who are quick to give their opinions (not one thought we should allow it). They see him hobbling along with his walker or cane, his left side weakened from Parkinson's Disease, and they cannot imagine how he could possible drive.

I was desperate for some guidance, and after reading scores of articles, I got the confirmation that I needed -- my Dad is probably a better driver 50% of the drivers on the road and nearly all teens and other inexperienced drivers. I have had the opportunity to drive with him as well as behind him in my own car, and really it all boils down to evaluating his driving skills much in the same way I would for my teens.

Does he drive the speed limit?
Does he comply with all traffic signs?
Is his range of sight is good?
Has he been in any accidents nor received any traffic violations?
Does his car have a lot of dings or dents?
Does he drive with distractions like talking on the phone or eating?
Does he have road rage? Is he considerate of other drivers?

He is well aware of the fact that he will need to give him driving soon. We are in the process of helping him move to an independent/assisted living community within the next two months, and at that point I expect he will most likely be ready to give up driving. However in the meantime, I dare say he is just as competent and responsible as my husband or me.

So I lost the driving-to-Christmas-dinner argument, but it opened up an important new discussion for us, which eventually helped me come to terms with this issue based on facts rather than emotions. We made some conditions for his driving -- he agreed to call before leaving his house, tell me the exact route he'd be taking, have his cell phone within reach for emergencies, leave my house early enough so he wouldn't be driving at dusk or nightfall, and he'd call me when he arrived home. And we agreed that this was one of those grey areas of life that we'd need to revisit often.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

So many of us mid-lifers are wrestling with the issue of letting our aging parents drive. I gathered some articles in a Storify topic about elderly drivers that might be of interest to you.

Have you faced this crossroads with your parents yet? I'd love to know how you handled it!

Christmas Treats

2011-12-22T11:03:00.001-05:00

Last week I received a wonderful box of King Arthur baking goodies from my sweet sister. She is always sending surprise boxes, and they ALWAYS arrive when I seem to need them most. I think she has a sixth sense that way.

In the box there's Cinnamon Chips, Espresso Powder, Vietnamese Cinnamon, Boiled Cider, Dried Fruit Blend, Pizza Dough Flavoring, and a very intriguing extract called Fiori di Sicilia. The ingredients on the label say "citrus, vanilla, and alcohol." I'm thinking I absolutely have to come up with a wonderful Christmas cookie for this!

I couldn't wait to whip up a batch of Cinnamon Scones using the cinnamon bits. We gobbled them up this morning while Kitten and I cranked out some new batches of Christmas cookies.

* * * * * * * * * *

It's Christmas Central here in our household this week. In between drives up to my Dad, checking out some local assisted living centers, and many calls back-and-forth with my siblings about his care, I'm determined to make lots of goodies. The last 5-6 years my Christmas baking has been pretty lacking. And this is the year I'm making up for that!

Sitting in carpool lane this week, I had fun going through all my Mother and Aunt's recipe files. They died in 2007-08, and I always miss them this time of year. Most of the recipes I'm making this year are from their files. Trying to relive some wonderful old memories. Triple Treat Chews, Date Balls, Bourbon Balls, Pecan Crescents, and an old fried Italian cookie called "Farfellette." Hopefully I'll get some pictures posted later this week.

So what's going on in your house? What are some of your traditional recipes that you make this time of year?

Santa Baby Digital Blog Hop -- Day 2

2011-12-18T00:01:00.001-05:00

Initially I wasn't planning a second post for this blog hop because frankly, I'm crazy-swamped-with-life. But as I flipped a card on my Christmas Countdown wall hanging that I made 3 years ago I remembered that I did blog about this and maybe some of my new followers might like to see it.

I love this project because it used up old Christmas cards. I also love this project because it's one I actually FINISHED. I have so many unfinished projects, I can't even begin to tell you.

So here's the project ...

...and here's the link back to the original Christmas Countodown post from November 2008. It's mostly a paper project, but I did use digital for the numbers on each card -- so technically I guess it counts for the Santa Baby Digital Blog Hop!

I hope you enjoy this cute-but-overly-complicated little project from a woman who appears to have too much time on her hands but SOOOO does not! My issue is that I use projects like this to escape the madness of my life. LOL. Welcome to my world. Holy cow, this was a post from 2008 and the craziness still abounds. I think it's time I accept the fact that crazy is my new reality!

Be sure to go check out the other Santa Baby Digital Blog hoppers -- see who's cooked up a second project to share with you!

Becky from Beck's Cricards
Dandy from Dandylicious Creates
Gill from Scrappin' Creations by Gill
Mary from Capturing Magical Memories
Liz from Tryin2Craft
Anne Marie from (that's me!)
Jenn from Memories with Jen
Cheryl from Capturing a Moment in Time
Tiara from Imacraftysista

Santa Baby Digital Blog Hop

2011-12-17T08:33:00.001-05:00

Welcome to the Santa Baby Digital Blog Hop! This is a fun little Christmas-themed hop from blog-to-blog organized by some crafty friends of mine.

Be sure to scroll down to see the project I've created to share with you, and then please join me in visiting the other bloggers who are participating (links below).

Take a look at the fun projects they've created and read their posts for any "blog candy" giveaways they might be offering. Of course, I hope you'll leave a comment on each blog to let them know how much you appreciate their creativity!

Santa Baby Digital Blog Hop participants:

Becky from Beck's Cricards
Dandy from Dandylicious Creates
Gill from Scrappin' Creations by Gill
Mary from Capturing Magical Memories
Liz from Tryin2Craft
Anne Marie from (that's me!)
Jenn from Memories with Jen
Cheryl from Capturing a Moment in Time
Tiara from Imacraftysista

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Here's my holiday-themed project I'd like to share with you today. I hope it inspires you!

Desktop Background Planner with Sticky Notes
Combine the creativity of a custom desktop background with the flexibility and convenience of any Sticky Notes software/widget program to create a desktop bulletin board!

This has been a terrific way to help me stay on track of details without all those annoying little slips of paper that inevitably get lost.

Instructions:

Use any digital design software (I use StoryBook Creator 4.0) to create a custom-size project using the dimensions of your monitor or laptop screen. If you're unsure about the size of your screen, simply get out a ruler and measure the height and width. Following resolution sizes can be confusing -- using inches or centimeters is just easier!
Add digital papers to create blocked areas to corral your sticky notes. Take a look at the ideas I posted below. Embellish as desired.
Save your page as a .jpg to your files, then open that file location, right-click on your new desktop image and choose "Set as Desktop Background."
Use the Microsoft Sticky Note program on your computer (or do a google search for free Sticky Note widget).
If you need to take the notes from your "planner" with you, simply print out a screen shot of your desktop background!

Last Minute Christmas Gift -- It's so easy to make a whole set of monthly Desktop Backgrounds, put on a CD and wrap up to put under the tree ... Or compress the file and email!

Here's some samples of what my desktop screen looks like with the Sticky Notes added:

Organization is a constant struggle for me, and I'm always trying out some new system to keep me focused. What works for you? If you've got tips for keeping your "to-dos" organized, please share!

Thanks for stopping by One Mouse Click ~ take some time to browse my blog, and I invite you to "follow" if you like what you see! Be sure to head on over to see what the other bloggers have cooking up.

Wishing you many Christmas blessings and New Year dreams-come-true!

Today I needed a fix.

2011-11-30T21:56:00.001-05:00

After a very long, emotionally draining day helping my 94-year old Dad face the inevitability of letting go of his independence and accepting nursing care, all I could think of on the hour-long drive home was a plate of cookies.

Of course I didn't want to send the wrong message to Kitten, so I waited until she went to bed.

Of course I didn't want to admit I was drowning my hurt in cookies, so I used dear husband as the excuse ... "I bet you'd like some cookies, wouldn't you honey!"

And of course as I was making the cookies (and consuming several spoonfuls of dough), I realized it really wasn't cookies I wanted. I wanted comfort. I wanted my mother. I wanted to be her little girl again, sneaking cookie dough out of the bowl as she laughed and shooed me away then hugged me close.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

It's so hard watching your parents enter that last phase of their life. It's so hard to watch as they lose their hair, hearing, agility, independence, memory. It's even harder as you face the fact that you're next. You're the next generation in line for the status of "older than dirt." You're no longer the kid, the teen, the college student, the newlywed ... you're now the same age that your parents, aunts, and uncles were when you thought they were old -- older than you thought you'd ever be. Well you're there now. And the next stage is staring you in the face.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I came home to my own giggling little Kitten, who needed help subtracting 14 from 72, who twirled in a new dress I bought her and hugged me tight. I'm so thankful I have her youth to remind me I've still got a long road ahead of me.

And I'm thankful that a plate of cookies reminded me that I really didn't need the calories and fat. I just needed a good cry.

Hi, my name is Anne Marie, and I am a "mom in the middle."

I wonder ... is there a 12-step program for moms like me?

Spread a little love this shopping season

2011-11-28T12:58:00.002-05:00

So have you recovered from Black Friday? Weren't you horrified to read about that crazy woman who sprayed pepper spray on her fellow Walmart shoppers just to get a deal on Black Friday? Yikes! Then there was another crazy Walmart BF video I saw of people going nuts over $2 wafflemakers. C'mon people, is it really worth it?

My challenge to you this holiday shopping season -- shower people with kindness instead of pepper spray!

Hold doors open for fellow shoppers
Share coupons you're not using with people in line who could use it.
S-M-I-L-E
Thank cashiers, using their name.
Let drivers scoot in front of you who need to move over a lane or pull out of a driveway.
If you're tall (that would NOT be me) and see a nice little short person trying to reach something (that would be me), offer to help them out.
Don't fight over a parking space ... park out in the back-forty instead and enjoy the walk.
Make sure you carry some change in your pocket and toss a few into the bell-ringer's bucket.
Instead of sighing and rolling your eyes at moms who are wheeling their screaming babies around the store, give that mom an encouraging "been there" smile and silently say a little prayer asking God to give her the patience she needs to get through her shopping trip.

You get the idea. It's so easy to spread a little love instead of adding to the craziness.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

I must admit I joined the crowds on Friday morning, but only for a few hours. I started at Michael's where there couldn't have been more than 20 people in the store at 7:30am. It was so enjoyable to browse up and down the aisles and have time to think about what I wanted to purchase. I snagged all the supplies for Kitten's 8th birthday party favors, some art supplies for Princess, as well as some balsa wood that Father and I will use to create a custom America-Girl-sized-stable. (I am super excited about that, as I drew the plans up myself!)

Then I hit Kohl's where there were a *few* more people (HA! x1,000!). I wasted no time in grabbing exactly what I went there for (jammies for Kitten from the Christmas Elf) and then stood in line that wrapped around from the front to the back of the store for about 40 minutes. That was enough Black Friday madness for me! I was glad to go home after that.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

OK so what I'm most excited about is my $115 in free goodies from Amazon.com. Not only did I get a couple great deals for Cyber Monday, but I didn't have to pay for it!

You might have noticed the little Swagbucks blinkie in my sidebar. It looks cheezy and you might think it's a scam of some kind, but since July I've been clicking a few searches on the toolbar I downloaded, signed up for a few offers that I really wanted, watched a few 30-second video ads, printed off a few coupons, and as I accumulated points (called swagbucks), I'd redeem them for $5 Amazon gift cards. So by Thanksgiving I had earned $115 credit -- enough to get my Christmas present (Wacom Bamboo Capture) plus several American-Girl-doll-sized accessories for Kitten's Christmas and a HDMI cable needed for Bud's Christmas present. I tell you, we're not big Christmas spenders, so $115 free meant I could afford to actually get a few more items than originally budgeted -- especially getting myself something that I really wanted!

So thanks Swagbucks, for making my Christmas a little brighter this year. A few clicks and viewing a few video ads was a small and easy price to pay for having a growing little stash of money! If you spend a lot of time on the computer, I encourage you to check it out.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

While I was shopping on Amazon.com for the 18" doll clothing & accessories, I noticed that most of the retailers who sell there have a ridiculous mark-up on their products. I was comparing Our Generation (Target brand) horses & foals and there were several listed on Amazon.com for $85-$150. Yikes, for an AG knock-off, that's ridiculous! The same horses on Target.com were $36 and in stock both online and at local stores. That's more than a 100% mark-up, and in some cases over 200% mark-up! I found the same to be true with the AG dolls. It was cheaper to go to the AG site to purchase a brand new doll than Amazon. com. So ... buyer beware! If you're cyber-shopping, make sure you do some comparison shopping at several sources. Include Craig's List and Ebay in your searching too.

When gratitude doesn't come easy

2011-11-24T00:01:00.002-05:00

This is supposed to be the "most wonderful time of the year," filled with gratitude and joy, right? Sometimes that's easier said than done. I know that I've spent many Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons so stuck in the trenches of life issues that it was very hard to see anything to be thankful for. For those who may have been following me for several years, you know well the heartaches, worries, and intense sadness I've experienced over the years. I know I'm not alone. I know there are so many women like me who work so hard at covering up what's deep inside, putting on a mask of pleasantness with their neighbors, friends, and even family. We can be so good at faking it!

This Thanksgiving I'm grateful that I've pulled through a whole lotta stuff with my family -- we're not out of the woods yet, but we're getting there. It's because I've been there that I know there are some heavy hearts out there this season. I know full well that many of us might be only a hair's breadth away from some life-changing event that sends us into a downward spiral. I'm reposting this story from several years ago for those who might be in that spiral now with the hope that this brings you a little peace and comfort. I know that each time I read it, I feel stronger and more confident in taking on whatever lies in my path. Maybe it will be the little reminder for you too that somehow, someway you will make it through whatever issues you're going through.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My best friend Diane and I steal away for a scrapbooking weekend every now and then, and our favorite place to go is a lakeside cabin that's just about an hour away -- close enough to home to run home if we need to, but far enough away to escape. So on one fall weekend, after a particularly bad stretch of sadness & family stress for me and a tough few months for Diane, we showed up at our cabin ready to set up and start cropping.

As we worked, we cried about our troubles and whined about our lives -- our children, our husband, our homes, everything. We went out onto the porch to try to catch the sunset and we started whining about how dang hot it was (90F, which is horrible when the calendar says October) and how we longed for cool temps, fall colors, something - anything that said "fall".

We spent the next ten minutes laughing about everything that Florida WASN'T ... yup, Florida in October certainly wasn't chilly, invigorating, brisk, and bracing. It was more like tepid, lukewarm, buggy, muggy, dewy, sweltering, still, confining, trapping! We continued to whine all night long about life in Florida and how neither one of us imagined in a million years we would be here at this point in our lives. There really was no sunset that night, so that gave us something new to whine about and when the mosquitoes started their feeding frenzy, we called it quits for the night.

But we woke up Saturday morning realizing how ungrateful we must sound to God. We honestly felt pretty guilty and figured the only antidote was to quickly start listing as many things as we could to be THANKFUL for in our Florida lives. We did our best to turn our conversation towards God, the kind of women and mothers we strive to be, the efforts we were (or should be) making to make God more a part of our daily lives, and basically bolstering our spirits by shifting our minds and hearts towards Him and away from ourselves.

Of course we had plenty of sarcastic gratitude statements too like "I'm so thankful Bud failed 3 courses this semester because I'd hate to ruin the appearance of my old-Mom-van with a hideous bumper sticker proclaiming his honor roll status." (We certainly hoped God appreciated our humor.)

Well, I gotta tell you, our weekend suddenly turned around.

We went out onto the porch hoping for a sunset this time, and what we got was the most spectacular display that either one of us had ever seen. We honestly were speechless and didn't even try to take a picture because we knew a photo would never capture what we felt at that moment. (The photo above was taken from our porch on another trip.)

The whole sunset performance lasted 1 hour and 20 minutes ... It had been clear as a bell all day, and then God sent in some clouds just before sunset as a backdrop for the most colorful show we could ever hope for. We were sitting on the porch, rocking away quietly, taking it all in, and all of a sudden Diane turned to me and said, "It just hit me. God heard our cries and he's giving us the fall color we so desperately wanted to see."

Neither of us could say a word. It was the most awesome God-filled moment. Diane was quietly choking back a few tears and said, "All we need now is the sound of an owl." Yup, you guessed it -- immediately after saying those words we heard an owl nearby. Our mouths dropped open, we started laughing and then almost simultaneously we said "OK, God, while you're at it, how about some cool weather ... and oh yeah, smooth sailing at home! Prosperity! World peace!"

The rest of the evening, we could not stop laughing and talking about that sunset. Diane loves owls, so this was a special and very meaningful treat for her. For me, it's the sight of an eagle that thrills me to the core. My kids make fun of me whenever they see me hunched over the steering wheel of my car peering up into the sky (yes, while I'm driving ... I know, I got this bird thing bad), but I'm always on the lookout for my precious Bald Eagles. I see them very rarely, but when I do I just about die with excitement.

OK, so back to the weekend. The next morning I woke up, quietly padded out to the porch and was THRILLED that it was about 65F ... downright brisk & bracing! Thank you, God, you sure do know how to bless us and lift our hearts when we need it most!

As I was taking in the glorious sunrise, I saw a very large bird sitting on a dead tree limb on the edge of the lake. My eyes don't work very well in the morning and I kept blinking and blinking and blinking trying to figure it out. I decided to throw on some clothes to see if it was that hooty owl we had heard the night before. I scurried on out the door, quietly walked towards the tree ... I saw the wings flutter in a bit of unrest and then I heard his call. OH MY DEAR LORD, it wasn't!!! IT WAS!!! It took off in flight, gracefully sweeping across the lake, it's glorious white head shining in the rising sun. Yes, I started crying. My God ... the God who seemed so far away from me during the hardest times of my life... sent fall colors, cool weather, Diane's owl, and my cherished bald eagle to remind us that he was there.

Not once, not twice, but four times in just about 10 hours God was looking down upon two faithful women who've each had some worry-filled months, and he blessed us with the acknowledgement we needed at that moment:

Our God is who He says He is.
God can do what He says He can do.
Through Him, we can do anything He says we can do.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

My thanksgiving message to all of you women out there who are slapping on your happy mask every day to cover your tears: You are not alone. God has not abandoned you, even though it seems like he has. He's right there with you when you need him most, encouraging you to use this low moment as a turning point to grow past where you are so you can become the woman he designed you to be.

I hope you are somewhat encouraged, and I hope that you can find gratitude and joy in even the smallest things as you make it through the flurry of activities in the coming weeks.

Wishing you peace & a renewed faith this holiday season,

What's on your table?

2011-11-22T15:41:00.000-05:00

I used to be on top of everything and could tell you at the drop of a hat everything on my holiday dinner menu. Nowadays, if I don't get my menu written down and taped someplace visible (like the refrigerator or the cabinet door in front of me) inevitably something will be left in the oven, hiding in the microwave, still in the refrigerator, or waiting patiently on the back porch table for me to remember in a day or two! This is a great way to keep me on track and focused.

Here's some new recipes I'm trying this year:

What's on your table this year? Are you trying any new recipes?

2011-11-22T00:01:00.017-05:00

I am so grateful for my readers and the many friends I've made via the internet this year. My life is so much richer having new friends who share my interests, and who motivate and inspire me every day. Thank you!

Whether you have a nifty display board like this, bulletin board, dry-erase board, mini-album, journal, or even just a scrap of paper ... I encourage you to take time to write down what (and who) you're thankful for. And don't forget to let those people who are on your list know that you are grateful to have them in your life.

Happy Blogiversary to Dandylicious Creates!

2011-11-19T00:01:00.004-05:00

My friend Dandy is celebrating the anniversary of her blog Dandylicious Creates, and she's gathered her blogging friends together to join in the fun!

Scroll down to see the project I've created to share with you, and then please join me in wishing Dandy a "Happy Blogiversary" by visiting the other bloggers who are participating!

Take a look at the fun projects they've created and be sure to read their posts for any "blog candy" giveaways they might be offering. Of course, I hope you'll leave a comment on each blog to let them know how much you appreciate their creativity!

OH! And be sure to "follow" bloggers you like, especially Dandy! She's hoping to reach 200 followers this weekend. Go, Dandy!

Dandy from Dandylicious Creates
Cheryl from Capturing a Moment in Time
Becky from Beck's Cricards
Nicole from Canadian Nickel Scrap'N
CallyAnn from Cally Ann's Crafty Creations
Ashley from The Glamorous Side of Scrapping
Anne Marie from (that's me!)
Debbie from DD's Crafts
Eva from Eva's Scraps N'Cards
Krista from Krista's Paper Cafe
Mary from Capturing Magical Memories
Edwina from Edwina's Creations
Liz from Scrapilicious Life
Lynn from My Pixie Dust Diary
Deanna from Deanna's Creations

Happy Blogiversary, dear Dandy! I hope you're enjoying your blogging adventure, and I thank you for inviting me to join in your fun today!

Now here's the birthday-themed project I'd like to share with you today ...

Birthday Card Organizer

It has been on my To-Do list for over a year now to make some sort of organizer to help me stay on top of sending birthday and anniversary cards out. I have a ton of handmade cards I made during my card-making phase -- all just sitting in a nice neat box on my shelf -- untouched!

I've seen a lot of cute card organizers out there, but but if I've learned anything about myself with my crazy midlife foggy brain and numerous daily distractions, it's that whatever organizing system I use has to be simple and OUT where I can see it - not filed away. If it's tucked away in a box or binder, then that's just enough extra steps needed to force me into a put-it-off-'til-later mindset.

So I'm loving this one that stands up on my desk ... it's compact and doesn't take up much room ... it has the cards for that month quickly available (along with a STAMPED envelope) ready to address & mail. I considered making this a perpetual calendar -- you know, an undated list of birthdays so I could use this every year -- but a list that isn't connected to an actual current calendar does me no good. So I used 4x6 photo sleeves adhered to the front of each pocket which will allow me to update the calendar each year.

Here's a rundown of the steps to make this:

Cut six 12"x12" sheets of cardstock in half to create twelve 6"x12" strips.
Use a scoring tool to score at 5". The 5" section will create a pocket when folded up.
Place strong narrow-width adhesive strip along each pocket side, fold up and adhere.
Adhere 4x6 clear photo sleeves to each pocket and create 4x6" calendars to slide in.
Bind however you wish. I used zutter bind-it-all, but you could use book rings, a recycled notebook spiral, or even loops of ribbon.

Of course you can decorate something like this up any way you wish, but adopting a cleaner, simpler style is one of the little tricks I'm employing to help my mid-life brain focus a little better!

Now, off you go to the next bloggers on the list. Leave me a little note to say "hi" and have fun visiting the other bloggers!

C'mon and join me in this challenge!

2011-11-01T19:15:00.003-04:00

(Project List Updated 12/27/11)

We officially have 61 days until 2012 -- and this "twelve by 2012" project is just the ticket I need to knock some things off my to-do list. How about you? Do you have 12 somethings that you could use a little push to complete by January 1st?

I know I've got that and more, but for the time being it will be a H-U-G-E accomplishment to just get these 12 done:

clean my carpet
clean my fridge, inside & out
~~repair the lamp in my family room~~ -- DONE!
~~make a birthday card organizer~~ -- DONE!
~~create a Thanksgiving and a Christmas display for my display board~~ -- DONE!
~~make a family Christmas card~~ -- DONE!
~~actually address, stamp, and MAIL those cards~~ -- DONE!
finish my heritage album
~~repair our pet hedgehog's townhouse~~ -- DONE!
~~plan out projects & timeline for handmade Christmas gifts~~ -- DONE!
shop for used refrigerator
~~go to at least one holiday event without the fam -- just for me~~ -- DONE!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I love making lists, and I love challenges. Participating in some sort of challenge or even simply posting publicly for accountability is a wonderful way to get things done.

If you're a 40-something + gal like me (and in my case that would be more like 50-something) I'm sure you're beginning to experience that ridiculous menopausal fog that settles over us like a veil. HATE IT! I used to be so good at multi-tasking! Now I find I'm so easily distracted, it's a miracle I could even get this blog post written. So I take advantage of every little trick I can -- like this list challenge -- to help me focus long enough to get things done.

So join me! You can comment here or repost on your own blog and post back on Danni's blog Hello Friend ... here's her original post Twelve by 2012. Even if 12 is too ambitious for you ... what are some of the things you would like to accomplish before the end of the year?

The secret of MIM ...

2011-10-27T14:33:00.005-04:00

Welcome to my secret world of MIM ... Moms in the Middle.

You're probably there too, caught in that tough spot of raising kids while supporting aging parents. Sociologists call it the "sandwich generation", but that just makes me hungry -- something my middle-aged waitline does NOT need right now.

So whether you prefer "MIM" (which I think sounds kind of mystical) or "sandwich" (which just adds calories and fat), I invite you to come along on this crazy ride with me through mid-life as I blog about my personal struggles and triumphs as well as pearls of wisdom from experts in the field (those been-there-done-that moms).

I'm working on some posts for my new Mothers in the Middle category (which will start showing up on my main page as well as on the new tabbed section above), but in the meantime I'd love to hear what you're interested in reading about.

What struggles are you facing as a Mom in the Middle?
What would you like to read more about?

And the winner is ...

2011-10-24T20:50:00.001-04:00

..... drum roll please .....

Congratulations, Krista! You have won this adorable Halloween 5-panel Accordion Card.

When you send me 7 photographs (in digital format), I'll simply click-and-drag them into the photo spaces, upload the card, and have it printed at the Creative Memories Digital Center. It will arrive with an envelope ready for you to mail or give to someone you love -- or keep for yourself!

Congratulations, and thanks to EVERYONE for visiting our Digital Halloween Blog Hop. We appreciate you!

OH! And if you happen to make some cupcake wrappers & toppers or create a little owl to post on your blog, be sure to come back and let me know so I can visit you on your blog!

Halloween Blog Hop - Day 2: Hoot Owl Tutorial

2011-10-23T02:00:00.030-04:00

Welcome back to our Digital Halloween Blog Hop! This is the last day of this blog hop event, and I hope you've enjoyed the projects you've seen.

One of my favorite items in my office (a tiny little corner of the living room) is my Everyday Display board, and I had an absolute blast making this little hooty owl to decorate the board this month.

Isn't he cute? I printed him out on my home printer on inexpensive 8.5x11" photo paper, then I created the "Hooot! Hooot!" and "Trick or Treat" embellishments and printed those out on 4x6 photo prints. All the Halloween themed papers and embellishments I used are from Creative Memories digital kits.

So would you like to know how to make that owl? My tutorial is for StoryBook Creator 4.0, but StoryBook Creator Plus 3.0 users will have no trouble following along.

If you use a non-CM software, the tutorial is very straightforward using standard tools found on many software programs. You should be able to recreate this with no problem.
If you're a paper crafter, just follow along the tutorial, substituting real paper, punches, and trimmers and you'll be able to get the same look!

Hoot Owl Tutorial
Just click on the play button and it takes you to my Picasa photo album where you can make the slide show Full Screen and click the arrows to advance to the next slide -- great for learning at your own pace!

I really hope you like my little Halloween friend. He's dressed in Thanksgiving colors in the tutorial using the Thanksgiving Digital Card Kit papers, but I really like the attitude he's sporting with his Halloween look. I can't wait to dress the little guy up for other holidays and birthdays!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

OK, so you really have to let me know how you liked the tutorial! It's my first time doing a slide-show; I thought about doing a voice-over and animating it, but I kind of like the go-at-your-own-pace feel. What do you think?

Be sure to "share" this blog post on Facebook or on your own blog, and head on over to the other bloggers to see what they've posted for this last day of the Digital Halloween Blog Hop!

Dandy from "Dandylicious Creates"
Becky from "Becks Cricards"
Staci from "Precious Memories"
Lisa from "Bit by the Cricut Bug"

Thanks for playing along with our Halloween fun this weekend! I hope you'll subscribe to my blog either by email or add it to your reader. I am working on a few more fun ideas that I'll be posting in the coming weeks that I know you'll like!

P.S. Don't forget to enter my 5-panel Accordion Card giveaway! (Details are in yesterday's post.)

Halloween Blog Hop - Day 1: Cupcake Toppers & Wrappers

2011-10-22T02:00:00.004-04:00

Hi, and welcome to our Digital Halloween Blog Hop!

If you're here from Staci's Precious Memories blog, then you landed in the right place.

This weekend I am joined by a creative group of bloggers who will be bringing you some fun projects made using some (or all) digital elements. Each blogger might use a different software, but no matter what program you use -- or even if you're a paper crafter -- I know you'll find lots of great ideas to help you create some fun this Halloween!

I use StoryBook Creator 4.0 by Creative Memories because I love that it is easy enough for digital scrapbooking newbies as well as flexible enough to entertain even the most advanced techies. (Note: in my blog posts you'll read about digital products, but nearly all our decorative items are available in real paper too!)

Here's a line up of who's participating ... I invite you to "hop" from blog to blog throughout the weekend, as each of us will be posting several projects:

Anne Marie from "One Mouse Click" -- that's me -- you're here!
Dandy from "Dandylicious Creates" (Dandy's blog has all the details about how you could win a $10 Gift Certificate on scrap supplies from one of the blog-hop sponsors, Scraptastical Kreations)
Becky from "Becks Cricards"
Staci from "Precious Memories"
Lisa from "Bit by the Cricut Bug"

Tricks or Treats?
Get your Trick or Treat bag ready because as you hop from blog to blog you'll be collecting some cute new ideas, some tips & tricks along the way and some C-A-N-D-Y (that is, prize drawings)! So be sure to to visit all 5 blogs on BOTH days and read the other gals' instructions on how to enter their drawings.

Accordion-fold Card Giveaway!

Here's my "sweet treats" for your candy bag this weekend. Enter the drawing for this 5-panel Accordion card, and I will customize it with YOUR photos, have it printed and delivered to any address you choose (US, CAN, APO/FPO addresses). You are going to WANT this card -- it is so darned cute! I created it using a variety of Creative Memories Halloween themed digital kits, and running throughout the card are the words to the poem/song "5 Little Pumpkins." This adorable folded card measures approx. 3.5" x 3.5", prints on both sides, and comes with an envelope. If your name is drawn as the winner, you'll send me 7 of your digital photos, and you could have the card in your hands (or a loved ones) in a little over a week!

Here's how to enter this drawing:

Comment on this post and tell me your favorite Halloween costume or Halloween memory.
You'll receive a 2nd entry if you Share this post on your Facebook page or your own blog (please leave a second comment with a link to your FB page or blog!)
You'll receive a 3rd entry if you come back to this post to comment on Sunday, telling me your favorite project from this weekend's blog posts (either on my blog or one of the others)

What's a Blog party without good food? I found this Pumpkin Cupcake recipe and I have to tell you it's a real keeper ... MELT-IN-YOUR-MOUTH deliciousness! But those sweet little cupcakes were simply screaming for some Halloween attire! Hang out here for a moment and learn how you can use the cool template I made to make your own cupcake wrappers for any occasion -- then, all you have to do is fill with papers of your choice. Like the look? These cupcake decorations use papers & embellishments from the Frightful Halloween Digital Kit.

Cupcake Wrapper Template
Note: these are not moveable templates. They are .jpg images that I'm sharing as a starting place for you to create your own, whether you're working in any digital software or paper. These instructions are for StoryBook Creator 4.0 by Creative Memories.

Click on the template below to open up a larger .jpg image. Right-click to "Save image as" and save to your desktop or idea folder.
In SBC3.0 or SBC4.0 open up a project and click "Get Photos" to add the template image to your photos. Add the photo to your workspace and making sure that the Aspect Ratio is locked, stretch until the dimensions of the boxed area are 8.4" x 3".
Using Cut & Fill > Wand, select each grey cupcake wrapper and cut, keeping both sections. Hide the background section. [Please remember to keep the outside section so that you always know who to credit if you share this project! :-) ]
Now you can choose your paper from the Content tab and right-click to "Fill selected shape". Decorate as desired, then print on your home printer.

Click to "Save as" a .jpg image on your desktop. Then bring in to your software program and use selection tool (Wand) to select the shaded areas and fill with papers of your choice.

After printing out, trim the top edge of the wrapper with craft scissors (I used scallop edge). Overlap ends by about 1/2" for Standard Cupcake and add adhesive.

Cupcake Topper Template

Click on the template below to open up a larger .jpg image. Right-click to "Save image as" and save to your desktop or idea folder.
In SBC3.0 or SBC4.0 open up a project and click "Get Photos" to add the template image to your photos. Add the photo to your workspace and making sure that the Aspect Ratio is locked, stretch until the image fills an 8.5" x 11" area (the size of a normal home print-out).
Using Cut & Fill > Wand, select each of the different shaded areas and cut, keeping all sections as you go Hide the background section. [Please remember to keep the outside section so that you always know who to credit if you share this project.]
Now you can choose your paper from the Content tab and right-click to "Fill selected shape". Decorate as desired, then print on your home printer.

After printing out, use a decorative punch. I used the Scallop Circle Maker punch by Creative Memories. Run a strip of adhesive along the back, lay a toothpick down on the adhesive, and then sandwich with another punched shape.

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So what did you think of these cupcake decorations? What occasion do you have coming up that you might use something like this? If you like this post, be sure to "share" it on Facebook or on your own blog, and head on over to the other bloggers to see what they've got going on!

Thanks for stopping by today! Stay tuned and watch for what I have coming up tomorrow. I love - love - love the project I'm going to show you how to make. It's super-cute, really not that hard, and I've created a slide-show tutorial to walk you step-by-step!

If you're blog-hopping for the Digital Halloween Blog Hop, then your next stop should be Lisa at "Bit by the Cricut Bug". If you haven't been to the other blogs in the line yet, be sure to do so!

P.S. ... Click on that Pumpkin Cupcake recipe and print it out ... they are sooo, sooo good!
P.P.S. ... And of course, don't forget to enter the drawing for my 5-panel Halloween Accordion Card!

It's Blog Hop time!

2011-10-22T01:00:00.010-04:00

Hi, and welcome to our Digital Halloween Blog Hop!

This weekend I am joined by a creative group of bloggers who will be bringing you some fun projects made using some (or all) digital elements.

Each blogger might use a different software, but no matter what program you use -- or even if you're a paper crafter -- I know you'll find lots of great ideas to help you create some fun this Halloween!

I use StoryBook Creator 4.0 by Creative Memories because I love that it is easy enough for digital scrapbooking newbies as well as flexible enough to entertain even the most advanced techies. (Note: in my blog posts you'll read about digital products, but nearly all our decorative items are available in real paper too!)

Here's a line up of who's participating ... I invite you to "hop" from blog to blog throughout the weekend, as each of us will be posting several projects:

Anne Marie from "One Mouse Click" -- that's me -- you're here!
Dandy from "Dandylicious Creates" (Dandy's blog has all the details about how you could win a $10 Gift Certificate on scrap supplies from one of the blog-hop sponsors, Scraptastical Kreations)
Becky from "Becks Cricards"
Staci from "Precious Memories"
Lisa from "Bit by the Cricut Bug"

Here's one of my "sweet treats" for you this weekend! Enter the drawing for this 5-panel Accordion card, and I will customize it with YOUR photos, have it printed and delivered to any address you choose (US, CAN, APO/FPO addresses).

You are going to WANT this card -- it is so darned cute! I created it using a variety of Creative Memories Halloween themed digital kits, and running throughout the card are the words to the poem/song "5 Little Pumpkins." This adorable folded card measures approx. 3.5" x 3.5", prints on both sides, and comes with an envelope. If your name is drawn as the winner, you'll send me 7 of your digital photos, and you could have the card in your hands (or a loved ones) in a little over a week!

Here's how to enter this drawing:

Comment on this post and tell me your favorite Halloween costume or Halloween memory.
You'll receive a 2nd entry if you Share this post on your Facebook page or your own blog (please leave a second comment with a link to your FB page or blog!)
You'll receive a 3rd entry if you come back to this post to comment on Sunday, telling me your favorite project from this weekend's blog posts (either on my blog or one of the others)

Names will be entered into random generator and a winner will be announced on my blog on Monday, 10/24.

If you would like to read more about this 5-panel Accordion Card, visit the CM Digital Center. If you have StoryBook Creator Plus 3.0 and would like to learn how to make an Accordion Card of your own, visit the CM Help Zone Training section (click the playlist and scroll until you see "Accordion Card Webinar.") SBC4.0 users can also learn from that webinar as the steps are very similar.

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Thank you for coming over to play and learn with me. To see what I've got cooking up for the Christmas season, be sure to bookmark me, add me to your reader, subscribe via email, or "Like" my business page on Facebook. And remember this is the first of several posts for this weekend, so don't forget to check back later today and tomorrow!

In 2 weeks ... Halloween Blog Hop!

2011-10-12T08:56:00.005-04:00

Mark your calendars and be sure to join us on October 22-23 for a digital Halloween Blog Hop! Each of the participants will be featuring Halloween themed projects using a variety of digital software. Some of the projects will be all-digital, some will be "hybrid", or a blend of digital and paper.

What's a Blog Hop? Simply a fun way to visit and meet other bloggers, gather some adorable new craft ideas, and maybe even earn some "candy" along the way!

I'm having a blast working on the projects I plan to show, along with complete instructions. Be sure to visit on both days -- Sat. Oct. 22 and Sun. Oct. 23 -- as the other bloggers and myself will be posting several different projects over the weekend.

Share this blog post (see the linkies below) to let your circle of crafty friends know about this and let me know where you shared, and you'll get 2x entries into the giveaway drawing I'll be doing that weekend!

Making Lemonade out of Lemon Photos

2011-09-18T12:36:00.013-04:00

There are so many things to love about digital ... (I hate to call it scrapbooking, because it is so much more than that!) ... but one of my favorite uses is to turn mediocre photos into something fabulous. This layout I created is a perfect example.

Take a look at the photo I started with.
Despite my best efforts of taking advantage of the natural light from the window, her face was darkened by the tinted film we had put on our windows last year to reduce our energy bill (well worth the money, by the way!!) Using Memory Manager on this photo, I played around with the light settings to improve the highlights on her face, but I still wasn't pleased. There was nothing interesting in the background except for maybe the creeping fig on the outside wall.

I knew that what I needed was a better background, but subtle so that the emphasis would stay on her face. So I did a quick search and found 2 photos of the landscaping outside that window, and using the instructions found in the blended edges section of this video tutorial, I cut away the worst of all 3 photos to capture the greenery elements I wanted to softly enhance the loveliest part of my daughter's photo. (I first made the 2 greenery photos black & white and then added a soft green color wash to make the photos a little less realistic and more dream-like.)
The next step was to add a background paper, but I found that a single paper was too stark a contrast with the photos, so I used the same blended edge instructions to blend two different papers together (Disney Fairies and Give Thanks) :
Finally, I used the "Bubbles" tutorial I wrote for Creative Memories Go Digital Fan Page to capture Tinker Bell, and added a few overlays from Best Buds Digital Overlays and Distressed Digital Overlays.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
I'm often asked how I learned so much about creating things digitally, and I always come back with the same answer ... just play! I personally use StoryBook Creator Plus software because it is easy to understand and very user friendly, but no matter what software you're using, just click on every button and try out every option to see what looks you can create.

I created a project caled "My Playground" where I practice and try new things without any pressure to create a page. I create text boxes on the page to keep notes about what effects I like or what settings I used, and if I end up creating a page I like, I simply import that into another project.

If you have questions, ask away ... or join me over on the Creative Memories Go Digital facebook page where I'm on of several volunteer admins. We host challenges every 2 weeks, answer countless questions from fans, and post printable tutorials for those who use either the PC or MAC version of our software. Click here and "like" us!

Revisiting the Household Management Binder

2011-03-07T21:25:00.007-05:00

Many years ago I followed Organized Home's concept of a household management binder. I really followed it for a long time, but then ... heck, who knows why or when, but at some point I stopped using it. So fast forward to this week as I'm jumping from blog-t0-blog-to-blog to freshen up my google reader for my ScrapBuzz posts, and I come across A Bowl Full of Lemons blog who was featuring an organizing challenge on ... you guessed it, the home management binder!

The good thing is that I still had that old binder, filled with the lists of basic household chores that worked for me many years ago. I simply freshened that list up along with some new tabs for meal planning and blog management. In clicking on some of the other readers who were taking part in the challenge, I learned about a cool daily management sheet called a daily docket from Tiffany at A Day in My Life. VERY simple and straightforward.

I also ran across Michelle's "Make 5 Dinners in One Hour" blog. Wow. She really has a unique spin on advance meal prep. All the food is prepared on one day and stored fresh in the refrigerator, ready to throw in a pot, pan, crockpot, or grill. I'm going to give it a whirl and planned out my first month of meals (yes, a whole month).

So here's a few pics of my new organized binder!

This last page is an insert I created modified from a mouse pad I made. I like having a reminder of what's important front & center in my newly-organized life. (The digital kit is from CM called Family Life Embellishments, and I made my own cover, spine & divider tabs printed on sticker paper.)

Well, we'll see how long this lasts, but my goal is to at least stick it out every day for a month. By then it should be back to being a habit!

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I mentioned A Bowl Full of Lemons blog ... I'm joining her weekly cleaning & organization challenge and the Home Management Binder was the first challenge I've completed. Go check out the link to join in the challenges!

Embracing change

2011-03-04T08:40:00.004-05:00

We must become the change we want to see. ~Mahatma Gandhi

I used to love change -- it always signified new beginnings, fresh starts. In the last two years I've been fearful of making changes, and I've tried very hard to stand still in the shifting sands of my life. It's time to wake up and move forward!

I love creating, and I love crafting. I love playing with all the tools at my disposal. I'm going to start playing again, doing the things I love.

I invite you to bookmark or subscribe or add to your reader and follow One Mouse Click. I'm pretty darned excited about getting back to the things I love and "becoming the change" I want to see in my life!

For the love of paper

2010-11-18T18:52:00.007-05:00

I believe that speaking the truth is good for the soul, and it's time for a confession. I just typed the following message to a friend of mine tonight:

"This weekend I found myself just DYING to play with some new stuff ... AND (shhh, don't tell) non-digital for a change! I walked into Michaels for the first time in many many months and it was like an alcoholic walking into a liquor store. I was practically drooling with all the new Christmas paper crafting stuff. Real paper, not virtual...hahahaha! I felt like I should go to confession when I walked out of there!

There, I've shared it with any and all who read my blog. Maybe I'll take a break from digital and indulge my fantasies a little bit over Thanksgiving break playing with, yes ... real paper.

(Image above was gently borrowed from The Paper Source blog.)

Cheater, cheater, pumpkin eater ...

2010-10-07T10:00:00.006-04:00

OK, I know the rhyme is really "Peter, Peter ..." but I am enjoying a little secret I have ... majorly cheating on scrapbook layouts using predesigned pages. But why not? They're so easy!

It's one of the new predesigned Digital Page Print Templates. This one is from the Halloween 12x12 Page Print Templates. All you do after you download it is import it into StoryBook Creator, add your photos, and send it off to be printed.

This next one uses one of my favorite cheating tools ... the Click and Fill III 12x12 Digital Pages.

With this set of 30 templates, you simply select the element and fill with paper of your choice. I have used these over and over and over throughout my digital albums. They make completing an album a snap!

I hope you feel inspired to get working on your albums -- so many memories, and yes, you DO have time! I'm one of the busiest people I know, yet I was able to start and complete a 90-page digital photo book in just 5 days. When it's something that is important to you, you will somehow find the time. For me it was sitting in front of the TV with my laptop after the kids went to bed. So in just 5 nights, I was able to knock out 3 years of family photos. If I can do it, you can too!

If you'd like to see layouts from the family album I completed, click here and be sure to "like" me on Facebook!

Festive Fall Cards (and then some)

2010-09-30T07:48:00.013-04:00

These are just a few cards I demo'd at my last crop using the new CM-exclusive Cheerful Seasons Cricut cartridge. I had never used a Cricut before, so my friend Stacie gave me a quick run-through and let me borrow her machine for a few weeks. The geek in me loved it! Oh, I can see this is a huge investment for a newbie like me to jump into the whole Cricut scene, but if you already have one, then definitely check out the Cheerful Seasons and Reminisce Accents cartridges that are only available through Creative Memories. There are a ton of image combinations packed into these little cartridges!

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Switching gears for a moment, I wanted to share my latest photo "Storybook" from Creative Memories ...

UPS delivered my Family 2007-2009 photo book yesterday, and I can't tell you how much I love it. No sales-y hype here ... I flat out love it, and my husband and kids raved over how much more they like it than the big bulky albums.

I've made 8 other digital photo books, but they were smaller, more event-specific. This is the first big 12x12 book I've had made that is a true replacement of a what I would normally chronicle in a traditional album -- my day to day family photos. Actually, this one book is the equivalent of what would have otherwise been 3 big traditional albums, only this book holds more photos (because I can fit more perfectly-cropped, zoomed & edited photos on a page) and is packed beautifully into a 1/2"-width space. I just measured 3 traditional albums on my shelf and it measured 6". BIG difference!

So that's three years of photos ...
515 photos ...
on 90 pages ...
taking up only 1/2" bookshelf space ...
using materials that I buy once and use indefinitely ..
materials that I can color, cut, and manipulate to my heart's content ...
without having to get out all my "shtuff" and put it away again ...

Yup, I am 100% sold on digital solutions.

I will never lose my love for paper and other textiles. Never. But I'm happy finding other ways to express my creativity through more traditional mediums. I'll get my paper fix in other ways. But hands down, you can't beat the ease, efficiency, and economic savings of digital over traditional for album-making.

Here are a few inside pages:

You can see that I used my book cover as the inspiration for my new blog banner! I love the clean, crisp look. The digital materials used in my book include: Totally Fun and Day to Day CD, and Beach Vacation Digital Kit.

When the frost is on the pumpkin

2010-09-24T07:37:00.007-04:00

OK, so I'm *pretending* here, but whether you live in the South or are blessed to really be feeling a little nip in the air up north, here's an assortment of festive fall inspiration that will put you in the mood!

I have to kick off with this really simple but awesome double-page scrapbook layout by CM Design Team member Jen Lessinger. This one layout inspired me to completely change a digital photo book I was working on, and I set off to revise 40 pages I had already completed ... yes, I loved this look that much! And take a look at my updated blog banner -- Jen's style inspired that too! You can see full instructions
here.

Next up ... try Alton Brown's Pumpkin Bread.I love trying new recipes, and this one is sitting on my counter ready for an afternoon of baking on Sunday.

Here's a great take on a popular coffee drink from the "5-bucks" cafe: Afternoon Snack: A Healthy Make-at-Home Pumpkin Latte: glamour.com I tried this, and even though there was a little pumpkin slurry in the bottom of my cup, it sure was yummy!

And if you really want to go for something decadent this Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe from Taste of Home fits the bill.

I'd love to hear about some of your favorite fall treats!

Festive Fall -- I can't wait!

2010-09-23T14:35:00.006-04:00

To all my Northern Hemisphere friends, Happy Fall!
Even though the weather isn't quite yet fall-like, I'm ready to rock out some fun, festive, fall ideas. Some of them my own, some will be what I find here and there.
Some will be crafty, some will be yummy.
Some will be oldies (like the image above), but most will be new.

The idea above was stolen from Better Homes and Garden magazine last year. I trimmed a roll of white paper to fit my all-glass-front door and painted a spooky tree. Of course I had to piece together a cute little owl to sit in the tree -- all from paper scraps. I loved having the privacy on Halloween night, but I also loved the festive touch it gave my front door!

Stay tuned!

New Project -- Hybrid Traditional/Digital Album

2010-06-26T12:02:00.009-04:00

(Two items used in this project -- Rotary Trimmer and StoryBook Creator Plus software -- are on sale 40% off through tomorrow, June 27. )

My husband asked me to make him something to show off his family to his coworkers when he traveled, something that was small, portable, and not fragile. I had made one of these little albums for myself two years ago and still had supplies on hand, so I knew this would fit the bill. As much as I love digital, I'm trying to use up traditional supplies that have been taking up room in my craft area forever so I decided to do a hybrid project.Here are the materials I used:
* 2 sheets printed paper, trimmed to 3.25"x12" lengths and adhered end to end
* 1 old plastic 3.5" diskette case
* Rotary Trimmer with straight and scoring blades
* Tape Runner adhesive, corner rounder

After adhering the strips of paper end to end, I scored ever 3.25", then folded accordion style. Then with scraps I made a piece to adhere to the cover.

In StoryBook Creator Plus, I made a new 4x6" project (because this needed to be a quick gift, I knew I would print on 4x6" photo paper at home) and inserted two 3"x3" blank squares onto the work area. These would be my double-page spreads for my project. I then built each page as though they were scrapbook pages, adding papers, embellishments, titles, and photos.
Here's the finished mini-album!

Happy May Day!

2010-05-01T12:44:00.008-04:00

When I was growing up, May Day was always celebrated with homemade cone flowers and May poles, and in our Catholic school we would also honor the Blessed Virgin Mary with gifts of flowers brought to the altar and small flower crowns made for any statues we had of Mary (mine were always made with my favorite Lily of the Valley).

So to honor a tradition long past, I was inspired this morning to make a cone of flowers. This one will be filled with fresh flowers next week during Teacher Appreciation Week and given to my daughter Kelly's Kindergarten teacher.

This would be a great Mother's Day project to do with your kids ... or just make one for a friend, pulling off a quick "ring & dash" move!

Some brief instructions ... simply cut a quarter circle approx. 6-8" radius. Here I used Simply Beautiful paper, and the Jumbo Circle Pattern cutting template.

I then added the Simply Beautiful paper ribbon, folding it along the curve to give it a decorative look:
Then fold in approx. 1/2" on one edge, place our stronger Photo Tape adhesive, and adhere to the opposite side.

Finally I decorated with Simply Beautiful Title Stickers, additional paper, and Tags. Punched holes on both sides and tied with raffia to hang.

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Let me know if you try to make a flower cone for your mother or special friend, and post a link to your creation!

Welcome, spring!

2010-03-22T12:45:00.008-04:00

When you first see those first few harbingers of spring -- crocuses popping up through the snow, birds singing, cherry blossom trees budding -- doesn't your step get a little lighter and your smile get a little bit brighter?

Seeing CM's new Simply Beautiful collection of gorgeous papers, title stickers, ribbons, flowers, and tags had about the same effect on me. After months of seeing scrapbooking supplies filled with rich deep browns, golds, greens of fall and the jewel (or icy) tones of the holiday season, I was R-E-A-D-Y for something light, cheery, and bright.

Here are a couple of things I made using the papers in this new collection to show off at my Super Saturday Crop a few weeks ago -- 2 cards and a mini-album:

Mini-Album Instructions

(finished album size when folded is 3"x4")

Supplies:

Rotary Trimmer w/cutting and scoring blades
Circle Maker punch
Tape Runner Adhesive
1 sheet Simply Beautiful Designer Print Paper
Coordinating Simply Beautiful Photo Mats
Coordinating Simply Beautiful Simply Beautiful Title Stickers
Optional: decorate with Simply Beautiful Flowers, and Simply Beautiful Tags

Trim your paper to 4"x12"
Score at 3", 6", and 9"; fold accordian style
Cut a piece of ribbon 6" long; score ribbon at .75" and 3.75". You will now have 3 sections of ribbon between the folds, a .75", 3", and 2.25". The ribbon folds around the mini-album, with the .75" piece meeting up with the 2.25" piece in the front.
Adhere the 3" section of ribbon to back of the mini-album. Set aside.
Punch 2 of the smaller circles from the Circle Maker punch; cut a slit half-way up the center of each circle. These will interlock with one slit facing up and the other slit facing down. Adhere these two circles to the ends of the ribbon as shown in picture.
Decorate album with photos, mats, stickers, and other elements as desired.

Card Project Tutorial

2010-03-19T21:16:00.010-04:00

I love handmade cards. I love giving away freebies. I love great steals. And I've got a little bit of each for you!

First, the card. I came up with this cute little design yesterday, and used up scraps of paper from the retired Gazebo Palette. I used to stamp cards like crazy, but I love the no-mess, no-fuss ease of using Creative Memories Title Stickers to add a sentiment to a card.

Then as I was taking a look at the new items added to the Clearance section of my website, I saw lots of 8x8 Palette Kits that are being retired -- all at 50%. These kits are perfect for making cards, filled with 24 sheets of double-sided printed paper; 24 photo mats in coordinating prints, 3 sheets of sticker embellishments, and 2 Title sticker sheets.

Don't you just love the sound of 50% off? Me too! And to make it even better, I'm sharing a One Sheet Wonder (OSW) template to take all the guesswork out of how to make cards from 8"x8" papers!

I learned about OSW templates many years ago from my stamping friends ... guides for creating several cards by using the pieces cut from a single sheet of paper. I searched on the internet and didn't see any that were specifically for 8"x8" papers, so, of course, I made my own. And that's where the freebie part comes in ... I'm sharing this 8x8 Card Project Tutorial, complete with card sketches, cutting guide, and additional notes with every purchase made from my website through April 15th. (ETA: offer now expired)

When you make a purchase, make sure to include your email in your order so that I can send you the 3-page Card Project Tutorial. Here's a sneak peak of what you'll be getting ...

The Story of the Magic Mirror, the Fairy Godmother, & the 12-Minute Miracle

2010-01-31T08:11:00.019-05:00

There are days when I just love spending 2 hours creating the perfect double-page layout for one of my scrapbook albums, savoring the precious photos of my beautiful family.

And then there are those days when I just wish I could get through this blasted pile of photos before me and be done with it. How many years have I been staring at that group of photos, feeling guilty because I know I want them in an album so I can enjoy them & show them off but I just keep setting them aside thinking ... yeah, I'll get to it someday.

Well that's the case with nearly 1,000 event photos from my Creative Memories business. For many years, I was doing great getting those photos and scanned memorabilia into albums, but by 2009, I was 4 years behind. I was facing a mess of 950 photos that needed to be dealt with. I knew something needed to be done. Oh. Joy.

Two weeks ago I decided to just bite the bullet and do something about it, and with the help of my Magic Mirror and Fairy Godmother I got it done, all in 12 minutes!

My Magic Mirror
[Cue mystical background music.]
So I closed my eyes ....
Took a deep breath ...
And chanted ...

"Mirror, Mirror, on the wall
I can't possibly scrapbook each and every one.
Show me the fairest photos of them all.
About 120 would do nicely, and then I'll be done."

I opened my eyes ... my fingers made just 2 mouse-clicks on the screen before me ... and VOILA! My mess of 950 photos instantly narrowed down to the BEST, just a little more than 120 photos. Not counting the chant, these two clicks took about 30 seconds.

The Details -- Memory Manager software allows you to tag photos with keywords and assign Star Ratings. By searching on the keyword "events" and selecting 5-Star-rated photos, I reduced my mess to a manageable level in no time at all!

WHEW! What a relief, only 130 photos to put into an album! But ... now what?

My Fairy Godmother
[Cue bibbity-bobbety-boo background music.]

"Oh Fairy Godmother, I want my dreams of a completed album to come true,
But none of my pages are dressed and I really haven't a clue what to do.
This mess has me filled with sheer dread
And I really would rather pull the covers up over my head."

My eyes were clamped shut, but I swear I heard my computer quietly say ...
"Don't worry dear child, with just one magic-click,
These photos will merge, and your book will be done lickety-split!"

When I opened my eyes, just 12 minutes later, what I saw before me brought tears to my eyes -- 26 pages with my photos merged in PERFECT ORDER. The only thing I had to do now was add a little journaling and a few titles, and I was done ... "lickety-split!"

The Details -- StoryBook Creator Plus software's Auto-Populate feature reads the Time/Date information embedded in your digital images and uses very human-like logic to slide the photos into the right predesigned pages. So for example, if one photo is dated Oct. 1 at 10:45am, the next photo is dated Oct. 1 at 10:46am, and the third photo dated Oct. 8 at 9am, the program will recognize that the last photo most likely does not belong with the first two and will create a two-page layout with the first 2 photos on one page and the third photo on a single-photo page layout. Sheer brilliance!

This one feature alone truly makes StoryBook Creator Plus a "fairy godmother" who can swoop in and wave her magic wand to create a beautiful, completed album in no time at all!

So that's the story of my 12-Minute miracle album. I added my journaling and titles. I zoomed in on a few photos and made a few clicks to correct for brightness and color, uploaded it and I was done. 10 days later I have the book in my hand, ready to share with my CM friends and customers who've been attending my events for years. I know they're going to love it as much as I do!

Here are just a few pages from my book ...

Do you want to know more about Memory Manager or StoryBook Creator Plus software? I've been training people on our software ever since they were introduced a few years ago, and I'd love to answer your questions!

Do you want to know more about Creative Memories and how to be a successful Creative Memories consultant? I'm celebrating my 9th Anniversary as a consultant this weekend, and I'm more than happy to tell you what a great company this is to work with!

If you're interested in attending one of my events, check out My Calendar!

Fun Photo Panels

2010-01-30T08:56:00.008-05:00

I think Photo Panels are just about the least-promoted product at Creative Memories right now and deserve a little spotlighting!

Here's how CM describes Photo Panels:

Take a precious photo and turn it into an amazing keepsake! Photo Panels are like a picture and frame all in one. The image is permanently bonded to a thick, solid material and protected by a high-gloss finish. You won’t believe the quality and durability of Photo Panels. They’re the perfect way to enjoy a favorite photo for years to come.

StoryBook Creator Plus users can add frames, doodles, quotes, overlays and any other special affects. We also have several free templates that can be used to customize your photo. If you don't have SBC+, you can still upload your photo to be printed as a Photo Panel, but the frame enhancements are not available to you.

Here are a few panels that I made:

You can sign up for a CM Digital Center account, receive 20 4x6 prints FREE, read more about Photo Panels and all our photo processing services here. If you'd like to learn more about StoryBook Creator Plus, visit my website where you can view a video that highlights the many features of StoryBook Creator Plus here and read more about the details/specifications here.

Gift Idea #4 -- Christmas Countdown Display

2009-11-09T09:29:00.005-05:00

This has to be one of my favorite projects. I had so much fun creating it! The Everyday Display makes a perfect backdrop for hanging this two-page set of 12x12 Page Prints. As you can see in the detailed photo below, the top page is printed with the numbers; the bottom page is printed with the hidden holiday icons.

There's two ways you can recreate this look ...

Order the completed pages -- Both of these 12x12 Page Prints are available for purchase on my Digital Center website here. Login ID is cmphotomemories@gmail.com and the password is photobug. Click on the My Projects tab at the top, and then Page Prints Create/Edit. Select the two Page Prints and click on "Order" from the menu above the photos.

When you receive your prints, follow these instructions:
1. On a flat surface, use an X-acto knife to carefully trim three sides of each numbered box.
2. Using a scoring tool, score the side of each box where the flap will be folded back.
3. Use a hole punch to clip one corner of each flap, to make it easier to open.
4. Turn page over and run adhesive down each side and around each box. Carefully place over second page. Let dry before hanging.
5. Hang for display either on Everyday Display magnetic board or other display option of choice.

Create the Page Prints yourself -- Using Storybook Creator Plus software and your choice of digital papers and elements (I used 'Tis the Season and Primary Christmas) ...
1. Open a New Project for 12x12 Page Print. Fill the background with paper of choice.
2. Insert 25 rectangles of various sizes. Use the Arrange tools to align the box edges evenly at the top, sides, and bottom. Fill each box with paper of choice. NOTE: If you plan to hang your Christmas Countdown on an Everyday Display, leave the bottom 2.5" open to place a quote or insert family photos. This section will hang below the Display's ribbon.)
3. Insert 25 text boxes and place one on each box. Fill each text box with numbers 1-25, varying the color, size and fonts as you wish. (I used Swirly Digital Alphabet set for all the numbers)
4. Add a quote to the lower front section.
5. Once you have the boxes aligned exactly where you want them, right-click on the page thumbnail and select Duplicate this Page.
6. On the duplicate page you just created, replace each number with a holiday icon sticker, adding shadows to each sticker as desired. Center each icon within each box. DO NOT make any other changes to this page, as you want the flap on Page 1 to align perfectly with the icon boxes on Page 2.
7. Once both pages are finished, click on the Order button on the Home menu ribbon. Follow the instructions to upload to your CM Digital Center account or create a new account.
8. Once you receive your Page Prints, follow the instructions in the section above to cut and adhere the pages together.

You then can finish your display with holiday cards you've received, your own family holiday card, holiday ornaments or other holiday items.

Hope you enjoy this project as much as I do!

Halloween Cat Cookies

2009-10-30T10:30:00.004-04:00

I couldn't resist posting these Halloween Cat Cookies that I made last night -- aren't they adorable? And so easy ... here's the recipe:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 c. peanut butter

1/3 c. water

2 eggs

M&M candies

Preheat oven to 375F. In large bowl beat peanut butter, water, and eggs. Gradually add dry cake mix. Roll into 1" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten each ball with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Pinch out 2 ears at the top of each cookie. Press fork on both sides of face to form whiskers. Add M&Ms for eyes and nose. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Week #3 -- Holiday Recipe Book

2009-10-26T11:04:00.006-04:00

This is one of those gifts that the home cooks in your life will absolutely cherish. They will be thrilled to have all their favorite holiday recipes in one place -- no more searching through scores of books, no more loose papers, no more smudged ink from the inevitable spills.

For the Recipe Book I created above, I made each recipe card digitally using StoryBook Creator Plus, Primary Christmas, and Jewel Christmas digital kits.

But the real star in this gift is the PicFolio Minutes album. Available in black or cream, it holds 24 4x6 recipe cards, and the magnetic strap creates a perfect easel display for your recipes. What I love most about this project is that my recipes are standing up, easy for me to view, and protected from splatters.

Additional deas for a Recipe Album gift:

Using StoryBook Creator Plus, make easy blank templates and print them off onto white cardstock. You can then hand-write the recipes onto the cards, or print off a batch, tie them together and include with the PicFolio Minutes album as part of the gift.
Use PicFolio Milestones Kits that include decorated and pre-cut, lined sheets perfectly sized for the PicFolio Minutes album
Use other decorative or blank recipe cards
Create dividers for Holiday food categories such as Menus, Entrees, Appetizers, Side Dishes, Desserts, Beverages, Brunch, or Food Gifts
Include photos of all your favorite dishes either on the opposite page or digitally added to the recipe card itself
Include blank cards for writing family traditions and memories that relate to your collection of recipes

Week #2 -- Holiday Organizer -- FREE Download!

2009-10-22T11:45:00.014-04:00

[Update 10/27/09 -- Oops! The free download referenced in this post is no longer available. However, it's super easy to make your own 4x6 cover and dividers using the Primary Christmas collection, available in both digital and traditional paper!]

My friends think I have way too much time on my hands to make something like this, but honestly, I cannot live without some sort of holiday organizer. Yes, it took me a few hours to come up with the templates and instructions, but it will take YOU only 15 minutes to make!

Having all those notes and bits of paper of events, ideas, gifts purchased, receipts all in a neat little organizer that's small enough to tuck into my purse ... well, it just makes the holidays so much more enjoyable for me! So every year I make a new organizer -- and every year my design gets smaller, more portable, and more efficient.

This year's organizer has to be my all-time favorite, and I hope it will be yours too. It can be used from year to year. It costs only about $1 plus a few sheets of cardstock and printer ink. It's completely portable, has room for lots of notes, pockets for holding receipts and such.

The BEST thing about this is that I'm even giving you the templates to print, so from start-to-finish, this project will only take you about 15 minutes!

In my humble opinion ... this truly is an AWESOME GIFT for yourself and each of your friends. Makes a great little hostess gift too, when you're not sure what to bring someone who's invited you over to dinner.

(Be sure to double-click on the pictures to see a larger view).

SUPPLIES & INSTRUCTIONS:

4x6 Photo Wallet from the dollar store
4 sheets 110 lb. white cardstock
color printer
4x6 index cards
rotary or other straight 12" trimmer
1-1/4" circle punch
adhesive
Free Printable Download, available here

Once you assemble your Organizer, just fill the remaining photo sleeves with blank index cards that you can use for keeping track of all your notes and receipts.
I deliberately kept this Organizer pretty open so you can customize it to suit your needs, but here are some of the items I like to keep track of in my Holiday Organizer:
PLANNER:

Calendar for Nov/Dec/Jan

Event info

To-Do lists

BUDGET: (yes, having a budget helps!)

Holiday spending budget for gifts, decorations

Holiday savings or lay-a-way plans

Price comparison notes

Receipts for gift purchases

GIFTS:

Card for each family member with sizes and preferences

Extended family gift ideas

Neighbors, teachers, service providers

Handmade Gift ideas

GOODIES:

Details about cookie exchanges

Lists of family-favorites I don't want to forget

Food Gift ideas

MEALS:

Thanksgiving dinner menu

Christmas dinner menu

Quick meal ideas for busy days/nights

Family Favorites

Freezer guide

NOTES:

Travel plans

Decorations -- indoor & outdoor

For you digital folks, I used the "Primary Christmas" digital kit. Both the digital and the paper kit for "Primary Christmas" will be available from my website on November 1st.

Week #1: A new twist on an old idea

2009-10-09T11:20:00.001-04:00

I'm always looking for new styles of wall calendars, and I love to give them as gifts. So I was thrilled to see Creative Memories introduce it's new, fully customizable 12x18 Wall Calendar templates.

Even better, there's a twist ... When the month or year is over, tear off the perforated calendar grid, then tear off the perforated page, and you have a perfect 12x12 page to slide into a 12x12 side-loading album sleeve or adhere to a 12x12 album page. True to CM commitment to quality the calendar is printed on beautiful high-quality, semi-gloss paper, and yes, it's photo-safe.

Each calendar grid already has the month, date, and week text fields filled in and a blank text box for your own custom entries such as birthdays, events, or reminders. The Pre-Designed pages give you a starting point for each month and allow you to enter photos OR text OR both in each individual day. If you double-click on the image below, you can see where I entered some events.

Each calendar is only $20.99 but from Nov. 1-15 you'll receive a 20% discount
when you order two or more calendars. This is a priceless, memorable
Christmas gift at an AWESOME price point that just about anyone can afford!

You will want to start having fun creating your calendars now, and then be ready to order as soon as the ordering window opens on Nov. 1st! You'll have a choice to send calendars to you for mailing or directly to your recipient.
As always, if you need any assistance, I can walk you through the steps in person, by phone, by email, or via an online demonstration!
INSTRUCTIONS: There are TWO ways you can make these custom calendars:
Free version (fixed photos & elements):

Download free StoryBook Creator 3.0 software from my website here.
Download free 2010 Calendar templates here. (select one on left for StoryBook Creator 3.0)
Import pictures from desktop into SBC3.0.
Drag and drop photos into frames, add text.
Register for Digital Center printing account here.
Upload and order calendar (beginning Nov. 1st).

Purchased Software version (fully moveable/editable photos & elements):

Download StoryBook Creator PLUS 3.0 software from my website here.
Download free 2010 Calendar templates here. (select one on RIGHT for StoryBook Creator PLUS 3.0)
Import pictures from desktop into SBC+3.0
Drag and drop photos into frames
Move, edit, add or delete photos and elements to suit your needs.
Register for Digital Center printing account here.
Upload and order calendar (beginning Nov. 1st).

Backing up your photos ... what's working for you?

2009-10-07T12:49:00.003-04:00

I was shocked when I read these stats from the 2009 InfoTrend PhotoPublishing Summit and Digital Imaging Conference:

39% of consumers have lost some (30%) or all (9%) of their digital images due to a hard disk crash, virus, or accidental deletion.
Facebook has over 14 billion photos, with 2 billion photos uploaded each month. Yet 70% of Facebook users don't know that Facebook saves only low-resolution photos.

So I'm curious ... Do you have a system of routinely backing up your photos?

Or are you one of those that has a system but just forgets to follow through on it?

Or maybe you don't have any kind of plan or system at all?

Please comment and let me know what's working for you, what's not working for you, or even if you just don't care at all about backing up your image files. I'd love to know what you think!

I love my job.

2009-10-06T09:08:00.002-04:00

Custom Twitter Backgrounds Made Easy

2009-09-19T22:50:00.006-04:00

I am taking an online course by ATI Attraction Marketing on how to effectively use social media to market your business (I'm learning some fabulous tips!), and one of their recommendations was to make full use of your Twitter background to promote what you do.

This tip is great for business-owners like myself, but hey ... it's perfect for anyone on Twitter! What a great way to express your personality, add a little flair, and tell your Twitter followers a little bit about you.

So I did a google search on custom twitter backgrounds and was shocked at some of the prices being charged, and I've heard that it can take days to have the project completed.

Well, I created my Twitter background in just 20 minutes, and I thought I'd show you how easy it was to pull together using my favorite digital software, StoryBook Creator Plus 3.0.

1. Create a New Project with custom size of 7"wide x 10"long. Recognizing that the twitter posting page takes up the center of the screen, I measured an area to the left and slightly behind the main panel and decided that this was a reasonable size to start with. As it turns out, it looks great on my screen.

2. Drag and drop elements, insert text boxes and shapes. Play 'till your heart's content.

3. Group all the elements and save. Right-click to "Save Selection As" a .jpg image at 96dpi.

4. Upload to Twitter and select a background color that blends nicely with your background image.

That's about it. Seriously! 20 minutes and I had all the materials at my fingertips because I use this software every single day.

StoryBook Creator Plus 3.0 -- it's NOT just for scrapbooking!

(All product links direct you to my personal Consultant website where you can learn more about the products and have your purchases shipped direct to your door.)

Shadow Play

2009-09-13T10:20:00.006-04:00

I just read a cute blog post from a sweet friend of mine, Jingle, about her Mom's 5'oclock shadow.

I have always loved shadows. Shadows from buildings, shadows from clouds moving across the lawn, Peter Pan's shadow, shadows of the trees, shadows of my own Mom, shadows of my kids.

I think shadows can be an especially poignant photo to include in a scrapbook layout. Here I included a picture my shadow holding my daughter's hand in the backyard. I've used this photo in a number of different ways, but this is a page layout from a digital photo book I made filled with inspiring quotes and scripture.

I encourage you to go play with your camera and take some shadow photos. Another fun idea would be to take a shadow photo of the same subject at every hour during sunlight and string them all together in a collage layout. Could be fun! Post them somewhere and leave me a link ... I'd love to see what your favorite shadows look like!

My Photo Mess: Part 1

2009-09-10T11:08:00.008-04:00

Remember the story of the shoemaker's kids? That pretty much sums up where I am with my family photos. At one point (about 2 years ago), I was "all caught up" with chronicling my family photos and stories in lovely albums. Well, now I'm not. I'm behind -- about 2 years behind (and then some).

Knowing I'm not alone (far from it!) I thought you might like to see how I'm climbing my way out of my photo mess, one step at a time. So here's My Photo Mess: Part 1

Remember these?

Yes, this is the part of my photo mess that has been nagging me for more than a few years. Try 23 years! I had a pile of slides -- and ONLY slides -- from a pretty significant travel opportunity in my life. In 1986, as an employee of the Friends of the National Zoo, I led a 3-week group trip with a couple dozen Zoo members through six of the largest western National Parks. It was an awesome trip and for many reasons; the people I met and the experiences I had on this trip had a profound impact on my life.

So why were these slides still in a carousel? You would think that as a scrapbooking & photo consultant for the last 8 years I might have done something with them by now, wouldn't you? Well let me give you a peek inside my head:

This was a trip I took as a single girl; not something my family would be interested in. (Translation: low priority)

I'd have to figure out a way to have these made into prints. (Translation: no time)

Most of these slides have faded over time (Translation: I really don't have a lot to work with)

I can't remember hardly any of the names of the people who were with me, and can only barely remember the names of the rock formations, birds, and trees we saw (Translation: I don't have anything I want to say, so why bother?)

The impact this trip had on me is very personal and not something that will mean much to anyone else (Translation: I'm not worth it ... HEY, JUST HOLD ON HERE! Of course I'm worth it!!)

So, I decided this was a photo mess worth tackling, even if it was just for me. And here's how I did it, one step at a time:

1. I found a company through a Google search that scanned slides at a reasonable cost, scanned at high quality DPI, provided proofs before ordering with option to delete some, and sent the images to me on disk. Wow. I was very impressed with this service. http://www.scancafe.com/, in case you're interested. (Cost approx. $40)

2. I imported them into my Memory Manager software, and the first thing I did was roughly sort them by the six National Parks I visited with a keyword tag. Did I remember exactly where each picture was taken? No. But the chances are pretty low that someone looking at this album would call me on it. (Time approx. 30 min.)

3. Still in Memory Manager, now with the roughly-sorted pictures, I opened up each picture and did a quick "auto-correct" feature to improve the light & color. Then I went back to the really faded, time-worn ones and used the more detailed editing features to bring out the best of those photos. I ended up deleting about 10 photos that were semi-duplicates and a few others that I just didn't like. (Time approx. 90 minutes)

4. I uploaded my photos to the Creative Memories Photo Center to have them printed into standard 4x6 prints. Why CM? Quality, plus the fact that if I took 2 hours to sort & edit them, I sure as heck didn't want to spend another hour trying to resort them when I got them back from the printer! (it's so nice that CM keeps them in the order you send them) (Cost approx. $16)

5. Not wanting to take the time to do lovely page layouts in a traditional style album I purchased a PicFolio Milestones Album and Milestones Album Kit for my project. (Cost - $54)

6. I sat down with my photos, the PicFolio Album, the Album Kit, a trimmer, and Tape Runner and finished the album in two sittings, complete with what little story-telling I did remember. (Time 2-1/2 hrs.)

7. As for the stories that I didn't want to tell? I chose a handful of photos to represent this part of my life and put them in a digital photo book "just for me" filled of inspirational quotes and other landscape photos I took.

Zip. Zap. Done. Easy. Simple. Not boring. Meaningful to me, and that's what matters most.

Total Cost = approx. $110
Total Time = approx. 4-1/2 hrs
Total Value = priceless (really, I'm glad I did this)

Here's a few pages of the completed album:

This slide-in style PicFolio album is one solution for dealing with the backlog of photos you might have. Extra baby photos...reunion, reception, or shower photos ... all those extra kid photos you don't know what to do with. It's also a great way to showcase a special trip or event in your life.

Need help with your photo mess? Ask me. I bet I have a couple ideas to help you out. I'm really good that way! (Note: all product links direct you to my consultant website.)

Finding Your Style

2009-08-18T10:26:00.013-04:00

Take a look at this page layout. What do you like about it? What don't you like about it?

I made it this morning using a new CM Pre-Designed Page that was in a digital kit I purchased, and I decided that I didn't like it. It was designed by perfectly talented designers on the CM staff, and it has many lovely qualities about it. But I simply don't like it. And I know that if I were to print this out and slide it into one of my albums, it would bother me everytime I opened the album to that page.

I don't like it because I know that while it might be the perfect page to some, it simply isn't my personal style. So I modified it and made this. And I'm really happy with this one.

It took me a long time to really find my style, but once I figured out what my style was it made all the difference in the world to how much I enjoyed scrapbooking. Knowing my personal style is one of the biggest factors that removed the GUILT of scrapbooking for me. You know what I mean about guilt? Well, that might be a whole 'nother blog post, because I've got a lot to say about guilt and scrapbooking!

I want to share some personal insights with you that might help you figure out what you like and don't like, hone in on your personal style, and hopefully help you enjoy the whole process of scrapbooking more.

Last week my blog post talked about the Rule of Threes in selecting and laying out elements on a page. If I had that simple lesson 12 years ago when I started scrapbooking, it would have saved me YEARS of frustration and wasted pages, but I didn't. So I had to slowly piece together clues to figure out my personal style.

Let's take a look at some of these clues:

Clue #1 -- Randomly placed objects make me nervous. In the beginning I didn't have a clue where to lay down photos and "all that other stuff." I slapped some paper triangles in the corners of the page, put my pictures down and then did the typical sticker-sneeze thing because that's what I was taught. And it annoyed the heck out of me. Randomly placed stickers that had no rhyme or reason ... ugh!

Clue #2 -- I'm basically a square. Guess what else bothered me? Yup, all those photos cropped into circles, stars, or any shape other than squares or rectangles. I also don't like anything cut with those decorative edge scissors, and I don't like my corners rounded or clipped. Everytime I look at those earlier pages I made many years ago, I am amazed that I let myself cut up perfectly good photos. I knew it wasn't me, but I kept on doing it for at least 2 more years because that was the trend.

Clue #3 -- I don't like to turn my head. Have you ever seen people in an art museum tilt their heads almost to 90 degrees to get a different perspective on a piece of art? That would not be me. While scrapbookers around me were giving their photos a cute little tilt, I'd be getting out a ruler to make sure they were perfectly perpendicular to the edge of the page and each photo was parallel to each other. Don't get me wrong -- a lot of my friends were putting out some cute and clever pages with their saucy little tilted photos. But every time I would look at their pages in an album, my head would involuntarily tilt back and forth to look at each photo straight-on. I'm sure this must be just one of many defective genes I have, because no one else seems to have a problem with it. Weird or not, it's a clue to identifying my style.

Clue #4 -- I don't look good in high-waisted pants.
When I was a career-girl in the 80s, I absolutely loved the way my leggy friends looked in their high-waisted, men-style trousers. Especially with those big-shouldered, belted jackets, a la Diane Keaton. But on my 5'2" frame? No way. But I learned to borrow the idea, scale down the proportions, and pull off a similar look that worked for me. Really, the same is true with scrapbooking. As much as I might love the layouts I see in magazines, I know that most of them simply are not me. So I've learned to break those looks down, adopt the characteristics I like, and let go of the rest. Sometimes it helps if I squint my eyes just a bit to blur some of the fluff on those layouts and get down to bare bones of shapes, placement, and color. What I end up with is my own interpretation that's completely me.

Clue #5 -- I like simple patterns and subdued colors. Whether it's fashion or scrapbooking, I avoid big, bold patterns and bright colors. I prefer neutrals, faded or washed out colors, muted jewel tones, classic stripes and small-print patterns.

Clue #6 -- I am somewhat of a minimalist. I don't need a closet full of shoes and a 10-drawer jewelry chest. I'm happy with my pair of sneakers, two pairs of sandals, a handful of favorite earrings and maybe a bracelet or two. It's the same with my scrapbook pages; the less adornments the better. I don't go for bold and sassy; I like simple, minimal, understated.
Clue #7 -- I can see into the future.
Yes, my secret super-power is finally revealed. I discovered my hidden talent about 2 years ago when I tried out the still-in-trend style of using lots of white space and only one photo per page. Very striking look that really draws your attention towards the subject of the photo. The first time I tried this style on a 12x12 page, I suddenly had a glimpse into the future --my future -- and me, sitting there in tears trying to explain to my husband why I needed to buy 12 new bookshelves plus the 240 Creative Memories albums and supplies needed for the 8,000 photos I would be scrapbooking over the next 3 years.

Well, I'm being dramatic of course, but this one-photo-per-page story is really more of an example of the wake-up call I had about the potential Frankenstein this scrapbooking passion of mine could create. Whatever style I had, I knew it better be smart, cost-conscious, and forward-focused.
Putting it all together. Hopefully you can see that whether you pull your clues from everyday life, your wardrobe, or quirks that may take years of psychotherapy to fully understand, you can string them all together to help define a look that is purely you. Jot down some adjectives or a few sentences to help you really nail it down. To define my style, I'd write ... simple, linear, classic, minimal. Write it down, then put it into play:

Apply your style to most (60-80%) of your scrapbook layouts. This will give your albums a consistency, making them easier and more enjoyable for your family and friends to look at.
Stretch your personal style in 10-20% of your scrapbook layouts. Try some of the newer trends while staying true to your personal style by changing just one or two elements on your layout. This will keep your layouts fresh and keep them from being too boring.
Use your defined-style to guide your purchases. By keeping your style at the forefront of your mind (like the good angel sitting on your right shoulder), you will be able to exercise more restraint from purchasing every cute little gotta-have-it scrapbook item out there, no matter how good the deal. Armed with your style definition, you'll know what looks good and what you will use.
Cut loose and play. No matter what you're style, every now and then you need to throw out your own rules and just play. Play with new products, new colors, and new looks. Use duplicate photos if you're afraid to take the risk of trying out something new. Don't look at these layouts as something that have to become part of your album. Look at it them simply as playgrounds. This keeps your creative spark alive and allows you to modify your personal style as needed.

Above all, have fun and enjoy the process!
(Note: all product links direct you to my consultant website.)

The Power of Three

2009-08-09T21:29:00.012-04:00

Do you ever look at some of the layouts published in magazines and wish yours could have the same sharp, pulled-together look? Granted, most of the time I am perfectly happy with slapping some photos, paper, and journaling on a page and calling it a day. But sometimes I want to put a little effort into my layouts to evoke a certain feeling. That's when I apply some of the basic rules of layout design, which I hope to be sharing with you in this blog over the next few weeks.

One of the most valuable rules of design is the "rule of threes." Don't ask me to explain how our brain reacts the way it does to certain elements, just trust that there's probably been a million-dollar study to prove that the human eye is very happy when presented with groups of threes ... (must be why there are so many successful movie trilogies).

Here's a layout I did today.

Now since this whole scrapbooking-thing is more about memories than design, I can't go a step further without telling you about the page.

For the last 6+ years, I've been completely swept away with researching my family history, in particular my father's side of the family from Italy. I made a beautiful 12x12 digital StoryBook filled with photos, maps, birth certificates and stories from my father's youth and presented it to him for his 92nd birthday in February. In the process, I've become obsessed with the notion of going to Sicily to meet my distant cousins who still live in the same town that my grandfather was born in -- Sortino.

Honestly, it's been nothing more than a pipe dream until I met a woman at a scrapbooking retreat last May. She showed me pictures of her trip to Sicily and she said that if I didn't go and experience this with my father, I'd regret it the rest of my life. So I claimed that dream as a goal and started planning a trip for my entire family for June 2010 as soon as the kids get out of school.

Then just a few weeks ago, my dear friend Diane came back from Sicily with this beautiful hand-painted mug from Mt. Etna. Every morning I pour my coffee into that mug and dream of the day I'll get to see our family's homeland. (The word below the mug, "Sicilia" is a photo of the bottom of the mug.)

Now let's return to the scheduled portion of today's show!

Placement. Here you can see the "rule of threes" as it relates to where the elements are placed on the page. Just as in photography, the focal point should be placed somewhere along intersecting lines when you lay an imaginary 9-grid on your viewing area. Using an imaginary grid also helps you determine where secondary elements, photos, and journaling blocks should go. Take a look...

Dimensional Pieces / Embellishments. The "rule of three" works beautifully for choosing embellishments, whether they're buttons, brads, flowers, chipboard titles, or dimensional frames -- or a combination of any of these items. Here I used three metal pieces.
Notice also that the placement on the page of the embellishments roughly falls along the lines of my imaginary 9-grid, but they also form a visual triangle (again, the rule of three in play). I started with the main piece I knew I wanted to use -- the cluster of vertical wires on the right. Next I placed the metal label frame, and then decided where my metal-rimmed tag should go from there.
Color. Finally, take a look at how I repeated the three main colors in the mug. Red in the mug, Sicily title, and "dream" text. Deep blue in the mug, paper, and also in the Sicily title. Teal in the mug, tablecloth, and secondary paper.

I hope this mini-lesson helps you get more from your layouts. I challenge you to apply the "rule of three" to your next layout, or re-create a current layout and see how the power of three can improve the look!

This layout was done digitally so that I could color-match elements; most of these materials are also available in paper packs and can be found on my website. Materials used include: Discover Power Palette (blue background); Delight Shopper Diva Palette Addition (teal paper changed from original pink); and metal embellishments all from Digital Embellishments-Elements.

Welcome Back to my Blog!

2009-08-07T22:25:00.004-04:00

Many of you who've been regular visitors to my two blogs over the last 3 years have been wondering what's been up with my disappearance from blog-land. Plain and simple, when I shut down my blog "Rest and Be Thankful" and transitioned "One Mouse Click" to have more of a Creative Memories focus, I realized very quickly that I personally was not ready for the change. I was having an awful time making the leap from what it was to what I wanted it to be. So I simply shut it down for a while until I could give it the attention it deserved.

And now I'm back! To my regular readers, thanks for being patient with me. To my new readers, welcome and I'm glad you're here!

My plan for the next month or two is to update "One Mouse Click" on a weekly basis with a project or collection of projects and "how-to's." If you're looking for more timely updates on products, events, and notices about specials, you can find them on my Facebook CM "fan" page, in my twice-monthly E-Newsletter (subscribe here), and on my CM website.

I'm MOST excited about what I have planned for 12 weeks beginning October 1st -- a weekly installment of Holiday gift ideas -- so stay tuned!

Double-page layout

2009-02-21T08:11:00.010-05:00

I thought I'd share with you this double-page spread I did using the new "Discover" Power Palette that will be available March 1st.

Later this weekend I'll post some other projects I did last night at the AMR online crop!

It's done! Well, almost ...

2009-02-07T08:08:00.005-05:00

At 1am this morning I decided to just call it temporarily done, and upload my book to the CM Photo Center for printing. This is going to be my "first run" book, because there's still so much more I want to add and adjust. This is a project that I could probably spend another 6 months working -- or even a year -- adding, fine-tuning, gathering more research, writing more information about relatives ... but I simply want to get something finished and in my father's hands as soon as possible.

I ordered two copies, one that he can keep and hopefully share with his friends, and the other that I can use as a hard copy to use as I go back to edit and fine-tune the pages.

Products used for this project: Memory Manager photo editing & organizing software, StoryBook Creator Plus layout and design software, Vintage Pre-Designed Pages 12x12, and Vintage Power Palette digital kit.

I WON!

2009-02-06T08:09:00.004-05:00

Remember the Universal super-hero commercial at the beginning of the Super Bowl? I was one of the first 100,000 to log-on to their website and enter their ticket giveaway, and I WON! It's a 7-day pass to both Universal parks for one person. I'm so excited!

Hmmm, now should I share this info with my family or just let it be my little secret?

"Ok, kids, when you get home from school just make yourself a snack because Mommy is ... Mommy has to go ... YES! THAT'S IT .... MOMMY HAS AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DOCTOR!" (Dr. Seuss, that is!)

BACK-UP!!

2009-02-04T07:47:00.006-05:00

Just a friendly reminder ... BACK-UP your computer!!

It's especially important for you digi-gals who are creating your layouts digitally and amassing huge amounts of digi kits. I'll share how I handle the digi-volume & back-ups...

* On my desk I have my laptop and two external hard-drives -- one portable palm-size one (don't know how much memory it has), that is always attached to my laptop. It's where I store all my digital files -- kits, collections, current projects, and completed projects. It easily travels with me in my laptop bag.

The larger one is 500GB and sits on my desk, plugged in and ready to go, with the USB cable tucked out of sight but easily accessible. I have a reminder set up on my Outlook calendar to back-up all my files every 2 weeks. And when that reminder pops up, I take the time to plug in the big one, and back-up everything in "My Documents", "My Memory Vault" (my photos that are in CM's Memory Manager software), and all the contents on Drive E: which is my smaller external hard-drive. It doesn't take long, but the little bit of effort is worth the peace of mind.

A few more tips for you CM software users. If you have Memory Manager, set your user settings to "shadow-copy". This automatically saves every single addition or edit you make during a session (it saves when you exit the program).

If you have StoryBook Creator Plus, go to User Settings and check the "auto-save" box. This will save your work every time you switch from one page to another or open a new project. Another tip for when you are working on a major project (like I am with my Family history book), then you might wish to upload it to the CM Photo Center when it's near completion. You can upload it without ordering yet. That way -- just in case there's a total system failure at your house -- you know your prized project is safe at CM!

Still MIA!

2009-02-03T20:15:00.008-05:00

I'm still plugging away at my Family History book that I'm trying to get done for my Dad's birthday in 2 weeks, but I took 20 minutes to make a new desktop background for February. Hope you like it! Most products are from CM's Primary Valentine Power Palette Addition, with the exception of the paper clips and notebook paper.

Create a Custom Valentine with StoryBook Plus!

2009-01-31T09:08:00.006-05:00

Another cute valentine I made with CM's StoryBook Creator Plus and the "With Love" Digital Kit. This one's going out to family!

You're invited to watch a 20-minute demonstration on how fast and easy it is to make your own personalized valentine that your kids will love in this demonstration done by CM Exec.Director Missy Tidwell. Click on this link or copy and paste the following into your browser -- http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=58663099602&h=vrQp_&u=SPV34

MIA

2009-01-28T10:22:00.004-05:00

Sorry I've been missing in action lately -- I am in a HUGE time crunch to finish up this 60+ page StoryBook for my Dad's birthday in 2 weeks. I need to finish the pages, and get it uploaded and ordered within the next week. Here's just one of the pages ... I'm totally loving the old-world feel to the Vintage digital kit I used. I downloaded the Vintage Pre-Designed Pages for 12x12 album size and then just started changing each page to suit my needs.

Gorgeous FREE Downloadable Theme

2009-01-24T08:58:00.009-05:00

I just love this kit called "For Her" -- it's a kit of 20 FREE StoryBook page templates for StoryBook Creator 2.0 or StoryBook Creator Plus. (Click here to see all the free themes available.)

These are just two of the 7"x5" page templates in the package. The 7"x5" size is the more inexpensive, softcover book option (only $17.95), however there are also free templates available for the 8x8, 11x8.5, and 12x12 hardcover StoryBooks as well. I love the hardcover, stitch-bound books for my own bookshelf, but for inexpensive gifts you can't beat the smaller softcover!

The Free Downloadable Themes include 20 unique page designs in each package. For StoryBook Creator 2.o users (the free software), these are fixed templates. For StoryBook Creator Plus users ($59.95 software), these page templates can be modified to suit your tastes (i.e. you can add, rearrange, resize, or delete all photo & text boxes, papers, and decorative elements).

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I've had a lot of questions about CM's StoryBook software, and I'm going to start slowly working on a FAQ as well some more advanced tutorials in future posts so if you're a StoryBook Creator user or if you're curious about what it can do, be sure to keep checking back!

Black + Color Challenge

2009-01-23T19:10:00.007-05:00

I just made this for a Color Challenge over at my favorite message board, All Moments Remembered. The owner, Stacey Middleton, has pulled together a great team of girls who are organizing daily layout challenges, weekly card challenges, weekly online classes, weekly "scrap chat hour" events, and of course, the monthly online crops that I'm helping to organize. They are such a fun group of women ... if you want to experience a really GOOD online community of good, kind-spirited women, you definitely need to come on over!

The challenge was to use black paper and colors to make the layout pop. CM's fun "For Her" digital kit look gorgeous and so rich against a plain black canvas! Products used: ribbon from With Love digital kit. The photo mats, transparency, sticker, and word art all from For Her digital kit (a free download for CM StoryBook Creator users)

So much digi fun, so little time!

2009-01-23T14:35:00.008-05:00

Oooh, I am in love with the two new Valentines/Love themes CM has added this month! Take a look at the cute 4x6 valentine I just made for my daughter to give to her preschool friends in a few weeks:

For convenience, I'll print these out on 4x6 photo paper, have her sign her name with a sharpie, and staple to a small treat bag. This particular example uses paper and embellishments from the With Love Digital Kit and the Primary Valentine Power Palette Addition. The decorative label was created with the new Digital Shapes -Tags package which I used to punch and layer two tags ... one from the dark pink paper and the top layer from another lighter paper from the With Love digi kit.

Keep watching future blog posts as I showcase even more of CM's fun digital products that are designed for not only the experienced digital scrapbooker but ALSO the totally non-computer-savvy guy or gal!

A shameful admission!

2009-01-14T08:31:00.002-05:00

I've noticed that on a lot of blogs, people have been posting their Top 10 Favorite Layouts for 2008. OK, you ready for this? I don't think I did 10 layouts this past year!

I've done traditional and hybrid mini books. And altered notebooks (LOTS of altered notebooks). And desktop backgrounds. And blog banners. And digital gifts. And digi invitations and thank you notes. I've done some cards. I've altered some jars and a Christmas card holder. I've done a few pages on my digital Family History book.

But I don't think that I can count on one hand the number of pages I've done for my family album or individual kids album or personal reflections album ... nada!

Oh well...There's always 2009!

2009 Goals "Pocket" Layout --

2009-01-10T19:44:00.006-05:00

I made this layout for an online class I presented at the 1st Anniversary Crop at All Moments Remembered.

My layout has 5 pockets (sized approx. 2"x3.5"), based on the 5 categories I chose for my personal journaling. I used this library card template for the pockets, (I used the smallest size), but you can size it up or down depending on how many pockets you want on your layout.

If you are interested in help with life goal planning, I found these websites to be helpful:
http://zenhabits.net/2007/02/think-about-your-life-goals
http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/show/segments/view/organizing-your-life-goals
http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html
Materials used: CM vellum (pockets), CM cardstock (base), CM rule-lined paper (inserts), Basic Grey Perhaps (inserts), Pink Paislee rub-on, Inque Boutique chipboard, SU ribbon & brads, Studio G number stamp, Kodomo Inc bird stamp. Font--CK_Ali's_Writing

Thank you Cards -- Quick, Easy, Done!

2009-01-06T07:27:00.007-05:00

(Products used: CM Primary Winter Digital Kit)

I hate writing thank you cards, always have, and as a result I've developed a terrible habit of not sending them out ... bad, bad, bad! I'm determined this year to simply get them done, and doing it digitally makes life so much easier. This is Kelly's thank you note from her party just before Christmas. Quick, simple, done!

In StoryBook Creator Plus, I created a new project sized for 4x6 and named it "4x6 Projects." Here I created her birthday invitation a month ago, and just added a blank page to create the thank you card. I made up one for each child and quickly printed them out yesterday morning on 4x6 photo paper. Zoom -- in 10 minutes, I had 12 thank you cards done and put into Kelly's backpack to hand out at school.

You gotta love that!

Ever "been" to an online crop? Come find out!

2009-01-05T12:32:00.007-05:00

I know that many of my scrapbooking friends and CM customers are used to real "live" crops where you have to pack up all your supplies, load them into the car, unload them and squish yourself into a 4' section of a table (if that much!) ... oh yes, you pay a fee, maybe get some food and a gift, but after 4-5 hours you wonder if it was worth it? Well, of course, not at the crops at MY HOUSE where we've had way too much fun over the years and they're always worth it! But I know that when I'm invited to a crop, I really have to stop and think about if I want to pack everything up and leave.

Well, for those of you who have never been to an online crop before, are you in for a special treat!

I have been part of an online scrapbooking community for this past year (All Moments Remembered), and I am helping the owner Stacey (an absolute DOLL!) out by organizing their Anniversary Crop this weekend -- January 9-10th. I can promise that it is going to be LOADS of fun, with classes, challenges, and even some prizes! And the best part? You don't have to pack everything up, you can stay in the comfort of your own home and crop in your jammies, and spread out as much as you like ... without having to give up the fun & friends part!

The group of women at All Moments Remembered are the sweetest, kindest, and most fun bunch of people I've ever encountered in cyber-land. So many of us feel like we have found a new family of friends who share our interests there. So I encourage you to go to http://www.allmomentsremembered.com/... click on their message board and join (it's free!) You'll see me there as "Anne Marie" (clever disguise, huh?), and you'll see all the fun that Stacey and some of the gals have planned. I was happy to help do the organization part and help be the online host during the crop -- I'm even teaching an online class on Saturday night! So click on over there and sign up, would ya? And if you do, be sure to send me a shout out so I know you're there!

(And to answer the question hanging from the lips of my customers ... no, I'm not giving up on CM -- quite the contrary! You all know very well about the difficulties I've had holding crops at home -- this is just a fun, new alternative!)

Saving Pennies + New Project Tutorial!

2009-01-05T07:34:00.009-05:00

Wayne and I decided it was time to start watching our pennies, so I created this Cash Journal to track where those ATM withdrawals were flying off to. I made a simple inside page with columns for each category we wanted to track using Excel. Covers and tabs were made using CM's Family Digital Kit. This is such a fun, bright kit, I've used it on a lot of my home projects!

For complete instructions, just click, save & print the Digital Project Tutorial I created below. It's a .jpg file -- I need to figure out how to load it onto my blog as a .pdf file. I know how to save it as a .pdf in Adobe, but I don't know how to make it available to readers as a .pdf file. Anyone know how to do this?

17 Years Today!

2009-01-04T08:18:00.004-05:00

Happy Anniversary to my sweet guy!

Seventeen years ago today I said "I Do" to the man God sent me. That morning while Wayne was in a hotel with his parents and brother, I was bustling around in the home we just purchased, making sure that chairs were set up, flowers were arranged and "to dos" were checked off the checklist. Two weeks earlier we had just moved into the home we planned to have our ceremony in ... two weeks sure wasn't much time to clean the house up, move in our furniture and set up for a wedding, but we did alright!

We were married at 4 pm on a cold rain January day in Virginia. A pastor from a nearby church performed the ceremony in front of about 50 of our friends and family. A coworker who was just starting a catering business prepared a beautiful buffet dinner upstairs. The Christmas decorations, lights, candles, and even the rain outside turned the day into a beautiful, magical memory. I remember feeling like a princess and I couldn't believe how blessed I was to have finally found someone so perfect for me. At 34 years old, I didn't think I'd ever get married!

So 17 years and three kids later, here we are. Still together, still committed to the bonds of our marriage. Tired, frustrated, constantly overwhelmed by the struggles of parenting ... but we're together and that's a lot more than I can say for most.

Honey, I love you with all my heart, and I know in my heart that as soon as our kids grow up and move out of the house ... um, that would be in about 14 years ... we'll have a life again!

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This is also my Mom's birthday. Mom passed away on April 10 this year after suffering with Alzheimers for ten years. Today would have been her 90th birthday. I sure do miss you, Mom.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-03T09:54:00.009-05:00

Well, we're off and running and the new year is already turning out to be crazy-mad. (Above is the new desktop background I just made to keep me on track for the next two weeks, using mostly CM's Recipe Book Digital Kit and some elements from Kate Teague's Fresh Outlook Kit which is no longer available.)

Our Christmas in Texas was awesome! My husband and I really enjoy being outdoors and working on our little cottage. The older two kids helped their Dad in some major demolition tearing down some ceiling and walls ... we all slashed and sawed and hacked away at the river's edge to open up our view ... I was the designated Burn Queen (and ended up singing a huge chunk of my hair, my eyebrows, and nearly all my facial hair!) ... we ate, played, and goofed off ... overall we had a really nice time and I'll post more pictures tomorrow.

For right now I'll leave you with the most beautiful shot of our time in Texas. This was taken at my inlaws property. On this morning it was about 28F and the mist was rising off the lake as the sun was just beginning to shine its light on the trees.

The Christmas that Almost Wasn't

2008-12-19T12:14:00.006-05:00

These are the boxes of Christmas decorations that just aren't going to get unpacked this year.
(Edited: they sat there unopened until February.)

These are just some of my 16 Snow Globes that are just going to stay sitting in my china hutch, undusted, for another year.
(Edited: they actually sat there untouched for two years.)

These are some of my Christmas recipes that just aren't going to get made until next year.
(Edited: they were filed away, but made a joyful return the following year!)

I spent two days this week scrambling, worrying, fretting, and crying about what wasn't getting done. Crying and whining about the sadness in my life, the heartache my teens caused this year, and the nicks and cracks that made in my perfect-family-picture-frame.

But I woke up feeling awesome this morning. It's not about the decorations and the food, it's about rejoicing and thanking God and celebrating the many gifts he's already given me.

My kids are in for a rude awakening come January 5th when school starts back up and I start cracking some major whip ... but for the time being I'm just going to focus on what a joy they are to me, what beautiful and hilarious kids they are, and what amazing adults they are going to turn out to be precisely because of all the family struggles they've gone through this year (and probably next too, but let's not go there just yet!). Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

I hope you all have a beautiful, joyous Christmas!

The Good Feelings of Christmas

2008-12-18T14:44:00.002-05:00

(And to answer the question on your mind right at this moment ... no, this is not my house!)

I love this time of year ... duh, who doesn't! Probably like you, I turn my car radio to the "Christmas music station". I don't even know what number on the dial it is, I just know that it always plays Christmas music. So many of the songs are bright, cheery and full of fun. They sing about the "good feelings" of Christmas -- the smell of cookies and Christmas trees and peppermint. The hustle-bustle of the streets and finding that special present under the tree. Spending time with loved ones. Everyone is filled with good cheer and glad tidings.

Don't get me wrong, I love those songs! But the ones that really stir my soul and fill my heart with real love and hope and goodness are those that glorify and praise the eternal love of God and the most precious gift he could have ever given us -- the birth of his son, Jesus.

Last Christmas the song "Oh Emmanuel" by Point of Grace really touched my heart. The word "Emmanuel" (meaning God With Us") was like my theme and mantra for the entire Christmas season. I desperately needed to remind myself that God was with me during this very sad period of my life as I tried to recover from the loss of my sweet mother.

This year the song "Breath of Heaven" written and performed by Amy Grant has pierced my very core and filled me with new hope to take me into next year.

These aren't all the lyrics, but just three stanzas. (For those of you not familiar with the song, it's written from Mary's perspective, knowing that she's carrying the Christ child.)

I am waiting in a silent prayer.
I am frightened by the load I bear.
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now.
Be with me now.

Breath of heaven,
Hold me together,
Be forever near me,
Breath of heaven.
Breath of heaven,
Lighten my darkness,
Pour over me your holiness,
For you are holy.
Breath of heaven.

Do you wonder as you watch my face,
If a wiser one should have had my place,
But i offer all i am
For the mercy of your plan.
Help me be strong.
Help me be.
Help me.

Right there -- the last stanza -- that's what moves me the most about this song. Put yourself in Mary's place and how she must have felt, completely unsure of herself as she walked this totally unexpected path in her life. A virgin finding herself not only with child, but with the Christ child! You know exactly what she was thinking -- "Why me? What makes me so qualified for this task you ask of me?" And then her saying (shouting, pleading) to God, "Well, if I'm going to do this, I'm going to need a WHOLE lot help. Please help me be strong. Help me be the person you think I am. For cryin' out loud, just HELP!"

As a mom trying to raise 2 troubled teenagers and a needy 5-year old, I feel this way so much of the time. Who the heck am I to be chosen for this mom job? Ninety percent of the time I feel lost and ill-equipped, like God definitely chose the wrong person to be the mom to the kids I have. What was he thinking?!! I can't possibly do this!! He should have chosen someone with more knowledge, more patience, more confidence. Someone who is filled with joy every time her screaming kid hurls something at her (whether it's a pile of mushed bananas or an insult, makes no difference). That's not me. When I get something thrown at me I'm filled with guilt, confusion, hurt, anger, fear. Hardly "joy," and I sure don't stop to savor how fulfilling my job as mom is!

But he didn't choose someone more qualified or more patient or more loving or more perfect. He chose me. And he promised he would never ever let me walk this path alone.

And quite simply ... it blows my mind to know and feel his presence and love in such a huge way. Not just at Christmas time, with all the bows and presents, and cookies, and parties, and happy songs -- but each and every single day of my life. It simply blows my ever-lovin' mind that I don't have to wait for Christmas for good feelings, warm wishes, cheerful greetings, and sentiments of hope. I have that right within my reach every moment of every day.

My prayer is that you'll be moved in some way this Christmas season not just to rise up and share love and well wishes, but to bow down and ACCEPT the truest love of all, the love that lasts through all seasons of our lives.

Party Update

2008-12-12T16:33:00.006-05:00

I forgot to add pictures of these cute little reindeer cupcakes I made for the party ... not the world's most beautiful cupcakes, but I looove easy!

This look says it all ... the party was a great success! Beautiful weather, friends having fun, pizza and cupcakes, and a dozen kids running around in reindeer antlers. After all the guests left and hubs brought my Dad back home, I just sat there and watched Kelly play and play and play and play. It was a wonderful feeling!

Someone's having a party!

2008-12-12T09:33:00.005-05:00

Today is party day for little miss Kelly! Ten of her friends will be meeting in the park for pizza, reindeer games, and playground time.

The invitation was soooo simple. I used a clip-art reindeer and some free digi elements from various places, and then I just printed them onto 4x6 photo paper.

To keep the goody bag costs low, I used brown paper lunch bags stamped with a reindeer image, and filled it with some candy, a home-made reindeer coloring book, and a jingle bell necklace. Oh, and not in the picture -- everyone will be getting a pair of reindeer antlers that I picked up for 50cents each at the dollar store.

Ho-ho-ho ... it's beginning to feel like Christmas!

I've Moved to a New Blog!

2008-12-11T14:52:00.000-05:00

I won't be posting to my "Rest and Be Thankful" blog anymore. It's time for a new look and a fresh start!

Please come on over to my new blog, "One Mouse Click..." and be sure to bookmark my new address!

One Mouse Click ... a new blog, a fresh start!

2008-12-11T11:46:00.006-05:00

I've been blogging for almost 3 years now, and I realized it's time for a fresh look and a fresh start. If you were a regular reader on my old blog, you followed me through some really hard times last year, with the death of my mom and my aunt, my 90 year old father's bypass surgery, and the difficulties I've had with some of my kids.

It was time for a new look and feel for my blogging. Time to start focusing on more creative and less family drama. Time to start promoting a business that I've had for 8 years. (Thank you, Creative Memories, for finally easing up on some internet restrictions!)

My new blog will focus on scrapbooking (mostly digital and a mix of digital and traditional), but I'll also keep other topics I love to blog about -- especially food and the more fun aspects of what I'm doing with my life. After all, it seems I'm only "one mouse click" away from great scrapbooking, gifts, recipes, stories, and blogging fun!

Thanks for sticking with me through these changes, and I hope you continue to enjoy reading my blog. Be patient with me as I start to add more variety to the blog!

Christmas Gifts

2008-12-11T11:29:00.005-05:00

I received my softcover StoryBook order in the mail yesterday, and shed a few tears. I made a book of pictures of my Mother's life for my brother, sister, and Dad -- and of course, a copy for me. Miss you, Mom.

StoryBook Creator Plus -- Training Resources

2008-12-11T10:00:00.004-05:00

Whether you're the type who can just pick up any program and run with it or if you need a little extra step-by-step help, these tutorials and recorded webinars are sure to help you!

StoryBook Creator Plus Step-by-step

StoryBook Creator Plus "How To ..." (many topics listed)

Using StoryBook Creator Plus to create custom art for Photo Gifts (mugs, t-shirts, totes, mousepads, posters, etc.)

My Choice -- Creative Memories Digital

2008-12-11T09:47:00.004-05:00

There are so many digital options available to us, and all claim to have easy downloads, tutorials, and user-friendly features. Three years ago I chose Creative Memories StoryBook Creator Plus software, and while I may look around to see what's out there, I've never looked back. I couldn't be happier with the ease of use as well as extensive editing options available with StoryBook Creator Plus.

It's priced competitively (for a limited time it's on sale!), and the best part ... all of the updates are free. Not only are they free, but I don't have to hunt and search for the updates and how to download them. Each time I open my Storybook Plus, a message pops up to tell me if an update is available, and after only a few mouse clicks, the update is complete.

There's two more reasons why Creative Memories has been my choice and remains my choice ... quality and customer service. From help with software issues and kit downloads all the way to the finished products in prints, albums, books, and gifts, their quality and service cannot be matched by any one of the many competitors out there.

Whether you are looking to streamline your scrapbooking and memory-keeping steps with digital programs or want to see what's new with Creative Memories line of traditional scrapbooking products, I invite you to visit my website. I am more than happy to help you find the solution that's best for you!

Hits and Misses

2008-11-29T08:54:00.000-05:00

Oooohhh, my stomach may NEVER be the same after Thursday ... and Friday .... and today. How was your turkey-day?

Since I tried so many new recipes, I thought I'd report on some hits and misses.

The Misses:

Turnip Gratin casserole -- PW's recipe called for a "healthy splash" of chicken broth and cream in the layering process. I guess one gal's definition of healthy is different than another's. My turnips ended up swimming (literally floating) in chicken broth and cream by the end of the cooking time. Everyone said they were yummy (as they pulled them out with a slotted spoon), but I think I'm going to have to tone down the "healthy splashes" next time!

Smoked Chicken Breasts -- I knew I wanted to try a smoked turkey breast along with my regular oven-baked turkey, but hubs wanted to throw some chicken breasts and sausages in there too to make use of all that smoke. Good idea, but they should have been taken out of the smoker a few hours earlier. Oh my, they were so dry. But nothing a ton of mayo can't fix in a good old chicken salad.

The Hits:
Aren't you glad to see that the Hits list is so much longer than the Misses? Yeah, me too!

Smoked Turkey Breast -- oh my stars, my entire family was gathered around standing in the kitchen when my husband pulled this out of the smoker and started carving it. We were lucky there was anything left on the serving platter to put on the table -- all of us were pulling pieces off the platter as fast as we could. it was the most moist, yummy turkey I've ever had and we'll definitely do this again. In fact, I dare say that next Thanksgiving we'll be smoking the entire turkey. We brined it first in a honey/apple juice brine.

Caramel Apple Pie -- I've been an avid baker since I was in my teens -- that's 35+ years folks -- and this is the most decadent, delicious, new recipe I've tried in that time, I swear it. Even my sister who has far more time than I do to play around in the kitchen raved and raved about this pie. It is like no other apple pie I have ever tasted, and it disappeared almost immediately.

THE Pie Crust -- ok, I was pretty dubious that this was the world's best pie crust because the one I make by eye-balling, look, and touch -- the one I learned at my mother's side from the time I was a wee one -- is simply to die for. But this one is going to be added to my arsenal of never-fail recipes that I will go back to over and over again. It is flaky and rich tasting and cooks up beautifully.

Grilled Asparagus -- you just can't go wrong with cooking asparagus this way. I usually am not a huge fan of asparagus but when it's grilled in a pan with olive oil and kosher salt and fresh ground pepper? I think I could make a meal of it, it is that good.

So those were my turkey day results -- I hope you had nothing but hits and had a fabulous day!

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!

2008-11-27T07:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving!
Hope your day is filled with gratitude for warm food, a loving family, and good friends! The first thing I'm thankful for this morning is a wonderful husband who let me sleep in this morning. That little girl of ours sure does get up early! So thanks, honey!!

I'm also thankful for cold enough temps in FL that we could use our back porch as a second refrigerator!
We've got a cooler filled with two turkeys brining their lovely selves away. Another cooler with side dishes and one pie. And on the table I have stock for turkey soup, two pies, and the Autumn Sangria I posted about the other day. Can't wait to pour in the ginger ale and start celebrating the season!

Countdown to T-Day!

2008-11-23T20:33:00.000-05:00

I am so psyched about spending the next few days cooking and cleaning ... seriously, I REALLY am! My sister and her family will be coming over for the day along with my 91 year old Dad. It's going to be a really nice day for me, and I do enjoy cooking and preparing big holiday meals. The best part is just spending the day with family. I really miss my sister, and it seems lately we've only spent time together around funerals. I'm so thankful that she is able to fly down from Boston with her two adult kids (who live in NYC), and I'm especially thankful to have my Dad with us, healthy and strong. I know my Mom and Aunt Jess will be smiling down from heaven seeing us all together.

This year I was really inspired by Ree Drummond (Pioneer Woman), and you'll see a lot of recipes are from her website. Despite the fact that my standard holiday faire is pretty darn good, I am trying a lot of new recipes including a new pie crust recipe. I make the best dang pie crust in the world, but Ree claims this one is the best, so I have to give it a go!

If you're flustered about what to do when in preparing a big holiday meal, she posted her timeline of what she does each day between Monday-Thursday to prepare her meal. Go check it out here! I simply make a list of every single step that needs to be done to make it all come together and scatter everything across several days. This year I'm recruiting the oldest two to help me cook. It's time they not only get some cooking practice in, but also how to think in sequence and get a home ready to entertain ... napkins, silverware, cleaning, etc. I remember my mom putting out all her serving pieces, putting a serving utensil in each empty bowl, and then dropping a little note into each one so she knew exactly which dish would be used for each recipe. I have copied her method for as long as I've been an adult, and it gives me extra joy this year knowing that I'm carrying on her legacy by teaching my kids to do the same.

My Thanksgiving Menu
(I'm serving 10, with enough prepared for lots of leftovers)

Brined & Oven Roasted Turkey (I'm doing a 12# turkey)

Honey Brined Smoked Turkey Breast (this is our first year trying -- I've heard nothing but rave reviews about smoking, and hubby is charge of this on the grill)

Gravy

Homemade Rolls (this recipe is from my Oster Bread Machine cookbook, and I make them for every holiday meal)

Sweet Potatoes

Grilled Asparagus (link to PW oven roasted asparagus just added; great timing!)

Wild Rice & Corn Casserole

Turnip Gratin

Corn bread & sausage stuffing (my sister is bringing)

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes (again, my sister)

Cranberry-Orange Relish (my daughter makes this every year),

Pumpkin Pie

Apple Caramel Pie

Another dessert that my sis will bring

Wine

Coffee

OK, are you drooling yet? Well wait till you see this recipe that I read about today. The tip was to make a pitcher to drink while you're cooking. Now THAT'S whatI'mtalkinabout!

So what are you all having? I challenge you to post your menu on your blog so I can go look!

Monday Meal Plan

2008-11-23T20:29:00.000-05:00

Monday -- Baked Ham, glazed carrots, broccoli & penne parmesan, Pioneer Woman's chocolate sheet cake

Tuesday -- Taco Night

Wednesday -- Leftovers

Thursday -- oh, that's a WHOLE 'NOTHER POST!

Friday -- leftovers

Saturday -- take out

Sunday -- My dad's spaghetti sauce & meatballs

FINALLY! Christmas Gift Round-Up #7

2008-11-22T18:21:00.000-05:00

For those of you who've been following my posting of Christmas Gift ideas, you know that I've been procrastinating on finishing this one and I jumped ahead to do #8,9, and #10 before finishing this one! I felt so guilty, I had to finish this today.

Christmas Gift Round-Up #7 -- Christmas Countdown Wall Hanging

I knew I wanted an Advent or Countdown Calendar.
I knew I wanted to have numbers on one side and images on the other so there was something to flip or move.
I knew I wanted to have activities and scripture related to each day, but I wanted the flexibility of rotating those activities depending on what was going on in our lives at the time.
I knew I wanted a wall hanging.
I knew I didn't want to spend one penny on this project, but I didn't have any paper wide or long enough to be the size I wanted.

So with that said, I got the crazy notion to do a woven wall hanging using paper instead of fabric or fibers. Remember this teaser photo I posted a few weeks ago? I pulled out all the red/green/cream papers I had, made my selection, and cut them into 2-1/2" strips. The little woven piece in the first photo is just a test piece using 1/4" strips.

I actually put a big strip of double-stick tape down on the top edge of my Stampin' Up! scratch pad and stuck my vertical strips down. Then I wove my horizontal strips in and out the vertical ones, taping and cutting and finishing each piece as I went. Using the SU scratchpad as my base actually helped me keep my horizontal strips straight, using the 1/4" grid as my guide.

Then I pulled out 3 plastic trading card protectors, trimmed them up, and sewed them onto my woven paper mat. I finished the edges of the woven mat with stitching too.

To make the inserts, I cut tags to fit the pockets and adhered numbers from a free Holly McCaig digi package (no longer available). I printed them out, punched with a circle punch, then ran them through my xyron.

Choosing the images for the reverse side was the hardest part, and it took me a long time trying to decide how I wanted to do this. I looked at clipart. I looked at digi-kits. I considered photographs. I considered using my own pen & ink line drawings. I finally decided that Christmas cards seemed to offer a wide range of pictures and patterns to suit my needs. I started by first making a list of topics/images I wanted to include and put them in a sequence that made sense to me. I chose to mix the story of the birth of Christ along with traditional Christmas images (trees, lights, etc) to tell the complete story of Christmas. I also considered what messages I wanted to tell my children (well, really just little Miss Kelly since the others are beyond this now) and the kinds of activities I might want to do with her.

So once that big issue was resolved, I grabbed handfuls of old Christmas cards and punched away. Matted each one, played around with them, deleted images when I found better ones, and once I settled on a final selection I ran them through my xyron and stuck them on the back.
I decided against adding any additional embellishments and chose simple ribbon tabs and ribbon to hang the piece.

Christmas Gifts Round-Up #10 -- Holiday Card Holder

2008-11-22T09:23:00.000-05:00

Love, love, love this easy project. The minute I saw this bare essentials wall pocket, I knew I needed to turn this into a holiday card holder for our home. I'm not even going to write up any directions, it was so easy to just cut and wrap this form and decorate with dimensional sticker shapes. The hardest part was choosing which holiday papers to use! (I chose Scenic Route.) I realized after posting this that it's quite plain and I could have glitz/blinged it up a bit with all sorts of adornments. But you know what? I'm just not that kind of gal. I like simple!

I think there are lots of uses for this, and it would make a great gift. Make one for outgoing mail near your door. Or it would be great in the kitchen to hold loose favorite recipes. Or in a craft room to hold any number of supplies.

One Minute Distraction

2008-11-18T21:06:00.000-05:00

124 words

Typing Test

Kinda shocked on this one. I used to type about 140 wpm when I was in the working world a dozen years ago or so. Go try it out, it's fun to test yourself!

Bring on the soup!

2008-11-18T17:32:00.000-05:00

Oh my, oh my. Just served this for dinner. MmmmmmmMmmmmmmmmMmmmmmmmm ... Even the 4yo loved this. Wanna know how I made it?

Meatball Tortellini Soup
Throw into the crock pot turned on High:
3 cans chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup of diced raw carrots
1 bay leaf
10 cooked meatballs, quartered (I make big batches of meatballs, cook them, then freeze them in batches of about a dozen each bag)

Saute in skillet and then toss in:
2 ribs of celery
1/2 onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1-1/2 tsp italian blend spice mix (I have a Tastefully Simple Dried Tomato, Garlic, and Pesto Mix that I used, but you should be able to use any italian blend)
1 c. of chopped broccoli (I used frozen) or chopped spinach/greens

In last hour, throw in 1 package fresh, uncooked mini tortellini or ravioli (I used packaged kind in deli section). Total cooking time is 4-6 hours.

And since you're using the crockpot, why not throw in some flour and yeast into a bread machine so that fresh, hot French bread is ready at the same time as your soup. Double MMmm MMmm.... I simply used the French Bread recipe in the cookbook that came with my Oster Bread Machine. Turns out incredible every time.

Bits of my week

2008-11-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

The flotsam and jetsam that makes up my week ...
Oh, you capture my heart, my lovely. I want to climb on your back and fly high, high in the sky. Feel the wind in my hair. If I believed in reincarnation, I would pray to come back as an eagle or hawk. Anyone who reads this blog regularly knows my house is pretty chaotic lately. Lots of fights and screaming and yelling from my 13yo DS. So when my oldest DD came running into the room "MOM! There's a hawk in the backyard!!" I dropped what I was doing to run to the window. These red-shouldered hawks are pretty common, but she knows that birds give me joy, and a hawk sitting right smack dab in the middle of our lawn eating a chameleon would just about cause me to die happy right there. He flew to the fence and I tiptoed outside, and snuck around our bushes to get this shot. All week I kept pulling this photo up on my camera, zooming in, and savoring every delicious moment of this backyard visitor. I think it was a juvenile; he was pretty small. I stand corrected. My bird-expert-friend Samantha says this is more likely an adult because of the strong colors on the shoulders and striping on the tail. Thanks Sam!

Ahhh...victory at last in getting my DS to remove the smelly mountain dew bottles out of his closet. Piles of them. I'm tellin' ya, dirty socks have NOTHING on the smell of dozens of old empty bottles of soda.

My heart ached because I couldn't drive to the coast to see the last night-time launch ever ... LAST EVER ... of the space shuttle. The view from my front yard had to do, but oh it didn't disappoint. It lit up the whole sky. That's the moon on the horizon to the left. I was pretty ticked that my neighbors turned on their porch lights while I was taking photos, but I guess in hindsight it helps give some perspective on how close the launch site is to our house (about 50-60 miles).

A little progress on Christmas Gift #7. (Remember the one who keeps rearing it's ugly head at me?) After searching for the right digital icons, I gave up and turned to old Christmas cards punched and mounted on cardstock. I feel a big sense of relief now that this issue has been resolved, and I can move forward with finishing this bad boy.

Monday Meal Plan

2008-11-17T07:52:00.000-05:00

Last week's plans fell to hell in a handbasket, so I'm moving a lot of the day plans forward to this week. Temps are starting to really cool down here in FL; our highs will be in the 60s(F) all week, YEAH!

Monday -- Crock Pot Ribs

Tuesday -- Tortellini Meatball Soup

Wednesday -- Grilled Shrimp

Thursday -- Crock Pot Beef Stew

Friday -- Chicken Haystacks

Saturday -- Take Out

Sunday -- Baked Ham

Hope you have your week at least semi-planned out for food. It makes tough weeks so much easier. I adore my crock pot and can't imagine getting through a week without it!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Busy week ahead. Therapy and psych appt. for oldest DD, guidance counselor and truancy officer appt for DS, preschool Thanksgiving feast for youngest DD, two personal training appointments for me, and meeting up with friends for coffee and lunch. First and most important ... off to get DS to school. Thank God he got out of bed this morning!

One Mouse Click

Menu Plan Monday: Wk 4

One Mouse Click Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Granola

Join my new Linky Party -- every Wednesday!

Menu Plan Monday: Wk 3

Update -- my easy chalkboard message center

I am woman, hear me ...

DIY Chalkboard Message Center

Tasty Tuesday: Scrambled Eggs & Spinach

Menu Plan Monday: Week 2

So much for daily blogging.

Update on my Household Management Binder

20 years later

My 2012 Goals -- well, at least for Jan-Mar!

Menu Plan Monday: Week 1

5 Tips to Quiet Your Brain

Time to Declutter -- Prepping for a New Attitude in 2012

Should I take the car keys away from Dad?

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Santa Baby Digital Blog Hop -- Day 2

Santa Baby Digital Blog Hop

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C'mon and join me in this challenge!

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And the winner is ...

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Halloween Blog Hop - Day 1: Cupcake Toppers & Wrappers

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In 2 weeks ... Halloween Blog Hop!

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Revisiting the Household Management Binder

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When the frost is on the pumpkin

Festive Fall -- I can't wait!

New Project -- Hybrid Traditional/Digital Album

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Welcome, spring!

Card Project Tutorial

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Gift Idea #4 -- Christmas Countdown Display

Halloween Cat Cookies

Week #3 -- Holiday Recipe Book

Week #2 -- Holiday Organizer -- FREE Download!

Week #1: A new twist on an old idea

Backing up your photos ... what's working for you?

Top 10 Handmade Christmas Gift Solutions

I love my job.

Custom Twitter Backgrounds Made Easy

Shadow Play

My Photo Mess: Part 1

Finding Your Style

The Power of Three

Welcome Back to my Blog!

Double-page layout

It's done! Well, almost ...

I WON!

BACK-UP!!

Still MIA!

Create a Custom Valentine with StoryBook Plus!

MIA

Gorgeous FREE Downloadable Theme

Black + Color Challenge

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A shameful admission!

2009 Goals "Pocket" Layout --

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Ever "been" to an online crop? Come find out!

Saving Pennies + New Project Tutorial!

17 Years Today!

Happy New Year!

The Christmas that Almost Wasn't