Newest project, using the new Best of New Year's kit...

          The following layout was completed using the new kit which I had just received a few hours earlier...that's how excited I was to use this kit!

                I used A LOT of products from various 3 Birds kits which coordinate with the color scheme of the kit & photos.  Here's the list:
                Pattern papers, teal cardstock, cards (one of which was cut in half & used as a photo mat),  "Happy New Year", "Goodbye....
Hello....", "Ringing in the New Year", "Goals & Plans" & Black and Silver Tinsels: Best of New Year's kit;  Blue Felt Flourish:  ExScrapaganza;  Black & Teal glittered photo corners: Bling Stack;  Teal corner flourish & calendar rub-ons: Kind of a Big Deal;  Teal border: Super Sticker Nestables;  "Prepare to be Amazed" & "You've Got Style" rub-ons: Quote Me On That;  Teal glittered bracket & "Lookin' Good": Bling Extreme.
                Wow, that was a lot of different kits represented!  Because I scrap both by theme & color, I knew I could find lots of teal goodies in my teal 3 Birds stash!
                 I'm off to play some more with my newest kits, working prior products in whenever possible...I'm trying to be more generous with my HUGE stash of pretty products, getting them 'out of the NEST' and onto my pages, & learning to layer, layer, layer...the style I feel myself drawn to more & more....probably from my love of Victorian Decor.
                 Scrap on!

A lot to catch up on!

  Wow!  It's hard to believe that I haven't posted here for so many months!  But...life happened...for a long time apparently!
  I'll have to spend a fair amount of time posting layouts that I have completed since last visiting, as well as photos of life in my little world.
  Let's work our way backward, okay?  While currently working on our taxes, I once again consider whether or not to continue selling products.  Yes, it pays for MOST of my own supplies, but the physical labor, time, & expenses involved with the packing, hauling, unpacking, displaying....packing back up (although this last sale sent MUCH fewer product home with me!), hauling, & unpacking/displaying again........very low income per hour, oftentimes at a loss in fact, but the physical tole & stress have the most impact for me.  We are not getting any younger, but I DEFINATELY must get back into better shape!  Fibromyalgia does not differentiate between 'fun work' & just plain 'work'.
  Okay....back to the basics.  The past 2 weeks found us celebrating Wesley's 8th & my 48th BIRTHDAYS YEY!!!  We had a couple of neighborhood friends over for Wesley's birthday cake & ice cream.   Good times!
  I was lucky enough to (once again) celebrate my birthday with my best bud, my niece Sarah, who comes up for an overnight SCRAPBOOKING PARTE' !!!  A bonus this year was the 1st overnight stay & crafting visit by my sister-in-law, Deb (Kozak) Gleason!  We had sooo much fun that we stayed up until 3:15 Sunday morning, NOT EVEN MAKING IT TO THE CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN THIS YEAR:<   (Pics to follow haha)
  Michael & Wesley made their usual trip to Grandma Stream's for the weekend, so that we girls could have the house to ourselves.  There was one lucky male in the household though, our cat Rusty.  Otherwise it was myself, Sarah, Deb, my devoted Dakota, Smoke & our newest family member, kitten Squirrel. 
  Christmas, as usual, was FABULOUS!  After we opened our gifts we were visited by Uncle Leon (my oldest brother, who as of this week is RETIRED!!!!!!) & his wife Annetta.  They have been stopping by on Christmas Day, on their way to visit her family in Ludington.
  My favorite gift this year was my CRICUT IMAGINE! WOO HOO!  Michael said "don't you think you hinted about it enough??????" hahahahahahaha  Yes, I hinted A LOT after finding out that our local Wal-Mart had it in stock for only $187!  I did some research online for Imagine cartridges &, after receiving it, purchased a few cartridges to play with!  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to use my favorite of the included cartridges, Imagine More, because it was faulty.  I also had to exchange the machine after 2-3 days & printing only a few papers because it stopped feeding in the paper.
  I can say that I have had very few problems with the machine or cartridges since exchanging the machine & receiving the replacement cartridge.  I still get frustrated with the machine shutting down frequently while using the Imagine More cartridge, especially when combined with another cartridge, but I'm trying to work through it and enjoy the capabilities of my new toy.
  Wesley's favorites were, of course, Thomas train items, plus he really likes his Cars 2 movie, Indiana Jones Lego PS2 game from Uncle Leon & Aunt Annetta, etc.
  This fall found us adopting little, FRAIL, Squirrel....a kitten who found her way to our front porch on August 10th, just before Michael's birthday.  She immediately came to me & allowed me to hold her, as if she KNEW we would love & help her.  Michael named her Squirrel after seeing how long & bushy her tail was when compared to her body.  I am afraid to say that she was the most emaciated animal I have ever seen which was still alive.....she required a lot of TLC, & ultimately, prescription food as well as medication that was added to tuna fish for several months.  I recently switched to feeding her adult cat food, which she was constantly sneaking out of the other cats' bowls, when we ran out of prescription food.  I think I might have to return to giving her medication for a while if she continued to have tummy problems.
   I have been hoping to have some of my projects appear as samples on a 3 Birds presentation, or perhaps their blog, etc.  So far, no luck, but perhaps in the future, with the reappearance of their blog or something...perhaps things will happen for me.  Either way, I enjoy the process & chance to share.  3 Birds rocks!!!!! 
   On to crafting & constantly renovating my scrap "studio"!
 

...and we all settled down for a long winter's nap (last night after fighting the blizzard)

   I went to bed to find our son Wesley cuddled up in the middle of our bed...our cat Rusty too, who moved down onto the floor among extra pillows when I got into bed.  An hour later, still awake, I realized I had another opportunity for themed pics!

Our 3 yr old Tomcat, Rusty

Dakota, guarding the stairs to our bedrooms

Smoke, in her usual spot lately

 

Awww....such a cutie!

Digging out AGAIN!

  I tried to upload pics last night but my pc was giving me problems...let's try this again.

 Michael had blown out the snow in front of the garage before leaving for work, but this had blown back in so Wesley & Dakota had LOTS of snow to play in today!  It was above my knee high boots (& Michaels, which Wesley tried wearing outside even though I told him to get totally dressed in his snow pants, etc...).

   Dakota plowed her way from the front porch...she LOVES it!

 This is the "Stream" sign behind our mailbox.....what's still visible that is.

 Michael and a few others plowed through with 4x4s...the county plowed one path at 3:15 pm......surprisingly.

 Dakota's favorite outdoor spot:  Queen of the (snow) mountain.

 I pulled Wesley down this small hill in his one-person sled....he caught air!

School was closed again today, not surprisingly, but I think they might be open tomorrow........we'll see.  Either way, Dakota's still a happy girl.

Digging out from under the fresh, beautiful snow.....

     We started receiving fresh, fluffy, beautiful snow a few days ago, and may continue to receive it for the next several days!  Finally!  Our son and my 'snow dog' Dakota are enjoying it's fun while I'm enjoying the beauty and potential 'snowdays'.....more opportunites for movie nights after making 'no-bake' cookies.  Fun & chocolate...what more is there?  Of course, scrapbooking!