Mixing and matching my Anthology kits

     I love to mix and match kits and the Anthology by Lisa Bearnson line makes it so easy for me. Coordinating colors and coordinating products, such as the stamp sets that coordinate back to layout kits,  allow me to extend the number of projects I am able to create without searching through my stash for other products.
    

 The layout above is one of the pages that I created using elements from the Lemon Squeezy Pocket Card kit and the Rosey Posey Collection kit.  Both contain 'cards' of various sizes, with coordinating colors.  The "Me" and "You" are letter stickers from one of the kits, while the "&" is a diecut element from another kit.  Because I was not on this trip with my husband and son, I would like them to fill in the details and their favorite memories from each day and want to be sure to make this easy and fun for them.

                                                                  

Most elements on this 2-page spread are from the "Better Together" Pocket Card kit, but again, I was able to add a few pieces from the other two kits as necessary, coordinating with the colors and topics of my photos which were taken over a span of several years. 

Do YOU like to mix and match kits, collections or brands/product lines?  I'd love to hear from you!  Have a wonderful week!SCRAP ON!

Mystery of the missing purple glove: A Pellet Stove ODYSSEY!

     Another home maintenance issue came up this morning.  Wesley & I got up to the wonderful situation of the pellet stove on the main floor of the house not running, and it was only 64 degrees on that floor.  As soon as I got up, I remembered waking up earlier and grabbing my sheet and comforter to pull it up to my face, so when I came downstairs, the thermostat for the stove was the first place I went!
     "Auger Jam" read the error screen.... trying the 'retry' button to no avail, I reached for the pellet stove user's manual, plus fired up the laptop, anticipating a needed search for how to remedy the situation.  After turning on the furnace and turning up my pellet stove in the basement, to help warm the house while I worked on the problem (AFTER getting Wesley to school), I set off to my usual morning routine of everyone's breakfast and preparing Wesley's lunch.
     Within a few minutes I found both the error message information and schematics for the parts that I needed to work with, and told Wesley that I had to remove a cover from the stove to work on it later.
     One youtube video search later and approximately an hour (the same as the video's creator had estimated) of tedious but easy work, and I had heat again!
     I assumed that the stove had the same problem as his... pellet dust build up blocking the auger and it's eye, but low and behold, as I removed the auger from behind the burn chamber..... I HAD SOLVED THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING PURPLE GLOVE!!!

     As usual, I took photos as I went through the steps of removing pellets, removing the wiring and the auger.... and THE GLOVE CAUGHT IN THE AUGER!  The above photo shows the twisted shape of the metal auger with the glove twisted up in it, and the auger motor and wiring harness in the lower left corner.
     I was both surprised and greatly relieved that I may have solved the problem so quickly, and hoped that I hadn't damaged any of the wiring while I did it.  I sent Michael another text message (yes, I've begun texting him since we found that it SOMETIMES reaches his phone from our home) that I had 'made fire', and posted on facebook that I thought I deserved a nap. 

More studio progress.... Documenting it with 3 Birds Graceful Seasons collection, &....I have HEAT!!!

    
     Wesley helped Michael install the venting for my stove recently.  Michael and Wesley built the stove pedestal frame, Michael and I tiled it, then we were finally able to place the stove on the pedestal (photo 1). Wesley always enjoys some good bubble wrap, and after adding the doors and lid to the stove, I knew he'd want to play with it, but I didn't expect him to WEAR it like a cape or robe! LOL. 
    The 2nd photo is of Wesley and Dakota's 1st cuddling opportunity in front of the stove after Michael and Wesley installed the venting and I was able to FIRE IT UP WOO HOO!
    Now I am able to walk down to my studio, turn the stove on, and within a few minutes the room is warming up, with myself enjoying the cozy warmth of wood heat in the upper 70s within an hour!  I could heat it more quickly, but we are still burning off the new paint and ceramic log smell, which increases greatly when it's run at the higher heat outputs, so I run it on the lower 2 settings most of the time, otherwise the odor gives me a headache and makes me nautious.  I just turn on the furnace fan or open my door and the odor dissipates quickly.
  AHHH warmth!

Christmas 2013... documentation in progress.

    Normally I created a LOT of 12x12 layouts for Christmas, but this year I was inspired by some online videos involving Christmas mini albums, aka minis.
     I've been making minis for several years, but never one for Christmas.  All my Christmas pages have been going into a 12x12 leather album by CTMH.  That has been overflowing for some time, and with this new inspiration, I decided to start a mini.
  I did create a 12x12 layout before starting the mini, and although the two pages are created as one layout, and utilize the colors from our decorating scheme this year, the fact that the teal page on our left is more of a pastel version, and perhaps because I didn't create the entire layout as one unit, it does not feel cohesive to me.  I MUCH prefer the pages viewed separately.

I started with a 4x6 photo album.... it was already purple, one of my Christmas decor colors this year.  Each page has a photo window, therefore providing a built-in pocket for journaling and any other items I want to include.

     Oreo, our tuxedo kitty, and also our newest addition to our family, is TOTALLY living up to the typical get-into-mischief and crawl into every box or container feline personality traits.

This is actually the first inside page I created.... an early memorial tribute to our beloved Smoke, aka Smoky Kitty.  Just 2 days before Christmas, Wesley and I took her in for her thyroid blood work, and 2 hours later, came home in tears, after being told that she may only live for a few hours, or days.  She passed away on January 19th, the day after Wesley's 10th birthday, and the day before my 50th.......  She will NOT be forgotten!

Now for some of the humorous portions of this Christmas's memories........ Wesley dressed Dakota in his husky hat when he and dad went out to blow snow ROFL (Rolling On the Floor Laughing)!  Also, when Wesley opened the package containing his dirt bike's new batteries, he yelled "I got BUBBLEWRAP!"  Even though the photo is blurry, it's priceless!

Wesley's interests changed greatly in the past year.  He literally put aside Thomas the train, packing up all of his trains, stations and specialty pieces and putting them in the guest room as possible yard sale items.  This was greatly influenced by the fact that Star Wars was playing this summer, and we thought he might be interested in the movie series.  That was the beginning of a new obsession!

Quality time was spent with dad, learning how to assemble his first Star Wars models.

     Video games have also been a big interest of Wesley's, to a fault.... as with many kids,  we have to limit the amount of time he spends playing them.

Wesley has also gotten really busy making things via Origami, going through a LOT of the tape in my studio as well as the household supply.  Michael suggested buying him a huge roll of tape for Christmas.  Instead of one huge roll, I found a multi-pack.  The right hand box contains his dirt bike batteries and the infamous bubble wrap.

Wesley made me a tea light at school, as well as purchasing me a beautiful ornament and liquid potpourri diffuser, both in our Christmas colors.  Michael gave me 2 wolf-image sun catchers from a local shop. 

Need I say more?????

Wesley bought Michael a specialty screwdriver set from the school's Christmas shop.  Some of the moms purchased items locally and set up a store for the students to shop from.  GREAT idea!  Wesley also bought both Grandmas a gift there.

Wesley and I picked out a new surround sound system, which Michael had actually asked for this year (the volume knob on the other one has been warn out for over a year and is very touchy.  Michael is going to use the old one in his shop).  Wesley managed to strong-arm it in from the kitchen, and I set it up while Michael slept (he didn't feel good Christmas day).

On Christmas Eve, after Wesley had placed his note to Santa under the tree, Oreo curled up next to it!!!  Rusty and Squirrel wouldn't say so, but he looked like a sweet little gift under the tree..... After all the gifts had been open, I noticed these two lounging next to each other, with Wesley's Star Wars wall quotations nearby.  I couldn't help taking advantage of the situation!

         This is not quite the entire album, but I will post the final pages soon.  Scrap on!

Studio updates, which I forgot last time, lol... & a different surprise in the morning.

When I got up the other day, Wesley said "Mom, there's a bat in here".  I asked him if it was dead or alive...

 ..... apparently Squirrel caught a bat (again)?  Wesley told me that he remembers being out in the front yard w/ Dad one night and Squirrel had jumped up at a bat that had flown down near our birch tree.  We had broke her of the bad habit of bringing her 'kills' indoors to show them to us w/ pride... now she's back to doing it again.

Wesley, our diyer in training, has a special talent..... fitting into small places!  We utilized that talent to have him mark the cutout for the new egress window.

In action.....

     After he had completed the task, Michael wanted to double-check his accuracy, so I crawled in.  My post-child hips are too wide to turn sideways in the window, so we opened it and I marked the side and bottom from outside lol.  Wesley had done a great job after all!

     YEY!  I now have drywall on all my walls again!!!!!!  And a large window to boot!  Now the tedious work of 'mudding' the drywall ...argh!  I will keep telling myself "It's worth all the time and work!"

Progress on the egress window stairwell....

 The egress window stairwell is framed in & we began backfilling with dirt. The outside cut through the foundation blocks was done with a diamond tip skillsaw blade.  Michael needs to do the same cuts on the inside, and then we need to chip the remaining block depth by hand.  Today Wesley & I finished with the backfilling of the stairs after I put in the bottom stair and added more stones.  Hopefully by the Sunday night I will have an egress window installed!!!

Foundation blocks had to be cut with a diamond tipped skillsaw blade.

Wesley is a hair shy of being tall enough to reach out of the hole with a shovel full of dirt.

Yes, those are screws in my mouth... don't you love the fashion statement that I am making while working both inside and outside of my studio lol!

YEY!  All but the bottom step is framed in in this photo.

 Today's early afternoon photo, showing the soil that Wesley & I backfilled this afternoon, along with more stone added.  I am going to create a garden in the terraced stairwell, with miniature roses and other English garden plants, as well as any that reflect the purple, white & pink in my studio.

We're installing an egress window after all!

     I had been asking for an egress window for a couple of months now, originally enticed by the idea after we began seriously discussing a complete reno of my basement studio space.  Originally the hubby did not like the idea (I'm assuming because of cost), but the very day I had completed cutting the foam insulation for the only original window we are keeping in that area, he told me 'you might want to stop'.  ARGHHHH!  Another case of his 'thinking' without 'sharing' the ideas/thoughts!
     He even went so far as suggest that I consider installing a SLIDING GLASS DOOR instead of only a window, due to the cost of a 'custom' window that was 36" by (up to) 60", compared to the price of a slider.  After researching the options online through our local big box stores, Home Depot and Lowe's, this idea became awfully appealing, but then I thought "What about STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY of the foundation if installing such a large piece of glass?"..... My concern was correct.  We are NOT going to go that way due to the fact that work would have to be done that includes the work of  PROFESSIONAL MASON.  Our pockets aren't that deep.
     Unfortunately, in order to get the version with grills (window pane dividers), I would have to special order it and pay DOUBLE or more of the price without grills..... So we came home with my 36"x60" double hung window (in stock, no special or custom order required).   This is larger than what is required  if we were to ever have a bedroom in this space, so we are covered in that area.  We are looking for as much NATURAL LIGHT as possible but energy efficiency as well, since the whole reason behind this reno is to keep it WARM down there!

As is routine for the past year or so, Wesley is more involved with our family projects both in & out of the home...  Note that Michael was able to place the new window just to the west of the large rambling roses and yet we don't have to disturb the climbing roses that are a hair further to the west.  Awesome!  BTW This is going to be a GARDEN EGRESS WINDOW!!!!!

Proof that Wesley helped with the carpentry prep work!

A fine, red line outlines the size and location of the new egress window!   Can you say 'window seat' anyone???

     One large hole and a little carpentry work later, this is where we stand.  HOPEFULLY  we can install the egress opening's framework OR cut the block and install the window tonight.  This all depends upon whether we need to enlarge the hole for ease of access for cutting the block, Michael's back, etc....  Wish us well!

My Birthday Crop...let's try this again...

          I spent over an hour working on this last night, giving up at around 12:30 am.  After all the frustration of my pics not posting, I now discover that NONE of it was saved/posted.  Another learning experience I guess. haha
          I was lucky enough to have my best bud, my niece Sarah, join me again for an overnight SCRAPBOOKING PARTE'!  A bonus this year was the 1st overnight & crafting visit of my sister-in-law, Deb.
          For the past few years, Michael & Wesley have been going to stay with Grandma Stream, leaving the house free for my girls' weekend.  The only male lucky enough to hang with us was our cat Rusty.  Myself, Sarah, Deb, Dakota, Smoke & our kitten Squirrel all enjoyed our 'girl time', without the loud, masculine influences (& interruptions) of Michael & Wesley!
          We started out our weekend with a trip into town to develop Sarah's film (from a disposable camera) from her son Brandon's horrible accident last Halloween.  She thought that she would be able to look at and work with the photos by now....after trying to scrap them, she realized that she wasn't quite ready yet.
          During our wait for the film to be developed, we enjoyed an inexpensive treat of lunch at Mancino's.  From there we checked out Dollar General for some decorative boxes that Sarah & Deb had been seeing, as well as a trip into Peeble's for nice work shirts for Sarah's new teaching position.  We then visited Grandma Veerman & Aunt Annetta, discussing our girly plans for future play dates, including a possible overnighter at Grandma Veerman's beautiful, large home, before returning to my home to start crafting.