Call me the Cosmo Girl!

A while back I sent a 'love' letter to the owners of Cosmo Cricket papers. I admitted my addiction to their line and asked for a 12 Step Program in my area...lol.

They used my letter and one of the owners, Julie Comstock's reply (her 12 Step Program) in their new line catalog for Memory Trends, the trade show for Scrapbooking. Julie had e-mailed me asking my permission to reprint the letter w/my name but it did not make its way to me (ah, that would be my comcast...arggg) but she published the letter with my name on the Cosmo Cricket web site and she and David, her husband/co-owner sent me all the new line as a thank you!

You can bet I am a Cosmo Girl! and it is the coolest stuff I have seen in eons. I am in love all over again. Order it...order it NOW~!

This was my Treat on Trick or Treat Halloween...thanks Julie and David!

Hang Ten kits go on sale tomorrow

Posting from Paradise

November kits go on sale tomorrow at ten am EST. To see what the monthly kit is go to
www.scrapbookshack.com and many thanks,
Your Surfer Girls,
Jill and Jules

Morning at CreepOver

We managed to figure out the a/c in the cabin our first day there but did we remember the cabin also had heat? OH NO! We layered on the clothes and covers through out the night and added even more to head up to the lodge for breakfast.
We could have used these outfits for our Halloween costumes the night before and gone as bag ladies. We were not a pretty sight!
















And here we are complete with our blinking necklaces that Kip gifted us with!

Now what papers should I use to scrap this moment? lol

Creep Over

I spent this weekend smack dab in the middle of wonder: wonderful state park, wonderfully organized weekend crop, wondeful, whacky women and the funniest roomies! The food was yumming and there was tons of it(Yeah Mrs. Cook!), the games a riot...go Tasha! and everyone seemed to enjoy the BOO make and take that the Kipster and I came up with. It was so good to hang out with the gals.
These are the Village People: the funnies costumed group at the crop. They had a whole dance, bump and grind routine to YMCA and had us all on the verge of wetting ourselves (and I heard a wild rumor that one of the VPs actually did!) The is our "little cabin in the woods" It had a great fireplace, a cute little kitchen, a double bed and bunks. The last night we pulled the rocker out on the front porch and enjoyed wine, crackers, cheese and salami and good company. We even had some late night visitors who scared the hell out of us . It was two of the Village People! And this is us our last morning: clean and shiny and packing up to hit the road. I have a charming photo of the 3 of us earlier in the morning on our way to breakfast. We look like we are in Halloween costumes but it is just us in the layered look. I'll post that tid bit of blackmail er, memory later today.

As always, it is good to be home but I am dreading the unpacking.
A big thanks to the Hilltop Memories gang: Linda, Dee, Michelle, and Miss Elle for creating such an amazing opportunity for joy!

Sitting on the dock by the bay

Very late posting today. I could not get the photos to load this morning, got distracted and now it is after 2pm.
I am almost packed and ready to leave for the Hilltop Memories CreepOver weekend crop n. of Gainsville. I have to throw some clothes in my suitcase, buy a bottle of wine (shhhhhsh!)and get E to help me drag everything out to the van. I leave tomorrow am, drive to St. Pete to pick up the Kipster around noon and head up to the park. I am really looking forward to this mini vacation. It's been a rough week on the spirit and a good dose of gal fun will sure help fix anything that ails me.

This photo is for the poster to the blog yesterday who said she moved from Ft. Myers 3 years ago and misses the water. Leave an e-mail contact next time! This is the dock off Channel Mark restaurant on San Carlos Island right before the bridge to Estero Island and Ft. Myers Beach. We are probably doing our Thanksgiving here this year. What a view.

Enjoy the day...it is a beautiful one here in Paradise.

and don't forget: Hang Ten Paper Art Kits for Nov. are available for previewing with orders taken on Nov 1 at ten am EST at www.scrapbookshack.com. 

Thursday in Paradise

A Dr. visit on the agenda for today to find out what to do about the carpal tunnel thing going on in my left arm and a visit to cemetary to see if the decorations need changing out yet. I think my sister and I will head to McGregor Cafe for lunch. My aunt Momie and I use to eat here and my sister and I have carried on the tradition. It should stay cool enough to eat outside.

This was the view at Channel Mark where E and I went for lunch last Friday. The little birds were following the shadows cast by the pilings and napping there. This is where we will all be going for Thanksgiving this year. For all I know, we'll be in the midst of packing, my sister's place is a bit too small for all of us, and niece Jenny is still getting settled into her new home. So a restaurant for us makes the most sense this year. It will be a change for us; that much is sure.

Today is the Reveal day at www.scrapbookshack.com with our November Hang Ten Paper Arts kit up for preview. Orders start at ten am (EST) on Nov. 1. We've had a lot of fun with this one and hope everyone likes it too.

I'll put a couple of pics up in Jules' Creations once Jill has it up on the kit site.

Have a great day! (too many shows on Thurs. night...I need Tivo!) 

Ghosties dancing in the night

Since we now know we will be here through January at least, we dug out our Halloween Ghosties and circled them around the tree in the front yard. The wind picked up last night and the ghosties danced the night away. Someone came walking by as I was taking these pictures and asked if we were going to illuminate the ghosties. We've thought about putting a solar flood light or two out but the sheets show up very well at night without any other light.


I'm off to Creep Over on Friday. This is a Hilltop Memories weekend crop and I can't wait. Linda throws one heck of a crop party and I'll get to finally meet Jayne.

I'm picking Kip up a bit before noon and we'll head up to the state park where this retreat is being held. We have a cabin with our on-line friend, Jayne and will get to hang out with Dee, Elle and other Hilltop Gals. Our only regret is that our pal, Teri, had to back out as her hubby had a last minute business trip come up.
Don't forget to check out the hints about the Nov. kit on Jules' Creations. Tomorrow is the big Reveal Day with orders starting at ten am on the first of Nov. (we changed the time so you all don't have to lose sleep staying up til midnight! lol).

So, keep those Ghosties dancing! 

And all that Jazz

Just a couple of more pics from Jazz on the Green. Here is my new 'crush' Euge Groove playing great jazz. He really gets into the music and put on a great show!










and here are the Rippington's who were, as always, fantastic!








Today brings more of the same as yesterday with the purge and organziation of my work room top most on the agenda. E works until 4 both today and tomorrow and I'll be able to really get a lot done! He is a tad bit of a distraction, and I mean that in a good way!

E made plane reservations this morning for a trip "home" to St. Louis the second week of December. We'll spend a couple of days visiting with his mom and then off to see friends, my dad, and spend a full day in Old Towne St. Charles. I am hoping that Sat. is the Pasada celbration but need to check the web site to make sure. Old Towne is generally decorated for the holidays by Thanksgiving and there is nothing more Christmasy than Main Street. Can't wait!

Off to Curves. I need to get back into a routine and that has always been such a good part of that along with my biking. I hesitated for quite some time with the possibility of nerve damage in my left arm but the results are going to take a bit. I am tired of waiting and will take it easier on that side til I know for sure. 

Jazz on the Green

It was estimated that about 7,800 people attended last night's Jazz on the Green and I'd believe it. The whole place was wall to wall people and this year's festival was one of the best run yet!
We went with our neighbors'and friends, Deb and Ed who have been so kind to us and our cats over the past five years. They are our 'hurricane pals' and Deb and I've had some adventures riding our bikes and exploring together. We also met up with Christian, Allison and her mother and shared wine, cheese, crackers and dips with them during the concert. Christian and Allison live up the street and such a cute, young couple.
Maysa Leak warmed up the crowd with her sultry jazz singing. She use to do some work with Stevie Wonder and her style is complimentary of his.

Then came my current heart throb, Euge Groove. I have heard his songs
on the jazz radio w/o ever knowing who played these. Off to Barnes and
Noble today to pick up one or two of his cds.
And then came the Rippingtons and we were pleasantly surprised to find them joined by Jeff Kashiwa, whom I did not know had been with the Rippingtons before going out on his own in 1997. E and I are huge Jeff K fans and have all his cds. We first heard him at Jazz on the Green about 3 years ago. Amazing muscians, all of them.

As some of you may know already, we did receive an offer on the house but it was so low as to be downright insulting. We have let the new house go and are taking this one off the market until after the holidays at least. We will relist then at 369,000 which is the fair market value and when there will be more traffic through town due to our Seasonal residents returning. If the new house had been meant to be, it would have. As my friend Dee said not too long ago, the new house was not near water of any kind and I seem to be strongly drawn to and apparently need this element in my life. I can only think of one or two places I have ever lived that I have not been within walking distance of a lake, stream, river, canal, pond, ocean or gulf. The right house at the right time is waiting for us. I feel this to be true.

Gobble Gobble

The Turkey Testicle Festival will keep its name! The city counsel on the beach (the same ones who fought adding a park and ride bus during Season claiming that the island should be for the islanders, not tourists) decided that the name of the festival was not a good one and was trying to force the Surf Club, who sponsors the event each year, to change the name. I guess that the counsel thought the name not classy enough for our fun beach or something. But, wiser folks prevailed, partly due to the proliferation of other festivals nation-wide with the same "testicle" word in their titles. Yeah for the Surf Club and the like minded citizens.

So, for the 4th. year, the Surf Club will be hosting the event the Sat. before Thanksgiving. E and I, once again, had our dates confused. We were a tad early but did snag some of these tees for friends of ours who will wear them with great pride! YOu know who you are!

We ate lunch at Channel Mark. I had not eatern here in a long time but my sister claimed it is good food and cold beer and those seem to be our two chief ingredients for a good restaurant on the beach. CM is on the back bay and I'll post some pics from lunch. The jellyfish were out and I got a couple of decent shots of those. I'll have to crop to get them a bit more visible.

Off to a 40% off sale at one of the lss here in town...everything in the store. ScrapbooksNStickers on Metro is moving and I am going to see what I can snag (cardstock for sure)! Than I have a hair cut at noon and pick up E at work at 1:30. We leave for Jazz on the Green around 3:30 with our neighbors so we can stake out a good viewing spot on the lawn.
Can't wait for this event. I've been traveling the last couple of yearly concerts!

Off to do laundry and get cleaned up...have a good one all!

No Clue what is up....

Posting from Paradise

Every time I log on to my blog, the links vanish and reappear only if I scroll all the way down on the left. If you are looking for Jules' Creations to get the second hint for the Nov. Hang Ten Kit, that is what you will have to do. Sorry about this. Will try to get this fixed soon!

TGIF

Today's photo is another door; this one is from the 'village' where Arlene and I meet across from Tin City in Naples. I loved the intricate iron work on thi door and the lovely light to the left. The whole 'village' reminded both Arlene and I of Venice and this door just reinforced the impression!

We're off to Lowe's to get the stakes for my dancing ghosties for the front yard(picture to follow tomorrow), and then to the beach. E has the day of and we are going to play! We are on a quest for some of the Turkey Testicle Festival for a couple of our St. Louis pals who will appreciate the festival title!. Then, on to lunch.

and, speaking of St. Louis...


HOW ABOUT THOSE CARDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

We have an on-going friendly rivalry with our friends in Titusville, Kim and Jerry. We compete to see who can send the other the strangest or funniest plush toy that sings etc. We started small with little dancing Santa Hats and have worked our way up to the Turkey that sings Turkey Trot that they sent up last Thanksgiving. When E brought this home from Sweetbay last week, I knew we would have a leg up on the competition. I loved it so much, he brought me one home the next day.

When you push his hand, he jumps up and down and sings, "I want Candy!" . Way too cute.


I have a nerve conductivity test on my left arm today at ten to try to figure out why I have the intermitten pain in my hand. Although the pain has decreased in frequency, it is still as strong when it 'hits'. Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this so I am not ODing on Aleve all the time.

I have two layout ideas roaming through my head and need to get some notes made at least. I started the December Winter Wishes kit yesterday and the lovely colors keep drawing me back. I'm forcing myself to go slow on this kit so that I don't miss an opportunity to incorporate the oh so pretty elements into it.

Not much else on the agenda for today. Thinking I must go by the Owl and the Pussycat Stamp Art Store here in Ft. Myers after my dr. apt. for a reward, ya know? I leave that store so inspired every time! Regina is an amazing artist.

Have a good one (humming here "I want Candy"...lol)

Sunrise in Paradise

I took these pictures yesterday morning and could not shoot fast enough...the colors kept shifting and deepening and gaining in intensity. I sat on the patio in my jammies (which I ended up wearing until well into the afternoon) sipping my coffee and just reveling in the theatrics of morning dawning here in Paradise.
The sort and purge continues in my work room today. Can you explain to me why anyone would have 3 boxes of different sized glass slides? Me either but have them I do. I do tend to buy things in large quantities as I know the company will stop making
whatever it is, the minute it finds out
I love it! lol.

I have a trip to the library and the UPs store on my agenda but not much more.

I did complete a layout yesterday and posted it in Jules'Creations. I love the Biggest Board pop outs by Fancy Pants Designs and have declared those my latest obsession! The letter I wrote to Cosmo Cricket is up on their site. I just love Julie Comstock's sense of humor and the products are really addictive with which to scrap

Off to start my day...hope yours is a good one! 

Going to the birds!

The last time Kristen, Kip and I ate at this cute little tiki bar restaurant, we were entertained by a gator shopping for his lunch. Sunday, we were joined by this very large bird.
At one point he/she was picking through the trash can next to the dock and took off with a beak full of french fries.

I love little restaurants, haunted by locals and located on water. This one had a 3 piece band playing tropical tunes, decent food and a wonderful view!
Love this pic of the bird!




We are off to the beach on Friday. E has the day off and the Sand Sculpting Contest is starting on Estero Island. I went last year and got some awesome pictures. It is amazing what these artists do to create their wonderful sculptures. We are also on the look out for teeshirts for some of our pals. More about that later. The beach is famous for many festivals but the one we have in mind is one of the more notorious ones...lol.

Sat. is Jazz on the Green! I missed the last couple of events and am so glad we are going to this one. The Remmingtons' Twentieth Anniversary Tour is the highlight with some other good acts as well.


Have a great day! 

More pics from Sarasota

This is the Main Mama from the Hilltop Memories. Linda and my cruise roomie Dee put on one heck of a crop. The food was divine, the company wonderous and the laughter comes in unlimited supply! What more could you ask for...oh, yes! The traveling scrapbook store...supplied with cardstock, fun papers, stamps, inks and very cool things to alter...along with albums, adhesives etc. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh bliss.



Darling Dee!
And look at our cute dessert! These fun pumpkin was created out of individual cupcakes. Barb still had hers and Gerri-anne's in her plastic box when they dropped me off at my house last night!



Thanks for the fun times Hilltop Girls and thanks for making my pals Kim, Gerri-anne and Barb feel so welcomed! They are all going to Winter Retreat too! Yeah!


More pics later today! 

The Ft. Myers Crew hits Sarasota

What a fun day we had. Kim surprised us all by not only being on time but early at our point of departure in Ft. Myers. Way to go Kim! We got to the crop early, greeted Linda, Dee and the other Hilltoppers who were also settling in. We claimed our tables, hauled in our scrap crap and took off for a couple of local scrap stores. We got back to the crop in time for Linda's famous chicken salad wraps! Oh be still my heart!

Hours and hours of fun, frivolity and even some much needed crop time, it was supper time and again Linda wowed us .


This is Gerri-anne, Barb's daughter, and what a fun gal! She created the very cutest Disney mini book I have ever seen! It is a must have and she should teach this somewhere soon!








Here are Barb and Kim hard at work.
Kim was working on 4 copies of a
darling Halloween layout that she
designed with corregated cardboard and lots of cute, cute pumpkins and of course pictures of her oh too cute kids!


Barb was working on the Hang Ten Mailer kit as she said it helped to have one of the owners sitting next to her. She was doing just fine w/o me...just needed to look at the pictures! lol


We are ready to eat our breakfast soon and then will be heading up to Palm Harbor where we will meet up with the Kipster (I've told the girls all about you Kip and they can't wait), my daughter, whom they already know and maybe one of two of the Hilltop gals from last night! Lunch and shopping at Ruban Rouge...can't wait!


Kim, who usually gives prizes at convention and store crops, won a prize for a change! She won Linda's big prize of the evening: a free weekend at the Winter Retreat. Both Barb and Gerri-anne signed up too! Can't wait! 

From the Atlantic Coast

We spent last NewYear's with our friends in Titusville and got to experience the "other coast". The waves are bigger, the sand rougher but the salt air smells the same. Whatever else is different, it is still another day in Paradise.
I am off today with three pals to Sarasota to crop with the Hilltop Memories gals. These crops are fun, well organized and the food rocks! Linda does an amazing job assisted by Dee and others. Can't wait to get and give hugs. Kip gets to hang out with the gals more often than I do. Hopefully, I'll be closer before too long and can play a bit more than I get to now.

I don't know if I'll have a connection on Minnie, my beloved and very cute lap top, so if not, then I'll check in on Monday morning. Will be cropping today, staying the night, shopping at the amazing Ruban Rouge tomorrow and meeting up with the Kipster and my daughter for lunch...can't wait.

Enjoy your weekend where ever your Paradise might be. 

Family Traditions

Since we don't know yet where we will be this holiday season, I've been thinking a lot about family traditons.
My Nana use to always serve one glass of sherry on Christmas Even to the adults in these beautiful little glasses. This was the only time alcohol was allowed in her home. She also passed around her treasured box of chocolate covered cherries and everyone was allowed to take one. I got to keep all the ruffled little paper holders for doll dishes. I buy one box of these candies every Christmas in her honor and keep it in the fridge just like she did.

Our step dad had his own twist on a family tradition. Each year he would tape our family get together with everyone wishing all Happy Holidays. My sister has these tapes and they sure bring back lots of good memories.

For the past 14 or 15 years, at our house (where ever that has been), we have a tradition that the youngest or newest member of the family (or any unwary guests) read the Cajun Night Before Christmas in dialect on Christmas Eve. I am not sure where or why we started this tradition but it remains to this day. Last year, Tony read the book to us with our reader in training looking on. Can't wait to hear Kaela read this to us!

I'm off on an adventure tomorrow. Barb, Gerry-anne, Kim and I are heading out at 8 am to head to the Hilltop Crop in Sarasota. Believe it or not, all my scrap stuff is packed into my xxl except for Minnie who has her own lovely red travel case. My change of clothes, on the other hand, would fit into a lunch bag...tells where my priorities are. I have 3 projects all bagged up and I am ready to go!

Have a great day all! 

For the Birds

There was a pirate/bird show on the beach for Pirate Days and the birds were amazing. This one is so pretty and is "retired" no longer performing. When the current kind and caring owners got the bird, he was a baby and had been mistreated. He is blind and was very sweet around the small children in the audience.

Friends of ours have birds like these. I think they are now down to one. Their bird talks non stop and is very funny. He calls the dog in Kim's voice and says things like "Bad Louie (the dog)," as the dog sits and looks up at him very confused. The bird also has learned their phone ring and they have to change it often so they are not getting up and down to answer a phone that is not really ringing. The bird calls Kim in her husband and son's voices and calls her husband in her voice. It makes for some fun and confusion in their house and adds to the excitement of visiting them...

I am trying to figure out exactly what I want to work on at the crop this weekend. I have several projects all packed up but will have to narrow down my choices or rent a U-Haul truck. And I need to leave space in my bag for all the fun things Linda (www.hilltopmemories.com) will have in her traveling store and all the things I will just have to have the next day when 3 of us visit Ruban Rouge (www.rubanrougepaperarts.com).

This weekend will be lots of fun since it has been eons since I've cropped with Kim (owner of www.scrapbooksnstickers.com) who is sponsoring the retreat on Marco Island the end of November, my old traveling buddy and Roomie, Barb and Barb's daughter, Gerry-Anne. I am really looking forward to introducing them to the great gals I know from Hilltop Memories retreats and to get some fun scrapping done.

Off to rent the U-Haul (j/k), Have a great day! (did I say I had posted my classes for the SNS retreat on Marco on my Jules' Creations blog? Oh, I did! LOL (please let me know what you think)

Big Biscuit Day

A Big Biscuit Day is what my friend, Kip, calls a day where you get special things or a day where everything seems to go your way....a kick butt kind of event, you know? Well, today was a Big Biscuit Day for me.

First, I got all the pages from a 6x6 page swap with a bunch of crazy women at a private yahoo site. Each one is more lovely and more humorous than the next! Thanks gals; I am loving these.

Next, I got a Bazzil order with tons of cardstock I had been needing and some cool flowers and big brads.

And then, as if all of the above was not enough for a Big Biscuit Day label, the order I placed with my $150.o0 first place winnings came in. I posted a pic of my booty above. I got all three of the new Christmas/Winter Daisy D paper kits and they are so pretty, I probably won't be able to cut them! lol. Lots of good stuff with which to play. A big thanks to Debbie at www.littlescrapbox.com for the contest, for picking my layout and for her fast, fast, fast service! She has these contests every month and hosts a monthly challenge and a weekly challenge on the message board. It is a friendly and very pretty site.

And Jill, my partner in the Hang Ten Paper Art Kits co., sent me the last of the items I need for our December kit, Winter Wishes. I love everything we are putting into this kit so very much that it will be hard to let any of them go. Hope you like them too...but first, November's kit, and it is timely!

Cool mornings are here!

It is a delightful morning here in Paradise. The temps are in the middle 60s and we have the whole house open to catch the wonderful breezes.

Work, work, work on the agenda for today. I have to finish up the cover for a project for the retreat on Marco Island for the end of November and write up the directions for both my classes. (for further information go to www.scrapbooksnstickers.com) I also need to type up the directions for Nov's Hang Ten Paper Arts kits (www.scrapbookshack.com) and get those off to my partner, Jill. If I get all my jobs done, tomorrow is play day here. All work and no play makes for a crabby Jules. E is off to work until 4 today and all my laundry is done.

I do need to order our and our neighbors tickets for Jazz on the Green which is weekend after next. We missed a couple of years as I was traveling but we are home for sure this year.

I also need to start packing for the Hilltop Memories Crop(www.hilltopmemories.com ) in Sarasota this coming weekend. Barb, Gerry-anne, Kim and I will head up early Sat. morning and crop our little fingers to the bone all day Sat. We are spending the night and Barb, Gerry-anne and I will head up to Ruban Rouge (www.rubanrougepaperarts.com ) to shop and to meet Kristen and Kip for lunch next door to the scrap store.

Lots of fun stuff to look forward to and I am! Have a great day all.

I am posting some pics of one of my classes at the Marco Retreat in Jules' Creations, so click to the right if you'd like a teaser! thanks, Jules