Last day of May

Tomorrow, not only is the June Hang Ten kit revealed at www.hilltopmemories.com, but it is E and my 12th. Anniversary. June is a busy month for us. Our anniversary tomorrow, Kristen and Chris' 4th. anniversary on June 6th, the Tampa Expo ("Things that Touch My Heart" class by Hang Ten)on June 8-9th,and my 60th b'day on June 9. And then I am taking a long nap....lol.

Tomorrow also starts the installation of my work room and I can hardly wait. This chaos of having things spread out everywhere and organized no where is driving me nuts. The doors to the cabinets will not be in until early next week, but the cabinets and shelving units and the formica top will be done by mid day tomorrow.

We are off to join either SAMS or COSTCO today. I miss the cheaper bulk inks for my printers and E misses the larger sized spices for his pantry.

Staples did a fantastic job turning the Hang Ten business card into a heavy weight poster and I can hardly wait to show it off at the Tampa Expo. They are printing the directions for the class now and then I can finish loading the kits.

I may be off-line for a day or two as everything in this room has to be unplugged, moved out and reinstalled over the weekend and we are at the mercy of our boys, Chris and Rob and when they can come to take care of us! Love those boys!

Have a great day!

Party pics as promised...

The first pic is of my daughter, Kristen, and her friend and Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority sis, Dena. Dena was my daughter's attendant at her wedding and probably her best friend. The next pic is of my favorite, and only, son-in-law, Chris, Rob's friend, Tracy, and the Kipster. The next is our realtor, Linda (facing back towards the camera) E, Shilo, a friend of Linda and Kristen's and Shilo's husband, Mike.

And the last is a pic of Tracey and Rob.

A good time was had by all...or at least I hope so.

The on going search for the perfect dive!

I am not talking about air tanks and beautiful underwater vistas. I am talking about a bar/restaurant that the minute you walk into it, you feel like you are home. I am talking about a place with no pretensions of grandeur and no false bravado and no white table cloths for sure! I am talking about the kind of place country singers croon about such as in the song, "I've got friends in low places..." .

In Ft. Myers, we had our beloved Mulloch Creek Marina. The beer was cold, cheap and on Friday nights, you got karaoke and spaghetti w/meatballs, salad, Texas toast and desert for 6.00. The view of the boats on the river was free. We were always welcomed and everyone was friends, season or off season.

We have been on a quest to find "our place" since we arrived. Yesterday, on the advise of Rob's friend, Tracy, whom we met at our party Sunday, we tried Miss Vicky's on the river. It sits back in a marina as most do on this river. There is no food service on Monday's and that was not going to change just because this one was Memorial Day. We did look at a menu while we drank a cold brew or two and chatted with the bartender,Liz. This is a place that fits most of our requirements. It is a "locals" hang out for sure and we were greeted with great warmth by the patrons and Liz as well. We were even treated to the one food that was being served, boiled peanuts in cajun sauce. These taste like pinto beans and must be a regional thing because E and I have never seen them before we moved here. Not too bad but as Liz said, people either love 'em or hate 'em. I fell somewhere in between.

I'll post a couple of pics from Sunday's party later today. E is painting my work room closet and maybe one wall today and I am working on a couple of kits. Have a great day all.

Greetings on Memorial Day Weekend

When we lived in Ft. Myers, my sister and I always tried to get by the cemetery to put a red/white/and blue decoration of some sort on both my Uncle Harlan and my step-dad, Papa Joe's burial sites. Today, I am 2 1/2 hours away but they are sure in my thoughts. Both of them were in the US Army and Harlan was assigned to Patton's army as a clerk. He saw the D-Day invasion and I have many of his pictures from that time.

I am always amazed at what a fantastic job the Am Vets, the VFW and the Boy Scouts do at decorating the graves of those who served in our armed services on special days such as this one. I know that a flag has been placed for both Harlan and Papa Joe.

We are having friends and family over for a cook out today. E has been fixing an amazing potato salad of his and much much more. Looking forward to our first party in our new home.

Whatever your plans for this wonderful weekend, be safe and enjoy!

Emeril's picture is hung...E is officially home!

I had to laugh the other day when E hung his signed photo of his hero, Emeril. He sighed and said, "I'm home now!" This is way too funny. Pete and Moni (the Scrappin' Sister of Cleveland gave E this photo of his hero a few Christmases back. Pete found it on E bay and it has been my E's pride and joy ever since). Actually, the Scrappin' Sisters are the ones who dubbed Gene (my husband 'real life' name) with his nomiker, E short for Emeril, natch! I miss you too muchly girls!

Had a great day cropping at Ruban Rouge. Lisa is too much fun and some of the Cabana Crew (or, as Kip now calls us "her people") and several of the Smoochie Girls all hung out, scrapped and had such a good time. Many thanks Lisa!

Happy Birthday to my Mom who would have been 81 today. She was 21 by 2 wks. when I was born. Miss you more than you can know!

Happy Early Birthday to me....

everyone sing along now! Last weekend, my pal, the Kipster gave me the cutest little kleenex holder that has the wonderful picture of our Cabin Cuties on the front. What a great time we had. Love it, Kip and many thanks!

Then yesterday, I got two more early birthday gifts. Our fun pals from St. Louis, Steve and Dee Dee sent me three bottles of Missouri wines and the vignole is so hard to get that I shall save it for The Big Day! I am sipping the Little Hills Winery's Main Street White as I blog...talk about great inspiration! and as if the wine was not enough, look at the cute little pink flamingo wine bottle holder that the Schmidt's sent as well. You two are too much! Love ya!

And then, after Mike's not letting me use my 50% off coupon on the the die cutting machine I wanted, E and I stopped by Jo's for some silk flowers and more grape vines for the kitchen. Low and behold! and throwing in a Eureka for good measure, Jo's had the machine at 40% off w/no coupon required. E sent me on an errand in the store and when I returned had paid for it for an early birthday gift.

I am very blessed, great friends who come up with clever and fun gifts and a husband who is a treasure!

So join me in singing, "Happy Early Birthday to me..." (and I still have a good two weeks plus to go...)

At the Winn-Dixie...

while waiting for E to finish his shopping, I almost passed the bin with the surf board pillows and beach balls. Out of idle curiosity, I went back and found just one that read "Hang Ten". Of course I had to buy this for my workroom. E laughed the whole way home. I may have found my 'theme' for the room...kitchey 50s beach! Ya gotta love it!

Lunch at Mango Mama's

About one pm today we had both had enough of the unpack/dress the top of the cabinets in the kitchen/laundry etc. work ethic we had embraced since about 7 am. We cleaned up and drove about 4 minutes to a place I found on one of my biking adventures. Mango Mama's (just named a few weeks ago) is a hidden treasure opposite the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs. I had the fried clams w/fries and cole slaw and I have to say, these are some of the best I've had. Think the old Howard Johnson's clam roll good! These are the fried clams I use to love at Mantazas on the Back Bay in Ft. Myers before they changed the clams they used.

Our waitress, Jackie, was friendly and made us feel like the regulars we will probably become. This cute little place serves breakfast and lunch now during 'summer' hours and has a party/dinner night about every 6 wks. As we were leaving, another of the gals who work there asked us if we were coming to party night (June 8th) and Jackie immediately introduced us to Tara. Now how nice is that?

Here are a few pics of the place...don't ya love it? Oh, and the beer is Land Shark which is brewed in Jacksonville, Fl out of the Margaritaville Micro Brewery. Tastes a lot like Coors!

Kits for sale

I've gotten a couple of e-mails asking if the Tampa Expo kits are for sale. Yes, and I will take orders after the Expo if I have any kits left. The price will be the same but all that will be missing is me! and all that will be added is the shipping cost. I know not everyone can come to Tampa for the Expo even if it is going to be a monumental birthday for me...lol.

Thanks to those who asked about ordering a kit!

Tampa Expo class preview

Wonder what would happen if you mix Basic Gray and the Biscuit book by Delish? Quit shaking your head "NO". Of course you did/do! Well, what happens is the Hang Ten Paper Art Kits company class I am teaching at the Tampa Expo June 8 and 9th. You will get 6 sheets of BG's hot new line, "Phoebe", tons of ribbons and flowers to match, a Biscuit book from Delish, lots of beads and glitz and you get to play with Twinkling H20s and paints. These are truly "Things that Touch My Heart". You can register by going to www.scrapbookexpo.com

And, if you take the class on Sat., you may get something fun as it is my birthday!

Big Thanks to Michelle and the Kipster

You gals were wonderful. Michelle, next time bring your suit. Many thanks to you both for the help with the Tampa Expo kits!

Biking through Paradise

Last Sat. I set out for another adventure with Hank, my hybrid bike. We went up Old Dixie Hwy, made a left onto Alt. 19 (a funky old Florida type road), crossed the two lane bridge over the Anclote River and made a right at the Sponge Docks. Total biking time: 5 minutes. It would have been less but I walked my bike over the bridge. The biking/walking path along side the bridge is not finished and the bridge is narrow.

I love the fact that these views are available to me any time and quickly should I find myself in need of my water fix. I must have been either a MerMaid or a sailor in another life.

Michelle, Dee, Kip, Linda, Kim and many others have told me the other house deal fell through for a reason and that I would not have been nearly as happy there as I am here. I truly believe they are right!

The sigh of contentment you hear is brought to you by my new locale!

10,000 hits as of today

And the person from Glassboro, New Jersey was no. 10,000. Thanks and if you e-mail me (eeickmeier@hotmail.com) I have something to send you for being No. 10,000!

Drink of the Day mini album

I still have 3 Drink of the Day kits left. You get the Delish Biscuit Book, 6 sheets of Paper Salon Cabana papers, an embellishment pack with 3 stamped drinks complete with embossing and "ice", a Heidi Swapp white daisy flower, and a chocked full embellishment pack with paint and a brush. Add your pics and you have a great momento of your favorite drinks or those from a cruise.

If interested, please contact me at eeickmeier@hotmail.com for more information.

Why I like to go to crops...

I belong to a retreat group called Hilltop Memories (www.hilltopmemories.com). Linda, the owner, does a crop almost every month and has weekend retreats from time to time like the cruise, CreepOver, Winter Retreat and the upcoming Birthday Crop and the Fried Green Tomatoes Retreat. I can not tell you how much fun these events are or how good the food and how amazing the company. You've seen some of the fun photos taken at these events which take place pretty much all over the state. Some times I'll teach a class and sometimes I just go to play. Keep up the good work, my friend, Linda!

Another upcoming retreat that sounds like fun is the one in September by Kim Hodges (www.scrapbooksnsticker.com). She is holding her retreat on Marco Island and you can check out her site for details. There are going to be some big names there teaching classes and little ol' me as well.

The best thing about retreats and crops for me is not the fact I get tons of my scrapping and projects done (because I don't) but the Group Therapy that takes place and laughter amongst friends. On the cruise, the ages spanned from cute Amanda at 20 to the old biddy, me at almost 60 but we all had a blast. We have come to share far more than scrapping. We are friends!

Afternoon at the Tiki Bar...

Three cheers for the Rubber Suit Brigade and a shot of one of the beaches in the Bahamas for your viewing pleasure.

And, after a long day of hanging pictures, getting the best bid for my workroom, checking into solar heating for the pool and a nice bike ride down by the docks, it is time for that Cabana Boy Hunk, er ah Hank to serve a round or two of those tall frothy concoctions with those oh, so cute paper umbrellas...

Oh Cabana Boy! Make mine a double!

Belated Thanks to Hambly Screen Prints

I want to thank Hambly (www.HamblyScreenPrints.com) for the gift I won by posting on the blog. I have been a long time fan of Hambly and getting all these goodies from the company is such a delight. Thanks to all!

As I promised....THE CONTEST

Linda (www.hilltopmemories.com) and I are sponsoring a layout contest. There will be a first, second and third place prize. So, here are the rules.

1. You must do a one page layout (or two) but no mini pages. It should be at least 8.5x10.

2. You must use the title "And my (husband, boss, boyfriend, children, mother, friends....you pick)thinks I was scrapping"

3. You must send me an e-mail and attach the layout (I'll be putting them up here unless you ask me not to). Linda and I'll get some judges and award prizes accordingly.

4. The due date for this contest (must be sent on or before this date)is June 15th. That gives you almost 4 weeks. Enough time?

On your mark, get set, goooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Thirty five Mother's Days under my belt...

but who is counting? lol. During the move, I found a sack containing some of the kids' baby items: some dresses of Kristen's, some sun suits of Rob's and Rob's first pair of shoes. My how he has grown in a mere 35 years. It goes way too fast!

We spent Mom's Day out at and in the pool. E cranked up the hot tub and then we all cooled off in the pool when the temp got too hot. E fixed some grilled chicken and his home made macaroni which is to die for. I got lovely tulips from Rob and some Nemo pool toys from Chris and Kristen. This was truly a Mom's Day to remember. Thanks E and Kids!

Happy Mother's Day to all

This is one of my favorite pictures of my mom whom we lost to cancer almost eight years ago. My grandmother had a whole album with pictures of my mother's childhood and I inherited several of her later pictures in Kodak black and whites.

My mother was a 'late in life' child, born when my grandmother was in her 40s. She was spirited, loving and my best friend! I miss her no less than the day we lost her. Here's hoping my children feel the same way about me.

Hat's off to moms everywhere!

Smoke gets in my eyes....

We awoke to rolling clouds of smoke yesterday so hazy we could hardly see the house a couple of doors down the street. We closed up the house and set back to work on boxes...what else?

We had the two room planners scheduled at nine and three and both came up with great ideas for organizing me and even providing some office space for E (aka "the keeper of the papers" in our house). We have one bid so far which made me drop my drawers (and yes, I have found the box with those items in it! YEAH!)but E hardly blinked. For overflow company, we bought a bed high inflatable bed. That way when Steve and DeeDee, Kim and Jerry come for New Year's, no one has to sleep on the couch

We had planned on lunch out at one of the cute little restaurants down on the sponge docks, but the smoke put a kabosh on that. Instead we managed to get ourselves lost hunting for Pinch-a-Penny pool place and ended up in the old down town of Palm Harbor at an Irish Pub. Our son-in-law called as the city of Tarpon had closed for the day due to the smoke and he was able to join us. Great food and a fun atmosphere. We did find the pool store and signed up for Pool School! so we can learn how to maintain what the cats believe to be their large water bowl in our back yard. We also set up and apt. with a solar panel guy to get an estimate about adding panels as the propane costs to heat this baby are high.

Today has been declared, Empty the Boxes in the House day so I won't be opening any more surprise boxes from the garage.

I do need to get E to set up my work table as I have a kit due to Hang Ten June 1 that is still lacking directions, a technique column due at Little Scrap Box, and I also need to write and locate a printer for the Hang Ten class at the Tampa Expo June 8 and 9.

Sign me, Relocated Paradise Gal,
Jules

The shotgun approach to unpacking....

Despite E's careful numbering and labeling of boxes, we seem to have developed a rather unorganized approach to unpacking the almost 100 boxes from our old house to our new. Yesterday, in an attempt to find the box containing my underwear, I tackled a whole line of smaller boxes that E had lined up in the hallway. All in all, I unpacked and put away about 15. You'd think that with his system, any of the boxes labeled "J's belongings" might result in something but ah, nope! Most seemed to be more of what even I am referring to as scrap crap!

Armed with a place by place list of things we need for the new house (different trash cans, new litter box for the Boys, etc) and a map of the surroundig areas, we ventured forth day before yesterday. After touring some lovely horse farms (not on the agenda)and taking a couple of other scenic routes (my term for getting lost), we found a shopping center. We came home with only about a quarter of the items on our list and brand new bedding/curtains for the guest room which were not on our list.

The guest room in the old house was beachy and nautical which up-north visitors seemed to expect. As E and I keep telling each other, this is not the old house. Because we have my grandmother's furniture (1911 on)in that room, we went with an 'antique-y' decor this time as you can see. The walls will be repainted as some time in the future and pictures hung as soon as we can find them.

You don't suppose the picture box is where my underwear is now, do you?

A few selected moments from the cruise!

Home from a wonderous adventure!

WOW! That is about the best way to describe this wonderful cruise...the food was marginal but the laughter, the friendship, the tranquil Carribean waters, the Drink of the Day every day, the fun gals....these outweigh the food by such a long shot!

We had such a good time. And I got a real surprise when Jill (Seashell Girl) from the old CKMB and Janet M and my CHA pal showed up to play with the Hilltop Memories gals. I had a blast.

I thought the first cruise was amazing but Linda (www.hilltopmemories.com) out did that first with her careful planning...kudos to you, my friend!

Now, about those really cute gals in the picture. There were a tad over 23 of us total but these seemed to be the hardcore floaters that day on Half Moom Cay, the liner's private island and we all have red shoulders to prove it!

Look out Jamaica....here come the Hilltop Girls!

Back to unpacking boxes!

Greetings from Tarpon Springs

We're in the house, the furniture has arrived, been placed, rearranged and several pieces either passed on to the kids or stored in the garage for resale at a later date. We had cable for about an hour or two yesterday so the cable guy is due back today. The POD with the rest of our life is due in today and the phone hook up was suppose to happen yesterday....

Nothing was broken by the movers but they showed up a day early. Oh well!

I leave tomorrow for the Hilltop Memories cruise with the Kipster, Linda, Michelle, my roomie Dee, Mama Jayne and about 20 some others....can't wait. All I asked of my family for Mom's day was that the baby gate around the pool, which obstructs our view be down and that Harry, my computer, and all his attachments (Zorro,my Wishblade, Big Bertha the 12x12 printer, etc. all be up and running) by my return. The only cost to them all is time...!

The neighborhood here is very quiet. This morning I took a walk around our area and up to the park which is about a half block away. The trails there go back to the Anclote River which is not far away.

We're going to turn on the pool heater this afternoon and take our first swim today. We've been so busy getting things moved in and arranged and waiting for this and that that we havent' taken our first full dip yet....done a bit of toe dipping and the water is a trifle too cool yet for full immersion!

More later....I'm home hon!