CORRECTION! Alert! CORRECTION

I listed Teresa's contact info incorrectly

Teresa616@aol.com


mea culpa!

Teresa's Creations

I met Teresa through my daughter, Kristen, when they both worked at Pinellas Central Elementary. According to my dd, Teresa kept the school organized and running smoothly from the front office! and now both of us think the world of Teresa. What was even better is that Teresa is a scrapbooker and now we can chat at Hilltop Memories crop events like the Birthday Crop this past weekend.

Now, I've discovered Teresa's talents are not limited to just the paper arts....she makes these (AND OTHER designs) darling bags and towels. I had to have that towel...I told her she must have used my back side as the model...lol.

Anyway, here is how you too can have one of these (OR OTHER) cute creations. E mail : Teresa16@aol.com
for details!

I've got another promo for you tomorrow so, if you are a dog lover, be sure to check back for an opportunity to contribute in a variety of ways to ensuring the life of a rescued dog or pup is secured.

And I'll post some layouts really soon, I promise!

Have a great Monday!

Day Three of the Birthday Crop

Class went well and we sold all but one of the Cup Cake book kits. I love teaching these Hilltop Memories gals...you couldn't ask for a more fun group!

Barb and G-a brought me back a gift from CKC in Lauderdale when they went. Chris, don't ya love it? !!!

Here are Kath and Barb in their matching Scrappy Girl jammies. And this was before Kath passed out her share treat to several of us. Believe it or not, Jill didn't even have one before she 'decorated' herself with scraps from her trash bag. I have a great pic of Kip and her nose bling but can't post it under pain of death....I think we were all just sleep deprived!

I have my altered bottle class at ten this morning and the class is sold out. Incredibly, I have finished the donation doggie album for Deb for the Boxer Rescue Auction to be held in Oct. (details to follow), 2 layouts with pictures of our friend Jill L and Just Jack the Cat and 2 layouts for my Garden album! This breaks my previously held record of 3 layouts in one day. Generally, I finish one layout the entire weekend but I sure do get caught up with all my cropping pals.

Well, have to pack up and head out to the retreat! More images to follow! Wait til you see the darling towels and totes that Theresa makes. I'll give info on how you too can have one of her way too cute stuff tomorrow and how you can donate to the Boxer Rescue mission.

Enjoy!

Friday afternoon in Cropsville (aka Hilltop Memories Retreat)

Here we are waiting time for the crop to open so we can start playing with papers. We are all staying at a hotel down the street from the crop where the rest are either camping or having a giant slumber party in the crop room.

I finished the mini album I did for the Boxer Rescue auction that dear Deb is assisting with here in Tampa area next Oct. and think it turned out pretty cute. I'll have to get it back from Deb and take some pics!

Today is my class (Cup Cake mini ablum) and there are now 18 in the class with 5 outside orders for the kits. Yeah! And tomorrow is the Altered Bottle class which has only one opening. Another Yeah!

Jill is brewing the coffee and the other two, G-a and Sonia, who are sharing the suit with us are still snoozing. We're going to have a leisurely morning as we don't have to set up for class until
9:30...more later

Have a great Sat.!

Happy Weekend one and all

Slept like a log last night. Jill and I ran errands for most of the morning on Thursday and never did get around to cropping. I repacked to include all my goodies from our scrap store marathon shopping trip on Wed. All I have left to pack is my clothes and my meds.

Speaking of meds, I've had a persistent dry cough since last Nov. and had been taking some allergy pills from the dr which seemed to help a lot. When I went to get the renewal, the dr. suggested that perhaps my high blood pressure meds might be the cause of the cough. So, now I am on these teeny tiny pills that I have to cut in half...lost half of one already trying to cut these. This is an experiment to see what the cause of the cough actually is. And she increased my water retention pill dosage as she said my feet and ankles were puffy...maybe I just have puffy ankles I said, nope....more pills. I've had to switch cases to an am/pm one. The trials and tribulations of getting older...sigh!

Back to the weekend. We're meeting up with Roz and Twinks at Violette's while Barb, Janet, Sonia, and G-a head to Whims in St. Pete. We are all joining forces for lunch in Brandon before we head to Miss Linda's wonderful Birthday Crop for three glorious days of cropping and laughter. Can't wait.

Speaking of crops, Janet and G-a are hosting a weekend of classes and cropping and fun at Janet's store in Bonita Springs , Fl. The Hoe Down is scheduled for July 12 and 13th. and I'll be there with bells on. You can get more information sent to you by contacting admin@knkclub.com or by calling Janet's store, Scrapbooks Etc., in Bonita Springs Fl.
Hope to see you there!

Off and running. Will post lots of fun pics very soon. Have a great weekend and wish you all could come with us to the Hilltop Memories b'day Crop!

Happy Thurs.

Jill arrived right on time and she and I hit the deck running. We managed to visit 3 lss in the course of one day: Ruban Rouge (one of my fave's being only 13min. from my house and always chocked full of goodies), Scrapbooking with Love (I'd never been to this delightful store and loved it) and Scrapbook Shoppe (cute place and high energy owner)!

Jill got of the plane with a cute little polka dot bucket for me labeled Bucket of Rain since we had needed it so badly. So what happens? We get caught in a torrential downpour all the way home from the Scrapbook Shoppe and it took us what seemed like hours.

We're scrapping the day away so I'll check back in later. Have a great one!

Honesty and truth in posting...lol

Roaming through the KnK mb this morning, I came across the post that asked to see what everyone's work space looked like right now! Of course, my first thought was that I would wait to post until I get to the cleaning in here before I take a picture and post it to the thread. After all, I am in the midst of packing for two classes and a weekend retreat and still trying to get two last minute projects finished before I leave on Friday, right? (newsflash, make that 3 projects...I just noticed some clothes pins I have been working on are dry so I can continue with those too...lol).

Then, I thought to myself...nope! I am going to show my room in all its glory, or not. So here it is!

For me, the act of creating is a messy one and, being a true Gemini, I generally have 3 or 4 projects simmering. I try to keep these organized in art bins. When the bug bites, I am prone to pull stuff out from here and there. Would paint work best? What about a glaze or a photo transfer.

I am one of those people who have to have it in front of me or I forget it I have it, so my memo board is covered with little bags of ephemera gleaned from an antique crawl with Kip or tiny projects almost completed. And, add in the reminders and fun sites and business cards, combine with some tags from events and a quote or two and you have it...honest and truthful.

Off to rummage through some more of my snippets of treasures to see what I can do with these pretty clothes pins (idea compliments of one of the Stampington mags that I love!).

BTW: that very neat area by Harry, our main computer, is the last of the cleaning I have done in here lately. Notice the can of Pledge? It is the thought that counts, right?

Have a great one and make a mess!

Happy Monday or Tues or whatever day it is!

I got a bit confused when I was posting the Morning thread at KnK and thought it was Tuesday. Guess I am just wanting the week to hurry by. Jill gets in Wed. morning and it looks like we'll be meeting up with Roz and Twinks at Violette's and lunch before we head to the Hilltop Memories Birthday Crop. What fun! Jill has been wanting to go to Violettes...now to google the directions!

I did this layout of my great niece, Kaela, with the wonderful PDQ papers by Bisous.biz. I added a few flowers and a dab here and there of Krylon ink and voila!

Off to print out some more pics to scrap this coming weekend. I am looking forward to teaching the Cup Cake book on Sat. morning and the Altered Bottle class on Sunday. Can't wait to see all the gang again!

The Sunset and breakfast on Sat. am.

We walked to the little dock after supper to stretch our legs and get the poor chefs out of the kitchen. The sunset and its changing colors was amazing and, while it was a bit muggy out, there was a nice breeze. We took Janet and Bob out to breakfast the next morning to thank them for their hospitality. They will be back in Aug and we hope to have them up for a return visit. And, since the guys played so nicely in the kitchen, why I think we should let them do their duet again, don't you?

Off to celebrate the rain we got. It started raining just over the bridge from Anna Maria Island and didn't stop for hours after we got home. Our plants did the happy dance and our pool level is back up where it should be.

Hoping to scrap today. What is on your schedule?

THE MEAL

While Bob and Gene (E) cooked up a storm, Janet and worked up an appetite with one (okay, maybe two) of her wonderful Key Lime Margaritas. We even gave one to each of the guys to keep them motivated and sweating over the hot stove.

Bob made a wonderful lobster bisque to start us off. This was followed by E's Dilled Pork Stroganoff and a sliced cucumber salad with sour cream and vinegar by our host.

I managed to delet the picture of Janet's desert so you'll have to ask her to post it on her blog! It was a wonderful creamy berries something and went down way to smooth.

But, before we had dessert, we took a walk to the 'little' pier to walk off the meal and wait til I post the pictures of sunset...oh me oh my!

Twenty four hours in Eden

We got back a bit ago from our 24 hour mini vacation visiting our friends, Janet and Bob, at their beautiful home on Anna Maria Island. They truly have created a slide of Eden here and we thank them for sharing it with us.

This was a guys' cooking time. Bob had lunch ready when we arrived. It was a lovely salad with shrimp, sugar roasted pecans greens and fresh mango with a raspberry dressing and cranberry scones! Oh my taste buds were doing the happy dance. We ate out on their loge ( I think that what a lanai on the Med is called) and the view is breathtaking. While it was hot and humid in the front of the house, the Gulf breezes were a delight where we wiled away the afternoon. Their darling daughter, Becca, headed out right after lunch for the airport to get to her new school for classes starting on Monday. It was good to meet her and she sure takes after her mom!

Soon we put the guys to work on supper and to amuse Janet and myself, Janet made us frozen margaritas in her industrial strength margarita maker.

I'll post food pics of our co-chef cooked meal later today. I need to go admire our garden as we got RAIN!

Friday at last

And a happy one to all. I wanted to put up the KnK kit for July so you can see all the lovelies in it. The add on kit has bunches more and additionally related products can be purchased in the store. I've had such fun creating with this kit and all I have left are bits and pieces. I did a mini album, two layouts and a card. My first two go up on the site on June 29.

We are off to visit with our friends, Janet and Bob on Anna Maria Island for a couple of days. Rob is watching the boys and we are all packed. Bob and E are cooking for us and this should be such fun!

I will be AWOL and am not even taking Minnie with me so will be out of contact for a brief pause that refreshes. I'll be busy walking the beach, taking pictures and storing up memories. Will share when I return.

Busy times ahead for us. Next weekend is the Hilltop Memories Birthday Crop. It will be such fun as Jill G is flying in and we'll be meeting up with G-a, Barb, Janet from Bonita, and will get to hang out with Kipper, Linda, Michele, Deb and all the rest of the wild and crazy Hilltop gang. I am teaching the cup cake book class on Sat. am. and the altered bottles class on Sunday. If there are any kits left over, I'll let ya know where you can one. I actually only have one bottle kit left but we have a few more of the Cup Cake book.

CHA is right around the corner. I have my ticket and fly up to Chicago with Kipper. And who is meeting us at the airport? Our beloved Maria from the old CKMB and our Early Bird pal. What fun to meet her in person. I am rooming with G-a etc. the first night and then move to Pam B and Monica's room for the next two...let the fun begin. Hope our pal Chris P (also from Knk design team)can make it up so we can meet IRL too. Too much fun on the horizon!

Have a great weekend!

Great day in the Morning

I woke earlier to the sound of RAIN! The ground and our plants got a good half hour at least and boy! have we needed it here in Paradise. We often have heard the thunder all around us and even had a splatter or two of wet stuff but that is all. It has been like living in the Bermuda Triangle or something of a no rain zone. What we got early this morning will help lots.

The guys got the pad all poured for my arbor seat and the plants are all in along the sides and back. E has to get the pavers and put them into place and another section of the lower lawn is done. The humming bird feeder is up but not a birdie in site so far.

We were having a glass of wine after supper down on the lower lawn when out of the woods on the other side of the fence that separates us from the nature preserve dashed not one but two black snakes. They seemed to be chasing each other. I screeched and they took off. One came back but left really fast when I screeched again. Wonder if I am a snake caller in reverse. lol

Off to plan my day. Hope yours is a good one!

The Cup Cake book

Last pages

And still another Black Market Paper Society layout!

I have done three layouts today which has to be an all time record for me. Again, these are the Black Market Paper Society papers and also in the Letters from Paradise line. I sure hope Gerri-anne, owner of knkclub.com gets these papers in soon...I am almost out! Be sure to scroll down for another one in the same line but different colors!

These are our friends, Sandy and Walt, and us at one of our town's 3rd. Thurs. of the month concerts on the beach. We each took supper and our chairs and the music was enthusiastic and fun. The rain only put a slight damper on the night.

Speaking of Sandy, she is having a cataract removed tomorrow so good wishes, girlfriend!

Black Market Paper Society: letters from paradise

I have been working a bit on my Cruise 08 (Hilltop Memories)album today and this is the second layout I've completed. You have to love a paper line that allows you to snip an element from here and a piece from there and come up with exactly what works with your pictures. The Letters from Paradise line (coming soon along with all the papers by Black Market Paper Society to www.knkclub.com)are so perfect for the pictures we all took in Jamaica and Grand Cayman.

I wanted this picture to fade a bit into the paper...to become part of the lush garden background and, this paper made this a dream. I'll flip this sheet over and do another layout on the back. And even better yet, there are journal tags that so are double sided with one to blend with the papers and the reverse a soft white so you can ink them if you wish.



Back to playing...the heck with laundry and my never ending To Do list!

Monday in Paradise

E had a wonderful Father's Day. Our friend, Kim, made it back to Titusville aok having left here a bit before noon and the kids got over late afternoon. They brought all the food to serve E and did a wonderful job. Rob grilled the steaks to perfection, Kristen's salad was wonderful and Chris' baked beans were yummy. We played in the pool and had a really fun day.

Today E is building the frame for the concrete pad for my arbor seat. He put down more sod on the side yard leading to the gate and planted the flowers that will go around the arbor seat. He hopes to have the pad laid with the pavers in place before we head to Janet and Bob's this weekend.

I did not survive this last round at Scrapperie's Gauntlet contest. These competition was awesome with some of the most creative mini albums I have seen. Of course, I'd like to have stayed in the running til the end but I have several layouts and projects now that I might not have done. The contest challenges have been wonderful and I am happy I made it as far as I did. I'm taking my last entry apart and rebinding it....not sure what went wrong with this. The Glimmer Mist does tend to warp the chipboard as you can see. I love the idea for this: Simple Pleasures is the title I chose. Thanks Scrapperie and best of luck to the remaining contestants!

Surprise!

Our friend, Kim, called us from Titusville Friday night to see if we wanted some company over the weekend...come on over, we said and she did! Her husband, who use to work in our high school for Special School District and with whom I coached, was up in St. Louis visiting his mom. Kim and I go back at least 14 years when her dd, Jaimie was on one of my Freshman Cheer Squads. She and Jerry have been married 5 years now and they "retired" to T'ville near where Jaimie, her husband and two kids live. Jerry teaches at the high school there.

When she arrived we headed to Ozona Blue for a fantastic lunch. I heartily recommend the coconut shrimp with the spicy Thai sauce for a teaser and the Sicilian flatbread....yum. And look at these pretty frozen drinks. Kim and I dropped off E and headed to the Sponge Docks for a little shopping and to play tourist. After supper we stayed up until after 11 watching Sally Hemmings: An American Scandal on ION tv. Interesting show!

Kids are due over later today and will be cooking burgers for E for Father's Day...hope yours is a happy one too!

P. S. Finally finished all 16 danglies for the swap with the by hand artists group sponsored by Suzanne's Quietfire site. I'll be posting them on my altered art blog...the place has been gathering cob webs as I've been busy with some other projects. Thanks for taking a look/see.

My new pup!

My mama plant is giving her last hurrah. The flower is beautiful but it also means that I need to cut out the mama plant after the bloom falls off so the pup (that is what the plant guy told me they call the off shoots)can thrive. I have another mama plant that has also had a pup but that one is not yet in bloom so she has a lot longer to soak up the sun before it is kaput for her too.

My ToDo list grows faster than I can delete items from it but I did get tons done today already. I did my Glimmer Mist technique (blending colors in two ways) for KnK, finished my card for my layout and card with the June Kit, have a running list of sign ups for my 2 classes Linda is kindly letting me teach at the Hilltop Memories Birthday Crop, returned my over due library books and checked out some new ones. Sent some product out to a couple of people for an article I am writing for Issue #4 of Scrapbook News and Review,mailed a goody bag off to a challenge participant at knk and am running load after load of laundry. I can hardly stand myself, I've been so good!

E says we're going out to happy hour later this afternoon. After all, even retired people have Fridays too! We're thinking about heading to Miss Vickies on the Anclote. We haven't been there in a while and nothing reminds me more of weekends than watching boats go by on the river and people singing along to music!

What a great day

Well, here we are in all our glory or in all our something! lol. Janet and I headed up to Ruban Rouge around ten and Kip met us shortly thereafter. We had such fun cropping the day away. We had the entire crop room all to ourselves and we really spread out as you can see. I overdosed on M and M s and Cheese Its but did manage to get almost all of my Summer album done that I started at one of the wonderful Hilltop Memories crops a bit ago. I will post the album when I get it finished.

We ate at a nice Italian restaurant but the waitress was a bit lacking in service. She was eating her lunch at a table a few away from us so her concentration and attention appeared to be else where.

It was good to spend fun time with the gals and only wish the rest of the Cabana Girls could have been with us too...along with Hilltoppers and KnK clubbers...now wouldn't that be an awesome experience.

Off to water plants...still no rain here and we need it so badly!