Thoughts on "Urban Chic"

Posting from Paradise

This is what I call the new trend in sbing. From what I can tell it consists of photos of 20-30 somethings, or their girlfriends and themselves (I do a lot of these but all my gfs tend to be in the 40-50 bracket), or their small children.(we either don't have kids or they are grown) It requires great photography (I'm marginal here), a good knowledge of photo manipulation and/or computer graphics (even less than marginal here for me).

Lots of these are done on either white or black backgrounds. If it were not for the seemingly random selection of strips of patterned paper and the carefully planned placement of a photot or a few to "look" haphazard, I'd say it is a return to the CM style.

I love the organized chaos of these layouts but often find it hard to follow the journaling or to identify a focal point on the layout. I rally like the mixed typographics in the print too.

While I like many of the los I see in this "Urban Chic" movement, I am seeing too many of them. It was like Shabby Chic...one did it, everyone did it. It is almost like a layout must have a measure of these ingredients along with some machine stitching and some doodling freestyle to get published. If I can see hundreds of these on-line, why would I buy a sb mag that publishes little else but these also.

We are human lemmings following the most popular trend of the time, often even it is not "us". I give almost everything a shot and have tried this a time or two. While I like many of the elements, it is not me. Back to scrapping for old broads!

Free Day in Paradise

Posting from Paradise

My honey works from eleven to five today so as soon as I get some household chores done, it is scrap city for me. I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday...a couple of Pepcids helped but didn't feel like doing much of anything.

Feeling much better today and having all this time spread out before me is almost overwhelming! I do want to do some more work on my 5 panel hinged slide holder so I can take it to show and tell for Demo Day at Owl and the Pussycat on Wed. And, I still haven't written out the directions for my class at Whims So Doodles in St. Pete's in June (i've put that on my 'household chores' list! lol)

I have about 8 sets of lovely papers I'd like to play with today and want to do some more with my Pallet Glue pad...the effects are cool but I need more practice.

Hope you all have a scap happy day!

National Scrapbook Day...cheers!

Posting from Paradise

I posted my Sweet Scavenger Hunt at ScrapLovers, posted my Girlfriend layout challenge at the Monkey site and now need to get ahold of a girlfriend that I am suppose to meet for lunch today. I need to wait a bit as I don't want to wake her.

I am hoping I will actually get to scrap myself today in celebration of the event. I have a couple of fun layouts in mind and the papers are calling to me with anticipation.

One of my fondest memories of this NSD is when I first got on the ck message board about 5 years ago. I didn't know anyone here in town with whom to scrap and so I stayed in my workroom by myself watching a special on tv on qvc, I think. The gals on the mb were scrapping up a storm and I just joined in. They would post about trying to resist buying things off qvc and then caving...they would post about problems with layouts and help each other solve them. I posted a couple of times when I could and found myself having the time of my life. I was scrapping with friends!

So, to all my sb pals, Happy National Scrapbooking Day to one and all.

Happy Cinco de Mayo

Posting from Paradise

Once upon a time, we would walk a mile down our hill to the Mexican restaurant, have a few margaritas with some friends and make the return trip. Our friends use to joke about us getting stopped for WWI (Walking While Intoxicated) but believe me, walking uphill for a mile or so is a sobering experience.

There is a Mexican restaurant up the street from where we live now and the difference in a few years is that we will drive there for one, early and drive home. Live offeres up lots of changes.

I am hoping to meet a friend I haven't seen in months for lunch tomorrow. Her grandson is undergoing a series of tests at Duke University Medical Center to find out why he is not talking. The dr. believe he was misdiagnosed two years ago and now they want to diagnose correctly and proscribe a treatment plan. My friend is more hopeful than she has been in a long time. He is the sweetest little fellow and, even though I may not see him for months, always seems to remember me with a big hug and a smile the size of TX.

I am tired of trying to make a couple of layouts competitive for a DT so am just going to finish them off and call it done. I don't scrap the way all the hot new designers do. While I am pretty much of an eclectic scrapper and creator, I just don't do the new look, that I call "urban chic". I step outside the box tons but when I look at this new trend, as amazing as the layouts are (and they are amazing believe me!), they are all starting to look alike. It is the nature of the beast...like when everyone was layering patterened papers on patterened papers...it is what sells and what will be published til the next trend moves in.

Irony

Posting from Paradise

Well, this was an interesting one! One of the threads at a certain message board that shall remain nameless asked if the members thought that the mb was being edited more than usual. This gal stated that she had her posts to a few threads pulled, while the post remained. When someone asked, had she been advertising or mentioning a product, she replied no, that she had responded to someone asking about how others liked a product and voila! her post had been pulled. And, others on the thread replied that this had happened to them as well.

I posted that I thought the mp police has tightened down but were not consistant in their administration and they were not even following the stated rules as 3 of my friends had been banned since the new mb went up for disagreeing with certain posters (guess it is who you know, ya know...lol) without any warning.

And ya know what? My post was edited out. How ironic to be edited out of a post that complains about excessive editing of posts!

Lots of good things happening here in Paradise

Unfortunatley I can't spill the beans right yet, but I've been given an invite to participate in something pretty exciting. This is one of those things you wait for half knowing it probably won't happen and 3/4 hoping it will. And when it does, you just want to pinch yourself to make sure it is real.

Kips tag

Posting from Paradise

I posted this earlier today but it didn't make it all the way to my blog. It will probably post twice by tomorrow...the internet hates me!

5 things that make me smile: when my blog actually posts when I hit Publish Post, spring, my roses, spending fime with friends and my family, getting an e-mail that starts, "we would like to use your layout in....(fill in the blank)

5 things I can see on my desk: my tape runner, a cutter, a tray full of odds and ends that I was going to use on my panels but didn't, a layout in progress with Hambly silk screened paper, my BG notch tool that is still not out of its container.

5 things that kept me busy this weekend: finishing up the prototype for my June class at Whim's in St. Pete, laundry,
cleaning my workroom, getting a goody box ready for my niece.

5 things I am doing this week: writing the directions for my class, posting how to do gilding on overlays at ScrapLovers on Thursday, finishing the layout on my desk, finishing the reorganization of the workroom, visiting with a gf I haven't seen in eons.

5 things I said to make someone smile: "Come with me on the Hilltop Memories Cruise" to my gf Kim (who doesn't scrap), "I've missed you" to my friends Pete and Anne (at least I hope it put a smile on their faces, "good morning" to the 3 or 4 people I passed on my way to Curves this am and "I love you" to my honey.

I tag Anne, Shar, Jayne and Janet Planet

Inspired

I played hookey yesterday from everything I should have been doing and created in my workroom almost the entire day.

I picked up a copy of Transparency Art by Stampington &Co. and came across a Slide Mount Frame by Denise Lombardozzi. I closed the book quickly before I could be influenced any more by her creation, headed up to the stamp store for the largest slide mounts I could find and went to work.

I played with inks, iridescent color dyes and some color washes before finding the right combination for what I wanted. This verigated patina was the result and I love it. I altered the colors on several silver hinges, printed out my five photos from my great grandmother to my daughter adding a bit more color to the photos, the more recent the person pictured. I dug out my stash of transparency stickers, bits of lace and other ephemera and began to layer for each photo. Once I had them arranged, I made sure that the view from front and back was equally pleasing and then sealed the frames.

I still have some work to do and will post the rest when I am finished.

Happy Sat. from under the Palms

We had a major miscommunication with our friends and they are actually coming next weekend. Now I have today and tomorrow to play in my workroom (and I have no idea why this is printing with underlines!)

I spent most of yesterday working on a Hinged Five Generations Panels project inspired by a slide mount frame I saw in the book, Transparency Art by Denise Lombardocci. I close the book real fast so I wouldn't do a copy of hers, ran to the stamp store for some slide mounts (the largest I could find) and started to play.

I came up with a mix of color washes, inks and dyes to attain the look I wanted for the slide mounts and then ran the transparencies off the pictures, putting more and more color into the pictures as they progressed from my great grandmother on to my daughter's picture. I used hinges to echo the connections from one generation to the next.

I love the result but am not finished yet...am thinking of putting names and dates of birth/death on each. Will post a picture tomorrow.

Have a great Sat. all.

LIving for the Weekend

We have our friends, Kim and Jerry, who moved from st. Louis to Titusville coming in town for the weekend. Can't wait. We are trying to decide if we want to go up to Pine Island for Sat. for lunch and the art galleries on Matlache or head down to Tin City in Naples. Kim and Jerry haven't been to either one and who knows when we'll get back before we move.

I use to coach with Jerry in St. Louis and Kim's daughter was one of my first cheer squad captains. We all go way back and they are so easy to have as company.

I need to finish up my prototype for the class I'll be teaching at Whims. It is nice to be able to design something other than two page layouts for classes. Teaching for Hilltop Memories has been such fun to start with. Doing the Vamp Book and the mini Cruise album were a blast to design and teach. This is more and more where I want to be...teaching and having fun and making a few bucks in the process.

Off to Curves. We finally have some sprinkles here...yeah! I'd ride Hank in the rain but am afraid of him rusting...got too much invested in that bike for that to happen. Which reminds me, I really need to get back on track and start adding miles per ride if I am going to ever make my goal of 30 miles in one day.

Slo-mo day here under the palms

Posting from Paradise

When my sleep is interrupted by a few hours of wakefulness as it was last night, I am next to worthless the following morning. I am going to take full advantage of this and make this a "do as little as possible' kind of day. Cheers to all.

A Slo-mo day here under the palms

when my sleep is interrupted by hours of wakefulness as it was last night, I am next to worthless for hours and hours the following morning. I am going to take advantage of this and make this an official 'do as little as possible' kind of day. Cheers to all.

'splain this one Lucy!

Today, our amazinly incoherent gov. stated that he is considering oking the bill currently before the legislature allocating funds for the illegal alien children (those not born here) to attend Florida state universities at in-state costs. This 'act of kindness' will cost Florida residents (most of whom are on fixed incomes...me!) 6million dollars. Now, a kid who has been born and raised in any one of the other 49 states who applies to any Fl. school has to pay out of state fees.

So, the message to other state students is to do what Key West did...secede from the Union, declare war on the U.S., surrender and apply for aid.

Sad state of affairs when illegals have breaks that citizens, naturalized or native born, are denied.

A brand new week in Paradise

One or two more pics from the cruise and I promise more sunrise/sunset pics from Paradise and more recent fun events.

Because it was so lovely to have our balcony door open, we left it that way when the ship was moving. This did cause a small problem in that it would take two of us to open the door from the inside or our! This made for some funny incidents. Here are Anne and I doing our best!

This past weekend was really fun. I drove up to St. Pete's (and over that nasty bridge) where my daughter met me at Kip's. She and I went to her school's happy hour and I got to meet even more of her co workers than I had at the Fall Festival I attended with her. Her group reminded me of the one Gene and I had in St. Louis, called Gene's Team by our Activities Director. Lots of fun times. Before Kristen picked me up, I went to Whim So Doodles to introduce myself to the staff and pick up my supplies for my class there. Another nice bunch of people!

Sat. morning, bright and early, Kristen dropped me off at Ruban Rouge for our all day class. It was good to see that cutie, Chrissy again and I was pleasantly surprised that the owner recognized me enough to call me by name. The classes were lots of fun and the EK products very cool. Linda and I got some great class ideas from the products alone. Kath, Kip, Linda and I made some new fun friends and hope to see Gina and her dd at a Hilltop Weekend.

More tomorrow.

It's the weekend

This was a pic of our "neat and tidy" cabin on the morning we arrived back in Ft. Lauderdale. About the only time our cabin looked like something someone's mother would be proud of is when the cabin crew would come through and give us a clean up. Guess we were too busy having fun!

It is Friday and I leave in about an hour heading north. First stop is Kip's in St. Pete's. She and I will be heading over to Whim's when she gets off work and I'll be picking up some things for the sample for my class there in June. After that, my dd, Kristen, will pick me up at Kip's and she and I are off to have cocktails with some of her fellow teachers. Then home to her house.

Sat. am bright and early and I am off to Ruban Rouge for the EK Extravaganza all day class with Kip and Kath. Back to Kip's for the evening and home on Sunday.

Sunday, e and I are heading downtown to the park by the river for River and Blues festival. We went last year and had a blast. We went far too early and missed the Mambo Brothers, whom I adore. This year, the Yard Dogs (another fave of mine), Juice and the Mambo Brothers don't even start til one which is after when I get home.

I love staying busy and having fun things to do. Will report in on Monday how the weekend progressed. Now, if I could find a way to avoid driving over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, I'd be a truely happy camper.

Sunrise on the Cruise

Anne, Janet (who couldn't make it), Kath and I opted for the balcony room on the cruise. Sure glad we did.
This is the view we had with our coffee in the mornings. And our neighbors, Linda and Judy, were even smarter than us. They had room service deliver their breakfast every morning!

The only morning we had them beat was when our morning coffee was delivered by everyone's favorite waiter, Sergay!

Back from the Cruise

I would love to share all my delightful pics of the cruise but Harry, my stubborn 'puter, won't allow me to upload these at this time. Thank heavens, Mama's Guru, the son, is due in for Easter. He will fix it I hope. Stay tuned for the next exciting episode as How Harry Turns! lol

Top of the Morning...what a great day for a cruise!

All I have left to do is put my clothes in the suitcase. It is five am here in Paradise and I am sitting here typing in the dark. I have resisted, so far, running into Anne and Teri's rooms, jumping on their beds and yelling, "Get up, get dressed and get in the van. It's party time!" I did start the coffee in hopes that might move them to action but so far not a sound.

Thinking of getting into the hot tub w/my mug of java and just waiting for day break. I can't wait to get on the cruise and let the fun begin. See you all soonest~

Update on the Marching Band

London's revenge! The news last night has stated that London will be sending a warning to all English that our little town here is dangerous to travelers and suggests they visit elsewhere. We do have high traffic accident rates (tourists and snow birds often do not think the local traffic laws apply to them) and we've had some shootings this year so the statistics the London papers are quoting are correct. We've also been hit by at least 3 of the 5 hurricanes that have passed through in the last couple of years so that information is also true.

I can hardly blame London for eliciting this revenge. The Supe here has to be a blooming idiot. An now, as a topper, the district is going ahead with plans to build apartments on a school owned parking lot...why not just pay the teachers enough to buy their own home or rent where they chose? Ack!

I've heard it all now...

This morning in our paper was an article applauding our local and very excellent marching band, The Ft. Myers High School Green Wave Marching Band. Seems the band has been invited to participate in a parade next New Year's Day in London, England. What a prestigeous invitation, right?

Well, the invitation was turned down by the Superintendent and someother mucky muck here. The reason given? London is not a safe city! Are they also going to turn down invites for the science team to NYC for competitions? Are they going to prevent the football team from going to state? What is next?

Based on an incident in London over a year ago when a subway was bombed, the "officials" of our school district have effectively slapped England in the face. Seems to me this should be up to the students' parents to determine. Sign a release and the band marches, right? London's mayor even invited the supe and his side kick to London on London's nickle to appraise the safety of the town for the kids's visit.
The supe stated he didn't have the time.

I doubt this will be the end of the issue. Seems also that this supe and a few of the board members are up in arms because another member of the board would like some finanacial accounting for spendatures over 25.000 by the district. The very nerve...lol.

This is the same school district that recently announced it would be considering building affordable houses and condos on school property for the teaching staff...now we're into real estate as well as education. Why not pay the teachers what they deserve and let them find their own homes away from the sanctions that I am sure will be imposed on residents on school property.

What better investment in our future than our children's education?

Posting from Paradise: Kayaking the Great Calusa Blue Way

Posting from Paradise: Kyaking the Great Calusa Blue Way

Kayaking the Great Calusa Blue Way

What a great morning we had. We tried a new section of the Calusa Blue Way. This is down near the causeway to Sanibel and the trailway was so beautiful. We thought that Adventures in Paradise marina would be more expensive than we were use to but it turned out to be very cheap ($20.00) for the two of us in a double. We paddled for about an hour all around Connie Mack Island. There are sure some huge and very lovely homes back on this private island...wow.

After about an hour, e's back was hurting and with his recent bout with melanoma, we thought it best to head back. The weather was amazing with a balmy breeze off the Gulf.

Just another great day in Paradise.

One week and counting

I think my honey is just about as excited about the girls and I going on the cruise as we are.

He is heading home to spend some time with his mom who is not doing so hot memory wise (like I should talk). She called the other night wanting a phone no. of someone to call to find her tv remote for her. It is sad when this happens to our parents. Neigher my mom nor my step-dad had reached this point before they died but my uncle had and my aunt was nearing this point.

I am so sorry Janet will be unable to join us on the cruise but understand completely her need to be close. Lots of reminders this past week about aging parents and relatives. Hope my kids are prepared should this occur to me.

On to more pleasant topics: THE CRUISE!!!! I can't wait...have I said that? and right after that is the EK extravaganza class that a few of us are taking at Ruban Rouge and then the Elsie Flannigan one in May...summer will be here before we know it!

Off to get some sun on these ashen legs of mine and read myself silly.

(there Kip...are you happy now? One updated blog)

Another week closer to the cruise

I did it...I am finally packed. I stuffed all fifteen of my class kits (and boy was I generous with goodies!) organized and packed the paints, inks, stamps, beads and tools I'll need to teach the class. My XXL tote weighs a ton. I did manage to get one of my personal projects for scrap time into one of the side pockets and packed two more plus my tools into the Chatterbox large suitcase that Janet M gave us all.

All I have left to do is iron and pack my clothes. Can you tell I am excited?

Janet M and Anne (our new Sadie Sadie Married Lady) will both arrive here in Paradise on the Tuesday before the cruise ship leaves. Hopefully Teri will be able to get a sitter and join us. My honey is planning a feast for that evening. The nex moring, I take him to the airport and we all go to Demo Day at the stamp art store, with shopping and snacks on the agenda and plenty of fun times in store.

On Thurs. Kip and Kath and Kip's roomie all arrive here around ten and we caravan to the ship where the real adventure begins....I am really looking forward to this.

Welcome to Paradise

We are in for some amazing weather here. Highs in the low 80s and lows in the lower 60s...yahoo. It had been getting warmer and warmer and far too fast for me.

My roses, which had been in decline, are blooming all over the place and my jasmine is starting to open up too. Sitting on the front porch is ambrosia to the senses. So I think I will...it is a good day for biking or kayaking...so I think I will. It is a good day to enjoy being alive...so I think I will...welcome to Paradise.

Welcome to Limbo Land...

Our open house on Sunday brought 2 couples and 3 realtors through and no offers, at least on our house. One couple wrote a contract on the house similar to ours (but it has a small lot, no front porch, no tin roof, etc.) for 34,ooo less than our asking price. This house needs lots of work too as renters have been in and out for over a year. Oh well.

The mb is all over the place and it is hard to find people. The new mb seperates everyone even more into the nsbr and the sb crowds and the new gallery, easy as it is to upload layouts has a "popularity" factor built in...how many and who actually view your layout. Hmmmmm. SSmb is slow but picking up the pace. Thank heavens for the Monkey Board. What a refuge this has become.

Limbo Land: not much movement back or forth and that is what my problem is. I don't sit still for long periods of time well. I need to figure out a way to cope as I have absolutely no control over any of this constant Limbo Land thing. Perhaps that is the problem....

Last quote about change

Ralph Waldo Emerson was always one of my favorite authors to teach. Once the kids got into the transcendentalists, there was often no turning them back...as if I would want to.

Here is the last of my quotes on change:

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.

Thursday's Quote

"All is connected...no one thing can change by itself." Paul Hawken ("Natural Capitalism", YOGA Journal 10/94)


I think this explains a lot of the reactions to change. When I taught high school, our district was infamous for finding a new program, and jumping into it full force, wanting the faculty to support the idea totally.

One program in particular comes to mind. We were told that all children are capable of becoming brain surgeons and that we should teach to all this way. Ok...if the distract hadn't taken this so literally, perhaps the concept would have had some chance in hell of succeeding.

A test group of teachers across the board was formed. I was one of the Oldies choosen from my school and department. Guess they thought if an old broad can learn and accept this stuff, it will fly anywhere. Ha! The premise was that we should all change our curriculum and lesson plans to teach to the upper 1/3 of the class and that the rest would, as they put it, "catch up". Now, most of these "they" people hadn't been in a classroom in ten years and the impracticality or the fall out of all of us actually teaching like this had totally escaped the powers that be.

If you bought into the concept and agreed to impliment it (and this was after a half day training, right?), you were free to go. The schoold district also decided not to get the teacher workbooks that the classes were to be designed from but we were told we were bright and could figure it out. Those of us who did not catch on right away...and that would be yours truely, had to return for another session and still a 3rd. Finally, I got it...without us, they could not impliment the change. The last group of us, nodded, said we'd do whatever the plan was and never heard of the program again.

Makes ya wonder. It's all connected but sometime some of the dots are missing, ya know?

Change Quote for Wed.

"People don't resist change. They resist being changed." Peter Senge.

Maybe this quote sums things up for me. I feel undue and unnecessary pressure to change and go with the flow and be loyal (to what I am not sure) and to not make waves and not work through my decisions etc. and so on. Let me make up my own mind about how I feel and I might just surprise you and actually find my way all alone and undirected.

It has also dawned on me that some of the very people who are placing this pressure are as frightened by the change as are those of us they would like to join them, be like them, do as they do. It is a scary thought to leap off a cliff into the unknown but less scary if one is falling with dozens of others and some even holding hands.

I am just one of the cautious ones who likes to look before I leap and I am a wee bit picky about with whom I hold hands...lol.'

P.S. Thanks to all who have been posting. I've been inspired by comments and the words have made a difference...thanks.

Another quote

I've decided to continue quotes about change through Friday. I have always taken change hard. I attribute this to the fact that, due to my dad's job, we moved constantly during my school years. I attended at least 9 and maybe more schools in my 12 years of public education. Change was not just a constant in my life but a given. So, with that in mind...here is today's quote. I am loving what you all have to say!

"If you are in a bad situation, don't worry, it'll change. If you are in a good situation, don't worry, it'll change" John A. Simone, Sr.

Change is in the air...

This has been a constant theme for the past couple of months for me. First, all the layouts, altered projects etc. for the DT have to be on the theme of change. Then the mb goes high tech and less intimate, and now trying to make up our minds to open a store/not open a store, return to a work week plus/ or continue our leisurely retirement? Egads.

I've decided to post a short series of quotes this week from some I downloaded from the internet to use on a layout. I'd love to hear your reactions to these and your comments...thanks to all who play.

Monday quote: "We did not change as we grew older; we became more clearly ourselves" Lynn Hall

DON'T MAKE ME GET UP OFF MY CHAIR...oops! Too late!

So, the message board that so many of us love is going to be shut down and a "new and improved" mb is replacing it within a short period of time. The new board will have a gallery (nice), and lots of bells and whistles (fun) and you can use the "Quote" devise to reference what others have said. That being said, I will miss the old board's intimacy...the small town USA feel to it.

I've met and become rl friends with so many wonderful women from this mb. The whole Cabana Crew originated on ckmb and that has lasted almost five years, give or take a bit. One of the reasons we were able to converse with each other was the sub post ability. This is lacking on the new mb. You can only quote what someone has said, not directly address it. That is my problem with the new mb. Is it the format? Yes, that aspect of it is what makes me sad. And I know most "modern" mbs are all set up the same as this.

Now, we come to my imputus to "get up outta my chair". I tried to make the transition from the old mb to the new and also started posting at a sister mb of ckmb that is set up like the old one. I posted a "getting to know you" on the new, made plans and announced them on both the old and the new for a "Farewell" party hosted by our very own Cabana Boy, Hank, on the last day of the old board and did a challenge at the SS sister mb. I was keeping my options open....the key word is WAS. I've decided that I will lurk at the new mb, join SS with great enthusiasm, and feel exactly whatever the hell I want to feel.

What has helped me make up my mind is this: in a nut shell, I resent the women who have done the following all wanting all of us to move to the new mb, leave the mb or not say anything (guess they are the only ones entitled to an opinion.

On the new board and the old I ,and others ,have been told the following:

1. to grow up, get over the old mb closing, and quit whinning....(and we are not entitled to our lack of enthrusiasm with the new mb or the sadness for the passing of a time?)

2. the Farewell party should not be that but should be a Celebration of the new board (it's my party and I'll say goodbye or whatever...and you do the same. Throw your own party)

3. there is nothing to feel sad about. Move on...(thank you for telling me what is appropriate for me to feel, Dr. Phil)

4. we shouldn't leave a mb just cause the format is different (but it was the old format that helped us to make the friends we have)

5. we should show how young we are and learn something new (ya, know what...I am 58, not terribly stupid, and I wouldn't go back to be "young" again for all the tea in China and since when, is learning something new equated with being young and vice versa?)

I could go on but won't (well, not right now). It is comments like this that are sending many women away from the new mb. Don't tell us how to feel, or what to feel or what to mourn or celebrate or anything of that nature; don't tell us to get with the program, stop our bitchin', and its just a mb. Come to the Farewell party, don't come...suit yourself but don't try to tell me what I should do. I am old enough to make my own decisions, feel my own emotions, and make up my own mind, thank you very much.

Sitting back down in my chair...for the time being.

Ten things I want to do before I die

My roomie from CHA, KelliBlueFrog, was talking about lists on ScrapLovers mb and mentioned mine (thanks Kelli) so I thought I'd post these:

1. See Greece

2. Return to my hometown, Waterloo, Iowa and revisit the house where I grew up, the cemetary where my beloved relatives are buried, and walk the grounds of the YMCA camp where I spent many and many a summer.

3. See my grandchildren marry.

4. Take a trip somwhere with my dd...she and I have such fun together but this is something we have never done.

5. Spend a week on the Washington/Oregon coast...spent a couple of days there after a sb convention but only got a taste of the wonder.

6. Complete my 30 miles in one day bike trip before I turn 60, let alone before I die.

7. Have everyone (that means you too Clare) be able to participate in Anne and my 50/60 birthday bash.

8. Take a meditation class.

9. Open our own paper boutique.

10. Have a magazine do an aritcle on my as the world's oldest scrapper...I'll be 102 at the time!

The Ultimate Altered Art

This has to be the ultimate in altered art. We saw this driving down HW 41 coming home from an outing last Thursday. I couldn't tell if it was someone's idea of a joke or if the owner just had a tape fetish. There were lots of Highway Patrol decals so perhaps it was an ad for safe driving.
We got as close as we could with Anne leaning out of the window taking shots with her camera as fast as she could. The sunglasses on the top were one of my favorite "embellishments".
Only in Paradise!

Ten things I DO NOT want to do before I die

Anne and I were talking the other day about doing layouts about the things we have done that we wanted to or things we want to do but haven't. Then we discussed things we had no desire whatsoever to do before we died...and just laughed ourselves silly.

Here is my List...what is on yours?

1. Parachute out of an airplane (bones don't heal as well or as fast at my age)

2. Find out if tapping a gator on the nose makes him shut his mouth (I also don't sprint as fast as I use to)

3. Get "Hell's Angels Forever" tatooed on my chest (although there is ample room for this and a motorcycle tatoo as well, I'll pass on the pain).

4. Parasail, paraglide or any other para event (see #1)

5. Travel to the Orient (I'd rather go back to Italy or Germany...and I don't like sushi)

6. Climb Mt. Everest (my upcoming 30 mile in one day bike ride will be sufficient, thank you very much).

7. Run a marathon (too much sweating)

8. Ride a bucking broncho (although I almost rode the mechanical bull one night out with some friends after a sb convention...and that was before we had a few toddys but we all went to another restaurant instead)

9. Take up white water rafting (I like the thrill of a quiet kayak ride down our docile Florida streams much better...more conducive to cat naps)

10. Write a book (this has been a maybe thought in the back of my mind since I was twelve but realize now that the best stories are those told by others)

What are your ten things?

Fun in the Sun

After a great breakfast of dill and cheese eggs cooked by Chef Ken, we headed to the islands for the day. We buzzed through Sanibel and hit Ding Darling Wildlife Preserve. We saw pink spoonbills,
white pelicans , a family of racoons and even a baby gator. The it was on to the Beach with Blind Pass as our destination. We only stayed an hour and that is a good thing, considering how pink we all are today. We shelled and sunned and worked up an appetite. Here is our Anne in her new hat ! What a sun gal! We ate lunch at Key Lime Bistro...great fresh food, outside dining and even live music! Tune in tomorrow for the next exciting episode of Fun in the Sun!

Cabana Crew Rides Again

This is our Cabana Girl in Training. Even though my dd, Kristen, doesn't scrap like the rest of us, we are going to need someone to drive the bus when we get weekend passes from the old folk's home a few years down the road. Kristen calls this "Driving Miss Daisy" but I have no clue to whom she is referring...lol
This is a cute restaurant in Duninden where Kip, Janet, Teri, Kath, Anne, Kristen and I went to eat after our Heidi Swapp class at Ruban Rouge, the scrap store in Palm Harbor.


And here we are with Heidi herself. Terri, who ownes an embroidery business, made a cute Honorary Cabana Crew member bag for Heide and a darling bear with a tee that said, "She" (for any non-scrappers who might be viewing, this is one of Heidi Swapp's trademarks. Heidi has her own product line and taught a class at a scrap store that we attended.

And here is Janet with one of the products, Heidi has designed, her masks. These are suppose to be used on paper and painted or inked inked over. I am not sure Heidi is aware of the many other uses for these fun items. Perhaps Janet needs to show her! lol

TGIF

We made it to Land O Lakes and saw a house just like ours under roof....we are going to love it! We went by the pool guy and left almost 12,000 over the budget we had set...but ya only live once, right? I have visions of us floating with foo foo drinks in hand and cool evenings in the spa!

We also checked out another lss in the area. It is too far away to be a concern. We stopped at a commercial realtors and got ideas on costs for rental space in a well traveled area...not too unreasonable.

We also learned that the development across the street from ours is also going to be a mega one...over 8,000 homes. Betting some of those women scrap, stamp or alter! That is in addition to the 8,000 planned in our community and the 5,000 plus in the one just down the street! The demagraphics are there!

Can't wait til tomorrow for the Heidi Swapp class but even more excited about seeing Kip, Anne, Janet, Kath and Teri...look out Heidi!

In Rebuttle

This was posted on the mb today, long after my Creative Spellers goodnight was posted...actually the "brave person" posted this the next day and it was brought to my attention by several pals.

and if I'm not mistaken, wasn't Jules a HS English teacher? It's pretty sad that she is for the creative spelling. You must not have been a great teacher. And we wonder why our country is not the smartest.

This goes under the "things that make you go hmmmmmmm" catagory. I am so confused...was this gal a former student, did she have a problem with her English teacher or is she just against creativity in general?

First, this poster has no clue to my curriculum vitae nor, to my knowledge, has she ever seen me teach. My whole life has been about education in one way or another and for her to make these assumptions based on a few fun posts on a mb says more about her than it does me.

I have been involved in education and encouraging learning for the past 35 years. I have served on numerous committees and was our school districts motivational speaker and a personal advocate for students with learning disabilities and those who were at risk. I was the editor and proofreader for 6 adults working on their BS degrees, 7 on their Masters and 3 who obtained their PHDs . I have numerous awards and testimonials to my teaching. I do know how to spell.

What else I know is that a mb is a place to have fun, exchange information and be creative! That, not spelling a word correctly, is the keystone to a fun mb. To critique posters on their spelling, inhibits them from fully expressing themselves. A mb is a place for exchange of all sorts but not a classroom where the nun slaps hands for wrongful spellings.

For someone who has no clue who I am or what I stand for to label me in this way is a slap in the face to all educators! I did not make this country less smart with my teaching...I improved as much as I could.

I've shown you mine, poster...show me yours!


(this blog was editied for typo correction)

Life is too short ( a list)

1To not have fun ( memo to self...have more fun)

2To drink cheap wine (and we just picked up a lovely and not
a jug wine for a change)

3. To stay inside and work when the weather is the best
it has ever been.

4. To allow some one's bad opinion of me to define who I am.

5. To not forgive old grudges (this takes up soooo much time
and energy)

6. To not enjoy a good, funny movie (love anything by Billy
Crystal, Bill Murray, and that
whole gang)
7. To not get on my bike and ride til my legs hurt

8. To not tell my friends and family that I love them...tell them often and tell them loudly

9. To hug and smooch on my sweetie (can you say, "kisses sweeter than wine?)

10. To fall asleep reading a great book.

What is on your list of Life is Too Short ?

Small Town Fun

One of the things I have loved most about living here in our small (unless it is Season) town is the small town atmosphere abundant in events.

Ft. Myers' Beach has its annual Shrimp Festival which is such fun. It reminds me of a high school homecoming parade gone bad...lol. And that is good. The parade has people dressed in furry pink costumes sans arms but with lots of feelers...a bystander informed me the first time I attended that these were the much beloved Shrimp People. OK.

Pine Island had it Mango Festival. Everything you could ever want to know and more about mangos...we actually attended twice forgetting there was no beer served!

And Ft. Myers proper has the Thomas Edison Light Parade. The excitement builds for weeks and weeks ahead of the event with the upper crust debs and (what do they call the guys?)their escorts being touted at balls. The Children's Parade was last weekend and now for the grand finale....the Light Parade Sat. night.

For weeks, locals have been marking off the choice spots on sidewalks along the parade route. These spots are honored by most, non-natives being the exception. I read in the paper that some families have had the same spot for many many years. As you drive to downtown, you can see these masked areas and also lawn chairs chained to fences where possible.

We shall be going downtown early and tail gating in the high rise (4 or story) parking garage with 3 other couples. We don't want to miss the craft fair and the food fest which are held on the river front park or the race even though we don't know anyone running this year.

I am hoping that our new town has some of the fun festivals that our present home town has and can't wait to find out.

There is something to be said for comfort food

It is a cold, blustery day here in Paradise. It reminds me of the first days of winter up North and puts me in the mood for comfort food.

E just asked the usual morning question, "What do you want for supper" (it is not yet nine am...and he is late! lol) and I replied, "Comfort food!". We are now having muffalatas for lunch made on his new penini maker and chili for supper. E puts a dash of cocoa in his chili and it is sooooooo yummy.

Everyone has their faves for chili connoctions. A friend of mine makes the most wonderous white chili but I prefer the old fashioned mix where you throw in cans of beans, tomotoes and chopped sirloin and top the whole thing with fresh onions and tons of cheese. Lots of people crumble crackers but I am a wheat bread and butter gal...two slices slathered for dipping. Is it supper time yet?

Speaking of food, last night we had the most amazing strawberries. It is that season here now and these are locally grown, huge and soooo sweet. It was the topping that made such a delight for the taste buds....a basalmic glaze by Gia Russa that E found at Publics. Oh me oh my!

Things I miss about Italy

Watching the opening to the Olympics and today's start of the games has made me homesick for Italy, if that is possible. We were only in Italy for about 8 days but I loved so much about it that seeing Torino just leaves me pining.

I miss the food. The freshness and the taste is undescribable. My E is a great cook and he has come very close to duplicating some of the dishes we had. He says the key is the really good (meaning very expensive) olive oil. So much of the food was veggies and the herbs just were amazing. Fresh! That is what I miss.

I miss the countryside. Tuscany was beautiful beyond description. Hills and vinyards and antiquity all rolling mile after mile before us.

I miss the town on Lake Garda with the winding streets, the flower merchants and antique dealers and the bakery aromas wafting around sharp corners. And then there was the castle, perched on the hill top, standing sentry over the postcard perfect town. And more good food and lovely rustica wines.

I miss the accents of the people and their friendliness. The hearty handshakes and welcomes and smiles. I miss our tour guides and just listenin to them talk with the upturned sounds at the ends of sentences and the extra "ah" added to many words.

OK...off to dip some bread is some of our expensive EEVO and I may not even add parmagano ragano cheese or the herb mix we found. I'm just gonna dip and let it run down my chin...and watch the Olympics in true Italian style!!!!

One more day in the life of....

We've finished off two rooms so far with deep cleans top to bottom. The real estate gal comes back tomorrow afternoon to take inside pics so guess what we'll be doing before she gets here? I told E that the house would look so good that we'll not want to move.

I managed to finish my altered project for ScrapLovers and then got a HUGE box from one of the companies that offered me work when I was at CHA. There is so much stuff in the box that I hardly know where to start. Am putting a bunch of Sunday to one side to give this some quality time.

I need to e-mail the cruise company and get my resume in. It sounds almost too good to be true...the cruise for 2 for classes. Guess we'll see soon enough.

Tomorrow is scheduled for deep clean on the lanai if it does not rain. The realtor felt the house would sell for what we want within 3-5mo. ;since we are not in any big hurry to move, we can be picky (to a certain extent) about our buyers.

Life goes on...day by day.

To open a store or not to open a store?

That is the question...we've been tossing this one around ever since New Year's Eve when one of our friends asked us if we would want to open an lss with him as a silent partner as he has some funds he needs to show a loss on. (OK, that part...showing a loss bothers me but I understand it).

This is a lot of work for two old farts like e and I. He is 60 and I'm not that far behind. Again, if we don't do it now, we never will.

I don't want just an lss. I want to embrace a larger and yet more intimate concept...."a boutique for scrappers, stampers and altered artists" with nitches and corners of fun surprises with one leading into the next. I want big, feathered hats hanging from cabinet doors with lucious papers and goodies peeking out, waiting for the perfect person to seize them up and carry them to the check out. I want women to flock to the store for one of a kinds and classes that knock their socks off.

and now about the name...as much as I love Nana's Closet, my pal Kipster is right...this might be off putting to some of the 20-30 somethings with green burning a hole in their pockets.
Something to be said for getting 'em young and training 'em, what? So, other names we came up with...Julie's Attic, Julie's Closet (I think this is too much like Cloe's Closet but maybe not).

An old house would be ideal with the idea of eventually expanding to a specialty gourmet shop for e. A recent article in Retailer's suggested not just restricting an lss to scrapbooking and some of the suggested connection shops were more far fetched than this.

All imput, ideas and suggestions are appreciated. We have some time to make this happen if the Scrapping Gods so will it.

My thoughts about CHA

I have been reading and hearing about how unhappy independent designers are about their treatment at CHA. Having attended two years (once with a guest badge and once with a retailer's) here are my random thoughts from under the palm tree...for whatever they are worth.

CHA is a trade show. Manufacturers go with one purpose in mind...sell their product. Retailers go with one purpose in mine...buy the best product for their clients. It is all about the money, honey! While independent designers can obtain their own badges, getting a job designing for a major manufacturer does not fit into the manuf/retailer/money equation. Sorry gals...is really is NOT about you. It is about the money.

If I had gone as a retailer with a sizable budget (which could concieveably be Summer CHA), I would have walked away from any booth who spent more time chatting up a designer than the booth owner did with me...and yes, I saw designers take up retailers time with product owners.

Designers have a valuable place in the equation. They promote and demonstrate ways that products can be used and can sell product in unbelievable ways. The solution to the manufacturer/retailer/designer problem (as I see it...and you know what they say about free advise...)is to have a job fair for designers prior to the official opening of the convention. Manufacturers could sit at tables, interview potential designers and have a confab party after the couple of hours of appointments.

Retailers could get into the booths; manufacturers could sell their product unobstructed, and designers could set up interviews with far less interference.

Just some random thoughts from under the palm tree here in Paradise.

Losing the Focus?

A couple of my scrapping buddies and I had an interesting conversation last night on msn about the direction that scrapbooking appears to be taking. It seems anymore, that in order to be published or to design for a manufacturer, you have to have graphic art training and be an expert on the puter to generate the journaling that so often gets layouts choosen. I understand why a manufacturer or a magazine would want to have the very best and most known working for them or being published in their magazine. I have nothing but respect, admiration and yes, jealousy for these talented women.

The thing that bothers me is the movenent toward all layouts having to meet these stringent criteria to be said to be "good enough". Scrapbooking originated as a safe way to "store" pictures, memories and information. The evolution to creative presentation followed quickly, thank heavens ,but the focus was stilll on the photos, the visual capturing of moments, memories, people, places and yes, even things. I am not sure that is true anymore and this wonderful hobby has become pressure packed to achieve what most of us do not have the training or time to obtain the training to do.

My point in fact is a beautiful layout I saw in a recent publication. It was done with a mix of lovely papers, doused liberally with chipboard letters painted to match, typepography (spelling?) that drew the eye and brought instant envy, and for a topping, some flowers and ribbons. WOW! I was drooling. Then I stopped, "Where is the picture?", "What is this layout about?". There, in the lower right corner, was a wallet sized picture of a child...hmmmmmmm.

My friends and I discussed the difference and while two of us would love to be published more often, I think our age and our style of scrapbooking (and yes, we do try to focus on the photos) is a deterant to this. I am not an artist. My friend, Maya, is an artist....she creates amazing watercolors and earns a decent living at it. I am a scrapbooker and I want to put the fun back into it! I need to take a long look at exactly why I do scrap and remember what fun it use to be.

Scrap on my friends, scrap on.

Life on Easy Street

It just doesn't get much better than this...my honey is in the kitchen cooking supper, my son, who is visiting from Clearwater, is in the workroom fixing my 'puter (I'm on Minnie, the lap top, and my Wishblade, Zorro, is now up and running and even by me...lol.

My tags are done, my kits lined up and awaiting assembly and we have movies rented for tonight...bring on the fun!

Ready, set...run Jules, run!

Morning all, today starts the marathon I call my life! lol. Today I have a luncheon date with a pal from down the road. We meet at a tiny but very cute lss in Naples, Fl. and then go out to lunch to chat and discuss our shared passion...scrapbooking. My son arrives on Friday evening to help his "poor ol' puter illiterate mom" for the weekend.

I leave next Friday am for St. Pete to pick up Kath and Kip and we are off to the Hilltop Memories Winter Retreat where we will hook up with Terri for tons of fun. I am teaching one class, assisting with another and taking 3 myself. Can't wait.

On Sunday, I drop off Kath and the Kipster and I head home to unpack/pack and catch an early morning plane for Vegas and CHA the very next day. This will sure be fun and I will get to meet the members of the Design Team irl. They seem to be a great bunch of gals and my roomie, Kelli, is so funny. I'm taking 3 classes there and will head home on Thurs. That following Friday, we head up to Tampa to meet with the design center for our new house and with the electician the following Sat....yeah!

I'll have my laptop with me at all times (heehee) so I can stay in touch.
So, on my mark....get set....Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Blue Days are turning to aqua...

and life is looking up! I've been in a funk but it seems to be moving on slowly but surely.

I have to type up my directions for my kits for the retreat at the end of January, pack for 3 seperate trips that happen one right after another and pack my kits. I have been working everyday and today I took a break...

I created something fun for my cabin mates at the retreat and, when I did, the cloud over my head started to shift a bit and get puffy as opposed to being filled with rain, sleet and hail.
Maybe doing something for fun and for others is what I have needed all along.

I have given serious thought lately to my postion in this industry and wonder why I keep fighting the odds. Compared to many, many scrappers out there, I am ok at best. I am a good teacher and creative but it takes so much more than that to even get published these days. Many of the more frequently published scrappers have either a graphic arts background or are adept at manipulating the computer. I am just an old retired English teacher! lol

I think I just need to put the fun back in my dysfunctional life to paraphrase Mary Engelbrect! Thanks for all the support you have given me over this past week. You have made a difference in my attitude, believe me.

Down days and days off kilter

For the past couple of days, I've been feeling down, uncomfortable in my skin. I've had trouble focusing and staying on task. This happens to me now and then and often for no discernable reason. I think it has to do with the ebb and flow of being and getting older.

Before, when a blue day or two would hit, I would bike my way through it or scrap til I dropped. I don't even feel I have the energy to do this and my knee starts hurting if I bike too far.

Part of my enui I am sure has to do with facing the changes and uncertainties of our new house and move away from here. I moved so much as a child (ten schools in twelve years), that I put down deep roots. I know that I will be happier closer to my kids and my friends. Meanwhile, we have so much to do, I feel overwhealmed.

I am looking forward to the scrapbooking retreat at the end of the month. I am frustrated with my printer and how slow Harry, my big puter is making the assembly of my kits difficult. I am also looking forward to CHA in Vegas. I haven't been to Vegas since the mid 70s. I am looking forward to seeing friends and making new ones.

This is such a mismash of jumbled thoughts, I am hesitant to push the publish post button, but will because this is also a big part of who I am.

Ten Things I Like About Me Challenge

Ok, Kip and Kath...here we go (she says as she takes a deep breath).

1. I have a great relationship with my adult kids

2. I am an excellent teacher

3. I make friends easily and keep them forever

4. I am creative

5. I am witty and clever

6. I am fun to be around

7. I am a descriptive writer

8. I cherish my family history

9. I stay active and enjoy biking and kayaking

10. I am growing older with grace (ageing like a bottle of fine, vintage wine)

Just another day

It seems we sleep in later and later each morning. I don't know if we are finally moving into the retirement five years after the fact or if it is just the weather. When I get up past five a.m. , I feel like half my day is over.

It is a foggy day here. I sat in the hot tub (therapy you know for the bum knee...yah, right) and watched the fog creep up the street from the canal right into my back yard. Sandburg was right, it does move in like a cat...softly, slowly. A palm outlined against the grey sky is really amazing looking. Guess I better get out the camera.

We are off to Farmer's Market downtown today. It is one of my favorite things to do. The flowers are lovely and cheap, the snacks yummy smelling and the fruits and veggies look so pretty, I want to buy them all. A replica of the Pinta is docked at the wharf downtown and, although I have toured this one before when we lived in St. Louis, I'd like to see it again. It is unreal how those sailors ever made it across the ocean in such a small boat. Pictures to follow, hopefully.

Have a great day and don't forget to enjoy the moment!

Message Board Mania

I've given a lot of thought to message boards and the roles they have played in my life. When we first moved to Florida after our retirement five years ago, we didn't know anyone but our family. We had both been use to having our large circle of friends close by and always ready to have adventures. Now, we were pretty much on our own.

The biggest link we had to our friends in St. Louis was the internet. And this became our link to new friends as well. I had been so use to attending crops either after school or on a Sat. with girfriends that the loss of this really hit me hard. On line, I discovered a whole cyber world of scrappers and virtual crops available everywhere. I was saved.

One of the first mbs with which I made contact was the ckmb. It was through this mb that I met and became friends with Petra (my kemosabe) and Moni. Who knew at the time that we would exchange several visits irl, and crop over the internet with our web cams and mikes...wonders never cease.
What a joy these two have been in both my honey's and my life. The highlight has to have been attending CKU and our dorm placing 2nd overall. What a blast that was. Janet and Anne , I still laugh at the pics of you with Hank, our own Cabana Boy. Kath we missed you. and the Kipster was not even on the mb then nor had I met our MerMaid BBTH.

Although I have parted ways with ckmb for a variety of reasons, I shall be always thankful to it for providing me with so many wonderful friendships. And the Early Birds....you guys all rock! I miss you. Maybe I'll surprise you all some early morn, who knows. Stranger things have happened, right?

My history with hats...

My grandmother, Mano, was a stately woman and one of immense dignity. She took great pride in her appearance even when she could hardly remember her own name right before she passed away. Her one great vanity was hats.

After she graduated from 10th grade (the end of education when she was a girl), she went to work in a hat factory. I have the most amazing pictures of her and, in every one, she is wearing a hat. She preferred the large ones with feathers and ribbons. She would have loved this one.

Unfortunately, with my square jaw and round chubby cheeks, I do not wear hats well. When I was in high school, my "friends" use to make me try on hats at malls for evening entertainment.
Kip shot me in several hats during a recent shopping excursion when she visited Paradise last.
It is reassuring that some things never change.

Hats off to you, Nana!

Year in Review 2005

Giving this a shot. After reading Kip's, Clare's and Ruth's, I wanna play too. Hope this copy/paste works.

for Nadine's challenge on
Two Peas for the New year:
1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before?

Traveled to Italy, flew to Cleveland w/Kip


2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't think I made any!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Petra had our Cabana Baby, Brian

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Not this year, thank God. I've lost too many members of my family in the four years previous to this one so maybe I am getting a rest.


5. What countries did you visit?

Italy and it was wonderous!


6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005?

The knowledge that my family is well, happy and independent.


7. What date from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I'm with Kip...the hurricanes and our nation's poor response blaming the shortcomings on race instead of doing something about it.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Making the ScrapLovers DT and having a few things picked up for publication.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Not keeping my mouth shut and my hands off the key board when I know better. There is no sense is taking on trouble.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

My knee which is probably arthritus related.

11. What was the best thing you bought? Either Minnie, my new laptop or our new home (put the money down and move closer to my dd, sil, ds andKath and the Kipster).

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My friend Anne who started her own business...very scary thing. WAy to go, Anne!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

The monitors on the CKMB who allowed inequity and bullying to continue unabated and whose playing of favorites no matter how offensive these were has led to over 40 women leaving the mb entirely or posting only to "safe" threads. Sad.

Am also appalled with our gov't response to the emergencies this year and to those who involved us in a war that is none of our business.


14. Where did most of your money go?

Italy, scrapbook toys like the Wishblade, the new printer, the lap top, etc. etc. and I am not even going to talk about supplies!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Life in general, hanging out with my friends, being invited to teach at a very cool sb retreat, seeing my kids often oh and biking miles and miles.

16. What song will always remind you of 2005?

No clue

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? about the same, drat it.
iii. richer or poorer? no clue

18. What do you wish you'd done more of? Scrapped


19. What do you wish you'd done less of? fretted over things out of my control.

20. How will you be spending Christmas? with family but my dd and her husband were in St. Louis and my nephew and his gf arrived stoned for Christmas Eve (see White Trash Christmas for details).

22. Did you fall in love in 2005?

Fell? am still loving that man of mine!

23. How many one-night stands? ah, that would be a negatory

24. What was your favorite TV program?

Loved Surface (anthing scary is fun), Lost (constant puzzle), The Biggest Loser, House, and Survivor.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? Not into hate but there are a couple of gals I really don't care for....more their "I can do anything, say anything because I can" attitude.

26. What was the best book you read?

Reading Katherine Hepburns biography now and it is good but my fave of the year has to be Wicked and the sequel, Son of a Witch.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?

That the only place I would win anything for singing is the Gong Show and I don't think it is still in production.

28. What did you want and get? Peace of mind and what I got was a mixed bag but that is life.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?

Wow...thats a toughy as we don't go to the movies and haven't rented one in eons. Probably Harry Potter.


31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

This is sad but I can't remember what we did on my b'day. I was 58 which is why I probably can't remember.

2. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? winning the Florida lottery said Kip and ditto says I.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? comfortable...

and fun...am into tees with sequins and sparkles etc on wine/drink glasses/fish/palm trees/ anything. And yes, I have become my mother.


34. What kept you sane?

My husband, the kids, my incredible girlfriends

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Not a celeb fan


36. What political issue stirred you the most? Again, the dismal failure of the US and it's President in light of Katrina and this ridiculous war says kip...ditto says Jules

37. Who did you miss? My stepfather, Papa Joe and my mom, aunt and uncle.

38. Who was the best new person (people) you met?

Not to slight the old and gold pals but the newest people I have met would have to be the Smoochie Girls, Lisa and Met....love ya!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005:

To save my time and energy for things that truely matter: family, friends, my love of the craft.

Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:

Leaving on a jet plane (all the sb conventions I worked this past year)

Being sick sucks...

I had such big plans for today...bike ride, finish with the holiday stuff, scrap, read. Neither of us slept well last night and just taking down and packing up the tree has left me yearning for a nap, all wrapped up in a warm blanket. My honey's cough is dry and raspy and he can only take certain meds and the bug has settled in my tummy but is rapidly moving to chest and head.

Enough moaning and groaning. The couch is calling me or at least a chair in the sun on the patio. I hate feeling my age!

Hope you are all well and happy!

Jan 1, 2006

Cheers and best wishes for this next year. I am not a big one for making New Year's Resolutions as I never seem to keep them. I do, on the other hand, keep my word. So, perhaps I need to change my resolutions to promises I make myself. I am making 3 personal promises and 3 scrap related promises. I plan to scrap these into the title page for my Book of Me for 2006, thus insuring that one of my promises is kept!

I hope this year is a good one for all of you, my friends. As I get closer to the BIG 60, I find myself thinking more and more about the contributions my friends and family make to my life and how much easier my life is to lead thanks to all of you.

Blessings and best of the best to you all.

Good friends Good times

Posting from Paradise

We have been having the best times with our friends Kim and Jerry, Steve and DeeDee. Steve and DeeDee are friends of our from St. Louis who flew down to Orlando/Titusville to stay with Kim and Jerry (whom we also taught with in Hazelwood) and the six of us go way back with long, terribly funny intwined lives.

I use to coach Cheer leaders and Jerry was the Freshman
Boys' soccer coach. Steve was the Freshman football coach and Kim's daughter was one of my Freshman cheerleaders. One thing led to another and 2 years ago Kim married Jerry and they retired to Titusville. This all sounds terribly incestuous and convoluted but it is what it is.

Yesterday we went to a wildlife preserve and watched two gators doing the horizontal mambo (we think), then headed to the infamous Ron Jon's Surf Store where I got really cool sandles (eat your heart out Kipster) Then we headed off to the Coacoa Beach Pier for food and drinks. Repeated same at 4 restaurant bars at Port and watched the big cruise liners leave. and Clare, my Cosmo at the matini bar came with a little plastic mermaid and my friend got a cute monkey (thought of all the Howling Monkey Girls of course)

We're off to St. Augustine today for a repeat performance of yesterday with a bit of history thrown in for fun. Later, gators!

Ghosties on my blog

Maybe it is just me, but when I pulled up my blog to post, nothing from yesterday shows up but "The D..." hmmmmmmmm. Wonder what is up with that.

Can't wait until Comcast replaces my modum for big puter Harry. As much as I love the lap top, Minnie, she has her shortcomings. And I am anxious to try out all Harry's new toys from Santa!

Enough grumping! Have a great day.

The Day After

We did not have what one could call your typical Normal Rockwell Christmas. All my life I have strived for a tinge of class and fallen a trifle short for one reason or another. But I never in my life imagined the "white trash" Christmas we had on the 24th.

All was well until my 30 year nephew and his 46 year old girlfriend showed up stoned and over 2.5 hours late for the event. It was bad enough he broke my sister's heart one more time, but his 4 year old niece was there to witness the behavior. We had such a great time until they showed up.

At one point, she had a catacism of my great aunt's out that was 110 years old, leafing through it madly trying to make sense of it...it was in German but I think even English would have been a challenge at that point. They left shortly after my honey reminded her it is always nice to ask before removing items from curios...

The rest of the family made the holiday still redeamable. And then my cable modum went out. I am posting off my lap top and through a connection somewhere out there (sing it...lol). and don't know when I can reconnect. Cable co. comes Jan 2.

Merry Christmas all...we are thinking of heading to the Bahamas for next year's holiday. Do you think "they " will find us there?

It's Christmas Time in the City

We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of that Jolly Ol' Soul here in Paradise. The guys are watching the Bucs play the Falcons and I'm listening to Christmas music on the lanai and reading a book. We don't get started with the festivities until later this evening so we are making time pass as fast as we can. From our house to yours, Merry Christmas Eve...

Posting from Paradise

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It's getting to look a lot like Christmas

all around our house. Here is our front porch all lit for the holidays.
This seems to be the season for light problems. We've blown fuse after fuse and lights on an off, timers not working so we no lights or lights at 3:30 pm. The inside has been no better. I've rewired the stairs garland twice since we put it up in November.

But, despite it all, I love the whole thing. The cats and I sit often on the front porch, lights aglow (with any luck) and listen to the Christmas music.

Happiest of Holidays to you all. And remember, only 5 more shopping days til Christmas!

One week til Christmas Eve

This has been an exciting week for us here in Paradise. We signed a contract on a lot and house in Connerton just outside of Land 'O Lakes and Lutz and about a half hour east of the kids. We'll be right next to the biking/hiking path and took a walk down the boardwalk Thursday. It is home! or will be in about a year.

I had to put up this pic of Goof, one of our two "boys". He has used our fountain on the front porch as his personal drinking fountain ever since we got it installed. He cries to have me turn it on and jumps right up. He has been known to dip his paw in the water to remove floating leaves.

Happiest of Holidays to all...

It's getting to look a lot like Christmas

This was last year's centerpiece surrounded by my new Snow Couple, a gift from my honey! I wired the wreath with red lights and inside the hurricane glass are some vintage looking ornaments that remind me of some that my grandmother had. All of her ornaments were misplaced when her house was sold. For all I know, they are still in her ornament box in the attic of her wonderful house on (aptly named) Home Park Bvd, in Waterloo Iowa. I have often been tempted to write the current owners and send them a copy of one or two of the pictures that I have inherited. We had the best Christmases there when I was a child. Oh, such lovely memories.

Favorite Christmas songs

Everyone has their favorite Christmas songs. When I lived in St. Louis, I could not always get to Florida to visit with my parents. This sometimes made for a lonely Christmas for me, especially if my ex had the kids. My mom and my favorite song was "I'll be home for Christmas" and a couple of times I would find the means to fly down and surprise her. I'd play this song on the phone and just hang up!

When my dd was still in St. Louis and we lived here, our song became "Would you like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island" and I made sure she could make it down with a ticket for a holiday gift. It was just as much a gift for me. When my son could make it home from Fl. while we were still in St. Louis and we were altogether (as we are now) my life was full.

I use to tease my high school students and tell them that my favorite Christmas song was that favorite old ballad, "Grandma got run over by a reindeer"!
Last Christmas we found this cutie who sits in Grandma's rocker and belts out this tune. Who could resist? Not me!

One week closer to Santa's visit

Last year for Christmas, my father gave me the usual gift of a check. Its a bit impersonal but it works. My honey and I had just started collecting the glass blown and hand painted ornaments made in Germany for our tree. We only collect ones of vintage Santas and the store where normally get these did not have any new ones. On a whim, I took my cash and went to SFAvenue which has a store here at my favorite outdoor mall. Low and behold, there was this lovely and very large Santa calling to me clear across the store.
And he was on sale for half price, exactly what my check from Dad was for. He is very content hanging from our tree. See his smile!

Snow Gal Clare and her Boy Toys

When Kip and I found these sassy Snow gals last year, we both thought of Clare immediately. The boa, the foo foo outfit, the feathers, and most of all, the snow gal is just downright adorable. Here is my Clare Snow Gal, who has a twin living in St. Pete! These are her admirers, her Boy Toys. I must have over 30 Snow People now. I love these festive folks!

Happy Holidays

The tree is up and we even have some wrapped packages underneath. We are working on getting our out of town gifts wrapped and shipped so we can sit back, listen to Christmas music, watch smultzie holiday tear-jerker movies, and just relax.

That feeling of Christmas

I love the holidays. Part of the fun is decorating the tree. When I pull out the ornaments, it is like visiting with old friends whom I have not seen in a long time. I have so many favorites as Gene and I have been collecting ornaments since the days we were dating. This is one of my favorites. The glass and the gold and the lights around Santa are so lovely.
What is your favorite ornament?

Finished the front porch for the holidays

Today I found the perfect rug for the front porch and it was on sale! I love the mix of greens, pink and reds.
Our friends, Kim and Jerry gave me the North Pole sign when we visited them last Dec. in Titusville. I was coveting their sign and my dearly beloved would not let me buy one. My dearest dear friend gave me hers and bought and even cuter on for herself! Win win!

The reindeer is one of the last of a series. A man my step papa knew made him 2 of these every year...I have the snowman, the Santa and this cutie who lights up. I love my front porch as it is filled with memories.

Jack in repose

The minute I got out the camera, Just Jack put his manly self down one the new rug, arranged his parts to best show off his royal self and reclined until long after he heard the click of the digi cam. What a ham!

Captiva Christmas

The Friday after Thanksgiving we head to Captiva for what has become our family's traditional kick start to the holidays. 'Tween Waters Resort has a lighting of the lights and caroling event each year. My sister and several of her friends joined Gene, Chris and Kristen and I for the fun.

Somehow, going out to Captiva just puts us all in the right spirit. We arrived early, had drinks by the pool and walked along the bay side. This picture is what we saw on our walk. The caroling began with each section of the resort lit at strategic times. Then came the fireworks (see post below). This is such a good time!

The Fireworks

The evening ended with carols and the amazing fireworks display. We have found the perfect spot from which to view the display and head to our place when Manheim Steamroller music starts to play.

Cao Yong's paintings of Venice

We have temporarily located this painting over our small table in the hall to our bedroom. It needs better lighting and to be hung higher but in the midst of holiday decorating, this will have to wait. Yong does such rich colors and paints in such wonderful details. There are amazing expressons on the faces of the people, the water ripples are so vividly portrayed that I am waiting for the sound of them slapping against the boats and the quays. I love this artist.

Cao Yong and Venice

We picked up our new painting late last week and they are even more lovely than I remember them being. They evoke such wonderful memories of our trip this summer to Italy in celebration of Gene and I being married ten years.

The trip was such a wonder and we had so much fun especially since our good buddies, Steve and Dee Dee joined us there from St. Louis.

These paintings by Yong evoke the same old beyond time and lovely beyone measure atmosphere I found in Venice.

I met Patricia Neal today

What a red letter day for me and I thought I was just getting a hair color and trim! As I was leaving the salon, in walked a stately older woman who looked very familiar to me. She walked with a cane and another woman walked by her side.
My stylist turned to me and said, "Isn't Patricia Neal still lovely?". Patricia Neal! Amazing!

I told Ingrid, my stylist, that Miss Neal had always been one of my favorite "classic" actresses and that I love her in my favorite movie, "In Harm's Way" with John Wayne. Ingrid urged me to say hello but I did not want to intrude.

As I was paying, she and Miss Neal waved me back to her chair and she was so gracious. The voice is still the same, despite her 89 years and several strokes. It is firm, low and still sultry. She was and still is a lovely woman of dignity and courage having had her first stroke when she was in her 30s.

I met her son as well. She stays with him here during the winters and has her hair combed out at my salon. She took my hand in hers and thanked me so much for remembering her. WOW!

Holiday Center Piece

I love nothing more than creating spots around the house that glow and glimmer. These ruby and gold candle holders were so inexpensive from Old Tyme Pottery as to be rediculous. The plate, on the other hand, even on sale, was a tad more. Pier One had these 20% off and we winced a bit when we bought the plate but then realized we could also use it after the holidays as it is a perfect piece for serving wine in our Merano wine set. We figure that cuts the cost in half, right? lol

We need to get the house all decked out soon. Kristen and Christopher will not be spending Christmas with us this year. They are heading back to St. Louis for the first time in over two years. I guess it is his folks turn to have the kids for the holidays. We'll be celebrating Christmas with the kids the Sat. after Turkey Day and will head to Tween Waters Resort for the caroling and lighting of the resort as we always do that Friday. That always gets us in the holiday spirit.

This one is for Anne

This is my lunch from last week when I played tourist on Captiva Island. I explored the island a bit and then ate at the Green Flash. I have been boycotting the restaurant because it was built on the site of my favorite haunt when my folks lived on Sanibel way back in the late 70s/early 80s.
Timmy's Nook was a local's hangout...checkered table vinyl table cloths on old picnic tables, no a/c, and a handwritten menu on a black board. The fish was fresh caught, the fries hot and greasy, and you could look between the slats on the floor to see the bay gently lapping . The Green Flash bought the land, used Timmy's Nook as landfill and built this large, modern restaurant in its place. This is only my second visit to the Flash since Timmy's Nook was torn down in the mid 90s. The food was good, the service friendly and the view was dynamite. I still miss Timmy's Nook...it was home!

Meet Gumbo

This is the Katrina puppy that my daughter, Kristen and her husband, Christopher are fostering. He is about 5 months old and full of energy. His "big brother", Cyrus the Wonderdog and he race through the house careening off walls and furniture and then both just collapse.
They have had several lookers to adopt Gumbo but no takers and will keep him if no one has offered to adopt him by January. He is such a sweetie, too.

Sandcastles in Paradise

I have been having far too much fun for one human to handle. Last Thursday I folded tee shirts at the Ft. Myers Beach Chamber of Commerce and then headed down to the Holiday Inn and the Outrigger resorts where the Masters' Contest was underway. It was a perfect day with soft breezes and Gulf aromas everywhere. Here is just one shot of one of the sand Masters at his craft.

Playing Tourist

Yesterday I decided to play tourist in my own town. I drove over the cause way to Sanibel and shopped my way down Periwinkle to Captiva where I had lunch at the Green Flash.
I even had a gentleman admirer while I ate, which was so flattering! lol

I visited an antique store and found a vintage Florida car window decal for my project tonight at our Altered Artists meeting. We are doing cigar purses and want to do mine in Old Florida motif.

I'll post some pics of the view from the Green Flash later today...I really do live in Paradise.

Trolls from under the Bridge

It has been eons since the mb had a troll and now it looks like we have either one or two. I am hoping she/them are not active members on the mb just out to stir up trouble. The writing was that of junior high schoolers (I should know, I taught middle school for 3 of the very longest years of my life) and the cruel humor is so typical of young girls this age. So, I am hoping it was just one/two bored youngster who found our mb by mistake and decided to stir up some trouble. The topic to do this, unfortunately, would take more research skills than most junior high schoolers posses so I do have my doubts.

Hopefully, this too shall pass.

It is the weekend in Paradise

Despite having had big problems sleeping last night, I am very excited about the weekend. This is a big switch for me. Having been retired for the past five years, weekends have lost their thrill. We seem perpetually on weekend time.

Today, for some reason, that old 'Yeah; it's the weekend" thrill is back. I can't wait to see what e will cook up for breakfast and what else we will do today for fun.

I am scrapping at a girl friend's house tomorrow and maybe that is some of it. She works during the week and so perhaps I have caught the weekend excitement from her. I haven't scrapped with anyone else in eons so this too adds to the fun. Now all I have to do is figure out how to restrain myself and not take everything I own with me to her house...lol.

Happy weekend fellow bloggers!

Who's that knocking at my door?

Today I had e drop me off at the stamp art store for demo day. It had been months and months since I had gone last or done something like this just for me. He continued on to the track and hopefully many winning races.

Everything the owner demo'ed today seemed to be knocking on my door, both literally and figuatively. She showed some wonderful door stamps and great quotes like (paraphrase here) 'Sometimes we lose our way to our dream so we find another' and 'Every entrance has an exit" and the one I bought, "There are doorways I haven't opened..."

She also showed some old products and stamps and asked us to look at them in a new way. Now I understand this is a great sales tool but on my walk home (a mere 2.5 miles and I stopped for lunch...lol) I gave the whole morning more thought.

As much as I have enjoyed teaching at conventions, especially getting to meet and work with such wonderful women, I think it is time to close this door. I am pretty sure what I want to do is take a sabatical and figure out, what if anything I want to do next.

I am a far better teacher than I am a designer and there are many more teachers better than I am but that is what I love about what I have been doing...the teaching. So, I'll keep the teaching but what is the question.

I have a retreat in January and the most exciting thing about that is the ability to limit the number of students in my classes. I want to either stick with what I call 'boutique" teaching or teaching teaching to teachers.

I need some time to play. I want to take classes not always give them. I want to open myself up for new ideas, new techniques presented by someone besides me.

My husband, St. Gene of Paradise, has been his usual patient self and has allowed me to rant and rave and sigh and flail about. Guess he had more faith in me than I did because last night he said, "Why don't you just relax. If people forget who you are, so be it. (Did I mention I like that some people actually recognize my name). If you need to teach, teach or don't teach. You are retired."

So, about the one door closing and another opening quote I told my pal, Kellee about the other day on the mb...maybe I should take my own advise.

And as for door #1, #2, or #3...I pick not to pick ..at least for a while.

Santa, define good.

One tag down and four to go...

Hard at work in Paradise Ho Ho Ho

This is one of my craft fair projects. I only have 3 more door hangers, 4 mini albums and some photo ornaments left to do....only! And the fair is the 11th. and 12th. of November!

"Tis the Season"

This is one of the photo frames I am making for an upcoming craft fair. The frame is edged in ribbed red ribbon. I have no clue what to charge for something like this.