Ppp-oor Cinderelly....

I am so not going to any stinkin' ball. Not today. No sir. I am sitting my tush on this couch and watching a full day of Hoarders. Ever get caught in that trap? The show, not the habit!! Just to clarify... It's on all day today on A&E and I just can't help but watch it. Is it sick that I would love to be that organizer to go through it all? It is, isn't it? Whatev.



Anyway, yesterday was so exhausting, but also really satisfying. We only spent about six hours at the house, but by the end we were SO DONE. Eric and his dad worked on the outside, chopping down weeds, blowing weeds away, and ripping down Christmas lights off the house and trees, while this girlie went in circles inside. I can't even tell you about the stuck-on goopy crap that was on almost every surface. UGH. But with my trusty razor blade, bucket and scrubby sponge, not to mention the most stringent cleaner I could find, that place came shockingly clean. Which was great, but really pissed me off at the same time. This poor house looked like some old gross place, when really, it is in great shape, it's just the nasty people who lived there who allowed it to accumulate so much. And more than that, they went out of their way to spill all over the place to make as big a mess as possible for someone else to clean up. ARGH. OH! And did you see the horses in that picture up there? Yeah. We don't have any. Ehem, 'scuse me, but could you come pick up your load and cart it off, please? We kinda need to weed out there...



I really should have taken more pics of the rest of the house - especially inside. I can't wait until it is at a point where you can look at the original photos and think, "No way! That's what this place used to look like?!?" Mom, you would be proud. Terri, you've been recruited. Cinderella, you've met your match...

Hi ho hi ho it's off to Winters we go!

Going out to "the house" as we've been calling it these days - soon to be calling it "our house" if everything goes through as planned.

We've got a ton of work to do just to ensure it appraises for the value we need it at to get financing. So basically, we want to get it just nice enough that it appraises for the amount of financing we need, but not so nice that it raises any red flags.

Picture all the green areas in the photo above filled with 6' tall weeds and that's what we've got going for us. Eric bought all these fancy attachments for the weed wacker and since he just about died of hayfever five minutes ago doing the 5' patch of weeds in our backyard at the rental, guess who volunteered to tackle them at "the house?" Yeah. Wacking down weeds taller than I am. That's love.



This is what I can't wait to make a path to. That'll be my studio. That is, as soon as we clear out the chicken poopies and refinish the entire thing... Oh, but I can just see it!!

I should mention also that the shit brown color of the house is the first thing to go. ICK. Since Eric nearly vommed at the mention of a kind of pale buttery yellow with white trim, I'm thinking a super pale warm side of grey with accents of navy and white might work. I dunno, what do you think? Any suggestions? I'm open, and I love paint swatches.

Just a quick one...

'Member that Brie box I showed before? Well, it's all finished. And this is a sneak of how it turned out. There a whole mini book that goes inside it, too. Be sure to check out the Noel Mignon Kit Club Blog next Thursday to see the finished product! Lots of goodness going on over there! And ohmygosh! You HAVE to go over and look at the sneaks of the new kit that will be released on the 5th. So, after you're all finished reading my very first post, just click on over to the store and buy one for yourself. You will not be disappointed!

In other news:

I have been busily putting together lots of projects and samples for work this week.

And it has been.
So. Much. Fun.

Seriously.

We're right at that time where all the new stuff is starting to come out for sneaks right before CHA and I LOVE IT! Got the new Jenni Bowlin the other day, and can I just say, I need a little boy so that I can use every bit of it up! Loving the new rubons, too. How cute are they!?!?

I also got Show & Tell by We R Memory Keepers and am busy making up some fun stuff with that. More to come on that front!!

Here's a project I did a couple of weeks ago when I went to the studio in Fresno.







That's all for today. Gotta finish up all these fun little projects in progress so I can get my BBQ face on for tomorrow's fun times with the girls!!

Sloth and Gluttony

Coffee with vanilla chai creamer and a mini cheesecake with cherry topping. All necessary food groups present and accounted for. This is just the way to start a Monday, if you ask me. Oh, what? You didn't ask me? Well then fine, have some oatmeal and black coffee - go ahead and have a crappy day, while you're at it. Start the day sweet, have a sweet day. It just makes sense. So what if you have a little sugar crash half-way through. That's what coffee's for.

Anywho, today is the day that I veto going to the grocery store. I just can't make myself leave the house. In order to do that I'd have to take a shower and wash my hair. Then I'd have to straighten it, and if you know me, you know how long that takes. And then after that my arms would be limp and lifeless and in no shape to push one of those oversized Winco carts around anyway. Plus there's the fact that I'd be shopping at Winco, and that's never fun, and sometimes it's just downright scary. I'm just not tall enough to risk pissing off a woman with 5 kids shoved in the cart with three more behind her, knocking cans of soup off the shelves. Nope. Not tall enough and definitely not fast enough. So yeah, I just veto that. I get to do that every once in a while.

Today is the day to not make the bed. It's a day for watching season 5 disk 2 of Dawson's Creek while hand-sewing little blossoms for the hex quilt that may never be done. It's a day for eating the remaining two mini cheesecakes because Eric said he didn't like them. Did I ever tell you he doesn't like cream cheese? Is that the weirdest thing you've ever heard? Yeah, I thought so too.



I've got a ton of projects to finish up, for both work and pleasure. Projects like this which were supposed to be quick and easy, but which my bronde brain sometimes has issues with. It's like I can't let myself off easy, I must complicate the hell out of it. And yes, bronde is a word.



I also need to finish up this little ditty, who's use will be far more necessary in the coming months. You'll find out more about that later.

Okay, it's off to do a little light housekeeping to justify a day of relative sloth and gluttony.
Hopefully disk 3 shows up today...

Buck up, buttercup.

Just made cherry jello with raspberries in it, then mini faux cheese cakes with cherry topping. Did I mention the chocolate cake I made night before last? Some would call this a downward spiral. I call it cleaning out the pantry.

Looked at houses this weekend, following being informed that the house we've spent the last 14 months trying to buy is now being foreclosed on. And can I say, telling someone that and then saying "oops, nevermind," is a terribly cruel joke. Now we've opened our eyes to a whole different town which has all kinds of positives: Great area, closer to mommy dearest, cuts down Eric's drive from 45 minutes to 25, BEAUTIFUL houses which are ready to actually live in, between 2-5 acres, and totally private. Here's one that we looked at:

Yeah, for the record, fake deer are not okay.

Can we say yum? Yeah, this would be my scraproom. Can't you just imagine working in there with all that natural light? Lots of space. I'm in love.

Then we entered back into reality when the Realtor called to say that in fact the house we originally fell in love with is not actually being foreclosed on - it's ours if we want it. And we want it, we do. But... after 14 months there are 6' tall weeds over the entire 5 acres, carpet to be replaced, paint colors to be argued about, holes to patch, cabinets to refinish, exteriors to be painted, sheds to be repaired, fences to be built, and did I mention 5 acres of 6' tall weeds? Yeah.

I'll keep you updated...

Blogger sometimes makes me crazy...

And changes the size of things inexplicably.



But there's always these. And they make me happy.



I made them for a Bridal Shower last weekend. It was a great excuse to play with paper in ways I never had before.



Although I think I might have permanent frickin' nerve damage from burning my fingers so much.

Loveyameanit.

Ohmygosh!

So I couldn't tell you before, but I can tell you now.



I am now a member of the Noel Mignon Kit Club Design Team!!!!

yay yay yay happy yay yay yay

Be sure to check out the store for some super awesome products and these awesome kits, join in on the forum, take part in the challenges, and get tons of inspiration!

Have a happy scrappy weekend!

It's only natural...

to love a place at first sight, right? Because I do. You would too if you went here. And where is here, you ask? Paradise, California at Paradise Scrapbook Boutique. You'll have to excuse my crappy pictures - check the Paradise blog for some better ones.



This is where I spent last Saturday with my mom and a ton of other lucky ladies for Karen's annual National Scrapbook Day celebration. Yes, I know NSD was the week before, but in Paradise they do things their own way. And may I just say, it was worth the wait!

When you walk in the shop you are instantly taken aback at just how pretty everything is. The ceiling is strung with twinkle lights, paper is stacked on half-walls perched on pristine white tables laden with all kinds of goodies.



Ribbons and trims are everywhere. Stored on this wall by color, and also tucked into all kinds of places all over the store, letting you see just how well a particular trim goes with a paper that you would never have guessed could be possible.



As you walk through the store, you realize that there is a place for everything. Products are stored in categories - new releases that cycle through the display tables, outdoor, school, love, holidays, travel, baby, etc. The amazing thing about the way this is all done is that there is no obnoxious sign that points out what "department" you are in. You look up and see a fishing pole mounted to the wall, a vintage scooter, a huge pair of scissors, seashells scattered around, and even a vintage refrigerator filled with vintage paper. Your brain takes you exactly where you want to be without having to even think about it. It's brilliant.



The shop is filled to the brim. Everywhere you look you find some amazing thing and think, "well that's just perfect." It's like being inside someone's home. You could go through the store a hundred times and find something new each time. I did.



Just when you think you've seen it all, you find the cutest buttons in the world all packaged up, nesting in an even cuter bowl, tucked away in the tiniest bit of real estate. And well, you have to have them, right? Right.



I think Karen is the only person in the world who is as fond of jars filled with vintage spools of thread as I am. Love it.



And what is this? A chair? Mounted on a wall? Well, yeah - I mean, you have to put your starfish and ribbon somewhere. Isn't that what everyone does with their vintage chairs?



More ribbon being cute.

We had such a blastie together! Lots of shopping, make-n-takes, flower demos, laughing, and, if I may say so, the best chocolate cupcakes I've ever had. Ever.

Okay, so if you're not convinced by all this, take a trip up there, would ya? Cause if you haven't, you're totally missing out. Be sure to visit the blog to see what's new in Paradise!!

A little something...

Had some serious fun with this! I used We R Memory Keepers 72 & Sunny and Cosmo Cricket's Delovely collections along with some awesome gems and leaves from Creative Impressions.





Love making these flowers - it's addicting, really. They are so easy and a great way of using up some leftover ribbon.

I'm leaving at 7:30 tomorrow morning for Paradise Scrapbook Boutique in Paradise, CA. Can I just say that I am bouncing up and down? Lots. Can't wait for a day of scrappy fun!!

Hope you all have a great weekend!

Ouch.

I hurt. A lot. And in weird places, too.

Other than that, I had a great time at the relay this weekend. It was really amazing to see the generosity that came pouring out of total strangers.



We had a great raffle drawing with tons of amazing prizes, like dinner for 4 at the Habit. Have you been there? AMAZING burgers!



The more amazing thing was that so many of the winners of the raffle decided that they'd rather give their prizes away to survivors. It was so amazing to hear their stories and see their excitement to have been given something to make their life just a teeny bit easier.

We stayed all night at the track and even though it was FREEZING we still had fun. Here we are being a little crazed. Me, mom and the caped crocheter Louisa. Never dare a survivor to wear a purple crochet hat around the track once. She'll do it.



Jeez, I look crazed.

Well, on to the winner of the Ippity Stamps!

StaceyL. has left a new comment on your post "As promised...":

love the "tongue" pic! means you guys have a great time - would love the stamps for cards.


Posted by StaceyL. to Britt's Blog {Paisley Lane Design Studio} at Saturday, May 1, 2010 4:44:00 PM PDT

Congrats, Stacey!! Just send me your address to brittny@paisleylane.net and I'll get those out to you asap!

Hope everyone had a great National Scrapbooking Day!

As promised...

This week I was gonna be good about posting. And then at 12:00 Monday Eric called to say that we'd be leaving for Seattle at 3:00 that afternoon for a last minute business trip. He had to drive all the way up there and he couldn't think of a single person in the world he'd rather have as his co-pilot....HA! Like he'd ever say a crazy thing like that... So I said okay and packed my bags. I'd have to be crazy to turn that down, right? That's what I thought.



So we packed our bags (well, he packed a bag, and I packed six because, well, you just never know, and a girl needs what she needs) and hit the road. I managed to get about five photos the entire time as it was so rainy and gross outside. And would Eric take a picture with his fiance? Well, not a good one. I got one of him flipping me the bird, and this little gem. Cute cute cute....coming in for a sweet little peck on the cheek....and slap! a tongue is in my mouth. Thanks, babe... I hesitated to post this, but I figure, if I have a brute who does crap like this, surely there are more of you out there, right?



It's as though he relishes in my photographic dreams crumbling...

So the trip was boring - the wizard wouldn't let us into the Emerald City because we couldn't park all 50' of our ride, I spent the entire sunshiny day in the hotel room working, and the shuttle to dinner was like being paraded through town in a New York City taxi deathtrap. EEK. But the driving was nice - Oregon and Washington are so green I thought for a little while I might sprout some leaves of my own. And on the way back it snowed! Gorgeous!



And I worked on the beloved/dreaded hex quilt.



And I was shut down once again on the photo op...



He's like the Soup Nazi, that one... No shot for you!!

After being back in Vacavillieoh for about 14 hours, I'm now 15 minutes late leaving for Fresno to participate in the Relay for Life. First time, very excited, and hope my legs don't fall off in a general protest to exercise of any kind.

Not what I had planned for National Scrapbooking Day, but oh well!



So I think as a reward to those of you who actually read to the end of this post, you should definitely be entered to win something.... How about this adorable stamp set by Ippity? I love it - use my set all the time! Just leave me a comment to be entered. I'll post the winner on Monday.


Loveyameanit!!