Fall Festival Blog Hop

Welcome to the

Today's hop will give you all kinds of awesome fall crafting ideas. So let's get started!

I've been rather busy lately. Who am I kidding? I'm always busy... I moved the older girls' stuff out of their room (as written on "It's Ma Birth-day..." in early October), and the hubster finished up the new craftroom, so I had to "move" everything on over. OMG! I have so much S-H-*-*!  It took several days (and nights) to complete this project (the craftroom/s), and since I was put on a deadline, it didn't all come over organized, not that it was really organized in the other space. But I did know where everything was. As for now, I'm not quite sure where everything is, so my first project for this hop is somewhere in the unorganized new space blitz that is my craftroom. It was a cute skinny little tri-fold card, in an accordion style, using a sunny marigold paper. Seriously. I looked for it to take quickie-pics, but nothing was to be found.

New Room pics...

All the stuff I had to move...

 

After an hour of searching really you have NO idea how much stuff I had to look through, I gave up. But.. Since I did just move a room, I found lots of "lost" treasures and decided to do another project. Yup. Really truly lost. But that skinny little card had acorns with really cute Peachy Keen stamp faces. And I will find it.  I will find it... but it'll take a bit of time. I'll re-post it then.

So... I found this:

And decided to add LOTS of color to it...

 It took two coats to cover the "craft" color...

Then I added the green stem.

Then topped it off with some green ivy...

And decided it looked pretty good, so I put it on my table amongst other little pumpkins... I love it!

Thanks for stopping by today.

Please visit all the blogs in today's hop and don't forget to leave comments to be entered into a drawing for a wonderful prize from Kathy Moran, Independent L'Bri Consultant!

Kathy is giving away this fabulous gift basket.

The gift basket includes: body wash, daily moisturizing hand and body lotion with a loofah, body butter, eye repair gel, facial masque, and hand soap. I'm also going to include a travel size facial cleanser, freshener and moisturizer and will be matched to the winner's skin type. The retail value on these items is over $120.00. The scent of the lotion, body wash, and lotion is cucumber, which is the faintest scent. I'm also including a set of brushes and a cosmetic bag with mirror.
Check out our sponsor at: www.morank.lbri.com

Here's the lineup!

Theresa - scrapsbygracie.blogspot.com
CADC Designers - http://cardadaychallenge.blogspot.com
Haidee - http://created2bunique.blogspot.com
Alicia - http://goldengoddessdesigns.blogspot.com
Kim - www.katydidcards.com
Angela - www.crazy3monkeys.blogspot.com
Lisa - http://lisaslittlerascals.blogspot.com <======= YOU ARE HERE!
Jearise - http://lorbysworld.blogspot.com (NEXT UP!)
Daphne - http://craftyscrapsofstuff.blogspot.com
Holli - http://Sunflowerholli.blogspot.com
Tristan - https://www.facebook.com/TinstarDesigns

Remember, HAPPY FALL Y'ALL! Just have a good time and hop!

Wordless/full Wednesday; What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday, etc.

It's been a LOOONNNGGG time since I participated in these, but... here I am, and here you are, too. Woohoo!

Wordless/Wordfull... it's all what you make of it. As my camera is downloading 517 pics (see, I haven't been just neglecting you or my blog... I've not been doing other things I should have either...), I'm sure there's something to be said for all of them.

Uh... my middle child graduated, my oldest finally got a job after an almost full year hiatus of not doing anything. I had issues with lots of things... school district employment (mine... don't get me started...), crafting machines dying on me (who's got money to replace them?!!! that's right... I do... I'ts called Amazon CREDIT.). Now the printer's down AGAIN. (I've had 4 replacement printers from HP... and the latest one just went out yesterday... ugh!)

Still waiting for those pics to download... thought this was going to be a quickie post. Geez! I've got things to do! We're going to Yucaipa Regional Park today to meet up with an old friend and her family, who are camping there. Who'd'a thunk it would cost $20 to go swimming? ($7 for the car to get in, and $4 each person to swim... EEK!) And I'm leaving in 40 minutes!!!! (sure i am...)

OK. Pics are done downloading... Here's something you can add words to... or not...

 

In case you can't tell... our house got tee-peed. I remember when we used to do this for pop-warner or band, or just friends. Back then in the day, it was ok to do it. We all had permission from the parents and knew what it meant. I was leaving for work (yes... I work...) on a beautiful Saturday morning, and this greeted me, backing up out of the garage. I believe it was sometime in May. My daughter assures me she hasn't done anything to anyone.


Fun memories, and I made her take pics, because I had to get going I was already running late.

And in case you're wondering where that beautiful morning sky is in the background, we're in Southern California. Inland Empire. And it was a beautiful day. Luckily, the job I was going to allows me to walk around in the sunshine all day... on a pool deck. And I L-O-V-E it!


On my Workdesk Wednesday... Here ya go! The question is NOT "What's on Your Workdesk?" It should be "What's NOT on Your Workdesk?" (I'm so far behind and the craftroom is SUCH a freakin' disaster, that I'm hoping this post gets my boo-tay going and it'll be done before the weekend? uh. huh... Don't hold your breath...)

Lots of cleanup, lots of projects, lots of inspiration? Check back with me later... I'm linking up to lots of people (later), as I've got to run, so... I'll do what I can for now. See ya!

Trying to Find My Footing... Ooop! There It Is!!!!

Sometimes, life just whips you. Others whip you, too. And sometimes... it just gets to be too much and nothing that YOU wanted to do gets done.

I can't blame anyone but myself. I'm the one who volunteers and who gets volunteered. But I'm the one who ultimately does not say, "NO!". I pride myself in helping out when and where I can, for whoever might need it. And my stuff (no matter how piddly it may be)... gets put on the back burner. And it fizzles out. (I did the decos in the background here... for the Father/Daughter Dance...)

You know what I mean, right? It fizzles out, because I'm worn out or the "mojo" just isn't there anymore. Dunno know if it's truly a depressive state or something else, but I'm trying to get it back and find my footing. Sometimes, you have to move stuff around to find it again!

So, there you have it! Thank goodness for my friends. I have wonderful friends. I have friends in the blogosphere, as well as friends (and family) in real life that encourage me and tell me how great I am. Although it may be a lie, it gives me a sense of hope in myself... a feeling that I am not totally doomed; I just need to find the right step.

And so today, on this day, I am thanking (specifically!) Lisa (love the name, don't you?) at Papergrace Designs. She has influenced me to get off my ass and do this "challenge". What challenge? Um... S.O.S. And that's exactly what I need.

While some may believe SOS to be "Save Our Souls" (Selves... WHATEVER!), in this case, it is "Shopping Our Stash," which may well save my "self" or "soul". Because... Um... I need a challenge to push my butt in gear.

Sure... I've done challenges (like Jingle Belles!), but I got a lot to do at one time and am now a whopping 5 weeks behind! (6, if you count this week's challenge!) One thing I've done a lot of is shopping my stash. I haven't bought anything for any of those challenges since before Christmas 2010. Actually, except for the rare impulse buy or great deal or necessity item (doing my daughter's grad album!), I have seriously been using my stash and then some.

But... as you will see... I have a whole lotta stash to deal with. The first challenge, which they gave some of us (the ultimate procrastinators) 2 whole weeks to do, is to post pics of our area... our stash. I've had the craft room for 10 months now, and have never posted pics, except on Twitter. huh.

I've always promised that I'd straighten it up, add a little pizazz here, a few touches there... and then I get all overwhelmed again. But NO! The peeps at SOS want us to NOT straighten and organize it all, just to post it. Woohoo! And... I can do that.

And without further ado... here we go! (hey...! NO judging!!!):

and behind the black curtain...

the super duper messy table!

the wall!

cutting station



sewing station and other supplies

 And YES! I know I need to clean it up, but with Mother's Day, Prom, lots of birthdays, PTA stuff, Kindergarten classroom stuff, etc., I've just been all over the place and not quite had the time to clean up after myself. (It's not like the crafting critters are gonna come take it all away, now... are they?) My footing is right here, where I left it. Things just need to be shifted around a bit for me to keep it.

And now I challenge YOU to join in... maybe we can all push each other to reach to a higher limit, to use our stash, to SAVE money, and make the best of what we already have. AND! If you link up, maybe YOU could win some blog candy, too (they're offering some FABULOUS stuff!)!!

Getting Ready for the New Year... and Cookies, too!

So... last week, a couple of friends... uh... well... I know them all, but none of them know each other. It's a funtastrophy. We'll see. Anyway, a couple of my friends were supposed to come over and have a mini-cookie exchange thingy. It didn't happen (insert "The weather started getting rough..." music from Gilligan's Island here). The wind and the rain were killin' us! Floods were happening everywhere. And then there was "the week before Christmas" rush. I don't think any of us were truly ready.

And so... it's gonna happen tomorrow. Tuesday. Three days after Christmas. And one person has already let me know they're flaking. They told me tonight.

(Sigh.)

Oh well...

I still have to make cookies. And I will. Tomorrow.

I still have to go to the store to get baking soda (so my cookies aren't flat like the chocolate chip ones we left for Santa, because my baking soda died). And I will. Tomorrow.

You see, because today... I'm cleaning up the craft room from the Christmas/holiday mess and straightening it out and lounging around and catching up on all those Lifetime and Hallmark Channel and ABC Family's 25 Days of Christmas and Lifetime Movie Network's Christmas and Happy Holiday Cheery-type movies that I TiVo'd during the past couple of weeks but haven't had the chance to watch and that might get recorded over because there's no more room on my DVR. (grabbing chest and catching breath because... well, HECK! that was a long-winded statement!)

And today... I don't feel much like going out. Because... I'm tired of the crowds and the grabbing and the traffic and the angry post-holiday people. And I just want to sit on my ass and chill or veg in the craft room and do my own thing.

Is that too much to ask?

Because well... my husband thinks it is...

And so... I'm cleaning up and getting ready to be the most organized non-procrastinator-that-ever-lived for the New Year. Do we think I can do it?

I will...

Tomorrow...

Xanny - being just as lazy as I'd like to be... livin' the life!

Decisions... Decisions...

YAY! Juan (my hubby... for those of you new...) has finally decided to "let" me have the extra room. I mean... HECK! It's about time! I mean... his son has only stayed one night in a whole year, and has never actually seriously lived here... SO... what the HECK were we saving it for?

Got everything moved out and the son's stuff packed up (was a mess!). Walls are dusted and inside the closet painted. Juan did most of it (almost all of it). I opted to take the closet doors off.

You see... until just the other day... he had "ideas" about what he wanted to do with my new room. Then at various times, he asked me what I had thought about what would go where. And when I visualized it to him... he said he had changed his mind, stating he was planning some other arrangement. WHATEVER! So I boldly told him, "When you have a final decision in what YOU are planning to do, then you can ask me. I have based everything I've decided on what you've told me previously. When you keep changing it, it confuses me... and PISSES me off!" Like the graceful adult that I am... I stomped out of the room. (I was pretty pissed...)

On his way to work the following day, he called me and told me to figure out what I wanted to do. Afterall, he pointed out, it is my room. He knows what I'm going to use it for, but didn't know how it would be best suited for me. And so I've been surfing the internet for ideas.

I've asked my Twitter peeps to help, and they have delivered. I've got lots of ideas and have a basic format in my brain for my 10 x 10 ft room (with a closet).

Tomorrow, the guy will show up (hopefully) to clean the carpet [much cheaper than renting a machine!]. After that, construction will ensue. Yippee!

My items will disappear from their disarray on the dining room table and all over the coffee table on the living room floor and will reappear in an organized state in my new room. I am SO excited!

Along with this revolutionary experience, I've decided to re-combine my many blogs. SO... Lisa's Little Bits will once again include my creative items. I've already started earlier this week by posting the rice recipe. There is more to come. I have crafts (cards, mostly) and other dishes just waiting for my lazy blogging butt to write, download, and hit the button. Wait for it! It. Is. Coming.

Up Late, With the Rest of You Insomniacs!

Tonight, my nerves are so shot, that I just can't get to sleep. I have been blog-hopping and facebook cruising. Oh so fun! But... it is!

I have found a host-load of old friends (no... they're not "old") and a lot of new ideas for different things. I can't tell you how many times tonight I actually said (out loud), "Oh... that sounds like a good idea!" or "hmmm... I'll have to try that one..."

I certainly am bummed I missed CHA (Craft and Hobby Association)'s Consumer Craft Supershow in Anaheim this year. I was really looking forward to it. Unfortunately (for me), circumstances as they are prevented me from going. Oh well, another time.

Cricut (Provo Craft) released something I would never buy (thank goodness for that!) in the form of a Cricut for cake decorating. Uh... hello... I can do it the old-fashioned way with much more creativity than just cut gum paste stuff! I'm not being sarcastic, either. This new machine that does the same thing my current machine does, only "food safe" would cost another $399 ($400 to me)! Ugh! Will it never stop?

I already own the Gypsy, which I love, 2 machines, multiple cartridges (but not enough, of course), Design Studio, and the Jukebox... don't need another machine. Plus... where the heck would I put it? I've already got the whole dining room area filled up with my stuff. (I seriously need my own room.) I don't need to be filling it up with another machine I would seldom use. I already use my current machine(s) for stenciling on cakes. I don't think I want to cut gum paste or other certain edible things.

For one thing... I (personally... and yes I've tried it!) don't like the flavor or texture of gum paste, fondant, or any of those other edible things you might use like paper. Yuck! I like the flavor and texture of good old FROSTING! I know the current trend is to use the foo-foo stuff like fondant (gross) or gum paste (just weird!) to make the cakes appear "smooth." So, it takes a little extra work to smooth out frosting... take the time. It is well worth it.

Hmmm... yes... I need my own room. I have a stepson who seriously never comes out. He has not been (to stay the night) more than twice this past year. My husband insists on keeping a room for him. Uh... he'll be 21 at the end of this month. At what point do you takeover the room? Help! *Sigh* I think it's ridiculous to keep a room for that long that is not being used. I could completely put this room to use and free up the dining room (and the cluttered area) once again. Oh, it would look so clean! I would love to be able to put the bunkbeds in there and other furniture up for bidding at my next garage sale. I could use the proceeds for Rey's Europe trip (if she gets to go...) or to decorate my new craft room. Oh the things I could do...

My shotty nerves are from the almost 5-year-old... I'm tired. She's not. She wants help with the Wii... I don't have the patience tonight. Let's just say that some of the Wii games, while they may be rated "E" for Everyone, are not necessarily age-appropriate. I find the game Barbie Horse Adventures particularly difficult. Yes... this is rather funny. Especially since it was supposedly geared toward the 5-10 age group. Well, guess what? It needs more skill than what those kids know. Even my teenagers think it's a lot harder than what they thought it would be. Does anyone know of any other games (besides Wii Fit Plus and Wii Sports) that a kid would like? Let me know.

So... now that I've cooled down a little by exploring my emotions here... I guess I better try to get some sleep. The morning seems to come so much faster... the older I get... lol!