Jamie Danford

Playing...

With what you ask?  

Yummy stuff like this...

 

I was itching to get my hot little hands on this Holey cardstock from Creative Imaginations, so I dropped by A Scrapbook Boutique and grabbed a piece of the brown.  (It's white on the backside, which is nice because I can customize it by inking the white whatever color I choose...thrifty eh?) And while I was shopping, I went ahead and bought a piece of paper from Pink Paislee with these cute daisies on it, and the background paper is from Deja Views/C Thru Ruler whatever...cute! These pics are from Teddy and Kristine's wedding reception last year...ahhh, aren't they pressshhush?

And then, because I had so much darned fun with the Holey Cardstock, I decided to put it on another page too...this time it's some way funky papers from a brand new company called Black Market Paper Society.  Hmmm...love this stuff!

Don't ya just love playing with new stuff???? I do!!  :)

Update on Jacob...

For those of you who are among the many people concerned for sweet Jacob, here's a link to the latest info on him from the story WTOC did last night.  He's got a lot of people praying for him, let's keep it up! ;)

http://www.wtoc.com/global/story.asp?s=8354447

Hmmm....good!

I LOVE this layout....love it love it LOVE it!!  I guess it's the color combo, or possibly the cute as heck little circle of bunnies I used for an 'O' or maybe it's all these circles.  Whatever it is, I LOVE it, and thanks to the 3 Bugs in a Rug papers, alphabet die cuts, and journaling block it came together quickly and painlessly. :) 

Show and Tell...

While Big Dave played his marathon 10 hours of Wii yesterday, I puttered around the house, did lots of laundry, sprayed the outside of the house for bugs, sprayed the yard for weeds, hauled a TON of the jungle from the backyard up to the curb (Big Dave took a break from Wii'ing to help me) and started reading yet another book.

I've read three books this week...man, my eyeballs are gonna explode!

I read the scrapbook themed one I reviewed last week, one called "In the Presence of Horses" which was a decent read, and finally "South of Resurrection" which was by far one of the best books I've read in a looooong time. 

After all of that, I meandered over to my table and decided to scrap a little. So I turned on HGtv, which I love to watch/listen to while scrapping, and started on a paper piecing project I've been tossing around.  I don't know why, but I've been itching to paper piece lately...weird right?

I wanted to document Ruby's love of her Simba and Nala toys (Lion King) and how they've gone from being her cuddly friends to her fight club contenders...she LOVES these guys, and they're lookin' pretty rough nowadays. 

So I printed off a coloring sheet I found online by Googling images of Simba:

Matched up some cardstock, cut it all up, traced the individual parts onto the correct color cardstock, and put it all together...voila, paper piecing.  It turned out like this:

Cute huh?  (Check out that pic at the top of my wee baby pup...ahhh, too bad they can't stay that way right?)

Here's a link to the paper piecing class at Scrapbooks ETC...they're doing something called "Boot Camp" where they show video classes of lots of different techniques. Pretty cool. So click here if you wanna check it out...http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1137806133/bctid1266104841

Then, since I'd blown two hours piecing Simba together, I decided to make a quickie layout.  This one's going in the album I'm finishing up about Savannah Scrapbooking.  It's from our store Christmas party...the only one we had, because I suck at parties and Roxann had to organize it or it never would've happened. 

We all brought gag gifts, and the banana hat that Amber brought, definitely had us goin'! Rox brought a poopin' reindeer candy dispenser, and Suzanne brought me a crab trap and a can of crab meat...whah????

As you can see, I got a little crazy with my white Sharpie...I blame it on the HGtv show I was watching...they said be daring and don't listen to rules. Done. ;)

The plight of cellulite...

Okay, here's something to ponder...because you have nothing better to do than ponder right? Oh, wait...no, that's ME.

So, ponder this...I was getting out of my car at the mall yesterday, and this very attractive lady got out of the car next to me.  First thing I noticed was her FABULOUS shoes...you know, the super high heels with the pointy toes and a delicious print on them...the kind I will probably NEVER wear, simply because I could never pull it off.  So, she gets out of her car, swings her way too expensive bag over her shoulder and sets out in front of me as I schlep across the pavement in my three year old black Reef flip flops (which I am absolutely in love with and would like to take a moment to request that I be buried in.)

Well, as I'm schlepping behind Miss Vogue, I couldn't help but notice this...

ya know what this is? Well, this is what her butt looked like in the high-dollar slinky slacks she was wearing. Damn...all that style, and a butt that looks like something Tiger Woods would smack down a fairway. 

So, here's my quandary...I felt sorry for this chicky who thought she was all that and a bag of chips because nobody told her that her butt cheddar was dimpling through her pants. Shouldn't somebody say something?  I would definitely want Big Dave or Kristine to give me the 411 if this was happening.  I mean sure, I know, I've got it...cellulite...ick, and I can't hide it when I'm wearing a bathing suit, but dang it, I sure as heck want to try to hide it all the rest of the time, don't you? 

I guess what I'm saying is that I almost wish I'd left an anonymous note on her car saying something like:

Hi, I hope this doesn't ruin your day, but those pants you're wearing are showing a bit too much of your junk in da trunk. You might want to run over to the Target and grab a pair of khakis.  Hugs, ~an anonymous friend.

Whaddya think?  Would that have been inappropriate? I think we should all band together and come to an agreement that we chickies need to look out for one another.  Just say no to golf ball butts!! (or at least to them showing through our pants.) 

Okay, well that was pretty much a waste of 78 seconds of your life wasn't it? Sorry, I'll try to be more profound tomorrow.  :) 

I'm getting there...

Weight Tracker

Friday, May 16, 2008

	8.2  LBS

Last Recorded Weight: 142.8 lbs on 5/16/2008

Well, I'm gettin' there...slowly (oh so slowly) but surely.  I'm still in the 140's but I feel different, ya know, like more energetic and happy.  My clothes are fitting better too thank goodness.

In fact, today I might even attempt to buy a new swimsuit, which will be traumatic seeing as how I've got this crazy tanktop/shorts tan from biking and working in the yard...ick.

But, I'm goin' to the mall because Miss Priss has TWO birthday parties to attend tomorrow and another next Friday, so I've got to load up on Limited Too gift cards, and Webkinz, so I may as well shop for a new suit while I'm there right? (and maybe some new flip flops...and panties...and well, who knows what else!)

Oh, and by the way...I got all A's on my report card!!!! See what a nerdo I am?  ;)

It's a jungle out there...

Oh my goodness...now that I'm jobless and school-less (until Summer quarter starts in June) I've decided it's time to get my jungle of a yard back in shape.  I've been pretty good about keeping my one big bed under control, but the other bed by my kitchen window has been neglected for quite some time.  Plus, in the years that I've ignored my back fence, it's been taken over by azaleas, ligustrums (sp?) and tons and TONS of confederate jasmine.  So, I took a good look around and decided to get this place back into the shape it should be in (and while I'm at it, help get ME back into the shape I should be in.)

So, if you hear of a woman found strangled by jasmine, or eaten by some giant flesh-eating plant, you'll know what's happened to me.  Yikes!!

I will not be denied...

I will conquer this beast of a yard...

With my trusty pooch by my side...   we will win the day!

You'd look good in a new Mustang!

A friend of mine has been keeping me up to date about a situation concerning a little boy named Jacob.  He's super sick, and his family is in need of all the support they can get, which brings me to tell you that there's a raffle for a new Mustang if you're interested.  You can contact my pal Shelly for a raffle ticket at (912) 655-5052 or email her at ofcmlee@yahoo.com

Here's the email I received:

I wanted to update everyone on my little friend, Jacob.  I told you about him a few months ago and I have an update.  Jacob has not gotten better. Jacob has some of the worst seizures ever of a child his age/size.  He went to Atlanta for special testing a few months ago.  The Doctors at the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital have said they will perform the  brain surgery (they only do this on a worst case scenario) and it has been approved by all of the members. They believe that this is the only hope for Jacob to have a normal life.

So, they are heading that way in June.

A car dealer in South Carolina has donated a Brand New 2008 Ford Mustang that they are selling raffle tickets for in order to raise money for the Harper's.  Jacob and his mom will have to live in Atlanta for at least 1 month when he has the surgery, while his dad and brothers stay here.  The cost of this is astronomical to say the least.  I am helping to sell raffle tickets for the car.  The cost is $20 and the drawing will be May 31.  If any of you can help, please let me know and I will get the tickets to you and anyone else you know.  As alway's, please keep them in your prayers.

I have included a link to the hospital site with Jacob.  He has become such a fixture there with his wonderful smile and big heart, they have put him on their site.  It is wonderful to see that smile! 

http://www.choa.org/default.aspx?id=6598

A book review...

A couple of weeks ago, I was contacted by Penguin Group with an offer to receive a book at no cost if I'd be willing to post a review about it on my blog.  Cool eh? The reason for their interest in my blog readers, is that the book is centered around our favorite hobby...scrapping!

Here's what it's about:

In A PAGE OUT OF LIFE, frazzled mother of four Ashley lets her best friend drag her to a meeting of the local scrapbook club, she’s amazed at the way old photos and mementos can bring vivid color to sepia-toned memories. Among the surprisingly diverse group is Tara, a single grad student whose search for love, like her relationship with her absentee father, has only brought her heartache—and some funny dating stories. Then there’s Libby, a semi-retired teacher who thought she’d spend her golden years taking cooking and photography classes—not as a town pariah after her son is charged in a corporate scandal.

As Ashley copes with a husband whose love for her fluctuates with her weight, she comes to depend more and more on her scrapbooking sisters. For only together can they face earth-shattering revelations and emotionally unavailable men—and figure out their futures while artfully commemorating their pasts.

I thought the book was sweet and a quick fun read...perfect for those pool/beach days.  And of course it's always hilarious to read about our hobby when it's written by someone who probably doesn't actually scrapbook (she calls embellishments "decorations" lol.) I think my favorite part of the whole book was watching the main character, Ashley, become more and more involved in scrapbooking. As the story progresses she goes from bringing just a few things to the local crop, to hauling a wheeled tote by the end of the book...bwah! We all know how that goes don't we?  ;)

The book retails for $14.00, and it's my understanding, it's just become available this month.  So if you're lookin' for a nice Summer read, you may want to add this one to your shopping list.  Let me know what you think...I'd love to know which scrapper character you identify with the most. 

Journaling Junkie Challenge

This week's challenge over on Journaling Junkie is to do a layout about a fashion no no.  Well, I've got the perfect subject for this one don't I??  So, I documented my obsession with tacky, but terribly comfortable pajamas. Thank goodness Big Dave cares more about what's on the inside of my britches than what's printed on the outside! 

I got the inspiration for this layout from the cover of Creating Keepsakes Magazine.  Dug some scraps out the scrapbox, found my trusty buttons and whipped it out in about thirty minutes.  Don'tcha love a good scraplift?  ;)