{a nice surprise}

I woke up this morning to a message from Amy this morning pointing me out to this:



Yes, that's the featured page of the day at 2Peas and that's my layout!! WooHoo!! It was one of my November projects for Scrapologie. I am tickled pink!

Cheers!

{let's get festive!}

I can't tell you how honored I was when Emily and Angela came to me about doing this kit. I loved their idea of a black, white, red, and kraft paper kit. Working with them and O.N. Designs was a dream! I had so much fun creating my part, and I am so so happy with how this kit turned out! It is the must-have kit of the year, if I do say so myself. I even used it to scrap a page!

{festivities}

How's this for a tease? ;)





I was lucky enough to work with Two Sisters Designs and O.N. Designs to create this magnificent kit! Called "Festivities" because it can be used for just about any holiday, it has a modern black, white, red, and kraft color scheme. This thing is huge! So big that I had trouble fitting everything on the preview. It will be available here in the shoppe Friday, and I know you will not be disappointed!

{before & after}

DH was the perfect husband Tuesday. Stayed home from work so that I could go to the dentist. While I was gone, he cleaned the entire kitchen, with a little help from the wee one. Braved the cold to put up outdoor Christmas decorations. Endured my pickiness about where to place them. Helped kids with homework so I could get some work done. Put wee one to bed. We women love to complain about our husbands and tell ourselves how it's a woman's world, and how they can't live without us (which, of course, is perfectly true!). But once in awhile, I'll (secretly) admit that I couldn't live without my man. For these little reasons, and so much more.

That being said, I do have to do my wifely duties and note that it is a rare occasion when DH cleans the kitchen! I had to document the moment. Perfect chance for my before and after comparison of the island.

A little background: Ed just loved to hear me complain about the kitchen that he built me to my specifications, after I had spent a year planning our new home. He reminded me that it was what I had asked for. True. BUT.... you never really know how something is going to work (or not work) in a new house until you actually start using it! The island was one of those things. I wanted it to be a place where the kids did homework, ate their afternoon snack, where we all cooked dinner together. It was none of those things. The bar was too high - it came up to the kids' chins when they sat there. The lights got in the way of the TV (above the fridge). There wasn't enough work space, and everything got piled there. The raised bar cut off the view to the living room, when I really wanted an open space.

Finally, he got tired of my whining, and with a ton of help from his dad, he broke down and built me a new one! Well, the old one is still there, it just got re-worked. It has the same footprint, but twice the workspace! The seating area is still there, but it is now concealed. No raised bar, so the kids can eat comfortably. I painted it a glossy black to contrast with the rest of the kitchen. It is now everything I wanted my island to be! The kitchen that I complained about for so long is now my favorite room in the house!





It worked out so well for Thanksgiving, and now the kitchen looks so festive, all decorated for Christmas!

latest layouts

I've had a little more time lately for scrapping, and actually have some layouts to share! Shocker, I know.







I've taken lots of photos of all my Christmas decorations, and I'll post those next time. I think this one's long enough! Here's to new islands, and new kitchens! Cheers!

{two steps forward, one step back}

Every time I think I'm catching up, I find about 10 things on my to-do list that I've neglected. Sigh....there just really isn't enough time in a day, and the older I get, the more true that becomes! I know I'm way overdue on a way more interesting blog post, and it's coming. I promise. My daughter has a Christmas parade tomorrow, and I hope to get some cute photos I can post, along with the promised kitchen island photos. But for now, I leave you with this:




Cheers!

{cyber monday}

Hubby assured me that all online stores had their big sales on the MONDAY following Thanksgiving. Of course, I soon found out that all of digiland seemed to go with Black Friday. Oh well. I like being different :) This way, the turkey's done, and all your street shopping is out of the way, right? Spend a little time on yourself ;)

{feeling festive}

Wow, Thanksgiving is next week? As in 7 days from now? Really? How did that happen? Wasn't yesterday the 1st? I can't believe how time flies by when you're ultra-busy! It seems like that should work the opposite way. Shouldn't time slow down when you really need it, and speed up when sucky things happen, like waiting in line at the DMV, or at the grocery store? Makes sense to me. Let's campaign for it!

This year, the huge Thanksgiving get-together is going to be at my house. I have no idea what I was thinking. My house, that hubby and I painstakingly constructed ourselves 5 years ago, yet remains unfinished. Shower doors are missing. No backsplash in the kitchen. Cabinets still need painting. So what do I decide to do instead? Re-do the kitchen island! LOL It's been completely rebuilt, repainted, and re-tiled. It still needs grout, but it's looking fabulous! I'll post before and after pics when it's done.

But things are finally getting done. No, we still won't have shower doors, but things are getting cleaned up, and other projects are getting done. My scrap room is seeing the good side to this. Since it's also the office/guest room, it has gotten a complete overhaul before guests arrive. New bed, new bedding, new French doors, new artwork, and a thorough cleaning. I actually feel creative in here now!



I'm finishing up work/scrapping stuff this week so that I can clean and decorate all next week. My house has to be completely decked out for Christmas by Thanksgiving Day. It just makes it feel so much more festive! With our 6 Christmas trees, and infinite yards of garland, it usually takes me about 3 days. So I probably won't be online much next week.

I do have new products going in the store tomorrow, though. And with all this holiday stuff surrounding me, my new kit for November will be just as festive. Here's a little peek:

{latest layout}

On a side note, my little nephew is turning 1 this weekend! I was commissioned by my bro to do his invites. Happy Birthday Dylan!



Here's to sugared rims, tinsel, and white fairy lights! Cheers!