Quirky Bits n' Pieces

Our Family is Growing!!!!!

Kristen — Tue, 20 May 2008 16:44:25 +0000

Well yall, it is official!!! I’m pregnant!! see!!!

I’m obviously happy! And so is everyone else around me…Savannah wants a little sister, Rob wants a baby boy, I want a not miserable pregnancy and healthy baby!! With getting the pre-eclampsia and toximia with Savannah, I have a 60% chance of getting it this time around :( So needless to say I’m on over drive of taking care of myself!!! I’m hoping with my miserable galbladder gone I have a chance of it being better this time. But only time will tell! Just had to shout out and let everyone know my good news!! Catch everyone later!!

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ahhhhh SPRING!!!

Kristen — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:11:53 +0000

Ok…so I jumped the gun a bit earlier…but our spring if here! No ifs ands or buts…it is here and the cold is gone! It is 80 out there today and just gorgous!! Since my surgery I have been feeling sooo much better and yesterday was my first day back to good old me…even my dear hubby was excited…You see I’ve spent months stuck inside miserable…so yesterday I informed him we would be outside working on the front bed, the only thing that could stop me was rain…well…no rain! So that front bed…about 20 feet long and about 5 feed deep…got tackled…It hadn’t been touched since we moved in so the soil was pretty yucky!!! So we transplanted the spirea that was there down between the yard and the tree line. Which it looks much better there incedently…ok, so maybe I just think so. I’m not one for formal gardens and that front bed was screaming it..so out with the old..(just moved remember) and in with new! And look what I have coming!

Yes I know they won’t look that good at first…they are coming bare root…which scares me to death but I have two rose aficionados in our neighborhood, one that is related to me, so I’m hoping they can help me on the making sure I don’t kill them deal! I searched and searched for a rose that was an easy keeper..and yes I know..roses are not notorious for being easy, but I’m determined :) So I got down and dirty in some cow and mushroom compost and picked out all the nasty weeds and rocks and mixed away…So now we have a raised bed that is filled with nutrient abundance! I’m overly thrilled that I now have a bed that is dying to have plants in it but more than anything I’m more excited that I was able to enjoy doing it!!! It has been a long time and it was dearly missed…I know..give me a little longer and all that grueling work will change my opinion but for now I’m gonna waller in the sun dirt and LOVE it! That all being said…I’m BACK yall!! so you’ll here from me more

On the computer front..well..I still need a new one…and I’m looking…thanks to the government and the stimulus deal with taxes I will be able to get something…it may not be a screamer but I think I can get something that will function!! I mean come on…not even being able to check my e-mail…that is TORTURE!!!

So for the time being you will be inundated with pictures from my little emerging garden and beautiful outdoors till I can give you eye candy on the scrapping front

Later for now everyone!! See you soon!

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Signs of Spring in our world..

Kristen — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:31:43 +0000

Enjoy these little hints of spring, I know I have! And to boot I even had a mini mystery on my hands. I’m not the best gardener, actually I’m quiet bad, so I had no idea WHAT each of the following were. I do now though!

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Spring is Coming!!!!

Kristen — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:08:21 +0000

Ok, so you all know me…the proverbial black thumb when it comes to plants! Ok so that is past tense, or at least I hope. I’ve managed to keep my pretty little orchid happy as well as my baby tears plant. Both gifts so I didn’t have much choice either research the dickens out of them and see if I could keep them alive or add yet another plant to my list of destructed lives! Well they have lived, and dare I say prospered!!!! So I joined this place called MyFolia.

This is my desperate attempt at keeping all my info in one place to see what I’ve done that works and doesn’t work. I WANT A GARDEN!!! I bought a Weeping Cherry tree last year that is doing splendid, and have had all sorts of lovely surprises popping up all over the yard thanks to our previous owner. So I’m snapping pictures and keeping my log over at MyFolia (and if you look at the menu bar on the left you can even see a random sampling of what is in the yard :)) I will be adding pictures as well to my photos tab up at the top, so check back and see what I have in bloom!

I still don’t have a computer that likes my graphics work so no scrapping updates…other than I continue to drool over products and even purchase one now and then…sad I know..but I just can’t help myself! One day..one day I’ll have a screamer of a machine that can handle what I throw at it…but until then I’ll have to try my hand at the plants and maybe I’ll get lucky and become as good at that with the practice as I did with the scrapping. Ok, or as good as is in my opinion :).

This is a uncharacteristically short post but look for more to come…And enjoy your Spring, I know I’m enjoying mine!

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Oh why can’t I keep things together!

Kristen — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 15:30:17 +0000

Ok…so as usual I see something I want to get, or see, yadda yadda but that is only offered for a select time. Do you think I manage to remember them when I need to? Nope, I usually remember them the day after the deadline! And no writing it down doesn’t matter. I even have all the new fangled electronic gadgets that are supposed to help your life get and stay organized. Well..the PDA is at home on my desk dead since I can’t find the charger. The cell phone is a pain to insert all those reminders in so that doesn’t happen. So nine times out of ten I write it on a post it note to soon be lost in the little world of foster homes for notes that fell through the cracks! UGGGGHHHH!!!

Ok…so done ranting sorry…Good news…I’ve decided since hmmm..last week to begin my sculpting again. I have a really cool dragon that has been footless, wingless, tailless, and 1 handless for quite some time now, soon to be remedied. Something that started as a hobby will hopefully become a little side cash soon. I usually make stuff for people I know but will be changing gears for a bit and put my little creations up for sale. So check back here if you are into collecting one of a kind sculpture, to some known as OOAK dolls (miniature around 6-9 inches tall). You never know what will make its way out of my little never ending imagination and plant itself in a 3-d clay formation! Pictures to come of the dragon in progress! Ohhh..and if you have any requests of anything you’d like to see yell..I love to see what I can come up with when prodded with an smidgen of an idea

News on the sickness homefront as well!! I see a light at the end of this very miserable tunnel I’ve been in lately! I am scheduled for surgery on the 12th!! I will be gladly saying good bye to my icky little gallbladder! Ohhhh how I hope this helps me!! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Ohhh I found this really nifty little site called Library Thing. You can catalog the books your have on your shelf. Or if you are like me, the books that are on shelves, in nooks and crannies, on coffee tables, sitting on couches, lost in my little girls basket of toys, yadda yadda yadda. And look over on the left! You can now see random books in my stash! :):) How fun is that! I love to read and if you are interested I am even going to put some on Readers United (a swap site!) So if you see something you like head over to Readers United and see if it is out there (someone else might have it if I don’t!).

Well I have to run but I’ll check back in soon :):) To all you scrappers out there enjoy your gift! I sure miss being able to scrap to my hearts content :) Later all!

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Oh Where, Oh Where have I been???

Kristen — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 18:00:56 +0000

Ok.. so I’m without a doubt NOT going to bore anyone with my excuses for disappearing off the planet! It is pitiful I know, 5 moths is just sad! But I am back…sorta… The short and sweet (just so everything from here on out makes a tad bit of sense) I got sick, stayed sick, and I’m still sick. The doctors still don’t know what is up but in the mean time I did organize loads of my old picture stash! And of course kept on snapping, even though of course my computer dies every-time I go to do anything with my scrapping. Hence no new pages :(! And It is killing me! That is just the tip of the ice burg of my life the last 5 months but most of it I have no desire to rehash on public pages nor in my own mind. Oh, except one wonderful thing. The adoption is finally official! Savannah Banana is now officially a Rice baby! WOOO HOOO. Now on to my typical babbling.

Have you ever had a subject that you knew so well it was as if you’d created it? A subject soon to inadvertently force those around you to humor you. No matter how boring it is to them they listen, and are rewarded with those long drawn out conversations that only a true addict of the subject could come up with? Ok, if I haven’t lost ya, I officially have now been on both ends of that situation. I used to drone on and on about my scrapping and the forums and the techniques of photography to a very loving but not that interested mother. Who so patiently would wait for me to finish then politely ask me “I’m so glad you found something you love, but that was way way more than I care to know myself.” Not too long ago my mother turned the tables on me. She starts out one evening as I just step through the door raving “I got my invite, I got my invite!” Naturally I was curious at this point. She continues to describe this new found site as this amazing, can’t get enough, full of wonders, you will not believe it kind of site all about knitting and crocheting.” Off went the red light in my head, you can now assume the mode of listening but not! Knitting, I don’t like knitting, so why would I care? I have done several scarves and such and from that decided I wanted nothing to do with the craft other than of course the yarn. I mean how can one that was into digital scrapping and photography not like the eye candy produced by all the yarn available! Ok, so in my listening but not listening mode I catch something about yarn. So I switch gears and actually start listening in earnest now (I know bad daughter) so of course unlike the situations where my mother would just be done with the subject ohhh no little crafty me that is craft-less at the moment goes and sits with her while she shows me the ropes on the site. Well it wasn’t long and I was signing up hoping to get my very own invite in my mailbox soon! And my thanks goes out to my mom for teaching me a much easier way to knit! Since her 1 on 1 teaching sessions and her discovery of Ravelry.com I have knitted a blanket and even started a cardigan! Can you believe it! And of course I have scads of projects in my to do list on Ravelry! Thanks mom for the usual nudge given in the right direction!

BE SURE YOUR SOUND IS ON!!!!

That is if you want to continue

More conversations with my mother and more TV watching than I care to ever do again led me to some pretty cool videos I’d like to share with you. I caught a broadcast on Ovation TV of “Dancing on Dangerous Ground”. A drama portrayed in the art of Irish Dancing. It was rather lovely below is a clip from the tale, and if you’d like follow the link above to the Ovation schedule I do believe it is playing a few more times.

Well I have a fondness for just about any dance and thought hmm. Maybe this channel has more. So I checked the guide and saw a group called Tap Dogs. I used to do tap so I had to see them. And of course since her baby girl did it this is one of those rare things that I knew my mother liked and appreciated just about as much as myself! So I told her about them. Really and truly you all the following videos are for her since I can’t find another time that they are playing for her to see but by all means do enjoy, these guys are GOOOOD!!!

Just as a reference: The first one will show you a sample from a promo show and will give you glimpse at just how fast these guys can tap! The second is an excerpt from a show they did showing you a sample of the types of things they use as their “stage”. Really fun looking show!

Pretty cool huh Ohh, and the other guy’s name is Terrance “Taps” (Mom will know what I’m talking about)

And heck for kicks since I’m on a video trip here is another one. Totally different, well kinda There is still music and a beat amazingly enough this one is done by one very incredible horse and rider! You be the judge…

Now you can’t tell me that horse doesn’t know the beat! It is amazing!Ok, enough blathering for now talk to you soooon!!!

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Missing in Action, sorry everyone!

Kristen — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:44:07 +0000

Ok…so update…I have been the horrible non blogger lately because I haven’t been here…We just got back from WV, the Hubby’s Grandfather passed away so we went to the funeral. Made for a long weekend…but it went well I do believe. Savannah bannana we tickled pink, we had several evenings of swimming, which of course in the big pool with a diving board wore her plum out!! She slept good though! And bless her heart she was an angle throughout the funural! Not a peep!! Ok so she whispered some but no fits or loud pleas :):) The other wowsers that came from a miserable thing was Valerie’s cake! Girl it just was AMAZING!! And just cause I love all yall you have to try this…here is the recipe! And if you don’t like bananas trust me I hate them in dishes and I ADORED this! So give it a shot and maybe just go easy on the banannas. Ok…shutting up here it is already!

Name: NO idea, sorry!

Ingredients:

1 boxed Yellow Cake mix
1 package Cherry Jello
1 package French Vanilla pudding
Cool whip
bananas

Instructions:

Bake the cake as directed on the box. Once baked remove from oven and poke holes in the cake. Dissolve Jello as directed and pour the liquid into the holes you just made in the cake. Refrigerate the cake until cool. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding, and cool in the fridge. When the cake is cool spread pudding over cake (like icing). place banana slices on top of the pudding, then top finally with cool whip. AND ENJOY!!!!

Ohhh..and of course even though I’ve been out of blog land and the forums, I have been scrapping…come on had to!! Gotta stay in that race!!! So go check out the scraps tab up top…it has been updated with several layouts by yours truly as well as Schmoopie!!

More updates..on my Enabling Mondays, they will be coming back! Next week!! On top of that my newest Backstage Pass Challenge will be going up sometime this week as well as the updated Paparazzi 101 and of course my Blog prompts will begin again shortly! All of my challenges you will be able to find over at The Digi Shoppe, and of course my Creative Digi Masters Enabling is here…on the blogaru!!

Enough for now, but don’t forget, get over to my scrapping page!! I have scrapped one of the pirate princess pictures Just a little teaser to get you over there

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Scraps Galore!! UPDATES!!

Kristen — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 20:43:58 +0000

Well here ya go…I’ve been missing in actions but darn it I’ve still been working away! The folowing pages are not only mine but I’m also showcasing my buddy Schmoopie’s Race layouts as well!! They rock girl and everyone needs to see them Enjoy!

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Pirate update!

Kristen — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:38:50 +0000

Ok…so short and sweet..Monkey was THRILLED when I picked her up today! Our creative endeavor won her the “Best Pirate” outfit of the class! :):) She was one very happy little girl…now I know you all are dying to see what on earth she looked like so we hit the back yard and had a quick little photo shoot…check out the photos tab at the top and be patient on loading…It will look like it is done loading but if you start clicking on the pictures right away it takes you to a new window for each one instead of the slide show with the comments…I am using Google Analytics to track the traffic to my little home here on the web and their new code is causing sites to slow down…just look at the bottom in your info bar on your browser…it will say it is still transferring info to google!! ugggghhh…They say they are working on fixing it and if I have to I’ll find a way to delete it but for now I’ll just live with it…sorry for the inconvenience guys!!! Off to scrap!!

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My Pirate Princess :)

Kristen — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 02:27:10 +0000

I told you all we had to get pictures! Now how cute can she be! She loves the tree in the back yard, as she put it, “it is the perfect posing tree mom!” So enjoy our little makeshift last minute “girlie Captain Jack” outfit! And yes those are her words! The captions were the gyst of our conversation throughout the process

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