WHERE BLOGGERS CREATE 2011

 Where Bloggers Create 2011

Karen from My Desert Cottage is hosting again this year... Click HERE to go see all the attendees and their rooms!

 

Welcome to my blog!

Won't you come in to my room... a room for scrapbooking, painting, mixed media, and whatever else I might dabble in.

 Make yourself at home and look around.

When you come into my room this is the view to the left side of the room...

 and this is looking to the right side of the room (ignore the white stuff down there in the lower left corner... was editing with brushes in PSE and missed that... so it's an "oops")

 This is Bella, one of my precious Fur Baby Poms. Gracie was snoozing somewhere else at the time. Love my "girls"!!!!!!!

My computer where you can find me most of the time :-)

 I have a 10' long piece of cabinet top that I use as my computer desk (above) the other half is where I do my scrapbooking. You can see my Making Memories spinning organizer which holds a TON of my stuff I use frequently.  I also have a Cropper Hopper paper holder which I store my things I currently working on. This helps to "contain the mess" somewhat.  I have my Tim Holtz Distress Inks out and ready to use.  My Cricut Expression is at the end of the workspace.

 This shelf holds all of my "good paint". I hadn't ever used Golden products until a couple of months ago. Let me tell you... they are the BEST!! You definitely get for what you pay for!! They are just fantastic!!

 I love my angel. I found her at the Dollar Tree and she is just so pretty! She keeps me company my "crafty angel".  You can see the scallops on the shelf here just a bit. I took an old ugly shelf and painted it pink, then whitewashed over that. Next added some die cut scallops cut from old music paper. To finish it off I give it a heavy coating of glitter!

My Cricut Imagine and all of my cartridges.

Next to my Imagine is this shelf... bought at Home Depot. It was a 2 pack and I just love 'em!

You can see inside the drawers in the next couple of pictures.

 

  This drawer is some CTMH stamps, chipboard mini albums and some burlap canvases that I have big plans for.

This one holds stickers, rubons and anything I want close at hand for my mixed media endeavors.

 At the bottom of the shelf I have my Teresa Collins Stamp maker and the supplies needed for it. I love that thing!!!!! Why didn't someone come up with it long before now??? Thank you Teresa!!!!!!

 Moving on around the room... This is another Home Depot shelf. It is really tall and holds a ton of my "garbage" as I call it ( NO, I know it is NOT garbage) 

I have more mixed media supplies on the smaller shelf  and you can see all my paper on the next 2 shelves. On the top I keep my cigar boxes full of ephemera and my jewelry making things.

 Oh my! Oh my! My paper stash is OUT OF CONTROL!! ... and this ain't even all!!

 A tisket, a tasket a paintbrush basket! My journals are next to that along with my cropadile .. the big bite.

This is looking to the right side of the room.... That big ole desk there cost me a grand total of $25 at an estate sale! It holds all my other mixed media and painting supplies... below are photos of the contents of all those LONNNNGGGG drawers. Sorry for the blurriness...

 The top of my desk holds my TV, more mixed media things( the painting I'm working on now... practicing.. just can't get it right though so I've got a LONG way to go), drawing pencils, watercolor pencils, pens and that cabinet holds some smaller things such as buttons, wooden spools, dominoes... etc.

 

This is my drawer for all the stamp rollers and brayers.

 

 This one holds my Pan Pastels and their applicators, Perfect Pearls and a few other little things

 This one is my smaller paper pads and things for art journaling and my She Art things.

 This one speaks for itself! I can see them all and so that makes using them so much easier!

 More mixed media! My Beeswax, Utee small jars, Distress Crackle paint, alcohol inks, Faber Castell Gelatos, Watercolor crayons...

 Another one that can speak LOUDLY for itself! Some of my paint. ... most of it anyways. Again, I can see it so it makes use a  breeze! I love those deep drawers! They just keep going, and going, and going......

 I have another taller shelf (Walmart) that holds my Where Women Create magazines, the tall glass bowl holds my Cats Eye ink pads, then there are jars of Glitter... love the way it looks in the antique jars!

 This is the other shelf bought at Home Depot (the one that was a set). I have all of my other Stampington and Company magazines here, along with some other books on the bottom shelf.

 Oh this makes me happy! I love those antique white buttons!

 Something new... I'm crazy about old bottles and that antique tape measure was my dad's.

 This room was my son's bedroom and when it came open I moved on it... this is inside the closet. I have a shelf that sits below that big ole blue one. the shelf is where I can hide "junk" and the blue one has my Christmas things inside, some tissue and crepe paper and some other things( don't tell anyone but I'm not real sure what IS in there)....

 Another desk inside my closet... holds more stuff, type writer, Your Story, printer... just stuff. storage.

 A dresser in the closet ... the top is my die cutting things.

 Shelves in the top hold my canvases and other things. Thankful for the storage!

 Inside the dresser drawers... crochet thread,

 ephemera, things from swaps,

 stickers and rubons,

 more stickers and rubons.

 I have a shoe organizer hanging on the back of my door. This is where I store all of my punches. I love how it works! I saw this idea on another blog (sorry don't know where) but it was such a GREAT idea so I tried it!

I hope you enjoyed looking around in my studio. It's a little different than last year as I've moved from my little Scrap Shack outside back in to the house.. .conveniences of running water (bathroom right around the corner from my room) , a bathroom in the house (that is a good thing .. hee hee) Food and drinks... it is just better. I'm in the process of turning my little scrap shack into a living room... an escape for me to go to read, or sew or just do whatever. Taking a while, but it is coming along slowly.  

Have a great day and God Bless,

Lisa

What I'm working on

This is my NEWEST hobby... Taking Suzi Blu's online class and part is learning to draw faces. I have never been able to do a nose till now! At least it's a better one than I could do before. I know she's got flaws because I'm still learning how to paint ... So just overlook those...
I'm reading Breaking Dawn and I think she fits right in!! Green eyes and red lips... Maybe she just had a "bite" ???

Good mornin,

A typical grocery store visit but this time it looked picture worthy. My tummy is rumblin so I'd better go find me some munchies for breakfast!
Have a great day and Happy Scrappin'!

Late night

Oh it's hard to get the day started at our place this morning! The fur babies stayed up way past their bedtime and now they are cuddled up on the couch. This is not the normal for them! They hardly ever do this so it's especially sweet to see when they do!
Gonna be a hot one again today with no rain in sight! I've gotta go water a few plants again this morning. It's hard to keep up with all of them.... We have about 16 in the yard along with my flowerbed in the middle- that's not counting the big long ones here in front of the house! It's about 60 feet long by about 6 feet wide! And the roses in the backyard and the garden... Needless to say I HATE TO WATER!!!! But you reap what you sow and I try to remember that when the hatin' starts comin on! It's worth it in the end, I guess. Have a great day!
Happy Scrappin,
Lisa - and Bella And Gracie (as they snooze here beside me)

Preparing for the Spring Swap!

What a mess but oh what fun I had putting this together! I do hope the Swappers like this! Can't wait to post the hostess gift I made for Jessica! Can't till she gets it though don't want to spoil the surprise!

Swap sneak peek!!!

What is going on?? ALOT!!!

Well these things....
Jessica at Kid's Napping? I'm Scrapping! Is hosting THIS swap!!
The VERY VINTAGE SPRING EPHEMERA  SWAP

I can't wait to see what all goodies come in this one!
I just swapped with Jessica a couple of weeks ago in THIS swap

 .... Speckled Egg has the sweetest swap ideas! The Petite Inspiration Swap - Spring Edition.  I was in this one and another one awhile back. Now being the bad blogger I am I didn't get any pictures of the first one or now this one has gone by and I STILL don't have picts up of this one! BUT I WILL!!
Jessica sent me some of the sweetest things! My other swap partner Cassie also sent me a box of yumminess that I can't wait to show off!

Something else coming soon!!!!!

I participated last year and can't wait to do it again this year! Since last year I've moved from my little "scrap studio" back in to a spare bedroom.  I don't have as much space, but it actually works better for me as I know where everything I need is at! I keep my extra stuff out there and will use it as a crop room for my friends to come and "play" with me! It is still a work in progress out there.. .in here, it is getting much better day by day!

I have an INVITE to come TEACH at SECOND SATURDAY STUDIO from MICAH. I'm just THRILLED beyond WORDS that she would ask!! I'm going to wait for Micah to announce it on her blog first then I'll be here with the details!
So until then, I'll have my feet on the ground, but my head is in the clouds! Oh, almost forgot..............
 

                         IT IS SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!! THE POOL IS UP, THE PICNIC TABLE AND ALL THE LAWN CHAIRS ARE OUT TOO! BRINGING THE BBQ GRILL AROUND ....
NOW IT IS TIME TO LIVE OUTSIDE FOR THE NEXT 3 MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
*** CAN YOU TELL I'M A LITTLE EXCITED???*****

HAVE A SCRAPPY DAY!!
LISA 

Cam Wow cool app

Playin with my iPhone again! Love the artsy-ness of this!

Hail from storm tonight

Wow! What a day!!!
This was the hail from our house today! Thank Goodness we were safe! Wind and hail was the main thing but there were some trees and power lines down just outside of town. This evening is just beautiful though. You wouldn't know what has been going on out there by the weather tonight! It is perfect!!

Good Morning

Mornin' fro Bella!!!

She Art Swap Coming Soon!!!

She Art Swap? Are you interested??? I'll post more details soon! If you are interested drop me an email at luvtoscrap1972@yahoo.com
This is a 4X6 painted on a Bind it All cover. I have tons of those white chipboard pieces and got a few down to see what would happen if I painted on them. Turns out they're great!!

Recovery in our little community

Last night brought us more storms, more tornadoes, and another death from the storms. This time it hit really close to home. Only a  few miles from where I live a tornado came through about 9:15 or so last night. Taking with it were homes and trees but also a very, very sweet lady.  Her name is JoAnne Bradley. Her son wasn't home and had called her and couldn't get her so he left work and went home and found her. According to this site it said she was thrown 50 yards away from her home.
I knew JoAnne from scrapbooking. Sounds odd to say it that way, but I used to work at The Scrapbook Attic in Batesville, just a few miles from home.  She and a friend came in to the store and I helped them pick out some things. After that we'd always talk and she was the friendliest person! She came to my very first class to support me when I first started selling Close To My Heart scrappin supplies.  She ALWAYS had a smile on her face! A great big pretty smile that let me know she was happy.  She always seemed happy! My heart breaks for her husband and her son. Her son is close to my son's age and they have a class together.  Hunter always talks about him and what a good kid he is.  He works at Sonic at town.  She was so proud of him for working and was always talking about how good he is. She must have been a fantastic momma to have such a good boy!
JoAnne showed me a picture of their dream home that her husband had built for her. I think he and JoAnne were the ones that actually built it too. She would tell me each time I would see her how it was coming along.  She invited me up to see it and her craft space but I never got up there... and it was just a few minutes away from me. I wish I had gone now.  That beautiful home was built on top of a hill. I can just imagine the view she had up there. The front had big glass windows...it was just gorgeous!! I'm afraid being on that hill was a bad thing.  As the crow flies, it was probably a straight shot from where the damage started to her house. The National Weather Service hasn't said if it was a tornado or not but my nephew was out with working with the fire department last night and he said the trees were just snapped off.  On the site I linked above the Sheriff said it was.  I would think we could hear it if it was that close, but I just don't know.  It just bothers me so bad to know that while I was sleeping, so relaxed here in my home, that one of my friends was going through something so bad.  I know there was nothing I could do even if I'd known what was going on, but things like that just bother me so badly! I just hurt for her and her family. I know this... we have NO cell phone service out here and hardly any internet reception-especially when it rains.  I think it is time those cell phone people think about upping our reception out here! She might have known what was coming if that was the case! I have to stop blaming and just pray because I know that placing blame won't bring her back.
She worked in town at Dollar General and seemed happy to be there! I don't think I ever heard her complain! I'll miss her smiling face when I go in there now.  I'm sure we all will!
I am just stunned because I don't think there was a tornado warning out for our area.  In fact I was asleep on the couch and woke up to hear the wind blowing hard and it was pouring down rain.  But I had looked at the radar earlier and it didn't show anything that looked too bad so I wasn't worried with what i heard.  The power started to flicker, but for our area that is definitely nothing new as it does it a lot. It finally went out and stayed out. Still I didn't worry.  Had I known there was a tornado only a few miles from my house ( and we live in a double wide mobile home) I would have been worried for sure! At least up and not snoozing on the couch. But we didn't hear anything roaring or nothing like that. I guess things happen for a reason and I just have to leave it at that.  Please keep JoAnne's family in your prayers... as well as the other storm victims from Arkansas and all across the areas that have been hit by these awful storms. There were also two people critically injured in the little town of Calamine, just a few miles up the road from me. We live in a little spot called Grange, about 8 miles northeast of Cave City. I haven't heard who they were or how the are this morning. The sad thing is, there is more coming today. I just pray the ones coming are not as strong as the one from Monday and Tuesday.  If anyone reading this out there is in the path of more storms, stay safe.
Have a good day!
Lisa

Typical day at my house!

Gracie is somewhere barking - as usual! And perched on the coffee table is Bella- as usual being our little oddball"! She keeps us laughing always!
Have a great day!
Happy Scrappin
Lisa

Look at this!

Skin cancer and lung cancer under one roof!! I took this yesterday outside my little town. Just couldn't resist! I knew there was sarcasm for the taking/ sharing. I didn't mean to offend anyone so please don't leave me "hate" comments.

Changes Coming On.....

Sometimes you just have to do things you don't want to do and it's a coming. I just hope I'm tough enough to hang on for the ride, 'cause it is going to be a wild one.

Gracie the Couch Potato

She's waitin for daddy to come home. This is where he sits and she knows it. She's not gonna miss a thing!!

Lenses (Alien)

Playing with my apps again! Haven't laughed so hard as I have tonight in a long time!!

A fantastic day!!

What a great day we had! A clear blue sky, warm spring- like weather made perfect tree climbing conditions. I've never seen Dakota climb like he did today! He just shimmied right up! Hope y'all all had a great day out in blog land today.

Be careful who you talk to on the phone, they might be contagious!

Well, I've dropped the blogging ball - again! Yes, I was doing so good ... and then.....
well here's what's been going on.  I started the She Art Workshop on Feb. 28... the same day I went out of town to go shopping.  Next day enjoyed the videos that went along with it. Love love love Christy Tomlinson! I so want to just BE her! Wed. still loving the videos and playing around with a canvas I'd started earlier (the one in below in a previous post) Thur. went to get groceries and that usually takes all day as I drag my feet (that is what the hubs calls it) at getting it done.  But hey, I usually don't go anywhere during the week so my trip to WalMart is like a mini vacation, so I look- at everything. You'd think I'd never been in there before I look so much, thinking I might find something new  HA HA! Ok, back to the whining/ er I mean story... Before me and my lil guy left Thurs. morning he asked if he could stay with his mawmaw.  So he called her and we found out she was really bad sick.  I told her I'd take her to the ER as she thought that was what she needed to do because she couldn't get her doctor on the phone.  She  told me no she didn't want me around her because she didn't want me to get sick.  WELL, LET ME JUST TELL YOU.... I GOT IT ANYWAY AND I GOT IT THE VERY NEXT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!! BE CAREFUL WHO YOU TALK TO ON THE PHONE, THEY MIGHT BE CONTAGIOUS!!  So mom is STILL sick and SO AM I!!! I'm better and so is she, but  a long way from A-OK.  I STILL cannot smell OR taste anything and it is driving me C-R-A-Z-Y! I mean I know there are worse things in life as I was sick last Sat, Sun, and Monday and stuck in bed and DIDN'T care that I couldn't taste.  I would just like to rush things along. Hey the good news is if ya can't taste you won't overeat.  I've been wondering why bother lately.... seems like a waste, to eat food you can't taste.  Or why eat 2 slices of pizza? Thinking if you keep eating it might come back? Nope, tried that, didn't work either!
It hasn't been all bad though.  I got an order from Scarlet Lime with my mixed media order, received my swaps from the Flea Market Matchbox Swap and they were fantastic I might add.  ****Will post more about that later****
Well, now that I feel like setting up and messing with this computer I think I'll go check my blogs I read and just enjoy not feeling like mud under a shoe!
More creative stuff later as I've started 2 new She Art projects. I'll have to post those, and oh yeah! I have a new niece! She is adorable!! Hailyn is her name.  She is so sweet and makes me want another one so bad.  BUT I snap back to reality and think --- NO.  I'll love her and spoil her and maybe that'll do me??
Have a great day everybody!!
Happy Scrappin' and God Bless,
Lisa

Valentines Day *early*

My hubs brought the sweetest flowers home today. I don't know what kind they are but they smell delicious and the color is the most beautiful vintage pink. I want to plant a garden full of these!! Off to see my momma for a little bit. Will post more pictures later of what I found when I came home from grocery shopping.

Crazy Little Doggies

Love my critters!

Week 5 / 52

52 week challenge. Playing with the new app on my iPhone and this is what I came up with.

I finally have it!!!!

I've wanted this forever so when HSN had them on I got one! Oh so pretty and PINK! Well the box is, the machine is black. I can't wait to use it!!

What I'm Working On Now

What I'm working on now

Taken by luvtoscrap1972 http://www.flickr.com/photos/19170309@N06/5389262314

Sent from my iPhone

10 Things You Might Not Know About Me....

Christy Tomlinson Has listed 10 things on her blog and challenged everyone to do the same and link back to her blog... so her goes...
1) I'm only 5' tall.  I get called all kinds of "short" names, I don't mind though.  I was known as "half-pint" when I was little, er, um younger!
2) I homeschool my youngest boy.  He loves it. I love it.  AND I haven't strung him up by his toenails yet! That is what I used to say would happen if I tried homeschooling!!
3) I have a fear of water.  Once I was at the lake with some friends and had 2 life jackets on.  That's right- 2!! One one the right way and one on like a pair of shorts.  I couldn't feel the bottom when they FINALLY persuaded me to get out of the boat... well, I banged my knee all up on the prop of the boat trying to get back in.  I cried over that one and looked like a freak to all the "boat people" and haven't been back in one since then!!
4)I have a scar below my right eye.  Kinda looks like a wrinkle now that I'm older, but it is a scar.  I was around 4 or 5 years old when  I jumped to get in to the bed, missed and hit the metal bed railing.  Busted my eye/cheek up pretty badly.  Mom said I needed stitches but Daddy gave me a dollar to ease my pain and wouldn't let her take me because he knew how bad they would hurt me sewing me up! I was a daddy's girl! I miss him so much! He's been gone for 10 years.. 11 years this April.  I can't believe it's been that long.  Schleroderma is what took him from us.  He fought such a brave fight though.  2 years after diagnosis he was gone, but I have his memory with me.  I'll see him again someday though!
5) OH THIS IS A BIGGIE!!!!!!!!! I HAVE FALSE TEETH!! Yep that is right.. a whole set! I had to have oral surgery because they were so bad. I just decided to go ahead and have them all taken out.  And surprisingly, it didn't hurt.  I was put to sleep when they took them out, but the way they do it, it's not like having one pulled.  I was swollen and bruised a few days after and uncomfortable, but it didn't really hurt.  I had to go back to work (I worked at the local grocery store then) and worked for about 2 months without a tooth in my head.  And this comes from a girl who doesn't like to be seen with out makeup! So I just sucked it up and took the "teasing".  I lived.  :)  I got one set of "falsies" ha ha... and they didn't fit right.  I have a set now that is pearly white and perfect! I wanted that for years.  I do miss the ease of having teeth and not having to "go find them" ha ah!! I can't believe I'm telling ya'll this!! But I'm healthy now because I got the infection that was in there gone! I'm gummy though!! My kids now call me granny gums.... I don't  like that too much!
6)  I have a brother. No, not a major thing. But most people that know me don't know I have one! He lives in Missouri and is 12 years older than I am.  We don't hardly ever talk unless he and his family comes for a holiday.  I have a sister that lives in Tennessee and I can't make it without her- I LOVE YOU SISTER!!
7) My husband is 17 years older than I am! We met at the groc. store I was working at, talked 45 minutes right there... and the rest is history as they say.
8)This is hard... I don't have a very interesting life to tell about. Um here's one.  I was pregnant with my first child, Cody.  It was really close to my due date so I was going in for weekly checkups.  My doctor felt of my belly and asked if I could feel anything.  I said , well, no.  I was in labor and didn't even know it! He checked me and I was at 5 cm! WOW! He broke my water and 2 hours later I had a baby boy! Baby #2, Hunter... was very quick... baby #3 - I warned the doctor when he said he was going to induce me that he wouldn't have enough time to give me my epidural.  Well, I didn't! They broke my water and 45 min. later Dakota was born.  They were giving me a saddle block and I could feel him coming! They laid me back, pulled down the lights, put my feet up and he was there!!! The saddle block was barely starting to take affect when he was stitching me up.  I know if I ever have a #4 I better not be stranded anywhere! My babies are in a hurry to greet the world!!
9)I love to smell  books and paper... Yes I know I'm weird! I open a new book or magazine and stick my nose right in and sniff! Now, keep in mind that I won't do this in public.. .it is only at home. BUT my youngest little boy does it too! and he doesn't care WHERE he is! In his noes goes!!!
10)  I love Ice Cream sandwiches for breakfast! Something about ice cream first thing in the morning after just getting up is so good! Cold and yummy!

THere you have it.  10 things about me.  Not really important, but stuff and that is what makes us - US, right?
Hope ya'll have a scrappy day! I'm off to work on my Christy Tomlinson inspired wall hanging (#2)- pink and "loveee".  Don't forget to go check out her workshop - THE SHE ART WORKSHOP.  I am counting the days!!!
Happy Scrappin' and God Bless!
Lisa

The SHE ART WORKSHOP

I have found a new love!! Christy Tomlinson.  I love her stuff! Her blog is great, her creations are unbelievably gorgeous! She is having an online workshop called The She Art Workshop.  You can find out more HERE.

 

(details taken from Christy's blog)

The She Art Workshop is a 3 week e-course the begins February 28th! In this workshop, you will learn how to create unique and detailed girls, as seen in my art projects! I will also share with you how I create my backgrounds, textures, and layering styles on canvases and other surfaces! You will walk away from this class feeling confident in creating your own personalized" She Art" projects as well as having learned  new art techniques you can use in other mixed media projects!  The She Art Workshop begins February 28th. 

I am so excited about this!! I can't wait to get started!! In my previous post I showed you a project I did today.  It is an 8X10 and I bought the board it's on at the dollar tree.  I first put on a layer of Gesso down to prime and cover the hideous print on it.  Next I cut a large piece of paper for the top and left the bottom blank.  I rolled paint on with my brayer (first time I've ever used it to paint and the effect was great!!) applied rubons, cut dresses out of paper. Oh, I used Claudine Hellmuth's Gel Medium to apply everything down.  After things were dry, I'd use a black pen to go around the things and doodle on there.  I'm going to start another one tomorrow... can't wait to get it going!!

Hope you have a good night!!
Happy Scrappin'
Lisa

Inspired by Christy Tomlinson

I have been very busy today. I have been playing and loved every minute of it!! I am so inspired lately! I have been living on Christy Tomlinson's blog lately. I love it there! Enough about ME.... I'm coming back with a post JUST FOR YOU!!! Be back shortly ;)

Week 2

I'm gettin me some good Gracie lovin here. This is my second week in the 52 week project. Can you tell she's my sweet fur baby??

New Beginnings....

2011 is the beginning of a new decade. A new year.  A new month. A new time.  A new life.  It is time to take out the garbage and do better! I went back to church this past Sunday.  If felt so good and it was like the sermon was just for me.  It was titled Facing Giants.  I also spent some time reading my Bible last night.  I read about David and Goliath.  Now I have been saved since I was a young girl, but have gotten way out of bounds of where I should be.  I have been through some trying times as we all have.  BUT  most of the rough water was from me JUMPING IN it instead of avoiding it.  I have since then built bridges to get through the troubled waters and figured out I can't do this alone.  I do know that I am not where I want to be spiritually, I want MORE.  I do know that I am not the same person I was 10 years ago.  I do know that I have come a long way.  I do know I have much farther to go.  I do know I am scared.  I do know that it will be alright.  I do know that I am not alone.  I do know that life is good!!

The last ten years have been a blur.  It started with meeting a man that was good or so I thought.  I wasn't living for the Lord: I was living for me.  In the end I was left alone and had my son Dakota Bob. My angel my pride and joy. Ain't he a cutie pie??

I would NOT take anything for the little guy and he is my baby! I do regret the way things happened.  BUT that is the past... today is today and I love him more than life itself!

My Daddy was diagnosed with scheloroderma  in 1998.  He fought a good fight but couldn't stay any longer so on April 7th of 2000 we lost him.  Oh let me tell you! If God ever made a man that was as close to perfection as He could make him it was my daddy!

Probably 1960 or '61

He never lost his temper.  His punishment for me was LISA ANN, I'M DISAPPOINTED IN YOU!  That was E-N-O-U-G-H for me! That sentence alone broke my heart because I knew I had broken daddy's.  Oh boy here comes the flood! But it is good to talk about him.  He was a special man in so many ways. He loved my momma so much!!

He was always stealing "sugar"!!

 He built their house in 1980. Mom still lives in it today.

He could make anything! I have a cedar chest he made, mom has one made from Walnut and my sister has a cedar one also.  He made me a little table from Persimmon. I haven't seen anything else made from Persimmon - ever.  I know that it's out there but mine came from Daddy.  Now you may be thinking anyone can make that stuff.  Well his lumber came from trees off their land and milled by him.  He had a one man sawmill that he spent most of his time at.  Mom was sure he'd cut something off one day, but to my knowledge he didn't get hurt on it.  He would cut the trees, saw them with his tractor run sawmill, then plane them in the shed.  That was the loudest contraption he had! He'd put in a board and whoa! you could hear it for miles I was sure of it! It was my alarm clock on many a Saturday morning! What I wouldn't give to have just one more day.  One more day with him... in the shed, out riding on gravel roads on a Sunday with him and mom- for no other reason than just to see where those roads led, listening to him tell about how his day at work went, hearing his boots come up the porch when he'd come in, hearing his laughter or yelling at the Razorbacks! The picture in my header above was taken with Daddy when I was probably 2 or 3.  I'm guessing we were probably looking for a Christmas tree.  I was Daddy's girl! He had my sister and my brother, but I was HIS! Oh it hurts to be without him, but I know he is in Heaven waiting on me and I will see him again.   * I didn't mean to turn this entry into such a tear jerker!!*
Another change for me came when a scrapbook store came to town.  It was The Scrapbook Attic and More.  I knew I'd have a job there one day when I went in the first time.  I showed the guy working a scrapbook I'd made.  He asked if he could take it home to his wife to show her (as I was applying for a job) come to find out he was the owner! I started the next week or so and have been with them ever since- on and off.  There was some trouble there and the gal I was working with got fired.  I had been working 3 days for them and 4 days at our local groc. store here in town.  When she left I went full time for them and ran the store by myself.  I Loved it!! But it had to shut down and so the opportunity came for me to buy it.  My sister was going to do it with me.  We moved everything and before the papers were signed she backed out and then I did.  I'VE KICKED MYSELF EVER SINCE THEN TOO!!!!!!!!!! But being a single mom I was just scared to death to do it.  But I started driving an hour and a half to work for them on Fridays- just to stay in there and keep doing what I loved.  In Feb. 2005 I got to fly to Atlanta for CHA.  My FIRST time to fly and I loved it- once we took off!  That was an adventure I'll never forget! My goal was to meet Lisa Bearnson: I DID! I want to go back to CHA again soon and really live the adventure.  I was still (as we say here in the south) wet behind the ears and much of a green horn when it came to scrapbooking and knowing any of the inside things.  Now with blogging and You Tube things are much better as far as knowing what is going on out there.
December 2005 I was working at the grocery store in town and nearly ran smack dab in to one of our customers.  He came in every Monday and was so handsome and nice and smelled SO GOOD! I knew I'd wanted to know more about this feller! I was a love sick puppy!  I found out his wife had passed away a few years earlier and just wanted to get to talk to him as I knew he probably wouldn't be interested in little ole me.  But we talked that day for about 45 minutes.  and as they say... the rest is history.  We have been together ever since!  It has been hard and has had some major ups and downs, but we've made it.  November 10th was our 4th anniversary.
The spring of 2009 I think it was, my oldest son got stepped on while at the rodeo. (WARNING: SCARY PICTURE HERE)

 He was thrown off the bull he was on and it stepped on his head.  I don't think I've ever been so scared! Me and my mom made a VERY FAST trip to the ER 15 minutes away.  We beat the ambulance there and the girl got out (we know them all pretty well) and said he's fine, but he's got a cut on his head.  Some relief, but seeing him on the stretcher all dirty and bloody was still scary.  Laying there with his cowboy boots and chaps still on with dirt in his ears and his head cut open made me realize just how fast things can go bad wrong.  But he was stitched up and sent on his way about 2:30 am.  I think this was around Easter.
The year before that the day just before Christmas Eve mom fell on some ice.  Another scary moment for me.  I live about 8 minutes from her, but I made it in lightening speed.  When I got there her head was bleeding and she was confused.  I took her to the ER and they said she had a concussion and had to sew up her cut above her eye.  They kept her overnight and we got home on Christmas Eve night around 7 pm. She was bruised but fine.
June 2009 My niece was born too early.  Weighing in at only 1 pound 6 ounce she was in for a fight.

Keeli Jo is in the middle.  These are her cousin Jacee on the left and her sister Kinley on the right.  I have a more current picture and will post it later.

 She had some close calls and stayed in Arkansas Children's Hospital for what seemed like forever! She came home after her first birthday. On oxygen and with a feeding tube but just as cute as a little button! She is our little miracle! Her mom was born on my birthday June 12. She was almost our birthday present! Today she is off the oxygen and feeding tube and the most beautiful girl in the world!!

Last year my middle son was riding with one of his friends on a Mule thing.  They were out riding with my step-son ( he was on the 4-wheeler).  Well, the boy driving my son somehow managed to flip the Mule. (covered 4-wheeler). Hunter was hurt, we thought he'd broken his ankle.  My step-son flew in the driveway and jumped out saying you gotta take Hunter to the ER and when I found out why my heart just jumped.  So many young people around here are losing their lives on 4 wheelers! I knew he was fine, but the what ifs were running crazy in my head!  We went to the ER and they X-rayed his ankle but it wasn't broken.  It didn't show to be anyways.  It still looks bad even after all this time, like it is still bruised and it still is sore! But he made it through that!

To round out my year and feeling sorry for myself, my sister and her family weren't able to come home for Christmas and neither was my brother and his family. So my and my boys were with mom... no Christmas dinner at her house this year. Along with missing Daddy so much lately that about done me in.  But things move on, time goes on and we do to.  I have to say though, Christmas at our house was peaceful and great! Everyone got what they wanted and the food was good!! I think this was the best Christmas here at home we have ever had!
So that was my decade - sparing you little details it seems!! There was so much more but those were the good/bad/ugly highlights.

*If you made it this far in reading about my life then Thank You!! Please leave a comment so I'll know you were here.
WISHING YOU ALL A SAFE AND BLESSED 2011!!!!!!!!!!!!
I hope you have a wonderful day and God Bless!!
Happy Scrappin'
Lisa

Week #1

52 Week Project
This is moi. Just plain ole me.
Go check Kim's 52 project out here
http://52weekproject.com
I think it'll be fun!
Come play with us, won't you?

Gracie at her best!

Found a new App. It is so much like the real thing but of course I'm partial to my subject matter. Hope you are having a wonderful first... First day of a new month, new year, and a new decade.

Taken with Photomaton
http://itunes.com/apps/photomaton

Happy New Year!!!!

Looks like my little Bella was exhausted after ringing in the new year! But this was taken a few days ago. She is a hoot watchin her sleep! She barks, growls and will even move her little paws in her sleep! It is just too funny and oh so cute. So from all of us in Arkansas to all of you out there have a Happy New Year with many blessings!
God Bless and Happy Scrappin'
Lisa