Catching Up on a Lost Project!

Does this look familiar to any Scrapbookers?? Yes, these are scrap pages that just need final touches, like embellishments, journaling, headers, etc. I finished these last year while we were camping in W. Va. Gayle had a job up there for about 3 months, so we took our camper and this is what I did to occupy my time. By the way, it has taken me months and months to put away all the craft items I had loaded up in the camper, so now I will turn my attention to this chore. I started out doing scrapbooks in chronological order (with 2 grandkids was pretty easy to keep up). Now, I am going back and doing some of my two boys in their earlier years, so scrapping is done haphazardly. I just pick out photos, then go to my paper stash - I even try to use my delicious hoard of designer papers and ribbons. They just are so fun to look at!

Have a Stamping Day!

Betty

My Garden Story

Caretaker of my garden!

Water fountain and pond has been redone several times and I still can't decide what it needs. Originally I had goldfish and they lasted about 3 years even thru winter...

The Herb Garden is delightful in scent and color variation all through spring, summer, and

the fall.

When I get up in the morning and stand at my back door - ummmm the wonderful smell of lilac!

Lilac has to be my favorite smell of all. A garden is sorta like writing a book - you never know what will go into the next chapter (or in this case, an empty spot in the yard). I have always enjoyed planting shrubs and trees - I'm not a very "flowery" person, so they are used sparingly; I enjoy my plants to be random instead of a structured formal look.

• First photo is the lilac bush - it has really grown in the last 3 years and the smell is heavenly.


• Photo on top, right is a pink flowering______something!
  
  
• Photo on bottom left is a variagated weeping tree that was suppose to grow only to about 5 feet tall and wide -- it is lovely in the spring and I have it beside our back deck.
  
  Photo on bottom right are my purple iris - they are planted beside the steps leading to our front door. These iris's have many miles on them! They originally came from my mother's home, and I have moved them over the past 35+ years every time we moved - and that was almost every year! So they are very durable for a beginner gardener.
  
  A few years ago, the back of our house was abundant with all types of ground covers, bee balm (butterflies love them), lavender and to the side was my herb garden, which now I have put in pots. The weeds took over last year, as I was not able to tend because of my arthritic shoulder, so my hubby sprayed with something that will destroy all weeds for one year - therefore, herbs ( sweet basil, purple basil, rosemary, dill, sage) are in pots for this season.......I will pick them and dry them in paper bags to use for seasonings.

Hope you are inspired by these colorful photos.....

Now off to mow the yard (we have 2-1/2 acres)

Betty

Catchin' Up

First a view of some cards I made last week and never got around to posting - now I don't remember all the details! Anyway, most of the items are Stampin'Up!. I do know that the border punch on the gray and saffrom card is from Fiskars-it embosses as well as cuts the border - Cool, huh?

MOTHER's DAY FUN---

Just an inkling of gifts I received for Mother's Day! Gayle made me the beaded watch and I love the Canvas wall hanging:

JUST THINK...

You’re here not by chance, but by God’s choosing.

His hand formed you and made you the person you are.

He compares you to no one else...you are one of a kind.

You lack nothing that His grace can't give you.

He has allowed you to be here at this time in history

to fulfill His special purpose for this generation.

– ROY LESSIN

Both of our boys came by for a visit and bearing gifts of mother's day cards and lovely ferns for hanging on my deck... It was a lovely day to sit around outside and just enjoy being outdoors.

Unfortunately, our deck has been claimed by "carpenter bees" - and they are feared by all my visitors! We have tried numerous sprays, caulking, painting, but nothing deters them each year. I get fed up with them and take a butterfly net to catch them, step on them, and what happens?

Six more will come in their place....Click on the link above, to see what is happening to wood when these bees "visit" you! I am ready to send them packing to never never land.....maybe I will order some of this insecticide and feed it to them?!?!?

That's all I have for today--

Betty

StampinUp Scrapbooking Month Specials

Buy 3 get one FREE!
Another great deal for the month of May. Order any three Designer Series paper, Specialty Designer Series papers, or 12" x 12" textured card stock and choose one FREE!


TRY OUT STAMPIN' UP!'s DESIGNER PAPERS this month! Click on link to see samples of papers!


You have a choice of 6 different textured 12 X 12" assorted packs of card stock - Neutrals, In Colors, Bold Brights, Rich Regals, Soft Subtles & Earth Elements seen on pages 153 - 155.

The other Designer Series paper and the Specialty Designer series paper is located on
pages 158 - 161.

I am sooo glad they included the Specialty papers. They are amazing in quality & texture.

I am offering a "PAPER SHARE" option this month! E-mail me for details, don't miss out on a chance to own 6x6 of selected designer prints.

Contact me at : bgtodd2003@yahoo.com or visit my website (link on sidebar)

HAPPY SCRAPBOOKING!

Polly Pockets

Friday's are sleepover nights for Chloe and Hunter. Gayle and I look forward to this time each week with the grandchildren. They are always full of energy and excited to tell us (both at the same time) what they have done during the week.
Usually we have play-dough time but Hunter wasn't interested to today, he wanted to play with our dog, Budye (a bichon). As they were having a good time, Chloe went and got her box of Polly Pockets and we dressed, undressed, dressed and then took them out to play in the rain.

Bedtime is where my patience comes in - praise the Lord that he has given me this patience - I just wish I had it when my boys were small- it would saved us all a lot of bad times. They have bunkbeds at our house, but still will not sleep in them overnight - it's more of a play yard for them. So Gayle slept in the bottom bunk and I shared the big bed with two babes that have arms and legs that go everywhere when they sleep! It's the usual ritual of potty time, brush teeth, getting a drink, getting their sleep buddies and just plain old settling down.

Their mom is really good at making sure her family has healthy foods to eat. Well, mamaw and papaw serve chocolate donuts for breakfast - How fun is that?
We always have hard boiled eggs and bacon also. One of my e-mail buddies sent me this awesome you-tube video on how to peel eggs. So I tried it out and it was a hit with the grandkids. Got grandkids or little ones? Go here and make them WOW over you!

Have a super weekend - go hug someone you love!

Betty