Beate's Sketch Challenge

I look at a lot of stamping/card-making blogs and Beate's is fab b/c she posts new stuff every day.....plus she's just an amazing stamper!

She also does a lot of challenges where you can win stuff--but really it's more about the sharing of ideas (if you click on the link above, you have to scroll down aways to see the sketch challenge for this weekend). This is the first time I've participated in one of her challenges and it was really fun!

I needed to make swaps for my club tomorrow anyway so I decided to kill two birds (or owls) w/one stone. :) I'm reobsessed w/watercoloring as I prepare for an upcoming presentation. The card is Brocade Blue--even though it looks more like Ballet. It's kinda plain but I really wanted the watercoloring to be the main event so I didn't let it to get too busy.

It was also really fun to look at all the other entries and see how different stampers interpret the template.

My Spare Room

Don't pass out, but I have finally finished painting my spare room (thanks to mom, linds & hill). And tonight Hill helped me make a plan for my wall decor....so hopefully I will be finished soon and will take a photo to show all ya'll.


In the mean time, here's a little teaser....Zoey helped me paint a shelf yesterday....she is an amazing helper--always wants to be involved and she's so careful and patient--pretty awesome!

Good Friday indeed!

I had Good Friday off....and it was good fortune b/c I was able to spend it w/Mom & Zane for their 60th and 7th birthdays! Hill has done an extensive posting about this already....so I'll just add a few pics.

Ally, Lindsey & Mom at Mom's b-day luncheon. YUM!

And the other side of the table...me, Hill & Carmindy. I can't really remember a time when all 5 of us had virtually the same hair color! Hmm...I bet it has something to do w/our lazy hairdresser...

That night we went to dinner at Market Street Grill....Hill posted pics about this but this one was particularly awesome. Carmy had a bit of a rough night....but she's still cute though, isn't she!

Saturday, Grandma Beth had an Easter picnic...but it was only 40 degrees (notice Zoey's lack of arms). Here's a bunch of us enjoying a delicious lunch....this is typical segragation that takes place at our family events. :)

Just before the Easter egg hunt began....(L to R: Bones--our big 7 year old, Mom, Carmindy, Mikey, Pop & Zoey).

Carmy hunts down an egg...

And here's one more adorable hunter!

Midway Stamping Party

Last weekend, I had the most fabulous time in Midway--you may have already seen Vanessa's post--which is so good that I'm not really going to say much. But I did want to add a few pics of my own....

Vanessa & LeAnn as we began the stamping marathon...

My project was working on my swaps for Australia--I kept the same template but did a lot of different color schemes and background papers....and a little bit o' bling on the main image which didn't come through in the photo. :(

Around lunch time on Saturday, the Roses and Mom arrived....pictured here w/Lindsey who arrived just before that w/Natalie.

And Laurie arrived shortly thereafter....yay we were all there and ready to party!

Such hard core stamping can be tiring....so some took a break to watch a movie (L to R: Mom, Chubs--on the counter, Natalie, Zoey & Lindsey)

I reeeeaaaally wish this video was flipped...this was what Chubs was doing on the counter--and pretty much what he does 24-7: Rocks out, smiles, talks like a wildcat. Pretty much the cutest thing ever. I've been trying to get him on video like this--but he would always stop when the camera started. Yay finally!

Just messin' around (L to R: Me--obviously it was a bit of a rough night! haha, Chubs, Zoe & Jeff)

At one point, I took a little break to give Zoey a few highlights! :)

Vanessa's cards....can you believe how many she made?

The handbag counter....just before everyone left....

It was so much fun we are definitely going to make a stamping tradition by going there often!! Thanks so much Mom & Dad!! We had the best time!

Movie Mavens!

INTRODUCING........MOVIE MAVENS!!!

My dear friend Christy Banker, me and my sis (Hillary) just started a new blog that we are calling Movie Mavens!!

The actual address is: movie-mavens.blogspot.com. We are so excited about this new little adventure and can't wait to hear what ya'll think about it too.

Our plan is to review movies, talk about what makes them good, bad and ugly, and just basically have an excuse to go to the movies whenever we want!!!

We'll also be looking for guest reviewers at some point so if you're a movie-lover too, you'll want to check in w/us often! :) And then tell us about all the movies you've seen & love!

Wordless Wednesday

Tulsa

Tulsa was great...not a lot going on there but I had a blast at our event, being with co-workers and demonstrators, and just experiencing another adventure.

This was my first time to Oklahoma--so I can now check that one off the list. Plus the hotel was one of my faves (at least it was until I work up Sunday morning w/a real life bed bug!! haha).

Anyway not really a lot to report....so I'm going to use a slideshow for the pics....can you tell which pics were taken while I was on stage? Be careful where you leave your camera!

Music

Let me start off by saying WASN'T THAT FUN?!? It's such a blast when everyone comments so thank you everyone and feel free to add more to my Strange Attractions posting below if you'd like to. :)

Now about music....do you ever feel like a song picks you? Well that happened to me this week....

One morning I happened upon an amazing song on VH1 (which is what channel my tv was left on after recording "Bret Michaels: Rock of Love", which btw gets better each week!). And when I rewound to see who was singing--it was Leona Lewis (you're listening to her right now).

The weird thing is that ever since Donna, my manager, returned from the UK last month, my coworkers have been passing around her CD and I've been secretly rolling my eyes b/c I don't like American Idol and haven't really liked any of the Idols other than Kelly Clarkson so of course I figured I wouldn't like English Idols. So this morning when I realized I was completely drawn in....only then to learn the song was by Leona Lewis--it was too much of a coincindence!

So I really think the music picked me! It's not every day that I hear a song for the first time and instantly love it--it's like the song is singing to my heart not my ears (ok that was cheesy--but it's still true!). So when this happens I've learned to embrace it immediately!

Here's a list of a few songs that have been this way for me and if you know what I'm talking about--feel free to comment….

**I Want it That Way, Backstreet Boys
**In My Arms, Erasure
**Silence, Sarah McLachlan
**Under Heaven's Skies, Collective Soul
**Lay All Your Love on Me, ABBA
**Here With Me, Dido
**I'll Be Waiting, Lenny Kravitz
**Hung Up, Madonna

And one last thing.....I realized that I'm not as good at my birthday tributes as I thought. :( Sorry Christy and Laurie!! You both know I didn't forget though. I'll figure out a way to make it up to you! ;)

I'm off to Tulsa in the morning (don't be jealous! ;)....

Strange Attractions

Jen has a comment on everything....she's so funny and so I MUST steal one of her postings on strange attractions. But before I launch into my strange attractions, I'll just say that my one wish....ONE WISH....is that everyone that reads this would actually comment b/c I just love knowing what ya'll think. Just in case you didn't know, YOU CAN comment even if you don't have a blog--just click anonymous--then sign your name if you feel like it. Or don't. It will be funny either way. P.S. you don't have to know me either--just leave a comment anyway!

Now back to strange attractions....what I'd like to know is WHO are you strangely attracted to? My list is so long that I won't bother making it complete....so I'll just stick w/one....RED HEADS! I pretty much love ALL of them....but Damain Lewis is my current fave. I am ecstatic that Life has been renewed for more episodes!!! I can't wait. CAN'T WAIT! And if you haven't seen Band of Brothers, you need to get in your car right now and drive to Blockbuster!!! (or just buy it on ebay for $25 like I did).

OK now it's your turn....