List five things that make up a perfect winter day.

Fire
Steaming Hot Chocolate or Coffee
Old Movies on the TV
Fluffy Warm Socks
My Man

"What sets you apart from the crowd?"

Wow, I'm stumped.   I'm sitting here at my desk thoroughly stumped. What sets ME apart from the crowd?  Me, why am I different from the crowd? When people look at me they are surprised that I'm a techy geek.  I've been a tech geek since I was a "tween" and dad enrolled me in a "logo" programming class at the Learning Tree. I'm someone that NEEDS to have all the latest techy gadgets.

I'd rather spend time inside with my gadgets than go out! Most people don't realize that I'm quite comfortable at home. I do love go out with my girlfriends, but I can and will come up with a dozen excuses why I shouldn't go. Once I'm there, it's all good!  Getting me there is half the battle.

I'm shy but I'm loud. People don't realize that I'm really shy inside. I will not strike up a conversation with a stranger. I'm very comfortable with my friends, but man get me in a room full of strangers and I'll be the quiet girl in the corner.

I think I'm hooked on YouTube.

Check out this funny video.

Matt Damon

"Where do you go when you want to get away from the pressures of life, family, work, etc.?"

My bathtub.  Simply said, that's it.  I love water, I love hot water, add some fragrant bubbles and I'm in heaven.   I can sit in the tub for hours.  Sometimes if I really need to get away, I'll put my iPod  headphones on. In the summer months, I bring a tall ice cold Diet Coke to my tub. In the winter, I bring hot steamy coffee.   

I have been known to fall asleep in the tub, I usually wake up when the water gets cold.

My other sanctuary has got to be Target, not Wal-Mart, not K-Mart, but TARGET!!!  I absolutely LOVE Target.  I carefully walk each and every aisle looking for nothing in particular.  My family teases me something fierce because of my Target addiction.  Whenever I get stressed they ask, "What are you going to do? Go to Target?"   I also run into people I know there, other Target Fans.   Just the sight of one of their television commercials  is enough to send me into a frenzy. 

I'll admit it, I stole this from Pat!!! LOL

Christmas Questionnaire

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Egg Nog (better with Rum!!)

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Sitting in front of the fire place UNWRAPPED

3.
Colored lights or white lights on tree/house? White lights

4. Do you hang Mistletoe? No. :(

5.
When do you put your decorations up? Usually Thanksgiving weekend

6.
What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Hmmm...I have NO idea.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Getting up really early and unwrapping all my presents and going back to bed!!!

8.
Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? No. :(

9.
When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? Truth?  Truth as in Santa spoils me every year?

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Oh dear, our tree is a big ol' hodge podge of decorations, usually all on one side in one section!!!  I let the kids decorate it.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE IT!!! We don't get it very often so when we do, it's a real treat.

12. Can you ice skate? What's ice skating!

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Yes, a beautiful 5 diamond promise ring from my NOW husband the first year we were dating.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being with family.

15. What tops your tree? For the last ten years an angel, however since we are in a new house, she doesn't fit anymore! This year we have a star.

16. What’s your favorite holiday tradition? Watching "Christmas Vacation"

17. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love both!!

18. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Candy Canes!

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? Winter Wonderland (it brings tears to my eyes.)

20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? YUM!!!!

21. What is your favorite Christmas special/movie? Christmas Vacation and Polar Express.

If you've never looked at this thread at DSP, you should.   Meg posts a topic just about everyday.

Today's topic is by Pat aka Loonyhiker.
"
Who is the hardest person to buy a gift for and why?"

My husband without a doubt is the hardest person in the world to buy for.  Basically, if he wants it, he's already bought it! Every year the kids and I agonize over what to get him.  Three years ago it was a gaming table which he hated and returned to the store.  Two years ago it was a Poker table which he liked, but he returned because he had already ordered one on-line! Last year we got him a handheld GPS which sat in it's box until last month when**I** decided to take it out and play with it. UGH!!! 

This year I'm debating between a couple of options.  He really needs a new helmet (we dirt bike ride). He also is interested in backing up his entire CD collection.  I had mentioned that he MIGHT like the iPod.  He's not very *techy* so this might turn into a *Samara* project. You all know that I don't need any more projects!!!  I did pick him up a jersey at Disneyland for Grumpy's Ice Hockey team, The Rage.  I know he's going to love it.

All I have to say, is THANK GOODNESS we are home!!! Disneyland kicked my butt!!!

As many of you already know, my ISP SUCKS!!!  I've been going on nearly 5 weeks without steady internet.  Monday the cable guy comes and will install cable internet...WOOOHOOO.

My motto has become, when life takes away your internet, you scrap.  I made two layouts last night.

We just got back from 3 days at the Happiest Place on Earth.   As we were checking into the hotel, my DH called to tell me that he would be delayed.   His truck had broken down and AAA was flatbed towing it to a friends shop.  All I could think was cha-ching!  I hang up from him, stick my phone in my pocket and run out to the parking lot to move the car.   An hour later we were on our way to Disneyland when I realized that I didn't have my phone.   I searched and searched, used my MIL's phone to call mine, NOTHING!   I lost my adorable pink Razr phone!!!!  Last night I get home and decide to call my phone to see if somehow it's in my car. 

    Some man answered and said, "I've been waiting for you to call." 
    I said, "Excuse me?"
    "I'll return your phone for a reward."
    "WHAT? You must be kidding."
    "You shouldn't have left it in the restaurant."
    "Listen, I did not leave it in a restaurant, I dropped it in the hotel parking lot."
    "Yeah, I know"
    "So what's the reward, " he asks.
    "What did you have in mind?"
    "How much did you pay for the phone?"
    "Take the phone to the nearest Cingular store, they'll give you a reward."
    "I think I'll just throw it in the trash after I use all the minutes."
    "Well, I'm having it shut off in about 1 minute."

OMG!!! Can you believe this!!!

You are going to LOVE the newest kit in my stash!!!  You CAN'T get in NOW, but you will be able to get it on DEC 23!!!!    It's such a rocking kit. 
I just love designing with felt and this kit totally reminds me of all the homemade ornaments that are strung all over our Christmas tree.  I do hope you enjoy this kit as much as I enjoyed making it!

Here you go, Taylor's Alpha.   I had so much fun working on this adorable felt alpha.

Taylor's Alpha

Last month DSP moderator Amber asked me if I could design a kit that would coordinate with her soon-to-be niece's nursery.  I jumped right in and made the MOST adorable PINK, GIRLY kit ever!!!   I even made a matching alpha.

Taylor's Nursery

I decided to switch my blog over to typepad so that I could have control over my banner.   I tried and tried to figure out how to do it with blogger, but it just wasn't happening.  I do hope that you enjoy my new blog.

Just some samples of my bows 

I spent the entire last week working on this. I just LOVE it. I say that often, don't I? HA HA HA!!! The little doggie patch is soooo cool!

Enjoy! 

No surprises here! You already know how much I love red, yellow, and green! This is another favorite for me!!!

Enjoy! 

OH MY GOSH!!! It's been nearly 2 months since I last updated my blog!!! YIKES! Well, nothing major has happened, I'm just lazy!!

I'm still working super hard for DSP and have created a bunch of super kits that I'm pretty proud of. This one, My Daisy, was inspired by DSP member, the3chickens. I hope that she enjoys it as much as I enjoyed making it. 

 

Meg asks...what's funny?

Funny you ask that question!!! LOL I just love humor. Let's see, this morning I woke up with my daughter in my bed. I asked her, "What are you doing here?" To which she replied, "I can't BURP my ABC's."

WHAT???? I sat there stunned. Hmmm, I didn't ask about her ABC's. But whatever. I told her that I couldn't either. She said, but Bubba can. Bubba is her big brother! LOL

You want more humor? One of my first grade students told me that his dad has hem-a-royds. LOLOLOLOL I nearly died laughing!!! How can I look this parent in the eye? Oh dear.

http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=48&products_id=2356 

http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=48&products_id=2358 

Can I toot my own horn? I guess I really don't need your permission as this is MY blog!! LOL
I just love this kit, totally love it! I had so much making it, that I ended up doing a matching alpha and an add-on kit too! You can find them all in the DSP store.

http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=48&products_id=2297

Well, I guess I can finally make the announcement!
I'm going to be a designer for the BEST digital scrapbooking company in the world! I begin at DSP on April 1st. I have been waiting NOT so patiently to announce this to all my digi friends. I do hope that you'll love my designs. I'm looking forward to seeing how you all use my kits. Time to get back to work!

Love ya! 

Lisa and I did it again. The funny thing is
we didn't think we'd pull it off. I personally think the kit came out adorable! I sure hope that everyone that was at the crop/chat enjoys it as much as I do. 

What scrapbooking lines/products/etc do you dislike?
What do I dislike? Yikes, tough question. I dislike sloppy products.
What is the hardest thing you've ever had to scrap?
The hardest thing I've ever scrapped would have to be Christmas! I don't know why, but for as long as I've been a scrapbooker I hate scrapbooking Christmas snapshots.
What technique do you use more than any other?
I love torn papers. I also love inking.
Ever been published?
Yes!!! Three times in Ivy Cottage Creations (now no longer in business). Once in the Stamper's Sampler, and currently in the new issue of Digital Scrapbook Magazine!
What's the smallest scrap of paper you save?
Well, I don't!!! When I was a paste eater I used to save anything bigger than 3x3.
Ever have any scrapbooking-related injuries?
Goodness YES! Let's see my cutterpede scissors took a chunk out of my leg. My sizzix threw my back out.
Finish the sentence "If I wasn't a scrapbooker, I would spend my money on
Ohhhhhh... is this possible? How about new clothes or new accessories for the house.
Give us your best storage or organizational idea.
For my paste eater friends, it's my HUGE Ikea Expedit bookshelf! I am super organized with this system. For my digital friends, a HUGE hard drive and a HUGE external for backups.
You just won a week-long scrapbooking cruise for 5. Who would you take?
Oh, only five? Karen B, Lauren Bavin, Tina Chambers, Lisa Carter, and Marcee Duggar.
After you've answered the questions, tag 6 of your scrapbook buddies!
[url=http://www.tatesmom.blogspot.com/]Tina[url]
[url=http://create4u.blogspot.com/]Lauren[/url]
[url=http://lisacarter.typepad.com/lisac/]Lisa[/url]
[url=http://wksinprogress.blogspot.com/]Judy [/url]
[url=http://akazmir.blogspot.com/]Amber[/url]
[url=http://amandascraps.blogspot.com/]Amanda[url]

I was reading a post titled "what scrapbooking product are you?". I had to give it a try.

This was my response:
You are STICKERS!You like brightening things up in life and decorating your living space with your own personal style. You are versatile and able to get things done with a stick-to-it attitude. People love your colorful personality and personal flair! You like exploring new things and are willing to try anything once. But Stickers beware - sometimes you like to stick to someone that you like a little too much and take them into your confidence a little too easily. Your personality tends to make you a steadfast friend, but make sure the friends you choose are worth your efforts!

You can try the quiz here: http://quizilla.com/users/Prismcat/quizzes/What%20scrapbooking%20item%20are%20you?/

I was working on this layout of my daughter and I stopped to ask, when? When did she change from a baby into a little girl? When did she become so opinionated? I'm so excited to see what her future holds, but at the same time I'm so scared. I miss holding her in one arm, I miss buying her tiny little outfits. But you know what I love? I love going into her room at bedtime and talking with her about her day. I love the excitement she feels when she does something correctly. I love when she standing proudly before me and exclaims, "I a big grill." As she enters this phase of girlhood, I enter a new phase of motherhood. 

Tagged!
I've been tagged by the lovely and famous TINA!!!! http://www.tatesmom.blogspot.com/

Four jobs you’ve had in your life:
Teacher
Substitute Teacher
Camp Counselor
Clerk at an Upscale Toy Store

Four movies you would watch over and over:
Princess Bride
The Outsiders
ConAir (LOVE Nick Cage!!!)
Tombstone

Four places you have lived:
Reseda, CA (home of the Karate Kid!)
Los Angeles, CA (home of movie stars)
Carson, CA (home of the Good-Year blimp)
Palmdale, CA (birthplace of the space shuttle)

Four TV shows you love to watch:
LOST
Gray's Anatomy
Desperate Housewives
SuperNatural

Four places you have been on vacation:
Las Vegas, NV
New York, New York
Lake Shasta, CA
Grand Canyon, AZ

Four websites you visit daily:
www.digitalscrapbookplace.com
www.google.com (LOVE google)
sorry, don't have four!!!

Four of your favorite foods:
Shrimp
Sushi
Lobster
Avocado

Four places you would rather be right now:
Las Vegas BABY!!!
New Zealand
Hawaii
Bahamas

Four bloggers you are tagging:
I'll have to get back to that!!!

I go back to work tomorrow! UGH!!! I have so enjoyed being off for the past four weeks. I loved being home with my two kids and honestly, I wish I did'n't have to return. I used to love going back, loved being able to get out of the house. But now, there is something about my kids smiling faces that changes things. I love to have my daughter wake me up and I love my son for turning on cartoons for his baby sister. I get to do this everyday, but now it will be RUSHED. HURRY UP, get dressed, eat this, get in the car, let's go, LET'S GO, let's go!!! It's all a mad rush. I wish it didn't have to be this way. I wish that I was able to be home with my kids full-time. Summer is only 6 months away...until then! 

This is the story of how we met. Stacey is running a challenge over at DSP. I decided this would be a great opportunity to put this event down on paper.

*******************
Do you ever just not have the flow? Yesterday I sat down in front of my computer wanting to create masterpieces, instead I create NOTHING!!!!

Ugh, I hate that. 

I'm getting back on the wagon. Tomorrow is the day. I can't believe that I let myself gain back ten of the thirty pounds I lost.

This layout was created using the 1-2-06 Designer's Challenge Kit. Lisa wasn't able to be at the beginning of the chat, so I enlisted help from Karen B and MommyMeg. Both came to my rescue to help me create this awesome kit. Lisa came and finished it up for us, adding word art, the TOU, and uploading to the site!

So, a BIG THANK YOU to my gurls!