I have to start doing better at this

I have so many things I am trying to learn now. I got the ultimate sweater machine for Christmas and have been working on figuring that out. I have done a scarf with it.

I am also trying to teach myself free form crochet and AMIGURUMI Japanese Crochet .

In my venture I bought a couple of patterns at knotjustknitting.com and just knitted a fun pink collar. Still need to put the buttons on and then it will be picture time.

I also got a yarn winder and let me say that that is a fun gadget to have if you are a knitter or crocheter. I took some yarns that I wanted to knit together and put it into 1 ball. That way I only have to deal with the 1 instead of 2 or 3.

I also took 2 skeins of yarn and connected them into 1 so I could continue my project without having to add a new skein. That keeps me from having to add in the middle of a project.

As I learn these fun things I will add pictures of the good and the mistakes

Also about the scarf, that is a yarn I purchased from RedHeart and it is a self striping yarn.

I love the way it turned out.

Dear Santa

My friend Alison sent me this.......

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year.

I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground.

I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.(I LOVE THIS!!!!!!)

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always, MOM

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

Here's a peek from our Xmas picture taking..thanks to MBeth for her tripod..worked great!


love this one too!



and this is what goes on when they think I am not taking pictures



And I have been wanting to post this house I made for Deidre and Mike..kind of a Xmas gift and welcome to your new house gift. I didn't want to post it until I gave it to her since she reads this..hi Deidre. Anyways..it seems I fussed with it FOREVER and here's the final look



Well that's all for today..Christmas is in 10 days!!!!!!!!!!

Julia

Christmas Projects

Just wanted to pop in and share some new Xmas projects.

These are for Bo Bunny and use the new Holly Jolly paper collection.



another view of the tree..it's got glitter and sequins and rhinestones on it..



here's another two sets of letters I made using Bo Bunny papers for a friend to use at her work party for table decorations





And today I am the hightlighted designer on the Paper Salon blog. You can see a Christmas set I made for them using their beautiful papers too! Here's a link:

http://papersalon.typepad.com/


and lastly the tree is up although the decorations around it are not..but you can see my overloaded snowman, fun, bright kids ornament tree..we love it!


I've got a million things to try and do this weekend and all the while finish watching Johnny Depp and Pirates of the Carribbean..Dead Man's Chest! Best looking guy in makeup hands down!

Have a good one,

Julia

A Funny...

Here's a quick post with a funny from a friend:

Living Will

Last night, my wife and I were sitting in the living
room and I said to her,

"I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and
fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."

She got up, unplugged the TV and then threw out my beer.

HAHAHAHHA I can sooooooo relate to this!!

Here's some altered letters I made for Deidre..



and a quick picture of Parker who I am so proud to say is done with Speech Therapy, has no other learning issues that they mentioned were a possible(YES! I knew it) and will go back to our home school next year!! Way to go Parker!!!!!!!!!



Lots to do around here..the tree lights are finally on after having to buy 10 new boxes of lights. Now for the 10,000+ ornaments!LOL Have some more gifts to get, items to return, xmas projects to work on, package to mail to Scotland and on and on. Watched Elf, The Polar Express, Love Actually and looking forward to Christmas Vacation which get us all in the mood!

That's it for now..ttys!

Julia

Holy Cow...it's an Update!

I'll be the first to confess it's getting harder to sit down and update my blog like I used to. Especially this time of year when my to do list is HUGE and never seems to end. Like today..went to strip our bed and wanted Scott to help me flip and turn the mattress. It's a double pillow top so it takes two of us to do this. Anyways..not to be gross..but when we moved it we saw puppy Peso has appearantly tinkled a time or two or three under our bed!!!!!!!!!! AAAHHH and therefore I had to clean the rug before we could put things back. So..when I started that I realized and saw the bedskirt was dirty, the quilt dirty..you get it right. Well I can't wash a king size quilt at home..so this spun off a trip after work to the laundromat. Gee..what fun. But it's a good thing. I washed the quilt, mattress pad and my Xmas quilt..so everything's nice and clean. But that's how things get thrown off when you have plans to do other things.

So Thanksgiving is over and that means time to decorate the house. We worked this last weekend on the outside since the weather was really nice. Took FOREVER to clean out the garage and hang the lights! OMG it's getting harder and longer each year and we're young!LOL I woke up Saturday so darn sore and had hurt my back plus Friday night had an allergy attack that lingered Saturday. So it took a while to get my pep up if it ever did. But the work paid off as you can see here..

Friends of ours, Jill and Steve, very kindly gave us their Santa as they weren't planning on displaying it. The kids were really excited and funny as I was thinking we needed one! So many hours of work pays off and the neighborhood kids are praising our house! HA Sometimes it feels like a competition between whose house can look more like the Griswald's.LOL

Let's see what else..got some great pictures of everyone on Thanksgiving..here we all are..





and I can't forget Peso..here's one of him..


so other than trips to the Laundromat, watching The DaVinci Code(liked the book better!,decorating the outside of the house..inside this coming weekend, scrapbook crop, and that..we're not too terribly exciting!

I'll leave you with a new layout I'm crazy over!



Have a good one..

Julia

Wow I am way behind

I haven't been here since August. A lot has been going on. I am still knitting and crocheting though. I am also trying to learn HTML so I can venture further in to designing my own ebay pages. I am also doing my own knitting needles. I have taught a knitting class on knitting with wire and hope to do another one soon.

For Deidre...

I hereby dedicate this post to my buddy Deidre who reminded me I needed to update my blog. My bad..she's right. I think about it and then get sidetracked which is the story of my life lately. I always get started on something and then one of the kids or Scott needs something and then I lose my focus and forget what I was going to do. Go start something else..remember I was doing something else..and now have many things going on all which don't get finished. Sound familiar? Yep..that's me in a nutshell.

So what's new you ask? Had a busy weekend with birthday parties, errands in search of a backpack that wouldn't break. Haley broke two straps on two different bags since school started and wanted a specific one. Thank goodness I found it. Sunday we were invited to join our friends Jill and Steve and go with them to the Rams game. They have season tickets and we were too happy to say yes! Only my 2nd Rams game. Although you'd think it was a KS Chiefs stadium given how many of their fans were in the dome. WOW! Lots of red! We had alot of fun with them though.

Cleaning up around here from Halloween. I am going to reshoot some pictures with Parker as I realized I didn't get a single picture of him standing with his costume and we forgot to put his mustache on. So today before gymnastics..a Halloween retake!LOL Plus I want to have the kids put the big witch and frankenstein away this weekend..no more Halloween decorations. Enough! Can you believe last night I say a house here off Becker with Xmas decorations up?OMG!!!!!!!! NOOOO!LOL

I don't think I posted any pics of the kids on Halloween though..so here you go.




and here's a new one of Senor Peso..next to impossible to catch a busy puppy for a picture!



I do better with these!



or these..LOL


Okay that's about it for now. I'll be gone this weekend! I leave Friday morning for the Lake with some very very very fun women for the Crop & Shop! Can't wait!

Here's my latest..with Paper Salon papers...love this pic of Haley and if I do say..this layout ROCKS!



That's it..

Julia

New Things

Time for an update..we had a busy weekend with watching the game! The Cardinal's won the World Series...so very cool!!!!!!!!! Friday night's game was great..would have loved to have been there.

Saturday went to a Pumpkin Patch


and then a fun hayride and bon fire in the evening. We had a great time with the friends who invited us. And Parker was in heaven gathering sticks for the fire. Here's a picture of us all before we went on the hayride.



Sunday got some cute pictures of Haley and Peso on one of his many trips outside to hopefully "go potty" gesh!


Let me tell you it's very very hard to get pictures of a very busy puppy! He's a bundle of energy right now and we tried putting him on his lead and he spent the entire time chewing it. He loves to sunbathe though and in the afternoon the front lawn is all sun. He's too little to be out there alone..but we still want him to get used to it for the spring when he's older.

I've been busy working on some scrapbook projects too. One of them is using the new Fall line from Bo Bunny. I covered a carveable pumpkin and decorated it up. Made a tag to hang from a candle and a card. I still am planning on covering a smaller pumpkin and making napkin rings and place cards for the set. Hopefully some nice magazine will want to publish it. Ha! That would be nice!


and here's my newest project a Halloween tin bucket I did using new Bo Bunny papers to hold all the treats for tomorrow night! I added lots of googly eyes and gauze to match with the papers and stickers.





So that's it for now..oh wait..a picture of Haley in her costume. She went to the school's fall festival. Let's just say gone are the cute costumes. Although I can't say a thing as she is so my daughter for chosing this!


That's it for now..Happy Monday!

Julia

Puppy Love

I've been meaning to post about this for 2 weeks now. But life has a way of getting in the way of our best laid plans. So it's time to spread the news of our newest addition!

I'm pleased to announce the Sandvoss Family has added to it's already crazy family a beautiful Boston Terrier now 9 weeks old named Peso!



He's a beautiful boy..weighed this weekend at 5 pounds..should get around 15-20..we're hoping on the 15!HA He's smart, funny, playful..the bite I got yesterday OOWWWWW it hurt! Very loving, snuggly and most of all beyond adorable!!



He has yes...blue eyes that are amazing..and is a beautiful brownish/red color..more brown that is called Seal by the AKC. Yes..he's a purebred and yes..we are hoping to try our hand at breeding in the future.

The kids are crazy about him and I'll admit so are Scott and I. It's hard not to be with that face and those amazing blue eyes of his! So another scrapbook to add to my growing collection only this one will feature this beautiful little guy!



And for those that want to send gifts..we're registered at PetSmart and Petco and he's on Iams Puppy Food, loves tennis balls, rope chew toys and needs a cool doggie bed! Just kidding..although I can see Pet Showers being the thing of the future!

Peace out from Peso!!

Julia

Free Hugs

Please take the time to go to this link it's worth it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4

As someone who loves hugs..this is the best!

Thanks to Cathy Z(link on right) for sharing this.

Another thing that makes me smile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leave me a comment if you will and let me know what you think of it!

I loved it!

Julia

here's a new layout I am crazy about!


Here's the journaling that goes with it:

green means go.. going to a new school...middle school no less. you kept an open mind to all the changes and it’s been green lights since. green means go.. growing up into such a great kid. you are just the nicest guy ever.(well now and then you have your moments.) you say things that really make me feel like i am succeeding raising you into a good guy. Green means go in that you are growing up into such an amazingly handsome guy. I don’t know if it’s due to your daddy but you’re sure a cute 11 year old. Green means go.. keep on doing what you’re doing. Learning, being helpful, caring about your family and just being one heck of a cool 11 year old guy. And hey..keep listening to your Dad and I too! We have got lots of good things to offer! 9/06 …

OK GO

Ok Go..the band that lately I listen to on my walks. I discovered them on MTV music awards and had to find out more and hear more of their music. So glad I did! They have such a great beat, good songs and I just can't seem to get enough of them.

I've been wanting to share this video of theirs. It's awesome! Who knew that a treadmill was so much more fun! I should be dancing on it instead of walking!LOL

So go here..see the video and see what makes me smile!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NINJQ5LRh-0

And here's some new layouts I made for this month's ScrapJazz assigment...







I have much more to post..I'll be back!

Julia

I'm Back with a Tag!

I was tagged by Becky and I bet you're glad as I am long overdue for a post huh?! So here goes...

The rules are: List 5 weird things about yourself or your pets. Tag 5 friends and list them. Then, those people need to write on their blogs about 5 weird things, and state the rules, and tag 5 more people.

1. I hate when things go missing around here as until it's found I just cannot stop thinking about it!

2. I can't stand dirty feet and especially when mine are dirty. I will go to my bathroom and sit down at the tub and wash them. I know..just don't like dirty feet!

3. I have to have some form of lipstick, lipgloss or the like on my lips. It's not that I'm trying to be prissy or made up..I just don't like nothing on them.

4. I hate that I have long arms. Kind of weird. Scott's 5'9 and I am barely 5'1 and my arms are as long if not longer than his. Weird..odd!

5. I like to wear solid color tops. Or at least if I have on a striped shirt..I then wear a solid under it. Never just a stripe or print top or rarely...how about that!

Okay..so there..you know 5 weird things about me...I'm going to tag...Lynne, Brianna, Melanie D, Christina P and and Dee!!!!!!!!!

Have fun everyone!!!!!!!!!!! And I promise to update the blog today with some goodies I've been needing to share!


Julia

Full Tilt

Well things are back to full tilt with this week Gymnastics, Dancing and and Girl Scouts for Haley. Gesh..not dull is it with all that. But suprisingly this last week was very dull. It started with that Scott and I were dying to sleep in on Saturday. I mean is it too much to ask to sleep past 6am on the weekend? Gesh! But no..due to the holiday that darn garbage man came on Saturday instead of Friday and of all days do you think he picked up late...NO how about early! Like 7am early!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I almost ran outside and yelled at him for that. OMG So..here I get up, use the bathroom and intend to return to bed to go to sleep and no..can't..I'm awake and there's no point in faking it. So we got up and it just made for the whole day to be off. Can't explain it any other way than that. I thought I'd scrapbook as I have lots to play with and some work to do..but it just wasn't there. Sunday did this layout(this is the one Lynne):



It had actually sat on my desk for the whole week because I didn't know what I wanted to do..so silly really. So got that done and again felt the don't feel motivated feeling. I hate that. So I decided to do some organizing since crops are starting back up and want to be able to offer brads and such in a better way if they want to purchase them. So...bought those large floss containers and organized my brads and all my sequins and rhinestones which gave me more room for my chipboard and such. Much better...still not feeling it. I started on a layout last night and think it's going well but can't think of a title for nothing..not that it HAS to have one..but yes..it sort of does. So we'll see where that leads me.

What else...ummm Dancing with the Stars starts tonight..yes! So looking forward to that. Finale of Rockstar SuperNova tomorrow night and then Thursday yes..Survivor..so looks like my rear end will be glued to the TV a bit..not so good!

So that's it..nothing too big here..still pondering a dog...not sure..somedays yes..others no..maybe that means we need to think more.

We'll see...so until next time..

Julia

On My Mind

This is what is on my mind today... while I wait for a picture to print...

Baby Suri..can't help it..I am totally interested and you know..I personally think she is a beautiful baby! I loved the pictures and to me they look like a happy family. Who I am to judge!

Lost items...I really want someone to clue me in on why my brain does this. Here's an example..I lose something. Something important..isn't it always. I get upset knowing I hate to lose things. I start backtracking and singing in my head from Blue's Clues..go back go back go back to where you were. And I do..I go through everything. Now..while this whole thing is taking place I am ignoring this voice(whatever you call it) in my head telling me to check wherever. But that wherever is always the strangest place and can't possibly be where it is. So I keep looking and keep thinking about that place. And when I have given up on the item..I take a minute to check that silly stupid place and guess what...every stinkin time it's there! Would someone please explain what is going on!LOL

Jeans..how positively annoying it is to buy jeans for Connor and find that every brand and every style fit him different. No two are the same and it's insane! So I have to go exchange more jeans...can't we have a uniform size?

Sunny Days...love them..need I say more?

Sunny Days that I don't work...even better! LOL

JuJu Bees...my new candy of choice. Why..lots of chewing, tastes great and something about it makes you not need much to get the sweet craving out of you.

Headaches...they stink!

Underwear...why do people namely celebrities not wear them knowing paparazzi are waiting for those moments to catch them. So stupid! And they of all people can afford cool ones!HA

Toby...Rockstar SuperNova..I want him to win and then come visit me!LOL Love Aussie accents..and

speaking of Aussie's..just incredibly sad news about the Crocodile Hunter..Steve Irwin. So sad for his family..just too young. But I know I know..look at what he did right..dangerous job..the odds are..yes..I know..just makes me very sad!

Ki Album..no I didn't win..but yes..I did finally post my losing album..here's a link

http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=974528

last thought.. I love these guys..new Bo Bunny products..




Okay photo is ready..off to scrap one..

Julia

Let's Update

Okay time for an update now that it looks like my internet connection is officially fixed for now. Turns out it has to do with my computer's NIC card if anyone is a techie and that it went out and therefore I lost my ethernet connection. Soooo..the cable guy tried to fix it..nope..so for now switched out my modem yet again and changed it to a USB connection until I can take the computer in for a fix. Great..what fun. And it's probably the reason for the past 4 months I've had trouble as the ethernet card must have been dying a slow death.

So...let's chat about things..on top of my mind..I am very sad to say that I did not win one of the 26 finalist positions for the Ki album contest. Hmmm..yesterday when I found this out..I was really really sad. I have dreamed about being on Ki's team since their inception..I know I am the right fit. However..maybe an album isn't the best way for me to show them this? Not sure..but I will post some bits from the album..just not today. I'm moving on...there is much more to life than this right?

Worked my rear off..well I wish it had fallen off...yesterday in the yard. Front and back..and let's just say the yard looks amaaazzing. I can feel it in my legs today but that's all good. And speaking of which..I am 3 pounds down and feeling much better. Need to take off 10 more..that's my goal and I know I can do it..just takes time, lots of walking and watching those snacks.

Well I backed off the puppy kick for now. Got bitten by the bug..the kids want one, I do..Scott doesn't. So we(I) looked at all sorts..they must be small..Cairn Terrier's (think Toto), Boston Terriers, Lhasa's, Pug's, Bichon's all these kind. I think we're leaning now toward a BTerrier. If if if we would get one..really needs to be one that doesn't need grooming..we just don't want to get into that and one that doesn't get that look around their eyes. You know what I mean..Poodles get this and I'm not keen on that look..so we'll see. Maybe in a few weeks..still thinking wondering..I just don't want the kids growing up without a pet, a friend and it's been 3 years since Nina..and I am home..so I think it can work.

Jumped on Lynne's 100 Scrapbook challenge. What is this? A challenge to make 100 items..scrapbook pages, cards, altered items etc etc before buying more supplies. Sounds easy? Not really although all my friends who know me know for me it should be right? It's more about trying to overcome this obsession with always buying all the new stuff and really I can resist I can! I get new stuff for 2 teams and new stuff from ScrapJazz once a month..now granted it's now new stuff I choose..but I am ready to try this and we'll see how far I get before giving in. So as of today..I have made 10 things so 90 more to go before I can buy anything!HA

Okay Blogger is being stupid and not allowing me to upload so here's a link to my gallery at ScrapJazz where you can view all the new stuff..

http://www.scrapjazz.com/gallery/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1974

Well that's it for now..off to work on a layout, go for a walk and sit and read a bit before going to our friends. Hope you have a good Labor Day..we'll talk soon!

Julia

I've got a connection!

Shocking but I actually have an internet connection that seems to be lasting more than 5 minutes. Of course the Cable guys are coming out today and will walk in, look at it, unplug things, replug things and declare it fine..when I know it's not. That bugssssssssssssss me so much. So we'll see..and if you've emailed me recently and I haven't responsed..I am not ignoring you..just hard to email when everytime I do..I lose my connection.

For today though..I am sharing the funnies thing my good friend Mary Beth sent me about men..so enjoy! It's a good laugh I think!


1. Men are like ...Laxatives ...... They irritate the crap out of
you.
2. Men are like.....Bananas ....... The older they get, the less firm
they are.
3. Men are like ......Weather . Nothing can be done to change them.
4. Men are like .......Blenders ... You need One, but you're not quite
sure why.
5. Men are like .....Chocolate Bars .... Sweet, smooth, & they usually
head right for your hips.
6. Men are like ....Commercials ....... You can't believe a word they
say.
7. Men are like... Department Stores ..... Their clothes are always 1/2
off.
8. Men are like ......Government Bonds .... They take soooooooo long
to mature.
9. Men are like .....Mascara . They usually run at the first sign of
emotion.
10. Men are like ......Popcorn ..... They satisfy you, but only for a
little while.
11. Men are like... Snowstorms .... You never know when they're coming,
how many inches you'll get or how long it will last.
12. Men are like ........Lava Lamps .... Fun to look at, but not very
bright.
13. Men are like... Parking Spots .......... All the good ones are taken,
the rest are handicapped.

Now send this to all the remarkable women you know, as well as to any
understanding good-natured, fun kinda guys you might be lucky enough to
know !!!!!!!!!! Thanks Mary Beth..too darn funny!!!!


And I'll leave you with a new layout using brand new Bo Bunny products and featuring an awfully cute Haley! (click to see larger)


I'll be back later...have a good one..and special thoughts go out to the lady who sent me that!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Julia

Are You Ready for An Update?

Wow..it's been a bit too long since my last post and I am sorry about that. I've just been busy..fact of life..yep busy. But then anyone who reads my blog knows that that is my life all the time. But how about an update on things and such.

Kitchen Remodel

Good news..it's almost done. And really I shouldn't call it a remodel..but it seems like it to us. We've got a new tile floor, new wall color, some cabinets gone(they were all taken out to tile under) and we decided not to put some back for now as well they stunk. So we're making due until we can get all new ones. We gave the island a mini facelift..counter top still to come, added a new fan,(the old light colored one will come down eventually for pendant lights) a new clock and put the upstairs bench in..and well it's like a kitchen remodel for us. Here's some pics for you:





Here's some things I bought for the kitchen that I am crazy over..

love this candle and the cool wood base it stands on..perfect!



Shoe basket..yes..it's just a basket but when I found it at TJMaxx I knew it was coming home with me. It's huge, great shape and the perfect colors! And holds tons of shoes!




So there's the kitchen..no not hugely exciting but for us..HUGE! Gone the crappy white linoleum that always always looked dirty and had spots and yellow marks and looked awful! Gone the country, paisley wallpaper! Gone the window cabinet that really was a collection spot for junk. We'll replace it with a much better setup eventually. Still need to find new window panels for the sliding door..but's it's not a huge priority..the floor makes me so happy and having it in the bath and laundry room..awesome!

So..that's it for now..off to work my final shift at Gymboree..I'll update more tomorrow as there's alot more to share!

Julia