sadness

wow.....driving home from work today the sadness was overwhelming..........also i feel soooo damn naive...........i really thought yesterday was all about qualification, morals, values, ability.........NOT RACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! however i found out i was wrong!!!!!! and i'm sad........
i am NOT a racist............and i voted for the man i think can do the best job to bring this country back to greatness.........however when i hear people talking about "the first african-american" it makes me sad........can't this just be about his abilities......not the color of his skin.......... i'm just sad.........

enough said.

Clear Scraps Acrylic ROCKS!!!

hello there, blogland!!!! trying to keep up with my blog.......some days it just seems like there are only 2 hours in the day......while others seem to have a total of 24 hours! work is never the same start time each day.......and i never work the same amount of time......so i just can't get into a routine schedule...........oh well..........not going to bitch about it.........i still DON'T have to work weekends, holidays or take call like i used to!

okay......i finished my album earlier this week......did a fun little layout last night........and then made a cute little christmas card while playing with the the trick or treaters and giving out candy!

the christmas card was made using the plain 12x12 clear scraps acrylic......i cut it to 4"x5" to fit a standard card! using the new cuttlebug embossing folder "Lace Tree", i inked the "debossed" side of the folder with Black Cherry Staz On ink.....then carefully placed the acrylic onto the surface and ran it SLOWLY through my Sizzix Big Kick! i then opened the folder and gingerly removed the ClearScraps Acrylic (to prevent any smearing of the ink!)

Using the new Helmar Gemstone Glue sent to me from Tracy W. from our design team (thanks Tracy............check out her blog and the Helmar Design Team opportunity!) i attached pointsetta colored gems from The Robin's Nest to the front side sparingly. Next i cut Bazzill Diamond Bling Cardstock ( i had NO white American Craft Cardstock...:( to size and attached the ClearScraps Acrylic with brads. using a craft knife i made small slits at the bottom where the tree trunk would be and threaded a red ribbon through and tied a small bow......trying to emulate jackie, i impaled myself with said craft knife......howled for attention and since mr. butt was busy with the children needing candy i got NO attention........so i just went on about my business!!!.. Now...i couldn't find any red brads......what with answering the door to hand out candy to those little greedy children.........just kidding!!!......and running downstairs into the old studio looking for some red ones.........i just used gold ones that i covered with VersaMark from Tsukineko and then added Whispers Crimson Red Embossing Powder and heated until nice and glossy! i punched holes into each corner with my crop-a-dile and inserted the brads to anchor it down!!!

once this was done i attached this piece to red cardstock cut the size of a standard card! i think this design may be the one i use for all my christmas cards!

okay...........the lights are out and there is a substantial amount of candy left!!!!!! thank heaven most of it is chocolate.....so i won't be eating that! i stopped on my way home from work and bought a really fun coat for winter.......(it's really cute since i removed the faux fur collar!).....i also tried on a couple of holiday dresses............which fit soooo poorly!!!!!!!!! i really have to drop a couple of lbs...............and i just don't want to give up all the CRAP that i eat.......or work out on a regular basis...............course that is the only way it's gonna happen! wish me luck!!!!!!!!

okay......i love my life.........and i still have to pack up some stuff to take and work on while at a crop with toots and the girls!!!!!!!! my toes and ankles are swollen again.......so i called toots and i'm going to bed now.....and will pack my bag in the am............she's soooo agreeable and is willing to wait for me!!!

loving the design team!

i am just loving being on the CLEAR SCRAPS design team!   i had such fun making the wedding album from erin & mike's ceremony!   the photos are stunning and the acrylic makes things look great!   just wish i could post the photos of the book!  it will have to wait a few days!

spent the weekend with michele, linda, cathi, barb, becky, nancy and gwen!  also some other friends!!!!   we stayed up way tooooo late and played with paper, glue (and ACRYLIC!!!)   and we got lots accomplished!!!  we were also given a MakingMemories Slice die cutter.........FREE!!!!!   can you imagine that!.....and they offered all the accessories for 20%off.......sooooo i just had to buy the SPELLBOUND  cartridge.......the font is really cool....and it has some cool looking clip art........crowns, crows, bats, skulls.....etc!!!  i also ordered the carrying bag.......after mr. butt said it wouldn't be a good idea.........hate it when he tells me NOT to do something......especially  since i work 3 jobs........guess i can afford it! 

lucy came over on sunday evening......she played with comet and apollo........well.....she tried to play with comet.....he is just not one for playing with her.....however apollo just loves to play with lucy!!!    erin & mike were here also.....they had dinner.....then mike and rex worked on the layout of their bathroom!!!   they hope to gut the room.....add some space and redo the room!   it's pretty tiny now.......and very retro! (and not in a good way!......i like it however the kids aren't tooooo fond of 50's style tile!....

okay.....well.....better get off to bed......have a long day ahead of me!   i love my life.......want to play with some more acrylic!!!    have a few ideas up my sleeve!!!!

bad blogger.......still working on healthly living!

yep..........bad blogger!!! since i last blogged......let's see.......i worked non-stop for 2 days............had my legs and feet swell to the point i thought they may burst.......went to the doctor for said swelling.....started some old people meds.....swelling subsided........went to kansas city with linda and michele..........spent way to much flipping money on stuff i just don't need........came home sick.....(seems to happen each and every time i go away for a weekend).....

also......got the coolest dolce & gabbana bag from catherine......lime green leather,of course!!! and a really cool postcard from the great wall of china! she hinted there may be another trip next year...............if i can swing it....i'm there!!!!!!!!!!! course, i 'm NOT eating any bugs like cfe did........she's just whacked out!

okay.......i also received the biggest and coolest box of deliciousness (is that a word.....where is my english teacher daughter when i need her?)......anyway.....it has some of the most wonderful things inside.......and i need to get busy............course this sickly crap keeps hanging on! perhaps this week i can shake it completely......................and then i leave for a weekend with linda and michele again................so IF i come home on sunday sick......well....let's just say it could be the last for awhile!

mr. butt should be home soon...........then dinner and off to bed..............gotta face another week of fun and games!

i love my life!!!!!!!!!!!!

it's a SAD day in muddville

does anyone remember that story?????????? or am i just soooo damn old that i do remember it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyway..........it's been storming here since 7'ish this am......comet woke me with his incessant barking at the thunder..............and it's extremely muddy...........so the pool boys come......(fyi......hire your own pool boys.........the ones they send from the pool company are VERY hard of the eyes.............!!!!!!!! way too much beer...............too much recreational drugs......etc) anyway........they blew the pipes clear and put on the winter cover...............it's very, very sad................

does anyone feel sad for me??????????? by the way.......that would be comet in the upper left of the photo.............apollo was ducking for cover........he doesn't like to be wet!! he's very delicate......just like me!!!!!!!!! we are both like jasmine's...........very, very delicate!!!!!!

okay..........gotta shower before i'm off for the haircut............hope tom leaves some blonde on!!!!!!

i love my life!!!

waiting for my dt stuff...............loving the cooler weather

i can't actually believe i posted that.............i LOVE summer and the heat........however the pool water is sooooo damn cold i am just ready for cooler weather and fun new clothes!!!!!!!!

i found myself a new jEAN jacKet yesterday....(remember.......i lost mine while wasting time at Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix, Arizona!!)) ........went shopping with miss stinky mcgee......perhaps that would be mrs. stinky fluchel.........anyway......bought a jacket at express......then found another at gap..........bought them both.......rex and erin liked the one from gap best............so guess i'll be returning the other one!!!! no worries............perhaps i can find myself a pair a jeans instead!!!!!!!!! now......don't anyone tell mr. butt........he thinks 5 pairs of jeans are plenty for anyone!!!!!!!!!! NOT!!!!!!!!

waiting until the box of goodies arrives from Clear Scraps............kinda excited to get started playing with it..............making stuff.............i just wish i had someone to come and clean up all the other crap in this studio.............what a flippin mess!!!!!!!!!! i have had the last 3 days off........haven't gotten a thing done...........and still have tomorrow off!!!!!!!! damn.........in the olden days i would have worked from sun-up to sun-down trying to get things done........that's what age does to you..................if it gets done......GREAT............if not...........GREAT............i will not kill myself anymore for a clean/scoured home................it just doesn't make sense!!


mr. butt & i went to at&t yesterday to switch up our phones...........we have the lamest phones ever..........you can be sitting right next to them and still not hear them ring!!!!!!! well......after looking at jilly's and DOCTOR mikes' (and i say that with the utmost respect.............YEAH!!( anyway.........i have decided i would really like an iPhone...............soooooo after 1 hour of rex deciding which phone he would like....(not the iPhone) we decide to run home for the current phone contract....(att needed the info) and we find out that the contract isn't up until NOV. 29...................aaaaaaacccccccccckkkkkkkkkkkkkkk...........can you say CRAP!!!!!!!!! everyone who knows me knows i don't like to wait............however i will!!!!!!!!! who knows.........i may even change my mind!!!

trying to convince some other girls to join us at ScrapSt. Louis...........yes, CRICKET.......i'm speaking directly to you!!!!!!!!!!!! i think it will be a great time.............fun will be had by all............soooooo if anyone is thinking about it......come on down!!!!!!!

okay.......mr.butt should be home from the barn soon...............mozzarella caprese' for supper!!!!!!!!! can you say YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

i love my life................................still would love someone to come help with organizing!!!!!!!!!

guess what............i got selected!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

yeppers.........you read that correctly!!!!!!!!!! i was selected to be on the ClearScraps design team!!!!!!!!!!!! how cool is that!!!!!!!!! i love their products.............love to play with their word books....and also all the cool embellishments...........and i am learning some really cool things that can be done with their products!!!!!!! stay tuned for more information!!!!!!!!

same bat time
same bat channel!!!!!!!

i was even able to figure out how to add all their blogs to my blog...........check them out for some really cool inspiration!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...thanks cathy and the other dt girls that helped me!! kiss,kiss
wowsers...................i LOVE my life!!!!!!

oh......course now they want me to shop............send them a cute photo and send them information about myself! guess there goes the federal protection program!!!!!!!!!! perhaps i can find a photo of someone really cute........think anyone will notice??? of course someone will notice!!!!!!!!!

okay.........i have totally slacked all day......(i know....what's new......smart ass!!!) anyway......qvc hasn't had anything to offer..........so no money going off for crap i really don't need............

ohhhhhhhh........one redeeming thing........i did do some laundry!!!!!!!!!! yeppers.......washed.......tossed into the dryer...........well............i STARTED some laundry..........there is still time to fold and put in it's proper place before mr. butt arrives home from work!

love my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

exciting news.............that i CAN'T SHARE!

oh..........i have some very exciting news........anyway it's exciting for me.......and i can't share it!!!! what a pooper!!!!!!!

life around here is pretty routine.........off to work............then home again......feeling much better..........not quite sure what the heck was up............still have insomnia and i don't think that was it...........however something kicked butt!!!!!!!!!

stopped over at the newlyweds home yesterday........miss lucy is just one big ball of spitfire.......she wore me out just watching...............while i waited for her to use the entire backyard as her toilet, i got eaten by at least 6000 mosquitoes...........they dined on my tender ankles and arms.............then i had to drench myself in benadryl cream......followed shortly thereafter with cortisone 10 spray.............i hate ITCHING!!!!!!!!!!! thank heavens these must have been toddler mosquitoes since the welps weren't large and the itching subsided quickly!!!!!!

i think i may send the book i did of lucy .....her royal highness off to a magazine...........even perhaps an online one...........just to see what would happen!

well.............super early day tomorrow at the center..........OOOHHHH>>>>>>tonight we shot a commercial for the next lt governor of missouri.........sam page, md!!!!!!!!!! i used to work with sam at st. john's...........he is an anesthesiologist......and now is into politics....soooooo we will see!!!!!

anyway..........still love my life................going cropping tomorrow at the store.........hope to get something accomplished!!!!!!!!

oh..........if anyone knows where i stuck my flash drive.........give me a call on my cell!!!!!!!

being ill sucks

yep.....still sick........not quite sure what's up...........no fever.....just chills and aches. went to work today.........just can't stay home and use up holiday pay!

still holding out hope of finding my lost jean jacket! lost it in phoenix.....between the car rental place and the hugh sky harbor airport..........i really loved that jacket.......and the fun buttons on it! especially the one from mary mitchell....."queen of the whole damn world!"........if anyone spots it................send it home to me!!!

hope everyone is well...............erin seems to be doing well with her second year at parkway west............has good students.............
lucy is doing well..............still having a few accidents...........however she is just a bitty girl.......and i still love her!!!!!!!!!!! michael is also doing well.........working hard as usual!

rex is still playing at the barn............usually just one evening or a sunday afternoon per week.........seems they are pretty slow............hopefully things will pick up for the holidays........otherwise the store may close! would hate that.............i think rex enjoys going in there..........it's not hard work........sometimes a little dusty.............however he seems to like it!

i like my other job..............only working here and there..........the money is good......and it pays for all of my little trips.........can't beat that..............love that i can earn the money to pay for these things without dipping into the money for housing and other things!!

well.............starting to fade...........was hoping to stay awake longer than 8pm tonight...........looks like 915pm is it!!!!!!!!!!!

i still love my wonderful life!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

even more photos!

more photos!!!

ce update.........and odd stuff!

hello to all..........life is just as busy as always.......and i just love it! i would love to have some time to catch up on everything.......however i really do love my life!!!

ce was wonderful!!!!!!!!! the classes were outstanding.....they were absolutely better than the first two years....can you imagine that??? however the atmosphere while there was definitely different.....and not for the better! really kind of sad, too! i missed all the girls that have been there in the past........even the yahoo party lacked some of the flavor of years past!

catherine and i took laurie montague to CE......at least in spirit....and she had a grand time.....she was seen getting a little kiss from doug jones.....her paper boy.....and another man from "across the pond" was also seen giving laurie a little peck on the cheek...........how the heck did she get some kisses.....when the rest of us hardly saw a man around???? well...............................................i did get to see some of the friends i've made over years ....my very special secret sister, lyn meeker!! she was there with bree ross......love those women!!! just beautiful...inside and out!

also got to see miss joey otlo......and she is just the most bubbly person evah!!!!!!! and she shared the shirt off her back with me!!! just love that! (will have that puppy on this weekend!)

and carol from bazzill......gotta love her, too.....she also shared the shirt (inside scoop!!)

shared a room with catherine f-e....what fun! she decorated the room with streamers, fresh flowers and banners!!!!!!! she also had wine, chips and cheese.......our own party in the room! and laurie had a large fruit bouquet waiting for us..........it was delicious...gotta love watermelon and cantaloupe..........mmmmmm good! shared some of it with the girls at the yahoo party......way too much fruit for just two girls..........!!!!

let's see......heidi looks fabulous.....doug jones looks wonderful......especially in a pink boa and black/pink apron! frani, joey otlo, carol and all the wonderful folks from bazzill looked so great!

amy totty's new hair style is soooo damn cute.......and lara cousins hair is sooo damn long....i almost didn't recognize her!!!!!!!! now i want to let mine grow out.....and use the flat iron even more!

mary mitchell was there......and doing well.....until she received sad news from her son.......a family friend had been killed while overseas in the service. we tried to support her the best we could........she held up.....just really needed her family.....that was half way across the country!

amanda and ann looked great......love that girl.........she is just soooo beautiful......and tiny, too!!!

kyoko gave me one of her charms......looks like a little white hershey's kiss.....will always think of her when i look at it! jeanne kelly gave me two of her charms....love them! since i didn't know i was going to ce until the last minute i didn't join in any swaps........i did receive some pages......from mary mitchell....and a few from some other girls.....they will be a great start to a book for me! saw jeanne kelley, cathy, shannon, jill b from texas, karin from here in missouri, saw meredith (who lives less than 1 mile from me......and i've only seen her once while here at home!) i'm sure that there are many names that i have forgotten.......sorry....i'm old and tired!

i had most of my stuff shipped home....and it arrived yesterday.......can't wait to get into it and start to play!

i have been working on some stuff for a design team try-out......wish me luck...........and i still need to do a few more things for it.....and email those!

i will attach a few photos from ce...........

i love my life!!!!!!!!

packed........and leaving at O-dark-thirty!!!

off to ce in the am.......way early am.........mr. butt and i will rise at 3:45am.......shower......shine up a bit.........then he's packing my sorry ass to the airport..........only to drive to work and sleep in the dustbuster on wheels for an hour or so.............he sees no reason to return home to snooze.....only to have to get up and drive to work!!!    go figure .......BOYS!!!!!!!

can't wait to get to arizona............yesterday the temp was 90 degrees.......today the high was 78 and rainy............hurricane or TS gustav has been soaking our lawns..........and making it miserable to drive..............also all the folks here for the  BMW PGA tour at bellerive country club!!!!!    these folks drive like they are out on the greens..........and can't make a quick move to save their lives..............and they are doing that on the interstate!!!!!!   

catherine gave me a call and said the weather is fab in az.........so looking forward to seeing some of the girls from ce............and playing with all the stuff.........paper, glue......and ink.........and seeing friends.......shopping..........just hanging out...........what fun!!!!!!!   of course i will miss rex soooo very much.........the pups.............stinky mcgee and the new boy!!!!!   and also her royal highness , princess lucy!!!!!     it's only for 4 days then back to the same ol' stuff...........however sometimes 4 days is all you need to regenerate.......renew ..........relax............and well........re-something!!!!!!!

love my life................will see everyone soon!!!!!

new layout for rock,paper,scissors

this is the layout class i taught at rock,paper,scissors.............just a little something to remind me of miss erin's wedding! love her pink shoes!!! enjoy!

poop.............i'm such a dork i can't even rotate the image!!!!!!!!!!!! help!!!!!!!!!!

still love my life!!

lovely wedding.....wonderful friends!!

the day was warm.....however inside was cool.......cool with the a/c......also the atmosphere....what a cool place The Glass Olive is.......they even have tufted seat cushions attached to the ceiling for a really cool effect!!!

the ceremony was perfect......the music was too.....the singer had a superb voice....unfortunately you couldn't hear her as well as i would have liked from all the talking.......however we were in a bar......and friends were all trying to catch up with each other!!

cathi made a grand entrance.....wearing a beautiful black sequined/beaded dress......and looked stunning! she saved one of her new pairs of glasses just for the occasion! ken looked sooo handsome in his suit....and silver tie...........i had to take a second look....since his brother looked sooo much like him only he had on a red tie!!!

all the girls from scrapbooking were there.........we even had a photo taken of all of us.......seemed like when cathi asked for all of us to gather that most of the women in the room got up and converged into the area...........not many were left in the seated sections!!! anyway the photo op was fun.........here are a couple of the best!!!

linda and jim stayed and we went out for supper at macaroni grill.......jimmie kept calling it yankee doodle macaroni.....damn country boy!!! then back to the house and they went back home..........erin and mike had stopped by earlier in the afternoon........wanted to swim and hang out for a little time.......plus mike had to pick up his bike from the cycle shop. they had to fix some spokes or something like that! then they left and off the kathy and ralphs'........they were hoping for dinner............yep.......young kids on a budget and hoping to have dinner with the parents at least once a week to help out with the finances!!!

well......rex is mowing the yard......the puppies are barking at the neighbors.....and here i sit on the computer...........what doesn't seem right about this???? yeppers.......the puppies barking!! no.....really i need to get moving and tidy up this studio........it's a disaster........so much stuff lying around..........ick........anyone wanna come over and help organize????

i love my life!!!!!!!!

not dead.....am HAPPY, THOUGH!!!!!

man......what a debbie downer i am.........or was!!! i think that last post was when i was just beginning to change my medication.......and felt totally overwhelmed............and well.........let's face it...........i was having my very own PITY PARTY........and i sent out no invitations!!!!!! i feel much better now.......and will stop behaving in such an unbelievable manner!!!!!

sitting here waiting for toots and jim to arrive so we can scoot off to miss cathi's wedding!!!! we are going to the GLASS OLIVE...... a swanky little martini bar for her ceremony.....then a little reception to follow!!!! how fun to celebrate with someone that we all met through scrapbooking!!!

played with barb, becky and tina last night!!! didn't get much done......was trying to finish the gift for cathi and ken........looks like i will have to give it to them in a few weeks........after their honeymoon!

well..........looks like the friends are here.............I DO LOVE MY LIFE!!!!!!

so very sad!!!

wow..........i am sad! i tried to post a few days in a row on my blog.......and even posted photos of the wedding.......and no-one has looked! so very sad!

well........saw a shrink......yep.......that's what i said....(to no-one!)........and will try some new medications......he doesn't think i need shock therapy......and i wasn't committed yet......so i guess we'll see!

work is the same..........of course, i haven't had a moment of time to go and talk with the girls at Rock.Paper.Scissors.......and i need to do that! hopefully tomorrow will be a quiet day at the center......doubtful, however hopeful! if not......i'll call corey and denise and let them know the situation......

hope erin & mike are having fun on their honeymoon......lucy is having fun........she is keeping me on my toes........and knees.......she keeps having accidents......then i have to clean them up......not having fun with that! running outta cleaner!!! right now she is patrolling the studio........the boys are outside with rex......he's cleaning the pool........so us girls are inside staying cool! (we're delicate flowers......don't ya know!)

okay.........still kinda sad!

and i still love my life!! (told that to the shrink.......he didn't even bat an eye!!!)

beautiful bride....groom......day!!!!!

well......it's over!!!! they are in miami waiting for their flight to jamaica.....seven days of fun, sun and no worries!!!

lucy is here....running around like a chicken.......arguing with comet.....playing with apollo.....and stressing me!!!!!! (she decided a clothes pin was a new chew toy.......don't you just love splinters!!)

what a joyful experience.......kathy and ralph fluchel are the best.....the rehearsal dinner was fabulous, and they are great people! love all of their family.....they have welcomed erin and us with open arms. a true blessing!

aunt debbie was phenomenal...........what a great wedding planner she is!!!!! (and i don't think that is her official job!!!!!) if i ever have a function that needs expertise......i'm calling debbie!!!

i know i will forget names......so i will just say thank you to everyone that attended the wedding, reception.....sent gifts.....couldn't attend because of everyday life......but thought of erin, mike and their families on this special day!! we love each of you and can't imagine our lives without you!

i truly love my crazy life!!!!

stinky is getting hitched!!

it's 7am....stinky (erin) just came into our bed and chatted....(no....i did not talk to her about any stuff!!).....and off she went to play with the puppies!!!

last night at the rehearsal i started crying........wonder which aunt won that bet??.......we did two walk-throughs......and the second one was done to music.........when the music started for the girls to come down i lost it!!!   a really cool version of somewhere over the rainbow!............

well.......off to get busy.....must help with flowers......then shower.....and off to have my makeup done......wish us luck!

i love my crazy life!!!

really cool news........and i have a wedding coming UP!!!

i really shouldn't be online right now......i should be working on other things......cleaning this house.......doing the laundry.....preparing for the company that will be here on Friday for Erin's wedding..........however i have some really COOL news...............

        late this afternoon i was working on some stuff for erin's wedding when my cell phone rang........the number didn't come up as one i knew......and i answered anyway.......it was denise lombardozzi from rock,paper,scissors.....owned by corey dansocik (i hope i spelled that correctly!).........anyway.....the call was to ask if I would be interested in teaching classes there!!!!!  can you believe that??????    now i just want to shout to the world that i said YES!!!!!!    and i can't wait............

    i was at the store just a few weeks ago...........corey and denise were doing make-n-takes down in south st. louis while at ScrapStLouis........and some of my friends from out of town were there and wanted to go to the store.......so after dinner at magpie's......we shopped at rock.paper,scissors............    i just love that store.......so much goodness.........art, rubber, paper.ribbon..... &.......i love the music.......i think i have heard vivaldy while there..........it just makes me want to be a better person.....and also a better artist!  

well................guess i better get some sleep......still have to go to my regular job and save lives tomorrow!!!   then perhaps i will get to play with some artsy stuff!!!    wanting to play with gesso, paints, and some old stuff!!!

i love my crazy life!!!!