The Day After Monday

I really wanted to post every Monday but due to life's 'have-to-get-this-done' moments, I couldn't post yesterday!

Mother's Day was such fun! Kristin came up from Chicago... stayed in Oshkosh (see why I'm moving to Oshkosh) and then we met half way in Appleton on Sunday. We had an early lunch and went shopping for furniture for our Oshkosh home. Had lots of good luck (more below) and ended the day with a stop at Starbucks for my Spring drink-of-choice... a Grande Strawberries and Cream Frappaccino! It is yummy, yummy, yummy! Tastes like fresh strawberries smell!

My Furniture shopping was very successful... because of Kristin's help. It's so helpful to have her with me to get second opinions from and bounce ideas together. Besides... she knows the house so well and has good taste. We picked out this red comfy couch for the den. Kristin has the same couch in camel... same manufacturer... and I got it for half of what she payed in Chicago. Hers has worn well so I knew it was a good purchase.

I bought a living room couch and loveseat and 2 nightstands, also! They will be delivered this Saturday. Can't wait!! Good photo op!

My computer has been busy helping me create layouts. Since I've joined these Galleries... I am much more motivated and have kept my 'credits of the designers' accurate. I'm having so much fun trying out new techniques, etc.

I'm not going to repeat the 'Credits' here when you can just click on a gallery on the sidebar and see the materials I used... if you want. I look at credits a lot because I see something in a layout that I'd like to buy and I can find the location there. Otherwise...

This is Kristin when she was about 5 years old and we had spent a day at their favorite park.

This layout reminds me of a page in an Eric Carle book (The Hungry Caterpillar, etc). The words are from a picture in my house and I wanted to use them in a layout. No author was mentioned.

I really wanted to document Kristin's battle with braces as they were on for over 8 years. She even had to have jaw & chin surgery (wired shut for 8 weeks)... a blog in itself!! Ever see a Big Mac in a food processor... yuck!

This is Leroy having a good shake at Wendy's in Arizona. I love the way the camera caught the spray in the light.

Sorry to rush but I need to go to Oshkosh and sign my new Home owner's Policy and run some errands there.

Make it a great week!!

Joni

The Day Before Tuesday

ART:

Saturday was NSD (National Scrapbook Day)!! It was a day of shopping the 'digital material'
sales, some 'freebies', and challenges at many scrapbook sites. I've added links on my sidebar (to the right) to the Galleries I'm putting my Layouts in. If you click on a Gallery, my page(s) will pop up for viewing. For me it is also a great way to meet other digi scrapers, find inspiration, get questions answered, and learn about current challenges... and so on.

I WON a $25. gift certificate from Sue Cummings of O'SCRAPS for my layouts using her kit... designed around the word 'EXTRAORDINARY'!!! Some of the layouts are in last week's post. She gave another gal and me the certificate for our Enthusiasm, Quality, and Quantity of our work. THANKS AGAIN SUE CUMMINGS!!

The layout below was a quickie I made yesterday. I wanted to try using dark colored paper as a background.

Credits:All material are from Little Dreamer Designs.
Paper:TNT 'Spring Couture
'White swirl border: Paislee Hoopla Elements
Green Border: Paislee Hoopla Elements
Acrylic Heart & branch: L Reid 'Tranquil Escape'
Green Heart: LBA 'Happy Hearts
'Font: Vivaldi

BOOKS:

I've been reading this Henry the VIII book in chunks rather than chapters... wife by wife. It's a thick book (937 pages) but despite the small print... an easy read!! I just finished Anne-of-Cleves and am about to start Catherine Howard. I read other books between wives (that sounds odd!) As a refresher to those of you interested in English history, his wives were:

1. Katherine of Aragon (Spanish) mother of Queen Mary I. (Died of an illness)

2. Anne Boleyn... mother of Queen Elizabeth I. (Was Executed)

3. Jane Seymour... mother of his only son, King Edward VI (She died from childbirth)

4. Anne of Cleves (German)... (marriage annulled)

5. Catherine Howard (Executed)

6. Katherine Parr

MOVIES/TV SERIES:

We're watching the 3rd season of THE TUDORS on Showtime TV. If you don't get Showtime, the 1st and 2nd season are available on DVD. It's a wonderful presentation of Henry the VIII's life. When we began the series we were disappointed in the look of the actor that plays Henry... much too slim for our background knowledge. However in the book it explains that Henry didn't start to get fat until after the death of Ann Seymour when he stayed in and grieved for her. Also at that time an old leg injury becomes a very painful ulcer and he became very sedentary. Thus the huge weight gain. In the series he's just at that point in his life and we're wondering how they're going to handle this on the screen... a rubber suit??

HAPPENINGS:

We are moving back to Oshkosh... an hour South of Green Bay. I'm really excited... looking forward to decorating from scratch. We'll put Boyd's house up for sale when the market looks a bit more promising. I lived in Oshkosh for 36 years and it's home to my girls. I miss having them stay with me when they're home, but all of their friends are in Oshkosh... and their Dad has a big house. Now they won't have that extra 2 hr. drive each time we get together. Boyd's parents moved to Oshkosh and we need to spend more time with them. His dad just celebrated his 89th birthday. Lots to do...

Make this a great week!

Joni