Tuesday, July 24, 2007


Y'all be good while I'm gone.
Aloha!

Sunday, July 22, 2007

some trade-show layouts

Just a quick post, sharing some of the new stuff from Karen Foster Design. This is debuting, well, right now...at CHA. Some fun stuff, I really liked working with all the new lines this time.
Except the Bird Hunting line (not shown). Dead birds really aren't my thing. But it is a really good Dead Bird line, if you have dead bird pictures kicking around dying to be scrapbooked...<----really bad humor, so with that...I am off to take a nap.





Friday, July 20, 2007

papaya puree medium



Was the color of Prism cardstock I used to match the paint for this room.
HA! So handy to have a cardstock swatchbook. Sometimes scrapbooking comes in handy in other areas of my life.

Yesterday I painted the bathroom, took a quick run to Ikea for the photo frames, Costco for the enlargements, Wal-mart for the shower curtain and now I have a happy, bright, very bright bathroom.

Very bright. Did I mention bright?

Sam wants to know who else has an orange bathroom. Anyone?

The funny part about the bathroom, is that I had that poster of "The Doors of Puerto Rico" in the cupboard since our trip there. I carefully hand-carried it home, so it wouldn't get bent or mangled. I sort-of forgot about it, and then yesterday I realized that it might look good in the bright bathroom. Well, as luck would have it, it is a weird size for framing. No mats would fit it either.

So I took that thing to the sewing machine. I stitched the perimeter of the poster to the backside of the paper that came in the frame. I don't know that anyone would know the difference. Zig-zag stitched right in there. Go look.

Anyway, the bathroom needs a few more odds and ends.

Like maybe a decorative basket full of sun-glasses.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

curses.

I bought these rechargeable batteries at Walmart, and inside the package there was this coupon for ten free prints when you upload them online and pick them up at the store. So I saved it. Cause, hey...ten free prints.

I used to get all my prints at Walmart. That was before Costco moved in, with the churros, and the cheaper prints, and the girls working in the photo lab who are actually nice.

No offense to Walmart, and Walmart photo lab workers, but really, I felt like everytime I dealt with the folks at my store, it was a battle of wills. They would somehow lose the order, print it wrong, or make me sign a photographers release form. And it seems like they always have a chip on their shoulder, like they are working a menial minimum-wage job or something. Also there were a couple of times that I got alllll the way home, and looked at the photos, and they were another family. Or someones pet. Argh.

Costco was an answer to my infrequent prayers.

But I had a coupon.

And I needed to go to Walmart anyway, so I uploaded, the computer went offline, I uploaded again...ordered. And now, I can't find the @$%# coupon.

All this for a savings of $1.90. Sometimes, if I weren't myself, I would be so mad at myself that I would write mean things about me on this blog.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

hello Maui.



Looks like we are heading out on a little trip.
Taking the kids. Like idiots.

Not enough time for me to lose weight or anything. Sigh.
They still wear Mu-mu's, don't they?

Sunday, July 15, 2007

what i did saturday and incidentally ruined my sunday.

Since we have traveled a bit in the last year or two, I have come to realize how lucky we are to live right next to such beautiful mountains. It is funny how you take for granted the things that make your "home" unique. We have friends that live close to the beach in California, and rarely go. We think they are crazy!

I think that is just how it is, that you know those things are always there, and living that close, you don't think often of how cool it really is. And maybe that whole last paragraph was just a rambling sleep-deprived mess. (We'll get to that one later.) Anyway, Saturday we took the Jeeps up to Mary Ellen Gulch, up American Fork Canyon. The trail is only accessible via off-road vehicles, and it really is beautiful.

Wild trees, wildlife, wild-flowers, wild kids....


It takes it all out of you, the whole jeeping thing. Plum tuckers you right out.


So needless to say, we were all exhausted. Sam had to work graveyards that night, so we busted home, and sent him off, and the kids and I fully planned (well, mom fully planned...) on going to bed early, at least by ten. And another half-hour would pass, and another, and another...until finally it was midnight.

All the kids haphazardly tossed around my bedroom in sleeping bags, giggling until we all fell asleep.

Just when I hit that good deep sleep, I hear Jayden asking Brendan what was wrong. And Brendan, very quietly sobbing into his pillow.

I am ashamed to admit. But I was so stinking tired that I was mad! Mad that every single night I get woken up for something. Just. One. Night. I would like to sleep!! I don't do well tired. So I get up, and check it out. Well, he has an earache. A bad one, and the poor thing has been suffering for two hours trying to sleep it off. Yes, if you are doing the math, it is about 2:30 am. So I give him some Advil, and we wait it out, all the while him writhing in pain...

Finally I can see that I have nothing to help him, so we load up, and haul over to the emergency room. After the traditional hour and a half wait, we get hooked up with antibiotics and...get this...Lortab. For my nine year old. I feel like quite the heel then, when the doctor assures me that he is in a whole lot of pain. The infection was horrible. The doctor was quacky, and I could go on and on about the emergency room doctors we have here, but that is a whole 'nother post. Brendan takes the meds and zonks on the way home. So now I have 70 pounds of dead weight to haul into the house. That was fun.

Poor kid slept until 1:30. He is feeling better. But, I, on the other hand, feel like the walking dead. I am going to bed early tonight.

Even if I have to drug the children. I will let you know how that goes.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

A-HA!

Takin' you back to the 80's.

Monday, July 09, 2007

from this month's glamour magazine


And I quote: (cause I think the scan is too crappy and small to read)
*edited to add, if you click on the image, it magically enlarges to full size, but here is the text anyway...*

"FANNY PACKS. Your votes are in: Trends may come and go, but the fanny pack, like scrunchies, and exposed thongs, will always be a DON'T."


Ah. Crap.

Saturday, July 07, 2007

just not cool.


This is how ridiculous I look when I am trying to be cool.

Pointing out that the sunglasses are Dolce and Gabbana. And um, yeah...we found them. I generally stock up on my glasses at the Dollar Tree. But, I thought these would spruce up the fanny pack ensemble. No?

Yeah, I don't think so either. And the worst part, is when I wear them, I have "My Humps" running through my head all day.

They treat me really nicely,
They buy me all these icees.
Dolce and Gabbana,
Fendi and then Donna
Karan, they be sharin
All their money got me wearin


Plus I look like a fly. But they are awesome for going jeeping. They keep all the dust out. Much like my mom's blue-blockers, or those disposable sunglasses they give you when you get your eyes dilated.

Thursday, July 05, 2007

a new era

Here I am posting, the next day after a post...

What is up with that?

I took in the fireworks last night, which I gotta say, were AWESOME! My little one-horse town has grown, and dumped some serious cash into the pyrotechnics piggy bank. Every year they get better and better. Makes me that much more willing to ignore the pot-holes, and constant trains that rumble through allll niiight looong blowing their ear piercing whistles. Whoa, off-track, aren't I? (no pun intended)

Anyway, the fireworks. Now, as I mentioned earlier, I took some really great firework photos two years ago with my Canon 20d. And as you know, I recently purchased a little point and shoot- a Canon Power Shot, the A710is, to be precise. And it has a plethora(<---reference to Three Amigos) of automatic functions, one of which happens to be a "fireworks" mode. So, I thought I would give that bad boy a shot. (again, no pun intended)

Remembering that two years ago, when I pert-near missed the whole fireworks show, what with futzing around with my aperture and exposure, the cable release and tripod, I was a little hesitant about just lifting the camera up, and pressing a button. Granted it took some skillz to time it, I pressed the button when I hear the Boom! of the cannon, and hoped that the exposure was long enough to catch the sparkle of the firework. But really, that was it. Just pushing a button, folks.

It seemed like cheating. Especially when the photos came back, sans tripod,and dare I say...better than the 20d? These are unedited and straight from the camera. I am pretty impressed here.



And the best part, was Jayden reminding me that the camera has a video record mode. And I filmed the whole Grand Finale! Yes, I can have fireworks now, all year long. And if I am technically savvy enough, I will link it here, for you all too.

I am wondering then, when photography stops becoming an art. When any average Joe can pick up a point and shoot and produce professional looking photos? Where it doesn't matter if you have the right "eye" for the shot, cause you can just crop it later. That it is not a problem if the picture is horribly underexposed, or that there is a tree limb shooting out of your child's head, cause you can just photoshop it all better. It's a different world we live in. Bittersweet.

I remember poring through the pages of National Geographic and marveling at the photography there. Still in the days of film, when it was all a little dark-room tweaking, fabulous equipment, and raw talent. I am sad that era has passed.

But...it is secretly nice to be able to just push a button.

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Happy 4th of July!

And for my Canadian friends, Happy belated Canada Day! And to the rest of my international friends, you will need to leave a comment, and educate me on your celebrations. I did not do well in whatever class was supposed to teach me those things.

But do you like my shirt?

Taking the Jeeps up the mountain for a picnic. I made potato salad, coleslaw and barbecued beef brisket. I know my kids will want nothing to do with any of that, so I am bringing a Costco sized bag of Doritos, and five multi-vitamins. Cause I am concerned about their nutrition like that.

Then later, the big fireworks show. I got some really great firework photos two years ago, and I just keep re-using those suckers, which makes it nice for me to just lay back and enjoy the show, without my camera.

Hope everyone has a safe holiday!

Monday, July 02, 2007

why.

Well, hey.

So here is how my week is starting out. I am in the middle of "project laundry room organization" and as you know, we have that new IKEA, and I bought a system that I think is really going to work for us. There is a deep bin for each of my kids, that slide into a rail system to keep it all neat.

I bought- let me see if this will link:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/rooms/laundry/11468/

Anyway, I am sure you will all be asking me to post pictures, and I will, when the thing gets done. And maybe, if you are lucky, I will also pose with my fanny pack. Won't that be a stunning visual delight? Stayed tuned for that.

So back to my crappy Monday.

All weekend long, I busted heinie getting my laundry back to a managable task. And dang! if I wasn't *almost* caught up. I mean, really caught up. Bedding and everything. Towels. All that stuff. Busted hump here. Alllll weekend long.

So Monday, I wake up to Mikayla tapping me in the forehead.
(Whispering..)"Mommy, are you waked up?"
"Mommy, I pee-pee'd in my bed."
And really, that would have been enough to make me not want to get out of bed, cause you know, the laundry WAS CAUGHT UP EIGHT HOURS AGO. But no, not only did she pee the bed (which included her bedspread, blanket, sheets, and several stuffed animals.)

BUT HER SISTER DID TOO.

Saturday, June 30, 2007

Yee-haw.

This week is our hometown celebration.

There are family oriented activities the whole week long.

Thursday night is the first night of the Rodeo, which boasts itself to be the "World Famous" Lehi Round-up Rodeo. So I am sure you have heard of it, right?

Thursday night, at 6, there is a stock parade that winds through town, where pretty much anyone owning a horse, hat, and dinner-plate sized belt buckle can ride their horse downtown.

Someone a few years back thought it would make them more popular to throw tootsie rolls at the crowd as they trotted by. So now, a good majority of the horse riders throw some type of candy.

The kids love it, me, not so much.

Maybe it is because I find myself constantly scanning the road "Mikayla, DO NOT pick the laffy taffy out of that steaming turd!" Horses. Horse poop. Candy.
Brilliant!

The best part of the whole poop parade is the street sweeper, that cleans all the turds up. My kids are fascinated! And really, I think it is the only time the city is able to justify the expense of what that thing must have cost to purchase.

Then the World Famous rodeo begins. It runs for three nights. We can hear it, all three nights from our front porch.
"....Lehi, Utah, are you ready for the buuuuull riiiiides?!!"

Friday night, and Saturday morning we have a parade. There are floats, and bands, and miscellaneous sequined-clad "Royalty." Rodeo royalty in lime green wranglers and pearl button shirts to match. Our city, and adjoining city royalties in flowing gowns and hairspray crusted bouffants. All waving that elbow-elbow, wrist-wrist patented parade wave. I think I feel the worst for "Miss Onion Days." Not the best title to win.

Today is a sort-of fair in the park. The kids love it! We are heading out here in a minute to take it all in. And possibly see everyone we went to high school with toting their kids around too. We will eat cotton candy, and hot-dogs sold by local baseball teams. The Future Farmers of America from the high school will have a petting zoo for the kids, and maybe pony rides...you know, to train the next generation for the poop parade.

You gotta love small towns.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

I stayed up last night until 4, finishing up my Karen Foster stuff, so I could bring it to their office today. 48 layout and projects. I kicked butt, and I am tired. I am sleeping in til noon tomorrow, and I don't even care what the neighbors think.

We had to get up early today cause we took the kids and the fanny pack to another amusement park today.

Sam and I were sitting there, people watching, while the kids took Mikayla on a bunch of kiddie rides, and yes--we were waiting for our near-vomit spewing stomachs to settle. Anyway, we were people watching, and noticing how much cooler we were than like 90 percent of the whole park. We notice it a lot, when we are out in public, how no one is cool like us, we still have "it." And we are in our mid-thirties, folks.

Then I remembered the fanny pack. That I was wearing it. By choice. Again.

Maybe not so cool.

And I appreciate the links to cooler alternatives, but you gotta know how handy this thing is. It has not one, but TWO water insulated bottle holders on the sides, and two zippered pouches.

I am like a camel. A cool, handy camel. No?

Sunday, June 24, 2007

photo shoots

Sometimes I work of product lines that I have to do photo shoots for. I bribe the kids with some candy or a trip to the dollar store, and they are usually pretty willing to pose for my off-the-wall shots.

Without saying what the line is that I am working on...(betcha can't guess, wink)

I ended up with some pretty cool pics of my girls.



I did another shoot of the boys, I will have to share those another day. They were dressed more *ahem* masculine. I don't think any of my bribes would be worth them prancing around in tights and sequined tu-tu's at this stage in their pre-teen lives...

Of course they were a little younger, but it was of their own free will and choice. But really, who can resist dancing when the Fantasia soundtrack is playing?

Cannot.
Wait.
Until they start dating. Tee-hee!

Friday, June 22, 2007

face anomaly

So, it's that time of year, here in Utah when the mosquitoes are out in full force.

I woke up yesterday morning, and had a big red dot on my face. (No photos will accompany this post, you can thank me later)
Is it a pimple? Is it a bite?

I am a picker by nature, and had to restrain myself all day. "Just wait" I told myself. And I had to avoid mirrors as to not pick at it.

The day progressed, and when I talked to people, their eyes kept gradually shifting to the dot.

"Oh please...." I thought, "don't let it be festering, or oozing, or WHITE!! Please, please don't let me be walking around with a huge white zit."

But, thankfully it was just a huge red dot. It kinda hurt.

This morning I woke up, and it was gone. Weird.

In other news...I am frantically scrapping. I have 13 themes to create layouts or projects for. They ask that we create 4 projects per theme...so, if I am doing the story-problem correctly, that is 52 projects. I am starting on my fourth theme today. I will keep you posted.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

A quick photo shoot




Some of my favorites of my beautiful sister who is expecting twins in a few weeks. Sick, isn't it? To look this good being pregnant?

And get this...I told her not to worry, because I can photo-shop her stretch marks out for her, and she said:
"Oh, I don't have any."

Sick.

Monday, June 18, 2007

loving my job


I got a trade show box today.

A whole box of brand new, never-before seen product for me to design projects with. A whole box that roughly translates into the next couple of weekends (at least) being holed up in the studio, with 80's music, and my 64 ounce insulated caffeine barrel. Yessssssssssss!

If you don't hear from me by the 6th of July (my deadline) send in some medics. With glue-dots.

If you are a retailer, start planning now. Karen Foster has soooo outdone themselves this time. There is not a single line this show that isn't darling. I don't think I can leak any info yet, but DANG if they aren't coming out with a certain item that is something I never knew I always wanted.

The certain thing is awesome!

Trade shows are a semi-annual reminder of how much I love my job.
See you on the 6th...

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Thanks GUYS!


One of my favorite photos. Shianne (who is now 7 3/4) with her Daddy, ignoring the smell of freshly played basketball sweat, and just hanging on his every word.

Happy Fathers Day tomorrow!

To my own Dad, who never let me feel or see limits to my dreams.

To my husband, who became a Dad when I became a Mom, and provides me with humor and support while we awkwardly blunder our way along the path of parenthood.

To all the Dads and Grand-dads out there, who truly make a difference in our lives.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

in honor of summer


Yeah, it's duct tape.