Happy October

I know it's been almost three months since I last posted but I've been super busy since then. I finally got a job the end of July. I work all kinds of weird hours and the job I have is a physically exhausting one because there are never enough people working. I work with the public and that has it's ups and downs. It can be degrading at times. I hate having people talk down to me or treat me like I'm not working hard enough. I work with mostly a bunch of high school kids and young adults in their 20's and find it quite degrading that I get grouped in with them when they are talking loudly or goofing off and the manager gets upset with them.  I'm too old for this sh*t. I did make it to Top 25 cashiers for ring tender score in our whole DISTRICT within my first 60 days on the job, and I was pretty proud of myself for that. Figures that I would be good at a job I hate. lol! So when I come home, I'm quite tired at times. I come home with my back, shoulders and feet hurting. We only get two 15 minute breaks during an 8 hour shift.  I think I need to slow down a little. They pay us the bare minimum that they can get away with and work us to the bone. I do have my resume in to various places hoping for a better job and I have had a couple of job interviews since the last time I posted. But until something better comes along, I am stuck with this "part-time" minimum wage job. It sucks, but at least it's something. The good thing is that they have been pretty flexible with my schedule when I need certain times of the day or certain entire days off and although my paychecks really aren't much, it is nice having "some" money that we didn't have before coming into the household.  In the meantime, the job that I got on the sub list for way back in January finally called me earlier this week. They want to train me for three days next week. It is also a minimum wage job and I will only work it when someone calls off work and they need someone to fill in. Again, but at least it's something, right? The "good" jobs just aren't here. Plus the fact that I'm middle-aged and have been a SAHM for the past 12-1/2 years probably has something to do with it.

Anyway....I've done some scrapbooking these past few months as well. Here are some of the layouts that I've done. I can't remember all the ones I've done, but I'll post a few starting with my most recent ones....

I did these first three layouts using sketches from the Scrapbook Generation 6x6 paper pad downloadable class....

I used my 6x12 Cuttlebug dots embossing folder that I posted about a long time ago for the layout above plus papers from Echo Park, MME, and KI Memories 6x6 paper pads (all cut down to 4x4). The flourishes were made with a Sizzix die that I tend to use quite often. The dimensional flowers are "American Girl" and I bought a bunch of packs of them at Gabes for $1 earlier this year. The doily was made with one of the Cheery Lynn doily dies I got back in May for my birthday. And I added Glam Pink Stickles to the flourishes and "13" flat pink stickers in the title.

For this layout (above), I used 6x6 papers cut down to 2x2 squares that came from a DCWV value pack called "Girl Frille" that I got at JoAnn's.

For the above layout, I used full 6x6 sheets of paper from the KI Memories "Argyle" paper pad, an EK Success punch for the flower border going across the page (that I got on clearance awhile ago), and some buttons which I sewed on with baker's twine.

I used WRMK patterned papers for the above layout. The snowflakes and chipboard letters are flocked. I used a variety of snowflake punches.

For this one, I used patterned papers from DCWV, rub-ons, satin ribbon (skulls), bling, a Sizzix die for the two bigger ghosts, and the smaller ghost and bat were made with a Marvy punch. I found the Thicker letters at Big Lots a long time ago. They were perfect for this layout.

I also used WRMK papers for this layout as well. The heart paper and the Thicker letters are both flocked. The hearts were made with the Tim Holtz movers 'n shapers dies. I included some ephemera on the layout as well (movie tickets).

Other than being busy working (and obviously scrapbooking, ha!), we've been busy with the school band lately. My husband and I are officially "band boosters" and I've been trying to work the home games when I can to earn money for B.'s band account (which is only $10 per football game worked). Last Friday was "All Band Night" and B. got to play her drums for the very first time at a football game along with the high school band. It was pretty exciting and they did a fabulous job. I love the band. The next day, Saturday, we tagged by the main entrance to the mall for four hours (we did a double shift). They put all the money together from all the students who tagged last Saturday at various places and divided it up. So we earned $24 for each shift we did ($48 total). Every little bit will help. Band camp is expensive.

Well it is late and I am tired. So that is all for now....

It's Thursday

Happy Thursday morning everyone! Isn't that sunset absolutely gorgeous? B. loves taking pictures of sunsets lately and she took this one with her ipod the evening of June 29th from our front yard.

 This is just a (somewhat) quick post before B. and I head out to the Kids' Movie this morning. The local movie theater has this summer kid's series every year when the tickets are only $4 to get in and that includes a small pop and popcorn. And it's for all ages. I usually forget about it until the summer is almost over. But this year, we only missed the first two. Not bad. So far I've taken B. to see Turbo, Dispicable Me, Dispicable Me2 (last week) and today they're showing The Nut Job.

I applied for three more jobs within the past couple of weeks. Two dental office jobs for some anonymous person in the paper (don't you just love that?) and I filled out an application for a retail job for a small local store. I was in there the other day buying, what else, but nail polish (my weakness) and decided to ask the manager for a job. He was really nice and gave me an application, which I took home and then promptly returned all filled out within a couple of hours,   He said he'll "keep my application on file." (I've heard that already a million times).

Ok getting really depressed again...... moving on.....

We had a small cookout up at my husband's parents' house on the 4th of July. Not the big blowout shindig like they used to have every year. That doesn't happen anymore.  

We came home and my husband worked some more on our deck and new swing. He's also worked on it throughout this passed week. It's coming along nicely....

On the evening of the fourth, B., my husband and I went to see the local fireworks from off the highway. The were really nice, although the street lamps were a bit annoying. But at least we had a bird's-eye view of them....

The next day, we headed up to my aunt and uncle's house around 1:30 for their annual 4th of July cookout. My uncle is quite the host and loves to grill. As always, we had a great time and it was nice seeing everyone again. 

On our way up to my aunt and uncle's, we saw the American Queen on the Ohio River!  It was getting ready to go through the lock and dam and I took this picture as we were driving up the highway 50 mph. Not bad, eh?  My husband honked the horn, and I waved out the window and a bunch of people on those balconies waved back. We thought that was pretty cool. :)

And without further ado, here is my scrapbook layout this week....

Patterned paper and cardstock are from the DCWV Harvest Gathering collection. Pumpkins and flourishes were made with Sizzix dies. I cut the flourishes up to make them fit how I wanted them to.  I embossed the pumpkins with a couple different embossing folders - the Tim Holtz swirly one and Cuttlebug houndstooth.  This is the second time I've used this particular SG sketch.  The edges of everything were inked with Vintage Photo.

That is all. Movie starts in less then ten minutes and I'm not even dressed yet....

Happy 4th of July!

We have a busy weekend ahead of us. A cookout tomorrow at my in-laws' and then my uncle's annual 4th of July shindig on Saturday. I made a Red, White & Blueberry Pinterest-inspired trifle dessert earlier this evening for tomorrow....

And I'll be making some food to take up to my uncle's in the morning. Then next weekend we have another family reunion to go to up at my mom's since my cousins from Berlin, Germany with be here on July 10th and will be staying for 2-1/2 weeks. They come to America to visit us every three years. I'm looking forward to seeing them again. 

We went to see some local fireworks last Saturday...

My little aspiring photographer took some beautiful pictures of the sunset with her iPod on the way to see the fireworks last Saturday. The sun looked like this huge orange ball in the sky that evening. She was trying to get a picture of it since it looked pretty cool....

We started getting some tomatoes within the past few days (yea!)

I found this picnic tablecloth at JoAnn's yesterday on clearance for a little over $3 (reg. $12.99). It has a zipper so that you can put it on a table with an umbrella. This is absolutely genius and I don't know why someone didn't think of this sooner! Love this....

My mother-in-law gave us a porch swing that she bought but never used. This has resulted in a project for my husband. He knew he would have to build a frame for it and was planning on putting it out in the side/back yard. But I said no one is going to want to sit way out there in the blazing sun. So he is putting it next to the patio in an area where the sun won't be anyone's face. It's also hard to grow much of anything there. We went to get the composite decking this afternoon from Lowe's and he's gotten the frame for the swing built and cemented in the ground so far. This will be so nice when it's all done and it takes care of where to put the swing and we'll be finally doing something with that corner by the patio.....

Here is my layout for the week which I finished up earlier today...

I used patterned papers, brads and a chipboard border from the My Mind's Eye My Girl collection, my Curvy Cutter & various circle punches, enamel dots, word stickers from K&Co, black soot distress ink, Thickers, and a Allison Davis sketch.

Well I hope you all have a safe and Happy 4th of July weekend ahead! I am keeping those in the path of Hurricane Arthur down in the Carolinas in my thoughts and prayers tomorrow. They're saying 100 mph winds and calling it a Category 2 Hurricane.

Til next time....

Happy Father's Day!

Tony's funeral was this past Tuesday. There was a very nice service and his nephew, Donny, who he was close to, did the eugoly which was absolutely beautiful. My brother, BJ, who's a musician, and his wife, Kerri, and their friend, Erik, who's some type of minister did the music. Tony was honored by the military at the cemetery. It was all very nicely done. We all miss him so much. :(

Tony's sister, Pat, also made a memory board including older, vintage photos, and newspaper articles that Tony was featured in back when he was in the Air Force. He was a recruiter for the Air Force for a number of years and he was featured in Airmen magazine one time for being a "tell it like it really is" recruiter. He was always honest and never lied to the young men that he recruited. He had gotten quite a few thank you letters from lots of those young men for being honest and upfront with them. He was so proud to have been featured in that magazine. It meant a lot to him. And it was one of the things he was buried with. 

I have been helping my mom as much as I can. She's a little out of touch with reality when it comes to certain things. And she's been very irritable. She's snapped at me a couple times this past week. It's so unlike her. It's like once Tony passed away, a switch went off.  Once she gets her mind set on something, that's it. She's probably one of the most stubborn, bull-headed people I know. She's always been hard to talk to and without saying too much here, I just don't understand her way of thinking sometimes. I never have. *sigh*  Hopefully, as time goes on, things will get better. We shall see....

I have also been seeking employment. It is depressing that there is nothing around here. I had one interview two weeks ago tomorrow and never heard back from them. :(   I had another job I spent the better part of the morning filling out an application for online, printing it out, getting my resume together, and getting my hopes up. I walked in and the first thing I was told was "oh that position has already been filled."  all the while the job opening was still being advertised on their big flashing billboard outside of the store (furniture store). I was quite upset that day to say the least.  It is all so discouraging. Then there was the job that I had to have the application notarized for. Never heard back from that one either. I need a job. I want to work. But there is nothing here. Seventy (70) other people applied for the same job that I had the interview for. It's crazy. And whoever it was that said that job hunting can wreck havoc on your self-esteem was right. I am really trying to not let it depress me, but it's hard.

Anyway.... on to happier things.....

Today has been a gorgeous, beautiful, sunny day. It's 80 degrees out now. B. went swimming for about an hour earlier this afternoon and I have a roast in the oven for dinner. We've been doing a lot of grilling lately, so today we're having something different. I haven't made a roast in a while and my husband took it out of the freezer the other day to thaw.  Our tomatoes that we planted back on June 1st have grown taller and the Mr. Stripey one has even started growing some buds this past week. Mr. Stripey tomatoes are supposed to be large yellow and red striped tomatoes. I wanted to try growing something different this year and so that was one of the varieties that I got. The Stella Dora daylilies are blooming, and I noticed yesterday that the delphiniums that I planted a couple of summers ago are starting to bloom....

and these yellow daisy-like ones too....

I think those are some type of mini sunflower. I can't remember. You can see how big the hydrangea is getting back there in the corner of the photo. We cut it back every fall. 

Cute little squirrel in our backyard yesterday that my husband took a picture of...

With everything else that's been going on lately, I never posted a couple of the scrapbook layouts that I made last month and so I figure now is a good a time as any....

I did end up using at least one of the sketches from the Big Picture Classes sketch class by Donna Jannuzzi I've been taking for this layout I did on May 27th.....

I glimmer-misted this layout with Tattered Angels sugar plum fairy (purple). I also used a wee bit of garden fairy (green) but it's not as noticeable. I usually only use my glimmer mists for coloring flowers and lace. So this was a little out of my comfort zone.

Patterned paper in the background and the purple paper lace strip down the middle is from a MAMBI paper pad, Fiskars and Martha Stewart punches, Avery Elle chevron bits die, brushed corduroy distress ink, blue and yellow butterflies were punched out with DCWV pp.

And a couple close-ups:

I also made this one....

The journaling talks about how Hoover became a part of our family...

"Hoover used to be one of Matt's friends' dog. Aunt MiMi and Uncle R. agreed to take Hoover in "temporarily". After a while, the friend stopped showing any kind of interest in Hoover at all which upset Aunt MiMi a lot. And after quite some time she finally decided that Hoover was their dog now and he's been a part of the family ever since. He truly is a wonderful dog and you love going up to Aunt MiMi's to play with Hoover and say that he's your favorite dog in the whole family (besides our dogs of course) "because he actually plays with me and doesn't just lay there on the floor." lol!"

I used an old Stemma collection pack of papers I got from Office Max awhile ago. I think the brads were Stemma too. The photo mat paper comes from a MAMBI paper pad. The big heart was done with a Sizzix die, pawprints are a punch and then punched again with a circle punch. Heart garland was done with a MS heart punch and the hearts were punched out of a MME 6x6 paper pad.  This was my first dog layout ever. I need to do more of these and get our family pets in the scrapbooks.....

Well I hope you all have a pleasant week ahead....