Putting Up The Tree

Better late than never - hehe.  I guess that's what they say.  We have been so busy this season that we are just now getting around to putting up our Christmas tree.  My son has been seeing everyone's decorations and asking when/if we are EVER going to put up decorations.  Both he and Kaylee are so excited. 

Robby's friend, Danny is in town this weekend and they are at the Cowboy's football game - GO COWBOYS!!!  I hope they have a great time. 

Friday night my neighbor, Risa, went with us to the the Take A Break Crop as well as Kaylee and her friend, Samantha.  We had a wonderful time and I'm already looking forward to next month's crop.  The food was fabulous and the gift exchange was tons of fun!  Thanks so much to Jody and Joni for all their hard work in putting on such a fun crop for all of us. 

I had a great couple of classes on Saturday.  There were a couple of new girls at my Junior Scrappers Club and they were precious!!  I also had a great group at the Saturday Crazy Daisies class!  I still have one spot left for Tuesday's class for the metal covered poinsettia frame.  If you are interested, contact Cherie at the Scrapper's Boutique (817) -503-0777 and get in on the fun!  I have some great classes planned for January and February - so be sure to check in often.  I will post the photos of the projects as I complete them.  I can tell you that we will be making something to go on the door that uses Ten Seconds Studio metal for Valentine's Day - you won't want to miss it!

That's all that's going on here at the Phillips' household.  I hope you all are enjoying the season and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas!! 
~til next time,
Paula

Looking forward to Christmas!

Hello everyone!  I know it has been a while since my last post and I have no excuses - hehe.  I had a wonderful month of November.  I had some great weekends with some of my best friends and had a good Thanksgiving.  We did, however, have a scare with my Mom's health, but she is doing better now and everything seems to be under control.  Thank you to everyone who kept us in your thoughts and prayers during that time.

Kaylee and Zach are doing great and growing so fast!  Kaylee is learning to play the recorder at school, and was selected as one of the top 20 out of all of the 4th and 5th graders at her school to be a part of a group that will perform for the EMS ISD administration in a couple of weeks.  I am so proud of her and she really seems to enjoy it.  She's even talking about being in band when she gets to middle school.

I have some upcoming classes that I will be teaching at the Scrapper's Boutique in December.  I'm very excited about them and they are using some hot products - grunge paper and metal!!  Below is the information and photos:

We will be having the Junior Scrapper's Club class for ages 8 and up on Saturday, November 12th from 10:15 AM to 12:15 PM.  We will be doing a 2 page layout for Thanksgiving with a paper pieced turkey, and a 2 page layout about family.  The cost is $20 and students need to bring their basic supplies.  I will have photos of the page layouts very soon.  :)

Grunge Paper Flower class
Thursday, December 3rd from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Cost:  $20
We will be making 3 flowers using grunge paper, distress inks, embossing folders, and more.  You will receive patterns for each of these flowers when you take the class.  The patterns can be reduced or enlarged to make different size flowers.  These flowers are great for decorating baskets, packages, and a lot of other fun stuff!

Students need to bring to class:
* Medium Glue Dots/Zots
* Fast dry liquid glue such as Tombo or Scotch
* Sanding block or sanding tool
* Scissors
* Pencil and eraser
* Craft sheet or mat (for inking)
If you have a Tim Holtz mini fastner stapler, paper piercing tool, and/or a heat tool, bring those to class as well.

December Crazy Daisies Class
Poinsettia Metal Covered Frame
Saturday, December 12th from 1:30 to 3:30 PM AND Tuesday, December 15th from 6:30 to 8:30 PM
Cost:  $25
In this month's Crazy Daisy class, we will be making an embossed metal covered 5" x 7" frame and learning to make the poinsettia flower that goes in the lower corner.  We will have so much fun using the Ten Seconds Studio metal sheets to cover the frame and you will be amazed at how simple the gorgeous poinsettia flower is to make!  In the upper left corner, we will have ribbons available for you to attach if you'd like and they are a great place to use Thickers to put the year or a name.  :)  You will have your choice of making either the blue or red frame and you will need to specify which one you'd like when you call to sign up. 

The punches for this months class are:
Mega Giant Dahlia Petals      $24.50
Small Sun                             $  5.50
Medium Big Sky Flake         $  7.50
That is a total of $37.50 for the 3 great punches we will use, but if you pre-order your punches from Cherie by Saturday, December 5th, you will receive a 20% discount, making the total for all the punches only $30.

Students will need to bring to class:
* Scissors (ones that are ok for cutting thin metal sheets)
* 1/8" Red line tape
* 1/2" Red line tape
* Embossing tools
* Quick drying liquid glue such as Tombo or Scotch
* Tweezers
* Mousepad
* Pencil

I am also a part of a Stampin' Up Stocking Stuffer Workshop that will be at Joni's house this Saturday, December 5th from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.  It will be a lot of fun and you can make some great little gifts for teachers, friends, co-workers, etc.  If you are interested, send me an e-mail and I will get you more info.  I'd love to see you there!

Lastly, tomorrow night, Scrapper's Boutique is having a "Boutique Night" starting at 6:00PM where you can see all the December classes and the new products she has in.  She is even having a drawing for everyone who signs up for a class tomorrow night and one lucky winner will get their class FREE!!!  Be sure to drop by and see us!

Well, I'd better get some sleep.  I have a ton of stuff to do tomorrow to get ready for the Boutique Night.  I hope you all have a fabulous week!

~til next time,
Paula

Are you ready for Halloween?

I can't believe that this weekend is Halloween!  It snuck up on me.  I still have to pick up some candy for trick or treaters, get teacher's gifts done, and make sure my kids have everything for their costumes - ugh - hehe.  I know it will all be worth it though.  My kids always have such a good time and we enjoy getting to spend Halloween together as a family.  We usually go to one of more of the local church festivals, and they are always nice and have tons of things for the kids to do as well as lots of candy. 

I will be having the Haunted House book class tomorrow night at Scrapper's Boutique.  There are still a few spots, so if you are interested, just give Cherie a call.  I can't wait - this is going to be a run class.  I'm also going to the Halloween crop that Cherie is having on Friday night.  I know it will be lots of fun and I hope that Nita will be making some super delicious cupcakes for us.  They are always a treat!!

I made another card this weekend to post on the Cat's Pajamas blog.  I'm hoping that one day, maybe I'll get chosen as the "Swanky Stamper" for the month.  But either way - it's fun trying!!  Here's my latest card:

Well - I have to run and pick up Kaylee from school.  If I don't get to post again before Saturday - everyone have a fun and safe Halloween!!!
~til next time,
Paula

November Crazy Daisies Class

Hey everyone!  I hope you are enjoying this cooler weather.  I'm just glad that the sun came out finally.  It's starting to feel like fall and I love it!  After I pick up Kaylee today, I'm thinking about taking the kids to a park or something to play for a while.  It's just so nice outside. 

I have all the info and photos now for the November Crazy Daisies class.  It will be held twice.  Once on Saturday, November 14th from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM and again on Tuesday, November 17th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.  The class is $28 and that will include the project plus a bottle of distress stickles and a package of foam thickers letters.  In this class we will learn to make paper leaves that look realistic, as well as pinecones - all from paper and punches.  The punches we will use in class are available for pre-order at a 20% discount.  In order to receive the discount, you must contact Cherie at Scrapper's Boutique to place your order no later than Saturday, November 7th.  (Punch details and prices are listed below.)  There will be a set of punches available for class use for anyone who needs them. 

Class punch bundle includes:
Small pear punch
Small maple leaf punch
Medium maple leaf punch
Large oak leaf punch
Large fern punch

This class bundle retail price is $39.30.  If you pre-order the bundle, the price is $31.44.  If you purchased the punches from the October class, then you already have the Large oak leaf punch, so your retail bundle price would be $28.90 - or if pre-ordered, then the price would be $23.12.

Here is the list of what you will  need to bring with you to the class:
12" paper trimmer
Liquid glue (preferrably Tombo Mono Multi)
Tape runner or your favorite adhesive
Distressing tools (sanding block or any sanding tools)
Dry embossing tools
Mousepad
Tweezers
Needlenose pliers (if you have them)
Paper Piercing  Tool (if you have one)
Chestnut Roan Catseye Chalk inpad (if you have one)
If you already purchased the Large oak leaf punch, be sure to bring it with you. 

Space is limited, so be sure to sign up today.  :) 
I'm off now to go enjoy this great weather.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
~til next time,
Paula

Great Weekend!

Hello and Happy Monday!

I have to start by telling you how much fun I had this weekend.  Lori, my friend from Abilene came to visit and take my Crazy Daisies class on Saturday.  She drove in on Friday night and stayed until Sunday.  We had a blast.  The class was so much fun and I enjoyed getting to know the wonderful ladies that took the class.  After the class, Lori and I went back to my house. (Hubby was in Mexico fishing, so we had to relieve the babysitter - hehe.)  Cindy came over and we just talked and scrapped the night away.    We ordered pizza and had super yummy cupcakes that I ordered from Nita, Cherie's Mom.  We were celebrating Lori's birthday.  Cindy and I went together to buy Lori the punches that were used in the class for her birthday gift.  I made some flowers and put them on the package instead of a bow.  I thought it turned out pretty cute.  I took some photos to show you.  Robby came home Saturday night, so Sunday Lori and I got to go run around the town for the day.  It was a great weekend and I can't wait until we can do it again!

Last week I finished some more cards for the blog contests at The Cat's Pajamas.  She has some fun challenges.  Here are the cards that I entered:

For anyone who might still be interested in taking the Crazy Daisies class at the Scrapper's Boutique, there is another one this Tuesday evening, October 20th, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  There are some spots still available - just give Cherie a call to sign up.  :)  I also still have some spaces available for the Haunted House Halloween Book Class on October 27th from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. 

That's all the news I have for now.  I hope everyone has a wonderful week!
~til next time,

Paula

Happy Columbus Day!

Hello again!

I hope you all had a wonderful Columbus Day.  The kiddos were out of school today and we went to pick up some Nestabilities that were on sale at Hobby Lobby, then we went to McDonald's to eat.  Zachary was looking forward to playing in the playplace, but as soon as he went to play, several older kids came in and started rough housing in the play structure.  I'm going to sound off now -hehe.  It just really aggravates me that parents will allow kids (such as these kids) that were probably between 10 and 14 years old to go into playplaces that are obviously made for younger children, especially when there are little kids trying to play.  There were even a set of rules posted with age requirements and these kids were much older than the allowed ages.  It was just so disappointing to Zachary, so then we went to the park, and he and Kaylee played for a while.  They had fun, it was just starting to rain and so humid, so they didn't get to play long.  All in all though, we had a good day. 

I also had the privilege today of voting for the Super Scrappers contest at Daisy Trail.  There were so many fabulous entries and it was so hard.  I can't wait to see who the final winner will be.   

After I got the kids to bed, I took photographs for you of the purse that I made.  This is the one I was mentioning in the previous posts, and the one that Tim Holtz signed.  :)  It uses a lot of grunge paper with alchol inks and distress inks as well as rock candy and stickles.  On the wings, I painted the pieces with white acrylic paint, then put them through the cuttlebug embossing folder.  Then I rubbed metallic gold paint over the whole piece with my finger making sure to get it into the grooves.  I used my finger so the metallic paint would be thin.  Once the paint dried, I sanded the raised embossed parts and painted the entire piece with rock candy distress crackle paint.  Then I painted over the raised embossed parts with star dust stickles.  Once it all dries, you get this fabulous effect.

I have also entered a card contest at The Cat's Pajamas.  They are another fabulous company that I was able to take classes from at the trade show.  I was able to meet Alma, the owner, as well as her friend, Kim, from My Favorite Things.  They are such nice ladies and they both are fabulous artists.  On my card I used one of the word stamps to make the background paper, "Let's Eat" and I used the 3D glue dots to make the hat and food "pop" off the page.  The other papers are Bazzil cardstock and Cosmo Cricket's fall line.  Here is my card that I entered:

That's all I have for today.  Have a wonderful evening!
~til next time,
Paula

Fun, Fun, Fun

Hello!

I am so excited to tell you about my wonderful weekend at the trade show in Houston, TX.  Over the course of 2 days, I took 10 classes, 1 workshop, went to a Product Lightning Round and a sample making frenzy.  I was so tired when I got back, it took me 2 days to recover - lol.  Seriously though, I have so many ideas swimming around in my head for classes that I want to teach and projects that I want to share.  I'm just going to have to write them all down and tackle one at a time, so be watching because I'll be sharing them here as I get them done. 

At the trade show, I wasn't able to take a Tim Holtz class afterall.  I was so disappointed.  I had made a notebook and even a purse using tons of his products and was so wanting to have the opportunity to show them to him, but it all worked out in the end - keep reading - hehe.  At the end of the first day, I was finishing a workshop, and in true Paula fashion, I was one of the very last ones finishing up.  Well, the next thing I know, someone next to me said "There's Tim".  The owner of the Collins Group was also named Tim, so I just thought that's who they were talking about.  Next thing I know - I turn and see Tim Holtz.  He had a class the next morning in that room, so he was there to set up.  The sweet lady next to me had commented on liking my notebook and purse and I had told her my saga.  So - when we saw Tim, she said "Now's your chance", but I was frozen.  I told her "What do I do?  I can't just go up there and say - hey look what I made" - rofl!!  So she yelled for him to come over and told him that he had to look at my things I had made.  I was so excited and embarrased all at the same time.  He was soo nice and took several minutes looking at everything and talking with me.  He even ended up signing my notebook AND my purse!!  I'll have to post a photo of the purse later so you can see.  Anyway, it's funny how things work out.  Even though I would have loved to be in one of his classes, I was so thankful for that chance meeting.

One of the other classes that I was able to take was a BoBunny word book class.  I haven't finished it yet, but I'll post it when it's complete.  It was so interesting.  They told us all sorts of fun facts like where Bo Bunny got it's name.  Matthew's Mom is the one who started the company, and at the time, she was into making stuffed bunnies and one of the ones she made was named "Bo" -so when she took some papers to stores to see if they would carry them, they asked her about the name of her company, and so she just said "Bo Bunny".  One of the paper lines was even named after Matthew's daughter.  Again, I was one of the last to leave, and Sharon and Cherie had come in to help me pack up, when we got this photo op.

Hopefully I'm getting my energy back now because I have so much I want to do.  Today I completed the "actual" class sample for the October Flower class.  Since the flower classes will be monthly, I wanted to have a fun name for the group, so I'm calling it the "Crazy Daisies".  In this class we will learn to make the Mums and Leaf shown on the sample.  We will be using a paper from the new Indian Summer collection by Basic Grey.  If you are interested in taking the class, be sure to call Cherie at the shop very soon to sign up.  The Saturday class is already almost 1/2 full and we just opened it up for registrations today.  Here is the info and the photo of the sample.  **Be sure to check out the supply list if you are coming to the class.  You will need to bring some things that are different from the normal supplies.**

Crazy Daisies - Mum Canvas Class   $25
Saturday, October 17th    10:15 AM to 1:15 PM
Tuesday, October 20th     6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
This class will be packed with techniques and fun flower making.  We will distress an 8 x 10 canvas, which is provided, grunge a photo, learn basics of flower making and much more.  You will also be able to pre-order the punches that we will be using in the class when you sign up at a 20% discount.  The discount is for pre-orders only.  There are 4 punches that we will be using; 1 giant, 2 large, and 1 small.  The retail price for all 4 is $42.70, but with the pre-order discount, it is only $34.16.  Pre-orders MUST be in by this Saturday so that we can have them in time for the classes.  If you choose not to pre-order, you can still order the punches from Cherie at any time, but it will be at retail price.  I will have a set of the punches available at the class to share with anyone who does not have the punches.
Supplies you need to bring with you:
A mousepad
Dry embossing tools (the ones used with metal embossing templates)
Tweezers
Liquid Glue (such as Tombo Multi liquid glue or the Scotch liquid glue - Cherie carries both)
Mini dimensional dots (aka - pop dots)
Tape runner or favorite adhesive for photos
12" paper trimmer
Sanding tool
Chestnut Roan Chalk Catseye inkpad (if you have one)
1 vertical 4" x 6" photo or 2 horizontal wallet photos
** Be sure to bring photo(s) that you don't mind grunging up and I would advise wearing clothing that you don't mind getting dirty.  :)  You might also want to bring a snack.  This class will take the full 3 hours. **    

I hope to get to see you at one of the classes!!
~til next time,
Paula     

Whirlwind Week

Hello everyone!  Sorry for the delay in posting.  When I got back from my super fun weekend at Lori's, I was exhausted and I've had so much to do to prepare for leaving tomorrow, when I'm going to a scrapbook trade show for the Scrapper's Boutique.  I did have a wonderful time though!  We spent a lot of time in Abilene and had a blast shopping, looking at silly cards, and eating at some wonderful restaurants.  If you are ever in Abilene, you have to check out the Beehive!  Not only was the food fabulous, the owners were so much fun!  They told us jokes, and just made it such a fun experience.

Then, Monday night, I was able to go to the Cowboy's football game in the new stadium!!!!!  It was awesome!  Robby had tickets given to him by a company he works with and we were on around the 20 yard line about 12 or so rows up from the field.  I just can't even begin to tell you how fabulous the stadium is!  You just can't fathom it until you see it for yourself.  While we were there, the big screens in the stadium received the record from Guiness - that was super cool!!  I felt like we were a part of history.  I was there for the first Monday night game in the new stadium, the first win, and when they were inducted into the Guiness record book.  I took over 200 pictures and once they are downloaded, I'll have to share some of them with you.  With my zoom, it was like I was on the field with them - it was so fantastic!  Added bonus - they won - rofl!  Whoo hoo - Go Cowboys!!

Well - I have to run now.  I still have a lot to do to get ready to leave tomorrow.  I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!  I should have lots for you next week.  :)
~til next time,
Paula 

Upcoming Class Sample Photos

Hello and Happy Thursday!  I have to just tell you that I am LOVING this cooler weather.  Especially since it has stopped raining.  My kids are able to go play outside and it's just so nice! 

Today I went to the Scrapper's Boutique and took photos of my class samples so that I can show them to you.  The photos and class info are below:

(I don't have all the info or photos for the Mum Flower Canvas Class yet - but I do know that I will be having 2 of these classes.  One on Saturday, October 17th from 10:15AM to 1:15PM, and one on Tuesday evening, October 20th, from 6:00 to 9:00PM.  I am just waiting on the punches to be delivered so that I can create the "actual" class sample.  You can see a very similar example of what we will be making at the shop.  If you are interested and would like to have first chance at signing up, please contact Cherie to have her add your name to the list.  Everyone who takes the class will have the opportunity to pre-order the punches used in that class at a 20% discount.  That way you will have your very own puches to use at the class and take home with you.  Only pre-orders will be eligible for the discount.)

Junior Scrappers Club – Class 2 (Monthly class) $20
Adults and Ages 8 and up
Saturday, October 10th, 10:15AM to 12:15 PM

This month we will be decorating the cover of our albums. We will also be making a 2 page layout. The layout theme is great for any type of photos. You could use sports photos, photos of friends, or anything you would like.  If you missed the first class, but would still like to join - please feel free to sign up.  You can either just pick up where we are, or I can try to get together kits for you from the first class.

Photos you will need to bring:
One 5x7 horizontal photo for the cover of your album
Two 4x6 photos for the 2 page layout

Students need to bring the following supplies:
12” paper trimmer
Ruler
Pencil with eraser
Tape runner or your favorite adhesive
Black pen
Pen to coordinate with the colors on your album cover
All supplies that you purchased as part of your starter kit (album, 2 yards of ribbon, cardstock, printed paper, thicker sticker letters, and page refills)

Trick or Treat Tag Book $18
Adults and Ages 8 and up
Tuesday, October 13th, 6:30 to 8:30 PM

Come join in on the fun with this adorable fold up tag book. This is a great way to send photos of your children in their Halloween costumes to family members or as a keepsake for yourself. We will be using the Doodlebug “Trick or Treat” papers and stickers while we learn to make this mini book from cardstock.  This would be a great "Mom and Me" project.  Don’t miss this fun and affordable class!

Students will need to bring to the class:
12” paper trimmer
Scissors
Tape runner or favorite adhesive
1/8” wide tacky tape
Ruler
Bone Folder (if you have one)

Be sure you don't forget about the Haunted House Chipboard Album Class.  The photos are in a previous post.  It is a great album packed full of stuff and techniques.  We will be using grunge paper, acrylic sheets, rub-ons, felt stickers, and much more.  It is on Tuesday evening, October 27th from 6:30 to 9:00 PM and is $35.  This includes everything except your basics and adhesives (see list below for adhesives and things you would need to bring.)

I also would like to share a project with you that I did using the left over papers and other stuff from my stash for a contest.  It is a recycled box project, and I used an old NutriGrain Bar box to make this purse.  This was a lot of fun.  The contest is for a site called Creatively Green - here is the link: http://creativelygreen.ning.com/
The contest is under the Challenges section.  The deadline isn't until October 10th - so feel free to make something and join in the fun!  Here's my project:
 
 

 
I probably won't be able to blog again until I get back from my trip this weekend.  I'm so excited.  I ordered cupcakes from Nita King, Cherie's Mom, to take with us.  Ever since I ate one of her cupcakes at a crop at Scrapper's Boutique - I have been hooked.  They seriously are the best cupcakes I have ever eaten in my life!!  So - I just had to order some to take with me.  I hope that you all have a very fun weekend and I'll blog all about mine when I get back!!
 
~til next time,
Paula

Day at the computer

Hey everyone!  I spent a busy day at the computer today working on a new kit for Memory Mixer.  It is a Halloween one called "Boo To You".  Hopefully they will have it up on the site soon.  Here is a preview for you to get a sneak peek - hehe.

I also had good news today about the punch order for my upcoming flower classes.  After a few bumps in the road - we finally got the account set up and the order placed.  I went and picked up the canvases today and as soon as the punches come in, I'll be making the "offical" sample for the October Mum flower class.  The dates are set for the flower classes.  They are Saturday, October 17th from 10:15 AM to 1:15 PM, and Tuesday evening, October 20th from 6:00 to 9:00 PM.  I will have a price for the class after I have the sample completed.  We will also be offering pre-ordering for the punches in addition to the class fee.  That way you could have your very own punches to use at the class and get to take them home to play with more!  I do want to point out that you don't have to own the punches to take the class.  I will have a set for those who don't own them to use and share for the project, but I think once you see what you can do with them, you'll be wanting your own set for home.  The best news is . .  if you pre-order the punches that we will be using in the class, you will get them for 20% off!!  The discount will only apply to pre-orders, but what a great deal!  I will have more details for you later on these classes, but wanted to go ahead and share what I do know so that you can start getting prepared.  Cherie has an example of the October class in the shop now, but with these new punches, the "official" one will be even prettier!  I will be sure to get a photo for you once I complete it next week.  I can't wait!!!!  These will be a series of classes and each month we'll be making different flowers and leaves, and each month you'll be able to pre-order those punches at the 20% discount.  I just think it's a great way to learn and build your punch stash at the same time so that you can do other projects with the skills you will learn.  About my other classes, I'll be going to the Scrapper's Boutique tomorrow to drop off my Haunted House book sample and to take photos for you of the other class samples.  So be sure to check back to see those.  :)

Other than that, we just watched Dancing with the Stars, and then I watched a few of the new shows after that.  Not sure that any of those will be something I'll be hooked on - but right now I love Dancing with the Stars and Biggest Loser.  I'm also eagerly awaiting the new American Idol season. 

Okies - I'd better go.  I'm trying to do better about getting to bed at a decent hour so I'm not dragging all day every day.  I hope you have a wonderful night and great morning!! 

~til next time,

Paula

Lots of new stuff

Hey everyone!!  I hope you are having a great new week so far!  This past weekend I was hard at work on some class samples for my October classes and I can't wait to show them to you.  I left some of the projects at the shop, so I'll have to go back and get photos and post them later (silly me forgot to take my camera - hehe).  But - I do have photos for you of the Haunted House Mini Album - see below.  It is using the Little Yellow Bicycle house book as well as embellishments from them, K i Memories, and Queen and Co.  Space is limited, so if you are interested, be sure to call and sign up asap.  :)  I hope to see you there! 

Haunted House Mini Album Class
At the Scrappers Boutique in NRH, TX.  817-503-0777
Tuesday, October 27th from 6:30 to 9:00 PM. 
The cost is $35

You will need to bring:
12" paper trimmer
Scissors
Small xyron (preferred) or liquid glue/diamond glaze/glossy accents
Pop dots - both small and large ones
Tape runner or favorite adhesive and a refill
Ruler

Bone Folder (if you have one)

Crop A Dile (if you have one)

Tweezers (if you have them)

On the digital front, I have a new kit to be released soon at both Memory Mixer and Daisy Trail.  It is "Among Friends" and is one that I had done in the past as a collab kit, but I took my part of the collab and added to it to make my very own new kit with it.  I even added an alpha - hehe :)

I'm looking forward to getting to go visit my dear friend, Lori this weekend in Abilene.  She moved over a year ago and I have not been able to get away to go see her new place and I am so excited!  She has a fun weekend all planned for us.  I'll have to share all about it when I get back. 

On a totally different subject, I had an idea this weekend that I thought would be fun for my blog.  During the course of making several of my projects, some silly things happened to me, and I joked about them.  Then it hit me -  Jeff Foxworthy has his "You might be a redneck if . . ." things.  These would be funny "You might be a scrapaholic if. . ." things!!  So - when things like this happen - I'm gonna have to share with you - hehe!!  If you have some - please leave a comment with your "You might be a scrapaholic if" experiences.  I'd love to hear them!  Ok - so here goes:

If every pair of jeans you own (even your best ones) have ink stains on the thighs, you might be a scrapaholic.

If you go to pay for your scrapbooking purchase and pull out googly eyes instead of coins, you might be a scrapaholic.

If your skin has a glittery shine to it, and it's not from your body lotion, you might be a scrapaholic.

If you almost pee yourself because you have to get that one last thing done on the page before you can get up and go to the bathroom, you might be a scrapaholic.  (I DID say ALMOST - rofl!!!)

Hopefully you are smiling now!!  Have a wonderful rest of the day and . . .

~til next time,

Paula

Crop Tonight - whoo hoo!!!

Hey everybody!!  I've had a pretty good week and I hope you all have too.  :)  I've completed some projects for classes and some for Cherie to display in her shop and I can't wait to share them with you.  I'm planning to take photographs tonight and put them up for you all to see this weekend.  I've also been working on a project for a contest I saw for a recycled Halloween box.  I'll be sure to post that one too when I can.

We had Zachary's 5th birthday party on Wednesday and boy did he have a good time!!  We got a Spongebob cake, cups, plates, and napkins, all of which he just loved.  I was so tickled with him because when he woke up, I told him "Happy Birthday!" and he looked around and then asked me "Where are my decorations?".  Last summer, Kaylee had some of her girlfriends over for her birthday, and we decorated her room - so he just thought that was the norm and wanted to know why I didn't have that done for him.  It was so funny and cute - but he sure knows how to put me on a guilt trip!!  So I took him out to lunch and then we went to buy balloons and decorations and we decorated the dining room for him.  After dinner, we had the "party" and he was so excited he couldn't even sit still.  There were only 2 things he had asked for, a zhu zhu hamster and a frog funkey, and of course, they weren't available in any stores yet, so I went shopping on ebay.  What a beating!!  Those auctions had me so nervous I could just feel my blood pressure rising.  I was feeling like, don't they know I HAVE to have these for my son's birthday - hehe!  Anyway - I was able to get a lot of hamster stuff for him and Kaylee and got him his frog funkey and even another one too.  I guess I did good because he is still telling me thank you several times a day for his gifts.  That makes it all soooo worth it to see his little smile and know how happy it made him!

On a different note, I'm very excited about getting to crop tonight.  I'm going to be getting a new Halloween book to make into a class sample tonight and I'm very excited about it.  Plus - it's always fun to get together with my friends and have some adult ladies time - hehe.

Well - I have a "5 year old" (as he now keeps pointing out to me since his b-day) begging for me to get him out of his bath, so I'd better run.  I hope you all have a very fun and productive weekend and I'll post photos as soon as I can!!
~til next time,
Paula     

It's STILL raining!!

Happy Monday everyone!!  It's dreary and still raining here!  It has rained non-stop since Friday.  I know we need it, but I'm beginning to wonder if we need to start building an ark - hehe. 

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  The rain didn't dampen my fun weekend.  Friday night I got to crop with some of my dear friends at the Take A Break Friday night crop hosted by Joni and Jody.  It's always a good time and I take Kaylee with me to that one.  I have to tell you the funny saga of us getting there.  It was POURING rain and we had no adhesive, so we had to stop at Michaels.  When we got out of the car, the water was over my ankles in the parking lot - and I had worn flip flops - brilliant, huh . . .NOT -rofl !!!   I went running for the door and about 1/2 way there, lost one of my flip flops and had to run back and get it.  Then by the time I got in the store, I was just dripping.  We just stood there on the mat for a bit trying to stop dripping.  It was sooo funny looking back on it - not such much at the time - hehe.  Anyway - then one of the roads to the crop was flooded, but we eventually got there via a back road.  After we dried off, I started working on a project for a class that I'm hoping to do in October.  Kaylee worked on some tags.  Despite everything - it was a fun evening.  Then Saturday, I got to go to my friend, Cindy's house and help her work on a Halloween mini album for her son's class basket to be raffled off.  She was doing such a great job on it and really didn't need any help from me - so I worked on finishing my class project.  We did a bit of shopping too.  Friday night, Pam Frasier told me about a fantastic sander you can get at Home Depot for distressing, so, of course, I had to go get one.  When we went back to Cindy's and told her hubby that we bought scrapbook supplies at Home Depot - he told us that we had just ruined that store for him and now he would have to shop at Lowe's - rofl!!  He cracks me up!

This weekend I also straightened up my work area a little, and since over the past months, several people have asked me to show them my work space, I took some photos for you.  :)  I'm especially happy with the ribbon and button containers.  I love those by Making Memories.  The fact that they are plastic and still look like glass is awesome!!! 

Last, but not least - THE COWBOYS WON!!!  whoo hoo!!  Let's keep it going guys!!

I hope you all have a great start to the new week and . . .

~til next time,

Paula

Season Opener - GO COWBOYS!!

Well, it's that time again - football season!  Hubby is already downstairs watching the pre-game.  I'm getting ready to go fix the "football food" - hehe.  We will be having chili, rotel cheese dip with chips, and then the kids asked for a cake.  So - I'm off to cook, then hopefully will get to sit and watch some of the game (while working on some project).  I can't sit still without my hands being busy.  I hope you all have a wonderful Football Sunday and GO COWBOYS!!!!

~til next time,
Paula

Grunge Paper Flower Madness!!!

Hey everyone!  I hope you are having a great day and staying dry.  It's very wet and humid here, but the rain is bringing lower temps, so I guess that will be good.  I'm so ready for fall!!  I'm looking forward to spending a little more time outside without baking from the heat - hehe. 

I wanted to share some photos of the grunge paper flowers that I had made for Cherie to display at her shop.  They are a lot of fun to make, but sure can be messy as you will see in the photo.  At least I kept it mainly on my fingers, but it never hurts to wear a multi colored shirt so it's less noticeable - just in case - rofl!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking!!

~til next time,

Paula

My Distress Notebook for my trip to Houston :)

Hey everyone!!  I am so excited about going to the trade show with Cherie and some of the other teachers from Scrappers Boutique - and getting to take a class from Tim Holtz!!!!  I have just discovered some of his video tutorials on his site and have just been in awe of what all you can do with his products!!  I'm dying to try them all!!  Anyway - when I go to the trade show, I wanted to have a notebook to keep my itinerary and notes from the classes - and I can't take a "plain" notebook into a Tim Holtz class - rofl!!!  So - I made one and I wanted to share it with you.  It has a lot of stuff on there including a little mini album on the cover, a folder with a pull out page inside, and even a grungepaper rose.  I had so much fun making it and I'm thinking about teaching a class to make a notebook similar to this one.  If you live near the Scrappers Boutique and would like to see this as a class, please leave me a note letting me know.  :)

Here it is with the mini book opened:

Thanks for checking out my project!!  I hope to have more to show you soon!

~til next time,

Paula

Fun Classes and Crop

It's Labor Day weekend, and we aren't really doing much, but I had a great day yesterday. The first Junior Scrappers Club class went great and I was so happy to see how creative the boys and girls were. I love that they aren't afraid to let their creativity show through. Even though they all did basically the same layouts - they all turned out looking different and fabulous. I am looking forward to the next class already! If you have someone that is still interested, you can still sign up. It's not too late. The next class is October 10th from 10:00 AM to Noon and we'll be decorating the cover of our albums and doing 2 more pages.

The Intro To Cards Class was a lot of fun too. Everyone did a wonderful job on their cards and we laughed and just had an all around great time.

Then I stayed and cropped and just really enjoyed having an entire day to spend visiting, laughing, and being creative. I have to brag on Robby now. :) He really started my day off great when he surprised me by having all of my bags of supplies loaded into my Jeep when I came downstairs to leave.

Today, Kaylee and I worked together to make some more items for her shelf at the Scrappers Boutique. I don't know if I've mentioned it yet or not, but Kaylee is saving up to be able to buy her very own toy poodle. She wants a dog of her own so badly, and she made an agreement with Robby that if she saved the money to buy the dog and pay for the stuff it needed as well as the puppy shots, that she could get one. So she saved all of her money from her birthday earlier this summer, and has rented a shelf at Cherie's shop to sell paper piecings and little gifts. She's almost 1/3 of the way to having the money she needs. I'm very proud of her for sticking with it and working hard to keep the shelf stocked with things to sell. She makes pretty much everything herself, but sometimes we enjoy working on them together, like we did today. We're working on some new things for gift giving around the holidays, so if you go by the shop, be sure to check out her creations. :)

On a different note, I want to thank everyone for their well wishes and prayers for our dog, Hercules. He's doing well on the medications. Even the vet was surprised by how well he was doing given the condition of his heart and all. We're just very thankful and making sure to enjoy every minute that we have with him.

I'm off to bed now. I hope you all have a fun and safe Labor Day!!
~til next time,
Paula

Oh So Fun Saturday and Upcoming Classes

Hello everyone!! I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend and start to the new week! I have to tell you about my awesome Saturday! I got to spend the whole day doing scrapbooking stuff and it was soooo much fun!! I got to attend 2 fabulous classes on Copic Markers (and let me tell you - I am HOOKED!!!). Then I went for a little shopping while I waited for my spot in the crop room to open up - then I went back and cropped the night away with some of my wonderful friends!! We had so much fun and laughed so hard that at one point, I had to get up and walk so that I could stop laughing long enough to breathe. It really was a great day and thank you to everyone who was a part of it - I really needed those laughs!!! :)

More good news - today Zachary started his last year of Pre-K and he had a wonderful day. There were no fits or tears when I dropped him off, which was a nice surprise, and he was full of energy telling me about all the fun things he did during the day. Then, since Robby had taken the day off, after we picked up the kids, we went out in the boat and let them fish for perch. Zachary got a few bites, but never caught one, and after about 5 casts, he was ready to just play with the worms. Then Kaylee and Robby fished and I helped Kaylee when she got her line tangled. (No - I didn't touch the worms or fish - just the line and bobber - rofl!!!) It was really nice to get away as a family and see everyone having a good time. I also have to say that Kaylee is turning out to be quite the fisher woman. She was casting so well and really knew what she was doing. Robby has taught her well. :)

Before I go to finish watching America's Got Talent, I want to tell you all about the 2 classes that I'm teaching this weekend at the Scrappers Boutique. They both have a few spots left, so if you are interested, be sure to call and reserve your spot. The first is Saturday from 10:00 to Noon and it is the Junior Scrappers Club for kids 8 and up. You can see more details on my flyer on the right. The second is also Saturday, from 1:30 to 3:30 PM and it is the Intro To Cards class where I will be teaching 4 different folding techniques for the A2 card size. Experienced card makers are welcome too - we will have a lot of fun and be using some fun papers and elements. I hope to see you there!

~til next time,
Paula

PS - Be on the lookout for photos that will be coming from some projects I was working on last weekend. One has turned into an upcoming class!!! :)

New Project For You!!

Hey everyone! Below is a mini book that I designed that I thought I would share with you It's great for pool/beach photos, or just summer photos in general. I love the look of Cosmo Cricket's papers. They really have a "Fun" summer look to them. This book will hold six 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" photos.















For supplies you will need:

*1 sheet each of Cosmo Cricket Snorkel Papers in the following 3 prints:
Umbrellas, School's Out, and Carbonation
*1 sheet each of Cardstock in coordinating shades of green, blue, red, and yellow
* 1 yard of 3/8" wide yellow ribbon with white dots
* 2" tall stencil letters
* Circle punches 2", 1 3/8", 1", 3/4"
*Scallop Edge punch
* 1 3/8" scallop square punch or similar
* Photo Corner Punch
* Small and large tag punch
*Wavy edge ruler (or you can hand draw the waves)
*Chipboard arrow to trace or you can again draw one
*Crop A Dile or hole punch
*Stapler (I used the Tiny Attacher by Tim Holtz - it is great for ribbons!)
* 12" paper trimmer
* Your favorite adhesive

Start by cutting a 6" x 12" piece of both the blue and green cardstock. Score in half of the 12" side and fold to make them each 6" x 6". These make the pages of the book. The green is the outside cover and the blue is the inside pages. Next cut four 4" x 4" squares from the yellow cardstock and two 4" x 4" squares from the red cardstock. These will be your photo mats.

For the cover, on the front right edge of the green cardstock, punch a scalloped edge. Next, cut the letters from the Carbonation paper using the letter stencils. Use the 2" punch to punch out 5 circles from the Umbrellas paper. Some can be partial circles so they go off the page. Glue everything onto cover.









For Pages 1 & 2, Cut a 1" x 12" strip from the Carbonation Paper. Trace and cut out the arrow, then punch 2 scalloped squares from the Umbrellas paper. Cut the squares in half to make triangles. Use 2 of your 4" x 4" yellow cardstock squares and glue in place as shown.

For Pages 3 & 4, Cut a 3/4" x 12" strip from the umbrellas paper. We will use the back of the paper for the journal strips. Cut the 12" length into 3 pieces: 4", 4 1/2", and 3". Punch varying sizes of circles from the Umbrellas and Carbonation papers. Use 2 of the 4" x 4" red cardstock squares and glue in place as shown.












For pages 5 & 6, Use the wavy ruler (or just draw a wave) onto a 12" strip of the School's Out paper. The strip should be approx. 1 1/2" tall at the top of the waves. Cut into 2 strips that are each 6" long. Punch 2 photo corners from the Carbonation paper. Use the last two 4" x 4" yellow cardstock squares and glue in place as shown.

On the back cover, punch the small tag from the Umbrellas paper and use the back side to write "Made by, then your name". Punch the larger tag from the Carbonation paper. Glue together and staple a small piece of ribbon to the top. Glue to the back cover.

Holding the book together, open it and punch holes in the center folds 1" down from the top and 1" up from the bottom. Thread the remaining ribbon through and tie in a knot and bow on the outside of the book.

This book was originally designed for a group of children, so it needed to be fairly simple, but feel free to add inked edges, 3D elements, or anything else that you can think of. Don't be afraid to be creative and add your own touch to it.

I hope you enjoyed my first little blog project. I plan to do more as I can. Please let me know what you think and I'd love to see your finished projects. You can e-mail me at paperflowers_paula@yahoo.com.

Have a wonderful day!
~til next time,
Paula

New Blog Layout!!!

Hey everyone!! How do you like my new blog layout? I am so proud to say that I did it all myself!!! Those of you who know me, know that I am scared to try anything new on my computer without someone walking me through it because I'm so afraid of messing something up, but I swallowed my fear and went for it - and this was the result. I'd love to hear what you think of it. I think it is easier to read just because it is wider so you don't have to scroll down so much and I made the font a little larger also. I used my Summer Sunrise kit to make the header and I just had a good time figuring it all out and doing it, and I had to share with you my excitement.

On another exciting note, since I am an instructor/teacher at Scrapper's Boutique, I'm getting the priviledge of going to a trade show with Cherie and a few of the other instructors/teachers in October! I'm signed up to take some very awesome classes and will be bringing back all that knowledge to teach new classes at the store in the fall!! I just can't wait! I even got in on one of Tim Holtz's classes - whoo hoo!!! It will be my first time to take one of his classes and meet him and I'm just majorly thrilled.

In the meantime, I'm working on a new class for the store that has to do with flowers and I think you all will love it - so be on the lookout! I really think this will be a popular class! I am also having the 1st Junior Scrappers Club class/meeting on September 5th at 10:00 AM and the Intro To Cards on September 5th from 1:30 to 3:30. Another one that was popular was the Snorkel Mini Album and so we have added a second class for it on Thrusday night, September 10th from 6:30 to 8:30. Be sure to sign up for some of mine, or any other of the wonderful classes at the store.

Okies - well I'd better get to bed so I can actually get up in the morning. I think I'm having as much trouble getting back into the school routine as the kids are. And I have to take Hercules to the vet in the morning, so I hope that we will get some good news. Have a good nite and . . .
~til next time,
Paula

Wonderful Saturday!!

I had such a wonderful time at the Crop For The Cure event on Saturday. It is going to help sponsor team A New Day and they did a fabulous job with putting on the event! I wish them the very best with their fundraising and walking. We had 2 delicious meals catered in (which by the way were also donated - thanks to those generous restaurants) and I got to see and talk to so many people that I have not seen in a long time. I really had a blast. I got to sit with Bobbie and Jody, and Joni got to stop by our table once in a while. I worked with my Copic markers (even tho I don't take the class until this coming Saturday) I wanted to play anyway. I think I got to where I was doing pretty good - but I definitely need that class - hehe - and I'm looking forward to it.

Kaylee started school today and I can't wait to pick her up to see how it went. She was a little nervous because she didn't know hardly any of the kids in her class and all of her really good friends she had made over the past years were all in other classes. I know that she is a sweet girl and will make new friends, but trying to convince her of that is a whole other issue -so we'll see how it went in a little while. :) Zachary was so funny today. He went with me to drop Kaylee off this morning, but later in the afternoon, he kept running through the house and then asked me if Kaylee was hiding in her room. He was so upset that he couldn't find her and I had to remind him that she was at school. I think he really misses her. He will start school next week and then we can all start getting back into the routine.

That's about all I know for now. Take care and have a wonderful day!
~til next time,
Paula

Can't Wait For Tomorrow Morning!!

Or I guess I should say this morning - hehe! Yes - it's after midnight and I'm supposed to get up at 6:30 AM to get ready for my big scrapbook day - Crop For The Cure!! I'm just so excited I can't sleep. I already have everything packed up and by the door ready for Miss Bobbie to pick me up. I know it is going to be super fun! I'm getting to sit with Bobbie, Joni, Jody, Rose, and I know I'll see a lot of other people that I haven't seen in a long time. I just can't wait - it's almost like I'm a kid at Christmas!

Also - I made a page "About Me" for Cherie to display since I'm one of her teachers for Scrappers Boutique and I can't wait to hear the feedback on it. I worked on it for about 5 hours and did more 3D stuff than I think I've ever done on a page layout - but I LOVED making it! I'll have to take a photo of it to post for you so that those of you who can't attend can see it and tell me what you think. :)

Ok - well - I'm going to try to get a few hours of sleep!! I'll be sure to tell you all about it when I get back! You all have a wonderful weekend too! ((HUGS))
~til next time,
Paula

Last week of summer for the kids

Well - it's the last week before Kaylee starts school and then Zachary starts the week after that. We have started working on getting back into the bedtime routine and are planning to have lunch with Robby at his new office before the end of the summer.

I have been working on my samples for my next classes at the Scrappers Boutique and I'm soo excited about them.

I am starting a Junior Scrappers Club for kids 8 and up. We will be meeting once a month on a Saturday morning, and I will be teaching them how to scrapbook on their own while they are creating memories of their school year. The cost will be $20 per month and there is a one time starter kit that is about $30 (which includes the album, refill pages, etc.). We will be making about 4 pages at each class. The first class is September 5th from 10:00 am to Noon. I have the sample of the cover and the first 4 pages at the shop now, so be sure to stop by and check it out!

Also on September 5th is the Intro To Cards Class 1. It is from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM. We will be making 4 cards in the A2 size using 4 different folding techniques. We are using the Spread Your Wings papers by Three Bugs In A Rug. The cost of this class is $20 and I know we will have lots of fun!

I'm hoping to get some photos of the samples up here soon. If you would like more information about any of my classes, feel free to e-mail me or contact Scrappers Boutique at 817-503-0777.

That's all the news I have for you today. I hope you too are enjoying the last week before school!
~til next time,
Paula

P.S. Be on the watch for a paper mini book project that I am planning to post soon! I will have photos and instructions as well as a supply list. Keep checking back. :)

Dealing with it as best I can and class info :)

Well - no good news in regards to the rings. I'm just going to have to resolve myself to the fact that they are gone and I will not get them back. I never thought rings could be something that I could get so attached to - but they had such a story behind them and meant so much to me. They were sort of like my security blanket and now they are gone. But I'm trying to move past it. All my saddness and worry won't bring them back, so I have to try to get out and concentrate on fun things. Hercules seems to be responding to the medications pretty well. He seems to be breathing easier and is not coughing as much (which should mean that some of the fluid is coming out of the lungs). The medicines will not cure anything, but hopefully will put him out of any pain and give him some more time here with us. Not a day goes by that I don't look at him and think it could be my last day with him and just love on him and cry with him. This is the part of having and loving a dog that is soooo darn hard. Ok - as you can see - I'm still struggling with it, but I'm really trying to move on.

I went to a crop at the church in North Richland Hills sponsored by Jody and Joni. It was a lot of fun and I was able to see and catch up with some friends I had not seen in a while. My daughter, Kaylee went with me and she was making her paper piecings that she sells on a shelf by the register at the Scrapper's Boutique - along with other gift ideas. She also came up with a name for her little business . . . drumroll please . . . . . Kabugg's Krafts . I thought that was very cute and now I need to get her some little business cards made up. :) Tonight she made a paper pieced bear and a card - both of which were some of her best work yet. I'll try to take photos and post them here for you to see.

I worked on my cards for the Intro To Cards class that will be September 5th from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. It is a total of 4 cards. We will be going over sizing of cards/envelopes and different folding techniques. The papers are sure cute with lots of birds and it's going to be a lot of fun!!! I hope you will consider joining us. I've also been hard at work for the start of the "Junior Scrappers Club". This is a club that meets monthly to make layouts and decorate an 8 1/2" x 11" album during the school year. I am very happy with how the cover design turned out as well as the 1st two pages - can't wait for everyone to see it!! I just have to finish the 3rd and 4th pages and then I can show you a photo and the sample will be available to view and the Scrapper's Boutique. The 1st 4 layouts will be the first class and it is also September 5th, but from 10:00AM to 12:00Noon. The 2nd class will be in October and we will be decorating the cover and an additional 2 layouts. Both the Intro To Cards and Junior Scrappers Club Samples should be there by next Tuesday evening.

Tomorrow I'll be at the Scrapper's Boutique to teach the kids Snorkel Board Book Class. Adults are also welcome. I believe there are still a few spots available, so call Cherie at the shop to sign up!! It starts at 1PM.

Well - it's late here and I'd better get to bed. I'll be back soon with some photos for you. I also have a project that I'm working on putting up here on the web special just for my blog readers. It's a mini book that I thought was a cute one - so keep checking back. ;)

Hugs to you all!
~til next time,
Paula

Sad - VERY sad weekend!

Hey everyone!

Sorry it has been so long. We went on a long road trip to visit all of my family in Oklahoma and Kansas and had a great time.

I have some good news. I will now be teaching classes at the new scrapbook store, Scrapper's Boutique, and am very excited about that. My first class is a mini book class designed for children and adults ages 8 and up. It is an 8" x 8" board book done with the Snorkel papers by Cosmo Cricket. It is this Saturday, August 15th from 1:30 to 3:30 PM. I hope to see some of you signed up. :)

On a sad note, I have decided that I need to close my digital design website, and I will no longer be designing in the digital community. I took the summer off and have just realized everything that I have been missing out on with my family by being so tied to the computer. I will still be designing for Memory Mixer by Lasting Impressions and Daisy Trail by Serif, but won't be on any other sites for now. After August 20th, Paula Phillips Designs will be shut down, and that blog will have to go down also, so I'll be back here to hopefully be a better blogger - hehe.

Now for the awful news. This weekend I had my new wedding rings stolen. I know that they aren't just "lost" cuz I ALWAYS put them in the same spot every time that I take them off and all my rings are placed in a certain order EVERY time (this is just another of my type A things) but when I went to go somewhere the next day, my wedding rings were gone, but nothing else had been disturbed. The other rings were in their exact spot right next to where my wedding rings should have been. There had been a company come into my house to do some work, but I have known them for a long time and just don't want to think that they could have done it. I just can't imagine what happened to them. I have turned the house upside down and they just simply aren't here. They had to have been taken. It's the only scenario that makes sense. I remember putting them in their spot the night before when I arrived home around midnight. My kids have NEVER EVER touched or messed with my jewelry and they both have told me very emphatically that they didn't touch them. Not to mention that I was in my room most of the morning before the workers arrived, and my kids weren't even in there much at all. It just makes me sick. I don't think we'll ever be able to replace them. It was a very original set and the company where we bought them is no longer in business. Not to mention that I had saved and worked like crazy to get the money together to get this new set because my old set had problems and could not be fixed. I don't know if we will ever be able to save enough money to even get something close to replacing them. With the money I saved and trading in my old set - the new set was my 10th anniversary present. I am just heartbroken. Then - it gets even worse. The rings disappeared on Friday, then today (Sunday) I woke up to my older dog Hercules coughing like crazy and having a hard time breathing. We took him to the ER vet and have been told that he is in congestive heart failure with fluid on his lungs and possible kidney failure happening. We have him on medications that hopefully will help him live comfortably a while longer, but his heart has already enlarged and is pushing against his trachea. It's just not good. We may only have a few months left with him and I just don't think I can take any more of my heart being ripped out. I'm trying so hard to not just fall apart, but every time I think of anything, all that can pop into my mind is that my wedding rings with all their meaning to me are gone and now I'm loosing my dear Hercules too. I just ask that you all pray for me and my family right now. I know that we will get through this and I'm praying for the Lord to give me some comfort and help me understand. I know everything is part of his plan, but it's times like this that you just wish you could have a glimpse at that big picture so maybe it wouldn't hurt so bad right now.

Well - I'd better try to get some sleep now. Thanks for listening to my rants. Hopefully next time I post, things will be looking up. I hope you all are well! ((HUGS))
~til next time,
Paula