Link for making gift bags from newspaper

http://howaboutorange.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-make-gift-bags-from-newspaper.html
I haven't tried this since I just found it tonight but I think I'd like to! Maybe I will and put pics up. Don't hold your breath, just in case! :-)

Crafts, Thoughts, and whatever else I come up with

I found an idea for making a paper flower and can't remember where. When I find out, I'll try to give credit. Anyway, I took some pics with my cell phone to show it. You basically start out by cutting a circle and then cutting it into a spiral. You can zig zag your sisscors or just cut regular.

Then you get the outside end with tweezers and roll it up as follows........

This one is with two layers of paper. You know me, gotta try something different!

The finished product! The center round part winds up as the bottom and I used sticky dots

to adhere it together.

I've actually been working on momma's Israel scrapbook and I'm liking it! :-) It's not always easy to scrapbook something when I wasn't there. At least, for me! I'll try to take some pics of it and get them on here.

I have been Spring Cleaning!!!!!! For months! lol Momma and I have been trading off helping each other and it's so much easier to get things done! I still have a couple closets, totes, buffet, and china cabinet to go! We won't talk about the garage and attic! lol I'm getting there and getting rid of sooooo much junk! It's much easier to keep house this way! Momma had me help her clean her garage cabinets and I kid you not, her cabinets looked almost as good as my cabinets in the kitchen BEFORE we cleaned them! :-)

I've done some painting and decorating and now it's put me in the mood to do more but alas, work calls for the next few days so the fun will have to wait.

Ah, and now........Life! Change! I don't do well with change! My aunt is dying.........just waiting......she's off of life support and it's just the waiting game now. A dear friend is in the hospital and was improving so much and has now regressed so badly. People who aren't faithful to those that love them, those that drugs have gotten such a hold on! Sometimes, I almost wish I didn't care about people so much! Just almost, tho! My son's new job has him working nights and I tend to be a worry wart! And........I won't bore you with the rest!

One good change........Brooke is going to Salem Park Academy this year. Homeschool for 3 days and go to school 2 days a week. I'm excited about that.

Perhaps, since we won't be running as much when school starts I can actually have a real blog and not wait months in between!

Night, for now!

Random thoughts and ramblings

I've been thinking lately about how blessed I am and how fortunate I am to have had the parents I have/had! No, life wasn't perfect and we weren't the richest family on the block, but there was love! Lots of love and I was taught to love others, be merciful and compassionate, and not judgmental! I'm learning more and more to be thankful for that! I see so many people so concerned about others and the way that they are living that those same people forget to worry about themselves and live a double standard life! I so hope I'm instilling those same qualities in my children!

I keep saying "When I grow up I wanna be organized like momma and Lisa!" Well, I think 41 is grown up enough and I'm working on it. I'm finding the key is to get rid of as much as possible! Large school projects.......I'm taking pictures of them and then they get thrown away! I'll scrapbook the pictures and still have the memory and story to go with it! Ah, to actually have things always in order so that it wouldn't bother me to open my door to company at anytime! Will I ever get there????? (Perhaps, since I'll have the help of my awesome momma! :-)

http://orgjunkie.com/

Above is a great organizing blog!

After my organizing...................................I have so many things I want to do!

Scrapbooking! Always lots of pictures to do and I love it!

Sewing! Things to repair and so many that I want to make!

Tole painting! A ton of wood and other projects that I want to paint!

Crocheting! I am currently working on pen and tablet holders for my aunt, a shawl, and not sure what else.

Cross Stitch! I have large picture with the words and music to Amazing Grace started for momma.

Cardmaking! I have some started and many ideas I want to try.

Cake Decorating! Graduation cakes due the end of July and I'd love to find somewhere to take more classes.

Piano playing! I'd like to take more lessons.

Now to start getting some of those things accomplished! :-)

Well, I was gonna share some pics but since it's after 4am and I'm still feeling puny from whatever bug I have, I think I'll wait!

Night/Mornin'

Blogging and other stuff

You know......I love to read people's blogs! I like watching the videos they put up to show you how to make crafts. Love finding new recipes. Enjoy seeing decorating ideas. But......I have become so lazy about doing my own blog! I've learned lots of new techniques in stamping and scrapbooking that I could share. I actually have......on my cell phone! lol Take pics, send 'em to my niece. But then I have to take that itty bitty card out of my phone, put it in my SD card, put that in the printer, wait for it to come up, save them, sign into my blog etc. etc. Like I said......I've been lazy.

Well, I'm gonna try to remedy that! I HAVE succeeded in some of my goals for the year! I have several dr. bills paid off, I'm getting my savings up there, I lost a few (ok, very few but it's still a loss) pounds, and I've gotten rid of a lot of stuff and still organizing. If I'd just quit moving large furniture and then moving bones out of place I would probably have a lot more done!!

I'm actually getting my scrap/craft area fixed up and Chris said he'd put a ceiling fan in! I'm loving it!!

Here's momma and Judy getting ready to fly off to Israel! They had a wonderful time! Prayers sure got thru for momma as she was able to do most everything. Walking for miles, up and down steps, and she'd like to go back! :-)

So proud of a very special nurse, who is a wonderful friend! She won an award in the "Salute to Nurses 2010" nomination! I was asked to write a letter and here it is.........

Donna Austgen: “Salute-To-Nurses” nomination for 2010

It is my honor to nominate Donna Austgen for the 2010 "Salute-To-Nurses". In 1984, when I was 15, I was in an auto accident that splintered my right femur. I was in the hospital and in traction for over 2 months. My bones just wouldn't heal and we were looking at surgery and possibly the surgery not even working. Donna was a bright spot in each and every day that she was there. As a teen who had never been in the hospital, having to have someone help bathe me and do so much for me was not easy. But Donna made me laugh and put me at so much ease, that I was bummed on the days that she had off. She didn't only take care of me, she spent time with me. We talked and laughed as I recorded us on my "tape player", she explained things about procedures on our movie camera, and so much more. She was so wonderful, not only to me, but also to my family. I cannot explain what her fun and laughter and wonderful care did for a very scared 15 year old girl.
6 years later Donna was the nurse who did the pregnancy test and told my husband and I that we were going to have our first baby. Many times she's spent time talking with me on the phone and sent me cards. How many nurses are still in contact with a patient 25 years after taking care of them? Donna genuinely cares for others from her heart! I cannot think of a more deserving person to nominate for this award.

I could make this a super long post but.......I think I'll save some for another day! Hopefully, before two months go by! :-)

Cake Bakers needed!

I think someone should start a business of doing nothing but baking cakes for decorators to buy! The cake baking is not fun! The decorating is a blast!

So.........6 cakes baked and crumb coated and 7 to go!!!! Getting ready to bake one more tonight and make some fondant and then I'm done til in the morning!

Momma went to Israel and is having such a good time. She'll be back on her birthday and I can hardly wait! I miss her! I can't wait to see her pics and hear her stories. Just talking to her on the phone is so neat. She has absolutely loved it and I'm so glad she got this opportunity to fulfill one of her dreams!

Well, this will probably be one of my shortest blogs.........I have way too much too do to ponder over things to write! Besides, I think my brain has short circuited!!!!

Sleep well!

On the search for.........

Motivation! Energy, would do! Actually, I'd be happy with just feeling pretty good! I've tried coffee and energy drinks to no avail. It seems if there is a bug and I get anywhere near it.......I'm gonna get it. I recently heard of something called "probiotics". Anyone heard of it? A friend of ours who has beat leukemia but is still taking chemo is taking it and it seems to be doing it's job.

I'm having a Stampin' Up party at momma's tonight and still don't have the cheese balls made, still need to do more laundry, dishes, sort the rest of the girl scout cookies, take a shower, and a whole list of other stuff! (by the way, it's already 12:32 in the afternoon) I'm supposed to go scrappin' tomorrow night and I need to get my stuff together for that. Wow, now this is starting to sound like a whine session! lol! I think I could sleep for a straight 24 hours and still be sleepy. Perhaps I need iron. Perhaps just a swift kick in the behind would work??? UGH!

I read so many stories in magazines about how someone found this awesome pill/drink/powder, you name it, and they have such energy and now they aren't sick/tired/ achy etc anymore! Why can't I find one of those? lol

I was loving all the snow but.......considering that our schools around here rarely believe in 2 hour delay's, let alone snow days........I think I'm ready, almost, for spring. I just don't like the storms spring brings but I think I'm done with snow.

Ok, I think all the coffee I'm drinking isn't doing a thing for my motivation but is messing with my mind! I am getting off of here and I WILL get something done! For real! Seriously! Ta ta for now!

4 months of catching up..........

Wow! What a bad blogger I've been. lol Let's see how much I can catch up in 20 lines! :-)

1. Chris' work went down to "none" for a period of time.
2. I actually got my tree up and decorated before Thanksgivng!!
3. In Nov. we went to TN and had Thanksgiving and Christmas with family! Great time!
4. Enjoyed family and doing lots of baking/candy making.
5. Matt won in the powdered sugar contest! lol
6. Realized that in spite of getting my tree done early (popcorn and cranberries, too) that I'm farther behind than ever this year.
7. Made caramels, Candy kiss cookies, Chocolate covered cherries, Cookie dough truffles, and so much more for the holidays.
8. Loved having both of my kids home for Christmas break.
9. Had 3 separate Christmas' in Dec. 1 with Rosemary, Alan, and Deborah, 1 with Mark and Elizabeth, and then the big one at momma's on Christmas.
10. Momma fell and broke her arm in 3 places and dislocated her shoulder.
11. Realized that even with student loans we didn't have the money to send Christopher back to college. (couldn't find a job in Cincy)
12. Momma had to have surgery after all due to her shoulder dislocating more rather than getting better.
13. Aunt Lois came and stayed for a week to help take care of momma. Loved that!!!!
14. Hoping momma can still go to Israel in spite of her arm.
15. Christopher got a steady job!!!!
16. All of my jobs fell thru! lol Except for making Angel's wedding cake in March.
17. Chris' work is mostly 40 hours/week and he's working side jobs non stop to try to get us caught up.
18. Lots of snow and loving it.
19. Finally, TODAY, we had a snow day! No school for the first time this school year. And.....today wasn't as bad as the other days that we had a 2 hr delay! lol
20. Feeling better after being sick the last 2 days.

Maybe I will get my act together and get some pics on here. I never did get my Christmas cards sent out. Maybe I'll just send 2 Christmas updates this year! lol
I do have goals for this year..................
1. Get a savings account built up that I won't touch for remodeling!!!! Emergency's only
2. Pay off the other 10 dr/hos bills I have
3. Organize and Simplify my house!!!!!!!!
4. Be even more frugal and get out of debt. (Think Dave Ramesy)
5. Lose 20 lbs
Let's see.......so far I've been working on organizing. Going thru certain areas at a time and it feels good.
We've been more frugal than I've thought of in a LONG time!
I'm working on my diet but been sick and haven't even bothered with weighing.
Working on the dr. bills slowly.
Have a small savings but it needs much work!!!!
Have a great day!