I love a good mystery...

Ok, so here's the mystery.. ...
I was shopping at SIStv boutique the other day, I got all kinds of good Hambly for 50% off! I know!!
Their site was having some issues, slow, I had to refresh, yada, yada, yada..
I was successful in checking out..
But when I go to check my email for a receipt, I have two! Yikes!! ....
I'm like.. huh? I know the site is havin' some problems, but hopefully not like this!
So I do what every good citizen does, I emailed customer service
and got a very nice reply from Gary... telling me not to worry, sit back and relax.
So I received my lovely Hambly order and also the mystery order!
I send Gary another email as a reminder, that I'm very worried, I didn't order these things..
poor guy!
So then he fesses up (after my 3rd worried email).. and tells me that I have a secret sister!
Excuse me .. a what?!? huh? did I read that right??
and he was under obligation not to tell, but if I absolutely must know...
I emailed back, with no.. don't need to know right now..
I will give a SISta a chance to explain herself! .. he.. he..
me! getting a surprise! I'm thinking.. did I sign up for this and forget....
kinda like I did the state ATC swap (working on it! I promise)
and is this part of the handmade swap and I didn't read all the instructions?
(I've been know not to throughly read something before)
or... is this a sneaky attempt at Happy Mail! 'cause it did make me very happy!!
but my Happy Mail partner said she sent the packages... hm..
Very suspicious.. Very sneaky somebody out there..
Well whoever you are ... knows me pretty darn well!! I absolutely love it all!
and also knows I love a good mystery..
So, sweet and considerate mystery SISta! Thank you!! from the very depths of my heart,
the thought is truly appreciated and I will have a layout (or a couple) soon
with this wonderful product all over it!!!
Also looking forward to finding out who you are.... :)

I need help!

Which is unusual... I'm pretty good at making decisions and sticking with them.

So, my question, Flower.. or No Flower? See photos. Thanks in advance!

weekend update

I won a RAK from Cinnibonbon's blog.
She's a hoot! go check her out. She's also a SISta! Cinni's got some sweet postcards on her portfolio. Thanks girl for the RAK. I'll probably be posting some layouts with those wonderful goodies on it soon. and btw.. I didn't know it was gonna be so much! Thanks :)

I was reading Wilna's blog (another SISta!) and I was so moved by what she was doing, that I decided to participate.
How sweet and kind of Wilna to reach out for her friend. As my mother would say, "brighten the corner where you are." And I definitely think Wilna is doing that for her friend.

I put two quotes about friends on the inside:
*Some people go to priest; others to poetry; I to my friends. Virgina Woolf
* Friends are family you choose for yourself. unknown.

I managed to work on and almost complete this little blouse for the little spring wardrobe I'm working on. All I have to do now is put some buttons on it. The next step is to make the little capri pants that go with it. I struggle with ruffles. I think they are adorable, but I in no way like to sew them. I've got at least two more outfits with ruffles though.. ouch!

It was such a beautiful weekend. The sun was out and it was perfect. Hopefully next weekend will be the same.

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. :)

it's me again Margaret

This is my new haircut. It is quite short for me and makes my curls a little wonky but I actually like it. Can you see the highlights? I like them too. I'm not good at taking pictures of myself and didn't feel like wearing any makeup to work today, so please forgive the plain face :) I'm very much ready for spring now!

Here is a favorite recipe that I cook for my family. They all love it! There's a lot of chopping but well worth it. I do have a few substitutions. I use organic Swanson's chicken broth instead of water and I use 1/2 cup of Orzo instead of elbow macaroni. I think the Orzo is more elegant when serving to guest. I promise you will cook this over and over again!

Hi friend..

Sure wish I could call and just chat.
How did your weekend go?
What did you do? Don't you just love 3 day weekends!
What are your plans for the week?
Wanna come over and hang while I do some chores? I always get things done when I have someone to talk to.
Wanna go to a movie? I'd love to see 27 Dresses.
Got any new recipes? I was lonesome for home this weekend so I fried shrimp had mashed potatoes and fixed some sweet tea.
Aren't you just sick of this weather! Sure wish I could go outside and plant something.
I got my haircut, new style, colored & highlighted.
Take any cool pictures lately? Me, no.. I did scrapbook some old photos though.
Are you working on any projects? I did a little knitting this weekend. Could have done more since I sat in front of the TV most of Monday. I watched Blue Streak, love that Martin Lawrence! and I saw Chocolat and Gone with the Wind. I had no motivation to do anything else really. Just one of those days.
Any trips planned? I go to Juneau on March 10th. Really lookin' forward to it, never been.
Well I know life calls... hope to talk with you soon.

Random...

I've been doing a little bit of everything here lately and haven't finished one thing.
Things I need to do:
1. Work on Mom's scrapbook albums
2. Finish up spring surprise birthday wardrobe
3. Finish knitting my "Lucy Bag"
4. Make my bag for holding my knitting supplies
5. Work on scrapping for me
6. Get some pictures in frames I received for my birthday back in September
7. Get some pictures developed and printed
8. Put up some curtain rods and make curtains for them
9. Try to cook more, so I have more left overs for lunch and save money!
10. Use what I have before I buy any thing else!
11. Get my hair cut
12. Finish reading the 3rd book in the Women's Murder Club series by James Patterson
13. Try to wake up on time everyday
14. clean house

Hopefully I will have something completed soon to show you.

xoxo

Crazy cat! Makes me laugh. I was doing a little scrapping and Purrcules decides he wants to play too. So, he peeks over the table to see what I'm doing and he attacks the rick rack! I had to put everything down, go get my camera and try to recreate what he did. It was fun! Something to do on these cold cold days. I have not been out of the house since noon Friday. Can you believe that?!? I stepped out to plug in my sweet DH's truck today so it would be ready to go on Monday morning. I probably should have turned it on for a little while since it has not been cranked up all week. He's been gone, and I don't want to drive it.. so I just didn't even think about crankin' it up.. oh well.. we'll see. I hope its ok.

Tina - lifeLOVEpaper tagged her readers the other day. I don't normally do these, put as I'm waiting for a plane to arrive, I guess I have the time to think about all this.

Three scrap artist that are so inspiring to you right this moment. (meaning like, they want to make you drop everything and scrap!) Link to your fav recent layout they've done.
1. Drummergirl
2. kalbach
3. ScrapperMaz

Three scrap items you had to have at first site but haven't used 'cause you don't know what to do with it
1. flowers ledger
2. Grungeboard
3. Chipboard Camera Album

Three artists/songs that currently on your "creating mix"
1. Ingrid Michelson /The Way I Am
2. Train/Mississippi
3. Sheryl Crow/ Soak up the Sun

Three CHA releases you're most looking forward to
1. Hambly
2. Fancy Pants
3. KI Memories

Three blogs/sites you look to for instant inspiration
1. Saucy!
2. lifeLOVEpaper :)
3. Project 52

Well that is it for right now.

OVERLOOKED SUBJECT TWO

When did this collection began... probably from the first time I met my dearly beloved. He had a cigar box sitting on a night stand with stuff in it and I admired the box and he gave it to me. I still have it with jewelry stuff in it. He had a few more when we were married, but the collection didn't really get serious until recently, late last year. DH appreciates a good cigar every once in a while and has access to some really nice boxes. I saw this one box, Romeo y Juliet, that was so pretty... I asked him if would bring me one home.. little did I know he'd bring home lots to choose from and I kept most of them. They smell good on the inside too. They feel like little pieces of art to me. I like the art work, the labels, the wood.. I can just imagine me doing something creative with them one of these days. Currently I'm using them for props. I think they are decorative and yet practical. I have one filled with buttons in my scrappy space. And since the collection doesn't take up very much space and they are so pretty and useful, we will probably have this collection for years to come.

A few facts about my boxes:

~ I like the Romeo y Juliet ones the best.
~ I don't care for the velvet or the graphic more modern looking ones.
~ Sometimes they are free, sometime $1-$2.
~ DH really enjoys getting them for me almost as much as I like to receive them.

Saturday was good.
Had coffee at Jitters! It is a must in this family on Saturdays.
I went Knitting at the Far North Yarn Co.
Worked on my Lucy Bag.
Cooked a good dinner.
Cleaned kitchen.
DH started and completed laundry. Lovely Man!
Started and finished the above cover on my book for
OVERLOOKED!!

Started and finished the pages for Project One.
Proud that I'm working on something for me.
Watched some Northern Lights before calling it a night.
Have a lovely Super Bowl Sunday!