Happy Sunday!!

Hi everyone,

I'm excited to be your host this week. It's Autumn in the Garden and I hope everyone is enjoying the fresh and bright Fall colors at The Scrapping Garden.

I think Fall is possibly my favorite season. Of course, it marks the opening of the school year and the beginning of Football season - GO PANTHERS!!, the air is crisp and cool in the early mornings but we still have the gift of sunshine and warm weather in the afternoons. Sometimes in the evenings, you can smell the smoke from a fireplace nearby burning to take off the chill. The last of the flowers and garden show their ever-changing colors. And of course, we have pumpkins and gourds and the beautiful varied colors of the falling leaves, leaving the trees standing barren before their Winter's slumber.

We'll soon be celebrating our Fabulous Falloween Festival on October 21st through the 27th with lots of fun for everyone.

You can watch the Falloween thread HERE in the forum to see what all evolves in the way of activities during that week. Not everyone has their exact details ready yet, so keep an eye out for lots more to be posted there.

I'd like to tell you about one of my Autumn kits I have available and on sale for only $2.95 in the store this week. I've called it "Barren Branches". You can see the preview I've posted here and the kit can be found in the store HERE.

This is also the kit I'll be featuring in my "Easy as 1,2,3 Crop" tomorrow, Monday, October 8 at 2PM ET in the chatroom.

This crop IS Easy as 1,2,3. And it's even easier because if you're unable to attend the chat, you can still participate. Of course I LOVE chatting with everyone but I understand that some of us have day jobs - EYUCK! - I'd rather be digiscrapping!! Anyway, here's how it works.
1) You purchase the featured kit - in this case, the "Barren Branches" kit.
2) You post your layout using the featured kit in the "Easy as 1,2,3" Gallery HERE
no later than midnight October 15th.
3) I send you an Add-On that coordinates and is the same size as the featured kit.

How Easy is that?! And I also give away a coordinating freebie during the crop too!! Like I said, even if you're unable to attend, you'll still receive your posting bonus AND the crop freebie as long as your layout using the featured kit is posted by the deadline.

Watch the Easy as 1,2,3 Crop Forum HERE for all the information on these monthly crops.

And now for the last of my post (bet you're glad I'm winding down, eh?) and the REALLY exciting part of my post-------I'll be giving out a coordinating piece to the "Barren Branches" kit each day this week while I'm your host. So get yours HERE and remember, the link will only be good for 24 hours! Sorry, this link has expired.

I hope to see everyone at the Easy as 1,2,3 Crop Monday afternoon and until my post again tomorrow, I hope you have a Happy Sunday----oh! and don't forget to root for my Panthers today!!

HUGS

My Last Day.... Until next month

Hi Everyone,

I had such a great time hosting the blog this week. The comments have been so nice and I even got some great tips for the circus movie to show at the dental office on Halloween. We are hoping for Pee Wee's Big Adventure. I think we will need someone to dress as Pee Wee.

We are taking the kids to see The Game Plan today. They have been wanting to see it for weeks now. Disney is so good at promoting their movies.

Friday, the kids were off from school. Not sure why. Brian asked to go to daycare because he didn't want to miss out on the social activites. He is mister social. We got his interum report card and he got all satisfactories even for listening. Yeah!

I spent my day Friday finishing up a new kit for the Paper Patch Crop. Next Thursday night at 9:00 PM Est, I'll be in the chat room for the Paper Patch crop. All the crop information can be found HERE in the forum. You have before midnight of October 11th to purchase part 1 of Autumn Wind. 12 papers and 1 Stickit for just $2.00. After midnight ET, the entire kit will be in the store at the regular price of $4.95. If you post a layout using just the SticKit, you will receive part 2, all the kit elements, for free. You do not have to attend the crop to participate in this special challenge. I will however, be handing out coordinating elements at the crop to all attendees. These crop freebies are not included in the kit.
If you post a layout using the crop freebies and the "Autumn Wind" papers,then I will send you the kit elements and an additional coordinating SticKit. Post your layout by midnight ET October 17th in the Paper Patch Gallery found HERE and receive part 2 of the "Autumn Wind" kit, That's a full size kit (and possibly an extra bonus SticKit) for only $2.00.

If you haven't been to one of our crops, what are you waiting for. We always have great laughs and sometimes learn something too. I'll be co-hosting a crop with Michelle Rodriguez called Software Tips and Trick on Friday October 26 at 10:00 pm est.

Thank you all for putting up with my rambling this week. Hope to see you all at some crops and posting some of your creative layouts in our gallery. Here is Day Seven of Shades of Autumn. SORRY, THIS LINK HAS EXPIRED

I HATE Traffic!!!!!

I live in a town in Carroll County Maryland, which is North West of Baltimore. It is a little more rural out this way. There are two roads to the highway for thousands of morning commuters. So in the State’s infinite wisdom, they decide to close one of the roads to fix up the railroad crossing during the week and make a traffic nightmare. It usually takes me a half hour to get to work. Today, an hour and a half. Then, I had to go get my daughter from school in the middle of the day. And, drive back to work and the traffic home was horrible too. FOUR HOURS on the road. Arrgggggggg.

Anyways, hopefully your day was much better. My bright side is that I’m off tomorrow. Even though I have to do a few things for the office at home, it’s ok. Now, that I’m a Photoshop diva, create the ad copy for the office and get to do minor digital editing for cases we send to Invisalign.

Thanks for all the comments about how fun my office is. We do have fun and manage to get some laughs. I'll be hosting this blog again the week after Halloween so I will be able to post pictures and let you all know how the circus was at the office. So far, we will be decorating with lots of balloons; I'm bringing my mini popcorn popper that looks like one of those popcorn poppers at an amusement park; we are thinking about having cotton candy, and we are not sure of a good circus movie to show during the day. Dr. Epstein may not let us do the cotton candy. He is a dentist. I think it is ok as long as we give out tooth brushes too.

I got to watch two of my favorite shows tonight with family. I always love Survivor and Ugly Betty. We laughed out loud at Ugly Betty tonight. My eyes were watering I was laughing so hard.

Here are some of my favorite layouts from the summer. Good friends had a party for other friends that adopted a baby. It was a wonderful party that was a great way to end summer before sending the kids back to school. I used my Seeing Stars kit that is available in the store.

















I just added a new link on My Blog to another piece of Shades of Autumn. Go to my blog to get the link.
http://www.photoscraps.net/

Here is the preview of Day 6 of Shades of Autumn.
You can download this sampler SORRY, THIS LINK HAS EXPIRED

It’s Thursday and the weekend will be here before we know it.

Wednesdays are typically busy days for me. I work from 10-8 and we have an office meeting in between. A couple of people were missing this week so we actually accomplished something. For Halloween, this year we are going to do a circus theme. Sharon, Miss Creative for Halloween ideas, came up with some outlandish (fun) ideas. I’ll be sure to post photos so everyone can see how crazy we are. Dr. Epstein always takes us out to lunch at the Macaroni Grill where we turn heads. Last year, we each picked a holiday to represent. Dr Epstein was Santa and I was the Pilgrim. I sewed my own hat and apron with my sewing machine that I only use for scrapping. Yes, I have a sewing machine for scrapping; just don’t ask me to hem pants.

We found a new restaurant for lunch today Cosi. It is a chain that is new in our area. Very similar to Panera but you get even more choices and can order very ala carte for salads and sandwiches. We all liked our lunches so if you have one near you it is worth a try.

Tomorrow, my girl gets back from outdoor school. It sure has been peaceful this week. The bad part is that I have to leave work at 12:30 drive ½ hour to her school to pick her up and then go back to work. Not a fun lunch hour. I better have a good lunch. Here is a layout of my girl having fun at the beach. I used my Sand and Sea kit that is on special for just $2.00 now. At the end of this month, this kit will be retired. My Section of the store.

My husband is doing well with his new job. It really helped that he knew a lot of the people he would be working with. I am finally done filling out benefit forms for him. Ever notice how woman have to take care of all those sort of details. It is like having an extra child. And, frankly Brian and Kirstin are enough for me to handle. Speaking of the boy. He had another good day at school. Here is one of my favorite layouts of him having fun in the pool. I used my Caribbean Dreams kit which is also on final clearance.



You can download today's sampler SORRY, THIS LINK HAS EXPIRED

Wednesday is Hump Day! Half way there...

Today, I got to sleep a little later since Brian had an eye doctor appointment at 9:00. At his last doctor visit he didn’t do so good on the eye test, so they wanted him to see a specialist to be sure. My boy was so well behaved at the eye doctors office, I was amazed. He has a little near-sightedness in one eye, but it is not bad enough to do anything about. I’m glad he doesn’t need glasses because he would break them or lose them weekly.

Work was a blur of the same old thing. I couldn’t talk about Heroes with the one person who watches the show because she didn’t watch the episode yet. I really love the show. I am also a Reality TV fan. Survivor, Amazing Race, Project Runway, Top Chef, Biggest Looser, Beauty & the Geek, Gordon Ramsey, Iron Chef. Love them all. Right now, 30 Rock is my favorite comedy and Ugly Betty makes me laugh and cry, mostly laugh. You may say that I watch too much TV, but I have my computers set up next to each other so that I can watch TV on one (free downloads from the networks) and design or scrap on the other. So, instead of just sitting on my butt watching TV, I am being productive and multi tasking.

As some of you have heard, my girl loves playing football. She played on 2 flag leagues and was one of the better players on the team. Last, season she was the quarterback because she has a great arm. Well, she got really mad at me this fall because I didn’t manage to get her signed up in time for the fall league. That thing filled fast and my online sign in form didn’t want to work for me for about a week.

Anyways, when she was playing I got some great photos of her and she wanted me to design a football kit. So, one kit evolved into 3 kits. All three kits are on clearance right now for just $2.00 each. You can check them out here. I have some great kits on sale this month in my section of the store, HERE.

Thanks for all the great comments on the Blog. I didn’t really know what I was doing when I started the week, so the positive response has been great. Be sure to check out my personal blog if you haven’t already. I have some great photos in the photos that need to be scrapped area and a link so you can get another piece of this Shades of Autumn kit. Usually, I also put a heads up on my next crop on the blog so you can see what we will be scrapping at the crops. We have a great time and lots of laughs at the crops, so don’t be shy come join us.

You can download today's part of Shades of Autumn SORRY, THIS LINK HAS EXPIRED

TSG October Newsletter

Hi everyone. Don't worry, your not stuck listening to my rambles the rest of the week. :)

Hope you all are enjoying the guest bloggers each week as much as I am!

Anyway, I just wanted to make sure that everyone knew the October issue of the Garden Gateway is now available. You can grab it HERE

Oh! And don't miss out on the INVITATION ONLY Charity Garden Crop coming on Saturday, October 20th at 10PM EST. We will be handing out the BEAUTIFUL "Faith-Hope-Love...SURVIVE!" kit created by the outstanding TSG Designers and Team! This kit will ONLY be available at the crop - so don't miss out!!

To receive your invitation you need to just wear pink and make a $5 or more donation to Susan G Komen
To make your donation on the TSG Team Page go HERE
Make a copy of your receipt and then visit the TSG Forum HERE to find out the next step.

Tuesday October 2nd

Happy Tuesday!

Well, I survived my first day back to work after vacation. The boss made me just a bit angry mostly because he is clueless about computers and thinks that all you need to do to get one working is plug it in. Lots of stupid questions in a list form that makes me angry just thinking about it. SOOOOOO, I turned it upside down and didn’t speak to him unless I needed to. Don’t say anything if you can’t say something nice, right? Other than the man, everyone else was good and not too many things needed taking care of.


Today, my girl left for 6th grade outdoor camp for 3 nights. She was pretty excited about going and running around in the mud. Her main complaint is that I wouldn’t let her bring her “girl” clothes to get filthy in. Up until July, she only wore boy’s clothes because she was self conscious about her body and she is a jock. I guess too many people that didn’t know her called her a boy this summer. She started middle school and didn’t want all the new kids to think she was a boy. I’m thinking that she didn’t want the new cute boys to think she was a boy, but what do I know. So, we shopped A LOT for girls things that are not super girly (no pink) and she wanted to take the new clothes camping. NOT. She settled on some old shorts and jogging pants with semi-girl shirts. I used my Monograms Templates and Time 4 School kit for my K layout.


My husband started a new job today with the State of Maryland working on the computer networks for the state police. He was very excited and has been trying to get in there for 2 years. While he was a contractor, he spent many hours working on the police networks and made some great contacts. I am thrilled about the benefits working for the state compared to working for a 3 man company. Now, we don’t have to pay $7000 a year for medical. Yippeee…



Brian went back to school and didn’t get in trouble today. Yeah! He is such a sweet boy but he loves to talk and make people laugh. Last year in kindergarten, he had a first year teacher and she didn’t know how to handle the boys yet. This year, he has a teacher that has a lot more experience at least enough experience to know to separate him from other kids that he gets into trouble with. I used my Monograms Templates (on sale for $7.48 for 26 templates) and Sand and Sea (On final clearance for just $2.00.

I have some great kits on sale this month in my section of the store, HERE.

Here is the preview of Day 3 of Shades of Autumn. SORRY, THIS LINK HAS EXPIRED.