little gi

friday friday FRIDAY!!!

this week we've been laying low..
* found the coolest pumpkin cupcake pan at williams & sonoma yesterday...
* settled on countertops & cabinets for the kitchen...the appliances are all ordered....we are so excited to have a new kitchen soon :)
* planning an October weekend at mystic aquarium for their Halloween event
* checking out all the cool stuff patty has been putting up in her etsy shoppe...these may need to come home to me
* have to set my fantasy football team for this weekend...hope i don't leave anyone on the bench who goes & scores 32 points like last week!  ugh!
* getting ready for kelly & my hiking trip tomorrow with her brownie troop
* still thinking about hotel rwanda...saw it last night & i'm still so disturbed that we all sat by while hundreds of thousands of people were murdered...joaquin phoenix's character said "people will see it & go 'that's horrible' & then go back to eating dinner"...unfortunately it is very true...

well gotta run...mike is home again today so he is going to join me & the kids on our friday ritual lunch & farmers' market run....mozzarella, basil & tomato baguette here i come!!!!

hope you have a fantastic friday!

xoxoo

gi

on tap for today...

* heading out to the market in a bit...we need a fresh peach fix
* going to be re-watching the women's individual gymnastic all around competition from last night w/ kelly...go USA!  gold & silver!!!
* the crafty crow has really links for great kid's craft projects...this one definitely caught my eye...hoping to give it a go
* hopefully catch up with beth..talked w/ her briefly the other day & i miss her :)
* make stuffed peppers for dinner
* a little bit ago soulemama posted really great instructions on how to make her gratitude wrap...what a cool project!  wouldn't these make really great gifts! need to start making a gift list
* hit the hardware store for wooden dowels...found in our library book, kids knitting, that we can make our own knitting needles...such a cute idea
* try to contain my excitement @ taking a class from terri ventura on sunday with jayney

like always i've got so much in my head i want to do...since the house is a bit quieter w/o my little crazy man i'm hoping to have some time to create (read...keep my brain focused so i don't miss him too much :)

hope  you have a great friday!!

xoxox

gi

p.s....don't forget!  kenner road pre-sale subscriptions go on sale today here!!!  check out ker's blog for more information...YAY ker!!!  i'm SO excited for her & i'm psyched to see her kits...i KNOW they are going to be awesome


 

it's a good thing...

i have been totally engrossed in crafting at the moment...
devouring some new craft books like sweet needle felts

and bend the rules sewing

and warm fuzzies

such cool stuff i can't wait to give a go...

& i've been super inspired by the fantastic mel lately...she has such great little sewing projects on her blog & i'm totally looking forward to creating some felt food for the kids this week so they can have a little picnic w/ their "guys"...am even thinking of stitching up some & putting in little baskets for Christmas gifts

today we were super crafty around here... i taught ryan & kelly to finger knit & they did so great..they added some beads on the ends of their little knitted strands & made sweet little bookmarks for grandmom & grandad...& now i just found a great tutorial on another method, so we'll be picking up some more yarn to try this way as well...and then, just to add to my june cleaverish day we made homemade pizza dough together for dinner...oooh it was so delicious! 

tomorrow is my turn over at onelittleword...really enjoyed creating this for this one and pulled out that sewing machine again...i'm totally hooked sewing everything right now

have a happy rest of your tuesday!
xoxo

gi

p.s...go michael phelps!!! ANOTHER gold medal AND world record tonight!!!  SO FANTASTIC!!!! i think he has one more final tonight...fingers crossed it is gold # 4...love watching how excited his mom gets during & after his races...she is adorable :)

back for a sec....

i'm in a whirlwind right now...

just got back from marco island & the butson wedding...SO FUN!!!!!!!
here is the gorgeous bride & groom :)

was really bad at taking pictures during the weekend tho...too busy enjoying myself :)
& oooh we did....collected so many gorgeous shells from the beach of the gulf of mexico...actually sat w/ mike on our balcony and drank a whole pot of coffee in the morning while staring out at the beach....danced the entire night....drank delicious pina coladas....walked on the beach at 1am (coming back from the beach bar, of course ;)....laughed SO hard with such good friends....cried happy tears because my heart burst with pride...caught up with family that we don't get to see enough because we are all spread out all over the country...ate delicious food but didn't get to finish it b/c we were too busy dancing...witnessed 2 glorious sunsets right on the edge of the gulf...and lots lots more :)


i know this pic is totally blurry...& i'm a bit sad that i didn't get one good pic of mike & i all dolled up in our fancy schmancy clothes...but there ya go...we were too busy enjoying every second (& pina coladas :)
like i said...it was such a good time...such wonderful memories...i love weddings :)

and now i have lots to do before i head off again to silver bella with my girl kerry...
who, by the way, is this month's guest designer at hambly!!!!!!!!!  whooo hoooo!!!!  can't wait to toast with her in omaha w/ some champagne...make sure to check out her gallery over on there...UNBELIEVABLE!!!

i've got lots of scrapping to do before i leave on thursday morning...just got autumn bliss from SIS...hello! glimmer mist!!!

and if you have a free minute be sure to check out becca's blog...she is running an auction to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation...lots of wonderful stuff...i've donated my "a new day canvas" to the cause...

happy bidding!!!!

so have a happy tuesday!!!!!!

xoxoxoxo

gi

i know i'm behind the times....

but we saw this movie the other night....i'm still reeling from it...absolutely phenomenal...no wonder it won best picture

& i have to post the stuff i actually got to create this weekend while hangin' with breanne, morgan & nic at MLPA...we did a round robin & had SO MUCH FUN....if you don't know what a round robin is see the webisode HERE  (episodes # 26, 25 & 24) & then call up all your scrappy friends & do it....SO FUN i'm tellin' ya....one word of advice tho...make sure everyone explains who is actually in the pictures they are doing so, let's just say, no one accidentally mistakes a brother for a husband & proceeds to put a whole bunch of lubby dubby stuff on a brother & sister page b/c they thought they were doing a lover page....just a tip...don't know why i would THINK of such a thing...LOL!!!  (sorry nic!!!!!!! )

& now that the new september collection is posted up...you all know why i've been absent over here....b/c i've been buried under mounds of green & gold felt!!!  but it is all good...gotta love making some little lub for the SISters :)

today is a dreary tuesday & i'm hoping that the kiddos take a nice long nap this afternoon so i can get busy on my OLW layout that needs to be posted today...new word up tomorrow & nothing like waiting till the last minute huh?

hope you all are having a happy week!!!

xoxoxoxo

gi

to do.....

wish THIS wonderful friend a happy happy birthday :)

put away all the boxes of teddy grahams i just bought at target

try to wrestle my new shoes back from tater...she has taken quite the shine to them

try to thank all of you for your kind words & hugs & prayers & encouragement & commiseration & inspiration & love & kindness & generosity & for just basically being freakin' WONDERFUL!!!!...any suggestions????.....i'll have to see what i have lying around here ;)

make some more blackberry limeade....YUMMMM-OOOO!!!

send you guys all HERE for some crazy RAK'ing during july

remember to buy more peaches....they are PERFECT right now

get THIS BOOK for the plane ride to Chicago...stacey says "it's BEAUTIFUL" ...nuf said :)

speaking of my trip to Chicago for CHA....i'm thinkin' i NEED this ...you know it can get chilly while drooling over all of the new products...LOL:)....check out THIS BLOG for tons of sneaky peekys :)

speaking of sneaky peeky...have to remember to ask my friends in france if this happens often

play some more with some Shabby Rockstar :)

PLACE my order w/ etsy for the bazillion things i've put in my cart like THIS FABULOUS APRON  made by one of the most talented women i have "met" in scrappin'...Rhi

ooohh....& do some laundry :)

happy thursday everyone!!!

xoxoxo

gi

holy moly!!! & lots of other stuff....

i'm baaaaaaaack!

settle in....i've got some catching up to do :)

i finally finished & sent off my second circle journal...i had total mental block w/ it, which is really weird considering my theme of Cheers!!!  Your Favorite Summer Drink...LOL!!!  but i got it done & really liked how it turned out...here's a sneaky peek:

as you can see, a little more lubbin' for the kelli crowe collection ...geez louise i'm in love w/ that collection...& i still have some of it to work with...like lots of that gaffer tape...yummy!!!  lucky me!!! Yeah!!!!!!

i just got stacey's circle journal....omg....soooo pretty!!!  i can't wait to do my entry this week, the ideas are swirling

i finished breanne's...her theme was "what inspires you?" & i had such a blast w/ this one...
ummm...yeah...i used the collection again :)...are you getting the hint that i'm in LOVE w/ that pp??? freaking awesome

this is the full entry...bre has this cool 7 gyp journal that opens 2 ways...as you can see i added some hambly transparency frames as inserts for my journaling

this is my kelli crowe collection city w/ the streets of gold glitter & some felt clouds...oh my i had so much fun w/ this...i almost didn't send it on to jenny

i also have a circle journal going with another group of super talented scrappy friends & will be sending erin's ( i LOVE her theme..."if you knew me, you'd know"...i want to do a whole book of my own w/ erin's theme...such a great idea!!!) out this week too....yeah for making new scrappy friends!!!

& speaking of new friends i had such an awesome awesome awesome time in PA at memory lane
i got to meet the amazing & super fab kristina contes ...holy moly, talk about inspiring!!!  the class was AWESOME!!!!  kristina is so generous with sharing her art & her class is just sooo much fun, i learned so much & had such a blast & have such a saaah-weeeet little book to oogle over now....she bought some of her mini's that i have seen on line, but dude....to touch them was like freaking heaven...she is a genius & sooooo sweet & fun & hilarious & inspiring & a fantastic teacher...if you ever have even the remote chance of taking a class w/ her, don't be left on the fence!  DO IT!!!  you will never be sorry you did :)  & hopefully we'll be able to get together again & get our scrap on....& maybe i'll steal her camera again & take some more obnoxious pics ...LOL!!!!

i also got to meet katie (who makes the most AMAZING mini albums...seriously, this girl is like the queen of finding amazing stuff at yard sales & antique stores) during the crop the night before the class...another sweetie pie & amazing artist...hopefully our paths will cross again down the road...maybe even at one of those antique stores she was telling me all about! :)

i finally got a couple of my emily deck of me challenge cards done...will post them tomorrow since it is too late to take the pics...but it was so fun to get back into the art journaling...love doing those little cards, but i forgot how much

on the family end of things....we went to the mets game on tuesday w/ the kids & lots of friends...we looked like total nut cases all decked out w/ our mets shirts on...sooooo hilarious!....& since our good friend's company rented it out, we got to be back in the bleachers & picnic area which is THE place for us...so perfect b/c the kids can just wander up & down the bleachers & have fun w/ all of the other kids (how crazy is it that now we all have kids that are playing together??? i AM getting old...HA!!!) & they have endless cracker jacks & drinks & free baseballs & they got to see Mr. Met...tater tried to break down the bleachers with orlagh, those little girls have got some mad strength going on....guess all those waffles grow some pretty big muscles & ryan has been singing the jose reyes song all week now...cracks me up every time! & kelly ate her weight in cotton candy & mike & i got to catch up with lots of our friends...hardly saw one play of the game but such very good times

hope you all had a fantastic weekend!!!!! 

xoxoxxoxoxoxxo

gi

tim tams, a tag & a sneaky peeky...

i'm in heaven....seriously...

i got the most amazing package of a little bit of heaven today from one of my favorite people in the whole wide world...janine (make sure you visit her over at her blog & say congrats....she was one of the winners of scenic route's monthly challenge - GO JANINE!!!!!!!)

when the mail carrier handed it to me at my door today...i jumped...
seriously...i jumped around the front stoop like a freakin' crazy woman...

and i swear my breath caught in my throat b/c this is what i saw when i opened up the box....

seriously...

am i not the luckiest gal in the entire world????????

do you even SEE the pin?

& that is POLKA DOT FABRIC!!!!!!!

& the prettiest colors....

& do i have to even type it....but it says  "chocolate from AUSTRALIA"!!!!

but wait...there's MORE!!!

isn't this the prettiest little bundle?

i LOOOOOOOVE it!!!!

the colors are AMAZING! 

the fabrics....

the ribbons...

the super cool brads....

& an awesome board book...
(you all know i LOVE a mini!!!)

i really must start saving for a trip to Australia....for reals....

because i really must hug this amazing, awesome, fantabulous girl....in real life....

I LOVE YOU JANINE!!!!!!!!  (& now mike loves you too....those carmel tim tams are INSANE!!!!!!!)

now i've been tagged by a bunch of crazy girls....(ronda , P , kerry & leslie )

so here are my 7 random facts @ gi....

1.  i am sitting here on the couch watching UFC fight night...(mike had it on, but now he is fast asleep on the couch & i'm too lazy to change the channel)...craziest thing @ this is i actually know most of the fighters now & have even seen some of these fights before....i would even venture to say that i kinda like it....kinda....:)

2.  one of my favorite meals is tuna noodle casserole...i'm not joking...i LOVE it!

3.  i cannot leave the house w/o my lip balm & hand cream...

4.  my cell phone usually has a dead battery...but when if by chance it doesn't & you call me... i answer all worried, b/c i still have that 90's mentality that cell phones are for emergency use only

5.  i am so addicted to my TIVO that i think i can rewind everything...even my radio in the truck

6.  i need to have a blanket on me to sleep....I NEED TO!

7.  i set my alarm clock every night w/ the grand illusion that i will actually get up when it goes off....but EVERY SINGLE MORNING i turn it off & sleep and refuse to get out of bed until kate is screaming "mommy!!!!" at me from her crib.  but i have dreams of getting up an hour before the kids & sitting & enjoying my cup of coffee in the silence of the morning....hmmm....maybe i'll set my alarm tonight & actually get up when it rings tomorrow morning????  it does sound like such a good idea :)

now...just to make the very most out of this long post...

here is a sneak peek of the circle journal i just completed:

i LOOOOOOve how it turned out.....as you can see...i went a little crazy w/ the felt :)

happy tuesday everyone!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxo  gi

thursday 13....

1. yesterday as we drove around in the truck from hither to yon...ryan looking out the window said to me "mommy...i'm sick of all of this white...i've had enough of winter"...i hear ya buddy
2. got my march cocoa daisy kit today....oh my....i forgot there was felt involved....RED felt....(petrina you would DIE!)
3. evidently i really am the only one in the universe who thinks "Jabip" is a known term  for a really far away place that was a pain in the a** to get to...(as in "i had to go to Jabip to get it"), i said it to laurie today & she started cracking up and reminded me that i made it up...it really isn't a known saying...(but now...maybe through the power of the internet...hmmmmm...should i be looking up copyright laws??..)
4. check THIS out....really cool...may have to make a trip to the hardware store & whip one up for myself!
5. i dare you to watch THIS! and not fall out of your chair laughing.
6. still working on my promised in progress project....i didn't forget!
7. decided that i may, in fact, be in love with making memories paint....just bought 2 more sets of 6 bottles each at target...they were on clearance & reduced to $6 per set...i *heart* target
8. my secret bunny at 2 peas is hip hoppity....how cool is that!
9. my happy mail partner, marie, is so sweet!  i love getting her little hello's & peanut praise (& kick butt happy mail)....this woman's kind spirit is really infectious.
10. kelly told me this evening...."mom...did you know a dung beatle lives and eats elephant poop!  that is so disgusting!"....needless to say, i agree...wholeheartedly!
11. am so excited to go to the city this weekend....thinking @ seeing zodiac & getting my sahadi's fix
12. kate was being a complete clown tonight...she is at the cutest stage right now...& really starting to talk up a storm....she loves the brown bear, brown bear book...when you sit down in the rocking chair with her she'll say..."bra ber, bra ber buuuk"...i got tons of kisses from her tonight...complete with the "mwaaaaaah!"
13. gotta jet....mike has survivor cued up on the dvr...

happy thursday!  g

run, don't walk....

and look at THIS!!!!   amazing....amazing....amazing.....i'm still staring at it five times a day.....so super cool....(& if you haven't clicked on it already, haven't i made you just a bit curious????)

happy thursday!!!  gi