Nothing much to say!

I know... I know... you're dying to hear from me!

But frankly... it's pretty boring here!

So... to satisfy you're hunger, I'll refer you to my favorite blogger (wink)

The O.C. will happily tell you how her day is going!!

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I won an Award!!

Okay... I don't know who got the bright idea of nominating me... but WOOHOO!! Thanks a bunch!!

I won!

That's right... I have awesome friends!!

Love & Hugs!!

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Artful Inspiration

One of my favorite art projects is altering books. Normally I would rather donate a book than destroy it, but when this Reader's Digest came in the mail I couldn't help but picture a wonderful canvas. Some might say that these sketches would look better on a blank piece of paper, but I believe the text adds something wonderful to the pictures. So while you all know I can "trace" images digitally, I thought I'd share some of my hands on work with you :)

Woman in a Poncho

(This is not my favorite, just a sketch playing around with my markers)

Summer Tree
(I love the whimsy of this tree. It just makes me beam happiness!)
Fairy Dew Drops
(a small sketch on a folded page between the tree and the frog)
Frog Prince
(Yes, I know... he's floating! But I love it!)
Roses Cannot Know True Love
(The verse is original. I never did get why roses stand for love. I think love should be represented by something more hearty... like... I dunno... thistles!)
Pity for Humanity
(I love this angel and have drawn her many times. My favorite is one with broken stained-glass wings.)
Mother Earth
(This turned out far better than I expected when I started. I think I'll write some verse in silver on the black area.)
Sleeping Buddha
(I'm debating on whether to use silver to fill in the buddha. I love the look, he just doesn't stand out the way I'd like. Maybe even a quote in the outer circle.)

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Who Am I? (Creative Writing)

This is my all time favorite writing exercise and I got it from Granny Nanny. I love it because it allows you to pull out of yourself the things that wouldn't normally come to mind when you think of who you are. It makes you go beyond "I am a wife, a mother, a teacher," and think about the little things that molded you into what you are, as well as the heritage you hold on to.

After you read mine, feel free to fill in the template and form your own "Who Am I?"

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I am from handmade quilts tied with love on a livingroom floor,

from tall glasses of ice-cold Lipton tea that only Mom can make just right

and Dad's yellow cake with chocolate frosting for breakfast.

I am from run down,

pieced together,

and the smell of sweet alfalfa after a warm summer's rain.

I am from the annoying musk thistle,

the persistant goathead sticker.

I am from branding on a hot Sunday afternoon

and my Father's cold blue eyes;

from Cleta

and Elsie

and Beulah

I am from very bull-headed

and slightly redneck.

From "don't steal from me"

and "don't lie to me."

I am from the Mormon Tabernacle

and Mother Earth,

where Spirit is something unique to each of us.

I am from a small midwest town

and the pioneers who traveled across these plains,

homemade noodles

and goulash.

From the baseball player who chose to farm,

the man who took in another's children,

and the one who never cared for his own.

I am from the boxes in my mother's basement,

a hopechest full of memories,

and the love that holds my family together.

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Your turn!

CREATIVE WRITING TEMPLATE

I am from _______ (specific ordinary item),

from _______ (product name)

and _______ (anything).

I am from the _______ (home description... adjective, adjective, sensory detail).

I am from the _______ (plant, flower, natural item),

the _______ (plant, flower, natural detail)

I am from _______ (family tradition)

and _______ (family trait),

from _______ (name of family member)

and _______ (another family name)

and _______ (family name).

I am from the _______ (description of family tendency)

and _______ (another one).

From _______ (something you were told as a child)

and _______ (another).

I am from (representation of religion, or lack of it).

(Further description.)

I'm from _______ (place of birth and family ancestry),

_______ (two food items representing your family).

From the _______ (specific family story about a specific person and detail),

the _______ (another detail),

and the _______ (another detail about another family member).

I am from _______ (location of family pictures, mementos, archives and several more lines indicating their worth).

You can elaborate as much (or as little) as you want. Either way, it is a neat way to look at yourself.

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Housekeeping (Day 1 of 3)

Okay, we have apartment inspections on Monday. My goal is to have this place sparkling by then (since my landlord felt the need to let herself in and critisize my housekeeping). So, here's the list of things I did today. Maybe it will inspire you to get a security system to keep unwelcome visitors out.

1. 2 loads of dishes
2. steamed and wiped down the microwave
3. wiped down part of the counters
4. picked up the trash
5. picked up the laundry from the bedroom
6. picked up O.C.'s toys from last night
7. Found the remote to her TV
8. wiped down a couple of the walls that were a bit greasy
9. CLR'ed the dish drainer
10. cleaned out the med cabinet
11. wiped down the tables
12. folded some blankets and fluffed some pillows
13. Bleached the toilet
14. Can's bagged for recycle

Since the LL is so freaked out, I must have found growling critters in all the corners... right? Wrong!! I found one skillet of dried on hamburger, a bowl of cereal from last night, and one nasty sippy cup hiding under the couch. Other than that... there is nothing I can't tackle... which says a lot since I have the world's weakest stomach and PC has to do the nasty stuff.

So... while she sent me a nice note of concern wanting to know if we were okay and if we needed her help... I can't help but think!!

PULLLEEEAAASSSEEE!! It only looked trashed because a days worth of soda cans were waiting for recycle and dishes were stacked for washing. I know how bad it looked because I gritted my teeth expecting something to bite me... but really, it was just a surface mess.

I sure wish I only worked 16 hours each week and had all my kids in school so I could stay home and make sure dust particles didn't land on my TV stand! Yes... I still like her. Yes... I'll still be civil. But seriously, if she wasn't such a sweetie to me, I'd really like to bitch slap her!

*thinks how hilarious it would have been if PC would have walked out of the bedroom naked while she was letting herself inside* Of course we'd have to place bets on who would be more embarassed!

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Mutany is Afoot!!

Check out the lies a 2-year-old can tell about Mommy!!

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Shipping and Handling Charges May Apply!

O.C. was happily playing in the living room. When I returned from the bathroom, she was nowhere to be seen. The only clues that she existed were the cheerios strewn on the floor and a half full sippy cup on the coffee table. I quickly scanned the room to discover this....

On my hands and knees I began to investigate!....

I guess someone wants to be mailed somewhere with warmer weather too!!

Have a great week... SPRING BREAK is only 2.5 workdays away!! WOOHOOO!!!

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Layout

Celtic Buffy - Please email me at PrincessK.Designs@yahoo.com so we can set your layout up.

IN OTHER NEWS...
This is actually a first draft for Cassey. As usual, I'm not completely sold on it. The road in the background is bugging me because I can't get it to look the way it does in my head. Anyway, I'm putting it out there for Cassey to look at and I'm totally open to ideas on it. Color changes are easy and if there's any ideas about the background I'm totally open to something better. I've tried a couple of ideas for the road and they either come out too cluttered or just stupid. I really like the girl, but if Cassey doesn't I'll try something else and save the girl for another layout.

Anyway, let me know what you think and if you have ideas to make it better.

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Why are you crying?

Despite the smile on her face, just moments before the picture was taken she was whining about a mysterious delima? Can you guess what is wrong with this child?

Looks perfectly normal right? I mean, footsy p.j.'s on a warm night... Smile on her face because she loves cameras... she should be perfectly happy...

Until you notice this...

I forsee a life of shoplifting in her future... either that or some strange fetish!! Scary!

Granny & C.B. -- email me at PrincessK.Designs@yahoo.com and we'll work out the best way to install your layouts!

Everyone else -- check out my newest layout at Chris's place!! You know you want to see it before she does... lol.

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Granny Nanny

Okay, this one was a little harder. The pool table was the start of the idea, but my original idea turned out way to green and icky. So... adding in a few more elements, I finally came up with this one. It's not quite like the other's I've made, but I do like it.

It's got purple carpet. It's got a pool table. It's got a purple martini (couldn't find a good picture of a vegas bomb). And the legs? Well... if you're going to pimp out a Princess you'd better have some good taste in shoes!

My favorite part? The header. It's Granny's family!! I redrew them so they looked cartoony and added some neon bar signs behind them. Oh yeah... it's animated too!! The title flashes from the neon purple shown, to the neon green over in her little logo!! That is awesome!

Only thing I don't like? Because the header is animated I have to put it in using html. As a result, I can't center it.

Now... I do hope she likes it, but it isn't very "Granny-ish" so if she'd rather have a more traditional look, I'd be happy to try again.

Well DAMN! I can't seem to get it to post so you can click for a bigger pic like the others. So I'll improvise and show you the header.

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Celtic Buffy2

Here's the bright version I came up with. I definately like this one a lot better. The images were hand drawn (I did add a very light overlay of the photos to get some realistic detail shading).

I lowered the left column to make the beach towels visible, but everything scrolls up like normal. That can be put back to the original height if you prefer.

Again, don't worry about my feelings, you have to look at your blog every day so it's important you're happy with it.

Again, waiting for something to go with on Baseball Mom and Cassey. I think I have an idea for Granny, but we'll have to wait and see how it turns out!

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