Thursday, February 26, 2009

1 more day...












Is it me or did this week just FLY PAST? I have been having so much fun. Baptiste has started his vacation and that means fun times are ahead. We do so much when he is on vacation and I love having him around the house. Don't want it to end!


I went to Borders and came home with this! I especially love the lunchbox and the owl notebook. I am going to have fun altering it all!



We ordered lattes and Jaree ordered a straeberry smoothie


Jaree was in heaven. She loves to read!

Mom was all engrossed in her book! She is reading MIDNIGHT by Sistah Souljah!

Jaree has discovered Goosebumps, move over Junie B. Jones....LOL


Mom stopped reading to pose for the camera. She thinks she's too hot! LOL

Jaree came home with this gel pen and stationary kit and 2 Goosebump books, she must have took them to school with her this morning, LOL

Before going to Borders I Scrapped! See!
















Plan on doing more today! I hope! Had so much fun. My new poison is colored duct tape, spray inks, hambly, and old music sheets! LOL Had so much fun. My mojo was on 10. Still feeling creative, so I will ride the scrap pony until it breaks down.....

See ya again soon!

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Goals!!!


I am taking my photography more seriously now.
I think it goes hand and hand with scrapbooking! LOL

I am paying closer attention to detail...
Cropping more closely..
Paying attention to background..
Paying attention to lighting...

One of my goals is to learn PHOTOGRAPHY, like really learn it. For real. For reals! LOL
I have always loved pictures...
Even as a child, I would grab photo album, and for hours on end, flip through picture after picture.

My aunt Virgie took hundred of photos and quickly put them into albums after every event. I loved going into her bookshelf and looking at photos from our family reunion, or my 3rd birthday party.

My mom took photos, but not like that!

that is where my love of taking pictures came from, Aunt Virgie!

Right now, I have a point and shoot Canon S5, with manual capabilites.
I have never owned a SLR and frankly I don't understand how to work in manual settings so I didn't opt for such a high end camera, but I am rethinking that as we speak..

I love my s5 and it has very high ratings! It is very much like an SLR. I can shoot in manual setting, it has optional lenses, filters, and flash!

I was thinking of getting either a Rebel XTI or 40D, not sure as of yet.

I really should take a class or get some books to learn how to shoot in manual settings to get the best use out of my camera.

I love digital photography and I was one of the biggest skeptics at first..
But, I don't want to always have to edit my photos.

I want to be able to get a good shot, without altering it...

I don't have any fancy programs, well I do...I just don't know how to use them. I have CS3 and Aperture, but I edit most of my photos in IPHOTO!

I am not good with technicality....LOL
I need to get some books of picture editing as well.

I have been looking in a lot of Digital Photography magazines and am learning a lot ...

Another area, I need to work on is Picture Printing, I rarely print at home.
I either go to Ritz (love the white border they put around the photos), but they are pricey, so I mostly use Walgreens (use hubby discount), or use an online company! Right now I have a 3 and 1 Canon MP5000 series printer, it is good, but I want a printer specifically for printing pics up to 8x10 or atleast 5x7. I want to be able to edit on the printer, add special features like white borders, LOL, and not pay 5 billion dollars for it, any suggestions???????

Also, any camera suggestions would be nice too.???

If you have any book suggestions for working with a DSLR and photo editing, that would be great too!

I am thinking of joining some of the photography challenges too!

Most of my greatest shots have been random flukes! When I try to hard, those are the worst pics ever, but when I just go for it, I get great shots. Crazy, but true.

I think I will go by the library and get a few books on digital photography, this week!

I am excited! Can you tell?

Monday, February 23, 2009

Happy Monday!




Hello all! This weekend just blew past. I had a very hectic but fun weekend. I had my cousin Junebug (who passed away) boys here for the weekend. I also had my cousin Pam's son Cardiae over too! So the house was full of testosterone! A lot of cracking on each other, wrestling, girl talk, things that Jaree and I both steered clear from! LOL Oh and lots and lots of FARTING. Let's say I messed up the ozone with all the Febreeze I was spraying around here. They had lots of fun and that is all I care about!

Cleavon, his oldest son(17yrs old) is taking it so hard. He was kinda quiet and stand offish! But, I talked to him, and he is really hurting. He wasn't on good terms with his dad before he died, you know the rebellious teenage years thing, but he loved his dad and his dad loved him. I think that is why he is hurting so bad. They were so close before they had a falling out, and I know that is all he thinks about! Poor Kid.

But having 6 teenage boys is Murder on the grocery bill! Damn those boys can eat. LOL I am glad I only have 2 boys, or else I would be BROKE. LOL

So I finally decided to give the Neti Pot a try this weekend. It works!!!! I am so happy! It's worth every penny!!!

Jaree couldn't stand it here with all those boys s my mom picked her up and took her to church and out to eat. My sister's church just built a 5.6 million dollar church and this Sunday was the grand opening. They had lots of fun stuff for the kids, so Jaree wanted to go so bad!!!! LOL Here she is with her FAVORITE COUSIN/SISTER Aaliyah. These two talk on the phone every single day, all DAMN DAY! LOL And if they don't see each other every single weekend, their will most definitely be some PROTEST! I love it that they are so close! Would be sad if they didn't get along. LOL Aaliyah will be 13 and Jaree will be 10 and the 3 yr, age difference doesn't mean a thing. Aaliyah likes to baby Jaree and Jaree eats it up!! LOL


Aren't they cute!!!





It was a total cooincidence they all decided to wear black and white, well Jaree wore black and silver, but you get the picture!


Love this pic with my mom and the kids
love this with my mom and the girls!!! My mom looks good to be almost 65! Damn good! Doesn't she!

In other news I will be taking this altered book class with Martha Boneau at Crafty Fancy! I couldn't attend the actual class, so they will be shipping the kit for the class with instructions included! Can't wait! Only $30!!! I always wanted to do one and I love Martha's work, so I am so stoked about this class! It shipped out today, so I should have it by tomorrow or Wednesday, as the LSS is right here in Illinois. Can't wait. You can click the red highlighted name to see Martha's work and info about the class!

I still did not start on my art journal this week like I planned...
These acrylic nails don't let me do too much of anything..

I want these bad boys off or I need to learn how to work with them on...LOL

Well that is all folkes..
Baptiste starts his Vacation Wednesday, and I cannot wait!
After the 4th or 5th day, we will probably want to kill one another, LOL
You know how it is...
Until next time!

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Rubons, Transparencies, and Papers oh my!

I was so geeked Thursday when I came home and found this package in my doorway!



When I saw it was my Hambly order, I was so excited!!! I got 15 trasnsparencies for 20 bucks!!!!! In a package, Bought 20 transparencies total!

The papers below were only $1 each!!!


The rubons and stickers were regular price, but I did have enough points accumulated to get $5 off my order! yay!

Can't wait to play!


And I love my new slippers, they ar o warm and cuddly and pretty and brigbt!!!

Love it! Got them at Target, along with a new wallets, tons of stuff from the dollar spot, new bath towels, and new sheets. Gotta love Target!!!

This weekend will be spent home relaxing. I have all 3 of my cousin Junior who passed away boys this weekend. The funeral will be March 1st, it would have been his 40th birthday!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Self Portrait Thursday!


Like I said before I really don't like taking pictures of myself. If you have been a long time follower of my blog, you have noticed that you will see tons of pics of my family, but I was always missing! Don't get my wrong, I never thought I was an ugly duckling, I know that I am a beautiful person both inside and out, but I am hard on myself! If my hair is not perfect, if my smiles looks corny, if my eyes look funny, I will DELETE that picture off my camera. I think that is why I love DIGITAL CAMERAS so much! Don't like it.... Delete it! Voila! Problem solved. Don't you wish you could do that with life, if you have a problem, just delete it. That would be sweet! But anwway......

I have taken many pics and thought, Ugh, I look too fat, my double chin is exposed, my smile is goofy.... I always find a reason to delete my pics. Why?

Now, looking at this pic, my hair is a little messy, but its ok! Everything does not have to be perfect! But, it shows who I am. Even in this picture I look unsure of myself.....

I play in my hair when I am nervous! That is why I am grabbing the tips of my ends!
I am not looking straigtht into the camera...
It shows I am unsure...

Now everyone that I showed this pic too, finds nothing wrong...

But I can pick it a part in seconds...

I am trying to be more comfortable posting my pictures...
After all, who is this woman behind the blog....

I know I am not the only woman who does this..
But, it was an issue I needed to address in my life..
It's ok, to NOT BE PERFECT all the time...

I am going to do an album dedicated to me....
All about DAna, something I have put off for years...

When my kids and grandkids, and great grandkids read my scrapbooks, they will have known me inside and out...

A picture is worth 1,000 words, so I have heard. LOL
If you haven't already, devote a layout or two to yourself every once in awhile. Perhaps a whole album. What would you want people to know about you? What legacy do you want to leave behind????

I have already bought my album! I plan on working in it this weekend...

I am ashamed to say, I only have a few layouts that include me in my albums. Mostly all my kids and family! Sad isn't it?

If I died today....
What would I want my family to know?

I am excited about doing this album!
Scared too, because I don't like opening up and revealing myself...
and even more I HATE TAKING PICS OF MYSELF.....LOL

This should be interesting....

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

I have an addiction ...

to magazines!!!!! Picked up these over the weekend! And I always have to read them in the order I buy them. I know that's a little anal or OCD, but that's me. I bought them in the order you see below, so that is how I am reading them! Ck is really good so far, and I am almost done. I really read the whole magazine too!!! I don't read just scrap mags, I love family Circle and Woman's Day, Essence, Cosmo, Real Simple, Domino, Black Woman, mixed media magazines, O Magazine, I can go on and on!!!!!!!




So I am really serious about doing an art journal!

These books are very resourceful! I have only read Somerset's Art Journaling. I flipped thru the other two and plan on reading them over the weekend! I bought Alphabetica a long time ago and that is also a good book to check out if you want to start. I keep a journal, I paint, and I scrapbbok and this combines all 3!!!! Love it!


I picked up a plain sketch book that I can embellish and decorate, those things are not cheap. Geez!!! But the pages are pretty thick and can take on a lot of weight!
I got some really basic charcoal pencils, I hope they work well. My dad is an ARTIST, and I get my artistic side from him. He is thrilled everytime, I pick up a paint brush or pencil to draw! LOL My mom gets jealous when we talk art! LOL

I get my crafty side from my granny and sister! My granny sewed, she knitted, she quilted, she crocheted, she embroidered, she baked.......
My sister used to do latch hook rugs, she can crochet, she is into decaupoge art, she makes the most awesome vases with fabric ,modge podge, and vases. She also makes jewelry! She got her crafty side from granny too!

Mom, not so much. She is more of a interior decorator, that is her gift. Her house looks like a chic furniture store ad! She has a knack for making any room look good!

I totally embrace my creative side! I get made fun all the time about my hobbies, but I don't care. It's my thing! I love to bake! I love to scrapbook! I loved mixed media art! I love to journal and write short stories! I love to paint! I love to make cards. I love altering everyting, i can get my hands on...LOL And I would love to learn to sew, knit, and bead!!!!! So what if people think "that's not black" oh yes, I have been clowned by plenty sisters who think that is "white people stuff".... Or I have been called a nerd, strange, odd, too much time on my hands, and it doesn't bother me. LOL

You can call me what you want, I call it being CREATIVE......
The end!!!!

Monday, February 16, 2009

Happy Monday!

It's been a wonderful weekend. Friday I went to Archiver's because I was alll out of white cardstock and fell into a panic, so I went and fell in love with these papers by American Crafts, it's their teen line too cute. Got a bunch of other stuff too!!!





Then I headed down to Joann's for some white folk art paint and found the above papers....


Goes perfect with these embellishmets that I purchased from Joanns a little while ago. I love the new Colorbok stuff!

Got my kit from The Dozens!!! Love it!!!

Bought these ribbons a while back, they go perfect with this kit!!

Found thse cute embellies on clearance at Wal-mat for 50 cents. sold!!!



Had a great mail day Friday!!! Got my kits from Mara May's etsy shop!



There were four kits included ....
Kit 1

Kit 2

Kit 3



Kit 4



I love it!!!

Got a pedicure for Valentine's day! Thanks hubby!

Got a manicure too!!!!

Sunday we went out to our favorite restaurant Hamada House of Japan, the best Hibachi grill ever. I got the Triple Delight, steak, chicken, and shrimp, with noodles, chicken fried rice, and stir fry veggies. It was sooooooooooo good!!!! Guess what? It was still crowded! LOL

Tempers were flairing and the hostess pushed a hostile guest and she punched her in the face and knocked her down. The hostess had a huge cherry bruise under her eye and cheek and she continued to work! I would have went home. She should have been fired because she struck first and that lady sure finished it up...LOL

Not only that, a table over from where we were sitting, a waitress served a 10 year old alcohol, he ordered a virgin daquiri and they put alcohol in it...

His mother was LIVID...
then the manager was NOT APOLOGETIC at all, and had the audacity to not want to serve them because he felt they were going to skip out on the bill, As Adrienne would say GTFOOH!!!!

I would have raised ALL KINDS OF HELL AND I WOULD HAVE GOT THEIR LIQUOR LICENSE REVOKED. I can hurt you more than just cursing you out. Then I would have sued their asses!! I am my mother's child! I don't play!

So I had a full weekend!
How was yours?????

This has turned into a novel, so I will end it here<<<<-----------------------
Until next time!