Pixel Scrapper December 2017 Blog Train - Home For The Holidays

I guess everyone has their own sense of what "Home for the Holidays" means.  I haven't had that feeling in such a long time.  Things changed once we moved to Florida.  I don't know if it is the warm weather or the fact that most of the family that made it feel like "Home" are now gone.  I remember growing up, we would decorate the house from top to bottom and it was a 3 story house (4 if you include a full basement).  We always had the biggest tree we could find. We don't have that down here.  I did my best when my boys were growing up but it just didn't feel the same....for me.  We would spend days baking cookies and go to parties that our parents would drag us to...we grumbled about it but always ended up having a great time and never ready to go home.  I would love to be able to turn back time.

I bake now but for the most part, I do it by myself.  I think I touched on this subject in my previous post...how the cookies never last a day and I have to bake more.  I don't mind since it's a once a year thing.  It's just too hot down here to do any type of baking any other time of the year.  We really won't see much cold weather until mid to late January and February.  It's great but at Christmas, the cold weather makes it feel more like home.  My sisters and I would put on our snowsuits and grab our sleds and go down the "mountains" (really it was just a hill at the park, lol).  We loved it so much, we would have icicles in our hair and we would be so cold but never wanted to stop.

Needless to say...for some reason, all of that fun was so complicated to put into design so this is what I came up with.  I hope you like it.  Enjoy.

***Don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper for all of the contributions to this great blog train.***

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Here are a few journal cards I made, they are 3.5 x 5 inches. 

Just click on the image and right click-save as...

Pixel Scrapper November 2017 Blog Train - Elegant Autumn

Happy Fall Y'all!!  Here is my contribution for the Pixel Scrapper November blog train.  I had a hard time with the colors for this theme but I think it turned out pretty good.  It seems like I needed a brown but I made it work.  Hope you can use this kit for some adorable pages.  Happy Scrappin'.

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Pixel Scrapper October 2017 Blog Train - Pumpkin Spice

Mmmm...PUMPKIN!  I get crazy for pumpkin around this time of year.  Pumpkin muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies....pretty much any baked goods with pumpkin. I'm not a pumpkin latte kind of girl but many people go crazy for them when our local coffee shops like Starbucks and Dunkin start serving them. 

Pumpkin cookies are a staple in my Christmas cookie baking every year.  They normally do not last long enough to get frosted.  Last year, I made 3 dozen on the first night of my baking binge and put them in an air tight container with plans on frosting them later after work.  My youngest son had devoured most of them before I got home.  I believe I made another 2 dozen and frosted what was left from the initial batch and warned my son to keep his hands off the cookies.  I come home the next day to frost the other 2 dozen I had made and there was only a dozen left!!  I looked at my son with that stern motherly look and he smiled and said "it wasn't me mom, I swear" as he raises one hand and places the other over his heart (you gotta believe him right?).  So I find out later that his dad had eaten the cookies....so he got an earful.  He says "I only had a couple"....ummm....yeah he grabbed "a couple" each time he walked by the container.  I eventually did get them baked and frosted (and many other baked goodies) so I could get my cookie baskets ready for neighbors, family and friends.  

So here is my portion of the "Pumpkin Spice" blog train.  Don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper and check out the rest of the train.  Enjoy!

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Pixel Scrapper September 2017 Blog Train - At The Zoo

Here we are in September and I am still cranking out the "summer" kits.  I went with birds for my "At The Zoo" critter.  I recently went to Busch Gardens and they have a ton of birds so this was the first thing that popped in my head when the theme was chosen.  I have done a lot of tropical kits this summer so I am looking forward to fall!  It won't feel like fall here for another two months but at least I can pretend right.  

Last month I mentioned I was starting a new job....well....I have already left that job and moved onto another.  I hope this one is it.  It really stinks starting over.  I had the perfect job which I loved and had put 12 years of my life into.  I really thought that would be the one to take me to retirement.  That didn't work out as planned.  The one thing that stinks about starting over is the vacation time I had accrued in the 12 years I had been there.  Now I have to start fresh....with one week off after a year.  I don't know how I will go an entire year without any time off for myself but we shall see.  

Well...here are the birds for my portion of the blog train "At The Zoo".  Have fun!

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Please stop my Pixel Scrapper and check out the rest of the train.  There are some really great contributions that you will not want to miss.

Pixel Scrapper August 2017 Blog Train - Good Vibes

Well Hello!  Welcome to August!  Can you believe it's getting close to the end of summer...well for some of us anyway.  We probably won't see cooler weather here in Florida until around mid-October (bummer).  I guess I can't complain too much since the tropics have been pretty quiet so far this summer (knocking on wood).  

I have been working on this kit for most of June and the entire month of July simply because I had zero ideas flowing through my head.  I've had plenty of time to ponder ideas but I've been enjoying time outdoors since I lost my job at the beginning of June.  The company that I worked for (for 12 years) decided to close our billing office and redistributed the work among two of the other billing offices in Texas and Kansas.  It was kind of a bummer since I really enjoyed working there and I really miss all of my co-workers.  The good thing is the type of work we do is abundant so the possibility that some of us may work together again some day are pretty great.  I had already planned a vacation for the week of July 4th so to have this happen before my vacation made it difficult for me to job hunt.  Not too many companies want to hire someone who will be taking a vacation within the first month of being hired....so I waited.  

I started a new job on July 24th....that was the longest I have been out of work in over 20 years and it felt great.  I needed that time off.  I feel refreshed and my batteries are recharged 😊

This is what I have for you for the August blog train.  Enjoy the rest of your summer!

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Don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper and check out the rest of the train.

Pixel Scrapper July 2017 Blog Train - Summer Lovin'

I am on a roll with the summer kits.  I hope you haven't had too many that you can't find some use for this one.  My favorite part of this kit is the string of lights.  I love those Edison style lights that are popping up everywhere.  If I had a deck in my back yard, I would definitely have these.  I was running out of ideas for summer so the elements are a little random.  I also opted to not create any solids since most kits on the train have solids.  One could only need so many solids in the same color right?  Anyway, I hope you find room in your scrapbooking arsenal for this great stash of summer kits.  

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Don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper for the other great contributions to this train.

Happy Scrappin'

Pixel Scrapper June 2017 Blog Train - Nature Escape

Hello everyone!  Here we are...6 months into 2017!  If it wasn't so hot here in Florida, I wouldn't believe it was already June.  I have been so busy at work since my promotion, sometimes I don't even turn on the computer once I get home.  I liked how these colors worked together, they seemed to have that "calming" affect on me so I was able to work a little here and there to get this done.  I brainstormed but couldn't really come up with anything more creative.  But...thankfully I was on the right path with my idea so the items in this kit should blend well with some of the other kits in the train.  There are some fantastic contributions this month.  I hope you all enjoy.

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Don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper and see what the other contributors have in store for you.

Pixel Scrapper May 2017 Blog Train - Destination Florida

Wow!  I actually finished before the 1st!  I haven't done that in quite some time.  We had an open palette so I decided to use the same color palette from last month and continue on with the tropical theme.  The theme for May is "Destination" (hometown, state, etc...).  I chose Florida because that is where I live and have called this my home for the past 23 years.  I was born and raised in Ohio but when I scoped out the planning thread there were already several "Destination Ohio" kits so I didn't think one more was needed.  I was surprised to see so many Ohioan's in the forum though.  

Anyway, last month I gave you the fish, now you get the birds and palms.  I am in love with the paper I used for the background in my layout.  I think it turned out really nice.  I have included a few other papers which are under the banner in the preview, There isn't much to this kit so I hope it will be useful for something.  If I find time (no promises), maybe I can make up some buttons, bows, ribbons, frames to add to it later.  It's beach season so I plan on spending a lot of time at the beach this summer.  We went to the beach so much last summer, lugging everything from the car down to the beach by hand...I am prepared this summer!  We bought a wagon to carry everything...water cooler, food cooler, towels, blanket, pop-up dome for a little shade, boogie boards, inter-tubes, air pump, sunscreen....you get the drift...there's a lot to haul.  This weekend is supposed to be in the 90's!

Don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper and check out all of the great contributions to this train.  The link to download my part is below the preview.

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Happy Scrappin'

Pixel Scrapper April 2017 Blog Train - Raindrops and Rainbows

Hi!  Long time....no post.  Sorry about that.  Real life happens.  I do have something to share this month for the Pixel Scrapper Blog train though.  I do have to confess...my contribution may be a little off compared to everyone else.  We were given the color palette and instructions to keep in mind "watercolor" and "fantasy" so mermaids came to mind so I ran with it.

Hope you can use some of the items along with the other contributions over at Pixel Scrapper.

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Pixel Scrapper February 2017 Blog Train - Winter Fun

I'm late so I will make this short and sweet.  Here is my part to the Pixel Scrapper February Blog Train...

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Don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper to snag all of the great freebies to this blog train.

Pixel Scrapper January 2017 Blog Train - The Guys

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

I hope everyone had a great holiday!  Did you make any new resolutions for 2017?  I didn't....I never stick to them so I decided this year, I'm just going to roll with it.  Whatever happens....happens.  I joined a gym over 6 months ago and I try to get there every other day.  I always hit the treadmill and alternate the extra workouts (arms or legs).  I have been trying to concentrate on my arms because they are getting a bit saggy and my 16 year old made a comment to his dad about my "flabby" arms...so I have the motivation to take care of that!!  Sometimes I over-do it and can barely lift my arms but it WILL be worth it.  So...I am NOT calling this a resolution but more like motivation since both my son and hubby are lifting pretty heavy weights and bulking up so I refuse to be left behind on the fitness train, lol.

Here is my contribution to this months Pixel Scrapper blog train.  There are some really great contributions this month.  Since masculine kits are scarce, I thought this was a great idea and there are many different ideas on "The Guys" theme so I am sure you will find something among the many contributions to make some great pages.  You will find the link to download below and don't forget to stop by Pixel Scrapper to check out the rest.

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