The Ford finally died. It is literally on the road dead. No compression in two cylinders. But I am really excited about my NEW car!! Whoo hoo! Okay so well it's not a brand new car or anything, but it's going to be new to me! And it is going to run and be reliable! Very exciting! I haven't been able to drive on the highway since November, and since I am not a homebody, it has been slowly killing me. I am getting my new vehicle this week, so happy days will be here again!

I won't have as much creative time this week as Esme's party is this Saturday and we have quite a bit left to do to prepare. Mostly we have to get our entire house organized and everything put away so that our guests will be able to move freely through the house! Esme's party is going to be bigger than ever though, since she all of a sudden seems to have lots of little friends. It's a dinosaur theme. I am soooo wishing I bought those Basic Grey dinosaur stamps on clearance when I saw them!

I was so lucky to be a Guest Designer at Scrapperie this month and get to create with the Cherry Jubilee Essentials kit! The only thing added to any of these pages was Stickles - everything else came in the kit.

Just finished this new little bunting for Esme's Bitty Baby, Emily. So much fun to sew with a machine.

Did this layout at Stephanie's last night.

Taking a challenge at Scrapperie to blog about my Sunday activities....

First, I wake up my daughter. This is a challenge because she is used to sleeping late all week and has to get up around 8 on Sundays, and usually finds it objectionable. Then we get ready and head out for church. The first activity at our church is Sing. We sing lots of different kinds of songs for about half and hour, and then we have Sunday School. Esme goes to Godly Play and I go to Adult Ed whenever it is offered. Every other week we stay for the church service. This was supposed to be our week but I was feeling so blue after Adult Ed I decided to make it next week instead. Also next week is the last Sunday before Lent, so it will probably be extra festive.

After church we usually go home and wake up my husband. He works late so he usually does not go with us, unless there is something special going on. We usually have lunch together and then either settle into a nice day at home or go out someplace fun. We're a homeschooling family so two days are never the same for us - routines don't really happen in this house!

So glad he is now our president!!!

Cyber-scrapping with Lisa - this is my first layout of the night!

R.I.P. Number Six! Patrick McGoohan died today at age 80. Full story here.

Made these wind chimes to sell at our church fair - three flower pots decoupaged and strung together. Tried to do classic summer colors.

Working on ATCs right now....here are some from my first and second series. Happy New Year everyone!

This was one of my favorite gifts to give this year. It is a magnetic board with two clips that I made for my best friend's mom, Carol. Carol loves to get homemade gifts, especially ones that include pics of her granddaughters. This was a pizza pan from Dollar Tree, and the clips are from Dollar Tree as well.

Made this project for my sister-in-law's baby shower. The little baby face is a photo of my grandmother that I copied. I altered a clementine box and layered it with tissue for the wrapping.

It's been a difficult couple of weeks around here. Family member in and out of the hospital, others not well, car trying to die, friend evacuated first for carbon monoxide, then for flooding, problems at school that in my mind shouldn't be, awkwardness other places, more family problems, a burned up toaster oven, my scanner bulb burned out and can't be replaced, etc. My stress level has been building up and every little thing makes me want to cry!

However, at the same time, I have many things to be grateful for. Tonight is Ethan's last night of double shifts, and the extra money should enable us to pay off our new water tank. A good friend offered to make sure that we get a good new used car. My family and friends have generously said they will watch Esme so that I can work this week. And in a few short days, I will be on vacation with my sweet husband for twelve whole days! Hooray! Plus I will be able to have my family over for Christmas dinner, always a delight and I am soooo grateful that I get to do this.

Yes things have seemed not quite right around here since sometime in September, but perhaps that means things are about to get better. I am preparing a list of resolutions and goals for the New Year. I am challenging myself to be more creative and more focused on what I really want to do. I am planning on more time at home with my family - I realized last week how much they need me, and was reminded that the reason I took this job was to have the flexibility to be here for them. I want more time for my friends too, especially the ones who support homeschooling and who encourage me to be creative. I feel like I am about to burst with ideas, in 2009 I plan to express more of them!

I hope everyone is happy and well, and that everyone and anyone reading has a wonderful holiday!

We have a winner! I let Esme choose a random number on her chart and IamDerby is the winner! Thanks everyone for the wonderful comments and compliments - they were so appreciated! Hope everyone is having a wonderful December!

You've seen my projects, now win a kit to do some of your own!! I received the complete line of Love Letters products from Little Yellow Bicycle and would like to share the love. Leave a comment about the line or any of my projects to be entered into a drawing to win the page kit (shown here) and a little extra surprise from me. I will let Esme draw a winner Friday evening.

Mini Album and Fold-Up Folio from the Love Letters line by Little Yellow Bicycle

I love our church. Growing up and for the last few years I've gone to churches that held Sunday School during the service. Our new church has played with the schedule several times during their search for a new rector, but I think they've finally got it right. We start every week with a Sing. There are tons of musicians - people playing guitars, usually someone on flute and someone on piano, plus lots of kids playing percussion, etc. We usually sing a variety of songs, ranging from kids songs to traditional hymns. We do rounds and sing antiphons. It is so fun! It is in a smaller space so just a few people make it feel full. Next we move on to Sunday School, and while my daughter is learning Bible stories and church traditions, I get to go to adult classes. So far I've learned about the history of Christianity in our area, Religion and Politics, and much more. Then I grab my daughter and we head over to the service, which since our new Rector arrived, has been fairly traditional, which I also like. I have also been lucky enough to meet several very creative, likable people there, and feel very included and appreciated. The new rector is wonderful too, and that seems like the icing on the cake. I feel home.

Got the photos from my brother's wedding last year and couldn't wait to start scrapping them! Almost everything here is LYB Love Letters!

This is my next project using the Little Yellow Bicycle Love Letters line - a special album for my husband for Christmas!