Hey Ladies...

whatcha been doin?  It's hot here and we know what the heat is - a sign of the devil.  I am zapped before I even get out of bed most days, so I just sit here looking at message boards, watching TV. Too tired and pained to fight the heat to scrap.  Poor pitiful me.  Okay, over that - thank you for putting up with the BS.

Truly, I'm sorry if I've been neglectful.  I have only been in my scrap room a couple of times since the sssssssssnake.  I have been over at A Cherry on Top getting my feel of the place.  Heck, I'm even hosting a Challenge this month over on the message boards. {You know what goes here - a WooHoo}.  It's about the town we live in and you have to choose supplies from a rather extensive list.  Random winner gets a $5 gift card.
There are about 20+ Challenges a month over at ACOT with a random winner for each.  About 95% of the Challenges offer a $5 gift card.  I saw where one lady won at least 2 gift cards last month - so those can add up and your chances of getting them are just as good as anyone else since it's picked by a website called random.org.
Then, on top of that, there is the Gallery where you post your Challenge entry as well as any other craftiness you care to share.  Points are given for each Gallery entry - if you show photos of your supplies you use, you get more points.  (Cynthia, you could display your tags too!).  You also get a point for each comment you make in the Gallery - so you can skim through the other peoples layouts and post comments wherever you feel, getting points each time.  Those points on top of the Cherry Hunt (1-3 cherries posted on products and gallery submission) and you can rack up a bunch of points unless you're lazy like me.  Then every order gives you points - I don't know the point to dollar ration, but it's significant. Anyway, for every 1,000 points, you get $5 off your order.
Also, every month there's a 20% off code that you can use on your order or you may opt for free shipping over $100 (I don't know how this applies to UK Ruth, but I'm sure it's discounted).  And of course there are pop-up sales all the time.  But even if you don't want to do anything but 'converse' with scrappers, post and look at the Gallery, play some games (they're fun!), or check out new product - you may want to take a look.  Oh and they have Shimelles new line by American Crafts for Pre-Order! {Another fat WooHoo!!}
Okay, that sounded like a sales pitch if ever I've heard one; but I have enjoyed myself...y'all know I don't get out much!

I have scrapped some:

First this one - it was the example I used for the Challenge I'm hosting:

Background paper: American Crafts; Camera paper: Bella Blvd; Embellishments: American Crafts, Bella Blvd, Simple Stories, Two Peas in a Bucket; Letter Stickers: American Crafts, October Afternoon

That photo was taken from the Navarre Beach Pier with GiGi's iPhone 5s.  Wow, she is beachin' several days a week this summer; she's having a great time.  I told her she needed to stop because it wasn't fair.  My pain is her gain - my devastation, her good time - my need for winter, her fun in the sun.
I will say this though - we have thoroughly spoiled that child.  But, you should know, it's been for a very good reason.  First, we have set her standard of living very high; much higher than anyone else in the house obviously...GiGi gets the best of everything while I thrift shop.  In this way, she will never settle for a n'er-do-well - boyfriend better have a very good education/job cause she's high-maintenance.  Funny though, she hardly ever expects anything.  I mean, she'll say something like 'really love this', or try something on and, well, that's about all it takes.  And she's always sooo appreciative.  Also, she has every intention of getting a job in January as she turns 16 in December; she really wants to drive and knows the only way that's going to happen is if she can pay insurance. But, she too has admitted that she knows what she's expecting from her future husband; and while it's not a rich man, it's someone who loves her enough to provide for her.  She says she just wants what Grama (my mom) has always had and she could be very happy in a house just like this one with a man who loves her 'as much as Baba loves Grama'.  I'm proud of this - she has every plan to have a career, but doesn't want to end up like me - good for her!
Second, GiGi can do very little for herself.  While she's a pro at unloading the dishwasher, she won't touch a dirty dish.  We are always falling for the 'pretty please I'm so tired' bit about doing her laundry (honestly, she just doesn't know how).  She's over 15-1/2 and still hasn't gotten her drivers permit, so Lord knows she'll probably be 18 before she gets a license.  She cooks hash browns, corn souffle and cupcakes.  And while she can be very frugal and budgeting about her own money (saving for shopping sprees), she rarely ever leaves the house without getting money from someone in case she wants food (who can turn down a kid who may need food).  Why do I let this use and abuse keep up? Quite simply, because I never want her to move out.  (Shhh...I'll tell you a secret - one of the reasons we still sleep together isn't just a logistics issue; it's because she walks in her sleep and on more than one occasion she's gone outside.  You don't really think I'm going to ever let her live alone, do you??!!)  But even with all I've said she can't do, I will say this: if you ever need to deal with Customer Service regarding anything, she's your girl - she's not afraid to call, talk to, deal with anyone about anything - she's the first to make the call and it's all business.  Did I tell you I'm so proud?!
Enough about Gigi, I've also scrapped a few things about me (and Hairy Pawter):

The second layout is from the Shimelle weekend. It is named 'the Harry Potter bookmark' because that is the bookmark that Gigi bought which I use all the time.  I use this as my moniker when I post these pictures from my bedstead each month. Of course, both layouts are practically all Maggie Holmes Flea Market with the exception of that woodgrain on the first page - that is Crate Paper Oh Darling. (Did I show this already?!! Oh well. Did I mention I'm brain-dead?)

Then I did this for a Challenge at ACOT which goes something like this: there are 3 rows by 3 columns of scrap-products (9 total); use 3 in a row for a layout like in tic-tac-toe.  I used all 9 so I got a double entry for the $5 gift certificate:
 tags                                            glitter                                              buttons

die cut                                         lace                                                paint splatters

cardstock                                  at least 3 patterned papers              bling     

This is almost entirely Maggie Holmes Styleboard with some Flea Market thrown in.  Of course then there's that other stuff like SC Stars, OA little letters, Little B tape and bunches of stuff from my stash.

Yes, I actually used buttons and lace! It was a stash buster alright, so glad to use some of the older stuff.  There's another layout, one of my little buddy JC (I know, we forget about him sometimes with all these GiGi selfies!) but it has undergone a change about 8 times - twice since the last pic I took.  I know you're all so flabbergasted about this because I never change layouts - LOL!!! But, alas, I have finally finished it for good - loving it better than ever.  Unfortunately, GiGi has my phone so I can't take a new photo of it now. So I will save that one for next time.  (Poor GiGi, her computer is in the shop so she has to share mine (or I get to share mine because she has it most of time) and her iPhone went back to Apple today because it stopped working last week so she has my phone as well.)  

Okay, well that's about it for tonight.  I hope everyone is staying cool and scrappy.  See ya on the net my fair blonds.

Stay Safe and Scrap On!

“Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not. ” - Pablo Picasso