One More day..

One more day of rest and recoup it seems. I still feel a bit fuzzy and not thinking clearly, but feeling better overall. I am anxious to start designing again. My little one stayed at his cousins house last night. He was so excited. I can't wait to see him. I miss him tons. And my hubby did last night to. I better run before I say something that doesn't make much sense.
Thanks for stopping by
Enjoy!
Chris

I am home..

Hey Everyone! I am home. I am exhausted and feel a bit beat up so I will probably spend the day sleeping it away. Hopefully tomorrow I can catch up on all the wonderful emails that have been sent to me. You guys are awesome! Wonderful ! and just the best. Thank you for your prayers, positive words and sending them my way.
Have wonderful rest of the way!
Enjoy!
Chris

PS thank you to Lori for posting updates!

Update # 3

I just heard from Chris... she is home. Seems that her throat is somewhat hurting her from the surgery. She was going to take some meds and head of to bed!

Just wanted everyone to know she was home - and so far so good!

Until Next Time!

Lori

Update #2....

Just wanted to let everyone know that I just got off the phone with Chris's husband and he said that Chris out of surgery and is in recovery. He said that everything went extremely well – they were able to do the surgery laparoscopically. (That is REALLY great news!!)

He also said that she should be released sometime tomorrow!!!

So we should see her back here at this space sometime in the next few days!! Meanwhile - I will let you know what I know - when I know it!!

As Chris would say ~
Enjoy!

Lori (aka Beloved Keepsakes)

Update #1

Good Morning - this is Lori (aka Beloved Keepsakes) again. It is about 10 AM my time and Chris is getting ready to head to the hospital and I don't expect to hear from her hubby until about 4 or 5 PM her time (that will be 7 or 8 PM my time) tonight!!

As soon as I hear from them I will let you know! I know she greatly appreciates all your prayers, thoughts and well wishes!!!!

Catch you in a little~
Lori

Shhh.. Don't tell!!!

This is Lori of Beloved Keepsakes here! I just thought I would sneak on to Chris's blog and let you know that I will be filling in and giving you updates about Chris and her surgery as I hear! I know how worrisome it can be not to be in the know!!!

So as soon as I know what is going on - I'll let you know too!!!

Until then - as Chris would say ~

Enjoy!

Lori

It's Finally Friday....

Do you like my animated countdown clock? I always get an email that says I didn't tell anyone when it was gonna close. Or they missed it. Here is the countdown and don't forget the store is on Michigan time. So I am reminding Reminding. Click on the link to the right if you want to join.
Enjoy!

****** If you want some music to read todays post scroll down a bit and hit the play on the youtube video and read away.... :-)

Well what an eventful day yesterday started with a long list of errands to run. Quick stops but all told I had ten of them and one was a quick visit to the docs for my little one and this would be a drive by visit because they won't let us in the office. Why you ask?? well because my son has Chicken Pox. Yepper .. had the vaccination and still got it. But hey at least we know he's had it. Really he only has about 20 spots and it is a super mild case because of the vaccine. But please pretty please could we not throw anything else in before surgery on Monday? This is my annoying whining, but the positive thing?? A snuggling snuggling little one. Lovin' it. We got toy story 1 and he has watched it three times since we got home. I am veg'd out on it. And we canceled all the plans for the weekend. It will just be us enjoying eachother company and probably working more on the craft room project and other little things I should get done. He isn't to itchy so that is good. And he just needs to keep cool so he doesnt get anymore. Love to cuddle I do!

** so my goof moment with this all??(because you know I have one) I was talking to my Sis-N-Law and telling her the scoop and why wouldn't see her this weekend... And she is a nurse so I am trying to use official lingo and said well on Monday the doc wrote a note that he didn't have vermicelli.... {{silence .. crickets}} Then I said wait that's not right. Isn't vermicelli a noodle.. she giggled at me and said the official word for Chicken Pox is.. varicella. Soooo I am a dork. Oh well. at least we laughed.

***SALE SALE SALE***

So have you been to the store? My whole section is on sale. Which includes all the new files that uploaded. I still have more to add, but they won't make it before the sale. So visit my section and Lori is having a sale to after giving away all those files all week. Pretty awesome.

** So what do you have planned for the weekend? Anything fun? I am looking forward to some time home before the hospital visit Monday. But I am gonna miss seeing all the family Saturday night and friends on Friday night. But I will see them all again. And I won't have to push my way through the rest of the relatives to see my niece and nephew they are almost one. Coming up in the next months. Wow. Time flies when your having fun!

Have a wonderful wonderful Friday!
Enjoy!
Chris

Well those of you who havebeen visiting me for a while Know I like this song on Fridays!!
Enjoy your weekend!!

QMC poll for a file...

Members of the QMC please skip on over to the forum at the link above (secret forum link) and choose which of these 3 file sets you would like.

I try to put a varied selection of files in the QMC so that means I can't load them all. So please vote away!
Enjoy!

Chris

One of those days...

Ever have one of those days where you just can't get your head in it at all? Well today is that day for me. Not sure what the deal is. So excuse me if I seem a little off.


I have some files in the works, but not completed yet. So that means.. On to life...
So last night it rained and poured. When it rains in the desert then everything gets flooded. They shut down the roads in parts because people will drive through them and then get to a point where they have to do a swift water rescue. Last night my hubby got stuck about 2 miles from our house on one side of the water. after about an hour a few cars tried to go through and made it so he called me. So I got in the big 'ol truck and made way down there. Mind you it is full of trash right now because it is ready to take a load to the dump, but it is a diesel and old and I didn't want to potentially sink my Expedition. So headed on down and there are about 14 cars lined up with people standing all over and this wash (river) is a running. So I put it in 4 wheel drive and made my way through it. It wasn't deep and it was running but not uncontrollably. So we gave another lady a ride home on our way and made it home finally. We got up about 1030 and drove back down there to grab somethings out of the car on the other side because they were computers and we weren't comfortable in leaving them out there in the middle of the dark obviously stranded. So this morning the water is gone and their are cars parked all over the end of the road. It is always interesting.. When we pulled up to the wash my son said... LOOOK MOM. It's a RIVER. We need a BOAT. All the way home after we got Dad he talked about needing to get his fishing pole and go out with the boat. He is cute and gets super excited about things. Makes life fun.

Thank you again for all the emails! I really appreciate all your prayers.
Have a wonderful rest of the day!
Enjoy!
Chris

Organizing the scrap room...

Howdy and Hello.
Well it is Tuesday. My little one is home with me today. I have decided to do house stuff and work on new files for the QMC today and run to town tomorrow and spend all day finishing my long list of errands. Do it in one day and save gas or not. I think in the middle of all the stops we will hit the mall so my little one can play for a bit and get a break. I am looking forward to it.

So I havebeen working on my craft room/office space. I did some last weekend and can't decide what form of organization I want for my things. I have been doing some research and found a very helpful blog (link) Mostly for sewing room organization, but the ideas and links were just awesome. So I will be looking further into it. I really think I will put up a sheet of thin metal and use some form of magnetic tins and pockets. Especially since school is gonna start and alot of the "for your school lockers" products have magnets on them. We shall see. Still working it out. Slowly but surely. I also am purging and pitching and donating items left and right. Today I will be loading up the back of the truck with more goodwill items so I can plan to hit the drop off stop on my way tomorrow. I am ready for it to just be organized so I can get back to scrapping and creating. Right now I crawl over everything and run test cuts and thats it. Will be nice to have it together, but I won't have it done I am sure for a bit.

Also, looking at some track spotlighting. I have an overhead light in my craft room so when standing there everything seems to have a shadow on it and that shadow is me. So I am going to put some tracklight above my head and shine right down where I am working. Something else I am researcing.

Well I better run. Have a wonderful day!
Enjoy!
Chris

Mondays Funday!

Hello to everyone! Made it through the weekend and can I say you guys are awesome. I have gotten some of the nicest emails regarding my upcoming surgery. Truly I am blessed. Thank you.
Did everyone have a great weekend? We did. Not as much accomplished as we would have liked, but still a nice weekend. This weekend we have friends coming over Friday night to play Poker and Saturday night my Sister's birthday is coming up.Should be lots and lots of fun! Sunday I will be organizing organizing for surgery and being unavailable. And this coming weekend I am running a sale. My friend Lori is celebrating Christmas in July. So i thought I would join her in celebrating the downward slide of the year and the need to get to the holidays gifts underway. In the process of moving the craft room around I realized I have alot of things I could use as gifts. I should start taking photos of things and posting and see if your awesome creative minds can help me come up with some things. Lori is also offering coupons and files so check out her blog. You'll be happy.

Okay so this was mentioned by Terina (HEY TERINA!!) on one of the groups so I had to go check it out. I am a gizmo girl. And I love Printers! Love them.


So I am wondering how well this works, but I love its portable size. I will be checking into it further to see what it has to offer. I have a portable printer for my digital camera by epson. Which I love, but thought this might be an interesting addition. It is called the Polaroid Pogo. If I get one I'll review it for you. Right now I am saving for Photoshop CS3. It is time to upgrade so I am pinching pennies to get it. But it will be so nice when I have it.

Also Scrapbooking.com is having a Vacation Layout Contest.. Here is the link. We are winding down the summer and I am sure you have some awesome scrapbooking pictures you could put in a layout. This contest ends July 31st. So it is a quick one, but thought I would put it there for those who have a free weekend.

I better run. Still files left to upload for the sale.

Have a wonderful day!
Thank you again!
Enjoy!
Chris

Twisty torture tests.. surgery... ahhh its the weekend!

Well it's Friday. Yeah!! My son is having a couple friends come over to play this evening. He is very excited. He even picked up most of his room because I told him it was the contigency for them to come over. He got it picked up and is happily taking a nap so he can stay up late.

I have been working on files and descriptions. Those winners of the descriptions( and they were all wonderful) will be receiving a copy of the file and I hope to get them all loaded up to the store for the sale. Awesome awesome. So I will get the emails through and I had alot of entries to choose from. Thank you for that!

Next I have uploaded files to the QMC. 2 more. So we are at 7 out of the 20 and I am still working away on it.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I am gonna make this short and run because I have to get a few more things done. Like season the chicken for the grill. hmm.. homemade gourmet seasoning mix the Cilantro Citrus one I think it is. I love it and GLUTEN FREE. Yeahhh! Baby!
Here is the ladies site that I buy from. Yum Yum. I love the Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad. It is so light for summer. Not a heavy taste at all.

Well thats my food rant.

After the 28th I won't be able to eat for 2 weeks. Did I tell you what that was all about. Here goes I have a hiatal hernia. And of course cause I like to do things over the top.. instead of being able to take a pill and make it better. I have officially somehow pushed the majority of my stomach up through my diaphragm muscle and into my chest cavity. To compete with hmm my lungs.. throat etc everything else you have beating in your chest. So because the majority of my stomach is in the wrong spot they have to put it back. Yeah! So the tests to get this done are like torture tests. Let me stick a tube down your nose and see how your esophagus is doing, oh wait better yet lets put a transmittor in your throat you carry around a little pager looking thing for two days and try to choke food down an already constricted throat. Wow I sound bitter. Not really. When I left the place with the tube thing down the nose I told her I was I headed to Disneyland. She did the infamous commercials... Oh heyy.. now that you've had a tube pulled out your nose what are you gonna do?? "I'm going to Disneyland" I said. The people in the waiting room thought I was nutz! But hey I was done with the test and I failed, but passed in a bizarre way in order to prove I need surgery. And when the lady who was putting me under for the ph bravo test (transmitter choke your throat test) told me I couldn't do an MRI for 30 days because the transmitter pops off your throat from its little suction cup thingy and then has to pass through your system and they want to make sure it doesn't get pulled out by an MRI. I smiled at her and said. hmmm.. lets see CT scan with pukey liquid and sick for two days, tube down nose to stomach test, and transmitter in throat test. Yeah I don't think MRI is on my schedule of torture. She laughed and said well at least I had a good attitude. So how is that for some details you don't care to know.
My goals out of all this..
1) To be able to breathe normal
2) to not feel like I am choking all the time
3) to be able to laugh again without worrying about coughing and hurting . I just realized I am doing this the other night. Trying to not laugh because I cough so hard I feel like I might cough up my stomach.
4) to be ableto lay down and sleep withouth worrying if I will gag
5) to make it past the 30 day mark without having to walk by a high powered magnet and have that transmitter pulled right out my skin because it hasn't passed yet. That would be something like the Matrix where they pull something out of the guys stomach. yuck.
6) And to lose some weight because I will be only able to eat slimfast or ensure for two weeks and then very minimal small meals after that. So why not take full use of losing half my stomach.
7) And get it all over.

Lofty goals but I am excited to get it all over with and maybe head to the lake sometime in September. Okay now.. don't you wish you had quit reading? hahah. I am a rambler. I will be fine and you guys are awesome so I know I'll get some emails about taking care of myself. I so appreciate all the positive thoughts and prayers. And I look forward to being on the road to a new adventure without so many twisty weird torture tests involved.

Enjoy your weekend!
Chris

PS I know I said I'd make this short, but yowser.. I am not sure I know what that means.

And why am I telling you all this because I am sure when you read this blog for the next few weeks you will here how I hate the taste of slimfast it is to thick and the gluten free ones taste like chalky and other random items of grossness .. or how about the story of the fighting Berium Xray Techs while I was waiting in the machine... yeah great!! Love you guys.. thanks for stopping by..

3rd post today... and a few more

Not sure which of these is going to the QMC. but they all need descriptions for the store.. If you don't know what I mean scrol back a few posts from today.
:-) Hope you can help.
Enjoy! Chris
one is A birthday card front that definitely could easily work for the man in the life.
A card front with two titles for more use. and the party one could be used on any project for fun! together or using the elements seperately.

A few more..

if you need details please scroll down to the previous post.
The "You Make My Heart Sing" fie will be loaded to the QMC. This isn't important to the description. Just wanted those who are part of the QMC to see it and know what is coming.
Email me HERE.. and the winning description gets the file.

These are gonna go quick...

So I can get them up in the store I will be choosing quickly. So don't be disheartened there will be future description challenges. You guys write so much better then I do.

Here are the first ones that I need descriptions for. If I pick your description for the store, I will send you the file.
Light fun, multiple uses and easy read is what I look for. About a paragraph long.

**
I will be offering the Challenge files in a whole set. They are an obscure set of files, but I have been asked for them more then once as a set. So I am gonna load them as a set.

This bubble bracket jumble has been added to the qmc already!

New coat of paint was added to the QMC and Paint Diva is on its way to the QMC!



All your help is soooo greatly appreciated!! Thank you in advance for participating! Please email me the descriptions HERE. Enjoy!

Chris

Ready for some description entry challenges?

I hope to post a bunch of pics tomorrow of files I want to the load in the store over the weekend. And I am looking for the best description and if yours is the picked one you can have the file. These are all files that I have had on my computer for the last couple weeks and just can't write the text files so I am putting it out to you... AND WHY??? Because I need them in the store for next weekend because I will be putting my whole section on sale. So keep an eye out of for the pics tomorrow and let me know what you have for thoughts. AND THE OTHER REASON WHY?? Because you guys have sent in some awesome descriptions in the past. And I love to read them.

I will need them in as soon as I can get 'em because I have to get them all up this weekend. So think quick and send me your thoughts.

Descriptions are for the Paperthreads store so people can read it and find out about the file and give them possible ideas for the use of the file.

For now I need to get some laundry flipped. WOOHOO! Home tomorrow Yeah!! I have plants to plant. Wash to do. Cleaning. Craft room stuff and files. woohoo!!

Have a wonderful evening!
Enjoy!
Chris

Almost time for bed...

The end of a long day... Well here I am my son and hubby are laying on the couch and the latter is snoring. Our tv is off so it is nice and quiet and I am posting finally for today. I have thought about it all day, but kept getting sidetracked. I added two new files to the QMC alot of you have downloaded them already so you know they are there. I am in the midst of working on more. I have surgery at the end of the month so I am trying to pack the membership a little full right now. Thank you for everyone who has joined. I am adding people in the mornings so I keep consistent. So if you aren't added and I missed you let me know with your order number and forum name.

On to life..
So my little one is going to the same school during the summer, but they call it summer camp. I went in to pick him up yesterday and he said "I need to learn spanish". I smiled and said awesome. I am all for learning. Well I went in to pick him up today and there he sits with a little boy and girl that I know only speak spanish. He is trying hard to repeat what they are saying. And they are smiling at him puzzled as he answers there questions in his own version of spanish. All his teachers speak spanish and so there are some children over summer who visit that speak spanish only. I like his school because they teach everything in Spanish, English and Technology. In preschool they didn't do it so much, but I have sat in on a Pre-K class and they ran through the days of the week in spanish and english and read a book also both ways. Excellent for his brain to capture on to. We have participated in the technology part. We have donated some computers so there are extras in each room for the children to work on. I am just rambling because my son just came up to me and said a bunch of ramblings and smiled and walked away saying thats spanish for I am not ready for bed yet. If you have any suggestions on a childs learning spanish dvd let me know, please. I'd like to know what he is saying so I will listen in to. I have a hand at spanish and can understand bits and pieces. However, my husbands spanish gets better with Corona and lime. haha.
Well I better get everyone to bed.
Have a wonderful Wednesday!
Enjoy!
Chris

Our Trip Pictures and Challenge Slide Show

Here is a slideshow of our pictures from the trip with family. We first went to Prescott and then to San Clemente where we hit Disneyland while in California and spent lots of time on the beach.


And here is the slideshow for all the challenge entries I have thus far.



Also, I have added everyone to the QMC that has joined. If you can't get into this link HERE. and have joined, please email me your order number & forum name and I will get it handled.

I will pick some of my favorite moments this week from the pictures and post about them. So many great moments and tales. So I am sure you will see more of the photos if you don't have time to sit through the slides.

Have a wonderful rest of the day!
Enjoy!
Chris

I am home...

I am here working on catching up on emails, downloading great trip pictures, adding members to the membership, uploading challenge file pictures. Keep them coming!! The ones I have so far are just awesome! And I had a ph bravo test so I have this little pager looking thing traveling along with me in my journeys. Apparently I keep walking to far away from it so it beeps at me. woops! As you can tell I couldn't get the mobile blogger to work. I kept trying to send pics from the ocean, but they didn't come through. I will have to try and play with that again. So if I get a chance I will upload more pictures for everyone to see and the challenge pictures as well.

Have a wonderful day!!!!
Thank you to those who joined the QMC while I was away. You won't be unhappy I have more files in the works already!

Enjoy!
Chris

test blog

Countdown to departure

Well folks I am packing and getting everything together. I have a long list of to completes before the end of the day. One of those is finish adding all new members to the forum I have so far. So after today I won't probably be back 'til Friday. I might try to stop in and see if I can't figure out this google mobile blogger thing to send in pictures.

Everyone have a wonderful and safe fourth of July!
Enjoy!
Chris

PS one of my todos is to setup the mobile blogger so if you see some test posts that is what they are.

:-)

WOW ... WOW .... WOW ....

Really I don't have many other words today then WOW. Look at these Challenge Submissions. Everyone has really outdone themselves. These are the submissions I have gotten so far. Remember I moved the date back to the 11th so you have plenty of time to get them in.

WOW!

WOW!

WOW!


**


Sorry Guys I cannot get my font to go back to normal. This is Huge!
Scrapbook Pages, Card Fronts, Embossing, Stamping, You name it we got it!! Woohoo!!
I think you can make comments on the layouts at this link.
Or if it is your layout you can add your own personal notes to it.

I always get asked what kind of paper, stamp, "how'd they do that"

Feel Free to add a note.

http://picasaweb.google.com/cdurnan1234/ChallengeJune08

And if you can't. My apologies. I am just learning Picasa, but am liking it so far.

Enjoy!

Chris

PS Links have been sent out to join the challenge and no additional links will be sent the deadline to get the link was July 1st. I have to have time to pack or we will be headed to the beach with no clean clothes. Yikes! Keep an eye out for the next challenge.

Tack Room fixes, QMC opens today... due date delay for challenge

My husband impresses me all the time. This was his latest fix for our revamped tack room. He needed a blanket rack for the horse blankets and so he threw out some ideas here and there for the last week and then came in and said I got it. He welded a piece of rod iron fencing to some rebar and horse shoes and then anchored it to the wall. My hubby is a jack of all trades. Welds and is always working on improving things it is awesome. I know we are in for a change when I hear... "I've Been Thinking" Usually if it's in concrete I know it's secure, but if it isn't well .... it's up for debate. Here are pics of his saddle blanket rack.
And I found this appropriate for the Tack Room refrigerator. An ode to John Wayne, a Luckenback Texas sticker from our honeymoon and a magnetized bottle opener. I must say that Luckenback stick brings back found memories of the prettiest dance floor I have ever seen in my life. We pulled in to this little place where the sign was and looked at this falling down barn thinking what are we doing. And when we opened the door we just sat there and smiled my husband gave me a little spin on the dance floor and it was the shiniest gleamiest (is that word?) smooth wood with a ton of coating floor. It was beautiful. I yearn to kick up my boots on it again.

And then of course something I think every tack room needs. A cute cowboy. but I might be a little but biased. And that rack on the back is a rack for more tack that he welded. Second hand horseshoes. We have buckets of them. Now for my oohing and ahhing on to the rest...

Today is July 1st that means the new QMC is open and as most may know it got opened a few hours early yesterday so I could catch any misses asap. I am adding members quick as possible. I have emailed the yahoo group and posted in the membership. So I hope you got all your files down and are looking forward to another quarter. If you purchase your QMC after the 2nd there will be some delay because I will be walking the beach with my cute cowboy! and will be back after the tenth. Here is the link to get you to the membership....

http://www.paperthreads.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=154

If you purchased and can't get in. Please email me your forum name, and your order number. I know there are a few out there I couldn't add because I didn't have enough info. IT SUPER SUPER helps if you input your forum name at the very very bottom of the order page.

If you want to purchase you can go HERE

Thank you thank you to all the participants.

I better get some things done. Like upload all these great submissions and get you the slideshow! They are phenomenal. Karen from the creative team posted hers already on the Creative Teams Blog. AWESOME

Enjoy!

Chris

PS I realized when I looked at the calendar I wouldnt be back til the 10th. So why I set the 7th for the final date. I have no idea. So you will have until the 10th for the challenge because I won't be able to check email until then.