Help Me Decide!

Posted on | August 24, 2010 | 10 Comments

On a bed and breakfast in France!! I have Chardon Room and Buttercup/Autumn Leaf to choose from. There are no reviews on them but they all look good, three (French) stars, and breakfast included in the price. I am having a hard time because, I’m not sure which way we’re driving back. We need to catch a ferry in Dunkirk, France, I haven’t purchase yet but aiming for 4p (with a 3:30p check-in). From the Chardon we can go via the French highway, which is paid toll, and will cost around 22 Euros + 4 hrs, or through Belgium which will be 4.75 hrs and no toll cost (I am leaning more towards the French tolls though). If we stay in the Autumn Leaf (M doesn’t want to sleep in her own room) it’ll be 21.40 Euros + 3.5 hrs. Of course the one that takes longer to get to the ferry is the closest to everything we want to see (a few places we can walk to them), granted Autumn Leaf is only 20-30 miles from the sites we’re interested in.

Chardon has a dinner option where Autumn Leaf ask that guests go find themselves a restaurant. I like the idea of eating breakfast and at least a dinner at the B&B and chit-chatting with the owners and other folks there. I am wanting to practice a bit more French. I can’t do that at a restaurant, except just to order food and stuff. At the B&B I’m hoping that I’d feel a bit more unconscious about my (lack of) abilities and speak. I do love both places though.

The two B&B are unique in their own ways. Both, via emails, have been very helpful although I do feel a bit more warm and fuzzy towards the Chardon gentleman whom I’ve been corresponding with. I love that he offered to continue answering questions whether we stay there or not. My main interest in the Chardon is the location, the meals, and the owner. For Autumn Leaf, it’s the house, the interior of the house, and that it’s a bit shorter distance to the ferry and we can have a longer lunch break or more little stops. Jovie is a good traveler but ya never know, right?

Which would you choose? I have told both that I am considering two places.

My project….

I decided to participate in the Card Pattern’s sketch. It’s been a while since I did one. For this card I used some digital paper from the Digichick. The butterfly was from a Making Mischief kit by Karen Lewis and the other pattern paper was by Sugar Plum Paperie, Tiny Princess. I was playing with mellow colors with a splash of boldness. I’m not sure if I achieved this or not but I kind off like how the card turned out. For the stamps I used a Stampin’ Up! set called Central Park and PTI’s tag stamp.

So that’s it for tonight. I hope you all can help me and gnight for now!!

FINALLY Summer!

Posted on | July 3, 2010 | 7 Comments

The weather here has been quite interesting but it’s FINALLY summer in the UK! It’s been in the mid to high 70s here (23-25C), just GORGEOUS!! It was a bit odd when a few weekends ago I had the heater turned on!! The last few days the girls have been having a great time playing outside in their new swimming pool (I think it was the last in store from around 20 miles!) — or paddle pool M said.

This is our first year not celebrating the 4th of July like we usually do: BBQ and lots of fireworks. It’ll be quiet this time around with just working around the house and two birthday parties to go to for Miss M. Speaking of, she is sleeping in the living room with a little friend. It’s her FIRST sleepover!! Her friend has been here since after school and by evening time she still didn’t want to go home so hubby walked over to her house (next door really) and asked if the little friend can just stay the night. It’s not a new idea but it was just a night sooner {::SMILE}.

Here’s a little card for today. Pretty CAS. A bit of ribbon, brads, twine, button, and beads. I used fabric glue to adhere the beads. For the brads, first I placed the ribbon where I want it and marked the sides with a pencil, just lightly. Then I used a Crop-a-Dile to punch the holes. The lines were then erased. There’s no hole on the ribbon itself, I just worked the brad in between the thread.

Have a great one and if you’re celebrating the 4th with fireworks do be careful! I almost got hit by one. An accident of course but it’s still in my mind. I was preggo too with Miss M. Kind of scary!

Before I go I’ll share two pics of the girls…

Jovie was grunting and mumbling while I took this photo. I translated it to more less, “Seriously mom, can you JUST put that black box down? I REALLY want to go in the pool!!! If only I can get my knee over this thing I’d be in there with sister!!” Yes, I am a terrible mother when it comes to photos. Photos first kids’ wants second ha ha! I was too lazy to put Jovie’s swimming suit on. Plus it was the back porch and there’s a brick wall surrounding it. Who’s going to see? Plus, she’s a baby {::SMILE}. The pants she’s wearing are swimming underpants. Jovie wears cloth diapers so it’s only appropriate if she also wears cloth swimming under-roos too. If you’re interested this one she’s wearing is by Kushie. Keep in mind that swim diapers doesn’t hold pee. It holds poo. This thing fits Jovie very well. She hasn’t doo in it yet but I am 100% sure no doo will come out! If you’re also interested in her cloth diapers we use gDiapers with cloth inserts and Gro-Baby. I love them although hubby couldn’t care less although he’s probably more a tree hugger than I am, ha!

Here’s our beautiful girl. She gets more and more grown-up each time I see/talk to her. She also knows which photo of hers is good/bad. This is M’s blog sharing choice. A lot of things are baby-ish to her now too. Aaaah… I miss those tutus and tap-tap shoes (it’s what she calls fancy play shoes) days. I told her to quite growing up on me. But each time she always said no. I told Jovie the same thing. She seems to be more obedient in this department. It’s probably why she’s not walking, talking, or growing. I know one shouldn’t compare but M was such an early bird in all department. Oh, Jovie REFUSES to sign. She only does milk when she’s desperate and sleep sometimes. Here and there she’d do change but she’s no M for sure who signed like crazy. Oh well. Jovie does talk but to most they just sound like noises where M was clear.

Materials:

Cardstock: Stampin’ Up!
Stamp: Papertrey Ink
Accessories: SU brads, Rhonna Farrer buttons, Olive Manna twine, and Walmart beads
Ink: SU

I Feel Like Cinderella…

Posted on | April 9, 2010 | 7 Comments

And it ain’t the one with the pretty ball gown and glass slipper either. The wonderful part is that my in-laws are here for a few days and my MIL has been helping me quite a bit. It’s 12 days now until we fly out and we’re still going (like the Energizer bunny) with packing, cleaning, selling, hauling, etc. Oh, don’t forget paperwork. So as of today the garage is in good shape, M’s and my craft room was dusted and mopped (Cinderella style), the windows are shiny, and half a bathroom’s clean too. Oh I forgot, the basement and storage area’s all nice too. My Realtor offered a cleaning person but at this rate after this weekend we’ll just have the laundry room and the master bedroom to deal with.

Tomorrow I am taking a break. The girls and I will be going to our favorite Dim Sum place (ok, the only place in Kansas City). We’ll be meeting with a stamping/blog friend. She’s a Dim Sum rookie she said, ha ha! It’ll be fun and I am looking forward to just sit back, relax, and chit-chat with a girlie friend.

I do have a card to share. I still can’t believe I got this stamp set. I colored!

Ok, have a great weekend!!! I’ll post more later when I can!

PTI Blog Hop

Posted on | March 25, 2010 | 63 Comments

Well, Clouds left and here we are just relaxing at home. Even though there’s a whole house to clean I really don’t care to do anything. I am going to call the cleaning folks and let them do it. I am pooped with the house and I just want to focus on work and hanging out with the family while waiting for our flight date to the UK.

Anyhoot… it’s kind of late posting but here’s my card for the PTI blog hop. The challenge for this month is to use buttons. I used one. Does it count? {::SMILE}.

My Cutie-Pie

Posted on | February 27, 2010 | 11 Comments

I went to WalMart today and goodness, everybody who saw Jovie had to stop, smile, and tell us how adorable she was. The little shrimp knew that she was the center of attention too because she gave everybody a little smile. It was so cute and of course I was oh so proud of her. M was with me and I told her that she’s cute too and that when she was a baby people did the same thing when we were out and about — except M got money. Yes, people would give me a buck or two cause she was so adorable. They said it’s for her college fund or treat or something. So far nobody’s given Jovie any cash yet he he he…

The other day I submitted Jovie’s picture to Parent’s magazine. There are already TONS of submissions so the chance of Jovie getting picked is slim to none but hey, why not right? You never know if you don’t try… kind of like getting published in a card/scrapbook magazine. I just want a free trip to NY ha ha ha… look at me, exploiting my kid at an early age, ha ha!

I made another card for Moxie Fab, a thank you card this time. Another simple one, just paper on top of each other.

I used more things than usual on one card. Let me see…. Digital paper by Kristin Cronin-Barrow, All About Him, from Sweet Shoppe Designs, PTI stamps, Hero Arts stamp, Melody Ross borders ribbon, button, Pink Paislee pixies, and pearls.

I hope the photo looks ok. I don’t have my computer yet. iMac at the Mac store and my work laptop is with the IS folks. So far I am surviving but it’s tough to be on a 5-yr-old laptop when you use apps that uses up a lot of power. Oh well, a few more days, a few more days!

Have a great one folks, till later!