***EDIT****

How cool is it that those tulips from the prior post were mine and my mil's Mother's Day gift from Cody and Amy last Mother's Day!?!? I had transplanted them in the fall and forgotten where I had gotten them. (old age...sorry)

So, thanks C&A for the beauty you added to my flowerbed and my blog! :D

How does my garden grow?

I love Love LOVE the idea of gardening, it just aligns with my creative nature and loving to do something productive and pretty on my own. I do not, however, nor have ever claimed to be a "gardener" or have a "green thumb" at all. My attempt at a small garden a few years back had a nice production of yellow squash and one or two tomatoes. Everything else? Pretty much a flop. I have over the years tried to keep a few flowers and love to grow zinnias. I have transplated several tulip and iris bulbs and they have done fairly well. These beauties I transplanted last fall and I am extremely thrilled with the results.

I'm also posting these twice as before and afters just because I want to share the difference in what a little photoshop action can do for a picture. I used some of the Pioneer Woman free actions she has on her blog. The results are so worth it I think.

Happy Weekend!

yard sale find

Been meaning to photograph this cool find from a quick yard sale stop a week or so ago. I spent a whole whopping 75 cents on this and a couple of other sewing notions and foam paint brushes. I thought a fine deal indeed! I saw this old rubber stamp holder and knew instantly it was going home with me to live on my scrap shelf to hold what few (one or two) rubber stamps I have. I found some other goodies to go on there too! I had to explain to Alex what it was.

NSD layout

My goal was one scrapbook page this weekend to celebrate National Scrapbook Day.

YEA ME!!!!

I did finish this one at, oh around midnight-thirty last night (this morning). It was from a challenge over on SIStv. THey've had a challenge or event every hour on the hour since Friday sometime. Those Fashionistas have to be exhausted by now.

I also tackled my craft/sewing space this afternoon. Something I have been wanting to do. I cleaned and reorganized and it looks SSSOOOOOOO much better. It was getting pretty darn yucky I must admit. Now, I am ready to get those DARNED show outfits done. I have set myself a deadline...I have this week and next to complete Alex's jacket and start and finish Molly's jacket and pants.

Here are a couple of photos from yesterday's horseshow...

Austin eating his vienna sausage in his sock hat and rubber boots. (it was coolish, but not this cold!) He's a fun one to photograph.No, it is not Mr. Ed...it is Missy - the pleasure horse Alex rides...THIS is a great look for her, don't cha think? She is so danged hornery!And last but certainly never least is Molly in her Elmo PJ's being so sleepy and fighing her momma tooth and nail. She is making her "mad" face. I swear this kid cracks me up. I love the way this photo turned out. Definitely scrap material right here! For anyone out there who reads this silly little blog of mine, I would appreciate if you would say a little prayer for a lady named Lisa Hail (not sure of the spelling). She is the wife of a trainer who shows with us and on her way to the show yesterday she was in a horrific accident in Searcy where a cross tie and sign came out of another vehicle and struck her in the face through the windshield. She is in UAMS and has some critical injuries. I'm sure she and her family would appreciate any extra prayers being lifted up for her.

week in review

Wow, it's been quite a busy week and I feel like I've neglected this blog. It is such a crazy time of year, with end of year school stuff, and other springtime festivities - i love it though!

I did get one scrappy project done for a couple of challenges sites. I did a "two-fer" with this page for the Color Combos Challenge and the Dreamgirls challenge. I 'stolt' these pics of Brooke from her myspace so I could capture her big runway gig she did last month after winning that Sync Weekly search.

We also finished up Alex's room re-do, which I did post about already this week.
Alex's FFA Banquet was this week and it was quite enjoyable. Alex is an officer and had some speaking parts during the evening. She nailed it and did very well. It was a little sad since Seth is graduating this year. Seth and Alex have been buddies for .... well, forever it seems. They've been like brother and sister and he horseshowed with us for several years. Another one of Alex and Sami (she's also an officer). A good banquet this year, I especially enjoyed the slideshow they put together.

This week is also the big Melbourne Pioneer Day weekend, so my crew rode horses over - as usual. With the storm going through early in the morning they got a later start than usual, but I found them after work and snapped a couple of pictures of the riders. The day turned out so nice for them thankfully.

I then went back to Melbourne for the Homecoming Gospel Singing. Robert and Joe Rex had several numbers and they did fantastic...of course...but I'm a little partial! :) Joe got a standing ovation for one of his songs and a lady gave him a five when the show was over. That kid is seriously amazing.

The coolest part was them dedicating a song to Granny and Pa Hutch called "Wake Up Dancing." All I can say is "WOW!" I am quite sure there was not a dry eye in the Hutchison family. Several of the songs they did are from Gordon Mote. I found the lyrics to this song:

Wake up Dancin'

VERSE 1
He pulled that straight-back wicker chair
Up next to grandpa's bed
And with a voice left weak by pain
His grandpa softly said

Could you get my cowboy boots
And that gold pocket watch of mine
And bring me my Sunday suit
With the vest that's satin-lined

When he saw the sadness in his grandson's eyes
He said I've got to be prepared
Because I'm going home tonight

CHORUS
I'm gonna waltz across the Heavens
While a band of angels play
I'm gonna two-step on some stardust
A million miles away

You'll never have a new beginning
Until you reach the end
And these old legs are gonna come to life again
Gonna wake up dancin'

VERSE 2
He said if it's not too much trouble
There's one thing left to do
Since I'm going to see your grandma
Could you get her favorite shoes

The ones with those ribbons
Red and trimmed in white
The last time she had them on
I believe we danced all night

And why she left them here it's plain to see
Your grandma never danced with anyone but me

CHORUS 2
And we're gonna waltz across the Heavens
While a band of angels play
We're gonna two-step on some stardust
A million miles away

You'll never have a new beginning
Until you reach the end
And these old legs are gonna come to life again

CHORUS 3
We're gonna waltz across the Heavens
While a band of angels play
We're gonna two-step on some stardust
A million miles away

I'll never have a new beginning
Until I reach the end
And these old legs are gonna come to life again

Gonna wake up dancin'
Gonna wake up dancin'
Wake up dancin'

I ended up helping in the sound booth with the laptop. It was a great show with some major talented local folks! Here is Rob and Joe singing the fishing song, also by Gordon Mote. It is a fun song and has such a cool message.

Whew! What a week! I didn't even tell you about all teh sewing I worked on. I am SO READY TO FINISH these horsehow outfits. The one I'm working on now is a real booger, very slow and tedious. I think it will be worth it if I can ever get them done. I'll try to post a sneak peek another day.

Today is National Scrapbook Day...a national holiday in my world! :) Even though it will be a busy weekend, my goal is one scrappy project. Wish me luck! I'll probably find a challenge over at SIStv to give me some inspo.

So I leave you dear blog with a "Happy Scrapbook Day" to you and yours!

clean slate

I've been MIA from the computer for the past few days, but there is good reason. Alex and I have completely done a room makeover on her room. When I say makeover, I mean serious business. from paint to floors, we did a number on it. I must say it looks fabulous though! Something any 16 year old chicky would love.

It all started with the great Roxy bedding that Alex's mom got her for her birthday. The entire room stems from the awesome fun colors: pink, brown, orange, tan and white is the color scheme. It has a beachy, Hawaiian-y feel to it, complete with hibiscus flowers. We painted teh walls - I believe the color is Tropic orange...not peach! Please don't call it peach. I think it is the color of a push-up. No, not a bra, the ice cream! The other color is a rich, deep brown. The plan is to paint a large pink hibiscus flower in the center of the brown wall. I think it looks really great. She is using some of the wicker furniture that came from her Nana and Papa's house. I love that she wants to use. It's really pretty. We stripped carpet and rubber backing that been glued to the floor and we left the bare hardwood and added a chocolate brown area rug.

Anyway, Alex now has a clean slate for her room in fun, funky colors that definitely suit her personality. Now, she has to keep it clean (yeah right!). She is really growing up and I think getting rid of all her "kid-stuff" is a true sign of that.
Did I say how sore my body is from painting? OMG!!! I ache all over! I think that is a sign of my "maturity" level! ;) wink*wink!

lots of 5's

I picked this up from Sarah Bowen's blog (talk about inspiring btw!). She has lots of artsy eye candy. Anyway, I usually don't do these types of things, but this one was fairly simple, so I though what the heck! Plus 5 is my lucky number!

What I was doing 5 years ago today:
Honestly, I don't know, but I was in my first year of working at Ozarka so the semester was winding down and we were gearign up for graduation and Summer semesters; and was probably doing something to prepare for horse shows! Pretty much the same thing I have been doing every year for the last five.

5 snack I love:
oranges

Nutty Buddy Bars

Trail mix with m&m's mixed in.

chips & salsa

Baby Ruth candy bar

5 things on my to do list today (or things I did today):
cooked supper

worked on Alex's show outfit.

changed sheets

got gas (in my car!)

sent some news releases out (work stuff)

5 things I would do if I were a billionaire:
endow a scholarship

build my dream home

take a long vacation on the beach...like in Hawaii or somewhere tropical!

pay off many bills.

do something special for all my family.

5 bad habits I have:
chew my cuticles...gross, I know.

stay up too late.

speak before I think.

talk too much probably.

procrastinate!

5 places I've lived:

Conway

Little Rock

Ash Flat

Cherokee Village

Fulton, MO

5 jobs I've had:
Legal Secretary

Waitress

The Gap

Target Distribution Center

Ozarka College - Marketing

see, easy peasy!

{Go for it if ya wanna.}

dogwoods

It is hard for me to describe - right now - at this time - within this week or two time period, how the dogwoods in bloom completely take my breath away. It is truly one of God's most spectacular moments of creation in my opinion. Yes, I love the ocean and sand covered beaches, the wonderful sparkly snow, waterfalls, along with a myriad of other beauties in nature, but I honestly don't think you can beat looking into the woods, especially when it is fresh, spring green, and seeing the pop of dogwoods in full, white, cotton-y bloom.

Maybe it is something that runs in my family, as my Granny and Mom both love dogwoods in bloom. I don't know, but I simply look forward to this time of year and long for it to linger on. I know the window of opportunity to view the splendor is shortlived, but I savor every moment of this natural masterpiece.

I took these photos Sunday, at Robert's (my uncle).

Did I have a couple of ticks? Well, yes.

Was it worth it? Of course.

Will I try to capture more dogwood pictures? Every chance I get.

Robert actually lives on my grandparents homeplace and these are actually the same dogwood trees that my Granny (and Pa, I'm certain) admired every Spring. This, of course, makes them even more splendid in my mind. These are especially cool nestled among the big pine trees that live right there on that spot on the farm.

On my drive to work in Melbourne I see a wonderful dogwood display. It is just hard to capture it in a single photo, it is just something one must see with one's own eyes.

I did try though...of course!

I scrapped!

Yea for ME! I decided I needed a little help so I went to the Color Combo challenge site and cranked out this layout of one of Alex's prom pics.

I also finished part of the SIStv March Style Phyle - "Go Green" that I've been wanting to do. I plan to send this cute "think green" bag to Brooke. She is very conscientious about recycling and not using the plastic shopping bags when grocery shopping, so I thought she would appreciate it.

I also did a couple more of the challenges from Elsie's 52 Week Challenge. I'm not completely caught up, but I'm closer.

This one is Week 11, SCRAPLIFT A COLOR COMBINATION

Here is the description from the site:
I loved the blues, browns and oranges on Mellette's layout, so I decided to scraplift her color combination for my pages at the right. For this challenge, you can scraplift me or Mellette - or open up this book to any page and challenge yourself to scraplift the color scheme!Ok since everyone doesn't have the book, I'm gonna say that you should scraplift from any place that you want. A magazine, SIS, a challenge blog, whatever. Just scraplift a color combo from any layout that you like!Have fun!

I lifted the color from this ad. I loved the purple and green together.

I also did this one for week 13 - SCRAPLIFT A LAYOUT SHAPE, here is the description:

Danielle wanted this sun-shaped page to have an artsy, vibrant, funky feel to it. I love the high energy of her layout and decided to scraplift it. My layout isn't an exact sun shape, but look how I've started with a circle shape and then added ribbons and different patterns around the perimeter of my circle. For this challenge, look for a layout with a shap you love and challenge yourself to scraplift it.I realize that you can't see what she's talking about without the photos but I am including all of the prompts so you can get more of an idea. Have fun! GO!

I used a snowflake for my shape. Yes, it is a little lame-o, but I got it done and I love that picture of Alex from our big snow awhile back.

Wow! I did get something accomplished!

I also took several pictures today of the dogwoods that are in full bloom right now. My absolute favorites trees in the world. More later.

Finally Friday!

I thought I would start this post off with a little some'in some'in for Jeanie. I snapped this photo of Amy tonight at Pizza Hut just for you dear. Sporting her new glasses...I think she looks rather smart!


Tonight was Walker's 9th Bday and they held a typical Pizza Hut Birthday party for him and several of his closest friends. Then Jennifer and Tony were brave enough to have all those little guys to their house for a sleepover.

BLESS THEIR HEARTS!!!!

Here are the guys; Cody, Tony and James hanging out before we ate.



Of course Alex was there and helping her "BFF Jennifer". Notice, there is no possible way to scoop neopolitan ice cream unless your tongue is slightly sticking out of your mouth. It's just one of those strange phenomenons that no one can explain. Seriously, Alex, you can try to play this off all cool and stuff, but we know you just cannot scoop neopolitan - or any flavor - ice cream, for that matter without the tongue...it's just not possible, even if you had a Pampered Chef scoop and not this cheapy one. Good try though, trying to play it off. You're real cute and all, but we see the proof up in that other photo.

HAPPY

BIRTHDAY

WALKER!

We seriously think you are one of the coolest kids around and we are glad to share in your birthday celebration.