Chapter 3: In Which Lily Spies a Bug & Chooses an Unfortunate Sitting Spot

Tink! Tink! Tink!

From somewhere on the other side of the house, Lily's highly sensitive ears picked up on a sound she knew well.

Tink! Tink! Tink!

She had heard that sound before. It was a box elder bug circling the ceiling light in mommie's craft area!

She scampered up the stairs to investigate. Very carefully, she stepped over mommie's craft supplies until she reached the spot for Optimum Bug Viewing, which just happened to be....

Right on top of mommie's scrapbook page!

Same event? Same design!

In continuing my "lather, rinse, and repeat" theme from earlier this week, I'm not above replicating my own pages if they work. I've done it a couple of times in the last few days, and I'm not ashamed to admit it!

Here's a good example. Our marching band participates in a parade every June. I recently finished the 2009 parade pages (red/black layout below). (Sorry, I snapped the picture of this page before the journaling was done!)

And when I pulled out the 2008 parade photos last night, sure enough, I had almost the same shots. So why not use the same layout? At this point, I have so much scrapbooking to do before graduation that I'll take the easy route, if possible. :-) These layouts will be in completely separate albums so, believe me, no one around here will notice!

Sure, I had run out of Thickers and some of the chipboard by the time I got to the second layout, but it wasn't worth running around to try to find the perfect embellishments. I used what I had, coerced Daughter into writing down her memories for me, and called it good.

Feline Friday: Lily's Repurposing Tip #21

After the cheese and crackers are gone, the empty container makes a stylish napping spot. Extend one arm elegantly to the side, tippy toes resting lightly on the floor. (No one needs to know that you can't squeeze in one more chubby little body part. Well, maybe you could have, before the cheese and crackers!)

Easy 2-photo layout

Here's a layout based upon a page featured in the June, 2009 issue of Creating Keepsakes (page 23). I tend to do more "event" type layouts these days, so it was fun to do a "moments" one for a change. These photos were taken in summer 2008.

And I'll also say this: It was nice having only two photos. *gasp* I usually have lots and lots of photos for each event, so having only a couple made the layout go super fast.

Wordless Wednesday

Tinsel, 11/09

Lather, rinse, and REPEAT

Favorite sandals. Favorite foods. I don't hesitate to wear them, or eat them, over and over.

Same goes with a favorite sketch. I don't care if I've used it before. If it works, I'll keep using it.

This layout is based on one of my favorite sketches from Cathy Zielske's online class at Big Picture Scrapbooking. It really couldn't be easier, and it works great for two to three horizontal photos (which I often have). I've used this sketch a few times now and don't regret it one bit.

Like favorite sandals, you can't go wrong with a good sketch!

Scenes from Halloween 2009

Other than the slightly damp and cold weather, we had a pretty good Halloween this year. Daughter and friends carved pumpkins at our house. I broke out the power tools and drilled holes in my own pumpkin. We had lots of Trick-or-Treaters but somehow ended up with a bit too much candy, including an excessive number of Tootsie Rolls which I've since managed to eat.

But the highlight of Halloween 2009 was when I stopped at the grocery store and found the produce guy dressed in a banana suit, pushing carts in from the parking lot. Then, as if that wasn't enough excitement for one holiday, another banana showed up at our house for Trick-or-Treat. The girl in this banana suit assured me that she wasn't related to the grocery store banana, even though I told her that there was a strong family resemblance. :-)

Here in central Iowa, Trick-or-Treaters are traditionally expected to tell a joke to get candy. Now, I know plenty of slackers who will waive this requirement and dole out the candy without the trick, but not me. Unless you're very young or painfully shy, I insist on a joke! Here are some of the best (or at least most coherent) riddles of the evening:

What do you call a cow lying on the ground? Ground beef. (That's a real Iowa joke for ya.)

What do you call a cross between a brown cow and a chicken? (Trendwatch: Lots of cow jokes this year.) Brown-chicka-brown cow (sing the punch line).

Why did Britney Spears get hit by a truck? Because she said, "Hit me baby one more time." (Oh, my.)

And I'll leave you with this little gem...

How do you wake up Lady Gaga? Poker Face.

Skip the knife -- use the drill!

I'm not exactly handy with tools, so the prospect of working with a knife to carve my pumpkin is a bit daunting. Try as I may, I can't cut shapes more complicated than triangles.

A few years back, our friend Martha Stewart demonstrated how to make holes in your pumpkin with a power drill. I figured I could surely handle using a drill on a pumpkin...I mean, how difficult could that be? Sure enough, I found that it is very easy to do!

It's been a few years since I've drilled a pumpkin, so I decided that I'd try it again this Halloween. For those of you who have not tried this, I've outlined the process below. Believe me, if I can do it, you can, too!

1) As you can see, the first step is to have your pumpkin inspected by the cat or cats living in your house. Assuming the pumpkin meets quality standards, you can proceed to the next step.

2) Cut a hole (as you usually would) in the top or bottom of the pumpkin. I cut the hole in the bottom so that the lid wouldn't get in the way of my highly complex design. :-)

3) Scoop out the innards of the pumpkin.

4) Find your power drill. This was the most difficult step of all for me. I found it underneath a tarp and some little-used golf clubs out in the garage. It was covered with cobwebs and probably hasn't been used since the last time I drilled a pumpkin. Attach a drill bit in whatever size you desire. I chose one slightly larger than a pencil.

5) Use a pencil to make marks on the pumpkin for your holes or, like me, live on the edge and make your design up as you go! Since time was short, I decided to cover my pumpkin with randomly drilled holes rather than attempt an intricate design.

6) Begin drilling holes in your pumpkin. You probably should do this part outside, because bits of pumpkin will fly!

7) Wipe the shavings from your pumpkin. Clean up your mess! :-)

8) Put a candle inside your drilled pumpkin, then stand back and celebrate the fact that you've moved beyond triangle eyes and noses!

Feline Friday: Trick or Treat Elf

'Twas the night before Trick or Treat

And all through the house

The tabbies were sleeping

Each with a mouse.

The children would dress

As a witch or a ghost,

Obama or Palin,

Or a piece of plain toast.

But mama was worried

About costumes to wear.

The tabbies had nothing

But ears and cat hair.

She ran to the toy chest

And sorted through clothes.

“Much too tight or too small:

They can wear none of those!”

When all of a sudden

The green suit did appear

It had not been worn

In many a year.

Mama snatched up her Lily,

The camera, and suit.

To the bathroom they went,

For a quick photo shoot.

She grabbed the Temptations

And slammed the door tight.

Then on went the suit

Only somewhat too tight.

Lily posed on the throne,

Her eyes filled with glee!

She snacked on Temptations --

They were the key!

Then came a rattle...

It shook the closed door.

‘Twas Tinsel!

She wanted to settle the score.

She, too, had Temptations

And checked on the shoot,

Then scurried away

After getting the boot.

So now Lily has something

Attractive to wear!

She looks like an elf

Or a large, lumpy pear.

When Halloween comes

She’ll be totally dressed.

But costumes or not,

We know kitties are best!

Special thanks to our blogging friend, Daisy, for the Temptations modeling tip!

A good laundry day

Oh, how I love ROYGBIV! Cardstock, colored pencils, crayons...most everything goes in ROYGBIV order at our house.

Now, I DON'T love it when Bailey lets her laundry build up into a mountainous pile, but having a lot of laundry means that there just might be enough t-shirts to hang in ROYGBIV order.

This transforms laundry day into a thing of beauty!

And THIS little thing doesn't hurt, either. :-)

Wordless Wednesday

An unsuspecting Tinsel :-)

The Thing That Wouldn't Leave

In the corner of this room sits an unfinished dollhouse.

Normally, the family who lives there leads a peaceful life.

That is, until this morning, when their kitchen was invaded by a very large visitor wearing tiny white socks.

And, like many unwelcome guests, she just wouldn't leave. In fact, after she tipped over the kitchen table and scattered the chairs, she found there was plenty of room for a nap.

So she settled in, the Dalmatian dog eying her suspiciously...as he should.