wow! a whole lotta scrappin goin' on

We had a great time at the Scrap-Diner.com crop this weekend. I did get a good bit accomplished. IN between cleaning lol WE have mass company coming this week for Thanksgiving. here are a few things I made:I caught up a few pages that I needed to do.
I added some pages to family members albums for the holidays.
Caught up some on our book of me challenges.

I also did a bunch of cards.


In between all this We cleaned the house like crazy people getting ready for all of our company. I am still working on some of the challenges, so keep an eye open this week.

I am off to the dentist this morning again ::grrroooaaan:: the tooth I am to have worked on .. BROKE last night so I guess it is a good thing Im going huh. Prayin' this one doesnt do like last week.. since I have a small mouth and all. :: I can't even type that without giggling IM SOO getting that in writing to show my brother. I KNOW he won't believe it. HA HA HA!

Thanksgiving Swag Tutorial

We have ALOT of company coming for Thanksgiving and not much fundage.. SOOOO In order to make the house pretty. Bella and I decided to make some fun Thanksgiving decorations out of things we have around the house. Here is a tutorial for the Swag we made that is hanging on the fireplace. I encourage you to get your kiddos to help. Bella had a lot of fun and she is SOOOOOO proud.

First you find a cardboard box and tear the flappy things off (you know the part that you use to close it with) Then take you some big scissors and cut down the inside corner of the box and then you can tear the walls of it apart. Ussually the rest you can tear up pretty easy after that.

Take your scissors (big scissors) and cut the cardboard into rectangles. YOu can then start pulling the top solid layers off the cardboard like this: It is ok if some of it stays on. You need something so the adhesive with stick to it. It also adds to the distressed look of it. So don't worry if it is not perfectly all peeled off. Just get the most of it.


Next take some old wrapping paper or some that you dont plan on using. (depending on how messed up it gets :;wink::) and put it top side down on your surface.
YOU DON'T want to turn your kids loose with ink on a surface that will matter if it gets messed up. Old wrapping paper taped down works well. Then they can draw on it while you do the "boring parts" as Bella called it. TIP.. before even starting on your project if you lotion your childs hands REALLY WELL with a thick lotion (yours too) and do something else for a bit let it soak in... THEN when you get to the inking part or painting.. it washes off MUCH EASIER.

Let your kiddos help ink the cardboard up. I showed her how to run it over the top so it just hits the high spots and around the edges. Here they are all inkd up. I used Tim Holtz distress inks to ink with.

Next. Cut your letters you want to use. I have a cricut so I used the base camp cartridge on size 4 to cut my letters. I used some Scenic Route papers I had. We messed up the G pulling it off the mat so we had to use a different color to cut the G again so then we didnt have enough for the S. BUT ... we improvised with another sheet of paper and I will show you how we will make it match in a few more steps :)

After you have all your letters cut. You may take a zig writer and use the large end and go around JUST BARELY the outside of the letters to shadow it. that way it will kind of stand out off the cardboard so you can see it. By the time you finish this your ink should be dry enough to start adhering down your letters.
IT'S OK IF YOUR CARDBOARD IS LARGER THAN YOU WANT IT YOU WILL TRIM IT DOWN AFTER YOU ADHERE THE LETTERS. Lay your letters out so you can see where you want them adhered. I used the ATG gun roller adhesive to put mine down with. works REALLY good. (Thanks ma!)

After you adhere them all down. Trim around the top and sides doesnt have to be perfectly straight. You can even tear it if you like. I find it easier to cut them with large scissors.
HEre they are after we adhered and trimmed.


I then took some wide ribbon. I didnt have enough to just string it along so I cut it into strips and used wide packing tape to secure it on the back and them to each other. BE SURE TO TURN IT OVER AND LOOK OCCASIONALLY TO MAKE SURE THE LETTERS AREN'T BACKWARDS OR IN THE WRONG ORDER... ask me how I know...

THen when you have finished that. You can take a large roll of ribbon that YOU HAVE ENOUGH OF... sigh... and put over it. I used the wrong side of a large gold roll that was wired edge. Tape this over the entire back.it will give a nice edge and make sure it is nicely held together.

Now go back over the top layer with different color inks. I also used Tim holtz tea die ink to go over the G AND S to make them match the others better. Add leaves from a tree that is changing colors or other fresh things from your yard (just make sure no ants or anything a dog may leave are on them if on the ground ) to add to your display. Make it pretty so your guests will have a wonderful Thanksgiving feel when they come for dinner.


Here is your finished product.
OK if you make this I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT. Post it on your blog, or in a gallery and leave me a link so I can go check it out. HAPPY THANKSGIVING DECORATING!!

Im MAKIN CARDS!!!

Im on a mission. IM using up some of these scraps and making room and making cards like craaaaaazy. Some are cute some are well not quite so great haha I COUlDNT sleep so I stayed up makin cards. SO anyway.. here you go.. DONT LAUGH!
So I keep getting people asking me to make cards for them. I have had several ask.. but I have NO CLUE what to charge. What do you guys do? waht do you suggest? I have never charged for any of my stuff before until the last couple of years and It is always soo hard to figure out. I dont want to go to high, sometimes I just give it away instead because I just love doing them. Actually we are starting to be over run by hand crafted Items.. Im running out of places to put them. I give them as gifts all the time. BUT NOW.. I get people asking how much do you charge and my eyes just roll back Because I have NO CLUEEEE what I charge hahaa.
I know John will kill me if I did that right now with us trying to keep Bella in school and our Insurance Issues (DO NOT GET ME STARTED) SO what do you think? WHat is a fair price? GIve me some ideas.

Once upon a time.....

There lived a BEAUTIFUL Princess..


This is the "ONCE UPON A TIME" line from Die Cuts WIth A View. This paper is so gorgeous I hated to cut it. I think it turned out pretty well though with Bella's halloween princess costume. Whatayathink?

inspiration big time

If you dont find this guy Inspiring... YOu need more help than I can give you hehe.



to hear the video scroll down to the music player and click the first button on the play bar to stop the music. This guy has overcome some amazing obstacles. IF your having a rough day. If your feeling worthless. JUST watch this guy it is truly amazing.

a little awareness

As most of you know, I have a disease/illness called Systemic Lupus Erethromysis/nephritis. ENGLISH? It a screwey illness that makes you feel like crapp. Essentially your body cannot tell the difference between infection and what is not infection so your white cells attack everything, God forbid you do have infection then it goes wild.The medications they give you for it, yeah they help but it is a kinda vicious cycle. YOu feel horrible and catch everything. SO when you do feel better you run around trying to make up for the time lost of being sick. IM telling you all this NOT to be a complainer but, because I have been contacted by a really wonderful Fella (HI WICK) with the lupus foundation of America about my blog. They are really trying to get awareness up. Most people look at people with lupus as complainers whiners and just lazy. That is totally not the case. These are some of the most brave and hard working women I know. Most of them try to hold jobs hold their familys together even though they have pain and severe fatigue.

I encourage you to look at the blog for LFA and read some of the information.Click on the links on the side of the other peoples blogs. It might just help you to understand a little better and not cast judgement so fast.
I KNOW I for one do try to go on. BUT PEOPLE do not understand, when you get a cold its not just a cold, it effects your entire body. THen you deal with depression and isolation. IT is a diagnosis that is often timed met with alot of criticism. IN my case I have a very loving and supporting husband, wonderful friends who understand I can't be in the sun and that since I got shingles along with this... It takes a toll just to get dressed. Wearing underwear some days is an accomplishment.

I havent been home to see my family in a year because riding in a car that long is painful.I go nowhere. I stay right here in my house. I no longer drive. The thought of having to wear a bra that long is beyond anything I want to imagine. BUT If you look at me you cant tell there is anything wrong. Well with shingles right now you kinda can since I do more resemble shrek. Contracting shingles and the illness's I caught while attempting to work this last time really effected me physically and mentally. It is hard living in an isolated world, It is hard feeling sick all the time. But with the power of the internet and the hobby I love so much that I started as therapy.... we take it a day at a time.

Again, IM not complaining. I have a wonderful life. Its what you make of it. I do what I can where I can. I have had to learn to say no. I have had to realise I do have limitations and just bust my tail on the things I can do. Right now IM trying desperatly to make money for my family due to insurance issues. Im doing what I can do.. Scrap and make cool stuff. I dont want to be rich, I dont want to be a celebrity in the scrapbooking world, I just want to make enough money to help my husband pay our bills, TO keep my daughter in christian school, and continue doing the hobby I love so much. I encourage you to go read the stories of some of the lupus survivors. It will help you to understand what happens with this disease and maybe the next time you see someone that has it...your a little more understanding.

I also want to let you know about this months MY LIFE challenge at scrap-diner. We do pages every month On our lives to put in our book of me. SOmething to pass down to our children and familys. This months THEME at the diner is "STUFFED"
I thought the page we would do is "The Good Stuff"
What is THE GOOD STUFF in your life? complete your page and put it in the scrap-diner gallery. THen link it back to the forums so your name can be included in the drawing for a RAK. (random act of Kindness)
Here is the example of what my GOOD STUFF IS (yes I know this is an old photo but we havent taken any good family portraits lately)
MY good stuff is definitly my family. My husband is the most supportive most understanding person I know. We FINALLY got to have a child the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me is BELLA. My heart in human form is what I call her.
SO there ya go.

I hope you have a blessed day, and come out of this post with a little better understanding of some of my fellow lupus survivors.

He was a good bat..... all the way to the end.

BElla loved "Batty the Pumpkin" we had so much fun making him and having him sit out side our door watching over the porch, greeting the mailman, ups and fed ex dudes always gave him a smile.


But his life had to go for the greater good. He started to get a little soft spot on him. I told Bella batty was getting old and it was time for him to move on. she said oh sadly then a wicked "LETS EAT HIM!!!"
wondering If I should be worried.

So daddy looks up a recipe online. They follow the instructions and as Bella said. "RIPPED OUT THE SLIMES"
Nothing is as pretty as slimey gooey pumpkin guts. SOrry Batty I hope it wasnt pain full.
Our house still smells of its warm sweet cinnamon goodness.
Our house still smells of its warm sweet cinnamon goodness. Thank you Batty for YOUR contribution to our Family. We will never forget you.

Rest In peace Batty.
October 2007- November 2007

Isn't she Pretty?

Isn't she pretty? IT must be SO much fun to be 4. I had mistakenly shown her where I keep the "old makeup" Halloween when I let her wear just a tad of blush and lipstick with her beautiful princess costume.
BOY Was that a mistake. She snuck off and ughmm. Made up her self. She came to the doorway and said. "Mommy? I loooOVEEE youuuUUUUU" and my first thought was UGH OH what did she do. I spun around and said Oh my goodness. I had to count to 10 and then hide my laughter. I grabbed the camera and took some photos because I figured, one day when she is about 16 and driving me crazy this would make GREAT material to threaten to blow up bill board size.
I was upset that is was on her uniform because that is expensive. But I just prayed that shout (and not me yelling either) would get it out. The fact she dumped all my lancome powder in her shoes OH WAIT.. THOSE ARE MY shoes. When she walked she had little powder clouds coming out of them. GRRRRRRrrrrrr. It was getting worse by the second.
Then it dawned on. Hmm if she looks like this. I wonder what the bathroom looks like (she had said she was going potty) I went in her bathroom and no evidence. she said UGHmm MOMMY I was in YOUR and Daddy's Closet. OH BOY I thought. I walk into our bed room and oh my gosh. She had it all in our closet. all over the wall but what upset me more than anything was she had to move 2 boxes and Johns clothes that he sleeps in (I have 2 boxes stacked there and he lays his sleep clothes on top of it) and open the box (that had tape on one side) and get in it. ANd all of this in like minutes. SO I say YUP PREE MEDITATED! I was LIVID. I had to stop myself and just count and pray really hard. I got up walked outside and just sat. She knew she had errored.
Her daddy took her and made her clean it all up. Which was like TORTURE. Later she came and said Mommy Im SOOOO sorry I was PLUNDERING. (hahaha I tell her all the time STOP PLUNDERING) she is a big meddler and has always gotten into EVERYTHING you couldnt turn your head for 2 seconds and she had disassembled my house almost. THAT Is why we have hardly anything set out anymore at my house. Im scared she will hurt herself. IM just now starting to decorate my house a little bit.
I thank God it didnt hurt her but oh It scares me to pieces. so no more going to the bathroom by herself. she is 4 I thought she can go potty without mommy standing OVER HER for once in her life but.. nope.
Marking this up to more lessons learned... for all of us. I can't wait to scrap the pictures now that I am not quite as angry.

a call for mini albums

Details for: Call for mini albums for publication


Making Memorys Is having a call for Mini albums. FOR MORE INFORMATION contact
jess.acs@gmail.com OR her blog at www.jessicaacs.com

I copied the call for you guys to get a glimpse. IF YOU have mini albums to share send em on it to her. :)

Here is what she has posted::



I'm looking for a few more designers to contribute unique mini albums for my upcoming idea book for Memory Makers.

Some suggested themes include: (but not limited to)

- any "boy" themes

- Friends

- All About Me

- ABC albums

- Love

- Favorite things

- My Hero

- Any real different/unique themes

If you would like to submit something and already have one completed that fits the above criteria, please email me (see instructions below). If you would like to submit something but don't have anything completed yet that fits the above, please either leave a comment on my blog with a link to your blog or gallery (where I can view your work) or email me.

Instructions for submitting:

- please send me a photo of the cover of the mini book as well as photos of the inside pages

- Please include your contact information: name, email, and address

- Submissions must be new. They must be never before seen, never published and never before posted in an online gallery

If you are one of the chosen designers, you will be notified by email by December 1, 2007. The payment for the publication of your work is a copy of the book.

Details also at www.jessicaacs.com


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On that note I was gonna show ya a few things I been up to. I have been scrappin' like a wild woman when Im able.


Sher at Scrap-diner sent that Die Cuts With A View, ALL DRESSED UP line to me to play with and I JUST LOVE all the glittery shiny goodness this has to offer. I mixed it with a little doodle bug and some doodlebug sugar on the basic grey letters (how coool are those I LOVE that font)
SHe also sent me that SUPER cool new peek a boo type book by urban lilly to play with I just have to make time to do it. IT is gonna be so cute I can just see it now.
I made a ton of cards with the stickers and the left over patterned paper I didnt want to waste a bit of it.

Check out this ONE HEART ONE MIND SHE HAS. OH MAN I LOVE IT! This is the Sassy line. HOW CUTE IS THAT. IT IS SOOOOOO GORGEOUS with all these fall colors. THis line could have not matched any more perfect if I had tried! What about those 7 gypsy tag cut words I AM SOOOOO LOVIN That font too!

I have all kinda good news to tell you but I JUST can't share it all yet. Just know some wonderful things are happening.

I do want to also make sure you know about the crop going on at Scrap-diner this month with Rusty Pickle. (HAVE YOU SEEN THEIR CHRISTMAS LINE AND THE PIRATE PRINCESS? INSERT JAW DROP HERE)
I just have to say too SHE JUST got in ALL the KI POP STAR LINE and THE KI LACE PAPER TOOO IM about to go NUtSO to get some of it. IT IS GEEEEE GORGEOUS!!!! Thank you Sher for all of your hard work getting that uploaded so we can all FALL OVER OURSELVES DROOLING! (MY HUSBAND THANKS YOU hahahahaha) She also got the K and co. Smitten line that is SOO sparkly and glamourus and just glittery goodness for days. Here is the link to all the stuff she uploaded last night if you wanna droool with me. This is the Urban lilly Christmas line can you say JAW DROPP it is sooo pretty. I cut out the flourishes and added the prima whispers and doodlebug sugar all over the place. Does it not just scream Christmas? Even Cinderella is wavin in the picture going LOOOK HOW COOL this stuff is! HA! I had alot of fun making that page. Took me a couple days but it was worth it. I dont know if you can see real tiny I wrote the "twas the night before Christmas" store around the flourishes. You can see it better in person. ANyway.


YOu can Check the Diner as we all call it, every day and see the new product uploads for November, she has been uploading product like crazy. DON'T forget to check out the bargain basement too while your there. SHe is always putting it on sale.
Thank you again SHER. LOVE that

so sneaky... I LIKE IT!!!!!

SO have you seen this book? Deceptively delicious by Jessica Seinfeld?
It seems like a very cool idea. I mean for how many years have mothers been sneakin stuff in food that is "good for us" or the asprin in the cocoa? when you spit the first one out and she knew you would. But this is actually a pretty groovy idea. I know I turn my nose up at MOST things that look weird and mostly to me It is a texture thing. But Im wondering if in small doses and added to other foods if It would be ok?
Who has tried any of these recipes? any of them good? I just don't know. I guess like anything you get used to it. I know I need to be eating more veggies and just in general EATING better. esp with cold and flu season I try to purposfully eat more veggies and fruits.
So what are your ideas on this? You got any good things you sneak in to your food (and I DONT MEAN BOOZE PEOPLE!) In quiring minds wanna know.

ANNOUNCING THE WINNERS

MY little princess has DRAWN the names of the winners. are ya ready?????


THe tts kit goes to : GeriJones64@Hotmail.com (I will email you so you can send Tracy at Treasures to scrap your address so she cant get that mailed out asap)

THe friendship mini album; HAHAHAHA! GOES TO GRETA! Greta I need your addy.

The Fall/halloween papers go to: Sarah_carol@hotmail.com

The hand made cards go to jchoppes@hotmail.com


and the tim holtz distress ink and set of micheals clear stamps go to:
ANGELA alteredego.

SO IF I DONT have your email address PLEASE send me an email @ Nancywithajones@gmail.com so I can get your mailing address and information so we can get this mailed out to you.

Congratulations! THis was soooo much fun I had over 300 replies and entrys for the prizes. Bella had so much fun drawing for names.
I can't wait till the next one!!!

OH good grief!

WELP.. TODAY IS THE DAY. TODAY BElla bug will Draw names for all the lovely prizes. we are going to draw around 6 pm tonight (if IM conscious) OR as soon after as I can. so Check back.
The dr gave me another medication (yeah just add it to the list of ones Im taking I swear its like a small meal) and THeY NEED TO put a label on the side. WILL INDUCE COMA. I am not kidding you. I get nauseaus and feeling kinda ick having a sinker is what I call it. I go to lay down and wake up and its like THE NEXT DAY. SERIOUS. 4 am the next day. I have done this 4 times now THIS WEEK! ITS making me crazy (er.. crazier) SO I tell my nurse friend at the dr about it. she tells him and HE LAUGHS says YUP.. she will get used to it. USED TO IT???? USEEEEEEDDDDDDDDD TO IT??? DID I MENTION I MISSED SURVIVOR this week and HALF of GREYS??? OH and alot of my childs waking moments YEAH that too!! "She said he smiled and said SHE musta needed it."
BUT BUT BUT.. I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THISSSSSSSssssssssssssssssss. SOOOO UNFAIR. I SOOO need to bargain with the lord on this 24 hour day thing IT just isn't cuttin' it. SO ANYWAY... IF IM AWAKE TONIGHT at 6 pm central standard (daylight savings) time. WE WILL draw names. IF NOT then when I wake up from the anti convulsant drug induced coma they put me in daily... We or I will draw. IN EITHER CASE I WILL put it on my blog tomorrow. NOW I off to go solve more issues in the world. LIke...WHY my kid screams at the thought of NEO SPORIN on her finger ????? WTHECK? it has ANTI-PAIN med in it HELLOOOOO we dont want to amputate your digits due to staph now do we!! A moms work is never done..SPEAKING OF HER CUTE LITTLE DIGITS...

Here is something for you to look at while you wait. ANother 4 am creation. My family LAUGHED at me for taking this photo of MY daughters hand in her Nana's hand. BUT I THOUGHT it was so sweet. AND that some day she would cherish this photo. I heard that new song by Tracy Byrd (put your hand in mine) and after I got through BAWLING MY EYES OUT. REMEMBERED OMG I HAVE that 5 x 7 photo I printed out!!! whehehw SCORE! NOT SO CRAZY TO TAKE THIS PHOTO NOW am I?? HUH HUH?? ADDDDDDDDDDMIiiTTTTTTTTT IT! yeah yeah I know they will still snicker and point but that is ok. LOOK for it in a magazine near you soon. I can only leave it up for a sneak peak today. I have to take it down tomorrow (shhhh dont tell on me. but I wanted you to see it)I will take it back down tomorrow I PROMISE. It looks much better in person the light this morning made the charcoal gray color look purply but it really is kinda grey/black charcoaly color so just imagine it that way. OK. IM out of here to go neo sporin my kid down. (total mishap with a "tu'ttle no gwobe" (turtle snow globe) THE ROUND PART IS NOT INTENDED TO COME OFF! ::Sigh::

Been shakin' my sugah. all night long...

OK before you call my mother and get me in trouble... I MEANT DOODLEBUG's new SUGAR glitter. ITS everywhere all over me all over my scrap room.. but I did this coolio little layout of Bella asleep the night before christmas last year. LOOK close. Can ya see the christmas story in small print around the flourishes? can you see the sparkly glitter outlining it all? Yeah that is the sugar. Can you see those blame chipboard letters with the sugared glitter on them.. Yeah I used 4 different adhesives before I found one that would hold it on there and it is still coming off. GRRRRR. BUT ISN'T SHE SWEET! SHe had gotten that Cinderella doll the night before from Grandma and insisted it sleep with her while she waited on Santa. We were at Nana's house last year when Santa came. She was all snuggled in just dreaming sweet things. I have been working on this layout on and off for SEVERAL days. Not sure what direction to go. AND THEN It hit me.. not just in theory LITERALLY my sugar jumped off the shelf and said UUUUUUUUUSEEEEEEEEEEE MEEEEE! sometimes inatimate things have to jump up for my attention.

DONT FORGET the give aways WE HAVE ANOTHER awesome one today. of SOme hand made cards. SO throw your name in the hat by responding to the post.:)

A haunting we will go??

Bella was SOOOOOOOOOO excited and ready to go Trick or Treating. We went to a few houses right here by us, to the people we know, the ones that would want to see her in her costume. Since I had been sick I didn't do alot for her costume. The child has so many dress up outfits.. who needed to go buy something? SHE LOVES dressing up though, so we make sure santa knows that she wants dress up pretty clothes for playing.
SHe gets a pretty "dress up outfit" every christmas of a beautiful princess or of something dress up to play in. SO we used that. SHe loved being her "beutiful princess" as she said. We opted for the sunday shoes for better walking. ha!When we got through going around to the houses right around us,(Aunt Diane and Uncle David's and some of the other people we have grown quite fond of that live next door)and made the rounds...posed for some photos,
>Bella had to show Aunt Diane what she had already in her Pumpkin she got from school. SHe also brought some fun things to share with Olivia and Catherine. (Aunt Diane and Uncle David's other neices) She was all set to share with them the extra dollys she got at the fall festival. AS A GOOD PRINCESS SHOULD! We went down to Tara and Gregs house (Bella's "boy" Brayden's Mommy and daddy) They had dressed up (the one of Tara came out too blurry :( I will have to make her dress up again so I can take a photo HA HA! just kidding.
Tara had made them some fun creepy crawly cup cakes. They had fun eating. Bella picked the spider ones with licorice legs (I was very surprised) Were the kids not the cutest ever? Brayden was a "inja tuttle" (ninja turtle) he only wore half his costume but that was ok, He had to be in good form to fight off the evil that ensued her majesty princess Bella. Some kids down the street had made a haunted house. IT was just a bit too scary for the little ones. But they liked watching all the kids coming in and out for it.


Greg had dressed up like a really cool Pirate from pirates of the carribean and scared the stew out of several kids. Tara and I pulled the kids around in a wagon, Fought off the forces of doom (a really strange alien like creature in a yard that chased kids all over the place, that was quite funny and definitly made the need for toilet tissue go up in a few instances IM SURE. We ate yummy soup and hung out while the men folk scared kids, I mean passed out candy to the masses. Then we took a VERY tired princess home to take the royal bath and end up in Mommy and daddys bed for the night. (KNEW that was going to happen) Maybe she will then have more pleasant dreams about her wonderful candy she got tonight.


DONT FORGET ABOUT THE FALL CARNIVAL GIVE AWAYS. LOTS of fun prizes to be given away this week. All you have to do to register is reply to the posts. :)
The drawing will be held on NOV 4th. LOTS of fun prizes to be given away. See the previous 2 posts also if you want your name in the hat more than once, for more chances to win :)

also www.scrap-diner.com will be doing guest dt spots starting in December. She does her Design Team different. Not really a call per say. SHe looks at participation and contribution to the boards/gallerys. She also just got a huge shipment of stuff I can't even name it all so check out the store as well.