Sights Of Christmas past...

Here is my All about ME page for December for Scrap-diner. I chose to go with the theme.. MEETING SANTA. when the first time was you REALLY remember Santa. I know I saw him before this but this was my first REAL remembrance of him. The photo is kinda blurry but I had to scrap it. I was so impressed HE KNEW MY NAME. COME join the fun with the ALL ABOUT ME scrapping at scrap-diner.
This month at Treasures we were given kits from Scrapworks to use. IT was the perfect paper to show off some Of Bellas FAVORITE ornaments from last year on her AUNT Karen and UNCLE WIndale's Tree. I always get so nervous because Karen has all those BEAUTIFUL Hallmark ornaments. You know the ones that move and sing and are soo gorgeous. BElla is just mesmerized by them. SHe spends so much time looking at each and every one of them and I just sit there staring so scared she is going to break something. Karen is so sweet with her though and shows her each one and what they do. I hate we aren't going to get to go up this year maybe afterwards we will see but with shingles its scary and no immune system. I really love that she gets to spend that special time with her aunt and uncle sine she doesnt get to see them that much. SHe always talks about it and remembered it this year again how Aunt Karen has the "pretty ornaments" at her house.
This is Taz. Doesn't he looks so sweet. DONT LET THAT sweet face fool you. hahha he is a menace in disguise. Im just kidding Taz is my nephew dog of my brother and Karen. HE is a mischievious sweetie. WHo thinks he is 10 feet tall. I caught this adorable photo of him tuckered out after all the christmas excitement and present opening. He was sacked out beside a christmas bag and was actually sharing my sentiment. I NEED A NAP MAN!
You can see these and more of the Scrapwork paper designs this month where they are the featured sponsor at Treasures to scrap.

SO what pages of Christmas past have you done this year? Are you caught up? Have you sent out your Christmas cards yet? If so then PPPFFFTTTTTTTTTTT! :P~~ can you say I HAVENT STARTED YET! I have a few cards done a couple gifts thats it. This last bout with shingles just about did me in. SO I keep saying I want to post pone Christmas till January... no one will listen though hahaa. OH well. IT will get done as it always does. We are just settling this year for a more quiet meaningful Christmas. Not alot of rush and excitement. DR's orders ;( I can't wait to watch Bella though. SHe really is excited this year and watching her little face light up with all the decorations and the whimsy is more than I could ever hope for.

Snow-Diva and Scrap-diner

I started on her before I had gotten sick and worked on her a little even after but... on well the photo isn't great but then neighter am I lol.. I wanted a DIFFERENT snow person. I have seen pretty snowpeople the old fashioned ones and all the others. BELLa is sucha little diva I figured HEY WHY NOT make it in TRUE BElla SPIRIT. so here she is.

I also uploaded my ALL ABOUT ME CHALLNEGE for this month at SCRAP-DINER.COM so go check it out and PARTICIPATE. ITS FUN! ITs all about meeting the big guy this time.

So come on and Join in the FUN!

Did you see our AD IN SCRAPBOOKS ETC? IF NOT take a look, IT has a 10% off coupon with it so take advantage of the sale while its HOT :)

IT'S ALIVEEEEEEEEEEEE!

I can actually SEEEEEEE! Still really weak and tired.I can get up and do stuff then 30 minutes later I need a nap but MAN it doesnt hurt to look at a book or writing as bad. I have so many projects I need to work on (Christmas presents) and My child is forgetting what I look like besides being asleep. I think there just may be light at the end of this tunnel. Thank ya lord! I tell you this new med is really drying this up. Before I had some places that have not healed in almost a year or better and they actually are disappearing so IF someone says YOU CANT get immune to meds TELL THEM ughmmm YES YOU CAN, lol

Hope you have a good weekend, GOnna go hit the couch and look at my family for a bit.

another update

just letitng yall know it looks ALOT better. I can actually open my eye now. I can focus a little better, still burns and itches something awful but still hurts burns mostly, and light is hurtin but its alot better. I turned my phone power off because i needed to sleep, no offense. I know yall are just worried but the med is making me very tired, I promise to check the messages and thank you all so much for the prayers love and concern. I will get john or when IM awake put an update up here so that should help some huh?
Still sore and so tired but this medication seems to be doing the trick they are drying up so much faster. I really think we were on the wrong med or I was immune to it. well i been taking it almost 2 years and still getting it so DUHHH. tells you we should change it huh! Lupus factors in to all of it and this other guy said that this has better response from lupus patients as well as cancer patients. SO that is good to know. we turned the colors down on the computer and the light so it doenst hurt as much and i can look at it a bit longer. but.. IM so tired. i last about 20 minutes till I have to lay back down.
Thank you all sooooo very much for your prayers. we so greatly appreciate it. Don't know what I would do with out yall.

PLEASE check out this post..

http://lfa-inc.blogspot.com/2007/12/give-gift-of-hope-to-lupus-foundation.html

give a gift of hope to someone this christmas..


UPDATE:

I know alot of you are anxious and were praying with us about this shingle deal. We did have to go back to the ER, my dr didnt want me to wait till tomorrow since it was in my eye with all the other swelling and I was having so many issues. They changed up my meds etc and I will have more info when he gets it all back tomorrow when I go in to see him at his office. (this is easier than making phone calls and emails so bear with me lol) They also put me on some steroids which I believe is helping. My eye is not as turned and swollen but still pretty whacky looking and you can imagine the pain etc. I feel like a blow fish Im so swoll up. We are ok though.. They make bigger clothes and I will just deal with that haha thank you sooooooo much for your continued prayers on this. We are praying this new med is the answer we have been looking for to boost it to go away. You know its been 2 long years almost with this shingle battle.. eveyone we have talked to though said when it is on your head and facial area that it just is harder to make it stay gone. I dont understandwhy but I know it to be true.

With it being right here at the holidays it is really messing up alot of our plans but then again we know our plans are not up to us.. It is in God's hands. So we may not get to go home at all this year. we are supposed to go home in 2 weeks to a family Christmas but I havent been able to take the flu shot and well You can imagine my dr chewing me out because I went to the christmas tree farm and to the parade. My argument was Bella can bring the germs home to me so what was the difference but err he had good points that you dont go putting your hand in a flame when you know it is hot or some sarcastic metaphor as such... TOUCHE' sir dr! also some staph infection that is really bad is going around mrsa? or something he said and with these shingles it is just not good so to stay my butt at home blah blah something blah blah grrrrr.
It is just so hard being isolated and not getting out especially with a small child who wants mommy there. I know she doesnt understand. So please just say an extra prayer. We have gone through alot with this and it is exhausting but I KNOW with all our prayer warriors out there and the support I get from you, my friends and my family, it will be ok. SO I want to take this opportunity to Thank you all so much and let you know how important you all are to me. YOu all keep me going. Thank you again. I also Thank God for the internet or else no one will be getting anything for Christmas lol I am doing most of my shopping online since I can't go anywhere and when IM having a good day Im scrapping like a crazy person and getting alot of our gifts made so far. I think my medicine is working and I will actually be able to rest maybe. SO Im gonna sign off and say THANK YOU SO MUCH again.

CHRISTMAS PARADEEEE WHEHEHWW

We went to the Grand Bay Christmas parade tonight and HAD SOOOO Much FUN!
IT was a small town parade in the south so NOTHING like the big fancy parades Im sure alot of you have but IT WAS SOOOOO MUCH FUN. Santa was there!! SEEEEBella and her "boy" Brayden were all ready to catch some throws. They did get some stuffed animals and moon pies, Lots of Necklaces. brayden was so sweet and shared his Teddy bears with her. She was just starry eye'd THEY are so cute!

THey did get alot of awesome throws. Bella looked like MR. T with all her beads and that was not even close to half of them hahaha.I know it is hard to tell what this is but.. ITS A JOHN DEER TRACTOR covered in Christmas lights. IT WAS HARD to take photos...


I did get some cute shots of the kids:Im surprised Bella has a voice left from SCREAMING: THROW ME SOMETHIN MISTERRRRR!!!! she danced and sang with the music had a glorious time!
I think we are all a little more in the Christmas spirit now!

Christmas Tree Farm

Today Bella's Class went to the Ramsay Christmas Tree farm to pick out the tree for their class room.

We got to go on a Hay ride. To look for the perfect tree.

FINALLY, after riding and riding and riding and riding...


We found the PERFECT tree.


so we all loaded back on the trailer and went to go have a picnic lunch.




OH YEAH.. I almost forgot We also got to meet someone VERY SPECIAL!!!






I think all the kids had a FABULOUS time. I can't wait to see how they get it all decorated and pretty in their class room.
Thank you to the teachers and everyone who did this today with the kids. WE really did have fun.

I have a TON of photos of the kids but no email addresses for some of the parents. IF you like I can just email them to The teacher and she can fwd them to you. OR You can email me at nancywithajones@gmail.com and I will send you copies of them. I have photos of most all of the kids in the 4k I just didnt want to upload them to my blog without parental permission. I will be more than happy to send you the copies if you would like them. :)but ughmm you just need to let me know which child is yours hahahaa!

my way????

Bella: Dis issss da dayyyyyy.... dat da lOOOOOORD hath madeeeeeeeeeeeee. I WILLLLLLLLLLLL be JOYCE!! and be glad I diddddddddddddddddddddddddddd.

Mommy: ughmm, I thought we talked about this.. I thought we decided that the words were "RE JOICE" and "GLAD IN IT"

Bella looking at me like IM a total moron and have 2 heads: "MOMMY! but I like it better MYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY way!"


Which totally sums up our life right now... when you have a 4 year old.. Things are done differently. IT takes you 20 minutes to get a fork for the meal because NO I WANTED A SPOON or I WANNTED THE GGGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEN ONEEEEE! (why did they invent colored spoons and forks with animals on them and throw them all INTO ONE PACKAGE???? why did my mother bring these to her??? to make my head spin oh yeah I forgot THAT Is why! This person (the one who invented the colored untensils, DIDN't have kids and wasn't trying to get through dinner easily were they????)

My father is laughing hysterically in the afterlife and giving his famous wink and thumbs up to the maker of these forks as I curse them under my breath and scowl out the parts where the curse words probably would be.

It has been one of those days.. PRODUCTIVE, yes... I have gotten a mini book,a canvas album, a page, some cards and a tutorial finished all but adding the photos to the canvas mini album class I will be teaching online at the Diner (insert shameless plug) I got it photo'd and the tutorial written. I just have to remember all the measurments because things like that are pretty important to scrapbookers when they go to make something. THey don't do "Nancy scrapbooking" where you eyeball it and if it is a little off you say OK TURN YOUR HEAD a little more to the left.. THERE... NOW ITS STRAIGHT!!
The rulers come out and they actually MEASURE STUFF (WHO KNEW??) SO as I have been banging my head today against this ruler trying to remember how it works... shut up Di... I have everything almost complete.

BUT FOR NOW.. I gotta run.. there is a 4 year old screaming in the tub that "the water is touching meeeeeeeeee"... So must investigate this one for myself!!

Happy Anniversary Honey :)

Just wanted to dedicate my post today to the man that is not just my husband but also my best friend. WHo is my biggest supporter and love of my life. Hard to believe were still here doin' this but then again.. you said you always get what you want ;) Im just glad It is me. Cause today as always... ITs still you. Love you sweetie Thank you for the life we have and thank you for our beautiful daughter I thought I would never get a chance to have. Thank you for helping make my dreams come true. I love you and YOU KNOW, I mean it.... N

Scenic route and Alcohol inks.. what an awesome combination!!

Alcohol inks.... you have seen them in the store, I know you have. You have looked at their cute little bottles and said "OH I NEED THOSE!!" then said "hmmmm, what do I do with them?" well.. IM gonna show you a cool technique you can do, to make embellishments on a layout

Supply list
Vellum: 8 1/2 x 11 or 12 x 12 or whatever you have. PREFERABLY CLEAR, or the transleusant I believe it is called IT may be listed as white even. JUST do not use colored.
Ranger Alcohol inks: in whatever color you wish I LOVE these. I have most all of them but, I really need the gold and the silver.. (asking Santa for them hehe) You can find them at a craft store or a Lss ussually.

White cardstock.. You can use the elcheapo ones that come in the page protectors when you get albums or any.. You wont be seeing it really so it doesn't have to be the "good stuff"

Spray adhesive.. I use the craft etc acid free high strength adhesive. Krylon makes a good one too. (this ones just cheaper)

a Cricut or a die cutter of some sort.


When you use Vellum, use the dull side, not the slick shiny side. If you hold them up to the light, some types have more of a pvc surface, some are more thin and porous.. I like to use the Bazzill lightweight vellum. Get the thinnest they have. You ussually have to ask your lss to order it for you. Hobby lobby will also special order it if you ask. You have to buy the entire package though.

Take a few colors of your alcohol inks, you can do droplets.. just a drop at a time slowly. Drop around on the sheet and let it kinda dry some before you start your next color.
OR you can take the tip, set it all the way down on the vellum and drag it across the vellum while very VERY lightly squeezing, You can do stripes... designs.. however. I did both ways. I liked the effect of the stripes first. let it get mostly dry then go back with another color and do swirls inside the other color. You can also take your stamps, and touch them to the alchol ink and do a negative impression, be sure to wipe your stamps off after you do it though, each time. REALLY WELL.

Cover your entire sheet of vellum with the different inks.
LET IT DRY COMPLETELY. Usually 15 to 30 minutes.. you can let it set a couple hours if you like. I did mine then let it sit over night to be sure it was good dry through and through.

Use some spray adhesive on the back of the vellum. THEN place on a sheet of WHITE CARDSTOCK. I found that white is the best color to use under your vellum. It makes the colors "pop" the best. Other colors darken the inked colors, bright, light colors are ok.. depending on the colors of the alcohol inks you use.
After you have adhered your vellum to the cardstock and SMOOTHED IT OUT VERY WELL so it is FIRMLY ATTACHED ALL OVER. let it sit for a couple minutes.




Cut your spare cardstock off around the edges. THEN you can cut down your sheet of inked vellum to 6 x 11 (if your using 8 and 1/2 by 11 vellum.. if you are using 12 x 12 cut it to 6 x 12) place it (with the cardstock on the back side down) on your Cricuit mat and cut whatever you like. You can do letters or designs or use it with your Sizzix or whatever die cutting contraption you may have. I used the Cricut, "Walk In My Garden" and the "Base Camp" font cartridges.

The Patterned paper is by Scenic Route. LOVE LAND their new Valentines Line. ISN'T IT YUMMMY!!!! You can get it at www.Scrap-diner.com.

THe main thing is, experiment with them and have fun. BE SURE TO wipe up any spills IMMEDIATLY and if it gets on your hands, wash it off immediatly. DO NOT get it on your clothes.. You need to use a well ventilated area or you may be singing show tunes.. just know I warned you ok! (ask me how I know ha ha)

Save your leftover scraps. You can use them as photo corners, or with punches. They are great to use with the Sizzix hardware die, like photo turns and buckles. You can even cut them to make faux ribbons.
OK, I Challenge you to play with your alcohol inks and link back here showing me what you did. JUST let loose and have fun with it.
COME ON WHAT CHA WAITIN FOR!!

Thankful

So how was your Thanksgiving? Did you get enough Turkey and dressing? Oh man we did. Im thankful its over. I enjoyed seeing the family and all but it is always chaotic. We had people on every available piece of furniture and floor.. reminded me of college haha. We had a great time Lots to eat lots of stories, Lots of playing.
Here are a few photos. Aren't they just the cutest ever? You should see the OUT TAKES of this photo haha Kasi looks in pain hahahaha!Everyone was ready for a nap after our big meal. Jason had the right idea.. KICK back relax and then go get another plate :)Guido even got his Thanksgiving as well.I love this photo of Dad.
Hope you all had a HAPPY THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY AND GOT PLENTY OF TURKEY. I hope you had a chance to remember what Thanksgiving is truly about. I know it is hard with the hustle and bustle and crowd of family but we are truly thankful for our family and what they mean to us.

Bella's Thanksgiving Program

THe 3k and 4k class sang this morning at Chapel, for all the parents in honor of Thanksgiving. THey dressed in festive hats as pilgrims or indians. Bella said she wanted to be a Pilgrim since "HER BRAYDEN" was going to be a "indiot" (indian) Here are a few photos. It was REALLY cute.


CHeck out the little boy at the bottom left of the photo. HE didnt look to happy to be there but man was he just the cutest thing EVERRR!



I thought this was the sweetest little song everrrrr!!! Had to zoom in on that shot!



We hope you are havig a happy DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING and gonna spend it with the ones you love :)

I also want to tell my HUBBY "HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND I LOVE YOU" Hope you have a less chaotic day than we expect :)
We will probably be celebrating his Bd this weekend. Since we have company and everything is kinda AAAAAACCCKKKKKKKK right now. I love you honey and welcome to 37!! hehehhee