Lots of Rambles

I think I just might be the busiest unemployed person I know. Maybe getting laid off right now was more of a blessing than anything thing else. I don’t feel comfortable enough to write about everything that’s going on in my life; some things are too personal to share on the internet with just anyone. But I will say I am up to my ears with scrap projects. So much so, the stockings I was making for Christmas will make their debut next year. There must be something in the water…Lately I have been brimming over with ideas for layouts and altered items. Not to mention the inspiration around every corner; okay, make that every bookmarked site, but you get my point.
Today I have an interview. Fingers crossed. Wouldn’t it be nice if I could land a job only a week after losing one? My luck has never been that good, but here’s hoping…
The Christmas spirit has finally bitten me. Last week I was cancelling Christmas, saying we’ll just focus on being together, presents don’t matter…The whole nine yards. But something inside me has changed. Yes, presents are still not a big thing. We have plenty of presents for Monkey to keep him busy until his birthday. We’ve also collected a small collection for the other two Rug Rats. I've started baking and just enjoying the meaning of Christmas.
Speaking of the Rug Rats, they will be here right after Christmas. I haven’t seen them in forever so I am super excited. Steve is even more excited. I don’t think there’s been a day since we found out that he hasn’t mentioned it. I have visions of kiddo pictures floating around in my head. I hate to admit it, but I don’t have a single picture of all three kids together. The first few months of Monkey’s life are such a blur. I know we had the Rug Rats a few times over when Monkey was just a newborn. I remember Steve’s step-mother and sister taking a video of the Rug Rats and their cousins singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star to Monkey when he was only a few months old. I’ve been kicking myself for a few months (okay, like 8 or 9 months) that I never once stopped to snapped a picture. Bad pre-scrapbooker me. I wouldn’t dream of not having my camera attached to my hip anymore. Those poor kids will be seeing stars from my flash their whole trip here.
We’ve just got recent pictures of the Rug Rats. I see so much of Monkey in his older brother. I’ve always though Monkey looked more like my side of the family. His beautiful, large eyes and long lashes are from Steve I think; but his nose, hair colour, curls, lips…Always look like they’re from me. Then I look at Monkey’s older brother…And, wow, they look like full brothers. Certainly not the half brothers they are. I’m sure people are going to think all three kids are mine. Guess I’m either going to look really old, or people are going to think I was in my teens when I started having kids. I was 17 the year Steve’s daughter was born.
I suppose I’m going to have to come up with nicknames for the Rug Rats for here since Monkey’s got one. I’ve been calling Monkey his nickname since I was pregnant with him. It’s always suited him too. His other nickname from me is Pumpkin Noodle. I have no reason for it. It just comes out of my mouth. I’ve been calling the other two kids the Rug Rats since I first met them. It’s said very lovingly every time. I’m going to call Steve’s daughter, Princess. It fits her. She is the princess of the family, being the first born and the only girl. She’s also the first granddaughter to both sets of her grandparents; beating out her cousin by only a few weeks. I’m going to have to think about one for Steve’s oldest son.
And now I’ll leave you with a couple of Pencil Lines inspired layouts…

This one is Pencil Lines 113. Me and Steve. I had fun with a couple of Paint Dabbers.

This is Pencil Lines 111. I knew what I wanted to do with this sketch as soon as I saw it. The green is stamped on with paint. I found a leaf stamp, painted it and then gently tapped it with my fingers instead of pressing it down to get a sponged on look.

Close up. I used fake snow (that horrible stuff I used to like putting into Christmas cards so that it would make a mess all over when someone pulled the card out) for added texture. I really like the look of it and will be playing with it more.

Close up. I added Diamond Glaze to my alpha stickers for texture.

Close up. The bling! I cut up a frame bling and pieced it together like swirls. The blue gems are there only because their colour made me think of cold.

Okay, this last one is not from Pencil Lines. It's from a sketch from So Sketchy. The green circles on the reddish-paper were stamped on using paint and bubble wrap. I used a paint dabber lightly to make a wispy journaling block so my words stand out more, but you can still see the pattern behind it. Love KI's Bloom chipboard alphas too. They're so yummy!

Until next time....