Paper and me are like this..........

Last night I did a quick tally of all of the layouts that are on my desk waiting to be put away, all of these layouts have been made within the past two months and I had 27 of them laying there. So paper and me are like this(just picture me crossing my pointer finger and middle, yeah you get it) Anyway I was amazed with myself, I have seem to have gotten the scrap booking bug.

I think I found a new perspective on it and I give credit to a number of things, one of those being Ali Edwards. In the past I just scrapped my images and stuck pretty things on the paper and a title and that is it. Now a days I take the time and think of what the picture is all about and what I want other to read when they look at my layouts. A lot of people do scrap booking just for themselves which is great, but a part of me does it for the hopes that someone years from now when I am long gone will look at my books and just enjoy reading about who I was, what I did, that sort of stuff. So when I started thinking that way I got into scrapping more, especially child hood photos. All the pretty stuff of course is great to and I love playing around but it really is the stories that are now more important to me.

This past weekend I went to another crop. Me and my friend have been on the hunt for a good crop in our area that we could attend. The last one we went to was a total dud, everyone was so structured, no one talked and it was just so very boring. We winded up leaving early, waste of money. The one we went to this weekend was awesome, it was in a great space and pleasant people oh and I won the fifty fifty which paid for the money I spent on pretty paper there. But the best part was the brownie sundaes at the end, yes brownie sundaes, haha. I will be attending these ladies crops more often. While at the crop I finished six layout and as well as 2 more at my parents house while visiting for the holidays. I find I work better when surrounded by people, its strange.

Now its time for a layout.

This is a layout in which I used a picture of me at one of my birthday parties. Growing up, my mom would throw my parties at either the bowling alley or The Ground Round. This picture is from The Ground Round. Man I miss that place, they would make fresh pop corn in which they would put into baskets for your table and they had a huge TV screen that played cartoon after cartoon. I am unsure though of which birthday this was for me, I am guessing I was in kindergarten because I do not recognize the kids in the picture. After kindergarten I went off to Catholic school for 6 years and was with the same group of kids for all of those 6 years and remember their faces by heart. So I was probably turning 6 here, just my guess. Its such a funny thing because as I got older I really stopped celebrating my birthday. Last year I turned thirty and did not a single thing. Perhaps this year I should have a birthday party at my local bowling alley:)

Post turkey

And so it begins, the holiday season. We start it by stuffing ourselves with turkey and end it with a hangover(usually) haha. I feel like it really snuck up on us this year, in a blink of an eye it was Halloween then Thanksgiving and now in a few
short weeks, Christmas. Yikes, I better start with my shopping.

I spent a few days at my parent's home for the holiday. Its always so comfortable there and I usually get fed real well, my dad is a great cook. On Thanksgiving my sister and brother in law and my aunt and cousin all joined us. My dad cooked up a storm, it was so delicious and I enjoyed the time with my family. And now to share a few glimpses from my day.







Molly begging for pieces of food while my dad cooked.


Dad cooking.


The table after my mom set it.


Dad.



Mom


The feast.


The fire.


Dessert, Dad's awesome pumpkin cheesecake.

I did not get many pictures of everyone there, obviously or even any of myself. But the pictures I got, I love. Happy post Turkey day.

The layout that went Christmas.

Happy post turkey day. How was your Thanksgiving? Mine was spent at my mom and dad's, very low key, small get together. In the early afternoon while sitting near the fire I did a little scrapping. When it comes to theme scrap booking, its not my thang:) For some reason though with the fire going, and the smell of the dinner cooking as well as a holiday movie and a Christmas photo from last year sitting at the top of my photo pile, I went for the gusto. This happens to be my very first Christmas layout ever! I played it low key on the Christmas colors and embellishments, I also got around to using my Martha Stewart Vintage Doily punch which I love.

That is a picture of me and Will in front of the Rockefeller tree from last Christmas. I think it was one of those pictures where you stick the camera out at an arms length and take your picture, that would be why its so out of frame and wonky but I love it. Even though we live close to the city and venture there quite often(I also work there) we make it a big touristy deal to do the whole holiday thing every year. We visit all of the wonderful window displays on 5th ave, visit all the fun toys at F.A.O Swarz, light candles and reflect at St. Patrick's and of course take in all of the beauty of the Rockefeller tree. We usually end our evening with a visit to our favorite bar, The Blarney over on 32nd. This has become a tradition of ours, one I enjoy immensely and now I have a layout of it:)

The post where I go photo heavy.

Ok, well I am just gonna cut to the chase here. I have finished the foundation pages of my December Daily and man it feels good:) I am one step closer to actually working on it this year and I am gonna admit it, I am proud of myself for starting early and getting it done. All that has to be added now is maybe, possibly some journaling spots(not quite sure on how I will do this) and of course, hopefully some pictures.

I used pretty much everything in my kit that I bought from Every Jot and Title. I also used my trusty water colors, some Martha Stewart Holiday tape, Martha Stewart stickers, and really a modge podge of other things. I will be sure to share as I fill this album up.

Well, I want to wish all of my American friends a Happy Thanksgiving. I will not be posting until after turkey day, a lot of things happening this weekend. So enjoy your holiday, your time with your friends and family and eat, drink and be merry!