{Insert bitchy rant here}

You know when you have one of those days where NOTHING goes the way you want? Yep, that's today. It's rainy and crappy, which I normally like. I woke up sweating my butt off. Like my sheets were WET, my clothes were WET and sticking to my body. GREAT! I get up, take the kids to the bus (I had to take Brandon's dog to the bus stop with us because he wouldn't go in the house and started chasing the car down the road.) Get home and go back to bed because I am so woosey I cannot stay upright.

Wake up at like noon. Power is out. Awesome. Our power goes out at least 2 or 3 times a month out here. I have never lived somewhere with such unreliable service. Power comes back on. I lay in bed for another half an hour, trying to get up the energy to get up. I let the dogs out to pee. Next, I go into the bathroom to take a shower. Turn the water on to warm up and start brushing my teeth. Power goes back off. Water shuts off. Awesome. cause when you live in the country and have a well, no power means no water and you are thrust back into 1880. Awesome.

I go back and sit on the bed and pet the cats. Power comes back on. I turn the water on and jump in as fast as I can. Carefully washing as fast as I can ONLY one part at a time. I have a gallon of water on the counter just in case. I get through my entire body and get done. I stay in and try to warm up, when the phone rings. Awesome. I am always afraid that if I don't answer the phone, it is going to be the school telling me I need to come get one of the kids or Luke saying he has been in a wreck. So I jump out with my towel and answer the phone. It's a telemarketer. Yep.

I get dressed and decide that I am NOT going to sit down, I am going to shampoo the rug. I have a puppy who still has accidents. His favorite place is in the hallway. So I decide to take care of it today. As I am shampooing, I feel very very weak and end up leaning against the wall to finish. I also clean a 6' section of the living room before I run out of clean water. I stop, drink a big glass of chocolate milk, and sit down. That's the end of my productivity for the day.

Luke is by this time almost home, when he lets me know he is chosing NOT to come hom. Instead, he is going to go to WORK! Yep, he's been gone for 7 weeks for school. I have seen him during 5 weekends during that time. So it's not as bad as it could have been. But still. Really? Beyond that, there is a SLOUGH of bad wrecks all over the parrish. So he already knows he would have a hard time gettign home.

Brandon shows up to get his dog, who has been a terrible pain in my ass all weekend. We sit and visit for almost 2 hours. At this point, my kids should have been home. They normally get home around 3:30. The finally show up at 4:30. They spent an hour and a half on the bus. Awesome. By that time, I had tried calling the transportation department and the school twice with no answer. So happy about that. Brandon leaves with his dog, my carpet shampooer, and my vacuum. he is moving out of his apartment this weekend and has to clean it.

Now Luke is telling me crap about work that isn't really good news. The phone won't stop ringing. Brandon is calling me to whine about the traffic he is stuck in. Luke is texting me complaints about work and his intended route home, which I know from the info I have been given, will not work any better than any other. It's 5:45 and I have nothing taken out for supper, no extra money for supper out, and no patience to cook anything anyway.

The kids are fighting and wrestling and screaming and whining and tattling and throwing toys. I don't have the attitude left to deal with them. This is my blog and I can bitch if I want to. I don't have anyone else to complain to! I have had nothing to eat today. I need to go grocery shopping. My gut hurts all the time with waves of overwhelming nausea in between. I need a break. i need a break from these kids, from being broke all the time, from the stupid crap that seems to happen all the time, from selfish people who swirl all around me. Seriously? I know I am not the most selfless person in the world. But sometimes it just gets to be too much. I am over it. I am shutting down the emotional bank of rachael. So if you want/need something from me in the near future, TOUGH CRAP!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled cheerful crafty rachael.

Royalty coming through...

Ok, so it's wishful thinking. Moxie Fab World is having their stamping royalty contest going on now through March 8th. So I figured what the heck, it's not like I am doing anything else, may as well use of some stuff I have laying around to justify my recent scrappy purchases. I also did the Tuesday Trigger for this week. I will probably be adding more cards later this week, so keep watching!
CTMH stamps and ink, AC green alphas and ribbon, MLS sticker alphas, GCD pp, CI black die cut paper, BG pink paper, green smooch paint.

Cosmo Cricket boyfriend paper, CI die cut black paper, Maya road chip girl (cut out of paper and the negative image used as a mask)and acrylic wings, Glimmer Mist, MLS alpha stickers, MM rubon alphas, prima flowers and pearl, AC black ribbon, MME skull, white ribbon from packaging!

Oh Oh Oh. I also did my DT layout for XOXO girls for next month and I am in LOVE. I used some of the new CI wood veneer. SO excited about that stuff. There may be a tutorial coming soon on it. I found some fun stuff to do already! Wishing I would have bought some more! Plus it has a self portrait which i LOVE! I manipulated it a bit and am SO happy with the results. I can't wait to share it.

More cards soon!

And the Winner is?

Not the person who ran the fastest! But trusty random.org says #19. So Michelle, you are the lucky contestant on...wait. wrong show. Ok. Just etsy convo me and we will get you squared away! Thanks to all the girls that participated in the TES blog hop! We love you guys! Hope you got way inspired on your way.

And as a small aside, yes those were Mardi Gras beads! We had just come back from a parade, I off loaded those from my neck, and got to work! I probably have 20 pounds or better of beads between the 2 parades we went to. So much fun!

Time to fix supper for the midgets. Its chunky raining outside (rain snow mix) and I just found out today that all my pain and suffering is from an ulcer. I am starving but afraid to eat because the pain is worse when I do! So wish me luck! I found quite a bit of fabulousness this weekend in Houston with Arcalee so I am hoping to feel up to crafting soon!

The Everyday Scrapper Goes On The Run!

Well, technically it's a hop. But I would rather run! Know why? Cause I know that we have some pretty awesome girls and they will be sharing some pretty cool stuff for you! Giveaways from several of us as well as a prize on the main site! Cool right?? I happen to think so! This is our first ever blog hop, and we are super excited about it! After you are done here, you will be finishing up the last couple stops from our contributors and sketch team members. So pin an "S" on my chest and away we go!

I do random things on TES, but a lot of what I do is tutorials. So along those lines, I would like to share a little tip about "Point and Shoot" cameras with built in flashes. We all have them, we all know how unpredictable they are and how horribly washed out the photos can end up when using them.

I went to school (briefly) for photography and learned lots of things. Not once did they teach us about controlling a fixed flash! The worst is indoors. So this is what I figured out! Are you ready???

Paper towels and scotch tape! You can control the amount of flash by the thickness of the paper towel. This is how I do it. I take a paper towel and hold it just over the flash single thickness, then take a photo. Look at the result. Then decide whether you need to double it. I usually end up with a triple or quad thickness. Then simply scotch tape the piece of paper towel over your flash! Basically, this is buffering the amount of light.

Here is a sample I did, using a single, double, then quad towel. (Just so you know, my sofa is actually the color of the third! That's what happens when you buy a dry clean only sofa and move to the country with 2 dogs, 2 cats, and a little boy! Yep, it's embarassing!)

This is one thickness of paper:

This is double thickness of paper towel:


This is quad thickness of paper towel:

See how much difference there is? Now depending on your photo and light conditions, you can adjust this very quickly. If you are doing a portrait shoot, you can easily do this before hand. If you are jus taking snapshots, take one, then adjust. everywhere you go, you can find toilet paper or a napkin! Hope you try this out! So easy!

Now the part you really want... the goodies, right? I am just starting out with an Etsy store. Right now, I am really into making scarflettes and cowels. So why not give one away. But it will be custom, just for you! So check out my shop and let me know which strikes your fancy! If you are the lucky winner, I will get with you about the particulars. Check it out here.

And from here, you are running to Jennifer Priest!

If you get off track along the way or are starting at my blog, here is the complete list of the blogs you need to make it to. In order to be entered for the TES RAK, you MUST leave a comment on all the blogs.

1. The Everyday Scrapper www.theeverydayscrapper.com/?p=2828 (if this doesn't work, just go to www.theeverydayscrapper.com and scroll through the recent posts!)
2. Catherine www.dance-the-tide.blogspot.com
3. Anneliese www.queen-of-the-crop.blogspot.com
4. Jewels www.joy-n-jesus.blogspot.com
5. Karen www.countrygirl-karen.blogspot.com
6. Jennifer L www.jenniferlongenecker.blogspot.com
7. Mia www.makepositivechanges.blogspot.com
8. Rachael www.rachaelwoodphotography.blogspot.com
9. Jennifer P www.hydrangeahippo.blogspot.com
10. Sharon www.sharonbertolino.blogspot.com
11. Ana www.anazelia-myscrapbookaddiction.blogspot.com

Thanks for stopping by! I will be announcing a winner Next Tuesday (the 23rd), so be sure to check back in!

XOXO Feb challenge is up

Just wanted to let you all know that the new challenge is up at True XOXO Girls . I am on team "O". This is our second month up and we are getting more and more girls playing along with us, which is awesome!

This month, my project is an altered Doorknob plate. I used a Bombshell stamp, Websters Sweet Cherry Pie paper, and a bunch of Prima e-line rhinestones and pearls. Hope you enjoy, can't wait to see your lifts.

Gone Etsy!!!

Yep, I jumped on the band wagon for Etsy. For two reasons really.

Little Bits of Insanity

#1, I am obsessive at times. Once I start something I like, I keep doing it over and over until I have just scads of it. Right now it's been making jewlery and crocheting scarfs of varying styles. I started out doing it for myself, but I had plenty left over to make more, so I did. There's something about sitting and crocheting while watching TCM that makes me happy. I don't ever intend on having a business or making any real money, just recooping some of my spending! I think Luke will appreciate it.

#2, It will give me a bit of freedom to try new things. If I can make a few bucks, it will allow me to buy more! And that way I won't have to feel so bad for asking Luke for MORE craft money! It will be nice to be able to say that I make a little bit of money of my own to buy what I like.

So for right now, I don't have a ton of stuff up, several of the things I had made I ended up giving away as gifts to people who admired things of mine. Sucker! But I really do love being able to do that! And one necklace I am keeping for myself! Cause I just love it!

If you want something, let me know and i will do my best to make it. Otherwise, go look! Tell me what you think! I tried to keep my prices as low as possible. Considering an average scarf takes me 6 or 7 hours and the yarn is $8-$10 per scarf, less than $20 is CHEAP! Thanks so much for all of your support! Love you all!

It's Mardi Gras!

I am not a fan of the south, that's no secret. But if I have to live here, it may as well be some place that embraces the "Lets get drunk and screw" anthem I have always been fond of. Shreveport has a pretty active Mardi Gras. This weekend, we hit up 2 parades.

The first one put on by the Krewe of Gemini was the better of the two. The floats were all themed after fictional characters. VERY COOL. Everyone is in costume, all throwing TONS of beads, dubloons, balls, cups, and random toys. The parade was about an hour and a half long, but we waited over 5 hours to see it! We were in the no drinking zone. The city designates this whole park as a family zone, so it wasn't as crowded as some of the other areas. This meant little competition for goodies and easy access in and out. We had porti potties near us, so that was good. Luke spoiled the kids, buying them cotton candy and trent a confetti gun. That thing was super cute! As much as he hates people, I think he had a good time. The kids were just beside themselves. We do NOT have parades like this back home! I have NEVER seen anything like it. People were camped out in trailers and tents, BBQing to save their places. That was insane. These people go big! Next year we will just tailgate too!

Today, Luke had to head back to Houston. When he left we loaded up in the car. We grabbed some lunch, parked right where the parade was staging, and walked about 5 blocks to the start of the "throw zone." We only had to wait a bit over an hour, which by comparison seemed like a breeze. There were throngs of people. By the time the parade actually started, we were 5 and 6 people deep on the street and sidewalk. Further down the route, it was much worse. We also didn't get nearly as much STUFF as the other onem but better beads and cool little toys and candy. But the coolest thing? Well, really 3 things. #1. One of the BBQ places threw HOT DOGS! #2. One float threw MOON PIES!!! Trent and I each got one. #3. Crawfish beads! They are red with a 4 inch crawfish on them! So freaking cool. This was by far a community parade. The floats weren't as good, more kids groups, and many more people there. We had a great time chatting with the folks around us. One man even gave the kids half of what he caught! He gave the other half to his niece... so I guess we can't fault him! We gave him one set of the crawfish beads!

I was thinking about taking the kids to the children's parade down on the boardwalk tuesday evening, but after giving it some serious though, I gave up on that. The fat tuesday mess will be REALLY bad in downtown on the other side of the river, where all the clubs are. And there is only ONE tiny entrance/exit for the freeway by the boardwalk, and just around christmas time it would take me 20 minutes just to get from the exit 1/4 a mile from parking! It was rediculous. So I will just keep them at home! Maybe I can appease them by buying a king cake.

I will leave you with a couple of photos from today, nothing special. Just what I snapped real quick between or during getting whacked in the FACE with beads! Yep, and I didn't even get the beads that hit me! Awesome! Can't wait till next year...

Hell Officially Froze Over!

We woke up this morning to 3-4 beautiful inches of snow! The kids are outside playing, even my Napoleon is bouning through the chest deep snow. Freeways are closed because Shreveport has only 2 now plow attachments for the front of city pick-ups. Obviously school was cancelled by 2 yesterday!

The kids were up bright and early, like 6:30! Don't they know the rules of snow days??? We lost power briefly, I am sure the cause was a limb falling on a line. The trees are so weighted down. All of our small trees are bent over to the ground. The snow is still lightly falling, but its supposed to melt by this evening as the temperature flirts with 40. We'll see. Luke is supposed to come home tonight after he gets out of school, but I don't know if he will be able! I really hope he can. Mardi Gras parade tomorrow and then Valentines Day, it would be nice to have my husband.

I will leave you all with a few pictures I have a feeling I won't get again as long as we live here. I hope those of you with REAL snow problems are faring well.

Who me? Sassy??? NAW!

Well it seems there is a lot of SASSYNESS going around this week. Over at Moxie Fab World (one of my favorite blogs for inspo, by the way!) issued a challenge. To use Anne Taintor's tongue in cheek style of 50's ad girls on a project. Yeah, I have been doing this for a few years! I didn't even know who Anne Taintor was! But anyway, I digress. I was flipping through an old 1950n edition of Look magazine that my girl Jamie sent me a few months ago. Several of the ads popped out at me, so I cut them out and made a few cards out of them. So thanks, Cath, for the challenge! I needed another excuse to ignore my housework!

This card is using some Cosmo Cricket pp, some Prima e-line gems, a MM snowflake, and my favorite fiskars punch.

As if I needed an excuse to use of more of my sassafras scraps... The trim is from Joann's and the flowers and gems are all Prima (cause who doesn't love some prima!)

And my other favorite, MME! This is some of the leftovers from the Breaking Free collection I used this summer on our Kauai trip. Rubons, frame, diecuts, all of it! It's a little difficult to tell from the photo, but the frame is popped out.

Thanks for dropping by my little blog! I love sharing my craft with you all and finding new scrappy friends all over the web!

Sassafras, will you be my Valentine?

I took a challenge posted over at Sassafras's blog. Basically, the challenge is to use up your current stash of Sass to make room for your new stash! And you have to make something for someone you love for valentines. So I did! Cause Lord knows I have enough Sassafras! I bought at least part of every collection released at the last 4 CHA's! Yep, I am a Sass whore! One of my favorite lines of all time from them is "fawned of you too". I love the vintagey colors, cool patterns, and how well they mix with everything else!

So here it is, the piece d' resistance. I added some random crochet trim, a bunch of Prima e-line pearls and gems, some MM cork letters, vintage buttons, and smooch. (lovin me some smooch!) I have NO idea who will get this, maybe I will give it to B! I already made Luke a card... Julia would like this too though.

TGIF!

So I did the Tuesday Trigger over at http://www.moxiefab.com/ . I posted about it over at TES, so I will spare the details. But thought I would share it here too! Luke is home tonight for the weekend, I am stoked. I have had a migraine since I woke up and it won't let up, so I am not doing much. I need to finish up laundry and pick up the kitchen, so we'll see how far I get. Going nuts waiting for news about Purple cows. Supposed to hear today. Still have my fingers crossed, although trying to be realistic!

Since i am not good enough..

For the design team I applied for, I will share a couple of the projects I had to make new especially for the call. Kinda bummed I didn't make it, but at least I got some scrappy projects done!

This card is for my bff Jason for his birthday. Fits him.

I used a cork coaster from Ikea for the card, then some Pink Paisley paper, Maya road bird and branch, Bella Blvd houndstooth paper, paper reflections key and keyhole.

Kaiser Craft papers, Bazzill swiss dot cs, AC blue letters, MLS small white and black letters, Kaiser rubon. Napoleon has the WORST overbite and these crazy shark teeth. He just never lost his baby teeth because they came in SO far up in his gums. He is such a unique little puppy!

I took these photos of the kids in the cemetary near our house. Its very small, maybe 25 graves total from half dozen families. we found out recently that we live on an old plantation. The graves date back before 1900-1950. I shot them in their costumes before we went trick or treating and in black and white with my Olympus Evolt E500. I used so much random stuff on this. Daisy D's halloween postcards, MME cat and skull, AC bat, Doodlebug gems, LYB ghost chip, and hand cut trees, CK hat pin, OA Journaling sticker.