All American - the layout

All American
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

See? We did get that photo (via email) of E getting his citizenship. I swear, if I promise anyone photos via email or any other format, I will get them out A.S.A.P. What a relief to have this great shot and get it scrapped before too long after the event.

And I did get a little cropping done this weekend...just finishing up layouts from the week before. Seems I always leave the journaling for dead last, so that's all that had to go on this one. The stars are embossed with red glitter powder, which of course doesn't scan, and my scanner also read the two "stitched" sides of my LO as different shades of red. No wonder I can't get published.

There's my new corner punch...the chunky corner pieces of patterened paper. LOVE it.

Worked on my Memories of China tie quilt over the weekend. We celebrated Thanksgiving at my brother's, then I came back Saturday to put the quilt together with my mom's help. I still have a LOT of red yarn ties to tie, but it's simpler (and prettier) than cutting & piecing that beautiful fabric.

My "former" (and hopefully future) cropping buddy, Lisa, came to my brother's on Saturday to visit while in town. She mentioned that every morning she checks her email, then checks my blog, so I'd better get cracking on fresh content. Hi Lisa!

Then, Ben got baptised on Sunday. I don't like to be rushed in the morning (one of the many reasons I don't go to church regularly), but we all managed to get ready on time and even got to church EARLY. Too bad he pretty much slept through the ceremony; that means he won't sing in the choir. Given how E sings (off tune), that's probably a given.

My Dad is getting sick -- we're thinking a serious kind of sick -- so I had offered to take my oldest brother to the airport today (so my folks could get back early, and get in to the doctor's first thing), which would have entailed Don staying over last night, but I realised Tess has school today, so I had to call Saturday night and bail. I felt terrible that I offered without thinking, as Tess was looking forward to introducing him to the Land Before Time movies (Don is one of those super-intelligent people who knew all the complicated names of dinosaurs when he was like, two years old).

My mother is so odd in her attitude toward's Tess's school...I mean, I know it's just preschool, but I don't like her missing it, especially considering we *pay* for it -- not much -- but more than that, I like getting her into a routine. Next year she has to go Every. Day.

Anyway, when I called to back out, of course my Mom said "can't Tess just skip a day?" This from the woman who wanted us to have that Perfect Attendance pin every year. (The reason I had to talk to my Mom about Don's departure, and not Don, is a whole 'nother issue...)

Actually, it was more complicated than just Tess missing a day of school. We'd have to leave just after 11a to get to the airport at noon, right in the middle of Ben's glorious long nap (3 hours if I'm lucky). Plus, there's the whole issue of getting lunch for Tess before school (and Ben). Routines. Kids need them. Moms crave them. Of course, that would be why my Mom never liked us to miss a day of school.

Blessed

Blessed
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

Damn! Ben just keeps getting cuter. At this rate, I'm going to have to beat away the girls when he goes to his first playgroup.

I realized yesterday (Thanksgiving, doncha know) that I hadn't yet posted two very lovely gifts from my A2 Knit In pals. Emily made the sweater and hat set, and Ingrid made him the fuzzy little booties (VERY warm and toasty)!

Also, my cropping buddies, Becky and Kelly, gave us some terrific outfits (I have not had to buy boy stuff yet) and a really cute froggy dining set from Ikea.

So thanks, ladies, for keeping Benjamin warm and well-outfitted this winter!

I could not avoid shopping this morning, yet in true scrap-crazy form, I ran (well, actually I drove) up to Brighton to Scrap Tales, the store that never honors coupons or has sales of ANY kind (since I've known about them - about a year now). They had 40% off select storage and kit items (none of which I needed or wanted, naturally), but better yet, they had 25% off EVERYTHING in the store. Whoo-hoo!

Scrap Tales is one of those stores that is laid out to perfection. Everything is color- or theme- coordinated (and those that know me well know how I am All About That) and they have the latest and greatest right up front to tempt you.

Still, I behaved pretty well today. I finally picked up the Coluzzle tabs template I've been lusting after for a while now. They had Land Before Time (!) paper as well as some other cute dinosaur paper (how many little girls go from princessess to dinosaurs in just one summer? Must record her obsession...). I had Tracy White's photography book in my hands, but figured I was getting Up There in the total department, so I traded it for a Nostalgiques corner punch the woman ahead of me had purchased (got the last one, always a coup).

The only other thing I've been needing are project storage boxes...they had color-coordinated (see, I'm crazed for that) ones for $10, so I picked up two for $7.50 each.

I got home by noon and now I'm getting ready to pack for cropping tonight...yup, I'd much rather use my time to catch up on pages than go to the mall and fight the crowds. I'll do my holiday shopping online again this year.

T.I.L.T. 11/16/2006

House Quilts
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

I spied this at my local fabric/quilt/sewing machine shop (Viking Sewing Center) while shopping for backing fabric last weekend. A local Girl Scout troop created it; I think they are even raffling it off for charity (it would have helped to stop and read the article pinned to it -- ya think?!).

I LOVE house blocks; I like to think my mother's 23+year career in real estate (and my employment, for 9 years, in association management at a local board of Realtors) had an influence on my tastes.

Something about houses just makes me happy. I loved miniatures as a kid, too. I saved all my money from a paper route when I was 12 to buy a dollhouse at Franks Nursery and Crafts (remember them?)...I'm still fascinated by dollhouses & miniatures.

Not that I need another (very expensive) hobby...

All-American

Yesterday added a new citizen to our ranks -- my very own E. Too bad he had to be at the courthouse in downtown Detroit at 8:30 a.m.; I couldn't join him to get photos.

I can only hope the folks who took his picture with the judge who swore him in send it along; otherwise I have nothing to scrap for the special day.

At least work treated him extra-special, with a big cake decorated as a map of the U.S. (nobody there got pictures, either, grr). They also gave him a big balloon bouquet weighed down with a red, white and blue mug.

Too bad he didn't have time to register to vote today. Personally, I've got a lot of reading to do before I go to the polls tonight.

Today's Resolutions

Go Fish
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

...I will not pick up toys

...I will not do any more laundry

...I will not grocery shop

...I will not cook

I WILL get at least one scrapbook layout done, one that has been languishing in my crop bag for (!) over two months now.

...I will not get online (oops)

...I will not write a blog entry (oops again)

I WILL keep my blog entry short, so I can go about enjoying a brief, child-free afternoon, until I have to run to my in-laws at 4:00 p.m. for dinner & baby Ben snuggling/nursing time.

Jack

Jack
Originally uploaded by CreativeExile.

I can't believe I almost didn't carve a pumpkin this year. What kind of seriously bad luck would that bring us on All Hallow's Eve?

Ben is - sort of - getting on a schedule. His long night stretches were obviously a fluke; he's back to waking at 2a and 6a after going down around 10p.

I don't mind the early-morning feedings if I can get him to take naps during the day. And, thanks to Dr. Karp, I am able to get him down during the day when he fusses. In fact, I'm using one of the book's "dirty little secrets" just to write this post - he's conked out in his swing, dutifully swaddled and with a pacifier. Now I can shower - after I find something to amuse Tess.

Now for some knitting news...I found my lost green bag of yarn (E stuck it waaay in the back of our downstairs closet...I've been grabbing time here and there for the last week in search of it).

I've got two gorgeous skeins of Noro Kureyon I bought on sale last year...now: what should I do with it?

I thought I'd make the Flat-Top Hat from my Modular Knits book, but I fear it may be too complicated for me (right now...with my new mom swiss-cheese brain). But a scarf seems kind of lame for such beautiful fiber -- although Last Minute Knitted Gifts has a pretty mistake-rib scarf pattern for this yarn.

Leave me comments (and pattern links, if you have them) with suggestions. After all, if I'm not going to participate in NaNo this year, I really should get back to knitting. MUCH less stressful.