Selling off one of my children!

We finally found the house of our dreams, thank god.
(more on that later)
But now we need all new stuff to put in this house and having two cameras seems a little ridiculous.
I'd much rather have a new couch.
Or rugs.
Or curtains for the one million windows on the place.

So we are selling off the one that never really got used anyways.
It's a Nikon D40x.
And it has the kit lens.... 18-55.
As well as a zoom... 55-200.
And filters on the lenses.
And This Book as well.
And all the info, cords and stuff that came with the camera.
We are asking $850.
I think I can buy a couch with that amount.
And it is seriously like brand new, I think he took like 10 pictures with it.
This camera is listed brand new on Amazon with these lenses for almost $1900, so this is truly an amazing deal.
All the details on this camera are listed on Amazon, HERE.
Any questions, just ask.
Email me at spazzgirl555{at}yahoo{dot}com.

After our deal goes through, I'll be back with more details about our new abode.
Until then, keep your fingers crossed for us!

Hello 2009!

(this is for my buddy Michele who begged me at the beginning of January to update my blog, I finally updated Michele! Can you believe it?)

It has been a crazy few months.
The holidays always throw me for a loop and this year it was even more insane with the store and the crazy snow we have been having, I am amazed I haven't checked myself into the funny farm yet.

Here's a quick recap of the last few months.
We had Thanksgiving with the family and of course there was lots of wine involved.


My sister and her fiance, K-Fred were there.
Did I mention before, she's engaged?
My nephew was showing off his new facial bling.
Nice...real nice.
And of course there was turkey.
And I tried to get a nice photo of me and the kid but I refuse to be shorter than him.
While I was trying to tippy toe my sister was jumping up behind us to try and get in the photo.
This cracks me up.
And now when I say I am the tall sister at 5'3", you will all believe me.
We had originally thought that we would have bought our house well before Thanksgiving and been able to host the major holidays in our new home but that just didn't work out as planned.
This made for an even grumpier holiday season.
I pouted about not having a tree.
I pouted about not getting to bake since all my cookware is in storage.
I pouted just to pout.
It was not a happy time in our house for sure.
And now looking back, I think it was probably for the best.
I didn't need all that hassle this year.
I didn't have the time for the tree or the baking or the decorating.
I did all my Christmas shopping 3 days before Christmas for christ's sake.

So I sat back this year and just went through the motions of the holidays.
We had Christmas at my dad's first, before Christmas.

And while opening presents, my father wouldn't turn off the golf game, so Tiger is in all my photos.

I got some really nice gifts.
And my parents weren't really thrilled that I still haven't opened my expensive cookware from last year.
But they bought me new kitchen goodies to go with them when I do eventually open that box.
My sister was there and I only see her a few times a year.
Nice to see that the kid ruins pictures he takes with everyone, not just me.
Christmas day was spent at my mom's house which is convenient because she lives so close.
Most of my siblings weren't there.
Only these 2 were.
The kid was being himself as usual.


And apparently I was in a totally pouty mood that day too because when I went searching for Christmas photos I only had about 5.

When my brother and his girlfriend came back from her family in Minnesota, we had Christmas for the third time and apparently by then I had had enough because I don't have a single photo!
I have to admit, not having pictures is kinda sad but not having to be the one taking them all the time is kinda nice.
It was good to just sit back and enjoy.
Even if there is no proof.

New Years was low key as usual.
We went to dinner to celebrate my psuedo-SIL's bday.
My little sister was there with her new beau.
Here's my brother and his 'stache.
Oh yeah, that's Katie and the kid too.
That 'stache kinda steals the photo and I forget there are other people in there too.
And this is officially the first photo of 2009 the kid had ruined.
Love my triple chins in this picture.
And am I singing??
WTF?
The kid turned 13 on January 1st too.
And I don't have a single picture of that either.
I think I just freaked out all day.
Pray for me people...pray that I survive these teen years.

My word of the year....TIME.
Make time for my friends.
Cherish time with my family.
Make time for me.
I need more of it and to learn to use it more wisely this year, for sure.

And for all you crafty people, I have made a zillion things in the last few months.
So feast your eyes on these...












(If anyone needs details about any cards, just shoot me an email or check out the CraftFancy gallery.)

I bought a paperwhites kit at Target after Christmas on clearance for $2 and last week they shot up like this...
This week they are gorgeous and smell great...

I am off work for 4 days and I am trying to distance myself and just enjoy being off.
Easier said than done.
I'm heading to the south side later.
I'll probably get lost like I always do.
I am meeting up with my friend Josie tonight to check out her new house.
Then it's off to see the stamping divas.

Tomorrow I am having a complete makeover and I am toying with the idea of an extreme change in hairstyle.
But I am a total chicken when it comes to hair, so we'll see how that goes.
And then out to dinner with my favorite friends and family tomorrow night at one of my favorite restaurants, Friendship.

Have a great weekend.
And enjoy it without your cameras or from the other side of the lens.

Joanne

It is with a very heavy heart that I type this post.
I got a call from my buddy Michele yesterday, which I should have known right away was a bad thing since we rarely call each other on the weekends because we are so busy.
Our friend and fellow stamping diva, Joanne, passed away Friday night.
I think I said, "Wait...What?!!" about 5 times on the phone.
It is a shock to say the least.
Sudden and shocking.

Joanne was just the nicest person.
She had a kind heart and a sunny disposition, complete opposite of me.
She was a very talented stamper and cardmaker.
She loved her family and friends and it showed.
And she will be missed very much by anyone who knew her.

The first time I met her, she brought along this card as our project of the month.
And it's still one of my favorites.
I'm glad I never sent it to anyone.
I'll treasure it always.

I know Joanne is in heaven now where there are unlimited Copic makers, cardstock in every color you can imagine and your letter stickers never run out of the letter E.
She's making cards for all the angels.

It just reminds me again to tell the people in my life how cool they are.
To tell my family that I love them.
Hug my friends extra tight.
And make sure that everybody knows that they mean something to me.

Joanne, I will miss ya.
The divas won't be the same without you.
I was lucky to have called you my friend.

My Christmas Past

Yes, still majorly busy.
But with the "most wonderful time of the year" upon me, I am feeling even more rushed, stressed and chaotic.
My grinchy attitude has already begun.

Although, I just reconnected with grade school classmates this week on Facebook and lemme tell ya...it was the highlight of my month!
If you are on Facebook, look up those old pals, it seems like everybody's on Facebook these days.
And to think that I was just happy to see all my crafty friends there, I had no idea everybody else was there too.
I haven't talked to or seen many of these people I have "friended" this week in over 10 years!
Ahhh...good times.

I am teaching at the store like crazy.
And this is definitely one of my most favorite things.
I made it using all my mom's old Christmas photos she used to keep in a little album that she put out each year.


There I am with my sister.
Love those flannel shirts and Dorothy Hamill haircuts.
There's me again in 1990.
Gosh, my hair hasn't changed much, how sad.
And that coat that my brother is wearing in this photo is so similar to the ugly Brady-esque jacket that Max is sporting these days.
That's my little sister just a few years ago and she is still that short.
Sadly everyone still thinks she's 12 when she's 26 now.
I love that smile, can you tell I hated having my picture taken as a kid?
And this was during my tomboy phase when I didn't where anything girly for about 5 years.
That brown hoodie was one of my favorite things.
And check out my green pants. Lordy!

That's my cute little sister.
Man, she was a doll as a child, super cute.
And I love my little brother's Jordache sweater.
Max said he wishes he had one just like it.
I love flipping through this little book all the time.
I have a flood of memories.
I just hope mom likes it.
She's not crazy about crafty projects but I think she may approve.

And I totally got this idea from the fabulous Louise who is so kind to share her best ideas with me.
It seems like everyone and there brother is making a Holiday countdown thing this year which is awesome.
Are you making one too??
Share.

PS. I'm teaching this class next Saturday, November 29th if anyone is nearby.
Checkout CraftFancy.com for more details.

Proof of the Chaos that is My Life

(I know, you are all shocked to see an actual post...I am too.)

I am nothing but busy these days and it seems that when I get a minute to myself all I want to do is sit on the couch, turn on horribly bad TV and just veg out with a cocktail in my hand.
All those years I thought I was busy don't even hold a candle to the stress I am experiencing these days.
I am missing my slacker job more than I thought I would.
I definitely miss being home at 3:30p every afternoon.
And I definitely miss being able to be online and visit all my online buddies, see what they are up to, see how big their kids are getting, see all the cool things going on.
I feel very outta the loop these days.
And I miss you guys.
No, seriously...I really miss my online life.

The kid is keeping me busy as usual when I am at home.
We are in Science Fair mode again and since we placed 4th in the school last year, the kid has aspirations that he will win it all this year.
Which translated means that mom needs to step it up this year.

Friday I actually made my way down south to meet up with the stamping divas.
Michele, Joanne, Kim, Sharon and Lynda were all there.
So good to hang with some crafty girls and absorb some mojo.
(mine is wearing a little thin these days)
And I brought this little card as our project of the night.


Then Saturday I found myself at this school for a High School fair for the kid.
(I didn't want to believe he was old enough for a high school fair either!)
And they were prepping for interview questions to get into some of the best high schools in the country.
It was like college stuff, seriously.
And the kid was wearing the horrid 70s Brady jacket as I have been referring to it.
It is awful and I hate it.
And he LOVES it.
Here's a blurry glance for everyone that I have been trying to describe it to.
And I love this picture, doesn't he look so grown up?
And this blurry one is my new fav, even blurry.
He looks so mature.
And those eyes...no wonder he is popular with the ladies.
He is still dying to get into the top high school in the state. (#14 in the country)
And it is almost impossible.
He is also interested in a couple private schools in the city, one of which the fair was held.
And it is only $26k a year for them!
What a bargain.
But if he gets into one of them (with a full scholarship of course because there is no way in the world we could afford that), he would get to look out at this every day.

I am still creating like a mad woman.
I know you wouldn't know it if you looked at this blog .
But trust me, I am.
My current fav is this little planner I created as a class for the store.
More details (and projects) are on the CraftFancy blog.

And here are just a few more things to prove that I am still a crafty chick...






These last two cards are the latest additions to the Where Are They Now? Gallery.
It seems that people with sticky fingers also like cards.
My list of stolen cards is growing at a more alarming rate than I anticipated.
I make sure I take pictures before I place anything out in the store anymore, I have to.
And that is sad.

I hope everyone is well.
I don't blog hop at all anymore, so drop me a line, leave a comment.
What's up people??
(miss ya!)