Spooky stuff!

I just wanted to share a few photos of a Halloween party ensemble that was just published in the August issue of Holiday Home (Home & Heart) magazine. I used the fabulous Addams Family line from Rusty Pickle for this ensemble.

Very soon I will be sharing some photos of our scrapbook for the adoption agency. I had a marathon session the past 4 days as I created 6 total copies of the book - we're talking 100 8 x 8 pages. Last night I had somewhat of a mental breakdown. I'm feeling really overwhelmed and frustrated right now. It's been about a year since we started the adoption process and I'm just ready for everything to be out of our hands and to be on the list of waiting families. We're just so close at this point but we still have a lot of work to do. I guess I was feeling a little sorry for myself/us last night. Sometimes it just tears me up that we have to go through so much just to realize our dream of becoming parents. I try to put on a happy face most of the time because I'm incredibly hopeful that we'll get to hold our baby soon. I still have moments though. But, today is a new day and I'm feeling a ton better after my cry last night. I'm almost done with the books. I had to order more rub-ons so I can finish them this weekend. Hopefully I'll be feeling productive after work and can get some things done around the house.

Enjoy your day! It's a beautiful day in Iowa! :)

An old-fashioned gal at heart...

80 As a 1930s wife, I am Very Superior Take the test!

I found this quiz online today. I've always thought I'm an old soul but this just confirmed it! :)

I did finish my scrapbook....yay!!! I'll be taking it to the adoption agency tomorrow for some feedback and then I'll get busy on the duplicates. We still have quite a bit of work to do before we'll be on the official waiting list. My goal is to be on that list by the end of September!!!

All for now! Enjoy your day! :)

Been awhile

Here's a new Rusty Pickle project using the Guenivere line...love the purple and green...it's the colors of my scrap room. This frame was actually something I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I didn't like it the way it was so I altered it. I love how this turned out!

We've had a lot going on the past week but I wouldn't let myself blog until I got more done on my scrapbook. My goal is to finish it today!!!! It seems like things have been breaking down around our home. We've had some car repair expenses and now we're having issues with the tub/shower in our upstairs bathroom. We had water leaking EVERYWHERE through the ceiling in our downstairs bathroom. NOT FUN!

This weekend we went home to mom and dad's to celebrate my grandma's 85th birthday. I also had a much needed hair appointment. My grandpa is also in the hospital so I was able to stop by and see him. It's been a tough year for all my grandparents. It's difficult to see their health failing so quickly.

It's beginning to feel like fall in Iowa. The mornings and evenings are quite a bit cooler. I will say I have not enjoyed the gloomy, rainy days at all although today the sun is shining! (Praise the Lord!) I've also been struggling with the sun going down sooner. It seems like as soon as it gets dark I don't want to do anything but sit and read a book.

Well, I best get moving today...spent a little too much time on the computer this morning! :)

Another one for you!

I've got a new Rusty Pickle card to share today using the Princess Bride line and stamps. I used a heat embossing technique on this one using various shades of black, white and gray.

Also, I have another book recommendation, The Godmother by Carrie Adams. I was captivated by this book! It's another British author....doesn't the cover just draw you in? I actually found the book at Target and added the book to my list to read. I was happy to see it at my library. Since I can't afford to buy books at the bookstore, I'll go peruse the aisles and make lists of what I to read and go to the library. I've found cover art for books has really changed over the years. I'm definitely attracted by a good looking book cover. This book touches on being single, married, parenting and tragedy. A lot of wonderful lessons that made me think! There are some graphic situations so be warned. This is another one I'll be adding to my collection eventually!

Also, I just wanted to comment on Gov. Sarah Palin's speech the other night. It's no secret that I vote conservative. I feel very strongly on several moral issues so that's the way I vote. It was incredibly refreshing to me to see a woman of her character so firmly convicted about conservative values! She came across as a force to be reckoned with! Wow. Her delivery was impeccable. I just adore her little family...her 7-year-old is about the cutest little girl ever. I about died when she slicked down her baby brother's hair on TV. Even the best PR people couldn't have planned that one...HA! I was thrilled to see all the media coverage on her. In my mind, SHE is someone to look up to. What an incredible role model for women everywhere! She's a living, breathing advertisement for the value of life.

On that note, enjoy your weekend! :)

Grants, grants and more grants

Here's a new project using Rusty Pickle's Chocolate Kisses line, chipboard and loads of buttons! I've had this Making Memories heart scalloped heart in my stash for a while so I pulled it out and went to town. I used about 3/4 of a jar of red Rusty Pickle buttons and accented several of them with rhinestones.

I feel like I'm up to my eyeballs in grant applications. The paperwork is so tedious as they all want lots of financial information and essay questions filled out. Adoption is so expensive (even a domestic infant adoption like we're doing), and we are so thankful grant opportunities even exist. I have 6 grant applications that we'll be working on and hoping and praying they accept! Our last resort would be a low or no interest loan but I'm hoping we don't have to go that route. Glen and I met with our pastor last night about our adoption process and it sounds like we'll be able to set up a fund through the church for tax-deductible donations. A couple of the grants we're applying for are matching grants up to $4,000 if we can come up with the money through support raising. We have to submit our applications first and then go from there. I'm trying to work on grant applications simultaneously as the scrapbook because it can take anywhere from 1 month to 3 months to hear back. I really want to get the first scrapbook done over the weekend so hold me to it!!! :) I want to be able to come back here and say it's done!

Well, I better get busy! I have to go into work toady and then we have a video shoot tonight. So busy!!! Enjoy your day! :)

Book recommendation!

As you know, I've been doing a lot of reading this summer and I just wrapped up a phenomenal book by Ann Brashares. I enjoyed it soooo much that I had to do a blog post on it. It's definitely a love story, but it's also about sisters and best friends. I cried through about the last half of the book. I have two younger sisters and the book really made me think about the bond we have. We're all best friends - that's for sure! Please read this book - it's really, really good! I'm planning on adding it to my collection soon - checked this one out at the library. By the way, the author wrote all the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants books.

Back to the grindstone today....I have something going on almost everyday this week! Yikes! :)