consumed

I will be the first one to admit that I got sucked into the vortex I call the fall tv season. I got into so many new shows and I had plenty of old favorites, too - I literally had something on every night of the week (thank God for the DVR). So when December rolled around and just about every show I watch went on holiday hiatus, I found myself looking for something else to do with my time. And that's where the craziness comes in.

I present Exhibit A.

This is what I have read since the beginning of December. As if it wasn't painfully obvious, I am a fan of Nora Roberts books. All but two of the books in the picture are hers...and none of them are new releases. They are books from my collection. I just enjoy them so much that I feel the need to re-read them every once in a while. There is another trilogy that's not in the picture because I loaned them out as soon as I finished them...they are Nora's latest. I blew through them in about three days. I find myself getting attached to her characters, to the point where I have been disappointed to finish her books sometimes.

I also started experimenting with audiobooks. I thought it would be a good way to pass the time I spend in the car, not only on my commute to work, but also on my trips to New Jersey. I had a hard time with this at first. Reading is one of my all-time favorite things...it has been a passion since I was a little kid, so I almost felt like I was cheating by listening rather than reading. But there is no way that audiobooks will ever replace the real thing for me.

Another way I got through the TV drought was to Netflix like crazy...I got Dawn hooked on Bones, so I got season one for our sleepover Fridays. For me, it was seasons one and two of NCIS. I was a late-comer to this show, so it was good to be able to see it from the beginning.

Oh, and I finally got around to watching the DVD of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 that I got for Christmas. What the hell kind of ending was that? Its not like a "to be continued" at the end of a television episode. And when does part three come out?

3 day crop + Captain Morgan = finished projects?

Sounds crazy, I know, but apparently, I should scrapbook under the influence more often. Finished projects is a misnomer, though, as nothing I did this weekend is 100% complete.

My Maya Road house book is papered to the max, and boy, was I sick of looking at those papers by the last few pages, but still needs pictures (some of which I have yet to take) and journaling. The year in review Maya Road thing is also papered, but I didn't like the look of the assembled item, so I need to do some research to make sure I'm not doing it wrong, since there were no instructions with it. How hard should it be to fold some chipboard and insert binder rings? But there is this annoying flap and I'm not sure whether its supposed to go on the inside or the outside and neither way looks right when I try it. And I even did a 12x12 layout which is only lacking journaling. The rum did not help me with mental clarity on the journaling front, so apparently I have found the flaw in this drinking-cropping plan...well, that and the HUGE headaches I woke up with on Saturday and Sunday, but I'm digressing.

Last but not least is my favorite....a funky little trash to treasure number that came out much better than I pictured it in my head. I have to finish the tags that go in the pockets, which is probably the bigger task given what I have in mind, but I am up for the challenge. And can't wait to show this one off.

Needless to say, I had a great time at the Chesterscraps crop this past weekend. Friday to Sunday at a hotel with my friends was good for my soul. And with this bunch (Mish, Joleen, Prachi, Mary and Debby), the laughs just don't stop. Somehow with this crop, I managed to pack less (one rolling bag and my shower tote/tool bag) and produce more (four almost-finished projects). Preplanning makes all the difference, but doesn't always work, since I don't always have projects in mind. Sometimes I just need to bring the ingredients and see what happens when I throw it all together.

stay tuned

Sneak peeks of my new creations are coming...pix will be up tonight. Can't wait to share.

I had hoped to put pictures up last night, but in trying to put the finishing touches on the outside of my "home" book, I wasted quite a bit of time searching for my chocolate Heidi Swapp chipboard letters. Have you ever had your mind set on something, and not being able to find it makes you all the more determined to use it? That was my problem last night. By the time I found the Heidi letters, I had also found some Lil Davis chipboard alphas in black and brown, so I had those out trying to to see if they might work. I must have switched those letters around for 15 minutes...until I tried the Heidi ones. Apparently, I was determined for a reason, because those were what worked the best. Figures. By the time I got those on and the pictures taken, it was about 11, and I knew I just didn't have it in me at that point to blog. So check back in a few hours for some scrappy goodness!

Yipes! Stripes!

This is the new 'do. The haircut is basically the same as before, from when I donated my hair. But after having my natural hair color for three years (the longest time my hair has been untreated since I was about 13), I decided to go back to the foils. So a trip to New Jersey and my hair guru, Claire, was in order. She has been doing my hair for, in our best estimate, 13-14 years. We've been "together" so long that we can have the most minimal of conversations about where we're going with my hair and both be on exactly the same page (y'know how Will & Grace "short-hand" things?). Our only difference in the conversation on Saturday was the description of the highlight color....I went in with caramel on the brain and came out with peanut butter, and just some chunks, about 6 or so between the ones on top and underneath. I think the color I have is a little brassier than I had in mind, but I still dig it a lot. Its hard to see in the picture above, because the lighting in our office is moody and fab for pictures, but not when you're trying to see something in true color. So here is a couple pictures taken this morning, also in the office, but in natural light.