I've been scrapping....but not enough!!!

Have you ever felt like you were treading water and unable to keep your head above water???

Well, that's how I've felt this past weekend. Between Thanksgiving and all my CT commitments, plus working more hours at my job....life's been hectic. I have so many projects that I want to do and just can't seem to get motivated about them all! Lot's of my Christmas presents for the adults at least will be computer derived gifts....whether they be calendars or framed photo mattings! I also was so inspired by the ScrapBook Answers Holiday issue and all the neat little projects to do.....that I don't know where to start!

I was able to create a really special layout using Denise Bailey's new kit Winter Bliss and a new Snappy Scrap by Sarah Vandyke. I took this photo from my front livingroom window of my mom and the boys playing in the snow during one of her visits in 2004. The pic was too grainy for a large photo LO due to it being taken with a 2.0 MP camera. The polaroid frame element in Denise's new kit was the inspiration for me to use it....I also used the new Polaroid Transfer Action by PhotoBlast to make the look authentic!

View complete credits HERE

Speaking of PhotoBlast.....I just am in LOVE with his latest actions....especially the UnderExposure Fix Action! It seems ANY picture I take indoors doesn't have the lighting it needs for the photo to come out nice. This action really is magical! I can't believe how well it works with just the press of a button! I don't generally like to use my flash because I have a Sony Cybershot....the only BIG downfall with the Sony is the flash is so powerful! It leaves large flash shadows. The new Action is a godsend for me! I use it on just about every photo I take now!

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So, let's talk about Black Friday! Are any of you early morning shopper's like I am??? Ok, well Gene thinks I'm crazy but since Kyle was 2 yrs. old, I 've created a little tradition of going out to brave the shoppers on the BIGGEST shopping day of the year! I don't generally go out for anything special. I'm not one to stand in a horrendously long line to get a few bucks off something that's gonna be clearanced in a few months anyway....BUT I love to go out and watch all the craziness and just get lost in the crowd. This year I decided to brave shopping in the closest city to us that has a mall and several shopping centers. So, I set my clock for 4 AM and well....the snooze went off three times. I had a bit of a stomach ache and just didn't want to get out of bed. But, I wasn't giving up my shopping day. I was out of the house by 9AM and in the first store at around 10AM....just in time for the LONG line to get their items before the 11AM deadline for the doorbuster specials! I got to the mall and the traffic was horrible! Bumper to bumper going in AND coming out! I've never before witnessed that! I just blasted my music and laughed. I was lucky enough to find a spot at Toys "R" Us. I managed to snag two doorbuster items for the boys....a hot wheels race loop track that DOES NOT take batteries....runs on kid power! Gotta love that for only $15 and a Little Tikes piano band thing....microphone, stool and keyboard with other instruments for Joshua (I know I'll regret this later! LOL!) But it was only $15....less than half price and Josh loves music and microphones. The traffic was crazy, so I decided to walk down to the mall rather than attempt to drive through all the cars and waste my precious shopping time. All in all....I hit up Sears (a new Christmas suit for me!), Bath & Body Works, Victoria Secret, Children's Place, The Gap, Penney's, Macy's, Old Navy, HallMark, Target, & Best Buy!

Then.....after shopping and coming home to pick up the kids, I swung past our local Wal-Mart.....would you believe at 5 PM they still had a huge display of gameboy micros for only $39 a piece???? They had so many left over that they extended the doorbuster sale 'til midnight. I managed to snag two for the boys while they conveniently went to the bathroom and the store clerk swiftly rang them up and double bagged them for me....the boys were none the wiser! LOL! So my spoiled two boys will be getting not only a PlayStation 2.....with two games, but a gameboy each! Kyle has been begging for a gameboy and play station since he was 3!

We've held off this long.....so I guess it's time!

I love to get out there in the hustle and bustle and watch everyone try to snag the deals! The traffic was so bad....that I parked in a central location at the shopping centers and walked to all the stores. I probably put in two to three miles of walking if not more! Yesterday my left hip hurt so bad I couldn't MOVE! Literally! I couldn't sit for long at the computer either! :-( DH said, "You should train harder for Black Friday next year!" LOL! He thinks I'm crazy for going shopping like that too! But it's a tradition I started when Kyle was two and it's the only day of the year, I have no spending limit.....or at least a good chunk of money to spend and the whole day to myself to go and do what I want!

So, how was your Holiday Weekend???