Furcation!

I'm on furlough this week and I really don't mind losing a week's pay! The time off is worth it! Plus, I'm saving a lot of money on gas and tolls to make it even better!

My week hasn't been very exciting. I took Penny to the vet and the groomer. I went to the doctor to see about getting rid of this stupid cold and ear infections. I've done lots of cooking, too.

So while I'm staying home and trying not to spend money, I'm trying to finish stuff up! I got through a pile of magazine, watched my Netflix movies, rooted through some old clothes, use stuff in the pantry.  And my big goal for the week is to work on my crafty projects!

I have already finished two big projects - my Comic Con and December Daily albums - and ordered prints from Persnicketty Prints. I'll just need to assemble them and hybrid them up a bit! I also really want to finish up some of my frame projects - they have been a work in progress for months now.

Here are the last few pages on the Artists Alley, Decor, Star Wars & Doctor Who stuff and cosplay.

This book

I really think that if I won big jackpot lottery, after buying myself a nice place to live and quitting my job, I would be perfectly happy to just sit around reading and crafting. I wish I had more time and energy to do just that. Is that sad?

I have the day off today and I haven't done much at all. I'm recovering from two nasty nights at work and a an equally nasty cold. And I have been listening to a book that I just can't "put down."

The Fault In Our Stars by John Green has me captivated. The only reason I am not listening to it right now is because Mom came home and my ears are bothering me too much to listen to it with my earbuds in. It's about a girl with cancer who meets a boy at a cancer support group and they obsess over a book about another girl with cancer and talk in a way that most teenagers don't. It's funny and sweet and sad. When I'm done with this, I am going to start over and then I'm going to look up John Green's other books.

Oh the places!

I really don't like traveling. I don't like flying or sleeping anywhere but my own bed.And I'm lucky to live so close to NYC, where there's so much to do and see. But once in awhile, I do like to get the heck out of Dodge, or Jersey, especially if there are friends involved. My friend Tania shared a list of her dream vacations so I'm going make a list too!

Here are places I want to go and things I want to see...

London: I really would love to live there for awhile, but I'd settle for some time to visit the city and an excursion to Liverpool. I think if you're reading this you know about my obession with all things British.

Ireland: I want to go see if it really is that green!

Cuba: I want to see the country where my father was born, maybe visit the places my family is from and see Havana. I really hope the ridiculous travel ban gets lifted.

California: There are so many things I want to do in California. I want to see the San Diego Zoo and wine country and the Golden Gate Bridge and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson! I'd also love to go visit my friend Tania!

Disney Cruise: I've wanted to go on one since Mom and I saw a program about the cruise. It looks like so much fun! Mom's got a milestone birthday coming up and I think I'm going to save up for a trip with her.

Graceland: Randi and I have been talking about making this road trip for years.

Orlando: I want to go back to Disney World, but I also really want to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Visiting friends: I have so many friends I'd love to visit! I want to hang out with my friend Melinda and her family in Colorado, go to a Disney park with my Amanda and Haley, party with Amy, Holly, Amanda and Carrie.

There are also a lot of U.S. cities I'd love to see, like New Orleans or Austin. Maybe some day I'll get there. In the meantime, I will keep playing the lottery and try to enjoy the super cool places around here and hope some of my friends will come visit me, too!

 

Boring!

With my crazy work hours and the cold weather creeping in, I have become so boring! I might get out to the movies with my sister on the weekend, but otherwise, I'm not doing much. But the upside to having no life lately is getting a lot of scrapping done!

 The girls and me on Christmas! I remembered to get in the picture for once! Credits: Emily Merritt's Light the Way from Lily Pad.

 A very doggie Christmas. Credits: Kitschy Christmas 2 by Rachel Young, Jacque Larsen and Christina Kirk from Lily Pad; Kim Jensen's Random Moment staple

 My 3 favorite kids hamming it up on Christmas. Credits: Credits: Kitschy Christmas 2 by Rachel Young, Jacque Larsen and Christina Kirk from Lily Pad

 Because I should be working on my December Daily album, I've been procrastinating by working on my Comic Con book! Here's a page featuring Katie Cook drawing my little portrait of Penny. Credits: From Zero to Hero by Lauren Grier and Jacque Laresen, Lauren Grier's For The Dreamers, Julie Billingsly's Color Spectrum Alpha, Kate Hadfield's Kindergarden Palooza paint brush

 Star Wars Crafts. Zero to Hero, Pamela Donnis' School Stuff, Tangie Baxter's Galaxy Far Away

 Some of the cool tees at NYCC. Zero to Hero and a Janet Phillips template.

 Some Disney World icons. Emily Merritt's Highlight of the Week template, Tiny Patterns papers and These Are the Days Date Cards from Lily Pads, Jacque Larsen's These Are The Days Word Art from Lily Pad, CD's Graffiti Spray Hippitty Hop Alphas from Lily Pad,  The Tattered Pear's This & That elements from Lily Pad

 I've also done some random number scrapping. Here's one of Kylie's first lost tooth. Credits: Amy Wolff's For the Boys papers from Lily Pad; Jenna Desai's Photo frames No. 5 and Scrap Essentials 2 from Lily Pad;  Karah Fredrick's Open Book word strips from Lily Pad

 Some flowers from my yard. Credits: Krystal Hartley's Pocketful of Sunshine

And some goals for 2011. Credits: Amy Wolff's Everyday Papers, Calendar Cards and Mega Labels from Lily Pad; Kate Hadfield's Snippets 2 Alpha from Lily Pad; Amber Clegg's These Moments elements from Lily Pad; The Tattered Pear's This & That Elements from Lily Pad

What I've been up to this week...

Reading: Miss Pergrine's School for Home for Peculiar Children by Random Riggs on my new Nook Tablet; Inheritance by Christopher Paolini; The Last Letter from Your Lover by Jojo Moyes

Watching: Gossip Girl on Netflix; Mildred Pierce on TiVo; Captain America and Page One: Inside the New York Times on Netflix DVD; The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo at the movies

Listening: Adele (and bawling my eyes out); Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (laughing, and alternately gagging)

Waiting: for my new iPhone to arrive

Creating: taking photos with my phone for Project 365; scrapping a few pages; making plans for my "craftcation" (furlough week!)

Etc: Working, driving, taking lunch to work everyday, playing with Penny, staying home, missing my friends

Merry December!

I know it's January 1, but I never got around to recapping my December!  So here's a rundown on my very merry month!

 My little pug ornament is the best ornament ever!

 My co-worker brought in this little tree for our work area. I added the "snow."

 I got to hang out with my friends and celebrate some birthdays at the Rover.

 I visited Randi's place to see her real tree and take some pictures. This is my fave!

 Then we went to NYC for our annual trip to see the tree.

 We went to the market place at Bryant Park were we saw lots of cool gifts and these awesome Star Wars figures. They also had great food and we tried lots of stuff: apple cider, waffles with a gingerbread spread, dumplings, grits with cheese.

 A new polar bear for my tree!

 Randi was going to Florida for Christmas so we had a little celebration at her house before Christmas.  She gave the girls their gifts and I gave Kylie her birthday presents since I hadn't seen her.

 Derek loves his new Super Grover.

 And here's what I got Kylie for her 6th birthday. She though it was so cool!

 We got to talk with Karran via Skype at karaoke. It was 4 am in the UK! It was an awesome karaoke night - with lots of good friends coming out the Thursday before Christmas. I even managed to stay awake and stay out long enough to sing some songs! I miss karaoke night - and my friends - so much!

 My super cute stocking stuffers!

 Rocky spent Christmas with us.

 On Christmas Eve, mom and I got up early and picked up a few things at Target. Then I spent the rest of the day baking cookies (chocolate chips, apricot almond chews and peppermint kiss sugar cookies), cooking (chicken enchilada casserole) and wrapping gifts while mom set up her nativity and angels.

 I went to my brother's house on Christmas Eve. Dad brought some Cuban food and the kids opened gifts.

 I played Hedbandz with Taylor and Kylie. So much fun!

 Grandma, Aunt Lorraine, Aunt Joanie and Corinne came over Christmas morning for breakfast. Mom made eggs, bacon, cinnamon buns and french toast.

 Then I tried to take pictures of mom with the granddogs!

 Mom and I went to my brother's house for Christmas dinner and more gift giving. Derek got these drums from Santa and they were a big hit. Taylor got an iPod touch (lucky!!!!), and Kylie got a new DS - but she wanted Taylor's iPod. I gave the kids books and small toys on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Eve, D got two t-shirts, including one with Buzz & Woody, and the girls got clothes for their American Girl dolls. (Kylie went to buy her doll on Monday.)

 Here they are hamming it up!

 I also finally got to meet the kids' baby cousin Glenn. He is a cute and quiet little guy! Derek wanted to play football with him!

And I got some squishy hugs from the girls! I also got a picture frame and some food for Penny from mom, a doggie frame and a George Harrison book from the kids, my cute Kermit ornament and an owl lip gloss from Randi, and money from my grandma and dad, which I used to buy a Nook tablet! I didn't really want anything, but these gifts were all pretty awesome! I also bought myself a light saber lip gloss, some gloves, a calendar. I always like to get myself a few things to make sure I get things I like! But spending time with my family and friends is really what it's all about! They make my life so great and I'm so thankful to have them!