Cottage of Memories

My day off

Today is Friday, and for the last 2 years, I've had Friday's off from work as part of my part time schedule. I just love it. It gives me a chance to run those errands that don't seem to get done during the week. There is a weird thing that happens though during this time = have you ever found that when you hardly have any time to do anything, you get so much done. But when you have a whole day, you can only get half of your to-do list complete ? This always happens to me, and I'm not sure why. Unless it's because I'm not necessarily in a hurry, or I take time to vacuum and sweep the kitchen just because.  And then before you know it, it's time to pick up Sami from school. I try to explain this to Mark, but he just doesn't get it, as hard as I try to explain.

In other news, this weekend is the Creating Keepsakes Scrapbook Convention in Portland and for the first time in 6 years (except the yr my mom was in the hospital) I am missing it.  I am sad in a way, and yet very happy for what I am doing instead in just a short month. . .ARTFEST. It's such a different venue and I can tell it will be a much different experience, but I am ready for a renewal and something new in my art. I've never really been one to journal, and from the posts I am reading, journaling is a huge part of the lives of the women who attend.  I just can't wait to be absorbed in so much creativity and art.  Only 30 more days !  I can hardly wait. (not to mention all the thrift stores I get to stop at on the way !)

I will leave you with a photo from the card I submitted in last years Card Making Contest at the convention.  Please understand that I am not really a card-maker. I mostly make scrapbook pages and other artsy things with paper and glue. But, I was inspired by an article to use a transparency in something, and this card came to me in the shower one morning. I sat down the next day and made it, and what do you know - I won first prize in the card making contest ! Wow - I was shocked, but very excited.

Hmmmmm . . .let's see if I can post a photo

Ok - I am getting confident. Let's see if I can load an image here in the body of my text. Okay - now to figure out how to enlarge the photo and insert typing underneath the photo.  It's going to have to wait for a different day though - it's getting late.  Photo is of one of my 'Week in the Life' photos I took for an album I haven't made yet (a very common thing in my life). Sewing girl scout badges on to Sami's uniform after a busy summer at camp.

I did it !

Okay - so I just spent a little time and read the tutorial about making a photo album, and wa-la. . .you get to see a glimpse of my home. I can't wait to show you more.

My husband is the IT guy. . . .

. .but do you think he has time to help me figure out how to post a photo ? I love him dearly - he's the best. But I guess when you're the IT guy at work in charge of all the IT stuff that happens in 14 offices of a company, the last thing you want to do is figure out more IT mysteries for your beloved when you get home from work. So, when I'm not filling orders for more girl scout cookies and making swaps that were due last week, maybe I'll be able to figure this photo thing out.  Hey . . .my nephew is an IT guy who might be reading this. . . (or his wife might be). . .Jeremy ? any help out there for your Auntie Jill ?  LOL.

It will come soon enough - a photo of me, and photo's galore of what I love.  Thrifting, Antiquing, Creating, Friends, Family, and all that other good stuff.Pretty soon, you'll think to yourself. . .I sure miss the days when she didn't know how to post all these photos !

Cocoa Daisy and Girl Scout Cookies

Wow - remembering to post on my new blog is a lot harder than I thought ! But, here I am again, and I hope to add more as days go by.  It has been such a busy week, but I've had so much fun.

Cocoa Daisy. . have you heard of this online scrapbook kit club ? It's the bees knees. Really.  If you haven't had a chance - go check it out. Tricia puts so much thought into creating each kit and they are wonderful.  You won't be dissapointed if you buy something from her.  I love looking at their design team gallery - so many wonderful and different ideas. The eye candy and inspiration is endless.

How did I get involved with Cocoa Daisy ?  Well, here's the magical story.  Back in March of last year, my friend Emily and I were setting up for a yard sale at my house. We were talking about how sad we were over the fact that there really aren't any great s/b stores in town. sure there is Michaels and Ben Franklin, but the community feeling you get at a hometown store just isn't to be found in those stores.  Besides having great products, we wanted a great store for the crops - where people get together and work on their s/b pages and chat and eat m-n-m's and maybe watch a movie. I was telling her that when Mark and I purchased our home, one of the things I wanted to do was open it up for entertaining and fellowshiping with friends.  Since she is on the design team of Cocoa Daisy, we wondered what it would be like to host a CD class at my house !  Every attendee would receive a kit for that month, I would make a yummy dessert, and Emily would give a demo of a project with the kit.  Well, 9 months later, we've had 3 fun parties !  One of which was last Thursday night, and we hosted 24 women.  At the end, we looked at each other and said - wow ! Our dream is coming true. We even had 2 new friends travel to Eugene from Astoria ! (Hi Lanie and Margaret !)  I don't know where our dream will take us, but we are ready. 

Other goings on this weekend include the fact that Girl Scout Cookies are here ! What's your favorite kind ? Samoa's, Thin Mints or maybe the popular peanut buttery Tagalong ?  Sami and I have been delivering and selling them this weekend like hot cakes.  The first weekend they are out is our busiest and we are tired ! But, in order to meet her goal of selling 1000 boxes to earn a week at camp, it is worth it.  They have two new flavors this year - a Lemon Chalet Cream and Sugar Free Chocolate Chip. The Lemon's are yummmmmy.  We will be selling them until March 16th.

Yard Sales - on Friday morning, I attended a local church yard sale and it was a good one ! The proceeds of the sale go to the youth group for their annual Mexico Mission trip. I scored some cool old books with great images, some dishes to my Princess House 'Fantasia' line, some lace, an old lamp with a great glass base and some other odds and ends. If I knew how to load photo's on here - I would. But that will come at a later date, I promise.

I am in the process of putting the house back together after all of the happenings of the weekend and I'm staring at a pile of papers that need my attention before I retire for the evening.

If your reading - have a great evening ! And we'll see you tomorrow if I remember to post.  G'night.

Thank you my friend.

For the longest time, I have wanted to start a web-log, and thanks to my friend Ali, tonight is the night. I am a visual learner, and needed to be shown how to do it, rather than just read the directions and figure it out myself. Thank you my friend.

In the coming days, look for a different banner that will reflect what I will be posting here in my cottage. My love of antiques, and ephemera, and all things vintage.  You'll find links to friends I have made and people I'd love to meet. You'll learn more about me and what 'drives' me. A bit of scrapbooking and home decor, but not much cooking.  (although I might surprise you here and there). I hope to capture and share what I believe in and what I love about life.  So welcome. I hope we become friends.