Irritating Tribulations

Thur 4/24 Blog Prompt: List ways that the world could become a less irritating place.

If everyone would just speak pleasantly to one other we could probably get rid of a majority of the bad vibes.

Smile more often.

Laugh more often.

Try to understand another's point of view.

Take a Chance on my Tribulations

Wed 4/23 Blog Prompt: Today is 'Take A Chance' day. When was the last time you took a chance on something? Or is there something you want to take a chance on today?

I took a chance on my computer today when I turned it on. It is on the fritz again. I don't think it likes it when I go on vacation. :)

I took a chance when I married Pan. Although I knew him quite well as my sister's best friend, until you actually start living with someone you really don't know them. The first night home from our honeymoon, I was convinced I had married a serial killer when I woke up to him jumping on the bed brandishing a machete. Actually he was after a cockroach (hey, we grow them big here). After 20 years I'm glad I didn't bolt out right away.

sketch by Becky Fleck; Cute Stuff Daisy (c)Kathryn Estry

Earth Day Tribulations or is that Jelly Beans

Tue 4/22 Blog Prompt: Take your pick: Write about Earth Day or National Jelly Bean Day (or both).

Earth Day is one of two different observances, both held annually during spring in the northern hemisphere, and autumn in the southern hemisphere. These are intended to inspire awareness of and appreciation for the Earth's environment. The United Nations celebrates an Earth Day each year on the March equinox, a tradition which was founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969. A second Earth Day, which was founded by U.S. politician Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in in the late 1960s, is celebrated in many countries each year on April 22. ~Wikipedia

Sweet Little One extras (c)Sarah Meyer; fonts: Heather, Century Gothic

Haiku tribulations to you, too

Mon 4/21 Blog Prompt: April is National Poetry Month. Write a poem, link to a favorite poem or tell us why you can't stand poetry.

I really do love poetry, really... I just can't write it. Not easily anyhow. Haiku's are a bit more up my alley. So here is the one I came up when I picked up a pen to try and write a poem:

Do you know you can't
write a poem with a Wacom
pen in hand! You can't.

And now one from my favorite poet of all times, my son, Nuke

Deep in the sea of heights,
Millions of fish swimming,
Gathering all to form a school.
Some in groups,
Others in layers,
All are gathered.
In the school,
Deep in the school,
Fish are drying,
Falling to the bottom of the sea of heights.

A cloud.

Published in the 1993 AP English Literary Guild for his high school.

Template by Lorri's Scraps; Cute Stuff Daisies (c)Kathryn Estry; Fonts: LongIsland, Lucida Handwriting

Picnic in the Park Tribulations

For those who have been wondering about these daily scrapbook pages as opposed to the daily blog prompt, I have been out of town. Visiting our oldest son, in fact. Therefore, I did all of these ahead of time so I would have something to post but wouldn't eat into our time with Nuke. Thanks for understanding.

In March our Gotta Flip challenge was of terebinthtree's "Ancient Art" layout. I really like the look of the layout and the extraction. Normally I turn and flip the layouts, but in this case I chose to do a mirror image of it. Some things I left out and others, like the extraction, I made more of a foreground image. All in all I really like how it came out. Thanks terebinthtree.

Whisper Soft (c)Jill D-Zines; Scraplift of "Ancient Art" layout by terebinthtree; Font: LongIsland

Thinking Tribulations

I was thinking okay, maybe, until I got to the last part. That is soooo me.

Your Thinking is Abstract and Sequential

You like to do research and collect lots of information. The more facts you have, the easier it is for you to learn. You need to figure things out for yourself and consider all possibilities. You tend to become an expert in the subjects that you study. It's difficult for you to work with people who know less than you do. You aren't a very patient teacher, and you don't like convincing people that you're right.

What Kind of Thinker Are You?

Tribulations of a Great Camera Hunt

It was time again for that great safari known as a Camera Hunt challenge. Was this the month to stretch my photo talents? Maybe...

Center: (1) Home Sweet Home. This is a recurring theme in the Camera Hunt so that at the end of the year you will have a year's worth of photos of your homestead.

From top heading right:

(2) Yo Ho, Yo Ho, it's a pirate's hat for me.
(3) Learning how to arch your back correctly is important in ballet.
(4) Playground by the Bayou.
(5) A stained glass angel to watch over me.
(6) Three green shamrock earrings. I wonder what happened to the 4th?
(7) Anyone for some Peeps? My favorite Easter candy.
(8) For Ice I chose a glass of ice water.

Okay that last one wasn't a very original thought, but what can I say.

Template by Lorraine Wagerman; April 2008 Mega kit (c)Gotta Pixel designers; Font: Plantagenet Cherokee

Lucky Friends and Tribulations

Our quote challenge for March was:

"A best friend is like a four leaf clover: hard to find and lucky to have. "
~Author Unknown

And what better way to present it than in a layout with my half-Irish hubby and his best friend for more than 20 years. D makes a trek over at least every other month to visit. A true friend indeed.

Sketch by Ashley Wren; Easy Breezy (c)DigiDiva; Fonts: Times New Roman, Mr. B

A Chopstick Tribulation

When the scraplift challenge came up, I had gotten a call from the Scamp. He had pictures of his darling Ballerina using chopsticks. Even though she is half Japanese and nearly 5 years old, she had not yet mastered their use. Being in Japan right now, has it's advantages for her, wouldn't you say? (and if you look closely at the layout, it looks like she has a pair of Mickey Mouse chopsticks on her plate, doesn't it?)

Template by Michelle Swadling based on layout by ccmentor; Oriental Touch (c)Ina's Scrapart; fonts: Yitsui, MamaeQueNosFax

Wonderfully Wordy Tribulations

In this challenge we were provided with word art. Believe. And the images this word art evoked were of my own sweet son as a baby and knowing he had to believe in the reliability of me even at his young age.

Sketch by Katherine Tveiter; Time After Time (c)Sherry Ferguson & Amanda Rockwell

By the Numbers must mean Tribulations

In the By the Numbers challenge, we had to use 1 arrow, 2 photos and 3 papers. And while I am sure I had plenty of photos I could chose from these two just stuck out. They are from my sister, Bug of One Happy Dog, and show her 4 year old son trying to win a race against his brother by taking a shortcut across a fence. I would post a link but she is moving her blog. Maybe she or I can update this later.


Sketch by Anam Stubbington; Spring Blossoms (c)Kristmess; Fonts: 1-2-3 GO!, Arial Rounded MT

Gotta Journal about Our Important Family Tribulations

In this challenge we needed to journal about why families are important. For me, in a nutshell, families are important because they are always there for you. Friends may come and go, but family, well, is family. We were brought up to always treat your family better than friends and acquaintances. And I am glad we were.

Sketch by Becky Fleck; March 2008 Mega kit (c)Gotta Pixel designers; Fonts: Forelle, Zebra

Desktop Tribulations - April

Last month our desktops were based on an ad that Scrappitydoodah provided. This month she wanted us to tuck it in. So here is mine interpretation with the photo "tucked" in. And I just want to take time to thank my wonderful daughter-in-law who is keeping me up to date in photos while she and the Ballerina are in Japan.

Template by Andrea Gold; Oriental Touch (c)Ina's Scrapart; Calendar (c)Kristmess

A Life of Tribulations

When Sara Ellis posed this challenge, it was in memory of her former husband who had recently passed away. In it we were to use the theme and word "Life" prominently in our layout. And as death is a part of life, so is birth and this is the path I chose to take on this layout. The birth of my grandson in 2004

Easy Breezy (c)Connie Prince/DigiDiva Designs; Beads (c)Michelle Pieters; Template by Doro

Lyrical Tribulations - I am Your Child

This challenge was to use the lyrics of "I am Your Child" by Barry Manilow in whole or in part. What better way to use it then with a picture of my three children and myself when they were younger, because what they know and what they do, they learned from me and I will take them with me whereever I go.

Template by Michelle Swadling based on layout by TNChick; Whisper Soft (c)Jill D-Zines; Fonts: BlackjackRegular

Tribulations of Being There

This challenge required that the do a layout about a gift we brought back to someone. As must who read this blog know, Pan and I go to Orlando every year. And one year we brought back Boody and Buzz for The Princess as she just loved them. Don't know why she called him Boody, but she did. Those were the only two characters out of the Toy Story movies that she wanted, so we made sure to get them for her. Years later when we took her to Disney World, she got to have her picture taken with them.

Template by Chris Greiser; Island Girl (c)MyDigiScraps by MyScrapWorks; Font: Burst My Bubble

Youthful Tribulations

Tue 4/8 Blog Prompt: Today is Ponce de Leon day. He discovered Florida and searched for the fountain of youth. Do you wish to be younger again?

No, no, no, no, no.... I'm perfectly happy to be the age I am. I worked hard to get here and have no intentions of going back and trying it all over again. Youth belongs to the young and there it should stay. Well, except when I'm at Disney or Universal, then I act like a kid again, LOL. Maybe they are built on the Fountain of Youth. Isn't that where it was suppose to be located?

On another note. Each month one of the challenges at Gotta Pixel is "Rock Your Desktop" wherein Scrapittydoodah provides us with inspiration for our desktop wallpaper. This is the one I made for March.

Sweet Daisy (c)Melissa McCoy; Word Art (c)Jackie Eckles

Housework and Tribulations

Mon 4/7 Blog Prompt: Someone has named today 'No Housework Day'. What your least favorite housework chore? How about the most favorite (or least dreaded)?

Woo hoo, no housework day. I'm going to sit back, take it easy and not think about the fact that I should probably go to work today, at least for an hour or two. Not going to think about all the toys laying around or the papers kfkap has found and shredded throughout the house. Nor shall I think about how the floor needs to vacuumed, especially around the litter box and cat food trays.

Maybe I'll just fix me a pot of coffee and pour a generous amount of the French Vanilla Kahlua (that ex SIL brought over the other night) into it, watch a dvd on my new television or read a book.

But worst chore. Darn I really despise them equally, but I guess the worse would be unloading the dishwasher. I really hate unloading it. Backbreaking, if you were to ask me the reason why. I dislike it so much that I will avoid it, hoping someone else (Pan) will unload it for me. But then the dirty dishes start piling up and up and up until I have to do it. (speaking of which I really need to do it now, lol).

As for the one I despise the least, I guess that would be, hmmmm. (tapping fingers while brain is whirling), hmmmmm. Let me see now. Okay, I got it. Straightening the bed when I get up in the morning. That's the one :)

Word art (c)Jennifer Maceyunas; Commercial use products (c)Brenda Miller and Christine Wall; sketch by Chris Greiser; Font: Segoe UI

A Linky Meme

I've been tagged by Derek!

ALL are invited to join in The Links MeMe fun!
PLEASE just follow the rules!
Just copy paste THIS and everything below up until my Five links:

I thought it would be cool to have a meme where we post links. We can post up to five. Then we tell five more people to share their links. If we all share who tagged us, our links are sure to be seen!They can be business links, favorite sites, affiliate links, whatever you want…

There are Five Rules:
1. MUST be clean. No R rated sites.
2. Only FIVE links.
3. MUST tell 5 people.
4. A link back to the person who tagged you
5. Lara’s Place is the meme originator. (an active link is appreciated)

My Links:
1. Bon Scrapatit. She is so full of energy and life. You can't help but getting a high just reading her posts, besides she has some very lovely freebies too. :) In her own words: Bon Scrapatit ... recipes for PRESERVING your family history!
2. Talk about southern comfort and you must be talking about ArtCTrish. With her music inspired titles and tales of the arts, she is definitely and must read (and she is one I'm going to tag since she felt left out last time, LOL).
3. For Better or For Worse comic strip. I think I have been keeping up with saga of Ellie and John and their children since Lynn began writing it. So much reflects on my own life as my children are of similar age.
4. Digital Photography School. Need I say more. :)
5. Evil Mad Scientist for those unusual experiments and just plain, fun reading.

I am Tagging:
1. One Happy Dog (gotta tag my own, right?) May have to update the link when I get back though as she is moving.
2. ArtCTrish (don't want her to feel left out again, ROFL)
3. Personalized Creations (if you have girls this is DEFINITELY a site to check out, but even if you don't, it is still very interesting)
4. The Pages of Our Crazy Life (if you don't do anything else, check out the post on Bed Head)
5. I'm at a loss here. I've run out of taggers. So if you are game, jump in.

My Happy Tribulations

Fri 4/4 Blog prompt: Begin today's prompt with the phrase "I am happy with..." and then take it anywhere you'd like!

I am happy with life in general. I am happy with my family and all the joy they bring me. I am happy with my abilities and the person that I am. I am happy with the new homeowners' association president who really takes his job seriously (even though it takes more time away from us). I am HAPPY with LIFE :)

Sketch by Becky Fleck; Sweet Surrender (c)Sherry Ferguson Designs; Font: P22 Corinthia

Famous Tribulations

Thurs 4/3 Blog Prompt: Is there someone famous and living today that you find particularly interesting?

Well, I guess most of you would automatically think of some scientist and you would probably be right, except every now and then someone sparks an interest. Lately that someone has been..... Can you guess? No? Maybe I should just wait until tomorrow to post it. Okay I won't be that cruel, but you will have to look for it (maybe below the layout....)

Doodles (c)She's Full of Scrap; Font: Edwardian Script
Okay, I would like to meet Johnny Depp. The man just amazes me. He is a fantastic actor who appears to really bring life to his characters. And I love how he manages to keep his personal life personal. He, of course, has his opinions (some of which I don't agree with, so what) but he doesn't go around yelling them at everyone. He reminds me so much of actors like Cary Grant, who did a job the best they could because, after all, we were paying to see quality work.

Peanut Butter & Jelly Tribulations

Wed 4/2 Blog Prompt: Sometimes two great things get together and make something even better! Name some things that you think go great together.

This one is easy.... Pan and Tink, of course. :)

Sketch by Asa Bergstrand; Winter Nights (c)Colleen's Creations; Fonts: Old Repubic, Journal

APOD #10

These first three are from a photo challenge I am working on:

A glass of water with ice. Ice was the subject of the challenge.

Another on the list was something green. I chose my shamrock earrings but in the process of locating them, I realized I had three. Three? I know I only have two ears.

Stained or colored glass was another that was on the list. While looking for the shamrock earrings I came across this angel pin with colored glass. Fits the bill don't you think?

This day required two pictures. The before and after. As I was reaching for my tea I glanced up just in time to see kfkap with his paw in the mug. Even though I shooed him away he kept sneaking back. And as you can see from the photo below, it was because he likes green tea. Silly cat. Then there was the day he felt he needed to look at the bugs outside. Now I can't keep him away from the window.

The next day he was back up on the desk only to squeeze through the blinds to watch the bugs outside.

Artificial flowers which reside on my mother's back porch. The look almost real.

I love how the light reflected off the ceiling in my in-laws dining room.

April Fools Tribulations ... Not :)

Tue 4/1 Blog Prompt: How do you feel about practical jokes? Are you the mastermind, sidekick or victim (usually)?

I don't like practical jokes which cause extreme embarrassment to the recipient, but I can get into a practical joke which is fun. Normally, I would say that I am the mastermind, like sending my father anonymous birthday cards from across the country for nearly 20 years. This became impossible to do after 9/11 as I am sure you can imagine why. But it was fun during the time it was going on since he suspected everyone but me. Or how about turning the lights off and on in the boys room when Pan installed a master switch. I can still hear them now:

"Stop it." "It's not me, you're closer." "I'm not doing it, you are going to get us into trouble." "I won't be, you will. You're the one always turning the lights on to read." and so it went on for about 5 minutes then Pan walked in and made me stop.

Yep, I love practical jokes, if they are the right kind.

Template by Michelle Swadling; Timeless Treasures (c) Brenda Miller; Font: Pointy