Help [ME] Ronda

So Grateful

Isn't this mini so cute?  You can see my tutorial on how to create this mini for Thanksgiving up at the Lilybee Designs Blog.  You can download my Grateful Tag inserts for the mini here: Download Ronda Palazzari grateful. 

Blessed Love

Pa Pa Poker Face

It's the name of the gorgeous Cocoa Daisy November kit.  And that stamp is included in this kit.  It is huge (3.5") , it is stunning, and it was designed by the fabulous Kim.  So many goodies in this kit that goes on sale Nov. 1st.  Nicole Harper is the guest designer this month and i am so thrilled.  I just love her style!!  Check out her gallery here and the other DT's creations here. 

and here are my creations for this month:

I really do count on Andy.  I love those Sassafras Lass papers & flowers.  The giant doily stamp is in the background.  I used yellow paint on top of the grey cardstock.  Stacked the flowers & added some stitches.

Evidence of a boy.  There is an elusive creature that lives in my house.  I try to document its lifestyle but to capture a picture of it seems impossible.  I settled for documenting what it leaves behind instead.

Today i thought of you.   More than some other days.  I used Emily Pitt's Sketch for Crate Paper.  Stacked the squares and stitched them. 

Two teens.  Those tired teens and how our life is changing so much.  I used some Mr Huey on the background.  Love those little birdies...remind me of partridge family.  I have been instructed to stop taking pictures of them sleeping.  Let me contemplate that for about 2 secs....um nope.  I am documenting their lives.

have camera

will take pictures

One of the many hats i wear is Youth Counselor for our Church.  I really like it.  I love the teens.  Love hanging with them.  They know I take lots of photos and they just go with it.  Even better is when they jack my camera and start snapping away.  That's the beauty of digital.  They can snap as many as they want without me worrying about developing them.  I also love encouraging them to get into the art.  I love seeing things through their eyes.  221 shots later, here are some of their shots. 

Digital Love

In the City

You know you have been inking too much when.....

a) ink spontaneously squirts on your face

b) you try to match you clothes to your new face

c) Dorkapolis calls & tells you that you have been elected mayor and you didn't even run in the election

d) all of the above

I was cleaning up my scrapbook room yesterday.  I didn't want to just clean but i wanted to reogranize.  I find myself doing this every couple months.  I reevaluate how life has been in there, how it could function better, and then i tackle the changes.  It is good for me to see what i have been using & not using.   It helps me clarify, purge the stuff i am not using, and pull out things i want to use but have been hidden. 

So with that i have decided to move my spray inks closer to the area where i create.  In true Ronda fashion, if i was going to do that then i should finally tackle creating a swatch of my colors that i have been talking about creating for months.   Here's what i came up with for my spray ink color swatch.

Using left over white cardstock, i cut 2.5 in x 3.5 pieces.  I labeled the back with not only the name of the color but the manufacture as well.  MR = Maya Road, SC = Studio Calico, TA = Tattered Angels and Ranger was a such a short name i left it Ranger.

I then spritzed the front of the pieces with the correct color.  I left them to dry on some craft paper making sure they were seperated in case of bleeding. 

I punched a hole in the top left corner and attached them with a binder ring.  Now they sit on my table ready for me to use.  I love that i can just grab the swatches to match papers or embellishments. 

Now i have to get back to my mayoral duties. 

Dorky Love

Global Family

To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.  Henry Bergson

Our life is facing some big changes.  Andrew will be moving to Doha to work for Qatar airlines while the kids & I continue living in Denver.  We don't have a firm date yet but we know it will be soon and suspect it will be in less than a month.  It is such a big transition that i cannot even wrap my head around it all.  We always said that we wanted the kids to finish school here since we moved them around so much when they were younger.  We intend to keep that promise.  But we also know how hard this is going to be on us as a family and how much we are going to miss him.  While he flies in and out of our lives on a frequent bases, he ususally returns home in days.  This time it will be months. 

My mind has been racing with so many thoughts and so many emotions i finally had to start making lists.  I am really happy, excited, scared, worries, and well lonely all at the same time.  He completes me.  He is my rock.  and i so am going to miss not having him here. 

But there are so many positives about this new job too.  and so many new opportunities.  Like a sweet friend said, "A whole new world awaits."  And it's true.  We will become a global family.  Thank goodness for skype, texting, emails, phone calls, and maybe even a good ole fashion love note.  

This is just the next great adventure in our lives, a chance to explore new worlds, to see things from different perspectives, and an opportunity to maybe even appreciate each other more, to see our love grow. 

Vacay, pt 2

After the family cruise, Andy & I headed to Orlando

it was his suggestion that we extend our trip so we could go to

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal's Islands of Adventure

it was a really fun day & i am so happy we took the time

here's a peek into the magical world

(click on pictures for larger images)

spoiler alert: my thoughts on the park at at the bottom of the post

 

It was a magical visit.  I would totally recommend the park & yes it is worth the trip.  Overall it was a great experience.  

The Forbidden Journey was one of the coolest rides i have ever been on.  it was quite a wait, 90 minutes, even at 9 am.  I think it was totally worth it.  You wonder through the greenhouse & castle to get to the ride.  You can do a walking tour without riding the ride which is cool because you might miss some stuff while waiting in line. 

The line for the butterbeer (non alcoholic) was unbelivable.  I went into the three broomsticks & had it for lunch.  It comes in cold & frozen varieties.  I had both and while i like them both, the cold was my favorite.  It tastes like cream soda & butterscotch... really really yummy. 

The look of Hogmeads was incredible.  The fake store fronts were really well done.  I just wished they were real.  There were a few real stores and we waited in lines to get in.  Sounds funny right?  That's how crazy busy it was.  I bought a few things that i totally love. 

Being me, i wanted more.   I cannot fathom why they didn't consult me when building it ;) I think a whole park could be created around the books.  I wanted the Weasley home, the Leaky Caldron, Gringots, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes,etc.  I wanted more in the castle too....the dormitories, the potions classrooms, filches office. etc.  I think there could have been some more rides too...the knight bus, the hogwarts train, gringots.  Having said that, i really did have a blast there. 

Muggle Love

3 Rs

refreshed, relaxed, and rejuvenated

it was good to have some time with Andy

and my family

here are a few of the pictures from the trip to Jamaica & Grand Cayman

(if you click on the pictures, they will enlarge)

 

back into the Muggle World

A quick posts because i miss my blog.  I am sneaking a picture of where i was today.  Tomorrow i journey home again.  And should remain there for quite some time... i think.  Today was magical.  Of course there is more to tell and i will share lots with you.  My head is swimming with posts but right now i need some sleep.

Amortentia Love (be careful though...it's extremely powerful love!!!)

Mother Mother Ocean

I have heard your call....

Just a quick photo post because i have a beach chair calling my name

 

One Love, One Heart

with the Candlestick

Do you remember this post: In the Library... 

Well the new bookcases are being installed.  The bottom half was put in last week by Andy & Phil, aka the Papa.  They looks so beautiful.  I cannot wait to see it all complete.  I am waiting, some what patiently i might add, on the top of the bookshelves.

In the meantime my books are all laying in the foyer area, waiting to be reorganized. I think i will be donating some in the process.  I keep trying to convince Andrew to let me arrange them in Rainbow order.  He said it isn't condusive to finding the books.  My reply was "but they will look so pretty."  Insert Andy rolling his eyes.  I tend to get that a lot and i'm not sure why :) 

and just now looking at the books in the picture, i see so many great reads.  Sarah Plain & Tall...awesome youth book.  The pony pals lexi loved as a kid.  Hey there's my senior yearbook in the pic too.  I even seem Mr. Potter making an appearance...the paper back ones.  Is it sad that i have both hard & soft covers of them?

 

but i digress.  When Andy started the construction of the bookcases I begin thinking of the room as a whole.  I do that a lot...think, think, think, think think.  I decided that the color on the walls need to be changed.  Don't get me wrong, i love the chocolate color.  But i wanted the feel of the library to be light & airy.  To be a place i could sit for hours and feel at home.  So i thought about changing it to a butter yellow, a minty green, and finally i settled on Gossamer Sky Blue as seen in the above photo.  It does have hints of green in there but to me, it's blue.  Do you hear me honey...it's BLUE...not green :P

 

So while the room is coming together, i kept thinking about that Yellow Wingback.  Amber wrote me to tell me about the chairs at Target online.  Hello Beautiful.  And the price is so much better.  Now if i could just narrow down my selection.  And do i do two matching or two different ones???  We will see.  I just love it when a plan comes together. 

Lounging Love