finally! ...ppa 185

let me start by apologizing...there are a few people who care what i do and have been asking where i am..."walking the dog" is my reply!  at the end of october, we adopted ruby, a beautiful pit bull, from a shelter in ewing, nj.  my life is forever changed by this bundle of personality!

Look out Rudy!  Santa's calling on me, Ruby, next year for sure!

Sooooo, between school, giving ruby the time she needs to adjust to our home, including obedience school (in which we graduated with dignity, not necessarily honors!), thanksgiving, christmas, blah, blah, blah!...i have simply failed as a blogger!  having said that, i am not giving up or giving in!  

the first sketch i decided to play with is found at pal paper players #185.   this versatile sketch by nicole watt can be used with any style.  
                                                                                                                                                                 
       

i used black, crumb cake and cherry cobbler card stock.  the ink i used was versa mark.  i embossed the frame and verse from the chalk talk stamp set with winter white stampin up emboss powder.  i inked the woodgrain embossing folder with brown sugar before i put it through the big shot.  a nice look if i do say so myself!  once again, i feel i had to think outside the butterfly/flower box, however, a true pleasure with this sketch...

...and now~a side note:  i was up quite late last night, trying to post this on the pal paper players blog and what to my wondering eyes should appear...no internet connection!!  GAHHHH!  

as i always say, "it is what it is!"

new year's eve is now upon me.  i'm about to ready myself for dinner, an early one at that, with dear friends...to come home to my son later on so that we may play a board game, eat chips with onion dip, and drink champagne at midnight.  it's a weird holiday for me...i try to be festive, indulge a bit too much and make merry...but as i get older, it becomes a night of true reflection...

my friend, kim, has a tradition each new year's...she sets goals for the year-not resolutions...they are sometimes too easy to ignore.  those promises are for better health, for a deeper spiritual connection, and lastly, for personal growth.  i like this tradition and have adopted it myself...i'd like to get four activity points a day with my weight watcher's active link (staying active is a must for this tired body of mine!); read a daily devotional-daily! (to remind me that God is my guide in my thoughts, words, and deeds); stamp/blog on a regular basis (this will help with staying true to my authentic self!); and lastly, to cook more new recipes for my family (we tend to have more harmonious mealtime's when we are eating new and healthy food!).

i wish any of you who may have stopped by to read this, a very fabulous new year...one filled with an abundance of blessings of peace, joy, good health and love.

peace be with you...