Details:
We're here to try to stay within limits on our scrappy/crafty spending, though we have plenty of enabling going on! We take turns hosting (whomever has time that particular month) as it gets a bit chaotic sometimes! We are a chatty bunch of savers and enablers! (Mostly enablers!)

The rules: List your scrappy budget for the whole month. Then list the high priority items that you want to buy this month!
OPTIONAL List something you are NOT allowed to buy all month! (Forty lashes with a piece of wet twine if you cave in on that one!)

Tell us how much you spend throughout the month, and keep track of it as you spend. We like details about your shopping around here. No such thing as TMI! You do not have to include costs for adhesives, swaps, storage, gifts or shipping, unless you want to. Please round to the nearest dollar value.

Please enable and tempt us to buy the wonderful items we want....but don't tempt us to bust our budget!!!

Whatever works for you - a no buy challenge, a do this many layouts before I spend this much - whatever goes as long as there is some aspect of a budget involved. And yes we all bust now and then...no wet noodle flogging here.

Sewflake-BUSTED
Budget: $50-$48=$2
Splurge: Used

Kamananui-BUSTED
Budget: $50
Splurge: All gone.

Scrapanda
Budget: $0
Splurge: Unused

BoricuaPR
Budget: $50
Splurge: Unused

Tammy
Budget: £50

Chris
Budget: $30

Janeen
Budget:

Tina
Budget: $50

Sonja
Budget: $150-$30=$120
Wish: $120 SMS and $30 discretionary

Kelly thank you for hosting this month...
Not sure why I need a budget
I don't follow it anyway!
I probably busted last month just don't keep track of what I spent.
Spent the day off and on going though stuff trying to get it all organized!
I think I lost ground!!
I will go with a low budget this month...
$50

Sharon, I think part of the reason I have not stepped foot in my studio is because I have so many organization projects that have to happen. The last few months of 2016, I bought loads of stamps and dies that are now all just sitting in piles and looking forlorn and neglected. I need to not buy one solitary thing until every one of those have been used, put in pockets, and labeled properly. I'm pretty sure we all know that probably won't happen, but it truly needs to because I am tired of not having things filed properly.

Budget: $50 (this is probably too low, but I need to use what I have and not buy.)

Wish: Whatever strikes my fancy.

Oh the trials of organizing!!
So many stories so little time!!
Once again my mojo hit, whilst pulling out bin boxes bling and bangles to store... as soon a I get a bare spot on the desk I start pulling things out to work!!!
At least I have one card done and 75% of a layout finished, as we all know the last 25% can take a day or two to complete!!

It would be a major task to use everything once before purchasing anything else!!

Sharon - hope you're having fun with your die organizing. Of course once I had all the magnet sheets cut and dies attached, my foyer/hall was lined with dies as I grouped and sorted them before putting them in the sheet protectors. It did help that I couldn't leave for brunch unless they were all picked up and stored. A growling tummy has a lot of influence on priorities

I can't believe I STILL haven't used my SB gift cards! I have a few short trips scheduled and want money for goodies I may find. I think I'll go for $50 as long as it's spent during my travels.

However, it is NSD month so I think all bets are off for everyone! Hey Tammy - how about an NSD Month loophole? A no bust month for everyone, as long as you buy something in May

So today I started week 8 of my of my new life wellness plan, and thought I deserved a treat,(that wouldn't affect my waist size) and the next thing I knew I was busted. Now since I'm in charge this month, I get to make the rules. So, because I'm celebrating something awesome, I get a do over, and SO DO YOU. Everyone gets ONE free splurge to celebrate an accomplishment. Sonja, only ONE! Use it wisely.

still at 0 since I have not finished my 100 pages yet. Taking me longer than usual this year. I will be starting page 67 and would love to reach 100 in May but we will see!

Wow, a do-over already?? Yea, but now I have to accomplish something!!!

Yipes, I just read in another thread that Tammy broke her left wrist.....and she is left handed...so there may not be much communication from her for awhile. Don't know much beyond that.

Hope it mends quickly dear lady.

Tammy broke her wrist? Oh no!!! Tammy, I am so sorry. Hope you are not in too much discomfort, my friend.

Amanda, I'm rooting for you! Hope you get to do some shopping soon.

Oopsie daisy! Somehow I didn't save this one to my favorites...

Everyone relax, the FUUUUN has ARRIIIIIVED!

A do-over already?!
No worries about me spending this month... I still need to pay those SMS invoices and I got a $10 gift certificate for sb.com so my budget will be....
$150 ($120 SMS and $30 discretionary) I need nothing...
But I want everything! LOL

Wishlist: My cart.... plus a white pen... That's it...

OH NOO!!!! I just scrolled through everyone's comments and saw Tammy hurt her wrist! Poor thing! Hope she's okay. Let's flood her PMs with love! She won't be able to respond, but at least she'll know we miss her!

Tammy - hope your doing better. No scrapping or stitching for you? I'd go crazy - oh yea I was there a few years ago. No fun!! We're rooting for you!

Sharon - thanks for sharing the news!

Had Physical Therapy today and TM is next door. Came out spending $15 on Prima flowers/butterflies and G45 stamp sets. I really need to use my GCs.

Tammy broke her wrist. I'm sorry to hear that.

As for my budget, I agree, why set it if I usually break it???
Well I'm here for the fun and enabling I guess.

I'll say $50 also.

Good morning ladies,
I have found out that I have been spreading false rumors, (slap my wrist) in this case I am happy to say that OUR Tammy is not the one that broke her wrist!
She is away from home and it is hard for her to check in, but suffice to say she is doing well with her wrists!!!

WHEW!!! I'm just glad to hear Tammy is ok, Sharon! Oops, I do remember her mentioning she'd be out of town for a bit.... teehee!

Well my budget just tanked.... Kids' stuff comes first.... Have to register DS for soccer and swimming for both kids this summer... AAAAND now the other car needs an oil change... when it rains, it frickin' pours!

If anyone needs me, I'm going to bury myself in a HEA romance novel....

I'm in again but need to take some time and figure out my budget. I'm heading to a scrapbook expo next weekend with some friends and my only plans while there are to shop, shop, shop. So I'll be back soon with a budget.

Ugh Sonja - thanks for reminding me my vehicle needs an oil change!

Hi everyone, I am back home again after a fantastic vacation in Charleston, Jacksonville, and St Augustine - I took over 400 pics but this morning deleted half and then ordered prints from Walgreen's. I will pick them up later today so I am all set to scrap up a storm. Right now I don't need anything but I guess I will budget $30 just in case. No time to scrap today as I have to catch up on lots of stuff at home.

I am home and as Sharon has already pointed out - no wrist issues - it was a friend's daughter!

anyway I have photos to scrap!

I have papers in my stash and so I am not planning on buying anything but just in case! I will budget £50 for cardstock, adhesive, and maybe some pretty digital kits

Teetering on the edge here, spent $48 today for this!!
It was because of the 10% off total order which made the shipping almost free!! I did have to drop the paper pad I had in my cart to get the price of shipping down but I didn't need paper anyway!!

Seems like there was something else but I forgot... I do need to quit looking at TH stuff!!!

Nothing else that was it!!

wish I had the paper.........

Love the birch tree stuff Sharon!

nice haul Sharon! I know you, you wish yourself right into buying that paper sooner or later!

Sharon love those birch trees.

I signed up for most of the NSD challenges and started pulling out photos and papers. Last year I really scrapped a lot for NSD and I feel pretty excited to do my own little scrap session at home this year. The prizes look awesome.

Off to work

I don't know Tammy, maybe I can hold out this time as I can not find a place to put anymore paper and there are only 3 of those pads left in stock. With a little luck they may be gone before I cave!!!

Chris, it will be fun to see what all is done for the challenges this year. There are already so many projects in there that it will be impossible to comment on them all and get anything done myself! I am waiting to see what new member challenges show up tomorrow.

Hi all!
I'm teetering on the edge of that 10% off deal too... them!

Finished two pages for the month already and two books... and it's only the 5th! Happy belated May the Fourth by the way! I did a page in celebration and then watched The Force Awakens last night while doing another page! LOL!

Sharon, I have that Prima paper pad and LOVE it.... probably doesn't help that there are a LOT of papers in there - 3 of each one! Hold off though, you are on a paper freeze! I'll go smell mine for you...

Supposed to rain here in LA this weekend so I have a bunch of Mom's day projects in plan for the kiddos. Hopefully that'll keep me too busy to spend (though one of the projects is a M's craft day event...)

OMG Janeen, why even budget then?! Have fun!!!!!!! Can't wait to see what you get!

Welcome back Tammy and Chris!

I'm up to 40 books now...

I have been perusing Kaiser Craft papers - oh my trigger finger is getting itchy

I finished 7 layouts yesterday (now to get them photographed and posted for the challenges) and 4 more in various stages of production. I am using up what I have on hand and rediscovering some stuff I had forgotten about - it's like free shopping!

Hello Budgeteers! I have done zilch for NSD this year. My mojo is long lost. I need to hire an archaeologist to dig it up! If anyone has spare mojo, send it my way.

Sharon, I too have that lovely ledger paper. I love it, and more than half of it is now gone. Now I'm wondering if I need another one. I don't, but my hoarder of a brain is trying to convince me to buy, buy, buy.

Hope everyone is having a scrapalicious weekend!

Good Monday morning.... for those of us that start late!!!

I am hear to say if Cricut mats count towards our budget then I have busted wide open! I just ordered 15 of them!! Cricut is having a big sale and buying in bulk is the way to go I have decided. SOOooo much cheaper!! And if I continue to ruin my mats doing stupid stuff then I will be needing them!!!

Have not gotten that paper pad.............yet. Won't pay the postage for the weight of it!!!!

Sharon, you can count those mats as your free, one-time only, binge. So you are still not busted. Yay!

Yea, $2 left!!!

My order just came today, something new to play with.... going to do some cutting with the dies!!

do not cut on the cricut mats! LOL

LOL, yea right!!! At least not that kind of cutting!!
You don't want to use your heat gun on it either!!!

I admit to knowing nothing about die cutting but I have to ask what is a cricut mat?

I painted with my painting group this morning and then scrapped 3 layouts at home this afternoon. Silly me, I decided to do the stamping challenge and I am not a good stamper but it all sort of worked out. And a funny thing, I almost always add flowers to my layouts - not a one this afternoon - instead I used shells and buttons and fabric and ... I am using up so much stuff it's awesome. I have one layout that I began a while ago but just can't seem to finish it - nothing seems to work - do you guys ever have that problem?

I use my Cricut quite often to cut images, and title for my pages. The Cricut mat goes along with that machine and it is made for cutting on, just not with the dies you buy and run thru a Big shot/kick.....

It sounds like you have been very productive Chris.... headed to your gallery.

Oh mommies... forgive me for I have sinned.... and it felt SO good! And it happened Friday and I've been hiding out ever since!

I might need that free pass, Kelly....

I came in under budget (by about 30 cents), but what a deal I got! I went to Js on Friday to return some fabric I had gotten at Christmas and never used (I see no reason to keep it when I don't plan to use it!) I got $6 back and spent $29. 69!
They had all their paper pads 50% off and then another 25% off that - I got two new DCWV pads $5.61 each: Watercolor and Zodiac, 5 sheets of paper for 50 cents total, Paper House puffy baseball stickers, a clearance pack of Websters Pages stickers pack for $1, flamingo washi tape, a pack of flamingo paper clips and a set of three magnets, plus a clearance Sizzix die I'd been wanting for only $3.50!! I ended up using the watercolor paper pad and most of the stuff I got on a couple pages over the weekend.

Now on to chatter....
Oh Sharon... hot glue?!? What a deal you must have gotten though!

Tammy, did you scratch that itchy finger?

Chris, utilize LO Time Out... seriously. That happens plenty of times to me. If it just isn't coming together, I will put the whole thing in time out until it is ready to play nice again! lol!!

Kelly, I have finished all but one of my challenges for the month - would you like me to mail you my motivation? I'll loan it to you cheap if you look the other way about my Js purchases....

Okay, now for a book recommendation.... OMG... I finished two pages and a book this weekend - not to mention 6 loads of laundry, a baseball game, kids cooped up inside due to rain and some cleaning! IDK how I did it either, but I have to recommend the book I read. It was AMAZING!!! Yes it was a romance, but it was by far the most emotional, sweetest, most well written one I've read in quite some time. I might be ruined for other books for a while.... YOu know those ones that just get you right in the soul? This one did!
Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan

Oh.... and then I went to Ms on Saturday with my friend trying to get some supplies for the kiddo's art projects for Mom's Day. I did get a pack of Thickers... which I didn't need... but found I wanted when I was doing my Star Wars page!
They were 50% off and nothing else I got was scrappy related, though I did spend $12 total!

That is quite a story Sonja, quite a great haul too. It sure beats my not so fun but necessary mats!! AND under budget!! Why hide on that one, I would have shouted from the house top!!

Sonja, I looked up Archer's Voice on Amazon (sounds good) but I noticed that the first review was by Larissa Brown (whose book Beautiful Wreck is a major fav of mine, so I will plan on reading it but also Laissa Brown has a new one that I didn't know about so of course I had to buy it - Sonja you are an enabler!! but thanks so much! I love Larissa Brown and she even had knitting patterns that go with her books!

Wow you had a productive weekend Sonja!

I am up to page 75 completed so only 25 more to go before I can buy stuff!

Amanda, that's great - not long now.

Sonja, I love those Webster's pages you referenced - so beautiful! I took your advice and let the layout sit a bit and now it's all coming together. By the way, do you read Prue Batten? I am rereading her Gisborne series on my kindle and loving it all over again - very inexpensive on kindle. I have also read her Eirie series and enjoyed it but the two series are very different.

Good morning all!

No Sonja no pulling any triggers - I have decided I want to go to a stitching retreat!

My, my, my has Sonja been a busy shopper...

Chris, I love hearing that you are using what you have. If we could only share that lesson with Sonja. :P

Amanda, you are so close. Scrap, scrap, scrap; and then shop, shop, shop! You have earned a good spree!

Tammy, a stitching retreat sounds like fun. I really wish stitching was popular here. It used to be in the early 90s. I used to love getting my For The Love of Cross Stitch magazine in the mail each month. That magazine is long gone and stitching is lost art here in the states.

I did buy something today - I stopped at the Goodwill after going to pick up books at the library and got 2 Bo Bunny My Word cardboard books (happy and I love you) for 45 cents together (they were 29 cents each but had 25% off). I am thinking the I love you would make a cool anniversary book to give to my DH.

Easy does it on the burns, Kelly!

Thanks for the req Chris! I am not partial to very many authors (excepting Lisa Kleypas, Courtney Milan and Elizabeth Hoyt), but I will have to check yours out! I usually just read whatever sounds good or grabs me in the first chapter. Definitely try Archer's Voice... I'm still just.... wow... I mean WOW! LOL

I am on a reading challenge over at GR and one of them is Outlander. Anyone watch the series? I've never even heard of it (if it's not on Disney Channel or Nick Jr. I am clueless... )

Tammy - ANY retreat sounds lovely!

Oh Amanda you are SO close! Scrap scrap scrap, girlfriend! Hope you get some Mommy's Day time!

Speaking of... what's everyone's plans for the weekend?

I have watched the Outlander series, both seasons.... I don't know that they are going to bring it back but it should be showing up soon if they are.

A retreat of any kind would be lovely!!

We are headed to ours sons for a meal on Sunday, nothing major just a little time together and food!

I busted today by $3 on a paper pad at TM's, tonal colors of black and grey. Makes great layers for masculine pages.

Guess I should be reading instead of shopping for scrap supplies!!

Sonja, I am an Outlander fanatic - I own all the books and have read them multiple times. I loved loved loved the series on Starz. If you like romance and time travel ( historical), you will like them.

Tammy, how wonderful to go to a retreat! I love to embroider (not cross stitch) but haven't done much lately.

No plans this weekend - summer is here - so hot and major drought. I am sure my son will call me on Sunday.

Chris, if you are an Outlander fanatic and have read all of the books then you can answer if there is any story line left for them to have another season? Not that that always means anything as they can make up their own story line!! I know they probably have taken great liberties with the story line but that is OK with me, I still liked it.

Not likely to get any scrap time on Mom's Day this year. This year my mom's birthday falls on Mother's Day so we are heading to her place Saturday and will probably come back Sunday evening. We'll have to take two vehicles because we're taking the kids (of course) and both dogs - times like this I wish we had small doggies! Anywho - mom lives in a very small town and they have a Mother's Day brunch every year so we will go to that on Mother's Day.

Outlander! Yes - I think there is one or two books I haven't yet read but love it and if you are only done the 2nd season then there is a lot of storyline left to do!

I did see the first season - on a visit to Canada - we didn't get it here! BUT I have been to quite a few of the places that a) are real in the book and/or b) are places they used to shoot the series (for instance Blackness Castle stands in for Fort William - have been to both!

Kelly I know you might think that about cross sitch and so man magazines have gone but there are still a lot out there.. One group alone I am in has over 10,000 members from all over the world and there are LOTS of Americans in the group. There are some very unique styles out there too. Take a look at Heaven and Earth Designs to see what a lot of people are stitching.

I took a look at the designs... they are quite intricate!! Fine threads.....one strand of thread or is it different than the cotton thread I am familiar with?

And yea for more story lines on Outlander. If I can't find more of the series then I will just have to buy the books to read how it turns out!!! Maybe I did see the third season......I don't want to say where it left off as I don't want to spoil it for anyone that has not seen the series or read the books!!

Oh for heavens sake, I really need to stay off Pintrest!!! I have been wanting some window dies for a very long time. I found a card that I really really liked the looks of, the designer does fabulous work! Found some in the states and ordered them! After ordering I looked on eBay and did not see them any cheaper.....thankfully.
How about a loop hole of spending in May for June budget??

They are working on Series 3 - it will start in September. So far the tv series runs very close to the books. In series 3 Claire will return to the past but from what I have read, much of the early part of the season will be about what happened to Jamie in Scotland and Claire in Boston during the 20yrs that they were apart. Once she returns to the past and joins Jamie, the story moves on with some new characters and with a sea journey to Jamaica and finally to the Colonies. The books continue with Jamie and Claire settling in No Carolina and eventually Bree and Roger join them. Gabaldon's last books have been about Jamie and Claire during the Revolutionary War.

Tammy, the pieces on that site are insanely stunning and must be incredible amounts of intense work. I like crewel and stumpwork - and I really enjoy knitting and quilting.

Trying to finish a few more layouts for the challenges. I feel a little burned out from scrapping so much but I accidentally found a small box of embellishments that I had forgotten about and want to use them - sort of like free shopping. LOL

And, by the way, etsy has lots of Outlander cross stitch patterns

Thanks Chris, I will quit looking for the next season til September!!

Sharon - HAED are often done in 1 strand of silk over 1 thread on evenweave - old style is 2 threads over 2 on good old fashioned AIDA - trust me not something I am going to be thinking of doing for a long time

Tammy, I can see why!! One would need a BIG magnifying glass on a stand over an cross stitch frame just to see the weave.
They are beautiful!!

Happy Mother's Day - Hope everyone has a lovely day.

I am back from the scrapbook convention...man, did I have some fun. I spent about what I expected to and stayed within my budget of $350. Safe to say, no more shopping for me this month. But I got some awesome stuff...lots of new paper, including a few stacks from Simple Stories and one from Photo Play. 10 paper packs from Echo Park for $40! Lots of fun washi and embellishments from Queen and Company. And some miscellaneous stuff too. It was a blast.

Since I know myself and I will probably end up at some sort of craft store before the end of the month, my budget for the rest of the month is $25. That way if I see something, I can get it but I still have to be good.

Janeen, great haul!!!!!

KELLY, LAWN FAWN ALERT - when I saw the sale notice, I immediately thought of you.

Nothing spent this past weekend. Hopefully I can finish up a few more layouts this week

What a fun time shopping Janeen!! Looks like a lot of beautiful pages coming out of that bountiful spree!!

I have not spent anything for a few days although I have filled a few carts of things I am looking at but have no plans on pulling the trigger.

I have things in my cart here but am waiting on free shipping....by then the papers will be gone!! Oh well, as you know I don't need paper anyway!

Great haul Janeen!

I haven't done much over the last week for pages - did get some cards accomplished though! And one of dh's employees left at the end of April to try his hand at farming - dh was travelling last week for work and Friday when he went back to the office he found that Kevin had stopped by and left a thank you card for him for helping him out over the last several years - in it were two $50 gift cards for dh for a couple stores he likes and a $50 M's gift card for me! We were quite shocked - never have I received a gift in a situation like this!? Very kind of them. I'm still going to wait until I complete my 100 pages to use it though - just in case I want to go over! LOL! Unless I decide to buy some new colouring markers there - since that's not scrap related!

Amanda, what a lovely surprise for both you and your DH!

Quiet day at home today - I hope to paint this afternoon.

Hi all!
Finally checking in though I should be working...

Chris and Sharon - thank you for the Outlander info! I haven't started the book yet, but I do love romance. Time travel is a little harder for me, but I have read a few of those genres that I really liked. Being a history nut, it's hard for me to see someone messing with time! Sounds like it's right up my alley from what Chris described Season 3!

Tammy - I'm surprised they don't have Outlander there for you, being that it's set there! Ah well... Gads I'd love to visit any of those places!!!

Amanda - Sounds like a fun two-car trip! So who got the dogs and who got the kids in the car? What an Awesome gift from your DH's (former) coworker!

Janeen.... omg... I could just stand here and drool over your goodies all day! WOW!! LOVE those Q&Co Mickey shakers especially! Can't wait to see what you do with them!

Kelly's awful quiet... did she go bananas on the Lawn Fawn sale and is now in hiding?

No scrappy spending for me, but DH did take me shopping on Friday for something for Mother's Day. He said he'd rather I got something I wanted or liked instead of him picking something out. And he knew if he got me a gift card I'd use it on the kids or him. Does he know me or what?

So I got a new skirt and some sandals and a candle. Not that I need all that, but it was a nice change of events.

And I am with you Chris, I'm getting a little burned out from scrapbooking too... I've almost met my annual goal already of 25 pages and I did try Sunday morning to sit down at my desk, but I just wasn't feeling it. So obviously I have no need to spend!

Good morning!

Wow quite the haul Janeen!

Sonja - I think they do but not on freeview tv and we don't even watch that so not much point. I do watch some stuff on my computer - so maybe I will look for that.

And the books are pretty true to the actual history so it is nice that way.

Janeen, holy cannoli! That's some awesome stuff!

I'm here. I am a horrible host. So sorry!! I need to try my hand at something crafty. I can not control my ADHD to focus on anything. Not books, scrapbooking, coloring, art; and it is maddening. I think it has something to do with the Peloton. The Peloton has so much stimulation that your brain is going as fast as the pedals. Stand, sit, reduce cadence, increase resistance, blah, blah. It has done something to my brain. I worked so hard to learn to control my ADHD without meds, and my beloved bike has undone it all. That said, I now ride for up to two hours a day, so who has time to craft after that? Anyway, I do love my bike, but my creative soul is dying inside. I need to find a way to fix that, and apparently shopping isn't the answer because I am BUSTED! I bought the latest Hero Arts monthly kit. Oops. How did that happen?

Chris, I stayed away from the Lawn Fawn deal. There will be a big LF summer release on Friday. That will suck me in for sure. I am doomed. I can't not buy the Lawn Fawn. It's my crack.

Hey all, I am already looking ahead to Junes budget. Since I am going to be gone most of June I was thinking of setting my budget to $0 but then I go and look to see what stores there might be on my travels!!
Yikes, should not have done that!!

Hi all!

WOW Kelly! 2-hour bike rides! I miss those days... but you're totally right, even without dealing with ADHD, the levels of endorphins and other chemicals in the brain switch off my creative juices as well. Probably has to do with being too spent afterwards to focus on anything else! Here's hoping you can find a creative moment! My advice? Just sit down at your table with a couple tools or colors and just play with a blank piece of paper. It'll come... like a MAC truck or like a sloth, but it'll come!

Tammy - That's what I wondered was how much the history is accurate. YAY! That's next on my list then!

Sharon - where are you going all month of June?

Help me, mommies... I wanna swing by the LSS or HL in Burbank really bad at lunch today....

I'm hoping to get my mojo back from Doreena this weekend so I can do the Travel and Mixed Media challenges. But first I'm trying to finish the last book in an 11-book series that I have been slowly getting through over the last year. And I am LOOOVING it! I thought Archer's Voice ruined me for other books for the month, but I think this one is going to bring me back to life! Good gravy the feels...

Sonja, I thought you were burned out for scraping for a time?? But not for shopping.... correct??
Got to scrap to shop that is the motto I live by why do you think I shop so much??
Cause I scrap!!
Unfortunately my shopping out paces my scrapping

This year I have noticed that I just don't have the reading mojo going on....from a lady that kept novels inside her school book thru most of high school!! Studying??? right!
I don't know what the problem is, I just can not find a book that captivates my interest and won't put me to sleep after 10 minutes of reading!!

I hope to find an audio book to take when traveling.... going to be spending long hours in the car. Headed to my home town for moms memorial and internment by my dad. Also taking my sister the fragile items she wanted from moms estate and going to be spending time with all my SIL's. Hubby is very excited as he has not seen his sisters in several years.

Catching up and cheering y'all on, here!

I'm going to forgo the budget for this month - I've been inactive on SB.com for a couple of months due to last-minute mad-scrambles for achieving a major life goal - graduating from college. I went on the 26-year-plan. My family shocked me with graduation gift generosity, so, no budget for me this month. Maybe next month. I'm fairly certain a SB.com employee started cussing my account name this morning when they printed the pick ticket.

So many Outlandish women on here! That's awesome. I've read... four of the books, I think? Diana Gabaldon's writing is some of the most engrossing prose I've ever read. I've only seen the first half of season 1, but I'm assuming that season 2 ended the same way the first book did, with her returning to the 20th century. It does seem final, but it's not. Not by a long shot!

On the way their Sonja I got the dogs and dd and dh took ds. DD screamed "MY DADDY MY DADDY" 75% of the way there and then fell asleep from exhaustion. So on the way back I said he could have them both and I just had the dogs (they won't fit it his truck with the carseats in because Tucker is too fat basically!) which was fine by me because the dogs just go in the back of my SUV and fall right asleep. Of course on the way home we travelled in the afternoon which was dd's nap time so she fell asleep in about 3 seconds and slept the entire way for dh!

Katie, congrats!!!!!!! As to Outlander, it follows the books fairly closely but with some condensation in places (you know how long the books are!). I particularly love Claire's dresses when she and Jamie are in France - totally gorgeous!
I spent the afternoon cleaning my studio and weeded my paper down to one half of a Fedex box - about half of what I had - the rest is in the other half of a Fedex box with a bunch of embellishments and alphas to take to Goodwill. I also weeded my cd's and this evening my books. It feels good to let go of things - I know the feeling won't last so I have to take advantage of it while I can.
Sharon, have a safe trip - sounds like you will be really busy.

Oh you Outlander gals are really getting me psyched to start the book!! I adore a strong writer and just finished another book by an author I've found has wonderful writing ability. I have two more to read before getting to Outlander, but now I might fudge it and squeeze it in first!

OH SHARON!!! I cracked up about your book in the textbook comment! TOTALLY me! I think I took AP English just so I'd have an excuse to read more! It helped tho... I had already read most of the books on my Lit 101 class at the local CC so I skated through that one and aced it!

I did NOT go to HL or the LSS yesterday. I had too much to do and didn't get out of here until after 4 so had to go straight to the drop off and then to pick up DD.

OMG Amanda! I cracked up about your DD's shouting! Mine would totally do the same thing... what IS it about little girls and their Daddies?!? If I tell mine 'NO', she crumples onto the floor and the drags her poor, weary behind over to fall into DH's lap! Glad you got some quiet time with the doggies on the way home at least! Too cute tho!

Oh me.... times, they are a'changin', ladies! Went to a parent/teacher meeting at DS pre-K and they are recommending getting him into summer camp programs as all his friends are leaving the preschool June 1 as is his favorite teacher. Not only is he already mentally, physically and verbally outgrown the school, he's not going to have anyone his age to play with or his favorite teacher to guide him. SO DH and I are going to put him into a summer camp for June and then maybe the Y for July. He starts KINDERGARTEN August 16th!!! WHERE is my BABY and WHY do I have a KINDERGARTENER?!?

And Chris.... HOW... and I mean this in the nicest way possible... HOW did you get your paper down to HALF a FedEx box?!?! THat is impressive!

Sonja,
a Kindergartner! It's when your DS graduates from college that you really feel old!

LOL, Chris! Yep, that'll definitely do it for me! Or more likely when BOTH my kids graduate from college!

Quiet day today - hope to do a couple of the newer challenges - a word one and a color one

I won't be buying anything for a few days as my main charge card got hacked - fortunately my bank stopped the transaction and immediately alerted me - even so, I won't get a new card for several days . I'm thankful it wasn't anything more.

I'm here and finally putting my stuff away. I ended up with a horrible ear infection this week and haven't even felt like venturing into my scrap room until today. Although I still have about half my paper to put away and no room to put it. EEK! Guess I better stop buying and start scrapping up a storm. Luckily school is out in 3 days and I have my whole summer to scrap, scrap, scrap!

Janeen, hope you are feeling better. Wow, just 3 days - school isn't out here till the first week of June.

I did one layout today that satisfied 3 challenges - and it went very quickly. I used some modeling paste with a stencil and it looks really cool. I was just reviewing my scrapping budget this year and all I have bought is the Jane Davenport fountain pen ($9) and some prints at Walgreen's (which don't count). I won't be spending anything for the rest of this month even tho' there are a few things I want - one problem I have is every time I start to fill my cart, some of the items are out of stock - and then by the time they get back in stock, I have gotten over the buying thing. Actually I guess that's a good thing! Maybe next month

Ouch Janeen, those ear infections can really hurt!!
Looking forward to seeing more of your work this summer with school being out in just a few days!!

That has happend to me more than once recently Chris.
I put something on my wish list and by the time I'm ready to purchase it is gone!
Or as I am waiting for stuff to come back into stock.... a month later... then I am over the desire to push that button.
In fact I was all set to push the Submit Order button the other day and thought "What am I doing, I don't really even want it anymore" then backed off the ledge..... the stuff is still sitting in my basket!
I think I am waiting on a free shipping day which I thought they might have Mothers Day weekend..... still waiting.

Hello ladies. I think I'm all caught up on the first page.

Katie, congratulations! Hope you enjoy your scrappy splurge. You've earned it.

Chris, I recently received a notice from my bank stating they were suspending my credit card. When I checked, there were three charges all for over $1000 each from alibaba. Ummmm no. Those were not mine. I finally got my new card but the hassle of signing letter and getting charges reversed is such a pain.

Janeen, hope your ear is starting to feel better and that your last three days of school are easy ones.

Sonja, are you busted yet?

I bought 3 new stamp sets and 2 dies from LF and one new stamp set from MFT. I've already busted, so what's one more bust. The worst thing is that I didn't even order all I wanted. There is another set of dies on my list, but they were already sold out. Soon my pretties, soon.

I'm another huge Outlander fan. I love the tv show and the books. I'm not sure how far I am in the series. All of the books have been listened to on Audible, and they are fabulous. I stopped listening when I reached a place in the series where there was only abridged versions. I should probably pick up the the book in the series when I finish The Handmaid's Tale. I finally started it, but I'm only a few chapters in.

Tammy, Heaven and Earth Designs is amazing. Thank you!

evening all - no wonder I have been a little under the weather - Sonja is NOT shopping!

And I scrapped and I didn't buy anything to do it either! LOL I also stiched this weekend. Today we had another retirement planning session - things are going well.

Fingers crossed for your retirement Tammy!!
Hope the planning sessions continue to go well!

Can't believe my ds is going to be starting Kindergarten this fall either Sonja! Crazy how the time flies!

I've been being good too. No shopping here.

I did want to pop in and share a layout I created with those watercolors I bought a few weeks ago. They are so fun to play with and I even created a little tutorial on my blog here if you all want to check it out. http://janeenbeuchel.blogspot.com/2017/05/nsd-watercolo ...
Disney Magic! By Godschild94

Good luck Tammy with the retirement planning

Janeen, love what you did with the watercolors

Kelly, what a hassle for you (I got my new card today) and I knew you would have to get some of the lawn fawn

Sonja and Amanda, kindergarten! time flies whether you are having fun or not!

Chris, you know me well. I can not resist the new Lawn Fawn.

I feel very productive again - I got a sketch ready to paint and I did 2 layouts, one of which I drew on the background sheet. Fun day and we are going out for dinner - yay!

I really need to get acu after being out of town for wedding! Just a note to let everyone know I did make it home in time to register for Expo - Good thing THAT doesn't count. Otherwise I'd be busted for life. DH bought me some super awesome 49andMarket papers from the Vintage Artistry collection. Made in USA and even heavier than G45s. I can't wait to see how well they work with mists and heat embossing.

bbl!

I am not in the mood to scrap, or stitch or do anything - just too profoundly sad about what has been going on in Manchester - my family and friends still live there. I cannot fathom.

Tammy, our thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, and all the people of Manchester. No words can even begin to mitigate the horror of that act and the tragedy from it. Sometimes I think the little things I do are so insignificant and frivolous in the face of the sadness of our world but I just try to thank God for all my blessings and keep going.

Tammy, it's heartbreaking to think about the attack in Manchester. I hope your family is OK.

Chris, when I think I can't possibly make a difference, I remember what Gandalf said in the Lord of the Rings: I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love.

And that's what scrapbook pages are, to me. Little love letters to the past and the future.

I'm glad they were able to get your credit card straightened out. Mine kept having to be canceled because someone was swiping a counterfeit card in Houston (I don't live in Houston), which means they'd copied the magnetic strip on the back. We figured out that the gas station by my house probably has a skimmer on one of the pumps, so we quit going there. Haven't had an issue since.

Janeen, I hope your ears are better! Ear infections are miserable.

I got my haul on Tuesday, and my project plans for the week derailed more than I expected. Lots of inks and sprays, new tools and new stamps. All of it has to be sorted, catalogued and organized before I can play again. No paper, though.

One of the girls who died worked for us - she was shielding her niece. One of the young girls who had been missing from Barra is the niece of one of the guys in this office.

Friends and family know victims but so are all my nearest and dearest are safe although mentally may be struggling.

I am planning on scrapping this weekend- trying to find some joy

Such an awful thing that happened in Manchester - can't even begin to imagine how you and your coworkers are Tammy! Sending hugs.

Wish I had arms big enough to hug all of Manchester from here.