March Crate Paper Challenge

These are the color combos from this months challenge over at http://crate.typepad.com/.  I love his picture of my mom and I.  

Thanks for looking:o)

Mary-Ann

Studio Calico

I have been getting the studio calico kit for over a year now.  (I just checked my records.)  I have not touched one.  Well, yes I have.  I opened them and touched them but have not done anything with them.  Why, idk!  Well, this last one, I decided I either needed to "cook or get out of the kitchen."  I really wanted to say something else here:o)  Anyway, I opened it, touched it and even designed with it.  Here is what the kit looked like and what I have done with it.

Oh my, I love this photo and the title.  When I showed it to Roman, he laughed so hard because of he "Big Teeth!"  He has such a good sense of humor.

Remember a while back, I shared this love letter that Roman wrote to his little friend in school???  Well, I couldn't help myself when I saw the red, white and blue stripped paper.  I could either go barber shop or mail.  I went Love Letter all the way.  I love it.  It was a challenge for me though.  At first I tried masking hearts.  When I sprayed the mist it buckled my paper.  I ironed it from the back and it worked that out.  Then I decided I would add some red splattered paint across them top right because it needed something.  Well, it looked like I cut my finger and bled all over the page.  I had to carefully peel everything off and start again.  I then decided to punch hearts for a tone-on-tone look and it filled the space nicely.  Ugh, all that for my new favorite layout.  I just love the letter.  There is a journal block tucked behind the photo where I translated what he wrote and gave some details.

TFL!

Mary-Ann

Back from Rome:o((((

I am back rom Italy but I think in spirit I am still there.  I want pasta all time:o)  Oh wait, I wanted it before I left too.  It is my weakness.  Since I have been back I took a week of recovery time.  I mopped, sulked and cried that I am no longer in the world that is surrounded by dark italian men.  Then I realized, I love my little blonde and his dark haired daddy and that if they were going to be happy I needed to snap out of it.  Plus, I love a toilet seat and public bathrooms with toilet paper.  I guess America isn't sooooo bad:o)  I wanted to share with you a couple photos that I took with a really cheap camera.  I think some of them came out fantastic and others, well, are too bad for show.  Close your eyes and take this Italian Journey with me....... now open them, cause you won't be able to see my photos if you don't!

Our first full day, we spend the morning in Assisi, Italy.

 Take note of the steep hills.  Everything is UP!

We headed to Florence next.  The man who wrote the story of Pinocchio  is from Florence.

Yum - Gelato everywhere.

This is the Motley Crew that I traveled with.  For a little camera, it had some really cool features.  I could do a film strip, and turn things to black and white.  

 Hitler stood on this bridge and watched as his army destroyed most of Florence.  It is called the Ponte Vecchio.  Kinda strange, standing where he once stood.

Popular mode of transportation.

View from the Ponte Vecchio.  It was so peaceful.

That area was know for its Gold shops.  So I go in thinking I should buy a ring from here.  Tried one on that I loved.  It only cost 1350 euro which would have been about $1800.00.  Hmmm, Should have got two!  HA!

So instead, we bought chocolate.  Much cheeper. 

From Florence we headed to Rome.  On the way, we stopped at the Florence American Cemetery.  Amazingly beautiful.  

We also made a side stop in a town called San Gimignano.  My favorite place we saw by far.  I would move there.  They had cafes, pottery shops, delis, leather shops, more cafes, more pottery.  

This might be the reason I would live there:o)

Biggest Pinocchio I have ever seen.

ROME!!!  Trevy fountain.

The glamourous public bathrooms.  After seeing this, I know my bathrooms are clean.  

Colosseum.  I can not explain.  The most amazing sight I have ever seen.  Well, Niagara falls was pretty cool too.

We went to the Roman Forum and saw ruins.

The vatican.

Balcony where the Pope stands to give his speech.

The Pantheon.

Cafe Latte:o)

The Pope!!!

It was truly amazing.  I did journal in my Smash book.  I hope to eventually add photos and make copies for my fellow traveling buddies.  Hmmmm, maybe in the next few years:o)  I wanna go back.  Next time I will bring my own toilet paper.  Sorry for so many photos, I could have shared all 500+:o)

TFL!

Mary-Ann

You and Pooh

Because I have nothing else to do:o) hahahahaha.  

Oh my, the time is running out.  This time tomorrow I will be on my way to Rome.  I have stolen my sons camera that Santa gave him for Christmas.  Man, it takes incredible pictures.  Can't wait to see what what I can capture at the Colosseum!  Don't get me wrong, I am a total Canon Rebel fan but this little pocket camera is going to be a gem.  I will share when I get back.  If you can not decipher what I write when I get back, it is because I totally became fluent in Italian over my 7 day trip:o)  Or the handsome Italian that I bring back with me now will write my posts.  This is going to be so fun.

See you in a week!

Mary-Ann