ScrapKitchen

I have some news....

2007-05-06T09:46:00.000-04:00

So, I am posting this a day late, I know....but I am just starting to get back into the habit of blogging again. In any case, here goes....click on the image to see larger:

Whew! Deadlines!

2007-03-26T09:38:00.000-04:00

Had a very productive weekend. Hubby and I seem to be running on all cylinders every weekend. I barely get to see him. I worked all weekend on a deadline for a paper company. Can't say who but I am hoping that they like my designs and will eventually see them in print. Fingers (and toes) crossed.

Ben got his first official haircut this weekend...and can you believe that Andrew didn't take the camera with him? Apparently Ben behaved beautifully....no tears. He came home with the shortest haircut ever. We normally let his hair grow long as he has adorable curls. Now he looks like a proper little boy. It is great to see his hair all even and neatly groomed. I am sure his teachers will be shocked. I'll be posting pictures later today of the new "do".

Baby girl is doing well. We started solids and she is eating like a champ. Gotta love it.

Well...more later.

Chef

Pictures from today....

2007-03-17T21:53:00.000-04:00

We had a little Nor'Easter come through last night. It only dumped about a foot of snow in our area outside Boston. We really have had a mild winter this year. My first couple years here, it snowed every week. I can remember when it snowed in late May two years in a row! I guess there really IS something to global warming, huh?

Anyway....here are some pictures from today.

Ben watching daddy plow. Wanting to go outside so badly.

Getting ready to go out!

I haven't taken a ton of pictures of Madeleine, so while I had the camera, I took her upstairs and plopped her in Ben's soft chair and snapped a couple.

Well, that's about it for now. I have a new kit and paper pack coming very soon. I know, I keep saying that, but there are sooooo many things that have distracted me from getting this done. UGH!

Chef

It's Done!!! But...Oooops

2007-02-28T21:12:00.000-05:00

Well, I finished the hat. And once again, it is WAY to large. Now, admittedly, this is probably my fault since I didn't do a gauge this time. Not sure why I didn't.....I guess I forgot. However, I knitted the size marked as 6 - 12 months....but as you can see from my super-model son, who is 3.5 years old and has a large noggin, it is too big for him!!!!

And let's talk about the felted flower applique....it is gi-normous! How on earth could a baby wear that thing on her head?? The flower is actually one size fits all according to the pattern. I used different yarn then the patterned called for and maybe that is where I went wrong.

I actually tried the hat on to see if I could wear it, but it did not fit. So, it is March (as of tomorrow) and I still have not successfully knitted my daughter a winter hat (the daisy hat was also too large). Well...all of these mistakes are part of the learning process. (Note to self, always do a gauge, and follow the damn pattern.)

Working on more goodies for the Kitchen. Lots of stuff half-done. I just have to sit down and push through. Upgraded my computer with more RAM and an EHD....hoping that speeds things up a bit.

Tomorrow, we are supposed to be getting more snow. I hope we do because we haven't had much this year and this is the first time my son actually can appreciate it. He loves to go sledding and to make snowballs with my hubbs.

Love that pic! Well...hope you all are having a nice week. More later.

~Chef

Denim Yarn.... and other things to distract me from scrapping.

2007-02-22T15:35:00.000-05:00

Isn't it beautiful??!!! This is denim yarn. I had to order it online because my local knit shops didn't have any in stock and weren't getting any anytime soon. I was pleased that it arrived so quickly. The yarn will fade, just like denim, when washed. I am making this hat:

from the Itty Bitty Hats book. This will be my third hat from this book. So much fun! I already knitted the flower:

which came out really cute. But LARGE. I am worried that it is going to be a bit heavy for this hat. But, I am trusting the pattern and hoping for the best. I just loved this hat when I saw it. It is so outrageous. Well, my daughter has an outrageous personality. She is loud, bold and always running on all cylinders. I figure she deserves a hat like this. One that is as bold as she. Nevermind that she HATES hats.

~Chef

Madeleine's Internet Debut

2007-02-08T17:22:00.000-05:00

Since so many of you asked, I thought I would post a quick video of my daughter, Madeleine. She turns 5 months on Valentine's Day. She's a big chunk of love...isn't she?

Susan

Knitting Rocks!

2007-02-02T15:01:00.000-05:00

Yes, I have one OTHER obsession (as from digi-scrapping) .... and that is knitting. Thanks to my mother-in-law, who is the absolute queen of knitting. She has been knitting for decades and can knit just about anything.

I picked up this book, Itty Bitty Hats, and it is TOO much fun. I knitted this daisy hat for my daughter. (Excuse the poorly lit photo...I was in a hurry) I am working on the Turtle hat now for a friend. If you are into knitting and want some quick gift projects for babies and toddlers, this book is a must. Anyway....back to scrapping.

~Chef

Psst.....Coming to the Kitchen

2007-01-30T21:24:00.000-05:00

My latest kit, Fleurs de Soiree, will be in the kitchen soon. Sign up for the mailing list if you want to get special pricing!!!

I am really loving this kit. It is a bit of a departure for me. Very bold colors and patterns. But I really love how everything works together. I especially love the grungy-swirly frame and the journaling stamp. Very cool.

I hope to get the kit out this week. Stay tuned!

Chef

Little Devil

2007-01-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

She looks sweet and innocent, doesn't she. But actually, she's a devil in disguise. She is 4 months old and STILL not sleeping through the night. Last night, she woke at 11:30 pm, 1:30 am, 3:30 am, 5:30 am. What is going on? She isn't sick. I just can't figure her out.

This is a picture of her with her nana at Christmas. I still have a ton of pictures from the holidays I haven't even looked at yet. So much to do....so little sleep. Ugh.

~Chef

Wow...it feels good

2007-01-19T21:26:00.000-05:00

to be scrapping again. It has been too long since I have been able to scrap or design or be on the computer. I made this layout today with my new kit coming out next week.

The kit will have special pricing for those who receive my newsletter. So, sign up, if you already haven't.

I took this picture for our Christmas card this year. They both were just too cute together. Now, I only have about 1000 more photos to do. Ha ha.

~Chef

Happy New Year

2007-01-03T20:55:00.000-05:00

Well, I am back again from an extended vacation. I took the children to Baltimore for 3 weeks to stay with my in-laws. My hubby joined me the weekend before Christmas and we stayed until just before New Years. I have a bunch of pictures from the holiday but, as usual, there are just a few of me. Here is one that I can tolerate. I need to get better about getting out from behind the camera and in the pictures.

I promise to be back to post more pictures later.

~Chef

Thanksgiving 2006

2006-11-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

Well, we just got back from a long week at home (in Baltimore). It was really great. The baby did very well and no one fell ill!!! I am heading to bed...but here are some pictures. You can click on the picture for a larger version.

Raking Leaves

2006-11-13T10:44:00.000-05:00

We finally got outside yesterday and raked some leaves. I am sure our neighbors are happy about that. We just don't have much time for household chores right now. Needless to say, the house is looking a bit rough....but I guess that is how it is with a new baby.

Anyway, here are some pictures of Ben helping in the yard.

We didn't get the job done because there were SO many leaves. I guess it was a bad idea to leave all the raking to one day. We should have raked a little each weekend. Oh well.

Chef

She's here!

2006-11-12T18:48:00.000-05:00

So, I know I have been away for awhile....but with good reason. Madeleine Shea arrived early on September 14th. I had been in the hospital due to the preeclampsia when the doctors decided it was time to deliver her. She was delivered at 34 weeks and weighed 5 lbs 3 oz. A pretty good size for as early as she was. Luckily, she didn't really need any NICU support and came home with me when I was discharged. Here is our birth announcement:

She has been doing really well...gaining a ton of weight. I am still in the fog of round the clock feedings, but I am hoping that starts to slow down soon.

I really miss being online and hope to get back soon. I am sorry I have been incommunicado for so long.

Well...more later....

Chef

In and Out of the Hospital

2006-09-09T00:47:00.000-04:00

So....I have been in and out of the hospital several times this week. Not sure when this baby is going to come. Soon, I think. 33 1/2 weeks now. Not feeling great. Trying to hang in there.

Chef

Blogging from Tufts New England Medical Center

2006-09-02T12:27:00.000-04:00

Yes....that's right....I am now on bedrest in the hospital. I am at 32 1/2 weeks and my PE is starting to show up. Higher blood pressures and some protein have arrived, along with a little swelling. Also, my platelets are starting to drop, so my Peri thought it best to keep me in the hospital....at least until things stabilize. If they don't stabilize, I will be here for the rest of the pregnancy. I am hoping to get to at least 34 weeks before they have to deliver me. Right now, I am pretty optimistic that 34 weeks is possible. 36-37 weeks would be ideal! Hang in there Madeleine...you're almost done cooking.

The good news is, they have internet access here!!! Yes, it is dial up...but it is better than nothing. At least I can surf and keep up with the boards. I guess I won't be working on any autumn or halloween kits (which makes me sad because this is my favorite time of year). Also, I am a little bummed out because Ben's first day of pre-school is next week and I am probably going to miss it. But, I will make my hubby take lots of pictures.

My mom came up to help out while I am in the hospital. Not sure what we would do without her. It is so hard to have a toddler at home and be on bedrest in the hospital They are actually on their way in now to visit me.

Well...my nurse just came in....so I gotta hop. More later.

~Chef

Bed Rest! and new kits......

2006-08-11T07:57:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I am such a bad blogger. Just thought I would post a quick update. I am 29 weeks pregnant and my blood pressure is starting to creep up. Nothing critical yet, but my Peri has put me on bed rest. I still have access to a laptop but my designing power has been dimished.

I do have a new kit coming on out on the 15th exclusively at A Cherry On Top. I am going to post a preview here as soon as I get a chance.

Also, check out the new Adventurous Spirit collaborative kit at ACOT released today! I was lucky enough to be able to team up with 9 extrememly talented designers to create this HUGE kit.

Well...gotta get back to bed. More later!
~Chef

A Museapalooza!

2006-07-15T10:17:00.000-04:00

Honestly, have you ever seen anything cuter?

I just picked up these new stamps at my LSS yesterday. They were having an A Museapalooza event and I just had to check them out. These are from A Muse Artstamps, who I think make the cutest stamps around. They just released their Halloween, Fall and Holiday lines. By the time I got there, most of the stamps were gone, so I am sure I didn't get to see everything. A Muse hasn't updated their site yet with the new stamp images, but as soon as they do, I will be checking to see which ones I missed. I am mostly a digi scrapper but I still have a weakness for stamps and cards!!!

~Chef

25 weeks and 2 days!

2006-07-14T21:41:00.000-04:00

That's how pregnant I am. And the reason that is significant and worthy of a blog post is because I was stricken with Pre-Eclampsia at 26 weeks 3 years ago when pregnant with my son Ben.

Needless to say, we are watching my health like a hawk. I had a check up with my perinatologist today and everything looked normal (aside from my 5 pound weight gain - UGH!). So, we are cautiously optimistic. Hoping to get to at least 32 weeks....but 39 would be ideal (obviously). I will be seeing my doc every two weeks from here on out and I monitor my blood pressure and protein levels at home....so this time, it won't sneak up on us. We were literally blind-sided the last time.

Working on a total site make-over. Hope to have that completed by that end of the month. I am thinking about getting rid of the forums. There are enough established and active forums out there and I just want to simplify everything. I definitely want to keep the gallery going, at least so that my DT has a place to post their fabulous layouts. Well...that's all for now.

More later,
~Chef

Bittersweet Goodbye

2006-07-10T23:54:00.000-04:00

Wow. Today was an emotional day for me. While I am happy that Ben has reached another milestone, I am saddened that this milestones is accompanied by several goodbyes. Ben turns three tomorrow and therefore, he is no longer eligible to receive Early Intervention services. All of his therapy now has to be administered by the school system. Early Interventional is a federally funded program that assists children with special needs. Ben qualified for the program due to his extremely premature birth. He has been receiving OT, PT, Speech, Special Educator and Feeding therapies since he came home from the NICU. These therapists have been in my home weekly, for three years, working one-on-one with Benjamin. They are a part of our family.

The woman below is Anne. She was Ben's case manager and PT. She evaluated Benjamin when he came home from the hospital, barely 4 months old and 4 pounds. She has been there from the beginning. 3 years of hard work, advocacy and devotion from this woman. How do you say thank you for getting us through the tough times? How do you say thank you for changing my life and my son's life for the better? Needless to say, we were in tears today. She is the sweetest woman with the warmest, most comforting voice. Ben adored her.

She recently moved to the South End of Boston (well over an hour away) and she is ending her practice in my area. I will never see her again. My heart is broken. Thank you Anne. For everything.

Ben and Anne working on his leg strength. She uses a wooden step to get him to improve his balance and practice walking up and down steps unassisted.

Clowning around.

Now we are ready to face new challenges with new therapists at the pre-school in the Fall. No one can ever replace the team we had at Minuteman E.I. But I am sure we will grow to love the new team as well.

Chef

Swimming!

2006-07-08T22:32:00.000-04:00

So, we decided to spend the day at the pool today. It was really beautiful... warm, but not too hot. Ben loves the baby pool where he can walk around and play with toys. Today, he actually acknowledged another child and said, "hi". Swimming is a fantastic summer activity. By the time we are ready to go home, Ben looks like this:

Very very tired. He came home and slept for 3.5 hours. We had to wake him for dinner. Gotta love the swimming pool!

Chef

Turning 3 Next Week

2006-07-06T21:50:00.000-04:00

I cannot believe it has almost been 3 years since Ben was born. He was so tiny and fragile. Born way too soon. Now look at him! He is growing into a fine little boy. He still has some baby-ish qualities, which I love. His giggles and babbles are still so reminiscent of his infancy. But they are starting to fade....or morph...into the sounds of a little boy. Bitter sweet.

I love this kid.
Chef

Silly Boys

2006-06-26T22:58:00.000-04:00

I took these pictures of Ben and Andrew over the weekend. Ben looks so big. He is so much fun now. I can't believe he is turning 3 in two weeks. I can't believe he starts pre-school in the Fall. I need to take more pictures and video of him. I need to scrap more.

~Chef

(PS - Yeah...Italy beat Australia in the World Cup. Sorry Aussies.)

Congratulations Phil!

2006-06-25T23:08:00.000-04:00

Hello all! Yes, I am still alive and back in the swing of things. We just returned from a wonderful trip to Baltimore. My husband's little brother just graduated from Friends High School and we went home for a week to celebrate. Phil is very camera shy and I was lucky to snap this one just before he left for the event. I think he looks adorable.

We also visited Sesame Place just outside of Philadelphia. That was a blast, even though I couldn't ride any of the rides because I am pregnant (and have a blood pressure issue due to the PE). I will be posting more pictures of our trip home later. Just wanted to pop in and say hello.

Also, I am working on two kits for release by the end of the week. One will be in celebration of our baby girl due in October, the other will be a 4th of July theme. It feels really great to design again. I took a very long hiatus and am eager to get back. (Hint: Make sure you are enrolled in my newsletter list for special limited pricing)

Well....have a nice night....and talk to ya later!

~Chef

Pregnancy + Rotovirus = Ruined Easter

2006-04-19T17:41:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone!

I am back from the dead...or almost dead...or felt like death. Anywho, as most of you already know, I am pregnant. That is why I have been away from the kitchen for so long. I was really clobbered by morning sickness for the past couple of months and couldn't drag myself to my computer. If I failed to respond to your email, please forgive me...I am way behind. Anyway, back to the good news. Yes, Andrew and I were shocked in February to find out we are pregnant and due in October. While the pregnancy was not planned, we are very happy about it now that the reality has sunk in. I am at very high risk for preeclampsia to return so I am being monitored by a high risk ob. Keep your fingers crossed for a LONG and healthy pregnancy.

We were supposed to go home last week for Easter but my son picked up a nasty cough/cold. We took him to the doctor's office where he was able to pick up ROTOVIRUS! Aren't we lucky? He ended up in the hospital for 4 days with dehydration and whatnot. Of course, I was lucky enough to get it too!! Yeah for me!!! Needless to say, I had a couple days of sheer hell. Rotovirus and morning sickness make for a horrid little cocktail. I am happy to report that we are all better now. My MIL was so sweet and gave up her Easter plans at home to come to Boston and nurse us all back to health. Thanks Suze! Why do we always get nailed at the holidays or planned trips home? Next time we plan a trip home, this house is going on quarantine for the week prior!

Well...I hope you all had a nice Easter/Passover. More later.

~Chef

Is anybody out there?

2006-04-10T14:09:00.000-04:00

So, I figured that there weren't too many people reading my blog since I haven't updated it in FOREVER!!! I have had tons of things going on here and had to take a sabbatical from the Kitchen. We are heading home for the Easter holiday, but once I return, I hope to get the Kitchen up and running again. Thanks for all your emails and posts. And have a great Easter/Passover/Spring Holiday!!!

Chef

The In-Laws are Coming, The In-Laws are Coming!

2006-02-17T09:02:00.000-05:00

Yeah! We are really excited when my in-laws come. They are really awesome. (My friends say I hit the in-law jackpot). They live in Baltimore and will be making the 7 hour drive to Boston today. Needless to say, I will spending my day tidying the house.

I wish I could be scrapping today....it is going to be overcast then rainy and cold. Perfect scrapping day. Also, I need to come up with a new site design. I am feeling the current design is really stale. It has been about a year...and I need something fresh. Anybody want to design it for me?

Alright well....gotta get back to cleaning....

Susan

One Day Sale at ScrapKitchen

2006-02-13T01:24:00.000-05:00

My new kit, Linen Daisies, is now available at ScrapKitchen on sale for $2.99 for one day only! This sale expires Monday, February 13th at 11 pm. (If you are a newsletter member you get the sale for longer and the kit is cheaper....see, I told you to join my newsletter...members get hooked up!) LOL!

Anyway, did a quick layout of my mother-in-law and her best friend using the new kit. Hope you like it.

Thanks,
Chef

Preview - Linen Daisies Kit

2006-02-12T13:40:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is the preview of the Linen Daisies Kit. I am not sure when it is going to be released, but keep an eye on your email (for newsletter subscribers) for special pricing. Wink wink.

~Chef

Teletubbies, Boobah & the Shabby Shoppe Re-Opening

2006-02-07T22:13:00.000-05:00

Ok...who on earth created Teletubbies and Boobah? Were these people on drugs at the time? Watching makes you think you are on drugs, I swear. Well...my son has developed a facination with Teletubbies (he pronounces it "TeTeTe") and Boobah (pronounced "Beebah"). We really try to limit his television viewing because it isn't great for enriching his development and he is already behind as it is. But in addition, he has also developed a penchant for tantrums. So, he now requests TeTeTe and Beebah relentlessly. If I say no, I have a freak out on my hands. Ahhh...the joys of motherhood. But seriously, TeTeTe and Beebah have got to GO! I tried putting Elmo on instead (used to be his favorite) and he completely lost his mind! I am hoping this is just a phase.

Well, we are now a week away from the big Shabby Shoppe Grand Re-Opening and as some of you may know, I have designed a kit for Kristie's site. It is called Sporto and it is a boy-sports-themed kit. Here is a preview:

I am really excited to be a part of this event (thanks for including me, Kristie!). I cannot wait to see the work of all the designers. The previews on Kristie's blog so far are amazing.

Well, I am back to creating another kit. Hope to have it out soon!

Actually...it is time for bed. Nite nite!
~Chef

Insomnia & Paper Packs!

2006-02-04T03:02:00.000-05:00

I have been having terrible insomnia lately. I got on a late schedule and it just keeps getting worse and worse. It is 3 am EST and I am still up. At least I was able to finish some much needed work. Here is a preview of a new paper pack coming to the Kitchen. It is called "Garden". I love the soft colors.

I am working on another pack and should have these both up sometime this week(end). Stay tuned.

Heading to bed,
~Chef

Sesame Street Live!!!

2006-01-28T22:32:00.000-05:00

We took Ben to his first show tonight. My mom treated us to tickets to see Sesame Street Live. It was really a blast. I didn't know what to expect as this was our first children's show as well. Ben was a little tentative at first...the lights and sounds were a bit overwhelming....but then he warmed up and loved the show. He was pointing at the characters and smiling and I was so happy that he understood what was going on.

It was really dark in the theatre, so my photos are a bit grainy. Here is a shot of the stage before the show.

All the characters came out and started dancing and singing. Ben loves Elmo, but Ernie is running a close second.

During intermission, they play a cruel trick on the parents. The lights come up and two people come out carrying a huge bouquet of Elmo balloons for sale.

Every child in the place went nuts screaming for a balloon. What parent can say no?

Apparently, not us! You will not believe this. Guess how much a mylar Elmo balloon costs? No...now double it.....

$8 DOLLARS!!!! Can you believe that???? Of course, you find that out once you get in line with your child to get a balloon. What are you going to say when you get up there? NO? I don't think so!!!! Well....we never go out and this was Ben's first big outting....so we got the balloon....oh, and a really overpriced flashy-spinny-light-thingy. What the heck....you are only a child once, right? And Ben adores Sesame Street.

We love you Elmo.

~Chef

I'm Back.....and Doctor Rant

2006-01-26T12:32:00.000-05:00

Hi! I'm back from Palm Springs. I had a great time with my gals chillin pool side. It was about 70 degrees each day. Our house had a spa and heated pool. I really didn't do much sight seeing because I have been to Palm Springs before and I really just wanted to veg by the pool. Hence, I have like NO pictures. Can you believe that? Part of the problem was that one of the gals in our group is a professional photographer and she was snapping away.....I guess I just didn't feel motivated to take pictures when all I did was eat, sleep and swim. Palm Springs is really very beautiful and very different from the East Coast. You are surrounded by mountains/cactus/desert, etc. When I got back to Boston, it was about 30 degrees and we had gotten 6 inches of snow earlier in the day. Big change!

Anyway, I am back and catching up on emails and trying to finish a kit for SP. Today Ben had an appointment at Children's in Boston with their metabolic clinic. His carnitine level was low and they just wanted to check up on him. Turns out it is probably dietary related (since he has such a limited diet) and the problem can be corrected by adding in more meat/cheese.

But I have to rant for a second. Because of Ben's medical issues, we are frequently in Boston for appointments and such. Today I was really fired up because our appointment was for 9 am which means I have to leave Acton at 7 am to make it on time because of the horrendous Boston commute. So, we get up REALLY early to leave by 7 am. I get there and proceed to wait for an hour for the doctor to see us. Now what the hell is that????? He couldn't possibly be backed up already...we were like the first freaking appointment of the day. Anyone in the medical community, please sheds some light on this for me because as a patient, it really pisses me off. I would have loved that extra hour to get Ben up at a more reasonable time and to be able to avoid rush hour. A 10 am appointment would have worked much better for me but NO, I had to be there at 9 am. I just think that doctors don't understand that children with a lot of medicial issues spend a shit load of time at hospitals and appointments and it is really RUDE and inconsiderate to keep us locked up for that long. I waited an hour and then approached someone and complained. The doctor arrived in my room 3 minutes after I complained. I am normally NOT a complainer, but I just thought that an hour was ridiculous. Well...anyway....glad it is over. Thanks for letting me rant!

~Chef

Tagged

2006-01-18T15:20:00.000-05:00

I have been tagged by J-Peb....so here goes!

4 Jobs I have had:
Lifeguard in High School
Waitress in College
HR Manager post College
Mom & Wife (now)

4 Movies I love to watch:
There are way more than 4......
Roxanne - HUGE Steve Martin Fan
Parenthood
When Harry Met Sally
You've Got Mail
Rushmore or Royal Tennenbaums - Also Wes Anderson Fan
Really....I cool go on and on here.....

4 Places I have lived:
Baltimore, MD
San Diego, CA
Charlotte, NC
Cambridge, MA

4 TV Shows I watch:
The Office
Grey's Anatomy
The Daily Show & Colbert Report
The Soup (too funny)

4 Places I have been to on vacation:
Montreal, Canada
Paris, France
Venice, Italy
Block Island, RI

4 Web Sites I visit daily:
2 Peas
Ali Edwards' Blog
Tara Whitney's Blog
MSNBC.com

4 Favorite Foods:
Just 4????? Are you kidding me????
Pizza
Lobster
Pasta
Crabs

4 Favorite Places I would rather be:
Paris
Venice
London
Baltimore

4 Bloggers to tag:
I think everyone has already beent tagged!

Palm Springs

2006-01-17T19:47:00.000-05:00

This Thursday, I am going away for 5 days to Palm Springs, CA. It is our annual girls weekend and this year we decided to rent a house in Palm Springs. It is about 70 degrees there in the daytime which is a huge change from the 24 degrees here in Boston.

The house has an outdoor heated pool and jacuzzi as well as a gorgeous grill and patio. There are going to be 8 of us girls just chillin sans men. I plan on spending just about everyday poolside with a nice mojito buzz by noon.

I realized that I didn't have a decent swimsuit (the last one I purchased from Kmart last summer really sucked. Can you say, no support for a 34 D cup?) I just felt dumpy in it. So, I went to Water Water Everywhere today and bought this adorable halter tankini suit. I know, it looks like a tennis outfit, but under that skirt is a swim suit bottom. It is nice coverage for the legs and great support for the gigantor boobs.

Soooooooo looking forward to this trip. And thanks to my darling hubby for taking care of Ben so I can get away!

Still working on the kit for the Shabby Princess site. I am really excited about being a guest designer in the Shoppe. Hopefully, I will also have some new things for the Kitchen when I get back.

~Chef

Martin Luther King, Jr.

2006-01-16T16:01:00.000-05:00

"I Have A Dream"
by Martin Luther King, Jr.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity. But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land.

So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir.

This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice. We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights.

The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges. But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. we must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" we can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow cells. Some of you have come from areas where your quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive.

Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed. Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.

I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring." And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania! Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado! Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California! But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia! Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee! Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

Boo Hoo and Holga Action

2006-01-15T18:48:00.000-05:00

Boo Hoo....the Patriots lost. It was totally their fault. Every turnover resulted in points for Denver....so they only have themselves to blame. It is ok though....I think it is time for another team to have a Superbowl title. We have been spoiled here in Boston lately.

On another note, I wanted to post a link to the Holga Action that I used on my "Love of My Life" layout. It makes pictures look like they were taken with a Holga camera. It is a neat effect and fun to play with. This action is from Adobe Stuido Exchange and only works with PS.

Have fun!
~Chef

Go Pats!!!

2006-01-14T18:46:00.000-05:00

So, I've got my Blue Moon beer and chicken wings for the game tonight. I am actually surprised that the Pats are still in it. If they don't win, I won't be too disappointed as we have won 3 Superbowls in 4 years (and 1 World Series). So, we are pretty spolied here in Boston. But I am rooting for them nonetheless!

Go Patriots!
~Chef

Maryland, I am proud of you.

2006-01-12T23:32:00.000-05:00

Some of you may know that I am originally from Maryland. Grew up in Baltimore City. There are many things to love about Maryland and Baltimore:

Steamed Crabs
Soft Shell Crab Sandwiches
Music
The Harbor
The Orioles
The Ravens
Famous Marylanders

AND THIS

I will never shop there. For many reasons. But at least I can be pleased that Maryland is trying to do something about them.

Peace,
Chef

Edible Flowers

2006-01-11T15:54:00.000-05:00

So, I haven't created a freebie in a long time. I was a little soured on the whole freebie thing because someone was stealing bandwidth from me and most of it came from my freebies page.

But, I jumped on the petals bandwagon last night and couldn't stop playing. Instead of including them in a kit, I decided to give them away as a new freebie. It was really fun drawing the flowers from scratch in Illustrator and then making the petals in Photoshop. I only created two jewels for the center because my son is going to be up soon and I gotta run. So, hop on over to the freebie page to download the Edible Flowers!

Hope you gals like them.

Have fun!
Chef

Lashes

2006-01-08T21:49:00.000-05:00

Did a quick layout of my son's eyelashes. I took this picture of him last night and converted it to black and white. I was struck by his beautiful eyelashes and I remembered a photo I saw on Tara Whitney's blog (I think it was her blog). So...I tried to capture just his lashes in the photo. I used my Canon 85mm prime lense wide open, hence the blur on everything but his lashes. Used my "I Heart U" Kit and Skinny Grunge Border by Shabby Princess on the photo. Font is Allegro.

I am really trying to make an effort to scrap more this year so you'll probably see more layouts posted here on my blog.

Thanks for looking!
~Chef

Mmmm....Biscotti

2006-01-08T13:42:00.000-05:00

So, this is what I made this morning. Yummy nutty biscotti! Got the recipe from my MIL over the Christmas holiday. I swear, I ate an entire tin of these things at her house. This is the second batch I have made and they are just delicious.

Biscotti are the easiest cookie to make. These have pistachios and craisins (dried cranberries). Obviously, it is green and red for the holiday theme...but they are great year round and will become a staple in our house. I have a habit of beating a recipe to death. Pistachios aren't the cheapest nut around, but I went to Trader Joe's and they sell a 16 oz bag for the cheapest price. Gotta LOVE Trader Joe's

Well...off to watch a little football. Psyched that the Patriots won last night! GO PATS!

~Chef

GET THE FUNK OUT!

2006-01-07T00:03:00.000-05:00

I have been nursing a sore throat since we got back from Christmas vacation (a little over a week). I thought it was clearing up but today it was 10 times worse. Now it hurts like hell and my tongue seems swollen. Oh...and I have the pleasure of coughing up green chunks. So, I guess I am officially infection with some unknown FUNK! Good thing I discovered this on Friday night so that I can suffer through the weekend before I can see my doc on Monday. Why do I always do this? Why do we always get sick on the weekend????? Ugh! I am just hoping that I didn't infect Ben today. I hope it is not strep.

Well....thanks for letting me vent. Off to have a nightcap (Nyquil) and hit the hay.

~Chef

The little things...

2006-01-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

Such small things make me happy. Ben seems to be turning a corner with his speech. He is vocalizing more and has picked up a couple words more consistently. He really likes to say "open" to open doors or turn on lights. He is recognizing letters and numbers and saying "O", "M", "N", "8"....so random. He spontaneously said "cookie", "over", and "light" this week. We are hoping this is a sign of good things to come. It is hard to get our hopes up.....life with Ben has been a rollercoaster to say the least, but it is hard not to get so excited about the little things he does daily.

So...I decided to create a little "love letter" to Ben. I created this layout using my new "I Heart U" Kit coming soon to the Kitchen. I especially love the oversized chipboard alpha and chipboard hearts. Actually I have created two sets of alphas for this kit. It is mega huge.

Love,
Chef

Christmas Memories and Happy New Year!

2005-12-31T18:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I am back from a wonderful Christmas vacation in Baltimore with family. Needless to say, Christmas went much better than Thanksgiving. Andrew and I came away with minor colds and Ben was unscathed! I managed to snap a few good pictures. Of course, none of me.....I have to make an effort to do that next time.

Here is a picture of my hubby fixing a cocktail before Christmas Eve Dinner. Isn't he cute?

This is my BIL, Matt, with my MIL. He got her a beautiful dish from a fair trade boutique. Just beautiful.

One of Ben's favorite toys from Santa-Nana. The Saxoflute rocks!!!

Oh...and Santa-Matt did not forget Sam this year! Sonny-X...eat your heart out!

Phil and Ben after dinner. So sweet.

Isn't this the most adorable photo. This is my best friend's daughter, Nicole. She is 5 years old and such a sweet little girl. She spent her entire visit watching after Ben. Here, they are holding hands while watching Elmo. I could just squeeze them both.

We had a lovely vacation and are looking forward to ringing in the New Year tonight. I wish everyone a peaceful New Year. Look for a special New Year's Sale at the Kitchen soon!

Peace,
Chef

Santa came early this year!!!

2005-12-19T21:52:00.000-05:00

Well, Santa was very generous this year in our house. We replaced the dishwasher that came with the house when we bought it a couple years ago. It was really old and yucky inside and the dishes started to not get as clean as they should. I was soooo shocked when my husband agreed to get the dishwasher I wanted!

We got a Kitchenaid and it is sooooo quiet and wonderful. It is stainless inside and out and I just love it. It has hi-temp scrub and sanitize rinse. It is amazing how excited I can get over appliances.

I also got another unexpected present. We had a crappy Krups panini grill that kept breaking....I literally returned it 3 times to Williams Sonoma and then found out that the manufacturer had re-designed the product due to so many problems with it. Anyway, I had already bought a Cuisinart Griddler so I used the credit at WS to get this:

Yes, that is a wonderful Keurig coffee machine. My hubby was skeptical at first because he usually drinks more that one cup in his travel mug and the Keurig is really a single serve machine. But once he made a couple cups in literally 20 seconds, he was hooked! It even comes with a re-useable filter, so you can use your own coffee (meaning, you don't have to buy the K-cups).

I really love this machine...I can have a cup of coffee in seconds. It totally rocks.

Anyway, we are officially on vacation tomorrow. I probably won't be online much. So, I wish everyone a happy holiday!

~Chef

Samson

2005-12-16T23:50:00.000-05:00

Just came across this picture of my dog taken at Thanksgiving. He was outside on a leash at my inlaws. He managed to find the largest stick in the yard to chew. He looks so cute in this picture. I love this dog.

~Chef

J'ai trouve "TROUVE"

2005-12-08T23:05:00.000-05:00

I just got the coolest containers! They are called Trouve and they are made by a fellow scrapper. Hi Jos! She sent me a sample of her containers and I have to say they rock! I have microwaved them, washed them in the dishwasher and stacked them in my cupboard and I am sooooo ready to throw out my mismatched plastic containers. The lids attach to the bottom of the containers making storage so much easier. I always have an avalanche of plastic containers coming down on me whenever I open my cupboard, but these babies fit neatly into each other with the lid attached! Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to Jos. Check out her products at Save The Lids.

~Chef

Holidays are here!

2005-12-06T22:57:00.000-05:00

We are all finally healthy and back on track. Seems like this nasty stomach bug is making its rounds. Hope you all dodge it. We finished decorating tonight. Lights are up inside and out. Here is a picture of our mantel. Got the wreath last year on sale from Martha Stewart when she shut down her online store. I love it.

I hate our green striped wall paper in our living room....but during the holidays, it actually works with the decorations.

I have not even started ANY Christmas shopping yet. I am an idiot. Every year I say that I won't last minute shop.....but what happens? Where did November go?

Well...we are just hoping that our Christmas goes better than our Thanksgiving went. We are going to try to visit home again. Fingers crossed.

Susan

Hell + Stomach Virus = ?

2005-11-29T09:05:00.000-05:00

How does it get worse than Hell? STOMACH VIRUS. So, just when I thought I had dodged the Thanksgiving stomach virus, BAM! It hit me Sunday night. Unbelievable retching and pain for 24 hours. Feeling a bit better today....but weak. Times like these when I think, what did I do to deserve this? Anyway...enough of the pity party.

~Chef

The Vacation From Hell

2005-11-27T18:41:00.000-05:00

That is the nicest thing I can say about our week at home. We all came down with a terrible cold and Ben spent 2 days in the hospital. My husband and Ben had the pleasure of catching a secondary stomach virus (probably in the hospital) and spent a couple days vomitting. Hence, we missed most of the holiday festivities and did not partake in a Thanksgiving dinner (although I tried to make due with an overcooked rotisserie chicken and store bought trimmings). This was definitely the worst Thanksgiving ever (a close second being during the college years when I came home from the yearly football game so drunk that I had to crawl to my bedroom and slept through the entire day. Mom was not impressed.) Needless to say, I didn't take many pictures, however, my husband did manage to snap this picture of Ben in the hospital with his camera phone.

Well...there is always Christmas, right?

Chef

Vacation all I ever wanted......

2005-11-18T23:38:00.000-05:00

Well, we head out tomorrow for Thanksgiving vacation. It will be so refreshing to have a week of no therapy, no work for Andrew, just family time. I will still be able to access my email and site as my in-laws have broadband! Yeah!!! I am actually looking forward to getting in some much needed design and scrapping time.

Speaking of which, I am putting the finishing touches on my new Christmas Kit and hope to have it up next week here and at TDC.

I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

Love,
Chef

Love this guy

2005-11-15T23:20:00.000-05:00

Took some photos of my hubby tonight. I really love this picture of Andrew.

~Chef

Isn't he lovely!

2005-11-15T14:09:00.000-05:00

Had to take a picture of my dog, Sam, today. He is always under my desk when I am working. He loves being with people and will whine and cry when he is locked out of the room everyone else is in.

He is pretty wild for a Golden Retriever and has quite the ferocious growl. Truth is, he would never hurt a fly. Our neighbors have named him, "the barker"...... my in-laws call him stinky....nice, huh?

Nonetheless, he is a wonderful companion and I love him dearly. Yep...he is 100 pounds of love. Ok...sometimes stinky love.

~Chef

Leeks

2005-11-14T20:56:00.000-05:00

Mmmm yummy. The one thing I like about the cooling weather is that I can start enjoying hearty soups and stews. This weekend I bought gorgeous leeks from our local farmer's market. Of course, I forgot to take a picture of them before I chopped them up....so instead, I got a picture of them as them were being sauted.

Nothing better than homemade potato leek soup.

~Chef

Afternoon shoot

2005-11-11T22:48:00.000-05:00

Ben and I were outside today for a little while (it was so cold here). I got a couple shots of him playing in the yard. This time, I decided to shoot in Manual mode and actually got better results. I love this one.

I also played around with Raw tonight and it seems way cool. Lots more control over the final product. I am going to try to get more shots of him tomorrow in Raw.

~Chef

Morning Shoot

2005-11-11T14:33:00.000-05:00

Looks like I have neglected my blog for a couple days. I have been spending my time reading about photography. I am really trying to improve the quality of my photos. I seem to be struggling with lighting. I can never get enough natural light in my house. My pictures are always too dark or a bit blurry because of camera shake or grainy from too fast an ISO. I almost always have to photoshop every picture to get it just right. I am not sure if this is common or not. I just know that I am frustrated.

Anyway, I set up a shoot this morning on my bed. I put a white comforter under Ben and sat him next to an all white wall. The shades were pulled open and the sun was high in the sky. I still had lighting issues. I think that my house is just not situated for great natural light. I was able, however, to get a couple good pics. I love these of Ben with his duckie.

I am about half-way done with my Christmas kit. It is taking forever because I keep losing my mojo. If any of you happen to come across it, could you send it back home?

Well...better get back to work...
~Chef

Is this gorgeous or what?

2005-11-06T00:19:00.000-05:00

Burning the midnight oil...going through pictures. Had to post this one. We went to the apple orchard last weekend. Have I mentioned that I LOVE this time of year?

Bon Soir
~Chef

Angel Face

2005-11-05T19:25:00.000-05:00

I snapped this picture while Andrew was taking Ben downstairs. He just looked so cute, I had to put it on my blog.

Today was a gorgeous day here in Boston. 70 degrees and sunny. I took advantage of the weather and planted some daffodil bulbs. Yes, I waited until the last minute...but at least I got them in.

Also, got my hair cut and highlighted today. I LOVE my hairstylist. She is so cute and young and fun. She loves doing foils so my hair color always comes out nicely. I had to get it done before Thanksgiving. It is funny, in my twenties, I would pay to have my hair cut and colored every 6-8 weeks. Now, I am lucky if I get it done every 3 months. It is sort of liberating in a way.

My brother-in-law gave me an iTunes gift card for my birthday, so I downloaded some new tunes. Diana Krall's Christmas CD and a couple singles. Jammin as I type. Thanks Phil.

Well, that's about it. Working on a Christmas Kit. Hope to have it up at the Digi Chick next week and then on ScrapKitchen after Thanksgiving. We'll see though....lately, I have really been pinched for time.

Later,
~Chef

From the "Is this really news?" file

2005-11-02T08:44:00.000-05:00

Every morning I scan the news websites while my son watches Elmo. I found this little gem this morning on CNN.com:

What does Bush keep in his pockets?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush may be burdened with the world's problems, but his pockets are pretty light. It turns out the leader of the free world doesn't have to worry about carrying all the essentials of the common man. Bush revealed the contents of his pockets Tuesday to an Argentine newspaper reporter who was interviewing him in advance of a presidential trip to Latin America later this week. When the reporter from La Nacion asked Bush to show him what he carries, the president stood up, fished in his pockets, then dramatically pulled his hands out holding nothing but a white handkerchief that he waved playfully in the air. "Es todo," Bush told the Spanish-speaking reporter, meaning the handkerchief was all. "No dinero, no mas. No wallet." He doesn't need any cash, since his staff takes care of buying anything he might need. He carries no cell phone, either, since he is surrounded by aides who take care of dialing his calls. And why would he need keys since every door is held open for him and his car comes with a driver trained by the Secret Service? The Argentine reporter, who interviewed Bush at the White House with other journalists from the Latin American media, asked the president if he even had a watch. "Si, Timex," Bush said, thrusting out his wrist to show off a timepiece that had his middle initial, W, on the face. "But I'm not supposed to be endorsing products."

And this was on the front page "above the fold", if you will, on CNN.com. I mean really, is this news???? No wonder this country is in the sad sad state it is in. What the hell has happened to our journalists in this country?

Anyway....not feeling great today. Going to try to take it easy.

~Chef

Gimme Five!

2005-10-31T14:25:00.000-05:00

We had family in town this weekend. It is so nice when they are able to come up. We live about 7 hours apart which means that we usually only get to see each other a handful of times each year. We had beautiful weather this weekend and were able to get out and snap a couple pictures.

Ben was really digging his uncle Phil this weekend. Lots of laughing and playing. Happy Birthday Philly!

Well, I hope everyone has a fun Halloween. Hoping for some nice photos!

Susan

Site Repaired!

2005-10-29T12:02:00.000-04:00

So, as you can see, the site is back up! That was the smoothest transition I have EVER experienced!!! Hopefully all the downloading issues have been resolved. I have run a few tests this morning and it looks like the download speeds are back to normal. Please let me know if you are still having any problems!

Thank you for your patience,
Susan

Site Going Down for Maintenance

2005-10-29T01:11:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am switching hosting providers due to this week's trouble with my Birthday Sale. You may not be able to access ScrapKitchen for 2-3 days. Hopefully, the tranfer will go smoothly and ScrapKitchen will be up before the end of the weekend.

I want to thank everyone for their extreme patience while I deal with this transition. I also want to thank you all for bearing with me while I resolve the problems with downloading kits. If you have ANY problems whatsoever with downloading any kits purchased at ScrapKitchen, please do not hesitate to contact me at chef@scrapkitchen.com or susan@susanbartolini.com.

I will keep you all posted during the transition.

Thanks,
~Chef

Whew! What a day.

2005-10-28T00:10:00.000-04:00

So....my birthday is finally over...thankfully. I spent the entire day in front of my computer managing the birthday sale. I had no idea that I would get as much traffic as I did and I have to tell you that it exposed my service provider's crappy service.

Thank you all for being so patient while I got you your download links. I really appreciate it! First order of business next week - find a new service provider. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know!!!!

Tired,
~Chef

Birthday Sale - Troubles with Downloading

2005-10-27T13:15:00.000-04:00

UUGGGHH!! So, the birthday sale has been a HUGE hit and some are experiencing problems with their downloads. If you have any issues, please email me with your Paypal email address and the kits you are having problems with and I will send you an alternative link.

Sorry for the inconvenience,
Susan

Lil Chef Sweetie

2005-10-25T23:38:00.000-04:00

Ok...how cute is this? This is my new little Chef Sweetie. Thank you so much Mindy, I really love her.

Where have you been all my life?

2005-10-24T20:17:00.000-04:00

Oh wonderful French Press, where have you been all my life? I went out and bought a french press and a coffee grinder today. I have been having trouble making it through the day without getting really tired....so I thought maybe a little coffee would help. And I am tired of paying $4.00 a cup at Starbucks. So I got their French Roast beans and tried to make my own at home. OMG, it was so delicious. The coffee was incredibly rich, just the way I like it.

I have an espresso machine, but it just is so much work for such a small amount of coffee. The French Press is perfect. I still can't believe how good the coffee tasted.

Anyway, as you can tell, I am all jazzed up on a caffeine high. So, I am going to try to work on my next kit tonight.

Tomorrow we are announcing the results of our Guest Master Chef Design Team Contest. We are picking 3 digi scrappers to join our DT for one month each. The entries were really great...the DT is making the final decision. It is going to be a tough one! We are announcing the winners at a chat at ScrapKitchen Wednesday night at 9:30 pm EST. Come on by for the chat. We are giving away a freebie to anyone that attends the chat!

Later,
~Chef

Almost......the story of my photography adventures

2005-10-22T21:38:00.000-04:00

Today was the day our town had it's Halloween Party & Parade at the local junior high school. We were so excited to get Ben all dressed up in his firefighter outfit and parade him around the gym with all the other adorable children in their costumes. Of course, I was looking forward to the amazing photo ops....but alas...it was another case of ALMOST. Every picture that I take is an "almost" picture. Either one person is blinking or has a scowl...or Ben looks away, or it has bad lighting....or it is out of focus...you know what I mean. You would think having a digital camera would remedy that, huh?

One of the other challenges is getting out from behind the camera and actually allowing my hubby to take photos of me. As you can see below, the curse of "Almost" reared it's ugly head. I mean, could Ben look more weird?

I actually like this picture of me....but I can't use it because Ben looks like he just took a hit off a joint. So, I thought I would blog about it. I think the writing is on the wall...mommy needs a photography course.

We have some exciting things going on at ScrapKitchen this week. We are looking for 3 Guest Designers to join the Design Team. The deadline for entry is tomorrow night...so if you are interested, please check out the info here.

Also, I am very excited to announce that I will be joining the Digi Chick Boutique in November. More to come on that later!

Well...have a great weekend.
~Chef

Ben gained weight!

2005-10-19T11:03:00.000-04:00

Well....we all seem to be feeling a little bit better after a cold made it's rounds through our house. Ben had an appointment this morning with the Growth & Nutrition clinic in Boston. The good news is he gained weight!!! We are thrilled because he had only gained half a pound since April. He was put on a calorie supplementation called Duo Cal and it seems to be working so far. (Fingers crossed) This makes the possibility of a G-tube more and more unlikely. Yeah!

We still have to do an endoscopy to figure out why his reflux isn't resolving. That really sucks because they have to put him out for that. Needless to say, we are very apprehensive about it....but I think at this point, it needs to be done.

Well...that is about all for today.

~Chef

Being sick sucks!

2005-10-15T21:16:00.000-04:00

Well...I thought I had dodged the latest cold to sweep through our house, but alas, I am no match for a tiny little bug. I think hubby's sneezing directly onto me last night didn't help.

I am really bummed out because I missed an art exhibit today. Andrew's cousin is a photographer and has worked with Annie Liebowitz. I so badly wanted to meet him and see his work....but I have been knocked on my butt. I am really getting into photography and I find his work very intriguing. You can check it out here: Michael Scott Slosar.

Also, I wanted to finish my Spooky Kit. I am almost done...just a few finishing touches...but haven't had a chance to get out of bed.

Oh...seeking some wellness vibes.

Sniffles,
~Chef

Doodling with Illustrator

2005-10-14T14:27:00.000-04:00

So, I just started playing around with Illustrator and I came up with this little Chef. It is kinda cute....but a little rough. This seems like an awesome program...but there is so much to learn.

More later...

~Chef

2005-10-12T01:30:00.000-04:00

Another test.... My dog, Sam

Picasa and Hello rocks!

2005-10-12T01:03:00.000-04:00

Ok...so I am burning the midnight oil playing around with Picasa and Hello. The Hello software sends pictures from Picasa to my blog. I didn't realize how powerful Picasa/Hello was until tonight. Alright...going to bed now.

Picture of my hubby on our front porch.

~Chef

More silliness

2005-10-10T21:48:00.000-04:00

More silliness...this time from me...

Silly is fun!

2005-10-07T13:19:00.000-04:00

Took some pictures of my boys last night. They are so cute together. Being silly is fun!

Working on my Digital Memories Magazine assignments and some projects for the ScrapKitchen site today.

More later....

~Chef

Tagged by Linda and self portrait.

2005-10-04T20:23:00.000-04:00

So, I have been tagged by Linda. It took me forever to get around to responding. Sorry about that....

5 things I plan to do before I die:
1. Watch my son graduate from High School.
2. Visit Venice again.
3. Visit Paris again.
4. Adopt a daughter.
5. Become fluent in French and learn piano.

5 things I can do:
1. Adore my family.
2. Ballroom dance.
3. Speak very broken French.
4. Name that tune in 1 note.
5. Figure techie things out.

5 things I cannot do:
1. Tolerate bigotry of any kind.
2. Bear my husband's obsession with the remote control.
3. Eat 2 day old left overs (unless it is pizza).
4. Hide my opinions (aka Shut the Hell Up).
5. Be unkind to animals.

5 Things that attract me to the opposite sex:
1. Intelligence.
2. Sense of humor.
3. Appreciation of art, music, film, travel, etc.
4. Confidence.
5. Politically aligned with my views.

5 things I say most often:
1. I love you.
2. You stink Poochie!
3. I'm cold.
4. You did it!
5. Shut up! (sarcastically)

5 celebrity crushes:
1. George Clooney
2. Justin Timberlake
3. Steve Martin
4. Tobey Maguire
5. Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy Dempsey)

So, I recently purchased a Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Zoom Lens and I wanted to try it out a bit doing portraits. I went to Joanne and got some black velveteen fabric for the backdrop When my son went down for a nap, I tried to take some self portraits. Of course, I was looking totally gross (hadn't showered or put on makeup yet) but I couldn't wait to play. Anyway, here is the best one of the bunch.

Still trying to figure out the settings, distance from the backdrop, etc. I have been reading the posts on the Photography board at 2 Peas. Very helpful!

Also, we just opened up the galleries at ScrapKitchen. Users can now post layouts of any kind (no requirement to use ScrapKitchen products). I also added a Photography gallery and one for challenges and contests. I'm hoping to get a few things going soon.

Well...off to have a bite to eat.

TTYL,
~Chef

Bummer

2005-10-01T20:28:00.000-04:00

So, have you ever had something that you looked so forward to only to have it NOT live up to your expectations or anticipation??? Well, this is really silly but, today was West Acton Day Octoberfest in our town. Basically our little community shuts down the "main street" and has an Octoberfest festival. It is really sweet....fire trucks, moon bounce and electric cars for the little ones. Fattening foods for the adults. Pumpkins, music, balloons....great photo ops. Well, I just bought a new lens and was so pumped to get great shots today. Unfortunately, really none of them came out well. My son naps at noonish, so we had to go early before it ended and the sunlight was so bright and harsh creating yucky shadows on everyone's faces. I had to stop every few minutes to adjust the settings (if I was in the shade, in the sun, needed a fill flash)...ughhhh! It just got so freaking laborious that I wasn't even enjoying the festival. Finally I said, enough, and put the camera away and tried to enjoy the rest of the day. My hubby got me a big hot dog with all the fixings only to have me bite into it and get a massive shot of grease in my mouth. Yuck!!!! Then my son started to have the pre-nap, you are pushing me melt down. We had to leave. Oh well...there is always next year. (Oh, and the Red Sox lost)

~ Chef

Fall In My Town

2005-09-27T12:44:00.000-04:00

After playgroup at the park this morning, I decided to drive around town and snap a few photos. Autumn has arrived in full force here in Massachusetts. It is so lovely and quaint.

Wheelbarrow full of pumpkins and gourds

Local Farmstand operating on the honor system. Take what you like and leave a little money.

Sign to the local Apple Orchard

I absolutely love our town. Especially during this time of year.

I am still working on the Halloween themed kit. Hope to have it finished this weekend. Also not sure what Ben should be for Halloween this year. We are thinking Elmo....but that costume may be a bit cumbersome. He is still a little wobbly when he walks.

Well....got run and get some lunch. More later.

~Chef

Small Victories, A New Therapist, and the Pumpkin Patch

2005-09-23T22:05:00.000-04:00

So today brought a small victory for Ben. He actually ate a whole Goldfish cracker without having to break it in half! I know this might not sound like a big deal but he really has trouble with textured food and large quantities of food in his mouth. Normally, this would have triggered a vomit, but he handled it like a champ today. In fact, he came back for 4 more! I am so proud of him. Oh yeah, and he has added a new word to his arsenal, MONKEY!!! Woo Hoo! Go Ben!

His new Floortime therapist started today. She is really sweet and gentle. He responded to her right away! I am excited that she is on the team. She is going to see him 6 hours a week! We are so fortunate to be in the town we are in. Our early intervention group is superb. Love them.

So, we were on such a high, we decided to make an impromptu visit to the pumpkin patch today. The lighting was perfect as it was 6 pm and the sun was setting. We are so excited because, for some reason, they had new calves at the Petting Stalls. Ben got to feed a sweet sweet cow. It was amazing. He was so happy. He also got to see ducks and was wigging out! Of course, my camera's battery died before I got pictures of the cow. Uggh! So, we are going to go back this weekend. In the meantime, here are some pictures that I did get:

Thankful for days like today.

~Chef

Another yucky check up

2005-09-21T22:51:00.000-04:00

Ben had another check up down at Children's in Boston today. This time to see his pulmonologist. She recommended that Ben receive Synagis injections for a third year. Basically Synagis is sort of a "vaccine" to prevent RSV. Most babies get RSV in the first two years of life. To adults, it is just a cold. To a normal baby, it can be serious. To a child like Ben with a precarious lung situation, it can be deadly. So, he is going to have to receive the antibody injections every month. I feel so badly for him but I know it is a necessary precaution to keep him healthy.

Also, we realized that Ben has only gained a half pound since April. I am getting really concerned. It is so confusing to me because he is eating more than he EVER has. I just don't get it. He has been tested for the big problems that could cause this (CF, allergies, Celiac) and has tested negative which is great news....but we just can't figure out why he isn't gaining weight. Clearly not enough calories. I feel like I am constantly feeding him. Anyway, he is going to be seen by the growth and nutrition clinic in Boston. We've already been there once....hopefully this time, they can help us a little more. Here he is in his highchair:

On a lighter note, I have been enjoying some of the premieres on tv this week. I am not a huge tv watcher, but there are couple of shows I am following. I am loving "Martha" and "The Apprentice Martha Stewart". She is my idol. Also, "The Office" is hysterical. "The Daily Show" is also one of my favs. Keeping an eye on Hurricane Rita....it is looking REALLY scary now. Category 5 and 175 mph winds. I am so worried for people on the coast. I hope people are getting out with their families and pets.

Well...gotta head to bed.

~Chef

Autumn Bliss

2005-09-19T14:29:00.000-04:00

Hi. I know I have neglected my blog for a week. Last week was packed with appointments with therapists for my son. We are working out a new program to deal with his language delay. I am excited about it, but it is going to be 14 hours a week of therapy. Lots of work.

Also, I finished a new kit, Autumn Bliss. I really love this one.

Autumn is my absolute favorite time of year. Here in New England, the leaves have already started turning and I have pumpkins on my doorstep. I am actually looking forward to the leaves falling this year as my lawn is atrocious. My dog, Sam, who is a very large golden retriever has managed to thrash my lawn. I am sure we are loved by our neighbors.

I really get into Autumn and Halloween. I saw this super cool project in the latest Martha Stewart Living magazine for making your own scarecrow. If I can find the time, I want to try it! It looks so cool. Oh, and by the way, I am LOVING Martha's new show. I am not sure I like the talk-show format. I really loved her old show that showed a project from start to finish without audience or guest interruption. I still like this new show and can't wait to see what she does for the holidays.

Anyway, here is a very quick layout of my son and husband at the pumpkin patch last year. Looking forward to this year's trip!

~Chef

Final Amout Raised!

2005-09-12T19:57:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to give you the final amount raised from the Hurricane Katrina Relief Sale. Drumroll please..... $295 raised and with matching funds, that is almost $600!!!! Woo Hoo!!! Thank you to everyone for so generously contributing. These funds will be sent to the American Red Cross tomorrow.

It is heart warming to see America come together to help our fellow citizens. Moments like this make me feel better about this country.

I was really upset today about these comments made by a radio talk-show host. How can people think these things....much less say them out loud????

~Chef

Saturday's Sales Update

2005-09-10T20:50:00.000-04:00

Tonight's total is $215! With matching funds, that is $430! Yeah! FYI - The sale ends on Sunday.

Thank you again for your generosity!!!

~Chef

Another Sales Update

2005-09-09T22:54:00.000-04:00

Tonight's total is $175! With matching funds, that is $350! Let's keep it going. Sale ends on Sunday.

Thank you for your generosity!!!

~Chef

Relief Sales Update

2005-09-08T19:55:00.000-04:00

Hi Everyone,

As of today, approximately $130 worth of kits have been purchased.....(that's 43 kits so far). With my husband's company's matching funds, that is $260 for the American Red Cross!!! Let's keep it going!!!

Thank you SO much to everyone who has purchased a kit. The digi community rocks! I was amazed at how much Gina and Kristie have earned with their Compassion Kit. Just wonderful.

Thanks again everyone!
~Chef

This just in..... Matching Funds!

2005-09-07T21:52:00.000-04:00

So, my husband just informed me that his company will match the funds that ScrapKitchen raises for the American Red Cross for Hurricane Katrina Relief!!!

I am so excited!

~Chef

Hurricane Katrina Relief Sale!

2005-09-07T13:11:00.000-04:00

After witnessing the terrible tragedy on our Gulf Coast, I have decided that I need to help out the relief efforts in anyway that I can. The Digi Community has come together in an overwhelming way to support relief efforts and I want to do my part.

All Kitchen Kits are on sale for $3.00 from now until Sunday, September 11th at midnight, EST.

All proceeds from this sale will be donated to the American Red Cross for the benefit of the Survivors of Hurricane Katrina!

I will be updating the amount raised each day here on my blog. Thank you so much for your generous support!

~Chef

Unforgivable

2005-09-02T23:10:00.000-04:00

I have been watching coverage of the tragedy in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. I am speechless. I don't know what to say. This poster on Daily Kos said it all for me:

"Left Behind
by Hunter
Fri Sep 2nd, 2005 at 00:10:40 PDT
The last twelve hours of news coverage has been nearly overwhelming. Anderson Cooper, Paula Zahn, others, even unapologetic partisans like Joe Scarborough and Tucker Carlson -- everyone is asking where the government is. (No, I haven't turned to Fox News. I don't have the heart, today.) Anderson Cooper lost it interviewing Sen. Mary Landrieu, countering her litany of thank-yous to a series of politicians with his own encounter with rats eating a body that had been left abandoned in the street for 48 hours. Paula Zahn boggled at FEMA director Michael Brown's declaration that the reason about 15,000 shelter seekers at the New Orleans Convention Center have gone without food or water since the day of the hurricane is because FEMA didn't even know the refugees were there until today.

The common televised theme is of reporters traveling to hard hit areas in New Orleans or the smaller communities, and reporting no FEMA presence, no National Guard presence, no food, no water, no help -- and this is day 5. "Where is the government?" has been the predominant theme of the day. Apologists are being met with barely concealed disgust, in more and more quarters. Bush administration cuts to the levee system are being widely reported. FEMA inaction is being roundly criticized by ever-more-urgent live feeds from disheveled media figures with stunned expressions.

The Convention Center situation appears to be horrific, with deaths of elderly and infants due to dehydration already now occurring. It's not clear if anything can be or is being done tonight, or how many will die between now and the morning, or what will happen then.

The lawlessness is rampant. It's important to note, however, that the lawlessness wasn't rampant on Monday. It wasn't rampant on Tuesday. We heard only twinges of it on Wednesday. Today, from the sounds of the reports, a city devoid of all hope devolved into absolute chaos.

It is nighttime again in New Orleans, and after four days of no food, no water, no communications, no security forces, and no apparent discernible plan that they can see, trust and hope that rescuers will arrive seems all but gone. If the forces had arrived on Tuesday, things would be different.

It is simply too stunning, too shocking, too soul-draining. Nobody knows where the emergency relief has been. Nobody can quite understand why the response to the catastrophe only now seems shuddering to life.

The politics are omnipresent, but present only a hollow shell behind which a sea, an absolute frothing sea, of much worse realizations are crowding every mind. This was a disaster the country had been preparing for. This was one of the disasters most predicted, most feared, most planned for. There was two days of advance warning, as the massive, category 5 hurricane shifted purposefully towards New Orleans. This was no terrorist attack -- this time, there was warning. This time, there was knowledge.

And yet, the much-reshuffled domestic security resculpted as a result of 9-11 simply didn't show up. It wasn't there. FEMA, which has been hacked, shuffled, and gutted in the last few years, proved unable to respond to a catastrophic emergency situation. The catastrophic emergency situation, along the Gulf Coast, the one that sounded the alarms two days before landfall, the one that triggered the warnings of nightmare scenarios known for years in advance, and yet if there was any advance plan at all, any knowledge at all, any fathoming at all of how to respond in the fourty-eight hours most critical for the survival of the victims, it didn't show up. The roads were clogged, the islands were flooded, the levees were breached, and homeland security wasn't there, leaving each state, each town, each police force, each wrecked band of shell-shocked survivors to fend, and make do, while convoys were organized and strategies prepared with seeming obliviousness to the urgency of the numbers and clocks. There is... almost nothing meaningful to say.

The apparent and most likely explanations for the failure, known long before the fact, are almost shattering when reread today, while the ongoing catastrophe unfolds around us.

We have witnessed two disasters this week. The first was an act of nature. The second was not. The second disaster, still ongoing, is unforgivable.

That's the only word that comes to mind, a word I keep repeating to myself. These deaths, these men, these women, these infants dying now in these hours didn't have to happen. They did not have to die waiting for convoys to gather outside their city or for reservists to stand alongside their shattered police forces. They did not have to wait in darkness and fear for help to arrive, only to struggle for days without that help ever coming.

This is not politics. This is not partisanship.

This is unforgivable."

Outraged

2005-09-01T14:41:00.000-04:00

I am watching the coverage of New Orleans and I am becoming more and more outraged! There are people dying at the convention center. They are out of food and water and need medical attention. There are babies that haven't had anything in days! Elderly that need oxygen. They showed a woman in a wheelchair that was waiting and waiting for help and she just died at the convention center. They covered her with a blanket.

It's been 4 days. What the hell is going on? Where is our disaster relief? Why haven't they dropped food and water to these people?????????

I am just beside myself. I can't understand this.

~Chef

New Orleans

2005-08-31T22:45:00.000-04:00

I am feeling so badly for the victims on Katrina. It pains me to see innocent people suffering...especially the children. I am going to donate blood tomorrow. The Red Cross is having an urgent drive in our town. It is the least I can do. Want to do more....

~Chef

Reset

2005-08-30T14:34:00.000-04:00

So, most of you know that I have had a tough month. I am happy to see August end. We are ready to turn the page and reset. September is going to be better...much better. Ben has come through yet another challenge. I love this kid so much. He is my life. I made this layout as a tribute to him.

We are coming into my favorite time of year. Autumn in New England is just stunning. I absolutely love everything about Autumn. Leaves changing, school buses, cool weather, Halloween, apples, sweaters, Thanksgiving, and family. I am going to pledge to myself to reset and enjoy this time of year and enjoy my life.

~Chef

It's a miracle....

2005-08-19T14:56:00.000-04:00

My son was released from the hospital on Monday of this week. He was battling pneumonia that knocked him on his butt. He is doing much better now and isn't coughing as much....hopefully, he is almost over it. Thank you all so much for your supportive emails and comments.

On a side note.....
Due to my son's prematurity, he has always had trouble with eating. Textures and tastes often cause him to gag and vomit. The bulk of his calories have always come from a high-calorie milk or formula based drink. He took breastmilk for the first 8 months and then we switched him to formula and then to cow's milk with extra calories added in. He also suffers from severe reflux and has always had stomach issues. Well, we recently switched him from cow's milk to soy milk (at the suggestion of one of his doctors and therapists) and we already are seeing an improvement. He is more interested in solid foods and he hasn't vomited in over a week! Last night, he ate roasted chicken and mashed potatoes (albeit very small pieces). This morning, he ate scrambled egg and toast! It's a miracle! He never would have eaten this before. I am remaining cautiously optimistic. I have seen him take 2 steps forward and 1 step back before. But I am just hoping that this GI improvement continues.

In other good news, Ben's early intervention team has approved him for more hours of therapy per week to address his sensory integration and motor planning problems. I cannot wait to get started.

Chef

Just when you think life is tough enough.....

2005-08-12T21:51:00.000-04:00

IT GETS TOUGHER!

Just got back from the ER. Benjamin has been nursing a cold for the past two days. It worsened overnight and today he was struggling to breathe normally. We took him to his pediatrician and they called an ambulance and took him to the hospital. They gave him a nebulizer treatment and started him on antibiotics. Turns out he has the beginnings of pneumonia. :(

Poor little guy....he has fought so hard everyday since he was born. I wish he could catch a break.'

I am going to try to get some work done this weekend if Ben stays settled. I feel like I have been MIA for so long. Oh well.....more later.

~Chef

Life can be tough.

2005-08-11T14:25:00.000-04:00

So, I haven't been very active on the boards and blog lately and I thought I would explain why. Last week, before we went to Vermont, we went to Children's Hospital in Boston for a developmental check up for Ben (we go there every six month because he is in a preemie program that tracks his progress). Well, the team is concerned with his development and they want him to be seen by a developmental MD.

What does that mean? Well, he is 2 years old (22 months corrected) and he still isn't talking. He seems to be stuck in a rut in a couple areas. They suspect that he may have a sensory integration and motor-planning problem. I won't go into what that means...it is a bit complex....but the point is, I have been overwhelmed with appointments with specialists and therapists.

It is so hard being a parent. So much of it is filled with joy and happiness, but there is almost as much filled with anxiety and fear about your child's health and well being. I just haven't been able to get to my computer and scrap and finish my next kit. Life feels so off kilter. I want it to get back to normal.

Anyway, I just wanted to pop in a let you all know where I have been.

More later...

Susan

I went to Vermont and all I got was this lousy.....

2005-08-06T18:58:00.000-04:00

Broken Finger!!!!!

Well...not really...I do have some great pictures and memories...but....I broke my finger yesterday in the lake playing catch with a water-logged nerf football. Didn't realize the nerf football sucked up so much water....making it really heavy and hard. It caught the edge of my pinky...and snap! Luckily, it is a small fracture so I only have to wear a splint....not a full cast. But it defintely gets in the way of typing and scrapping.

Going to spend the rest of the night catching up on email and such. Just wanted to give you all a quick update. I will check in later.

~Chef

Infant Follow Up Today

2005-08-02T10:18:00.000-04:00

Just popping on to give a quick update.

My son is in an Infant Follow Up program at Children's Hospital in Boston. They follow preemies through several years to track their progress and respond to their health needs. We have to go into Boston every 6 months for a follow up. It is a pain in the butt to get downtown and park....but the worst is getting home at rush hour. Ugh!

Anyway...hoping that all goes well today. However, I suspect that they may be concerned about his language delay. The good news is he is already working with a speech therapist and we think he said the words, "more bubbles" this morning (we were blowing bubbles).

Tomorrow, we head to Vermont and I will be offline for the rest of the week. Getting some much needed rest and relaxation.

Talk to ya later,
Chef

New Forums and Gallery!

2005-07-29T17:36:00.000-04:00

At long last, the new forums and gallery are up. I switched from Community Server to Invision Power Board. I am hoping (fingers and toes crossed) that this solution works well for everyone. For now, I have only set up a Design Team Idea Gallery. Once that is running well and stable, I will probably set up an open gallery for anyone to post to.

The Nantucket Freebie has been very popular and has had over 1000 downloads as of today. Needless to say, the first night it was slow to download and some experienced corrupted file messages. I have checked the file and it is not corrupted or damaged in anyway. I just think that the server was probably a little overwhelmed and something went wiggy in the download process.

Thank you to everyone who visited my Digi Scrap Fest Booth! That event was very successful and I met a bunch of newbie digi scrappers. Glad you all were able to take advantage of the Specials. I will probably participate again in the winter.

We are supposed to head to Vermont next week for some much needed family time. There is no internet service at the house so I probably won't be able to check in much. That is most likely a good thing. My family needs a little of my time sans ScrapKitchen and scrapping. Of course, I will be going through withdraw. ;)

Well...going to go outside now and wrestle my 100 lb golden retriever back into the house. Does he really need to bark at EVERY living thing? I am sure the neighbors LOVE us.

Bye,
Chef

Why is this considered news?

2005-07-27T14:33:00.000-04:00

This was on the front page of CNN.com. Must be a slow news day.

Goats, cows offered for Chelsea
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- A Kenyan says he offered Bill Clinton 40 goats and 20 cows for his daughter's hand in marriage five years ago -- and is still waiting for an answer.

Honestly, is this really news? I truly believe our media and news outlets are crap.

There...I feel better now.

Chef

Welcome New DT Members!

2005-07-22T13:53:00.000-04:00

Wow...I have been tres busy for the past two weeks. I spent the past few days selected and getting to know the new ScrapKitchen Master Chefs Design Team. Yes, it's a mouthful...but I think it's kinda cute. Anyway, the team is incredibly talent and is composed of longtime paper and digi scrappers as well as relatively new digi scrappers. They are all great gals and have come up with the most incredible layouts!

The Digi Scrap Fest also opened this week and I have been kept busy with that. I want to say a huge thank you to all of you who visited my booth and took advantage of the sales and deals I have going. I think I am going to have to reward you with a FREEBIE very soon! Speaking of freebie, I will have new freebie featured on Digital Freebies on July 29th. Make sure you check back then to get your goodies!

I haven't been on the computer for the past couple days. I have family in town and have been spending time with them. I love it when they come to town. It is so nice to kick back with a cold Blue Moon beer after dinner and gab it up with my MIL. She rocks! Here she is with my son at the park. So cute.

Well..gotta run. More later.

Chef

I need sleep! And a new kit coming.....

2005-07-15T23:47:00.000-04:00

I have been staying up late every night this week. I am barely able to stay awake to post this message. I have finished my next kit, Nantucket Cottage.

It is going to be released at the Digi Scrap Fest on July 20th. I really enjoyed creating this one. I LOVE the colors. Hope you all like it as well.

Also, I trying to update the website. It needs a complete overhaul but I am trying to make small changes little by little. I hope to add an uploadable gallery soon, I just have to check into bandwidth issues.

I am going to be spending the weekend going through the design team applications. I haven't had a chance to take a look at most of them....but the ones I did peak at looked great! How can I choose just 3-5 designers? I hate saying no to anyone. I am so honored that all of you great scrappers are interested in working with ScrapKitchen. Really, I am.

Today was a little eventful. I went to The Container Store today to get a scrapbooking storage cart. Yes, I am biscrapual and just cannot part with my paper products. But, I needed something low key to keep my stuff safe.

Anyway, after loading my son into his stroller, I shut my trunk and immediately realized that I had sat my keys down inside the trunk! Ever have one of those moments that just happens so fast and you want to rewind it? The sucky part was that I was at least 30 minutes from my home (The Container Store is a bit of a drive) and it was rush hour on a Friday. By the time my husband could get there, it would be at least an hour. Luckily, I am a AAA member. They showed up in 20 minutes. The guy popped the lock in about 4 seconds....no kidding. He was fast. I asked him if he wanted to see my ID or AAA membership card and he said no! What the hell? I could just call them and have them get me into any car and steal it. I guess my mom outfit and baby in a stroller led him to believe I wasn't attempting grand theft auto. Crisis averted.

Well....I have to get some sleep. I am exhausted. My husband is going to take care of my son in the morning...so I get to sleep in! See you all later!

Susan