caught in between all you wish for and all you need

So there is this "photoless challenge" over at Tallyscrapper. And as I was surfing around I got a lot of inspiration from one of the efferdares and the dare itself. So here is my take. Lots of people have them: failed relationships, "the one who got away", heartbreak, etc. Here is mine.

It scanned a little wonky because of the little "love" button. Made it a little crooked and a little blurry.

The scrapping has been crazy lately! I moved my stuff into the living room (temporarily, because the spare room is FREEZING) in front of the big screen. And somehow now I am unstoppable.

title courtesy of Joseph Arthur: In the sun

it's a big enough umbrella

save your pennies in here

Ever since I moved to the 19th "richest" ranked county in the United States, my life-long practices have been looked upon as "strange". I am thrifty. I grew up watching my mom search for sales and clipping coupons and I have learned to do the same.

It's always been looked at a little strangely before because of my age. I would use coupons in my early twenties and people would be surprised that someone my age clipped coupons. Now I get poked fun at because Johnson County is not especially coupon country.

One day at the office I was clipping coupons on my break and acquired a crowd of jesters. One person asked me how much I could really be saving, and how could it be worth the time? I didn't really know the answer to this question. So I decided to find out (thus spending more time on coupons).

On the first of the year, I began a simple tracking log that tracks how much I spend and save. I wanted to know if coupons (matched with sales) were as good as I suspected. I just finished my data entry for January and I saved $133.74 for the month, which was a savings of 39%. I consider this a great success as I only use the coupons for things I am already going to purchase. The spreadsheet is organized by date and store, so I can see how much I save at certain stores (CVS is the best!).

I am sure I will be pretty proud to report at the end of the year how much extra I have in my pocket for rainy days from using coupons (matched with sales), fabric shopping bag rewards, and rebates (yep I send those in too).

title courtesy of The Police: every little thing she does is magic

you're gonna want this back.

A little more scrapping...
one for the pink ninjas:
personal motto challenge. And one for a Tallyscrapper sketch challenge.

This is a weekend full of birthday celebrations. Headed to watch Keenan in Grey Gardens tonight and then to a birthday party for my friend Josie. Keenan's 29th birthday & party are tomorrow.

Still wheel-less, but closing in on buying a car. I am so indecisive and nervous about this process.

keeping with my February country theme the title is courtesy of Trace Adkins: You're Gonna Miss This

a hundred years goes faster than you think

Where did 2009 go? I didn't take many pictures last year, so now that I have the goal to finish scrapping all of them before moving on to anything else I seem to have reignited my little hobby. I was inspired all over the internet for these recent layouts. The "g" layout to the left was inspired by an effer dare: "something lost something found" 3 of the layouts are inspired by a new challenge blog I like "scrapbook challenges" on Ning.com. And the pink layout was "scraplifted" from my bff Bre.

I'm not acutally much of a country music fan, but for the last two posts my titles have been inspired by country music songs. And today is too...it must be a February thing.

title courtesy of Kenny Chesney: Don't Blink

watch me go, I'm a happy girl.

Where better to shamelessly promote yourself than on your own blog? Nowhere.
Nestled between Brainy Smurf and Bug-out-Bob, you can see my "2009 Creative Contributions Award". The agency I work for celebrates one person per year for this award and 2009 was my year! Hopefully after I pilot my two sessions of drama camp for kids with autism they will want to award me again next year (I am not greedy, just ambitious).

It was funny, when they announced me for the award (it was super loud in the building with background noise) I thought they were calling my name out so that I could help pass out the awards, so when I got to the podium I asked what they needed me to do. The emcee looked quite confused and handed me the award. The photo of me accepting the award is truly funny as I look like I am not sure whether to reach out for it or not. If I had access to it, I would post it here. Luckily it is emblazoned in company infamy so that everyone can see my embarrassing moment. But now only my blogosphere knows the real story behind my flustered look.

title courtesy of Kansas girl Martina McBride: Happy Girl

Maybe now I’ve conquered all my adolescent fears

I want to win this!

This is what Bre got me for Christmas! Proving that blog hints do work!

30

I really got a lot of gifts this year! I am so thankful...I got a black & decker jar opener (which means I will never have to rely on a man again, at least to open a jar), two necklaces, a pair of New Balance running shoes, a candle, a pretty custom made apron, earrings, a knife set and these three things:

a yellow LOFT cardi

A yellow & brown GAP scarf

A good read

In other news, my Saturn (which I call "the baby Saturn") is going to retire to the pasture (or the scrap yard). After 5 years of ownership, many miles, lots of tires, a total cooling system overhaul, tons of sparkplugs and many loving oil changes, my 1998 SL1 had the clutch go out. It will cost about 1500 to fix her and then there is no guarantee that she will be okay after that. She is home right now, but they will pick her up and take her to recycle her.

I tend to not be attached to things...but to my car I am. I've always been really proud of myself for keeping her up so well and paying for all of her maitenance, parts, and repair. Plus, she has been parked outside of so many of the places I called "home"- Salina, Wamego, Manhattan, Mentor, & Kansas City. She's gone to Colorado a couple times, Wichita, and back and forth from wherever to Salina many times. I survived a lot of close calls in her. And she was resilient, til now.

However, this weekend I believe I finally came to terms with it and will be able to let her go with a clear head. It's time to find the next car to take me around for the next 5-10 years.

Speaking of the weekend, it was fabulous. Got to spend time with so many of my favorite people: Bre, Dave & Maxx, Mom & Randy, Dad, Tay, and Gram & Grandpa Rietzke. Went to church and the KWU basketball games to watch basketball & watch Taylor dance. And went to a get together in honor of Bre's birthday. I love going home to Salina for the weekend. It just always goes by too quickly.

title courtesy of Tim McGraw: My next 30 years

With me riding in this car, and you flying through the clouds

It's time again, to get motivated to create with Category Stories. The prompt this month is: "If I had a time machine". I chose to scrap about my lovely Grammy.

All the pretties on this layout do not reflect my usual style, but they reflect my Grandma and how she made others feel. Also the little pearl flower (thanks Ashley) made it hard to scan so it turned out a little blurry.

title courtesy of Patty Griffin: Long Ride Home