Teenage boys are so funny.  For weeks now, I have had to remind – or FORCE – my 15-year-old to wear a jacket when we head off to Seminary at 5:50am.  He didn't wear one this morning.  I mentioned, as we were driving down the road, that he might regret not having one later in the day when the rain was expected to come.  Clear skies might make you forget the impending storm.  His high school has buildings where outside travel is required to get from one block to another.  As a Scout, you can have the motto, but being a teenager means you might just forget your training.  Experience is a great teacher! We pray for rain here in the coastal desert climate.  I don't remember much rain in San Diego last year, but there was enough to cause trouble.  We have the yearly wild (or man-caused) fires and as a result, when it does rain there is the chance of mudslides.  So sandbags are available for those that are concerned about controlling their hillsides.  But, other than the complications that come for some, I love the gray, cold, rainy days…probably since we don't get enough of them!  It makes me want to be busy in my kitchen, cuddle up in blanket and watch old movies…not all at the same time, of course, but after one's work in the kitchen, some

I've gone Etsy!  Don't worry, Mom, I still have plenty for you!  But part of my New Year's Resolutions, every year for the past 20 years (or not), is to get organized.  I have boxes and boxes of "stuff".  There are literally hundreds of cards and projects that I have done for publications.  I have bought ribbon by the 100 yard spool and paper by the 25pk.  Heck, I even have felt by the bolt!  I know I've been talking a lot recently about my "stuff", but I need to use it and I can't afford to just give away all the "stuff" I have collected, or the things I have turned into finished "stuff".  So…are you tired of all my "stuff" yet?  It's okay.  Before long, you too may the opportunity to have some of my… It was fun yesterday.  It took me a really long time to figure out how things work over there at the Etsy site.  But I got it down and listed my first three items.  I left my office to go to the kitchen to cook dinner.  By the time I got back, 2 of the 3 items had been sold!  To a stranger in New York!  So I promptly added a few things to the listings.  Now I need to figure out how the best way is to work the system, to add items, best time of day, etc.,

 I am surrounded by stuff.  I have so much stuff that I feel like I might just be swallowed up in it.  I have said for years that if I was in my workroom when an earthquake hit that it might be days before they would find my body.   I love to look at photos of people's scrap rooms.  When I take photos of my work space, I can't do it like most women who share their scrapbooking retreats…proud of the beautiful cupboards or artistic display, organizational ingenuity and adorned walls.  I have to take pictures of small, limited spaces – and it's not even of the stuff that I use all the time.  It's the stuff that's ornamental.  I have to face it…my space is just overloaded with stuff.  Don't get me wrong – it does have some semblance of organization.  There is just too much stuff!  If there was ever a special episode of "Hoarders" that could be scrapbooking (or grocery) related, I would be a prime candidate.  Mind you, my whole life does not revolve around collecting stuff.  It just happens.  Mostly by accident or being in the wrong place at the right time (should that be in the right place at the wrong time, or right place at the right time?) for my collecting, that is.  I rarely buy things at full price, but when I find a deal…I'm definitely a sucker for a

Did I forget to figure in a rainy day?  My house smells wonderful, but I am skeptical about completing my goal according to schedule.  I didn't know this before I started this project, but trying to get bread to rise can be more unpredictable than getting children up in the morning…unless we are all going to Disneyland.  Hmmmm…I wonder if I made the rolls into Mickey Mouse heads if they would behave any better?  Oh…did I mention that I burned the first batch?  Those cute little clover leafs in the muffin tins?  Yep!  With the heat circulating all around their bottoms, they cooked WAY faster.  Drat!  It's good that I have a couple of extra bags to work with!  Bake, I mean back to the kitchen!

Can I just say that I survived my Walmart all night experience?!?!  I am so glad to be home and so glad that we have leftovers for dinner and so glad that my nap will begin shortly.  But I didn't want to forget to order my LittleMissMatched winter socks and I realized that I forgot to include the coupon code for their check-out. So here is the link for the winter socks:  http://www.littlemissmatched.com/  The coupon code is: WINTERSOCKS  This sale ends Sunday, November 29th at 10 p.m. EST.  Also, for the first time ever, LittleMissMatched will be launching a 12 Days of Holiday Savings promotion, beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Cyber Monday (11-30-09):  order one pack of anklets, and get another pack free.  This offer excludes sale socks and Project Sock styles.  The coupon code for that is: ANKLET.  Check back everyday for a new offer, now through December 11th.  Lastly, they will offer free shipping on all orders over $75 until December 15th, 2009.  Something new every day! Don't forget to comment on justhelen so I can put your name on the list for the free give-away. Now off to my bed for a long Black-Friday-recovery nap!  Happy shopping! &#

Everyone!  I didn't tell you how many coupons I had because I didn't know how many comments I would get, but THIS time I have something for everyone!  Aren't you excited?  I am!  To claim your prize, I will need your addresses…unless you think you will run into me tomorrow, where I will have an envelope and your coupon waiting for you.  Otherwise, I will email you and you can respond to me privately.  Thanks to everyone for participating and I will keep you "posted" for the next give-away! I finally got Halloween put away today…that is, except for the one or two things that I inevitably miss – the spider glass that was hiding in someone's room…unwashed, and a black cat on the doorknob.  It's just little reminders of other holidays that I don't really mind.  At least now I have no "ambiance" excuse for the dust and cobwebs around the house.  This is probably the hardest time of year for me…seasonally decorating wise.  It's not that I'm not thankful…I am, everyday!  I just don't decorate for Thanksgiving, with the exception of a fall plaid tablecloth and fall flowers.   With the scrapbooking projects I do for print (and RS Super Saturday), I always work on Christmas in the summertime, so I've done a lot of layouts and cards already.  So although these aren't fresh off the scrap table, here are a

Years ago I saw one of those painted wood plaques that read: An Immaculate House is a Sign of a Dull Woman.  Never before has a woman ever so totally embraced a new mantra.  I was determined to make it my life goal…to never be a dull woman.  If you have been to my home, you know that it is just tidy enough…most of the time.  I have relinquished control of cleaning up after every one else.  I have other things to do.  The result is sometimes embarrassing. Periodically, I get the urge to clean.  Sometimes out of necessity, other times because I feel like it.  Today was one of those days.  I needed to take a grocery inventory.  I opened up my "big" cupboard to empty partially opened cases of staples onto the shelves.  But I couldn't just do it…things had definitely gotten out of hand.  Nothing was really in order and I needed to rotate things…do a little purging.  There were little baggies of leftover graham crackers from camp-outs, empty boxes (I don't know how to teach the "men" to get rid of the exterior packaging when they take out the last packet of something!), small things that had gotten pushed to the back that needed to be brought forward…you know, messy cupboards.  So today, I tackled the big food cupboard…not to be confused with the outside storage.  There is