9 days. 9 WHOLE days until Season 4 of Stargate: Atlantis is released. I've had it on preorder for what seems like ever. I haven't seen any of the episodes yet- not having cable or satellite will do that to you. This show, Eli Stone, and Deal or No Deal are just about the only shows that I watch on a regular basis. I have a feeling I'll be watching it all in the same weekend that it comes in.

Another Free Digital Scrapbooking Kit

This one comes compliments of Creating Keepsakes and can be downloaded here. Scroll down the page to find it, and make sure you download all four parts!

Free Bag Pattern from All People Quilt

I seem to have an obsession with bags lately, and these look like some that I could actually make!

You can download the free pattern from them and try for yourself, as well.

Midday Scrapping Fun

I could get used to this whole being able to scrap at noon on a weekday thing! The one thing I will not get used to is having my days and nights slowly reversed. I did get to spend a couple of hours at Archiver's yesterday and completed four pages!

No Less Than 25 Challenge

If you haven't noticed so far from reading my blog, I am a shopaholic of the worst sort. I'm not irresponsible with it- I make sure I put plenty of money in savings, tithe to my church, and pay all my bills before buying the toys. So maybe I'm not the *worst* sort. I like finding good deals on things, researching, and making sure I get the most for my money.

Most of the time it's all fine, except in the case of my scrapbooking stuff. I have a pretty big scrap room, and it's pretty full right now! I have more stuff than I could possibly use, but I keep buying more because it's so pretty. I've tried no shopping challenges before- those usually had time limits. This time I'm trying something different. I've joined the No Less Than 25 Challenge on Scrapbook.com. This time, I'm supposed to set a number of pages that I'll complete before buying anything new. Adhesive and photo developing are allowed. I don't think I'll need any adhesive since I'm pretty well stocked on ATG. I'll probably get some photos printed soon, but that will be all the scrap spending for a while. I'm really curious to see if at the end of 50 layouts if I've even made a dent in the stash. I'm guessing that I won't.

Besides, I can always use the money for something else...like Rock Band for Wii- just out yesterday!

Layout Roundup...from Colorado

I had to travel for work...again!! This trip was unexpected and threw my schedule off big time. So, I'm a little late posting these layouts from scrapping at Archivers the *last* time I was out here. I have to work nights this trip, so unfortunately I won't be able to go to the crop this Friday. I'm planning on going to use the crop room some mornings/afternoons before work this week, so hopefully I'll get some work done then.

Please excuse the close-ups. I've been playing with a 50mm f/1.8 prime this week. I think I need a new lens (or three) since I started exploring primes.

Christmas 2007:




This is me opening DDR, which was placed in a HUGE box with ammo cans to throw me off. I look totally stoned in this picture.



The cats just love getting into all the photos...




More photos of baby Griffin and his favorite toy as a kitten.



Pearlington November 2006. Like zoo photos, I think I'll be scrapping these for the rest of my life.







And speaking of the Denver zoo...

Confession: I now carry a diaper bag

Seriously, I do. And it's not because I have kids (or will ever be having kids). It's because I carry so much stuff, especially on travel.


I had this awesome Roxy purse for a while- a brown canvas thing with a cream screen print of that famous Japanese wave painting on it. But it only had the one big compartment and these two little pockets on the front that I couldn't ever dig anything out of because my hand didn't fit inside. I needed something with pockets...lots of pockets...because at any given time, here's a list of what I carry around:

• iPod Mini (nicknamed Zaphod Beeblebrox)
• Archos 404 video player
• AT&T Tilt phone
• Verizon Samsung Alias phone (I know, two phones...long story)
• SIGG water bottle
• Star Wars book of some sort
• Wallet
• Sunglasses, bluetooth thingy, and miscellaneous stuff
• Sometimes my GPS, if I'm between rental cars

All that stuff just got jumbled together in the main compartment.

I ordered a new purse/diaper bag (I call it my gear bag, because I have an aversion to both purses and diaper bags, and before I started toting an iPod around I didn't carry either of them) from the same Etsy seller I purchased my camera case from. This thing has sooooo many pockets. Jackie was very cool and added two extra pockets and a main compartment divider for me, and everything has its own little cubby and fits perfectly now. My OCD side is pleased. :)

Mom, Dad...I promise it wasn't my margarita!!

Yesterday my software team finished the first of two demos (the second is in three weeks) and decided to celebrate with lunch at The Loop in Manitou Springs. It all started with an interesting conversation as we were walking down to the parking lot from the office...

Vanessa: Hey, Melissa, are you going to drink?
Me: Um, no.
Vanessa: Oh, good. Then I'm going to ride with you so I can have a margarita.

Let the blasting of and singing along to Evanescence commence...

I took my camera in to the restaurant so we could get a group photo. It ended up coming out waaaaaay before that with another interesting conversation...

Vanessa: Hey, Melissa, take a picture of me with my margarita!
Me: Okay.
Vanessa: Now let me take a picture of you... Now take a picture of me and Dave looking mean!




So now I have my camera out, and there sits this beautiful blue rimmed glass, with the lovely little lime slice swimming happily amongst the ice cubes. Oh, of COURSE I had to get a shot of it (proving that the 18-200 VR is as good at close-ups as it is at portraits and landscapes...I do love that lens).


Then we shuffled Travis across the street because Dave and Vanessa though this shop would be the perfect backdrop for a photo of him.


Then we actually took the group photos before heading back to the office. I took this one and then edited it to make it look all vintage-y (okay, I'm a little obsessed with the funky angles right now, I know). Vanessa took the one under it so I could be in one of the pictures.

MacBook MacBook MacBook MacBook

I'm so excited, my new (black) MacBook is in (it was delivered Wednesday)! Of course, it's in at home and I'm still out in Colorado Springs. But, I get back on Saturday- just in time to play with it for a little bit and then take it to Mom and Dad's house for a few days while I take some time off work.

I've had an Apple computer since I bought my iMac in August of 2006. Since then, I've acquired a used PowerBook from a coworker (I got it soooo cheap) and totally ditched my PC. I love the PowerBook, but I wanted something smaller since I still have to travel with my work laptop (a very tiny Lenovo TabletPC) and don't relish lugging around the heavy PowerBook just because I also want to have an Apple with me. I looked at a MacBook Air, but it was less computer for a premium price because of the form factor. I went for a regular MacBook instead, which is not much bigger though it weighs a couple pounds more. I think it will fit into my camera case, which is what I'm after. Now I can spend the evenings in the hotel playing with Photoshop instead of flipping channels.

I'm looking forward to trying out the new Leopard OS. And, it has a built in iSight webcam, so, hey, Dad, we can video chat when I'm on travel now!!!

Free Digital Scrapbooking Kits

I'm not a digital scrapper, but these free digital kits caught my eye this week- I think it's something about the colors. I'm not sure what I'll use them for, but, hey, they don't take up much room. :)

Bohemian Summer Digital Kit

Summer Damask Papers

Helen Hunt Falls, a.k.a The Viper Club

I actually had today off work, so I headed off to Helen Hunt Falls in between rain showers. When I arrived, I was amazed to see not one but *six* Dodge Vipers in the parking lot. Of course, I couldn't help taking some photos.



At the bridge over the falls, I ran into the Viper Club. They were attempting to take a group photo with members trading off to take pictures with different cameras. I offered to take the entire group shot for them so they could all be in the photo and immediately was handed several cameras. :) Then I hiked my way up the trail by the falls.





I was slow on the way up because I was taking so many pictures, and I ran into the club again when they were on their way down. This time they asked if I wanted a photo of me at the falls, so here's one of the few photos I have of myself in Colorado Springs.