My organized CHAOS...

Sometimes Simple...

is good....and even a bit challenging for me :)

I created this layout using Studio Calico's kit, Playground.

 

And although the layout looks simple, using this particular piece of patterned paper was actually quite challenging for me.

I wish I'd photographed it prior to doodling, but if you look in the upper right-hand corner (paper with the tricycle), you can get an idea of what the sheet of  patterned paper looked like before I started:

 

I wanted to use the entire piece of paper, but felt that the pattern needed to be "grounded" first, so I added some doodling with my superfine black sharpie, and defined the boxes.  See the doodling around the boxes?  I added doodling to the "Yesterday, Today, Forever" boxes (cut from Studio Calico pp) and the Jenni Bowlin labels. 

I'm a collector of clear stamps.  Yes, I admit it.  I'm not in denial.

But on this layout, I actually DID some stamping! 

First I stamped the outline of each letter.  Then I stamped it's "solid" version.  I cut out each letter and then added a small piece of cardboard (trick i learned from maryangella) to the back of a few letters to add a little dimension. 

When pop dots add too much bulk, try using the cardboard trick.  Sometimes that's all you need to give elements of your layout a little dimension. 

 

I also used this stamp (by Studio Calico) all over my layout.

And if you haven't tried misting, it's pretty fun.  I cut three of the striped "boxes" out of the patterned paper and filled them with white bazzill that I sprayed with blue Maya Mist, metallic yellow Maya Mist, and lime twist Glimmer Mist.  I also used the mists for my journaling.

 

And for fun, I cut my pictures the same size as the striped boxes and outlined them with a black sharpie as well.  

That's all for now.

Oh before I go, here's a picture I snapped of Christopher earlier this evening.

Only in Miami...

 

can you splash and play in your swimming pool...

 

at the end of October.

Oh, and that white bucket underneath the slide isn't full of toxic waste. 

It's empty.

My pool guy put it there.

Remember my pool guy?

Well, I asked POOL GUY...aka HUSBAND

to fix the slide.

And apparently POOL GUY, aka HUSBAND

calls propping WHITE BUCKET

under slide

FIXING SLIDE.

*sigh*

Fortunatley, pool season is almost over.  I'm hoping by Spring or maybe next Summer...yeah, probably next Summer,  I'll be able to show you pictures without

WHITE BUCKET.

xo

Monday plumbing...

Remember the whole pet rock bathing incident?  Well, despite my very best efforts to resolve my clogged sink...

yucky...

I still have to go to the supermarket to buy some liquid plumber.  The clog is behind the wall :(

And now onto more pleasant things.

Sunday giggles.

The moment between my boys and my father unfolded so quickly, I grabbed his iPhone and started recording. 

This is the reason it's so important for my boys to spend Sundays at my parents' house.  The video is password protected.    The password is:  sundaygiggles

Sunday giggles from laverneboese on Vimeo.

Isn't it funny how my oldest son, Alexander is shoving Christopher all over the place in an effort to win this little game my father is playing with them? 

*sigh* Sibling rivalry...

But even a hand in the face and practically being tackled, doesn't stop Christopher's constant giggling.

I love Sunday giggles.

Happy Monday.

xo

My Organized CHAOS...

is really not all that organized. 

So, I'll be making some changes to my website.  You may notice a few "funky" things going on with my blog in the very near future.  Please bear with me while my site is "under construction".   But no worries, I'll still be blogging. 

In a week, I'm hosting the November 1st challenge on the BASB website.  It should be a lot of fun, super easy, and will definitely get you into the spirit of the upcoming holiday season.  Check back this weekend for a sneak peek. 

xo

I took the day off...

because I was feeling a little blah. 

So I threw on these:

 

heehee, I know you are totally OVER seeing my fuzzy toe socks. 

But in all honesty, they really do make me happy. 

And those green striped thingys on them that look like spinning tops are actually upside-down Christmas trees. 

I wish they would make toe socks with images that the person wearing them could see right-side-up.  They seem to be designed to be viewed by the people who are not wearing them.

Because seriously, when am I going to be prancing around out in public in just my toe socks?  No one else will frickin' see the design! 

*sigh*

Anyway, back to me feeling a little blah.

I guess this post is about what I'm trying to do to get out of this state of funk that I'm in right now.

It's raining outside, which makes the INSIDE of my house quite dark. 

So I lit this candle:

 

and now my house smells divine.  So at least, for the time being, my house smells "good"...not like the dirty laundry that is sitting in my boys' laundry basket, waiting to be washed :(

I peeked out my window, ready to curse the rain and noticed this:

 

The rain actually made my dirty car look a lot cleaner.

Positive outlook, right?

So, as of right now this is what my:

"GET OUT OF YOUR FUNK AND MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY" list looks like:

1.  Wearing happy toe socks with green-striped spinning tops :)

2.  House smells like pumpkin spice....not dirty boy underwear.

3.  Car looks clean when rinsed with rain water.

Pretty good right?

Okay.

Now tell me.

What.  Do.  You.  See.  Here?

 

Let me help you:

 

For those of you who are "tracking with me"...the first word that comes to mind is.

KARMA.

Yes, KARMA.

Those.  Are.  ROCKS.

Pet Rocks, to be exact.

They belong to the boy who once owned a groovy

GHETTO-MOBILE.

But whose stupid mom convinced him that we need to be mindful of the environment.

So what does this clever little boy do?

He brings the environment INDOORS.

And decides to save our planet....

3 rocks at a time.

But sadly,  I know that these 3 pet rocks

will multiply

like GREMLINS.

They will have brothers, sisters, cousins. 

And before I have a chance to exhale.

We will have a small quarry in the middle of my livingroom.

And again.

I. 

WILL.

LOSE.

MY.

MIND.

But this mom has learned her lesson.

I will not chuck those three "ROCK ANIMALS" (who I'm sure have names by now) into the garbage.

I am just wondering...

Why are they sitting on my leather cushion in front of the window?

Was his bedroom too dark for them?

The window overlooks our pool.

Are they sunbathing?

Does he plan on letting them take a swim later on today?

One.  Last.  Question...

Should I be afraid?

Yes, be afraid....

Be very, very, afraid.

Okay.  I have to say, those three stupid rocks overlooking our pool did make me laugh today. 

Isn't it funny how our children can truly make us joyful even when they're not physically in our presence?

Gotta love a creative mind...

So before I go, here's my final list of

 THINGS THAT GOT ME OUT OF MY FUNK TODAY:

1.  Happy toe socks with green-striped spinning tops :)

2.   A house that smells like pumpkin spice....not funky underwear.

3.  A clean car washed with rain water. 

4.  Little boys who leave rocks by the window to remind me that I truly have a reason to be happy...ALWAYS :)

xo

It's 69 degrees outside! So that means....

time for toe socks and pink, fuzzy slippers!!!!  Yeah, we're having a few days of "Winter" here in Miami.  Sadly, I fear that tomorrow we'll be back to our typical hot, humid, armpit-sweating days that make me wonder why the heck we live here :(

I've been wanting to blog for the past few weeks, but Typepad has been freezing up and deleting my posts--probably because I tried to post a picture of this:

GO GREEN!

 

Yeah.

Remember my son's groovy little GHETTO-MOBILE?

Yeah, it's seen better days.

Don't be a hater.

We kept the wheels.

Christopher and I had a long talk about saving the planet and we BOTH agreed that this would be his little contribution.

And now the Earth and my teeny weeny house will be so much "cleaner".

I. LOVE. MY. SON.

U and I both know that the little ghetto-mobile was driving me

INSANE.

I know that I promised to blog regularly.

Sheesh.

My life is just not cooperating.

But.

I have been working on some layouts.  I have 8 scattered across my house and I'm working on them simultaneously, heehee.  Hopefully I'll have them finished soon. 

I do have one SIMPLE layout that I completed yesterday. 

It's not my typical chunky-layered style.  But I like it nonetheless. 

 

It's about Alexander's newfound appreciation for Dunkin' Donuts' coffee and coffee rolls...yum.  Man, I wish I had one of those right now.  But we're on this stupid budget AND I no longer have a gym membership :( So now I can't stuff myself with coffee rolls and massive amounts of junk food :(

*sigh*

Edited:

Okay sillies.  Alexander drinks DECAF!!!!!  For real?  My boys have enough "natural caffeine" to power the entire universe!  I didn't have enough letters to spell out "decaf coffee" and that would look stupid on my layout, heehee :)

Christopher made the Kumon North America Math honor roll.  He ranks number 3,235 out of 11,468, heehee :)

He's so cute, walking around exclaiming, "Mom, I'm number 3,235!"  Gotta love how cute 6 year olds are and how even being number 3,235 is fantastic!

Jessica, Jessica, Jessica...thank you for being so patient in waiting for your RAK.  I had to replace a few things.  It appears that my son likes Webster's pages as well.  Your box will go in the mail with a few extra goodies to make up for the fact that you've had to wait so long.

My friend Iris Babao Uy is hosting an online class where the proceeds will go to the victims of Ondoy.  The cost of the class is only $5.00 and starts on November 6th.  If you're interested, visit here

One last thing to share.  It was Crazy Hat Day at my boys' school on Tuesday.  Christopher chose not to participate but still wanted to be in the pictures with Alexander.  They are both so goofy. 

Not the happiest-looking shot, but they look calm, right?

And then Alexander has to start with the bunny ears...

 

Which really aren't so funny when Christopher joins in.

 

and this continues back and forth...

back and forth...

 

Until I decided that I've captured the perfect moment...

xo