Sunday Morning Beach Walk

This morning, I woke early, and decided that St. Augustine would be a nice ride. I forgot my phone, so I couldn't let a certain person know I wasn't going to be home til later. oops! It was still dark when I left, and the Dunkin Donuts is a little out of my way. I made the trip anyway, since I had a gift card to use. I got a coffee & a jelly donut. Armed with my sugary breakfast, I made my way down the A1A. It started getting a little lighter, and I knew I wouldn't make the beach for sunrise. As I passed all of the beach-front houses (in Ponte Vedra, they can hardly be called "cottages") I would glance at the horizon to see how the sunrise was looking. I finally found an open parking lot on the side of the road and quickly parked to grab a couple shots before continuing down the coast. Once I got to the old city I sat on a bench near the parking garage, and ate my breakfast, then wandered the mostly empty city. As it was so early, not much was open, but that was ok. I didn't mind the quiet. I got done there after an hour or so of getting some shots, and wandering. Most of the people I saw were heading into church. Here is a little color for you northerners. Hoping spring comes quickly! Like before my vacation. LOL

When I left there my next stop was the St. Augustine Beach, where the Pier was. I was looking for sharks teeth, but instead found this:

Yes, it's *that* small!! I've never, ever found a whole sand dollar before, I only see bits and pieces of them. I took a photo before even picking it up, and then another to show how tiny it is. It's now sitting in bleach to get out that ocean-y smell, and whiten it a little, not to mention kill anything in it that may still be alive. ;)

After that, I pretty much decided that my day was complete, so left the beach and got a couple more random shots on my way back to my car.

I remember going to the Sunset Grille about 20 years ago when I came down here to visit my aunt, we'd always spend a weekend in St Augustine. Alas, the hotel we stayed in (was called the surf and turf inn, if I remember correctly) is no longer there, but the Grille is! I remember they had named much of the food after Jimmy Buffet songs, like a cheeseburger in Paradise, etc..

It's right down the street from Cafe 11, which seems to have a popular sunday brunch as the parking lot was packed. They have some great concerts there as well.

I can't believe..

..it's almost March already! It seems like the year is flying by so fast. I worked a half day today, then hit up the St John's Town Center. Found an empty table in B&N and sat for a couple of hours reading magazines and enjoying a frap, but nothing I wanted to buy. I did manage to snag a few photos there, since the segway riding security was out in full force.

Here's my favorite store:

And here I am reflected in a lid at Williams-Sonoma: They were so shiny!

I did have a coupon for Michael's craft store, so I picked up a few of those little dollar stamp sets from Studio G that I love so much. I'm slowly working my way through the whole alphabet. I started with my and my family's initials, and then the more common letters. I keep a list of the ones I have in my wallet so I don't accidentally buy any duplicates.

I have 3 whole months to go before my vacation, and I'm already wanting to start packing..is that sad? I wish I made it longer, but I like one short one, where I can relax more (never happens) and then the September one where I pretty much never stop moving. Jeanne & I go to Boston and hang out in 'Hamp (Bishops!) and Me & my mom usually go up north (vermont or New hampshire) for a day. For the last couple years I've missed out on the Big E as well, so this year I planned it right!

(long) scrappy weekends

So happy for a 3 day weekend. I hardly ever get them, and with me being salary, I work more hours than pretty much everyone in my immediate work area. I'm thankful that I have friends & family to chat with, and scrappy stuff to keep me from getting too burned out from the stress!

I took care of some cleaning, laundry and shopping, along with some badly needed sorting of clothes that no longer fit, or are just no good anymore. The goodwill store will be happy, when I get my arse down there to drop them off!

On Sunday Jeanne & I did our usual Scrappy day, each getting quite a bit done. I completed 2 layouts, and a few more small pages for my chippy album. There's probably only room for a few more pages in it, before I'll have to start another one. I'm sure when I head home in May for my vacation, I'll find plenty of things to add to it. :)

There are so many things that have changed around where I grew up, that I'm kind of sad that I don't have pictures of. I know places will change and evolve, I don't have a problem with that. I just wish I got pictures of some of my favorite places.

Anyhoo, the completed layouts this week are here:

I've had these photo's of my niece tubing on the Connecticut River sitting around for 13 years..can't believe she'll be 21 in October!

~Details: PP: American Crafts, Cardstock: Best Occasions, "Tubing Time!" & tubing definition clear stickers: SRM Press, "N" & "summer": Studio G, "icole": Swatch book rub-ons(sonnets), "95" & "7": KI memories, "@": Fiskars, ink: ColorBox.

I love this picture of Nicole, not holding on, and sticking her tongue out at me! She was all of 7!

Next up is a layout of a 2001 trip to Florida I took with my sister and her family. I did 2 layouts for this trip previously, but you don't want to see those. LOL This one just has a few pics from Universal Studios, and one from Daytona Beach.

~Details: Cardstock: Best Occasions, PP behind beach photo: American Crafts, "Beach": Imaginisce, "fun in" & wave stamps: Studio G, "florida" stamps: KI Memories, rub on star: Junkitz expressions, ink from ColorBox, font in journaling: French Script MT, border strip: K & Co (que sera sera)

In the mini book I'm working on here are the pages I finished this weekend:

So there you have it, as always we had had a blast and hopefully May will come around quick, so I can get back home to take more pictures there. Only 97 days to vacation!

Go here to see what Jeanne made!

Creative Weekend, part deux

And the creativity continues...Sunday, before the superbowl started, Jeanne and I continued working on our respective projects. On this page, under that sweet little flower, are no less than 4 messed up stamping attempts, I gave up, stuck the flower there, and called it done!

The Wednesday night Bishop's Lounge Group. Beau and his fan club.

This is the house I spent most of my formitive years in. Much of my time was spent playing outside, riding my bike (yes, that blue one right in front) around the Northampton state Hospital as the house was across from the community gardens. No need to lock the doors back then, either.

Ahh, one of my & Jeanne's fave pics, I want to say this was about 2003 or 4, not exactly sure. Getting ready to leave for one of our Boston adventures. Maybe an overnight trip, even.

My trusty white Subaru Forester, and my trusty camera by my side. And of course my trusty friend! :)

Here I am working on one of the pages.

Tune in next week, or maybe in a few days, to see what else I've managed to make a mess of!

And of couse go here to see what Jeanne made!