Back is Better!

YAY!! i am still taking pills for my muscle but it seems about 95% better!! i am able to sit at the computer and even play a game, so i know it's getting better!! lol
i am even able to sit and make layouts too,again!!
Here is a new layout i made with a picture my son took last year! i really LOVE this new kit called Fall Frolic by Olivia Dorazio

Credits
Layered Templates by Gloria Val Verde
Fall Frolic by Olivia Dorazio
photo by DS Cliff
fray action by Atomic Cupcake
fonts are Viner Hand ITC & Shoplifter

This layout sure doesn't show off this fantastic kit so i will certainly be playing with it some more, cause it is soooooo much FUN!! So many fun elements and the papers are WONDERFUL!! i truly appreciate Mrs. Miles generosity too, she does offer so many AWESOME freebies! if you visit her blog and scroll down you will find a BEAUTIFUL qp from this kit! (if Barb posts today, you might have to use 'Older posts' found at the bottom of her blog, but it IS there!! lol)
oh and i finished another book too! hehe it was a FUN book and easy to read. The book is called "Walking in Circles before Lying Down " by Merrill Markoe
here is a review:
Merrill Markoe has hit the nail on the head - the advice that the brilliant Chuck provides always rings true. You need to be willing to suspend your disbelief in order to enjoy this book, but if you're looking for a light and entertaining weekend read, this is the book for you.

And now i am reading two more! Two books from the same time period but vastly different. "Gracie, A Love Story" by George Burns and "The Holocaust" by Martin Gilbert. i absolutely LOVE the George Burns book, i can almost hear him saying what i am reading, it is that good! :D and FUNNY too!
i aslo picked up a book at the swapmeet, called Little Men by Alcott. i guess that is the same author that wrote Little Women (which i have yet to read as well)... i am not sure how good it will be but i couldn't resist a book i never heard of! lol
oh and here is a picture of my other hobby! It's getting to be quite an AWESOME little display, i think!

Well, thank you for your visit and now that my back is better i sure hope to get some freebies up soon again!! But for now, i am off to visit your blogs! Have a WONDERFUL day!! HUGS! :D

Been awhile...

Been awhile since i last posted a layout so here is one i recently did but was too late for the challenge lol i thought it looked so good that it could not go ignored sooooo here it is:

Credits
Layered Templates by Gloria Val Verde
picture by DS Cliff
kit by Stone Accent Studio Download a Day (for Sept.)
font is His Name is Honey

Oh and i just finished yet another book called The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. oh and if you click the link to check the book out for yourself, please scroll down a tad and check out the video done by Jeannette herself!! very touching & powerful! i could hardly put the book down and wasn't surprised to see a review very similar left on the book site:
WHAT A COURAGEOUS MEMOIR - - BRAVO!
First, "The Glass Castle" is a real page turner - - I couldn't put it down and finished it in about four hours - - a record for me!

It's probably the most thoughtful and sensitive memoir I can ever remember reading - - told with such grace, kindness and fabulous sense of humor.

As always please let me know if you pick up one of these books or hear about them elsewhere, i would LOVE to hear your opinions too! :D

As for my back, well, i have another appointment on Monday but it should go well since i am able to sit at the computer longer and actually get things done here. lol sheesh that was a LONG three months for me! lol oh and i recently started learning belly dancing (yes, at my age, can you imagine? lol) but it is sincerely fun and a good workout! and i do keep in mind while doing the hip bumps, not to do them as hard as i should... not yet anyways lol My biggest problem is lack of space here but i am getting all the shows (Shimmy on FitTv)
Well,now the hubby wants to do ebay so i am off to get some challenges done! :D Thanks so much for your visit and i hope you have a GREAT weekend!

9/11

We will NEVER forget!

ALERTS!

Hi! I hope this day finds you all well!! i have been off my back meds for about a week now and for the most part, pain free!!!! YAY!!!! i was truly beginning to think this was not possible and i would be living with pain for the rest of my life, it stuck with me so long! Thank you all so very much for hanging in there with me and for your prayers too!!! i still have another dr appt this saturday and hopefully i should not need any more shots!! Double YAY!! lol i know it's not completely healed yet, still have minor pain sometimes but again, for the most part, i am able to sit for longer periods with little or no pain at all!!
i got aLOT of reading done this summer, that's for sure!! lol oh and i read some reallyy good books too! came across these first two, at the swapmeet and got them for like a dollar each! can't beat that!! One is titled At the Drop of a Veil is a true story and here is what her grand-daughter said about her book:
"I am a granddaughter of Marianne Alireza, and I am very proud of her accomplishments. Through reading the book, I found out things about Saudi that are no longer seen today and felt that it was her strength and perseverence which enabled her to do what she did. She was warned of some of the hardships she might encounter in giving up her western life and moving to the unknown, however she did not let that get in her way and I find this to be inspirational to not only women but anyone who may face similar circumstances of marrying into a different culture. I will admit however that it does take a certain type of person with a strong mind and good heart to be able to embrace a mentality and life that is so different to that of their own."
A the second swapmeet find was a book from Oprah's book club and titled: Stolen Lives a true story too. Below is a review:
Oufkir wrote this book, which details her life before, during and after her family's imprisonment, with the help of a Tunisian writer named Michele Fitoussi. The writing is not particularly strong. "Stolen Lives" is often disjoined and repetitious and the characterizations are shallow. Although it is under three hundred pages, the tepid writing makes it seem longer, and the narrative drags at times. Oufkir's messages are hammered home repeatedly. She rightly emphasizes that we should appreciate the "free" things in life, such as our liberty, our ability to see a sunrise, and the love of our family. Oufkir also strongly criticizes the repressive Moroccan regime, whose human rights abuses are similar to those of other repressive regimes in many parts of the world. Malika attributes her family's miraculous survival under often squalid conditions to divine intervention as well as to her family's ingenuity, love and tenacious desire to live. The best parts of "Stolen Lives" are Malika's descriptions of how her family improvised while under extreme duress. They rigged up a primitive communications system when they were in solitary confinement, they constructed toys out of scraps for Malika's little brother, and they even put on theatricals to amuse themselves. Although "Stolen Lives" is often depressing and it is inelegantly written, this book demonstrates the unshakable will of human beings to survive under the most horrendous conditions.
i recently bought (NOT from the swapmeet lol)and finished The Kite Runner which was also made into a motion picture and is WONDERFULLY powerful and AMAZING! Both the movie and book were FANTASTIC!
i would highly recommend any one of these books for good reading material! and if you do or have read any of these, i would LOVE to hear what you think too!
ok i heard someone asking what are the alerts in my title!!?? lol
Well, the first is a new (to me) designer that offers WONDERFUL Commercial use items. The Scrappin Cop i hope you check out her site and if you do, please leave her some love!! :D
and now onto the more serious news and PIRACY ALERT! it has been brought to my attention that this site shares DIRECT links to your freebies!! so if you know of a designer that you care to inform, please do!!
Well, i almost wrote my own novel here today with such a long post! lol i sure hope you enjoyed your visit, i know i enjoy when you do! Big HUGS and i hope you have a TERRIFFIC day! :D