Since the store closed I really haven't been up to doing anything. I love having deadlines, but haven't really been doing any scrapping. So a few of us around the states met up in a group and are doing challenges. A lot of the girls really enjoyed the CJ challenges and so we thought of doing this group. We call it the Rocio's Rockets or RR's. I know crazy girls, but it's fun. Now I'll have two different deadlines each month with the CJ group which we'll start in February and the RR group. I'm excited. The RR's are going to be a challenge each month. To get us started, I posted the CJ challenge I had done awhile ago. Take 3 sheets of pattern paper and use it to the fullest. Leave no scrap behind. So last time I did layouts and cards. This time I created Christmas cards using the Bo Bunny Christmas line. And doing "ala Pattie" cards with the vintage images and such that Bo Bunny had. I ended up creating a baker's dozen of Christmas cards, yep 13 cards. It's had to get a picture of them together, but I tried. Here are my cards:

This month's CJ challenge was to make something for at least 2 people in the group and mail it to them. I couldn't make up my mind as to who I should pick, so I made one for everyone in the group. When I went to CE, I was really inspired with Tim Holtz Trunk Show. His stuff was so awesome, that I got inspired to do this little frame (he had done one similar at a past CE) and do some patching with his grungeboard paper. I inked every square with different color of distress inks, all of the embellishments are from Tim Holtz Idea-olgy line. Also added some rock candy distress stickles on the prima flowers.

It turned out really cute. As I was using the tokens, I knew that I had to give Patti the "Believe" token as this year is her word for the year. Everone else I wrapped them and randomly sent them. So I have no idea who got what. I ended up with "Artful". Such a cute little frame that I found at Michaels and here is the final project:


Hope everyone enjoys their little frame.

Ok, so I'm way behind in posting my challenges, see this is what happens when I have no motivation do anything. But I did complete this challenge way before it was due, I finished it on Sept 18. September's challenge was to create something using the colors brown, orange and lime green. I must admit that orange and brown was no issue, it was the lime green that really go to me. But I finished the layout below.


I'll be posting more of my challenges next.

I totally forgot to post my August CJ challenge. This month was to create 3 cards with a given sentiment. I finished these before my trip to France. Also, tomorrow, I leave for Creative Escape. I'm really looking forward to get my creative mojo back.

Here are my cards, I used one of the newest lines from My Little Shoebox:

So I know that I haven't updated my blog in a long while, but the reason is the same. Always busy trying to catch up on everything.

I have been busy keeping up at work. I'm leaving to France on July 29 and come back on August 9. It will be my last trip to Toulouse. I'm going to enjoy.

I also have been to 3 concerts in 5 days, crazy. NKOTB was on July 9, American Idol on July 12 and Coldplay on July 13. This Saturday I'm excited to be going to No Doubt. I have never seen them in concert and should be awesome. Paramore is opening for them. Funny story, I was supposed to be in France this week and therefore couldn't go to No Doubt, but my trip was moved. But I already had sold my lawn ticket, it cost me $30. So I was looking for lawn tickets so I can go but on Craigslist they are going for $70-75 in the lawn, which is sold out. So I went back to Live Nation (the ones that sell the tickets for the venue) and they still had seats available for $90. Yeah, I got seats for $20 more than the lawn where you have to get there early to get the best seats, because they are first come, first serve.

I just learned that I'm allergic to Chlorine. What gives, I went swimming a while a go and got a rash, it got better in a couple of days. Last weekend I went again and this time it got so bad that over the counter meds didn't help me. So I had to go to the doctor, granted the pool was over chlorinated, I'm on meds to help me and so far I'm doing better. But makes me not want to go swimming again.

I'm so sad and happy that Suzy has decided to close her store. I'm happy for her, she will be able to spend time with her family and adventure into other things. But I'm sad for me. I have loved doing this hobby and her store was very convenient for me, 5 minutes away from home so I can always take care of my fur baby and his insulin shots and come back and continue to crop. Now the closest store to me is 20 minutes away, not so easy to go home and come back and crop. So I have to really work on cleaning my stuff and organizing it so I can crop in the garage and I can have people over. I really enjoy this craft and feel sad that I won't be challenged in my monthly assignments for Garage Girl at the store. Also I won't be teaching so less challenges for me. I have really thought it and I know that I work best if I'm being challenged. I don't want to give up on this hobby I love it so much. So I have decided that I need to sign up to one design team. It will keep me challenged and will help me continue to enjoy this hobby. Which bring me to my July CJ challenge.

This month we had to work on the theme of "My Seven Wonders". At first it was hard to come up with all of them. But I then moved away from my family and friends and into what I enjoy in my life and so here is my challenge.


I love how it turned out. This is something similar to a class I taught last year. I love the colors and I can't wait to display it in my craft room/part of the garage.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

This month's challenge was my idea, take 3 sheets of pattern paper, they can be double sided and use every little piece to create as many projects, layouts and cards. I ended up with 4 layous and 3 cards. My papers were 2 from Scenic Route Sonoma line and the other was from October Afternoon Daydream line. I have lots of fun with this, I can' believe all of these came out of 3 papers. So here is my work for the challenge.








I'll be back later to update on my mini vaca/birthday and plans for next month. For now enjoy the rest of the week.

I'm starting to get excited about going to Disneyland this weekend. We have an aunt (my great aunt actually, who is 75 years young) who is visiting us for a month from El Salvador, she has never been to Disneyland and my mom loves Disneyland so we are going to Disney this weekend. One of my aunts who lives in LA is going with us also. So that's 3 ladies who will not go on any rides with me. I will be going by myself on Space Mountain and all the other "big" rides. My cousin might be available and join us for one day so I can actually have a partner in crime to ride the "big" rides. But I'm sure I'll still enjoy the rides and the fact that Monday is my birthday, I will have some fun.

So I have been working hard. My 30k checkout is almost done, just have a couple of more follow up appointments tomorrow and that's it. Last week I did the sleep study, it was hard sleeping with all that stuff. I'll get my results tomorrow. But so far everything is checking out good. Just got to lose some weight and eat better so my "good" cholesterol can be higher.

My kitties are doing great. My parents are doing good too. I have been trying to keep not so busy but it never works that way. I finished my GG assignments for this month. I really enjoyed them. Now on to completing the CJ challenge, I got my 3 papers ready.

Here are my GG assignments:





Also, my next class is now available for signups at Picture Me Perfect. You can see it here and sign up at the store.