It's Smashing!

Hey everyone!  Is it starting to get cooler where you live?  For us here in the Arizona desert, we are into that "temperature roller-coaster," with the mornings & late evenings cooling down a bit but still getting quite hot warm during the day.  We at least see great weather on the horizon -- yay!

Today, those smashingly-wonderful ladies, Ricki Jill at Art at Home and Miss Angie at My So-Called Chaos, are hosting a Smashing Summer {Smash Journal} Link Party!  I got confused (don't tell me that never happens to you!) and kind of "jumped-the-gun"with a post about my Smash Book in early August which you can see HERE in its entirety; but "in brief," I had been reading about these delightful little books, but just hadn't gotten around to checking them out until I read about this party.  They are available at Michael's, Hobby Lobby & JoAnn's, which is where I found the best selection & could utilize a couple of coupons -- yay!  Well, the wonderful party hosts suggested sharing a photo or two about how you used your Smash Book; but if you've followed my blog for very long, you know I rarely stop with just a couple of pics....lol!  So here goes!

                       

As you see, I couldn't just have one book going, I "needed" to have 2!

My reasoning is this:  I'm a "tad bit" OCD (actually that's The Man's new nickname for me....lol), so it's very difficult for me to just simply "stick" things in one of these books.  I'm very "left-brain" driven, if you will.  Soooo....I decided to have a book that would appeal to my very organized & orderly side, & another for my "right-brain," forcing it to be more spontaneous, messy & creative.

If you are interested in how I use one of these books as my Daily Planner & the other for creativity, you should go HERE for the details.

Now, if you are thinking 2 "on-going" Smash Books would be enough -- WRONG!!!! -- I've added 

Smash Book 3!!!

I love to scrapbook and make cards; so over the years, I have amassed a large huge collection of magazines on the subject, plus books.  I have started going through the magazines, cutting out any photos or notes that really interest me, and putting them into my "Scrap It" Smash Book! 

I'm not just cutting things out of the magazines, I'm adding notes about things that are pertinent to my style of scrapbooking.

This book isn't organized (cough cough gasp gasp)!  I am literally "smashing" things in 

wherever they will fit.

Here I had a multi-page item that I folded over a piece of card stock that I had 

stapled to one of the pages. 

I'm just going through a few magazines each night as The Man & I watch TV.  The "pen" that comes with the Smash Book is so nice to write with but also has a glue stick on the other end, making it  much easier to work on my little "lap project."

I just love these Smash Books!  I still have one more unused one, but the "Scrap It" is working out so well, now I'm thinking I might do the same for my quilting magazines......hmmmm?  Well, I'm not deciding that today....lol!  I hope you will take the time to check out some of the other "smashing" ideas in this Link Party because everyone has a different take on using these books.  It's just so much fun!

I can't believe the weekend is almost here!  Our son is coming over on Saturday to help The Man with the garden shed, and I will be watching over Miss Little & Little Miss Busy (Mom is taking a class).  I'm hoping it might be cool enough to walk over to the park, but I'm not counting on that....lol!  I'm feeding "the Chef" a good ole home-cooked family favorite (pot roast, mashed potatoes peas w/carrots and a fruit cobbler).  Ya' know what, he will love it!  

We have also been getting ready for company; good friends from out-of-town will be coming on Monday to stay with us for a couple of days.  I always "bust my butt" getting things all spiffed up when company is coming.  Please tell me I'm not the only one who does this....LOL!  We just love this couple.  Patty and I have been good friends since high school -- you know the kind of friendship where you might not see each other for a couple of years, but just start talking like you were never apart -- yeah, that kind of friendship is what we have.  Fortunately, Mike and The Man have always been good friends, too!  We are looking forward to good food, good wine, & great conversation (more like non-stop gabbing for Patty & I)!

Anyway, this will probably be my last post until some time next week, but I may get in a few visits here and there.  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, and thank you so much for stopping by!

~CAS~