I'm going to do it!  I'm going to do it!  I've been drooling over it since I first saw it and for a while I figured I'd put more money into becoming a better scrapper (magazines, books, maybe a class) than into buying better paper... but, well, every time I sneak some bazzill into a layout (and I've been so stingy with the 10 sheets I let myself buy a few weeks ago) it just gives it this look and feel that I find irresistable.... so I asked DH to just indulge me on this one crazy purchase.  $90 on paper.  Unbelievable.  To me, right now, anyway. 

It's my birthday gift to myself.  That and a scrapbooking 'amnesty' day so long as I bought only things that were bargains (to dilute out that bazzill purchase LOL).  I tossed in 24+ rolls of ribbon at 19c each, a $1 white ink pad, a $1 black ink pad, a milky way galazy marker (cool!), 360 sheets of PP from Costco for $12 (and I actually like almost everything - I think there are only 2 of the 90 patterns that make me gag and DH likes those), a few binders (I never have decided on albums so everything goes in binders right now), glue sticks (still trying to figure out what adhesive I like and the kiddos are in need of glue sticks anyway - these are acid-free though so I can use them too), and a bunch of binder and paper clips for organizing all this paper and to use as embellies. 

I lllllloooooovvvvveeeee my new scrapping stuff.  I can't believe how nice those $12 papers are.  There is a set of purple and green papers (5 coordinating papers, 4 sheets of each) that I adore.  There is a 'neopolitan' set that is really nice... and even though I never thought I liked that color combination I'm tempted to find a way to use it.  Lots of great red, white, and blue papers which will appeal greatly to DH and DS.  And tons of deep reds and golds that I love. 

I have to say that I am highly irritated with ACMoore.  I had 2 40% off coupons.  Took one with me, left one with DH.  I figured I'd send him in to buy me a present if they had anything I was after.  Well.... they had *not* a thing! 

What was I after -

MM rubon alphabets - none in the store and no evidence of them being carried... despite a ton of other MM stuff.

DCWV textured cardstock in 8 1/2 x11 or 12x12.  I wasn't even going to be picky on colors.  I figured it could suplement my bazzill stash and coordinate with all the DCWV PP I have.  Every single spot for a stack larger than 8x8 was empty.  Jeepers creepers.  And tomorrow is their big scrapbooking day?  The best textured stuff they carry and they have none larger than 8x8 on hand?  (And I asked)  AAAAARRRRGGGGH

Scrapbooking Answers magazine.  Nope.  Nowhere to be found.

The first 'Sketches' book.  Nope. 

A decent clear alphabet stamp set.  No go.

ARRRRRRGH!   We ended up using 1 40% off coupon to save something like $1.50 on decals for DS's pinecar derby car.  I don't think that I'll ever make the trip to ACMoore *only* to use a 40% off coupon after this experience.   Heck, even our cruddy JoAnn's had *1* DCWV spring cardstock stack!

And today it just got *worse*.  I needed the bazzill monochromatic swatch book.  And I found it for $2 less than retail at a place with flat shipping. Well, in for a nickel in for a dime, eh?  So I bought a bunch of other stuff.  I got the sketch book I've been waiting to buy.  The swatch book and sketch book do not count toward my budget.  I can make up whatever rules I want and that's my rule - ink, photos, storage/organization, and reference books do not count.  But the rest of it, yep, it should count.  I said amnesty *day* not weekend!  I got a scrapbooking kit for cub scouts, embellishments for the snowman layout I'll be doing with the January pictures, daisies (oh I'm caving, caving, caving to the flower craze) to use with daisy layouts, and some rubons (which scare me but entice me at the same time) - one set for Christmas and one set for our holiday vacation.  And some vellum because I am out of white vellum.  Good prices at the place I shopped at too. 

Ooooops.  That's all about shopping isn't it?  Well, I scrapped this week too, LOL. 

I did 5 layouts and am in the process of putting the 6th together. 

1 - day of discovery - used bazzill and basic grey.  I'm happy with it. 

2 - a bunch of daisies - a bunch of work.  Not sure it was worth it.  And I only had 1 cruddy picture of the troop.  I do now have a good one and I may swap it out.  It would e a much better layout with that pic.

3 - Karate is a way of life - like this one very much.  Used journaling on vellum over a die-cut.  I like that look! 

4 - generosity - scraplifted and I tried out inking the edges of paper for a distressed look (and cut the title out of cardstock - must have evidence of usefulness if I'm going to ask Santa for a wishblade... of course... what I'm learning is that it's not *so* bad to cut out letters with my cutterbees).  Another layout that I really like.

5 - Thankful for Mommy's boy - another scraplifted layout.  I'm not sure I 'love' the layout as much as I thought I would but I love the stories and the journaling.  I included a scan of a worksheet Kenneth did at school.  I like to .... just like my ..... Name:..... that he filled in as 'I like to skerap book just like my Mom.'  Awwwww  Stole a charm off a wine glass marker to use on this layout.  :-)

6 - Family Thanksgiving - not done yet (and not in the count) but I *love* it so far. *Love* it.  It's full of my favorite colors and people.  How could I not.

Progress towards goal - 34.5/240, 14% of the way to goal, 16% of the year gone