Project 365 - Take 2

So I'm trying to do project 365 again this year. So far so good, but we're only 2 days into the year.
Here is the picture for January 1st:



One of the off-and-on traditions I/we have for New Year's Day is to eat Texas Caviar, which is a black eye pea salad with peppers. Supposedly, eating black eye peas and similar legumes is considered to be good luck as they represent money and fortune. Last year I don't believe we did this, and we had crappy luck in 2009. We have to have better luck this year. Please.

For yesterday, here is the photo:



We spent a lot of money yesterday. Normally, I am not into those weird sales times to get good deals. But yesterday, I found myself getting up at the crack of dawn to go out shopping at Kohls and get some towels - bath towels at $2.49. Jon and I had talked about getting a new set of towels, and this was the time. I had already thought about getting bras and undies at Lane Bryant, but again Kohls had a really good price so I took advantage of it. Only spent $67 for 4 bath towels, 2 hand towels, 2 wash cloths, 3 undies, and 2 bras (with mail in rebates for $6 additional to get 2 more bras), saving $75. When I went to Sock club yesterday morning, I found the sock I had been working on for several months had dropped stitches and I had no idea how to fix it. So I ripped it completely out and decided to start a new one - with a new book. Then yesterday afternoon, Jon and I decided to exchange the BluRay player I got a couple months ago, for a Sony one with a coaxial input. In doing so, Jon decided to get his camcorder and I got a new camera. I can't wait to play with it, but I will have to wait - until I get a memory card for it. Ch-Ching...

FOBTY: I can't give it all up....

We are having to tighten our belts with the budget. Jon's unemployment will run out next week (extended only a week because he didn't get it one week because he didn't look for work). Add in a week unpaid furlough at my company (which I will take in July), repairs on the house, and a planned vacation to Vegas, and it's getting really tight around here.
So, we give up some things. I've reduced going out for lunch and tried to reduce the amount we go out for dinner. I am trying to cut back on my scrapbooking hobby. But now that I fell back in love with it, I can't seem to cut back on my knitting, especially my knitting groups. Sock Club (fortunately usually only $5 every 2 weeks), Ladies Night Out ($10/month), Cat Bordhi Sock-A-Long (free-yay!) and the Mystery Afghan (free as well thankfully) are becoming constants in my life. But with those store trips for those groups comes..... MORE YARN. But I need it - the sense of companionship and togetherness, creating something useful, appreciating each others' work.

The other thing I am doing is trying to get a design gig, which might help pay for my hobby expenses and a few other things while times are tight. I figure it is at the very least a way to cut back on my scrapbooking purchases since I will be designing my own stuff. (Alas, my wish lists at the Sweet Shoppe and other stores still continue to grow....) So I am working hard at this contest at Funky Playground. So far, I have made it through 2 rounds and I just turned my assignment in for the 3rd round. I'm nervous every time, but we started with 66 entries and now there are only 20 of us (there were 21, but it appears one dropped out as they did not turn in the last assignment). But I love the excitement of seeing my stuff downloaded. Here are the previews of what I submitted so far:
Round 1: Love My Dog


Round 2: Pleasant Valley Sunday (Color Challenge)

And the Add-on for it:


Round 3: DaDooDaddies (Extraction/Recoloring Elements)


Please go to the Funky Playground for some free Scrapping Monkey Design products while supplies last! (edited as the FP site was revised)

Easter Candy & More

For the FOBTY this week:

You Are a Chocolate Bunny

A traditionalist, you secretly want to dress up like a bunny. And not just on Easter.

What Easter Candy Are You?

So interesting things have been happening to me in the digi world. First, a bit ago I snagged a proofing position at My Scrapbook Art's new newsletter/magazine Flourish. The initial release will be made soon and while I didn't do much editing this go 'round (the writer I was paired with did not turn her article), I still like I've contributed and can't wait to do more.
Also, I decided to join the contest "Capture The Flag" over at Funky Playground Designs. The contest is for designing digital scrapbooking kits & products. So I made a kit for Round 1 (out of 4 rounds) called "Love My Dog": http://www.funkyplaygrounddesigns.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=14173
Well, I made it past the first round - there were 66 entries and only 30 made the cut and I was one of them. So here I sit trying to design a kit for Round 2. Of course I am limited by the fact that I all but broke my left hand last night. Ugh. Hurts like crazy.