G GETS IT.

Board and stuck inside due to the extreme heat, my 4 year old G-man came downstairs to my space today and said "Can you get out my baby trap-book so I can look at my baby again?"

Trap book.

Hmm. While that's just his funky 4-year-old way to pronounce it, I kinda like it. It's accurate, after all. It is a book of things that I managed to trap. Moments, memories, tidbits of life. Trapped in a book.

I think I like that.

In other news, I am the super-happy owner of Quickutz Frankie Skinni Mini alpha now, bought at a steal of a price second-hand. I have been allowed to play with Leigh Ann's set way too much--she's a gracious friend who shares her toys--so there's no doubt that I will love it often. Frankie is one of the retired sets. Can I just take this opportunity to say how much I don't like that they retire alphabets? Especially because many of my personal favorites are retirees. Why is that?

Have you ever noticed how completely fabulous black-and-white microcheck ribbon is? I've been working on a big project lately (the excuse for the recent severe lack of art on my blog) and it seems like I can't put that roll of ribbon down. It's the universal ribbon--it goes with everything! Next time you get stumped, try the black and white checked ribbon. Might be just what you need.

Finally, a commercial/endorsement/testimony. Remember back in the spring when I did that big ol' cruise scrapbook for NWYC--my husband's company? I used a beautiful Close to My Heart tan leather album for this project. It travelled all over the United States, to all the regional company meetings, being shipped back and forth between them for 6(?) appearances. I expected that by the time it got back to the office it might be a bit roughed up. Afterall, it endured lots of shipping and "handling"--more than most books and by people who may or may not have treated it with the care that I would have liked (I'm a little over-protective).

Fast-forward to last week, J talked to his former boss (the man who ordered the book) and R mentioned that it had "sustained some damage". When I heard this, I began invisioning my poor baby scuffed and bent, album sullied, pages askew and smudged, wrinkled or ripped. I was having nightmares.

So as it happened J had to make a surprise trip to the big D yesterday and he brought the man-handled bundle home to me this evening. As it turned out, the cover, spine and back are in remarkable shape. Good shape. Great shape, in fact. No problems. No scratches, no scars, no visible wear. I was shocked. The "sustained damage" was that apparently the book got dropped (by someone or possibly during shipping) because the top hole on each page protector ripped-out from the post. It's a uniform tear in the same place and same manner on each one, which leads me to think it came from a drop. (I've seen this happen before.) That's all. New page protectors are all that is needed. I am elated. Crisis averted.

Deep clensing breath.

I can not abide the thought that *my* book was wandering out there in a mangled state. I saw an advertisement the other day for some new-fangled techno gadgetry on new cars that when the car needs some regular maintainance, it generates an email to it's owner. Can you imagine this showing up in your email?

"Buy me new tires and give me fresh oil today or I'm going to leave you stranded in rush-hour traffic on a bridge! Signed. Your Loving Volvo.

LOL! So I'm wondering if I could attach said techno gadgetry to albums I have out there to phone home when they get in distress? Ya think?

Dear Mom. This person you made me for left me in the car for 6 days in the middle of the summer and then when he finally did take me inside where I could cool off and be comfortable, he stacked stuff on top of me. Heavy stuff. There's a permanent indention in the shape of a hammer and 2 screws on my cover. Someone spilled coffee on two of my pages. One of my screws is loose. Please rescue me. Signed, the XYZ Scrapbook.

I would be there in a flash, rescue badge in hand.

Oh yeah, all that to say, I am still highly impressed with the CTMH album set. It takes an extra-ordinary beating and still looks awesome!

So now you know.

May your days be super-cool soon and
may you successfully trap that which matters.