Treasured Scrapbooking

I am proud and excited to announce that I get to be a Guest Design Team Member for Treasured Scrapbooking during the month of September. I have already received my kit (lightning speed shipping)and I can't wait to get creating. It's jam packed with goodies.

I made it through to the next round for the Treasured Hunt. Here is my Week 3 layout. The requirements were to create a one page layout with ric rac, paint, at least one handmade flower, 1 or 2 photos and a journaling prompt that must include "I'd rather"
Here is what I did

Everything on this layout was basically scraps. The background was some cardboard from a paper collection and I only cut down one of the Jillibean Soup papers (red/white polka dot), the rest were "scraps"
I painted the edge of the cardboards

My ric rac. Actually teh whole color scheme of this layout depended on my ric rac...I only had this light blue, pink and shimmery white.

and my one handmade flower. I LOVE making these accordian flowers

Thanks for stopping by!

Meet the Principal/Transportation day!

Well, our transition to Kindergarten has begun! Today was Meet the Principal/Transportation day! Natalie has admitted to me that she is nervous, but I think after today she feels a little bit better. We arrived at 9am. Mr. Wheaton introduced himself and he showed the kids the first of many procedures they will be learning over the next few weeks. It was all about active listening today while he read them a book about starting Kindergarten. Afterward, we left to go take a bus ride. Before we got on the bus, Natalie gave Mr. Wheaton the picture she colored last night. I thought it was so sweet of her to do that! Natalie loved the bus ride. To think that 29 years ago I took the same exact bus ride with my Mom.
This is Natalie with Mr. Wheaton. He really is a WONDERFUL Principal for these little ones! I LOVE how this picture turned out, too! EXACTLY how I had envisioned it!

After our school fun, we went to the library and picked up Natalie's winning picture from the library. I "think" I posted that she had won FIRST PLACE in the coloring contest at the library. We got the call the day she had her tonsils out/tubes in. Here she is with her picture in the library

And here is just the picture

Up all night..sleep all day...NOT.

Last night I stayed up pretty late doing some scrapbooking. Natalie went with her Dad last night so I figured I could sleep in this morning if I wanted to. In the matter of fact, it seems that whenever I stay up late, I get up early. Well, I was up early this morning and it was because of this guy....


I feel compelled to blog about this cat. He is an indoor/outdoor cat. Natalie and Leo share the same exact birthday...5-22-04. This cat is beyond affectionate and let's Natalie do anything to him. She carries him all over the place and sat on him when she was a baby. He acted like Natalie's mother when she was a baby. The second he'd hear her wake up or cry he'd go running to her. One time he woke up out of a dead sleep, moseyed over to her room with his eyes half open...just like a real tired Mom does. LOL He does his business outdoors and lounges on the deck. He's like a loyal lab, when we are in the yard he follows us everywhere and he greets people at the front door. But, he is also a brat cat! During the day when he wants to go out it's obvious, he just meows. If I don't get the clue or purposely ignore him, he'll get in my face or start terrorizing the dogs by slapping them on their behind. At night, he knocks on my window to go out. So, I get up and let him out. When he wants in, he does the same thing, knocks on my window. The past few nights he's been wanting in and out more than usual, he goes in spurts with this but the timing is like clockwork. Sometimes I trick him and act like I'm getting up to let him out only so he'll leave my room, then I close the door and go back to bed. Well, this morning he decided to knock on the door and meow. Am I a crazy cat lady? NO! We never had a cat growing up at home, my parents don't like them....but they LOVE Leo. That tells you what a cool cat he is!


I was actually up late last night doing a scrapbook layout about Leo. Simply Obsessed is having a crop right now and this was for one of the challenges. I used a July sketch from So Sketchy! I love Ally's sketches!

X marks the Crop at Treasured Scrapbooking

Last week the DT hosted a pirate themed crop called "X marks the crop." The challenge were so much fun. I created 3 layouts, wish I had the time and mojo to do more, though.
I did this for Aymee's "Drink Up Me Hearties, Yo Ho! I chose to use the drink Lemonade which required us to use yellow with red/white patterned paper
Lollipop


This one was for the "Walk the Plank" challenge. We were suppose to do something out of our comfort zone. For me, I have a hard time using noticeable patterned paper as my background


I did this layout for the Pirate move challenge. I used the movie Treasure Island
In the movie, Jim Hawkins discovers a treasure map & embarks on a journey to find the treasure, but pirates have plans to take the treasure for themselves.
Create a page with a map, the word "treasure" and some gold.
"Trash 2 treasure"

Thanks for stopping by!

Treasured Hunt...Weeks one and two

I am participating in the Treasured Hunt again this year at Treasured Scrapbooking. The Treasured Hunt is an elimination type challenge with different requirements each week. Don't quote me on it, but I think it started off with about 42 entries with 31 moving on to Week 1, and 22 moved on to week 2. At this point, I think about 16 are moving on to Week 3. Here is what I have for one and two. I have moved on to week 3 and need to make a layout for that, I'll share that in a week.

Week one we had to create a layout following these requirements
-One page layout, no digital
- at least one circle (3 inches or bigger)
- torn paper
- only ONE photo
- journaling....and the journaling must include "I wish someone had told me that..." It can be as long or as short as you like but must include those words.

This is the layout I created
You are my Sunshine


My 3 inch circle and torn paper are the sun


My journaling says: Journaling around the border reads:
I wish someone had told me that motherhood was not a scary thing as I was always concerned about. The funny thing is everyone did tell me, I just had to figure it out on my own. Now I know motherhood is the most joyous experience ever! I am over the moon in love with this girl! She brighten every single day of my life!

I made it on to the second week and this is what the requirements were....
- at least 3 pictures
- 4 different patterned papers (no more, no less)
- 2 colors of cardstock (no more, no less)
- at least one arrow
- buttons or beads
- must have journaling that includes..."If I were honest with myself...". It can be as long or as short as you like but must include those words.
- must be an original design - no sketches please!

To be honest, this is one of my favorite layouts. I am happy with the design, my blueberry buttons and the story behind these photos means so much to me. It was just a fun day and layout

I used these 4 patterns of paper

and I used buttons to make "blueberries" The leaves are one of the patterned papers


This is what the journaling says: Natalie and I were so excited for the blueberry pie eating contest at the blueberry Fest. The day finally arrived and Natalie's age group was the first one to go. It was a bit overwhelming the number of people who were there! The pies were ready and what happened next surprised me, but IF I WERE HONEST WITH MYSELF, I would not have been shocked that one bite was all Natalie took out of her pie. Did I really think she'd dive in and get her face covered in blueberries?! August 2009

That's all for now, I'll have a post of my X marks the crop layouts tomorrow. Have a great night!

Simply Obsessed Birthday Blog Hop

Simply Obsessed is turning 2! Come on over and join their "Greatest Crop on Earth"
In honor of Simply Obsesessed turning 2, I have posted a birthday Layout I made from Natalie's 5th Birthday this past May.


Now that you have visited my blog, you need to go to Chelsea's (clang16)

Who wants to crop?!

Treasured Scrapbooking is have an "X marks the crop" starting Aug 10 until the 16th. It's a Pirate themed crop and I am so excited to see the challenges.

Simply Obsessed is having a birthday crop from 17-24


The Shaker Box is have a Summer Sizzlin' crop on Aug 21, 22, 23


Mark your calendars! Hope to see you there!

Natalie has been pretty much back to normal after having her surgery two weeks ago. Yesterday was her 2 week follow up and the DR said everything looks good. The first thing Natalie wanted to know was if she could eat crunchy food...he gave her the go ahead on that, too! She was thrilled. I tool her to Build A Bear to celebrate. She picked out the Hannah Montana bear with matching outfit. Natalie's not a fan of the show but she loves the music. I love this picture of her registering her bear on the computer. I love how she has her legs crossed. LOL

And here she is totally hamming it up for the camera with her new bear.

We left the mall and met my Dad at Taco Bell for lunch. Natalie has wanted a volcano taco since the day after her surgery. She took one bite and opted for the regular taco in our volcano box. She did come home and ate the volcano taco later.

We came home and made these adorable school bus cookies

and then went to the elementary and enjoyed some time on the playground


Today was the big blueberry pie eating contest at the Blueberry Festival in South Haven. Natalie has been so excited for this. But, when time came to go up and do it she froze and got scared. I can see how it was so overwhelming. First of all, people were packed like sardines at the pie eating site. The children entered from one end and exited on the other. I had THE HARDEST time walking from where Natalie entered to over where she was going to eat her pie. I know I was nervous of losing her and I know she probably felt the same way. She only took one bite of her pie. Later she told me she didn't like it, but also admitted she was scared. Natalie is not one to roam off and lose touch of where I am or her Dad, so being in the position she was must have been overwhelming for her.
Here she is taking her ONE bite..she told me later she didn't like it (but I am not suppose to tell anyone....always so concerned about hurting someones feelings)

AFterward

Me and my girl


And finally....we got a little bit of rain today! We are in dire need of some rain. Natalie and I each have this umbrella and we just love it!


Hope you have a great weekend!

The Shaker Box Aug kit and School shopping

The Shaker Box has some amazing kits! I got to work with My Little Yellow Bicycle and Making Memories. I have 3 layouts completed and the mini album is in the works. Here are my layouts.
This one was the very first one I completed and I am really happy with the outcome. It's not traditional beach papers or title and that's what I love about it. The title really sums up the weekend we had at the beach.
"Happiness is not the destination, it's the journey"

"Our staycation"
This second one is all about our "staycation." I found this ginormous tent at a garage sale for $5...the dimensions are 10x14 and probably at least 6feet tall.

close up of the title

I also made a sketch to go along with this layout


"Giddy up and go....Petewilly"
Petewilly was the name of the horse. The owner told us that when she got him she got another horse at the same time, one name was Pete and the other Willy. They couldn't remember who was who so they just call them both Petewilly.
This last one is of Natalie riding the pony at the fair. Natalie is not a daredevil so riding the pony alone is quite an achievement for her. Actually, she did all sorts of "daring" things that day at the fair...like riding roller coasters!


We started school shopping already. Natalie told me she wanted a Princess backpack which suited her well. Well, I was in Target with my Mom and found this iCarly backpack and told Natalie about it. She was SO excited and REALLY wanted it...so she earned it and is in love with it. This is perfect since iCarly is her favorite show.


And then I bought this outfit for her....shortsleeve 2fer sweater with matching skirt....looks SO much cuter in person and ON!! I love it!



She's already been wearing her clothes and playing school in them. I was thinking this would make for a great first day of school outfit, but am leaning towards her white capris and tank...since they won't be doing anything dirty on that first day. LOL! Actually, I don't care if she gets dirty, Zout gets out all the stains! She seems excited for school but the closer it gets the more nervous I am getting. It's funny because I substitute in all those Kindergarten classrooms and know how capable the kindergartners are, but Natalie in MINE! She's so responsible so I know she'll do great, but I am still nervous.