The Sweetest Holiday

That's right...as you can see...my blog is gearing up for V-day.  I love all the hearts. I love all the red, white, and pink. I love all the lace and doilies.  I love all the mushy romance.  I don't care if it is a holiday created by the marketing industry.  I love it and I'm going to enjoy it! 

First up on the agenda - get a cute new "festive" picture for my header.  Here's hoping it works out tomorrow.

(PS if you have a blog you simply MUST check out the amazingly cute blog backgrounds at Shabby Blogs!)

4-Ever

That's about how long I've been holding onto this picture of my sweet boy waiting for the "perfect" supplies to scrap it with. 

Most of the papers I got in the Cherry Chocolate Cordial kit just screamed "girly" to me, but this great Lifestories paper by My Mind's Eye and the Pink Paislee paper just needed a little boost of color to be the "perfect" supplies I was waiting for. 

I gave it that little boost by adding the Fancy Pants paper and Thickers from my stash, as well as some Glimmer Mist.

I used my Dymo to make the strips I added to the squares on the "side" (my top) of the MME paper.

I did a little bit of doodling, but I wanted the stars to be understated and even almost camouflaged in some areas so I just left them alone, no doodling, no inking, nothing.  Very weird for me!

Love

There is something special and compelling about this photo.  It speaks volumes to me and although it's small I wanted it to be the focus. 

It seems so simple, so sweet, so girly.  All things I want her childhood to be. 

To add a little something extra to the hearts I used a paintbrush to apply a thin layer of silver perfect pearls to hearts (made with a SU heart punch.)

Everything but the background cardstock and the red pearls are from the Cherry Chocolate Cordial kit.

Chocolate Cherry Cordial

The February kit, Chocolate Cherry Cordial, is up at Scrap-Tastic!  This kit was so much fun.  It's chalk full of one of my favorite things....KRAFT!  Plus, there's Jenni Bowlin.  Yup, I had fun! 

Here's one of the LOs and a few cards I've made so far with this kit.



This is a lot more simple than I usually go...but I'm still ok with it.  Not one that I'm going to go enter in any contest or anything, but I do so LOVE this photo of Kessa.

I used an EK Success Bracket boarder punch for the boarders on this one.

A Pagemaps card map was my starting point for this one...and I really like the results!  I'm thinking from now on if I need to make a card this is going to be where I start.  The sentiment is from the Pink Paislee Pop Fashion stamp set.

Be Still My Heart

Soo...at Color Me Daisy we design every other month.  February is not my month, so I'm speaking as a customer, not a designer. 

You NEED this kit.  I bought the kit, plus umm...like almost every add on I think!!!  It's amazing!!!  I can't wait to get it and start playing!

The full reveal isn't yet, so I'll just leave you with these sneaks...and trust me...this is a PACKED kit.  Retail value for everything in it is much higher than you'll pay if you buy this kit!

how's that for a little tease?  

Sew Enchanting

Splitcoast Stampers (which was my very first experience with the wonderful world of on-line scrapping and forums!) had a Virtual Scrapbooking Night this past weekend.  They're always a lot of fun and the gals that put it together did a great job!

One of the challenges I participated in was a scraplift.  I chose this super cute page by Erika. However, as is par for the course, mine didn't end up looking very much like hers!  lol

I pulled out my Midnight Glimmer Mist and used my SU heart punch to make some masks for the background.

This stamp is one I got in the $ bins at Michael's.  Most of the papers and little bits are from the Homemade Treats kit from Color Me Daisy.

• I also cut up one of the WRMK's Twirl strips (it said "aren't you just the sweetest thing?") and used some of it for part of my title.  I finished off the page with some doodling and stitching.

So Thankful 4

Just popping in to share something I played around with yesterday.  These are for a circle journal swap I participated in (first and LAST! lol)  The theme of this one was something (besides family) that you're thankful for.  So I chose scrapbooking!

All the papers are Pink Paislee Fascinating.  The large brown journaling circle was in the FABULOUS (and sold out) August kit at Color Me Daisy, and once again...my obsession with the Martha Stewart butterfly punch has surfaced.

I ran out of the letters I needed so I turned a "q" over, sprinkled the back with the adhesive on it with glitter, and used it for a "p."

and my favorite part, I cut or punched out the logos from some of my favorite manufactures and used them as an embellishment cluster. Some of them are popped up for added dimension and interest.

I sprayed the background first with midnight glimmer mist and then more heavily with coffee glimmer mist.

Grace's Room Revisited

A few months ago I undertook the MAJOR task of turning our "sports" themed office into a sweet nursery for our baby girl.  You can see the whole transformation here.  I LOVED the outcome...however because I loved it so much I just couldn't bring myself to put just anything up on the walls.  So they stayed blank.  For a LONG time. It seemed like a long time anyway. 

Then, last month, I made a canvas for her room.  I have known since way back when I was pregnant and we decided to name her Grace that I wanted the lyrics to this song on her wall somewhere. 

I used the Scrap-Tastic January kit, Holiday Hangover, for this project, as well as bits and pieces from my stash.

(the ribbon and way too cute pin are from my friend Jennie.)

To the left of the photo I used a lot of rub ons, most of them I rubbed on rather haphazardly, tearing them and then adding the rest somewhere else, and I used the tiny letters in the kit for most of the lyrics, just changing it up a bit to add more emphasis to certain words.

Even after I got the canvas done I just couldn't hang it up... it looked so small and lonely on that big, blank, white wall.  So it sat on the floor in her room for a month while I decided what to do.

Finally...with the help of my SIL's Cricut (thanks Sam!) I used the Storybook cartridge and cut out a TON of butterflies in different sizes, inked the edges (you knew that was coming didn't you?!  lol) and then added them to the wall too.  Here's what we've finally ended up with:

 

 

It doesn't look so lonely with all those butterflies.

 

(oh, and the pink on the canvas...spray paint.  Watermelon spray paint.)

On Time Management

I feel like God has been teaching me and changing me in so many areas of my life lately.  It feels like everything is being molded more and more by Him...but when I really stopped and thought about it...all these different things I felt like God was showing me...they all came back to "time management."  Or "priorities."  Or "how I spend my time."  Mainly in regards to my family.  My children and my wonderful husband. 

Sometimes I get so caught up in "serving" them that I forget how much FUN they are.  I forget to stop and play.  To let them be kids.  To just have fun with Tim (and I DO have fun with you baby!  You are just about the funnest guy I know!  *smooches*)

And *most* of the ways I was spending my time WERE ways I was "serving" them.  But maybe not the best way.  Maybe not the way they needed me to right then.  Maybe not the way that would most cause them to love God more.  Maybe not the way I would want someone I loved to serve me. 

So, here are some things I'm thinking...

I'm thinking it's ok if my house looks lived in.  I mean...it IS lived in.  I want my family (both my kids and husband, AND my extended family that stops by) to think of this as a fun place to be.  As a place where they can kick off their shoes and be themselves.  Where they can find comfort and peace and know that they will always be encouraged to pursue God so that they can truly be filled with joy.

I'm thinking I'm not going to worry about how often my blog gets updated (can you tell I already put this one into practice?!  lol) because I don't want my kids to grow up and say, "my mom was a great blogger!"

I'm thinking I want to have the kids involved in all the stuff we do...even when it's more work than doing it myself would have been.

I'm thinking I want to have a "schedule" so we know what's coming.

I'm thinking some days we'll throw our "schedule" to the wind and just play.

I'm thinking I want to really listen to them when they talk.  ALL of them.  Tim, Kessa, Ezekiel, even Grace (I'll get joy from listening to her if nothing else!  lol)

I'm thinking I want to do more things to make every day special. 

I'm thinking I'll do better at remembering that my kids really are only 3 and JUST turned 2....and I won't ask them to act like adults yet.

I'm thinking I'll take opportunities to teach them responsibility, but I'll also let them enjoy being kids. 

I'm thinking above all, and through all, and in all is Christ. 

Christ is the reason I persist in training them.

Christ is the reason I am truly joyful.

Christ is the reason I want them to grow up with servant's hearts.

Christ is the reason behind everything we do. 

Every dish we wash.

Every game we play.

Every book we read.

Every meal we eat.

Whatever we do, whether we eat or drink, I want us to be doing it all to the glory of God. 

The Ghost of...(and a bit of randomness)

The Ghost (or should I say Ghosts?) of Childhood Present visited me last time.  They visited me many times.  Many more times than the Ghosts of Christmas visited Scrooge.  One of those times, as I was crawling back into my warm bed next to my snoring hubby I snorted and thought, "Must be nice to be able to sleep through all this!" But even as I was thinking it...I knew it wasn't true.  I knew that I love being the one they come to in the middle of the night...even though they have to walk all the way around the bed in the dark...and daddy would be easier for them to get to.  I love when they cuddle up on my shoulder and lay their heads down as I take them back to bed.  I love that God has given me a family to serve...even when I'm tired the next day and whine and complain about how many times I had to get up.  I'm grateful for the reminder that I will miss it when they're too big to come share their fears with me (though I pray that never happens!) I'm grateful for the reminder that this is where God has called me...to serve. 

Which reminds me that I settled on a "word" for the year.  Serve. There is much to go along with it and I'm hoping to get a LO done with all my feelings about it very soon.

Ok, I'm off to take a shower...I'm sweaty and nasty after playing Active Life Extreme Challenge on our new Wii...I'm officially addicted.

Top 10 LOs from 2009

(according to me.)  I did this last year (you can see that post here) and had so much fun I wanted to do it again.  So...in no particular order, here are some of my favorite LOs from 2009.

This is a "hanging" LO...the center piece is only connected to the frame on the sides.

Hand cut swirls, bling, soft colors, and a sleeping baby...of course it had to be a favorite.

 

I do like this LO, but I think I love the title more than anything!

I need to rephotograph this one.  I LOVE this LO, but the picture just doesn't do it justice.

The journaling is lyrics from a Stephen Curtis Chapman song called "Tuesday's Child."  (sadly for the song title, Grace was born on a Thursday! lol)

 

The embroidery on this one took FOREVER but once it was done I was glad I stuck with it...I think it was worth it!

yup, he is.

There were a lot more I liked to, but I'll stop there!  :)  Happy Friday!

Wrapping Up

Yup, I've got lots of things to wrap up. 

First off is the last LO I've done (so far!) with the oh so yummy Homemade Treats kit from Color Me Daisy.

I used more of the old pictures I found of Kessa.  The tiny ones were taken on the morning of her 1st birthday!  I can't believe how much she's changed.  The large one was just a few days later. 

I used some Fancy Pants stamps that I got for Christmas to make the butterfly, then I cut it out, brushed it with Star Dust Stickles and popped it up around the "girls" (and of course distressed it, because I can't NOT distress stuff!)

I also used my Stampin Up Hearts punch and Curly Label punch.

Next...it's probably about time for the 3rd (and FINAL!) installment of my "favorite" photos of 2009 by month.  I use the term "favorite" here VERY loosely!  lol

October

November

(hehehe...I just love this one.  Kessa is wearing Zeke's pj's..plus this was at like 10 o'clock one night.  I went in to make sure they were covered up and discovered her in Zeke's bed both snoozin' away.  I LOVE that they're such good friends!)

December

  

(I know you just saw this, but hey, it's one of my faves!)

and...

he's so cute!

and would you believe...the whole month of December and not ONE good picture of Kessa?

Up tomorrow...a final wrap up of 2009 with my Favorite LOs.

Some More Homemade Treats

Some more LOs using the Color Me Daisy Homemade Treats kit.

This LO is sooo different for me.  I really like the pennants...but the rest of it is still up in the air in my opinion.  (I LOVE LOVE LOVE the expression on the bottom right picture though, isn't it just priceless?!  lol)

The Thickers are an add on from a previous month.

and this is my example for my January Challenge to "Beat the Winter Blues."

and I've still got another LO with this kit waiting to be uploaded...however the weather isn't cooperating with me getting a good picture of it!