Wednesday, July 30, 2008

you want me to do what??


These pictures of my nephew on his 1st birthday cracked me up! And the fun and cheerful Quick Quotes Bumble Bugs line from Allyscraps was perfect!

Journaling:
Name: Nathan
Age: 1 year old!
It seemed like Nathan just couldn’t quite believe that he was actually supposed to dig into his birthday cake!
Date: 3-8-08

Be sure to pop over to the Allyscraps forum to check out the countdown challenge I posted there! Enter a page, and get your name in a drawing for a $10 gift certificate prize!

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

the best nap (is a car nap)


Another from the Scapperie's July kit! I loved this photo of Tyler who had fallen asleep in the car - it's the only time he still naps! I desaturated and lightend the background, and typed the journaling right on the photo before printing.

Journaling:
You might have “officially” given up naps long ago, but there is still one thing that is sure to put you to sleep: a mid-afternoon car ride that is over 20 minutes long. First the eyes glaze over. Then the thumb slowly drops from the mouth down into your lap, as your head lulls to the side. That’s it – you’re out like a light! Sleep tight, my little one.

the best friend I've never met



This is a page I've been planning to do for a while, was just waiting for the right papers to inspire me. The July Scrapperie kit was perfect! It's about a very dear online friend of mine, and how our friendship has grown through our email pen-palling for the past couple of years. We are making plans to finally meet in person this October and I just can't wait!

Journaling:
It started out over two years ago as one of several casual acquaintances on an online scrapbooking forum where we were both regulars. One day we started to exchange email, mostly about submitting layouts for publication, as we were both just starting to venture down that road. Through our first few messages, we learned that we had a great deal in common. We are both originally Midwest girls, born and raised in Ohio, although you have settled into the Pacific Northwest while I am now firmly entrenched in the Pittsburgh area. We are both married to Marks. We both have one brother – named Scott! And of course, we are both passionate about our common hobby.

Our friendship has grown into something very special through our at-least-weekly exchange of “d-mails” and “j-mails” - our own lingo for the emails that have allowed us to share in each others lives, both the exciting and the mundane, the happy and the sad, the ups and the downs. I am anxious for our plans to finally meet, face-to-face, this fall when you return to your hometown for a visit. But until then, my dear friend Joodie, you will continue to be the best friend I’ve never met.

Friday, July 18, 2008

a house full of boys


I used Cosmo Crickets "Get Happy" line from Allyscraps - it was perfect for these pics from our recent outing to a monster truck jam!

Journaling:
I don’t really consider myself a girlie-girl, but still, I’m a little bit out of my element at a monster truck jam. The exhaust fumes, the noise, the dust, the huge car-crushing trucks... definitely entertainment for the three men in my life. I’m not sure I would have picked it, but I have to admit – it was kind of fun for me, too!

I love the cute little Maya Road ticket stamp! I also used a stamp from this border set by Kelly Panacci.

You can check out the Allyscraps Blog for a post I did based on this page, about getting lots of pictures on a layout!

Thursday, July 10, 2008

ka-boom!

I love the new Scenic Route line, Liberty! I created this page with my goodies from Allyscraps, and also made a sketch that you can check out in the Allyscraps sketch gallery.

Journaling:
We always look forward to fireworks night at the Pirate’s game, but Ryan wishes that the bombs bursting in air weren’t quite so loud! 5.18.07

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

through the years - and a "guest appearance"!


I don't do a lot of girlie pages, but this My Mind's Eye My Sunshine from Allyscraps was just perfect for a page of my friend Christie and I!

Now, here's what was really fun! Christie - a digital scrapper - scrapped the same picture while I was working on my page. We did our pages independently, and neither of us saw the other one's page until we were finished with our own. It's startling how similar they are - the journaling on each page echos the other, and the photo is even placed in almost the same position on the page!

My journaling:
When we originally met over seven years ago, I just knew we must have lots of things in common! One of the first things that we learned about one another was that we became first-time moms on the very same day: January 9, 2001! We were both stay-at-home moms, we both enrolled our 3-month-olds in a Gymboree class, and we both dabbled in photography. Two years later, we experienced most of our second pregnancies together and gave birth the second time less than two months apart.

Through the years it’s become apparent that we do, indeed, have a lot in common; and also a lot of areas in which we are very different. Our political views are usually pretty far apart. You are very impulsive and like to fly by the seat of your pants, while I favor having plans firmly in place over spontaneity. I am a homebody, while you always seem to be on the go, out and about. I am a traditional scrapper who wants to feel the paper and glue, while you have left your paper trimmer and tape runner behind for digital scrapping.

Still, there are always enough commonalities to draw us together and yet enough differences to keep things interesting. I look forward to many more years of cultivating this friendship, of watching our kids grow up together, of laughing and having fun and debating and disagreeing and enjoying each other thoroughly, all the while – just occasionally – driving each other a little bit nuts! Christie, I expect this friendship to stand the test of time, to truly last through the years.


Christie's page (digital credits: DSAG's CREME DE LA CREME; Katie Pertiet's AUDUBON #1):


Christie's Journaling:
Ours is an unlikely friendship, at best. We are two distinctly different people. You are quite a conservative lady who likes to keep to a scheduled routine. While I, on the other hand, am fairly liberal who likes a life of spontaneity, often shooting from the hip. But, somehow we've been able to cultivate a friendship despite these differences. I am so thankful to have found a friend who is able to embrace the value of being different. You are someone I can count on to debate issues with fervor, shake your head with bemusement, and come back for more. You are a friend. A worthy adversary. A Blessing.

Monday, July 7, 2008

caught in the act - July Scrapbook Trends!

I can re-post this now that the issue is out! This is one of my all-time favorite pages, featuring American Crafts Metropolitan papers and AC chipboard Thickers title letters. I printed the journaling and the middle portion of the title directly on the cardstock, and then hid the seam behind the photo block. I did this page a few months ago for Allyscraps, along with the sketch below.

Journaling:
What a lucky shot. I was in position, ready to snap a picture of you and Ryan on the Dino-Soar ride at Idlewild. Little did I know that I would catch you in the act of giving your big brother a – shall we say – “love pat” on the back of his head! It’s a little bit hard to deny when we have it captured in a photo. Ryan didn’t really seem to mind though, and I’m sure he has been on the giving end his fair share of times. I guess this is just part of the joy of boys.

Here is the sketch:

Friday, July 4, 2008

some fun news to share!

It's been a busy week, getting ready for Tyler's 5th birthday (which was yesterday, but the super-big-all-out-bash is tomorrow... we are crossing fingers for good weather!), so I haven't had a chance to post about it yet. But, I am so excited to have been selected to the new team of Tres Chic Girls over at The Scrapperie! Sandi puts together some great kits, and I'm so impressed with the talent of the other gals on the team - I'm truly honored to be in such great company!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

boys gone wild


This was for a challenge at the Scrapperie to use at least 5 embellishments. Lessee... I have chipboard letters, die cut letters, letter stickers, brads, photo turns, ink, stamping, chipboard word, sticker phrase, and rub-ons. I think I have it covered! LOL!

Love this Basic Grey Archaic for boy pages!

Journaling:
Ryan, Tyler & Jacob got pretty wild at the museum of Natural History! What animals! 12-28-07

rockets red glare


The July Scrapdango kit was a perfect match to these pictures of the boys shooting off the model rockets they made at the cub scout end-of-year picnic. I painted the rocket chipboard that came with the kit, and added the vinyl thickers on top.

Journaling:
321 Blast off! The boys had a blast - literally - at the cub scout picnic, launching their model rockets and then chasing them down. 6.13.08

our soccer superstar

The red and the "star" theme in Scrapdango's July kit featuring Inque Boutique papers went great with Ryan's soccer pics from last year! I used selective coloring on the focal point photo to really make the red pop.

Journaling:
The fall 2007 soccer season was your second time to play. What a big improvement from the first year! The coach – whose name was also Ryan – was great at working with you and the other kids. Each time you play, you will get a little bit better at it! No matter what, we are always proud to see you trying hard and doing your best. You are my #1 soccer champ!