Life and May Basket

It has been a busy last 2 months.  That seems to be an understatement!!!!
Lots of stress but then along comes a friend who makes my day, week and month!!!!

I belong to a couple online boards.  It is online but many of us have met IRL, some several times.  We try to get as many as possible together once a year.  I am also very lucky that one of the board members live right here in my city and two others live close to my daughters or on the way.

Well, we exchanged May Baskets this year and did the opening online together.  Suzy, whom I got to hang with for a whole day a couple months ago while on the East Coast was my May Basket Buddy.  It was so fun to shop and create for her!!!  But......what she sent me was so exciting and the best gifts ever.   Even with my busy days I am still finding time to create and have all ready started to use many of the things. 


Been wanting this Cricut cart mainly for the font on it.   It is such a cute font!!!!

Also another Cricut Cart and several sets of Close to My Heart Stamps~~ I love to journal and a couple of these are date stamps.  I am so thrilled to get them.  Another adorable one has boarders and  looks like someone stitched it.  Suzy, is a CTMH consultant and was so generous with her product

More wonderful items and kits.  The last picture shows a Little Yellow Bicycle album and a pad of papers with the cute edges all ready to punch out and apply to the acyrlic and chipboard pages.  Love that the edge is there and ready for me to add personal touches.   Thanks Suzy, you have made my day!!!!!

What a great idea!!!

During vacation to Washington DC we spent time with our Air Force Friends and their sweet babies.  Yes, the ones in the pictures.  I learned a lot while there.  Military life takes adjustments and often creative ideas/living.

Here is one I thought was an amazing idea.  A girl our friends know is pregnant with her first child.  Her husband could not be with her when they did the test to find out the sex of the baby.  She came up with the best idea so they could experience this time together.

She had a blue boy item and a pink girl item and a small box in a sack.  She took this with her and had the tech doing the test put the correct item in the box.  She did not look in either the sack or the box until she and her hubby were together.,  How wonderful to be connectd by video phone or skype and find out together!!!!  Or just wait until they were together to discover what they were having.  

Mailboxes for Easter

Mailboxes for Easter

I had made Valentine Mailboxes for my older 4 Grandkids and still had a bunch of mailboxes left.  I thought why not an Easter Mailbox instead of a small Easter Basket from Grandma and Grandpa for my younger 2 Grandkids. 

I cut the base pattern paper to fit the mailbox width wise and then marked the rivet holding the flag on the paper.   A small slit and a hole punch made the perfect shape cut out to fit under the flag rivet. I slid the paper under the rivet and started gluing from there.  The 12 inch paper was 3/4 of an inch to short to go all the way around but I made sure that the opening was in an area where it would be covered by the grass cut out.  I used Aleene's tacky glue and a paint brush to apply the glue to the mailbox, working in sections, starting at the rivet area.  I then  smoothed out the paper with a makeup sponge.





   I decided these needed a bow since they were Easter Mailboxes.  I really liked the look of the bow on these mixed with the pink  braid edging that I have had for years.  

I used Celebrate with a Flourish and just cut it apart to make the scene on the mailbox above.  Added Grass from Plantin Schoolbook and eggs from Doodlecharms and A Child's Year.

This end Grasson this one is cut from Mickey and Friends

and the font on both of these mailboxes if from A Child's Year. 

This scene cut in brown glitter paper  is also from A Child's Life with a few extra eggs from added.  These are going to be filled with chocolate covered peeps that I found while on vacation at THE PEEP STORE.  There is only one store and I was there.  How fun was that!!!

I had so much fun doing this layout.  I love using the 12 by 12 photos.  I order them from our Costco online and in one hour plus the time of the drive they are in my hands. 
Now saying that, when I enlarge them  they are not all ways the greatest photo since the smaller version was not a very good photo.  Which is one of the points of this post. Do not let those poor quality photos stop you!!  Use them!

 For me it is all about the story and the moment in time in which the picture was taken.  I scrap for my Grand kids so they can remember the moments in their lives

Everyone of the pictures on this layout is either of  poor color, poor focus or fast movement that came out blurry.  On the second page I over lapped a picture to cover up a blurry hand.  But there is a story here and I so wanted my Grandson to remember the fun we had.

Of course there is the journaling,  In this case there was a story leading up to these photos.  A lot of shopping and the fact that this is a tie from a second hand store.  A very old wool tie that still had the tags on it.  For some reason he fell in love with this tie and it was his first tie. 

The main green paper was black and white so I inked it with Tim Holtz inks and the sponge applicator to match the tie..  It makes it so easy to do large areas with this tool.

I used Graphically Speaking and Design Studio to lengthen the journaling block on the first page.  Still learning this fun program for my Cricut and I must give most of the credit for anything I know about DS to Megan.

Graphically Speaking and Going Places were  used  for the arrows.
Going Places cart, which is a fav of mine was used for the little guy and the camera.  The tie on the little guy was hand cut and added.

Lyrical Letters and my old stand by Plaintain Schoolbook was used for the lettering.

This was a fun story to tell and such a fun layout to do even with the less than perfect photos.  Having fun and recording memories is why I love this hobby so much!!!

I having been waitting for this!!!!!

I have been praying for these babies for so long!!!!!  I have prayed for their Mommy and Daddy  for even longer!!!!
And now............  I am here!!!!

These  sweet babies were 2 lbs 13 oz and 3lbs 9 oz when they were born!!!!!!!and now they are 16 and 17 lbs.  What a difference 9 months makes.

I have been playing with them all day.  They both can
crawl and make constant baby sounds.  Big boy makes a whole lot of noise!!!!  Sweet girl is pulling up and laughing out loud.  
Mommy and Daddy wanted to know if there was anything we wanted to do while we are here?  Yes, just hang with these sweet miracle babies!!  
I had to use a picture of the babies with one set of their very proud Grandparents.  Pictures of us with them to come!!!!!

I Cried Yesterday

The mail lady rang my bell yesterday and there was a package from my youngest Grand kids.
 I went up the end of Jan. to babysit them while my Son in law took my daughter away for her birthday.  The kids and I had so much fun going to the library, Mickey Ds, a jumpy place, making cupcakes, cookies, shopping for Mommy's B day presents.  They out did themselves getting mulit colored ear rings, a bright pink bracelets and a glittery key chain.  Aw, the things a 6 year old and a 3 year old pick out are pretty funny.  Now of course Mommy has to wear these things.  Like I told her, suck it up, I did not let them buy the bright pink and orange watch!!!!

When I opened the box this is what I found!

That in itself is so sweet but this book was so cool.  Let me say that the ringtone  on my cell phone is my 3 year old grand daughter's voice singing me " You Are My Sunshine"  I love baby voices and little kids voices.  The way they say things are so cute.  I know some day they will grow up and those voices will be gone forever!!!


SOOOOOOOO

 You see the white case along the bottom of the right hand side.  That is a recorder and their voices are recorded on every page.   The oldest one talks then reads the page, the youngest one talks and then makes the sound of the animals on the left page.  Cute,  I mean so cute!!! 

I so wish you could all hear their voices.  I had no idea it would do this when I opened it so it was a surprise!!!
 And then I cried!!!!  Tears of Joy and tears for how proud I am of my daughters and the way they think of other people, including their Mom and Dad!!!  Also for how they are teaching their children  to value other people.  Yes, I am one proud Mom and Grandmother. 

So today I will listen to this sweet book again.
 And tomorrow,
and the day after!!!!!!   and................

Fun Disney layout

 Maybe I should rename this blog, Disney.  It seems like I have been doing Disney layouts forever but I love how this one turned out.

 Used a combo of several of my favorite things, like brads and the little letters. Love my brads and all ways looking for more.   Doodled with Creative Memory pens is another fun thing I like to do but do not do it often enough.  I cut the rings and arrows on the Circut which is at the top of my fav list.  Then glitter paper.  This is not my fav glitter paper but there is some new glitter paper coming out by American Crafts that I so want to try when I find it.  From a friend Joy, she says  "it cuts like butter" on the Cricut since it looks like glitter but is smooth to the touch.



The second page has the story done on my computer.  Simple block style since I wanted the circles and arrows to be the photo accents.  
Sorry the cropping is not better on this~~  but you get the idea.  Have a great day!!!

POO POO and Retirement

A couple days ago I posted  one of the layouts I did, called "Disney Magic." I told you that the orange paper on the layout was made from elephant dung!! 

Well, last night was my hubbies last night at work.  He is now retired.  One of his gifts was a notebox and note papers made by the Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company.  Yep, you guessed it.  Made by a different company but made of the same stuff.  I was laughing so hard.
 Seems to be a lot of Poo Poo going around this last week.  I wonder if that is a sign of things to come????????????

http://www.eclecticgallery.net/poo_poo_paper.htm

http://www.poopoopaper.com/

Just in case there is anyone out there who needs some of this, I have included a link.  I am snagging these note cards for my scrappy stuff!!!

Disney Again

This layout is simple but uses several carts!!

 

First I used the Martha Stewart's Joy punch for the side of the photo mat. I seem to collect punches like I do Cricut carts.  If I do not have enough I go  my friend, Megan's house to use hers.

I cut the circle, the scalloped edge and the leaf using Accent Essentials

 The word Joy was cut using Stone Script and welded together with Cricut Design Studio

 The word total was cut using one of my favorite carts, Plantian Schoolbook.

 

 

 Photos of my oldest Grand Daughter and her friend were taken at Pixie Hollow in Disneyland on her 16th Birthday.

 The girls really were excited to see this attraction for the first time even with the long wait in line!!

Love to do journaling in stripes!!!

Looking Back With Love

Today I was looking at the layouts I have created over the years.  Since it is Valentines Day I thought what a great way to spend a few moments. ( or with my amount of scrapbooks an hour)  This layout was created 2 years ago and is very simple but I still love it as it says so much to me and tells the story of a Great Love.

This is my Mother who died 3 years ago with her only great grandson. I had all girls so my Grandson is the only boy in the family. My Mother had only 2 children me and my brother. My brother died when he was in college in a diving accident. This is my fav photo of her and Drew, my Grandson.
 I have had it for a long time and he has one in his room now.  It was what he wanted from her house when he came after she died. He was 9 when she died and the fact that he went to this picture and ask for it touched me so much.   This is for his book. I just wanted him to know and remember how special he was to her. She really loved us all but Drew completed her life again.

Since my Mother's death, I now have 2 Grandsons.  My oldest Daughter remarried after all these years and I got a Grandson and a Grand Daughter.  It is good to be a Grand Mother.

Have a Wonderful Valentines Day everyone.

A Valetines Card Or ?????

Found this paper in a bargin bin at Beverly's.  Twenty cents.  I loved the clouds and knew it would make a cute card.  I love clouds and popping them up.

Running though my mind was the thought that pinks clouds would cheer you up.  Forget the silver linning in every cloud, give me a pink linning.  This paper is call Candy clouds from Recollections. Candy and Pink what more does one need to brighten their day!!!!

Now you so could use this for a Vday card too with the sentiment of  " Stopping by to ask you to be my Valentine"

The punch is Martha Stewart and the ribbon was a 99 cent bargin spool.

I have enough paper left to make a couple more!!!

Valentine Mailbox

I have so many of these mail boxes. Not decorated, of course.   I sent these to my  four oldest grandkids.  Now I have to figure out what to do with the rest of these.  Maybe Easter gifts for the younger 2.  Hey, candy is candy!!!!!

Thanks to Christina and her Creations with Christina blog for the instructions and design for this.

I love the ribbon that I used to cover the edges of the base.  The hearts are glittered and so pretty.  Went back and got the rest she had when our LSS closed. 

Now to make a Valentine card for hubby since he is working on Vday we are celebrating on the 13th. 

Have a Great Valentines Day!

Chip or Dale

I love this paper!  It  has a metalic shine to it and is from Reminisce.  So easy and fast to work with.  The title asks the old question of who is who in the chipmunk world.

I used Design Studio and Mickey and Friends for the bottom boarder on this.  I have had DS for a long time and have done very little with it.  I have decided this is the year I will learn!!!!!!!  Thank goodness my friend Megan knows it well and does it so fast.  She is only a phone call away!! Just getting the layers to fit took me 2 hours and lots of questions to the Night Owls on our thread.  I shaded the acorn tops with a Zig marker from my friend Pam.
For the title I went back to one of my first carts, Printing 101 and then did some pen work on them.
Now for the answer to who is who.  This is Dale.  How do I know?  It is all in the way his teeth are spaced!!

Disney Magic

I love when Disney Photographers but the little extras in the pictures.  Like Tinkerbell in my youngest Grand Daughters Hand.  I still have tons of Disney pics left to do!!! 

 This paper had lot of fun colors on it that I decided to pull some of them out with the circles along the bottom.  The glitter title is from Cricut Hello Kitty Font cart and the shape on the top left and lower right is cut from Storybook.  I needed a place for the small photo to rest so I came up with the lower right block. 

Now the odd part about this page is that the peach textured paper is made in Africa and was sold at the Scrapbook Expo a few years back.  It is made from elephant dung.  Yep, that is what I said.  I thought the guys was crazy but it is great looking (and it does not smell)  I promise. He also said it was helping the African people by providing work for them.   I am not to sure about that but I will go with it.   It is hard to get any tape to stick to it so I had to use glue.

I need to work on some other theme besides Disney!!!  My pictures have been restored to my new laptop from the old one.  Thank you Office Depot and Devon!  So now I need to work on ordering a bunch of them.

Meeting The Mouse Put A New Spin On Screamin' Mickey

I decided to do a Disneyland layout for the debut of our Cricut World Blog since Disney layouts seem to be what I have spent most of the last year scrapping.  We love to take the grand kids to Disneyland and since we live close we do it a couple times a year.  Now if you look at the top  picture you can see that the littlest one is not going to look at Mickey BUT in the lower one she is all out screaming!!!  She wants nothing to do with the mouse and is letting everyone know it!!!!!!!

The old style news reel Disney papers of from Creating Keepsakes.  They are old papers but I found the sand colored one at Tuesday Morning a few months back.   The white version of it is my last scrap of it! :(  

 I have had it for years and now I have used every bit of it. I will miss that paper.

I used Cricut Mickey and Friends cart to make the thumbs down, the word Mickey and the white Mickey hand in the upper left.  Boys will be Boys cart was used for the arrow pointing to her screaming.  One of my favorite carts Lyrical Letters was used to cut out the rest of the words.  The Loop Dee Loo key for the "screamin" and the word "on" and the Jumbo key for all the rest of the words. This cart has such different types fonts on it that work for so many different styles.

 The tag "Meeting The Mouse" is  from Creative Imaginations.  The Mickey Head is a paint chip someone gave me from Home Depot.  I just trimmed it down so that some of the cream background still showed. 



Hand turned upside down to become a thumbs down.

I love to date my layouts of when the pictures were taken.  Years from now as the grand kids look over their books the date will be important.  I usually journal but this title with the pictures said all there was to say.

  Don't forget to go over to Cricut World and check out what my friends have created also.  You can find the button on the right.

Thank You Pam

My friend Pam from the Night Owl Thread gave me lots of goodies when we got together in Colorado.  I have put many of the goodies to good use.  She gave me this precut sheet with Grandma all ready cut out.  She also gave me a set of pens that I used to doodle around the cut out.  This was fun to work with.  One because I had not done something like this before and the other because it used a lot of those Disney photos I still have.   Plus some older supplies that I have gathered over the years.  

The letters are a combination from Scenic Route (which I have a lot of).  Love them and have them in many colors.  Used K and Company for the word Karli (of which I have brought several sets) 

The tag and arrow grouping was a combo of some of my fav accents including the plastic Mickey head and cloth tag .  I cut the heart from vellum using my cricut and added brads from Around The Block and Queen and Company.  Love those arrow brads from Around the Block. 

Thanks Pam for the fun goodies to play with!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Scraplifing

Sometimes you find the perfect layout for pictures that you have!!  This was the case for these cruise pictures I had of my oldest Grand Daughter.  She went on a cruise with my youngest Daughter as a babysitter for their 2 children.  My oldest Grand Daughter loved cruising and all the fun things they got to do thanks to the add on excursions.

Megan, a friend of mine let me borrow  a Creating Keepsakes magazine July/August of 2010 that I was looking at when we had a scrap day together.  It had the perfect layout on page 47 by Gretchen McElveen.  So I scraplifted it.  Of course the papers are different but it is a total scraplift.  I loved how she popped the clouds and for me popping one of the photos worked too.   These are older papers.  Which I have a lot of older papers being the collector I am.

The cruise lesson 101 journaling is what I came up with after talking to my Grand Daughter.  Her goal is to go on more cruises after experiencing this one!!!

I have done so many layouts of this cruise that I was not on.  Thank goodness my Daughter takes lot of pictures.  

 The little inchies are from a swap that Megan hosted.  I was not in it but as the hostess of the swap she got doubles so she shared with me.  Thank you Night Owl group and Megan.

Cricut World Goes Live

Today is the day that Cricut World goes live.  We are a group of friends who have a love for our Cricuts and want to share this love and the projects we create with others.  Click on the button to the right and find out what they are sharing today!! 

Just Hanging Out

Today was a day just to relax and hang out with my friend Megan and some cute little guys. 
We say we  hang out to scrap but mostly we just solve the World's Problems and catch up on what has been going on.
Since Megan went to CHA (Craft and Hobby Association)  there were a lot of fun things to share and look at.  There are some awful cute lines of paper and embellishments that are coming out soon.  Of course, each catalog had great ideas and pics of layouts and cards.  So many ideas and so little time.

Then there were these cute guys and school to go to plus a " before lunch" play time at the park. 
Perfect sunny day here and warm temps so the park was a great idea.  We are so lucky we live here and not the snowy freezing parts of the country!!!!  I look at pictures of what is happening to the other areas and think how do people do it.   Shoveling snow off of roofs ( had never heard of that until a couple of weeks ago), cars that slid around on the streets and do not stop when the brake is applied, layers and layers of clothes just to keep warm.  I can not imagine what it is really like.

While the boys were suppose to be napping we were going to make cards and get ready for uploading the projects for the Cricut World blog that debuts tomorrow.  Naps did not work out as planned but we (or I should say Megan) found time to work on my blog and turn it into something a lot nicer.  Now the comment section has been changed so you can leave a reply to a comment not just the blog itself.   And you can be notified when someone answers you.  The over all look is much better.  Sort of looks like I know what I am doing.  Do Not Be Fooled!  It was Megan not me.

There is now a link to Cricut World and Megan's blog with more links to follow.  

Tomorrow is the launch of Cricut World blog.  You can find the button on the right.   We hope you find inspiration and ideas!!!   New projects will go up over the next several days!!!!

Home at last

My time with my little ladies is over for a while. All the hugs and bye Grandma made me a little sad to leave. We had so much fun but I so enjoyed a full nights sleep and waking up 9 hours later totally rested. Hey, a Grandmother needs to sleep too. Then I grabbed my coffee and sat down to my lappy.

It was a good morning!!!! Then my lappy gave me the screen of darkness. It would not open Windows no matter what I did. Morning NOT so good now. :(

I talk to my friends online with this, view their projects, get my news, emails and write letters that go snail mail. PLUS there are things to be discovered on the Web especially since CHA had just happened. So there were blogs to catch up on and scrappy goodness to discover. BUT no my Windows ( pun intended) to the world would not open.

I packed up my lappy and took it to the first place I could think of. They said $69 to look at it and it was a software or hard drive problem so it could be another $200 to $400 to fix it and 5 to 7 working days. Then I ask about a new lappy since the other was 4 years old. With the answer, " that is what I would do" I headed off. The first one was perfect, wide screen. a name I knew and half the price this one had been 4 years ago. More memory, more rams, I was sold. WRITE ME UP. But none in stock or out to be delivered. The next machine was $400 more. Was told keep calling next week and maybe they will be in. Save me one? No, just keep calling. Nope not a good plan. Not happy. So I pack my old lappy up and head to another store.

Office Depot, Devon, the tech plugged it in and said it was the processor since it gots so far into opening and then went to the black screen. We talk, I could get a new lappy that was so much faster. And guess what, the same one I looked at before at the other store, same price, and in stock!!! I was sold but now my pics and favs are on one and it is not this one. :(

Devon told me about a $10 part that I could order, where to get it and exactly what it was. I am not the world's best at this knowledge, far far from it. When it arrives he will transfer my data for me. YEA!!! Why?? Because I never backed up my pics or sent them to a pic ordering place. I was going to do it but for a year I had not. I was busy playing catch up with the other 500 pics I ordered to scrap. I will not make that mistake again!!!!!!!!!!! Another YEA, is I have 100s and 100s of fav places saved. I need them.

Now, I need to spend the day loading my program, Family Tree Maker and Cricut Design Studio!! Lets hope this goes well!!!!

Hanging Out with my Youngest little Peeps

I am a Grandmother of 6. Ranging from 3 to 17. Four Girls and two Boys. Thank goodness for the boys as I raised 2 girls. Boys are different for me but they are oh so fun. I even potty trained one (not a grandson) but forgot to do it with him standing!!! But since he is now a full grown man I am sure he would just as soon have me go back to the real reason I am posting.

I am up north watching my 2 youngest sweet Grand Daughters while Daddy takes Mommy to Vegas for her B-day. I will be a nice Mommy and not tell you which B-day it is.

Now don't they look like Angels?

So, the girls and I have been to Mickey Ds for dinner and had ice cream for breakfast. Spent hours at Funky Monkey, a pizza place with lots of games for little kids. Spent major money on tokens there. Then since you never have enough for the prize they want, I just bought the prize. We have been to the library, park and toy store on the first day I got here. We baked blueberry muffins and made chicken soup, they liked making the soup but neither of them would eat it!!! Even after I told them it was their Mom's fav as a little girl. I pull that trick a lot and sometimes it works but not this time. So that wraps up the first 3 days.

Tomorrow we are going to make cupcakes for a little party the 2 girls are having for Mom when she gets home. They even went shopping for her. I sure hope she likes that Zebra coin purse, multi colored jewel hoop ear rings with matching necklace and the bright pink wood necklace they got her. Oh, yes and the Tinkerbell sunglasses. She is going to have to wear them out of the house a few times. I am sure she well thank me!!!!

They have been busy coloring pictures for her and hanging them on the wall in the kitchen. The oldest one was not sure Mom would want tape on her wall?!@# I am still cleaning the tape off the inside of the closet in her room from when she was a teenager, years ago. Hum, just want to share the fun. But I know where there is extra paint.

We have been having a great time and Monday they both go to school and preschool. So since I have been a very good Grandmother and Mother I am going to take myself shopping for a few new tops since they have a much larger mall here. Maybe even a new pair of shoes. Yes, I have been a very good Grandmother. Just ask my little ones.

Another Project Completed

This layout is about DDs and SILs cruise they went on in 2009. I am finally done with all the pictures. Geez, does that tell you how far behind I am in being caught up. But then if I was caught up what would I do???? Maybe my wedding pictures. Good plan since that was 42 years ago. This is the year, I promise!!! As soon as I get all the Disney trips scrapped!

This is where I play!!!

This is where I spend a lot of time playing with my scrappy goodies. It connects to another room where my hubby has his laptop and TV. Oh and a daybed which I find him using often. I love this room and the fact that I can have a layout in progress and never have to put it away. Also having hubby in the adjoining room means I never have to feel bad about spending so much time in here.

Now this room was cleaned for the photo. It seldom looks like this. In fact it often looks like a group of 6 years olds have used it for a playground.

My girl friend who is visiting from the East Coast and I have spent a lot of time creating while she is here. Feels like old times again!!!!!!!!!

Shopping and Scrapping

Yesterday my Friend from the East Coast and I spent the day scrapping. Well, we really spent 3 hours at Michael's as she has no stores by her small town. Then we really did scrap. Two pages done and working on another.

We use to scrap together years ago before she moved. She was my partner in crime for shopping too. Maybe I can blame all the stash I have on her. Well, maybe 50% of it!!!! The rest I think I will blame on Megan!

She has the baby bug and got it when it first came out. Now she's in LOVE with the E. Humm, I see a present being ask for. Valentines Day might need to get here faster.

Off to enjoy another day of scrapping and dinner out tonight!!!

Friends

Just catching up on the news with friends. Lots of talking and plans being made. Looks like we age going to be having so much fun. I love showing people around our area.

Today is a very happy day.

I set up a BLOG, which is a big adventure for me.
And best of all one of my best friends is coming for 2 weeks. We used to see each other all most everyday for years and then she moved away. She not only moved away but she moved clear across the US.

She is a scrapper too. We started together years ago, scrapping and shopping. You know shopping is a important part of any scrappers life. I am sure we will partake in a little shopping.

Cooking was a big part of our time together too, so I know we will do a little of that. It is another
one of my LOVE TO DO things.

Now to finish cleaning the house so I can spend the next 2 weeks playing!!!!!!!!!!