i spy

Sweet Baby KOTM

I love my job! We all know that I LOVE to scrapbook, and that I think assignments are a great way to grow and to finish projects. Sometimes I am asked to produce a page that causes me to think outside the box. And other times, I get the chance to do something I have been wanting to do for a really long time, but have found other distractions (housework, laundry, cooking - teehee!) that keep me from starting/finishing. So when the new Lisa Bearnson KOTM came in the mail, i took the opportunity to finally put a book together for Lavender. I am hoping to find an SEI landscape album to put it in as it is 11x8.5. Yesterday I opened each of the prepackaged pages and got the basic pages trimmed and  assembled. Then I began finding pictures, sizing and printing them, and then adding the journaling. Here is my island this morning.

The Kit comes with preplanned pages. They have these great journaling cards that help you remember and record all sorts of fun details. Here is page 1, pages 2-3, and pages 4-5 (which i actually separated into two two pages spreads, one for family tree, one for the story of us).

The next few sets are for pregnancy memories, baby shower thoughts and lists, coming home, and my first few days. By pre-assembling the pages, I just have to add the photos, and the journaling. Fantastic time saver.

  

I am so happy to have this book nearing completion. I am also excited as the kit included divided page protectors and a time capsule journaling cards set. More things to work into the book once these first pages are done!

If you go to Becky Higgins' blog you can see the whole kit and the pages that she did. Then go to Elizbeth Kartchner's blog. She has some great examples showing the page protectors and the envelopes that come in the kit. Maggie Holmes also shows how to use the page protectors. I love this layout. The squares, ribbon, and photo corners are also in the kit. And last, but in no way least, Mandy Douglass, this year's SOY (and my friend!) shows her version. It is fun to see her 8.5x11 versus my 11x8.5. Such a difference a little perspective makes! (That and she is much braver than I am to post brand new mom pictures online!! I don't allow any photos until the hair is done and makeup on. I'm vain. And not nearly as cute as Mandy! She looks awesome in her gown!! teehee.)

I hope you have as much fun with this kit as I did! And I am posting my unfinshed pages both so you can see and so I can be help accountable for finishing them!!

Happy Monday Family Fun Night!

Marnie

remember how i said i was behind???

remember that stack of undone layouts? well, i finished two of them! hooray for me. trouble is, i really don't like one of them, so well, looks like i might have to redo it. for now, though, hooray for two less layouts on the pile!

a sneak peek...

how about this sweet set of siblings? I feel sad for their parents that their children are not cuter. I mean, seriously... :o) i know you will wonder, so i will tell you that the hats and outerwear are from Janie and Jack. Their mom has amazing taste and is an awesome fun mom! enjoy!

 

reality check

welcome to autumn. my favorite time of the year. the colors. the crisp air. the chilly nights and sunny days. love it all. and the apples. yummy yummy apples.

so here is what we have been doing...

july - finished a giant project that took the help of both my siblings. you can see it in an upcoming special issue that comes out in January. Very excited for this one. My first digital project. It was a HUGE learning curve, but the finished project about made me cry. Though i cry easily. (don't want you to get your hopes too far up!)

aug highlights -
~ taught at my first ckc. it was an absolute riot. we had fun. we danced. we sang. we scrapped. it was perfect. and being that we like to travel as a family, we also ate good food, rode some thirlling rides at Carowinds, and spent the eight hour drive home cleaning up barfy and buying new clothes and diapers as we ran out of each. 7 times? 17 times? i have totally and completely blocked out the number of barfing episodes. suffice it to say that our travel time was actually 12.5 hours. yes, more than half again as much as estimated. sigh... but back to ckc, it was AWESOME!
~ had the cousins for a visit. rioutous times had by all. i adore my cousin and her sweet family. our boys are two peas in a pod. i'll find a picture.
~ school started. mom's favorite time of the year. School starting is my january--filled with resolutions, renewal, and new clothes and shoes. love everything that school starting represents.

So far in September we have painted and redecorate two rooms, and have nearly completed the third. We have picked Honeycrisp apples twice. Tried Three Apple Crisp Recipes, and one Apple Brown Betty. We began gymanstics and ballet. We have been to a pig roast, the water slide, and the park. We HAve worn short sleeves, long sleeves, shorts, capris, and jeans. Tomorrow is supposed to be chilly and i am hoping to get down the ultimate green hoody from Ruehl. Oh, I have missed you, favotie hoodie of mine. (Can you tell i am not sure whilch hoodie spelling i prefer? teehee!)

last, but not least, becase we are mostly about all things paper, glue, and scissors, i will tell you taht i have cleaned the studio and have made a stack of half finished layouts. it looks like this...

apparently this is where i will be spending my next few days...

oh, and I am headed to the sweetwater house next weekend. there are still a few openings. i am desperately trying to convince my sweet Va-lair-ee-a that she MUST come and bring her favorite friend, Mindy. (see how nice I am to wholly recognize my place as second fiddle--don't you think that deserves a visit and a scrapbooking weekend with friends?!) cross your fingers and leave her a comment about how important it is that she attend. A prize will be given for a random helper. Please, help me convince her to come. Better yet, you sign up too and then sell yourself as part of the reason she should come! Candice is coming too and she is about the sweetest woman you could meet. I promise we are going to have sooo much fun. Come and join us! Now don't forget to leave your convincing Valerie comments!

a demain!