Happy Kids!

Well, we've (okay, I) been so busy the last few weeks. But, we been able to do some fun things. Like, last weekend, we got to have Lisa's kids sleep over while they celebrated their anniversary. It was super fun- the older kids played and the baby slept! Although, we know we don't want more than 2, and got to be reminded of that when Terry tried to bathe the 3 older ones after they had been running in the sprinkler and playing in the mud and I was feeding the baby and couldn't stop to help. Yikes!

Then, we had Jake's last soccer game, (and the best part) was FOUR HOUR naps from both kids!! Yahoooo!! We ended the day by going to the local water park for a few hours. The rest of the weekend was not as much fun thanks to Emma becoming pretty constipated. She even ran a low grade fever but the worst was no sleep. I mean, she LOVES to sleep- 2 to 3 hour naps daily plus 11-12 hours at night. So, no sleep for her is REALLY bad for us.

Anyway, here are some pics of the kids...

Enjoy!

Kristin

Photo Freedom (at least part 1)

Alrighty, so this is the beginning of me talking a bit about Stacy Julian... which is good b/c on her blog, Altogether too Happy (also on sidebar to the right), this week she is discussing Photo Freedom (her idea AND her book). So, I have been watching a scrapbook show called Scrapbook Memories for awhile. Stacy Julian (SJ) has been featured on it and I started looking into her ideas a bit more b/c she really LOVES to share her memories. She has several boys and just adopted a little girl. She seemed to be really organized (always a plus in my book), and also presenting mini-scrapbooks and ideas in a great way. So, I started looking around her website, Big Picture Scrapbooking. Then, I subscribed to the feed on her blog. I finally bought her PF book in April.

Photo Freedom is a completely different way of THINKING about scrapping. I think all of my friends scrap chronologically. That is the way I have always done it. I started scrapping in 2000 and started with Terry & I when we met (I really scrapped in jr. high and high school, but didn't realize it) until the present. I took forever to do a page, had lots of photos, etc. Then, all of a sudden (in 2003, ha!) I was pregnant. I wanted to scrap that and do the baby book. Well, when Emma was born in late 2006, Jake was exactly 6 WEEKS old in his scrapbook!! I always felt behind and hands tied.

I also did NOT have a good scrap space in our old house (my stuff stayed in tubs and I had to use the dining room table- put stuff out -- 1 hour, scrap - 1 to 2 hours, put stuff away-- 1/2 hour).

So, I got lucky in this house with a dedicated scrap space and actually am caught up now in Jake and Emma's books. But, NOT in ours (ours chronologically ended with the pregnancy). I did not want to scrap those same events again, but want to have layouts of the kids when little. However, the books I am doing for them are theirs to take away.

Enter, PF... so, throw OUT the idea of chrono scrapping. You organize your pics completely differently (I am NOT sure what I can and can't put on the blog, so don't want to get in trouble!). There are subcategories and pics are selected by who's in it, maybe the colors they are wearing, but NOT by date. You essentially organize your pics (NOT all of them, only the best and ones you want to scrap) and then when you see something that inspires you- that is what you scrapbook! Just put the layout in your album (any order!) and do the next one. It takes A LOT of time to get your pics organized, but it has been really worth it (and I am still in the process).

The best thing is that SJ encourages you to take what works for you from her idea and make it work for you. One way I make it work for me? She wants all the pics printed and put in photo albums or special drawers until ready for scrapping. I bought a dedicated hard drive for saving our pics (in case the computer crashes), but it's "roomy" enough that I can create my folders in that hard drive and copy and paste the photos I want.

The hardest thing? Definitely getting my mind around not chrono scrapping!! I'll admit, the kids' albums will still be done chronologically and event oriented (christmas, easter, class pic), but ours will be PF all the way!

Enjoy!
Kristin

boy scrapbook pages...

Happy (almost) Memorial Day everyone!

I finally uploaded some pics this morning and realized I had taken some pics of Jake's recent scrapbook pages. I no longer feel like I have to "catch up" on anyone's book, whoohoo!! I plan on working on his Christmas 2007 pages this weekend and then the Disney pics I'll do AFTER I go to the Great American Scrapbook Convention next week here in Arlington (I'm going to a Disney class). Then, I can put that book downstairs with the others and keep up with his and Emma's as different events happen (I've already done all the lo's in the current book for him except soccer- it just finished yesterday- praise God!). Soccer for 4 yo is not a fun experience... at least for ours. Jake is WAY smaller than other kids so he doesn't run as fast, nor does he have an aggressive personality. Plus, our coach was there may 50% of the time and never had control of the kids, so NO fun for anyone. We're doing swim lessons this summer and MAYBE t-ball in the fall. If that is also not fun, then nothing for us till he says, "I want to do (fill in the blank)".

So, here's his October/Pumpkin/Halloween lo (sorry for the glare)...

... some of these supplies are thanks to my friend, Jaime (she has TWO boys!)... she got me some denim looking paper at Joann's and then gave me those 2 metal frames (that are kinda like brads). I crumpled up the paper and smoothed it out a bit, then used CTMH daisy white ink and lightly rubbed it over the paper and blended it. I think it looks pretty cool and rugged... I also used Cricut Paper Dolls for the "horn o' plenty" and used watercolors to color the fruit. I like sanding his picture edges sometimes, looks more boyish than just 'antiquing' them like I do most of the time.

And here's the Polar Express lo (Grapevine has a train station that we did Thomas at, our 1st

train ride in the Stockyards, and then Polar Express...)

for this one I used the daisy white ink (again!) with a stiff brush and used it to create a softer look on all the paper edges (think snow). Then, I used a white gel pen and tried to create the look of stitching between the papers. Used CTMH train stamp and used watercolors for the bright lights (at night). Used cricut design studio to weld George and Jasmine letters together ...P & E are George and the rest of the letters are from Jasmine.

Enjoy!

Kristin

...more to the season...

The OTHER season to celebrate (that sorta happens all year long) is BABIES!!! My great friend, Lisa, just had another niece and she is a cutie with a capital C! Lisa's sister, Laurie, and the family are living in Hawaii for the year (sounds harder than you might imagine). So, lots of pictures are flying through the internet.

When Lisa was here last week scrapping with me, I made a card for Laurie and Jimmy's new arrival. Turned out so sweet and I actually MAILED it- yea for me. I have no idea how long it'll take to get there, but since I should be getting ready to go to the grocery store, Old Navy ($5 tee's anyone??), Children's Place (love the sandals), and to work out, I decided I'd go ahead an post the card -hehe.

So, here's the baby card...

and the inside...

I can't remember everything I used on this one (sorry)... but it is Cricut's New Arrival for the outfit, white cs and Cricut Rainbow cs, striped paper borrowed from Lisa- baby girl pack?, CTMH petal ink and Doodle stamp alphabet and tiny flowers, American Crafts ribbon, and a yellow button brad I got from when my friend, and asst at work, Erica, made my baby gift for Emma in fall '06.

Enjoy!

Kristin

...And "that" season too

There's a couple more "seasons" happening right now... babies and graduation!





I made this card for a girl I know who just graduated high school. She wants to pursue medicine AND she's going to my alma mater, Texas Tech! I am very excited for her, but here's my little secret... I have NO graduation ANYTHING. No stamps, no paper, no die cuts, nada!





What's a girl to do when she has promised NOT to buy anything...hmmm...





So, here I present my idea of a CUTER graduation card!!



On the inside it says: congratulations! i could have done the common cap, gown, diploma, & "graduate" card- but isn't this cuter? :-)

Enjoy!
Kristin

recipe: DCWV Blossoms & Butterflies paper; Cricut Rainbow cs (double sided 2 colors); CTMH Say It with Style sentiment, Hollyhock organdy ribbon and marker, Black ink; Fiskars "girlfriend" stamp; watercolor pencils for flowers on image.

Tis the Season

No, not THAT season... Now is the season of weddings (already had 1 last week) and anniversaries (our 11th is on June 7th). I've usually just sent an e-card to celebrate (if I even did that- sorry friends!). But, now that I'm this magnificent papercrafter, I've got to rise to the challenge of making cards (and mailing them- that'll be the worst part).

But, what to do?? Well, along comes my friend, Sarah, from work... she too LOVES to scrapbook and just got her 1st cricut on her last bday. Well, she HAD to bring in the cards she made for mom's day and they were AWESOME. (she knows already- I told her). Part of the greatness of these cards was the PAPER (which I have come to realize is a TRUE draw for me- not just tools).

It was from the DCWV "Blossoms & Butterflys" paper stack with textured cardstack that matched. I have searched HIGH and LOW for this paper stack and FINALLY found it at Joann's- on sale too!! (score). I bought the coordinating textured cardstock stack too and have made some beautiful cards with it. I gave this one to my friend, Lisa, who celebrates her 10th anniversary this week (congrats again!)

Creative Memories circle cutter, ribbon from walmart, bling from HL, "F" and circle stamp from Oriental Trading Monogram stamp, CTMH clover meadow ink

I'll be sending this one to our best friends who are going to be married 13 years (sorry if you see it here first... but this way it hold me accountable to mailing it!)

And then, I did a cute inside as well...

CM circle cutter, ribbon from J's, Happy ANN stamp from J's, "B" and circle from OT monogram stamp, Glitter Butterflies from Martha Stewart's collection- glitter stamps, Dark Brown cat eye ink

For wedding cards, some of you have seen it before, but this is going to Terry's cousin who is getting married on OUR anniversary... we won't be there, but hopefully they'll have as wonderful a wedding as ours, but more importantly, as wonderful and fulfilling a marriage!

All the paper came from HL wedding selection, American Crafts ribbon, Ranger distress inks

Okay, that's it for now!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Long Week

Okay,
so this week has been FAR too long!! I had intended on finally writing about the Stacy Julian Photo Freedom book today, but considering Emma cried non stop for HOURS, that didn't happen. So, just a vent about independent kids here... Jake, is NOT. Emma is independence personafied! She wants to climb into the van, into the carseat, buckle herself in, walk in the parking lot with out holding a hand, etc. Of course, she's shorter than most 12 month olds, so all that becomes that much MORE difficult and we have to hear about it!

But, oh yea, she's MY daughter, right?? So, I'm trying hard not to break her spirit, but let her know I am in charge. What works FOR us, is that I become that much MORE stubborn when she gets stubborn. Yikes when she's a teen, huh?? I knew that Jake was more or less an easy child... Terry and I talked about it at great lengths many times before Emma came along. And, even though he went through those awful 3's (2's are NOTHING, people), WOW, she's got him beat by a mile at only 19 months.

Alrighty, so tomorrow, my friend Lisa is coming over to scrapbook and play and I'll get some cards and layouts posted that I've been working on.

Enjoy!

Kristin

As promised!

Well, here are the "boy" cards as promised...

The party is Veggie Tales, so I HAD to have Bob & Larry wish the boys a Happy Birthday. But, boys really aren't as impressed or wowed by pretty, frilly cards like girls- so I wanted them to be simple.

I used a .cut design from (I think) Capadia Designs -a blogger I found off the cricut website. I turned out great (but need the Design studio software). Then, just basic stickers and a Happy Bday stamp inside.

The 2nd boy needed Larry (right?!), but a pickle is signficantly longer than a tomato (or hadn't you noticed)... so the outside showed 2 cupcakes (guess the age) and his name in stickers...

but open it up and...

Heeeerrrrrreeee's Larry!

For the 3rd boy in this group, I used a dinosaur image from Paper Dolls (BEST cartridge out there!!), colored with markers and watercolor pencils and then cut out. then, used a sponge to dab (dauber used here) CTMH breeze color for sky and a Cat Eye Chesnut brown for the ground/dirt (then used a pen to put in more accents)... again, simple stickers.

Enjoy!

Kristin

Boy Cards

Hey all! I created some cute boy cards this weekend for a bday party the kids were invited too. Boys are the HARDEST to do, need to not look cutesy or feminine... that is just hard when you are surrounded by flowers, glitter, and pink or purple paper. As soon as I scan them in, (probably tomorrow evening) I will put them on here!

Happy Mom's Day

Here's a "shout out" to my mom friends (I actually started to list some of you and realized I surely would forget someone, therefore, never living it down... and since I don't want to tarnish that "perfect" image you have of me...)

Okay, dokey!

Let me post all the mom's day cards I've made for the 3 moms and 3 grandmoms in our lives...

Enjoy!

Kristin

How'd you do that??

My friend, Lisa, and I love to scrap and stamp, but she doesn't think she knows very many techniques. Well, since she ALSO has the Big Pinks from CTMH that I used in my Daisy Dukes lo (see last post), I thought I'd show another technique. If you look closely as those flowers, they have a color on the edges. If I can get my video to upload (and it's my first, so be kind (no rewinding necessary-ha) and too long and a little fuzzy, but if you like it, I'll do more).

So, how'd I do that?

(so leave a comment on whether or not youu like the video)

Enjoy!

Kristin

Daisy Dukes Layout

Alrighty! I finished my Daisy Dukes layout (LO) of Emma. (Should've been earlier this week, but didn't happen). It turned out SO great!! Take a peek...

If you saw the earlier post and clicked on the link to see the sketch I used, I stayed pretty faithful... except... I flipped it to use vertical pics rather than horizontal ones. Sometimes, making a small change like that can open your eyes to new layouts, papers, embellies, etc.

So, the title is "Wearing my Daisy Dukes" and it was pure fun (still need to make that post about Stacy Julian's book) soon, promise!

Enjoy!

Kristin

Recipe: Baby Pink textured cs (CTMH), White texture scallop cs (Bazzill), Pink Gingham paper (w/ coordinating color on back for title) (American Crafts), Big Pinks -big flower and 3 small ones(CTMH), buttons (American Crafts), "white string" is actually White Gel pen, Bubblegum ink pad (on flowers and title) (CTMH), white rub-on flourish (K & Company "smitten"), Cricut: design software using George, Jasmine, Doodlecharms cartridges

Blog Candy (see post below)

iSTAMP: CELEBRATE 200,000 HITS iCANDY

read my post below and you can link either way!

Enjoy!
Kristin

Blog Candy

Okay all, you may not know what "blog candy" is, but I am here to tell ya... it's FREE stuff! You go to someone's blog and if they are offering free stuff, they call it "candy", you simply post a comment to that post (have to include your name, and sometimes an email addy- mine shows as my blog) and then you could win (they usually use a website to pick the winning # based on how many comments are left)!!

So, iStamp, is a new blog for me, but she even has a way for us to get another chance to win... by linking our blog sharing her "iCandy" (get it? iStamp, iCandy- haha), we get another chance (so yes, I'm shamelessly doing that... I mean after THIS week??? puh-lezzz, do I need some FREE stamping goodies!)

By the way... this is what she's giving away!

Enjoy!
Kristin

Daisy Dukes!

So, Emma has the cutest outfit that I got at Kid to Kid a month or 2 ago... short shorts (although on her they go to her knees!) and a pink gingham top that ties at the bottom. First time I put her in them, I called her "Daisy Duke" (and she was soo cute we took photos! of course)).

There is another post I need to make about Stacy Julian's Photo Freedom book, but b/c of her book, I am scrapping this page of Emma for our album. I just started it last night but already have a good sketch (#82 4/27/08) and am just enjoying the process (as opposed to... "I need to get this done to get onto the next page").

I'll post the layout when I'm done.

Enjoy!

Kristin

Altered Notebook

I read about a cool idea for stampers to be more organized. When you love to stamp (and spend more $$ doing it than you should), you find yourself surrounded by stamp images and/or sentiments. Then, when you're in a creative mood, you might not remember all the images you have - or you are trying to get into a creative mood and looking for inspiration.

Anyway, I asked Terry for a notebook (see, I CAN save $$) and used all my current supplies to alter it so I can organize all my stamp images (and spend NO $$).


It started out pretty, well, ugly,





but, now looks like this (I really like it).



I separated it into 3 sections: Close to My Heart stamp images, Rubber stamp images, and clear stamp (not CTMH) images (this is how I store my stamps so I think it will work well).


Here's one of the section dividers:




Here's a page from the Rubber stamp image:



I used the following supplies:
Basic Grey (Pheobe line for paper, C in create, sticker letters in create, and the fibers)
Ranger Distress inks (antique linen, frayed burlap, and vintage photo)
CTMH chipboard flower image
"We R Memory Keepers" chipboard tag (Image, Dream, Explore)
Mod Podge (as the adhesive for the paper to the notebook and sealer)
Glue Dots for the chipboard pieces
Pop Dots to make the C more defined


Enjoy!



Kristin

Picture of Jake's allowance poster

Angela asked for me to post a pic of the poster we use to put up Jake's stars...



His 10 daily items are:
brush teeth
clean room
put clothes "away" (either in the dirty clothes basket, or drawer)
obey daddy
obey mommy
kind to emma
stay IN bed the night before
helper (in general)
turn off lights
get self dressed/undressed


Enjoy!
Kristin

An allowance for a 4 year old - pays off!!

We're big readers of James Dobson and in his Dare to Discipline book he writes that starting at age 4 a child can EARN his/her allowance. I'm certainly a believer in earning rather than getting- I was working as a waitress at 15 (got a work permit and hardship driver's license) and Terry worked HARD growing up in Oklahoma. So, Dr. Dobson says to make out a list of things that your child should be able to do (but maybe doesn't or won't) and each night go through the list saying yes or no... then, each item should be worth 2 pennies (funny thing about 4 year olds- they know NO inflation- a penny is GOLD to them). As though things become ingrained, you choose new things (our NEWEST one will be Attitude with a capital A!)

So, there are 10 things (he gets 'stars') Jake is required to do daily and that means he gets 20 pennies daily. The key is to do this daily (requires diligence, for sure!). At the end of the week, we sit and count all the pennies and divide them up- tithe (which he actually takes to church and gives), 15% $$ for long-term savings (i.e. car), 35% for short-term savings for bigger priced items he wants, and the rest is his spending $$. Every other week or so I tried to take him to the dollar store to get a cheap toy. Then, we got smart... now it's an ice cream cone or save a few weeks for a toy (like Chic from the Cars movie that he bought yesterday).

He's really starting to value $$ and earning it (will do what we say- even when he doesn't want too b/c he might lose a "star"). Well, it has PAID OFF for sure!! Yesterday he was whining about what he got for lunch and I told him that if he didn't eat it then it was like throwing mommy and daddy's hard earned $$ in the trash- he certainly wouldn't like it if we threw HIS $$ in the trash- right!!?? I kid you not, the child ate the food!! Thank you God and Dr. Dobson!

... now Emma just needs to turn 4 right?

Enjoy!
Kristin

How'd you do that??

How'd I do that???

Thought I'd show some pics of the cards yesterday for how I put them together. First, I used the cricut to cut out scallop circles and regular circles. I found 1 stamp I liked and stamped in a matching color. Then, I did the sentiments (Thinking of You, Happy Birthday, etc) and embossed them. Glued the circle to the scallop. Next, the fun part...

I used pop dots (adhesive) on the back of the scallop to the notecard (NOT the color coordinating backing that matched the scallop).

Finally, I got a pp (printed paper) strip that matched the solid color and made a "band" out of it (just remember, the notecard slides OUT from it, so tape it together on the back and then to the "backing" card only).

So, I did that 6 times (actually 12- since there are 2 teachers!). Then, I got a coordinating stamp for the INSIDE of the card (on the bottom left)- like "here's a hug" got a cute bird hugging himself on the inside, but the "thinking of you" got a simple flourish.

Last, but NEVER least... I stamped that same image (or a good matching one) to the OUTSIDE lower left corner of the matching envelope.

I plan on tying them up in cute ribbon with 2 tags- one from me and one from Jake or Emma.

Enjoy!

Kristin

Camping

Well, yesterday we all went down to Cleburne Nat'l Park to meet up with our Young Married's SS class. It was a GREAT park! We had a new tent that was referred to the Robbins' Mansion on more than one occasion (hehe). And while it took 3 guys to get it up (although, YES, I believe Terry could have done it all alone), it was AWESOME. Plenty of room for our stuff (including the old people cots we have- can NOT stand air mattresses anymore- they just deflate), the kids, the kids' stuff, etc. We could stand up, it had "holders" for our stuff.

We saw a couple of raccoons up close and personal and 1 squirrel who was perfectly willing to let me take his picture!! Most of us had kids, so they played, plus there was a great playground on the other side of a bridge- that was nice. Even Emma was able to get over there and play hard!

When the sun went down we became the "Next Gen" campers... we set up a projection screen and watched Bee Movie with all the kids (NO, I am NOT kidding!!). All the adults sat in the back and talked, roasted marshmellows, ate s'mores (or gave them to the kids), and didn't have to worry at all about them running around in the dark (perfect!, thanks John G.!).

This morning, we all brought our own breakfasts so we shared (especially since Angela's family had their food eaten be the aforementioned raccoons!). We had pancakes, bacon, eggs, sausage, breakfast burritos (yummy!). We skipped out on Jake's soccer game (but did give him the choice) and just let everyone have fun (except for the 50 degree COLD and windy weather).

At least both kids were sacked out by 7 pm tonight!

Enjoy!
Kristin

Happy National Scrapbooking Day!

YES! It is the Nat'l Scrapping Day and all over the world women frantically trying to shut themselves off from their families and making memories with their children on a Sat. afternoon, so they can "make memories" from the paper and photos on their desk!! And, shamefully, I am one of them (hehe)...

Actually, Terry took Jake to the store to buy something with "his money" (he does earn it, you know) and Emma is totally sacked out after coming back from our camping trip. A little free time goes a long way.

If you like to scrap, you can log onto www.scrapbook.com and go to the Forums area where they are hosting an event... challenges every hour with winners (prizes from their superstore).

Enjoy!
Kristin

Teacher Cards

Well, next week is Teacher Appreciation Week and I knew I needed 2 gifts for Jake and Emma's teachers at daycare. I saw this idea on the Mish Mash blog (link to the right) a week or so ago and thought I could make my own version (hers is awesome! mine, well, it's okay).

I used the Cricut and a scallop circle from this blog that I have visited a couple of times, plus my inks from CTMH. I embossed the sentiments, the paper was Cricut Rainbow and Cricut Celebrations (matched the CTMH inks amazingly well!). The notecards are 5x8 and the "backing" is 5 1/4 x 8 1/2. The stamps are a variety of what I had, but I also stamped the envelopes to match.

Enjoy!

Kristin

The first one...

So, I've been reading blogs regularly for several months now (thanks to my friend, Angela, -Thanks Angela!) and I've been scrapping for at least 8-9 years. Although, if you look through my albums from junior high and high school I was doing it then (but MUCH cheaper!). Of course, since the birth of my daughter and having a dedicated space to scrap, I've gone a bit scrap crazy (just ask my friends!).

Then, I started to read more blogs to satisfy my scrapping and stamping addiction. (If I can figure it out I'll list my faves on the side). Finally, this morning I posted a comment for the first time (except for Angela's, but again, she is a friend so not strange to me) on this blog because I LOVE her creations.

And, that's when I saw that Google had created a blog area for me (yes, I probably realized that a long time ago, but I'm not a blogger, remember??) and thought, hmmm, could I do this too??

So, while this may be the first, it could also be the last post and I'm certain I won't post as often as the ones I read, but maybe this could be fun!

Kristin