Be My Valentine Series - Day 9 - Bookmark Cards

Today I wanted to share with you an idea using a sketch from Scrapbook and Cards Today.  This is their challenge sketch for February and I thought it would be perfect for bookmark cards!  These cards are perfect for Grandparents, parents, aunts or uncles for any occasion and Valentine's Day is no exception!

The important thing to remember about a sketch is that it is meant to be a starting point but if you want to CASE it completely that is okay too!  Sketches are a great way to get your creativity flowing.  I followed the sketch pretty closely on these card but tweaked it to work with the supplies I had on hand.  I created two cards; one more manly and the other a bit more feminine.

These adorable bears were colored with Staedtler Watercolor Pencils, Zig Clean Color Real Brush Markers, and Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils.  I was going for a specific look with these images; I wanted them to look like illustrations.  The bear stamp sets are Cub Cuddles and Bear Hugs both from Mama Elephant.

The cards are just basic white side folding cards.  The patterned paper is from Lawn Fawn's Polka In The Meadow Petite Paper Pack (note:  I backed each bookmark with the same paper as the card front) The epoxy hearts, washi tape and red twine are from my stash. The green hills were all cut from one piece of watercolored paper using the Mama Elephant Hillside Cover die. I used some thin but strong double sided tape on each side of the extra little hill on the card front so I could slip the bookmarks into them yet keep the bulk down.

I know my Mom will be really excited to get this card!  Let me know if you end up making any of these cards, I would love to see them!

Relishing Routine (Updated)

It's our last week of summer break. 

I'm sad and excited; sad because it means that I won't get to hang out with the kiddo all day and excited because he is excited to learn new things and go back to school.  I'm excited to go back to school this fall too but mostly because I'm only taking one... REALLY hard..... class.

We have our traditional list of things we try to do this last week, sort of our last summer hurrah...

1. Buy school supplies.


2. Buy new shoes... for C and me.


3. See one last movie. Cats and Dogs in 3D... it was super cute!


4. Go out for ice cream cones.


5. Try to catch one last community event... thinking a concert at Streets of Southglenn.


6. Haircuts.


7. Lunch in downtown with Aaron. Pasquini's in the Highlands (the photo above) YUMMY!


8. Sleepover at Grandma's (we did this last week but might sneak back up this week)


9. At least one night camping out under the stars. Headed out in 10 min!


10. Soaking up the last rays of summer at the pool. I'll miss this.

We also have our "To Do" list of things that aren't so fun to do but help us get ready for the new school year...

1. Going to bed by 8pm (for C)


2. Getting out of bed by 6:30am (C has no problem with this)


3. Labeling all the new school supplies and getting his bag packed for the first day.


4. Laundry.... laundry.... and more laundry.


5. Getting healthy dinners cooked and on the table by 6:30pm so there is enough time for hanging out afterwards.


6. Shower and PJs after dinner... no more going back to the pool.


7. Loading the fridge and pantry with breakfast and lunch packing essentials... no more relying on the snack bar for emergency rations. (Yes, we really do live at the pool in the summer.)


8. Cutting out TV and computer games in the mornings.


9. Adding back in good-read-aloud-books before bed... going with The Chronicles of Narnia this fall.


10. For me it means cleaning up my desk and making new files on my computer for my fall class, clean space = clean mind... maybe.

The funny thing is that I LOVE getting back into the routine of the school year... I'm crazy like that... I love schedules and routines... I like knowing what's going to happen next. I know this isn't shocking to most of you, but for me there is a certain comfort in knowing what is going to be around the next corner or over the next hill.  I thrive on being able to excel in a contained environment.  That's been the hardest part of this last year... I had no routine, no clear idea of what my routine should be, and no set schedule... the times I was happiest were when I did have these things or at least a vague outline of them. 

The confinement of routine is comforting to me.

I've learned something new about myself... or maybe just remembered something old and ingrained... either way I'm happy knowing another things that makes me... well... happy.

So how do you get ready for the new school year? 

Do you have any great ideas to add to our last week list?

Me & C

C is me. 

He is smart, funny and kind. 

He is impatient, determined and stubborn. 

He loves freely.

He gives generously.

He likes to create, sketch and write.
He loves a good book.
He sings along with the radio.

He makes me laugh.

He makes me cry.


He throws his dirty clothes on the floor.
He leaves cups all over the house.
He "collects" so much you can't see the top of his dresser.

He is all mine.
I'm so very lucky.

The Best Friends... EVER... really

Image found on the web

So this post has been in process for a few weeks... but the truth is it is also long overdue.

I'm blessed to have an amazing bunch of girlfriends. I didn't always have that.  I've had a hard time making solid connections with women, I think it's a whole trust-issue thing, but I have some of the most wonderful women in my life and they support me even when they don't understand what I'm thinking or doing... and that's HUGE!

I came home bruised and broken-hearted two weeks ago.  I had just lost something in my life that I thought was forever, someone that I loved and trusted had turned their back on me hours before I was to walk through the courtroom doors and end my marriage.  I was kicked hard when I was already down.  I was a wreck.... but you know what... the women in my life surrounded me and picked me up, gently wiped away my tears, served me some sangrias and listened to me pour out the pain.  These women gave me so much of their own time even after I had all but abandoned them for this other relationship.  They held me when I was hurting.  They showed me what unconditional really means.

Thank you ladies, you all know who you are and I truly value you so much.  I love you all.

Wild Child

Papers by Bazzill, Studio Calico and Basic Grey

Embellishments from Cosmo Cricket, October Afternoon, American Crafts and Maya Road

Just dropping in with a layout today.  This is C and his cousin Taylor, she is wild, just like her Papa!  It's always special to get to spend time with her and this year it was even more fun because she was older and able to jump all over  play with Coley.  He was super patient and kind to her and it made my heart so happy to see them together.  This layout is another lift of the fab Lisa Dickinson!

Happy Friday!

First Yosemite Layout

We had the best time on our horseback ride in Yosemite and it's been fun to hear Coley describe it to his grandparent's on the phone! I wanted to capture his version of the trip so I had him tell me about it and used his words as the journaling. It reads: "We went on a really fun horseback ride in Yosemite to Mirror Lake. Edith was my mule and she was very well behaved, sometimes she tried to eat but not all the time. My Mom's mule, Oliver, thought it was an all you can eat buffet. My Dad's mule was named Twitch. The Corral Boss, Katie, said that Edith could probably do the trail with her eyes shut,. Edith was very tall and I was nervous at first but I felt better after the Katie took me walking around the corral on Edith. We saw a rattlesnake, that was in a swampy part, just laying there, and luckily he didn't rattle with his tail... it was sort of scary and when we came across it I patted Edith softly on the neck so she wouldn't look at it. There were crazy French hikers who ran through the brush and spooked my Mom's mule and another ladies mule and they started running... luckily my Mom knew how to ride! We couldn't go all the way to the end of the trail because there was a rock slide in March and it was blocked off. I'm really glad that I went on the ride." Coleman, Age 8, 6/09

We are off to the pool, have a great Monday!

Road Trip Recap... Day 2... Vegas Baby

TEN THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT LAS VEGAS BEFORE YOU GO

10. Smoking is allowed everywhere, even in the ELEVATOR!!!

*Personal Experience* The Venetian is the only hotel we encountered where they pump some type of air freshener through the vents to cover the odor of smoke.
Oh and those people hacking in the casinos, don't worry they don't have TB, it's just that they've been smoking while gambling away their children's inheritance!

9. The four acre pool at the hotel will be filled within half an hour of opening, if you want a free chair, get in line early.

*Lounge Chair Tip* The chairs that do not cost $100 - $800 a pop are filled immediately... cop a squat in the sand and then start scanning the ten rows around you, wait until you see someone who is putting on their shoes and then pounce! This can take a bit but the relief your rear will feel when it's out of the scorching sand is worth it!

*Pool Time Tip #2* You can book an $800 cabana online, with a special pool package in the summers, for about $50-$100 more than your room fee. Look at it like you are really saving $700, and severe stress... trust me that little bit of money is worth it, I was kicking myself, with hot sandy feet, for not doing it!

8. Just because there are 6 elevators designated for floors 18-34, don't expect them all to work!

*Elevator Savvy* Get on the first one that opens, it doesn't matter which way it's going, just ride until you get to your floor. This is the only way you will ever survive the mobs you meet at the elevators every time. Wave at those who didn't figure that out as you go past them again!

7. The hotels never look as good in person.

*Reminder*
The angle of the camera used in shooting promotional photos is key!

6. Just because it's an attraction aimed at kids don't expect it to be smut free.

*WARNING* It may be the size of a baseball card, but that nude woman on the front isn't a short stop! Yes that's right they have stripper trading cards in Vegas and people leave them EVERYWHERE!

5. Take no notice of the Chef's name in the restaurant title... they all serve the same five entrees, with only a slight variation on the original.

*Savvy Dining Tip* Go to the place with the longest line, there is a reason for it... we discovered The Burger Bar in the Mandalay Bay Shoppes and it was truly the best food we had in Vegas.

4. Art can be found anywhere... even on The Strip.

***Don't Miss the Luxor's Titanic Exhibit or the masterpieces at the Bellagio***

5. Always check where the monorail you are riding goes!

*Person Experience* We boarded the monorail that took you from Mandalay Bay to The Luxor and Excalibur, as we jumped on a man yelled "Next stop Treasure Island" he was still riding when we got back on an hour later! Luckily for him there was a woman carrying a giant box of Krispy Kreme donuts who was also still on the monorail when we got back on, so he won't starve! Seriously, it only had three stops, didn't they notice?!

4. Don't expect to win big... it's not going to happen... aim to break even.

*Insider's Gambling Tip* The only place you'll make money is the penny slots... I am now $8 richer!

3. Just because your hotel room is beautifully decorated don't expect everything to work!

*WARNING* The great little flat screen you can see from the tub, it doesn't work, don't get out when wet and try to mess with it, you'll be in for a shock!

2. It's called "Sin City" for a reason.

Three things that proved this...

Women in full head covering gambling away in the High Roller Room.

Amish people driving a pick-up truck with a horse buggy in the back! No I'm not kidding.

A man regaling his friend with his tales of infidelity at the wave pool... thank God the kiddo was in the pool and not by the chairs where they were.

1. Keep your expectations low.

Remember this was all made by man, it doesn't hold a candle to the beautiful creations of God you'll see on the drive there.

Day One... On The Road

Pack 'em up, move 'em out... and praise God that Starbucks is open bright and early and they have a drive-thru, seriously, thank you God for whomever created the drive-thru Starbucks. (Most of you know I'm not a pretty sight without my caffeine fix ;)

We left on Sunday morning and were able to drive through the Rockies on a beautiful sunny day. Perfect for spotting the six big horn sheep that we saw... of course they were right on the side of the road next to the car so it wasn't that hard to see them! That is the thing about these animals, they are never up on the rocky mountainside like you expect, they are eating the grass along the side of the road, so it's like... "Look Big Horn Sheep." you turn your head and in an instant you see them and then they're gone... you can't stop to take a photo or anything because you're whizzing down the interstate at 80mph and the giant trucks would mangle you and the sheep if you stopped. PSA to Big Horn Sheep... MOVE off the shoulder of the road up onto the mountainsides, you're going to get hit and no one can get a good picture! Although I was thrilled to see such a large number of them all together, it was amazing to think they live right here just a few miles from home.

Next we descended into the Western Slope of Colorado, beautiful wine country, yep we grow grapes for wine here in Colorado, really it's not all shoot 'em up at the OK Corral all the time... we can be refined too ;) We stopped at a "50's Diner"... the inside was very authentic, but the fact that it was in a strip mall sort of threw me off. They did however have really good hashbrowns and for me that's what breakfast is really all about... the carbs.

This is the part where Coleman shook up a Sprite, "to get the fizz out" (he is totally his Mama not liking the fizzy bite of soda just the sweet syrupy part). We had to pull over to change his clothes, and talk about our need to buy a carpet and upholstery shampooer.



After all that excitement we drove into the canyons of Utah. Amazing, truly, every five miles or so they change color and it's a dramatic landscape unlike any you have ever seen before. My favorite was the dark maroon red cliffs, truly breathtaking, God is an artist!

We continued on stopping at the strangest gas stations and Burger King you could ever imagine. Sadly there were no more Starbucks to be found. We drove through places like Beaver, Utah... silly name pretty place, on our way into Las Vegas.

Twelve and a half hours after leaving home we saw the towering hotels of Vegas rise from the desert ahead of us. Of course it took another half hour to actually arrive at our hotel, but I'll save the rest for tomorrow. It will be a sort of top ten list if you will.

Thanks for lasting this long, see you on The Strip in the morning.

I Feel So Blessed

The internet is a powerful thing, I have found so many wonderful friends through the world wide web. I'm blessed everyday to connect with woman around the world who love the art of scrapbooking as much as I do. These are funny, warm, caring women who struggle with everyday life, motherhood, and marriage just like me. There are days when we connect over kids, recipes, friendship issues, and loss. True friendships can be built through the keyboard and screen.
The MB's and blogs are the modern day equivalent to the long letters my Gram used to get in the mail from her friends. The beauty of the web is that I get to keep up with these girls everyday, I know how they are feeling on any given day and I get to share what I am feeling. There are a lot of naysayers who think the web is only a dangerous place, but for many it's a life line to women around the world who are mothering at home all day alone or who are stuck in a town where nobody really "gets" who they are and the hobbies they love.
I was given this super cute friendship award from two amazing women Danielle and Debbie. Check out their blogs I guarantee you will come away with a smile on your face and in your heart. Thank you ladies!



The guidelines for the Lemonade award are:
Comment on this blog.
Cut and paste the award logo and use it in your own blog.
Nominate 5 blogs you feel show great attitude and gratitude.
Link to your nominees within your blog post.
Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award.
Link back to the person who gave you the award to show your appreciation.

And here's a little about the Friends award:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to five bloggers.

I choose:
Emily Pitts - she has great designs, yummy recipes, and makes me laugh
Kirsty Wiseman - she is honest, loving, hilarious, and takes amazing photos
Christyn Holmes - she inspires me everyday
Becky Olsen - this is a woman I look up to in a million different ways
Sharyn Tormanen - she has great ideas in all different areas and her photos are brilliant

They Didn't Ask Him

This weekend, while eating hot dogs outside our local Lowe's, we saw our neighbors, now I would like to point out that we live right next door to these people but only ever see them out at restaurants, or in this case hot dog carts! After enjoying our lunch and chatting for a bit they asked us if it would be okay for them to move their boat down to the back of the yard along our shared fence line. I appreciated them asking because their yard is the only one that we really see due to having just a chain-link fence separating us.

"Sure no problem." I replied.

 Well, by that evening the boat was moved and someone at our house isn't happy about it... 

Edgar is not pleased at all by this turn of events. He spent a good half hour barking and growling at the boat, sometimes quietly sneaking up on it and then exploding into a barking rage. The boat was unfazed... this infuriated Edgar even more, by the time we cornered him and brought him inside he was shaking with anger. I guess the neighbors should have asked him!

Patti Picklicious Cards

I am truly blessed to have a wonderful friend named Kirsty Wiseman. I had no idea she was a scrapper when I emailed her on Facebook, all I knew was that she had one handsome red Dachshund and I wanted to tell her so. Later on she made a comment about me being an SC Girl and I thought... oh she must subscribe to Studio Calico too...this is where that dog from the V8 commercials comes and knocks me on the head... um no, she is on the SC Design Team, DUH! (In my defense I had just joined SC) Anyway, I have had the pleasure of chatting with her via the internet and learning more about her life and the fab Patti Picklicious CD's she designs, they are amazing! I had the pleasure of playing with her first release today and I thought I would share some of the cards with you...





Her CD has even more designs, greetings, labels and the cutest little Patti girls. Check it out, it's fantastic, and it will turn you into a card maker in no time!

This Little Guy

Hans has been part of our family for 9 weeks now and he has started to act like the puppy he is...
he plays tug of war with Eds
he steal my socks when he thinks I'm not watching
he eats more than one bite of food at a time
he enjoys getting up for a midnight snack
he can go up and down the stairs by himself
he digs in the yard
he barks at the neighbors, but only when I am not home
he gets excited when I come home

It's amazing to watch him learn to trust and come out of his shell it's still an ongoing process but these little steps have been huge hurdles for him.

Contented

So last week I was quiet, this week I am contented. I was blessed to spend time with lots of my wonderful, creative, kind and caring girlfriends over the course of the week. I am so thankful for those moments to help refill my soul. It got me thinking about some of my Florida girlfriends and how much I miss them, so I created a layout just for them using some fab supplies from various Studio Calico kits and bits I found on my desk.


I also was playing around with getting my Disney photos from 2007, yep two years ago, into some semblance of order so I could get them into an album... I am using one of those great We R Memory Keepers albums with the 4x6 slots and a few layout thrown in for good measure... here is my title page... by the way the album is lime green and all the photos have such great bright colors in them that I am thinking I'll use the BasicGrey Urban Prairie line for the whole thing, keep it consistent and all that...

Yep I have a glitter & bling problem... but if you can't use it on a Disney page where can you use it? Also the edge is punched, the black behind it is just our coffee table.

This final layout is lifted from a current issue of CK or SBE, I am so sorry I can't credit it at the moment but the magazine has gone missing... I am thinking the sausage dogs had something to do with it.


Hope y'all are having a great week!