I hate Mondays!

Okay I don't REALLY hate Mondays but my kids have been watching Garfield (over and over and over and over ... you get it right?) and Garfield is definitely one kitty that hates the start of the week. Mondays are definitely hectic in our house. After a weekend of doing who knows what the house is always a disaster and I always have piles of laundry to catch up on before the week begins and I get completely overwhelmed with dirty boy tees and stinky shorts!

So to make this Monday a little brighter I'm gonna post another layout I did during my weekend crop. I love these pictures of Darian - not sure if you can tell from the photographed layout but he is totally catching air in the last pic ... and looking straight at the camera! What a ham!




p.s. Val if you're looking at this - just ignore those naked buttons okay? I told you though - I like a little nakedness once in awhile. :P

Holy Crop!

Went to my first all-day crop yesterday at memory lane, pa. First I just have to say that the store is amazing and the owner, Sarah, has to be just about one of the sweetest gals I've met through this great craft we call scrapbooking. There was good food, great conversation, amazing shopping and ... oh yeah ... just a little bit of scrapping in there too!

I was able to get three layouts done which is not bad at all considering my goal was four and I spent way more time talking, eating, and shopping than actually scrapping!

Here's one of the layouts I made - still have to take pics of the other two! Can't wait to go back for another all-day crop - it was like a little piece of heaven on earth!

This is for my Got Sketch ladies!

Here ya go - pics of the new Making Memories hul-la-ba-loo line I picked up at Target yesterday for my Got Sketch ladies. Sorry for the glare on some of the pics - I took them while they are still in their packaging.

Here are the patterend papers - there are 6 patterns (4 of each paper):


The die-cut alphabet and embellishments that come with the patterned paper:


Chipboard alphas and words stickers:


ALL of the extras they had at the store! LOL


Close-up of dimensional glitter stickers - these are CAYUTE!


Epoxy buttons and paper flowers:


Oops! Almost forgot these glittered die-cuts - they were out of the pkg on my scrap table!


I think that's everything! :)

Got Sketch Goodness!

Wanted to post a few of my recent projects for Got Sketch 101. I am so sad that class will be ending next Monday. It has been an absolutely AMAZING experience! I have learned so much from everyone there and created some really fun stuff if I do say so myself! :)

We were given FOUR different card sketches to work with - talk about inspiration! Here's what I created:



Made this next card while I was making Darian's "A Boy's Life .." layout. It came together really fast since I already had all the papers and details handy and had already come up with some embellishment ideas for the layout. I really should do that more often - make a card with scraps from a layout - then I'd have a handful of cards on hand at all times ready to go!





This last card I made with the new Making Memories line hul-la-ba-loo I found at Target yesterday. I went to pick up diapers and came home with a whole bunch of scrappy goodness! Don't you just LOVE how that happens?!? :P



And finally my altered clipboard. This thing is fantastic! It is the first time I have ever altered anything like this so figuring out how to get the paper neatly around the clips proved to be a little challenging but I am thrilled with the way it turned out and plan on making more of these - LOVE them!





Well that's all folks! Been a super busy week and tomorrow I am heading to an all day crop with my friend Kristen so I should have *hopefully* lots more layouts to post after the weekend. Oh and I get to shop too - I'm pretty excited about that! :)

A Boy's Life ...

Got some scrapping in last night and was excited to finish this layout. These photos of Darian just make me smile. I really want to do more pages like this - just little tidbits about likes/dislikes, etc at different ages. I always tell myself I'll remember these things but I really need to write them down and what better way to do it then on a scrappy page. Oh and I LOVE these papers from Prima - the colors ROCK!

It's a good thing

Any time I can combine my three favorite hobbies - scrapbooking, photography, and gardening - into one project it's a good thing a la Martha Stewart. That is just what I did today when I took some pictures of my new flower garden. I plan on scrapping them this coming weekend at the all day crop I'm going to in Pennsylvania. I want to share some of the pics because I think they really came out nice. I am LOVING my new camera these days! So happy Salar converted me to a Nikon user because it really is such an easy camera to use.

Soccer Player

Just needed to share this cute layout I did for my Got Sketch 101 class.


These were photos I took of Darian on his last day of Kiddie Soccer. I love the colors on this layout - I am definitely a bright color kinda gal!

Left Page:


Right Page:


Some detail pictures:




I journaled on the chipboard star - how fun is that?!? This layout was my first sports theme layout and I'm sure it will be just one of many as the boys get older - I can't wait!

Feeling better ...

I *think* we are all finally on the mend. It's been a crazy few weeks with this nasty stomach bug floating around. It all started with Darian and he managed to pass it along to just about everyone he came in contact with - YUCK! Keeping my fingers crossed that is all behind us now and we can enjoy some of this beautiful weather we've been having - FINALLY some nice spring weather!

Speaking of nice weather ... just a few more weeks til we head down to Ocean City for our annual family vacation. I can't wait! Each year I get more and more excited when I think about just how much more the boys will get to experience and appreciate as they get older. Darian seems to remember our vacation last year and playing in the ocean with daddy so he is all set for more fun this year. Brandon is a total land lover - he was one with the sand last year (had it coming out of EVERYWHERE!) so we'll see if he dares to go in the ocean this year.

And for a little refresher - here is a layout I just did for my Got Sketch 101 class using pics from our Ocean City vacation last year. I was too lazy to take more pics but those are flip up pages on the right side with even more pics underneath! Very cool way to include LOTS of pictures on one layout!


Left page:


Right page:

Last Day of Preschool

I'm a few days late with this post but I wanted to be sure to get this one in. Thursday was Darian's last day of preschool at the YMCA. It was such an amazing year! When I think back to where he was when school started in September to now I am simply amazed. His speech has just blossomed. He is such a chatty little boy now (even his teachers and school bus driver tell me so!) and just a whiz when it comes to numbers, letters, and remembering dates, etc. He can write his name as well as other words like Mom, Dad, cat, dog, and even his brother's name Brandon! He really has such a great desire to learn and I am just so happy that we made the decision to send him to the YMCA preschool as it has been a wonderful experience for all of us!

Here are a few pics of Darian on his last day:


Cheesing it up for the camera! :)


Getting on the bus for the last time this school year. Notice he's wearing his Mets tee from the game - he wouldn't let me put any other shirt on him except for that tee!


On the bus ready to go!

A few quick cards to share

Playing with my camera (shot these in MANUAL) so I thought I'd share.


Playing with my new stamps from Stampin' Up! I just LOVE cute little fruit stamps like this cherry one. And with some glitter and a little bling ... need I say more?


Doesn't this card just look YUMMY?!? Check out the hot fudge on the sundae - I used Crystal Effects and it just makes the fudge look so real! Thanks to SU! demonstrator Heather from Canada for this awesome idea!


Father's Day card for my father-in-law (the boys call him Papa). I love those letters - they are from Scrapworks Flea Market and just such a stand out for me.

Just a quick one ...

Just wanted to share my latest layout for Got Sketch 101. I am seriously loving this class - haven't finished this many layouts in who knows how long!




Most of the papers are from the June Life Preserver's kit featuring October Afternoon. I also threw in a few buttons and Making Memories items as well. The element in the top left corner was inspired by a layout from the Mosh Posh gallery (just making sure I'm giving credit where credit is due!).

Thanks for looking! :)