Drained

me...I am drained.

See, I am a true Libra. I need balance in my life. I am not sane without it! LOL! The past 4 days we have had many showings of our house, have packed the kitties in their carriers multiple times (I think they are traumatized), have washed the floor 18 times. I haven't created anything since Sunday, haven't had time to be on the computer. I have eaten on the run and have a cold. We have accepted an offer that is quite special and look forward to the future. I have to start thinking about new furniture and a new scrap room (WooHoo!).

Ummmm...not so balanced right!? I am hoping to regroup a bit in the next few days as the obsessive, compulsive control freak in me is freaking out!

Speaking of my quirks, I recently was given the task of creating a layout showcasing my personality traits. I have the great pleasure of guest designing for the All About Me challenge blog this month. The first challenge is to take one of those very cool personality type tests and then scrap it! You should totally check it out and play along!

I come up slightly different each time.

Yes, I am extroverted (what, you don't believe me!), but I also crave alone time. Spending an hour or two with glue and paper is a must for me. As I have grown older, I much prefer my scrappy table over a party. Because my profile seems to shift a bit, I decided that I might be somewhere in between! I wanted to create a layout with bold colors and complex patterns, one with a bit of whimsy.



Used Sass on this one...gosh, I love Sass. Thanks Melissa for the awesome inspiration!

Off to bed early...I need to even out those scales as soon as possible!

First Up!

So March will be good to me! I have a few surprises that make me smile! I will sell my house this month and I will start consistently exercising too! I will, I will!

First up...I had the opportunity to be a guest designer over at Pencil Lines this month along with the gals from My Scrapbook Nook! I love Pencil Lines and often drool over their team's work. Now my page is up there! This one:



I recently found this old photograph. The quality of it is soo terrible...it was taken by my old point and shoot! But, I love my expression. Ella was only a few hours old. I had just eaten a cheeseburger from McDonalds and Nathan wasn't so happy about being a big brother. Notice how I strategically placed a journaling tag over my large, just had a baby belly. I'm a smart one! LOL!

I also have the honor of being on the cover of Scrapstreet.com Magazine this month! I will admit that I have wanted to achieve this honor for a while now...and I am thrilled it was with one of my all-time favorite layouts! Check it out here! You will notice that Blog Bay this month is all about the talented Sheila Daniels. And Open Road is packed full of beautiful layouts! The issue is fab!

I'll have more fun stuff over the next few days! Happy Monday all!

March Already...

Really...in just a few days. Time surely is going by. This week was a busy one, but in a weird way. Nathan was sick for 4 days so we rotated staying home with him. I didn't really "work" for 13 days...yet being home tending to children is certainly "work." In between laundry and getting him juice, I spent lots of time cuddling and just staring at him. As a parent, you want to suck the sickness out of them and replace it with pure joy. It is amazing how you can look into their eyes and see that they don't feel well.

Today was the first day that I saw the shine in his eyes again and it was nice!

The arrival of March brings new opportunities, more play dates, and lots of sibling interactions. I have some fun scrappy stuff coming up in the next few days so keep your eye out! Soon it will be progress report time and parent/teacher conferences. We will hopefully sell our house quickly and will begin moving.

During this time of uncertainity, I will hang on tight to these two. My love bugs, the lights of my life. They bring a softness to me that no one else can and I am very grateful.



This layout appeared in the Feb. issue of Scrapstreet. We were sent this gorgeous Theresa Collins paper to play with and I truly enjoyed it!

Speaking of March, be on the lookout for the new issue of Scrapstreet. There is a nice surprise for me! And, rush on over the to Nook to order the March kit featuring Pink Paislee's Bayberry Cottage! If you sign up for a one year membership to the kit club, you will receive a free February kit (the one with the gorgeious Origins line). You also get your 13th kit FREE!!! So, you get two kits for free! Go here to check it out!

Enjoy the last few days of February!

Family Sayings

Do you record your family sayings? I don't think I do enough of this...I really need to have a notebook handy to jot quick things down. One family saying that I can't forget is the quote, "Bloom Where You're Planted." It comes from Steve's side of the family and they say it a lot. Steve actually has a plaque with the saying.

In honor of Word it Wednesday over at the Pink Paislee blog, I decided to focus on this quote. I thought about the word "bloom" and let images come to me. I thought of a window box full of flowers and decided to recreate it using the Queen Bee collection from Pink Paislee.

I placed my photos toward the top of my page, a trick I learned from the talented Davinie! Then I built the flower box, complete with wrought iron scrolls along the bottom, which for me was the shaped paper. I fussy cut the flowers and vines...one of the many reasons I adore the Queen Bee collection. Here is my final product! Do you see the "flower box?"



For more details, head on over the the Pink Paislee blog!

Speaking of Pink Paislee, the March kit from My Scrapbook Nook will be featuring the Bayberry Cottage line along with Maya Road and Jenni Bowlin goodied! Here is a preview:



March brings a breath of spring with it, in colors of newly sprung crocus and budding leaves! You will delight in the freshness of Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage, and whisk away the last of the winter snowflakes!

Kit Includes:
10 Double Sided Pink Paislee Bayberry Collection
2 Die Cut Sheets From The Bayberry Collection
1 Bayberry Ambrose Cardstock Alpha
1 Bayberry Decorative Tape
1 Pkg. Bayberry Ribbon Pleats
1 Handful of Buttons-Buttons Galore
1 Pkg. JB Pins
1 American Crafts Alpha-Thickers
1 Pkg. Maya Road Sew Cute Mini Chipboard Set

Sound delicious, doesn't it! In my glory over here!

Slightly Off

Go figure...we have a week off from school for Winter Break and Nathan decides to get sick (again!) on the first day I am supposed to be back at work.

He is off...the past few weeks. Can't shake being ill. We think it is PFAPA related (persistent fever syndrome) and his body is just quick to make fever. So here we sit, cuddling at home wondering if we should make a visit to the doctor or ride it out.

I have a layout to share, but it is slightly off as well. I didn't realize it until I was done photographing that the "e" in my title fell a bit. Taking pictures of projects in the winter is the worst...it was finally clear of snow enough to get some the other day, but the wind kept blowing.

I would set up the layout, step back to photo, it would blow over, repeat like one million times. I bartered with Mother Nature about seven hundred times, please just let the wind stop for a couple of minutes. During the winter when the deck is covered with snow, I do this on my front stairs. We live on a busy road on the end right near a traffic light. I often wonder what the drivers of the cars must think of me out there.

Anywho, here is the layout...just imagine the "e" is on the right way! Ella, who is slightly off with her great big attitude right now. Gosh, I hate age 3 going on 4...torture! And I have the pictures to prove it!



October Afternoon Farm Fresh here with Cosmo Cricket chipboard...gosh, these two companies go so well together!

Off for more couch snuggling and maybe to try and get a decent photo of this layout!
Happy Monday!

A Share

Ahh, finally something I can share! I have 14 different projects on my desk, but can't post any of them yet! Several are for ScrapStreet, but I also have some fun stuff coming up very soon! It is hard making a bunch of stuff and then not being able to share it!

I have been playing with my new Pink Paislee! Gosh, this stuff is great! The 365 Degree collection has the perfect color scheme when you have a five year old boy. I used it to create this layout.



I love that circle shaped paper...makes scrapbooking much easier! I have had people ask me about the cork buttons and will say that they are great! To me, they represent a different take on a button or brad! Variety is the spice of life!

Winding up our vacation week this week. Not that we rested or even did anything fun. The poor kids...Steve and I have been consumed with getting the house ready to sell. I know it is just one week in their lives, but we have a bit of guilt anyway.

It is what it is, right? It will be all worth it when we move and they can ride their bikes around their new neighborhood!

TGIF all!

Re-titling Yesterday's Post

It should be called "A Second For Me" since I already posted that same page that week.

Uhhh...what's wrong with me? I'm losing it...too many paint fumes, too much time spent cleaning and organizing. I have lost track...giggle!

I actually have been creating a ton, but can't share much yet. That is the part I dislike!

Let's try again...with a new layout that I didn't just post a few days ago!

Let's make it an 8.5 X 11, a size I rarely scrap.



This is our first baby! I clearly remember the day he walked up to us and looked at us with that face...we had to bring him home. He is the BEST!

Oh, well...off to move a playroom, and organize a jelly cabinet...selling our house has made us more motivated and we can't really believe the potential that is there!

I promise to lay off the paint today!

A First For Me

Being a scrapping enthusiast (well, addict is probably a better word), you would think that I would have made a page about my love for it. Up until now, I hadn't. A couple of months ago, I was given a few shots of me scrapbooking at a class at my LSS. There was a photographer since the class was with Sharon and Tom from Little Yellow Bicycle. I thought, hmmm...maybe someday.

Well, that someday came when I found this die cut by Basic Grey. I loved the message and was instantly inspired to make this simple page!





I don't think non-scrappers always understand the addiction. Thank goodness there are online communities where we crazies can find each other and celebrate our love for this hobby!

Together forever!
giggle!

Happy Valentine's Day...

...well, almost! I wanted to share a little project that I made. Show your love in a creative and cheap way! LOL!

I used the Cupid collection from Pink Paislee as well as a Maya Road envelope and Scenic Route chipboard to create coupon book. Yes, this has been done...but here is my take on it.




I simply used punch-outs to create the front of the envelope and then threw in the expressions envelope! To make each coupon page, I kept if fairly simple. This is actually one of my first hybrid projects as I designed the little heart to be behind my font. Each coupon is good for a loving act or activity. Print one out, adhere, tie it all together with a bow, and you are done!





There you have it! We have been in the midst of serious house overhaul and cleaning as we are selling come March 1st. It has been very stressful...a good stress, but still lots of unknowns and hard work. I hope to work hard and take some creative breaks too! And maybe have a cookie tomorrow...

What are your plans for Valentine's Day???

Technique Tuesday!

Hellllllooooo! Happy Tuesday! Tuesdays mean dinner at Steve's Place in Rocky Hill where DH works the evening shift. It is the one time each week where he serves me dinner! LOL!

It means Lost and The Biggest Loser. It means getting up early to make it in for a meeting and getting home right before bedtime!

Over at the Pink Paislee blog, Tuesdays are all about techniques, tips and titles! I had my very first blog post and am really quite excited over the whole thing! This is what I created:



Something about this Bayberry Cottage collection that makes me feel bold! I used the Artisan tape to create my crisscrosses! For an explanation of how I did it, visit the Pink Paislee blog! While you are there, check out all of the amazing posts lately...it is quite the team!

Hope your Tuesday is as good as mine!!!

The Other Thing I Do

I teach, I am a mom, a wife, sister, friend...I hope to be a runner and yoga enthusiast soon...

The other thing I do is create. On a daily basis if I can. From painting furniture to decorating the house to creating programs for my kids at school, I try to use my imagination and creative skills often.

This was the first layout I made to document why I scrapbook!

Journaling: Its so much more than just paper & glue. I document memories. I share stories that might otherwise be forgotten. I honor my blessings. When I create, I make my life even more beautiful.

I am so excited to announce that I am going to keep on creating for My Scrapbook Nook for another 6 months. It will be my fourth term there...I just can't leave! The kits are great and the people--it is such a warm, funny, and open community! So thank you Leah and Pam, again! LOL! Check out the rest of these names...

Trish Harwick
Amy Coose
Camilla Ekman
Jenny Svensson
Nicole Martel
Susan Lui
Lady Grace Belarmino
Zarah Peterson
Celeste Smith
Becky Williams
Lori Mancini
Tanya Tahir
Leah Killian

Holy wow, right!!!

I will be back on Tuesday to share my first PP blog project! Isn't creating fun?

What I Do

Just recently, someone asked the question, "Who do you admire?" There were many responses from people including public figures, important celebrities and cherished family members. It didn't take me long to answer. I admire the parents and families of my students with special needs.

Every day I have the extreme joy of being able to touch people's lives. I get to watch children blossom and grow in big and small ways. To find joy in the fact that someone spontaneously greeted me or someone counted past 5. To teach a struggling child how to read and watch his/her face light up when it happens. It is a gift that these children are in my life.

I admire their parents who work tirelessly to help make them successful. The parents who come to grips with the fact that there is someone different about their child...to accept and celebrate their unique learning needs. The parents who are willing to do whatever it takes to help their child become the best he/she can be.

Some of my students have great, significant, all-emcompassing needs. I am with them during the school day, but the parents are there for life. Day in and day out. I admire their strength and resolve. They have taught me about unconditional love. And my heart is more open because of it...

I recently did a page about my job:



I get a lot of thanks from parents, and my response is, "Your welcome." But it is also, "Thank you." Thank you for sharing your wonderful child with me. For letting him/her touch my life in a way that no other could.

Cards?

Cards...how can some people put them together so easily? There are some very talented card makers out there...girls who I adore and think...why can't I do that! I find it challenging to work on cards so I don't do it often enough!

However...I decided that I was going to make a halfway decent card this month using my February kit from My Scrapbook Nook. How could I go wrong with Basic Grey paper, chipboard and journaling diecuts?

Here is what I came up with!



When I study my favorite cardmakers, I notice ribbon...usually thick ribbon that has a presence. So I used some! I placed the alphabet right on top to make it bold!



Another thing I notice from others is that they totally go with a theme and really do lots of embellishing in small spaces. I channeled that for this card.



Here I just decided to use the vine in a different way that originally intended! No border sticker when it can be a flower stem!

What do you do to make a fabulous card? I am looking for tips and advice!

I am making a promise to make at least two cards each month. I want to, I need to, I have to!

Friends and Family

Nice when you can call your family members your friends as well! I have that ability with all of my sisters as well as my sister's-in-law! Nathan calls Christian his best bud and they are first cousins. There bond is so strong. What is nice about it is that I can call Christian's mom a friend. One of the best. I knew Sue well before I met her brother, Steve. She has seen me through many things, good, bad and ugly. Our relationship has had ups and downs, but now we really are sisters. Stuck with each other...but in a good way (I know you are giggling right now!). She sees through me, right to the inside and can read me better than anyone. Which sometimes pisses me off because I can't hide a darn thing! LOL...no, I am so appreciative that she gets the real me and loves me in spite of it. She tells me like it is when I need it and never judges me when I need true understanding.

We spend lots of time together as families because the kids are super close. Nathan and Ella just adore her, looking to her like a second mom. I know she would do anything for them. So I had to scrap this beautiful photo and document what she means to our family.



I created the paper flower on this layout. I had cut several of the flower circles from a sheet of paper and imagined doing some scattered thing. Then I realized that I don't scatter well. Giggle! So I grouped them together to make petals! Easy and cheap!



All supplies are from the February kit from My Scrapbook Nook! It is a beauty!