End of the Year Teacher's Gift

Next Monday is Bennet's last day of 4K. Her first year of school is already done. Before I know it will be September and she'll be back at school as a full fledged Kindergartner. 

I wanted to make something for her teacher to thank her for being such an amazing teacher to B. I know a simple thank you note would have sufficed, but I've been feeling rather crafty lately. I was inspired by this wreath - HERE.

A couple weekends ago I made this yarn wreath.  Look at me being ahead of the game!! I wanted the color scheme to be something that perhaps she could hang in her classroom so I went with primary colors. I added some good old #2 pencils and a matching ribbon.

First Date- 10 years ago today

10 years ago today Nick and I had our first date. (Story of our First Date). You can tell alot about a person in 10 hours.

Two of my favorite older photos of us.

My first trip to the cabin- 2001

At our Engagement Party- 2003

Part of me knew on that very first date that he was someone I could spend alot of time with, perhaps forever. I am so glad that he is my forever.

He is perfect for me. He supports me, he cleans, he cooks, he loves me for who I am, he's handy around the house. He makes me laugh daily! I can't imagine myself anywhere else...everyday I'm reminded that I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

I love you Nick!

Your Kiss

Last weekend I participated in a crop at Inspired to Scrap. Saturday night they held a 1 hour layout challenge. I took them up on that challenge. Of course as soon as the timer started both Bennet and Scout needed help with something (Kids- what are you gonna do?). Then my sister Katie called. A welcome distraction anytime!

Even with the starts and stops I was able to get this layout done in under an hour. I even had time to do some fussy cutting and machine stitching. I love that the time limit forced me to just "go with it" and not  worry about finding the perfect paper or photo. The cardstock is gray although it looks black here.

Title: Your Kiss
Journaling: I could just kiss you all day long.That sweet, innocent face. Jan. 26. 2011

First Fish

I hope everyone has a fantastic Memorial Day weekend! Last year we spent the weekend at the cabin and Scout caught her first fish. Since it's supposed to rain most of the weekend we are sticking close to home this year.

TITLE: First Fish

Journaling: You could hardly wait to go fishing off the dock. It wasn't long until you caught your 1st first- a pumpkin seed. The 1st of many. 05/2010

Wordless Wednesday- Ice Cream is Good

Having Fun

Sometimes Nick knows what I want better than I do. (There it is in print- although he admitted he rarely reads these posts, so his loss). I kept saying I didn't want/need a sewing machine. I could make due with the couple of hand-me-down machines I had.

Well, thank goodness he ignored me, because I LOVE my new machine (birthday gift last Nov.) I have been using it for a barage of sewing/craft projects and on nearly every scrapbook page. I need to be stopped.

Last August I had professional photos taken of Bennet. At the end of the session I jumped in for a couple of shots. This is what we got. A totally classic and typical look at B and me.

Title: Having Fun

Will you Read to Us?

Our girls LOVE their Grandparents. Although Scout likes to match them up with the wrong couple from time to time. Grandpa Roger and Grandma Mary Ella instead of Grandma Barb :) It's ok- today she insisted that we drive past their house on the way to school so she could wave.

One of the girls favorite things to do with their Grandparents is read books. You'd think I never read to them. Last May Nick was on his annual Guys Fishing Weekend at the cabin, so I took all 3 girls on a trip to my parents cabin in MN by myself. Ellie was 4 months old and travelled great! I took this picture of my Mom reading to Bennet and Scout in their little loft. 

A couple of weekends ago I participated in a crop at the ScrapbookNook. This was completed for the color challenge: gray, green, orange and blue.

TITLE: Will you Read to Us?  

A little baby, a little art and a little sewing

Earlier this week I sent off a package to Minnesota. Specifically, a package to my sister Katie, brother-in-law Matt, 2 year old neice Molly Jo and their new daughter/sister Morgan.  There was something for everyone.

When I had Scout, my BrrrBaby friend Molly sent us a personalized blanket with Scout's name on it. Since she was my 2nd girl, we already had plenty of pink and it was so nice having something made just for her. With that in mind I made this Subway Art for Morgan's nursery.  I wanted to include all her birth stats. etc. I had it printed out as an 8 x 10 and framed it.

When I had Ellie, my BrrrBaby friend Amy made us a personalized jumper for her. She also sent along 2 crayon rolls and coloring books for B and Scout. With that in mind I made a crayon roll up using this tutorial. I packed it up with a couple of coloring books for Molly. I thought she would enjoy using it while on car trips to the cabin or Wisconsin. :)

And of course I couldn't leave out Mom and Dad. With a new baby brings even more photo opportunities. Even though they have a famcy camera strap already, I made them another one. (I made one for me too :) )

I hope the package brought a smile to their faces!

She's a Hot Mess of an Artist

There is no denying that we have a household full of happy, energetic, fearless and somewhat crazy girls. There is a reason why Nick calls them Matches(B), Gasoline (Scout) and Black Powder (Ellie).

I saw this commercial the other night and immediately thought of my girls. Apparently, so did my sister who sent me the youtube link with the note, "Not sure if you have seen this commercial yet, but it reminds me of the "lively" Sweeney girls. Keep breakin' those gender conventions ladies! :)

That being said, the next two images won't be surprising. One morning last spring I was in the living room nursing Ellie and the house was a little too quiet. This is what was waiting for me when I found them. So wonderfully typical.

I made a layout for each other their albums.

Today

The days fly by so quickly. It seems like the hours between the end of the workday and bedtime fly by even quicker. I tried to soak up that time a couple of weeks ago. Just hanging out with the girls in the front yard as dinner was in the oven. I snapped some photos of Ellie playing and discovering at the front steps. I just love her face in this photo.

Mom- Listen to Me

I took this photo of Scout at the Wisconsin Valley Fair last summer. She still makes this face when she's telling a very important story.

TITLE: "Mom, Listen to Me"

Journaling: When you have something really important to say you always start by saying. . .

Happy Heart

One year ago today I wrote this blog post. I took those words and made them into a layout.

Title: Happy Heart

Journaling:  Here

Design notes: I stitched the aqua heart on the top right onto the paper with floss.

A Glimpse

One of the things I like to really focus on in my scrapbooking is everyday moments. It's important to me to capture the simple, sometimes mundane details of our lives. It's also important that I carve out time to document my life in addition to my families. I started a Book of Me in late 2007 with the sole purpose of carving out time to tell my story. This layout is a snapshot of what was going on in my world in March 2011.

TITLE: A Glimpse

Journaling: I stuck the journaling stickers on a piece of paper and then them through my printer. I added some handwritten journaling. I took the negatives of the journaling spots and put patterned paper behind for punch.

Lots of Linear Looks

Last Friday night I had the chance to catch up my good friend Jess and scrap. I made these two layout for challenges at ScrapChicks and used the May/June Inspired to Scrap kit. 

I love grid layouts. I love the linear, simple look. Both of these layouts are just my style. 

Title: True to Life

 This layout was inspired by the movie poster for Something Borrowed

Title: Rainbow Day

I used my DMC floss to create a rainbow and add some texture. I also used a bunch of colored cardstock that has been in my stash for ages. I rarely use these colors anymore.

Nook Makes Me Happy

This year for Mother's Day the girls got me a Nook Color. I must have been really good because it's quite the gift. I was blown away! I received it on Thursday night and quickly downloaded a book, Night Road by Kristin Hannah. I finished it this morning and LOVED it. Loved the book and love reading on the Nook. 

I planned on carrying my Nook with me in my purse so I needed something to protect it. I bought this pattern from Birdful Stitches. 

Flowers that my thoughtful parents sent me for Mother's Day. Thanks Mom and Dad! This is my Spring/Summer case. I love the red, aqua and yellow! The project took less than an hour from start to finish. My kind of sewing! 

 It came together so quick and easy, that I had time to make one for my Mother-in-Law for her Kindle for Mother's Day.

Happy Mother's Day

I love being a Mom. I always assumed I'd have kids, but I was never one of those girls who dreamed of being a Mom from a young age. But sometimes you don't realize something is a dream until it comes true. Being a Mom to Bennet, Scout and Eleanor is simply a dream come true.

It isn't an easy job. You always wonder if you're making the right decisions. You want to set a good example. No more sneaking a pull of milk straight from the carton :) Sometimes just the sight of them learning how to walk, ride a bike, or brush their hair makes you cry.

You play referee. "Scout- stop hugging your sister so hard" "Bennet- you're just fine. No tears please" "Ellie-my hair is attached to my head and I'd like to keep it that way"

You play boss "Scout- I understand you want a snack and I'm working on it" "Bennet- it's time for bed. No more whining" "Ellie- if you stop opening drawers you'll stop getting your fingers pinched"

You hope that when you repeat the important things 100 times in a day they are listening just 10% of the time so it sticks.
It's not always easy to balance all the roles I play as Mom. Sometimes my lack of patience gets the best of me. But somehow everytime I'm feeling like that one of the girls will do something that makes it impossible for me to stay crabby or pouty. At the end of the day no matter how crazy it was, it's all worth it. 

Happy Mothers Day!!
Photos from last Mother's Day.
TITLE: Room for 3

 
My Mom:
I was asked to create a layout for the May edition of ScrapStreet Magazine that focused on something or someone that influenced your life. I knew right away that I wanted to make a page about my Mom. I can't post the photo here since it's in the current issue, but just click the link.
 
http://scrapstreet.com/ss11/5may/open2.htm

My 2nd Mom:
My mother-in-law Bar , shown here with my sister-in-law Sara. I feel very lucky to have a fabulous mother-in-law. Not only did she raise her son to be a wonderful husband and Dad, she makes me feel good about myself on a regular basis. Can't beat that!

And of course I am thinking of my sister Katie who welcomed her second daughter, Morgan Mary, to her family this Tuesday. I hope she is able to enjoy a relaxing day at home with her family. I love you Squirt!

Jump in the Lake

I am hosting this weeks Hen Party Friday challenge at Scrap Chicks.

My hands down favorite color is red. I love to accent the red with yellow and blue. It's such a fun color combination. So fun, that Chickie picked them as her accent colors for Scrap Chicks.

My challenge this week is for you to create a layout/card/project using the ScrapChicks colors: Red, yellow and Teal/Aqua Blue. Plus- use either/both either black or white.

TITLE: A Simply Perfect Day to Jump in the Lake

Journaling: You could hardly contain your excitement that it was warm enough for a dip in Poor Lake. 05/10
Design Notes: I handstitched the sun and then filled in some of the rays with Stickles. I painted the 'lake' alpha and outlined in white pen.

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher Appreciation Week. I saw this idea on eighteen25 blog  and knew it would be perfect for Scout's main teacher, Miss Carol. Of course what she really could use was a pair of ear plugs :) The photos aren't the best, but you get the idea.

Scout delivered it today and it was a huge hit!

 

Psst- Casie/Kim/Jess: I finally used that giant green ric rak I always talk about.

Tonight Bennet and I need to finish our card/gift for her teacher. Never a dull moment!

National Scrapbook Day!

National Scrapbook Day is coming up and I am so excited. It is a holiday that ranks right up there with Christmas morning. Of course it's just an excuse to do nothing but scrap all day, but that's my kind of day!

I wonder if I could ask for the day to scrap as a Mother's Day gift :)
 I'm going to be celebrating over at Scrap Chicks. I have 2 challenges ready to go and the rest of the Creative Team is busy prepping too! Lots of fun, lots of challenges, and lots of chatter. Join us!