sunny in tree city

2010-05-07T13:30:00.000-04:00

These two little girls make me proud to be a mother. They never fail to bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart. A big thank you to Robyn and Vanessa for always being my little girls!

2010-04-27T13:10:00.002-04:00

Movin' right along...

That is what time does, right? Here we are nearing the end of April already. The daffodils and tulips have bloomed. My forsythia flowers have come and gone. My little girls are getting bigger and smarter all of the time. And time moves on.

This photo is from a trip we made to Gallup Park the other day. The girls were really into checking out the geese and ducks- more so even than swinging on the swings at the playground! wow!

2010-02-01T11:56:00.002-05:00

February 1st! Already? I didn't even make a January post- oops!

We are all doing well. Cold, but no snow- wish that we had snow for everybody to play in!
Just wanted to share a couple of photos today....Vanessa has lost another tooth, the girls are being silly as usual, and Mojo is getting bigger!

2009-12-29T08:18:00.003-05:00

More Puppy cuteness! The girls are very much in love with their little puppy! He has been such a good boy too. Such a mellow, snuggly dog who loves to go for a walk (actually he R-U-N-S and fast!)

2009-12-26T08:11:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas! Santa brought us a new additon to the family this year...Meet Mojo!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T10:04:00.005-05:00

Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays!
It's been a busy December around here!

Not much snow on the ground, but the girls got enough to make snow angels and sled a little last weekend.

And, we visited Santa which is always exciting

Grandma has been giving Vanessa some sewing lessons and Vanessa loves it! Quite the little crafty one!

And the girls had a blast with our christmas cookies this year- sprinkles everywhere!

I hope your holidays are happy and safe!

2009-11-17T15:14:00.000-05:00

Family photo day!

Take care!

2009-10-19T11:11:00.007-04:00

Hey there!
It's been a while...I have not been real good at updating the ol' blog lately.
Today I just have a few photos to show what we have been up to.

First of all, we are preparing for a spooky birthday party and have things like this hanging around the house

And Vanessa is very excited for her upcoming party

The trees in front of our house are just spectacularly beautiful right now! Seriously, while we were outside yesterday, I saw 3 people stop their cars, get out, and take photos of our trees!

I love this photo of my little blondie! She is also getting excited for her bday party coming up in a couple of weeks! It's a regular birthday bonanza around here!

She is full of silly/funny faces lately- but still so cute!

We built fairy houses in the back yard- an enchanting way to spend an afternoon!

And Vanessa looooves her books! Amazing how much reading she can do only in 1st grade!

Thanks for stopping by! I'll try to be back soon!

2009-10-05T10:06:00.000-04:00

And she can now ride a 2 wheeler! YAY Vanessa!!

2009-09-08T10:30:00.003-04:00

It's back to school day! (and a rainy one!)

Robyn is excited to be in the big kids group at preschool this year! AND, bringing her lunch in her batman lunchbox!

Vanessa is our big 1st grader! She is very excited about everything! :)

Here's to a great school year!

2009-08-11T14:39:00.002-04:00

It's been awhile since I have checked in, but I'm still around. Just busy and trying to enjoy the last weeks of summer before school starts again. Went looking through some old photos today and came across this one. Almost 4 years ago! Amazing...were they really this little? wow!

Have a great day

2009-07-10T11:34:00.001-04:00

Today makes 3 for 3! Amazing! Here is my backyard camping layout.

Have a great day!

2009-07-09T13:16:00.002-04:00

Uh-oh- watch out! It's another layout today. I may just get back into regular blogging yet.

I've been feeling a little paint-y lately. Been checking out the cool stuff Dina Wakley can do with the paint. She is a definite inspiration! :-
)

Hope your day is great!

2009-07-08T14:41:00.001-04:00

Hey, it's a layout today! A little paint, my fav pattern paper, and a photo of me with my favorite person.

have a great day!

2009-07-06T10:40:00.008-04:00

Independence Day weekend! Lots of firsts happening lately.

Vanessa spent a week at her very first daycamp and had a BLAST swimming, archery, crafts, and even having a special Halloween celebration on the last day!

Robyn had her preschool 4th of July bike parade and she did an excellent job decorating her bike and riding around the block 3 times

We played at Top of the Park some more

Vanessa took this one- she is getting good with the camera!

We enjoyed the local parade on the 4th

Then we headed out to a metropark for picnic and fireworks

Robyn was happy to find little toads

S'mores!

playground fun

Sparklers!

it's the sparkle fairy (she soooo loved this)

this one liked it to, but was starting to get very tired...

Happy Independence Day!

2009-06-29T14:43:00.003-04:00

Summer Fun photo post!

We've been having tons of fun over here lately!

Dancin' and hanging out at Top of the Park

Sprinkler!!

the ZOO!

kiddie pool!

backyard camping!

Hope your day is great!

2009-06-16T14:37:00.005-04:00

Wheeeee! It's summertime!

And, we all enjoyed our first night at the summer fest this past weekend. Looking forward to getting there a few more nights in the next few weeks too.

Vanessa is hanging out at the office with us this week. She really loves it up here! I thought I would share with you the results of her growing up in a crafty-office like ours. This morning, she was very quiet in the front room so I peeked in and found this.

What could she be making with packing foam, paint, flowers, and ribbon?- oh, and we can't forget scotch tape.....

Why, a DRESS of course!

complete with her initials for her "brand" on the tag! LOL

Maybe this signals an early retirement for me?

Have a great day!

2009-06-12T12:56:00.002-04:00

There she is! Our kindergarten graduate, an actual 1st grader, a really sweet girl, my Vanessa. Happy Day Vanessa and Congratulations on a very successful year of learning all that stuff in Kindergarten. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!

2009-06-09T13:37:00.003-04:00

SUMMER! I think I need to say that again... SUMMER!

This is the last week that I am a mom to a little girl in kindergarten! She is about to be an real, live 1ST GRADER! *gasp* Seriously, this is SUCH a big deal to her. I had no idea. In a lot of ways, this is more momentous in her mind than starting kindergarten. I am definitely a proud proud mommy and can not believe the amount of learning that has taken place this past year....reading, writing, making up poems, incredible advancements in her artistic abilities, the list goes on and on!

And yes, we are VERY ready for the summer fun to start...picnics, swimming, maybe some camping, summer festival, getting together with friends and family. Looking forward to it! What are your favorite summer activities?

I'll just leave you with this simple little layout I did about the "wishing well"

Peace & Love

2009-05-27T13:35:00.002-04:00

Hey there!

I just have this little layout to share today. Seems like it has become even more challenging to get the girls to be looking towards the camera with smiles, etc...Most of them are like this, silly faces, hair all over, not even looking at me. But, hey- they are having a great time! AND, look how silly they are :-)

Have a great day!

2009-05-18T14:54:00.004-04:00

Ok, I've been away for awhile. Oops...sometimes, the time just passes on by.

I have just a few photos to share today.

Here are the girls with their 5K medals- they did really well and Vanessa *did* actually run the first mile of the 5K. Robyn was cruising comfy in the stroller

And, Matt and I had a great great time in Chicago. Wonderful concert and we both enjoyed some reading time on the train ride there and back. Here we are at the train station in Chicago, checking out the map. I love this guy so much!

And, then I had the most wonderful mother's day and my girls and my guy definitely made me feel specials. Loved getting out on the bikes and going to the arb for a bit

And, tomorrow, is our 9th wedding anniversary! WOWZERS! How can it be nine years already? I love this guy more than ever, and what a wonderful father he is.

I hope your day is great!

2009-05-01T13:53:00.003-04:00

May Day! We are really enjoying that it actually *feels* like spring now!

And check out these cuties dressing up fancy the other day.

The batgirl mask is the perfect touch!

Other news- we are all doing a 5K this weekend (fundraiser for V's school)! One of us might run, the other will walk with the girls...depends on who is feeling up for running early in the am on Sunday.

And, last- I am soooo excited...Monday morning, Matt and I are taking the train for:

Woohoo! Can't wait.

PeacE and Love!

2009-04-17T12:40:00.001-04:00

Vanessa's other loose tooth made it's way out last night and she now is the proud owner of an even cuter smile!

Happy Friday!

2009-04-16T10:50:00.005-04:00

another pic post
We have been enjoying springtime around here! Last weekend was packed with fun activities.

Bike rides...

Vanessa seriously loves her tag-a-long bike!

Kite flying

Decorating Easter Eggs

Hunting Easer eggs

And, last but not least, Vanessa lost her first tooth! And that crooked little one next to it is hanging by just a tiny little thread at this point.

2009-04-06T09:47:00.002-04:00

Vanessa's first soccer game!

And wow, she loves it! I had no idea my little girl would be so into this game. She got right in there and gave it all.

I hope you have a great day. We woke up to SNOW this morning- ready for that to be all over with :-)

2009-03-31T14:40:00.004-04:00

The last day of March...already? It seems like March just started! So happy to see the springtime moving in though. Vanessa starts soccer practice tomorrow and this morning she discovered her first ever wobbly tooth! I can hardly believe it! Robyn seems to be growing 2x as fast everyday and is really into counting any and everything right now.

Just wanted to share a couple of recent spring photos today.

We had a wonderful tea party in the front yard

And the girls had a blast playing "teeter totter" on their hoppity balls together- totally cute and fun

I hope your day is great!

2009-03-20T13:00:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday! And Welcome to Spring! (although it is rather chilly out there today around here)

I found some old photos I had printed out a long time ago in my dash to get a LOT of projects done for the upcoming Brenda Pinnick hour on QVC. Tune in at 5pm EST on Tuesday, March 24th~ some really fun new products will be premiered!

So, it is really hard for me to believe these photos are from 2 years ago! The day my little girl first discovered rain puddles.

Have a wonderful weekend!

2009-03-16T10:53:00.002-04:00

Spring is coming! Hooray Hurrah! We are beyond ready for it too. What a beautiful weekend and today the spring sunshine continues! YAY!

The girls had a great time being able to get outside and play. Just a couple of photos of both girls from the weekend.

Robyn is really looking grown up lately...

except she still has that pudgy belly :-)

Vanessa on the go!

Have a great Monday!

2009-03-10T15:02:00.002-04:00

I have been seeing this little pouty face quite frequently lately from Robyn...seems she is grown up enough to feel she is being slighted by her older sister. Lots of hugs and kisses and snuggles seem to cheer her up well though!

take care!

2009-03-09T14:19:00.002-04:00

We spent the weekend with a lot of rain, but it was soooo nice to get the warmer weather! Vanessa named this puddle in our front yard her friend "Puddly" and did this cute little dance in it. Lovin' that spring is coming!!!

Have a great day!

2009-03-06T14:16:00.001-05:00

Feeling a little old school and super simple today with this one.

Have a great weekend!

2009-03-05T12:50:00.002-05:00

I took a quick few minutes to use that cute, smiley photo of the girls and here is the finished layout!

Have a great day

2009-03-03T11:57:00.002-05:00

Hey there! Welcome to March YAY!

I have a couple of photos of my cuties to share today.

1. it's still cold, but we have been happy to see the sunshine a little bit!

2. I'm so proud of Vanessa reading books to her little sister! Just melts my heart!

I hope that your day is wonderful!

2009-02-25T12:27:00.002-05:00

Just thought I share some of these super fun cards with you all!!

Have a great day.

2009-02-20T14:10:00.001-05:00

In honor of all the snow we are supposed to receive tomorrow (again! ick)...I am really savoring these beach photos from the trip to California. I hope you all have a great weekend! we will probably be hitting that sledding hill again!

2009-02-19T14:55:00.003-05:00

YAY! I bought my tickets today for the Dead in Chicago this May!! Wanted to take the girls, but decided me and the hubby will go out for a date!! YAY!

2009-02-16T14:35:00.003-05:00

Hey there! I had a chance to do a quick layout today with a few of those beach photos so I thought I would throw it up here, in case anybody still stops by :) I have been super busy lately and neglecting the blog...I'm going to try to get back to being more regular about posting.

So, for today...."Beach"

2009-02-02T10:45:00.008-05:00

We are back!

Thanks to all of you who stopped by our booth at CHA! It was a pleasure meeting many of you and seeing some of my "old" friends too. We are back in the office today working on catching up and still trying to adjust back to eastern time!

After CHA was over, Matt and I were able to spend a couple of days in California with the girls! YAY! Here are just a few photos to highlight our adventure.

First- the booth! My mom, me, and Lora at the start of the show!

Now for the fun photos...
We spent an entire day at Disneyland with the girls and they stayed on their feet for 10 hours- from open to close! I was amazed they lasted that long! Hard to pick just 3 photos to highlight the day, but here they are!

Marching up to the infamous castle!

They were both thrilled to meet a bunch of the characters, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Chip and Dale, etc...Here they are with Jasmine

And they both loved the Dumbo ride, of course!

The next day we took it easy and headed to Newport Beach. We were so lucky that it was in the 80s that day! Water was cold, but we all still got wet. The girls loved loved loved the ocean!

Yep, they definitely loved the ocean!

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day

2009-01-23T12:49:00.004-05:00

Packing up!

We just about have everything packed and are heading out for CHA. We are really excited about exhibiting for the first time and hope to maybe see you there!

I wanted to stop in and leave just a couple of more layouts. Also I have a peek at a really fabulous new card kit.

And, I am really in love with the color combos in this card kit by Justine.

Have a wonderful week!

2009-01-19T13:01:00.007-05:00

Circle of Friends

The Circle of Friends line is one of my favorites because it is a collaboration of our friends and family that have made this line possible. I also like this line because of the unique and different styles and color usage brought together under one umbrella.
Here are a few cool projects from the Circle of Friends

And this fun little mini- yep, that is me as a little girl!

Have a great day!

2009-01-16T14:17:00.006-05:00

a closer look
at Dena Designs- the broad sneak peeks for CHA are down below. I also wanted to show you a closer look at some of the Dena Designs product with these projects.

My favorite clear scrapbook that I have made:

Here are a couple of layouts for my brother and brand new sister-in-law from their wedding in Cozumel!

Fresh Greens

trendy pink/black

Thanks for stopping by! I'll keep sharing projects up until next week when I leave for the show. Have a great weekend.

2009-01-14T13:11:00.008-05:00

The Crate is leaving!!

Well, I was hoping to have the company blog up and running as well as our website, but since we are little behind in getting that done, I will post our CHA sneak peeks here even though I would prefer to keep this a strictly personal blog. Matt is in the warehouse sealing the crate that is leaving today for the CHA show! YAY! I am so excited to announce that we are exhibiting at the winter show in a couple of weeks.

So, the first two frames are our Specials, and this is product that will be shipping right away.

Bold, funky, fun, and playful!

Pretty florals and unique crafting projects

The following 5 frames are product that will be available in the near future

Dena Designs

Dena Designs

Brenda Pinnick

Brenda Pinnick

And last, but not least- Circle of Friends

Thank you for stopping by and maybe I will see you at CHA!
Have a great day.

2009-01-07T13:28:00.004-05:00

Baby Layout

Hey there!
Do you have any pictures that you find yourself scrapping repeatedly? I find myself reaching for these adorable photos of Robyn when she was 4 months old. I just love looking at them I guess. She has changed so much from these photos and looks really different now! I would have never known that she would become a blondie!

Anyhow, I scrapped them again...

Thanks for stopping by!

2009-01-05T14:07:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post from me today to leave the photos of the day from the weekend!

January 2nd- Robyn playing with the critters at the office

January 3rd- Not sure *what* exactly she is up to here, but she does look cute!

January 4th- Robyn trying to escape from the camera

Take care!

2009-01-02T14:38:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year celebration. Welcome 2009! One of my goals this year is to try to take a least a photo a day...this might end up being a weekly thing...we'll see.
So, yesterday, we took the girls out to play with their new sled!

Most of our snow had melted thanks to the rain we received on christmas. There was just barely enough to let them go down the big hill. They still had a blast!

I also have a quick project to share today. Ugly doll- my girls love love love their ugly dolls from their Uncle Darren. I love how they "make them fancy" with their hair bows!

Have a wonderful weekend!

2008-12-23T10:27:00.003-05:00

Hey there! Just stopping by real quick to wish you all a happy, safe holiday!

Take care!

2008-12-18T10:14:00.006-05:00

Is it really only one week to christmas day?! Wow, I am done with my shopping, my cards will be sent out tomorrow, and all that is left is to wrap some presents! We took the girls to see good ol' Santa last night-they look pretty excited about the holidays this year...

Vanessa made this lovely little candy house at kindergarten as a present to us! :) She was very proud of this creation, as she should be.

And, since I am feeling christmas-y this morning, I thought I would share this little "encounters with santa" mini accordion tag book I made awhile ago using the big 9000pc Cosmo Cricket Christmas set (you may have seen this in the idea guide included in the kit). I think this is one of my very favorite minis I have made and it is also one of the girl's favorites. Each tag inside showcases a moment in 2007 with Santa, from writing him letters, visiting him, and leaving his cookies on christmas eve.

cover

opened up

And a few of the tags inside

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day!

2008-12-16T12:33:00.002-05:00

My little Robyn is such a silly girl. She seems to make a real effort to try to be silly! This is the lovely face I get when I pull out the camera lately- my little goofball!

Hope your Tuesday is great!

2008-12-10T12:30:00.003-05:00

I feel proud of myself for actually doing a christmas layout while it is still the season! We went decorated our tree over the weekend and the girls had such a fun time. It was a super cold and snowy day, just perfect for putting up the decorations.

Vanessa picked the theme this year for multi-color balls. We were surprised that she declined the pink/silver idea we pitched to her!

Have a great day!

2008-12-09T10:39:00.002-05:00

Happy Tuesday! Are you all ready for the holidays? Time has gone by so fast, I can't believe how close to christmas it is! I still have tons to get done, of course!

But, this morning, I put this little layout together real quick in photoshop...my crafting table is buried under a bunch of work in progress and I didn't want to deal with it, so I just played around a bit on the computer! FUN!

Have a great day!

2008-12-02T20:09:00.006-05:00

Hey there!
I'm finally checking in after our long Thanksgiving weekend. On Thanksgiving, we got out early and took the girls down to the big Thanksgiving Day parade. They really enjoyed it and so did Matt and myself :-)
Here are just a few of the many many photos I took of the parade.

Impressive! (and a little scary!)

Rainbow fish!

Good ol' Uncle Sam

Robyn loved getting some beads

And Vanessa enjoyed snuggling up and watching the parade pass by

After the parade, we realized how cold we were! We hurried to our car and went to grandma's house for a big feast. It was really a great day. I hope your weekend was wonderful too.

2008-11-26T13:43:00.001-05:00

She looks happy in the leaves, doesn't she? She was bummed out when we pushed them all out on the street for the big leaf pickup. I think once the snow comes though, she'll get over it then.

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-25T14:24:00.003-05:00

Hey there! I'm back! I had a wonderful trip to London and Amsterdam. I took a ton of photos of Amsterdam while I walked around, I'll just share one of my favorites here- let me know if you want to see more :-)
This is the Modern Art Museum in Amsterdam- love the big sculpture! I saw so many inspiring things while there, from architecture to the canals, and even the bicycles!

It feels so good to be home! I took a few minutes today to make a quick layout about my little girls. I am so blessed to be their mommy!

I hope you all are well! Have a wonderful day

2008-11-18T11:10:00.002-05:00

Hey!
It has turned COLD on us here, winter is already moving in it seems. This little girl was so excited to see a dusting of snow on the ground, she got all bundled up to get out there.

She was a little disappointed there wasn't more snow! Ha- just give it a few months, and she'll be tired of the snow!

I'm heading out tonight for London! I hope you all have a wonderful week!

2008-11-14T11:38:00.002-05:00

Hey there!
I'll warn you...below is a shameless plug to buy stuff...
Anybody from the UK stopping by my blog? If so, you are in luck! The wonderful artist, Brenda Pinnick is going to have an entire hour of great product on air at QVC UK on November 20th- that's next week! We have been busy helping her prepare for the show over here (and I am very excited to be going to London with her to help out!). Lots of wonderful, fun new product to play with!! Don't forget to check it out on November 20th!

Here's a little sneak at a couple of the product boards....

Have a great Friday and Happy Weekend!

2008-11-11T10:42:00.002-05:00

Hey there
Just stopping by to share this quickie layout this morning. Robyn was really into the donuts at the pumpkin patch and just watching her makes me want one :)

I have some more projects I can share soon, but mostly I have been working on some "top secret" stuff lately!

Have a wonderful day and thanks for stopping by!

2008-11-06T13:28:00.001-05:00

This little girl hiding in the leaves turned THREE on Tuesday!!

Happy Birthday little Robyn!!

Not only did she turn 3, but she also decided to be completely potty trained a couple of days before her birthday! We are so proud of our little girl.

2008-10-29T10:14:00.008-04:00

Hey there!
I'm the long lost blogger checking in and I have a big photo post today to show that we have been busy around here.

For starters, Happy Birthday to the sweetest guy I know!!

And, my little girl Vanessa turned
FIVE!

She had a blast on her day too- this is just a cute one of her being happy

Then, we also made our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. We love this place!

There is the hay maze

The yummy donuts

And we can't forget the pony rides

Finally, last night, the girls had their combined birthday party at a jumpin' place- they had a blast! (Robyn's actual bday is next week)

Thanks for stopping by, I should be around more frequently now. Sorry to be gone for so long.

2008-10-13T14:21:00.003-04:00

Sometimes, the unexpected happens. My heart goes out to my dear friend Kimberly and her two little boys. Last week, Kimberly's husband passed away suddenly at the young age of 38. My heart truly does ache for Kimberly and her boys. I'm thinking of them constantly and hope they are able to find peace in their time of sorrow. There are a few auctions to help Kimberly on Emily Falconbridge's blog here, if you can can go check them out, I think the auctions close tonight.

I have not been able to get much scrappin' done lately. My thoughts are being consumed by Kimberly and her family, planning the birthday party for my girls, more birthday stuff for matt, work and more work, and also, politics. I'm ready for this election to be done with already!
But, I do have this quick layout to share with some photos from the Ren Fest. We had such a great time there this year. Vanessa is already planning for next year too :)

Have a good day.

2008-10-06T15:07:00.004-04:00

Hey there!

We finally made it to the Renaissance Festival this weekend and it was a BLAST. The girls had such a wonderful time and so did Matt and I. Here are my highlight photos from the day...I narrowed down to only 3.

Vanessa's favorite "jumpy" ride. She SO loved this thing.

The girls participated in kid's pie eating contest- Robyn was in her glory!

And, lastly, the girls were presented before the QUEEN during her tea! She declared them princesses and "turtle race champions" and they received a loud HUZZAH for being so cute LOL

Thanks for stopping by, hope you have a good day.

2008-09-30T14:11:00.003-04:00

The last day of September, already? The next few months will go by even faster probably, with birthdays and holidays coming up. I just thought I would drop in to share a couple of end-of-september photos of my girls.

Over the weekend, Robyn woke up vomiting in the middle of the night and continued through on Sunday. Yesterday she was still a little down, but feeling better and not vomiting. Come to find out "'Nessa give me blueberry from yard"- yep, she ate a berry from our yard that is NOT the eating kind of berry. AND, she didn't do it on her own, her older sister fed it to her! I am impressed they told the truth though! :)
Lesson for Robyn- don't believe/do everything your sister tells you!
Lesson for Vanessa (who missed out on going to the Ren Fest because R was sick)- Don't use your sister as the tester!!

Have a good day!

2008-09-22T15:15:00.004-04:00

Hey there! I hope you are having a great Monday and that your weekend was wonderful. We had a nice time, a birthday party for the girls' cousin on Saturday and a neighborhood block party on Sunday (and some cleaning around the house too).
I just wanted to share a couple of layouts today using more of the new Brenda Pinnick items. Don't forget QVC kicks off their craft fair tonight at midnight (EST).

milk with a straw

and silly cousins

Have a fantastic day!

2008-09-19T13:50:00.003-04:00

Heeeelllloooooooo!! Woohoo for Friday! This week seemed to go by fast, just being extra busy I suppose.
Here are a couple of more layouts I have to share.

1st Day of School- I thought the mini file folder and library cards would lend themselves well for Vanessa's 1st day of school layout. That funky pattern paper is in the super cool Poppy Ink kit that will be on QVC next tuesday.

And, another one with some Brenda Pinnick- this background paper does not get it's justice in the photo- it has gold hot foil stamp on the leaves and it is B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L in real life! Hard to believe this photo of Robyn was from a year ago too!

I'm thinking that next Monday, I will post something up for a special RAK, so be sure to stop by for a chance to get something cool. Tuesday will be QVC day and I have a ton more things to show you for that :)

Have a great weekend!

2008-09-18T13:54:00.004-04:00

Hey there! I'm just gonna leave a few recent layouts here today.

I used a bit of my September Scarlet Lime kit for this "Rockin' Out" layout- lovin' the mesh flowers in this kit!

And another Robyn layout and *gasp* I actually did computer journaling (which I almost never do!). More of those yummy Brenda Pinnick papers to be found on QVC next week!

One more with some of the new Brenda papers. I also glittered up an overlay frame and the chipboard letters for a 'sandy' feel.

Happy Thursday!

2008-09-17T15:12:00.002-04:00

It's that time again for another I Inspire Me challenge! This time, "bedding/linens" was the basis of our inspiration. I just got back from checking out the post over there and once again, AMAZING work! I love seeing the different ways everyday things can be interpreted in the scrappin' world.

We actually just got our new bedding (that I LOVE), so this was an easy choice of inspiration for me.

Thanks for looking- have a fun wednesday!

2008-09-16T12:50:00.005-04:00

Hey there!

I'm doing a little rearranging and updating on the ol' blog, so if it looks different each time you come back here for a bit, that's why! :)

I just wanted to share a couple of new layouts with you today.

First, we have the layout "hop" that uses some of the fun goodies to be found in a new QVC Poppy Ink kit (designed exclusively for QVC!).

And another one with some new Brenda Pinnick papers and chipboard. I also added a couple of Jenni Bowlin stickers to it. (yes, I love these photos so much I have them up top in my header too. They just make me smile when I see them)

In other news, I am thinking about setting a "posting schedule" for myself soon and maybe doing some more fun challenges. Look for a poll to be up soon to get your feedback!

2008-09-12T14:45:00.003-04:00

Happy Friday! We have a rainy rainy day here today and more rain for the weekend. Need to find some fun indoor activities (besides cleaning) to do with the girls this weekend.
I just wanted to leave this layout with you real quick. This is some more of the gorgeous new Brenda Pinnick stuff, available ONLY on QVC!

Have a great weekend!

2008-09-11T14:26:00.003-04:00

Hellooooo out there! It has been another one of those crazy, busy weeks! Thankfully, it is all good busy though.
First of all, Vanessa is really enjoying kindergarten! She looks forward to going every morning and asked me yesterday if she could start staying all day. She might be ready for that, but I still like her hanging around with us at the office in the afternoon....just for another year :)
With kindergarten, a whole new world has opened up for Matt and I being the parents of a child in elementary school. We have learned about PTO, curriculum night, snacks/allergies, school work, expectations of kindergarteners, etc...Not to mention juggling 2 drop offs at different places in the morning for the girls...adding an extra 1/2 hour onto the morning...

Secondly, one of the reasons I have been so busy is there is a QVC show coming up on September 23rd! We have a few products airing that day so I have been knee deep in working on samples and preparing for future items to be made too!
I wanted to share today a layout using some new Brenda Pinnick products that should be on air soon. I find it hard to believe that these pics are of my little Robyn! She looks so chubby and small (this was about a year and a half ago), but she still loves pounding on the keys!

Take care!

2008-09-04T12:40:00.004-04:00

Black Mary Jane Shoes- seems like every little girl should have a pair at some point. I remember mine, but not so fondly. Have I mentioned that I wasn't much of a girly-girl? I didn't like the slippery bottoms and the patent leather and the pinchy toes...
Thankfully, the mary jane shoes of today are MUCH more comfy (at least they seem that way) and have great treads on the soles. I honestly had no idea just how much my little Robyn and Vanessa would love wearing these shoes so I had to make sure to document it, so they will remember too :)

Have a fantastic day!

2008-09-03T14:46:00.004-04:00

Hey there!
It's that time again for another I Inspire Me post. This week's challenge was to be inspired by doors/windows. We have a lot of these old 5 panel doors in our house and for this weeks project, I used this door style as my inspiration.

I started out my layout with a 12x12 raw chipboard sheet. I then embossed/debossed the same panel design that is on my door onto the chipboard sheet and finished it up with some messy paint. I kind of like how this one turned out!

I hope you are having a wonderful Wednesday. Take care!

2008-09-02T14:33:00.005-04:00

Good morning! School has begun- Vanessa is officially a kindergartner and she really really really LOVED her first day. She played with "the girl in the brown tank top" (I supposed we will find out her name eventually) and liked her teacher a lot. And, she was super proud of her new SuperGirl backpack, complete with pink AND bling! Robyn had her first day solo at preschool too. She did wonderfully and had no problems adjusting to Vanessa not being there with her.
Here are the pictures from this morning.

Robyn wouldn't look at me for a pic this morning...

And Miss V was very very excited about this new kindergarten business!

So, hopefully, things will start to be a little less busy here and I can be more consistent with posting on my blog. I know I have some sneak peeks coming up soon for some brand new products to be featured on QVC the 23rd, so keep checking back for those.
I'll leave you today with this little Robyn layout- I love this girl's smile!

Have a great day!

2008-08-27T15:27:00.002-04:00

It's Wednesday again! Today is Vanessa's very last day of preschool, so hard to believe she isn't my little 2.5 year old on her first day of preschool anymore- that was 2 years ago!! So, to celebrate, we are taking an extra long weekend to just hang out before she makes the trek to Kindergarten next Tuesday morning.

And, I'll leave you with a silly layout about the day Robyn discovered the belly slide :)

Have a great day and wonderful weekend! :)

2008-08-26T10:53:00.003-04:00

Hey there! Just wanted to show off my pretty princesses this morning. *sigh* they are growing up so fast!!

We are having some beautiful end of summer weather, perfect for sleeping with the windows open and playing outside without getting all sweaty! I hope it stays like this for a few weeks...still not ready for the official colder weather of "fall".

Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day!

2008-08-22T13:55:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday! Just popping in with a quick post of a layout. My little girl is starting kindergarten soon and she is very excited about it, so I wanted to make sure to record her excitement, and my tiny bit of sadness to see her growing up and being a big girl.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

2008-08-20T06:17:00.005-04:00

Happy Wednesday!
Just wanted to share real quick this morning the layout I did for this weeks I Inspire Me Challenge. The theme for this week was Jewelry. I really like the debossed flower design on this little ring I have, so I recreated similar debossed flowers, then used the exacto to give the flowers a little lift.

I'm heading out today for a big meeting, so if you have some lucky vibes to share, send them my way please! Have a wonderful day!

2008-08-13T10:35:00.003-04:00

Oh my...I have not been so good lately about giving the blog some attention. Have I mentioned that things are just extremely busy around here lately? I think the next couple of weeks are going to be just as busy too.
Speaking of being busy, today I just had to step away from it for a second and make something for fun real quick. Sometimes it just has to be done! And now that I got it out of my system, I can get back to my work and do a better job at it :)
So, here's my quick little layout today called "race" - just grabbed some things out of the box of scraps and went to it!

Now, if you can- take a quick break and go make a little something just for fun! Come on, you can do it too :)
Have a great day!

2008-08-07T09:52:00.004-04:00

I meant to get on here yesterday and post about this week's I Inspire Me challenge to be inspired by stationery, but unfortunately, a stomach virus got me instead and I was just staying in my bed all day long. Feeling a little bit better today though YAY!

So, head on over and check out the I Inspire Me blog again- there is some amazing creativity happenin' over there!
For my stationery inspired project, I actually used this notecard set I have to make a little mini book of some beach pictures. It was a super easy project and I really like how it turned out :)

I hope you all have a wonderful day!

2008-08-04T15:20:00.004-04:00

August? Really? This summer is going by too fast- my little Vanessa will be starting kindergarten in ONE month! Crazy! We had a nice, relaxing weekend- the weather was beautiful and not too hot or humid- yay! I hope you had a nice weekend too.

I just wanted to share this "rowdy" layout today of my girls playing- seems like they are always making up fun little games to play with each other.

And, I was tagged by my friend Lea, so here goes!

Here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who “tagged” you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post.
5. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know your entry is posted on your blog.

My random things:
1. I am left handed, except when playing softball or using scissors, then I use my right hand (basketball and volleyball I am pretty much ambidextrious)
2. I have a B.S. in Ecosystems Biology
3. I would like to pursue a PhD in Phycology (the study of algae)... someday :)
4. Matt and I stayed in a treehouse in the jungle of the big island in Hawaii for our honeymoon- I want to go back there someday.
5. I'm a Mac user :)
6. I want to learn to play the guitar

And now, I hereby tag the following people- make sure to check out their cool blogs too!

1. Celeste
2. Dina
3. Kimberly
4. Lana
5. Staci
6. Tabitha

Have a good day!

2008-07-31T12:38:00.004-04:00

Ok, it's Thursday and I haven't had a chance to post this week! Things are just busy as ever over here :) We had a great time last weekend, took the girls to a fun place that has a splash pad and a beach on the lake- they totally loved it!

I also thought this picture of them from the other morning was pretty cute- and yes, Vanessa is in need of a haircut!

And, I only have one layout to share today, called I Believe in Change. I wanted to document two of today's issues that are important to me, peace and alternative fuels. I thought about sending this in for MMM contest, but decided not to. :)

Thanks for stopping by :)

2008-07-25T10:39:00.003-04:00

Friday Friday!! YAY! this week went by FAST! I wanted to share a couple of layouts today.
First, "hippety-hop"- I cut up a tag for parts of the title and I really love watching my girls play in the yard together- they call each other "best sisters" now :)

And I also have "sandbox" to share...been diggin' the color yellow for awhile now, just so cheery and bright! And, I totally love these K&Co chipboard letters- fun font!

That's all for today, have a great weekend!

2008-07-23T12:54:00.003-04:00

Happy Wednesday! We have such a beautiful day here today, not too humid and only in the 70s...perfect! Makes me want to get out there and play :)

I just wanted to share my take on this weeks I Inspire Me challenge (you can check out this cool blog by clicking the link over to the left). The theme this time was clothing inspired. If you know me, you probably know that my children's wardrobe is MUCH more exciting than mine, so I used this shirt of Vanessa's for my inspiration this week. I love love love the font on this shirt. But, I don't have a font like this, nor have I seen one...

So, I set my mind to creating this font myself- I used the Bauhaus 93 font and added the stripes myself in PhotoShop...it took some help from Matt and a little patience, but I finally acheived what I was wanting!

I hope you all have a great day!

2008-07-22T11:45:00.003-04:00

Hey there! I just wanted to pop in and share a couple of layouts today. I had a whirlwind, busy busy busy day at CHA on Friday. I got to see some old friends and meet a couple of new ones too, it was great! Of course, I saw tons of eye candy while there- my top 2 picks are- ALL of the new Sassafras and I really dig the BG Ambrosia line!

And Jennifer- you need to come back here to claim your rak!!

So, first layout is 'no more pictures'- I bet I am not the only one who can relate to getting this look! HA!

And I also have "you love to explore"

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

2008-07-17T15:10:00.002-04:00

I'm heading out in the morning for a whirlwind trip to CHA...hopefully I'll get to meet up with Celeste and Dina while there!
Just wanted to share this super simple one today. Have a great weekend everybody!

2008-07-16T09:52:00.002-04:00

Happy Wednesday! It is going to be hot and humid here today, making me glad I signed up to help the preschool take the kids to the pool this afternoon!
I just wanted to share a couple of layouts today and tell Jennifer that she needs to come back and claim her RAK!!

First we have "you color my world"- I love the KI Bloom line!

And we also have "sunshine daydream"

Have a good day all!

2008-07-14T14:28:00.001-04:00

Monday Monday! And we have a RAK winner.....Jennifer- you guessed correctly that my bicycle is PURPLE!! Thank you all for your fun guesses and Jennifer- send me your address and I'll try to get this RAK out before I go to Chicago on Friday.

Today, I just have a quick, simple layout to share celebrating my girl's love of creating!

Have a great day everybody!

2008-07-11T13:15:00.003-04:00

There's my little Safety Town graduate! She really enjoyed this past week going to Safety Town. They got to do all kinds of fun things while learning about safety...school bus ride, fire engines, fire safety house, riding bicycles, hanging out with police officers, learning about 'stranger danger', getting inside an ambulance, and she even got a new bike helmet and t-shirt! I'm proud of my girl, and it was great practice for kindergarten in a couple of months!

I also wanted to share this fun layout using some *new* Brenda Pinnick goodies- so new, nobody else has seen them yet! :)

And yep, the blog has had over 500 visitors! Cool!! I was thinking that I would do a little RAK to celebrate...but, in order to win the RAK- you have to tell me WHAT COLOR MY BICYCLE IS. Anybody want to take a gander?

Have a great weekend everybody. I'll post the winner of the RAK on Monday!

2008-07-10T13:45:00.002-04:00

*sigh* I loooove this blue/green/brown combo!! I have this hanging up on my wall right now in my office- between those colors and my little cutie I think I really really like it :)

So, I noticed that my blog is nearing 500 visits! WOOT!! I really appreciate all of you stopping by and encouraging me to keep posting. Make sure you stop by tomorrow as there will likely be a cool challenge RAK to celebrate 500!!

Have a good thursday!

2008-07-09T14:10:00.004-04:00

Howdy folks! Happy Hump Day! :)

Just wanted to pop in today and tell you all to head on over the I Inspire Me blog and check out what all those super creative, inspiring girls had to show this week! Really really awesome stuff!

Here was my take this week, following the 'kitchen' theme. I was struck by the angles on my kitchen faucet and thought, hey I could make this into a layout!
So this....

became this...

I also did a quickie layout about my LOUD child- maybe she really *IS* a future rock star!

So, that's all for today. Thanks for stopping by and be sure to go check out I Inspire Me- there are a couple of cool RAKs up for grabs I hear!
Peace!

2008-07-08T13:24:00.005-04:00

Aw, aren't they the cutest ever?? I just love this pic I snapped of them watching our local 4th of July parade. They had a great time waving their flags and collecting tons of candy. It was our first year going to the parade downtown. I was amazed at how much of a political promotion it was being an election year...the politicians must have felt the way to our votes was to give our children candy LOL! I'm also thinking that the parade must be about 1/2 the size on a non-election year- so many running for city council and judges and stuff. I was very happy to see all of the alternative fuel vehicles being used and supported in the parade however and one of my favorites was the bicycler with the sign "another bicycle for energy independence". I love that we live in a pro-active community.

We also had fun up at Top of Park again. Here's a layout about Robyn groovin' to the music

And, I wanted to share another layout too, love this one of my Robyn crashed out on the floor!

Thanks for stopping by- have a wonderful day!

2008-07-01T10:06:00.004-04:00

My baby is growing up...today, she started preschool! And boy, was she thrilled about it after all this time watching Vanessa getting dropped off at this fun place with lots of toys and kids and fun things to do. Needless to say, I guess we don't have to worry about her missing us much- besides, she has Vanessa there for a couple of months to help her out!
Here are her 1st day of school pics!

she started playing right away!

Also, thought I would share the 1st layout for this years vacation album

And 'ponderings over popsicles'

Have a great day!

2008-06-30T09:43:00.023-04:00

Good Monday Morning! Moving a little slower this morning, adjusting to not being on vacation. It was really great to have a little time off!
This morning, I thought I would post the remainder of the vacation photos- once again, there are quite a few here!

We started out the next morning to pick up a few things (coffee!) in the nearby little town of Hessel. They have a cute little marina with a gazebo that the girls really liked

We found our coffee and muffins for the girls at the cute little local grocery store

And the girls were really curious as to what these contraptions were LOL!

Then we made our way down the road to a park in Cedarville for the girls to run around for a bit.
Robyn enjoyed picking some flowers

Vanessa loved this little climber thing

Then we moved on down the road, a little past Cedarville to a roadside beach on Lake Huron for our picnic lunch.

We hung out and played here for quite awhile!

Vanessa was proud of writing her name in the sand!

A cute one of Matt and I

After we were all tired, we went back to the cabin for a bit and got ready to go to the swimming beach. I can't say how much i love this beach- it's nestled in the Hiawatha National Forest on Lake Huron, it's really close to the cabin, and it's like being on your very own private beach! We have rarely seen anybody else there when we are!
Robyn started out by burying herself in the sand :)

Brrrrr! That water is C-O-L-D- nothing like swimming in recently melted ice- ha!

I really love this one too...something about catching glimpses of my girls from behind I guess...

Kid surfing!

Vanessa was enjoying checking out flowers and stuff

Just look at that big belly!

The water was really high this year, so we had less sandy beach to play in, but the girls still enjoyed it!

Then they got tired and we headed on back to the cabin

The next morning, the girls are ready for more adventure!

We checked out a nearby nature preserve

Made silly faces while eating lunch at the cabin

And danced on their stage

Then, finally, we went into St Ignace to play and eat
Vanessa was in a mood for posing for pictures!

Robyn likes to give big hugs

And we played at a beach again- that is Mackinac Island you see out there

I sat here for awhile and watched the girls play and read a little bit

Then we went out to eat. For some reason, Robyn thinks she has to open her mouth as wide as possible when she sees the camera pointing at her LOL

And then we had ice cream

And here is the last one!

Whew! That was a serious amount of photographs- if you made it this far, thanks for looking!

2008-06-27T13:33:00.016-04:00

Happy Friday everybody! I started going through the vacation photos and even being very choosy about it, there are still a ton of pics, so I decided to split my photos into separate posts. Here is Part 1:

After driving all day, we were thrilled when we arrived at our motel for the night and checked out the beach front on Glen Lake (in the background, you can see the Sleeping Bear Dunes huge dune climb).

They had these fun little horse/tire swings that the 'cowgirls' loved!

Then we headed back to the lakeshore for some swimming and sand play

This is one of my very favorites

Then we had a campfire- Matt can get a fire started so well!

yummy s'mores!

Early the next morning, we started out with driving the scenic overlook drive in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. It was really foggy since it was so early. But, still fun :)
Here Robyn is overlooking a 450ft. almost straight drop to Lake Michigan. They made a point of posting a sign that the climb back up is extremely exhausting- so glad one of us didn't accidentally overstep around here!

Then off to the dune climb!

The girls quickly learned that climbing the dunes was no small task

This one is just too cute!

Although they weren't up for the hike to Lake Michigan, they really loved the dunes and played here a long time! That lake in the background is where we were swimming the day before.

Vanessa was proud of a cool rock she found buried in the dune

This place is seriously beautiful!!

The girls dug out little beds in the dunes to 'take a nap'

Hey, there I am!

After we had enough of the dunes, we took off for the cabin after eating some lunch. I always love seeing the Mackinac Bridge- almost there at this point!!

Thanks for stopping by and checking out the photos! I'll be back with more soon!
Have a good day

2008-06-26T20:26:00.004-04:00

Hey there- We're back!! And an absolutely wonderful time was had by all! (the only downer was the speeding ticket Matt got on the way home today...) We all loved playing in lots of sand and water and being in the middle of nowhere, but it feels SO good to be home again :)
I'm feeling a bit too tired and lazy tonight to edit more photos, but here is our family self-portrait eating lunch on the back deck at the cabin.

And we have a new family vacation theme song that Robyn started during the long car ride..."show me 'round...hmm hmmm hmmm...show me 'round"- I can not stop singing it!!

Be back soon with lotsa photographs from our adventures.

2008-06-20T10:32:00.002-04:00

Hip Hip Hooray!! It's Friday! And not just any friday either, it's the Friday that our vacation starts tonight!!! WOOT! Looking forward to going up north, spending some time on Lake Michigan (we are heading to Sleeping Bear Dunes) then to the cabin, swimming in Lake Huron (brrr, but still fun :)), and visiting some gorgeous waterfalls.
So with all this fun stuff happening, the blog here will probably be getting lonely...but maybe you can stop by and visit, and I'll be back with tons of pictures most definitely!
Still lovin' the Scarlet Lime kit! Today I have 'strawberry shortcake' to share- makes me want some just looking at these red, yummy colors!!

Have a great weekend everybody!!

2008-06-17T10:38:00.003-04:00

Hey there folks!
I hope that you are having a wonderful Tuesday. I finally was able to get a little scrappin' done with my new Scarlet Lime kit. Lovin' the October Afternoon goodies in there this month!!

So, today I have "clover patch" to share with you.

I hope you have a great day and thanks for stopping by!

2008-06-13T14:45:00.004-04:00

It's Friday!! WOOT! And Matt and I have a date night tonight- double YAY! We are going to see the MacPodz at the summer fest (crossing fingers it doesn't rain!)

Here's the pic from yesterday...rub-a-dub-dub

I just finished up a large project and started photographing this afternoon. I'm SO thrilled with the results of this project I tell ya- you all are going to loooove it too!
Here's a little tiny sneaky peek for you....maybe I should offer a RAK for anybody who can guess what this final project is!

Have a great weekend!

2008-06-11T12:35:00.003-04:00

Happy Wednesday! I can't believe it is mid-week already!

So, you must be wondering what this close up picture of my trunk has to do with anything, right? Well, head on over to this fun new blog that Lana Rappette has asked me to participate in called I inspire Me. What a fabulous idea for an inspiration blog! I hope you come over and play along with us, there is a lot of talented ladies over there!

And just a couple of pics from yesterday and one from this morning for my pic a day in June!

early morning 'band' practice

Thanks for stopping by! Oh and can't forget this little sneaky peek of new goodies

2008-06-10T16:06:00.002-04:00

Hey there! Just wanted to pop in real quick to post my picture from yesterday. Isn't this just too sweet? Every girl needs a prince to get love from! :)

Ok, I have much work to get done, so my little break is over!
Have a good day!

2008-06-09T15:45:00.003-04:00

What a busy day, and another hot one too! We just got some new, cool samples in that I need to dig in and start playing with- FUN! Maybe I'll be able to put up a little sneaky peek for what the future holds in store in the next couple of days.

Last week was exciting for me scrappin' wise- first the POTD on Creating Keepsakes for the 'around and around' layout. Then I also had my 'live laugh love' layout chosen last friday for the Featured layout on 2 Peas! And, one more fun little surprise came up that I am really excited about...you'll have to wait a few more days before I will spill the beans on that one!

So, with all this top secret stuff going on, I don't have a new layout to share today, but I do have some pictures to share to keep up with my picture a day in June.

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

I hope you have a great day!

2008-06-06T10:54:00.004-04:00

YAY! It really IS friday TODAY! WOOT! I predict lots and lots of water play and pool time goin' on in my neck of the woods this weekend! It is STEAMY HOT!
Today, I have a really sweet story to share because I am just SO proud of my little Vanessa. Last night, completely out of the blue, Vanessa gave Robyn her stuffed Care Bears! This comes just a couple of days after a fight over her sharing the carebears with Robyn. Robyn REALLY loves the Care Bears right now, so this totally made her day. And Vanessa was really happy too and was proud of herself. She must be trying to grow up a little bit, because she even made this picture last night

If you look closely, you can see that she wrote 'sisters best'- just makes me so gushy with mommy proudness at how cute and sweet this is!!

And today's layout was a quick one I did...
I *heart* my monkeys

I hope you are having a most wonderful day and a fun weekend!!