scrappygirlkimmy

I Heart Faces

2009-10-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

So I know... I've been a bad blogger.I am promising to do better from now on....starting with this lovely post of my darling niece for a photo contest on I Heart Faces blog (www.iheartfaces.blogspot.com).

This weeks challenge was all about "Excited" and I knew this pic I just took of her all dressed up for her very first Halloween was just perfect for it. She's so stinkin cute that I just had to share!

Jinkies Batman! It's been FOREVA!!!

2009-06-15T11:23:00.000-07:00

Ok, well I know I've been neglecting my blog just to keep afloat with my life lately, but I am pleased to announce that my life seems to be much smoother. No more busy schedules, soccer games, college courses, family issues, etc.

So I took some time to sit back and scrap once again. I made this cute acyrlic album and had such a blast with it! I can't wait to jump back into scrapping!

Create your Own Album

2009-02-25T11:06:00.000-08:00

.... and it's not a scrappy album. This one is crazy cool!!! I found it on Emilie Ahern's blog and had to give it a try. :)

Follow these instructions:

1 - BAND NAME Go to "wikipedia." Hit “random article”or click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first random wikipedia article you get is the name of your band.

2 - ALBUM TITLE Go to "Random quotations"or click http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four or five words of the very last quote of the page is the title of your first album.

3 - COVER ART Go to flickr and click on “explore the last seven days”or click http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days
Third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

4 - Use Photoshop or similar software to put it all together.

Tryin' Out!

2009-02-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

So it's been awhile. I've been kinda quiet on the scrappy scene lately...but I've been keeping myself busy for sure! And I finally decided to come out of my scrappy hidey hole and give a DT call a try. I'm not holding my breath on having a chance, but it felt good to get out there and just try out.

Here's a little sneaky peeky of one of my creations for the call. :)

Rediscovering my Scrappy Mojo

2009-01-01T14:00:00.000-08:00

It's been a long hard road for me to rediscover my scrappy mojo as of late. First, I had a taste of just how mean the scrapping industry can be. It made me not even want to walk into my scrapping area and took away the love of scrapping that I have had since I discovered it a few years back. I forced myself to try to get past it, but it never seemed to work.

Then I lost my sister in law. Before the cancer, she was a stamping addict. She sold me all of her stamps, inks and such when she lost use of her arm. After her death, it made it even harder to get into the groove.

But I knew I had to push past it. For her. So today I created my first page in honor of Jana. Even though I'm not a huge stamp fan, I used her stamps in several places on this page. And check out that paper from The Paper Element. It's part of their newest line, Blue Flannel. :)

It felt good. :)

Long Time No Blog.............

2008-12-19T15:29:00.000-08:00

OK... I left you all with the hopes and wishes that things would calm. The direct opposite happened.

We lost our sister in law to cancer last week. It's left me so sad. She was a wonderful person... so determined and full of life. I am going to miss her so very much. So this is why I've been a bit MIA for a bit... I needed a break to sit back and regroup.

But life goes on. So I am determined to plug past this and get things smoothed out. I started Christmas shopping and getting back into the groove of life.

Emily's band concert was on Wednesday evening and she did a great job. She even had a trio with her two great buddies Mackenzie and Sarah. Here's a peek of her playing Jingle Bells.

And today brought us the first real snowfall of the season! Everything is under a thick blanket of white! Emily played most of the afternoon outside with the neighbor boys. She even tried snowboarding down the hill by the barn! She came in for dinner cold, wet and exhausted. Joshua got too cold too quickly and decided a cozy spot by the fire was much more to his liking.

Joshie lost another tooth yesterday. He thinks this toothfairy thing is pretty cool!

I finished Breaking Dawn in the Twilight series. Much better than the last 2 in my humble opinion. I've still not been to see the movie... I know I am going to be disappointed so I've decided to hold out for it to hit Redbox.

I've been playing around with the camera trying to get better at using it. Here's a shot of the tree in a dark room... not too bad! :)

And that's about it!!! :) Going to go shovel some snow!

Lotsa fun Stuff!!!!!

2008-12-08T10:07:00.000-08:00

Whew! Was last week such a BUSY week!!! I've done so much in one week I don't even think I know where to begin!

Monday saw me registering to go back to college. I am going to take 3 college courses from Northampton to get my Director's Credential Certifcate for the STARS program our preschool is enrolling in. I can't believe that I am going back to college! Thankfully, this will all be offered online so that it will fit into my hectic lifestyle!

Tuesday found me presenting our new preschool plan to the church ad council. Things went smoothly! WOO HOO!!!

Wednesday was a blur with a trip to the podiatrist who says that nasty wart on my foot will need surgery to remedy. Yuck!!! Emily's Girl Scout troop had their Christmas party that night as well! It was a fun time!!

Thursday brought the arrival of Miss Addison!!! She's gorgeous and I can't wait to see her in person! Until this cold leaves me, I'm stuck drooling on photos!! She SOO needs a scrappy baby album! I am still waiting to get the OK so share her pics with the world, but as soon as I get it, I'll share! :)

Friday was the end of the week and the worst day ever for this stinky cold/flu. Yucky stuff!!!

Saturday we finally got the tree and set it up in the house. We didn't decorate it though because we weren't sure what jack would do it it, but so far, so good!

Sunday marked a HUGE milestone for Joshie... he lost his very first baby tooth!!!! Woo HOO!!!!

Hopefully this week will be a bit calmer........................ :)

Waiting......................

2008-12-04T03:29:00.000-08:00

I got the call last night at 11PM..... my little sister is headed to the hospital to have her precious little baby girl!!! The poor thing is almost 2 weeks overdue and was just plain miserable!!!

I am so thrilled for her and can't wait to meet the newest addition to the family! She will be my first blood related niece, so I am doubly thrilled!!!

I'll update everyone more as I find out more!!! :)

Chere is my HERO!

2008-11-30T10:39:00.000-08:00

OK... I have this super cool, able to do it all camera... and I am camera illiterate. Enter Chere, my Nikon guru, who has helped me attain the unthinkable... a super cool, ultra trendy awesomely awesome photo!!!!

I've wanted to capture the feel of a professional portrait as seen on Amber Ulmer's photography blog, but had NO inkling of an idea on how to get started. Chere walked me through it and armed me with a free trial of Adobe Lightroom (which ROX my sox!!!) and a after a few hours of playing and trial and error... I made this!!!

Behold the original:

And my super cool trendy version:

Thanks Chere!!! You've created a monster now!!! :)

Having Fun with The Paper Element!

2008-11-28T12:30:00.000-08:00

Well... it took awhile, but I jumped back into my scrappy room with some help from my buddy Vel (thanks sweetie!!) and of couse the boatload of goodies from The Paper Element. I worked on them in the freezing cold basement for limited amounts of time.... I lent out my portable heater to a friend who's furnace was on the fritz. Once it gets warmed up down there, I'll create some more! Loving that wonderfully yummy paper!!! :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2008-11-27T15:41:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful day! We finally had a day as a family to sit back and relax and enjoy being together! Life has been hectic lately, so we decided we needed a day for just us as a family. We hunkered down in the house feasting on turkey and homemade pumpkin pie and then strolled outside on the cold to play with the camera where Jack was nice enough to pose for a couple of photos.

We hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Playing around....

2008-11-25T11:43:00.000-08:00

Sunday our camera FINALLY arrived... told ya I was all about the bad luck! Anyhow, I did some playing around and didn't have too much luck getting the style photo I wanted, but after some help from my friend Chere, I should be on the right path shortly. Thanks Chere!!! I would love to give the tutorial she sent me a try, but Tom stole the camera to show it off at work!!! :)

Anyhow, I took this one of Jack while he was trying to sleep on the couch... he wasn't a very happy subject. I'll post more after I get my camera back, LOL!

Lightly Falling Snow and other Stuff

2008-11-20T11:11:00.001-08:00

This snow is falling! It's only lightly laying on the trees and shrubs right now, but boy does it ever put me in the mood for Christmas already! How wonderful! I'm not a big fan of snow, but it's beautiful to watch fall gently to the ground!

Thanks to all of the well wishers who helped cheer me up at a difficult time. Things are looking up now and some of the fog has lifted. And for those of you who also frequent my Facebook... thanks as well! My SIL is doing better... she's not out of the hospital yet, but she's out of the ICU. That in itself is great news!

And in other news, we decided to make the leap and buy a new camera. Of course we've had nothing but problems in the whole purchase process.... nothing ever goes smoothly for us, so we've learned to just deal with it. But we are hoping for the arrival of the camera by Friday!! Not like I will even know how to use it, LOL! I did figure out how to turn it on in the store, so that's a huge plus!

Last but not least.... a yummy package of Paper Element goodies arrived on my snow dusted doorstep today stuffed to the gills with Christmas paper loveliness! It's just the thing to fix my scrappy mojo and I hope to be able to share some creations with you all soon!

Ever Feel Invisible?

2008-11-11T15:48:00.000-08:00

Ever have one of those weeks? Everything you do, almost everyone you talk to.... you feel invisible? Left answering machine messages go unanswered, emailed go unreplied to? I so feel there right now.

I am up to my ears in grant work for preschool. So many steps, so many papers to file, so many questions. And every time I leave a message with a fine government office, no one returns my calls. I don't understand why these people cannot return my calls or answer my emails.

Guess I'm just grumpy. It seems life hasn't been very cooperative for the last few months and I am in a funk. And for once, I just want a day to progress effortlessly... like a Walgreen's "Perfect" ad. Wouldn't life just be grand if everything went smoothly for once?

Where'd My Mojo Go?

2008-11-07T06:27:00.000-08:00

Whew.

Life has been once again coming at me with lightning speed. Stress and stress and more stress has been piling up all around me from all sorts of sources. In the past, my stress reliever has been to hole up in my scrappy space and create away... it's my therapy.

Lately though, scrapbooking reminds me of some of the stress I just want to forget and I just can't seem to pick up my supplies and jump in. Is it lost mojo? Is is scrappy phobia? How do I get past this and reclaim my love of all things scrap related?

I need your help. Please help me find my mojo. I've looked everywhere and it seems to be lost.

Halloween Mini

2008-11-05T03:36:00.000-08:00

Well... I have alot on my plate right now. So I thought for today I would offer up a Halloween mini album I made for you to take a quick peek at.

I promise to be back to regularly scheduled programming soon.

Memories of Grandma

2008-11-04T09:59:00.000-08:00

Last night we lost a great person. My grandma. Her health had been declining and she is finally with God. She was a wonderful person... a good loyal friend... the one I baked cookies with ans spent summers playing at her cabin. She was the leftie of her generation as I am in mine. Oh I miss her already. She was a great person and will be sadly missed.

Rest in peace, my beloved Grandma. We will miss you.

Outtakes from the Tulip Field

2008-11-02T08:13:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, the tulip field was mowed down by the powers that be and that left me with some yummy goodies to share with all of you! I know some of you are left scratching your heads, but I also know others are shaking their heads. LOL... sometimes I like being vague. :)

So anyhow, without further fanfare, please enjoy some eye candy! :)

This little layout is of Joshie at a year. He was such a happy little baby and I just adored this photo of him. This envelope of photos have been sitting around collecting dust, so I had a blast scrapping them.

Miss Emily created a super fun page of drawings that I just HAD to use with this photo of Em. It completely screams Emily and her fun and funky style.

Some fun wall altered wall art of a little Joshie. This is just too cute hanging on my wall.

A layout of Em with her idol. :) Those girls are too cute together.

I'm so glad I found these unharmed in the tulip field clippings. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. My heart went into each and every one of these projects. :)

Getting Back to Business

2008-11-01T13:53:00.000-07:00

Yikes! Sorry I've been so behind on my blog! Life has hit kinda fast lately! We got through Halloween and all of the trick or treating and classroom parties. Whew! What a whirlwind! Josh's party for Halloween was a sock hop and they celebrated with carrot fries and milk shakes. I decided to make some fake cookie cheeseburgers to have some fun! I took a pic of them but my camera REFUSED to bring them into focus correctly. Sometimes that camera can be so tempermental. So please pardon the blurry pic, but I wanted to share!

We are off to a Halloween party tonight...can't wait!

It's Pumpkin Carving Time!

2008-10-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

Josh and I had a little quality time together today after Emily went to see High School Musical 3 with a good friend, so we carved the pumpkins. He loved the haunted house one...this one was his fave. Emily picked a spooky Jack the Pumpkin King face and Josh's was one I just hand drew out. We did the haunted house for a competition on Pack Rat (Facebook).

We also created a cute little pumpkin using the Cricut for our preschool. They were so easy to make and turned out so cute. I used my George cart to cute star shapes from the Cricut vinyl and let the kids stick them wherever on their little pumpkins. I then spray painted the pumpkin black and removed the vinyl. These were neat and SO easy!!!

My Newest Addiction

2008-10-24T16:10:00.001-07:00

I LOVE Woot.com. It's been an addiction of mine since I found it on Emilie Ahern's blog months ago. Since then, a friend introduced me to a scrapbooking version of Woot called Peachy Cheap. They have some great daily deals (they take a break on Sundays) and I LOVE most of the goodies they pick out to feature. You'll hafta check it out!
Click Here for Peachy Cheap!

Halloween Spookies!

2008-10-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Josh had his Halloween Birthday party this weekend and of course... costumes were required. :) I was able to have the two of them slow down enough to grab a few photos of them in their spooky garb. Josh ended up spiking a fever almost immediately after these pics were taken and is scheduled to visit the dr. later on today. Poor kiddo.... sick for his party.

Em wanted to be a gothic inspired vampire and Josh was a pirate once again... one of his fave costumes. :)

She's in the Band!!!

2008-10-19T05:29:00.000-07:00

Miss Em had a fabulously fun weekend! Friday night, the elementary band was asked to play with the highschool band for the half time football show. It was senior night and the stands were packed, so she had a blast out there on the field hamming it up. It was colder than cold, but the kids all had a great time.

This pic was from the night before. She and her fellow band buddy posed for some pics for me... this one was just too cute!! :)

Happy Birthday, Birthday Boy!!!!

2008-10-17T03:31:00.001-07:00

Here he is... the 6 year old little guy!!!! Time flies!!!! I can't believe he's 6 already!!!

In honor of his birthday, I decided to do my Round #6 Bad Girls Top Designer layout on my little guy. The class was all about breaking all of the design rules that we have learned so far, so I started with making my own patterned paper with acyrlic paints and glimmer mist, and using colors that I loved, regardless to whether they were in the photo. I then added my textured layers in reckless abandon for the rules of balance. :) This was my end result!!!!

Oh... and I had to share with you... my son is doing the "Happy 6 Year Old" dance right now and accidentally let out a little toot. He stopped in his tracks and smiled a bright smile and proclaimed "That's my first 6 year old fart." Ahhhh.... the things that makes a Momma proud!!! :)

Happy Birthday Joshie!!! :)

Halloween Inspired Semi Healthy Birthday Treats

2008-10-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Joshie man turns 6 tommorow and wanted to celebrate with his Kindergarten pals. Our school district has adopted the healthier snack options at classroom events which leaves the old cupcake standby out of the question. So I thought up a semi healthy Smores snack mix and created some cute boxes to serve it up in for some spooky birthday fun!

FOR THE BOXES:
I used my Cricut Tags Bags Boxes and More cartridge to cut out the popcorn box with window option at 5 1/2. I then stamped the boxes with a Stampin Up Halloween background stamp set and assembled. I lined the box with a cello bag from the candy making aisle and added my mix. I topped it off with a cute Halloween ribbon. I would've loved to glam them up more, but since I was making 20 of them, less was more. :)

FOR THE SNACK MIX:
Mix one box of Golden Grahams cereal, 3/4 of a bag of mini marshmallows, and a bag of milk chocolate chips together and measure into the bags in 1 cup servings. Don't make it too early in advance though because the cereal will absorb the moisture from the marshmallows and make it soggy.

The {Almost} Birthday Boy!!!!

2008-10-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

So Friday is Joshie's BIG day... he turns 6!!!! He is so stinkin excited to hit 6 that he literally wakes up every morning with a case of the giggles wondering if today is the big day. :) We had some beautiful weather this weekend so I got a few shots of the birthday boy in our beloved sugar maple tree. The tree isn't quite as splendid this year as it was last year (we had a very dry summer) but the pics turned out fairly good all the same.

So Happy Birthday, Little Man!!!! :) We'll be celebrating in Halloween style on Saturday with a spooky Halloween/Birthday party in the barn with all of his closest friends and family. :)

Create a Layout and Win at The Paper Element!!

2008-10-11T17:55:00.001-07:00

The blog challenge is up and running at The Paper Element. You'll hafta stop over and check out my challenge for this week... it's all about autumn!!! Click on the Paper Element to head on over!

The Paper Element

Guess Who is October's Guest DT Member at My Acrylic Album?

2008-10-10T10:56:00.000-07:00

....well none other than me!!! I was asked to be a Guest DT member a few months ago and this month it's my turn! :) I love working with acrylic albums... this is quickly becoming one of my fave ways to scrap. I created two different albums and I just love the end result for both of them. Here's a sneaky peeky and you can click here to check both albums out!

Just Jack

2008-10-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

I had to get some pics of some layouts last night and Jack was watching the neighbor boy (one of his favorite people eva!!) across the street, so I was able to snap off a few pics of the hyper puppy before he ran off to play.

Our hyper puppy Jack decided to eat a copy of Dr. Seuss' "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" over the weekend. I have to say, he does have great taste in books... Dr. Seuss being my fave author and all, but it was a school library book. We tried Border's to replace it, and can you believe it's out of print?!?!?! So Mr. Jack's lunch (which he actually UNzipped Josh's backpack to get to while we were out) is $20 to replace a VERY well worn book.

That dog.

Round #5 of Bad Girls TOP DESIGNER!!!!

2008-10-07T13:47:00.001-07:00

OK.... so I COMPLETELY cannot believe that I am actually in for Round #5 at Bad Girls Top Designer! I am amazed! The talent there is just overwhelming and each week I find myself on the verge of throwing up when I enter my layout into the gallery... will I make it another round?!?! I am having so much fun with this competition.. the classes are amazing and really force me to put thought into my pages...something I don't always do. So here is my round #5 entry. This week is all about pulling color from your photo and balancing it with neutrals. It was taught by the uber-talented Heidi Sonboul. I pulled out the purples and Em's skin tone for the background paper (how yummy is that Black Market paper?! YUM!!) I pulled further color with the reds and pinks of the dress and used those in my embellies. White already appeared as a neutral in my photo, so I decided to strike a balance and throw in black as a second neutral. I like the way it turned out, but the competition is fierce. I am second guessing myself and my style with every page. But, my heart and soul is in this page and my style is me... I can only hope they like it as well. :)

A Little fun at the Faire

2008-10-06T18:39:00.000-07:00

We had a beautiful weekend and took full advantage with a trip to the Renaissance Faire. It's a great place to visit for anyone headed to the Lancaster, PA area... there is so much there to see and do and the entertainment is terrific!!!

Here are the kiddos by the cool pirate ship. The ship is actually a sword shop inside and during the day they raffle off some of the swords. The place is teeming with pirates and Josh got a kick out of that! He even saw Captain Jack Sparrow and bought a cool doubloon necklace from him... he was warned not to wear it in the moonlight though lest he turn into a skeleton pirate. :)

We also watched a cute jester show with a doggie that looked alot like our Jack. This dog's name was Blockhead (I think they must be related.... Blockhead is a GREAT name for our Jack!) It was cute and the two jesters did a great job!!!

The human chess match and the joust at the end of the day were for sure the highlights. The action was amazing!!! None of the pics turned out of the joust becuase they never stopped moving!!!

Here are my two Renaissance loving kiddos near the end of our fun filled day....we had a blast!!!

And Bad Girls Continues......

2008-10-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

So I made it to round #4 at Bad Girls Top Designer and this week it was all about the embellishments. I decided to make abunch of my own embellies for my page and I created my frame by following the way I made bubblegum wrapper chains when I was little. I hope it wasn't too far out of the box. Let's hope I get another round but I dunno.

Fall is here with the colder weather and the rain and we are just keeping busy with life. Whew... never a dull moment!! :)

Happy Fall!!!!

2008-09-25T13:11:00.000-07:00

OK, so I am a few days late, but that has been the story of my life the last few weeks. :) But I love autumn... I love the smells, the colors, the weather, and the holidays! We've been watching the soybean field behind out house slowly turn a golden yellow and the stalks of corn fading to brown, so I know in a few weeks my sugar maple will once again look like it does here.

Today marks the one year closing date of our home, so it's officially been our home for a year now!!! WHOO HOO!!! We love it here!!! It seems like so long ago we sat in that office and signed the papers to our first real home. So much has changed... just like the seasons.

Bad Girls #3 Challenge.... Less is More

2008-09-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

This weeks challenge at Bad Girls Top Designer is all about negative space. Hmmm... this was a TOUGH one for me.... I'm all about the embellies. I think I did an OK job with it... hopefully it's good enough to advance me to the next round! I'm not holding my breath on this one though.

In other news, Mr. Jack the puppy got himself nice and sick today. He decided to eat either a spider or a bee and it sent him into an allergic reaction. Hours later and lots of vet time, he's starting to feel better, although it must have stung/bit him in the throat so he's still having problems with swallowing. But, he should be fine with a little TLC. :)

One Busy Saturday!

2008-09-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

What a fun day with the fam! We started out the morning with a trip to the highschool for Indian Fest. All of the HS clubs have stands to raise money and it's a fun time! Our fave stop is the Home Ec Club and their yummy breads. Oh, the garlic and cheese bread is our all time fave!

The afternoon brought a Girl Scout corn maze and hayride. The girls had a blast in the maze and Josh has a blast eating his weight in peanuts... the little goober! I was a little disappointed in the maze this year since the corn was only a foot tall in places, rather than a towering 8 feet, but the girls didn't seem to mind that at all.

Once we were on the hayride, Joshie took over the camera and caught this one of Dad being silly. Not to mention a few of Uncle Dave's nostrils up close and personal. :)

We ended the day with the homecoming parade. Emily got to march with the elementary band and throw candy. As the picture clearly shows, she had a great time!

Wouldn't You Like to Ride in a Beautiful Balloon?

2008-09-19T09:23:00.001-07:00

So the other morning I was making breakfast for the kiddos and I hear a wooshing sound. I thought we had sprung a huge gas leak and needed to evacuate, but it stopped within seconds. So we all waited to hear it again and sure enough we did. That time I realized it was the propane tank on a hot air balloon! We ran outside to see it and it was hovering over our house so low you could probably jump up from the roof and touch the basket. We all stood there in awe staring straight up inside the balloon and then I realized I didn't have my camera. By the time the camera and memory stick were located, the balloon had started to drift away, but I wanted to share this sight with you. How peaceful. :)

A Brand New Day....without Scrap 'N Art

2008-09-19T09:23:00.000-07:00

After much thought and debate, I have decided to resign my position at Scrap 'N Art eZine. My newly renewed term would have started with the January/February issue. My reasons for stepping down were mixed, but in essence I needed to reclaim some family time and remove some drama. When my soothing scrappy time becomes more of a dreaded event rather than a time to relax, I knew it was the right time to step down. It was a fun ride and I have enjoyed the ups and the downs of the rollercoaster that is SNA. As some of you might have heard, a new DT is scheduled to rock the January/February issue... I am sure they will bring lots of talents to each issue.... some of the new DT members are simply AMAZING!!!

Best wishes to the SNA family! I will miss the times in the tulip field when life was simple. :)

Movin' On to Challenge #2 at the Bad Girls Top Designer Challenge

2008-09-15T16:30:00.000-07:00

I have been having so much fun over at the Bad Girls forum competing on Top Designer and was so thrilled to make the honor roll and move on to the next class. Here's my creation for Class #2 taught by Miss Emilie Ahern. How cool is that?!

The class was all about mixing patterned papers and I did just that...I even mixed paper companies!!! :)So I've got some Kaiser, some Tinkering Ink and some Sassafras Lass all happily playing together. :)I'm pretty happy with how it turned out... hopefully it's good enough to move to the next class!! You can check it out here at www.badgirlskits.com.

Havin' some Fun with the Bad Girls!

2008-09-12T03:53:00.000-07:00

After reading about the Bad Girls Top Designer on Pub Calls, I decided to give it a whirl. Wow... is that prize pack ever amazing and totally drool worthy! You can check it out at www.badgirlskits.com. Our classes started this week with layering perspective and this was my entry. With all of the extreme talent posted in the gallery, I am just hoping for the chance to continue on!

In other news, our area had a September 11th Memorial Bike Run last night. The 37 mile run with well over 1200 bikes was amazing to watch. On a winters day, we could sit in our backyard and watch this amazing display of patriotism, but the corn is so high it blocked our view. We drove down the street and parked by a farmer's field filled with onlookers with handmade signs and oodles of flags. It was amazing to watch!

Scrapjacked!!!

2008-09-07T08:51:00.000-07:00

I HAD to try a jack of Christina Clouse's (toomuchcoffeegirl) layout when I saw it roll around on Scrapjacked. It was just too cool... and I had the idea for mine in a heartbeat! I decided on doing mine on my two completely opposite kiddos. Thanks for such a fun jack!!!

bECOming Green Album Tinkering Ink

2008-09-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, Tinkering Ink did their own version of my so loved Woot and did their own bag of scrap for $5. I couldn't resist and ended up ordering two. I was soooo excited to see I was the new proud owner of the bECOming Green ecofriendly line of papers! So I had a chance to play with my Tinkering Ink "Woot" goodies and wanted to share what I came up with. I used a Rusty Pickle acrylic album and had a blast playing with the bECOming Green Tinkering Ink papers. Enjoy!

Another Round of Paper Element and WOO HOO!! Scrap 'N Art New Issue!!!

2008-09-01T04:55:00.000-07:00

Well I have completed all of my Paper Element for this month and my Scrap 'N Art work is all done so TODAY is my scrapping day... where I get to sit back and create for just me without worry over what to use. I have some Tinkering Ink calling my name so I think I will be tearing into that today!

Here is my schtuff for the Paper Element... I love the way the little butterfly plaque turned out...how sweet will this be hanging in my hallway?!?! So enjoy and have a GREAT Labor Day everyone!

Follow your Heart

2008-08-31T04:45:00.000-07:00

I've been waiting for this paper to come and I am so ready to dig in today!! I've got 4 more due tommorow so I am going go leave after this to get settled into my scrappy space.... hee hee!!! What a luxurious way to spend the day! :)

A Layout to Share and Finally some Answers

2008-08-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

I know... I have been totally neglecting my blog... BAD ME. Life has been coming at me pretty fast lately so I have been a bit behind. So here's a layout to share with all of you for my DT work at The Paper Element. If you haven't had a chance to peek at their new yummy lines, head on over today at www.thepaperelement.com. Beautiful stuff!!! This layout is from the spicy line... such pretty colors!!!

OK and I finally got some answers on my headaches. I have increased spinal pressure which is causing all of the problems. I have to wait on the results of a few more tests, but at least there is an answer.

Wowie Zowie!!! Submit and Win at Scrapnart.com!!!

2008-08-19T12:28:00.000-07:00

www.scrapnart.com
How would you like to get your hands on the ENTIRE LINE of Black Market Paper Society products? What about FIVE of the most popular Rusty Pickle lines? Do funky new page kits sound like fun to you? How about a full set of bright acrylic paints? Well, they could ALL be yours!!!

To be eligible for this prize pack, all you have to do is submit a page or project for any of our current calls!

Each page or project you submit counts as an entry, and each EXCLUSIVE, never-before-seen page or project submitted counts as TWO entries.You have until September 15th, 2008 to submit your pages and projects. You can use our online submission tool, or email your submissions me at kimberlee@scrapnart.com and I can enter them for you. We will pick one name at random from all the submissions and announce the winner on September 16th, 2008. Check it all out at www.scrapnart.com!!!

IMPORTANT! Please make sure to add "PERSONAL INVITE FROM KIM CROUCHER" to the supplies list to get immediate consideration!! WOO HOO!!!

My Mini Album and My Supa Star!

2008-08-05T12:31:00.001-07:00

Once I caw this line of paper from The Paper Element I immediately thought that it would be super cool as a mini album. So I had to give it a whirl and here's my end result!

And I also wanted to share another goodie from the Paper Element... my daughter as a Supa Star!!!

Some More Paper Element and a GIVEAWAY!!!!

2008-08-03T17:33:00.000-07:00

First of all, you GOTTA head on over to The Paper Element http://www.thepaperelement.com/ and check out their News Section for a great giveaway! The second correct answer still hasn't been posted so go get in on the fun!!! Good luck!!!

Next, I have some lovely layouts from the Coffee line of Paper Element paper to share with ya. The colors are just so much fun to play with! You will love them!

And I wanted to leave you with a photo of our ever growing Jack with the kiddos. It's next to impossible to get a fairly good shot of all of them so I cherish it when I get one. :)

Leave Me a Comment... Let's Play!!!

2008-07-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

This idea came from Emilie Ahern's blog and I just HAD to give it a try... Come on everyone, post a comment and play along!!! Comments are like getting mail and anyone who knows me knows my mail obsession, hence over 100 penpals in elementary school!!! :)

Anyhow, here's how to play!!!

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you. If you don't want to play on your blog, or if you don't have a blog, I'll leave my memory of you in my comments.

Old Friends....Good Times

2008-07-27T06:59:00.000-07:00

Recently I have reconnected with my closest friends from highschool... it's been a LONG time... too long and much overdue. I am so thankful to once again have them as a part of my life and didn't realize how everything we did in highschool sculpted me into the person that I am today.

These wonderfully funny, talented, and zany people are probably the only ones that walk this Earth that understand me and all of my odd little quirks. :)

So here's a little ode to them...a little thanks! And you can make your own too!!

Some New Paper Element Goodness... and Mr. Holtz

2008-07-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share some more Paper Element layouts with you.... I really love this stuff! The colors are so much fun to work with and did I mention just how thick and yummy the sheets are?!?!

Here's 2 layouts for ya....

This one is of my darling son who has, since birth, given me grief when I try to take his picture. Either he's looking somewhere other than the camera or looking so very serious that I never get a good genuine "Joshie" pose. I really wanted to use this line with a boy photo because the colors work so well with girl photos.... I wanted to prove they were boy friendly as well.

I love this photo of my daughter when she was 5. She LOVED picking strawberries... I think she ate more than put in the baskets though. She looked so stinkin cute that day and I have been waiting a long time to scrap this adorable photo. This paper is one of my all time faves int he line... I just love the edging!!!

Oh... yeah... I had to share me and Ranger Tim together!!! How incredibly cool is that?! I even got his autograph! Thanks Tim!!!

Celebrity Morph by MyHeritage

2008-07-14T16:35:00.001-07:00

How fun is this? I found this on my friend retrojulie's blog and had to try it. It worked great with my darling daughter.

MyHeritage: Celebrity Morph - Lineage - Dynasty

CHA Bound!!!

2008-07-14T14:41:00.000-07:00

It's official! Wednesday morning we are CHA bound!!! It will be a long drive, but so worth it!!! So I will touch base on Monday when we return!

Until then, check out the calls at www.scrapnart.com. We'll also have some super cool giveaways and interviews straight off the CHA floor, so make sure to visit the Scrap Pad forums and join the fun!!!

Just Fishin' in the Rain...

2008-07-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

OK... so none of us were "Singing" in the rain, but we did catch a few sunfishies. We had planned all week to go fishing at our favorite little lake and the kids were NOT taking rain for a no go answer. So we packed our picnic lunch and headed up the mountain to Deer Lake. The kiddos had a blast catching the super hungry fish and tossing them back in the lake. We also learned that while the fishing might be good, fish DON'T like gummy worms. (this was discovered by my darling daughter who wanted nothing more than to spare the innocent lives of the doom destined worms.... OK that and worms are just plain icky to touch!)

A New My Sketch World Sketch for July!

2008-07-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

July's sketch is up and running at My Sketch World.... here's my creation for it! Hope everyone is enjoying their holidy weekend! We had a great time last evening with friends relaxing and eating, swimming, four wheeling, and of course fireworks! It was a great time!

Happy 4th of July!!!!

2008-07-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th everyone! Hope the picnics are all going great!!!! We have a fun one to head to tommorow and spent this afternoon kicked back with the family at a picnic! Hopefully we'll round out the evening with some fireworks and have a great time!!!!

I wanted to share a layout that I made entirely by hand for a challenge at www.scrapnart.com. We weren't allowed to use any storebought items other than tools and cardstock. I whipped up this little piece of SUPAH fun in order to rise to the stiff competition!

If you're not sure what to scrap this holiday weekend, head on over to www.scrapnart.com and enter some of the super cool challenges for some SWEET prizes!!!

A Sneaky Peek of the Tinkering Ink!

2008-07-03T05:06:00.001-07:00

Can I Just say this new line from Tinkering Ink looks incredibly yummy and I cannot wait to get my fingers on it???? I just had to share this yumminess once I laid my eyes upon it this morning!!! I hope you enjoy!!!

It's Here~!!!!

2008-07-01T04:46:00.000-07:00

The newest issue of Scrap 'N Art eZine is ready to download! And best of all..... it's TOTALLY FREE!!!!! Gotta love that!!!!

Grab your very own copy here at www.scrapnart.com.

How Much is That Doggie in the Window?

2008-06-30T06:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I swear this dog should thank his lucky stars that he's cute! We came home the other day to find Captain Jack "AKA Mr. Puppy Pants" sitting in our sons bedroom window. He had used an open dresser drawer to give him an extra boost....this explains the pile of freshly washed clothing he is so "sweetly" lounging on. He was just waiting there for us to return home! Too funny... but seriously that doggie is sooooo bad!!!!!

100% Boy... Yes He Is!!!!! Another Paper Element

2008-06-23T16:43:00.001-07:00

I just really cannot say enough about this lovely paper! It's been a joy to work with!!! Please enjoy another layout of my little man.... this paper ws just MADE for him!!!

Little Beach Baby~ More Paper Element fun!

2008-06-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

I'm adding yet another Paper Element layout to my portfolio with this one. It's from the Glory line and is of my little guy on his first trip to the beach. Big sis buried him in the sand and I'm not sure exactly how he felt about that. We love visiting The Outer Banks and usually stay at the tip of the island in Frisco.... only because the guys SWEAR by the fishing there.

I'm also super glad to report that I have taken over the basement for my scrappy room. That itsy bitsy dormer in my bedroom just wasn't cutting it, so now I have TONS of room to spread out!!! I can't believe it... I can even leave my Cricut out 24/7! Amazing!!!!!

A Very Busy Day~ Another The Paper Element Layout

2008-06-20T18:07:00.002-07:00

I am sooo having a BLAST with The Paper Element paper. Here's a layout I made with the Smarty line! I hand cut scallops for the bottom of the page and had so much fun with the rub ons for this one. That moon paper really RAWKD and I couldn't wait to use it!!!!!

A Very Bus63

2008-06-20T18:07:00.001-07:00

Goin' To CHA!!!!!

2008-06-19T05:22:00.000-07:00

I feel like such a winner winner chicken dinner right now!!! In a few weeks I am going to CHA!! I just simply cannot wait!! I am so thrilled that I get to meet some dear friends from Scrap 'N Art (I think that's the part I am quite giddy about!) and also get to see a sneaky peeky at everything! I simply cannot WAIT!!!! I keep counting down the days till it's time to go!

More Paper Element Goodness!!!

2008-06-16T10:01:00.000-07:00

I'm having so much fun with The Paper Element paper. Here's another two layouts that I finished this weekend. I wish I could play all day at my scrappy table, but I have VBS gearing up tonight so I will be losing my play time this week. Enjoy!

My First Layout for The Paper Element!

2008-06-15T12:54:00.001-07:00

This week brought a wonderful package of goodies to my mailbox! I was so thrilled to dig into my new Paper Element goodness!!! When I saw the Glory line, I KNEW I had to use it with this photo of my darling son. He's always been a bit aloof when it comes to animals and we are a HUGE animal loving family. So my heart melted when he fell completely in love with this sweet barn kitten he lovingly named "Little Erica". He carried her around everywhere he went and she dearly loved him too. She would purr away in his tiny arms. I was so thankful that we got to see this side of him... my faith is restored that he too will be an animal lover.

Bye Bye Barn Kitties

2008-06-09T15:49:00.000-07:00

After 8 weeks adoring 6 little barn kitties (4 tuxedos, 1 all black, and 1 grey tiger), Momma kitty decided to move them to a safer spot farther away from the busy road (at least we hope that's what has happened). My kiddos cried and cried this morning when they discovered a quiet hay bin without little balls of fluff. I think Momma kitty has taught them all how to hunt so she doesn't need to stay so close to us suckers who provided her food.

I made the tough decision to no longer feed her either. We've seen her hunting skills in action so we know she can fend for herself, so its time to say goodbye to them. We will miss our time with the kitties. They were alot of fun to watch and cuddle. Bye bye sweet kitties!

Teacher Bouquet

2008-06-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

Well tommorow is the LAST school day. Emily's teacher has been wonderful this year so we wanted to make her a little something to remember her and the class by. I saw this idea and made one for her teacher. The tag reads "thanks for helping us grow" and the flowers are double layered with a pic of each student in the center. I zipped though this with the Cricut so I was thrilled at that!

I'm On Tinkering Ink!!!!

2008-06-03T04:02:00.001-07:00

Oh I cannot believe it!!! I am a featured artist on Tinkering Ink's blog today!!! I LOVE Tinkering Ink... it's one of my fave paper companies so I was incredibly thrilled when they wanted to feature me as a Featured Artist!!!

This is an amazingly amazing day!!!

Head on over to their blog and check it out! Thanks again Tinkering Ink!!!!

http://tinkeringink.com/blog/

A Scrappy Good Contest at Scrap 'N Art!!!

2008-06-02T08:32:00.000-07:00

Okie dokie.... you gotta LOVE the terrific prizes that Scrap 'N Art loves to award!! Check out this Rusty Pickle plus other goodies for this prize!!

Howz about this super cool contest! Head on over to http://www.scrapnart.com/ for more details.

Challenge:

Write a "School's Out!" haiku

Haiku = Haiku is a fun and easy form of poetry that originated in Japan. In English, haiku are usually written in three lines. The first line consists of words that have no more than five syllables. The second line consists of words that contain no more than seven syllables, and then the third line again consists of words that have no more than five syllables.

For more information on haiku poetry, visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku

Example: {by: Raylynn B}
worlds crazy schools out

put your swimsuits on right now

time to hit the beach

Our Crazy Puppy.....

2008-05-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

Well... time flies as little Jack is now 5 months old. He's such a comical puppy and so full of life. He loves to spend his days chasing his tail, gnawing on bones and frolicing in the yard with the kiddos. He's just so happy and carefree. There are times I ask myself why we needed to add more chaos to our home with an energetic puppy, but then he comes up with love and kisses and I understand why.

More Yumminess.... I'm in Heaven!

2008-05-27T07:03:00.000-07:00

OK... so I decided to enter the Tinkering Ink Vintage contest and I didn't win but I got some yummy news... all I can say is keep checking their blog towards the end of June! :)

Here was my vintage entry... a layout using some vintage lace from my great grandmother. :)

A Challenge and Some Yummy News!!!

2008-05-24T17:37:00.000-07:00

Wowie! I am sooooo excited to share with everyone some TERRIFIC news! I was selected to be on the Design Team for The Paper Element. I am so incredibly thrilled to have the chance to design for a manufacturer! What an honor!
Stop on over and check them out!
www.thepaperelement.com

I also posted a yummy layout that I created for an inspirational challenge at the forums at www.scrapnart.com. Thanks Stacey for such a fun challenge!

Enjoy and have a great Memorial Day weekend!

Scrap 'N Art Lucky Subscriber Contest Ends June 7th!!

2008-05-20T04:01:00.000-07:00

Lucky Subscriber Contest Ends June 7th!Be sure to subscribe to Scrap N' Art before June 7th, 2008 to be eligible to win one of THREE fabulous prize packs! Everyone who subscribes prior to the deadline is eligible to win. Just take a look at the grand prize package, with fabulous goodies from Cosmo Cricket, Bam Pop, Elsie, Glitz, 7Gypsies, Etsy shops, and more!

Here's a sneaky peeky at some of the wonderful goodies that will be headed your way if you are the lucky winner winner chicken dinner!!!

So head on over to www.scrapnart.com and click to register. Even if you don't win a fabulous prize pack, you are still signed up to get our JAM PACKED SUPA COOL Scrap 'N Art eZine for FREE!!!! How stinkin cool is that?

ScrapJacked!!!

2008-05-16T15:14:00.000-07:00

Okie dokie... I must admit, when I saw this jack, I was a little uncertain. Negative space and crisp lines are sooo not me. But I had a BLAST with this and even used a Dr. Seuss quote... my fave author!!!!

So here it is!!! Enjoy!!!

It's May at My Sketch World!!!!

2008-05-12T16:56:00.001-07:00

Lucy's sketches are so much fun and I honestly get so excited to see what her next sketch will be. Here's May's fun layout!

I've also got a sneaky peeky on a layout at Scrap 'N Art. It will be in the sketch challenge for our next issue...so enjoy this little peeky!!! Check out Scrap 'N Art at www.scrapnart.com

Well there's some scrappy goodness for you to enjoy!!! I'll be back soon with graduation pictures on Wednesday. My little man graduates preschool!!!!

So Now the Waiting Begins.....

2008-05-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

After having these horrible headaches for well over a year or two, I am finally on the path to finding a reason behind them.

After a routine eye exam, they found that I have swollen optic nerves meaning something is putting pressure on my brain... therefore causing the pain. Now it's just a matter of figuring out what is inside my brain causing the issues.

So I had bloodwork done today and will be off for an MRI Wednesday... the same day as preschool graduation for my preschool class and then for a visual field test to try and come out with an answer. I am trying to think positively right now, but its a hard pill to swallow easily right now.

So that's my life right now in a nutshell...waiting and wondering what is going on and praying for the best. I am so incredibly terrified right now, but a part of me feels so much relief that an end to this pain is hopefully in sight... no matter what the final answer is.

Scrapbook.com NSD!!!

2008-05-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

Do you stand up and/or clap at the end of a good movie? sometimes

Which do you like better; the escalator, elevator or regular steps? escalator

If you eat at a friend's house, do you eat all of the food even if you don’t like it? I try to

What’s your favorite zoo animal? giraffe

Which is better at a park; the swings or the slide? slide

What do you usually order at your favorite restaurannt? Hmmm....something with chicken in it!

A Tiny Toot~!

2008-04-21T11:24:00.001-07:00

I love Basic Grey paper and try to submit to their gallery when I can... but it's usually few and far between that I get the chacne. Anyhow.... here's my latest layout that got accepted! WooHoo!!!

A Scrappy Weekend

2008-04-14T12:50:00.000-07:00

I am back from a great scrappy weekend at a local camp! We had a great time and I met some really wonderful people! I hosted this crop with one of my good friends and lots of love and support from the wonderful gals at Scrap 'N Art. They were wonderful with suggestions and even donated some yummy scrappy goodness as prizes!

Anyhow... we had a Special Guest.... Elvis himself come and visit! Here I am all glammed up with Elvis! WOO HOO!!!

Sneaky Peeky at Scrap 'N Art!!!!

2008-04-07T12:00:00.001-07:00

Okie dokie... only a few more days until the launch of the Scrap 'N Art eZine and I cannot wait!!!! Here's a peek at the cover (hmm... is that a familar face on the cover or WHAT?!?!?!?!) and you can go to www.scrapnart.com for a peek at the first 7 pages. I cannot WAIT!!!!

Look Ma... No Training Wheels!!!!!

2008-04-06T16:40:00.000-07:00

We had a milestone for little Josh today..... he rode his bike without training wheels!!!! The bike is so small for him that his knees kept hitting the handlebar, but he did it! He just had to stick out his tongue in concentration to get it... too cute!!! He's growing so fast lately! He just had another growth spurt and take a peek at his jeans...they are too short and they are only a few months old!!!!

Speaking of growing, so is Jack!!! Those legs don't look as lanky as they did 2 weeks ago and boy is he ever a pretty puppy!!!! He's so stinkin funny... we love to watch his antics!

This Weeks Scrapjacked

2008-04-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

OK... I am seriously becoming obsessed with the whole Scrapjacked thing. Here's my take on this weeks jack....

Just one of those days.....

2008-03-25T17:39:00.000-07:00

OK... for like the past month things have been hectic around my house. With Easter looming and Girl Scoutly duties like cookie ordering/money due... I thought it would clear out after those wrapped up.

Well today pretty much officially wrapped up the Girl Scout aspect of my stress and Easter sailed by swimmingly, but it was a quick jump and then everything else just tumbled into its place. Why do I put myself under this vast amount of stuff that needs to get accomplished?

Well.... soccer for BOTH my kiddos started tonight. My daughter did amazingly well (this is her third year) and my son was up to bat at his very first soccer experience. Mind you he's BEGGED me to play for like ever and a day so he was soooo excited to FINALLY be old enough that he even slept with his brand new soccer ball last night.

Fast forward to the actual practice. Mother Nature in her wicked ways decided to lower the temp to like below freezing with the torrential winds, so little man only played for a few minutes and then came crying back to the car half frozen and saying that's it... he's never playing again.

Sigh..... that topped with a few other issues that I am taking personal that I guess I really shouldn't has put me in a lousy, no good mood this evening. grrrrr..... hoping for brighter and warmer skies tommorow.....

Look at those legs!!!

2008-03-24T13:22:00.000-07:00

Ok... our little puppy is growing by leaps and bounds each day!!! I swear in the few short weeks that we have had him, he's grown 4 inches in height. It's amazing just how fast he's growing!!!

Here's a new pic of him outside this afternoon. He soooo wants off his leach but I know he'll take off full gallop so he's stuck on there. Poor guy!

My ScrapJacked Jack

2008-03-23T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here's my Jack of this weeks scrapjack. Enjoy!

So Sorry.......

2008-03-21T07:16:00.000-07:00

I know, I know... it's been a LONG LONG while since I have posted. I have kept myself very busy but I plan on trying to post more often.

A few weeks ago we got a new puppy names Captain Jack Sparrow. He's a dear sweetheart, but going back to puppy times is alot harder than I remembered. So needless to say, my life has been busy to say the very least!

A few notes to mention in the scrapping world.... Scrap'NArt is plugging along. I cannot wait to see the final product... it is really a thrilling ride being a part of this!!!

Also, I got a position on MySketchWorld DT team as well. I am so excited to get a chance to create for them as well!!!!

I will leave you with a picture of our new addition! Enjoy!

No Allergies!!

2008-01-31T15:51:00.000-08:00

Well, took DS to the allergist yesterday and he has no allergies whatsoever. SO.... now they are thinking immune disorder so we have to have bloodwork done. Hopefully everything will be fine.

Two Hour Delay

2008-01-29T03:51:00.000-08:00

So I wake up today and get around to go to work.... turn on the news only to see we have a two hour delay. Apparently we are slated to get some freezing rain.

So now our entire day will be a bit off as we juggle around shedules to accomodate. So I wanted to stop in for a quick "Good Morning" to everyone!

A Promise.....

2008-01-28T13:20:00.000-08:00

Ok, I am going to make a PROMISE to myself to at the very least post once a week. Please help hold me to it! :)

OK, to get everyone caught up.... As you all most probably know, I have been putting my heart and soul into getting a position on thelittlescrapshop DT. I have been soooo wanting this for like ...well.... EVER. AND... I got a spot!!!!!!!!!! I think I seriously screamed myself HOARSE! So now I get to create for a wonderful shop owner and I have met some other AMAZING ladies. I am just so very very thankful to be a part of this whole thing. I cannot WAIT to get to create!

Here is a little something I whipped up to post as an introduction on the site! Enjoy!

Today, I blog!

2008-01-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

After years of chatting on forums and surfing myspace, I finally decided that I need my own blog. I don't know exactly why I need to blog, but I think it's the next logical step in this whole cyber-life thing.
I am a mom, a preschool teacher, a Girl Scout leader, a scrapbooker. I lead a pretty quiet life in rural PA. Not the stuff that is big fun to read, but I love my life. So today, I blog. I took the step.