Two new layouts!

I finally scrapped! It seems like it has been forever since I did some scrapping for me! All I've created lately has been for classes. Either the mojo has been missing or the time to scrap has not been there! Hate when that happens. Could also have been b/c my scrap area was in shambles! I cleaned it and the very same day I created two layouts! Think there might be a connection?! Enough rambling...


I created this one for a DT challenge over @ Scrapbook Nook ! Cross your fingers that I get selected for the design team! It's a great site with lots of talented ladies that I'd be honored to "play" with!



I did this one purely for myself! I totally need this reminder right now. The butterfly punch from Martha Stewart is my new obsession as is the notebook punch! I even dusted my sewing machine off to add some stitching. It went wonky on me and messed up the first layout but I was able to salvage the main parts and start over! Let's just say that sewing machine was not my best friend @ 1:00am when it would not work right! Hopefully, now that my area is clean, I'll be more motivated to scrap!

How many colors can you name in 5 minutes?

Someone posted this over @ Scrapbook Nook! I thought it was cool so I'm sharing it! I got 41 (after my 2nd try! Let me know what you get!

41

OnePlusYou Quizzes and Widgets

I'll be back later to share some new layouts!

Good News!

Just had to share that I made it into the top 25 for the design team call @ My Scrapbook Nook! I'm very honored and can't wait to work on the challenges we're given for the next round! There is some serious talent over there! Check it out!

Busy weekend!

Whew! The weekend seemed to fly by. Friday, we went to a Twilight Farmer's Market @ Rockfield Manor after it rained a bit. Got some of the best cherries I've ever had! Yummers! Also got a huge bag of salad greens for $3.00. Let's just say we'll be eating lots of salads over the next week. Not a bad thing!

On Saturday, we ran errands (boring) most of the day than went to Kali's Court in Fell's Pt. to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday and Will's half birthday. Since Will's b-day (Dec 14th) falls in December, it's always hard to get everyone together with the holidays. So, June 14th (Elisa's b-day) has officially become Will's half birthday! Fun, huh?! The food, atmosphere and service was fabulous. We sat in the courtyard surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful flowers!


Kali's is known for their seafood, particularly fresh fish. Everyone loved their meal. I ordered roasted whole Bronzini and a roasted beet salad. Both were phenomenal!



Here are a few candids of us enjoying dinner and each other...





Thanks to my mom for taking us all to such a great dinner!

On Sunday, Jake & I met Matt & Elisa @ their community pool. Jake spent the first hour and a 1/2 jumping off the diving board. If I had an ounce of his energy, imagine what I could get done around the house! Unfortunatly, I forgot to bring the camera. Bad mom, I know. He did well practicing his swim strokes. Matt was trying to teach him to dive but he was more interested in perfecting his "moves" on the diving board. Crazy kid! He also found some friends to play with. His ability to make friends anywhere he goes is one of the things I love about him! After we wore ourselves out, Jake & I hit the REDBOX and got some movies. We watched The Game Plan, even though we had seen it. It's a cute one and I didn't mind watching it again. After I put him to bed, I watched The Bucket List". Pretty good but it made me cry so I woke up with puffy eyes today. Pretty, huh?!

We're looking at a busy week so I really hope I can check in again in a few days!

Long break but I'm back!

Yes, I've been a very bad blogger. EEK! It's been a while but I'm back and will try my hardest to keep this up!

Where should I start?! Summer's going well. Jake & I have already spent some time @ the beach with my mom. Unfortunatley, my tan is already fading. Hoping to change that with a visit to my brother's pool (the one he belongs to) tomorrow. It will also be good for Jake to practice his swimming skills. He's been taking lessons for the past week and has another week to go. I'm amazed by what a fast learner he is. We're going to work on diving tomorrow. He can't wait to jump off the diving board!

The other night we had this fabulous dinner on our deck...

Angelhair with tomatoes & feta (found this on a blog but I can't remember where?!)

Greek Salad with homemade dressing

Homemade garlic bread made on the grill (yummy!)

This is what surprised us as we ate dinner...



Pretty cool, right?! You see there is a hot air balloon-riding company nearby and we've seen them occasionally but never right overtop of our house! It was so close we could shout to the people in the basket! Someday, it may be me in one of those baskets! It's a dream of mine to go up in a hot air balloon!
Photos coming to a scrapbook page soon!

I've updated my slideshow!

WOW! Is it really February?

Yup, the last two months have flown by! Sorry to be MIA...life has just gotten the better of me! Family, scrap class teaching, substituting, illnesses (yes, multiple ones) scrap room purging, etc has been taking all my time. Haven't even been scrapping much. Sleep is what I crave when I get time to scrap. Anyways.....my superstar friend, Mandy Kay gave me the push to start blogging again by tagging me for this...

My favorite sites:
ScrapHappyKT
ScrapInStyleTV
Webkinz (sad, I know)


Challenge Faves:
One Little Word
Category Stories
Dares

Guilty Pleasures:
Way too much TV
Chocolate/Peanut Butter Chex Mix
Lots of Magazines (cooking, decorating, scrapping)

Babysitting fave:
Video games, Disney Channel and Webkinz

Creative Fave:
My KTDT girls, of course
I'd be here all day if I listed all the sites & blogs I visit for inspo!


Clothing fave:
Ann Taylor Loft
Dark jeans
Funky & fun shoes

And I tag....

Shelly B
Wendy R
Shelley H

Thanks Mandy for the push to get bloggin' again! I promise to try to keep it up! Now I'm off to make a new banner!

It's that busy time of year!!!

Well, what time of the year isn't busy, right?! Lots of stuff going on...

I started substitute teaching last week. I worked 3 days, the first one pretty much kicked my toush but I think this is the perfect job for me because I can pretty much work when I want (or need) to. Like today, I needed to stay home b/c Jake is sick:( He's not thowing up anymore (she says with her fingers crossed) but he still has a fever. Poor guy.

Friday night, Jake started basketball practice! We were a little late signing up but were relieved that they could fit him in b/c he really wanted to play! It's so funny to watch a 7 year old who has no idea how to play basket ball try to play basketball. He looked so cute dribbling and blocking! He's as tall as some of the nine year olds so I think this is a good sport for him!

Saturday we had breakfast with Santa @ Jake's school. Pancakes, sausage, OJ and Santa! Fun stuff! Photos to follow! We also went to cut down our tree @ Jarrettsville Tree Farm. We've been going there for a few years. Matt & Elisa came with us and cut one down too. The weather was perfect. When we got there, snow was still on the ground. By the time we left, a significant amount had melted! Crazy. We took our family Christmas card photo and I've been too busy (lazy) to download it. I really hope it came out! need to get those cards done this week. We also don't have a single decoration up yet. Will tried to do some outside lights on Saturday and some were not working so I think he gave up on that & played basketball with Jake!

Yesterday, I went to my scrapclub holiday party! Good food, good friends good fun all surrounded by scrappy stuff! What more could I want! We sure missed some of the girls who couldn't make it!

Today, I'm making some Christmas gifts, prepping for this class that I'm teaching tonight @ Great Scraps and taking care of my poor sick baby!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that I resigned from the Scrap Naked Challenge Blog Design Team. The owner of the blog went MIA and hasn't posted or been in contact with anyone for almost two weeks. Weird?! Sorry to anyone who joined in on the first challenge. I'm at a loss as to what could have happened:(

Happy Monday!

Gingerbread House 101

I finally broke down and bought a Bind It All machine! It was on my Christmas list so I guess it's an early present! Let me tell you how flipping cool this thing is or better yet, let me show you...










I created this book for my mom but I love it so much I'm keeping this one. I'll make her another one! I'm also using the Bind It All in my Month by Month Minibook class @ Great Scraps next month. I'm thinking maybe I'll teach this house-shaped book in February with a LOVE theme. What do you think?!

Some fall photos...

We live right down the road from this wonderful park and I get to drive through it almost everyday!





Here's a few of Jake & me! Jake took the photo of me-not too bad, huh?!






As I type this all of the leaves have blown off the tree and there is a light dusting of snow on the ground! YIKES! Not ready for Winter yet!