I love that The Lilypad is hosting thier Month of Challenges again this year. Last January I was able to scrap all 31 challenges and had such a fun time in the process. I just finished uploading my first 4 challenges for 2014 and thought I'd share them here. Each image is linked back to The Lilypad gallery which includes the full credits for each layout. January 1 - Blind Scrap The challenge host created a layout and then gives everyone written instructions based on her layout. After the MOC is completed we'll be able to see the original layout... Continue reading

Happy New Year! There's always something inspiring to me about a new start so I've decided to revive my blog for 2014. I have all sorts of projects and goals in the works for the upcoming year and am looking forward to sharing my progress here throughout the coming year. Here is what I have going on. PROJECTS Project Life - I'll be working on 2014 alongside the unfinished 2012 and 2013 albums. I decided that doing what I can when I can works fine for me, and I do my best to keep up with photos and to take... Continue reading

Yaay. I finally have something to share with you on this project. First off I created the book by cutting Stampin' Up! cardstock into 5"x7" pages (you can get two out of each 8.5"x11" sheet). I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch holes and then used book rings (sometimes called binder rings) to bind the book together. I used a total of 28 sheets which gave me 56 total pages..enough for my 52 recipes and photos, front and back covers and an introduction page. I may add one or two pages later on so that I can include an index once... Continue reading

So with the beginning of a new year I'm always optimistic that I'll get some great year long projects accomplished, and every year I fall short. This year I'm trying to make my projects a little simpler in hopes that I don't fail quite as easy or early (or hopefully not at all). The projects that I'm doing are Project Life and a weekly recipe project (using all new to me recipes) which I'm calling Recipe 52. I've got a good start on both of these projects and will be ready to share the beginnings of each of these in... Continue reading

Here are a few new to me things I absolutely love right now. Everything on this list is something I've either bought, learned about or implemented in my life in the past 3 months. 1. My new camera - it has a great zoom for a pocket camera and does a fantastic job in low light situations and since most of my photos are taken indoors that's key for me. 2. 750 words - I just finished a seven day streak this morning. I love starting my day with a cup of coffee and a brain dump. 3. Heidi Swapp... Continue reading

I thought I'd share a few picture with you from August. We started a new school year on the 1st....can you believe Liz is in 5th grade already...totally blows my mind. Instead of using workboxes like we've done in the past I borrowed this idea and decided to do work folders since space is at a premium. The first page is assignments and where she'll find the materials (either online, in the pocket folder, or in a bin she has on her desk for books, and bigger materials). I've also started denoting with an asterick which things she needs to... Continue reading

Katie Nelson (Katie the Scrapbook Lady) posted a Today I am bullet list on her blog. I thought I would do the same. Today I am... 1. Cleaning...My must dos for today..vacuum living room and computer room, mop kitchen floor, clean main bathroom, do a load of laundry. 2. Researching recipe binders. I love the idea for these...while it makes more sense to put all my recipes on the computer (mainly for searchability and access from anywhere) I love the idea of sitting down at the kitchen table and pouring over my recipes to make my meal plan. 3. Planning... Continue reading

So my computer is dead. I can't get it to boot, reformat my partition which held my operating system and program files on my hard drive, or be helpful in any way. So for the past few days I've been basically without my computer. I've checked my email and forums a few times during that period on Devin's computer but it's always so hard using someone elses computer. We've decided that for the time being (until I can either get my computer to work or we can afford a new one) that we will share. I'll use Devin's computer for... Continue reading

I spend too much time on the computer for sure...but I have good reason. There are so many amazing sites out there that I just wanted to share with you. Here are a few of my favorites right now. 1. Log Your Memory - I found LYM at the beginning of last year and love the encouragement there to scrap your everyday. Since I found the site I try to do the weekly challenges found in the Memory Logbook and find that the challenges really help me to scrap memories that I otherwise wouldn't think to scrap about. 2. Pinterest... Continue reading

Dev just got new glasses...we picked them up Tuesday after we got home from our long weekend in Arkansas. They're pretty similar to the old ones (same shape, same color) but they're plastic and he can see out of them. He decided he wanted to see what Liz looked like in glasses so he called her in and said try them on. He asked if everything looked funny..she said no not really. So we had her take the glasses off and stand about 10 feet away from the bookshelf in the living room and asked if she could read the... Continue reading

Just wanted to share a few photos from January with you all. 1. Liz with her new LEGO set. 2. Saturday morning...finishing some schoolwork she didn't complete during the week. 3. One of the Newbery Award Books that Liz read this month...other award books she read were Holes, The Bridge to Teribethia and Mrs. Frisbee and the Rats of NIMH. 4. Playing Chinese Checkers (Devin won) 5. Liz's LEGO creation following the instructions that came with the kit. 6. Liz making a loaf of bread...this was one of her morning chores until I accidentally threw the paddle out. 7. Our... Continue reading

Last year I discovered an amazing product called the Memory Logbook which is put out by Kristin Rutten at Log Your Memory. I was lucky (and I guess some would argue talented) enough to get one of my layouts chosen for the 2011 version. Knowing that my printer is not crazy about printing double sided and throws all kinds of fits I decided to get the perfect bound version for 2011. I find this version to be a little bulky for me since I like to carry it around when we're out so I can jot things down or look... Continue reading

I totally lost track of last weekend and didn't get around to posting here. First some pictures. Devin has started working on Liz's pioneer dress for her Halloween Costume. He still hasn't made it very far along but we're hoping he can get it finished before we move. While Devin was working on the dress Liz was on the opposite side of the table making Perler Bead creations. I think she did about 15 total. I've ironed 5 of them but they're still sitting there waiting for me to iron the other 10 or so. It's finally fall in Chicago.... Continue reading

Another quiet week here...most of it has been dedicated to cleaning and purging. Liz found time to make another clay creation, however, a dachshund with a beret. And a drawing based on Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Flashback to October of last year when we brought Rocky into our house. To yesterday, he's now about twice as long (almost 3 ft) and a whole bunch bigger around. I guess the biggest news is that it's totally official that we're moving, our goal is to find a place sometime in the next week while we continue to pack. Here's hoping it... Continue reading

As usual I'm a day late and a dollar short (or 2 days late and more dollars short than I'd care to admit). Last week was pretty uneventful. Liz was still cranky, I was still cranky, school time was fun. We spent a lot of time sorting through stuff, getting rid of stuff, and trying to figure out how we could possibly live in a 2 bedroom apartment. While we were going through everything Liz discovered a pack of sculpey she got as a gift a couple of years ago so she's been on a polymer clay kick. Here are... Continue reading

Last Sunday I made goal to blog every weekend with some of the highlights from our week. I may be an hour or so late but here is this week. While it may not seem like a typical highlight we searched high and low for pumpkin, apparantly there was a huge pumpkin shortage the past couple of years and finding pumpkin was hard, we went to three different grocery stores before we found this can. The main reason for the pumpkin search was so Devin could make Pumpkin Spice Lattes, can't say I was a big fan but I think... Continue reading

So I've decided that if nothing else I'm going to strive to do a weekly roundup each weekend. There may be occasional blog posts during the week but at the very least I figured I could at least do a weekly post (I think I've thought this before though so please try to understand if I don't). The weekly roundup will include photos of what we've done this week, layouts and hybrid projects I've created, and just general blabbering on by me. We were lucky enough to get to take an impromptu trip to Arkansas over Labor Day weekend. Was... Continue reading

I'm planning on setting a blogging schedule for myself to make sure that I at least post a couple of times a week but first I wanted to share a few photos that we took this summer of the Lizard. This first one is her swimming in a friend's pool. We had a good visit with our good friends from St. Louis and I think getting to go in the pool was a definite highlight for Liz. Liz playing Pokemon with her cousin. It was so great that she got to spend so much time with her cousins while we... Continue reading

Hey everyone. The Inspiration Lane CT decided to take the newest IL Mega Sampler and turn it into quick pages for y'all to enjoy. Here is the mega kit that we're all using for our quickpages (kit is linked to item in store). Here is a list of the participants in this blog train. Erika: http://inkincreations.blogspot.com/ Bethany: http://scrappingbytrialanderror.blogspot.com/ Sugar N Spice: http://picarook.blogspot.com/ Sarah: http://chaosensues.typepad.com/ - This is me!!! :) CupcakeJamie: http://www.jamie-cupcake.blogspot.com Aimeemomof2+ http://inspiration-lane.com/blog/ melscrap http://inspiration-lane.com/blog/ Bobbie: http://bbsbluebutton.wordpress.com/ Here's the preview of my quick page (link to download full size png is just below preview). Make sure to stop by all... Continue reading

Here's a little mini book that I made. Link is to Jennifer Fox's blog. Easy Hybrid Mini Book Continue reading

I promised some of y'all a recent photo of the Lizard...since I'm up way later than I should be I thought I'd go ahead and post one. She's at a library program (big shocker there...lol). I really will try to post more often...I can't even use busy as an excuse. Anywho here's the photo. Isn't she gorgeous? (not that I'm biased or anything) I hope you all have a wonderful night (lol if you're still awake even) and tomorrow! Good night all! Continue reading

A couple of days ago I accepted a hybrid CT postion with one of my favorite designers. I discovered Jennifer Fox Designs shortly after I began digiscrapping when I won a random draw for one of her kits on one of the digi scrapbooking forums and have been a fan ever since. I'm so glad that I was in the right place at the right time to get this gig. I have a preview of the three collab kits that Jennifer did with Wild Dandelion Designs (see my card there in the middle?!?!). Plus today Jennifer is the featured designer... Continue reading