Are you a Reader?

If you enjoy reading and you read a lot of books, why not create your own book review journal. This will help you remember the story of each book when a friend asks for a review or a suggestion on a book to read.

I created a very simple journal with a composition book, cardstock, pattern paper, star stamp, and a few embellishments.

You can create your journal to represent your style. I kept my cover pretty clean of embellishments because I do travel with mine pretty daily in a messenger bag.

Even add a photo in or on the journal of some of your favorite books.

I only used one side of the paper, so I could add additional writing to the back of each review if needed.

The most time consuming part of this project is stamping the star. My stamp was only one star so I stamped it 15 times on each page. To avoid having to count the lines on each page for spacing, I had a scrap piece of paper with the stars marked and I slid it behind the page I was working on and you can see the placement through your page without having to count.

You could use any design stamp you have on hand that can be colored in...maybe an O, a small balloon, a butterfly, a bee, etc.

Send me a note if you post your book review journal, I'd love to see them.

She's just like me....

Ok, so of all the traits my daughters could pick up from me, I really would not choose that they not be a morning person. Our mornings are so hectic and it really should not be. We pick their clothing out the night before to save that hassle. Then I usually hit the snooze about 4 times {not a good trait at all}, but then I'm all about rushing...my children are not.

I kid you not...it took Mikayla about 25 minutes this morning to eat a small bowl of cereal. This is too much stress for me! lol It is pretty awesome that Alexis can get herself undressed and partly dressed in the morning {that saves me a few minutes}.

I really am so impressed that we have not been late to school {yet} and we even had enough time to walk to school about half the days so far.

Each morning I vow to get up earlier the next day so we don't have to rush so much, but then when the alarm rings I just want 5 more minutes.

Not a crop virgin anymore!

I had been avoiding crops for the longest time {boy was I missing out}. I was always nervous to go by myself without knowing anyone else. Plus, I have not invested in all the fancy items on the market for transporting and carrying my scrapbook supplies.

So after seeing events around my area, I finally decided to give it a shot and I attended the ScrapPink event this past Saturday. I had the best time! I got a stack of layouts complete, I met some wonderful, creative ladies, and I helped support a great cause, the fight against breast cancer. On the way home it dawned on me I was there over 12 hours! Boy did the time fly!

I feel relieved that I got my first event under my belt and I'm really looking forward to more events. Look out ladies...I'm hooked!

Here are the layouts I did at the crop...

The tree layout was a very big hit at the crop event, so I thought I'd use it on a baptism card for a new member at our church.

So my kindergartener and I seen an adorable outfit on one of the girls at her bus stop. We checked at Justice to get it, but didn't have luck finding her size. So we checked other stores and found these very stylish socks. She loved the outfit!

And we had to include her little sis....

Joe didn't care for the socks, but me and the girls liked them!

The countdown is on....

Only a few more hours till I head off to ScrapPink event! I'm really looking forward to having an entire day with no interruptions from kiddos and hubby to craft with 50 other scrap addicts. And Joe is happy too, he gets to spend a day golfing.

This morning we had a photo session with our latest birthday girl to make our thank you cards...here is a photo I liked but hubby didn't like for the card....

What an angel!

Photos of the excited birthday girl!

Alexis was so excited about all her wonderful gifts on Sunday. She was smiling the entire time! One of her favorite snacks is cheese balls...as you can see she ate some prior to the photo.

One of the big sisters, Casey, is helping Alexis read her cards and open her gifts. She was a very big help.

I think this picture sums up Alexis' excitement! This was prior to opening the gift, this was just telling her who it was from. LOL....precious!

I really had good intentions to get some work finished last night, but till we got homework completed, kids showered, and off to bed we just relaxed in the hot tub. That was nice too!

I created this card over the weekend. I just loved this little cherry stamp from Inkadinkado.

I'm really getting excited for the scrap pink event this Saturday! An entire day of scrapping without the kids or hubby to interrupt....Oh my! I'm, also, looking forward to a date night with hubby Friday night...Chill Lounge and Temple Fire Co.

Ready for Fall

It's the most wonderful time of year....FALL! I just love everything about Fall..the smells, the colors, the wonderful cooler weather, getting ready for the holidays, on and on.

I love creating layouts with a Fall theme. I love all the wonderful pattern paper that the companies make for this time of year. I'm ready to get start taking some great pictures outside too!

Also, want to wish a belated happy birthday online to my beautiful baby girl Alexis and my faithful hubby Joe. Love you both lots and lots!

Picture day at school

So I find this very ironic that I am actually braiding my daughter's hair. Now for those of you who didn't know me at a young age....in sixth grade I was so lazy about doing my hair, that my wonderful friend, Andrea, would come to my house before school and style my hair {a curl up front and some teasing} before school. So now here I am doing her hair for picture day at school. She wanted a spinny dress and braids.
We were really rushing, so I didn't get a real good photo of the hair.

I really love this pose in front of the window. She looks so precious.

Then, Alexis had to have her turn.....

She didn't quite have the eyes looking the right direction! HaHa what a bird!

Black and White photo challenge

We were recently challenged on the Scraptacular website forum to scraplift a black & white photo. I love the look of black & white photos and this is one of my favorites. I, also, love this collection of pattern paper from K&Company...the colors are spectacular!

The design was scraplifted from a recent magazine.

This card was inspired by this cute bee hive stamp. I think this will be a wonderful Thanksgiving card for someone special!

Now I'm off to order some photos for more layouts!

Card times 28

Well I finished up the party invitations. Not bad, I got them out one week before the party. I'm so terrible at procrastinating, it is such a terrible habit.
Here is a group shot...

Then a closer look at one. I really love this Cosmo Cricket paper!

Now, I'm off to start planning the meal and supplies for the party!

I knew Mikayla was a good girl....

Our school district promotes the "High Five" program which rewards the children for being responsible, respectful, polite, etc. Our little kindergarten came home with a High Five reward on day 5 of school! She was so excited {and so were we of course}.
I'm already thinking of ideas for this layout! I even have a hand stamp!

Alexis and Mikayla posing on the back deck.

Look at this little hot shot! Wow, that is some crazy hair, girlfriend!

Ok, so I didn't complete my invitations last evening. I really do not enjoy fussy cutting and doing it in quantity...well lets keep it PG here. I have ten more to go, so I'll definitely get them done tonight and mailed out by Saturday.

Not enough Time!

I know we all feel this awful feeling when we have so many things to get done and just not enough time in the day, but I'm really feeling it lately.

I have so many items on my list that have time limits and I just don't have enough time! I hope to have the invitations done and posted tom. ~ "I will get them done".

Ok, my two girls cheered me up...I'm ready to get back to work!

Shabby Chic challenge

This is normally not a style I create. There are many attributes that I like about this style so I thought I'd give it a try.

Again, over on Moxie Fab World this was a theme that was challenged last week. So I created this vintage looking card with Inkadinkado stamps that have a sketch feel to them.

I can make a list of family and friends who would love to receive this card!

Clean and Graphic

Over on the Moxie Fab World blog we have been challenged to create theme related cards. The first theme is Clean and Graphic. I really wanted to create a humorous card that was simple. And I came up with....
I have always backed down from making my Christmas cards because I send out over a hundred cards and the project just always overwhelmed me....however, with this cute, easy card I may just take the challenge on this year.

My big girl is in Kindergarten now

I just can't believe Mikayla is in kindergarten now. Where did the time go? She was absolutely excited and ready to start school. She is in full day kindergarten for the first time at our school district.

Her favorite color is pink, so we had to have pink on the first day {and the second..haha}.

What a beautiful smile.

She was so far ahead of me...she just wanted to get there! She was all but running at some points.

I took pictures of her in front of the school and by the front door. I was getting "the look" at one point. I asked if I was embarrassing her...."Yes Mom". And she's only 5!

Alexis wanted to share in the fun too.

And then my baby comes home from her first day of school. It was a long day for me while she was at school. But, I think I'll get used to it!