Did you know...

...that eagles can read?  Yep, according to Hope they can.  :)

Ok, here is how today's story went...

We were driving out of our subdivision when Hope spotted about 7-8 "eagles" AKA-hawks or buzzards of some kind.  She kept saying look mom, they are following us.  Then as we got on the interstate she said they are gone, they must have gotten lost.

I explained that they probably couldn't tell which van was us since we see the same looking van all over the place.  She quickly explained they knew exactly which van we were in because they could read our license plate.

I am giggling, thinking where does she come up with this stuff?  :)

So the conversation continues with me saying, wow I didn't know that eagles were so smart they could read license plates.  Hope says, yeah they can read all kinds of things so they know where they are flying.

Too funny!

Anyway, I started working on a project idea and am going to start sharing some of my older layouts I have created since I started scrapbooking.  With all the tornados lately, I would hate to think of losing all of those memories in my scrapbooks (although they would still be in my heart).  So I am starting to take photos of each layout and will save them out on shutterfly.  If anything would ever happen to my original scrapbooks, I would have a digital layout that could be made into a shutterfly book with minimal effort.  How about you?  Do you have a back up plan?

You have to promise not to laugh too hard at some of my layouts or at least not laugh too hard.  I had to smile when I looked at my very first scrapbook, which I created in 2000.

Well, nothing much to share tonight, and am tired so heading of to dreamland!

Goodnight!

Darla

Funny Stuff!

As most of you know, Hope is full of funny sayings and does some funny stuff.

Well this morning was no different.  As I was coming out of my sleep, she leaned over and gave me a big kiss.  The she started asking me math questions.  "mom, what is 10-4?" and I would mumble some kind of answer.  "No mom, that isn't right!".  And the questions kept coming over and over until finally I resorted to tickling her to get her to stop.  :)

We hung out in bed for a little while longer and she was laying on my legs and said, "mom you are spiking me".  I laughed and said "What"?  Then as she was rubbing the stubble on my leg she said, "you know, the spikes on your legs".  Just made me laugh out loud!

We went on a bike ride today to a new trail with a 13 story high bridge over a river.  It used to be a railroad bridge and is now a bike trail.  It was really windy, but cool views.

We rode about 2.6 miles to get to the bridge and the bridge itself is over 1/2 mile long.  Like I said, it was REALLY windy.

I will leave you with a card.

It makes me think of my newest favorite commercial.  It is for Chevy cars and it is when the soldier drives up in a Chevy vehicle and the little boy runs to the curb and salutes his dad before giving him a welcome home hug.  It makes me teary every time.

And that leads me to Memorial Day.  Thank you to all our troops who serve/have served/or will be serving our nation and protect our freedom.

Have a great night!

Darla

Gratitude

Ok, here is my finished version of the Gratitude project from The Scrappy Gourmet.

I actually had almost all of the project done over a year ago, but was missing a few pictures to finish it up.  We were moving some things around the other day, so I set this project on my desk to get the needed pictures in it.


Here is it...it is mostly  identical to the one created by Greta Hammond, but I changed a few of the titles to work for my family.  I also added some rub ons to a few of the pages since the definition stickers didn't fit on some of my pages once I added the pictures.

Hope has been in trouble lately, so he got grounded.  The only activities she can do to entertain herself is reading books or making crafts or puzzles with a few of her supplies.

Today, she found a small leaf that had fallen off a decoration and decided to make a house for Tinkerbell so she will come live with us.  She made furniture for her and a sign so she would know the house was made for her.  Too cute.  Here it is...

The Tinkerbell was from a Pixos set she made a while ago.  The sign says "Welcome Home Fairies" in case she brings any friends with her too.

Well, time to head up and get Hope to bed.  We are going to do some biking tomorrow since the weather is finally going to turn nice.  That might have something to do with the fact that Joe just got the Christmas village put away.  Good grief!  :)

Have a good night!

Darla

Imagination

Hope was telling me all about the dream she had the other night, although I think she was just making it up as she went along.  You just never know...

I do remember her waking me up in the middle of the night (after she had snuck into bed with us) telling me she had a dream.  Well, we were outside swinging when she must have remembered something about it, so I started asking her questions.

She told me there was a magical creature with sparkly skin and it was a...dragon.  It started out small and then grew really BIG (kinda like Clifford the Big Red Dog).  Anyway, the dragon lived in our back yard.

Those are the high points and then she just kept going on and on about who could see it and who couldn't, etc.  It was pretty fun to get a peek into her imagination.

We have started reading some easy chapter books and I picked up more of the Rainbow Fairy books.  I started with the original ones that are about Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet Fairies.  She is doing so good.  She usually reads a few pages and then wants me to read a few pages.  I think she is just so excited to see what happens next.  She has good comprehension too because we read for a while before Joe got home from work.  He asked about the book and she started to tell him about it in detail.

Anyway, I know I will need to make a layout about reading soon!

Well, here is the last card I have to share with you right now (I have one more I will share once I give it to the person I made it for).  :)  It was from scraps from a mini album kit I got from The Scrappy Gourmet.  I will show that project next time.

I think this was probably my favorite one out of all of them and very easy.  I will probably have to make this one again in the future with other scraps.

Well, I am calling it a night!  Have a good one!

Darla

Tomorrow...

tomorrow, I'll love you tomorrow....

Hope has been watching the movie Annie a lot lately, and just had that song stuck in my head.  I loved this movie as a kid too, so it is fun to rewatch it with her.

Not much has been going on around here lately.  Just the normal stuff, so will just get on with sharing a few more cards today.

When I make cards, I try and mix up the greetings I put on them, so I have a few Birthday, Thank you and other misc. sentiments that might work for several celebrations.  These were two Thank You cards I created using the same scraps.  They were bright and cheery colors, so it worked out good for these cards.  

Well, I hope you have a good night and see you back soon!

Darla

More scrappy cards!

Ok here are two more cards using the scraps a kit I purchased as The Scrappy Gourmet.  See my  last post for details.

Well, keeping it shore today.  :)

Have a good one!

Darla

Organize and use those Scraps!

Today, I took a little time to use up a bag of scraps from a kit I purchased several years ago.

Here is the kit I purchased from The Scrappy Gourmet.

Recently, I got some of my scraps organized into packets that all coordinate so when I get a small bit of time I can put together some cards.

I also have my pictures in packets too, so when I get paper I want to use for that project I can put it all together.  It has helped me get more done recently.

Well, here are two cards I created using scraps from this project.

Both of these cards used very little of the scraps I had left, so I got to squeeze out as many cards as I could.

Well, it is my night to put Hope to bed, so I better get the ritual started.

We are reading the Rainbow Fairy books.  She got the one with Emma the Easter Fairy, in her basket.  We are reading it together, but she will be able to read it to herself soon.

Check back again this week, as I will have a few more cards to share.

Goodnight!

Darla

May Project 12 layout-Tea Time

Alright, here is my May Project 12 layout.  I just got them both done at the same time, which is easy since I am using the sketches to get caught up instead of doing what I did in May.  Maybe next year I will do a monthly layout.  We will see.  I am sure I will still be just as behind as I am right now, although this has really helped me out.  You should give it a try.

Here is the sketch...

...and here is my layout.

Here is a detail shot of the journaling.  I wanted to use the journal spot stickers that came with the Crate Paper line I used, so my journaling was adapted for that.  I does fall within the same area of the sketch.

I used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist to color the Kaiser Craft wood shapes.  I added a piece of glimmer vellum behind the teapot so you wouldn't see the corner of the photo behind as much.  Even though their tea was cold water, I wanted the gems to look like steam coming off the cups of tea.  :)

The doily was left over from another project and the mist color matched the pink in the papers.  I die cut the letters for my title.

I added gems along the top border too for another small detail.

Let me know what you think.

Have a good one!  I  more stuff to share when I get the chance.

Darla

April Project 12 Layout

I finally got caught up on my Project 12 layouts.  Today I am sharing the April layout and I will be sharing soon the May layout as well.

Here is the April sketch for Project 12...

For this sketch, I chose to get some of my older layouts completed.  These pictures were from a 2009 visit to Living History Farms.

Here are some detail shots of the layout...

In the lower right photos, Hope got to make a print with the rolling press machine.  I had the paper behind the layout in a hidden pocket because I couldn't fit it into the layout.

Here is a close up of the journaling.

I replicated the sign pole outside the broom works shop.  I bent wire and created my own "o" rings to hang the sign.

Tonight is Survivor finale, so off to watch the ending.

Later!

Darla

Getting Published!

I have just recently started sending in submissions to be considered for publication and have already had two thing accepted.  I am pretty excited.  One will be in a publication that comes out in August and another will be in a publication that comes out in October.

I had previously always seemed to miss the deadlines for certain calls as I wasn't organized to find certain pictures and product that was current.  Now I am more organized than I have ever been and it has helped to get projects done for current publication calls.

So, if I am lucky, you might be seeing my work coming to a mailbox or magazine stand near you!  :)

I finished up my April Project 12 layout last night, but it was too gloomy here today to get any decent pictures.  I will hopefully be able to get it up on my blog this weekend if the weather cooperates.  I am also working on the May Project 12 layout too.  They are both layouts of pictures I have had for quite a while i just hadn't found the right sketch to use for them.

Well, it is time to go put Hope to bed.  I can share a few of my submission projects that weren't accepted now that the deadline has passed, so watch for those soon.

Goodnight!

Darla

Busted!

All spring long, something has been nibbling on my newly planted tulips.  Well, today that creature was...

...BUSTED!!!

Luckily we were able to keep him away long enough to allow them all to bloom.  Now that they are almost done, I am ok for him/her to take a few nibbles.

I haven't shared any funny Hope stories lately.  Here are a few...

She found her Nemo stuffed animal fish.  After reading the tag, she asked "Mom, is Nemo from China?"  Hehehehehe!  I just giggled.  I love that she reads everything!

She also prefers to watch her movies in all the languages offered.  The Barbie Fashion Fairy Tale comes with French, Spanish and English.  Depending on her mood, you never know what language you are going to be watching it in.  She also likes to turn on the closed captioning, so she can read all the words.  Amazing.

We also went to Annie and Ally's softball game again tonight (no camera and was kicking myself).  They both got hits at both batting attempts.  The first time, they both made it all the way around the bases (one base at a time) and got to home base.  They were pretty excited.  

The entire team has improved a lot since the last game we went to.  Way to go girls!

Well, I am calling it a night!

Darla

It's A BOY! Really!

Ok, when Jody found out by ultrasound, we didn't really know whether or not to believe it when they said it was a boy.  You see, we haven't had a baby boy in several generations, so this is exciting stuff, but any baby is exciting to welcome into the family.

Here are a few more pictures from our visit tonight.  He might need a haircut next week.  :)  Love it!

They actually trusted me to try and get him to burp.  No such luck.  Guess I have lost my touch, although not sure I ever had it.  :)

You forget how tiny they are.  Oh babies are SO sweet.  I can't wait to see him (hopefully) again next weekend.

After we got home, Hope was playing out back so i decided to get my camera  out again and take a few more pictures of my spring flowers before they are gone.  A few new ones have popped up since last time.  Check these out...

And of course, Reilly the dog...

Well, that is all I have for now.  Have a good Mother's Day weekend!

Darla

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I hope you had a good one today.  I celebrated by eating at my favorite lunchtime Mexican restaurant...Pancheros!  YUM!

I received a text this morning that my great nephew was on his way, meaning my niece was in labor.  So he will be a cinco de mayo baby.  I am pretty sure his nickname from aunt Darla is going to be Pedro.   :)  Just kidding!

Here he is.   Meet Kenton Oscar.

 I can't wait to go see him tomorrow night after Hope gets home from school.

Good night!

Happy Belated May Day!

We hit the May Day basket motherload yesterday!  The first doorbell ring (& run) was from our neighbor girl Nicole and her brother.  Then while I was gone, baskets were delivered by Annie next door and from the family across the street.  Later in the evening Hope received one last basket from a girl around the corner.

I was out running errands, Joe got crafty and they put together impromptu May Day baskets.  They were getting ready to deliver the last two when I got home.   So we hopped on our bikes and delivered them.  Next year I will have to get more creative.  This was the first year we received so many.  We know more of the kids in the neighborhood since Hope started Kindergarten this past year.

I finally have another layout to share.  Of course, it is out of season, but I just post them as I get them done.

Elf on the Shelf documented all the places our elf hid this year as he returned from the North Pole each night after he had made his "behavior" report to Santa.  :)  He found some pretty creative places this year, although I didn't get pictures of all of them.  These were some of my favorites.

I started out using a sketch from the Sketchy Thursday website, but ended up changing it to work out with what I wanted to add (journaling and the details in the upper left corner).

Here are some detail shots.

I think I have created all the layouts I can with these papers from MME, so now I am going to use up the scraps to make some cards.  I will try and get some pictures this week of some of them I have made so far and will be sharing them in the next few weeks.

I hope you had a nice May Day yesterday.

I am going to start cleaning out my scrapbooking space, so check back frequently for some giveaways.  I have way too much stuff and need to get more organized.

Have a good night!

Darla