I can't DRIVE...55!!!!

Well, I have the number 55 on my brain today, so this is the song that was going through my head...along with HAPPY BIRTHDAY...to Evon...Happy Birthday to you!!!

My friend Evon turned 55 today!!!!  I wish I was there to celebrate with you in Utah.  AND I wish I would have gotten around to mailing you a card.  LOL!  Well, you will have to enjoy all the cards on the blog for now.  :)

And of course, this young lady also has a birthday today!!!  Happy birthday to my niece Lauren!  How are you so LUCKY to have the same birthday as my crazy friend Evon!?!

And...the hours are getting few; however, there is a small chance my great-nephew could still be born tonight too.  My niece Abbey was due on the 22nd, so if she doesn't have him by tomorrow then she checks in to enduce labor.  Oh, little Jonah, we can't wait to meet you!

So in honor of all these celebrations...here are some creative things to share!

Let's start with some birthday cards...

I also just recently scrapbooked several scrapbook layouts of Lauren and Dave's wedding.

I never realized how difficult it was to get a good picture of a layout using metallic/mirror papers.  The bottom half of the layout is actually gold, but my reflection kept making it a funny color.  The camera also had troubles focusing.

Here is the (hidden) journaling I added to the back of a tag that pulls out from behind the main picture.  Here is what it says:  "When Lauren was little, she used to say her name was Lauren H. instead of Lauren W.  She said H was her favorite letter.  Well, when she married Dave Hanigan, #LaurenGotTheH!

This was a collage layout of several tiny photos from the reception.  I used to print them on my computer; however, now I use the Project Life ap on my phone.  There are several different 4x6 templates that allow you to put multiple photos on a single 4x6 print.  Then I just upload it to Shutterfly and print!  

This is a layout for the bridal shower we hosted for Lauren.

I do have a few more layouts, but one I sent in for consideration for publication and the other deserves a post all it's own.  ;)  So stay tuned...

And to celebrate the (soon) arrival of baby Jonah...

Well, if you know the birthday girls...give them a shout out!

Until next time...

Darla

Love is in the Air

Well, look at that, I was motivated to blog again today.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day and really it usually isn't a big day we celebrate.  I had planned to make Joe and Hope a nice dinner for once.  Yeah, been lacking in that department quite often lately.  So they suggested spaghetti.

I had the day off, so I got groceries and planned for a few extras with our meal.  I had planned on chocolate dipped strawberries for dessert.

Hope had different plans...she decided to make dinner for joe and I.  She "made" me go spend time in my scrapbook room while she prepared everything.

She also went the extra mile and made a chocolate cake from scratch.  I didn't even know that I had the ingredients in the cabinets to make chocolate cake (and frosting) from scratch.  LOL!

She must have been paying attention during all those cooking competition shows, because she even plated our meals for us.    It turned out to be a pretty good night, even though I ended up cleaning up the mess.  

Well, keeping it short, since not much else has gone on between yesterday and today...

Happy Valentine's Day to my loves...Joe and Hope!

Love,

Darla

Birthday Season!

Yep, you know the drill...where have I been.  Well, sometime you feel like blogging...and sometimes you don't.

Each new year brings birthday season for our family.  Hope turned 13 in January...this MIGHT explain why I don't always feel like blogging.  LOL!

I went to get my license renewed this morning and had that realization that next year I would be returning for Hope to get her permit to drive.  YIKES!!!

Anyway, even though I haven't been blogging, doesn't mean I haven't been busy creating.  I actually have finished up a LOT of cards and layouts.  So here are a some recent layouts to share...

Well, this layout was fun to think about Spring will (hopefully) be on its way soon!  For many years, Hope and I have put together several areas out front of fairy gardens.  It is something fun for us to do together and lets me "believe" in fairies!  ;)

This layout documented a trip to the Iowa State Fair.

Hope has been in several plays at a local playhouse.  This was one of my favorites!  

This is a school layout of a right of passage for Hope.

As I have mentioned before, I don't usually document individual activities during the summer, but usually create a summary layout of multiple summer activities.  This one covered 2015.

And this layout has been waiting to be created for nearly 4 years.  LOL!  And it was likely the quickest layout I have created in years.

This is another layout that has been planned out for quite some time, but took me some time to actually be inspired to execute the idea I had in mind.  Originally, I had planned to sew the heart, but ultimately decided to cut it out of paper and elevate it for dimension.  It was kind of fun to find various items to fill the heart surrounding my family that I LOVE.

And of course, as I mentioned above, there were a few recent birthdays, mine included!! So here are some celebratory cards to share...

Well, I still have a LOT more layouts and cards to share.  Who knows when I will show up next!

Darla