Loose ends...

I have a few misc. layouts, cards, etc to show you from several different projects.

The first card is the last one I made from the Cosmo Cricket Snorkel paper scraps.  The inside says "Just dropping you a line...".  I figured this could be used to just send for a general note or possibly a birthday, etc.

This is one of the few layouts I finished when I went to the Wisconsin retreat back in October.  I just finished up the journaling on the page.  I know you are probably wondering, well where is the journaling.

Well, I hid it behind the photos.  I found these curly tree ornament hooks at Hobby Lobby and thought they would be neat to use in scrapbooking.  So they jumped right into my cart.  Hehe!

Here is the entire journaling.

Next is another layout I worked on in WI.  This was at the same event.  It was a princess party hosted as a fundraiser.  The girls got to meet all their favorite princess and get their autograph.  I made a pocket for Hope's autograph book, and put a paperclip on it so it can be pulled out for viewing.

And finally, one last card I made from the princess paper scraps.

On to other news....

I didn't get picked for a jury on my first day I was called, so I had to call in again today.  The only wanted 1-86 and I am number 71.  Bummer!  So I have to go back again tomorrow morning and hopefully not wait all day long to find out if I will serve on a jury.  I just hope I am done early enough to go to the Radio City Hall Christmas Spectacular show.  I have tickets for the 4:30 show to go with a friend and Hope.  The back up plan is for my mom to go in my place if I am not done in time.  Otherwise, if I can make it we are going to get an extra ticket for mom to go too.

I am so glad mom was able to come up this week to help out.  I have been very stressed out about several things going on.

We had Hope's first teacher conferences.  They went really good.  I am so proud of the improvements she has had in the short 2 months of school.  Very exciting.

I would like to ask for  prayers for my sister-in-law, who is having difficulties with her pregnancy.  She is due January 7th, but is in the hospital due to pre-eclampsia (not sure how that is spelled).  The took her by ambulance today from her small town hospital to Iowa City where they have a better NICU and doctors to treat her issues.  They are predicting they will need to deliver the baby by tomorrow after, if not sooner.  Please pray for a safe deliver and good health for their premature baby boy (we think).  :)

Ok, that is all for tonight.  I finally got pictures of a few more layouts and LOTS more cards I completed over the weekend.  I will be sharing those with you over the next few weeks.

Darla

LONG day!

Well, I got called for jury duty.  I sat around at the county court all day long and was not chosen for the jury.  BUT, I am not off the hook yet.  I still have to call in tomorrow night to see if there are other jury members needed later this week.  FUN!

So I didn't get home in time to take pictures of the projects I did this past weekend.  I will get to it eventually!

In the mean time...I do I have a few more cards made from the Cosmo Cricket Snorkel scraps.  Enjoy!

I thought these were great bright colored scraps that would make fun birthday cards.  One of the papers had various large circles that I punched out.  Very easy cards.

Everyone have a great night!

Darla

Ooooops! Missed a page!

I realized the other day that I missed sharing a page of the military album.  So here it is...

Anyway, I had a lot of fun scrapbooking with my girlfriends, Kristi and Kelly.  I didn't get a chance to take  a picture of what I got done, but I will try and get to it this week.

This week could be crazy, because I have to report for jury duty in the morning.  I am not sure what to expect since I have never been called for jury duty.  If I didn't have a lot going on this week, I actually wouldn't mind being on a jury.  I must admit, I am a little curious about how it all works.  So we will see how it works out.

I have a few cards to share from the scraps of the Fishing with Dad layout I shared a few posts ago.

Alright, that is all I have to share tonight!

Darla

Thank you for your service!

These are simple words, but mean so much to our veterans when we show our appreciation of their service to our Country.

A while back I made the following album for a potential project for The Scrappy Gourmet.  Due to being unable to find some of the product I used, it isn't a kit that is for sale.  If you are interested in something like this, please contact TSG to see if an acceptable substitution could be made for the products she isn't able to get anymore.

Anyway, here is the project...

Also, thank you to the families of all those that serve our country.  I can't image the stress involved with each deployment and pray for each and every soldier to return home safely.

Everyone have a great night!

Darla

Rainbow art

I love how this turned out!

The picture doesn't do it justice, but it looks really cool in her room.  This was my first time creating anything with a hot glue gun.  Well, I did end up burning my fingers a few times and only got one glob on my (favorite) sweat pants.  Oh well.  Now I won't be so intimidated to try it again someday.

I also am slowing working on finishing up some other layouts and cards I started several weeks ago at a crop in WI.

Here is one layout made using the Cosmo Cricket Snorkel line.

I had to get a little creative with the title since I didn't have an "N" and a second "D", so I trimmed off a "W" and turned a "P" upside down to make the letters I needed.

Above, you can see I added a pocket behind my 5x7 photo.  Below is the photo included and the back is blank for more journaling or another photo.

The hook was made with black wire and I just shaped it to look like a fish hook.

This was also my first attempt at using Photoshop Elements 8 to do my journaling.  It took a little work, but I finally got my circle journaling figured out.  Hopefully I can figure out how to do it again if I want to.  :)

Well, I am off to start supper.  I also made some fishin cards from the scraps, so I will share those with you this week over the next few days.

I also hope to have a lot more stuff to share with you over the next few weeks, because I am SCRAPPING this weekend.  I am shipping the kid and hubby to his mother's place and having some friends over for the weekend.  YIPPEE!  

I hope to get lots done, but we usually make time for some good eating, some good wine and maybe some shopping too.  You just never know what we are going to do.

Til next time!

Darla

The flu...

...has struck our house.  Hope came down with the flu late Thursday night, so it was a long night up with her.  One time after she had been up, she looked at Joe and said, "I don't think I am going to be able to go to school tomorrow".  I stayed home with her on Friday and she woke up right before the bus usually comes.  We were laying there in bed and she asked why Reilly, our dog, was barking.  I explained it was because the bus was waiting to see if she was coming.  She said, "I just want to go back to sleep".  Later, she asked me if I told her teacher that she barfed.  :)

Anyway...

I finally finished adding the gems to the rainbow painting for Hope's room.  I will share a picture once I get it up in her room.  It looks pretty cool.  I can't wait for Hope to see it in the morning.  She was helping me, but I finished it after she went to bed.

Well, I am heading to bed to start another busy week.  Goodnight!

Darla

The morning bus routine

I love the new bus routine Hope has started.  Now that the weather has gotten a little cooler I have been standing inside the door after Hope walks out to meet the bus at the end of our driveway.  Before the bus gets there, she turns around and blows me a kiss, hugs herself, waves, high fives her hands together and knuckle bumps herself.  It is too cute.   After each activity, she turns around like she is waiting for the bus and then turns toward me and does the next action.  Too CUTE!  I love it.  It always sends me off to work with a warm fuzzy feeling.

Then when she gets off the bus, she always yells from the end of the driveway "hi mom!".  Every day I am forced to try and come up with a new way to ask her how her day was because she gets mad and tells me every day is always good, why do I have to ask every day!   The kid is too funny!

And as I type, she is making "books" for all her friends and plans to sell them all over the WORLD.  She definitely has big ideas.  She even made one for her teacher too.

Well, I don't have much new to show you.  I did make a home sweet home card for my friend Kristi a while back.

Everyone have a good night!

Darla

Halloween Fun!

It has been a busy last few days and here are the pictures to prove it!

This first picture is of Hope after she finished the craft project at her Fall Party at school.

That night, after Joe got home from work, we carved pumpkins!  Hope couldn't wait to help clean out the guts!

This was our "Jack" this year.  Joe got this really cook pumpkin light that worked great.  We turned off the lights in the kitchen and I used my night setting to get this photo of Hope and Jack.  The light turns lots of different colors, but the red seemed to look the scariest.

Friday night Hope's school sponsored a Monster Mash party.  She dressed us as a princess and got to do all kinds of fun activities.  Here she finished up decorating a pumpkin.

Here in our town, the kids trick-0r-treat on "beggars night" which is the night before Halloween.  So that was tonight. 

We had two cute witches and a cute cow girl!

Well, I guess one witch was a little spunky!

After we got back to the house there were still kids coming to the door so the girls went out to help give out the candy.  Joe decided to put on a mask, went out the back door and snuck around to the front and jumped out of the bushes to scare the girls.  It was FUNNY!  First they screamed and then laughed because they all remembered Joe had that mask and had worn it before.  :)

Then our neighbor stopped by to scare the girls too.  One year he dressed up like an old lady and the girls thought it was really funny, so when he wasn't at the house when we stopped by the kids were bummed.  So when he got home from prowling the neighborhood, his wife sent him over.  As he came walking up the sidewalk, Hope jumped up and ran for the door.  He walked up to the twins and took the bowl of candy from them.  I tried to get them to take their picture with him, but they were too freaked out.  Then he took off the mask to show them.  They still wouldn't get close to him but laughed at him.

Then after all the treating was done, they wanted to carve a few more pumpkins, so we did that too.

Hope drew a face on one of the pumpkins she helped Grandma Deloris grow on the farm.

The twins thought it was gross cleaning out the guts, but did finally stick their hands in.

And remember the post I made the other day about my "naked dog".  Well, I found this picture of how furry he can get during the winter time.  It has been a long time since he has been this wooly, but he is a VERY furry dog.  So he went from something similar to this...

To this!

Too funny!  Before we know it he will look like the first picture again!

Well, that is all I have for tonight.  Tomorrow we are going to Night Eyes at the zoo and then Halloween events will officially be over!  I am ready to have some down time.  I am so behind on scrapbooking.  I haven't even finished the mini album I started a year ago from last years pictures.  Yikes!

Goodnight!

Darla

My pumpkin Picasso!

Earlier this week, I finally found the time to get to the grocery store.  Well they had the mini pumpkins on sale, 10 for $1.  BARGAIN!  So I picked up a few and let Hope paint them up however she wanted.

They both started out very creative, and then she kept adding layers and layers of paint.  I wasn't sure they would even be dry by Halloween.  :)

The first one actually just looked all green by the time she was done, so we decided to add some sequins to the pumpkins to give them some sparkle. 

She is such a cute pumpkin picasso!

Today, I went to her school and her class had their Fall party.  And tonight was the Monster Mash all school party.  I will share these photos when I get the chance to get them loaded.  And here in town we trick or treat the night before Halloween, so tomorrow night we will be walking around the neighborhood.  Should be nice out, so that makes it much more FUN for the grown ups too!

Good night!

Darla

So PROUD!

I just want to share how proud I am of my husband and my niece Jody.  They both work for a great company, Hy-Vee.  Every year, this company has a multiple celebration dinners throughout the different regions of Hy-Vee locations.  This year, Joe was celebrating 20 years with the company and Jody was receiving her 5 year award.

I am so proud of both of them of what they have accomplished.  I am especially proud of Joe of how dedicated he is and it has taken him far.  Here is to the next 20 years (unless we win the lottery).  :)

Jody looks so cute with her baby bump.  I am so excited to be a great-aunt again!

I have no clue when I am going to get to scrapbook next.  I am really craving to have some time at my desk, but the only desk I have had time to sit at lately is my work desk or the computer desk.  Bummer!  Well, maybe someday soon!

We have halloween coming up, and I think we are going to try and carve the pumpkin tomorrow night.  Hope and I also need to make cookies tomorrow night for the Monster Mash at school on Friday night.  Busy, Busy, Busy!

Well, here is another card I made a while back.

Have a good night!

Darla

It's Symmetrical!

I was amazed to here Hope tell me this last night.

When she got home from school I opened her back pack and it was FULL of colorful leaves.  She pulled a few of them out and said "Look mom, it's symmetrical".  I am constantly amazed at all the new things she is learning in school.  It is so fun to see her excited about learning all kinds of different things.

I tried a new soup recipe tonight.  It was pretty good.  Loaded Baked Potato Chowder.  I got it from the Pampered Chef website.  They actually have several recipes I can't wait to try.  I had recently gone to a party and some of the other guests were talking about the recipes available.  Good stuff.  I hadn't been to a party in years, so I got some fun new kitchen stuff to play with and some new recipes.

Well, here is a few cards to share...

Well, off to put Hope to bed.  I am going to get my new fuzzy pink robe on and snuggle up and read a few books with her.  Goodnight!

Darla

Look at my...

...naked DOG!

He stayed at a "doggie hotel" this weekend while we visited Cedar Falls and I asked them to groom him during his stay.  It is a little shorter than I expected, but he still looks very CUTE!  :)  He is usually very fluffy, so it is kind of funny seeing him this way.  Luckily, Joe does the grooming most of the time.

Since we got home, I have been doing some SERIOUS shopping at The Scrappy Gourmet.  I have been waiting for the new My Minds Eye products, and now I can't wait until the show up in my mailbox.  If you have been looking at buying the entire line of Lost & Found you can find it at TSG.  AWESOME stuff!

Ok, I am going to relax and watch the end of Brother's and Sisters.  If you haven't watched it before, you should check it out.  Love it!

Darla

Updates in progress...

Well, I am going to make an attempt to update my blog appearance sometime in the near future, so keep your fingers crossed that I get it all figured out.  :)  Now I just need to find the time to do it.  Isn't that always the case.

Anyway, need to get a few things done before the bus gets here so this will be shore.  Just a few cards to show you today that I made a while back.  Enjoy!

The first card I didn't add a sentiment, so I will just wait until I have a reason to use it!

The second one says "Hope...your day is full of happiness".  I used the new Spellbinders crown die cut. I rubbed grey ink over the embossing and then filled in the larger areas with silver Stickles.  The lines around the top of the card were just drawn with a black pen and a ruler.  Simple detail that helps pull the card together.

 I will check back in if I get the chance, but the weekend is going to be busy!

Everyone have a great weekend! 

Darla

Princess Cards

I guess I have been busy, since I haven't taken the time to post for a while.  Let's see...I was having fun with Hope, working, appointments, traveled to WI for a scrapbook retreat (more on that later), and more work!

We are SUPER busy at work and they are asking us to work OT when we can, so I have been there when I can (which isn't as often as it should be).  Well, you can only do what you can, right?

I had a REALLY good time in Wisconsin at the scrapbook retreat.  We had a really NUTTY time.  :)  See, several "outside" nuts were found inside the house, specifically in two beds under the sheets and one on the floor in a bathroom.  We also found a mouse that had met his demise in a mouse trap.  Luckily it had not been there very long.  Ewwwwwwe!

I didn't get much scrapbooking done, but we had a lot of fun drinking WINE, hanging out watching movies and catching up on our sleep.  It is always a fun time, but such a long drive home (6 hours).

I need to finish up some details on the few layouts I did get done, so when I get the chance to do those, I will be sure to post them.  I did make some cards with some of the scraps from one layout.  Here are 2 of them.

So this is like a sneak peek of two of my layouts I will share, because I used these pattern papers on the layouts.  I am sure one of these cards will be given to my own little princess for her birthday, since she loves to dress up like a princess all the time.

Speaking of dressing up, Hope has been wanting to wear her fancy "church" dresses to school.  So I have been letting her wear them.  I figure she might as well get some good out of them, and she really does love to dress up.  Most of the ones she has been wearing have been well worn anyway, so if it gets ruined at school we have gotten our good out of them.  Luckily, she has come home looking pretty good each day, and the dresses have just gone in the wash like normal.  We did inform her she had to wear regular clothes tomorrow since she has PE class.  :)

Ok, I know it isn't Halloween yet, but has anyone started Christmas shopping?  For once, I have actually been watching the ads each week and picking up a few things I know Hope has had on her list for quite some time.  So I am getting a head start on the busy shopping season.  Her birthday is also right after Christmas, so I always have to buy for both because if I don't, the shelves are pretty bare.

Alright, that is all I have for tonight!  I will try and get back in the groove of making posts again!  

Later!

Darla

Halloween Pumpkins

Here is just a little halloween decorating we have done so far.

I bought the Stampin Up Halloween decor elements (like rub-ons) and added them to the white pumpkins.  This one I added a fall colored flower, and some purple jewels to jazz it up.

Here are three of them.  I have another medium sized pumpkin with another spider on it.

Also behind the pumpkins are Hope's American Girl dolls.  Grandma Deloris made each of her dolls halloween costumes.  Aren't they cute?  

I know she is in the process of making outfits for the dolls for each of the Disney Princesses too.  Hope (& the twins) are going to love them!

Hope you had a great weekend!  

Darla