My baby boy is 12 today!  I put together a little slide show of pics of him from 2 -12.

March CKC Layouts

One of the Mini challenges at the Counterfeit kit challenge blog was to scraplift yourself. You could do this either by using one of your own layouts as inspiration or by redoing an old layout. I chose the second option. I made the following page about 11 years ago when I first began scrapbooking. Very much Creative Memories style. I have always loved these photos of my now 16 yr old son when he was 5 1/2 months old.

Here is my redo of the layout using my March CKC kit. I used a sketch from Sketches For Scrapbooking Vol 7 by Debbie Sanders & Allison Davis. I am so very pleased with how it came out. The little cloud and elephant accent I cut from a sassafras lass paper I had in the kit. The little umbrella and rain drop stickers are from an older Creative Memories sticker sheet I had in the add-on kit. Isn't my little guy so stinkin cute?

Here is another layout I made using the kit. My mother in law is such a fun Grandma. She sent my kids a package that said "do not open until feb 1st" When we opened it it had a bag of bubble gum and a card for National Bubble Gum Day. SO FUN! the pics are dorky and silly and really capture my kiddos personalities. I am having so much fun using all these misc items that I love!

March Kit - Layout #1

These are photos from last spring. My youngest daughter having a tea party with her dollies. The title reads "Dolly and me Tea" but the y is hard to see in the photo. I used things from both the main kit and the add-on. The Roses are cut from the AMerican Craft Dear Lizzy paper and the little blue dots are punched from the same pattern paper. I am really happy with how girly and fun it is.

March Counterfeit Kit

There is a great new blog that challenges us to create scrapbook kits from our stashes using current for sale kits as inspiration. I played along in January and am doing it again this month. I love how it gets me to combine items I might not and then I actually use them! I have made 4 layouts from the Jan kit I made and still have things left in the kit to make more.

So first here is the blog - counterfeitkitchallenge.blogspot.com

here is my kit for March. I loved the colors in the inspiration kit so I stuck pretty much to it when choosing my papers and embellishments.

and here is my add on kit. I based it off of the sunny clearing add on from the inspiration sight.
and finally here are 2 stamps I chose to accent the kit as well.
I will be posting the layouts and projects I make using this kit over the next month. Let me know if you join the challenge too. I would love to see what you do!

Nanowrimo/Fear

My house it engulfed with a frenzy of writing this month. My Dh and my children are busy participating in National Novel writers Month. They are so excited as their word count grows and their stories come to life. I on the other hand am content to hear about their stories, encourage them and read their offerings. Why ? because I am afraid.

So there it is. I am afraid to write. I have been afraid of it for a very long time. I feel not up to it. Like the words just fall there in an uninspired way. I have convinced myself that I just do not like to write, but really I am afraid to do it badly. I have a husband, children, a good friend who write so eloquently. They bring imagination to life and illuminate the ordinary. My words just, well don't. It is not that I have nothing to say - as thoes who know me can attest - I have no problem expressing myself with the spoken word. I think the fear comes from the pressure I put on myself. If it is written it should be important, eloquent and have a meaning worth reading. Okay even as I write that it sounds silly, but it is truly what I often feel. I am working on this fear and one of the things I have realized is that it is okay not to write. It does not make me less intelligent. It does not make my great pleasure in reading less enjoyable. It just means that this thing is not where I am focusing. I do not have to be jealous or envious of another's ability. God has given me my own gifts and I need to recognize those. It is okay to write competently and not be a wordsmith. I do not need to write a novel and I do not need to like writing stories but I do need to not be afraid of sharing what I love, what I cherish and about my faith in our glorious God.

So what this means is I hope to have more posts that I have worried less over.

I have been hanging out at a new scrap board - Inspired to scrap.

Last weekend I took a fun card class and got a jump on my Christmas cards and now coming up on Friday is a great Layout Sketch class. You can read more about it here - www.inspiredtoscrap.net/store

October 15-29 : 15/15 Inspired by Sketches – $15
Let’s complete 15 layouts using sketches! The design team will present a new sketch for you each day during this 15 day class. We’ll have inspiration, techniques and challenges for you to be motivated to complete more pages.
Features of the class-
Access to a private area of the message board
Daily inspiration will include a new sketch and samples
Video tutorials (special surprise techniques!)
All new samples and layouts to spark your creativity
Encouragement and support to complete 15+ layouts
Inspiration from fellow classmates

I am going to try and take this class too! come and join me if you can.

My heart overflows tonight.

Tonight I am so grateful to my savior who has reached down and grabbed my girls heart. She was fretful and upset over things that had happened today. We talked a bit about them and I sent her to bathe. After her bath she came to me questioning me about sin and then as I brushed her hair she said " I asked Jesus into my heart tonight before my bath" Oh man I can not tell you how my heart overflowed. I have prayed with her and tucked her in and I sit here now with tears in my eyes.. Thank you Lord for this amazing blessing. Thank you for your sacrifice. Thank you for loving Josephine and capturing her heart.

Spring to Finish.

I did not meet this goal by 5/31 but I am still working on it!

Over at the Tallgrass Prairie Studio blog the challenge is on to get some uncompleted projects finished. So here is my list of items I would like to complete (I may add on to this as I go)

1. My knit tote - it is about - complete 7/6

2. American girl doll purple outfit - cut out, Shirt sewn

3. American girl Kirsten school dress - cut out

4. recycled purse - cut out, 3/4 done

5. Skirt for Jo from old dress - Complete 6/28

6. 5 pages in Tim's Scrapbook - Complete 6/4

I will reward myself with yarn for my next knitting project.

SarahAnn's Easter Dress

I wanted something a little more grown up for SarahAnn this year and I pictured a long dress with a regency era feel to it. I love how it turned out! I used the Miss Madeline Pattern increased by about 1 inch in diameter and made it longer. I also made the waist band about 5/8th of an inch wide and used 1/2 inch elastic. To give it the regency era feel I made the waist empire height.

You can see here how sheer the fabric is if you look at the sleeves. I lined the body of the dress for modesty. The ribbon can be removed for more casual wear.

A close up of the rolled hem and the lining fabric. SarahAnn is well pleased with the dress. I will take photos of both the girl's in their dresses tomorrow. (the ribbon really does match better than these pics show)

Josephine's Easter Dress

I cut out this dress last summer for Josephine but just now got around to sewing it. It is a size 8 from this pattern - Simplicity 2628 . Good thing this pattern runs big or I do not think it would have fit her. I love the fun patterns and colors on it. I made a few changes to the original pattern. Below are some details with photos.

I did not really like the bottom band on the sleeve and I was worried it might be to tight on Jo's arm. So I finished the bottom of the sleeve with elastic gathers.

I am not a fan of putting in zippers so I changed the back to have a button opening with 5 small buttons. I really like how cute it is.
at the bottom I added a ruffled trimmed I made from one of the fabrics. I just did a tight zig zag over the edges and then gathered it down the center and zig zagged it onto the dress.
I made a cute little flower pin using the flower tutorial from "Pink Paper Peppermints" blog. I made mine double layered with a self made fabric covered button.
I really like it and will post some pics of Josephine wearing it after Easter. Next up is SarahAnn's dress.

My Funny Valentines

These pictures are from our Valentine's day breakfast last year. I love this tradition we have. I made this page in response to challenge #50 over at the ScrapYourCrap blog. The challenge was to use glitter and hearts and of course it needed to be all stuff from your stash. It is hard to see but there are some heidi swapp acrylic hearts with pink stickles on them as well as some Making Memories glittery heart brads. I added in some Love elsie stickers and a plastic ribbon slide with a heart - I do not know who made it. I am so pleased with this page. Really captured the sense of quirky fun I wanted it to.

A valentine gift box

The All Things Crafty and Delicious blog has another cute free box svg file to use with your cricut! She issued a design challenge using it and this is what I came up with. I got a Cricut Expression this week so I was able to make it a larger size. Mine is 8 X 2 3/4 X 2 inch tall. I am going to fill this box with heart shape butter cookies for our neighbor.

I used the cover from an old Cricut mat to cut the clear window piece from.
The roses are based on this tutorial by Tim Holtz. I used ranger distress ink in lipstick pink on the edges and added distress pink Stickles as well. The centers are Doodlebug bling and the leaves are from silk flowers - I used glitter embossing powder on them. The ribbon is from Stampin Up.

Be sure to check out the other examples on her blog.

Chocolate Box with your Cricut

Head on over to the "All things crafty and delicious blog" to get your adorable free cut file for an adorable treat box file to use with your SCAL software and Cricut.

Here is the little box I made. I used some double sided Scenic Route paper to cut the box using my Cricut. I have the small Cricut so my box measures - 4 1/2 X 1 3/4 and 3/8th of an inch thick.

I think they would hold thin chocolates or even loose candies well.

I used a heavy page protector cut to size to fill the window. And then added Twill ribbon and a Fancy pants heart pin. I am not sure who makes the thank you sticker. The label inside is for writing a message and I am not sure who it is by either. Just something from my stash.

I think made in Halloween colors they could make cute favors or even place cards for Thanksgiving with after dinner mints inside. Have fun!

A Slice of Summer

These photos are from a few years ago but I just recently made this little album of them. I am so happy with how it turned out. The journaling is about how we always have a watermelon for 4th of July and how I don't eat it cause well watermelon is yucky. But the children sure do enjoy it.

Picnic at Conoco

This is our family's verses for today -

Psalm 9:1-2

¹ I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; 
       I will tell of all your wonders.

 ² I will be glad and rejoice in you; 
       I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

 Today did not go as we had planned. We got up a little late, got everyone dressed and made a picnic lunch. We told the kids little hints about where we were going but did not give it away. Got in the car and stopped at the gas station. After filling up and putting ice in the cooler bag we got ready to set out.  But the car only clicked when we put in the Key - oh no - try again - OH NO.  SO we call for a tow. This click sound sounded bad.  The tow truck was going to take a bit so we all piled out of the car and decided to eat our picnic right there in the grass under a tree at the Conoco gas station!  Dwight and I were pretty downcast. Making plans for getting everyone home and trying to think of who could take over our duties at Church Tomorrow. We also had to let the kids know the special outing (which was the Zoo) was off.  But then well the mood changed - Thanks to Sammi, our 10 year old daughter.  She said lets think of our blessings and count them, that might help.  What a smart girl ;)   

Here was some of the list-

 - We have road side assistance with our insurance so the tow would be free

 - There was a shady place for us to wait

 - there was a nice breeze

 - we had a picnic lunch to enjoy

 -  we were together

 - We had cold drinks

 - We were close enough to home the kids and I could walk home.

 and more

  this little exercise in remembering all God had blessed us with even in a rough time changed our whole families attitudes. We joked and played as we waited. When the road side assistance arrived he discovered one of our battery posts had corroded on the inside and it snapped off as he was looking at it. But he jumped started us and we where able to go to Auto Zone where they helped us install a new one. It was now too late to go to the Zoo as our oldest had to babysit later. So we went to Dairy Queen and got Dilly bars then spent about an hour at the library.  In the car Josephine our 7 yr old said - "This was the best day ever!"  and you know Dwight and I felt like it was a pretty great day.  Even with all the car issues and worries - taking those few minutes to adjust our attitudes and listening to Sammi's wonderful idea lifted our hearts and  minds to the things that matter.  We thank God that Sammi's heart was soft towards Him and that He gave us the wisdom to listen.  Thanks to God that our car repairs were minor and he gaves us this wonderful day and Picnic at Conoco.

Miss Molly has a new dress

I have been in a sewing mood lately. This week I created this set for Sammi's Molly. A little 40's dress and and Apron.  The Apron pattern came from www.youcanmakethis.com I altered it slightly to have button holes and buttons under the arms rather than tacking them together. The lining of the apron is white with small blue paisley. You can reverse the apron so the paisley side is out - but it does not have the pockets.

When I was creating Sammi's Easter dress for Molly I thought of this idea with the 2 color bodice and white piping.  I think it really turned out pretty. It looks like the military inspired fashioned popular in Molly's historical time - 1944.  The little cupcake she is holding is made from sculpey - My boys, Tim and Seth made a set of 6 of them for the girls for Christmas. in person they have glittery sprinkles on them.

Up next is a new dress for Jo's doll Kirsten.

Just a quick post to share some dresses I made for my girls dolls for Easter.

For Molly I made a cute 1940's dress with a sweet feedsack reproduction print. She had just returned from the doll hospital with a new wig and refreshed face paint.

For Kirsten I made a spring prarie dress perfect for a pioneer girl in Minnesota. Soft pink rose buds on a cream background, a light muslin wrap and a new bonnet.  She is ready for school or church.

Great Depression Cooking....

 This evening I stumbled across an amazing video on youtube. In it you are introduced to Clara - a woman who is sharing her recipes for wonderful simple hearty and inexpensive meals she learned as a teen during the Great Depression. Her stories and recipes all are very interesting and I plan on trying several of them.  There is also a link to her website and looks like she has a dvd coming out soon and perhaps a cook book! 

 My 7 yr old Josephine came up and snuggled with me and we watched her youtube videos together. Jo kept saying - "lets watch the next one" and saying how sad some of the comments made her as well as asked lots of questions about the Great Depression. As a history lover I can not think of a better way to spend a friday evening than that.  Of all my children Josephine seems to have the keenest interest in History. I am glad I can share that love with her.

Go here to see the videos - Great Depression Cooking on youtube

Your Daisies Say You're Very Resilient

You have a spirt of pure optimism. Your view of the world is eternally cheerful. You are bold and vibrant. Incredibly striking, you always stand out in a crowd. You are adaptable and flexible. You can thrive in almost any situation. You are often under estimated. Your critics and enemies are in for a surprise.

What Do The Flowers You Pick Say About You?

Birthday Bonks - 

Did you know that in Ireland....

The birthday child is lifted by hands and feet, and "bumped" on the floor for good luck. The number of bumps given is the age of the child, plus one for luck!

WE DO!! the layout is  SarahAnn getting her bonks a few years ago!