Lambs

I was talking to a friend on the phone about seeing the lambs and it made me want to scrapbook the first time we went to see them. So much fun! I am looking forward to the Spring when we get to see a new batch. Maybe, just maybe, we'll witness a birth one of these years. That would be awesome!

Credits: Beach Bliss Kit and Summertime Kit.

Page 3

This is the final page of the Lapeer Days pages. It's a simple page and came together super fast - I like that!

Today is a special day because we got a new furnace installed. Our other furnace died on Monday so we were without a furnace until noon today. It was a chilly 4+ days! A couple of days I wasn't home during the day because it was just too cold. We used a couple of space heaters for two bedrooms, an Eden Pure, and the oven to keep the chill off until the furnace was installed. Waking up to a 55* house doesn't make you want to get out of bed in the morning! My week was thrown for a loop as far as new schedules go, but I'm trying not to stress over it. I plan to get back in the groove this coming week.

Tomorrow we're heading north for a yearly gathering at a hotel with Brandon's mom's side of the family. Lots of swimming and hot tubbing with the family is in my future!

Oh! But first, we get to stop at Macy's "along the way" because they are having a 40% off sale on food processors. The one I want is $70 OFF and since Brandon got a Macy's gift card from work, I'm really getting it free! It's awesome and such a blessing!

Brandon surprised me with the Anne of Green Gables movies, so tonight after our "breakfast" dinner, we get to watch some. I'm excited!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Tea Party

I took these pictures today with my kids. It was fun having a "tea" party with them. I know they really enjoyed it as well!

Face Painting

I tried scrapping these photos a few times and nothing was coming together. I had a hard time with colors because what went with Titus' face colors didn't go with Leah's. I finally settled on this and I like it. The red marks aren't totally red nor are they pink, so I think it "go's".

[Credits]

Hot Chocolate

This was a fun page to put together using a HUGE Christmas kit.

Holiday Hoopla Mega Kit

Lapeer Days

This is the first in about three pages from Lapeer Days. I normally have a hard time with parade-type pages, but I'm pleased with how this page turned out. I used four different kits but only one element or paper from each kit.

Credits:
Beach Bliss Kit by Christina Smith
Subtle Memories by Christina Smith
Post Me Strips Months by Christina Smith
Go! Go! Go! Kit by Christina Smith

Birthday

I saw a layout on Creative Inspiration Blog and told a friend of mine over the phone that I really liked the layout (I didn't tell her which one) but wasn't sure if I had just one picture that would be good to use. Today I checked her blog and she saw the same layout and made a page. Ha! Today I took some pictures of Titus as it's his fifth birthday today. There are many to choose from but this is one of my favorites. And I love the snowflakes in the picture. I was happy to use the snowflake elements on this page. I was a little worried it would look too "Christmas" but I think it's great. Snowflakes mean winter - not just Christmas. Plus, we had our first real snow today - on his birthday! :)

This day has been wonderful. Titus is an amazing blessing. My heart swells with the love I have for him. Upon his request, we're having pizza tonight. I'm making it. I bought root beer in glass bottles to have with it. So fun! We also plan to make cookies and have hot chocolate and watch a movie as a family...but that's after he opens his gifts from us. A cake will come for his birthday party this Saturday. I love my little man!

Credits:
Go! Go! Go! Kit by Christina Smith
Snowscape Snowflakes by Christina Smith
(Green paper is from Creativity by Crystal)

Cows

I had been really wanting to scrap these pictures and wanting to use Christina's new boy kit, so I sat down and decided to make it work. But it was really easy! Even though it's a "boy" kit, it's very versatile! I wanted to add more but wasn't sure what to add. I changed my layout quite a bit and then decided to clip some paper to flourishes. I've always liked doing that! And then I used the dotted lines for the buzzing effect of flies (hopefully people catch on to that, haha!). It's simple but I like it.

Credits:
Go! Go! Go! by Christina Smith

Mom's Birthday

I kind of struggled with this layout and the colors. I felt it needed more than grey and pink, but never found what "that" was. For now, I'll leave it as it is.

Credits:
Love Hearts Kit by Christina Smith

Circle Your Date by Christina Smith

Parenting

I totally scraplifted this idea and layout from Creative Inspiration Blog. There was so much I wanted to or could say, but I lacked space. There will be more pages.

I really like this paper pack that I bought this week from Jessica Sprague's site. It was only $1. Love that!

To go along with the parenting theme...Yesterday Leah called someone "stupid" - something we do NOT endorse. I quickly corrected the situation and asked her to apologize to her friend for saying "stupid". Leah said, "I'm sorry that you're stupid." I did all I could not to laugh. I know she did not mean that nor knows what calling someone "stupid" means. Oh, the joys of parenting!

Hawk Island, Part II

This is the second page to my Hawk Island day. It's completely different than the first page, but the colors go. I really like these pictures! As simply as it was, it was fun putting the circles around the two pictures to accentuate them. And of course, I love stitching!

It's such a gorgeous day today! Sun shining and blue skies. We've been under wind warnings the past two days and it's still very windy. I'll be heading out for a walk soon and will totally enjoy it. God's creation is amazing! Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Apple Sauce

Meijer has their Michigan apples on sale for 69 cents per pound. We've just been buying them to eat, but I've also been wanting to make apple sauce. I bought two pags full of mixed variety apples and decided to make apple sauce today. My favorite way of making apple sauce is using a Victorio Strainer. That's what we used when we made it as kids with my mom. I'm going to have her bring it so my next batches could be made with the strainer. One fun thing about using the strainer is this: you cook the apples with the skin on so it makes the apple flesh turn pink. Once the apples go through the strainer, the skin and seeds are separated from the flesh. You get a nice, light pink apple sauce. It's just pretty.

So I chose different varieties. Next time, I'll probably stick more to Ida Red's. Plus, their flesh can be pink as well. I skinned, cored and chopped up the apples. I put a little bit of water in thI didn't cook my first batch long enough so when I mashed it, it was more chunky than I wanted. I then decided to try using my blender, but one blender batch turned out like baby food (not pictured) - a whole lot more fine than I wanted.

The next batch of apples cooked longer so that when I just used a masher, it came out pretty good. I also didn't drain the water from the apples. I left it in so it wouldn't be dry. Once it cooled down a little, I transferred the apple sauce into zip bags to be put in the freezer. You could add your honey, cinnamon or whatever you like in your apple sauce before putting it in the bag, but we've just always added it as we used each thawed bag.

I saved a little in the pan and added honey and cinnamon and the kids ate it for lunch. They seemed to like it! They like apple sauce, but sometimes you wonder if they'll like the texture of homemade. My next batches will be made with a strainer so the texture will be more like what you buy in the store. But this version is easy and if you had apples to use up, you could make a "quick" batch for that evenings dinner. Homemade food is best and my favorite!

(Picture taken from Amazon.com) This is a Victorio Strainer. It's really amazing how it works! You can use it for making tomato sauce (shown in picture) or other fruits.

Hawk Island

If you look at where I've "left off" in scrap booking, it's Augst 2009. However, I have done a lot of scrapping booking from more recent dates. Hopefully one day I'll close in the gap. :)

For this page, I used the Beach Bliss Kit. I changed the hugh/saturation of the flourishes from blue to green. I love blue and green together! This page is super simple - not a whole lot going on. But I have a lot of pictures and they are the main focus anyhow. :) I actually have more pictures from being there and plan to do a second page since it's at a different location at the park. I'm glad I didn't try cramming them all on the same page because then I end up sacrificing certain pictures I really like. Digital scrap booking allows so many options!

Tonight we're going to some friend's house to watch The Biggest Loser. I have to make dinner tonight (as I do every night), but I'm leaning towards eggs or cereal. Haha! My lungs have been real heavy lately so I haven't had much energy. Please be praying for me if you think of me.

"Out of my distress I called upon the Lord. The Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is my strength, I will not fear." Ps. 118:5-6

"He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction." - Ps. 107:20

"My son, attend to my words; consent and submit to my sayings. Let them not depart from your sight; keep them in the center of your heart. For they are life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh." Prov. 4:20-22

Fall

With being in the fall mood, this page came about. I felt bad for putting a picture of apples in the biggest square rather than a picture with people, but actually, I think it looks good that way.

I used a Travel Along Template and edited a couple of things.

Credits: Travel Along Templates, Forest Explorer Kit, and Subtle Memories Kit.

Fall of '89

I was thinking about fall and remembered this picture. Such fun memories! (Remember: you can click on any page to read the journal.)

Credits: Happy Fall Mini-Kit and Forest Explorer.

Friends

I had been wanting to scrap these pictures and even bought some paper from Basic Grey, but it just wasn't coming together. I tried it again today and really like how it came out. I "scraplifted" the layout from Creative Inspiration Blog and added a few of my own touches.

Credits: Love Hearts Kit (bubble wrap, paper), Subtle Memories (paper, ribbon), Travel Along (flower, flourish), and Beach Bliss (rhinestone) by Greener Grass Designs.

School Pictures

Just today I figured out how to get PSE actions working. It was fun playing around with them! I used an antique action for these two pictures. I love it! I was excited to use these different elements like the ruler, apple, owl (for being wise), etc. I enjoyed doing my first school themed page. It was fun! And more will be following shortly.

Credits:

Forest Explorer Kit
(owl, apple, paper)

Subtle Memories Kit
(word art, paper)

Love Hearts Kit
(ruler)

Travel Along Kit
(flourish)

Yarning

For a number of years now, I've wanted to learn to either knit or crochet. My mom tried teaching me a time or two, but it never worked out. We tried the whole sitting in front of the right handed person thing, but that can't work. It can't. If I followed what I saw, I would still be doing things wrong.

When I was at my parents last weekend, I told my mom and Lydia that I really wanted to learn. We went to the store and I picked out some yarn and later that night, we tried it again. In the past, I've been really good at making fun or knitting or crocheting because it just didn't make sense. How do you make a scarf by twirling the yarn and pulling it through? Needless to say, we had a few laughs and they were teaching me. Anyhow, they told me that crocheting would be easier for me with just starting out. They were able to teach me the chain stitch row and then I had to go to bed. So I went home only knowing how to chain stitch. Later on in the week, I wanted to crochet but couldn't for lack of knowledge. So I went online and found some directions with pictures for left handers. I was able to learn the single crochet stitch and then found a video online for continuing on through the rows. Now I can crochet!

Once I first got the hang of it, I wasn't counting my stitches like my mom said I should. So one side was straight and the other was wavy. Not cool. I wanted it to look practically perfect, and I wasn't near that. So, what do you do? Tear it all out. That's what that big pile is on my lap. After that, I started counting my stitches and lo and behold, my rows were straight! After many rows, I got the idea and didn't need to count every single stitch. I still look them over and count every now and then to make sure I'm still on track.

Proof that crochet hooks have more than one purpose. Ok, ok, just kidding, just kidding. ;)

A few completed rows.

It was the perfect day! COOL weather, the kickoff of college football (both MSU and Michigan won!), sweatpants and a hoodie, Indian tea, my husband telling me the plays, etc. The kids have seen me crochet a little bit. But when they woke up from their nap, Leah asked what I was doing. Titus said, "She's yarning." Haha! I love that! Yarning!My goal is to make each of us a scarf. So far I'm about 1/3 done with the first one. I'll keep working on it each day and they will be done in a short amount of time. I enjoy crocheting. It's relaxing and I can see that I'm accomplishing something. I even woke up the next day with crocheting going on in my mind. It was funny!

Puddles

I had a *lot* of pictures from this day that I wanted to scrap and I didn't want to do a two-page spread. I'm happy I was able to fit 12 pictures on this page. I chuckle over how many pictures I try to get on a page. I don't think this is too crowded...

I really like the colors! Blues, green, the grey of the mud, and the pop of pink!

Credits:

Travel Along Kit by Christina Smith
- blue and green papers
- word art
- flourish

Love Hearts Kit by Christina Smith
- grey paper

Port Huron Double

Here is the Port Huron double page spread. You'll notice that I changed the layout of the second page. Once I combined them together and saw what it would look like, it needed to be changed. Ha! And this time, I added a seagull. For two page spreads, I think it's really important to put them side by side in Photoshop so you'll know what they will look like in a book. *making mental note*

Port Huron

I am happy to be part of Christina Smith's creative team in which I get to use her products as a way to advertise for her digital scrapbooking store at Little Dreamer. For these two pages, I used her Beach Bliss Kit.

I tried scrapping these pictures last week, but it just wasn't coming together. Today I was flipping through a 2008 Creative Keepsakes magazine to try to get some idea for all the pictures I want to use. Despite how easy these layouts are, I did get the layout from the CK magazine. When I first scrapped with these pictures, I had 2x2 squares and it just wasn't working or looking good. This time I did 2x3 rectangles and I like it tons better. After all, most of my pictures were vertical. It's funny that I needed inspiration for that idea, but hey, I'll take it where I can get it! :)

Smith Reunion

Look at me doing all of this scrapping out of order! ;) Some of the recent things we've done I have *really* been wanting to scrap and so I have! Originally, I was only going to do a two page spread, but I had too many pictures I wanted to use, lots of journals, and a poem. I finally decided I would need three pages in order to fit everything nicely. Even though I have three pages of pictures, there are still pictures I wish I would have taken of people that were there. I will have to try better next time, but for now, I think I've captured a lot from that really fun weekend!

The flowers, rhinestones and flourish (pg. 2) are from the Travel Along Kit by Christina Smith. I just love those flowers! I used flowers like that when I scrapped traditionally and, again, I love being able to use them digitally!

I wanted to keep things fairly simple and pretty much the same elements on each page so that the focus is on the pictures and journals.