Forgotten Layout

It was a good thing that I went through some files on my computer. I found a forgotten scrapbook page. I added some journaling and it was done. I started it back in February, but forgot about it. All software and supplies are from My Digital Studio.

The Happiness Blog Hop

I am happy to be stop #2 on the Happiness Blog Hop, and I am happy that you are here! You should have arrived from Scrapworthy Lives (one of my new favorite blogs), or you can use the list below to follow the entire blog hop about scrapooking and happiness.

To enter the giveaway from Scrapworthy Lives, be sure to comment below. You can earn one entry per blog. This means that if you visit everyone’s blog and comment on each blog, you will have 14 entries. All entries must be posted by Friday, June 3 at midnight Central Standard Time (Chicago, IL, USA). Stephanie will ship the prize anywhere in the world. The winner will be announced on Sunday, June 5 on Scrapworthy Lives.

Here is the full blog hop list:
Scrapworthy Lives
1200 Some Miles
Take a Picture and Remember This
Scrap Your Life
My Life in Photos & Words
This Kalil Life
Fun Mama
Scrapping Mojo
XNomad’s Blog
Nuggets
The Constant Scrapper
Pie for Breakfast
Scraps & Sass
Abstracts Mixed with Extracts

I have been thinking about happiness and scrapbooking. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin talks about finding happiness in our current lives. She examines ways to be happier without radically changing your life, including making more time for the things that you love. Gretchen loves children's literature, so she makes time for multiple children's literature reading groups each month. I agree with Gretchen that it is important to find what makes you truly happy and not get caught up in what you think should make you happy.

I have found that scrapbooking, card making, and blogging make me happy (in addition to my family). I try to find time each week to do these activities even if it means that my house could be cleaner... Here is why scrapbooking (both digital and traditional) makes me happy:
1. I enjoy photos, both taking them and viewing them.
2. I enjoy recording and sharing stories and memories.
3. I like to get crafty and creative.
4. Many of the current trends in scrapbooking encourage us to appreciate our everyday lives.

I made a digital layout for this blog hop focusing on happiness and my everyday life. I used My Digital Studio from Stampin' Up! and photos from April 27, 2011.

Readers, now it is your turn. Please leave a comment below to enter the giveaway and answer one or both of my questions. How does scrapbooking make you happy? In addition to scrapbooking (or instead of scrapbooking), does another hobby or activity bring you happiness?

Please visit Take a Picture and Remember This to continue on the blog hop.

Stamp Camp

Summer has arrived in South Texas and it is hot! The kids here got out of school last week or will finish this coming week. Many of them will be heading to camps, and I stay on the look out for camps that Alex can attend when he is older (Engineering, Archeology, Sports, Spanish, and maybe even Space camp!) I will be busy at work all summer, but at least I get to go to camp for a day.

I am going to Stamp Camp on Saturday, June 18th. If you live in the San Antonio area, you can check out the camps on June 18 & 25 on the Stamp in Strength and Hope website. The projects are good for both new and seasoned stampers and scrappers. There is even a "kit by mail" option if you cannot attend.

A portion of the proceeds benefit the Thrive Well Cancer Foundation. In addition, Stampin' Up! is donating $2 from the purchase of the Strength & Hope Stamp set and Strength & Hope digital kit (which will work with Photoshop and Photoshop Elements) to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Project of the Week #4

I have been in the mood to scrapbook this week. I found a great sketch online to use. I completed a digital layout in My Digital Studio over a couple of evenings. Most of the elements are from Stampin' Up!, but I used Ali Edward's Baby Blue Patterns and Solids Papers from Designer Digitals. I am glad that I can use digital papers, stamps, and embellishments from various sources with this software. My first paper choice for this layout was too bright and busy, and this one fits much better with my photos.

Taking Pictures

Alex has gotten a hold of the camera a few times lately. Here are a couple of pictures that he took:

This is a good start for a two year old. At 18 months, I kept holding my toy camera backwards. I am still working on my photography skills!

A Week in the Life

Ali Edwards does a neat project called A Week in the Life. Her next one is set for July 25-31, and I am going to try to jump on board this time.

http://aliedwards.com/2010/01/week-in-the-life.html

Can I take on a large scrapbooking project during Orientation? I started prepping my files today for the first big orientation of the summer...

Project of the Week #3

Here is the card that I made for Tiffany's baby shower. All items are from Stampin' Up! since she used to be my demonstrator.

Supplies Used:
Stamps: Best Yet, Bitty Basics, and Sincere Salutations (not pictured, inside the card)
Ink: Staz On Black
Stickers: from the Rock-A-Bye Boy Simply Scrappin' Kit
Paper: Travel Journal
Card stock: Whisper White and Bashful Blue
Embossing Folder: Square Lattice Textured Impressions
Punch: Ticket Corner

Some of these supplies are retired. I have been trying to use things that I have on hand and keep new purchases to a minimum. I do like mixing older and newer products.

How I resisted stamping but then fell it love with it

I am making a card for a baby shower for my friend Tiffany, who helped me learn to stamp. This got me thinking about how I resisted stamping but then fell in love with it.

After I started scrapbooking, I decided to take a stamping class at the local scrapbook store. We made some pretty cards, and I bought a clear alphabet stamp set and some ink. I thought I would use it on my scrapbook pages, but it seemed messy to me. I tossed those supplies aside and went back to my pretty papers and stickers. That was in 2005 or 2006.

Fast forward to winter of 2008. I was dropping off some books (probably overdue...) to the library. A couple of women were in the multipurpose room offering free "make and take" cards. I made a card and entered their drawing for a giveaway. They were Stampin' Up demonstrators, and I had used their products to make my wedding invitations. I won a prize and chatted with Tiffany a week or so after the event. I joined her mailing list but still did not start stamping.

In the summer, I heard about her "stamp club," which piqued my interest. I joined with the intention of mainly buying scrapbooking supplies. They had cute kits and punches. Over time, I ordered more and more stamps. I liked making and giving cards. With a little one around, I found it easier to make cards than to make scrapbook layouts. I learned about embossing, die cutting, emboss resist, and more. Once I learned more about stamping and practiced, I fell in love with it. I shifted from just thinking of myself as a scrapbooker to also thinking of myself as a stamper.

Thank you Tiffany and congratulations on the addition to your family!

May Milestones

I've passed two milestones this month. I have been with my current office for five years. My title has changed during this time, but I still mainly advise freshmen. This is the longest that I have stayed in one place (school/work) since elementary school. In June, I will have been with the university for seven years.

As I type this post, it was ten years ago that I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Case Western Reserve University (May 20, 2001). Ten years! That makes me feel older... How did this happen? I realized this while reading my magazine from the College of Arts and Sciences.

We'll see where life takes me in the next five and ten years. What I have learned is that I cannot plan it all out.

one weekend 2 shots (Alex's Outfits)

Alex now has an opinion on what he wears. This past weekend, he was really into picking out his outfits, and the results were humorous. On Saturday, Alex refused to take off his elephant pajama shirt since he loves elphants. By mid-morning the shirt had some ink on it after he got ahold of my pen. I got some regular shorts on him, but then he wanted to wear his red Elmo socks along with sandals. I do not like socks with sandals, but I have learned to "pick my battles" with a toddler. He had my cell phone, but he can't do too much damage when it is locked. :)

I came home on Sunday afternoon, and Alex had a different outfit on after naptime. This outfit consisted of a black and gray baseball shirt with some plaid shorts. The shorts were too big, so he preferred them as a hat.

As a bonus shot, I wanted to include Alex wearing his Alamo socks, which he wants to wear regularly.

Happiness Project

What happened to my Happiness Project? I got stuck on January's nagging tasks and organization projects. (I still need to finish stripping wallpaper from my bathroom, and the guest room has turned into more of a storage room lately...) It turns out that it is harder than I expected to examine aspects of my happiness on a monthly basis in a systematic way. I would still recommend the book to others because I am now more aware of my happiness. The book is available in paperback and has been #1 on the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Actually, my next Blog Hop will be on Monday, May 30th covering happiness and scrapbooking. This hop is being organized by Stephanie at Scrapworthy Lives, and she will have a giveaway. I am looking forward to this Blog Hop!

Color Combo Blog Hop

Welcome to the Color Combo Blog Hop!
If you arrived from my good friend Sharis' Blog, then you are in the right place. (We do know each other in real life!) If you are here and didn’t come from her blog, I am listing the hop list below so you can go start back at the beginning if you wish.

The blog hop features this fun color combination from The Inspired Bride website.

For the colors, I "shopped my stash" for some card stock. I punched circles and adhered them to the Whisper White card stock. Besides card stock, I used the Big Shot with the Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder. I love this folder for masculine cards! For this inlaid embossing technique, you adhere your circles to card stock first and then emboss it, simply genius. I learned this from my Stampin' Up Demonstrator, and have looked forward to trying it again.

Supplies Used:
Card Stock: Taken with Teal (retired), Baja Breeze, Kraft/Crumb Cake, Whisper White and Daffodil Delight from Stampin' Up!
Punches: Creative Memories and Stampin' Up!
Emossing Folder: Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder from Stampin' Up!
Stamp: Happy Moments from Stampin' Up!
Ink: Craft Smart Teal
Other: Teal embroidery floss

Thank you for stopping by! Don't miss the fabulous cards, layouts and photos from the Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers class participants.

http://amysoto.blogspot.com (Thanks Amy for organizing the hop!)
http://scrappin24-7.blogspot.com/
http://scribblesstickingstitchingstroking.blogspot.com/
http://throughthecameralens.typepad.com
http://digipage-blog.everything-digital-scrapbooking.com/
http://blog.mshanhun.com
http://alyssephotographs.blogspot.com/
http://www.calendulafitzpatrick.blogspot.com
http://spud-pickle.blogspot.com
www.scrappingmojo.blogspot.com
www.MichelleRoycroft.blogspot.com
http://handmadebykirsty.blogspot.com
http://www.vsws.typepad.com
http://scrapyourlife.net
http://sugarandscrap.blogspot.com
http://snapsandsnippets.blogspot.com
http://craftygoodies.blogspot.com
http://adriennefalzon.blogspot.com
http://airbs.blogspot.com/
http://1200somemiles.blogspot.com (You are here.)
http://istampscrapcraft.blogspot.com
http://www.curlyscrapbooker.blogspot.com
http://xnomads.typepad.com/

Next head on over to Rebekah's blog to continue on this fabulous color combo hop. I already love her cards, photos, and craft projects!

Details

I helped with an event last weekend and love that I could use my craft supplies. I added flowers, ribbon, and brads from my stash to a couple of little gifts. I punches out little hearts, flowers, and butterflies for confetti. I embossed the napkins with an embossing folder and the Big Shot. These were fun little details to work on while I watched some HGTV.

No Bake Cookies

This is one of the few things that I make from scratch!

Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

2 cups of sugar
4 tablespoons of cocoa
1 stick of butter or margarine
1/2 cup of milk
1 tablespoon of vanilla
3 cups of oatmeal
1 cup of peanut butter

In a heavy saucepan, bring the sugar, cocoa, butter, and milk to a boil. Let it boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add the peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal. Drop my teaspoons onto wax paper and let cool.

(The exact source of the recipe is unknown. I may have received it in my 7th grade home economics class.)

Show & Tell

I love Kristina Werner's cards, so I wanted to jump in to her Show & Tell with a card that I have been putting together. I was excited to order some cute stamps from Lawn Fawn, but I am not used to the clear acrylic stamps yet.

Supplies used:
Card Stock: Rose Red, Whisper White, and Pretty in Pink from Stampin' Up!
Ribbon: So Saffron from Stampin' Up!
(This is one of my favorites, and it now on clearance!)
Ink: Staz On Black and Rose Red marker from Stampin' Up!
Stamps: Plus One from Lawn Fawn
Embossing Folder: Cuddle Bug
Other: Flower and brad

Mall Trip

We work very close to a mall, so it is easy to head there on a lunch hour or after work. On Monday evening we were on the hunt for new shoes for Alex. We had John's car, but the stroller was in my car. Alex had no problem walking through the mall and stayed by us most of the time. (It is was nice to make this trip when it was not crowded.)

We stopped by the food court for dinner, but Alex did not need a a high chair. He sat at the table with no problems and ate his kid's meal.

At the shoe store, we found out the he is now in the largest size of the toddler section. He will wearing preschool size shoes in no time. (John will then want to get him the Star Wars shoes.)

Before leaving, Alex had some time to play on the playground. He climbed up and slid down with ease. I was amazed at how big he is getting and enjoyed the time with my boys.

Ode to the Lunch Hour

I am writing this post during my lunch hour. I did not truly appreciate the lunch hour until I took my 12 weeks of FMLA with Alex. I value having that time with him, but I also learned how demanding it is to care for a baby full-time. I barely had time to eat and kept quick meals around the house.

I returned to my job with a new appreciation for my lunch hour. A whole hour! Before having Alex I used to mainly just use the time to go out to lunch. Now I know how valuable this time is! Sometimes I do still go out to lunch, but other times I run errands and accomplish so much. Sometimes I catch up with some co-workers and eat in the office. Somedays I can meet up with my mom for lunch. If I want some quiet, alone time, I can shut my door and just relax. I can even squeeze in a quick workout (which I should do more often).

two weekends 2 shots

This is a modified version of my "one weekend 2 shots" posts. I figured that I can change the rules since it is my blog. :)

The first photo is from May 1, when Alex was coloring. I was able to use the sheets to make some Mother's Day cards.

The second photo is actually from this past weekend. We had to cage the tomato plants before they took over the entire garden. Next year the tomatoes may get their own separate garden since they are doing so well. I was worried that we would have trouble growing them since we have a lot of shade in the backyard. Wrong! This is why we call it "experimental gardening." Alex actually picked our first tomato yesterday and then tried to put it back on the plant. We'll see if it will still ripen.

Project of the Week #2

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Of course, I made some mother's day cards. A couple went in the mail at the beginning of the week, but I snapped photos of the two that I gave to my mom.

Allison (a fellow scrapper in the Beyond Blogging for Scrapbookers class) commented on my last bog post that Alex's artwork could be used as paper for scrapbook layouts. I had not thought of that yet, but I had thought to use his coloring on cards. Alex colored on some white card stock, and I added a butterfly from my new embosslit die.

The second card was made at stamp club. It also uses a Big Shot die and is more intricate than the first card. I like both cards, and decided to give two cards to my mom this year.

Most supplies on these cards are from Stampin' Up!.

Alex's Artwork

We have received some of Alex's artwork recently from daycare. They have been busy painting! (And I have been busy getting stains of out Alex's clothes...) We don't have space to save all of his artwork, but some if it will go in his scrapbook.

one weekend 2 shots (April 30)

Here are my photos from Saturday, April 30, 2011:

Yes, Alex is wearing one of John's hats on its smallest setting.

Alex fell asleep on the car after some shopping. Alex is barefoot since he no longer wanted to wear shoes in the middle of our shopping trip. He was in the stroller, so I did not fight it...

Project of the Week #1

My blog goal is to share at least one crafty project a week, so I am calling it "Project of the Week" or POTW for short.

My first project is a mini album from Alex's first birthday. Yes, that was over a year ago! I started the book using Stacy Julian's Finish Line Scrapbooking method but then set it aside. I kept it a simple scrapbook and am glad that I finally finished it. I made it from a kit that I bought at Marshall's for about $5-10. I think that the manufacturer was We R Memory Keepers, but I am not sure anymore. I also used some DCWV 8x8 card stock and American Crafts Thickers. I am sharing my favorite pages from the album.

Updated: It was the We R Memory Keepers Frenzy kit, which was still in stock at my local Michaels on 5/8/11. I got a great deal on the kit!

And I have another poll for you:

Alex @ 2

Alex is about 32 pounds and 35 inches tall. He is still sleeps in his crib, but I wonder if he could climb out if he really wants to...

Alex still loves bananas, but cheese is his new favorite food. John says that he gets that from my family. :)

Alex is talking more and more. I had a good conference with Alex's teacher on Friday, and he is doing well. He loves reading at school and is good at the matching game. He says "thank you" and likes to say "hi" to his friends.

Even though it is May, Alex likes to watch the Elmo's Christmas Countdown DVD. I am listening to Brad Paisley sing Jingle Bells as I type this post. Grandma taught Alex to identify Brad Paisley. Alex is a little sponge and picks up everything these days!