But Summer just started...

I can't believe the kids are going back to school next week already! I've been so busy this summer, I feel like we've hardly spent any days doing fun stuff! That means that next weekend we will be making up for it as much as we can. In hopes of turning back the clock just a little bit, I did a layout with Charlie's 13th birthday photos from way back at the beginning of June.

For this layout, I used papers from Me & My Big Ideas and Die Cuts With a View, a journal sticker from Sassafras (and also an arrow), confetti stickers from Miss Elizabeth's, some Making Memories metal charms, and I used my Cricut Cartridge Opposites attract to cut the number bubbles as well as the title.

Design Team Call

I really enjoy being able to share my skteches and layouts on here, but I would love to see what other people do as well, so I would like to assemble a design team. Unfortunately, I don't have a budget to offer any supplies, just the opportunity to have your work seen and be on a design team.

The responsibilities will be:

Need to do a minimum of 2 layouts per month using the weekly sketches that will be emailed to you and you will have 1 week to get your layout emailed back to me so I can post it on the site. You will also have the opportunity to do your own sketches to have the design team to work on as well. That's it :) Easy enough, don't you think?

To try out:

Email me 2 layouts done from sketches that are currently on my blog (doesn't have to be new), the address of your own blog or an online gallery where I can see your work and a resume of other scrapbook related things you have done (ie- so & so's design team August 2008-December 2008, etc.)

Tryouts will run through September 15th and I will announce the design team by the 20th.

Have fun & I hope to have lots of entries to pick from!

And now for something completely different...

I want to do something a little more about life on here. Don't get me wrong, I am totally addicted to the crafts that fill my head, however, there is just so much more that I feel I want to put on here. I've been looking for blog prompt sites, and have found a couple that look promising, but not exactly yet... anyone have any suggestions?

Anyhow, since it is the dog days of summer now, I thought I would share this: If you have some of those little homemade popcicle makers that you fill with juice & pop in the freezer, but you're tired of juice because of all the sugar? Mix up some sugar-free Jello and use that! It tastes great & is good for you! I'm also planning on trying this with tea, but I am still deciding on what flavor...

Oy yeah... I also have a banner on here that if you would like to use on anything (your blog, message boards, etc...) please do :) Just link back here for me with it, please! The more readers I get, the less I feel like a crazy lady that's just talking to herself.

A different point of view

This week's sketch features one of my favorites of most recent photos. I saw this "butterfly" while we were on a day trip in the car and had to use it :) I also did this for a challenge over st Seredipity of making your own flowers. They're not too creative (I cut them with my Cricut...) but I love how they turned out!

I used papers from Rusty Pickle, Die Cuts With a View and Me & My Big Ideas. The Chipboard is from Marcella by K. The brads are from Making Memories and

the Journal spot is Jenni Bowlin.

New Look

I decided I wanted to change the look of my blog and I found this yummy one :) ! Unfortunately, it deleted all my gadgets so I will be working on those in the next few days...

Here comes the bride...

Last Saturday, I photographed the wedding of my friends Sarah &

Angel. Some of the photos turned out spectacularly, do I have to share :)

These are some of my favorites from the formal group... (All I did to these as post-processing was add a soft focus)

And this is my favorite one of all... (notice the reflection in the ring on the right)

And some fun artsy ones of the set-up...

Make-up time!

I said I would make up for not blogging as much and I am now! I bring not one, not two, but three!!! new sketches- 2 with examples, one without. Seeing as how I have been pressed for time lately, I'll not be listing the materials used for these layouts, but if you really want to know what something is, please let me know in the comments and I will be sure to post it!

School will be back in session soon... I have to call theschools on Monday to set up appointments for them... how stupid is that? It's a totally new thing this year, I guess. I can see how it will be a little harder with Charlie, because we will be transferring him to the other middle school this year, since we had issues with the one he was at, but Chloe should just be able to go in and get all the register stuff done on one day.

The kids have been so bored this summer that I don't know if they are happy to go back to school or not.

Today we all took a bus to the library and we found a couple things we had no idea existed. Like the fact that there is a skate park less than 1 block from the library and that there is a beautiful trail to hike on right behind it. Who knew? Guess it's one of those "stop & smell the flowers" moments!

10 things to be thankful for

Sorry no new sketch last week... I'm going on 7 days straight of work & will do double the fun in my next sketch post.

Here's 10 things I am thankful for this week:

1) My family

2) My zoo (in case you don't know me, this one consists of currently: 5 cats, a dog, 2 turtles, 2 birds {anyone know anyone looking for some cockatiels?}, a ball python, a bearded dragon, 2 gerbils, 2 elderly rats, and something that I refuse to go near- a spider that lives in my sun tea jar)

3) I love my job

4) I have a nice home & car

5) My creativity, which never lets me be bored

6) My sense of humor

7) I like reading

8) I get along with my mother in law well

9) I have the cutest nieces ever

10) I live in a country where if I wanted to write 10 things that I hate about the government, it's protected by the First Amendment.

What are you thankful for this week?