Do you Shutterfly?

Last summer my cousin Tania put together a book from our reunion trip to Utah. My girls love it. And I can honestly say they look at it atleast once a day. It's well loved. I've always known about shutterfly. But just recently started giving them as gifts. Love. I gave my mother in law one of our Thanksgiving Trip to Disneyland. And recently we sent one to Graycie from Addysen.

I just purchased Addysen's book and I love it. She is so excited to get it in the mail and have a book all about her.

Click here to view this photo book larger

*And yes, in case you were wondering, I got a $10 off coupon for posting this.*

Let the countdown begin!

Thanks Gretchen for the idea! I had so much fun making this but it took FOREVER!! Love this new addition to my halloween stuff...



And remember that girls night we had last weekend where we started a craft project? I finished mine tonight. LOVE this so much! Just in case Edward is in the area...we joked about keeping it up all year round....

A scrappy goal for 2009

You may notice a few more pictures here and there on my blog for 2009. If you are a scrapbooker then you have heard about the CK Project 365- Photo a day challenge. (Click HERE) If you haven't don't worry, the kit already sold out and I didn't even get one...sigh. It's not stopping me from taking the challenge and taking a picture each day.

You may think that this shouldn't be a challenge for me. Afterall, I'm REALLY good at taking pictures of my kids....that came out wrong...not that I'm REALLY GOOD at taking pictures in general (although I'm practicing and getting better) I just mean I REMEMBER to take pictures of my kids and almost ALWAYS have my camera- much to Chris' dislike sometimes! Anyway, the challenge for me is not in how many pictures I have of my kids but is how often I choose not to take a picture because the lighting isn't good or the girls aren't in the right outfit or someone doesn't have a bow in their hair. Sadly, this is my thinking. And I want to come out of that bubble. And while posy pictures are AWESOME and they always come out so sweet looking and we all look like the happiest family on earth, it's not always reality. And that's what project 365 is all about. REALITY!

So my scrappy goal for 2009 is take more pictures of reality. Everyday. GULP! So visit often, you may be surprised in what you learn about our little family! It's going to be awesome!

A swift kick in the bum!

So, I haven't hidden the fact that I've been a total bum when it comes to scrapbooking. I was completely caught up on Elodie's scrapbook, doing a page a day, and thoroughly enjoying my hobby and then BAM! I got pregnant and everything got put on hold. It was like my mojo had left me and I had no desire to scrapbook! Sadly, that has been the case until this last week.

My Relief Society had a craft night last week but I couldn't go because it was the same night as Kasey's endowments. I still signed up for a few crafts and knew it would be no big deal to do them at home...finding the motivation to do them was what I was worried about.

Some where I found a little scrappin' mojo and that's all it took! As soon as I got working on these little beauties, that old can do attitude was back! Who knew all I needed was an easy project someone else had thought up to get me back int he groove! I even went against the grain and painted mine a different color and used different ribbon...gasp! Is it really you Lacey?!? Can you mustar up the courage to get started on Addysen's scrapbook? Poor girl doesn't have a single page! I didn't even make her birth announcements!!!! I refuse to be that mother who has a million scrapbooks for her firstborn and not a single one of her other kids. I don't have any problems taking the pictures thats for sure!

So, farewell slacker scrapbooker! The real me is back in business! You'll be seeing so much of my scrapbooking goodness on here that you'll get sick..or motivated..whichever floats your boat! I'm seriously loving these blocks. I plan to make a few more for each of the girls rooms and as Christmas gifts for my mom and mother in law. So, Mom, Barbara- start looking for a home for these cuties!






P.S- The best part about these blocks is the photo corners are the only thing holding the pictures in place- the pictures aren't glued down and can be changed out!! Genius!

I heart Costco...reason 27,849

Wednesday I stopped by Costco to place my cheesecake order for the ward Christmas party (which is tomorrow night and life will finally get back to normal afterwards!) and that was the ONLY REASON I WAS THERE! But of course, you can't go without atleast browsing the isles to see what new things they've gotten in..especially around the holidays. We were so close to getting out of the store without seeing anything we wanted until we came across this little gem!

It called to me and I couldn't resist. And now let me justify....first, it was only 20 bucks! For the past year, anytime I went to a scrapbooking store (or saw something at Wal-Mart)that was related to Mickey Mouse, Princess, Tinkerbell, Minnie, or Disneyland, I would pick it up. My idea is that when we get back from Disneyland I am going to make an album. I've accumulated a bunch of stuff and figured if I did it a little at a time it wouldn't hurt the budget as much and wouldn't be so overwhelming for me when I sat down to get started. This little kit takes care of everything! It has the album already included (which by itself would have probably cost my 20 bucks!) and over 350 stickers, embellishments, 20 sheets of scrapbooking paper...the works! Add to it all the stuff I've already bought and I can easily make a great album of our vacation! My friend Melissa told me I better make sure I take a lot of pictures...seriously, does anyone need to worry about ME not taking enough pictures! It was certainly meant to be and yet again, I left Costco with atleast one thing in my hand!

Let the countdown begin!

I got this idea from my scrapbooking kit club The Scrapping Spot

Super easy to make and didn't take me long to do. I bought the actually advent christmas tree from Starbucks..I totally scored though and got this one for free. Starbucks was out of the trees but had the display up. They didn't know if they were going to be getting more in so the store manager just gave me the display box! SCORE! I think they would run you about $15 because there are truffles hidden inside each box. If you didn't want to buy the box, I've also seen this done with little wedding boxes you can buy at Michael's or JoAnns..Wal-Mart even. Just hot glue them together to form the christmas tree.

We probably won't do anything with this one this year since Elodie is still alittle small but next year I plan on putting in candy and maybe some reminders about Christmas. Also, my numbers are a little big so I can't really turn the boxes around either. it's still super cute and I would much rather look at this side than the reverse. Oh and I just painted the backs of the boxes!

Hoping this gets your holiday juices flowing! I loved adding new decorations to my home and it is especially fun when I can make them myself!

The Scrapping Spot

Great idea to share...

I mentioned my cousin Tania and how crafty she is and wanted to post her latest entry on her blog. I didn't know this but the Friend has "Temple Trading Cards" in them. So Tania took them all, laminated them, and put them on a ring for her 2 boys to learn all the Temples! I thought it was such a cute idea and wanted to share it with all of you guys here! Hope you don't mind Tania! You rock! Thanks again for your inspiration! I really do need to start getting the Friend for Elodie.

P.S- Look closely- That's the Baton Rouge Temple right in front....it's where Chris and I got married. Tania is also from Louisiana so yes she did that on purpose!




From Tania: Edited: FYI, these cards are online at lds.org under “gospel library”. The cards are in past issues from 2002, 2005, and 2007. You have to do a search or look through each year. Here is a link to the past issues of the Friend

Fall is in the air!

So is scrapbooking! I finally got a little scrapbooking mojo back since I've been pregnant. I would like to think it's because I'm through my first trimester and I've got some energy back but really I'm on a deadline for a kit club that I'm a guest designer for next month. Check them out!


These blocks were inspired by my cousin Tania. She and I have very similar taste, love to scrapbook, and enjoy bouncing crafty ideas off of each other! Thanks Tania for the inspiration! I went to Home Depot and got them to cut a post into 4 inch blocks for me, used my kit to mod podge the outside, painted it, decorated, and then used vinyl lettering for the letters! VOILA! Too bad we don't have a craft/scrapbooking interest group anymore! Oh well! It's been fun to be so creative again and I think I might be back in the mix!

Since it's been a few days..

Here are a few of my latest creations...








I'm getting really good at using up scraps by making cards..I have a million now but atleast I can feel good about not wasting anything! And I always have a card!










This was my original altered project for my submissions to M2Y but then I had completely forgotten I had to use one of their kits...DUH! It still turned out cute and it's in my living room now! Heidi..do you recognize this paper?!? I still have so many of your kits!! It's rediculous! I can't seem to get rid of any of it! And this particular kit, I've done a 2 page layout, this little accordian book and a few cards! It just won't go away!!






















I won't bore you with the a picture of each page...I think there are 8 pages in all. I'm not overly crazy about the purse and I'm not sure what I'm going to use it for...I just had to alter something and I had to use a M2Y kit....I ran out of paper,etc. If anyone wants it let me know and I'll send it to you! I'm not kidding!

Guest Designer!!

So I applied for a guest designer spot over at Memories2you and I got the spot for September! Just found out this morning and I'm super excited! I love their kits and can't wait to play! Go check out their website if your looking for cool monthly kits that are priced just right!

Inspired Scrapping

Friday's Challenge for Inspired Scrapping. Go check it out and see how it inspires you! P.S- it's also a fabulous cd! I got it for Chris for Father's day. We are always stealing it out of each other's car.

Yes, more scrapbooking layouts!

This is the last sketch for Pagemaps
june sketches! I had so much fun with all of them and was really motivated to get some scrapbooking done...then again, it doesn't take much motivation to scrapbook! Check out their website to get your scrappin' mojo going!

Do I really need a title for these?

While Christopher was golfing today and Elodie was napping I took advantage of a quiet Saturday afternoon and did some scrapping...got through 2 more of my pagemaps sketches for the Memories2you message board....I've got one sketch left to complete. Woo Hoo for me!



P.S- The picture of these layouts doesn't do any justice to the actual picture..it's ashame you can't see it in real life!

Scrappin' Mojo!

I am on the hugest roll!!!

Inspired Scrapping

Another layout for Inspired Scrapping. Check out the website and see how it inspires you!

Inspired Scrapping

A layout for Inspired Srapping's Friday Challenge!

Inspired Scrapping

Another layout for Inspired Scrapping

And if you caught it- it's suppose to be 2006 not 2007....oops! I'm not perfect!

My new favorite layout

Sunday Afternoon...