Project Life 2011

I put the Project Life button over on my side bar weeks ago, but I never got around to mentioning that I was going to participate in it this year. I did my own version while I was deployed in 2009 here on the blog, but then I discovered the PL scrapbook. It's (almost) perfect! The kit comes with everything you need to document the year or whatever you'd like really. All you need are photos, a journaling pen, and an ink pad if you'd like to use the enclosed date stamp. I wrote all of my dates, but that's because I forgot about the stamp.  I really wish it had come with a few extra title cards because I don't have one to spare after I made a couple mistakes.

This year has a lot of change going on with more deployments, Ethan's first year, my becoming a civilian in a few months, starting up school again, and all sorts of stuff. It's just a year that I want documented in detail again. I really love the kit Becki Higgins has put together. The only thing that really bothered me about the kit was that all the photo sleeves were made for landscape pictures. I told this to my LSS owner, Beverly, and she immediately pointed me to some of these We R Memory Keepers page protectors... Now it's perfect!!!

Becky Higgins has since added vertical layout sleeves, but I really like all the choices I have with these. I read some reviews complaining about the funky sizes, but I don't think those people really "get it". These are designed to simplify an entire scrapbook layout. Apparently, We R Memory Keepers has an entire line of easy scrapbooking products to use with these fab protectors. Just trim the papers or tear off a journaling card from the little book and slide it in with your pictures and your layout is done. Waaaay easy! I'll be sure to post a picture of the less than 5-minute layout I created with all the extra photos I took of Ethan on the 11th for his monthly pictures. It was the first "scrapbook page" I've made in probably over a year.

Anyway, since I didn't post them before here are a few of my favorite pictures that I've included in my project so far...

7Jan11: Lilly Belle 

10Jan11: Max

14Jan11: Winter Formal

 15Jan11: Secret Santa Party

 24Jan11: Snow Day

 25Jan11: Visit from Papa

 26Jan11: Four Remotes vs. One TV

 31Jan11: Dr's Office Nap

 1Feb11: Introducing... Sippy Cup

2Feb11: I Cooked Something!

Las Vegas Layout

I really don't remember the last time I made a scrapbook page, but something came over me yesterday, so I printed a few pictures out and voila! These pictures are from our trip to Las Vegas back in April. I really feel a strong desire to get more pictures scrapped. I hope this creative mood swing sticks for a while. Now I just need to go buy a scrapbook and some page protectors...

Cardstock: American Crafts & Bazzill

Patterned Paper: Crate, My Mind's Eye, & October Afternoon

Stamps: Papertrey Ink & Studio Calico

Ink: Papertrey Ink

Gems: Bazzill

Border Punch: Martha Stewart

Alpha Dies: Quickutz

5 Months

I forgot to post these pics earlier this week.

At five months he...

rolls over.
self-entertains by talking to himself and playing with toys.
holds his bottle.
loves squash, mashed potatoes, and green beans.
hates bananas.
loves jumping in his bouncy seat.
pulls himself up to standing from laying.
still doesn't like to sit or bend at all for that matter.

Grow & Enjoy Together Card

Scrap & Stamp Arts

Check out the article I wrote on pages 60-61. I hope you like it...

Thank You So Much Card

Just a Little Note...

See this card in the December 2011 issue of CARDS Magazine

Thank You Card

 Whoah! I've never had a card published so fast before. Northridge Publishing is really on the ball this week. Look out for it in the June issue of CARDS magazine...

XOXO Challenge Blog: Miss You Card

It's that time again! The January challenge has been issued over on the XOXO Blog, so go on over and scraplift one of the layouts created by the design team. The prize sponsor this month is...

 ...and they have a super prize to give away to the winner of this scraplift challenge!

Here's my creation below. I hope you're inspired!

CARDS - January 2011

I've been stalking our local Hobby Lobby for weeks now trying to get the lastest issue of CARDS Magazine. I like to cut out the pages that my cards are on for a sort of portfolio. I bet those people are starting to think I'm crazy. Anyway, I finally just broke down and purchased an online subscription. I really like having a book or magazine in my hand, but the online subscription is great too because I can save it digitally and have it forever to print over and over. I even have access to back issues, special issues, and all the other magazines they publish. Oh, and I don't have to wait on the "magazine guy" to come and restock EVER AGAIN! YEAH!!!

Christmas Time

This is our first real Christmas together and in our own home. Last year we had just gotten back from Afghanistan, so we drove back and forth half way across the country to see our families. This year we decided we'd stay in our own home. It was even more special being that it's Ethan's first Christmas.

Last year we started a tradition, like many families, to collect a yearly ornament for our tree. This year we decided this little rattle represented our year perfectly.

Here's another little ornament I picked up this year. I usually wait until after the holidays when things go on sale to restock my wrapping paper supply or add ornaments to the collection, but this one was just a dollar, so I couldn't resist.

We also started collecting Department 56 Christmas in the City village pieces last year too. The pieces we choose represent our lives as well, like the newly wed couple in the carriage, and the new dad passing out cigars.  This year we are adding a fire station (I am a firefighter), radio station (Vince is a spectrum manager), and antique store that looks EXACTLY like one we visited on our trip to Pennsylvania. I'm hoping to also find one that depicts a nurse pushing a wheelchair with a mother holding her newborn. I'm pretty sure it's a retired piece though. Anyway, Vince and I both LOVE putting the little village scenes together. Vince even built a little snowy platform for them to nestle in this year complete with an asphalt road and cobblestone sidewalk. He used a bit of card stock rolled through the Cuttlebug with an embossing plate. It looks so cute!

Our collection outgrew the sofa table, so we had to make a second section up on top of the armoire.

I think next year I'll end up putting our village in the china cabinet though since little Ethan will surely be walking around by then. I'll be sure to start replacing all of our beautiful glass balls with plastic ones before the tree goes up again next year though. I'm sure we'll be able to pull them back out again someday!

Merry Christmas!

Four Months

At four months he...

makes raspberry noises.

grabs everything.

passes his toys from hand to hand.

pulls himself to a sitting position.
babbles non-stop.
still drinks 6 ounces at a time.
weighs 14 lbs 6 ounces.
hates to sit.
loves to stand.
watches everything intently.
smiles when ever he sees his dad.
laughs everytime I wipe his face.
is always holding his feet.

Dickens Quote Card

One Year Ago....

I can't believe how much my life has changed since I came home from Afghanistan. It's gone by way too quickly!

E Monogram Card

Up for the Challenge?

Peggy is! Check her out. She's participating in the XOXO Scraplift Challenge. She scraplifted THIS card of mine. What do you think? I think she did a great job!!!

Thank You Card

Bakerella

Have you ever heard of Bakerella? If you haven't, you're missing out on something GREAT!!! Anyhow, last weekend she came to Franklin, TN for her book signing tour! It's about an hour and twenty minutes away, but I just adore this lady so Vince, Ethan and I drove on over. We were about thirty minutes late due to every mishap you can have along the way, but it was still worth it. She's such a doll. She's been such an inspiration to me from my initial discovery of her blog back during our deployment. She's the reason we started making those midnight cupcakes in the chow hall all the time. It really kept spirits up for so many people. I remember having Soldiers come to the aid station where I worked asking for the "cupcake couple". They were from other bases and had never even met us, but somehow they got the word and they wanted in on the sweet goodness! I made this card just for her with a sentimental little thank-you note inside.



I'm a bit embarrassed that my post-baby flab is still there, but then again... whatever!

Three Months

Time is going by way too quickly. He's three months old today!

P.S. Happy Veteran's Day!

November Challenge

Well, I've officially posted my first project to the XOXO Design Challenge Blog. Are you going to play along? You really should because there's a great prize from Scrap Attack Scrapbooking up for grabs!!!
My inspiration came from this Pottery Barn photo:

And here's the card:

(Don't forget to post a link here to your creation if you decide to play along with the scraplift challenge.)

Stamp & Scrap Arts

Ooo! I'm on a roll! I just got an email from Stamp & Scrap Arts magazine asking for a short bio and head shot for a feature in their magazine. Does anyone subscribe or read that publication? I admit I just happened to pick it up at our local Walmart one day while Vince was looking at woodworking and handyman type magazines. I figured it was a wild shot since I'm not really a "stamper". I know, I know... I'm the "Stampin' Soldier", but I just don't stamp much these days. I really don't know what my handle should be any more. I'm not going to be a Soldier much longer anyhow either, so then my blog name really won't represent me. It's weird thinking that I'm getting closer and closer to the edge of feeling like I don't know who I'm supposed to be in this world. I don't know how to explain the upheaval that's going through me right now. It's like grieving the loss of a loved one, only the one I'm loosing is me.

XOXO Design Team

Did you notice my new "blinkie" over on the left-hand sidebar?! It's true! I've been invited to be a Lipstick Chick for the XOXO challenge blog. Go on over, check it out, and let me know what you think! The first challenge I'll be participating in will be posted here and of course on their blog along with all the other design team members' projects on the 7th of November. I hope you'll play along with me!

Little Cutie

Snowflake Cards

 

Today is a Gift

I won quite a bit of Christmas paper not too long ago, so I thought I'd better start using it. I also threw some in a couple of the boxes for the winners of my last blog candy. Have you started on your holiday card making yet?

Pumpkin Patch

Well, we went to the pumpkin patch yesterday. It was a disappointment really. It was a true testament to great advertising. They got our money, but the place was really just a big dust bowl. I didn't capture too many photos, but here are a few...