Baseball head and a birthday card

The little guy found the Baseball head mask.

He thought this was the coolest thing ever, put it on his head and ran to the bathroom admiring how he looked in the mirror for quite sometime.

It was so stinkin cute!

Me and my baseball head buddy!

I spent a little time in the studio the other day and created this card.
Inspiration came from non other then KWerner
She's brilliant I tell ya!
I never think to do the clever things she comes up with, like a 'window' card.
I think my version turned out pretty well.

How's that for a quick 'drive by' post?

=-)

39....40

Birthdays!

Lots of Birthdays!

Most importantly, my birthday and my husband's birthday! We will start with me, since it's my blog and all! ;)

Yesterday, nov. 5th, was my birthday.

It was a miserably ugly day, but I took advantage of that by snuggling up on the couch with a good book, a nice visit with the BFF, a late in the afternoon visit with my girl and a great dinner in with my boys. My day started off great with the little guy arriving with cake, flowers and a balloon.

What more could a girl ask for!?!

Las Vegas!

My super handsome husband turned 40 on October 30th!

We celebrated by taking a trip to Vegas with some good friends to celebrate.

We stayed at Paris Las Vegas.

We arrived on the 29th, had a late lunch followed by a late dinner.

Friday was his birthday.

We spent the morning walking the strip, a few casino stops and lunch with the Rosemonds.

A rather tipsy lunch for me! A rather strong strawberry daiquiri, very light breakfast, downing half the drink through a straw before lunch arrives to the table equals a rather silly Julie!

We met all our traveling friends at the sports bar at the Paris for a pre dinner drink then it was over to Mon Ami Gabi for dinner.

After a nice, long, celebratory dinner we headed over to Palms resort and casino for an after dinner 'party' at The Ghostbar. Ridiculously overpriced, weak drinks with a great view made for a fun evening. It's been a long time since I've been out like that.

Fun times, good memories and a happy birthday for my husband.

Halloween day the guys took off for a guys afternoon of shooting, sports and food.

I spent the day browsing through the Forum shops, playing a bit on the slots and lounging by the pool. Can't say I have ever spent a Halloween day in my swimsuit!

It was fantastic...I think I would like to do that again!

Halloween night on Las Vegas Blvd was quite the sight! Michel and I stood on the sidewalk watching the craziness go by. It was rather entertaining!

Sunday morning, as we were walking around the Ballagio, we decided that 3 nights is not quite long enough for Vegas, next trip will be 4 nights and we plan to stay at the Bellagio....very nice!

Now we are back to reality and I'm still trying to get back into my usual routine!

Housework is calling but I'm not being very responsive.

Maybe this weekend I'll answer the call!

October Photo Hunt Challenge

My friend Michelle has participated in a photo hunt that I have found fascinating. I decided to jump in and give it a try myself. I had a great time with this 'project' and plan to continue with it. If you are interested in the details head on over HERE to learn all about it.

The following are my pictures for October's Photo Hunt.

Enjoy!A Fall Activity

A Fall Treat

A Harvest

Leaves

Fall Color

Something Orange

Something Spooky

Cemetery

A Costume

Black & White Photo

A Critter

Symmetry

Contrast

Texture

A Logo or Mascot

Something Neon

Something Inspiring

Something Entertaining

Something Fast

Something Slow

Perfect Recipe

Today is the perfect recipe for a day in the studio.

It's fall, it's PNW dark, it's raining/pouring, it's thunder and lightening.

I have good music playing and working my creative mojo.

It's no secret, I L.O.V.E. Kristina Werner's work!

I find her cards simply amazing and she's uber talented!

As such, I see many cards created by her that I crave to recreate myself, so on this perfect 'studio day' I have done just that!

The card above is my interpretation of this KWdesign.

I decided to go with a different sentiment as I found the perfect sentiment for a wedding card that I love.

I will freely admit, I will browse the card aisles at Target to get ideas for sentiments. This one I read off a card at Target sometime last year is:

Best Wishes....to the new Mr. & Mrs.!

Perfect!...no? I think so!

In my version of this card I used Maya Road chipboard people in which I did a little faux stitching on to accentuate them more.

The heart I used comes from a stamp in my collection...don't know who it's by though! =( Then I used my own handwriting for the sentiment.

I'm not a big fan of my own writing, but I honestly don't know anyone who is of their own. So, I stepped outside my box and did the handwriting on not one, but two cards today!

This happy little birdy card (oh, my BFF Sarah will be so pleased! ....she's not a fan of the birds!) is my own design.

I felt that I should stretch my creative brain beyond just reproducing someone else's work today and I must say, I'm very happy with the results.

The cute stamp is a Cocoa Daisy original stamp from the August 2009 kit.

So cute! LOVE it!

I chose to jazz up the inside of the card as well.

I have covered what I wrote as I don't want the recipient, who may read my blog, to know this belongs to them before it arrives!

Another KWdesign that I had to duplicate.
You can see her version here.
My niece turns 17 on Monday. Hard for me to believe she's that old!
Or is it hard for me to believe that I'm that old? Not 17, but you know what I mean right?
This was a fun card to recreate. I dug through my chipboard numbers stash and came up with some black numbers that were flat & dull.
I really like how the numbers on her version are shiny, so I dug out my Glossy Accents....the results are perfecto!
Since I'm 'cool' and know that teens don't really appreciate a sweater or other item picked out by their 'old' Auntie, I will be giving her what all teens desire most...cold hard CASH!
For this, I created a pocket to hold a custom made envelope which will contain said cold hard cash.

I used a Basic Grey magnetic snap to keep the money safe inside.

I know it seems a bit overboard to use the mag snap for an envelope, but I have two and a half packages of these babies, so I should use them, right?

Besides, I'm hoping said teen will find the envelope so cool she'll keep it for another use. You never know!

So, those are the fruits of my labor so far today.

I'm thinking it's time to venture downstairs for some quality TV viewing under a cozy, warm blanket. =D

Girls weekend & Colbie Caillat

That's us....Thursday night!

I went away for a long weekend to Whidbey Island with my scrapping buddies for a weekend of scrapbooking, eating, drinking and fun.

Thursday night is our arrival night.

The crazy, fun night.

The only night I have pictures of due to my failure to ensure a fully charged battery prior to leaving home and leaving the charger behind.

This is the only photo from my camera that will be posted to anything public! Yay, it was a fun time!

Due to a fun and late Thursday night we didn't really hit the scrap table until about noon on Friday. One of us wasn't even out of bed at noon, but her name shall remain a secret! She was eventually able to join us in the upright position for serious scrap time eventually that day.

I really hit my creative groove on Friday.
The ideas were flowing freely and I went with it.
I took picture from our recent trip to Disney with me.
I didn't want to make layouts that were Disney themed, so I only brought my Cocoa Daisy and Back Porch Memories kits from the past 6 months.
This really made me step outside my creative box and I love the results that flowed from it!

I used primarily my Cocoa Daisy kits, but this gem is all from a Back Porch Memories kit with the exception of the Pooh Bear die cut. That was generously given to me by the ever fabulous Melissa.

I think he adds the perfect touch to that page!

This very simple layout took me about 4 hours to complete.

Yes, you read that right....FOUR hours!

It was late in the day on Saturday and I hit a creative wall.

I had to step away from this layout many times and I'm happy I did.

I love the simplicity of it.

This was a fun one to create.

My fellow scrap buddies brought their cricut die cutting machines with them and an entire library of fonts and embellishments.

I was excited to cut out a tea cup for this layout.

There was not a teacup to be found in that library, so I had to get creative and create my own! I think it turned out pretty good for a freehand job.

Sunday.

We have to check out by 1 pm.

I have a hard time scrapping on Sunday.

Slow to rise, slow to eat, knowing that I have packing up ahead of me...all leads to limited time to scrap.

Once I sit and find my groove it's time to pack it up.

Sunday's I have a hard time scrapping.

I came up with this one, unfinished I might add as the journaling still needs to be added, layout. I like it though...clean and simple.

By the time I got home yesterday I was spent!

I'm still exhausted and having a rather kick back day.

The house we stayed at was the BEST house of all our scrap weekends.

We have decided it's a keeper!

So...every fall the E-6 crew will book that house and have a fabulously fun and creative weekend! Yay us! =)

September 23, 2009

Showbox SoDo

Colbie Caillat

FANTASTIC concert!

Took my baby girl to the Colbie Caillat concert for her birthday present.

Fun night with some fantastic entertainment.

You have to love an artist that sounds live just as she does through your stereo at home.

The venue is general admission, standing room only.

We had excellent positioning.

Center stage, 6 people rows from the stage.

Amazing!

As with any concert I have been to, I have to leave the SLR at home and depend on the point and shoot. Not my favorite camera.

With bad lighting and a poor quality camera, getting a good picture is not an easy task.

I managed to get one great shot though....the picture above.

Makes me happy!

Baby sweetness

Baby Emma

How precious is she?

My good friend Cori, who I have known since Jr. High, had a beautiful baby girl 2 weeks ago.

Yesterday while Jarod was at his first day of Pre-K I had the honor to meet little Miss Emma, hold her and take in the sweetness of a fresh new baby!

This is what she looked like pretty much the entire time I was there.

I got a few glimpses of her eyes when she was peeking as her daddy walked by. She also made the cutest little faces. A sleeping baby is so fun to watch!
Would you look at those feet!
Baby feet are SO cute!
I could just eat them up!
I'm looking forward to watching this sweet baby girl grow up.
Congratulations to Cori and Larry on their baby girl.
Fall!

That's right....I have started to decorate for fall.

I haven't decorated for fall in many years, but I came across some fall decor when I was in the closet the other day, along with a fall flower basket my aunt gave me that I have separated and re purposed into 3 different decor items (don't you just love that!?), so this year I have sprinklings of fall around my house.

I touch on the mantel in the family room, a center piece on the dining room table and a hint in a vase that adorns a table in my living room.

I also hung a rather beat up fall wreath on my front door.

I'm thinking that may need to be replaced if I find a new one I love when I'm out shopping later this week. =)

I have noticed several trees around my neighborhood starting to change color. Hard to believe we are already to mid September!

Fall, how I adore you!

The crisp morning air, yummy comfort foods I start to crave, the atmosphere of Friday night high school football games, the deep, rich, warm colors that are everywhere you look, the scents of the season and the start of the holiday countdown and most of all the birthday of my love (who turns 40 this year!) and mine (not 40) as well!

Fall,

I welcome you with open arms!

20 Birthdays

Me and my birthday girl.

1 thru 20

Birthdays that is!

My first born, my beautiful daughter, turned 20 today!

It's amazing that she's leaving her teen years behind.

Seems like just yesterday she became a teenager.

2 years out of high school

2 years done with college

living out on her own

working as a barista

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY GIRL!

We met up with her and Travis (her boyfriend)

for lunch today.

Fantastic pizza at the Green Lake location of Zeeks.

She's no longer my baby.

No longer living at home.

A lovely young woman with a heart of gold.

I'm looking forward to seeing what her 20's will bring.

Where the future will take her.

On the 23rd of September she and I will be celebrating her birthday by taking in a Colbie Caillat concert.

Looking forward to a fun girl's night!

Here is the birthday card I made for my girl. =) Another birthday card, but this one was for my nephew's 5th birthday.

This one is a scraplift of Kristina Werner's....love her stuff!
The cute little birthday boy!