2 New Layouts

Trying to catch up on last year's t-ball pics.....yeah, I still have way too many to scrap, but I did a 2-pager recently that helped me catch up a little. It was inspired by a layout in Creating Keepsakes magazine:



This second one is my May "Sneak Peek" layout for The Scrap Room! It features Bo Bunny's new Sophie line. I love these papers and stickers! The colors/contrasts are so pretty! This pic is of me and my HYWWP girls last summer in Dallas. It's only about 2 months until we meet up again...this time, Destination: CHICAGO!!!! Woohoo!



See you soon, girls!!

I'm Still Alive!

Wow, I haven't blogged in a couple of weeks. I guess I can blame it on springtime! The weather has been beautiful, so we've spent a lot of time outdoors...playing in the backyard, doing yardwork, cleaning out things, etc. Plus, Evan is smack dab in the middle of his baseball season, so between games and practices, it doesn't leave much free time.

Also, I've started the Couch to 5k Plan. I started the day after my birthday and, surprisingly, I've kept up with it and am currently about to start Week 3! :) For now, I'm doing the running plan on my treadmill. I still don't have enough courage to run on a track in front of people yet. I hate when you pass someone on a track and sound like a cow trying to breathe as you pass by. So....I'm working on that...slowly but surely. Everything is going fine with the plan, and I am surprised that I've been able to keep up with it so far. The only problem I'm having is horrible shin pain! Maybe it's my shoes, maybe it's dehydration, maybe it's not stretching good enough...maybe it's a combo of all those things????

Annnnnd in other news, the biggie: Van has resigned as Administrator of the Fine Arts Center here in town. In May, he will become the manager of a Screenprinting/Embroidery/Graphic Design place here. This is a HUGE change for us, and change is usually always scary...but we are believing that God led us to this and it will be a blessing for our family.

Anyway, I've managed to get a few layouts done in the couple of weeks that I haven't blogged. I've done these, plus my May reveal layouts for The Scrap Room, but I can't show those just yet! ;)

This first one is based on a sketch from my sister's awesome sketch site, Sketch Inspiration:



This second one was scraplifted from the same sister. ;)



This is a quick one I put together this afternoon. I was feeling like doing something summer-ish, so the bright colors and pool pics made me happy:



And, last but not least, my little guy on his birthday last year. Next month, he will be turning FOUR YEARS OLD!!!! I can't believe it. This was based on a sketch by Aphra Bolyer:



Thanks for looking!!!!!

Thoughts on Turning 30.....

*It's not the end of the world.

*I cried today, yes, but it was not a "my-life-is-over" cry....more like a "thank you, God, for the 30 years of life you've given me" cry.

*I still feel 20.

*I'm a WAY better scrapper than I was when I first started seriously scrapbooking in 2001-ish! :)

*I have an older sister who has gone through turning 30 and will always go through the age changes before me, so that gives me comfort and encouragement...at her expense. LOL!

*The 20s were kinda lonely. God has brought new friends and relationships into my life recently, and I'm looking forward to where they will take me in my 30s.

*I'm going to start taking vitamins and try to be healthier. For real.

*Some day, I will look back and long for the day I was 30 again.

*You're never too old to wear a "Happy Birthday" pink princess tiara and an "It's my birthday" ribbon at lunch in a public restaurant (thank you, Aaron Hall!).

*I received a TON of birthday wishes on Facebook today from friends and family. Totally made my day. :)

*So I can't wear stuff that I wore in high school and in my pre-baby days....so what! Why the heck do I still have stuff that old in my closet anyway?!

*No dating scene, no pregnancies, no unsteady job. I have a wonderful husband, 2 beautiful healthy boys, and 2 good jobs. God has provided us with so much.

*I've only just begun.

*The best is yet to come.............

Today, I.....

-Woke up and was immediately slapped in the face with the realization that today is my last day to be in my 20s. Ever.

-Have done 3 loads of laundry (and it's only 10:00 a.m.),

-Am looking forward to playing with my new photo printer!

-Am hoping I don't even have to get dressed today.

-Am feeling the strong urge to CLEAN and PURGE!

-Need to work on my lesson plans for preschool for the upcoming week.

-Wish my hubby didn't have to work on Saturdays.

-Feel sore from working out to The 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels last night.

-Don't know what to fix for lunch...

-Feel a little overwhelmed. Not by anything specific, just....I dunno.

-Need to finish a sponsor layout for HYWWP.

-Am enjoying having my backdoor open, hearing the birds sing, and listening to my boys play in the backyard.

One More! :)

Here's a double pager I made for the April kit from The Scrap Room, featuring the October Afternoon "Thrift Shop" collection:



If you are a member of the kit club, you can go to the message board right now and download the step-by-step instructions for this 2-page spread, along with more 2-pagers from the other designers. Enjoy! :)

April Kit Reveal - The Scrap Room

The unusually long winter made me realize just how much I love Spring! It's a time of new beginnings, fresh ideas, and endless inspiration as the colors of the landscape around us change. The April kit from The Scrap Room is now up on the website and available for purchase, and the Spring color palettes and patterns are overflowing in this kit! Here are my projects made with the kits (and I have one more, but it can't be revealed until later in the month):







Enjoy your day! :)

Wanna Win some Cosmo Cricket Goodies?

Well who doesn't?! If you are a scrapbooker, you are probably a big fan of Cosmo Cricket. If you're not a scrapbooker, you'll probably love their designs and products anyway! :)

Head on over to Have Your Way With Paper, the friendliest little message board around, and join us for some great challenges for your chance to win some Cosmo goodies! All through the month, there will be scrapbooking challenges issued, and each challenge comes with the possibility of WINNING a prize! (you must be a registered, active user to participate)

We are so proud to announce Cosmo Cricket as our sponsor for the month of April! This company is a favorite for many of us, and we cannot wait to dive into their products and show what we can create. I received a little of the Garden Variety kit...wow! Sooooo cute! The thing I love most about Cosmo is their adorable color combos. :)

The first challenge will be issued tomorrow (Friday), so join today and let the fun begin! :)