Natalie

This layout was a pretty quick one. I used some older Basic Grey paper that I had in my stash. I never used alot of "girly" papers so when I did get them I held on to them for a long time.
This is our niece and she was born in August and I had been dying to scrapbook thepictures I had from the first time we met her.

I cut flowers from the matching patterened paper and then the same flower in a little bit smaller size from vellum and layered them over the cardstock flowers. I love the way the flowers turned out. I just happened to have yellowish-orangish buttons that matched perfectly as well. I also just happened to come across this piece of a rhinestone swirl in my stash and thought it added just the right amount of bling to the girly layout. I didnt really have any journaling for the layout so I just added her birth information under the small picture on the left.
Now since we have a little girl I think I am going to need to stock up on girly papers and blingy things lol. :)
Off to feed the little one now.

Quick Cards

Ok first of all the coloring of these pictures is not the best. I had to take the picture at night in the kitchen and it just didn't turn out great.
I needed some thank you cards quick for some gifts we had gotten lately. I didn't have the brain power to sit and come up with a card idea, so I improvised. This is actually an easy way to customize a premade card.
I have had the card in my card box for some time now. Well it is a tri fold card with all white on the outside and green on the inside. I wanted something with some girly colors so I thought why not just add pink to the card somehow. So I grabbed some little buttons and added some twine though the button holes and tied them off. Then I wrapped some twine around the front flap of the card, glued on the buttons to the center of all the flowers and done. I think the entire thing took me longer to think up than to actually put together.
A quick way to add a personal touch to a premade card for sure. I am thinking I should grab some sets of premade cards (this one came from the dollar spot at Michaels early last year) and do this to a bunch of them so they are done and ready to go for when I need them.

Gift Box

Well a few weeks ago I was at the dollar store and found this set of body wash and body lotion. I thought the color was nice, but the original box was ugly. So I brought it home and already knew I wanted to do something different with it. I did like the size of the original box though. So I carefully took the box apart and traced it onto some acetate that I had here at home. It isn't as thin as a tranceparency and not so thick that you can't cut it with scissors either. So I put the box together...which was DIFFICULT. The only glue I had at the time was glossy accents, and for some reason it just wasn't doing the job. Finally I got it to stick together and stay. Then I just wrapped some ribbon around the sides, and added some flowers and some silver wired thin string.
I have no idea yet what I am going to do with this little package, but I guess it is good to have a few spare gifts around for when you need one quickly.

Happy Mom Day Layout

I used last years Valentines Day line from Basic Grey for this layout. I have been seeing one of my favorite bloggers use alot of vellum over some of her patterened paper to soften it up a bit. So I thought I would do the same thing so that it wasn't too much with the other patterned paper on top. I love the effect it came out with. I cut this funky frame from the silhouette. When I cut the hearts from the silhouette I accidentally put in the wrong size of paper since it was a scrap and the sides of the hearts got cut off. So I just made due and put them all to the side or under other paper to make it look like I wanted it that way. I really love when mistakes turn out to be a good thing.
I typed the journaling on white cardstock and added the letter stickers happy and day. The m's were cut from the silhouette and the o is another heart. The letter stickers had little hot pink hearts on the sheet as well so I added a few of those around and some buttons in colors that matched. I had to add twine since I love the stuff, and added that to some of the centers of the buttons as well.
At the last moment I pulled out some white pearls and just randomly scattered them around the layout for a finishing touch.

Suprise Party Layout

Back in May I threw my mom a suprise birthday party at our house. It was a very small party, but was alot of fun. I wanted something in bright colors and was going to go with orange and white and then decided to throw in some green in there, and totally didn't even hit me that those are also the colors of her bedroom. Funny how it worked out that way, and I let her take home some of the decorations to go with her decore.
I cut the big Birthday saying from my silhouette. Then I used American Crafts Remarks alphabet stickers to finish off the rest of the title. I used a few buttons around the layout and my favorite border punch to add some finishing touches to it. I printed out the journaling on some vellum and glued it right over the green paper on the right side of the layout. I added a few orange rhinestones to finish it off as well.
I also decided that instead of one larger focal photo, they all were a good representation of the party, so I printed them all the same size and just trimmed them to fit equally across the entire layout.
A very quick and simple layout, but I enjoy those kind of layouts the best. I am re-learning again that sometimes less is more in the end. :)

Birth Announcement Photo Shoot

I got a chance the other day to do Miss Chloe's Birth Announcement Photo Shoot. The natural lighting was perfect at that exact time as well. I LOVE how they came out. The last picture is the birth announecement photo. I love putting bows on her. :)
I look at my children everyday and I thank God for an amazing and wonderful husband and great kids.

This is my absolute favorite picture of her. We have it framed and on the mantle already.

Welcome Little One

Welcome Baby!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chloe Renee

01.19.2010

8:45am

7lbs. 12oz.

19 inches

Having a baby....

Yes tomorrow is now the official day. :) We have to be at the hospital at 5am for my scheduled c-section at 7am. I do have a few new layouts and a box to share, but we have a lot of stuff to do today so I don't know if I will get them up on time. If not I will share late next week after we get home and get settled in from being in the hospital. :)

No More Casts

We got to go back to Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles on Monday for little Jacob to get his last cast taken off. He asked the guy if he could keep the spiderman cast. The guy (who happened to be the same guy that put the cast on and hand drew the spiderman on it) said no problem and he would fix it up all nice so that it would look good when we took it home. So he took off the cast and then we went to get x-rays and then to see the actual doctor. When we were in waiting for the doctor, the cast guy brought Jacob his cast to take home. He had put new lining in it so it didn't smell and put the cast back together. I thought that was really nice of him to do.

Here is Jacob waiting for the doctor to come in and holding his new cast. He was pretty excited about that.
After seeing the doctor we went and they gave us his new foot brace. His foot isn't completely straight yet, but with the screw in place now it will help for the foot to grow into itself and grow straight over the next few years. He is already doing great walking all by himself. We are waiting for the physical therapy referral to be approved so we can start that process next.
We even went yesterday and got new shoes that fit over the foot brace.

He just is so excited that he can walk by himself again he can't stand it. He is all ready to play sports he says . Soon he will be running and jumping and this entire process will just seem like nothing.

Thank you card

I really wanted to make sure that I got out the baby shower thank you cards quickly, since it is almost time for her to be here. So I kept with the colors from the bedding and the invitations for the Thank You cards as well. The lighting on this card isn't great, but it is a little overcasty today so I couldn't get any good lighting for it.
I heat embossed white dots on the left side of the Kraft cardstock. Then I layered a piece of vellum over that. I printed the actual thank you squares on the computer. I added some orange ribbon and a flower gem and the punched border strip and they were done. It was such an easy card to make, and really quick too. Gotta love that.

I have a small errand to run today so I am hoping that I can get a chance to sit down at my desk and make something. I don't know why I am dying to scrapbook so much more than normal right now, but seems like it is the hardest time to get the chance to actually do it. We have been so busy and trying to get ready for baby is a chore in itself. But hopefully I can just start a layout or card, or something.

Name Picture

I thought I would share this cool frame we got from my mom for Christmas. Each space has a picture of something that looks like a letter, which spells out our last name. I have seen these, and it was a total suprise when we opened it.
I think this would be such a fun thing to do for someone. It really makes me think when I look at things sometimes now because I wonder if I could look like a letter in a picture.

I think it would be fun to spell out the word HELLO and put it on the front of a card too.

The Story...A Layout

This is the layout that I actually got done the other day. I was suprised because I started it late one night and actually got to sit down with it again the next morning and finish it up. This usually never happens and it ends up taking me much longer than that to get one layout done.
Since I haven't gotten to do anything with the pictures from my ultrasounds yet, I was dying to use something in a girly color. I was going to go with pink at first, but since I am a true purple lover, I went with purple. I really love the way it turned out, and love this Basic Grey line.
I used the story torn notebook sheet cut from my silhouette.

Overall the layout is very simple, with not many embelishments, but I think that it is good that way. I know sometimes I get a bit excited with all the little extra things, and sometimes end up taking some off because it just looks like too much. Remember what our mothers taught us...Less is More.

I have had these pretty pins for such a long time and finally used them on a layout. I love the shimmery ribbon as well.

I really had tons of ultrasound pictures, but alot of them were the same pictures, so I decided to just use the best of the ones that I had. They are a progression of ultrasound pictures over all of the months.

The journaling just talks about how we were going to be done after having Caleb, and then after we got married in April we decided to try once more and no matter boy or girl it would be our last child, and we just happened to be lucky and got a girl this time. It talks about when I went to my ultrasound appointment and found out it was a girl as well.

Well the time for this little one is getting so close, and I cannot even believe it. I really need to figure out what outfit she is going to come home in and pack our bags. I am always a little nervous the closer it comes time because even though I am scheduled for a C Section...she could have a mind of her own and want to come early. So since it just a week and a few days away, I better get on that.

I have to go to LA on Monday for little Jacob to have his cast removed, and Jacob is making my mom go with me since he has to work because he is worried about me driving that far by myself. :) Which at first I didn't think it was a big deal about me going, but I do understand where he is coming from, so I am taking her with me.

I am dying to do some more scrapbooking, but just have not had a chance to even sit down at my desk the last few days.

I am actually going to work on my baby shower thank you cards before I do anything else. Hopefully I can get a few things done around the house today, and make it to the grocery store and then sit down to work on those.

I will share what I come up with.

Quick and Easy Cassarole

I thought I would share this quick and easy cassarole. We all really like this cassarole and it is so easy to make. I usually serve it with a salad and rolls, or bread with butter.

Quick and Easy Cassarole

3 lbs. ground beef

3 cans of corn - drained

2 -3 bags of boil in bag rice

1 large family size can of cream of chicken soup

1 large family size can of cream of mushroom soup

salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

*Cook rice according to directions (you don't have to use boil in a bag rice, I just find it isn't as sticky, but you can use the same amount of minute rice, or any rice)

*While rice is cooking, brown meat in a large pot or skillet

*When meat is cooked and drained, add soups and corn.

*Start adding rice. This step varies....add as much or as little rice as you would like. Sometimes the rice soaks up all the soup and can make the cassarole a bit dry. So start with less and then keep adding more as desired. ~If you feel it is too dry you can add more of the soups as well

*Mix it all up

*Add salt and pepper to taste

*Heat for a few minutes to warm the corn and soups

*Serve

Framed Butterfly Art

I just got done hanging this above the crib and wanted to share.
I have been wanting to make a butterfly framed picture for above the crib since I knew we were having a girl. It started out in my mind totally different, but I went with this and I love it.
I am not happy with the pink on the frame though. The pink craft paint I had just isn't the same shade of pink as in the bedding and now it is bothering me. So I am going to repaint the frame. I might stick with pink, but I might go back to white like I was originally going to do and a pink ribbon to hang it with, but I haven't decided for sure yet.

Here it is upclose. Really simple and easy, but I just love that I made it and it matches her area.

I added just a hint of red, since there is actually quite a bit of red in the bedding. Then I found this love definition quote in all of my stash, and loved it, so I added it in there as well. Which worked out great since I needed to cover up a little rip in the butterfly anyways.

For the longest time last night I just sat and stared at the picture because I just didn't know what direction it was taking me, and i wasn't happy with how it was turning out. Then I found this turquoise cardstock in my stash and it all just came together. Now let me tell you this paper matches the turqouise in the bedding PERFECTLY. I love when things like that happen.

For the actual project I found the frame in my stash of unused frames and decided it was just the perfect size. The frame was a goldish color and always had every intention of painting it white. (It was a total last minute decision to go with pink).

I went in search of papers that matched in my paper stash. I found this orange paper and liked it right away. I wish it was a little brighter orange, not as muted, but I loved the dots on it like in the bedding. So I cut it to the size I wanted to fit into the frame. Then I cut the butterfly image from my silhouette on a regular 81/2 x 11 piece of white cardstock. I then decided I wanted some pink in there, so I cut the butterfly again in the pink paper and just cut off the leafy part and glued it down over the white part on the butterfly. While looking through buttons and stuff, just for ideas I found the turquoise brad. PERFECT match again. Then that is what made me search for the turquoise paper. Lucky again. I added the string under the brad, and the turquoise swirls. It was just coming together so well. I then added all the little pearls for a little more girly touch. Then I added the love definition and I thought it looked good. I still was staring at it, but sometimes I have to learn that less is more and sometimes you can over do it. lol. So then I painted the frame and glued some ribbon on the back.

**note: our staple gun wouldn't work, so I just taped the ribbon to the back. The ribbon really isn't holding the frame up on the wall. The frame is hanging on a nail, and then I put a clear tack in the wall to make it appear like that is what is holding the frame to the wall**

Getting Ready for our Baby Girl

So thought I would just quickly share some of what we have been up to lately. After my baby shower I have been busy getting it all set up and put together.
I found this baby bedding and INSTANTLY knew this is the exact one that I wanted. I didn't want all pink. Plus since her crib has to be in with the little boys, I wanted something with colors that I could draw from and use for the entire room without making it all too girls or too boyish.

Now don't mind the stars on the walls, we haven't had a chance to paint yet in the room. I am going to hang up beadboard wal paper, much higher than the midway point and then paint the top half of the wall. Im not exactly sure what color the top half will be yet, but it will match the bedding. Then I am going to make comforters in either the orange or turquoise for the boys beds.
I hung the paper lanterns and really like how they look. I want to get 2 or 3 pink ones to add to the mix as well.

Side view.

The room view from the door. I should have made the beds lol. I am going to paint the lamps and buy new white lamp shades at Target this weekend. I saw some for like 5.00. I will be making new curtains as well for the room that match.

**Note to self : Can't leave the baby wipes on the little bookcase because Caleb loves to get into them and take them all out of the bucket. I should have remembered he always loved doing this.**

This is a close up of the blanket that my grandma made for us. I think it is so darn cute. I love the little pink and grey elephants. :)

I got the pack and play all set up in the living room for right now. I wanted to make sure that we had the bassinet part to it. We used it for Caleb, but never the bassinet part, so I couldn't remember. The swing is all set up next to it for now as well.

The carseat all ready to go.

I got this carrying thing at Ross yesterday for 12.00. SCORE! It is like 25.00 at Target. I really wanted one of these, so I was so excited to find it for such a good price.

All the clothes hung up in the closet. :) I love how they all look together hanging in there. Look at all that pink lol.

Some of my favorite stuff, and some new stuff as well.

I love the colors in this dress that my aunt got for us. Pictures are sure to follow in this dress.

I got this winnie the pooh outfit on clearance yesterday at Target. Love that it isn't pink lol. I love black and red together, and winnie the pooh is so cute too.

I got this outfit along time ago, and have always loved it. It is pink, brown and red.

I got this outfit at Target last night as well. I think it looks very springy. I love that it isn't pink either. Not that I have anything against pink, I just got so much pink already.

I found this one at Ross yesterday too. It was also on clearance. This is a 6 month outfit. I thought it was so cute...those little polka dot pants and the spagetti straps. :)

Tonight I am working on a butterfly picture for over her crib. Can't wait to share. I keep changing my ideas, so it is taking longer than I thought it would. But I did finally find the frame I am going to use in my frame stash..so that is at least a good start.

Baby Shower 01.02.10

The invitation I made.

The yummy cake. It was a white cake with raspberry filling. Then white icing with shaved pink chocolate all over. It was SO good.

Guests.

My mom the Host.

My aunts.

My cousins.

Friends Coree and her mom Julie and the back of my sister in laws head.

TONS of gifts. Look at all that pink.

LOVE that wrapping paper.

Scrapbooking gifts.

We got 2 of the same carseats. :)

So many gifts.

The bottom of the picture above is the bedding I picked out for her. I love that it isn't the tradtional pinks...like everything else around is.

It was a very nice baby shower. Not many people came, but we figured it was after the holidays and the New Year weekend. But we still got showered with gifts. I could not even believe all that we got.

We came home and I had so much fun putting all the clothes away and all the bedding in the crib.

I will share photos of it all put together tomorrow.

Fridge Calendar Magnets

I made a few of these little magnet calendars for a few people in the family this year. Nothing fancy smanchy or complicated, but just a little something fun.
Here is the brown and green version I did for my brother and his wife. The 2010 was blending in a bit more than I wanted so I outlined it in brown stickles.
Here is the entire thing. The calendars are printed from print and cut image from the silhouette.

This is the black and white version I made for the rest of the family. Super quick and easy.

Just wanted to share.
The look a little plain to me now, but on the fridge they are just a little calendar and look cute. Everyone loved them, so I guess that is all that matters in the end right. :)