Newest Paper Bag Album

I had a request from one of my friends to make another paper bag album. Someone she knows saw the last one I made and asked if I could make one for a baby shower gift for someone having a baby girl. So, after a couple months of procrastinating (seriously) I finally started this one on Friday night. I got to work on it in my new craft space (more on that in a later post).

I'm sure this will be boring to those not interested in crafts, but for my crafty friends I wanted to show a little more of the process. So here goes...

I actually pulled out my Cricut. I rarely use it, but thought I wanted to try some flowers in this album. It was fun. I need to use this more often.





Started with just 3 paper lunch sacks.


Then I figured out all of the layouts before glueing them to the paper bags. It's pretty fun to mix and match all of the papers, buttons and ribbons.



Here's the final product...












This one turned out quite thick with all the buttons and flowers.


This angle shows how the bags open to hold an insert for more photos or memorabelia.


And finally a shot of all the journaling tags that tuck into the pockets.


Isn't this cute? I love how it turned out. I really need to make some more of these for our craft show this fall, but you know me the procrastinator, maybe I should start now, lol.

Most recent CTMH swap

Well, I participated in another Close To My Heart swap at the beginning of May. Each time the newest Idea Book comes out, we have the opportunity to do a swap with 42 other consultants. Once we get our assigned paper pack and accessory, we then make 44 of the same (or close to the same) item. We send them all to the woman organizing the swap, she in return sends us all 1 of each of the 42 items (including our own). She also keeps one item for herself for organizing the event and she sends one to CTMH Corporate Office to show off our artwork.

*On a side note, my last swap card was recognized by Corporate for 3rd Runner Up in the March 2009 monthly contest. I had no idea until Linda told me she saw it on the website. I won $10 in product credit. That's pretty cool!

So here was my project this time around.




I did a 6x6 mini layout. I used the new "Animal Cookies" Creative Basics Paper Pack and my accessory this time was Clear Buttons. I think it came out pretty cute. I really like the Cottage Floral stamp set I used. It was a lot of cutting of flowers and leaves, but I like the 3-D effect.

I sent one with a baby picture of Mateo on it. That's the one that will be sent to Corporate. The others are all left blank for the other consultants to add their own artwork.

Here's the obligatory photo with all 44 items in it. It's always a big sense of accomplishment when you finally finish and see them all together!!


Linda also participated this time around and I love her cards!! Take a look!

Hello.... is this thing on?

Is anyone still attempting to read this blog? I can't believe it's been almost a month since I posted something on here! I'm sorry I've been so bad about that! I do have photos to post, but they're still sitting on my camera. So once I get those onto my computer I'll go back in time a bit on my posts.

As for this weekend, we have Forest Grove Little League photos today, so that will take up most of the morning. We also have to turn in our Cookie Dough fund raiser forms, which I only showed to my mom, so we didn't do very much to help out the league this time around. I just have a hard time telling too many people about that stuff right now with it being so tight for so many right now.

While I take the boys to the photo shoots, Chico will be off at the Free Paper Shredding event here in Forest Grove. We have boxes of shred stuff. Since Chico hasn't been working, he's been on a mission to go through all of our stuff and get rid of things. It's a good idea, but it's so much work and it really overwhelms me. We're going to have a garage sale here in a couple of weeks and hopefully our house will be in some sort of order after that. It looks awful at the moment.

One good thing that has come out of all this cleaning is that Chico has agreed that I can have the one (partially unfinished - no flooring yet) big room downstairs for my Craft Space - woo hoo!! He started painting it yesterday while I was at work. It's a yellow color. Hopefully it's the "right" color because I'll be living with it for awhile. Now to figure out how to store all my crap, oh I mean crafts, lol. I have a mish mash of storage solutions I've purchased over the years, so I'm trying to use most of them for now, but there's one bookcase that I really want from Ikea, so I need to save my $$ for that.

Well, I'd better run. I'm off to start my day. Have a great Saturday everyone. It looks like it's going to be pretty nice here. Toodles!

A shout out to all my Peeps

I'm not a big "Peeps" candy fan, but I remembered getting an email this time last year that just cracked me up. The subject line read "The Ultimate Peep Show". Normally I may have second guessed opening an email with a subject line like that, afraid of what might pop up on my screen, but it must have come from a friend so I opened it. This was what it was.



I know it's not exactly appropriate for Easter (so I'm posting an hour before Easter day), but it still cracks me up when I see it!

I wondered if there might be some other creative "Peep" photos out there and I was pleasently surprised to find quite a few, like these...



This one cracks me up - "The Trouble With Tribbles" Peeps style!






I also found that the Washington Post has an annual Peeps Diorama Contest. You can see the 2008 results here. There are some pretty good ones. I'll have to check out the 2009 results when they're published.

Peace out Peeps and Happy Easter!

A Sunday Funny

My cousin Cathie sent this to me today and I had to share.



Have a great Sunday!

All a-twitter

OK, now I've gone and done it. I've added another time waster to my ever growing répertoire. I've become a member of Twitter as of yesterday morning.

Are my thoughts so important that I need to keep the world constantly updated? I mean this blog is probably bad enough, but now any time I have a thought I can just blurt it out to the universe (so to speak).

I'm even following celebrities on Twitter. I mean I actually sent a tweet to Demi Moore this morning at the suggestion of her husband Ashton Kutcher! Who am I??

I'm sure it will be fun to keep up with my close (not in Hollywood) friends, but I guess I'm still questioning whether I should be doing this. I'm already one of the biggest procrastinators I know and I don't think this will help.

Oh well, just had to get that off my chest. Twitter me!! :o)

A little fun before the show

I got to be back stage last night at Oliver before the show and watch the kids warm up. My battery was low in my camera, so I didn't get to record very much, but I did get a couple of clips I thought I'd share. The drama teacher at Forest Grove (Bonnie McCabe) is such a great lady and the kids have so much fun! This was some of their dancing before they started the voice warm ups. Enjoy!!

Happy 9th Birthday Mateo!

March 6th, 2000. Our fist born makes his entrance...



Mateo's froggy legs.



About a month old, just hanging out in his chair.



Such a happy baby.





















He has always been such a natural posing for photos.



Back in his chair again at age 1.



Believe it or not, we still have this chair. Hmmm, I see a photo op in the near future.

Mateo had his final dress rehersal last night for Oliver (which opens tonight), so the only photos I got of him last night on his last day of being 8 were in full costume. Here's the performer...



Attempting to pick Fagin's pocket...



Mateo getting his pocket picked by Nancy...



What a cute orphan!



Great job last night Mateo! We hope you have a fantastic birthday today! We love you so much and can't wait for everyone to see you on Opening Night at Oliver tonight!

Happy 6th Birthday Jax!!

March 5th, 2003...



Isn't he just a little bug?





















Mateo holding Jax at a week old.






















This was fun to find last night. We don't have a video camera, so I have a few random video clips from my digital camera here and there. In this video Jaxon was around 4 1/2 months old. Jax was still sleeping in our bedroom in his bassinet. (I just realized that Jaxon still sleeps with that blanket that's in the bassinet - funny!)



So last night, right before Jax went to bed, Chico asked him if he could take a picture of him on his last day of being 5 since he's going to look so different today, now that he'll be 6! Here's our "baby"...







Happy Birthday Jax!! We hope you have a wonderful, fun day!! We love you!

Oliver!

Mateo's about to be a part of the Forest Grove High School Spring Musical "Oliver"!

Opening night is this Friday, March 6th at 7:30pm in the High School Auditorium! This also happens to be Mateo's 9th Birthday! This will be a different way to celebrate. :o)

Mateo was one of 7 elementary school aged children picked to be part of the group of Orphans in the play. The little kids have no lines, but they do sing and dance several numbers.

I've watched some of the rehearsal and have to say the actors/singers are quite talented. I can't wait to watch the complete show!

For anyone interested these are the show times & dates:

Friday, March 6th @ 7:30 pm - Opening Night
Saturday, March 7th @ 7:30 pm
Sunday, March 8th @ 2:00 pm (the only matinee performance)
Thursday, March 12th @ 7:30 pm
Friday, March 13th @ 7:30 pm
Saturday, March 14th @ 7:30 pm - Final Performance

Tickets are on sale at the High School now or you can purchase them at the door.
$6 each Students & Seniors
$8 each Adults

I'll try to take photos during the dress rehearsal to post on here. I don't believe we're supposed to have flash photography during the actual performances, so hopefully I'll get at least a couple good shots!

Hope to see you there!