a little bit of me.

{Studio Calico's August Boardwalk Revealed!}

I'm telling you....

FAVORITE KIT EVER.

+ #2 Boogie Board + #4 Sandcastle + MORE SC PAPER + MORE COLOR!!!!

and this is what i made with it...

...one of my new favorite Evan pics right now.  And we used it on his superhero bday party invite.  This was the last page that i put together from my layouts this month, and it took about 20 minutes.  LOVE when things work that easy for me and then i like them the best.  ;)  The top cloud paper is all BLUEGRASS and CALICO WHITE misted for the effect.

...Another one of Evan's 4 year old shots (this month was lots of evan, no noah for a change!).  For those of you who don't know what to do with the twine that's included in the Main kit this month - stretch it across your page like i did and then staple it with your TINY ATTACHER.

...LOTS AND LOTS of st john vacay pics here!  and i totally still plan on sharing full sized images on the blog too - hopefully next week.  I'm already ready for another vacay.  ;)  Grab some MORE KRAFT to stretch your kit - it's the perfect neutral base for grid style layouts like this.

...My gorgeous niece Paige.  Photo taken by her mommy - my super talented sister Kristi.  I relish the chance to do girly pages.  And when i saw this pic that she took of Paige for a commercial shoot a few weeks ago, I KNEW that it needed to go on a page for the book that I keep for the girls.  So i layered up lots and lots of the Pink Paislee mistables trim, and then punched my favorite butterflys, and misted up one of the chalkboard stickers with calico white, cream and bluegrass.  The zig-zag stamp was embossed with Aqua Zing!.

...And finally this was just a quick card that I put together when I first got my kit.  I often find that I want to do a card first to get a feel for the kit - if that makes sense?!  Before I dive into the layouts that I want to create with it.  ;)

(I hope that everyone ends up loving this kit as much as i did)

{four.}

Four years ago today...

Precisely at 7:50 am (CST if we're being specific)...

I became a momma...

and our (first) baby boy has since made our lives so incredibly sweet...

And silly...

and i honestly don't know what we did before him.

(xo, sweetpea.  it only took like 47 takes to actually get you to smile a non-cheesy real smile with me here.  ha.)

I had some balloons left over from a client session this past weekend, so Evan and i had a little pre-birthday 'photo celebration shoot' in the backyard...

...

...

...

...and a certain someone is so SO excited for his super-hero themed birthday party this weekend.

:)

{Sneaks from Studio Calico's August Kit}

Between all the craziness of the month, being off the grid of blog-land last week, two giveaways and a blog hop this week, I managed to let my Studio Calico sneak peeks slip from my blog to-do list.

Oh, and not to mention that  I also made all four pages this past Saturday, in a rush to get them done before the deadline that night.  ;)  ha.

I have to say that this kit (+ Addons #2 - Boogie Board and #4 - Sandcastle) completely stole my heart - & August 2011's "Boardwalk" officially now ranks as my FAVORITE ever.

Everything from the amazing SC exclusive print papers this month and Crate Paper exclusive patterned papers for SC (both shown here!)...

...to the 'totally-me' aqua color scheme of the main kit -- made me want to keep making pages with this kit!  (fyi mister hueys calico white and bluegrass used below - a perfect match for this kit.)

...Isn't the days of the week washi tape (above) from addon #4 Sandcastle adorable?

...More Bluegrass above!

...I used Aqua Zing! with the zigzag stamp from Addon #2 Boogie Board below.  Then a bit of Calico Cream on the Chalkboard sticker base (from the Main) that I used for my page title.

...I also got a ton of use out of my Tiny Attacher this month - it worked perfectly for securing all of the pieces of twine that I layered on my pages.

Can't wait to share my pages tomorrow night.  ((& I'm sure this kit will go FAST...))

but first I'll be celebrating a certain someone's 4th birthday tomorrow...

:)

{CK: Tips & Tricks Summer Fun Give-A-Way}

ETA: WINNER INFO --

I love when you do a double page layout just to change things up a bit! Super cute!

Posted by: Brenda Johnston | July 26, 2011 at 03:34 PM

email me with your contact info brenda - thanks!

**************

I've got another give-a-way today! 

AND - the SC giveaway is still running in the post below through today....

CK just released their brand new issue of Tips & Tricks - with a summer fun and travel theme - lots of great inspo in this issue to help you scrap all of your summer pics!

They gave me a scan of one of my layouts in the issue to share here:

...Creating this layout last winter made me want to go back to Paris again, immediately!

If you want to grab your own copy of the issue, you can buy it here and be sure to use the coupon code CKFUN10 (good for free shipping on orders over $25 in the US through 8/8/11).

OR you can leave me a comment on this post for a chance to win a free copy - I'll pick a winner at the end of the week!

:)

{Studio Calico's CHA Summer Blog Hop}

ETA: winner info!

These new colors are gorgeous - so right for your style and photos!!

Posted by: pegg | July 25, 2011 at 11:28 AM

Pegg - email me with your contact info!  thanks!!!

*************

Welcome to the Studio Calico Summer 2011 CHA Release Blog Hop!

This week we're sharing the projects that we created for the Studo Calico booth at CHA this past week.

I was lucky enough to work with both of the two new lines - Autumn Press & Memoir - and create three layouts for SC's booth.

My first page features the new "Scrap Pads" and uses papers from the SC Autumn Press Line, along with one of my favorite photos ever.

My second page feature the Memoir alpha stickers and the vibrant Memoir papers.  The "loves" were cut with my silhouette machine.

And my third page was directly inspired by this past page that i created, and features the Calico border stickers & more of the Memoir line.  It also uses up a bunch of the chipboard clouds, which i adored!

The SC girls are all joining in on the CHA project sharing and blog hop at some point this week - be sure to check back to the SC blog for details and links to everyone in the hop!

And -- To celebrate the new releases, I'm giving away two of my favorites from the new collection...

...Chipboard Clouds (like i used on my 'up in the air layout'!)

...& the Aqua Label Stickers (i was SO excited to see so much aqua in this new line).

Be sure to leave me a comment and I'll post a winner on Wednesday.  YAY!  :)

{the week of chickenpox.}

noah "re-entered" the world on Tuesday morning of this past week, free from contagious chickenpox.

Hooray!

& somehow this last week managed to escape me.  Because i had really wanted to document our CP week in particular on the blog.

so here it is now.  :)

...on monday we seemed fine except for some bizarre bumps on N's head (under his hair) that i discovered that morning.

...by tuesday we were a spotty mess.  ;)

...and knee-deep in aveeno oatmeal baths.

And so went the week (spent entirely in Hanna Anderrson footless jammies for N - to keep him away from as many of the pox as possible) , in a repetitive cycle of playtime, oatmeal bathtime, CP Rx med-time (4x a day for 5 days), and rocking N to sleep so he wouldn't scratch and scar.

...Ev and i found fun things to do (at HOME) like making 'chickenpox cupcakes' for everyone (N included) and practice writing e's name and watching lots of batman & scooby doo.

By Friday afternoon, Evan and I were desperate to get out, and met Eric in the Costco parking lot to hand-off Noah.  And I don't think that two people have ever enjoyed costco more.  ;)

and then this week it was simply back to normal, with one less vaccination needed for N.

:)

{My Boys.}

ETA: WINNER --- (email me with your contact info!)

Love the profiles! So, so adorable! Thanks for the chance.

Posted by: Jen B. | July 19, 2011 at 09:54 PM

**************

Right Now.  At (almost) 4 years and 13 months old... & In silhouette form...

...this little crafty project and tutorial from my friend Nisa ended up being the perfect addition to my mantle re-do this week.

Following along with Nisa's step by step guide, it took me less than an hour to take pics of both the boys - make my silhouette brush "stamp" in photoshop, and then create this 5x7 print with the templates that are included in her silhouette digi kit (note: i did customize the colors in the templates to fit my decor!).

I had my 5x7 prints printed at costco this morning - grabbed a cheapy, glossy turquiose frame at target to pair with an ikea silver frame that i already had...

...and voila.  I'm loving a little something new to look at around here!

If you want to give it a try yourself - you can grab Nisa's kit HERE (it's on sale for the rest of today for 32% off as is the ENTIRE REST OF HER DIGI COLLECTION! -- a birthday promo, happy 32nd Nisa!)...

OR you can leave me a comment on this post, and I'll draw a winner at the end of the week to recieve the kit.

:)

{at 13 Months...}

So, we've been a bit busy around here.

First - me with lots and lots of scrap and photography work.  Which is great, yet also exhausting.

and Second - Noah decided that this week would be a nice time to break out with a case of ChickenPox.  :(

oy.  and so that's what's been going on around here -- hence the lack of blog posts.  ;)

and all week last week i really wanted to get Noah's every month post up - but it's taken me until now...  so here it is!

(the first post sans onesie...!)

(photo - on the beach the day before hitting his 13 mo milestone)

And so, at 13 Months Noah...

...weighs 20.4 lbs.

...has 4 teeth.  I think that the 4th - his top right must have popped in right before he hit 13 months (and while he was staying with his grandparents while we were in St John).

...is WALKING.  but still scooting a ton too.  ;)

...LOVES mac n cheese.  as in it's his favorite thing to eat right now.  either that or graham crackers crumbled up, or mini baby goldfish.  sadly cheerios have fallen by the wayside for the most part.

...naps once a day - usually about 1pm - for about 2-3 hours.

...ADORES evan's train table.  And loves to commander the toy cars, with no real interest in the trains, and "drives" the cars around the table and train track - circling it and saying "vroom".

...chimes in with his own version of "YAAAAY" anytime evan or i cheer it.  and there's usually claps accompanying it.

...still takes a bath in the baby tub.

...LOVES book time.  His new favorites are 'ready set go' and 'wheres babys belly-button'.

...like to walk all over me, around me and on top of me while im sitting on the floor playing with him.  He also LOVES to stick his finger as far into my ear as possible.  I tell him "EAR" and he repeats "ehhhhr" when I ask him what it is.  SO cute.

...is happiest when he gets to play with evan's array of "big-boy" toys.  duplo legos, sports balls, and cars are his absolute FAVE.

...got his first haircut the week before hitting 13 months.  Which was really just a little trim so that his hair didn't look like it was all one length.  He did amazing, and sat on my lap the entire time.

...& is so affectionate and adorable.  We love it when he crawls into our lap or gives us a big hug at bedtime.

xoxox, sweetpea.

(photo - last Saturday - minus the chickenpox he would break out with on Monday!)

{a QUILT for a cause.}

anyone remember this mini-quilt?

well..... If you perhaps liked it so much you wanted it for yourself ;) -- you may be in luck!

i've donated it to my friend Kristina to auction off on her blog - to benefit Caylin's Cure.  Caylin is Kristina's 5 year old daughter, who was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes last March.  All proceeds go to help fund Diabetes Research.  So I encourage you to PLEASE BID!!!! :)

If you're interested in bidding - just hop on over to her blog here and leave a comment with your bid amount (if that amt is higher than the bid before you!).

When Kristina asked me to be a part of this fundraiser, and I dug the little tree mini quilt out of my craft closet, I also found an abandoned quilt-top that I had sewn & pieced before Noah was born.  Carpel tunnel craziness took over my wrists & hands at the end of that pregnancy, and I was unable to finish the quilt.  Fast forward a year, and I just haven't had the time (or energy!) to sandwich, quilt and bind it.

And since my quilting blog posts have been FEW & FAR between this past year, I did want to at least share the quilt-top in this post...

...because, lucky enough - it's found a new home with my friend Emily who was looking for something for her cute new baby Henry in this same pattern.  A total coincidence but I'm super-excited that it's going to a good home and will be made into a quilt soon enough!

I followed the tutorial that I linked above, and used lots of fabric from my stash - most out of print (before you email me and ask where you can buy it ;).

I'd like to make something else (someday!) with this pattern - and finish it! - as I really love how the scrappy patchwork circles turned out.

And finally - just a little peek at the quilting project that seems to have been dragging on over the ENTIRE LAST YEAR.  Which just tells you how little i have quilted since Noah was born.

This is for my good friend Katie's baby - who was born LAST OCTOBER - yikes.  Sorry Katie!!!  ;)  I actually did get to sneak in a few hours of quilting time on it last week though.  Which i consider a small miracle.

:)

{the fourth.}

happy late LATE 4th to everyone.

:)

(eric just yelled that i haven't blogged in a week, so i thought i'd better get on that asap! ;)

we spent the weekend just chilling at home, which was very much needed, after the last few weeks...

i forced everyone to take the latest installment in my year-long series of holiday family photos...

...this was my favorite out-take!  ;)

...and then i made the boys let me take a photo of them.

...evan just tries to "guide" noah into place and into looking at the camera, which i love.  ;)

...we also did lots of playing outside and bubble blowing.

...and i even made this peach cobbler recipe for dessert.  which was BEYOND yum!

:)