Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Snow in NC in December! Yay, what fun for the kiddos (and grown-ups too!) We missed out on sledding this time (those garbage can lids just don't do the trick) but I've ordered some for next time! We went 5 years without a good snow, until last winter. So now I'm thinking we'll have some more... hope so, anyway! Here are the kids enjoying the snow:

Hello December... finally...

Wow, it's almost a week into December and I haven't posted a thing! Just to let you know, (you being the wonderful handful of blog readers that I have), all is fine. Just really busy. Thanksgiving (a completely photoless affair) was wonderful and we really enjoyed having Kent's mother here with us for a week. She sewed and I don't know what I did, honestly... cook and do dishes maybe...but it wasn't crafting!

So, we are getting into the Christmas spirit at our house, just a little more slowly this year. The Friday after Thanksgiving Kent and I had a date night at Table 16 for dinner and then saw the play "Beautiful Star". It was terrific (the food, esp. the Roasted Pumpkin and Feta cheese soup, the night out, and the play)!

This past Friday night we attended a community festival of lights downtown and since I did take photos, I'll share a few:

I'm woefully behind in my Dec. Daily again, but I plan to catch up this week, really... and I did scrap a layout this weekend after we decorated our tree... but I can't show it to you... it's part of a fun Fall Layout Tag I'm participating in over at Noel Mignon... you really should check out the community there for some great holiday ideas in "Santa's Workshop!"

Candlelight Coffee

Last night was our church's annual Candlelight Coffee held to kick off the holiday season. We had over 50 tables decorated and hosted by ladies using their personal china, centerpieces, etc. It is so much fun to see all the creative touches and sweet little favors everyone does. This year my friend Pam helped me decorate and host our "Season of Blessings" table (you can see the favors in my post below). We also gave them some "Indian Corn" candy. Here is our table:

Almost 500 women attended! Our pastors' wives sang 2 lovely songs for us, our Children's & Preschool Pastor showed us how to make lovely Boxwood Christmas trees (he has such a talent with floral arrangements), we dined on little sandwiches and "coffee cup cakes", and were inspired by PJ's stories (PJ is our Pastor's wife). It was a fun evening and maybe by next year I'll be ready to do it again, lol!

Here are a few other tables that were just amazing:

Fall favors... blessings booklets

This weekend I've been working on table favors for the dear ladies that will sit at my table Friday at our church's Candlelight Coffee. It is fun to see all the beautiful decorations and china the women use to decorate an assortment of holiday tables. I'm so thankful to Pam, who is co-decorator and is providing our pottery!

I've made little "blessing booklets" for each place setting... a little something they can use to record their own blessings, or they can take out the cards and have others write their blessings (maybe at Thanksgiving), then re-assemble and have a special little memory booklet. I used my Stampin' Up Top Note die and brown ink, trimmed index cards, oval, leaf and acorn punches, fall felties, stickles, ribbon, and Unity stamps.

Made a mini...

We're having another challenge over at Willow Traders this month (THAW - three a week) and the one for today was a scraplifing challenge from a gallery of the generous sponsors of prize kits. I've been admiring a mini album of Kindergarten Favorties by Michelle Lanning at Work In Progress kits. I don't have that WIP kit (tho' I do have others and LOVE them), so I finally opened up my Core Curriculum kit from Noel Mignon Kit Club and made a mini for Tessa, to record her favs this year. I was also inspired by Noel's school year mini album.

Happy Birthday, Tessa!

Yesterday was Tessa's 6th birthday. She's been so excited (and thinks we'll be celebrating her the whole month of October). Here are a few photos from our "family dinner". Tomorrow, she'll celebrate with friends at the Natural Science Center's "Creature Feature" party.

And I am also including a layout of her "galloping" (this is when she was 4.5 or so). She still loves to gallop and prefers it over running... wonder if she can do a "mile gallop" instead of the "mile run" at school this week? Whatever works!

Hello, October... one of my favorite months!

I've always loved October. We get "picture perfect" days here in NC - crisp cool air, clear blue skies, beautiful leaf colors and my favorite daytime temps (70s). Of course, Tessa thinks October is "her" month since she celebrates her birthday (9th) and Halloween (she adores the decorations and costumes... the candy isn't too bad, either).

Under the willow tree (Willow Traders), we're finishing up our September LEO challenge today (Layout Every Other day) and a new challenge is starting THAW (THree A Week), so come join us for some creative fun! Here is my last LEO layout (where the challenge was to use paint or ink). I painted some chipboard and used my woodgrain tool (also pictured below... I bought it in the paint dept. at Lowe's). I scraplifed Lisa (check out her blog, she's so talented), I used papers from the Scrapbook Circle Sept. kit, and a bunch of assorted embellies I had around here. This photo goes back about 10 years - Seth is 9 months old and Grandma is "teaching" him piano.

Thankful for friends...

Today for the LEO "then and now" challenge, I scrapped my prayer group. My friends, the "th club" (Beth, Ruth, Beth... and they added honorary member Candath way back in '93...) So thankful for their friendship and prayers. Was fun documenting a few highlights. Have journals of our prayers over the years and it is so cool to go back and read them, to see the answered prayers (some the way we hoped, some not... but always in His will and His timing). God is so good and I am so glad he put us in each others' lives.

09-09-09... one week later...

Taking on online class "Fabric Scrapbooking" at Get It Scrapped and participating in a LEO challenge over at Willow Traders. This layout combines the two. Last week, on 09/09/09, I jotted down 9 things I did that day, and gave Tessa the camera to snap some random shots. Now it's recorded. Fairly typical day here, but one we are thankful to God for giving us... for some of us have more days here on earth than others, but it really is about what we do with them. Sometimes, typical or routine days are A-okay... as long as we are thankful. And I am... even though my garage is a mess and my house is cluttered, I am blessed.

There will be a day...

Just need this today. Hope it blesses you if you need an encouraging word as well.

There Will Be a Day by Jeremy Camp

And they're off...

It's the first day of school! Tessa's first day of "big" Kindergarten and Seth's first day of 5th grade. One year together at the same school... I'm guessing I'll be at the school A LOT! Didn't boo hoo at the "Boo Hoo Breakfast"... thought I'd cry when I got home, but not so far. I always get emotional at school milestones, but perhaps I'm growing up. Or maybe it's because I am THRILLED with Tessa's teacher and know that Seth is happy with his class. Fingers crossed and many prayers said for a wonderful school year! Here are a few pictures:

A little more crafting...

I'm still squeezing in a bit of time here and there during this last week before the kiddos go back to school. Mixed feelings about that... have to admit I'm looking forward to some peace & quiet around the house but Tessa's starting "big" Kindergarten... sniff sniff... and Seth will be a 5th grader! Big year... the only one they'll be at the same school!

Here's what I've been making. Played along in a couple of challenges at Noel Mignon's Summer Sizzlin' Crop, a scraplift challenge (scrapped Tara aka Tay) and a color challenge:

Mix It Up! Challenge Layout

Here's a layout I completed for Mixer #26 over at the Mix It Up Challenge Blog:

Thought it was a great sketch to capture a "favorite things" layout. Also, had gotten this fabric in a grab bag recently and the colors worked with the inspiration piece! This is my first "mixer" but I'll be watching these fun challenges and playing along some more in the future. Saw it posted at Scrapbook Circle and just had to try!

Also, yesterday the kids and I made some "faux marbled paper" using a technique I saw posted by Samantha over at Vintage Plum:

So much fun - will definitely be doing this again! Happy August Creating!

Last LEO layout (about me...)

So, I'm sad to see "LEO" go, but it's only for now... the "Layout Every Other day" challenge will return to Willow Traders in Sept., so come join us then! I joined late (using my 3 skips at the beginning of July) but am proud to report that I completed 12 of the 15 challenges. Here's my last one (yes, that is me riding a carousel):
Since we are now in the "Construction" challenge for August (to spend time creating every day... or at least every other day), I hope to get some cards and sewing done. And, we are also having blog hops every weekend, as well as a possible stamping blog hop on Wednesdays, so there's lots of creating going on under the willow tree. Won't you join us? We love kits, food and each other. Come on over to Willow Traders.

Hello August!

Well, I'm a day late welcoming August! But I wanted to complete one more layout for the Willow Traders Blog Hop last night and post it. I'm sort of "overlapping" challenges (LEO and Construction), but I had so much fun scraplifting a layout for LEO#14 that I just had to do another one, so I'll count it is my "construction" challenge. Here it is. I scraplifted Nicole Samuels' fabulout cover layout from the July Scrapbook Trends (you can see it here: Style).

Yesterday I completed this scraplift of Gigi Kennedy at Kenner Road (see her layout: four).

I had the best time using all those buttons and making a more "masculine" flower embellie! Thanks again for stopping by my blog this weekend!

Good-bye July & Willow Traders' Blog Hop

I created this layout today for Leo#13 (challenge to use something old). Well, in the "scrapping world", I think an intact/untouched kit from 2006 classifies as "old", lol. I loved opening Stacy's Zany Zinnia kit "Keeping Warm" and finding that it has a really timeless feel. I cut out the circle and sewed it on, spray inked the background cardstock, and used the fabric strip to make a ruffle behind the precut embellie (things I would not have done had I used the kit 3 years ago). Thanks for stopping by this weekend! Come back Saturday for another creation!

Oh, and good-bye July! Wow, the summer is flyin'...

Life is good.

This past weekend I was privledged to have a ladies' weekend away with my prayer group friends (almost 16 years and going strong). We went to Blowing Rock, NC. Lots of laughter, Rummikub, and relaxing (including rocking on the deck, watching the sunset, and then the bats came out... many of them, I'm afraid... enough to send us in the house to resume our Rummikub marathon, lol). Here are a few photos and the layout I did to capture this wonderful weekend away:

I'm very blessed to have such special friends and a dear hubby who let me enjoy this much-needed weekend away from home!

Sis, this is for you!

Just loved this photo of Tessa & Emma checking out the outhouse, lol! So here's a little layout I did to showcase it:Am having so much fun doing a layout every other day over at Willow Traders this month (LEO challenge). Might have to join the "Construction Challenge" in August too (it'll be to create anything every other day, not just layouts) - we'll see - with back to school, August can get busy!

Summertime... ah...

Here's a little layout I did yesterday that shows one of the reasons I enjoy summer... who doesn't love a visit from the Ice Cream Truck (even if it does mean chasing it down)?

We also enjoyed our annual visit to Mississippi to see Grandma and family! This week, Seth's enjoyed Flag Football camp and today, Tessa and I explored the Children's Museum. I'm having fun playing under the willow tree in the "LEO" (layout every other day) challenge at Willow Traders. Hope you are enjoying your summer... or if you live elsewhere in the world, your winter :-).

Hello, July... happy birthday, America!

Wow, June flew by! It was a blast being a guest designer for Unity Stamp Co. and I've still got a few more projects I am working on to post in July. The next big project on my list is to learn how to use my new digital SLR camera, so hopefully I'll also be posting some "new & improved" photos soon as well.

Here are a few close ups of my "Liberty" banner, inspired by Trish at Work In Progress, and her Banners & Garlands class, as well as a few items from her July Project kit. Also used my Maya Road Mist, Unity stamps, cupcake liners from Target, and assorted craft goodies.

Happy Independence Day!

A little more Unity...

My term as guest designer for Unity Stamp Co. is ending in just a few days. June has been a blast - I have loved it! It truly has been an honor, and I appreciate Angela and the team giving me the opportunity! Of course, I LOVE Unity stamps and will continue to create with them, so feel free to stop by and visit my blog after June!

I thought I'd share a few more things I have created this month. First, a wedding shower gift.

As you can tell, I love using Unity to make coasters and to adorn other items like photo albums or gift bags (this is a JJill bag I "repurposed"). I had a gift card to Williams Sonoma, but wanted something a little more personal for the bride & groom-to-be. I love the "Home is where your story begins" stamp from the November 08 Kit of the Month, the row of houses stamp from the September 08 KOTM, and the adorable house from the Jan 09 KOTM. I also used Loopy Queen and the Fancy Frame from Tiny Trinity.

I also found some fun little aprons for less than $1 each at Home Depot and used some Unity stamps and fabric scraps to decorate them a bit. Thought they would be cute for crafting or keeping your yard sale supplies & money.

Unity stamps used: Retro BBQ... Sweet Summertime kit, Wish Sticks, and the cherries from the June 2009 KOTM (just a few more days to order this one at the kit club price, so hurry!) Other items: Stazon ink, fabric scraps, and Fabritac glue.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you'll come back soon!