Create a life you love

Wow, busy never felt so good...

2011-05-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was the Cocoa Daisy crop.... and we celebrated both my daughters' birthdays, which are a week apart. Then I spent all week completing as many CD challenges as I could, and this weekend we have a soccer team party at our house...whew...I'm a little tired.

Here's some of the things I made for the crop:

and a few more:

Seriously, is it May??

2011-05-10T12:55:00.000-07:00

I just simply can't believe that it's May. How did this happen? And around here May means 'Birthdays'. Tomorrow Courtney will turn 12!! And then next Thursday, Lindsey will turn 14!!! It is totally crazy, and I just want to make this darn time clock stop, they are getting way too big. Well anyway enough of that, I found time this weekend to make a few things, yay!

Oh, and don't forget to stop by http://www.cocoadaisy.com/ (my favorite kit club) this weekend for the online crop! It is sooo much fun and the inspiration will make your head spin!

A couple of cards for good measure...

2011-04-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to clean up my scrappy space lately, but then I find all kinds of treasures and scraps that I just can't throw away. So what's a girl to do??? Why make cards of course!

Happy late Easter!!

2011-04-26T19:41:00.000-07:00

We had a crazy busy Easter as always. Visting all the family. Eating lots of chocolate bunnies. Hunting for lots of eggs. Here's some of our memories.

Just checking in....

2011-04-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a layout I did for the color challenge over at the Crate Paper blog:

Love these colors, and I have been itching to use this ribbon on a layout, soooo pretty!

More layouts to share= Happy Me!

2011-03-16T11:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend I opened my March Cocoa Daisy kit and started making some pages. Love the colors, so rich and cozy. Here's a few I made so far:

Busy creating.....

2011-03-09T10:16:00.000-08:00

This is a page I did for a challenge over at the Crate Paper blog...love me some Crate Paper!

And these are some pages I made recently using the February Cocoa Daisy kit.

Great Giveaway.....

2011-01-18T10:43:00.000-08:00

I was just over at http://camilleroskelley.typepad.com/simplify/ and she is having a wonderful giveaway of her new book!!! I have it, and it is amazing, you'll love it.

Some recent layouts that I wanted to share.

2010-12-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

I participated in an online crop over at Cocoa Daisy, and these are some of the challenges I completed.

Cocoa Daisy inspiration

2010-11-18T10:26:00.000-08:00

So I joined in on the Cocoa Daisy online fall crop and this was one of the class projects taught by the talented http://rondapalazzari.typepad.com/. I love the way mine turned out, I might even make another one in Fall colors.

This last photo is courtesy of Courtney. She made this and then came to me and said, "Mom, if I take a picture of this, can you post it on your blog? Well of course!"

Using my October Cocoa Daisy kit

2010-11-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

Here are a few layouts that I've made lately:

Been busy creating...

2010-11-02T11:07:00.000-07:00

So I've been on a creative 'high' lately. I just can't seem to find enough time in the day to finish all the stuff swimming around in my head. Now I know from experience that this 'high' just won't last, so I am totally going with it!

I made this halloween mini with stuff that I've been collecting for awhile. This is a 'through the years' look at halloween.

I love embroidery, it is so fun to just sit and stitch. I fell in love with this little fall saying and the pattern to turn it into a pillow. I am pleased with how it turned out.

Some home-sewn pumpkin goodness

2010-10-14T13:59:00.000-07:00

When I saw these adorable pumpkins at http://www.figtreequilts.com/main.html I knew that I had to make them. So easy and fun to make, and they turned out sooooo cute!!!

I won't even try to make excuses.....

2010-09-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

So, wow, I've been pretty neglectful of this poor little blog. So I am going to get right back into things around here. I've been scrapbooking! Yay, that's always a good thing. Still loving my Cocoa Daisy kits every month, these are all made using the Sept. kit.

It really challenges me to get some layouts done if I know that there's another kit coming next month. It works for me.

We're pretty excited around here because, we moved!!! We bought a new house (new to us anyway). I am completely enjoying this new adventure and chapter in our lives. We are almost completely unpacked and settling in quite nicely. More photos of the inside to come on another post.

Happy Easter

2010-04-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

We had beautiful, chilly, overcast weather here in California. It was a great Easter Sunday, church services in the morning, an awesome meal spent with family, and an egg hunt in Grandma and Grandpa's backyard.

Bad Blogger- (guilty)

2010-02-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

I thought that I would share this pillow that I made with the blog world. I had a lot of fun coming up with this one. I just love setting decorative pillows around the house.

The Beginnings of my December Daily '09

2009-12-02T16:02:00.000-08:00

So excited, and relaxed, about the Holidays this year!! I found time to put together this year's December Daily ( this is where I choose a photo from each day in December in order to document our family's holiday season). I love this idea, and I especially love looking back at these over the years.

A few halloween pics

2009-11-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

A very unhappy looking Queen Amidala, an Indian Princess and a puppy.

Even Ron dressed up, I was the designated photographer. We had soccer games in the morning, then rushed home to get all dressed up, then to the park for a church harvest party, and then to a friends house to trick or treat.....busy, busy.

Even cousin, Kristina, joined us for the fun.

Pumpkin Patchin'

2009-10-21T09:27:00.001-07:00

This is a great little treasure in our California desert. I look forward to coming here every year.

The time of day wasn't ideal, too much harsh light, but it is what it is, still able to get a few good shots.

I love how we all three ended up in this shot, Courtney is sitting behind us on a pumpkin (didn't plan that one).

Can I just say again how much I love fall!!!

Handmade Pumpkins

2009-10-17T16:27:00.000-07:00

I made these cuties with my mom's old bedspreads (thanks mom). I dyed them with two shades of orange Rit Dye, then cut them up and sewed them into pumpkins and stuffed 'em. I little bit of raffia for that just picked look and they are ready to be displayed. Happy Fall!!!

Road Trip Mini

2009-10-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

I have been working on this Road Trip mini album ( I use the word 'mini' lightly, because this thing is pretty big). I used the entire 'Little Yellow Bicycle' Travel line, including this liscense plate size chipboard book. I covered all the pages with Pattern paper first.

Then the photos and journaling blocks.

Then I went through and filled the pages with embellishments.

I love these chipboard 'days of the week' stickers. It really made it fun to count down what happened on each day.

Here I used a filmstrip transparency that opens in the middle, it was perfect for sliding a few more photos in.

It feels good to have it finished.

Here's what I've been working on

2009-09-25T11:31:00.001-07:00

Saw the idea for this page here: http://creatingkeepsakesblog.com/2009/09/18/guest-blogger-cd-muckoskys-one-hour-layout/ Great painting/masking techniques. I love the artsy feel of the page, and it sure felt good to play!

These next three layout are all done with Cocoa Daisy's September monthy kit. And if you know me, you know that I absolutely adore Ali Edwards and this kit was inspired by her and so were my layouts actually.

Lots of changes around here

2009-09-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Lindsey started 7th grade,WOW, and started going off to school each day instead of homeschooling like she has done all her life. She is doing so good, and really likes it. Second change is that we have a new puppy named Cobi, she is actually about 5 months, but still very puppy. Lots of adjustments there, with not being able to leave the house for long periods of time, training her to obey and go potty where we say. All good changes, life is different.

Back to 24/7 soccer around here

2009-08-11T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well, soccer is in full swing again. Twice a week practices and multiple games on Saturdays.

Opening Day ceremonies this past Saturday. It was a beautiful day about 93*.

Sometimes I feel like it completely consumes our lives, but it is really good exercise for my kids and dad coaches their teams so we are all together. We have met some of the nicest people through soccer too. It's a good thing....

Summer Vacation

2009-08-10T08:20:00.000-07:00

This is a road trip that my family and I took in July. What a great time! We went up the California coast, Highway 1. I highly recommend it to all. My parents went with us. It was a great all around family vacation.

This is Pismo Beach, we camped there a few nights.

This is in Monterey, on Fisherman wharf.

This is in Santa Cruz, on the Boardwalk. This place is amazing!

And our campground in Felton. It was real woodsy...loved it!

The Star of India

2009-06-10T10:05:00.000-07:00

Great day trip! If you are at all interested in ships, this is awesome. San Diego harbor, boat tours, great photo ops and there is even the ship that was in the movie 'Master and Commander'. We had such a great time.

I've been working on some stuff

2009-06-10T08:01:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun putting this together. My family and I went on the Metro on a school field trip down to LA, and I just knew that this Cityscape mini album by 7Gypsies was perfect for this trip. I used all different kinds of papers, I made yo-yo fabric flowers and folded paper flowers. I really wanted the colors to reflect Olvera street. To see the entire album go to http://www.twopeasinabucket.com/pg.asp?cmd=display&layout_id=1492774

I'm back

2009-03-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share. I took an amazing class at Cool Scrapbook Stuff in Poway, CA a couple Saturdays ago taught by Katie Watson ( she is a wonderfully talented lady). I finished my book a few days ago and am so pleased with how is turned out! I really learned a lot from Katie, and that is always the goal when you take a class, not only to walk away with an amazing project but to learn something new.

What a weekend!!

2009-01-19T21:20:00.001-08:00

So aside from being pretty darn sick myself, we had a most awesome weekend! Both my girls won their entire division at AllStars. This is a first for us and it was so exciting. Now we go on to Tournament of Champions in two weeks in Palm Springs. I am so proud of them both and my husband as he is the coach for Courtney's team. Go Victorville!

More snow pix

2008-12-20T20:19:00.001-08:00

A picture is worth a 1000 words, so I will keep it short and sweet....Snow makes me happy!

I drove around today and I felt like I was in another state. California desert is lovin' this treat!

It's Snowing! Snowing! Snowing!

2008-12-17T12:56:00.000-08:00

So it's been awhile, I know, I just can't keep up with this blog so I gave up trying.....but this is just so exciting! We hardly ever get snow, but it just keeps coming down out there.

I'm going to try and work on my Countdown to Christmas book today. I will post the photos of it soon.

Holiday Planner

2008-11-05T10:39:00.000-08:00

When I saw this new Christmas line from My Mind's Eye "Be Merry", I just knew that it was destined for great things, well to be made into great things anyway. Months ago I decided that in order to have a simple organized holiday season that I needed a place for everything, hence, a Holiday Planner. This is what I came up with.

It is a 3 ringed chipboard binder from Pinecone Press. There are no guts in it yet. I plan to use sheets of 8x8 chipboard and 8x8 acrylic sheets and punch holes in them with the Cropadile. I also plan to use envelopes and lined pattern paper and just about anything else that suits my fancy or is lying around.

I am also going to either make or buy some recipe holders to insert so that I can put all my holiday recipes in this book. I plan on keeping all my Christmas shopping lists in here. Also lists of projects that I want to make, or gifts I need to make.

I will post the inside of the book as soon as I start to fill it.

A week in my life

2008-10-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

I am really enjoying documenting a week in my life. Over at http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/ Ali Edward's blog she has presented a challenge this week to document your daily life in photos and words. I have actually learned a lot, and it makes me thankful. It has also made me play with photoshop this week, I'm not very good at that stuff, but I'm learning.

Woke up monday morning to rain, so nice! Doesn't the rain always make everything look clean and bright.
My treadmill, getting used a little more lately.

Of course, school everyday. Homeschooling at the dining room table.

The beautiful sky over the park at soccer practice, twice a week here.

Well, that's a little peek into my week so far. I'm really excited about putting this project together.

Lovin' this card

2008-09-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

Cards are so cool and so quick. I had so much fun making this and I am really pleased with how it turned out. To be perfectly honest, I just wanted to use this new pom-pom ribbon...love that. I sewed it right onto the card with my sewing machine.

So September is here and almost gone

2008-09-20T18:13:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love days when you feel so productive? Well on this particular day I was on my game! As some of you might not know I homeschool my two daughters, and well it's challenging. But on this day I was energized and the girls had requested that I make 'potato cheese soup' and 'apple pie' for dinner and dessert, and well most days I would just laugh and say "I don't think that's going to happen", but I did it. And can I just say yumm!!

Summer's coming to an end

2008-08-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

We start back to school next week. Back to schedules. I am excited to start our homeschooling year, 6th and 4th grades. Overall I feel refreshed, rejuvenated ready to jump in. Although today I am actually sick, getting a cold, sore throat, runny nose... I can't believe it.

So I finally finished 'Breaking Dawn', yes, it took me longer than most, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great book! Now I need to finish the last couple chapters in 'The Host' and then I will decide what to start reading next...probably some books on homeschooling that I bought, to get me all pumped up!!

So much cool stuff

2008-08-28T13:39:00.000-07:00

So I have been buying a lot of really cool stuff lately, so new I need to use it. Do you ever feel like you have so many idea floating around in your brain, but then when you do finally get a free moment you just sit and stare...that's pretty much where I'm at right now. I need to just start playing around with stuff and not worry what it's purpose is going to serve....PLAY. I bought Ali Edwards' new book http://creatingkeepsakes.com/shop/item.ihtml?idx=786 idx=786 ...yeah, it is so good! There's something like 52 mini book ideas in it!!!

Twilight Series

2008-08-10T20:21:00.000-07:00

So I am such a huge fan of these amazing books! Stephenie Meyer is an amazing writer. She writes in a very simple, personal way. While reading you feel like you are just watching a movie unfold in front of you. I have always had a little thing for Vampires (thanks to The Lost Boys). Vampires and Pirates, what's a girl to do? Anyway, I am reading Breaking Dawn (the fourth book in the series just released) right now. It is taking me longer than I want to read it, but I am a slow reader and like to savor each word. This book is amazing so far...but then again I didn't expect anything less from the brilliant Stephenie Meyer.

So I've been a bad blogger

2008-08-10T20:03:00.000-07:00

Well, for my birthday Ron bought me concert tickets to Coldplay!!!!! I was shocked. They are my favorite band, love them! So in July we went to Las Vegas to the MGM Grand hotel to see Coldplay......OMG! Can I just say that I had never been to anything like it in my life. It was soooo awesome, everybody knew all the words to all the songs and sang in unison. It gives me goosebumps just remembering what it was like. They put on the best show. Chris Martin is so goofy and full of energy...love him. This event will definitely go in my top 10 favorite life moments. Thank you Ron.

Some Stuff

2008-07-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

These are two layouts that I have done recently, not much but it's something. I'm really loving being able to go back and forth between 81/2x11 and 12x12. Looking out for more me time to create in the near future here.

Somebody turned 32

2008-07-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Yep, 32! Wow, I sure don't feel 32, I guess that's a good thing. That's my nephew Hunter in the bottom corner. My mom made me a cake, my mom is the best!

When I went to post today I realized that I didn't take many photos in the month of June. Not much to pick from. I went to Palm Springs with 12 girlfriends last weekend, but I'm waiting for someone to e-mail me some photos, because I was lazy and didn't take any. I've been really disappointed lately with my camera, I don't know if it is me or the camera, but I'm in a funk over it. I feel like all my photos are dark or blurry. Anyway enough whining. We are getting the outside of our house painted this week by my awesome painter dad. Also I am probably going to paint both my bathrooms this week or next so that we can put down new tile flooring in them...can't wait for that.

Well, I will probably post later some of the stuff I have been working on...stay tuned.

What's been happening around here

2008-06-12T09:54:00.000-07:00

So we got a new little member to our family, her name is Mindy. She was six weeks old when we got her. She's just the sweetest little thing and we are already in love.
Monday we had a family day. We went to Ontario Mills and first had breakfast at 'HoneyBaked Ham'. Then did some clothes shopping. Then we took the girls to 'Build A Bear Workshop' and these are the cute cuddlies that they picked. Next we took them to see 'KungFu Panda', great kids movie, Jack Black is super funny. I love family days!
This is my SEI club kit https://www.qbaroo.com/clubsei/largeImage.cfm?product=43 that my good friend Gabrielle told me about. I get it every other month and just love it. You can't tell by my horrible photo, but the paper has metallic foil on it, so it shimmers in the light, super pretty. I feel a mini coming on. I am just itching to get some time to myself, so that I can work on some stuff. I have so many ideas running through my head that I want to bring to life. Summer break is almost here.....yeah!

Back on track

2008-05-29T07:13:00.000-07:00

Wow life has been soooo crazy busy. I started this blog with such great intentions, and then well life happened. So here is some catch up. This is a book that I made for my mom for Mother's Day. It is chipboard and thin acrylic mixed. I had so much fun making this book, pretty fast too.

I filled it with pictures of her favorite people in the world...her kids and grandkids.

I used My Mind's Eye/Wild Asparagus papers and a little K & Co

My daughter Courtney and I shared Mother's Day this year as it was her 9th birthday on the 11th of May. Every 5 years or so we share Mother's Day and I love it. We started out by going out to breakfast at my favorite 'Molly Brown's', then we went to church, then to my mom's to celebrate the day...great Mother's Day/Courtney's Birthday.

Then a week later we celebrated my older daughter's Birthday, Lindsey turned 11. She wanted the whole 'Hannah Montana' party thing.

Then something very sad happened to our family we lost our precious kitty, Jade. She was such a huge part of our lives and our only pet! She was an indoor cat and somehow snuck out and it's been 2 weeks and no sign of her...we are heartbroken.

And lastly, we went on vacation. We went to the California Coast, which included Pismo Beach, Santa Maria, and Solvang. My dad has an old car and likes to enter it in car shows, so that was the main reason that we went, it was so relaxing and so beautiful.

Step by step look

2008-05-08T09:27:00.000-07:00

First, I picked a piece that I wanted for my cover and then used some raw chipboard letters and stuck them one.

Then I picked a happy paint color and painted the whole piece and some others that will go in the inside. I used a polka dot mask on some {the liner from Magic Mesh, love that}.

Next, I used a creamy yellow to paint this odd shaped chipboard piece {I alway wondered what I would do with it}

Then I piled everything that I wanted to use in this mini book and got my wonderful Crop-a-dile, and just started punching holes, knowing that I was going to hold it together with two rings.

These are some shots of the bare but finished book. {the printed card and envelope are from an Amy Butler Card set}

I love the randomness of this project, no perfection here!

Now I will come back to this project as I am moved and fill it up with STUFF. Lists, journaling, photos, favorites, all that good stuff.

2008-05-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

So last weekend on her blog Ali Edwards put out a weekend challenge to use up those unused pieces of mini books, scraps, chipboard, just stuff that you have hanging around, {loved this idea}. So this is my take on it.