monday vent...and some layouts

View of the pond across from our condo

I originally intended to write this blog entry at 9 this morning. I uploaded some recent pictures, sat at my desk, and then the HVAC guy came to look at our leaking unit. Ugh. We have owned our condo for two years this July. We had some trouble with the AC last year and the first quote we received we were told we would need to replace the entire unit due to the exterior unit having heavy rust damage because of where they were located in the condo complex. My husband was away in El Salvador for National Guard AT so I had to make all these decisions alone. I got a second opinion and they suggested ust getting a few parts repaired for now.

Fast forward to this a.m.

I'm a researcher by nature. I want to know all there is to know about an issue so I can make an informed decision. But unfortunately, my nature stresses me out. We were told this a.m. we need to (at least) replace the exterior unit because 1/3 of the lower coils are rusted out. But because it runs on the type of freon that was outlawed in 2010 we have to replace the outer unit ASAP because they are no longer manufactured. If we don't we will need the entire unit and connectors replaced which will be very costly and complicated because of the set up of our condo townhome. Though from my research we might have to do this anyway since it seems in 2020 the freon used in our older unit will no longer be available.

Ugh.

We are just about to trade in our pick up truck and buy a much needed car. Both of ours are 10+ years old and need to be replaced. We don't want additional debt so we are trying to do that mostly loan free. But now the AC unit?

Ugh.

I'm trying very hard to accept. It is what it is. We will do what we have to and we will get by. It is just discouraging to each be working 2 jobs and still feel like we are just scraping by with a little extra for an occasional dinner out but not much more.

I would like to hit the "good news" lottery instead of the "bad news" variety.

I'm sure others can relate?!

Now that I have vented....I am going to try hard to switch gears and focus on what is good. I have some recent layouts I completed that I really like.

I've been inspired lately by layouts I've been seeing with a grid-like design with clusters of pattern paper "stacks." So I created this using the Dear Lizzy Neapolitan 6x6 pad and a few other random bits.

love

 I scraplifted this layout from one I pinned on pinterest by lilybee. I  documented some of my favorite books.
I wanted to try out the heavy marker lines for my journaling that I keep seeing others do...

some favorite books

I've been enjoying watching all the YouTube scrap process videos I can, browsing pinterest and blogs for inspiration. I don't usually use sketches but have found it refreshing. Changing things up a bit. I think I want to try some challenges too. Any scrapping challenges out there that you enjoy?

Thanks for reading:)

little scrapper

This crazy little side-kick of mine has seemed to enjoy all things creative since she could walk and talk! A girl after my own heart! She loves paint and can focus on it for quite a long time for her age (2). As an art therapist it has been so much fun watching her learn and develop creatively. My husband has been saying that I should set her up with some scrapbook supplies and a few extra photos she can play with while I'm scrapbooking. This way I can have some time to do my hobby and she will be entertained...

I tried it out a few weeks ago and it worked! She sorted through some of my old supplies and played while I scrapped at the kitchen table. It was so fun. I have set up a little box of scrap papers for her to play with when I scrap. If I'm scrapping at my desk I give her that or she looks through my little dishes of diecuts and talks about the shapes she sees.

Speaking of scrapping...I got a lot of pages done this weekend! I will upload them and post about them later this week. I love summer when I have shorter work weeks because I'm not teaching at the college. I truly enjoy being at home, playing with Ellie, cleaning, cooking, and organizing. It's when I'm most at peace and happy. But then the chaos begins again in September when I am juggling both of my jobs. It is not easy and I am grateful for this time to breathe. How do you all juggle work and life?

Thanks for stopping by....

Happy Tuesday!

I'm back!

I'm finding I've REALLY missed blogging! It's been almost a year. I blogged at least a few times a week since at least '07 I think! I've been really getting back into scrapping, reading blogs, watching YouTube, creating....and sharing what I do was always part of my process that I enjoyed. I don't really have a group of scrapping friends close-by so this became my network so-to-speak.

I recently subscribed to Studio Calico and have been playing with my first kit: Camelot. Also picked up some goodies yesterday at M's: the Switchboard and Lucky Charm paper pads I don't usually like paper pads but loved these and they were under $7 a piece! I'm on a really tight scrapping budget so I figured I could get creative and get my money's worth with these. I also got a Tiny Attacher with a 50% off coupon. I've been eyeing them. I have a little stapler but the look just isn't the same.

I'm hoping this post will be the first of many as I get back into the habit I enjoy of blogging! Trying to figure out the quirks of blogging from my iPad since I rarely open up my laptop anymore. This is just so much more convenient!

Here's a few of my recent layouts...using mostly the May Studio Calico kits along with a few things from my stash....

Thanks for stopping by! 

Happy Monday!

baby's 1st year album

On my desk this morning is an almost finished album of my baby girl's first year! I officially started it way back in Spring 2012 when I was on maternity leave with her. But truthfully at that time I only did maybe part of one layout. I did most of the pages this past February/March when I was laid off from one of my jobs.

  

I love that it is packed full of memories! I have always used post bound albums. I had one 3-ring album and just didn't like how it sat on the shelf for some reason...so didn't really use it until recently. But I decided that I wanted to put her album into a 3 ring because it had gotten so full and I was adding in a few pages here and there and that is a pain with a post bound album. This weekend I picked up this colorful chevron album at Michael's...it's a Becky Higgins Project Life album. I don't do PL but loved this album. A typically pastel baby color just doesn't fit my little girl! I'm so excited about how this has come together. Today I need to go through all the pages and see which one's still need dates added and little details. There are 3 or 4 pages that need to be finished...and I like to do a title page. Over the next few weeks I'll finish it up.

I also worked on a few more layouts this weekend during nap time...I tend to scrap in bulk. When I do get a chance to sit down I finish quite a bit....

1. You Make Me Happy: I got this second piece of Crate Paper's sunshine paper from The Pier collection at my LSS recently because I had already used up a piece I got in  Cocoa Daisy kit and loved both sides. I used the opposite side on another layout but loved this wide chevron. I played around with layers and blocks, some washi tape paper I picked up recently and some old stickers. This layout is about a walk to the boulevard and beach with my parents this spring around when my dad was finishing up rounds of chemo before surgery. Memories with them and Ellie are bright spots for all of us with these challenges going on...

 2. Learning to Brush: I just love these pictures! My husband was helping her learn and she picked it up quick! I used the June Cocoa Daisy kit for this layout. Trying to work finish up the kit...pretty simple layout.

3. @the Show: This is a follow-up layout to another I did about our trip to Disney on Ice this winter. The two layouts don't "match" I just used colors for each to set the mood of the photos. These were some neat shots I got of the skaters and Ellie clapping. I used to figure skate for about 10+years so it is special for me to take her to her first ice show!

 4. Big Snow: This was my favorite layout I finished. It is about the blizzard we had this past winter. The photo is outside our condo door. I used all icy colors and some new Thickers I picked up at Marshall's for $1.49 this past week. The rhinestone snowflakes have been in my stash for years!

 5. Happy Snow: This title is supposed to have some humor to those who know the story. Ellie did not like the snow and/or her snowsuit too much! I took her out the day after the blizzard and she just looked miserable! And she is a February baby! I think I want to add a bit of journaling under the photo and title to tell the story. The "Happy Snow" card is cool...I got this on a bus trip with my LSS. Every fall they get a coach bus and it travels to all the local shops. At the Paper Source in Boston they gave us a little bag full of goodies and there were a few winter letter pressed card pieces in it. This was one of them....they are so pretty.

Hoping to get some things done around the house today. It's my last week of only working at my clinical job. The college classes I teach start up next friday. And I'm feeling a bit under the weather today. Ugh. Kids and their germs!

Happy Monday!

inspired

Finished two more layouts using my June Cocoa Daisy kit. I used to be afraid to use my favorite patterned papers. I didn't want to use them up or I wasn't sure how to incorporate them. I am the same way with clothes I've noticed. I usually buy and wear solids but admire patterns on other people and the rack. In scrapping Glitter Girl has inspired me to use my favorite patterns as backgrounds. This is a look that isn't for everyone but I'm finding I really like it! They make layouts that are busier so I don't add a whole lot else...but that is my usual style. Very few embellishments typically.

I am also not someone who usually buys patterned paper according to what is new or part of a specific line or manufacturer. But lately I am finding myself drawn to certain lines. The Pier is one of those! I really love this lines colors. So much that in the first layout above I got only one sheet of that background paper (sunshine) in the kit. Yesterday I went to my LSS and bought the only sheet they had left because I also loved side B!

I didn't buy much at my LSS...mostly patterned papers. I got a few Maggie Holmes from Crate Paper...I found I really like her lines...also I'm really excited about some new releases. Especially Say Cheese from Simple Stories. I don't usually like heavily themed stuff but I love Disney and love that this collection is somewhat universal and not overly themed. I watched all the new CHA videos on two peas and actually found myself loving a lot of new stuff!

Well...back to reality. Getting some stuff done before I have to head to class tonight. Really should be reading the long book chapter I have to lecture the class on next week. Ugh!

Happy Monday!

building your nest

A few weeks ago I got the June Cocoa Daisy kit I ordered myself as a treat for finishing the 1st of 2 classes I need to take for my counseling license. I love it. I really want to subscribe again...but really need to just order the months I can for now. I finished one layout with the kit so far...really have to get it together and do some more creating!

I love the background paper and the little details in the kit. This layout has another photo that is one of my favorites from late this winter/early spring. Ellie loves to pull all the blankets and pillows off the couch and make a little "nest" on the floor in the corner of the living room. It is so cute!

Thanks for looking!

buddies

This is one of my favorite recent layouts. It isn't quite finished yet. It is very simple...it needs a few details once I find just the right embellishments. But it highlights a photo from last 4th of July that I love. On our honeymoon my husband bought a stuffed Mickey for the baby. She loves it. Last 4th of July we were walking back home from the parade and she had on a little hoodie that has cat ears on it. It just looked so cute...the two of them. Cat and Mouse! A few months after this photo her original Mickey got lost. For Christmas I called up Disney World with our original receipt and was able to get my hands on a replacement that was a close copy of the original that was discontinued. It is exactly like the lost Mickey...it is still her buddy.

Hoping to find the perfect details to finish this one up....

Happy Friday!

little lady

On friday night we celebrated the life of one of my good friend's mothers. She passed away suddenly last week. There was a small gathering at a local beach where she loved to spend time with her children and grandchildren. It was sad and beautiful.

We really appreciated the rest of our long weekend. The baby and I spent time together on saturday while my husband got together with friends. I went to my LSS and got a few things...a bit of paper, adhesive, nothing too major. The baby can only tolerate so long of me looking around at things she can't grab! That night I did a layout using some Authentique papers and stickers I bought a few months ago. I love them! The photos are from last 4th of July....

I included some journaling written to baby girl. I had some thoughts in my head I wanted to write down for her...

I will post some other layouts I worked on recently later this week. Hoping to catch up on blogs while the baby is sleeping. I have class tonight...first class of summer session two. This will be the last class (hopefully) I need for my counseling license. Ugh. This has been a long hall. Not really excited about going but I plan on making the most of my day at home before class!

Happy Monday!

happy day after the 4th

waiting for the fireworks

We ended up having a really good 4th. At first it seemed like it would be almost non-existent. Cary had to switch shifts on the 3rd because we needed childcare. In our town the fireworks and parade are on the 3rd. But Ellie and I went to the parade...(I forgot my camera...gasp!)...and he had to work all day on the 4th. But when he got home we went out for fried seafood and found some fireworks in another town. It was so fun! The watching area was in a big farm field. Beautiful. Ellie had fun running around but when we needed her to sit with us just before the fireworks started she had a fun tantrum for herself. We both had visions of having to leave just as the fireworks began! But she held off and actually was really fascinated by the lights and fireworks. It was so nice! Maybe a new tradition? I haven't had a chance to upload photos from my camera from that adventure yet. This one is just from my phone when she sat still long enough to photograph!

 But here are a few layouts I worked on a few weeks ago. They go into two different albums I have going on. One of my childhood and the other is just a non-chronological album from this year and last. Yesterday I finished up a pile of layouts by adding dates and journaling. Even got one done with my new June Cocoa Daisy kit. Hope to post those in a few days... Here they are! Thanks for looking...

1st Skating Show: Here is another layout from a stack I did when I challenged myself to just use some new papers, etc. I had just gotten. This goes in my childhood album. I figure skated for 10+ years beginning when I was 8...with this annual skating show. It was to the music Macho Duck! So funny....but that was how it began!

Home: Another from the stack I challenged myself to do with the same pp. This layout is about our first home we bought last July. It is a little end-unit condo in my hometown. I never thought I would be able to buy a home close to where I grew up. We still want to have a regular house in the future, with a yard, etc. But this is just perfect for now.

The Story of a Girl: For this layout I forced myself to use two patterned papers I got in a grab bag years ago at my LSS. It was bright and colorful for my girl. I mixed in some much older embellishments and some newer. Over all it is a very basic layout...which actually tend to be the ones my eyes are drawn to most. Simple.

Happy Friday! Enjoy the weekend...

I'm back!

So...for a brief time I moved my blog over to wordpress because I was having trouble uploading photos on blogspot. For a few months. But it seems the issue is fixed and I'm back. I really find I like blogspot much better. It's very user friendly and I feel it's easier to customize my site. So I'm back. Hopefully the issue remains fixed! Here are a few (somewhat) recent layouts.

"I will love you forever"
This one still needs journaling. But I was trying to keep it simple, use up scraps,and challenged myself to use stamps on the layout. 

"Love"
This one is my newest favorite. I challenged myself to use an old stamp set I had never used and more scraps! It was fun and quick.The heart set had some tiny stamps I used in the little mason jar cutout. I used scraps along the bottom of the page and stamped over some of them. I really like how it turned out...

I just finished one of two 6-week summer courses I have to take for my counseling license. So there hasn't been much scrapping time lately. But I am finding it fun to pull out a selection of papers and challenge myself to use just those papers (and random embellishments) on a handful of layouts. I am especially liking using papers that I have been holding on to and haven't used yet. I'm keeping a box of old and old(er) photos on my desk for layouts. These two layouts are photos of Ellie's first year. But I have also been working on my childhood box of photos too.

Thanks for looking!

busy. busy. busy.

What a busy week it has been. I started my new job and it has been a whirlwind! It is so overwhelming. Good. But overwhelming. I haven't had much of a chance to do anything for myself this week. Just now I worked on a layout. But I'm tired an in a bit of a funk so I'm not real happy with it. But the journaling was meaningful.

Anyhow...here are a few other layouts I don't think I've posted that I made over the past few weeks. Hopefully when I figure out my new routine I'll have time to do even one layout a week.

Christmas Day & Eve: Two page spread

Halloween: This was before I added the journaling.

1st Birthday: This page was difficult. I couldn't make any decisions and I'm still not sure how I feel about it. Still need to add journaling. My goal is to do that while it's fresh in my mind!

Guard Christmas: This photo was also taken before I did the journaling.

Thanks for reading. Hoping to catch up on others blogs this weekend!

mayville, ny

Here are my pile of layouts I created last week to document a Girl's trip with my Mom & sister we took in 2010...

We took the trip to a small town in upstate NY where my mom lived when she was in kindergarten and my Grandfather worked at Welch's. It was so much fun and let us see my mom in a different way...

The grapevines...I used a pile of journaling cards on this layout.

closeup of the tags..some I have had for years.

Just us Girl's: we stayed at a hotel my mom remembered staying in as a kid...and we had a pile of junk food! We always refer to ourselves as the snack family. We also played mini-golf...and this is one of only a few pictures we have of the three of us.

closeup: some pretty buttons from the old CD kit. I also cut some banners. Trying to layer papers...

A layout of all the random things we did on the trip. Pretty simple with just a few stickers and patterned papers. 

I also took some time last week organizing my old albums and finishing them up with journaling, album covers, titles, etc. Took out extra page protectors and labeled each on its cover somewhere with the year. It felt good to do that. I am also making great progress on the baby's album of her first year. It is by far the thickest album I have! This morning I fought with the posts to add more pages and organize the pages by date. Added in a few pages that I want to complete. It has been so fun to do and has reinvigorated my love of scrapping. Last night I went to a crop at my LSS. There were only a few women there and I mostly kept to myself since they all knew each other - but it was fun to get out and get some layouts started/finished. I'll post the rest of the layouts I've been working on over the past few weeks tomorrow!

Thanks for looking!

red

This is a sneak preview of a literal stack of layouts I worked on last week! I was on a roll. I finished 4 in one afternoon and evening. What helped was sitting with an old CD kit and limiting my supplies.

I'll start by showing one that is very out of my comfort zone and usual style. I challenged myself with details and colors I rarely use because they fit the photos well...

I took these photos a few years ago of some tulips in the center of the town where I used to work. They always amazed me and one day I remembered to bring my camera to work. They are beautiful and remind me of when I lived in DC. In the Spring they have red tulips everywhere. I used a really graphic patterned paper I recently got with the houndstooth pattern. I toned it down with a layer of white and dark grey cardstock. All the other elements are from an old CD kit...I mean probably 2 years old since I haven't subscribed in about that long! I chose not to do any journaling and let the pictures speak for themselves. Used a few interesting rubons to create the white grid patterns and the line of black dots. And two old red page turns. It is definately different than my usuals!

Tomorrow I'll post the rest...they all involve photos from a girl's trip I took with my mom and sister a few years ago to upstate NY.

I just have to say I love being home with my sweetpea! I'm nervous because I still haven't heard back from the potential job. They were sending an "offer" letter for approval from thier HR office at the end of last week. Hopefully I'll hear something in a day or two. I'm so nervous about starting something new after 9 years. But also kind of excited. It will be hard getting back to a routine where I'm not with my baby girl though. I really love this time with her.

Anyhow...thanks for listening and thanks for looking!

everything has a beginning

I have two layouts today that I finished earlier this week. I've been on a roll!
 

I just realized that the title of this first layout is the same as one I created a few weeks ago about our wedding. Well...both things were perfect...baby girl and my wedding day. The first layout was again created with a lot of old stash and a few new(er) embellishments. I wanted to keep it relatively simple so that her baby hands and feet were prominent. I really like how it turned out. I just need to add the journaling on the bottom, right corner.

This second layout is about our engagement. For the background I used a piece of stitched paper that was in an old CD kit from about 2 years ago. I didn't really like the paper on its own...but once the layout came together I was pleased. I was also happy to use a small scrap from a piece of pp that had old fashioned advertisements on it...it was perfect. The little scrap with the ring box that says, "Diamonds."

On this page I challenged myself to use a lot of pieces from my scrap box and an old CD kit. I have really been trying to work through those old kits. The title, "Everything has a beginning" has special significance to us. I gave Cary an engraved keychain early in our relationship that had that saying and the date we met on it. At our wedding, this saying was printed on tags attached to little boxes of wildflower seeds we gave as favors. The photo with the roses are from a plant at my parents...the plant was grown from a piece of my grandmother's rose bush at the house where my dad grew up. It just seemed to fit on this page.

I have truly enjoyed getting back into this hobby I love. It has helped me to heal and to cope with difficulties. It is a fun outlet that lets me reflect and tell stories. It has helped me immensely lately. For a few years I just couldn't "go there" and work on pages. But I'm glad to be back.

Thanks for looking!

dr suess & a blizzard

A quick layout I finished just now...terrible picture quality since it is 9pm here...but I wanted to post while its quiet and the baby is sleeping. Here's a closeup...

I used lots of old and new stuff. I just need to add the date above the photo but needed to look back and see when the picture was taken. Time is going so fast. Baby girl turns one on tuesday. Yikes.

The college is closed tomorrow. Evidently here in Eastern Massachusetts we are expecting quite a storm. Blizzard to be exact. I will believe it when I see it. But I guess we are ready. Cary works tomorrow but he's only 5-10 minutes away so he should be able to get home at 4pm ok. Sweetpea is staying home with me. Hoping my parent's will be ok. They only live about 10 minutes away but my dad just finished treatment #1 and is not feeling well and can't do a lot physically. Last time he was going through treatments my brother was home from school...this time it's just them. But I think they should be set until Cary can shovel for them saturday and my uncle is not far from them either to help with the generator. They live in a very wooded area and the big trees around the house are always a concern.

I am looking forward to a day or two of hiding from the world. I really need that right now.

Thanks for reading...

-Emily

silence

Silence. This is the first time I have been alone in so long. I just got home from work and my husband picked up the baby at daycare and went to get an oil change in his truck. I don't even have the tv on. I was able to do some scrapping last night and it really helped me get my thoughts in order and decompress. I worked on this page in Miss. Ellie's book...

On my way home from work last night I stopped at Michael's and got some K & Co. phrase stickers. They are one of my favorites. I find I use little word/phrase stickers on a lot of layouts because they reinforce a sentiment I have about the photo or event. And that company has some of my favorites for a very reasonable price. This layout is about the day we took sweetpea home from the hospital. I have other photos too that I am in but these are my favorites. The paper is one of the new ones I recently picked up that I love. I have a thing for birds.

I stamped a little chickadee on a square of chipboard for an accent. The round embellishment has a little bird's nest on it...another find yesterday. I tried out some things I saw on one of glitter girl's videos at two peas. I got some suggestions to check out her videos and I love them! I have a lot of catching up to do! I find her style meshes with mine.

One more closeup...the calendars are actually some old washi tape I have from Tim Holtz...the "as it should be" is from K & Co. The alpha stickers I think are old American Crafts. I'm terrible at remember what company's supplies I use. I mix and match a lot.

Well...while it's still quiet...before the madness of dinner and baby kisses I am hoping to check out a few blogs!

Take care,

Emily

preoccupied

playing in her room

 I've been very preoccupied worrying about one of my favorite people in this world. We found out they have to go through surgery and chemotherapy for the second time. Praying and hoping that it works this time. So this week I probably won't be posting very much. That little face in the photo above is helping me and my favorite person immensely!

This weekend while my dh was out with friends on saturday I decided to have a few friends over. One is a beginner scrapper and the other sells her sewing projects on Etsy. We had a quiet craft night. I got two layouts finished for baby girl's book. Yesterday I finished up the journaling. I noticed that in my older books, in some cases, I left the journaling blank to finish later...and never did the journaling! I don't want that to happen from here on out on my pages. Anyhow...here are the two layouts. I again used mostly old stash on the first layout but used some of my new stuff on the second.

"Getting ready": I was being lazy when I photographed these and kept them in the page protectors...so I apologize for the glare...It is pretty simple. I tend to rely on the papers a lot rather than a pile of embellishments. I used some old stash again and kits I had laying around.

"Blessed": This layout is of baby girl before she came home from the hospital. The picture quality is poor because of the hospital lighting. I may reprint them in b&w at some point. She was in the Special Care Nursery/NICU for a week. Minor things....we were lucky but it was so hard. She was born 2/12/12 so many of these were taken on Valentine's Day a few days later. Our little Valentine! I used some new tags I got but most of the rest is old stash.

I'm really in need of some resources for working with 4x6 photos. I used to get a lot of photos printed by scrapbookpictures.com and they printed in various sizes. I don't like printing as I go on a home printer. I print photos on snapfish one month at a time. I like the convenience of scrapping with 4x6 since it is a traditional size and I don't have to think ahead about what size I want them printed. I like how my pages turn out if I used 1 or 2 photos or if I crop a few...but in many cases I can't crop the photos down any and I like to include 3-4 photos to really tell the story. Any page map resources that you know of for 4x6 scrapping?

Happy Monday!