A few projects to share...

I spent Monday thoroughly cleaning up our bonus room. My scrap area was a wreck from where I had started so many projects and never put anything away! I went through every kit page, drawer and basket. I purged several supplies and ended up with a very nice, clean workspace. (Wonder how long I can keep it that way???)

I got everything ready just in time for an online crop at Personal Scrapper. While I've enjoyed making layouts for the challenges during the crop, I realized that before I share those LOs, I had a few that I really liked from the past few weeks that I wanted to share.

"Facts 7-15-09" used the July Personal Scrapper kit and a ton of misc. alphas/numbers. This page had a "by the numbers" theme.

• there are 37,576 miles on my car
• Mom of 2 allstar boys!
• aunt to 6...almost!
• 34 years old
• wife of 11 years
• 264 scrapbook layouts in '09 completed
• I've read 39 books this year - it's my new love

This next LO tells a story that I had to get down for Kevin before I forgot it. I used my new August PS kit for this page. Journaling reads: Kevin was so excited to hear that his 7 year old allstar team would play in New Albancy, Indiana. He kept saying he was "going to the states"!! I kept trying to explain that even Kentucky was in "the states" and we were just going to ANOTHER state. He didn't really understand - I think he was too excited knowing he was going to play somewhere even his big brother never played. He had a great time and the tournament was a great experience for the whole team.

"Pool Party" is a scraplift of a layout by Heidi/anbzmom over at Personal Scrapper. I used the August PS kit for this LO. Finally, on my most recent trip to Archiver's, I picked up a set of Making Memories Halloween epoxy alphabets since I knew I had some of the coordinating paper line left. So the letters were simply get filed away, I pulled out the paper line some Halloween embellishments and made a page. I used a Jolee's set!!! I actually used a lot on this page - MM wordfetti stickers, Heidi Swapp tulle, Junkitz glittered chipboard (arrow).

So far, I've finished 9 crop challenges. I'll be back to share them later...

August PageMaps

Last month I decided to challenge myself to create layouts using all ten of the July PageMap sketches. I enjoyed it so much that I decided to do it again with the August sketches.

I enjoyed using these "new to me" Sassafrass Lass papers on this page about my nephew's birthday party back in January. I used pop dots under the stars and added some clear buttons for dimension, too. This LO is for Kevin's album. I cheated a bit and used some photo collages on the page.

Another Kevin LO - he loves Scout! "Kev's best friend" uses Sassafrass Lass papers, too. I altered the sketch to make it 12x12 and also added an extra photo. I even pulled out my sewing machine for this one (to stich around the dot rectangle).

My July kit from Personal Scrapper was a bit neglected last month. I loved the Fancy Pants papers, but was too busy with the boys to put it to good use. I used four different sheets of patterned paper to make this page. The sun was actually cut from the base page (which was going to be covered by a photo) - I raised it up with pop dots. I also cut the waves from another sheet. Sometimes bling is hard to use on boy pages, so I used a lot of it here to look like water droplets. These fun photos are from earlier in the summer at my sister's pool.

You've probably noticed I can't go long without scrapping sports! And since I still have some We R Memory Keepers "MVP" papers...

Even though I didn't have many pics from one tournament Kevin participated in, I did have a story to tell! Loved using the journaling card to get this memory down. The tournament was called off and we were not happy about it - or happy about being charged $3/person to be told it was called (and not to receive our money back!).

This photo of Kevin was actually snapped at one of Blake's tournament games, but Kevin was in uniform. I decided to enlarge the photo and give an overview of his season and the positions he played.

Aside from sports, I realize another topic I tend to neglect is Cub Scouts. This January both of the boys were awarded Catholic Religious Awards in Louisville. They had to work really hard to meet the requirements. The ceremony was in Louisville at a beautiful historic Cathedral. I used the K&Co. Cub Scout paper line and kept this LO simple since the background in the photos was so beautiful.

More of the K&Co. papers were used to document Blake's awards at the annual Blue & Gold banquet (breakfast). The paper had a lot of detail, but was "flat." I added some dimensional accent (glaze) by tracing over "cub scouts" on the patterned paper. It gives a neat raised up effect.Finally I tore into my August kit from Personal Scrapper. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Scenic Route papers this month. I had a silly photo collage of the boys and their cousin Dane playing football. The photos were a little dull, so I loved using all these colors to liven it up a bit.

Blake worked really hard on his career project for school this spring. I only have the one photo of him with the finished project though. I really liked using this sketch for this single photo - I loved using all the different Scenic Route patterns. It will remind Blake that when he was 10 he wanted to be an architect. I wonder how many times his career goal will change.

This last LO uses pics from this year's Father's Day. I also used the August PS kit with this one and added naked chipboard by Scenic Route and Fancy Pants. I outlined the chipboard letters with pen.

Now I'll patiently wait for the September sketches!

So proud

All-star season ended tonight for Blake. We lost in the semi-finals. Again.

I am so proud of this kid for giving 100% at every practice and game. I am so proud of him for keeping his head up game after game waiting for his turn to play.

I am so proud of him for making good plays when he was in the game.

I am so proud of him for making a double play when he had the chance to play third. (The photo above was taken RIGHT BEFORE that play!)

I am so proud of him for improving throughout the summer.

I am so proud of him for all the RBIs he batted in and for all the steals he was able to make.

I am so proud of him for even trying out for the all-star team.

It was a rough season. It wasn't always a fun season, but he hung in there. He never gave up. He set a great example for Kevin.

1st day of school and a new kit, too!

Today was the boys first day of school. Yes, August 5. Hard to believe. Since Blake started school here, they've always started in the middle of the first week of August.

We found out last week at Open House that the boys would have a new bus driver this year - Kevin's 3rd in as many years! The route looked the same, so I assumed the bus would run at the same time as last year. I always get them out the door a little early on the first day to take pictures and also "just in case" the bus runs early.

First, I took the annual shot in front of the front door. I like to see how the kids grow each year and also from the first to last day of school. I always take a full body shot and a close up. They were laughing really hard this year, but it made for some genuine smiles. We were extra early to wait this year. We ended up with a lot of time to kill. I got two invitations to the gun show. No, there's rarely a dull moment with these two!

Tom encouraged the boys to go to the end of the driveway to wait. They waited a few minutes and then broke out into dance... Then Kevin realized he didn't have his glasses!!! I guess we got used to how he looked the first 7 years he DIDN'T wear glasses. Four months later, sometimes we don't notice if he's not wearing them. Luckily, I had time to run in and get them. And clean them.

The bus was still no where in sight, so I took another photo so Kevin's glasses would be included.

The house was QUIET today! The USPS paid me a visit with my Personal Scrapper August kit. I had time to break into it and create a layout even! I completely scraplifted a layout by design team member Heidi/anbzmom. I loved her LO which also used sports photos of her two boys. I'm always inspired by her sports pages.

This afternoon the bus finally returned to drop of my boys. They were both smiling. Both had a great day. Blake, especially, can't wait to go back tomorrow!

I think it's going to be a good year!

I made cards!

I've never really enjoyed making cards. I have to admit, I sort of feel like they are a waste of good supplies. I mean really...who keeps cards? OK...I do...but I know I'm probably the exception. Cards usually get tossed. I hate thinking of my Thickers or pricey embellishments getting THROWN AWAY!

But, I had a challenge to create four cards using a coordinated line. (You know I'm not one to pass up a challenge, right?) I decided to use the Basic Grey Lime Rickey line. I got creative. (I tried not to think of them lying in the trash can!) I sort of enjoyed it. And, I was actually really pleased with my results.
You can click on either image to see them larger. Who knows...I might just become a card maker yet! Maybe...

Winner, winner chicken dinner!!!

OK...so maybe chicken wasn't involved...but we came home with a trophy!!!

Kevin's all-star team won their tournament on Saturday and a well-deserved trophy! Kevin and I left the house at 8:30 Saturday morning to make the hour drive to the tournament. (Tom took Blake to his tournament in a different direction!) The team lost their first game to the only 7 year old team to beat us this summer - THREE times now - ugh! So, we were sent to the loser's bracket. Thankfully it was double elimination! We game back to meet "the team" in the finals. We beat them, but with one loss each, we had to play another game - our 5th of the day! We won!

I should note that we pulled out of the ballfield at 7:15 that night. (And drove an hour to see about 2/3s of Blake's last game in his tournament - a loss to put them out.) It's a good thing I like baseball now!

As seen in the photo, Kevin even got to show off his mad sliding skills! This is the second 1st place we've earned this summer, but I think the trophy from this weekend is probably the coolest we've brought into our house. Blake even agreed with me. Kevin was proud to show it off.

Baby Girl Mini Tag Album

I had so much fun making the mini tag album to document our summer, that I decided to make one to give as a gift, too. In September, my aunt Sandy will become a grandmother for the first time. I really enjoyed making this little album for her. Since they've already picked out a name for the baby, I was even able to personalize the cover.