Playground Cutie

I took the boys to the playground yesterday and the 2 of them had a ball. I think this was Xander's first time on the slide...he conquered it like a pro! After his 2nd trip down the slide, he was walking up it! I swear this little boy has no fear!

I took a ton of pictures of him. I even tried to get some of the same shots as I took of Donovan the first time I took him to this same playground. I believe he was the same age as Xander is now. I thought they would make great side by sides.

Here are just a sampling of the photos that I took.

I can't decide which is my fave, I think the b/w is in the lead, though!

Disney Dreamer's Academy Nominations

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Aug. 26, 2009) – Do you know a high school student that could use some encouragement in their lives or a push of excitement toward their goals?
Disney's Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey, an event created to inspire and enrich high school students, has started accepting nominations for the Class of 2010. From now until Oct. 2, 2009, parents, teachers, family and friends can nominate the high school students for the highly successful event, which will return to Walt Disney World Resort Feb. 11-14, 2010. Students can even nominate themselves.
One hundred teens from across the country with big dreams and aspirations will be selected to pack their bags – and their dreams – and head to Walt Disney World Resort, where they will learn about careers in everything from culinary arts to animation, set design and show production to the business of sports and more.
The Disney's Dreamers Academy class of 2010 will be made up of teens nominated through Oct. 2, 2009. Young dreamers – who must be enrolled in high school for the 2009-10 term – can be nominated by anyone, including parents, guardians, teachers, church members, social organizations – even themselves. Although a high GPA is not required, students must exhibit a desire to learn, perhaps needing only additional motivational support to excel. Nomination forms can be found at www.SteveHarvey.com/disneysdreamersacademy.
A select panel of judges including national radio personality Steve Harvey, community leaders and Disney representatives will choose the 100 finalists. The Disney's Dreamers Academy class of 2010 will be announced in November 2009.
"We are very proud of the work we’ve done with Disney's Dreamers Academy," said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney World Resort. "This program not only celebrates the achievements of the 200 students involved, it also demonstrates the part dreams play in realizing personal and professional goals."
During Disney's Dreamers Academy in 2010, the students will participate in workshops with Disney cast members and executives, hear inspirational stories from entertainment celebrities and professional athletes, and enjoy the Disney theme parks – where they can see, first-hand, the results of people who turned their dreams into careers as "Disney dreamers." During the 2009 Disney's Dreamers Academy, some of the guest speakers were Chef Jeff Henderson, National Football League Hall of Famer Kellen Winslow, pop/R&B recording artists Fantasia and Keyshia Cole, ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith and, of course, Steve Harvey.
Harvey said Disney's Dreamers Academy "is about inspiring our young people who oftentimes don't have the chance to be exposed to a variety of job skills and job opportunities and meet with people in the fields they're interested in. We want to give our young achievers the tools to become overachievers – to make their dreams a reality."

Sketching It Out With Shimmerz

I don't know about you, but summer (my fave season of all) has come to an end a little too abruptly! Lucky for me, autumn is my second favorite season!

This week, Triple the Sketch and Shimmerz teamed up to create some really awesome work! When I saw this wonderfully versatile sketch, I knew instantly which photo I wanted to scrap. I dug deep in my stash and pulled some vintage Halloween papers from Daisy D's (remember them), a little Making Memories, Reminisce, and Graphic 45 papers and went to town.

After adhering the pumpkins to the layout, I painted them with Orange Sherbert shimmerz. The bats were painted with Gold Glimmer shimmerz.


Here's a close-up of the shimmerz.

I really love it when I can mix some old stash with some new! This layout has all of my favorite elements: a large shape (the pleated, stitched circle), lots of different patterned papers (8 different ones in all here), and lots of bling!

Stop by Triple The Sketch and join in on the challenge. Each participant has the chance to win some shimmerz!!!

16 Days And Counting...

In just 16 days, on Sept 9th, my baby will take his very first steps into "big kid school". Kindergarten...here he comes! I hope you're ready for him...he's smart as a whip, he questions everything because as he puts it "I just wanna know stuff", and he has boundless energy.

I'm feeling some kind of way about him starting real school. I don't know why, well in a way I do...it's just in my book, this is the beginning of him officially growing up. Everyday he takes another step towards independence and although I embrace this, I still want hold on ever so tightly to the idea that he NEEDS me for everything.

I'm used to him being away from home during the day, I've been a working mom up until a couple of weeks ago and he's gone to daycare and now preschool so that's not the issue. I just worry and I want to protect him. I'm actually a little over protective, but he's my baby. I don't want him to be judged or have people expect so much more from him because of his size. He's 5 1/2 years old, stands 4'1-1/2" and weighs 63 lbs...about the size of an average 7 year old. I don't want some kid bothering him because he's trying to prove how tough he is by picking on "the big kid". I also worry that he may get bored in school because he's already so advanced intellectually. Maybe I'm just over thinking things, but I can't help myself, I'm somewhat of a worry wart!

On the flip side, I'm excited about him starting Kindergarten! I know he's going to make new friends and love all of the new experiences that await him. I'm looking forward to chaperoning field trips and helping with bake sales (do they still have bake sales these days?), etc...

Hopefully as time goes on, my fears and worries will subside...some...



Check out my big boy modeling his Mohawk that daddy gave him. Look how much older he looks...he's even posing differently! Love this boy!

Stay tuned for more Kindergarten chronicles!

Bella Blvd Guest Artista Projects

My time as a guest artista for Bella Blvd is up, but it was super fun while it lasted! Check out my Monday, Wednesday, and Friday posts! Friday also includes photos of my scrap space!

This layout includes papers from Bella Blvd's new Flirty line. Love the colors and how the newer lines also coordinate with older papers.

Of course you know I had to put some bling on this! The butterflies and leaves were coated with Shimmerz Baby's Breath blingz.

Close-up of the crumpled flowers with rhinestone flower centers

The new Camped Out line is super cute and very boyish. I heart the houndstooth paper and the froggies!

The designer challenge to me was to create a layout using 4 wallet size photos...my new favorite trend! I designed the tree to go along with the outdoorsy feel of the layout.

journaling: Whenever Xan is having a bad day, I take him outside; this calms him down. I used this trick when he was an infant, too.

Here you can see how the top level of hills were mounted on pop dots
.

My final layout was also created using the Camped Out line.

I painted the white background with baby's breath shimmerz blingz.

I created a bonus project--it's a little cheeky, but I couldn't help myself! LOL!

Thanks for taking a peek!

What Are You Doing Right Now?

I'm sitting in my scrap area eating the skillet ravioli I made 2 days ago and sipping a TGI Friday's mudslide. I'm all alone so the house is eerily quiet. I trying to come up with some scrapbook ideas because I have the urge to create something.

What are you doing?

Juss...Cre8in'

Just felt like digging in my stash...not for a DT or contest or anything except the fact that I just felt like creating something...

This one is made with Basic Grey Lime Rickey--love the bright colors! The photos are of Donovan @ 3 months old.

journaling: Aunt Nessie gave me this onesie for my baby shower and I couldn't help but smile. With Donovan being our 1st child and Renee's 1st grandchild, there was no ...doubt he was going to get spoiled big time; but like my Aunt Jackie says, why have 'em if you can't spoil 'em?

This one is a mixture of October Afternoon and My Mind's Eye--I took the colors straight from the photo. This is Xander @ 12 months old all snuggled up in Donovan's Spiderman comforter in a clothes basket...and of course with those 2 fingers in his mouth...

journaling: You love to snuggle in this comforter. Unfortunately it belongs to your big brother and although he loves to share with you, his favorite blanket...not so much so! If you're lucky, he'll let you cover up with a corner of it. I guess we're going to have to get you your own.

TFL!

400th Post

WOW, I can't believe I have reached 400 blog posts! Times flies when you're having fun! Speaking of having fun, I just have to show you this FANTABULOUS product from Purple Cows. It's the 13" hot laminator (product # 3020) and it is by far one of the easiest tools I have ever used. You literally just turn it on, wait 3-5 minutes for it to heat up (you don't even have to time it, the green light turns on when the machine is ready), pop whatever you're laminating in a pouch and put it in the laminator folded side first. That's it!! Your project comes out of the other side and you are ready to go!

You don't have to be a scrapper or crafty to enjoy this laminator. It's uses are endless!

Want to laminate a garage sale sign, maps or create backpack/lunchbox tags for your kiddos? Then this is the machine for you! Laminate photos of your kiddos and put magnets on the back, I'm sure grandmom and grandpop would love a set of these for their fridge!

I'm actually planning on taking some of Donovan's artwork and making reduced color copies, laminating them and making them into magnets for my fridge. I love all of his art, but it is completely covering the front and sides of my fridge...this way I can get more and it's neater.

Speaking of my (big) little man--he's always making stuff for me...he LOVES arts and crafts (hmmm, I wonder where he gets that from). LOL! Anyway, I decided to use the laminator to create something for him.

Donovan loves to play games...computer games, board games, games he made up in his head...it doesn't matter. I decided to make a Tic Tac Toe game for him. He loved it so much (see the big cheesy grin) that he asked me to play it with him right away.

Here's a close up of the game. I can't tell you how EASY this was to make! I used Cosmo Cricket papers because they are oh so cute, a thin piece of chipboard (the kind that comes in paper packs- you could use cereal boxes, too), the laminator (3020), my 2 in 1 trimmer (1040), my cricut to cut the Xs, and a pair of scissors. That's it!

Thanks for taking a peek!

Family Date

This past Saturday, the 4 of us piled in the jeep and headed to the Bronx Zoo. Although it was hot as hell and the bees were annoying, we had a great time!

Donovan had us cracking up because anytime we'd see an animal he'd ask "do they eat people?" Too cute!

Here are just a few of the photos I took that day. I'm certain you'll be able to tell that World Of Birds was my favorite exhibit. I wish I'd taken a pen and paper with me so I could have recorded the names of the birds.

I'm so happy that I was able to capture some updated pics of my guys one on one with daddy! You know these are definitely going on scrapbook layouts!

Xander's little taste of freedom

getting a ride on the daddy roller coaster

birds, birds, birds

The Great Blue Turaco

Donovan's favorite exhibit was the reptile house. Take one look at his hat and you can tell how hot it was that day!

I love big wild cats--this one is simply beautiful

A polar bear in the middle of NYC...

thanks for stopping by!

On The Blvd

Bella Blvd has started premiering the new Guest Artistas and I'm up first!! I have to say that I had way too much fun designing with Bella Blvd products! There's a new sheet in each of their lines called Bits A Bella, it's one 12x12 sheet of paper with lots of different patterns, words, journaling bits, cutouts that I just loved...you know handcutting is right up my alley!!

If you've got a free moment, stop by and check it out! You can click here throughout the week to see my projects. I just LOVE the way they decorated the photo, how awesome is that?!

DreamGirls Challenge #34 Using Shimmerz

DreamGirls challenge #34 is up! I have to say, I think this is one of my all time favorite challenges! I've created a few monochromatic layouts, but never and ALL WHITE one!

Here's the challenge:

Prompt: Create a monochromatic challenge using all white or cream

Technique: Stitching

Product: Lace

YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT THE OTHER DIVAS CAME UP WITH!


Not only was this my first all white layout, but only one of a few where I didn't use any patterned paper (GASP!) I've found that the secret to creating with all white is texture, texture, texture!!!

I started out by spraying an entire piece of texture American Crafts cardstock with Shimmerz Baby's Breath spritz and allowing to dry completely. I then took a 10x12 piece of glittery lace cardstock from Little Yellow Bicycle and adhered it to the cardstock with spray adhesive. I covered the seam with a piece of savvynsassy lace and then topped the lace with strips of tiny pearls. Next, I added pearls and clear rhinestones to the centers of the lace cardstock snowflakes to further add dimension to the layout.

I then added the title using a Heidi Swapp gems word and foam alphabet thickers from American Crafts. Since the rest of the layout is BLINGED OUT, I added stardust stickles to the thickers and then hand stitched a tiny halo above the "a" in "angel".

The final pièce de résistance is the adorable photo of my baby boy, Xander. I printed the photo on a transparency--no special technique behind this, I just ran out of photo paper (LOL). To continue with the snowflake theme, I cut the picture into a snowflake, adhered it to a piece of white cardstock, then trimmed it so there was a 1/8" border left. I mounted the photo using foam pop dots and then outlined with stardust stickles. Lastly, I added large rhinestones to the photo.

This layout is covered with so much bling, it'll make your eyes water--the photo doesn't do it justice.

Here, you can get a better idea of how much texture I created

Close up of the photo-- I sprayed the back of the transparency with spray adhesive and it created a "grainy" look to the photo...love that!

Here's a sneak peek of a layout that I'm teaching next month. I took a little hiatus and am now getting back in the classroom!

Date: Sept 20, 2009

Time: 12:30pm-2:30pm

Place: Scrapper's Cove Milltown, NJ

Title: Life's A Journey 2 page layout featuring Bo Bunny's new Flutter Butter line

For more information on the class go to scrapperscove.com

thanks for taking a peek!!