A lovely sketch by Shawn Lahr of Nuts About Sketches!

Nuts About Sketches week 240 - AWESOME sketch!!

So these are 2 of our cats snuggling up. Cute photo, right? Well, these 2 didn't get along very well for quite a while so I love seeing them loving on each other. The calico (Fluff) now thinks she's Buddy's mother and regularly gives him a good spit shine - gross ;)

I love everything about Shawn's sketch. Round pictures typically throw me, but the one in this sketch is so easy to work with. I printed a 5x7 photo and cropped to 5" dia. The sketch calls for 5.5", but 5" worked well. I used Simple Stories Harvest Lane collection, actually the November kit from Personal Scrapper - check them out!

Putting Those Kids To Work

Ok...I haven't posted in a very long time so we'll just pretend like it hasn't been months, that you hear from me so much you're very tired of me :) I'm a terrible blogger, but I swear I had a great/busy Fall 2011, very blessed Christmas, and I've been scrapping up a storm. That pretty much covers it (and I promise to TRY to post regularly!).

Ok, here's the reason I'm even posting now - I have been searching high and low for a way to keep my kids helping out around the house without yelling or guilting them into the helping. It's hard work trying to make people clean when they really don't want to! I don't like hard work...that's why I want them to help me :) So I searched pinterest and sort of found things I liked, but nothing I really thought would work for us. I don't want to give them money. I NEVER have cash and I don't think my kids keep up with IOUs nor do they take debit cards, plus they waste their money anyway and that drives me nuts. Instead of earning money they're earning "screen time" which is tv, dvd, netflix, ps3, psp, ds, computer, and tablet. The chores I came up with are each written on wooden clothes pins and assigned a time (15 or 30 min) depending on the level of difficulty. The kids choose the chores they want to do each evening after school and can earn up to 2 hours of screen time. It has to be used the same night, can't be banked for 15 hours of time on a Saturday...nope, it has an expiration date.

I began with these supplies:

I spent $17 on everything (supplies for 3 kids). I bought frames with a jute hanging string and turned them upside down. I stained them with some acrylic stain, added some scrapbook paper from my stash, and glued a stained initial in the middle of each frame. On the back I added a command hanging strip to each frame then shortened the jute string a little by tying it in a knot in the back. Here's the finished look:

I'm happy to say we started this tonight and the kids did a great job with it. The chores range from laying out clothes for tomorrow to dusting the living room (my absolute most hated chore).



September at The Scrapping Spot!

This month there's a very gorgeous kit for sale at The Scrapping Spot. It features Three Bugs In A Rug's Ashtyn line. One word for you: SASSY! This was a really great kit to work with. Make sure you check out the challenges on the board this month. There are some great ones! I'm posting my layouts and cards below, but don't miss Aimee's projects as well. Her Round & Round layout will knock your socks off! Make sure to pick up your kit today!

Busy/Crazy Fall has BEGUN!!

It amazes me that I let myself be blindsided by how busy our life always becomes once school starts. We have a son in football:

2 daughters in soccer (only 1 pictured because DADDY forgot to take the camera for #1's first game...hmph):

And this is also when the hunting craze begins in our family. My husband and oldest daughter are bow hunting this year so the family has been scouting the woods often. Loved this picture of hubby and son :)

AND...I love this part! My mom and dad recently got a nifty, new pet. Meet DENVER! He's a 5 month old donkey - half miniature and half regular. We love him :)

I have to share this photo, too. Poor Fluff...she's loved so much that sometimes it must seem like torture to her. Um, I must admit that it was *me* that dressed her in a Build A Bear Workshop tshirt. I just couldn't help myself...it was there and she was there, it fit, she hated it, I laughed. A good time was had by all (mostly by all):



Attention, All! The August kit at TSS is UP EARLY!!! Get one NOW!

Boy, are you in for a TREAT! The Scrapping Spot's August Kit is in the store early. Click the link to get your very own right now! It features Basic Grey's Oxford line and sooo many yummy embellishments. The add ons are pretty terrific, too, so make sure to pick up a couple of extra alphas. You won't be sorry! Here are the layouts and cards I've made with the kit so far. I just keep pulling this out and I'm seriously tempted to buy a second kit. yikes, it's fantastic!

Check out the latest blog post from The Scrapping Spot...

For some hot July challenges and chances to win prizes! Click HERE

And the winner of free TSS shipping is....

NatalieM!!!

NatalieM said...


I'm eager to join the club and get lots of pretty things in the mail. I registered on the forum as nataliem. I'm awaiting approval by the administrators. Do you have any pull? Thanks for the promotion. I hope that I win!!!



Congrats, Natalie!! You'll love the July kit :)

New LO for My Scraps Got Talent challenge....

Check out Tammi's store My Scraps and More. She's hosting an 8 week challenge and this layout is for week 4, use products from 1 manufacturer (plus cardstock). I used my new winnings from Best Creations. I got this awesome loot from Julie Walton's blog giveaway. She's on the DT for Best Creations :)

July Full Reveal is up at The Scrapping Spot!!!!

How's this for a gorgeous kit of beach and summer time goodies??? You know you want it :)   Click here to see the store and forums at TSS.

I'm on the DT for The Scrapping Spot...come celebrate with me and maybe win something!!

I am so super duper excited to have been chosen as a Design Team member for The Scrapping Spot . I've bought their monthly kits since they opened and have never been disappointed. The owners Cathy and Jill always have something going on in the forums so please stop by and get to know them and all the rest of the regulars...you won't be sorry :) There are several different challenges each month, weekly sketches by Shawn from my favorite place, Nuts About Sketches plus layout tag, question of the day, and so much more. *LOVE* these ladies!

So as a way to share the enthusiasm...I'm really, really, really, really excited to be on the DT this term, can  you tell???.....I'm giving away FREE SHIPPING to a new person who orders the upcoming July kit. The kit sneak peeks are up today and I'll share a few with you to tempt you :) I fell in love with this kit as soon as I opened the box. If you've got beach, pool, or summer pictures hang onto your seat because you might just fall off when you see the goodies in the July kit!

one sneak.....

and another sneak....

Intrigued? Want one of these fab kits for yourself? YOU SHOULD TREAT YOURSELF! Here's how YOU, a new customer, can win FREE SHIPPING from ME :)

1. go register at The Scrapping Spot's Forum and introduce yourself on the forum
2. leave a comment on this post letting me know you've done that and what your userid is over there.

It's really that simple! Kits are put in the store on the first of each month so I'll put all the newbies' names in a hat and draw one out on June 30th around 6pm EST. Make sure you do both steps above before I draw the winner. I'll announce the winner here on the blog as well as send a pm to the winner via the forum at The Scrapping Spot. When you order your July kit on the first (please don't wait, I swear they go FAST) you'll only be invoiced for the kit and whatever extras you purchase.

Now...go do steps 1 and 2. You know you'll want this kit!!

Monday at NAS :)

Got alot of pictures to scrap from one event? Never fear! Shawn can work magic with her sketches. If you avoid 2 page layouts, you should seriously give hers a try. Hands down, THE BEST I've ever worked with! I loved this past Monday's sketch:

And here's my take on it....

Enjoy!! And...keep your eyes on my blog....I'll be posting a really nifty giveaway on the 25th. It involves the word FREE and you don't wanna miss it :)

MONDAY AGAIN :)

Monday always means a new sketch at NAS, right? This week you're gonna love it! Here's Shawn's sketch:

And here's my layout made from the sketch:

And I also wanted to share the one my friend Ange did. How beautiful is this paper with her Hawaii pictures? This is the June kit from The Scrapping Spot

Happy Scrappy Weekend!!!

It is for me, anyway :) My hubby and kids are outta the house so I'm making the most of my quiet weekend.

For my first trick: The Scrapping Spot's  June kit is up and it's FANTASTIC! I broke into it last night and made this awesome 2 page layout (using a sketch from Nuts About Sketches - week 143 ). I am in love with this kit, featuring the Basic Grey Lauderdale line. It's perfect for all things summer!

And for my second trick: My Scraps And More has an awesome 8 week challenge going called My Scraps Got Talent. Week 1 challenge was just posted yesterday and it was great so make sure to check it out. Here's my LO for the first challenge. I used MME's Stella and Rose. Look at the sweet picture of my little cutie and her very first pet :)

New sketch at NAS and a great upcoming 8 week challenge!!

This weeks NAS sketch is one of my favorites (I think I say that every week!). It's so hard for me to scrap one photo, Shawn really makes it so easy! This photo is from a trip we took last year to Holiday World in Santa Claus, IN. It was sooo hot and you can see it all over the kiddos' faces.

The other super cool thing I want to share with you is an 8 week challenge at My Scraps And More. Make sure to check this out, it sounds like so much fun!!! Click on this link for alllll the info and join us for some exciting challenges starting June 3rd.

My Scraps And More My Scraps Got Talent!

It's MONDAY and you know what that means....

sleepy, grumpy blahs??? NO! A new sketch is up at Nuts About Sketches! This is week 161 and Shawn's got an awesome 2 page sketch lined up so make sure you go check it out. Here's my take on it:

These photos are from a Yellow Ribbon Program carnival hosted by the VFW. We had an awesome time and it was totally free - cotton candy, games, popcorn, funnel cakes, drinks, inflatables, prizes, face painting, the works!

Day 2 of Nuts About Sketches Birthday Celebration!!

Here's Shawn's perfecto sketch:

 and here's my layout. This is my 2 youngest kiddos at Busch Gardens from a couple of weeks ago. They're the UNfurry ones :)

GRAB YOUR PARTY HAT....IT'S BIRTHDAY WEEK!!

Nuts About Sketches is celebrating their birthday with a sketch a day for the next 7 days. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THE FUN! And...are you ready for this??? There's a PRIZE. Not just any old prize either, but your very own spectacularly awesome May kit from The Scrapping Spot!!! Who doesn't want to win that? To enter just become a follower of NAS and email your take on the sketches to Shawn at shawneerie17@yahoo.com with the sketch number in the subject line. You get an entry for each layout you complete. What could be simpler??
Here's the prize:

May kit from The Scrapping Spot

isn't this amazing???

And here's today's sketch. This was so fun to work with! I really struggle with one picture layouts, but this sketch was perfect. Love it!

And here's my take on it. This photo is the hubby and I at the beach a few weeks ago. My 10 year old daughter took the picture and I must say it's one of my most favorites ever! I used paper from Fancy Pants Beach Bum line - love it, definitely need more!





Happy Monday...no, wait...um...er......

There's no such thing as a happy Monday, right? I'm soooo not a morning person, sooooo not a Monday person, but there's always one thing for me to look forward to on Mondays - a new Nuts About Sketches posting :) Here's mine from week 154. These pictures are from my son's very first football scrimmage. Isn't he cute??