veterans day && a challenge.

Gotta love a photo challenge, && LOVED the whole concept! I'm even going to do it twice I believe, just because I can :] Make sure you check out Dear Lizzy's site && join in on the fun!

With today being veterans day, and me having no plans this morning, I thought it would be appropriate to do something to do with thanking the veterans, especially with a very military involved family. SO this is my photo for the challenge, and tribute to ALL of the soldiers, but especially those in my family. Thanks you && LOTS of love.

Today has been a pretty spectacular day, and it isn't even half over! At 11:11 CST, October Afternoon started there Santa Sacks! SOOOO excited to be getting some goodies from them!!! My mailman may just become my bff, they're always bringing me goodies :]

Tonight I am going to a Charity Bingo, supporting self-buisnesses in the area, Stampin Up, thirty one gifts-- I'm excited it was really fun last time & I can't wait until tonight. SUCH a good 11:11, hope you're all having a great day as well!

munchkin. money & memories.

Well, as soon as I started it, of couuuurse I couldnt keep up my scrapbooking kick lol. It seems like everyone is sick, so I've been working extra, taking away from daily sbooking! SO on this 5th day of November, I will have to make up for three days.

I am most thankful for my munchkin. He makes me laugh, and mostttt of the time he lets me take as many pictures of him as I want :] I love having a munchkin who's freckles & personality are so much like mine who also fills in as the sibling I never had.

[[silly munchkins. watching Cars2]]

This time of year especially, I am thankful for my JOB = money. Lol Granted I will be saving forever to be able to buy a new car, but at least I have a full time job with benefits that I walk away with cash in hand [almost] every day :] I love the people I work with, & my regulars!

As a scrapbooker, I am thankful for my memories. Which could also mean I am thankful for my cameras, because they help me capture the pictures! & for having a good memory, because I loooove being able to reminisce with all my faves! Scrapbooking has been such an incredible part of my life, and I am constantly in awe of how much I really love everything about it. I love being able to share special moments with Caleb, friends and family, through all of my scrapbooks :]

Now that the babies are headed to bed after a crazy night of movie watching && silly pictures, I'm gonna use the time to catch up on scrapbooking && get some things done! Hope you're all having a crafty weekend!

grateful.

On facebook a lot of people are doing a "what I am thankful for" post every single day from now until Turkey Day. && my Scrappy Girls friend Megan is currently doing a challenge to complete a page a day. SO I've decided on what I think will be an easy challenge with how many projects I have in the upcoming month, I will tie the two challenges together. Every single day I will make a card, page or project that ties in with what I am thankful for.

I know it's the second, so I am already a day late, but I did scrapbook yesterday, so I can combine the two lol. First, I am thankful for the opportunities I've had this year in the scrapbooking industry. I've got to go to a ton of events, travel, make friends, && meet some incredible people, like Madison & Jody from Echo Park Paper who I got to work with at Scrapfest. Yesterday I received a box of goodies from them for working at their booth :] I LOVE their lines, especially the new ones-- Times & Seasons, Winter Park && new Dots & Stripes collections, I cannot WAIT to get my hands on them as well! Check out their blog, you'll be sure to find something you like!

Second, I am thankful for my Scrappy Girls group. Started by a gal named Serena, it originally started as a group on facebook of ladies who were attending Scrapfest, that could meet up, become friends, trade tips & tricks-- amazing for me, since I traveled all the way from Ohio by myself. Since then, the ladies that did meet up and get together have branched off into Scrappy Girls, complete with a Christmas exchange, birthday list, && an upcoming winter weekend crop :]  

So today's project will be a sneak of November bdays cards, that I will be sending out in the morning! Made with Unity Stamps  && the Echo Park Happy Days collection, I think these ladies will enjoy their cards!

Dear Lizzy && December Daily

Dear Lizzy: December Daily SC Kit Giveaway: One of my favorite scrapbookers on the planet is giving this kit away-- make sure you check it out && see how amazing she is as well :] Thanks to Elizabeth for the chance to win!

Just found out they will NOT be taking care of my car, so I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed that I win this kit, I could USE a pick me up for sure!!!!!

On a plus side note for the day, got signed up for the jillibean soup classes next weekend, since Jill & Kim are coming to teach class at my LSS, can't wait to see them!!!!

new lens spooktacular :]

Happy Halloween!

I absolutely love halloween, but I feel like I didn't do anything since I didn't get to go out in a costume myself on Saturday night. BUT I did get to take Caleb to the pumpkin patch, and trick or treat was tonight, super fun! It's always hilarious to walk around with him & see him be his OCD self haha He went as Captain Rex from Star Wars Clone Wars & he was pretty cute:

BEST part of the night?? Getting to use my Nikon :]

Then we came home, I finished up a few pages && now keep your fingers crossed!!!! I could really use some amazing good luck right now :] Off to bed, this girls gotta work a double tomorrow, to make moola for a new car [thanks again deer, I really appreciate having to buy a car right before the holidays.]

ky regionals.

I have never been to Louisville, KY, but I can tell you I will be back :] From the little I have seen, I love it && I can't wait to see what it looks like in the daytime! Staying at the Galt House Hotel-- GORGEOUS!!!!&& when I met the ladies for dinner, they had a freaken awesome magician, sounds corny right? NO. Totally entertaining!

Here for Stampin Up Regionals, & I am so excited!!! Rooming with Carlyn, so good to see her again, and so incredibly pumped to get in the mood for some card making, holidays are always the perfect time. I've already seen some examples with AMAZING techniques that I just can't wait to share when I get home :]

never miss a photo op

Scrapbooking isn't just a hobby for me, if possible, it's all I would EVER do, because I absolutely LOVE everything about it. The entire industry is just amazing to me, and I am very thankful to be involved in any way I can be. While I am incredibly sad that I missed out on SPARK, I DID have an amazing time Friday night at our first Girls Night In crop :] I am so excited that these girls are interested in the hobby, and I love each of them so it'll be fun to watch them grow as scrapbookers!

Caleb's been a model for a few photographers lately, and the pictures have turned out reallllly good, which is totally exciting to be able to use for layouts as well. I'm in love with this fall weather, now that it finally stopped raining, because there have been SO many good days to get outside & enjoy this beautiful time of year! Today he did birthday pictures, just a few :] && we found an impromptu photo booth at Gap Kids-- stop by at your mall, they have CUTE cardboard props && a background that you can play with-- gotta love everyday moments that turn out to be AMAZING!!

[LOVE it! We had fun goofing off with the props!]

BUT the biggest news of the day??? Guess who got a new lens for her Nikon?? THIS GIRL. Need I really explain how excited I am?? & right in time for fall leaf pictures, Caleb's class Halloween party and trick or treat?? Or how about the approaching holiday season?? yayyyyy!!
Now for serious buisness, finishing up a few layouts! One for a challenge that ends this weekend, and a page for a friend :] You'll see them soon enough!

sick day with munchkin.

Poor Caleb got sent home from school, after already missing yesterday, & he's not allowed to go back tomorrow either since he was sick AT school today. SO I'm taking advantage of his lounging around state so we can watch Lion King & get some crafting done :] Which is pretty much what I'm doing non stop these days lol

Girls night crop on Friday night should be fun, so far the girls coming are mostly new to scrapbooking, so it'll be fun to teach some newbies && get them addicted to it! Pretty excited to get an order in, and start working on Christmas cards && baby shower invites-- it's that time of year :]

Looking at trips to finish off the year, since I can't attend SPARK this weekend [& believe me, I'm dyyying to go, esecially since I know some of the people there] but Amy mentioned the CRAFT beach retreat, which sounds great as well, but I may just save up & start the year off with WINTER CHA. Ohhhh decisions. If I wait til January, then we could prolly take the weekend before show starts to go to Disney :] I've never been to Cali, so I think if we wait until January it can be a HUGE event....

While I think about it more, why not get some pages done?? I'm doing them all without photos right now, so I'll have to run out later && print them all, so they'll look a lot different with the finishing touches && pics! I'm dying to order some mini moo prints && some off instagram, so I figure it I stock pile some pages, I'll get a better deal! I LOVE all the different ways to print pics now, makes pics that much more interesting. For now, here's a few shots of  the one I worked on last night, using Studio Calico  products & a bit of the Amy Tangerine washi tape:

saturday & sunday night sbooking.

After a rough weekend in the life lol, I'm in a me time mood, so a scrapbooking I will be on this wonderful fall weekend :] Pretty excited to play with new goodies, like the Amy Tangerine washi tape I got in the mail with my AMAZING owl tshirt on Friday  [[thanks Amy!!]]. Do some misting, some hand sewing, I'm pretty excited, there's a lot of fun techniques I've been wanting to play around with and haven't had the time to pull it all out at once!!!

I do have to say I'm pretty proud of my self & some of the projects I've been working on-- here's a few sneaks from ones I worked on last night:

[some hand stitching. some washi tape.]

[some misting, && tiny staples-- LOTS of different love]

[photos from his self-made valentines last year  ♥]

&& after an awesome day at the pumpkin patch, tonight I'll be working on photos from that, and getting ready for the girls crop night in this Friday :] SOOOO bummed I can't be at SPARK next weekend, but I'll be surrounded by lots of crafty goodness!!!

scrappy chics.

Crop night in another state--- Michigan this time :] a birthday celebration with a longtime scrapbooking friend at Scrappy Chic in Livonia, Michigan for the night. LOVIN it!!! Such a cute store, && they have tonnnnsss of Hambly screen prints && the Studio Calico Memoir collection that I've been looking for. It's always so fun to go to new stores & see what different things they have, even "last ones" items that you can't get anymore to add to collections u already have but haven't used yet.

If you live anywhere near it, I totally recommend Scrappy Chic scrapbook store-- LOVE it! HUGE crop room, amazing food included && loootsss of goodies& if they don't have it- they'll try to order it! The girls working were super helpful & they have great designers, I'll definitely be back to visit!

[the store from the front door]

I never get much done at these things, I get to involved "spying" on what others are working on, or shopping, or showing off a technique lol BUT I did get a two page layout almost done, I just need to print off the photos & do a little sewing, impressive for me :] I'll post it when it's done!!!

[faith && i @Scrappy Chic]

Glad I came to visit my Faith Star, missed her!!! Now for more scrapping in our pretty hotel for the night && waiting on pizza yum yum, I'm stttttarrrrrving. LoL