Cosmo Cricket

Hey all you great designers out there --- Cosmo Cricket is having a DT Call! Everyone that knows me, knows that they are one of my all-time favorite companies! There is just something about their community of family & friends that appeals to me! They are always having fun - laughing - and working together - and that doesn't even account for how fabulous their products are!

So anyway --- here is my go at their design team --- I have been encouraged by many and discouraged by a few --- but, I have to give it a try! I love their stuff, their blog and their crew and you never know!

If you are out there thinking about it too --- give it a try with me --- because you won't know until you give it a go!

First up --- their EVER-AFTER Collection:



journaling reads:

Tom & Angie are full of excitement, anxiety and anticipation as they await the arrival of little miss Emma Lea. Little do they know that thousands of miles away here in Washington, we are nervously awaiting her arrival too! She is someone’s first baby, first niece, first grandchild and first great grandchild and we all are counting the days till she makes her entrance into this world to meet us! We are all definitely full of…





Next up is their SNORKEL Collection:



This one has a transparent background:





This one was made with the Dixie Pieces May Kit:



This one has background paper from the GET HAPPY Collection



Speaking of the GET HAPPY Collection - here are a few more:





This one has the TANK ALPHABET FROM THE GET HAPPY Collection along with the Paper from the HELLO SUNSHINE Collection:





These next ones are from the GIRL FRIDAY Collection:







Here are a few from LIL' MAN Collection:



Journaling reads:

You had a fantastic season – your last season in Majors before you head up to Juniors and those 90 foot bases. You were “Mister Automatic” and your swing came alive this year. It was definitely a fantastic season for you and your stats. But there was more to the season than numbers. You added confidence, leadership, responsibility and humility to the list of characteristics you possess. You were a team player and your “can-do” attitude made you shine. I am very proud of you.







One of my absolute favorites - COGSMO:









And finally some older stuff:



SOme Christmas Ornaments:





A Cigar Box for my special keepsakes:



I find myself reaching for Cosmo Paper all the time--- especially as background paper. This is one of my favorite layouts recently---with GET HAPPY paper as the background:

Jordan is Germany Bound...

Jordan and her group took off today --- they are heading over to Germany for a church mission trip. They will be swing dancing, singing and sharing the Gospel all accross Germany. Can I just say how proud I am of her? She is not afraid to be who she is --and to stand up for what she believes in. She is one amazing girl and I couldn't love her more. Be safe baby girl -- I miss you already.

Kit Sneaks and a Giveaway!

It's almost July 1st and the reveal for the new kit at Dixie Pieces Kit Club is right around the corner! The designers are doing something fun this month - we are having a little blog sneak peak party! Yep-over the next 4 days you can see sneak peaks of the new kit and the design team creations! Every day a new designer will post their sneaks to their blogs! To make it even sweeter - when you leave a comment on the sneak peak posts - you qualify to win a RAK (Random act of Kindness - sscrapbook style) from Dixie Pieces!

Here are my sneaks!





So leave me a comment on this post and then check out the Dixie Pieces Forums to see where the blog hop takes us tomorrow! Follow the trail and leave comments as you go. The more comments you leave, the better your chances to wins the RAK!

Prize will be drawn on the 30th and announced on the site and the DT blogs on July 1st - Kit Reveal Day!

Scrapbooks Etc.

I created a digital photo book for the Urban Scrapbooker a few months ago through the photo books site of Scrapbooks, Etc. I was contacted last month about them using it for a site example. It was fun to see it up on their site today!

You can browse the book here!

Check it Out!

I am a proud new Design Team Member of ScrapTiffany! This is an amazing site with a fun blog, and an awesome store where you can buy her fabulous class kits! The best part for me is that she is based just down the road outside Olympia, Washington! How fun is that? I have to say that this is the icing on the cake for me this week! So many exciting things to be thankful for and excited about! There have been so many changes going on in our lives - The Lord is faithful - I can't wait to see where it all leads us to!

Back to this awesome site! Tiffany is an amazing designer and teacher and I can't wait to work with her and the new Design Team! Head over to their blogs, check out their work and leave them a comment or two - it is all so amazing!

Rebecca Keppel

Marcie Morgan

Sheri Twing

Make sure you bookmark her site and watch the blog for fun weekly challenges that will start up July 6th!

Here is the multi-photo layout that I completed for the DT Call:



and the matching card:



Happy Tuesday!

We caved in and bought...

...a tent trailer. We have talked about it for years and never felt like it was the right time. Then we happened across this one at a garage sale last weekend -- the folks were super nice and it just felt like it was meant to be. Thanks to a small loan from Grandma we are now the proud owners of



I am actually excited to do some camping!

It will come in handy for some upcoming tournaments too! One team that has some coming up is AUstin's All-Star team. Here they are looking sharp!

More LOAD Layouts!

I managed to get my week #3 layouts done! Here you go:

Layout #1 --- is for a challenge over at the Scrap-Diner from Dina---using a mask and Maya Mist:



Layout #2 --- is also for ac challenge over at the Scrap-Diner using Jenni Bowlin products:



The journaling reads:

You are tough, flexible, forgiving and resilient – you proved it this year. Feeling like I needed to go back to work, I put you boys in school. A good school – but one that wasn’t equipped to help you learn – one that wasn’t willing to deal with your dyslexia – one that was willing to let you fail instead of going the extra mile. It was apparent after just a week of classes. So, I pulled you out and put you with a private tutor – one that came highly recommended. She was tough – and prepared to help. You toughed it out with her for 2 months before I realized that she was sucking the life right out of you. So, I pulled you out and placed you in a school that specialized in helping kids with dyslexia. It was a good place; had good teachers and you liked it there. But after 2 months, it was clear that I was working full time just to pay your tuition – and the reality was that I was a better teacher for you. Homeschooling was just what we did. Why didn’t I see it sooner? Why wasn’t I content being a stay-at-home mom and teacher? Whatever the reason – I am thankful that I finally saw the right path. But most of all, I am thankful that you are tough, flexible, forgiving and…

Layout #3 --- A layout for me with a picture of a new scrappin buddy, Leslie. Keep Leslie and her family in your prayers, she lost her mom unexpectantly on Saturday.



Layout #4 --- Another layout for me -- love this pic of Luke that I got at the park with my huge lens - he had no idea I was taking it --aren't those the best pics?



Layout #5 --- A layout for fun using some old Cosmo Cricket -- man, do I love this paper!



Layout #6 --- This layout didn't quite turn out hte way I envisioned it -- there is always one in every set of layouts I do. But, I do love this pic of Chase!



Yes, I am one layout short --- I actually made it but it is a DT layout and I can't share it yet!

You're the Man -

Even though - we aren't much for Hallmark holidays at our house - I just need to tell the world how great my husband is. Now I know that this holiday is about what a great FATHER he is --- and he is --- but, I am celebrating what a great HUSBAND he is.



Even when I am totally unlovable, his arms are always wide open waiting to comfort me, to support me, to love me and to tell me that we are a team - NO MATTER WHAT.

He does the big things like financially support us and make sure that we never NEED for anything.

He does the hard things like work non-stop for a year on a house remodel just because I had a dream.

He does the tedious things like sit for hours every week and sports practices so that I can have time alone to regroup.

He does the little things like open my car door and wink at me from accross the room so that I always know how much he loves me.

He does everything -- he is my everything & yes, he is an amazing father.

Teeny tiny little one ---

Great Grandma would have called her itty bitty--and she would have been so right! Emma is a tiny little thing --- perfect & tiny! They all headed home today after the pediatrician gave her a clean bill of health! She even got extra points for having strong muscle tone already! She is so adorable and I am loving all the pictures!









okay---are you ready for this one? This just makes me smile! You can really see just how tiny she is!

An Amazing Day Already!

I woke up so early this morning - all I could think about was my new grandbaby! I woke up thinking about some creative ways to get down to Missouri this summer. Turns out some of the Hawaiian Miles that we have just sitting around are good on Delta Airlines who just happens to fly to Missouri. So, I am going to look into that today! Now to schedule it in between soccer tournaments, the Choir tour and jury duty.

Yep--Jury Duty. But, I am okay with it. Ask me again during the week I have to serve and see how much I am liking it!

Are you ready for the amazing part?

So, I'm laying in bed this morning, browsing the internet on the laptop looking at hotels, car rentals, and airline flights --- and monitoring my email. Up pops notice of an RSS Feed that I get to a scrapbooking manufacturer's blog - Reminisce Paper Company. I clicked on it ----- completely forgetting that today was the big contest announcement. Guess what? I won! Yep---I won first prize - $500 cash! Can you believe that? That is so the Lord's way of helping us get to Missouri! Check it out:

http://reminisce.typepad.com/reminisce/2009/06/and-the-winners-of-the-500-freedom-collection-challenge-are.html

Here is the layout I designed with their Freedom Collection:



Amazing! But wait there is more! I had a couple fun things published this morning on the Cosmo Cricket Blog too! Check it out:

http://cosmocricket.typepad.com/cosmo_cricket/2009/06/friend-faves-fursday.html

And to top it off --- I am the Guest Design Team Member for July over at Scrap Dango!

Needless to say --- I was running around the house screaming this morning --I'm on cloud 9 and I'm pretty sure this day couldn't get any better!

BABY!

Remember that post earlier today when I said no baby yet? Well----she's arrived!

Emma Lea Holmes - 5lbs. 7 oz. 18inches long ---arrived at 9:44pm CST! Angie had a quick and easy labor---well as easy as it could be --- and everyone is doing great! She arrived 2 weeks early and everyone is so darn excited! My boys are running around the house calling each other --"Uncle Chase ---Uncle Luke --- Uncle Austin"----So stinkin' cute!

Budgeting to find a way to get down there has been difficult to say the least and airfare in the summer is a tough one. But, we are just going to have to find some creative financing and find it soon~! I am up to the challenge ---

here you go - more pics to come---this one is courtesy of the cell phone!

I've got NEWS!

no---the baby hasn't arrived yet---but anyday now!

My news is of the scrapbook variety and is all about the fabulous sketch blog of my scrapping buddy, Lucy Chesna! My Sketch World is a great blog with great sketches, contests and crops! In fact, there was just a new sketch released, a new contest announced and a great crop is coming up next week! All in addition to a DT call! You don't want to miss all the fun things going on over there. To make it easier for you --- I will recap:

My Sketch World Blog - www.mysketchworld.blogspot.com
My SKetch World Forum - www.mysketchworld.s2.bizhat.com/index.php?mforum=mysketchworld
My Sketch World Gallery - www.mysketchworld.ning.com/photo

Blog post about fantastic DT Call Opportunity - www.mysketchworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-sketch-world-dt-call.html

Blog post about upcoming crop - www.mysketchworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/lets-get-ready-to-crop.html

Blog post about June Contest and Sponsor - www.mysketchworld.blogspot.com/2009/06/dream-designs-kit-is-sponsoring-this.html

So there you go---nice and easy for you to find! No excuses ---get over there and have some fun!

Tuesday Morning...early.

I am up too early. It's way too early. After all, it's summer time and I should be sleeping in -- everyday. I need my body's clock to readjust quickly. If you truly have an internal clock -- and it's an all mental thing -- shouldn't it KNOW that I want to sleep in, that I get to sleep in, that I have to sleep in? Okay--so, after this post, I'm crawling back in bed. I need to convince my body that it's okay to stay in bed till 9. Think it will work?

L.O.A. D. Week #2

Here are my week #2 layouts for the Layout A Day Contest over at Scrap Dango. You will notice that there are only 6--- I actually got 7 completed --- just didn't care for one of them --- so, not sharing that one!

This one is my first transparent layout background! It was tons of fun and was created using a fabulous Lucy Chesna sketch!



This one was created for the Scrap Around the World Contest over at Scraptivity.



These were just for me:







This one was created for a blind scrap challenge over at Treasured Scrapbooking. It was my first time doing this kind of challenge --it was fabulous! They give you a recipe-steps to follow!




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On a house note--we got up really early today and started working. We got all the trim work down and the staircase almost finished. Now this week --- I will be filling in the nail holes, caulking and painting! We still have the bedroom floors to install and the old bathroom to fix -- but now all the new construction is almost finished!