Honorable Mention + Softball + Flowers

I am so excited to have my card (see below) selected as honorable mention on the HA Blog! Yay! Check out the other winners who had awesome cards! Congrats to all!

This card was done with the same stamp used in my scrapbook page mentioned in an earlier post that can be viewed here. I tried the crayon resist that was mentioned here on the HA Blog. Really fun technique to try out; however, I wasn't too sure how it looked at first. Course, all of the lovely comments given at Flickr were really encouraging! Thanks everyone!

I worked at the college today in preparation for our first OAR (Orientation, Advising & Registration) Day of the summer. I hope the rain stops...rained all day today! We could really use a sunny day for our visitors on campus. I think my little girls & I will sing one of our favorite songs tonight (it might help)...

Rain, rain go away.

Come again some other day

We want to go outside and play

Come again some other day

I think that might help mother nature a little bit (it will be fun to sing it, at least).

Haley had her second softball game last night...she hit this pitch & made it to first base & then stole second. Great job, Haley!

I also got a great shot of Emma with Grandma while swinging.

Grandma & Grandpa came over & planted flowers yesterday. Haley & Emma thought they should help out for a little while.

I guess that is all for now. Still haven't done any creating for the next HA challenge: circles. Will get to it soon. Have a wonderful & blessed night.

Park = Happiness

It is now officially constructed & available for hours of enjoyment...the "park" is now open for our little girls & any neighbor friends who want to join in on the fun!

Emma & her friend love the tower window!

Haley is now officially a fourth grader. I grabbed a shot of her just before she hopped on the bus. Some of Haley's favorites from this past year:

• fun teacher
• going to a local pizza restaurant with her kindergarten friends (Haley's class read to kindergartners every Thursday)
• disecting a worm
• Harlan the bus driver (Haley reports he is especially nice)
• math (learning multiplication)
• track meet (Haley won the 50 meter dash & the 800 relay)
• overnights with Haley
• talking with friends on the bus

Here is shot of her walking her daily path to the bus that will carry her to her last day of third grade. Haley's report card came home with her & she did very well! Haley's wishes for next year:

• less homework (she has no idea what she has ahead of her :)
• nice friends & teachers
• receive A's & B's
• a good year for all of her friends

Now, for the creative section of my blog - Hero Arts is having a "circle" challenge this week. I am not feeling creative at the moment, so please check back later to see where I am at with this. Right now I am going to put kids to bed, warm up some hot cocoa (freezing here right now!) and snuggle up on the couch (maybe watch a movie). Cheers & have a blessed night.

Memorial Weekend & "Park" Construction

This has been a busy & creative weekend for me. The challenges that I have competed in are really helping me add to my scrapbooking albums...which is good since I am sort of slow & need a boost like this to get me going! I have a new LO below that I have submitted to DreamGirls Challenge Blog (thanks, Julie, for having the link available on your blog!). I love how they inspire you to create while having a few stipulations to enter. Very fun & somewhat challenging. The challenge this time around is to do a page about me & use corrugated cardboard. It is challenging just to turn around and create something about us, the people who create! It is good, though...makes me think about why I am really here. I am here to create & share a beautiful layout of the life I have experienced. I am typically a slow scrapper, so this has been a good experience for me. I can't remember the last time I was so productive! :)

It is a good thing this weekend is a long one. My family & I have been utilizing every bit of it so far to create the "park" where Emma can play. :) Let me give you a little history regarding this little adventure Jon & I have been delving into this weekend. Our family usually ends most of our warmer days by going on a bike ride to a local park. Emma & Haley love to swing & slide. Our daily trips to the park are especially important to Emma. She has this thing about parks (meaning swingsets...Emma calls them "parks")...once she sees one, she immediately runs to it. I know...she is normal and like all other children who love them. But, we are afraid that one of these days she will end up in the neighbor's "park." So, we are preventing this possible incident from happening and have purchased our very own "park." I am sure we will continue to bike to the local park...but mommy will be rest assured that while at home Emma will be completely happy by staying in our own yard (at least that is what Mommy thinks). Here are some pics of the beginning stages of "park" construction:

Jon & Emma unloading the lumber

Emma helping out with the tower canopy

All lumber separated & ready to assemble

Emma in front of partially assembled tower

Thought I would capture Jon & I while at work. Had to wear a hat & hood due to the cool breeze....not taking any chances with my sinus troubles!

I will be posting some more updates on the "park" construction. Until then...have a blessed holiday weekend.

Flower Challenge

It has been a while & this week was another filled one! I have been to the allergist, worked (well, somewhat, since I ended up not working much on Thursday due to my children's illnesses) & best of all...shopped at a stamping store! I was able to purchase a flower background stamp at a store called Stamp n' Hand. Great shop! It is in La Crosse, Wisconsin & I highly recommend to browse their inventory. I don't think I have ever seen so many stamps in one spot! Pure heaven. ~sigh~ It is Friday & this is the first I have uploaded an entry for this week's flower challenge for Hero Arts. I decided to add a scrapbook page to my 6x6 album. Used a picture of Haley that has been sitting in my craft cupboard for ages. Love this one of her....

This page was created by using this stamp.... I love this flower stamp...Stamp n' Hand's website is http://www.rubberstampslacrosse.com/. I like their stamp of the month special. If you buy a regular priced stamp, you can purchase their showcased stamp at 1/2 price. The fireworks stamp (Great Impression's brand) was only $4.88 after the price reduction! They also have several cards on display using the featured stamp of the month. You can purchase an instruction printout & photo of the display for just 60 cents. Bonus! I can't wait to try this one out!

I am hoping to be able to create something else for this week's challenge. We'll see if I can manage to do that among all of the other piles of work I need to finish.

Have a wonderful holiday weekend! Why not go fishing? Sounds good to me....

Beautiful Evening

It is 62 degrees out right now and Jon & Emma just left for a bike ride to a neighboring park. The trail in our town is a scenic route to Emma's most favorite place to play. She is happy & mommy gets a moment of peace & quiet. ~sigh~ This was another busy weekend with several neighboring schools holding graduation ceremonies. My neice graduated on Friday night and a party was held for her on Saturday. She has grown into quite the young lady. It will be fun to see what she does with her life. Here is a picture of her in her gown...Congratulations Mick! And here a few more pictures....

(Cayden)

(Sweet little Cale)

(Taylor & Haley)

(Emma after eating a cupcake)

(Emma after a very long day!)

I was also able to make a few cards for the Hero Arts background challenge this weekend...

This last card was made for Mick's graduation.

My dryer buzzer is going off...back to reality and my messy house. Until next time...blessings.

New LO

This is a new layout I created to enter the Creating Keepsakes "Scrapbooker of the Year" contest. I did not anticipate the past few months to pass by as fast as they did, so I was unable to create enough LO's to enter. Maybe next year.... ;)

Worked half a day today to make up for going to Haley's track meet on Monday...she did so well! She placed first in the 50 meter dash & her relay team won the 800 meter relay. Here is a picture of her running the 50...way to go, Haley!

Sick Today

I don't know if it is allergies, or my sinus problems...but I am sick! I think my little one is too. :( Thought I would get some things done today...but to no avail. Received my new Creating Keepsakes magazine yesterday...still haven't had a chance to look through it. :( I have been working on trying something different for my title at the top of this page...not sure if I am liking what I am doing. Right now I am creating it in Adobe Photoshop...been thinking about making something with paper & scanning it in. We'll see.... Ok, I've made something different using digital paper & elements. Hope it looks good!