* Happy Monday! *

I so enjoy the fresh, new feeling of a Monday morning, with the week stretching out in front of me. At least when there are no urgent deadlines or to-do's hanging over my head. This one is starting with me having a bit of slow, leisurely morning waiting for DH to bring my van back to me from getting the flat tire fixed - ah! the joys of living on a gravel road. I bet he comes back with a Orange Stick latte for me too :). He is good at little treats like that.

This weekend was sooo nice and relaxing, too. I drove over the mountains to watch BigSon play tennis: ah! the joys of Wyoming sports travel. It was 480 miles round trip. But my mom came along, and TheDaughter had a rare Saturday off from volleyball, so along with LittleSon, we had a very pleasant roadtrip. It was sunny and a gorgeous fall day. The tennis courts were in a park, so we picnic-ed and LittleSon got to play to his heart's content on a really neat gigantic play structure that was right there, and we watched BigSon ace almost all his serves! yay! We then (after the obligatory walmart weekend stockup trip) drove home via the southern route that takes us through the charming little burg of Greybull with its A&W drive up. Ah! the joys of carhops and root beer, haha!
Sunday was laundry and cleanout day. Maybe not so fun, but definitely rewarding - I threw out three grocery bags of stuff - mostly paper. How does it accumulate so deep so fast?? but, it sure is nice to do laundry in a sparkling clean space now :)
We finished off the weekend by BBQ-ing at my folks', with my brother's family. Good times and good food. Then, we came home and I scrapped a page for the Team GMD blog challenge for this week. It's a fun one - scrap your home, or part of it, with flowers and cardboard embellishments. I chose to do the entry to our house - it always makes me happy to see my red door and flowers :) (thanks to my mom and TheDaughter for the garden help).
So I have ended up with two versions of the page, and I can't decide which one I like better. I like them both, for different reasons! I ended up posting the darker one?

Click here for page credits

This is the one I went with. But I am still not sure which one to print!

Oh yes, one little thing before I get my morning in gear. A little out of the ordinary thing for me... I was 'interviewed' by deann of DiScTalkRadio for the show Inside the Scrapper's Playhouse! It was actually kind of fun - deann is a hoot! I think I sound kind of spacey though haha. I am such a slow thinker, I guess :)

Okay, time to get this party started! Later gaters!
~Kristin

Digi Dare

Here is my take on Digi Dare #52.
My version of trying to scrap in Elsiecake's free style ways :) For the second part, I used product new to me from the new mystery designer coming to the-lilypad on Friday. ( there is also stuff on there from Gina Miller, Amy Wolff, Natalie Braxton, Kate Hadfield, and Nancy Comelab).
I can at least say I had fun haha. !
Peace out, Kristin

I'm leaving on a....

....train!

I went last week to Chicago to see my friend Terra, and meet up with the DiScTalkRadio crew and our press passes (ha!) to scope out the CHA show. More details to come!

Week 4...

is officially over. The last challenge was

Challenge - A Shift in Perspective

Shift your perspective and look at yourself through the eyes of another person. The other person could be a child, a parent, a friend, etc. What do you see? Scrap it.

In debating what to do for this, my daughter was sitting across the table from me (on the other computer) and I asked her How do you see me? She kinda glazed over, and was at a loss for words. I, in an attempt to make this easier, said Can you give me a few words like a list? ... One word?
She makes thinking noises, but doesn't come up with a word.

I go back to thinking. In a few minutes, my email dings, and she has sent me this poem... sniff sniff...

Dear beloved Mother
Most of the time,
It seems like you're my armor

Shielding me,
Protecting me,
And saving me

But other times, mother,
It seems like you
Are an anchor

Holding me in place
And sometimes not
Giving me my needed space

But isn't that a mother's role?
To be patient and in control?
So why am I not grateful?

The life of a teenage girl
Is so confusing and in awhirl
Sometimes I'm blind
And most certainly not aligned

But then you come to my aid
And I'm not longer afraid
For you become all ears
And wipe away all my tears

Sometimes I think I don't need you
But then find myself in need of your rescue
And you come even though I have said
Harsh words to you
So I reconsider what I think of you

And I see you always mean for the best
Even though I often protest

I finally see how much you mean to me
And how you play the role of mom perfectly.

It had been a bit bumpy of a week, mother-teenage-daughter-wise, so it was even MORE special to read it right then. Having this, solely made entering the contest worthwhile.

Click here to view credits in my gallery and to view page larger

Ciao! ~Kristin

Week 3...

...pages are up for voting (for Queen of the Crop contest).

Mine is here at SBG if you want to vote. :)

Click page to view larger.

Click here to view in digishoptalk gallery
Journaling reads:
I really do! I love to see the big mess of it, that sorts into piles that disappear one by one and are replaced by neat folded stacks. I love the feeling of plenty it gives me...
I see that we buy more than just the basics. I see that there is a full family that lives here. And that they are taken care of by someone that loves them. A lot.

Now, my Sunday afternoon looks like (laundry, of course!) running Big Son to graduation for band, picking up Daughter from youth group project, getting Small Son to eat his lunch, and need to do major stock up at Walmart in Cody. Birthday cake and ice cream for SisterInLaw tonight. so, ta-ta for now!
~Kristin

random post...

just to have something new up. ... HOW IN THE WORLD IS IT MAY already?? and the middle of May at that?? School is out in less than week. Summer. Wow. wow.

In scrapbooking ... I am messing around with the Queen of the Crop contest at Scrapbookgraphics. Week 2 layouts are up now, though week 3 goes up sometime tonight I believe. My page is one of my favorites, if not THE favorite, I've made ever:

Click on photo for page credits

Peace out! ~ Kristin

It's been a week...

.... so it must be time to post my next photo-a-day, right? lol! and two days in ... and I already didn't know what to photograph to represent Today--hahaha!

What winds up happening, I am on Hello with a friend in Chicago telling her I ended up buying the "machine" we had talked about at Thanksgiving time, with my Christmas money. I have a weakness for tools, and lettering/type/fonts, ... AND it can be used for scrapping?? Had my name all over it. ( and in this instance I mean real, get-the-glue-out, scrapping like I do for creating demo pages for this store.) Well, Hello is a neat instant messaging program that lets you share pictures while you are chatting, and so this friend wants to see what I made with my machine. Eureka! I have a photo for

Jan 2 2007See, with my new machine, I put in the Tags Bags Boxes and More cartridge, load a piece of cardstock, push a button.... and this cute purse-shaped gift box popped out!

Fun, fun, fun I tell ya! Though now that I am thinking about it, I am not sure what this box has to do with lettering OR scrapping LOL!

Would you like to receive your very own gift-box sized purse-shaped piece of mail?? It's always fun to send and receive real mail in these electronic email times... so, leave me a comment to say you were here-- and I will send you one! :) (and yes, Lovely - you are already on the list, snicker, snicker!)

Thanks to the wonderful, um.... peer pressure? LOL of my dear dear sister, granolageekmom... I am attempting to try and take almost-a-photo-a-day, maybe. LOL! Really- it sounds perfect for me, the chick that bought a big orange purse in New York for the express reason of "I want to always carry my camera with me." so, truly- no coersion involved on the part of my sis. But, I have no illusions that I would actually POST every day. THAT just won't happen. So, I am going for the take-a-lot-of-pictures-and-post-almost-every-day route.

Or often.

Or, even, just oftenER :) hahaha!

So, do I start with Jan 1's or pick up with today's while it is still current?? hmm...
sigh. I am very orderly, usually.

Jan 1 2007

A New Year really isn't a new year for us without FIL's caramel popcorn, chex mix and fudge leftovers we get to bring home. (And yes, the fudge was already gone before I could take a pic!)

Peace!
Kristin

our christmas card

Click to enlarge

(I used digital elements by Michelle Coleman at scrapartist.com)

Several cards I sent out, which by the way was the first year since the first year we were married (read: before kids) that I sent cards out - yay! anyway.... several cards came back to me as "no such number, unable to deliver" or "no such person at this address". So, if you read this and did not get a card from us.... leave me your (correct) address and I can send it on its way.
Cheers, Kristin

THE calendar kit

get it at mylittlescraps.com --It's THE calendar kit to have this year I do believe :)

* Two *

Click to enlarge

Credits:
Lauren Reid (Seattle Sunset, Baby Smell)- all papers, clock hands
Misty Mareda (Rock and Roll Alpha, Together)-'peas' alpha, brush, quote, staple
Natalie Braxton (Random Ribbons)- black ribbons
Traci Murphy - Drop shadow actions
Michelle Underwood (Antique Finds)- Playing cards
Lisa Whitney- glitter swoop
Valerie Randall- warning label @ scrapgirls.com
Ida Rudningen Flower Doodles @ catscrap.com
Kim Higueria - Silver Heart
Iron Orchid Designs (Heirloom Alpha)- '2' @ scrapartist.com
fonts: Chocolate Box, CK Neat Freak, Courier

Hellooo out there!

I really cannot believe 'life' is flying by this fast! Here we are, in the second half of September?!? By my next post, it will be Christmas!

On the personal front... Luke, my oldest, is a high schooler now! wow! A freshman! Like everything he does, he's just breezing along, without nary a bump in the road for transition. This is the kid who HATED change of any kind... would cry over having to get new shoes unless they were exactly like his old ones.... when did this change?... Elizabeth is an eighth-grader, being a sports star, and an academic star, and a social butterfly. She rarely does anything half-way...other than cleaning her room. ....Mark is busy being three. He is such a happy kid! and that is a big change too. :) Lots of time with play doh, cutting paper into teeny tiny pieces, cars and trucks of all sizes... and buffalo- he loves buffalo!?

Happy birthday to us! -er, Shawna!

Shawna Clingerman ( of mylittlescraps, PDW and NDISB fame ,) is turning 26, but it's one of those deals where we get the treats! Yay!
(and Shawna --happy happy birthday, friend!)

My hint for your happy Monday-ing: Click on that link, starting tomorrow and you can download the kit in her ad above for free this week only, before she adds it to her store!

Peace out! --Kristin

mud buddies...

Ahh... I just love going back through old photos ! These were taken back when dd was 6, when irrigating with dad was a treat and not a summer job - ha! At this small size it's hard to tell, but they are both covered in mud nose to toe. Apparently, there was a water fight involved too at some point before they got home.

Click to enlarge

Credits: Almost everything is from Lauren Reid's "Cottagey Day" at plaindigitalwrapper (and I don't do that- 1 kit- very often!)= scallop, papers,'take time' word art, flowers, ribbon, UPC, file tabs, frame. "bonding" title cut with Arial Black font out of Lauren's paper and atomiccupcake.com grungy ink action applied. Also: Shawna Clingerman Swirly Dots brush. Tammy Moore - America The Beautiful Alpha (PDW). Green jewel bling by Jen Wilson Glitzy Bits. Hand font is 2Peas Scrapbook. Most drop shadows from Traci Murphy's actions .

Almost Friday! Cheers -- Kristin

my older son...

I do have one! Sometimes I look through my scrapped pages and wonder...! At 14, he has a habit of not being in many of the photos I take. Hmm... now that I think about it, I mainly see him only if there's food involved. ! which reminds me, he is a quarter of an inch under 6 feet tall. (!) I should find a way to work that onto this latest page ...hmm...

Click to enlarge

My "entry" for Team Gina Miller CT-lifting: I was inspired by Cat’s “Sixist” It is such a great design, and clever , I didn’t do it justice!

Credits a mile long: Shawna Clingerman Arrow Fun at ndisb.com and Linez alpha (U) at plaindigitalwrapper. Corina Nielson: About Me words, Skinny Jeans rivets, and Funky Borders @ PDW. Misty Mareda Brown Wrapper Alpha (e) at PDW. Peppermint Creative’s Foil Alpha (k). Kristy Ann Nerness (L) and Holly McCaig (dream button) Create kit. Holly’s number border in Memories at PDW. Joana Carvalho (brown paper) Cozy at digitalfreebies. Kim Christensen Fresh Squeezed (staple, safety pin) at SBB. Katie Pertiet Beadie Discs (seed beads)at Designer Digitals. Lianne Carper Pretty As Flowers (brad) 3scrapateers. Mommyish Designs PunchLabel Alpha -it rocks! Christy Lyle Tagbook Treasures as page template. Atomiccupcake.com: Graph paper, office form, and Simple Tear, Crumple, Foam Stamp and Cracked Paint actions. 2Peas Scrapbook font.
AND drop shadow actions by tracimurphydesigns.com !

Check those actions out if you are a digiscrapper - realistic shadows at the push of a button, and Traci's are always the best!

Grace! Kristin

Good Morning!
Isn't this one of the most precious babies you have ever seen?? (and, just so you know - she totally looks like her mother!) Thank you to my friend, Lovely, for sharing this perfection with me! I met Lovely through a scrapbook store in Billings where she sometimes works. She took Rene Foss (CK Hall-of-Famer) classes with me with her last $25 I think! She was soooooo giddy for me when my page came out in SSD5 magazine. She "gets" my fascination with scrapping -both paper and digital- and she is just as fascinated! I am truly blessed she is my friend - thanks, Lovely!


Credits: Jasbeanie Designs at jasbeanie.com: Kewl Beans #5 - Summer Surprises (papers, alpha, flower art) and Blooms (petals and bling). Shawna Clingerman, at ndisb.com: Elegant Date Stamps brush. I used Gina Miller's BYOBB from scrapbook-bytes.com as a template for the envelope I made. Jen Wilson price tag. fixedsys font ("priceless" added to tag), Susie's hand font.("welcome...."). atomiccupake.com actions: Paper Tear, Foam Stamp, Glass and Crumple.

Peace -- Kristin

New fun!

I am thrilled that the talented Shawna Clingerman, of mylittlescraps.com has invited me to be on her design team. I have long been a fan of her "doodles"-- exciting things are in the works and I am glad to be along for the ride!

My latest page, featuring some of Shawna's designs, a shot I took yesterday afternoon, and a phrase Mark can repeat 100 times in under a minute!

Credits: Shawna Clingerman, at Natural Designs in Scrapbooking: The Grass is Always Greener (papers and grass brush ) and Crayon Alphabet, Elegant Date, Going Buggy, Polka Flowers ‘Stapm’ brush sets.
Misty Mareda of thedigishoppe: Address Book Alpha and Brown Wrapper Alpha
Gina Miller, at scrapbookbytes.com: Finishing Touches trim
Lynn Grieveson at scrapbook-elements: Little Captain -topaz brads (some color altered) and staples.
Atomiccupcake.com effects: Chalked Edges, Inked Edges, Foam Stamp and Wild Tear.

Happy Monday!
Cheers -- Kristin

This is my next page done for Jessica Bolton/eclecticscrap's Photo+Scrap Challenge 3 To fill in the blank "i think ______ is beautiful" with a newly taken photograph" ...the love i feel for my kids, is a beautiful thing! Journaling says "When you fell asleep late this afternoon and I watched you sleep, I thought...”nothing is more beautiful than a sleeping baby.” And when that baby is my own, something about it just causes the love to well up and squeeze the breath almost right out of me... --April 30, 2006"


Credits: Jess Bolton: Almost Trendy (background, Lily's Lakeside Dream (ink overlay), Signature (stem and leaf brush). Michelle Coleman Happy Stripes and Flowers (love is frame). I cut the hearts from Jen Wilson's Altered Hearts. "Beautiful" Font is by Taran Conyers, TK Doodle. and journaling is Susie's Hand of Ali Edwards fame. Just Ad Inspiration.

TFL!!

Trying something different...

I haven't really settled on one style, for scrapping. But I think -- this isn't it. This page is the result of trying for a linear style. It didn't quite get there, and I'm not sure where it IS. Page done for Jessica Bolton/ecleticscraps
Photo+Scrap Challenge 2. I used pieces of her Signature, Lily's Sophisticated, Lily's Lakeside Dreams, Ordinary and Cool Jeans kits. Fonts used are Cry Kitty, Jaynes Print, DC Make A Wish.
Happy Monday! -- Kristin

My commute

I recently had to drive to Riverton for a watershed conference. A la my friend Terra, I took pics along the way of my commute...




Cheers! - Kristin