Brighter Skies

Hi all. Thank you so much for your concern, I guess I've been quieter then even I thought. I don't mean to be, I'm just busy. Feeling really good about everything though, I feel like I've found a really good fit for me with the office I chose to work in. And J loves his school, and slowly but surely I'm fitting in some crafting on the weekend nights. Today I just feel really lucky and feel like I'm finding balance again. Until the next time the apple cart topples. :) I think that I thought that scrapping and working were mutually exclusive and I'm pleased to find that is not the case. Let's see what happens when we throw the holidays into the mix. :)

Here are some layouts made with Cocoa Daisy's Brighter skies. This first one was made for a sketch challenge we are having in Sept, that's why it looks like my style thrown in a blender. But I kind of like it.

And this one is to help me remember my son singing his ABC's and how amazing it is to watch a child learn. If you know me, you know how very much I love Jenni Bowlin and it physically hurt me for like 10 mins after I decided to do this with the alphas. But it's ok. :)
This one is about that gut-wrenching first day for mom, um, I mean J. :) I love those basic grey fabric buttons, I'd like one in every color/style please. :)
Lastly, I was going to make a card with this paper that said on the front It's not complicated and on the inside put, I love you. And then the more I thought about it, the more I knew that I was feeling this because sometimes J looks at me like he doesn't know what planet I'm communicating from. Why doesn't mum want me to jump on the couch? So, this was my way of feeling understood, even though I know it's futile as he is too young. But it will still be relevant when he puts his hands on his hips and gives me that look when he's a tween so I'm not worried about it. :)

And that's it. Hope you have a good Monday. Until tomorrow.

Sneaking around

Pages coming soon, I promise. :)
Happy weekend to you! Until tomorrow.

Updating

We've been trying to settle into a routine here, and with all the illness we have had with preschool, I'm afraid it's just not working. Been hanging on for dear life some days, just trying to remember to feed the dog and pack a lunch. Unable to stay up much past the time J goes to bed, and that's really putting a cramp in my scrapbooking and blogging here lately.

Some developments:

1. I decided to stay on with Cocoa Daisy for another term and I couldn't be more excited about that. These kits are the best at getting me out of a scrapbooking rut and I'm currently waiting on this one to arrive:


It's called Brighter skies, and it will be available for purchase midnight August 27th I believe. We are working on having a more defined reveal date so that everyone on the site knows what to expect. We also have some new Divas including Debee Campos, Lisa Saunders and one still yet to be revealed. I love that loyal members as well as bigger name talent all have equal opportunity to be guest designers and on the design team there.

2. It's Christmas in August here. I finally opened my new photo printer, as I finally ran out of ink for the old one. It came with new software that is really fun to play with. It makes me want to try my hand at digital, but I know I could never give up the smell of new paper.

3. Waiting for it to finally cool down here, end of summer long dog days are making me long for the pumpkin patch and the cool crisp air. I'm a fall girl, I love every single thing about it. Also waiting for temp to drop so I can spend some time in the garage, can't even think of organizing it in this heat. I keep asking J about what he wants to be for halloween, is that bad?

4. Loving my yard, with the little bit of rain we have had the grass is much greener. Not as good as it will be in the fall, but a vast improvement over the scorched look of summer.

5. Listening to: Sara Bareilles (any of her songs on vevo) and Jon Meyers "Half of my heart" (love, love that one!)

6. Reading about Primary Biliary Cirrhosis. It's a liver disease. It's part of my CME this month.

Happy Monday to you! Until tomorrow.

Guess this means summer's over

Some of my most recent American crafts blog offerings this summer included:

June Calendar page:

Sunkissed layout:

Beach mini album:

All made with American crafts Heatwave. Kelly Purkey said I would love that line, she was right. I had a great year with American crafts and I am grateful for the opportunity to design for them. I'll be back later on, I have to make lunch. Happy weekend to you! Until tomorrow.

And a little child shall lead them. . .

When we pulled up to Chipotle this weekend, I said, "J we're here." And from the back seat in a small voice I heard him say, "I peel (feel) like guacamole." And just like that it was Sunday morning with me saying "Amen brother, hallelujah! That's my boy." He gets me, he really does! :)

And you might be a redneck if your imaginary friend is named Taterhead. It's true, I couldn't make this stuff up. And I can barely keep a straight face while drying and tucking taterhead in bed tonight. They say that kids with imaginary friends are really smart. Do you think this still applies if they name the imaginary friend taterhead? :)

We've been really sick here, another round of antibiotics on me. And when I noticed that said sick child had his finger up his nose I told him politely not to do that, that that's why we are sick. This was met with a "Try it Ma." Um, no. What do you say to that?

And I'm proud to report that J is the new owner of the Chuggington interactive railway. I was so excited that he went #2 in the potty that I nearly wet my own pants. What a day! Happy Wednesday to you. Until tomorrow.

About Chuggington

My little guy has fallen off the wagon with potty training. I've tried for months with no success to bring him back to the table, er potty. This all came to a head last week where I insisted that he use the facilities before we headed out for school and he refused, loudly at the top of his lungs and ran away. That's when I knew that we were pretty polarized on the issue and it was going to take something big and magical to bring both parties back to the table. Enter interactive Chuggington:

The trains and everything talk. We have been excited about it for a long time. So I bought the set with the tracks, and 5 trains (6 if you include Wilson and Vee with the track set). I use this company in the UK--Toys Direct. They are awesome. The site converts pounds to dollars, and it shipped and was here in under 4 days. I'm just a satisfied customer is all and when you look at what they are charging on amazon for chuggington toys, the prices are totally ridiculous.

So, my whole counter top is full of talking Chuggington (like I need anymore lip from anyone when I make dinner, geez.) And we have a list going-12 potty trips gets him the first train. He still has about 6 to go, so he's doing well. He's motivated I'll give him that! Me, I'm just hoping it will buy about a week or two of time, something to get a routine down so that he can stick with it. Wish me luck, I'm going to need it. Happy Wednesday to you! Until tomorrow.

And it was a Monday

This past month has been so hard, since J started school we both have just been so very sick. I can count on my hand with fingers left over how many days I've felt well lately. I've got another upper respiratory infection, which I'm certain by the way I'm coughing now will linger with me a little while. The antibiotics are making me feel just as lousy as the cold. It's one of the worst things in the world--to be sick and try to take care of a small child, nothing compares to the feeling of complete and utter uselessness I feel trying to function this way.

These projects were featured on the AC blog during our swap with Pebbles back in May, I just forgot to post them here. They feel very spring/summery to me. Sometimes I have to remember that it is still summer, I'm so focused on everything I want to get done in the fall. Our winter here was so brutal last year that I'd really like to get both cars in the garage this winter. One, no problem at all, but two is going to take some thinking. :)

Happy Tuesday to you! Until tomorrow. I thank you for stopping by, I appreciate you being here. I'll be returning comments this afternoon from below.