Layout #48

This is another swimming lesson layout that uses Bo Bunny, but I did use the same sketch that I used for the MME challenge. It probably would have made more sense to use the same paper versus the same sketch considering they will be side by side in an album.... but I don't think of those things until too late. And, truth be told, as a single page scrapper, I rarely consider it at all! I tried to be brave and use Glimmer Mist on the page.... but I ended up covering most of it up in the end. As for old stuff??? You betcha baby... some of the flowers had dust on them (which actually doesn't prove anything.....), old chipboard stars, ribbon, and brads.... I think that I shall be eternally grateful to my friends for forcing me to realize that I really do have too much crap.
TFL!

Q-tips and Cauliflowers

I have some awesome friends. I have said it before, and I will continue to say it for as long as these women let me be a part of their life.
Yesterday was my 35th birthday. I am the "old, crotchity" one of the group.... by 10 whole months. (But no one is counting). My girls and I went out to Calgary for dinner, and some fireworks. We had a blast. But I couldn't help but wonder how the four of us have seemed to hit it off so well. We have so many things not in common with each other.... for example:
Music - Tara listens to country, Haley listens to Rancid and Jazz, Kacey listens to Top 40 and easy listening stuff, and probably the Morman Tabernacle Choir, and I listen to alternative.... Hard to have a conversation there....
Religion - Kacey is the only one who is fully committed to a religion. I go to church occasionally, Haley has talked of taking her kids to church, and Tara.... well.... ;)
Politics - two of us are very conservative, and the other two... not so much
Style - we all have a different sense of personal style.... Tara has a cow purse... made of not real hair. Haley likes it, but wouldn't have it. Kacey and I have funky hair cuts, and Haley and Tara have good ole standbys....
Career Paths - three of us are SAHMs.... Haley, newly so, and Tara and I have been for a while. Kacey works from home.... But, I want to go back to work, and I think Tara has aspirations for that as well.... and honestly??? I can't see Haley at home forever..... she doesn't have baby machine in her. ;)
Home Decor - although I would like to have a true sense of style within the four walls of my house.... mine is simply hand-me down and Ikea. Tara is very western and comfy, Haley is a non-shabby shabby chic, and Kacey is a functional with a touch of whimsy.
Extra-Curricular Activities - Kacey likes to shoot guns. I am not lying. Haley likes to go out with her fancy friends (clearly not the three of us) and drink super expensive wine. Tara likes to escape the daily grind by staying home with her husband and kids, and I like to go out to a pub and eat greasy food.

So how do Q-tips and cauliflower factor into all of this? Well, there have to be some similarities, otherwise we would have all given up on each other by now. So, there is also a list of ways in which we are alike as well...

Fireworks - we like them. We paid money to go and watch them last night. And we laughed a lot about what they looked like.... hense the q-tips and cauliflowers.
Scrapbooking - clearly a no brainer. This is how we all met, and we continue to make time to spend with each other doing exactly this.
Family - it is important to each of us. We are all married, and all have kids.... (some more than others), and Tara, Haley and I each only have two and they are all one of each kind!
Hair - Kacey does all of our hair now.... lucky her. No wait, lucky us.
Inside Jokes - every good group of friends has them... and boy do we ever! "purple stickers", "bangs and fuzzy boots", "love you!" and my new favorite... "click". Try really hard to figure out what each one means... you won't be able to. You might think you know, but you don't. And if you do figure it out... we won't tell you.

Layout #47 - 2 Cute 4 Words

I am very happy with how this layout came together. I am the world's biggest fan of coordinating lines. I love not having to think when it comes to putting a page together.... but I also have to admit that occasionally, I like to see if I can still scrap they way I did when I started.... you know... mixing manufacturers and making your own embellishments.... That is what I did on this page. The paper is Basic Grey, Bo Bunny, and Crate Paper, and the embellishments are Maya Road, Jenni Bowlin, MME, & Jillibean Soup. The ribbon is American Crafts, and Stampin' Up, the letters are Basic Grey, and Jillibean Soup, and the burlap heart...... well, that burlap has been sitting around since one of my first trips to The Bloomin' Inn..... it is at least 7 years old..... Everything on this page was from the stash.... I didn't buy any of it with a purpose in mind, and used up a lot of stuff here. I should try this more often........... ;)
TFL!

Layout #46 - Just Keep Swimming

This layout was done for a challenge on the MME blog, but I think I missed the deadline. Nothing like sick kids in the summer to put a cramp in all things scrappy.
I kind of like how this came together. I used a bunch of different MME lines on this. So Sophie, Breaking Free, Quite Contrary, and Abbey Road! Talk about versatile......!
Anyhoo, this is the layout that didn't make it. :(

TFL!

Layout #45

Well, I think I am going to make my goal. Last year it was 150 layouts... and I did that, but it sure put a dent in my "to-do" pile, and left me with very little to do when I went to retreats, or to a friend's to scrap. So this year I cut the goal in half, and want to accomplish 75 layouts. I think I will be able to do that. Only thirty more to go, and I still have four months..... and two retreats!
Haley does a layout of herself every year on or around her birthday about the year that was. I love that idea, and finally did it myself this year. (Part of the problem is that I have ZERO pictures of myself with which to scrap)
This layout is done with the October Afternoon line Thrift Shop, and I used a Becky Fleck Page Map for inspiration..... It came together very quickly, and I love the result!
TFL!

Layout #44 - joyride

Hello, you fool, I love you..... C'mon join the joyride.... or something like that. Not that I love Roxette.... but let's face it, iTunes allows you to listen to the music of your youth, on not worn out tapes.....
I digress.
This is from our first weekend camping, and one of the several laps that Avery took around our campground. I swear to God she did at least a million laps. At least.
This is one of the recent Bo Bunny lines. When I bought it, I had visions of spray park pictures, but this happened to work so much better.
TFL!

Layout #43

Not sure about this one. It was a scraplift that didn't come together as I had hoped..... I just think it might be a little too minimalist for my liking...

Layout #42 - Wish

This photo was taken a few weeks ago in Rimbey at Pask-a-Poo Park. When I worked in Rimbey as a photographer, this was our "go-to" place for all types of pictures. They have cut back a lot of the trees now, and there are two gazebos in the way, so it isn't as great a spot as it once was, but the bridge continues to intrigue the kids.... They have koi fish in the pond, and Avery and Cohen loved watching them.
The page is the Crate Paper Brooke line. I love the colors and the embellishments are funky and organic at the same time. I love this whole collection!
TFL!

Cabin life is where it is at....

So far, our biggest decision we have had to make since getting here is whether or not we want to go boating.... or if we should BBQ for supper. I could seriously get used to this life... I just wish we were closer to our real life.... but maybe if we were, we wouldn't be able to care so little about our daily activities...
The neighbors have a nice dock, and they have said we can use it whenever we want... so we have. The kids love jumping and dancing on it, and although the water level is quite low this summer, Grant has been able to nudge the boat up to it so we can go for a rip.....
Speaking of the boat, Grant caught some flack from a friend of his here that his wife (me), doesn't know how to drive the boat, so apparently, today is learning-to-drive-the-boat day. I hope I don't crash it into the shore! ;)