a reminder that summer is coming!

I was crafting away tonight and still feel like I'm working on the My Pink Stamper challenge, since I made a layout instead of a card like I normally would, but sticking with the pink, black and green scheme... creating this little gem. You can click to make it bigger.

I can't wait for summertime- and not just because I'm getting married in June (which is beyond RAD) but also because I can't wait for strawberries & watermelon to be a normal thing to eat daily.

As you can see in <------------ that photo, the paper is actually sort of sparkly. It is open stock paper, from Joanne's called Pink Pomegranate Metallic. The same paper is used for the main watermelon cut.

I would normally make cards that are A2 sized, but this one was 6"X4.25" to make it a little taller than normal.

The watermelon is cut from the Stretch Your Imagination Cartridge @ 4". I made a blackout cut of the watermelon in black, to color the seeds and a shadow cut in white. The 'rind' section is actually spotted green paper from the Flower Shower Spring Stack by DCWV. The white embossed paper is open stock from Lila's Scrapbooking, but you could use your cuttlebug & swiss dots folder. Of course, the white paper is inked with pink, green and black pigment inks. I stamped the phrase in white, the phrase is actually from the $1 bin @ Joanne's. Flowers are Making Memories Jar Collections blossoms in lemonade, with the bottom flower,it was ivory- i just rubbed it all over with the same green ink pad. Ribbon is also from the $1 section @ Joannes.

I think I'm going to send it to a friend just to say hi. I never remember to mail them anymore... I love making them though!

Tomorrow, I have a big goal of getting the house clean, and taking back my library books. I've got like 10 checked out right now, about photography, portrait photography, Canon EOS cameras and all sorts of random paper craft books. They all seem to have the same information and variations of the same projects so I'm not loving any of them enough to buy them!

My Pink Stamper {pink, green & black} challenge

There is a challenge going on over at www.mypinkstamper.com to win the Create-a-Critter Cartridge! If anyone knows me even a little, you know I already love this cartridge, and don't even have it yet!
I used K&Company paper, Core'dinations Whitewash paper, plain black carstock, some lace I had laying around, the Storybook Cartridge and LOTS of flowers that I bought at the Stash Bash yesterday! The rhinestones and brads are all knick knack leftovers. I sewed the black grosgrain ribbon through the core'dinations and then stapled over it, with black staples to really hold it there. I did lots of 'vintaging' with pigment inks in shades of greens and black.

This is a much busier of a layout than I would normally do, but I like how it turned out! :-)

I plan on using it for our wedding photos, and putting one of us probably after the wedding dancing or something in it! :-)

Knox Ray Bennett April 10th, 2009

I've known this day was coming for a year now, and for the past 8 months, I have wondered how I would feel about it. I'm still not sure. I don't think any parent is ever ready to have their child's birthday come, and go again without any giddy little kid waiting for cake, and presents.

This time last year, I was on the phone with my mom asking her to come on over and babysit Zoe for the night, because I was SURE this time, the baby was coming. Knox was coming and he was going to be in the world at some point tonight, of last year. I walked and walked to throw my butt into labor and get him into the world... I always have been over eager to hold my babies!

15 hours later, after being admitted into triage, Knox made it into the world with a few issues, but overall he was a healthy little guy.

My world crashed, when he suddenly died in August. The diagnosis was SIDS, and apparently I found him soon enough of his breathing stopping that the paramedics and doctors could bring back his fragile little heart, and make it work again. He was airlifted, on life sustaining support to Seattle Children's Hospital where he died from his bodies damage that just couldn't be repaired. SIDS stole him.

Tomorrow is his birthday, he would be 1 today. I would be decorating our house, calling friends and making sure everything was still on and wrapping presents last minute before his party would start.

There isn't a moment in the day, when I don't wonder what it would be like for him to be with me. Running errands, wiping noses and butts and making silly faces in the rear view mirror to see their smiles.

Hip-Hippo Hooray! Card

I had playgroup at my house this morning, and we only had our friends, Renee & Preston over. While they were here Renee and I started talking scrapbooking and cardmaking, and I started showing her my Cricut.

Before I knew it we had a card! The one I made quickly for her this morning is slightly different than the one I made to show here, but the same Zooballoo Hippo was used.

Recipe:

Cricut (of course!)

Zooballoo Cartridge

Alphalicious Cartridge

Black Cardstock

(I used PaperTreyInk cardstock)

purple cardstock

(Recollections Brand, from Michael's)

white embossed paper

(pre-embossed with dots, from Lila's Scrapbooking, but you could use the swiss dots embossing plate in your cuddlebug)

Core'dinations Cardstock

(in Pink Diamond Gemstones)

Various Rhinestones

ATG Gun

(any adhesive is fine!)

Pop Dots

Studio G Stamps, and Pigment Inks

I love how this card turned out! I was at Michaels' the other day browsing around and wasting time and stumbled upon the newer (I think) Studio G Clear Acrylic Stamps that have the little sayings that can go well with animals. I just LOVE making cards with an animal on it, cows, horses, whatever it is but it's hard to find stamps that are inexpensive and have phrases that relate to the picture.

So the black base of the card is cut at 5.5"X8.5", then folded to be an A2 sized card (or 4.25X5.5)

The white, textured layer was cut at 5.25" X 4" so it was just smaller than the card.

I used the black ink on the front, I have started using almost all pigment inks, I seem to have issues with dye based inks almost bubbling up on the clear acrylic stamps, and the image doesn't go down smoothly, so I end up not liking the end product. I haven't figured out if it's related to the fact that I use a lot of cheap acrylic stamps, or what but either way it's annoying and avoidable completely it I just use pigment inks (and they dry slower, so I can emboss with them if I make the last minute decision to). Anywhoo, I used white pigment ink on the inside. I did use a Lavender dye based ink on the white embossed paper to accent the texture.

So, I cut the Hippo from the Zooballoo Cartridge in black at 4.5", then did the lower/layer function, cutting it again in purple. I did the shadow cut with plain whitecard stock and inked the edges. I assembled the Hippo, and drew the thin black line all around the interior edges of the hippo, decorated her eyes and nose also with a sharpie.

The crown is cut using the Alphalicious Cartridge @ 1.5" I believe. I just added some rhinestones to decorate it a little! I pieced everything together, and then added some glitter glue to the foot and tail.

Enjoy!

Dawn

Whale Watching, and more photos!

Yesterday, my dad's girlfriend (the bestest best girlfriend/almost stepmom in the world!) took Zoe, Colby and myself whale watching. We went with Island Adventures (http://www.island-adventures.com/) out of Anacortes, WA and we left out of the Everett Marina. What an awesome trip it was! Towards the end (more middle ) of the trip, we were a little discouraged because we hadn't seen any whales but did enjoy watching the eagles, sea lions and seals. Then, we saw 2 gray whales!

They aren 't real easy to spot, but it was a cool sight! Our biologist, Bart Rulon (http://www.bartrulon.com/) could only identify one of the two whales, as #49, 'Patch'. Honestly, I don't know who I have photos of, but it sure is a whale!

It was REALLY cold out there, and I have a little bit of a cold that I woke up with yesterday, so I wasn't feeling all that hot but it was so much fun, and I forgot how much I miss being out on a boat in the sound. Growing up, my dad always had a boat (The Doodlebug, Doodlebug too, and most recently The Whitecap') Does Doodlebug sound familiar? lol, http://www.doodlebugsportz.com/ is Dad's baby now, but the boats I believe were his first run in with the name Doodlebug (other than it being his nickname as a child).

Then, in the afternoon after the hours spent in the fresh air, I had a tattoo appointment with Jasper @ Theory Tattoo, in Everett (http://www.theorytattoo.com/). He does all of Adam & my tattoo work. We are making some good progress on my three quarter sleeve; I really want to get it done before the wedding!

Dawn (& Adam's) Scrap-Shop

I took photos of my scraproom tonight, with the hopes of showing off how much space you totally don't have to have. Being that I am a Virgo, of course it is organized manic-ly and in tip top shape before I could photograph it (ha! right, minus the random crap all over the floor, we could almost make a game out of ...where is.... rainboots?! a torn in half toddler sock... a puppy chew toy... etc).

Please note that I DO share the room with my 2-year daughter, who has her own little table so she can work like mom, as well as her daddy who has about half the room, and the whole closet all set up for him to work on his RC Cars in. So I guess, it's really like 'Dawn & Adam's scrap-shop'. It does the job, and down the road, after we get married in June and I end up knocked up with another little one, it will have to become another child's bedroom and I think I'm going to have to take over the 'playroom' right now, off the kitchen. The thought of that about brings me to tears- mostly because there is no door to close, and lock children out of so mommy can have some alone time.

Sketch #58 Card

While surfing along today, I stumbled across a challenge, and having never done one before I decided I would give it a go! I spent the evening in my scraproom, cranking away on it. Stamping, blending, coloring and cutting away. This is what I ended up with! I used majority of the patterned papers from my scraps bin, which is always awesome because I hate to waste!

It is from http://www.cardpatterns.blogspot.com/ It is for their Sketch 58 challenge.

Here are some more views of it

I hope you like it! I sure do!

I am getting a computer hooked up in my scraproom this week and getting Design Studio all set up to use with my Cricuts. I am too cheap to get a Gypsy, but we happen to have an extra computer laying around that will do the same things.

Have a great night!

Dawn

My first 'REAL' photo shoot!

My brother, Lyle and his now fiance recently got engaged and I asked them if I could do a shoot for them. Jessica's dad is a real (like, by profession) photographer, so I had big shoes to pretend to fill! I hope you enjoy some of their 'finished' images. I had a blast doing them, and more fun once I got home and got to do the computer editing.

They are like the perfect couple for me to practice on because they are both so photogenic and open for anything. You really can see that they love being together and I'm so happy I got to capture that in the photos!!

photography

I took this adorable photo of a friends son tonight at the Easter Party. Once we got home, i did a little looking through, and some editing on it to make it more 'perfect' for printing for her. I am hoping down the road to get more into portrait photography, and little kids are some of the best (and most forgiving) subjects since all the silly little faces and goody things they do end up highlighting their personalities!

Easter Cards and Barn Layout

Today we have an awesome party to go to tonight! It's over at a friends house and she is just taking the cake for a party! The kids get to do crafts, and a torchlight easter egg hunt. Adults of course will be hanging out and then after the easter egg hunt and crafts, they are showing Ice Age on the big screen! What a brilliant idea! I am thrilled and think it will just be a blast! I wanted to make her a card, of course related to Easter. This is what I came up with today. I used PTI cardstock, Core'dinations cardstock, and the Stretch Your Imagination Cart. I used the $1 ribbon from Joannes also.

My next project was a layout I decided to do. I bought this paper as open stock @ Lila's http://www.lilasscrapbooking.blogspot.com/ and I think it's more for a 4-H thing than just being at the barn, but since we spend at least one day a week at Horse Head Quarters, I take a lot of photos of Zoe and the horses. I love the attitude she was throwing this day as she tromped out through a pasture to get to me while I was doing some shots of the horses.

This is a closeup of the cuts I made using my Cricut Expressions, and the Old West Cartridge.

I will post some photos of the horses soon, I'm sure. I've got some great ones of the 'babies' (Peyton & Rowdy) in front of the HHQ sign on the end of the barn. :-)

Have a Happy Easter!

Ice Cream Cone Bookmark

After my evening of tutu making, I decided I wanted ice cream. When I looked in the freezer, i found chicken, cheese sticks, ice, juice & other random but non ice cream items.

Since we're getting married in June anyways, I probably don't need another bowl of ice cream; so a big fat spoonful of nutella while cricuting away did a fine job of tideing (sp?) me over while I made these adorable bookmarks!

I used some plain jane cardstock from my stash, I think it is Recollections from Michaels. The tan carstock is textured and made by DCWV. The extra large eyelets came from Lila's Scrapbooking (www.lilasscrapbooking.blogspot.com) in Everett (I don't remember who makes them, I think it may be Provo Craft...) I decided to do a little definition around the edges, and just used my Sharpies in similar colors.

Oh, and that Tulle? Yeah- it's a scrap from the tutu of today. :-) Night!

Continuing the tutu...

This is the finished tutu. After the pathetic barbie tutu the other day,
I decided to really go big or go home on this one. The recipe is:

1 yard elastic waistband material (I used 1/4")
1 yard hot pink tulle
1yard bright orange tulle
2 yards light pink tulle
scissors

Everything here can be purchased @ Joanne's for under $10. The elastic was a whoppin' .39 cents a yard, and really I only needed 1/2 a yard, but we splurged (lol) and bought a whole one. The tulle was 1.99 per yard for the brights, and rung up @ .74 cents a yard for the light pink non shimmery kind.

So basically, you need to measure the tots waistline (Zoe is a 3T and I measured her and it was about 20".) I cut the elastic to a piece 20" long, and tied one end to one piece of my paper organizer, and the other end to the other side (just so it wasn't a circle of elastic yet. It was much easier to work with than trying to get the tulle on it, after you tie the elastic into a circle.

Basically, you take a piece or two of the tulle (that is in a 6"X18" piece) fold it in half, hamburger style (don't act like you don't remember that one from elementary school!) Make a U shape with it, go under the elastic with the folded piece, and ... um, yea... honestly- I have no clue how to describe it! But-- lucky for you; this mom has great photos of her daughter and how she made the tutu! www.gophotography.com/tutu

Anywhoo, if you want me to make one, I would totally love to, you would just need to tell me what colors you want, and pay for the material! :-) I love this kind of stuff. Even better, if you really want- I could make one, in your color choices, and then do a photo session of your little one, in the tutu for an amazing price! Let me know if you are interested!

My ATG Gun is here!

Whooooo hooooo! I am soooo stinkin excited! I can't wait to play with it!

Crafty Idea of the day...

A local scrapbook store ( www.lilasscrapbooking.blogspot.com ) in my area is hosting a 'stash bash' in April, and as I was digging through my scraproom, pulling out all the stuff I have in my stash that never gets used anymore, or I bought multiple of for a good price and then didn't love and have never used the new, unopened ones again. Anywhoo, I will be taking over a big, heavy box to Lila's with my old Sizzix Original, Sizzix /Sidekick, lots of dies, alphabet sets (like three of them!) that I bought back when those puppies were like $100 each. Hopefully, someone will buy that stuff for cheap (we're talkiing like $10 for the sidekick & plates, and $12 for the original, with a converter and plate. All my dies I put at $2 and sets are $20) Lots of adhesives I never fell in love with and all kinds of crazy things.

So, back to the pulling things from the stash- I found a roll of Tulle and elastic that I bought wayyyyyy back when and then lost in my scraproom that I was going to make Zoe a tutu with. It's turning out pretty cute, but I'll have to go back to Joanne's or Michaels and get more tulle, I assumed that one 12 yard roll of 6" tulle would be enough. Right now, it looks like a tutu for a barbie!

I can't wait to see what 'it will turn out like, since it's looking cute. I think when I get tulle at the store, I'll buy a few colors, and maybe some felt to cut shapes with, and then sew them onto the little tulle whispies..... hmmmm....

more recent cards....

I've made quite a few cards lately, but these have been my favorite!

I made the one above for a friend who recently told me she is, in fact pregnant! I am so excited for her!

This one is for the in-laws in Michigan and it says 'Happy Easter!'

...that shown off, I REALLY need to mail it! lol

This one I got the idea from Robyn, at www.mypinkstamper.com and loved the idea of the butterfly. I don't usually like butterflies, but this one from the Cricut New Arrivals Cartridge is super cute, I cute it without a face, and probably will keep it until I get the Peechy Keen Everyday Assortment of stamps I want! (http://www.peachykeenstamps.com/products/PK_490_Everyday_Character_Face_Assortment-171-30.html)

Enjoy! :-)

Crafts and scraping!

I wanted to share the website I follow, and am addicted to;


Hopefully, the button shows up! I fully intend on keeping up with my blog now that I am a stay at home mom!

FEVER...RASH...COUGH...AHHH....

all those are quite annoying words once your a mom, but the worst of all it TEETHING. You think 'Hell, kill me now' with that one. I was up at least 5 times and for a total of about 4 hours last night with a baby screaming bloody murder. Now she has shots today and I'm dreading taking her. I can't get her dad to do the dirty work, and who wants polio? So I guess I'll have to take her myself. BLAH!

kiddie mixes & outlawed candy

Adam and I had a really funny discussion last night, it was about candy (of all things!).

We were watching Jurassic Park 3 (neither of us had seen it!) and it was on the cartoon network. On pops a commercial and it was for Tootsie Pops, like the 'how many licks does it take to get to the center of a tootsie pop?' '1-2-3- CRUNCH!' that one, right? (the funny part is anyone old enough to read this, knows what I'm talking about). So we start laughing that there will be at least one commercial Zoe watches that we used to watch too.

Then we get on the topic of 'bad candy'. this would be like candy cigarettes, big league bubble gun (supposed to be like chew). those kind of things. weird how things change.

I remember spending my $5 allowance on candy, and ending up with enough candy for the whole week. Then I was PISSED as a 12 year old when they stopped selling candy cigarettes because the tips started being painted red, and they looked too real!

BE POSITIVE!

My new outlook on life since being diagnosed with post pardum depression after giving birth to my daughter is to be positive. You do nothing but drag yourself down by being unhappy. (not to mention you make all the people who are around you miserable, and if they have no choice than to be around you it's like torture.

There is a wonderful book my mommy told me about called The Secret their website is
www.thesecret.tv Since reading it, I think that I live my life in a positive way, and have high hopes for myself. I have a lot of goals now, and I think that is the way to be most sucessful. I got this email this morning, and I decided to post it here. It's called 40 ways to be happier in 2008.
40 Tips for Better Life - 20081. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.3. Buy a DVR and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.9. Dream more while you are awake.10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.11. Drink green tea and plenty of water.. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like college kid with a maxed out charge card.17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'26. Forgive everyone for everything.27. What other people think of you is none of your business.28. GOD heals almost everything.29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. 30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.33. The best is yet to come.34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. 35. Do the right thing!36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!) 37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.40. Forward to everyone you care about.

I'm so not taking the time to seperate all that. So enjoy it how it is!

Wow oh Wow

So I want to type a song here, but I think it's highly inappropriate. It's all about someone being a dick. Nice huh?

I am so frustrated, that I can't see straight, but I also just got the biggest laugh EVER. As angry/upset/frustrated as I am, I'm so not letting it get to me. HAHA