Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Confessions & Figure 8's

I have a few confessions to make:

#1- i am ecstatic that school starts in 2 weeks (am I a bad mom?)

#2-even more ecstatic that I get to start working next week at the preschool because there will be ADULTS there to talk with and free childcare for my kids while I prepare for the upcoming school year!

#3-I feel kind of burnt out on scrapbooking right now

#4-I LOVE fabric (see #3)

#5-Really loving reading at this moment (see #3)


Kids are driving me crazy...alone time in the bathroom is unheard of around here, as is the silence to make a phone call. ok, it is quiet until I decide to pick up a phone. uggghhhh!! Needless to say, I am really looking forward to school starting. Even if it means that i am going to start working part-time at the preschool. I am trading in my 3 kids for 15 others. not quite sure about my thinking there. I would really appreciate prayers for all of us in the new school year. :)


So why do I feel burnt out with scrapping? hmmm, a few ideas here. It could be the overwhelming amount of scrap supplies that I have (most unopened) and feel totally perplexed as to how I will use all of it before I die. The amount of paper here in my haven leaves me responsible for a small chunk of forest that is currently missing. Another idea for my sad feelings is that everywhere I look, I see the same designers and their work. Now, don't get me wrong, i think they are talented. I just think it is really hard for a newbie like me to get noticed when all the same people are getting picked for special projects, design teams, magazine calls. Why, yes, I do submit a LOT!! no luck yet, but I will keep trying. Nonetheless, I need to remember WHY I scrapbook....to remember my life with my family and to leave a footprint for our future generations. The affirmation of my talent as a scrapper would be wonderful....but it isn't what my life is about.

Also, in my attempt to really stay clear of many of my favorite internet, scrapbooking haunts, (for the purpose of being kind to my wallet) I have found out that I still really love fabric and the possibilities that lay ahead with the help of my trusty sewing machine. Now, before you start thinking about the high cost of fabric, just know that I have an insane amount of fabric that I have acquired in the past 6 mos or so. So I am still saving money. Even if I have to buy just a little something extra for a special project.

So what do you do when you are trying to save money? I say pick up a good book. I have been reading like crazy. The library has never seen so much of me. This is also good on the checkbook....don't buy it if you can borrow it for free. aahhhh, just makes me happy. I have also been really trying hard to have my quiet time with Jesus every day. I pulled out a devotional that was given to me awhile back but I never read. It is the perfect length & always gets me thinking about how awesome God is, especially to me. I think that the very same god that created the stars in the sky and amazing sunsets & magestic mountains created me & loves ME so much that He sent His Son to die for ME!!! Humbling.



On this note, as I type this, my son is going round and round and round and round my scrapbook room. I ask him, 'what are you doing?". His response: "working on my figure 8's". Of course you are sweet boy....keep working.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Girl Power!





there was a challenge over at Paper Posies last month to create a girly layout about yourself. So I have been thinking this one over for awhile (obviously) & came up with these TWO layouts about Lexie & myself and our girly goodness. I created these layouts from the June PP kit & {LOVE LOVE} the way they turned out. I also pulled a few extras from my stash (cosmo cricket blackboard & some stickles, and of course, BUTTONS!)


it was so fun to just embrace the pink and thank God for the opportunity to be a girly girl (minus the monthly friend, wink). Here is to GIRL POWER....ladies, go and create a fun layout all about being a girl!

Monday, July 14, 2008

Lipstick, layouts, and lellow sunglasses!

Wow!! Been way too long since my last post....bad, Ericka, bad!! But that is what happens when you have to get a family of 5 ready for a week long trip, take the trip, and recover from the trip.

Just a quick reminder...go and VOTE for my gal pal Christiana so she can have her chance at fame in the cosmetic world!! She needs to be in the Top 3 for a shot at the Grand prize!! please vote!!!

I have been scrapping and here are a couple of my new fave layouts!!

A layout about me after I lost some weight....I won't tell you how much has come back. But I will say that I am on a mission to send it on its merry little way again!

Bryson & Chris when Bryson was only 2! He seems so little! oh, how I love my boys!

And finally, I joined the shades of summer traveling game with Lizzy Kartchner and there was a little box with these nifty "lellow" (as Cooper says) shades waiting for me when I got home! So I took my pic with them on and will send the glasses and the pic to the next person on the list. Lizzy will have a mini album of a bunch of totally awesome women from all over the country when we are done!! Lexie had to get in on the action too!! My goofy girl!
So there you have it, people. This is what I have been doing & what you are missing out on! ;) see you sooner than later, I promise!!