Birthday Card

I'm going to a birthday party this weekend and needed a card.  I was feeling pretty lazy and uninspired and really thinking about just buying the card... but I mustered up some energy (and creativity) and whipped up this cute little creation.  I used my Cricut, Cuttlebug, My Pink Stamper Stamp Set and Storybook Cricut cartridge.  Enjoy!

My little buddies

Here's some sweet pictures I captured of my furbabies over the weekend.  My cats LOVE to be in my scrapbook room with me because there's so much they can get into, I love when they wear themselves out and nap in empty baskets.  I buy them so many blankets and cat beds but no, they prefer boxes and baskets!  I especially love the picture of Mason and Henderson - Henderson gets covered up every night by his duck blanket and I caught Mason snuggling up to him, he's even started making this a habit!

Trixie started out in Henderson's bed...

THEN she really got comfy...

Then... Mason kicked her out because she looked so comfy

Weekend Recap & Organization Tip #2

I had a nice low key weekend at home.  I've been scrapbooking more lately than I have in months and I'm loving it!  Adam and I were looking through one of the books I completed and it dawned on me that one day our kids will get to look back through the pictures and see how mom and dad fell in love :)

Here's some pictures of the pages I completed this weekend, I've been in the 2-page layout mode of late:

I don't know why when I uploaded these pics it turned them sideways!  I can't figure out how to make them go back the right way.. frustrating because the pages are super cute! 

For today's organization tip.. this is how I store my 8.5"x 11" paper.  I got these paper racks when a scrapbook store in Baton Rouge went out of business.  I love them because they stack and take up a lot less room that way, plus, they make a very colorful statement in my room. 

Organization Tip

The last few weeks I've been in a "get everything super organized" mood and I'm not sure why.  My scrapbook room is a place where I try really hard to keep everything organized and somewhat in order because it can quickly get out of hand!! I thought I would devote a few posts to how I stay organized in one of my FAVORITE places in the world. 

As an avid scrapbooker I feel like every scrap of paper should be saved in the small chance that it could be needed/used at a later point.  A few months ago I realized that I was going to be drowning in tiny scraps of paper with that mentality.  For my Cricut cuts I usually just need a smaller piece of paper so I decided to sort my scraps by size/color.  My scraps that are 5.5" x 7.5" or smaller are organized in clear stacking drawer containers like this:

 I added the dots on the outside to make it even more festive... :)

 What inside of the drawer looks like... this one obviously has all shades of red.  Plus, I decided it's worth it to spend the extra time cleaning up the edges before putting them away to keep them from sticking to each other, catching on other pieces, etc - just keeps the drawer neater.  I'll do another post on how I organize scraps that are bigger. 

Newly Discovered Dinner Course

On a good day, I get home from work around 5:15.  I'm usually starving and ready for dinner but have the task of making something first.  We don't eat out a lot and I do like to cook, just get tired of always having the same things.  Adam and I neither one like really fancy/different foods and are very basic meat and potato type of eatters... so, that being said, I always like to see exactly how many different ways one can make chicken!  

My latest discovery are the packs of McCormick chicken seasoning.  It comes with a bag and all you do is lay the bag in a pan, lay chicken across the bottom of the bag, add the seasoning on top of the chicken, chop up about 4-5 cups of veggies (I add potatoes, red potatoes, onion and carrots), add the rest of the seasoning on top of the veggies, close the bag up, cup some holes for steam, throw it in the oven for an hour and VOILA dinner is served!  It is sooo good and perfect for those days when you don't want to put a lot of effort into dinner and have to wash a million pots and pans afterwards.

I made it last night with a tray of croissants and fresh baked brownies for dessert.  Yum!

 

Ruffles, Tulle and Organza, oh my!

My mom and grandma were down visiting for a little over a week.  We had appointments at 4 bridal salons in the Chattanooga area while they were here (split over 2 Saturdays).  Last weekend there were a few dresses that we liked but nothing we loved.  I was optimistic going into the appointments this last Saturday that I would find THE dress.  I think Saturday was just a big miss.  I knew 10 minutes into the second store's appointment they didn't have anything I was interested in and the saleswoman just keep shoving dresses down my throat.. I felt like that scene in Sex & the City where Carrie has a major meltdown and just wanted the wedding dress off!! I think I just need to take a break from looking and look over all the picture I have and see which dress stands out.  I still really like the one that I randomly tried on a few weeks ago and it fit me so well.  

I had a nice visit with my mom and grandma.  It seems like time always flies when they are here.  We got a lot done around the house - who doesn't love organization?!  I always want to have time to scrapbook with my mom but we never get to it!  We did watch The Hunger Games Saturday evening.  I thought they did a nice job following the book overall.  I don't care for the character they picked for Peeta, he seemed baby-ish to me. 

Speaking of movies, I'm ready for them to make 50 Shades of Grey.  I know the books are "bad" but I thought they were sooo good, loved the underlying story lines.  Once I started reading the first book I couldn't put them down!  

Anyhow, long story short, we had a nice week together.  I'm looking forward to going home Labor Day Weekend -- I haven't been home since Easter!!  I already have quite a few things on the agenda for that weekend.  

I'm also finally finished scrapbooking Lauren's wedding and activities and now it's on to the cruise I took Labor Day weekend of ..2009!  I'm really trying to get caught up, but it's a long slow process!  I laid out probably 30 pages last night so that's it quicker to make the pages when I do have time during the week; I'll post some pictures of my progress!  

Scrappin' Weekend

I took the weekend "off" to do one of my favorite things... scrapbook!  I've been trying to close in on the 3-year gap that I'm behind in my pictures and was doing a nice job until the summer hit and I've been froze in the same place for weeks now!!  (I mean really, what have I have been doing right?!)  I think I made 16 pages this weekend which I know isn't a lot but I still had to do laundry, clean, cook, watch the Olympics, go to church, run some errands and hang out with my man and my furbabies that turned 4 Saturday!! 

Here's a few of my favorites: 

When I lived in LA, I traveled a lot for business and fun (I don't think I realized quite how much travel until I started making the scrapbook and every other picture was a trip!).  I've been using my Cricut "50 States" Cartridge quite a bit for the state cut outs and integrating them onto the pages as a journaling block and I think it's turning out really cute.  I also liked the way the layout with the 4 squares with pictures in the centers turned out; I've seem a similar layout like this before and haven't had the "right" pictures to make it work!  My FAVORITE from the weekend is the last page.  I used the Cricut "Slumber Party" Cartridge for the adorable accents in the squares.  It was a lot of little pieces to put together but totally worth it.  The pages I'm working on now are Lauren's wedding from August 2009.  Hopefully I get hers scrapbooked before mine happens!