Harborside Picnic

While I am 'experimenting' with my new layout I hope you will be patient with my new posts. My main goal was to have my blog fill the entire page instead of just the the center half of the page. In doing so, the formatting for my past blogs appears really odd. Please bear with me while I learn my way around the new format.



The pages I want to share with you today are more created by my daughter, Alyssa. Last summer we attended a picnic at the nursing home where my mother is living. We had a fun time with G'ma, acting like teens and taking goofy pictures. Can I just say that all the fun photos our kids take today with their instant digital results are just not adult friendly? Okay, maybe it's just me, but someday I will learn that "goofy" needs to stay with the younger generation and out of my life!



These layouts have really grown on me. Although I hated the photos of me, I've come to enjoy them once they have been assigned to a layout lovingly created by my daughter. It's funny how an awful photo in hand becomes a treasure in the scrapbook. I may have to start being a little easier on myself!






My favorite page of all is this one, my mother and my daughter. I have threatened to steal it from her scrapbook and frame it for the wall. Aren't they sweet?


...and I think I am liking my new blog layout, how about you?



Most products in these pages are Close to my Heart with a few contraband embellishments that my daughter picked up somewhere else... gah!!

Longaberger Trip

Last winter before Christmas my oldest daughter and I took a trip to the Longaberger factory in Ohio. It was a fun bus trip arranged by Longaberger consultants. When we got on the bus we had gift baskets waiting for us (empty - LOL) and bags of goodies to help us keep our energy up throughout the long day.



The drive there was very long which was quite alright since it was so dang early I was already planning my first nap. "Santa" had dropped off some goodies for us and they were delivered as well during the ride.


We had a blast shopping and touring the Homestead. Lunch was provided, a full hot meal. Then into town for more shopping and the Christmas parade. I don't think snow was expected, but it did snow the entire day which made the day just that much more special.



These layouts are all done by my daughter. She's just beginning to get into scrapbooking and I am so pleased with her results. All products are Close to my Heart.

Another birthday

Although this card will be late for the recipient, I can lift my shameful head a little for having made at least one more card for the May birthdays.

This card was done using the Tickled Pink National Scrapbook Month promotional kit. The idea, but not the actual design is from our new Card Program, "Wishes." It was a very fun card to make, especially with so much great help and products!

Here's the inside... lately I have been doing insides that are almost as nice as the outsides. I like the results.



This will be off to my mother in law right away. She did receive the box of cards for her birthday and the reviews were great!!

Thanks for stopping by, I hope to post some layouts my daughters have been working on, soon.

The rest of the gift...

Tonight I finished the box to hold the cards I shared with you in the last blog. Of course if the cards are a gift, they need a nice box, right? The base of this project was a small box which held a trio of votive candle holders. It's just slightly larger than the cards making it a perfect candidate.

What I didn't consider is how flimsey the cardboard actually is, how much bulkier it would be covered with the extra heavy duty textured card stock, and how difficult it would prove to be covering the exposed edges.

Once I bit the bullet and covered some of the problem areas with unsightly packaging tape, I made an agreement with myself to be okay with the outcome. Even though I don't feel that it us up to my standards construction-wise, I know my mother-in-law will love it. I hope.

I actually think it looks better in the photos than in real life... that's contrary to how I feel about most of my photos v. projects.

Thanks for visiting!

Bad Betsy...

If you are wondering about my blog title I will get right to the point. Of at least five birthdays in May I have only made two cards... Can you believe I gave my darling daughters store bought cards for their birthays??? Perhaps I should be publicly flogged with craft ribbon for that indiscretion!

On the other hand though, I have created a pack of 10 note cards for my Mother-in-law's birthday gift. And I do have time to redeem myself and make a birthday card to accompany it, too. Forgiven? I hope so.



These ten cards are made with half a package of Close to My Heart Bella Level 2 papers. There are really only five different cards, two of each design with changes in colors. I didn't have the Endless Friendship stamp set which coordinates beautifully with these papers, so I used Aspirations and I love the results, don't you?

I'll be holding a workshop to make these cards in June. Please contact me for details if you'd like to participate. I need to go finish my card holder and get these in the mail for my Mother-in-law. Thanks for stopping by!!

Birthdays birthdays birthdays

May is always a huge birthday month for my family and moving to Kentucky and meeting more people with May birthdays means I am making tons of birthday cards!!

These are for my neighbor....

and my good friend that I get scrappy with....

The best thing about hand made cards is that most people are so impressed and 'honored' that they don't even notice that there wasn't a gift with the card!!

Surviving

Our very good friend of many many years has lived with us the past four years - ever since we moved from Seattle. A year ago she was diagnosed with Stage 4 Breast Cancer. It's been a long and very difficult year for her but she is proud and happy to have made it a year from her diagnosis.

In celebration I have made this card for her. Not my favorite, but being the good friend that she is, she will love it.

Her next goal is to live to her birthday in November. Knowing her, I think she's gonna make it!