My Baby turned 6!

Where does the time go? People warned me of this. I just can't believe she is this big. Part of me is in awe of how smart, talent, beautiful, funny and sweet she is, I love watching her grow and all the stages she is going through. Part of me wants to keep her little forver. Here are some pic for her family birthday parties and Easter....

Angels in Waiting-Scrappers Needed!!!

This is something I heard about on TwoPeas and is something that I'm currently working on. If you'd like to help the cause or know someone who would, check out their website! :)

This is a program that donates 8x8 and 12x12 pre-made scrapbook layouts to foster children and their families. If you have some extra scrap supplies that you're not sure what to do with, why not make a quick couple pages and send them over to them.

Taken from their website:
"Recently, California's Department of Children's Services has tried to address this issue. One of the new guidelines for a foster parent is; to provide a foster child with a "Life Book". Foster parents can help a child maintain links to his / her family's past by creating life books together. A life book is a scrapbook that contains photos, Children's artwork and memorabilia that records the child's life while in a foster home.

Your pages will be packaged and delivered to the Department of Social/ Children Services the child's social worker will bring the pre-made scrap book pages to the foster home. (The pages will be gender and age specific).

We need help from you to donate scrap book pages with spots that pictures can be added, to start making positive memories for these children. Be as creative or simple as you want, we do ask that you use words of encouragement, words that are positive and ego building."

You can read more about the program on their website
http://www.angelsinwaitingusa.org/index.html

pages and donations can be sent to:
Angels in Waiting P.O. Box 1221 Blue Jay, CA 92317 1 (800) 974 4274

Scrap Yourself "always HOME" layout

Another layout I did for Debbie Hodge's online class "Scrap Yourself"

journaling reads:

Grandma and Grandpa’s house will always be home. It is where I have lived for most of my life. My Grandma Betty’s parents first moved to the North Highlands area in 1928, originally it was called Rio Linda. First living on 32nd street and then later moving to 34th my Grandma has lived here for most of her life. Here, her and my Grandpa Leroy raised my Mother and Uncles.

This is where I grew up and I was surrounded by my family. My Mom, Step-Dad and little sister live in the house in front of my Grandparents. My Aunt Marge lived in the house behind my Grandparents, but now my cousin Joyce and Maynard live there. While I was growing up my Aunts and Uncles also lived in the neighborhood.

I have so many wonderful memories of North Highlands, 34th street, and Grandma and Grandpa’s house.
Grandma and Grandpa’s doors were always open. When I wasn’t living there with them, I was running back and forth from Mom’s house to theirs.

Grandma cooked huge Sunday dinners every week for the whole family, huge, wonderful, delicious dinners. I remember the sound of laughter. I’m sure there probably wasn’t only laughter all the time, but it is what I remember most. Grandpa was always out “tinkering” in his garage, that is to say when he wasn’t fishing.

My cousin Michael and I rode bikes, roamed in the fields, and played in the dirt. We fought a lot too. There was never a shortage of someone to play with. My neighbor friends were always around; we ate otter pops in the front yard, caught poly-wogs at the creek, or play Nintendo inside. We practically lived in each other’s homes.

When I think of North Highlands, I picture my Grandparents home, Grandpa’s Garage, Mom’s house, open fields, rolie polies and frogs, cats everywhere, the sunset, and the creek. I remember the sandbox that Grandpa built for me, spending time with Grandma and having all those talks with my Mom.

This was my home.

Animal Crackers

Nicole's performance at Foxtravaganza this past weekend, singing "Animal Cracker in My Soup"

Birthday Canvas

Now that I'm newly married my family has grown, I have twice as many birthday's to remember. I made this a while back. It has everyone's birthday listed with room left over to fill in a few more when needed.

It's a 16x20 canvas covered in black fabric which is stapled to the back. Each month is 4.75x3.75 inches with a 5x4 inch mat behind it. The month titles are made from plain chipboard that I colored with Acrylic Dabbers. The title CELEBRATE is made from a collection of several chipboard letter packs. The papers were all types and were just whatever I had at hand. I also threw in charms, paper clips and such.

ScrapYourself Class "These Things Are True"

I am taking Debbie Hodge's online Scrap Youself class at NYCScraps.com. It's only the first week, but I am LOVING this class!! Here is my first layout for the class, it's titled "These Things Are True about me Today," I lifted the title off Debbie's own layout (it was just too cute not to use). This class really gets you thinking. I ended up having ALOT to say in my journaling

Journaling reads…

I am a child of God * I am blessed * I am deeply in love with my best friend and other half * I love being a Mom * I enjoy being a homemaker and staying home with Nicole * I love my nickname “Cricket” * I love when my Mom calls me “Krissy” * I love to cook and bake, but hate to do dishes * I buy too much food when grocery shopping because I worry about running out * I know what I love and I do not get bored with what I love * I can listen to the same song or CD all day, everyday, for weeks or even months (it drives everyone else nuts!) * I am a very picky eater * I can eat the same foods everyday over and over and not get bored * Meat grosses me out most of the time * I am content where I am at, I do not feel the NEED to try something new * I love the feeling of exercising, but I rarely workout * I’m painfully shy * I can talk all the time about anything and everything and when I’m not talking, I’m messenging or emailing * Because I’m so shy I have a hard time making friends * I have a small group of close friends that I treasure * I prefer spending time with my husband and daughter than anything else * If given the choice to clean or scrapbook, I always pick scrapbooking * I prefer watching movies to television shows * I love to shop, you might say I’m even a little addicted * I spend way too much time on the computer * I love taking pictures and I feel the need to capture every moment * I stress, worry, feel guilty and dwell daily * I am sensitive, kind, and compassionate * I love with my whole heart, I do not hold back * I have a hard time saying no * I think I can handle and do more than I actually can, my plate is usually full * I’m trying to get back to having more quiet time and time for myself * I am silly and love to laugh * I am sarcastic * I am stubborn * I don’t like spiders * I rely on my husband to be the “bug Squishier” * I love to watch romantic comedies and I dislike scary movies * I love children * I love to read Christian living books * I love to write and journal * I am creative and love to craft and scrapbook * I love to teach * I switch back and fourth between being a night owl or early bird * I love to sleep, but hate wasting the time on in * I do not like sleeping alone (I never have) * I am very close with my family, I love them all more than I can ever say, express, or promise * I love get-togethers * I like to cuddle * I can forgive, but not forget * I remember more than I’d like to * I dislike cleaning, but love to organize * I am trying to get away from my pack-rat days, though sometimes it’s hard * I have more items, supplies, books, and stuff than I can ever get around to reading or using * I am a perfectionist * I am a little obsessive compulsive * I love to day dream * I usually am an all-or-nothing girl * I am afraid to try new things * I am afraid of the unknown * I worry about what people think * I am very hermit-like these days, but still love going out with my daughter and husband * I love make-up, clothes, jewelry and shoes * I can change outfits a dozen time before being content, other days I can throw on a t-shirt and jeans and be happy * I love love love chocolate * I am addicted to caffeine and diet Pepsi * I love carbs * I hate the taste and smell of coffee * I am generous and selfless * I am playful * I like to tease * I am nosey and curious * I am quick to cry * I like to plan everything in detail * I like to make lists * I set high standards for myself * I am dedicated * I am an animal lover, but have no pets * I love lizards and frogs * I don’t mind getting dirty and enjoy a good rollie pollie hunt every now and then * Driving stresses me out, I hate my van * I can NOT park a van * When I drive I listen to my music very loud (yes the car vibrates) * I am suppose to wear glasses but rarely do * I am a horrible speller * I love math * I regret many things, but would only change some of my mistakes * I sometimes have a evil laugh (says my husband) * I like to have my toes popped * I am physically flexible * I often make goofy faces * I love the sound of my Daughter calling me “Mommy” just as much as I love when my little sister calls me “Sissy” * It has taken me 25 years to “feel” beautiful * I love my blue eyes * I cannot whistle * I am secretly a “Daddy’s girl” * 25 years later, I still sometimes sleep with my “Pink Panther” * My husband, daughter, Mom and Dad make me laugh like no one else on this earth * I feel the safest when I’m in my husband’s presences * I know that I am deeply loved *

Did I mention I am LOVING this class? :)

Buttons!

I've been Scrapbooking for 8 years now and crafting for even longer. I've used buttons on many things, but never on my layouts. Well, I gave it a try and I can tell you that I'm hooked! What fun. Here's a look at what I did.

A spot for Cricket

We live in a apartment and space is limited, so having a scrapbook room of my own is not possible right now. I took a small corner of our bedroom and without meaning to I kind of branched out, lol. It not huge, but it's MY space. I've organized it pretty well and I am able to scrap very comfortably. I'm not done, but here's what I have so far..

I do share the tall bookcase with my husband. It was full of his stuff and like I said earlier I kind of branched out and took over. He now stores some of his PC games and programming books there. It works at well, his computer desk is just behind me to the left so we can program/scrap together.

I love my ribbon jars across the top of my shelf. They add so much color to such a small space. All of my jars are from Ikea. Ikea is awesome :o)

I haven't done anything yet with my Ikea drawers, but those are on my to do list. I'm think of using pinks and greens. I've seen some great things on TwoPeas.

I love, love, love the Cropper Hopper vertical paper storage system. I've used it here on one of my Ikea shelves.

For my acyclic stamps I have used clear CD cases. I still need to label them all.

I planning on adding more stuff and organizing some more, but in the mean time I'm busy scrapbooking :o)

The great Target find

After reading so much stuff on TwoPeas about the 3 tier racks from Target, I just had to get some! Who would have thought they would be so hard to find? After many phone calls and several trips to Targets I finally got them. My sweet husband drove from town to town.
After bringing them home my 5-year-old expressed that she "needed" one of her own for her stuffed animals. Too cute. Back to Target, lol.