Oh My Goodness!

I can't believe that my last post was in January! Goodness! Time is flying by me. I have taken on more work and it's consumed a lot of my time - a lot more than I had thought it would. Even though I haven't posted, I have been kreating stuff. I'll post some pictures of things I have done.

Laura and I had our 2nd weekend crop in February and had a blast - as always! The ladies are always such fun to have. I have met some truly great people doing these crops. I'm already beginning the work for our 2nd annual ScrapPink crop at the end of September. Look for more information to come soon.

I'm also in the process of kreating a fan page on Facebook. If you are a "Facebooker" you can visit me there as well. I am slowly working on this, so keep checking for updates.

Kasey and I ran our annual Daisy Dash for Girls on the Run on May 16th. I haven't done layouts for those pictures yet - even though my husband only got 2 of us! I have included the layouts I did from last year's race below. It's such a great event and a wonderful program for girls. If you have a daughter that is 8 or older, you should check it out www.girlsontherun.org. Kasey has enjoyed it the last two years she has participated. We were happy that we beat last year's time - only by about 4 minutes, but I guess it's better than taking longer! Next year I told her we would do even better than this year. I suppose I need to keep going on this treadmill so I don't get too out of shape!



I am also thrilled that I finally got my new Photoshop program - CS3 Extended! I am learning how to use it because it is a tad different than PSE 5.0, but oh when I get it down, it's going to be soooo cool! This version does all kinds of great stuff. I'm really hoping that eventually - sooner rather than later - I can start doing some of my own designs for digital kits. We'll see. It's a big dream, but if I keep my focus, I'll get there.

OH yeah and I'm also working on a digital class for My Creative Classroom! MCC is sort of 'closed' for summer, but will be opening up in the Fall for a bunch of great classes! New instructors and new ideas...I'll keep you all posted when things start hopping over there.

Enjoy your gorgeous weekend everyone! I have loved this perfect weather today. I planted a bunch of new flowers in my pots on the deck. I'm so loving the color and cheer that's out there now. I cleaned off the deck furniture, put up the canopy and now the pretty flowers. Perfect for lounging on these cool spring evenings or coffee in the mornings...I love it!

Until next time - Keep on Kreating!!

A Snow Day - Finally!

Seems like we've been waiting for ages to have some snow and today we got it! The last few weeks have been unbelievably cold. I think it was 0 (yes zero!) degrees here on Saturday morning. Cold, but no snow in sight. The girls had a great time outside playing in it today. Who knows when we'll see more, so they had to take advantage of what we had. There wasn't quite enough in the grass, so they resorted to making snow angels on the deck. Silly girls! They even tried to get the dog to lie down so they could make snow dog angels! That poor dog is so patient with these girls. She puts up with soooo much.

Anyway, now that the holiday craziness is behind me and we are settled into the new year, I'm back at my 'kreating'. Laura and I have been busy planning another weekend retreat for February. We are so excited and can't wait. We had so much fun the last time.
We still have a few seats left. If you are interested in attending, go to this link and register: http://kreatingwithkim.eventbrite.com. We would love to have you!

I just redid her blog - as she says, new year, new blog! She rolled it out today and we are both excited about how pretty it is. I still have to add some things to her upcoming events, but we're pretty much done. Check it out: www.memorylaneinc.blogspot.com.

I have a class coming up at her store on January 31st. We'll be learning dry embossing techniques. If you are available that day, come on over! I don't have samples yet, but will post when I have them.

I've also been working on some fun digital layouts. Here is one I did yesterday for a challenge on a digital site. I was supposed to use only the elements from the kit so I was a little limited with my 'kreativeness'. The two blondies are my daughters and the little cutie in the middle is my neice Jessica. We went to Disney in December with the family and had a blast!



I also downloaded several great kits during the "Christmas Around the World" Collaberation. There were great designers with awesome kits that participated. I enjoy all the freebies and the designers don't skimp with their work. Here are just a couple I did. One I used a QP - quick page, the other is simply two papers.



This is the one using the vintage papers. I just love the vintage look!



This one is just a QP. I love those for fast pages. Just slide your picture in the designated spot and you're all set!

By the way, if you are following my blog by just checking in here and there, I have added a subscribe button to the sidebar. You can just hit that button and you will receive an email when I update the blog.

Look for more fun layouts to come. I have finished up the girl scout calendar and had a blast with that one. I think the layouts turned out great. I just hope everyone likes them. Now I'm setting aside time each day to do more layouts for myself. I also found a place to get them all printed for pretty cheap. They have lots of great reviews from other customers. I want to use two or three different places to see which I like the best.

Ok, I'm off to kreate!!

Happy New Year!!

I can't believe how long it's been since I last posted! Sick kids, holidays and the stress of holiday shopping has me way behind. This year I plan to be on it again...every week an update!

As I'm sitting here watching the wind blow outside, worried a tree is going to fall on my house, I can't believe it's almost 2009!

This last year has been a very different kind of year for me. It wasn't one I want to remember so much and I'm looking forward to a new year to begin a fresh outlook on life.

I have been thinking of so many things I want to start fresh and new...focusing on my health is at the top of my list. It isn't bad now, but times a tickin' and I'm not getting any younger. As a mom I push aside so many things for myself to do for others - aka - KIDS and just don't make any time for me.

I also want to fine tune those digital scrapping skills I have been playing with. I subscribed to a site with lots of tutorials to teach me how to actually create digital elements for myself. That's one area I really, really want to explore...me, a designer...hmmm...sounds kind of cool, huh?? With all the madness this last month, I miss not creating and need to get back into it. I did some fun projects (not digital) for gifts, but it wasn't enough for me...I need a big kreative fix!

Laura and I are working on our second weekend scrapbooking retreat for February. Registration begins tomorrow and I can't wait. We had a great group of ladies at our last crop in September and I'm sure we'll have a great group at this one as well.

Have a Safe and Happy New Year Everyone!! I'll be back soon with some fun projects to share!!

Here's Hippo!

Yeah, it's Friday at last! We have a great weekend ahead...nothing but Sunday school/church and that's it!!! Soccer was over last weekend - YIPPY! I love that Kasey plays. I think it's great for kids to participate in teams and such, but 3 days of soccer a week, I'm ready for it to end after 3 months! She loves it, so we support her and cheer her on.

Did you guys notice that I figured out how to do a playlist and add it to my blog?? I was so excited! These are just a couple of my favorites - my ipod has over 300 songs...I figured I didn't want to overload the blog with lots of music so I stuck with my man Chris Daughtry (YUM! did I just type that outloud??!! LOL!) and some others that I like.

This summer, Jordyn finally convinced Mike to let her get a rabbit and join the 4H rabbit club. It just happened to be around the time that our neighbor's bunny had babies. She was in the rabbit club so we got one from her. It was such a tough decision when we went to get the baby bunny. They were all SOOO cute! But, Jordyn finally decided on an all black baby named Hippo. Lyndsay (our neighbor) had named each baby as it was born and Hippo was named such because he was the largest of the group - a chunky little monkey!

The girls fell in love instantly and that poor bunny hasn't had a moments peace since he came to live with us! They keep him outside in their playhouse for now. The girls and Mike cleaned out the chicken coop (dumb chickens won't use it!) for him to live in, but he just hasn't been moved yet.

Here is a layout I did using Latte Dah Designs Nature's Beauty kit. You can see just how much Hippo is loved and how darn cute he is!! Enjoy!!!

By the way, my digital friends...go over to Tracy's site (Latte Dah Designs) and check out her newest kit. She created this kit for her friend who suddenly passed away this week. It's a gorgeous kit with lots of great colors and elements!

Election Day!!

We are all watching history happen today! I am not a big political junkie or anything...could care less about the debates or who has the most commercials on TV, etc. But, today, no matter who wins or how you vote in this presidential election, it will be a first in our history! I keep telling my girls how cool this is, but they just give me that blank stare. We haven't gone to vote yet, but will later this afternoon after Mike gets home. I was watching the news this morning and I am amazed at how long the lines were in our area before the polls even opened! WOW - just WOW!

I haven't had the time to create any new layouts this week, but hope to over the next day. I'm also thinking of a new class to teach at MCC. I still have to think about the details and iron out how I'll teach a digital class, but hopefully it will all come together soon.

I was reading a blog of one of my favorite digital designers today. It was a post from the other day that I didn't get to see. If you get the chance, go to Summer's blog and read her latest entry. Her new kit is amazing - I just love her work. Not only that, she posted about her best friend and some very sad times for her friend's family. If you can help, I know that it will be greatly appreciated. http://summertimedesigns.blogspot.com/

Oh and how could I forget Halloween!? I took the girls to our usual spots - hit the community center for the Trunk or Treat festivities and then headed through our small town. We walked for almost 3 hours! The girls were thrilled at their loot! Me too...they got snickers bars!! I hope they don't notice that they all mysteriously disappeared!! Luckily, they didn't get too many of them...they are my favorites! I'll leave you with a picture of my girls - the 50's girl, the snow princess and Tinkerbell.



If you haven't yet - GO VOTE!

Another Monday...

To most, Mondays are the worst days...they got to sleep in all weekend, relax and enjoy being home. Monday morning comes and the alarm clock goes off just too early and then they have to fight the traffic to get to work...for me, I love Mondays now! After what feels like a LONG weekend, the house is mine! After a weekend of kids arguing and messing up everything I tidy up, its so great to just sit and listen to the silence. I have to admit, it is a hassle at first to get the girls up and going some days, the end result is, I have time to actually sit in peace and quiet. Some days it doesn't quite work out this way, but I try hard to plan meetings and client work around these 3 hours of peace.

I did do some fun layouts recently - digital of course!! I'm getting better, but still have SO much to learn. There are so many great kits and tools out there...it's just crazy! When you can't get enough, like me, it gets overwhelming...I am starting to forget what I have! I better get these files organized before its too late.


Here is a layout I did last weekend, but forgot to post it. This was from last fall when we spent the week of Thanksgiving down at the lake. We took a field trip over to Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest. There is so much history down south, we always try to take a trip to somewhere historic while we're there.




This is another I did for Latte Dah Designs. This is using the eco-friendly kit. I'm working on making it a little better. There is something it needs, I just need to figure out what that is!! Anyway, this is just one layout of many that I will be doing for Tracy at Latte Dah Designs as well as one of many that I will be doing with pictures from the Alaskan Cruise that my mom and I took last June. That was an amazing trip and these photos are just a couple of the 600+ that I took that week! The Hubbard Glacier was our first stop on the cruise and it was simply incredible. You just have to see it to believe it...that's pretty much the case with all of the Alaskan scenery.

Let me know what you think!!

Have a great Monday!!

I miss summer!

WOW! It was a cool, brisk 30 degrees here yesterday morning! I went to take the girls to the bus and my car thermometer said 30! YIKES! My youngest is really having issues wearing coats on these cold mornings. She actually got mad at me and was all out of sorts during school yesterday! I finally got it out of her and she said she was mad because I made her wear her coat...crazy!

Since I'm missing some of the fun and warmth of the summer months, I did a layout from the girl scout trip to Williamsburg this past August. We spent time in Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg. One day we went to Water Country USA and rode the water rides all day. The girls had a blast. These photos were taken at the wave pool...that was my place for the day. I used the Tropical Corkboard kit from Latte Dah Designs to do this layout. Enjoy!!